High Stakes (The Kingdom Book 2)

by Groom, Nikki

  Beth on the other hand, has it perfected.

  The shop floor is busy when we return, and it’s all hands on deck to help the customers. I love that I’m not stuck in the office doing the behind the scenes stuff, and I love that Beth is the kind of boss that wants to be involved in every aspect of her business.

  Although she’d be happy to assist anyone in the boutique, it’s clear that there are certain clients that come in for Beth’s attention only. There’s something prestigious about being served by the boss. Only the best. And, she treats them like long lost friends, too. They put their trust in her knowledge of what will suit them best, and from what I’ve seen, she never steers them wrong.

  “James. Darling …” I hear her call across the shop floor. Another special customer. Probably with another ridiculously high budget. Not that I’m complaining, it’s what pays my very reasonable wages. But, I’m always amazed at the amount of money people will pay for designer clothing. I glance over quickly at the person Beth has just greeted. I can only see from behind, but no doubt Beth will introduce us as she has done with every one of her ‘special’ customers so far. He’s tall, broad and with very dark hair, almost black, styled in a neat short back and sides, with the top slightly longer, and even from behind there’s something intriguing about him.

  I fold a dress for the person Layla has just served, wrapping it in silver embossed tissue paper and place it in the ‘Chique’ signature crisp, glossy, white bag.

  “Arianna …” Beth calls from across the room. “Come, there’s someone I want you to meet.”

  Maybe this is the person she was talking to earlier. Her lover? No. Doesn’t seem like it somehow. I cross the marble floor with a few easy strides and her friend/customer/lover turns to greet me.

  Boom.

  It’s like something explodes in my chest.

  I can’t breathe.

  It’s him.

  The room spins as I try to focus on his face. It’s been such a long time, and I never thought I would see him again, but that didn’t stop his face from haunting my dreams.

  He’s changed in the eighteen months I haven’t seen him. His hair is shorter. Sharper. He has facial hair, too. It’s trimmed neatly in sharp lines and angles; accentuating his cheekbones and making his face look more dangerous somehow.

  He regards me intently, with a professional, inquisitive smile spread across his face.

  “Arianna. This is my good friend, and most regular customer, James,” she gushes.

  Good friend?

  James?

  She smiles in his direction playing her part well, giving it all the bravado she needs to keep her most prestigious client sweet. But I’m sure he’s charmed her, even just a small part.

  I know how smooth he can be when he wants people to believe his façade. I know he’s wrapped her around his little finger. Probably brought a lot of customers her way.

  “James, this is my number one employee, Arianna Fraser.”

  His eyes darken as his pupils pulse and dilate. A hint of a smirk makes the corners of his lips twitch. This is the first time in eighteen months that we have come face to face. Time seems to slow, and what is probably just a couple of seconds, plays out in slow motion. Every nanosecond brings the fear higher up my body. Blood whooshes through my veins, saturated with adrenaline making my legs shake underneath me.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Arianna,” he says smoothly. He takes my hand, which is dangling limply by my side, and pulls it to his lips, forcing me to take a small step forward to regain my balance. His eyes study mine intently, and I want to rip my hand away from his grasp. I want to run through the building and never come back. But, I can’t do that. He’s clearly one of Beth’s best customers, and I don’t want her to be pissed at me. My mind isn’t working fast enough to figure a way out of this situation without making a scene. So I stay silent. He has me trapped in plain sight. Cornered so tight there’s nowhere to run.

  I nod in acknowledgement to his words, but I can’t trust myself to speak right now. I’m using every ounce of my control to stop the world around me from spinning, and my head gets lighter and lighter the longer he’s touching my hand. One big spin makes me stumble to try and catch my balance, I feel as though I’m going to pass out. Maybe that’s the best solution in this situation.

  “Steady,” he reassures, taking me at the elbow and trying to steady me. When I don’t quite stand straight, he takes it upon himself to wrap the other arm around my shoulder. He looks down at me with fake concern, but holds my shoulder too tight with his grasp.

