Unlawful Escort (Unlawful Series book 1)

by Morrison, Krystal

  “Do you remember what happened honey?” he asked gently.

  “He… he touched me”, she said, sobbing brokenly.

  “I’m so sorry, baby”, he touched her arm and when she didn’t shy away from his touch he edged closer.

  “And he put his dirty mouth on mine”, she croaked in disgust.

  “It’s gonna be ok baby, the police got him and he’s gonna go to prison for a long time”, he untangled her limbs and pulled her head to his chest, “just relax”, he crooned.

  She slumped into him, too emotionally and physically drained to do much else as she tried to draw strength from his strong presence. She closed her eyes on the myriad of thoughts racing through her mind; she would analyze her thoughts later, she decided. But at this moment; she needed Sebastian’s strength more than anything else.

  He ordered room service and specifically requested that it be delivered to his bedroom as he didn’t want to leave her side. Her stomach lurched at the sight of the food and she refused to drink the broth he tried to feed her but he coaxed her into swallowing a few mouthfuls. He didn’t relent until she drank every last morsel and she was surprised that she felt a tad better afterwards.

  The doctor came shortly afterwards and after checking her vitals; he announced that the worst was undoubtedly behind them. But, just for precautionary measures, he’d take a blood sample and send it to the labs. He left with the instructions that she should rest and although Paige had insisted that she wasn’t tired; she fell asleep shortly after he left.

  She awoke much later to see Sebastian seated around a portable desk, a few paces from the bed, his spectacles perched on his nose as he peered keenly unto a laptop screen. He was dressed in a white t-shirt and linen shorts; his feet bare and the sun highlighting his glossy brown hair. He looked like a hot cabana boy only sexier and her heart broke at the thought that he could never be hers.

  Sebastian felt her eyes on him and spun to stare at her; a smile on his lips.

  “Hey, feeling better?”

  “Yes, I’m fine”, she lied; forcing a smile.

  “Hungry, I hope”, he grabbed the phone from his elbow, “what would you like to eat?”

  “Sebastian, what happened last night?”

  His smile faltered and his brown eyes clouded with anguish before he glanced away from her and related the horrible tale from the moment Brandon had called to bringing her back to the penthouse.

  Her eyes misted with tears as he spoke; she felt used and violated. He moved towards her but she held up a hand to stop him as she dashed the tears from her eyes and rose to her feet. She hated groveling; but anything was better than seeing him and Elizabeth together, day after day. She couldn’t bear it anymore.

  “Sebastian, please break the contract”, he flinched as if slapped, “I’ll return half of the money now and pay you the rest once I get a job and you can have the building”.

  He turned away from her so she couldn’t see the bleak expression on his face. He couldn’t explain it, but the idea of her leaving was unthinkable.

  “You made a commitment, you can’t just walk away”, he said coldly; facing her.

  Her green eyes dulled with pain and his heart constricted, “I could’ve been raped or worst, killed. What would’ve happened to my brother? I’m all he has.”

  “I’ll hire a bodyguard”, his tone brimmed on desperation but he didn’t care, “and you won’t have to worry about Elizabeth, a night in jail has altered her perspective immensely, plus she’ll be busy with the impending trial.”

  She stared at him in shock.

  “You didn’t think I’d let her get away with what she did to you, did you?” his face contorted with contempt.

  It didn’t matter, Paige decided, he and Elizabeth would soon settle their differences as they always did and the sympathy he felt for her would dissipate.

  “I have to leave Sebastian; I’ll only get between you and Elizabeth.”

  “There has been nothing between Elizabeth and me since she left eight months ago”, he declared vehemently.

  She frowned in confusion; desperately wanting to believe him and for some strange reason, she actually did. But she couldn’t trust her judgment anymore; somewhere between lying about her identity and pretending to be his girlfriend; she’d lost her penchant for honesty. And suddenly; she wasn’t angry at Elizabeth for what had happened to her. She’d lied and schemed just as much as the other woman and none of this would’ve happened if she hadn’t lied about being an escort.

