“Please, Blade, you have to understand my position in all of this. I didn’t have much choice, I was desperate to bring something to the table.”
“At my expense? Oh, come on, don’t pin this on Penny. Fine, she pressured you to get a story, but out of me? I really loved you, Kira, I still do, you’re so different from other girls I have met, and that’s because I thought you had a good heart, a pure soul.” I scoffed. She was the Devil in a white dress.
“That’s unfair!” she croaked.
“You know what’s unfair? You were treating me like dirt when you realized I was still on drugs, you were self-righteous, but you forgot you had something dirty in your closet. I am done with you! I am done with Daybreak Journal. Goodbye.” My heart had just been broken into little bits and pieces.
“Wait…please, Blade, reconsider.”
I swirled around and faced her. “Look around, Kira. What do you notice about this bar?”
She scanned the empty room and replied, “There’s no one except us.”
“No, there’s no one left except you, and you wore the appropriate dress for this occasion because you are the Devil. And devils don’t mix with well-meaning people. Goodnight, Jezebel.” I strolled out of the bar without looking back. I was done, I was gone, goodbye to Kira.
“Blade!” Kira called to me, but I kept walking.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
KIRA
“Good morning, Kira, I trust you are ready and prepared for today.” Penny grinned at me as I walked into the office. She had called me to prep me for the interview that wasn’t going to happen.
“Morning,” I sullenly replied.
What happened between Blade and me the night before had seemed like a dream, but now I was facing reality, and the pain of his actions cut me deeper—the pain of my actions cut me even more profoundly. He’d wronged me, I forgave him. I’d hurt him, he’d refused to forgive me.
I’d woken up that morning not able to feel my legs. I was numb. I was just like an element in the thick atmosphere, just existing not living. Blade’s threats terrified me. I had tried to reach out to him, but his numbers were all switched off. Penny and the rest of my colleagues would never forgive me when they finally realized Blade was not going to show up.
I was weak, I was scared, I didn’t know what to do or who to turn to. I thought I had done the right thing by telling Blade the truth but I had only led him into a darker place. A place where Blade would remember the reason he’d started to hate people like me, who were journalists.
“How are you feeling?” Penny joyously chirped.
I cringed at the pleased sound of her voice. It didn’t mesh well with the sorrow embedded in my heart.
“I’m good,” I fibbed and forced a smile. I couldn’t tell Penny what I was going through, I couldn’t let her know my pain. I couldn’t tell her Blade was pulling out of Daybreak Journal.
“Are you sure you’re okay? You’re supposed to be happy and bright.” She must have noticed I looked withdrawn.
I reaffirmed my answer with a nod.
“So, before we begin, tell me your findings from last night’s dinner?”
“Dinner?” My mind had gone blank. I was thinking of Edel and Tom and how I would lose their friendship because of my reckless behavior. Maybe the truth was better left covered sometimes.
“Yes, dinner at the South Beach Lounge with our benefactor, Blade Benefield,” Penny said.
“Oh, dinner. Dinner was good. It was fine.” I forced another smile.
“Okay, so what did you guys talk about? What interesting questions did you ask Blade?”
“Um, I…” I sighed. I’d never asked Blade any questions—none that related to work, anyway. Penny had told me it would be a business dinner, but we had made it personal, and I had forgotten to carry out my assignment.
“Look, Kira, I don’t know what’s going on with you. Blade is a big fish and a very busy person, and we should be grateful he chose to carve out a little of his time to be with us. He wants to be a part of our success story, and we must make this work by utilizing every piece of opportunity we are given. I don’t know what you’re dealing with, but it obviously doesn’t pertain to the business at hand,” she said this through gritted teeth.
I knew she was upset and losing patience with me.
“Sorry.” I looked down at my feet.
“Good. Get a grip on yourself, focus now on Blade Benefield. I tried to reach him, he is supposed to be here now, but he isn’t. We will give him some time, but this isn’t professional behavior. In the meantime, you’ll work on your questions and get your head in the game.”
I nodded and pushed my chair back.
“Is there something you’d like to tell me, Kira? Did something go wrong at that dinner?”
I knew she’d go there. Penny was a smart woman, and she could smell something fishy a thousand miles away. Maybe this was the chance I needed to tell her about Blade and me. What if I just spilled all my secrets and said to her that he wasn’t going to show up and the reason why he wouldn’t be here?
“No, everything is fine. I’ll get a grip on myself.” I nodded and walked towards the door. I would head straight to the bathroom and cry out my pain. I couldn’t face anyone now, not even my best friend, Edel.
“One more thing, Kira,” Penny called to me the moment I reached the door.
“Yes?” I gingerly turned around.
“If you need to talk about something, I’m here for you. Even if it’s of a personal nature,” she said.
“Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.” I gave Penny my first genuine smile of the day and strolled out of the office.
The moment I stepped away from the office, I noticed the atmosphere was charged by a different aura. There was joy on the faces of my colleagues, and they were all whispering about something. I saw two giant Asian guys marching towards me.
