Chapter One
Lucas Parker restlessly fidgeted around in his bedroom. For a month, he had been coming to a scrupulously clean penthouse with the intoxicating smell of violets. It was a soft sweet, powdery and romantic smell which always relieved him of his stress and headaches the moment he stepped into his penthouse. He was very thankful to the employee who worked so hard to clean his huge penthouse everyday. He wanted to meet her and thank her personally and give her some money as a token of his appreciation.
He didn't go out on Saturday and summoned Dominic and Sarah early in the morning at 7 o'clock to his penthouse. They came hurrying, tensed at being called so early.
"Mrs Browning, who cleans this place, everyday," he asked Sarah.
"Sir one of our new employees does it. I will replace her if you're not satisfied," she said, nervously.
"No, please don't. In fact, I wanted to personally meet her and thank her and maybe give her some money, for her children, " Lucas said, and Sarah grinned at Dominic.
"What happened? Have I said anything wrong?" Lucas asked as Sarah and Dominic looked at each other clearly communicating in their sign language.
"Sir, I would suggest you look at her employee profile and then decide what you want to give her," said Dominic with a chuckle. Sarah went down to the HR office to get Violet's employee register.
"I hope cupid strikes him and he falls head over heels in love with this girl. Her life will improve, " said Sarah to herself as she looked at the beautiful innocent photograph of Violet in the register.
She took it upstairs and handed Violet's profile sheet to Lucas. "Is there anything else you want sir?" She asked Lucas.
"Yes, send her upstairs the moment she comes in. She could clean as well as meet me," he said and they both nodded and left.
Lucas sat down on his sofa and looked at the profile sheet Sarah gave him. The photograph of a young teenage girl with big beautiful hazel eyes staring back at him made his breath hitch. Who was this angel? He had expected some middle-aged woman but not this stunning beauty. He gazed at her flawless face, her chestnut brown hair with astonishment.
Violet Nelson, he read her name. What a coincidence! She smelled of violets and her name was Violet as well. He murmured her name ten times, loving the feel of it on his tongue.
He now became desperate to meet her in person. She should be in college. Why was she working as a housekeeping staff? She might be needy, he concluded. He read her profile. She lived in south LA? That was too far away, he thought. This was her first job. She only had graduated high school and was nineteen years of age. Lucas couldn't look away from her profile sheet. He eagerly waited to meet her.
At twenty-six, he co-owned Parker Suites spanning all over the world with his cousin Tyler Parker. Their dads were brothers who started the Parker Suites together, around forty years back.
So while his dad, Eric Parker still actively managed the Parker Suites, Tyler's dad, Ethan Parker already retired and Tyler actively took over from him. Lucas's younger sister Serenity who was two years younger than him looked after the interior designing and decorations of the Parker Suites all over the world. With a degree in interior decoration and design, she was very good at her job. His youngest brother, Liam was in his third year studying hotel management while working as an intern at one of the Parker Suites in Las Vegas.
His whole family lived in Las Vegas while he spent his maximum time between LA, Washington and New York.
He had a notorious reputation thanks to his cousin Tyler's first wife, Meredith who was a bitch. She had trapped Tyler into a forced marriage for money and other gains. When Tyler realised he immediately divorced her. She tried to seduce Lucas but he didn't give her any attention. Frustrated, she lied to Tyler and tried to malign Lucas's name. She created misunderstandings between him and Tyler. Lucas didn't care. He would clear his misunderstandings with Tyler, when they met.
He went to his bedroom to take a quick shower before Violet arrived. When he came out of his ensuite, he could distinctly smell the sweet intoxicating smell of violets again. Yes she was here, in his penthouse. But where? He wore a pair of sweatpants and while drying his hair with the towel hanging from his shoulders, he went out of his bedroom in search of her.
He went to the living room, she wasn't there. He went to the kitchen, she wasn't there too, he went to the bedroom next to his, she wasn't there but he could smell her presence. He went to check the ensuite when he heard a sweet voice singing, "A thousand years" by Christina Perry. His feet stopped as he stood transfixed to the spot, listening with bated breath.
It was the most angelic voice he'd ever heard, like sweet music to his ears. She sang with so much feeling into the song. Did she love someone? He wondered, feeling a pang of jealousy already. Did she have a boyfriend? He had to find out. She sang
Heart beats fast
Colors and promises
How to be brave
How can I love when I'm afraid to fall
But watching you stand alone
All of my doubt, suddenly goes away somehow
One step closer
I have died everyday, waiting for you
Darling, don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more
He couldn't take it anymore. He craved for one glimpse of her. Going towards the ensuite he stood in front of the closed door. Suddenly it opened and Violet came out and collided with his bare chest.
As she looked up at him, he was lost into those mesmerising hazel eyes. She was more breathtaking from so near. She was irresistible actually. His arms went round her soft body, loving the feel of her against his body. The sweet smell.of violets created havoc with his sense and he was lost in her.
Suddenly she looked down and extricated herself from his hold as realisation struck. Violet was too scared to have collided with Lucas Parker himself. She didn't know he was at home. She had no idea that he was so handsome and drool worthy just like Greta had said. She was shamelessly lost in his embrace. She had goosebumps the moment she touched his bare muscular chest. His embrace invoked a strange feeling inside her. A strange yearning and she was scared of falling for the casanova himself. He was way beyond her league and she was just a cleaner at one of his many hotels.
Would he report her? She looked at her feet trembling with fear.
"I'm s s sorry, sir. I didn't know you were here. I think I'll come later when it's convenient for you," she stammered and picked up her things and ran out before Lucas could come out of his trance.
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Listen to 'A thousand years' by Christina Perry
