My mother compliments the living room and Julian offers her a tour of the house. She accepts and we start with the ground floor, showing her the dining room, den, library, and kitchen. I mention that I never use the kitchen because we have a maid who cooks for us. My mother jokes that I was never a good cook anyway, and burnt anything I tried to bake.
We show her the next two floors and her bedroom, which she loves. It’s bigger than the living room in her apartment.
“I’d like to speak with my daughter alone for a while—mother-daughter talk,” my mother tells Julian.
“Not a problem. I’ll be downstairs if you need me,” Julian says, closing the door and leaving us alone in my mother’s bedroom.
My mother smiles but her eyes reveal concern. Her forehead is furrowed. “This home is beautiful and Julian appears to be the perfect husband,” she says quietly.
I wait for her to continue, an imminent “but” wavering in the air.
“Do you truly know who he is?” she says even more quietly. She seems afraid of being overheard, as though Julian were on the other side of the door.
“Mom, what are you trying to say?” I ask. “Of course I know who he is.”
“He has a vast, almost unlimited fortune, and I noticed the security guard by the front entrance and—”
“Mom—” I try to interrupt.
“I know he is very charming, but it’s sometimes the most charming men that are hiding—”
I gently grab my mother by the arm. “Listen, I know who Julian is—”
“How are you so sure?” She takes ahold of my hand. “How are you sure he is not a trafficker of drugs—”
“Mom,” I shout, but it’s futile as she continues talking briskly.
“Only men like those employ security in their homes and they marry women who then live their life in constant danger and fear.”
“That’s not the reason there are security guards—”
“There’s more of them?” My mother’s eyes widen, and her forehead wrinkles. “How many are there?”
“Please, listen to me,” I beg.
I’ve never seen my mother so terrified. Typically, she’s a calm and composed woman.
“Julian brought you here because there is a man seeking to….” I compose my thoughts. How can I explain this to her without having her freak out? She’s already suspicious and fearful. I realize I will have to tell her the entire story of how Julian and I met.
I mentally prepare for her reaction. I tell her the whole story from start to finish and watch as her expression changes from shock to sadness to disappointment to hope to fear. When I finish speaking, she smiles.
I was afraid this day would come—the day I would have to share my story with her, the one person I care about besides Julian. The only family I truly have.
My stomach clenches as I wait for her to respond. Her reaction will be the defining moment of our relationship.
She takes my hands into hers and looks me square in the eyes. “People sometimes have strange ways of meeting. At first I couldn’t believe what you were telling me, but now I can understand why you love him as much as you do, and why he cares for you.” She pauses, considering her words, then continues. “The way you two met is very untraditional.”
I laugh, mostly to release the nervousness I feel. She grips my hands tighter.
“You may not have met and dated in a socially correct way, but the fact that he pursued you the way he did and treated you with respect when he didn’t have to, that shows something of his character.”
I relax, although my palms are clammy against my mother’s hands. I hadn’t expected her to react this way.
“I cringed when you told me he abducted you. I remember the day you contacted me and said you were taking a vacation to clear your head after the breakup with Derek. I can’t believe you were really being held against your will.”
I recall that day and how scared I was at that moment.
“The most important thing is how he treats you, and obviously he treats you like a trophy.” She smiles. “And I’m sure he always will. Like my mother—your grandmother—said, a man who works hard to get something will cherish it. It’s just the way men operate.”
We hold hands tighter. “The Rules.” I smile. “I remember when you made me read that book.” Everything makes sense. It explains why one of the most handsome, wealthy, and powerful men in the world has chosen to marry me out of everyone else.
“A book that I thought would help you find the perfect husband. And look—it worked, in a twisted sort of way.”
We crack up and don’t stop laughing until our stomachs ache. All my nervous tension dissolves. My love story is fucked up, twisted, crazy, and totally unique, but most importantly, it’s perfect.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
I awaken in the middle of the night when I sense Julian get up and leave the room. I slip out of bed and tiptoe downstairs. He’s in the living room, standing like a statue with his back facing me. He gazes into the blazing fireplace.
Even though I am quiet, Julian’s highly trained ears hear me. He turns around. “What are you doing up?” he asks.
“I could ask you the same thing.”
“Just couldn’t sleep,” Julian says as I approach him.
“Julian, come to bed,” I plead.
“I won’t rest until he is dead and you are safe,” Julian says. “I can’t sleep knowing he is out there.”
I rephrase my request. “Please, I need you. I don’t feel safe without you beside me.”
Julian remains still and silent for a while. “Okay, I’m coming up.”
A few minutes later I’m lying on Julian’s chest, encased in his strong arms. His gun rests on the nightstand within arm’s reach. For a while we lay awake, deep in thought. I can’t close my eyes. Every time I do, I imagine a dangerous killer lurking outside the house.
I drift off to sleep and awaken to the bright morning sun. I shower, dress, and head downstairs. As I pass the foyer, I spot one of the security guards standing by the main entrance. A constant state of readiness to kill resonates from him. When he spots me, he nods. I make my way through the living room and into the kitchen, where my mother and Julian’s sisters are having coffee.
