Promise: The Deception Trilogy, Book 3

by Fallon Hart

  He deserved everything he wanted in life.

  Quentin took my hand and surprised me by pulling me in for a manly hug. I chuckled and slapped him on the shoulder before pulling back. “Congratulations, my friend.”

  “Thanks.” He grinned. “I’m scared shitless.”

  “As all smart men would be.”

  We let go of each other so Scarlett could hug Quentin and I could embrace Amelia. When we settled back at the table, Scarlett asked Amelia how far along she was.

  “Sixteen weeks.”

  Our wives talked what felt like another language for a while, and Quentin and I shared bemused looks.

  “So what about you two?” Amelia suddenly asked.

  I tensed.

  Scarlett frowned. “What about us?”

  “When are you going to start trying?”

  “Jesus, Amelia, way put them on the spot,” Quentin threw her a ‘be quiet’ look.

  "It's fine," Scarlett assured them and then turned to me. Her expression was tender. She could make me do anything when she looked at me like that.

  Blasted woman.

  "We're good," she reached for my hand, and I curled mine around hers. "I think we're going to spend the next few years selfishly enjoying each other before we think about that."

  Pleased as fuck, I murmured, "I'm not going to argue with that."

  I wanted a family with Scarlett, but I wanted her to myself for a while longer yet.

  It was good we were on the same page.

  “You two are so in love it’s sickening,” Amelia wrinkled her nose at us and then at her husband, “No wonder people got tired of being around us if we’re like that.”

  He just grinned at her.

  Scarlett laughed.

  And that was all I needed.

  My wife. Beside me. Laughing.

  ◆◆◆

  Scarlett

  A few days after Amelia and Quentin told us their happy news it was my day off and I was at the club. I’d been in the kitchen discussing next week’s menu with Chef when one of the wait staff who had been sent up with the mid-morning snack I’d sent to Griff came scurrying in, pale-faced.

  “Jack,” I called out. “Something wrong?”

  He blanched at the sight of me. “No, Mrs. Mandeville.”

  Xavier came hurrying into the kitchen. He searched the room and pinched his lips when he saw Jack. “Are you alright?”

  “I’m fine.” Jack nodded.

  “What’s going on?”

  Xavier glanced around at the listening staff. “Mrs. Mandeville, I’d like to discuss the changes you suggested to the Hazard room.”

  Changes? I hadn’t suggested any changes—Oh.

  i.e. ‘we need to talk in private.'

  I nodded and followed him out into the quiet foyer. “What’s going on?”

  “Perhaps you would like to see to Mr. Mandeville.” He kept a straight face. “Jack, unfortunately, entered his office first without knocking while Mr. Mandeville was in the middle of an important call and then he preceded to spill soda water all over your husband’s lap.”

  I covered my mouth, not knowing whether I wanted to gasp in horror or laugh. Amusement tinged my words. "Oh, poor Jack."

  “Yes. Mr. Mandeville fired him.”

  "Oh." I winced. "Please, you go speak to Jack and tell him he's not fired. But do remind him to knock first." I could only imagine the more private things he could walk in on if he didn't. "I'll go see to Griff."

  To save time I took the elevator and not wanting my head snapped off for interrupting him, I walked into his third-floor office without knocking. His scowl cleared when he saw it was me. He was standing at his desk, talking on his cell.

  “Yes, I understand,” he said on the phone. “We’ll talk later.”

  He hung up and gestured to his suit pants. “Soda water. All over me.”

  I bit my lip. “I know.”

  Griff narrowed his eyes. “It’s not funny. The boy is incompetent.”

  Shutting his door, I strode over to him. "It sounds like you were annoyed before he spilled water on your lap."

  He shook his head, throwing the cell on his desk. “Remind me never to take on two construction projects at once. Just when I think one is going smoothly, the other derails.”

  I frowned. “What’s happening?”

  “Nothing.” He waved off my concern. “It’s fixable. Just a pain in the arse.”

