Styles of Seduction

by Jacquelin Thomas

  A wave of disappointment flowed through her when Liora’s name, not Kyle’s, came up.

  “Hey, what’s up?” Zoe asked.

  “I was thinking about going to the Marc Jacobs party tonight. Do you want to come with?”

  “No, I’m not really up for another party. I think I’ll just come home and get into bed.”

  “Are you okay?” Liora inquired. “You sound a little down.”

  “I’m fine,” Zoe answered, checking her watch yet again. “I’ll give you a call later.”

  “Sure you don’t want to hang out for a little while?”

  “I don’t feel up to it.”

  “Okay. Well, I might be gone by the time you get home. If I don’t talk to you later, I’ll see you in the morning.”

  “Have fun,” Zoe told her roommate. She was relieved to have the apartment to herself because she was not in a great mood. In fact, she was furious with herself for believing any of the words that had ever come out of Kyle’s mouth.

  But at this point, she had no one to blame but herself.

  Chapter 12

  After the show, Kyle gathered everyone together.

  “When did you last see my sister?” He and his parents were backstage with the models. “We need to know if anyone saw anything, whether you think it’s important or not.”

  His inquiry was met with silence.

  He shook his head in confusion. This was the biggest show of the season. Bailey wouldn’t have missed it for anything. Something was very, very wrong.

  Kyle glanced over at his mother. She looked worried sick and he couldn’t blame her.

  The head of security entered the room and was immediately met by Kyle’s father.

  “We’re going to find Bailey,” Kyle whispered as he wrapped an arm around his mother. “We will find her.”

  “Everybody is wondering what’s going on,” she whispered. “We don’t want the media getting wind of Bailey’s disappearance—not until it is absolutely necessary. We need to make sure everyone understands.”

  “Do you think she’s been kidnapped?” Brianna asked in a low voice. Her eyes were bright with tears.

  Kyle shook his head. “Let’s not jump to conclusions.”

  “This isn’t like Bailey,” Lila said. “Something has happened to my daughter. I can feel it.”

  The security guards left as his father asked the staff and the models not to say anything publicly.

  Kyle was worried about his mother. He had never seen her so scared, although she was trying hard to maintain her composure. He signaled to Nelson to escort her to a chair and get her a glass of water.

  This was not the way the day was supposed to go. A wave of anger flashed through him. Had someone kidnapped his sister? His fingers clenched into a fist. If anyone laid a hand on Bailey...

  He searched his mind, trying to think of anyone who would want to hurt his family.

  “They’ve found her,” Brianna announced, rushing toward Kyle.

  “Where is she?” Kyle asked, hearing the desperation in his own voice.

  “Kyle, Bailey was locked in a janitorial closet in Lincoln Center.”

  Before his sister could say another word, Kyle sprinted out of the tent and across the plaza with Nelson on his heels. By the time they got there, his father was sitting on the floor with an unconscious Bailey in his arms.

  “An ambulance is on the way,” he said.

  Lila gasped when she saw her daughter. “Is she...”

  “She’s unconscious,” Kyle said. “They have already called an ambulance.”

  “Who found her?” his mother asked.

  “One of the janitors,” Roger said.

  “This was found with her,” a security guard said, holding up a bag of cocaine.

  “That doesn’t belong to my sister,” Kyle said. His tone brooked no argument. His sister was missing for hours and then found with cocaine—none of this was making sense.

  “Does anybody know what happened?” Lila wanted to know. “What’s wrong with her? Was she drugged?”

  “We won’t know until she gets to the hospital.” Roger shook his head sadly. “Who could have done this to my daughter? If this gets out, it could ruin her.”

  Kyle watched as his mother gently stroked Bailey’s hair. The look of fear on Lila’s face crushed him. His hands clenched into fists. He wanted to kill the person responsible for doing this to his sister.

  “I know what you’re thinking, Kyle,” Nelson said. “For now, just be grateful that she’s okay.”

