The Tin Man (Inner Circle #1) : Enemies to Lovers Dark Romance Thriller

by Kailin Gow

  “First off,” Ace said. “The invitation simply reads: Parker James, CEO of TechUp wishes to invite you to his housewarming party in Malibu Canyon. Special announcements will be made over the course of the evening. Then the time, date… yada, yada, yada.”

  “Sounds good.”

  “Okay, so we have here, Georgina Foster, Noemi Bright and Dahlia Stone who are all staring in the latest movie out by the one and only Stanley Campbell. I’ve also included Matt Cocker, the director and Vince Timber, one of the producers.” He waved his hand dismissively. “Then there are a few other two bit players like the Tingsley twins, Jake Night, Sasha Plumb and others who are fun to have around and who never refuse an invitation.”

  “Go on. What about the media?”

  “Oh, I forgot to mention Abigail Christian who is a popular influencer. She’ll be sure to talk all about the party. But there is also Robert Tinsdale from The Record, Barbara Heinz from The Briefer and Tyrina Lopez from that magazine The Loupe.”

  “Did you find a suitable caterer?”

  “Mademoiselle Francoise is one of the finest caterers in town and comes highly recommended. It is said that she has the most heavenly desserts and her patisseries are to die for. I’ve looked over her menu and have set out three possibilities for you here.”

  He handed me a print-out of the possibilities.

  “You can either have a sit down dinner; leg of lamb, seasonal vegetables, green salad and all. Or a buffet style affair where everyone takes what they want. Or you can just have bites and hors d’oeuvres all night with plenty of champagne to wash it down with.”

  “I think I’d prefer that last option,” I said. “I don’t want a tedious sit down dinner. I want everyone to go around and mingle.”

  “I think that’s best also.”

  “Good. All right then,” I said with a satisfied clap of my hands. “That leaves us six days to get this place suitable for an elegant soiree. Let’s get to it.”

  *****

  The two-bit players were the first to arrive followed by the influencer. They were all dressed to party, with short cocktail dresses that shimmied and shined. They were also quite chatty and effervescent, eager to meet with some of Hollywood’s royalty.

  Unfortunately for them when the bigger stars arrived, they had little interest in talking with the lesser known actors.

  “What a group of pompous asses,” I muttered to Ace as I watched the game play out in front of me.

  Barbara Heinz from The Briefer was quick to come to me with a few questions.

  “You are indeed a very mysterious man, Mr. James,” she said. “Few know much about you. Can you let us in on who Parker James really is?”

  “I’m just a really hard working guy,” I said with an incredible dose of false modesty. “I mean, this all might seem glamorous and exciting, but underneath it all, I’m just a geek who likes to tinker with computers.”

  She looked at me with an appraising eye. “I don’t think many women would think of you as merely a computer geek. You’re quite hot and sexy, especially for a successful businessman.”

  I shook my head. “Not really. I’m actually quite dull. But when I get an idea in my head, I follow it and don’t give up until it either works or fails completely.”

  “So little is known about your background; where you were born, where you grew up… are you married or single. That sort of thing.”

  I looked beyond her as the last of the expected guests arrived.

  “I do apologize,” I said. “I do have a few words to say.”

  As the champagne and hors d’oeuvres went around to all the guests, I went to stand before the fireplace. I looked at all the people standing in the great space of my new home. It was like starting a new chapter in my life.

  I tapped the side of my champagne flute with a golden spoon. “Excuse me,” I called out.

  The hum of conversation continued, though slightly quieter.

  “Excuse me,” I said again, with a clang of my spoon against the glass.

  Many turned to look at me while others turned to their conversation partner to shut them up.

  “Thank you all so much for coming out here tonight,” I said, once the room had completely quieted down. “I know that the invitations were a little last minute, but I am thrilled to have you all here.”

  “Happy to be here,” a slightly drunken starlet cried out. Clearly, she had decided to dive right into the champagne.

  “In addition to meeting you all tonight, I also have a very important announcement to make,” I went on. “As many of you may already know, TechUp has found phenomenal success in Europe. It has been an unexpected surprise, but we’re thrilled with the way things have turned out. As we speak, TechUp is the third largest tech company in France, Germany and Portugal, the second largest in Italy, Sweden and Belgium and the leader in Norway, Turkey, Finland, Austria and Denmark.”

  The small crowd applauded my accomplishments.

  “With so much undeniable success, many have been asking when I would tackle the American market,” I went on. “It wasn’t something I’d really planned on. I enjoyed taking my place in the European market, but… Well, the time to make the move has finally come.”

  “Yay!” the drunken starlet cheered, though I’m certain she had no idea what I was talking about.

  “We’ve finally decided to come to America and to set up our new operation right here in the Greater Los Angeles area.”

  “Where?” the drunken starlet let out. “Where can I find you, you little cutie?”

  I pressed a wry smile. “We’re still in the process of shopping around for the perfect location. The real estate market out here is tight and finding the suitable building is proving to be difficult. We just may have to find a sizeable piece of property and start construction of our own facility.”

  “Bravo,” the reporter from The Record called out.

  “Good for you,” another one added.

