“I’m well aware.” I picked through a pile of invoices waiting for his approval. Nothing seemed out of place. “Send me the latest statements, would you?”
“Sure.” The relief in his voice was palpable. “Why don’t you meet me at Swerve for dinner, and we’ll go over them?”
“Can’t. Rourke is waiting for me.”
“Rourke, Rourke, Rourke. She’s all you ever talk about.” The petulant inflection of his words didn’t fool me. The only thing bigger than his ego was his narcissism. “We never spend any time together any more. I feel like you’re avoiding me.”
“Then you’d be right.” Our relationship had always been fraught with competition and petty squabbles. Now that I’d claimed Rourke as my own, he’d been exceptionally cranky. Hearing her name reminded me of our evening plans. I glanced at my watch to check the time. “Is there anything else before I go?”
He sighed, and I could picture him in white tennis shorts and a fitted polo shirt, sipping martinis at the country club, his usual daytime haunt. “You’re always in such a hurry.”
“I’m hanging up.”
“Wait. I was wondering if I could borrow your yacht tomorrow. I want to take a cruise around the coast.”
I shifted back in his chair and tapped a finger on the desk, contemplating his motives. He’d never been interested in yachting beyond the occasional vacation or party. “The last time I loaned my yacht to you, it looked like a herd of buffalo had run through it. I’m not sure I can afford the repairs.”
He snorted, like I’d said the most amusing thing in the world. “That was ages ago. I’ve grown up since then.”
“It was last summer,” I replied.
“Whatever. So, what’s the verdict? Yay or nay?”
“Why?” Nicky never did anything without reason, a family trait shared by the both of us.
“Not that it’s any of your business, but I’d like to take Everly on a cruise along the coast.” To add conflict to the dynamic between the four of us, he’d struck up a “friendship” with Rourke’s best friend. Although I questioned his interest, I’d kept my misgivings to myself. Any objections would spur his fascination. “Chicks dig big boats.”
“She’s out of your league,” I said, knowing this would irritate him. “Are you sure you can handle her?”
“I already told you, it’s not serious. She’s looking for a good time, and I happen to be an expert in the field.”
“I was talking about the yacht.”
He groaned again, this time with more feeling. I smiled. No one loved drama more than him. “Do I have to beg?”
“That would be nice.” I paused, waiting, my shoulders shaking with repressed laughter. When he didn’t reply, I caved. “Fine. But I wanted it back in the harbor without a scratch. Do you understand?”
“Excellent. I owe you one.”
He hung up, gone before I could respond. I shook my head, amused by his enthusiasm. Although he annoyed me beyond all reason, I enjoyed sparring with him. He possessed a joie de vivre that had always been lacking from my life. Someone had to uphold the family reputation, and that duty had fallen to me.
5
Rourke
When the elevator doors opened into the foyer of Roman’s penthouse, I blinked twice; once to sharpen my vision and again to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating. The delicate scent of flowers wafted through the air. Hundreds of white roses covered every surface in the room. Golden tealights lined the shelves. Tall white tapers and fat pillar candles sat on crystal holders. The flickering flames danced off the massive wall of windows.
“Hello?” I called into the empty room. Adrenalin replaced the exhaustion from my busy day.
“Hey.” Roman’s light footfalls echoed on the sweeping staircase. I stood at the base and stared up at him, melting at his overwhelming maleness. White drawstring pants hung low on his hips, contrasting with the tanned skin of his bare chest. As he descended the stairs, he drew a white silk sweater over his head. The sight of him in such casual attire made me blink. The scent of his cologne teased my nose as he pressed a kiss to my forehead. “It’s about time you got home. I missed you.”
Usually, we traveled to and from the office together. Today had been an exception due to our late morning start and the meeting with Lavender. I smiled up at him. “What’s all this?”
“Can’t a man do something nice for his wife without raising suspicion?” He drew my fingertips to his lips. The heat in his eyes faded my worries away.
