by King, Ann
“You’re leaving me here? In Canada?”
“You’ll be safe here. I have my people guarding you around the clock without you even knowing it,” Andre said as he lifted his fork to his lips, tasting his a juicy mouthful of lobster. When his eyes met with Hannah’s the familiar wave of pleasure slithered through her belly. There was just something about his eyes that connected to her soul. What she could see in them was raw hurt and pain. Her heart squeezed thinking of what he must be going through and how much he wanted to protect her only to discover there was a crazy man trying to screw with her life.
“I’m going with you,” Hannah finally spoke.
“You’ll do no such thing.”
“The hell I won’t.”
“Hannah!” Andre’s voice sounded commanding, chilling. Her spine tingled in a cold sort of way.
Hannah looked down at her plate and picked at her salad with her fork. Her appetite was as lost as she’d felt.
“Fine. Go on ahead without me.”
“You don’t have a choice.”
“I don’t?” Hannah shot back. This was utter madness, Andre and her had been on edge since discovering they’d been filmed. What could this mean to his business? His reputation?
Still, Hannah missed the touch of his hard muscles and silk skin on her body. She missed the heat and closeness of his royal sex and that oh, so delicious scent of his aftershave.
Would they ever be at ease to make love again? Her body still craved him like an addiction. She needed to feel him inside her again but doubted that until things cleared up, it may never be the same between them. The thought stabbed at her heart.
“You know what I mean, Hannah. I won’t keep you here against your will, but I insist that you stay here at the condo until things are resolved.”
“How long will that take?”
“Trust me. We’ll get to the bottom of this sooner than you think.”
Chapter 5
“Ooh, good for you, hon. Your first real fight with Andre,” Lucy said over the phone to Hannah. “Nothing like having angry sex to top of the evening. It’s even better than make-up sex, girl.”
“Angry sex?” Hannah cocked a brow as she spoke to her best friend and roommate back home in New York. Hannah leaned back in the soft recliner chair in Andre’s penthouse suite in the study area, curled up with an e-reader. She was so bored there was nothing else to do to keep her mind off things so she read a Dan Brown novel while Andre tended to business affairs back at his office.
“Sure,” Lucy responded. “Girl, that’s the best kind of sex. You should make a move if he doesn’t. Trust me. You won’t regret it.”
“I trust that you’ve experienced this…angry sex you talk about?”
Lucy chuckled. “Girl, it’s the next best thing. They call it primal sex with all that adrenaline pumping through the blood.”
“Really?”
“Uh-yeah! So much pent up energy and tension just bursting to be released. Nothing like raw passionate sex. Hell, can you think of a better way to release pent up emotions?”
“Well it does sound…um…great but… I doubt he’d be in the mood,” Hannah murmured.
Hannah was grateful for Lucy trying to lighten the dark mood that she’d been in since her argument over dinner with Andre earlier.
When Hannah first called Lucy after dinner, their conversation had not begun so smooth. Lucy had told her about some of Andre’s men over at their apartment combing through it for bugs and wires. It was nerve-racking. Luckily nothing was found there. Andre’s men had made the mistake of assuming Lucy could be involved since the place she shared with Hannah was clean. But that was soon cleared up. Thankfully.
When Hannah mentioned the name Elroy James, Lucy said the name did sound familiar but she couldn’t quite place it. That made two of them.
“Anyways, girl. As much as I love talking to you, gotta hit the books. Got a brutal test coming up soon.”
“Oh, I hear you. Thanks for lending me your ear.”
“Girl, anything for you. Remember, it’s the friends that you can call at two o’clock in the morning that matter. I’m here for you twenty-four seven Hannah. Just don’t interrupt me when I’m studying for exams. Hehe.” Lucy was always good for a laugh or two. What would Hannah do without her? She was always the bold one, the party-girl, the charmer and the thinker but when it came down to hitting the books, she was all smarts and nothing else. Lucy was hoping to be a nurse practitioner one day and work as a travel nurse in poor communities or in rural areas like Canada’s northern provinces in an aboriginal community or something like that.
