by Blue Saffire
“Good, do you have any other plans while I’ll be away,” Nate took that moment to see if Pam’s new friend would come up.
“Actually, our neighbor asked me to do some shopping with her this week. Other than that I may hang out with the girls,” Pam Shrugged.
Nate raised his brow. “Our neighbor,” he said in question.
“Oh right, you haven’t met her I don’t think. She was supposed to come to the shower, but she had something come up. She’s really nice, but I think she is a bit lonely. We’ve had lunch a few times,” Pam paused and her brows puckered in thought. “Her pregnancy doesn’t seem to be going well though. I feel bad for her. I mean I’m huge and she is a month further than me, but she hasn’t started to show much. She always looks so sad when she looks at my belly.”
“Pam baby, what do you know about this woman?”
Pam shrugged. “Her boyfriend bought her condo and she said he pretty much takes care of her. Other than that, not much else I guess.”
“Pam, you realize that you’re dating and having the daughters of a billionaire. You can’t just befriend anyone. You have to be more careful, Baby. What’s this woman’s name,” Nate asked.
Pam was pouting and getting ready to answer when Nate’s phone rang. He looked at the screen and sighed. He held up his hand to pause her answer. Once off the phone his question was forgotten in his own frustration.
“I have to go,” Nate said gruffly kissing Pam’s forehead then pulling her in for a long deep kiss that told her how much he would miss her.
“Hulk,” Pam called to Nate’s back as he walked out the door.
“Yeah, Tinker Bell,” Nate answered with a smirk.
“Come back to me as soon as you can,” Pam gave him a sweet smile that warmed his heart.
“You know I will,” he promised and was gone.
~B~
“You know you never talk about the babies’ father,” Vanessa said as she sipped the glass of water Pam just handed to her.
They’d returned to Pam’s after doing some shopping. Pam had noticed Vanessa never purchased any of the baby things she had been looking at. She’d been curious about the woman’s pregnancy but she didn’t want to pry in case it was now a sore topic. Pam knew all too well what it was like to go through a loss and have to deal with people’s questions after.
“Well then that makes two of us. Besides, I was raised to believe that I woman doesn’t advertise her man to other women,” Pam shrugged but kept a smile on her face to soften the blow.
“Oh come on Pam, I have come to see you as a friend. I think at this point we can open up to each other,” Vanessa said with her big smile.
Pam could see pass the smile though. Vanessa seemed nervous and a bit eager to talk. These little shopping dates and lunches had all been by Vanessa’s invitation. Pam still had a feeling there was something about this woman she couldn’t put her finger on. Nate’s voice had been in the back of her head all this afternoon.
Now that Vanessa was asking about him she bristled a little. She really wasn’t into singing her man’s praise to women outside of her family and small circle, but something else was holding her back. Vanessa noticed her reluctance and tried another way.
“I don’t mean to pry,” Vanessa said sadly. “It’s just I have been going through somethings and I thought if I asked about you and your boyfriend than I could open the door to be able to talk to you,” Vanessa shrugged and smoothed her hair down.
“Well in that case you are welcome to talk Vanessa. I’m here as a friend if you need a shoulder,” Pam said with a warm smile.
That didn’t work quite the way Vanessa hoped but a part of her longed for a friend she could share her burdens with. Instead of getting the information she was looking for she ended up spilling her heart out to this woman she had to come to care for as a friend. She knew it was wrong. She was never supposed to find friendship here, only freedom.
“I met my husband when I was seventeen. He was this wealthy man that came in and swept me off my feet. At first I thought he was the best thing on earth. Here he was this man fifteen years older than me, rich, successful and he was interested in me,” she gave a bitter laugh.
“If only I knew then what I know now. He turned into a monster. He has abused me in every way he knows how and then some. It took me six years to figure out sex wasn’t supposed to be torture and I didn’t find that out from my husband.
