Authors: Michelle Love
Sabine Karlsson was in another hotel across the city, also fucking, this evening’s lover above her, thrusting hard – almost too hard – Sabine winced a couple of times.
‘Too rough,
ma
cherie
?’
She smiled and shook her head. ‘No, not at all.’
After he’d come, she slipped off the bed and padded to the bathroom. She heard the Frenchman zip up his pants then the door to the room close.
Good
– she hated it when she had to go through the whole ‘Look, this has been fun but…’ part. It was better when they just understood it was a fuck, not true love.
She showered quickly then slipped into her shorts and tee-shirt, switching on the t.v.
and
grabbing her iPad. She checked her email – she had Google alerts on both Arlo and his little Indian princess. Nothing new today. She also looked for an email from her new…acquaintance. He had told her his name was Naveen and that he was from California. She had no reason to disbelieve him – except she did. The accent for one thing. Naveen was hiding something.
Not that she cared. Unlike the poor Frenchman who had just left, Sabine wanted more from Naveen. He had been an incredible lover – almost as good a lover as Arlo – and after two nights, he had bid her ‘farewell…but not, I hope, goodbye.’
That simple sentence had her hanging on every buzz of her phone for his call like some damn lovesick teenager. She’d tried to Google
him,
but a simple search of ‘Naveen California’ didn’t really cut it. She threw the iPad aside in frustration. She hated being a man’s beck and call. Back in Sweden, with her family, she’d been the only girl in a family of three brothers – all of whom treated her like she was their personal slave. When she left at sixteen, she vowed – never again. Her glacial beauty – and willingness to fuck anybody to get ahead – meant that she rose to the top of the
modeling
world easily. She hadn’t made any friends on the way up – indeed, she was one of the most reviled amongst her fellow
models,
but she couldn’t have cared less. When her star finally began to wane, there had been Arlo – Arlo who had been the
most handsome
, richest, and charming of them all. God, she had loved him desperately – so much she’d walked away from a huge job for a major design house – one that would set her up for life. The design house wanted an ‘older model’ – read over
twenty-five
– to be their brand spokesmodel for the next twenty years, to go from young to middle-aged with the brand to bring in all age ranges. She was to be the first – the standard-bearer for this new type of
campaign,
and she would have earned a quarter of a billion over twenty years. But it meant staying in New York full-time – and Arlo was a West Coast man.
He’d told her to do the job, that it would set her up for life – but she couldn’t bear to leave him. Well – that was mostly the reason. The other reason was – she was scared, Scared that her fellow models would laugh at her, having her
aging
process documented and displayed for the world to see. The bitching campaign had already begun - and so she cut her losses, told the brand ‘thank you but it’s time to focus on my
family.'
She could have sworn, Jessica, the leading
editor,
looked relieved. But she’d walked away with grace and less than twenty-four hours later; the brand announced the Merry Widow, Monica Lascelles, as their figurehead. So far, Monica, ten years Sabine’s senior and an even bigger bitch than Sabine was, had earned just shy of five hundred million and she, Sabine, was
scraping
by on the last of Arlo’s goodwill. It galled her that it had Monica – the two of them had never gotten along; Sabine jealous of the older woman’s terrible beauty, dark eyes, dark hair, a body with breakneck curves and a mind devoid of morals. Sabine rather admired that about her.
Curious, she took up her iPad again and searched ‘Monica Lascelles’, checking out what else her rival had been up to the intervening years. She’d married an English Lord – one who she had dumped years before but who still held a candle for her – and had cut back on the
modeling
. Sabine snorted. Monica was nearly sixty
now,
and Sabine knew, the jobs for women that age
were
few and far between but then again, with the massive fashion house contract and a rich husband, she didn’t need to work. She certainly didn’t cut down on the partying. The society pages were full of the woman and her ‘friends’. Monica was still stunning, Sabine had to admit, and then something struck her. A photograph of Monica when she was younger…there was something familiar. Sabine stared at it, trying to make the connection then it came to her.
‘No way,’ she murmured and went back to the search engine.
