Forbidden Desires

by Jenna Hartley

  * * *

  “Is that what it takes for you to look like that?” he asked when I climbed into the back seat. Muriella and I frowned. What the hell is that supposed to mean?

  “It is for special occasions,” M huffed on my behalf.

  “So you don’t normally use all that stuff? Like on a daily basis?”

  I looked down at my aquamarine dress to see if I’d missed a flaw or something. “No.” I thought I looked damn good, but Stone wasn’t helping my confidence.

  “Then don’t bother with it anymore. You look stunning, but you always do.”

  “I was hoping to look better than usual.”

  A blush crept up Stone’s cheeks, and he reached for a tumbler filled with ice and whiskey, taking a sip. “He won’t be able to stay away. I guarantee that.” His assurance was good enough for me. “Did you use any of that?” His attention was on Muriella. She shook her head. “Which proves my point. Neither of you need any of it.”

  She blinked at him and then looked away, never one to readily accept compliments about her looks. She was beautiful, but I think she saw it as a curse instead of a blessing.

  I sensed her thoughts were in the same place mine were, and I couldn’t have that. No matter how much time passed, her wounds were still fresh. I took her hand in mine and leaned toward her.

  She backed away. “Don’t you dare think about smudging your lipstick,” she scolded sternly.

  “M, that’s why there’s a whole tube of it. To replace it when I do this.” I swiftly planted my lips on her cheek, leaving a Fabulous by Chanel outline on her skin. I laughed. She motioned for me to give her my clutch, then dug out the lipstick.

  “It’s a good thing I love you,” she said, as I puckered my lips for reapplication.

  When she finished, I said, “Come in with us. We can stop and pick up something for you to wear. Or just come in as you are.”

  “Not tonight. I’ll be at home, waiting for you.” She patted my leg as the car pulled to a stop in back of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. “I’m furious with Daniel, but if he comes to his senses tonight, I might start to get over it. Go get him,” she said before turning to Stone. “And show us why you’ve won two Academy Awards.”

  “Daniel’s going to think Vivian and I are more in love than they ever were.”

  “Good. I expect updates.” She shooed us out of the car.

  I stuck my head back inside. “M, pack her shit up. I’m coming home.”

  “Damn right, you are.”

  I clutched my heart, and we beamed at each other until I closed the car door.

  STONE and I went in the back door instead of down the red carpet. He wasn’t here for publicity and kept his generosity to charities close to the vest. Stone wanted to help me, but he was also going to help a lot of children with their medical bills tonight. Perhaps even save some lives.

  I squeezed his arm. “Thank you for this.” “I’m doing it for Muriella.”

  I grinned at that. “Whatever I can do to help, I will. Just be gentle with her, okay?”

  “Do I have a chance?” he asked, showing a rare vulnerability. “If anyone does, it would be you. Just…don’t give up on her.” “I can’t.”

  THE HEART BALL was in full swing when we arrived. A hostess led us to our table, which also happened to be Daniel’s. I was sure M had arranged that; she wasn’t leaving anything to chance tonight. Daniel and Giselle were already seated. She talked and he pretended to listen. To anyone else, he looked interested, but I knew him, had seen that expression countless times at functions such as this when he was stuck chatting with someone.

  Stone had taken my hand in his as we crossed the room, and when the hostess ushered us to our chairs, Daniel’s eyes glinted in surprise. I didn’t miss the quick flick down to where Stone held my hand in his. But that was it. His stony expression gave nothing else away.

  The table seated eight, and before we sat we greeted the others, intentionally avoiding handshakes with Daniel and Giselle, saying polite hellos from across the table. Stone held out my chair for me, and I beamed up at him as he kissed my forehead. I wanted to check Daniel’s reaction but refrained, keeping my adoring focus on Stone.

  A waiter approached before we’d even settled in our seats. Stone ordered whiskey for himself and champagne for me. I was grateful I didn’t know any of the others at the table. That would have made it a little awkward since Daniel and I had always attended this event together. I didn’t ignore him, feeling that would be too obvious, though I pretended the woman next to me was fascinating.

