Chapter 37
Chace crawls out of bed to go to the bathroom to check on Rylie when he hears the doorbell ringing. He grabs his pants and puts them on to go downstairs to answer it.
Leland and Sander are at the door they have several clothing bags and breakfast.
"What's all this?" Chace looks at the clothing bags they are bringing into the house. They take them to the breakfast area laying them on the table.
"I stopped by your house and got you some more clothes. I figured you would need them. Rylie's townhouse has been cleared for her to go back to it but under the circumstances I'm guessing you don't want her there. We went in and got a few things out of her closet. Maybe there's a dress in here she can wear to the cocktail party tonight. We don't really know we just thought..... How is she?" Leland asks.
"I'm not sure, she got another message from her sister. She wants her to help her come in." Chace tells them looking into the breakfast bag Leland set on the table.
"Damn, she's got shitty timing. We....ah.....checked in on her neighbor?" Leland remarks.
"What did you find out?" Chace takes a coffee out of one of the containers drinking it.
"He wasn't there, he's got a dog and a telescope sitting in his living room. We didn't break in or anything, we could see it through the window." Sander quickly explains catching the warning look on Chace's face.
"Don't let her worry about this we're going to get the bastard, the dog looks like he had enough food and water in his bowls just for the day, we might have just missed him. We found out he paid one of the employee's off at the medical supply store. We got his car description and tag number from the security gate cameras at your father's house. We're checking into some other things he's done." Sander further explains.
"He did all of this to come after Rylie....she was living next door to him, why now? Did her moving away set him off? Chace wonders.
"Chace, I don't think it mattered that she moved away, we found out he's been around Braxton Holdings maybe as early as yesterday. He may have already knew where she worked." Leland says.
Chace narrows his eyes in angry disbelief. "Did you check with security, the cameras out front.....? What about the parking garage, did he vandalized her car?"
"We don't know for sure, we got security going back over the cameras again, we'll have something more to tell you by this evening." Leland comments.
"Alright, she wants to go to the cocktail party tonight so we're going, I want that place surrounded, if he comes near the place, I want him." Chace's jaw clenches, his brow is creased. The anger in him is palpable.
"We got it covered, you going back to your father's house today?" Sander asks.
"No....I'm going to spend the day with her I think she needs to get away from all of this." He says wanting to lighten the mood.
Chace gives them further instructions to bump up security on his father's house and where they are now. They discuss the things they need to do to make his family safe. He wants someone to check out Rylie and Monique's childhood home. Sander and Leland tease him a little after he tells them he's going to take Rylie shopping today and do whatever she wants.
After they leave he grabs one of the bags containing his clothing and another bag that has some clothing in it for her.
Entering the master bedroom he lays the clothes on the bed then goes toward the open bathroom door. She's not there. He's not sure where she's at when he comes out. Looking around the room he hears a sound coming from the closet.
Going into it he finds her sitting on the floor with her legs raised, her head resting on her knees. She's dressed in a fresh pair of midnight blue panties and bra.
"Hey, talk to me I'm worried about you." He sits next to her on the floor.
"You know you should run from me as fast as you can, I'm such a mess." She says wrapping her arms around her.
"What if I don't want to run, what if I want to stay?" He lightly caresses her cheek. She turns her head to face him.
"Chace, I don't know where this is all headed. My sister called again after I came out of the shower. I just let the phone ring. I couldn't answer it, I don't know what to say to her. I'm so angry about everything."
"Ry....it's normal to feel this way. You're feeling betrayed she's your family you wanted to see the good in her. She's in a tough situation I'm sure she's scared and lonely." Chace slides his fingers through hers holding them to his lips for a kiss.
"So was I Chace when my parents died, when I had to go live with an aunt I really didn't know much about. When I went off to college without anyone there to tell me it was going to be alright. She was.....I don't know where she really was for six years. I accepted her without question because I was scared and alone." Rylie says leaning on his shoulder he wraps his arm around her.
