She opened her mouth to speak but quickly closed it. I figured she wanted to talk but was too tired or in too much pain so I decided not to bother her about it. I took her clothes off of her and carried her into the bathroom. I sat her down inside of the tub and watched as she winced. I finally had my Lola back, and although she wasn't at her best I was willing to nurse her back to health.
I watched her as she tried to relearn how to move her arms and legs. It was the saddest thing that I have ever laid eyes on and my heart broke, even more, knowing that I was the one who put her in this type of danger. She learned fast, that's how strong she was. Just thinking about it, how strong she really was, make me think back to the different moments that we shared. Specifically back to when all of this started.
I knew she wanted that kiss as bad as I did, and I know that the kiss would definitely leave her wanting more. I didn't really have a meeting I just wanted to leave her on edge. I knew even the strongest most independent girl couldn't hold herself back. I knew my magic, and it only took a couple of days. I chuckled to myself and walk back to my desk, taking a sip of my coffee while looking out the view of the window. I had everything I wanted in the palm of my hand.
Lola made me feel young again. Being around her took me back to when I was around her age, young, and just starting to discover what love was all about. That was a time when I was wild and adventurous. I had a lot of down time and I could really be myself without any consequences. That’s why being with her was such a valuable time for me.
I felt as if she was really the one for me and that’s why it hurt me so much that would betray me. I feel like if your feelings were almost the same as mine you would at least respect my privacy. Whether my email was left open or not, it wasn’t her place to take a look inside.
That whole situation angered me so much but I just couldn’t force myself to be over the top upset with her. I knew that showing extreme anger towards her would make me uncomfortable and I can’t bring myself to hurt her… that much.
My phone began to ring disrupting my thoughts and making me slightly irritated. It was a call from David. I answered quickly because it was rare for David to call me in the middle of the day.
"Boss, you're not going to like this." his voice sounded frantic and I almost didn't want to hear what he was going to say next.
"What is it?" I kept my calm. Panicking just as much as him was going to help nothing at this moment.
"That lady that's been chasing you down for years says she's coming after the girl and it’s not going to be pretty"
"The girl... what girl?" I asked in confusion.
"The one that you went out with the other night, you know. The one that found out about us" he spoke. There was a silence on the phone after that as I took a minute to think.
“How’d you figure that out?” I asked.
“She sent me an email from her husband’s account he had with us and said these words exactly:”
Dear David and crew,
Since Arsen stole the love of my life from me I guess I'll have to take something from his as well. That girl, his new arm candy. My daughter has been telling me she’s seen them around town together and it’s more than just taking her out to make himself look good. He has feelings for this girl and this is the perfect time for me to come in and make my move. I just hope you guys get a hold of her before I do.
"Arsen" she called out breaking my train of thought.
"Yes, my love?" I got on my knees in front of the tub, willing to do whatever she asked.
“Why did you kill my best friend?” she looked over at me with wide eyes. Her knees were pulled up to her chest.
“Who told you that?” I spoke, wondering how she found out.
“I heard the gunshots and when they took me out of the building I saw her laying there. Dead. Her mother said you did it.” she sniffled and I saw her eyes begin to tear up. “You killed her and her father”
“Lola….” I started and honestly I didn’t know how to finish.
“You took her father away from her and you took her away from me! How do I know if I’m next?” She tried to speak louder but I could tell it was putting a strain on her throat.
“Lola, I would never hurt you a day in my life” I spoke.
“Prove it” she spoke quietly “Don’t hurt anyone else close to me please”
“Anything for you” I nodded.
“Now tell me why? Why did you kill her? Why did you kill her father?” she looked down at the water.
“Well, her father was stealing money from us and giving it to other gangs who were against us. He was one of our best members and the entire time he was setting us up.” I lathered a washcloth with soap and started to clean her up. “As far as Anabella, her and her mother were plotting on hurting you in order to get back at me”
She looked up at me in disbelief.
“There’s no need for me to lie. The situation is over now” I continued to clean her. “Your best friend was plotting against you”
Things got quiet really fast. As I washed over her body with the cloth, the only sound between us was the light movements of the bath water. I grabbed the bottle of strawberry shampoo and began washing her hair. She sat there staring into space. More than likely thinking about what I had just told her.
I finished washing her up and sat there. I reached for the drain to let the water out but she grabbed my hand, stopping me.
“Can I stay in here a little longer?” she whispered. I nodded and still drained the water.
“Anything you want my love. Let me just run you some fresh water” I slightly smiled, trying to make her comfortable and ran her some more warm water.
“I’m going to go take a shower in your room, if that’s okay?”
She nodded and I got up to leave. Before I left I grabbed my phone, turning on some soft music at a low volume and sat it on the sink for her to listen to. Maybe the music could help her calm down, she’s been in the same position since she got in.
