by Lacy Carter
“I'm sending it over to you now,” Bonnie said. She’d only been home for ten minutes and already her boss was on her case.
“Great. Just in time.” Al said. “What do you know about cocktail parties?”
“Eh…” Bonnie said. “Well…”
“Great. They’re doing one for a few executives and fat cats involved in the production of the show. Anna had the baby. You're all I got. You're covering the cocktail party—”
“Wait, Anna had the baby?” Bonnie asked, slightly shocked.
“That's right. Keep it up, Jensen. I just need you to observe any and everything that goes on at the party and use it to put the finishing touches on the article.”
“But you haven't even read it.”
“I don't need to read it. I already know it's great. But this party is huge. The opportunity is huge. You'll get to see how Chad behaves among the elite. See how he is at swimming with sharks.” There was a brief pause. Al’s audible exhale suggested he was puffing his cigar.
Bonnie sensed there was something he wanted to ask her. “Is there anything else?”
“Yes.” He coughed, loudly. “I've got this niece who's really interested in the show. She wants to know if you're going to take Chad up on his offer?”
“Hmm. A niece you say? I never knew you had a niece.”
“I do! What’s it matter anyway?” Al barked. “So have you decided?”
“You'll have to wait and see,” she said in sing-song voice.
“Me? I don't watch the damn show, I told you, it's for my—”
“I'll see you when I get back, Al.” She hung up.
***
The last date took place in a gorgeous and expensive restaurant downtown. Bonnie got to the restaurant first, which somewhat surprised her considering how determined Chad seemed to make this date special. She probably should have expected tardiness based on their previous dates. Punctuality wasn't his strong suit; the guy operated on his own time.
A waiter showed her to her table. Taking her seat, Bonnie was soon met by the cameras and Leslie.
“I'm getting used to this,” Bonnie said. “At first I thought I'd get even with Chad whenever he kept me waiting,” she said, remembering when she hid his clothes. “So much for that idea, but now I've just accepted it.”
“Why?” asked Leslie.
“Well, it's our last day. There's nothing he can do now to make me see him any differently than I have over the four weeks we've been here.”
“You must feel pretty damned privileged to have half of the Internet rooting for you and Chad to get together,” Leslie said, glaring at Bonnie. Even the cameraman turned to peer at Leslie, as if to say come again?
“Was there a question in that?” Bonnie asked, annoyed.
Leslie folded her arms and looked away. “What's taking him so long,” she muttered. Taking out her phone, she half-turned away from Bonnie.
“This would be a crappy way to end the show,” Bonnie muttered.
“Well, I can hardly say I’d blame him. Could you?” Leslie asked, sneering at Bonnie in the process.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Bonnie asked, glowering.
Before Leslie could answer, her cell chimed. Turning her back to Bonnie, she bellowed into the phone: “Heather? He's not turned up. We haven't seen him all day. No. No.” She paced off, leaving Bonnie to fume over her comment.
Bonnie turned to the cameraman, who instead of filming, started off after Leslie. Catching Bonnie’s gaze, he stopped, faced her, and smiled. “Don't worry,” he said. “The live stream hasn't started yet. Nobody caught Leslie’s meltdown.” Then he chased after Leslie.
Bonnie let out a breath of air. She was glad no one caught Leslie's snide remark. Suddenly, a waiter leaned down to Bonnie's ear, taking her by surprise.
“Excuse me, Miss Jensen. There is a message from Mr. DeMarco,” he whispered. “He said to be outside in five minutes.”
“What? Here?” Bonnie said, trying to absorb the message. She rose hesitantly from her chair and looked around her. Leslie was still on the phone, and the cameraman and his team were sitting at the bar. What do I do? Bonnie wondered if she should inform them Chad was showing up or go out and meet him?
“One last thing,” the waiter whispered.
“Huh?” was all Bonnie could manage.
“Don't be late,” the waiter said. “Those were his exact words.”
The nerve of that prick! Bonnie thought.
Unlike Chad, Bonnie never had a penchant for games of risk, but still, she wanted to see him one last time, if for no other reason than to give him a piece of her mind. Getting to her feet, she spun slowly, giving one last scan of the area, before retreating toward the entrance of the restaurant.
Bonnie stepped outside and immediately, Chad pulled up in a Mercedes convertible. The deep growl of the engine rumbled over the earth. Chad was wearing sunglasses and an expensive tux.
“Get in,” Chad said, his expression smug.
Bonnie’s eyes narrowed into slits; she knew she ought to about-face and march back into the restaurant, but the dark promise excited her and filled her with an edgy restless energy. Her pulse leapt. Without a word, she got into his car. He hit the gas and they sped off.
She’d never seen Chad so enthralling, so suave; the way his outrageously expensive suit fit him made it impossible for her to associate him with the raw, primal, toe-curling and back-clawing fucking that was seared in her psyche. He looked less wild and more refined, more civil, yet behind his slicked back hair and formal dress, lurked a feral lust.
