Embarrassed to discover she had been acting like a child, Renee decided to focus on her responsibilities for the night. “It won’t happen again, that’s for sure.”
“You, my dear, are done,” Sasha said as Renee studied herself in the mirror, completely speechless at what Sasha had transformed her into.
Renee hugged Sasha as hard as she could. “Thank you so much.”
“You are so very welcome. I love you, you know.”
“I love you too.” All Renee could think about was that this was probably the last time she would get moments like this with Sasha.
“Your party starts in twenty minutes, birthday girl, so get dressed and we’ll see you downstairs,” Saffron said as she handed Renee her shoes, then quietly left the room with Michelle in tow.
Sasha smiled and held Renee at arm’s length to look her over a final time. Then, like the flip of a switch, Sasha looked at her with complete seriousness as she sat Renee back down. “I have something I need discuss with you, but you have to promise that you will never repeat it. I cannot stress the seriousness of this conversation. So, please, listen carefully.”
Renee silently, but curiously, nodded as Sasha reached into her bodice and pulled out a key. “Do not ever lose it and don’t let your father know about it. In the bottom left cabinet of the credenza in the conference room there is a false wall with a lock. This is the key to that lock. There is a small metal box that your father must not know about, and I’m going to ask you not to try to open it. I can’t tell you not to open it, because when you tell someone not to do something, their first instinct is to do what they’re told not to. But,” Sasha looked at Renee with dangerous seriousness in her eyes, “if you are as smart as I know you are, you will not open that box until the time is right.”
Renee’s forehead creased in confusion. “How will I know the right time?”
Sasha ran a hand gently down the side of Renee’s face. “You will know.”
Renee’s thoughts were racing as she looked at Sasha. “How are you certain that my father doesn’t know about the wall or the box?”
“Because I am still alive.”
Renee felt like she had been slapped. If her father knew about this secret box, Sasha would die. “What’s in the box?”
Sasha closed Renee’s hands around the key and Renee instantly felt the awesome and secret responsibility that Sasha was handing her.
“Sasha? What’s in the box?”
Sasha took Renee’s dress off the hook, turned, and looked Renee directly in the eye. “Proof.”
Chapter 3
Matthew Parnell joined the Lundy Family out of high school and quickly befriended Wyatt Lundy, son of the Family boss, David Lundy. David was a fair and well-respected businessman who owned more than one successful real estate company that he used as a legitimate cover for his illegal activities in the largest organized crime family apart from the New York Five. Matthew rose faster in the ranks than anybody before him, which allowed him to work in various arenas such as drugs, money laundering, extortion, and deliverance of the consequences. It wasn’t long before David tested Matthew’s abilities by handing both him and Wyatt the Boston territory. Elated that he was quickly on his way to the power he dreamed of, Matthew stepped away from getting blood on his hands and relied heavily on Evan Crescent to take care of whatever business Matthew felt appropriate.
One year after arriving in Boston, Matthew met Elise when she checked into his hotel for a weekend vacation. He fell madly in love with her, and they married only a few months later. He was both surprised and elated when she returned his love after he made it painfully clear to her that he would not accept a child in his life. So when she announced she was unexpectedly pregnant, it was a betrayal that cut him deep and would never be forgiven. Matthew resented Elise for forcing him to play the happy, undeniably in love couple for the public, but he had no choice—he would do what he must if he wanted to maintain his social standing and gain the power that had been his goal since joining the Family.
Matthew’s problems were only exacerbated by the fact that Wyatt felt he didn’t need to work as hard, feeling entitled because he was David’s son. Matthew never said a word about Wyatt’s gambling or drug use, but he did put a stop to Wyatt’s time with their girls when it was discovered that one had gotten pregnant. The pregnancy was quietly terminated and, fortunately, Matthew’s problems with Wyatt didn’t last much longer. Wyatt had decided to spend his birthday in Las Vegas and was supposed to be gone for five days. It was six months later when his body was found decomposing in the hot desert sun with two gunshots in his head.
***
Dressed in a tuxedo, one hand in his pocket like he didn’t have a care in the world, Matthew met Renee when the elevator doors opened. Looking at his daughter reminded him of Elise, and when he thought of Elise, it took everything he had not to be disappointed, hurt, and angry. A camera flash out of the corner of his eye broke his train of thought and he straightened his posture as Renee stepped forward with all the grace and poise expected of her. It was time to play the happy father for the crowds.
Checking to make sure the media was watching, Matthew held her at arm’s length to look her over, forcing a smile and giving his daughter a firm look. “Appearances, Renee. You’re the daughter of Boston’s Man of the Year.”
Renee nodded her head and took her father’s arm as they entered the ballroom to greet their guests. There was applause and greetings from every angle of the room as Matthew and Renee smiled and waved, Matthew internally toasting himself just for being him with his daughter next to him, boasting with pride. Guests approached to give their hugs and handshakes for what seemed like an eternity until a familiar face entered the room. Matthew knew the effect David being here would have on Renee.
Matthew took David’s hand with a smile. “I’m glad you could make it.”
