Heart of Glass (Heart #1)
Page 27
CHAPTER 20
ANTONIO
1 YEAR & 6 MONTHS LATER
I had thought about a lot of things over the last two weeks. I had ended a relationship and I was on a mission to form a new relationship that would span over the course of many years.
Was I making the right decision? Only time will tell. Was I ready for this? Was I ready to confront her? She had changed. It had been too long but I had to do this. I couldn’t just sit back and wait to see what move she was going to make.
My cell phone rang. I fished it out of my inside suit jacket pocket. I glanced down at the screen, Harry. I answered.
“Harry.”
“Where are you?”
Straight to business, like always. “In Chicago.”
“Where are you staying? I didn’t book anything for you.”
“With my brother.”
“Tonio, I don’t think that place is secure.”
“I’m a grown man. I can take care of myself.”
“How many restraining orders do we have to issue on your crazed fans before you take your safety seriously?”
“I think I can fight off my stalkers. I actually had to learn martial arts for the movie Jitsu. I did my own stunts, remember?”
“That’s movie martial arts.”
“You are ridiculous. I can fight like a pro.”
“You know people use weapons nowadays.”
“Yes, I know. My brother’s place is in a gated community. I’ll be in disguise.”
“You call a baseball cap a disguise?”
“Why did you call?”
“Look Gigi is not taking the breakup well.”
“What does that mean?”
“You did it so abruptly. You know these women need closure. We have to promote this film. You picked the perfect time to dump her. We really don’t need her talking to the public about the breakup. She deleted all your photos off her Instagram.”
“We were only together for five months. You can’t respectfully call that a real relationship. She’ll just move on to some musician. All supermodels move onto musicians after me. They are done with actors for the time being. It’s not a thing. You have my permission to threaten her with legal action.”
“If I threatened every woman you stuck your dick in, I would run at of threats.”
“Haha, Harry.”
“I will give her a quick call under the guise of seeing if she’s okay.”
“You’ve done that before and fucked it up. Do not, I repeat, do not let her think we have a shot of getting back together.”
“So this time you’re done?”
“I’m always done. Have I ever had a relationship last more than six months?”
“No, you haven’t. When are you going to settle down? I thought Gigi was the one.”
“I’m never getting married and I’m not having kids.”
“Well—”
“Shut the fuck up.”
“Fine. How are you getting around?”
“The same car service I always use when I’m in town.”
“No taxis, definitely no Ubers, or Lyfts, please no public transportation. Chicago is the murder capital.”
“That isn’t actually true by populace. Don’t believe everything you read on the internet.”
“I don’t want to be all the way in L.A. concerned about your well-being. If you die on me I will never get another job in this town again.”
“If I die you can write a tell-all book about me and be set for life.”
“Yes, I could. We need to put that in my next contract.”
“Then I would have to worry about you trying to kill me.”
“Okay, this isn’t funny anymore. I need you to just be safe. You have three films lined up for next year. Are you going to see her?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Fuck! I hope you’re making the right move.”
“I think so.”
“Let me know how that goes. I’m ready to serve her with a gag order, a restraining order or whatever you feel is necessary.”
“She didn’t break the NDA yet. I can control her.”
“I hope so. Keep your temper in check.”
“Always.”
“I will send the itinerary for tomorrow. Please sleep. You’re much better when you’re rested. You have TV and radio.”
“Goodbye Harry.” I ended the call. Harry had a way of making me feel like a reckless teenager. I played along. He enjoyed giving instruction. I would always do whatever I wanted but I paid him for his honesty.
I was in town for more than promotion. I was in Chicago for personal reasons as well. The private investigator Harry hired had tracked her every move. She would be walking down this street within minutes. I had my driver pulled over to the curb.
I spotted her walking toward me. I rolled down the tinted window and when she was in earshot—
“Kelby.” The pictures the investigator spent hadn’t done her justice. She was more beautiful than I remembered. She stopped in her tracks. She locked eyes with me. She was holding it— him. He was strapped to the front of her body in one of those baby carriers that mothers used.
