The Promise Pact (Promise to Love Book 1) (4 page)

“Please, just read it. It’s from Ms. Roy, how could you not read it,” he stated with a bit of disappointment in his voice.

His words stung. She hadn’t anticipated the raw emotion. Then a film of tears gazed over her eyes. She blinked them away quickly, not wanting him to see her moment of weakness. She looked into his eyes again, searching for an explanation but there was none there.

“Just read Kaya, I am sure she will explain everything.”

Kaya turned slowly on her heels. One step. Two steps. Three…then she was there. Reaching down carefully she picked up the envelope, opened it then read.

Dearest Kaya,

I’m finally calling in my favor!

Love you always,

Mom

No! No! No!
She wouldn’t do this to her. Why would she call in her favor now? She was dead. Favors didn’t count at this point.
Pain, unbearable pain immediately soared through Kaya’s body.
Oh mom, why are you doing this to me? Please don’t do this to me.

Then she remembered everything. Every single detail.

After the death of her grandmother Kaya was completely alone in the world. Ms. Roy had opened her home and heart to the young girl. During her college years, it was Ms. Roy who had provided special care packages once a month. She turned her spare bedroom into Kaya’s room so she would have a place to visit during breaks and summer vacations.
When Kaya was attacked by a predator on campus during her final semester of college, Ms. Roy had nursed her back to health and held her tight. For nearly twenty years, Ms. Roy had comforted, supported and loved her like a daughter. So when she was diagnosed with terminal cancer and came to her one afternoon asking for a favor down the road, Kaya never hesitated saying yes. She just didn’t know the favor would involve Max King!

Kaya took a deep breath and exhaled. She stumbled, then wobbled a bit, then gained her composure. She wasn’t going to allow him to see her unravel.

She placed the letter in her bag and then walked towards the last man she expected to see again in life.

Max could see the look of emptiness wash over her. Her once colorful face was now pale. She approached him with purpose. Max stood still, not knowing what to say. He braced himself for her next onslaught of insults, but instead she moved close to him, very close. Then closer. Her mysterious, dark eyes pierced his essence.

Max instantly shifted.

Her parched lips parted. Then, she spoke, it was almost a whisper, “I’ll go! A promise is a promise.”

CHAPTER THREE

The thunderous sound of their racing heartbeats echoed throughout Grand Central Station.

Kaya was defeated.

Max was concerned.

A familiar look of pain was etched on her face, it was the same look she wore fifteen years ago.

Gotdammit!
What was in the letter? From where he stood, the letter appeared to have only a few words scribbled on it, unlike the one he received that seemed to go on forever. He desperately wanted to know, but was too afraid to ask. Whatever it was, Ms. Roy’s words had rattled Kaya, and somehow had convinced her to say yes. Max could feel her pensive eyes on him. She looked petrified and he knew he didn’t have anyone to blame but himself.

“Kaya, I’m not a saint but I promise I would never cause any physical harm to you. Ms. Roy wouldn’t have arranged this if she didn’t trust me.” He felt sick thinking she might believe he could harm a hair on her head. Especially now that she was back in his life. He would do anything to make things right.

Shaking her head, trying to clear her mind, Kaya spoke, “Max, I may not like this entire situation but I never thought you would physically harm me.”

He looked relieved.

“Then what is it?” he asked, determined to understand.

She sighed.

“The clinic I work for is in trouble. Today, I visited the pharmaceutical company that provides our much needed medicines and they refused to advance us any future drugs. Max, I’m afraid to go because hundreds of people in my community may not have health care when I return. Not to mention, I will be out of a job. I made Ms. Roy a promise but I don’t know if I am going to be able to see this through.”

She look overwhelmed. Instinctively, he reached out to comfort her by touching her lean shoulder.

She flinched.

He shifted his rugged physique trying to pretend it hadn’t affected him.

It did.

The words of his letter came crashing down at him at once. “
I’ve always known that you regretted what happened to Kaya Hanson on your senior dance night.”
And, he had regretted the past. His actions fifteen years before had caused someone else pain. So much so that she could hardly stand to be in his presence.

