Vote/Comment!
Donovans apartment was the size of a luxury hotel but had some of the personality and charm of a Brooklyn studio. Hannah had informed me that the Upper East Side penthouse was the permanent residence of the Boss. It was also the permanent residence of Stone, who had an embroidered doggy bed that he laid on by the fireplace in the living room.
"This is the library. Believe it or not Donovan handpicked all the books in here with some help from his father." I looked at the built in shelves that covered all four walls. It was hard to believe that Donovan took time out of his schedule to pick out books when he hardly had time to eat breakfast in the morning.
"It's beautiful." I probably said for the tenth time that day.
"Isn't it. Aside from the business, it's the only thing his father passed on to him so he appreciates it a lot." She placed her hands on her hips. "Donovan has a sensitive-" her ringtone sounded before she could finish her statement. "Hello...no I can't do that without his permission...he's not even here..." Hannah held up her finger to me and then walked out of the library.
I didn't wait for her to return. I was getting anxious to see and talk to Donovan. There was also an unsettling feeling in my stomach that the large apartment made me vulnerable. Ashton could be anywhere. So I found my way back to Donovan's room and shut the door so that I could be in a smaller, more secure place.
I went into his walk-in closet which had rows of tailored suits, racks of designer ties, Italian leather shoes, and multiple watches behind a frosted glass case.
I grabbed a throw blanket from the room, returned to the closet, and shut my eyes, sinking into the plush rug that covered the space.
• • • • • •
My eyes only shot open when I heard the loud shutting of a door and through the open closet doorway I watched as Donovan sauntered into the room. He stopped just before the bed while stripping off his green shirt, then turned to see me cuddled in his closet.
"Comfortable?" He asked. I was a bit embarrassed by how I probably looked.
"I was scared." I admitted. He walked over to me with a low sigh.
"He's never going to be near you again." Donovan said but I wondered how he could be sure of that? "Did the check up with Thornton go well?"
"He said I'm okay but he wants to see me again if the bruises don't fully heal in a couple days."
"Bruises?" I nodded, showing Donovan my legs and pulling my shirt collar to the side so he could see my torso. The car accident and cuffs had taken a toll on my body even days later. There were several scratches on me as well but the doctor had been hopeful that those would heal in due time.
Donovan crouched down beside me to get a closer look. Then his eyes met mine with a tenderness that I was unfamiliar with.
"I'm sorry." He said in a tone barely above a whisper. I held his gaze like a lost puppy because I didn't know why he was apologizing. Donovan Faust didn't apologize. That was a proven fact. And no one expected him to apologize, especially not to me.
"You didn't do it." I shrugged.
Donovan stood up and held out a hand to help me to my feet.
"Sleep in my bed tonight. I'll be in the room next door if you need me."
"I'm not tired anymore. I wouldn't be able to make myself fall back asleep anyway." Plus, Donovan was here which meant I could finally get some answers. I hadn't thought about the events of last night that much because I was scared of the memories. But I had so much to ask Donovan.
"Well in that case," he pointed to the bed, "I have something for you but I need you to sit down." He insisted. I obeyed and sat at the edge of the bed while he opened his side table drawer and pulled out what I'd been hoping to see for ages.
"Where-where did you find it?"
"We raided Ashton's study." He held the folder out to me. "It's finally yours again." I nodded, feeling my throat tighten as I grabbed it. Holding it again was reassuring and I knew this was the time to open it because I never wanted to be in a position where my information was held captive. Donovan must've sensed this because he motioned to leave the room.
"No, wait." I stopped him. "Can you stay please?" I asked. Donovan didn't respond but he returned to me and stood beside me at the foot of the bed.
I took a deep breath before reaching into the folder and pulling out the loose sheets that contained my life story. I didn't scan it thoroughly because the typed content was overwhelming. However, I did notice the handwritten details that were in traditional cursive.
Name: Rosemary Hurst
Birthdate: May 2,...
Parent(s)/Guardian(s): Gregory Hurst & Daisy Hurst
Status: Deceased
Cause of Death: Car Collision
My body went numb at the last line and my vision slowly clouded as I looked up at Donovan. He took the file from my tightened grip then grabbed a Kleenex from his bedside table.
I felt myself getting weak and breathing heavily from the information I'd just read. I burrowed my face in the bed as the tears emerged uncontrollably from my eyes. I cried because I'd never felt a full identity being in the foster stystem. I cried because they'd always told us that we were born on the same day so that we wouldn't question anything. I cried because my parents had existed at one point. I cried because I was just finding this out after years of anxiety and misery.
"I have to leave." I said in a muffled tone since my face was still buried.
"Where?" Donovan asked. I slowly turned to look at him because he had asked a great question. Where would I go? I had nothing and tonight solidified that.
"I-I don't know Donovan. I feel-I feel-lost..."
• • • • • •
"Are you lost?" Greene asked behind me.
I cursed under my breath since he'd found me like this. Rummaging through his belongings in only my lace bra and panties, kneeling in front of his desk draw. I nervously chuckled and looked over my shoulder.
"No, I was looking for something." I pushed off of the ground and stood. "I thought you were asleep."
"I was." He looked at the draw curiously. "Then I heard you making noise."
"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up." He narrowed his eyes.
"What're you looking for?"
"Uh, my earrings. I left them here last week so I figured I would look for them." I lied but it was better than admitting that I was looking for the folder that he clearly hid better than his Viagra pills.
"Are you lying to me?" He stared at me hard. I sighed and grabbed my dress from the sofa.
"No, Steven." He was about to be in a mood and I didn't want to deal with it.
"Yes you are. You were looking for that fucking file." He smirked with his hands on his hips like an arrogant asshole. I slid into the dress and grabbed my purse.
"Sure."
"And what were you going to do when you found it?" He chuckled. "Leave Lush? Leave New York?" Actually I hadn't thought past finding the damn thing. I knew I would never want to see Greene again but where would I go? I didn't have any family or at least I didn't think I did.
"Maybe you and I could travel the world." He mocked, laughing at my misery. I rolled my eyes.
"I'd die before traveling anywhere with you." I finally said, fed up with how he was taunting me. Greene stopped laughing and looked at me with a serious expression.
"Die?" He repeated, taking slow steps closer to me. "It's funny you say that." I didn't know why it was funny. I had been serious but apparently so was he.
"Funny?"
"Well, it's ironic. Maybe one day you'll realize that death is closer to you than you think."
"Are you threatening to kill me?" I asked quietly. He did scare me at times and I think he knew it.
Greene chuckled, reaching into his pocket and licking the tip of his finger to flip through a stack of bills.
"Not at all Cinnamon." He held two hundred dollar bills in front of my face. I took the money from his pinched fingers as he continued to speak. "Because if I really wanted to kill you, you'd be dead already."