by Lila Kane
Lost
The Complete Series
by
LILA KANE
LOST (The Complete Series)
Copyright © 2019 by Lila Kane
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This literary work is fiction. Any name, places, characters and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or establishments is solely coincidental. Please respect the author and do participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials that would violate the author’s rights.
CONTENTS
____________________________
LOST IN HER
I’ve been watching. I’ve been waiting. And now I’m going to make her mine.
Gia Tanner isn’t like any woman Isaac has ever seen, but all he can do is watch. He doesn’t leave his penthouse. The real world is too vicious for him—and after what he’s gone through, he’s happily left it behind. But then he sees her. All curves and smiles and something that restarts his heart—makes it come alive after years. He knows he needs to have her. Gia will be his. But it means risking his heart and becoming the person he said he’d never become again.
The rumors Gia’s heard about Isaac Crane are true. He’s heartless, cold, and also one of the sexiest men she’s ever seen. Part of her wants to run far, far away from him and the other part aches to be in his arms. In his bed. But telling him what she really thinks of him seems like a better idea. Then he makes her an offer she can’t refuse. An offer that will change her life forever. She knows if she says yes, her heart and her body will be his forever…but she doesn’t have a choice. Isaac Crane will never let her go.
LOST IN HIM
It’s my job to protect her. I’ve worked for her brother for years and Elise has always been part of the family.
Off limits.
Too bad I’ve never been able to see her like that.
All those curves, all that dark hair…
I can barely keep my hands off of her.
But now she’s in danger and I have to stay focused.
If I lose her, I have nothing.
But when she shows me how she really feels, I don’t have a choice…
I have to make her mine.
LOST IN US
I needed somewhere to safe to hide until the restraining order went through.
I never expected my brother’s billionaire friend to offer up his home—or to protect me with a fierceness that was almost violent.
And I never expected to fall in love.
LOST IN HER
I’ve been watching. I’ve been waiting. And now I’m going to make her mine.
Gia Tanner isn’t like any woman Isaac has ever seen, but all he can do is watch. He doesn’t leave his penthouse. The real world is too vicious for him—and after what he’s gone through, he’s happily left it behind. But then he sees her. All curves and smiles and something that restarts his heart—makes it come alive after years. He knows he needs to have her. Gia will be his. But it means risking his heart and becoming the person he said he’d never become again.
The rumors Gia’s heard about Isaac Crane are true. He’s heartless, cold, and also one of the sexiest men she’s ever seen. Part of her wants to run far, far away from him and the other part aches to be in his arms. In his bed. But telling him what she really thinks of him seems like a better idea. Then he makes her an offer she can’t refuse. An offer that will change her life forever. She knows if she says yes, her heart and her body will be his forever…but she doesn’t have a choice. Isaac Crane will never let her go.
CHAPTER ONE
Who the hell did he think he was? I shoved the register drawer closed and turned to Monica with a decisive nod.
“I’ll quit, too,” I said. “Then he’ll have to see what an ass he’s being.”
Monica waved off the request, hauling her purse over her shoulder. “It doesn’t make sense for you to lose your job, too.”
“But it isn’t fair.”
“Life rarely is, doll.” Monica rolled her eyes. “I can do better than this fucking job, and one day, you will too. I’m out.”
With that, Monica turned for the door and shoved by the security guard who waited to escort her from the building. Isaac Crane hadn’t even had the courtesy to come in and fire her himself.
Monica waved at me, flipped the security guard off, and stomped into the lobby, her shoes clacking on the tile all the way to the entrance of the hotel.
I rubbed my hands over my face and leaned against the counter. Now what? Monica had taught me to do my job, and now she was gone. She wouldn’t have someone to gossip with in the mornings or get a drink with after work.
Sure, Monica had a big mouth and sometimes said the worst possible things to customers, but still—she was a friend.
I walked around the counter, still fuming. Financial reasons? That’s why they’d fired Monica? I snorted. Like Mr. Crane, super rich, super asshole, couldn’t afford to keep her on. And they did good business at the store. They sold paintings every week, and other artwork, sculptures, all of the amazing work they carried in the store. The man who did all these pieces was a genius, and he made Mr. Crane a shitload of money, so what the hell were financial problems?
I straightened one of those paintings on the wall, leaning in close to admire the colors. It was bright—one of the brighter pieces from this artist. The back of a woman, her skin porcelain and smooth. Just the line of her hip, the curve of her buttocks, her arm resting on her side.
Something about it spoke to me. Drew me in. And this wasn’t the only piece. There were others, darker and moodier. Pieces that spoke of a shadowed past. Dark days.
