Felisha Goulding's Stolen Innocence Series

by Felisha Goulding

  * * * *

  Meg filled Drake in on the details of her encounter with Frank and the overly generous payout she was rewarded with. “That was very generous of him, you deserve it,” he assured her.

  * * * *

  Drake left at eight o’clock that morning to catch his flight. It almost killed her. She clung on to him, not wanting to let go, not ever wanting to be away from him again. He wiped a single tear that escaped her, Meg rolled her eyes. “Sorry, I don’t know why I’m so emotional,” she lied. She wanted to tell him how much she loved him, but she wanted to save those words until after she settled in, in NYC. Meg was more confident now in their relationship, but she’d never said those words to another man. She’d never felt the need to say them, until now.

  * * * *

  They stayed connected over the next month during his ongoing business trips and talked on the phone almost daily. They communicated other times by text and e-mail. He flew in on weekends, and they spent that time together. Before she knew it, the time was here. She wrapped up all her loose ends at Griffin Publishing, confident the company now owned by Drake Noble would flourish and continue to grow. She was elated at the fact that she was turning over a new leaf and ready to take on a career in writing, and more importantly, she couldn’t wait to get closer to Drake and to spend more time with him.

  Excitement filled her, making her wonder if all of this was real. Meg deposited the money that Frank had given her in to her savings account along with the money she earned from the sale of her condo. She was in a good place both financially and with life in general. She finally managed to get in touch with Frank and thank him over and over again for the opportunities he had given her and for setting her up financially. Frank was planning his wedding with Ana. The two were happy and enjoying their new life together. She worked up the courage to share with him that Drake Noble was indeed someone very special in her life. Frank was a little shocked but pleased at the news. He held a very high opinion of Drake and knew Meg was in good hands.

  Sarah was eagerly waiting for her arrival in New York. She mentioned that Ethan stayed that one weekend and then he was off to Europe to pursue his career in acting. Sarah sounded a little distant, and Meg sensed her sadness, but she did sound happy for him all the same. Sarah admitted that most weekends were spent with her two new friends, whom she picked up with again once Ethan had left.

  Meg’s life went by in a blur over the next few days. She packed, went shopping for Christmas gifts, and shipped more packages off to Sarah’s for safekeeping. She was content though, happy with the changes and couldn’t wait to be with Drake again. The trip to see her parents played heavily on her mind. She was scared as to what would be waiting for her there and when Drake wasn’t with her, which was most of the time. Despite the lights burning throughout the night, the nightmares continued to wake her up in a cold sweat.

  * * * *

  The flight to NYC was short, and thankfully, Drake sent his private jet to pick her up and promised to meet her at the brownstone that evening. The day before Meg’s flight, she received a package from UPS, a key to the brownstone apartment on 47th Street in SoHo, along with a note with very specific instructions.

  Meggie,

  Matt will be waiting for you at arrivals. Go directly to the brownstone and wait for me there. Sarah can see you when you get to Wisconsin and you two can catch up then. I need to be with you. I will be there shortly after you arrive. Get naked and on “our” bed. Legs spread, I’m hungry for you.

  Finally all mine,

  DN

  Xo

  Meg chuckled lightly. She loved the way he took control. He didn’t control her everyday life per se, it was more of a dominant sex game he played and Meg loved it. It added a little edge and excitement to their sex life. She loved that dark side of him, loved his sexual appetite. Just when she thought they’d done it all, he simply introduced her to something new and exciting taking her further and further into his world. A world she wanted to explore over and over with him, letting him set her on fire every time.

  * * * *

  Finally, Meg found herself in front of the brownstone. The building had an old look to it, the brick, a deep rich brown and cobblestone surrounded the grounds. Located in one of the richer parts of the city, it was easy to tell the area was upscale and very expensive. My bank account would tuck its tail between its legs and walk away embarrassed in comparison to the cost of living in this place. She took four steps up to the secured door, removed the key from her purse for the first time, and couldn’t wait to see a little more in to Drake’s very soul. Seeing someone’s domain tells you a story, giving you a little more insight into their very character. Slowly, she opened the door. The smell was fresh, clean, with a scent of masculinity, a mixture of leather, musk, and wood. Picking up a trail of envelopes splayed across the inside entrance of the door, she placed them in a neat pile on the key table to her left.

  Sucking in a deep breath, Meg exhaled slowly as she took in the scene around her. She removed her boots and was thankful the streets of New York were not yet covered in too much snow. Slowly, her eyes wandered everywhere as she made her way around the house, making herself comfortable in her new surroundings. On the main floor, the kitchen immediately came into view. A long bar table separated the kitchen from the family room. Four dark wooden bar stools were formally tucked into the bar. Meg ran her fingertips over the soft brown leather nestled into the seated part of the heavy wooden stools. Nice! The cupboards matched the décor of the kitchen nicely, and everything was dark wood. Meg loved dark wood. In the upper corner, a glass encased window displayed a beautiful china plate sitting perfectly upright, the sharp blue color with gold wrapped around the rim, shined beautifully from the light casting down from above. The kitchen was a nice size, and Meg could easily picture a domestic life here with Drake.

