Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 87996 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87996 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
I pushed through the doors and stepped onto the busy sidewalk. New York City this time of year was cool but not freezing yet. Still, I wrapped my arms around my chest to try and hide the fact I was cold and not wearing a bra.
“Miss? Miss Manwarring?”
I turned to see a man dressed all in black emerging from a black sedan.
Without thinking twice, I ripped off the leather clogs and took off running.
“Miss Manwarring! Wait! Stop!”
Holding the clogs in my hands, I ran several blocks until a glance over my shoulder showed the man was no longer chasing me. Leaning against a lamppost, I put the clogs back on my feet, sucking air into my lungs as I looked around to get my bearings.
The street seemed familiar, so I moved to the side and then saw the cutest cafe, with the most distinct awnings in a brilliant lapis blue. That blue matched the color of their world-famous blue macrons, which were filled with cream cheese frosting and a dollop of homemade blueberry jam filling.
They were delightful. I knew they were delightful because Amelia and I had stopped here a few weeks ago when we were out shopping for her and Luc’s new penthouse.
I knew exactly where I was. Soho, only a few blocks from Luc’s new place. I just prayed someone was home. If I could get there before Marksen caught me, I was home free.
I took off running again, scrunching my toes in the clogs this time to keep them on. My lungs ached by the time I got to their building. I had almost tripped in the too-big slippers, and I had to hold my chest with one hand and the silk pajama pants with the other to keep them from falling, but I was here.
I was finally safe.
“Miss, who are you here to see?” The man standing at the front desk cast a scathing glance over my strange attire.
I had passed him maybe half a dozen times before and he never blinked an eye. But that was when I was dressed as “fashionista professional Barbie, Ms. Manwarring.” Now I was dressed as “kidnapped by a billionaire recent escapee, just plain Olivia.”
There was no way he was simply going to let me upstairs and he was just as likely to call the police as he was to call my brother if I tried to tell him who I was. After I was cleaned up and back to my usual look, I would apologize for my bad manners, but right now I needed to get upstairs.
I ran past him to the elevator that opened as I got there to let someone out. The front desk attendant shouted at me to stop as I slapped my hand on the “close door” button and pressed the button for the penthouse.
I slammed my hand on the door to Amelia and Luc’s new place a few times before it finally opened.
Amelia was standing there in a white nightgown and matching robe, the set I gave her during her wedding shower.
Her mouth dropped open for a moment as she took me in.
After everything, I must have looked terrifying, so I gave her a moment.
When she came back to her senses, she pulled me over the threshold into the safety and warmth of their home and her tight embrace.
“Oh my God, Olivia! We were so worried about you! Are you okay? Are you hurt?” She was firing questions back-to-back with no time for me to answer.
Finally, she had to take a breath, so I answered as best I could.
“I’m okay, but I need to talk to Luc.”
“He just left for some meeting. Are you hungry? What do you need? Food? A doctor, a bath? Anything. What do you need first?”
I put my hands on my sister-in-law’s shoulders to stop her from talking for a moment. She pulled me in for another hug, and I lost all my composure.
It finally sank in. I was home.
I was with my family. Safe.
Tears of relief spilled over my cheeks and were absorbed in her no longer pristine white robe.
Amelia’s arms tightened around me as she let me cry and get out all the emotions that had been pent up over the last several days.
“Let’s get you into a nice hot bath. We don’t need to worry about the police. Luc insisted on finding you himself.” I nodded, knowing that was exactly what he would do, and I appreciated it. The last thing I wanted was for all of this to end up on Page Six. “Or would you like to eat first? What do you need right now?”
I couldn’t help but think how lucky Luc was to have Amelia. She would be a fantastic mother to their children.
“What do you need first?” she asked again when I didn’t answer.