Ariel's Song (In Bed with the Enemy) (7 page)

Chapter
Nine

Last night, somewhere along the way Ariel broke down the steel barrier around his heart. The possibility of being with someone who cared about him played in Colin’s mind, so did the sour thought of betrayal by someone he once loved. Valerie’s disloyalty hurt and nearly sent him to jail for life. He’d have to be careful with Ariel.

Colin
looked up clear blue skies. His housekeeper had set up breakfast at the veranda overlooking the pool. The warmth of the sun coursed over his skin. Today wasn’t a day to remain indoors or to let his mind wander in thoughts he rather not have.

He hadn’t counted on Logan showing up to
point out the part of the contract he hadn’t yet signed. When Colin agreed to play with the Philharmonic, he didn’t bother to share his ultimate plan with everyone. He’d known Ariel wouldn’t catch he hadn’t signed everything, but not his dear friend Logan. Nothing ever made it past him. Bloody hell.

“What do you mean this is your last concert? This is your great comeback.” Logan tapped his fingers on the documents sitting on the teak table.

Colin took a drink from his chilled orange juice. “This concert will be my last performance. Not my comeback. Understand?” Colin glanced from Ariel to Logan, sitting on either side of him at the table.

“No. I don’t understand.” Logan
leaned back in his chair.

Ariel touched
Colin’s hand, and he curled his fingers around hers. “Logan is right. You can’t let it be your last concert.”

“What
, you’re taking sides now?” He cocked his head facing her, a crease formed between his brows.

“This isn
’t about sides, Colin. This is about you doing what you know best. Taking back your life doing what makes you happy,” she said.

He
let go of her hand. “You think my life before now was any good? Think again. It was superficial as shit. A fucking lie, Ariel. You think I want to go back? You have no right to tell me what makes me happy. You don’t know anything.”

Ariel
stared at him. Her mouth fell open.

“Colin
,” Logan said.

Fuck
. He’d done it again. He’d said those same words to her once before. Back then he hadn’t cared if he hurt her or not. Now, things were different. Somewhere deep inside him he did care. “Gorgeous, I-I’m sorry.” Colin reached for her hand, but Ariel rose from her seat.

“You’re right.
Whatever you do or don’t, it’s none of my business. It’s your career. Your life, not mine. My job is done. I got you to rehearsals, you signed the contract, now you have no choice but to get your ass to New York. I’m done here,” Ariel said.

“What do you mean?”
The muscles in Colin’s back stiffened as he tried to process what she’d said. He’d assumed her job was a long term deal, not a short term contract to get him to play. What the fuck? Did she see him as a means to an end for her?

Logan shook his head
at him. “Her contract is up the day after the concert in Central Park.”

“You never said anything.” Colin
frowned.

“You never ask
ed,” Ariel said.

“It doesn’t
matter what she or I said or didn’t. You made up your mind and kept us in the dark until the last minute. Bottom line is you won’t need her help anymore in another month or so. The good news is she works for me and I’ve got another project she can help me with.” Logan stood next to Ariel.

“Thanks, Logan.
I-I need to head back to the study. I’m expecting a call from Marissa.” She spun on her heel.

“Ariel, don’t—” Colin said.

“Hello, my favorite people.” A cheerful Julianne sauntered in the veranda looking like a runway model.

Wh
y was his sister all cheery this morning? Better yet, why did everyone seemed to show up when he least expected them? Colin made a mental note to have a talk with his staff. No one else beside him and Ariel would be allowed in the house from now on.

Julianne
threw her arms around Ariel, kissing her cheeks. She grabbed her hand, leading Ariel back to the table.

“Julianne, what bri
ngs you here today?” His sister’s visit couldn’t have been more ill-timed. Colin wanted to talk to Ariel, take his words back. It irked him knowing she’d remain by his side for a short while longer—if she stayed at all. He didn’t want her to leave. Ariel couldn’t leave him. Not yet. She’d lit up every dark corner of his house, without her it’d feel cold and inhabited. Hell, he already felt hollow. He’d ask her to stay if he had to, but what if she expected promises he couldn’t make? What the hell went wrong? Such a perfect day turned to shit in a matter of minutes.

