A/N: This is being posted early because with the holiday on Sunday I won't have a chance to do it then. Again un-beta'd so all mistakes are my own. I'm sorry if Seto seems a little OOC in this but I do believe that there is a good caring person underneath the chilly jerky exterior, after all we've seen the way he is with his brother so it only makes sense to me that he would end up being the same way with someone else if he let himself care for them.
Warning: The f bomb gets dropped in here in an un very Seto like way so if that bothers you don't read any further. There is also some other cursing and a brief mention of a suicide attempt.
A/N 2: Please take a second at the end of this to review just so I know I'm not the only one who likes this story. Remember a good review or a few kind words is all it takes to make the writer happy and to help give them ideas.
Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh! And Seto Kaiba still aren't mine. If I can ever think of a way to fix that I'll let you know.
Chapter Five
*About Seven Weeks After The Last Chapter*
*Seto's POV*
"Tell the Robert's that I'll be there at 8 o'clock sharp"
"Yes, Mr. Kaiba."
I hung up with my assistant just in time to look up and see Mokuba burst into my office followed by Miss. Charles....Or was it Ms. Davis? I honestly couldn't remember since Mokuba had been through 5 nannies in as many weeks ever since Lily had been admitted to the rehabilitation center.
"I quit, Mr. Kaiba! I will not tolerate such a willfully disobedient child!"
"I'm sorry, Miss. Charles bu—"
"It's Johnson, Mr. Kaiba. My name is Johnson!"
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Johnson. Whatever it is that my brother has done I'm sure that everything can be worked out."
"I highly doubt it!"
"What was it that my brother did that was so horrible?" I ask glancing at Mokuba expecting the worst.
"I told him that he was allowed an hour a day to work on his artistic endeavors and during that time he's only allowed to work on projects that I approve of."
"Alright. So what was it that he did that was so wrong?"
She pulls Mokuba's sketch book out of her bag and opens it to a particular page before handing it to me, "I found him working on this well after his appointed art time was over."
I look at the sketch that Mrs. Johnson was in such an uproar about and am shocked by it.
"Mokuba, you drew this?" I ask looking back over at him. He shyly nods as Mrs. Johnson continued on her rant.
"I never would have approved of such a drawing. Why it's pure nonsense and a complete waste of time!"
"You're fired." I say closing the book and tossing it onto my desk, "Please leave before I'm forced to call security to escort you out."
"Well, I never...." she said looking flustered and bug-eyed for a moment. I pick up the phone ready to call security when she turns around in a huff and storms out of my office. I turn around and look at my little brother who was sitting in my chair watching me.
"Five nannies in five weeks. That has to be some sort of record even for you."
"I'm sorry big brother but she wasn't that good anyway."
"Your drawing is really improving." I say picking up the sketchbook again and flip it open to the drawing that Mrs. Johnson had called "complete nonsense."
"Do you like it?"
I take my time and closely study the drawing. It was a watercolor pencil sketch of a forest scene with a clear lake. At the edge of the lake sat a young woman wearing a white dress dipping her hand into the water and coming from her back was a pair of glowing blue fairy wings. Her long dark hair flowed down one side of her face, the ends skimming the surface of the water gently. The woman's face was unfinished but I had an idea of who it was going to be, "It suits her very well."
Mokuba blushed deeply and turned towards my computer screen, "I'm working on it for Lily's birthday. Do you think she'll like it?"
"I'm sure she'll love it. I'm amazed at how much you've progressed in the past few weeks."
"I've been working on some things that Lily left for me to do and I've been scanning a few things into my computer and e-mailing them to her."
I put the book down on my desk and look at my brother, "You've talked to Lily? I mean, Miss. Tao? I thought she wasn't supposed to have contact with anyone while she was in the rehabilitation program for her hand."
"She's not but she smuggled her laptop in. She e-mails me back with suggestions on my stuff about once a day."
"Has she mentioned anything about her surgery or how her recovery is going?" That was one thing that was greatly annoying me about this doctor's program. Dr. Jacobs had a strict no contact policy concerning his patients while they were under his care. They weren't allowed any sort of contact with the outside world so as to not hamper their recovery.
"We really don't have much of a chance to talk in these e-mails, it's usually just her telling me how I can improve whatever drawing that I had sent her. She said as much as she'd love to talk to me she has to get off the computer pretty quickly because of that stupid no contact policy her doctor has."
"It seems like, Miss. Tao is a very dedicated teacher."
"I've been called many things before in my life, Mr. Kaiba but "dedicated" has never really been one of them." comments a voice from the doorway. I look up and see Lily leaning against the door frame holding a brightly colored package. "I stopped by the house first and the housekeeper told me that both of you were here."
"Lily! You remembered!" Mokuba bolts out of my chair and runs over to Lily giving her a hug. "Remembered what?" I asked as I headed behind my desk and sat down.
