Ladies of the Night OMNIBUS Collection: Sizzling Romantic Suspense

by Taylor Lee

  The banner behind them proclaimed their campaign message and their politics.

  Let’s Make Our Country Proud Again

  John stood in the center of the room, the remote in his hand. Flicking from channel to channel listening to his new opponent promise that by god they would not only make their country proud again, they would clean up the filth and make it pure. When the snarling candidate referred to Sodom and Gomorrah, Senator Walker changed the channel and bellowed in outrage, “Jesus Christ, where is that fucking prick Deacon Brunson when we need him?!”

  The Senator ignored the endless pictures of Tiffany with her head bowed as she was shuttled into the police ambulance and the provocative photographs of the beautiful young woman with Senator Walker, indicating that they were clearly more than friends. He flipped through the sanctimonious utterings of the gleeful commentators listing the excesses of Club 69, including the outrageous entry fee fallen men paid to secure the services of the Club members. Clicking from channel to channel, Sen. Walker landed on a screen filled with the latest poll numbers. With a triumphant shout he pointed at the surprising polls.

  “Fuckin’ Christ, will you look at that! Hell, they’re doing everything they can to take me down and look at my numbers. Do you see that?” He closed within inches of the television screen and pointed the remote at the poll numbers scrolling across the screen.

  His crowing shout was jubilant. “By god, no matter how hard they try, they just can’t keep me down!”

  At that moment Noah walked into the apartment, followed by a young black man. The carefully coiffed newcomer in the elegant suit smiled at Ian in recognition.

  Noah wrapped his arm around Ruby’s shoulders and kissed her on the cheek. Walking over to where his mother was sitting stiffly upright in her chair, he leaned down and murmured something in her ear. She nodded and laid her cheek against his hand. From across the room Noah raised his hand in salute to Diamond.

  Senator Walker looked away from the television for a moment to acknowledge his son.

  “Where the hell have you been, Noah? You’re missing the announcement of the asshole who thinks he’s going to take down Senator John Elijah Walker. Hell, Son, hard as it is to believe, the fucker might be even worse than Brunson was. He’s already quoted the Bible four times and he’s not done yet.”

  Flipping the channel, he found one displaying poll numbers.

  “See these, Son. I told you this would happen. See, my people aren’t gonna buy this crap they’re throwing at me. Oh sure, the numbers have dropped a little. How could they not, with twenty-four hours of this shit?! But I promise you this guy’s mediocre numbers are as high as they’re going to get. Wait until people hear what he really believes in.”

  Noah walked over to the television set and manually turned off the sound. Nodding to an armchair across the room, he said, “Sit down, Pops, we need to talk.”

  John looked surprised and then annoyed.

  “What the hell, Son, it’s important that we listen to that prick. How the hell can we take him on if we don’t know all the stupid things he’s saying?”

  Reaching for a kitchen chair, Noah set it in front of his father and sat across from him. Looking over his shoulder he met Ian’s eyes. Ian nodded and Noah closed his eyes for a moment, then turned back to his father.

  As if just seeing the man who’d come in with Noah and who was now standing patiently beside Ian, John frowned.

  “Who the hell is he, Noah? Another one of your goddamn lawyer friends? You think we needed a brothuh, to contrast with Frank Gunderson? Better optics and all that?”

  Noah smiled. “Yeah, Pops, Elliott Coleman is a lawyer. He and I were in the same class at Georgetown. Elliott chose to fight his battles on Wall Street rather than in the Middle East sandpits like the rest of us Army grunts. You’ll like him, Pops. Elliott didn’t let Wall Street rob him of his social conscience. He’s a good man, an honorable man.”

  John took in the obviously smart attractive man and sneered. “I know you and Ian well enough, Son, to know that you have something up your sleeves. Don’t tell me that you’ve hauled in this smart young guy to teach me how to soften my bombast, make me sound like I could be an announcer on National Public Radio. Hell, turn me into milquetoast, like all those other sycophantic liberals have become.”

