Xander“With me?” I am in my penthouse finally having a break from the tour. Everything is how I left it and my day lady has taken care of everything. I remind myself that I need to give her an increase. There are even fresh flowers in the vase on the high sheen, walnut table in the entrance hall. God, I have missed my views across Manhattan. The skyline is impressive although part of me longs to be at my country home where I can see the mountains for miles.“Yes with you, Xander. Do you know a man called Antonio Guilopo?”Fuck, it hits me like a gut punch and winds me. I need to sit down and I need a hefty scotch but it is still only two in the afternoon. “Well?” Her voice is impatient.“Yes, from a long time ago, Kenna. Why do you ask? He isn’t someone that should even cross your radar let alone the name come from your lips.”“Here’s the thing, Xander. I was followed this morning to work from Dante’s house and crashed into by a black 4x4, from behind. They tried to take me off the
Kenna "Please go to the hospital and provide blood ASAP." The person who sent the message is my husband and we have been married for three years. It has been a marriage of convenience more than anything. It hurts because I love him. Still, despite him not loving me back and going out of his way to ignore me. My husband, Xander Staniopolis, a CEO and billionaire who owns luxurious hotels and villas in America and Europe, with dark hair and mesmerizing blue eyes, needs someone who has a rare type of blood. Mine is the fit, AB negative. It’s for his precious friend, Violet. I am sick of Violet and having to always donate my blood to her. She is so needy, sometimes I think she is trying to drain the life out of me. But for Xander and his wealth I will do pretty much anything. But we have a deal, Xander and I. He gives me the wealth I want and in return I donate blood. It’s not what I imagined growing up, I wanted a husband who loved me back. My stomach flips just thinking about donating
KennaDevastation fills my body, I can feel it running through me. I clutch my heart which feels as if it has dropped to the floor. I put my phone away trying to suppress the pain in my heart and the burning sensation in my body and force myself to go to the door. I will myself not to cry over this. I’ll make this one time and then I have some strong decisions to make. I hail a cab and request the driver take me straight to the coffee shop which is located close to the hospital to wait for Xander. I come here often, it is dimly lit offering an ambience that ordinarily I would find soothing. But not today as the torment engulfs me. Xander has tried to call me twice, I ignore his calls as the barista brings me over my pumpkin latte. Thankfully, he stopped calling. I watch as other couples sit closely together, wishing it was Xander and I. The lump in my throat is killing me, but I try to suppress it. Finally, an hour later Xander appears, he comes in as if he owns the place. To be ho
KennaShe stares at me as if she wants to drive a stake through my heart. Yeah, she knows I’ve caught her. This woman has never liked me, the moment I married and came into Xander’s life, Violet has made it perfectly clear by ignoring me and only pretending to be nice to me when Xander was around. Which of course was never very often. From behind me, I hear Xander’s harsh voice, it’s almost a snarl. I turn around and see his eyes darkening, the expression he wears is grim. I shudder, he looks like the Devil himself. His eyes piercing through me. “What the fuck are you doing?” he asks, I say nothing rooted to the spot. “Kenna!” His voice is as cold as ice, it makes me shudder from my head to my toes. Is he afraid maybe of what I might actually do to his precious Violet? If only I would do something to hurt her, then at least my marriage may have stood a chance. Violet’s eyes widen, I can see the fake panic all over her face. God, how I want to slap her right now. Instead I clench my
Xander A divorce? Is she seriously asking me for a divorce. What has gotten into her? I’m confused with myself, totally and utterly confused. Clearly I don’t care about Kenna, not at all. It’s always only been about her blood to save and help Violet. So, why does it bother me so much when she asked for a divorce? It’s not like I have feelings for Kenna. Or is it? No way, I dismiss the thought from my mind. Right now I have more important things to think about, like saving Violet’s life. I rake my hands through my dark hair, something weird is going on with my gut just thinking about her asking for the divorce, it’s gnarling. Damn, it actually feels like I am in physical pain. I sensed that there was something different about Kenna. I wasn’t able to put my finger on it. It was like things were spinning out of control. You know when you’ve been in a car accident, life just seems to spiral around you. After three years of marriage, I thought I knew her very well. Before we got marri
KennaI wake up and feel slightly disoriented, the walls are different, they are a pale peach instead of a dark green, where am I? Then it registers I was brought back home to my mother and stepfather’s house. I groan, it’s really the last place I want to be. I don’t want to have to deal with my mother’s speech that no doubt I will hear. My mother is always full of opinions, it sometimes seems to me that I cannot do right in her eyes. For a start she never wanted me to marry Xander. Sure, Xander Staniopolis has an empire of hotels across America, Europe and looking to expand into Asia. All luxury hotels that celebrities go to and also it is known that mafia people go there too. Probably why my mother was not best pleased when I announced I would be marrying him. Maybe my mother already knew that Xander had an agenda, she never took to him. In fact, it was my mother who said he couldn’t be trusted. Not that Xander has ever done anything for me to mistrust him. He’s never had affairs,