Tension pervades the air, but everyone smiles when they see me. When the maid notifies us that breakfast is ready in the dining room, we make our way to our seats.
Shortly after, Julian joins us. He approaches and kisses me softly on the lips. “Good morning, beautiful.”
He projects an air of calm confidence, which puts me at ease. We eat as Layla, Michelle, and my mother discuss the home’s amenities. Julian suggests that we use the home’s spa and massage room after breakfast while he works in his office.
Michelle says that she has some work emails to attend to, so Layla, my mother, and I get massages and facials done by three estheticians at the elegant spa. We sip tea on the couches, green masks smeared on our faces.
“Sometimes I think I should just forget my education and find a rich man,” Layla says. “I want to live in a home like this and have everything a girl could ask for.”
“Get your education first, then find a man,” my mother suggests.
“Do you think we are really safe here?” Layla asks. “I can’t sleep at night knowing we’re in danger. It’s like something out of a movie.”
“We’re probably safer here than out there. That’s why Julian brought us here,” my mother says.
“Why did my brother have to piss off an international killer and put us all in danger?”
A pang of guilt hits me like a brick. Julian didn’t tell her the whole story. It’s because of me that my mother and Julian’s family are in danger.
“Sometimes I think I don’t know my brother that well. Maybe he’s not who he says he is,” Layla says. “What if he’s involved in an illegal business, like drug trade or something worse?”
Why is everyone so suspicious of Julian? The doubts stir me. How ca
n I really trust him? After all, I’ve been married to him for only a year. What if Julian isn’t who he says he is? His fortune is out of this world; typically only men involved in criminal activities amass such wealth.
Immediately I berate myself for thinking such things.
“Julian is a fine man,” my mother says.
We leave the matter behind and talk about lighthearted topics. One of the maids informs us that Julian is busy with work and won’t be joining us for lunch.
I don’t see Julian until dinnertime. He apologizes that he didn’t join us for lunch, but his relaxed demeanor reveals nothing.
After dinner, Julian invites us to watch a movie in the thirty-seat theatre. Julian and I haven’t used it yet; this will be the first time my husband and I watch a film together. Our life has been like a movie, with more than enough drama to forego any means of passive entertainment.
Julian puts on a romantic comedy, obviously hoping to lighten the mood. For the next two hours, with my husband’s arms around me, and my mother and Julian’s sisters beside me, I smile and laugh. It’s a pleasant escape.
After the movie, we head to our rooms. I’m finally alone with Julian. We climb into bed and snuggle in each other’s arms in the dark.
“What exactly did you tell your sisters when you invited them?” I asked.
“I simply told them that a hitman has been contracted to kill me and my family. I hinted that it’s due to business deals gone bad.”
“Julian…” I begin. “You need to tell me…” I pause, unsure of how to phrase my question. “Are you involved in any criminal activities or illegal businesses?”
Julian props himself up, turns on the lamp, and looks at me. “Why would you think such a thing?”
“I guess….” I frown. “It’s just that you have such a large fortune and—”
“It was my sisters, wasn’t it?” he interrupts. “They must have said some things to make you doubt me. I don’t blame them, with all that’s going on.”
“Yes, they influenced me to a large degree.”
“I couldn’t tell them the truth. You know that.” His forehead wrinkles. “How can I tell my own sisters that I’ve killed a man?”
“It feels like it’s because of me that everyone is in danger.”
“It’s not you. Don’t ever say that,” Julian instructs firmly. “If I had known Derek had a hitman for a brother I would have killed him before I killed Derek.”
I gaze into Julian’s blue eyes. “I’m sorry I ever doubted you.”
“If you ever have doubts again, I want you to approach me right away. Don’t let a minute pass by. No matter what I’m doing and how busy I appear, I want you to interrupt me if you have to.”
“I will,” I murmur.
“Promise?” Julian asks.
“I promise.”
I awaken when I feel Julian’s chest slide from under my head. He slips out of bed and leaves the room.
I wait, hoping he will return. When he doesn’t, I go after him. He’s not in any of the rooms downstairs, so I check his office.
The door is locked. I knock quietly and wait. I hear mumbling and shuffling. He opens the door, his face eerily menacing. As soon as he sees me, his expression softens but his eyes still display fury and irritation.
“Cheryl,” he whispers.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
“Nothing that’s imperative for you to know,” he responds.
“Tell me,” I demand.
“Go to bed. I’ll be there in a minute.”
“I want to know what’s going on.” I cross my arms.
He remains silent, determined not to share anything with me.
I decide to reason with him. “You told me that if I had an issue, to tell you right away. I expect the same from you. Don’t withhold anything from me.”
Julian appears surprised by my insistent demeanor. He remains silent.
“I expect you to tell me, no matter how bad it sounds,” I say resolutely.