Julian
ne adjusted her black wide brim sun hat and smoothed down her dark blonde hair resting on her right shoulder. “Brother, I’m going to think you don’t want me here.” She pouted.

“You’d be right
.” Colin’s ill temper got the best of him. He’d been rude to the woman who bended to every one of his needs in and out of the bedroom. Christ. Ariel was ready to bolt. Apparently, it hadn’t been enough because he did the same thing to his sister wishing Julianne went back wherever she’d come from. He was an A-plus asshole, no doubt.

Julianne shrugged. “I’ll pretend
I didn’t hear you. I didn’t come here for you anyway.” She turned to Ariel, a wide smile on her face. “I’d love for you to come to a party.”

“I’m not going to a party,” Colin said.

“Hush. You’re not invited,” Julianne said.

Ariel
jerked her head back. “A party?”

“Yes. It’s an
antiques auction. All the proceedings will go to Gallegher’s Foundation. They’re a non-profit organization providing services to autistic children. What say you?” Julianne quirked her eyebrow.

“You’ll have fun,” Logan said.

“Don’t you hide your wallet, Logan. Need I remind you your attendance is required?” She said over her shoulder. “It’s perfect. Ariel can be your date.”

Over my dead body.
A knot formed in his stomach at the thought of Logan, or anyone, taking Ariel as his date. Colin hadn’t been in the public eye for two long years. Not since he’d made front cover on the news as the suspect of Valerie Kauffman’s homicide. He wasn’t ready to go out in public, not yet, especially not with a formal date. But if Ariel went on a date, he’d be the one taking her. Colin planned to have a chat with his sister later. Julianne better not be playing cupid, because he wouldn’t have it.

“I don’t have a dress.” Ariel wrinkled her nose.

“Say no more. We’re going shopping.” Julianne grabbed Ariel’s hands, leading her out of the veranda. “So long, boys.” She waved her hand up high.

Colin muttered a curse
, raking a hand through his hair.

****

Ariel slid her hands on her gown. She’d chosen a passion-fuchsia strapless dress with a sweetheart neckline. She swore Julianne was her sister from another mother. She had the same taste in dresses, shoes, handbags, colors, accessories. Everything. Ariel wasn’t looking to impress anyone at the party tonight. No one could guilt her for wanting to look her best even if she didn’t have a penny to her name to bid for anything at the auction.

She’d let her hair down and curled the ends in
fat waves. Ariel adjusted the side slit of the sheer silk, concealing her mini skirt from the waist down. She took a peek at her metallic leather sandals that showed off her new pedi. She felt beautiful—no, correction—she looked beautiful.

Ariel
left her room and double timed down the stairs. Logan would be there any minute now. She strode in the reception hall and her step faltered. Colin stood in the middle of the room looking his damnable best, making her weak with need. Ariel hadn’t seen him or crossed a word with him since their little quarrel in front of Logan a few days ago. After everything she’d done to evade him these past days, it all came down to this.

“Y-
you look stunning,” he said.

Talk about
stunning. Ariel wanted to throw her arms around him, kiss him long and deep. Get him out of his black tuxedo and the crisp white shirt he wore. Her fingers itched to remove the tie holding his hair back in a ponytail.

“So do you,” she
said. “Going somewhere?” The lame question was her failed attempt not to ask him to take her upstairs and make up for the past few nights.

“I’m taking you to the party.” He approached her.

“I’m going with Logan.” Ariel bit the inside of her cheek. The least he deserved was for her to give him a hard time. After all, he owed her an apology for his harsh words from the other day.

“No. You’re not. He knows I’m taking you.”
Colin leaned in and brushed his lips over hers. “You look lovely tonight.” He paused. “I’m sorry for what I said the other day.”

Ariel
raised her hand to his face, her thumb stroking his cheek. Damn it. She didn’t think he’d apologize this fast. Their close proximity reminded her how much she’d missed him. His words stung. The way he’d said it even more, especially because Logan witnessed it all. No one had ever talked to her like that. Ever.