  “I have to go Sebastian”, she said quietly; turning to leave, “it is for the best”.

  There was no sense in telling him the truth now, she thought, chances are she’d never see him again after today.

  “No! I’m not breaking the contract”, he said harshly, “we’ll continue as planned”.

  She whirled to face him in shock, “you don’t need me anymore…never had, now that I think about it. It’s neither here nor there whether I go or stay.”

  “That’s not for you to decide”, he barked, “and why would you want to leave at this advanced stage in our agreement and forfeit all that money. After all it’s just another job.”

  His words were like a slap to the face but she couldn’t fault him, she was acting the part of an escort, all things considered.

  “You don’t understand”, perhaps she should start telling the truth for a change.

  “What’s there for me not to understand.”

  “I love you Sebastian!” her voice cracked with emotion and he blinked in shock; staggering on his feet.

  She felt wonderful admitting her feelings, being honest, even though she knew he didn’t share her feelings. She would tell him everything, she decided, and damn the consequences.

  CHAPTER FORTY TWO

  “YOU CAN’T…LOVE ME”, SEBASTIAN SAID TERSELY, HIS FACE a picture of misery and she flushed in embarrassment.

  “It’s ok Sebastian, I know you don’t love me and I’m not asking you to”, she murmured, her eyes wandering to her hands.

  She hadn’t realized that he’d moved until he cupped her face in his palms; forcing her to look at him and she inhaled sharply at the pain she saw in his eyes.

  “I don’t know how you ended up being an escort…”-

  “No I’m…” she interrupted but he placed a silencing finger on her lips.

  “But you exude this radiance, this…this contagious happiness and vigor for living”, her eyes pooled with helpless tears, “and I’m a bad person”, he released her and turned his back to her, “I’ve done some terrible things. Don’t waste your love on me”, he laughed mirthlessly, “You’ve even convinced me that such a superficial emotion exists”.

  “We all have done bad things but there’s good in all of us”, tears flowed unchecked down her cheeks, “you have kindness and compassion, I’ve seen it, Helen, your staff…”

  He whirled to face her; his expression hopeless, “I thought you might say that”, he smiled indulgently, “you can’t help but see the good in people but for once you’re wrong. I gave in to my father’s urging to marry Elizabeth because all she wanted was my money and she agreed that eventually she’d give me an heir. Then she ran off with that Frenchman and I came to my senses”, he ended bitterly.

  She cupped his cheek; if only her love could heal him, she thought heartbrokenly. But she’d learnt that you didn’t get something simply because you wanted it badly enough. He turned his lips into her palm and closed his eyes. Heat spread from her arm to her body as he kissed her palm and when he snaked an arm around her waist to pull her to his solid chest she closed her eyes in surrender.

  He groaned as his lips met hers; his mouth gently teasing hers as he carried her to bed. His tender possession was exactly what she needed to chase away the horrors of the night before. And her sense of unease melted away as he stroked her body reverently while whispering how beautiful she was and cajoling her to touch him. Their leisurely lovemaking ended on a cataclysmic pinnacle that had th
em both moaning in fervent bliss.

  They had dinner afterwards followed by a night of passionate lovemaking and as they lay in the dark; languid from pleasure, he bared his soul to her. And so it went as the days drifted by into two weeks; each night, in the afterglow of their passion, he shared bits and pieces of himself.

  He told her of his relationship with Elizabeth and how their fathers had spoke of a union between them to merge their empires, since they were mere children. Her heart broke for him as she sensed his hurt as he spoke of Elizabeth’s betrayal with the Frenchman and how worried they’d all been when she’d disappeared. She attempted to tell him the truth of her identity but each time she tried, she’d be interrupted and their conversation would drift into another direction.

  And soon she forgot. Forgot the pain of the past in the bliss of the moment as Sebastian lavished her with attention. Forgot to repossess the heart that he’d insisted he could never accept as she furnished him with all the love that was within her that she knew he so desperately needed. And most of all; she forgot to prepare herself for the end that they both knew was, most certainly, to come.

