The Devil You Know

by Morgan James

  Victoria glanced in the mirror again, head tipped in contemplation. “You really think so?”

  “Oh, honey.” Kate’s eyes softened. “I wish you could see yourself the way the rest of us do.”

  Victoria stared at her reflection. It was so easy to pick apart her features, to see only the bad instead of the good. Now that Kate mentioned it, her eyes did seem brighter, her hair glossier and more radiant. She nodded a little, mostly to herself. From now on, she would focus only on the positive things.

  The next three hours were a whirlwind of activity as they picked out several dozen outfits and pairs of shoes. A trip to the beauty store yielded a mass number of cosmetics that Victoria wasn’t sure she’d ever master. She’d played with eyeshadows and lipsticks as a teen, but over the last decade she’d forgone her beauty products in lieu of keeping her face natural. She didn’t see the point in getting all dolled up for no one.

  She turned her head left and right in the mirror, examining the flawless finish the makeup artist had wrought. Her skin glowed, her cheeks flushed with the barest hint of becoming pink. The trace of eyeliner blended with the shimmering neutral shadow on her eyelids, giving her a sultry look. She felt like a new and improved version of herself. The thought of Blake seeing her like this made her heart race.

  “You look beautiful.”

  “Thanks.” Victoria blushed at the compliment as Kate looked her over. “I love it.”

  A grin spread over Kate’s face. “And so will he.” She glanced at her watch. “I’ve got to get home and let Peanut out. Would you mind if I took off?”

  Victoria glanced at the bags surrounding her feet with a smile. “I think I have plenty to do this evening.”

  “Are you sure you don’t mind?” Concern flitted across Kate’s face and Victoria laid a hand on her arm.

  “No, really. I’ll be fine. I might go back to the department store anyway. I think I changed my mind about those shoes.” She had no idea where she’d ever wear them, but she hadn’t worn high heels in years. Maybe she’d get dressed up just for herself and head to the art gallery for something to do, try out her new look.

  Kate grinned lasciviously. “It’s always good to have a pair of fuck-me heels when you need them.”

  Victoria shook her head with a smile. “Give Peanut a kiss for me.”

  With one last hug, her friend was off and Victoria gathered her bags. She walked sedately through the mall, window shopping as she went. Pausing in front of Victoria’s Secret, she checked out the mannequin on display in the front of the shop. Lingerie was one thing she didn’t need. She’d always been a fan of pretty underwear, and they made her feel sexy, even if no one else ever got to see them. They were her one indulgence, but today she was on a different mission. She turned away and strode to the back of the department store and picked up the shoes. She’d tried them on earlier for Kate, deliberating over them for almost twenty minutes before putting them back on the shelf. She’d never spent this much on shoes in her life, but it felt good to spoil herself after so many years of hiding behind layers of functional but decidedly unflattering suits and loafers.

  Carrying the box to the counter, she went over the mental checklist she and Kate had mapped out. Clothes, shoes, makeup. She’d made an appointment tomorrow at a local salon to spruce up her haircut. After paying for the shoes and thanking the cashier, she gathered her things and awkwardly turned around, bumping into the man behind her in the process.

  “Oh, excuse me. I’m sorry.” Her gaze flicked up to the man’s face and widened in surprise as his own eyes shone with appreciation.

  “Victoria. Wow, I didn’t recognize you.”

  Greg Andrews’s gaze slid down her body then back up and she barely stopped herself from shivering in revulsion. “Hello, Mr. Andrews.”

  “You can call me Greg.” One corner of his mouth lifted, and she smiled politely but didn’t correct herself.

  “How have you been?”

  “Better now.” His eyes ran over her again. “Can’t say I’ve ever seen this side of you before. I like it.”

  Her lips pressed together in a firm line at the errant compliment. “Have you had a chance to speak with Dr. Martin yet?”

  Irritation flashed across his face but he quickly suppressed it. “I called you last week, you know. The receptionist wouldn’t put me through, but I wanted to apologize. I can be a bit hot-headed at times and I overreacted. I’d like to come back next week if you have an opening.”

