OLD HABITS DIE HARD Part 2

Blair stood there wide-eyed with a hand on her hip, waiting for Todd to make sense.

Todd nervously looked beyond her shoulder to see if there was anyone in the living room. “Are you alone?” The absolute last thing he wanted was to see him there. Last he saw Blair, she went looking for him. What if she found him? Oh God, please don’t be here.

Blair looked back to where Todd was staring at, wondering what he was looking for. Had he forgotten? Todd ran off her fiancé last winter and now he was here, out of the blue, and asks if she’s alone? The nerve!

Blair turned back to him and squared her shoulders. “Oh yeah, I’m alone.” She clenched her fist and punched him in the face. “Thanks to you, asshole!”

Todd was on the ground. He checked to see if he was bleeding and sure enough, his hand showed that blood was coming from his mouth. Damn, his girl still packed quite a punch. He couldn’t help but smile knowing he taught her that. This is the second time she knocked him off his ass with a punch to the face. The first was a case of mistaken identity, Blair was expecting Max. This time, Todd figured he deserves it. Before he could get to his feet, Blair slammed the door shut. There it was. I knew this wasn’t going to be easy.

Todd started slamming his fist to the door. “Blair! Blair, please, open the door! Blair!”

She locked the door and was relieved when she heard him stop knocking. Then she realized Todd’s not that easy to quit… and that there was another door inside on the other side of the living room.

She ran through the foyer and the living room to get to those glass doors leading out to the patio but Todd narrowly beat her and squeezed his way in.

“Dammit!” Blair slammed the door shut as Todd laughed and caught his breath.

I guess all that football paid off. “You should be quicker on the uptake,” he smirked.

Blair crossed her arms. “I’ll remember that next time.”

Todd looked to the floor. “There won’t be a next time.” He wasn’t sure he believed that but he desperately wanted to. He always found himself in this position. On the wrong side of the law. Trying to win back people’s trust. He just wanted to disappear now.

Blair noticed Todd’s somber mood. She couldn’t help but feel for him. She never could. No matter how much hurt, betrayal, anger he arose in her, they were still connected. She took a step towards him. “Todd…”

Todd noted Blair’s change of attitude. Five minutes ago, she looked at him like he was the last person in the world she wanted to see. Now, her eyes were searching into his soul. He never felt as bare, as exposed as when she was looking at him like that. He stepped forward so they were only standing mere inches apart. “Are you alone here?” His voice was soft.

“Yes.” Blair knew he was serious. She tucked her hair behind her ear.

Todd realized Blair was no longer wearing that pitiful excuse of an engagement ring. Finally! Tomas was finally no mas. Not the time to gloat about it now. “The kids?” He found it strange that Blair would be in the house all by herself.

“Sam’s on a school trip. Jack and a few of his friends went up to Viki’s cabin for the week.” She 

noticed Todd take a sigh of relief at that. “What’s going on?”

Todd looked into Blair’s eyes. Her big, green eyes. Those eyes that have destroyed him. Those eyes that have saved him. Sometimes filled with rage. Sometimes filled with love. This time, he saw concern. For him! After everything he had done…

He was staring at her. Damn. She knew how well he could read her… but she couldn’t look away. His eyes locked on hers and she couldn’t escape. He had such gorgeous eyes. They were almost gold. 

They would change color depending on his mood. When he was lustful they would turn a feral black. They’d also turn black in his anger. When he was vulnerable, they would brighten a few shades. Last year just before they had made love, his eyes were so bright. She stopped him from moving too fast, much like their first time together. She held his face in her hands and he looked up at her as he saw on the bed. His face was so vulnerable then, almost like a child begging to be lifted of all the lies that were torturing him. She knew something was wrong then. He had the same face now. Something was very wrong.

Oh God. She felt a pit in her stomach. “Is Starr okay?” She couldn’t bear the thought…

Todd was quick to assure her. “Oh, Blair, no, it’s not that. Starr’s fine.” Todd knew that wasn’t completely true. Starr was very hurt when she found out he lied to her about Cole and Hope. Still, he could explain that later. Right now, he just wanted to calm Blair’s nerves about their first-born.

Thank God. So if it wasn’t Starr, what was Todd doing here? And why was he so nervous? “Todd, what’s going on?”

Todd took another deep breath to prepare to tell Blair everything. Here goes nothing.

They were interrupted by a knock at the door.

Shit.

They both turned to the sound at the door.

“Blair, it’s John! Open up, this is an emergency!” He continued to knock at the door.

John was quickly becoming Todd’s least favorite person in the world. And that’s saying something. 

The fact that John married Blair didn’t help with his opinion of the guy. John and his sanctimonious attitude. He’d much rather deal with the likes of Bo Buchanan or John Sykes. John’s fixation on trying to protect Blair from him was beyond irritating. Didn’t he get it? Blair was no damsel. She didn’t need saving. And certainly not from him.

Blair slowly turned back to Todd. “What have you done now?”

His silence was deafening.

Blair went to go answer the door when Todd grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back to him. “I can explain everything. But first, I need you to help me.”

Blair looked back to the door and back again at Todd. His eyes were pleading with her. “Please.”

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