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Blind Faith Chapter 4
Rai’s stomach growled like an angry badger. The scent of food filtered through the air vents, taunting her with savory spices and buttery breads. The day had been perfect; slow and relaxing; a nice break from her usual chaos.Tomorrow, they would reach Victoria, where she would tour the town and have tea at the Princess Hotel. It was something she had always wanted to do, but never had the chance. This cruise offered a perfect opportunity to check a few things off her bucket list. She was only 37 years old, so there was plenty of time to experience several adventures including riding one of the longest zip lines on the west coast.She fired up her MacBook Pro and logged into the ship’s WiFi. Oliver, her British screen-reading voice, obediently read whatever fell under the cursor in a polite and polished accent that would make any professional valet proud. Her mother was British, which is probably why Rai was so drawn to the accent. It was also why she had been attracted to Z, though
Blind Faith Chapter 5
Rai heard the waiter bow slightly. “Yes, of course, May I get you something to eat or drink, sir?”“Two glasses of Porto Rocha 20-year, Charles, and the chef ’s special dessert.”“Right away, sir.”Rai observed the dialog with curiosity. Z could not just be a porter with all the respect he commanded from the crew. “You seem to be well respected,” she commented.“The Taylor crew shows everyone respect.”“Uh, huh.” She replied, sipping the last of herPinot Noir. “Are you off duty?”“Yes,” he clipped, as if not wanting to answer.After a long moment of silence, she finally asked, “What brings you to my table, Mr. Z?”“You looked as if you could use some company.” She scoffed, then reached for her water, equally drained as her wine. “I actually enjoy my solitude.”“Would you like me to leave?”She thought about it for a moment, relishing in the giddiness welling up inside her. She hadn’t felt this way around a man for far too long. What harm would it do to share space with him?
Blind Faith Chapter 6
When she exited the privy, it didn’t take long for Z to take a hold of her hand once again. Not really needing to swing her cane to and fro, she held it out in front of her, angled slightly outward to prevent from bumping into a wall or another object. Most people, when leading the blind, did not account for the additional space the person beside them required when passing objects. Z, however, seemed to guide her effortlessly down the ship’s narrow corridors and busy foyers.She had considered getting a guide dog at one point and imagined it would be similar to having someone like Z lead her. Getting rid of her white cane, however, was not something she was ready to do any time soon. The idea was akin to leaving the house without wearing clothes.Although she was blind, her eyes still registered light, not so much as seeing it as feeling the brightness. It felt like a sharp twinge in the center of her brain, just behind her eyes. If it wasn’t for the sunglasses she wore most of the t
Blind Faith Chapter 7
“His name was Clive,” she lied. “We were together for thirteen years before I finally found the courage to leave him.”“Thirteen years,” he commented. “Bad luck?”She chuffed. If only he knew. “Let’s just say he was a controlling man and leaving him was akin to stepping in front of a charging locomotive. I had tried several times in the past. When he found me, he did his best to ensure I would never leave him again.” She rubbed her arms as memories of his strikes caused phantom pain.“He is the reason you won’t get involved with anyone else?”“Yes.”She heard him set his glass down and settle back against the couch. The bourbon flowed down her throat like a comforting blanket. For a moment, Z seemed satisfied with her answer and she breathed a sigh of relief.“Have you heard from him?”“Not for seven years.” She choked a bit, fearing she had revealed too much of the truth. “Maybe nine,” she added.“What does Clive do for a living?”She stopped mid drink. “He’s an … insurance a
Blind Faith Chapter 8
The ship docked in Victoria at 9:00am. Rai barely had time to have a cup of coffee before disembarking. The bus leaving for the zip lines was due to leave in fifteen minutes. She didn’t want to miss it, but no one seemed to know where she needed to go to catch the bus.“I’ll take you,” said Z, presenting his elbow.“I don’t want to be a bother.” She said, feeling like a lost buffoon in a flurry of activity. Everyone seemed to know where they needed to be except her.“Don’t be ridiculous,” he scolded. Someone was in a bad mood, she thought.Not wanting to fuel that temper, she took his elbow and allowed him to guide her to the waiting bus. They arrived just seconds before it departed. “Thank you,” she said. As she gripped the handrails leading into the bus, she felt him follow her. “What are you doing?” she asked, turning to face him.“Making sure you get where you need to go, Miss Landon.”So, they were back to using formal names? “No one asked you to,” she firmly stated.He huf
Blind Faith Chapter 9
