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Chapter Eleven — Carson
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2024-10-29 19:42:56I was using my phone, sipping a milkshake and half-listening to Diana ramble on about her father when the text came in.
It was an address but that wasn't what my mind was focused on. She'd texted me.
She texted me.
After her perfunctory reply last night I was pretty sure I'd blown my chance sky-high. I mean when a woman refers to you — not once, or twice for that matter — as a serial killer/stalker you kinda know you're not making any good headway with her.
She followed it with a ‘don't be late’ and a rainbow emoji that made me smile. I knew I was going to be late because I was all the way in Tuscany but I was going to go. Even though it was clearly a party and people would be there.
“And you know we're twins, so why on earth does he prefer her over me?” Diana asked skipping through the racks of clothing that'd been rolled into her room.
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Under the Cover of Darkness Chapter Thirteen — Carson
It felt like a giant bird picked me up and dropped me in the middle of the goddamned ocean.I was in the middle of going through a catalogue of songs from the 90's and I was getting increasingly flustered with the amount of punk rock bands that kept popping up.Twice I had to remind myself why I was doing this, thrice I had to physically restrain myself from tossing my laptop through the glass wall of my 17th floor office.I was surprising myself with the intensity of how bad I wanted to find the perfect song. The image of Butterfly's flawless face illuminating with joy spurred me on.It was then that I finally realized that I was totally and utterly whipped. For anyone else, this would be a ridiculous task to even consider. But for Butterfly spending useful working hours going through rock music was suddenly top priority.The side door to my office opened and I quickly shut my la
Under the Cover of Darkness Chapter Fourteen — Carson
It was now 8.30 and there was still no sign of Butterfly.Checking my watch again I was starting to entertain doubts about her actually getting here.I'd sent a text for her to meet me at the beach and now two hours later I was all by my lonesome, hands in pockets, staring at the shimmery water.I leaned back on my car and closed my eyes to rest them. My impatience was already showing by the way my left leg was repeatedly tapping the floor.When I opened my eyes again it was to lock gazes with that of the woman that made my heart do a nosedive into my stomach.She was a few feet away, dressed in her usual rainbow garb, this time it was a longsleeved sundress that hugged her in all the right places and left my imagination going wild. Her combat boots kicked up sand as she made her way to me.I thought that the only thing capable of making me happy ever again would be stock
Under the Cover of Darkness Chapter Fifteen — Alexandra
With a sigh I plopped on the couch and closed my eyes.I was still in the sundress I'd chosen for tonight and even though the long sleeves were starting to itch terribly I didn't want to get out of them. Didn't want this night to end.I stretched out my legs in front of me and was again amazed by the beauty of the heels on my feet.I had no idea that he was going to get me something as stunning as these shoes and seeing as how he didn't ask his assistant, AKA me, to pick something out, this one must have come from the heart.Or maybe you're just reading meaning into a pair of really, really, would-probably-feed-a-family-of-four, expensive shoes.I sighed and was pulling my hair into a ponytail when the clink of metal on glass made me look up.My mom walked out of the kitchen dressed in a grey tank top with brown shorts and holding two white bowls.
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“Hey,” I greeted as I walked up to Carson toting my duffle bag that held everything I would need.The scowl on his face softened as I neared him. This was the only time I'd ever seen that happen and it never ceased to amaze me.“Either I'm still being punished for something I did in a previous life or you just like to keep me waiting.”Even though he said the words with a certain acidity I couldn't help but drop my bag and give him a hug.I couldn't stop myself. Even though the man was extremely well-built there was this unexplainable squishiness to him that just made me want to cuddle the life out of him.And I also loved to see his face right after I pulled away. For a few seconds after I hugged him his face usually had this baffled expression like he was surprised anyone would even touch him that I found adorable.Much like the one he had now.
