Not really paying attention, I stumbled on a box resting on the floor. Righting myself, I looked down at the inconspicuous white package and wondered how the hell it got there. Typically deliveries were left downstairs with the concierge on duty. Deciding it had to be from someone I knew, I picked it up before unlocking the door and shuffling into the apartment.
I set everything down on the round, walnut table in the foyer and headed to the bedroom to strip out of my clothes. Naked, I turned on the water to warm in the tub and poured in a liberal dose of lavender scented soap. Once the bubbles started to froth, I slowly lowered myself into the oversized garden tub and let the water rise around my body. Resting my head on the bath pillow, I closed my eyes and let the calming scent lull me into a little snooze.
Coming to, I felt much more relaxed now that the troubles of my day had melted away. I wrapped myself in a towel and dried off quickly. I slipped into a satin nightgown and wrapped a robe around me before padding out to the kitchen.
My stomach grumbled as I took in the contents of the refrigerator, trying to decide what to eat. I was too lazy to cook after the day I had, so I dug through the takeout menus and ordered Chinese food to be delivered.
Needing something to do while I waited for the delivery, I went back into the foyer and grabbed the box that had been left there. Taking it into the living room, I sat on the couch and undid the knot in the twine wrapped around the box. Pulling the lid off, I dug through the tissue paper. Excitement built with each layer of paper I removed wondering what was in the box and from whom.
Maybe it was a gift from Travis. He had been even more giving and affectionate since we found out we were pregnant.
Or maybe it was from Elizabeth. She had been worried about me last time we spoke, and I had led her to believe Travis and I were still trying to get pregnant. She had been disappointed for me, and I was sure a lot of that had to do from the fact that she was pregnant. I assured her I was fine but best friends worry.
Or maybe it was a peace offering from my sister. We still hadn't spoken since the confrontation the night Travis came home and she accused me of being a liar. Stranger things had been known to happen.
I peeled back the last layer of paper and found a baby blanket, only it wasn't an intact blanket. No, it was ripped to shreds. My hands trembled as I picked up the pieces of the damaged pink fabric. Immediately I knew who it was from. Ashton had made his first play. Problem was it was hitting way too close to home.
Could he know I was pregnant? Or was he doing this because of the abortion? We hadn't told anyone yet, wanting to wait until we were out of the first trimester, so I had no way of knowing for sure.
Underneath the blanket, a piece of black paper stuck out. I pulled it out and gasped when I read the words written upon it.
You knew the consequences. Yet you spoke. Now you will be silenced.
Dropping the paper, I gathered up the box and went over to the fireplace. Starting a fire, I threw the material filled box in and watched as it caught fire and began to burn. It was probably irrational to destroy evidence, but I wasn’t thinking clearly. All I knew was I wanted nothing to do with the thing and I didn’t want Travis to flip out when he saw it.
Running to the phone, I dialed down to the front desk and tried to breathe deeply as I waited for them to answer. When Bill, the night concierge, answered I began quizzing him on the box.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Hamilton. What box are you referring to?" Confusion was evident in his voice.
"There was a white box in front of my door when I came home tonight, Bill. I need to know how it got there."
"There is no record of a delivery coming for you today, ma'am." I heard papers rustling as he spoke.
This couldn't be happening. I suddenly didn't feel safe in my own home knowing him or anyone of his cronies could get this close to me. He was known to have seedy friends that would do anything for money, and Ashton had that in spades.
"Mr. Hamilton won't be pleased to know that deliveries are getting past the front desk." I threatened. "I suggest you figure out what happened and make sure it never does again. Do you hear me?" My voice was shrill by the time I ended.
"Yes, ma'am. I'm truly sorry."
I hung up the phone without responding and began to pace the room. My hands gripped my stomach as beads of sweat formed on my body. I wouldn't let Ashton hurt another child. Panic set in as I wore a path through the area rug covering the floors. The whole time I tried to reason with myself that he had to be referring to the abortion. There was no way he could know I was pregnant. I had to believe that. It was the only thing that was going to keep me from freaking the fuck out.
The doorbell rang, making me yelp and jump in response. I stared in the direction of the offending sound, afraid to answer it. Finally forcing my feet to move, I quietly padded to the door and saw the Chinese delivery man, Chung, through the peephole. It would seem Bill was either afraid to call and alert me he was here, or Bill thought it was okay since Chung was here regularly. Either way it left a sour taste in my mouth. Sighing a somewhat irritated breath, I let him in and paid for the food. Appetite long forgotten, I shoved the food in the fridge and went back into the living room.
Gingerly picking up the note from the box, I stared at it, willing myself to come up with a way to handle this.
It was evident Kayla had told Ashton what happened. There would be no other reason for the words written there. I hoped she was smart enough to get herself away from him rather than run back to him. I would need to call her to find out but not tonight. Tonight, I needed to figure out how to respond to this threat.
By telling Kayla what happened between Ashton and me, I essentially broke the terms of our legal agreement. Maybe that was how he was planning on silencing me. That I could handle. It wasn't as scary as the alternatives. Flashes of scary threats, torment and violence played out in my head like a bad mobster movie. I shuddered, hoping that he would just seek legal recourse against me. If he did, then I could call the lawyer and let him play Ashton's manipulative games.