  At Ian’s confirming nod, Noah met his father’s annoyed gaze and said softly, “No, Pops. Between Ian and me, we’ve managed to convince Elliott to run for your Senate seat.”

  Ignoring the shocked gasps from most of the people in the room, the Senator visibly startled, then glared at Ian and then at his son.

  Clearly incredulous, he pointed a dismissive finger at the distinguished young man and said in a voice rich with scorn, “What are you saying, Son, that you want this uppity nigger to run against me?”

  “No, Pops. I want Elliott to declare that he is running for your seat after you withdraw and endorse him.”

  A leaden silence fell over the room at Noah’s shocking declaration. His father’s expression slowly changed from surprise to belligerence.

  “I’m not sure how or when, Noah, but at some point I will forgive you for this. What I won’t forgive is your lack of faith in me. You’ve seen the polls. They haven’t fallen nearly as far as I thought they would. And that bombastic bastard running against me hasn’t even begun to dig his grave. I’m telling you, Son, my people believe in me. Unlike you, they know I can win.”

  Noah sighed and said quietly, “That’s the problem, Pops. I know that you can win. But you shouldn’t. We all know that, and so do you.”

  As they’d expected, at first John adamantly refused to consider what he called “the fucking most idiotic and cowardly suggestion” he’d ever heard.

  Ian pulled a chair over by Noah’s and for the next half hour he and his beleaguered friend talked down the haughty belligerent man, presenting all the reasons why the Senator should step aside.

  After throwing a barrage of insults at them for their traitorous, cowardly actions, John stormed into the kitchen and slammed the door. Several long minutes later the Senator appeared in the doorway. He looked around the quiet circle from one to the other of his friends and family. Focusing on Francis, he met her intense stare. His expression softened and he blew out a hard sigh and then nodded.

  Ian stood and glanced at his watch.

  “I’ve reserved time with the networks for an important announcement from you, Senator Walker. I assumed you’d want to make that announcement from your office. My car is waiting out front. If we hurry we can just make it.”

  The Senator’s face flushed and he glared at Ian. When Ian held his gaze, the older man shook his head and said with a weary grin, “You’re an arrogant, presumptuous son of a bitch, Ian Ross.” He glanced at Noah, “Just like my son.”

  Ian smiled in return. “Yeah. Yeah we are, John. But we never lost faith in you, Senator.”

  The Senator looked over at his wife. When Francis looked down and made no move to join him, he nodded, accepting her refusal to be one more wronged wife standing frozen at her husband’s side.

  Walking over to Elliott Coleman, the Senator scoffed, “I suppose Ian’s already written your announcement speech.”

  Elliott smiled. “Let’s just say he thoroughly edited what I had written. For the better, of course.”

  John Walker snorted and ran his hand through his closely cropped hair.

  “Fuck, maybe if I’d ever let Ian or Noah edit me I wouldn’t be stepping down today.”

  Following that unexpected concession, he grinned at the serious young man and clapped him on the shoulder.

  “Hell, Elliot, with my endorsement, you’re a fucking shoe-in.”

  Chapter 33

  Diamond watched in amazement as Ian, the Senator and his son, and the now heir apparent, Elliott Coleman, prepared to leave.

  Ian stopped at the door and spoke quietly to Noah, “I’ll be down in five minutes. Hold the car for me.”

  Diamo
nd looked up startled when Ian strode across the room toward her, then with a grin leaned over and scooped her up in his arms.

  Ignoring her surprised protest, he held her tightly against his strong body and marched into the bedroom and gently laid her on the bed. Tucking the covers securely around her, carefully avoiding her bandaged side, he sat down on the edge of the bed. His eyes were dancing with amusement.

  “You didn’t think that I would leave without saying goodbye or making sure that you were tucked back in bed, did you, Tiger?”

  Shaking a pain pill from the bottle on the bedside, he ordered, “Open up, sweetheart, and don’t bother to tell me that you don’t need it. Those pained creases on your forehead speak louder than any words of protest.”

  When Riley took the pill he handed her and swallowed it with the water he poured for her, he teased her.

