“Hello, Ms. Ray,” he offers in greeting.
Even though my mood is a little sour, I cannot help but return his smile. He has a very infectious smile.
“Hello, Sean.”
He reaches for a huge bouquet of pink and white lilies mixed with soft pink roses. They are stunning, and my mood immediately improves. The rich aroma flirts with my nostrils as I lean in and inhale deeply. My index finger caresses the silky texture of a rose as I reach for the attached card. I smile when I see Mika’s courtly penmanship.
Raeva,
I hope you had a good day at work.
If not, I plan to make sure that your night will be amazing.
Sean is picking you up and will take you to the penthouse,
When you get here, immediately go into our bedroom, take a shower, and then put on the clothes I left out for you on the bed. There will be another set of instructions waiting for you.
X Mika.
I close my eyes and hold the card against my chest. I only notice that I am biting my lip when I feel the slight sting. When my eyes flutter open, I see the amusement written all over Sean’s face. I know it is no use to try and cover-up, so I just grin back at him.
“Ready to go then, Ms. Ray?”
I nod and follow Sean to the back entrance. My mood only slightly dampens at the thought of the hordes of photographers out front. The paparazzi have been relentless lately, and although I should be used to it by now, I am not. I still feel terribly uncomfortable having my picture taken. I can’t even bare to take a selfie with Jillybean. After the Jasper thing…I am traumatized. It has really been getting to me, and while the unwanted attention was finally starting to die down, the media attention has been worse than ever since Jasper’s—or Sam’s or whatever the heck his name was—body was found. It’s been a week since all of this has gone down, and I have barely been able to get to work. I haven’t been able to go home either, and neither has Jill. The number of photographers camped out on our street is ridiculous, making it practically impossible to get anywhere, and I know that our neighbors are not happy about this. Jillybean has begrudgingly been staying at the penthouse with Mika and me. She still has not completely forgiven Mika, and I know that she is only looking out for my well-being. Even so, Jill is smart enough to realize that Mika’s place—with all the extra security—is the safest place for all of us. Besides, it is like a huge slumber party every night with Mikaela living next door, but she’s pretty much always at Mika’s. The Kingsley siblings have the top two floors of the coveted Markham building converted into two enormous, two-story penthouse apartments, and just one of those apartments is spacious enough that you would not run into anyone if you wanted to avoid them. When we reach the back door, I swallow hard. Dread fills my belly, and my mood plummets. I also hate using the back entrance because it reminds me of being shoved into that van, but the paparazzi can’t get back here since it’s gated. Thanks to Mika, those gates are now solid, and they’re the only to get way out. Still, there are several members of the security team that’s also increased canvassing the area. The sound of Sean’s voice shakes me out of my moody thoughts. Sean brings a hand to his ear.
“Copy that,” he mutters.
He turns around and faces me.
“We are clear to go,” he says, flashing me a reassuring smile. “Let’s get out of here.”
We take big strides to the car, and Sean opens the door for me to slide into the back seat.
“Thank you, Sean,” I say as I buckle myself in.
Our eyes meet, and I know that he knows I don’t just mean thank you for opening the door. Sean has been such a rock for me, and knowing that Mika has sent his right-hand man to come and get me makes me feel special. Sean nods at me and takes his place in the driver’s seat. When he pulls out of the gate and rounds the corner, I take a deep breath and clutch my beautiful flowers to my chest. They really are very lovely and smell incredible. And just like that, I bring my focus back to wondering what Mika has in store for me tonight.
By the time we pull into the parking garage that is located below ground in the impressive Markham building, I am giddy with excitement. I get out of the car when Sean opens the door for me and am greeted by girlish giggles. I recognize the voices immediately. I look up to see Jill and Mikaela walking toward us. They look amazing. The pair of them look like they just walked off the cover of a magazine. Jill is wearing a black romper with shimmery sequins and short kimono sleeves. The crossover v-neckline gives her just the right amount of cleavage. She has a black suede choker around her neck that is offset by a pear-shaped diamond that sparkles brightly as the light catches it. Her long hair, which is blonde this week, is curled and flows around her shoulders, framing her perfectly made-up face. The black strappy stilettos she paired the outfit with complete the whole thing.
