Losing Her (Lost and Found Book 1)

by K. S. Marshall

  “You used to confide in me, look up to me, trust me,” he added.

  I remembered.

  a

  Summer 2010

  I clutched two cups of coffee, one sugar free nonfat latte and one large coffee with a splash of cream. Bumping the handicap button on the wall, I waited as the doors swung open automatically and slipped through when there was just enough room. The cool rush of the central

  air was exactly what I needed. I’d gone outside with my hair down my back, definitely not the smartest idea in the July heat.

  The door to Jason’s office was open so I just waltzed in. He was standing over his desk, bent over and jotting notes down as he stared intently at the screen. The man was dedicated no doubt. No wonder he was so successful. Instead of vacationing for the Fourth of July weekend, he was staying back and making sure production ran smoothly. This was the kind of woman I wanted to be. Self-made. All on my own.

  He barely glanced up, “Splash of cream?”

  I gingerly set the paper cup in front of him, “Splash of cream.”

  He glanced away from the screen, flashing me a smile, “You’re the best.”

  “Not a problem boss,” I smiled, sitting in his office chair, spinning around behind him.

  He took a sip, minimizing his screen and turned around to face me. Leaning against his desk, he took another sip, “What’s on the agenda for today?”

  I didn’t even bother pulling up the to-do list on my phone, “It’s an easy day. Just reviewing the contracts and sending them out to be signed.”

  “Awesome. We should celebrate later. This is a huge deal, you securing your first contract for the company. Your parents would be proud of you, Alina.”

  Heat flooded my cheeks and I covered by sipping my latte,

  “Celebrating would be great, but I’m eighteen,” I frowned.

  “And I know you’ve had a drink or two by now,” he smiled, “This isn’t a kegger, it’s a celebratory drink at the office.”

  I spun around again, “As long as it’s not scotch,” I said, grinning.

  “Deal.”

  Hours later, after the courier left with a large manila envelope filled with contracts that I had personally reviewed with Jason, we sat in the conference room where he poured himself a healthy measure of scotch and a glass of white wine for me. The entire office was empty, due to the holiday. My family had left for a sailing trip, as they did every Independence Day weekend, but I was bored with it. Being stuck on a yacht with my parents and their closest friends was exhausting because it was the furthest thing from a vacation. It was a never-ending show of being the perfect Prescott daughter while they schmoozed and talked about their inflated lifestyles.

  This year I chose to stay back and continue working with Jason.

  He normally joined in, but we had a new client who I’d been essential in securing for the publishing company and we were pushing to release his book by the end of the month.

  “To you,” he lifted his glass to mine, his honey brown eyes creasing at the corners from his wide smile.

  “No, to you. For taking a chance on me,” I countered, touching my glass to his and bringing it back to my lips for a sip. It was cool and sweet and I could barely taste the alcohol.

  “It’s refreshing working with someone new to the business. After ten years, things get stale around here.”

  An hour later, we were still in the conference room. I’d finished two more glasses of wine and he’d started in on his second glass of scotch. There wasn’t any work to do for the rest of the weekend, so the rush to move around was non-existent. Being so young and inexperienced with alcohol, the wine was taking its toll on me, and I ended up crawling on top of the conference table and lying in the fetal position.

  “Ugh, my head is spinning,” I complained, shielding my eyes from the fluorescent lights.

  He chuckled, “Ah, right. I forgot you’re only eighteen.”

  “Whyyyyy did you let me have more than one glass?” I exclaimed.

  His warm hand pressed to my back, coaxing me to sit up,

  “Here, drink this.”

  I opened my eyes and saw a bottle of water with the cap twisted off. I lifted my head, looking up at him sheepishly. His hand didn’t leave me as I let him help me sit up, and it rubbed gently as I drank half the bottle. He was close to me and I could smell his cologne. I breathed in his scent, closing my eyes and savoring it.

  He smelled so good. He always did. I bit my lip, feeling the taboo rush of heat between my legs. His close proximity, the heat from his body, his smell, and the gentle way he was touching me elicited feelings I had only felt a handful of times. I leaned into his caress, enjoying the way his fingertips grazed over the back of my shirt.

  “Mmm,” I moaned. It came out louder than I had intended and it sounded purely sexual.

  He stiffened momentarily, pulling his hand away and letting it fall to his side. My teeth caught my bottom lip, embarrassed at my arousal.

  He was twenty years older than me. I’d known him since I was seven. I shouldn’t be attracted to him like this and there was no way he felt the same way.

  His fingertip grazed my cheek, trailing down to my chin and lifted it until my eyes met his. They glowed amber with heat and his jaw tightened. The next moment, he was kissing me. Soft and slow at first, like he was asking for permission. I’d only kissed three people before him and none of them had taken their time this way.

