I guess I knew now why Suzanne had kept him around.
“It’ll be a cold day in hell before I ever sleep with the likes of you,” I spat.
He chuckled. “Yeah. I’ve heard that before. They all still fucked me anyway. Shall I pencil you in?”
I answered his stupid rhetorical question by slamming out of his house.
I was still feeling pretty proud of myself when I arrived at the apartment that night. I carried bags of groceries, because I wanted to celebrate with my man. I had dinner prepared by the time he arrived that evening. He brought me more roses. “Hey, beautiful,” he grinned before he kissed me. “God, I missed you. I don’t think Vegas will ever be the same without you.”
“Ditto,” I said as I cuddled close to him. Now that we didn’t have the threat of Caz or Suzanne hanging over our heads, I could totally enjoy us for a change. “Now sit down. I’ve made dinner. I think you’re going to like it.”
He simply smiled. “My beautiful wife has prepared me a meal. What’s not to like?”
I produced a couple of plates of chicken cordon bleu, which I had baked for us as a special treat. We’d been so good for so long, and it wasn’t like I had a personal trainer anymore. Of course, Devlin didn’t know that. Not yet.
He dug into the first sumptuous bite with a delighted roll of his eyes. “This is delicious, baby. Where’s you learn to do this?”
I grinned. “Châlons-en-Champagne, of course. I told you about our old caretakers, Henri and Jean-Luc. Wonderful old gay couple,” I grinned. “They know all about beauty and love and food. No one can put it all together like they can. I can’t wait to take you there.”
“I can’t wait to go,” he murmured softly as he took another bite. “Since our daughter will be conceived there in,” he referred to his watch, “a little over three weeks.”
I beamed instantly. With my period starting just days before, everything was right on schedule. Happy little tingles ran through my body whenever I thought about what we were about to do. “Don’t you mean our son?”
“We’ll have a son,” he agreed. “But later. I want our daughter to come first. Girls should always come first,” he winked. He took another bite. “You outdid yourself, darlin.’ But you better not tell Caz you’re eating something like this. He’ll probably want to add another day or two to your bogus training routine.”
I took a long sip of wine. “Caz isn’t going to be a problem anymore.”
His brow arched. “No?”
I shook my head. “No.”
“What makes you say that?”
I shrugged. “I took care of it.”
It only puzzled him more, and Devlin Masters did not like being puzzled. He put down his fork slowly and sat back in his chair. “What do you mean, ‘you took care of it?’”
“I mean I took care of it. I told him that we weren’t going to keep up with these ridiculous training sessions and I wasn’t going to pay him, regardless of what happened on New Year’s Eve.”
“Or…?”
“Or what?”
He sighed. “He’s not just going to disappear, Coralie. You had to leverage something.” He looked me over. “What did you barter?”
“Please,” I dismissed. “That’s never going to happen.”
“Never say never,” he warned softly.
I knew he was thinking about Suzanne. But that wasn’t me. Ever. “If you must know, I told him that if he dares to breathe a word to father, I’d expose Suzanne Everhart to the media for the kind of person she really is.”
“You what?!” he exploded as he shot up out of his chair. “Why the fuck would you do something like that, Coralie?”
As confident as I had felt before, I felt less confident now. “Because they were bluffing, Dev. They can’t out you without outing themselves. Suzanne’s husband is running for president, and he’s actually got a shot at it. There is no way they’re going to risk a scandal.”
Devlin kept pacing. “Jesus Christ, Coralie. Why didn’t you ask me about this before you did it?”
“You were out of town. And I wanted it over with. I’m tired of playing these games, Devlin. They’re stupid.”
He swung around to face me. “You have no idea what kind of people they are. They’re not just playing the game. They invented it.”
“You can’t go around being afraid of these people for the rest of your life, Devlin.”
“Fuck you!” he exploded yet again. I was instantly taken aback. “I’m not afraid of anyone!” He paced even more. “I just… I just need to think.”