“Hey there, baby girl,” Jill greets me brightly.
She closes the distance between us and hugs me. I have not seen her smile this big in a while, and it warms me to see it. I hug her back.
“Hey Jillybean.” I beam.
Mikaela is a vision, as always. She looks incredible in a pair of very flattering and figure-hugging brown leather pants that she paired with a delicate, metallic gold v-neck top. Her eyeshadow matches the color of the top exactly, and it makes her eyes pop. Her mile-high stilettos look like they have been covered in gold glitter. Her hair is slicked back and completely straight. She looks stunning.
“Hey sis!” Mikaela calls out.
I feel the flushing of my cheeks, and judging from the burning feeling, my ears are red. Suddenly the very cool parking garage feels incredibly hot. I open my mouth to respond, but I don’t even recognize the sound that escapes from my mouth. In a pathetic attempt to cover the sound up I swallow hard, which causes me to start coughing. “You are going to give her a conniption, Mik,” she snickers.
Mikaela puts her arm around my shoulder and pulls me toward her.
“Hey, I am just calling it as I see it. And you should know, I’m pretty much never wrong.”
It’s funny how much she reminds me of her brother right now. I playfully roll my eyes at her, and the smirk that grows on my face when our eyes meet is genuine and full of love for Mika’s twin sister.
“Where are you guys off to?”
Mikaela wrinkles her nose.
“We have been banished for the evening by my oaf of a brother. Seriously, what you see in the brat is beyond me,” she says with a wink. “Anyway, we decided that we are going to have a few drinks at South Liberty. We have decided that we are sick and tired of being cooped up in this place.”
“Oh? That sounds like fun!”
South Liberty is one of the most popular bars around, and part of me really wants to tag along because I know it’ll be a great time.
“And Mika is okay with you going there?” I ask.
She shrugs.
“Mika has made us promise to stay with security and not to try and ditch them. And having Sean with us was also one of the stipulations…”
She turns to look at Sean, puppy dog eyes at the ready.
“Pretty please?”
“Come on, Sean. Why wouldn’t you want to accompany two beautiful women on a night out? It’ll be good for your street cred,” Jill chimes in. “I promise I’ll tell the ladies that you are incredible in the sack,” she adds with a wink before she bursts out laughing. We all join in.
“Well, when you put it like that, I would be a fool not to accept,” he chuckles. “Give me a few minutes to escort Ms. Ray up and get changed out of this getup. We can leave in twenty minutes. Is that agreeable?”
Mikaela beams triumphantly.
“Perfect. Jill and I will wait down here with Clark and Sander and have some champagne in the Lincoln.”
I am starting to feel a little left out until I remember that I have a very delicious man waiting for me upstairs.
“Okay girls, you go and have a good time, and have a drink for me.”
Ji
ll inches toward me.
“Believe me, Rae. You will not miss us tonight,” Jill whispers.
Apparently, Jill is in the know of at least some of what Mika has in store for me. I wonder idly if she helped him prepare. If so, does that mean she’s ready to forgive him? Before I can ask, she answers me.
“He cares about you. I can see that, so I am trying. Okay?”
I feel warmth spread in my chest and smile. I lean in and kiss her cheek.
“Thank you, Jillybean. I flove you.”
She rests her forehead on mine.
“More than Oreos,” she replies. “Now go, before you ruin my makeup.”
Smiling, I roll my eyes and start making my way to the elevator, closely followed by Sean. When I press the button to call for it, the doors immediately open, and we step in.
I turn, and as the doors close I wave at my two friends.
