River Jewel Resort Box Set Books 1-4 BOOK BUNDLE

by Madison Sevier

  “I see you’ve met Maria. Isn’t she adorable?”

  “Ah!” Hunter slammed into the back of the elevator and grabbed her chest.

  “What the hell is wrong with all of you?”

  “I didn’t mean to scare you. Sorry. I’m the new bell-hop, by the way. My name’s Dave.”

  The man held out his white-glove-clad hand and Hunter ignored it. She wasn’t here to make friends or to be buddies with the hired help. What was it with these people? Either there was a grand scheme to kill her through shock or the people in this area were complete nitwits! Regardless, Hunter was definitely beyond irritated and ready to lock herself in her room.

  “Look, Dave, I’m not here to make small talk. Just do your job and get me to my floor.”

  A few moments later, the doors slid open and Hunter stepped out into an immaculate hallway.

  “This place is so tacky!” She shivered as she slid her key card into her door and let herself into her suite.

  The lights were already on and cast a soft-pink glow across the room. Hunter tossed her purse onto a side table and padded across the plush carpet into an adjoining room. Every time she turned her head, she found more opulence and extravagance than even her father would’ve liked. And he had been the king of opulence.

  Their house may have been a ranch-style, but it was a real ranch. Not some modular home built in a suburb. Oh, no. Her father had paid for a stick-built, three-floor, seventeen-room display of his power and wealth. Hunter had never felt at home in that monstrosity. Part of her would be happy if she ended up having to sell it. She’d always been more comfortable at the family cabin nestled on the mountainside. Sure, Hunter loved expensive things, but mainly clothes, accessories and the finest coffee. Having that huge house was like having a huge flashy sign announcing they were rich.

  Hunter knew she was quite complex. She also knew she came across quite bitchy to most people. But, only to people who didn’t know her. Besides, sometimes a woman had to be a bitch just so things would get done. Following in the footsteps of a man who could snap his fingers to get things done wasn’t easy. Hunter had had her work cut out for her from the beginning and she vowed to never be a doormat for anyone.

  * * * *

  Hunter’s first order of business was to locate the bathroom. However, she found the pamphlet Maria had mentioned and sat down to take a look. It clearly stated that each resident should know all of their favorite things could be found in each and every room of their suite.

  “I’m sure. Why must these places make such claims? I’d be sued if I promised such things.”

  Still, she flipped through the booklet which also advised she could explore the resort online. Of course, they provided a laptop for every visitor. Page after page seemed to be written specifically for Hunter. From the type of chocolate she loved to the brand of extra bath towels she could request, it contained all of her favorite things.

  “What I need is a week-long stay and a different room for each day of the week” she mused.

  Hunter tossed the booklet onto the cozy armchair and rose to her feet. “Bath time. Please let there be a massive tub with a jet for every ache I have.”

  She located the bathroom at the end of a long hallway. Bypassing the many other rooms, she strode right to the source of ambient light. What she found truly took her breath away! Inside the spacious room was the most magnificent copper tub she’d ever seen. The tub, circular and deep, sat upon a wooden pedestal built to size. There wasn’t one flaw in the craftsmanship and as Hunter ran her hand along the smooth edges of the massive structure, she felt more at home than she’d felt in years.

  Strangely, she found herself wiping a tear away and chastised herself for her behavior. “Really? Get it together, girl! It’s just a bathtub.”

  Hunter grabbed an armful of luxurious towels from a wooden cabinet and looked around the room. If she didn’t know better, she’d think she was dreaming. In fact, she could swear this dream had visited her before. Everywhere she looked, something triggered a more intense deja-vu feeling within her.

  “How can this be?”

  She placed the plush towels on an upholstered bench located within arm’s reach of the tub. As the deep oasis filled with hot, bubbly water, Hunter slipped off her clothes and lowered herself to sit. As soon as she was settled, numerous jets came to life and caressed her from neck to toes.