"You don't have to be scared or alone anymore. I'm here and I'm not going anywhere without you." He squeezes her to him.
"I'm broken Chace and I'm scared to go in a closet. I know I have to do it so I came in here then I couldn't get up to leave." She says tears in her eyes she refuses to let fall. He wonders to himself how she could ever think he would leave her. It frustrates him that he can't give her what she deserves. He picks her up carrying her out of the closet sitting her on the bed next to the bags of clothes.
"Leland and Sander were here, they brought us some clothes. Rylie I don't want to have to keep apologizing to you for all of this, just know that I'm going to fix it. I don't want you to ask me how, just know it's going to be taken care of." Chace tells her.
"Ok, now you're scaring me what exactly does that mean? I don't want you to do anything that's going to take you away from me. If she calls again I'll talk to her."
"I think you should, she's about to have a baby she's going to need some help. I'm going to handle everything else don't ask me how." She can hear the finality in his voice. She lets the subject drop for a while deciding to return to it later afraid of what he might do.
She's looking through the bags of clothes pulling out a pair of jeans and shirt. She finds a jacket to wear and some shoes.
"Chace, I've got a dress I can wear tonight but I need shoes. You know what that means don't you." She says in a singsong way.
He groans resting his head on her shoulders. "Shopping.... you're going to drag me shopping." He says with a petulant pout.
"Didn't you just tell me I can have what I want?" She nuzzles his cheek until he lifts his head for a quick kiss.
"That's not what I said....I didn't say....." She grabs his face biting his bottom lip then soothing it with her tongue. He moans wrapping his arms around her. She slides her tongue in his mouth for a sensual kiss. He lays her on the bed on top of the clothes deepening the kiss. It's noon by the time they are dressed and headed out to a shopping mall.
Gavin is leaving Ivana's apartment and walking through the parking lot next to the apartment building. A SUV pulls up behind him he turns around seeing it. Turning back around he starts walking fast to his car. When he gets there a man wearing a black suit with a headpiece in his ear is leaning against the driver's side door. Gavin looks around him finding two other men standing nearby.
"You need to come with us." The man leaning against his car says. The two other men escort him to the SUV that was following him shoving him inside. He's driven to the metro station and told to get out. Another car not far away honks. The men escorting him push him toward it. "Get in." He's ordered. Gavin looks at his surroundings then gets in the car.
"How was your date Mr. Rosedale?" Senator Layton turns to face him in the car. Gavin's upper lip is already sweating.
"Senator....I didn't expect to hear from you today." Gavin's fingers find the door handle, he can feel that it's locked.
"I'm sure you didn't, I didn't save your ass from getting killed by Asa James that night you tried to sneak into the Mansion because I'm a nice guy Gavin. I kept Asa and his men off of you because you said you could help me find Monique Cameron and take care of her for me. She's still missing and pregnant and you seem distracted from our arrangement. I'm not paying your expenses so you can date employees of Braxton Holdings." The Senator says.
"I'm really not dating her sir I'm using her to get information about the Cameron sisters. Neither of the Cameron women have been back to the townhouse. I'm trying to do what you asked me to do. Rylie Cameron is staying at Richard Braxton's house." Gavin quickly explains.
"Yes....I'm already aware of that. She is not the Cameron sister I'm concerned about. The reason she's staying with Richard Braxton is because of you. Don't bother denying it, I can get to people you can't Gavin. There were police at his house yesterday, I suspect it's because of something you did. Don't play me for a fool, I'm going to the cocktail party tonight that Braxton Holdings is giving. Just remember if I hear something that tells me where Monique Cameron is before you do and I have to take care of her myself, I don't need you anymore." The Senator responds. The locks to the door click. Gavin almost falls out of the car when the door is opened by one of the Senator's men and he's pulled out of the car and left in the parking lot as they drive off.
Chace is sitting on a couch in the shoe section of Neiman Marcus as Rylie tries on several pairs of shoes. He's received several updates from Leland and Sander on the things he asked them to check on. Some of the information he's disturbed by.