“I…I found a way to find pleasure without my husband finding out. Patrick was not the baby’s father,” tears gather in her eyes and her words were cut off by the lump in her throat. “He can’t have children. I guess losing the baby was for the best….”
“Oh Vanessa I’m so sorry,” Pam said with true sympathy.
“You are lucky to be having your baby with someone who loves you. Someone you love,” Vanessa sniffled.
“Yeah, I am,” Pam said thoughtfully. She still hadn’t told Nate she loved him. Now sitting here talking to Vanessa she certainly planned to. “I’m really lucky.”
“Is he excited about the twins,” Vanessa asked hopefully.
Pam sighed then nodded her head. “Yeah, he is very excited. We both are.”
“Correct me if I’m wrong but Nathaniel Briggs is your boyfriend, right,” Vanessa asked and bit her lip.
Pam shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Vanessa was pushing it and she was about to let her know that. Vanessa could see she had just stepped a little too far.
“You know what,” Vanessa said and stood from her seat. “I think I better go. I have an appointment I should be getting to.”
“Okay, well I had fun. I will see you around,” Pam offered.
“Sure, we should do this again soon,” Vanessa said and bit her lip. “You know when our man can come join us.”
With that Vanessa made a swift exit. Pam was left standing with a confused look on her face. Vanessa’s last words were off. Not to mention the story of her husband, and was she not pregnant? Vanessa had been in the doctor’s office the last time Pam had an appointment. She had been leaving out when Pam came in. Nate had actually just missed her.
They hadn’t ridden to the office together because Nate had a meeting and Pam had a shoot she was styling right before. Pam had been surprised to see Vanessa. Now that she thought about it Vanessa had actually asked her to lunch the day before. Pam had told her that she had an appointment and couldn’t make it.
Pam frowned. Maybe Nate was right. She would definitely be watching Vanessa more and pulling away from the relationship as well. Pam decided to trust her instincts on this one. Even her sister didn’t like Vanessa and Paige was spot on when she smelled something funny.
Chapter Eighteen
“Mairettie we have a problem,” Rita growled as she waddled into Bobby’s office.
Bobby looked up alarmed. Both Pam and Rita were moving closer to seven months and Paige was already eight months along. His nerves were shot knowing that Paige and Pam could go into labor sooner rather than later with the twins and Rita had had more than one scare in the last few months. He wasn’t even sure what she was doing here up on her feet.
Bile rose in his throat as he thought of the other possibility for Rita showing up in his office. Nate had been off the grid for two weeks. He was due to show up tonight. Bobby still had no idea whether everything went without a hitch. The color drained from his face as Rita approached his desk with something clutched in her hand.
Only when she tossed the photos on his desk his brows drew down in consternation. It took him several minutes to connect with what he was looking down at. If it weren’t for the hair he would have made the connection right away.
He knew those full pretty lips on that pretty face. He had those same lips wrapped around his cock on more than one occasion that he could remember. As images filled his mind of all the ways he really knew this woman he felt sick.
Bobby went through a wide range of emotions as he looked at the image of the woman he knew as Luscious. None
of the images floating through his head were doing what the mere sight Paige falling apart within his arms did.
What had I been thinking, Bobby thought as his jaw worked beneath his skin. He had always had a high profile and now he had a wife and family. This woman could do so much damage to his life. It didn’t matter that she was bound to the contracts of Desire. No matter what kind of hell he would rain down on her the damage would already be done if she broke the NDA.
“Motherfucker,” Bobby spit out. “What the hell is she doing with my wife?”
Bobby dragged a hand through his hair as his eyes stayed fixed on the photos before him. This was the last thing he needed. It was the last thing Nate needed. Bobby knew Nate had continued to see the pretty vixen standing between his wife and sister in law in the photos.
Rita’s eyes widened. “Shit Bobby, what the hell? Were you two sharing or something? Ugh, don’t answer.” Rita tried to shake the images from her head. “Lucky for you I really don’t think your wife is her target,” Rita said with restrained fury.