  “Arianna, darling … Are you okay?” Beth asks, her voice filled with concern.

  “Maybe she needs some water. Here, I’ll help her sit.”

  “Yes, water. I’ll be right back,” Beth answers.

  Jonny guides me to a nearby leather couch, and helps me to sit. His hands don’t touch me inappropriately to the naked eye. But any touch coming from him is inappropriate as far as I’m concerned. Just the mere thought of him touching me makes me feel faint, and now we are momentarily alone. He guides me so my back is resting against the back of the couch, and I let him, not knowing how much more of this I can put up with for the sake of Beth, but trying my hardest to retain a modicum of composure.

  He glances around us quickly, then leans in to whisper in my ear “I’ve missed you, Arianna, baby.” He buries his nose in my neck and inhales. “My beautiful girl.”

  No. Composure goes out of the window the second his nose touches me. “I can’t. I can’t do this,” I mumble with a shaky voice, scrambling to get up. I muster up every bit of energy to leap up off the couch and make for the office.

  “Arianna,” he calls calmly when I’m a couple of footsteps away.

  “Just leave,” I say through gritted teeth, trying to keep my voice low and my temper even, at least until I have gotten out of here.

  “No,” he says calmly, leaning back with one elbow propped casually on the arm of the couch, and his legs crossed. “That would be far too easy for you. How is lover boy, and his sister? Tara … isn’t it?”

  I breathe but I can’t take in enough air.

  I can hear his words, but my mind struggles to process what he means.

  “What did you do to her?” I hiss. “Was that you? This morning …”

  “Hey,” he says holding his hands up. “I was merely asking how she is … King also has a brother, am I right? … Spike, or Preston as he’s formally known, isn’t it?”

  Is he making veiled threats? Or is it more of a covered promise?

  I need to be away from here. Away from him. But I’m arguing with myself, and with the fact that it doesn’t matter how fast I run, or how far.

  I can’t escape.

  Then what’s the use in trying?

  I’m going to face it. Face him.

  I straighten my back, pull my shoulders up, and force the oxygen through my lungs.

  I’m not the person he left battered and broken nearly two years ago. I’m not the person he beat down until there was nothing left but a shell. I’m not that girl.

  “Get out,” I grate, through my clenched jaw.

  “That’s not a very nice way to speak, Arianna. Did I teach you nothing?”

  “Fine,” I answer, tilting my chin up “I have things to do. If you’ll excuse me …” I turn and make it two steps before his fingers grasp my elbow.

  “I have something for you ...”

  I turn in his direction and jab a finger in his chest. “You have nothing I could possibly want,” I spit out “Nothing, do you hear me?” What have I got to lose? Is he going to drag me through the building kicking and screaming? Because that’s exactly what I’d do. Kick, and scream. Until everyone knew who he was. Besides, I have the commando at the door. Denham would be here within minutes. Jonny wouldn’t stand a chance.

  He pulls open one side of his blazer, and takes a red rose from his inside pocket, offering it in my direction. “Your security wouldn’t let my guy
deliver this to you earlier, so I thought I had better deliver it myself.” He smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes and I know that he could never smile a true smile borne from happiness. Every tilt of his lips is tainted with evil, always with a calculated agenda.

  “I knew it,” I whisper.

  Deep down, I knew it. I just didn’t want to admit it. I wanted to believe it was Denham.

  “A rose. Every day a rose,” I say, mesmerized by the red flower. A simple red flower. He was there all along. He nods in agreement as a fresh wave of nausea hits me.

  “Well, are you going to take it?” He pushes the long stemmed flower in my direction once more and I narrow my eyes at him.

  “Screw you.”

  He tips his head back and laughs, before he spots Beth coming back in our direction. His composure slips over him like mercury. Fast and efficient.

  “You really are a stupid beautiful girl,” he whispers as I hear Beth’s heels approaching across the marble floor.

