Authors: Allie Ritch
His boss sniffed. “That’s what I’m asking you. It takes time to shift the amount of money we need. The market isn’t optimal right now, so we’re selling off our stock in Leynet Tours at a discount. We didn’t have a majority holding in that travel company anyway, although it gave us some pull. I plan to make my move on Binner and Son and the fairgrounds on Wednesday. Tell me Gor and Tabbler won’t do anything before then.”
Varion shook his head. “Willyem is being careful. He’ll attempt a buyout of Junior’s company this week, but we’re only meeting about it today. We’re probably looking at Thursday at the earliest.”
It was going to be close, but Mr. Vip definitely had the edge, mostly because Willyem didn’t even know there was a threat. There was no doubt in Varion’s mind who was going to win.
“Good.” A spark of glee—or was that avarice?—flashed in Vip’s eyes. “We’re going to make a killing on this one. This is just the shot in the arm we need to expand Glomo Unlimited’s real estate division before we go intergalactic.”
“I’m sorry?” What did he mean by real estate? This was a deal for a concession contract.
“Bluv Binner, Jr. isn’t the only one who left himself vulnerable,” Mr. Vip explained. “Palli Farr took out some loans to redo the grounds and install new arena seating. Since this is the off-season, the profits aren’t there and she’s overextended herself.”
“How badly?”
“Badly enough. A few good seasons and she’ll bounce back, but right now she’s vulnerable. I’ve pulled some strings with a buddy of mine over at the bank, and he’s putting the squeeze on her. We’ll give her some time to sweat. Then we’ll swoop in and offer her a deal she can’t refuse.”
Varion’s lips felt numb as he mumbled his response. “You’re taking over the park.”
Mr. Vip’s grin turned predatory. “Palli Farr and her family have owned that land since before Trilanta built up. It’s prime real estate. We can start construction immediately and have that acreage covered in condos in no time. We’ll see a nice, sweet return.”
“Condos? But the park is a historic landmark. It provides jobs for so many of the locals.”
It was obvious Vip wasn’t listening. The man was probably too busy picturing his fat portfolio.
“We owe it all to you, Mr. Chanj,” his boss continued. “If you hadn’t been in place, we never would have gotten the tip in time. There will be a generous bonus for you when this is all over.”
“But you—”
The screen went dead, leaving Varion standing there in ominous silence. Which was when he realized the water was no longer running.
Some sixth sense told him what he’d find when he turned around, but there was no avoiding it. With a sinking feeling in his gut, he slowly spun to face the foot of the stairs. There was Benni in her nice dress and the jewels she’d left on while he’d made love to her last night. And there, dangling from one hand, were the jacket and tie he’d left upstairs. Her cheeks were pale, but her eyes spit fire.
“You’re not some do-gooder secret agent, are you?” she asked quietly.
He drew a deep breath, but all that came out was the simple truth. “No.”
“What are you?”
“When all is said and done, I’m a corporate spy. I sell my services to the highest bidder and then get myself hired by their competitor so I can learn inside secrets.”
“You’re a thief,” she accused him.
“A spy.”
“A thief! You steal information from unsuspecting people.” Her voice grew louder with every word. “You betray their trust. Now you’ve betrayed me. Thanks to you and that shark on the screen, Palli is going to lose everything her family has ever worked for, and I’ll be out of a job. Is this why you wanted to be with me? So you could learn more about how to steal Palli’s business?”
“No!” Gods, no. Business had nothing to do with why he wanted her. “I didn’t know anything about your job or Gor’s business with Palli until last week when I visited the fairgrounds. That’s why I was so shocked to see you. And I had no idea my boss was after the park. I thought he just wanted the concession contract. If I’d known about his real estate plans, I never would have taken the job. I wasn’t out to hurt anybody, especially not you.”
“And I should believe that? How can I believe anything you say? I thought you were like me, kind and carefree and out to have fun, not ruin other people. Instead, you’re a thief disguised as some rigid, condescending exec. What is that?”
Fear that he was losing her mixed with the guilt already simmering in his chest. The toxic combination made him snap back at her when all he really wanted was to take her in his arms.