“I feel like I hit the lottery,” I whispered, fighting against the sting of emotional tears.
“Wait until you see the night I have planned for you, princess.” With my hand in the bend of his elbow, he led me upstairs to our bedroom. More candles. More roses. We went straight to the bathroom. The flickering flames of votives reflected off the white walls and mirrors. The enormous tub had been filled to the top with hot, steaming water. Rose petals floated on the surface. The room smelled of lavender and rosemary. He gave me a little nudge. “Go head. Climb in. Relax.”
“Really?” Tears hovered at the brink of escape, threatening to spill down my cheeks. I blinked them back, overcome with his thoughtfulness.
“Absolutely.” With a fingertip, he stroked the side of my face. “Take your time. I have a few work items to finish up. When you’re done, meet me on the balcony.”
Soothing classical music drifted into the room from hidden speakers. I undressed and sank into the water up to my chin. The heat of the water and the soothing mix of bath salts and herbs leeched the exhaustion from my body. I closed my eyes and let my limbs float. My body relaxed, but misgivings continued to cloud my thoughts. Why was Roman so concerned about security? What had changed in the past week? It had to be more than our marital status. At the first reasonable opportunity, I needed to persuade him to clarify our situation. Not tonight. Tonight, I wanted to enjoy the bliss of being a newlywed.
An hour later, I emerged from the bathroom and changed into a satin negligee with a matching peignoir. The massaging jets in the tub had released the tension in my neck and shoulders, leaving me boneless and dreamy. Through the open balcony doors, a table had been set with dinner for two. Beyond the champagne and starched white table linens, the cityscape glittered in a panorama of twinkling lights and sparkling stars.
“This is unbelievable,” I said. “I feel like I need to pinch myself.”
“If there’s any pinching to be done, I’ll take care of it.” To prove his point, he drew me against his chest and gave my bottom a heartfelt squeeze.
I nestled my nose into the notch of his collarbone, marveling at how perfectly we fit together. The strength of his arms around my waist reminded me of all the reasons this union felt right. “How did you know I needed this?”
He pulled back a little to meet my gaze. “You’ve been working too hard.”
“You never said that before we married.” A smattering of wiry black hair showed above the V-neck of his sweater. I raked my fingers through it, enjoying the way his skin pebbled at my touch.
“That’s because you were an employee. Now you’re my wife.”
“I wish you’d quit saying that.” I tried to push away, but he tightened an arm around my waist, pinning me to the hard wall of his torso.
“Why not? It’s true.” His blue gaze roved over my face.
Unable to look at him, I stared at the table over his shoulder. I didn’t want to fight with him, not tonight. “What’s for dinner? I’m starving.”
“Lemon chicken with angel hair pasta and mushrooms in a champagne sauce.” He loosened his grip. “You like mushrooms, right?”
His question reminded me that we were still getting to know each other. I nodded and followed him to the table, feeling shy. He pulled out a chair for me then took his place on the opposite side. With the click of a remote control, piano music muffled the hum of traffic and the occasional car horn. I stared over the twinkling lights of buildings, Central Park, and the Hudson River.
>
“Why so quiet?” Roman asked as he filled a flute with ridiculously expensive Moet and handed it to me.
“Just tired.” No matter how hard I tried, I still couldn’t meet his eyes. Our lack of conversation thickened the air between us.
“Don’t play coy with me, Rourke. Something’s bothering you.” He uncovered a chafing dish and set it between us.
“I have unanswered questions,” I said, keeping my tone even and light. “You dumped a lot on me this afternoon.”
“Fair enough. What do you want to know?” He drained his champagne then placed both palms on the table, bracing his arms. The way his dark eyes stared into mine sent my heart into palpitations.
“I think you’re hiding things from me, and you promised not to do that.” When we’d first met, he’d hidden his personal battles under a veil of arrogance. Now that I knew those secrets, I didn’t blame him, but I thought we’d moved past the subterfuge.