I rose from my chair. “Devlin, if you just calm down you would see that it’s not that bad.”
“You don’t know anything, CC,” he muttered, using my initials instead of my name. Though most people had always done so, I found that it hurt whenever Devlin did it.
“Then tell me. You can’t keep getting mad at me for not knowing stuff you won’t tell me. It’s not fair.”
“Fair,” he chuckled, humorlessly. “Fair. Fucking fair!” His face pulled into a grimace as he reared back and punched one of the living room walls. His strong fist crashed easily through plywood, leaving a gaping hole behind.
I was in shock as I stared at him. He was as out of control as I’d ever seen him. “What’s really going on, Dev?”
His face was ravaged as he turned back to me. “Why is it so goddamned hard for you to trust me, Coralie? Why?” He approached me, looming over me, dark as a thunderstorm about to erupt in our living room. He grabbed my face in both hands. “I had it all planned. All you had to do was just do what I asked you to do. That was it. We could have been golden.”
“No, we couldn’t. They were always going to try to screw us over, Dev. Always. I did this for us.”
“But that’s just it. There is no us if they…,” he trailed off, his hands gripping my hair as he fought to continue. “If they have their way, it’s over for us for good. All you had to do was trust me. That’s it. Why couldn’t you do that?”
“Because I’m tired of people controlling my life! You don’t know how hard it’s been to just sit in his trap while he tried his best to fuck with me. He came onto me. He pushed the limit. Just like you said. I had to quietly take it all as I listened to every stupid story he told, and then fight against the doubt that naturally follows. Maybe he is lying out his ass, but it sounds like the truth. Do you know how hard all that is to separate, Dev? I love you. And I want to trust you. But–” I started but he simply pulled my hair even more.
“But?” he echoed. “But what, Coralie? I’ve done everything for you. Everything.”
“Everything except tell me what the hell is going on. You can’t let me in, Dev. You won’t let me see. Do you know how confusing it was that Caz is the one doing that? He was the one who told me about Suzanne and Vegas and Lydia.”
Dev thrust me away the minute he heard Lydia’s name, turning his back on me completely, and virtually proving everything that Caz had told me was true. Everything about his behavior was unexpected, as though I had done something wrong, something treasonous, just because I threatened Suzanne.
“It’s almost like you need to protect Suzanne Everhart more than your own wife.”
He turned one last time to face me. “I do.”
I backed up a step, my gasp exploding in my own ears as Dev grabbed his keys and slammed out of the apartment.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Devlin didn’t return home the rest of that night. I ended up throwing away most of our uneaten food, and drinking two full bottles of wine just to calm my nerves. I had seen a whole new side of my husband that night, and I didn’t like it. I sure as hell knew I couldn’t trust it. He was volatile, his mood darkening–and becoming violent–with little provocation.
I was almost glad he didn’t return that night. I wasn’t yet ready to face him. I was sorely tempted to return home to Petit Paradis.
Going home to Father, I thought. If I did that, Caz and Suzanne had actually succeeded in w
hat they set out to do. It was the only thing that kept me in the luxury apartment that had never felt like my home.
The next day I dressed for work alone. Dev hadn’t come home all night, but why would he? This was just what he did. He’d get mad, storm off, and punish me with his absence. He probably knew down deep how many bad thoughts I entertained when he was away. And he was content to let me suffer. He had a higher priority.
Suzanne Everhart.
You can imagine my surprise when I found that despicable cunt sitting in his office when I arrived to work the next morning.
Actually I was more surprised to find that his door was locked when I arrived. When he finally opened it, after I knocked for a solid minute straight, I found Suzanne curled like a kitten in the plush chair across from his desk.
In a flash I remembered how he had swept all the things off my desk and laid me out to pleasure me during office hours. I could easily picture him doing the same to this older cougar with her self-satisfied smile.
In that moment, I hated her worse than I had ever hated anyone. I looked up at Dev, who braced himself between us.
He was still protecting Suzanne.
“Can we talk for a moment?” I asked.
