Losing Pieces of Me (12 page)

Chapter Eighteen

   Walking into the restaurant downstairs to meet Jayden and the other men for dinner, I know I’m in big trouble.  I’m already on edge because of what happened today and what Jayden said upstairs and now I’m down here about to sit across from none other than the man who was shooting the photos this afternoon.

   He’s charming and engages Jayden in conversation throughout the entire meal, but he keeps giving me this look that says he knows it was me in the studio earlier today.

   Finally he turns to stare at me during a lull in the table conversation, “So, Mireya is it?”

   I gulp down my water before I look up at him, “Yes, Francisco my name is Mireya.”

   How rude that he can’t even remember my name.  The table spent most of the night talking about me and he even greeted me by name when Jayden introduced us formally for the first time.  I know what he’s doing, he knows what name I wrote on that application.

   “What do you do for work?” he asks me, smirking at me as he casually takes a sip of his wine.

   “I don’t have a job right now, I’m trying to embrace my role as a newlywed right now,” I tell him.  My hands shake as I clasp them together under the table.  I know he’s seconds from blowing everything out of the water.  If he mentions Prosperity Agency to Jayden, he’ll know that’s where I went today.

   “You don’t work?” he asks skeptically as he blinks back at me.

   “Clearly you know that no wife of mine will work Francisco, I would never allow her to slave away when I am more than capable of providing for her,” he says as he leans over and kisses me tenderly on the cheek.  I close my eyes as his lips touch my cheek and I’m dumbstruck for several moments as I open my eyes and stare over at him dreamily.  Like I was saying the deeper I get into this thing, the harder it is for me to keep a clear head about the two of us.  I’m scared to admit to myself how hard I’ve fallen for him.

   “That’s interesting because if I’m not mistaken,
Mireya
wants to be a model, don’t you
Mireya?
” he sneers at me. The color quickly drains from my face and I stare over at Francisco in horror.

   I open my mouth to speak, but Jayden quickly grabs my hand under the table and squeezes it hard as if to warn me not to open my mouth.

   “You are mistaken, Mireya doesn’t want to be a model, she has zero desire to be one.  Right, love?” he asks me in a tender tone, but his eyes are blazing in anger as if daring me to deny it.

   “That’s correct, Francisco.  You are clearly mistaken, I never have –nor will I ever- desire to be a model,” I tell him as I tear my eyes away from Jayden and look over at Francisco.

   Francisco is giving me this look like he wants to drag me away from this table and do evil, nasty things to me.  The look on his face right now is downright sinister.

   “If you’ll excuse us gentleman, we’re going to turn in for the night.  We’ll see you tomorrow night for the investor’s ball,” he says abruptly standing from the table and throwing his napkin down on top of it.  I stare at his napkin for a beat before I stand and chase Jayden out of the restaurant.  He’s moving quickly away from the restaurant and towards the elevator.  I don’t want to spend a single moment alone with Francisco, so I hurry to catch up to Jayden.  Believe me, that’s not an easy task in these damn heels.  Now I remember why I hate these stupid things.

   I end up catching him right before the elevator doors close and the second the doors close behind us, the silence is deafening.

   “Jayden-” I start, but he holds his hand up in front of my face to stop me from talking.  I wisely snap my lips shut and watch as the elevator gets closer to reaching our floor.

   The second the elevator doors ding open, he’s out and storming off towards our room.  He only stops long enough to open the door and bark orders at my bodyguard.

   I don’t catch most of what is said, but I do catch the end of it.

   “Make sure we’re not disturbed the rest of the night.  I don’t care if the building is on fire, do not knock on this door,” he growls before slamming the door shut behind him.

   I almost think about going back downstairs to give him some time to cool off before I go into the room, but when I don’t make a move to exit the elevator, the guard turns his attention to me.

   “Word of advice, Mireya?” I nod my head in consent, “don’t do it.  You’ll just make him even more upset, he wants you in the room right now.”

   I huff out a breath in frustration and exit the elevator.  I walk slowly, I am in no hurry to go into the room and get yelled at some more.  Plus, I don’t get what the big deal is, Francisco was never going to get me to model for them anyways.

   I put the card in the door slowly and push it open.  I turn my head to look at the elevator doors one last time before I go inside the room and shut the door behind me.  I don’t turn to face Jayden, even though I know I can’t avoid him.  I’m scared where this conversation is going to go.

