Chapter 40
Daniel
The next morning, I woke up and reluctantly packed my suitcase.
I was leaving. The night before had felt like a dream with Kiera showing up here, but I knew it wasn’t.
She had been here. I had tasted her. I had almost taken it too far.
The thought made me sick to my stomach because somehow it felt like a betrayal to Heart.
Heart, the woman who told me she never wanted to see me again. I owed nothing to her, but my heart was still with her. It was frustratingly painful.
I got dressed and walked down to the restaurant to eat breakfast. My flight wasn’t until later that afternoon.
It was the soonest one I could find that would get me out of here.
As I approached the restaurant, I could see Kiera’s back to me as she waited at the hostess stand.
She wore a sheer coverup over another skimpy bikini, turning everyone’s heads.
She hadn’t seen me yet. I stopped in my tracks and made a quick turn toward the steps of the beach.
She was still here. Obviously. It wasn’t like she was going to pass up on a vacation at a five-star resort simply because she didn’t have her way with me. It was good I was getting out of there soon. I didn’t want to risk seeing her again.
I would order some breakfast on the beach. It would be a nice sendoff to this beautiful place. A server came down who wasn’t Collette, and handed me a menu. I studied it for a moment and ordered eggs, bacon, and fresh fruit.
I settled into a lounge chair to wait for my food. The waves crashed gently against the shore, filling my ears with the calm sounds of the ocean. I was disappointed I had to leave today. This place was truly paradise, until my brother ruined it all.
“Mr. Jacobs, I have your food.”
I opened my eyes and saw the server standing over me with a bucket of champagne and a tray of food. I sat up and made room for him to set it down on the lounge chair.
“Thank you,” I said.
I was ravenous. I realized I hadn’t eaten dinner last night after my afternoon surf and too strong of cocktails that Collette had served me. Then I had passed out and Kiera was at my door. The whole night was a blur.
I dug into the eggs and took a bite of crispy bacon, watching as guests passed by hand in hand enjoying their morning at the beach with sandy toes.
“Daniel?” I heard someone say.
Shit. I knew that voice.
I looked to my right and saw Kiera walking toward me, trying to balance a mimosa and walk in heels. Not the best choice of footwear for the sand. I shook my head at how ridiculous she looked.
She plopped down in the lounge chair next to mine, her mimosa sloshing out of her cup and spilling on her tan skin.
“Oops.” She giggled.
“Kiera, you shouldn’t be here.”
She rolled her eyes. “Are you still playing hard to get?”
“I’m not playing anything. I meant what I said last night.”
“Fine. Whatever.” She put her hands up and reclined in the lounge chair.
She was not getting the hint. This was why I was leaving today.
I finished my breakfast in silence and saw my server approach with a bucket of champagne.
“Mr. Jacobs. I was just informed it’s your last day here. We wanted to thank you for staying with us with a complimentary bottle of champagne,” he said.
“Oh, that’s not necessary.”
“Champagne?” said Kiera, sitting up and smiling at the server.
I sighed frustratedly as the server set the bucket between us and began working at the cork. There was a pop and a fizz, and he began pouring two glasses. Kiera clapped excitedly.
I wanted nothing more than to get out of there, but I didn’t want to be rude to the server. After he handed us our glasses, I thanked him and took a sip as I watched him leave.
“Well, this is romantic,” said Kiera, stretching back into the lounge chair.
Her bikini was desperately clinging on to her, threatening to expose the intimate parts of her I had seen the night before.
“This isn’t anything,” I said, standing up. I set my glass in the sand and put my sunglasses on. I began padding down the beach toward the steps, with Kiera calling after me. Thankfully, the waves drowned her out.
I called for a shuttle to take me to the airport. I didn’t care if I was entirely too early for my flight. It was better than being here and having another run-in with Kiera. Damn you, Brody.
The airport was busy with flights coming in and going out. It was probably good that I was early so I could get through check-in and security. Once I was through, I found a bar and ordered a whiskey on the rocks. And then another. What else was there to do at airports?
A few hours passed, and the announcement was made that my flight was boarding soon. I grabbed my luggage and rolled it down to my gate. Being first class, I was able to board first and settle into my seat, but I couldn’t get comfortable. Not before takeoff and not for the actual flight.
The flight home was brutal. Nothing like the first. I couldn’t get settled in my seat, even though it was my own private compartment with a full-on bed. The Bloody Marys weren’t strong enough. The movies didn’t hold my attention. Sleep didn’t come. It was a hellish eighteen hours back to New York.
I kept tossing and turning in my seat thinking about how my getaway had gotten cut short with Kiera showing up the way she did.
I could have stayed, but knowing her, she would be back.
