Cosima considered. ‘Soon, I hope. Maybe, after everything’s cleared with Jack.’
‘Hmm. Not sure I like the idea of my relationship having to be approved by ‘Jack’ but as long as you’re safe, I’ll live with it.’
The doorbell rang. ‘Speak of the devil.’ She went to the door and greeted Jack. Arlo wiped his hands on a dishcloth and shook the man’s hand. The two men sized each other up. Cosima rolled her eyes at them.
‘So, Arlo Forrester, meet Jack Hampton. You’re both rich and cute. The End.’
They burst out laughing as Cosima deflected the awkwardness. She ushered them into the kitchen. ‘Supper’s nearly ready. It’s curry again,’ she said, apologetically, to Jack. ‘We always seem to feed you the same thing, I’m sorry.’
‘Hey, don’t apologize; I live for your curries. So, let’s get the awkward stuff out of the way before we eat. Arlo, when Cosima called and told me that she was in a new relationship, I did what I had to do in that situation and checked you out. Sorry for the intrusion but I’m sure, in the circumstances, you understand.’
‘I do, and it’s no problem. I have nothing to hide.’
Jack smiled. ‘Indeed you don’t – at least not you, yourself. I do have a couple of questions, no biggie, but I’d appreciate if you would answer them.’ He took out his notepad.
Arlo nodded, seeing Cosima glance at him nervously. He put his hand over hers. ‘Like I said, nothing’s too much trouble if it helps protect Cos.’
Jack nodded. ‘Good.’ He shot a look at Cosima, and Arlo saw his face soften. ‘Don’t worry, Cosima, it’s just the finer details. Arlo, you were in a relationship previously, yes?’
Arlo nodded, and Cosima sighed. ‘The delectable Sabine,’ she said, rolling her eyes. Jack looked surprised.
‘You’ve met her?’
‘All of her,’ Cosima said with meaning then grinned at Arlo. He winked at her, glad she could look back on that awful evening with humor.
‘Sabine was still married when you began seeing each other?’
Arlo nodded. ‘Yes, but she was separated. I never knew her husband.’
Jack looked at his notes. ‘Her husband was Sanjit Khan, a wealthy businessman from Mumbai.’
Arlo shrugged. ‘Honestly, she rarely mentioned him, and his name passed me by. I got the impression it wasn’t a happy union.’
‘Did you know he was Sabine’s third husband?’
Arlo was shocked. ‘No. I had no idea.’
Jack nodded. ‘The reason I ask is this: Khan has some links – albeit not directly – to the group who overthrew Cosima and Harpa’s grandfather. Now, we don’t think it’s an issue, but you never know. If it seems like I ask inappropriate questions, please know, it’s only to protect Cos and Harpa.’
Arlo nodded but something was bugging him about the man’s attitude. He couldn’t figure out what, though, so he pushed it to the back of his mind. ‘Did you have any more questions?’
Jack looked through his notebook. ‘Your cousin, Hunter? He did some time for arson?’
Arlo’s face shut down. ‘He was a kid, and he was messed up. He got clean and is now a stand-up guy. How did you find out about that? He’s over twenty-four; those records should have been expunged by now.’
Jack gave him a wintry smile. ‘There is no information we can’t find out, Mr. Forrester.’
Cosima, sensing the tension between the two men, cleared her throat and smiled at them both. ‘Food’s ready if you’ve finished.’
Jack smiled at her. ‘Of course, I’m sorry. To both of you, it’s never a pleasure to be questioned.’
Arlo helped Cosima bring the food to the table, and they ate, chatting casually. Jack told them the arrangements he was making so Harpa could move to Seattle for catering college.
‘It’s going to be weird, not living with Harpa,’ Cosima said, a tiny quiver in her voice. ‘I can’t remember a time…anyway. It’ll be a new thing for both of us.’
‘At least she’ll have Deacon, so you know she won’t be alone.’ Jack tucked into the curry with enthusiasm. Arlo noticed Cosima had stopped eating.
‘Deacon is going with Harpa?’
Jack looked up. ‘You didn’t know?’
Cosima shook her head and looked down at her food. She seemed to be struggling with something but then she shrugged. ‘I guess, if that what she wants, it’s okay.’