"A promise I made to a certain someone about their birthday that just happens to be a few days away." She said looking over and smiling at me, "I promised Mokuba that I would try and get away from the program for a few days so we could maybe all get together and do something special for his birthday."
"And you kept your promise." My brother said grinning from ear to ear as he pulled Lily over to the chairs in front of my desk. "Is that my present?"
She chuckles softly as she sits down, "Did you ever doubt I would keep my promise, Mr. Mokuba? And yes this is part one of your gift."
"Part one? What do you mean part one?"
I turn towards my computer and try to get back to work while watching Lily and Mokuba out of the corner of my eye.
Mokuba's been happier with Lily around.
True. When we get back to Domino City I'll have to ask if she wants to stay on as his permanent art teacher.
It'll give you a great excuse to see her more often.
That's not why I'll be doing it. Mokuba really does adore Lily and he's showing great improvement as an artist.
And you've made great improvement with Lily.
What the hell is that supposed to mean? Miss. Tao is a very valuable employee, nothing more.
That's why for the past five weeks that she's been gone you've missed her like crazy.
I haven't missed her, I had just grown accustomed to her presence.
Grown accustomed to her presence? Is that why you kissed her on the plane?
No. I kissed her on the plane because...I kissed her because...
It felt like the most natural thing in the world to kiss her? Because in Lilith Tao you've finally found the other half of yourself?
That's complete and utter nonsense. Lilith Tao is an attractive young woman and that's why I kissed her. It was just a harmless attraction that I very briefly fell prey to. It will not happen again.
So if when we get back to Domino Lily and Wheeler start dating you'll be fine with it?
I don't care who she dates just as long as it doesn't interfere with her work.
Alright, just as long as the thought of Wheeler kissing her and touching doesn't bother you.
Why would it? I mean she is a beautiful and intelligent woman who could do much better than Wheeler but it's not up to me to decide who she dates.
So, seeing them at school together, holding hands, watching him kiss her doesn't bother you at all?
No, it doesn't.
So, you're ok with the thought of them possibly getting serious? You're just great with the idea of Wheeler running his hands through her hair and over her body?
Shut up.
It doesn't bother you at all that he could be the one to introduce her to the pleasures of love making?
Shut up now.
As long as it's alright with you that it will be his hands touching her smooth skin as it's flushed with desire. His mouth tasting her passion as it rises for the first time. His body joined with hers in a dance as old as time.
Shut the fuck up.
That it will be him she looks up at and softly whispers, "I love you." too.
"I SAID SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!!!" I unthinkingly yell out aloud as my hand squeezes the mouse I was using hard enough to crack it. I quickly stand up ignoring the looks of complete shock on both my brothers and Lily's face, grab my jacket and rush out of my office. I snap at my secretary to forward all calls to my cell phone as I breeze past her and head for the elevator.
Once the doors close I lean against the back wall and close my eyes, I could only imagine what Mokuba and Lily thought of my outburst. They must be thinking that I was insane right now. Hell, maybe I was just a little bit crazy, after all I keep arguing with a voice inside my head about Lily. I had to do something to get Lilith Tao out of my head and I had to do it fast, of all the women in the world to get under my skin why the hell did it have to be her? The only answer I could come up with was it must be that I was working to hard trying to get the card design division up and running. I open my eyes as the elevator chimes softly and the doors open at the garage level of the building. Stepping through the doors I come to a decision as I head towards my limo, it was time to stop putting off looking for an artist in hopes that Lily would be able to do it. Once the division was up and running I wouldn't be under so much stress and then she wouldn't be able to have an effect on me like she did.
Are you sure that's really what you want? The little voice inside my head nagged as I got into the limo and told my driver where to go.
Yes.
So the kiss on the plane really didn't mean anything to you?
It meant nothing more to me then a few brief moments of physical pleasure. I could get the same thing from any other woman out there, there is absolutely nothing special about Lily.
Do you really believe that?
Yes, I do. She's a talented artist and dedicated teacher to my brother but there is nothing special to draw me to her under normal circumstances. It's only the stress I was under right now that was causing my attraction to her.
If you really do believe that then I pity you.
*Well After Midnight*
I walked into the house carrying my tux jacket trying to make as little noise as possible. The Robert's dinner party hadn't gotten out until quite late and then it took a while longer to extract myself from the young woman that Mrs. Roberts had decided I "needed" as a dinner companion. It was well after midnight by the time I unlocked the door and I didn't want to wake any of the staff up, I just wanted to grab a quick drink before heading to my home office to go through the artist resumes I had brought with me from Domino City. I look at my watch and decide to make a few overseas phone calls that needed to be made as well, within a few minutes I was sitting at my desk with a small light illuminating a few papers as I picked up the phone and placed it to my ear. I was quite surprised when instead of a dial tone I heard Lily talking in a angry tone of voice.
I was about to hang up so as not to eavesdrop on a private conversation when I heard a man's voice respond to something she had said.
"Do you really think the courts would consider you a stable guardian for your sister? Why there's not a judge here in LA that would even look twice at you."
