I was puzzled. “Then what else were you laughing about?”
The car took a left, and then it started to slow.
“I’m laughing because of what’s coming.”
“What does that mean?”
“Something I’ve been able to keep a secret that might come in handy right about now.”
I screwed up my face at him, and then Tank leaned forward. “Right here is fine,” he said to the driver. He removed a twenty from his jeans pocket, gave it to the man, and said, “Thanks—keep the rest.”
“What are you up to?”
“Step outside and find out.”
Confused, I slid out of the car, moved onto the sidewalk, and waited for Tank to join me. When he did, he reached for my hand and turned me so that I faced a gorgeous brick-and-limestone townhouse. I blinked at it. It was protected by a wrought iron gate connected to four limestone columns, on top of which were two original iron lamps.
The large maple tree in front of it was just starting to leaf out, and two cement urns on either side of the massive, lacquered mahogany front doors were filled with fiery red begonias. A wide set of granite stairs led up to the doors, which gleamed as if they’d just been polished.
“What is this?” I asked, already knowing in my gut what it was.
“It’s our new house.”
“Tank, you can’t be serious. It’s amazing, but it must have cost a fortune. There’s no need to be so extravagant.”
“Actually, when I bought it a few years ago as an investment property, there was a need to be extravagant. I wanted top dollar for rent, and I got it. Two months ago, I decided to take a gamble that since we were engaged, one day we’d likely live together. And because the family that had been renting the place for the past couple of years was in the last month of their lease, I took a chance and chose not to renew it. When they were out, I had the whole house cleaned and repainted with neutral colors—though I’d be happy to change them if you don’t like them. I also had the kitchen and bathrooms updated. I turned the bedroom next to the master into a large walk-in closet to fit all of our clothes, and there’s a room on the fourth floor that I think would be perfect for your office. Would you like to see it?”
“Are you serious?”
He reached for his phone. “Everything is operated by an app,” he said. “Stop looking at me like that—you know I’m a techie. The lock on the front door, the entire lighting system, the alarm, and even the heating and cooling systems can be controlled by the app. You don’t have to use it for everything, but you can if you want. Here, let me open the door.” He tapped a few buttons, and what happened next was another shock. The front doors swung open, and suddenly there was Jennifer, Blackwell, and Alex standing just beyond them. They all shouted one word at me: “Surprise!”
I put my hand over my mouth as Jennifer darted down over the stairs, opened the iron gate, and enveloped me with a hug. “It’s amazing, amazing, amazing,” she said in my ear. “Oh, my God, wait until you go inside and see it. It’s epic.”
“Why do I feel as if I’m on a game show?” I asked. “Why do I feel as if I just won the mother lode?”
“Because you did!”
“Worse, why do I also feel as if I’m about to pass out?”
“Please do,” Blackwell said. “I’d pay to see that. Wouldn’t you, Alex? No? Well, you have always been a good person. I, however, would love to see her fall flat on her ass in the middle of the street. Although, with no skin on her bones, she’d likely bruise herself, so maybe not.” She pointed behind her to the house. “That said, you falling on your ass would rival anything I just saw in there, which is saying plenty. Nice job, Tank. You did well.”
He thanked her, and then turned to me. I could tell that he was excited that he’d pulled this off, and his excitement made me love him even more than I already did. “So, I got you?” he said.
I punched his arm, which was like hitting a brick. “You so got me. And here I thought I was being all clever and funny in the car when you already knew you were going to trump every joke I was hurling at you by dropping this on me. Game over. You win.” I looked up at the house, and it made me feel humble. This building was just off Park. It must have cost a fortune. “I can’t believe this,” I said. “I honestly had no idea. It’s just beautiful.”
“Our new life begins here,” Tank said. “That is, of course, if you want it to. I can always rent it out again, and we can find another place of our—”
“Oh, no. No, no, no—we are so living here. I already love it. Look at this street—it’s gorgeous. And quiet. And so clean—look how clean it is, Jennifer.”
She raised her eyebrows at me. “So I see. Shall we go inside? I have a feeling you’re about to fall even further in love.”
* * *
And I did.
