CHAPTER TWELVE“Thank you for dropping me.” Elizabeth said as she got down from Jason’s car. They had sat in awkward silence, the air sexually charged between them after her brazen attempt at watching him.“Do you want to come in?” She asked, mentally hitting herself on the head for even suggesting such a thing, why would he want to come into her house.“I would love to” Jason responded, his lips curling up in a smile.He and Elizabeth walked over to the door, she took a deep breath and knocked, knowing that the sight of Jason was going to knock the socks off Mara.“Great, you are back.. I am going to kick Darren’s…” Mara’s voice trailed off at the sight of Jason.“Mara, meet Jason Rodrigues and Jason, this is my best friend Mara.” Elizabeth said quickly.“Hello Mara, it is nice to meet you.” Jason said stretching out a hand“And you” Mara responded, opening the door wider so they could both come in and all the while maintaining eye contact with Elizabeth as if to ask her what the fuck
CHAPTER THIRTEEN“Are you okay?” Jason asked Elizabeth who had her eyes squeezed so shut he was sure she would get an headache.“I’m fine, I am really motion sick and the fact that I am going to some strange place is not helping matters.” She said, her eyes still shut.“You can hold my hand if that would make you feel better.” He offered.Hold his hand, how would that make her feel better? Elizabeth thought to herself.“No, thank you… just keep your hands on the steering and eyes on the road please.”Jason suppressed laughter at her scrunched up face and his eyes moved involuntarily to her lips; full lips so succulent and as if on cue, her tongue snaked out to lick them. He suppressed a groan this time, wondering if she knew how being in close proximity with her was making his body react, he was sure she would bolt like a deer caught in the headlights she even had an inkling of what he was thinking of.“You should at least leave your eyes open, it is weird seeing your eyes closed.” He
CHAPTER FOURTEENIt was weird sleeping in a strange bed and Elizabeth could barely close her eyes. It was so quiet and serene, she was scared to sleep. After her encounter with Lucien, who is Jason’s brother and who also she had a mighty crush on, they had eaten with Lucien staring at her throughout and Jason watching the both of them. She had been so uncomfortable and self aware that she could barely get the food down her throat and into her hungry stomach.The house keeper brought her bags inside and on a signal from Jason, went somewhere with it.“She will drop it in your room.” He said later to herElizabeth nodded not trusting herself to speak“Why did you declining giving me your number.” Lucien asked mid food.Elizabeth was of the idea that she had hurt his feelings, he probably had never had a girl refuse him something before.“Because I can.” She said curtly.From her side eye, she saw Jason smile into the glass of wine he was drinking and she smiled too involuntarily.“What
CHAPTER FIFTEENIt was embarrassing laying down there with her eyes shut tight and her legs wide open to the probing hand of the doctor.“You need to relax, Elizabeth.” Jason said touching her arm.“You try relaxing when you are laid back on the bed and basically naked underneath while a middle aged man is looking up your private part and with another man as audience too.” She grated, her forehead beaded with sweat.“He is a doctor, I don’t think they usually count as men.” He said eliciting laughter from her.She relaxed, counting numbers off the top of her head and imagining at the moment what her brother and best friend were up to.“You are in perfect condition, I just need to insert the sperm into you and you are good to go.” The doctor announced.“Wait! That’s it? Just the Sperm and I am pregnant?” Elizabeth asked in surprise.“You might not get pregnant with this round of injection, it is just like having sex. I would have asked that you both have sex because it is easier that w
CHAPTER SIXTEENElizabeth was bored, at first she thought she was going to enjoy not working and speaking to Mara everyday on the phone but after a week, it was looking like all the excitement in her life was over and there was nothing left that to count the letters being displayed on the large screen in front of her, Elizabeth was bored and was still not pregnant. She had called doctor after a week of injecting the sperm into her and although he had said it wasn’t guaranteed that she was going to get pregnant the first time, she had hoped that wasn’t the case.Jason was out, no doubt in his office right now and Lucien… she was trying so hard to avoid him since the whole altercation and Jason’s question concerning. He wasn’t making it easy though and it was like he was genuinely looking to rile her up.She has been managing his behavior without informing the owner of the house but Elizabeth swore that if he did something she found uncomfortable, he would be behind bars.Her phone rang
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN“You are still up” Jason noted immediately he entered the house.Elizabeth sat in front of the television but he wasn’t sure she was concentrating on it.“Yes. How was work?” She asked“Fine, thank you.” He said waiting for her to continue, she definitely had something on her mind with the way she was glaring at him.“What is it?” He asked after some time of waiting and she had no said anything.“I know I am your surrogate and you are paying me to bear your child and all but never ever think that I am yours to own. This or whatever we are doing is purely transactional and nothing more.”“You have been speaking to my brother” he stated calmly.“Yes I have and I do not appreciate you discuss me like I am some object for you to own or keep for yourself.”“You are not an object and I merely said all that so he keeps away from you. You are nothing except the woman who will carry my child and if I have given you an impression more than that, I apologize. Now if you would e
