by SJ Molloy
Lussuria
‘The Luminara Series’
By
SJ Molloy
Published by SJ Molloy
ISBN – 978-0-9899879-0-5
ISBN – 978-0-9899879-1-2 (Paperback)
Editor – Jennifer Roberts-Hall
Cover Art, design and graphics – Design Divaz – www.designdivaz.com
Interior design – Lucinda Campbell – www.design.lkcampbell.com
Copyright 2013 SJ Molloy
Copyright Registration Receipt ID# DEP635189127306340000
Certificate of time stamping certified by public notary
Copyright.co.uk certify the following information:
Date of registration: 01/11/2013 14:25:30
Creation Title: Lussuria by SJ Molloy. Book 1 in The Luminara Series
All rights reserved to SJ Molloy.
This work: Any words, excerpts, graphics, logo, characters, story line and branding may not be replicated, copied, printed or used in any way without consent. Excerpts and graphics may be used for review promotional and purposes only if consent is given by SJ Molloy.
The characters and events, scenes, phrasing and plot portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarities to real persons, living or dead are coincidental and not purposely intended by the author. This is the work based, solely on the imagination of the author and does not interpret or replicate any real life living scenarios or settings.
Playlist – Lussuria
Andrea Bocelli – Because We Believe
Celine Dion – Falling into You
Al Green – Lets Stay Together
Andrea Bocelli – Somos Novias
Emeli Sande – Next to me
Emeli Sande – Clown
Fleetwood Macs – Songbird
Imagine Dragons – It’s Time
Mumford and Sons – The Cave
Alicia Keys – The Thing about Love
Alicia Keys – Fallin’
Jack Johnston – Better Together
Lady Antebellum – I Need You Now
Jason Mraz – I Won’t Give Up
Lady Antebellum – I Run To You
Lady Antebellum – Heart Of The World
Leona Lewis – First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
Andrea Bocelli – Can’t Help Falling in Love
Lionel Ritchie –Stuck On You
Amy MacDonald – Caledonia
Tim McGraw – Its Your Love
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1 – New Beginnings, Two years later
Chapter 2 – Chemistry
Chapter 3 –Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Chapter 4 – Burning Embers
Chapter 5 – My Darlins’
Chapter 6 – Don’t Touch Me!
Chapter 7 – Wings
Chapter 8 – Aloe Vera
Chapter 9 – Fears Resurrected
Chapter10 – Flaring Up the Fire
Chapter 11 – Blue Orchid
Chapter 12 – Irresistible – Azure Eyes
Chapter 13 – Tiramisu ‘Pick Me Up’
Chapter 14 – You Make Me Better
Chapter 15 – Keeping Faith
Chapter 16 – Confessions
Chapter 17 – Take Me Home
Chapter 18 – A New Journal
Chapter 19 – History
Chapter 20 – Blackness
Chapter 21 – Something Special
Chapter 22 – ‘If You Were Mine…’
Chapter 23 – Afterlife
Chapter 24 – I’ve Got You
Chapter 25 – Goodbyes
Chapter 26 – Destiny
Chapter 27 – ‘Luminara’ Lust, Love, Light
Chapter 28 – Diamonds – Always and Forever
Epilogue
“Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it.
Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it.
Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it.” – Martin Luther King Jr (1929-1668)
~~~
“As your faith is strengthened you will find that there is no longer the need to have a sense of control, that things will flow as they will, and that you will flow with them, to your great delight and benefit” – Wingate Paine (1915-1987)
~~~
“Imagination is everything, it is the preview of life’s coming attractions” – Albert Einstein (1879 – 1955)
~~~
Lust is a gift. It’s the desire for souls so beautiful
Love is a gift. It’s the Lust for souls deep within
Light is a gift. It’s the Love for both souls illuminating – SJ Molloy
To my Husband and my two wonderful daughters for giving me their light, their ‘Luminara’ xxxx
Prologue
Casey Huddersfield finished making some essential calls and then checked her emails tying things up for the time of year. She was looking forward to taking the full two weeks off work this year at Christmas so she could go to the Canary Islands to celebrate the festivities with her family.
It had been a tiring and challenging year in the M.Martha Private Clinic. The thought of staying in Scotland in this God-awful heavy snow was downright depressing. This had been one of the worst winters Scotland had seen in a long time. The roads were horrendous, traffic was at a standstill, and the schools were closing their doors, sending the children home early. The snowstorms and blizzards had put a strain on many small businesses, not to mention the hospitals were struggling trying to cope with the heavy influx of emergency room patients being admitted. The air flights had all cancelled over the past twenty-four hours, and the railways and buses were all out of action.
Ever the compassionate therapist, Casey considered canceling her last two patients of the day to get a head start to her home from the city centre on this wild, white December afternoon. She blasted the heating to the highest setting and kept her thick Arran wool cardigan snuggled around her body. Her scarf hung loosely around her neck, providing additional warmth, but she was still feeling the bitter draft within the large open room of the ancient sandstone building. In the end, she decided to keep her two appointments.
Casey had come very close with her second patient—a young man named Lucca Caruso. He was showing great positive energy and optimism about his future and moving on. His outlook was admirable, considering his struggle with the grieving process, but his path seemed to look bright.