"We had a deal, Jean-Paul. If I could prove to you that I could provide a stable home life for Eve by my 18th birthday you would sign over FULL, and I do stress the word full, custody of her to me. I have done just that, I have a damn good job and I'll be getting a 2 bedroom apartment in Domino City as soon as I get back there."
"Why my dear, dear niece.......I lied. I had no intention of signing over custody of Katherine to you at all."
"Her name is NOT Katherine, it's Eve."
"I never really understood why my sister insisted on calling all of you by your middle names instead of the perfectly good family names that the three of you had been given."
"Because Mom, unlike every other member of this damn family, was not a clone of the generation before."
"Such a pity though that Alexis followed the tradition of leaving the company to her oldest daughter then, isn't it Katrina?"
There was a sharp intake of breath from Lily and a few moments of silence followed. A silence which I took advantage of by starting to take a few notes.
"I can't inherit until my 21st birthday, Jean-Paul and you know it. By then who the hell knows what you will have done to the company. Remember, until then you have full control of the company and the family fortune."
"It's after your birthday that poses a problem for me, Katrina. You see you have your mothers vindictive attitude. As soon as Tao Technologies is yours I'll be out in the cold and I can't let that happen just because of your twisted need for revenge."
"Need for revenge? And why would I need revenge? Because of the years of emotional and mental abuse? Or maybe it's because of the years of beatings and being locked in closets whenever I did something that you didn't deem perfect."
"I did what I had to do to make you strong enough to run the family empire. You never should have been in line to inherit. You are weak, it was Kevin that was the strong one. He would have run the company well, he would have made me proud. Instead Alexis chose you, her firstborn daughter, to run MY EMPIRE. When you let Kevin be taken from us you destroyed everything."
"I didn't let Adam be taken from anyone, you arrogant bastard."
"You were jealous because you knew. YOU KNEW you little bitch that I would be able to get the board of directors to recognize Kevin as the true heir regardless of your whore of a mothers will."
"I want full custody of my sister."
"You aren't getting it you rotten little slut! You took my light from me so I'm taking yours from you. Katherine will be raised to hate you and I will have her instated as head of Tao Technologies. You are nothing. You never were anything. You will never be anything to anyone. You can't do anything right. Why you couldn't even manage to slash your wrists the right way, could you? Instead of dying like a good little girl after Kevin's hospitalization you had to live. AND RUIN EVERYTHING YET AGAIN."
Click
I hung up right after Lily did and just stared at the phone for a few minutes trying to group my thoughts together. I think about the things I had just heard and recall Lily's almost monotone reaction to most of it, it was the reaction of someone who had lived though what I had just witnessed and worse. I look down at the notes on the paper in front of me:
Katherine Eve Tao
Jean-Paul
Alexis Tao
Kevin Adam Tao
Tao Technologies
Possible suicide attempt
Inheriting when turning 21
Katrina Lilith Tao
The final name had been circled and underlined twice. I pick up the phone and find a dial tone this time, I pause for a few seconds before dialing the number of my private investigators. Now, that I knew something about Lily's, or should I say Katrina's past, I had to know the rest. Including why she hid who she was from everyone.
And if she could truly be trusted.
*Lily's POV*
"What do you want for your birthday breakfast day after tomorrow?" I ask Mokuba while pouring myself a cup of coffee.
He stops eating his cereal long enough to look at me quizzically, "What do you mean, Lily?"
I add milk and sugar to my cup and smile at the raven haired little boy across from me, "Birthday tradition in my family. Whomever's birthday it is gets to have a special breakfast made for them. So what will it be, kiddo?"
"I can have anything I want?"
"Within reason.....I'm not letting you have a gallon of ice cream or candy for breakfast." I say taking a sip of coffee.
"And you're going to tell the cook what I want?"
I shake my head, "Nope. I'm going to make it for you."
"You know how to cook?"
"It's an essential skill in the real world, Mokuba."
Kaiba comes in at that moment and heads over to the coffee pot. "What's that?"
"Knowing how to cook." Mokuba answers for me.
"Yes, it is." Kaiba agrees. "What brought that up?"
"Lily said she's make me a special birthday breakfast. Anything I wanted."
"Within reason." I grin over at Kaiba.
"No ice cream or candy." Mokuba says to his brother. "Lily said it was a tradition in her family that whomever's birthday it is gets a special breakfast made for them."
"Speaking of family, Miss. Tao, I was wondering if you would like a week off around your birthday so you could go spend some time with them." Kaiba says out of the blue as he sits down and starts looking over some business papers with his coffee.
I take a sip of coffee to calm my nerves slightly, the phone call with my Uncle last night was still a little too fresh in my mind. "No thanks, I have to be back at the rehab center in a few days so I won't have the time."
"Odd....When I called them this morning to check on your progress they said nothing about a time frame when you had to be back." He said his cobalt eyes staring into mine, "In fact your doctor said that your physical progress had surpassed their expectations and that your further counseling could be done on an outpatient basis."
