Temptation and Lies

by Donna Hill

  “Mia Turner. I have an appointment with Mr. Burke.”

  The door buzzed, along with the sound of the lock disengaging. Mia grabbed the large chrome handle and pushed the door open.

  “If you will have a seat, I’ll let Mr. Burke know you’re here.”

  “Thank you,” Mia murmured and took a seat with Ashley right next to her.

  “Nice digs,” Ashley said.

  “Hmm.” Interesting, she thought, as she took in the décor of the reception area. The colors were in sharp contrast to the house on the harbor. Here black dominated, with gray and burgundy accents. The colors and coordinating décor spoke power, style and control. All nouns easily associated with Michael Burke.

  Moments later, a woman of about thirty with a cap of silky black curls outlining a perfectly made-up face approached them. Mia instinctively knew this was Ms. Executive Assistant.

  The woman’s chocolate chip–pinstriped suit jacket hugged her narrow waist, fanned out ever so slightly to caress her hips, and the above-the-knee-length skirt showcased the legs of a dancer—long, lean, perfectly formed and strong. She seemed to instinctively know one from the other and extended her hand to Mia.

  “Ms. Turner. I’m Brenda Forde. I believe we’ve met via phone.” She directed intense honey-colored eyes at Mia, all the more disconcerting because of their lightness against her flawlessly brown skin and the fierceness that hovered in them.

  Real or contacts, Mia wondered in a comedic moment.

  “Yes. We have met, haven’t we? Always good to put a face with a voice.” She released the butter-soft hand and turned to Ashley. “This is my executive assistant and business manager, Ashley Temple.”

  Ashley extended her hand. “Nice to meet you.”

  Brenda gave a short nod of her head. “If you’ll follow me, I’ll get you settled in the small conference room. Michael…Mr. Burke is on a business call. As soon as he’s done, he’ll join us.”

  There goes that us again, Mia thought. She smiled and followed Brenda down the short hallway and was led to a room with, unfortunately, a glass door and walls.

  “Please make yourselves comfortable. Would you like something to drink while you wait?”

  “Some water for me,” Mia said.

  “Water is fine,” Ashley added.

  “I’ll be right back.” She picked up a remote from the table and pointed it at a television mounted onto the wall. The CNN studio filled the screen. “Michael likes CNN,” Brenda said with a smile that held a challenge.

  “I remember,” Mia tossed back, unable to help herself and secretly delighted in seeing Ms. Executive Assistant flinch before she walked out.

  “Meow, meow,” Ashley sang. “At least let me know when to duck out of the way of the claws. What was that about?”

  Mia quickly gave her the rundown of her earlier conversation with Brenda.

  “You think they’re seeing each other?”

  Mia gave a slight shrug. “If not, she certainly wants to. Not that it’s any of my business,” she added quickly.

  Ashley bit back a smile.

  Mia reluctantly pulled her glasses out of her purse. She took a good look around the room. The conference table took up most of the space, surrounded by eleven chairs, five on each side and one at the head. Two computer stations braced one wall. With her growing knowledge of electronics and technology, she noted that there were microphones built into the table, which let her know that conversations here were recorded. The wall panel that controlled the television also controlled the screen that could be lowered from the ceiling. She was pretty sure it included teleconferencing, which would account for the video camera in the back of the room.

  Her instincts told her this room was used for meetings much more sensitive than who would be the next R & B star, which gave her even more reason to want to tap it. What solidified her resolve was the camera that she’d spotted hidden between the panels on the wall. It was no bigger than a quarter and to those who were none the wiser it looked like an imperfection in the wall. A hidden camera would certainly limit what she could get away with in this room. The ideal situation would be to find Avante’s control room.

  Mia glanced toward the door. Brenda and Michael were coming in. Mia couldn’t miss the adoring look that Brenda gave Michael as he held the door open for her. Mia took off her glasses and returned them to her purse.

  Ashley stole a look in Mia’s direction as the doors swung open.

  “Mia.” Michael came right to her, braced her shoulders and kissed her cheek. “Had to bring backup, huh,” he teased, whispering in her ear. He stepped back and looked her in the eye, as if she was the only person in the room.

  Mia swallowed over the tightness in her throat. The intoxicating scent of him momentarily clouded her thoughts. “Michael, my executive assistant, Ashley Temple.”