“I wouldn’t have missed this,” David replied with a jubilant grin.
“David!” Overly excited to see him, Renee stopped herself from jumping into his arms to hug him.
“You didn’t think I would miss this party, did you?” David laughed playfully at her as he broke the hug and planted a loving kiss on her cheek. “You and I will dance later.”
***
Renee counted eight scarlet lapel pins shaped like teardrops attached to each of the eight men she had met with earlier. Each pin represented proof of payment for the pleasure of going upstairs with their companion after the party. She received varied reactions from each of them, from disgust to humor, as she knew she would. Even she knew that any full-grown man would be more than slightly offended at the fact that he now had to transact business with a teenager, but not one of them made a derogatory comment to her as they accepted their pin.
Renee played her part as she mingled with guests who were pretending to listen to the governor-elect’s wife prattle on about one thing or another of no import when, out of the corner of her eye, she saw one of her girls in the process of being cornered by a man who had apparently already started raiding the open bar. She saw Kristin slowly backing away from her client, trying to keep from making a scene as he continued to try to close the gap between them. Renee briefly locked eyes with Kristin, who was clearly giving the damsel in distress look.
Gracefully as she could, Renee interrupted her guest’s story. “I’m sorry to intrude, but I need to say hello to someone before they leave for the evening. Thank you so much for coming. We will have to try to find each other later on so you can finish your story.” It was a lie, of course, but it was time to go to work.
Renee wrapped her arms around Kristin in a welcoming embrace, while at the same time nonchalantly placing her foot on top of the offender’s, her floor-length gown covering the fact she was digging her one-inch heel into his foot. The more he tried to dislodge his foot, the more weight she put down. The look she gave was daring and cold, and she spoke to him with authority through a forced smile. “Judge Middleton, are you forgetting there i
s an expected etiquette for tonight that you have agreed to follow?”
Judge Middleton, a middle-aged and arrogant man, knew they were being watched and didn’t appreciate a child digging her heel into his foot. Through teeth clenched and a smile he responded, “Get off my foot, bitch.”
Renee applied more pressure and he sucked in a breath of pain. “Am I correct that you were told it is still early in the party and that you would have to be patient for your pleasure?”
He could only nod.
“Would it be fair to say that you will be more than happy to wait at least another hour before casually and discretely leaving with her?”
“Yes,” he said, sucking in a hard breath, thinking her heel would go through the top of his foot.
Renee drastically applied more pressure and leaned into him, her ear close to his mouth. “I’m sorry, I didn’t quite hear you.”
“Yes,” he said forcefully through the pain.
Renee smoothed the front of his jacket and straightened his pin. “I’m so happy this misunderstanding has been cleared up. I sincerely hope you enjoy the rest of your evening, but I would advise avoiding the bar for a little while. For future reference, you will address me as Ms. Parnell.”
The wide-eyed judge nodded and Renee removed her foot from the top of his. As Renee crossed the room to greet another guest, she locked eyes with Sasha, who was smiling and raising her glass in a silent toast to a job well done.
Chapter 4
Matthew wasn’t happy that Sasha was leaving. Standing in the back of the ballroom discussing business of their own, Matthew and David quietly watched Renee make a federal judge feel like a horse’s ass with tact and decorum.
Nodding in the direction of where Kristin and the judge were standing, David said, “You’ve done well with her. If Elise were here—”
“Elise isn’t here,” Matthew interrupted with an abhorrent tone.
David ignored Matthew’s tone and felt the need to point out the obvious. “Don’t underestimate her. She’s a smart one, and determined at that. She will go far in the Family.”
“If Sasha wasn’t leaving, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation.”
Matthew knew David didn’t care how he felt about Sasha’s relocation. David took a draw of his cigar and caught a woman watching them from across the room. She looked to be just a few years younger than Matthew and was striking in her red evening gown, sitting decorously while patiently waiting for the moment to do whatever she was planning.
“Do you know the remarkable woman in the red dress?”
Matthew looked in the direction David was and froze in irritation. Matthew inhaled deeply and spoke in a tone that told David he wasn’t happy seeing her. “Her name is Madeline Frost. She was an acquaintance of Wyatt’s for a time. She is also a bit of competition. Her specialty is loans and laundry, but I hear she is trying her hand at the funny money trade. No confirmation on that yet.”
David showed slight concern on his face. “You’re sure about that?”
“She has been trying to get into bed with us for a few years, but we have no interest in coupling with her.”
“Why not?”
“She’s more of a black widow than a trusting business partner.”
Matthew very much disapproved of Madeline’s presence and made a mental note to speak to his daughter to find out how Madeline Frost had received an invitation to this celebration. Madeline took extreme pleasure in testing his desire for her, and while Matthew did find her beautiful and secretly admired her determination, he couldn’t deny that he often thought about fulfilling the fantasies that sometimes slipped into his thoughts. Sex was her weapon of choice, but sleeping with the enemy was dangerous and he wouldn’t risk everything he had worked for just for the pleasure of her company.
