TORN: A Billionaire Romance Series (Contemporary Romance Novel)

by Love,Michelle

  “Yes, Mr. Mason, the boss left around nine in the night,” said Ralph.

  This confirmed Dirk’s suspicions more, as he knew Bernardo’s car was tinted a dark black and no one could see who was in it. He knew Ralph would not have seen anyone inside, but only see the car leave the office premises.

  Bernardo rubbed his forehead, after Dirk had left his room.

  He tried calling Holly on her mobile, but it was eternally switched off.

  Ultimately he decided to visit her home that evening.

  Bernardo did not drive his Aston Martin, but took a car from the company pool. He did not want to attract the attention of the neighbors.

  Bernardo turned in to Merry Cross Lane and cruised slowly until he had to stop, as the car in front of him also stopped at Holly’s gate.

  He was about to get off his car, when he stopped, as he looked at the woman who alighted from the car in front of him.

  “Celina? What the hell was she doing at Holly’s?” thought Bernardo. He was sweating.

  Celina, opened the boot of the car and pulled out a small bag, which Bernardo presumed was an overnight bag. So she was related to Holly? Did Holly know of his affair with Celina and was that why she had consented to sleep with him? Was this Celina’s doings? Bernardo felt disgusted, as he reversed his car and drove away from Merry Cross Lane. In spite of the coolness the air condition in the car gave, Bernardo was sweating profusely.

  Celina walked into her sister’s house. Clarice was not too happy to see her. As wherever Celina went trouble followed. Even Holly did not like her aunt. She was always up to no good and the men she associated were also no good. She always had a plan up her sleeves.

  “Hello darlings. How are you?” said Celina, as she blew air kisses at her sister and niece.

  “We are fine and what brings you to this part of the country?” asked Clarice.

  “Business darling , business,’ said Celina, with a flick of her hand.

  Holly looked at her and felt uneasy. Her aunt was up to no good. She felt it in her nerves. Well let’s wait and see what she does, thought Holly.

  Holly arranged the guest room for her aunt.

  “Aunt Celina, will you be staying for long?” asked Holly.

  “No darling. I leave tomorrow evening,” said Celina.

  Somehow Holly did not want to speak of her job at Lorenzo Conglomerates and she warned her mother to keep mum too. She felt there was no need to tell aunt Celina, each and everything that happened in their lives. She never looked up on them, until on occasions like this when she needed a place to stay.

  Holly awoke that night to the sound of Celina’s voice as she spoke to someone on the phone. Holly tiptoed to her door and opened it slightly as she listened.

  “Oh alright Merrick. I heard she had a baby recently,” said Celina.

  Holly listened.

  ‘Yes I know according to Grace, tomorrow Kathy is scheduled to take her baby for the first check up at Memorial Hospital. I want you to spring into action at the hospital car park,” said Celina.

  Holly began to sweat. Goodness me whom was she talking of.

  She listened carefully again.

  “Ok I need to teach Bernardo Lorenzo a bitter lesson that he will remember for the rest of his life. I want him to stew in his own shit,” said Celina.

  Holly almost let out a gasp, but controlled herself. So Celina was talking of Bernardo’s wife Kathy and their new born baby. By the looks of it, Celina had planned something monstrous to take place the following day.

  Holly did not want to listen further and carefully closed her door locking it.

  She sat on her bed and thought for a while. Should she call Bernardo? Yes she should, Celina was going to cause a lot of damage to his wife and if something should happen to Kathy, Holly would have to live in guilt for the rest of her life.

  Holly, dialed Bernardo’s mobile. Bernardo was in his office as he had driven back to return the car and take his own back home.

  “Bernardo,” said Holly.

  Bernardo was shocked to hear Holly’s voice. Was this a plan?

  “Look Holly if you try to talk to me about Celina, please don’t as I saw her visit your home this evening,” said a furious Bernardo.

  “Oh stop being childish and stupid. Celina is my mother’s sister and I know she is a no good woman. Now will you listen to what I am going to tell you please?” Holly sounded pretty stern, that Bernardo decided to listen to what she had to say.

