by T L Swan
“There are a lot of good-looking men here,” I murmur.
“Sure are.” Adrian nods.
“Apart from me you mean?” Ben replies flatly with folded arms as he watches the game.
I smirk, every day Ben reveals just a little more of himself and I am beginning to really, really like him. Ben glances at his watch and stands. “I will be around the other side,” he murmurs.
“Ok,” I answer.
I watch Ben walk around the other side of the field and my eyes flick to Joshua on the horse as the quarter ends. He rides to the sidelines and dismounts his horse. His stable hand walks over to him and gives Jasper a drink and hands Joshua a bottle of water. As people fuss around, Joshua takes a drink and turns and looks for me. I give him a small wave and he nods and turns back to his horse and crew.
I smile at the ground. Joshua Stanton looking for me will never grow old.
The game is over and I am waiting by the car for Joshua with two security guards and Adrian. He is still finishing up. I watch as Maria walks with the three girls around the field so that they can talk with their father. Maria kisses her husband and the girls all rush Joshua. He picks up the smallest child and lifts her onto his shoulders as the other two wrestle with his legs. He breaks into a full-blown loud laugh and I find myself smiling broadly as I melt. Ok… that’s it. I’m out. I can’t take anymore. This man is trying to pop my damn ovaries. Just when I don’t think this guy can be any more perfect…he goes and turns all paternal. The internal sound of those eggs being released from my pounding ovaries is deafening.
I smile as I watch him with the girls. I never even knew this side of him existed. He is so gentle and loving with them and if this is what he will be like with our children, damn it, I’ll have ten of the little buggers.
I lie with my head on Joshua’s chest in the afterglow of our love-making as he intermittently runs his fingertips back and forth over my arm, with his lips resting on my temple. He has just made beautiful gentle love to me and I feel totally cocooned in our bed by his love..
I smile into his chest. “I love you,” I whisper.
I feel him smile above me. “I love you too,” he replies.
“We can have six children,” I breathe.
I feel him smile again. “You say that like it was ever a question,” he replies.
I smile.
“That was always happening, Marx.” He picks up my hand and kisses my fingertips.
“Joshua,” I ask.
“Yes, presh,” he replies.
“Do I have any say at all in the way our lives turn out?” I ask.
I feel him smile broadly again. “Funnily enough, no,” he murmurs. “I’ve got it all planned out.”
I bend and bite him on the chest. “What do I have a say in?” I tease.
He smiles into the darkness again. “Right now?” he asks.
“Yes, right now.” I act serious as he rolls me onto my back.
“You get to choose whether I stand or kneel as I fuck you doggy-style.”
I giggle loudly as he brings my leg up around his hip. “What’s it going to be?” he asks.
“Standing please,” I smile. “I would like my life to be given to me hard.”
“Got it.” He bites me on the neck as I squeal in laughter. “Hard life, coming straight up!”
The sound of the echoing alarm rips me from my sleep.
“Fuck,” Joshua snaps as he jumps from the bed. Huh? I sit up in a start. It’s the middle of the night. What’s going on? We arrived back in LA from Willowvale late tonight after dinner and have woken to an alarm that is sounding through the house. It’s deafening. Joshua tries to switch on the lamp and it doesn’t turn on.
“Fuck, the power’s cut,” he whispers.
My eyes widen, huh? What the hell. I am suddenly wide awake and sit up immediately. Shit, shit, shit.
“Get in the bathroom!” he snaps.
I jump out of bed and start to try and find my clothes in a panic in the darkness.
“Get in the fucking bathroom and lock the door,” Joshua whispers angrily.
“I have no clothes on, Joshua.” I start to jump around in fear and Joshua grabs me and pushes me through the dark room into the bathroom, naked.
“Lock the door!” he snaps.
“No.” I grab his arm and try to pull him in with me. “Stay in here with me,” I plead.
“Stop there.” I hear Ben’s voice yell out over the alarm.