As we walked from room to furnished room, I found nothing I’d change. What I admired about what Tank had done to the house is how he’d decorated it in a style that complemented the age of the house—which likely was built in the late 1800s—while also incorporating contemporary elements. The kitchen and baths had indeed been updated, but in ways that respected the house, giving it a seamless mix of the old and the new that allowed each room to come together naturally.
The parlor was my favorite room—it appeared to be sheathed in gold: gold-colored wallpaper, deep gold curtains with massive gold tassels at the five floor-to-ceiling windows that faced the street, a sprawling Aubusson rug that stretched across the parquet floors, and above us, intricately carved moldings at the ceiling. The room practically glowed with warmth.
For punches of color, Tank had placed a black Steinway grand near the front windows. Sitting on top of it were several photographs of us, Jennifer and Alex, and Blackwell that he’d had framed in silver. Large, vibrant paintings circled the room, and four bright red Victorian chairs, upholstered in crushed velvet, stood at the room’s center facing each other with a marble-topped coffee table between them. There was more, but I barely could take it all in.
“How do you like it?” Tank asked.
“It’s just right. Just perfect. I love my office and that I can have a desk that overlooks the street. And the kitchen is a real chef’s kitchen—I can’t believe it has a Viking stove and oven. Every detail looks as if it’s been considered and reconsidered time and again.”
“He’s a former Marine,” Blackwell said. “It has been.”
Later, after sharing a glass of wine, Jennifer, Alex, and Blackwell were set to leave when Alex said, “Before we go, Jennifer and I have something to share with everyone.”
“You’re pregnant,” I said to her.
She reared back, and held up her hand to me. “Not so fast, lady. No babies for at least a year. Maybe two. Then we’ll settle down and have a family. Let us have some fun first.”
Blackwell pointed an accusing finger at Alex. “This is about Wedding Phase Two, isn’t it?”
“It is.”
“The things I see,” she said. “They just come to me. Like tunnels of light. Visions into the ethereal. Doors locked to most, but not to me….”
For a moment, all of us just looked at her in silence before returning our attention to Alex.
“Jennifer and I have made our decision,” he said. “We know where we’re going to hold our wedding ceremony.”
“So, spill it,” Blackwell said. “We’ve been waiting days for this.”
“We’re going back to the South Pacific,” Jennifer said. “To the island that once protected us. That’s where we plan to have our wedding. One of Wenn’s jets will fly everyone in—including Alexa and Daniella, Barbara, should they like to come. And I hope that they will, because that’s where we hope to share new vows and enjoy a real ceremony with our closest friends.”
# # #
Coming next from Christina Ross—Annihilate Me 2!
Coming next from Christina Ross is a new Annihilate Me series called: Annihilate Me 2. This harrowing romantic-suspense st
ory will focus on Jennifer and Alex as told from Jennifer’s perspective. It also will include Lisa, Tank, Blackwell, and Blackwell’s two daughters, Daniella and Alexa. Look for the first book in this three-volume series to hit later in summer 2014.
To find out exactly when the book will be available, please join my mailing list here so you won’t miss that book or any upcoming books: http://on.fb.me/16T4y1u
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—Christina
The Unleash Me series ends with this book, Unleash Me, Vol. 3. This series is an extension of the #1 best-selling Annihilate Me series, with more than 600,000 books sold worldwide in a matter of months. While the Unleash Me series is a completely stand-alone series of three books, readers might enjoy the series more if they also read the Annihilate Me series as it shares the same characters.
The Annihilate Me series focuses on Jennifer and Alex’s relationship.
BELOW ARE THE U.S. LINKS.
ANNIHILATE ME, VOL. 1
ANNIHILATE ME, VOL. 2
ANNIHILATE ME, VOL. 3
ANNIHILATE ME, VOL. 4
ANNIHILATE ME, HOLIDAY EDITION
IN FRANCE, THE SERIES IS CALLED “CAPTIVE-MOI”.
IN GERMANY, THE SERIES IS CALLED “UNTER FEUER”.
Also by Christina Ross:
UNLEASH ME, VOL. 1
UNLEASH ME, VOL. 2
UNLEASH ME, VOL. 3
PARK AVENUE
(Park Avenue was co-written with best-selling author, Christopher Smith.)
Unleash Me: Vol. 3 Page 15