by Susan Lewis
‘It hasn’t been confirmed yet,’ the horn-rimmed man told him, ‘but Laurie Forbes’s producing partner is out that way.’
‘Fuck!’ Eddie seethed. ‘Has anyone alerted Aseem?’
‘Yes. My cousin has been in touch with him,’ the woman replied.
Someone’s phone rang, which prompted someone else to refill the glasses.
‘We’ve heard back from the Italians,’ Mrs Gandhi said when everyone was paying attention again. ‘They’ve seen the girl and they’re interested in repeating the same arrangement as before.’
Eddie blinked once or twice. ‘Well that’s some good news,’ he responded. ‘But it’s only part of the deal. What about the women?’
Mrs Gandhi looked at the bloke with the horn-rimmed glasses. ‘Six adults and the child,’ he answered.
‘Did you tell them the price had gone up?’
‘Yes. They’re willing to pay. I’m currently negotiating a share in the video sales.’
As Eddie thought he toyed idly, and rather nicely, with Cheryl’s nipple. ‘Tell them it’s all or nothing,’ he said finally. ‘That way we can get the lot of them off our hands in one go, and be ready for the next shipment.’
‘We might want to hold off on the next one until the press stops sniffing around,’ the horn-rimmed one suggested.
‘Mm, yeah,’ Eddie said slowly. ‘You could be right there. How’re the websites doing?’
‘Not bad. I’ll have last month’s figures for you to look at by the end of the week.’
They went on talking about setting up some new porn websites to add to those they already had, until eventually Eddie gave Cheryl a gentle push to make her stand up. ‘Right, let’s call it a day now,’ he said, standing up too and yawning. ‘We’ll meet again tomorrow over at the office. Oh, and Perry, see about getting a computer put in here, will you?’
Cheryl looked up and gave him one of her best shy smiles. She’d asked for a computer, and even being as busy as he was, he’d remembered.
He leaned down to whisper in her ear. ‘Go and get yourself ready to say thank you the way I like best.’
Knowing exactly how that was she trotted off happily to the bedroom, leaving him to show their guests to the door. This took a lot longer than expected, so her knees were getting quite sore by the time he came to join her.
Elliot’s mobile phone was ringing as he walked across the sitting room of Chris’s flat to answer the downstairs door. Seeing Laurie’s number come up, he let the call go through to the voicemail and spoke into the entryphone.
‘Who is it?’ he said.
‘Guess.’
Recognizing the voice, he released the lock and went back into the sitting room. It wasn’t long before the clip of high heels could be heard coming along the tiled hall. He turned to the door and as she appeared his response was immediate. But for the shoes, and the thin coat she dragged behind her, she was completely naked.
‘I thought you weren’t free this evening,’ he remarked as she let the coat go.
‘I’m not. I don’t have long.’
‘Would you like a drink?’
‘That’s not why I’m here,’ she replied. As she came to him he slipped a hand between her legs, put an arm around her and pushed his tongue deep into her mouth. Barely more than an hour had passed since he’d left her, but he was as ready for her now as if he hadn’t made love in a month.
Her head fell back, and she pushed her fingers into his hair as he stooped to take each of her swollen nipples into his mouth. His hands moved down over her hips to the ample fullness of her buttocks. He squeezed and pulled, opening her wide, pushing her back against the sofa, until lifting one of her legs high, he dropped to his knees to pleasure her there.
After a while she turned away and started for the bedroom. Casting a look over her shoulder she beckoned him to follow. When he reached her she was pointing at the bed.
‘Lie down,’ she commanded.
Doing as he was told he lay back and looked up at her, holding her eyes as she unzipped him and took out what she’d come for. She sat over him and they moaned in unison as she sank onto him, taking him all the way in. She raised herself up and did it again – and again, faster and faster, until she was riding him like a horse, bucking and writhing in the force of their thrusts. His hands moved all over her, grabbing, pulling, slapping. Her hair whipped around her. He spun her onto her back, plunged into her again and pressed his mouth to hers. She clawed and scratched his back, wrapped her legs round his waist, and bit into his skin. He was ramming her so hard he could feel his climax seconds away. He wanted to hold back, but she urged him on.
