by CR Robertson
Her expression froze. “Such as?”
I shrugged. “Children’s books that your mum read to you. I have the books Mom read to me in storage, and I’d like our children to have them. I didn’t know if you wanted to do the same.”
Her eyes filled with tears and I began to kick myself. “I still remember Mum reading all the Peter Rabbit books to me. She used to tuck me and Kimberley in beside her on the window seat that overlooked the pond and read to us.”
“Sometimes the best way to face the past is to bring it with you.”
“What if I’m not ready to face the ghosts of the past?”
I picked her hand up and squeezed it. “Then we leave it until you are.”
She nodded, her lips pursed, and hand tightening around mine.
One day she’d be ready to face her demons and I’d be beside her every step of the way.
***
Red was definitely Cassandra’s colour. She stood in our bedroom, fiddling with the clasp of her necklace. She kept saying she was fat. She wasn’t, her pregnancy had enhanced her curves.
I’d organised a personal shopper to meet her and Megan a few days ago. Both girls had arrived back bright eyed and followed by armfuls of dress bags and shoe boxes. Technically, I should bill Jordan for Megan’s shopping spree. I refused to look at how much they’d spent.
My arm slipped around her waist to tug her against my chest. “You look good enough to eat.” I kissed the side of her neck and relished the shiver that rippled through her.
“You already did that today.”
I loved when she screamed her release on my tongue, her body spasming under mine. “Hmmm. I want seconds.”
She lifted my right hand off her waist and attached my cufflink, moving to the one on my left wrist.
“You’re spoiling me,” I said, kissing behind her ear.
“You haven’t seen my shoe bill.” She laughed.
I spun her slowly to face me. “Considering those heels are going to be dug into my back, I think I can live with the price.”
“Maybe I should have bought a few more pairs,” she sassed.
My hands cupped her ass. “Baby, you can buy as many pairs as you like just as long as you wear them for me in bed.”
Her red dress dipped low at the front to show the swell at the side of her breasts. A single tear diamond fell between them on a long chain. It was my gift to her to start her jewellery collection. The dress pinched in slightly at the waist to accentuate her hips and almost reached the floor. A dramatic split at the front allowed a leg to show as she moved. Her beloved heels elevated her height and self-confidence.
We’d be searched going in, but Jordan had been creating his own weapons. Daggers were concealed in our shoes and different component parts to make a firearm were incorporated in our outfits and accessories. If it could kill someone, Jordan had a knack of being able to bring it with him.
Megan wore a black dress when she arrived with Jordan a few minutes later. We were waiting to see where the auction was and if we were going to take our cars or the helicopter on the roof.
Maybe I was biased, but Cassandra outranked her friend in every way from the natural waves that curved around her face to her knockout body that demanded to be worshipped. Jordan and my phone pinged at the same time. A quick glance revealed the location.
“Cars it is then,” Jordan said. “At least it allows us to take the keys I engineered.”
I craved riding my Harley but wouldn’t risk Cassandra. She kept telling me that pregnancy was a condition not an illness, but until she’d given birth she wasn’t getting onto my bike.
She slid into the car, her dress riding up to show her suspenders at the top of the slit. The woman was going to give me a freaking heart attack. There would be vultures circling around her everywhere as soon as they realised that she wore my ring. A huge target was about to appear on her back, and it made my stomach churn in fear.
The destination was only twenty minutes away. Ash was already bringing up the schematics and hacking into the security cameras of the gallery that had been hired for the evening. Our cufflinks had a communication set in them to put in when we were inside. Earpiece in one cufflink and a microphone in the other so Ash knew what was happening.
Ignoring the valet, I parked my car and pocketed my key. Everyone knew that no one drove my babies but me. He glared at me as we sauntered past. I discreetly handed him a generous tip for his cooperation. Keeping the guys outside happy tended to ensure my car wasn’t damaged.
“Relax,” I muttered, my hand landing on the bottom of Cassandra’s back. We were supposed to be here to bid on some rare stolen goods, and not giving a fuck that we were using our wealth to take from others. The fact that we intended to take those jewels without paying a penny for them wasn’t the point.
I fixed a smile on my face as we entered the building. It was no secret who I was or the wealth of my family. Eyes followed our progression across the room.
“Xavier,” a voice purred to my right. “I haven’t seen you around for a while.” Annabelle had been one of my many lovers a while ago. She was an aspiring model who was trying to catch a trophy husband.
“I’ve been busy,” I replied briskly, trying to remove Cassandra from her presence.
“Who’s your friend?” Annabelle persisted, her gaze roaming over Cassandra. “I haven’t seen her around either. She isn’t your normal type, are you accompanying her for a friend?”
Cassandra stiffened beside me at the insult. “Meaning?” my wife asked in a deadly cold tone.
Annabelle turned huge, innocent eyes to her. “Meaning that Xavier has specific tastes which you don’t fit into. He prefers driving a Porsche than a Peugeot.”
I froze, about to retaliate when Cassandra replied, “Can I offer you some advice?” she asked. “Men only like fuck bunnies for one reason and the hint is in the name. They tend to marry women with class.”
