Authors: Cathy Pegau
“I—I don’t know what to say.” She forced a smile. “Thank you.”
Guy shrugged and sat beside her, his hand drifting from the back of her neck to her shoulder, down her arm. The matching ring on his finger flashed in the fire’s light. “You’re welcome. I like seeing you in pretty things. So I guess it’s good you didn’t bring much with you, because I want you to get yourself anything you want while you’re here.”
“I won’t—I don’t want to take advantage.” She’d almost said she didn’t plan on staying that long, but caught herself just in time.
“No such thing from you.” He patted her hand. “Besides, I’m having a few business friends over tomorrow night before I head to Weaver, and I want you to join us. Order something appropriate to wear and have it sent here.”
Something in her brain broke through the haze of anguish caused by the ruby, a way to get herself and Kylie to Sterling. “It’s been so long since I’ve done any shopping. I’d like to go into town to try things on. I’ll get a better fit that way.”
Guy’s grin stayed fixed in place as his gaze went to the ruby at her breast. The small stone suddenly felt as if it weighed a kilo. “I can take you anywhere you want to go.”
Panic rose in Sasha’s throat, making it feel as if the gold chain was a too-small choker. “You don’t want to be bothered with shopping.” She gave him the best coy smile she could manage and said, “Besides, I want to surprise you.”
Playing up to him had always worked in the past, and Sasha was relieved when he laughed and nodded. “Fine. I’ll have Jake drive you.”
Having one of his men with them wasn’t ideal, but to refuse would make Guy suspicious.
“Can I take Kylie with me?” If she could, if they could get away, this whole thing would end today. The thought made her giddy, but she still had Guy to contend with until they were free. “I need another woman’s opinion, since I haven’t kept up with trends for so long. And some retail therapy might help her forget about amber for a little while.”
He frowned for a fraction of a second. Then his handsome face smoothed into contemplation. “Sure. You two go, have a nice lunch and get some girl time in. I have work to catch up on anyway.”
Guy rose. Taking measure of the glint in his eyes, Sasha knew what was expected of her, knew this was not the time to defy him. Not if she wanted to take advantage of going into Pandalus with Kylie. She stood and touched her lips to his cheek.
Two days ago, he was the solicitous one, asking for forgiveness, asking for permission to touch her. How quickly the tide had turned.
To her great surprise—and relief—he made no move to kiss her back. He simply nodded and left the salon.
Sasha stayed in the cozy little room that seemed to grow colder despite the fire and waited until she heard the sound of his office door closing. She forced herself not to run to the elevator in the main hall, but walked with her arms stiffly swinging at her sides. The weight of the ruby dragged on her neck like the proverbial millstone.
Sin will do that to you, girl
. Sasha thought she’d paid for her sins already, but maybe this was a new batch.
She wanted to snatch the necklace from her throat and fling it as far away as she could. His “gift” was more of a danger than the chip in her neck could ever be. Damn the void. She’d let Guy think he could move ahead much too soon.
A rhythmic pulse beat between her eyes.
Sasha slapped the elevator call panel. Stepping inside, she thumbed the icon for the second floor then punched the wall as the door slid closed. She brought her scraped knuckle to her mouth and realized the elevator had already been programmed to read her print. Guy had kept her bios on file. Like he’d expected her to move back in someday. The coppery taste in her mouth nearly gagged her.
A hand slid into the gap of the door and the safety mechanism opened it again. Marco stood on the other side, his dark brows drawn in a frown.
“Mind if I ride up with you?” A rhetorical question as he stepped into the car, blocking the controls.
Sasha’s entire body tensed and chilled. Her fingers throbbed in time with the pounding in her head. She lowered her hand and moved aside. Farther from the panel, but easier access to the door. Being alone with Marco was the last thing she wanted, even for the seconds it would take to reach the next floor.
He tapped the icon for the fourth floor, Guy’s private rooms. Marco stood beside her, staring at the panel. She could see no sign of the beating Sterling had given him. Did he suspect she knew his assailant?
The door closed.
One floor, and then I can get away from him.
The one winked out and Marco slapped the Stop icon before it became a two. He turned to her, his frown deeper. Sasha flinched back, her heart jumping in her chest. But where could she go? Then again, what could he do here?
