Losing Her (Lost and Found Book 1)

by K. S. Marshall

  As I carried my duffel bag full of equipment into the house, I wondered how the Prescott’s would react to what had just happened hours earlier. Hearing Alina’s seductive voice tell me that she was touching herself had sent me over the edge. I hadn’t fully registered

  what I was doing until I arrived at her house. The need to be there with her while she experienced ecstasy had been overwhelming.

  I knew being at her place was wrong. Professionally, it could cost me everything. Personally, well, I wasn't ready to go there yet with anyone. Even if Alina was making me reconsider the celibacy I’d been on for over a year. However, I did feel like a straight up asshole for worming my way into her house the way I did, just to be setting up equipment to spy on her. I had to separate everything in my head. I was here working, yes, but I didn’t come over with the intention to work.

  It just happened to be a good time to finish the job.

  At least that’s what I keep telling myself.

  Setting up surveillance was pretty simple. Even with her large apartment, I was able to get all of the cameras and microphones set up in each room without too much trouble. And the mic I placed in her phone, along with mirroring it to a burner I’d brought with me, was easy too. She wouldn’t always be at her apartment, so I needed to be able to find and hear her. I stowed my duffel bag in my truck and tiptoed back into the bedroom, slipping back into bed and cradling her in my arms before drifting back to sleep.

  Hours later, I awoke to find the sun streaming in through the windows. Alina was still wrapped up in my arms, breathing softly. I kissed the smooth pad of her forehead gently, inhaling her sweet scent.

  My phone vibrated deep in my pocket, briefly startling me. I fished it out and peered at the screen. It was a text from Jason:

  Prescott Campaign Event. Alina MUST attend. NO

  EXCEPTIONS.

  I sighed, my head sinking further into the pillow. I needed more information and texting Jason back and forth wouldn’t suffice. I rolled out of the bed, striding down the hallway while thumbing through my phone to dial his number.

  “Jason Robert Brown,” he answered. He sounded like he’d been awake for hours, despite it being only seven AM.

  “It’s Derrick,” I stated, “I just got your text.”

  “Ok that’s good. Do you anticipate any issues making that happen?”

  “When is the event and where?” I inquired.

  “It’s this weekend. Here in town hosted by a campaign benefactor. Her father is drumming up support and everyone will expect to see all of the Prescotts.”

  I leaned against the railing at the bottom of the stairs, pinching the bridge of my nose, “This weekend? That’s cutting it close, don’t you think?”

  “This has been on the family calendar for weeks. Alina was made aware. Her little trip has thrown a wrench in everything.” His voice took on the annoyed, yet affectionate tone that he had whenever Alina’s name came up in the conversation. Something I was noticing more often.

  “I hear you. I’ll do my best,” I said, not wanting to get into a long conversation with him right now.

  “Your best better deliver,” he retorted before hanging up.

  Hearing the call end before I could fully register the end of the conversation sent a chill of anger down the back of my neck. I clenched my fist and greedily sucked in air to calm myself back down. I stowed my cell in my back pocket and climbed the stairs to get back to Alina.

  When I stepped through the door, she was rubbing her eyes gently and yawning. I felt my body go slack with warmth and affection for her. My anger from a few moments ago dissipated into a distant memory.

  “Hey beautiful,” I said, breaking the silence in the room.

  “Hey,” she breathed, “what time is it?”

  “It’s still early. I had a phone call so I stepped out to let you rest.”

  I sat on the side of the bed, reaching a hand out to stroke her cheek,

  “Somehow you’re even more beautiful when you sleep.”

  She nuzzled against my hand, closing her eyes, a hint of a smile on her lips. “I can’t believe you’re here,” she whispered.

  I took a deep breath, “I couldn’t help myself,” I admitted, feeling vulnerable at how much of my guard was let down around her already.

  “Mmm,” she murmured, turning her head to kiss the flat palm of my hand. The spot where her lips touched my hand felt hot and charged. I dissolved into the bed, pulling her with me. Her eyes brightened and when the sunlight hit them, I realized they weren’t black, but a deep and complex brown. My hands reached for her under the covers and I clasped them around her warm skin, pulling her closer to me.

  Our foreheads touched and for a brief moment, I held her gaze.

  We stared, suspended in time, reading each other’s expressions. What could only be described as lust filled her eyes. She toyed with her bottom lip, pulling it between her teeth nervously. Her blatant attraction concealed with trepidation did something to me. She was unlike anyone else. No one had made me feel this unhinged in a long time. To hell with holding myself back anymore.

  I pressed forward, moving my hands to cup her cheeks and hold her in place. Then my lips touched hers. My chest swelled and I felt like my heart was burning. She sighed against me as our lips pulled away for a moment then they met again. This time, there was no hesitation. We nipped and kissed at each other as if our lives depended on it. In this moment, she was my oxygen and I was hungry with need for her.

