Stanton Box Set

He stays silent on the other end of the line as he thinks.

“I will email you the bank account to put it into,” I reply coldly. What kind of man sleeps with his best friend’s wife?

“I could destroy her,” he growls.

I close my eyes in regret. “You already have.”

It’s 7 pm and I have been stalling at work as I try to calm myself down before I go home to my girl. I don’t want to be angry around her. This isn’t her fault and my mother has caused enough discomfort for Natasha for this lifetime. I stand in the lift to our floor at the Montage in Beverly Hills and to be honest I am looking forward to having my own space with Natasha. This roomy thing is getting on my nerves. I have two guards with me and I know Ben has stepped up security again. Who was it that broke into my house last night? I just wish we had confirmation that it was a random robbery gone wrong and then I will be able to relax again.

We get to our floor and walk down the corridor where I see a guard outside each of the rooms, obviously where the girls and Cameron are. This is ridiculous and I feel my anger rising again that we all have to live like animals in a petting zoo.

Ben hands me

a card which I swipe and enter. “Thanks,” I mutter as I close the door and I turn and see her. Instantly a smile comes to my face.

Natasha is wearing a white robe and her hair is in a messy bun. She is makeup free and breathtaking.

She leans up onto her toes and puts her arms around my neck. “Hello, my beautiful Lamborghini,” she purrs as her lips meet mine, then she undoes her robe and lets it fall to the floor.

I smile. “Now that’s a greeting I like.” I bend and inhale her scent deeply. Being with her makes me feel instantly at ease.

“We are alone in an apartment so we won’t be needing clothes.” She smiles.

I grab my tie and start undoing it. “Good.” I smirk.

A knock sounds at the door. “Room service,” someone calls from the other side and I roll my eyes as Natasha dives for her robe.

She quickly redresses and opens the door. “Please, this way.” She smiles as she gestures with her hand to the table. My eyes flick around the apartment. This is nice. Very old Hollywood. I walk to the bedroom and check it out. Mmm, I could live here. The room attendant puts down five trays on the table while another brings in a bottle of champagne and an ice bucket and opens the bottle. My eyes flick to Natasha in gratitude. She knows me better than anyone. I give her a wink and the waiters all leave the room.

Natasha pours me a glass of champagne and passes it to me as she gently kisses my lips.

“I got you dinner, baby.”

I smile softly. “I’m not hungry, presh. You eat it.” I sit down at the table.

Her face falls. “I know you haven’t eaten today.”

I smirk. “How do you know that?”

“Because I know you. You can’t eat when you are stressed,” she replies softly.

My eyes drop to the salmon on the plate. I could think of nothing worse than eating that right now.

I blow out a deep breath. “Tash,” I whisper sadly.

Her face falls and she comes over and sits across my lap like a child and wraps her arms around my neck. “Please, just eat it.” She pulls a cute face. “For me?”

I drop my head.

“Josh, I know it’s hard to see the forest for the trees at the moment. This is overwhelming, but you need to know that even though everything outside this room is a nightmare…” She kisses me gently and I feel myself melt a little. “What’s in here… ” She puts her hand on my heart. “Between us… is so pure and so perfect that it counteracts anything negative in our lives. I love you so much Josh and we are so blessed to have each other.” She kisses me again. “It doesn’t matter what goes on out there… because we have perfection in here,” she whispers.

I pull her close to me and smile into her neck as I inhale deeply. I love this woman.

“And I have a surprise for you if you eat.” She stands and goes back to her seat opposite me.

I raise my eyebrows. “A surprise?” I ask.

She takes a bite of the bread roll she has just buttered and hands it to me.