A Commitment to Love, Book 3 (6 page)

I was nothing but shivering nerves bottled up within rage and fear.

I can’t lose her.

The ambience didn’t help either. The wall on my left was a long sheet of thick glass with vines of Jasmine etched along the border. Any other night, it showed a breathtaking view of Oshane City. The area boasted two things: the highest amount of wealthy residents in an American city on the East Coast, and the most amazing views.

Our condo sat up in the lush hills above the city. Luxury buildings sparkled. The hills rolled with a majestic grace. Birds wintered there, letting the warm breeze ruffle their feathers. They sang in the morning, flew near the window in the afternoon, their feathers almost golden in the sun. At night, they lay in their nests, making love and inspiring me to hold Jasmine within the hot water of our bathtub.

We spent a lot of time in there, enjoying each other’s scents and the smoothness of our wet flesh against each other.

Tonight, the view hurt. The dream of a happy home shifted into a nightmare with Benny at the center, dressed in a black robe and wielding a curved knife.

Lucy in the sky with diamonds on? Her life was a joke? You sick fuck. I’m going to end this, before you hurt Jasmine.

Dim light blanketed the whole space. Shadows touched the dark brown granite countertops and sky blue tiles accenting the walls. Her brown and my blue. It had been a merging of mine and Jasmine’s favorite colors. A place for both of us to enjoy.

But, she wasn’t here. Jasmine was handling Benny’s disgusting show, and in shock, I’d walked off like a zombie and let her.

What have I done to us? Why can’t I just be happy with her?

My bathroom was supposed to be a palace. No king could’ve done better without foolishly wasting his money. My bathtub was a work of art. I’d put a lot of money into our new home.

I’d known men to spend millions on some of the most trivial things. Before my father’s best friend died from a drug overdose that was quieted up, he’d bought a roll of toilet tissue. It was 22 karat gold paper and had cost him 1.3 million dollars. Instead of giving the money to charity, he wiped his ass with gilded paper, and then flushed it all down the toilet.

My father, himself, had a Baldi Rock Crystal bathtub that sold close to eight hundred thousand dollars. The tub was carved from one massive rock found in the Amazon forest. It was over eight feet in diameter. Ancient Chinese medicine used the crystal for its healing powers. I had no idea if it really worked. During my teen years, I’d spent many times with giggling girls in that tub, and nothing got healed but my length as it went in and out of their mouths.

No.

My bathroom served as a place to get away from it all. It wasn’t for flash or to big-up another rich guy who would never be in my space in the first place. The room was for Jasmine and me, to capture our moans and laughter, somewhere to build memories.

And now, not even the tub was doing its job. Shaped like a giant’s soup bowl, it glowed sky blue. A 36 inch LCD flat screen and four speakers were in the front. I could change the channels through voice commands.

Tonight, I couldn’t even focus on the futbol game. My assistant recorded it. Granted, I didn’t like Germany or Brazil. I was just excited to watch one of the teams cry as their hope for getting another World Cup Title disappeared. But that didn’t matter anymore.

The TV’s images blurred as tears filled my eyes.

I wiped my face. “Shut down.”

The screen went blank.

Every time I blinked, Lucy’s dead body dangled in front of me.

Don’t think about it. Focus on the present moment.

I inhaled and exhaled in a calming rhythm, the whole time scanning my bathroom and taking it all in. Since Italy, I’d been seeing a psychiatrist, to work with the trauma of those last months. Men could go crazy over lesser things.

I wouldn’t chain Jasmine to me, while I was a mess. But she would be trapped. That was for sure. So I did the responsible thing, and sought help. If I wouldn’t let her go, then I’d have to be my best.

Dr. Timmons scribbled a note into his pad. “I could write you a prescription for—”

“No.” I held up my hand. “No drugs.”

“Then we’ll need to explore alternative ways for you to relax your mind.” He set the pencil down. “Do you remember our breathing exercises and how to stay in the present moment?”

“Yes.”

“Focus on the good in your life.”

“There’s not a lot now.”

“Think.”

“It’s only Jasmine.”

“You have more than Jasmine. Mr. Stone, you can’t focus it all on your girlfriend or you’ll drown her.”

“She can’t be drowned. She’s a rock.”

Jasmine grew up in the hard streets of South End. Poverty didn’t destroy her. The violence and crime didn’t seep into her heart. Jasmine climbed out of that community and could hold her own next to any upper crust debutante.

“But is she a rock strong enough to stay solid in these stormy waters?” I sank deeper into the tub. Hot liquid enveloped me. “How much more can she take? And what about Benny’s threat?”

“I told you I wouldn’t hurt him tonight,” Benny said. “I’m giving you this great evening to say good-bye. But that’s what it’ll be, good-bye.”

“Benny, I-I love him. I can’t just—”

“Good evening. May we all make it through the week.”

Just like that, Benny destroyed everything that was beautiful about tonight. I’d spend the rest of my life forgetting that ball. Memories of Jasmine’s orgasms and our laughter had disappeared, as soon Lucy’s corpse hit my view.

I whispered to the bathroom’s darkness, “What’s going to happen to us?”

“Shh.” Jasmine walked in, holding a tray of lit candles. A silk black robe covered her whole body. It was so long, the bottom trailed behind her.

“I’ve been calling you.”

“I saw.”

“Why didn’t you answer?”

“Shh.” Step by step, she placed a candle on the ground and every other surface. Her six inch heels clicked against the floor.

“When did you get home?” I asked.

“Less than an hour ago.”

“Can’t be. I haven’t been in here that long. Why didn’t you come inside?”