I stepped to the side to let them pass, but they reached out to grip each side of my arms. I spread my eyes wide in shock as I was lifted midair, balancing between them. I went screaming and kicking. My colleagues just stood there smiling like damn lunatics when I was fighting to get free.
“Hey! Hey, get away from me, you psychos!” I screamed as they got a hold of me and carried me towards the conference room.
“We are sorry, miss, we’re just following orders.” One of them apologized the moment we got to the entrance of the conference room.
I felt like punching them both in the belly. “Whose freaking orders?”
“Our boss, he’s in there, waiting for you,” the other one spoke before I could ask any more questions.
They pushed me into the room, spun on their heels, and shut the door behind them. I angrily faced the closed door with a frown on my face.
“Oh my God!” I shouted at the top of my lungs when the door closed behind me. I still felt like screaming and crying my eyes out. I gave the door a kick for good measure.
“Hello, darling. Don’t hurt yourself. I can’t have that,” an amused voice said behind me.
I whirled around so fast I almost lost my balance. My heart spiraled into a dance of surprise. “Blade?”
“Yes…did you think I would just turn my back on you because of something silly that you did?” He walked closer to me.
My legs felt weak. I didn’t know how to react, I didn’t know what to do!
“I’m sorry, Blade, I wish I could take it all back.” A flair of hope ignited in my heart. I hoped he had forgiven me because he was smiling at me now.
“Kira…I was mad, yes, but I never meant those things I said last night. I did worse things to you. I took your love for granted and I suspected you wanted to pay me back by doing a write-up on my secret life. It was not your intention to hurt me, it was because of your loyalty to your employee you wrote the story, but it was your love for me that you didn’t have it published.”
I couldn’t believe my ears. I was the wrong one here! Yes, he had hurt me by walking out on me, but he
was here now.
“Blade…”
“Shh…” He pressed a finger against my lips.
“It’s all over, Kira. I accept your apology and I will never judge you again. You have proved your love to me by telling me this secret. I love you, Kira, there’s nothing that will ever come between us.” He pulled his finger away from my lips. “I had to keep my promise to you by working through any, and every, obstacle life flings our way.
I felt relieved, I felt free.
I threw my hands around his waist. He leaned down so our lips could meet, and we kissed with a wildness that expressed our love for one another. He laughed and kissed me back. I felt so safe and secure with him. I felt like I was home. I knew being with Blade was the right thing for me.
“I am sorry for last night.” I felt horrible for the way I had treated him.
“Come on, Kira, that’s all in the past—I’m past it. We should really stop talking about our faults and focus on our future, where I see you clearly by my side.” He caressed my hair.
“What do you see?” I looked into his eyes.
“A place where you, our babies, and me will be gloriously happy in the future,” he replied smoothly, then dropped another kiss on my lips, this time deeper…
His breath was hot against mine. He was hungry, he was needy, and I felt the same way, too. I felt like ripping his clothes apart and making love to him right there and then. His hands roamed my body, from the base of my neck, the straight of my back, and the rising of my ass. I loved his hands on my body, I loved the way they moved confidently, knowing every curve and edge. I caressed his back as he touched me. We were on fire and we were about to explode. Nothing could stop us now as we had found love in each other’s eyes.
“Kira? Are you safe in there?”
The sound of Penny’s stern voice tore us apart. We jolted like a streak of lightning had struck us into two pieces. I swallowed and exchanged a glance with Blade whose smiling face almost made me laugh.
“I am fine, Penny,” I replied.
“Good, we are ready to begin in ten minutes. I heard Blade is in the building.”
“Yes, Penny. I was just trying to get a grip on myself,” I replied.
“Atta girl! We’re all waiting.”
Blade and I laughed so hard the moment Penny was gone, then we kissed each other again.
“How are we going to go through this when we are both horny?” I giggled.
“We just have to put on a show for the cameras, then I’ll take you home with me where you belong, and I’ll cook your favorite meal. Afterward, I’ll make passionate love to you, all night long. Tell me, how does that sound?” he asked.
“It sounds divine and delicious at the same time. How do you know my favorite food?” I asked.
“You’re the most important thing to me. I listened to what you had to say and learned to know a lot about you along the way. One of these days, I want us to cruise around the world. Just you and me.”
“Wow, I would love that.” I felt so pleased and proud of the man Blade had become. I was happy I had given him another chance; I had faith he wouldn’t break my heart.
I stared into the eyes of the man I knew I would love for the rest of my life. My soul is so full of love and respect for Blade. I was experiencing something I never thought I’d be able to feel for any man—let alone a rock star like Blade Benefield. He’d blown into my life and raged like a burning fever. Our love came fast and exploded with intense heat. It was strange how obstacles and challenges made one stronger in life. What I thought I wanted wasn’t what I needed. I didn’t need boring. I needed a man like Blade to walk into my existence and shake things up. Blade Benefield had been the one I was waiting for all along.
Who would have believed it, that a woman like me would be the love of Blade’s life? Blade reinvented himself into a better man for us. Was he perfect? No, but hell, neither was I. But what we were was in love, and I was never ever giving up on our love.