Monica Lascelles children,
she typed in and pressed enter. She read down the information page. Two children by her late husband…Arjun Malhotra. No names or genders of the children. That was strange. She clicked on the images
tab,
but no pictures with Monica and her children existed on the web. That was weird. Sabine got up and went to get her bag, grabbed some of the photos her detective had taken of Arlo and his new paramour. She placed the picture of Cosima alongside the images of Monica, her eyes flicking between the two. ‘Fucking A,’ she hissed, shaking her head. The resemblance was unmistakable.
Arlo’s new lover was Monica Lascelles’ daughter.
Cosima watched Harpa packing the last of her books into a box and sighed. ‘Are you sure you don’t want me to come help you settle in?’
Harpa smiled at her older sister. ‘No, Momma Bear, I’ll be fine. The less there is, the easier it’ll be.’
Cosima nodded. ‘Got it. Damn, this day came around so quickly.’ Her voice
wobbled,
and Harpa hugged her, chuckling.
‘I’m a plane ride away, Cos, less than a day. I’ll call you every other day if you like, or at least text. I promise. Now, let’s go enjoy our sister time.
Harpa’s flight left at noon the following day so this evening was all about them spending quality time together. ‘I warn you,’ Cosima told her now, ‘I was home all day
cooking,
so I hope you’re hungry.’
‘From the amazing smell, I guessed as much,’ Harpa smiled, ‘And I’ve brought treats too.’ She went to grab a large paper sack she’d left near the door. She pulled out a large green bottle. ‘Fizz for us, chocolates, potato chips…even some Indian sweets from this deli I found.’
She waved the box of sweets under Cosima’s nose, grinning, knowing her sister couldn’t resist the delicious cakes. Cosima swooned. ‘Gimme.’
Harpa whipped them away from her. ‘Not until you show me the goodies.’
Cosima laughed and hauled her into the kitchen. She laid out their feast; naan bread, curries, sag aloo, tarka dahl – and French fries. They sat and talked while they ate; reminiscing on the time they’d spent in the apartment.
‘It’s strange; we’ve only been here a few
months,
but it feels so much longer. So much has happened here.’
Harpa smiled. ‘You fell in love.’
‘You like Arlo, don’t you?’
‘Very much, sis, very much. I wouldn’t have felt like I could leave you unless you had
him
here to protect you. Not that you can’t look after yourself,’
she
added in a
hurry,
but Cosima nodded.
‘Wouldn’t it be nice to just not have that hanging over us all the time? To be able to be truly free of our past?’
Harpa rolled her eyes. ‘Goes without saying but I don’t think it’ll ever happen. Do you worry about it all the time?’
Cosima considered. ‘Most of the time I try to forget it. Most of the time, it would be very hard to get to me…I worry about your safety more than my own.’
Harpa squeezed her arm. ‘Don’t worry. What with Jack and now Arlo’s fleet of bodyguards, I’ll be fine.’
Cosima was silent for a minute. ‘I’m not sure Arlo is a big fan of Jack’s.’
Harpa was surprised. ‘Really? Why?’
Cosima looked uncomfortable, her face scarlet. ‘He thinks Jack’s in love with me.’
Harpa shrugged. ‘He is. Has been for years. But you knew that, right?’
Cosima stared at her sister and slowly shook her head. ‘I had no idea.’
Harpa laughed. ‘Dude…how the hell did you manage to get Arlo? Did you think it happened magically? Look in the mirror.’
‘I propositioned Arlo, not the other way around.’
‘You did? Cosima Bedi, I never knew you had it in you…’ Harpa was
impressed,
and Cosima chuckled.
‘Do you blame me?’
‘Hell, no. Arlo’s a catch but then, so are you, Cos. I wish you’d realize that more.’
Cosima, embarrassed, changed the subject. ‘Well, what about you? Will you be looking for someone new in Seattle?’
Harpa snorted. ‘No way. I’m done with men until at least after I’ve
graduated
and found a new job.’ She yawned
suddenly,
and Cosima grinned.
‘Unless you want to feel like a zombie on the plane tomorrow, I suggest you get some sleep. I’ll clear up in here.’
Harps nodded, pulling herself up. ‘Are you going over to Arlo’s tonight?’
‘No. I’m staying here tonight. Get some sleep, I love you.’
‘Love you too.’
Harpa got into bed and lay back on the pillows, listening to Cosima clear the plates in the kitchen. ‘My last night here,’ she murmured and sighed. She was looking forward to starting her new life tomorrow.