Hannah had a hard time grasping how she could go from being an ordinary nobody with no drama in her life to the queen of high profile drama. That was unbelievable. Like she didn’t have enough stress in her life already trying to get by in life, finish her grad studies and balance work obligations while caring for her ailing mom. She combed her fingers through her thick silky dark tendrils and blew out a sigh through her lips.
Things had get better.
After her conversation ended, Hannah walked over to the grand kitchen area feeling lost in the marbled, granite golden culinary space. She looked around for a mug so that she could stir herself a fresh brew of steaming black coffee. That should perk her up.
Part of her was glad the housekeeper was away. But another part of her wished that Andre had left a map of some sort of the kitchen layout, so she knew where everything was. It just dawned on her that the entire kitchen area was the size of the apartment she shared with Lucy back in New York. Talk about a difference in standards of living.
“I see you’ve made yourself at home,” Andre’s silky tone sliced through her concentration and she jolted at the smooth, unexpected sound of his voice.
“You’re home!”
“You seem surprised, Hannah. You know I live here.” His smooth grin and darkened, dreamy eyes told Hannah that he’d been drinking. Something heavy. Like vodka maybe. Okay, so he wasn’t angry with her anymore but he was well, sort of intoxicated—though she knew Andre could hold his liquor. The question was why was he drinking? He was supposed to be working late again at the office.
“Yes, I know, but…”
“Listen, Hannah…”
“No. You listen, Andre!” Where did her sudden boldness come from? “You’ve been so distant lately and I can’t stand it any longer. Then you want me to stay put in Canada while you gallop off to New York tomorrow to handle my business.”
“Your business?”
“Yes. My business. Which may be all over the internet soon if we don’t catch the creep who filmed us. Not to mention this guy you think I was married to…” Hannah’s closed lips fought to imprison a sob. She tried to swallow the lump that lingered in her throat but it was no use. Before long, she was in tears.
Andre reached over to hug her. His tall frame and strong body squeezed her tight. The scent of his delicious cologne sent waves through her body again. That was all she wanted. Closeness to Andre again. Was the cost for that to shed her tears? Was that what Andre wanted? Demanded of her? For her to be his damsel in distress so that he could be the heroic prince charming saving her every second of the day?
Andre heaved a deep sigh. “Against my better judgement, you can come back with me tomorrow.”
Hannah pulled herself away from Andre and looked into his dark, delicious eyes. The eyes that captured her soul and penetrated her every time they met hers.
“Andre, I’m sorry, I…”
Andre lifted his finger to her lips. “Say no more. The last thing I want is for you to feel as if you’re my prisoner, Hannah. You know that. I was just trying to protect you.”
Andre went over to the bar in the kitchen and pulled out a bottle of wine. He paused as he peered at the cork top of the uncorked dark bottle. Hannah could not see which brand it was but she knew it must be very expensive. Just as everything was in Andre’s life. Andre’s expression darkened for a moment and Hannah sear
ched his handsome face looking for answers. What was he thinking now?
He placed the bottle back on the wine rack. “Hannah, there is so much you don’t know yet. About me and about…what is going on now.”
“I know,” she said quietly.
“I really wanted to protect you. This whole fucking week since the wedding has gone from bad to worse.”
“But it’s not your fault, Andre.”
“Isn’t it?”
“No. Even if you had taken me to the chapel, Gustav would have stood me up. Don’t you see?”
“I know. But I’m use to being in control, Hannah. All the time. I’m not a very nice man when I can’t have my way. I always get my way,” he said, his voice dangerously low, “one way or the other.”
An icy shiver snaked down Hannah’s spine at the chill of his words. It was the way he’d said them.
He loosened his silk tie and unbuttoned his suit jacket. “I can’t tell you too much, yet, but there’s a lot going on that my men are looking into.”
