by Kasey Martin
“Uh… ye-yes I’m fine. Did you need something?” She looked around nervously, and it made me do the same.
“No, I just wanted to make sure everything was going okay. We’ve had a lot of interest tonight. Almost all of the pieces have sold!”
Bambi visibly relaxed, but she continued to look around nervously. I’m not sure what was up with her, but she was safe here. I don’t know all the specifics of her story, but you always know when someone is running from something. And Bambi Laurence-Vásquez was definitely hiding something. I just hoped that she would trust in our friendship enough to tell me if she ever needed help.
“There’s a customer that was asking about the Tree,” Bambi pointed at the man, “I’m sure he’s ready to buy,” she smiled at me as she walked toward the blond man with striking blue eyes. The Tree was one of my favorite pieces of work. It was an expression of how I viewed women to be the root of all the world. The vibrant browns swirled with the golden greens and midnight blues to create a soulful woman. Her body was the trunk, and her hair the leaves. Mother Earth.
I was brought out of my musings when I say my bestie from across the room. “Oh! There you are, Raven! I’ve been looking all over for you!” I exclaimed, happy to see her. I wasn’t sure if she would be able to make tonight’s opening with everything that had happened to her recently. But from her and her husband’s looks, it seemed as if they were getting along great after their unconventional beginning. Raven finally looked happy, and I couldn’t be more relieved.
“Hey, Sash! I’m so happy to see you! Congrats, girl!” Raven said with a proud grin.
“Thank you, Rae! I was so nervous, but it looks like almost all of my art has sold.”
“Wow! That’s awesome, sweetie!” We hugged one another in excitement. Raven had been my biggest supporter when it came to my art.
“I know, right! Hopefully, I’ll get to meet the buyers. After all, they are helping me with my goal of buying this place instead of renting it.” When Raven got some of her trust fund last year, she offered to help me buy this place. But people were always using Raven for her money, and I didn’t want to be in that category. It wasn’t her responsibility to help me, besides I was capable of owning this place myself.
“So, you want to own this place? I think it would be a great buy.” Lennox smiles down at me, and I flush. I didn’t realize how much he and his brother looked alike until this moment.
“Yes, the building itself is a work of art. I love showing my pieces here.” I respond after I gather my composure. Raven seemed like she was actually in love. Her face was glowing as she looked up at Lennox, and I couldn’t help but smile at the couple, wondering just how much Raven will need to tell me at our next happy hour meet up.
“Nice set-up you have here,” Before the wedding, I hadn’t heard that voice in over two years, but even then, I’d known I would never forget it. Monster.
“What are you doing here?” I glared at the man who dared to encroach on my happy place. He was not supposed to be here. I knew for a fact he was supposed to return home to the states because Raven had mentioned it in passing the one time we’d talked on the phone after the wedding.
“I came to admire your work, of course.” Sawyer’s wicked smile reminded me of our time together. A time I promised myself, I would forget. It was too painful to remember such a happy time knowing that I had to give it up—the reasons I had to give it up.
“I didn’t realize you two were so familiar with one another.” Raven stated with a curious expression in her gray eyes. At that moment, I felt ashamed. I never told a soul about my time with Sawyer, not even my best friend.
“Oh! Sash didn’t tell you. Raven, you’ve practically been replaced as her best friend.” I frowned at Sawyer because he was never so petty in the past. But I guess my leaving affected him more than I thought it would.
“Uh, no. Sasha hadn’t mentioned it,” Raven looked at me with an arched brow, and I looked away. For once in my life, I was able to keep a secret. Usually, I couldn’t hold water when it came to keeping a secret. However, my time with Sawyer was something that stayed close to my heart. I didn’t want to share that with anyone, not even Raven.
“Raven and Lennox are newlyweds, Sawyer. I would never interrupt Rae to complain about her bullheaded brother-in-law that doesn’t know how to mind his damned business.” I ball my hands into fists, frustrated because Sawyer called me out, and I didn’t want to talk about us. It would lead to conversations that I knew we couldn’t have.