Jack patted her hand. ‘He checks out, Cos. He’s cleared.’
She nodded then looked at Arlo. He gave her a smile, and she nodded. ‘Yeah. I want her to be happy and if he makes her happy…then I guess I’m okay with that.’
‘Good. Now, why don’t you tell me some more about this hotel you’re renovating?’
Later, when Jack had gone, Arlo cleared the dishes, insisting on Cosima taking it easy. She sat in a kitchen chair, sipping the remains of her wine, deep in thought. Arlo loaded the dishwasher and switched it on. As he wiped down the kitchen surfaces, he kept glancing at her. ‘It really bothers you about Deacon, doesn’t it?’
Cosima gave him a sheepish smile. ‘It does and it shouldn’t, I know. Deacon hadn’t done anything but…did you ever just get a gut instinct about someone? That’s something was off?’
Arlo wiped his hands and sat down. ‘Funny you should say that.’
Cosima looked confused. ‘Huh?’
Arlo smiled and touched her face. ‘You really don’t know, do you?’
‘Know what?’
‘Jack Hampton.’
She shook her head, bemused. ‘What about him?’
Arlo picked her hand up and kissed her fingers. ‘Cosima, darling, that man is in love with you.’
They’d followed the blonde after she spoke to Cosima on the street and now he was sitting beside her in her hotel bar. He ordered a scotch then sat sipping it, waiting. He knew women like her, and he knew that sooner or later, she would check him out, see the wealth radiating off of him, and move in for the kill. He’d fuck her, lead her on, pump her for information, and use her. When she became a problem, he’d deal with that too.
It took less than an hour, and now he was in her room, stripping her as she told him she didn’t kiss. She’d do anything else but not kiss. He smiled and agreed; neither did he, he told her. She had a spectacular body, tall, lean; her tits were small but perky. She sucked his cock until he thought he might explode then he fucked her hard in the bed, on the floor, against the wall.
When she was asleep, he went through her bag, finding any information he could. Her name, her California driving license. He texted the information to his associate who came to him quickly: She’s Arlo Forrester’s ex-girlfriend, Sabine Karlsson.
He smiled. So that was it – she was checking out the opposition. Arlo Forrester was fucking Cosima, and this woman wasn’t happy about it. He was starting to change his mind about the blonde in his bed. She might prove useful – and maybe she would even want what he wanted so badly…
…for Cosima Malhotra Bedi, the sweet, beautiful lover of Arlo Forrester, to die...
TORN APART
Part Two
We have to talk.
In Harper Bedi’s experience, those words were never followed by good news. Which is why she was sitting in a coffee shop waiting for her boyfriend of four months, Deacon McCoy, feeling sick to her stomach. He’d been radio-silent for a few days; then this morning, the text message.
Can you meet me at Lou’s, 11 a.m.? We have to talk.
Her heart was thumping unpleasantly, and her palms were damp. Inside, she knew what was about to happen - Deacon was breaking up with her. Fuck – why now?
She’d only just talked Cosima around on Deacon coming to Seattle with her; her older sister, blissfully in love with Arlo Forrester, had never liked Deacon but last night, they sat up and talked for hours about how Harpa felt about the man. Cosima had finally told her that as long as Harpa was happy, she’d accept it.
Harpa had woken up so excited, so optimistic that she’d tried to call
Deacon right away – only for the call to go to voicemail…again. His text message came about five minutes later. We have to talk.
Harpa looked up as the door opened and Deacon, his face blank of expression walked in. He nodded at her then indicated he would grab a coffee before joining her. While she waited, Harpa felt awkward, embarrassed – even tearful. Do not cry; do not give him the satisfaction.
Deacon sat down, a steaming mug of coffee in front of him. Harpa tried to smile. ‘Hi, babe...I missed you these last days.’
He looked away from her gaze and now fear began to make her heart beat faster. ‘What is it, Deacon? What’s the matter?’
He looked back at her, his eyes cold. ‘I don’t want this anymore.’
She was confused. ‘What? The coffee? Okay then, we’ll go someplace else, I…’ her voice trailed off as she saw his jaw clench.
‘Not the coffee. Us. You and me. I don’t want this anymore.’
