“Well, William,” Anthony said. “I will visit your mother and be in touch. I knew you were pig-headed, but even this is much for you.”
“Give me one minute, Rachel.” I shook Anthony’s always perspiring hand. “Look. I have my hands full right now. My mother is still my mother. Despite what she has chosen to do with her life, I don’t hate her. Do what you can for her and be in touch. I don’t have a fucking clue what I want to do right now.”
“Y’all just need to talk, William. I won’t say it again. But prison may have been the best thing for her. You may not even recognize her.” He opened the door and saw the coiffed and impeccable woman sitting in the waiting area and looked back at me. “Dear lord, William.” He whistled and raised his eyebrows. “Yeah. Hands full. I can see that.” With a smirk and a shake of his head, he walked through the door of my office. “All yours, beautiful,” he said to Olivia. Smarmy fuck.
“Hey, baby,” she said dripping with lust.
“Hey,” I retorted, trying to shake my bad mood.
She stood in front of me, as usual, perfectly pressed outfit in check. Her fitted skirt hugged her in all the right places and stopped in a spot that drew the eye to her defined and sexy calves. Her bob had grown out a bit, making her look less hard, softening her. But she was still tough as nails. I used to be so attracted to that. Her calculated look. I liked to undo it, undo her, watch her lose her overly manicured look in my presence. It was fun to watch her fall apart and the amusement it brought me usually spoke to my cock.
But in that moment, nothing. If anything, I felt dread at having to spend an evening with her. I knew why. She would want to come back to my house. And that meant I’d have to tell her about Rose. I also knew there was more to it than that. But I was not about to admit it.
“Bad day?” she questioned, slinking over to me to stand behind me as I sat behind my desk in my chair. She started to rub my neck. And fuck if it didn’t feel good. I began to relax. “That’s it, baby. I know how to make all your worries wash away.”
That she had forgiven me so quickly stunned even me. But she and Rose were such opposites. She never could fully believe I would fall for someone like Rose, so innocent and naïve. Olivia was neither of those things. And she liked herself pretty well.
She came around and sat on my lap and we kissed. I closed my eyes and tried, in vain, to feel something. Anything. Her breath was a mixture of licorice and coffee and she tasted delicious. Her faint spicy perfume that was once an aphrodisiac also did little for me. She was a gorgeous, intelligent, confident woman and I wanted nothing to do with her.
“Come on,” she cooed, “let your secretary go home and let’s get out of here.”
Shit. She was right. I always dismissed my secretary. But she worked long and hard hours. She was very well compensated for it, but on the rare occasions she could go home before 7:00 pm were almost nonexistent.
“Rachel. You are free to go anytime,” I buzzed over.
“Thank you, Mr. Thorne. Mark just stopped by. He wondered if he could have a word?”
Fuck. “Sure. Send him in.”
I picked Olivia up off my lap. “Sorry, love. I need to let him in for a minute.”
She huffed and got up and went to sit on the couch against the wall. She pulled out a nail file and began her usual primping habits. I used to find it amusing and sexy. Right then, I found it arrogant and irritating.
Mark knocked. “Yes. Come on in, Mark.”
He opened the door and began talking before he was even fully in. He had on his gym clothes, which reminded me I hadn’t taken my run yet. By any standards, he would be considered handsome. A good guy with good looks. Rose should be in good hands. But fuck if I didn’t feel sick thinking about it.
“Hey. Just wanted to see how everything was going with…”
I coughed and threw a glance and a chin nod in Olivia’s direction and changed the subject I knew he wanted to discuss. “How’s the search going? For the music instructor? Replacement found yet?”
Olivia’s attention was piqued now and she crossed her legs, sat back against the leather of the couch, and put her beauty gadgets back in her purse to listen with attentive ears.
“Oh…um…” Mark stuttered. “Yeah. I think so. We have narrowed it down. But you know we won’t find anyone better.” I knew he just had to say it. He loved Rose and felt that same protection I did. I knew all the signs.