KennaDante is back in my life, it feels like it has been longer than the three years ordeal I have just been through. More like a lifetime. God, I’ve missed him. We were always so close during our university years, he was always my best friend and had my back. It feels surreal that he was the one to come and get me last night. After all these years, he is still there to have my back. He’s filled out to be a handsome man with his broad shoulders and I can see the tatts running up his arms to the sleeve of his T-shirt. When did he get those? They look good on him. His sandy-blonde hair hangs into his eyes and he’s giving me a weird look, like I can’t describe it. But it makes my stomach flutter. Stop, I tell myself. You are being ridiculous, you’ve just got divorced. “I'm glad you're home, Kenna. Your happiness is the most important thing to me,” the softness and tenderness in his voice makes my throat catch. How could I have stayed away from his friendship for all the years I was ma
KennaAt this banquet full of celebrities, I am getting a little tired of constantly introducing myself and talking to different people. At least Dante stands close to me. He has remained by my side and placed a hand at the small of my back sensing my mood. It feels comforting, maybe too comforting. I mean he’s my best friend and perhaps I shouldn’t like it quite as much as I do. “I just need to go and hide away for a few moment, Dante. This is too much for me.” He nods at me and removes his warm hand from the small of my back. I find a pillar to hide behind where a tall wine cart stands. Sensing eyes on me I glance up and across the room. Sure enough, Xander is giving me looks. It’s making me feel uncomfortable. I try to look away but his gaze holds mine. Something stirs inside me, quickly I look away. He has hurt me enough already. A woman’s voice comes from behind me, it gives me a shock and causes me to jump, almost spilling my champagne over my beautiful gown. "Did you come to
Xander“With me?” I am in my penthouse finally having a break from the tour. Everything is how I left it and my day lady has taken care of everything. I remind myself that I need to give her an increase. There are even fresh flowers in the vase on the high sheen, walnut table in the entrance hall. God, I have missed my views across Manhattan. The skyline is impressive although part of me longs to be at my country home where I can see the mountains for miles.“Yes with you, Xander. Do you know a man called Antonio Guilopo?”Fuck, it hits me like a gut punch and winds me. I need to sit down and I need a hefty scotch but it is still only two in the afternoon. “Well?” Her voice is impatient.“Yes, from a long time ago, Kenna. Why do you ask? He isn’t someone that should even cross your radar let alone the name come from your lips.”“Here’s the thing, Xander. I was followed this morning to work from Dante’s house and crashed into by a black 4x4, from behind. They tried to take me off the
KennaThe meeting is dragging, it is all about our new development in Asia. I didn’t even know Isaac was expanding into Asia. Holy smokes, why didn’t anyone inform me? This is utterly ridiculous. I have only been out of HQ for a couple of weeks on the tour and nobody thought to inform me via messaging or email. Why wasn’t I included? Maybe it was because Isaac had decided to drop a bombshell.In any case the unit looks impressive over twenty floors high, all smoked glass on the outside from the generated images. “And the projections?” I ask our head accountant, he looks like he has aged since I was last in HQ. I am not surprised with this new development and where is our CFO? He runs through the figures and I have to admit they are impressive, we will be hiring only local people nobody will be hired from outside the area. “And we are sure there is expertise locally?”“Yes, we have done a lot of research, Miss Bodega. You know we wouldn’t even be considering this as an option if it
DanteDammit who the hell is trying to rail Kenna? I message my assistant, Lorna quickly and let her know I am going to be late as I have some personal issues to attend to. She lets me know not to worry about anything and can push a few of my meetings to my free time later this afternoon. Not ideal since I wanted to be away from the office early to have a romantic dinner with Kenna and a night of hot, steamy passion. I guess that isn’t going to happen now since there is yet another turn of events. The poor woman has already gone through so much and now this.I want to cradle her in my arms and protect her and take all her worries away. Only I can’t and as a man like myself that makes me feel like shit. What, I can't even protect my own woman now? But I will find out who is in the vehicle. Anyone touches my woman they die!Next I make a call to the P.I. on the case for Kenna. He’s an ex NavySeal and now takes on all manner of cases, his name is Chase and he lives in Boston. “Chase, an
