Oblivion: Surrender (6 page)

“My heart is barely alive.”
My voice cracks. Tears that I’ve refused to spill since I swore I would one day find Michael want to spill and flood the planet, but I won’t let them have their way. Breathing deep and taking a drink of coffee, I try to reason with Juliette.

“There’s nothing that can stop me from finding him now and I don’t care about the consequences. I know that he somehow survived falling from that cliff. If I swam to shore, why couldn’t he? Michael and I were excellent swimmers. It doesn’t make sense! None of this will ever make sense until I see him again.
”

“You didn’t see what the damn police report s
aid!” Juliette stomps her foot.

I’m fuming. “What did they say
? That Michael and I fell into the Connecticut River and that one survived and the other one disappeared? They also wrote that Michael had a tattoo on his left arm when it was on his right, for fuck’s sake! Juliette, I feel it in my bones that he didn’t drown!”

Just then, Ferdinand wal
ks into the kitchen and solemnly looks at both us. I grab my purse to leave before I’m late too. “Hold on a second, let me get the car keys, and I’ll drive you.” He says. “No.” I look at Juliette’s reddened cheeks. She is on the verge of tears as well. I know she needs Ferdinand more than I do. She still has her boyfriend and I don’t. “I’ll take a cab.” I barge out.

******

I take the long route to Carter Stevenson’s office, skipping front desk again. Thankfully, today is Matt’s day off, and that is one interrogation less to deal with. My anger from this morning has slowly diminished, and I know it will not be present by the time I see Juliette again. I wish that I wasn’t already upset before meeting with Carter and his multiple mood swing personality. He could make this day a lot worse. I’m playing it safe though and arrive 10 minutes before our usual meeting time.

T
he gray carpet matches my mood, and my three-quarter sleeve dress, darkened further by black pantyhose and high heels. As I knock on Carter’s office door, I am perplexed by the rest of the offices from which I have not seen people come out of. I wonder what they are used for. “Come in.” Carter calls.
He’s not rude so far.
Approaching his desk, I am taken aback by the blonde beauty sitting in front of him. Her hair is enviably straight and tied in a perfect ponytail, blunt bangs covering her forehead.

An expensive, persimmon, strapless dress flows to her ankles.
Her amber eyes however are not as appraising towards me. One of her hands is raised next to her face. She caresses her glistening red thumbnail with her index finger. So much glamour from both Carter and the blonde is absurd. This must be the type of woman who meets Carter’s bed every time he clicks his fingers. Trying not to look at myself up and down like the blonde is doing, I focus on not stuttering. “I’m sorry Mr. Stevenson. I did not know you were busy.”

“You came on time today, Alyson.” He smiles proudly and sincerely.
He’s wonderfully calmed today…happy even. His sapphires display the timid beauty I know he hides somewhere within him. The air is broken by the blonde trying to hold back a laugh. “Is something amusing?” Carter questions the blonde who immediately stops chuckling. “No.” She reveals a pretty smile that doesn’t go at all with her personality. Her brown eyes shine like her fingernail polish when she sees Carter’s satisfied nod. I know that look anywhere. The girl is far past the stage of liking him.

“Alyson, I’d like you
to meet a close friend of mine, Rebecca Laches. I’ve known her for years.” I do my best to fake a grand smile for the bitch in front of me. “I’m delighted to meet you ma’am.” My voice is unwavering. “Rebecca, Alyson won this year’s internship with Caravana. She’s sufficiently prepared to be my right hand.” Carter’s true expression is mixed somewhere in between honest and amused. Why is he praising me in front of this woman who obviously doesn’t care about anything but him?

“The feeling is mutual, Alyson.” The woman hides a sneer.
That’s for sure.
“I can come back later, Mr. Stevenson—”

“Nonsense, Rebecca was just leaving.” He
coolly lifts his eyebrows at her. In an odd response, Rebecca lowers her eyes to the floor and nods slowly, standing up from her chair. She doesn’t leave without secretly smirking at me. “Good day, Ms. Barnes.” She doesn’t glance back at Carter when she walks out the door. I lick my lips, maintaining eye contact with her until she’s gone.
What strange change in her behavior.
Carter’s mood swings must be contagious. “The dress you are wearing looks very nice on you, Alyson.” Our gazes lock.

I cock my head
, puzzled. I could have sworn he just complimented my attire. He’s thoroughly entertained with my confused reaction. “You’re not used to flattery?” he asks. I feel myself blushing at his sudden forwardness. I don’t understand what’s gotten into him. Carter Stevenson is suddenly being friendly. “Thank you, sir.” I reply, dissimulating shock.