I try to keep the anger from my voice and eyes as I put down my coffee cup, "You've been checking up on me?"
"Merely checking on the status of a valuable Kaiba Corp. Employee, Miss. Tao." He said before going back to his papers. I was about to comment when one of the maids came in carrying a long white florist's box.
"This came for you, Lily." She said handing it to me and smiling.
"Thanks, Sarah." I say as I remove the lid from the box and stare in wonder at the bouquet of various Lilies.
"Wow." Mokuba said looking over my shoulder at the flowers, "Who sent them?"
"I don't know, kiddo." I say as I start searching for a card instead of the expected card my fingers close around a cell phone.
"Who are they from, Lily?" Mokuba asks as I take the phone out and look at it.
"I don't know, kiddo." I answer as the phone starts to ring. I look at the number for a moment before flipping it opening and answering it.
"Hello?"
"You've been in London for how bloody long and don't take a second to call me because?" an all too familiar soft spoken British accented voice asks.
"Jase? Is that you?"
"Were you planning on letting any of us know you were back in town, Lily?"
"I'm sorry about that but the rehabilitation center had me on a strict no contact policy for the past few weeks."
"Rehabilitation center policy?"
"Long story that I'll tell you another day." I said noticing Kaiba watching me quite intently. "How did you know where to find me anyway?"
"Rumors about the raven haired beauty that Kaiba hired for, let me see if I can get this right, his brothers art teacher. I mean at first I didn't believe a word of them because if I remember correctly Lilith Tao left London a few months ago to get a job at Kaiba Corp as an artist not to be some rich brat's art teacher. But then I was at this boring dinner last night and who do you think was there but the great Seto Kaiba himself talking about his little brothers art teacher and what a pain in the neck she was but worth every penny he was paying for her talents."
"Oh?" I ask moving my gaze from Kaiba's for a few moments. "That's how you found out I was here?"
"Uh huh. Of course when I asked Kaiba if his brothers art teacher had legs that looked amazing in a pair of 4 inch heels and leather pants he looked at me like I had grown an extra head."
"You're exaggerating, Jase."
"Learn to take a complement, Lily."
"Learn to make one without it sounding like a sleazy come on." I chuckle watching Kaiba motion for Mokuba to leave the room. The younger Kaiba looked like he was going to argue for a moment but thought better of it. He smiled at me as he left the room.
"But you love my sleazy come ons!"
"You're a royal brat some days. You know that?" I place the box of lilies to the side for a moment, "So what's with the flowers?"
"One friend can't send another friend flowers for her birthday without getting the third degree?"
"Not when one of those friends is you who just happens to have forgotten my birthday every year for the past few years."
"Ok, kiddo I'll tell you the truth. Around 6 this morning Tokyo time some investigation firm in Domino City put out some interesting feelers."
"Define interesting." I reach for my coffee slowly taking a sip as I wait for his answer.
"Katrina Lilith Tao's attempted suicide attempt and subsequent hospitalization three years ago."
I gently put my cup back down onto the saucer and look back towards Kaiba who was still watching me, "Alright....That is definitely interesting."
"It gets more so and I'm sorry for that, kiddo."
"Why are you sorry about that?"
"There's nothing going on with you and Kaiba is there?"
I force myself to push back the memories of the last kiss that Kaiba and I had shared as well as the confusion that those memories raised in my mind, "No...why?"
"Because the firm that opened the investigation works exclusively for Kaiba Corp."
"Really." I say keeping my expression carefully neutral.
"I put a block on all of your records form your stay at the hospital, Lilith but it's only a matter of time before they get through them and they find out everything."
"I see. Thanks, Jase."
"No big, I mean it's the least that I could do after all you've done for me."
"How's the rest of the gang doing?" I ask quickly changing the subject.
"Good and wondering when they're going to get to see you. Are you planning on stopping by the club anytime soon? Or you just gonna blow us all off?"
"Put my name on the list for tonight. I have a feeling I'm going to need to wind down."
"You sure? I mean I can tell the others that you'll be here?"
"Uh huh. Catch ya later tonight." I say and snap closed the cell phone without waiting for his response. I slip the phone into my jeans pocket as I stand up and take a deep breath.
"Interesting call, Tao?" Kaiba asked as he went back to his paperwork.
"Very." I softly say walking over towards him. I stand next to his chair for a moment contemplating my next move.
"Yes, Tao?" he asks his frosty cobalt eyes burning into mine.
I decided that the direct approach would be the best way to go, "You should have come to me, Kaiba."
"With what?"
"Don't play stupid with me. It really doesn't suit you, Mr. Kaiba. How did you find out anything about my past?"
He looked shocked for just the briefest of seconds, it was so quick I thought I must have imagined it. "How did you fin—?"
"You ever hear of Jason Marcus III?"
"He runs a few local clubs here in London, right?"
