Deception Read online

  I shrugged. “I should probably go. I have to work in the morning.”

  He sighed. “All right, I’ll see you later. If I have time, I’ll stop by the diner tomorrow night.”

  I leaned across the console and kissed him. “I’ll see you then.”

  I climbed out of his car and unlocked mine. He waited until I was safely inside before pulling away. I ran my hands through my hair in aggravation. I couldn’t keep lying to him like this. I needed to find an apartment, and I needed to find it quickly. I knew he was tired of me hiding things from him. Things had been going so good, and I didn’t want to ruin them over something like this.

  Robert had stuck to his word about taking it slow. He hadn’t done anything besides kiss me yet. He was such a gentleman, nothing like the boys I’d gone out with in high school. I loved that he knew I needed time to ease into this, and he hadn’t pressured me for more. If things kept going the way they had been, I would be willing to move to the next step soon.

  I climbed out of my car a few minutes later and headed for the gym. Sam was sitting at the counter when I walked in. I stopped and talked to her for a few minutes before heading up to Bob’s office. I unlocked the door and flicked on the lights.

  After changing into a pair of shorts and a tank top, I dropped down onto the couch and covered myself with the thin blanket. Just as I was drifting off, I heard a knock on the door. Thinking it was someone looking for the restroom or something, I ignored it. After another minute or so, I heard a louder knock.

  I sighed in defeat as I climbed off the couch, and I walked to the door. I peered through the small peephole in the door, trying to see who it was. My heart stopped when I saw Robert standing there.

  No, this can’t be happening.

  I darted away from the door and pressed myself up against the wall, praying that he hadn’t heard me.

  He knocked again. “Claire, I know you’re in there. Open the damn door!”

  I closed my eyes in defeat. It was over. The jig was up. After taking one look at this room, he’d know that I was living here and that I was technically homeless. He’d never speak to me again.

  I unlocked the door and slowly opened it. Robert pushed through before I had a chance to say anything. He took one look at my makeshift bed on the couch before turning to face me. He was angry. I could see it written all over his face.

  “Why?” he asked.

  “Why what?” I winced at the sound of my voice. It sounded so small, so defeated.

  “Why didn’t you tell me the truth? Jesus, Claire, we’ve been together for over a month. You didn’t think to bring up the fact that you’re living in a gym?”

  “It’s only temporary, I swear. I’m saving everything I can to get an apartment. You weren’t supposed to find out—”

  “Find out what? That you’re homeless? This is bullshit, Claire. You should’ve told me. I would’ve helped you.”

  “I was ashamed, okay? I knew that if you found out and didn’t leave me, you’d try to help me. I don’t want help. I won’t take handouts. I want to be able to say that I’m capable of taking care of myself!”

  “Claire, I’m so tired of watching you struggle. This is the last straw!”

  I froze. This was it. He was going to wash his hands of me and move on.

  “What do you mean?” I asked, terrified to hear him say the words.

  “I’ve left you alone and let you handle your own life. I can’t do it anymore. I want you to pack your things. You’re coming home with me,” Robert said.

  “Wait, what?” I asked.

  “You heard me. Pack your things.”

  “I can’t do that,” I said, still not completely understanding what he was asking of me.

  There was no way he had just asked me to move in with him.

  “Why not?” he asked, annoyance clear in his voice.

  “You really want me to move in with you?” I asked.

  “Of course I do. I’m not leaving you here, Claire. Now, pack your things, or I’ll do it for you.”

  “But I can’t move in with you. We’ve only been together a few weeks,” I said stupidly.

  “I don’t care. You’re not living in a damn gym!”

  He walked across the room and started gathering the few things I didn’t have in my suitcase. I just stood there and watched him, my mind trying to process what was happening. I was torn between fighting him or just giving in. I was afraid that if I refused to go with him, he’d leave me permanently. As scared as I was of what lay ahead, I was also terrified of being without him. Even though we had only been together for a few weeks, he made me feel so good about myself.

