by Evie Nichole
Selene danced for him in ways she didn’t realize she was capable of dancing. She ran her hands up her sides and removed the corset in a fast explosive movement. Her purple and black tassels swung in front of her.
His eyes stayed on her, and the hungrier he looked, the more sensual she made her movements, not caring whether her dancing matched the music or not. The laughter and light cheers waned. The music stopped and Selene stood vulnerable and speechless before Barkley Bailey. It was as if a trance was being lifted from her.
Barkley stood. It was a slow movement, but not void of purpose. He kept his eyes on her as if she was an animal he wanted to catch.
“That was really good! How about another one?”
“Umm…no.” Selene stammered. “I…I was only contracted for one.”
“Contracted?” Barkley’s eyes crinkled with amusement.
“Yes, so…I have to go now.” What’s wrong with me? She turned, conscious of all eyes in the room on her near-naked person, and grabbed the CD player, yanking the cord until the plug popped out of the wall.
Barkley exchanged a look with Chuck and Tom, whose tumbler was magically filled again. Both men shrugged.
Selene locked the bathroom door and quickly threw on the loose clothes, cinching her raincoat tightly. She would just tell Mitchell that she wasn’t up for the job. She would return the money. Whatever. Barkley Bailey was not a man she wanted to get close to. Not even for a case this big. It was the eyes. It was the dimples. Their combined intensity mingled with vulnerability and was dusted with a raw sexuality. She jerked the bathroom door open to see Barkley leaning against the opposite wall, hands in his pockets, and legs crossed at the ankles.
“Do you really have to leave so soon? It is my birthday after all, and I would like for you to be my guest.” His voice was deep, but he spoke the words softly. She wondered if he used that voice during pillow talk.
“Yes, I really do, and you have at least twenty-five guests in there.”
His laughter was robust. She could imagine herself becoming addicted to a laugh like that. “This is true, but I don’t have a special guest.”
Selene glanced at him briefly before dropping her eyes again. She never dropped her eyes. She never backed away from anything.
“Sucks for you, I guess.”
Barkley pushed away from the wall and held a hand out to her. “Please, just stay for a little while. We have a buffet table with all sorts of goodies, and apparently there will be a cake later.”
Selene guffawed. “Cake after all that alcohol?”
“Is there really so much?”
“I saw the bar complete with bartender during one of my twirls.”
Barkley tilted his head to the side quizzically. He stared at her a moment, pulling his bottom lip through his teeth.
“You aren’t a real stripper, are you?”
Selene’s head shot up. “Of course I am.”
“What’s your name?”
“Gisele.”
“Who do you work for?”
“Myself.” She set her jaw, daring him to question her.
Barkley laughed again, lightly this time, holding his hands up in mock surrender. “Okay, okay. I get it.” He pushed his hand towards her again. “Please. Just for a little while?”
“Why is it so important?”
Lips curled upward. “Because I’ve never had a woman as beautiful as you come and dance just for me.”
Selene hesitated. Oh, I’m in deep, deep trouble here.
***
Barkley took her straight to the bar. Selene ignored the whispers between a small group of three women and the knowing looks of several of the men.
“What would you like? We can do most anything tonight.”
“I’ll just take a beer.”
“Sure you don’t want something a little more exotic?”
Selene brought air in through her parted lips slowly, mentally counting to three. He was only being nice. She shook her head.
“No, just a beer. Something Mexican, if you have it.”
The bartender nodded and rummaged under the bar for a moment before producing a dark bottle. There was a slight hiss as he deftly removed the cap. Selena didn’t recognize the name, but the beer was crisp and cold. She could feel her nerves calming after only one long pull.
“Mexican, huh? Is that what you are?”
Selene watched as the bartender poured two fingers of scotch into a short glass.
“Scotch, huh? Is that what you are? Scottish?”
Barkley threw his head back and laughed. Selena liked the way his two front teeth were just barely crooked.
“Touché, Gisele.”
“And who is this beauty?” A voice purred just beyond Barkley’s shoulder.
Selene assessed the woman with what she hoped looked like benign curiosity. She had straight black hair, streaked with white, which stopped just below her jaw line, the cut tapering off towards her chin. Her silver sequined blouse and her many bracelets gave her the look of a thin disco ball.
Barkley kissed her cheek lightly. “Well, mother, you missed all the fun. Someone decided I needed a stripper for my birthday. Would that have been you?” Barkley raised his eyebrows and his glass simultaneously.
“Don’t be foolish. I wouldn’t be so tasteless.”
Selene’s chin dropped, her eyes bulging.
The woman chuckled. “No offense, dear.”
“Gisele, this is my sweet, opinionated mother, Ruth Bailey.”
The woman offered Selene a limp-wristed handshake.
“Dad couldn’t make it?”
Ruth waved him off dismissively. “You know how it is.”
“Ah. Poker night or illegal slots?”
Ruth cut him a dangerous look. “Mind your manners.” She wandered away to join the group of three women still whispering and aiming at Selene with daggers in their eyes. Ruth leaned in, and after a moment, looked back at Selene herself.