  “Here, water. Don’t you think you should sit, Arianna? You’re very pale,” Beth says offering me a glass of water with a concerned look on her face.

  “I’m fine, really. I have things I should be getting back to.”

  “No, you don’t. Not today. You go home, I’ll finish up here.”

  “It’s fine, I—”

  “Go,” she orders, before turning and placing a hand on Jonny’s arm. “James, I’m sorry to have kept you. Let’s get you fitted.”

  I stand and watch them, mesmerized. I’m amazed at how my old life seems to have entwined itself with my new life. Beth is clearly very friendly with Jonny, or James as she calls him. And I wonder just how long he has been coming here to her, to purchase his clothes. He’s always dressed well. He’s always liked the finer things in life. Outward appearances have always been of the utmost importance. Maybe Beth had been in the background of my life for longer than I knew.

  COMMANDO WASN’T KEEN when I said I wanted to walk home. It makes it harder for him to do his job, apparently. But seeing as he let the one person that he was trying to keep from me, slip through his net, I’d say he’s failed miserably already without even knowing.

  I needed the time and fresh air. I needed to think things through. To try and process the few words that came from Jonny’s poisoned lips. Knowing that he loads each one with a kick makes it harder for me to decipher than a tomb full of hieroglyphics.

  By the time I make it to the large glass doors, I still don’t have it all figured out.

  Do I tell Denham or do I keep it to myself?

  Do I continue as normal or figure out some kind of plan?

  A plan to do what? I’ve already decided I’m not going to run from him. I’ve got more to lose than I’ve ever had before, which is why I’ll stand and fight.

  So, will it even make any difference, other than to make Denham’s life harder and add to his worry, if I tell him about today?

  One thing’s for sure, commando’s life wouldn’t be worth living. Granted, he stopped the delivery guy from getting through. But that just pushed the rat out of his hole.

  The walk through the foyer and the ride up to the penthouse goes by in a mind-spinning blur and before I know it, I’m at the door with my key card hovering above the slot. Commando one, hands over to commando two, or it could be commando three, I can’t even tell them apart and I don’t even care. But whatever they are saying, I don’t hear them. The flash of the green light indicating the door is unlocked jars a decision from me that I’m not going to tell Denham. The deep worry he is already dealing with regarding Tara is enough for him to think about. Add to that, running The Kingdom, and I really don’t think he needs extra problems to fret over. Besides, I’m handling it. Aren’t I?

  “Hello,” I call out.

  “We’re in here,” Denham calls back from the spare room. I dump my purse and kick off my heels before crossing the room. The door is only just ajar and I hover in the doorway before I push it open.

  “For the last fucking time, Tara, tell me what you took …”

  “I already told you, D. I didn’t take anything. I didn’t even have much to drink. Two bottles of beer. Max.”

  “Do you think I was always thirty-four years old, T? Do you not think I was young and stupid, and made up excuses for poor decisions? I can see through your bullshit lies. Two bottles of beer does not put you in the state you were in this morning.”

  Denham’s voice gets louder and more strained and Tara sounds exasperated trying to say her piece. Both of them are going around and around in circles but neither of them are getting anywhere.

  I push the door open and step in. “Hi,” I say quietly. Hoping a little calm serenity will ease the tension between these two. Denham stands by the window, his back to the room, running his hands through his hair the way he does when he feels like something is out of his control.

  When he turns around he tries to smile at me but fails miserably. “Hi,” he puffs out.

  “How are you feeling?” I ask Tara.

  “Like shit,” she snaps.

  “Hey. Don’t even think about being obnoxious to Arianna.” Denham spins in her direction and snaps at her, she looks down at her fingers that are twined in her lap.

  “Sorry,” she whispers. “I feel like shit, thanks for asking. My head fucking hurts and it doesn’t help that my big brother keeps yelling at me.”

  “Well, you look better than you did this morning.”

  “You saw me this morning?”

