But then neither did Skandar being awakened early that morning by the door of his hotel room being kicked in and guns aimed at him, cops yelling at him in Italian.
The door outside the cell opened, and his father came in, looking harassed, angry, scared - everything Skandar was feeling. The police officer with Joel opened the cell and nodded for Skandar to step out. Bail was set and paid.
He fell into his dad's arms, and Joel hugged his son. ‘Are you okay?'
Skandar shook his head. ‘I don’t know what the fuck is going on, Dad. Annika’s dead.’
Joel silenced him with a look. ‘Later.’ He didn’t want Skandar to say anything in front of the Italian police.
Skandar noticed a young blonde woman hovering awkwardly behind his father. Joel introduced her. ‘Skandar, my girlfriend, Nan.’
The woman had a kind face, and she put a hand on Skandar's arm. ‘I'm so pleased to meet you, if not under the greatest circumstances.'
Joel was antsy. ‘Come on, let’s get out of here, we have a suite at the Hassler.’
In the cab to the hotel, Skandar stared out of the window, hollow-eyed. He felt like someone had taken a baseball bat to his head. Joel, not the most effusive father, nevertheless had his arm casually draped over the top of the seat, his fingertips resting lightly on his son’s shoulder. A tiny gesture that meant everything to his son. At the hotel, they gave the few paparazzi who were stationed outside the building the slip by sneaking in through the kitchens.
Skandar raised his eyebrows at the opulence of the suite Joel had procured for them. Very unlike Joel Mallory – the most down to earth one of them all – and seeing his reaction, Joel grinned. ‘Jakob’s idea, give the impression of huge influence and possible backhanders without ever saying a word.'
Skandar snorted. ‘Jakob’s a genius.’ He grinned a little at his dad. ‘I thought this was a bit too over the top for you.’ He glanced at Nan. ‘He’s probably showing off for you.’
‘Okay, that’s enough,’ Joel rolled his eyes as Nan giggled, but then his smile faltered. ‘Skandar, sit. I’ll order some food then we’re going to talk.’
‘Hahn, nineteen, was found strangled to death in a hotel populated by her peers. More than one witness has come forward to say they saw Hahn enter the hotel room of American tennis superstar, Skandar Mallory, hours before her body was found. Mallory, who is the nephew of actor Kit Mallory, was arrested and bailed. He has not yet been charged but has been asked to stay in Rome until the investigations have concluded. Harry Aries is our reporter in Rome. Harry?’
Nan flicked the television off and grabbed her cell. Dialing, she tapped her fingers on her leg, agitated. So much stress - so much had changed in a flash. Still reeling from their first incredible night together, she’d immediately offered to come with Joel, seeing how devastated he had been by the news, although not realizing, she knew now, how much a big deal this would be. Skandar was in trouble, serious trouble.
‘Yo,' her sister sounded sleepy, and Nan felt guilty about calling her, but Joel and Skandar were with the police, and she was antsy.
‘Hey you, I’m sorry, did I wake you?’
‘It’s okay, hang on…’ Nan heard Hayley cough and then the rustle of blankets as she sat. ‘How’s things? Did you break Skandar out of the clink? Are you on the lam?’
Nan suppressed a smile. Even thousands of miles away, Hayley could cheer her up. ‘Yeah, he got bail – I didn’t ask much Joel had to lay down for that. Not my business. Skandar is shell-shocked…well, it's hard to say, since I've never met him before, but he's definitely subdued.'
‘He didn’t do it, though, did he?’
‘Of course not. Skandar's admitting to sleeping with Annika but says she left after a couple of hours.’
‘Is Joel doing okay?’
Nan sighed. ‘I don’t know. Listen, this has all happened so fast… are you sure you're alright there?'
‘Hell yeah, I have pizza on speed dial and Netflix, I’m good. Just…’
‘What?’
‘Are you sure you want to get so involved with that family? I know Joel’s great but from what you’ve said he’s the exception.’