  “My my, what a good girl you can be when you aren’t arguing with me.”

  He studied her for a long moment then leaned down and stroked her cheek. When she moaned softly, he murmured, “Oh yeah, baby, same here.”

  To her surprise he reached down and grasped her chin. Holding it firmly he kissed her softy then licked across the seam of her lips. When he sucked on her full bottom lip and bit down gently, she shivered at the sensations flooding her. Teasing her lips open with his tongue, he pressed against her teeth, forcing her to open to him. He played with her tongue, sucking on it then bit the sensitive tip. Diamond was unable to stifle the low moan that escaped her lips.

  Knowing that her cheeks were as hot as the rest of her, Diamond fought the desire to reach up and pull Ian down next to her. She was horrified when he smiled knowingly, indicating that he read the longing that must be in her eyes. He nodded and said, “Later, baby. I’ll be back soon.”

  Rising to his full height beside the bed, he leaned down and kissed her lightly on her lips. He smiled and pinched her cheek. “You stay right here until I get back. You hear me, Tiger?”

  Diamond watched him leave, stunned at the sparks of excitement she felt at the sight of his lean muscled body, his tight ass and strong thighs. She wondered with a poignant sigh that was closer to a sob, how she could ever resist this powerful man—but knew that she must if she was going to survive with her sprit intact.

  ~~~

  Diamond didn’t know long she dozed, the haunting memories of Ian’s hands and lips merging with the provocative images of him taking her against the wall at that awful club. She woke with a start, not sure where she was, shocked at the moisture she felt in the hidden places of her wanton body.

  She looked up to see Ruby standing in the doorway.

  “Are you awake, Diamond? Noah just texted me that the Senator will be going live in less than five minutes. I knew you’d want to see his announcement.”

  “Good God, yes. I wouldn’t miss this historic occasion for anything.”

  When Riley started to raise herself, Ruby scurried over to the side of the bed.

  Placing several pillows behind her back so that Diamond could sit upright, Ruby said, “Let me help you. Ian was fierce. He said you weren’t to do anything that might tear at your stitches or he would have my head.” She grinned. “Damn, girlfriend. I thought Noah was bossy, but he is a pussycat compared to the righteous Col. Ross.”

  Diamond sighed. “Yes, the Colonel can be a trifle overbearing at times.” She added with a soft snort, “Actually, make that most of the time. When he isn’t being arrogant, that is.”

  Ruby laughed then pursed her lips together and said more seriously, “He’s crazy about you, Diamond. You know that, don’t you?”

  Diamond frowned then looked up at her friend hoping that she didn’t sound as uncertain as she felt. Shaking her head, she said with a sigh, “When it comes to Ian Ross, Ruby, I don’t know what the hell to think.”

  Just then Riley looked up to see Francis Walker standing in the doorway. The strain in the trembling woman’s voice was apparent. “Would you two mind if I watch the announcement with you?” She added tentatively, “I…I know I told you that I didn’t want to see it, but I’ve changed my mind.”

  Ruby rushed over to the shaken woman, put her arm around her, and led her to the arm chair beside the bed.

  “I’m glad you did, Francis. It’s important that you see it. This is a defining moment in your life as well as John’s. You need to be here. Please know that Diamond and I are here with you in every sense of the word.”

  Francis’s lips trembled. “I know you are, my dear girl. I don’t know what I would do without you both.” She looked over at Diamond and a tear slipped down her cheek. “I still cannot believe that if it hadn’t been for you, Diamond, and Ian, John would be dead.”

  Diamond reached for Francis’s hand and squeezed it. She shook her head. “Try not to think about that, now, Francis. He’s alive, and is about to do something that I never thought he would.”

  Francis agreed. “I didn’t either. Fortunately John has the most impressive son in the world and, thank God, Noah has your man, Diamond. There is no way that even Noah could have convinced his father to step aside if not for Ian. I’ll be grateful to Col. Ross for the rest of my life.”

