My hand moved along his suit pants, touching all the way to his belt. My fingers curled around his belt and I pulled. I shook a few more times and felt my lips starting to quiver.
“No... please no...”
I touched his stomach and pressed, waiting for a response. When I felt his stomach move I thought maybe for a second it was just me doing it. Using my other hand, I put my fingers under his nose and closed my eyes. I needed to focus and tell if he was alive or not.
His stomach moved again.
Yes, I knew it.
I felt air on my fingers.
Yes, I felt it.
He was alive... he had to be alive... nothing could stop him...
“Please,” I whispered. “Just please wake up, Jonathan...”
I opened my eyes and screamed.
Jonathan’s eyes were open, starting at me.
The darkness of the color meant nothing compared to the darkness pouring from them as he looked at me.
I moved my hands and started to shake, almost ready to collapse to the bed. I opened my mouth and Jonathan grabbed my wrist and squeezed. He pulled and I gave up, falling across his body.
“You’re alive,” I said. “Jonathan...”
“Call me Mr. Black,” he whispered, his voice sounded weak, and in pain.
I smiled and apologized for breaking one of his rules.
“Mr. Black... what happened?”
“She came here,” he whispered. “She came here and wanted to kill me...”
I slipped my hands around his sides and hugged him. I didn’t care if he noticed or not, I needed to do it. I put my head to his chest and listened for his heart. I noticed right away that his heartbeat was slow. Very slow.
Dangerously slow.
I stood up and looked down at him. His eyes were there... but they weren’t.
Something was still very wrong.
I thought maybe Katherine had attacked him, hit him on the head with something to knock him out, but that was impossible now.
Jonathan Black moved his hands and he suddenly clutched the bedsheets. He turned his head and opened his mouth, trying to cough.
“What did she do?” I asked. “Tell me...”
“I... can’t...”
Jonathan’s eyes rolled to back of his head. I screamed his name and a white foamy liquid began to leak from the corner of his mouth. I froze for a second and grabbed Jonathan, turning him to his side. I held him and patted his back, watching the liquid continue to fall from his mouth. I fought back tears and tried to keep my emotions collected, knowing if I got too lost in the moment, Jonathan would die.
His lips came together and he licked his lips.
“She’ll come back,” Jonathan said. “She will, my love...”
My love?
I shivered, not wanting to obsess about it.
It was just a comment, nothing more.
“Tell me what to do,” I cried out. “I’m so scared right now. I can’t lose you.”
Jonathan rolled back and started to force himself to sit up. When he did, he looked at me, his lips slightly parted. His eyes were beautiful and could still command me. Even if he was not all the way there and together, he knew who I was and he knew I could help. And I couldn’t help myself as I kissed him. I needed to feel his warm - and alive - lips touching mine.
The kiss lasted a second and as I moved back, he touched my face.
“We... don’t... have time,” he said. He swallowed and took a breath. He blinked fast, trying to stay with me. “I feel... it... everywhere.”
“What’s it like? What do I do? Can I call an ambulance?”
“No,” he said. “No... ambulance... they’ll ask... we need... him...”
“Who is him?” I asked.
I told myself that if Jonathan said Kellen I was going to literally jump out of the window.
“Doctor,” Jonathan said. “Doctor.”
“Doctor who?” I asked.
“Bottom drawer... next to me... phone... now...”
I had to move away from Jonathan. I didn’t want to. I didn’t want to ever look away from him again.
I fell to my knees and opened the drawer. I threw a bunch of random clothes out of the drawer and in the back corner was a cell phone. My hand shook as I grabbed it. To me it could have been a smoking gun. I stood up and held to Jonathan.
“Dial... 9...”
I opened the phone and dialed 9 as instructed. I held the phone to Jonathan and he shook his head.
“I... can’t...”
“What do I say? Who is it?”
“Tell them...”
“Hello Mr. Black, how can I help you?” a cheery voice yelled from the phone.
My eyes went wide. I didn’t know what to do.
“Hello? Mr. Black?”
“Tell them... Black... air... source...”
“Mr. Black? Are you okay?”
I put the phone to my ear. My mouth was bone dry.
“Uh... hello...”
“Hello? Who is this?” the voice said.
“Black. Air. Source.”
The other end was dead for a few seconds.
“Okay,” the voice said. The cheeriness was gone which left me feeling numb and empty.
The line went dead and Jonathan reached for the phone. He took it from my hand and I watched him hold it in front of him. With two hands, he groaned and broke the phone in half. He dropped the pieces to the floor and looked at me.
“Get me... out... back... we have... nine minutes...”
“Nine minutes until what?” I asked.
“They leave,” Jonathan said. “I’m... assumed dead... Isabella Grace... my love...”
I felt a pang in my heart again.
My love.
I didn’t want to focus on it but I had to.
Hearing it made me feel alive, but seeing the way Jonathan looked right then made me feel so close to death.
Jonathan swung his feet from the bed and tried to stand. He was wobbly and uncomfortable, obviously in pain but trying to hide it from me. I hugged him and let his arms drape over my shoulders and stood, helping Jonathan to his feet. I backed up and thought he was going to fall back but he didn’t. He had a hard time focusing on me so I took his hand and started to lead him from the room.
