“Sounds great. I’ll let you get back to your guests.” Dena said, and shook hands before excusing herself.
Darby was tapping Nile’s shoulder a second later. “Still hungry?”
“Don’t do that.” Nile warned.
“Well your anonymous benefactor is waiting in the Oval Dining Room.
Elated simply by the possibility of a meal, Nile kissed Darby’s cheek and set off.
Chuckling, Darby pulled out her cell phone and selected the number she wanted. “Perry, this is Darby Ellis. Get our deeds prepared, we’re ready to buy you out.”
~~~
Nile tried not to appear too eager to chow down when she strolled into the Oval Dining Room. She prayed this anonymous patron wasn’t a big talker else they were about to find the dinner conversation truly one-sided; at least until she had a fair amount of food in her belly.
“Mademoiselle Becquois,” the lone host greeted and waved Nile past his stand. “You’ll be dining with your guest in the enclosed portion of the balcony. It’s all arranged.”
Nile followed the man and wasn’t surprised to find the place deserted with only a setting for two. Person spends almost $300,000 dollars for art; least they can do is arrange a private dining room she thought.
Moreover, this private dining room was already stocked with that evening’s meal. Nile practically swooned as she took in the modest yet impressive spread of chicken parmesan, various pastas, salads and fruits. She helped herself to several grapes, slices of cantaloupe, cherry tomatoes and celery stalks. Her mouth was full of cucumber spread and cracker when she realized she wasn’t alone.
Seeing Taurus Ramsey across the room sent her emptying the champagne glass she held and blindly setting it back upon the buffet.
“You,” She ground out while swallowing.
Taurus bowed his head. Hiding both hands in his trouser pockets, he walked forward. “I know you have dinner with whoever buys a painting. What happens for the person who buys it all?”
By now, he was standing right before her and Nile could only blink owlishly for a time before her verbal skills kicked in.
“It uh…it’s never happened before so I guess we’ll have to play it by ear.”
“Right,” he agreed with a nod. Keeping both hands in his pockets, he stepped closer and dipped his head intent on kissing her again.
Nile cleared her throat and backed away. “I sure am starved,” she mentioned and cleared her throat again.
“I’m sorry,” Taurus grinned and knocked his fist along the buffet. “For the way I bulldozed my way into your day.”
The smooth clarification sent a wave of dizziness through Nile’s head. She pressed the back of her hand against her cheek.
“Here,” Taurus whispered taking her elbow and urging her to sit.
Nile obliged, watching as he returned to the buffet where he mentioned something about preparing her plate. “Thanks,” she murmured keeping her eyes on him while she tried to tug more material across her breasts bared by the deep V of the gown. “I don’t like spinach,” she said noticing as he set a portion on her plate.
“It’s good for you,” he said and added another helping for good measure.
“Why’d you do this?” Nile asked after a few moments of silence. “Buy me out and all? According to your sister you already have several pieces.”
Taurus smiled at her mention of Dena. “It was her idea to come here.”
“Really?” Nile’s surprise was evident and took her right back to the previous year when they’d spent two days in that very hotel.
Taurus was thinking of it as well, but felt it best not to make mention. Things were uncomfortable enough. “I’m sure I won’t have a problem finding a wall for each piece,” he set a plate before her and then fixed his own.
Nile wasted no time diving into the delicious meal. She’d devoured at least a quarter portion before Taurus took his place at the table.
“Don’t flatter yourself.” She knew that he was watching interestedly as she wolfed down the food. “I was already starving long before I saw you today.”
Silence took its place and the two of them enjoyed the meal. Nile helped herself to a second portion-including the deliciously seasoned steamed spinach.
“So why’d you buy all my paintings?” She asked again once she was stuffed.
Taurus shrugged and finished off the last corner of his chicken parm. “I’ve always been a fan of your work.” He said, absently wiping his hands on the cloth napkin that lay next to his plate. “Dena says I’m obsessed,” he shared in a much softer tone.