‘I keep the taxi waiting,’ she told him.
The words and her fingers on his balls sent him over the edge.
A few minutes later he was helping her into her coat. ‘Come with me,’ she said, turning to face him.
He looked down into her magnificent eyes. ‘You know I can’t,’ he replied.
‘It’s just cocktails at …’
‘No,’ he said firmly.
Her eyes narrowed. ‘She’s going to find out sooner or later.’
He said nothing.
‘Come on, Elliot,’ she murmured, moving in closer. ‘She’s a big girl, she’ll get over it.’
‘You’ve got a taxi waiting,’ he reminded her.
She lifted her mouth to his and he kissed her deeply. ‘Will you come to Tuscany when we go?’ she asked.
‘No promises.’
She smiled silkily. At the door she turned round and opened her coat. ‘Just so’s you don’t forget,’ she teased.
He lifted an eyebrow. ‘Come back when the party’s over,’ he told her. ‘I’ll be waiting.’
The moment she’d gone his conscience flared with a terrible might. He looked down at his mobile, knowing Laurie would have left a message, but unable to listen to it now, or to call her back. He didn’t want to go on denying there was an affair, but nor could he bring himself to tell her the truth, that rather than cheat on her with Andraya he’d given her up. That was how irresistible he found Andraya. He’d fought it, had managed to turn away from her on at least three occasions, until he’d realized that whether he slept with her or not, to want her that much meant that he had no right to marry Laurie. Now the question was, how on earth could he tell that to Laurie without causing her any more pain than he already had?
Downstairs in the gallery Rachel was standing stock still in the doorway to the office, staring at the space outside where a taxi had been a few moments ago. She wished to God she hadn’t seen what she just had, because no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t think of a single innocent reason for Andraya to be visiting the flat upstairs.
Putting a hand to her head she tried to think what to do. She could hardly feel worse, since it was she and Chris who had brought Andraya into Elliot’s life. Dear God, if they’d known, they’d never have done it, no matter how talented the damned woman was. But what the hell was Elliot thinking? Throwing away everything for the sake of … for the sake of what? It surely wasn’t serious between him and Andraya. Except he’d called off his wedding. He’d totally destroyed Laurie … She groaned out loud, for she didn’t even want to think about how Laurie was going to take it when she found out. Suspicion was one thing, having your fears confirmed was something else altogether.
In the end, needing to discuss it with someone, she picked up the phone and called Sherry.
‘Oh no,’ Sherry murmured, when she told her. ‘This is going to completely devastate her.’
‘I feel so responsible. If only I’d known …’
‘It’s hardly your fault,’ Sherry assured her. ‘He’s the one who’s doing all the lying.’
‘But what are we going to do?’ Rachel said. ‘We can’t have a situation where we know and she doesn’t.’
‘Of course not. He has to tell her.’
Rachel looked round as the door opened and Chris came in. ‘I’ve just seen Andraya leaving the flat
upstairs,’ she told him.
Chris’s expression showed more dismay than surprise.
‘Did you know?’ she asked.
He shook his head.
‘Someone has to tell Laurie.’
He immediately looked alarmed.
‘I’m not saying it should be you,’ she assured him. ‘But maybe you could be the one to speak to Elliot, tell him he has to.’
He didn’t appear particularly keen to do that either. ‘Who’s that you’re talking to?’ he asked.
‘Sherry.’
‘Isn’t Laurie staying with her?’
‘She’s gone down to her parents for a couple of days. Chris, you have to talk to him.’
He inhaled deeply.
‘I’m sorry, I have to go,’ Sherry said. ‘Nick’s going to be here any minute.’
‘All right. Let’s speak in the morning,’ Rachel replied. As she rang off she was still looking at Chris.
‘I’m not sure we should interfere,’ he said.
‘If we don’t, it’s going to mean lying to Laurie ourselves,’ she reminded him. ‘Unless we tell her, of course.’