  Her leg wrapped around my hip and she pressed her sex closer to my growing erection. Finding the spot in my sweats where my cock

  was uncomfortably pressing upward, she ground her hips into it. One hand left her face and smoothed down her body to cup one panty-clad ass cheek. She moaned into my mouth, our tongues still swirling. Our breathing more audible between kisses.

  “Need you…” she breathed.

  “Mmm…I’m here baby,” I rasped.

  She pushed her hips against mine, using her slung over leg as leverage to force me onto my back. If I resisted at all, she wouldn’t have been able to move me. But I was hers right now.

  Pulling back, she disconnected our kiss, sitting back while straddling my hips. It was the sexiest fucking thing I’d ever seen. Her hair was a tangled mess falling all over her shoulders. Her cheeks were flushed and her darkened nipples puckered through her tank top. My hands went to the top of her thighs and my thumbs lightly pressed on the fabric covering her sex.

  She threw her head back and moaned loudly, “God, Derrick!

  You’re making me crazy touching me this way.”

  “What way?” I mused, gripping her harder and pressing my thumbs deeper into the fabric. I could feel her wetness seeping through as I pressed down on her pussy.

  She moaned louder, bucking slightly and pressing her hips down into mine. “I need you,” she groaned.

  I didn’t answer her. Truthfully, I didn't know how to answer her. I wanted this just as badly as she did, probably more, but I couldn’t have sex with her. Not just because of my contract with her family, but I had my own personal reasons for not having sex for as long as I’d gone without it now. I needed to work out some things and she deserved a partner who was free and able to give her what she deserved.

  Instead, I kissed her. I gripped her shoulders and pulled her down to me, “Kiss me Alina,” Her body folded in half and our lips

  crashed onto each others again. Our kissing became frenzied, both of our hips rolling into each others. She was panting into my mouth, silently begging me to take her.

  It took every ounce of my self control, but I gently pulled my mouth from hers and touched my lips to her forehead. “You. Are.

  Dangerous,” I groaned.

  She breathed a sigh, “I’d say that’s you.”

  My hands were stroking her back as she settled on top of me.

  Her heart fluttered rapidly against my chest as she steadied her breathing. I couldn’t believe we were here in this wa
y. Literally two weeks ago she was a photo handed to me by a client and now I was lying in her bed, pinned underneath her with a painfully throbbing erection. It was crazy how things had shifted in such a short amount of time.

  She turned her head to look at me, resting her chin on my chest,

  “You don’t think less of me, do you?” she asked, insecurity flashing in her eyes.

  I ran a hand over her head, smoothing it back from her face,

  “Not even a little bit. You are beautiful. I drove myself over here, remember?”

  “Mmhmm,” she murmured, resting her head back down.

  My gaze went to the ceiling to watch the fan spin lazily. What was I doing here? I needed some space. At the very least, I needed to get out of her bed.

  “Are you hungry?” I asked.

  She nodded against me, “Starving. I didn’t eat dinner last night.”

  “Why not?’

  Her body squirmed slightly, but she didn’t look up, “I was pretty upset when you left yesterday.”

  Guilt hit me hard in the stomach, remembering how I’d pulled away from her and ran out of her apartment. That same guilt had pushed me to call her last night. Being away from her felt wrong and I needed to apologize, but that led me to being where we were now.

  Either way, I was wrong.

  “Let’s go get breakfast. My treat,” I offered, stifling the regret that demanded my attention no matter which way I chose to go.

  She grinned up at me, “Okay!”

  I waited for her in my truck with my doors open, double checking that all of the surveillance equipment was properly synced and recording from my iPad, while she dressed. I purposely ignored all of the negative feelings I had while doing so. No matter how I felt, I had to do my job. I had to keep reminding myself of that, otherwise I’d force myself into choosing one or the other. And right now, I didn’t want to.

  She skipped down her front steps, dressed down in brightly colored yoga pants and an off the shoulder tee that billowed around her.

  She’d opted to keep her hair down, only marginally tamed by detangling the knots. Her natural waves were starting to take over her newly straightened hairstyle. I thought back to the first time I’d seen her in the large family portrait over the fireplace at the Prescott estate. Black curls had hung down, framing her face then. Her hair was lighter now and I wondered if anyone else had been privy to seeing her hair in its natural state.

  She bounded up to the truck door, standing just in front of me,

  “Sorry for taking so long.”

  “You didn’t take long at all,” I replied, pressing the button to put the iPad to sleep before stowing it in the bag in the backseat, “You ready to eat?”

  “Absolutely.”

  The diner we were going to was just a couple blocks over on Main street. Alina’s apartment was close so we didn’t need to drive. On the way over, we walked close without holding hands. As we neared an intersection, she broke the silence.

  “So are you from here?”

