Heart of Sin

by Nicola Jane

  “What does that even mean? Are you forgetting that you were only going to marry me for the money?” I remind her of the agreement we were going to put into place if my Grandmother was to accept her, which thankfully she didn’t. Annalise turns back to me, tears in her eyes begin to roll down her cheek.

  “No, it wasn’t just about the money. I love you Vass, I really do love you,” she whispers.

  I take a step back shaking my head, “No you don’t. It was an agreement between us, I didn’t promise you anything.”

  She reaches for me and I pull away, “I couldn’t help it, I just started having these feelings and I thought with time you’d feel the same as me.” A knock on the door interrupts us but it’s a welcome break from the intense conversation that I’ve found myself in. I open the door to find Maxim looking worried.

  “Sorry to interrupt Vass but she’s gone. I thought you’d want to know.”

  “Liv?” I ask and he nods, “Gone where?”

  “She was a little upset and she called a cab to take her.” I mutter a string of curse words and look back to Annalise, “You need to go home.”

  “We have things to discuss,” she snaps, folding her arms across her chest. “My father is threatening to go to the newspapers about our little deal.” My patience is running out and I close my eyes briefly to reign my temper in. I nod at Maxim and then close the door again, turning back to her.

  “You signed the paperwork. If you break the confidentiality then I’ll bring your world down Annalise, don’t think I won’t.”

  “He’s prepared to keep quiet,” she says, “For a price.”

  “Really, and what does your father need money for?” He’s a successful business man, he’s not short of money but Annalise’s face tells me different, “He’s short of cash?”

  “He wants to meet with you.”

  “I’ll think about it, I have to go. See yourself out.”

  I practically run to my car, pushing the call button repeatedly on my mobile to call Liv but each time it goes to her answer machine. “Answer your phone dammit,” I yell into the recording.

  I’m pretty sure I’ve picked a ticket up, the speed I drove at to get here was not within the legal limit. I try the front door but it’s locked, I knock and there’s no answer. “Liv, open the door, I know you’re here,” I shout banging slightly louder. I pull out my key and push it in the lock, it won’t go all the way in indicating that there’s a key in the other side. “Dam it Liv come on, let me in.”

  The window from Liv’s bedroom opens and she pops her head out, “What do you want Vass?” she snaps.

  “Why did you leave?” I ask, “I said I was coming back.”

  “You were busy,” she snaps, “Checking that your ex was okay.”

  “Hey aren’t you Vass Fraser?” asks a passing guy, stopping.

  I force a smile and nod, Yeah that’s me,” I mutter.

  “Any chance I can have a photo, you’re a legend,” he says pulling out his mobile phone.

  “See always other business to attend to,” sighs Liv.

  “Come on Liv, don’t be stupid,” I shout, pausing for a photo with the guy. “Look let me up so we can talk like adults. This is ridiculous,” I reason.

  “Your ex hit me in the face Vass and you took her off leaving me with your damn security,” she yells slamming the window.

  “Fuck this.” I get back in my car, the tyres shrieking in protest as I drive away. I won’t stand in the street arguing, she can come to me when she’s ready to talk.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Alivia

  I peek through the blinds, watching as Vass drives away. Reality hit me around the same time as Annalise slapped me. I’d been tied up and fucked and I enjoyed it, what does that say about me. Am I his Submissive now, how do we work together after all of that. I get into bed and bury myself under the blankets. Feeling ashamed after I felt so much pleasure is confusing.

  The next morning I arrive at the office late. I slept through my alarm and then the traffic was a nightmare. I already feel like the day is going to go wrong and I’ve not seen Vass yet. I get straight to work, replying to various emails and setting up meetings in our main room for some large customers. It’s almost midday when the conjoining door between mine and Vass’s office opens and Vass enters. His steely expression tells me he isn’t planning on apologising. A female follows him, she’s dressed well and reminds me of Annalise. Her blond hair is styled to perfection and her makeup is flawless. Her bright red lipstick is a little much for this time of the day but it suits her.