“I had to do some things here.”

“What?”

“Shh.”

I gritted my teeth. “How was everything? What did the police say? What did you tell the publicist and—”

“Shh.”

There must’ve been at least thirty tiny candles. In silence, she set one down and kept them several feet apart. Second by second the room illuminated. Her shadow danced around the wall. A lovely scent rose from the tiny lights and mingled with the rising steam.

“We should go over everything that you—”

“Shh,” she whispered again. “No questions about tonight.”

“What’s that fragrance?” I asked.

“Shh.”

“That wasn’t about the ball,” I said through clenched teeth.

“I don’t know the answer. I just grabbed a bunch from the maid’s supply closet. Now shh.”

Besides the click of her heels and the gentle trickle of water in the tub, quiet flowed between us.

“Has Benny—”

“Shh.”

I frowned. “Why do you keep saying shh?”

“We’re not going to talk about tonight.”

“We should.”

“Not tonight.”

“Jasmine.”

“Let’s enjoy …” Her voice faltered in between the sentence. “Let’s just enjoy tonight.”

I can’t lose her.

“You’re acting weird.” I cupped more hot water in my hand and spread it all over my face. The liquid set my skin on fire, and for once I didn’t feel as numb. My tension hadn’t eased, but my body came alive with desire. It was better than anxiety. It was Jasmine. Her presence triggered the old me to resurface.

She put the empty tray down and faced me. In the candlelight, her skin glimmered. “What are you thinking about, my king?”

That things are going to change.

I made myself smile. “I’m wondering what’s under your robe.”

“Good.”

“How’s that good? Why don’t you take it off?” I reached out for her.

She batted me away.

I sneered at her. “Well, at least you didn’t say shh.”

She put her hands on the front ties, unwound them, and opened the robe. The silky material dropped to the floor. “Happy?”

I took her all in.

Christ.

I’d never seen her look more delicious. Black lace covered every inch of her body. It was like a lace body suit and had the same Calla flower pattern from the gown earlier, but way more revealing. Her body was exposed. The lace stuck to every inch of her, hugged those hard nipples that poked out of the opening, formed around those curvy hips, and grasped to the cushion of ass that I could see from my position.

No. I won’t let anything happen to us. I can’t.

All thoughts and anxiety left me.

It was only Jasmine and I in paradise.

I gripped the edge of the bathtub. “Come here.”

“It’s midnight.”

“What does time have to do with it?” I got ready to rise. “Come here.”

“No.” She held her hand out. “Sit back down.”

I tightened my grip on the tub, my dick rising in the water. He should’ve been relaxing. Water was never a good friend for my cock, but Jasmine’s body denied all scientific rules.

“You’re no longer king of the day.” She touched her hips and then slipped her hands slowly up her body.

With envy, I followed the movement of those fingers. “Okay.”

“Now who’s in charge?”

“You.”

“Yes, me.” She climbed up the steps, taking her damn time, one by one until I thought that I would scream for her to hurry up. There were only four steps, but it seemed like twenty.

With those six inch heels still on, she stood above the tub and balanced at the top, towering over me. “Do you like this outfit?”

I raked my fingers through my wet hair. “I’m close to tearing it off.”

“That’s a lot of lace to tear off.”

“I’m up for the job.”

She took one step into the water, and never took those heels off. The water rose to her knees. “It’s hot.”

“Not as hot as you.”

She rolled her eyes, put the other foot inside, and then sat that beautiful behind on the edge. Finally, her face came into the glow of the candlelight.

“Jasmine … I should’ve never left you.”

“Shh.”

“Damn it. Would you let me thank you for taking care of me?”

“Tonight, we danced at the ball.”

Lucy’s dead body flashed in my head—diamonds dripping with blood.

“Say that with me.” She gave me the saddest smile I’d ever seen. “Tonight, we danced at the ball.”

I blinked my eyes. “Is that what happened?”

“Yes,” she whispered. “We danced, ate amazing food, and stumbled off to your limo. We were so exhausted from all the partying that we fell asleep right in the backseat.”

Benny’s face appeared in my head.

“I’m not done talking.” Benny raised his finger. “I love you, Jasmine, but I’ll kill him. Do you need proof? Because your proof is behind me. Move on from him.”

I frowned. “I remember something different.”

“Do you?” Jasmine opened her legs.

Dear God.
I thought that every inch, except her face was covered by lace, but I was wrong. A beautiful opening rested between her thighs.

“You’re distracting me,” I mumbled, my gaze never leaving the sight of her exposed flesh.

“I like to distract you.”

“We should talk.”

She snapped her fingers in front of her thighs. “Focus.”

“Fine.” I licked my lips. “What’s the name of this gorgeous ensemble?”

“It’s a crotchless, lace body stocking.”

“I’m going to buy millions of these for you.”

“Millions?”

“I’m going to put stock in the company.” I rose. Water rushed down me as I made my way to her.

“Did I say you could rise?”

“I just wanted to get a better look.” I stopped and formed my mouth into a wicked grin. “I was only seeing what was on my plate for this evening.”

“Who said you would be eating anything tonight?”

“Your legs are open.”

The smile remained and lust glittered all over her eyes. “That doesn’t mean you’re getting anything to taste.”

“You’re mine.” I came closer. “And you know how I love to lick you.”

Her silhouette in that light could never be captured by the most skilled painter or talented photographer. One had to be in the moment to witness her beauty. She wasn’t just perfectly curved sex within soft skin. She was love melted on body-numbing lust.

She was mine.

I moved in a little closer. “Get into the tub and continue to keep those heels on.”