  He cupped my face, deepening the kiss. His mouth was thick and coated with scotch, but it tasted delightful on his tongue. It was clear that I was inexperienced, but he didn’t rush anything. The heat between my legs intensified and my nipples hardened underneath my shirt. I wanted him to touch me there, but his hands never left my face.

  I moaned into his mouth and he nipped at my bottom lip. I reached for him, resting my hands behind his upper arm. I clenched my thighs together, trying to find relief from the dizzying frenzy taking place in my core.

  “Alina—Oh!” a male voice said, pushing open the conference room door and finding us there.

  Jason and I pulled apart abruptly. He coughed and I covered my mouth with my hands. Ryan Anderson stood in the doorway, clutching a bouquet of flowers, looking confused at both Jason and I.

  “Um, did I interrupt something?”

  Neither of us rushed to speak. Ryan was the only son in the Anderson family, another prominent family in the area. His mother and mine had been trying to set us up for years, but I hadn’t been interested.

  Ryan was nice, sweet and kind. Pretty much the perfect potential husband, but he was just like everyone else. I wasn’t sure I wanted this life anymore.

  When his question was met with silence, he continued, “Vivian suggested I come by and check on you this weekend, Alina. She said you were working and would probably need a break, but I guess I can see why you stayed behind.” His eyes darted to Jason.

  “No, um, a break would be nice,” I said, hopping off the table. I didn’t want to go with Ryan, but I knew my mom would find out everything that had just happened if I didn’t. I wasn’t ready for that inquisition. Especially when I didn’t even know what had just taken place

  between us. I glanced over at Jason, who still hadn’t said anything, “Is it ok if I go?”

  His jaw hardened and his eyes darkened as he met my gaze. In an instant, he went from being charming and friendly, to cold and menacing.

  “Go,” he said, darkly.

  A rash of goosebumps prickled my skin at the icy tone in his voice. My blood ran cold and I backed away, afraid at how quickly his mood had shifted. Ryan stepped forward, placing a warm arm around my shoulders, guiding me toward the door. I paused, glancing back at Jason who was staring down into his glass, his fist clenched and knuckles resting on the table.

  “Okay,” I whispered, half hoping he would change his mind and ask me to stay.

  When he didn’t acknowledge me, Ryan pulled on me and we left him standing there.

  a<
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  “The food is ready,” Joe said.

  Jason nodded, rising to stand, “Let’s go,” his voice was cold again, like it had been that day in the conference room. He towered above me, waiting and watching as I pulled myself to stand. Then wordlessly, he walked off. I followed, knowing I had no other choice anymore.

  TWENTY FOUR | Derrick

  “Well?”

  “Well what?” I sighed into the phone, my tone gruff.

  “You know damn well what I’m asking. Was it worth it?” Rod repeated, sternly. He finally called me, after I’d ignored his text messages for nearly a month. I knew what he was calling for. To make sure I’d done the right thing and left Alina alone.

  I was ignoring him because I didn’t know how to tell him that I had not, in fact, done the right thing. But I should have known that I didn’t have to tell him anything. Rod knew me better than I knew myself some times.

  “I don’t know, man.”

  “What do you mean you don’t know? Either it was or it wasn’t.”

  “I couldn’t leave her alone, Rod. I tried.”

  “Did you?”

  I frowned, irritated that he was asking all of these questions,

  “Yes, I tried.”

  “So why aren’t you two riding off into the sunset?” I paused. How did he know? “You learned your tricks from me, kid. I know everything.”

  he answered my unspoken thoughts.

  Shaking my head, I realized he was right. He’d taught me everything, so of course he’d be one step ahead of me. “Man, I was going to tell her everything. I was going to come right out with it and spill the truth, but that asshole beat me to it.”

  “Asshole?”

  “The guy who hired me.”

  He made a thoughtful noise over the line. It was certainly a plot twist.

  “He told her everything. About hiring me, how I’d gotten to know her, Lindsey.”

  “Shit. He told her about Lindsey?”

  “He fucking had her standing right there, Rod.”

  He made a low whistling sound, “Hell, I’m surprised you didn’t have a heart attack right there.”

  “Swear it felt like I did,” I said, remembering the horrible moment I’d lost her. How she’d collapsed and I caught her and then she took off running. My chest ached again and I rubbed at it, distractedly. “I fucked up…”

  Rod breathed a sigh, “Listen, if you’re really serious about her, and it sounds like you are, don’t give up. I’m not one for romantic shit, but if it’s real and she loves you too, you’ll figure out a way to make it work.”

  That was the second time that someone had told me to not give up. I wanted to hold onto these glimpses of hope, but neither of those people had seen her face. No one had seen the way she kicked me out or the way she ran off afterward.

  Rod and I stayed on the phone for a little while longer, catching up and promising to not go another month without communication. I always felt better after talking with him and this time was no exception. I tapped a few keys on my computer and continued the research I had been working on when he called.