“Pffft.” Olivia spat under her breath. I glared at Mark.
“In any case,” neither one of us acknowledged Olivia, “could we talk about this tomorrow? Olivia and I have plans. We were just heading out for dinner.”
Mark straightened himself up even taller than he was and I saw a determination in his blue eyes. The deep color reminded me of an angry ocean. What the fuck was up? “Olivia, do you mind giving me a moment in private with William?”
I had to give him credit. That took guts.
Olivia looked to me for approval. I turned back to Mark even though I was speaking to Olivia. He knew I was not pleased. “Go wait outside for one moment please, Olivia.” I didn’t take my eyes off of Mark as we both heard the door close.
“I know,” Mark started the minute she was gone. “I’m a little out of line here, William. But we’ve known each other for years. Tell me. Would you? Just what is your intent with Rose? She called me today and said she was staying for a few more days?”
Oh she called him, did she? That pissed me off, and it had no right to.
“So that’s what this is all about, Mark?”
“William.” He began to pace. “I really have no clue what is going on between you two. But there is no reason why she can’t come home to stay with me. She is fine. This exam bit, Jennifer as her physician, is silly. What person has a personal doctor in the real world? She is perfectly fine to come home with me and I will take her to the doctor’s office for her check-up, like normal people do.”
My patience thinned. “Mark. This conversation is over. Do not let a woman come between us and especially our working relationship. I don’t give a fuck what you think. I have a date presently. If you can’t get past this, have your resignation on my desk by tomorrow morning.”
“William. Look…I…”
“That is all, Mark. If you still want to remain employed here, I’ll see you tomorrow and we’re not discussing Rose again. Am I making myself clear?” I was unreasonably angry.
Without another word, Mark opened the door, slammed it behind him, and I heard his footsteps pounding across the floor to the elevator.
Olivia peeked her head in. “What was that all about?”
“Work. Come on. Fuck it. Let’s go. Let me buzz Ralph.”
Chapter Twelve
After dinner, which was pleasant enough, the inevitable was about to happen. Might as well get it over with and might as well let Rose really see the monster I was so that she would get the fuck on with her life, that very bright and fortuitous life.
I let Olivia rub my cock through my slacks and I grew erect, but not without great concentration. Still, I couldn’t deny that it felt good and did help my mind. At least it confirmed what a prick I was.
When Ralph pulled into the driveway, I was fully erect and rather dismayed at what would most likely unfold and needed to decide if I should tell Olivia now or just wait for the shit to hit the fan. I looked at my phone, which I had silenced during dinner, and saw that Jennifer had left me three messages.
I banged on the privacy wall when Ralph turned off the Lincoln, and he lowered it down. “One second, Ralph.”
“Yes, sir.”
He powered the wall back up, and I listened to Jennifer’s messages.
She sounded like a little girl who had just gotten her first kitten. “It’s here. It’s here! And it’s gorgeous. Can’t wait for you to see it.”
I pressed delete and listened to the next one. “So…I didn’t know what you wanted me to do. Keep it a secret? I’m dying here. Call me back.”
I smiled. I couldn’t help it. I held my finger up to the impatient woman beside me and listened to the final message.
“I have an event with Samantha tonight that I need to leave for. I had to tell Rose. I’m sorry. She knows. Hope you’re not mad.”
I sighed, looked over to Olivia, and decided I better tell her about my house guest.
“Olivia, there’s something I need to tell you before we go in there.”
“Oh?” She tilted her head as if she would hear me more clearly if she did.
“Please do not overreact. Okay?”
“William,” she squirmed in her seat. “What is it? Just tell me.”
“It’s Rose.”
She rolled her eyes. I hadn’t mentioned Rose at all to Olivia, except to tell her she had deceived me and would no longer be my employee. “What? What about her?”
“Well.” There was no easy way to tell her. It would have to be like ripping of a Band-Aid. “She is staying here right now.”
She shot up stiffly. “What?” The sound of the “t” on the end of the word lingered in the air as if I could see the letter floating in front of me in blood.
