Glass Towers, Shattered (Glass Towers Trilogy)

by Adler

  I wipe away the next set of tears with the sleeve of my shabby grey sweatshirt.

  He moves to the edge of the sofa, as if getting ready to spring out of his seat, and he raises his voice.

  “Let’s be very clear about this. At no point have I ever considered you a cheap fuck!”

  He stands and starts to advance toward me. I shrink back in the seat, as if I am melding with the leather. He stops and looks down at me, his red rimmed eyes flashing,

  “I am fucking in love with you, Danielle, and it makes me insane that you would think that.”

  Silence. Complete silence, while I sit staring up into his furrowed eyebrows and blazing eyes. He continues talking, but I stop hearing anything he is saying after his admission that he loves me. I think my heart has stopped beating when my ears quit listening. I quit twisting my hair. I realize that I am staring at a man who just said he is in love with me, who is engaged to another woman. This is totally jacked up!

  “Danielle?”

  I regain my resolve. “Are you kidding me Harrison? You tell me that you are in love with me; meanwhile, you have a fiancé in Montreal. Apparently, you are no different from Bradley.” I am now shouting and standing, with my hands flailing in front of me.

  He is standing just a couple feet away from me, with his hands on his hips. When he starts to move toward me, I back away, shaking my head. “Oh no, don’t touch me!” I wipe even more tears away.

  He stops moving and stands there looking at me, with his mouth agape. I have never seen this look on his face.

  “That really hurts Danielle. I am nothing like your ex-husband and you know that!”

  “Really? I disagree. Any way you spin it, you screwed me over by making me fall in love with you and then you go to Montreal and get engaged to a woman with whom you have obviously been involved. You lied to me about your involvement with her. Repeatedly! Your feelings mean nothing to me now, and I totally regret having opened myself to you.”

  He starts to walk toward the French doors, then turns to face me again. “You can’t really mean that.”

  I shake my head yes “Well, I do mean it.” My tears have dried; anger replacing my sadness.

  “What if I told you the whole engagement is a sham and that I am not really marrying her?”

  My pulse quickens, “Yes you have said that before, but you’ve given me no reason to trust you. Why would you get engaged to someone you have no intention of marrying? This whole thing is sketchy, Harrison.” I sit back down, trying to calm my heartbeat.

  With my best attempt to keep my speak rationally, I continue, “You have to look at this from my perspective. I only heard from you once while you were in Montreal. Some jerk sent me a newspaper clipping of you and Marion in an embrace, kissing, supposedly celebrating some coup. Then, I find out the next day that you are engaged! What the HELL Harrison? I don’t trust you one bit. Why should I, and by the way, you are have outstayed your five-minute allowance.”

  So much for speaking rationally. My throat begins to feel scratchy from raising my voice. The tears begin to build, threatening to return.

  His eyes are flashing once again. “I am asking you to trust me because I have not actually lied to you. I have withheld information; there is a distinct difference. You know, I have gone to great measures to protect you. I am being blackmailed, and that is the only reason I agreed to the engagement with Marion.”

  My blood turns cold. I am shocked. “Who is blackmailing you?” I demand.

  “Marion.”

  “Marion?!” I knew that bitch was up to no good!.

  “Yes. Marion Devereaux is blackmailing me. I agreed to the engagement to buy myself time to expose her.”

  “Oh Harrison! Expose her for what? Why is she blackmailing you? What kind of woman is so desperate for a man that she would blackmail one into marriage?”

  I feel faint, so I scoot to the edge of the leather chair and lean forward, with my arms resting on my knees.

  “Why wouldn’t you just go to the board of directors or, at the very least, to your father about the blackmail. Surely they would be able to extinguish her, if you can’t do it.”

  He sighs while shaking his head. “Danielle, slow down. It is beyond complicated. This is where things get messy. I can’t tell you everything. It’s not because I don’t want to, it’s because I can’t! I can’t risk telling you something that would put you in danger. I won’t risk your safety.”