  Actually, she was interesting. An older lady, whose husband seemed thrilled to be seated next to Giselle, rattled off story after story of Manhattan in the fifties.

  A few times, I let my gaze wander to Daniel, a jolt of giddiness running through me when, more often than not, his focus was on me. Stone was occupied in conversation with the gentleman next to him, but there wasn’t a moment when he wasn’t touching me. He’d whisper silly things in my ear, making me blush or giggle. We did a damn good job of pretending to be lovers, though I wondered if Daniel could see through it. Like I knew him, he knew me. Even though I cared for Stone, he wasn’t Daniel.

  After dinner, Stone excused us from the table, and we wandered through the items available in the silent auction. Neither of us put up a bid, eventually making our way to the donation table. A stab of nostalgia engulfed me as I asked for an envelope from the young lady seated behind the table.

  And damn me for being foolish, but I asked the girl if she had a larger envelope. She pulled out one about eight by ten in lavish silver. I opened my clutch, took out my phone, identification, and lipstick, and dumped the remaining contents in the envelope. I didn’t know exactly how much it was, though I wished it was more.

  Stone watched me in disbelief as I held the envelope flap to my mouth.

  “May I seal that for you?” My stomach flipped when I heard his voice, and I froze as I went back in a time warp to the first time I’d met Daniel.

  The only difference in him between this evening and the one so many years ago was the addition of a few distinguished gray hairs among the black and a few more lines around his eyes. He was still an angelic warrior.

  “No.” I found my spine and composure. Suddenly we were the only two people in the room. “Please pass the tape.”

  And there it was, the faintest pull upward on the corner of his mouth. I felt like I’d conquered Everest, but I held it inside. He picked up the fancy tape dispenser and held it for me as I tugged off a long strip. Once the envelope was sealed and inserted safely into the vault monitored by two security guards, I turned to Stone, who slid an arm around my waist. We stepped away from the table so others could make their donations.

  “Vivian, you’re one of a kind,” he said, kissing my temple. “And your mistake is my gain, Daniel.”

  “I can see that,” he said as if he didn’t give a fuck. That stung.

  God, how I’d missed him. Seeing him in a tailored tux, one hand in his pocket, wearing that badass look, like he knew something about everybody here they didn’t want him to know, turned me inside out. But I kept my expression cool as I leaned into Stone.

  “Never pictured you as one to move from one serious relationship to another,” Stone told him with a lift of his brow.

  Daniel remained impassive, his gaze on me. He so knew what we were up to, his eyes challenging me with you-can-do-better-than-this, V. “I’m happy the two of you have each other.” He continued playing along, ignoring Stone’s comment. “You’d better take care of her.”

  I felt another pang of hurt that he couldn’t even say my name.

  “I will.” Stone clapped Daniel on the shoulder in a platonic gesture. There was no tension between them, only some sort of male understanding. “Mind keeping Vivian company for a few minutes? I see someone I need to speak with.”

  “I don’t need a babysit—” Stone cut me off with a brush of his lips against mine, catching me off guard.
They were the wrong lips.

  “I’d be happy to. Dance with me, Vivian?”

  I glared at him. This was the opportunity I’d hoped for, but I knew nothing good was going to come out of it. He was too damn stubborn. I nodded, my jaw set. “Don’t be long,” I said to Stone, keeping up pretenses.

  “I won’t be.”

  Daniel offered his hand to me, and I took it without thinking. Suddenly everything that was wrong felt right. He sensed it too. His fingers tightened around mine, and once we were on the dance floor, he effortlessly pulled me into his arms. It was where I belonged. How he could possibly believe otherwise was inconceivable to me.

  “How are you?” he asked.

  He had been angry with me only days ago, but there was no trace of that now. I lifted my chin. “Don’t insult me with small talk. We’ve never done it before, and we’re not doing it now.”

