Chapter 4: An Unexpected Adversary
Liliana's POV
Friday was rapidly coming to a close. Liliana looked over at the time clock on her computer. The digital readout flashed 6:27 p.m. It had only been a week since the unsettling encounter in the flower shop. The days had thankfully flown by, and she was looking forward to a quiet, solitary weekend.
Glancing over at the contract on the desk edge, she grimaced at the amount of work still needed to get done before calling it quits. Staying late was a rarity for Liliana. Instead, it was customary to tackle complicated cases early in the morning when her mind was clear and well-rested. Never at the end of a long work week.
Not the case today. Her secretary had entered her office late after lunch with a stack of folders.
"I hate to do this; however, Howard told me to hand this one off to you. It looks like a rather complicated last will & testament with substantial assets. The clients will be calling us the beginning of next week to schedule a preliminary meeting to discuss."
Watching her assistant back toward the door after dumping the stack of papers on an empty space, Liliana's shoulders slumped. Then, with an exasperated head shake and an eye roll, she watched Lucy Jenkins prepare to leave for the weekend. Liliana would drown in a sea of unfinished paralegal duties if it wasn't for her.
"Not sure whether I should curse or thank Howard. You, however, are an angel for all your help. Go enjoy your weekend."
"You do the same. Don't stay too late. Go have a drink. Meet a man. Maybe dance a little bit. You work too hard and play too little."
"Ms. Jenkins, men these days are more interested in a casual affair. I'll stick to my contracts. Who knows what will arise from one of them."
After her secretary had left, Liliana absentmindedly opened the top folder. Her thoughts were a thousand miles away. The replay of every single fleeting minute spent with Darick Xander looped over and over in her mind. Particularly mystifying was the single memory of her hand being held in his.
The man's touch had been attentive and secure. With a slight chill at the end of his fingertips. She wondered what it would have felt like to have him touch her body? She almost gasped audibly from the thought.
And then there was the split-second when he had first turned and looked at her. His eye had lit from within, seeing all of her. Past, present, and future. It had been in that single moment she felt timeless and perfect. And when it was over, all that had been left was a flush and breathlessness.
None of it was like anything she had experienced with another living being before. Ever. Nor was she sure it would be something that would ever happen again. It was just too other-worldly. The stuff of legends and fairy-tales.
Turning back to the words on the page, Liliana tried to shrug off the awakening emotions. Wasn't it just like fate to throw in a wrench and make the man unavailable to her? Of all the people in the world, why did he have to come into Audrey's shop and rattle Liliana's neatly organized life?
Breaking through the bewildering thoughts, the dulled laughter of a woman echoed down the hall. This was followed by the sound of steady footsteps moving along the corridor to Liliana's office.
"Knock. Knock. I thought I would stop by and thank you for the beautiful flowers."
Criminy. Can fate get any stranger? This was just about the last person Liliana wanted to see. The woman that had put the brakes on Liliana's castles in the air.
"Hello, Ms. Asmodeus. How in the world did you know I had anything to do with those flowers?
A quizzical look fell over Liliana's face as she watched the woman walk further into her office. Each step accentuating Felicia Asmodeus' leggy body. Added were a perfectly coiffed hairdo and an expertly tailored woolen winter-white suit.
"Silly you. Don't you remember mentioning to Ron that your best friend owns what is considered to be the best floral shop in Old Town?"
Moving closer, she smiled wickedly and leaned onto Liliana's desk with both hands. The left one wrapped in a gauze bandage.
"What happened to your hand? That looks painful. "
"Why yes, it is. See, I'm highly sensitive to vervain, and when the delivery boy handed me the bouquet, I burned the skin on my hand. Maybe you can tell me who was so kind to send such a bunch?"
Liliana quickly looked up. It had never crossed her mind that Felicia would not know the sender was Darick Xander. How in the world did she not know the flowers had been sent by him?
Jumping away from her desk. Felicia hissed, and her eyes turned what almost appeared to be blood red.
"So, Darick Xander. I had no idea he was here in the States."
Hissing once more, the woman tucked her chin and churlishly snarled. Then, revealed what Liliana thought looked like a misshapen tooth. Continuing to stare at Liliana, the frightful woman backed out the door and sped down the hall after spitting out a parting remark.
"Be careful with what you are contemplating. He is far beyond your reach. You have no idea what he is capable of doing to a human being."
Liliana shakily got up from her desk and moved to shut the office door. Trying quietly to turn the lock, her hands trembled uncontrollably. Getting the safety to catch, Liliana moved away with shaking legs and sat down in the dark leather chair behind her desk. Her mind was rattled by the bizarre incident. Slowly, her thoughts calmed, and she was left with one fiery question.
Why had Darick Xander sent those flowers?
Clearly, Felicia Asmodeus knew nothing about him being in the States, much less in the Washington D.C. area. And, if the choice of flowers was an indication of his feelings toward her, then it definitely was not warm. And how did Felicia have any idea of what Liliana had been thinking? Had her thoughts been so clearly seen on her face?
Suddenly, a small voice inside hiccuped and shared a hopeful musing. How had Felicia read Liliana's mind when she never mentioned the man's name? What if you're dead wrong about Darick Xander? What if the man is everything your heart feels he could be? What are you going to do now?