The Brunette Luxe

Chapter Twenty-Two: Waiting To Exhale

Walking back into the suite twenty minutes later, I glanced around the room. I hadn't even noticed the mess before I left, something didn't feel right. The sofa was out of its original position, the glass statue by the door was in pieces all over the floor, the general feel of the room caused goose bumps to erupt all over my skin. I felt my safety had been compromised and it was in that moment I decided not to risk anything by seeing Kyle and I knew I was going to New York with Chris. I backed out of the suite and closed the door, not ever wanting to return to that room. Something evil had been in there and I couldn't help but feel that evil had something to do with Kyle. Pulling out my phone I stared at the screen in front of me, I couldn't handle another frosty tone from Nick and didn't know anyone in else in Paris. I knew if I called Lucas it would open a can of worms I wasn't ready to deal with, this time I definitely wouldn't get off lightly. Before I knew what I was doing, the phone was to my ear and I heard Chris's voice on the other end.
"Antonia" he greeted me with a suggestive tone.
"I'm coming" I responded without skipping a beat.
"Good to hear. I will have a car ready for you by 5pm outside the hotel. Don't be late and Antonia..."
"Yes" I said, my thoughts a million miles away hiding in the darkest corners of my mind.
"You will not regret this" he responded with a smile of sincerity in his voice.
"I need a favour" I wasn't about to be lulled in by false promises, this was business and I needed to start looking at it like that.
"Anything"
"I can't go in there..."I could barely string a sentence together knowing that Kyle could be anywhere and the reality of the situation hit me like a freight train.
"What are you talking about?" He responded with a hint of concern echoing down the phone that managed to rattle me.
"Someone has been in my room Chris. I don't want to bring Nick into it. He is already on high alert. I don't know if I can talk to you about these kinds of things yet but I really need to know that when the shit hits the fan that you will be there to support me. I am trusting you and I don't even know you so if I am going to do this I need to know that the trust begins immediately, I already feel crazy enough as it is. At this point Nick is the only person I trust but if we are going to be working together I need to know I can trust you." I knew the moment the words came out of my mouth I was playing an extremely dangerous game. I didn't know Chris and yet something about the way he approached life made me feel a level of comfort that I hadn't experienced in a long time.
"Antonia, what do you need?" His tone told me he meant it and as my heart leapt into my throat, I decided to take a chance and hope for the best. What other choice did I really have?
"I need someone to get everything for me, I can't be here." I responded starting at the door in front of me that seemed to be getting further and further away.
"Where are you?" He demanded he sounded rushed.
"Standing in the hallway" I said fighting the anxiety building.
"Pull over here Rafael, Antonia stay where you are" The sound of tires screeching echoed down the phone and the sound of Chris's breath quickening made me wonder what he was doing.
"I don't understand how he found me" I responded, my heart beat quickened as I allowed the shock to finally set in.
"Antonia, Don't worry about him. I'm..." Before he had the chance to finish what he was saying the phone cut out and I was left standing there feeling nothing but pure fear.
"What am I supposed to do now?" I said out loud as I rested the palms of my hands over my aching eyes.
"Turn around" I heard a voice say echoing down the hallway. I spun around almost on command and felt my arms dropping slowly to my side and my jaw fell in awe.
"How did you get here so fast?" Was all I could manage to say trying hard not to sound ungrateful. At that very moment having any familiar face was a god send.
"I've been driving around the block for the last fourty minutes trying to find the courage to come upstairs and convince you to come with me" He responded calmly as he reached me.
"Umm, really?"
"Yes" His intoxicating cologne sent me into a tailspin as I breathed him in.
"Stay focussed Antonia" I said inwardly as I tried to focus on what I was going to do.
"I can't go in there" I said turning my head towards the door and suddenly the images of destruction began flooding my mind again.
"You don't have to. Let me call Rafael and he can come and collect your things" He said not asking but more out of courtesy letting me know that he was already doing it.
"Rafael collect Miss Reid's possessions from her room and settle her bill at the counter, Leave the car running we will be down in a minute" He spoke down the phone with such command that I don't even think Rafael had a chance to speak.
"Now Antonia, Where is Nick?" He placed his hand on my left shoulder and it was almost like amnesia came over me. His touch was intoxicating, what was about this man that made me feel so stupid and forgetful, just being in his presence was enough to send my brain to mush.
"I'm not entirely sure"
"I'll call him and let him know what is happening but in the mean time let's get you out of here and dressed into something more appropriate" He took my elbow gently and walked me towards the elevator, by the time we had reached the car he had already spoken with Nick and told him what was happening. Knowing Nick, hearing this from someone he didn't know wasn't going to go down very well but he didn't know why I was so shellshocked. Something had happened in that room, something that I feared was just the first in a chain of events that weren't going to be pretty. They always say, everything happens in threes.
