REBORN (Metamorphosis Book 1)

by Williams, Marissa

  REBORN

  Metamorphosis Series

  Book One

  Marissa Williams

  REBORN

  Metamorphosis Series

  Book One

  This book is a work of fiction. Any references to real people, places, or events are used for fictional purposes. Names, story line, characters, events and incidents are either the product of the writer's imagination or are used fictionally. Any resemblance to persons leaving or dead is coincidental.

  Copyright 2015 by Marissa Williams

  All rights reserved. Except permitted under the U. S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical or electronic, including photocopying or recording, or stored in a database or retrieval system, or transmitted by email without the prior written permission of the author.

  ISBN: 978-0-9963260-0-1 (eBook)

  This book is dedicated to my mom and to all the strong, independent women who came before me and inspired me to pursue my dreams. Also to my amazing children who have supported me throughout this process, and last but not least to my remarkable husband who stood by my side while I pursued this crazy idea.

  CONTENTS

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Metamorphosis, means profound change, transformation…

  Like an egg, once cracked it is still an egg; but is it the same? Am I the same?

  Prologue

  We are lying on the bed, barely awake. "Good morning," he says with a smile on his face.

  I turn to him. "Good morning, my love."

  "Te amo," he tells me, looking at me with hooded eyes.

  "Te adoro," I respond as my lips find his.

  It is a glorious morning.

  The sound of the alarm wakes me from the most wonderful and vivid dream. What is going on with my brain? Perhaps it was something I ate. The reality is that there is no man in my life and to be perfectly honest I have no interest in one.

  What I'm interested in is not missing my flight, so I jump out of bed and head to the bathroom to get ready for my flight to America. I can't help but peek at the mirror and notice the smile on my face. I have changed, if only on the surface; I know I look different but inside I'm still a small town girl.

  Chapter One

  I don’t know when I decided that it was time to let go. When was the moment when it was better to be alone than to be together? The relationship had been cracked for sometime now, but neither Julian nor I were willing to walk away; he was too decent a man to quit, too stubborn. I was too afraid of the loneliness, of the unknown. At the end, it was an inconsequential event that pushed us over the precipice…one of those things that under different circumstances would have made us laugh, one of those quirks that meant nothing; yet it meant everything in the wrong hands at the wrong time.

  "Enough of that for now," I said, shaking my head briefly as if to get rid of the memory. The clatter coming from the L riding along our side as the taxi headed downtown brought me back to the present. In the distance I could see the majestic skylines, with peaks piercing the clouds. I was back in Chicago, my beloved city. Perhaps these thoughts kept pouring in because I was back where it all happened, where it started, where it ended. The cab ride from O'Hare to downtown Chicago felt longer than usual. I had been gone for only two months and yet everything felt different. The air was crisp and I noticed signs of autumn fast approaching.

  My cell phone rang, waking me up from my reverie. "Mom, you're back? Why didn’t you call? We would have picked you up from the airport," Vickie scolded sweetly into the phone. My oldest daughter Victoria, always so helpful! In so many ways she was like me during my younger years. Always eager to please, to be there for others and not for myself.

  "I figured I'd surprise you all and save you the time to drive to the airport during rush hour."

  "Mom, it's only two o'clock, what are you talking about? You've been gone for two months and we're all dying to see you in person. Can you think of us instead of yourself for a change?"

  That was another way that Vickie was like me; it was so easy for her to make others feel guilty about their choices! Despite the guilt, the reality was that I was not ready to deal with anyone, not even my three children whom I adored more than life. I just needed a few days alone to get settled into my home and adjust to my new life before facing the world and its responsibilities. And so she was right, I was being selfish and thinking only of myself rather than the family I'd left behind.

  "I know we have a lot of catching up to do, but I just flew four thousand miles and feel drained. I will see you all tomorrow or Friday if you prefer. I just need to catch up from the jet lag. Perhaps you guys can come to the apartment and then we can go to lunch. But this afternoon I just need to adjust to being in this time zone." I wanted to see my family, don’t get me wrong. Yet at this moment I just didn’t want to face anyone.

  "Okay Mom, I will talk to Emily and Damien and let them know you are in town. I'm sure they will want to see you tomorrow. We all missed you, including Dad," said Vickie in resignation and with a hint of frustration, her desire to please me overriding her need to see me.

  "Love you baby, I missed you too. Can't wait to see you," I responded, ignoring the last guilt-filled comment about her father.

  The taxi moved through the crowded Chicago streets, competing with double- parked vehicles and hurried pedestrians. The sounds of the city were everywhere, from the blast of sirens to the honk of cars. It was mesmerizing! A smile popped onto my face. "I'm home."

