GONE - Part Two (The GONE Series Book 2)

by Bladon, Deborah

  I want to jump on her words. I don't think anyone knows what is best for me but me. I've learned in therapy that a big part of my journey towards healing is dealing with this house and the overwhelming reminders that hide behind the boarded up windows. My brothers' toys are strewn on the floor near our feet. A row of school pictures is on display on the wall behind Kayla's head. This is where I lived and lost. I have to find the strength to let go if I'm ever going to move on.

  "I'll start in here and maybe you can work in the study, Ben." I look at him for reinforcement. "Would it be okay, Kayla, if you packed up the dishes in the kitchen? There are some cardboard boxes in there."

  "I can do that." She leans forward, pulling me into a tight hug. "I'll get started now."

  I watch her turn to walk quickly through the dining room towards the small kitchen. Her brown hair bouncing from her shoulders as she turns the corner.

  "We'll work on this floor first and then we'll talk about the bedrooms." Ben takes a step towards the study. "I can still hire someone to come in and do this."

  As strong as the temptation has been to accept that offer, I know that whoever comes in won't take the tender care to pack up my family's things the way I will. I want to honor them and having a stranger thoughtlessly toss their important things into boxes is not the way to do that. "I'll be fine, Ben. Let's get started."

  He walks away in silence, scooping up a cardboard box into his palm as he moves past the front door. I'd had the boxes brought in years ago when I felt strong enough to handle the task, but I had scurried back into my pain then. Today was the day that I let my family go.

  I busy myself for the next hour, packing away the Christmas tree and all the simple ornaments into boxes labeled for charity. I tenderly wrap all the photos of my siblings and my parents in paper before placing them in a separate box for storage. I handle one piece of my family's history at a time, carefully considering where I want each item to go.

  "I need to head back into the city, Lil." Ben calls to me from the doorway of the living room. "One of my patients was just brought in with a serious issue. I need to go."

  Even though he'd taken the day off to help me with this, I knew there was a strong possibility that his time would be stolen away. "I'm good here. I can handle the rest of this by myself."

  "Kayla can stay." He darts his gaze back to the kitchen. "I can ask her to hang out and help."

  I don't know Kayla well enough to ask her to stay with me while I file away my past into labeled boxes and envelopes. "No. You two go now and I'll leave in a couple of hours."

  "You're sure?" I can see the relief in his expression. I sensed his concern for her when she broke down into tears earlier. She has no real knowledge of my past. She's only spoken to me a few times. Asking her to stay here alone with me is too much for us both.

  "I'd like some time alone here. I need it," I say it with conviction. I do need it.

  "Promise me you won't tackle the bedrooms on your own." He leans down to run his hand over the back of my hair. "You and I will come back next week to finish."

  I nod in agreement. I can't go upstairs alone. The weight of the night my family died is keeping my feet firmly on the first floor.

  Chapter 21

  "I know you said I didn't need to come, but I couldn't stay away.” Clive’s arms are around me the moment I open the door.

  "I can't believe you came here." I slide my hands under his suit jacket to embrace him. "I won't ask how you knew the address."

  A gentle chuckle races through his body. "It wasn't hard to find."

  I nod against his dress shirt. "You should be in the city at your media event."

  "It's over." He pulls back slightly so he can gaze down at my face. "It went well. The big announcement was the re-launch of the dating app."

  I smile at the grin on his face. "Who do you have working on that?"

  "Not you." He runs his index finger over my chin. "It's still going to be a piece of shit, but it will be better than it was."

  This is one of those rare moments when I want to ask for my job back. I've held an internal debate almost every day about whether or not I should go back to work for Clive. Our relationship is moving along so effortlessly now, that throwing any curveballs into the mix seems foolish. I want things to stay just as they are. I want to always look into his face and see the affection that is there. "You just need to market it the right way."

  "Are you going to offer some free advice?" He whips his smartphone out of the pocket of his suit jacket. "If you are, I'm taking notes."

  I glance briefly at his phone. "I'm not offering advice although I could use some."

  He steps past me, allowing me to close the door behind him. I watch as he takes in the room and the boxes that spot the floor. "I can hire someone to take care of this for you."

  "My friend made the same offer and I told him the same thing I'll tell you," I begin before I stop to look at the now barren fireplace mantle. "It's part of my healing process. I have to do it for my mother and siblings."

  "I can understand that." He tucks his hands into the pocket of his pants. "I'm proud of you."

  It's the first time he's said it and I'm overwhelmed by the range of feelings it ignites. "You're proud of me?"

  "You're so young, Lilly." He takes a step towards me. "I was a mess when I was twenty-two. You're the most graceful, beautiful person I've ever known."

  I dip my chin down to shield my expression from his view. I'm touched, deeply touched by his words. "That means a lot to me."

  "It's the truth." He pulls in a heavy breath. "You're so strong. I'm in awe of you."

  I feel my lip quiver. I don't want to cry. I can't allow this moment to shift into me standing in a puddle of my own tears. "About that advice that I need…"

  "The advice," he repeats back as he pushes his feet farther apart. "My advice is to spend more time with your boyfriend."

  "Boyfriend?" I parrot the word back with a lift of my brow. "You're my boyfriend now?"

  "I've been your boyfriend for weeks now." He leans forward to kiss me gently. "Tell your boyfriend what advice you need."

  I try to steel my shaking hands. "I'm going to introduce the organ donation app at our event tomorrow."

  I'm surprised by the grin that takes over his mouth. "I'm really happy to hear that, Lilly."

  "You are?"

  "It's an important development. It's going to help a lot of people."

  "So you think it's a good idea?"

  "You're doing it under the umbrella of Hughes Enterprises? Alec controls it?" he asks with little inflection in his tone.

