“You’ve slept with Nympha?” Maya said animatedly. “She’s my favourite model!”
Geri turned her attention back to Simon. What was going on?
Maya laughed. “So you’re known as the Mile-High Playboy, huh? I can’t believe you know all these people!”
“So can we make a deal, Maya?” Simon asked. “An introduction to Nympha in exchange for our freedom.”
“I’ll free you, but not her,” Maya said, still grinning at her iPad.
“Hey, come on, now,” Simon said. “I can’t accept that.”
“Well, if you introduce me to another A-lister that I’m a big fan of, then maybe I’ll reconsider,” Maya said playfully. “Nympha is only one person. One person for one life.”
“Okay, fine. Do you like diamonds?”
“Who doesn’t?” Maya said, her eyes wild and alight.
“Have you ever bought anything from Well of Brilliance?”
Maya shivered in excitement. “That’s one of my favourite jewellery stores! I know that Grant Ace owns it and Marilyn Grant runs it. I met her once at an event, you know, and she was really nice. In fact, I sent her and her boyfriend, Jarryd Westbourne, an invitation to a party I’m hosting in Sydney next month, but they said they can’t come.” Maya let out a tsk, her face crumpling.
“Hey,” Simon said, “then when you free me and Geri, I’ll talk to them and ask them to accept your invitation.”
Geri breathed easier. She remembered Jarryd Westbourne. Simon had worked for him, and the man only had great things to say about Simon.
But wait. If this Simon sitting in front of her was indeed the owner of Alexander Jets, then had he also covered up his identity to work as a chauffeur for Jarryd and his other references? If so, why?
Argh, this whole thing wasn’t making any sense. Was Maya really seeing Simon’s picture on her iPad or was she hallucinating?
“Call Marilyn Grant now,” Maya said, holding her iPad in front of Simon. “By FaceTime so I can see her.”
“It’s past midnight, Maya. She’d be asleep. I promise that tomorrow I’ll—”
“Now,” Maya said, holding the gun against Simon’s head.
“Do you really want to kill the owner of Alexander Jets, Maya?” Geri interjected.
“Oops. You’re right. I don’t.” Maya swivelled so the weapon pointed at Geri. “But you I need to kill because you’re a nobody.”
“Hey!” Simon said. “Don’t you say that!”
“Don’t mess with me, Simon,” Maya said, her anger coming back. “How do I know you’re really friends with Marilyn Grant?”
Simon shook his head in frustration. “Fine. I’ll have to use my phone, because she’s not going to answer if you call from your iPad.”
Maya frowned, not happy with what Simon had said.
“Think about it. Would you answer an unknown number in the middle of the night?”
“Okay, fine. I’ll give you your damned phone. But don’t fuck with me! If you tell her I’ve kidnapped you, I’ll kill you both and hide your bodies and tell Marilyn Grant I don’t know what happened to you because you left after we FaceTimed her. I don’t care if you’re Simon Alexander. I won’t have Marilyn Grant think badly of me.” Maya stomped out of the room, presumably to get Simon’s phone.
Geri let out a ragged breath.
“Are you okay?” Simon asked.
Geri nodded. “So are you really Simon Alexander?”
“Yes.”
Geri’s heart sank. “Why, Simon? Why the deception?” Right then and there wasn’t the best time to discuss it, but she had to know.
Simon’s lips curved up, but sorrow filled his gaze. “I was looking for a nice girl to fall in love with.”
Her chest compressed. Was she the reason for his sadness? Had she broken his heart?
“You heard Maya earlier,” Simon continued. “I’m known as the Mile-High Playboy. But I’ve become sick of that life, Geri. Because of my reputation, the only women who wanted to have anything to do with me were the playgirls and the gold-diggers. So I decided to go incognito to—”
Maya came barging back in. “Here, Simon. Call her. You can hold the phone without being untied.”
Simon wiggled his wrist against the rope until his hand could comfortably work the device.
Geri stared at Simon as he tapped on his phone. He said he was sick of the playgirls and gold-diggers. Did he think she was a gold-digger?
