Kate blinks several times before nodding her head in agreement. “I understand what you’re saying. I don’t think I really grasp how powerful—in the wrong ways—Damian really is. Hopefully, I never will. I can tell you I’ve met Alex a few times and he’s always wondered about you. He’s more than wondered, and seeing you might lay some of his demons to rest.”
I never anticipated meeting Alex Johnson. Then again, I never anticipated Damian not being my real father. “Still...I don’t know. I get what you’re trying to say, but...let me think about it,” I nervously add.
“Absolutely. I’m going to head back downstairs and fix dinner. There’s a bathroom right down the hallway that you’ll share with Kiran and Callie. Feel free to freshen up then I would love it if you’d come join us.”
Hesitantly, I nod my head yes. “Great. I’ll see you in a few.”
With a small smile, she turns and leaves me alone in my new room. Boxes line the walls and there is a desk in the corner, but it’s otherwise bare. In a way, it’s perfect. I open my suitcase as the thought of staying here suddenly becomes real, which sends more panic racing through me. I can’t stop thinking about Damian and why he sent me here, and I can’t help but wonder if I’ll ever see him again.
****
I take a hot shower and wash the long day of travel off my skin. If I were at home—where I wouldn’t be sharing a meal with a beautiful man that I’m positive I’m attracted to—I wouldn’t waste make-up this late in the day. However, I’m not about to head downstairs without looking my best.
When I make it to the bottom of the stairs, the area opens up into a large living room that leads into the kitchen. I’m about to round the couch when I overhear Gavin and Kiran talking, making me pause.
“You aren’t actually going to let her stay here, are you?”
I hear a painful groan. “Come on, man. If I ever want to get laid again, I’m not about to tell Kate she has to kick Belle out.” I hear who I believe is Gavin chuckle.
“Dude, that’s crap and you know it. Having that chick here could cause serious fucking problems.” My stomach sours at Kiran’s remark.
“I know. Men like Damian Paasch do not go to Tijuana to vacation. Like normal, he’s up to no good, but this time, he’s allowed his problems to bleed into our lives,” Gavin replies.
“She looks like a nice woman—a high maintenance chick—but that does very little to take away from the shit storm that’s probably following her.”
My heart actually hurts. Back home, I’m used to people treating me this way, but I wasn’t prepared for it here, not with people who just met me.
“What are you doing just standing here?” I jump before looking over my shoulder to see Kate standing behind me. I know she said her comment loud enough that Gavin and Kiran have to know I was eavesdropping. “Come on, I have dinner ready. I was just rounding Callie up to join us.”
Kate walks past me and into the kitchen, and I follow her. Minutes ago, my stomach actually growled with hunger, but now food is the last thing on my mind.
On my way to the table, I do everything in my power to avoid looking at Gavin or Kiran. Once everyone sits down at the table, Kate and Callie start gabbing away, but I’m not listening to a word either of them are saying. Instead, I’m planning my next move.
Damian left me plenty of money. I could easily stay in a hotel somewhere in Denver and wait out whatever’s going on and not cause Kate and her family any problems. Of course I’ll have to tell Kate where I’m staying if I want Damian to find me and—
“Yoo-hoo, Belle. Hello, is anyone home?” Kate adds with a chuckle, bringing me out of my thoughts. When I glance around, everyone including Callie is staring at me.
“I’m sorry. Did you ask me something?”
Kate’s brows bunch as she watches me carefully. “I asked if you were okay with going shopping tomorrow. We can go to the mall and grab lunch downtown before we pick out a bed for your room.”
She wants to buy a bed for me and her boyfriend doesn’t want me here. As much as I want to dislike Kate, I can’t stay here and cause her problems. “Thank you. That really means a lot to me, but my plans have changed. I’m not going to be staying here after all,” I say, radiating as much confidence as I can muster.
