by Cynthia Dane
He released her, holding up one finger in thought. “I have a present for you, precious.” Monroe snapped a folder off his desk and dangled it before Alice’s face. “Consider it my big wedding present to you. I hope you like it. ‘Twas a bit short notice. If you don’t like it, we can find something else at a better time.”
Alice flipped open the folder, gasps rattling her body. “Damon!” Pictures of a multimillion dollar penthouse barely registered in her mind. All she saw was their names associated with some sweet piece of property only a mile away. “You didn’t!”
“We can’t stay in a hotel forever.” Monroe wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pointing to the list of rooms and amenities in their new home. “We also can’t go back to my family home. Not with my father being as disagreeable as he is.”
Thanks to her husband, Alice was snatched from her fantasy of making this beautiful penthouse her home. Six bedrooms and eight baths? That’s possible? Who needs so many bedrooms? “It’s gorgeous, Damon. When are we moving in?”
“Tonight.”
“What!”
“The realtor is coming by with our keys this afternoon, so to speak. I’ve already had my things removed from my family home. As of tonight we’ll be sleeping in our new home.” He kissed her forehead. “I hope you think it’s enough bedrooms. We have to account for guests and the possibility of many… you know.”
He doesn’t want to say it in case we jinx it. Even so, Alice knew how badly they needed to have a certain conversation. “Damon, we need to talk about what happens if it turns out we can’t… you know.” Shit, even she couldn’t say it.
“There is time to figure that out, assuming it comes to it.” He kissed her again. “We can talk about it tomorrow night at dinner. I’ve arranged for us to dine at one of my favorite places. I think you’ll like it too.”
“I’m sure I will.” Alice eased out of his embrace, picking up the picture of her in her temporary wedding dress. The first thing he did was put this on his desk. Everything had happened so quickly, from meeting to marrying, that Alice sometimes forgot that this man was actually in love with her. As much as she loved him? She would always be looking for signs of that. “I’ll need the break after the day you’ve already planned for me tomorrow.”
“Ah.” Monroe leaned against his desk, taking the photo from his wife’s hands and putting it back next to the photo of him and his mother. That used to be in his family home. Alice would never forget seeing that photo for the first time. Child Damon Monroe and his unmarred mother. “Suppose that was the other reason I asked you here. I mean, I was dying to see you anyway, but we should go over tomorrow.”
He gestured for his wife to join him on the couch over on the side of the room. Alice half expected him to make love to her there – and, to be honest, was totally into the idea – but Monroe was a master at separating work and pleasure. Once he put his mind to discussing business, that was all he would talk about until it was over.
Besides, this was pretty important.
The man had a plan. The only way they would be able to stay together without interference was by ousting Russell Monroe, Alice’s psychopathic father-in-law. That man held no love for her, unlike his son. He tried to have me killed. He tried to kill his ex-wife. He used to threaten and abuse his son… maybe he still does. Alice glanced at the reddened skin on her husband’s face. Something wasn’t right about it.
The only way to get rid of Russell Monroe was to start by taking over the company. In truth, Alice was along for the ride. She barely understood what was going on or what her husband was planning. All she knew was that when he suggested they get married as soon as possible, it was for two reasons: give Alice as much legal power as possible in the Monroe family, and to start their own family.
She tried to not think about that last part too much.
Thankfully, Monroe had moved on from that topic. He was only interested in talking about the business luncheon Alice was attending on behalf of Monroe Industries the next day. The Russian company had a tenuous relationship when it came to investments. They wanted Monroe’s money, but in turn, the Monroe’s wanted their money too. Poor Alice was given a crash course on hedge funds and the like. Every time she expressed her lack of knowledge, however, Monroe told her to stop focusing on the academic and to rely on her experiences in the hospitality industry.
“You will win them over, I’m sure,” he said. “The important thing is to be strong and confident. That is what it means to be a Monroe in your current situation.”
