by Mia Taylor
“Think, think, think. Is this an ethical conflict? Do you have an ethical obligation? Are you only questioning this because you have Victoria Duvall on the brain?”
There was a soft knock at the door.
“Mr. Hamilton?” Edith called from the hallway. “Are you calling for me?”
“No, Edie,” he replied laughing. “Just babbling to myself.”
“Are you available to see a walk-in, sir?” the housekeeper asked, poking her head inside the doorway. Benjamin’s arm hairs prickled, his instincts honing as he sat up.
“Who is it?” he demanded, lumbering to his feet, his heart beginning to hammer wildly in his chest. He knew who waited for him beyond the door, even before the housekeeper spoke.
“It’s Victoria Duvall.”
Chapter Fifteen
Do I Really Want to Know?
Victoria felt a nauseating combination of humiliation and anguish as she was ushered into the dark office.
Unexpectedly, she felt a jolt of pleasure when she saw Benjamin Hamilton, as if she were seeing an old friend. It was an odd sensation, as she had only ever met the man twice in her life, and yet she still was overcome by the same heady feeling, like she was greeting an old lover.
She blushed at the thought.
He hadn’t changed in the months since she had last seen him.
His auburn hair was still too long and slightly shaggy and his smile was as warm and boyish as she first remembered. She had forgotten how endearing his crooked smile was and she felt slightly more relaxed as she stepped beside Edith and entered the office.
“Mrs. Duvall,” he said, rising, and Victoria felt herself tense instantly. The name dispelled any warm feelings from her core.
Don’t call me that, she wanted to hiss.
“Going forward, you may call me Victoria,” she told him, gritting her teeth. She wanted to separate herself from Ryker until she knew for certain what she was up against.
In her heart, she knew that her suspicions were not unfounded but she could not fall apart.
“Okay, Victoria,” Benjamin replied softly. “How can I help you today?”
“Thank you for seeing me without an appointment,” Victoria said shakily. “I… happened to be in Brooklyn and I thought I would come by.”
“You’re welcome to stop by anytime you’re in the neighborhood,” he assured her. “But I confess I am surprised to see you here. I thought the case was resolved now, awaiting trial of Evangeline Crowe.”
Victoria winced at the mention.
Benjamin rose and crossed the carpeted library toward the bar.
“Care for a drink?” he asked lightly, fixing himself a scotch. Victoria nodded quickly, grateful for the suggestion. There, in that warm, hundred-year-old house, she felt comfortable for the first time in months and she wanted to cling to the feeling, however fleeting it might be.
“Yes, please,” she replied. “A vo—”
“A vodka martini with a twist, right?” he interrupted. Victoria gazed at him in shock.
How could he have remembered that? It was months ago I was here and he must have entertained dozens more since then.
“Yes,” she breathed. “How did you remember?”
Benjamin chuckled softly.
“That’s what they pay me the big bucks for, Mrs.—uh, Victoria,” he answered, winking a clear, blue eye at her. Their gazes locked and Victoria felt her pulse quicken. There was an unspoken truth between them, one that overwhelmed and confused her simultaneously.
It feels so right being in his presence. Calming. Connected.
She tried to think of a time when she’d ever felt the same and she couldn’t.
He handed her the expertly crafted drink and Victoria took it hungrily. Immediately, she took a long sip.
“Don’t mistake this question as brash, but something must have brought you here today, Victoria. Is it Ryker again? Is he in trouble?”
Victoria shook her head miserably and stared down at her manicured hands.
“I fear I’m the one in trouble,” she whispered. Benjamin arched an eyebrow in surprise.
“You’re in trouble?” he echoed, the surprise in his tone almost tangible. “Legally?”
She shook her white-blonde bob and blinked quickly as if stray tears threatened to spill from her eyes.
“No,” she said. “I think my husband is having an affair.”