If—when—they came out of here alive, would he take her back, seeing she’d acted like one of the women he’d wanted to avoid?
Chapter 19
Simon said a silent prayer of thanks that his phone wasn’t destroyed, merely turned off. He powered it up again and FaceTimed Marilyn. To his sheer relief, she answered.
“Hey, Simon. What’s up?” Marilyn said, worried.
“Hi. Hope I didn’t wake you.”
“No,” Jarryd piped in. “Is everything okay?”
“Oh my God, they’re both there,” Maya said excitedly beside him.
“Guys,” Simon said, trying to send a warning through his eyes. “I want to introduce you to Maya Baron.”
Maya stood behind Simon’s chair and crowded her face inside the rectangular screen so Marilyn and Jarryd could see her too. “Hello, Marilyn! I’m such a big fan.”
“Thank you,” Marilyn said graciously although she had a questioning frown.
“Hey,” Simon said lightly. “Maya said she invited you to her social event in Sydney.”
“Yes,” Maya interjected. “You said you can’t come, but Simon here is going to help me convince you.”
“Right,” Marilyn said slowly while Jarryd started smirking, like he thought Simon was pranking them.
“You guys would love to go to Maya’s event,” Simon said, his mind searching for a way to convey an SOS without Maya noticing.
“I’m a wonderful organiser and hostess,” Maya said proudly.
“Where are you guys?” Marilyn asked.
Simon felt Maya stiffen. She left the frame, but unknowingly—thankfully—revealed the gun she was holding to Marilyn and Jarryd.
The couple’s eyes widened.
“It’s such a nice house where you are,” Marilyn continued hastily, “You have such great taste, Maya.”
Maya returned to stand behind Simon, mollified. “It’s a rental. And yes, I chose it myself. I spent ages looking for the right place for my stay here in Hobart.”
“Well, I’m impressed.”
“Oh, thank you, Marilyn. That means a lot coming from you,” Maya simpered.
“Marilyn,” Simon said, “maybe you can tell your secretary, Carter Garrett, that you’re accepting Maya’s invitation? Maybe you can call Carter right now, with Jarryd’s phone, and tell him that you’re talking to me and Maya Baron, and that you want him to send an RSVP to Maya with a yes from you and Jarryd?”
“I can send you another RSVP card to fill out, if you like,” Maya said cheerfully.
“Sure,” Jarryd said. “Excuse me while I call Carter right now.”
Simon let out a slow sigh of relief. Carter could track his phone again and notify Tasmania police.
“So, Maya,” Marilyn said, “tell me everything about this upcoming event of yours. I’m excited now.”
“Ohh!” Maya said, before launching into the theme of the party, who was attending, the food that was going to be served, and the entertainment for the guests. She was still going on and on about it when Jarryd reappeared.
“I’ve got Carter here,” Jarryd said, holding up his phone with Carter on the screen.
“Hello,” Carter said. “Miss Baron, I believe you want me to confirm in writing that Ms. Grant and Mr. Westbourne will be attending your event?”
“It’s Mrs. Baron,” Maya corrected. “And yes, they will be among my VIP attendees.” Speaking rapidly, she gave every minute detail of the event to Carter, including where she wanted to seat Marilyn and Jarryd.
“Okay, thank you. I got a
ll that,” Carter said. “By the way, Simon—”
“It’s Mr. Alexander to you,” Maya said haughtily. “He owns Alexander Jets.”
“I do apologise,” Carter said. “Mr. Alexander, are you taking Miss Geri Blaine with you to Ms. Grant and Mr. Westbourne’s engagement party?”
“You’re engaged?” Maya asked.
“Yes,” Marilyn said.
“Oh my God, Congratulations!”
“Thank you.”
“So will you be bringing Miss Blaine, Mr. Alexander?” Carter prodded.
“Yes.”
“But she won’t be around,” Maya said.
Simon sucked in a breath. “Why won’t Geri be around, Maya?”
Maya shook her head. “She just can’t be.”
“But we have an agreement, remember?” Simon said calmly.
“You still haven’t introduced me to Nympha.”
“And I will.”
“Call her right now.”
“We’re still talking to Marilyn Grant, aren’t we?”