“Was that before or after you discovered I was a woman?” Nile focused on what remained of her dinner when asking the question.
“Before.”
She nodded, her brows rising in slight surprise. “You impress me Mr.
Ramsey. Most men won’t admit to that.”
“Admit to what?”
Nile tapped her nails along the edge of her plate. “To buying such blatant displays of sex and from another man.” Her smile was intentionally coy. “My work is often compared to pornography.”
Taurus was almost mesmerized by the allure of the words flavored by the sound of her accent. A muscle flexed along his jaw but he was able to remain focused on his meal. “Clearly those who think that aren’t able to sway the thousands of folk who buy your work.” He reached for another bottle of his preferred Killian’s. “You’ve got critics praising it and they’ve helped to make you one of the most acclaimed artists in the world-not to mention one of the wealthiest.”
Impressed again, Nile’s dark gaze narrowed and she raised her glass toward him in toast. “You’ve certainly done your homework.”
He grinned. “That was after I discovered you’re a woman.” He admitted.
Nile let herself enjoy the moment and joined him in laughter until his exquisite stare sharpened. He studied her with an intensity that could have stopped her heart.
Taurus returned his focus to what remained of the food. “Anyway, it was the only way I’d get to see you again, right?”
“And why is that so important when you’ve already gotten the top prize?”
“Maybe I want more.”
“More? More of the top prize?”
“More than the top prize.”
“Why?”
The question stoked Taurus’ anger and his knife dropped with a loud clatter upon the stoneware. “Come off it, already. You know what I mean. You knew a year ago that I didn’t want you to leave.”
Nile shook her head and began to massage the nape of her neck. “We’ve got no more of a chance at working out now than we did a year ago.”
“How do you know?” He challenged his voice taking on a rougher more dangerous undertone.
Nile rolled her eyes and threw down her napkin. “Why didn’t you tell me who you were?”
“You wouldn’t let me.”
“And that’s the only reason Mr. Ramsey?” She inquired watching his beautiful features tighten into a hard mask. “Clearly your reasons for accepting my not wanting to know your name are still prevalent. Why don’t you just let it rest at the fact that we were attracted to each other and decided to enjoy that.” She felt restless beneath his unwavering glare and left her seat.
“Why can’t you just chalk it up to fantastic sex and let it end Taurus?”
“Because I don’t want to.”
She laughed. “And you’re a man who always gets what he wants?” Heavy sarcasm laced her voice.
“Not always,” he admitted while standing. “Usually-not always.”
Nile clapped her hands to her sides. “Then can’t you just take this as one of those ‘not always’ times?”
“Why’d you sleep with me?”
Nile was on her way to the door when she heard the question. “I told you.” She bowed her head as if defeated.
“Fantastic sex?” He threw back. “That’s it? You really buy that?”
Nile whirled around to face
him then eager to take the bait. “Why does it sound so strange? Because I’m a woman and women are supposed to attach heartfelt emotion to a man before she sleeps with him? Bullshit.”
“And that didn’t come into play with us? Not once?” He asked his temper dangerously close to boiling.
“No.” She lied, knowing far more than sex had come into play during her time spent with him. So what? You won’t have a chance with him once he learns who your father is.
“You were a quick bit of fun.” She spoke slowly, provocatively watching the muscle dance along his jaw. “A sexy diversion during an otherwise boring trip. Sex was what it was. Gratification. Meaningless gratification.”
Taurus kept quiet though every part of him was raging. Her relaxed stance and the casual way she tapped her foot in the chic heels she wore didn’t fool him at all. Every part of him said she was lying, but why did it matter? He wondered.
Of course it was just as she’d said. What they’d shared was gratifying in every sense of the word but he wouldn’t accept it as meaningless. Why? Because she was illusive, dark, beautiful with a voice that was the personification of erotic? Yes. Still, there was so much more and he couldn’t let her go again until he found out what that was.