Kind of like my photography. I didn’t tend toward the bright and airy. No, each one had its own story, and that story came from a rough past. It was therapy, I supposed. I had the chance to get my demons out in photographs so that I, in person, didn’t have that cloud lingering over me always.
But who didn’t have a past?
“Ms. Tanner,” a voice said.
I whipped around, slapping a hand against my chest. When I saw the security guard who had escorted Monica from the building, I narrowed my eyes. I wasn’t aware he knew my name. “Yes?”
“Mr. Crane will be sending in a replacement shortly, but he’s certain you’ll be fine finishing the day out on your own.”
“He’s certain?” I asked with a soft laugh. “He doesn’t even know me. I’ve only been working here for three months.”
“He trusts you. However, if you run into any issues, call this number.” He passed over a card.
I thought for a moment it might be Isaac Crane’s business card. A way I could get in touch with him—maybe give him a piece of my mind—but it wasn’t.
Of course, giving the head man a piece of my mind probably wasn’t the best idea considering I needed this job more than I let on. Sure, I’d quit for Monica, but damn—I really couldn’t afford to be out of work.
“Have a good day,” the security guard said.
I started to nod, then shook my head. “No, wait.”
I owed it to Monica to stand up to Crane. To let him know he couldn’t just mess with people’s lives.
The guard turned around, giving his head a nod. “Yes?”
“I do have issues. One issue, actually. And I’d like to speak to Mr. Crane about it.”
His lips curved just slightly. “I’m afraid that’s impossible.”
“He fired my boss! She didn’t de
serve it. And now I’m here alone and—”
“I’m sure Mr. Crane will be happy to find someone to fill in if you need assistance for the rest of the day.”
“No, it’s not—” I swallowed and tried to choose my words carefully. “Can you give him a message for me, then?”
The guard looked doubtful, but he inclined his head. “I can try to pass along a message.”
I drew in a breath and then released it before I lost my nerve. “Please tell him that just because we’re not billionaires like him doesn’t mean we’re not people. We have problems just like everyone else, and he should really think twice before screwing with people’s lives.”
He kept a straight face, but I swore his eyebrows crept up just slightly. “I think I’ve got the message.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, Ms. Tanner. And don’t hesitate to call that number if you need any help.”
He left before I could make a smart remark about the number. It’s not like it was going to help get Monica her job back. But at least Mr. Crane wasn’t going to leave me alone in the store for long. Not that I minded being here alone.
It was sort of peaceful, walking through the open space and thinking of my own version of art. Itching to get my fingers on a camera so I could document the world.
As long as I was behind a camera, I felt in control.
That’s what working at this job was supposed to help. To further my goal of having a career as a photographer. But so far, with little pay and a boss who seemed to fire employees on a whim, I felt more lost than ever.
Maybe I should have walked out with Monica.
And then what? I’d have to start over again. I’d have to find another place to try to fit in when all I really wanted was to finally get on with my life.
I sighed and smiled at a hotel guest who walked in. Right now, options were limited, so all I could do was plaster on a smile and do my job.
#
I watched Gia on the camera as Logan told Monica the bad news and escorted her out. And though I could have spent most of the day watching her, I was about to turn away when Logan appeared again.
She had a short exchange with him, and that was it.
Gia Tanner. What had she just said? Was she standing up for the lady he’d just fired?
That sounded about right. She always had a smile for every single guest who walked into the gallery. That kind of optimism usually put me in a sour mood. But not from her. For some reason, Gia Tanner almost made me optimistic.
I frowned and stood, turning away from my desk and the span of computers to stare out the window. I could see across the entire city and to the water. Places I used to go. Often.
Now what was really out there for me? I placed my hand over my abdomen, the scar that was barely visible now, but I knew was there. Another reminder that the real world was a horrible place.
The world had crushed my heart and my spirit. Who gave a shit if I was out there or not?
At least this way, I could wear jeans and a T-shirt to a work. Not exactly the image of the high-powered mogul people knew me as, but it was just me here.
Alone.
I walked from the room and turned down the nearest hallway. My studio was on the right, walled in with windows and allowing perfect natural light for my paintings.
I’d started three new ones, but I couldn’t seem to get past the one thing I truly wanted to paint. Gia.
A long table lined one of the windows, supplies and photographs settled across the surface. I flipped through the pictures, mostly still shots from camera feeds throughout the hotel as well as shots I’d had sent in from my favorite photographers. Coastal scenes…lighthouses, mothers and children on the streets…all I had to do was paint something. Anything.
And all I wanted to paint was Gia.
The closest I’d gotten was The Shape, the one that was now for sale in the gallery downstairs. I’d gotten hard making that one, thinking about Gia and what she’d look like naked, the curve of her hip and breast, the smooth skin on her thigh…
Someone cleared their throat from the doorway. “Sir.”
