“But stealing?”
“How else?” He tapped his chest. “I’m Roma. A scarred and ugly one, at that. No one will hire me. Someday, when I have a fancy degree from your baba, maybe I’ll get lucky. But right now, I must earn my keep.”
“Let’s tell Baba.” He’d know what to do.
“No!” He grabbed her arm. “He’d confront Duke, making things worse. Duke doesn’t like outside interference.”
She touched his bruised face softly, but he still winced. “I don’t care what you say, I wish your uncle would burn in hell.”
He chewed his puffy lip. “You don’t understand how it is for us. You have your American baba to protect you. If it was just you and your mama, you’d see. You wouldn’t have enough to eat. Duke’s teaching me how to survive.” He took the pebble from her hand. “You won’t tell your baba, will you?”
She sighed. “No. But I don’t want you to steal.”
“You want me to get beaten?” He gestured to his face.
“No! Of course not. Maybe I can give you money and valuables from my house to give to Duke.”
“I’m not taking from your family.”
“You won’t be. I’ll give them to you.”
He caressed her face, like how Mama did at night. “You’ve given me the world, Gem. I won’t take any more.”
Gemma
I dried my hands on an embroidered towel sitting in a basket, thinking about the confrontation with Lincoln and the poor woman outside. The woman who’d reminded me of Mama. Lincoln’s fury had shocked me. He’d hated her for the color of her skin. Would he hate me, too, if he discovered who I really was?
“Gemma,” someone whispered from the adjacent room.
I flinched, realizing I wasn’t alone.
“In here.” My friend gestured from a powder room.
“What are doing in here?” I joined him. “What if someone sees you?”
Angel closed the door. “A friend’s watching outside. We have a minute.”
I hugged him. It’d been ages since I’d seen him.
“My Gem.” He caressed my back.
I pulled away. “I’m not your Gem. I’m engaged.” I knew that news would crush him. Poor Angel had loved me for years.
He scowled. “Why are you pretending to be someone you’re not?”
“You’re one to talk, Johnny Dicaprio. We’re both pretending, or have you forgotten?”
He reached up to touch my cheek. “Come with me, Gem. I can take care of you now.”
I pushed his hand down. “Have you left Duke?” His head dropped, and I wilted. “Why do you let that no-good man run you?”
The muscles on his scarred arm flexed. “I’ll leave him if you run away with me.”
“I can’t—”
He put a hand over my mouth. “The gadjo doesn’t even know your real name. He doesn’t love you, Saemira. Guys like him love money, that’s all. I know the real you. I love you.”
“That isn’t enough.”
His pained expression almost tempted me to admit the engagement was a farce, but Lincoln had warned me not to let anyone in on our deception. And as much as I cared for Angel, I didn’t trust him not to tell his uncle. And that man must never know.
“Please, Gem.” He tugged me closer.
I whipped my arm out of his grip. “You made your choice. I made mine.” A lump formed in my throat. “I need to return to my fiancé.” I hurried out and realized too late that I hadn’t asked how he had found me. Was he stalking me? Was Duke? I shivered.
Lincoln stood near the ballroom entrance, Wilder beside him. The older gentleman greeted me with a smile as I linked arms with the man I presently despised.
We entered the ballroom, where Mr. Wilder introduced us to tons of important people. I forgot their names almost as fast as he said them. All I could think about was how I’d hurt my friend.
We ate a fancy meal I had no appetite for and made superficial small talk with people I had nothing in common with. Engjell was right. I didn’t belong in this world.
For the finale, Mr. Wilder invited us onto the stage, where Lincoln fake-proposed to me again. I cupped my mouth and acted surprised as he slipped the gaudy rock he’d shown me earlier onto my finger. The crowd clapped below us as Lincoln pulled me close, his lips brushing my ear.
“Relax. This is just for the cameras.” He cradled my face, and I couldn’t breathe. Heavens. He better not let go in case I fainted. “Close your eyes and tip your head,” he whispered.
