He would have to tell Becca his whole life story, so she understood. He was ready for being judged by her too.
He still hadn’t opened the last letter from his mother. There hadn’t been time. He wanted nothing to do with her past after she’d died.
Could he do that now? He could not.
Austin suddenly was struck with an idea. All he wanted to do was to see Rebecca, immediately. He would change his flight. He would go to Switzerland first. He would crush Joe’s sleek lying face and rip her out of his dirty hands. But first he needed to talk to Lidia. She might know better where they could be.
TWENTY-FIVE
Berne, Switzerland.
“We should have waited for them.” Becca wasn’t too sure about abandoning Cadence.
Joe Snowden, on other hand, needed an excuse to leave, no matter what. “If Roman was drinking, I am pretty sure Cadence would take care of him.”
The concerned look did not leave Becca’s face.
“Oh, come on, Becca.” Joe opened the door of his brand new rented Cadillac and ushered her to the back seat of the car. He slid in beside her wearing his absolutely dazzling smile. Becca didn’t realize that car had started to move. He hired a driver too.
“I’m not even sure why he was so tipsy. He’d only had a glass of wine or two,” Joe continued. “It’s not that bad. They will be back in no time.”
“I don’t know if I’ve ever been so lightheaded myself.” Becca moved slightly away from Joe’s muscular body. She was feeling a little ashamed of her unexpected reaction. She desperately needed a kiss.
“But I know the reason,” Joe moved closer. His eyes were searing hot and had an unstoppable determination in them, pulling her into him like a magnet.
“How fast do you assume I am?” Becca shook her head, hoping to snap herself from his spell.
“Not fast enough for my liking.” Joe grinned at her. “But fast enough to run away from me last time.”
Winning over women was his joy, almost a talent, Becca thought belatedly.
“We got a suite for tonight that most people would kill for. I wanted to surprise you.”
Becca seriously considered giving herself to this man. She’d never done anything like this before.
Joe is so sweet and caring.
Becca felt her heart filled with love and something else. Something she could not understand. She was so damn giddy! Her body was asking for the sexual release. Fighting it any longer felt like torture. She was hoping Joe would continue his flirtatious conversation. It made her feel so powerful and wanted. But, Joe was reserved and thoughtful during the drive to the hotel.
The bumper-to-bumper traffic reminded her what a string of events her life had become. And there was no way to make a legitimate U-turn to go back where she wanted to be.
Maybe he finally got her message that she was sending him all this time? She was not interested in any close relationship with Joe.
What a shame that this had happened tonight! I feel like I am floating in a cloud and that could be a great place for sex.
She really needed him. She wanted him to overcome her resistance, to take her with a force and power. He had enough manliness in him to do that, she had no doubt.
She chose to avoid the guilty feelings that her mind produced. She smiled at the doorman when Joe led her through the massive doors inside a lush, aged, hotel building in the heart of the city.
The doorman gave Joe a knowing look and a nod, and greeted Becca, bending slightly forward. “Good evening, Mrs. Snowden.”
Becca did not found it at all strange. She was with Mr. Snowden after all.
Joe smiled. “A little familiarity won’t hurt.”
“Promise me, you won’t slip away this time,” he murmured into her neck, sending a shiver down her spine.
Not a very good idea.
Becca was struggling with her emotions. Her thinking was slow as if she was suspended in foggy air. If not for Cadence’s playful mood tonight, if not for Roman’s drinking, she wouldn’t be falling prey to Joe Snowden, she rationalized.
They step out of the elevator car right into what looked like an outrageously expensive penthouse suite. Becca somehow forgot why she was here. Her day, following the dinner and a nightclub, strangely meshed with her arrival at this place. She was with a man who did not seem like a stranger to her. She had a man she wanted. But, she was still wary of who he was and how long he’d been with her.
Her senses were in overdrive. The sound of his voice was enthralling. The smell of his breath was exquisite. The gorgeous, hard-chiseled face was extraordinary…And then there was the promise of great sex… Christ! Unbelievable. The wondrous savor of his mouth mixed with her own juices on his lips. It was unlike anything she’d ever tasted. Her moans, blended with his unrestricted cries of pleasure, were greater than any music she’d ever heard. The pleasure he gave her just by exploring her sensitive body with his lips was divine. She could stay like that forever.
Austin.
He was the only man she had dreamt about. But waking up and seeing Joe right next to her in that enormous foreign bed crushed right through it all. She was back from that dreamland that had seemed so real just a seconds ago. How on Earth had she managed to put herself into a brand new love affair? The sex god she imagined was not Austin. It was Joe.
She had to really play it cool until she was able to make sense of the situation, she thought, as she made her way to the bathroom.
Austin had never come back. He does not care about me and I do not care about him.
Becca remembered she had overheard Austin talking to Lidia on her mobile phone a week ago, but other than that she had not heard anything from him or about him since his last visit to villa.
Her muffled thoughts were interrupted by very loud thud coming from somewhere close. She turned her head in the direction of a sound. But it took so long. On her right she saw the huge crystal flower vase. It was slowly rolling on the countertop before it stopped in a miserable pile of shattered glass on the floor.
