Cunning

by Aleatha Romig

  “They’re not opposed. They just aren’t pushing her.”

  Olivia took a step back. “Dear, we’re not pushing you. It’s that you’re not getting any younger. You’re thirty, and well, neither are we—getting younger. Your father is over seventy. He… we would be happier knowing that you have someone to take care of you and that Montague Corporation is in competent hands.”

  I’d lost my fight.

  That was what else I’d lost. My fight was gone. No matter the decision Charles Montague II reached, my future was set. I would be Mrs. Fitzgerald or Mrs. Stockton.

  Closing my eyes, I said a prayer that it was Mrs. Marcus Stockton. As soon as the words were recited mentally, I recognized their futility. God hadn’t listened before. What made me think he’d listen now?

  “Mrs. Montague, Mrs. Collins,” the young maid said. “Mr. Montague has asked for you both to join him in his office.”

  The crackling of the fire and the howl of the wind dimmed as the sound of blood coursing through my veins thumped in my ears. The increased speed of my circulation left me dizzy as I slipped my feet back into my shoes and stood.

  One glance at the fireplace reminded me that I could leave. I could gather Alexandria and find a house somewhere with a television for a fireplace.

  “Laide, it’s time.”

  My thought was but a distraction. I was Adelaide Montague. It was a life sentence. Freedom wasn’t an option. Charles Montague II would find me.

  I gulped the remainder of my wine and handed the glass to the girl in the maid’s uniform. I should know her name, but she was new. Mother ran the household staff, yet Father always had a way of finding the young and pretty candidates. Turning to her I said, “Bring me another glass in my father’s office.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Olivia reached for my arm, steadying my direction and propelling my steps. As we neared Father’s office, we both stilled. He wasn’t alone. Two deep, manly voices spoke, their words ending in a hearty laugh. They were congenially discussing a subject we couldn’t decipher. One voice was my father’s. The other was…

  His blond hair did a good job of hiding the peppering of white. His gray eyes met mine as he stood and looked at me anew. From my toes to my head, he scanned, his chest rising and falling with shallow breaths.

  Alton Fitzgerald had just won the lottery, and I was his winning ticket.

  “GOOD MORNING, MISS COLLINS,” Isaac said as he opened the door to the black sedan.

  “Please call me Alex. After all, I’m using your first name.”

  Am I? Or is Isaac his last name?

  He winked and pointed with his chin toward the car. As I sat in the backseat, he confirmed, “Yes, Alex, you are.” With his hand still on the door, he asked, “Shall we stop at your apartment before we go to the hospital?”

  I glanced at my watch. “Mr. Demetri wants me to meet him for lunch, so let’s go straight to the hospital.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  The door closed. As I settled against the soft leather, my mind went to my best friend. This morning, Nox again mentioned offering Chelsea my apartment. The idea made sense. The apartment was sitting there essentially empty. It would eventually have my furniture, and if Chelsea moved there, it could have more. Yet for some reason having her in New York felt wrong. It wasn’t that I didn’t love her and want her with me, but I’d been ready to make a clean break and move on to my new life.

  As Isaac moved into traffic, my mind followed that same train of thought… moving on. It was too bad that not everyone was willing to do that. Most definitely, Bryce wasn’t cooperating. This morning when I finally turned my attention to my phone, I was met with multiple text messages. As soon as they came on the screen, I sighed.

  For someone who could be a self-centered dick, Nox noticed everything, almost as if he could read my mind. Not only did he see, but he also paid attention. It was especially true during intimacy. In only the short time we’d known one another, he knew exactly what to do to elicit my body’s response. In many things, he knew better than I. However, that wasn’t all. He listened—an unusual characteristic with most of the men in my life.

  With only a sigh, he sensed my irritation. With a moan he heard my desire.

  My reaction to the text messages wasn’t meant as a conversation starter; nonetheless, that was what it became.

  “What’s the matter, princess? Is something bothering you?”