  He sighed, pulling me closer. “What the fuck are you doing, Vivian?” The question was spoken as softly as the last one, with no malice whatsoever. He sounded tired.

  “At the moment, I’m dancing with you.” It was a smart-ass response, which earned me an arched brow.

  “You know what I mean.”

  I gave him my sweetest smile. “No. I really don’t.”

  “All right, we’ll play it your way. Why are you living in that shit‐ hole when I bought you an apartment you loved?”

  I frowned. “How could I ‘love’ an apartment I’ve never seen?” I said, stiffening against him.

  “You picked it out. The one on Park.”

  “You told me that was an investment property,” I said, my voice rising. “And that was three months ago. You’ve been planning this for that long?” I could barely get any words out as realization dawned on me. I bit the inside of my cheek to detract from the pain in my chest. It didn’t work.

  I stared at the man I loved, struggling to keep the tears from fall‐ ing. The vault was locked up tight, and the combination had changed. “You broke your promise.”

  “How so?”

  “You promised to fight for me, that you’d give me everything. But you didn’t. You’ve known for at least three months you were going to do this.” I stared at his chest, no longer able to stand looking into his eyes.

  He tilted my chin up, forcing me to meet his gaze. “I have never broken a promise to you. I—” He was interrupted by his phone vibrating between us. He hesitated over answering the call. I reached in his pocket and held out the phone. Daniel frowned at the caller ID but kept one arm around me as if he couldn’t let go. He steered me to the edge of the dance floor where there were hardly any guests.

  He took the call. “This had better be good.”

  I shivered at the threat in his voice. His eyes remained locked on me as he listened to whoever was on the other end. “Anything happens to her, and you die.” He stabbed the END button and dumped the phone back in his pocket.

  “What is it?”

  “Nothing for you to worry about. I have to leave.”

  He started for the exit, but I grabbed his arm. “What’s happening to Muriella?”

  He froze. “Nothing is going to happen to her.” “I know that was about her.”

  “I got careless. One of my enemies said if I don’t do as he says, something ‘regrettable’ will happen to her.”

  A sick feeling took root in my stomach. “She said she was going straight home.” I blinked, panicked. “Go find Stone. I’ll call her.”

  He appeared to be about to argue, but I already had my phone out. “He claims to have her at the apartment.”

  I paled, and Daniel took off.

  The phone rang and rang, eventually going to voicemail. No worries. Her cell phone wasn’t always glued to her hand. I dialed her apartment.

  The phone rang.

  Finally it went to voicemail. I ended the call and tried again.

  Daniel and Stone approached with wary eyes. I shook my head ruefully. “She’s not answering.”

  Chapter 34

  DANIEL

  * * *

  Present

  * * *

  I AM GOING to kill that motherfucker.

  The thought was on replay in my head as I charged out of the Met, Vivian and Stone on my heels. I’d texted the driver to meet us out front. Vivian had her phone pressed to her ear, her face pale as she continued to call Muriella to no avail.

  If something happened to her, I’d never forgive myself. She should never have been in this position in the first goddamn place. But I’d put her there because of the past I couldn’t get away from. Now I was helpless in the back of a limousine, anticipating the worst. As if Muriella hadn’t suffered enough in her life—and it was happening again at my hands. She’d trusted me to take care of her, and I’d failed.

  I reached for Vivian’s hand, twining my fingers with hers while she dished out orders for Stone to call his driver. She hesitated only a moment, looking at our hands in wonder. I didn’t deserve it, but her touch was the only thing keeping me from completely losing my shit.

  “Don’t do that to yourself,” she said as if she were inside my head, where I was kicking my own ass.

  My other hand shook as I unlocked my phone and opened the tracking app. The blinking blue dot was Vivian, and I quickly toggled to Muriella. This wasn’t a hundred percent accurate, but it was close. According to it, she was at the apartment building. I just didn’t know if she was in her apartment or mine.

