Chapter Eight
Gordon
I was on my third shot of whiskey when I couldn’t stop thinking about Lindsey. I knew it was my cue to leave, and the other men looked like they were ready to join their ladies too.
“So,” Grant began, “Stacy heard about some huge ring you gave Lindsey. Are you serious about marriage?” he asked, sipping his cognac.
“Yes, I am. She’s the only fit for me.”
Darien added to the conversation. “That ring must’ve been in the millions. Did you get it from Fois Lure’s?”
“No, I got it from Decroix Jewelers. And yes, it’s about twenty million total.”
“Shit, that’s a bigger rock than what I got for Willow. I didn’t know Decroix had them that big,” Darien sighed, sipping his drink. It didn’t take a mind reader to know that he wanted a new ring for his wife as well.
“During your renewal of vows, you can,” Grant pointed out.
I agreed and we all returned to our drinks for a few more silent moments.
“Ahh, well, about time to see what my wife is up to,” Grant said, hopping off the barstool.
We all made our way to the door when Grant slapped my back with his hand and gave me a warning… of some sorts.
“I have to warn ya, Gordon. Lindsey is a tough one. Be good to her. She can kick ass. I know, she kicked mine once for being late to a doctor’s appointment for Stacy. Traffic was bad, but she took no excuses. Be ready to move heaven and earth, okay?” he teased.
“Thank you for the warning. I’ll take heed.”
We were in a bar that was still inside the hotels, so we separated and went our separate ways.
As soon as I saw our room door my cock twitched. Would Lindsey be laid out on the bed for an early honey moon? Was she busy getting strawberries and whip cream. My cock kept knocking at my boxers, needy to touch her gentle flesh with my hot dick.
The elevator stopped at my floor and I made a wild sprint down the hall to my door. I stopped and dug into my pocket. Both pockets. No key.
Didn’t matter.
I knocked waited for Lindsey to open the door, butt ass naked and ready for me. A few moments went by and there was silence. I placed my ear against the door to hear for any sounds and knocked again.
I was sure Lindsey had returned to the room. Was she hurt?
“Lindsey? Are you in there? Are you okay?” I asked through the door.
Silence.
I ran down the steps in the stair way and up to the front desk. They gave me another room key and I sped back upstairs to open the door. Something wasn’t right. My gut was tight and my breathing was off.
I opened the door and looked around the room. Lindsey was here. But not anymore. I looked around and saw it…
The ring, and under it a note.
I bolted over to it and read the note while I held the ring in my hand.
‘I really wanted to believe love existed.
But no man who hits my sister, or any woman at all could ever be my husband. Never contact me again. We’re through!’
The letter slipped out my hand as I reeled in the shock.
“Samantha,” I growled.
She didn’t want to see her sister Lindsey getting what she couldn’t.
If only I had told her sooner…
I rushed and packed up my shit and had my limo take me back to my jet. If I knew Lindsey just a little, I knew her fiery temper would mean a plane ticket back to the USA tonight.
Without me. And with Samantha.
Samantha wouldn’t have it any other way.
***
I settled down in my jet and took out my phone. I had Lindsey’s number on speed dial and called her. I waited while the phone rang. It rang a few times, and I ignored my gut feeling when it said she wouldn’t pick up.
So I tried again.
And again.
“Damn it!” I shouted, throwing my phone across the way into another seat. I raked my fingers through my hair and bent over, feeling my life crumble from under me.
The phone began to ring and I looked up. It was Lindsey’s number.
I snatched the phone out of the seat and answered it.
“Lindsey, please, let me expl—”
“Explain what?” Samantha said with a devilish laughter. “You think I was going to sit there and watch Lindsey get what I should’ve had? Hell, no. She’s not supposed to have better men than me. And you’re cream of the crop.”
I gripped my phone tighter, my lungs quivering. If only I could shout loud enough through the phone for Lindsey to hear me…
“Put Lindsey on the phone right now, Samantha. I’m done with you. Lindsey deserves more than you any day.”
