by Jayne Blue
A tiny pulse beating in his temple belied the turmoil that must have gone on inside him. Something similar was happening in me.
There was a soft rap on the door and Jack flinched. R.J. opened it a crack and peered his head in. “S-sorry, guys. Tora, you need to get back to your party. Seth’s kind of degrading and you’re supposed to throw a bouquet.”
Before he could stop me, I rushed past Jack and gave R.J. a weak smile as I stepped around him and out the door.
Chapter Two
Jack
I let her leave. What else could I do? You could throw her over your shoulder and drag her off, caveman style. The idea wasn’t entirely without merit, but Tora was right about one thing: I alone knew exactly what it felt like to lose a father to Miranda Manning.
But George Pagano? The guy was Godfather-level trouble. I didn’t have the heart to tell her, but if he was behind all of this – even if Seth sky-wrote his confession – Pagano would find a way out of it.
“You coming, Jack?” R.J. still stood in the doorway with an expression that was equal parts concern and exasperation. I couldn’t blame him. He had to think I’d lost my damn mind where Tora was concerned. On many levels, he wasn’t wrong.
“Yeah,” I said. “I get that you don’t understand why I’m still protecting this girl.”
“I really don’t,” he said. So now we were going to get into it. “She’s after Seth’s money. She as much as admitted it. I’m sorry ... I’ll play by your rules on this one ... I’m kind of ethically bound to even if I wasn’t your friend, but ...”
I put my hand up. “Just save it. And I appreciate that you’re giving me the benefit of the doubt. I really just need you to trust me that there’s more going on here than meets the eye.”
“What are you going to do?” R.J. asked.
That was the zillion-dollar fucking question. “For now, nothing.”
R.J. sighed and pressed his thumb against his brow. “Can I ask you something?”
“I might not answer.”
“Yeah. Got it. Are you in love with this girl?”
I sighed. I put a hand on R.J.’s shoulder and squeezed it. “Probably.” It was an honest answer.
“Does she know it?”
“That’s two questions.”
R.J. narrowed his eyes at me. “Don’t be an asshole. And you’re forgetting who you’re talking to. You’re bad at this, Jack. Like epically bad at this. There’s a reason why you do better with ... uh ... contractual relationships instead of real ones. I’ve seen the carnage you leave behind, remember?”
Again, R.J. wasn’t wrong. I had the urge to punch him for it. “I don’t know if she knows it.” Another honest answer. “Let’s just say she’s got way more on her plate than even I realized until a few minutes ago. So, I have to ask you for another favor.”
“Yeah. I kind of figured.”
“I know I don’t have to worry about you saying anything about what you know about her. Or what you think you know. But I’m going to have to go back to Virginia for at least a few days. Maybe longer. I’m coming back, but in the meantime, I need you to watch out for her, okay?”
“Are you kidding me? Jack ... she’s ...”
“R.J.!” I nearly shouted it, then gritted my teeth to keep my temper in check. “I need you to promise me, okay? If I’m wrong about all of it ... you can have the lifetime satisfaction of knowing you’re smarter than me. And also better at golf. But I’m telling you, very soon that girl is going to need help. I plan on being back here before she does, but in the meantime, keep an eye on her, okay? If something seems off, if you hear something, if she calls you – just be her friend like if it was me.”
R.J. shook his head and gave me a thump on the back hard enough to get a cough out of me. “At least your track record is intact,” he said. “For a smart guy, you are by far the biggest disaster I know when it comes to women.”
“Fair point,” I agreed. “But remember, I know how to get the best ... uh ... contracts. If you’re nice to me I might get you one. Don’t you have a birthday coming up?”
“Triple Ds.” R.J. held his hands out away from his chest to illustrate his point. “No ... triple Es. And bendy. Very bendy.”
This got the first genuine laugh out of me I’d had in a damn long time. “I’m sure I can work something out.”
Chapter Three
Tora
I got through it. With Seth’s senatorial campaign ramping up, I knew it was the first of many public performances I’d have to make as his dutiful, dumb trophy wife ... but I got through this one. I didn’t see Jack again. He left quietly and I was glad of it. It was too easy to lose focus when he was so close to me.
