Lies (Phoenix Undercover #1) (15 page)
Read Lies (Phoenix Undercover #1) Online
Authors: C. A. Harms
Gabriella
I stood in my bathroom staring down at the item I held between my fingers. Both happiness and heartache filled my entire body as tears rolled over my cheeks.
A knock on the door startled me, and I dropped the item to the floor. “Yes,” I said as I placed my hand on my chest before taking a calming breath.
“Gabs, I hate to rush you, but Mom and Dad are waiting downstairs. The service starts in less than thirty minutes and…” Brook paused, and I closed my eyes tightly, fighting against the urge to crumble to the floor. This was all just too much, and I could feel myself slowly fading into the darkness of devastation.
I slowly opened the door and looked up at Brook’s concerned expression. I took in a shuddering breath before dropping my gaze to the item that lay at my feet. She knelt and picked it up before her eyes met mine once more.
“You’re pregnant?” she asked as her eyes widened with curiosity. I could only nod as my throat burned.
“Gabby,” she whispered, and tears took her over as she pulled me into her arms. “Oh my God.”
“Now I have to go to the funeral of the man who is the father of my unborn child, and the worst part about this all is he’ll never know. I’ll never get the chance to tell him he’s gonna be a daddy. And I’ll never get the chance to apologize for not forgiving him when he told me about Audrey,” I cried.
Today would be one of the hardest days I would ever live through, and my life would never be the same. Yes, I would always have a part of him now, but I was selfish. I didn’t just want his child, I wanted him too.
***
“Are you sure you’re ready to be back?” Margo asked as I held the phone to my ear.
I placed my hand over my belly and swallowed past the lump in my throat. My life wasn’t just about me anymore; I now had to think about the expense of raising a child alone.
“I’m fine, Margo, really. Being at work helps keep my mind moving. Otherwise, I just sit in a dark room and cry. So a distraction for even a few hours is welcome,” I assured her. “I can do this, really.”
“Okay, if you’re sure.”
“I am.”
It’d been two weeks since Josh’s funeral, and today was the first time I’d left the house since. I had to do this. I couldn’t hide forever. I couldn’t waste away. That was no longer a choice I had.
“All right, well, I set up your first meeting for ten a.m. He’s a very wealthy and particular client. He can be demanding at times, but I have full confidence in you. I know you’ll take care of him.”
Margo only assigned us specific clients when she felt they needed special attention. I was the agent with the best numbers and greatest knowledge of real estate, so she trusted me when it came to situations like this one.
Usually I was just fine with difficult clients, but today I was questioning my judgement. Was I truly ready for this?
“He’s heard of you as well and was impressed. In fact, when I told him you would be his agent, he was very pleased,” she said happily.
“That’s great. I’ll take care of everything,” I said just before ending the call.
I took a moment to lean back against my chair and close my eyes. Josh’s smile filled my mind, and I knew I would spend my whole life missing it. I only hoped our child was lucky enough to inherit his or her daddy’s smile.
The intercom interrupted my thoughts, and I sat up straight and tapped the button. “Yes, Valerie?”
“Your ten o’clock is here,” she replied, and a surge of nervous energy filled my stomach.
“Great, please send him in,” I said before standing from my desk and walking around the side after taking a few seconds to smooth my skirt. The door opened, and I looked up at Valerie. Just over her shoulder was a tall man with dark hair.
I stepped forward and held out my hand in greeting. “Hello, my name is Gabriella Shannon.”
He smirked, and it sent chills along my neck and shoulders. He had the most piercing green eyes I had ever seen.
He entered the room and took my hand, then lifted it toward his lips. As he kissed it softly, his eyes remained locked on mine. “Very pleased to meet you, Gabriella.” His voice was rich and so smooth. “My name is Roman, but you can call me RJ. It is what my friends call me, and I have a feeling you and me will be great friends.”
Gabby and Josh’s story will continue in:
Chaos
Coming in 2016
Acknowledgments
Thank you to my street team, The Charmed Girls. Your continued support truly means so much to me. Thank you all for sharing my teasers and new releases. Thank you all for your continued feedback on all my excerpts and so on. You all are the greatest.
Thank you, Lydia, of course you still and always will keep me moving. Oh, and for our crazy conversations that led to a few of the scenes within this book. You know the ones. I am so glad we crossed paths and I can now call you a true friend. I adore you.
To my family, because you allow me the time I need to create my imaginative worlds through words and pick up my slack. You three are the true rock stars. I love you, Jason, Jayden and Tayler.
Thank you Golden Czermak and Justin Keeton for creating the perfect image for Jackson and to Robin Harper for making one gorgeous cover once again.
To all the readers, you all make writing worth it. Thank you for giving my work a chance.
About the Author
C.A. Harms is like any other addicted reader. She enjoys happy endings and HEA love stories. She hasn’t always been a lover of Romance and had once been addicted to a good Mystery. Just recently she has taken on a new liking and now is a full blown Romance novel addict.
She lives in Illinois and enjoys spending time with her husband of 14 years and two children. You will always find her with her kindle or paperback in hand as it is her favorite pass time.