Livia grinned then arched her back as her orgasm hit, pressing her belly against his. “Nox?” She was gaping as his pace grew rougher and quicker. “Come on my belly.”
Nox, panting for air, drove himself to the peak then withdrew, shooting thick, creamy white cum onto her belly, fingering her clit as he did and making her come again.
Afterward they caught their breath as Nox massaged his cum into her skin. He circled her navel with his finger. Livia gazed up at him. “I’m thinking about our Christmas getaway and all those dirty games we played.”
“You enjoyed them?”
“You know I did. When all this is over, I’d like to do that again. Maybe even try some new stuff.”
Nox slid his finger into her cunt and moved it gently in and out, while his thumb stroked her clit. Livia could feel the excitement build again in her body. “That’s it, Livvy, just lie back and let me do the work.” Nox nipped her nipple with his teeth before taking it into his mouth as he stroked her. Livia tangled her fingers in his dark curls as he sucked at her breasts, making her nipples rock hard. Then he moved down to tongue-fuck her navel.
“God, that’s so good.”
“Sensitive belly.”
“You know it.” Livia sighed as he moved further down to take her clit in his mouth, while his fingers moved up to stroke her belly. Livia spread her legs wider and Nox, his tongue dipping in and out of her cunt, began to finger-fuck her navel with his thumb, finding a rhythm that drove her crazy. He made her come again and again, before plunging his straining cock back into her. Livia cried out as she came hard, breathless and sweating, clawing at his buttocks, urging him deeper.
At moments like these, she could pretend everything was okay, that everything was happy. Nox knew how to command her body entirely, and he was relentless in making her come every single time. God, she loved this man. She would do anything, try anything he wanted to, but in the end, it came down to their animal selves, almost feral in their carnal desire for each other.
They fucked until they were exhausted. Then, his head resting on her breasts and her arms around him, Nox fell asleep, but Livia’s mind was whirling with questions.
This whole thing was so confusing, with a myriad of suspects. But in her mind, Livia felt sure she knew who was behind all of this, and tomorrow she would start to find out more about the man she was certain was trying to kill her.
Sandor.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Charvi Sood was surprised to find Livia not in the music room, but at one of the computers in the college’s library. “Hey there, kiddo.”
“Hey, Charvi.”
“What are you doing?”
Livia smiled at her. “Research. Charvi, you might be able to help me out.” She looked around the library then lowered her voice. “What do you know about Florian Carpentier, Sandor’s father?”
Charvi felt cold inside. “Why do you ask?”
Livia just looked at her and Charvi nodded. “Okay, but not here.”
They went to Charvi’s office and the older woman locked the door behind her. She offered Livia a cup of coffee and when they had their drinks, they sat on her old comfortable couch. Charvi sighed. “What I’m about to tell you, I’ve never told anybody, mostly out of respect for Gabriella’s wishes. When she died, I thought about going to the police about it, but they seemed so certain that Tynan had killed her and Teague that I didn’t want to cause Nox any more pain. That was the real reason I stayed away from him.” She sipped her coffee, collecting her thoughts.
“Before Gabriella met Tynan, and after we had decided to split up—she was worried what our relationship could mean for my career, can you believe it? —she worked a little for the Carpentiers as a consultant. Eleanor Carpentier was a lovely woman and she and Gabriella became good friends. Then one day, Gabriella called me, hysterical. I went to her apartment to find it in disarray, and Gabriella bleeding and bruised. She had been raped.”
“Oh, God.” Livia felt sick.
“At first, she wouldn’t tell me by whom, she just said she couldn’t go out in New Orleans anymore for fear of seeing him. Eventually I got it out of her. Florian Carpentier was not a good man. He beat Eleanor, raped her too, I believe, and Florian didn’t even bother to hide it. I tried to make Gabriella go to the police but she swore he would kill her if she did. She swore me to secrecy and for a time it seemed like things would go back to normal. Then, about a month later, Gabriella left town unexpectedly and didn’t return for a year.”
Livia’s eyes were full of understanding. “She was pregnant.”