It seemed to the man who called himself Naveen that the Malhotra sisters were now surrounded with top level protection. The FBI and now Forrester private security service had the two women’s safety locked
down,
and he would find it very hard to get close enough to them. Time to reconsider his plans…
Harpa, the younger sister – as far as he was concerned, she didn’t really figure into it. If he could kill her too, it would be a bonus but for the moment, all his focus was on Cosima. She haunted his dreams and his waking
thought,
and now it had become more than fulfilling his family’s wish for her death; it had become his obsession. He wanted her…badly. He wanted to fuck that glorious body of hers before he ended her life, slowly, painfully, torturing her until she begged for his bullets. Then he would shoot her in the belly, watch her bleed out…god, it made him hard just thinking about it. But Arlo Forrester would not easily let harm come to her…
Which was why Sabine Karlsson was so useful, so pliable. He knew he had left her wanting more, that she would obsess over him. Leave her dangling for a few days then call her, fuck her, and see just how useful she could be. If he’d got the measure of her the last time, it was that she didn’t like to lose, that she was sociopathic enough that he could tell her what he
wanted,
and she would help him make it happen. Cosima’s murder would be front page news – and now he had someone to frame for it…
Harpa and Jack stepped out into the Seattle sunshine. He turned to grin at her. ‘Here we are, at last.’
Harpa grinned although inside she felt sick with nerves. It was happening, she was here, a country away from the only family she knew, and it was time to strike out on her own. She had originally planned to stay
in
the college
dorms,
but Jack had persuaded her against it for security reasons.
Jack drove the rental car to her new apartment
block,
and as they walked in, Harpa nodded a black sedan parked across the street. The driver nodded at
her,
and she smiled. Arlo’s security team. It made her feel good, feel safe, knowing they were
there,
and it was a link back to her sister – who no doubt had the matching pair at home.
Thank
God
,
Harpa thought now as they rode the elevator to her floor,
because for a while now I’ve had this feeling that I can’t shake. That something might happen. That someone might hurt Cosima, that she isn’t safe.
Which was ridiculous, she reasoned, her sister was safer now than ever. But
still,
it nagged at her.
‘Hey, space cadet, we’re here.’ Jack nudged her as the elevator doors opened and they stepped out. Her door was the closest to the elevator – convenient for late night food runs, she smiled. Jack unlocked the apartment door and went in; his men had already swept it before they arrived but always on the lookout, Jack palmed his pistol and darted from room-to-room. Harpa ignored him and went straight to the large window in the living room. The view was incredible…Harpa turned to Jack as he was tucking his pistol away.
‘Dude…tell me again how you found this apartment – and how the hell it’s so cheap?’
Jack had the grace to smile sheepishly. ‘Probably something you should talk to your sister’s boyfriend about.’
Harpa’s mouth fell open. Arlo…has found this apartment? For her? She felt tears prick her eyes, and when Jack indicated a huge fruit basket on the kitchen counter, she found a note from her benefactor.
Hey Harpa,
I hope you don’t think this is overstepping the
mark,
but I wanted both you and Cos to feel you could be safe in Seattle alone – ish. The place is yours for as long as you want – rent free. Live, love, enjoy – please. I know you want to make it on your
own,
and there’s nothing I admire more – just think of this as a gift from a brother to a sister. It’s not charity, it’s a helping hand.
So please, enjoy,
All best,
Arlo x
Harpa felt a tear escape at his generosity. ‘God…’ she groaned, ‘How bummed am I Cosima got to meet him first?’
She was sorry she said that when Jack looked away from
her,
and she went to hug him. ‘Sorry, dude.’
Jack smiled at her brightly. ‘About what? Come on, let’s give you the tour then I’ll take you for something to eat.’
In the end, they didn’t go out but ordered
pizza,
and it wasn’t until it arrived that Harpa found that the kitchen had been fully stocked, the refrigerator and freezer stuffed full of fresh produce and meats. A full spice rack sat on the counter. Harpa shook her head. ‘I’m sure I just walked into a dream. Fairy
godfather
.’
Jack snorted with laughter then checked the time. ‘Listen, kiddo, I have to eat and run, I’m afraid. I’m getting the red-eye back to New York tonight.’