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  Obliterate

  Copyright © 2015 Autumn Grey

  All rights reserved including the right to reproduce, distribute, or transmit in any form or by any means.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination and are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, or persons living or dead, is coincidental. This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment. Thank you for respecting the authors work.

  Cover design: LM Creations

  Edited: Hot Tree Editing, The Eyes For Editing

  Formatting: Champagne Formats

  Table of Contents

  Other books by this author

  Quote

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Acknowledgements

  About the Author

  Other books by this author

  Havoc (Havoc #1) Released December 2, 2014

  Mend (Havoc #3) coming February 2015

  I KNEW the moment I gave in to the need to pursue Selene that trouble would follow me.

  It always had.

  I should have resisted harder.

  Easier said than done. Selene had caught my attention and I couldn’t shake her off. However, I was beginning to realize that when it came to Selene, my heart overruled my mind, eliminating any rational thoughts. Those memories of the first time I saw her at the hotel—the speech she’d given at the Saint Bernadette’s that made me want to stand and applaud all over again, the way she made me laugh, every single minute with her—were treasured.

  Within a short time, she had become an irresistible and unforgettable force, and my mind was in chaos because of her. She was the first woman who didn’t look at me as if I were made of gold. I craved her with a need so ravenous it throbbed painfully in my chest; something I had been missing for a long time. Was I about to lose her before I’d even had a chance to know her? She was only here in France for three months, but I’d be damned if I wasn’t going to spend those days with her. Every single fucking one of them. I wanted Selene as I’d never wanted any other woman in my life. Call it lust or love at first sight; I couldn’t care less about all those fancy definitions. All I knew was my sights were set on her and there was nothing I could do about it; we had amazing chemistry. In the time I’d spent with her, she’d been a bright light in my life.

  And apparently, my cock agreed with me. I rearranged myself, groaning at the thought of her curvy body. How these emotions were possible in my current state of mind, this cocktail of lust, frustration, anger, and determination, was still a mystery to me. The night she left, she asked me if what the letter said was true and I had denied the truth. Selene bore some fleeting physical resemblance to Colette, the woman I’d once given my heart, before she turned around and ripped it out of my chest. While Colette had been an olive-skinned brunette, Selene was a rich honey-brown with curly hair that seemed reluctant to be tamed. The only thing they had in common was the high cheekbones and the uncanny way their noses upturned at the tip. I couldn’t tell Selene the truth because I was afraid she would think I wanted her to replace Colette, which was the farthest thing on my mind. A fear like none I had ever known had filled me, forcing the lie from my mouth. Yesterday, I went to Hotel Catherine for my monthly staff meeting. As much as I had wanted to walk up to her hotel room and see her, I had to respect her wish to stay away.

  For now.

  Later, I met with Èric to discuss him being part of Selene’s security team. I knew he’d been in the army and could easily neutralize a threat. I was also aware he had feelings for her. I had seen it in his eyes the night I arrived from Provence and tracked Selene to the club where Èric also worked. There was no way he would let anything happen to her.

  I glanced at the letter that had arrived earlier this morning, and then to the red irises next to it on the table. I growled under my breath and swiped the letter, crushing it in my hands, and hurled it across the room before picking up my pacing on the carpeted floor of my living room.

  Shit. Bloody fucking hell!

  I pulled my phone from the pocket of my trousers and punched in Gilles’s number. It rang twice before he answered the call.

  “Any news yet?” I barked into the phone, any trace of civility or patience long gone.

  “No. I sent the letters to a friend of mine, a police officer. There were no fingerprints. It seems that the sender is very keen on not being found, so we are looking into other ways. “

  I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to stay calm. “When? When will you get the results?”

  He sighed. “I can’t promise you anything at the moment, Remington. He has to employ other methods to find out who the sender is. He will forward the letters to a document examiner to work on this. I have done some favors for him and he knows how important this is.”

  I rubbed my neck, fighting the urge to hurl the mobile against the wall and said, “Keep me posted.”

  I disconnected the call and shoved it back inside my pocket. I lowered myself to the chair next to me and dropped my head in my hands. I was desperate and I had no idea how to deal with what I was feeling. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt this way. I closed my eyes and all I could see were Selene’s, reflecting her terror for my son, Adrien, and me. But there was something else in there, too.

  Concern.

  Maybe I should let this be. Let her go.

  She would be safe. Adrien and I, as well.

  I rose from the seat, and after confirming the alarm was on, I climbed the stairs and walked past my room and into Adrien’s. I sat down on a chair and stared into the dark, my thoughts in total chaos over the hazel-eyed woman I’d watched drive away with Gilles.

  I had two choices: Give her time to think about it, to remember how good it felt for us to be together, or forget about her and move on with my life.

  Given my intense feelings and Adrien’s ardent love for her, the latter was not an option. Especially now that I realized how much he had been missing. Being with Selene had proved to be an eye-opener. I had gotten a glimpse of how my life could be with her in it. It didn’t matter that she was here for a short time. I wanted her any way I could have her.

