My lower lip quivered. We spent the last few evenings by the fountain, sharing stories and joking about. I was losing another friend. A close friend. “Don’t.” I choked. “Don’t go.”
Vincent took my hands in his. I didn’t pull away or protest. He reached out with the other and wiped a tear off my cheek. “I was always told to make decisions with my head, and never to follow my heart if I really wanted something, and I’ve always done that.” He caressed my hand with his fingers. “This time, Kiara, I’m having a really hard time not following my heart.”
“What does your heart say?” I asked.
“To stay here with you,” he admitted.
“So stay,” I whispered.
Vincent shook his head. He was hurting, I could see. “I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“If I told you, would you leave Jasper and come with me?”
I remained silent, taken aback by that question. “I can’t, Vincent. Jasper’s done too much for me. I…I love him.”
“You can’t betray his trust?”
I nodded. He went on. “I understand. My situation is somewhat similar to yours. I owe Jasper a great deal for things that he’s done for me as a brother. He’s a bit eccentric, but I feel like he may be changing for you.”
I was flabbergasted by his revelation. Could it really be true?
“Changing? How so?”
“Well, he was easily bored with dating a woman within a weeks’ time, but you have managed to become important to him. Important enough that he let you stay in this house. It seems like his world revolves around you, for which I’m quite happy and also sad.”
Why are you sad?”
“Because it means I can’t have you, Kiara,” he said simply, brushing my hair away from my face. “I have a dream of building my own hospital one day.”
I smiled at him despite my heart breaking. “That’s wonderful.”
“I want to help the people, and in order for me to do so, I have to make some sacrifices, and that’s the path I’m leading right now.”
I didn’t understand what he meant, but I nodded. I could feel my heart shattering into a million pieces. Unable to hold in, I sniffled. “Stay here, Vince.” I was so pathetic now that I’d resorted to begging. “You’re my best friend. I’ll be lonely.”
Vincent’s expression mirrored my own, but he wasn’t crying. It seemed like he was breaking inside. “I’m sorry,” he murmured, and then he leaned in and pressed his lips mine in a chaste kiss, like a peck. “When I come back, you’ll see a new man. You’ll see a man that holds more authority. I won’t ask you to wait for me; neither will I make any promises, but I want you to know that I’ll be there for you if you need me.”
He passed me a small note. “Here’s my new number. Don’t hesitate to call me should the need arise.”
I placed his number in my pocket. “I will.”
“When I leave this evening, I want to see a smile on your face. Okay?”
I nodded, and he continued. “No matter what happens, I’ll always be here for you.”
That evening, I stayed in the balcony of my room and looked down into the courtyard. Vincent was standing by his car, talking to a servant. I couldn’t go down to say goodbye for one last time. It was too painful, so I decided to watch from a distance. As if sensing my gaze on him, Vincent glanced up and waved at me before he climbed inside the car.
I stood there until I saw the car drive away through the imposing metal gates of the mansion. I flung into bed with my face buried in the cushion and cried.
Chapter Fourteen
About an hour before midnight, I sneaked into the kitchen downstairs to make myself a little snack. Having lived an underprivileged life the entire twenty-three years of my life, it made me value things much more now that I was living in this mansion, especially food. Every time I took a bite of the morsel, I remembered my Mom. When I wasn’t reading a book or doing something else, I often wondered how my mother was coping with the loss of my father and if she held me accountable for his death. Even though Dad didn’t act like a normal father most of the time, it didn’t change the fact that he was still my father.
I opened the stainless-steel double door refrigerator and rummaged through it to look for contents to make a quick snack. “Are you hungry, dear?”
I almost jumped out of my skin. Margret smiled in understanding. “Sorry to scare you, Miss Kiara. I saw you walk into the kitchen and thought I should offer to assist you in anything that you may need.”
“Well, I was a bit hungry and couldn’t really sleep. I can manage. I really don’t want to trouble you.”
