by Lucy Wild
He’d dug deep into the CEO of Treadstone and found enough skeletons in his closet to get him to back down for good. That was work. That was what he did. I kept my distance, usually. This was personal which was why I was ringing him myself.
“Harry Foster? Rob Davies,” I said into the phone when it connected.
“Mr Davies,” he replied bluntly. If he was surprised to hear from me, it didn’t show in his voice.
“I wondered if we could meet?”
“Shall I come to your house?”
“No,” I said a little too quickly. “Do you know Betty’s Cafe on the ringroad?”
“I can be there in thirty minutes.”
“Great, see you then.”
He was waiting for me at the cafe, sitting alone, facing the door.
“Mr Davies?” he said, standing up when he saw me. “What can I do for you?”
I sank into the seat on the far side of his table. “I have a problem.”
I explained as succinctly as I could. When I was finished, he slid back in his seat. “You want a coffee?” he asked.
“I’m good.”
“Well I’m getting one.” He waved his hand and a waitress appeared. “Can I get a refill?”
“Sure,” she said, smiling as I waited impatiently to find out what his plan was. Only when he had a brimming mug did he return his attention to me.
“You have a woman who has provided you with no background information. Correct?”
“Beyond her name, I don’t know a thing about her.”
“I will have everything you need. For the right price, of course.”
“Money is no object.”
“Music to my ears. You have two men looking for this woman, two men who are as yet unidentified, correct?”
“Correct.”
“I recommend you secure the house, get a weapon if you haven’t already.”
“I have a case with-”
He waved his hand towards me. “I don’t need to know. Just have it handy. Why are you smiling?”
“It’s funny. I thought you’d tell me to call the police.”
“You haven’t done that already?”
“No, not yet.”
“Why not?”
“I’m not sure.”
“I think you are. I think you know that if the police know about her, these two men will find out soon enough.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Experience. You were right not to involve them. “He took a sip of his coffee. “I doubt they’d achieve half as much as I can. They have a need to follow the correct procedure, it slows things down. By then, she’d have been snatched and you might be dead.”
“You’re not serious?”
He didn’t smile, his eyes narrowing as he looked closely at me. “They want her back. I suspect one of them is either her father or her husband, a close relative for sure. You want my honest opinion, Mr Davies?”
“I do.”
“We need to find out who she is, who they are, and deal with them before they come for her.”
“How much to do that?”
“For a job like this, I’d usually charge ten but I get the feeling you want a quick result on this one. Fifty and I should have it done by the end of the week.”
“Cash on results?”
“Cash on acceptance. You want the best, you pay for it upfront.”
“I’ll have it for you in an hour.”
“One more question, Mr Davies.” For the first time, he looked around him, checking who was nearby before speaking. “If I find them, do you want me to deal with them?” The coldness in the word ‘deal’ told me everything I needed to know about his work.
“Just find out who they are, then we’ll decide what to do next.”
HOPE
I WOKE UP CONFUSED for a moment, not sure where I was. At first I was back at home. He was standing over me, yelling at me, spit hitting my face as he shook his fist over my head.
Then I was awake. The image was gone. I was safe. I was in Rob’s mansion, the only shouting coming from the birds outside the window.
I sat up, blinking away the sleep as I heard someone knocking on the door. Was that what had woken me?
“Hello,” I said. “Rob?”
The door opened and a woman’s face appeared. “Afraid not. I’m Annie, Rob’s assistant. He asked me to keep an eye on you while he’s out.”
“Keep an eye on me? What are you, a babysitter?”
“That’s what I told him,” she said, smiling as she walked over to me. “There’s a load of clothes on their way. The first parcel’s here. I thought you might want it.”
“What is it?”
“Just a dress and a few bits. I’ll leave it with you.”
“Great, thanks.”
She closed the door after her leaving me to unwrap the parcel. Inside was a light green summer dress, a pair of plain cotton panties and a bra that fitted perfectly, the first one in my life that did.
I headed downstairs once I was dressed and found Annie and breakfast waiting for me in the dining room.
“You look great,” she said with a smile, passing a plate of toast over to me.
“Thanks,” I replied. “I don’t feel great.”
“Why, what’s wrong?”
“Oh, nothing.” I picked up a slice of toast and bit down into it, glad of the moment to compose myself, the dream of last night threatening to come back to me. “So,” I continued once I’d finished eating the slice, “what’s he like to work for?”
“Who? Rob? He’s a pretty good boss.”
“Good.”
“What about you? What do you think about him?”
“I like him, in fact…this is going to sound silly.”
“Try me.”
“I really like him.”
“I think he feels the same way about you.”
“What? Really?” I couldn’t keep the surprise out of my voice.
She picked up her tea, draining the last of it before continuing. “Really. He’s decided to look after you, Hope. He’s never done that for any woman before, not as far as I know.”
“You think?”
“You look worried.”