I gritted my teeth, trying to get my cock to cooperate. Not now. In fact, I shouldn’t be thinking of Gia ever. She was part of the real world. Out there.
And I’d vowed never to have anything to do with the real world again.
I turned to look at Logan. “What is it?”
“The woman has been escorted from the building. I gave the other my card.”
I nodded. I’d seen Logan on the screens, but even if I hadn’t, I trusted the man. Logan was the only one who’d truly known me before.
“What did she say?” I asked. “When you gave her the card?”
Logan’s jaw clenched. “She wanted me to give you a message. But I made it clear she could call this number if she had any issues.”
“What was the message?”
“It’s not important, sir.”
I only repeated the question. “What was the message?”
“Verbatim, sir?”
“If you remember.” Which I was sure Logan did. Logan remembered everything—which was why I had brought him on staff in the first place.
“I believe she said, ‘Just because we’re not billionaires like him doesn’t mean we’re not people. We have problems just like everyone else, and he should really think twice before screwing with people’s lives’. Or something like that.”
“Is that so?”
“She was quite insistent.”
“And feisty too it looks like,” I said, not sure whether to be insulted or amused.
“That’s accurate.”
“Anything else? Did you have any problem with the other woman?”
Logan folded his arms, muscles straining against his jacket. “No. I made it clear she’s not to return to this hotel or any other in the city or she won’t be able to get a job around here anymore. The front desk is also aware that if they see her, she’s to be removed immediately, and the situation is to be brought to our attention.”
“Good.” I grabbed another stack of photos. The last thing I needed was dishonesty and disrespect from employees in my own hotel. I dealt with the situation swiftly and firmly.
I couldn’t rid the outside world of all its injustices, but fuck if I’d let it happen in my hotel.
“Will that be all, sir?” Logan asked.
I glanced back to him. “I’d like to speak with Ms. Tanner.”
There was a long moment of silence, a silence that said more than Logan could have if he’d spoken out loud. I didn’t have meetings. Not often anyway, and definitely not with employees.
“Right now?” Logan asked.
“Tomorrow morning when she arrives at work.”
“Sir?”
I stared at him. “Tomorrow morning.”
Logan nodded, straightening. “Of course. I’ll make sure it happens.”
“That’ll be all.”
I heard Logan’s footsteps fading down the hallway. I glanced down at my outfit. I couldn’t dress like this tomorrow. Gia was the first person from the outside world I’d seen in months—maybe longer. I’d been up here so damned long, I forgot how quickly time passed on the outside.
Tomorrow, I’d show Gia just how fucked up the world really was. And then I’d see if she still thought I was messing with innocent people’s lives.
After all, was anyone really innocent?
I tossed the photos back on the table with a growl. Gia. She was the one person who seemed to believe in people, believe that there was still good in the world.
And while I wanted to show her it just wasn’t true, part of me also wanted to lose myself in it.
And in her.
CHAPTER TWO
I didn’t even wait for the cab to stop at the curb before I hopped out. Damn it. I’d overslept. After a terrible night of sleep, I’d finally dozed off at four am and didn’t realize until after I’d woken late that my alarm had broken.
> “Shit,” I hissed, hustling toward the hotel entrance as fast as I could on heels. I smiled at the bellhop as I passed but didn’t slow down.
I stopped just before running into a woman. I was about to apologize when the woman’s purse slid off her shoulder and to the ground, dumping its contents all over the floor.
“Oh, no…” The woman’s eyes went wide.
I gave her a sympathetic smile but tried to maneuver around her. Then I stopped, grumbled a few curses and turned back. I couldn’t leave the woman to clean it up on her own.
I knelt next to the woman. “Let me help.”
She gave a grateful smile as I started scooping up handfuls of junk to return to her purse. Now I was definitely going to be late.
Once the purse was filled again, I stood. “Have a good day.”
“Wait—sweetheart. What’s your name?”
“Gia. Have a—”
“Do you work here?”
I nodded, my fingers squeezing tight on the strap of my purse. “In the store. I should—”
“Please, let me thank you for this.” The woman dug into her purse again, searching for what I assumed was her wallet.
“No. Please—” I started, checking my watch.
Damn it. I should have just run past the woman. I was already a few minutes late and I couldn’t afford to get fired. Not right now. Mr. Crane was no doubt looking for an excuse to get rid of me, too.
The woman shoved a bill at me. “Thank you so much for your help.”
“Oh, no. Please. It was my pleasure.”
“Take it,” the woman insisted. “You deserve it.”
“I—” My mouth dropped open when I saw it was a hundred.
She physically wrapped my fingers around the bill and nodded, her eyes glinting with a smile. “Buy yourself something nice.”