by King, Thayer
Deceived
By
Thayer King
Copyright © April 2013, Thayer King
Cover art designed by Fiona Jayde © April 2013
Formatting by Bob Houston eBook Formatting
Amira Press
Charlotte, NC 28227
www.amirapress.com
ISBN: 978-1-937394-94-3
No part of this e-book may be reproduced or shared by any electronic or mechanical means, including but not limited to printing, file sharing, and e-mail, without prior written permission from Amira Press.
Dedication
I dedicate this book to the readers who have embraced my books. Many thanks for allowing me to share my imagination with you.
Chapter One
Janelle Avery stared out over the lights of the city far below the penthouse suite of the Clark Hotel in Charlotte. The glass doors that led to the balcony reflected the simple white dress she wore and the quiet party going on behind her. It was sleeveless with a shimmery bodice. The A-line skirt ended midleg. On her wrist, she wore a thick silver cuff.
Jerome Wilson, her boyfriend, had gone to the bar to get her a drink. The last six months Jerome had been working insane hours in hopes of getting a promotion. This party was a perfect example. Aidan Clark had dropped this event on Jerome less than twenty-four hours ago. Initially, they’d planned on going dancing or seeing a movie and then ringing in the New Year at her apartment. But then Jerome had been “invited” to this party for select executives of Clark International in celebration of a recent acquisition of prime waterfront property in France. “Ordered to attend” would have been a more fitting description. No way could he pass up this opportunity to rub elbows with his boss. Supportive girlfriend that she was, she hadn’t been able to say no when their first romantic evening in months became a social engagement.
“I don’t think I’ve had the pleasure of meeting you?” The voice was deep, one of the deeper ones she’d ever heard, with a hint of gravel that sent a shiver up her spine.
Janelle’s reflection was joined by that of a tall white man with impossibly broad shoulders. At five foot seven, she was above average height for a female. Even in her three-inch heels, this man towered over her. She turned. The ponytail that she’d artfully arranged over her shoulder swung loose and trailed between her shoulder blades.
He held a tumbler of amber liquid in one hand as he extended the other toward her. “Aidan Clark.”
She knew who he was. Jerome had pointed him out soon after they entered his home. Aidan Clark was ruggedly handsome with thick chocolate-brown hair that was closely cropped and expertly tamed. He couldn’t be called pretty. His featured were too angular and sharp. Only his mouth with its full lower lip could be described as lush or soft. The rest of him appeared to be carved from stone. Yet, he was the type of man that was impossible for a woman to ignore or forget. The way he moved, the way he held himself, spoke of confidence and simply screamed sexy. His black suit with black shirt and tie had to have been tailored for his big body. The fit was so perfect she couldn’t help but admire it as her slender hand was engulfed in his much larger one. His skin was warm and his handshake was firm. “Janelle Avery. I’m Jerome’s guest.”
Aidan glanced around until he spotted Jerome chatting with a blonde lady in a red dress while they awaited their turn at the bar. “And I took him for a smart man.”
“Oh, Jerome is very smart,” she said, immediately rising to his defense.
“Yet, he left a woman as lovely as you unattended.” His gold eyes were intense as they traveled over her face, lingering on her lips before meeting her gaze once more.
Somewhat unnerved by his frank appreciation, she forced a smile. “Thank you for the compliment, but I sent him to fetch me a drink.”
“Ah, that explains it. I hope you’ve been enjoying your evening. These events can be terribly dull for the guests.”
“Oh, I was just enjoying your view.” She indicated the glass doors at her back.
“Yes, it is breathtaking,” he agreed, but his eyes never left hers. “Sometimes I think I’ll miss it when construction on my home is completed.”
“You’re building a house?”
He nodded. “Construction should be complete within the month.”
“Congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
Jerome appeared at her elbow. He held two glasses of champagne. Passing her a glass, he nodded at his boss. “Aidan, I see you’ve met Janelle.”