  “This water feels like satin. It has to be the purest I’ve ever been in.”

  There was no need for her to turn or spin, for each pulsating jet was perfectly placed. A shelf, strategically placed, held every bath salt, foam and wash Hunter had ever loved. There were even a few brands she knew she’d seen before, but she couldn’t remember where.

  She selected three different brands and grabbed a bottle of conditioner.

  “I haven’t seen this brand in years! How did they find it? I’ve searched the world online and have had no luck!”

  Little by little, Hunter began to feel her incredible troubles slip away. After moisturizing her hair and wrapping it in a towel, she grabbed one particular scent of body wash and poured a generous amount onto a pouf. Slowly, she rubbed the honeysuckle soap across her arms and abdomen before she lathered her legs.

  “Heavenly.”

  After warming the bathwater a few more times, Hunter stepped out to dry off and wrapped herself in fluffy towels. The heated floor kept her cozy and relaxed.

  “Wow! I never thought of heated floors. This is incredible.” She twirled and danced across the warm wooden planks.

  “How on earth did they do this?”

  Suddenly, she realized she hadn’t brought any extra clothes.

  “Lovely.”

  In that one moment she almost lost every bit of happiness she’d found. Hunter wandered around the large bathroom, opening and closing doors. She found many things to distract her and it was a few minutes before she’d located a baby-blue-colored bathrobe. Interestingly, she hadn’t experienced one cold chill though she’d been wearing nothing more than a towel on her head and one on her body.”

  “A girl could get used to this. Why hadn’t my father had something this beautiful built in our home?”

  She didn’t need anyone to answer. She knew the answer. Her father hadn’t cared about anyone but himself. With her mother gone, he had built the home he’d wanted without a second thought for his daughter.

  “Bitter much, Hunter? And why am I talking to myself?”

  That seemed to be happening more of late and it was starting to scare her slightly.

  “It could always be worse.”

  Hunter meandered into the adjoining hallway and found herself in the middle of another enormous room.

  “How can the rooms be this large? This doesn’t make any sense. I feel like I’ve stumbled into another world.”

  She knew she wasn’t the most intelligent person in the world, but the schematics of her suite didn’t match up. Hunter began checking behind every single door and by the end of her reconnaissance, she’d found seven different bedrooms! Retracing her path, she double and triple-checked to be sure her eyes weren’t deceiving her.

  “I need to sit down.”

  Sadly, she didn’t know where she should sit. There were so many places to do so and it was overwhelming. When she wandered back into one of the bedrooms, she truly saw it for the first time. It was an exact replica of the bedroom she’d had as a teenager. The walls were covered with her favorite hair band posters and psychedelic graffiti. Various tubes and bottles of perfume, hairspray and makeup sat atop the white wooden vanity.

  Upon closer inspection, Hunter found photos stuck in between the mirror and wooden frame. Pictures of her! Photographs of her on a horse, with her best friend, and some yearbook photos of a cute guy she’d liked her freshman year.

  “This went from awesome to insane in less than ten minutes.”

  She knew it was impossible, but she found herself touching the many mementos around the room. Hunter slid open a n
ightstand drawer, peeked inside and ran from the room as though a spider had leapt out at her. Slamming the door, Hunter raced to the living room and picked up the courtesy phone.

  “Hello, Miss Golde. Are you enjoying your room?”

  “As a matter of fact, I am not enjoying my room. What the hell is going on? How could you possibly get our hands on my diary?”

  “Miss Golde, if you’ll just calm down.”

  “Calm down? Calm down! I will not calm down. But I will come down there and kick your fruity little ass if you don’t explain to me what’s happening!”

  “Miss Golde, I know this entire week has been a bad one for you. But if you’ll just relax and get some sleep, I’m sure you’ll find your stay to be more enjoyable.”

  “Sleep? My stay? I am terminating my stay. Please have Julio bring my car around.”

  “Javier, Miss Golde.”

  “I don’t care if his name is Marco Polo, I’m leaving!”