Samantha growled. “Well, she’s still not getting you. Not after what I told her.”
“Where is she? Did you hurt her?!” At this rate my phone was going to break if I didn’t calm down.
I was full speed ahead on my jet back to the states, and as soon as my feet touched American ground, I was on my way to Lindsey’s place to tell her the truth.
“And pray tell, what did you tell her?” I asked, tapping my foot.
“Nothing you need to know about.”
“Samantha, I love Lindsey. There’s nothing you can do that will keep us apart.”
“…”
“Samantha?”
I looked at the phone and saw that it was disconnected. Fuck. I swallowed the rage I felt from being lied on and focused my energy on finding Lindsey so I could set this straight.
Still, it was dirty of Samantha to do this to her own blood. I didn’t particularly care for starting shit between anyone’s family members, but when it involved my own future wife, then all bets were off.
The truth was going to come out.
Hours later my plane lands back on American soil, and I hopped off the plane like my life depended on it. And in all honesty, it did. My wife, my future, my reputation, everything.
I rushed through to the entrance of the airport to meet my driver so I could race over to Lindsey’s place. But Richard was there at my car, waiting for me.
“Gordon. You better tell me you have good news,” he said with his arms crossed.
I frowned and got into the car.
“Wait, not even a hello? That’s not a good sign.”
Richard hopped into the driver’s seat.
“What happened to my regular driver?” I asked him. Richard laughed and sighed. “Dude, I want to be the first to know what happened with that red head of yours. Lindsey was it?”
“Damn it, Richard. I need to get to her address. So just punch it in the GPS, I need to get my future wife back.”
Richard’s facial expression dropped and he grew more serious. “Well, that’s both bad and good news. Let’s get her back then. What’s the address?”
I gave him the street address and we were off.
Since the occupancy of my vehicle was more than one, we were able to take advantage of the HOV lane. My head throbbed the whole time trying to think about what Samantha could’ve possibly—wait!
The letter.
It said something about hitting her…No. I never did and never would hit a woman. Fuck. And there was no telling what else she could’ve lied about.
“So is it love?” Richard questioned, keeping his eyes on the road.
The GPS said we had a ten minute ride, and it already began to feel like eternity.
“Yes, I love her. I need her. Not in the way that I need her for my money, but I need her because she’s the fire that’s missing in my life. She’s a spark of energy, and it’s refreshing.”
I burrowed my head in my hands.
“Why did she leave you then? What the hell happened?”
“Her sister was there—”
“Don’t tell me you tapped her sister!”
“I used to date her last year. She was a gold digger to the highest degree. She even forgot my name on a date once. I found out she was drinking down my money through a straw by hundreds of thousands and I cut her loose. She didn’t like that.
Now at the wedding of Lindsey’s friend, I saw her again. She didn’t know I was dating her sister. Now she lied to Lindsey and Lindsey left me.”
“Damn, Gordon…”
“Yes, it’s fucked up. But I’m going to get what’s mine.”
***
We stopped in front of her apartment building and I jumped out. I looked around to make sure I didn’t see any signs of Samantha. Richard got out too.
“You need me to come with you?” he asked, his eyebrows furrowed. He knew me all too well. I was anything but an abusive man.
“I’m good.”
I ran up the stairs and slid a card to pick the front door’s weak lock. I had no time to play mister nice guy. The hallways still smelled like Indian food with a dash of cigarette smoke. I made my way up the stairs and ran down to Lindsey’s door.
I straightened my jacket and knocked on her door.
I listened carefully to see if she was there. I heard no noise. There was no answer either.
I could’ve came back later. But my feet were unwilling to move until I saw her again. I called down to Richard on my phone.
“Richard, leave without me. There’s another contract that needs to be signed today and you’re the only one that can do it right now.”
Richard huffed on the phone. “Dude, the clock is ticking. You have only one more day. When women are mad, you’re gonna have to make a miracle to make them not mad at you.”
“I’m guessing you speak from experience?” I teased.