Oh crap, what’s going on? Joshua and I stand perfectly still as we try to listen. A glass vase smashes and Joshua roughly pushes me into the bathroom as I try to hang onto him.
No, what’s going on? “Joshua, stay here with me please,” I beg as I hold onto his arms to try and force him to stay with me. A large banging sound comes from downstairs and a few different men’s voices ring out.
He pushes me in and slams the door shut. I start to jump up and down as I freak out.
I hear a second guard’s voice ring out and then someone running up the hall and then a gunshot. Oh fuck! I hold my hands over my mouth and then another three gun shots… then silence.
My heartbeat is thumping in my chest hard and the house is silent except for the deafening alarm. Oh dear god, who had the gun? Why is there silence? Who’s down there? I start to shake my hands frantically in front of me as adrenaline pumps heavily through my body. Fuck! I put my ear up to the door and try to listen. Please be ok, Joshua. Where are you? Oh god, Bridget and Abbie, where’s Cameron? My hands go to my chest as I try to control my erratic heartbeat and the tears of fear start to roll down my face. Why is it so quiet? Is Ben ok? My recurring nightmare of Ben and Joshua dying comes straight to my mind. Don’t let it be true. I hear a downstairs door slam and then more yelling but it seems to be coming from outside in the backyard. I need to know what’s going on so I slowly open the bathroom door to try and hear but it’s muffled. Something is definitely happening in the backyard. I suddenly hear glass smashing downstairs and I quickly close the door again and lock it. Fuck, this is hectic. Where is my phone? I need to ring the police. It’s on my side table so I slowly open the door again and my eyes search the darkened room. Is anyone in here? Oh my god, this is terrifying. Where is Joshua? I run to the bedside, grab my phone and run back into the bathroom and lock the door. I am breathless with fear. What’s the number for the police here? It’s 000 in Australia… what is it in America? Is it the same as the television shows? I shake my hands as I try to remember… is it 555… 999… 911. I hold my hands to my temples. Think Natasha, think. I can’t think over that fucking alarm. Shut the hell up! 555, 999, 555… I dial the number 911 and it rings.
“Fire, ambulance or police services?” a calm voice answers.
“Police.” I yell.
“Hold the line.”
“Hello, Police.” The person answers.
“We have been broken into, and there are gunshots. Please come,” I stammer.
“Ok, Ma’am, please stay calm. What is your address?”
My eyes widen: what is the fucking address? “Um, I don’t know,” I whisper in a panic. “I am in Brentwood. My fiancé is Joshua Stanton. We are at his house and someone has broken in. There were shots fired.”
“Stay on the line, Ma’am.” She seemingly rings someone while I nearly hyperventilate. Another gunshot… omg… what’s happening?
“They are shooting! Hurry up!” I stammer. “I need a police car here now,” I scream.
“Calm down, Ma’am, and stay on the line. Is anyone injured?”
My eyes are nearly bulging from their sockets. How in the hell is this woman staying so calm? “I don’t know,” I yell. How many times does she get these phone calls?
The bathroom door bangs and I scream and jump into the shower. “Are you there, Ma’am?” the woman replies.
“Omg,” I stammer.
“Natasha, it’s us.” I hear Bridget’s voice whisper through the door. I nearly collapse in relief and open the door and Brid
get and Abbie run in and slam the door behind them and flick the lock.
Bridget grabs me in relief. “Eeww, you’re naked,” she remarks as she cuddles me. “Get dressed.”
“Are you there, Ma’am?” the operator repeats.
“Yes, I’m here,” I whisper.
“Who’s that?” Abbie snaps.
“Police,” I whisper.
Abbie snatches the phone off me. “Listen. Get someone here right now. Someone has been shot and we are in a fucking bathroom,” she yells.
My hands go to my chest. “Who has been shot?” I stammer with wide eyes.
Bridget shakes her head. “I don’t know. We heard someone groaning after a gunshot.”
