by J. D. Chase
Isla smiled. It was good to hear him being positive about the future after acknowledging his recent issues.
‘Thank you for getting your staff over here like that. It might mean we’ll escape with a four-star rating. I think, because she’s had to go next door for lunch, we’ve lost the five-star rating there – no matter how good your chef is.’
‘Ah, but we had an issue in the kitchen that only cropped up this morning. For health and safety reasons, it had to be temporarily closed. Food was provided next door that will be charged to her room but I’ll wipe it and make a note that it was complimentary because of the unavoidable disruption. Oh, that reminds me, we need to make sure that Belinda puts her account in an envelope at the end of her stay, and if she gets a message, that should be sealed in an envelope too. Oh, I forgot. Margot, my head receptionist will be here soon. She’ll sort it. She’s like an old fashioned matron – efficiency and professionalism personified.’
*
Within half an hour, Bill appeared at the office door.
Xander called him in.
‘I found this in the inspector’s room. Well, this is a photocopy but I thought you should see it.’
He passed a piece of paper to Xander whose face turned stony as he read it.
‘Thanks Bill. You did the right thing.’
‘The room was clean, well-aired and supplied. I’ve emptied the bins, turned back the bed and switched a lamp on. I’ve updated the binder with anything that was missing, as well as changed the menu information. Let me know if you need me for anything else.’
‘We will. Thank you, Bill.’
He turned and left, closing the door behind him.
‘Well, what did he find?’
Xander turned to her. ‘I’m not sure what all the notes mean but somebody has requested that she pay us a visit. I can’t be certain but it looks like someone is paying her £5000 for her efforts. Now who would bribe a hotel inspector to perform an inspection? If they were tipped off by irate guests, they don’t get paid to do it, it’s up to the organisation whether an inspection is done. Unless I’m very much mistaken, she’s being paid to give us a low grading.’
Isla stared at him open-mouthed as she absorbed his words.
‘Now who do either of us know that would do such a thing?’ To say he looked and sounded utterly pissed off would be an understatement.
Isla’s eyes widened to match her mouth. ‘No, she wouldn’t.’
‘You don’t know the scheming bitch. Oh yes, she would.’
‘But what would she get out of it? If she thinks you own the hotel, why would she want to damage it? It doesn’t make any sense.’
‘I told her categorically that I didn’t and I could prove it. I told her that you owned it but that you were merely a business acquaintance. Somehow, I don’t think she believed that part.’
Isla frowned. ‘My name is printed on all stationery as the owner so that shouldn’t be hard for her to discover, should she be so inclined. So this is just her way of getting at me. Some sort of revenge attempt.’
He nodded. ‘It looks that way. I’m sorry, Red.’
‘What do we do? Should we confront the inspector?’
He pursed his lips. ‘Not unless we have to.’
‘Bloody hell, Xander. It looks like she’s going to be trouble. What’s next, I wonder?’
‘Nothing, I hope. Otherwise I’ll seek legal advice. Of course, I have no proof that she was behind this. Even if the inspector was open to a bribe to trump Janine’s, in order to find out that it was her behind it, I couldn’t use that in court. Owning up to bribing the inspector for information is no better than what Janine has done, assuming it is her. There has to be another way of finding out the information.’
Isla cocked her head and thought about it. ‘You probably won’t agree to this but Jones, the security guard, is very well connected. He may be able to help. He might be able to get the information somehow without implicating you.’
Xander narrowed his eyes. ‘I’ll give it some thought. We’re going to have to go through with this inspection anyway but I can’t see how, if we’re in the four-star and five-star bracket for everything, she can give us a low rating. She may choose to forgo the bribe because it just isn’t possible to downgrade us too far without arousing suspicion. Let’s see what happens.’
‘Bitch,’ muttered Isla, shaking her head in disbelief. She just couldn’t get her head around it.
‘Who – Janine or the inspector?’