   When I finally do turn to face him, I find him pacing back and forth across the room, waving his hands frantically around him as he mumbles to himself.

   He must finally realize I’m in the room because he stops pacing and glares at me.

   “Start talking,
now
,” he orders, turning his back away from me.

   I’m quiet for a few minutes as I move to sit on the edge of the bed and take my shoes off.  I don’t know where to start, or even how much I can tell him.  For all I know, whatever is going on here, he’s involved in it.

   “I don’t want to be a model, if that’s what you are thinking Jayden,” I start.

   He turns to glare at me and crosses his arms over his chest, “I would never allow that anyways, even if that’s something you did want to do.”

   I’m a little offended by the way he says it, it’s almost like he doesn’t think I could make it as a model.

   “I know I’m not model material, Jayden.  But damn, you don’t have to make it so obvious that you think I couldn’t cut it as one.”

   “That’s not what I meant, Mireya,” he says, his shoulders slumping slightly, but his anger still clearly there.

   “What exactly is Prosperity Agency?” I ask him.  I think I take him by surprise with my directness.  No point pretending I don’t know about it.

   I can see the hesitation on his face as his eyes search mine from across the room.  “I’m not sure I can trust you.  How do I know you aren’t working for them?”

   Seriously, he thinks I work for them?  Wouldn’t I have money if I worked for them?

   “The question is, can I trust
you
?  How do I know you aren’t involved in whatever is going on here, Jayden?”

   He shrugs as he moves to sit beside me on the bed.  “You can’t be sure of that, Mireya.  But know this, I would never do anything to hurt you, I care about you,” he says as he takes my hands in his.  Either he’s a really good actor or he really does care about me.

   I sit there for a while and stare up at him.  I don’t think he’s involved in this, his eyes give me the impression he’s scared something bad will happen to me.

   “All right, I just hope that I don’t regret this,” I start before stopping and squeezing my eyes shut.  His lips on my cheek have my eyes flying open and searching his.  He nods encouragingly at me.  “I’m not involved, how can I be when my sister went missing a week after she met Hayden?  He said he was taking her away on a magical weekend getaway and she never came home.  All I got was a note saying that she left and to not look for her.  When I tried to ask your brother about it, he did everything he could to keep me away from him.  I think something happened to her at Prosperity Agency,” I reveal to him.  I’m waiting for him to start laughing and tell me how stupid I am to fall for their game, but he doesn’t do that.

   “How do you know she was at Prosperity Agency?” he asks.  Some of his anger is starting to fade and I can see I clearly have his attention.

   “Because the girl at the front desk told me that I looked similar to one of their clients.  When I asked if she got a good job, she told me she got the best one.  But I don’t think it was a modeling deal.  I think something bad happened to her,” I tell him as tears well in my eyes.  I don’t know what I’ll do if Jayden is involved in this, if he is, then I know I’ll never see Katrina again.

   “I think you might be right.  You know all those clubs my brother owns?  Well, he uses those to scout for women to take to Prosperity Agency.  I think that place is more than a modeling agency,” he reveals, he looks like his mind is moving a million miles an hour right now as he looks away from me to stare across the room.

   “Well then, what is it then if not a modeling agency?”

   “I believe Prosperity Agency is a front for a human trafficking ring.  The issue is that I’ve never been able to get close enough to confirm that.  But I do think that this is bigger than just my brother.  Someone else is involved and that’s why he’s trying to get me kicked out of the company.  He wants to take control so he has all the power in this family.  That’s why I needed you, I haven’t been able to take him down for human trafficking so I need to prove to the board I’m stable enough to remain in control.  He’s trying to discredit me by saying that I’m a playboy who wants to throw everyone’s money away, the board said prove him wrong or I’m out.”

   Now everything is starting to make sense.  He needed me because he can’t take his brother down.  “So you aren’t involved then?”

   “No,” he says slowly shaking his head.  “Why do you look confused?”

   “Because the girl said that both Mr. Leopold’s would be there tomorrow to meet the new girls.  I told her I was going to come by to see them tomorrow at one.  I never had any intention of going before you yell at me again.”

   “Son. Of. A. Bitch,” he growls as he gets to his feet.

   “What is it?” I ask as I watch his pace to the other side of the room and beat his fist against the dresser.

   “The other person isn’t me, the other Mr. Leopold would be my father.  It all makes sense now, why Hayden is always talking about him and going to Seattle.  That’s part of the reason why I was always going there, I was hoping I would get to see him so I could confront him and find out if he is involved in all of this.”