“I love Nympha too,” Marilyn said. “She’s very beautiful.”
“Not as beautiful as you or me, Marilyn, but she’s very glamorous.”
“Oh, yes,” Marilyn agreed.
“And she has other people choosing her outfits for her. She doesn’t have as good a taste as me.”
“Yes,” Marilyn soothed. “That’s why you’ve chosen such a magnificent rental house. I really love it.”
“Mrs. Baron,” Carter said, “since Ms. Grant likes that house so much, would you care to show us around? I’d like to take notes so I can update her house decor to something similar to what you have there.”
“Oh… um…” Maya frowned, obviously conflicted.
“Please, Maya,” Marilyn said. “We can exchange notes and maybe go furniture shopping together. But I really want to have a look around there.”
“Okay,” Maya said reluctantly, taking the phone from Simon. “I’ll show you the master bedroom. It’s really something else.”
Simon sent Geri a comforting smile as Maya left the room, droning on about the paint and the chandelier in the hallway.
“Help will be here soon,” he said softly. “I’m sure they don’t want to barge in with Maya in here in case she panics and pulls the trigger.”
And to prove that he was right, uniformed police filed in swiftly but quietly, cutting off their bindings.
Then Maya’s scream of outrage filled the house.
“Geri,” Simon said, rushing to her. The police cutting off the rope from her wrists was taking longer, so he stood in front of her, impatiently waiting. When the last of her restraints had fallen to the ground, Geri stood up shakily.
“I got you,” he said, holding her against him.
Geri threw her arms around his neck. “I was so scared,” she whispered.
“Were you? I didn’t notice,” he said teasingly, revelling in the feel of her in his arms again. Truth was, he’d been terrified too.
“Simon!” Maya called from the threshold as she was being escorted out. “They can’t do this to me! Tell Marilyn I’m not a criminal!”
“I’ll tell her,” he promised. He’d also talk to Justin and make sure he understood the extent of his girlfriend’s illness. Maya needed medical help and, hopefully, Justin would be there for her.
“Detective Emmet!” Geri said to a plainclothes officer walking into the house.
“Geri, there you are,” the detective said, shaking his head. “You’ve been having a few adventurous days, haven’t you?”
Geri smiled wryly. “I can do with a few quiet ones now. Have you caught everyone connected to Damon and his partner?”
Emmet nodded. “Damon’s also spilling his guts. We’ll have enough to put those guys away for a long time, thanks to you and your sister.”
Simon frowned. “What happened?”
“My sister’s ex-boyfriend has gone back to jail. I’ll tell you all about it later.”
“Also,” Emmet said, “your property is ready. You can have all of it back at any time. If you want, I can give you a ride back to the station after you’ve given your statement about this one.”
“Will you go with me?” Geri asked Simon.
“Of course.” He was glad Geri needed his support. Besides, he was dying to know how Geri was involved with the case against his sister’s ex.
They finished telling their stories to the officers and followed Detective Emmet. On the way to the station, Simon called back his friends, thanking them for their help.
“May I speak with them, Simon?” Geri asked when he was about to hang up.
“Sure.”
Geri took the phone and smiled shyly at Marilyn, Jarryd and Carter—who’d again joined the conversion through Jarryd’s phone. “Hi.”
“Geri,” Marilyn said warmly. “It’s great to finally talk to you. I’m so sorry about tonight. Are you okay?”
“Yes, thanks to all of you. We’d still be tied up in there if it wasn’t for your help.”
“I’m so glad I wasn’t asleep yet and noticed my phone vibrating. I can’t even bear to think what would have happened if…” Marilyn shivered. “Anyway, are you coming back to Sydney with Simon?”
“We don’t know,” Simon hastily interjected. After what Geri had been through, the last thing he wanted was for her to feel pressured regarding the two of them.
“Well,” Geri said to his friends with a ragged sigh, “I just want to say thank you very much.”
“It’s no problem at all. We’re glad you’re both okay,” Jarryd said.
“Take care, you two,” Carter added.