  Remembering Ian and Noah talking with the irate Senator, Diamond knew that Francis was correct. She had watched Ian carefully work to convince the blustering man that he had no choice but to resign. He’d made his case respectfully but forcefully. It was inevitable that the self-righteous, proud Senator would ultimately concede. There was no way that he could combat Ian’s skillful framing of the alternatives. Diamond realized that this skill was what had most attracted her to Ian from the first time she met him. He exuded power but in a genteel, polished manner. He was as arrogant as the rest of the powerful men she knew, but he had an élan, a velvet glove sophisticated presence that set him apart. It made his arrogance even more potent, more compelling.

  Ruby came back into the bedroom carrying a tray holding a bottle of Maker’s Mark and three glasses. Her sparkling emerald eyes were dancing wickedly.

  “Ian and Noah would probably kill me for this, but I think we three women agree that this situation calls for a stiff shot of bourbon.”

  Francis managed a soft chuckle. “As always, my dear, you are correct. I don’t usually drink bourbon, but today it sounds perfect for the occasion.” Tears filled her eyes and her lips trembled. “I honestly don’t know what either Noah or I would do without you, my dear.”

  Ruby said firmly. “Just know that neither of you will ever have to, for the rest of our lives together.”

  Gazing at Ruby, Diamond realized that she felt the same way that Francis obviously did. With a pained sigh she acknowledged that she’d never told her feisty agent how much she cared for her, that she valued her friendship and her support. But then she’d never told any of the women or the men who worked with her that they were important to her. She admitted with a pang of regret that Ian was right. He’d said that she’d built a wall around herself to keep people at a distance, as a way of protecting herself from being hurt. Riley closed her eyes, not wanting to deal with what she knew might be a life-changing decision, if she was willing to be vulnerable enough to let people get close to her.

  Ruby switched on the television. A panel of excited newscasters were prognosticating about what Senator Walker would say in his surprise announcement. Before they could continue, the image on the screen changed to one of Senator Walker sitting behind his desk. An American flag stood on one side of the desk, on the other side was the distinctive flag of Virginia portraying the Roman image of Virtus standing astride the defeated figure of Tyranny.

  A sententious voice spoke from the background: “Ladies and Gentlemen, Senator John Walker.”

  Ruby pulled a chair next to Francis and reached for her hand. Diamond surprised herself by reaching for the older woman’s other hand. Intuitively she understood that the three of them were creating a strong physical connection that made it possible to watch the upcoming painful announcement togethe
r. Diamond realized that she’d never allowed herself to feel this kind of a bond with anyone--except she admitted, maybe Ian.

  Senator Walker’s expression was serious, his voice calm, controlled.

  “Ladies and Gentlemen, citizens of Virginia, my friends and family. I come before you today to announce that this afternoon I formally ended my campaign for the U.S. Senate. I have had the honor of serving as the United States Senator from the great Commonwealth of Virginia for the last eighteen years. I had hoped to be elected to my fourth term this November. Many of my supporters have argued against my withdrawal. They say, ‘But you could be president, Senator Walker.’ And perhaps I could have been. Indeed the current polls indicate that I could have won this campaign.

  “But, my friends, I do not deserve to win. I have let my pride and my righteous anger lead me into arrogance and committing acts unworthy of a United States Senator, of a husband, a father and an honorable man. In the process, I have deeply hurt the people I love the most. Many of you know and admire my wife Francis. I have been married to my wife for forty-three years. She has stood by me through a lifetime of successes and failures. I love her and always have, more than anything in my life. You will note that neither Francis, nor my beloved son, Noah, are here with me. While neither of them wanted to be, they would have come if I had asked them to. But I did not. This is my shame, my burden, and I need to bear it alone. My lovely wife is a proud woman and, at this time, understandably, an angry woman. I have hurt her and my son deeply. I will have to do a great deal to earn back their trust and forgiveness. It will likely take me the rest of my life.

  “I also have hurt all of you. To those of you who voted for me, who have supported me for many years now and, yes, those who have opposed me, I sincerely apologize to you and beg for your forgiveness.