“Darling, it’s my job.” She walked towards the open refrigerator and pulled out some contents.
I settled down in a high chair pulled up against the island bar where she diced a tomato and an onion. She offered to pour me wine, and since wine was my weakness, it was hard to refuse. The mini bar was stocked with bottles of wine. Margret told me that they were vintage and export quality, some of the finest. I told Margret that I didn’t want to waste any expensive wine, but she insisted that I try, so I did. When she told me the price, I stifled a coughed.
The sandwich she prepared was delicious. I didn’t fail to rain her with compliments. We were talking about everything and nothing in particular when I decided to ask her something.
“How long have you been working for the Lockharts?” I asked her, taking the last sip of the red wine.
“A really long time,” she said.
I nodded, deciding that it was a vague answer. “I was just curious about what happened to Jasper’s mother. I’m sure you’re aware of how hard it is to get him to talk. Sometimes he’s in a great mood, but other times, I feel like I don’t even know the person. I want to get to know him better but I understand that as a hardworking man, he has a lot of responsibilities.” I continued. “He never spoke of his mother…”
Margret shrugged. “Yes, darling. Jasper has had a difficult childhood, but it’s not really my place to say anything if he hasn’t spoken to you about the matter; the same goes for his mother. I’m sure you understand, Miss Kiara.”
“I understand.” I smiled, despite the fact that I was disappointed to not have the little information that I was looking for. I’d asked Vincent and he hadn’t been quite helpful either.
“Margret, can I ask you for a favor?”
This was my only chance.
“What is it, darling?”
“Do you have a phone?” I asked her, and then continued with my request. “I would like to call my mother. It would only take a minute. I promise.”
Margret appeared tense, but nodded and handed me her cell phone. I quickly dialed my mother’s number. It rang a few times, and I prayed it wouldn’t hit the voicemail. Luckily, she picked up at the third ring.
“Mom?”
“Kiara, is that you?” I heard my mother’s shrill voice on the other end.
I almost cried from hearing her voice for the first time in two weeks. “Mom, I missed you.”
She told me she was doing okay, and that I shouldn’t worry about her. When she asked me where I was living for the last week, I explained that I was staying with a friend, and that I would return once I figured out what to do. She explained that the police had questioned her and that she managed to keep my name clear from the entire debacle. I was relieved to hear that. I promised her that I’d call her soon. I had a broad smile on my face by the end of the call. I felt truly content with the information that she was alright.
“Thanks for letting me call her, Margret,” I said sincerely, giving her hand a little squeeze.
She patted me. “You’re welcome, Miss. Kiara.”
“Please don’t tell Jasper about it.”
“I wouldn’t tell Jasper. Please, don’t worry,” she assured me.
“What can’t you tell me, Kiara?”
The both of us looked at each other and froze. From Margret’s expression, it was pretty clear who had sile
ntly walked in on our conversation. I spun around to find Jasper leaning against the door frame. Was he standing here long enough to hear the entire conversation?
“It’s nothing. I was just asking her for some advice.”
Jasper’s hair was tousled, but it ended up looking stylish. There was slight stubble against his jawline which gave him a mature look. His midnight blue eyes stared at me intently. Even in the dark, I could feel the intensity burning from them. His chest was completely bare; soft brown curls sprinkled over it. He appeared to be only wearing sweatpants below. I’d never taken notice of him shirtless before. His shoulders were broad, biceps were defined, and he had a nice set of abs with a V cut stomach. I could have been drooling.
“What advice?” he asked, his eyes darting from Margret to me.
“She just asked me what you normally preferred during lunch, and if she could try something from her recipe in the kitchen tomorrow. She wanted my advice regarding that. It was supposed to be a surprise.” Margret explained and then smiled at me.
Nice save Margret!
Jasper looked at me as if to question if that was true. “Yes, that was it.” I agreed.
His face broke into the usual smile totally Disney Prince-worthy. “I’ll pretend I didn’t hear any of it.”
