Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 52384 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 262(@200wpm)___ 210(@250wpm)___ 175(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 52384 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 262(@200wpm)___ 210(@250wpm)___ 175(@300wpm)
BOOK This Suite – A Dream Staycation for Bibliophiles
Literally Beautiful – The Hotel Suite Designed for Book Lovers
By the time I realized Rima had indeed left me to my own devices, I already had the blog post half complete in my mind and about fifty photos stored in my iPhone.
This, I learned later on, was the calm before the storm.
Rima had left the door slightly ajar upon leaving, and familiar voices came drifting inside the library about half an hour later.
Nathan, I thought, having immediately recognized the person Rima was talking to.
“Why the hell would you go to such lengths?”
I knew it, I thought. Rima was acting as Nathan’s father’s henchman, and she had been sent to kick me out of his son’s life.
“Because I knew of no other way to get you to talk to me,” she cried out. “And it worked.” Her voice became bitter. “Didn’t it?”
Spider, I couldn’t help thinking.
She was definitely a spider, but so damn pretty she could fool most people into thinking she was this harmless, ephemeral butterfly who could never leave lasting damage.
“You have to stop this.”
You go, Nathan, I thought. Tell it to her straight. Let her know you’re going to fight for me.
“I can’t.” Rima’s tone shook. “Because after all these years, I realized I was wrong.”
The storm was coming.
“Your last night in Hong Kong, when I drove you to the airport, you were so furious when I told you I missed you.”
The storm was coming.
“There’s no point in rehashing the past,” Nathan grated out harshly.
“There is every point,” Rima said passionately, “because I know you’ve loved me all these years.”
The storm was coming.
“Now I know,” she whispered. “I should have chosen you, Nates, but I didn’t, and---” Her voice broke. “Please tell me I’m not too late.”
But he didn’t answer.
He didn’t answer.
And I knew then that the storm had come.
Nathan Callis was my personal storm, and there was no stopping him from breaking my heart.
Nathan
I should have chosen you, Nates, but I didn’t.
Please tell me I’m not too late.
The words echoed in Nathan’s brain as he found himself staring at her tear-streaked face. She spoke of such words like she really did believe that he had been waiting for them his entire life. She spoke of them with such conviction that he could almost believe her.
Almost.
But life – love – wasn’t that easy.
She had taught him that so many damn years ago.
“Nates---” She broke off as they both heard the sound of a door being opened, and his gaze whipped towards it.
A moment later, Nathan was stunned to find Alyx emerging.
His gaze whipped back to Rima, his eyes blazing with rage. What the fuck did she think she was doing?
Rima lifted her chin up. “I did what I had to do,” she muttered defensively. “I don’t want to live a lie---”
“Alyx.” Nathan moved forward to meet her halfway, deliberately cutting Rima off.
Alyx smiled up at him. “Hey.” But her voice was hesitant. “Your stepmother said it was okay for me to wait for you here.” So is it?
“Of course.” He barely managed to keep his tone steady. At that moment, all he could feel was the pain of relief, knowing that Alyx hadn’t yet realized the truth between him and his stepmother.
He watched her turn to Rima, and her eyes widened. “I…” She stopped speaking, bemusement flickering in her gaze as she took on the older woman’s face, the trail of freshly dried tears still visible on her cheeks.
“We had an argument,” Nathan said stiffly. “I’m sorry you have to witness this.” He dealt his stepmother a hard look, letting her know that he was more than ready to excise her from his life permanently if she so much as uttered the wrong word in Alyx’s presence.
Rima’s lips tightened.
He grasped Alyx’s hand tightly in his. “Let’s go.”
“But…”
He practically forced her towards the door, every damn cell in his brain telling him he had to get Alyx out of there as soon as possible. “I’ll talk to my stepmother later.” He forced himself to smile down at her. “What’s important is that we get to talk and spend some time together.” His grip tightened. Please, Alyx.
She fell silent and slowly nodded.
When they were inside his limousine, he prepared himself for a barrage of questions, knowing how curious Alyx was. But instead, she only snuggled closer to him, laying her head on his chest.
Ah.
He hesitated, his hand clenching, a part of him questioning his right to touch her.
“I love you,” she whispered.
Ah.
And his heart constricted so damn hard that he knew a part of him loved her, had always loved her from the very start.
But he also knew he owed it to her to say the words back only when he was whole.
And he wasn’t there yet.
But he would be, he thought fiercely. He would do everything to make himself deserving of her. Everything.