I chuckle slightly, "That's putting it mildly. He and his sister own the chain of clubs, Duelist Eden. DE just happens to be a little known subsidiary of Phoenix Industries. Phoenix Industries just-----"
"Just happens to be the third highest rated entertainment company in the world. As fascinating as this lesson is Tao, I can't see what bearing it has on anything." He says going back to his papers.
I hook my foot around the leg of his chair and pull causing the chair to spin around in the direction facing me, "Jase, is also a great friend and amazing hacker. There's not a system that's been developed that he can't crack." I lean down so I was practically nose to nose with him, "Jase, likes using those skills to keep tabs on his family and friends, such as letting them know when a team of private investigators have been hired to poke around in their personal lives. Now again, Mr. Kaiba I ask how did you find out about my past?"
He quickly grabs both of my wrists in his hands and loops his right leg behind mine pulling me between his legs effectively pinning me against his body. His eyes glinted dangerously, "This behavior will not be tolerated, Miss. Tao. And not that I have to answer to you but I went to use the phone last night after coming in from that horrid party and over heard part of your conversation with your Uncle."
I knew it would be useless to struggle out of his grasp so I shifted slightly to a more comfortable position between his legs, "So instead of hanging up like a decent human being you listened in and hired a team of private investigators to dig into my life?"
"I never claimed to be a decent human being, Tao." He replied frostily.
"Why didn't you just come to me instead?"
"I needed to know if having you around would put my brother in danger."
I was stunned into silence for a moment. Once I had recovered enough to speak I said, "You really think I would do anything to put that little boy in danger? I care about him way to much to let anything happen to him and if I could I'd probably smack you for even daring to imply that!"
"I know, which is one reason I'm holding your wrist's, Tao." He watched me for a moment before continuing, "What would you have done if I had come to you? Would you have told me the truth or lied to me about what I had heard?"
I think for a moment before answering softly, "Please let me go, Seto."
I wasn't sure if it was the softly spoken please or the fact that I used his first name that caused him to tense up for a moment before he released me from his grasp. Our eyes locked for the briefest second before I turned and left the room. I quickly made my way to my room upstairs where I walked over to the closet and pulled out a slim silver metal briefcase, I make my way over to the bed and place it down onto the pale blue summer weight quilt. I stare at it for a few minutes before a voice from the doorway speaks;
"Packing?"
"Am I fired?" I ask while continuing to look at the locked case.
"Not yet. May I come in?"
I cross my arms over my chest and turn towards Kaiba, "It's your house."
He slowly comes over to me, "You didn't answer my question."
"I know."
"Are you going too?"
"On one condition." I say turning back to the bed and the offensive silver case.
"And that would be what, Tao?"
"Call off your investigators."
"And why should I do that?"
I unfold my arms and sit on the bed picking up the case as I do so before answering in a dull monotone, "Because you'll have no need of them in a few minutes."
His cool eyes watch me quietly for a little while before he pulls the phone from his pocket, "You better not be toying with me, Tao."
"I'm not." I reply before turning my attention to the locking system on the case that rest on my lap as Kaiba made the call. I listen to him call his pit bulls off of me and then hangup before he sits on the bed. I flip open the latches on either side of the case revealing two small scanning area's.
"Fingerprint recognition software on a briefcase?" Kaiba asks slightly amused.
"It's a proto-type Tao Technologies was working on a few years ago." I say placing my thumbs on the scanner, after a series of beeps I was rewarded with a warm female voice saying, "Welcome back, Lily."
I look back over at Kaiba who looked a little more shocked then amused at the level of security on a briefcase. "It was designed for politicians who were concerned about compromised security concerning sensitive government documents."
"Did the company sell many?" He asks as I snap open the locks and open the lid.
"A few."
"How many is a few?"
"Most people at the White House in Washington use this type of case." I say grinning slightly as I pull out a black cd binder holding roughly, 150 CD's. I hand it to him before reaching back into the case for a bulging file folder. "In the binder you'll find data and photo CD's with information dating back to when I was 7 years old to about 3 years ago. Hospital records, transcripts of custody hearings, video testimonies from experts, personal and business records, financial records, recorded therapy sessions....You name it it's in there."
"Everything I want to know is in this binder?" He asks suspiciously.
Nodding I reply, "All that and more actually. Let me warn you though, some of the photo's are a bit on the graphic side. Oh and this," I say standing up and tossing the folder on the bed next to him, "is full of articles and police reports surrounding my mothers death. Happy reading." I quip sarcastically as I grab my purse and walk out the door leaving a stunned Seto Kaiba in my wake.
*Some Hours Later*
I stand in front of the mirror in the trendy upscale boutique that I had come across in my rediscovery of downtown London, even though I had only been gone only a few months it seemed like so much had changed. The black leather pants and purple silk halter top I was wearing left less then little to the imagination, I turned around and looked over my shoulder at the back of the shirt. In all honesty it wasn't even much of a back, more of a string that tied right above the low rise waist of the pants. This is so not me I thought to myself as I stick my tongue out at my reflection.