Right. Alice was a Monroe now. She had a legacy to uphold, in more ways than one.
“You won’t be alone. I’ll make sure you have an assistant with you. If you really, really are having difficulties, you can call me here, and I will video chat with the associates.” That didn’t make Alice feel better. If she couldn’t handle it on her own, she didn’t want to flounder, nor did she want to go running to her husband for help. Yet on the other hand, what the hell did he think he was doing, sending her out there with no experience to deal with money of this caliber?
“If you say everything will be fine, then I’m sure it will be fine.”
Monroe gave her a kiss that made her tremble from within. Why do we have to worry about this stuff right now? We just got married. Where’s the honeymoon? Soon. That would have to come soon, as there was no time right now to enjoy their newlywed life. Monroe couldn’t even tell her when it would be safe to distract themselves with a wedding ceremony and a honeymoon. Until then, they would make do with going to bed early every night. Alice still had yet to feel completely satisfied with her brand new sex life.
There were still so many things for him to teach her and to explore together. The choker around Alice’s neck tightened. When she was at work, she attached a small chain of diamonds to the hook to throw people off from seeing what it truly was: her collar.
As for the handcuffs – er, bracelets – her husband had given her? At work, she wore both on her right wrist. After work, she would move one to the other wrist, to be worn as they were truly meant to be beheld. I am his. Being his partner in all meanings is to be his. She liked to think that he was hers as well.
“I want to spend my whole day with you,” he whispered in her ear, knuckles grazing her throat. “We should be in our new home, christening that brand new bed I bought us.”
Alice wetted her bottom lip with a frisky tongue. “How would we christen it together… sir?” She had said the magic word, she hoped.
“Why, I would tie you up and fuck you until that bed could never tell a lie about us.” His hand covered her knee; his mouth cursed the tights she wore beneath her skirt. “Why are you wearing these?”
“To keep you from fucking me at work.”
“That won’t suffice. I’ll tear them apart and you’ll have to learn to keep spares in your office.”
Arousal spread through Alice like wildfire. Even her nipples threatened to poke through her poor silk blouse. “Then perhaps I will.”
“And perhaps I’ll take you right here.” What Monroe wanted, he often got. Including a quickie with his wife on the office couch. He liked to claim it was their mutual marital right. Alice didn’t disagree.
Chapter 2
It was only her second day at Monroe Industries, and already things were changing.
For one, that was not Alisha sitting behind the receptionist’s desk.
“Good morning, Mrs. Monroe,” said a young and pale brunette. “Anything I can do for you? Your interior designer is finished with your temporary furnishings.”
“Oh, uh…” Alice looked to Dee standing behind her, as if her bodyguard could tell her anything. Meanwhile, Alice’s husband hurried through the office en route to his own quarters, his assistant Ms. Clayborn rattling off information about his ten o’clock meeting. He doesn’t notice me now, but he certainly did last night. Their first night in their new home! Alice had been so giddy about the vast (and pre-furnished) penthouse that she spent the whole evening wanderi
ng around while Monroe arranged for a live-in servant to take over one of the six bedrooms. What’s it like to live with a servant? Oh my God I have no idea. Still so much to get used to! “I don’t need anything. I think.”
Alice entered her office with a smile on her face. Ms. Clayborn had put her in contact with one of the best interior designers in the city. Sure enough, her office was smartly decorated with a dark yet modern them. The furniture was black and luxurious – as befitting someone with the last name Monroe – but the accents! White pillows added character to the armless couches. Greenery brought life to the windows. Red and royal purple lamps hung here and there. Alice’s desk now sported a desktop monitor with the CPU built into the back. At least her chair had stayed. Ooh, was that a large chunk of emerald serving as a paperweight? Alice picked it up, thinking of her husband’s diamond paperweight. She stood upon a crimson and gold Persian rug, two black swivel chairs awaiting guests.
“Mrs. Monroe.”