“Yes. I’m glad that the two of you were able to make it on such short notice.”
“Sir, I was honored to be invited. Thank you again.”
“Nonsense. You’ve worked very hard and I appreciate it. It makes me more comfortable giving you greater responsibilities in the future.”
Janelle could see Jerome’s chest puff up with pride. “Thank you, sir.”
“No, thank you.” He nodded at the two of them. “I’ll leave you to your lovely companion.”
“Wow,” Jerome whispered as Aidan drifted out of earshot. His excitement was palpable. “Did you hear that? ‘Greater responsibility.’ Sounds like promotion to me.” He pumped his fist off to the side so as not to be visible to any of the other guests.
Janelle laughed. “Congratulations.” Throughout the evening, Jerome introduced her to more of his coworkers. His mood remained high from the conversation with Aidan. Though Aidan didn’t approach them again, Janelle often found his gaze on them as they circulated. Shortly before midnight, they turned on a flat-screen television and watched the ball drop. Janelle shared a kiss with Jerome, but it was understandably chaste. He didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize his chances of a promotion. She smiled at him and used her thumb to remove any trace of lipstick from his lips. When she withdrew from Jerome’s embrace, her gaze was snagged by Aidan’s. He nodded to her and lifted his glass in salute. She nodded back.
On the ride home, Jerome couldn’t stop speculating about the meaning of Aidan’s words. As he walked her to the door of her apartment, she dug out her keys and said, “I agree. It does seem auspicious. I’m happy for you.”
“Hey, I want to thank you for your help.”
“My help?”
“You helped me make a good impression just by being your beautiful self. And you picked out this suit for me.” Charcoal gray with pinstripes, the dark suit made his light brown eyes stand out against his honeyed skin tone.
She waved away the compliment. “It was a no-brainer. It’s what I do.” She owned a small boutique filled with her own fashions. Jerome had wandered in while on a shopping trip with his mother. “You’re easy to dress.” And easy on the eyes. Jerome was very handsome and he knew it.
He grinned and leaned forward. His lips grazed hers in a kiss so light and brief that it was over before she could participate. “So, I owe you dinner and a movie. Are you free this weekend?”
She nodded. “I’d like that. Are you coming in?”
“Can’t. It’s late and Mom will worry.” He could afford his own place, but his mother was elderly and suffered from diabetes and high blood pressure. Janelle thought it was sweet that he sacrificed his privacy to live with his mother. “Besides, I have a few reports to turn in tomorrow.” He kissed her cheek before dashing off taking the steps in a gallop.
Janelle watched him leave and then turned and unlocked her door. She sighed. They hadn’t made love in months. If she didn’t know better, she’d think he was cheating on her. But he was always at the office. He was constantly telling her that as a black man, he had to work twice as hard to get ahead.
Deep in thought, she shrugged off her coat and hung it in the closet near the door. She continued through her cozy den and into her bedroom. This was her favorite room in the apartment. Here,
she’d let her inner girl out. Frilly lace curtains hung in front of her windows. Her comforter was the thickest she could find in winter white. It was covered in fur pillows of Navajo white and pale pink. Dolls and teddy bears took up all the available level surfaces. Even they were dressed in varying shades of pink and white.
Janelle removed her dress and carefully placed it on a rack in her closet. She supposed she should look at this evening as a success. She liked Jerome, and as her best friend Dionne would say, they’d make beautiful babies together. At the rate they were going, that would be years off. She admired Jerome’s work ethic and he always claimed that his priority was their future. While she’d liked the sound of “their future,” they weren’t engaged, nor had they discussed marriage. In the meantime, she felt neglected and unwanted. She didn’t think of herself as an attention-craving diva, but being ignored wasn’t particularly flattering.
She pulled a frilly cotton gown over her head and slid her feet into fuzzy rabbit slippers. Stretching her arms over her head, she reminded herself that she should be grateful that she had a good man with a great job. Jerome wasn’t perfect, but then who was?