​​​​​​​​* * * *
"What are you thinking about?" Chris had been watching me from the moment we left the hotel. I hadn't been able to stop staring outside through the car window. Life had changed so much and I couldn't see a clear direction as to where it was all headed.
"Nothing" I responded not really able to explain what was going through my head at that moment.
"Antonia, You're safe. You don't have to worry about anything anymore. I promise that you won't have to run again" I turned to look at him, I didn't believe him. I felt as though it was never going to be over. I felt like I was going to have to run for the rest of my life. I didn't really know the man sitting next to me, In less than a week I had my life had been turned upside down. I had made the decision to become a high class call girl and now I was on a completely different path, one I really wasn't sure I wanted to travel down. When going through a personal crisis they say you shouldn't make any life changing decisions but my life had already been changed so much that what could one more do to hurt?
"If you say so" I responded before turning back towards the window and watching the life of Paris passing me by as beautiful was the city was, something didn't feel right about being here. It was probably nothing but I couldn't help but fear I would return here again.
By the time we had arrived at the airport all I wanted to do was curl up and sleep. I wasn't sure what New York had to offer but what I did know was that my near future was definitely sleeping on the plane. The eight hours it took to fly to New York was enough time for me to get some sleep and plan my next move. I wasn't the fly by the seat of my pants kind of girl. I needed direction, I needed to be able to know how to get out of any situation I found myself in, this was the only reason that in that second I was wondering if Chris had booked us seats next to each-other and wondering where the hell Nick was. Sitting in the lounge I had time to think about what I had seen. My room had been in shambles, I was glad I hadn't ventured any further into the room or had anything else to think about. It wasn't as though the actual mess was what scared me so much, it was more the fact that someone was able to get that close to me. I had no doubt in my mind that it was Kyle. No matter what Nick had to say about the situation I just knew it, I had smelled his cologne it wafted out the moment I opened the door. The smell used to be one that I loved Bottled Night by Hugo Boss. I remember the first time I had smelled it before the memory could flash into place Chris cleared his throat and I was transported back to reality.
"Sorry did you say something?" I asked earnestly looking at him sitting opposite me.
"I just said that Rafael has picked up some clothes for you. They are in the locker"
"Thank you" I responded before getting up, taking the key from him and moving to where he was pointing in the lounge of the airport.
Looking at myself in the mirror wearing figure hugging dark blue jeans, a cream signature top and Victoria Secret lingerie I felt a little more like myself. Definitely more down to earth and comfortable in something simple and under the radar. I walked out with my bag in hand and looked at Chris engrossed in the newspaper. His suit looked impeccably fitted and dark hair well groomed. I don't know how I had missed him looking so delicious but I had to thank him. For someone so powerful he had really no reason to treat me so well. I casually walked towards him in my new Christian Louboutian heels, leant over the back of the chair and kissed him lightly on the cheek. He sat there smelling so delicious I almost lost control but then he spoke.
"What was that for?" he asked placing the newspaper on the coffee table in front of us and grabbing my wrist gently he pulling me down to sit on his lap. To say it was awkward would be a lie. Something about him made me feel comfortable, maybe it was just infatuation after all he was tall dark and handsome.
"I just wanted to say thank you for my outfit. Actually I should probably say thank you to Rafael, he has impeccable taste!" I said cheekily. Deep down I had the feeling Rafael was just taking orders and Chris had picked out the outfit himself.
"Hmm what makes you think Rafael knows how to accentuate ever inch of your glorious body? Especially considering he hasn't explored it as thoroughly as I have" he said whispering into my ear before reaching over me, picking up the newspaper and pretending to read it, flicking the pages idly.  This man was dangerously cheeky, I knew I was going to have to watch my step with him or I would end up falling prey to his charm again. Then it hit me, how many other women had he shopped like this for?
My hands began fidgeting in my lap as he sat there still flicking through the newspaper at turtle speed. He oozed confidence, not just self confidence but the aura that sucked you in, the power of his essence could made any red-blooded woman become addicted and crave being around him. The thought of so many women before me being sucked into the same web I suddenly felt like I was glued to caused my anxiety to fly through the roof. What the hell was I doing going to New York with this man?, What the hell was I doing with this man in general and where was Nick?
With these thoughts floating in and out of my mind at a million miles an hour, the inner turmoil forced me to want to put distance between me and Chris. I pealed myself away from the couch and backed away silently. My mind went into overdrive as I tried to clear a path for rational thinking. I finally stopped backing away as the back of my legs hit the coffee table and I stood there feeling torn.