“You call me bullheaded after I just purchased all of your pieces.” Sawyer shakes his head in mock disappointment, “Some people are simply ungrateful.”
“Y-you did what?” I gasp my hands fly to my chest in complete shock. Why the hell would he do that?
“I purchased your artwork. Sweet Sasha.” I recognize the dangerous growl in his voice, and the nickname he wielded like a threat. That tone in his voice used to make my panties wet because I knew what was coming. Now though, I wasn’t so sure.
I vaguely hear Raven and Lennox make a hasty retreat at the awkward exchange, but Sawyer didn’t leave. He just stood staring at me.
“What do you want from me?” I bravely asked.
“Everything.”
***
I was all discombobulated after my exchange with Sawyer. It was easy to forget him when he wasn’t standing in front of me, reminding me of what I’d given up. I just hoped he would change his mind about pursuing me, and let me go back to my life. I couldn’t focus when I knew he was around. I couldn’t trust my Monster, and I couldn’t trust myself not to tell him the truth behind why I left.
But I wouldn’t be deterred by his gorgeous face, sparkling emerald green eyes, or persistence. I had to leave him once, but I can’t be sure if I’m strong enough to leave him again. And deep in my heart, I knew I would fold if he kept showing up and asking questions. I may have been able to keep a secret from Raven, but I was never able to keep anything from Sawyer. The only reason he didn’t know much about me was because he never asked.
Our time together started as a fling. I was in New York, working as an apprentice to Jon Lucca Espinosa, a world-renowned art curator. I was twenty-four-years-old, wide-eyed, and naïve. It was my first big job in the art world, and I was excited to have the opportunity so fresh out of college.
I had only been off of Founder’s for college, but living in New York was the first time I’d been completely on my own. I was living my best life in the big city. Meeting new people and finding my way. Then one day, I met Sawyer Nash.
Sawyer was older than me, worldly, and sophisticated. He was mysterious and dark, and I was completely enraptured by him from the beginning. He was a man that knew what he wanted and got what he wanted. And he wanted me. And truth be told I wanted him.
But after two months of infatuation and pure lust, it all came to an abrupt end. I wouldn’t ever be the same. So, I came back home and started over. I left New York a different woman. I was determined to make my life my own, and although it took me two years to get to a good place, I was finally there. I had enough for the down payment to buy the building where I housed my gallery, and I was determined to move on in my life without Sawyer Nash.
With Sawyer pushed to the back of my mind, I walked into my meeting with all the confidence in the world. Today I would be signing a contract to extend my agreement with Mr. Todd who has owned the building for twenty years. Because he decided to sell this year I was able to slide right in and take him up on his offer.
When he first offered me the rent-to-own deal, I was ecstatic. There would be no way that I would be able to own such a prime piece of property. The banks wouldn’t give me the loans I needed, and I didn’t have enough saved.
However, all that was about to change because Mr. Todd was a lifesaver. He took a leap of faith and was willing to give me the chance I needed, and I would be forever grateful.
“Good morning, I’m Sasha Phillips. I have an appointment with
Mr. Todd,” I greeted the front desk receptionist with a smile.
“Oh, good morning. Yes, Mr. Todd will be right with you.” The pretty receptionist responded with a bright, toothy smile.
I only waited a few minutes before the receptionist led me to the conference room where Mr. Todd was waiting. Bruce Todd was a man in his late sixties with white slicked back hair and a jolly disposition. All he needed was a beard, and I would be tempted to call him Santa.
Normally, Mr. Todd was all smiles and jokes, but today, he seemed off. His usually warm presence was icy cold with a hint of fear, and I instantly went on alert.
“Hello, Sasha. Nice to see you again. Please have a seat.”
I nodded and sat in the chair with anxiousness covering my body. I had an uneasy feeling about today. I’ve been preparing for this deal for a long time now.
“Mr. Todd, is everything okay?”
“Well, there’s no sense in beating around the bush,” Mr. Todd sighs as he sits down behind his desk. He opens up a drawer and takes out a stack of papers. I watch him curiously as he flips through the papers.
