Clara was just walking through the doors when she felt her skin buzz as if something was going to happen, and she did not know if it was good or bad, but she hoped it was nothing disastrous.
Then she saw the girls at the front desk huddled together, talking to someone. She didn’t know if the raised voices were excitement or agitation, so she decided to check it out. The women at the front desk were her first defense, and if they couldn't prevent anybody from crossing over the line. Then security should have been called.
She knew it was him before he even turned around, and now she knew that buzzing feeling she felt was Sebastian standing ten feet in front of her.
He was chatting up the girls at the front desk, probably charming them so he could weasel his way into being allowed to go straight to her office
Clara had been waiting for Sebastian to kiss her, and when it didn’t happen, she felt stupid. She didn’t like losing control of any situation. ‘Faggghhhh… He should just leave before I do something stupid. Why does he have to be so freaking hot, anyway? Staring at me like he wanted to kiss me. Ugh, good thing it didn’t happen, or is that a bad thing? Uuuuugh!’ She was in turmoil. Her PA Eliana, Eli, as her friends call her, had tried to get Clara’s attention when she passed her by, but it seemed like someone had pissed her off, and she was in a hurry, running away from something. ‘It’s just 8 am. Who got to her before she made her way to work? This day is not looking out to be good,’ she thought. She better find out who pissed o
Let me tell you a story so you would understand why I love Jeremy so much. He was the reason I started talking again when we were at the orphanage,’ Clara said as she ushered Heather to the sofa. Sebastian wanted to tease her from the secret bedroom when he heard what she called out earlier. But when he heard Heather come in, he decided to listen to their conversation instead. ‘We were always hungry when we were at the orphanage. Food was always regulated. There was usually enough to slake your hunger, but not enough for nourishment. We learned early on that if we wanted to eat, we had to forage or help in the neighbor’s farms so they could give us some of their fruits.’ ‘Max found this berry bush in the nearby forest, and just like most berries, they thrive in cooler climates, nearer water sources. This on
After lunch, Sebastian decided to give Clara a break from all his torment and teasing. Lunch did not turn out well after he teased her because she kept ignoring him the whole time, even though he was sitting beside her. He tried to place her favorite sushi pieces on her plate, as he did before, and she kept returning them to the serving dishes. He was back to square one. So after lunch, he asked Eli to direct him to a room, so he could use it to torment the people at work since Clara did not want to pay attention to him, anyway. It was now 5 pm, and the offices around him were abuzz with people leaving to head out. It was Friday, so some of them were making plans to get together. He wanted to have dinner with her, and after she got embarrassed, that would probably be out of the question.
Heather was outside listening to Jeremy laughing with Sebastian in his office when she saw Clara walking toward her with a scowl on her face. ‘Is Jeremy with Sebastian in there laughing at me?’ Clara asks, not knowing whether to laugh or get mad because, like Heather, she was thankful that Jeremy was laughing again. It gave her a bright idea. ‘Hey, so I don’t know if you heard, but that idiot inside said we’re grilling burgers at our house for dinner. Tell me you don’t have anywhere to go. Want to come and hang out with us?’ Clara raises her eyebrows questioningly. ‘Maybe come with me to buy ingredients too? I’m scared to be alone with Sebastian. I feel like he’s going to try and kiss me again. Please... plus Jeremy will be there. Maybe you can kiss him too,’ Clara smiled suggestively, trying to
Clara had been peeling the potatoes while Heather volunteered to cut lettuce for the salad. Jeremy was seasoning the ground beef for his famous burgers, and Sebastian helped prep the grill and placed all drinks in the cooler after taking out a couple of beers for himself and Jeremy. He offered some to the women, but Clara said she preferred wine and gave Heather a glass. It was a very pleasant, comfortable environment where each person knew what they had to do. Clara always wished to have a family like this, where people pitched in and were happy to be there. This was the reason she always enjoyed being in the kitchen at the orphanage. It was the hub, where they shared the latest gossip and where people were able to let go of any reservations they had. They laughed at stupid, funny stuff and cried at unfortunate events. Preparing and cooking food always bring
