On Thursday, the day after his last conversation with Natalie, Levi was still fuming. The idea that she thought she could end things with him, over a phone call at that, was laughable in itself. But her fearlessness was mind-blowing, to say the least. He couldn't understand how anyone so tiny could get herself into so much shit in just a matter of days, especially when he'd given her strict instructions to stay out of trouble while he was away."And what the hell does she do?" Levi turned to Mark for the hundredth time since his check-in with Zachary and Carlos over an hour ago."Exactly what you told her not to do?" his partner replied for the hundredth time as he moved through his adjoining room, picking up his toiletries and stuffing them inside his luggage bag. He paused and frowned at him through the open doorway. "Shouldn't you be packing?""I was done with that yesterday morning when I was ready to fly back home, remember? I only have a few items to put away," Levi reminded him
By the time they landed at the airport in Rock Union, just after 10:00 AM on Friday, Levi was already highly annoyed at everything and everyone.Their flight out of Ghana was delayed by two hours. The layover took longer than the hour the airline had promised, and he hadn't had any sleep in over fourteen hours.To say he was irritable was an understatement. But he was really more on edge than anything else, and he wanted to know if his weekend was bound to be a bust or a success.So as soon as they jumped in his car parked at the airport for almost a week now, he called his staff at the house in the Blue Mountains just to make sure they were indeed hard at work, getting it ready and preparing everything just the way he'd told them to. He wanted everything to be perfect for Natalie's first visit.Mr Ackerman, his butler, assured him everything was on track, and by the time Levi arrived after his meeting, everything would be to his liking.Pleased with the progress report, Levi reclined
"Do it," Levi said, blood splattering out of his mouth. "Why don't you shoot me like your brother shot Liam, then both of you can just end up in prison where you belong?""Nah," Andrei shook his head, and a collective sigh of relief swept through the room when he returned his gun to its holster, held out his hand to Levi and helped him up."That would be too easy," he said as they took their seats again. "I like watching you run around like a headless chicken trying to find Colleen, and I like knowing that you think I had something to do with her disappearance. But do you know what I enjoy the most?""What?" Levi glared at him as he wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with his thumb."Smelling your fear. You reek of it. And I smelt it on you the moment you walked through those doors. Now, if you don't quit poking your nose where it doesn't belong, your little lady will end up like Ethan. Ask her who he is and what I've done to him. She saw it all. She watched me kill him.""Y
The CEO of the boutique hotel chain popped up in Natalie's direct messages on Dreams late Friday night.She hadn't heard from him since she signed the contract, and she'd spent the whole of Thursday night and most of Friday praying he'd cancel or postpone their meet and greet. So to say she was deeply disappointed when she saw the notification was an understatement.Yes, she liked dealing with just one client, but the idea of being in a contract relationship sounded less appealing the more she thought about it. But for Jamie, she'd have to find a way to be okay with it.She stared at her screen now, a puzzled look in her eyes.What the hell was she supposed to do with these numbers?Were they some secret message?A game of crack the code, perhaps?"Em, can you come here for a sec, please?"Her friend looked up from the TV, her cranky tone matching the irritable expression on her face as she groaned in her hands. "Gosh, Nat, it's THE KISS SCENE. Your timing sucks balls!"But she crosse
The two-hour ride to the Blue Mountains flew by too quickly.One minute Natalie was enthralled by the views of the snowcapped peaks, and the next, they were landing in a backyard so enormous it could hold her old high school.She wished she hadn't blinked during the ride just so she could have taken in every little detail to share with Jamie.Mr Ackerman helped her off the aircraft and held her head down as a safety precaution to avoid the still spinning rotor blades as he whisked her away.Two fancy-ass golf carts pulled up in seconds, and Natalie laughed in disbelief. The billionaire shows she'd watched last night with Emily, in preparation for today, weren't far fetched at all. The uber-wealthy never walked anywhere. Why should they when they had golf carts to drive them around?"Ma'am?" Mrs Ackerman turned and frowned at her when she saw her still standing there, dazed by the splendour all around her, her eyes as huge as flying saucers.Natalie knew she was acting like a real hill
A bewildered laugh shot through Natalie's lips even though she was anything but amused.Never in her wildest dreams would she have ever imagined this.But even as he stood in front of her, in all his six-foot-something glory, wearing that damn white shirt even though it was the weekend and he had no business wearing it since he wasn't at work, she still couldn't accept that she wasn't dreaming.Surely, her Freddy Krueger lookalike boyfriend would walk in any moment now and put an end to her hallucinations."Natalie," Levi said as he walked to the other end of the table and sat down. He pointed at the chair she'd just vacated and smiled, flashing that darn dimple of his. "Please sit."Anger so terrifying and unlike anything Natalie had ever felt before quickly replaced her stunned disbelief. But she surprised even herself when she spoke in a calm and steady voice, belying the confusion and turmoil swirling in her heart. "No, I'm not sitting down until you tell me what the hell is going
The first thing Natalie saw when she opened her eyes was Levi watching her intently.Even from the side view, he was still perfect, and she was so tempted to reach up and brush his tousled hair away from his forehead.Like a moth, drawn to a flame, she extended her hand and was almost touching him when she remembered their fight earlier. The rock in her chest returned harder than before as it pressed down on her heart, snuffing out any feelings of tenderness she was starting to feel again.Natalie turned away, but Levi's hand resting loosely on her hip spun her back to him and held her in place.Ever so gently, he reached up and cupped her cheek. "Sleeping beauty is finally awake. Or is it Snow White?"Quivering at the light stroke of his fingertips on her skin, Natalie couldn't help but hate herself for being so darn aware of him. Even when she was livid, heartbroken, and everything in between, Levi still set her on fire with the most fleeting of touches."When was the last time you
Alone in an unfamiliar place, Natalie sat up, noticing for the first time she was wearing one of Levi's shirts as she pulled the covers over her knees, and she couldn't help but giggle at the long sleeves dangling over her hands. She'd always wondered about his shirts, but she would never have imagined ever wearing one.A contented sigh fluttered through her lips as she looked around her, trying to acquaint herself with her new surroundings.Like the rest of the house, the bedroom was exquisitely furnished. Everything—from the four-poster bed to the pastel-coloured chaise lounge in front of the bay window overlooking a gorgeous sunset on the horizon and the cream faux fur rug covering most of the dark wood floor—screamed elegance and luxury.Directly in front of her was a huge TV screen, and next to it, double doors leading to a walk-in closet. There was another door to her left. Where it led, Natalie could only guess. But an en suite bathroom seemed like a plausible destination.A sin