LEON'S POV
I tapped my fingers on the table.
"Are you truly not going to help?" Taylor moved closer to me.
"Oh come on man. Give me a break." I groaned.
This, again!
Was he ever gonna give up with his stupid questions?
"Leon, you've really become just like him." He moved back to his seat.
Had I?
No. Never. I was different from him, he was unhinged.
"Don't compare me to Lucien." I stood up and stretched my limbs.
"How can I not? The things you say, the things you do. It's just like how he would do it." He said in a dry tone.
I scoffed. He wasn't gonna get to me in that way.
The day he had brought up helping Olivia, I had thought about it.
I had thought about helping her run away from Lucien's punishing hands but then something hit me like a freight train.
If we helped her run away then I couldn't have access to her. If she was free from his grasp then she wouldn't have a reason to sleep with me anymore.
So I decided against it. I couldn't help her - no I wouldn't help her for my own good. And anyway even if she did manage to get away, where would she go?
She didn't have anywhere to go and no one to go to.
And Lucien would certainly not sit still and do nothing. He would hunt her down and drag her back to his house, just because that's who he was.
I didn't want to get on his bad side for any reason whatsoever.
And thus I wasn't moved by anything Taylor said.
I knew that without me backing him, he would not do anything.
"I'm going to visit her soon and offer her my help." He looked up at the sky, his green eyes glinting with determination.
I shook my head.
"Did she ever say that she needed your help?" I arched my brow.
He was acting like a little kid who had just finished watching a show about heroes and wanted to try it for himself.
He folded his arms against his chest
"Do you think she even knows that what Lucien is doing to her is not showing care but abuse. He is using his power to abuse her and we need to do that."
I shook my head, this was insane. Taylor couldn't do anything to Lucien.
He was ruthless. I involuntarily shivered remembering the way he broke a guy's hand a couple of years back. I still remembered the sound his hand made when it broke.
I didn't want to say anything more, I just wanted this conversation to finish.
Lucien Hale, he came from a very powerful family. He belonged to old money, actual old money not just stupid little money. His family owned multiple businesses but he for some reason refused to work at their companies and started his own, Hale Vanta.
It had become so successful in a few years, I would like to think it was all because of his family connections- just for my own peace.
He was someone you didn't want to mess with for any reason. I was taking my chances with Olivia.
I took in a sharp breath.
For some reason I couldn't let him have her himself.
I don't even know what it was about her that kept me wanting more. Yeah she was attractive but I had met countless beauties and they wanted me for themselves.
But with her, she didn't look at me the way she looked at Lucien.
"Can we leave?" Taylor said, a sad grimace etched on his face.
Why was he suddenly trying to break out of his shell like this?
Did he like her?
"Do you like her?" I tapped my fingers on my lap.
His eyebrows drew.
"Like who?"
I chuckled, this stupid fool. He was dodging the question.
"Olivia, Do you want her?" I pressed.
He scowled.
"Are you crazy? I just want to help her, I am not like you!" He got off his chair, picked up his phone and walked away.
I let out a low sigh.
Of course this fool wasn't interested in her.
Taylor liked smart girls, and Olivia didn't even know she was being destroyed.
Otherwise if she was, she would have never fallen in love with Lucien.
Why him and not me?
I frowned at the thought.
"Aren't you coming?" Taylor called snapping me out of my thoughts.
I got up and followed him out.
**************************
"I heard from your father that you are refusing to speak to Lucien." My mother's gentle voice filled the room.
I inwardly cussed my father. He was a traitor and a snitch! Using my mother to get to me, he knew I couldn't refuse her.
"I didn't refuse," I touched my chin, "it's just taking some time."
She looked away from the window and looked at me. "Are you guys arguing?"
I flinched.
"No, we are not." I cleared my throat.
"I can see right through you, Leon." She smiled her eyes looking back out the window.
I sighed.
My mother knew me well. When I got bullied in primary school, she knew and she had unleashed hell on my bullies and their parents. When I had gotten my first kiss, my first heartbreak.
Just one look and she could tell when something was wrong or if I was happy.
"It's just a little misunderstanding. We'll resolve it soon." I moved closer, putting my arms around her and my head against her back.
"Mmh, don't argue for too long ok." She murmured.
I smiled. She turned around and rustled my hair.
"Mom," I whined pulling away, "I'm not a kid anymore."
She let out a hearty laugh.
"No matter how big you get, you'll always be my baby," she pulled my head down and placed a kiss on my forehead, "now make sure to make up with your friends soon and talk business. Okay?"
My hands moved around fixing the mess she'd made on my head.
"Okay."
She moved away from the window and sat on one of the couches in my office.
"So tell me- have you found your special someone yet?" She plopped her chin on her palm.
"Where's this coming from?" I questioned,sitting across her.
She tilted her head.
"I am just a concerned mother."
She had definitely heard something, but what?
"No, I haven't." I replied.
"You little liar. I heard that you're no longer going around and messing with women like you used to." She grinned.
I knew it.
I hadn't stopped my playboy chronicles for any reason. I just couldn't find anyone worth my time, all I wanted was….
I shook my head.
"Oh come on, don't keep it to yourself. Tell me, am I getting a daughter in law soon?" She said with burgeoning excitement.
I couldn't tell her the real reason why I had stopped, no, I had taken a break from chasing those money hungry idiots.
"There is no one mom. I am just busy with work you know." I lied through my teeth.
She frowned and shook her head.
"If that's what you wanna tell me, then ok. I will wait till you're ready to tell me."
I bit my tongue. She always knew.
But had I really lost interest in other women because of her? Or had she just ruined every other woman for me?