  “But, Miss Golde…”

  “Now Maria. Don’t make me come down there.”

  “There’s no need for threats. I’ll call Javier, Miss Golde.”

  “You do that. Notify me when he’s brought my car around.”

  Hunter slammed the phone down and slid back into the clothing she’d arrived in, tossing the fancy bathrobe on the floor. The minutes ticked by as she paced the floor, waiting.

  “I bet that man is in the bushes again. Creepy little man!”

  She checked her watch and came very close to biting her nails, a habit she’d broken long ago. However, this evening had obliterated her patience and if she didn’t do something, she’d surely go insane. Too freaked out to step foot outside of the room before she received Maria’s call, she instead went back to the room she’d ran from.

  The nightstand drawer was still open and Hunter cautiously approached it.

  “Oh, come on! It won’t bite you.”

  Sure, she knew that, but it didn’t help to ease her nerves. Hunter hadn’t seen that diary in twenty years and she wasn’t ready to see it now. Backing away, she crossed her arms and nibbled at her thumbnail. She bumped into a replica of her vintage dresser and some of the tiny knickknacks toppled and other shook. Hunter caught a porcelain kitten just before it crashed to the floor.

  “Of course you’d be here, too.” The porcelain figurine was the one thing besides heartache that her mother had ever given her.

  Before she knew it, Hunter found was soon lost in a sea of memories from the past. Flashes of happy and sad times flitted through her mind as she examined each and every nook of the room. Countless times, she was torn between happy and sad tears. Memories assaulted her from every direction, but she couldn’t make herself exit the room.

  “How could this happen? I know it can’t be real. Maybe I’m asleep. A coma? There’s no way I’m wide awake. “

  Hunter sat on the bed. The teddy bear her best friend had given to her was propped up on the pile of pillows just like she’d always done each morning before school. She scooped up the tattered, tan, stuffed animal that had been by her side throughout her high school years.

  “Oh, if you could talk, Roxy. I told you all of my secrets and there were so many times I was glad you were silent. But, right now, I wish you could speak. If you could just explain to me what’s happening.”

  She examined the bear closely before placing it back upon the pillow mound. Hunter finally found herself at odds with what to do. The diary was the only thing she hadn’t picked up. Why was she so scared of it?

  “I’ve already touched everything else. Why not the diary?”

  Just as she reached for the leather-bound journal, the phone rang.

  “Miss Golde, Javier has brought your car around.”

  “Thanks, Maria. Please tell Javier to park it again. I won’t be needing it.”

  “Oh?”

  “And I’d like to know if this suite is booked by anyone else.”

  “For how long?”

  “The next seven days.”

  “No, Miss Golde. There isn’t a hold on your suite.”

  “Good. I’ll be staying.”

  “Send the necessary paperwork up and I’ll sign it.”

  “That won’t be necessary, Miss Golde. You’re all set.”

  “That’s good. Good night, Maria.”

  Chapter Four

  Once again, Hunter awoke to find herself sleeping in a strange place. This time, she was curled up in her old college dorm room. After exploring her old bedroom from her teens, she’d moved on to another before she’d passed out. There wasn’t much to see or deal with in the smaller, college room and she’d lain on the narrow but comfortable bed and fallen asleep soon after entering.

  In the kitchen, she found her favorite brand of coffee and made a generous pot. The sliding doors led to a beautiful balcony and Hunter sat on the deck as she sipped the intoxicating brew. From her vantage point, she could see the magnificent Ohio River and she watched as barges made their way through the locks and onto their destinations. Some were loaded with coal, while others were empty and on their way to pick up another load.

  “How can anyone not appreciate such beauty?”

  Hunter asked herself the same question. Hadn’t she been so involved in Golde Trucking that she’d actually checked out of real life? Her existence seemed to revolve around what business accounts she could get her hands on and how much money she could make. Now, who knew what would happen? She’d spent the last decade of her life dependent on the company. Strangely, the company she’d put everything into, was now turning its back on her.