At that he could see that there really was no alternative, so he reluctantly turned back to the door and started up the stairs.
‘I missed you,’ Nick cried, sweeping Sherry straight into his arms as she opened the door.
‘I missed you too,’ she responded, laughing as he showered her face with kisses. Then his mouth found hers and they sank into a much deeper embrace.
‘Mm, that felt good,’ he told her, finally letting her go. ‘I now feel as though I’ve well and truly landed.’
‘I’m not quite sure how to take that,’ she said archly, reaching for his hand. ‘Come on, dinner’s in the oven. Wine’s in the bottle.’
‘Hell, I should have thought to bring some,’ he groaned, pushing the door closed behind them. ‘Well, I did, but …’
‘It’s OK. I know, it’s been a frantic two days since you got back. Parenthood is very demanding. So how is she? How was the flight?’
‘She’s wonderful, jet-lagged, but still determined to go everywhere and do everything this town has to offer. Just thank God for Natasha, my cousin’s fourteen-year-old. I wouldn’t know where to begin without her.’
Sherry was taking down glasses. ‘Is that where she is now?’
‘Yep. They’re having a sleepover with a couple of Natasha’s friends. Guess I’ll have to return the favour at some point. Can you imagine me, playing host to a bunch of screaming teenage girls? Here, let me do that,’ and taking the corkscrew from her he began to open the wine. ‘Now tell me about you,’ he said. ‘What’s been happening while I was away?’
‘Nothing that I didn’t already tell you on the phone,’ she answered, going to check on a saucepan. ‘Except there was an interesting development earlier today, in an email from Rose, who’s in India …’
‘Yeah, I remember who she is. Go on.’
‘Apparently she’s made contact with a local news producer who’s involved in the same kind of investigation. There’s a good chance this producer can take Rose and the crew to an agency that specializes in trading people. It’s set up like a travel-cum-employment agency, apparently, promising to find people work abroad. I’ve got no idea if it’ll give us a link to our women here, or to the traffickers Eddie Cribbs is using, but it will provide us with some vital footage showing where the women have come from, and how they might have been bought and sold in the first place. That’s if they manage to shoot it, which is a big if.’
‘Then here’s to Rose and the conquering of ifs,’ he said, clinking her glass.
As they drank, their eyes stayed on each other, sending all kinds of messages, until putting both their glasses aside he pulled her back into his arms. ‘You look lovely tonight,’ he told her softly.
‘Thank you.’
He kissed her hard, pressing her body to his and pushing his tongue into her mouth. ‘I have something to ask you,’ he murmured, when finally he stopped to look into her eyes.
‘Mm?’ she responded.
‘I was wondering … Kind of hoping, actually, that we might have a sleepover of our own tonight.’
Her eyes lit with amusement, even as a slow burn of desire stole its way through her. ‘Oh, I should think so,’ she replied. ‘Did you bring your pyjamas?’
‘I confess, no. But I did bring something else.’
‘Oh?’
‘It’s still in the car. I’ll get it later.’
‘Intriguing,’ she commented, turning back to the stove as the timer chimed.
Closing in behind her he slipped his arms round her waist. ‘Mm, smells good,’ he said, as she took the lid off a pan. ‘What is it?’
‘Filets of sole in a white wine and caper sauce. You can make yourself useful and go and cut some chives for the potatoes. They’re on the right, as you go out on to the balcony.’
He’d been gone only a few seconds when she heard him say, ‘Wow, look at this.’
Following him into the sitting room she glowed with pleasure to see how impressed he was by the candles she’d spread out over the balcony, all along the balustrades, in amongst the flowers, and on the small circular table where they were going to eat.
‘It’s so romantic,’ he said, sliding an arm around her. ‘And with Ella on the CD … It’s just perfect.’
She looked up at him and smiled. ‘Chives,’ she said softly, and after popping a quick kiss on his lips, she returned to the kitchen.
‘So,’ he said, when they finally sat down to eat, ‘it sounds as though you’ve more or less taken over this story. Is Laurie involved at all now?’