His eyes were stormy. “Don’t be rude, Coralie. I have an important visitor. You remember Suzanne Everhart.”
I slid a cool glance her way. “Of course.”
She didn’t bother standing. And she didn’t stop smiling either. “So good to see you again, dear. I don’t know whether to thank you for sharing your husband with me, or apologize for all those late nights we’ll be sharing.”
She chuckled, as if she’d told a joke, but the look in her eyes was pointed. I glanced back up at Dev, who filled in the blanks. “They’re preparing to hit the campaign trail. Suzanne came to Cabot’s for a complete makeover. Since we’d worked together before, your father insisted that I assist Suzanne personally.”
“How fun for you,” I murmured towards the victorious blonde sitting in my husband’s office.
“I’m in the best hands,” she agreed sweetly.
“You should know,” I sneered before Devlin eased me back out of the office.
“We really are right in the middle of something, CC,” he said, using my damnable initials again. “It’s going to be a crazy day. I’ll see you later tonight. We’ll talk when we get home.”
My eyebrow arched. “Will we?” I said softly. I turned back to Suzanne. “It was … a unique pleasure to see you again, Mrs. Everhart.”
“Please,” she purred. “Call me Suzanne.”
“Of course,” I said, mimicking her tone. I glanced down to the expensive rings on her fingers. “You know, you might want to wear costume jewelry for the campaign trail,” I cautioned. “Expensive jewelry has a way of walking off when you least expect it. It’s always important to guard your prized possessions from those who might want to steal them. Suzanne,” I added before I slammed out of Dev’s office.
I bumped into Oliver on the way to Father’s office. He wore a triumphant smile, one that immediately made me want to punch him right in the face. “Please. I’m in no mood.”
Unfortunately Father was just as ecstatic as Oliver. “Isn’t it great news, CC? We could be dressing the future First Lady of the United States.”
I snorted over the term. If there was one word I was certain didn’t fit Suzanne Everhart, it was ‘lady.’ And yet now it was the job of her former gigolo to turn her into one of the most important women in the country.
And I could tell Father that. It would change everything. He’d remove Devlin from the company, sure. But he’d also cut all ties with people like Suzanne and Caz, who was still posturing as Margot’s current boyfriend throughout all the summer social events on her calendar.
I could get my life back.
But I sensed that it would be a life without Devlin, so I kept my mouth shut.
“Don’t worry,” Father soothed. “They’ll be done in time for you to go to the chateau in a couple of weeks. He’ll probably need the vacation,” he snickered to himself. “That Suzanne is a handful.”
I could barely choke down any reply.
“At least he doesn’t have as much work to do with her like a fixer-upper like me, huh, Dad?”
Father ignored my cutting remark. “Apples and oranges, Coralie. She could influence policy. And she has some really good ideas,” he added as he sat back in her desk. “We’ve spoken quite a bit in the last few weeks. I really like what she and Harvey stand for. Taking our country back to more traditional values.”
Again, my contempt nearly strangled me.
“We’re going to be actively raising funds and gaining interest for Harvey’s campaign over the next few months.”
“We?” I echoed.
“The Lyons and the Cabots, of course. Many of our influential friends, really. There will be the first of such dinners at the club on Friday. I insist that you and Devlin join us.”
“Wild horses couldn’t keep us away,” I sneered, because I suspected it was true.
“Oliver, you should take CC to look at the clothes we’ve created with Darcy.” He turned to me. “She is an extraordinary talent, that one. Real damned lucky you married her brother so we could get first crack at her.”
I nodded. “Real lucky,” I murmured.
“Pity Devlin never worked his magic on her. She’ll need a makeover of her own if she’s going to be the face of our new clothing line. But there’s time for that,” he decided with a wave of his hand. “After you get back in September, you can tend to that personally. Your own special project. Show her what you’ve learned.”
Gee, thanks, Dad.