CHAPTER EIGHTEENThe ride back home was awkward, Elizabeth’s eyes were closed through out and although she could feel the probing stare of Lucien’s eyes, she still kept them shut hoping he would not comment on it.“Am I that repulsive? “ he asked after some time“No of course not.”“Then why do you have your eyes shut tight like you want to be anywhere but with me and you want to see anything but me. I mean I was impulsive and I should not have kissed you but I do not regret it and you shouldn’t too.”“My eyes are not shut because of you, I am motion sick so anytime I get in a car I try to close my eyes and regulate my breathing and also partly because I’m trying to understand why you kissed me.” Elizabeth blurted“I find you really attractive Elizabeth I always have and that’s why I have been trying to get on your nerves this past few weeks and I am sorry if I have been overdoing it, I just wanted you to see me.”“I see you Lucien”“No, you see me as Jason’s brother. I want you to se
CHAPTER NINETEENHe was waiting for them, Lucien and Elizabeth could see he was angry. His eyes were ice cold and feet tapping rhythmically on the floor.“Hey bro” Lucien smiled upon entry, his eyes twinkling mischievously.“You are back.” Elizabeth breathed as she watched him.“I am and your phone is switched off.”“Yes, I went with Lucien and errr… he… we” Elizabeth stammered.“Relax brother, we decided to turn off our phones and eat out, it’s no big deal.”“No big deal? You had your tongue down my surrogate’s throat. Now if that is no big deal, I wonder what big deal is.” Jason explodedElizabeth gasped, her hand flying up to her mouth.He had seen them, somehow he had seen them“She is not yours to have” Lucien said quietly.“I asked you for one favor and that is to leave her the fuck alone but as you do every time, trying to undermine my fucking authority.”“Did you leave Cassandra alone when I asked you to.” Lucien said.Cassandra? Elizabeth thought.“So this is what this is abou
CAMILLAIt was useless feeling sorry for myself, I thought.The lighting in the club was low as I stepped in with my friend, Bella.“Not bad” I murmured.“Told you” She responded triumphantly. “This is what you need to get over him. Nathan Clark is an asshole and should dump him in the dust where he belongs”I wanted to correct her that he wasn’t an asshole, he was merely disturbed but I did not.I was not here to sympathize with him or even think about him. I was here to have fun and that is what I am going to do.I was putting on a red dress and it complimented my eyes way more than I thought it would.“Come on, we should get a drink” Bella pulled me to the bar.The bartender winked at both of us and then asked what we would likeIt was at the tip of my tongue to say nothing but I was at a club, wasn’t I?“Sex on the beach” I announced.Bella turned to me, surprise in her eyes. I was pretty sure she thought she would have to force me to drink.“I would have the same” She told the ma
NATHANThere was nothing to say as I dropped Camilla off at her home.I waited until I was sure she had gotten in before I headed in the direction of my mother in law’s house.I pushed in Christian’s number, my teeth gritting as it rang.I was furious.I did not want to admit I was more furious at myself than anything.“How did your date go?” Christian’s asked as soon as the phone line clicked.“Send me the name of the witness” I grunted.“What is wrong?”“Send the name, dammit”“You need to calm down, Nathan. Where are you going?”“To settle this once and for all” I told him. “Now send the damned number to me”I hung up before he had the chance to say anything or convince me to back away because I would not.I drove way above the speed limit, stopping only when I had gotten to the mansion’s gate.It brought back memories of family dinners where I had to defend Eleanor over and over again. Where snide remarks about the reason I was with her reached my ears and she said nothing about
CAMILLA“I did not think I was ever going to see you again, Camilla” Sarah smiled as soon as I entered the restaurant.She wagged a finger in Nathan’s direction, shaking her head at him.“With the kind of food you sell? I will be coming in here for a very long time” I smiled back.Nathan and I took our seats and waited.She had a queue as usual and I could not help the smile as I glanced around.“You would have watched your father kill me” Nathan commented.“I admit that would have made me feel better for a bit” I told him.He appeared shocked but I could tell from the way his eyes twinkled with delight that he thought it hilarious.I had not expected he would go over to my parent’s house especially seeing as I wasn’t there in the first place.My father however had called me when he arrived with a gun to his head and asked if I wanted to see him. I had hesitated just for the fun of it“I deserved that”“Yes you did” I agreed.“Thank you for coming here with me”I nodded once.Sarah dr