I couldn’t imagine what would happen if anyone assumed Jonathan Black dead. His massive company - the billions of dollars of value within the company - and the value of his own life would not survive that news.
We made it into the hall when Jonathan fell back to the wall. He clutched his chest and groaned.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Feels... like someone... ripping my heart... out.”
“Okay, let’s go,” I said.
“I can’t... lose heart... you have... it.”
I didn’t want to take anything he said to heart, but this romantic side of Jonathan Black was kind of nice. I walked him down the hall to the backdoor of the hotel, where the steps and emergency exits were. I realized then that I would have to help him down steps.
Lots of steps.
I kicked open the door and let Jonathan through. He reached for the railing with both hands and collapsed to his knees. He cried out in pain and my heart felt like it was going to explode. If Jonathan Black died in front of my eyes... if I had to watch it... it would be my own death too.
I fell to my knees and hugged him. I pulled him close, inhaling his amazing smell, and I kissed his neck.
“Give me... your lips...,” he whispered.
I shuffled around and kissed him. I pressed my lips tight to his and a second later, I offered my tongue. I climbed against him as hard as I could seriously wondering if this was going to be my last kiss with the sexy billionaire, Jonathan Black.
My tongue couldn’t get enough of his mouth and he the same. He took one of his hands off the railing and touched me. If I were dead, the touch would have brought me back to life. He touched my waist but his hand immediately moved up to my chest. He grip
ped my left breast, tight, and I groaned into his mouth.
“Fuck,” he whispered. “I want...”
“We have to hurry,” I whispered. “Time is ticking.”
“I... can be... dead...”
“No. You can’t.”
“We... will...”
I hated myself for what I had to do but I had to back away from Jonathan’s touch. I stood and pulled at him, forcing him back to his feet. We took the steps as fast as we could, a few times Jonathan missing a step and falling to his ass. It was certainly better than falling forward and knocking himself out cold.
When we made it to the final landing and I saw the door, I let out a cry of relief.
“We did it!” I yelled.
“This is where... trust...”
He let out a long groan and fell to one knee. He coughed and I heard something coming from his mouth. He looked at me and I saw blood. Blood on his lips. Blood on the stone floor.
I opened the backdoor and two men stood wearing black suits, black sunglasses, and white earpieces. The one on the left nodded. The one on the right touched his ear.
“Fly time,” he said.
“He’s hurt!” I cried. “Help him!”
The man on the left pushed me out of the way - literally - and grabbed for Jonathan. For a second I thought it was a setup by Katherine. I half expected the man to murder Jonathan Black right there, but he didn’t. He lifted him and ran from the hotel. A few feet away was a black limo.
The other man grabbed my wrist and pulled.
“No time,” he yelled at me.
I could barely keep up with him and when he threw me into the limo, I sprawled across the seat and rolled to the floor. They loaded Jonathan into the limo and it peeled away. I looked out the back window as the two men stood side by side watching us drive away.
“Isabella Grace,” Jonathan whispered.
He sounded weaker by the second.
“I’m right here,” I said. I touched his legs and thought about straddling him. But I didn’t want to hurt him.
“Come to me,” he said.
“I’m here,” I said.
“No... come...”
That’s when I did straddle him. I climbed on top of Jonathan and looked down into his eyes. I wiped the blood off his lip with my thumb and wiped it on the seat. His hands touched my lower back and he pulled me down tight against his body. When I felt him - hard - I let out a gasp. The billionaire was literally dying in front of my eyes and he was hard...
I began rubbing myself against him. If that’s what he wanted, needed, then so be it.
I could have stayed there forever if Jonathan needed me to. But the limo ride didn’t last that long. Jonathan’s head was back and each time his eyes shut, I moved his face, keeping him awake and alert. I wasn’t sure if I was helping or hurting, but logic told me that if his eyes were open and moving he couldn’t die.
The back door to the limo opened and two more men in suits, glasses, and wires hanging from their ears, reached for us. Their grip was fierce as they pulled me from the limo. They threw me again and this time I fell to the ground. When I stood, I thought about going after the guy but then I realized where we were.
An airport.
A private jet waited not too far away.
I turned and saw the men carrying Jonathan towards the plane.
My heart raced but I was somewhat relieved. All I had wanted was to get out of that hotel and out of that city. I wanted away from ‘K’ - Katherine - and I wanted to be in the air, to be safe, and to never be seen again.
I ran to the plane and boarded it.
I found Jonathan in a bedroom on the plane, resting like he had been when I found him back at the hotel. The two men in suits left and the plane was on and we were taking off. There was not a second wasted.
“Where are we going?” I asked Jonathan.
“Safe,” he whispered. “Safe...”
“Where is safe?”
Jonathan looked at me. He raised a hand and pointed it at me. “Right there. You, Isabella Grace.”
I fell to Jonathan again, my head to his chest.
“I can’t live without you,” I admitted. “Please... don’t die...”