“It’s not what it seems. Calm down.”
“And what does it seem, William?”
“Nothing. It will seem like something. But it is nothing. She had an accident. Jennifer insisted. She’s leaving by the end of the week.”
“William,” she lost her edge and I felt slightly bad in that moment. “You’re worrying me. I thought we put this all behind us.”
“We have, Olivia. But this was out of my control.”
I realized how callous she was in that moment. I mentioned an accident. Nothing. Not a tinge of care. Not a tinge of concern. She wasn’t just callous, she was a true narcissist. What could I had ever seen in her? Exactly that. That she would never truly love me and therefore, I would never have to worry. That was precisely what drew me to her. That she was an ice queen deep down, unable to love, just like me. I relaxed in that comfort. Two monsters. How perfect.
I grabbed her hand. “Come on. We don’t need to let this ruin our night.”
“No. We don’t,” she agreed and removed her hand from mine and placed it back on my crotch, giving it a squeeze. “Not at all,” she added.
It was close to 11:00. I knew Jennifer was out and I could safely assume Rose would be in bed, upstairs. She’d never even know. And I needed to know that I was still the same. I needed to prove it once and for all. I had to do this. I needed to do this for my own sanity and for Rose’s happiness. And then, I could get my new PA and we could all move on to where we all belonged.
“Drink?” I asked Olivia when we were safely inside.
“Sure,” she said, tentatively. She sounded nervous. I liked that. As I said. I enjoyed watching her lose that picture-perfect façade.
We both noticed it at the same time as we made our way down the hall to the kitchen. It was impossible to miss.
“Fuck you, William. Is this some sick game?”
“Olivia,” I drew out her name like I often had to do. “This is not my doing. I didn’t have anything to do with this.”
“No?”
“Well. I knew Jennifer would bring it here but I didn’t…”
“So what do you intend to do about it? That’s the important question. I’m talking about the girl on top of it.” She seethed from every pore of her body. I wouldn’t have been surprised if she could breathe fire in that moment.
And I had to agree. Just what the fuck was Rose doing? Did she know I’d be bringing Olivia home with me? No. Of course not. That was not Rose. This was for me. And for me alone. She was not a duplicitous schemer. No. This was her way of thanking me. And I felt sick to my stomach that I had brought Olivia home with me.
“Let me go take care of this. Stay in the kitchen. Please.”
I walked into the living area as she lay across it on her back, the same beautiful, shimmering gold gown from that infamous night where the agents came to listen to her play and where she lit up the night with her talent. Quite literally, she sparkled, just as she did that night, just as she did right now. Her fingers draped lazily across the keys as if fondling a precious gem, and her silky legs taunted me, the dress slipping up, her feet in ridiculously high, black heels, shoes I know Jennifer had bought for her to soothe my sadistic tendencies. Those couldn’t be comfortable.
I tried so hard not to smile. But I couldn’t stop it. The smile spread contagiously across my face like a disease I was inflicted with. She had infected me. I knew this even as I denied it.
She didn’t even notice me enter. She was in a daze as if drugged and as I got closer, I saw tears on her cheeks.
“Rose?” I whispered, suddenly overcome with emotion myself, suddenly more protective of her than I had ever felt before. “Just what are you doing like this? In this dress?”
“Waiting for you,” she insinuated. “To thank you.”
She turned her face and I saw her swollen eyes and my stomach lurched. That I had caused her years of agony sliced through me like an ax. Even this, even this gesture I offered her, could not take away the loss and the pain I, and I alone, had caused by taking away her grandfather.
“Rose…”
“Oh, William.” She sat up. “How? Why? How did you ever track it down?”
What I wanted to say was…because I love you and want to fix this horrible life I’ve created for you. Because you are beautiful and precious and deserve happiness. Because you must play and have music with you always. Because it is a part of your grandfather and you should never have to be without him. Because you have changed me.”
Instead I said, “I’m rich. Remember? I have my ways.”