  Once everything was packed and I’d slipped on my shoes, he picked up my suitcase and turned back to me. “Come on, let’s go.”

  I followed him down the stairs and out to his car in a daze. He threw my suitcase in the backseat as I climbed into the passenger seat. He climbed into the car and started the engine. We were both silent for a few minutes.

  Finally, I found my voice. “I won’t stay with you for long, I promise. I’ll find a place of my own. I almost have enough money.” I didn’t want to be a burden on him. I could take care of myself. I always had before.

  “Bullshit. You’re not leaving, Claire. I’m tired of playing these damn games with you. You’re moving in, and you’re not leaving. Do you understand?”

  I nodded. “Yes.”

  “Finally, she’s reasonable!” Robert threw his hand in the air while still driving with the other.

  “Thank you for doing this for me,” I said.

  “Of course. I told you, you’re mine. I take care of what’s mine.”

  “You’ve been so good to me,” I whispered. “I don’t know what I did to deserve your kindness.”

  He glanced over at me. “Claire, I know you haven’t had the best life, but you need to accept help when people offer it to you. Pride will only get you so far.”

  “I know.”

  “How did you end up in the gym anyway?”

  “My boss owns the gym, too. When he found out I was living in my car, he convinced me to move in there.”

  “You were living in your…” He took a deep breath. “Never mind. I’m not asking, or I’ll just get pissed off again. How long have you been at the gym?”

  “Since the night we met.”

  He growled under his breath, “Unbelievable, Claire. I don’t even know what to say.”

  “I’m sorry I lied to you. I didn’t want you to know.”

  “It doesn’t matter now. Where are the rest of your things?”

  I gave him a confused look. “What do you mean?”

  “Your suitcase is in the backseat. Where are the rest of your belongings? Do you have them stored somewhere?”

  “Oh! Um…no. I don’t have anything else.”

  “You mean to tell me everything you own is in that suitcase?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I’ll take care of it,” he said shortly.

  “Take care of what?”

  “Claire, you have nothing. I’ll have clothes sent to the house for you.”

  “What? No! What I have is fine!”

  “We’re done talking about this.”

  He turned off the main road. He stopped in front of a gate and rolled his window down. I watched in amazement as he punched in a series of numbers into a box beside the car.

  “The passcode is nine-two-four-six.”

  Once he finished hitting buttons, the gate opened slowly. Once we drove through, I turned to see the gate closing. I was in a different world now. I turned my attention back to where we were headed. A house came into view—no, not a house. It was a mansion. My mouth dropped open in amazement as I stared at it. Since it was dark, I couldn’t see much of it. What I could see blew me away. The house was made of stone and two stories high. The front porch had two white pillars holding the roof up. On the second story, I could see where a set of doors opened up to a balcony.

  “This i
s where you live?” I asked.

  “Home sweet home.” He parked in front of the house. As soon as he shut off the car, he was out of the vehicle and opening the back door to get my suitcase.

  It took me longer to climb out. I was still in shock over the size of his home. Dear God, what have I gotten myself into? Why does a man like this want me?

  Once I was finally out of the car, I followed Robert up the porch steps and to the front door. He unlocked it and stepped inside. After disabling the alarm, he turned on the lights. I stepped in behind him and stared. The foyer was just as breathtaking as the outside of the home. The floors were a dark wood. A statue of an angel was next to a set of stairs leading to the second floor. A few pieces of art were hanging on the walls, but I found it strange that there were no family photos.

  “To the right is the kitchen and dining room. The living room is to the left. The first-floor bathroom is behind the staircase. The laundry room is also back there, but I have a maid, so you won’t have to worry about going in there. The back door is over there, too. I have a swimming pool in the backyard, and you’re welcome to use it.”

  I looked around. “Wow. I don’t even know what to say. Your home is beautiful.”

  “It’s your home now, too. What’s mine is yours.”

  “I’ll never be able to repay you for this,” I said quietly as I looked down at the floor in front of me. My worn-out tennis shoes and sleep clothes looked ten times worse when I was standing in this house. I could never fit into a life like this.