Julian gives in. “Fuck,” he snarls. “If you want something done, you have to do it yourself. The entire team I’ve hired to track and kill Josh has been wiped out. He’s not easy to kill, even though I hired the very best. The guy is extremely sharp, highly skilled, and superbly trained.”
My blood runs cold, a sudden chill prickling the hairs on the back of my neck.
Julian’s jaw clenches tighter. “He wants revenge.” His lips turn into an evil, frightening grin. “Too bad he chose to mess with me.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Julian and I have returned to bed, but with dawn around the corner, we can��t sleep.
“I could have killed him myself without a problem,” Julian says.
“But you wouldn’t leave me. Would you?”
“I would never leave you alone without my protection during a time such as this. That’s what he’s probably waiting for, and that would give him a better chance.”
Downstairs, I hear a loud shuffling. Julian shoots out of bed. I bolt up after him and grip his shoulder tightly.
He grabs his transparent glass touch phone from the nightstand and taps at the screen, opening the app that shows the hidden cameras in the main foyer.
I look at the screen and gasp. The security guard who was standing by the front door is lying in a pool of blood.
Julian rushes into the closet and returns wearing his bulletproof suit.
“I want you to hide,” Julian whispers as he pulls his gun from the suit’s inside pocket. He leads me into my walk-in closet. “Lock the door. I’ll be back once I’ve killed him.” My closet is designed and built in such a way that it serves as a panic room as does every other walk-in closet in the mansion. The door to my walk-in closet is a solid-core door that has a deadbolt lock; it’s made out of solid oak with fifteen inch titanium core to reduce the likelihood of anyone being able to cut their way in.
Just before I lock the door I hear Julian talking on his phone, telling my mother and his sisters to hide in their bedroom closets as well.
I am anxious, my stomach in knots. My overactive imagination produces horrible images of Julian being killed…and then the killer coming for me.
My heart thumps as I press my ear against the door, waiting, listening. The longer I wait, the more nervous I get. The silence adds to my anxiety. Not knowing can be scarier than knowing.
Suddenly I hear numerous shots from downstairs. I close my eyes, praying for Julian. A loud, rapid blast of gunfire resounds throughout the house. After that…deadly silence.
I press my ear harder against the door, straining to hear something, anything. I wait, my nerves on edge. The seconds turn to minutes. I have no choice but to hope for the best.
I jump when the bedroom door slams open and someone walks inside. I hold my breath. Please let it be Julian, please.
“It’s me,” he calls.
I open the door and a man with brown hair aggressively grabs me so fast that I don’t even get a chance to fully inspect his face. “No,” I scream.” It’s not Julian, though I thought it sounded like him through the thick titanium core door.
“Please don’t hurt me,” I plead.
The man drags me out into the bedroom, and I squirm as he holds me tightly against his chest.
“You’re a pretty little thing aren’t you?” he sneers. “I’m thoroughly going to enjoy killing you in front of your husband.”
“No, please,” I whine. “Julian, Julian, he’s got me,” I scream at the top of my voice.
A few moments later, Julian rushes through the bedroom door, and points a gun at the man. However, the man grips me tighter and my head is covering his face, giving no clear shot for Julian.
“Let her go, Josh,” Julian blasts.
I tremble with terror and know that at any second I might be killed.
“Why don’t you let her go, and we can fight like real men?” Julian growls.
“I’m not here to fight, I’m here to kill,” Josh says in a creepy
, low voice. I gasp when he pulls out a blade and holds it to my chest. My veins turn to ice as I meet eyes with Julian, and know that this might be the last time I see him.
Julian’s eyes are calm and deadly. Strangely, his behavior is confident like he knows he’s going to win regardless of what Josh tries to do. I’ve never seen such certainty displayed by any man before. Somehow his certainty is transferred to me.
I lean my head ever so slightly to the right. In a split second, Julian aims his gun with perfect precision and shoots a bullet that skims past me. I feel the hitman loosen his grip and release me, the blade clattering to the floor.
I glance back and gasp when I see him on his knees, blood gushing from one of his eyes. I scream when I feel another bullet glide pass me and hit the man in the same eye again.
I turn to face Julian. His lips lift into a victorious grin. “The poison-filled bullets will kill him in exactly nineteen seconds. Right now, he is experiencing heart failure.”
Julian opens his arms, inviting me into them. My fear turns to excitement as I rush toward him.
“It okay, it’s over,” Julian whispers, wrapping his arms around me.
My drumming heart slows as Julian holds me. I know I’ll be safe with him now, and forever. He strokes my hair. I let out a deep sigh of relief. Finally, the chapter with Derek has slammed shut, never to be opened again.
After spending a few more relaxed, fun weeks with my mother and Julian’s sisters, they head home. For the next few months everything is quiet as we wait for our precious arrival. Julian pampers and dotes on me like never before. His ability to read my mind gets better with time. I believe that’s what every good relationship is about—understanding and knowing how your partner thinks and what makes him or her tick.
Rapine 3: Retrieved by the Billionaire Page 11