“What?” Kate practically yells. I’m about to respond when my eyes lock on Gavin as he reaches out and grabs Kate’s hand and squeezes it. Kate looks at Gavin as he silently reassures her. Kate smiles at him and the love they share suddenly becomes obvious. This is what I’ve been missing in my life. My father loves me and will stop at nothing to protect me, but I’ve never been in love. I’ve never felt anything remotely close to love.
After a deep breath, Kate looks back at me. “My plans have changed,” I repeat.
“When? Did Damian call you?” Thanks to the lifestyle I grew up in, I’ve learned the fine art of evasion.
“I’m going to head out after dinner and stay in a hotel for a few days,” I answer with a smile.
“But, I thought Damian told you to stay here?” Kate asks, concerned.
Before I can say anything else, Gavin speaks up. “Belle, you should stay. I would feel more comfortable with you staying with us rather than being by yourself in some hotel somewhere.” I ignore the urge to laugh. I heard exactly what he thinks about me staying here. Maybe he’s genuinely concerned about his sex life.
“Yeah, you should stay. There are two of us that can keep an eye on you if you’re here,” Kiran says in a tight voice.
I look around the table to find all four of them watching me, waiting for me to agree I’ll stay. I’m positive neither Gavin nor Kiran has had a change of heart. This is more than likely their guilt talking.
I slowly nod my head without saying a word. No matter what I do, I’m going to upset someone. But if I leave, I risk upsetting the person who has the worst temper I’ve ever seen, and I’m sure the second I walk out that door, Kate will send him a text.
“Good. That’s settled. Tomorrow we’ll go out and find a bed for your room.”
“Okay,” I reply as nonchalantly as possible, which has Kate right back to talking as if we’ve known each other for years. Thankfully, she appears to be rambling and not talking to anyone in general because once again I’ve tuned everyone around me out.
I take a deep, calming breath and fight the urge to run because I don’t want to be here, but like normal, what I want doesn’t seem to matter.
Kiran
“Uncle Kiran.”
I look up in time to see Callie jump into my lap. “Hey, squirt.”
“Have you seen Belle?” she questions, which causes my shoulders to drop.
“Not in a few hours, but I think she’s up in her room.” Actually, I know she’s in her room. Since Belle overheard Gavin and I talking, she’s made a point to avoid both of us and her way of doing that is by holing up in her room. When she does come downstairs, her guard is up and I can’t say I blame her.
At first, I was okay with it, but now that a few days have passed, I’m starting to feel like an asshole.
“Let’s go swimming!” Callie whines, forcing my attention back to her.
I sigh, knowing I’m not going to tell her no. “Go ask your dad and if he says yes, then I’ll get in with you.” Callie jumps off my lap and takes off.
I turn off the TV and start to stand as I see Belle round the staircase, heading toward the kitchen. She stops when she spots me. Her eyes quickly roam over my body before she turns and continues on her way.
Hesitantly, I follow her. I don’t necessarily dislike this woman, but I’m not exactly excited she’s here. This isn’t my house. I have absolutely no say in her staying here, but I’ve known Gavin since we were kids. Gavin, Callie, and now Kate, are my family, and I care what happens to them.
Belle is pouring a glass of water as I walk into the kitchen. She glances over at a banana on the counter before her eyes dart to mine.
For the first time since she’s arrived,
she holds my gaze for several long moments without blinking or looking away. Her copper brown eyes shimmer in the light in a way that catches me off guard. I start to open my mouth—to say what, I’m not exactly sure—when Callie comes running up behind me.
“He said yes.” She pants as she attempts to catch her breath.
“Belle!” Callie hollers as she shoves past me. “Uncle Kiran and I are going swimming. Come with us.” Excitement pours out of Callie.
The four of us recently moved to Denver from Oakland. Back home, Callie lived in an apartment building, and while it was a nice building, she’s still adjusting to the amount of space the house has and definitely to having a pool in the backyard.
“Oh, I have things I need to take care of. Maybe next time.” I shake my head, listening to her lie, but at the same time, it’s probably for the best that Callie not form any more of an attachment to her than she already has.
