Killian’s eyes narrow.
“I didn’t want to go, but I knew he wouldn’t like that. I went into the bathroom to text you and Susanna because I really didn’t wanna go. And he was getting – manic. Suse was staying with me to help me g-get through the breakup but she wasn’t back yet. I changed the locks, but he was inside.”
“He’s good with lock-picking. I’ve seen him pick ‘em.”
News to me, but I don’t bother saying so.
“So, he found his clothes weren’t in my closet and the lock had been changed and he sort of tackled me to make me keep my voice down when your brother got to the door and we went tumbling into the tub.”
“He hurt you?”
“I’m okay.”
“Where are his clothes at?”
“I don’t know about what he took to Atlantic City, don’t know if he brought that stuff back, but his other stuff, I put into boxes in my coat closet the day after he left to work for you.”
“You were ending it.”
“Yeah. I was gonna – try. A-again.”
I added the again so he’d know I’d tried before. For some reason I want him to know I want no part of Ray. Haven’t for a while.
“Again,” he parrots.
“Yeah.”
“Hm.”
He stares at me and I’m uncomfortable under his gaze.
“Is it… uh… necessary to take me to your place?”
“It is.”
I swallow and stare out the windshield at the new red light we are stopped at.
“What if I-”
“No, Violet.”
I bite my cheek. “If you need me to pay-”
“Raymond needs to pay Raymond’s debt,” he states.
“Oh,” I whisper.
“What he did just won’t stand. I run a business where if I let people fuck me over, people will fuck me over. I’m sure you understand.”
The light turns green and we advance.
I want to ask, what if he doesn’t pay? But I don’t know if that’s a bad idea, so I don’t ask. Instead, I sit there, eyes aimed at the road.
A few minutes later we pull up to a high-rise condo and drive down a ramp into the underground parking garage.
A few minutes after that, we’re entering his penthouse apartment, him carrying the trash bags filled with clothes and shoes and me carrying my purse along with my bathroom gear duffle bag.
13
Violet
Killian’s penthouse apartment is unbelievably beautiful. If I’d been seeing it on a normal day instead of this crazy one, I would’ve had stars in my eyes.
Maybe I do despite my crazy day.
The place is massive with an incredible view. It’s a corner suite and while much of it is windows, where there are walls, they’re ivory with great architectural details. Wainscoting, chair rail, crown molding. The place has gleaming wood floors separated by area rugs bringing together different conversation and sitting areas within the space. The windows show off a stunning view of the skyline, including Fremont Bridge.
The massive kitchen faces the space with an island and gigantic range hood. It’s framed in with Greek-style columns and arches. Cabinets are all ivory wood above a gray and pink mosaic backsplash and blush pink marble countertops. I’ve never seen such pretty marble and despite the pink, this place isn’t screaming feminine. It’s screaming ‘gourmet cook’s kitchen’.
I’m gawking at the kitchen space and note he’s watching my reaction.
I blink hard. Wow.
The entire space in front of me is not only beautifully decorated, it’s warm and welcoming, too. Nice art adorns the walls and despite the biggest TV I’ve ever seen in someone’s house, it’s all very tasteful.
White sofas with patterned colorful throw pillows, glass with wood tables and lots of houseplants surround the TV area.
There’s another seating area with four club chairs and a low but large table in the center near a fireplace. In addition to that is a massive formal dining table with eight high-back ivory fabric chairs surrounding a dark wood table. Under the eight-seater dining table, the conversation area, and the sofa area are beautiful off-white area rugs with a squiggly silver pattern through them. One area has a square rug. Another a large oval one and another, a rectangle.
This place, the colors, the view, it has a great vibe. The furnishings are comfortable – this space is designed for enjoyment and comfort. Serenity blended with wealth that doesn’t say ostentatious.
A wall of wine bottles near the dining table stands out with soft lighting glowing from behind. Everything gleams. There’s not a speck of dust anywhere.
I see through the doors at the edge of the living space a huge patio. I take a couple steps toward it and stare out the window. Maybe I do have stars in my eyes after all…
“Violet,” he says from behind me and it’s very close behind me. In fact, I feel the warmth of his breath on my neck.
I shiver in reaction.
“Your home is lovely,” I say softly, turning to face him. “No. That’s not a good enough word. It’s so inviting and it’s… it’s… perfection. I would not change one single thing.”
Shit is suddenly real here. I’m in Killian Coulter’s apartment, taken as a marker for my supposed fiancé’s debts. It’s surreal.
“Thank you. I’ll show you the bedroom,” he remarks, eyes burning into me and his jaw clenching, though I don’t know why. He isn’t radiating anger… I’m not sure what he’s feeling right now. I suspect it’s the opposite, but I don’t know and even if I did, I’m not capable of doing anything other than following him on shaky legs.
Bedroom. Oh.
Oh my God. What?
He gestures to the kitchen area as we stroll past it. “There’s a hall through that door leading to the butler’s kitchen, pantry, and laundry room. My housekeeper does laundry on Mondays. I’ve got a cork board in there where I leave notes for her regarding what I’d like done. Feel free to use it.”
He puts the trash bags filled with my clothes and shoes down at the mouth of the hallway and gestures for me to follow across the gorgeous wood floors, past three doors into the master suite. Once he opens the doors, my breath is sucked out of me at the opulence and comfort. Both. Like the rest of the place, it has both.
We’re looking at a wall of windows that I see leads to that massive patio. In addition to the vast space with a huge king-size bed that’s positioned to make the most of the spectacular view is a nook bisected with a fireplace with two armchairs and a low table. On the other side of the fireplace is the entrance to the patio and to the left of that is another larger nook with a big and beautiful desk and a bookshelf filled with hardcover books. His home office. Added to that is a set of sliding doors that are open, revealing a massive walk-in closet with two leather chairs and glass doors on either side with a tallboy chest of drawers at the end. My eyes linger on the left side, which is empty, the right side is full. His and hers closets.
No hers stuff.
The master ensuite bathroom is dominated by the shower. In the corner is a step-up massive soaker tub. Finishing off the spa-like bathroom are his and her sinks with a vanity in the middle, a purple leather stool tucked underneath. The bathroom vanity has pale purple marble. Again, a touch of femininity but that wouldn’t overpower a masculine man like Killian. To me, I think this apartment was decorated for a masculine man who didn’t mind some feminine touches for the woman in his life.