Ashleigh couldn't help but smile as she watched a very sleepy looking Leila walking towards her; she was wearing nothing but a pair of hot pink lacy French knickers and Darryl Braxton's black shirt. Leila frowned as she walked past the table where Ashleigh was sat and headed towards the coffee machine "What are you grinning at?" she asked in a grumpy voice.
"Nothing it's just nice to see you happy, I haven't seen you look like this since Jimmy" Ashleigh replied as Leila sat beside her at the table.
"What do you mean? I am happy" Leila wondered what Ashleigh meant.
"Yeh, but not just happy. You seem so much more relaxed when you are around Brax. Not having to stand on ceremony and minding everything you say and do. It's like you can be yourself around him" Ashleigh explained as she watched Leila fiddling with the coffee mug in front of her. "Anyway I was looking at that file you gave me last night and here is what I have come up with" Ashleigh said quickly redirecting the conversation as she spotted Brax walking into the kitchen wearing a pair of black board shorts.
"What?" Leila asked as she leant forward and opened the file on the table; Ashleigh took out a few bank statements. Brax poured himself a coffee and sat down beside Leila he rested his hand on her thigh. Ashleigh watched as Leila put her hand on top of Brax's.
"Ok well while you have been searching through the documents you have missed quite a few small details that could explain a lot" Ashleigh pointed out a few transactions on the statements.
"Oh they are just transfers from my Dad when he brought into Geoffrey's company" Leila explained the transactions quickly but was shocked on what she hadn't picked up on.
"Yeh but don't you think it's a little odd how small the amounts are for, considering it is a multi-million dollar business venture" Ashleigh smiled.
"Let me see that" Brax said as he looked at the figures "Wow $500,000 isn't a lot to invest for profits like this. He must have had a better bargaining chip than money"
"Exactly, some kind of deal breaker" Ashleigh said as she looked at the contract which was signed by Leila's dad and Geoffrey. It wasn't until Leila looked at the contract that the penny finally dropped.
"Oh my god" she explained. Brax and Ashleigh saw the colour drain from Leila's face.
"What is it?" Brax asked curiously as he grabbed Leila's hand.
"It was me" she said was a ghostly expression on her face "I was the deal breaker"
Brax's eye's widened "You're kidding right?" he asked.
"No, my dad had been interested in becoming a partner in Geoffrey's company for years. It wasn't until Dad's company went global that Geoffrey became interested in doing business with him" Leila explained her theory to a horrified Ashleigh and Brax.
"Two weeks after Jimmy went away to Afghanistan" Ashleigh remembered
"Yeah and six months before he died, and there's the confirmation" she said as she pointed out a transfer for $75,000 to a Gerald Anderson.
"Who's Gerald Anderson?" Brax wondered curiously.
"It didn't come to me until now but I think he was in charge of the investigation to why Jimmy died" Leila continued
"Yes but this was transferred a month before Jimmy died, the dates don't match for a cover up fee" Asked said as she read the statement.
"No but they do if he was the one they paid to make sure Jimmy was killed" Brax interrupted, everything made sense to him now.
"Hang on are you saying Geoffrey and your Dad paid to have Jimmy killed just so they could use you as part of their business deal" Ashleigh cried as she stood up "What kind of people are you?" she yelled as she ran out of the kitchen and straight out of the house. Leila quickly stood up and followed "Ash wait" she called after her.
It was too late by the time Leila had opened the door Ashleigh was already in her car and driving away. Leila ran out onto the drive way "ASH, Ash" she yelled as she watched Ashleigh drive away. It wasn't until Leila stood up and saw a few of the neighbours giving her a funny look that she realised what she had gone out onto the street wearing "Shit" she cursed under her breath as she walked back into the house. Brax was waiting for her just behind the door.
"She'll be ok she's just angry I'm sure she'll calm down" he said softly as he pulled Leila into a tight hug.
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It was almost an hour later when Ashleigh pulled up in the drive way. Brax had already left; it was the re-opening event at Angelo's. All the repairs had finally been done after the fire.