“He doesn’t know anything about me.”
“And if he finds out, he might not like you anymore, right?”
“Maybe.”
“You want my opinion? Just be honest with him. He’ll respect that. If it’s one thing he hates, it’s being lied to.”
“Understood.”
“Can I ask you something, Hope?”
I nodded warily. “Go ahead.”
“What happened to you?”
“What do you mean?”
“The bruises. Did something happen last night?”
“I’d rather not talk about it.”
“Of course.” She was silent for a moment. “More tea?”
“No, I think I’ll take a walk outside.”
I headed out into the grounds for some fresh air. It was beautiful out there. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, the birds were singing and the leaves were rustling in the trees in the distance. It was far away from her questions.
I strolled across the lawn, trying to clear my head. I’d only been outside for a few minutes before I got the overwhelming sensation that I was being watched from the treeline.
I knew it was paranoia but I couldn’t shake it and I ended up back in my bedroom, my heart pounding as I thought about who might be out there.
My breathing got out of control so I locked myself in the bathroom, turning on the shower and stripping out of my clothes. I stood for a moment under the hot water before sinking down to the tiles, curling my arms around my knees, losing myself in my thoughts, thoughts I was still trying to erase.
I was back at the bar, doing my best to drown my sorrows. Then the two of them walked in.
“I told you two to leave me alone,” I said.
“We just want to talk to you,” he said, turning to his co
mpanion who nodded in agreement. “Just give us one minute.”
And I stupidly let them do it. I let them lead me outside, following their instructions as I had done so many times before.
What would have happened if I hadn’t run? If I’d got in the car like they told me to? If I hadn’t had a flash of insight into the reality of the situation?
What about if I hadn’t found the house? If I hadn’t met Rob? Would they have dragged me back or just killed me? Would they have really gone that far? Or just made me prisoner in my own home again? Not that it was even my home. It was his.
It was impossible to know for sure what would have happened but the bruises on my neck from where they’d tried to force me into the car, that was proof of how close I’d come to becoming a prisoner once again.
I stayed in the shower for a long time before climbing back into bed. I was still there when he came home.
I didn’t answer his knock, only calling out when he spoke. “Are you all right in there, Hope? Your clothes are here.”
I thought about ignoring him but I couldn’t do it. “Come in,” I said, forcing myself to sit up.
“Are you okay?” he asked, his face a mask of concern. “You look like you’ve been crying.”
“Why are you being so nice to me?” I asked, fresh tears starting to fall.”
“What? What do you mean? Hey, don’t cry.” He put an arm around my shoulders, snuggling up next to me on the bed.
“No one has ever been this nice to me.”
“Well, that’s wrong,” he said, kissing my cheek. “I’m going to carry on being nice to you and looking after you so you better get used to it.”
I turned to look at him, seeing the warmth in his eyes. “I don’t deserve it,” I said, my voice low.
“Yes you do,” he said, frowning slightly. “Now get up, get dressed, and come and have lunch with me.”
“I thought you were working all day.”
“I am but I came home to have lunch with you. Now get up before I have to climb in next to you and eat you instead.”
ROB
I HAD BARELY SETTLED down to lunch when Harry rang. “Are you somewhere you can talk?” he asked.
“Hold on,” I replied before turning to Hope. “Back in a second.” I headed out into the hallway, crossing the space to my study. Once I was in with the door closed I turned back to the phone. “What have you found?”
“She was at a pub last night, the bar staff recognised the picture I showed them. She was drinking orange juice and paying with coins.”
“That was quick. Anything else?”
“They say two men took her outside. One older, one about her age. I have a potential address, I’m on the way there now. I thought you’d want to know.”
“That’s great, thanks.”
“You still haven’t told me what to do if I find them.”
“Just call me and give me their names. I’ll do the rest.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive. I don’t want anyone getting hurt over this. If they’ve attacked her, the police can take over.”
“But-”
I hung up. I knew what he was hinting and I didn’t like the way the conversation was headed. He wanted permission to deal with the two of them and that could mean only one of two things. Either beat them up or kill them. If he beat them up, it would come back to bite me, I had no doubt.
And if he killed them instead, well that was worse. That would mean I wouldn’t get the pleasure of dealing with them myself. If they were the men who’d been chasing Hope, then I’d make them pay but at the time I chose.
For now, I just wanted to know who they were and why they’d been after her. I didn’t want to ask Hope about it again, not yet at least. She was still traumatised and coming to terms with what had happened to her. She’d talk to me when she was ready and I didn’t want to heap any pressure on her. Instead I wanted to enjoy her company.
I headed back into the dining room, moving to stand behind her and leaning down to kiss the back of her neck.
“Everything all right?” she asked.
“It is now,” I said, pulling her up to her feet. I held myself against her, wrapping my hands around her, continuing to kiss the back of her neck. “I can’t resist you.”
