Dark Places of the Soul: Dark Soul Trilogy - Book 1 Read Online Free Page B

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stop. The millionaire director, with a full head of gray hair,
became enraptured with her shapely legs and perfectly shaped bosom.
Despite any real acting experience on her part the top billing
landed in her lap.
    She didn’t love Zak, not in the way where
she could envision spending her entire life with him. She loved
what he was able to do for her and even though she’d been sleeping
with him for the last four months she hadn’t strayed from the beds
of younger, more durable men.
    Candice flowed through the room with a
cocktail in hand and a short, sheer dress, wrapped around her
supple form. Her necklines always sought to expose as much cleavage
as possible and this little pink number stretched her limited
modesty.
    Zak was across the room with a few invited
members of the media, discussing the intricacies of certain
characters in her upcoming film. One of the reporters was a good
friend of Candice’s, someone who she once spent an intimate week
with. Of the questions she overheard, one involved the strong
female personality dominating the lead. She gave ownership of the
created role to no one other than herself. Zak named her character,
she gave the heroine life.
    She and Zak had a flight scheduled for
tomorrow morning, from LA to the Big Apple with a quick stop in
Chicago. The trip was part of her grand birthday plan. She assumed
a huge diamond would be in store. The rock would burn a hole in
Zachary’s pocket, all the way from California to New York and up to
Lake Placid. He owned a cabin up in the North Country. They spent a
week there, in each other’s embrace, during the first month of
their romance.
    At the present moment fatigue began to take
charge of her mood. She suppressed a couple yawns, lest she be
caught on camera and published in a gossip magazine. God knows they
had a field day with her as it was. She figured her weariness came
from knowing how early Zachary Wells liked to rise from sleep
before travel.
    “ Candice, Candice,
Candice,” the voice made her cringe, “been too long darlin’ since I
last cast these ol’ eyes on you.”
    In fact less than a month had passed since
their last run in, but she knew the person interrupting her focus
didn’t really have much of a life. Indeed, to Conrad Kaminisky
three weeks must seem like an eternity. “Conrad, it’s good to see
you,” she lied and forced herself to give the old man a hug.
    “ What on earth have you
done to my friend Zak?” Conrad asked, trying his best to perform a
demure role. “Must be love,” he answered himself, “the glaze over
the old coot’s eyes give it away. You got ‘im… hook, line and
sinker.”
    Across the room Zachary moved from the
reporter to a place of momentary solitude. Their eyes met and it
was enough for Candice to make an excuse to leave the tiny corner
in the room Conrad occupied. She floated across the expanse to the
man with the gray hair; the one she knew secretly concealed a ring
with a diamond which would contrast nicely with her eyes.
    “ Zak… the party is
wonderful… thank you.”
    He addressed her insincerity with an
unemotional kiss on the cheek.
    “ Our flight is early,” she
reminded him.
    “ Why don’t you go upstairs
and get your beauty sleep and I’ll see to getting our guests on
their way.”
    She knew that type of suggestion from him
meant he’d be to bed in about two or three hours. Zachary Wells was
not one to end a party before two o’clock in the morning and it was
now less than five minutes before midnight.
     
    ***
     
    Keri woke with the sound of a distant alarm
clock. The irritating intrusion on her sleep abruptly came to a
halt once her eyes were opened to the gray dawn. She rolled onto
her back and sat up on the firm mattress. Her jeans and blouse were
crumpled on the floor. Her sneakers were nowhere in sight. All she
wore were the same white panties she’d had on for days; such was
the life a newly ordained homeless person. Surprisingly she didn’t
feel dirty;