As I cracked the door, I saw her relax her body. She pulled her legs down from her chest and stretched her arms out. She lowered her body into the tub, so that the water touched her neck. It made me smile that she felt at home.
I grabbed a fresh towel and a pair of sweats to wear to bed and headed off into her room. I took off my clothes and got into the shower. I haven’t had a good shower since the day Lola went missing.
I made sure the water was hot and the shower was steamy. This way I could really relax and become one with my thoughts. I began washing over my body slowly, being sure not to miss a spot. I washed my hair, then stood under the water for a few minutes. Soaking up the heat before I went back into the chill air of my bedroom.
When I got out, I dried off my body and threw on my sweats. A took a deep breath and walked back to my room. Upon entering, my eyes fell upon Lola who was in my bed laying on her side. It looked like she had a gown on. She must’ve gotten it out of her room when I was in the shower.
She looked so peaceful. Just when I was about to turn to go sleep in her room I heard her voice.
“Arsen” She whispered.
“Yes, angel?” I asked, walking over to the edge of her bed.
“Stay” she commanded in a light voice.
“You sure?”
“Yes. Please don’t leave me. Sleep with me please” She whined.
“Alright” I climbed into bed next to her and turned off the desk lamp, which was the only light on.
The moonlight shined inside of the windows as Lola turned to face me. She cuddled up to me and I wrapped my arm around her. I was so glad to have her back next to me.
THE END
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Mallory
A Billionaire Romance
Complete Books
1 -10
By Michelle Love
The story of the Mallory Family: Scion Randall Mallory, has four sons and one grandson who have all excelled in their own ways and who have conquered the art world, business world, tech world, acting world, sports world and property worlds. They are the richest family on the West Coast. Mallory tells their story along with the women and friends in their lives who eventually interact and fall in love…
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Mallory
A Billionaire Romance
Book 1
Torment Me
By Michelle Love
When art student Quilla Chen bravely dives into a Venetian canal to rescue a suicidal man, she has no way of knowing the man she has saved in the eldest son of one of America's wealthiest families. But Jakob Mallory has his own dark secrets - an addiction to cocaine which has fueled his epic rise to the top but now threatens everything as his addiction grows stronger. Their attraction to each other is palpable and soon they become lovers. When Jakob and Quilla return to Seattle, Jakob persuades her to meet his family and soon she become embroiled in their lives and loves. The only person who resents the newcomer is Jakob's business partner, Gregor, the man who led Jakob into addiction for his own ambitious purposes. When he offers Quilla a huge amount of money to leave Jakob, a furious Jakob fires Gregor from the company, with his father's backing. Gregor, humiliated and incensed, confronts Jakob and Quilla at a public encounter which could threaten their lives...
Torment Me
‘Bella, bella, bella!’
Quilla ignored the calls of the gondoliers as she walked quickly over the bridge. It was dusk, and Venice was readying itself for the night life but at this moment, on this particular bridge, it was quiet. Quilla kept her focus on her destination; she’d had good practice at tuning out the incessant catcalls and whistles that followed her. Even dressed as she was; simple white shirt and cargo pants, the Italian boys would make their appreciation known. It had annoyed her at first – her American sensibilities offended by their objectification but now she just ignored it.
Every morning she woke up in this glorious city, Quilla Chen would spend a few seconds in wonderment. Italy…she never thought a working class girl like her would get here. Oh she’d worked eighteen hours days to fit in both work and college, ending up with a Fine Arts degree but when her professor at her alma mater had called and told her she’d won the scholarship to go spend the summer painting in Venice, she could hardly believe it.
‘And when you get back,’ he’d said kindly, ‘we’ll discuss your Ph.D. thesis.’
Her. Quilla Chen, soon to be Doctor Quilla Chen. ‘I’ll make you proud, mom,’ she’d said the day she’d found out. The photograph of her mother, five years dead, didn’t make up for the loss but Quilla had felt happier than in a long time. ‘Do something’ were her mother’s last words to her and she had. She had done something. At twenty-four, Quilla was looking at a future which had some value, some meaning.
Now, as she walked towards the north of the city, towards Cannaregio, away from the tourist track, she wondered idly if she could make a life here, in this glorious city. There seemed too much to discover for one summer, she wanted to immerse herself in the culture, the language, the beauty. Since arriving a week ago, she had already sketched and painted a number of pieces, so inspired had she been. Tonight her mission was to sketch and photograph dusk falling over St. Dell’isole Michele and Murano from the Ponte de la Sacca de la Misericordia. The bridge was quiet when she got there. She settled down on a small stone walkway at the side of the bridge and looked out over the Venetian Lagoon. It had been a typical sweltering day but as the sun began to set, the colors that spread across the sky were heaven. Soon Quilla was so lost in her work that she didn’t even notice the last of the boats coming out from under the bridge and that the streetlamps were turning on.