  “Okay, but I told you I saw her visit your home this evening,” said Bernardo.

  “Okay listen. Who is Grace?” asked Holly.

  “Grace is my son’s nanny. Why?” asked Bernardo. This was a tangled web of surprises and for once Bernardo was stumped.

  “Listen. Grace is a spy for Celina. I just heard Celina talking to someone on her mobile, where she spoke of causing harm to Kathy and your daughter tomorrow at the car park of the hospital,” said Holly.

  “Oh my God,’ said Bernardo, as he jumped out of his seat and rushed to the elevator.

  “Tell me Holly,” said Bernardo breathlessly.

  “Okay stay calm Bernardo. You need to be clam at a time like this. Inform the police and if you need a witness I will stand in for you,” said Holly.

  “Oh Holly I don’t know how to thank you,” said Bernardo and for the first time he had tears in his eyes.

  “You need to be calm Bernardo. If you don’t then everything will go haywire,” said Holly.

  “Okay Holly, I will go to the police right now,” said Bernardo.

  Bernardo left for the police and informed Inspector De Mello of what Holly had told him. The inspector looked thoughtful and then nodded.

  “I will send a team of police officers tomorrow morning and they will be strategically stationed in the hospital car park. In the meantime, tell your wife, we will draw up a strategic plan, which she has to follow meticulously tomorrow morning. We will have Grace your son’s nanny arrested first thing tomorrow morning,” said Inspector De Mello.

  Bernardo drove home as fast as he could. He would not leave Kathy and his children alone one moment in the care of Grace.

  Parking his car in the porch Bernardo entered the house. Grace was playing with Josh and Kathy was seated on the rocking chair with Melissa in her arms.

  “Hi darling,” said Kathy lifting her face for his kiss.

  That night Bernardo did not sleep at all. He was too frightened to close his eyes, as a part of Celina’s deadly plot was right under his roof.

  Once Josh and Melissa were asleep, Bernardo related the entire story to Kathy. Kathy was scared to death. She wanted Bernardo to throw Grace out of the house immediately.

  “Listen darling, we should not take any rash decisions like that. The police will take care of it in the morning,” whispered Bernardo.

  The following morning Kathy and Bernardo entered the kitchen together and found Grace busy preparing breakfast.

  “Hi good morning,” said Grace.

  Kathy could only mumble good morning.

  ‘Mrs. Lorenzo, you have to take Melissa to the hospital for her first check up today isn’t it?” asked Grace.

  Kathy nodded and tried to put on a brave face. “Yes I have to,” she said.

  The doorbell buzzed and Kathy almost jumped out of her skin. Grace looked up and went back to what she was doing. She least expected the police to walk in on her.

  Bernardo opened the door to find Inspector De Mello and two women police officers. One carried hand cuffs.

  They walked straight into the kitchen and Grace almost dropped the porcelain teapot she was holding.

  She tried to turn and run, but the two women police officers were quicker.

  “You are under arrest,” said Inspector De Mello.

  ‘Why are you arresting me? I need to speak to my lawyer,’ screamed Grace.

  “In time Grace, in time,” said one of the woman police officers as she clamped the hand cuffs on Grace’s wrists and locked the
m, pocketing the key.

  “You will pay for this Kathy. You will you bitch,” shouted Grace.

  Bernardo lunged forward to strike her, but the woman police officer was faster, sending Grace reeling to the floor, holding on to her cheek, which had turned a bright red. This was just the beginning and Grace decided to keep quiet.

  Grace was huddled into the jeep and driven away to the local police station.

  In the meantime, seven police officers were stationed at strategic points in the hospital car park, as Celina and Merrick drove into the car park in a van.

  Kathy drove the Aston Martin and parked a few yards away from the van in which Celina and Merrick sat. Kathy was shivering, but she had two police officers in the car with her and Bernardo. They had driven to Dirk Mason’s home and left Josh and Melissa in the care of Daphne, Dirk’s wife. Bernardo had explained to Dirk what was happening and he wanted to come too, but Bernardo shook his head.

