High Stakes Seduction - Book 4

by LeCoeur, Ami

  “I’m here,” I said. “Yes. Please. Find out who her father is. I think she'll want to know.”

  “All right, Angie. I’ll see what I can find out.”

  “But, Mr. Conner?”

  “Yes?”

  “Don’t call the house, okay?” I wasn’t sure what was going on, but for the moment I didn’t want Maria hearing about this from anyone else. Jeez, another secret to keep from my big sister! There were too many of them already.

  "Well, Angie, that brings up another problem. You see, I may need Maria's permission to check into the records more closely. While this wasn't a traditional adoption by any means, it can be difficult to obtain this kind of information. Especially from so long ago. She would have a legal right to examine any existing records, while you, as her sibling, might not."

  That put a different slant on everything. I might just have to tell Maria after all. I didn't like the way this conversation was going.

  “Thanks, Mr. Conner,” I said. "Can you check into things and let me know if you actually need her permission? We can decide what to do once you find out anything."

  I shoved the phone back into my purse, even more unsettled after this revelation from Conner. In fact, I felt dazed. This meant there was a possibility that Maria and I weren't full-blood sisters. That didn't matter as far as our relationship, but it certainly brought up a lot more questions for me to sort through.

  I took a booth at the back of the little diner. It was quiet and homey and I made it a habit to eat here at least once a week. The waiter, a student working to pay his tuition, reminded me a lot of myself. Well, the "old" self before I'd met Antonio and moved into retail. He was friendly and quick, and knew my order.

  “Nice to see you, Angela,” Nick said, bringing me a fizz water and lemon without needing to ask what I wanted to drink.

  The familiarity made me smile, snapping me out of my funk. “I guess you know what I’m going to eat, too?” I took a sip of the carbonated water, the bubbles breaking over my tongue.

  He grinned. “Shrimp Caesar salad today? Or are you going to surprise me and order a BLT?”

  I still had way too many questions running through my head. “How about you surprise me today, Nick?” After all, my world had just been turned on its ear, what did it matter what I ate for lunch?

  He tipped an imaginary hat to me. “I know just the thing, Miss Tilson!” he said and walked away.

  I appreciated the little diner. The staff here was always so cheerful. The food wasn’t five star, but hominess and charm goes a long way.

  I sat back in the booth, glancing over at a newspaper the previous customer had left on the table. Nick apparently hadn't had time to add it to the pile by the door.

  “Oh my gosh,” I breathed, grabbing the front page section. There, in full color, was the distinguished looking shuffleboard player from the cruise. He was shaking hands with a woman I didn’t recognize. Behind them was Brad Stephens, the District Attorney, standing shoulder to shoulder with Whiny Walker under a headline in big, bold letters: “South Side Children’s Academy Receives Generous Donation.” The caption read, "Alderman Cartoli presents check to Alice Baker, Director of the Academy."

  My mind flashed back to being stuck in my room behind a locked door, listening to Walker’s whiny voice. I shivered as his words came back to me:

  "It's bad enough he's on the Board of South Side Children's Academy. I don't trust him to keep his mouth shut about anything, and I certainly don’t plan to let him take any of us down with him. When he goes down, it’s him alone”

  At the time, I thought he’d been talking about Stephens, our District Attorney. Yet there the two were, standing side by side, laughing together like they were the best of friends. As I looked more closely, I saw the silhouette of a face I could never forget. Naomi. Standing on the other side of Walker. What in the world was going on here?

  “Ta Da! Here you go,” said Nick, placing a plate in front of me. “This is my favorite.”

  The plate was stacked with little triangles—quesadillas, neatly arranged in a half circle, with a scoop of guacamole, and sprinkled with a zesty spice that tickled my nose.

  It looked utterly delicious, but, glancing back at that image on the front page, I realized that I’d completely lost my appetite.

  “I'm sorry Nick,” I said, the words barely falling from my mouth. “Would you mind packing that up to go?”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Walking back to the office, I thought about what I'd seen in the paper. Walker, I understood. Naomi was a bit of a surprise, but not entirely—I wouldn't put anything past that woman. And that Cartoli—he was the same guy I'd seen at the shuffleboard—I had no idea we'd had a local politician aboard the cruise. Where does he fit into all this?

