Until Then : Book 1 - Until Then Series

by Victoria Ashlee

  I looked down at his hand, as he held it out for me. I felt my heart leaping when I placed mine in his. He took my hand then spun me around, taking me by the waist. He led me onto the dance floor, moving his body with mine. The next few minutes were the most magical minutes of my life so far; this place, this man and this dress. All my butterflies were gone and my nerves calmed when he took me into his arms. I could love him. I’ve never loved anyone before, but I could.

  He looked down at me, “You have captured everyone’s hearts. They’re all watching you.”

  “I’m not sure if it’s that, or they’re waiting for me to trip over my dress.”

  He smiled, “You? Never. I’d catch you.”

  I glanced around the room, he wasn’t lying. Everyone’s eyes were on us. My gaze returned to him, he was my safe place. I felt like all was right in the world, and nothing could ruin this moment.

  When the song ended, he kept his hand in mine, and led me off the dance floor. As we walked into the crowd of people, they were whispering as we passed by. I saw Keira watching me intently. I knew she wanted to know what the hell was going on.

  “I have to go find my father. I will come find you in a minute.” Stefan told me, bringing my hand to his lips, kissing the top of it.

  I walked over to where Keira was standing with Leo along with a group of people. “Hi,” I smiled.

  Keira smirked, “You’ve been a social butterfly.”

  I laughed, “I’ve had an interesting night to say the least.”

  “Oh do tell.” She pulled me away from the group.

  I gave her a rundown of meeting Olivia Greenberg, Stefan’s mom, my encounter with Jess in the bathroom, and the activities that took place in the piano room.

  “You did what?!” Keira yelled, and then laughed from her own reaction covering her mouth.

  “Shhh.” I whispered.

  She sipped her drink. “You are kinky. Didn’t know you had that in you. So, you two are ok now?”

  I looked around the room for him, “I think so. We’re getting there at least.”

  The music stopped, a man on stage started to speak. I looked over to find Stefan standing with his family. The announcer gave a long introduction of Henry. Listing off every great thing the man has ever done, almost making him look like a saint. If they only knew. I watched as Henry took the mic from the announcer.

  “We would like to thank everyone for attending our charity gala tonight. This specific year is special to our family, because starting in the New Year my son Stefan will be taking his place within our company. It’s something that my wife's father left for him, and we are pleased to follow family tradition.” Henry finished, and you could tell he was very satisfied with the show he was putting on.

  Keira leaned over to me. “Did you know about this?”

  “I just found out tonight. He told me earlier.”

  She nudged me, “During your shenanigans?”

  Someone told us to be quiet from a group near us.

  Henry handed the mic to Stefan. When he began to speak, I realized this is what he was made to do. Lead. He spoke with such charisma and passion. He was made for this, he has fought his entire life to get away from it, but this is who he is, and he doesn’t even realize it.

  “...I’ll cut my speech short, I would like to touch on why I decided to finally take this position. A wise woman told me that you can only make a difference if you are involved. This company was so important to my grandfather, he taught me when you care about something or someone, you do everything in your power to make it work and always do the right thing. That is my main goal. Thank you for coming.” He then handed the mic back to the announcer.

  I watched as his father whispered something curtly to him, and then wrapped his arm around his shoulders. His family grouped together for a few photos, a line of people had already gathered near the stairs on the stage to speak to them.

  Leo walked up next to Keira and I. “So, he’s finally going to take over the whole damn thing isn’t he?

  I looked at Leo, then back to the stage. “I think so.”

  “Well I'll be damned. I’m glad I have him in my court. You don’t mess with an Edwards.” He raised his glass and took a gulp.

  Keira leaned over, “What does that mean for the contract?”

  I instantly felt uneasy. “I don’t know.”

  Stefan broke away from the group of people now surrounding his family. He was heading in our direction. Leo intercepted him, shaking his hand, “You didn’t tell me you were going to be my competition.”

  “It was an impulse decision.” Stefan laughed, and released his hand. “I’ll be easy on you.” He shook Leo on the shoulder.

  Stefan turned to me, “You ok?”

  “Fine.” I smiled.

  “Are you ready to leave?” He asked.

  “Yes.” I answered immediately. As interesting as this night had been, I was ready to go home. “Can you leave this early?”

  He smiled, “I did my formal duties, now I can do whatever I want. The thing I want most is to take you away from this place and these people. So, that I can have you all to myself.”

  Tim was waiting outside when we exited the museum. We left our friends behind at the Gala. I was thankful for them being there for me over the past week, but I really wanted to be alone with Stefan. I had so many questions about his trip, but we finally got past the issues from last week, I couldn’t stand to have him shut me out again.

  He held the door open for me into the house, and I stepped inside. The door closed behind us, my waist was swiftly taken into his grasp, he pushed me up against the wall.

  “This is what I missed.” He traced the outline of my face.

  “What is?” I looked into his eyes.

  He noticed my increased breathing as he traced down my neck onto the surface of my rising chest. “Being able to kiss you wherever I want.” He said with a tempting smile, placing a small kiss on my lips.

