by Lee, Nadia
She grinned back at him. “Thank you. I really do like the robe.”
He stretched lazily and ran his hand down her side, tracing the curve of her waist. “I was right. You look good in rubies.” His gaze sharpened. “Really good.”
She sighed as the magic began all over again.
Chapter Thirteen
Natalie found herself humming. The weather was perfect, her outfit was perfect, and nothing could spoil her mood. Even the traffic was perfect.
Alex had lingered until the next morning, then had to go to work. But that didn’t bother her. He’d promised to come back as soon as he could.
The spacious café near Tysons II mall that Emily had chosen for their lunch had an understated elegance and lightness that appealed to the moneyed conservative set. Emily waved as Natalie walked inside.
“You look lovely, dear,” Emily said.
“Thank you. So do you.”
And it was true. She was remarkably well-preserved. There were only a few lines around her eyes, and even her hair still retained its golden hue, although that could’ve been a dye job. But if it was, it was a good one. Emily Rodale had always been a handsome woman, and that hadn’t changed as she’d entered her sixties.
The waitress took their order for salad and sandwiches. Emily and Natalie chatted about acquaintances until they got their food. Then the conversation drifted to Natalie’s work.
“So how’s your new position? Do you enjoy it?”
“It’s very nice.” Natalie sipped her sparkling water. “I never thought I would be promoted so quickly.”
Emily smiled. “I did.” She carefully speared a small piece of chicken in her salad with her fork. “So tell me. If it came down to me or this new job of yours…which would you choose?”
Natalie looked up to find Emily gazing at her steadily. She frowned. “What do you mean?”
Emily sighed and put down her fork, the chicken still on it. “You know I’m not one for games. We’re in trouble, Natalie. Alex Damon wants to take over Rodale International. A hostile takeover. It might as well be a declaration of war against my family. He’s been maneuvering for months, targeting our clients, undercutting us at every turn. We’re at the point now that if we don’t get this NSA contract, we may very well be too weak to resist.”
Natalie smoothed her hair. She wasn’t sure what to say.
“I want to know what that man is up to. You know, don’t you?”
“Emily, he doesn’t discuss his plans with me. I work mostly with another executive.” This was the truth, after all, and she wasn’t betraying anyone by revealing it.
Emily’s eyes turned impassive. “Not even pillow talk, my dear?”
“I’m sorry?”
“Please. I saw the way he looked at you at your parents’ party. I’m neither naïve nor stupid, and I’m not so old that I’ve forgotten what it’s like to be the focus of a man’s attention. I know what he’s thinking, and I’m sure you didn’t object to being in his bed.”
Natalie’s lips parted, but no sound came out. Of all the people she knew in the Halls’ social circle, Emily was the nicest and usually one of the most circumspect. It took her a moment to recover.
“Who I sleep with—or don’t—is none of your business.” Natalie’s voice was cool, but polite. “And the details of my work and projects are confidential. I love you, Emily, and I don’t want to choose.” Her lips tightened. “I shouldn’t have to choose.”
A bit of red was starting to tinge Emily’s pale cheeks. “It’s just a job, dear. You can always get another. In fact, I can guarantee you another, and at a higher salary. But if you don’t help me, I could lose everything. Charlie could lose everything. Rodale International is my legacy to him. I won’t allow it.”
“I know how you feel about the company.” Natalie reached across the table and laid her hand over Emily’s. “But this isn’t something I can do for you. I’m sorry.”
“I see.” Emily slowly drew her hand out from under Natalie’s. “So we must do this the hard way.”
Why was Emily being so obtuse? “There is no hard way. I’m not going to do it.”
“Even if it means Brian’s ruin?”
“Your family’s contribution to his campaign is significant, but I don’t think withholding it is going to ruin his career. And do I really have to remind you that my father’s influence has also benefited you and your family?”
“I didn’t say his career. I said him. And your family too.”
