The Stars Trilogy (76 page)

But he was not in the suite.

“Where is he?!” she screeched at Cruz.

Cruz didn’t answer and quietly left the room.

She threw her shoes at the door in frustration. “Of course, he only answers to his master!”

“Celine, please tell me what happened, my dear?” Kelsey’s soft voice intruded into her stormy thoughts. She had forgotten the woman was even there.

She sat weakly on the bed and was silent. She let her tears run down her cheeks.

“I’m pregnant,” she said softly.

“Oh dear...!” Kelsey gasped.

“He said it’s not his. He told me to my face.”

She looked at Kelsey, hysteria bubbling inside her at the sheer absurdity of it all. The heartbreaking absurdity of it all. “I mean, can you believe it? All these years since I was a little girl, I’ve loved him, Kels. Only him. I’ve saved myself for only him. I’ve never kissed any guy except him. Well of course, that CPR I did with Ben didn’t count as a kiss. And now...now he tells me that he’s not the father of this baby. He thinks I’m dumping somebody else’s child on him.”

Kelsey went to sit beside her. “I think Dare is...just not used to the idea...” she began.

“No, Kels. I know when someone is just surprised. He was shocked and then repulsed. He fully believes I’m lying to him.”

“I think you guys need to talk...more.”

“Where is he?”

Kelsey sighed. “Give him time, Celine. He’ll come back.”

“I’m so tired, Kels...” She dropped her forehead on Kelsey’s shoulder.

The older woman embraced her. “You better take some rest, darling. Tomorrow, you guys, will talk, okay?” Kelsey was rubbing her back gently. The comforting gesture was so welcome. She was grateful Kelsey was there or she wouldn’t have kept it together after Dare’s cruel rejection.

She just nodded, too weak to argue at that point. She felt wiped out.

Dare spent the night at the landscaped spot at the Carlton rooftop reserved only for the very VIPs. The special garden provided total privacy and the hotel management gave him the privilege of using it tonight.

Carlos brought him a bottle of whiskey and he asked to be left alone. His men went scarce at his request but he knew, they were not far away when he needed them.

He didn’t want to think. He just wanted to go to sleep and forget about everything.

Celine and her damn lies...

God, he thought she was different. He thought he had finally received his share of manna from heaven, son of a bitch that he was. Finally he started believing in heaven again...of blessings and grace from above and all that shit.

He was a bloody fool all over again. Taken for a ride by a calculating, cunning bitch that put all his ex-wives to shame. Because the kicker of it all was...he was in love with her. Madly in love with her.

He was halfway done with the bottle when he slipped to unconsciousness on the chaise lounge.

The next thing he knew, he was waking up to a sunrise and Cruz hovering above him.

His bodyguard had more bad news.

“Zarco’s movements these past days were nothing out of the ordinary. But he did something really suspicious yesterday,” Cruz was saying.

What?” Dare had trouble following Cruz. His head was still a mass of the most shitty thoughts.

“He met with a man named Heath Delano.”

“Who’s he?”

“Heathcliff Delano was a former US Marine Commando. An ex-Blackwater Op in Iraq and Afghanistan, he went independent and had been working for several politicians, moguls and other suspicious elements in Europe. He’s currently in the country, landed this morning via a private jet which we’ve traced as a property of Zarco Industries.”

“What are you saying? He hired this guy to kill me here in France?”

“Delano is one of the best in the business. His resume is quite extensive and impressive, depending on which side you’re on. Why would he be here now? Do the math, Dare.”

Apparently, when it rained shit, it poured shit. He inhaled deeply. He didn’t know what hurt more, Celine’s betrayal or Uly’s.

“So what do we do?” He tried to stand up, but wobbled on his feet. He cussed. His head hurt like a motherfucker.

“The men are on full alert. My advice is, let’s fly back to the US today. I’m sorry. It’s not safe to stay in this place. It’s too public and you’re always exposed. We cannot control the movement of the crowd and Delano has that for advantage. He can move easily with the crowd undetected.”

“What about Celine?” He wanted to kick himself. Despite everything, he still wanted her safety above his own.

“She’s not his target. It’s you.”

“I’m not done here yet.”

“You have to be. Make your excuses. You will be endangering other people here if you stay longer.”

Cruz was right, of course. Only then did it all sink in to him. The extent of the danger he was in. And he began to truly hate Ulysses. His good friend. His mortal enemy now.

He had to deal with the bastard when he got back to the US.

It all happened so fast.

Celine was woken up by Kelsey and was told to pack her things. They were leaving France at once. There was an imperativeness in her tone. Normally, Celine would be curious and would ask questions but the thought of going back to the States beckoned to her more than anything else.

She wanted to leave France, too. ASAP. She couldn’t bear to be in this beautiful country with Dare after what happened. The magic was gone.

She noticed that Kelsey packed for Dare.

She couldn’t help it, she asked about him. “Where is he?”

“He’s with Cruz. We’ll meet him at the airport,” was Kelsey’s simple reply.

She didn’t ask anything more. He wouldn’t even see her. Clearly, he didn’t want to talk to her at all. How unfair he was to just walk out on her like this, without even an explanation. So that was it? Just like that? They went to France as a couple and now they were leaving it estranged from each other.

Wow.

Her tears fell again but she angrily wiped her face. Her rebelling pride came on top of her self-pity. He cannot just do this to her!