“That’s not a question.”
“No, but it’s a valid point.”
“And still not a question.” After a long exhale through his nose, he shifted and rested a forearm along the top of the glass wall surrounding the balcony behind him. His casual pose belied the tension in his voice. “I’m in the middle of negotiations on an overseas deal. The situation is—sensitive. I could bore you with the details, or we could have a nice, intimate dinner together. Which do you prefer?” The pad of his index finger tapped an impatient rhythm on the railing.
“An intimate dinner sounds nice.” I hated myself for bring his work into our romantic evening. He never discussed business beyond the necessities relating to his schedule. I heard snippets of his phone conversations and the occasional tidbit from eavesdropping at the office, but that was it. “But I can’t relax knowing you don’t have faith in me.”
“Are we back to that again?” The air chilled between us. I squirmed in the chair, my guilt increasing. The hard line of his jaw softened along with his tone. “There are things you don’t need to know, Rourke. I can’t tell you every detail about every little thing. You’ll need to trust me to decide what’s important and what’s not.”
“Okay.” The sincerity in his gaze eased my worries. I trusted him, more than anyone. “But I don’t want you withholding information from me. I’m a big girl. I can handle it.”
“Deal.” He cut a piece of steak from his New York strip and lifted it to my lips. When I didn’t open my mouth, he frowned and lowered the fork to his plate. “Is there anything else?”
“Well, yes.” I’d been debating the best way to approach the subject of Lavender and decided to dive in. “Your party planner is a member of the Devil’s Playground. She said you gave her a membership. Why would you do that?”
Surprise flickered in his eyes. He hooded his blue irises with long, dark eyelashes. “She told you that?”
“Yes, among other things.” I toyed with the edge of my napkin, eager to avoid the growing thundercloud over his head.
“I’ll have a word with her.” He growled then drained his wine glass. “She knows better than to discuss the terms of her membership.”
“You’re missing the point.” I drew in a patient breath and exhaled before trying again. “I’m not a member, but you bought a membership for one of your employees.”
“She’s not an employee. She’s a contractor. You’re a member by default.”
“Splitting hairs,” I said. “Talk to me, Roman.”
“She’s been handling the masquerade and the Devil’s Playground events since their inceptions. Her membership was a reward for all of her hard work.”
“That’s one hell of a bonus.” I lifted my chin and steeled my gaze. “Were you involved with her?” Did I want to know? I regretted the question, but it had already passed my lips.
“Do you really want to ask me that? Now? Tonight?”
“Is there a better time?”
He rubbed a finger over his top lip then shook his head. “I’ve told you before that I never did relationships before you, but yes, she and I had some interaction at the club.”
My stomach twisted at his confession. I couldn’t begrudge him the relationships before we’d met, but I knew of the dirty, decadent things that went on behind the one-way mirrors and secret peepholes of the Devil’s Playground. “I want to go there. I want to see it for myself.”
“Now?” His eyebrows stretched skyward.
“Of course not. Later is fine.” Although he visited the NYC club weekly to deal with business matters, I’d never been to any location other than the one at his London property. Before now, I’d been too busy with my job to worry about the Playground. Lavender’s confession had piqued my curiosity.
“Am I in trouble?”
“Not yet.” Despite my annoyance over Lavender, I had to bite my lower lip to avoid laughing at his worried frown. With his hair slightly mussed, he looked like a young boy who’d been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. “But it’s a little disturbing to know that my husband belongs to a voyeuristic sex club and hasn’t invited his wife.”
“I haven’t been active there since we got together. Don’t you trust me?”
“You know I do.” Where was I going with this conversation? Roman would never cheat on me. I knew it with all my heart. “It used to be a big part of your life. Do you miss it?” Our sex life was more than fulfilling for me, but was it enough for him? I remembered the excitement of the masquerade, of having sex in a secret room, the thrill of being watched from the shadowy corners of a medieval castle. Just thinking about it made my thighs clench.