Natalie felt like she’d suddenly stepped into the Twilight Zone. This couldn’t be Emily talking to her. “Are you threatening me?”
“Simply stating a fact, my dear. I know enough about what your father’s done to ruin him, socially and otherwise. He’ll never be able to hold public office again.”
Natalie clenched her hands. “How can you even think about something like this? Brian’s always been fair to you. Louise is your best friend.”
Emily leaned forward, her face radiating intensity. “Which is precisely why I’m giving you a chance to stop this. Louise and Belle treat you rottenly, but Brian’s been good to you. As much as he could be. Think about it. You get to protect him, I get to protect Charlie’s inheritance, and we’ll all gain from it.”
This was surreal. But of all the emotions churning in Natalie’s mind, outrage was the strongest. “Really? Tell me something: how is losing the job I love a gain?” How is betraying Alex and throwing away my self-respect a gain?
“Oh, don’t you worry. I’ll make it worth your while.”
Emily pushed a slim white envelope across the table. Natalie stared at it as if it were a scorpion.
“Open it,” Emily said.
Natalie picked it up. It was light. Most likely it didn’t contain any damning pictures. She looked inside.
“Do you see the cashier’s check?”
Without taking it out of the envelope, Natalie used a finger to bend the check back so she could read the numbers printed on it. My god, she thought. It was a million dollars, payable to her.
“Keep it. It’s yours. It should be more than enough to pay off your mortgage. Or go on a shopping spree. You can do whatever you want with it.”
Natalie withdrew her fingers, folded the flap back down, and carefully placed the envelope on the table. “I’m surprised you think you can buy me.”
“Buy you?” Emily laughed. “I’m ensuring that you benefit from helping me and Charlie.” She pursed her lips. “If you’re thinking that you can get a better deal from Alex, like marriage, forget it. He’s what you young people call a user, just like his father was.”
“It doesn’t matter what Alex is. The answer is no.”
Emily smiled. “You always were a good girl. I rather thought that you’d turn the money down. But there’s something else.” She leaned forward. “I can help you find the truth behind your adoption and who your real parents were.”
Natalie’s heart began pounding so hard she was sure the couple at the next table could hear it. “You know? You know about my biological parents?”
“You help me, Natalie, and I will help you. Think about it and call me.”
* * *
Although it was Saturday, Alex strode down the hall at DDE, on his way home after reviewing some confidential documents that couldn’t be taken out of the building. Sometimes company policies were annoying, but rules were rules. He should know—he’d set them.
All the cubicles were deserted, as were most of the corner offices. But Ethan was in. Alex shook his head. The guy never seemed to rest.
“Hey.”
“Hey, I was hoping to see you here,” Ethan said. “You never answered your cell phone.”
“The battery died.” A lie, but what he’d done last night was none of Ethan’s business.
“Got a couple minutes?”
Alex entered his best friend’s office, shut the door, and sat down. “What’s up?”
“It’s about the Rodales and Natalie.”
“Emily and Natalie were together in Tysons today. They were having an early lunch.”
That had to have been only hours, if that, after he’d made love to her and come to the office. “So?” he said, keeping his voice deliberately casual.
“Alex… I’m pretty sure she’s the one leaking the information.”
“Having lunch together is hardly damning.”
Ethan nodded. “You know Murchison, in security? Used to be a private investigator? No? Well, I had some suspicions about Natalie, so I had him follow her. Put him in a suit and he blends in pretty well with the business crowd.”
Alex held up a hand. “When did you start the surveillance?”
“Last Wednesday.”
Alex looked steadily at his friend. So Ethan knew. “Go on.”
“He saw Emily give Natalie an envelope at lunch today. He couldn’t see what was inside, but he said that Natalie seemed upset by it, whatever it was.”
“That’s your proof? It could have been anything.”
“Anything that could have upset her. A payment that wasn’t what had been agreed on earlier. Some sort of blackmail, maybe.” Ethan tapped his desk. “What’d you send her from Hong Kong?”