Under the Cover of Darkness Chapter Seventeen — Alexandra
“Yo B!” came a voice from a car that pulled over a few feet from where I stood on the curb sending another text to Carson.Peering into the car I instantly recognized Bill from the heavy gold chains around his neck.Bling Bill was what the magazines called him. He was a genius at marketing and could make any singer go platinum in months.He was mostly into managing singers but he recently decided to spread into DJs and I was his pet project in the area.“Hi Billy,” I greeted, offering him a smile.“Don't call me that. Come on, get in, we don't want to keep the host waiting.”I checked my phone and saw it was just 6. “I thought it was starting by eight?”“Eight, nine, ten thirty, don't you still need a ride to the damn place?”“Fine, fine,” I huffed as I opened the door
Under the Cover of Darkness Chapter Eighteen — Alexandra
I was in the middle of devouring some chocolate covered strawberries when Bill walked over, a glass of punch in one hand.“I think you're a little lost. The bar's that way,” I pointed across the room before turning and dipping a ripe red strawberry into the chocolate fountain.The buffet was a smorgasbord of color and the only thing worth my attention for now.Most of the conversation revolved around lighting and make up and how expensive the entire costume of the movie was and how well it would do in the box office.I found my mind drifting to Carson on more than one occasion. He would've been the best person to deal with the snobs because the I-don't-tolerate-nonsense air that seemed to cling to him was quite palpable.“I just came over to say I'm sorry, about what happened in the car.”I raised an eyebrow and flicked my tongue to get some chocola
Under the Cover of Darkness Chapter Nineteen — Carson
My house was empty and cold as I stepped into it.Throwing my keys I didn't bother to check where they landed with a forlorn jingle.Not bothering to turn on a light I trudged over to the kitchen and opened the enormous freestanding fridge. The light from it filled the room with a ghostly white light as I reached in and plucked a beer from its place.After closing the fridge I twisted off the cap and took a swig. I was immediately reminded of why I hated beer but I needed alcohol and I wasn't in my house back in Miami where I could easily get some whisky.Drinking from the cold bottle I made my way upstairs.Turning right in the hall I walked to the last bedroom and twisted the doorknob open.The wind from the open French doors was kicking the white curtains up as I entered.Since I'd arrived in Orlando yesterday I had set up shop in this particular room o
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Under the Cover of Darkness 29 | Carson
A million thoughts ran through my head on the drive to the hospital.Foremost of them was the thought that I was doing the wrong thing.I mean, what exactly was I doing? I had no plan, no idea what I was going to say to this woman I had never met that would convince her to give me the whereabouts of her daughter, no backup. Nothing.Even if by some miracle this encounter did pan out and I did find out where Alex went, then what? Do I just show up? And say what?After that last night I had a feeling she would not appreciate my unexpected presence in her life. She was probably moving on and healing right this minute.A lump of despair and pain settled in my stomach.Gripping the steering, I tried to reign in my rapidly spiraling thoughts.One thing at a time, Carson. One thing at a time.First I needed to find her. After I made sure she was safe and sound and not in any sort of danger I would then figure out how to approach her and fix whatever I broke.With something that resembled a p
Under the Cover of Darkness 28 | Carson
Goodbye Carson.Goodbye Carson.Goodbye Carson.Those two words had been stuck on repeat in my head after the disaster that was last night.I had barely recovered from the shock that the woman of my dreams was actually my unassuming assistant when she'd told me she was leaving for God knows where.After I got home I fell into a fitful sleep before I couldn't take it anymore and broke one of her rules. I called her number.Unfortunately it didn't even ring or go to voicemail. There was nothing. And now I was back to square one.“Sir,” a tiny voice and a snap of fingers brought me back to the present.I was in my office, a mound of work on my desk and the frightened blue eyes of my new assistant peering at me as she clutched a brown styrofoam coffee cup like it had the power to protect her from me.Mary — or Marion, I wasn't exactly sure what her name was — was my second assistant since Alex had left. I had fired Helen over the phone sometime last night after I called to ask about my sc
Under the Cover of Darkness 27 | Alexandra
All he did was stare.For the five minutes since I let go of my mask he'd been staring at me with an expression that looked worryingly like that of an electrocuted individual.I was starting to feel squirmy under his gobsmacked gaze.“Please say something,” I urged.The sound of my voice seemed to thaw him a little and he rightened his slacked jaw.“I don't understand,” he started after a while. “So you're telling me that all this time, this whole time, it was you?”I swallowed. My courage had started to fail me.“I can explain . . .”“I am so fucking confused,” he continued as if I hadn't said anything. “So you're telling me that this whole time it's . . . you've . . . God, I'm so confused.”He started rubbing his temples the way I'd seen him do after a long day at his desk.“I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to go as far as it went, truly.”“Why?” he asked all of a sudden. “Why make me believe you were someone else? Why pretend? Why me?”I hated that my eyes had filled of their own ac