“Thanks for your advice, Margret.”
She winked at me. “Anytime, honey.”
Jasper led me back upstairs silently, and all the while I kept thinking what would have happened if he’d heard about the call? Would he be upset?
“Kiara, why don’t you change into some other clothes? Let’s go for a long drive,” Jasper suggested, taking hold of my hand.
“A long drive? At this hour?”
“Yeah. It would be fun. I usually go for drives when I have to cool my head. You haven’t been out of the mansion for over a week, so I think you’d like the change.”
“Okay, that sounds good,” I agreed, and stormed into my room to change out of the night suit. I threw on a casual t-shirt over denim and my favorite Trussardi sneakers. These days, I’d been living luxury, wearing expensive Italian clothing and practically living a dream life. Sometimes when I woke up in the morning, I wondered if it was just a dream.
But this was a reality.
When I met him in the parking lot, he was already waiting for me inside a flashy red Lamborghini.
That’s right. A freakin’ Lamborghini.
I’d never even seen one in real life before, let alone sat in it. I stared at the car in awe. Similarly, I’d never been a car junkie, but one has to be blind as a bat not to appreciate this car. I slid into the passenger side of the car. The windows weren’t tinted like some of his other cars.
He regarded me for a minute and then smiled, probably because my jaw was already on the floor. He chuckled. “Do you like it?”
I touched the plush leather seats and the fancy dashboard, “What’s not to like? I mean it’s a Lamborghini! I bet it cost you a fortune.”
“Can’t say I didn’t when I had to spend five hundred thousand dollars for it. It’s a Lamborghini Aventador Superveloce.” The excitement in his eyes was that of a child bragging about their most expensive toy. “It has a seven-fifty screaming horsepower. Can you imagine? It’s one of the best fucking cars.” He then continued to talk about some more car-related things that I didn’t quite understand, but I just nodded my head because he was completely consumed by his obsession with it. “My friends get orgasms just looking at this car, and they keep begging me to let them drive it even once, but I’d kill myself before I let any of those bastards have a lick at it. I never let Vince touch it either. You’re the first one, Kiara. You’re the only person I allowed to sit in this car.”
I laughed. “Thank you for the honor, Mr. Lockhart. I feel lucky.”
“All my life, I’ve been underestimated. My father, Vincent and everyone else in my life. It doesn’t matter now. If you want something really bad, you just take it.”
Something about the way he said it with such confidence made me anxious.
He continued to stare at me for a minute, his expression not betraying any emotion. “Have you experienced the feeling that gives you a heart-pounding adrenaline rush?”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s this really incredible feeling where you know that you can either live or die through it, but you are the one making those choices. You make one wrong move and it ends for you. Like a gamble of life.” His eyes were burning with exhilaration.
I would be joking if I wasn’t a bit curious, as well as scared. The look on his handsome face was anything but normal.
Before I could answer, he said. “Let me show it to you, Kiara.”
I fastened the seat belt as he lifted up a latch. There was no gearbox. Instead, it was lined up with a lot of buttons, and truthfully, it looked quite confusing. I mean, he could tell me this car had wings and it could fly, and I’d believe him. Jasper appeared to be confident, so I trusted him to do the right thing in driving the beast. After lifting the latch, he pressed some buttons and pressed on the gas. The engine roared to life.
It wasn’t a sound like any other. The car sounded like a hungry lion let loose in his kingdom. Like the king of the jungle.
Jasper drove through the imposing gates of the Lockhart mansion and smoothly pulled it on the road. Once we were on the main road, he practically tore through the lane. The sound reverberated through the car, making my heart race faster. It was truly an experience; like I was riding the fastest rollercoaster in an amusement park. He drove pretty fast on the highway, I had to hold onto the handlebar just to be on the safer side.
“Isn’t it just awesome?!” he exclaimed as he hit the gas harder.
“It is,” I agreed.