Alex started to deny it but then stopped. Ethan knew him too well. “A ruby necklace. But she didn’t like it. Threw it back in my face, actually. Would someone who wanted money do that?”
“Maybe not. Then again, maybe she’s getting enough from the Rodales that she can afford her own rubies now.”
Alex felt himself start to come to a boil. “If you’ve got proof, give it to me. If not, stop wasting my time.”
“Alex, I’m sure about this. All we’ve got is circumstantial evidence so far, but it’s starting to add up.”
“But you’re sure?”
Ethan nodded. “If I’m wrong, I’ll resign from the company.”
Alex swore and clenched his suddenly clammy hands. Had he missed something because he was too close to her? Was he making the mistake his father had made when he’d trusted the wrong woman?
“I thought you might feel this way,” Ethan continued. “So I had Natalie work on some numbers for the NSA contract. Only I didn’t give her the real numbers.” He paused a moment to let that sink in. “No one else has seen those numbers. I made sure of that.” Ethan paused again, giving Alex a sympathetic look that nonetheless was full of resolve. “When Rodale International makes its bid, you’ll have your proof.”
Chapter Fourteen
How could Emily know about my biological parents?
Natalie asked herself the question for the thousandth time as she jogged down the neighborhood running trail. No matter how she looked at it, it made no sense. It was unthinkable that Brian—even if he knew something about Natalie’s biological parents—would have told Emily and not Louise. And if he really did have some information, and for some unimaginable reason couldn’t share it with Louise, why not just tell Natalie herself?
The easiest explanation was that Emily had simply been lying, that she really didn’t know anything except that Natalie might well be susceptible to the lure of finding out about her biological parents when she wouldn’t be tempted by money. But that didn’t ring true, either. She knew Emily well, and the older woman hadn’t seemed like she was lying.
You help me, Natalie, and I will help you. The look in Emily’s eyes had been absolutely steady.
One thing was for sure: lying or not, Emily had to be desperate. Otherwise she wouldn’t have come up with a proposition like that.
Natalie slowed to a walk two blocks away from her condo, inhaling deeply and trying to catch her breath. She was coming up the sidewalk when she saw a familiar figure.
“Charlie. What are you doing here?”
“Waiting for you. I figured you’d be back soon.” He pushed away from the tree he’d been leaning against. He was dressed in a dark blue silk shirt and a pair of khakis—a typical casual weekend outfit that set off his blond looks to good advantage.
“If Emily sent you…”
“Sent me? About what?”
The surprise in his tone was enough. She relaxed. “Want to come in?”
“Sure.”
She led the way and unlocked her condo. Alex hadn’t returned since he’d left that morning. Thank god she’d straightened the living room. At least Charlie wouldn’t know what she’d been up to the night before. Although he probably suspected she wasn’t living a nun’s life, she didn’t want to provide confirmation for anything.
“Something to drink?”
He shook his head and sat on the couch while she got herself a tall glass of water. Matto trotted out, glanced at him and then disappeared. Her cat had never cared for Charlie one way or the other.
Charlie rubbed his temples. As Natalie took a seat, she noticed for the first time that there was a little gray in his hair.
“Are you okay?” Natalie said.
“Yeah.” When she raised an eyebrow, he let out a dry laugh. “Ha… Who am I kidding? No. I feel like hell.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Everything. God, I hate that company.”
“That company” could only mean Rodale International. He’d let her know several years ago how he really felt about having to be in charge of the corporation. Besides, if he’d wanted to mention DDE or any other business rival, he would’ve said “those bastards.”
“Mother’s driving me insane. We think Damon may be trying to take us over, but she’d rather die than let anyone else have it. Or bankrupt it herself. Either way, it’s going to be ugly.”
“Well…you have to do what’s right for you and the shareholders.”