  “Just stay here, and keep me happy. That’s all I ask.” Robert stepped closer to me.

  I relaxed as his hand cupped my face.

  “I’m sorry for being so angry with you earlier. I should’ve handled it better.”

  “It’s not your fault. I should’ve been honest with you.”

  He leaned down and brushed his lips against mine. The kiss grew deeper as he pulled me against him. When we finally pulled apart, his breathing was uneven.

  “Now comes the hard part.” Robert released me. “Would you like to stay in my room with me? Or would you prefer a room of your own?”

  My eyes widened in shock. I hadn’t even thought about where I’d be sleeping. “Oh, I don’t—”

  “If you’re not comfortable staying with me, it’s fine.” He smiled.

  “I think I’d rather have a room of my own, if that’s okay with you.”

  “That’s fine. You don’t have to stay in mine”—he paused—“yet. I’ll get you in there eventually.”

  I grinned at the wicked smile on his face.

  “Come on. I’ll show you to your new room.”

  I followed him up the steps. At the top, one hallway led in two different directions. He turned right. There were three doors along the hallway. He stopped in front of the closest one and swung the door open. After he switched on the lights, we stepped inside.

  I stared at the room. It was ten times bigger than Bob’s office. The room was bigger than most of the houses where I’d lived while in foster care. The walls were a pale pink color. The floor was hardwood, just like in the foyer. A dark king-sized bed with cream-colored bedding sat to the left. A dresser, matching the bed, sat directly across from it. A vanity stood a few feet away from the dresser with a mirror built into the top. There was a large desk with a flat screen computer monitor by the bed on my left. I took a few steps forward and opened a door on the right side of the room. After turning on the light, I saw a walk-in closet.

  “It’s incredible,” I whispered as I walked back out of the closet.

  “I thought you’d like it. This wing of the house has a bathroom right down the hall on the left. If you need me for something during the night, my room is on the opposite side of the house.” Robert set my suitcase down on the bed. “Do you have to work tomorrow?”

  “Yeah.”

  He nodded. “My maid, Ellie, will be here in the morning. I’ll let her know you’re staying with us now. When you go to work, take the black Audi in the garage. The keys are hanging by the front door. I’ll write down the security codes for the house and gate, so you have them. I know you’re going to fight me, but the Audi is yours now.”

  I opened my mouth to argue, but he held up a hand to stop me.

  “No. You’re driving it. Your car isn’t safe, and no offense but my neighbors would probably have a heart attack if they saw your car pulling up to my house. They’d probably call the police. I have to be in court early tomorrow, but I’ll stop on the way home and pick up a cell phone for you. Again, this isn’t up for debate. You’re staying with me now, Claire, and I’m going to handle things for you, so get used to it.”

  It took everything in me not to glare at him. I was angry that he had decided to take complete control of my life, but I couldn’t really protest too much right now. I was living in his house, so I had to follow his rules. It was a lot like moving into a new foster home. Only this time, it was much nicer.

  “At least let me pay rent or help you with the bills.” I frowned at him.

  “No. You’re my guest, not my tenant. If you want, you can quit your job. That’ll give you more free time. You could apply to WVU.”

  My mouth dropped open in shock. “Then, I’d be completely dependent on you!”

  “Is that a problem for you?”

  “Yes! Yes, it is! What happens if we split? I’ll be worse off than I am now!” I said angrily.

  He stepped closer to me. “Let me clear this up for you. We’re not going to split. We’re in this for the long haul. I know we haven’t been together for very long, but you’re mine now, Claire. I’m not letting you go, okay? You’re too important to me to just give up. No matter what the future holds for us, we’ll get through it. I’ll make sure of it.”

  He sounded so confident that I couldn’t help but believe him. He truly cared about me, and he was determined to keep us together.

  My anger evaporated. “Okay,” I whispered.

  He leaned down and gently kissed me. “I’m off to bed, but I’ll see you tomorrow evening. Do you work the day after tomorrow?”