She looked up at him and to her shock, Benjamin only nodded, seeming unsurprised by the revelation. Electricity buzzed between them and she willed Benjamin to say something, anything, but he only stared at her for a long, silent moment.
“What makes you think so?” he asked, realizing that a long stretch of silence had passed while he wrestled with his inner conflict.
Victoria shrugged and sighed.
“Call it women’s intuition,” she said flatly. “He’s never home and when I do see him, he smells like someone doused him in Chanel No 5. There’s only one woman I know who wears so much eau de toilette.”
“May I venture a guess?” Benjamin asked dryly. “Evangeline Crowe.”
Victoria’s face turned ashen and suddenly she began to sob, her shoulders shaking violently. Benjamin was on his feet instantly, rushing around to comfort the distraught woman.
“I’m sorry, Victoria,” he told her softly, putting his hands on her bare arms. She choked at the feel of his palms on her skin. They were like comfortable static, drawn to her flesh but still wrong. Instantly, he pulled back, embarrassed by his impulsive display.
“I-I’m sorry,” he muttered again, retracing his steps toward his chair.
“No,” she told him, wiping her eyes with the back of her delicate hands. “I’m sorry. I think that all the stress of what has happened has finally gotten to me. I need to know if I wasted my time and effort on a man who has been laughing at me. Do you think you can do that for me, Mr. Hamilton?”
Benjamin nodded gravely.
“Yes,” he agreed. “But it’s only fair that you start calling me Benjamin if I am calling you Victoria.”
She gazed at him with red-rimmed eyes, her lower lip trembling, and she offered him a wry smile.
“Benjamin it is,” she replied.
~ ~ ~
The heat was almost unbearable and in the distance, Ryker could hear thunder.
“Uh oh,” Riley commented as the town car pulled up to the condo. “That’s tornado weather in the making.”
Ryker nodded in agreement.
“I can’t remember the last time we had a tornado in Manhattan,” he commented, trying to look at the clouds, but the sky was black with night and storm.
“You can go home, Riley,” he told the aide. “Unless you would prefer to crash in the study tonight.”
“I think my girlfriend would appreciate it if I made it home at least once this week,” Riley joked lightly, glancing at his watch. “We might even be able to catch a late movie if I hurry.”
“Have fun,” Ryker said, jumping out of the car and waving off the driver.
His phone was chiming in his pocket and he paused under the canopy at the entrance to answer it.
“Ryker Duvall.”
“Hi, baby,” Evangeline cooed in his ear. He choked down a groan. She was becoming unshakable.
“Hey, Evie. Listen, I’m just about to step into the subway.”
There was a deep, ominous silence.
“Don’t lie to me, Ryker,” she said and he felt chills run down his back at her tone.
“I’m not,” he protested. “I’m just at Grand Central.”
“No, you’re not.”
Feeling as if he were in a horror movie, Ryker slowly turned around. Inside the lobby of his condo stood Evangeline, glaring at him through the glass.
Ryker lowered the phone from his ear and stared at her, dumbfounded.
“What the hell are you doing here?” he hissed, pushing through the revolving doors.
“Good evening, Mr. Duvall!” the concierge called a
nd Ryker could barely muster a smile before dragging his ex-wife into a corner of the opulent foyer.
“You don’t look happy to see me,” Evangeline grumbled in her child-like way.
“Are you out of your goddamned mind? If Victoria sees you here, Evangeline—”
“So what if she does?” the raven-haired temptress demanded, folding her arms over her full chest and scowling.
“Listen, I don’t know what you’re trying to do, Evangeline, but this is not sexy. It’s weird and you’re going to ruin everything for both of us if you continue on this path.”
“Why?” she challenged. “I belong here just as much as you do.”
He stared at her, his mind whirling.
What tactic is going to work on this lunatic? Pleading? Threatening? Maybe I am going to need to kill her…
He paused on the last thought for a moment.
“Evangeline, why are you here?” he managed to choke through clenched teeth.