“You mean Mother?” The Rodales were their own largest shareholders, although they were unable to control the company as tightly as Emily would’ve liked. “Nothing seems to satisfy her.”
“Could you take some time off? Go on vacation?”
“Can’t. I need to find a buyer or a partner or something. I haven’t told her, but the company’s not doing well. She doesn’t know how bad, though. Otherwise she would go berserk.”
The lines bracketing Charlie’s mouth seemed deeper than before. Natalie knew he wasn’t interested in running the company. He’d wanted to be a painter. Of course that hadn’t gone over very well with Emily, and he’d had to give up on his dreams when she had conveniently collapsed, claiming some dire illness.
“Charlie…”
Elbows on knees, head held in his hands, he looked at her from under his eyebrows. “You have to help me, Nat. Please.”
Natalie’s insides turned cold. “If you’re asking me to give you confidential information from DDE, the answer is no.”
“Just this once. We have to win this NSA contract. I know Damon’s bidding too. And you know the details of the bid, don’t you?”
“Obviously, Emily did send you here. Get out.”
“Come on. How long have we been friends?”
Natalie began to tremble. “Friends? I don’t know. A friend wouldn’t ask me to give up my self-respect and compromise my ethics.” She pointed at the door. “Get out. Now!”
Charlie stood up suddenly and came toward her. Natalie started to get to her feet as well, but he crossed the distance between them, grabbed her arms, and began shaking her. “Goddamn it, Natalie!”
She pushed against him, trying to get away, and instead tipped her chair over. It fell with a loud crash. “Charlie! Let me go!”
“No! I need to know the—”
“Take your hands off her, Rodale.”
Oh my god. Alex.
His eyes were blazing, his hands clenched so tightly his knuckles were white. The custom-tailored suit he was wearing seemed a size too small, and his normally erect posture had deteriorated into a feral crouch.
Charlie turned his head. “And if I don’t?”
Alex grinned. “I’ll break your face with your leg.”
Charlie shoved her behind him,
making her stumble and fall onto the couch. They launched themselves at each other. “Stop it!” she yelled, but she might as well have been a mosquito for all the attention they paid her. Fists connected with flesh, skin broke, blood oozed. Her first impression of Alex had been right. The veneer of civilization was exactly that: a façade. He was savage in his violence, and she flinched as he landed blow after blow on Charlie’s body.
Charlie kneed Alex’s thigh, and she suddenly remembered that Charlie had studied Muay Thai for over ten years. Alex landed a retaliatory elbow on Charlie’s jaw.
Out of options, she tried to get between them. “I said stop!”
Something hit her in the temple, and she pitched forward. A large hand caught her before she fell to the floor. Stars flashed before her eyes; she felt like a truck had run into her.
“Good god, Natalie! Why did you get in the way?” Charlie said, his voice hoarse.
Alex’s body shook. “You moth—!”
She moaned and tightened her grip on the hand, which she now realized was Alex’s. “Just stop,” she whispered.
“Are you okay?” Alex said.
“I…think so.”
That was a lie. She felt nauseous, shaken. Why hadn’t she let these two testosterone-laden idiots bash each other to a pulp?
“Charlie…leave,” she said. “Please.”
He hesitated but walked out when she gestured weakly at the door. She sagged against Alex.
“You shouldn’t have done that,” Alex said harshly. “You almost got yourself killed.”
She tried to laugh, but she ended up sounding like a moaning hyena instead. “I don’t think a punch is going to kill me. Anyway, at least my furniture’s safe now.” Her upper lip was swollen, and she touched it lightly. Then she looked at Alex, inspecting his damage. “You’re bleeding.”
“Yeah, but Rodale’s going to have a hell of a shiner tomorrow.” Alex looked pleased with himself.
She rolled her eyes and tried to stand straight, but her legs wouldn’t support her. Alex carried her to the couch and laid her there.
“If he touches you again, I’ll kill him, and no one’s going to stop me. Not even you.”
