04 April, 2012

500WC Chapter Twenty-Two

500 Word Challenge Chapter Twenty-two
Word Count: 669

He managed not to see much of her over the next week or so. Alice was helpful, whether she planned it that way or not. He had meetings every evening, the trip to Barcelona, a quick overnight stop in Paris.
He lay in his bed, staring up at the ceiling. Alone. Ivan and Selene had left yesterday, showering his wife with praise and affection. Once Renee was allowed to leave the house, she had promised to spend some weeks with them in France, them a month of so of the summer on their yacht. If Colton was lucky, he’d probably not see her for months on end.

He shut his eyes determinedly. It was nice to have his room back to himself. Renee had always managed to pull all of the blankets off him and take up most of the bed.

Her cell phone rang.

She answered in a low voice. Who would call her after midnight?

Her voice rose, excited. Or upset. He groaned and got up to see what was the matter. He jerked on the jeans he’d left by the bed and went down to her room.

She opened on his knock, tears pouring down her face.

“Renee!” he exclaimed.

She shook her head, listening to the person on the other end of the call.

“I’m fine!” she repeated patiently, wiping her face. “Really, mom. I’m fine. I’m not hurt, I’m safe. Mr. Savage has been a perfect gentleman.”

The woman talked some more, obviously panicking.

Renee laughed. “No, I’m fine. I promise. He’s even said he’ll fly you out here…cause he’s stinking filthy rich, that’s why…I know, just my luck, right?” Renee smiled at him, taking the snideness out of her words. “Here, you talk to him.”

She shoved the phone into his hands. He gaped at her. She motioned him to talk.

“Hello?”

He jerked the phone from his ear as the woman screamed at him.

“She’s just happy.” Renee said, laughing. “Give her a minute.”

“Mrs. White? Mrs. White!” Colton cut in when she took a breath. “Mrs. White, calm down.”

“What is going on?!”

Colton hesitated, looking to Renee. She saw his meaning and frowned. She bit her lip, undecided. He scowled, making the decision for her.

“Mrs. White, I love your daughter.” Colton said firmly, talking over the woman’s renewed hysterics. “She saved my life. We got married right then, at the hospital. I would come to see you, but she’s under house arrest, under suspicion of terrorism. She’ll be cleared soon enough, but for now, she has to stay here in Madrid.”

The line was silent for a moment. “How soon can we come?”

“Where are you?”

“Yellowstone, Wyoming.”

Colton rubbed his face, trying to remember the one time he’d gone to that area of the US. “Okay, go to Denver. Call me when you get there. I’ll have a flight arranged for New York, then you can hop a trans-Atlantic for Spain. You have passports?”

“Yes.”

“On you?”

“No. They’re back in Idaho.”

“Call someone and get them to overnight them to you in New York. When you get to Denver, I’ll have an address for you to stay at in New York.”

“What about-”

“Do you have a way to get to Denver?”

“Yes, but what about Renee’s Visa? Her passport? It will expire soon.”

“I’ve got it all taken care of.” Colton assured her. “At least, my secretary does. If a woman named Alice Cho calls from Savage Enterprises, that’s my personal assistant. Do what she tells you.” He listed off her number and his private cell phone. “Call me as soon as you can.”

“Thank you.” The woman said after a moment of silence. “Thank you very much.”

“Its nothing,” he assured her. “You want to talk to Renee again?”

“Please.”

Colton gave up the phone gladly. Renee smiled at him, mouthing ‘thank you.’

“Yes it’s me.” She said, sitting on the bed. “Here’s what happened.”

Colton left her to comfort her mother.

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