Double Standards // ziam

Chapter 9

Zayn's hand shook as he perfect his hair style and then put his pointy black earing. He glanced at the swatch he found lying around in his drawers; Harry would be there in fifteen minutes. Walking over to one of the mirrored closets, he removed a perfect brand new Dolce & Gabbana suit, the one he'd finally chosen that afternoon after trying on all of his newly acquired evening attires.

Now that he knew what an unprincipled, deceitful, arrogant bastard Liam really was, he probably wouldn't find him the slightest bit attractive, he decided, buttoning up his jacket and stepping into his shoes. Even so, his battered pride demanded that he look his best tonight.

Closing the closet, he stepped back to survey his full-length image in the mirrored doors. He did not want to sound arrogant...but wow he looked sexy as hell, damn he looked good in designer clothes, he's going to miss that when his deal is over. He shook his head at his self-admiration.

He tried to feel excited that he was going after all to some sophisticated party, but he couldn't. Not when he was about to confront the man who had effortlessly seduced him and then tossed him away like yesterday garbage; a multimillionaire whom he'd invited to lunch and assured him that they could afford anything on the menu.

Considering how low and cynical Liam was, it was amazing he hadn't actually let him pay for the expensive meal, Zayn thought, searching through his bag for his father's watch.

He paused to mentally rehearse the way he was going to treat him tonight. Because of what had happened, Liam would naturally expect him to be hurt and angry, but he had no intention of letting him see that he was either. Instead he was going to convince him that their weekend in Harbor Springs had been nothing but an amusing little escapade to him...that he was experimenting, just as it had obviously been to him. Under no circumstances would he treat him coldly, because by coldness he would show him that he still cared enough to be angry. Even if it killed him, he was going to treat him with casual, detached friendliness-the same sort of impersonal friendliness he would show the gatekeeper or the janitor at work.

That should throw him off balance, Zayn decided, still searching for his father's watch.

But where was it, he wondered a little frantically a moment later. He couldn't have lost it- he was always so careful with it. It was the only things of his father's he had. He had put it in Harbor Springs, he remembered... and the next day at the Cove. And that night in bed Liam had been kissing him and he bumped him accidently with it so he removed it from his wrist to avoid more accidents...

His father's watch was somewhere in Liam's boyfriend's bed!

Zayn leaned his hands on the dresser, and his head fell forward as a fresh surge of anger and pain raged through him. Liam's boyfriend probably had his father's watch.

The doorbell rang downstairs, and he straightened up with a jerk. Taking a deep breath he walked downstairs and opened the door.

Harry was standing in the doorway, looking every inch the impressive business executive in an attractive dark suit and tie. "Please come in," Zayn said quietly. He stepped into the foyer, and he added, "I'll just get my wallet and keys, and we can leave. Or would you like a drink first?"

When he didn't immediately answer, he turned. "Is something wrong?"

Harry's gaze moved over his perfect features and his styled hair. Appreciatively he examined his figure in the perfectly fit suit he wore. "Nothing that I can see," he said with a grin.

"Would you like a drink?" Zayn repeated, surprised but not insulted by his frank appraisal.

"Not unless you need one to bolster your courage to face Liam."