Cameras flashed as I obeyed.
“Put your hands on my chest.”
I did, and his lips grazed mine as they moved across my cheek and to my ear. His hand dropped from my cheek as he began to whisper the alphabet.
“A, B, C, D…” His other hand slipped behind my neck. “E, F G, H...”
His ticklish breath on my neck made my body react as if I’d gulped a can of carbonated fizz. It bubbled, popped, and zinged.
“…X, Y, Z.” He kissed my cheek.
The audience cheered as Lincoln moved me down to the dance floor and wrapped his arms around me. I snuggled closer. Though we were acting, the moment on stage had seemed real. Being in his arms reinforced the false moment. I wanted to touch his face, squeeze the muscles under his tux, taste his lips.
I shook the stupid desires away. This was my boss. He was only playing nice to get Wilder’s money. Still, I wouldn’t mind a repeat of the ABCs in my ear, or a slow replay of his lips grazing mine.
His hand held mine, grip tender yet strong. His other hand moved up and down my back as we danced, and the bubbling fizz exploded throughout my body, making me full-on shiver. His thumb rubbed back and forth, and I thought I might melt into the dance floor.
He was just bored, hand moving by instinct, not actual desire. But I didn’t want him to stop. I wanted his hands on me for eternity, though that was wicked. I should lift my head and make a glib remark. Tell him he was a jerk for how he’d judged the lady outside. But I kept pretending his thumb caressed me because it wanted to. I pretended our engagement was real and he adored me...though he had no idea who I really was.
“Eat your cereal,” I said to Altin. Lincoln would be here any minute to pick us up. He’d insisted that since we were officially engaged, we needed to be seen together now. Picking me up for work and dropping off Altin at daycare would reinforce the false image of a loving couple.
I grabbed my mug of coffee but dropped it as I spotted a blue envelope on the floor beneath the mail slot in the door. The mug shattered.
“Mama oops!” Altin said.
Ignoring ceramic shards and coffee, I picked up the envelope and pulled out a typed letter. I staggered over to the nearest chair and started reading.
Engaged to the CEO. Nice work, Temptress. I always believed you would be of use to me someday. I’ll expect three times our normal agreed upon amount within the next 24 hours.
OR you can choose an easier path, one that requires only an hour or two of your time, once a month. Be the respectable CEO’s wife by day, and once a month, play the little whore for an hour. Be who you really are.
Make your choice—the hard road, where you never get ahead, or the easy path, which requires so little and allows you to care for your brother better. It’ll also keep your fiancé from getting suspicious of where his money’s going. Imagine the scandal if he discovered your criminal record. Foster care’s hell for defective kids like your brother. Choose the easy path, Temptress. Choose freedom.
– D
Bile stung my throat as demons I’d thought I had banished screamed in my head: You’re evil! A whore!
My fingers shook. This wouldn’t be Duke’s last demand. And the easier route wouldn’t bring freedom.
Knocking made me jump to my feet and take several deep breaths.
“Mama oops?” Altin said again.
“Time to go.” I picked him up and opened the door. “Here.” I handed him to my boss. “Get him in his car seat. I have a spill to cl
ean.”
He left me to my task, and I soaked up coffee with several paper towels then hid the letter in a drawer next to the fridge, with the others. Tears pricked at my eyes, but I blinked them away. Somehow, I had to get cash by tomorrow. And make an escape plan.
Duke had found me.
I was no longer safe.
I situated myself next to Altin in the back of Lincoln’s fancy SUV and began to play with the window controls. Up. Down. Up. Down. No sense in me being the only person to have a cruddy morning.
“You can’t annoy me today,” Lincoln said from the driver’s seat. “I’m too happy. Read this.” He tossed a paper back, folded to the second page. “They loved us. Said we were the fairy tale couple. Casey’s getting a raise.”
