Total pages in book: 130
Estimated words: 129571 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 648(@200wpm)___ 518(@250wpm)___ 432(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129571 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 648(@200wpm)___ 518(@250wpm)___ 432(@300wpm)
This was love.
The thing that people dreamed about in their beds late at night. Sure, Chase had money and looks, a swagger-filled ego and cock that could out-shadow any man, but he possessed something more. That special part of a person that was so hard to find in this world.
He possessed the biggest heart and had the ability to drown the average person in a passion so deep that I never hoped to breathe again or even float up to the top.
When the helicopter landed on a brightly lit hotel that screamed high-end luxury, I lifted my head and stared into his eyes. “I’m sorry.”
“Why?”
“I shouldn’t have left you. It was stupid. I’m sorry you got involved with this whole thing.”
“Benny and I have hated each other all of my life. We would have had this battle regardless.”
“He might’ve left you alone.”
“I wouldn’t have left him alone. I’d always thought that he had something to do with murdering my mother.” An exasperated breath left his lips. “In Benny’s journal, he admitted that he did stab her.”
“What? Are you kidding me?” I sat up to get ready to leave the helicopter. “The bad news just keeps coming and coming. Why the hell would he do something so horrible?”
“He figured he was saving me.”
“From what?”
“Mom used to ...”
“What?”
He got out of the helicopter first, and helped me out. “Wait. Let me carry you.”
I stepped onto the hotel’s roof. “I can walk.”
“I don’t give a damn.” He lifted me up into his arms, and I held onto his shoulders, resting my hand on him. Every cell in my body felt safe and protected. I could’ve cried for joy right there.
I continued to focus on that moment, and not think too far ahead or delve back into my past. “What did your mom used to do?”
“We can talk about this later.”
“Remember, we say what we have to say now.”
“Fine. Remember the house in Italy?” He walked past his men, holding me as if I weighed nothing. “You had questions about that weird room next to my mother’s art studio.”
“Yes. Troy said that it was the oddest little girl’s room he’d seen. Lots of dark paintings and weird decorations. He came up with all types of reasoning for the place, but none of them ever made sense.”
“There’s no sense to make of it. My mother had some mental illness problems. I’m not sure if it came before she married Dad or after. Our world can make you go crazy. You’ve seen it with Lucy and Dawn.”
“And Benny,” I added.
A man in a black suit, white shirt, and cream tie held the double doors open for us and walked us over to the elevator. “Welcome back, Mr. Stone, and is this the lovely Ms. Montgomery?”
Still in his arms, I looked at Chase and then back to the man. “Uh, yes. I’m the lovely Ms. Montgomery. I guess.”
“Welcome.” He did a half bow. “I’m Mr. Sharpe. I attend to your penthouse suite and provide you with any needs you may have.”
“He’s our butler,” Chase announced.
“Do we really need a butler?” I asked.
“Well, I do like to travel in style, no matter how urgent the emergency or situation.”
I smiled at the butler. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Sharpe. Chase, you can let me down now, please.”
Frowning, Chase obliged.
I stood in the hallway and took it all in—polished marble floors and bright lighting, an exquisite elegant fragrance in the air and intriguing art hanging on the walls. The paintings sparked my attention. Black people covered every canvas. In each piece, they played jazz, their gold instruments gleaming against their milky brown skin.
“Wow. These are some cool paintings.” I held Chase’s hand.
“Your mother picked them,” Chase mumbled.
“I’m sorry. Could you say that again? It almost sounded like you said my mother picked those.”
“Part of the amenities of the suite is that we get to choose the art that is hung on the walls.”
I’ve now walked into the Twilight Zone.
“And will my mother be sleeping on a throne and taking a dump into a diamond toilet?”
“Not a throne, but she has been enjoying the pillow menus and—”
“I don’t think I want to hear any more.”
“Fair enough.”
Mr. Sharpe followed us down the hall. Chase looked back at the man. “There’s no need to escort us. Thank you. I’m sure you haven’t gotten any rest all today.”
“No, sir. I have not.” Mr. Sharpe bowed again. “The other Ms. Montgomery has required many things.”
I bet she has.
The butler bowed again. “Good evening, Mr. Stone and Ms. Montgomery.”
“Goodnight.”
Chase watched the butler disappear through another exit and then he held my hand. “How are you feeling?”
“Better.” I glanced at the penthouse door, gulped, and then returned back to him. “You never told me about what your mother did.”
“We can save it for another time.”
“No, tell me now.”