“I tried getting hold of you yesterday,” he said. “Don’t like the idea of discussing personal business like this, but you didn’t answer.”
Sasha had to think for a moment. The unregistered call on her comm? How had he managed that?
“Do us both a favor,” he said in a low, dangerous tone. “Keep our little liaisons a few years ago to yourself.”
She swallowed some fear as anger seeped in to replace it. “Afraid of what Guy will do to you?”
Marco smiled like a terrashark in pursuit of its favorite meal. “Do to
us,
you mean. We’ll both live a lot longer if he doesn’t learn you used to spread your legs for me to get high.”
Her stomach heaved at the mere thought of what they did. Sasha crossed her arms over her middle. “You used me as much as I used you.”
“Oh, I’m not denying that, sweetness, but I’m sure Guy will be torqued enough to kill both of us.” He leaned toward her, and Sasha had to dig her fingers into her sides to keep from lashing out at him. “We’ll help each other here and call it good, yeah?”
Behind the attempt to intimidate her, there was fear in his eyes. If Guy learned of her history with the bastard, they were both dead. But she had one advantage Marco lacked—Guy loved her. There was a slight chance she’d survive Guy’s anger. Marco wouldn’t, and he knew it.
“Just leave me alone,” she said.
He remained where he was, staring her down. Her head pounded and her body trembled, but she didn’t flinch. Finally, he nodded and moved back.
“I’m glad we came to an agreement.” He tapped the panel. The elevator began moving again.
I bet you are
.
When the door opened, she turned sideways to keep from touching him as she exited the car and forced herself to walk at a normal pace toward Kylie’s room. She felt his eyes on her back until she heard the doors close. Sasha released a shaky breath. Her entire body felt cold, and she shook as she knocked on Kylie’s door.
Kylie answered, smiling when she saw Sasha. “I was just about to shower. Come on in.”
Sasha followed her. “I could come back later.”
“No, I’ll just be a few minutes.” For someone who’d nearly overdosed and had a restless night, she seemed in a good mood. “Make yourself at home,” she said as she went into the lav and shut the door.
Sasha sank onto the bed and rubbed her eyes. Damn the void, what was she going to do? Why had she agreed to this? All she wanted was to start over, and now she had the three men pulling her in so many directions she didn’t know which way was up. First Sterling this morning, telling her he cared for her. Then Guy with his damn necklace. Now Marco. She needed to get away from them all, just for a little while.
Sasha lowered her hands and opened her eyes. Directly in her line of site, the blue marble box sat on Kylie’s dresser. The box that held a chunk of amber. Her heart thudded hard in her chest.
That would help.
No! She stood and turned her back on it, closing her eyes as she drew in a deep breath. Cinnamon and citrus tickled the back of her throat. Or was that just her imagination? Sasha pressed her fingers against her eyes. Damn it, weren’t the nanos in her chip supposed to help the cravings? Maybe the detector Jake used in The Morrissey had damaged it enough to allow her to think about using again. The Morrissey, where amber was doled out like candy at a kid’s party.
Just a little. To take the edge off.
Images flashed through her mind. Of Guy offering her the ruby necklace, a gift that would chain her to him until he decided otherwise. Of Marco, a knowing grin on his dark face as he loomed over her.
Nathan, help me!
Sasha opened her eyes, her heart racing. She stood in front of the dresser, trembling hands on the cool lid of the blue marble box. Her throat ached as she swallowed.
Just a little
.
She lifted the lid and stared at the dark, orange-brown lump in its velvet bed.
* * *
Sterling handed his coat to Kenneth the doorman. He felt naked without his pulser, but the stunner tucked away in an ankle holster under his pant leg was better than nothing. First lesson taught at CMA training: expect trouble and be prepared. Too bad training hadn’t prepared him for the likes of this job.
“Mr. Christiansen is waiting in his office,” Kenneth said.
No one met him in the hall, and the rooms he passed were empty. It was nearly midday. Too early for Christiansen’s friends to be up and working, if that’s what you could call it. When he’d commed the drug dealer, Sterling had asked for Sasha to attend their impromptu meeting, but Christiansen hadn’t confirmed she’d be there. How would she react to seeing him after this morning? He might find out soon enough.