   “So what do we do now?  We can’t let them get away with this, we have to do something, they have my sister,” I plead with him.

   He turns suddenly to face me, “I’m not sure yet.  First, we need to make sure I remain in control and take away that part of his plan from him.  Let me deal with this, you can’t be involved.”

   “But why not?” I ask getting to my feet.  “I’ve gotten further into this than you’ve been able to.  Don’t you think we can use me to your advantage now that I know everything?”

   “No,” he growls at me.

   “But why not?” I ask again, coming to stand before him.  “We have a chance to stop this, we have to do whatever we can to put a stop to this,” I beg him as I grasp his upper arms.

   “You can’t, I won’t allow it.  Francisco knows who you are now and he knows what you mean to me, Mireya.  He’ll do whatever it takes now to get you and give you to Hayden and my father, the fact that you are my wife will just make this all the more sweeter for them.  They’ll kill you, Mireya, and I can’t allow that to happen.”

They’ll kill you
.

Chapter Nineteen

   “I can’t just sit back and do nothing, Jayden.  They have Katrina, she’s all I have left.  Without her, I have no one, I have to fight to save her.  If I don’t, I’ll be alone,” I tell him sadly as I turn away from him.  I see I’m going to have to figure this one out on my own.

   “You have me, Mireya,” he declares forcing me back around to face him.

   My eyes search his as I stare up at him, his eyes no longer blaze with anger.  There’s something else there, something else that I can’t place.

   “Sure, I have you for another month Jayden.  But what happens when that month is up?  You're going to be gone remember?  That’s what you said and I won’t have anyone,” I tell him sadly.

   “I can’t let them take you, Mireya.  I can’t let them take you, because I’m in love with you and them taking you would rip out a piece of my heart,” he declares.  I recognize that look in his eyes now, he loves me and he’s scared they’ll take me away from him.

   I’ve never been in love before, but as I stare up at him and warmth floods through me and straight to my heart, I realize that I love him too.  I knew I felt strongly towards him, but I just now realize that what I’ve been feeling for him is love.

   “You do?” I ask him as I move myself to sit closer to him.  I place my head against his chest and listen to his heartbeat.  The way he’s breathing, I can tell he means what he said as his arms move to engulf me and crush me closer to him.  For the first time, I feel wanted and safe.  I feel like I matter to someone.  That someone cares enough about me to keep me safe and take care of me.

   “I do Mireya, and I know this wasn’t the best way to start a relationship, but I would love to stay married to you after this is all said and done and we can get to know one another as we grow a future life together.  After we find your sister, she can be involved in our lives and I just know everything is going to be perfect,” he says as he strokes my hair with one hand and kisses the top of my head.

   “Okay,” I tell him, pulling my head back so I can stare up at him.

   “Yes?” he looks down at me hopefully and all I can do is smile back up at him.

   “I love you too,” I whisper.  “I didn’t at first.  You offered me a way to have money to find my sister and that’s why I agreed.  But as time has gone on, I’ve come to realize I love you.  I think it was that night on the beach.  Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would find someone like you.  Didn’t matter to me that we would never really be together, that moment we shared together was really special to me and made me realize just how much you truly mean to me, Jayden.”

   “I feel the same way, Mireya.  Since the moment we met, I’ve told myself I can live without you, but that night on the beach made me realize that living without you in my life and by my side would be the death of me.  I need you by my side, you make me a better person.  You complete me,” he declares as he brings his lips down tenderly to meet mine.  He doesn’t deepen the kiss as he pulls away from me.  “Let’s get through tomorrow and then together we can decide how to take down Hayden and get your sister back.  One way or another we will get her back.”

   He leads me over to the bed and gently pushes me down against it.  I hold my breath as he covers my body with his and tenderly kisses my forehead before he leans down and slowly kisses me.  This time is so much different than the other times, there’s no rush to take our clothing off or to complete one another.

   Instead, he takes his time licking the seam of my lips as I open them for him, inviting him inside.  He doesn’t move to allow his tongue to meet mine right away and he continually licks the seam of my lips while pressing himself against my center.  I whine impatiently when he doesn’t allow me to kiss him, making him chuckle.

   “Patience, my dear, I will give you what you want when I’m ready to give it to you,” he tells me as he smiles down at me.