Even though she had half been expecting it, all the breath was pushed from her lungs, his words a sucker punch to her gut. She started to tremble, grabbed the coffee in front of her with both hands.
‘I don’t understand,’ she tried to speak steadily, ‘what’s changed?’ She wanted to scream, to sob, to beg but she kept it all inside. Deacon was silent, just watching her reaction. For a moment they sat in silence. Finally, she exploded.
‘Say something! I don’t understand what you’re talking about, I thought we were…’
‘I can’t do it. I can’t move to Seattle with you, I…’
Harpa’s face was wet with tears, but she stared at him coldly. ‘What? What is it? Are you fucking someone else?’
‘No. Not anymore.’
Not anymore. Wrecking ball to the chest. ‘Not…’anymore’? You’ve been cheating on me?’
Deacon nodded. ‘And for that I’m sorry. Truly.’
Harpa was silent for a moment. ‘I forgive you. Every relationship goes through things like this….we can make it work, Deacon, please.’
‘No, we can’t.’
‘Why not?’
‘Harpa…’
‘Just tell me!’ She was trembling now. ‘Just tell me why.’
There was a long silence then Deacon sighed, looked her straight in the eye and told her simply. ‘I don’t love you anymore.’
His words, spoken softly, calmly, felt like a death to her. She stared at him for a moment then got up and stumbled out of the coffeehouse, oblivious to the stares of the other customers. Tears were pouring down her face, her breath coming in short, painful gasps. She staggered to the edge of the sidewalk and threw up. At any moment, she expected to feel his hand on her back, comforting, helping, begging for forgiveness. It never came.
Cosima Bedi smiled up at her lover as he gathered her to him and thrust his cock deep inside her. She gave a low moan of pleasure that made him smile and his cock thicken and swell. Her velvety vagina enveloped him as he moved, her legs around his waist, her soft lips against his. The feel of her skin on his was intoxicating to Arlo Forrester, and as they made love, the early morning sun falling over their bodies, he wished they could stay in the moment forever.
Afterward, they showered together…a task made longer by the fact he had to have her again, pushing her up against the cool tile and thrusting deep inside her from behind.
Now, as they ate breakfast, he linked his fingers with hers. ‘Cosima…do you know how happy you make me?’
She grinned. ‘Hopefully as happy as you make me, Mr. Forrester. Listen, I have a couple of meetings back at the office this morning; can you do without me for a couple of hours?’
‘Absolutely not,’ but he grinned, ‘but I suppose if it’s work…’
‘Ha ha,’ she kissed him, ‘I’ll be with you by lunchtime.’
After he had dropped Cosima at her office, Arlo continued on to the LaBelle, the hotel he and Cosima were renovating together. He liked to think of it like that – their hotel – in that they had chosen the project together rather than he had hired her firm to help design and build it. He was actually glad she wasn’t with him this morning though because he had a meeting with the local councilmen to discuss changing the name of the hotel; his preferred sign writer was ready to go ahead once he had permission. He wanted it to be a surprise for Cosima; one she would love, one that would show her how much he loved her.
Arlo wasn’t used to feeling like this, so utterly wiped out with love. He had always been controlled, sensible, measured in everything in his life – since his brother Mason had died, he was always careful not to let anyone too close, so to not to have that terror of losing them. He’d almost managed it – Margaret, his beloved assistant, and de facto mother was an exception – but everyone else got close enough…then he would put up barriers. He knew he had with Sabine – and that’s why he bore some of the responsibility for her affair with Cole. But now, he felt wide open, laid bare by the beautiful woman who spent the nights in his arms.
His meeting went well with the councilmen, and he gave the go-ahead for the signs to be made up. He was just looking over some blueprints when he heard his name being called. He turned to see Jack Hampton walking towards him, his smile friendly. ‘Hey Jack, I didn’t know you were still in town?’
The other man nodded. ‘Harpa’s move to Seattle needs to be arranged and seeing as she wasn’t at dinner last night, I thought I’d drop in and see if Cos knows when Harpa will be free.’
Oh, really? Arlo kept his expression mutual. ‘Wouldn’t it be easier to call Harpa directly?’