  “Well.” I stepped into him and reached for the top button on his pants. “I know a way to get you out of these wet pants and relax you.”

  He slid his hands over my hips and ass, his lids lowering over his eyes. “Oh really.”

  I nodded and deliberately yanked down the zip next.

  His cock thickened.

  Squirming with want, I lowered to my knees as I pulled his pants and boxers down to his ankles.

  “Fuck, Scarlett, what are you doing?” he stroked my hair as his erection bobbed above me.

  “Stress reliever,” I replied. And then I slid his hot, throbbing erection into my mouth.

  “Jesus,” he groaned, his hands threading tightly through my hair for leverage as he began to fuck my mouth.

  I devoured him. Sucking hard. Licking the throbbing vein on the underside. He was too big to fit in my mouth entirely so I licked and sucked as much as I could while using my hand to pump the base and massage his balls.

  “Fuck, look at you,” his chest heaved. “Look at you take me.”

  I looked up at him as I sucked him and felt him swell even more as our eyes connected.

  “I love you,” Griff’s hips moved faster. “Goddammit, I love you.”

  So lost in each other we never heard the knock.

  “Oh my God!” a feminine voice shrieked.

  “Christ!” Griff tried unsuccessfully to cover me as he popped out of my mouth.

  Evangeline Pierce stood in the doorway, looking horrified.

  “Oh my God,” she repeated before slapping a hand over her eyes and stumbling out of the room. Xavier’s arm appeared—just his arm—and the door slammed closed.

  My cheeks were flushed, but I had to admit I wasn't embarrassed.

  Female possessiveness swept through me.

  Griff gave me an apologetic look. “I forgot I had an appointment with her today.”

  “She can wait.” I slid his cock back into my mouth.

  "You can't be serious… shit, you're serio—fuck, Scarlett," he groaned and just like that he was back to fucking my mouth. Broadway star forgotten.

  After he came and tried his best to clean up with some tissue, he gave me a faintly admonishing look as I got up off my knees. Zipping his pants back up he sighed. “You kept going deliberately.”

  “Of course I did.” I pressed a kiss to his mouth. “If she’s still out there I wanted her to hear me make you come.”

  He smirked, enjoying my possessiveness. “Darling, she saw you giving me a blowjob. I think that whatever point you ever wanted to make to her, that probably did it.”

  I laughed and nodded. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”

  “Our appointment today was to discuss her closing her membership before the year is over. She hasn’t gotten much use out of it.”

  "Meaning," I helped him set himself to rights, "She didn't get what she wanted. You."

  “I don’t know that.”

  “I do.”

  “Hmm.” He kissed my nose. “I need to clean up and change my clothes. Will you see to our guest while I change?”

  "Oh, that's mean," I huffed.

  “What happened to your earlier bravado?” he teased.

  I rolled my eyes. "Fine. Change. I'll see to Ms. Pierce."

  Thankfully, however, I was informed by Xavier Ms. Pierce had left and would call to arrange another appointment.

  “I tried to ask her to wait for Mr. Mandeville’s response before entering the office, Mrs. Mandeville, but she barged past me.”

  "Well, that's what she gets for being
rude."

  "Yes, Mrs. Mandeville. And I'd like to assure I didn't see anything."

  I patted him on the shoulder. "And for that, we're all grateful."

  “Yes, indeed, Mrs. Mandeville.”

  Griff returned to his office, and I told him Evangeline Pierce had left. I also told him her bursting in wasn't Xavier's fault.

  “People need to learn to knock,” he muttered.

  “And I need to learn to lock your door when I plan on going down on you in your office.”

  “Dirty girl,” he threw me a wicked smile before settling in his chair.

  “I’ll let you get on with work. Do you feel more relaxed?”

  “You know it. Thank you.”

  I gave him a pleased smile and headed toward his door.

  “I’ll repay the favor this evening,” Griff said quietly.

  Glancing over my shoulder at him I nodded. “You always do.”