Nile took advantage of the silence between them and basically ran from the dining room. When the door closed behind her, she let her tears escape in a flood.
***
Los Angeles, California~
Yvonne Wilson set down the phone with great effort. It was taking everything inside her not to call Nile for the umpteenth time and leave an umpteenth message on her cell. The last thing she wanted was to alienate her daughter. Well…more than she already had.
God, what a mess she’d made of everything-so many mistakes and regrets. And now she was in the process of making yet another and for what? To hold onto some part of the elaborate lifestyle she’d come to know and love? Yes, but this time she’d call the shots. The money that flowed in would be by her doing-her way.
She’d hated lying to Nile. Sadly, it’d become a thing she’d learned to do very well. Even sadder was the fact that now her daughter could see the lie forming in her eyes before it even tripped from her tongue.
Whether Nile believed her or not, Yvonne prayed there was enough doubt to keep her from turning over those card keys. She also prayed Cufi didn’t find Nile and run some ‘you’re my last hope’ guilt trip on her. Ironically, that seemed to be the case for both she and her dear hubby. Those keys were the tickets to both their salvation. Unfortunately, the pay off couldn’t be shared. When the time came, Yvonne knew Cufi would make it a fight that would see one or both of them dead.
***
“You must know all these recent…upsets don’t sit well with my family.”
Cufi Muhammad managed a chuckle in spite of the very real fist of fear that was curving its way about his innards. “Women aren’t hard to replace in this business Gabe, you know that.” Somehow he managed to sound cool.
Gabriel Tesano let a few moments of silence precede his words. “No, but when one loses women who were privy to the sort of information they held…you understand our concern?”
“I do.” Cufi could almost see the blood lust in Gabriel’s eyes despite the fact they were speaking by phone. “Please know that I’m doing everything in my power to recover those keys.”
“That’s good to know.”
Cufi expelled a tiny sigh. “Once I do, it’ll be the word of those foolish girls against ours. Without those keys there’ll be nothing to link certain members of your family to my organization.”
“So you think my concern is the card keys?”
A softness colored Gabriel’s voice which could have been considered understanding had Cufi not known the man better.
“You should know that while my father’s face graces one of those keys, I’m not overly concerned by them. Not as much as I am by other matters.”
Cufi dared not speak then.
“I’m concerned by what those rescued young women might share- things that our lovely Ms. Zara tried to share. Locations to a certain island getaway for example.”
Cufi dared to laugh. “But everyone believes that’s a myth. No one would take any ramblings about it seriously!”
“Well we’d prefer not to take that chance.” Gabriel chuckled. “Calm down Chuck, all we need you to do is provide the names of the young women you lost.”
“But…they’d be impossible to find. I’m sure Ramsey lawyers have worked with the authorities to hide them so well, Houdini wouldn’t be able to locate them.”
Again, Gabriel chuckled. “Who needs Houdini? We’ve got someone far better, you know?”
Whatever ease Cufi had been feeling, abated with those words. He knew then with all certainty that his former employees would definitely be found and dealt with. This someone who was better than Houdini was why various members of the Tesano family operated with seemingly no regard or fear of discovery. Whether the Ramseys knew it or not, it had everything to do with his own miraculous escape from the Wind Rage when Fernando and Moses Ramsey were breathing down his neck. This someone had been labeled a myth and those who knew it to be otherwise either belonged to the organization or they were dead.
***
Nile woke early praying her favorite heated pool would be vacant or at the very least not crowded with Hotel Brillante guests. She got her wish. The place was blissfully cleared. She was able to put in a good twenty laps which were usually as much for health of body as it was for peace of mind.
That morning, there was the added benefit of the relief of certain tensions. She’d thought of little else other than making love since Taurus Ramsey had re-entered; no pun intended, her world. She could scarcely look at the bed in her suite without reminders of all they’d done there. As a result, she’d opted to sleep the night before on the recliner in the apartment’s alcove.