Jack smiled as if he knew what Arlo was thinking. ‘It would, and I’ve tried, but it just keeps going to voicemail. I get a little uncomfortable when I can’t reach one or both of the girls.’
Women, not girls. Why did this dude irritate him so much? Arlo gave him a half-smile and nodded. ‘I see.’
Jack looked around. ‘This place sure is something…’ Indeed, the interior of the hotel was beginning to take shape. Arlo nodded, pleased despite himself.
‘Cosima’s touch. She has the best eye I’ve ever seen.’
Jack nodded. ‘She’s always been a star, that one. Even when she was younger, she was always doing something creative…really knows color and how to use it. Amazing imagination. Hey, I don’t suppose you could give me a tour?’
Arlo hesitated then shrugged. ‘Sure, why not?’
He handed Jack a hard hat and motioned for him to follow him. ‘We found the basic structure is sound and that a lot of the features could be salvaged for re-use. To a developer, that’s money in the bank.’
Jack nodded. ‘Got it. My understanding was that you were going to build from the ground up, and that’s why you hired Cosima’s firm.’
‘That was the original plan; but then both Cos and me,’ he smiled a little, ‘well, we fell in love with this place. I bought it on the spot.’
‘Spontaneous. I hear it’s catching.’
Arlo stopped and smiled at him. ‘Is there something you want to ask me, Agent Hampton?’
Jack made a show of looking confused. ‘No, man, I’m just saying. I’ve known Cos for years, and she’s always been organized, reliable and solid. Then you come along and …’ He made an ‘explosion’ gesture with his hands. Arlo conserved his words.
‘Believe it or not, Jack, I’m just as astonished as you. Like Cos, I was all business, all the time. Maybe we’re just like two chemical elements, benign on their own but put them together and boom.’
Jack nodded. ‘That’s what concerns me, man. Look, I’m happy for both of you, I am, but my job is to protect these girls, and I know you can provide round-the-clock security, I know that. My experience is, though, that if two parties are actively protecting someone, the ball often gets dropped because of miscommunication. I’m just asking – don’t shut me out.’
Arlo nodded, listening to the man and feeling a little better about his involvement in Cosima’s life. ‘I understand that, and I agree. Look, I do not want to step on anyone’s toes h
ere – as long as Cos and I are given our privacy, I have no problem with anything you do. I want her safe.’
‘That’s all I want too, man.’
Arlo stuck his hand out, and Jack shook it. ‘Deal.’
Jack smiled. ‘Good. Now, show me around the rest of the Pleasuredome.’
Harpa was curled up, napping, on the couch when Cosima got in that night and she leaned down and stroked her sister’s hair. She frowned when she saw the deep shadows under her eyes.
‘Harp? You okay, honey?’
Harpa opened her eyes, took one look at her sister and burst into tears. Cosima wrapped her arms around her sister and let her cry herself out. Finally, when Harpa had calmed herself, she told Cosima about Deacon.
‘He just came right out with it. I don’t love you anymore. There was no regret, no sadness in his eyes. He just looked desperate to get out of there.’
‘Asshole,’ Cosima spat out, gritting her teeth. ‘I’m so sorry, Harp, I really am.’ She hugged her sister fiercely. Harpa leaned against her and sighed.
‘Sorry for blubbing.’
‘Don’t be silly.’
Harpa closed her eyes. ‘God, I’m so angry, Cos.’ She sat up and wiped her face on her sleeve. ‘He was cheating. He admitted it to my face.’
‘What the fuck?’ Cos was enraged. ‘That rat bastard, I’ll kill him…’ She was up, and Harpa had to yank her back to the couch.
‘Dude, calm down. If anyone’s going to kick his ass, it’ll be me. But just now, I need sister alone time and a lot of junk food.’
Cosima looked a little guilty, and Harpa groaned. ‘You’re not going out, are you? I need you,’ she said in a wheedling voice then grinned suddenly. ‘Wow, I’m not passive-aggressive at all, am I?’
Cosima smiled. ‘To answer your question, no, I’m not going out, but Arlo is coming here. He wants to meet you finally. But I can call him and postpone; you clearly need me more.’
Harpa shook her head. ‘No, don’t do that, I want to meet him too. Just don’t be too smitten in front of me; I don’t think I could take that.’
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