Author: Teresa Mummert

“You gonna let your little brother tag along?” His brother was sixteen and on his way to becoming a full-fledged tool just like Drake.

“Yeah, but if he gives me any shit he’s going overboard.”

I smiled as I slipped into the passenger seat of his white Land Rover. Jimmy coming meant his tutor would be coming. I hadn’t met her yet and Drake went on and on about how much he wanted to fuck her.

“I just want to go to the spa.” Mindy was in the back seat inspecting her nails.

“You’ll get your chance, baby. I want to get on the water for a few hours. Then we can party all night at the villa. You chicks can do whatever you want from there.” He craned his neck to watch her in the mirror.

I put down my window and inhaled the salty smell of the ocean. Drake cranked the air conditioning and it brought me back to Amber yelling at me for letting all the bought air out. My cell phone rang and I pulled it out of my pocket, rolling my eyes.

“Yeah?” I answered and looked over at Drake. “Some chick from the club last week,” I whispered to him before focusing on my call.

“Some chick? I thought I was more special to you,” Brock joked.

“This important? I’m kind of busy.” I looked over at Drake, who was flipping through the satellite radio stations for a decent song.

“You think I called you to talk about the stripper I banged last night? She was fucking kinky and the shit she did with her tongue…mind-blowing.”

I laughed and shook my head, glad to have thousands of miles between myself and that fucking pervert, but he was the only connection to my old life. Part of me missed him because he reminded me of the fact that Rose was real, not just a figment of my imagination.

“Get to the point.”

“Where are you? You are supposed to check in at Las Vegas in two days.”

“I’ll be there.” My tone was less playful. I knew they still didn’t trust me after what had happened in New York, but I had more than proven myself to be loyal in the last four years.

“Don’t be late.”

I hung up the phone and slid it into my pocket as I turned up the radio and let the noise drown out my thoughts.

My only goal in life was to find Rose and make sure that her life had changed for the better. I needed to know that her story didn’t end back in New York. There was only one place I knew that she would come, but so far all of my leads had been dead ends. I drifted in and out of memories until the car finally pulled to a stop by the water.

As I stepped onto the boat, it swayed in the water. I preferred to keep myself on dry land. No need to test fate more than I already had.

“Hey, Cam.” Jimmy was sprawled out on a lounge chair on the deck of the boat, his hands behind his head.

“How’s it going, Jimmy?”

He shrugged and gave me smile, his mouth full of braces. He looked exactly like I would picture Drake at his age.

“He’s living the good life.” Drake patted me on the shoulder as he boarded the boat.

“Must be nice.”

“I’ve seen your car, Cam. You’re living it too.” Jimmy seemed so much younger than I had at his age. I was already dealing with abuse and neglect and struggling to protect the girl I loved at sixteen. That gave me hope. The world wasn’t such a bad place. It wasn’t great for everyone but a lucky few get to grow up as children and not have the burden of the world on their shoulders.

“You bring a chick?” Jimmy asked as he looked around me.

“Just me, Jimmy. You know I can’t be tied down.” I smiled, but my chest tightened. It was easy to become a new person. To fake a past and create false memories, but denying that I had ever loved felt like the ultimate act of betrayal.

“I hear that.” He sat up and slapped my hand in some weird handshake that I never did understand. I bumped my fist against his and walked around his chair to stare off at the ocean. Mindy slid beside me, her arm against mine as she leaned over the railing with a mischievous smile on her face.

“Not much of a sailor?” She nudged me playfully.

“I prefer my feet on solid ground. You keep your head in the clouds.”

She feigned being offended as she bumped into me again. I was bored with her flirting and while it was nice to have friends, I trusted and became close to no one. It hurt too much to have them ripped away.

“You flirtin’ with my girl?” Drake came up behind us and flung his arm over Mindy’s shoulders. I gave my biggest smile even though I knew this asshole took every opportunity he could to cheat on Mindy.

“How could I not?”

“I’ll let you have seconds!” He laughed and Mindy jammed her elbow in his ribs, not having to fake her anger.

“You asshole!” she yelled and stalked off to the back of the boat to mingle with others.

“You have a way with woman.” I looked back out over the water.

“It’s a gift.” He shrugged as he tapped his fingers absentmindedly against the boat.

“Speaking of which, I invited a few hotties along for you.”

I rolled my eyes as I cracked my neck.

“I know. I know. You are picky as shit, but these chicks are prime, man. One of them is the heir to diet-pill fortune and the other is the daughter of an actor. You can’t go wrong.”

“Have you slept with either of them?”

“I had to check out the merchandise.” He smirked and I had to restrain myself from knocking him over the railing. “Let’s grab a drink and I’ll introduce you.”

The party was in full swing and by that I mean all of the guys were wasted on wine coolers and the women looked bored but hopeful they would get their claws into a man with money. Tiffany, the daughter of the prominent actor, had been talking my ear off for an hour about the plight of being the child of a famous actor. Her bottled blonde hair hung dead straight down her back, her eyes, green and virtually lifeless.