  “Welcome to California,” Tyrina Lopez said. “Can we expect to be kept up to date with your progress? Will you let us know once you’ve found a location?”

  “I’ll be sure to keep in touch with all of you and let you know how things are moving along,” I said. “I hope to have a long relationship with everyone from the press.”

  “I’m looking forward to it,” Barbara Heinz said.

  “Well, that’s all I had to say,” I said in closing. “Please, enjoy the champagne, enjoy the magnificent food brought to us by Mademoiselle and please do enjoy your evening.”

  After a splattering of polite applause, I walked through the crowd nodding and thinking them for their kind words of encouragement.

  But then I noticed a familiar face looking at me from across the room. Her gaze was sultry and inviting as she took a sip of champagne and looked at me over the rim of her glass.

  She was stunning. Her long hair was pulled straight and fell to her waist and her makeup was dramatic without being over the top.

  Her dark green sparkling mini dress did well to cover her skin… the long sleeves and high neckline… but it was skintight and showed off her curves in the best possible way. Only her luscious legs were visible and wearing those three inch emerald stilettos, she outshined everyone at the party

  I shot a quick glimpse around her. Where was the boyfriend? Where was the lover? The suitor?

  Nowhere in sight.

  No one was around her.

  Off to get a drink? An hors d’oeuvre?

  She already had a drink in her hand, and she didn’t seem interested in the food that was being served.

  No. Instead, she was looking at me with hunger. With the hunger of a woman who’d not been satisfied by a man in a long, long time.

  “Tell me I’m not dreaming,” I whispered to myself.

  I looked around for Ace. He’d tell me whether I was dreaming or not. He’d tell me if this was just another mirage. But he was nowhere in sight.

  I took a step toward her. The mirage remained
, and the hungry look in her eyes intensified. She licked her pouty lips.

  Summer.

  Argh. I wanted her so bad.

  I took another step toward her, but the drunken starlet came to me, blocking me way.

  “Thank you so much for inviting me to your party,” she said with a seductive grin. “I love this sort of thing. Once the champagne gets going, people really get wild.”

  “Well,” I said as pleasantly as I could. “I’m happy to have you.”

  “Oh, sweetie,” she said as she leaned seductively into me. “You haven’t had me until… well, you’ve had me. You know what I mean.” She winked in a very awkward fashion.

  “I think I do,” I said. “In any case, I’m pleased to see that you’re enjoying yourself.” I tried to gently nudge her out of my way. “Now if you don’t mind… I do have other guests to tend to.”

  “You know,” she said, completely oblivious to my desire to get away from her. “I just love this house. It’s spectacular. That kitchen is wild. Did you know that you have a coffee machine built right into the wall? I mean, that’s just crazy. Isn’t it? Oh, you know. There’s just something special about a Malibu beach house. There really is. The crash of the waves. Those romantic sunsets. How would you like to go for a walk on the beach and watch the sunset?”

  “Well, first of all, ah…um,” I said as I glanced up to see Summer looking on with interest. “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”

  “Tabitha.”

  “Tabitha, yes. Well, first of all, Tabitha. This isn’t a beach house, and we are nowhere near the beach. We’re up in the mountains. Secondly, the sun has been down for quite some time now.”

  “Oh,” she said with a silly giggle and a slap at my chest. “Aren’t you the smart one?” Her hand remained on me and she ran it slowly over my chest. “And aren’t you a bundle of muscular joy. So hot and so rich. Wow. It’s been a long time since I’ve…”

  “I’m sorry,” I said, taking a firmer hold of her. “I really do have to see about my guests.”

  I kindly but firmly moved her out of my way and walked on to where Summer stood, an amused smile on her face.

  Chapter 14

  Dante Black/Parker James

  “You seem to be a very popular man,” Summer said when I finally reached her.

  “It comes with the territory,” I said flippantly. “Some people are enamored with the idea of power.”

  “And money, I suppose,” she added with a pleasant and welcoming smile.

  I nodded. “I suppose that has something to do with it as well.” I looked at her, taking her in and noting the small changes in her since the last time I’d seen her a few years earlier.

  She’d lost that girlish appearance and her high cheekbones were now more apparent. Her voice had also dropped to a lower and very mature and seductive register.

  “Are you enjoying yourself?” I said, way too aware of the nervous tension that was building up between us.

  Clearly, she had no idea of the past that we’d shared, but I wanted to do everything I could to poke at that memory and reawaken that part of her.

  “Mr. James,” Abigail Christian said as she came up to us, oblivious to the intrusion that she was.

  She was a flashy redhead with way too much make up, and way too much Botox. Wearing a bright pink cocktail dress that was covered with tiny shimmering beads, she stuck out from the crowd which, I had to assume was the intention. With a snide glance at Summer, she turned to me. “Mr. James… Parker… May I call you Parker?”

  “Sure,” I said, putting on my professional grin. “I insist that you do.”

  “Parker,” she went on, taking on a slightly haughty air. “My many followers are going to be incredibly interested in you and everything about you, particularly your marital status. I’m sure that once my followers see your gorgeous face, they’re going to want to know a lot more about you. What do you have to say to them?”

