by E. L. Todd
“Maybe.”
“Now we know why he kept calling you.” She reached her hand across my chest and rubbed me gently. Her fingers gave me a seductive touch, lighting me on fire and soothing me all at the same time.
“You’re right.”
“I think it’s cute he cares what you think.”
“I guess.” I lay back in bed and tucked my hand under my head.
“It means he respects you—treats you as an equal.” She lay beside me, propping her head up. Her hand returned to my chest, rubbing me just the way I liked.
I realized getting into bed was a bad move. She’d been cooped up in the room all day waiting for me to come home. I should take her out somewhere—do something with her. “Want to go to dinner? I’m sure there’s a lot of good places around here.”
“Nah.” She leaned down and pressed a kiss to my chest. “Let’s order in.”
“You’re sure?”
“I know you’re tired. And frankly, I’d rather have dinner naked.”
Every day she reminded me why I loved her so much. “Sounds good to me.”
She grabbed the room service menu and browsed through it with me. “I think I’m going to have the green salad.”
“Steak.”
“You always order steak,” she teased.
“Well, I’m a man. Go figure.”
She made the call before she turned back to me. “My man want a massage?”
“I should be giving you one.”
She rubbed her palm across my lower stomach, feeling every groove of muscle. “So, have you had any thoughts about our wedding?”
We hadn’t talked about it since we got engaged. I was still getting used to the fact we were fiancés. She wore that enormous rock everywhere she went, telling the world she was mine. “Not really. I want whatever you want.”
“You really have no preference?”
“I just want you to show up.” I tried not to cringe after I realized my mistake. Mentioning our breakup in any capacity was difficult for the both of us. I wasn’t thinking when I said that. “In a gorgeous white dress that accents your tits in a classy way.” Hopefully, that would save the conversation.
“Well, are we going to have a huge Preston wedding?”
“What’s a huge Preston wedding?”
“You know, the kind Skye and Trinity had. Where five hundred people attend and take up every inch of your estate.”
“I don’t know. Depends on what you want.”
“You’re the one from a famous family.”
“What does that matter?”
“This is what I’m asking,” she said directly. “Do we have to have a big wedding?”
Who said we had to do anything? “We can have whatever kind of wedding you want.”
“Because I don’t want an enormous wedding. I don’t have a big family, and my circle of friends is pretty small. I just think I would be drowned out in the sea of unknown faces. I’d rather have something intimate and personal.”
“Then that’s what we’ll have.”
She gave me the fondest look I’ve ever seen. “I don’t want to disappoint your parents. Their only son is getting married. I’m sure they’d want a big celebration.”
“Again, what does it matter what they want? All they want is for us to be happy.”
Her hand rested in the center of my stomach. “I would love to do something simple, an outdoor wedding. When Jared and I got married it was a huge party inside a hotel. I don’t want anything like that.”
Sometimes I forgot she’d already been married. She had a bridal shower, a bachelorette party, and wore a white dress and vowed to love another man until the day she died. It was hard to believe because I felt like the only man in her life. “At the beach?”
“I like the beach.”
“There are not too many private places around. But we’ll find something.”
“What if we went somewhere? Had a destination wedding?”
“What did you have in mind?”
She shrugged. “Hawaii? Only our closest friends and family would come. That way it would weed out a bunch of unnecessary guests.”
“True. Will you get married in a string bikini?”
She gave me a playful pinch. “No. I’m wearing a classy wedding dress.”
“It has to be at least a little slutty…”
She pinched me again. “You’ll find out the day of.”
“When did you want to do this?”
“I don’t know…” She chewed on the corner of her mouth. “If we do a destination wedding it takes away a lot of the planning. We don’t have to wait a year or more.”
“Like, three months from now?”
“Well, it can’t be that soon,” she argued. “Trinity can’t fly.”
“Says who?”
“She’s almost in her last trimester. Airlines won’t fly women who may go into premature labor.”
I already knew that. “We would take a private jet with a physician on board. So, that won’t be a problem.”
She gave me an incredulous look. “The life of the rich and famous…”
Now it was my turn to give her a strange look. “You’ll be having that life very soon.”
“You’re rich, not me.”
“We’re husband and wife. What’s mine is yours.”
“But not really. We’ll still have our separate bank accounts and a pre-nup.”
A fireball of rage exploded inside me. “Excuse me?”
“What?” she asked, an innocent look on her face.
“Separate bank accounts? A pre-nup?”
“Conrad, you come from a very wealthy family who’s built their fortune from the ground up. You need to protect that.”
“Not from you.”
Her eyes broke from mine. “It really doesn’t offend me that you need to do a pre-nup. And I think you should.”
“How can you say that? We’re spending the rest of our lives together.”
“I know we will,” she said with conviction. “But I don’t want anyone to ever think I’m with you for your money.”
“No one thinks that.”
“And now they never will.” She patted my hand gently. “I really think it’s the best thing for both of us.”