  Merrick got off the van and stood leaning against it, with his hands folded. He had the pistol under his t-shirt. Men of his caliber did not need practice; they were hard core criminals who used revolvers and pistols as if they were toys.

  “Now Mrs. Lorenzo, open the door and put one foot out only. Remember one foot out,” said one police officer who sat in the rear.

  Kathy did as she was told and all hell broke loose. Merrick lunged forward pointing the pistol at Kathy and taking careful aim, pulling the trigger. While Kathy ducked, as she was told and the seven police officers converged on Merrick as he looked around, knowing he had been defeated and he had met his waterloo.

  Celina got off the wan and turned to run, but the police officers were no match for her. They had her writhing and struggling as they clamped handcuffs on her hands too, as they did on Merrick.

  Celina stared daggers at Bernardo and Kathy.

  They all turned as they heard the voice of a woman.

  “Well Aunt Celina. You met your waterloo didn’t you? You were always a no good woman and I was ashamed to call you my aunt and so was my mum to call you her sister. Yes she was ashamed to say that you were her sister. I knew you were up to no good last night, when I heard you on the phone. Now I know you were talking to your accomplice, with whom no doubt you had bedded,” said Holly walking towards Celina.

  Celina lunged forward. “You bitch. So it was you who gave me away. You little slut, I did hear that you worked for Bernardo. Did he take you to bed you slut that you stood by his whore of a wife and him?” screamed Celina, as she was almost dragged to the police jeep that was stopped a few yards away.

  Holly turned and smiled at Kathy and Bernardo. She walked up to them and hugged Kathy.

  “I am glad you are okay Mrs. Lorenzo,” she said and turned to Bernardo smiling.

  Bernardo hugged Holly and this time there was no lust or want, but a sheer brotherly hug. Kathy stood by smiling.

  “I really don’t know how to thank you Holly. If it was not for you, I would have been dead and my son and daughter would not have had a mother,” said Kathy hugging Holly, who hugged her in return.

  “Is my cabin still available at Lorenzo Conglomerates?” asked Holly mischief dancing in her eyes.

  “Yes, of course, Senior Deputy Attorney of Lorenzo Conglomerates,” said Bernardo.

  “Oh you mean to say, I am Senior Deputy Attorney of your company?” she asked her eyes dancing and twinkling with happiness.

  Holly’s eyes shone as she hugged both Kathy and Bernardo, before she left.

  Bernardo and Kathy watched her leave. Holly turned to wave goodbye and got into her car.

  Holly drove home, a happy woman. Her mother had watched the news and she was shocked to see Celina being handcuffed and dragged away by the police. She then could not believe her eyes, when she saw Holly at the scene of the crime.

  Clarice stood impatiently at the door waiting for Holly to come back home and when she saw Holly’s car turn into the drive way, Clarice ran out to her.

  Mother and daughter clung on to each other and cried.

  “Honey how did you know Celina was going to cause harm to Mrs. Lorenzo?” asked Clarice.

  “Mum, you know how I am alert when she ever visits us? Last night was no exception. I got up to use the bathroom, when I heard Celina on the phone. I listened in on her conversation and then heard her mention Bernardo’s name and his wife Kathy’s. She was going to have Kathy shot by her friend Merrick, who was the latest man who shared her bed,” said Holly.

  “Oh my god, I hope she gets a life sentence and stays in jail. I was always ashamed to call her my sister,” said Clarice.

  “Well mum, now that everything has turned out fine, there is something I want to tell you. I am returning to Lorenzo Conglomerates, as Senior Deputy Attorney to Dirk Mason,” said Holly her eyes shining.

  Clarice wiped her eyes as tears sprang from them.

  “You were always a good girl Holly and you deserve the best,” she said hugging her daughter.

  The following day Holly drove to work and parked her car. Walking into the office building, she was surprised that there was no one around. Only Ralph the doorman was there and he greeted her with a broad smile.

