Chapter Seventeen
After the delicious lunch, Laurence sat at his laptop, working while Arianna sat at hers checking his schedules for the next few days. Could she sneak in a sightseeing trip around London? She surfed about London and the attractions that she could visit if Laurence gave her a little leave.
She would make the most out of this trip. She didn't have any money with her and maybe if she asked Laurence for a little advance, he wouldn't mind. So, she excitedly checked out and planned cheap tours and travels around London.
After sometime, she closed her laptop and sat watching the clouds float by her window. Laurence still sat grumpily and looked at her every now and then. She didn't know what to say to him so she waited for him to speak first. Looking out of the windows, she thought whether her mom was really in heaven? Could she see her floating through the clouds? Maybe it was a childish thought but she couldn't help the feeling. Her eyes closed and she dozed off to sleep dreaming about her mom. They danced hand in hand with one another through the clouds. They laughed, carefree and happily. It brought a smile on her face. She felt herself being lifted and she cuddled into a better position against a warm cushion, sighing contentedly.
Arianna twisted and turned, her mom placed her hand in someone else's and started to disappear. She tried to stop her but someone was holding her hand, refusing to let her go. He turned and she saw that it was the face of her boss, Laurence Lennard. She woke up with a start. Was that dream real? Where was she? The room looked dark and she was lying down. Last she remembered, she was sitting on an airplane.
She tried to get up but she couldn't. Something heavy was weighing her down. She somehow switched on the bedside light, freezing with shock at the sight. Laurence was sleeping on the bed with her, his thick, muscular arm was around her waist, clamping her down. How did she reach in the bedroom of the jet? Did he carry her inside? She blushed at the sight of him beside her. Did he touch her in her sleep? No, he was too much of a gentleman to do that, but her jacket was taken out. He might have taken it off her. She blushed crimson and struggled to break free but his arm was like a steel band refusing to let go.
He opened an eye and looked at her lazily, awakened by her struggles. It was the best sleep of his life after a crazy and restless night. "What?" She asked him. "I need to use the washroom."
He removed his arm reluctantly, and kept watching her, his hot gaze making her blush more. She got up and rushed to the washroom to calm herself. How would she go back to the room? Would he again make her sleep with him? Or would he be standing outside the washroom like the first time? The realization that she had slept with her boss made her all the more embarrassed. She checked the time. It was 7 o'clock in the evening. Six more hours to go in his company. She would go crazy with apprehension. She came out after five minutes. Thankfully the bedroom was empty. So she fixed her appearance and went outside. They were served with coffee and snacks and she devoured them hungrily. Laurence seemed to be in a better mood than before. He handed her a few magazines to while her time and she was thankful. He worked on his laptop while Arianna lazed around, checking out the magazines with a smile on her face.
After two hours, they were served dinner. There was red wine braised beef with cheesy polenta and green beans along with a chocolate mousse dessert. It was a very delicious meal. Afterwards they sat down on the plush leather sofa. Arianna sat with her magazine but she couldn't concentrate with him sitting beside her, looking at her.
"We'll reach after midnight. If you wish to catch up on some sleep, you can," Laurence said. He wanted to sleep with her in his arms. It was like a balm, it relaxed him and instantly put him to sleep.
"No, I'm fine here," she said shyly, her cheeks flushing with colour which didn't escape Laurence's scrutiny.
"These London outlets were the first ones that I embarked on outside the US," he admitted and she listened to him intently.
"How did you achieve much success at such a young age, sir?" She asked him. She was curious to know more about him.
"I started at nineteen. My dad had a costume jewellery company in New York which produced cheap jewellery and supplied to shops nearby. We used to live in a small two bedroom apartment in New York. Everything however changed when I started studying Jewellery Designing. I took over our company. A friend's dad was a precious stone supplier. He gave me the idea to start a diamond jewellery brand. I started with diamond earrings and pendants. They became a huge hit. Then I went into bracelets and sets upon popular demand. Our popularity grew and we started retail outlets of our own in New York," said Laurence, sipping some water. Arianna sat mesmerised by his enthusiastic expressions. He looked like he loved what he did. It was something to be proud of.
Laurence continued his success story. He didn't know what compelled him to talk so much. He had never talked so much in his entire life. He was always a man of few words, sober, reserved, mature, calm. However, this young innocent girl brought out a different side of him, a daring, an impulsive, a loving, a talkative, a friendlier and happy side which he never knew existed in him.
"Our popularity grew in leaps and bounds and we launched more products, all of which became super hits. Income started pouring in and we invested in outlets in the important cities of the country. Then we expanded abroad, starting with London folllowed by Paris, Sydney, Vienna and many more. Dad wanted to shift to Las Vegas as his childhood friend lived there. So we all shifted here. I bought a good property here and we all live together," finished Laurence, staring at her upturned face, listening to him intently.
"What about you Aria? I want to know everything about you. Will you give me the privilege to know you better? I want to see your soul," he whispered, his fingers trailing along her jawline.
She told him everything about herself. How her dad was destroyed, how her mom was tortured, how she lived in fear, how her mom died, how her life turned into a nightmare, everything. She told him about the tortures that she underwent, she told him about that fateful night when her dad wanted to sell her for money. She told him how she had escaped. She told him about her current life, how she loved her current family. She told him about her relationships with each and every member of her current family. Laurence listened quietly, absorbed in her story, without any comment.
"What was the name of your dad's company?" He asked with interest. Could he help her retrieve it with his power and money?
"Axis Financial Corps.," she informed him quietly.
Lauence nodded. "It was a financial firm based in Vegas?" he asked and Arianna nodded. Laurence swore that he would find out who destroyed their family and try to retrieve her company for her.
Arianna was puzzled by her own behaviour. How she talked about her personal life with her boss was beyond her. She had never told anyone about what she had gone through. Isabella was the only one who knew. There was something about Laurence which made her talk about the nightmares which she had faced without any hesitation. She was surprised that a billionaire like him was so sensitive, so kind and understood her so well. Was he the one for her?
She remembered the dream she had vividly. It was strange that she could remember it as if it was real. As if it really happened. Did her mom place her hand in Laurence's?
"Go to sleep Aria. It's 10 o'clock already and we need to wake up at 1 o'clock in the morning," he told her. Arianna nodded and got up to go into the bedroom. She got ready for bed and opening her jacket, she unhooked her bra and eased it out of her. Stuffing it into her luggage, she lay down to sleep, covering herself with a duvet.
Laurence sipped a glass of whiskey after she left, contemplating upon whether to go and sleep with her or not. After finishing off his drink, he walked over to the bedroom. Opening his jacket, he unbuttoned a few buttons of his shirt. Then he discarded his trousers and climbed onto the bed beside her.