Now; looking out over the pool’s calming waters, she found herself contemplating. He wanted her and foolish as it may’ve been, she believed his want was for more than sex. She felt the same things last night that she’d felt a year ago. A part of her sensed-knew that this was a man who’d cherish her, who’d support her through all the horrors. He’d admire and love her beauty, but he’d look beyond. He’d see the ugliness that made her and what lay beneath. He’d see the attractive packaging-the light that fought against the darkness and he’d love that too.
The tiny whispers that urged her to go to him started to gain their momentum just as she tuned into someone speaking her name.
Dena smiled more brightly when Nile’s gaze snapped to her face. “Please forgive me for scaring you. I thought I’d gotten up early enough to beat anyone here.” She explained as soft laughter colored her words.
Nile joined in with the laughter as well. “I had the same idea too, but you’re in luck because I’m on my way out. I think I’ve put in enough laps to last me a week.”
Dena hugged herself. “That sounds good,” she sighed whipping off the robe that covered a daring bikini. The cut of the bottom offered an unhindered view of a flat belly and; against her dark skin; a crescent moon scar was vibrantly displayed.
Nile stared in a manner that was frighteningly hypnotic. Dena didn’t appear to notice and left Nile with a cheery wave before sprinting toward the pool. Nile’s luminous stare shined with unshed tears while a wave of nausea rumbled through her body.
CHAPTER SIX
Darby was sure she was sleep walking when she answered the booming knock on the door of her suite.
“Hell Ny, it’s barely seven a.m.,” she groaned, when her friend rushed inside the room.
“We’re checking out today.”
“What? Why?”
“I already called the desk and informed them, so get your things packed,” Nile went on alternating between wringing her hands and worrying the belt around the black terry robe.
“Hold up a minute,” Darby was massaging her scalp and slowly becoming more luc
id. “We haven’t even spent three nights here. Besides, I’d already planned to sight see, drop in on a few of the clubs-“
“Jesus Darby! Will you just-” Nile silenced as all the breath swooshed from her lungs. She doubled over from the suddenness of it.
“Ny!” Darby called on full alert. She rushed over to catch both Nile’s arms and made her sit on the sofa. “Put your head between your knees.”
“Mmm mmm,” Nile refused and shook her head viciously. “That makes it worse.”
“Then maybe talking will help.” Darby suggested none too gently. “What the devil is going on?” She hissed.
“Did you know that Taurus Ramsey bought out my show?”
“No. Not until after your dinner with him.” Darby said and moved to the arm chair flanking the sofa. “I was wrapping up things with hotel personnel when he came in to look at the pieces. That’s when he handed me the check for the art. Earlier I’d received a call followed by an electronic voucher signed by a Minyon Oswald-his assistant.” She shrugged and fiddled with the large buttons on her candy pink pajama top. “When he walked in, he didn’t appear that he wanted to be bothered. Man hands you a check for two hundred and eighty K; you do nothing to agitate him. Now will you please tell me why you’re so upset?”
“He wants me. Wants us to…have a relationship. I think...I want to believe it’s only about sex but something tells me he wants more.”
“Mmm…so naturally you want to run away from him and rush back to L.A.”
Nile rolled her eyes. “I don’t need the sarcasm just now.”
“Well shit Ny you’re not making sense here. Are you on edge about it because the man’s sexy and mesmerizing as heaven and you’re thinkin’ you couldn’t possibly keep him?”
Nile snapped her fingers and winked. “Now you’re talkin’ but there’s more,” she added before Darby could argue. “On top of all that, I’m pretty sure that the minute he finds out who I am he may very well want to kill me.”
***
Tykira Ramsey was hunched over her easel reviewing final plans for her latest project. She was making notes to ask her crew chief Samuel Bloch during their weekly conference call, when a slew of laughter and squeals hit her ears.
The Ramseys Boxed Set Page 110
