Clara and Sebastian both came out of the room like nothing had happened. Clara headed for the washer, leaving Sebastian to her brother. She started the load, so they could use their clean clothes later, but in reality, she was just trying to evade their attention. She needed time for herself. To think about what she would do with this relationship, Sebastian seems intent on having with her. But she doesn’t do relationships. She would rather deal with computers and microchips than people.
She was still asking herself if she heard him right. ‘Did he just say he loved me? Or did I mishear that? Ugh! So complicated!’
‘That was a first, though. None of the guys I dated before even mentioned that word before. Well, maybe there was that one guy that wanted to get into my
Clara was still asleep on the couch when she started smelling meat barbecuing. Then remembered they were all having lunch together. She felt lethargic as she groped around for Sebastian. He was nowhere around her, so she lifted her head from the sofa and peeked at what they were doing. It looked like Heather was taking charge of the kitchen, and Clara was glad because she had no energy to do anything right now. ‘Where is my knight in shining armor, anyway? Why is he ignoring me?’ Sebastian had his back to her as he sat on one of the kitchen stools. Sebastian knew Clara must be awake, the smell of food was filling the house, and nobody could sleep through all these enticing aromas. He wanted to go wake her up and see why she was still on the couch, but he couldn’t look at he
Clara blushed, ‘No, we didn’t. It was easy to get carried away, but I’m still scared of the repercussions, having a baby and getting left behind. You know, abandonment issues. When people get scared, they are capable of anything. Not that I’m saying Sebastian would shirk the responsibility, but I don’t know him enough. That’s why we’re going to try dating first.’ ‘You know, he said he would wait for me, as long as I needed, if I wasn’t ready. It felt genuine, not like the ones before, the ones that got impatient while waiting and left me for the girls who put out?’ she felt sad remembering all those times she thought the guys genuinely liked her. ‘Do you think we should wait? I get feverish when he touches me, even if it’s just lacing his fingers with mine. It’s like I have this urge to jump him. I’ve never felt this way before, and I don’t know what to
This was a spontaneous, spur-of-the-moment dinner. Sebastian did not expect his weekend to work out in his favor. So far, he had been winging it, waiting for Clara’s next move, because up until he decided to drive out here, his plan was just to see her. Maybe go on a bike ride, if she wanted to, and have lunch or dinner with everyone so he could stare at her shamelessly. He was expecting to be turned down at every turn, not thinking she would have a change of heart. He was caught unaware when she came out. Looking up from his phone, even his brain could not describe how beautiful she looked to him right now. This was something he would never tire of. She had these strappy killer heels that made her look very sophisticated, highlighting her long, toned legs. He could see a black dress peeking from under her white blazer, and his hands urged him to peel it off so he could see the gift underneath.
‘So tell me, is there someone I need to watch out for? Jilted lover, an old flame, first love, somebody you’ve been pining for all your life?’ Sebastian pried. ‘How about a guy that follows you around, is always there for you, picks you up when you’re down, takes care of you, does everything you want, and more? Do you have someone like that?’ He added. Clara wondered if he would be a jealous lover? Would that be a good thing or a bad thing? ‘Hmm.. let me test you out,’ she smirked. Looking into his eyes, she says, ‘Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that. I have two you should watch out for.’ Sebastian’s face takes on a serious tone. ‘Are you being serious right now? Because my questions are. I want to know how many men I
Sebastian needed to get them out of the club before he embarrassed both of them by being too touchy-feely. They were both high-ranking executives, and being in the tabloids will not be good for them if someone maliciously sullies their name. He was going to have her, but not like this, not like a teenager who couldn’t wait. He learned that patience is a virtue, and her virtue is something worth waiting for. He hugged her very hard to quell his hunger. ‘Let’s go,’ he said. He was going to take her home, otherwise, nothing would stop him from going out of control. At least with her brothers around, he’ll be conscious enough to mind his manners. She didn’t understand what was happening, but she was glad he stopped them from going overboard at the club. That would have been embarrassing. Outside, she saw something th
Their small group ended up playing past midnight, drinking beer, eating popcorn, and everything they could find in the fridge and the pantry. They had leftover Korean BBQ, side dishes, ramen, cookies, and chips. Beer and soda were almost depleted by the time they finished with their game. Clara hid the peach sake at the back of the fridge, but they still found it. Her brothers usually use this drink to get her to talk whenever she shuts them out, not that they needed it today, but they wanted to see what she’ll reveal. The dynamic duo, Max and Jeremy, was playing dirty. They wanted to show Sebastian what he was in for, maybe scare him a little, and see if he was up to the task of being Clara’s boyfriend. Her tongue started getting loose, and she was cursing too much. It was nothing she didn’t do before. But this time, it was more extensive because she w
‘So what, Clara likes the way my shirt smells? That’s no big deal. I’ll leave you my cologne, and then you can test it out, see if that works,’ Sebastian says, ‘but that doesn’t explain why she has these nightmares. Did something happen to her during her childhood? Did she…,’ He didn’t want to ask, it was the toughest question he was going to ask in his life, but he had to, ‘Did she get... raped? Abused?’ Sebastian asked as he ran his fingers through his hair. He worried. Getting abused was not something he knew anything about, and he might not handle it right. ‘Am I even equipped to help her with that?’ He wondered. ‘We do not know the answer to your last two questions because even Clara does not know what happened to her before she got to the orphanage. Her experience repressed her memories that she only gets snippets of information at a time. Sometimes th
Carmen tried to open her eyes, but it was dark. Something was blocking her view. When she tried to move her arms and legs, they were immobile. ‘Mommy? Daddy?’ she called out. ‘Hey, she’s awake. Go see what she wants,’ she heard someone say. ‘So you’re smart, right? If you behave while we wait for your parents to give us the money, we will give you back to them,’ a male voice said. ‘Don’t bother running away, or I will hurt you.’ When they removed the covering for her eyes, all she could see was the man’s face covered in a black mask, showing only his eyes and his mouth. What she couldn’t forget was that he had these big, scary, dark brown eyes that glared at her. Carmen started shaking as tears fell down her face. She felt scared, but she knew she had to get aw
-=- 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