  “Well, thank you for the apology. I appreciate it. Unfortunately, I’m not accepting more patients at the moment,” she lied.

  His face darkened. “Well, from what I heard, you just lost a patient. Doesn’t that open up a slot?”

  Victoria stiffened and swallowed down the tears burning the back of her throat. How could the man be so callous and unfeeling? “No. Thank you for your interest, though. I’ll forward your information to Dr. Martin and have him contact you.”

  His hand shot out and grasped her elbow as she turned to leave. “I’m asking nicely, Victoria.”

  She glanced down at his hand on her arm. “Is that what you’re doing? Please let go.”

  He released her but the fire in his eyes didn’t diminish. “I want to come back.”

  “I’m afraid that can’t happen. Please excuse me.” With a polite nod of her head, she turned to leave.

  “See you soon, Victoria.” His tone was cold, and his words sent a chill down her spine. Refusing to acknowledge him, she hurried from the store casting surreptitious glances over her shoulder occasionally to make sure he wasn’t following her.

  The words were too similar to the ones she’d heard just a week and a half ago, and they still had the power to shake her to the core. Rushing to her car, she tossed her purchases in the back then climbed inside and locked the doors behind her. Only several miles down the road was she finally able to take a deep breath. She stretched her fingers before clenching them around the steering wheel again and tried to shrug the tension from her shoulders.

  She glanced in the rearview mirror as she turned into her allotment, watching for anything out of the ordinary. Seeing nothing out of place, she let out a hefty sigh. When would she stop looking for threats? Maybe the better question was, would she ever feel safe again?

  Chapter Nine

  Blake strode across the lobby toward the security room when the front door swung inward with a soft whoosh. He shot an obligatory glance over his shoulder and immediately did a double take, blinking several times to make sure his eyes weren’t deceiving him. As if it had a mind of its own, his body slowly turned toward Victoria. The sight of her took his breath away as she swaggered toward him, hips rolling sensually with every step.

  Holy shit. He must be hallucinating. The woman approaching him looked like she’d just stepped off the page of a magazine as her three-inch heels tap-tap-tapped across the floor, increasing his heart rate with every staccato beat. She looked nothing like the Victoria he knew. Long, dark tresses hung freely around her shoulders with a slight curl at the ends, bouncing as she walked. The red V-neck blouse showed off the tiniest hint of cleavage and nipped in at her trim waist, and the black skirt she wore hugged every curve, stopping just above her knees. And sweet baby Jesus... those shoes.

  He gaped at her, frozen in place, as she closed the distance between them with each step of those fuck-me heels. Her eyes met his before she dropped them to the floor and bit her lip, her expression bashful yet flirtatious. Was she even aware of what she was doing to him? Unable to move, still not quite believing this gorgeous woman in front of him was the same doctor he’d held in his arms last week, he watched her brush past him and press the button for the elevator.

  What the hell? Following her movements, he watched her step inside before turning toward him with a seductive flip of her hair. The provocative smile she shot him as the doors closed made him want to lunge after her, pull her into his arms and ravage her mouth, run his hands over every curve exposed by tho
se sexy new clothes.

  Who the hell was this woman and what in Christ’s name was she doing? The mousy little doctor had sat splayed in his lap almost a full week ago, meek and insecure. Today, she strode across the room like the world was hers for the taking, along with everyone in it. This woman could bring a man to his knees with a single look—and he’d be the first to fall at her feet.

  Since he’d known her, Victoria had covered herself basically from head to toe in shapeless black suits that did nothing for her. Today’s outfit was the polar opposite, flattering and highlighting her best features. What had happened over the weekend to bring about this radical change? Ice streamed through his veins as an unwelcome thought assaulted him. Could she have a date tonight?

  Something akin to envy washed over him, leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. He’d never been jealous of a woman in his life. Although, truthfully, he’d never spent more time with a woman than a few hours, just long enough to warm their bed and leave. For some reason, that didn’t sit well with him. Victoria deserved more than a quick fuck and he had a sneaking suspicion that once wouldn’t be enough.

