Proximity
1071 Words
Chapter 8
Proximity
(Lia’s POV)
The drive to the airstrip was tense but quiet.
The only interruptions came from Niall’s death glares directed at Oliver through the rearview mirror, particularly when Oliver grabbed my already bruised wrist in what I knew was meant to be a warning for later. I tried to ignore the dull ache and focus on anything but the inevitable confrontation that awaited me once we were alone.
I told myself I’d find a way to pacify him, to keep the situation from spiraling. I had to.
Oliver, of course, couldn’t keep his mouth shut for long. He tried to probe me about Aiden, his tone sharp and possessive, but Liam quickly silenced him with a glare that could have frozen hell itself.
It wasn’t just Liam’s look that stopped him. It was probably his own choice of words.
“Who the f**k does this Aiden guy think he is?” Oliver hissed, loud enough for everyone in the SUV to hear. “Just because he knows your uncle, he thinks he’s something special? This security is a joke too. What the hell’s going to happen to you or him, for that matter? It’s just for show, right? I bet these fuckers haven’t protected anything before. They’re not even trained. Rude bastards, just like their master.”
Liam’s lips twitched, and I could feel the air shift as tension filled the car. Niall’s glare through the mirror sharpened, his knuckles whitening as he gripped the steering wheel. The temperature in the vehicle seemed to drop a degree.
Before either man could respond, I cut in, appalled.
“Oliver!” I snapped, glaring at him. “You don’t even know who the man is! And for the record, Niall and Liam were perfectly fine greeting me.”
“Of course they were,” Oliver retorted, his tone dripping with accusation. “Old friends of yours, right?”
I opened my mouth to argue but stopped myself. It wasn’t worth it. I knew nothing I said would change his mind once he’d decided what he believed.
Instead, I stayed silent.
Oliver didn’t realize just how close he was to walking into a situation he couldn’t control. And if he kept up this attitude, he might not walk out of it at all.
Luckily, we arrived at the private airstrip quickly.
As we stepped out of the SUV, I noticed the fleeting look of awe on Oliver’s face before he schooled his expression. For all his arrogance, even he couldn’t help but be impressed.
“Your uncle is making bank,” Oliver commented, scanning the sleek jet before us. “A private jet for our comfort! He really wants to make an impression.”
Liam snorted as he grabbed my luggage from the trunk, handing it off to the attendant before tossing Oliver’s oversized suitcase and bag in the general direction of the plane, far less carefully.
Before Oliver could snap at Liam, I corrected him. “The jet actually belongs to Aiden.”
Oliver chuckled, but there was an edge to it. “That man can afford a private jet while working for your uncle?”
“No,” I replied, holding back a sigh. “He doesn’t work for my uncle. Aiden has his own global business. He and my uncle are partners in certain… projects.”
I hated that I felt the need to defend Aiden, the man who had once torn me apart. But I couldn’t let Oliver diminish him.
“Yeah?” Oliver said with a disdainful laugh. “Like what?”
His tone grated on my nerves more than usual. Oliver wasn’t from a wealthy background himself, but he acted like he owned the world.
“He’s the CEO of Kavanagh Group. They own Kavanagh Construction and Kavanagh Hotels, among other things,” I replied evenly, keeping my voice neutral despite my growing irritation.
It was irrational. I shouldn’t want to defend Aiden. Not after everything he put me through. Why couldn’t I help myself? I needed to control my emotions. It didn’t matter what Oliver thought of Aiden.
Oliver’s expression shifted, and I saw the flicker of realization in his eyes. He had once raved about a Kavanagh hotel he stayed at in Paris, going on and on about how luxurious it was. Now, that same admiration warred with the dislike he clearly felt for Aiden.
From the corner of my eye, I caught Niall smirking.
Oliver fell silent, the wheels in his mind clearly turning, and remained quiet as we boarded the jet. But his quiet wasn’t comforting… it made me nervous.
As I stepped onto the plane, my breath hitched.
Aiden was already sitting, scrolling through his tablet.
I was about to slide into the seat furthest from Aiden when I felt a firm grip on my arm. Niall guided me toward the seat directly in front of Aiden, his silent insistence leaving no room for argument. Meanwhile, Liam directed Oliver to the furthest seat, taking the one directly across from him, his presence a not-so-subtle reminder of who was in charge.
I sat down stiffly, my pulse racing as I realized just how close I was to Aiden.
He remained as he was, seated comfortably with a file open in his hands, his emerald eyes scanning the pages with cool efficiency. He didn’t glance up, didn’t acknowledge me or anyone else.
I hated how his presence unsettled me, how even now, after all these years, I couldn’t help but feel something for the man.
It was a reminder of why I had tried so hard to stay away.
Sitting this close to him felt suffocating, the unspoken tension pressing down on me like a weight. I had no idea what I’d done to deserve being placed here. Niall and Liam were most likely following Aiden’s instructions.
Aiden didn’t need to say a word to control the entire room.
There was a time when I would have done anything for this man. When I had longed to be with him, to matter to him. I had done stupid, reckless things just to catch a glimpse of his affection.
But all I’d received in return was humiliation. He had berated me, embarrassed me, and crushed every foolish hope I’d ever had.
And now, here I was, sitting across from him again, feeling like the naive girl I’d tried so hard to leave behind.
- Writer