  Caught off guard, I didn’t know where to begin. “Um, I guess you could tell them that I work hard and that I have very little free time at the moment.”

  “Oh,” she said, clearly dissatisfied with my answer. “They don’t want to hear about that. They want to know the sweet stuff. You know… what’s your favorite restaurant, do you like to hang out at the beach, are you a romantic… do you have a girlfriend… things like that.”

  “Well, I do enjoy seafood, and a beautiful day at the beach is always nice. As far as romantic…”

  I looked to Summer who smiled patiently, watching the exchange with keen interest.

  After a silent moment, I shrugged. “Well, I don’t really know what to tell you about that. You’d have to ask the ladies.”

  “Oh,” Abigail let out, shooting a deadly glare at Summer. “And are there many? Ladies, I mean.”

  My eyes met Summer’s gaze and for a moment I felt a true connection to her… just like back in the old days. That knowing glance, both of us being in on the joke.

  Damn. It felt so real, so right.

  “Actually,” I finally said, my eyes still on Summer. “There’s really always been only one.”

  Abigail glared at Summer again and seemed miffed by my intimation. “I’m sure you must have ladies from all over the world throwing themselves at your feet.”

  I looked at her, trying hard to keep the condescension I felt from appearing too obvious. “Ms. Christian,” I said. “Surely as a modern woman living in the twenty-first century, you are aware that very few women are willing to throw themselves at a man’s feet… no matter how successful and wealthy he is.”

  A rush of blood immediately rose to her cheeks making Summer chuckle softly.

  “Of course,” Abigail said. “Of course, you’re right. Women today are making their own fortunes. I’m living proof of that, but there are still many women who are… who want… I mean… Well, they are looking for… a nice man who can…”

  I let out a soft and friendly snort. “Looks like I’ve got you there, haven’t I?” I gave her my friendliest grin to show I had no hard feelings. I wasn’t trying to make a dig at her. I’d just wanted to make a valid point.

  “Yes,” she said, still flustered as she tried to recuperate. “I imagine you have. I guess that, despite all the progress we’ve made, there are still some who appreciate what makes a man so successful.”

  I nodded.

  “I mean,” she went on, now having found her argument. “You’re definitely no slouch. You don’t just sit around waiting for things to happen. You make them happen. You work hard, you’re smart, you’re organized and determined. No doubt, you’re relentless in your pursuit of perfection and that, Mr. Parker James, is what makes you so appealing to women.”

  Grinning, I nodded my concession. “Touché.”

  “Looks like the tables have turned, Parker,” she went on. “Now, I’m the one who’s got you there.”

  “Indeed,” I said with a pleasant chuckle.

  Pleased with herself, she walked off. But when I turned back to continue my conversation with Summer, I found that she had walked off as well.

  Damn, I thought. Now where d’you go?

  I spent the next hour or so going around the room, listening pleasantly to the dull stories told by people who were too self-absorbed. I nodded and agreed with people’s absurd points of view. And I tried to chat with people clearly thought too highly of themselves.

  They were bores, but they were too highbrow to realize it.

  Finally, Georgina Foster, Noemi Bright and Dahlia Stone, the stars of the next Stanley Campbell movie came to me.

  “We came to say goodnight,” Dahlia said.

  “It’s been a swell evening,” Noemi added.

  “Sorry for having to make such a hasty exit,” Georgina said. “But we have an early morning shoot. This new movie is just so time consuming. I have to be in the make-up chair at five.”

  “I completely understand,” I said.

  “It was very nice to meet you,” Dahli
a said extending her hand for a shake.

  “Same here,” Noemi said as she, too, shook my hand.

  After their departure, the reporters came around one by one to let me know of the important things going on in their careers that forced them to leave; an important story, an interesting lead… If only they knew how little I cared at that point.

  I was eager to have them all leave and anxious about finding where Summer had gone.

  Following the reporters’ departure, most of the others also took their leave.

  Only Tabitha, the drunken starlet, remained.

  “Come on,” Ace was saying as he tried to get her to put her jacket on. “I’ll drive you home.”

  “But I want to stay and party,” Tabitha said with a silly grin on her face.

  “Sorry, honey,” Ace said. “But the party’s over. Look. Everyone’s gone.”

  “But it’s so early,” she argued. “And you’re still here. Come on. Party with me. Dance with me.”

  He looked past her shoulder at me and I just shrugged.

  With a wry grin, he put his arm around her. “There’s no music and I’m not really the dancing type. Come on. Let me take you home.”

  “Oh,” she lamented as she leaned heavily into him. “All right.”

  He walked her out, holding her steady as she struggled to stay upright.

  The big house was finally quiet. It was quiet for all of five seconds. Then I heard the distinctive sound of high heels on the tiled floor.

  I looked up to the ceiling. Please don’t let it be Abigail Christian. I’m too tired to argue with someone now.

  I turned to the sound of the feminine footsteps and saw Summer coming down the hall from the powder room.

  “Oh,” I said. I was momentarily too stunned to think of anything better to say.

  “I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t realize the party was over. I have great timing, don’t I? I go to the powder room for just a few minutes and emerge to an empty house.”

  I just stared at her as if she were an illusion.