“Mrs. Manning?” My blood ran a little cold. This was the first time anyone addressed me as such. I stood in the massive front doorway waving off the last guests to leave – Mayor Glanville and his daughter. Judy Glanville was my age but looked like a teenager. Sweet, young, cute and untouched. She waved back with my bouquet.
“Yes, Ben?” I turned toward the voice calling my new name. Ben was one of the valets we contracted just for today. He was a tall and gangly college kid and he looked at me with a kind face.
“Um ... uh ... do you want me to help you with Mr. Manning? He’s ... he looks a little rough.”
I smiled. That was an understatement. When I left to walk the Glanvilles out, Seth stayed at our dinner table, face down on the white linen.
“You know, Ben? That would be so sweet of you. I don’t think I’m going to be able to manage getting him upstairs by myself.”
I should just leave him there, I thought. But Ben was a witness and an opportunity. We walked out the back door together and Ben helped Seth get to his feet and draped his arm across his shoulder. I got under Seth’s other arm and we more or less dragged him up the stairs.
“You’re a good kid, Berry.” Seth rallied a little, though he got the name wrong. “You going to college?”
“Yes, sir. I go back to Dartmouth in the fall.” Ben shot me a wink. Seth teetered when we took the first step but we righted him and started up. With great effort, we made it up the stairs and I directed Ben to the last door on the right of the long hallway.
The master suite. I’d so far refused to sleep in it while it still contained Miranda’s furnishings, but I didn’t want Ben to think anything was amiss. Ben took Seth from me and carefully deposited him on the bed. Seth fell backwards and stretched out on his back, crossing his feet at the ankles. He had a smile on his face but his eyes were closed and he was already snoring.
“Thanks, Ben,” I said as I sat at the end of the bed and gathered my husband’s shoes on my lap. I started untying the laces, just like a dutiful wife would. I smiled up at Ben. “You can take off for the night. Did my husband tip you?”
Ben’s face went a little white. “Uh ... he said something but uh ...”
I smiled again. “I understand. See that blue velvet jewelry box on the vanity? Get five hundred out of it. Keep half for yourself and make sure the other valets have been taken care of, will you?”
Ben thanked me and blushed a little when Seth rallied and started to paw at me. Ben backed quickly out and almost knocked over a lamp on his way. I knew the story he told the rest of the college kids we hired would grow and I wouldn’t be surprised if one of the kids swore he saw us consummating the marriage right in front of them.
As soon as Ben shut the door, Seth crumpled back against the bed and started snoring again. I tossed his shoes to the floor and slid out from underneath him. “Some groom you make,” I said, mostly to see if Seth would answer. He didn’t. He snorted and rolled onto his stomach.
My shoulders sagged with relief. Tonight, at least, I’d get a respite. I closed the door and went to my actual bedroom across the hall.
I locked my door behind me and peeled off my simple sheath wedding dress. I laid it carefully over a chair and headed into the bathroom. I wanted to wash away every lie, every fake smile I performed to
day. Only one real thing had happened; it was time to wash that away too.
Jack.
I married another man today but it was his touch, his scent I still felt on my skin. I stepped under the hot jets of water and part of me regretted it. I couldn’t go to Jack anymore, even though I wanted to so badly. But not now. Not when I was this close to getting what I needed from Seth. If I was lucky. If I was careful. If I did everything right, maybe it would only take a few days or weeks and I could leave this house forever.
After I toweled off, I slipped naked under the covers. Nothing in this house belonged to me. Not even the clothes Seth bought for me. For just a few blissful hours, as I slept, I wanted to be in my own skin. Tomorrow, I could start working on Seth. I’d tell him I was ready to play a bigger role in his campaign if he let me. I could get him to fill me in on the backgrounds of the most important people he wanted to impress. George Pagano was at the top of that list so it would seem natural to start there. I let out a deep breath and let my body sink deep into the feather mattress.
