Revenge Rule #12: Strike Back Proudly
Maeve stayed the night and left the next morning; Lilac was grateful she stayed with her. Meeting Brandon and going into ROWEN affected her emotions more than she liked. Seeing the company Mike had built still thriving while the company her parents fought for...dead filled her with so much anger, anger that she couldn't let out to anyone or anything. They wouldn't understand; she couldn't share with anyone what had happened to her, and even if she did, they would not relate to her pain. They wouldn't understand how she felt every night, every waking moment, knowing people who ruined her perfect life were still out there enjoying theirs.
She could talk to Ezra, but he was on a business trip, and they couldn't even meet because she didn't want anything or anyone to connect her to Liliana Vega.
The sound of her phone ringing made her pause in the middle of her stretch. A quick glance at the phone revealed it was an unknown number. Lilac's eyes narrowed; the number of people that could have her number could be counted with one hand.
Despite feeling suspicious, she picked up the call while standing up from her workout mat. "Hello?"
"..." Silence
She removed the phone from her ear, checking quickly if the call was still connected; it still was. "Hello? Who is this?"
"It hurts me that Ms. Callen didn't bother getting my number from her assistant."
Lilac relaxed and replied, "Why would I bother? It's not like I have anything to privately say to Mr. Rowen."
Brandon on the other side of the call couldn't help chuckling; if she was trying to get his attention with her cold act, then she was succeeding. "I can't seem to find what to say in reply to that."
"Then why did you call me? I don't think you have anything to privately tell me now, do you?"
"Oh, I do have a lot to privately discuss with Ms. Callen."
Lilac rubbed her ear; the way he said "privately" made her ear itch for some weird reason.
"And what might that be?"
"I can't tell you over the phone. So, I'd like to invite Ms. Callen for dinner."
"... "Fuck what? Lilac chuckled suddenly, "Dinner? What are you trying to achieve?"
"You'll find out AFTER we meet for dinner." Brandon said in a teasing tone. "I'll pick you up!"
He hung up before she said anything else. rude.
Despite the ridiculousness of it all, Lilac didn't want to reject his dinner invitation; after all, to get closer to Mike, she needed Brandon.
---
Lilac was getting ready when Maeve arrived. "What's going on? Where are you going?"
"I...very unfortunately have dinner with someone tonight. So you, my dearest, will have to entertain yourself." She said, picking up a dress from her bed and placing it on her body to look in the mirror.
"Wait, you have dinner with who!? A guy?!" Maeve sat up from the couch, her eyes comically wide.
"Yeah. It's for business, though." She didn't know why she was explaining, but she didn't want Maeve to overthink it.
"OOooohhh...you have a date!!"
Apparently my explanation flew over her head, foolish thing. Lilac rolled her eyes inwardly.
"Sweetie...I said BUSINESS as in B-U-S-I-N-E..."
"I know how to spell business; shut it. I think you're just trying to cover up the fact that you're going out with a guy tonight for dinner! If that's not a date, then I don't know what is."
"Whatever floats in your boat, dearest Maze." She shrugged, unwilling to bother with her anymore.
"Choose the black dress." Maeve pointed at a black midnight mermaid evening dress with shimmering gems that Lilac was holding up to her body.
"Sure." Maeve had a better fashion sense than her, so she never bothered to argue anytime she gave her advice on things to wear.
She changed her clothes, and Maeve was in the middle of touching up her makeup when the doorbell rang.
"I'll get the door!" With her eyes shining, Maeve headed out of the room, but Lilac held her back before she could get to the door.
"NO!" She grabbed her wrist tightly, making Maeve's brows furrow in pain.
Realizing she overreacted, Lilac let go of her wrist, taking a deep breath to calm down. "There is no need for you to meet him. I'll just go... I promise I'll tell you all about it when I get back."
"Okay..." Maeve's eyes followed her suspiciously as she left the door, heading to the door.
Brandon was standing there in a black tuxedo holding a bouquet of bright red roses.
I almost got fucking blinded. What's with men and bringing red roses to a woman? She recoiled backwards in shock and squinted, staring at the red roses. "Uh...what are these for?"
"They..." He handed them to her. "Are for you."
"I can't tell if I should be thankful or wonder why you're giving me flowers...roses at that, when we're just going out to dinner...dinner that I didn't fully consent to." Lilac pushed the flowers away from her, staring at them like they would explode.
"Have you...never gotten flowers?"
"So what if I have? So what if I haven't? What does it have to do with you?" She bristled.
Brandon placed a fist on his mouth to hide a smile; sometimes she reminded him of a stray cat. "It has nothing to do with me. I'm sorry for prying."
What the fuck was she meant to do with...flowers? "I'll just put these inside. You wait outside." She eyed him and slammed the door.
Lilac shoved the flowers in the arms of an excited Maeve. "This is not a date! Just reminding you."
"Okay, okay, no date." Maeve said, chuckling to herself. Lilac glared at her, hearing the tone she used, like she was placating a child.
Lilac went outside; Brandon was leaning on his car with his hands in his pockets, staring at the scenery. She had to admit, though...Brandon didn't look half bad. She didn't say he was HANDSOME! but he wasn't...not bad (?)
"Done admiring?" He suddenly turned to stare at her.
"Admiring what?"
"Me," Brandon pulled open the passenger door for her with a small smile.
"Is there even anything to be admired?" She sat in the car and looked at him from his head down to his feet & shook her head almost disappointedly.
Brandon leaned down to her eye level, helping her to put on her seatbelt. "I'm sure you'll find more to admire as we go on our date." He slammed the door shut and went across to the driver's seat.
What's with everyone and fucking thinking this was a date? THIS IS NOT A DATE!! She inwardly yelled, annoyed.
"Why are you driving? Don't you have a driver to be at your beck and call?" Lilac commented after he drove out of her neighborhood.
"I do have a driver, but I'd rather be the one to drive such a beautiful lady like you for dinner." He smiled.
"Don't speak again so I don't barf. Thank you."
Freaking Cringe She hid her smile in her palm, looking out of the window.