It was only when she heard the scrape of shoes that she looked up. A man, tall, wearing a suit, stood at the pinnacle of the bridge, staring down into the water. He was handsome – if a little red-eyed and unshaven – Quilla judged him to be in his early to mid-forties. It was the expression on his face that made her heart twist with sadness. Hopelessness, utter, complete hopelessness…she drew herself back into the shadow of the bridge, not wanting to intrude on the man’s privacy but she couldn’t tear her eyes away from him. As she watched, he slowly, carefully took his jacket off and laid it carefully on the bridge. With mounting horror, she saw him lay his wallet and phone on top and then his shoes. Oh god no…before she could scream out, he leapt in one movement, plunging into the murky depths of the water.
Quilla reacted in a flash, wrenching off her sneakers and shirt, she dived into the water. Opening her eyes, she could see nothing in the dark waters of the lagoon; instead, she stretched out her arms searching. She knew it was probably hopeless but something in the man’s face made her want to find him, want to save him. She broke the surface to suck in some air, then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw something. Without thinking she made a grab at it and felt an arm. She pulled on it and the man broke the surface too, spluttering, cursing – in English. An American.
‘No you freaking don’t,’ Quilla gasped as he struggled to free himself and using all of her strength, she hauled him to the side of the canal. He was a big man so all she could do was pin him to the side of the canal and hope someone would come help them both out.
‘Let me go,’ he murmured, his voice breaking and cracking.
‘No, never…’ Quilla had no idea why she said that with so much feeling but her whole world was now about saving this man. She yelled out, hoping one of the people in the houses at the edges of the canal would hear her. A minute or two passed and then there were two young men scrambling to help. ‘Get him out first,’ she ordered them and though they looked unhappy, they did as she said, dumping the crumpled American to the stone walkway and lifting her out.
‘Thank you,’ she gasped, ‘Thank you.’
They asked her, in broken English, if she was okay – did she want them to call for an ambulance? Quilla, panting hard, looked down questioningly at the American, who shook his head.
‘No, please, no ambulance, no police, no press.’
No…press? Who was this guy? Quilla put her shirt back on her damp body – clearly to the disappointment of the two boys. She shook her head, laughing. ‘Look, can you watch him for a sec while I grab his stuff from up there? Might tell me who he is and where we can take him.’
She climbed up onto the bridge and grabbed his jacket and personal items. She bent down to wrap his jacket around him and for the first time, he looked at her properly. Their eyes locked and Quilla felt something shift in her soul. He slowly lifted his hand and cupped her cheek, stroking the soft apple of it so tenderly she thought she might cry, looking at her as if he couldn’t believe she was there.
‘Okay,’ she said, embarrassment making her cheeks flame, ‘let’s see who you are….Jakob? Jakob Mallory?’
‘Yes, I…’ He gave a big sigh and she was struck again about how hopeless he looked. ‘For what it’s worth, I’m Jakob Mallory.’
‘Jakob, do you have somewhere you’re staying?’
He shook his head. ‘I flew in this afternoon. I wasn’t planning on a vacation.’ He gave her a wry smile then, the first sign of his personality and she found herself smiling back.
‘Well, then…can you walk? You can stay on my couch tonight, and then we’ll get you a room tomorrow.’
He was still staring at her and for a moment she wasn’t sure he had heard what she said.
‘Okay.’
It wasn’t until they were walking back into the city that she realized what she was doing. She’d just saved this dude’s life….and what, now she was taking him back to her apartment? You are insane. But her gut told h
er that he was no danger, and jeez, she felt a responsibility for him. Besides, she was pretty damn good at martial arts and if he tried anything…
‘What’s your name?’
She smiled. ‘Quilla. Quilla Chen.’
‘Quilla. Unusual.’
She said nothing, used to the reaction. They walked a little in silence for a little way then he put a hand on her arm and stopped her.
‘I can find a hotel…it’s okay.’
She looked up at him. His eyes were the same deep hazel as her own, his close cropped hair a few shades lighter. He towered over her, was a pretty impressive physical specimen, she had to admit, but it was the look in his eyes that still spoke to her. Loneliness. Despair.
‘I don’t think you should be alone, tonight,’ she said simply and Jakob smiled softly.
‘You might be right.’
Quilla drew in a deep breath. ‘Look, come back to my apartment, take a hot bath. On the way back, there’ll be some tourist shops, we can skip in, get you some clean clothes. You need food, warmth and someone to talk to. You’re not a homicidal maniac, are you?’
She asked the question with a grin on her face but there was still a little bit of her that was wary – he was a stranger, after all.
Evergreen: An Alpha Billionaire Romance Page 47
