by Sandi Lynn
“Yes.” He smiled.
I glanced over at Gabriel.
“Did you really think I would let you on your own in Hawaii?” he asked with a raised brow. “I can’t be with you at all times.”
“That’s fine.” I walked over to Edmond and hooked my arm in his. “I like his company better anyway. Carl, grab my suitcase, please.”
We climbed into the limo and Gabriel sat across from me with an irritated look on his face. I didn’t care. Even though I told him I accepted his apology, I didn’t. I was done trying to make him trust me. It wasn’t worth it anymore. If he wanted to have an attitude with me, yell, and be mean, fine. I prayed to God to give me the strength to get through these next weeks and keep what little bit of sanity I had left.
Gabriel
She sat in the window seat, staring out into the clouds. Her eyes looked tired and she still wouldn’t say a word to me. I closed my laptop, got up from the couch, and took the seat next to her. With a slight turn of her head, she glared at me.
“Can I help you?” she asked with a cocky but tired attitude.
“I thought maybe we could talk.”
“I’m too tired to carry on a conversation.” She laid her head against the window.
I held out my hand to her.
“Come with me.”
“Where?”
“There’s a bedroom on this plane with a comfortable bed for you to sleep in.”
“Where?” She sat up and looked around.
“In the back. Come on.”
Her beautiful blue eyes stared into mine before she accepted my extended hand. I led her to the small but luxurious bedroom. She immediately kicked off her shoes and climbed on top of the bed, laying her head down on the pillow.
“This is nice.” She smiled as she closed her eyes.
I stretched out on the bed next to her and rested my back against the headboard, placing my hands behind my head.
“What are you doing?” she asked with one eye open.
“This is quite comfortable. I think I’ll rest my eyes for a bit. Is that a problem?”
“Do you snore?” she asked.
“No. Do you?”
“No.”
“Good. Go to sleep.” My lips gave way to a small smile.
I kept my eyes closed for a few moments and then opened them as I stared at her beautiful slightly parted lips and the rise and fall of her chest as she slept. Maybe Caleb was right. She was hiding herself, not only from the world, but from me.
I was jolted out of a sound sleep. My eyes flew open to find Kate lying on her side, facing me and pinching my nose.
“What the hell, Kate?”
“You were snoring. You told me you didn’t snore.” She smirked.
“I don’t,” I spoke as I sat up.
“You do.” The smirk never left her face.
I sighed as I rested my head back on the headboard.
“How long have we been asleep?” I asked.
“A couple of hours.”
“I don’t know about you, but I’m starving. How about I order us some lunch?”
I picked up the phone on the small round table next to the bed and told Darcy, the flight attendant, to bring in lunch.
“Also bring in a bottle of wine and two glasses,” I spoke.
“Coming right up, Mr. Quinn.”
“We’re eating in here?” she asked as she arched her brow.
“Yes. It’s comfy. Plus, it’s more private, so we can talk.”
“Talk about what?” She sat up and crossed her legs.
“I know you didn’t accept my apology last night. You’re still mad.”
“You’re right.” She looked down as she played with her hands. “Why is it so important to you to know about my visit to my father?”
“Maybe because I’m just trying to get to know you better. All I want is to know you, Kate. The real you. Not Hannah who stole my watch, and not all the other people you were with other men.”
Our moment was interrupted by a knock on the door.
“Come in.” I sighed.
“Your lunch, sir,” Darcy spoke as she wheeled in a silver cart with two plates, a bottle of wine, and two glasses.
“Thank you.”
After pouring the wine, I handed Kate her glass along with her plate. The two of us stretched out on the bed with our backs against the headboard and I continued our conversation.
“I just want to know you.”
A whisper of a laugh escaped her. “I’ve lived a lie my entire life, and once we moved to Chicago, I thought the lie had ended and I could be Kate Harper for the first time. Then, my father went to prison and the vicious cycle started all over again. I had the opportunity once to tell someone my real name. Carla was our neighbor next door to the house we rented. She was a sweet old woman in her eighties. You’d never know she was that old. She had the spunk of a girl in her twenties. When she introduced herself, my name was on the tip of my tongue. I was going to tell her and then I’d be set free. Free from the pretending that I had done for so long, and that someone in this big world would finally know who I was. But, there was this little voice inside my head that told me not to do it because anything could have and probably would have happened. I didn’t completely trust myself or my situation to tell her at that moment that my name was Kate Harper. So, I introduced myself as Katerina Voight. Katie for short. It was close enough to my first name so it didn’t feel so bad.”
“I’m sorry you had to live like that, Kate.”
She reached over to the table that sat on her side and picked up her wine glass.
“It wasn’t all bad.”
“Why did you finally decide to tell me?” I asked.
“Because it felt right and I want to gain your trust. Plus, you had kidnapped me and already knew all my aliases, so what was the point of not telling you?”
I let out a long sigh. “I didn’t kidnap you. How many times do I have to tell you that? You voluntarily came home with me.”
A small smile crossed her lips.
