Descent From Grace: A Luxe Novella Book 1.5
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Authors: H.Q. Frost
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This copy is intended for the original purchaser of this book. No parts of this book may be reproduced in any form, electronic or printed without permission in writing from the author. Short excerpts for reviews are acceptable.
Copyright © 2015 H.Q. Frost
All rights reserved.
Dedicated
to a few ladies in particular. Mal, Christy, Laura. If it weren’t for them I would have not released this second story and I would feel I’m leaving the Luxe series incomplete. Now that I have, I will see it through to the end.
O’HARE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Chicago was cold and gray and almost a month in the past since she’d been home. Lilith looked over at Ashley as they departed from the airplane and smiled.
With a smile, Ashley asked, “You want to get pizza or cook?”
“I have no energy to cook.” She pulled her phone from her pocket for the tenth time since departing Grantley Adams International.
Hip bumping Lilith, Ashley said, “You’ll see him tomorrow.” She jogged ahead.
Overly exuberant to see them, the girls had to fight Caesar off when they got into his van. “I missed you whores so much.” His forced hugs and kisses made Lilith chuckle and Ashley groan. “Holy shit, Lily, you’re tan.”
“Not for long,” she mumbled, looking to the dreary sky. “Fucking Chicago,” she huffed, and with shock on his face from her profanity, Caesar chuckled, looking at Ashley.
“Lilith fell in love in Barbados. I almost couldn’t get her on the plane.”
“With what? Or should I ask who?” He waggled his eyebrows.
Lilith stared out the window, muttering, “With the beach, and the sun, and the people.”
“
And
?” Ashley spoke.
“And a really attractive cop named Shaun.”
“Ooo, girl!” Caesar teased.
“
And
?” Ashley repeated.
“Tagging in Bridgetown.”
“Dammit, Lily.” Ashley laughed. “Do you have your watch on?”
Pulling her eyes away from the gray drear of Chicago, Lilith reached her wrist into the front; Ashley yanked her forward.
“Christ,” Lilith gasped, grabbing the seat to keep from spilling into the front of the van.
“What the fuck is that!” Caesar screamed. “Holy shit! This cop must have been
damn
good looking!”
Realizing Ashley didn’t want the time, she wanted to show him her engagement ring, Lilith yanked her arm back and with a smirk she muttered, “Bitch. Yes, Shaun asked me to marry him.”
Caesar looked at Ashley with his eyebrows raised to mid-forehead.
Ashley laughed and shot Lilith a nasty scowl. “Oh god, you’re a little cunt today.”
“I’m going to have his Bajan babies.” Lilith grinned. Not divulging the truth, she turned her gaze back to the depressive scene of I-90 while blocking out their chatter.
Spending the night away from Ian because he was tending to Karen, Lilith sulked in Ashley’s bed directly after dinner.
***
Her presence was needed at Luxe early the next morning so Caesar picked Lilith up from Aurora’s, noticing her indolent behavior continued.
He shook her. “Everyone has to come back to reality.”
“I know.” She faintly smiled at him.
The fairytale Lilith left in Barbados still swirled in her head. She was nervous to see Ian. The thought that the romance they had in Barbados would be forgotten by him taunted her. In Barbados, Ian was a boy in love, but in Chicago, he was a man juggling two relationships—one being an affair—and running a neglected business because of his and Karen’s absence. Lilith feared his attentiveness and adoration would be lost.
As she stepped off the elevator on the twelfth floor of the Providence building, she got a flutter in her stomach from both excitement and nervousness.
The attractive blonde behind a tall, aluminum desk greeted Lilith with an energetic smile. “Good morning!” Her vivacious spirit made Caesar chuckle with a roll of his eyes.
“Morning.” Lilith forced a smile and pushed her hand into the woman's immaculately manicured, waiting hand. Her beautiful smile that lit up the room captivated Lilith.
“I’m Tash.”
“Lily.” That forced smile was held tight to her lips.
“I’ll let Mr. Jacks know you’re here.”