   He pushes himself up on his hands so he can stare down at my body.

   “Please, I need you,” I beg him shamelessly as I lower the top of my dress and reveal that I’m not wearing a bra.

   He groans as he moves his head down to take one of my tits into his mouth so he can suck it vigorously and bite my nipple.  I scream out into the empty room as he moves to the other and does the same thing.

   “So eager tonight, aren’t we?” he teases as he lowers himself down a little so he can grasp my tits with both hands and squeeze them together.  When he moves his head back and forth between both of them as he squeezes them tightly together, I almost cum on the spot.  Instead, I take his distraction and use it to my benefit by using my hands to wiggle the rest of my dress off.  I then tilt my hips up enticingly towards him so he can feel the heat of my body.

   He stops and lets go of me as he sits back on his heels and stares down at my body, noticing that my dress is now completely gone from my body.  When he doesn’t make a move to do anything, I take my own breasts in my hands and squeeze and pull on my nipples as I stare up at him.  I lick my lips as he watches me, enjoying his eyes on me as I feel my own tits.  I’ve grown so much in the time we’ve spent together, I still have a long ways to go, but now I feel comfortable touching myself in front of him and asking for what I want.

   “If you don’t hurry up and fuck me, Jayden, I might just have to do it myself,” I tell him as I move one of my hands down my body and run it down past my stomach and dangerously close to my center.  He captures my hand before it can make it there and holds it above my head so I can’t reach myself.  I humph in annoyance.

   “That’s for me to do and not you,” he declares, using his free hand to undo his belt and attempt to push his pants down.  I’m eager to feel him inside of me, so I use my feet to help him push his pants down far enough for his erection to spring free.

   This time he doesn’t tease me as he uses the same hand and brings one of my legs up so it rests next to his hip.  He doesn’t let me have my hand back as he continues to hold it above my head.  He then pushes himself deep inside of me and holds himself still.  He feels different this time, this time I feel all of him.

   “Tonight, I’m making you officially mine for the first time, Mireya Leopold.  My beautiful wife,” he says tenderly as he hardens his grip on my leg and proceeds to fuck me.

   There’s something about having my hand above my head that turns me on more than I’ve been the last few times we’ve fucked so I bring my other hand up on my own and use it to grab his hand.  He stops for a moment when he thinks I’m going to use my hand to force him to let me go, but when he moves his hand, I clasp mine together and stare up at him.  He starts to move his hand back, so I nod at him and he grabs both my hands in his one and continues to fuck me.

   He feels so good with no condom, I feel him going deeper and deeper into my body, filling me up completely.  Mind, body, and soul as we become one for the first time.  This is the first time I’ve truly felt us become man and wife.

   I want to have him restrain both of my hands, so I move my leg so he’ll let it go and he stops fucking me so he can stare down at me.

   “What is it?” he asks, letting go of my hands.

   Instead of answering him, I move my hands apart and tilt my hips up towards him.  He smiles when he realizes what I want and moves both his hands up so they hold mine.  This way, brings his body even closer to mine, just like I want and I smile up at him as he enters me once more.

   This way is so much deeper since he has to use his lower body to fuck me and can’t use his hands on my hips to pull me closer to him.

   “Fuck Jayden, fuck me harder,” I beg him when he doesn’t go fast enough.

   His blue eyes blaze into mine as he rams into me and I tilt my head back to scream out my pleasure.  I don’t care who hears me right now. I want the entire world to know just how much I am in love with Jayden, and I make that clear when he pushes me over the edge.

   “Fuck Jayden, yes!” I shout as my eyes come up to meet his.

   “Oh God, Mireya!” he shouts back as I feel his semen fill me for the first time.  He just seems to go on and on forever as he slowly pumps his hips into me as he continues to cum deep within me.

   I’ve never been so happy and scared at the same time.  What if I get pregnant and he decides I’m not really good enough to be a billionaire’s wife?  What will I do then?

   I can’t sleep after that.  Long after Jayden falls asleep, I sit there on the edge of the bed staring at him, worried about tomorrow and our entire future together.  He makes everything sound so easy, but in the world where I live –the real world- nothing is ever really that simple.

  What if tomorrow in front of the board, we fail to keep him in control?  Or afterwards at the ball, what if he decides Vanessa is better for him than I am?

   So many things could go wrong tomorrow and I’m petrified that one of those things could come true.  Tomorrow morning could change everything.