“Well, there you go. You’ve got me pegged. Of course, you never bothered to get to know me first, but that doesn’t matter. All you care about is that you have a different face to stare at every time you get laid. I saved you the trouble of actually chasing down all those men.”
The look of hurt that flooded her face had him biting his tongue, but it was already too late. When he stepped toward her, she held up a hand to ward him off.
“You idiot.” She shook her head at him. “Is that what you think? You think I’m not just a slut, but a lazy slut?”
Regret left him raw and desperate. “No, I didn’t mean it like—”
“So that’s why you haven’t changed your look lately. It was some kind of test.”
“Look, I’m sorry.”
Her tone turned weary. “Well, there you go. You got me pegged without ever bothering to know me either.”
Without another word, she dropped his jacket and tie on the floor and stormed out his front door. Her look of pain and disappointment continued to haunt him long after she’d slammed it shut behind her.
Raking his fingers through his hair, Varion cursed and walked over to pick up the discarded items. He felt more like a fake than ever as he finished dressing. There was a lot of truth to what she’d said about him. Unfortunately, he worried that the same could be said for his own accusation, although it hadn’t come out right. Had she ever wanted
him
? And would she ever want him again now that he was about to cost her everything?
The answer to that question was obvious. Some things couldn’t be undone. He meant what he’d said to Benni, though. If he’d known when he’d signed on with Mr. Vip that this was where he’d end up, he never would have accepted this gig. Back at the start, playing at corporate espionage had sounded like fun and games. Every big company did it, so what was the big deal? Nobody ever told him he was going to hurt the woman he—
Ah, hell. He loved Benni. It wasn’t just lust between them and careless fun. That sexy Flexian had him wrapped around her little finger. She had him losing his temper and over-thinking everything when usually he was a go-with-the-flow kind of guy. He couldn’t lose her.
But how could he win her back? At this point, it wasn’t like there was anything he could do to salvage the situation. Vip would sell off the company’s travel agency stock, buy out Junior, and bully Palli into a deal before Willyem made his move. Willyem Gor had no idea he was even in competition with anyone for the fairgrounds. The man was too busy taking trips down memory lane about his boyhood visits there. He was no doubt imagining all the future shows with rodeo acts and Benni’s trick riding and everything else he loved about the place. Those plans would evaporate the second he found out his arch enemy had bested him.
If only Rion Nach’s boss knew what was about to happen.
* * * *
The following night, Benni arrived extra early at the gym where her Sex Ed class was held. Hoping to talk to the instructors before anyone else showed up, she caught them making out next to the women’s locker room. If she hadn’t been in such a bum mood, she might have laughed. Instead she cleared her throat with a loud cough.
Obviously uncaring that they had an audience—not surprising since the two of them had done a full intercourse demonstration before she’d gotten into the class—they slowly broke the lip-lock and turned to face her.
“You’re early,” Quinn said dryly.
Forcing a brief smile, Benni stared down at her toes as she spoke. “Yeah, well, I was hoping to talk to you. I know you already announced this evening’s topic and all, but I was wondering if you’d mind changing it to just Multan anatomy. I’d rather not model tonight.”
She glanced back up in time to see him and his wife exchange a speaking look. Xindra patted his arm, and Quinn returned a single nod before drifting away to go set up.
“Are you and Varion having problems?” Xindra’s tone was so gentle it made Benni’s heart ache all over again.
“Not now that we’re broken up.” Although Benni tried for funny, her depressing monotone didn’t exactly sell the line. “He pretended to be someone he’s not, arranged for me to lose my job, and then accused me of only wanting him for his variety of appearances.”
“This is the Multan we’re talking about, right? Our Varion?” Xindra sounded as disbelieving as Benni felt. “He struck me as the easygoing, party-boy type.”
“Exactly! That’s what I thought. Then I found out he’s secretly been wearing a suit and selling stocks and stuff. He’s also a spy.”
Xindra’s lips twitched. “Now that last one I could see. Working as a spy sounds thrilling, although I suspect he got more than he bargained for if he’s wearing a suit as a disguise.”
“Serves him right,” Benni grumbled.
“Does he know you don’t want to model with him tonight?”
She laughed, although it wasn’t a pleasant sound. “He’d have to be an idiot not to figure it out.”
“You did call me an idiot,” Varion said behind her.