  “Melody this is Alivia Caldwell. She works for me in marketing,” introduces Vass, He turns to me, “Melody is taking Bianca’s place as my Personal Assistant.”

  I fake a smile, “Fantastic, that will free me up a bit,” I say.

  “It certainly will,” he smiles, looking down at Melody’s ass as she passes him to place her bag on her new desk. I arch a brow at him, I know it’s all for my benefit. “Play nice kittens,” he says with a wink.

  “Vass,” smiles Melody striding over to him, “Thank you so much for this, I’m so excited about being your personal assistant,” she says with a sexy smile. She places her hand against his chest and stands on her tip toes, placing a brief kiss on his cheek. She laughs at the lipstick mark she’s left on his skin, wiping it gently with her thumb. Vass glances at me uncomfortably and then steps back from her.

  “No problem,” he says before heading back to his office.

  “Oh my god he is so gorgeous,” she says excitedly.

  “Some people seem to think so,” I mutter, pulling my diary from my bag and flicking through it like I’m too busy to chat.

  “I have to say he’s the best sex I’ve ever had, what that man can’t do with his wicked tongue,” she sighs taking her seat. I slam the diary closed.

  “Well, I don’t advise you go there again because he usually fires the staff that he fucks.”

  Melody glances at me, “Well I was told he usually only fucks and chucks but he’s been back to me several times.” I bite the inner skin on my cheek, “Although I hear he’s engaged now to some poor Cinderella, what a waste of a good man.”

  I stand abruptly, I know I’m being sensitive and it’s not like me and Vass are real, but the feelings are still ones of jealousy and hurt. I grab my handbag, I have to meet Vass’s Grandmother for lunch. She had someone call me this morning to arrange and I felt I couldn’t say no.

  I drive in to the parking lot of the huge hotel. It’s an expensive place to stay so I’m already panicking that the lunch will blow my measly budget.

  I report to the booking in desk and the receptionist points me in the direction of the restaurant. As I approach I here the clinking of glasses and the smell of garlic wafts through making my stomach grumble loudly.

  The waiter shows me to the table where Vass’s Grandmother is already seated. She’s chatting across the isle to a lady on another table. As I approach she stands and kisses both of my cheeks in greeting. “Thank you so much for meeting me at such short notice Alivia,” she gushes looking happy to see me.

  “It’s not a problem at all Mrs Frazer,” I smile taking a seat opposite her.

  She laughs, “Please, call me Angela, If you’re going to marry my Grandson then you should at least call me by my name.” I inwardly groan, I’d forgotten about that minor detail. I don’t know what Vass has even said to her and I didn’t tell him this morning because I’m still mad. “I’m annoyed at Vass truth be told,” she continues, pouring water from a jug on the table into her glass and then filling mine. Me and you both lady, I think to myself. “He didn’t tell me about the engagement.”

  “I’m sorry about that, I didn’t know. It was a surprise to me actually. I wasn’t expecting it.”

  “You wasn’t?” she queries and I shake my head. I’m not good at telling lies and I can feel my heart beating out of my chest. She eyes me for a second, assessing me and I shift uncomfortably. “I might be an ol
d dyeing lady Alivia but I can promise you that I’m not stupid.” I take a gulp of my water, noticing that my hand is shaking with nerves. “I know all of Vass’s tricks, and his mothers. They think they can fool me when actually he’s the fool all along.”

  “He is?” I ask, chewing on my lower lip. The waiter comes over, I haven’t even looked at the menu properly so I glance quickly whilst Angela places her order. My eyes scan for the cheapest item, a crab cake with salad. I hand the menu back to the waiter as he takes my order. Once he’s gone she grasps her hands together and smiles tightly.

  “I like you Alivia, I get a good feeling from you.”

  “Thank you,” I squeak out.

  “Vass doesn’t realise it yet but he does love you, or at least he will in time.”

  “Mrs Fletcher, I mean Angela,” I say nervously, “I’ll be honest with you. I feel a little uncomfortable and I think we should perhaps invite Vass along?”