"What's wrong?" Chris said looking at me with the newspaper resting gently on his lap. I couldn't look him in the eye. Something felt incredibly wrong about what I was doing. I felt like I was making a huge mistake and yet I also had no other options.
"H...How much longer until we leave?" I responded with the only words that managed to form in my head.
"Thirty minutes until they have the jet prepared...Antonia what just happened?" He was persistent. I was going to have to work to hide my thoughts from him.
"Chris, where is Nick. I'm really worried about him, we haven't gone this long without talking before" He stood, placed the newspaper in front of him on the coffee table and made his way towards me. I planted my feet firmly to the ground, begging myself to not take a step back no matter how desperate I was to keep the distance. It was almost like he sensed this as he stopped a few feet from me.
"Antonia, are you second guessing your decision to join me in New York?" I was floored instantly. How did he know?
"Antonia, tell me what your thinking right now" I tried to pull together something that would be plausible, something that I could fill the silence with that he would buy because I wasn't quite sure exactly how I was feeling. I hadn't had a moment to think since I left Kyle and now I was making decisions to move across the world with a man I had known for such a short period of time, someone who I was definitely attracted to but knew I would never be able to give my heart to even if the opportunity arose, he reminded me too much of Kyle.
"I'm not sure I'm ready to design my own collection, I haven't had the time to think about what I really want in my life and although that is something I want to do I'm just not sure I'm ready to do it yet" It wasn't a lie, it was part of the truth. What I said was definitely the only part of the truth that I knew deep down I had to let out at that exact moment. He exhaled deeply and took a step forward.
"Antonia take the time you need to figure out what you want. I was afraid that you were going to say you wanted to go back to that life, the life where you would sell your beautiful soul to someone who will never deserve it. I wont pressure you to do anything you don't want to do and if you want to turn around and walk right out of here I will understand but I hope that you can see this is a good thing for you. New scenery and not having to worry about anything, come to New York, take time to breathe and figure out what you want while rebuilding your life. You and I both know you can't do that here with everything that has happened so why not make the most of this trip and if you realise it's not what you want then you can go anywhere you want. I just don't want to see you make the mistake of going into that life and not knowing when to get out. Right now you're vulnerable enough to fall into it and the emptiness will swallow you whole. Your soul doesn't deserve that" Every word he spoke I absorbed, thinking about every point he made and for some weird reason in that moment I wondered what my mother would have done. I hadn't thought about her in years and in that moment I wished that she was still here and I had the kind of relationship with her that I would have been able to ask her what to do. Before I had the chance to speak the glass doors opened and Rafael walked towards us. His black business suit was tailored and fit his muscular body perfectly, I had never noticed the silver letters "Ashton Inc" in cursive writing sewn into the pocket of his jacket and wondered why Chris would have tailored suits made for his Bodyguard, then again I really didn't know much about him other than the fact that he was a shipping magnate.
"Sir, everything is ready" Rafael said looking only at Chris.
"Thank you Rafael, please tell the pilot that I will be there in a moment. Did you arrange everything as requested?"
"Yes sir" Rafael responded. He carried a slight accent in his voice, I couldn't quite pick what it was but it was definitely not American.
"Good, please wait outside"
"Yes sir" With that Rafael left and the room was silent again.
"What do you want to do Antonia?" His words came flooding back to me and I realised I really didn't have any other option.
"Lets go" I responded taking a deep breath in and exhaling away the fear that had been building.
"Rafael, Please collect Antonia's things from the locker and escort us to the tarmac" Chris called. Within seconds Rafael had entered, collected my belongings and we began walking towards the gate.
By the time we had reached the steps to the jet it sunk in, I was about to leave without finding Nick.
"Wait!" I called out to Chris over the noise.
"What? He called back.
"I can't just leave without Nick!"
"I was wondering when you were going say that" Someone called from the plane above us. I looked up and felt a wave of relief wash over me. It was Nick. I ran up the stairs and hugged him so tightly he laughed as the air escaped his lungs.
"You didn't think you could get rid of me that easily did you?" He said cracking a smile. It was the very first time I realised he was an integral part of my future. He wasn't just an employee, he was a friend.
"I didn't know where you were!" I whispered as Chris began walking up the stairs with Rafael behind him.
"I had a few things to take care of. Rafael called me and told me to meet you here, I know what happened and don't worry. Everything is being taken care of" A part of me eased the moment I head Nick say that. He had never let me down and never gave me a reason to doubt him. Maybe I was making a mistake but with Nick by my side, I knew I would land on my feet.