She pouts. “But I start school soon and I won’t be able to swim every day.”
For a brief moment, Belle’s eyes soften. “Sorry, sweetie.” Belle gives Callie a small smile then walks past us and out of the kitchen. I turn to watch her walk away because Belle is nice to look at. Long wavy blonde hair, legs that seem to go on for miles, legs I’ve pictured wrapped around me on more than one occasion.
I take a deep breath, inhaling her lingering scent. I haven’t been with a woman in a very long time, and Belle is definitely triggering a reaction from me.
I would love nothing more than to go out to a bar and find a random woman to sate the urges I’m feeling, but I know exactly where that will leave me. I promised myself I would leave my old ways behind when we moved. Belle is off limits, not that I needed Kate to tell me that. Either way, she did. Belle is her family and I have a less than respectable past.
“Let’s go,” Callie says, bringing my thoughts back to the only female I’ve ever loved.
“Okay. Give me a second to change.” I make my way up the stairs and toward my room when I spot Belle lying on her bed. She’s facing away from the door, unaware of me standing here watching her.
Again I’m hit with another round of guilt. She passed on swimming with us so she could lie on her bed, something I’m positive she’s done all day.
With a deep breath, I make a promise to myself to make her feel welcomed here, at least until she gives me a reason not to.
****
Belle
“Come here, baby girl,” Daddy says with his arms open wide. I run and jump on his lap with a giggle. “Who loves you to the moon and back?” he asks as his arms wrap around me.
“You do, Daddy.” I snuggle tighter into his chest as he brushes his fingers through my hair. “Can I have a dog?”
Daddy’s chest moves as he starts to laugh. “Why in the world do you want a dog?”
I push back and look up at him. “Because I need someone to play with me when you’re working.”
Daddy’s smile fades away. “You have friends to play with,” he counters. I do have a friend, but he doesn’t like to play girl games.
“Okay, Daddy.” I lay my head on his chest as his arms wrap around me again. After a few minutes, he groans, “If you want a dog, you can have one.”
My body jolts straight up as excitement takes over. “Really?”
Daddy laughs and shakes his head. “I’ll do anything for you, baby girl.”
“I love you, Daddy,” I shout as his smile grows.
“I love you, too. I’ll love you forever.”
****
Today is the first time since I’ve arrived here that I’ve been home alone. Everyone else left a few minutes ago to attend an open house for Callie’s new school, which has me digging out my bathing suit and heading down to the pool. It took everything in me to turn down Callie’s offer the other day to join her because swimming has always been a love of mine.
Living in a coastal town and having an Olympic-sized pool on our grounds, I found that nothing clears my frustration like swimming laps can, but I also hate having an audience.
Someone always had their eyes on me when I was home, but I never actually saw them so I ignored the thought and went about my swim. At Kate’s, however, I’ve been dying to get into the water without anyone around.
I pull my long blonde hair into a knot at the base of my neck and dive in, starting my laps from one end to the other. I have no idea how long I’ve been swimming or how many laps I’ve completed but my body starts to wear down in the best possible way. I slow down and finally stop. Once I get my breathing under control, I push up and out of the pool. I walk over to the chair that I left my towel on and let out a startled scream when I spot Kiran relaxing in a cabana chair, watching my every move.
“I thought I was alone,” I explain as Kiran’s eyes rake over my body from head to toe.
“Well, you’re not. Gavin and Kate took Callie to her open house.” That makes perfect sense, but when Kate told me about their plans, I assumed she meant Kiran was going with them.
“Oh, well, I’ll get out of your way then,” I grumble.
“You’re not in my way,” he quickly replies. “You’re an excellent swimmer.”
I glance over to thank him, only I find his greedy eyes taking in my body.
Usually, I swim in a one-piece, but when I packed my bag, I was under the impression that I was going away for a vacation. Consequently, I only packed my very skimpy two-piece. I’ll admit I only packed this particular swimsuit in hopes of reminding my father that I’m a grown woman and not a little girl. Judging by the look on Kiran’s face, I would say my message was received loud and clear.