Caesar grabbed Lilith’s shoulders and spun her to face him. “Deep breath. This is your fist big day, just make friends, be nice to the other kids, don’t piss off the teacher. You’ll do fine.” He kissed her forehead; she rolled her eyes. “Love you, bitchy.” When he pulled her to him, she wrapped her arms around him, not wanting to let go because once he did she was going to have to see Ian.
As much as she wanted to see Ian, she didn’t want it to be there, in Chicago. She wanted to go back to Barbados where she was hopelessly in love with him, not that she wasn't still hopelessly in love with him, but big emphasis on hopelessly.
“When will you be home?” Lilith asked Caesar to keep him from slipping away.
“Wednesday. Take me to dinner, your treat.”
Rolling her eyes and kissing his cheek, she grumbled, “Goodbye.”
Tash’s intense smile beamed at Lilith. “Mr. Jacks said for you to go into his office.”
“Oh. Thank you.” Only vaguely remembering, she asked, “Where’s his office again?”
Still smiling, Tash rounded the desk and instantly Lilith’s attention went to her Grecian columns. The set of amazing legs ended at the hem of her stark white skirt that fell just below the curvature of her ass. Never in Lilith’s life had she felt jealous toward another woman for something as trite as her body, but the realization that this was what Ian worked with daily threatened her composure. Nothing cutting wouldn’t help.
“Can I use the restroom?” Her smile trembled.
“Absolutely, right this way.” Tash led her the opposite direction, into a single stall bathroom. “Mr. Jacks’ office is down the hallway to your right when you exit out of here. First door on the left.”
“Thank you.” The longer Lilith thought about how beautiful Tash was and how close Ian was to her daily, her head felt like it was spinning. As if the fact he usually worked with his girlfriend wasn’t enough, he was surrounded by beautiful women constantly.
Out of habit she reached into her hair, but she hadn’t worn a barrette in her hair for long over a month and it was for that reason; avoidance of easy accessing to cut.
“Shoot,” she groaned looking around the visually sterile bathroom.
Shaking, she dug through her purse for a weapon, finding only a pen. A few solid minutes went by of her actually considering using the pen. Tears sprung to her eyes and she pulled her cellphone from her purse with a trembling hand.
MY FREYJA
:
I could use a talk
Before she could lower her phone, he responded.
IAN
:
Where are you? You are here aren’t you?
Worried and confused, he stared at his phone.
Thinking if she told Ian she was distraught she’d calm down didn’t work. The urge was getting stronger, making her audibly exhale whimpers.
MY FREYJA
: I
n the bathroom
After pushing her phone back into her purse she did the only thing that came to mind and began digging her fingernails into her wrist, offering some sort of release. She wiggled her thumbnail back and forth until she broke skin, then with her teeth, she bit into the small split. Biting as hard as she could, she sunk her fang-like canine into the wound. Relief was coming until the insane act slammed into her forefront, bringing her anxiety back full circle.
Without knocking, the bathroom door opened and Ian entered, closing it behind him. Grabbing her arm, he pulled it from her mouth, inspecting it as blood trickled from the puncture. When he pulled her to him, she buried her face in his chest, humiliated. With a stressed inhale, he closed his eyes. Having an idea of what was causing her anxiety, he held her tightly, fighting his own apprehensions. Being home and dealing with the drama he tried to escape in the first place was daunting.
Delicately picking up her hand, he pushed her wrist to his mouth. “Lily,” he breathed, softly kissing her wrist.
“I’m sorry.” Her apology came out in a fearful sounding jumble.
Taking her hand he led her down the hall toward his office. When she heard the bathroom door open, Tash looked up, questioningly watching them pass the lobby.
When in his office, he closed the door and sat Lilith in the chair.
“You have to let me cut,” she blurted.
His gaze darted to her. “No,” he scoffed at the ridiculous request.
“I need a release,” she pleaded while her legs bounced and she wrung her hands together.
“I thought we agreed we’d be each other’s release. You could have just come in here and fucked me.”
Lilith’s eyes floated to his desk; she couldn’t tell him the thought of fucking him was invidious because he was laying with Karen at night.
“Lily.” He sat forward, wanting answers.