By the time Travis came home a few hours later, I had calmed myself enough to know that I needed assistance from someone who knew what they were doing and swam with enough sharks to know how to handle them. There was no way I could do this on my own. And no way in hell was I going to tell Travis what happened tonight. He was already itching to strangle Ashton. I didn't want to give him even more motive to do it, which is why I hid the letter and decided not to use Travis' lawyer. Instead I texted Grant and set up a time to go see him the next day.
It was the only way.
And even though I truly believed I was doing the right thing, it didn't stop the silent tears from streaming down my face as Travis held me tightly in sleep or the overwhelming guilt that gnawed at me that night.
Chapter Eleven
The silence in the room was deafening as Grant studied the letter from Ashton. It was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop if there was one to be heard. It had been this way since I told Grant everything—and I do mean everything—about my dealings with Ashton. The only thing I hadn't disclosed was my current pregnancy. I wasn't ready for that yet. And while Grant's face remained passive for the most part, the shadow that passed through his eyes, the ticking of his jaw and his clenched fists gave away his true feelings about the hell I had lived through.
He let out a weighted sigh, setting the offending piece of paper on top of the legal documents Ashton had made me sign. Leaning back, he rested his elbows on the arms of his chair and steepled his fingers under his chin. While I never experienced it personally, I could see how someone might find Grant Morgan intimidating. Something about his apathetic expression, hard jaw and cool eyes, made him look dangerous and maybe even a bit calculating.
"I'm going to need time to go through the nondisclosure agreement but from a quick glance, it doesn't seem like you have much in the way of recourse. If he wants to he can sue you for damages and penalties."
"He can have
my money," I said quickly. It wasn't like I was doing anything with it anyway. It only served to remind me of the past and ignite my guilt.
"Maya, I don't think you realize what it is I'm saying. He can seek up to five million dollars in damages based on this document you signed." He gestured towards the papers on his desk.
My shoulders slumped a bit as the wind left my sails. I didn't have that much money, and I didn't want Travis to have to part with his money just to save me from my dark past. If it hadn't been for my rash decision to threaten Ashton and tell Kayla the truth, we wouldn't even be here. I hadn't even been a blip on Ashton's radar until I put myself there.
"I have a little over a million dollars in an account. It's the hush money he gave me. He can have it all back. I don't want it. I just want him to go away. Can you do that for me?"
Grant leaned towards me with his arms propped on his desk, his face serious. "I can make him go away. I can make his life a living hell for that matter. I'm good at what I do. You want me to find dirt on him and make him beg for mercy? I will. The question is how far do you want me to take it? Do you just want him to go away or do you want him to do it hurting?"
Um... yikes! I had heard about this side of Grant—the bloodthirsty, take no prisoners side—but I had never witnessed it. No wonder why he charged an exorbitant fee and was in high demand. He was like a pit bull. A really scary, rabid pit bull.
I didn't know how to answer him. I swallowed hard and held his gaze as I momentarily thought about it. Ashton was slime and there was no telling how many other women he had used and abused over the years. I wanted nothing more than to be the one to stop the spoiled, pretty boy dead in his tracks. I wanted him to fear me much the same way I feared him over the years. I wanted him to suffer the way I did. To hate himself. To be filled with self-loathing. I wanted power over him.
"Make it hurt," I finally answered with a strong and determined voice.
Grant's blue eyes sparkled, and his lips curled up slightly at the corners like a predator. He sat back again and looked thoughtful. "What does Travis say about all this?"
I squirmed in my seat, uncrossed and crossed my legs nervously, stalling from answering. "I don't see what that has to do with anything."
Grant's eyebrow arched in that damn condescending way of his. That one expression saying a lot about what he thought of my statement.
"I don't," I reiterated.
"Maya, he deserves to know—both as a man and as your husband. If Elizabeth was sitting in your position right now, I sure as fuck would want to know."
"There's nothing he can do to stop Ashton. And I don't want him getting in trouble."
"Maybe he can't stop him, but at least he'll be aware of the threat that is present. At least he'll know to keep his eyes open and try to protect you." I opened my mouth to speak, but he sliced his hand through the air and stopped me. "How would you feel if he was keeping something like this from you? Remember the shit that Elizabeth and I went through thanks to Corinne and her vindictiveness? Don't let the same miscommunication come between you and Travis."
Thoroughly chastised at the reminder of how hurt he and Elizabeth were when they allowed lies and secrets to keep them apart thanks to his manipulative ex, I nodded my head and grabbed my purse from the seat next to me.
"You know he already asked me to look into Ashton, right?"
"I had a feeling."
"He didn't tell me everything, just that he had threatened you. I told him I would. Now that I know the extent of the problem, I'll put pressure on my resources."
"Thank you."
"He was extremely concerned, Maya. Don't make it worse by hiding this from him."
All I wanted to do was alleviate Travis' worries. He was such a good man who deserved so much more than I gave him. He deserved more than a wife with a sordid past that threatened his future. For me, it was important to take care of the situation I made myself. I respected Travis' need to protect me, but I needed to protect myself.