There was no way in hell I was doing that. “No.”
“Don’t be—”
“No.” I didn’t raise my voice but my tone was terrifying. There were certain things I didn’t budge on, and this was one of them. I wouldn’t get married unless I intended to give myself to another person—completely and utterly. There was no middle ground. It was all or nothing. “So, a wedding in Hawaii? Sounds pretty nice.”
Lexie didn’t press the argument further. “I like the idea of a laid back wedding. You know, the waves and the ocean breeze making the music for us.”
I didn’t care where we got married or how grandiose our wedding was—as long as she was the woman I was marrying. “Me too.”
“So, what should we do while we wait for dinner?” She rubbed me aggressively then trailed her hand down my stomach toward my waist. Her fingers slid under the blanket until it reached the base of my semi-hard cock.
I loved it when her fingers were wrapped around my shaft. It was the reason I took her everywhere with me—so I could get some loving late at night. Her hand was preferable to mine. And everything else of hers was preferable too.
***
I just left a meeting when I got a phone call from NYPD.
“Mr. Preston? This is Sergeant Williams.”
I stopped in the hallway and steered off to the side so people could pass me. “Is everything okay?” I immediately pictured the worst, something happening to my sister or my father. I just spoke to him yesterday and everything seemed fine. What could have gone wrong?
“There was a break in inside your apartment.”
My pulse immediately pounded in the vein of my neck. And I thought of my prized possession. “Is my dog okay?” If something hap
pened to Apollo I’d never forgive myself. Trinity let him out in the morning and after she got off work, but he was alone in the apartment the rest of the time. I never knew I could love something so much that wasn’t even human, but Apollo was my best friend. “Did anything happen to him?” I couldn’t care less about the TV’s, the money in my top drawer, or anything else.
“He’s fine, Sir. Unharmed.”
My lungs allowed me to take a breath. “Thank you.” I wasn’t sure what I was thanking him for. He didn’t do anything to protect my dog. I’m sure Apollo took care of himself. “What did they take?”
“That’s the thing…they didn’t take anything.”
Instead of being relieved I felt worse. I suddenly felt ice-cold and terrified. It was one thing to break in to steal a few items to sell on the street, but it was another matter when someone broke into your home with no obvious motive. “Are you sure?”
“The alarm went off so the security company was dispatched. When they got here the front door was kicked in.”
Kicked in? How did they manage that? “But they didn’t take anything.”
“It doesn’t look like anyone was even here.”
This was starting to get creepy. “Should I be worried?”
“I think they broke down the door because they knew you weren’t home. But when they heard the alarm they knew they only had a few minutes to gather their things and leave. So no, I don’t think you should be worried.”
“Did the cameras in the building catch anything?”
“There’s lots of people coming and going, but every person has been identified as a tenant. So, the thief could be someone who lives near you.”
That would explain how they knew I wasn’t home. Perhaps this was just an amateur theft. I thought living in an upscale place would prevent that sort of thing, but I guess I could never truly run from it. “Thank you, sergeant.”
“We replaced the door so your stuff is safe. We’ll give the new key to your sister upstairs.”
“Thank you.”
“And we’ll set the alarm.”
“Thanks again. “
“Of course.” He hung up.
I stuffed the phone into my pocket but remained in the hallway. In that moment I realized how similar I was to my father. I immediately assumed the worst, that someone was after me or my future wife. But then pragmatism set in and I realized it was just a meaningless crime, a robbery for possessions that meant nothing to me.
Everything was fine.
Chapter Fourteen
Roland
I hadn’t come face-to-face with my father since that night at the art gallery.
And that was a few weeks ago.
I couldn’t bring myself to face him, to look him in the eye and see that stark disappointment. I’d never been given the cold shoulder before, the searing pain that was so hot it was freezing. My dad was really pissed off—livid.
In all my years of life he’d always been there for me. When I called him for anything—anything at all—he answered. It didn’t matter what time of day it was, if he had a meeting, or if he was meeting the President of the United States.
I always came first.
His proximity was suffocating and infuriating. I just wanted space, to prove that I was a strong man just the way he was. But how would I prove that if I were never given the chance. Now that I’d lost that attention, that concern, I felt lost.
Like I didn’t know who I was anymore.
Guilt ate me away every single day, and no amount of Tums could chase it off. My stomach constantly tightened in acid, and I felt ill. His last words replayed in my mind like a broken record. It wasn’t just the words that stung me. It was the pain, the brutality, and the vulgar brush off that hurt the most.
And the fact I deserved it.
I sucked up the courage to call him a few days ago. When I listened to the phone ring I prayed he would answer. But I also prayed he wouldn’t. I was too ashamed to see him in person. I wasn’t sure how I could look him in the eye after our last meeting.
I was a coward.
Mom was on his side, which was even more terrifying. She always took my side and Skye’s no matter what. She loved my father, but she was the first one to tell him he was wrong. Even if I was the one at fault, she still stuck beside me like glue.