“This is insane. Even for you,” Bonnie said, still she found herself following along. “I'm not going along with whatever crazy idea you’ve concocted.” She never stopped to wonder about his hold on her. That she declared she would not get involved in his plans, yet passively followed along, was testament to how completely he'd possessed her. She was irrational in spite of herself.
“You’re here. That's all I wanted,” Chad said. He handed her a bottle of whiskey. “Have a drink.”
“No, thanks.” Bonnie crossed her arms.
They drove along a narrow road. Chad leaned back, faced her, and propped his elbow out of the door frame.
“And what about the show? You've ruined it,” Bonnie said. Still, after the way Leslie treated her, going along with Chad's foolhardiness started to feel justifiable.
“No point in worrying about it now,” he said. “No big deal.”
No big deal, Bonnie thought, echoing his words until they slipped out of her mouth. “No big deal. How could you say that?” She looked forward, hiding her almost-smile, unable to control the adrenaline pumping through her.
“It's just a show, Bonnie. I wanted to give us a shot at something real,” Chad said.
“They’re probably having us chased by cops as we speak. And I'm still mad at you for being late. Can’t you ever follow instructions?” Bonnie said, adrenaline compelling her to go on. “I can't believe you kissed me like that… you’ve got the entire world going insane about about us, well, the Internet at least… and you've the audacity to—”
“I know, I know,” interrupted Chad. “I'm a prick who’s been nothing but a pain in your ass.” He grinned cockily.
“…and yet, I've never met anyone like you,” Bonnie said, shocked she’d said what she was actually thinking for a change.
They looked at each other in absolute silence; the irrepressible leaps and falls of the engine served as a soundboard for the beating of Bonnie's heart. The moment passed as quickly as it occurred. She broke eye contact first.
“Well,” he grinned. “I'll definitely take that as a compliment, sweetheart.”
“So where are we going?” Bonnie asked.
Chapter Fourteen
Hotel DeMarco was not just modern and lush; it obviously catered to an elite clientele. A man captaining a posh little boat took them out to the small island on which the hotel stood. During the journey, Chad spoke about his
chain of hotels, which media outlets glossed over, as the details were far less salacious than those of his escort career.
“We do a lot of travelling, splitting duties. Dean and Bobby oversee the foreign projects and I handle domestic matters. When dad left his fortune to me, I didn't know what to do at first. I just wanted to party.”
“How old were you?” Bonnie asked, watching Chad's perfect profile as he stared into the distance.
“I'd just turned twenty,” he said.
“That's a heavy load a bear.”
“You got that right, sweetheart. Irresponsible, womanizing, hotheaded, and then little old me gets dad’s entire fortune,” Chad said with a smile. “I suddenly needed to get my shit together.”
They sat across from each other in the boat, somehow able to have a conversation above the rumbling of the motor. Bonnie noticed how relaxed Chad seemed for the first time since she met him, and it, in turn, made her feel calm.
Eventually, they reached the island, which was an archipelago. Chad shook hands with the boatman, who left and bid them both a goodnight. Bonnie followed Chad across the grounds, not sure how long it would take. They walked by streams, lush flowers, and small waterfalls.
The land became sloped as they passed by scores of trees and grass that crunched beneath their feet. Eventually, they came upon large iron driveway gates. The security guard in the office at the entrance sprung to his feet when he saw Chad and Bonnie.
“Mr. DeMarco,” he said, clearly surprised to see him. Without another word, he opened the smaller gate for them.
The hotel building in front of them was impressive, surrounded by lavish tropical gardens, three huge swimming pools, and a regulation tennis court.
“Okay Mr. DeMarco,” Bonnie said, slightly mocking the way everybody in his service addressed him so formally. “If it was your intention to wow me, mission accomplished.”
"You haven't seen anything yet,” he said, sounding pleased.
He couldn’t have been more right. As they approached the front entrance, a butler greeted them and ushered them inside. When Bonnie entered the hotel, she placed a hand on her chest. “Oh my…” she whispered.
It was stunning, Bonnie's jaw dropped at the interior of gold leaf, crystal, and Italian marble. The floor had a sunken aquarium filled with exotic fish, and the resounding sound of cascading water created an atmospheric tranquility.
The butler told them dinner was ready and then retreated, leaving Chad to continue their tour of the building.
"Where is everybody? I mean, I don't see a single guest,” Bonnie gestured, waving her arm.
“It's just us,” Chad said, as he approached an elevator. “Get in. I'm starving.” His fingertips traced her lower back as he led her into the elevator. He put in the key and pushed the letter B.
“The basement?” Bonnie gave him a quizzical look as the carriage plummeted downwards, and her stomach flipped.
“Yeah,” Chad said. “Don't worry, you'll like it.”
Bonnie’s thoughts were less worried and more intrigued. She now knew that whatever he was going to show her would amaze her; she just never figured he would have a dining hall in a basement. Chad didn’t come across as eccentric. She wondered if the billionaire standing next to her was in fact Bruce Wayne.