That voice was familiar, but not one Alice had been expecting. She turned to see Alisha, utterly stylish in a gold pencil skirt and white blouse. Red pumps carried the woman’s dark and toned legs across more Persian rugs bedecking the marble floors. Her afro grazed one of the hanging lamps and, much to Alice’s relief, the woman stopped to scoff at such low-hanging decorations. To be fair, there were people taller than Alisha working in the office. Alice would have to get someone to raise the lamps.
“What can I do for you?” Alice asked, pretending to rearrange things on her desk. Not that there was anything to rearrange.
“More like what can I do for you, Mrs. Monroe?” Alisha held an iPad identical to Ms. Clayborn’s. Ten dazzling rings rounded every one of her fingers, each one scratching against the back of the iPad as Alisha flipped it over and started punching buttons. “As of today I am your personal assistant.”
“Really?” The emerald paperweight clanked to the floor. Alice hurried to pick it up and place it in the middle of her desk. “I mean…”
“Don’t worry. It’s a nice promotion for me. I’m ready to work with you.”
“In that case,” Alice began, surveying her office. My. Office. “I have a few things you could look up for me. I take it you’ll be going to my luncheon with me?”
“Absolutely, ma’am. I’ll research whatever you need.”
Alice imparted some instructions and waited for Alisha to sweep out of the office with long strides. My assistant, huh? Alice remembered how the former receptionist laughed at her the day the new Mrs. Monroe walked into the office and demanded a memo to go out about her new status. Wait. Was that really a few days ago?
Alice needed to take a break before she was too overwhelmed to continue. She didn’t even want to think about her plans with her husband that night. It’s too late to worry about that. Last night she had held up her end of a bargain and threw out some recently acquired medications.
The new receptionist – what was her name again? – appeared on Alice’s intercom. Shit! How did Damon deal with these constant interruptions? Alice needed to grow a bigger backbone and learn when to tell these people to leave her alone.
“Mrs. Monroe, there are two people here to see you.”
This time Alice knew which button to push. “Who is it?”
“Mrs. Andrews and Mrs. Warren wish to speak with you. They have no appointment.”
“I don’t believe I have any appointments until lunch.”
“You are correct, Mrs. Monroe. Shall I send them in?”
Alice took a seat behind her desk, smoothing out her suit and making sure her hair was perfectly in place. Do I look official? Do I look like I know what I’m doing? “Go ahead and send them in.” She vaguely remembered these women. If she had more warning, she could have looked them up. Or have Alisha research them. Shit, Alisha probably knew these women better than Alice did!
The doors opened, the new receptionist showing two hilariously opposite women into Alice’s office. The first was the instantly recognizable Mrs. Andrews, sashaying in a blood red trench coat, her curly blond hair contrasting deeply. About a few inches beneath her was Mrs. Warren, the quiet, petite woman Alice met the one night she went back to The Dark Hour with Monroe. She wore a dark brown sheath dress decorated with a faux-fur stole. Her dark hair was pulled back into a sophisticated bun.
One looked like old Hollywood, and the other looked like new Hollywood. Where did Alice fit in between them? San Diego? San Francisco? Pure New England and not on their radar?
That was absurd. She was obviously on their radar right now.
“Mrs. Andrews,” Alice currently relied on her hostessing skills to get her through this nerve-wracking moment. Start by smiling and shaking her hand. “Mrs. Warren. What brings you to my humble corporate abode?”
She didn’t know if she was starting to sound like her husband, or if she had always sounded like that. Monroe and I are more compatible than anyone gives us credit for.
Both women gave her firm handshakes, something she had not expected from the otherwise docile Monica Warren. Don’t underestimate this one. Alice already knew to not underestimate Lana Andrews.
“Well! You know how it is.” Of course Lana took the lead, even as she sat in one of the new swivel chairs. “You’re minding your business one day, buying up properties and selling them for ridiculous profits… and then the next you’re reading in the papers and hearing on the grapevines that one of the biggest bachelors in the world is suddenly married. Big talk, you and your husband are.”