“What’s going on, Mr. Todd?” I ask, getting more nervous with each flip.
“I’ve had another offer to buy the building, Sasha.” He finally stops fidgeting and looks up at me with sorrowful brown eyes.
“What?! We had an agreement!” I couldn’t believe he would sell the building right from under me. My dreams of owning my own gallery were disappearing right before my eyes.
“Calm down, Sasha. I said I had an offer, and I didn’t say I took it.” Mr. Todd responded. But the way his eyes shifted from left to right nervously told me that wasn’t all there was to it.
“Okay, so we’re still signing the paperwork today?” I asked, trying to get to the reason I was here.
“No. We won’t be signing anything today. I told the other potential buyer that I would give you a chance to counteroffer.”
I took a deep breath. My dream could still be a possibility. All I had to do was make a counteroffer, and I could still buy the building. It wasn’t as bleak as I thought. I could do this.
“Alright. I’d be happy to counter. You know how much I want this building, Mr. Todd.”
He nodded, “I do.”
“Great! So what’s the offer on the table?” I asked with a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.
“A million dollars.”
“A million dollars!!” I was shocked. The value of the building wasn’t appraised at nearly that much. It was valued at half that, and there was no way in hell I had that type of money. There weren’t any other buildings that could house my needs right now. I would be out of business if I couldn’t come up with a solution.
“Yes. But, I’m willing to honor our deal,” my eyes lit up with excitement, but Mr. Todd held up his hand before he continued, “you will need to come up with at least three-hundred-fifty-thousand before I will let you make payments.” Mr. Todd managed to crush my hopes with one number. The original deal was for eighty-thousand, and I had barely scraped together that much. My parents even put up their house. I couldn’t lose my parent’s only investment because they believed in me.
“I don’t have that much. I could maybe…” I trailed off because I had no idea what to say next. Mr. Todd gave me a pitying look that upset me. I didn’t need his pity; I needed him to stick to his agreement. Maybe I could sue? But that would take time and money that I didn’t have.
“I’ll give you a few weeks to consider. I know how important this is to you and your family, Sasha. But the clock is ticking.”
I had to come up with two-hundred-seventy-thousand dollars in a few weeks. How the hell am I going to do that?
Chapter 4
SAWYER
I did my best to stay away from Sasha Phillips. She brought out the worst in me, and I had to remind myself that she left me high and dry without a plausible explanation. However, my infatuation with her grew more and more each day. But instead of acting on my obsession, I left the island, which wasn’t the plan. I was supposed to live on the island full time while my father worked in the states, but I had to put distance between us to focus on what was truly important and the entire reason why I came to Founder’s in the first place. I had to establish Nash Industries as a legitimate business entity.
For the last few months, I had been working in the states doing what I did best. I had managed to remotely set up a home office and a warehouse on Founder’s Island. Once I had met with Oran Hale and a few other heads of the founding families, it was easy to get established.
However, as well as my business life was going, my personal life was in the shit. I couldn’t stop thinking about Sasha. Now that I knew where she was, it was hard for me not to go to her. And now that I was back on the island for Lennox and Raven’s baby shower, I knew that I would have to face the woman who had me in turmoil.
I approached my brother and sat down beside him as he gazed across the room at his heavily pregnant wife. I smirked at Lennox. I was glad that he was happy, and his arrangement had worked out.
“Why are you watching your wife like a stalker?” My voice came out gruff, but my brother simply chuckled. I would never admit it out loud, but I was jealous. My brother had everything that I thought I’d given up.
“It’s not stalking when you’re married. Stalking is what you do to Sasha.” Lennox smirked back at me, and I frowned even deeper. I’m not a fucking stalker. I didn’t follow Sasha’s every move… well, at least not personally. I had Darby for that.
I watched Sasha from across the room as she talked to that friendly motherfucker, Caerwyn Hale. He was way too nice for my liking. I could feel my face heating up with rage. The urge to snatch Sasha up and keep her from laughing and joking with a bastard that wasn’t me was so great I had to look away.