  His expression softened. “I love you.”

  Warmth, joy, bliss, all the good stuff, suffused me. “I love you, too.”

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Scarlett

  After my parents and Eric died, I spent my life in a safe place, but it was empty because I wasn't living. Not really. I understood now why Angela used to worry about me so much. Why my sister used to take pot shots at me when I criticized her choices because as far as she was concerned at least she was taking bites out of life. While I hid from it.

  When Mel conned me into taking the job with Griff my life blew up into a succession of dramas. For a while, I was always anticipating a new drama could around the next corner. However, as passionate as my husband and I were about each other, I lost that worry. Our lives weren't regular, not with Griff's position and status, but also because of the intensity of our love. I was good with that. In fact, no matter what, I felt safe with Griff. I felt safe waking up every morning, and I stopped anticipating the next bad thing that might appear around the corner because if it did, I had my husband by my side.

  I guess that’s why what happened next sucker punched me so completely.

  ◆◆◆

  Hurrying down the back stairwell, I checked my watch for the hundredth time. I’d promised Amelia I’d pick her up in fifteen minutes and I didn’t know if I could make it through traffic to do that.

  I never liked to leave without saying goodbye to Griff if he was at the club, so I quickly darted down to his club office and knocked on the door. He told me I didn't need to knock, but it was only polite.

  “Yes?”

  “It’s Scarlett.”

  “Come in,” I heard the amusement in his voice.

  I opened the door wide enough to show my head. “I just wanted to let you know I’m going to pick up, Amelia.”

  My husband leaned back in his chair, his mouth curled at the corners. “What’s this for again?”

  “I said I’d take her to a baby clothing store on East Broadway.”

  “And why can I only see your head right now?”

  I grinned. “I’m running late. I need to go.”

  “Well if Muhammad won’t come to the mountain,” he muttered and got up out of his chair.

  “What are you…”

  He reached the door and bent his head to kiss me. “Have a good day.”

  Jesus Christ, how did I get so lucky? “You too.”

  I got another kiss, and then I was gone, hurrying down the stairs in my three inch Prada heels.

  Anna had returned to advise me on my spring/summer wardrobe and this time I just totally went with it. Being Griff's wife did mean having to appear a certain way. That was just the life. It wasn't me, but it also wasn't a burden, so I did what I had to do. If Griff could let down the walls he'd spent almost thirty years building then I could throw on some designer clothes to help him network.

  “Mrs. Mandeville, can I be of assistance?” Xavier called across the foyer to me as I stepped down onto it.

  “I’m on my way out.”

  “Would you like your car pulled around?”

  “I’m good!” I called over my shoulder, heading for the service kitchen that would take me to the garage.

  Smiling hello at the staff I passed, I hurried faster. I was going to be so late for Amelia. She wouldn't mind, but I hated not being punctual. For not the first time I cursed my tight pencil skirts. This one was so tight around the thighs I couldn't make the fast strides I needed to. Almost laughing at my hindrance of a wardrobe, I tottered out onto the garage and nearly went over on my ankle. Okay, I needed to slow down. It was either be late or not get to Amelia at all because I'd broken something.

  The small garage was empty as I hit the opener, listening to the large doors creak up and over as I headed toward my car. It was parked next to Griff’s Vantage. I stroked my hands lovingly over his car as I turned into mine.

  A hard body suddenly closed around mine, a tight hand clamping over my mouth.

  WHAT THE FUCK?

  My muffled yell sounded in my ears as I froze in confusion.

  Then I realized there was a cloth beneath the hand and some kind of chemical smell overwhelming my senses.

  I began to scream as I struggle against my captor, whose size suggested he was male, but they were muffled against the cloth. He successfully started dragging me backward. My mind raced as I fought and I tried to work out who my attacker was. What was going on? Why was this happening?

  And then it hit me.

  O’Connor.

  He'd sent someone for me after all.

  Oh God, no. Attempting to fight harder, I realized soon that although my brain was sending the signals to my body, my limbs were slowing. My mind was fogging.