Rylie is trying to get his attention to show him three pairs of shoes she doesn't know which pair to get. Chace gets up from his seat and tells the salesman standing nearby holding one of the shoes in his hand to ring up all three pairs of shoes. "You look good in all of them, I'm sure you'll need them." He shrugs his shoulders.
Rylie smiles inwardly but shakes her head at him. She knows this isn't something he really wants to do but is making an effort for her. She takes pity on him after dragging him through the jewelry department. They have a late lunch in one of the nearby restaurants then move on to their next shopping stop.
As they go through the furniture store looking at sofas Rylie starts to think about her townhouse. "I feel uncomfortable doing this. I already have a house when are the police going to release it for me to go back in to it." She remarks finding a chair she seems to like.
"Leland told me this morning the police released your house for you to go back that's how they got your clothes out. You'll get official notification on Monday." Chace reveals. Rylie stops walking taking a seat in one of the chairs.
"What else did Leland and Sander tell you this morning?" She ask him as he takes a seat on the couch across from her.
"Nothing I want to discuss here. I told you don't worry about it you buying that chair?" He tries to change the subject.
"Don't worry about it means I should worry about it. You know you haven't told me if I'm getting promoted or not tonight? Don't think I haven't thought about it." Rylie comments.
"Good, focus on that instead of your sister and what the hell Gavin's doing. You'll know soon enough." He says, she gets up shaking her head at him moving on.
Rylie does buy the chair she sat in along with a sofa, coffee tables and a dining room table they pick out together. They fuss over some art work in an art store and where it should go. The sales woman ask Chace how long they've been married when she hears them fussing with each other over a picture for a dining room space. Rylie has a wide grin on her face as she meets Chace's blushing gaze. She ends up being the one to say they are not married.
They stop at the beauty salon they went to when they first met to get their hair done again. She watches him again get his shave only this time it's with pride when she sees other women looking at him. He catches her eye and winks at her. Some of the women watching him turn and look at her, some smile a knowing smile while others smirk at her.
Chace wants to make a short stop at a Target now he likes the place. Rylie's going up and down the aisles looking for him telling him to hurry up he keeps grabbing things that he can get another day. By the time they get to the register they have to get in a full service line instead of a ten items or less one like Rylie anticipated.
Chace is mostly silent on the drive back to the new house realizing he hasn't been to his own home and hasn't thought about going there. He doesn't want to spend a night away from her and he can't kid himself that it's because of the turmoil happening. Admitting to himself and her that he loves her was a big step for him. Their romance has been plagued by so much and yet it's still blossomed. He doesn't want to stay in separate houses when this is all over. He sneaks a look at her, she's looking out the window, the phone Monique gave her is held tightly in her hand. She keeps sneaking a look at it.
Chace is dressed in his tux and downstairs checking his messages again waiting on Rylie. She's standing in front of the bathroom mirror checking her makeup again for the umpteenth time. Her dress is a one shouldered champaign colored gown with sheered tiers that circle below her waist. She's wearing a pair of open toed pumps in a matching color they had to go to three stores to find. Chace picked out the long drop diamond earrings and bracelet she's wearing. She thought it too much money to spend but he insisted. She really likes the earrings and has always wanted a nice pair like them but has never been able to afford such a luxury. Staring at them in the mirror makes her think of where she is in her life.
It is a mess but it's also the happiest she's ever been personally. Chace makes her happy. She's been so focused on getting a promotion for so many years and now she hasn't thought about the executive position she put in for that much for quite some time until today. She still wants it, but she wants a life with this beautiful man more. She takes a look at herself from the side. She got her period a few days ago and her bloating is gone. When she told Chace he seemed a little disappointed, his reaction surprised her but he didn't say much else about it. She hasn't thought about children so much until she found out Monique was pregnant. After breaking up with Mason she focused on her career. She now thinks about family constantly that she's with Chace.