Leila had been for a shower and got dressed, she was now wearing a pair of white linen shorts and a lime green lace singlet, her hair was still wet and hanging around her shoulders. Leila went outside when she heard Ashleigh pulling up.
"See you even dress better when he's out of town" Ashleigh teased as she walked past Leila and into the house. Leila grinned widely. This was typical of Ashleigh blowing up one minute and relaxing the next. "I'm sorry I exploded like that, I know this can't be easy for you either, especially what you went through with Mason" Ashleigh noticed the pain in Leila's face when she mentioned Mason.
"Hey no one blames you alright" Ashleigh hugged Leila "We should go and speak to Gerald Richardson" Ashleigh suggested.
"No I'm going to speak to my dad" Leila said coldly "I'll get him to meet me at Angelo's" she added.
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Brax was shocked when he saw Leila walking towards him; she looked extremely hot in her red capped sleeved dress which fell just above her knee and fitted tightly to her slim frame. There was a small thin black belt which fastened around her waist. Leila's hair was down and straight with her fringe just sitting on the tops of her eye lashes. She was also wearing a pair of black stiletto platform sandals and carrying a black clutch bag "White wine please, this place looks awesome" she smiled as she sat on a bar stool in front of Brax and looked around the newly refurbished restaurant.
"Yeah they have done a good job" Brax replied as he handed her the glass of wine and instinctively held his hand out for the money to pay for it.
"I don't think so some how" Leila laughed "I think you owe me a few freebies after this morning" Leila reminded him of the things they had got up to that morning.
"Fair enough" Brax grinned widely "How come you're here anyway I thought you were going to the studio this afternoon?"
"Oh I am after I finish here; I have decided to speak to my dad about everything. I want to give him the chance to explain" she replied taking a sip of her wine.
"Ok well I should be finished in an hour or so, shall I join you" Brax asked.
"No it's ok I can handle my dad. Besides we already have an audience" Leila brought Brax's attention to the glares they were getting from Leah who was sat at a table with VJ and some of his friends from school. Leila got off her stool and headed over to the toilet. As soon as she was out of sight Leah came stomping over to Brax.
"Here we go" he sighed quietly under his breath.
"You two seem pretty cosy to say there is nothing going on between you both" Leah spat
"Not that it's any of your business Leah but what me and Leila have is just a bit of fun" Brax argued.
"Yes well what I saw at that fight the other night looked more than just a bit of fun. Why can't you just admit it Brax, you are falling for her" Leah's voice had risen slightly.
"Don't be ridiculous, you know what your problem is, you're jealous" Brax's reply seemed to hit a nerve; she just turned and stormed back to the table without saying a word. Leila walked out of the toilet and headed back to the bar, she was stopped in her tracks by Leah.
"He'll never be able to give you what you want, he is still in love with Charlie" She spat angrily.
"Er…Brax gives me exactly what I want just fine thank you. Not that it's any of your business" Leila replied smugly as she walked confidently back to Brax.
"Sorry about her" Brax apologised "She thinks she has a say in what I do and who I do it with just because she was Charlie's friend" Brax explained.
"You really don't understand women do you?" Leila laughed "I'd say it was a little bit more than that. I think I might have a bit of competition" she teased.
"What between you and Leah? Nah there's no competition" Brax winked causing Leila to blush a little.
"Hello Leila" a voice interrupted from behind them, as Leila turned round she saw her father.
"Dad" she smiled as she walked towards him and hugged him.
"You look great" he grinned "I see Geoffrey has been taking care of you"
Leila lead her dad towards an empty table just in from of the bar "This place is a little more up market than I expected" Leila's dad said as he looked around the restaurant "Especially when I heard the leader of the River Boys was running the place"
"Did you want a drink dad?" Leila asked completely ignoring her father's comment.
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Leila and her dad had just started to tuck into their meals when her dad started the conversation Leila was dreading.
"So what was so important that you had to talk to me honey" her dad asked as he put a fork full of pasta into his mouth.
"I need to ask you something dad, and it's important that you're honest with me" Leila started "I know what happened with Jimmy and I know you used me to seal the deal with Geoffrey"
Leila's dad dropped his fork onto his plate causing Brax to look up "Leila I" he tried to talk but Leila cut him up.