It’d
been the second time he’d said it to her. She’d been so upset she hadn’t wanted to waste her time arguing, trying to prove him wrong. No. She’d been ready to tell him to go to hell right when Julianne showed up.

Even after
she left Colin and Logan at the veranda, Ariel tried to get out of going to any kind of party, failing miserably. She ran out of excuses with Julianne. Colin’s sister had a solution for everything. Now, Ariel was on her way to a party with the man who made her heart race more than she wanted to admit.

Ariel
battled with herself on the right thing to say or do. She couldn’t win a war when eyes like his, a gaze so intense, filled with untold promises, stared at her. She rose on her toes and kissed him, softly pulling his bottom lip into her mouth. “Never do it again. I won’t forgive you this easy next time,” she whispered against his lips.

Colin
gripped her waist. “There won’t be a next time, I promise.” He touched his forehead to hers for a second then led her out the door.

Chapter
Ten

After a forty minute drive to Winchcombe, Colin made a left turn and drove through a set of gates concealed by leaves onto a natural stone road. He must’ve been there before. She’d never guessed it was an entrance. Manicured colorful gardens surrounded a castle sitting at the top of the hill. Nothing prepared her for the magnificent view.

“
Quite a splendid sight, eh?” Colin stopped the car and stepped out. She allowed him to help her out when he reached her side.

Julianne
and Gérard walked down the steps to greet them.

“Colin.” Gérard shook his hand.

“I’m so glad you’re here. You look lovely,” Julianne said, kissing the air of Ariel’s cheeks. “Colin!” She threw her arms around his neck. He chuckled, hugging her back.

Gérard
took Ariel’s elbow and led her up the steps letting Julianne hang on to her brother’s every word. Once their small group reached the top of the stairs, Colin let go of his sister’s grasp and walked to Ariel’s side, claiming her attention. He grabbed her hand, lacing his fingers with hers. He brought it to his mouth and brushed her knuckles with his warm lips.

Colin
guided her through the entrance hall. “This is part of the private residence and closed to the public,” he said.

Ariel glanced around the room
, admiring the creative way expensive modern-world decorations complemented old-world architecture. The room was simply exquisite.

“You said private. Is there a part opened to the public?” she asked.

He nodded. “Yes. Some rooms are open to the public for tours. They’re on the opposite wing.”

“The
stone road—”

“Yes. We came through the
private entrance.” Colin led her around the large room stopping here and there, checking out the antiques up for auction before bidding started. He shared with her what he knew about most of the items on display as they made their way. She also learned the auctioneers kept the more expensive items behind closed doors.

As she walked by his side,
Ariel made a point not to get too close to such precious items. God forbid she’d break anything. She didn’t have a penny to her name to pay for it. It wasn’t the unknown price tag that worried her as much as the fact that they were irreplaceable. She shook her head willing the ill thoughts to leave her mind. She didn’t need to invite more bad luck into her already unfortunate state of affairs.

“Dinner will be served in the room next door after the auction takes place,” Julianne said
at her back. “I made sure we’re all on the same table.” Ariel heard the conspiratorial smile in Julianne’s voice.

Gérard cleared his throat. “
I hope you didn’t forget our truce tonight.”

“
How can I forget when you remind me every chance you get?” Julianne said.

Colin
exhaled and quickened their pace, adding some distance between them and his sister. Ariel suppressed a laugh. There was a story somewhere in between all their bickering and she’d love to hear it one day.

Partygoers surrounded
Colin. She’d predicted this would happen sooner or later. Ariel stepped back, giving him room to become reacquainted with his old associations. He firmed his grasp and introduced her as his date, catching her by surprise.

Things between
them had gone up a level —correction, several levels. Regardless, she knew they’d never reach the
this is sort of a serious relationship
floor. It’d be stupid for her to think so. Wasn’t it enough bad luck to lose her fortune, have a missing brother, and no place to go? She didn’t need to add a broken heart to the list. She’d be crushed and lost. Though, Ariel feared she already felt things she rather not.