In the short time I’d been away from her, I tried to keep from thinking about our brief time together. Sasha was young, too young for me at the time, but I didn’t give a fuck. I wanted her. When she first walked into the hotel restaurant, I was instantly drawn to her. She wore her hair like it is now, a big fluffy afro that bounced when she walked. Her light brown eyes always seemed to glitter with happiness, and she radiated a joy that couldn’t be faked.
I am a dark man, but I was in the darkest place I had ever been when I met Sasha. And she exuded a light that I was instantly drawn to and selfishly wanted more of. I took advantage of a naïve young woman and made her mine. At least I thought she was mine until I found a letter in an abandoned apartment telling me not to look for her.
I continued to watch her flit around the baby shower, laughing and talking to everyone, but me. It pissed me off because that smile used to be just for me. I hadn’t seen her in person in months, but I got a daily update from Darby because I trusted him the most, so I left him behind to watch her. However, it wasn’t the same as me watching her myself.
“I’m not sure what’s going on with you two, but if you don’t make your move, I’m pretty sure she’s going to get a restraining order against you.” Lennox’s smart ass mouth brought me back to the present. He chuckled at my expense as he continued to watch Raven’s every move.
I shook my head, “Lennox, stop worrying about what I need to do. I’m the older brother here, and I know what I’m doing.”
“Yeah, okay. But we both know why you won’t go after, Sasha.” Lennox looked directly at me with an accusing tone.
“And just what’s the reason, oh smart one?” I questioned with an arched brow.
“Cara. It wasn’t your fault what happened to her. You deserve to have someone to love, Sawyer. You don’t have to be a widower for the rest of your life. You’re too fucking young for that.” I knew this subject was bound to come up as soon as I showed interest in a woman. It was one of the reasons that I kept Sasha a secret the first time. I didn’t want people pushing their bullshit onto me.
I held up my hand to stop my brother from continuing. Today was a happy occasion; I wasn’t
here to drudge up my ghosts. I didn’t want to think about Cara, especially while I couldn’t stop thinking about Sasha.
Before I could respond to my brother, I see Austin Thomas slide his arm around Sasha’s waist and kiss her temple. I’m instantly furious! Darby didn’t tell me that this motherfucker would be here. He knew that I would want to know. Surprises like this made my inner killer stand up and stretch.
This asshole, Austin Thomas, called himself dating Sasha. It wasn’t anything serious because I knew every time they went out, she sent his ass home without inviting him into her place. He hadn’t touched her yet, and it was the only thing keeping his slick ass alive.
Before I could even think to stop myself, I was heading in Sasha’s direction. When she saw me, her eyes rounded in surprise. I hadn’t seen her since the gallery opening when I bought almost all of her paintings.
“Hello again, Sweet Sasha,” the smile that I wore was not a friendly one. It was predatory as fuck, and Sasha knew it.
“Mon… Sawyer!” My name was a surprised squeak. I had left her alone, no calls, no popping up unannounced, nothing. But she should’ve known I would be at my brother’s baby shower.
“Oh! Sawyer Nash, I’ve heard a lot about you!” The other man exclaimed, giving me a big toothy grin. He was a leading attorney at one of the big firms on the island, so I’m not surprised he knew who I was. However, if he weren’t trying to date my woman, I wouldn’t know who the fuck he was.
“Hmmm.” I didn’t want to talk to this asshole, he wasn’t worth my breath, but I nodded at him as I glared at Sasha. She didn’t acknowledge my stare as she quickly looked away guiltily. We hadn’t been together in years, but I knew when Sasha was feeling regret. Now that I was back, there was no room for anyone else in her life. I might have been playing it cool, but she knew I was seconds away from punching this motherfucker in his face.
“It’s nice to meet you; my firm is set to do some business with Nash Industries.” I glanced at the man as I shook his hand. He smiled widely, and I caught Sasha rolling her eyes, and I smirked. No woman wanted to date a guy who was fanboying over another man.