By the time they reached the ship, Rai was famished. It had been a full day.“Are you hungry?” asked Z.“Yes, I am.”“Would you consider sharing dinner with me?”“Only if it occurs in a dark, quiet place away from people,” she said, rubbing her forehead. “Headache?” he asked.“Yes, too much light, too many things to concentrate on. Being blind can be a real downer sometimes.”“My mum had the same problem. I’ll fix you a tonic that seemed to work for her. Then, I’ll order us some food.”“I need to shower and change into something comfortable.”“You can grab what you need from your cabin, then shower in mine.”She stiffened. “Umm,”“Relax, Rai. I’m not going to ravish you. My shower is larger than yours, and I have a hot tub that might help calm you a bit.”Her head pounded, and right now a hot bath was exactly what she wanted. She nodded and allowed him to guide her to her cabin.Z watched as she skirted around the room like an efficient robot programmed to know exactly wher
Blind Faith Chapter 10
Z returned to his cabin, a feeling of elation lightening his steps. He had given Rai a chaste kiss on her soft cheek before telling her what time he would be by tomorrow.Two days, he smiled inwardly. They will be the best two days of her life, and possibly his.After pouring himself a bourbon, he sat down with his computer and made his plans. He had not been this excited about anything since the time he helped plan his parent’s fiftieth anniversary. The smile that agenda had placed on his mum’s face was something Z would never forget. Both of them had come home with stories to tell, and memories that lasted the end of their days.His father had shown such appreciation; it had set Z aback. As the middle son, he had never been Father’s favorite, and always felt a bit like the odd man out. Z was much closer to his mum than his older brother and younger sister. They stayed closer to the money and knew Father was looking to hand them down his enterprise.Z never wanted a part of Taylor
Blind Faith Chapter 11
The yacht docked just as Rai finished the last of her coffee.“Ready?” asked Z.Rai took his offered hand and her white cane. He led her to a door. The moment it opened, they were greeted with a warm breeze and the heat of the sun. She looked up at the sky. “Must be a beautiful day.”“Absolutely perfect,” said Z. “Not a cloud in the sky.”Derrick accompanied them to the dock, then slipped a set of keys to Z. “Your car awaits you in parking lot A, sir.”“Thank you Derrick.” Z gripped Rai’s hand tighter as they ascended the dock. “I thought you might like to do a bit of shopping before we head out.”“I don’t really need anything,” she said.“Most of what they sell here is not purchased out of need, Rai. Everything is handmade by the locals. They are more like treasures than needs.”Rai frowned, wondering what types of trinkets she would find. She really was not one for jewelry or dust collectors. Perhaps she could buy something for Anna?“There are three other cruise lines in po
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Blind Faith Thank You
Dear reader, I wanted to personally thank you for taking the time to read my story. I would love to hear your thoughts. Please leave a review where you purchased your book, or contact me through Facebook or Goodreads. Not only does it help me improve my craft, it also enables other readers to determine if this story is right for them. Other Books by Rowena PortchSpirian SagaProtectedUnionLegendAeon PneumaIllusionsFealtyShifterSpiriansContemporary FictionFate BeShort AdventureAeneas
Blind Faith Chapter 34
Gideon laid rai down in bed, her hands were bandaged and her face was slightly swollen, mostly from the tears she had cried. It had been a long week. Hank curled up next to the bed. He would not leave Rai’s side, and that thought made Gideon smile.The fear he had felt when that gunshot rang caused him to sink to his knees. Rai collapsed in his arms. He checked her for wounds, but she was not hit. When he glanced over at Cliff ’s still form, he saw his brother-in-law’s gun smoking. Cliff never fired a round.Gideon closed the bedroom door and joined Ryan on the couch. Two glasses of whiskey waited on the smoked-glass table. Gideon took a long sip and leaned back.“Is she okay?” his brother-in-law asked.“I don’t know. She hasn’t spoken a word since we left the hospital.”Ryan nodded. “She’s still in shock. The rest will do her good.” He sipped his drink and smiled. “Quite the fighter, eh? I wasn’t sure you could pull her off him.”“I’ve never seen her enraged like that.”“Years
Blind Faith Chapter 33
Gideon had been unusually somber over the past three days. They made love, chatted over coffee, but it all seemed clouded with something Rai could not quite place. They sat now at the kitchen table, steaming cups of coffee in hand, and Gideon brooding in silence.“Is there a reason for this somber mood of yours?” She finally asked.“You’re meeting that monster at two o’clock.” There was a hardness in his voice. The meeting might have been the foremost on his mind, but there was something much deeper chipping at him.“Is that all?”She heard him take a deep breath. “You kept the truth from me, Rai. That is the same as lying.”She sipped her coffee, carefully listening to his words, trying to look beyond the gambit of emotions sharpening his tone.“I feel as if you still do not trust me, but for reasons I cannot comprehend. Your insane plan of handling Cliff on your own could have ended you, ended us. Yet, you still did not trust me enough to include me.”She maintained her silenc
Blind Faith Chapter 32