My eyes widen. “What the hell… was it Joshua?” I whisper.
“No, I don’t think so,” she answers.
“Yes or no?” I snap.
“I don’t fucking know,” she yells.
Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god. I sit on the toilet and put my head in my hands. The alarm stops and it becomes eerily silent. Bridget takes my hand as I am gripped with fear.
“Natasha,” I hear Joshua’s voice yell out and I hold my hands to my chest in relief.
“He’s ok,” I whisper. “He’s ok.” Tears of relief start to roll down my face, a knock sounds on the door and we all jump.
“It’s me, baby,” Joshua’s voice calls through the door. I open it and fall into his arms in a fit of tears. “What happened?” I cry.
The hall light switches on and the girls come out of the bathroom and then the bedroom light flicks on.
“Can you two put some fucking clothes on?” Cameron snaps and I look down and Joshua and I are totally naked. Oh jeez, how embarrassing.
“Shut up!” Joshua snaps. He pulls out of my arms and retrieves my nightgown and wraps me in it, then wraps a towel around his waist.
“What the hell was that?” Cameron stammers.
Joshua starts to pace with his hands on his head.
“Where’s Ben?” Bridget whispers wide-eyed.
“He’s ok,” Joshua answers. “Everyone is ok.”
“Oh, dear god, who was here?” I whisper.
“I don’t know. “ Joshua shakes his head in frustration.
The blue and red lights flicker through the window… thank heavens, the police are here.
Adrian
I stand at my office window as I watch the media circus below clamber around Joshua’s car as it arrives at the entry to the underground carpark and waits for the guard to open the door. The break-in at his house last night is all over the news this morning. This is the last thing he needs. I buzz my receptionist.
“Can you get coffee for Joshua and me please, Ella?” I ask.
“Yes sir,” she replies politely.
Two minutes later Joshua is entering my office at the same time as our coffee. “Thank you, Ella.” Joshua smiles as he takes it from the tray.
I wait for her to leave and my eyes flick to my dear friend. “Are you ok?” I ask.
He nods and walks over to the window to watch the photographers who are the size of ants below.
“What happened?” I ask.
He turns. “I don’t know. We were all asleep and three men cut the power and then broke into my house.”
I frown as I listen.
“They obviously weren’t aware that the alarm system has battery backup,” he murmurs into his coffee as he takes a sip.
“Oh my god,” I whisper.
He shrugs. “Natasha’s a cot case. She didn’t sleep all night, and kept having those fucking nightmares that she gets.”
“Christ,” I murmur. “The news said that there were shots fired.”
He nods. “We think someone was shot.”
My eyes widen. “What do you mean?” I ask, horrified.
He blows out a deep breath. “One of my guards had a gun and was using it to control the situation but one of the men ran at him and tackled him into the table near the landing and they fell onto the glass vase.”
I hold my hand over my mouth in horror. “He was either shot or cut on the broken glass because there was blood everywhere in the foyer.”
I shake my head in shock. I can’t believe this.
Joshua flops onto the lounge in my office. “Ben has booked us all into the Montage in Beverly Hills for a few days until the house is cleaned up. He’s at home getting everyone there now.”
“What was Ben doing there? I thought he worked yesterday,” I ask.
Joshua frowns. “I don’t know actually, but I’m glad he was.” He shrugs. “He must have filled in another shift for someone overnight.”
“Any idea who is responsible for this?” I ask.
He shrugs. “The police said it could be just a random robbery.” His eyes meet mine. “But how would you know?”
I shake my head. “Have you watched the news?”
He shakes his head.
I blow out a breath. “The call Natasha made to the police has been recorded and they are playing it again and again.”
Joshua shakes his head in disgust. “Fuck this place… I’m over it. Why would people want to listen to that? And so much for the authorities not giving out information.”
“Yeah I know. It would have been hacked. Natasha sounded terrified.” I sigh.
“She was… is,” he murmurs into his coffee.