Staring at her now, in her moment of weakness and emotionally exposed, caused a strange feeling to soar through him. Max desperately wanted to offer his help, but he knew she was too proud to accept his money outright. Even now, in her moment of desperation, she stood tall on unbending conviction. He couldn’t blame her, the last time she saw him he had betrayed her trust. And trust was hard to regain.

Buzz. Buzz.

Max’s concentration was broken the moment his cellphone vibrated in his pocket. Frustrated, he retrieved the device and saw the words,
New York Cares Foundation
plastered on his screen. He was sure it was nothing more than a routine call from the event organizers ensuring his participation at the event. He immediately forwarded the call to his voicemail, but then--- it hit him. Max had a plan. A plan that would give him what he wanted and give Kaya what she desperately needed.

He shifted his focus back to the letter.

“We have eight weeks to complete this arrangement. I think we should begin to see this as business proposition.”

“Proposition?”

“Yes. You need something and so do I. Maybe it’s time we make an arrangement.” Max spoke to her in the same direct tone he would have used with any of his employees.

“I’m listening. You have all of my attention,” she stated with interest twinkling in in her eyes.

The words
“all of my”
trickled from her lips and spilled into his ears like medicine drops soothing an infected baby’s ear. Max’s eyes quickly darted to her full cleavage, causing his manhood to stir. Her cherry red hesitant lips, quivering midnight eyes, wobbly exposed knees, and wicked tight ass had his pulsating jackhammer searching for much more. He breathed deep and regained his composure.

“Have you heard of the
New York Cares Foundation
?”

“Of course I have,
I don’t live under a rock
. But, what does that have to do with the garden and the clinic Max?”

“A lot. Every year, my business partners select me to represent the firm at the gala. This year is no different. The problem is I need a date but not just any date, the right one. I’ve been searching for someone to attend this event with me for weeks but I haven’t been able to find anyone. Until today.”

“Are you serious? Max, I’m not your type. I wouldn’t know the first thing about attending some high society event.” She shouted.

“Yes, you would. And you are my type.” Kaya ignored the compliment and continued to rant, “What you’re asking is ludicrous.”

“Kaya, I haven’t fully spelled out my proposition yet so you wouldn’t know exactly what I was proposing, now would you?” They were arguing like two kids on the playground, each comment sharper than the first.

“Fine. What are you proposing Max?” She asked sarcastically.

“The proposition is easy Kaya. If you go as my date Friday night, I will pay all the outstanding clinic bills. Plus, I will arrange for a qualified replacement for you until our work is complete in South Carolina.”

“What? That doesn’t make any sense and it doesn’t seem fair!”

“Fair to whom Kaya? I need a date. The clinic
, not you
, needs medicine and support while you’re gone. I don’t understand how saving lives isn’t fair. If this is about the past just say it.”

A steady stream of aggravation pumped through her veins. He was a lawyer alright. He had her backed into a corner but she wasn’t going to allow this jerk to trap her into anything she would regret. She wasn’t some trophy piece he could march around and then discard after the tabloids were done with her. Plus, had this jerk taken a good look at her? She wasn’t some high profile model or stunning camera worthy actress that caught others attention. No, she was just plain old Kaya. So why would he be interested in having her for a date!
Oh, she knew why!

“I see where this is going. I’m
not
sleeping with you Max King. You can forget it. I’m not for sale. And for the record, I have not been sitting around for the last fifteen years thinking about you!”

Her words sent shockwaves through him. He hadn’t expected an upper cut punch to his gut but obviously there was a pro fighter in the ring.

“Hmm, that wasn’t a part of the proposition but if you want to add an addendum I will be more than happy to oblige.” He stated in a husky sexual tone.

Was he flirting with her?
A wave of heat washed through her causing her to flush with embarrassment.

“No thank you Mr. King. I wouldn’t touch you if you were the last man on this Earth.” She snapped back.