Cassandra deliberately flashed her rings under Annabelle’s nose. Her beautiful face screwed up in anger before she flounced off without replying.
“Bitch,” Cassandra muttered under her breath.
My finger trailed down the side of her face. “Baby, I think you put her in her place.” I chuckled at the mutinous expression on her face.
“Are all your exes so beautiful and glamorous?”
I gripped her chin to force her to look at me. “You do realise I married the woman who was beautiful inside and out? I fell for you before I saw you. When I finally met you, I couldn’t keep my eyes off you.” I pressed a soft kiss on her lips.
Her eyes narrowed. “Stop trying to charm me.”
“Is it working?” I grinned.
Her lips twitched. “Maybe.”
Linking my arm through hers, I turned back toward the gathering, scanning the crowd. Jordan arrived beside us a few minutes later. I twisted the cufflink on my left wrist to activate the microphone for Ash to listen.
“Baby, can you fix this for me?” I asked, holding out the other one. Cassandra already knew what she needed to do and flipped the top on to let the earpiece fall on her hand. She kept it hidden behind her thumb until she’d finished fussing with my cufflink and settled beside me again. A few seconds later, I could hear Ash in my ear.
“Shit, was that Annabelle?” he asked. Discreet cameras were hidden in the buttons of our suits.
Jordan grinned beside me. “Looks like Zee’s past is haunting him tonight,” he replied.
“Fuck off,” I muttered. It was only when I saw the two of them beside each other that I realised I’d been picking women who looked like my stepmothers. Cassandra was right, when I’d chosen a wife, I’d selected someone like my mother, someone I could love and protect.
We mingled for a few moments, passing pleasantries with some business associates before Jordan disappeared to discreetly begin to search for our missing jewels. It pissed me off that the Council was bringing in shipments we knew nothing about. If we’d been involved, a tracke
r would have been in the shipping container or inside one of the stones. How many other shipments had come in without our knowledge? And where was all the money from them disappearing to?
“If it isn’t the mysterious woman who never answered my texts.” A man stopped in front of us, his lecherous gaze roaming over my wife’s breasts. Cassandra’s body swayed slightly behind mine.
She had eventually told me all about why she needed to change her phone number since Megan gave it to some random man at a bar. My back straightened. “And you must be the pervert who kept texting and ringing, even when she refused to answer,” I deadpanned.
His eyes moved to me. “Who the fuck are you?” he demanded, his words slurred slightly.
“I’m her husband, the man she does answer her phone to.”
“Some women are just fucking cock teases…” My fist hit his chin to send him stumbling back a few paces before he landed on his ass on the floor.
One of the organisers came scurrying over, his scorn falling on his employee who had acted outside his remit. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Bartholomew. What appears to be the problem?”
“This man dared to insult my wife.” I wanted to drag him outside and pummel him until he was nothing more than a whimpering mass on the ground. The memory of her scared eyes flitted through my mind. At the time, I didn’t know about her past. She probably thought he was one of the men trying to find her.
“I’m so sorry, he won’t bother you again.” He dragged the man away as he wiped blood from his mouth and shot me a murderous look. It certainly looked like I made an enemy.
Cassandra’s fingers gripped my arm, her body pressed to mine. She’d spent most of her adult life living in fear. It was my job to make sure that stopped and she felt safe in our home.
“You okay?” I whispered for her alone to hear.
“Yeah, he just startled me when he appeared suddenly.” Her fingers trembled on my arm. My hand landed on top of hers to lend her my strength.
“Heads up, shoulders straight, no one ever sees what we’re feeling.” I repeated the mantra to her that I had heard so many times in the past. The more I felt, the less I showed. My father had made sure that no one ever saw through our exterior.
Fake smiles in place, I listened to Ash chatting in my ear. “Jordan is currently skirting through the basement while Megan is hiding in the toilet.” We’d deliberately worn black suits and shirts, a thin balaclava in our top pockets disguised as handkerchiefs.
“Megan is in the toilets,” I informed Cassandra. “You might have to go and rescue her.” We changed course, and I waited while she nipped down to the ladies’ facilities.
“Xavier.” Annabelle appeared as Cassandra disappeared. “You always said you weren’t the marrying type.”
“I wasn’t until I found the right woman.”
Her expression froze.
“What is it you want, Annabelle?”
She pouted the way she always had in the past. Why did I think it was cute?
“I miss you,” she whined, her finger tracing along my arm.
“I’m married.”
“So?” She flashed that million-dollar smile that made men give her what she wanted. “She’d never know.”
“I’d know. When I said my vows, I meant them.”
“Fuck, you must have a magic dick that ensnares these crazy bitches,” Ash said in my ear. “Like a wand that coaxes them under your spell.”
I was going to kick his ass later.
“But I want you to tie me up and spank me because I’ve been naughty.”
Ash laughed in my ear and I rolled my eyes.
“I won’t tie you up, but I’ll stick my Jimmy Choos up your ass until you can’t sit down.” Cassandra stood watching her, anger burning in the depths of her narrowed eyes.