“Then you locked me in a bedroom and secured the house so I couldn’t leave. I would classify that as kidnapping. Not to mention the fact that you handcuffed me when we left the house and you gave me a cell phone where your number was the only one I could dial.”
“Okay.” I held up my hand. When you say it like that—”
“I’m glad you finally realize what you’ve done.” She smirked.
“It hasn’t been that bad, has it?” I asked.
“Not so much. To be honest, it’s the most normal I’ve felt in my entire life.”
“Really?” I cocked my head and our eyes met. “Why?”
“Because I no longer had to pretend to be someone I wasn’t.” She looked down at her plate.
I reached over and softly stroked her cheek with the back of my hand.
Chapter 27
Kate
I opened my soul to him at that very moment and he didn’t judge me. For the first time in my life, I felt normal. I brought my hand up to my cheek and placed it on his as I closed my eyes. The warmth of his touch radiated throughout my body and made me tremble. He took our plates and set them back on the cart. Turning to me, he cupped my chin in his hand and softly brushed his lips against mine. Our kiss soon turned passionate as I lay down and he hovered over me. We made love; slow, sensual, and in various positions before he exploded inside me. The gentle touch of his hands on my body sent chills down my spine. His touch felt possessive and made me feel safe and secure. A feeling I wanted to feel for the rest of my life.
We lay in bed for the first time together, his arms wrapped around me as my head laid on his chest.
“We should get back out there,” he spoke. “I need to check my emails.”
“Yeah. We should. How much longer is the flight?” I asked as I lifted my head.
“About three more hours.” He softly kissed my lips.
I climbed off the bed and slipped back into my clothes.
Gabriel did the same and we both left the bedroom. He took his laptop to the table and I sat back in my seat, staring at the clouds as the plane floated through them. I couldn’t help but glance over at Gabriel now and again. And every time I did, the corners of my mouth curved up into a small smile. The anger I harbored towards him quickly dissipated when he explained why he was so angry with me. I got it. I really did, and the best part was I trusted him. All the man wanted was honesty from the start, but I was too afraid to let the real me emerge.
When we finally landed, we took a limo that was waiting for us to the hotel, which consisted of ten floors, four hundred breathtaking guest rooms, six restaurants, a coffee café, a candy shop, gift shop, a large gym, casual and formal clothing stores for men and women, and a luxurious spa.
“Wow,” I spoke in amazement as we stepped into the marbled lobby.
“Welcome to Quinn Hotels, Kate.” Gabriel smiled.
After being greeted by numerous staff and the hotel manager, Albert, we headed up to the penthouse suite on the tenth floor that overlooked the ocean. I walked out to the terrace and took in the beauty that Hawaii offered. The roaring of the ocean and the subtle sounds the waves made as they crashed to the shore gave me a sense of peace.
“Well, what do you think?” he asked as he walked up behind me.
“It’s beautiful. The hotel, the room, everything.”
“I designed this entire hotel myself. It was something I had been working on for a couple of years.”
“Your father would be so proud.” I smiled.
“Can I let you in on a little secret?” he asked.
“Of course.”
“I’m going to build a digital hotel. The first one will be in Las Vegas, and we’re projected to start building in about six months.”
“Care to explain what a digital hotel consists of?” I smirked.
“Every guest room will have their own virtual butler who will control everything in the room from temperature control, lights, shades, showers, baths, TVs. You name it, and the virtual butler will do it for you. He will even order room service for you. All you have to do is ask.”
I let out a laugh. “Are you serious? So, if I want to take a shower, what do I say?”
“For example, let’s say your butler for your room is named Gregory. You would simply say, out loud, ‘Gregory, I want to take a shower.’ The shower will turn on automatically before you even walk into the bathroom.”
“Shut up.” I lightly smacked him.
“I’m serious. Each room will have a huge computer screen attached to the wall. You don’t even have to sit down and type anything out if you want to surf the web or check your emails. The butler will do it for you. For example, you’d say, ‘Gregory, I need to check my email,’ and voila, your emails will appear on the screen. You can also check out. ‘Gregory, I’m checking out at nine a.m.’ and at that time, you will automatically be checked out.”
“Does Gregory talk back?” I asked.
“Of course. When you enter the room, he’ll greet you. When you leave the room, he’ll tell you goodbye. You can carry on a conversation with him to an extent. He’ll ask you how your day was, ask if you slept well, and tell you good morning.”
“That’s kind of creepy.” I scrunched up my nose. “I’m surprised you aren’t having a sexy woman’s voice.”
“Ah.” He smiled. “If a man is traveling alone, his butler/maid will be female. But if it’s a couple, it will be male.”
I rolled my eyes at him. “Of course. It sounds amazing.”
“It will be. It was something my father always dreamed of, and before he died, he told me to make sure I built it. It was a project he had been working on for ten years. Vegas will be the first place to launch it.”
“I’m going to assume it will also be a casino?”
“Of course it will be. One of the best Vegas has to offer.” He smiled. “Listen,” he took hold of my hands, “there are only five people who know about this, including you. We are the only company that possesses that kind of technology for this right now and word can’t get out. Understand?”