On the other hand, her first patient, Alexis Robertson, was an insecure, untrusting and emotionally scarred young girl stuck in the dark. She would take a lot of patience, compassion and encouragement. Her life included some extremely deep traumatic experiences holding over her; they suffocated her, and she needed to breathe. The girl had spoken with various therapists, support groups, doctors and psychiatrists, but nobody had truly succeeded.
Casey’s notes were lengthy and detailed, and it had taken a full week of continuous reading and assessment before she had agreed to take the young girl on as a patient, but she felt she was starting to make some slight progress with her, and that she was close to getting her to open up.
Casey had a special soft spot for Alexis as she was always grateful and extremely polite, and through the closed persona she had a warm heart. Alexis showed strong signs of caring for others, understandable considering her entire childhood lacked a certain degree of care. Even after Casey's many years of experience, she still shivered when she thought about that poor girl and her family.
Casey sipped on a cup of Earl Grey tea, then placed her red spectacles on top of her head and watched the clock. 3:10pm. Maybe the girl had chosen not to come after all due to the extreme weather conditions. A buzz on the intercom from Heather, the secretary, confirmed that the girl had arrived.
&
nbsp; “Send her in please, Heather,” Casey said, relieved.
A faint knock at the door prompted Casey. “Come in, Miss Robertson.”
The sweet brown eyed girl walked in. She was wearing a huge, long black padded coat with fur around the hood, a scarf across her face that covered her nose and mouth, thick gloves, and a hat on top of her long brown locks underneath her hood. Her knee high boots were soaked with sludgy wet snow over her damp slender tight fitting denim jeans.
“You poor girl. Come and hang your coat, then get warmed up.”
Alexis removed her scarf, and her red raw rosy cheeks were chapped with the cold wind. Casey couldn’t help but notice that she was still beautiful, even under the force of the cold weather; so pure, so beautiful. She wished the girl could see this for herself.
After a long hour of asking the girl to share her emotions about her mother’s latest episodes, and how she managed when she went to visit her mother in the psychiatric ward, the girl was drained. It was usual for the girl to appear anxious, but for the first time since coming here, she cried. Progress! She wanted to hug the girl tightly, but she could not, not yet. So instead, she passed her hankies and let her have her moment as she expressed her sentiments.
Heather buzzed the intercom. Time was up.
“Tell Mr. Caruso to take a seat. I’ll be five minutes,” Casey replied.
She wasn’t about to throw Miss Robertson out when she had made such productive progress with her today, and wanted her to calm and compose herself somewhat before leaving.
“I’m so sorry, Mrs. Huddersfield. I don’t know what came over me. Please forgive me,” the girl said as she zipped up her winter coat.
“Please, call me Casey, and don’t apologize. I’m delighted with your progress, and how brave you have been. It is very refreshing to see you open up a little, and much better that you’re getting things out of your system. Lexi, you can’t keep it bottled up. You’re showing promise.
“I want you to log down some of your thoughts and feelings in a journal the next time you visit your mother, and bring it with you on your next visit. It will give us great foundations to build on.”
Lexi nodded her head, and Casey smiled sympathetically at her. She put her gloves on and held her scarf and hat in her hand as she opened the door.
“Mrs. Huddersfield, I hope you have a lovely holiday with the family,” Lexi said.
“Thank you, Lexi. You’re such a sweet girl. Tell your grandmother I appreciate all the fudge and shortbread she’s sending me, although my hips are not so appreciative.” Casey giggled, patting her hourglass shaped hips.
Lexi smiled knowing her grandmother would be doing just that.
When Lexi turned around, she bumped straight into the chest of a tall, dark-haired handsome man. He was wearing a black wool coat with a scarf wrapped around his neck and mouth, and black leather gloves on his hands.
He looked down at her as she dropped her head, and he placed his hand under her chin to lift it again.
“Mi dispiace tanto, I’m terribly sorry. I hope I didn’t hurt you, please forgive my clumsiness,” the stranger said in Italian and English with a local Scottish accent.
He stared at her, his crystal azure blue eyes wide and electric as they took her in, feeling agitated that he had caused her discomfort. Lexi did not make eye contact, but she did notice how good he sounded, and his scent was divine.
“It was my mistake, I’m sorry,” Lexi whispered.
“Keep your chin up. You don’t want to fall, it’s wild out there,” he added.
“Thank you,” she muttered and lifted her eyes.
He was mesmerized by her big, hazel-brown eyes, soft peach cheeks, rosy lips and soft dark curls that swept her face. Lexi blushed when she noticed he was gazing at her. She tried not to get lost in his crystal azure blue eyes and his dark eyelashes, but she was drowning in them. His eyes revealed he was smiling under his scarf; a warm friendly smile. Lexi smiled back modestly while blushing, then looked towards Casey before scurrying out the door.
“Molto bella! Who was that? She’s gorgeous!” Mr. Caruso asked Casey.
“Please close the door, Lucca, and you know I can’t talk about other patients. That information is confidential. Now please, pull up a chair and we will get started.”