  In the midst of the hustle and bustle, the cab turned into a quiet residential street, a secluded lakefront community not far from the Magnificent Mile with a mixture of single-family homes and high-rise condominiums. Before I knew it I was standing in front of my new apartment building on Chicago's Gold Coast, a beautiful turn-of-the century building … I stepped out of the cab and into a new life.

  I have called Chicago my hometown for the past thirty-five years despite the fact that I have lived in the western suburb of Hinsdale for the last twenty. For years I have looked at the city from afar, like a child captivated by the Christmas windows in the big department stores, never being able to touch, to get too close. And now, out of the ashes of my divorce, I owned a place in a prime Chicago location that most could only dream of and few could afford.

  I had been married to a successful tax attorney; the divorce settlement had left me with enough money to buy my new home and fulfill a lifetime dream to spend time in Paris. I had owned this place for only three months, and two thirds of that time I was gone exploring the world.

  "Welcome back, Ms. McCabe; here, let me help you with your luggage."

  "Thank you Tom, it's good to be back," I responded, awestruck on
ce again by the beauty of the lobby and impressed by the warm atmosphere.

  The elevator ride to the fourteenth-floor seemed interminable and when I opened the door to my apartment and stepped inside, the view took my breath away. In front of me was the spectacular sight of Lake Michigan. The blue from both the water and the sky took over my senses and my heart started beating faster, my eyes watering. I was overtaken by emotion, by the surreal feeling that this place, this view was mine.

  Everything looked as I left it. The familiar sight of the few pieces of furniture I brought from the old house as well as the pictures of my kids at different stages of their development warmed my heart. I wanted a very minimalistic feeling to my place and bought only the very basic pieces of furniture I needed, all in earth colors and dark woods. The combination of old and new, of my old world and the one yet to emerge, was compelling. A large painting by Mexican artist Alejandro Romero depicting a combination of Mexican and African motifs adorned the fireplace and provided a splash of color to the otherwise muted living room. More art on the walls, this time by Dominican artist Candido Bidó, provided additional splashes of color in the dining area. The kitchen also had more art on the walls, depicting several roosters by a Chicano artist I met on a trip to Texas. All featured colors that made me happy, deep yellows, splashes of orange and red with touches of brown; stunning!

  Art was my passion and it was evident everywhere you turned. But the art paled in comparison to the natural wonders outside my windows, the different shades of blue, the white puffiness of the clouds, the creamy color of the sand, and, if I turned right, the Ferris wheel on Navy Pier.

  My spirits lifted as I walked through my new home. I felt energized and lighter than I had felt since my decision to return to Chicago two weeks earlier than my anticipated arrival. When I received news from Ron about the job offer at the Art Institute, I knew I was going to need time to settle in and readjust before the job began. I was thrilled about the opportunity to work in a place that I love surrounded by beautiful art. My job, working as liaison between different museums and the school system, was a dream come true.

  I had some energy now and decided to go out and buy a few groceries before crashing for the day. Both my fridge and cupboards were empty, so I made a quick list of basic necessities. Who knew at what time I was going to wake up feeling hungry; after all I was still on Parisian time! I needed to get a few things to hold me for the next couple of days. With my purse and cell phone in hand, I headed for the elevator. A car going down stopped in front of me a few seconds later. I turned on the phone and decided it was time to start listening to my messages.

  "A hundred and fifty nine! What's wrong with people, didn’t everyone know that I was out of town? At least everyone I cared about."

  I was scrolling down the list and began erasing some of the repeated messages when the elevator door opened and I walked out, still looking at my phone, and bumped into a solid wall, making me drop the phone and purse. I looked up and found my eyes staring into the most stunning set of green eyes that I had ever seen. Our gazes locked and I was awestruck, frozen in place by the force of his eyes, which seemed to look into my soul.

  "I am so sorry. Here, let me help you." I heard a reassuring voice through a daze. We both bent down at the same time, bumping heads. He extended his hand to balance me and as his hand brushed mine briefly, the shock I felt was instant, sending tiny volts of electricity to every cell of my body. My body quivered ever so slightly yet I knew he noticed. An almost imperceptible smile adorned his lips, and he moved a fraction of an inch closer. At that moment my nostrils caught a whiff of his masculine scent and an inaudible moan escaped my lips. His lips parted as if to speak but no words came out of his mouth. We were two bodies trapped in an alternate universe.

  I came to worry that the poor man must have a concussion. Yet, I still could not say a word; I was hypnotized, enthralled by him. His eyes continued to gaze into mine, stirring feelings in me that I had not felt in years. I felt myself getting warm to my core. My heart was pounding, my hands sweaty and images of him taking me into his arms and plastering his mouth into mine began dancing in my head.

  In the distance I heard him say, "Are you okay?" I took a deep breath to steady myself and after a second managed to respond, "I'm fine, but it appears my phone is not," looking at the mess around me. My phone had shattered into a million minuscule pieces, leaving me with the painful realization that I had just added one more thing to my to-do list.