"Can I help Madam with something?" A sales clerk asks coming over towards the changing room.
"I don't know." I answer grinning sheepishly at her. "You see I'm going to a friends club for the first time in months and I'm not sure what the current nightlife style is right now."
"What Madam is wearing currently would be more than stylish enough for a club."
"I thought it might be...After all skin is in, right?"
"Exactly but I take it showing so much is not Madam's normal style?"
"No, it's not. How did you guess....." I ask looking at her name tag, "Michelle?"
"You look very uncomfortable, Madam. Not man—"
"Lily." I said interrupting her.
"Of course, Lily. As I was saying, not many people who are happy with what they are wearing tend to stick out their tongue's at their reflections."
I laugh softly to myself, "I have to agree with that. Could you please help me find something more my style then?" I thought to myself for a moment and grin, "But I do want eye's to bug out tonight when they see me."
"Of course, Lily." She says walking over towards some of the clothing racks in the middle of the boutique.
*Seto's POV*
I run my fingers through my hair as my hand hovers over the next data CD in the binder Lily had given me. I had spent most of the day going over the information contained on those disks with a fine tooth comb, checking and double checking each tidbit with my network of sources hoping against hope that just a little bit of what I was reading might be false.
It wasn't.
So far everything that I had read had been true.
Some of the pictures I had seen of Lily from her hospital records....I have to admit I was amazed that she hadn't been scarred for life, either physically or mentally by some of the things that she had endured. Her Uncle had been just as bad to her if not worse than Gozabura had been to me. A part of me couldn't help but feel a little bit guilty about having lied to her about canceling my investigation into her and her family but I couldn't trust that she would tell me everything that I wanted to know. I had to be sure that having her around wouldn't be putting my little brother in danger, I had to know if having her around would put Kaiba Corp in jeopardy. I couldn't figure out though, after the emotional toll that sort of upbringing had had on her, how could she still be so open and loving with some people while being so cold and aloof to others.
Mainly you the voice in my head nagged.
But she's not like that with me all the time I found myself starting to argue with my inner voice. There are times like when we were on the plane when she was open with me.
Like kissing you?
My mind starts to wander back to the moment on the plane when Lily's lips touched mine.
The light touch of her lips on mine was a total and complete shock, even though I wanted to kiss her when I told her so I was expecting her to pull away. Not to initiate the kiss. After too short of a moment she pulls away and just looks at me for a moment before starting to remove her hand from my hair. I move my hand quickly grabbing her wrist holding her hand where it was.
"Don't."
"Don't what, Seto?" she whispers softly watching me with her beautifully expressive grey eyes.
"Don't pull away from me."
"Alright."
We stood like that for a few minutes before I uncurled my fingers from hers and wrapped my arm around her waist pulling her closer to me. With my other hand I let go of her wrist and slowly trail my fingers along her arm where they come to rest on her shoulder, once there I watch her eyes darken slightly as I teasingly run my fingertips along her collarbone until they rest on the hollow of her throat.
"This is insane, Lily." I whisper lowering my head toward her as my hand moves from her throat to cradle the back of her head.
"Maybe a little insanity is what we both need right now, Seto."
"Maybe." I agree before lowering my mouth to hers in what was supposed to be the lightest of kisses but as soon as my lips touched hers I found myself filled with the overwhelming desire to claim her mouth. I pull her head closer and deepen the kiss by tracing the seam of her lips with the tip of my tongue causing her to gasp lightly against my mouth, I quickly took advantage of her parted lips and deepened the kiss even more as I gently caress her tongue with mine. Feeling her arms slid around my neck as she innocently returns my passionate kiss causes me to pull her body closer to mine after a few minutes of just exploring her mouth I force myself to pull away and watch her passion filled eyes for a moment.
"Why do you affect me like this?"
She smiles slightly, her kiss reddened lips making the simple act quite seductive, "I could ask the same thing of you, Seto."
I pull her tightly into my embrace and rest my chin on the top of her head,"Be with me tonight, Lily."
It seemed like forever before she slowly nodded, "Yes, Seto."
I pull back and tenderly cup her chin tilting her head up, "Are you sure?"
Her response was to lean up and kiss me again. After a moment I break the kiss and brush a stray lock of hair back from her face, "You truly are beautiful."
She blushes slightly before answering, "Thank you for thinking that."
I pull away from her enough to grab hold of her and slowly lead her to my private cabin, once inside I lock the door and turn to watch her study the room for a moment. She looked nervous and excited at the same time. I couldn't believe I was standing here with her about to--
"Seto?" My little brothers voice interrupts my thoughts.
"Yes, Mokuba?"
"Lily's coming back, right?"
I turn and look at him, "I don't see why Miss. Tao wouldn't be coming back."
"It's just when she left here this morning she seemed pretty upset and she hasn't called to check in or anything."
"Miss. Tao is a responsible young woman, Mokuba who technically doesn't start work for another two weeks so I really don't see any reason why she would have to check in."