Sebastian opted for the couch, just in case Max appeared early the next day. He did not want to be in the way. Clara had always been paranoid ever since they bought the house. Her nightmares were growing complex. On top of getting taken from the car, she had dreams of masked figures coming in through the windows, taking her brothers. So, just to be cautious, she always checked windows and doors throughout the house to make sure they were locked. It was like she was sleepwalking security. This had annoyed the guys after she would come through their doors after midnight. Her nightly wanderings woke them up and scared the bejeezus out of them. Just imagine waking up and seeing a figure by the window or the door walking across your room. She wasn’t really sleepwalking this time. In fact, she hadn’t even slept yet. Sh
Clara could not seem to get enough of kissing Sebastian. Her fingers had moved all on their own, tangling and pulling on his hair. As soon as she noticed her hands working in their own accord, realization dawned on her that they were lying horizontally on the couch. She panicked and tried to push him away. The kiss was mind-bending, but she was not ready to do anything more than kiss him yet. Or was she? She felt conflicted. The need to feel Sebastian's hands on every part of her body kept getting stronger. Yet, at the same time, fear gripped her immobile. Of all the relationships she’s had before, Clara really wanted this one to last more than just a few weeks or months. She realized that her attraction to Sebastian was going beyond the superficial.
Clara woke up when she heard pans clanging in the kitchen. ‘Shit!’ she thought, ‘Now, I can’t deny where I slept last night. Those two probably saw us wrapped around each other already.’ The plan was to get back to bed and sleep beside Heather last night, but all that heavy kissing got to her, and damn if she was going to leave him alone, looking all hot and delicious, lying on her couch. How could she leave when he moaned every time she touched a part of his upper body? It was the reason she had stopped him last night. Because, given the chance, she would have given him free rein to do whatever he wanted with her, right there on her couch. She didn’t want her first time with him in full view of everyone and within hearing distance of her brother and Heather. She co
-=- Downstairs, the hotel staff had cleared the entire outdoor area to accommodate the most important event happening today. They place an arch covered in vines and calla lilies on the outer edge, overlooking the beach and the sea. Sebastian tried to do everything not to let the cat out of the bag. This event was going to be a surprise. And even though deep in his heart he knew her answer, that she wanted to marry him, he still couldn’t help but feel apprehensive about her reaction. Clara was not a simple person. She was very complex in her reactions and outbursts. He prayed to all the gods in heaven to help them today. There was no denying that as soon as Clara steps in front of the doors that led to the patio, she would know what he had planned for her because waiting at the door was her father, Nathan Jacobs.
Max, Jeremy, and apparently her sister, Celine, were inside waiting for them, waving their hands and screaming simultaneously. Sebastian walked them back into the hallway to keep her state of undress from prying eyes. The couple laughed at their predicament as she unwrapped her legs around him. Clara gave him one last lingering kiss, and when they were ready, headed back into the room. ‘Why are you guys inside our suite? Who let you in?’ ‘We got in last night, and you said you wanted to rehearse and set up the equipment before the presentation, so here we are,’ Max said with jazz hands waving in the air. She just rolled her eyes. ‘You guys are too early. I still need a nap. Can you leave?’ she plopped down on the sofa and snuggled with a pillow. The
I was sitting in my living room writing up Max’s story when this alternate ending came to me and got me excited. The following chapters were going to be part of his book, but I decided you need to be rewarded for reading all the way to the end of Clara’s story. I hope you enjoy this alternate ending. -=- ‘Clara! The plane is leaving in two hours, and there is a major accident in the 405. If we do not make it in time, you will not make your appointment.’ Sebastian yells as he walks to their bedroom. Their meeting at 2 pm is irrevocable, and nothing should impede them from keeping it. This will be the most important appointment of their lives. Clara rolls her eyes. ‘We have two hours, relax. Even in this traffic, we have enough time to make it. Your driver knows all the shortcuts. Plus, Jeremy and