  "What can I do to make amends? I was distracted and should have been paying more attention. Let me give you my card, I'll be more than happy to replace your phone. These days no one should be without a cell phone." His voice sounded breathless, rhythmic almost. He had a slight accent, Italian or maybe Portuguese, all I knew was that it made him sound sexy as hell.

  He extended his hand to give me his card and when I took it our fingers touched briefly again. It was a light touch, almost like that of a feather but for the second time it sent electricity through my veins. "Oh God, he could only mean trouble," I thought to myself.

  He introduced himself, "Kayden Hale, twenty-sixth floor." After a second I responded in kind, "Ellie McCabe, 14 B." He took my hand and held it far longer than is customary. His gaze raked my body slowly and seductively, and beamed at me with approval. I could not take my eyes away from his mouth as he spoke. In all honesty I couldn't hear what he was saying, all I could see was beautiful white teeth and full lips. I kept feeling drawn from his eyes to those lips and playing in my mind all sorts of scenarios of how they would feel on me. As if reading my mind he gave me a predatory smile.

  Carried away by my own response, I failed to notice that there was a woman at his side, and she cleared her throat. It was only then that I realized that he was not alone. She was a beautiful blonde, blue eyes, tall and slender, wearing these six-inch stilettos that made her look like she was ready for anything. Her hair was shoulder length and cut to precision. She was young, certainly younger than him, but not obscenely younger, perhaps twenty-six, twenty-eight. As I stood there staring at both of them, I realized they made a striking couple.

  He was in his thirties, or maybe his forties, with dark sable hair cut short, and striking emerald green eyes that reminded me of beautiful country fields. His skin was a dark olive, perhaps of Italian or Latino descent, tall and slender, but with the perfect amount of muscular tone. This man was the most gorgeous creature I had ever seen. And his smile, oh God, that smile could melt the polar caps! He was also taken, I sensed by the possessive look on the face of the blonde who was standing next to him.

  "What was I thinking?" I asked myself. I wasn't some star-struck sixteen-year-old, head over heels over the class president. I was a sophisticated, experienced woman with too much on her plate to contemplate idle thoughts. Enough of this, I had to get to the store and away from this man before I said or did something that I would regret later. Unfortunately I was so entranced that I could not stop staring at his beautiful eyes and lips. And yet, he seemed to be peering at me intently, staring with such longing, such intensity … enough, this man was obviously taken.

  "Don’t worry about the phone, I'll replace it myself. It wasn’t your fault I was distracted. I should have never been looking at my messages while walking," I said to him, trying to regain my composure.

  "Precisely; Kayden, we need to get going," said the blonde.

  Kayden bent down and picked up my purse and phone SIM card. "Here, you'll need these," he said to me with an air of authority. "I've taken enough of your time. Nice to meet you, Ellie." And they were gone, leaving me breathless.

  Chapter Two

  I stood there, looking at the elevator doors close; what the heck had just happened? I shook my head and headed for the streets and the noisy sounds of downtown Chicago. As I stepped outside, a cool breeze caressed my skin. "Oh, Lake Michigan; thank you for bringing me back to reality," I said out loud. What was I thinking! For a brief moment, a nanosecond perhaps, I saw
myself as a young woman looking into the eyes of this spectacularly handsome man and so many possibilities raced through my mind. But I was in a different place in my life now, so I was silently grateful that the blonde and now the lake had brought me down to earth.

  Checking my watch I noticed that it was five p.m. and the streets were crowded with pedestrians returning from work. I would be one of those in just a couple of weeks. But first, I needed to stop at the store and pick up the groceries and then get home for some much needed sleep. Tomorrow I would get a new phone. By now the kids and Julian must be going crazy calling me. If I didn’t send them an email, they would end up coming to check on me, and that would be the end of any hope I had for rest.

  I bought flowers to brighten the apartment, a couple of bottles of Pinot Noir, Brie, fruit, and a French baguette. I also bought some Belgian chocolate, coffee, and tea, knowing that I would now be ready for the next twenty-four hours!

  As I entered the building and passed the security desk, the young woman manning the desk called my name.

  "Ms. McCabe, Ms. McCabe." Not sure what she wanted, I turned around.

  "Welcome back, Ms. McCabe." she said in a cheerful voice. "A package arrived for you while you were gone."

  "A package; hmm." Puzzled by what it could be and from whom, I picked it up and headed upstairs.

  I decided to open a bottle of wine first so it could breathe, and then proceeded to find a vase for the flowers and prepare a small plate of cheese, fruit, and bread. The next order of business was a quick shower and comfortable sweat-pants and T-shirt. I wanted to be relaxed for the night ahead; the package was the last thing on my mind. When I finally opened it, I was shocked.