Rylie finally comes down the stairs meeting Chace at the bottom. He looks so damn fine in his black tux. She's smiling so hard she doesn't care if her cheeks hurt later tonight.
"You're always beautiful but tonight Rylie you're gorgeous." Chace says with a huge smile on his face as he helps her down the last step into his arms to hug her.
"You ready for this?" He kisses her on the temple. She's breathing in his scent ready to take him back up the stairs and forget about going to the party.
"Are you going to tell me if I'm getting promoted tonight before we get there?" Rylie is holding onto the lapel of his tux. He kisses her on the cheek to avoid smearing her lipstick. "Nope." He holds her wrap coat open for her to slide her arms into.
"I'm going to remember this later tonight you know." She squints her eyes at him.
"Bribery is not an option sweetheart, I'm not telling you." He says pulling her by the hand out the door.
Jayson is having a drink in the kitchen of Margo's house trying not to spill anything on his tux. He slams the empty glass on the kitchen counter then goes looking for his wife. He needs liquid courage tonight when his father sees that he's bringing her to the company party. Going to the stairs he's ready to yell for her when he sees her walking down the stairs.
She looks sophisticated something he isn't used to seeing from her. Her hair is cut in a neat bob that stops in length at her neck. Her midnight blue back out, v-cut bodice evening gown is modest compared to the hoochie style cutout dresses she would normally wear to such events before their legal separation.
"Well come on, we're going to be late." Jayson frowns not wanting to give her a compliment.
"Jayson.....you piece of handsome shit. The least you can do is tell me I look nice. I'm trying, can you?" Margo says taking the last stair to stand in front of him.
"You look.....beautiful. You always have been a beautiful woman Margo." He kisses her on the cheek then grabs her wrap from the stair railing putting it on her shoulders. She smiles at him.
Ivana is at her apartment waiting on Gavin. He agreed to go to the party with her but where is he. She checks her phone again calling him for the eight time. He told her he would be over between eight and eight-thirty. It's ten after nine and she hasn't heard from him since he left her earlier today. She doesn't want to be too late to the party. She had planned to introduce Gavin to her father tonight. Her father has called her twice. What is she going to tell him now? She's sure Chace is going to show up with Rylie on his arm.
Ivana grabs her coat from her sofa, her purse and keys from the kitchen counter. Once she gets outside she hurries to her car completely missing that Gavin's car is parked a few car spaces behind hers. She's fuming she has to drive herself to the party, she could have road with her father.
Monique Cameron can't take the pain anymore, she's worried about the baby and trying to remember if it's her thirty fifth or sixth week, she's moved around so much and lost track. With no Kayla around she hasn't been back to the doctor. She's renting a room in an elderly woman's house and she's been calling for her but there's no answer. Monique manages to get out of the big chair sitting next to her bed. She uses her hands to steady herself on the arms of the chair but she can't stand up straight the pain is so intense. She stumbles her way to the door getting it open she hollers for the woman that owns the house.
The owner of the house is in her kitchen baking cookies and has a mixer turned on. She jumps when she turns the mixer off hearing the yell coming from the stairs. Running out of the kitchen she looks up the stairs Monique is trying to make her way down them. She can't go any further she has to sit on the steps. The lady tells her don't move. She runs back to the kitchen to get her phone then returns to where Monique is on the stairs. She's already called 911. Monique tries to stop her but she's in so much pain.
"Something's wrong Monique yells, I can't have this baby yet, don't call....don't call." She tries to reach for the phone from the woman and hold her stomach at the same time.
"I've already called them." The woman says. "They have me on hold. We're just waiting for someone to get here." She remarks. Monique leans back on the stairs and starts to cry, her baby has sealed her fate.
**Thanks for Reading. (Please VOTE and leave Comments if you like)
Ol' boy.... Maybe they can get in one dance at least.
If Monique has the baby someone will have to care for it will it be Jayson and Margo OR; Rylie and Chace. She's going to be in jail.
Will Gavin show his face at the party?