“Thank you. I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“As well you should. We have a proposition for you.”
“Ah.” Alice pushed the emerald paperweight out of the way so she wouldn’t be tempted to fiddle with it. Both of her guests glanced at her wedding ring… and then at the emerald ring on her other hand. “It’s only my second day at this job and I’m already being propositioned by two powerful women. What have I done to deserve such honors?”
“Be married to Damon Monroe, for one,” Lana quipped. “Seriously, though, being married to Damon Monroe. You’re automatically a hot ticket for that.”
“A hot ticket for what, Mrs. Andrews?”
Lana and Monica exchanged glances before the former was silently elected to keep talking. “Mrs. Warren and I are both members of an exclusive club, of sorts. Separate from the club you now own a piece of, that is.”
Alice openly smiled at that joke. Not only had she seen Monica at the sex club canoodling with her husband, but she knew that Mr. and Mrs. Andrews were frequent – and kinky – guests as well. At least that was one thing they could relate to each other with.
“We are part of an organization operated by married women with business-oriented minds. For instance, I am an equal partner with my husband in our real estate enterprises. Mrs. Warren here owns one of the most lucrative businesses in the region. Which says a lot, of course.”
“Of course.” Alice wanted to see Monica’s business sooner rather than later, but she supposed the tension between her husband and Mrs. Warren prevented that. “So you’re either inviting me to join or to rub that in my face.”
Monica hid a smile with her mashing lips. Lana didn’t hide her smile at all. She guffawed so loudly that her hard-ass façade came crumbling down in an instant. “See?” she said to Monica. “I told you she would fit right in.”
“You are right as always, Mrs. Andrews.”
“So here’s the deal.” Lana leaned forward, her cleavage beaming straight to Alice’s averting eyes. “We take care of our own in our organization. We patronize each other’s businesses as much as we can, and we invest. A lot. Ask this woman how much she’s bled dry from me over the past six months.”
“Real estate and sex. Two of my favorite things.” Well, one of those things was. Real estate could be interesting too. Alice would have to look more into it.
“Not just that. We have several members of our organization from all different business backgrounds. Our latest mem
ber owns a publishing company in New York.”
“So what’s the catch?”
“No catch. Unless a ten million dollar buy-in fazes you.”
“What is that money for?”
“Other than to secure your interests? The money is distributed as investments to the other members. Naturally, once you’re a member, you will partake in everyone’s membership fees from then on.”
“Is this even legal?”
“If she can run a brothel and not get arrested,” Lana said, jerking her thumb toward Monica, “then we’re a respectable organization.”
“So are we.” Alice could jerk her thumb too. Right at the letterhead on her desk that said MONROE.
“Precisely. We don’t expect an answer from you right away, but we wanted to break the ice, so to speak. We can talk over lunch?”
“Unfortunately, I am booked for lunch today. I’ll have my assistant look into a more fortuitous day.”
“Please do.” Lana sat back in her seat again. “Only know that we are deeply interested in having you as a member, Mrs. Monroe,” she said that name with a tinge of sarcasm. At least I know that’s her personality by now. Alice didn’t know how much to trust either of these women. That knowledge would come in time, however, because right now everything was a huge learning experience. “We hope that you are interested in working with us as well.”
Alice didn’t want to play her hands quite yet. Her husband’s words, however, played in the back of her mind. “One of the first things we need to do is get some powerful people on your side. Charm and schmooze anyone you come across. If you can get their money, even better. Make them love you, Alice. Make them love you as much as I love you… in a different way, of course. I don’t want to get jealous.”
These women didn’t know what the Monroes were planning, however. They had their hands in plenty of cookie jars, but they weren’t that good. There was a reason Damon Monroe was considered one of the sneakiest men in the industry. If his father wasn’t supposed to know about it, then random billionaires off the street weren’t either.