“Correction, you have touched me before!”

His sexual comments were oozing freely off his lips. He was getting under her skin in a way no one else could.

Enough.

She wasn’t going to engage him another minute but she also wasn’t going to get the last word. She barked back. “That’s not what I recall.”

“Well, I would be happy to reenact the situation, sweetheart.”

Kaya was aggravated. His sexual tone was making her knees weak.
Damn!
She needed to get out of Grand Central Station. It was time to close the deal. Her fiery personality drifted back into plain sight.

“Whatever! Max King, DO WE HAVE A DEAL?” She stated firmly with her hands on her curvy hips.

A satisfied grin surfaced on his clean shaven face.

“Fine, we have a deal. Anything else?”

“Yes, one more thing, you must remain an anonymous donor. Unlike you, I am a very private person. I don’t want the public prying into my past.”

“Okay, but since you just added an addendum to the proposition, it’s only fair I get one too.”

“What? What type of games are you playing here Max?”

“No games, just dinner. We haven’t seen each other in many years and I think it’s important that we show up to the gala tomorrow night being cordial with one another. So I’m adding a dinner date to the deal.”

“Date?” She quipped.

“Fine, outing. Call it whatever you want. I just don’t want to have an awkward moment at the event, got it!”

Kaya crossed her arms over her chest then eyeballed him from head to toe. She hated everything about him, from his flashing pearly whites, to his designer shoes, but most importantly she hated his ability to make her red hot on the spot, even after so many years.

“Fine! I’ll go, but I’ll pay for my own meal. I don’t want another penny of your money.”

“I can’t agree to that! What kind of man would I be allowing you pay for your own meal?”

“Either I pay for my meal or I don’t go. Take it or leave it Max King.” Kaya said squinting her eyes and biting down on her lower lip.

“Fine, have it your way. Deal.”

Seconds later, Max reached into his coat pocket, pulled out his phone and dialed his assistant Ruby. He quickly explained the situation to her and then rattled off a list of directives. His final words to Ruby were sharp and clear, “Please have all this completed by the end of the day!”

Kaya stood there motionless just having made a deal with the devil. “Where should I meet you tonight?” She stated in a business like tone.

“We’re not meeting anywhere. I’ll pick you up, and I’m not taking no for answer. Just be ready tonight at 8 pm. You can handle that request without tossing an insult, right?”

She turned her nose up. He had already baited her too many times, she didn’t have the energy to go toe-to-toe with him again. “Fine,” she stated, tossing her hand in the air in a dismissive manner. He quickly handed her his business card. She didn’t provide hers.

Then Kaya walked away.

Max drank her in until she vanished into the dense crowd. He stood there immobile, reeling in shock from the day’s events. When he woke up that morning he would have never guessed that Kaya Hanson would have tumbled back into his life. And now that she was there, how was he going to let her go again?

***

Kaya’s text message came shortly after 7 pm. It was short and to the point.
I’m sick. I can’t come tonight. We can have coffee in the car before the gala, so I fulfill my end of the deal. Night.

Sick his ass.

Max wasn’t in the mood for games he had specifically told her that he would be picking her up at 8 pm and now she was rearranging everything without even a phone call. Didn’t she realize he was having a fucking bad day too, but the main difference was he was being cordial and pleasant, she wasn’t. And to make matters worse, they had a verbal arrangement, and she was deliberately breaking their deal. Visibly annoyed, he let out a distressful sigh and sent her a quick generic response. Then he grabbed his suit jacket and headed out of his office. About thirty minutes later, he opened the front door of her Brooklyn apartment building and headed up three flights of stairs. If she wasn’t going to have dinner with him, he was going to find out why, and it wasn’t going to be done via text.

He knocked hard on her rickety door.

“Who is it?” she huffed swinging the door open. Kaya gasped the moment she recognized Max’s tall, dark and handsome frame standing outside her apartment. She helplessly drank in his gorgeousness and brushed it off quickly. “How in the hell did you find me? You can’t just pop up to someone’s house unannounced.”