“Don’t mind the gaggle of hens,” Barkley whispered near her ear. His breath was warm, the scent of scotch pleasant as it wafted over her skin. “They’re just jealous.”
“Of what?” Selene asked, tearing her gaze away from the women. “They all look like they could march down a fashion runway, including your mother.”
“She is a beauty. You should have seen her when she was young, and unlike her far younger conspirators over there, she didn’t get massive injections of Botox or go under the knife to achieve results.”
“Then how did she do it?”
Barkley shrugged. “Good genetics maybe? She was on a clean-eating spree long before it was in vogue.” He sipped his drink thoughtfully. “Maybe a life of bitter gall works like embalming fluid. Who knows?”
Selene kept her eyes on him as she took another pull from the bottle. It was an odd admission to offer about his own mother, considering she was a perfect stranger. He must have picked up the vibe as he turned a shade of pink and studied his near empty glass.
“Sorry. Sour grapes, I guess.”
“Because of your dad?”
“No. Yes.” He lifted a shoulder. “I’ve been dealing with it for forty years. Forty years tonight, in fact.” He winked at her and drained what was left of the scotch, sliding the glass back to the bartender.
“Another?”
Barkley nodded.
Selene looked around the room, grateful to see that the guests, including the women, were losing interest in her.
“So, is exotic dancing all that you do, Gisele?”
“Umm…yes…for the moment.”
“What do you do in your free time?”
“I don’t guess you’d buy that I do nothing.”
Barkley shook his head. “No, I wouldn’t.”
“What about you?” She countered. “What about your free time?”
“I don’t have much.” Barkley’s head shot up as a couple of the men whooped loudly, a pretend tussle taking shape. “Would you like to join me on the patio? The e
vening is so clear and pleasant.”
“For a few minutes, but then I really need to go.”
He sipped his drink. Selene could see the wheels turning in his mind. “Deal.”
He led her past the buffet table, pausing momentarily to see if Selene would like something to eat. She hadn’t intended on eating, but she hadn’t intended on a beer either. Her stomach rumbled a reminder that she hadn’t eaten since early morning as she took in the delicacies laid out before her.
“I’ll just have a little something.”
Barkley watched with satisfaction as she laid two chicken wings on her plate and spooned cut fruit next to a couple fancifully cut cucumber finger sandwiches.
The patio was spacious, laid with brick to match the house. Barkley held a chair for her at a glass and wrought iron table. None of the other guests were out there; they all seemed engrossed in the pretend tussle and their own small talk. It made Selene feel a little sad for the man taking a seat beside her. They were his guests, but they seemed more interested in the bar and each other.
“So, how is it that you have no free time?” Selene asked before biting into one of the wings. The meat seemed to melt on her tongue. It was, by far, the best wing she had ever had.
“My company keeps me tied up.”
“What company is that?”
He gave her a quizzical tilt of his head again. “You don’t know who I am, huh? That’s good. I do try to stay under the radar.”
“So, what’s your company?”
“Bailey Games and Apps. Apparently, according to Forbes, I own the biggest company of its type…ever. I’ve entered into the realm of console gaming recently as well. That’s what’s keeping me so tied up.”
“You want to create a new type of gaming console?”
He shook his head, finishing his scotch for a second time. “No, I simply want to create some games for the existing ones.”
Selene moved on to the cucumber sandwiches. “You went to school for this stuff?”
He smiled wistfully. “You could say that. I went to MIT. Gaming is just my passion.” His mouth twisted, the dimples disappearing. “Not that my parents understand that.”
Selene swallowed and waved her fork at him. “Parents rarely understand their kids’ passions.”
“So, are you married, Gisele? Do you have a boyfriend?”
Selene hoped the sudden stillness of her face wasn’t noticeable. She didn’t want to think about Eric. She never wanted to think about Eric. She forced herself to swallow, a tight smile pulling her lips painfully. “No. I’m recently on the market.”
“Must be something in the water.”
“Pardon?”
“I’m recently on the market, too.”
Selene’s pulse quickened. This was the break she was hoping for. Staying had been a good idea after all.
“Latest girlfriend left, huh?”
“I wish it were that simple. My wife left.” He spoke the words softly. Selene was sure she heard pain on the delicate breath between syllables.
“Can you fix things with her?”
“If I knew where she was, but I don’t think she wants me to find her.”
A waiter of some sort came onto the patio and took Barkley’s glass, silently disappearing again after Barkley refused a refill. His eyes lifted to stare at her directly.
“I’m not sure I want to find her at this point.”
Selene wasn’t sure what the intensity was for. Did he want to see if she would admit to seeing the story in the papers?
“Tell me about her.”
“Her name is Sarah. I thought she was happy.” He sighed loudly. “A year ago she started acting like I had leprosy. Said I didn’t really love or care for her. Six months later she just vanished.”
Selene pushed her empty plate away. “Did she take any belongings with her?”
His lips turned down at the corners. “Not that I could tell.”
“How could you not tell?”
“Ha!” He barked. “I did such a good job of not loving her and caring for her, that she had two walk-in closets filled with clothes and shoes. She had jewelry boxes full of crap.”
“Some women don’t want to be bought.”
“Maybe.”