  I looked up at Nox’s expression, his furrowed brow and widened eyes. There were so many things that should be bothering me—the accusations Bryce made, Chelsea being attacked, and even my new employment. However, waking in Nox’s arms, his warm body curled around mine, his arms around my waist, and his morning erection against my back, washed those concerns away.

  Last night and this morning had been reminiscent of Del Mar. I was putty in his hands, fresh and pliable, waiting for the master sculptor to work his magic and create whatever he desired—or to show me what I desired.

  Lying to Nox or dismissing Bryce’s text messages never crossed my mind. Honesty—that was what we’d both pledged. As much as I wanted to believe Nox, I also wanted him to believe me. He said he wouldn’t lie to me, nor would he tell me more than he felt was necessary. Nevertheless, when Bryce confronted me last night, he granted me something he never intended. Bryce opened the door for me to be honest with Nox about my childhood boyfriend.

  It felt liberating.

  I’d lived in smoke and mirrors for most of my life. I didn’t want to do that any longer. Taking a deep breath of clear secret-free air, I answered Nox’s question. “I have multiple text messages from Bryce.”

  I don’t know what response I expected from Nox, but curiosity wasn’t it.

  “Is that a nickname?”

  “What?” I asked, suddenly distracted by the broad shoulders and flexing biceps crawling across the large mattress toward me.

  “His name is Edward Spencer,” Nox explained. “Yet you call him Bryce.”

  “I’ve always called him Bryce… since I was old enough to talk.” I added the last part as a reminder that I’d known Bryce forever. “It’s his middle name, one of them anyway.”

  “One of them? Who has multiple middle names?” Nox shrugged, falling beside me on my pillow. “My mother, I guess.”

  “Your mother?”

  His pale blue eyes stared toward the ceiling while his warmth and intoxicating scent drew me closer. “She had her first, middle, and last name and her confirmation name. According to her that gave her four.”

  “Had?” I asked, detecting a hint of sadness in his tone and faraway gaze.

  Nox’s handsome features pinched as he pushed away whatever thoughts he was thinking and ran his hand over his cheeks. In less than a second, he scooted up the headboard, leaned over, and kissed my nose. “Let’s hold off on some of that?”

  Was he asking? After one of his recent speeches, I didn’t think I had any choice in the matter; however, if I did, I’d take his offer of reprieve. I wasn’t ready to go there either, not into our families, not with him or with me. We each carried enough baggage individually. It would be better to understand that before we added family.

  Accepting his stay and before I opened any of Bryce’s messages, I tossed my phone on the bed and rolled toward him. The solid muscles and defined torso beckoned me. I reached out, wanting to trail my hands over the ripples of his abs, but before my fingers connected, I stopped.

  Nox reached for my hand, still lingering in the air. “Charli, it’s all right. I’m fine. I’m just not ready…”

  “No, I understand. I do.” Wanting to explain my hesitation, I went on, “I was going to touch you, and then I remembered what you said about only touching you when you said I could.”

  He pulled my hand to his lips and kissed my palm before placing it on his chest. Tenderly he splayed my fingers until my hand settled over his beating heart.

  “I was mad,” he explained. “I still am about Infidelity, bu
t I like your touching me.” His eyes sparkled below his disheveled hair.

  The sight of him with less than his normal GQ perfection made my cheeks rise. This sexier-than-hell man was with me, and I was seeing him as others didn’t. Gaining strength from his words, I bravely lifted myself over him and with a smirk, pushed him back against the mattress. My long hair hung in auburn waves beside our faces as our noses touched and our bare chests melded together. After teasing his lips and neck with a peppering of kisses, I said, “I don’t understand how you can say that about Infidelity, being a client and all, but…” I added before he could speak. “…I’m still in a shock that I’m in your arms and your bed. After Del Mar, I thought we’d never see one another. I thought… I’d never again know the way you make me feel.”

  His smile widened as his hand dipped down squeezing my behind and holding me close. “How is that? How do I make you feel?”

  “Mostly like a princess.”

  “Mostly?”