No. He cannot. He had a lot to answer for.

She packed her things as quickly as she could and took a shower. Within a few minutes, she was ready. She wore a pair of skinny jeans, ballet flats, a hooded, gray sweatshirt and big shades. She didn’t bother to blow her hair dry and just tied it up in a bun.

Carlos was waiting for them with the limo. He said Dare and Cruz already left ahead for the airport.

Before 9:00 a.m., they were at the Mandelieu Airport. Dare’s jet was ready for take-off.

Nine hours. Nine hours or so aboard Dare’s Bombardier Global Express XRS jet seemed like the most torturous flight for Celine. The luxurious plane with the interior custom-designed for Dare’s celebrity needs was a flying paradise for her, but now, she felt like she was aboard a combat plane bound for war zone.

Worse. The war zone was inside this plane.

Dare had locked himself in the cabin at the back of the plane. He had surely locked her out, too. The glaring Do Not Disturb sign at the door flashing mockingly at her said so.

The plane was divided into four clusters of seats with dividing accordion doors in between. Cruz, Carlos, Rogan and three other bodyguards were seated with the two plane attendants in a cluster of seats right after the cockpit. She and Kelsey had some privacy in the middle lounging area. The plane can occupy nineteen passengers comfortably.

Kelsey was understanding enough to let her be. She pretended to take a nap, not wanting to talk but her mind was in total chaos.

She excused herself from Kelsey and went to occupy a seat facing away from everyone. She didn’t want them to see her face and witness what she was going through. She didn’t remove her shades. Her damn tears won’t stop falling.

Once or twice, one of the flight attendants went to the back cabin. When the stewardess came out, she was tempted to ask about Dare but she steeled herself. How embarrassing would that be for her? She hoped these flight attendants were in Dare’s employ and wouldn’t gossip about them on the internet.

She ignored the lunch the flight attendants prepared for her. Her stomach just cannot accept any food at the moment. She had no appetite. But she changed her mind when she thought of her baby. She forced herself to take a few bites. Even if she felt like throwing up, she willed her stomach to calm down and accept the food.

When she couldn’t take it anymore, she stood up, slammed the dividing door shut and marched toward Dare’s cabin. She banged on the door. “Dare! Dare!”

There was no answer from the inside.

She banged on the door again. By God, she would kick this door down if he didn’t open it now!

The door was suddenly flung open.

Their eyes clashed like combatants poised for a duel.

His eyes were bloodshot but still furious.

She removed her shades, showing him how angry she was at him, too.

“How dare you do this to me! You—”

He dragged her inside the cabin and slammed the door shut.

The cabin was too small for the violence roiling inside him. It was a mistake to drag her in. God, he wanted to hurt her. His knuckles were itching to smash into something. If they landed on her face, he would surely kill her.

“Why won’t you talk to me?” she demanded.

“Don’t ask me why. Ask yourself,” he replied in a low voice. It hurt to even speak.

“Ask myself?! I told you the truth!”

He snapped. The bald lie disgusted him anew.

“I do not believe you!” he roared.

She looked stricken. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

“Damn you, do not use that trick on me! I have seen this act many times! It’s a washed up trick, you hear me?! Do not fucking cry in front of me and tell me lies!”

“I am not lying...!” she gasped, her voice losing strength. She slowly sat on the built-in bed, her eyes deep pools of anguish.

Damn her! He was so sick of women’s wiles! Fucking liars! All of them!

“Dare...listen to me, please... this is your baby...I have never been with anyone else. You know that...don’t you?”

“No. I don’t know,” he said in a lifeless tone. How long would he have to endure her presence in this goddamn plane? God, he was falling apart.

Her face crumpled, her shoulders shook. She cried and started hitting his torso with her fists. “How could you say that?! How could you be so cold?! How could you...How could you even think...How could you! How could you...!”  She was sobbing uncontrollably now.

He was numb to it all, desensitized by pain. He was having it all over again. He couldn’t believe he had allowed himself to be in this situation once more. A fool. A goddamn fool. But this was worse. Far worse.

She was grabbing the front of his shirt, nearly ripping it. “I loved you...I love you, damn you! How could you do this to me?!”

Those words. Those damn words.

He never wanted to hear them again. Ever.

Ever!

He held her marauding hands in a vise grip and stared coldly in her eyes. “We are over.”

He let go of her and went out of the cabin, slamming the door so hard it rattled on its hinges.

We are over.

Three simple words.

Three simple words that blew her precious ‘I love you’ to oblivion.

Celine couldn’t believe the injustice of it. And she grieved at the tragedy of it.

All her love, hope and faith for the man drained out of her that very moment. Like blood in an open wound, they flowed out of her body, gushing with the force and depth of the pain in her heart and soul.

Her dream finally met its demise. And what a sudden, heart-breaking demise it was.

She had worked so hard, braved and sacrificed so much in the name of love.

But not for this. Never for this.

Not anymore.

No more.

Chapter Thirty-two

“I can’t take this anymore. You got married again, after only

dating her for a month? Who does that nowadays? Oh, you.  Gabrielle Lopez is beautiful. But weren’t they all? I hope this one will finally make you settle down for good. Please, you’re competing with Elizabeth

Taylor already. You can’t be that unlucky in love? I wish you well. As always.”