P
eople’s interested gazes switched their focus to her. She smiled back taking in the curiosity filling their eyes. Regardless of their thoughts and reservations, no one dared cut Colin or her. Moments later, the polite conversation changed to his future plans and relief washed over her. People wanted him to confirm the rumors regarding his great comeback.

Colin
loosened his grip on her hand, and she took the opportunity to give him some space. He did great fielding people’s questions. Whether he realized it or not, since he’d accepted to play again, little by little he’d started to take back the reins of his old life.

Ariel sauntered around the room
and found her way out to a terrace overlooking the luscious gardens. Nightfall claimed the castle’s grounds and gas lights lit the pathways. She felt a princess in a castle waiting to be rescued by her prince charming when midnight stroke. Ariel giggled at the thought. A wave of sadness invaded her heart. She’d been a silly princess. Once upon a time, everything had been dolls, pink unicorns, and stardust. Somewhere along the way she’d misplaced her magic wand and ran out of dust too. Now, she faced real life. And real life turned out the exact opposite of pretty. It was pretty darn complicated.
Tanner, where are you? I miss you. Come back to me.

“
Unbelievable. He already left you alone,” a woman said from behind.

Penelope
’s high-pitched voice crawled over Ariel’s skin, raising the hairs on the back of her neck in a Freddy Krueger kind of way. The dark of the night surrounding her didn’t make her feel any safer either.

“
Penelope.” Ariel glanced in Penelope’s direction, gripping the clutch in her hands. “I didn’t know you’d be here.”

“Why aren’t you afraid of Colin?”
Penelope asked.

Ariel furrowed her brow
, facing her. “Do I need to be?” The woman really looked Freddy Krueger scary. Any lingering doubts about it were gone.

Penelope
studied the terrace, taking a drink from her champagne flute. “Colin and I used to be an item before his fiancée died. Or, should I say before Valerie was murdered?”

Did
she hear right? Ariel pressed her lips into a fine line, praying someone came to her rescue soon. “Are you saying he cheated on his fiancée with you?” Her gut feeling told her believing anything coming out of Penelope’s mouth wouldn’t be wise, yet the woman succeeded planting the seed of doubt.

Penelope
threw her head back with a creepy laugh. “I wouldn’t say he cheated, exactly. Colin tried to break the engagement, but Valerie wouldn’t let him walk out. Even after Colin told her he was in love with me.” Penelope drank from her glass. “They fought all the time. Colin couldn’t help it and came running to me for comfort.” She downed the remainder of her drink.

D
umbfounded, Ariel stared at the woman, trying to make sense of what had to be the biggest lie or the biggest secret. The man Penelope described didn’t match the version of Colin Ariel knew. She knitted her brow as understanding dawned on her. Ariel loved his music, had enough knowledge of his career, and knew his ways in bed, but none of it meant she knew the man behind the mask.

The events of the night of the crime played in her head.
She’d attended Colin’s private showcase and he’d left in a hurry minutes after his performance ended. The next morning, he’d been all over the news, accused of murdering his fiancée, which Ariel refused to believe. How could a man be in two places at once?

“Colin spent all his nights
making love to me. Valerie knew. Oh God, did she know? She didn’t care. She wanted him back and he wanted to be free. One day she was alive, next she turned up dead.” Penelope waved her free hand. “I was scared for my life at first.”

Penelope
palmed her chest. “I thought what if he’d killed her out of love for me, you know? The police cleared it all. According to them, she’d been cheating on Colin for quite some time. I’ll never understand why she didn’t want to let him go if she had someone else.” Penelope clinked the champagne flute with her ring.

T
he way she narrated the story made Ariel want to find out what really happened. Something didn’t sound right. “How did she die?” Ariel asked.

Penelope
shrugged. “
Je ne sais pas.
I don’t know. The police found Colin’s handgun and fingerprints. Even with that kind of proof, they couldn’t convict him.”

“Why?”

Penelope leaned forward, lifting her brow. “You have access to his study, yes?”

