“I didn't hear about that,” Lee remarked.
“Oh, that's right, it's supposed to be a secret,” Rafael muttered. “I probably shouldn't have said anything.”
“Why would my father be keeping secrets from me,” Lee asked and appeared curious.
“If I'm not mistaken, he's been keeping a few secrets from you,” Rafael replied then hesitated. “Oh, I wasn't supposed to mention that either. Maybe I should return to the kitchen, before I say something else I'm not supposed to.”
“Did my father tell you he intended to sell the hotel?” she asked. “I heard he got an offer last year from that mogul, Harlan Rafkin.”
“Uh, well, that might have something to do with it,” Rafael replied then immediately cursed himself for speaking.
“You do know something,” Lee announced with surprise. “How do you know so much?”
“Well, I, uh,” Rafael fumbled then shrugged. “I'm sort of tight with Harlan Rafkin.”
“Oh, my God,” Lee suddenly gasped. “You're a mole!”
“No, just a chef,” Rafael replied.
Hunter rolled his eyes and shook his head. He was already way ahead of this conversation, and it no longer held his attention. Bishop entered the lobby through the makeshift parking lot door. Hunter saw him and straightened with a groan.
“If you'll excuse me, I'm feeling a walk on the beach,” Hunter announced and headed across the lobby toward the beachside doors. Bishop saw him, changed direction, and hurried after him. “Hunter, wait.”
Hunter stopped halfway to the beachside doors and turned. He grinned deviously at Bishop. “Mr. Rafkin, I presume.”
“Stop calling me that. Someone might hear,” Bishop muttered, appeared tense, and looked around. “I had a very good reason for not telling anyone who I was.”
“I'm sure you did,” Hunter replied casually and smirked. “If Jetta knew you were a playboy millionaire, she never would have slept with you.”
Bishop suddenly appeared tense while staring at Hunter. “Oh, she told you about what happened,” he said softly then turned defensive. “And for the record, I'm not a playboy. That lifestyle never agreed with me.” He again turned timid. “I just want to talk to Jetta. She's been avoiding me for two days. Can't you talk to her?”
“Of course I can talk to her,” he replied. “I talk to her every day.”
“You know what I mean.”
“Yes, I know what you mean,” Hunter retorted. “Why would I want to come to your defense?”
“Because you know how I feel about her,” Bishop said then considered. “And I can get you a rocket launcher.”
“Thanks, I already have one.”
“Just tell her I want to talk to her,” he said. “I want a chance to apologize.”
The helicopter was heard just outside the lobby beyond the beachside doors. Bishop was suddenly alerted to the sound and hurried for the beachside doors. Jetta entered and nearly collided with him. There was an awkward tension between them. Hunter casually approached.
“Want me to handle this?” Hunter asked while indicating Bishop with a slight nod.
“It's okay, Hunter.”
Hunter frowned and shook his head. “At least pretend to put up a fight before letting him have his way with you,” he remarked. “I'll be right outside. Call if you need backup.”
Jetta nodded her response. Hunter glared at Bishop through piercing eyes then left the lobby. Bishop watched Hunter leave then turned to Jetta.
“Please let me explain--”
“Explain what? Girls like me are a dime a dozen to guys like you,” Jetta remarked.
“It's not like that, and you know it,” he insisted. “No matter what name I use, it doesn't change the fact that I'm crazy about you, and I have been since the day we'd met. You know there hasn't been anyone else.”
“Why didn't you tell me you were Harlan Rafkin?”
“Because Harlan Rafkin is an unfeeling prick. When I came here as Bishop Kane, a no body, people treated me like a no body, and I liked that. I don't want people kissing my ass because of who I am and what I have. That's what turned me into a prick in the first place. And let's be honest, if you knew I was a mega millionaire, you wouldn't have wanted anything to do with me.” He then appeared to consider something he hadn't before. “And Lee would have suddenly found me interesting.”
“You're right,” Jetta remarked firmly with a sigh. “I don't fit into the world of the rich and pampered. I like military men, men like Hunter, men like my father--men like Bishop Kane.”