Spinning around, Benni spotted him walking around the corner toward them. He was still wearing his Rion Nach spy ensemble, which ticked her off all over again. Before she could say something nasty, though, he glanced past her at Xindra.
“Would you give us a moment, please?”
The other woman looked back and forth between them for a second before walking off in search of her husband.
Worried that she’d fidget like a ninny, Benni tucked her hands under her arms and faced him. She opened her mouth to tear into him, but he cut her off again.
“Before you say anything, you should hear me out. I’ve gotten zero sleep, and I’ve been working overtime ever since you left yesterday morning. You’ll want to listen to what I’ve accomplished.”
No doubt he’d finished the takedown of Palli’s legacy and Benni’s dream job. Should she be grateful he was telling her to her face?
“Your job is safe,” he said, as if he’d read her mind. “Palli isn’t going to lose the park.”
Something stuttered inside Benni—probably her heart—and she gaped at him in disbelief. “What?”
“Gor and Tabbler beat Glomo to the deal. Willyem bought out Binner and Son, and he’s even made a side arrangement with Palli to help her with her loan payments in exchange for certain privileges. In his own words, he’s a ‘sentimental old fool,’ so he mostly asked for free admission for him and his immediate family for life. Oh, and he wants you to put on a special trick riding show for his son’s birthday party.”
Unable to believe it, she could only stand and stare at him.
“There’s more,” he said, as if that wasn’t enough. “You’re probably going to get a lot busier at the park in the near future. In his plot to take over, Mr. Vip sold off Glomo’s stock in the Leynet travel agency at bargain prices to raise funds quickly. Guess who bought up those clearance-rate stocks. Now that Gor and Tabbler has significant holdings in the agency, Willyem is going to use his influence to make sure Leynet Tours offers package deals for park and fairground admittance to all their clients. Tourists will be pouring in from across the galaxy come peak season.”
“How?” She had to find her voice. “How did this happen?”
Her heart began to patter as he lowered his head and gazed at her through his pale lashes. He stepped closer. “A sneaky thief decided to switch allegiances. He tipped Gor off to Vip’s plans and even told him about Glomo selling off their agency stock.”
Relief and excitement and something vaguely like joy bubbled up inside her. “You became a double agent,” she said with a disbelieving laugh.
His lips twisted. “I almost got myself fired is what I did. When I confessed everything to Willyem, he was livid. The tip about the stocks was just a ploy to appease him.”
“Did it work?”
This time, he smiled fully. “Better than I’d hoped. You see, I also fed him a sob story about this woman I fell in love with, who left me because I’d messed up so badly. I told him she read me the riot act and set me straight, but I was worried it was too late. He took pity on me. Apparently he and his wife have faced similar difficulties in their relationship. Instead of kicking me to the curb, he’s given me a second chance, although he doesn’t want me anywhere near his main office again.”
“So where are you going to work?”
He waggled his eyebrows at her. “Say hello to the new liaison between Gor and Tabbler and Trilanta Amusement Park and Fairgrounds. I’ll be working on site, overseeing the accounts, and making sure all of the park’s concession needs are fulfilled. In fact, I’ll be working down the hall from Palli, who says she’ll hogtie me and throw me off the comet coaster if I ever turn into another Junior.”
His palms felt warm when he reached out and took her hands.
“You’ll only see me in passing if that’s all you want,” he added more quietly. “If you’re willing to give this idiot another chance, though, I bet I could sneak out to the arena now and again. There’s also a sturdy desk in my new office.”
Although her heart had begun to soar, healing the upset since yesterday, his last comment ripped the wound open again. Benni pulled out of his grip.
“Is that your pitch?” she asked sadly. “You really do think I’m a sex maniac who just wants as many lovers as possible?”
He shook his head. “No. I never meant that, and I’m really sorry I ever said it. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying sex, and I certainly didn’t come to you a shy virgin either. I had no right to pass judgment. The rest of it, though…”
Feeling her temper reignite, she scowled at him. “What?”
“Well, can you honestly say that you just want me? If I wasn’t Multan, if I couldn’t change my appearance, would you be satisfied with me alone? You told me once this is the longest relationship you’ve ever had with a man. I can’t help but wonder if that’s because you don’t see the same man every time you look at me.”