NATHANI was pacing like a fucking clown.I was expecting Camilla at the office today to discuss the project that we were involved in together and I could not help the restlessness coursing through my body.I wasn’t one to be this nervous about anything.“Deep breaths” I told myself, trying to go along with my instructions but to no avail.So much so that when my receptionist announced her presence, I had worked myself into a frenzy.My breath caught in my throat as she walked in, her eyes taking the room before settling on me with stark clarity.What had I been thinking? I thought.Starved of attention?Who was the blithering idiot now?“You look well” She commented, taking the seat in front of me.“You look beautiful” I murmured.She paused, her eyes meeting mine.Sparks flew, that was for sure.“How do you feel?” She asked instead.“Much better. Thank you for attending to me yesterday. For even accepting the phone call from me”“Of course, I am not a demon even though I do hate you
CAMILLAI stared at my ringing phone with Nathan displayed boldly as the callers ID.What the fuck did he want?I however put it to my ear, my heart jumping at the sound of his voice“Camilla, I know you can hear me” He rasped“What do you want?” I asked.“To talk” He answered.His voice appeared tortured… like there was something wrong with him and for a minute I was concerned before my head overrode my stupidity.“Concerning the project-” I began“Not concerning the-” He sighed, his voice trailing off.“I need you” He muttered softly that if I had not been paying attention, I would have missed that simple statement.“Mr Clark” I stopped when I heard his labored breathing.“Is something wrong with you?”“No, its nothing… I just need to speak with you”“Nathan, what is the matter? You sound distressed”He chuckled and then I heard him cough in the background“You are not concerned about me now, are you?”“This is not a joke, what is wrong with you?” I asked again, feeling panicky.He
CAMILLAMy father drove us straight to the house and I did not argue nor say anything when we arrived and my mother enveloped me in a hug.“Oh baby” She crooned.“I am okay” I reassured her“Come on in”I inhaled the familiar scent of home, my muscles relaxing.“I am going to bed” I announced.Their words fell over themselves as they agreed immediately to my request.My eyes closed as soon as I fell on the bed. I did not want to think of anything, I did not want to begin to analyze the anger in my heart directed at one person in particular.When I finally opened my eyes, it was noon.I made my way downstairs and was met with the searching eyes of both my parents.“Are you okay, baby?” My mother asked.I took a seat beside them.“I am not some fragile child you have to be worried about always, mother” I said.“You are my child and I have every reason to be worried about you” she countered.“I am going to be fine” I told her.My father said nothing but I turned to him anyways.“I have d
NATHANI felt like an absolutely horrible beast or maybe that was what I wasStarved of attention?If there was anything, I would admit that I have been the one acting like a starved and crazed person anytime she was near.I had only said that to infuriate Rodrigues, her father more than he already was.I did not stop to think that she might be listening in or it was the worst thing to say about a girl I have come to like.I winced, rolling my tongue in my mouth as the pain from being punched in the face kicked in.Williams walked into the open room with surprise on his face.”What happened?” He asked immediately.“It is over” I told him, my voice unbelievably calm.“What have you done, Clark”I whirled at him with anger in my eyes“What makes you think I am the one at fault? You are the reason everything has gone to fucking shit” I barraged him. “What did you think was going to happen when you decided to invite Rodrigues and I?”I took a deep breath envisioning Camilla’s disapproving
CAMILLA“We really need to talk” I heard Nathan whisper from behind me.“I have nothing to speak to you about. Are you ready?” I asked him.“I am but-”“Then we should leave to the bar”I turned to look him over, angry at the flutter in my chest and the way my whole being appreciated his looks.He had jeans on and I never thought anyone would look absolutely stunning in them and there was the shirt he was wearing which was rolled up to his elbows, giving free view of his tattoos.I stilled my panicked heart, turning back around and taking a step before he stopped me with a hand on my arm.“I want to apologize for the things I did earlier. It was mean of me to try to take away the seriousness of your feelings and I am sorry. I should be a better person than that” He had a contrite look on his face as he said this.“I am not mad at you, Nathan” I lowered my voice. “I just feel I am more invested in this business than you are and I need you to be professional and take it seriously”He no
CAMILLAWhat had I been expecting?A profession of love?I knew the sort of person Nathan was… a hard man and I had thought maybe I would be able to get through to him and why?Because I found him intriguing? Because I loved his view on life or is it because I wanted to do all I could to get out of my father’s shadow.No, that is wrong.Nathan Clark might have been my ticket out but I had come to understand and admire him as an individual.He was a fighter that much was obvious but he was also an asshole.I locked the adjoining door as soon as he left, leaning against it with the tears stinging the corner of my eyes.Another knock“Camilla” My father’s voice came through.“Give me a minute” I called out.I stared at myself in the mirror, running my fingers through my hair.When I opened the door, my father knew immediately that something was wrong.“Are you okay?” He asked“I am fine” I responded. “I was just sleeping” I added so he did not ask any more questions.“I know we should ta