  REMINGTON WAS a creature of habit and apparently, persistence, as I came to realize this after I walked out of the townhouse’s front door and ridden away with Gilles while Remington stood outside his house, watching. I hadn’t heard from him since and I kept hoping he wouldn’t call, for his safety and Adrien’s. But he still kept his vigilance, making sure that dinner—minus the wax-stamped letters—was delivered at my doorstep whenever I was within the hotel. Èric shadowed me everywhere I went, and I caught glimpses of his tall stature, no matter how stealthy he was about it. Maybe he intended for me to see him to feel safe. I didn’t mind at all. I was still shaken by that last letter Remington received and I appreciated his need to keep me safe.

  I fought hard not to remember his voice, his face, his laugh, but it proved to be exceedingly difficult considering he was the first man, other than James, I had ever felt anything more than mere “like.” The memories of his hands, his scent, were stubborn
ly imprinted in my brain, my bones.

  Last evening as I was coming in from a run, I saw him standing at the reception area, talking to one of his employees. I knew the moment he saw me. How could I not? His eyes were like a hot flame as they followed me all the way to the elevators. As soon as I stepped inside and turned around, our gazes locked. I saw torture, pain, hunger, and finally determination before his expression shuttered and the doors slid closed. From the little I knew about Remington, he wasn’t the kind of man who sat back and let everything take its own course. He was his own course and he’d be back. It was only a matter of time.

  Every time I scrolled through my phone and saw his number, my fingers hovered above it, itching to call or text him. Then I’d remember the words on the letter threatening the man and his son I had begun to care about. Never in my life had my mind and heart had mixed feelings.

  I had let my feelings run away with me, charmed by his passion, adventurous personality, and the way he cared for his son, even though his own father had been an obnoxious ass. This was supposed to be a short affair, but something about Remington pulled me to him. Perhaps the glimpses of sadness, which at times broke through his confident façade, were what drew me—add Adrien to the mix and I was a goner. Maybe I was using the boy to replace my loss. I wasn’t sure anymore.

  I needed to stay the hell away from those two.

  Fall seven times, stand up eight. I repeated this over and over, a Japanese proverb that my mother kept repeating to me when I was recovering. These six words were a pledge to myself.

  Taking a deep breath, I focused on finishing the final details of the strapless corset I drew after I left Remington’s house. I could already envision this in sheer, black lace. I planned to use my body measurements when I finally sewed them before moving to other sizes.

  Satisfied with the finished design, I smiled and dropped the pencil and note pad on the bed before heading for the bathroom. I grabbed the remote control and scrolled through the channels on the TV mounted high on the wall, directly across from the tub. I selected a romantic comedy, set the language to English before placing the remote back on the miniature vanity, and turned off the water. I had left the tap running so I could fill in the huge tub while I finished up my design. After adding a few drops of my lavender essential oils, I shrugged the silk robe from my body and stepped into the hot water. I settled back with the autumn twilight sky through the glass ceiling above me and felt the tension and anxiety melt from my bones into the scented water. I pushed away any lingering thoughts of Remington and Adrien, shut my eyes, and focused my hearing on the movie.

  I jerked awake at the feel of my shoulders being shaken so hard my teeth rattled. My eyes snapped open and I blinked rapidly, trying to focus on the face above mine.

  What the hell is going on?

  My sight finally cleared, although my body felt as though all my bones were disjointed. I stared back into vivid green eyes, filled with absolute terror.

  Remington?

  Had I fallen asleep in the tub and dreamed about him or had I missed him so much my thoughts conjured him to life?

  I blinked several times to make sure he was here.

  His scent slammed into me, reawakening the feral desire and need for him that I barely succeeded to tame. He stood above me, larger than life. His entire body was shaking and a wild look dominated his eyes. His mouth opened and closed, but I couldn’t hear what he was saying. Every nerve in my body was focused on his large hands on my shoulders, strong, warm, and comforting.

  Without warning, he yanked me to him, crushing my wet body to his chest, and buried his face in the crevice of my neck. He murmured, “Dieu, merci que tu aillies bien.” alternating the words with, “Thank God, you are all right.”

  My arms remained trapped at my sides until I felt him loosen his grip around me. He raised his head and stared at me as if he couldn’t believe I was real. He exhaled deeply and brought his hands to my face, pushing the heavy wet curls from my forehead. Sweat beaded his forehead and his face was flushed in obvious agitation.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked, smoothing the frown between his brows with my fingers. He’s eyes fell shut as he leaned his cheek into my palm when I traced his jaw. “Remington, you’re scaring me. Please say something.”

  He opened his eyes, his gaze searching mine. The fear in them had waned off, replaced by relief. “I was worried about you. I tried to call you on your mobile phone but the call went to voice mail. I couldn’t reach you on the hotel telephone either.”