  “Don’t be nervous Alivia, I’m just looking after Vass,” she says with a smile, “The thing is, The Luxe ruined the men in my family. My husband, my son and now my Grandson. Men are weak around that place and if I could, I’d burn it to the ground, but Vass loves it. It’s all he’s ever known but it almost ruined him once, I don’t want that to happen again. The deal I made with him was that he needed to find love before I would sign over my half to him. He only has a short amount of time left so you can imagine why he’s rushing to get you up the aisle. What Vass hasn’t asked about is how long I specified he had to stay married for,” she says with a small smile. I feel my heart beat pick up again, Vass didn’t say anything about a set period of time.

  “Okay, how long?” I ask.

  “I don’t think you’ll need long. In fact I feel like he’s almost there.” Her riddles confuse me. “How long would you like me to tie him in for?” she asks and my breath catches in my throat making me cough.

  “I don’t understand what’s going on,” I mutter.

  “I wanted Vass to find a real woman, one that will change him for the better and you are that woman. You are so far from what he usually goes for that he’s falling for you and he doesn’t realise it.”

  “If I’m so different how long is it going to last before he goes back to what he really wants?” I ask.

  “Vass thought that the women with the flash cars and the expensive perfumes were the ones for him. I knew he’d fall hard for a girl that came from a lower class background,” When I raise my eyebrows she presses her hand over mine and smiles kindly, “That sounded cruel but I don’t mean anything by it. The fact that you just chose the cheapest thing on the menu tells me that you don’t expect anything, you didn’t come here thinking I was going to buy you lunch just because I have money. I like that quality in you. The fact that you also refused to stay at The Luxe when you needed to leave your apartment shows you have pride. Vass needs a woman that will stand up to him, that will challenge him and above all else, will love him. He’s got that in you. The mistakes the past men in my family made were choosing women that want it all, money, fame, I’m including myself in that. I’d give anything to do it different.”

  “If you know that Vass has set the whole wedding up why not just forget the whole thing. Tell him you’ve busted him and sort something out.”

  “I want him to fall for you,” she says, “Isn’t that what you want too?”

  I hesitate, my brain screams no but my heart wants it more than I ever knew. “I, It’s complicated,” I stammer.

  “I can tie Vass in to your marriage for as long as you think you need to win him over,” she smiles. Our food arrives giving me a chance to gather my thoughts. The whole thing is getting so out of hand and I’m beginning to see that I’m being used in a game between a Grandmother and her Grandson. The poor girl being offered a Cinderella fairy-tale ending. I push my food around on my plate, my appetite suddenly gone. I place my fork down and sigh.

  “The thing is Angela, I feel out of my depth. Vass isn’t going to fall in love with me no matter what time limit you set. He likes his lifestyle and from what I can see he has it together, he isn’t drinking and partying. You can settle in the knowledge that Vass is a good man with a kind heart and you don’t need to meddle in his life. If he wants to fall in love then he will but it will be in his own time. Putting restrictions on his life is going to make him miserable and it’s going to break a girls heart. When I agreed to help Vass it was because I didn’t want him to lose the one place that I could see right from meeting him, meant the world and I didn’t want his dying Grandmother to pass away thinking her Grandson was miserable and lonely. I see now that I was wrong. I can’t go ahead with the wedding, I’m really sorry.” I stand and reach into my bag pulling out the twenty pounds to cover my ridiculously expensive salad that I didn’t eat.

  “I will pay for lunch, please don’t make any rash decisions Alivia,” says Angela.

  “It was lovely seeing you again,” I say with a smile before heading out. Once outside I let out a breath. What the hell was I thinking. I place my head in my hands, I can’t go back to him and tell him that its off. He’ll lose The Luxe and I can’t bare to see that pain in his eyes. I pull out my mobile and dial my mothers number. She answers straight away.

  “Liv, I was just thinking about you.”

  “Can I come home for a while?” I ask, my voice cracking, “The weddings off.”