We were screaming, laughing and just having a good time. The car was fun. There was no doubt about it. An hour later of driving on the highway, he took a road interchange that led us back to the mansion. It was a semi-busy street with people blatantly staring at the car; some were even taking pictures and waving at us. When we stopped at a traffic signal, another sports car in the next lane rolled down its windows and a middle-aged man complimented, “Cool ride.” He was accompanied by another friend in the passenger seat.
Jasper smiled and waved back. “Thanks.”
The car seemed sporty too, and it was making a rumbling sound similar to the Lamborghini. The man’s mouth curled up in a sneer. And something about the whole situation was ringing sirens in my ears. He said, “Mine isn’t a Lambo, but I’m sure it can still beat your car any day.”
Jasper laughed in a teasing, playful way, one would even think it was downright evil. “Wanna bet?”
I placed my hand over Jasper’s. “We can’t race here. It’s a residential area.” I reminded him.
I could already see the blazing hunger for racing in Jasper’s eyes. As if he didn’t hear me, Jasper responded, “Alright.”
“We will race up to Willow’s Mart, and that’s about a few kilometers away.” The man suggested. “The first man to reach there wins the race. If I win, your car is mine, but if you win, well, I’ll give you whatever you want.”
Jasper grinned, putting on his dashing smile in order and said, “Well, I don’t really think you can give me what I want, but I’m not someone who backs out of a challenge.”
He was taking the man for granted; like he’d suggested a duel in a gameplay and not a real road racing.
When the signal flashed green, the engines roared, and the cars sped forward like in a Formula One racing track. “He’s fucking delusional if he thinks he can beat me!” Jasper said calmly. His palms clenched at the wheel tightly. The Lamborghini raced forward like a Cheetah hunting its prey, and if I was enjoying the ride a few minutes ago, I was terrified now.
Jasper pushed a button and pressed on the gas hard, and he was literally speeding on a sixty-limit road.
“Jasper, slow down,” I urged him.
The car zoomed forward, cutting through t
he streets like lightning. When there was a stop sign, Jasper drove off in the red signal, and I stared at him incredulously. “You can’t cut through the traffic signal!”
“Do not tell me what to do,” he snapped at me.
I sat back in the car feeling scared for my life.
The car weaved through the traffic almost too crazily in a zigzag. I felt like we were going to collide against an ongoing truck but he spun the wheel so hard, I screamed. The other sports car that Jasper was competing against was lagging behind but seemed like it would catch up in a moment. The two were battling side by side when Jasper pushed another button and the car rocketed. Tears sprang in the corner of my eyes.
“Jasper, please slow down!”
You make one wrong move and its ends for you. Like a gamble of life.
I understood the meaning of those words now. Jasper did this all the time, and he enjoyed the thrill of it as if it were a game.
A game of death.
He was recklessly driving now; taking fast turns, not stopping at red lights and dodging cars. I’d even thought I heard a police car start up a siren, but Jasper hadn’t bothered to stop. It was like he was possessed by a mad-man, and he was enjoying it. He was enjoying jeopardizing the lives of the other drivers on the road, as well as ours.
I didn’t know how many times I repeated the words ‘Please stop the car’, but it was of no use. I closed my eyes tight and knew I’d die any second when the car came to a screeching halt. I opened my eyes, and noticed that we were parked outside Willow’s Mart.
There was no sign of the other racing car. Jasper looked bored, but there was a triumphant smile on his face. “They were supposed to be here by now. Guess, I’ll declare myself the winner.”
“You knew they couldn’t beat you, and yet you still decided to take the bait. For what purpose? You almost got us killed!” I shrieked at him.
“Almost. But we are not dead.” He said it like it proved anything. “Wasn’t it fun?” he asked, daring me to say otherwise. “Doesn’t the fact that one wrong turn could get us killed in a car crash any second of any minute through the ride, thrill you?”
Psycho Billionaire: A Dark Romance Page 9