  SEBASTIAN PACED THE LIVING ROOM OF HIS PENTHOUSE as her phone went straight to voicemail for the third time. He couldn’t help being a tad worried, especially after her debacle with Elizabeth a mere two weeks ago. He’d been in meetings all morning and as they paused for lunch; he’d had the sudden urge to see her. Entirely strange and out of character for him, he knew, but when it came to her everything he did was strange and out of character, he decided.

  He was about to phone the bodyguard he’d hired to follow her at a respectable distance for safety when she burst through the door; Brandon in tow. Her hair was wind tousled; her cheeks flushed with excitement and her eyes sparkled with happiness as she laughed at something Brandon had said. Her face lit up like a Christmas tree as she and she squealed with pleasure and barreled into his arms and reality hit him like a solid fist to his jaw.

  “Brandon just took me on a tour of his restaurant”, she gushed, “and it’s spectacular”.

  Brandon smiled; clapping him on the shoulder, “thought I’d give her some ideas for the café”.

  “Sounds like it was fun”, he tried to smile but his face felt like a frozen pond in the peak of winter.

  “Yea”, Brandon murmured, glancing at his watch, “but I’ve gotta go. I’ll see you guys later”, he smiled before quitting the room.

  He unwound his arms from around her and strode to the glass walls; shoving his hands into his pocket as he gazed across the city. She saw the rigidity of his stance and fear knotted her insides and her palms felt clammy despite the freezing January temperature.

  “Sebastian is something wrong?” her voice was laced with anxiety.

  Today was a good day, she decided chirpily, coercing the tension from her body. She’d received the call on the way over from Brandon’s restaurant that the hospital had received a donor for Joshua and she couldn’t wait to tell Sebastian. He was silent for a moment and the sinking feeling in her stomach intensified.

  “I’m releasing you of all your contractual obligations”, he said flatly, “you’re free to go”.

  “Contract…” she croaked as her heart stilled in her breast.

  He felt her anguish all the way to his soul but it was for the best. She didn’t belong to the cold word that was his; the barrenness would ultimately suck the life from her. She would get over him eventually and find someone more deserving of her love that would cherish her and they would marry and have kids and grow old together, he placated himself. Yet the notion pierced his heart like a jagged knife.

  “If this is about Brandon…”- she began fervently, edging closer.

  “Just go”, he ordered and everything died inside her.

  She stood, frozen, so close she could feel the heat emanating from his body. He turned suddenly’ his brown eyes lifeless and he looked as if he’d aged ten years since he’d released her a moment ago. Her body acquired a will of its own as she moved mechanically towards him. His eyes followed her as if he didn’t possess the will to move, as she fused her lips to his for one last kiss, she promised herself.

  Her lips glided over his, as if to remember his sweetness even though she knew such a thing was unwarranted as he was already branded on her soul. And just as her body tingled with the flames of their never dying passion she tore her mouth from his and dashed to the elevator.

  She sat stiffly in the cab to the hospital; staring into nothingness, her mind blank. Unable to contain her anguish any longer, she locked herself in the nearest bathroom as she got to the hospital and cried until she had no tears left and her breath left her lips in tight gasps.

  CHAPTER FORTY THREE

  THE NEXT TWO WEEKS PROGRESSED IN a slow and painful haze for Paige infused with anxiety. She’d been forced to set aside her heartbreak to attend to the matter of Joshua’s surgery; all the while hoping and praying that it would be a success. She hadn’t left his side that night as they prepped him for surgery. And as she paced the halls for the prolonged duration of his surgery; her heart in her throat, the Doctor’s words echoing through her brain; ‘hope for the best and expect the worst’.

  She couldn’t begin to explain the emotions that poured through her as he’d opened his eyes after the surgery. And in that moment; she’d remembered Sebastian and she wished that he’d been there to share in the spectacular moment. His presence would’ve made her happiness whole but she forcefully banished the thought from her mind. Chastising herself for her silliness, she resolved to put the past four months behind her and forget she’d ever met Sebastian Bradley.