She wiped the tears streaming down her face only to fight the new ones forming. “I recognized it right away. Do you see the wear on these keys? The coloring? Do you see this chip, right down there? Over here, look.” She pulled down the cover. “That’s where I spilled my grape juice.”
“Character,” I said simply.
She drew in a breath, shocked. “Yes, William.” She shook her head as if waking from a dream. “Exactly that. It’s exactly what my grandfather said. Flaws. Imperfections. It’s what shows us we’re alive. He used that exact word: Character. He made me promise I’d let the piano live too. To show it that it was alive. That we loved it.” She began to climb down from atop the piano. “I can’t believe you brought it back to me.” She smiled. “My grandfather’s piano. I can’t believe you would do that. For me.”
And before I could stop myself, I said, “It was the least I could do for you, Rose. I owe you that much. Jennifer tracked it down without hardly any trouble. The person you sold it to never even played it, but they did restore some of the internal mechanisms. A Steinway of this size, in any condition, is worth quite a bit. Somehow, surprisingly, they liked the character of the exterior too. Somebody else might have insisted they restore that as well. It would sell for top dollar if they had.” And I wanted to add, It was meant to be, but managed to swallow that sappy bullshit back down my throat. She fucking made me so off-kilter, so not who I was.
She leaned back against the grand piano and couldn’t stop running her fingers across the keys with loving strokes.
“They did say you should restore the caps on the keys though.” I tried to move away from the sentimental vortex I was getting sucked into.
“Oh no, William. I will never sell this again. Never. This is an antique. If I have to replace some caps or the soundboard or the pinblock, so be it, but I am never parting with this again. Ever.” She drew her hands over her heart. “Oh, William. It was meant to be.”
Fuck. She had to say that. She had to say exactly what I was thinking. I swear to god. I couldn’t control myself and I walked to her and grabbed her face between my hands. I looked at her squarely in the eyes. At first she looked alarmed and then she relaxed and closed her eyes. “Look at me,” I said firmly. “Fucking look at me.”
She ope
ned her eyes and blinked rapidly. She struggled to catch her breath as she nodded.
“I love you, Rose. Do you hear me? I love you. But I cannot be with you. I will not have it. Are you listening?” I gripped her face tighter and held my thumbs to pull the corner of her eyes so she could see me.
“Yes,” she began to cry again. “I’m listening. I love you too, William.”
I began to kiss her, forcefully, forgetting myself, forgetting the world around me, living only for this one moment, for the warmth of her breath in my mouth as I punished her lips in a fury I could not control and didn’t want to.
“Go to bed, Rose. Go! I’m not good for you. I’m not. Go. Before we have regrets. Before I can no longer control myself. Go, I said!” And I let her out of my grip and turned around, panting.
“No,” she said firmly. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“Well, I am!” We both spun around at the exact same time to a furious Olivia. “You can both fuck right off. Do. Not. Ever, ever contact me again, William. Ever. We are through.”
Fuck. Olivia. How could I be so careless? Because I was not myself when I was in Rose’s presence, that’s how. I was undone. Out of control. A disaster.
I looked back at a stunned Rose, her mouth agape, fresh tears forming. I was such a prick, I just wanted to die in that moment. Truly.
“I need to go make sure Ralph can take Olivia home. I’ll see you in the morning. If you’re still here.”
I left the room and met a frazzled Ralph in the foyer. I shook my head. “Yes, Ralph. Go ahead and take her home.”
“Yes, sir.” Ralph never asked any questions. It’s probably why we got along so well.
When I closed the door again behind him, I heard the sweet sounds of music coming from the old Steinway. I fixed myself a scotch, slumped against the wall in the foyer, and just listened and yes, I let a fucking tear escape my eye.
Chapter Thirteen
I couldn’t help it. I stood up and stealthily walked over to where she played in the living area and watched from the doorway, sipping my drink and drinking in her as well. Her beauty amazed me, but her talent, her talent overwhelmed me. It just couldn’t be taught. She felt it in her blood, throughout her bones.
THORNE: Rose's Dark Secret: (Book 2) Page 8