Under the Cover of Darkness 26 | Carson | Part Two
I didn't think that I would be so happy to see the neon lights of an ice cream shop.After a particularly horrid day at work with my new dunderhead of a PA, Helen, I was more than ready to stamp down whatever discordant feelings I had for the brightly colored shop and accept all the bizareness it offered with open arms.I locked my car and started up to the shop with my hands stuck in the pockets of my leather jacket.My heart was racing at the thought of finally seeing her after a very difficult four weeks.As I got to the door I had to wait for a young couple to exit before I could enter.The raven-haired woman held an ice cream cone in one hand and her boyfriend in the other and she was laughing. They were both laughing.I stood there and watched as they turned a corner and disappeared.It was only after they were gone that I realized that I wanted that. I was ready for that.I never thought that I would but for the first time in my life I wanted a serious relationship. With someon
Under the Cover of Darkness Chapter Twenty-Six Part One — Carson
I woke up with a steady thumping in my head. Like someone was going crazy with a drum kit plugged into an amplifier.It took all the energy I could summon just to open my eyes, at this point I couldn't even imagine moving.As I surveyed my surroundings I realized that I wasn't in my apartment, in fact I didn't recognize any of the decor. The deep aquamarine wallpaper with the matching curtains and the complimentary paintings on the wall were all totally strange to me.I groaned as I tried to remember how and why I ended up in an unfamiliar bedroom, with only soft blue-green sheets covering my body.Nothing came to me past the agonizing throbbing in my skull.One thing was clear even with my limited thinking faculties: somewhere between yesterday and this morning I had made a terrible mistake. And even though the woman — God, how I hoped it was a woman because I
Under the Cover of Darkness Chapter Twenty-Five — Carson
“Duuude!” came a jovial voice from the door of my gym.As I was lying face-up on the bench I couldn't see who it was so I continued my strenuous workout with the weights.My muscles burned as I raised and lowered the heavy barbell but I welcomed the pain and continued.Soon not only the steel bar and the geometric pattern of the ceiling was in my line of sight. The upside-down image of a head of brown hair and a raised dark eyebrow had entered the mix.“Didn't you hear me call you?” Casper asked.“I hardly . . . think my mother . . . named me dude,” I puffed out, slightly miffed that my exercise regime had been interrupted.“What? Dude, you're not being intelligible right now.”Finally giving in to the irritation that Casper brought I slammed the barbell on the rack and sat up.“The fuck are you doing in my house?” I heaved as I tried to catch my breath.“I came to check up on you, find out what's going on. Man, the ladies miss the ol' C-train! When are you getting back out there?”“A
Under the Cover of Darkness Chapter Twenty-Four — Alexandra
“I honestly have no idea what to do. He's still at this and I think I might be losing my mind,” I complained to my friends.“There's no need to worry, sweetie. He'll let it go soon,” Inés stroked my arm soothingly.“That's what you said last Sunday and it's another week now!”I put my face in my hands.It had been precisely two weeks since Carson started on his quest to find Butterfly and he was going nowhere fast even with a PI.I remembered the conversation with Big Mac like it was yesterday.I was pacing my office when the door opened and the beefy, massive form of Stanley MacIntosh entered with his signature half-moon smile and unruly mop of ginger curls.Big Mac was what he was affectionately known as to the people in Miller Inc. who used his services. Despite his intimidating size he was really
Under the Cover of Darkness Chapter Twenty-Three — Alexandra
“You don't have to say you love me, I just wanna tell you something, lately you've been on my mind,” I sang to Carmine as I entered my favorite Starbucks.His bushy eyebrows knitted together. “Wow, I don't think I know that one.”“Come on, Carmine,” I urged as I leaned on the counter. “You can't just give up without giving it a try. Come on.”“Ok. Let's see. That sounds really romantic, so, Bruno Mars?”“What? No! Harry Styles, bitch.”“Ah,” he nodded. “I wasn't even close.”“Adore You. One of my personal favorites.”Carmine nodded again. “So, where you been, Alex? I haven't seen you in a while, thought you started getting your coffee someplace else,” he drummed his slender fingers on the table and nervously looked around.
Under the Cover of Darkness Chapter Twenty-Two — Carson
Prying my eyes open with a groggy groan, I reached out to the other side of my bed and felt nothing but the soft sheets.Rubbing my eyes I blinked rapidly and looked again.It was empty and this time my brain was awake enough to tell me that something was wrong.Sitting up, I looked toward the balcony where the sun was slowly making its way up in the sky but there was no sign of the majestic woman I'd spent the night wrapped around.Last night was the single best sex I had ever had in my life. It was both wild and rapturous and I did not know that it could ever be that enjoyable.Putting on a pair of black sweatpants I ran a hand through my already messy hair and went off to find Butterfly.As it turned out I didn't have to go far because as soon as I reached the stairs I caught a few strains of music coming from downstairs.Following the sound I found mys