  Vass

  “Did Alivia say where she was going for lunch?” I ask Melody. She shakes her head, tapping away on the keyboard of her computer. I glance at my watch, it’s been two hours. I go back into my office and try to call her again but it goes straight to voicemail. I leave her another message asking her to call me.

  I hear a commotion from outside my office and the door bursts open. David Collinsworth barges past Clarisse who tries desperately to stop him.

  “It’s fine Riss,” I say nodding for her to leave us alone. “Please, take a seat.”

  He ignores me and paces in front of my desk. “I want the million that you promised my daughter,” he grates out.

  “I didn’t promise Annalise anything. In fact the paperwork I gave her states that the marriage will only go ahead with my Grandmothers approval. It also had a very clear clause that either one of us can pull out at any time but that would result in the payment not being made.”

  “Bullshit. I can take your contract to the newspapers and get paid that way. Fuck your gagging order.”

  “Then I will take Annalise to court and she can explain to the judge why you’ve broken the agreement.”

  “And I’ll tell the damn judge what a bastard you are. How you like to fuck girls that are weak and at your mercy. She was brainwashed by you.”

  I laugh, his theory wouldn’t stand up in court and he knows it. “Is your business in financial difficulties David?” I ask and his face turns red with anger. “Because if you need a loan I can sort that for you, you only have to ask.”

  “How dare you. I’ll get that money from you one way or another,” he yells storming out of the office and slamming the door. It opens immediately and I’m surprised when my Grandmother walks in, I was expecting it to be him again.

  “Another visitor, I am so popular today,” I say with a smile. I kiss her on the cheek and pull out the chair for her. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”

  “I remember your Grandfather sitting in that chair,” she says with a wistful smile, “He thought he was Peter bloody Stringfellow,” she laughs. “Have you heard from Alivia?”

  My smile fades at the mention of Alivia’s name. “No, we aren’t exactly on speaking terms but she went for lunch and hasn’t returned yet.” She gives me a guilty nod and I scowl, “What have you done?” I ask.

  “We met for lunch. She’s a lovely girl, I really like her.”

  “I know, it’s why I’m marrying her,” I say.

  “Or not as the case may be,” she mutters, watching me for a reaction. I let the words sink in to my brain.

  “W
hat do you mean?” I ask slowly.

  “I know that it’s a fake wedding,” she begins and I curse Alivia for spilling the secret, “She didn’t tell me,” she adds like she’s read my mind. “I’m not stupid Vass. I knew you and your mother would come up with a plan. I offered Alivia time to win you around. I thought by adding a year or so into the deal then you’d naturally fall in love and then it wouldn’t be a scam. Alivia didn’t take it well,” she says.

  I close my eyes and take a deep breath, “What did she say?” I grate out through gritted teeth.

  “That she couldn’t go through with any of it.”

  I push my chair back abruptly, standing, “Where the hell did she go?” I yell.

  “She didn’t say, Vass I’m so sorry.”

  “You have no idea what you’ve done,” I hiss grabbing my mobile phone and my jacket and heading for the door.

  I drive straight to Clarisse’s. My heart picks up when I see that Liv’s car is still there and I rush to the door finding it locked again. I bang hard shouting her name but she doesn’t answer. This time when I put my key in the lock it goes in and turns. Once inside I rush to her room, “Liv, Liv,” I say as I push open the door. There’s a note on the bed addressed to Clarisse. I scrunch it in my hand and rip open the wardrobe. It’s empty. Her clothes are gone.

  I drop to her bed and hang my head. My heart aches, it’s exactly why I don’t have relationships, I hate this uncontrollable feeling. I must sit there for some time because Clarisse comes home from work to find me still sat on the bed. “Hey, what are you doing here?” she asks.

  “Alivia’s gone,” I mutter, “My Grandmother scared her away with her stupid deals and idea’s.”

  “What, just like that? Where did she go?” gasps Clarisse. I shrug my shoulders, they feel heavy with the loss, it’s a feeling I’m not used to.

  “Vass I’m so sorry. Maybe I can call her and speak to her,” she suggests. I hand her the note that’s now crumpled from me holding it for so long.