If she starts with her shit again, so help me gods, I may strangle her with my bare hands right here. It might not kill her but it might render her unconscious long enough to drag her out of here.
“I live here.”
Ryker stared at her uncomprehendingly.
“You live here?”
“Yes. Gerry and I bought the condo across the hall from you. We’re neighbors now, baby. We can be together all the time. Isn’t that amazing?”
Ryker felt the blood drain from his face to his feet.
There is no tornado coming. It’s already here.
He could do nothing but gape at Evangeline, his mind whirling.
How hard will it really be to murder her?
Ryker knew he had a lot of planning to do.
Chapter Sixteen
An Unexpected Twist
Is this the Twilight Zone?
Benjamin stared openmouthed at the man, shaking his head vehemently. It was shocking enough that Ryker Duvall was in his office, but what the man was asking was nothing short of insanity.
“Mr. Duvall, why would you think I am capable of doing such a thing?” Benjamin asked, trying to hide his shock from his face.
“My wife tells me that you are the one who uncovered what Evangeline Crowe did to me,” Ryker told him, sitting back calmly as if he were discussing party favors. “You know what kind of woman she is. I don’t think I’m asking a lot, bear to bear.”
Benjamin studied the senator contemplatively and wondered if he was dealing with a sane being. He’d heard of high-ranking shifters completely cracking under the stress of mortal lives.
We weren’t meant to live in the public eye like this.
“Mr. Duvall, investigating someone and murdering them are two different animals.”
“Lower your voice!” Ryker snapped, leaning in to glare at the blue-eyed PI. “I never said murder. I asked you to take care of her so she doesn’t bother my wife again.”
Your wife, huh? This is all about protecting Victoria, is it? Ben thought with spite. I wonder what would inspire a woman facing trial to violate the conditions of her bail. I guess I’m going to find out.
“What contact has she made with you? You can simply have her bail revoked for violating—”
“Don’t you get it? I thought you were the best in the business, Hamilton. Her father is a very impressive lawyer, or did you not get that far when you were looking into her and an old-order sleuth leader? If I have her thrown back into jail, she’ll only get out with a vengeance. Even if she ends up doing time, which I highly doubt will happen, she’ll get two years maybe. That is, if she doesn’t morph and try to kill the entire prison in her insanity. And then what will she do? Who do you think she’ll come after?”
“What you’re asking of me is impossible,” Benjamin replied flatly. Ryker Duvall sprang to his feet, glowering at Benjamin furiously.
“My wife gave me the impression that you are a professional, but I see she obviously doesn’t know the difference between an amateur and a pro.”
He’s trying to appeal to my masculinity. How interesting that he would think I would rise to such a ploy. I wonder if Victoria succumbs to his macho bull.
Ben couldn’t imagine that she would. She was far too strong, too independent. She couldn’t be strong-armed into doing something she didn’t want, he was sure.
“I think she meant professional investigator, not hitman,” Benjamin replied wryly, rising to his feet also. “I am happy to look into Evangeline Crowe further for you, but that is all I can offer you.”
“Any idiot can look online and find out anything they want to know about Evangeline,” Ryker snapped. “She’s hardly a covert operative.”
Except her fixation on you. That remains a great mystery, doesn’t it? Benjamin thought, but he wisely kept his mouth closed. Ryker stormed from the office and the researcher stared after him for a long while.
Is Evangeline Crowe a threat to Victoria? It’s very possible. She has enough pent-up rage toward Ryker that she might lash out at him by harming Victoria. Or perhaps her anger is completely focused on Victoria. She regarded her as having stolen her husband. She said so in Ryker’s trial. Victoria thinks that they are continuing to see one another. This confirms Victoria’s suspicions. Now the woman has moved across the hall from the Duvalls. This goes beyond obsession. This is a recipe for disaster.
Benjamin turned to stare out of the window of his brownstone into the sun-spackled street.
Now I have a conflict of interest.
