Thinking of her and Brandon instead of my dream soothes me for a few moments. I rinse my mouth and wash my face before heading back into bed. My stomach feels queasy and I’m completely nauseous just thinking of the images in my mind.
Hannah on top of Bentley.
Bentley bending Hannah over.
Bentley driving deep inside her.
Hannah moaning and screaming his name as he continues pumping forcefully from behind.
His nails digging into her hips as he bucks into her, harder and deeper.
Oh, god.
I run back to the bathroom for a second round. The dream felt so real—looked so real. It was as if I were watching them from above as if I had a front row viewing.
Nothing like this has ever happened before. I’ve never imagined Bentley with other women. We both had past lovers, and I knew that going in he was clearly not a virgin, but this was different. Now I had read her words and had a visual.
I make a pot of coffee, no use in trying to get back to sleep anytime soon. Every time I close my eyes, the images of them pop back into my mind.
I decide to tackle my email, something I’ve been avoiding for days.
Half way through my cup of coffee, I come across an email that’s addressed to me, but I don’t recognize the email.
Dear Cecilia West:
You don’t know me, but I know you.
I met you when you were only five years old. I’ve known your dad for many years. I know it’s been years since his death, but if you’re interested, I’d love to see you again. If so, email me back. We can meet somewhere public if you wish. I know this is a random message, but you can trust me.
Sincerely,
Ava
Ava? A woman is emailing me about my father? I always suspected he worked for a mob-type of guy. No one outside of my family and Bentley know that we know the truth…we never made it public. So who was she? Was she his mistress? His gambling partner? Nothing ever came up with an Ava.
I scroll down and notice she sent me another one just a couple days ago.
Dear Cecilia West:
I don’t blame you for being hesitant to email me back. I know your fiancé is in the spotlight right now, and I promise it has nothing to do with that. But…I’d like to see you again before it’s too late. Please message me back.
Sincerely,
Ava West
Oh my god.
Ava West.
My heart races as I read the last email she sent me. I read it over twice just to make sure I read it correctly.
I do a quick Google search for an Ava West, but nothing comes up. Not even a Facebook page. What the hell?
I slam my laptop shut before deciding I must still be dreaming and go back to bed.
* * *
I wake up to the sound of shuffling coming from the hallway. It’s just after five in the morning, and I’m convinced someone’s broken into my house.
I quickly reach over and click the lamp on. I open my eyes just in time to see Bentley walking in with his luggage.
“Bentley?” I gasp, holding a hand to my chest. I wasn’t expecting him back until this afternoon.
“Morning, sweetheart,” he says in a soft tone, his face lighting up. “Sorry, I woke you up. I wanted to surprise you.”
A hundred thoughts start rushing in—the dream, the images, and the email from Ava. Jesus…it’s too much.
I feel the blood draining from my face. Seeing him after those vivid dreams is making it hard not to burst into tears and overreact.
“That’s okay. I’m glad you arrived safely,” I say weakly, not entirely awake yet. “I haven’t slept well.”
“I didn’t either. I hate sleeping without you.” He bends down next to the bed so our eyes are level. He cups my face as he softly kisses my lips. I inhale his scent, reminding myself that he’s mine.
“I hate it, too. I think I need a companion,” I offer lightly. “Perhaps a dog. One that won’t mind my cuddling with it while you aren’t home.” I smile hopefully.
“A dog, huh? Well, I might not be gone as much anymore.”
“What do you mean? Angie had you booked for practically the rest of the year.”
He rubs his knuckles up and down my cheek, looking deep into my eyes. I have no idea what he’s talking about, but I can tell he’s definitely up to something.
“We’ll talk about it later, okay? Let’s get some sleep.”
By the time I wake up again, it’s well past noon. Bentley looks to be unconscious, so I don’t wake him. I know he’s always beat when he gets home from long flights.
After making coffee and breakfast, I decide to open my laptop and read Ava’s emails again. I contemplate telling her to leave me the hell alone, and that I’m content with the closure I have, but the nagging part of me is eager to hear what she has to say.
With shaky and sweaty palms, I begin to write her back. I ask her when is the soonest she can meet me. I tell her I’ll be bringing my fiancé with me because I don’t trust her. At least she’ll know that much.
Once I click send, my body shivers with nerves and anticipation. I can’t believe my father’s death has resurfaced again. His death has always hovered over me—the questions and never-ending obsession to know what happened. Once I knew—once I read his letter—I finally felt at peace.
Now this could change everything—again.
I tell Bentley about the email as soon as he’s capable of retaining information. He’s still groggy from traveling, but he’s just as surprised as I was.
“It just seems odd, right? Like all these years later and now, she’s contacting me. Do you think it has anything to do with the recent…rumors?”
“Ceci…a lot of people will suddenly appear in your life when fame or some kind of celebrity status hits you. The fact that you’re engaged to me—that brings no surprise that you’d get an email from a family member or something—if it’s even legit that is. Just…don’t get your hopes up. She could definitely be a fraud, but it doesn’t hurt to know for sure.
I bite my lip as I take in his words. He’s absolutely right. It’s like when someone wins the lottery or suddenly has an overnight success—long lost cousins and siblings surface looking for a hand out.