"Elizabeth tells me you guys are coming to the new house Friday night for dinner." His voice stopped me as I turned to leave, ignoring his last words of advice.
"We are."
"I'll make contact with Mr. Moore and let you know how we'll proceed then." The knowing look he gave me, warned me that I had until Friday to bring Travis up to speed or Grant was going to do it.
"Sounds like a plan. Thanks again, Grant."
I started walking towards the door and was surprised when his hand on my arm halted my progress. Before I could say a word, Grant wrapped his arms around me and gave me a tight hug. There was nothing sexual about it, it was purely for comfort and I have to say it went a long way to soothing my troubled soul.
Pulling back, I gave him my first genuine smile since I got there. "Thank you. I needed that."
"Stay tough, kiddo." He chucked me lightly under my chin and gave me a gorgeous grin that would have stirred a thing or two inside me had he not been married to my best friend and me completely in love with his.
* * *
"Your house is completely amazing," I said in awe as my eyes took in the magnificent family room of Grant and Elizabeth's nine thousand square feet colonial home. Words like massive and luxurious may have come to mind as she took me through the eight bedroom, ten bath home complete with huge walk-in closets, home theatre, wine cellar, extensive terraces, tennis court, heated pool, and guest house. From the sweeping staircase in the entry hall to the marble countertops in the kitchen, there wasn't an expense spared in making this their dream home. I expected nothing less when we drove through the gates and up the circular driveway.
"It is, isn't it?" Elizabeth's eyes lit up as she spoke. It wasn't just pregnancy glow making her look so content and beautiful. It was the fact that she was truly happy with her life. I was so very thankful to Grant for giving her everything she wanted and needed. For so many years my friend took care of everyone else around her. It was nice to see her letting someone else spoil her for a change.
"And this portrait. It was beautiful as a picture, but as a painted canvas, I'm speechless." I gestured towards the large portrait hanging over the fireplace of Grant lying shirtless on his stomach with a baby Vivi lying naked on his back.
"I hate that she had it blown up and hung for everyone to see," Grant remarked as he and Travis joined us. They had gotten waylaid in the cigar room during that leg of the tour.
"Please. You love being the center of attention." I rolled my eyes and teased him.
"Only if it's Elizabeth's attention," he murmured and placed a kiss on his wife's head, taking her in his arms and caressing her expanded belly.
Travis came up behind me and wrapped an arm around my waist. His thumb brushed the side of my still flat stomach, letting me know he'd do the same if he could. Soon, I thought. I couldn't wait to be out of the first trimester and experience all these things with him.
I turned my head and gave him a smile before pulling out of his embrace and settling on a plush couch. Travis sat next to me with his arm along the back of the couch behind my shoulders.
"Did your designer come up with the idea for the princess bed in Vivi's room or was that your vision?" I asked after Grant and E settled on the couch across from Travis and me.
The bottom of the cream colored tower in the little girl's room was a pink bed with a gauzy curtain running across it. The right side of the tower had steps going up to a railed in play area. The entire thing took up a whole wall in Vivi's bedroom and went nearly to the ceiling. All along the unit were shelves full of books. Good thing, since one thing Vivi inherited from E was her love of books.
"I wish I could take credit for it. The princess tower was all her doing. Vivi loves it. She can't wait until this weekend when she finally gets to sleep in it." She sighed and rubbed her belly. "I'll be glad once we're finally moved in. I'm exhausted from making decisions and packing. At least we got new furniture for most of the rooms so I didn't need to worry about getting all the old stuff her
e."
"I offered to hire help for you," Grant reminded her. "And you wouldn't have been the one moving the furniture. That's what the moving company is getting paid to do."
"Hey, I let my mom help me a little bit. It isn't as if I'm working right now. I need to keep busy. Normal people pack themselves all the time," she lobbed back.
"When is your mom moving in?" I chimed and put an end to their bickering.
"Ugh. Well, that's to be determined. First off, she's dragging her feet on selling the house. I offered to buy it and rent it out so it was still in the family, but she didn't want to hear it. Then there's the fact that the contractor we used for this house can't get to the guest house for another four months. There's nothing I could do about that considering I wasn't expecting my mom to have another heart attack and us wanting her to move in right away."
"I've already begun interviewing other contractors, love." Grant squeezed her shoulder and a look of relief passed over her face. Her mom's deteriorating health was weighing on E and rightfully so. I couldn't imagine how I would feel if it was my mother, especially since she had already lost her father.
"Thank you," she whispered.
"So, Grant. What is it you wanted to talk about it?" Travis spoke at my side, and I immediately tensed. I hadn't had a chance to talk to Travis about the latest occurrences with Ashton since he had worked late the last few nights, and I was sleeping by the time he got home. While I know I should have made the effort, a part of me had hoped I wouldn't need to tell him. I hated burdening him with my problems, the biggest one being Ashton.
Grant must have noticed my reaction because he gave a slight shake of his head before sipping his brandy. I should have known he would bring it up before I could, leaving me with no choice but to look like I was being sneaky. Why was I so dumb?
Forever Your Concierge Page 10