  “We don’t know that for sure,” he said.

  “My mother wanted me to call her with any news.” Nelson pulled out his cell phone. “She was really worried about Bailey.”

  Kyle walked over and placed an arm around his mother. “I told you that she would be found.” He could not put into words the relief he felt at finding his sister.

  The ambulance arrived.

  Working quickly, they placed Bailey on a gurney and wheeled her out of the building.

  Lila chose to ride in the ambulance to the hospital while the rest of the family rode with Kyle.

  * * *

  Zoe walked into a large conference room that had been taken over by hundreds of silver gift bags, which included an Aztec-print scarf from their new collection. She immediately began helping Jill, the administrative assistant at Guava.

  “Zoe, I’m surprised you didn’t attend the RHD fashion show,” Jill commented as she placed the giveaways into a box. “I heard that you’re really close to the Hamiltons.”

  “Jill, do yourself a favor and stop listening to Sasha,” Zoe said. “She really has no idea what she’s talking about, especially when it comes to me or my relationships. Do you have all the accessories packed?”

  Jill nodded. “I’ve gone over the checklist twice. I also went back over the shoes. Everything is packed and ready.”

  “Good,” Zoe murmured.

  “Are you okay?” Jill inquired. “You’re not your usual smiling self.”

  “I’m fine.” Zoe paused for a brief moment before saying, “I need to make sure everything is properly tagged.”

  “I did that already,” Jill assured her. “Between you and Jerry, I don’t know who’s more nervous.”

  “I would say that it’s Jerry,” Zoe said. “But I admit that I’m feeling a tad anxious about tomorrow.”

  “Our collection is going to be the talk of Fashion Week, and so are your pieces.”

  Zoe gave Jill a tiny smile. “I think I’m going to call it a night. Tomorrow is going to be a long day.”

  “See you bright and early in the morning.”

  Zoe went back to her office and checked her voice mail.

  She still had not heard from Kyle.

  “I’m done,” Zoe whispered as she grabbed her purse.

  She caught sight of Sasha sauntering toward Jerry’s office as she made her way to the elevator. Zoe shook her head. That woman is nothing but trouble.

  She didn’t want to think about Sasha, Jerry or Kyle. The only thing on her mind now was the pint of ice cream waiting for her back at the apartment.

  A photograph of Bailey Hamilton appeared on the television in the break room as Zoe walked past. She paused in her steps to listen.

  The reporter was discussing the model’s unexplained disappearance at the RHD fashion show. Some speculated that she had gotten ill, but others suggested that she was missing.

  Zoe gasped. A wave of shock coursed through her body. Bailey’s missing.

  Her disappointment in Kyle vanished at the news of Bailey’s disappearance. She pulled out her cell phone.

  “Kyle, I just heard the news,” Zoe said as soon as he answered the phone. “Is there anything I can do for
you? I was so scared when I heard about Bailey.”

  “I’m sorry for not calling you—”

  “No, it’s fine. I understand. I’m still in shock. Does anyone know—”

  Kyle cut her off. “Bailey’s been found. Zoe, I can’t discuss this over the phone. Can you meet me at my place in about an hour?”

  “Of course. I’ll see you there.”

  * * *

  Zoe felt guilty for thinking the worst of Kyle when in reality, his sister had gone missing.

  She had never heard him sound so worried. At one point in the conversation, she was sure that he had been on the verge of tears. Her heart was breaking for him.

  Bailey and Kyle were very close. He was close to his other siblings as well, but with her, they shared a special bond.

  As soon as Zoe walked into Kyle’s apartment, he pulled her into an embrace.

  “Thank you for coming,” he said, his voice ragged.

  He led her through the living room to a den. If Bailey hadn’t been at the forefront of her mind, Zoe would have delighted in Kyle’s exquisite taste when it came to decorating.

  “What happened?” she asked, taking a seat in one of the chairs near the fireplace. “Please tell me that Bailey’s okay.”