Charvi nodded. “She had the child and Florian and Eleanor brought him up as their own.”
“Sandor. Sandor is Nox’s half-brother.”
Charvi nodded. “When Eleanor died, and when Florian got Alzheimer’s, Sandor took over the business with Teague. Then, when Nox was at college, they all died. Over the years, I’ve tried to find reasons why Tynan would have done it, but there are still none. He loved Gabriella, and those two boys were his life. I truly believe they were all murdered.”
Livia swallowed. “By?”
“I think Florian got confused and thought his secret might be revealed. He went mad and shot them all.”
“But how the hell would he have had the brainpower to frame Tynan then?”
“He was a vicious man, no doubt about it, and thought himself above the law. But I believe he had help.”
Livia closed her eyes. “Sandor.”
Charvi nodded. “Over the years, I’ve become more convinced. I don’t know Sandor at all, so I can’t speak to whether he takes after his mother or his father. Wouldn’t any loyal son help his father, even after his father committed such a heinous act?”
Livia was silent for a time. “But to frame Tynan? And do that to his supposed best friend? Did Sandor know he was Gabriella’s son?”
“I don’t know.”
“What if he found out? Got angry? Sandor does a good job of appearing friendly and warm, but there’s something else there. An anger. What if it wasn’t Florian who killed Gabriella? What if Sandor, on finding out the truth about his parentage, got angry and went to confront her? He took a gun, and when she tried to deny him, he killed her. Tynan and Teague were collateral damage.”
Livia looked sick, but Charvi nodded. “It could have easily happened that way.”
“And Ariel … what if Amber and Sandor had planned the prank together, then Sandor went way, way off script. Got off on killing women. He could have been …”
“Livia, darling, let’s work one problem at a time. But I think you should stay well away from this if your theory is correct.”
“I have to talk to Nox,” Livia said, “but Sandor is his business partner as well as his best friend, and I know that they’re having enough trouble. Someone’s been buying up all the shares.”
“Sandor, perhaps? Trying to oust Nox?”
Livia shook her head. “He mentioned someone called Roderick LeFevre.”
“Rod?” Charvi looked surprised. “I’m surprised. It doesn’t seem like his m.o. The Rod I know is a straight shooter.”
“If you know him, could you get me in to see him?”
“I’m sure that can be arranged.”
An hour later, Livia was waiting nervously in the reception of Roderick LeFevre’s company. His opulent offices and sleek staff made Nox’s building look shabby and old-fashioned. Why on Earth would Roderick be interested in it?
“Ms. Chatelaine?” A tall, blonde, classically handsome man smiled at her. “Rod LeFevre. Please, we’ll meet in my office.”
Liv followed him. “So, you’re the lady who’s won Nox’s heart?”
She smiled hesitantly at him. “I am. And you’re the man who’s been buying all the shares in his company.”
Rod laughed. “I am. I like you already. Straight to the point.” In his office, he invited her to sit. Livia studied him. He was a little older than Nox, mid-forties, short hair, dark green eyes. His face
could go from friendly to dangerous in a moment, she guessed, but he exuded warmth and honesty. She drew in a deep breath.
“You seem like you like honesty, so here goes. Was it your idea to buy all the shares you could in RenCar, or did Sandor Carpentier come to you and ask you to do it?”
Rod’s eyebrows shot up. “My, my. Okay, well, Ms. Chatelaine—”
“Livia.”
“Livia. I could, of course, tell you to mind your own business.”
“You could, and I would respect that.” Livia met his gaze steadily.
Rod smiled. “Yes, I do like you. Well, to answer your question, yes, he did. He told me he wanted to buy the company from underneath Nox, that he thought Nox’s heart wasn’t in it anymore and he wanted to give him the push to try something new. Sandor told me that if I bought the shares, he would pay me double for them.”
Livia scoffed. “And you believe him about him wanting to help Nox?”
“Of course not, but that’s none of my concern. I’m a businessman, Livia, and what Sandor was suggesting would have made me in the region of seven hundred million dollars.”