‘Both,’ she muttered. ‘I suppose you’re right; we have no choice but to get through this inspection as best we can, as though it were just a regular inspection, and see what she has to say. Bringing in your team of staff will have made her life a whole lot more difficult.’
As the day wore on, Isla began to relax. She felt fresher after a quick change of clothes, following her encounter with Xander in the office. She had briefed Nadine as soon as she arrived and had averted a near crisis when she’d found Bobbi arguing with Xander’s head of housekeeping. It seemed that she’d taken offence when the more experienced woman had tried to delicately point out that some of Bobbi’s team were not thorough enough in their cleaning routines. She’d told Bobbi in no uncertain terms to listen and act upon the advice or else prove herself unsuitable for the role. She’d left Bobbi with a stern warning that she wasn’t irreplaceable.
She had to hand it to Xander; his staff truly were an asset. The reception rota was amended so that his staff would cover night shifts, including his night porter. The restaurant looked transformed when she dared take a peek. They’d brought table linen and decorations with them and had wasted no time in making it look like a five-star hotel’s restaurant. They’d even brought a selection of CDs that were more in keeping with such a restaurant than the current stuff that Dean blasted in the bar.
When she popped her head into the kitchen, it was a hive of activity and she was ushered out as they got to grips with the catering equipment in there and prepared the food for the evening menu. As she walked back through the bar, she saw Charlie chatting in earnest to another gentleman. When she approached them, she found that Xander had even recruited his own gardener to help Charlie put the finishing touches to the grounds.
As she walked back inside, Belinda gestured to her from the reception desk.
‘I’ve got some woman on hold asking to speak to the owner, Xander Rhodes. What do I say?’
‘Tell her that the owner is Isla Hamilton and ask if she wishes to be put through to me.’
Belinda nodded and duly followed Isla’s instruction. A second later, the blonde gasped.
‘She said don’t bother and hung up on me. How rude.’
Nadine frowned. ‘That’s a little odd. But why didn’t you just put the call through to Xander? Maybe she knows he works here and was pissed that you didn’t just put her through to him. Maybe it’s his lover. I’d be pissed if some woman tried to stop me talking to him, if I was his lucky lady.’
Belinda nodded but Isla had a feeling that she knew who it was. ‘If anyone else calls asking to speak with him, tell them that there’s nobody here with that name. If it’s anyone who Xander wants to speak to, they’ll have his mobile number anyway.’
Although I still don’t . . . unless it’s in my phone somewhere after I had it blocked.
‘But why?’ Nadine persisted.
‘Never mind why. Just do it.’ Isla was about to walk away but she paused. ‘Have either of you heard anything from Dean yet?’
They both shook their heads. ‘I hope he’s okay. It’s very unlike Dean,’ Belinda mused.
‘Hmm. It is indeed. If you do, let me know straight away please.’
Back inside her office, she filled Xander in on the mysterious phone call. Instantly, his face clouded over. ‘She’s like a WAG with a Gucci handbag; she just won’t let it go.’
Isla grinned at his turn of phrase but he ignored her.
‘I guess all we can do is cover our tracks but I�
��m not sure you being here is a good idea, Xander. I mean, why would you be spending hours here every day?’
‘To help you out, of course. I’ll say I considered it “giving something back to the community” or some such bollocks.’
‘You could say you were mentoring me.’
He shot her a look. ‘I don’t think that talking about our sex life will do me any favours.’
She rolled her eyes. ‘Have you spent your whole life with your mind in the gutter?’
‘Pretty much. It’s where I’m most at home.’
Oh shit. Is he referring to his poor start in life? Or is he just referring to his dirty mind?
‘Stop overthinking it, Red. You’ll have a stroke before much longer the way you carry on.’
She looked pointedly at his crotch. ‘I’d like much more than just a stroke.’