"I know, Seto. It's just.....Never mind." He said coming over and sitting in one of the chairs in front of my desk.
I lean back in my chair watching for a moment before asking, "What is it, Mokie?"
"You haven't called me that for a while, Seto."
I remain quiet knowing that Mokuba would tell me what was worrying him when he was ready. After a while he started to speak again, "Lily, was crying last night."
"Oh?"
"It was really late and I woke up kinda hungry so I was heading down to the kitchens when I heard her."
"About how late?" I found myself asking.
"Some time after one in the morning, I think and when I walked past her room the door was open a bit and her light was on. I heard her when I was by her door and when I looked in on her she was just rocking back and forth on her bed sobbing hugging a pillow to her chest like it was the only thing in the world she had."
"That doesn't sound at all like, Miss. Tao." I said softly pushing aside the memory of what had happened at Kaiba Corp back in Domino.
"I know, Seto. Lily's so strong and put together, it was just really weird seeing her like that."
"I'm sure it was, Mokuba."
"When I went into her room to ask what was wrong she just said that she was missing her sister a lot but having me around helped. Then she gave me a hug and asked me what I was doing up, when I told her she came down with me and made me a snack."
"I'm sure she meant every word of what she said, Mokie." I reassured him as my eyes travel to the binder of CD's on my desk. "It's just that she's had some hard times in her life."
"Like not being able to see her sister and her brother being sick?"
I simply nod.
"I know that if I couldn't see you anymore, big brother it would hurt a lot." Mokuba said his eyes full of concern, "But at least Lily has us now."
"I'm sure that Miss. Tao would appreciate that fact that you feel that way, Mokuba." I turn back toward my computer, "You really do mean a lot to her."
"So do you, Seto." He replies softly. "She really does like you even if she does have a hard time showing it."
"Miss. Tao, is a very valuable Kaiba Corp employee. She means nothing more and nothing less to me."
My little brother stands and begins to make his way over to the door, "That's too bad, Seto because I really do think that Lily cares very deeply for you she's just too scared to admit it to anyone, including herself. After all if she didn't care why else would she have been so upset about you going to your investigators instead of her with what you had found out about her past."
I look back at my brother, "You were eavesdropping?"
"I saw the look in her eyes when she was on the phone and I was worried."
"That's no excuse, Mokuba."
"I know, Seto I really do and I'll make sure to apologize to her once she gets home."
"Good." I reply looking at my watch and quite surprised to find it was after 10pm already. I had been going through Lily's files for more than 12 hours now. "What time did Miss. Tao leave today?"
"Around 9 this morning."
"And she's still not back yet? That does seem very unlike her."
"It is. Normally she would have checked in with me by now, I mean she's not even answering her cell phone."
I pick up the phone and quickly dial Lily's cell number. It rang 6 times before her voice mail picked up, "Miss. Tao this is Kaiba please return this call as soon as possible."
"She's still not answering?" Mokuba asks worriedly as he watches me hang up.
"No, she's not. I can't believe that she would be so irresponsible as to turn off her phone." I say in an irritated tone.
"Seto, I'm starting to get scared......What if she's hurt somewhere?"
"I'm sure that she's fine, Mokuba. When she was on the phone before I heard her saying something about being put on a list for her friends club tonight."
"Seto, I'm really, really worried. Can we please go look for her?"
"Miss. Tao is old enough to look after herself, Mokuba. I don't think that she would appreciate us treating her like a child."
"Well, can we at least call this club to see if she's shown up at all?"
"If she's there will you let this drop? She probably just lost track of time and will probably be back before you know it."
"If she's there, I'll drop it, ok? But if she's not there I wanna go look for her, ok Seto?"
I shake my head at my brother as I get the number from the operator for the local branch of Duelist Eden. It took a few minutes to get connected to someone who was in charge, "Duelist Eden, Ariah Marcus speaking."
"Miss. Marcus, this Seto Kaiba and I'm looking for an employee of mine named, Lilith Tao. Is she there?"
"I'm sorry, Mr. Kaiba but we run a very selective and discrete club here. I am not at liberty to divulge whether or not your Miss. Tao is here or not."
"It's important that I reach her. I understand about any policy your establishment might have regarding your customer's privacy but it truly is important that I speak to Miss. Tao now."
"As important to you as sticking your nose into things that don't concern you, Mr. Kaiba?" The lightly accented voice asks venomously.
"Excuse me?" I ask insulted and confused at the same time.
"Your investigation into my fiancee and his family." She answered before hanging up.
I stare at the phone for a moment fighting my anger before I hang up the phone and stand up. Grabbing my white trench from the chair I walk past my bother, pausing at the door I turn to him, "Go to bed, Mokuba."
"Where are you going, Seto? Was she there?"
"I have a feeling she is but the bulldogs surrounding her won't let me know for sure. So, I'm going to go to this club find her and drag her back here kicking and screaming if need be." I say walking out of my office.