Megan laced her arm through Cassandra’s. “Take you and your fake boobs, Botox-stiff face, and lips filled with God knows what, and fuck off,” Megan hissed at her. “My friend may be classy enough to stick her designer shoe up your scrawny ass, but I’ll drag your fake hair extensions out while hauling you outside to show you exactly how women deal with homewreckers.”
Annabelle squeaked and tottered off on her too-high heels.
I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at the two ferocious women hell-bent on protecting me from the sexual predator. Instead, I merely smiled and linked my arm through Cassandra’s spare arm.
“Anyone want a drink?” I asked, signalling to a passing waiter.
“I could murder someone for real alcohol right now,” Cassandra murmured.
Megan lifted a glass of champagne while I lifted two glasses without bubbles. I was driving, so both of us were drinking water. When had I become a responsible adult? My arm curved around Cassandra’s waist in reply to my question. Since I found the woman to spend my life with and she’d gifted me the blessings of being a father.
The man who I punched earlier appeared through a door to the side of the room, Marco beside him as he pointed at me.
“Fucking awesome,” I grated out.
“Problem?” Ash asked.
Lifting the microphone to my mouth, I pretended to scratch my ear. “That asshole from earlier has Marco with him and has just pointed him in my direction.”
“Shit.”
“Yeah, we don’t need this right now.”
Marco glared at me, his gaze zeroing in on me in recognition. When we visited him, we were merely anonymous men with a message. Now he knew exactly who I was and where to find me.
“Jordan was right, we should have just eradicated the problem a few months ago.”
“Fuck, don’t let him hear you saying that.” I chuckled.
The possibility of conflict had just gone through the roof now. All of our past troubles seemed to be coalescing together in a shitstorm of epic proportions, and none of us were carrying the weapons to deal with it.
The master of ceremonies took his position to introduce us to tonight’s auction. The plan was for me to bid on our jewels and be outraged when they were gone. “Thank you for joining us this evening. The auction will start in ten minutes. Please ensure you are here to bid on the luxurious lots this evening.” He left the stage again.
“Jordan has moved to an area behind the main stage. There are boxes there,” Ash said in my ear.
“Everyone in position,” I said.
Megan turned and moved toward the staircase. Cassandra and I walked toward the large balcony outside. We needed to make sure it was clear for Jordan to stash the jewels. Once they realised they were gone, every single person would be searched leaving this gallery. The best place to hide them was in the open and where we could easily access them later.
We walked to the far end for me to check the accessibility for a little rock climbing in the early hours of the morning. The click of the door closing was my first warning someone had followed us out. As I spun around to face whoever was out here with us, a metal garrotte slipped across my throat. I grabbed a deep breath before it dug into my flesh. It was the last breath I would ever take unless I could break the hold of whoever was behind me.
“Did you think I would let your dishonour to me slide?” Marco hissed in my ear. “You dared to come into my property and disrespect me and now you’ll pay.”
My foot connected with his shin and he took a step back but maintained his hold. I had a minute’s oxygen at most.
“Please,” Cassandra pleaded. “We’ll pay you whatever you want.”
Marco laughed, his spittle landing on my face even as I struggled, my hands trying to fumble behind me. “I don’t need your money. My payment will be the satisfaction of his death.”
Precious seconds ticked away. Jordan would never get to me in time and the daggers hid in my shoes were useless right now. I jolted my ass back, my hands grasping his belt to try and push him toward the edge of the balcony. His gun clattered to the floor.
It was out of my reach and his hands were full.
Cassandra’s huge
green eyes met mine. Slowly, she bent and picked up the gun, bringing it up in front of her between both her hands.
“Let him go,” she said.
Marco tightened his hold on the wire, and it cut into my neck. I’d killed people like this before. It was quick and left little evidence behind and meant you weren’t carrying a weapon with you. A piece of wire was easily disposed of.
“I said, let him go.” Her hand trembled as Marco laughed.
The world moved into slow motion. Her thumb took the safety off the pistol and her aim changed to the head beside mine since my body shielded his.
“I love you,” she whispered before her index finger tightened on the trigger.
I felt the heat of the bullet as it flew past my cheek and into the man behind me. His blood splattered on my face and neck, his body falling back and taking me with him. My hands grabbed the wire to stop it ripping the throat out of me with the force of his body slumping back.
My eyes never left Cassandra. Her face was pale, her teeth chattering together in shock. Even with a silencer on the weapon, the sound had left me deaf in one ear as Ash screamed in my other.
My first breath burned going down my bruised throat. The door to the balcony flung open and Jordan stood there like an avenging demon from hell. His gaze swept over the scene, including the weapon in Cassandra’s shaking hands. He closed the door and rapidly made his way to us.
He deftly removed the gun, putting the safety on before tucking it into the back of his trousers. He helped me up, rolling the wire around his hands and holding it out to me.
Marco lay on the ground, blood pouring from the hole just above his eye.
“Help me lift him,” Jordan snapped.
I could barely breathe without pain rippling down my throat. Jordan grabbed his arms and I took his feet. We moved him to the edge of the balcony and pushed him over.
“There’s a grassy area down there,” Jordan said. “Hopefully no one heard anything with the noise of the party and the insulation of this security glass.”