  She intrigued him, triggered his protective instincts, and although he didn’t know her know her, his body did. Deep down, his body had recognized hers and the chemistry between them was so thick he could have cut it with a knife. He’d been with a good number of women but none who stirred him down to his very soul as Victoria did. Now that he’d gotten a taste, he wanted more.

  Shaking off the sensation, he made his way to the security room to meet up with Benny. Still, he couldn’t help but wonder at the change. He swiped his key card through the slot on the wall and stepped into the security office. Benny called this the security room, but he didn’t do much back here except glance occasionally at the screens linked up to the cameras positioned around the building, watching clients come and go. He’d ordered another half-dozen cameras, one to be installed on each floor—except Victoria’s—and a couple more at the main points of interest. The wiring and components were all sitting in a box in his office at QSG. Once the cameras arrived, he hoped to get everything hooked up by the end of the week. Even after he was done here, he wanted to make sure that Victoria was safe.

  “Anything happening today?”

  The building manager shook his head. “Nope. How about you?”

  Blake released a sigh. The job paid well, but he was getting a little burnt out with nothing to do. He supposed he shouldn’t complain, though. Any day spent watching the sexy doctor come and go was fine in his book, and today was better than the last week he’d spent here. He couldn’t help but wonder, though, if her worries were unfounded. Maybe the murder had been a fluke, just a streak of bad luck on her part. There had been no communication since then, and the expense to keep him here would be astronomical by the end of the temporary four-week period that he was scheduled to stay on.

  He'd missed a call from Con this morning and Blake needed to call him back. The problem was, he had no idea what to tell his friend. Just a week ago, Con had offered to take over Blake’s position here. There was just one little problem with that... She was five-foot-two with pouty lips and long brown hair that he wanted to wrap around his fist while he explored every inch of her.

  He hadn’t spoken with Con in the last few days, so his boss knew nothing of his encounter with Victoria last week in her office. There was no way he couldn’t see her anymore, especially after today. The only question was, did he stay on as security or let Con take over so Blake could see her outside of work and not be associated with the bad things that had happened recently?

  While it never hurt to play hero, he wasn’t quite sure what Victoria would think. Would she respond better to him knowing he was here to protect her? Or would she hate having someone breathing down her neck? He knew she was scared and hurting, and she’d hired him on specifically for protection. But would it be better to be the lover or the savior?

  Maybe he could be both. The last thing he wanted was to not see her at all during the day and miss his opportunity with her. If he picked up another gig that took him away from her, would she forget all about him? No, he couldn’t risk that. He’d stay on for now until he got a better feel for things.

  Pulling out his phone, he tapped Con’s number on his speed dial. After two rings, the phone connected.

  “What’s up?”

  “Not much. Hey, change of plans. I’m staying.”

  Benny didn’t know anything about Blake’s original plan to let Con take over, so he didn’t elaborate. Con’s end was silent for a few moments before he spoke. “You sure?”

  “Yep.”

  “Did something happen that I need to be aware of?”

  Other than the fact that he’d kissed his client and told her he wanted to fuck her? “Nope.”

  “Okay.” Con’s voice was hesitant as if he was trying to read Blake’s mind, fish out the real story. “Grab a beer later?”

  Blake grimaced. Let Con grill him once he’d tossed back a couple too many? No thanks. “Maybe another night, man. Rain check?”

  Con harrumphed. “Keep your dick in your pants.”

  “It wasn’t...” He stopped before he could incriminate himself further.

  “That’s what I thought. You sure you don’t need me to come in?”

  Anger burned in Blake’s gut. “No, I’ve got it.”

  “Keep me posted.” Con disconnected before Blake could come up with a snappy retort and he glared at the phone in agitation.

  Blake glanced at the computer screen over Benny’s shoulder, watching as Dr. Kate Winfield made her way through the doors, her husband on her heels.