  I nodded. “You made a point when we first saw one another again.” I swallowed and diverted my eyes from his gaze. “I get it, and I know I still owe you that night at Mobar.”

  Nox’s chest rose and fell beneath me. “I could remind you that you owe me a lot more than that. You owe me a year… but I won’t.”

  Asshole. You just did.

  “Instead…” He lifted my chin. “…I’ll remind myself how fucking glad I am that you’re back in my arms and my bed.”

  I tried to smile. I wanted to believe he meant that in a good way. Before I could respond, he changed the subject. “Are you going to talk to Chelsea about moving to New York?”

  I nodded.

  He kissed me gently. “Good. I’d say from what little experience I have with your sister…”

  I began to refute him as his finger touched my lips.

  “…having her close will save time on cross-country trips.”

  I giggled. “She really isn’t that high maintenance. Her mother…”

  Nox shook his head. “Oh please. I don’t want to know any more about that woman. She was… how do I put this?” His lips quirked from side to side. “Interesting.”

  “Yes, that’s Tina Moore, interesting.”

  He kissed me again. “I’d love to show you exactly how a princess should be treated and spend the entire day in this bed or against the wall or over the sofa…” He added another kiss to my forehead. “…but you, Miss Collins, wreak serious havoc on my work ethic, and if this is our new reality—that I get to wake every morning to your gorgeous body against mine—we both have things that we need to do and places we need to be.” He winked. “Knowing I’ll have you back in my arms tonight makes it much easier to leave you now.”

  Nox rolled away, leaving me cooled by our sudden lack of connection. He stood, his boxer briefs tight and accentuating all the right parts, and then, as if the thought just occurred to him, he said, “Deloris bought you a few different outfits. Wear something nice and plan to meet me for lunch. I have an appointment. It’s time to start being my companion.”

  Sitting back against the headboard, I pulled the sheets above my breasts. “What does that mean?”

  “It means that I have a lunch meeting today with Senator Carroll. His wife, Shirley, often accompanies him. Today, I’ll have my new girlfriend with me.”

  I liked the way that sounded. “Your what?” I asked, my smile broadening as my brow quirked upward.

  He found his frosty tone, but the gleam in his eyes let me know he was teasing. “My… whatever I say.”

  “Yes, Mr. Demetri.”

  Nox shook his head. “I should spank you for that.”

  “I’m afraid that would make us both late for our appointed duties.”

  Smiling, he turned and walked toward the bathroom. His muscular ass, hidden behind the thin layer of material, thick thighs, and narrow waist held my full attention until he disappeared behind the door.

  Just as I began to reach for my phone, Nox peeked his head out of the bathroom. His menacing smirk stuttered my breathing, causing my heart to skip a beat, and the temperature of the room to rise.

  With his velvety tone, he said, “A shower with me or your phone with him? The decision is yours, Charli. Choose wisely. What will it be?”

  Even now, riding north toward Palo Alto, fully dressed in the high-waisted blue skirted dress with a white linen bodice and matching blue pumps, my long hair secured in an Alexandria style and simple elegant pearl jewelry, the way my satiated body tingled, I knew I made the right decision. Even Bryce Spencer couldn’t upset me after the way my day started.

  No matter what Bryce said, I couldn’t comprehend that the man who worshiped me, lavishing my mind with declarations and my body with magical detonations, could or would hurt his wife.

  Thankfully in Bryce’s text messages, he hadn’t repeated his accusations. I had the feeling that my phone was now monitored. I never saw Nox look at it, but even if he didn’t, I believed that Deloris had the ability to do so. After all, Nox said she’d figured out I was leaving to go to California through my phone.

  “Miss Collins?”

  Isaac’s voice turned my mindless gaze from the passing landscape to him. “Alex,” I corrected.

  “Alex, the turn-off for your apartment is approaching. Are you sure you don’t want to stop there before the hospital?”

  “I’m sure. I want to get to Chelsea. We can stop by the apartment later.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Did Mr. Demetri tell you what time he wanted me to meet him for lunch?”