She pulled several tissues from the box on his desk and pushed them to her wrist. The puncture wasn’t deep enough for it to continue to bleed, but as a distraction she held the tissues in place.
“What do I have to do?” she breathed, wanting to get the hiring process over with.
“Well for one.” He pushed a key at her. “You need to get your stuff out of my office at home so I can put a bed in there for Karen.”
Her wary gaze stared at the key.
“It’s to a condo on Lake Shore Drive. It’s only a few minutes from me and you’re not in a building. Three bedrooms, two and half baths—”
“You’re crazy,” she cruelly blurted and pushed the key back toward him.
An angry grin pulled at his mouth and he snatched up the key. “Your belongings will be there by this afternoon. If you don’t like the furniture, I’ll buy you new furniture—”
“Stop it!” she shouted and stood.
“Sit down.” He nodded to the chair. When she didn’t sit and the scowl on her face didn’t subside, he rounded his desk. Grabbing the diamond ring on her ring finger, he brought his eyes to hers. “You promised me, Lily.”
Her heart was beating nauseatingly fast. “You can’t pay for my condo.” She blinked away from his glare.
“Yes I can. I’m going to be your husband.” His words made her stomach flip; her hand flung to her mouth.
The second he saw she was trembling, he sighed and pulled her to him.
Tearing up, she whimpered, “Ian.” Her eyes flashed to his face that was showing heavy concern, making her look away. “None of this feels real. Barbados felt real.”
He swiped his thumb under her eye. “Barbados was very real, and this right now is very real. We’re going to do this, Lily. Nothing’s going to stop us.”
Holding her close so she couldn’t pull away, he closed his eyes while her gaze drifted out the window. Any second out of his arms made her anxiety peak.
Taking a few minutes to calm herself, she finally cleared her throat.
“How’s Karen?” With stiff legs, she forced herself to sit.
It was an uncomfortable topic, but he wasn’t going to keep anything from her. “Well. She was happy to leave the hospital and I think she’s happy I’m back. We talked about putting her in the office bedroom because my bed is too high for her to get in and out of.”
“Who’s with her now?”
“Her sister.”
Lilith nodded while her eyes drifted down to the ring on her finger. With a pounding heart, her stomach dropped and she spun the ring twice.
Looking up at him, she said, “I need a car.” An awful sensation filled her. Never had she asked Sloan for anything except clothes, and though she spent a lot on them, it was nothing like asking for a car.
“You don’t want your Infiniti anymore?”
Unable to meet his eyes, she responded, “Peachey’s using it.” Her fingers tugged and pushed on the metal and gems around her finger.
He simply nodded. “Okay.” Self-possessed, he walked back around his desk and sat in his tall, leather chair. “When do you go back to classes? I need to get you on the schedule.”
Lilith eased back into the chair and when she looked at him, that sensation filled her gut again.
Poised, she told him, “I’m not going back to school. I dropped before Barbados.” By her erect posture and strong voice he knew she would not be persuaded or intimidated into going back.
Containing his shock, he slightly cocked his head. “You feel that’s best?”
Nodding firmly, she responded, “Yes I do.”
“Okay.” His eyes drifted away from her. “You have to get blood drawn.” The discontent in his tone made her heart heavy, and though he was moving on, she knew he wanted explanation.
“I feel as if I’ve been chasing these ridiculous dreams that were never my dream, they were my dad’s and they were my fortress from life. The idea that I would stay tucked away in a lab after graduating college seemed safe. That sort of safety is no longer an issue in my life so . . . I don’t want that anymore.”
“What do you want?” By the look on his face it was obvious he wasn’t at all happy with her decision.
“This job, the job with Ashley, you, the safety you bring me.” When she brought her gaze to his, she saw his eyes brighten a little.
Some relief filled him that he was in the equation.
“You know you can have all of that and school?”
“I have three more years of school, Ian. I don’t want to focus on school right now. It’s time I focus on me—”
“School is you.”
“No!” she snapped. “School was my dad. I buried myself in school for him and he encouraged me so I would forget about my mother leaving me. There’s a lot more to life than I was willing to explore and now that I’ve found it, I want to focus on it.”