  “Well Mr. Edwards I’ll be sorry to disappoint, but I’m off limits.” I gave him a cheeky smile, breaking away from his grasp. He easily released me and I rushed up the stairs.

  I walked into my room, and started to remove my heels. Stefan passed by my door, making his way up toward his room. I walked over to the mirror on my dresser, taking the clip out of my hair.

  “Sophia?” I heard Stefan call my name with more concern than I cared for.

  I walked barefooted up the stairs, still in my dress. When I enter his room, I found him standing in front of his bookshelves, holding the book that I frantically left sitting on the piano bench; the red box in clear sight on the top shelf. His eyes were fixated on it.

  “I promise I wasn’t searching for anything. I just wanted a book to read.” I blurted out from nervousness.

  I couldn’t tell if he was mad. I remembered how I felt when I found that box. I wasn’t mad, or upset. I just felt alone. She was important to him at one point. Before me. I didn’t know how to feel when I found it. He belonged to someone else, and that was a strange feeling.

  He reached up for the box and turned to face me. He looked down at it, opening up the box. He ran the ring through his fingers.

  “You were going to propose to her weren’t you?” I finally asked.

  He sighed. “At one point I wanted to.” He walked over to the bed and sat down, “A long time ago.”

  I walked over and climbed up on the bed next to him. “The ring is beautiful.”

  “Not with this ring though.” He placed the ring back in the box. “This is the ring my grandfather gave my Nan. He saved up for a year to buy this for her, back when they didn’t have much.”

  “Why do you have it?” I asked.

  “My Nan gave it to me a few years back. She told me that one day I would meet someone worth giving it to. It’s been on that top shelf ever since.” He closed the box, wrapping both his hands around it.

  “Why do you not have it in a safe somewhere?”

  He closed the
box, “I didn’t want my Mum to know that I have it.”

  “That’s very special. It doesn’t belong behind a bunch of books.” I placed my hand on top of his.

  He turned slightly to face me. “It could be yours one day.”

  When he said it, I felt like I could see years into the future. I got this warm feeling in my chest. I had never felt like this before. Marriage was something I never considered. Things don’t work out where I come from.

  He thinks about marrying me? It’s like I couldn’t even remember why I was mad at him in the first place. It all drifted away like a distant memory. All that mattered was him. Then my thoughts came back to me; the very apparent obstacles that surrounded us, keeping this future from happening. It’s never going to work.

  He placed a kiss on my forehead. “Stop over thinking.” He stood and walked over to the bookshelf, placing the box back where it came from, pushing the book back in its place.

  He walked back over and took my hand, helping me up off the bed in my long gown. He turned me around wrapping both arms around my chest, placing a kiss on my cheek. He then slowly unzipped my dress, causing it to fall to the floor.

  “You are so damn beautiful.” He rubbed the sides of my arms.

  He then walked over, and started to unbutton his shirt. I climbed onto the bed, and pulled the covers over me. I watched as he removed his shirt. He stripped down into his boxers, and made his way onto the bed next to me. He rolled onto his side to face me.

  “Two weeks was a long time.” I said.

  He adjusted his arm, leaning up. “I want you to come with me next time.”

  I sat up, “To London?”

  “Anywhere. Wherever I go, you go.” He bopped the tip of my nose with his finger.

  “Ok.” I answered immediately. I didn’t have to think about it, I wanted to be with him.

  “Really?”

  “Yes, I won’t have to steal your car if I’m with you.” I smirked.

  He laughed, pulling me into his arms. I laid my head on his chest, his heart beating steadily.

  Stefan

  My fingers ran through her hair, as she drifted off to sleep. The things I'm going to have to do to keep her. Everything is going to change soon.

  Chapter Forty

  Stefan

  Sophia and I spent most of the weekend at home. It was a miracle if one of us emerged from my bedroom. I walked into the bathroom, and I smiled at the sight I saw. Sophia was submerged under a mountain of bubbles, with that silly giant head band keeping her hair out of her face. She was lost in a book she was reading

  I knelt down next to her, “I want to take you somewhere this week.”

  She closed the book, and set it down on the ledge. “And where is that?” She smiled, leaning over the side of the tub.

  “It’s a surprise.”

  “We both know I hate surprises.”

  I took a small amount of bubbles, wiping it on her nose, “We both know I don’t listen well.”

  She splashed water toward me, causing the water to spill over the tub. I moved out of the way just in time. “You’re cleaning that up.” I laughed.

  “I thought I would just leave it there,” She smirked. She pushed the water around some more, before standing.

  I took in her naked, wet body. She knew I was loving the sight in front of me. How did I get this lucky?

  She folded her arms, covering herself. “Can you hand me that towel?” She pleaded, rolling her eyes. There she was, my shy girl.

  “Fine.” I smiled, handing her the towel.

  She wrapped the towel around her, and stepped out of the tub. “Keira and Leo are going skiing this week. Did they tell you?”

  I leaned against the sink while she brushed out her hair. “Leo told me. Something special is happening on that trip.”

  She froze, and set the brush down. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?” Her eyes were so serious.

  “I don’t know. You’re scaring me.” I laughed, and stepped away.