I must’ve knocked it down accidentally. Why am I so uncoordinated?
She tried to reach for the flowers on the floor. She knew she was not drunk. But, she felt woozy and hung over.
Just nerves, she decided. Too many emotions flowing through her. What she was thinking even agreeing to come here?
She was staring at her reflection in the heavily gold-framed mirror and felt slightly embarrassed.
Why am I naked? I am so confused. That could not be me!
It did not make any sense. What had she been doing in this strange unfamiliar room? All of that was wrong, mixed up and tangled. She did not trust herself. Her head was spinning like carousel.
“Becca, are you okay. What happened?!” That was not Austin’s voice. It was Joe’s voice! The sound grew louder when she did not answer to his knocking on the bathroom door.
Becca thought of answering. But, then, someone else did. She did not bother. A flash of de-jam-vu overpowered her. She was back on Austin’s yacht and just had had a horrible nightmare about him and Joe. She reached for him. Her legs shaky, body heavy, and everything went black.
***
She felt like an idiot. Speechless, facing the hard facts of the reality. She was too exposed, too lost in her despair to be able to talk to anybody.
Joe did not blink an eye when he faced her sitting on the bed, bedazzled, staring at him. He looked like he just had the most delightful night, all starry-eyed, and very comfortable.
He left her……..
Becca did not know what to make of it. She did not know how to explain everything to herself, never mind Cadence.
Becca realized, as far as her puzzled mind could reach, at least to last twenty four hours, she’d gotten herself into a big mess of trouble. She wanted to control her own life based on her own merits. That meant having no man involved. Starting this morning, she’d gotten herself two men, apparently wanting her. She did not know how she was going to get out of
it.
Her brain was desperate to rearrange the events of last night into some semblance of logic. She failed to understand it. The holes in her conscious memory were too big to fill. She simply could not remember everything. Then, it hit her like a strike of lightning. Her current state of confusion was exactly the same one she had experienced on the night of Cadence’s wedding…The scary part was that both events had, somehow, involved Joe Snowden.
Her entire body felt hot and flushed. It was wrong. She instantly felt dirty, violated, and ready to scream for help. Only then she realized that no one would understand or believe her.
TWENTY-SIX
Austin’s brain didn’t seem to catch up with the news Lidia had given him. He’d awakened in the middle of the night and searched for Rebecca, only to find cold satin sheets where she had been. She had never really slept with him all night. That was a shame. It felt like she did. He’d realized that he had lost something that he had never actually had.
Now was not a good time to be pulling up memories of her. Now was a time for action.
He was sitting in his business jet G450 flying to Geneva. Since going to private air travel five years ago, Austin has averaged almost hundred hours a year. He’s had few scary experiences like his wing being hit by lightning and an engine blowing on takeoff. But, that did not change his passion to the private air travel. Whoever invented private jets was a genius in his mind.
He had to change his plans and stop in Geneva for one night, instead of flying over to Greece. He just needed to make sure Rebecca was okay. He still did not know anything about her whereabouts, except a short text message from Lidia, saying that “the brainless kids had found each other”. She’d sent him that early this morning. It was a relief to know that Becca was at least alive.
When Austin finally arrived to Geneva International Airport, he knew that nothing could stop him. He dialled Rom’s mobile number, pretty sure that the kid would practically sleep with his phone in hand and expecting him to pick up on the first ring. Nothing happened. His answering message kicked in saying that he was on vacation right now and advising to call his assistant in Miami. Darn it. Austin had counted on him!
With no clear direction about where to go, Austin remembered that Joe mentioned once in casual conversation, that he always stayed at Beau Rivage, overlooking Lake Geneva. He knew that the eighteenth century former mansion was a stone’s throw away from the historic old town and Geneva Cointrin International Airport. Certainly, Joe was staying on the street with most expensive upscale hotels and shops. Joe never would deny himself luxury.
Austin called the first hotel on his list to enquire if Joe Snowden was one of the guests. The clerk on the other end answered alarmingly fast that Mr. and Mrs. Snowden were, in fact, staying with them. What in hell had he just heard? Mrs. Who?!
It was strikingly clear to him that it would not be another woman in Joe’s bed except Rebecca. He quickly assessed his options. With Roman unavailable and Rebecca not having the mobile, the only person whom he could call was Cadence. He would not do that. Instead, Austin steered his rental Jaguar to 13 Quai Du Mont Blanc.
He knew pretty well his way around this small busy European capital. He had been to conventions and rock festivals over the years, held in Geneva. He usually preferred to stay in the outskirts of the city. He enjoyed the calm and quiet countryside after the noisy events.
Hiding his nervousness, Austin’s sucked in and bit on his cheeks. It made his face look even harder when he was dangerously mad or upset. His prominent cheekbones paired with the sparks in his dark eyes and already angular chin looked mesmerizing. Six feet tall and wide in the shoulders, he was an expert at making an unforgettable presentation of himself. He was usually in a suit. But, today, he was dressed casually, in simple but well-cut jeans and a tailored stone washed shirt. It was clear that Austin could not blend in easily in any crowd—especially in an upscale hotel with only few dozen guests.