  “I . . . wait, you called me? Why? Did something happen? Is Adrien okay? I was in the tub and fell asleep.” Oh, God, please let everything be okay.

  “No, no. He is safe. Adele would protect him with her life if it came to that.” He smiled briefly, dragging one hand through his hair.

  I heard feet shuffling in the next room, before the bathroom swung open. “Is she in here Monsieur St.—Oh, pardon!” Remington growled and Èric jerked his head in the other direction, backtracking while I scrambled to cover myself by bending over to my waist with one hand placed between my legs and the other arm covering my boobs. A useless effort. I snapped my head up and scanned the room, searching for something to cover my naked body.

  “What is Èric doing in here?” I asked, my voice unnaturally high, like a bad imitation of Lisa Simpson.

  As soon as the door shut behind Èric, Remington, who had quickly stepped in front of me to shield my body, shifted around to face me.

  “I got worried—” He smiled sheepishly. “I guess I got carried away.” Muffled sounds slipped into the bathroom from the bedroom.

  How many people are out there? “And you brought an army?”

  His lips twitched, fighting a smile. Still shaking from the abrupt interruption, I watched him turn and head for the vanity without answering my question. He grabbed a towel and strode back to the tub, and began to wrap it around me.

  “Who else is out there?”

  “The hotel security. Stand up. Lift your arms.”

  I did, shivering as his fingers came in contact with my skin when he tucked the edges of the towel into the top. Then he scooped me up as if I weighed nothing. Water splashed on the expensively tiled floors, but he didn’t seem to mind everything getting wet. His jaw was set, his eyes held a determined look, and I knew nothing would stop him as strode out of the bathroom.

  “Leave us,” he ordered the men in the room. Èric flicked a gaze toward us before he hurried through the door with three burly security guards in his tow.

  One of these days Èric’s blood pressure will hit the roof. Seriously, I’d flashed him so many times, not only a part of my body but, in today’s case, my entire body.

  Remington laid me down on the bed before standing back to stare at me. I squirmed under his intense gaze as it raked every inch of my body. Even with the towel around me, I felt the heat from his eyes burn through the terrycloth.

  I sat up at the same time he crouched in front of me and placed his hands on each of my knees, squeezing gently.

  I closed my eyes, savoring the feel of him, even though I knew I probably shouldn’t. My body was betraying me, yet my mind knew this wasn’t a good idea.

  God, I’ve missed this. I missed him.

  I opened my eyes and caught him staring at me while chewing his bottom lip. “You need to start talking, St. Germain, or I might sit on you and torture the information out of you.”

  He chuckled, but there was no humor in the sound. “When you didn’t answer my calls, I panicked.” He stood up suddenly and began pacing, before stopping as fast as he’d shot to his feet. He faced me. “I’m not the kind of person who panics easily. I don’t remember the last time I was ever messed up this bad, but you, Selene, my heart is so twisted over you. The thought of you being in danger almost gave me a bloody heart attack.”

  He put a hand to the nape of his neck, squeezing as if it would ease some of his frustration. Even though I had a thousand different questions flashing thr
ough my mind, I waited for him to speak. I had a feeling he wasn’t done talking.

  “I received another letter, a warning to remind me I should stay away from you. I realized something after reading it. Whoever was sending these letters will never stop. They will keep torturing me, threatening me, and so, I made a decision.” He sank to his knees in front of me, took my hands in his, and kissed my knuckles. “I have this chance, a second chance. I care for you very much, and because of this, I will not let anyone take you away from me. I’m—”

  I pressed my hand over his mouth, cutting off whatever he wanted to say. “Remington, no. No. You can’t do this. I leave in three months. Surely, you don’t want to risk yours and Adrien’s lives for something like this.”

  He nipped the soft skin on my palm and I squealed, dropping my hand away. He grabbed it and placed it on his thigh, covering it with his bigger one.

  “Selene.” His voice had taken that no-room-for-argument kind of tone. I felt the fine hairs on the nape of my neck rise, ready to fight him.

  “This is my decision, too, Remington. Don’t try to pull that shit on me.”

  He blinked, obviously surprised by my tone. The last thing I needed right now was to be controlled and told what to do. I left that crap behind the minute I signed the divorce papers back home.

  He took a deep breath, a muscle twitching at his temple. I could see how difficult it was for him, but I wasn’t going to back down on this. I had learned a lesson a long time ago. You give someone a slice of your control, your trust. Instead, they turn around and rip it out of your hands. I wasn’t about to repeat that mistake.

  “I am sorry, ma belle. My intention wasn’t to order you around. Mon Dieu, I have no clue how to restrain myself when it comes to you.”

  I lifted his palm and pressed it to my cheek. “A clever man once said that ‘Change is inevitable. Change is constant.’ This is something we have to accept.”

  He cocked his head to the side, his eyes narrowed at me. “Are you ready to accept that? Because if you are, I just might prove you wrong. You want this as much as I do. Look me in the eye and tell me I am wrong.”