Troy And Athena (Forbidden Love Series Book 15)

The next day, Athena was ready to go to work when Brandon appeared at their doorstep with a huge grin on his face. "What's up, dude? Don't you have to go to work or what?" Asked Troy with a smile. Brandon grimaced.

"Yeah but I thought I'd show Athens the pictures of my nephew and niece first," he said excitedly, hurrying towards Athena who was busy stuffing pancakes into her mouth. Brandon stole the rest of her breakfast while she was busy with the baby photos. 

"Brandon, I need to rush. There's an emergency meeting coming up in fifteen minutes. Gosh, I'm so late, " said Troy, kissing Athena on her lips. "You can manage on your own to work, right? I'll see you in the evening or maybe I'll drop in during lunchtime," he said to Athena. 

"Sure. Bye, see you then," said Athena, kissing him back. 

"I should also get going, Athens. My boss will chop me to pieces if I don't report in twenty minutes," Brandon laughed. Troy chuckled. Athena too got up. 

"Yeah, me too. Let's all go out together," she suggested, picking up her handbag. They all went out and Troy ensured that the apartment was locked. They went down the escalator and Troy first drove off in a hurry. Athena too climbed into her car.

"What time will you return?" Asked Brandon. Athena shrugged. 

"By 5:30 or 6 if there are no exhibitions," she told him. "I don't know the scenario. I was on leave due to granny's death," she told him. 

"Call me when you return. I'll drop in and tell you about the woman I'm into," said Brandon, making Athena gape at him with surprise. 

"I can't wait for so long. Please tell me now, Brand, please, " pleaded Athena. Brandon chuckled. 

"It's a long story, I'll tell you in the evening if you cook a delicious dinner for me," he chuckled. Athena smacked his arm.

"Okay, done, " she said, strapping on her seat belt. Brandon waved at her and she drove off. Brandon walked out of the parking area towards the guest open parking space. Athena waved and drove off. However just as Brandon had climbed into his car, his eyes popped out seeing the woman who was watching them yesterday drive smoothly out of the building, following Athena's car. The determined and peculiarly grim look on her face made Brandon frown. She didn't look normal at all.

Curiously he followed the woman, keeping a safe distance between them. Just as he had thought, the woman was indeed stalking Athena. But why? Who was she and what did she want from Athena? Brandon thought hard. He had known Athena since kindergarten and he'd never seen that woman before. Worried, he stalked the woman, forgetting about going to his office. She followed Athena to her gallery and watched her go inside. Now what would she do? Brandon watched her with baited breath. The woman waited for a few minutes and parked her car, got down cautiously looking around. 

Her attitude and stance didn't feel right, it seemed as if she was upto something wrong. Brandon too got down from his car. He would have to protect Athena from this mad woman. The woman stood at the gate of the gallery, clearly in two minds about whether to go inside or not when two security guards came out to take their position at the entrance. The woman rushed down the stairs having decided to leave and walked briskly towards her car. Brandon too turned around so that she didn't notice him. When she had driven off, Brandon followed her. 

He had to know who she was but while he was stuck at the signal, she had driven off already. Brandon went back to Athena's gallery and spoke to the security guards.

He showed his identity card and informed them about the woman that they'd seen hurrying away. "If you see her here the next time, don't let her inside. She's a thief, a burglar and your jobs would be at stake if anything is stolen," he told them. He gave his phone number to them. "Call me or inform the police if you see her again," he told them. Relieved, Brandon went to work to face the music since he was late already. Thankfully, the whole day, he didn't receive any call from those security guards which only meant that the woman hadn't returned to Athena's workplace. 

In the evening, as he was about to drive home from work, he received a call from Athena. She had reached home and would only start cooking dinner for him if he told her what he had promised to tell. Brandon chuckled and promised to be there soon. 

Athena started making dinner preparations while humming a tune. Troy had called to say that he'd come home a little late. Brandon arrived a few minutes later when Athena had nearly finished making dinner. The two friends sat down to catch up with what was happening in Brandon's life.

"You didn't tell me her name, silly," said Athena curiously. 

"Camilla," said Brandon as his cheeks colored slightly. The next one hour, they both teased and laughed and chatted more about Camilla. It seemed Brandon was obsessed with her! 

Troy came home but Athena hadn't noticed him yet and he felt a pang of jealousy seeing her sitting with Brandon and laughing away. Did Brandon come back to reclaim and win over his lost fiancée? He felt more jealous and angry at the thought. He walked over to Athena. "What are you two talking about?" He asked with a fake smile although he felt like bashing Brandon's face. 

"Brand's obsession," said Athena, excitedly. Troy's face fell. How could she not react seeing him come home? How could she be more interested in Brandon's obsession than her own fiancée? 

"Oh! I think I'll freshen up before dinner," he said, walking upstairs to his bedroom, disappointedly. Athena nodded. Brandon's phone buzzed with an incoming call, from his mom. He took the call and jumped to his feet. 

"I need to get home, Athens. Mom's mad since I promised to have dinner with her tonight," he told her. Athena nodded.

"Okay. I think we need to finish our talk tomorrow. You didn't tell me what happened. Why did you return here without your Camilla?" She asked curiously. Brandon gave her a sad smile.

"That story's for another time altogether, " he said with a wave. After he left, Athena laid the table with a smile on her face. She was glad that while she had moved on with Troy, Brandon too had found someone to move on with. Troy came down and looked around.

"Where's your best friend?" He asked, looking around. 

"He's gone to have dinner with his mom. C'mon, let's eat. I'm famished," said Athena. 

"Not until you kiss me. Aren't you happy to see me after a whole day? It seems like you haven't missed me at all," said Troy looking at her expectantly. Athena rushed into his arms and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down for a kiss, to show him how much she had missed him. The passionate kiss turned wild and intense and Troy sat down on the couch with her on his lap. They made out hungrily, eating each other's faces, not getting enough of one another, unaware of a pair of seething, angry eyes observing them from the apartment opposite to theirs. 

Brandon finished dinner at his parents' house when he remembered that he had forgotten to inform Troy and Athena about that weird woman. "I'll drop in tomorrow morning before going to work and tell them," he thought, laying down on his bed. His thoughts went to Camilla. He wondered what she was doing now! Was she missing him as much as he was missing her? Brandon thought hard. He had to come to a decision soon. He couldn't survive like this much longer. Surely he had returned to Vegas, to his home but his heart was somewhere else. It seemed as if Florida was calling him. It seemed Camilla needed him. Maybe he needed her more than she did. 

It was a restless sleep like every night. After seeing the love that Athena and Troy shared, he started missing Camilla all the more. The next morning, he drove to Athena's house early in the morning before going to work. He needed to talk to Troy but as he rang the doorbell, he saw that Troy was already dressed and ready for work. In fact he was just  about to leave. 

"What brings you here so early in the morning, dude?" Asked Troy with a fake smile pasted on his face. However he didn't wait for Brandon's reply as he strode towards the elevator after smacking his arm. Troy seethed inwardly seeing Brandon so early in the morning at his doorstep. He was sure by now that Brandon ha returned to win Athena over from him. He was in a terribly foul mood as the thought made him mad with anger. He would soon have to do something about this situation. He wouldn't allow Brandon to be successful with his plans. Athena was his and he would do anything to keep her with him.