  A low sound from Benny caught his attention, and the man spoke. “Think there’s trouble there?”

  Blake glanced at the screen where Steve Gerber stood toe-to-toe with his wife in what appeared to be an intensely heated conversation.

  “I’ll go check it out.” It would give him something to do and get Victoria off his mind for a few minutes.

  Pushing open the door, he strode into the lobby just in time to see Steve grab Kate roughly by the arm and jerk her toward him. The guy’s manhandling of his wife made Blake see red and he was across the room before he realized he’d taken a step toward them.

  “Hands off!” he barked out.

  Steve immediately released Kate and jumped back at the sound of his voice. Steve’s eyes darted wildly in Blake’s direction, a mixture of surprise and loathing filling their depths.

  Blake turned to Kate. “Is everything okay?”

  “I... I’m fine.” She smoothed down her blouse and pushed her hair behind her ears. “But he has to go.”

  “I’m not going anywhere.” Steve grabbed at Kate again and Blake roughly extended an arm, planting his hand firmly in the man’s solar plexus and thrusting him backward.

  Blake pointed at Steve as he coughed roughly from the contact. “Touch her again and I’ll lay your ass out. Understand?”

  “Who the hell do you think you are?” He narrowed his eyes at Blake.

  “Security. I’m here to make sure our staff and clients are safe.” The man’s eyes glimmered with hate but he gave a jerky nod, and Blake stared him down for a moment before glancing back at Kate. “What’s going on here?”

  “He’s not supposed to be here. We’re going through a divorce right now and today is my day for appointments, but—”

  “Until the paperwork is finalized, I can go wherever the hell I want, whenever I want,” Steve bit out. Blake raised his eyebrows at the man in warning and Steve fell back a step with a glare at his soon-to-be ex-wife.

  “Anyway,” Kate continued. “He was waiting outside and followed me in to harass me about the proceedings. You need to leave,” she directed at her husband.

  “Not until we talk.”

  Kate threw her hands in the air. “We have nothing to talk about. You cheated on me with your new girlfriend and knocked her up. Go to hell, Steve, and take the bimbo with you.”


  “She’s not a bimbo.”

  Kate rolled her eyes at Steve’s lethal glare. “She’s a stripper, for Christ’s sake.”

  “She’s a cocktail waitress.”

  “Please,” Kate spat. “You’re even dumber than she is if you believe that.”

  “Don’t be a bitch,” Steve shot back. “You’re just pissed that Cami’s younger and more beautiful than you.”

  Uncomfortable at witnessing the details of what was obviously a very messy divorce, Blake intervened. He turned to Steve. “Dr. Gerber, for the moment I think it would be best if you leave. If you put your hands on your wife again, I’ll have you arrested for assault.”

  “But—”

  “It’s non-negotiable.”

  The man’s face turned sullen. “Fine.”

  “Get out before I call the cops.” Blake pointed toward the door and Steve begrudgingly stalked toward the exit.

  “This isn’t over.” He pushed the door open angrily and stormed outside.

  Blake turned back to Kate. “You okay?”

  She nodded, but her hands shook. “I’ll be fine. Thank you.”

  “If something like this is happening, we should be aware of it so we can put precautions in place.”

  Kate blushed at his harsh words. “I know, I’m sorry. Things were going okay for a while, but... Ugh, I can’t wait until this is over.”

  Blake nodded. “I understand. This is a public space, so I can’t stop him from entering without a restraining order, but I can keep him away from you if that’s what needs to happen.”

  She nodded. “Please. I just... He’s not dangerous, he’s just an idiot. I don’t want to deal with him at work, too.”

  “Has he been bothering you at home?”

  She shrugged. “Just little stuff. He’s been calling a lot, showed up a couple times.”

  “Listen.” Blake pulled a card from his pocket and handed it to her. “If you think you need someone to watch over your place for a few days, deter him, let me know. I’ll recommend one of my buddies. They’ll take care of him.” He looked after Steve and shook his head. “Dickhead.”