  “Good Morning Ralph. Where is everyone?” asked Holly.

  “No one has come in as yet Holly,” he said grinning.

  “That’s funny,” said Holly.

  Walking down the corridor she got a shock of her life when the ground floor conference room doors were flung open and everyone shouted, “Welcome Back Holly.”

  She stood staring as the entire workforce as they sang and danced. From the back of the conference room she saw Bernardo and Dirk, walking towards her. Bernardo hugged her, while Dirk kissed her on the cheek.

  “Welcome back Holly. It is good to have you back,” said Dirk.

  Bernardo smiled at her and holding his hand up to silence his staff.

  “Friends, today I owe my life and what of my family to Holly. If she did not warn me the previous day of what Celina, her aunt was up to, Kathy would have been dead today and things would have been so different to what they are now,” Bernardo stopped to wipe a tear from his eye.

  “Holly joins us once again as Senior Deputy Attorney to Dirk Mason. She deserves every bit of it and I present her with a new BMW and an apartment of her own,” he said, presenting Holly with

  the keys to a brand new BMW and the keys to a new apartment. There was an uproar of applause as every clapped and cheered, while Holly walked up to Bernardo to accept her two gifts.

  Holly was in tears as she looked down at the two sets of keys and files which were given to her by Bernardo.

  “Oh you should not have,” she cried.

  She walked into her new office which was decorated with streamer and balloons.

  Holly was happy, but deep down she felt a sense of sadness, which had no words for it. But she was happy of one thing, which was - she had saved the life of the wife of the man she will always love, the man who was her first love and will be her last love.

  THE END

  PREVIEW OF

  The Billionaire’s Lighthouse Series

  A Billionaire, Bad Boy, Romance

  By Michelle Love

  The Billionaire’s Lighthouse Series

  A Billionaire, Bad Boy, Romance

  Book 1

  Her Castle

  By Michelle Love

  Description

  Hope. Chemistry. Heat.

  Elizabeth Cook is a conservationist trying to save a lighthouse on the northern side of Chesapeake City, Rhode Island.

  Zane White is the billionaire who just bought the real estate it sets on and plans on tearing it down to build condos that overlook the Atlantic Ocean.

  Elizabeth spent a lot of time with her grandfather at the old lighthouse and has many memories of the place she cherishes and goes to often to recall old times with the man who passed away.

  When she’s told the new owner is going to tear it down to build condominiums on the property s
he finds out who it is and makes plans to go pay the man a visit.

  Finding him in his New York office, Elizabeth finds the man to be the most handsome man she’s ever laid eyes on. Zane finds her attractive as well. But he’s not about to let his attraction to her affect his business sense.

  The gorgeous woman won’t be getting what she came after, making her plea and beg, a thing she’s never had to do before.

  Zane is all business when it comes to that part of his life and he’s not about to fall for any of her pleas to leave the lighthouse as it is. Elizabeth will just have to get over her disappointment, in his opinion.

  And with any luck he’ll get her under him before she leaves New York…

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 1

  ELIZABETH

  The stairway shakes a little as my grandfather lumbers up the swirling staircase in the middle of the old lighthouse. I follow closely behind him, a little afraid of the darkness inside the old building.

  His flashlight bobs with each step, making odd shadows dance across the peeling white painted walls. “They moved this thing in yesterday, Elizabeth. I thought you might like to see the inside of one of these things.”

  “It’s pretty dark,” I say. “I can’t really see anything.”

  “Wait till we get all the way up and we can look down,” he says as he huffs and puffs with the long climb we’re making. “Then you’ll see how neat this old building is.”

  My grandfather has headed up the conservation committee in our small town of Chesapeake City, Rhode Island for as long as I can remember. The city is full of old buildings he’s petitioned to make into historical places.

  This lighthouse sits on the northern side of the city. This side isn’t known for the historical sites as well as the southern side is. My grandfather expects a fight about making this lighthouse a historical monument and getting government protection for it.