  “Yes, we should leave Palo Alto no later than eleven. Traffic is unpredictable.”

  “Then, definitely, I don’t want to waste time at the apartment now.”

  WALKING INTO THE hospital with Isaac, I saw Tina Moore seated in a large chair in the lobby. I went directly to her.

  “Why aren’t you with Chelsea? Are they doing tests?”

  “No,” she said, sipping a large white paper cup of coffee.

  I stood taller, understanding why Nox didn’t like to repeat himself. “Then…” I prompted.

  She stood. “I figured you’d know. She said she was a friend of yours.”

  “Who said?”

  “The woman talking to Chelsea. She asked for privacy.”

  I shook my head. “Is she someone from our apartment complex or a friend from our classes?”

  Tina shrugged. “I don’t know. She’s kind of old to be in class with you, but I guess anything is possible. I think she said her name, but honestly, I was thinking about another cup of coffee. It’s still early.”

  “Is she still there?”

  “I think she is. Chelsea said she’d text when she left.” She pulled her phone from the back pocket of her jeans and swiped it with her thumb and shook her head. “I haven’t received one.”

  I didn’t have time to spare, not with my lunch date. “Well, I’ll go on up. If it’s someone we both know, there shouldn’t be an issue.”

  Tina reached for my elbow and lured me a few feet away from Isaac. “Where’s that hot guy?”

  “Lennox?” I asked, as if I had so many hot guys buzzing around that I wasn’t sure which one she meant.

  “Damn, he is…”

  This was my best friend’s mother and while I agreed with her assessment, it made me more than a little uncomfortable to hear her go on about my boyfriend. I smiled at that title, or was it because he’d been the first to use the label. “He’s working today,” I said. “I need to meet him for lunch, so I’m in a hurry. I’m going to go on up to Chelsea’s room.”

  Tina nodded with a grin. “Okay, honey. I’ll stay here for a while longer.”

  A few minutes later, Isaac and I reached her door and I asked, “Would you like to come in?”

  “No, I’ll stay here.”

  I shook my head and opened the door, expecting to interrupt a conversation. Instead, Chelsea was alone, sitting on her bed and staring toward the window.

  “Hi
.”

  She turned toward me, her expression momentarily perplexed. “Hey. Where’s Mr. Handsome? And why do you look like you just walked out of a magazine?”

  I giggled. “Why do you look so confused? Who was your visitor?”

  “Visitor?”

  “Your mom said someone wanted to talk to you.” I walked closer and inspected her blackened eye. “Does that hurt?”

  She scrunched her nose. “Not really. Only when I move my face, you know, smile or frown.”

  “Honey, I’m so sorry. I still don’t understand what happened or why anyone would come into our apartment and hurt you.”

  “I don’t either,” she admitted.

  “How do you feel about going back to the apartment?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know. Mom said it was fine last night.”

  I wanted to ignore the hint of trepidation in her normally bubbly voice, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t let my feelings of uncertainty about her moving to New York stop my invitation, not if she no longer felt comfortable in our apartment. “Would you feel better in New York?”

  Her eyes opened wide and she grimaced.

  “Sorry,” I said. “Stop moving your face.”

  My directive made her laugh followed by another whimper.

  “Stop it,” Chelsea said, “I can’t not move my face. What do you mean New York? Are you finally picking up on all the hints I’ve dropped?”

  “Yes, but more than that, I miss you.”

  “You have Mr. Handsome. Surely you don’t want me cramping your style.”

  I put my hands on my hips. “When have you ever cramped my style? I’d say I wouldn’t have a style if it weren’t for you.”

  She eyed me up and down. “You did, and looking at you, I’d say you’ve got it back.”

  I shrugged. “This is different. Nox asked me to meet him and a colleague for lunch.”

  “You carry the classy Alex as well as you do the sexy Charli.”

  I pulled up a chair and sat with a ridiculous grin on my face. “You know, I thought Charli was gone forever.”