  He stops talking, while I sit on the edge of my seat in stunned silence.

  “Danielle, I am worried for your safety. I would never forgive myself if anything ever happened to you because of me.”

  Shaking my head, “I don’t understand what you are saying.”

  “What I fear most is history repeating itself.”

  As I look up at him, turns away from me.

  “Harrison, what history are you talking about?”

  “Adelaide. I know her car accident was, in fact, no accident.”

  He is looking away from me, so I can’t read his face for emotion.

  “Wha…what do you mean it was no accident?”

  He doesn’t answer for a minute, then he turns back around to face me.

  “They ruled it as an accident, but I know better. She was killed.”

  I gasp again, and I feel a thud in my gut. “How do you know that? Why would you think that?”

  “It’s a long story Danielle. I don’t want to go into that tonight, but I promise I will tell you everything soon.” He pauses. “Can I get something to drink? I’m really thirsty.”

  I jump up and head to the kitchen. I look back over my shoulder and see a shadow cross his face. Anguish has replaced his usual sultry look.

  I remove two bottles of sparkling water from the refrigerator. I don’t bother to get glasses. We are on the verge of a breakthrough; I can just feel it. My insides are still churning, my stomach still overpopulated with butterflies. The anxiety continues to build. I am not sure where this is going to end, and I worry whether I can keep my wits about me and not fall prey to his wiles. I remind myself to remain strong as I carry the water back into the living room. I hand Harrison his bottle, and he removes the lid, taking several large swigs before he resumes his story. I sit back down on my chair and take a few small sips from my bottle.

  I anxiously wait for him to continue.

  Chapter 3

  “Marion demanded that I marry her and bring the two families together…at long last, in her words. According to Marion, it was the right thing to do. When she first broached the subject, we were on the plane from Portland to New York. I told her she was insane and I would never marry her. She told me that I was wrong and that she had two good reasons for me to marry her. I asked her just what that was and she refused to tell me. I chose not to pursue the dialogue any further. I figured she was talking out of the side of her neck.”

  I snort and murmur “Bitch”.

  He raises an eyebrow, then continues. “Once we arrived in Montreal, we went our separate ways until the meeting. We finally closed the land deal that I have been working on for over a year. Marion managed to get the seller to accept our terms, but only if we agreed to keep the original structure and turn it into a museum.”

  “So that was the emergency business deal?”

  He licks his lips. Lordy, I want to lick those lips! No, keep your thoughts focused Danielle!

  “Yes, it is odd because he was a homestead holdout. He was not keen to sell, but, out of the blue, he agreed. However, he wanted everything signed and sealed immediately. So, that is why we rushed up there. At the press conference, Marion grabbed me in an embrace and whispered in my ear to go along with her, or Adelaide’s fate may befall on you.”

  He looks at me and locks his eyes with mine. More chills travel down my spine. Holy shit! I don’t know whether to speak or let him carry on. I sit here processing what he just said.

  He takes another long drink of his water and adjusts his position on the sofa, to set
tle back in to the back of the sofa.

  “So, you play her game at the press conference. Then what? Didn’t it occur to you to contact me?”

  “Yes, well since Philippe and Garrin were here, I had them keeping tabs on you. I didn’t really know how to tell you any of this. I had intended on telling you in person, when I returned.”

  “I knew it! I kept feeling like I was being followed! I didn’t realize it was Garrin though.”

  “Yes, I knew of your whereabouts and with whom you were meeting on the street, like Bradley for instance. Care to tell me about that?”

  My pulse quickens, but no chills; my blood is boiling again. “Do you really think you have the right to question me about my actions?”

  “Yes, I do as a matter of fact. Through all of this, I have realized what I want.” He stops and looks at me with a smirk. Now there is the Harrison I know. No! Wait, I should still be mad at him!

  “Okay, so I am taking your bait, what is it you want Harrison?”

  “You.”

  “Me? Yeah, you have made it abundantly clear that you want me on all the surfaces and rooms in your new penthouse. Okay, so mission accomplished. Next?”