Livia whistled and shook her head. “You people deal in figures I can’t even comprehend.”
“What is it you do, Livia?”
She lifted her chin proudly. “I’m a grad student and until recently, a waitress.”
Rod smiled. “Both admirable vocations. I had heard you were one of the finest students ever to study at the university.”
Livia looked surprised and Rod laughed. “I do my research too, Livia. And because I am who I am, if women were my type, I’d be fighting Nox Renaud for a woman like you.” He grinned. “Thankfully for all of us, my husband would object.”
Livia giggled at his teasing and decided she liked this man very much. “Could I ask you not to reveal our conversation to Sandor, please?”
“You have my word.”
He walked her to the door, but then stopped her. “Livia … I won’t share this conversation, but I can’t speak for anyone who might have seen you come here. New Orleans is a relatively small town when it comes to who knows who in certain circles. Please, tell Nox you came here and make sure you have adequate protection in place.”
Livia studied him. “You think Sandor’s dangerous?”
“I have no evidence of it, just—”
“Gut instinct.”
Rod nodded, half-smiling. “Exactly.”
Livia nodded. “Did you know Sandor’s father? Florian Carpentier?”
Rod’s smile faded. “I did, unfortunately.”
“Why ‘unfortunately?’”
“He was a vicious fuck.” There was that honesty again, and Liv half smiled.
“Understood. Thank you again, Mr. LeFevre.”
“Rod, please. Goodbye, Livia.”
Livia, being driven back to the hotel by Jason, called Nox. She didn’t want to tell him what she had discovered over the phone, just in case Sandor was listening in, but merely said she’d come to his office later that day. “I love you.”
“Love you too, babe.”
After she ended the call, she looked over at Jason. “Jason, could we stop somewhere else, before home?” She gave him the address and he turned the car around without comment.
At the residential home, she asked if she could see Florian Carpenter. “I’m his niece from out of town and I just got here,” she lied smoothly. “I haven’t seen him in years.”
The receptionist looked at her for a long moment, then turned away. “Just a moment please, ma’am.”
Nervous, her hands clenched with fingernails digging into her palms, Livia waited. Soon enough a smartly dressed administrator came to collect her. “If we could just step into my office.”
Shit, they didn’t believe her ‘niece’ story. “If I could just see my uncle.”
The administrator, whose named tag said Susan, ushered her into the office. Her expression softened. “I’m so sorry, Ms. Carpentier. We assumed all the family knew. Did Mr. Carpentier’s son not inform you?”
“Inform me of what?”
“I’m sorry to tell you that Mr. Carpentier Sr. passed away last month.”
Livia stared at her, not needing to pretend her shock now. “What?”
“I’m so sorry, my dear. He passed peacefully.”
God, no. I didn’t want him to pass peacefully, I wanted him to fucking suffer after what he did to Gabriella. Livia tried hard to keep the hatred off her face. Susan, reading her, mistook her anger. “You weren’t down as his next of kin, you see.”
“I haven’t spoken to Sandor yet,” Livia said by way of explanation. She sighed, closing her eyes. “May I see his room?”
“I’m afraid it’s occupied, dear. Unfortunately, we can’t keep the rooms open for long. Too much demand.”
“Of course, I’m sorry.” Another idea came to her. “Did Sandor, I’m sorry, I mean, Mr. Carpentier Jr., take possession of Florian’s personal items?”
Susan nodded. “He did. He didn’t want to linger. He arranged the cremation quickly, and took the small amount of personal possessions that were left.”
Livia thanked the woman and left the residential home. She sat in silence in the car as Jason turned the car. “Where to, Ms. Chatelaine?”
She chewed her lip for a moment. “You know, I think I left some personal items at Mr. Carpentier’s mansion. Do you think we could swing by there?”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Nox looked up as Sandor poked his head around his office door. “Skipping out for some lunch. Want to join?”
Nox shook his head. “Not for me, thanks. I’m meeting Liv in a while.”
“Cool. See you around.”
