The errant whisper of the wind behind him and the jingle of the keys in his hand, the only sounds that accompanied the thoughts running through his mind. How he had been standing in front of that door for the last five minutes, almost helpless, to find the strength to step inside.
Continue the farce?
End the pretense?
Break a heart?
Mend a heart?
Which way to go?
He couldn't possibly stand there any longer than he already have,, staring at the wooden panels, not so much trying to garner the courage to go in. Rather... questioning himself on how the only thing that wanted him to walk through that door had nothing to do with the emotions he so had hoped he could still feel but he seemed to no longer be in existence.
His hands wrapped around the doorknob twisting it open, and he heard the melodic laughter of his child, Will, reach his ears, strengthening the resolve his being had been attempting to solidify on the car ride over.
His hand slowly extended out to hold the handle of that door, twisting it. It might have been fate or mere coincidence that it was his child's melodic laughter that greeted him when he did, pushing him forward. To what he did not know. But he knew, that the path would be something different, blessed even. All he had to do was decide…
"Are you even listening to me?"
"I'm trying hard not to."
"Dad, you were the one who called for the projections."
"I already finished reading them five minutes ago Liam. If you would look up from your papers instead of peering down at them like you're back in a high school classroom, being all shy, you would have seen that."
At this Liam did just that, looked up Bill, embarrassment apparent in his face. For all he had grown, he was still nothing but a young child trying to please a father who, despite the questioning of his personal choices at times, was already proud of him.
"What you need to do now is increase the portfolio for the current clients we hold in that sector, get them to either invest more, gain equity in the online section before we launch it, keep them interested."
"I know, I know, you don't have to tell me again."
"I shouldn't even have to say it again," Bill snapped, becoming slightly irritated.
"You okay dad?" Liam asked, recognizing the bite of his comment to be different than normal.
"Yes."
The one worded answer had Liam raising his eyebrow further, clearly not believing him. Liam gathered up his tablet, knowing that in his current mood, further conversation would only be pointless.
As he was about to leave, Liam turned around, asking
"So you made Steffy the CEO?"
He should have known it was too much to ask that he let this go.
"I did."
"And you didn't even warn me at least. Why?"
"Because I do not run this business on the basis of emotion, though it may seem like that at times, I am in the end, always looking to further expand and solidify the Spencer brand on the world."
"And Steffy being CEO is a part of this how?"
"That, unfortunately, is classified information, contracts can be so annoying. All you need to know is that it all adds up."
Bill could see that he wanted to say more, so he waited. Liam seemed to think otherwise, raising his hands in a defeated gesture, no doubt tabling the discussion for a later date.
The moment the door clicked shut behind his son, Bill's mind drifted…
24 hours earlier
Katie was holding Will when he finally entered the house, both of them sitting on the floor as the youngster played with his toys, his face a picture of joyous wonder at the most simple things. Bill walked over, sitting down next to them, his son squealing when he finally saw him, climbing onto his lap and getting comfortable, bringing a sense of peace to Bill's mind.
" Sleep over at Justin's" the question was tinged with annoyance.
"No, at the city apartment," the lie flowed forth from him with ease.
Why didn't he do it, just tell her the truth. Okay, here goes nothing…
"Katie, we need to…,"
"I know, we need to stop fighting, I should have supported you in your decision to take over Forrester," she interrupted him.
"Katie," he started again.
"You were right," she interrupted yet again, "it was never about my family. It was a solid business decision on your part. And that new line will probably turn out to be something else entirely," she continued. Bill couldn't help but here a slight tinge of jealousy in her voice as she ranted on.
"The designs were a bit out there, not for me in any way. Not that I couldn't pull it off of course, I know I could, don't you think?" she finally finished, looking at him, waiting for that validation that would calm her insecurities, that always seemed to be floating around in her mind.
He took a deep breath in, he had to do this now…
"We need to talk," he finally got out, keeping the emotion swilrling inside him out of his voice, wanting to maintain a level of temperament during this conversation.
"About Will's birthday? I thought you would forget entirely about that, what with all the Forrester business going on. No insult intended," she added.
Bill stopped himself at that moment, realizing in his mind that his son's birthday, though not forgotten, had slid a little bit to back burner of his mind, not intentionally, but none the less.
"I've already sent out all the invitations out, just a small affair with our close friends and family. It's not like he'll remember it anyway. We'll have it here during the day on Sunday. That's fine, yes?"
"Yes, that's alright," he answered, his thoughts running a mile a minute, concluding…..
He couldn't tell her today, not with the party coming up…
He should get it over and done with, but he wanted to give his son one more birthday full of love and no drama. Just a few more days, he told himself, and then he could end the charade and do what needed to be done.
"Good. I'll see you later, am going to head over to see my sister's now."
Katie leaned over to him, her intent clear, to kiss him.
On any normal day, he would have leaned over to her, sinking into the familiarity of her lips, lips that belonged to a woman who had tought him how to love, how to connect with emotion and realise it did not make you weak but strengthened the person you were.
But today…. He found his face turning slightly, her lips connecting with the edge of his mouth instead.
She thought nothing of this, smiling at him, he managed one back, before standing and leaving the room, and as he heard her footsteps become fainter the further she went he realized why he had done it.
Her lips were not the lips he wanted on his…..
The ringing of his phone brought him out of his reverie.
"Allison," he answered.
"Your 10 o'clock is here Mr. Spencer."
"Thank you. What's with all these formalities, I know you want something whenever you get like that. Whatever it is, the answer is yes, it's always easier than having you wear me down. You know your boundaries."
The call was cut off to the sound of Alison's laughter over the speakerphone.
Bill stood up and walked over to the door, opening it, a greeting already forming from his mouth,
"Genevieve, what a pleas…." He stopped in the middle, his eyes setting upon that smiling face…
Heartbeat stopping….
Eyes rising to meet hers,
Breath failing…
Deep breath in,
Senses invaded, the smell infusing within him…
"Steffy," he breathed, the joy at seeing her far surpassing anything he could have ever imagined.
"Hey," she whispered back, walking towards him, her arm reaching out to the door, her fingertips resting on his hand, pinpointed warmth spreading from these points of contact, spreading….
The distance between them diminished as she stepped forward, that smile still on her beautiful face, her hand moving his to swing the door closed,
Fingers entwining with his as she brought his hand down to the side, close enough that heat pervaded….
Her head tilted towards his, her eyes locked with his…
Beast rising…
Wanting….
It growled…
Needing…
Lips an inch apart, he stepped forward, hand pressed into the door behind her, restraint slipping….
Her lips open, breath shared
His beast roared for him to grab, to take…
He obliged…
Swooping down he kissed her… her lips a taste of benediction,
Heat rising as her hands found purchase on his chest, fingertips grazing his bare skin…
He growled into her mouth, pushing closer, trapping her,
She arched her back, pressing herself closer, her hands at the base of his neck, pulling him closer….
"Touch me," she whispered, moving back so that her eyes opened.
Bill breathed hard, not wanting to tempt the barbarian, one simple touch would not be enough, would never be enough.
"Bill…," a soft whisper of need from her mouth before she pulled him back towards her, lips attacking his, open…
Her tongue swiping his, heat lacing through him…
Restraint fading….
She grabbed one of his hands, it softened under her touch, malleable to her command.
Placing it on her neck, she arched back, his palm spreading, feeling her heartbeat, fast and staccato,
He looks down at his hand as she slides it down her neck….
She moaned….
Chains snapping….
The beast crawling out…