  Her cell phone jingled and shook her out of her reverie and it took a moment to locate it in the large suite.

  “Hello?”

  “Hunter, it’s Sam. I’ve got some information for you, but you might want to sit down.”

  “Well, good morning to you, too. Alright, I’m sitting. Might as well get this over with. Do you know where my money is?”

  “Of course, I do. Our investigators easily picked up the trail. It’s just as you thought, Giles has multiple accounts located around the world. Presently, he’s been apprehended in Germany and they’ll be escorting him to the nearest airport to be flown back to America soon.”

  “I knew it! Although, I figured he’d be on some sandy beach sipping drinks, but I knew it was him. Who else would have the smarts to rob me blind!”

  “Hunter, I’m afraid he didn’t do it alone.”

  “What do you mean? Who helped him?”

  “I’m not sure to what extent yet, but Jason was also apprehended when they located Giles. They were together.”

  “Together? In Germany? Why would Jason be in Germany?”

  “Um, they were together.” Sam emphasized.

  Hunter sat there with her mouth wide open, unable to believe her ears!

  “Please tell me you’re joking, Sam.”

  “I’m sorry, I really am. But, rest assured, we’ll recover every dime that we can and these men will be rotting in prison for a long time.”

  They hung up after discussing a few more details and Hunter sat there visibly shaking as the betrayal washed over her. She wasn’t surprised about Giles. Of course her accountant was a weasel. But, Jason? Sure, they’d had their problems, but never would she have imagined her boyfriend was bi-sexual. Not that Hunter had a problem with anyone’s sexual preference, but to have been lied to and destroyed like this was the worst.

  She dumped out her cold coffee and found herself tempted to open a bottle of wine.

  “It’s way too early. If I’m not careful, I’ll end up just like my father. No, I’ve got to get out of here for a while.”

  Hunter walked into another of the seven bedrooms and found a huge wardrobe stocked with brand new clothing. She chose to dress in a casual outfit of jeans, a flannel shirt and comfortable boots. On her way out of the room, she spotted a suede coat and threw it over her arm.

  The elevator was empty when she boarded. However, half-way down, it st
opped to pick up one of the most gorgeous women Hunter had ever seen.

  “Good morning.” When the blonde bombshell spoke, her smoky voice reminded Hunter of a siren’s song.

  “Morning.” Hunter felt like she was in a trance. The woman appeared ethereal. She freaking glowed!

  “You’re beautiful!”

  “Thank you.”

  The elevator seemed to be the slowest she’d ever been on. And Hunter felt compelled to stare. She couldn’t turn her eyes away.

  “Are you enjoying your stay, Hunter?”

  “I am.”

  “Is there anything else we can do for you?”

  “I don’t believe so. Everything’s perfect.”

  “I’m happy to hear that. I take it you’ve made peace with your accommodations?”

  “Of course. Everything’s beautiful.”

  “Happy to hear it. Where are you headed on this gorgeous morning?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t remember.”

  “Would you like to go with me? I have a few errands to run and I could use the company.”

  “Sure. I’d love to spend some time with you.”

  “Fabulous. Let’s go.”

  The doors opened and they stepped out into a quaint little town.

  “Where are we?”

  “That’s not important. What matters is why we are here.”

  Hunter was incredibly confused, but she couldn’t make herself form more than a smidgen of coherent thought.

  “Am I dreaming?”

  “Not exactly. But you are experiencing something you’ve never felt before.”

  “Who are you?”

  “My name is Scarlet and I own the River Jewel Resort. For now, that’s all you need to know about me. This trip is about you, my dear.”

  Scarlet grabbed Hunter’s hand and they walked further into town. They passed little storefronts still decorated for Christmas and families milled about shopping, laughing and carrying packages. Hunter knew Christmas was over but she could feel the excitement in the air as they made their way to the town square.

  There, was the largest Christmas tree, covered in decorations. Not a bare branch could be found!