When I step off the elevator, I walk straight to the bedroom and take my scrubs off. Leaving a trail of clothing in my wake, I make my way to the bathroom. This whole apartment is spectacular; it has an incredible kitchen, gorgeous living room, a library, a top of the line gym, multiple guest rooms, a wine cellar and Mika’s office. But my favorite place by far is right here in the master bathroom. The rain shower that is large enough to comfortably hold half a dozen people is my little slice of heaven. I turn the handle to turn on the water, and I step in. The water is still a little cool, causing little goosebumps to appear on my skin. A small shiver runs down my spine, and I slightly tense up. I’m grateful it heats up fast, and as I allow the water to pour on my back, I feel my muscles unclenching. After allowing myself a moment to let the hot streams engulf me, I lather up and rinse myself off. I tell myself that I am washing all of the negativity off, at least for the night. When I step out of the shower, I feel renewed and my good mood returns. I walk over to the bed, where the first thing I notice is a single red rose on top of a sheet of paper that is folded over. I pick up the rose and bring it to my nose. It smells amazing. I unfold the sheet and read.
Raeva,
Follow the path of rose petals.
X
P.S. The panties are optional…
I chuckle. That man has a one-track mind, I think to myself as I shake my head. I lift the black and magenta lacy corset and matching panties off the bed. They are exquisite and feel soft and luxurious. I hastily put them on. Next, I slip into the stockings that are draped next to them. As I pull them up my leg, I realize how sexy this is making me feel. Not just the incredibly beautiful—and probably outrageously expensive—undergarments, but also the fact that I am knowingly putting these on to please and hopefully seduce Mika. I step into the black strapless dress that somehow fits perfectly. If I hadn’t already suspected it, this would be the moment I would know that Mikaela has had a hand in this. I slide my feet into the beautiful, shiny black pumps. I walk into the walk-in closet and assess myself in the full-length mirror. I apply some blush, eyeliner, and a little pink gloss, and spray a dash of my favorite perfume on my wrist before I rub my wrists together. One last look and I go in search of the path of roses. When I step outside of the bedroom, I gasp. I am greeted by an ocean of lights, and I am blown away. While I was getting ready, Mika lit candles scattered all over the place. He must have done this while I was in the shower because there were no lit candles or a trail of roses. I follow the path of rose petals that begins just outside of the bedroom, go past the library, and through the skylit center hall that leads to a stairwell. I’ve been here a lot of times, and I’ve seen most of the penthouse, but I have not been up here yet. Mika has told me there is a rooftop terrace up there. I get to the top of the stairs, and my hand trembles slightly as I reach to clasp it around the doorknob. I take a deep breath as I try to calm the accelerated beating inside of my chest cavity. Why am I nervous? I open the door and hear the sultry voice of Sade greeting me. I step out onto the terrace, and I’m blown away once again. If Mika Kingsley knows how to do one thing, it’s knock me off my feet. There are more candles scattered everywhere. I look around, and there are high glass walls that surround the entire roof. If I’d have to guess, they are about five or six feet tall. It’s just before sunset, and the view is amazing. You can see the entire city, which seems to be washed in hazy gold. There is a large pool at the far end of the roof, and the lights are shimmering and dancing on the serene-looking water. It’s so beautiful, and I find myself thinking that it almost looks as if I stepped onto a movie screen. The glass walls seem to be tinted, and for some reason, that makes me feel safe. There are large plants everywhere with beautiful pink flowers that are in full bloom. I inhale deeply, and when the scent caresses my nostrils, I smile. I close my eyes for a moment, enjoying the soft breeze that whispers against my bare skin. It feels incredible out here tonight. It’s warm, but not too warm, the breeze the perfect complement. I walk further onto the terrace, and in the opposite corner from the pool is a dining table. It’s placed in a covered area, almost like a built-in cabana. I look down and the rose petals lead to where the dining area is set up, so I make my way over there. When I get closer, I see him nonchalantly leaning against the wall, looking incredibly edible in one of his three-piece suits. In fact, it’s my very favorite one. It fits him so perfectly that it looks poured on. My tongue darts out, and I lick my lips. My mouth feels bone dry, but I am not thirsty for a beverage. I’m thirsty for him.
“You’ve been keeping me waiting, Sweet Pea.”
Mika pushes off the wall and prowls toward me slowly, his eyes burning into mine.