I bent her forwards until her hands landed on the table. “What are you doing?” she asked.
“This,” I replied as I began sliding her dress up her legs. She remained in place as I moved it upwards, revealing her shapely thighs. I let go of the dress, leaving it bunched around her waist as I yanked her panties down to her ankles.
I grabbed the chair and shoved it away, kneeling behind her as she glanced back at me. “What if the butler comes in?”
“What if he does?”
“He might see us!”
“Then you better keep quiet,” I said, grabbing her buttocks and pulling them apart. I ran my tongue over her hole, listening as she gasped with surprised delight.
I couldn’t do it for more than a few seconds, my need to taste her growing uncontrollable. I moved my tongue down to her pussy, lapping at her wetness whilst sliding my hand up her thigh, shuffling her legs apart.
I teased her for as long as I could before standing up, reaching for my trousers and pulling my cock out. I slid it between her legs, wanting to tease her but running out of patience.
I slid into her, loving the sensation of her tight warmth as she gripped me, drawing me deeper inside. She pushed her hips back, the plates on the table rattling as I slammed all the way into her.
“That feels so good,” she said, her voice little more than a whisper. “Give it to me.”
I pulled back and began thrusting fast into her, looking down to see my cock vanishing inside her. My Hope, the woman who an hour before was crying in her bedroom, the woman who’d run from two men into my arms. She was here, her ass pointing at me, giving her body to me, letting me take her like this.
She looked so beautiful, bent over, me inside her, little moans escaping her as we both got closer to orgasm.
I felt her getting close, widening inside to draw me deeper still, then she went silent for a brief second.
I watched as she came, her body shaking, the sight of her pleasure enough to tip me over the edge. I spurted into her, not caring about anything, about anyone else, just me and her.
I grunted as I spurted a second time, my nails digging into her hips before I fell away, sinking onto the nearest chair, holding her on my lap, my arms wrapped around her as I kissed those soft lips of hers.
“You should get back to work,” she said in a trembling voice.
“I own the company,” I replied. “What are they going to do, fire me?”
She laughed. “Am I a bad influence on you?”
“No, you’re reminding me what’s important in this world, that’s all.”
She was a perfect reminder. She was good and pure and everything I wasn’t. I had never cared about any of the women I’d slept with before. I’d never felt close to any of them. But with her it was different. I wanted to be with her after sex for one thing. I hated being away from her. There was just something inside her that called to me, that kept me thinking about her even when I was away from her side.
She had barely slid off me when Potter appeared to collect our lunch things. She sat giggling at me as he walked by, her cheeks still flushed. If Potter knew what had just happened, he didn’t show any sign of it, vanishing as silently as he had arrived.
“What do you want to do now?” I asked, getting to my feet. “How about a walk outside?”
“No,” she said too suddenly, the smile vanishing from her face. “I need to talk to you about something.”
HOPE
“WHAT IS IT,” HE asked.
It wasn’t the right time to have this conversation. I could still feel the tingles inside me from where he’d so recently been but I knew if I didn’t say it soon, I might never be able to. It was already going to be difficult.
“You’ve been so kind to me but I think I should go.”
The words were out. I couldn’t take them back. Seeing him had brought them to the front of my mind. If I stayed any longer, two things would happen. I could see it clearly. I’d fall for him, completely fall for him. That was, if I hadn’t already. And I’d put him in danger.
I couldn’t imagine him getting hurt because of me, the thought was too upsetting. He didn’t deserve it. He’d been nothing but nice to me and if they found me here, they’d hurt him. I couldn’t let that happen. I had to go.
“I’ve imposed on you long enough.”
“Stop.”
It was a single word but it was said with such force that my little speech fell out of my head.
“I know why you’re doing this,” he continued. “And it’s not going to work.”
“What’s not?”
“Pushing me away like this.”
“I’m not pushing you away. I just think it’s better for both of us if I go.”
“No you don’t, you’re just afraid.”
“I…” My voice faded into silence. I couldn’t disagree with him, he was right.
“You’re afraid of the same thing as me and that’s feeling something real. Well, I’m glad I feel it and I think you are too, you’re just scared of what it means.”
I went to speak but he waved me into silence.
“Let me have my say. You’re the first woman I’ve ever met who doesn’t want to stay, do you know that? Everyone who’s ever come here before has had to be forced to leave. They wanted to cling to my money for as long as they could but you, you’re different.”
“Money isn’t everything.”
“I agree. But neither is fear. Don’t let it swallow you, Hope. You have nothing to be afraid of while you’re here. I promised I’d look after you and I meant it.”
“But you’ve done so much for me already.”
“I wanted to.” He sounded almost angry as he leaned forwards in the chair. “I want you to stay. I want to look after you.”
“But why?”
“Because…” He paused. “I want to keep you safe.”
“But you can’t. They’ll find me.”
“Don’t worry about that. That’s being taken care of as we speak.”