‘Now whose mind is in the gutter? And don’t start something you’re not prepared to finish. I doubt the entire hotel wants to hear your screams. Even having your knickers stuffed in your mouth doesn’t shut you up. I’m going to have to get you a ball gag. Until then, I’m sure Charlie has some duct tape in his tool box.’ He grinned, obviously liking the idea.
‘Don’t even think about it.’ She scowled.
‘Too late,’ he taunted, those eyes darkening rapidly. ‘I already have. I’m picturing black tape against your pale skin . . . fuck me, that’s a horny image. You’re making my cock hard, Red.’
He got up from behind the desk and advanced upon her.
‘Oh no,’ she cried. ‘Professional distance, remember. Besides, you’ll have to play Charlie a visit before you can even think of putting that idea into practice.’
He walked her backwards until her back was against the wall.
‘The doors are unlocked,’ she muttered into his mouth as his tongue sought hers.
‘So?’
She thought about pointing out that their relationship was meant to be a secret but he kissed her harder, placing his feet in between hers and rubbing his thigh against her mound as his hands roughly caressed her breasts.
‘What were you saying?’ he muttered hoarsely a few minutes later.
‘I have no idea.’ And she really hadn’t. All she could think of was his cock. Inside her. Like now.
He laughed into her open mouth before shoving his hand up her skirt, grabbing the side of her knickers and yanking them clean off her.
The sound of tearing fabric made her gasp. When she realised what he’d done, she gasped again.
‘What did you do that for?’
He grinned. That cocky, self-assured arrogance that made her palm itch. ‘To remind you that we should be keeping a professional distance. And to keep me going until later when we’re out of this place.’
He held them up to his face and breathed in. ‘Fuck me, you smell so good. By the time I get you naked, my cock’s going to be so angry that it’s been kept waiting. Every time I smell them, it’s going to make it worse. It’s going to make last night seem like mere foreplay.’
Stuffing her knickers into his pocket, he gave her a last, smouldering look and then sauntered out of the office. His voice drifted back to her. ‘I’m off to see Charlie.’
She knew he wasn’t joking.
‘I’m not looking forward to tonight at all,’ she muttered, half under her breath.
Liar. You can’t wait.
But wait she did. Neither of them was willing to leave the hotel until the inspector had returned to her room for the night, and even then Isla thought it might be a better idea if they stayed overnight. So, during dinner they requested feedback from Xander’s maître d'. It appeared that all was going well. The inspector had settled herself at the bar as both of them waited anxiously in the office for news that she’d retired to her room when Isla’s phone rang. It was an unknown number.
‘Isla Hamilton.’
‘Hi Miss Hamilton, it’s Jones here from Orion Security. I apologise for calling you like this but I need your help.’
Isla frowned. ‘How do you need my help exactly?’
She saw Xander turn his head from the computer screen and raise his eyebrows. She shrugged to answer his unasked question.
‘When I was trying to track you down, because Dean was missing I decided to track him down too. I managed to find him using his phone’s GPS. He was in a bar in Soho. He wouldn’t answer his phone so I went to find him. He wasn’t in a good way.’
‘What had happened?’
‘Um . . . I don’t think it’s my place to repeat anything right now. He was trashed out of his skull yet still intent on drinking himself into oblivion. I had to intervene to prevent the bouncers from giving him a good hiding after he’d turned on them when one suggested it was time for him to go home. Anyway, I know he hasn’t been into work since, and I’ve been in Soho this evening so I checked the bar. Sure enough, he’s in there and he’s in a right mess again.’
Isla’s first thought was that he could say goodbye to his job if he was going to spend all day getting pissed instead of coming in to work but, in the pit of her stomach, she knew this was something to do with her. The fact that Jones was calling her and wouldn’t repeat what he knew backed that up. She turned away from Xander and took a deep breath. She knew she should go and see Dean and try to sort this whole thing out.
‘Where are you?’
She memorised the name of the bar and told him that she’d be there as soon as she could.
‘What’s going on? Where are you going?’ Xander demanded as soon as she’d hung up.