‘Not very much.’
‘Do I take it she and Elliot aren’t back together?’
Sherry sighed. ‘Actually, I’ve just found out tonight that he’s seeing someone else. An artist by the name of Andraya Sorrantos?’
He shook his head, and ate a mouthful of food. ‘Never heard of her,’ he said. ‘How did Laurie take it?’
She pulled a face. ‘She doesn’t know yet. Chris, a friend, is going to talk to Elliot, tell him he has to break it to her, because none of us wants to, that’s for sure.’
‘I’m not surprised,’ he commented. ‘How long’s it been going on?’
She shook her head. ‘I don’t know. But it can’t be long, she’s only been in the country a few weeks.’
‘Mm,’ he replied, seeming vaguely baffled. Then, apparently dismissing it, he said, ‘The food is delicious, by the way. I had no idea you were such a good cook.’
Her eyes narrowed playfully. ‘There’s a lot you don’t know about me, Mr van Zant,’ she responded.
‘Oh?’ He looked intrigued, and putting down his fork reached for her hand. ‘Are you going to tell me?’
‘No. I’ll let you find out as we go along. But I will tell you this, I’m glad you know about what happened in the past. It’s so much easier not having to hide things.’
‘Which is something we’re going to change,’ he told her gently. ‘You’ve got nothing to be ashamed of, and I’m not going to let it carry on holding you back, which I think it probably has until now.’
Her eyes shone with feeling as she said, ‘You’ve made up your mind about that?’
‘You bet. And once van Zant makes up his mind, you don’t stand a chance.’
Loving the sense of him taking over in a way that felt both protective and freeing, she leaned forward and kissed him. ‘I’m glad you’re back,’ she told him, knowing the double meaning wouldn’t be lost on him.
‘I’m glad too,’ he said.
As they began to eat again, both aware of the wonderful feelings weaving their way around them, she encouraged him to tell her about his short trip to New York.
‘Actually, one thing I did was have a talk with my wife,’ he told her, picking up his wine. ‘She wants a divorce.’
Though on the one hand it might have been exactly what she wanted to hear, on the other she
couldn’t not be aware that it was the wrong way round. ‘Is that good?’ she ventured, her mouth starting to turn dry.
He shrugged.
She topped up their glasses. ‘Would you take her back, if she wanted to come?’ she asked, trying to sound neutral.
‘I don’t think so. Anyway, it’s moot, because she wants to marry her millionaire.’
She took a sip of wine and tried to think what to say next, since the I don’t think so had thrown her rather. ‘What does your daughter say about it?’ she asked. ‘Does she want her mother to marry someone else?’
Again he shrugged. ‘She likes the guy, so I don’t think she’ll have a problem with it, and I’m not going to do anything to sour it.’
‘It must be hard, having someone else in your place,’ she said, wondering why she was pursuing this when she’d much rather change the subject.
‘Yeah, it is. I miss her, you know, being in the same house, seeing her every day. Well, every day that I’m there. Actually, I miss them both.’
‘Still?’
‘I guess less now, but … Elaine was a godsend at the time Trudy and I broke up. I sometimes wonder how I’d have got through it without her. Which reminds me,’ he said, ‘I wanted to put you two in touch. I meant to call her while I was there, but time ran out on me.’
‘That’s OK. There are a lot of lawyers here I can contact who’re in the same field, and to be honest, I don’t much want to be in touch with your ex-girlfriend.’
He seemed surprised by that, which made her laugh.
‘I’m jealous,’ she told him frankly. ‘She was with you for all that time, when I could have had you.’
His eyes sparkled, and leaning towards her, he rested his chin on his hand. ‘But you’ve got me now,’ he murmured.
Liking that, she said, ‘The question is, what am I going to do with you?’
‘Take as long as you like to decide. On second thoughts, don’t take too long.’
Laughing, she continued to eat, loving the easy banter that flowed back and forth between them, sometimes flirtatious, sometimes serious, but always with a feel of intimacy that warmed her all the way through.