"What I want to know is what the price was for Jimmy's life and how come it took 5 years for the deal to be completed" Leila's voice was now firm and harsh.
"Geoffrey didn't want it to look suspicious, he wanted you from the first day he met you at your wedding to Jimmy" Leila couldn't believe her dad had just started talking about it. It was almost like he had been waiting to tell her the truth for years.
"But he was married to Liz when I first met him" Leila frowned.
"Yes, but their marriage had been over for a long time before he met you. The company was in trouble and you know how badly I had wanted him to invest. He came to me after the wedding with a proposition. He would buy my company and let me be a partner in the joint companies on one condition…You were part of the price" Leila could see the disappointment in her dad's eyes.
"But the company went global, how could you be struggling?" Leila asked curiously.
"The amount it cost us to take the company global meant any morning coming in was barely touching the sides. If the company went bust we would have lost everything the house the car, everything" Leila's dad explained.
"I knew you would never be interested in being with Geoffrey while Jimmy was alive, and when he said he was going to Afghanistan I saw it as the perfect opportunity. Geoffrey said he knew someone in the Ministry of Defence that could help. We arranged to pay him to create an accident that would ensure Jimmy was killed" Leila was horrified as she heard he dad explain it all.
"But if you were so broke why didn't you sign the contract until 5 years later" Leila exclaimed.
"Geoffrey agreed to loan me some money until the deal was complete" Leila frowned, how could her dad talk about this so calmly?
"Until I was his wife you mean?" Leila spat furiously "Who is Gerald Anderson?" Leila asked as everything spun round and round in her head.
"Gerald Anderson is the man who arranged the accident" Leila was starting to get extremely aggravated by her dad's calm replies.
"For god sake Dad this isn't just conversation about sports. You and my so called husband paid a man $75,000 to kill Jimmy" Leila spat, Brax's head shot up when he heard Leila's voice raise slightly.
"$100,000" her dad replied simply.
"What?" Leila didn't understand what her dad meant.
"We paid him $75,000 to do it and then I paid him $25,000 to keep quiet about it" Leila's eyes widened.
"Hang on you said you were broke how the hell could you afford $25,000" It was at that moment Leila realised how deep her father's betrayal went. Tears filled her eyes; it was also at that moment Leila had seen shame spread across her father face for the first time since the start of their conversation.
"You bastard" Leila cried "How could you do that to me?" she screamed as she launched herself at her dad.
Brax rushed to Leila's side and pulled her back "I think you should leave" he snapped at her dad.
"You're better off with Geoffrey; Jimmy was a waste of space a no hoper with no future. Getting rid of him was the best thing I ever did" Leila's dad spat.
"Take that back" Leila cried as she tried to struggle free from Brax.
"He couldn't even give you a healthy baby" Leila had heard enough she rushed out of Brax's arms and slapped her dad straight across his face. Surprisingly Leila's dad retaliated with a back hander across Leila's cheek causing her to crash to the floor.
As Brax watched Leila fall he lost it completely and punched Leila's dad, he was just about to do it again when he felt someone pull him back "Brax stop it mate" as Brax looked round he realised it was Heath.
Heath had just walked into Angelo's with Ashleigh when it all kicked off. Ashleigh was now knelt beside Leila. Brax quickly rushed to Leila's side and pulled her up "Are you ok?" he asked as he put his hand on her red cheek.
"You get outta here now" Heath snapped at Leila's dad, he didn't need telling twice. Leila's Dad quickly stood up and rushed out of Angelo's.
"Do you want to tell me what's going on?" Brax asked curiously as he helped Leila sit down. Ashleigh stood closer to hear what Leila's dad had told her.
"He did it, him and Geoffrey paid to have Jimmy killed" as Leila said the words it suddenly hit her "They paid $100,000 to kill my husband so my dad could use me to seal the deal"
"I thought it was $75,000" Ashleigh interrupted.
"Geoffrey paid $75,000 to kill Jimmy and then my dad paid $25,000 to keep him quiet" Leila explained, Ashleigh was getting more confused.