Nox got back to his paperwork but found he couldn’t concentrate. Livia was right, there was something off about Sandor. Oh, he gave the impression of just being your friendly everyman, but behind his eyes … fuck, Nox shook his head. Were they both just paranoid? Instead he called Livia. He was surprised when she seemed cagey. “Where are you?”
“Um … I left something at Sandor’s place and we’re just about to go pick it up.”
Nox frowned. Livia had been so adamant that she didn’t feel safe there. “Why not just get Sandor to bring it to the office?”
“I don’t want to bother him; it’s only a hairbrush.”
She was lying, he knew it in his bones. “Liv … what are you up to? Tell me.”
“Nothing, honestly. I spent the morning with Charvi and then remembered I’d left my hairbrush at Sandor’s—random, I know. But it was a present from Moriko.”
“Ah. Well, is Jason with you?”
“Of course, darling. It won’t take long.”
A few minutes later, Harriet, the new receptionist, called him. “I have a Roderick LeFevre on the phone for you.”
Nox was surprised. “Calling to buy my shares too, Rod?”
Rod gave a chuckle but then his voice turned serious. “No, actually, it’s about your lovely lady.”
“Livia?” Nox was astonished.
“Unless you have more than one.”
Nox shook himself. “What about Livia?”
“She came to see me this morning. Asked me point blank if Sandor Carpentier was the one who was really buying all the shares in your company.”
“And what did you tell her?” Ice was creeping through Nox’s veins. What the hell was going on?
“I told her he was.”
The shock hit Nox full-force in the chest. “What?”
Rod LeFevre explained the same thing to Nox as he had to Livia. “Sandor Carpentier is not your friend,” he concluded, “and goddamn it if I can’t stop worrying about your lovely lady. If Sandor finds out she was asking questions …”
“Thanks, Rod. Listen, I have to call her.”
“Stay safe, Renaud … and I’m sorry.”
Nox tried to call Livia, and then Jason, but to his distress, could not reach either of them. As he hung up, his phone rang again and it was Dete
ctive Jones.
“The body is Roan Saintmarc,” the detective told him, “and he’s been dead a good couple of months. Multiple skull fractures; he was beaten to death. He couldn’t have killed Amber Duplas or Moriko Lee.”
Nox closed his eyes. “What about the DNA? Sandor?”
“It’s confirmed. Sandor Carpentier is your half-brother. We have men on the way to your office and to his mansion right now.”
“He’s not in the office … and Livia is at his home.”
“Gotcha. We’re on our way.”
He got up and raced out of the office, ignoring Harriet’s startled yell as he pushed past her and out to his car. “Answer your phone, goddammit!”
He called Charvi in desperation. “Charvi, I know Livia came to see you this morning. I need you to tell me everything. Everything. Right now …”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
As Livia moved through the hallways of Sandor’s mansion, her heart thumping, she looked for his security team but there was no one. “Where the hell is everybody?”
Jason was looking tense. “I think we should get you out of here, Ms. Chatelaine.”
Livia shook her head, heading for Sandor’s study. “Keep a lookout for me. I’ll be quick, I promise.”
Inside, she rummaged through every drawer in Sandor’s desk, every file she could get her hands on from his cabinet. Nothing. Finally, she found a box shoved on the window sill behind the curtain. She opened it and saw various personal items—toothbrush, toiletries, old postcards, and photos. At the bottom, a stack of letters. She flipped through them and saw they were all addressed to Gabriella. She stuck them in the back pocket of her jeans and returned the box to where it came from.
“Ms. Chatelaine, I think we should go.” Jason had stepped into the room, but before she could answer, he gave a strange gargling, noise, his eyes bulging, and, in horror, she saw blood spurt from his neck.
“Jason?”
He looked at her, his expression confused, pained. Blood spurted from the hole in his neck that Sandor’s knife had made. Sandor grinned at her as he yanked the knife out of Jason, who slumped, dead, to the floor. “Hey there, Livia. Good to see you.” He waved the knife. “Time to be gutted, pretty girl.” And he went for her.
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