Poor Kenna has got a lot she needs to deal with right now and how is her mother going to take it. And what will they do to keep Violet quiet? Please vote and comment. Thanks for reading xoxo
XanderSomething went down between Violet and Kenna, only Violet isn’t telling me anything and it is irritating the hell out of me. Now, all of a sudden she is being secretive and I don’t like it, not one little bit. And the way Kenna ran out of the room, looking as white as a sheet, it concerned me. I am still at the hospital, they are giving her blood at the moment and I have asked her several times before she was ready, what the hell is going on but she remains tight lipped.Sitting in the private waiting room I rake my hands through my dark hair. What has Violet been saying to Kenna? I know that Kenna didn’t want to come but she did, and she was prepared to donate one last time. It’s not like Kenna to storm out like that, it’s completely unprecedented behavior. From the pocket in my jacket I take out my mobile and ping her a message.Hey, are you okay? What happened? I’m not mad at you anymore, it’s just I could see you looked deathly and I am worried. I wait and take a sip of
DanteI undress down to my boxer shorts and literally throw myself down on the bed. I can’t stop thinking about Kenna and how pale she looked, I’ve never seen her look like this before. Sure, she’s had moments where something has got to her but she always bounces back. But tonight when I met her at the hospital, her face was strained and her lips were so thin and pressed together. It seemed as if all the blood had been drawn out of her body and I know she didn’t donate, she told me as much.And it also concerns me this is the first time that Kenna hasn’t told me what is bothering her. I rake my hands through my hair and lean against the pillows. It’s not like her at all. She and I are close, we grew up together, her being my stepsister and everything, you know we gelled pretty quickly. There was none of this step-sibling rivalry or anything. When Kenna came to live with my father, and he married her mother, I instantly felt a warmth towards the young girl who looked frightened and tim
KennaMy mother places a hand to her mouth, the color drains from her face. “What? What do you mean Violet knows about the baby?”I take a seat next to my mother and put my hands around her hand on her lap. Tears spring to her eyes, and my heart feels sad for her. “I have no idea how she knows, Mom but she told me she knew that I had a baby and was at a private place in Switzerland.”“But that’s impossible, nobody except you and I knew about it. Not even Isaac knew. He thought you were going on a long, extended trip to Europe and spending time with friends in Switzerland.” I let out a sigh and blow a strand of hair away from my face. “What are we going to do about it? What if she talks? What if Isaac finds out?” What I don’t say out loud, is how will Dante feel about me if he discovers I have had a child by a professor from college, and gave my baby up for adoption. Oh, God this is such a mess. But I had no choice, well actually thinking about it now, I did have a choice.However, my
XanderI am drained as I drink yet another glass of strong, malt whiskey. It’s the finest you can buy, around five hundred dollars a bottle, but hell I need it right now. Violet was okay when I left her a couple of hours ago. The nurse said I should come home and get some rest, which reluctantly I did. I am still mad as hell at Kenna and walking out on Violet like that and nor will Violet tell me what went down. She got so distressed and turned on the tears that the nurses actually forbid me to talk to her after that.Whatever is going on, I will find out. There has to be a way and I am good at getting what I want after all. It’s dark and lonely, I ought to turn on some lights and put them on the dim setting but you know what, I can't be bothered. Part of me is missing Kenna being around, even though we’ve been divorced for a month or more now, I really do miss her. Why? I have no idea. And why I constantly think about her is beyond me too. It’s confusing the hell out of me.Is it be
KennaIt’s been a week since I came back from the hospital and talked with my mother. And as I thought, we haven’t spoken about it again since. It hurts me that my own mother, the grandmother of my child, is not supporting me in any way to find out about my daughter. Isaac seems also to be around more at the moment, now that he has finished his European tour and has a couple of weeks back here in Manhattan. I’m sitting in the office staring at my computer when I should be working. It’s been a hectic week and I am so pleased that it’s a Friday. I plan to go out with my best friend, Elsie, to let our hair down. It’s been ages since I’ve hooked up with and I am ready to party. We plan on going to a private club that is for celebrities, sportspeople and the very rich and famous only. Elsie is beyond excited since she doesn’t come from money and never frequents places like this unless I take her.Of course when I was married, I never got the opportunity to go out much, Xander didn’t allow
KennaIt was such a long day in the end and I am so tired but I can’t let Elsie down. I have had my driver take me to her house where we will get ready like old times. “Hey you made it, I thought you would never get here,” Elsie throws her arms around me, I inhale her strawberry fragrance, it must be her shampoo or conditioner. “I know, right? The day just went on and on. Isaac called a board meeting I had to attend, then I had a team meeting which put me two hours behind. We’re also designing a new label and I have to get stuff organized for the meeting in Napa soon.”“Oo, Napa, I’d love to go there. I don’t suppose you could fit me in your suitcase could you?” She giggles as she leads me through her apartment which is on the ground floor with a small patio area out the back. “You could come if you wanted to and do some sightseeing, whilst I have my meetings and we could go out for dinner when I’m done for the day. Although, I will have to do at least one dinner with the client to
XanderSeeing her with some guy on the dance floor has made me see red. RED. I can’t stand it any longer, blood pumps around my body fuelled with anger and jealousy. Since when do I ever have a jealous rage ? But her being so close to that dude is seriously irking me. My fists are balled by my side until I slam my neat whiskey back and go to her.I have been watching her with that friend of hers, sitting there looking so damn hot and beautiful that it made my breath catch in my throat. She never dressed like that when we were together, but then we never went out to clubs or parties only to galas when she was expected to dress high end and demure. Seeing her like this in her short dress showing off all her curves has got my pulse racing. I storm over to her and tear the man off her, “Kenna what the fuck are you doing you slut?” She looks at me, her mouth gaping open.Shit, did I just call her a slut? What the hell has gotten into me? I am never like this. And calling her a slut, that i
Kenna“Holy cow, was that Xander on the dance floor?” Elsie asks me, definitely tipsy. I check the bottle of Krug and yes she has had a fair amount to drink. “Yeah, he was being a dick because I was dancing with some guys. You know I liked that guy a lot.” I sigh and take a long drink of my champagne. A waiter hovers near us. “Can I get you ladies another drink?” “Yes please, just a glass each, we’re nearly done for the evening. You can charge everything to the Bodega account.” He nods politely and moves away towards the bar. Carl, my bodyguard, goes back to standing discreetly behind us, not within earshot. “Oo, sounds like Xander is jealous. The calm, cool and collected Xander has got himself in a rage. That’s almost hysterical.”“Nothing about the situation is hysterical, Elsie. Listen, I think you’ve had way too much to drink. Say we go home. You can have a sleepover at mine if you want.”“No, I’m not ready to go, Kenna. I want to let my hair down and kick up my heels and have
KennaTalk about having to do a man’s job and if you want anything done, then do it yourself. Honestly, I thought Xander had more balls than that. Although I do surprise myself with how brave and bold I am right now. There is too much to lose with a man like Antonio out there trying to harm me to get back at Xander. I have no hesitation in having someone shit the life out of him or even wipe him off this planet. But how I am now involved yet again in Xander’s business is unbelievable.I call Dante and wait for him to pick up. My whole day has been literally turned upside down. The meetings I was supposed to have are now cancelled and shifted out. The flight I wanted to take to go and visit Riley was also moved out. Fucking pisses me right off. His phone picks up.“Kenna, everything okay?”“No, Dante, not really. Xander has told me everything and it isn’t good. This Antonio guy thinks he has some kind of debt owing to him because of Violet and her drug running days. Who knew, eh, that
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