But before I headed to Hudson, I needed to gather more information from other sources. Elmer gave me the basic information I’d needed, but I wanted to speak to people who had actually seen and spoke to Rosy.
So without telling anyone, I went to the apartment complex.
The main reason I put her in that apartment was because I knew the receptionist, Rebecca. Her father was a colleague of mine, and we used to golf together.
Rebecca really had no business being a receptionist, especially since she was just a rich man’s daughter who grew up doing nothing important. But she saw Rosy every day.
She was my best bet.
Despite me not liking Rebecca, I’d be lying if I said I had never fucked her.
Because I had. A lot. She had a hot body and loved to suck my cock when I was on the phone with her father. Talk about fucked up daddy issues. That seemed to be a theme with the women I dated.
But with Rosy, things were different. This was a girl who was pure and true, whom I wanted to keep by my side. Not some long ago fling whose smile always reminded me of the Wicked Witch of the East.
When I came to the apartment she looked pleasantly happy to see me. I was sure she thought I had come to see her.
“Rebecca,” I growled.
“Steele,” the blonde simpered. Her eyes looked me up and down hungrily as if she had been waiting for me to walk through those doors.
I greeted her with a tight smile and pressed my palms on the counter.
“I can’t stay long, but I just need to ask a few questions about Rosy.”
Rebecca sighed and rolled her eyes, which I figured would happen. Rebecca had always been the jealous type.
“What about her?” she huffed.
I reached into my jacket pocket and pulled out a picture of Cris. Elmer said he had been in the apartment a few times, so I was hoping she would recognize him. I placed the picture on the counter and slid it over to Rebecca.
“Have you seen this guy?”
Rebecca peeked at the picture and shrugged.
“I can’t give away information about private information about residents, and that includes their guests. You know that.”
I sighed and stuffed the picture back in my pocket.
“So, you’re playing that game now?” I asked with a challenge.
Rebecca avoided my gaze but I could see a little smile creeping on her face. There was something evil about it that made my stomach churn. Plus, blondes were no longer to my taste. Rosy was the only taste I had.
But I still knew what I could to do to get her to talk. She was pretty easy to read.
I slowly walked behind the counter and grabbed Rebecca by the throat, running my thumb from her collarbone to her lips. She laughed and bit her lip, her cheeks immediately flushing.
“Still the same you, hmmm, Mr. Steele?”
I pulled at her skirt, bringing it up to her waist and then slid her pink panties to the side. I could smell that she was wet for me, and I felt vomit in the back of my throat, sour and ugly. Her pussy was wrinkled and shriveled, like a dry old woman. How had I ever thought her attractive?
But Rebecca had no idea of my thoughts. “Mr. Steele,” she gasped as if she were in shock. “What are you doing?”
Ignoring her request, I held her firm. “Tell me,” I growled in her ear. “Tell me right now!”
Rebecca trembled in my arms. When I released her, she sagged against the seat.
“He’s her boyfriend,” Rebecca stammered as she pulled up her panties. “That’s all I know.”
I shook my head. I knew the pictures Elmer had were revealing, but I just couldn’t accept that they might be dating.
“There’s no way. He’s not her type,” I mumbled with my back turned to her.
Rebecca’s voice sounded shrilly in my ears. “Are you fucking the little college slut?”
I turned back and glared at the woman.
“That’s none of your business.”
Rebecca chuckled and stood up then.
“Maybe not, but it sure is questionable. I mean you bought her one of the nicest apartments in the complex, and luxurious clothes to boot. I’ve seen her wearing them, and I know she didn’t pick out those togs herself. What else would it be?”
I sighed and stood in silence.
I knew Rebecca had always wanted to date me, but she was nothing like Rosy. My girl was beautiful and sweet and just wanted the best for me. By contrast, Rebecca was none of those things. She had a greedy heart and was jealous of the material things I’d given Rosy freely.
I looked at Rebecca up and down and grinned, although it was more like a grimace.
“You’re one to talk. Thanks for the information.” I turned and strode out of the apartment complex.
I practically ran back to my car and slammed the door hard. I was beyond livid. I’d gotten confirmation. Why was she with that Cris guy? Obviously, I had left her, but I left her with a good life. She had the best place to live in and the best clothes. Not to mention she had a driver that assisted her whenever she needed. So what the hell? How could she take up with another guy?
