The apartment was quiet as I swung open the door, kicking off my shoes in the doorway, dropping my purse on the couch in the living room, and headed straight for the kitchen. My stomach has been growling for hours, just didn't have the time to get anything. I emptied out my tote bag onto the counter, hoping to get through at least some of the little things that needed done before we left for the fashion show tonight. I looked quickly around the house for Justin, but it was super quiet, I assumed he wasn't back yet. I wasn't even sure where he was, I left way to early this morning to even function myself and where I was going, let alone another human being.
I hopped up on the counter, resting a bowl of Justin's cold cereal on one knee, a stack of ads and paperwork on the other. Even though I was basically eating sugar formed into these little green circles, it was great to have something finally in my stomach. In the hours that I spent talking to people this morning about my shoes, the fashion show, and the store about to open, I had forgotten to eat. Talking about this line made me even more excited for the world to see it on a grand scale. I was ready to share this part of my life with everyone else. I was ready for anything that would come my way.
A large stack of official documents needed my signature. I wanted to sign them and be done with the untrustworthy criminal but a part of me wanted to know every detail of what she was agreeing to. I had taken a couple legal courses in college, so I knew I had to read every single detail of this document. The State of New York seal, stared back at me. The first box checked, ‘Guilty.' She had taken full guilt of the crime, naming only herself. I was certain she would throw someone under the bus with her, but maybe I was wrong, maybe it was just her involved. The lawsuit had taken a quick turn in the weeks since I figured it all out. Once all the pieces were put together, she had no way of getting out of her lies and cover ups.
She had taken the plea bargain, which I was against giving her. But at the end of it all, I knew she would appeal it as long as she could and this would simply end everything and give me my entire line back. As I continued to read, I came to the part I wanted to read, detailing the time she would spend in jail.
Vantilburg is sentenced to eight years in the New York State penitentiary for women, with the option for parole in four years for good behavior.
I wasn't happy with that part of the deal. At all.
I skimmed through the next few lines before backtracking over a couple lines, "Vantilburg has agreed to pay a lump sum of twelve million dollars to Arabella Kinsey..."
Where the hell was she going to find twelve million dollars to pay me?
I was actually shocked that there was money involved. I assumed that the money portion would be thrown out. Page by page, I got to the end and saw a small handwritten note from Troy.
Arabella, I guess there was a lot we didn't know about Holli. She had a trust fund that was set up by her parents that even she wasn't aware of. When she involved her parents, they said she had to pay the bill with her trust fund. So we came to an amount that I think you will be happy with- ... Needless to say, it's all over with the signature on the bottom of the last sheet
I guess there was more than we knew. I took at the black ball point pen, signed my name to the appropriate line. It was over.
I tried to eat as I worked, but it was serving as a challenge. I couldn't be normal and sit at the table, or even on the couch. I had to sit up on the counter and balance the bowl on my knee. I was deep into the details of the words on those sheets of paper I didn't even hear him come into the apartment. He steps in front of me, taking my spoon out of the bowl and shoveling a large amount of cereal into his mouth. "Hey babe... I didn't know you were here." He attempted to speak, "I-sn th-d-oom" chewing the sugary cereal. He swallowed his mouthful and spoke much clearer, "Sorry." He laughed "I was in the bedroom... Matt and I worked on a song earlier. I was listening to the playback to his vocals... It's incredible."
"Really?" I questioned, "I want to hear it... I would love to meet Matt!"
"He will be there tonight... he wants to meet you as well."
"Is that all you did all day without me around?" I asked staring into his deep blue eyes.
"I had an errand to run earlier..." He moved the glass bowl off of my knee and onto the counter, lifted my leg, removing it from the Indian style I was sitting in. Stepping in between my legs that were now hanging off the edge, he leans in and pressed his lips on mine gently. "His song is about you." I felt his cheek bones lifting and the smile on his gorgeous face widening. "I missed you today." I couldn't remember a single word he had said to me; I wanted to feel him next to me, it's all I could think about. I wanted skin on skin contact with him!
He slid his tongue into my mouth, massaging mine enticingly, making me want more. He moved his hands from my face to my knee, scattering the papers to the floor as his hands moved to the hem of my shirt, pushing it quickly over my head. Immediately running his hands around my back, unfastening the lace bra he loved so much, dropping it to the floor. He quickly unfastened his jeans, dropping every stitch of clothing he was wearing to the floor. He hopped up on the counter, pushing me down onto the chill of marble on the bare skin. He towered himself on top of me; the glass bowl shatters as it hits the floor. He looked down at me, for just a moment, time stopped. The world stood still. Slowly I pulled his face down to mine, whispering in his ear, "I could love you forever."