“She’s very beautiful,” David noted with a smile.
“Do not be taken in by her siren song. It can sometimes take considerable effort to resist her charms. She’s very persistent when she chooses to be.” David gave Matthew a questioning look. “Rest at ease, David. I have resisted every time.”
The band slowed the music down and David clapped his hands in front of him, rubbing them together in anticipation, and handed Matthew his cigar. “Ah, it’s time to dance with the birthday girl.”
As David walked away, Madeline floated toward Matthew, the epitome of sophistication and grace. Matthew turned to the table behind him to both extinguish David’s cigar and take a moment to compose himself. Up until he saw Madeline, he was enjoying himself.
“Good evening, Matthew.” She had a honeyed quality to her voice that made it hard for Matthew to think of her as only an acquaintance.
With an unfettered tone he replied, “Madeline.”
“It’s a lovely party,” she said as she scanned him from head to toe with an approving grin.
It was, Matthew thought to himself, casting an eye over Madeline. Instead of saying what he was thinking, he simply nodded to acknowledge that she had spoken.
“I was invited to accompany Mr. Jamison tonight. My feelings were hurt, Matthew. Then I assumed that my invitation must have been lost in the mail.”
Matthew took a deep breath through his nose to try to calm his agitation. “That’s must be it.”
“Your daughter is lovely tonight. You must be very proud of her.”
Matthew turned to stub out his own cigar, knowing Madeline had that sly smile working overtime. David and Renee glided across the dance floor, amused to watch Matthew have to gather his composure before addressing Madeline.
“Is there something in particular you wanted, Madeline?”
She seductively smiled at him as he turned his head to look at her. Not since Elise had he wanted a woman this badly, but he was not about to give in.
Innocently, she gently rested a hand on his arm. “I wanted to come over and say hello and let you know I have been thinking about you.”
Matthew had to put a stop to this conversation. She frustrated him in more ways than one.
He gently removed her hand from his arm. “What is it you really want, Madeline?”
She gave him a defining look. “The casino being built in Atlantic City.”
“What about it?”
“You know my business would benefit yours.”
A smile formed at the corner of his mouth. “Is business that bad, Madeline?”
“Bad? No. I want the percentage for my own reasons.”
“What’s in it for me? More importantly, why would you think I would agree to this?”
The sly smile came back to her as she sidled up close to him, this time resting a hand on his chest and looking up at him with those eyes that made him want to throw her into the nearest closet and have his way with her. Though his posture slightly stiffened at her touch, his expression was blank and unreadable as he bent his head and met her gaze. He couldn’t help but sweep his eyes across her chest, giving him a clear and deliberate view of the curve of her breasts and how they rested nicely behind her dress.
This woman is the devil.
“I’ll tell you what. Why don’t you think about it and let me know what it is you would like in exchange? I’m sure I can accommodate your request, within reason, of course.”
Matthew cleared his throat and regained his composure. “I’m sure. Excuse me, Madeline.”
He knew he would have to relay this conversation to David later so he took the opportunity to discretely slip out of room and go outside to get some air.
Chapter 5
Renee was elated to spend whatever time she could with David, even if it was a short time. She thought of him like a grandfather and he was always there for her no matter what, whether to give advice, a hug, or to sit quietly and enjoy a movie together. Dancing with him was something she always enjoyed; after all, he was the one who had taught her.
“I was watching you earlier,” David said, nodding in the judge’s direction. “You did very well. I’m proud of you.”
> Renee smiled. “He was just eager to start his own party. Many of our clients are going to rebel against having a sixteen-year-old taking over their services, and I have to put that rebellion to rest quickly. Give it a few months and everything will be just fine.”
David placed a kiss on her forehead. “You never cease to amaze me.”
In her peripheral vision, Renee caught a glimpse of a young man with dark hair weaving through the multitude of guests, eventually making his way behind them and slowly continuing around the room. She tried to get a better look but suddenly he was gone, like he had vanished into thin air. She turned back to David, obviously having missed a question. “I’m sorry?”
David had followed her line of sight, knowing what distracted her. “I asked if you have already moved into the hotel.”
“Oh, yes. Last night.”
“And you’re okay not living in the same house as your father?”
“I’m perfectly fine with it.”
Renee saw the mystery guest moving along the back of the room again. Snapping her head around to try to look at him, she found he was still obscured by guests.
“Everything okay?”
Renee shook her head as if to clear it from a bad dream. “Yes. I just thought I saw someone.”
As they continued dancing in silence, Renee was scanning the room, looking for her girls, Sasha, and that unknown figure in the crowd. She noticed Michelle sitting at a table talking to Sasha, and wondered why Michelle wasn’t with her client.
When the song ended, Renee kissed David on the cheek. “Thank you so much for the dance. I have to go talk to Sasha but we will see each other later.” She said it in the form of a question.
“We will definitely see each other again before Sasha and I leave tomorrow. In the meantime, have fun.”
“Are you having fun?” Sasha asked, tapping her feet to the music as Renee approached their table.
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