Bonnie caught Chad watching her. No, he was Mr. Steel; not exactly the heroic type, and far more likely to play the villain.
When the elevator doors opened to the basement, Bonnie felt as if she was stepping into another world. Or, more accurately, being submerged into a subterranean world. For a few minutes, all she could do was stare. It felt as if they were in a giant fish tank, with water surrounding them on all sides, and a vast array of marine life moving about and flaunting exquisite colors.
A yawning corridor stretched out in front of them. Comfortable sofas in muted shades of gray and black were arranged on either side, and above the seating areas were wall-mounted televisions.
“This is unreal,” Bonnie said, looking around slowly, as if she were trying to mentally log everything in sight. The atmosphere created a relaxing vibrational feel that almost hummed. Bonnie marveled at the meditative peace of the blue water, the golden light, and the colorful fish.
“Yeah, it's cool,” Chad said. “Follow me.”
Bonnie's heels clicked over the marble floor. She wasn't just propelled by the allure of Chad, but also the beauty of the room.
He led her to an area in the back with Roman pillars, lit with industrial lamps. At the center of the room was a low mahogany table set with cutlery, and beside it, large velvet cushions and Turkish carpets. “Make yourself comfortable; dinner will be served in a minute. I'll be right back,” he said, strolling down the hall. “Frazer will be in shortly. Tell him to serve dinner without me, I won't be long.” Then he was out of sight.
Bonnie tried to take his advice and sat back on a large cushion. Make myself comfortable? Bonnie thought. Impossible. Her nerves were relentless.
The grandeur of the place made it feel impossible to get comfortable. It spoke a lot of Chad's incredible wealth and power. Yet, when she looked at him, he rarely reflected the tremendous power and control a man in his position was expected to have; at least, he never seemed to crave power or desire control. He seemed more comfortable when things were out of control and the only lust he had, his only insatiable craving, seemed to be his hunger for women. As it happened, Bonnie was latest object of his desire.
Bonnie looked out into the blue water, which was brightly lit by artificial lights. A vividly-colored fish swam by the glass. The scales of impossibly bright colors dazzled Bonnie, but even more fascinating was its beak-like jaw.
“The parrotfish are part of a large group of marine species that you'll find all throughout the world,” said a man clad in a butler’s outfit. He smiled when Bonnie spun to face him. “If you wait long enough you might be fortunate enough to see our guest who occasionally frequents these waters.”
“Guest?” Bonnie asked, looking out into the blue.
“Yes. A shark has been known to frequent these waters.” He bowed, “Frazer, at your service. Please forgive my abrupt intrusion, Miss Jensen.”
“Oh… um… no worries. Mr. De—I mean, Chad said that he won't be long.”
“Yes, Miss Jensen.” With that, he gave a curt nod to three helpers who stood at the far end of the room, before quietly laying out dinner, then making a beeline down the corridor. “Have a pleasant evening,” Frazer said, bowing again. As suddenly as he appeared, he disappeared, leaving Bonnie alone again.
Bonnie was so taken by surprise, she could only smile. Realizing, she forgot to thank him, Bonnie cringed at her lack of manners. Taking one last look out into the ocean to see something large and dark in the distance, she wondered if she'd just spotted the shark Frazer spoke of.
Bonnie was surprised when she made her way to the table and saw Chad enter the room. He looked sexy as hell in the tux. Given the humidity, his dress might have been a bit excessive if they were outside, but the air beneath his hotel seemed cooler.
“You must be starving,” he said, as his voice caressed her skin. “I hope you like sea bass with caramelized fennel?” He walked over to the table and sat on a cushion. He held Bonnie in his gaze, causing her to look away. At the sight of her turning crimson, amusement glimmered in his eyes, one eyebrow lifted, and his seductive lips twisted into a smile.
She mirrored his action by sitting, proud of herself for remaining composed, as her legs wobbled and shook, which she disguised as a clumsy fall to the cushion. Convinced she’d been the victim of her heels and not his lethal eyes, sinful lips, or melting smile.
“Looks delish,” she said. She tried telling herself she referred to the food.
“Very,” Chad said. He never took his eyes off her.
Panicked, she began to formulate a coherent way of articulating how totally wrong and unacceptable it was for them to be here while the whole world was looking for them. Bonnie peeled her eye
s away from his naughty smile.
“You know we're going to get into serious trouble,” She said.
“The delicious kind, I suspect,” he growled.
Catching a whiff of his cologne, his masculine scent enveloped her. Damn he smells good! “What about Leslie and—”
“Fuck them, I don't care about Leslie. I invited you here and I want you to stay. I want you.” He sipped his champagne. “I just called my agent to let her know the situation.”
“And Leslie?” She didn't even attempt to hide her jealousy.
“What about her?” Chad said. “You want to know if I’ve slept with her? The answer is no.”