Sleep came easy since my mind had worked so hard to keep up the charade all day. I welcomed the escape of it. Jack came to me in my dreams as he often did. His powerful hands played at my collarbone then ran down the slope of my breasts and across my stomach. With a kiss at my neck he wedged himself between my legs and I opened them wide for him.
He hovered over me as he entered me in one smooth stroke and my hips rose to accept him. When he said my name, his voice sounded strange as though he was far away, or even under water. My dream voice tried to answer back but I couldn’t make a sound, as you often can’t in dreams. But my body answered for me, my core growing hot and wet, my lips opening up to receive him as he thrust in and out of me.
He called my name again and this time, he sounded wrong, higher pitched ... closer, then far away again. Something ached. It was my nipples as he pinched and tweaked them with rough fingers.
My eyes snapped open and I was pulled from my dream by the cognitive dissonance of Seth’s voice coming out of Jack’s mouth.
No.
Not Jack. I barely had time to register my surroundings before Seth came off me and lifted me. I grew dizzy as the room spun. Seth flipped me to my stomach and pushed me forward, getting my knees under me so I knelt on all fours on top of the bed, my bare ass exposed to him. He pushed my ankles forward and pressed my back down between my knees, angling my ass even higher for him. It all happened so fast, my mind still shaking off the dream as Seth drove into me from behind with a force that made my teeth rattle.
And yet, as far as he knew, I was already stirred for him. My throbbing sex was wet and ready, coating my thighs in offer to him from the dream he’d jarred me out of. Dreams of Jack.
Had I called out Jack’s name? I didn’t think so. I prayed not. Even if I had, I think Seth was too far gone with lust and drink to register anything.
“Oh, baby,” he whispered against the back of my neck. “You feel so good.”
I gripped the bed sheets to hold myself in place. As Seth drove into me, I’d been so far into the dream of Jack that now my body betrayed me and responded to Seth’s rhythmic thrusts. I couldn’t stop it. As my husband fucked me, my mind conjured Jack and I was almost back in the dream. I cried out, careful not to say his name. And then the force of my building desire took over and I thrust backward to match Seth’s rhythm. My orgasm rippled through me and I clenched around Seth as he came close to his own release.
I screamed, letting out my pent-up need and lies of the day. Let him have it! Let Seth think that it was all for him. Let him drown in it!
“Fuck!” he cried as he spent himself in me. I clutched the bedspread, feeding it into my mouth and biting down. Seth shuddered out the last of his release and spread himself over the top of me, his weight driving me flat to my stomach.
“Tora,” he whispered against my ear. His arms came around me and pulled me close, pressing the length of his body to mine. “Where’d you go? I couldn’t find you.”
I shifted, stretching my legs out and turning. “Just here. You were snoring again and I couldn’t sleep. But you found me all right.”
He squeezed me against him so tight I had trouble catching my breath. “My wife belongs in my bed. We’ll buy you earplugs, but you’re sleeping with me every night now if I have to tie you to the bed posts.”
My heart raced as his words conjured up the memory of Jack doing exactly that to me and how much I enjoyed it. With Seth, though, I felt suffocated.
“I can’t breathe, baby,” I said, squirming until he loosened his grip. I sat up. “I’m sorry. I was just so tired.”
“Come on,” he said, rising. He held out his hand for me and pulled me out of the bed. “I’m not taking no for an answer.” He led me across the hall back to Miranda’s room. Seth’s steps faltered, still sluggish from the martinis. But he climbed into bed without any help and patted the space next to him.
One thing I hadn’t lied about – I was exhausted. Mercifully, he didn’t pull me to him again and when I fell back asleep, I didn’t dream of Jack this time.
***
We took a quiet breakfast on the veranda. I had to give Mary Barlow credit this morning. She assembled a crew late at night and they’d cleaned the yard so well you’d never know we hosted a wedding here just a few hours ago. She also made herself scarce this morning and I hoped she’d seen the writing on the wall. As far as anyone knew, I was officially Mrs. Seth Manning now. I had no intention of keeping anyone loyal to Miranda working in the house anymore.