“Well, my hopes aren’t up, but I just need you to go with me. Please,” I plead with my eyes. He’s sitting across the table from me going over emails in his phone.
“Of course, sweetheart. If she’s not legit, I’ll be able to tell. I can call in a favor as well if I have to.” He takes a sip of his coffee that has been sitting untouched for the last twenty minutes. “The guys from the firm could do a more thorough search,” he clarifies.
“Perfect.” I smile back weakly. I notice how busy he is and hate interrupting him when he’s catching up on work stuff. “Well, I’m going to go shower and get ready for the day. I’m sure there’s something I’m supposed to be doing. An appointment, fitting, or something.” I sigh.
I notice my phone flashing before I get undressed.
Cora: 9-1-1. Call me.
Shit.
“What’s wrong?” I ask as soon as she picks up.
“I’m…oh, god…” She’s breathing heavily. “I think…I’m…shit.”
“Cora? Speak English. What happened?”
“I missed my period,” she finally blurts out. I stifle a laugh as I put two-and-two together.
“Cora…breathe. Is Simon home?”
“No! The bastard left for his dad’s cabin this morning.” I know she’s overreacting, but for Cora, she’s panicking.
“Okay, I’m getting in the shower now. I’m coming over with a test, chocolate, and tums.”
“Tums?” she asks.
“If you’re pregnant, you should be feeling heartburn any day now,” I reply with a smile although she can’t see me.
“Don’t say the P word. I’m not. I can’t be.”
I laugh. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t aware it suddenly became a swear word.”
“Shut up. I hate you right now. This isn’t funny. Oh, my god. My life is over,” she spits out dramatically.
Yup…she’s pregnant.
I fill Bentley in as soon as I finish getting dressed. He looks disappointed that I’m leaving just as he got back, but once I fill him in, he soon understands. He’s used to Cora 9-1-1 dilemmas.
“We’ll talk about what you wanted to discuss when I get back, okay?” I wrap my arms around his neck, showing him how desperate I am to have alone time with him.
“All right. Don’t be too long. Tell Cora I want my fiancée back home soon. Preferably in one piece.”
“I’ll be fine.” I kiss him softly. “Love you.”
By the time I arrive at Cora’s, she’s hovering over the toilet. She doesn’t look too well, so I put a cold washcloth over her forehead.
“You look like shit.”
“And you look like the fucking Queen.”
“That’s the Cora I know and love.”
“This sucks ass, Celia. Seriously. I’m on the pill. This isn’t supposed to happen.”
“You’re aware the pill is only ninety-seven percent effective, right?”
“I thought that was just something they had to print on the box? You know…to avoid lawsuits and shit.”
I purse my lips. “No…it’s on there to actually tell you there’s always a three percent chance you’ll get pregnant.”
“Son-of-a-bitch.”
I walk to the kitchen, grab a bottle of water, and hand it to her. “Drink this, mama. You need to stay hydrated.”
“Don’t call me that. Seriously, Simon is going to freak.”
I narrow my brows at her. “Why? You guys are married. You both have jobs. You have a home, two cars, and life together. Most people would die for the stability you guys have created. This is actually a perfect time to have a baby.” I try to calm her, but Cora is anything but calm.
“Exactly. It was perfect. Now I’m going to get what…cramps. Fat. Ginormous boobs. Gas. Oh, god.” She sinks to the floor, covering her face up.
“Your child will definitely have a career in drama.”
“I hate you,” she mumbles.
“All right, get up. Time to pee.”
She groans, finally getting off the floor. I hand her the test and smile. “Do you know how to use this?”
“I’ve taken a few tests in my day, thank you,” she snarls.
“Well, then, stop being a pussy and take it already.”
She rolls her eyes as she starts unbuttoning her jeans. “God, I can’t wait until you’re knocked up.”
“Let’s hope you don’t have to drag me off the bathroom floor.”
She chuckles lightly as she angles herself and aims for the stick. I try not to laugh, but the way she’s sitting has me bursting out unintentionally.
“Stop laughing at me. I’m going to end up peeing on myself.” She laughs with me, unable to control it anymore.
“Well, at least I got you off the floor and laughing.” I smirk.
She’s finally successful on aiming for the stick. She covers it and sets it on the counter. I start my phone timer for three minutes, anxiously waiting to see that little plus line.
“You’ll make a good mom,” I say sincerely. “You know you have me. And Katelynn. And hopefully, Simon.” I laugh. “You’ll have us all.”
Her lips curve into a small smile, her head nodding. “I know. I’m just scared. Simon and I are just getting our careers off the ground. I don’t want to mess up what we have.”
“It’s normal to be scared, Cora. But it won’t mess anything up. You guys are going to be the most adorable family,” I gush.
She closes the gap between us and wraps her arms around me. “Thanks, Celia. I love you.”
I hug her back, telling her I love her, too. The moment feels surreal. We’ve been through almost everything together. Since we were kids, we’ve experienced so much together and now here we were about to find out whether or not she is expecting. It feels good knowing I have someone solid like her in my life.
My phone beeps, alerting us it’s time.