“Are you ready for the show?” Blade asked, cutting into my thoughts.
I nodded. I was ready to kick ass.
“Good. Let’s go.” He held my hand as we both ambled out of the conference room.
A few minutes later, we moved to the studio which was rarely utilized at the office.
“Are you ready, doll?” one of the cameramen asked me.
“Sure. As ready as I will ever be.” I licked my lips nervously as the camera lights flashed in my face.
“Good, let’s go!”
“Welcome to the Daybreak Journal. We are about to have a good time with the hottest Trash Monkey, the one whose voice can melt a tyrant and win a woman’s heart. Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Kira Martin, and I am here with no other person but the mega-talented Blade Benefield!”
***
Don’t ask about how the interview went—it was perfect! All I could think of while firing him with questions was us making love in his home and having a shower together afterward.
I think love is superior to other emotions. It brings balance, not just to the whole world, but to our lives. I found my balance, I found peace, I found happiness all wrapped and presented to me in the person of Blade Benefield.
This is freedom, this is an immense joy. Love will always reign supreme.
THE END
Excerpt Of A Regal Romance: A Fairytale Episode
CHAPTER 1
I frowned as I stared up at the star-filled vastness of the sky. The sound of moving traffic and blowing horns came from the nearby highway. I stepped out of my 2009 Honda Civic that had seen better days. The entire apartment complex appeared peaceful and protective in the dark, a fortress with loved ones safely enclosed inside. I sighed, wishing I had someone special to come home to.
My tired limbs climbed the stairs that led to my apartment. I blew out a rush of air before unlocking my door.
I looked around my small apartment. Nothing about the tiny place reflected my organized personality or even suggested comfort of any sort. My living space had no personality. I made things beautiful and comfortable for others, while my own living situation remained sadly neglected.
My apartment had no frills: No family pictures on display, no flowers adorning the tabletops. I considered it no more than a place to sleep, somewhere to go at the end of the day, nothing more. The irony of my spiritless living quarters stemmed from my being an interior designer—one certain fact in my uncertain life. Having earned a B.A. degree in interior design, I was doing the one thing that gave me joy: Making others’ lives beautiful by designing and decorating their homes and offices. Perhaps I was doomed to not have a comfortable home, but my clients were not. I made great things happen for my clients’ environments and derived great joy in doing so. My work gave me more fulfillment than anything else, which I recognized as a sad state of affairs. At my age I should be thinking about marriage and children, not trying to reaccumulate the healthy savings account I had blown. “Come on, Charlotte, stop having a pity party,” I said aloud.
My cell phone beeped, startling me out of my morose reflections. My boss had sent an email reminding me of my scheduled meeting with a new client the following morning. I could hardly think about anything else…that is, until my glum mood set in. I was eager to do a good job, because I was a relatively new employee, hired just eight months earlier.
Although I had worked on other projects as part of teams since joining the firm, this would be the first project I would helm, and its success would be quite significant for my professional reputation. I was determined to do my very best and show my boss that employing me had been an excellent decision.
***
I awoke the next morning with a slight throbbing in my right temple. I heard birds happily chirping outside my bedroom window. Checking the time and realizing that I was already running late—I’d hit the snooze button several times because of my headache—I got up and prepared for my meeting. After taking a Tylenol, I showered and dressed in a two-piece navy blue su
it with a straight skirt that fell to just above my knee. After applying a little makeup—blusher and lipstick did it for me—in the strong light of my bathroom, I tugged at the hem of my skirt, straightening it over my curvy hips.
The suit was one of my favorites that I had in my small closet. I really needed to go shopping and build my wardrobe, but I preferred to bank most of my salary. The suit went well with my brown skin tone and dark hair with reddish-blond highlights. If there was anything I didn’t take for granted, it was my looks. I always took extra care to look my best when meeting with clients. Although frugal, I visited the salon regularly to maintain my shoulder-length locks with regular touch-ups and fresh highlights, and I had chosen this suit because it was the best in my wardrobe. I wanted to prove my ability to handle a design assignment so my career would get on the fast track.’
I looked at my watch. Time to get on the road. I was pretty sure the client, a Mr. César Hernandez, wouldn’t like to be kept waiting. Handbag and leather notepad in one hand, my keys in the other, I locked the door of my apartment and made my way to my car. I tossed my purse and notepad in my vehicle before climbing behind the wheel. As I turned the key in the ignition, I looked around the ratty-looking neighborhood and the building I lived in now. I had once lived in a lovely home in Texas with a man who’d been the apple of my eye. Now I had neither the house nor the man. What a fool I’d been…
Mentally shaking myself out of my defeated mood for the second time that morning, I shifted into reverse and backed out of my parking space. Another glance at my watch told me I had just enough time to make it to the nearby upscale suburb of Rye, where the client lived.
I settled myself more comfortably in the driver’s seat as I drove, absorbing the Monday morning brightness and pushing all negative feelings to the back of my mind. Landing this assignment could give my career a jump start, and I was determined to give it my all.
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