“But damn me to hell if you weren’t worth the fucking wait,” he growls as he closes the distance between us with big strides.
His large hands cup my face as he crushes his hungry mouth on mine. Our tongues collide almost frantically, as if neither of us will be able to take our next breath without being fused together like this. We are lost in each other when my treacherous stomach starts protesting. I feel Mika smile against my mouth.
“I’m a selfish asshole. Of course you are hungry,” he says, holding out his hand for me. “Let’s eat. You’ll need the fuel,” he adds with a wink.
I’m not gonna lie, I feel a little bereft here, but the rational side of me knows that I am starving and should eat. And so, as Jillybean likes to say, I make like Elsa and let it go. Mika leads me to the table and pulls out my chair. I sink into it, and he assists me in scooting forward before taking the seat across from me. On the table in front of me are several plates covered with cloches that are exquisite; I think they are silver, and they have gorgeous flowers carved onto them, which then reminds me of the flowers he had sent with Sean earlier this evening. I smile at him.
“Thank you for the beautiful flowers. They are gorgeous.”
He returns my smile but doesn’t respond.
“And thank you for all of this, of course,” I say as I make a circular motion, indicating our surroundings. “This looks amazing. It’s so beautiful up here.”
“It’s very beautiful up here, and I am ashamed to say that I never have taken the time to notice it before you came along.”
Why does this man know exactly what to say to make me melt into a pathetic puddle of goo?
I smile so big that I think I might split my face. He pours us some champagne and makes a toast to us. Mika takes the cloche from atop my plate, and when the aroma hits me, my mouth starts to water. On the plate in front of me I see crab-stuffed lobster tail, potato puffs, and asparagus. It looks and smells heavenly, but when I take my first bite, that statement seems like an insult. I have never had lobster this tender before. I am not sure what they used as seasoning, but this meal is downright paradisiacal. Luckily, I manage to refrain from licking the plate clean, but the thought crossed my mind…more than once. Mika chuckles as he removes the plate and replaces it with a smaller plate covered with an equally beautiful gold cloche. When he lifts it up I squeal, much to the amusement of Mika. He has presented me with my favorite dessert—crème brulee. He knows th
at the way to my heart is definitely my stomach.
“I love how much you love to eat, Sweet Pea,” he chuckles.
I’m not sure how to respond to that. He sees the look on my face, and he shakes his head.
“That’s a good thing, baby. After the first time I saw you put away all that food, I just knew I was a goner,” he says, smirking.
“Well good, because I am dying to devour this dessert,” I say, laughing.
I pick up my spoon and make short work of eating my dessert. This time a moan escapes my lips when I take my first bite, earning a raised eyebrow from my handsome companion.
“Now that is hot as fuck,” he mutters.
I’m too enthralled with my dessert to come up with a witty response, so I just smirk and shrug my shoulders. When I place the spoon on my plate, I look up and our eyes meet.
“Thank you for this amazing dinner, Mika.”
“You could thank me by dancing with me,” he says as he stands. “I love this song.”
I take his hand, and he leads me to an open area and swings me into his arms. He’s leading, and I follow him so naturally, I don’t even think about it. We gaze into each other’s eyes, and I am ready to drown in those clear blue irises of his. He breaks eye contact to lean in and brushes my lips with his ever so gently, sending shivers down my spine. After we dance to a couple more songs, we walk to the edge of the rooftop where a little sitting area is set up, and we stare out into the city. I notice now that the sun has completely set and that the moon has made its appearance. Mika walks back over to the dining area and gets another bottle of champagne. He opens it when he returns and fills two glasses generously. We have already drunk a whole bottle together, and the champagne is making me giddy. I look over at the pool, and suddenly inspiration strikes me. I stand, and Mika looks at me, a little confused. I smile and lean in, kissing the corner of his mouth. I reach for the zipper that is conveniently located at the side of my dress and tug on it. Surprise flashes in his eyes as he tries to assess the situation.
After Tomorrow (Kingsley series Book 2) Page 5