Bishop suddenly appeared encouraged and gently pulled her into his arms. “You'll never have to meet Harlan Rafkin, I promise.”
Jetta reluctantly ran her hands along his chest. “Good, because I doubt I'd like him, and I really wasn't ready to give up Bishop just yet,” she said gently then met his gaze with a slightly embarrassed grin. “And I certainly didn't want what we had to be a one-night stand.”
He stared at her with some surprise then grinned his humor. “You intended to forgive me no matter what I said, didn't you?”
“I wouldn't go that far,” she said firmly. Her mood immediately softened. “Besides, I sort of had to avoid you until my father left anyway.” She hid her smile. “It'd be too easy for him to write you off as collateral damage.”
“I don't want to hide our relationship from your father.”
“Oh, we're in a relationship now?”
“I assume we are,” he replied. “If we're not, it's going to make sleepovers a little awkward.”
“Can you honestly tell me you're interested in a commando's daughter?” she asked. “I come with a lot of baggage--and he's extremely protective over me.”
“I accept that Hunter's part of the package deal,” he said while holding her against him. “And if the time comes that he wants that surgery, it'll be Harlan Rafkin's pleasure to fund it.”
“That's up to Hunter,” Jetta announced but appeared pleased by the offer.
He stared into her eyes and smiled warmly. “So about your father?”
She reluctantly sighed then smiled. “I'll tell him about us when I talk to him next week,” she said gently. “That'll give him a couple of months to get it out of his system and blow up a lot of stuff before he sees you again.”
“You do love me. I knew it.”
“Don't read too much into it,” she teased while running her hands along his chest. “I'm just here to make good that promise I made to you.”
Bishop groaned then kissed her passionately. He broke off the kiss, took her hand, and led her toward the elevator. Rafael, Lee, and Desmond applauded them as they passed. Bishop and Jetta appeared embarrassed by the applause, hid their smiles, and slipped into the elevator.
Lee smiled and shook her head. “I finally get it.”
The End
Town Darling
(Coming Soon!)
Preview Excerpt
After surviving a brutal attack that claims the lives of those she loves, a young woman seeks revenge on a corrupt town.
Going back home is never easy, but for Casey, it means returning to her corrupt hometown where she barely survived a brutal attack. Accompanied by two family friends, she seeks justice for the night that destroyed her life. Her physical scars are nothing compared to her emotional ones, forcing the local sheriff to believe that the town darling is back for revenge. As the conspiracy for her revenge appears to be leading up to the coveted town fair, the sheriff is determined to stop her from fulfilling her vengeful scheme...but guilt over his role on that fateful night continues to haunt him. His desperate need for Casey's forgiveness could be his undoing.
The Battle for Andrea Maria
(Available Now!)
Preview Excerpt
A cruise ship attack turns six survivors into overnight celebrities after they take credit for the heroic act of a stowaway who died saving them.
The cruise is just what Jess needed--a bit of harmless fun far from her daily grind. But wha
t begins as a relaxing vacation turns into a desperate fight for her life when terrorists take over the ship and start piling up bodies. Teaming up with a mysterious stowaway, Jess attempts to send out a distress call but knows they cannot wait for help to come. If she or the few remaining passengers have any hope for survival, Jess must act now. The papers dub it “The Battle for Andrea Maria,” but to Jess it is the moment she fought side-by-side with her enigmatic Romeo, saving the ship--and losing him. She thinks the story ends there, but really, the nightmare is just beginning…
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Holly Copella has been writing since the age of twelve when her frustration at a book's poor plot drove her to author her own story. Over the last decade, she's written a number of screenplays, some of which she's now adapting into novels. Her fascination with zombies and other darker material lends an edge to her writing, which tends to lean toward horror. As a fan of Agatha Christie, she appreciates the craft of a good plot and the importance of creating significant characters.
Hailing from Pennsylvania, Copella lives in the Endless Mountains on a farm with her rescue horses and other animals. In addition to writing and reading fiction, she enjoys riding horses and traveling to Las Vegas and Disney World.
Insanely Deadly Page 23