Perfection made her think of the suit Aidan Clark had worn tonight. Definitely Armani. The cloth had molded his body like he was born in it. Janelle had been surprised to find out he was so young. Jerome had explained that Aidan had begun building his empire at the age of nineteen. He’d purchased his first hotel with money left to him by his grandfather.
She went to her kitchen for water. Swallowing the cool liquid, she couldn’t help but think that Jerome had more than a small amount of hero-worship for Aidan. She didn’t think there was anything he wouldn’t do to impress the man.
* * * *
“Margaret, could you have Jerome Wilson sent in to me?”
“Sure thing,” answered her kind voice.
Aidan replaced the phone receiver and picked up the white stress ball off his desk imprinted with the purple Clark Hotel logo. Giving it a firm squeeze, he reflected that it helped not one iota with his stress level. What he was about to do was unprecedented for him. He had certain rules that he lived by. There were rules for conducting business and rules for how he conducted his personal life. Business and personal never mixed. But he liked to believe that his actions were honorable at all times.
But the sight of Janelle Avery had changed that. He hadn’t been able to forget her in the three weeks since they’d met. Such a brief moment, but from the second he’d clapped eyes on her, he hadn’t been able to stop watching her. He’d seen the solitary female figure, tall and slender, but curvy in all the places that counted. Her skin, the color of dark brown sugar, was a beautiful contrast to the glittering white of her gown. He’d been drawn to her, thinking that up close she would disappoint. She hadn’t. He could have drowned in the black pools of her large doe eyes. And her lips were what wet dreams were made of. They were full and plush. He wanted to feel them against his skin, to crush them against his mouth, to have them surrounding his cock. And then she’d spoken. Her husky voice had sent a bolt of electricity up his spine. He’d spent the evening hard and aching for her.
There was only one problem.
She belonged to another man, and he’d never tried to step on another’s toes. But he wanted this woman. Was fast becoming obsessed with her. He’d searched for her on the Internet, but hadn’t been satisfied with the results. He’d found a Facebook page and a webpage for her business, a boutique named Janelle’s Essentials. She was twenty-seven, five years his junior. Her fashion designs were beautiful and classic just like the lady herself.
He’d tried ignoring his hunger for her. After all, one woman was as good as the next. But he didn’t want any other women. He’d gone out with a few lady friends with the intention of bedding them only to find at the end of the evening that he had no desire to carry out the act. He wanted Janelle with an animal like intensity that disturbed him. He’d met the woman only once. So why couldn’t he shake this desire for her?
There was a knock at his door and then his secretary was showing in Jerome. Her gray head barely reached the other man’s shoulders. “Will you need anything else, Aidan?” Sixty-seven when he hired her, it had struck him as awkward when Margaret called him sir. He’d tolerated her calling him sir for half of one day before he demanded that she call him by his first name.
“No, thank you.” He nodded to Jerome. “Please, have a seat,” he said when they were alone. Jerome was wore a light gray suit and a red tie. The man impressed him as very ambitious. Aidan wasn’t ashamed to say that he’d exploited that trait for the last three weeks. He’d sent the man to Madrid on a simple errand that could have easily been taken care of by his managers there, but Aidan had wanted him out of the country and away from Janelle. Aidan clicked through the notes he’d saved on his computer. “Jerome, I must say that I appreciate your dedication to the company. Your work in Madrid was exemplary.”
Jerome’s smile spread from ear to ear. “Thank you, sir.”
“I’ve been trying to think of a way to thank you for all you’ve done for us of late.”
“It’s nothing any of your employees—”
“Just accept the gratitude graciously,” he interrupted, in no mood to have his ass kissed. Forming a steeple with his hands beneath his chin, he continued, “I’m having a dinner party Friday night. It’s a sort of housewarming party. I’d like it if you’d come. And please bring your young lady with you. What was her name? Jennifer? Janet?”
“Janelle, sir.”