“You’re more than enough for me.” He pushed his chair back from the table and stood. When he dropped his napkin next to his plate, my chest gave a funny lurch and not the good kind.
“Where are you going?”
“Down to my office for a second.” Bending at the waist, he pressed a kiss to my forehead. “Finish your dinner. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
He left without a backward glance. I watched his broad shoulders disappear through the doorway. I stared at the candles and flowers, his half-eaten plate of food, and the untouched dessert, my favorite chocolate mousse. He’d gone to a lot of trouble to create this romantic evening, and I’d ruined it with my questions. Why did I have to insist on answers tonight? If I’d kept my mouth shut, I’d probably be making love to my handsome husband instead of dining alone.
When he hadn’t returned after an hour, I called down to his study, but he didn’t answer. With my guilt growing stronger by the moment, I grabbed the chocolate mousse and two spoons then headed downstairs. Outside his study, I hesitated. He sat behind his desk, back to me, his angry voice lifting the hairs on the back of my neck. His guttural words were a mix of Russian and English. I cleared my throat, and he swiveled to face me.
“I’ll talk to you later,” he said and ended the call. The ends of his dark hair stood in disarray. He ran his palms over the unruly locks, smoothing them into submission. “What’s up?”
“I didn’t mean to interrupt,” I said. “But I was lonely upstairs.”
“Then get over here.” He rolled his chair back from the desk and patted the tops of his thighs in invitation. Although his voice was controlled, fire sparked in his eyes. “Was I gone that long?”
“Forever.” I slipped onto his lap, dipped a spoon into the mousse, and lifted it to his mouth. “Who were you talking to?”
“No one important.” He tasted the mousse then licked his lips in approval. “Mmm…very nice. Now your turn.” Using his finger, he spread a dollop of the dessert on the upper swell of one of my breasts. “Oops. What a mess. Let me clean that up for you.”
I closed my eyes, savoring the glide of his lips and tongue on my bare skin, and tried to ignore the name on his caller ID. Lavender Cunningham.
6
Roman
In the morning, Rourke and I rushed in different directions. I had a conference with the head of my airlines, and Rourke was meeting with her s
tylist friend, Christian, to put together a new wardrobe. Although I loved having her by my side, the more time we spent apart, the less opportunity she had to ask questions. I’d seen her gaze drift to Lavender’s name on my phone last night. As the hours ticked by, it was easier to ignore the issue than discuss it. However, I knew Rourke wouldn’t stay silent for long.
“I need you to speak with Lavender,” I said to Ivan as we entered the Sapphire Building and rode the elevator up to my office. “She had a conversation with my wife yesterday.”
“That is what happens when you invite a viper into your house,” Ivan observed dryly. “You get bitten.”
“What would you have me do? Isolate Rourke from everyone in my past?” I studied my reflection in the polished elevator doors before adjusting the knot of my tie. His dark eyes met mine in the mirrored surface. “I know what I’m doing.”
“You play with fire.” The doors slid open. Ivan stepped aside to let me pass before stepping into the cool, steel and glass reception area.
“Just take care of this, would you? I’d ask Nicky to do it, but he’s preoccupied.”
“Ah, yes, the redheaded girl.”
“Make sure she understands indiscretions aren’t tolerated.” I nodded to the receptionist and strode down the long corridor, ignoring the scurry and whispers of my employees. Most of them were scared shitless of me, and the rest went out of their way to avoid my path.
“When you say ‘take care of’’, do you mean scare her or rough her up a little?”
From time to time, some of the Playground members needed a subtle reminder regarding the terms of the non-disclosure agreements. It was one of the more unpleasant but necessary aspects of the business. Especially since some of the members had unsavory professions. Usually, Nicky took care of the sordid details, but I couldn’t trust him to handle Lavender without divulging the reasons why. The less he knew the better for everyone.
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