“Ready?” I ask, smiling.
She nods. “You look for me.”
“You sure?”
“Yes. Just tell me.”
“All right.” I turn around and grab the stick. I can’t stop the smile that spreads wildly across my face. Cora’s about to become a mom.
“Well?” she asks anxiously from behind me. “Don’t leave me hanging!” I feel her bouncing back and forth between her feet.
I spin around, trying to cover up the stupid grin on my face. “It’s…” She raises her brows, waiting for me to finally tell her, and then I smile and laugh lightly as I continue, “positive!”
Her expression drops as her eyes widen in fear. “No…really?” she asks, almost giddy. “Don’t fuck with me, Celia.”
I laugh at her bluntness. “I’m not. Swear to god. See?” I show her the dark, pink plus sign that proves it all. “Congrats! I’m so happy for you!” I wrap her in a hug as I feel her body convulsing with tears. I know she’s worried, but she has nothing to worry about, because she and Simon are going to make wonderful parents.
Chapter Twelve
Bentley
OUR LIVES WEREN’T always this confusing. There was a time when Ceci was going to college and I was driving to Omaha twice a week to teach kickboxing classes. Moving to Lincoln to be close to her was the best decision of my life. It gave us the time to just be together without any of the drama or spotlight. We became isolated in our little bubble, only coming up for air when necessary. At times, it was near perfect.
Now our lives are a breathing nightmare. I don’t feel secure anymore. It feels as if our safe little bubble has been popped, and there’s no way to get back in. Our security blanket has been ripped from underneath us, and the only way to surface is to go through the agony and pain of what’s to come.
Ceci’s happy at her new job. It’s been two weeks since her interview and she started almost immediately. Every night she comes home with a bright smile on her face, telling me everything she learned. Her boss, Coach Tanner, is the one training her. He’s an older guy in his fifties, so I feel a bit more comfortable with her spending time with him all day. Although she has a degree in sports management, she needs some on-the-job training. College baseball season just started, so it’s fortunate she’s a fast learner.
We talked briefly a couple weeks ago about my decision to step back from modeling, but knowing I have contracts, I can’t just quit. Now that she’s working, she’s much more understanding of my demanding schedule. So far, I’ve been able to get Angie to postpone some of the stuff she had booked. She always preferred I did face-to-face interviews, but I told her she’s going to have to accept phone-only interviews for a while. I also told her shoots needed to be national from now on. All the overseas traveling is starting to become too much, especially when the wedding is only three months away.
“Hey, babe!” Ceci calls as she walks in the door. She heads right for me at the breakfast bar and gives me a quick kiss on the cheek. “How was your day?”
“Fine, how was yours?” I fold the newspaper up that I was reading.
“Great. I think I’m finally getting the hang of it. They moved me into my own office today and even started giving me a schedule. I start working one-on-one with the players at the end of the week.”
“Awesome.” I smile and spin around, facing her as she sets her things on the kitchen table. “Any chance you get off early tomorrow night?”
She wrinkles her forehead for a moment before answering. “I can ask. Why? What’s tomorrow?”
I raise my brows at her. Clearly, she wouldn’t forget. Girls don’t forget their birthdays.
“Um…the fourteenth.”
“Oh, my god. Is it really?” she gasps. “Wow, I didn’t even realize it was the middle of the month already. I’ve been so busy lately. Totally blew past the dates.”
I
sit awkwardly, wondering if she would’ve even realized it had I not mentioned it.
“So…” I step off the stool and walk toward her. “Any chance I can have my fiancée for one night?” I wrap my arms around her. “You use to go nuts over your birthday.”
“I only went nuts because it meant I’d for sure have you all to myself.”
“Well, I can do one better. You can have me to yourself as long as you want.”
She smiles widely. “Then I will definitely get done early.” I lean in and kiss her. The past two weeks have been a bit rocky with her starting the job, the emails from Ava, and the press still pushing for comments.
I have something romantic planned, as usual. The past couple of years we were traveling during her birthday. Since I never knew the area well, we’d stay locally around the hotel and find cool things to do. But this year, I wanted it to be extra special.
“We could always start the activities early,” I suggest, cupping her face and leaning in to kiss her. “You know, just in case we don’t have time to fit everything in.” I smirk seductively against her mouth.
“Since when have you not been able to fit everything in?” she teases.
“Touché.” I crush my lips to hers, desperate to feel her against me. I know she’s been holding a lot in lately, not wanting to express how upset she is about everything. I know she’s overwhelmed, so I want to help her relieve some of that stress. “Let’s get these clothes off,” I offer, pulling her jacket down her shoulders. She continues stroking her tongue with mine as we fight to get her shirt off next.
“Strip,” she says, taking me off guard. She begins taking her shoes and jeans off. She points a finger up and down my body. “Strip, mister. I’m not going to be the only one naked.”
A smile spreads widely across my face, as I happily oblige. “Someone’s in a hurry.”
I watch as she pulls her panties down to the floor and unhooks her bra. “My body’s missed you. It’s not in a very patient mood right now.” Her voice is laced with seduction, grabbing my cock’s attention instantly.
The Intern Serials: Complete Box Set Page 37