They said goodbye and Simon stared at Geri as he placed the phone in his pocket. She avoided his gaze by staring out the window, but he’d caught the pooling in her eyes.
Argh, he couldn’t relax if she looked this troubled. “What’s wrong?” he asked, squeezing her hand.
Geri looked up at him with a pleading gaze that made his heart lurch. “Do you have anywhere you need to be after we finish at the station? Can you come home with me so we can talk?”
His heart beat faster with hope as he nodded.
“Here you go,” Detective Emmet said as he placed a large black bag on a table, opening it for inspection.
Simon’s jaw dropped as he spied the contents. How much cash was in there?
“I’m glad you have Mr. Alexander with you tonight,” Emmet said to Geri as he closed the bag, “or I wouldn’t let you leave alone with all this money. But there’s a taxi waiting outside for you, and I suggest going to the bank first thing on Monday.”
“Thank you, Detective,” Geri said.
Simon grabbed the heavy bag and they walked out. “I just can’t wait to hear what this is about.”
Geri simply nodded.
They were both quiet in the taxi, knowing they couldn’t discuss what needed to be said with the taxi driver listening. Fortunately, they arrived at their destination in ten minutes.
Simon listened patiently as Geri pointed out various rooms in Tricia’s apartment. When Geri asked if he wanted a drink, he looked pointedly at the bag he’d placed on the dining table.
Geri chuckled. “I need to give it back to Justin. That’s the deposit he gave me. I’ve already told him I’m returning it and not accepting the rest of the money.”
Simon cocked his head. “What do you mean you’re returning it?”
Geri pressed her lips together, her eyes watering. “I didn’t want any part of Justin and Maya’s deception in the first place, Simon. But my sister’s ex threatened to hurt my niece if I didn’t give him three hundred thousand dollars.”
Geri told Simon the whole story and he stood there with his mouth open, stunned. He thought he had secrets. Clearly, Geri had some serious ones of her own. And he couldn’t help but love her even more.
“So you see,” Geri said, struggling to hold back tears, “I want to return the money because… I know how much I hurt you, and I don’t wa
nt you to think I chose money over you.”
His heart danced.
“But…”
He let out a sigh, holding himself back from pulling her to him.
“How do I know I wasn’t just a fun fling for the mile-high playboy Maya found on the Internet?” Geri asked, her eyes wide with naked emotion. “I’m so confused, Simon. I don’t know why you pretended to be a chauffeur. I believed that Simon James truly did have feelings for me, but then he was just a lie.”
“Oh, baby,” Simon said, going to her and cupping her face. “I might have lied about my surname and what I did for a living, but everything else about Simon James was real. Like I said to you while we were tied up, I wanted to leave my reputation behind so I could meet a nice girl I could fall in love with. And I’ve found her,” he said softly, caressing her cheeks. “I loved being a chauffeur for Mrs. Lawrence, I loved playing tourist guide to you guys, I loved helping you look after Rolf. But most of all, I loved being with you. I admit that I’ve never wanted a serious relationship before. But for the first time in my life, I want the one, not the many. I want you, not anyone else. It scares me that I’ve fallen so deeply and so quickly for you and, yes, I do wonder if this is something that would last. I don’t know the answer to that, since this is still so new. But one thing I can assure you with everything I own is that I want us to last. I want us to work. I want us to get back together.”
Geri stared into his eyes, searching for something. She must have found it, because she smiled—a sweet, loving, joyful smile that made everything perfect. “I love you, Simon Alexander.”
Ah, my happiness, Geri is your name.
“I love you too, sweetheart,” he whispered against her soft lips.
Chapter 20
Geri held Ingrid Lawrence tight as they hugged in the executive lounge of Alexander Jets in Hobart. “I’m so sorry you had to cut your Victorian trip short, Mrs. Lawrence, but I’m so glad we get to meet here before I fly to Sydney.”
“I know,” Ingrid said with emotion. “I couldn’t believe it when Justin confessed everything to me. I’m still so angry and disappointed in him, but he’s my grandson. He promised he’d look after Maya. He does love her even though they both need to do plenty of maturing and healing.”
The Unmasked CEO (Captured by Love Book 7) Page 16