Obediently I followed Oliver to his office, where he had preliminary drawings of several outfits just ready to be completed. “Your father was thinking that since the press was going to be huge around this event, we should introduce Darcy’s designs there first. You look great,” he said as he appraised me brazenly. “People are really going to respond well to the change. It’s a boon for both the Everharts and Cabot’s itself.”
Yep, I thought to myself. For several thousand dollars, anyone could hire a gigolo and turn into a woman fit to walk a runway. Just ask Suzanne.
Just look at me.
“I owe you an apology, Ceece,” he said, employing Lucy’s pet name for me. “I didn’t realize what you were trying to do until I saw Darcy do it. She and Devlin were smart. They brought in models of all sizes and shapes. Each one looked like a superstar. I compared it to that hideous dress you had to wear for Lucy’s wedding and it was clear as day that we’ve dropped the ball for far too long. We’re missing an entire market and billions of dollars.”
I glared at him. “Nine billion in 2014. I tried to tell you that,” I reminded. “I tried to tell Father that, too.”
He straightened to look at me directly. “I know. And he knows. And we’re trying to fix it, CC.”
I sighed. As much as he had promised to be a problem at the start of my marriage with Devlin, he had quietly resigned himself to the fact that he would never marry into the family, and likely never be CEO. That would likely default to Devlin now, since Devlin was the only one that Father and Oliver would listen to. If this new clothing line took off like they seemed to expect that it would, it was Dev’s golden ticket.
I could change that, too. But it would cost me what I wanted most. More than a Cabot, I was a Masters now. For life.
“Thank you, Oliver,” I finally said. No matter who earned the ‘gold star’ as Devlin had put it, it was important what we were doing. Not just for me, but for every woman who walked through our doors. We could either stay part of the problem, or we could be part of the solution. Thanks to Devlin, and Darcy, we could change the conversation on the standard of feminine beauty.
That mattered way more than my pride. And clearly Devlin did know how to get things done. I had been in the fight for ten years with no results. Devlin showed up mere weeks ago and the ball was definit
ely rolling.
“Since Devlin is going to be busy with Suzanne all day, how about I take you to lunch?” Off my look, he clarified, “As a friend.”
I sighed. With everything going on, I could really use a friend. “Thai?” I asked.
He smiled. “I know the perfect place.”
I was resigned to my afternoon when I got to my office, where Simon warned me before I walked in that I had a guest.
Of course it was Caz Bixby. Who else could it have been?
I slammed the door behind me. “What do you want?”
He sprawled comfortably in the chair in front of my desk. “I just came by to schedule your workout session this week. It’s important not to miss one, especially since you’re going out of the country for a month.”
“I’m not spending one more minute with you that I have to,” I spat. “Which reminds me. Get out!”
He chuckled but didn’t move one inch. “It’s so cute when you try to be powerful. Roar for me again, pussycat. It makes me hard.”
“God, you’re disgusting,” I muttered as I walked around my desk to grab my phone to call security. He was on his feet in an instant, slamming down the button and ending the call.
“You still don’t get it, do you? There is no choice in the matter here. This is happening. You’re stuck with me. I keep you occupied while Devlin keeps Suzanne happy. That’s how it works. Who do you think was distracting Lydia while Dev planted that ring in her locker?”
“Dev would never do that.”
“Never is a short time around Suzanne,” he told me with a grin. “She looks for that never. She wants to toy with that never. You tell her you’ll never do something, and guess what she’s going to make you do? Even your precious Dev.”
I shook my head. “I don’t believe you.”
He rounded the desk to face me. “No? Would you believe me if I told you that even good ol’ Dev found himself bound with ties because she wanted it? He even let another guy suck him off because she wanted it.”
I braced my hands against his chest to push him away, but he kept getting closer.
“She wanted to see him fucked. Conquered. Emasculated. And oh how close he came to letting her do just that. I know. Because I was there.” He bent closer, until his breath was against my neck. “I had my big fat cock right there at his tight little virgin asshole, ready to penetrate him. Ready to fuck him.”
Masters for Life Page 21