Sterling rubbed his hands together and knocked. The door swung open, and Christiansen stood up from the chair at his desk. No Sasha. Sterling felt a heaviness lift from his chest. He wouldn’t have to pretend with her quite yet.
Christiansen came around, meeting Sterling in the middle of the room, and they shook hands. “Hello, Nate.”
“Hello, Mr. Chri—Guy.” They grinned at each other, both knowing that being on a first-name basis meant nothing as far as equality was concerned. “Thanks for seeing me on such short notice.”
“Not a problem.” He gestured for Sterling to take one of the seats in front of the desk. To Sterling’s surprise, Christiansen sat in the other one, not behind the desk. “What can I do for you?”
Sterling shifted in the chair, as if he couldn’t quite get comfortable. “I’ve been debating whether or not to come here about this but...it’s about Delhomme.”
Christiansen stilled, and his eyes narrowed. “What about him?”
“To be honest with you, I don’t like him.” That was the understatement of the year, but Sterling hoped to throw as much uncertainty between Christiansen and Delhomme as he could to distract the drug dealer from himself, Sasha and Kylie. “I know he’s your operation’s second and a trusted employee—” the drug dealer’s jaw muscles bunched, “—but the man torques me to no end.”
“How so?”
“The other night, he came up to me at your party and said something about reporting
only
to him. That he’d be the one running Kettrick, and I shouldn’t bother you with anything.” Sterling held his hands palm out in supplication. “Now, I know you’re a busy man, and dealing with Delhomme is like dealing with you. His word is yours, right?”
A sneer twitched across Christiansen’s face.
“If he’s handling Kettrick on his own, then I guess I have no choice. But I’d feel better knowing you approved everything that went on.”
“Of course I’d have to approve it,” Christiansen said coldly. After talking to Sasha about the drug dealer’s concerns over Delhomme horning in on his territory, Sterling knew this would hit right on target.
“Good,” Sterling said. “Thank you.”
“While I’m on Weaver, Marco will oversee things, but when I get back we can assess what you’ve experienced with him. Fair enough?”
Sterling held his gaze for a moment then sighed in relief and nodded. “Sounds good. I don’t want to make things difficult, but I don’t like the idea of being used for someone else’s agenda, you know?”
“You think Marco has an agenda?”
“I don’t know, but he certainly comes off that way. To me.” Sterling shrugged then smiled. “But it could just be a personal thing.”
Christiansen’s responding grin was slow to form and looked forced. “Could be. I’m sure you’ll work that out.” He stood and started toward the door. “Care to join me for lunch?”
Sterling followed him. “Sure. Thanks.”
Christiansen opened the door as Genevieve Caine raised her hand to knock.
“Sorry to interrupt, sir.” She looked past Christiansen and gave Sterling a curt nod before focusing on her boss again. “I have those distribution numbers you wanted to see.”
“Nate, I have to deal with this. Go on ahead. I’ll be with you in a minute.”
Sterling nodded to him and Caine then made his way down the hall. He rounded the corner to the foyer and heard giggling just as two people came at him from the opposite direction. He instinctively grabbed the person to keep them from running into him and found himself face to face with his sister.
Damn the void.
The laughing stopped as Kylie and Sasha both stared at him.
Kylie’s eyes widened, glassy from the amber she must have recently taken. “Nathan? What are you doing here?”
Sterling looked her over as if assessing a victim. Other than her eyes, she seemed healthy and well-groomed in her sleeveless blue dress. He gripped her shoulders, as glad to see her as he was anxious about them being caught recognizing each other. No helping that now. “Are you all right?”
Kylie shot a worried glance toward Sasha, but Sasha looked past him, down the hall toward Christiansen’s office. Kylie didn’t know he and Sasha were together.
“I’m fine,” Kylie said, twisting out of his grasp, angry now. “Why are you here?”
He couldn’t have planned it any better. With both of them right in front of him and no Christiansen in site, the time was now.
He grabbed her hand and started to drag her toward the front door. “Getting you out. Come on.”
She pulled out of his hold with a strength he hadn’t expected. “No, I like it here. I’m staying. Leave me alone or...or I’m telling Guy who you are.”