Frescoes, statues, marble columns, and a fountain set a lavish tone in the hotel’s lobby. Austin approached the reception counter and immediately started interrogating the hotel clerk who was not fast enough to let Mr. And Mrs. Snowden know about his arrival. A sudden knock on his shoulder abraded his heated conversation. He turned the half-way toward the intruder.
“I didn’t expect to see you this soon!” Roman was looking at him with a surprise.
“I’m on my way to China. I did not expect to be here either. But, some late events and unusual developments brought me here,” he said coldly.
“She is gone though. If you are here for Becca.”
Roman’s mock innocence made Austin cringe. But his face did not change the indifferent expression he was wearing.
“When we got here this morning Joe and Becca were still here though,” Roman shrugged.
“Where is Rebecca now? Did you see her?”
“Oh, yeah. I think she went shopping for souvenirs with Cadence.”
“I was trying to get this idiot…. to help me,” he waived toward the clerk with a red blotchy face, It was definitely not one of his best moments.
“Do you want to get something to drink? I was sitting right there,” Roman pointed suggestively to the Atrium Bar, with its mirrors and sculpture-topped fireplace.” We are supposed to meet here in about an hour for lunch.”
“I want to talk to you, Roman.” Austin changed his initial plan to get into Joe and Rebecca’s faces right away.
“Whatever you say, bro.” Unexpected, the word ‘bro’ made Austin relax a little.
“Thanks. Tell me what happened last night.”
“We had a dream night at The Velvet Club. You should totally go. It might be difficult to get the tickets on a short notice, but I can try. Joe gave me his contact. He is a player in night life.” Roman was telling Austin about that damn disturbing night as if that was the culmination of all events.
The whole story was like a blur. Austin picked up just enough details to get a picture. Roman fascinated him with his way of seeing and doing things. He might’ve stayed in that hostel. It was a more appropriate place for such a young kid rumbling about at night out in a club. But, no, Roman was a happily married American millionaire travelling for business with his partner, staying in this ridiculously overpriced hotel and doing who knows what with his father’s hard earned money.
Austin had thought about Roman many times before. He could not quite put into words what this young guy meant to him. Something warm grew in his heart. The soft spot he occupied was there, no matter how Roman felt about Austin. Austin instinctively wanted to protect him, to teach him some lessons he’d learned, as an older brother would.
“And Rebecca? Was she really enjoying Joe’s company?” He probed gently.
“Not that she had a choice. He tried and tried. Joe never gives up on a woman he puts his eyes on. They left together last night. Cadence put me on a short leash…I promised her to behave.”
“Did you talk to Joe today?”
“Yes, he called me on my cell.” Roman smirked and added, “The phone which I left at the club. This morning, I got a call from a random guy offering to bring my phone back. Nice guy. I think he was a gay. So, he returned my phone and there were, of course, messages. One of them from Joe, another one from you, work, and mom, of course. She freaked out. I called her right away. Thank God, she has an answering machine. Otherwise, I would have had to listen to a lecture on safety.”
“So, where is Joe?” Austin probed.
“He got a call from his partner and had to leave to meet with him. But we found Rebecca and that was a relief. Cadence almost killed me. She was so worried about Becca, as if I had left her best friend with a serial killer and not with Joe. Women!”
“Which room she is staying in?” Austin interrupted impatiently.
“Penthouse, Suite A.”
“I’ll see you later.”
Roman nodded as if he completely understood, “Sure, no problem.”
Austin opted for t
he stairs to make it faster to reach the penthouse.
Shooting up the narrow flights was a relief his body asked for. When he reached the top landing spot panting, he thought that it was time to restart his cardio exercises when he got back home.
He opened the fire door and realized that it was not for the stairs he could not catch his breath. It was the thought of seeing Rebecca caught in the Joe Snowden’s arms that made him hyperventilate.
He took few deep breaths and knocked at the only door in front of him.
TWENTY-SEVEN
There was a knock at the door. Becca intended to ignore it. She curled into a ball on the oversized armchair in the hotel room Joe had left her in, trying hard not to cry. Eleven weeks pregnant, with no husband, no lover, or loving family. She was alone in the world. The only friend she had was becoming increasingly busy with her own life. Was that something she really wanted for herself in life? And now she even far from the place she’d love to call home. The island life appealed to her temperament. She tested it now here in Switzerland. Nothing about this big city was appealing. The night life seemed even less attractive to her.
“Rebecca, open the damned door! I know you’re in there.” There was not a hint of an accent in the voice coming from the other side of the door. And it sounded painfully familiar. Wait! For God’s sake! What would Austin be doing here?
She jumped up and realized how bizarre she must look in a white fluffy bathrobe with her hair tightly tucked under the big plushy towel mounted on her head. She quickly jerked the towel off and shook her head in disbelief. This was not happening! Maybe that was Rom, coming to get her for dinner? Maybe she was floating in her thoughts and did not hear the phone ringing? They were supposed to meet downstairs in the lobby in an hour.
“Rebecca Lawson!”
No doubt, that sounded like an angry Austin. He was the only person who still called her by her full name. But why he would be so angry?
Time After Time Page 14