  “Ari was the one who saw you fall out of some asshole’s car, with your fucking skirt around your waist, looking like a tramp who did too much coke last night, and can’t even remember what or who she did.”

  “Denham,” I scold, surprised at his tone. “That doesn’t help anyone. Why don’t you go and get everyone a drink? Coffee or something …”

  He sighs, but doesn’t argue. He makes his way across the room with his shoulders dropped and his face set in tight lines. He kisses the top of my head as he walks past and when he’s out of the room, I get up and close the door quietly.

  I come and sit next to Tara on the bed, placing my hand on her knee. “You’re really feeling better?”

  “Yeah. I feel a bit queasy, and my head really fucking hurts. But I feel better than I did.”

  “You wanna tell me what happened?”

  “You gonna chew my ass out whatever I say?” she retorts like a belligerent teenager.

  “No.” I smile. “He’s only like that because he cares.”

  “I know.”

  “So, what happened?”

  “Ari, I don’t know. I remember having a beer in the tequila lounge after work. I ended up having two beers that I can remember. Then I end up here, in my brother’s spare room being yelled at for getting trashed, when I don’t even remember. I wouldn’t even mind if I had a fucking good time and remembered it all. That’s worth feeling like shit for!”

  “You must have had more than two beers to get like that, Tara,” I chide. “Were you drinking alone? Did you do any drugs?” Her face turns thunderous and I hold my hands up. “I’m only asking because I need to know. It doesn’t matter what the answer is.”

  “Yes, I was alone, and for the ten millionth fucking time today. No. No. And god damn mother fucking NO.” She rakes her hands through her unruly curls just like Denham does when he’s stressed.

  “Okay, okay. I believe you. I just needed to ask.”

  “You don’t know the full story, do you? He hasn’t told you, has he?”

  “I beg your pardon?” I say, confused.

  “You don’t know about me … my story.” She laughs, but it’s not because what she’s thinking is funny. “If you knew all about me and what a fucking loser I am, you wouldn’t believe a word I say. But it’s the truth. I’m telling the truth.”

  She stands abruptly and stomps to the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her. This is all a struggle. There’s too much going on today to process, and I have n
o idea how I’m going to make sense of it all.

  I tap gently on the bathroom door. “Tara,” I probe softly, but there’s no response. “Please come out. I believe you, really, I do.”

  “I’m peeing,” she grumbles which makes me snort with laughter.

  “Well, then carry on …”

  I stand with my shoulder leaned against the door frame, and it’s a minute before she opens up slowly. She sighs before she starts to speak. “I did a lot of stupid shit, Ari. After dad … And now I’m tarred with that brush and no one thinks I have my own mind.”

  “Oh honey, I’m sure they do, it’s just because …”

  “I know, I know. Because I’m the youngest. They all think I’m young and naive, and they all try to stop me from making mistakes. How am I supposed to live if I’m confined in bubble wrap and not allowed to find my own way?” She throws her hands to her sides in frustration.

  “You know, if you’ve watched people do stupid shit in the past, and you worry about them doing it again, don’t you think that would make you a little more protective?”

  She shrugs her shoulders like an errant teenager.

  “Well, maybe it’s just going to take time.”

  “It’s been three fucking years since he died, Ari.”

  “I don’t mean time to heal from that. Time to realize that you are your own person. He only does it because he loves you. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see how much he adores you, your mom, and Spike. Besides, what has Denham given up for you?” I tilt my chin with a little defiance as I really want her to realize quite what my wonderful man has done for her since their dad died. I’m pretty sure it hit him just as hard as everyone else, but I don’t think he’s dealt with it. He hasn’t been given the chance to grieve, as he was thrown into running The Kingdom and keeping the family together.

  “Denham?” she questions, screwing her nose up at my question.

  “Yes. Denham. Your brother. Your big brother. The one that probably digs you out of the shit every time you get so deep in it you can’t see out.” She just frowns at me and as she thinks about it harder, I see her starting to realize where I’m coming from.