“Are you pleased with how everything turned out?” I said.
Seth took a beat to look up from his tablet before answering. “It was good, I think. I’ve got a campaign manager lined up, that’s the important thing. And everyone seemed really positive about my chances.”
I think Seth was at a different party than I was last night. He obviously didn’t remember the looks of shock and horror he got after insulting Judy Glanville and manhandling his new bride. I couldn’t worry about that. Whether Seth was or wasn’t the next U.S. Senator from Illinois didn’t matter to me at all.
“So what’s next?” I asked.
Seth didn’t answer, his attention diverted back to whatever he had up on his tablet. I tried again.
“Seth, you were really upset the other night about ... oh ... what was his name? George Pizzaro? Pizzaro ... that doesn’t sound right? What was it?”
Seth looked up and narrowed his eyes at me. “When was I upset?”
Careful. Seth’s blackouts seemed to be getting worse along with the amount of alcohol he consumed. “You said something about George ... help me out with his last name. You said you were upset that he wasn’t going to be able to come to the wedding. Did he end up coming? You introduced me to so many people it slipped my mind to ask.”
Seth’s face darkened. “Pagano. Not Pizzaro. And no. He didn’t show.”
“Is that bad for you? Is he somebody important?” I gave him the blankest smile I could muster. If this were a real conversation, it would be so easy. Seth needed someone to tell him what to do. Left to his own plans, he unraveled. If I was actually trying to help him get elected, I’d turn on Miranda Mode. I wasn’t. I needed him weak and talking.
“Yeah, baby,” he said. “He’s important. That son of a bitch’s money can pretty much sew this thing up for me.”
“Is there anything we can do? I mean, maybe he really just was busy.”
Seth laughed and actually patted my head. I white-knuckled my coffee mug, suppressing the urge not to brain him with it. “Pagano needs to be told what to do, sweetie. I just need to be alone in a room with him for five minutes and I’ll fix it all. It’s okay, though. I’m going to get the chance in a few days.”
“Oh?” I sipped my coffee.
“I told you, I’m taking you to The Maples for a sort of working honeymoon. We’ll do something that’s just for us when I get this senate seat locked up once and for all.”
I n
odded.
“I suppose you’ve never been near the Blue Ridge Mountains,” Seth said.
I shook my head.
“You’ll love it. There’s a Legacy Foundation retreat next week. All the party bigwigs will be there and I’m going to attend a few events. You can spend your days at the spa or go swimming ... whatever.”
“Sounds wonderful,” I said, downing the last of my coffee.
“And,” Seth put his tablet down and leaned across the table, “George Pagano will be there for the entire week. I’m going to make sure we have dinner alone with him a couple of nights we’re there.” My blood ran cold as Seth tapped the end of my nose with his index finger. “Like I said, just get me in a room with him for a few minutes and I’ll straighten him out.”
Seth tweaked my nose. He could have tweaked my spinal cord and I don’t think I would have felt it. We were going to spend an entire week in the same place as George Pagano. I wasn’t stupid enough to think I’d just corner him one afternoon during a shuffleboard game and get him to admit to framing my father for felony drug dealing ... but an entire week in the same place!
“Sounds wonderful, baby,” I said, hoping my voice wasn’t shaking. “You’re so good to me.”
“That’s right,” Seth said. “Yesterday we made your dreams come true. Now it’s my turn.”
Smiling, I set my coffee mug on the table.
Chapter Four
Jack
“Thanks for clearing your schedule for me.” I shook Reed Burnett’s hand as we walked into his downtown office.
“You know you just have to ask,” Reed said, running a hand through his thinning white hair. “I just wish I had more I could tell you.” He gestured to the leather couch in the sitting area of his office. This was a casual visit, no reason for him to sit behind a desk.
I sat down and Reed sat across from me. “I’m going to smoke,” he said, reaching into his suit pocket. “Damn secretary’s out for the day and it’s my damn office. You want one?”