“I know,” she murmured, unable to meet his gaze.
“I’m still not done with Gustav yet. There’s something dangerous about him. Something I’m going to find out very soon.”
“There is?” Hannah swallowed hard. Just to think she was about to be married to him. “Does it matter? I mean, he’s already married and probably illegal in the country.”
“That’s just it. He isn’t.”
“He isn’t?”
“No. We found out that his marriage was a front. Whoever that woman was, she was probably paid to tell you she was his wife.”
“And the argument they had?”
“The argument was staged, Hannah!”
“Holy shit! What is going on?”
“I’m going to find out very soon and all hell will break loose when I do.”
“Okay, so you say that Gustav was not the one who had us filmed?”
“No.”
“Well who did then?” Hannah’s heartbeat raced hard and fast in her chest. She held her breath waiting for the answer.
“When we get back to New York tomorrow, we’ll find out.”
Hannah shook her head and hugged herself walking over to the large ceiling to floor window of the penthouse overlooking the now dusk sky, the darkest stage of twilight of the evening. The Toronto skyline looked beautiful amongst the dark marine blue sky fading into a deep rich purple hue. The view was breathtaking, the colors warm and romantic.
“So there’s more than one person who wants to screw me over?” Hannah finally uttered through tightened lips.
“It seems that way. But there is a connection.”
Hannah shook her head as she gazed out the window. “What connection? Why am I getting the feeling that you’re holding back from me, Andre?”
When she turned around, Andre was standing behind her. He placed his hand on her shoulder and gave it a firm squeeze and she felt electricity pulse through her body. God, she loved how he made her feel.
“If you must know. I’m waiting for an important email from my source in New York. We’ll know who was filming us and we’ll find out why and how Gustav is linked to you getting hurt. Another matter to deal with.”
“Oh, great!”
“Right now, Hannah,” he said as he rubbed his nose into her beautiful dark hair. “I want you.”
She felt his breath quicken and her sex pulsed.
Was he getting aroused?
God, she hoped so.
She hadn’t made love to him in days. It seemed like forever. He’d been so distant…preoccupied in his business and in her security and God knew what else he had been up to. It had been one crazy week.
It was ironic that she’d known Andre since they were teens and yet this was the most drama they’d ever experienced together. It was very weird. But Hannah could not think about that now. She felt her nipples tighten at his touch as he caressed her neck with his lips. Oh, God! Those luscious lips of his. And his hot breath on her skin. The magical feeling was appearing again. Andre was no longer cold to her. He wanted her just as much as she wanted him.
“Come on,” he whispered in a low voice as he kissed her neck. “Let’s go the bedroom.”
Hannah moaned and took his lead.
Just then, his BlackBerry buzzed.
Shit!
Andre looked at the screen with a flash of anger in his eyes.
“Is that the email you’ve been waiting for?” Hannah’s breath stopped.
Andre sighed. She could tell he was aroused when she glanced at his tented crotch in his suit. He then powered down the device and glanced into Hannah’s eyes. He threw the phone down on the couch and lifted her up to her surprise.
“Ms Steeles. We have business to attend to,” a cheeky grin played on his lips. Hannah wanted to know who was calling him or pinging him on his cell phone but one kiss of his soft lips and she melted into his arms as he carried her into the room as if carrying her over the threshold.
Andre had Hannah on the bed in no time. The lights were dim and oh, so romantic. She inhaled the scent of French vanilla candles that he recently ignited. He really knew how to set the mood. For some reason poetic lyrics she’d read somewhere seeped into her mind.
There is a candle in every soul
Some brightly burning, some dark and cold
And there is a spirit who brings a fire
Ignites a candle and makes his home
It was then that Hannah knew that Andre was like a candle that lit her soul. It was so weird for her to feel poetic like that.