  “She’s as well as can be expected, I guess,” he said. “I’m sorry I didn’t call you earlier, but—”

  “Kyle, you don’t have to apologize. I understand,” she said. “Where’s Nelson?”

  “He’s with the rest of the family at my parents’ apartment. I just needed...some time to myself.”

  “Was Bailey kidnapped?”

  “All we know is that Bailey never made it to the fashion show, so Brianna ended up taking her place on the runway. While the show was going on, my dad had security looking all over Lincoln Center for her.” His expression was full of pain. “Zoe, I’ve never been so scared in my life.”

  She reached over and took his hand. All she could think of was offering some small comfort. He had been through quite an ordeal.

  “One of the security guards found my sister in a closet, unconscious. There was a bag of cocaine with her.”

  “There’s no way it was hers. She doesn’t take drugs,” Zoe stated.

  “I know that,” Kyle said. “I’m sure the hospital tests will confirm that, as well.”

  “Unless someone forced her to take the cocaine,” Zoe suggested, shocked at the very thought.

  “Someone is out to hurt Bailey.” Kyle’s mouth tightened. “They could’ve killed my sister and we have no idea why.”

  “This is really crazy,” she murmured. “Why would anyone want to hurt Bailey? She doesn’t have any enemies.”

  “Apparently she does. I am going to find out who did this, Zoe. When I do...” Kyle let the threat die on his lips.

  “Where is Bailey now?”

  “She’s in the hospital. We have security outside her room. My parents are considering sending her away for a while. Her whereabouts will be kept secret. It’s for her safety.”

  Zoe nodded in understanding. “I don’t blame them.”

  “This was not what I had in mind when I said I wanted to see you tonight.” He wrapped an arm around her. “But I’m glad you’re here.”

  “I’ll be here as long as you need me,” Zoe said.

  For so long, she’d thought of him only as a player, as a man only interested in getting as many women as possible into his bed. She’d thought he wasn’t interested in anything but momentary pleasure.

  Tonight, she’d seen glimpses of a different man.

  He was watching her now.

  “Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked softly. His gaze sent tiny sparks of desire through her body.

  “You know, the first time I saw you I thought you had such a huge chip on your shoulder,” Kyle told her.

  “I didn’t have a chip. I just couldn’t stand you.”

  He quirked an eyebrow. “Really?”

  Zoe nodded. “I thought you were a spoiled rich kid who inherited his position, but once I began working with you, I knew I was wrong about you. I saw how hard you worked.”

  “My assumptions about you were wrong, too,” Kyle said. “Tell me something. Why did you leave RHD?”

  “I thought it was the best thing to do at the time,” Zoe confessed. “I felt that you and I could not work together.”

  “Do you still feel that way?”

  She nodded. “I always felt like we were in competition, and it’s not supposed to be that way. At Guava, we really work as a team and I like that.”

  “I’m glad that you’re happy there. Mostly I’m glad that they treat you well.”

  “They do,” she confirmed.

  A part of her expected some kind of cocky response. But instead, he said, “I hope that you get everything you want out of life, Zoe. You certainly deserve it.”

  “Where is all this coming from, Kyle?”

  “I want you to trust me, and in order for that to happen, I have to be completely honest with you.”

  A smile played at the corner of her lips. “I appreciate that.” She watched as a shadow of sadness darkened his gaze. “You’re thinking about your sister, aren’t you?”

  Kyle nodded. “I have to go back to the hospital.”

  “I’d like to go with you, if you think it’s okay.”

  “Bailey would love to see you.”

  She touched his cheek. “She’s going to be fine. Your sister is a fighter and she will get through this.”

  “Thank you, Zoe. Thank you for being here for me. I can’t tell you what it means to me.”

  Kyle gave Zoe a look of gratitude that she felt all the way to her soul, and she knew she was done for.