  The sofa and chair in the family room were decorated with large cream-colored cushions and the couches were covered in withered antique chocolate brown leather. This particular room definitely showed Drake’s true character. Masculine, yet comfortable, an overall executive look, with soft accents and bold brown-colored walls that warmed the room perfectly. The chandelier hung low, large lights were encased by a thick glass box that cast shadows against the walls. It looked like something from a Harry Potter movie, absolutely stunning.

  In front of the large, over-sized couch sat a marble coffee table in three different shades of cream. A dark antique brushed iron encompassed the outer edges. A lovely stone fireplace ran from the ceiling to the floor with various shapes and sizes of deep red stone emphasized by a bold black trim that individualized each one, giving it character. Heavy drapes were secured to each side of the two large windows in a dark shade of taupe. The room was filled with the warmth of the bright sun shining in between the open drapes, casting shadows in each corner of the room. A thin silk sheer hung nicely behind the heavy drapes and a nice view unfolded of the brownstones lined along the opposite side of the street.

  The place was stunning, and although the outside appeared to be rustic and in a mature neighborhood, everything on the inside appeared to be new. Meg leisurely explored the remainder of the house. She noticed a few things that Drake must have set up in advance of her coming here. She walked down the hall and stumbled upon what she assumed was his home office. A huge heavy wooden desk made a bold statement upon entering the room and a matching filing cabinet stood on an angle in the corner. A large computer screen was mounted to the wall opposite from the desk, and immediately, Meg’s attention was drawn to the picture sitting on his desk. It was her. The entire picture was of her face alone, large blue eyes ate up the camera with a playful look on her face, the corners of her mouth turned up in a warm smile. She recalled that moment right away, he took that picture during his visit to Toronto, the morning after he made love to her for the first time. It was a good picture of her and she looked happy, content, and so very satisfied. Meg was more than pleased to see her picture
there.

  On the corner of the large wooden desk, stood a miniature green tree, it was approximately two feet tall. The branches were nicely manicured and aligned perfectly. One single shiny deep red ornament hung low on one of the branches. It was the ornament she had given him, similar to the one he gave her. Meggie & John, Niagara-on-the-Lake it read in gold calligraphy. Her heart bloomed in her chest at the sight.

  Directly across the hall, another office came to life, this one was a feminine replica of his own, everything smelled new, the fresh smell of wood filled Meg’s senses and a sigh of appreciation passed her lips. He must have set this up for me. Wow. This is it, Meg. He really is serious about us. Meg hugged herself, thankful for everything that has transpired in her life over the past few months.

  Further down the hall, she found a small bathroom, nicely decorated in various shades of soft blue, very masculine in its décor. Venturing up stairs, she took a quick look around. The main bathroom was the first thing that came into her line of vision and it was huge! An antique bathtub stood on its own in the middle of the large room. California blinds secured the windows with a nice silk drape that fell low to the floor. The colors here were of a darker shade of beige, olive, and rich browns. Double sinks with ancient faucets were beautifully accented with hand towels that were gold in color, tassels and jewels hung from the ends, each one was artfully displayed in a perfect fold on the counter. In the corner, a massive shower stall with dual shower heads appeared. It was inviting, and after a week of running around like a crazy woman, Meg couldn’t wait to get naked and step inside to feel the force of the water run down every inch of her tired body. Later. First she wanted to see everything in this house before Drake got home.

  There were two bedrooms and one bathroom upstairs. The guest room had a double bed secured by a wrought iron headboard. It was elegant yet simple. The walls were bare of any pictures and a long chest of drawers in a heavy dark wood stood high in the corner. All floors, with the exception of the bathrooms, were covered in dark wood; each piece masterfully angled to perfection, some pieces shorter than others. Both bathrooms and kitchen floors had tumble marble tiles, again, angled to perfection.

  Finally, she made it to the last room. She knew it had to be the master bedroom. Meg turned the door knob, and butterflies danced around in the pit of her stomach. Shit, it’s locked! She headed downstairs into the kitchen. Drake assured her that he was in town and would meet her at his place when she arrived. Meg guessed he’d be here shortly. It was three-twenty in the afternoon. She went to the refrigerator and poured herself a glass of ice cold water. When she put the water jug back she took a look inside to find the fridge fully stocked. After navigating her way through the items, she grabbed a head of lettuce, cucumber, and tomato. Two steaks sat on the top shelf and she pulled them out as well. After placing each item on the counter, she looked around for utensils and spices to marinate the steaks. She figured that getting a head start on dinner would leave them with more time to spend together afterward. She eyed the stove top and was thankful to see it had an open grill. Perfect!

  Once the steaks were marinated, she stood there for a moment. Everything was quiet, and it was beginning to feel far too lonely. Her cell phone buzzed with the familiar ping of a message.

