Page 205 of Stanton Unconditional

CHAPTER 31

Natasha

I sit on the plane next to Adrian on the flight into Phuket. Joshua has insisted we come here for a week on the way to LA. Apparently this is one of the only places on Earth that he can relax, and I can’t wait to see it. I watch him silently as he plays cards with Abbie and Cameron. He didn’t sleep last night. He, Max and Ben were up watching security tapes all night. My apartment was broken into yesterday by someone. I never imagined it, who would want to do this? It doesn’t make sense. The motive for scaring the hell out of me is still unknown, and Joshua was frantic. I have never been so glad to get on a plane as I was today.

TC’s murder, Coby Allender, the serial killer, Margaret Stanton and her ultimate betrayal, I can’t wait to get the hell out of here. Joshua’s uninhibited laughter echoes through the cabin, and I smile broadly at their interactions. He changed out of his suit two hours into the flight and since then the real beautiful Josh has come to visit. What must it be like to be him and under so much scrutiny all the time? What is comforting though is the fact that he is finally being himself around the girls. I suppose he realizes they are going to be around more than he previously thought and has finally let his guard down. Bridget is up the back of the plane talking to Ben and the other guards and Adrian has come down to sit with me. Abbie is getting her ass kicked at poker.

“They’re cheating.” Adrian smiles. I frown. “Who?”

“Joshua has been teaching Cam to count cards.” He smirks. My mouth drops open. “Joshua knows how to count cards?” He raises his eyebrows and smiles. “Ahuh.”

I narrow my eyes. “What must it be like to be that intelligent, Adrian?” I sigh.

He smiles sadly. “I imagine lonely, Cinderella.”

My face drops. “Lonely?” I question.

“Joshua’s insides don’t match his outsides.”

“What do you mean?” I ask.

“Look at him.” He gestures and my eyes flick to my beautiful man, laughing freely as he plays, and I smile broadly.

“He looks like a movie star, so people expect him to be stupid, so then a lot of people annoy him because of their lack of intelligence. The people who are like him on the inside are computer geeks who have hardly any life experience because they have been on their computers or gaming for most of their life.” He sighs. “He’s between two worlds and that’s why the paparazzi have so much interest in him. He doesn’t fit the bill, he’s not normal.” He smiles.

I frown. “Is that why he spends so much time with you and Cam?”

He smiles. “Yes, I think so.” He shrugs. “Cam is his brother and I am so close that I’m like his brother; he feels comfortable with us. He can be himself.”

I smile as my eyes flick to Joshua again. “Did you think we were going to make it, Adrian?” I ask.

He smiles and takes my hand in his. “I hoped so, that’s a big fucking tattoo.”

A giggle bubbles up and I sigh, I am one lucky bitch. “Tell me about where we are going. Why does he love it so much?” Excitement starts to fill me at the life we are going to live together, and the future we have.

He smiles and puts his head back into the seat rest.

“Joshua owns four adjoining properties on the cliff of Kamala Beach in Phuket.”

I lean back and he fiddles with my fingers that he still has in his hand.

“Joshua is himself there, no cameras, no girls, no bodyguards. Just Josh.”

I raise my eyebrows. “No girls?”

He shakes his head. “I usually stay with Joshua in Kamala and Cameron and Ben each get their own house.”

I smile wistfully. “Why do neither of you hook up there?” He shrugs. “We just don’t. I don’t know why. Cameron and Ben have a thing for Thai girls and that’s why they get their own houses. Joshua and I just relax. We read, drink cocktails, go to the beach and swim. I don’t know, it’s just the way it has always been. We spend a lot of time there.”

“How much time?” I ask.

He shrugs. “Up to eight weeks a year.”

I frown. “Really? That’s a lot of time.”

“I think if Joshua could have his horses there that is where he would live permanently.”

I smile as I listen.