~ ~ ~
“What are you doing here, Ryker?” Victoria looked at her husband in shock as he stood smiling in the doorway of her office. Gregory Reverend glanced up nervously from his spot at the spacious desk and then looked at his boss.
“I have planned an impromptu vacation for us,” Ryker announced, strolling into the office without acknowledging the accountant.
Victoria scoffed and threw her hands around as if to show the display of chaos.
“Not a good time, Ryker,” she answered tightly. “As you can see, I am literally up to my ears in work.”
“That’s what makes it such a good time,” he replied smoothly. He embraced his wife and Victoria automatically tensed. She was relieved that she did not smell Evangeline on his skin.
For once.
“The car is packed and waiting downstairs. We’ll go to the Hamptons for a week,” he continued, but Victoria shook her head.
“There’s no way, Ryker,” she said firmly.
“I’ll go—” Gregory started to say.
“Yes,” Ryker agreed before he could finish.
“No,” Victoria snapped simultaneously. “Sit down. We are going to get to the bottom of this and I’m not going anywhere until I do.”
Gregory swallowed and stared at the tabletop in embarrassment as husband and wife began a face-off.
“You know what, Victoria?” Ryker said, looking away from Victoria’s heated gaze. “You can’t say I didn’t try. At least I can say I tried.”
Is this a threat? He’s making it sound like it’s over between us.
Victoria watched his head lower dejectedly as he turned away and her heart felt like it was going to pop out of her chest.
“Wait!” she cried after him.
What are we doing here? Are we together or not?
She had no way of knowing for certain that he was being unfaithful and if he was, could it be her fault? Had she been too busy for him?
Guilt and consternation flooded her and Victoria was finding it difficult to breathe. She owed it to their marriage to put in an effort. Ryker had always expected a different life for them and she had insisted that he bend to her. Was he truly the only one to blame if their relationship failed?
Ryker peered at her expectantly and Victoria could read the hope in his eyes.
“I’ll come,” she told him. “Three days only.”
Ryker regarded her and slowly shook his head, a small smile toying on his lips.
“You say three days bu
t I know you. You won’t want to leave,” he told her, hurrying forward to embrace her.
Victoria turned to Gregory Reverend.
“I want you to keep at it,” she instructed. “If you need me, call me—”
“No,” Ryker cut in. “No cell phones. We are going to be alone. If you need anyone, call Jade.”
Victoria tensed. She had not forgiven the executive for allowing the company to crash and burn, but she was torn.
Why is it such a struggle choosing between my career and my marriage? They should never have to be in competition.
As she followed her husband down to the waiting town car, she was immediately filled with more shame.
I shouldn’t be leaving Gregory alone to sort the mess out, she thought, watching the building disappear down 7th Avenue. Ryker took her hand and stared deeply into her smoky grey eyes.
“We need this,” he told her urgently as if sensing her unease. “For our marriage. We’re mates, remember?”
Victoria swallowed and nodded quickly but she didn’t meet his eyes.
“I know.”
“What were you poring over when I walked in there?” he asked. The question only caused her more stress.
“Oh, just trying to balance the books,” she answered flippantly. She did not feel like explaining the millions of dollars unaccounted for to Ryker. “Anyway, no work talk, remember?” she added lightly and Ryker chuckled.
“Now you’re using my words against me,” he joked. “You should have been a lawyer.”
Unbidden, a nasty thought crossed into Victoria’s mind and she regarded him coldly.
“No, fabricating the truth has always been more your forte,” she said before she could consider her words. Ryker gaped at her in shock.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” he asked. Victoria shrugged and looked out the window at the brilliant afternoon. She should not have said anything but she had been ready to burst with the resentment burning inside her.
“Are we going to fight already?” Ryker asked her gently and Victoria shook her head.
“No,” she said tiredly. “I don’t want to fight with you, Ryker. I want things to be the way they were before this Senate race began. I’m getting too old for this.”