He backed his face up a few inches, "You were awake?"
"I was awake..." I admitted. "I heard you say it."
He pinned my arms on the counter, "I meant it then, and I know it to be true now."
Several Months Ago, Los Angeles
Exhaustion waved over my entire body, collapsing on that bed finally. Every limb and every muscle needed to rest. He was a workout and a half. Between the counter, the couch, the shower and the bed I was worn out. I needed to reenergize with some sleep before venturing on whatever this day entitled. I was in Los Angeles. Alone, with no supervision. Things could get very interesting. I could see myself and this gorgeous man that has his arms wrapped around me tightly, not leaving this room at all for the next few days. I could be content with that. His touch. His emotion. His hands. Oh his hands...
Lying perfectly still, the adrenaline was preventing me from falling asleep. I didn't want to move too much because he seemed comfortable in the exact position he was in. I made Justin hide in the bathroom. I thought to myself. That was such an impulsive move on my part but I couldn't let my father catch us. If I wanted to spend any time with him at all on this trip, I was going to have to lie... or hide him. It seemed like the only logical thing to do.
"I could love you forever" He whispered in my ear, snuggling his nose against my shoulder.
The massive panic I went through just hours ago felt nothing like the wave of panic I got from his words. Did he just say that? Was I hearing things? There is no way he just said he could love me forever. Who says things like that to people you just met? He didn't know anything about me. What do you say to something like that? Should I reply to him, should I ask questions... No. I thought. If I just lay still, he will think I was already sleeping.
But sleep didn't come. His words were all I could think about. He could be that person for me. As much as I wanted those words to be a reality, they couldn't be. There couldn't be any kind reality attached to his words.
Still lying in that bed hours later with his wonderful large arms surrounding me, his scent overtaking my every breath. It didn't matter if there could or would ever be any truth to his words. I could at least pretend to do this with the time I had with him. I could pretend to be normal for a little while.
"You look tired?" I said as I handed him a cup of coffee...
The gorgeous unshaven face of the man I have fallen hopelessly and madly in love with, rested above me, warn out, and covered in a light sheen of sweat. He leaned down and kissed the bridge of my nose and lifted himself up to his knees before climbing off the counter.
"Be careful." He said, "There's glass everywhere." Reaching for my hand he helped me off the counter. There were tiny pieces of that glass bowl surrounding most of floor in the kitchen. It shattered into a million tiny little pieces.
He tip toed across the room for the broom, picking up articles of clothing as he moved throughout the kitchen, tossing them onto the counter. I was stopped in my tracks watching him, completely naked sweeping up the glass. He was my ever after. He was my fairytale. He was the best thing that ever happened in my life.
In such a short time I had changed so much of myself. I had become the person I had always been, but now it was on the surface as well. My loves and passions were the most important thing in my life. Those are the things that mattered in life. It wasn't about the power I could get out of my last name. It wasn't about how much money I could make. It was about my heart. Life is what you make of it, and having a Bloodline was important, but only if that Bloodline meant the love of a family, the love of support, and the happiness of the heart. The only important part of a Bloodline were the people that surrounds you, blood or not, the love you share with them and the way you feel at night when you lay your head down is all that matters.
"Do you remember this?" I asked, standing in the closet of our bedroom. I removed the deep purple dress from the drycleaner back. The simplicity of this dress made me love it so much, I still couldn't believe that my mother had picked this dress out.
He looks up at me from his computer, looking over the rim of his glasses that were perched on his nose. "Isn't that the first dress I crumbled to the floor?"
My jaw dropped, leaving my mouth open. "Justin-" I said not believing he just said that, he made it sound so dirty. I guess I expected him to remember everything from that day, but he only thought at how the day ended.
He walks over to me, pulls me into his chest. "Every moment of that day is etched into my memory. Every. Single. Detail..." He ran the back of his forefinger down the side of my cheek, along my jaw line, over my lips, wrapping his hands around my neck, pushing me face closer to his. "Led me to you." Licking his lips, he tilts his head sideways, placing his lips on mine. He intensifies the kiss, making my entire body lose control.
He releases the grip on my neck, and says, "And to think you didn't want my timber!"
We both bursted into laughter.