I recognized that my thoughts didn’t make sense. Of course, Rosy would meet another male. It’s not like I locked her up in a convent. But still. When I was her age I didn’t have any of that. How could she be so selfish?
Elmer had told me Rosy’s grades were good though. So, she wasn’t completely out of her mind. And she’d joined the biology club…which I had a feeling had nothing to do with Cris.
She did want a good career, and was going after her dreams. Wasn’t that what I wanted for her?
But I couldn’t let go of what I had learned. I knew a lot about that Lovington family as well. I used to work with his father, but Cris Lovington the Second was a dumb shit. He was cheap and didn’t know the value of hard work. He stiffed his employees while the buildings he built fell apart at the seams.
Rosy appreciated hard work, and so did I. Maybe that’s why we had understood each other so well.
My heart felt heavy at the thought of her. I didn’t even want to imagine how hurt she was, how deeply I’d cut the woman I loved.
I had hurt her but I was too much of a coward to admit it.
My plan to leave was supposed to protect her, but I was now seeing that it had only done harm. Because I was the one livid and in pain, and not her.
It had been too long since I had seen her. I missed her sweet cunt and how sexy her body was.
I had to find a way to get to her. I was going to have to go to Hudson University. But walking straight on campus was a stupid idea. I didn’t know my way around, and besides, I wanted to catch Rosy off-guard, and not the other way around.
I was going to have to try to pull a few strings. The only way Rosy even got into Hudson was because I knew the dean. We had gone to the same college, and we’d even been friends for a short while. That, plus the two hundred thousand dollar check I wrote ensured Rosy’s spot at the university. So this little fuck better come through.
So as I made preparations for my visit, I called the dean. I told him I needed to speak to Rosy about a family issue, but I needed a way to get entrance to the university’s gated campus. It was important. Sensing his place, the man didn’t even ask. He said he’d leave me a pass with the security office. After all, Hudson is so exclusive that no anyone can just walk onto their property. It’s surrounded by wrought iron gates that probably cost millions to build, given how big campus is.
I felt relief wash over me as I drove to the school. It had to be one of the most gorgeous colleges I’d ever seen, and it wasn’t hard to picture Rosy happy and at home here.
I parked on the side of the security building and walked quickly inside. One of the guards looked up with a frown on his face.
“Who are you?” he asked in a gruff voice.
I whipped out my license and slid it on the counter.
“Randolph Steele. Alexander Anderson left me a pass.”
The guard
looked me up and down then back at my license. He grunted and then reached down to pull out a small pass.
“It’ll be effective until six. If you’re seen on campus after that, I’ll have to escort you off the premises.”
I nodded shortly and took the pass. I had no idea where Rosy was, but I had my ways of finding her at this place.
It was a Friday, so she had her Biology class at three. I headed inside the main building and was looking around frantically when I was met by a booming voice.
“Randolph Steele!”
I froze and turned to look behind me. It was Alexander. His red hair was thinning at the top, and he looked paler than usual.
I stuck out my hand and gave him a hearty handshake.
“You know I go by Steele now, Alex.”
“And you know I go by Alexander,” he chortled.
We laughed mirthlessly as Alexander wrapped an arm around my shoulders. I noticed how fat he had gotten, which was a shock. He had always been stick thin. But then again, I guess that was decades ago.
I started to ask him about his wife, but I didn’t have time to stall. I needed to see Rosy immediately.
“Hey, Alex, look, I’m in a real hurry. Where can I find Rosy Butler?”
Alexander scrunched his nose and looked all around him, as if my question was forbidden.
“You know I’m not at liberty to give out a student’s whereabouts…”
“No, no. I know, but it’s urgent. It’s about her dad. I need to see her immediately before it’s too late.”
I felt no remorse for lying.
Alexander sighed and pulled out an iPad. “I shouldn’t tell you this, but she’s in the study hall. Sixth floor of the library,” he added. “It’s best to be quiet.”
I smiled, hiding the gleam in my eyes.
“Thank you so much Alexander. Another donation from my private fund will make Hudson an even more beautiful college.”
Alexander went white in the face at the meaning of my words. Forcing a grin on my face, I slapped him on the shoulder and went off in search of the library.
My heart was racing. I was so close to seeing her. I was going to give her a piece of my mind.
