The Color of Autumn

By Cora Sacha

Paul Musuno and Ivory Ruvara suspect someone's after Paul's paranormally gifted art students at the elite institution of Pentegram. They fake being married so that they can lure the suspects, who are also Paul's family. According to Ivory, Paul has it all because he has family. Will Ivory allow Paul to give up his family for her?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cora Sacha
• Release date: Dec 1, 2020
• ISBN: 9781005522612

Cora Sacha

At some stage in her life, Cora wanted to be a pilot, then an engineer. This lost appeal faster than a pilot, so she changed to a doctor. This didn't seem to be enough. To date, Cora Sacha is all three, although if you hear she is she is the one flying your plane, jump out the window. She flies ideas, creates the impossible and heals with words. Her dream is to write a book in each genre including nonfiction.

Book preview

The Color of Autumn

By Cora Sacha

Copyright 2020 Cora Sacha

Smashwords Edition

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Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

The Color of the Sky

Chapter 1 Ivory

Paul Musuno blissfully unwraps the last of the numerous birthday presents littering his oversized office. He saved the simple, small and glittery package for last because it’s from his favorite pupil, Crystal Rhineston. In theory, he isn’t supposed to have a favorite, yet he likes her combination of openness, integrity and ability to glue others together.

When her brother, David Rhineston, the famous mentor of the Emotional Intelligence Point of the Pentagram, had revealed his fifth and uncontrollable form by ruining her preparation, she hadn’t given up on either the festival or her brother.

At noon, the presents started coming, flooding his office and reminding him, he and his triplet brothers are now twenty-eight. He has much to show for it. As the head of the Musical and Art Intelligence Point of the elite and prestigious Pentagram, he is the youngest mentor. Nothing could have prepared him for the varying shapes and sizes or the range of unique colors.

‘Don’t.’ A voice warns him.

‘Don’t what?’ Is his first thought, he fabricates it to a polite and eloquent, ‘Excuse me?’

The person slides his glass door, steps in, locks it with a loud click and grabs the package from him, all in the time it takes him to blink. With a female grace that supports his claim that he is gay, he stands to demand an explanation for the rude evasion.

The invader ignores him searching his office for any cameras or listening devices. She efficiently finds two in the chandeliers, disguised as spiders. He doesn’t tell her they are his but watches her flexible motion. Recognizing her as Ivory Ruvara, Crystal’s body guard until her festival and soon to be sister-in-law, he relaxes and fashionably seats on his impressive designer desk patiently waiting for her to complete her task. The first time he met her, she was unconscious. Now he realizes, she's a person who is full of activity and doesn't wait for life to happen for her, she happens for life.

From his research, she doesn’t do anything by halves. She’d been involved in the incident with David and proved a loyal sister when she chose to die instead of shooting David. The reason being her sister loved him.

Apparently done with her examination, she skips for the door.

‘Not so fast, Ivory.’ He quickly intercepts her, his speed surprising her as he cups the hand holding the handle.

She shouldn’t be surprised. His Armani suit doesn’t hide his broad shoulders and muscles. Added to this is the fact he helped contain David’s violent fifth form.

‘I deserve an explanation,’ he rumbles near her, ‘as to why I can’t open my gift.’

She puffs out a breath. Didn’t she explain? Was she so distracted by his male beauty to think properly? His eyes smile at her as she slowly lets go of the handle. However, he continues to hold her hand, shifting his long fingers so he can properly hold her. Angry she can deal with, polite freaks her out.

‘I think someone’s trying to bomb you using Crystal.’

‘How did you know of this bomb?’ he interrogates softly. She can’t tell if he believes her or not.

‘It’s my job. It’s like asking you how you know if a piece of art is good.’

‘Good point,’ he admits tagging her from the door using her hand. She yanks it from his warm grasp but he relentlessly holds on to it. Her eyes narrow at this. This is not a battle for her hand, it’s a power battle. She can’t believe this.

‘Who is the prime suspect?’

‘You,’ she spits truthfully refusing to budge. ‘What better cover to abuse females than that you’re gay. And what better way to make people think the female hates you than to bomb yourself.’

‘And you say there’s bomb in there,’ he queries comparing her to an exploding bomb.

He’s still holding her fingers the same way you hold a china cup so that it doesn’t fall. It’s making her feel special in turn causing her to be squeamish.

‘Paul can you let go of my hand,’ she roughly orders. With her other hand she pockets the gift in the oversized front pocket of her cargo pants. The action causes him to look at her bare flat stomach exposed by the military style tank top.

His eyes smile stubbornly at her. For a handsome, sexy man he is stubborn. What does he think? She’ll run away because she thinks he won’t catch her?

As if reading her mind, he says, ‘If I let you go do not stomp on my carpet.’

‘I’m no ballerina,’ she retorts, ‘or the women you secretly like to date.’

Paul ignores her bitter comparison, focusing instead on letting her go. It's not his carpet he is afraid of. It's his heart. When he met her at the hospital, after the incident with David, she had been unconscious. Lifeless. Yet, he knew she was trouble. He hadn’t been wrong.

As soon as he lets her go, she does exactly what he said not to do. Where is she supposed to channel all her frustration? The person who attacked Crystal is so close but they can’t figure out who it is. Crystal who refuses to talk, also refuses to think it's her art teacher who is the study and inspiration of her theme for her festival.

Paul struggles to ignore the sensation of his heart being crashed by a herd of large elephants, to focus on the issue at hand. He was, after all praying for a helper when Ivory sailed into his office.

‘I am aware that someone’s physically and emotionally abusing the younger art students. That’s why I placed the cameras. My only lead is they are gifted with the ability to keep the victims quiet.’ His expressive doe brown eyes frown. ‘Why would they attack me?’

‘It would be Crystal attacking you, Paul. You would then suspend her for medical reasons. The media would also think the same linking it to her brother David having a fifth form he can’t control.’

‘But you would know the truth.’ He refers to Crystal’s friends and family.

‘Yes, but she can’t talk about it or