I arrive at the club only to find myself being led to a back lounge where I was told by the bouncer at the door, "A Duelist of my caliber was sure to be more comfortable." As soon as I was seated, a waiter came over and took my drink order.
As I waited for him to return I carefully studied my surroundings, it was actually quite interesting. The outer area's of Duelist Eden were set up like a typical nightclub, loud music, strobe lighting, things like that but this private lounge was completely different.
In here it almost felt like someone's living room. Plush couches and chairs, small tables, a fireplace along the one wall opposite the bar and subsided lighting. There were monitors around the room showing various duels from around the world as well as from a series of private dueling arena's attached to the club. This lounge had defiantly been designed with the serious duelist who just wanted to relax in mind, as I was studying the room my waiter had reappeared with my drink, "Will there be anything else, sir?"
"I'm looking for someone........Perhaps you can tell me if she's here?"
"I'll do my best, Mr. Kaiba. Is this a duel challenge or personal?"
I raised an eyebrow at that, "Personal. Her name is Lilith Tao."
"Ah, yes......I believe that Miss. Tao is visiting with the owners tonight. I'll call up to the office and let her know that you are here."
"There will be no need for that, Robert." An accented voice answers from behind me. I turn to see a green-eyed red head coming over to my table.
"I believe that on the phone, Mr. Kaiba I told you that you shouldn't be sticking your nose into things that don't concern you." She said taking a seat across from me and dismissing the waiter.
"Miss. Tao does concern me, Miss. Marcus." I say leaning back in my chair. "I take it you're the Ariah that was engaged to Miss. Tao's brother."
"Adam and I are engaged." She said stressing the word are. "Lily's like a sister to me, Mr. Kaiba and I don't like it when she's hurt by anyone."
I felt a brief moment of panic that I quickly fought down, what if Mokuba was right and she was hurt?
"Excuse me, what do you mean hurt?"
"When Lily left here a year ago she was finally coming to terms with things in her past. She was just starting to let herself be happy for the first time since Adam was placed into that bloody hospital. Now she comes back with her hand a complete mess and almost as guarded as when I first met her all those years ago. She's starting to become more and more withdrawn about things again."
"Lilith Tao, withdrawn? I think we're talking about two different people, Miss. Marcus. The Lilith Tao, I know couldn't be more stubborn, willful and opinionated."
"I must admit that Lily is all those things and so much more, Mr. Kaiba but her attitude that she wraps around herself like a favorite coat is nothing more then a front that she projects to the world to keep herself from getting hurt by people anymore than she has been in the past. She doesn't want people getting to know the real her because she feels that person isn't worth a damn bit because of her Uncle. She's really somewhat fragile."
I cross my arms and lean back in my chair, "Fragile and Lilith Tao are not things that belong in the same sentence, Miss. Marcus."
"Lily sometimes jokes that her real life didn't start again until Adam got primary custody of Evie and herself. That the years between 7 and 14 were just some sick twisted nightmares her sub-conscience cooked up in order to torment her at night when she closed her eyes."
"Miss. Tao does seem to have an odd sense of humor but I don't see how your little lecture has any bearing on whether or not I research an employees past or not."
"Lily told me that she gave you the information that you wanted so you know what she's been through.....Can't you please just leave her alone for a bit? Let her get herself under control a bit before you confront her?"
"If she had just been up front with me in the beginning, none of this would have happened."
"She hates having people know her weaknesses, Mr. Kaiba. Her past is her weakness. Let her have some time to regain her composure."
I stand up and look at Ariah Marcus, "Where is she?"
"None of your damn business, Mr. Kaiba."
"I'm not leaving here without her, Miss. Marcus. You can either tell me where she is so I can convince her to come willingly or I can start tearing apart this place brick by brick and drag her out of here over my shoulder if needed."
She stands up and looks me straight in the eyes in a voice loud enough to be heard by just about everyone in the room, "Seto Kaiba, I challenge you to a duel."
I look at her like she had sprouted another head, "You have got to be kidding me."
"No, I'm not." She said motioning the waiter over and whispering in his ear. "I win you let Lily alone for a bit. If you don't have your deck we'll be more than happy to supply you with one." She said smiling in a sickly sweet manor.
"There will be no need of that. I have a new acquisition I've been wanting to try out and when I win you'll take me to Tao without arguing." I pull out my cell phone and call the private line in my office because if I knew Mokuba as well as I thought I did......
"Did you find her Seto?" My little brothers voice greeted me.
"I think so but I have an annoying obstacle to overcome before I get to see her." I pretend not to see the glare that Ariah Marcus was shooting in my direction, "Can you pack up the new deck and have Roland bring it over to Duelist Eden right now?"
"You want Siren's deck and not yours?" Mokuba sounded a little shocked by my request.
"I want to see how it plays."
"We'll be there in a bit."
I smirk as I hang up my phone and turn back to Ariah, "Lead on, Miss. Marcus and prepare to lose."