Nan frowned. ‘I didn’t mean to infer the others are shady…just that they’re more focused on what they do. Joel’s more relaxed about things – apart from this obviously. Skandar’s a good kid, a bit arrogant and careless but…’
‘I’ll say,’ Hayley muttered. ‘Even if he didn’t do it, he has a reputation for screwing around, doesn’t he?’
Nan couldn't argue with that. After she had said goodbye, she wandered around the suite, feeling out of place. Maybe she should fly home, leave Joel to deal with his son’s predicament.
The door opened, and Joel smiled at her, his face tired. ‘Hey, gorgeous.’
‘How did it go?’
‘Well,' he dropped onto the couch, and Nan sat beside him, linking her fingers with his. ‘They have no physical evidence to prove Skandar had anything to do with the girl's death. The trouble is, they have no physical evidence of who did kill her either, nor a motive for the murder. So far, it all comes down to the word of a couple of witnesses; who, by the way, have gone to ground. They’re not part of the tournament and no-one seems to know who they could be, not the hotel, no-one. So, at the moment, Skandar remains the sole suspect based on the fact he was the last person to see her alive.’
‘Apart from her killer,' Nan added gently, and he smiled.
‘Apart from the killer.’ Joel sighed and leaned his head back on the couch. ‘What’s more of a problem is the press. They’re working up to trying Skandar themselves; he’ll be crucified no matter the outcome of the investigation.’
‘Where is he now?’
‘The pool, doing laps. Carlos – who is as terrifying as he looks - bawled him out after the police interviews. They’re replacing him in the team for the tournament.’
‘Temporarily?’ But she knew the answer already. Joel leaned over to kiss her.
‘Thank you for coming with me, Nan, it’s made all the difference.’
She gave him a shy smile. ‘I haven’t done anything; I wish I could make you feel better.’
Joel gave a small chuckle. ‘Well…I know a way we could relax for a few hours.'
Nan grinned. ‘Hours? That’s ambitious.’
He laughed. ‘Give an old guy a break. It would be a shame to waste that enormous bed, wouldn’t it?’
Nan pressed her lips to his. ‘Why, yes, it would. It would indeed…’
Skandar pushed himself harder and harder into the swim until, at last, exhausted, he hauled himself out. At least the pool was off limits to the press. His publicist, Zoe, a bull-dog business person with the face of an angel, was scheduled to fly in tomorrow morning to start on a strategy. Jesus, a strategy. Annika was dead, and he was thinking about a PR strategy. Is this what he’d become?
He could still remember Annika’s smile. She was so much fun, so full of life. God. He refocused, remembering how her athletic body had curved against his, the way her skin felt on his, the way she moaned when she came…he’d had a crush on her since she’d exploded onto the tennis scene two years previously. But, of course, he had to play the cool dude. He unashamedly slept around – the same as any young guy would and certainly his cohorts were no angels. But he was Skandar Mallory - Superstar, Billionaire, The World’s Hottest Bachelor, and People Magazine’s Sexiest Man of the Year (beating his uncle Kit into second place – that was satisfying, he grinned to himself). His smile faded. Shit, he thought now, how did I ever think any of that mattered? Annika’s dead. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying not to let the grief overwhelm him. What he wanted, more than anything was to go home, wall himself up in his large condo. With a pang, he realized, even if all the charges were to be dropped and he could go back to the US, the press would not let him alone.
Skandar went back up to his room and shut the door. He lay on his bed and took stock. Carlos was this close to quitting; although the A
rgentinian had committed to at least six months with Skandar, he had a feeling the man would drop him like a stone if he thought his own legacy might be tainted. Fuck him, Skandar thought, if he’s that flighty, good riddance.
He needed a distraction. He grabbed his iPad then logged onto the sci-fi forum of which he was a – secret – member. His nom-de-plume was goofy, chosen when he was a fifteen-year-old – SkunkMaladyBibble. It has always made him smirk. He logged in now and checked who was online. He dismissed a couple of the ubergeeks – the ones who corrected anyone and everyone who got any sci-fi fact even slightly wrong – those people were nuts. Skandar smiled suddenly.
This was more like it – Samadamadingdong was online. ‘Yes,’ Skandar hissed in delight and started typing.
SkunkMaladyBibble: Yo, Dingdong, how’s it hanging?