Rai and Gideon entered room 901 to find Simon and Anna laughing and playing a game of hearts.“Rai, you’re here,” Anna laughed, and then winced with pain. “You’re just in time to save Simon here from losing his shirt.”“You don’t entirely play fair, lady.”Rai made her way to Anna’s bed and leaned down to give her friend a hug. “Thank God you’re alright,” she whispered, tightening her hold.“Hey, are you okay?” Anna asked.Rai scoffed and wiped away the tear trailing down her cheek. “Am I okay? Girl, you are the one in the hospital.”“Yeah, for once, I’m not the one staring down at you. That Cliff is a true, sociopathic daemon. The look in his dead eyes was enough to send me into a fear coma. It was like everything I had learned simply vanished from my head. All the things we teach our students did not apply.”“I know the feeling,” said Rai. “I don’t think we address fear enough in our classes. That needs to change.”Gideon and Simon spoke quietly in the corner of the room and
Blind Faith Chapter 31
Gideon brought Rai a glass of wine. “You seem to be a bit out of sorts tonight, love. Want to talk about it?” He sat next to her on the couch.Instead of driving back to Seattle, he had taken her out to dinner, and then rented a room at the Baymont. Not nearly as nice as his flat, but comfortable all the same. She was grateful for the chance to be closer to Anna. The nurse assured her that she would call if things took a turn for the worse.Gideon’s question was more like a command than an inquiry, she thought. She imagined his brows scrunched together and a piercing look in his eyes. Were they brown or blue? She never asked.“You’re frowning,” he commented. “What color are your eyes?”“Brown, and you are changing the subject.” His tone took on a deep resonance that sent chills up her spine.“Brown. Really. Dark or light?”“Rai.”She took a sip of her wine; crisp, bright, and dry—Petite Syrah? “I’m seriously curious. I actually have no idea what you look like. Anna said you are
Blind Faith Chapter 30
The text was short and to the point:I’m coming for you, bitch.Rai nearly dropped the phone, but her desperation to reach Anna was greater than her fear. Her hands trembled so much, she could not manage to dial her friend’s number. She decided to use Siri instead. The tremble in her voice caught Gideon’s attention.He finished drying the morning dishes before stepping by her side. “What is it?” He asked.“Come on,” Rai chanted. “Pick up the phone, Anna girl. Pick it up!” Anna’s voicemail chirped her greeting. Rai left another message.“I have not heard from Simon, either, which is odd. We typically play tennis on Tuesday. I could not reach him to cancel.”“Something is wrong. Anna never takes long to answer my texts and she rarely ignores my calls.”“Come on. Let’s take a drive. We’ll check Simon’s flat first, and then Anna’s.”Rai grabbed her phone and cane. She didn’t care about taking anything else. Hank stood next to her, his tail wagging in anticipation of a ride. He offe
Blind Faith Chapter 29
“The bastard has connections, bro. He never even saw a cell and I doubt he was ever booked. I informed you as soon as I heard.”Gideon glanced over at Rai. By the fear in her eyes, she knew the subject matter of this conversation. “What about the iron-clad evidence against him?”“It was dismissed?”“What? How?”“I don’t know, but I intend to find out. Someone up the chain is dirty. Uncovering them may cost me my job.”“What can we do on our end?”“Just lay low. I have a few connections of my own. I’m sure Vadik will be interested in hearing how Clifford ratted him out, along with a few other Bratva members. A few well-placed rumors should take care of Clifford Bishop.”“Take care, Ryan, and thank you.”“No worries, bro. The more I learn about this bastard, the more I’m convinced he is the worst kind of asshole. It will be a pleasure bringing him down, even if I have to dance with the dark side to do it.”“Tread lightly mate.”“Will do.”Gideon put the car in gear and drove s
Blind Faith Chapter 28
As promised, Wes had Rai’s apartment restored with all of her belongings. Anna’s door would be fixed tomorrow. She was planning to spend the night with Simon, who had refused to let her out of his sight.Rai still felt a bit shaken as Gideon settled her onto the couch with a glass of Bordeaux. “I still can’t believe he is out of my life. I can’t help thinking he will find a way out of this—he always does.”“Not this time.” Gideon placed his hand on hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Anna is making sure your divorce is filed.”Rai chuffed, as if all of this were a dream not close to reality. She shook her head, still in a daze of disbelief.“Cliff told me you were one of the top corporate lawyers in New York.” Gideon poured them both a bit more wine.She took a long pull of the sweet juice. Talking about that time of her life was like recalling another life she wanted little to do with. Her fingers drummed against the smooth surface of the glass. “He and I had a law firm together.
Blind Faith Chapter 27
By the time they reached Taylor Enterprises, she had succumbed to her exhaustion. She awoke to a sharp jab to her ribs. “Wake up.”Nope, it was not a nightmare, it was real. Her overbearing husband was sitting next to her and her face still ached.Cliff got out of the limo and walked around to open her door; not because he was a gentleman. He hauled her out of her seat as if she were a duffle bag he wanted to sling over his shoulder. Instead of being lifted, however, her legs buckled beneath her and her knees slammed onto the cement.“Don’t be so damned clumsy,” he gritted out, pulling her to her feet. “My God, you are an embarrassment.”She tried to fling his hand from her arm, but his grip was like that of an enraged gorilla.“Enough!” He shook her.They made their way up the marble steps and into the lobby. James, from security, greeted them with hesitation.“Uh, good afternoon, Ms. Landry.”“We are here to see Gideon Taylor,” Cliff announced, pushing his way to the elevator