But this time she turned her back.
I knew I really screwed up.
I’d done a lot of stupid things in my life but no action ever made them ignore me like this. This passive aggressive silence was poisoning. I wish they would yell at me, tell me off. Anything was better than being kept in the dark.
Growing desperate and unsure where to turn, I called Mom.
She answered after a few rings, which was unusual for her. I suspected she was staring at her phone and seeing my name on the screen. She prepared herself for the conversation she didn’t want to have. “Hey, Roland.” She used my full name instead of my nickname, another sign of her disappointment.
“Hey, Mom.”
She fell into silence, refusing to give me any leeway.
“Are you busy?”
“Just at home.”
“Can you talk?”
She wasn’t warm and loving at all. It was so unlike her I felt like I was talking to someone else. “Yes.”
“You know why I’m calling…”
“Actually, I’m not sure.”
“This whole thing with Dad…I hate it.”
Silence.
“I’ve tried calling him but he doesn’t answer…” Saying those words out loud almost brought me to tears. Now I understood what it was like to live without my father, to know what it was like for him not to care. I actually missed his suffocating love. I actually missed his interrogations.
“He’s very upset, Roland.”
“I know.”
“And I’m upset too. Your father has sacrificed everything for both of you, including his life. I almost became a widow when he took that knife for you, Roland Sean Preston. I almost lost the love of my life. Both of us would take anything to protect you and Skye, but we’re heartbroken that you don’t appreciate it.”
“That’s not true—”
“That’s how we feel. Your father does a lot more than you realize. He’s done things that neither you or Skye will ever know about. You have the most amazing father in the world. His purpose in life is to love us and protect us. All he was trying to do was help you, Roland.”
“I know that now. But he won’t talk to me.”
“You aren’t trying hard enough.”
“I call him but he doesn’t answer.”
Her anger seethed over the phone. “You want your father’s forgiveness? Stand in front of him like a man and look him in the eye. An impersonal phone call isn’t going to do anything.”
“But does he even want to see me…?”
“If you plan to make things right, yes. But expect a long and lengthy conversation to follow.”
I’d never been so scared to be in the same room as my father. He terrified me in ways I couldn’t explain. His masculinity and prowess dwarfed mine. He was the definition of an ideal man, a powerful example of what every man should aspire to. I lack in every way imaginable, and that made me feel insignificant in light of his honor.
I was too ashamed to look him in the eye.
“Your father loves you, Roland. Always. But you hurt him. You hurt him a lot.”
I felt the hot tears form in the back of my throat.
“Good luck.”
***
I couldn’t sleep or eat. I was putting off the conversation as long as possible, avoiding it because I thought it would make me feel better. But it only made me feel worse. With every passing day the acid built up in my stomach to a toxic level. It reached every other organ in my body, making me feel sick.
“What are you waiting for?” Heath lay beside me in bed. He just got out of the shower with damp hair. He was naked under the sheets but there would be no sex
tonight. There hadn’t been any sex in a while—which was sad since we were newlyweds. I simply wasn’t in the mood to make love. And I knew Heath was too pissed off to want me.
“It’s not so easy.” My eyes were glued to the ceiling.
“Ro, just do it.”
“He’s scary, alright?”
Chapter Fifteen
Trinity
The fashion line was back in full swing and I was on top. I ran the company like I did from day one, and now I was getting back into my routine. My confidence had rose and now I walked the halls like I owned them.
That nightmare slowly faded away.
I thought about it less and less with every passing day, and whenever it did come to mind I thought about the little girl living inside me. In just a few short months she would be there.
What could be more beautiful than that?
Abe still stuck to my side like glue, and we formed a quiet companionship. He hovered out in the hall and inspected every stranger before they entered my office. Whenever unknown men came by, he made it perfectly clear he had his eyes set on him.
And they were uncomfortable in my office the entire time.
When I would grab something for lunch he would linger behind me, giving me space but keeping me under his radar at the same time. When I met Slade for lunch he sat at a nearby table and played on his phone.
He was quiet and didn’t say much, but I thought we got along well.
“Mrs. Sisco?” Abe stuck his head into my office.
“Yes?”
“I’m going to go to the bathroom really quick.” He always gave me updates when he needed to do his personal business.
“That’s fine, Abe. You don’t need to ask my permission.” Just because he was a bodyguard didn’t mean he wasn’t entitled to basic human rights. He could pee whenever he wanted and take a break like everyone else.
“I’m just letting you know.” He closed the door behind him.
I returned to flipping through the magazine until my secretary spoke over the line. “Mr. Bennet is here to see you.”
Mr. Who? “Who is that?”
“I’m not sure. He doesn’t have an appointment either.”
Was I just being paranoid? It wasn’t very often when a stranger would stop by my office. I got a lot of phone calls from people I didn’t know but not personal visits. “What is this regarding?”