  I fired off a text to Donato demanding he meet us, as Stone wrapped up the call with his driver. I directed ours home.

  “The driver took her back to your place after he let us off,” Stone said to Vivian. “She ran up, then came back down with a suitcase. He dropped her off at her apartment. Saw her go into the building.”

  “Did you try your apartment?” Vivian asked me hopefully. I shook my head, and she dialed.

  She noticed the blinking dot. “What is that?” She cradled the phone between her shoulder and ear, pointing at my screen.

  “Tracking.”

  “You can do that?”

  Anybody could use the technology in this day and age, but mine just happened to be courtesy of the US government. “It’s necessary,” I said unapologetically.

  She ended the call. “No answer.”

  “Keep trying,” I encouraged, my voice giving away how worried I felt. I gripped her hand like my life depended on it.

  I glanced at Stone, who looked like he’d aged a decade in the last half hour. If he knew who had Muriella, what the man was capable of, he’d lose his mind. Or he’d kill me himself for allowing someone like that near her.

  A flash of regret ran through me. I shouldn’t have warned him off her. I knew he was a good man, and probably good for her, but his fame was a problem. One international photograph of Muriella, and it would all be over. The risk hadn’t seemed worth it, but what if I’d kept her from the happiness she could have had with him? What if I’d robbed her of the chance and now there wouldn’t be one?

  “Stop it.” Vivian’s stern voice cut through my thoughts.

  “When we get there, I want you to stay in the car.”

  She looked at me like I’d lost my mind. “The hell I will. If Muriella is in trouble, I’m going to get her out of it.”

  I dropped my phone on the seat beside me and plowed my hand through my hair. “Goddammit, Vivian. You have no idea who we’re dealing with.”

  “That’s because you won’t tell me anything,” she said, her voice rising.

  I leveled Stone with a look. “You stay in the car too.”

  He snorted and gave me a wry smile. “No offense, Elliott, but a thousand men couldn’t keep me in here, let alone you.”

  I snapped my head away from the both of them and stared out the window.

  “I refuse to put either of you in harm’s way. You’ll do as I say.” We were close. It was too fast and and too slow at once. I needed to get to Muriella, yet I dreaded how I would find her.

  Vivia
n squeezed my hand, and I drew strength from it. She tried to give me an encouraging smile, but it came off awkward and uncertain. Just like I felt.

  “We won’t interfere.”

  Stone and I both looked at her incredulously, but there was no time to dwell on it. The car rolled up to the building, and I had the door open before it stopped.

  I sprinted past Paul, who held the door to the lobby open, and stabbed the call button to the elevator repeatedly as if that would make it arrive faster.

  Vivian slid past me as soon as the doors opened, Stone right behind her.

  “You said you wouldn’t interfere,” I said through my teeth. She lifted her chin and grabbed my hand. “We’re not.”

  Worry knotted my stomach. I needed every bit of my concentration if I was going to get all of us out of this unharmed. I didn’t have it. I’d never put any of them in danger before, and I was struggling to control my fear.

  The elevator crawled to the penthouse level. When the car stopped and the private lobby was revealed, the front door was wide open.

  I held my arm out to keep the two of them from charging ahead.

  We had no weapons. I couldn’t say the same of our adversary.

  “Is this how you make yourself feel important? By threatening innocent women?” Muriella’s voice sounded from the direction of the living room. A surge of pride filled me at the strength in her tone.

  Vivian attempted to edge around me once we got to the foyer, but I kept her behind me. Sensing my urgency, Stone gently maneuvered her behind him. She glared at both of us, but said nothing.

  I held up my hand, indicating for the two of them to stay put. Stone nodded once, catching my drift that it would be better if all of our presences weren’t made known.

  “Here I am.”

  I held my arms open wide as I strode into the living room with a bravado that I didn’t feel even a little bit. My steps faltered at the sight of Muriella tied to one of the dining room chairs that had been moved into the space.