  There was no escaping Kyle Hamilton now.

  Chapter 13

  Kyle and Zoe slipped into the private suite where Bailey was staying. The bodyguard standing outside the room had been instructed that no one was to enter her room outside of medical staff and family. They were not taking any chances and Zoe could not blame them. There were still no clues as to what had happened.

  Bailey looked so pale lying in the private hospital bed. Her eyelids fluttered open when they neared.

  Zoe was relieved to see that she only had some minor bruising around her mouth and on her arms, as if she’d been tied up. Zoe could barely suppress a shudder.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you,” Zoe whispered. “I just wanted to see for myself that you were okay.”

  “Zoe, I’m glad you came,” she said softly. Bailey glanced over at Kyle and gave him a tiny smile.

  “We’re not going to stay too long,” he told her. “We just came to check on you.”

  “I’m fine—just sleepy.”

  Kyle reached down and gave her hand a light squeeze. “Go back to sleep. I’ll come back in the morning.”

  Bailey closed her eyes and was soon sound asleep.

  Zoe and Kyle crept out of the room.

  “Thank you for allowing me to see Bailey,” Zoe told Kyle as they stepped into the elevator.

  “I could see how worried you were and I know Guava’s show is tomorrow. I didn’t want there to be any distractions for you.”

  She smiled at him. “Thanks.”

  “I’ll drop you off at home,” he said. “As for our date, I really hope that you’ll give me a rain check.”

  Zoe nodded. “Of course. When Fashion Week is over.”

  “This week has been interesting, to say the least.”

  “Yeah,” she agreed. “I’ve heard other designers talk about mishaps before shows, but this is the first time I’ve experienced it. First we get locked in a room, and then someone kidnaps Bailey? It’s strange, don’t you think, Kyle?”r />
  “I think that they must have panicked or something,” Kyle said. “When they realized that they couldn’t get her out of the building without being seen, they planted drugs on her to make it look like she did this to herself.”

  “Do you think she has a stalker?” It was a question that she knew was on Kyle’s mind.

  “I really don’t want to consider the theory, but I don’t know what else to think.” Kyle shook his head. “That’s why it’s best that she go away for a while.”

  They grabbed a cab, and Kyle gave the driver Zoe’s address.

  “Give me a call if you need to talk, Kyle. We can talk all night.”

  “Your show is tomorrow. I won’t keep you up all night.”

  Zoe was touched by his consideration. “That’s sweet, but I mean it.”

  He shook his head. “No, I want you to focus on your show. Call me after everything’s done if you feel up to it. I was planning to be there, but with everything that’s going on, I’m just not sure. But, Zoe, I wish you the best of luck tomorrow.”

  “Thank you, Kyle.”

  When the cab pulled up at her building, Kyle asked the driver to keep the meter running, got out and walked her up to the apartment.

  “You didn’t have to come up, but I do appreciate it,” she told him.

  “I’ll rest better knowing that you are safe and sound in your place.” Kyle pulled her into his embrace.

  “Everything is going to be okay,” she assured him, relishing the feel of his strong arms around her.

  “I hope so.”

  Zoe was nearly overwhelmed by the urge to comfort Kyle, to pull him into her apartment and just hold him. But she knew that the smart thing to do, for both of them, was to say good-night.

  * * *

  Relief swept through Kyle when Bailey walked into the apartment with their parents the next day. He had never been so happy to see his sister in all his life. Her physical injuries were minimal, although she still appeared shaken by the terrifying experience.

  She slowly sat down on the sofa.

  Kyle sat down beside her. “I hated seeing you in that hospital bed.”

  “Trust me, I hated being there,” she said. “I know you all want answers about what happened to me, but I really don’t have any. I went to Lincoln Center early and went straight to the dressing room.” Bailey paused a moment before continuing. “Someone grabbed me from behind and they put something over my nose and mouth. All I remember is that the smell reminded me of alcohol, and then everything grew dark.”