‘Look, it’s Dean. I need to go and get him out of some trouble. I’ll explain later. You keep an eye on things here. I won’t be long. I’m taking the Holden.’
‘Like hell you are,’ he snapped. ‘Whatever our Lothario barman has got himself into outside of work is his own concern. You’re needed here. I’ll go.’
She returned his glare. ‘Okay. I’ll take a cab which means it’ll take me longer. You can sort out anything that happens here and I said I won’t be long. We’ve been sitting in here for ages now, not being of any use to anyone. She’ll probably go straight up to bed once she’s finished her drink. I’ll be back soon and we can get to bed. Okay?’
His stare intensified and she felt his will wrapping itself around her like snakes of iron.
She closed her eyes and strengthened her resolve. ‘I don’t know what’s happened but I know it’s serious. I’m going, Xander, whether you like it or not. You can’t call the shots the whole time. If that’s what you want, then I’m not the woman for you.’
She opened her eyes and awaited his response. After a pause, he nodded. ‘I’ll just take out your insolence on your body later.’ Then he stood up and threw her the car keys.
She caught them and blew him a kiss.
Phew. That went better than expected. He’s such an enigma, that man. And I do so love keeping him on his toes.
Chapter Thirteen
Isla managed to find the bar once she’d managed to locate a parking space. It wasn’t the kind of place that she’d usually frequent. From the outside, it didn’t look so much like a bar as a seedy ‘gentleman’s club’. She’d never understood the term. It was surely the last place a true gentleman would be found. But then she pictured Xander. He was publicly such a gentleman but she had a feeling that he’d be perfectly at home here.
That’ll teach me for stereotyping.
She’d expected to have to argue her way inside but, as long as she paid her money, they didn’t seem to care that she was female. She saw why when she got inside. The place was larger than it looked from the front – it must go back from the road a long way, she realised. It was dimly lit with bright spot lights in some areas highlighting the women who were working on little stages; dancing or stripping or both. She didn’t recognise the music track that was playing loudly, but she found it to be intensely suggestive and somehow erotic. She didn’t think it was just the setting that made her feel that; it was definitely the
intention of the composer. She tried to look around but the only place that she could see clearly was the bar. She made her way over to it as her eyes acclimatised to the dark.
Once they did, everywhere she looked there were patrons of either sex ogling erotic dancers, strippers, lap dancers and, judging from the way people were disappearing through a door at the back, there was a lot more than that going on. Especially since some of them who returned to the room were still adjusting their clothes.
The place was literally heaving with bodies. There was no sign of either Dean or Jones at the bar. She wandered around, feeling a little like a pervert as she searched the dimly lit booths for their faces. She was glad she didn’t blush easily and that she was no prude. This place was not for the faint-hearted.
A hand on her arm made her jump. She spun around, ready to give whoever had touched her a mouthful but she found Jones standing there, looking a little bemused. She wasn’t sure whether he was out of his comfort zone or whether he thought she would be. They were near a huge wall-mounted speaker and the music was so loud that she couldn’t hear what he was saying. He pointed and then took her hand and tugged her along, through the mass of bodies that was surrounding a raised platform where a stripper was doing more than just strip, and getting handsomely tipped in the process.
Away from the speaker, Jones leaned in and said, ‘He’s with someone at the moment. She’s taken him into a room out the back.’
He quickly explained when he saw Isla’s eyes widen.
‘Oh no, sorry – it’s not like that. He’s chatting to a sex therapist.’
Isla pulled a face to convey her scepticism.
Jones smirked. ‘I know how it looks but she seems legit. She has a degree in psychology and told us we could look up her credentials. She was a Community Psychiatric Nurse and then a full-on shrink for a few years but, since she loves sex and there’s not a lot of good sex going on – her words not mine – she decided to help people who were having problems with matters of a sexual nature. It was much quieter in here until just before you arrived and Dean was getting a bit loud and leery.’