  MM,

  I will be a few hours, make yourself at home, I can’t wait to see you and don’t forget, naked and ready for me. TTYS.

  DN

  Xox

  DN,

  Can’t wait to see you! Your house is stunning and I look forward to these two hours going by quickly! Get your ass home. I’m naked, wet and ready for you.

  Hurry, I miss you 2

  Meg

  xox

  Meg decided that now would be as good a time as any to go for a run. She would take a shower when she returned and then start dinner. She felt very domesticated all of a sudden and a smile snuck its way across her face.

  Chapter 11

  Trying to figure out what to wear turned out to be quite a chore. Everything was packed away in the suitcases left at the front door. Meg managed to pull out a pair of thick black track pants, a long sleeve jersey, a hoodie, and her runners. She removed the cotton gloves from her coat pocket, pulled her hair back in a low pony tail and threw on a plain knitted black tuque. Despite the afternoon glare from the sun, it was December and quite cold outside. Meg let herself out the front door, turned the key to lock it, and tucked it inside her sock. She ran down the four steps to ground level, and after a few stretches, she started off slow before picking up a comfortable pace.

  A shiver ran through her from the cool NYC air. She must have run for an hour straight before coming to a stop right in front of ChickaLicious. Drake’s home away from home she thought to herself. I can’t believe in all of New York City, I just happened to stumble upon this place. But there it is! She walked up to the front door, debating at first if she should go in, but she had to see Liu, he was an incredibly wonderful man and he took good care of Drake when he needed it most. Thankfully, the door was open, as Meg recalled the fact that they weren’t open for business every day of the week. Once inside, she looked behind the counter, and there he was, making his famous espresso.

  His face lit up after he recognized who Meg was. “Meg,” he yelled from across the room. A small crowd sitting inside turned her way as she walked directly to where Liu stood. He came around the bar and wrapped his chunky arms around her he picked her up and twirled her around the air before letting go and hugged her fiercely. They both stood back a little, looking one another over, at the same time they moved toward one another for another hug.

  “It’s so great to see you,” he says. “What brings you by here?”

  Meg explained to him how she just happened to stumble upon the place. He winked at her, his eyes flirting, but he was harmless. “So you just couldn’t stay away from me, huh?”

  Handing over an espresso, he held his own toward her, the miniature cups clinked. “Cheers,” he said and they both sipped at the hot dark liquid.

  “Mmm, this is exactly what I needed. Thank you, Liu.”

  “You’re very welcome,” he says with a sincere smile on his wholesome face.

  “You look wonderful, Meg. Drake told me a few days ago that you were moving here permanently. Did you just arrive today?”

  “Yeah, I did, a few hours ago.”

  “You’re settled in already?”

  ”Not really, but I’ll get there. I’m actually in the middle of a stop-over. I leave for Wisconsin early tomorrow morning. I’ve decided to go home for Christmas and spend some time with my family.”

  “That’s nice, Meg. I’m sure they will be happy to see you. Drake mentioned you will be writing a book, that’s exciting. Have you started it yet?”

  “No, I haven’t started yet. I decided to enjoy some down time. I’ll start writing in the New Year.” Meg didn’t mention that she had already written her first book. She decided to keep that one a secret.

  “So, how about you, how’s business?”

  “Business is going well. I really should be open on Monday and Tuesday, but I need that time to myself. I can’t be working twenty-four seven, I’m too old for that now, and I need to slow down a bit.”

  “I don’t blame you, Liu. You’re not old, but life is too short to spend all your time working.”

  “Drake says you’ll be moving in with a friend of yours?” He asked with both eyebrows raised in question.

  “You know, if I didn’t know any better, I would say you are keeping tabs on me, Liu.”

  “Of course I am. You’re important to Drake and that makes you important to me as well. He talks about you all the time, you know? In fact, I've never seen him this happy and content. Our conversations before now were always about work and his latest deal. It’s nice to hear him talk so fondly of a woman that he adores very much.”

  Meg smiled at that revelation. She searched his eyes, wanting to hear more. Her heart couldn’t help but thank him
for sharing that little bit of information. The fact that Drake talked about her to Liu was uplifting and boosted her confidence even more so.

  Liu enclosed his huge hands over Meg’s, his eyes were filled with kindness. “Meggie, I can’t tell you how happy you’ve made Drake. He is over the moon in love with you, but I’m sure not a day goes by that he doesn’t tell you that himself.” No, he hasn’t, at least not out loud. Meg smiled back in return, thankful for hearing those words even if they were from Liu and not Drake directly.

  “I’m happy to be with him too, Liu. I’ve been looking forward to moving here for a few months now. It all seems so surreal.” Liu bent down and kissed her cheek. “He’s a good man with the biggest heart of anyone you’ll ever meet, I can promise you that. I’ve taught him well Meg, and he’ll take good care of you. It’s time for him to slow down, but he needs a woman like you to ground him. You two will be good for one another.” Liu brushed her nose lightly with the tip of finger and turned to the customer standing to his right.