I was angry. But I wanted her too.
At the same time, I didn’t want to hurt her. I had to get answers to my questions though, before I lost it. Although truth be told, I was stalking a teenage girl on her college campus. I’d pulled strings to be admitted to these hallowed halls, and was about to confront a student in the sanctuary of the library. If I’d been in my right mind, I’d have realized that I was the one who was batshit crazy, going out of my mind with love. But unfortunately, at that point in time, there was only one person I could think about … and that was Rosy.
Chapter 20
Rosy
Life without Steele proved to be hard, but livable. Barely, if I’m telling the truth.
Three months was definitely a long time but I decided that I had to move on after a full month of mourning a relationship that was never real in the first place.
Attending college was definitely my escape, and I had finally found my voice. I was so nervous the first day of class, but I promised myself to never back down, and to go in with all of confidence I had left.
My classes on the first day were English, biology, physiology, and a dance class. I usually sit to the very back of the classroom, but I made myself sit in the front for the first time.
There were tons of guys, but I was too shy to look at any of them. It didn’t bother me – it was almost like high school, when I’d been invisible. Guys didn’t like girls like me, anyway. They went after the skinny, beautiful types who looked like they’d stepped straight off a fashion runway.
At least, that’s what I thought until Cris Lovington approached me. I could hear him before I could see him. He was loud and rowdy while was tossing some type of ball back and forth with his buddies. Back then, I didn’t even know what rugby was, much less the kind of ball they used on the field.
So I turned, curious. That morning, I’d wanted to feel confident and sexy, so I’d worn some of the clothes Steele bought me. I wore a plaid mini skirt, paired with an off-the-shoulder top. It was revealing, but not too much: the kind of outfit my man would have loved.
I put my hair in a loose bun, and let some curls fall down. I actually felt and looked pretty. It was the first time I’d felt passable since Steele had left me.
Cris seemed to like my look as well. He sat in the desk behind me and tapped me on the shoulder, then ran his finger down my exposed shoulder. I turned and looked him in the eyes, ready to tell the man to bug off.
But he was surprisingly attractive. Not like Steele, of course. But still cute enough to make me snap my mouth shut.
“Yes?” I said as I’d swatted his hand away. He smiled, revealing a gap in his front teeth. His teeth weren’t completely crooked, but they also weren’t as perfectly straight and white like Steele’s.
“Just thought I should say hi,” Cris leered, showing some broccoli stuck way in the back of his mouth. Gross. But I managed to smile.
“Hi,” I said shortly before turning back around. But the boy wouldn’t give up.
“You’re fresh meat,” he whispered, tapping me on the shoulder again.
“Fresh meat?” I repeated. I turned again, fixing him with a look. Cris’s hungry eyes fell on my breasts as he licked his lips before slowly looked back up at my face.
“Un-hunh. Fresh meat. I’m Cris by the way,” he chortled, extending a hand. I didn’t want to shake it, but just to be nice, I gave it a brief squeeze and turned back around. But what guys can’t have only drives them on even more, and before I knew it, class was over and this boy was trailing me outside. I really didn’t want to talk with him more, but he was just so persistent.
“So, how about you and I grab a burger?” he jawed, nodding over to the campus diner. I began to shake my head no, but then stopped. Maybe this was what I needed. Maybe a lunch with some teen horndog would help cure me of my blues. I doubted it, but nodded then.
“Okay,” I said, trying to be as gracious as possible. An hour in the diner wouldn’t kill me. I could pick up studying later, not to mention mooning over Steele once more. And that’s how I began “dating” Cris Lovington. I was the envy of several girls I knew, since I was now officially dating this rugby jock. But inside, my heart wasn’t in it. I smiled, I took his arm, and I even went out with him, but there was always a plastic quality to my interactions. I was in love with Steele, and Cris was merely a distraction.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t keep pushing him away forever. Because Cris wanted to sleep with me, but I always found some way to demur. One day at lunch, he was particularly forceful.
“Today,” he said in that strange high-pitched voice he got whenever the topic of sex came up. “You can’t avoid it anymore.”
I grimaced internally. “I’m not feeling well,” were my pleading words, but he cut me off.
“Today,” he insisted again in that whiny voice. “Meet me behind the bleachers.”
The Dirty Hotel King Page 21