Her eyes stretched wide when she recognized me. Her hand went to cover the baby.
“Get in.” She didn’t move. She just stared at me. “Kelby, get in.” This time I demanded it. Her steps were slow and strained as she walked the few steps to the car. I opened the door and slide over so she could get into the backseat beside me. I hit the button so the partition would rise. This was a private conversation.
Kelby reluctantly closed the door. Her hands cuddled it— the baby.
“Are you surprised to see me?” I knew she would be.
“Yes.” Her eyes found mine and then she cast them away.
“You have a baby?”
“Yes.”
“A son?”
“Yes.” She exhaled deeply.
“Look at me.” She slowly gave me her undivided attention. “Is this my son?”
She palmed the baby’s head with one hand. I waited for her response and it almost never came.
“Kelby, I asked you a fucking question.”
“Yes.” I could barely hear her but the word no never sounds like yes. So it was clear even in a faint whisper. Her eyes were moist. Was she going to cry?
My chest felt tight. “So, you told the truth.”
“Tonio, what do you want?” Her voice shook. This wasn’t the reaction I envisioned. Where was all the emotion coming from?
“I don’t know yet.”
“I want to go home.” Her hands were shaking.
“Calm down. I’ll take you home. This isn’t over.”
A tear dropped from her eye and she didn’t bother to wipe it away.
I lowered the partition and instructed the driver to her place. She moved. She had a condo in a much better neighborhood. The money I gave her afforded her a better living. She had quite a bit left over. She hadn’t squandered the money from our first illicit weekend or the second one.
We sat in silence as the car drove us the few minutes it took to get to her condo. She hadn’t been with another man. The investigator tore into her past, present and future. She worked from home. She cared for her baby and saw a few friends.
I thought she would turn tricks after me but she wasn’t really an escort. She just was a woman that did it the twice with one man. I was flattered. Every woman I dumped bounced back rather quickly. Within months my exes had their lips firmly planted around another man’s dick. Kelby was different. She could have a relationship with a man. She chose not too. Why?
When the driver pulled up to the curb Kelby reached for the door and tried to open it. The doors were locked and she turned back ignoring me.
“Driver, driver, please open the door.” She was practically yelling at the chauffeur.
“Sir.” He addressed me. My driver was in my service, not hers. I nodded and he hit the lock for her door.
“Kelby, I will be
back.”
“Why?” I flashed her a pissed off look because I was pissed off. She was still upset. The brief ride hadn’t calmed her. Under normal circumstances, I would love this frightened behavior from a woman but today it was confusing. Today she was someone else. Someone with a baby, my baby.
“Kelby get out.”
She carefully got out the car holding the baby tighter than necessary. She slammed the door purposefully hard. My presence had gotten under her skin. What made her think she could keep a secret like this from me?
I watched her disappear into the building. I don’t know what she is thinking but I can control her.
TO BE CONTINUED
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Book 2, HEART OF STONE is available for preorder. Click to Purchase!
The final book in the Heart Novella Series, HEART OF GOLD is due out May 2017.
Authors Note
Heart of Glass is book one in the Heart Novella Series. The idea came to me while watching the Academy Awards. I have never written a book with a famous sexy actor as the hero. I wanted to do something different from some of my previous male characters. Readers of my Balls To The Walls Erotica Series know how much I love to write cliffhangers. After writing a few standalone novels I have resorted back to my old ways. #CliffhangersRock
Lolah Lace titles are available at website: http://www.lolahlace.com
Balls To The Walls books by Lolah Lace
Let’s Play Ball (Book One)
Line Of Scrimmage (Book Two)
Full Court Press (Book Three)
Free Agent (Book 3.5)
Bases Loaded (Book Four)
Flag On The Play (Book Five)
Out Of Bounds (Book Six)
Standalone books by Lolah Lace
The Boss Lady
Violation
Logan Enchanted
A Constant Reminder
Selita book series
Yellow Ghost
La Femme Selita
La Belle Selita
The Truth Series
The Truth Behind The Lies
The Truth Behind The Lies 2
Fox Brothers Series
Hunters Hit List
Five Night Stand