“Pig face didn’t get me ready.”
“Pig face,” Altin repeated.
“He picked out the gown—which was gorgeous, by the way—and referred me to Pico. He’s turned you into the new town darling.”
“Oh, please.” I was no one’s darling.
“Did you have any idea we met one of the head reporters for the Tribune last night? That Gary fellow. And you wowed him. Whatever you said—or maybe it was your lowcut gown—he loved you.”
“Pig face,” I muttered. The man would never see me as lovable. And he shouldn’t. Because with Duke on the prowl, I had to disappear. “Why do you hate gypsies?” I asked.
“I don’t hate any group of people.”
“Drop the PC act. You called that woman at the hotel a thieving gypsy.”
“Well, thanks to you, she did steal twenty grand worth of diamonds.”
“What?” I squeaked. He’d told me they were real, but my ignorance of the worth of diamonds now made me hyperventilate.
“You heard me. Thanks for being so generous with my money.”
“I didn’t know.”
“You saw her steal that wallet while the child caused a distraction. Why would you give someone like that your necklace?”
I wouldn’t have if I’d known its true value, though I wouldn’t admit that. “People in desperate circumstances need the boldest of help. But you didn’t answer my question. Why do you hate gypsies?”
“They’re low-life criminals, all of them. Cops said they’ve been causing problems in the area for years.” He focused on the road. “But forget them. We need to discuss your relationship with my publicist.”
I grimaced. “I have no relationship with Pig-face.”
“Casey can be blunt, but he’s good at what he does. I’ve talked to him, and he’s willing to forgive your stubbornness.”
I folded my arms. “How noble of him.”
“Now, please do the same with him, because you two are going shopping to prepare for the weekend with Wilder.”
“What!” I made the window go up and down again. “There’s nothing wrong with how I dress.” I loved the wardrobe I’d put together over the years from various thrift shops.
“You must dress to impress, which means no pompoms or other dangling distractions.”
“I think Mr. Wilder would appreciate my dangling distractions.” He seemed to accept me for who I was.
“He won’t.”
Rude.
19
Lincoln
Silence prickled between Gemma and I as we took the elevator up to our floor. She was upset about having to go shopping with Casey, but it was necessary. We walked off together, heading past the sales cubicles.
Joe walked out of his office and whistled. “If it isn’t our secret celebrity couple. When were you going to tell your best friend about your engagement?” He elbowed me. “Janey read about it in the paper.”
Nosy press. “We only made things official Saturday night.” I nudged Gemma to keep walking.
“Oh, no you don’t.” Joe blocked us. “You’re not getting off that easy. You owe us a kiss for not telling us first, isn’t that right, team?”
Gemma’s eyes widened, but she covered her dismay with a tight smile as employees drifted out of cubicles.
“Kiss, kiss, kiss.” Joe chanted. Others joined in, until dozens of employees chanted the words.
Joe was so dead.
Not wanting to raise red flags, I pulled Gemma close, hoping she wouldn’t slap me. She didn’t. She did nothing. It was like kissing a log.
Until it wasn’t.
Something changed. Who knew what? She melted into me, wrapping her arms around me and pushing her fingers through my hair.
Whoa. I tightened my grip on her. I hadn’t been with a woman since my divorce, and this felt incredible. A tiny voice told me to stop. This was Gemma. I’d promised to keep things professional between us. Yet, I liked her minty taste and couldn’t get enough of her soft skin and pliable lips. Our audience’s contagious enthusiasm added kindling to the fire between us.
When I did pull away, I averted my gaze from Gemma’s red face and heaving chest. Joe patted my back as the others cheered.
I pulled Gemma into her office and scrambled to switch the glass to privacy mode. “I’m going to kill Joe.”
She sat behind her desk and touched her lips.
I squeezed my eyes shut. “I apologize.” What had I been thinking? “That won’t happen again.” The kiss had been necessary, but I’d gone far beyond what had been required to appease Joe.