“Yeah. I guess,” I reply.
“What?” Kiran drawls in a strangled voice.
“You said I was an excellent swimmer. I was agreeing with you. At home, I swim a lot,” I add with a shrug.
Kiran nods his head as if he’s finally remembering what we’re talking about.
“Why are you not at work?” I ask, hoping to start a conversation. The last two days, Kiran and Gavin have left for most of the day. Kate told me Gavin relocated his business to Denver and they are in the process of getting it up and running.
“Because Gavin is at an open house.” My eyes snap to his as his tone suddenly sounds harsh.
“Oh.” My voice is stiff. I’m unsure of what I said or did.
Kiran crosses his arms over his chest and gives me a smirk. “What about you, do you work?” He narrows his eyes, waiting for my answer. The sudden change in his mood is confusing.
“No,” I sheepishly reply. Kiran’s smirk turns into a full-blown mischievous smile.
“Of course you don’t. Why in the world would a princess like you need to work when you could make a full-time job out of spending daddy’s money.” Kiran adds a snarky laugh to his demeaning comment.
Kiran doesn’t know anything about me but I find it fascinating that he has the same attitude my father’s men have. Without looking at him, I wrap my towel around my body and start to walk back into the house, but for some reason, I stop.
This isn’t Poza Rica, and I’m officially done taking crap from everyone.
I’m sick of people like Kiran thinking they know me, thinking they have the right to treat me like I’m less of a person because I’m Damian Paasch’s daughter. I take a deep, calming breath and turn back around to face him, only to find he’s still watching my every move. When our eyes lock, I swear I can already see regret in his, but that doesn’t keep me from lashing out.
“You don’t know anything about me. I’ve never treated you in any way that justifies your shitty attitude.” I watch as his face dims even more. “Whoever taught you to be an asshole did a really good job.”
“Wait, I’m sorry,” he hollers as I turn and walk back inside. I’m halfway up the stairs when I hear him call out to me again, but I don’t stop. I enter my room and quickly shut then lock the door.
I was never allowed to leave my father’s estate without a man trailing my every mov
e, but being here at Kate’s has me feeling like a caged animal. I have no cell phone, no computer. The only thing I can do is watch endless amounts of television and that became beyond old two days ago.
Damian said I had to stay at Kate’s but he did not say I had to stay here twenty-four-seven. Tomorrow, I’m going out and buying myself a phone, and in the process, I’ll be gone all day, giving myself a break from my temporary housemates.
****
Last night, Kate knocked on my door after she arrived home, inviting me down for dinner. I lied and told her I had already eaten and was turning in for the evening. Other than when I snuck out to use the restroom hours later, I stayed in my room the rest of the night.
Now I desperately want to get out of this house. I have no idea how long I have to wait until Damian comes for me, but I’m going stir crazy sitting in this room day in and day out.
Kate told me she doesn’t start school until next week, the same week that Callie starts kindergarten; therefore, I expect they’re both home. I’m hoping the guys have already left for work.
I walk into the kitchen and find a phone book. I look up a taxi service and write down the number. Now I just need a phone to use. Landlines seem to be a thing of the past, and I don’t see one anywhere in the kitchen, but I do spot a cell phone, the one I’ve seen Kate using.
I push the home button and the screen lights up. There’s a picture of Gavin, Callie, and Kate on the screen, and without even thinking, I swipe it open. Wow, she doesn’t keep this locked?
I quickly dial the taxi company and I’m informed that someone will be here within twenty minutes. I feel like shit for opening Kate’s phone without her permission. That’s something my father would do, and I’m not about to start picking up his bad habits.
I go into her recent calls, delete my call off, and quickly put the phone back exactly where I found it without looking at anything else. Kate might not be my real sister, but in some strange way, she is family and I don’t want to give her a reason to hate me.
Locked Away (Living With Lies Book 2) Page 3