Then he pressed his remote to start his iPod speakers and the song by Michelle Wright played through with its beautiful piano playing and melody, Your Love. It had been ages since she’d heard that song. But she loved it. How did he remember it was her song? Their song.
She mellowed at the sound of the tune and the lyrics “There’s nothing in all the world I need…when I have you here beside me….I couldn’t ask for more…Your love is the greatest gift of all…In your arms I found the strength inside me…in your eyes there’s a light to guide me, I would be lost without you…”
The beautiful words to the song spoke exactly how Hannah had felt about Andre. She knew then that she’d be completely lost if she no longer had Andre in her life. It was as if he’d breathed a living joyful spirit into her again—after years of suffering and taking care of others and striving to get ahead.
Some songs really touched the soul. It was as if the songwriter knew how to reach out to the lover’s emotions and pin point exactly what they felt inside.
The memory came back now for the time she’d first heard that song. It was at Donald Peterson’s nephew’s wedding reception and Andre had asked her to dance. They were both young then. It was the first time that she’d ever slow danced. She didn’t know how he felt about her but she had a secret mad crush on him then. But he seemed so…off limits at the time. Unreachable. He was slightly older than her and far more popular and had tons of girls swooning over him—like all the time. How could she have gotten any closer to him then? The only thing he could do for her was to dominate her fantasies at the time. And that he did—whether he knew it or not.
As the music played with the strings in the backdrop of the song, she melted completely. Yes, Andre was her gift. His love was the greatest gift that she had received. And she loved him for that. For the way he made her feel. The way he could turn on his magic and bring her soul alive again. No matter how dark her mood was at the time.
“What’s that?” she asked as he went into what looked like an ottoman or chest box.
A wicked grin touched his lips. “I want to let you experience pleasure like you’ve never had before,” his voice was low and seductive. A wave of butterflies tickled her belly.
“Oh?”
“You didn’t know I had toys?”
“Toys? I thought you were too old for toys?” she replied playfully.
“Depends on which toys we’re talking about?�
� He flipped open the chest box and searched inside. He pulled out a silk blindfold. Hannah gasped.
What delightful experience was she in for now?
“You remember the day we first danced to this song?”
“Andre, you remembered?”
“You didn’t think I would forget now, do you?”
Hannah flushed. That was it—her soul had officially been claimed by this gorgeous billionaire whose wealth was in his charm and his inner power. God, he had a memory that stretched longer than a country mile. And all this while pretending as if that dance had meant nothing to him. At the reception he’d gone on to dance with tons of other girls till early in the morning. But he remembered the dance with Hannah. He remembered their song.
Holy cow! She’d dreamed about dancing to that same song on the day they were to marry—in her dreams, of course. But he didn’t know that…did he?
“Your memory is unimpeachable, Mr. Corskovi,” she murmured, a salacious grin on her lips.
“When it matters,” he whispered as he neared her with the silk black scarf in his hand. He traced the outline of her jaw with his fingers and she tingled at his soft touch. He stroked her chin sending waves of pleasure through her veins.
Oh, Andre.
She wanted to tell him that she’d be so lost without him but she couldn’t. The music was really setting the mood. It was as if it was a soundtrack to their love affair.
“I want you to go back to that night and remember how you’d felt. So carefree. No worries in the world,” he murmured as he pressed his soft lips to hers.
“Oh, God!” she moaned with delight.
“Close your eyes, Hannah,” he instructed her with a low, silky voice that almost lulled her into a deep relaxation.
She was remembering how she’d felt at that time. With Andre. As if they had no cares in the world. That was before he became a business tycoon with all the wealth in the world and the added responsibility. That was when they were young and given a chance at a better life thanks to his mentor and the man who helped her mother by giving her a good paying job and the use of one of his surnames. A chance at a better life. Donald Clive Steeles Peterson had adopted her informally and introduced her to a life of comfort. He also introduced her to Andre. The best thing that could have happened to her back then.