That was clear at breakfast this morning.
I didn’t want to feel like I was on edge the whole time or that my resolve would eventually break and I would succumb to her.
Would it really be the worst thing? I thought to myself.
Falling back into our usual pattern of fucking and fighting and playing games. It’s what I knew with Kiera. It’s what we were both comfortable with. It certainly would be a distraction from Heart.
But eventually I had to let that go. Heart. Kiera.
I clearly wasn’t the same person I was a few months ago before Heart came into my life, or I would be in bed with Kiera right now. Her hot pink bikini on the floor and her long limbs tangled around me. But that wasn’t me. Not anymore.
Which was why I was on this plane back to New York to try and piece my life together, and not run from it anymore.
I was grateful for the days I had in Bora Bora because they brought some clarity, and much needed relaxation.
My brother had the right idea in suggesting it, but then he ruined it all by sending a human package to my door.
When my flight landed, I went through customs and waited for my luggage at baggage claim. Armand was outside on the curb waiting when I emerged out of the sliding doors.
“Mr. Jacobs.” He nodded before taking my bags.
“Armand.”
“How was your trip?” he asked.
“Fantastic,” I said. “I will definitely be back.”
“Good, sir. I’m happy to hear that.”
He opened the back door and I slid inside.
“Home?” he asked.
I looked at the time. It was nearly 7 p.m. I should have gone home, but I had matters to take up with Brody. I felt like the entire flight I was just seething at his presumptuousness in sending Kiera as some sort of quick fix when he knew absolutely nothing.
“No, actually. I’d like to go to my brother’s place.”
“Yes, sir,” said Armand, putting the car into drive.
Thirty minutes later, he pulled the car up to Brody’s red brick townhome on the Upper East Side. I looked up and saw the third-floor lights were on, so he must be home.
“Thank you, Armand,” I said as I got out of the car, not waiting for him to do his job.
I walked through the black iron gates and rang the doorbell impatiently. I rang it three times before I heard Brody’s voice call from inside.
“I’m coming. Jesus Christ,” he said.
I heard the door unlock and then he opened the door.
His eyes grew wide when he saw me. “Daniel! What the hell are you doing here?”
I pushed past him without him extending an invitation.
“Please, come in,” he said sarcastically behind me as he closed the door.
I started pacing the entryway of his place, the wooden floors creaking slightly under my feet.
“I thought you were supposed to be in Bora Bora for like another week,” he said.
“Yeah, I was,” I said heatedly.
“So, why are you here?”
“I’ll give you one guess.”
“Uh, the waters weren’t clear enough?” he asked with a raised brow.
“Kiera, you idiot,” I snapped.
“Oh! You got my little surprise!” He chuckled.
“You think it’s funny sending her halfway across the world to surprise me?”
“Hey, she was willing. She got a free vacation out of it.” He shrugged.
“And in doing so, she ruined mine.”
“Oh, come on. Don’t try to tell me you two didn’t have any fun.”
“We didn’t. Clearly. Which is why I’m here and not back on the beach.”
Brody rolled his eyes. “What is your problem, man?”
“My problem is you. Thinking you know me and what I need.”
“I do know you. You’re my brother and you’re just as much of a fuckboy as I am.”
“Well, maybe I’m not anymore,” I muttered.
“Oh, look who is all high and mighty now,” he replied, putting his hands up and pretending he was impressed.
“People change. They grow up. Clearly, you wouldn’t know anything about that.”
“Clearly because you never tell me what the hell is going on with you anymore!”
I could tell that this went deeper than I thought. Brody and I had always been close growing up and in business. We had shared our ventures with women like they were trophies to impress each other with. I couldn’t blame him for thinking we were still those same brothers, when one of us was not.
Still, my anger was too hot to admit any of that. And it wasn’t the right time to share what exactly had gone on in my life the past couple months.
“Well, until you do know, butt the hell out of my life.” I held up a threatening finger.
Brody didn’t say anything as I turned and walked out the door, slamming it behind me.
Armand waited outside of the car and opened the door without saying a word. The look on my face must have made it clear I wasn’t in the mood for pleasantries.
When I got home that night, I should have been tired. I had just flown for eighteen hours and had a massive blowout with my brother. But instead, I was wired.
I took a hot shower, unpacked my suitcase, ran my laundry, and placed a grocery order for delivery for the next day.
As I was ordering groceries, I realized how hungry I was.
I threw on a sweatshirt and a baseball cap, not wanting to be recognized by anyone, and rode the elevator down to the lobby.
I didn’t need Armand. I just wanted to walk the streets of Manhattan in the late hours and find some greasy pizza to eat by myself.