Zion stood looking out his living room window, but turned around when he heard Celine. She was wearing a pair of boots and a sweater dress. Her coat was thrown over her arm and her other hand clutched her luggage. Their time together had come to an end and she was leaving. He’d never had a problem telling a woman goodbye, so what was the issue with this one?
And he knew there was an issue. A major one. She’d been here only a week, but it was a week that would be etched in his memory forever. And during those seven days he had broken rules he’d sworn he would never break. Rules that had been the essence of his being. How was he going to recover from that?
How was he going to go back to the way things were before she’d invaded his life? Invaded his space? And now she was leaving. He would miss her. The last two nights had been extra-special. Having her in his bed all through the night and waking up with her in his arms had placed him on a plane he’d never reached before and doubted he ever would again.
He moved over to where she stood. “I wish you’d reconsider and let me take you to town.”
She shook her head. “No, I’ve called a car and this way is best. But I want to ask you to do me a favor.”
He smiled down at her. “What’s the favor?”
She hesitated a moment before saying, “I don’t know about the woman who broke your heart, Zion, but the pain is keeping you from ever loving another. At some point I hope you discover that what you have bottled up inside of you is wasted energy. And it’s negative. Replace it with positive energy and then make it useful. That’s the only way your heart will heal.”
When a car horn sounded, she smiled up at him. “Seems like my ride has arrived. Take care of yourself, Zion.”
He nodded. “And you take care of you.” Leaning down, he captured her mouth in a kiss he would store in his memory forever.
* * *
“What do you mean, you’re moving out?”
Celine glanced over at her father. Her plane had landed a few hours ago and her dad had been at the airport to pick her up. Now they were in his study and it was obvious he was not happy with how their conversation was going.
So far the media hadn’t gotten wind of Levy and Nikon’s plan of a fake kidnapping to boost the ratings of their star meters at her expense. She was grateful for that. Enough news would be made when she gave a public statement in a few days about her involvement with Second Chances. Leveling with her father was the first step.
“I’ll be twenty-five in a few months. It’s time I move out.”
“If you’re leaving because you’re upset with me, then...”
“Yes, I am upset with you, but that’s not why I’m moving out. Like I said, I’m almost twenty-five and it’s time to get my own place,” she told him. There was no need to add that she’d begun looking for a place on the internet while in Rome. She’d seen one that was in a good location and just what she thought she needed. After seeing it tomorrow, she would put down a deposit if she liked it, and move in.
“I’m asking you to reconsider moving out, especially now. The timing isn’t right. There is a possibility that kidnapping Nikon and I orchestrated will hit the news, especially if those men who were charged decide to talk. The three of us—me, you and Nikon—need to present ourselves as a united front until things die down. That also means you’ll need to present yourself as Nikon’s fiancée.”
“Absolutely not! I will not do such a thing, Dad. And if I’m ever asked, I’ll tell the truth—that at no time was there ever an engagement between me and Nikon. Nothing you say or do will make me change my mind about moving out or making it clear I am not engaged to Nikon.”
“Then that’s unfortunate.”
Celine watched as her father poured a drink of scotch from the decanter on his desk. She knew this move. Had seen it a thousand times. The drink was his reinforcement when he was intent on making her come around to his way of thinking. Such manipulations might have worked in the past, but they wouldn’t this time.
“I’ve apologized to you about what happened in Rome, Celine. And when you see Nikon, he will be apologizing, as well. Although your relationship with him was for PR, I truly believe he cares for you. I wish you could have seen how upset he was when we realized what those men were up to.”
“Spare me, Dad. The only person Nikon is concerned about is himself. As of today I am ending this farce about us even being a couple. I prefer not seeing him again.”
She knew her father hadn’t liked what she’d said. Too bad. She had meant every word of it. “Now if you will excuse me, I need to—”
“Ending your relationship with Nikon is your business. However, if you move out I will cut off your allowance,” her father stated angrily. “Then how will you take care of yourself? You’ve squandered your trust funds and don’t have a penny to your name. Did you not think I had ways of checking?”
Celine was certain he had, which was why she’d established a dummy bank account for his benefit. “Contrary to what you might think, Dad, I am not penniless. I guess now is a good time to give you this,” she said, opening her satchel and pulling out a folder. The same one she’d shared with Zion. She handed it to him.
“What’s this?” he asked, taking it and looking inside. Levy Michaels browsed through the brochures and then closed the folder and looked at her. “I’ve told you that I’m not donating to any of these places.”
“Doesn’t matter if you don’t, since the trust funds I got and the allowance you gave me in college were used to start that foundation. Second Chances is a five-year-old nonprofit company and it’s mine. Goodbye, Dad.”
Celine then turned and walked out of the study.