Her eyelashes fluttered as if she were coming out of a trance. “Sorry I froze. I, uh…”
“Didn’t see that coming?” Welcome to the club. I entered my office and stalked over to the punching bag. I didn’t even pull on gloves before hitting the bag, pretending it was Joe’s taunting face. How could I spend a whole weekend with Gemma? Wilder and my family would expect PDA, and jerk that I was, I wanted more lip action as well.
Punch-punch-punch.
“Lincoln?”
I whipped around to find Gemma standing in my office. I stepped away from the bag and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry,” I said again. A broken record.
“Me, too. I should’ve put my hands around you faster.”
“To strangle me?”
She smiled. “I just stood there like a zombie.”
I walked over to my desk. “Trust me, you were no zombie.” She was way too hot-blooded. “I won’t touch you again.” I picked up a folder. “If Joe gets bossy, I’ll tell him to go to hell.”
“Won’t that seem suspicious?” She chewed her distracting lips. “How will we pull off that we’re engaged if we never touch? Or kiss?”
She was right, but I wouldn’t ask that of her. No more kissing, even if that’s all I wanted to do.
“We’ll discuss this later.” I pointed to her office, dismissing her.
We had work to do.
20
Saemira
Age 13 – Fushë Krujë, Albania
DESIRE: (n) a craving of attention from the opposite sex; (v) to hope for something.
Saemira’s heart beat faster than hummingbird wings when she spotted Esad waiting for her outside the school grounds.
“There you are,” he said.
Her mouth turned to cotton as he took her hand. Esad was almost sixteen, and the most popular boy at school. She couldn’t believe he’d been paying her attention the last few days.
Not even a week ago, she’d been one of the girls he’d ignored. He’d liked the older girls with curves, like Ajola and Marsela. Baba had called him a bad apple when they were younger. But right now, with her hand in his, he appeared to be the most delicious apple in the whole orchard.
“I think you are the prettiest girl at school.”
She smiled. “You’re the most handsome boy in Fushë Krujë.”
He wrapped an arm around her. “I bet you’re the best kisser, too.”
She shivered. A few weeks ago, she’d caught Marsela locking lips with him behind some bushes during lunch break. She definitely didn’t know how to kiss like that.
“Will you teach me?”
His hand moved under her sweater, making her bare
skin sizzle. “I’ll teach you more than kissing.”
What else was there to know?
She spied Engjell crouching behind a bush and turned toward Esad to keep him from seeing him.
“I’m a fast learner.” Baba always said so.
“I like fast women.” His fingers moved up her back, making her shiver again.
She imagined Marsela’s pretty face when Esad told her he liked Saemira more than her. They would grow up and marry and he’d give her babies and love her as Baba loved Mama.
They reached the corner, and she hoped Engjell had left. Why did he insist on walking her from school to Baba’s school each afternoon? They only fought and argued. He’d become so bossy.
Esad led her into the cemetery, where a few early-blooming wildflowers popped out among the gravestones. She’d have to return with her magnifying glass to study them.
He pushed her up against the mausoleum wall, making her gasp.
What was he doing?
His tongue shoved through her closed lips, activating her gagging reflex. Did Baba kiss Mama this way when their door was closed?
She winced as her head scraped against stone. Esad began tugging her skirt up her legs.
“Esad, no!” She tried to push his hands down, but he crushed her against the wall.
“You said you were a fast learner. Prove it. Put out for me.”
She didn’t know what that meant but didn’t want to do it. He shoved his tongue deeper down her throat. She choked and tried again to push him off her.
“Stop fighting, whore!” He slapped her, making her yelp “You want this.”
“No!” Whores made men do bad things with their bodies. She didn’t want to be like that. “Stop. Please.”
Esad shoved her to the ground and climbed on top of her. “You said you were a fast learner.” He choked her with his tongue again. “Now learn!”
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