"But your dad was broke that's why he wanted…" Ashleigh said trying to make sense of it all. Leila stopped her from saying anymore.
"It was my money" Leila cried "My dad asked me for a loan to help pay some bills. They used my money to kill my own husband" Leila broke down as she told Brax, Ashleigh and Heath.
Brax pulled Leila into a tight hug and kissed her head; Heath just stood and shook his head. Ashleigh had explained it all to him on the way to Angelo's, none of them could believe how low Geoffrey King could stoop until now.
"We should go to the police" Ashleigh suggested.
"No, that's no good. Geoffrey's money will talk his way out of it, we need to do something bigger" Leila replied icily "I'm gonna hit him where it hurts. I'm gonna bring Geoffrey King down, and I want you to help me" she had now turned to Brax, he nodded.
"Whatever it takes, we'll make him pay for this. I can promise you that" Brax replied with an air of revenge in his voice.
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After the afternoon revelations Leila was glad to finally be back home, she took a couple of beers out of the fridge and handed one to Brax before heading towards the phone and pressing the message button "You have one new message" the female voice echoed around the room.
"Hello honey, I'm afraid I'm going to have to stay here for a bit longer than I expected. Maybe another week or so. I'll try and call you again later. I love you" Geoffrey's voice made Leila's skin crawl. For the first time since she had been with him she finally looked at her husband and could see what everyone else could see.
"We can't let him get away with this" Leila sighed as she turned to Brax who was now sat beside her on the sofa. He noticed Leila was fiddling with the rings on the chain around her neck.
"We won't I can promise you that. He is going to pay for what he did to you. I'll make sure of it" Brax said softly as he took hold of Leila's hand.
"Leah said something to me today about you not being able to give me what I want, you don't think I want anything from you do you?" Leila wondered as she snuggled into Brax.
"Nah, but it doesn't stop me from wanting to give you it" Brax replied gently. Leila pulled her head away and looked up at Brax.
"She is right about one thing though, I think I am falling for you" Brax admitted what he had been feeling for a while, but for some reason he felt he could reveal it now.
Leila didn't speak she just reached up and kissed his lips gently, Brax put his hands on her face and started to lay her backwards onto the sofa before climbing on top of her.
The kiss intensified as Brax and Leila started pulling at each others clothes.
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Leila and Brax laid on the sofa in each others arms wrapped in a throw blanket. "I think I know what you mean, you know with what you said earlier" Leila whispered as she felt Brax's fingers moving up and down her bare back.
"I might not have the words yet but I think we are definitely heading in that direction" Leila sighed, she let her fingertips trace the tattoo around Brax's collar bone.
"Yeah that's just how I feel right now. I might not be able to say the words just yet but I am definitely starting to feel them" Brax replied as he kissed the top of Leila's head.
Brax couldn't believe he had these feelings about someone else other than Charlie, and for some reason he didn't feel guilty about them either. It was then he thought back to something Leila had said to him just after they had first met "You won't ever forget Charlie, but one morning you will just wake up and realise you have the right to be happy"
Maybe this was Brax waking up, he wasn't sure. But what he was sure of was whatever he had said to Leah earlier about his relationship with Leila being purely about fun was a complete lie. What he had with Leila was more than that, they shared a special connection. Both of them knew how it felt to lose someone they had loved and neither of them was searching for a replacement.
Please review and let me know what you think of this chapter. I thought it was about time Brax and Leila admitted their feelings for eachother.
In the next few chapters I will reveal who Harry and Mason are. I would love to hear your ideas though. Who do you think these two people might be?
Next time-
Leila introduces Brax to a special person in her life, how will he react?
Leila joins forces with Elizabeth to bring Geoffrey down.
Ashleigh and Heath get serious but what is she hiding?
Coming Soon-
Geoffrey returns from his trip, will he discover the truth about Brax and Leila's affair?
Can Leila really act normal around Geoffrey with everything she knows?
Leah tries to put a spanner in the works for Leila and Brax.
Brax's life is put in danger when he is involved in a fixed cage fight. Why is it fixed and will Leila discover the truth in time to stop it?