KennaI fire off a message to Dante hoping he will pick it up. I know he himself would be getting ready to head into his offices. I have a tail, a large black 4x4. Do you know anything about this?I wait tapping my pale pink nails on the mobile with anxiousness. Who the fuck is following me? Why is someone even following me?“You need to take me to the Bodega Head Office, I have no other choice. I can’t be driving around Manhattan trying to shake a tail,” I tell the driver.“Very well, Ma’am.” God I hate it when people call me ma’am. I’m still only in my twenties, it makes me feel so damn old. Ugh! I turn around in my seat wondering what is taking Dante so long. I can see a woman driving with ice blonde hair, I squint trying to see who it is sitting next to her but they are wearing a baseball cap. I notice a dark beard and that is about it. But the man sitting next to the woman is big built. What the hell!Hey, sorry I was getting ready and didn’t hear the phone. Okay, let me get ex
KennaWe lay spent on the bed, my insides ache but it is that good kind of ache that tells you, you’ve had amazing sex. My head rests on Dante’s shoulder where it fits perfectly.“Marriage, eh?” he says and kisses the top of my head. I can smell our sex and his masculine fragrance, it’s all woodsy and pine. Almost like you’d imagine a lumberjack. It fills my senses.“Okay, I may have been getting ahead of myself there a bit.” Now I feel slightly embarrassed. What was I thinking mentioning the big M word? “I would love to marry you, Kenna. I just want to have the opportunity to ask you properly. In a romantic setting that will take your breath away.” I love his words, they fill my heart which is already brimming with love and emotion for this strong and protective man who makes me feel like I am the only woman in the universe.“I guess I should get ready, I have some meetings to attend to today,” I say as I push myself into a seated position and rest my head on the engraved, wooden h
Dante“You told him! And how did he take it?” I was surprised to see Kenna at my front door not more than twenty minutes ago. Looking as beautiful as ever this time dressed down in some skinny black jeans that look molded to her, showcasing her long and toned legs. Her baggy sweatshirt hangs off one shoulder and has Mickey Mouse on the front. She looks too damn adorable right now and I am ready to pull off her clothes, throw her on my bed and make wild passionate love to her. Seriously though, Kenna looks only in her teens, not the billionairess in her twenties. How does she do it? And how does she do to me what she does? “At first not well, but then he agreed it would be best to make a family statement. He wants the name to be clear and all the skeletons out of the closet, so to speak, for when Riley comes to live with me part-time.” She has a grin of jubilation on her face. I walk over to her in the kitchen where she leans with her back to the sink and take her face in my hands. My
KennaHis face takes on an almost purple shade. I swear I have never seen a human look like an aubergine but here it is sitting in front of me.My mother gasps and clutches a hand to her mouth.“What are you saying, Kenna? It sounds like you are disowning us? We are your family, we gave you everything that has put you where you are enjoying the best life possible.”“Yes, Mom, I know that. I am not stupid and I remain grateful for everything that Isaac has done for me and treated me like his own daughter. That I cannot fault. But this attitude of his threatening to disown me because I am dating Dante. Well, that is clearly ridiculous. I could understand it if Dante and I were blood related but we are not.”Isaac coughs and puts up a hand to silence us both.“Ladies, please. Kenna, it is for your own good. The press will have a field day and they will start to dig around and find out that I am not his father. It will have all sorts of negative impact on him. I am not a cruel man, Kenna.
KennaMy eyes feel grainy and sore, they look red around the rims but I have my trusty concealer by YSLaurent to help disguise them and the fact that I have dark circles underneath them. I sigh as I get on yet another flight this time straight back to Manhattan. It is tiring, all I seem to have done for weeks is get on and off this damn jet. But I have business to attend to and there is no time like the present. I can work whilst I am onboard.The stewardess comes to me, I notice her coral shade of lipstick and her sunny demeanour as she smiles at me. Her hazel eyes look warm and comforting. “Can I get you anything, Miss Bodega?”“A new life would be good. I’ll just take a coffee please, hold on the cream and sugar. Black will be fine.”“Very well. We will be taking off shortly, I can bring it to you after.”“Thank you.” I know the drill who wouldn’t by now.Anxiety you would think should be present since I am about to go back home and confront Isaac. Yet it doesn’t. I am ready for th
KennaTiredness overwhelms me, yet I know sleep will elude me as usual. There is far too much going on my mind right now. I am still overwhelmed with anger towards Isaac and his narrow minded ways and views. And my mother, now the pain and hurt is subsiding. I feel sad that she hasn’t stood by me. Was she always like this and I just never saw it? I swear to God, I will make sure that Riley has a mother to always depend upon. It’s eleven at night, I lay under the duvet with my head against the pillows and wonder if Dante will still be awake. I want to reach out to him and speak with him, to let him know I have made my final decision.It’s not like I don’t have other options. For a start I have a keen eye on fashion and could start my own label. Hell, if other people can do it then so can I. Not that I actually know where to start but being a Bodega does give me certain access to connections. A plan begins to form in my head, I do have to admit I fancy myself in the fashion world and t