  She stumbled through the days like a zombie; Joshua’s need for her, her only will to go on and as Doctor Walsh warned that recuperation was as treacherous as the surgery itself. She came to the hospital at daybreak and left at dawn; her sole aim to make it through the next minute, hour, day without the numbing pain inside her heart.

  A week passed and as a new one approached; with it came another plaguing notion; her period was late. And as she vividly recalled; she and Sebastian hadn’t used any form of protection in the weeks following her scenario with Elizabeth. She knew neither of them had any Sexually Transmitted Diseases as Sebastian had insisted on them getting tested after they’d returned from Long Island. She’d been so dazed with happiness and consumed with passion that she hadn’t given much thought to conception.

  She censured herself for being careless as she knew firsthand how difficult it was to raise a child singlehandedly. Even if abortion didn’t freak her out; she didn’t think she could develop the nerve to throw away the precious life that she believed was a monument of her love for Sebastian. Persuading herself that she was being absurd in that she couldn’t possibly be pregnant; she focused what little energy she could muster on assuring Joshua’s recovery.

  PAIGE JAMMED HER FATHER’S OLD Chevy to a halt in the Hospital’s Parking Lot before quitting the pickup and slamming the door shut. She glanced at her watch as she dashed into the hospital building; ten thirty, she was fifteen minutes late for Joshua’s appointment. Her grandparents had phoned this morning that they would be visiting the following week and despite her subtle attempts to hang up; they’d prolonged the conversation. And no matter how many times she gave them her cell number; they insisted on calling the landline.

  Joshua was doing well; two weeks subsequent to his surgery and the doctors were positive he’d be alright. She couldn’t wait for him to be released; the house was unbearable lonely despite the few hours that she spent their each night. She plastered a smile unto her lips as she drew close to Joshua’s room as she knew that her sadness affected him deeply.

  She shoved open the door and froze in her tracks as she saw Sebastian standing by Joshua’s bed as magnificent as ever; dressed in an immaculately tailored charcoal suit. A spark of excitement ran through her at the superbly masculine sight of him and she had to force herself not stand and drool over his hunky body.

&
nbsp; “Paige! Paige! Look who came to visit”, Joshua said excitedly.

  “Good morning Paige”, his lips curled into a smile but his beautiful brown eyes were filled with gloom.

  He had no right to seek her out, Paige fumed, he’d made his desire for her to leave clear enough and she’d done so, therefore he had no reason to be there.

  She spared a warm smile for Joshua before turning to Sebastian.

  “Can I speak to you outside for a second?” she asked through clenched teeth.

  “Sure”, he patted Joshua fondly on the shoulder and she bristled, “I’ll soon be back champ.”

  “Ok, Just don’t take as long as you did the last time”, Joshua said and he smiled.

  “What are you doing here?” she demanded as soon as they got to the waiting area.

  She blinked in shocked when he averted his eyes to his feet; red-faced with discomfort.

  “I miss you”, he murmured so softly that she thought she’d heard incorrectly until his eyes averted to hers and she saw the agony that was in her heart reflected in their molten brown depths.

  She wouldn’t do this to herself again, she decided, turning to leave.

  “I have to go. Josh is late for his appointment.”

  “Wait”, she wasn’t sure if it was the urgency in voice but she paused, “I have someone I think you’d be interested to meet”.

  She frowned as he made a swift call, “Sebastian, if this is one of your silly mind games…” her mouth fell open in shock as she came face to face with an exact replica of herself.

  “Paige, this is your twin; Gabby”, he murmured as a thousand possibilities flashed through her mind and the floor seemed to shift upwards to meet her face before the world went black.

  PAIGE REVIVED SOME TIME later in a hospital bed; an intravenous fluid attached to her arm and Sebastian’s anxious face hovering above hers.