  She gripped the top of her towel, “They’re getting engaged aren’t they?”

  “Yes,” I finally admitted. “Obviously, don’t mention anything.”

  “I’m so excited!” She squealed.

  “Baby, shhh.” I pulled her closer to me.

  “Oh right, it’s still a secret.” She pretended to zip her mouth shut.

  I placed both of my hands on her hips, “You know what that means? The whole house to ourselves. No interruptions.”

  “Hmm I like where this is going.” She gave me a seductive smile.

  Monday morning Sophia left for work before I returned from my run. She told me that she had a work meeting first thing that she couldn’t be late for. I was meeting my father at 9 for a Skype conference call with a potential new investment, so it was probably good she left already, or I would have stayed home with her all day.

  When I arrived at my parent’s penthouse, the girl at the desk was new. They never keep the same employee for more than a month. They always find something wrong with them. I walked into the living room; my Mum was doing her morning workout with Antonio, her creep of a yoga instructor.

  “Good Morning Dear. Your father is in the study.” My mum said from an awkward yoga position. I cringed from the site, and kept walking.

  I found my father drinking his morning coffee, going over paperwork. I made my way over to him, and pulled out a chair.

  He removed his reading glasses when he saw me. “You’re early.”

  “I’m always early.” I picked up one of the documents he was reviewing.

  My Mum entered the room, “Stefan I wanted to talk to you.”

  “Yes?”

  She patted her face with a towel. “That show you put on at the Gala can’t happen again.”

  “What are you talking about?” I set the paper down, leaning back in the chair.

  “With Sophia, you can’t do that in public. You paraded her around the entire Gala.” She rested the towel over her shoulder. “What are we supposed to tell people about that girl when they ask?”

  “There was no show.” I answered dryly. “As for what to say, maybe you could introduce her instead of threatening her.”

  Her grip on the end of the towel became tighter. “You embarrassed us.” She snapped. “She was walking around the entire museum like she belonged there.”

  “How? Because I didn’t cater to Jessica all night? Or that your plan of us getting engaged didn’t end up happening at your beloved Gala? God forbid your precious plans don’t go accordingly. Jess doesn’t mean anything to me anymore, why can’t you get that? And for the record, Sophia did belong there.”

  “Stefan, this is not how you act in this family!” She started to yell. “That girl is not welcome.”

  “You’re threatened by her, aren’t you? You can’t stand that people are actually interested in her.”

  “Nonsense. That child does not threaten me.” She squinted her eyes.

  I stared her down, “Could have fooled me.”

  “Evelyn, this is not the time.” My father snapped, banging his fist on the table, causing her to jump.

  She stared him down, whipping her towel off her shoulder. I could see the argument building in her, but she turned and walked out of the room.

  The meeting didn’t last long; it was more of an introduction than anything. My father and I were going over different meetings in the near future. As much as I hated dealing with my father, he’s a smart man. He knew how to run a business. One thing though, he was far from honest. He’s as shady as they come.

  “Your mother is going through some things.” My father changed the subject.

  I leaned forward on my elbows. “Why do you say that?”

  He straightened the papers in front of us. “She has been on edge recently.”

  “Do you know why?” I asked.

  He leaned back in his chair; I had never seen him feel uncertain until right now. I watched as he folded his hands across his k
nee. “I haven’t quite figured it out yet.”

  We both looked over toward the door, as Thomas entered the room.

  “So, you’re having meetings without me now?” He growled.

  I laughed under my breath, shaking my head, “Nice to see you, Thomas.”

  He looked at me then back to our father. “Your golden child returns, and you just push me to the side? That’s how this is going to go. The better business deal, ay?”

  “That is not what this is.” Our father replied calmly, looking back down at the papers in front of us.

  I’m trying my best to play this role, but Thomas damn sure makes it hard. He doesn’t realize that if he wasn’t such a prick, this would be a lot better for him. He never thinks anything through. He always acts and worries about the downfall later. He picked that trait up from our father.

  “I’m going to leave.” I said as I stood.

  Thomas laughed, “Where to? Your precious Sophia is at work.”

  “Watch what you say.” I stepped toward him, looking him in the eyes. I pushed past him toward the door.

  “She was looking mighty fine the other night.” He smirked.

  My jaw clenched, and I took a deep breath. “You better tread lightly, one day the company will be solely mine. Firing you will be my first decision.”

  He looked at me in disbelief. He thinks he’s invincible, but he will learn that everyone can be brought down. Including our family.

  When I exited the room, I heard my father’s condescending tone toward Thomas. My Mum looked up at me from blending a smoothie in the kitchen. I walked through the living room without another word to her. The more Thomas mentioned Sophia, the closer I wanted her to be. I don’t want him anywhere near her.

  That afternoon I had Tim take me to Sophia’s work. When I exited the lift, I walked up to the front desk, and asked for Sophia’s office. The blonde girl pointed down the hall. I thanked her and continued toward her office.

  “She’s not in there.” Cam stopped me, as I walked past his office.

  He threw a stress ball back and forth between his hands. “She’s been busy with Ms. Franklin all day.”

  “Stefan?” I heard her voice, and turned to look down the hall.