  Then everything just went black.

  ◆◆◆

  Griffin

  My phone beeped. More to the point the alarm I'd set to let me know it was time to leave for lunch went off. I was meeting with my accountant. He was the driest man on earth and not the best lunch companion, but he was also a damn good accountant.

  I was just about to text Xavier to have him bring the car around when my phone rang in my hand.

  It was Amelia.

  I thought she was with Scarlett. I answered immediately. “Amelia?”

  "Hey Griff, I'm calling because I can't get hold of Scarlett. She was supposed to pick me up fifteen minutes ago. I've tried calling her cell, but it's just going to voicemail."

  Worry pierced me. "She left," I rechecked my watch, "Scarlett left to pick you up half an hour ago. Let me try her phone, and I'll get back to you."

  “Okay.”

  I hung up and quickly tried her mobile. Like Amelia said it went to voicemail.

  Hurrying out of the office, I texted Xavier, and he met me in the foyer downstairs. “Did Scarlett leave?”

  Xavier nodded. “About thirty minutes ago, sir.”

  “You brought her car around?”

  “She didn’t ask for it. She took it from the garage herself.”

  I made my way to the garage with Xavier at my back.

  At the sight of her car and the open garage doors, my heart started to race a little harder. Moving closer, I spotted something on the floor, and my whole body just went cold.

  A cold sweat.

  I bent down and picked up her purse.

  “Sir?” I heard Xavier’s concern.

  Whirling around as I stood I glowered at my butler. “Security tapes.”

  He nodded, and we both rushed back into the building. I'd never taken the stairs to my club office so fast in my fucking life. Throwing myself into the room, I hit the button on the back wall, and the bookcase slid apart to reveal the security cameras.

  Attempting to remain cool I rewound the tapes to thirty minutes.

  What I saw chilled my fucking blood.

  “Is that…?” Xavier stepped closer to the screen.

  “Pete.”

  Pete fucking Svenson grabbing my wife, hauling her out of the garage. The cameras outside caught him loading her into a small van
and driving off. As a murderous rage gathered in my gut, I paused the tape. The license plate was unreadable. It would need to be analyzed.

  “I’ll call the police, sir.”

  I shook my head. “Quentin. Call Quentin. The superintendent is a friend of his. I’ll call Dean. We need that fucking license plate.”

  "We'll find her, Griffin." Xavier turned to me, his expression was hard and determined. He hadn't used my name since I was a boy. "Nothing will happen to Scarlett."

  Fear threatened to unravel me. I breathed through it. “I’ll kill him, Xavier. I’ll kill him if he does anything to her.”

  “And you know I’ll help you bury the body if he does,” My butler said succinctly. “But we’re not going to the let bastard get even close to hurting her.”

  No. He was right. I snatched up my phone and called Dean. We’d find them. We had to find them. The alternative was no option at all.

  ◆◆◆

  Scarlett

  My mouth felt dry. My head thick. Stinging pain radiated from the back of my calves. And my nose… it seemed to tingle with the smell of something chemical.

  What the…

  I tried to push my heavy eyelids open and groaned as I slowly succeeded.

  Light stung my eyes and pain shot up my neck as I straightened my head.

  That’s when I realized my arms were behind my back. My hands were tied.

  Hard plastic bit into the back of my upper thighs and panic suffused me as I realized where I was.

  An empty room somewhere.

  Tied to a chair.

  Suddenly nausea hit me.

  "Ah, you're awake. I was worried I'd used too much Isoflurane." Pete walked into view.

  Fear cascaded through me like a wave of cold sweat, but I tried to hide it as I glared at him and then took in my surroundings. There wasn't a lot to take in. It was an empty room with hardwood floors in bad condition. A bay window behind Pete was almost blacked out with pasted paper, but little flecks of peeling paper let some light in. I couldn't see behind me, but I assumed that's where the door or exit was because there was nothing here but blank walls and Pete.