I listened to Jonathan breathing and I listened to his heart. It was weak. Everything was weak. I was weak.
My eyes were suddenly heavy and I wanted to sleep but I feared if I did, I would be alone.
Then Jonathan Black said something to me that didn’t just wake me... but changed my life forever...
“Isabella Grace... I... I love you.”
-4-
The doctor came into the large room, stripping himself of his suit jacket and putting on a white coat. He was remarkably handsome, then again, if he were in the company of Jonathan Black, what else would I expect.
His face was serious as he hung over Jonathan Black, looking at his face and body.
Jonathan hadn’t said a word since saying what he did on the private jet. I, again, tried my hardest not to believe everything I was told by Jonathan in his current state. My heart did not need anymore tearing and my nerves were already shaking as it was. When his eyes had closed on the flight and remained shut, I wept. I wanted to leave the room for help but I couldn’t. I was paralyzed. After the plane landed, men rushed in and took Jonathan from me. Two came back and carried me off the plane and into the back of what looked like a warehouse. I was certain we were both going to end up dead.
And that was fine by me.
If Jonathan was going to die, so would I.
“How long has he been out?” the doctor asked.
“I... I’m not sure. He shut his eyes maybe ten minutes into the flight.”
The doctor nodded, obviously calculating the time of flight. I had no sense of time or direction. I couldn’t tell anyone where I was... what city, what state, perhaps even what country for all I knew.
“Okay,” the doctor said. “Let me take care of this.”
“Who are you?” I asked.
It was probably something too bold to say in such a tender moment but the doctor looked at me, eyeing me.
“I’m going to save his life,” he said, his voice honest. “And you’re going to thank me. And that’s all you need to know. Now, if you don’t mind... leave this room. Isabella Grace.”
The way he said my name made my entire body shake. It should have surprised me that he knew my name but it didn’t. What it did do was make me think of all the things Jonathan Black had said that day to me. Was he so enamored with me that he confessed it to everyone around him?
I backed away from the doctor and from Jonathan Black. I turned and left the room. I wasn’t sure where I actually was, but I guess you could call a waiting room. It had several black leather couches, end tables with publications on them, but the ambience of the room was sterile and silent. I felt like I had been trapped in a horror movie and all hell would break loose when one of the doors opened. When one of the doors actually opened I let out a small scream and jumped. It was a man in a suit, looking so much like all the other men I had seen.
The man stopped and let the door shut behind him. He looked at the door where I had come from and I could only imagine he was mentally putting the pieces together.
“He will survive,” the man said, calm, but without the strength and command that only Jonathan Black’s voice could provide.
The man then reached up and pulled a white wire from his ear and dropped it to a table. He took his suit jacket off and loosened his tie. My guess was he was trying to appear more casual to me in the hopes I would relax a little. Little did he know the only way I would actually relax was when Jonathan Black could wrap his strong arms around me and hold me.
“You should sit,” he said. “And take a breath. It may be a few hours. Maybe a day or two.”
“A day or two? How? Why?”
“If you sit I’ll tell you.”
I growled under my breath. Another man to negotiate with. I was barely fresh off of
my forced dates with Kellen and now I had to handle this.
“Who are you?” I asked.
“I’m not allowed to give you my legal name,” the man said. “But you can call me Ace.”
“Ace?”
“Ace,” the man said. “I’m one of Mr. Black’s top advisors and protectors.”
“Mr. Black doesn’t seem like the type that needs protecting.”
“He’s not. That’s why I’m more of an advisor than a protector.”
“Where were you to advise him about Katherine?” I snapped.
The man puckered his lips and his cheeks started to burn. I knew I didn’t have the protection from Jonathan Black and that anything could happen to me, but the anger and frustration were too much to bear alone.
“I’m only human,” Ace said. “Now, please sit.”
I did, crashing to the leather couch. My body instantly felt numb and my muscles all sighed at once. Maybe I was just that exhausted, I’m not sure, but the couch felt like the greatest couch I had ever touched in my life.
Ace sat on a couch near me. I respected the move. It hinted his full loyalty to Jonathan Black... and perhaps even myself.
“The history between he and Katherine is long,” Ace said. “Long before me. Long before you. Long before all Mr. Black has created. It’s a part of him that he alone has to handle.”
“I’m sure if he told you to handle it, you would,” I said.
“Of course I would. Personally, if asked. But he doesn’t allow interference with that part of his life. Then, now, ever. Your phone call, Isabella Grace, saved his life. And I thank you for that.”
“Don’t get mushy on me,” I said, “he told me where the phone was and what to do. I just obeyed.”
“Which I thank you for,” Ace said.
Something in his eyes spoke deeper than his words, even if I couldn’t fully read it.
“I can’t wait here like this for two days,” I said. “It’s impossible.”
“But you’d do it for him,” Ace said.
“Of course I would. I’d wait my entire life. There’s nothing else in my life but him. He is the one and only.”
“Then we wait,” Ace said. “The doctor in there is one of the world’s best doctors. When he speaks, people listen. When he acts, people survive. When he commands, people obey.”
His Confession (By His Command #8) Page 2