Ariel
frowned. “Yes.”

“
Good, search there. The details of Valerie’s death and why he isn’t in jail have never come to light. It doesn’t mean he doesn’t have them or that he’s not a murderer.” Penelope spun on her heel.

Ariel watched
her retreat into the room. She rubbed her temple and paced back and forth, trying to make sense of things. She’d fallen right into Penelope’s trap, allowing the venom in the other woman’s words to mess with her head. What if Colin hadn’t killed Valerie himself? What if he’d paid someone to do it? She didn’t feel safe anymore. God.

“Ariel?”

She flinched. “Logan,” she said, relieved to see him.

“Is everything okay?” he asked, concern in his voice.

She considered her words. “Everything’s fine. Hey, do you know anything about the tragic death of Colin’s fiancée?”

He wrinkled his brow.
“Don’t trust anything Penelope says.”

“
Why?” she asked.

“Don’t dig
up skeletons. You may be sorry you did.” His words sounded more like a warning than friendly advice.

A sickening cold sweat broke through her body,
nausea rose to her throat, and everything spun around. “Can you take me home?”

“
I thought you’d come with—”

“
I’m not feeling well,” she said, hoping he wouldn’t ask anything else.

He
glanced in the direction of the crowd then at her. “Come on.” He placed his hand on the small of her back and guided her down the terrace’s stairs.

****

Logan seemed deep in thought on the way home. Even though the drive back took the same forty minutes, it felt like hours. Her stomach was in knots. If throwing up her guts fixed what she felt, she’d do it. She breathed in and out. Her hands dampened with a maddening cold sweat that refused to leave her body.

Ariel needed time alone
to think. When Colin found her gone from the party he’d be upset. She’d no idea what she’d say when he confronted her demanding to know why she’d left without him. Ariel was too exhausted to think of any excuses.

Logan drove up the gravel path and stopped the car
across from the steps to the entrance. She mumbled a
thank you
, and got out of the car without giving him a chance to say anything or walk her in. She ran up the steps and burst through the entrance door, heading straight to Colin’s study.

Penelope
’s words wouldn’t stop playing in Ariel’s head. She wished her mind had a stop and erase button. Ariel rubbed her temple, pacing around his study. Bookshelves overfilled with books from floor-to-ceiling surrounded her. She felt the walls of the large room closing in on her.

What
did Penelope say?
Bad, bad, bad, Ariel
. She balled her hands into fists, walking to the large oak desk. Ariel pulled the drawers open, not knowing what to search for, yet hoping to find something that’d show her what she dealt with. She scanned the papers in the folders she came across. Nothing stood out to her. There wasn’t anything to corroborate even one word of what Penelope said, proving her a total liar.

The woman
had to be jealous of her. There wasn’t another explanation. The things she’d told Ariel were preposterous. She’d been a fool for allowing Penelope to mess with her mind so much she now snooped around in Colin’s study. Of all the stupid things she’d ever done, this topped them all.

Ariel
paced the room, dragging her fingertips along the bookshelves when her fingers fell into an indent, getting her out of her scatter-brained state. She turned to the shelves, focusing on the barely visible gap. She stepped back to study the shelf, noticing it wasn’t leveled with the rest.

There were three books
on their backs placed in front of a few others stacked in a standing position. Ariel removed the three books then reached for the ones on the back, surprised to find they were faux books. She touched the smallest one with her index finger, pulling it forward and a latch clicked, startling her. No. It couldn’t be. A secret compartment? Ariel gripped the shelf to open it.

The door to the study was thrown opened.
“Why the hell did you leave?” Colin barged in the room.

Ariel put the books back on the shelf and pushed it back
, praying it’d close and look the way it did before she’d discovered its existence. Her heart raced so fast, she heard the thrumming in her ears. A wave of heat replaced her cold sweat. She’d been caught with her hands in the cookie jar.

“You were my date. You were supposed to stay there with me.” Colin walked
toward her with intent in every step. His bow tie and the first two buttons of his shirt were already undone. “You left with Logan. Why?” His eyes grew darker.