  I shook my head.

  “Good. Don’t plan anything. I have a surprise for you.”

  I smiled. “I can’t wait.”

  He kissed me briefly before turning for the door.

  Just as he was about to leave, I called out, “Robert?”

  “Yes?” He turned back toward me.

  “You said you have a son. When will I get to meet him? What should I say if I see him tomorrow before I leave for work?”

  “Cooper isn’t here. He’s at the beach with one of his friends. He’ll be back this weekend though. I’ll warn you now, he’s been a bit…hard to deal with since his mother died. He’s built up a lot of anger from her death. When you meet him, don’t be surprised if he’s rude. You just have to overlook that.”

  “Oh, okay.” My stomach sank.

  I understood what Robert hadn’t said. Cooper was going to hate me and make sure that I knew I wasn’t welcome here.

  Robert said, “Good night,” before closing the bedroom door behind him.

  Once he was gone, I opened my suitcase and pulled out my clothes and toiletries. I put the toiletries on the dresser before sorting through my clothes. I threw the dirty ones in the hamper next to the door. Then, I put my bras and underwear in one of the drawers in the dresser. My sleep clothes went in next and then my socks. Finally, I hung up my good clothes in the closet. They only took up a tiny portion of one wall. I stared at them, realizing just how little I really had. The knowledge that I really didn’t belong in Robert’s world began to creep in.

  I turned away before I gave myself time to think about it anymore. I kicked off my shoes next to my bed and pulled the covers down. I sighed in bliss as I lay down on the bed. After spending weeks in my car and then on a couch, this bed felt like heaven. I snuggled further down into the covers, too exhausted to stay awake any longer.

  When I awoke the next morning, it too
k me a few minutes to figure out where I was. Then, it all came back to me. I was living with Robert now. I rolled over and snuggled down into the covers as I tried to process the events of last night.

  I was with Robert even though he’d found out that I had been living in the gym. He hadn’t left me like I’d expected him to. Instead, he’d taken me in and promised to take care of me. Yesterday, I’d had nothing more than a couch to sleep on, a crappy car, and one suitcase to hold the few belongings I had. Today, I had a new room, a new car, and more hope than I’d had in a long time.

  I hadn’t liked the way Robert forced so many things on me at once, but after sleeping on it, I understood where he was coming from. He simply wanted to take care of me. He might have been a bit bossy about it, but he was only looking out for me.

  When it was time to get up for work, I crawled out of bed and grabbed one of my uniforms from the closet. After collecting underwear and my toiletries, I stepped out into the hallway. I couldn’t remember which door was the bathroom, so I tried the first one I came to. Lucky for me, it was the right one. I slipped inside the bathroom and quietly closed the door behind me. I grabbed a couple of towels off a shelf and set them next to the large walk-in shower. I stripped out of my clothes and threw them into the hamper before turning on the water.

  I walked into the shower and put my personal items on the shelf. I turned away from the water, letting it pelt my back. It felt incredible, and I relaxed as steam rose around me.

  After a few minutes, I finally started washing my hair. Once that was finished, I showered quickly and shut off the water. I toweled off and then threw my hair in a towel to dry. After dressing in the nicest jeans and shirt I had, I took my hair out of the towel and blow-dried it. Once loose waves were hanging down my back, I inspected myself in the mirror. I looked different. It took me a minute to realize why. I was content. Moving in with Robert had taken so much worry off my mind.

  I hurried down the stairs to the front door. I found a sticky note on the wall next to where the keys were hanging. I grabbed both and headed into the kitchen. Along with the gate and house combinations, the note said the garage entrance was in a separate room just past the dining room. I glanced around the kitchen as I hurried through it. All the appliances were stainless steel. The floor and walls were pristine white. Entering the dining room, I noticed the hardwood floors. The walls were a light cream color. A large table that could hold ten or more people sat in the center of the room. I shook my head in amazement as I walked to the door. I made sure to set the house alarm before walking into the garage.