“Maybe someone took her.”
Barkley’s face darkened.
“Sorry. That was heartless.”
“I was a suspect.” His voice was tinged with unmistakable bitterness.
“You’re not now?”
“Nope. I had an airtight alibi. I was at my home in Virginia…giving her space. Numerous people I employ were interviewed.”
Selene nodded, her mind whirling. How could Lucas Mitchell argue an airtight alibi?
Chuck bounded onto the patio, his face flushed, and his perfectly gelled hair coming undone near the edges.
“Barkley, you have to come get in one this! We’re doing rounds of arm wrestling!”
“I’ll be in in a little while. I’m entertaining my guest.”
Chuck snickered before bouncing back through the door.
“Does he always run everywhere he goes?”
Barkley crossed his legs. “You’ll have to excuse him. Tom, too, for that matter. They are old college buddies of mine. Since they are both recently separated, they are trying to relive the old frat days.”
“Chuck could pull it off, but Tom…” Selene let her words trail off.
Barkley smiled broadly. “Now we’re back to genetics and aging.”
Selene felt his smile pulling her in. A breeze blew across the patio, chilly and dank, the smell of impending rain heavy. She stood and began gathering her empty plate, placing the used napkin and fork on top. Barkley stood as well, his smile gone.
“Where are you going?”
“I told you. I have to go.”
“Do you have a child at home or something?”
Selene’s head shot upward. “What? No!” She thrust a hip out to the side in impatience. “Why can’t you just accept that I need to go?”
Barkley reached a hand towards her, barely skimming the back of her hand with his fingertips. Selene shuddered involuntarily. The way his eyes darkened and seemed to sink farther under his eyebrows told her that he had felt the tease of electricity too.
“I’d like to see you again.”
“Why?” Selene had planned to tell Mitchell that he was running into a dead end by thinking Barkley had anything to do with his daughter’s disappearance.
“Because you intrigue me. I’d like to get to know you better.” Selene took a step backwards. Barkley followed, his face changing to desperation.
“I have a home in the Caymans. We could fly out for a couple days. My treat.”
“Remember what I said about some women not wanting to be bought?”
Barkley nodded.
“Well, I’m one of them.”
His lips twitched. “I don’t presume to buy you, Gisele. I would just like to know you.”
Selene felt like there was a magnet attached to Barkley. The pull was strong. It was dangerous.
Maybe I should look into this a little further. It sounded lame even in her own mind.
“All right. But we aren’t going to the Caymans.”
Barkley rewarded her with a huge smile, dimples and all. “Fine. Deal! Can I pick you up tomorrow? We can do something fun here in the city.”
“No…umm…I’ll just come back here. You don’t have to pick me up.”
Barkley’s smile faltered, but he nodded enthusiastically. “That’s fine. Noon all right with you?”
Selene nodded once.
Barkley insisted on seeing her to the door. She was grateful that the guests simply waved their goodbyes. The women just nodded at her curtly. Barkley’s mother watched her son lead Selene, with a hand on her lower back. Ruth’s silver-colored eyes filled with knowing.
***
Selene didn’t expect Lucas Mitchell to pick up the phone, especially at one in the morning, much less on t
he second ring. She hoped he would be awoken from sleep just like he had awoken her the morning before.
“Selene?”
“Yes, it’s me.”
“How did it go?” He wheezed slightly into the receiver.
“Fine, but I think you are staring at a dead end here.”
The pause was thick. “I don’t believe I am.”
Selene rolled her eyes, transferring her cell phone to the other ear. “Well, you’re in luck. I have a date with him tomorrow.”
She was sure a ruthless grin was plastered on Lucas Mitchell’s face.
“Very good. Very good, indeed.”
Chapter Two
The butlers and maids that Selene had expected to see the night before had come out of the woodwork. A thin man dressed in khaki slacks and a pale blue button-down shirt answered the door. His pencil-thin mustache twitched as light brown eyes moved from her face to her feet and back again.
“Miss Gisele, I presume?”
“You presume correctly.”
He moved to the side and held the door open for her. The soft click behind her made her feel committed to the strange day. The man moved in front of her and began walking towards the large recreational room she had danced in the night before. The doors were open, and she could hear a vacuum cleaner rumbling inside.
“Please wait here, while I fetch Mr. Bailey.”
Fetch? What century am I in?
Selene nodded silently and stood awkwardly by the double doors. Two women were furiously cleaning the room. Both looked to be in their mid to late forties and moved at a pace which indicated they had other plans for the brisk Saturday afternoon.
Selene saw that the bar was void of its bartender and had been polished clean. The pool table looked like it too had been vacuumed. Selene took in the brightly lit room, with its aesthetically pleasing house trees and comfortable furniture. She glanced to a corner near the patio doors, surprised she hadn’t noticed the grand piano the night before.
The two cleaning ladies nodded benignly to her as she made her way to the glossy black piano. Selene touched the top, careful to only allow her fingertips to graze the surface. She sat on the bench, hesitating only a fraction of a second before lifting the cover off of the keys. Selene pushed one key, then another, until she was playing a song long burned into her memory: The Old Rugged Cross.
