Caprice didn’t like to cry and tried not to. It accomplished nothing, and only made you look worse than how you felt – red rimmed swollen eyes, puffy face, tears that ruined your makeup. Caprice dabbed her eyes, s
moothed her hair. She took a deep breath, exhaled, trying to get her emotions under control.
The plane finally landed at Heathrow Airport. Caprice, anxious to get to her hotel, quickly went through customs, claimed her bag, and stepped outside to hail a cab.
Two hours later, Caprice stood in the middle of her hotel room, looking around at the drab furniture, the muted gray-blue paint, the office-like carpeting.
It’s not the Bulgari Hotel, she thought.
No matter. She was here on business. And the sooner she took care of business, the better. Caprice took out the slip of paper with McCall Enterprises’ phone number and address scrawled on it. It was too late to contact him tonight.
Caprice lay back on the bed. The cheap, lumpy mattress made her scowl – Caprice was used to at least a queen size bed, a mattress with pillow top padding, and silky satin sheets.
Caprice looked at the piece of paper again. She would call McCall Enterprises first thing tomorrow morning. Alex McCall would know what in the hell this was all about.
He better, thought Caprice. Or else I’m fucked. And not in a good way.
“I’ll see you later, darling,” Alex said, bending down to kiss Katherine goodbye. He had spent the night at her flat. It was the first time he had spent the night at her place, and he had slept like a baby, his arms wrapped around Katherine all night long.
“Okay,” she murmurs, still in bed, half asleep, her body tangled in the sheets. Alex decided to get to work a couple of hours early today. He needed to finalize a few things regarding the Cosmo Hotel.
“Make sure you lock the door behind me, okay?” He looks down at Katherine, making sure she heard him.
“I will,” Katherine says. “I promise.” She flutters her eyes open, giving Alex a sweet smile. He loves seeing her smile.
Alex leaves her flat, walks outside, a bounce to his step. The morning is bright and sunny, not a cloud in the sky. Antonio is waiting with the Range Rover. Before Alex climbs in, he walks down the sidewalk, stopping at the spot where the black Fiat had been parked. It was gone this morning. Alex frowned. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but there was something about that car that didn’t set well with him. Alex glances over his shoulder, back at Katherine’s place. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary, the building quiet in the early morning.
“Antonio, I need you to return to collect Katherine after you drop me off. I’ll text Katherine so she’ll know you will be here.” Antonio nods, knowing exactly what his boss really wants him to do.
Alex takes another look, scanning the area surrounding the building. He then gets into the vehicle and Antonio drives off. Alex stops by his place, takes a quick shower, and changes into a suit. Alex always wears a suit to work, no matter what.
He arrives to the office, switching on lights and opening his office window blinds. Alex sits down in his brown leather chair, turns on his computer. He likes arriving to work before everyone else. Gives himself time to think without any interruptions or distractions.
Alex pulls out his phone, texts Katherine to let her know he’s made arrangements for Antonio to collect her later this morning. She responds with “That’s very kind – thank you.” He smiles at her text. He likes taking care of Katherine – not that she needed taking care of. No, Katherine was quite capable of taking care of herself. It just made him feel good doing things for her that helped her out, made her life a little easier, and hopefully better.
Katherine had certainly made his life better. In the months they’ve know each other, she has become everything to him. He couldn’t imagine his life without her now.
Alex gazes out of the window, leaning back in his chair. He was itching for the Cosmopolitan Hotel to open, and he was going to do everything he could to push it. Since Katherine agreed to return to the country with him after the opening, it was all he could think about. Finish the hotel. Have the opening celebration. Return to the countryside with Katherine. He had it all worked out in his mind.
The office phone suddenly rings, jolting Alex out of his reverie. Alex checked the time – 6:42 am. It was still early, with no one at the office yet. Strange to be getting a call at this time, he thought, frowning.
Alex picks up the phone. “McCall Enterprises.”
A brief silence. “Alex McCall,” the voice on the other end said. The voice was female and Italian.
Alex knew instantly who the voice belonged to. Caprice. Caprice Belmonte. A blast from his wild past.
He clears his throat, wondering why in hell Caprice was calling him. Whatever the reason, Alex knew it wasn’t going to be good.
“Alex speaking,” he replies, all business.
“Alex. This is Caprice, Caprice Belmonte. We spent time together in Rome, a couple of years ago. You remember?”
Alex gets up from his desk, taking the phone with him. He sticks his head outside the door, looking around. The office was still empty, much to Alex’s relief. He closes his office door quietly. “Yes, I remember.”
“We need to discuss something,” Caprice says, her voice shaking slightly. She clears her throat, trying to keep her composure. “And we need to discuss it in person, not over the phone. Please.”
Alex raises an eyebrow. “In person, you say? Why is that?” He can tell in her voice something is seriously wrong. Caprice was trying to cover it, trying to sound cool, but he knew. His gut told him.