I filled her in on what it is like to be an agent who jet sets around the world discovering promising young talent, such as herself. It was the perfect cover to explain away my constant travel. It also made me a magnet for young women with severe self-esteem issues, which I could have lived without. I was only in California for one reason.

When the boat finally docked, I stumbled. I had only nursed one glass all night but had left everyone under the impression I was wasted. I couldn’t take another minute of this fake existence. Tiffany grabbed my wrist and pulled my arm over her shoulders.

“I have to go change for the party. You wanna come help me pick out something to wear?” She pushed out her lower lip in a fake pout.

“I’d love to but I think I’ve had a little too much to drink. I think I should lie down.”

“We could do that too.” She giggled and I rolled my eyes, pulling my arm off her so I could retrieve my hotel key card.

“Bonfire in twenty.” Drake swiped his card before I could and pulled open the private entrance to the Hotel Loriette.

“I may be a little late. I think I’m a little seasick.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of him.” Tiffany snuggled into my side. I carefully pried her off my body.

“No. You should go to the spa with the girls. I’ll be out later. I promise.” I winked at her and she smiled brightly as she wrapped her arm in Mindy’s and they took off ahead of us to discuss their pampering.

“You sure you’re all right?” Drake asked, and I nodded as we entered the elevator. He swiped his card again and hit the button for the sixth floor. I pressed five and tried not to smile. I would finally have a moment’s peace.

I stepped off on my floor after assuring everyone I would make an appearance later on. After I safely navigated the halls to my room and stepped inside, I found my luggage, which I’d had delivered before the trip, tucked away in the closet. I pulled it out and tossed it onto the bed. I grabbed an old pair of jeans and a navy-blue T-shirt.

I watched the clock on the wall and waited until I knew all of the guests from our group would be enjoying their bonfire on the beach and the women would be off doing their own thing.

I grabbed my cell phone and dialed the hotel.

“Hotel Loriette, how may I assist you?”

“My name is Roland Pittman, head of security for Mr. Loriette.”

There was a brief pause as the young woman tried to process what I was saying.

“Yes of course. How may I help you, sir?”

“Mr. Loriette would like to make an appearance at the hotel this the evening. I’ll need to make sure the security is up to par.”

“Well, of course. We are fully staffed for the weekend.”

“Great. That’s good to hear. I’ll also be needing a list of the guests staying for the next two days.”

“I’m not sure I can do that, sir.”

“Look, I’m not supposed to tell you this, but you’re putting me in a tight position. A former friend of Mr. Loriette’s may be here this weekend, and since his plans have changed and his wife has decided to join him, things could get a little messy. We wouldn’t want that for him.”

“Of course not, sir.”

“I just need to know if a woman by the name of Ruby Hayes has checked in within the last forty-eight hours. Can you do that for me, sweetheart? It would make Mr. Loriette very happy.”

I listened to her type away on her computer as she searched for the guest in her system.

“Oh, my. She checked in a few hours ago into room 512. Her room was paid for by a Mr. Drake Morrison. I will send security up to her room now.”

“No. that won’t be necessary. Discretion is key. We wouldn’t want any compromising photographs being leaked, if you know what I mean. I’ll make sure to handle this personally.” I hung up and slipped out of my room. My heart was thudding in my chest as I counted down the rooms.

This was my last lead, my last hope before I was off to Vegas on another job. I stopped in front of room 512, closed my eyes, and knocked.

“Who is it?” a woman called out from the other side of the door.

“I’m looking for Ruby Hayes.”

The door pulled open an inch and I stuck my foot inside of it and pushed it open so I could enter. I slammed it behind me as her eyes went wide and her lips parted slightly like she was in shock. I slid my hand over her mouth and pushed her against the wall, pinning her body there with mine.

“Rose…” I whispered as my eyes danced over her. Her hair was now a natural shade of auburn and cut to her shoulders, with long bangs that hung to the side of her sun-kissed skin. “I’ll move my hand, but you have to promise me you won’t scream. Okay?”

After a few seconds she nodded her head and I let my fingers slide off her lips. She stared at me in shock as if she were looking at a ghost.

“How?” Was the only word she spoke.

“I wouldn’t kill myself, Rose. I would never leave you like that.” Her hands were pressed against my chest and electricity shot from every point of contact between us. “I know so many things were left unanswered and I want to explain them all to you. I know I don’t deserve it.”

“I don’t know where to begin.”

“Ask me anything. I promise you I will answer you truthfully.” I pushed my forehead against hers as my hands slid down her sides, resting on her hips.

“Do you love me?”

I pushed my lips hard against hers. Her hand slid up my neck and into my hair. I pulled back, panting.

“My love for you is the only thing I’ve ever been sure of.”

She smiled and pulled my lips back to her, kissing me softly. I groaned and lifted her against me as her legs wrapped around my waist.

“I thought I lost you.” She squeezed her eyes shut as she slowly shook her head in disbelief.

I pushed her hair back from her face, stroking it softly.