Always,
Blake
Wow. Once again, he has succeeded in surprising me. No time like the present. Might as well rip the band aid off. I get out of bed, groaning and wobbly, but I manage to make it to the closet and grab the robe hanging up. I wish I had known we would be staying here. I would have brought a change of clothes. I brush my teeth and look at myself for a second. Is it me or do I look different? Mature. Brighter. My cheeks are definitely rosier. No. I have to be imagining it. Right? It is in times like these that I wish I had a best friend that wasn’t my sister to talk to. Speaking of sisters, I am surprised none of them have called me after seeing me on the news. Hmmm.
Not dwelling on it too long, I walk down the hallway and the first thing I smell is bacon. Oh my gosh. My stomach starts growling and Blake looks up. “Seems you worked up an appetite.” he winks before pulling me into his arms and greeting me with a kiss. I hear a throat clearing behind us. Pulling back from him, I see Norah standing there with her arms crossed and I feel caught.
“I see he for once did the right thing and got you sewed up, huh.” she says winking at me before passing me a plate. What is she doing here?
“Well, I don’t know about…”
“You damn right.” He says cutting off my protests. He pulls my chair closer to him and begins feeding me slices of bacon. Mortification is not even the word I would use right now.
“Blake, stop it.” I try to whisper to him, not wanting Norah to see.
“I will not. It is my job to take care of you, especially after last night. Now, let me make sure my baby eats, so my other baby can grow, and I can get to work.” I stop chewing as his double meaning hits me. My hand automatically goes to my stomach and suddenly I feel nauseous. Oh God. What did I do? “Too late for regrets baby. It’s done. And it will be done over and over again, every chance I get. Get used to it.” he whispers before shoving more food in my mouth.
Finally, when he feels I have enough and his Chief of Staff William comes into the room, he kisses me once more. William greets Norah with a kiss on the cheek and it hits me. He is her son. The one she wanted to set me up with. Huh. He is handsome. “I will send a car for you around noon so we can have lunch together. I called Norah and had her grab a shirt and leggings for you from the store. I know you weren’t prepared to stay here. Be good.” and with that he is off. I sit there in the chair for a bit, dazed and confused. Norah is nowhere in sight, so I am left alone to think…crap. I should be cleaning his house. No time like the present. Grabbing the dress from the bedroom and the shoes, I sling my purse over my shoulder and order an Uber. Oh wait, he was sending a driver for me. Oh well. I will let him know when I am back at the mansion.
Darn it. As soon as I walk in it hits me that I don’t have any of my cleaning supplies with me. Scouring the kitchen pantry, I find basically the same stuff my mom’s company uses. I spend the first half of the day cleaning, avoiding my phone, thus avoiding Markis like the coward I am, but I have no clue what I am going to say to him. ‘Hi. I lost my mind and slept with the first man that wanted me that way. By the way… he is crazy and says I belong to him. Sorry.’ I mean who says that?
“Miss Reyes.” Startled, I jump not realizing someone walked into the dining room where I was dusting. I turn and see Blake’s driver.
“Oh, my goodness you scared me.” clutching my chest I try to calm my speeding heart.
“I am so sorry Miss. It is almost noon and I need to get you to mister Cochran for lunch.” Shoot. I forgot. So lost in my head.
“Yes. Ok give me a few minutes.” I run upstairs, brush my hair out and throw it in a low ponytail. It’s mid-August right now, so sunny and warm. Walking past the closet I grab a yellow sundress that comes down to my ankles but hangs off my shoulders with a pair of white sandals. Satisfied I at least look decent, I grab my purse and phone and am out the door.
The drive up to his office is intimidating. We pull into the parking garage, and I am happy that no one else is around as I take the elevator to the first floor. His secretary escorts me to his office door and knocks. “Enter.” he says the simple word, but it holds so much power from behind this office.