Rita loved her brother and she was very fond of Pamela. “It seems her mark is Pam or maybe Nate through Pam. I’ve gotten into my brother’s business a little more than he may like but I needed to get a handle on this. She has been around for some time now and I just never trusted her. Camille came to me a few days ago because she remembered where she knew her from.”
“Fuck,” Bobby growled and put his head in his hands. His wife was pregnant, she didn’t need this stress. They’d started their relationship after an encounter at the club but it was like an unspoken rule between them not to talk about his connection to club Desire. Nate was doing all he could to get Pamela to trust him. He did not need something like this right now.
“No worries. Camille is not going to share what she knows with Paige. That’s why she brought this to me,” Rita frowned. “But I do think you and Nate better come clean before she drops whatever bomb she is holding.”
Bobby let another loud curse rip from his lips. “Don’t worry I’ll find out what she wants. Just get me an address,” Bobby said through clenched teeth. “I’ll take care of it. Just make sure as soon as Nate is back on the grid he knows what is going on.”
Rita snorted. “You’re not going to believe this, but she is living in the condo next door to Paige’s condo. The place is under a pseudo company name. According to Justin, Nate had already been digging into things. He either didn’t recognize her in the photos or he never got a visual on her.”
“Vanessa… fuck me. Paige has been going on and on about this Vanessa that has been hanging around Pam. I know her as Luscious but I swear Nate has referred to her as Vanessa before,” Bobby scowled in thought.
“Yup, that would be her,” Rita replied. “She has had contact with all the women. She could have outed you all weeks ago so I’m not sure what she wants. Frankly, as one of the wives, I know Marcus is not a saint. I know he had a membership to the club. It’s my job to know these things, but if one of his play toys showed up in my home. I’d lose it and she would be catching a bullet.”
“Don’t I know it,” Bobby grumbled. “I hope Nate and I can trust you to hold this one to yourself. For me this was all before I met Paige, but the fact that this woman has planted herself in our lives for some reason will not go over well.”
“Oh trust me. I will not be breaking up my family. This is the stuff that gets you maimed,” Rita chuckled. “Doesn’t mean I think you shouldn’t be the one to say something just in case.”
“I’ll handle it. Thanks Rita,” Bobby blew out a deep breath. “I think you should get my little nephew in there home and relax.” He gave her a quick smile nodding at her swollen belly holding his brother’s son.
“I’ll relax when the people in my life stop hanging around crazy people and homewreckers,” Rita teased and turned to waddle back out Bobby’s office. “Tell my husband I came by when he gets out of court, ‘kay. I left him something in his office.”
“No problem, thanks again,” Bobby sighed.
Bobby looked at the pictures one more time before destroying them. Luscious or Vanessa had cut her hair into a bob and dyed it a light brown almost blonde. He had his work cut out for him here.
~B~
Vanessa heard the doorbell ring and her heart jumped into her throat. She had bought this place not only to be next to Pamela, but also to get away from Patrick. She’d learned a long time ago that she would have to run someday and Lexington corp. was her insurance policy. Patrick’s accountant was not as loyal as he thought and he had helped Vanessa start the company and funneled money into it over the years.
Dale, his accountant had been among the staff that witnessed the severe abuse Vanessa had lived through. It was often his job to make the arrangements for her to go on long vacations to heal before coming home for more. Being an older man Dale had become more of a father figure and had begged her to leave repeatedly.
Dale had actually been the one that introduced her to Desire. He thought it would secretly give her, her power back as well as show her that sex could actually be for pleasure. Dale had in his mind that this would empower her to leave someday before it was too late. She knew the man carried all kinds of guilt.
Vanessa prayed that it was Dale at the door and not her husband. Patrick had given her only two more months to get what he wanted. She didn’t know how she would do it but he would kill her if she didn’t.