  “That is not what I meant, Danielle. I want you in my life. I originally thought you would simply be a nice distraction for a while, someone with whom I enjoyed spending time, among other things.”

  He smirks.

  “Right, we have covered this already.” I am feeling impatient, and it occurs to me that I am also feeling fatigued. This past week has taken a toll on me.

  “I know. I never expected my feelings for you to run deeper. I have not felt anything this meaningful stir in me since Adelaide.”

  My mouth is suddenly dry. My heart is bursting, but my logic knows to keep it in check. I take a large sip of water.

  Harrison is looking at me for a reaction, but I manage to not comply with his demanding eyes. He needs to squirm, so I continue to look at him, my face void of emotion.

  “When are you going to tell me about the blackmail? This is becoming a very drawn-out story Harrison.”

  He sits, with his lips parted and his eyebrows furrowed. I can tell he is puzzled at my reaction. Good.

  He licks those sexy lips and continues, “After the press conference, she asked to speak to me in private. I agreed. We went outside in the hall, and then she told me that she has sent money to an offshore account that she set up in my name. All she has to do is make a phone call, and it will appear that I embezzled more than 10 million in assets from Towers Holdings. She said that since I have not fulfilled my destiny on my own, she is taking matters into her own hands. Her terms are fairly simple: I agree to marry her and she gets me, along with half of my net worth. In exchange, she transfers the money back and shuts down the blackmail.”

  Gulp. This is heavy. Way more than I could ever have imagined. “Harrison, I don’t even know how to respond to this. What are you going to do?”

  He sighs and rubs his forehead with his left hand. “I am not entirely sure, Danielle. I have several points to tackle. My first priority is ensuring your safety.”

  I swallow and my mouth feels like I just devoured a cotton ball. I take another swig of my water. “Do you really think that I am in danger? So far, everything seems harmless.”

  Rapidly shaking his head, “After what happened to Adelaide, I am not taking any chances. I will have a bodyguard keeping an eye on you at all times. Meanwhile, I will have to sort out her other threats of pinning me with fraud.”

  My chest feels heavy, or is it my heart? “So, does this mean we can’t see each other, since you are supposedly engaged?”

  “Yes I am afraid so. For all intents and purposes, I have to appear the happy groom-to-be.”

  Before he completed his sentence, I feel another thud in my chest. The realization that the man who I love…who loves me, has to pretend that he is engaged to another woman. Everyone will be watching, so there will be no chance for us to be together. An even deeper sadness creeps over me.

  “I don’t understand why don’t you just go to the authorities?”

  He stands up and begins pacing. “That’s just it. I have no proof that she is blackmailing me, other than what she said to me. We have to get the proof before I can go to the police. Even if your safety wasn’t a concern, I still couldn’t go to the board with this. Frankly, I am puzzled as to how she could have pulled this off on her own. If she has others helping her on the inside, we need to figure out who they are and bring them all down.

  My mouth feels even drier, as I start to feel panicked. “What if you can’t prove that she is blackmailing you?”

  His brow furrows even deeper, “That is not a thought that I care to entertain right now. She is smart, but she is also desperate. Her desperation will trip her up eventually.”

  I scoff, “Well, I hope it happens before the wedding.”

  Harrison jumps up and looks at his watch. “Shit, I have to get across town in an hour.” He looks at me with very sober eyes. “Danielle, I know we are far from finished here, but I have to leave.”

  What? Oh, of course, just when we are finally getting somewhere!

  I am now standing with my arms crossed. He heads toward the entry hall, putting his jacket on. I manage to ask, “How exactly can we finish this conversation, when we aren’t supposed to see each other?”

  He stops and turns to face me with a smirk on his face, “Well, you still have to decorate my new headquarters, don’t you?”

  Shaking my head rapidly, “I am doing no such thing! Are you kidding me?”