Samadamadingdong: Hey Bibs, slightly to the left. Good, thanks, just trying – and failing obviously – to focus on a paper. Where are you at this time? Mars? Jupiter? Atlantic City?
SkunkMaladyBibble: Would you believe, I’m on Uranus?
Samadamadingdong: Why, why would you go there? I’m disgusted at your obvious joke.
SkunkMaladyBibble: But you’re snickering, aren’t you?
Samadamadingdong: Yes, I am. And I’m judging myself.
Skandar grinned to himself. Yes, this was what he needed, unadulterated silliness and mockery with his favorite online pal. They had agreed at the start, no real names or details, no flirting, no flaming. It had been a couple of years now since they started chatting – and whoever she was, she had been a constant source of escape. Strangers into friends, he thought, now, the power of the internet and he settled back to chat with her some more.
Nan laid her head on Joel’s stomach, feeling the rise and fall as he breathed. She adored these moments after they had made love, calm, peaceful, together. He held her hand – which always made her tear up a little. This man, she thought, this man feels like home.
‘Hopefully, in a couple of days, the police will be able to let us take Skandar home,' Joel said now, apparently deep in thought. ‘Then maybe you should both stay with me for a while – he obviously can't go home.'
Nan turned her head to look up at him. ‘Maybe it’s not such a great idea for me to stay with you. I have Hayley to consider – if the press starts digging into my background as your girlfriend, then I don’t want her in the firing line. Does that make sense?’
Joel considered. ‘I never thought of that…huh.’
She rested her chin on the hand splayed on his stomach. ‘I know you've probably got all the security covered and if it were just me, then I'd – what was it your Dad said – ride out the storm with you.' She grinned as he stroked her cheek. ‘But Hayley never asked for this so…'
‘I get it. Man,' he shoved himself into a sitting position and pulled her to him. ‘This got more complicated than we expected. Thank God for you, though.’ He kissed her forehead. ‘I’m serious, Nan, I could not have coped these last few days without you.’
Nan reddened to the roots of her hair and smiled. ‘No problem…it's…' She hesitated, dropping her eyes to her hands, ‘it's what I would do for anyone I loved.' Her heart was thumping ferociously against her ribs, and when he didn't immediately react, she risked a glance at him. His eyes were soft.
‘Right back at ya, kiddo,' he murmured, and Nana felt the relief flood through her. He loved her. Good, she thought, thank God.
Because I am in way too deep…
In breaking news, tennis ace Skandar Mallory has been given leave to return to the United States by the Italian police investigating the murder of nineteen-year-old Annika Hahn, the young WTA player ranked fifteenth in the world, who was brutally murdered at her hotel last week. Mallory, the grandson of wealthy Seattle business and philanthropist, Randall Mallory, was arrested but has not been charged with any crime. The twenty-five-year-old is known to have been with Miss Hahn on the night of her death, but so far no evidence had been found to link him to her murder. The Italian police say Mr. Mallory understands that he may be extradited back to Rome should formal charges be made in the future.
Skandar felt like kissing the Washington ground as he landed back in Seattle. The flight from Italy had been one of dodging the press – which meant change after change in remote parts of the world to get back home. Instead of the usual transatlantic route, he and Joel had taken the longer route – across Europe and Asia and finally down through Anchorage to Seattle. They’d sent Nan back a day before they themselves had left Rome so the press wouldn't get used to her being with them and follow her home. He had to admit; he'd seen parts of the world even he had never visited, but it had taken four days, and he and his dad were exhausted and sick of fast food grabbed at weird times of the night.
His grandfather, Ran, had arranged for a town car to pick them up and they flopped into the air-conditioned car, and both of them fell asleep immediately.
Somehow, they'd gotten back to his grandfather's house because the next reasonable cognitive thought he had was that he was in a soft bed, and it was evening again. He got up and stood under a refreshing shower, sighing with relief at feeling vaguely normal again.
