Santa Fe Billionaire

Chapter 74

Tate

I tried to ignore the message as best I could. Dillon left us around eight last night and Liam came to take over. He wasn't the same build as Dillon by any stretch. In fact as I looked out of my bedroom window down to the front porch as he arrived, I'd easily say he could pass as a doppelganger for David Beckham. Victoria is a lucky lady, well not as lucky as me because I have Sebastian and he is in a league of his own. But nonetheless.

Naturally, I went down to greet Liam. He is from Texas and has that lovely drawl thing going on. I showed him the latest message from my ex. "Don't worry ma'am. We've got this. Ain't nothing gonna happen to you, with me on watch. If he's dumb enough to show up around here, he's gonna have to answer t'me."

I felt reassured but I'm still freaked out this is even happening to me. Why can't Mark just take it on the chin that we're over? He is the one that ended our relationship. Or perhaps he can't handle rejection. Maybe there is more to the split between him and Charlotte than he's letting on. Maybe, just maybe Charlotte realized that Mark can be a bit over-bearing and sometimes possessive. Of course growing up with Mark from young, I never really cottoned on. I always thought it was kind of sweet how he wanted me all to himself. But now this is happening, I'm sure seeing things in a different light.

Dad returned from his golf game around seven and we all ate together. Dillon declined and decided that since the message had arrived on his watch, he wasn't going to risk being inside the house in case Mark turned up. The man is a mountain, there's nothing that could get past him. The sooner I am in Spain the better. We decided it best not to message Sebastian, he has enough on his plate already right now and with Dillon and Liam, I feel more than protected. Besides, Mark is probably all hot words and full of smoke. I hope.

I've just woken up, my eyes feel sore and bleary. Sleep had eluded me until around two in the morning when I finally fell asleep. I'd stayed up reading since I already knew I wouldn't fall to asleep readily not with the gut wrenching, gnawing feeling from the messages from Mark. I wish someone would just make him disappear off the face of the earth. Don't worry I am not talking murder him or anything like that, but just to get him out of my life.

"Honey, are you awake?" I hear my mother's soft voice carrying up the stair. I look at the old alarm clock that sits on bedside cabinet and see it's already seven-thirty. Time to get up, I've got quite a bit to do today.

"I'll be there soon, Mom. Coffee please." I hear her chuckle. Like she doesn't know what a coffee fiend I am. My eyes take in my childhood bedroom, the one I left five years ago when I finally moved in with Mark, before he dumped me the prick and I went to live with my bestie, Zoe. She's been a life-saver on so many occasions and I'm really excited to go out with her tonight and Nate and to actually let my hair down a bit.

The bedroom is like time has stood still. The white shutters are lowered and closed, the pretty white curtains move gracefully from the early morning breeze. My white dressing table with all sorts of paraphernalia sits under the window with beads hanging over the mirror, make-up I left. Pictures of me and Zoe when we were younger, one of Mark and I when we were about ten years old. Despite him being such an asshole right now, it still makes me smile. Gosh time has flown by so quickly, that it takes my breath away. In just six months' time, all being well with Arabella, I will be Mrs Sebastian Garcia. That scares me and fills me with happiness both at the same time. Is that possible? Well I'm telling you, it is.

Not wasting anymore time, I throw the duvet back and let my legs slide over and across to the floor and slip my feet into my Birkenstocks. My hair is ruffled from a restless night's sleep and I ought to brush my teeth before going down, but I need the caffeine so instead I open my bedroom door and make my way along the carpeted hall and down the stairs.