Ariana was found tied up and gagged in one of the hotel’s janitor closets, one that was not normally checked until the morning. Because she was resilient and determined to alert anybody to Clara’s disappearance, she made enough ruckus for one of the hotel guests to notice and call for help. Clara felt relieved to have found her the next day. Thankfully, she had been released from the hospital with a few scratches and bandages on her head and arm. The bad guys banged her head enough to give her a concussion, so she had to be kept overnight for observation. She twisted her arm from trying to get out of the restraints, and when she continued to throw her body against the door to attract someone’s attention. Ariana was very resilient, and Clara liked that she fought until the end. Now that the threat to Celine and Clara’s life had been eliminated, with the bad gu
-=- This chapter is R18. If you are not over 18, please skip this chapter and proceed to Chapter 124. -=- Clara laughs. Sebastian knew this was a serious situation, but after being rejected earlier, he trod lightly and opted for the easygoing route. ‘I love you, Baz. Thank you for being patient with me.’ Clara looked at him lovingly and caressed his face, kissing his lips lightly as she closed her eyes. The fire was back in her eyes. He hated being the one that took it away from her by making her worry and question everything they were to each other. But now, he would make sure that he would do everything in his power, never to extinguish that again. He would do everything to make her happy.
Boss runs away as Nathan and Clara bend down to tend to Nicholas. But the cops had already surrounded the house by then, and they apprehended him as he tried to run away, just like the other goon that tried to escape earlier. Sebastian, on the other hand, fought off Spike, disarming the gun from him when Boss fired the shot. Spike had no fighting chance, and he knew as soon as Sebastian got his weapon, he was going to jail. With the criminals arrested and Clara’s uncle carted away to the hospital, they were all finally able to settle down and take a seat. Everybody was pretty shaken up, and the women sniffled from time to time as they recounted what happened. They huddled with each other, Emilia Jacobs holding onto her daughters to seek comfort and assurance that the nightmare was over. Sebastian took
The house was eerily quiet when they got home. ‘Mom! Dad! I’m home!’ Clara called out as she came in through the door. That should have been an indication that something was wrong because they had left the front door unlocked. When none of the regular security was present around the property, she just assumed they blended in with the background. But her excitement at getting away from her abductors got the better of her. She did not apply the regular protocols for security. Her mom, dad, and sister sat on the sofa in a neat line, with their hands behind her back, their mouths covered with tape. The gun she felt pointed at the side of her head made everything click into place. The kidnappers had a backup plan, and they were waiting at her parent’s home. They took the whole family hostage as a las
Spike proceeded to tape Clara’s mouth but didn’t expect her to be awake. She bit down hard on his hand, inflicting so much pain that he slapped her across the face, dislodging her blindfold enough so she could see through the bottom. Clara kicks Spike between his thighs, rendering him immobile for a few minutes. Enough time for Clara to bring the hands tied behind her back under her knees. She had to bring them in front of her, making it easier to get out of the zip ties that bound them together. Clara falls flat on her face even before she can get anywhere. Spike had come out of the sensation of having his balls kicked enough to slide his feet and trip her. He holds a knife to her neck, pinning her to the floor. She had no choice but to surrender. She fights him again when he pulls Clara up to tie her agai
Nicholas Jacobs had been watching Clara and Celine as closely as everyone else ever since the kidnappers came back and threatened to take them again. When he saw Clara sneak out into the restroom with nobody following her, he decided to take it upon himself to do it. Clara did not trust him after what he did, but he did not care. It was better to be safe than sorry. Clara could yell at him if that's what she wanted. He deserves it, after all. He pretended to make a phone call, hiding near the men’s restroom doors. When he saw two uniformed hotel staff come out of the women’s restroom with a hotel trolley, the kind used to carry all the sheets and linens from rooms that have been emptied and he grew suspicious. These men didn’t look like the regular hotel staff. They looked more buff and were suspiciously gruff-looking, covered with all those tattoos. So when they left, he checked inside the restroom, and