  "No." I shake my head. "He's letting me present it on my own."

  "He is?" This time he can't mask the surprise in his voice.

  "I'm presenting one of his apps and then mine."

  "You've got him by the balls, don't you?" He skims his hand over my hair.

  "Don't talk about Alec's balls."

  He closes his eyes briefly before he lets out a roar of laughter. "I won't ever again."

  "I'm doing it for them." I nod toward the cardboard box containing my family's photographs. "I made the app for all of them."

  "They'd all be very proud of you." His hands jump to my face to cradle it. "I know they would be."

  Chapter 22

  "Do you think I look nice in this?" I run my hand along the skirt of the dress I've chosen to wear for the event. It's navy blue and the hem falls just below my knee. "I'm really nervous."

  "Are you wearing garters?" His hands are on my hips as he whispers the words against my neck. "Tell me what you're wearing under this."

  "Mr. Parker." I pull back from his embrace as I see Lance, Alec's assistant enter the room. "Are you sure it's a good idea for you to be here?"

  His eyes dart to where Lance is readying the media packets that will be handed out to everyone in the audience. "Hey, Lance."

  "Mr. Parker." Lance doesn't look up from the task he's assigned to do. "Does Mr. Hughes k
now you're here?"

  "I saw Alec on my way in," he says hoarsely. "I'm here to watch Ms. Randall's presentation."

  "Sure." Lance scoops up the folders in his hands as he walks back towards the door of the room I've been asked to wait in. "I'll be back to get you in a few minutes, Lilly."

  "That gives me enough time to kiss you." His soft lips float over mine before I have a chance to react. I moan into the kiss. I can't curb the desire that overtakes me when I'm this close to him. We'd made love for most of the night at his place after he'd driven me back to Manhattan. He'd held me as I told him stories about each of my siblings. We'd slept no more than an hour but I feel more energized today than I have in a very long time.

  "I get hard when you call me Mr. Parker," he whispers the words into my mouth. "You need to do that when I'm inside of you. I want to hear it."

  I pull back to look into his eyes. "I thought you wanted me to call you Clive."

  "I thought you wanted me to tie you to my bed."

  "I'm still waiting for you to do that," I say under a heavy breath. "I want you to control my pleasure."

  "I need to be inside of you, Lilly." His hands grab my ass through my dress. "Christ, I need to calm down."

  I feel his erection pressed against me. "You can wait here until things settle."

  "Lilly, let's go." Lance pokes his head into the doorway. "Alec is getting ready to introduce you now."

  "You're going to be amazing." Clive brushes his lips over mine. "I'm so proud of you. I can't tell you how much."

  I nod. "You'll be waiting for me when I'm done, right?"

  "I'll be in the front row." He pushes my hair from my shoulders. "I'll wait in my seat for you to come to me when you're done."

  I give him one last smile before I turn quickly to rush out of the door with Lance hot on my heel.

  ***

  "I think we can all agree that our new shopping app will change the landscape of the gently used clothing market. We've made it faster, easier and more convenient for anyone who wishes to sell last season's wardrobe pieces to make room for this year's stylish new trends," I deliver the words Alec's marketing team had written for me with effortless ease. I've rehearsed the presentation enough times to know exactly what to say and when to say it. I move through the rest of the presentation with a smile on my face and a knot in my stomach.

  "The app will be available for download within the next month." I press the remote in my hand to cue up the next slide on the large screen behind me. "We'll have an introductory free trial for ninety days. You can find all the details on our website or within the media packets that are being handed to you now."

  I scan the first row of the audience, settling my eyes on Clive's smiling face. This is my moment now. It's when I finally get to share my organ donation app with the world.

  "Mr. Hughes has been kind enough to allow me to share an important personal project with all of you today," I hesitate only briefly as I hear a few loud, but indistinguishable voices in the crowd. "I've developed an app that will help millions of people all over the world who are dealing with a very personal and painful situation."

  I click the remote in my hand to bring up the first slide in my presentation. It's a simple overview of the app from an aesthetic point of view. "This is something that I've kept close to me for years, but I feel that now is the right time to share it with the world."

  An audible gasp fills the room.

  I look to the right to see Alec racing across the stage towards me, his face a twisted mix of horror and anger.

  My eyes catch the corner of the large screen behind me.

  I fall to my knees as I turn completely.

  On full and vivid display is the half-naked picture I sent to Parker.

  The same picture Clive tucked into his pocket the first night I met him.

  It's the picture he promised me he destroyed.

  Thank You!

  Thank you for purchasing and downloading my book. I can’t even begin to put to words what it means to me. If you enjoyed it, please remember to write a review for it on Amazon. Let me know your thoughts! I want to keep my readers happy.

  For more information on The Gone Series, as well as updates, please visit my website, www.deborahbladon.com. There are interactive forums and other goodies to check out.

  If you want to chat with me personally, please LIKE my page on Facebook. I love connecting with all of my readers because without you, none of this would be possible. www.facebook.com/authordeborahbladon

  Thank you, for everything.

  Subscribe to Deborah’s Mailing List

  To receive exclusive updates from Deborah Bladon and to be the first to get your hands on GONE – Part Three and the new standalone, FUSE, please sign up to be on her personal mailing list!

  You’ll get instant access to cover releases, chapter previews and the only readers to be eligible to win great prizes!

  Click here to subscribe now!

  About the Author

  Deborah Bladon has never read a romance hero she didn't like. Her love for romance novels began when she was old enough to board the bus, library card in hand to check out the newest Harlequin paperbacks. She's a Canadian by heart, and by passport, but you can often spot her in New York City sipping a latte and looking for inspiration for her next story. Manhattan is definitely her second home.

  She cherishes her family and believes that each day is a gift for writing, for reading, and for loving.