  I suppose I shouldn't care. After all, Tony had dropped me as soon as the cruise was over. But regardless of how I felt about him personally, we were still tied together through my agreement. And as long as he held the financial reins, I wanted to get to the bottom of this. If nothing else, to protect my own financial interests.

  "Ryan!" I said, remembering the boyish good looks of my traveling companion on the way back from Florida and the cruise. He worked at the D.A.'s office. Maybe he could shed some light on these guys. It wouldn't hurt to find out.

  I stepped into the lobby next to the store and rifled through my wallet. I had slipped his card in there at the airport, and never bothered to transfer it into my rolodex at home.

  Snatching out the card, I quickly dialed his number, feeling conspicuous and little disloyal. Here I was, calling the D.A.'s office about my boss and his dealings, while I was standing in the lobby of the very building owned by Mancini Enterprises.

  Feeling even more foolish, I was about to hang up the phone when the line engaged and his familiar voice floated into my ear.

  "You've reached the voicemail for Ryan Burton, Assistant District Attorney. I'm out of the office right now. If you need to speak with someone immediately, press 0 when you hear the beep. Otherwise, please leave a message and I'll return your call as soon as I'm able." *bleep* came the tone.

  Hm, voicemail. Ok. "Hi, Ryan. This is Angela, I hope you remember me. We shared a couple drinks on the flight back from Miami. Um, I'm calling to take you up on that rain-check you offered. You can reach me at 555-1122."

  Well, that was done. And somehow it made me feel better, as though I was actually doing something. I wondered how long it would be before I heard back. Even more, I wondered what other secrets I might uncover about the mysterious Antonio Mancini and his entourage.

  Slipping my cellphone back into my purse, I left the lobby and entered the store through the cosmetics department.

  Chapter Nineteen

  I passed through the lingerie and swimsuit section on my way back to my department. A little purple number caught my eye and I paused. I certainly didn’t need another bikini, but this one was really cute. And the color reminded me of the racy lingerie I’d bought onboard the ship, hoping to entice Antonio.

  I sighed as moments both beautiful and haunting came back to me. Beautiful… those glorious moments in Antonio’s arms. Haunting… as I remembered hearing Whiny Walker through the door. I shook my head. All this intrigue was starting to be too much for me.

  Absentmindedly, I fingered the smooth fabric of the bikini, remembering the look on Antonio’s face when he'd finally seen me in the outfit the morning before we went to the chocolate factory. The way he sucked in his lower lip, trying to deny what was standing right before him.

  I heard Nevia chuckle, approaching as I stood there lost in thought. “Still got your mind on that cruise, huh?”

  “Something like that,” I murmured, snapping out of my reverie.

  Nevia sighed. “I’m definitely updating my bucket list to include a cruise. Most likely a tropical cruise, but have you heard about those Alaskan cruises? Those sound kind of interesting, too.”

  I turned away from the rack with a smile s
o forced it felt frozen on my face. “I don’t know if I’d go on another cruise,” I said stiffly.

  Nevia tilted her head quizzically. “I thought you had fun?”

  I shrugged. “Could have been better.”

  "Sorry it didn't live up to your expectations, Ms. Tilson."

  My head snapped up when I heard Antonio's deceptively quiet voice rumble gently behind me. I didn't realize he was in the building, and I thanked my stars that he hadn't walked into the lobby while I was making that phone call.

  A chorus of “Hello Mr. Mancini” went up from my co-workers as they greeted him with bright smiles. He returned their greetings, addressing each of them by name and pausing to talk with them in turn. That gave me a little time to bring down the flush that had risen in my cheeks and quiet the pulse I could feel fluttering in my throat. That man made me crazy, in more ways than one, and right now I didn’t need my co-workers–or him—to notice how much.