  Digging through the Prescott family investments, I came across one that grabbed my interest. Thomas Prescott, himself, owned a decent amount of shares in a local development company. About forty percent of the company belonged to him. However, I knew one of his campaign promises was to stop over-development in the area. This was a complete conflict of interest and I remembered him mentioning something about it during dinner when Alina and I had been there.

  I thought it was worth investigating more and realized that not only did Thomas own a majority of the company, his son, Jonathan, worked for the company as a developer. That was a direct conflict of interest. I dialed up Jason’s office number, not wanting to send this information via email. Thomas was bound to be questioned about this in the press and I felt he and the campaign team should be made aware. If I could find this with a simple search into company records, any journalist with half a brain could find it.

  I hadn’t spoken to Jason since pinning him up against his car, but he was still my direct contact. I refused to consider him my boss. For all I cared, he could rot in hell, but if working underneath him would keep me somewhat entangled in Alina’s life, I’d stay. The threat of Lindsey still loomed over my head, but the urgency to pay her and get her out of my life wasn’t my driving force any longer. I wanted Alina back. That was what mattered most to me.

  “I’m out of the office for a personal matter. I will return all calls once I return. If this is an emergency, dial my secretary. Otherwise, take care.”

  I breathed a sigh of relief hearing his new voicemail message. I didn’t want to talk to the asshole anyway. Hanging up, I clicked a few buttons, sending the information I’d found to the printer so I could bring it directly to Thomas when I stopped by the manor later. Vivian had invited me to dinner and I figured I would just pull him aside at some point and discuss the details.

  The dinner invite had been a welcome surprise. True to her word, Vivian seemed to be adamant that I was part of their family. At first, I tried to decline her offer. Sitting in the dining room without Alina by my side felt wrong, like I was betraying Alina by establishing a connection with her family. The same family that she’d been trying to run away from. But I needed something. Anything to distract me from how miserable I was whenever I didn’t have work to do it for me.

  And it was all because of her. I missed her so fucking badly, it made my chest ache. I felt hollow and empty without her, and it wasn’t something I was accustomed to. Before Alina, I was fine. I had closed myself off after all of the bullshit and drama with Lindsey. I didn’t date.

  Hell, I didn’t want to date. Lindsey had ruined me for all females.

  Until I met the brown skinned girl with the black eyes.

  TWENTY FIVE | Alina

  “Aaarrgh!”

  The blistering shout of anger woke me up from somewhere deep in my subconscious. I’d been asleep again, too tired to fight the medicine that weighed heavily on me. I was curled into the fetal position, but I craned my neck around to look at the heavy wooden door separating this room from the rest of the cabin.

  Jason had locked me in here the night before. After feeding me roasted chicken and veggies for dinner, he’d used zip ties to tie my hands back together and led me here. He shot another dose of whatever he used to knock me out in my veins and then locked the door as he left. The room was empty, save for a large bed in the middle. It was sturdy, made of wood, and king size, if I had to guess. There were no windows, only a door that led to an adjoining bathroom. The bathroom was all white and pristine, not at all what I’d expect in a cabin that otherwise seemed neglected and forgotten.

  I watched the doorknob as it jostled. The sound of a key being shoved into the lock and clicking open. Jason flew into the room, his

  face contorted angrily. I flinched as he approached me, holding something in his hands.

  “What is this?” he growled, standing over me.

  I blinked up at him, afraid to speak, but saw my cell phone in his hand. His chest heaved as he sucked in air, still glaring down at me, silently demanding an answer.

  “My phone?” I managed to squeak out.

  “Of course it’s your phone, Alina. Why the hell is he calling you?”

  Confusion crossed my face. I had no idea what he was talking about, but the way he was looming over me was frightening.

  “Who?”

  “Derrick. Why the fuck is he calling you?” he demanded, his voice growing louder.

  Derrick. Truthfully, I didn’t know why he was calling. After I told him I wanted nothing to do with him ever again, I hadn’t heard or saw him at all, even though I’d secretly hoped he would reach back out.

  “I have no idea.”

  “Were you still fucking him?”

  My eyes widened and I tried to back away from him, “No! Not at all. I swear.”

  His domineering presence terrified me. I couldn
’t escape the fire in his eyes. He was breathing so hard, I felt the heat from it fanning my face. But my hands were still tied and I couldn’t move away like every nerve in my body was telling me to do. He glared at me for awhile, trying to decide if he believed me or not.

  Finally, his body relaxed slightly, “Fine, but he shouldn’t be calling you. You belong to me now.”

  I felt the tears starting to well up in my eyes and I blinked furiously to try and keep them at bay. I’d always hated when he saw me cry. And this was no exception. He walked around the edge of the bed,

  stowing the phone in his pocket and disappearing into the bathroom. I looked up at the ceiling, willing the tears to absorb back into the ducts of my eyes. My ears perked up when I heard a knob squeak and water spill into the basin of the tub. A few moments later, he came back into the room.