  I gazed down at her, shaking my head, “Nope.”

  “Where are you from?”

  “Jersey,” I tried to keep my tone from sounding too harsh, but I was uncomfortable with talking about my past. Especially with her.

  “Oh okay,” she paused, “What brings you to Cold Spring?”

  The light changed and we crossed the street, “I needed to get more focused on my art,” I lied, opting to use my rehearsed answer over telling the entire truth, “I came here for a shoot and found the art community to be exactly what I needed so I packed up and moved.”

  I kept my eyes focused ahead, but I could feel her glancing up at me, “You just moved? No family or friends left behind?”

  My lips thinned, “Nope.”

  She was quiet for awhile after that. I felt weird about it. Lying to her like that. We had just been in her bed, my hands caressing her intimately, but I was telling her a bold face lie. Though, she was living a lie too if I thought about it. Her being here was the only reason I was here as well. Otherwise, maybe this thing between us could’ve been something different.

  I stopped myself from hoping.

  “I just moved here too,” she said, her voice sounding wistful.

  “Oh?” I asked, feigning ignorance.

  “Yep. A little less than a month ago.”

  The conversation paused there as we walked up to a storefront with a red awning out front. I held the door open for her and ushered her inside. It was a typical mom and pop place, filled with locals and tourists

  alike. For some, you could tell this was their regular morning stop. The walls were covered in thrift store quality art and local newspaper clippings. The tables were dingy and the chairs a bit wobbly, but the smells wafting from the kitchen were mouth-watering. My stomach gurgled uncomfortably as I thought about the food that I’d be consuming soon. We were seated at a table in the corner, near the kitchen, which intensified my hunger.

  “Tell me the smells are driving your stomach wild too,” I leaned over and whispered.

  She pulled back and grinned, “I’m surprised you haven’t heard it.”

  I reached over and tickled her side lightly. She arched away from me, a hearty giggle coming out of her mouth. The sound of it making my chest ache with longing.

  Our waitress came quickly. She was a meek girl with mousy brown hair and an equally matched face. The name tag haphazardly pinned to her front said Wendy. Despite it not being too busy in the diner, with several open seats, she seemed a bit flustered.

  “Hi guys. Are you ready to order?” she asked.

  I glanced at Alina briefly before nodding yes. “Alina, you can go first.”

  She ordered her food, opting for the pancakes with bacon and eggs, reminiscent of the meal I made for her.

  “Great choice, but mine is better,” I whispered to her before giving Wendy my order for the house omelet special.

  Her infectious grin spread across her makeup free face and I felt that familiar awestruck feeling I’d gotten two days ago. Alina’s beauty was captivating and effortless, and I reveled in it. We smiled at each other, completely oblivious to Wendy taking our menus and

  disappearing for a moment. I only recognized she’d come and gone when she poured two cups of coffee and sat them down in front of us.

  I watched, mesmerized by her graceful fingers as they deftly opened three sugar packets and poured cream into her mug. She had the practiced poise of a princess. Which reminded me of what I had to convince her to do.

  “So you asked, now what brought you to Cold Spring?” I asked, reaching for my cup of coffee and eyeing her over the cup as I took a sip.

  She fiddled with her napkin, avoiding my eye contact, “Uh…

  well. It’s sort of a long story.”

  “We have a lot of time,” I pressed, holding the cup between both of my hands, my forearms resting on the table top. I wondered briefly if she would clam up or if she would actually tell me. She didn’t have a lot of friends in this town and it seemed like Rosa was the only one aware of her situation.

  I watched her eyes flit back and forth between me and the napkin for a long while, but I just waited. If she needed the headspace to open up on her own terms, I’d gladly give it. Eventually, she started chewing her lip.

  “Hey, if it’s too personal, don’t worry about it,” I said softly, dropping my voice to an intimate level, “I don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable.”

  She smiled up at me appreciatively, “No, it’s not that. You actually make me feel very comfortable. I just worry that you’ll judge me.”

  My eyebrows pulled together in a frown, “I’d never judge you Alina. Never.”

  She absorbed my words for a moment, before taking a quick breath, “Okay. I kind of ran away.”

  “Ran away?” My interest in her story wasn’t an act or for show. I was genuinely interested in what would have possibly made Alina want to leave the lap of luxury she called her life. She seemed to have it
all. A loving family. Wealth. Safety in the form of a security team. Fame and notoriety, even if on a small scale. In my research, I’d yet to find anything negative written or reported about her, outside of a few high profile relationships that ended for no apparent reason and other speculations about her love life in Page Six, a celebrity gossip magazine that featured prominent and wealthy families.

  She nodded, taking a gulp from her steaming cup of coffee,

  “Literally. I left during a major party my family was hosting and caught the last train of the night and ended up here.”

  I paused for a moment, remembering what Jason had said about her slipping her security detail. “Why did you run?”