Imagine her surprise when she opened the door to lock eyes with Bobby Mairettie. Heat infused her cheeks as she looked into the eyes of a man she knew very intimately. She’d always wondered what turned Bobby off and made him not want her. Now after meeting his wife it was nothing she had told herself.
She swallowed hard as she thought of why he could be here. A small part of her hoped he was here for her, to rekindle their past. However, one look in those intense grey eyes and she knew that was not the case. She silently stepped back seeing he was all business. It was clear that her charade was in danger.
“I’ll make this quick because I don’t want to be here longer than I have to be,” Bobby grunted as he stepped through the door.
“Can I offer you something to drink,” Vanessa said with a weak smile.
“What I want is to know what you are up to. Why have you been injecting yourself into my wife and my sister in law’s lives?” He said firmly.
“Pamela is my neighbor. I wanted to make friends with her. It was only after she introduced me to your wife that I realized the connection,” she nervously replied.
“Bullshit, honestly Vanessa…is that your name? You don’t want to play this game with me,” his voice came out with an unsettling calm.
“It…It’s not a game. Pamela is a friend of mine. I only learned recently that her boyfriend is Nathan,” Vanessa said as she took a few steps away from Bobby.
“Oh really, see I happen to know for a fact that you have been emailing Nathan and trying to get in touch with him through the club. So I find it a little too good to be true that this is all a coincidence. What’s your end game here Vanessa?”
“There is no end game. I like Pam and I consider her a friend,” Vanessa tried to say the words firmly and with more confidence.
“Let me help you out here, sweetheart. You are going to stay the fuck away from my family. That includes Nathan, Pam and my wife. If I even think you are going to start trouble for anyone in my family. I will destroy you,” Bobby growled low.
Vanessa laughed, she actually laughed. It scared her as it bubbled up, but she was hopeless at this point. Desperation can make a woman lose her mind and Vanessa believed she was at that point.
“Bobby, I have nothing left to destroy. I was ruined way before I met you or Nathan,” tears began to roll down her cheeks. “Why else would I seek out a place like Desire? There was nothing left of me then. If sex wasn’t the only thing you men wanted you would have seen it then as well.”
Vanessa laughed bitterly before sinking in to the nearest chair. “I
want nothing from your family Bobby,” Vanessa sniffled.
“Now that I don’t believe,” Bobby responded coldly crossing his arms over his chest. What he did believe was that this woman had nothing to lose. He had seen it before and it made her very dangerous. There was no real reasoning with her. He and Nate would have to find another way to figure out what she was after and how to minimize the damage that was done.
“You should. In another life I would want nothing more than to be a part of a sisterhood like what Pamela and the others have,” Vanessa lifted sad eyes up to meet his. “I never meant to get here like this…. listen I have no intentions of hurting your family Bobby.”
Bobby drew his brows in concentration. He called on his wife’s ability to see what no one else could see. Looking deep he could see the broken woman before him. Part of her words were true, but there was something there not to be trusted. Most of all he could see a woman that needed help.
Bobby pulled his card from his suit jacket and tossed it on the coffee table. “When you are ready to stop talking in riddles call me. I can help you get out of whatever mess you are in. Hurt my family and that offer comes off the table. I’m a powerful man and I know powerful people. You may want to keep that in mind when making your decision,” Bobby watched her for a moment more before turning and leaving her home.
As the door closed Vanessa wiped at her tears. “But he is just as powerful and knows just as many people,” she whispered to the room.
Desperate times called for desperate measures. She would have to step up her game. Everything had just changed.
Chapter Nineteen
Nate wished he could say that the mission went well without any problems but his gut was trying to tell him otherwise. He didn’t like to miss anything but he felt like a gaping hole was staring him right in the face. What really unsettled him was that Wyatt had the same feeling. He had told him just as much as they parted ways at the airport.
So now Nate would be watching the families’ backs to make sure there were no repercussions for the fifteen young women and ten young men they had saved. They’d managed to cut them off in transit. Three of the twenty five had wanted nothing to do with the offer they had given them.