  He advances toward me, “Danielle, if you finish the decorating project at the new space, we can legitimately see each other.” He grabs my hand. “Meet me at the empty office on Wednesday, and we can finish this conversation while we firm up plans for the move. Normally I would have Hilary meet you, but this will serve as an excuse for us to meet, without raising suspicion.”

  “That is ridiculous Harrison! Do you really think Marion is not going to be suspicious of our meeting each other? Even under the guise of doing business? We were seeing each other before she announced her blackmail plans to you and she wants me harmed, so why wouldn’t that send up red flags? Besides, I imagine she is having me watched.”

  “Let me worry about Marion; she is in Montreal anyway. I told her to leave you out of this because you were just a fling.”

  I give him a dirty look with my mouth agape. I guess he had to tell her something like that, but it still hurts to hear it.

  “Look, just agree to finish this project, and it will buy us more time.”

  Shit! This is the last thing I want to be doing right now.

  “Harrison I just don’t know. I am starting to feel like I am stepping into the role of the ‘other woman’. Sneaking around just is not my style!” My skin crawls as I finish that last sentence.

  His voices is somber now. “Look, I know I am asking an awful lot of you, but since we don’t have a lot of options, I am asking you to take a leap of faith.”

  I grunt, “Yeah, it seems like a blind leap of faith at that!”

  He stands directly in front of me, with less than a foot of space between us. He reaches out to me. I ache to be in his arms, but I hesitate. It just feels weird, as if I have no right to be this close to him. I haven’t had a chance to digest everything. It is going to take some time to wrap my mind around the craziness in which I have found myself. I am simply overwhelmed and raw from the emotional roller coaster that I’ve been riding as of late. No, as of the last year and a half, really.

  I take a deep breath, and allow myself to sink into his arms. We hold each other for what seems like an eternity, until we finally break away and he leans in for a kiss. My body responds to the feeling of his firm and full lips pressed to mine. My “P” starts to tingle, and I feel the all-too familiar wetness. I push him away. “No Harrison, this feels all wrong.” I say this while his hand reaches down between my legs, up my skirt, and rests on my cotton pant
ies.

  Chapter 4

  He chuckles “I’d say it feels just right.”

  I swat his hand away, “Oh you are impossible! That is off limits right now!”

  In a millisecond, he has me pushed up against the wall of my entry way...pushes the door shut...bolts the lock.

  “Sshhhh” He puts a finger to my lips, “I am going to run my tongue all over your body....”

  His hands grip both sides of my face, as his tongue explores my mouth, and I relent. He moves his probing tongue down to my neck, then to just past my ears, to that most sensitive spot of my neck that makes me want to say “Just Fuck me right now! I can’t take it any longer!”

  I help him back out of his jacket, as he pulls up my skirt and removes my black top, exposing my sheer black bra. The smell of his cologne intoxicates me. He takes my hands and holds them above my head, against the wall. He works on my neck with his tongue and makes his way down to my breasts. I throw my head back against the wall in pure pleasure, don’t stop....don’t stop I keep thinking.”

  He reaches down and his hands slide up my thighs.....then grabs my ass hard, as he kisses me.....OH MY LORD....can he get any hotter?...I may cum right now. His hands slide down over my cotton panties. “You are so wet...I love how your panties are always soaked for me.” He slips one finger inside me....DEEP inside me, then pulls out.

  He then drops down to his knees and lifts up my denim skirt further, he grabs my ass again as he pushes his face into my panties....fucking me with his tongue through my panties. I can’t take it. His tongue is running up my thigh, as he moves my panties a little....just teasing me, and then he really starts to work his tongue over the cotton.

  Warming sensations take over my body, as I grab his head and push him deeper into me. A loud moan escapes my lips. “Harrison...God damn Harrison....Mmmmmm...I can’t take this....I want your tongue all over me” My body is convulsing with pleasure...I throw one of my legs over his shoulder....I reach down and grab my panties, pulling them to the side, exposing myself to him. He takes his cue and plunges his tongue deep inside my soaking wet “P” devouring me.