After Lucca’s one hour was finished, he handed Casey a Christmas card with gift vouchers as a thank you. He knew he was nearing the end of his treatment. Casey blushed.
“Now, how will I explain this to my husband?” she chortled. “And as always, you’re overly generous. You don’t need to do that. You’re very kind, Lucca, thank you.”
“Tell that grouch to lighten up and I’ll see him in the gym. He’s been slacking off,” Lucca replied. “Suzanne mentioned to me that you finally bought that little lodge in the highlands and are looking to renovate it. Have Terrance call me and I’ll have my designers draw up plans for you.”
“Yes, we plan to go up north in February, so Cairngorms it is. Although, I have some work to do while I’m there, so you two boys will need to get on with it without me. Terence said he was eager to have Osurac Industries working on the project, so thank you for the offer to help with the renovations. Tell that sister of mine to call me before I go on holiday, you must be working her too hard, she’s always moaning she doesn’t get a day off.”
After he’d left the office, Casey closed her eyes and wished every patient could be as co-operative as Lucca. She hoped that someday soon she would be able to say the same words to Lexi Robertson and tell her she was on her way to a brighter future, but there was a lot of work to be done.
The girl needed a lot of love…
Chapter 1
New Beginnings …
Two Years Later
“Where is that frigging file?”
I can’t seem to find anything in these boxes in this new clinic. I should never have let Jane and Mark pack up my files in the first place. As I sit on the floor of what will be my new clinic and office within Club di Energia, I look at all the plastic boxes on the floor. I can’t seem to muster the energy to do this today; I’m too busy concentrating on what I have to pack for my flight tomorrow when I get home. That will teach me to leave it to the last blooming minute.
My mind is in overdrive with what needs to be done. I bite the inside of my cheek, realizing I’m fretting, then pinch my cheeks and shake my arms and shoulders languidly to waken myself up.
Adding to my agitated mood, I‘ve had these skinny jeans on for what seems like a week, trying to keep all my other clothes clean for the case. They are going baggy at the knees, but they are very comfortable and have a dressy look. With black high-heeled shoes on, they make my legs look slim, so at least I’m not looking untidy and casual. I’ve put my black chiffon blouse on today, thinking that I can quick wash it when I get home, hang it up to dry tonight, and maybe take it with me.
My long, dark chocolate-brown, curly hair has been messily grabbed and piled in a shaggy bun on top of my head; it’s low maintenance and naturally tumbles into long tousled curls with minimal effort. I didn’t put jewelry on this morning as I was rushing, and only applied the slightest bronzing powder and peach blush, mascara and a nude lip gloss which all got skimmed over in the car. I managed a quick spray of perfume to complete my preparations outside in the car park before I came in here to my new office in Club di Energia a few hours ago.
I’m feeling fractious, knowing Mark my very efficient and reliable co-worker, will be unhappy if I don’t leave my patient records for him while I’m away, especially with four new referrals coming in next week for assessment.
“Ah, there you are, you little beauty.”
I put my hand on my notes and hold them to my chest as though I’m giving them life. Thank goodness for that; at least Mark will be pleased that I’ve managed to leave some order. I don’t know why he is being pedantic about it; it’s all backed up on the system.
“First sign of madness, you know. Talking to yourself
.”
Jane, my other co-worker, walks in looking spaced out as always with her hippie rocks and wavy red locks. I have been trying to introduce a new style there for what seems like an eternity, but she is a law unto her own. Mind you, she is very professional and highly thought of in the world of physiotherapy. She has good, healing hands as Mark always says, even if she is a bit out there.
“New tunic, Jane? It’s very impressionable and...err, bright. Suits you.”
I’m amazed she doesn’t get a headache with all the brightly colored craziness going on, but I do love her quirkiness and kindness, even if she’s off her dial style wise. Jane hands me over a latte in a take away cup and beams a massive smile at me.
“Don’t be cocky, Lexi. I know you hate it, but thank you for acknowledging my new tunic. I love this one, and it’s definitely my favorite by far.”
“Jane honey, I don’t hate it. I think it suits you. Whatever makes you happy and comfortable, altho-”
She turns on her goofy looking biker boots and storms out. I was only going to suggest a chunky belt around the middle to stop her from looking pregnant and frumpy, but now I’ve upset her.
I lay the black leather padded patient beds out between the partitioned walls so that there is individual privacy—similar to little cubicle areas—and stand Mr. Bones, our resident skeletal model, in the corner.
I’m quite glad I’m making small progress here. I love the clean, white freshly painted walls, and large space at Club di Energia. We’ve been lucky securing our practice from inside Lanarkshire’s largest private health and fitness club. It is a great location situated between Glasgow and Edinburgh close for commuters being right next to the motorway. I’ve been paying my membership at the health club for years, but now that I’m staff it is free, so I’ll save a small fortune.
I’ve always loved coming here for fitness classes, even when my eccentric best friend Hazel is screaming down her head mic, yelling at me to lunge deeper or jump higher in Body Attack. She better not think she’s boot camping my ass during the holiday to Tuscany; I won’t fold to her imperiousness. I need to convince her I’ll book into Body Step the week we are back to keep her from hounding me.