  As I covertly watched him a mirror, I was impressed by the seemingly genuine interest he gave to each woman. He appeared warm and attentive, although strictly professional, as he asked them questions and really seemed to listen to their response.

  I had to stop watching him, to clear my mind and find the right words to cover my most recent faux pas. I glanced longingly at the doorways, praying for a new customer to walk in and give me something to do. I’d even settled for a hole to open up in the floor; I would have happily jumped in so it could swallow me up.

  I was so busy thinking up creative ways to disappear that I jumped when Antonio stepped beside me. “I’m sorry things turned out differently than you expected. It's unfortunate I was so busy taking care of business on the trip,” he said quietly, his hands in his pockets. “I understand you brought your photos in yesterday. I'm hoping you'll share them with me, too. It would be good to see all the things I missed."

  “I…”

  "And besides, we need to review the location shots."

  I stared. He still wanted me to manage the twins and their photo shoot?

  “I’m glad you took your camera along,” he said, ignoring my complete loss of words as he moved around the counter to stand beside me. “She was quite the shutter bug,” he said to Priscilla with a chuckle.

  The sound of his voice, the proximity of his body. I'd hoped I was immune by now. But apparently not.

  In fact, quite the opposite. My body responded involuntarily to his closeness, filling me with a warm ache. My mind was busy throwing dire warnings at me as it fought against my body's desire to just give in to the steady throbbing between my thighs.

  Stop it! Wise up! Remember: shady business dealings, discussions behind locked doors. Late night gambling.

  And Naomi.

  “Yes, I noticed when she brought them in. She has a good eye for color and composition,” Priscilla replied.

  “You have that tone, Priscilla,” Antonio said, leaning casually against the counter beside me. I looked from him to her.

  I couldn’t hear a difference in her tone, but by Priscilla’s nod, I guessed there was some level of communication going on between them that I wasn’t privy to. While it made me slightly curious, I wasn't surprised. They'd worked together for a long time. Besides, I almost didn’t mind that they were having a conversation over my head about my photography, because I was still trying to figure out how to disappear.

  Then, Antonio turned his back on me. I don’t know what I expected under the circumstances—we were at work for heaven’s sake—but the back of his head was a sad reminder of how often he’d intentionally or unintentionally done the same thing on the cruise.

  I gave myself a mental shake, trying to get free from these morose feelings. There was no way I'd expected him to walk into the store and sweep me off my feet in a dramatic kiss. I might have a bit of the romantic in me, but I was pretty much of a realist. Still, I was hurt that he was acting like there had been absolutely nothing between us. In fact, the more I thought about it, the more it irritated me.

  I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, and I didn't like what I saw: my face was scrunched into something between anger and sadness. Grrr, I growled to myself and took a deep breath, remembering Maria’s advice to me. She’d said I had to set aside my personal feelings and she was right. For so many reasons, I had to be mature about this.

  I cleared my throat and told my mind to Shut Up! “And what can I do for you, Mr. Mancini?

  “It's Antonio, Ms. Tilson,” he said, turning back to me and giving me that dazzling smile of his.

  I pushed back the lump in my throat. “Okay,” I said. “Just tell me—“

  “Does this come in a lighter shade of gray?” said a voice like nails on a chalkboard. I spun around, knowing exactly who I’d see attached to that voice.

  Naomi stood by the door with Nevia, holding up a dark gray pant suit.

  “Tony,” she purred and then stuck out her bottom lip in a pretty pout. “I want this one. Give me a minute to change?”

  “Don’t you want to try it on first?” Antonio asked, his body tensing slightly.

  Naomi laughed. It was that tinkling, obnoxious sound that grated on my nerves. “I know what looks good on me,” she said and winked at him. “And I know what looks good off of me,” she said in a stage whisper.

  I tried not to roll my eyes as I dug my nails into my palms.

  “Please put the outfit on my account,” Antonio said. It took me a moment to realize he was talking to me. Me! Of all the sales associates standing around us, the son of a bitch wanted me to ring up the gift for his mistress?

  “Angela, please ring this purchase up,” Priscilla said, then lifted a brow when I didn’t move.