Downstairs he heard voices from the dining room and followed the sound. He found Ran, Joel, Nan and Quilla sitting eating pizza straight from the boxes – he loved that his billionaire family didn’t have graces – and a young girl he didn't know, long straight blonde hair, almond eyes a dark brown, long, long legs. Jakob was on his cell phone on the other side of the room.
Quilla got up to hug Skandar. ‘You okay, bug?’ She wrapped her arms around him – quite a feat when he stood over a foot taller than her. He lifted her off her feet and swung her. She giggled as he set her down.
‘Well, that’s more like it, come sit.’
Nan leaned over to kiss his cheek. ‘Skandar, this is my sister, Hayley – she doesn’t need me to tell her who you are.’
‘Quite, hi Skandar.’
He liked that she didn’t look star struck – the reaction he was used to getting – and it was a relief. If she was nice as Nan then…he sat down next to her.
As if reading his mind, she grinned. ‘If you're wondering if I'll be as sweet and comforting as my sister, you're wrong. I will shamelessly mock you like we’ve known each other forever.’
Skandar burst out laughing. Ran, at the other end of the table, grinned. ‘You tell him, Hayley.
Jakob finished his call and came back to the table. ‘Hey, Skan, happy to see you, buddy.'
‘Hey, Jakob…how’s everything?’
Jakob exchanged a glance with Quilla, who smiled. ‘Actually, we might have some news.’
‘Oh my, you’re…’ Nan started, but Quilla quickly waved her hand.
‘No, God, no, nothing like that. Joel…remember that you talked to Jakob about building sports centers for the communities in Seattle without access? We might have found your first site.’
Jakob smiled at his lover. ‘Quilla’s been scouting for places in her lunch breaks – never let it be said this girl doesn’t commit.’
‘That’s great…wow, I hadn’t even thought past the initial idea but damn, Quilla, Jakob, that’s amazing.’
Skandar looked at his father, bemused. ‘What’s this?’
‘Your dad’s going to build community sports centers,’ Nan said proudly. Skandar smiled.
‘You gonna find the new…um…me?’
Hayley snorted, and Nan scowled at her. Skandar raised an eyebrow and Hayley shrugged.
‘Sorry, just warming up to that mockery I was talking about.’
‘Hayley,' her sister's voice carried a warning, but Skandar grinned.
‘You are one weird girl,' he said to Hayley who smiled with her mouth full of pizza.
Soon they had broken up into groups and Skandar, and Hayley went outside to play with the dogs. He sized her up as they ran around. She was tall, almost six foot, he guessed, slender but not skinny. Her long blonde hair hung in a st
raight curtain around her topped with a wool hat. Her willowy body was clad in skinny jeans and a loose fitting tee. Skandar realized he was staring – and that she'd noticed. He grinned guiltily as she stuck her hand on her hip and struck a pose.
‘I know, it’s impossible for you not to look, what with all this going on,’ she waved her hand up and down her body then laughed. ‘Dude, we’re practically brother and sister.’
He followed her over to the swing set which had been there since his dad was a toddler. ‘How’d you figure that one?’
‘Well, if my sister and your dad are dating…I'm wrong; I'm your aunt. So behave.’ She pulled a serious face which turned quickly into duck face. Skandar grinned.
‘Dude,' – she looked like she didn't mind being called dude, so he risked it – ‘You are so nutso. So come on, get serious, tell me about you.’
Hayley swung gently back and forth on the swing. ‘What do you want to know?’
‘You work?’
She nodded. ‘Part time at a comic store Downtown. I’m at college most of the time.’
‘Studying.’
‘Sports Psychology.'
‘Seriously?’
‘No.’
‘Jerk. So come on, what?’
‘Architecture.’
‘Jakob’s field, he could help you out.’
‘I intend on picking his brains. His girlfriend is cute.'
‘Quilla’s a peach, yeah. Still, can’t believe what happened to her.’
‘That’s the night my sister met your dad. At the hospital.’
Skandar raised his eyebrows at her. ‘Really? Smooth moves, Pa, macking on the patients while your brother’s girl is bleeding to death.’
Hayley winced then rolled her eyes. ‘Nan wasn’t the patient, I was, and he wasn’t macking on anybody.’
Montgomery Billionaire Series Page 99