“Are you still seeing her?” he asked, hoping to keep his tone neutral.
“As often as I can, sir. I’ve been very busy, as you know, sir.”
Aidan nodded. “Is it serious? Your relationship with Janelle?”
“It’s too early to say.”
He checked the Rolex on his wrist and stood. He needed to know more about her and from what he’d observed, Jerome liked to talk. All he had to do was steer the conversation toward Janelle. “It’s lunchtime. Would you care to join me?”
* * * *
Janelle hung up the phone with a sigh.
“Thought you were talking to Jerome,” Dionne commented. She’d just rung up their last customer of the day.
“Huh? Oh, I was.”
“Well, you sure don’t seem happy about it. When I talk to my man, I’m all smiles.”
Janelle gave the shorter woman a shove in the shoulder. “You don’t have a man.”
“Okay, then, when I have a man, I’m all smiles,” she said with a grin that released both dimples in her cinnamon-hued cheeks. Dionne was the most cheerful person she knew. Man or not, usually not, she kept her positive disposition. Dionne was picky when it came to men and no one ever seemed to measure up to her exacting standards.
Janelle laughed. “I’m glad that you can be happy without having a man.”
Dionne shrugged one plump shoulder. “Having a man is nice, as you know, but if he’s not the right one, I’d rather be alone.” She ran a hand over the highly teased white-blond curls at her brow. She’d had her hair cut short on the sides while the top was very punk. Dionne described it as her cockatoo pompadour. “So what has pretty boy gone and done now?”
“Nothing. He’s invited me to dinner at his boss’s house on Friday night. The man probably has a mansion.”
“And the problem is?”
“We never spend time alone anymore. He’s consumed by his work. I understand that his career is important to him and I don’t want to hold him back. But I don’t know. It feels like something is off.”
“Do you think he’s cheating?”
Janelle shook her head. “No. He’s working. The few times I’ve had occasion to call his office, he’s been there. No, this is more like the spark is gone. He’s as handsome as ever, but maybe what we’ve had has run its course. Even when we’re together, he seems distracted. Maybe it is just work and stress, but it feels like he’s disengaged. But if that’s the case, why hasn’t he du
mped me?”
“He’d be an idiot to dump you.”
“You are such a good friend.”
“The best. I locked the door and put up the closed sign. I have a date tonight.” She lifted her eyebrows significantly.
Janelle laughed. “Okay, I can take a hint. You can go. I’ll finish up here.”
Chapter Two
Janelle wondered, not for the first time, how it was that of all the guests invited, she’d ended up with the honor of sitting next to Aidan Clark at the head of the table. Jerome sat on the opposite side of the table from her to Aidan’s left. Prior to being seated for dinner, Aidan had greeted them, but he’d been sure to circulate amongst his guests. Once or twice, she’d felt his eyes on them, but whenever she turned in his direction, he looked away. It was enough to make her feel paranoid. Janelle poked at the tomatoes in her salad.
“Janelle, Jerome tells me that you’re a clothing designer. Did you create the beautiful dress you’re wearing now?”
She touched a hand to the cowl neck of the forest-green silk. “Yes, I did. Thank you.”
“Do you have a men’s line as well?”
“Not yet.”
“That’s a pity. You’re obviously talented and I’m always on the market for a new suit.”
She doubted that. This evening he wore another black suit, this one of a shinier fabric, but once again, it was obviously tailor-made. He could have stepped off the cover of a magazine. “You seem to be doing fine. Dior?” she posited.
“You’ve got a good eye.” His smile revealed a row of white teeth. He was very handsome when he smiled. Crinkles formed at the corners of his eyes and his lean cheeks developed, becoming slants almost like dimples.
Janelle’s breath caught. She quickly looked away, not liking the zing of attraction she suddenly felt for him. If she wasn’t mistaken, the feeling was mutual. She glanced at Jerome, but he was engaged in conversation with the man to his left.