“You didn’t answer my question.”
Carter ignores me.

“
No sir” My tone is firm, and he’s not annoyed by it but seemingly content. I strongly speculate this change of heart has to do with the visit of his girlfriend, Rebecca Laches. There’s no doubt that’s what she was. The blonde completely changed him in a matter of minutes. Carter extends his hand, wanting the reports and as I give them to him, I discreetly admire him too.

I can’t imagine him looking anything less than sophisticated
. In his typical tailored dark suit, today he wears a black dress shirt and dark trousers, altered especially for him. The dormant electric currents in my stomach lunge fireworks throughout my system. Clearing my head from unnecessary thoughts, I prepare to sit down when Carter hands me back the reports and stands up. “Take a walk with me today. I’ll take notes on the way” He holds my gaze as he reaches for a notebook under his desk and opens the door for me. I blink twice; making sure this Carter Stevenson is the same one I’ve been learning to deal with all week.

He is about to lock the office when his telephone rings. He’s instantly annoyed though not with me. “Wait here, I won’t be long” Carter closes the door.
I treasure the free moment and breathe deeply. I am caught in between getting carried away by my instinct and by what I have seen. Close to my heart, something warm and soothing tells me I could get used to this peaceful mood but my mind fights this emotion with flashing images of Artic glaciers. All of a sudden, the otherwise silent hallway echoes with Carter’s loud voice. He’s upset at whoever is on the other side of the line. Listening to his side of the conversation is inevitable.

“She shouldn’t have called you…It’s none of your fucking business…And if I was?...
I can do whatever I want…That was a long time ago…Don’t you dare…Suit yourself…”
I hear him click the phone and rustle through what I think are papers. He begins talking again.

“Jameson...Yes…That time is fine…I’ll meet you then…
”
I hear him hang up and I straighten my position before he opens the door. He seems unaffected that I’ve been standing here the entire time. If I was afraid the conversation would ruin his good mood, I couldn’t have been more off; he is beaming.

“Shall we go?” He captivates me with a breathtaking smile that
has me grinning like a fool. Like a working team, I carefully reiterate this morning’s information without stumbling over my own two feet while Carter’s graceful movements leads our walk, using the front desk detour to arrive at the hotel’s astonishing circular courtyard. The grand space is a four-way area that is connected to the outdoor swimming pool, the second entrance to the restaurant, a racquetball court, and an outdoor fitness center.

“
What do you think of this view?” Carter waves his hand at the courtyard. “It’s amazing” I cheer. “You must enjoy seeing this from your office each day.” I smile and then frown. “It’s too bad that Gabrielle chooses not to decorate the management office” I add. At the mention of her name, his sapphires darken momentarily. “I don’t understand it either. She has the liberty to.” he pauses to look in my eyes before continuing. He makes me swallow hard.

“I’ve decided to authorize your requested day.”
Whoa!
My heart wants to jump out of my chest. Carter has just made an awful morning into a celebration. I can’t believe it. “Thank—”

“Don’
t speak so soon.” He chuckles. “You will work late nights for a week to make up for the time lost.”

“Yes, sir, count on it.”
I nod furiously, smiling fully. Instinctively, I approach him for a hug without measuring the consequences of my actions. My breathing quickens insanely as our flesh comes into contact. Our faces are painfully inches apart. Carter’s sculpted features are impossibly beautiful, sharp and defined to perfection.

What the hell
am I doing?!
He can’t be this close to me. It’s wrong. Regaining my common sense, I try to push myself away, but Carter’s grip is uninhibited power…something in his strength is pulling me into a deep abyss to which he only smirks, knowing what he is doing. His sapphires are darker than when he was speaking about Gabrielle, darker than I have ever seen them despite their glare being gem like. I swore I wouldn’t lose control…I swore…

Without thinking, Carter grabs my hand
and pulls us back inside the hotel and into an emergency staircase. He almost violently presses me against the wall, pulls my dress up to my stomach and wraps my legs around his hips, rubbing his solid bulge right where I need it the most. Mmm! I could orgasm in a split second. My dripping wetness stains his black trousers.

“Carter!” I tangle my fingers in the back of his hair and pull him to my lips, devouring the sex-god I’ve wanted since I saw him.
The tip of his tongue traces my lips, wanting an opening to explore the depths of my mouth. I surrender to his commands. My hands feel the muscular contours of his chest, undoing the buttons that I can manage as he undoes his fly. Gasping for air, Carter’s forehead leans against mine. “Alyson, I’m going to fuck you every night. You are mine now.”
Yours…
I stop breathing.

END OF BOOK ONE

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