“Sure. I would never tell a soul. You of all people know how good I am at keeping secrets.”
“I know.” He kissed my forehead. “We should get ready for dinner. Your dresses should be in the bedroom. Go pick one out while I get in the shower.”
When I walked into the beautifully decorated bedroom, there was a silver rack in the corner with approximately ten different dresses hanging upon it. In front of the rack, shoes were laid out, coordinating with each dress. I thumbed through the rack and pulled out a champagne-colored gown with ornate beading and a layered A-line bottom. It was perfect. I took my makeup in the bathroom of the other bedroom in the suite, took a shower, and got ready. After curling my hair, I pinned it up but left a few wispy curls hanging. After slipping into my dress and putting on the matching shoes with a heel, I walked out into the living area of the suite and saw Gabriel standing on the terrace with a drink in his hand. His eyes raked over me from head to toe.
“You look stunning.” He smiled as he walked towards me.
“And so do you in your black tux.” I smirked as I straightened his bow tie.
“Shall we?” He held out his arm.
“We shall, Mr. Quinn.”
We took the elevator down to Incognito, one of the formal restaurants in the hotel. The place was filled with influential business men and women. We mixed and mingled for a while as he introduced me as Kate. I was grateful he didn’t tell my last name. I wasn’t ready for the world to know me yet. I was still getting used to Gabriel knowing who I was.
While he talked business with a couple of friends of his, I took a seat at the bar.
“What can I get you?” the polite bartender asked.
“Tequila with a splash of lime, please.”
“Coming right up.” He smiled.
As I was sipping on my drink, I noticed a man take the seat next to me.
“I’ll have what the pretty lady is having,” he spoke with a French accent to the bartender. “May I buy you another?” A grin crossed his lips.
I studied him. Mid-forties, stylish blonde hair, which he obviously dyed, and short on the sides with a shag on top. Green eyes that had a shady look about them. Wealthy and slick. French. A player. A definite player.
“Sure. Why not.” I smiled.
“My name is Marcel Mathieu.” He extended his hand.
“Kate.” I placed mine in his and gave it a light shake.
“Why is a beautiful woman such as yourself sitting at the bar alone? If you were my wife, I would never let you out of my sight.”
Ah, he’s trying to find out if I’m single and making himself sound like a stalker.
“I’m not married.” I smiled.
“Well then, if I was your boyfriend, I would never let you out of my sight.” He gave his head a light nod.
“No boyfriend either.” I took a sip of my drink.
“I find that hard to believe.” He smirked.
“Well, believe it.” I arched my brow.
“Whom are you here with? Don’t tell me you’re at this beautiful hotel alone.”
“I’m here with Gabriel Quinn.”
“I see. Well, it was nice to meet you, Kate.” He got up from his stool.
“Nice to meet you too, Marcel. Thanks for the drink.” I held up my glass.
Was it something I said? Gabriel walked over and placed his hand on my back.
“What was that all about?” he asked.
“Marcel?” I turned my head and looked at him.
“Yes.”
“He was hitting on me, bought me a drink, and then when he found out I was here with you, he bolted. What’s going on there?”
Gabriel took the seat Marcel had sat in and asked the bartender for a bourbon.
“His father and mine were rivals. Had been for years. It started with our grandfathers.”
“What happened?” I asked
.
“When my grandfather first had the idea to open a hotel, he was short the funds to do it. He and Marcel’s grandfather had been friends for years at that time. He offered to loan my grandfather the additional money he needed to open the hotel in exchange for being his business partner. My grandfather agreed and, soon after, QM Quarters was opened. At first, it didn’t do so well and was almost forced into bankruptcy after the first year.”
“Why?” I frowned.
“Because Marcel’s grandfather’s vision changed and he wanted more too fast. He wanted to be on top and number one. He became greedy. So, to get him out of the company, my grandfather blackmailed him.”
“With what?”
“I don’t know. My father never would tell me, but it had to be something serious in order for Marcel’s grandfather to accept the buyout. That was the end of their partnership and friendship. His grandfather packed his family up, moved back to France, and opened his own hotel, which does very well. After he passed away, Marcel’s father decided it was time to move out of France and here to New York where he opened up his first hotel in the U.S.”
“Which hotel chain does he own?”
“Regal Hotels.”
“Big competition for you?” I smiled as I sipped my drink.
“Not really. They do a good business, but nothing like my hotels do. Enough talk about Marcel. Let’s go sit down for dinner.” He held out his arm.
Chapter 28
Gabriel
I watched her from across the room as she stood and spoke with some of the guests. Everyone seemed to like her. She radiated beauty and confidence and she turned me on. The feelings I had for her came full force today after she opened up to me. I considered it a breakthrough and it made me happy that she trusted me enough to tell me about her life. It was getting late and the last of the guests left the restaurant.
“Are you ready to head up to the room?” I asked her as she sat at the bar.
She stumbled as she attempted to get up.
“Whoa.” I smiled as I grabbed her arm. “I think you had one too many tequilas.”
“Nah.” She waved her hand in front of her face. “I’m fine.”