I lean on my desk as I watch him.
“What?” he questions.”
“I did that bank account trace thing for your mother that you wanted me to do.” I don’t know whether now is the time for this conversation.
His eyes meet mine. “And?”
I bite my lip as I try to articulate what I want to say. “So I would transfer your mother one million dollars every four months.”
Joshua raises his eyebrows. “And?” he asks.
“Well, on every occasion for the last two years that one million dollars has been transferred to someone else’s account the very next day without being touched.”
He frowns.
I walk to my filing cabinet, remove the file and hand it to him. He snatches it from me and stands immediately. He walks to my desk and starts to flick through the statements as he slumps into my seat.
I need another coffee so I buzz Ella. “Can we have two more coffees please?”
“Sure thing,” she replies.
Joshua sits entranced as he goes through the statements.
“My father gives her a damn lot of money too,” he murmurs to himself and then shakes his head at the realisation of what he has just said.
“I know what you mean but he’s still your father, Joshua,” I reply.
“She goes through some cash. What does she spend it all on?” He frowns.
I shrug. “From what I can see, designer clothing and spa treatments. She has a very expensive massage once a week.”
Joshua’s eyes meet mine and I know we are thinking the same thing. He brushes his tongue over his top front teeth in contempt.
God, I would hate to be Margaret at this moment.
Ben arrives at the same time as our second coffee.
“Hey,” he remarks as he walks in and sits on the lounge.
“What are you doing here? I want you with Natasha,” Joshua murmurs without his eyes leaving the statements.
“Yeah, well she’s having a cow over you being here without me,” Ben snaps. “It’s not worth the drama.”
Joshua frowns as he looks up. “What do you mean?”
Ben shakes his head. “She’s going all fucking crazy.” He runs a hand over his forehead in frustration and I smile. Somehow I think Ben was glad to escape Natasha this morning.
I smile broadly. “What’s my girl doing?” I ask.
“She’s my girl,” Joshua murmurs as he keeps reading.
“She started demanding to see the guard roster for Joshua and then she started stomping around the house like a mad woman and screaming at the girls to get their stuff because they were keeping me
from guarding you.”
I smile as I imagine the scenario.
“She rang Max and asked him to come back immediately.”
Joshua’s eyes flick up immediately. “She did what?” he snaps.
“You heard me. She rang Max and asked him to come back so I could guard you full time.”
Joshua shakes his head.
“Smart girl.” I nod.
“And then she started having a hissy fit at Cameron and demanding that he has his own guard too, which he refused, and then the two of them got into a screaming match. Abbie told Natasha to calm down and shut the fuck up.” Ben shakes his head at the dramatics and I laugh.
“Oh and I forgot the best part. She marched down to the guards’ office and demanded answers as to how someone got to the power box without being noticed and she put them all on warning of being fired.”
I bite my lip to stifle my smile. “Did I tell you that I love that girl?” I reply.
Joshua rolls his eyes. “Every day so shut up.” He then throws the bank statements onto the table and stands and puts his hands into his pockets. “We need to trace where that money is going.”
I nod. “Done.”
He frowns at me in question. “Well?”
“It’s going into the account of someone named James Brennan,” I answer.
Joshua closes his eyes and drops his head.
Ben and I exchange looks. I told Ben yesterday what was going on. “Do you know that person?” I ask.
Joshua’s furious eyes meet mine and he runs his tongue over his top front teeth for the second time today.
“James Brennan,” he repeats as he raises his eyebrows.
I frown. “Yes.”
“James fucking Brennan!” he yells.
Ben and I exchange looks again. “Who is that?” I ask.
With a scarily cold voice Joshua replies. “James Brennan is my father’s best friend.”
Chapter 14
Joshua
My furious eyes meet Adrian’s and he frowns. “I don’t get it,” he murmurs.
I put my hands on my head as I think. Why would my mother be transferring money to my father’s friend’s account unless… Fuck. I close my eyes in regret.