  It was as if my feet had grown roots, sinking deep into the floor, holding me in place. I looked up to see Antonio watching me closely.

  “Are you all right, Angela?” he said, and for a moment, I thought I saw actual concern in his eyes. And sadness? A hint of regret? He took a step toward me and that severed the paralysis that had taken over my limbs.

  “Oh, I'm fine,” I lied, turning away from them quickly. “I… I’ve got a bit of a headache is all.”

  Naomi stepped out of the dressing room, looking like the suit had been tailored specifically with her in mind. She gave me a calculated sideways look, and said, “What do you think, Tony? Is this one okay with you?" She turned and looked back at herself in the mirror, smoothing the slacks with her palms.

  Then, to hammer the nail into the coffin, she stepped to up Antonio and wrapped her hands behind his neck and gave him a hard kiss on the lips. When she pulled away, she looked up and batted her eyes, saying, "Honey, you're just too sweet to me.”

  Antonio straightened, and unhooked her arms from around his neck. I couldn't tell if he was uncomfortable or just irritated with her overly possessive gesture. Then he turned his back on me once again. “You’re welcome, Naomi. Let’s get going,” he said in a quiet but firm tone of voice.

  Nevia brought me the price tag and pressed the little cardboard slip in my ice cold hand. “Goodness, it’s like she wakes up every morning looking amazing.”

  Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out.

  Those words started out as my mantra but they soon turned into—Strangle the Bitch. Strangle the Bitch. Strangle the Bitch—as I pounded the keypad on the cash register, ringing up the purchase on Antonio’s account. I was doing my very best to ignore the look Antonio shot over his shoulder as they walked arm-in-arm out the front door.

  “You’ll break the keyboard if you jam the keys that hard,” Priscilla said quietly.

  “What? Oh,” I said, realizing that my anger had gotten the best of me. “I’m sorry.”

  Priscilla studied me with her brow raised, but that was enough. I did everything I could to avoid looking her in the eye for the rest of the day.

  Chapter Twenty

  “Angela?” came Maria’s voice at my door.

  “It’s not locked,” I said with a sniffle. Why
did I say that? I never lock my door. Maria and I trusted each other too much to bother with locked bedroom doors.

  Yeah, well I’d been lying to Maria since the day I first walked out of Antonio Mancini’s office.

  “You’ve been in there for over an hour. I know it’s not just a headache," she said, wheeling into my room and coming to sit by my bed. "What’s going on? Come on, give."

  “I really don't think I can do this anymore,” I cried, sinking down onto the floor beside her and resting my head on her knee.

  “Oh Ange,” she said, caressing my hair. “I had no idea it was this bad! Please, talk to me about it?”

  Yes. I wanted to tell her everything. I wanted to tell her about the frightening businessmen I kept running into. The mysterious plans to remove the District Attorney. I wanted to tell her about the extent of Dad’s debt, where the money was going to come from for her surgery. And, oh yes, the missing name on her birth certificate.

  But as awful as those confessions were, they weren’t the thing foremost on my mind.

  “Maria,” I began, wiping at my eyes with my wrists, “when we got back to the dock from the cruise, she was there.”

  “Who, Ange? Who was there?”

  I sat back on my heels and took a deep breath. “Her name is Naomi. And she’s a horrible, vicious bitch." I looked up at Maria, tears in my eyes. "Antonio said he was done with her, but she keeps showing up in his life. Even after the wonderful part of our cruise, just as we made port, Naomi was there, waiting for him. And he went to her. He left me… For her.” I couldn't help the sob that escaped from my lips.

  “Oh Ange,” Maria said, spreading her arms over me. “I am so sorry. That must have been awful. No wonder it’s been so horrible for you! I feel so guilty for insisting you go to back to work when this must be breaking your heart!”

  I shook my head. “No. No, you were right. I made a commitment. I have a job to do.”

  “But you can’t do it if you’re going through all this. Oh, I know we have to learn to separate personal issues from business, but we’re human beings, too, Sis. And no one can expect you to forget that. Broken hearts hurt… They need time to heal.”