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12
The trip back to the island took about two hours. I canceled the rest of my engagements for the day. After meeting Waylon and Kenzie, all I wanted was to see Arianna. Something had changed. For the first time in years, this meeting did not affect me as it would have in the past.
Philip, our retired butler, looked up from his newspaper and smiled when I rounded the corner. He chose to stay at the estate since he had no family. He sat at his usual spot that overlooked the beach where he liked to spend time with a cup of tea.
“Hey, Philip, how’s your day?”
“It’s a great afternoon, Orlando. The weather is good for a walk.” A fond smile graced his lips. Philip was nearing eighty. He kept Grandpapa company.
“Where’s Boxer?”
“Oh, he’s with Arianna.” His eyes crinkled with laughter, and his features softened when he spoke her name. “They’re inseparable these days.”
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Resisting Her 13
The wind ruffled my hair. The sounds of the beach were so lively and relaxing. After being a workaholic for years, it would be a lie if I said this forced vacation didn’t relax me.It felt like a long time since I’d enjoyed some family time. However, I also missed being at work. The constant itch to check on my emails was still there. I refrained from doing so because I promised Enrique. Another round of laughter caught my attention.Arianna––the mere name gave me a reason and pinned me in place. While everyone drank and chattered away, I sat there on the beach chair, sipping my beer.I let my gaze sweep around the beach. Arianna was in the water with the girls, playing and laughing. The sight of her smiling face brought a smile on my own. A sigh passed my lips. I could watch her smile all day.My hands went to my pockets out of habit, only to realize I was in swim trunks. Reaching for the phone on the table, I made a quick call to
Resisting Her 14
“Coward,” I spat for the third time that night as I gazed into the mirror. “Why can’t you just do this one thing you want the most? Fucking coward.”I despised seeing myself in the mirror. I’m a fool. I clenched my fists, suppressing the urge to hit the mirror. But I had to walk away to protect my heart and my sanity. Even a hot shower didn’t help to calm my rattling nerves.Boxer had snuck into Grandpapa’s room earlier, leaving me alone. Opening the cabinet, I took the pills, inspecting the bottle. Not that I needed it, but after what I went through, I wasn’t sure. The sex stamina pill was promising, but then our relationship would be built on a lie. Besides the bottle, the condoms I bought last week seemed to laugh at me. What was I thinking?Self-doubt is the worst poison. With a sigh, I placed it where it belonged. Let her hate me or think I wasn’t worth it. But how could I talk ab
Resisting Her 15
“Here’s your coffee, sir.”I thanked Sheila and sipped the hot heaven, sighing in bliss. There was so much to do before I left for the business trip. The two weeks off had been wonderful. While I would give anything to re-live those two weeks, work consumed me. There were so many proposals and reports that required my attention.Two days had passed, and all I ever did was eat and work. I hardly had time to sleep with everything I had to do. Arianna was constantly at the back of my mind. Her face popped up in my mind in between, and she had called twice, which I missed.My headache returned as I skimmed through the papers. The investors in Europe needed numbers, and fortunately, we covered it already.“Have the reports ready this evening. I––”My cell phone blared for the sixteenth time, ruining my mood as Isabela’s name flashed on the screen. I’d deal with her in court. I turned the phone on sil
Resisting Her 16
The chilly wind tussled my hair as I moved closer to hear the conversation. Light from a distant post illuminated the sides of their faces.“You already lost me, Brian,” I heard her say. The fury in her voice was a soothing balm to my jealousy.“Hear me out, please. I lied to you. Alana was the first one I met. My parents wanted us to get married. But then, one day, I bumped into you and got intrigued. I wanted to get to know you better. I fell in love with you and even broke up with Alana.” That son of a bitch ranted, and his voice grew desperate.I clenched my fists and forced my tense shoulders to relax. Arianna folded her hands over her chest and faced the bastard. “So, you were seeing each other.”“Kind of.” Brian averted his gaze.“There can be only one answer to this question, Brian. It’s either yes or no.”Atta girl! Speaking of which, I shouldn’t stay.
Resisting Her 17
The plane touched down at the destination airport, jerking me out of my thoughts. I rubbed my eyes and stretched my aching limbs. Sleep evaded me the entire flight, as I could only think about her.Sheila had booked the tickets in economy since first class was full. First class sure had its perks when compared to economy. But the discomfort mattered less when I thought about the day I got to spend with Arianna.An hour and a long line to immigration later, Sheila greeted me at baggage claim. Her shoulders sagged with relief as she checked the time.“Here.” She handed me a steaming cup of coffee and a sandwich once inside the car. “Your flight arrived on time. We have enough time to make a quick stop at the hotel before heading over to our first meeting.”With a nod, I bit into the sandwich, glad to have something to my liking, unlike the food they served during the flight. The aroma of the coffee lifted my mood considerably. Sheila
Resisting Her 18
Orlando CortezWhen I left for the Europe trip, she was the last person I expected to stumble upon. Last night, she was at the party. Sheila told me about the business gathering when I got back from a meeting with Colossal Inc. It was a last-moment invitation. Who’d have invited me to the party? I got my answer when I reached the venue. When Sheila stressed that most of the people I was visiting during this trip would be there, and it would help to build a rapport, I agreed.The evening started off well, meeting and greeting business prospects until my eyes fell on her. Dressed in a shimmery outfit that bared her midriff and revealed her long, tan legs, Kenzie stood there, gaze fixated on me.What is she doing here? I scanned the room, finding Desmond not too far from her, perched on a barstool, sipping a fancy drink. I turned around, not wanting to meet her gaze. But less than a minute later, I felt her arm snak
Resisting Her 19
Arianna SwansonThe sun’s rays infiltrated through the dark curtains. It did little to lift my spirits. My phone lay on the bedside table. No calls. No messages. Three days had passed, and it killed me from the inside out. Rosie called, complaining I was shutting her out again, but I was barely getting through one day at a time. This morning was no different.My body swayed when I slipped out of the bed. I gripped the wall, steadying myself, and made it to the bathroom. The next thing I knew, I was puking my guts out.“Oh, fuck,” I groaned, reaching for the tissues. I hadn’t puked since my seventeenth birthday. My eyes rolled into my skull as I rested my head on the edge of the bathtub, waiting for the moment to pass.It felt like a great achievement when I finally got dressed for the day. Only I couldn’t make it to work. This was the worst time to catch the stomach flu. Patrick, the bulldog of the office, wo
Resisting Her 20
Orlando CortezDead. She’s dead. Inhaling, I closed my eyes. Martha Pennington, the only witness, was dead for three years. Despite what our legal team claimed, I didn’t think we stood a chance with the drunken video we had in hand. The man who sat across the table could be useful.“Here’s your drink, sir.”The waitress placed the tray of drinks on our table before leaving. I picked up the glass of water and sipped it, all the while eying the shaking male in front of me.Andrew Pennington, Martha’s son and our only hope, grabbed the glass of whiskey, gulping it in one go. When Marcus tracked him to a rundown apartment at Vegas, where he lived by taking multiple jobs, I had him flown down here.The guy, now in his early forties, looked like shit. And I assumed his battered coat had seen worse. The bags under his eyes and the five-day beard proved my theory. He could use a d
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