  “My pleasure, Ms. Temple,” he said, finally focusing on something other than Mia. He shook Ashley’s hand, then turned back to Mia. “Would you prefer to talk here or over lunch?”

  “Here is fine. Ashley has prepared a PowerPoint presentation for our proposal. Then we can have lunch. If that works for you.” She smiled sweetly.

  “Not a problem.”

  Ashley took the printed copies out of the leather folder she carried, along with the CD of the presentation. She handed out the literature.

  Mia’s heart pounded. She hoped that Michael would allow them to use the computer to run the program and not just the projector.

  “All this technology is not my thing,” Michael admitted. “That’s Brenda’s area of expertise.” He tossed his hands up in the air in a gesture of exasperation.

  “Is your computer linked to the video screen?” Mia asked.

  “Of course. I’ll get you set up.” Brenda went to one of the computers and turned it on. She lowered the lights then depressed a button on the wall panel and the screen descended. “You can load your CD.”

  Ashley went to the computer and inserted the CD.

  Mia’s heart was pounding. If there was one glitch in the program that she’d embedded on the CD, they were toast. After Ashley had completed the PowerPoint proposal, Mia had volunteered to put it on the CD. Later that evening, Mia wrote a code—with the help of Jasmine at Cartel headquarters—that would track the activities of the computer and was activated when the PowerPoint was shown.

  What it gave Mia the opportunity to do was look inside the computer files in addition to mirroring every keystroke.

  The screen filled with MT Management’s logo and its tagline, “Your dream event is our reality.”

  For about ten seconds the screen froze then flickered. Mia held her breath. Jasmine had warned her about this and advised her not to panic. She’d been meticulous about entering the code. She’d gone over it three times to be sure she’d typed in the correct HTML string.

  The first screen finally opened and Mia exhaled as Ashley’s voice gave the text and images verbal support.

  While everyone was engrossed in the presentation, Mia felt around inside her tote bag, which she held on her lap beneath the table, and unzipped her “go bag”—her little carryall that held some of her tools of the trade. It looked like a makeup pouch. She felt around for the recording disk that looked like an eye-shadow pot. She had to unscrew the cap and lift the disk out. It was no bigger than a dime and nearly slipped from her fingers. One side was sticky and would adhere to any surface, virtually inconspicuous. She pressed the sticky side underneath the table, felt it to be sure it was secure then dropped the circular pot back into her go bag.

  Ashley had about three more minutes. Mia began to breathe a little easier.

  “I’m impressed,” Michael said when the screen went blank.

  Brenda turned on the lights.

  “How soon can you get started?”

  “Michael—” Brenda cut in.

  He held up his hand.

  Mia and Ashley glanced at each other.

  “As soon as you’re ready,” Mia answer
ed.

  “That’s what I like to hear.” He stood. “Let’s seal the deal over lunch.”

  Mia tossed a triumphant grin in Brenda’s direction. Triumphant in more ways than one.

  As they walked out, Mia hesitated. “I need to use the restroom.”

  “I’ll take you,” Brenda offered.

  “That’s fine. Just tell me where it is. I’m sure I can find it myself.”

  “I’d love to see the rest of your space,” Ashley chimed in, hearing her cue.

  “Sure,” Michael agreed. “Mia, we’ll meet you up front.”

  “Down the hall, make two lefts,” Brenda reluctantly instructed Mia.

  “Thanks. I won’t be a minute.” She walked in the general direction of the restroom. She decided it would be pointless to try to get in the control room, but Michael’s office was a different story.

  She hurried down the hall, passing a few employees along the way, who didn’t pay much attention to her. She glanced at the nameplates on the doors. The offices were set up like a maze: short hallways that led to different departments, quick turns and dead ends. She felt as if she should have left bread crumbs so she could find her way back.

  Finally, she found Michael’s office after following a sign for administration. She hoped that it wasn’t locked. She tried the knob and the door opened. Taking a quick look left then right, she stepped inside and shut the door behind her.

  Mia was pretty certain that if Michael were involved in anything, the last place he would have microphones and cameras would be in his office.

  The rectangular office screamed masculine. Brown leather furnishings, vertical floor-to-ceiling blinds in a bronze color that gave the room a warm glow. An antique oval rug covered the center of the wood floor. His desk was pure Michael—rich and dark. His mantra screen saver crawled across the monitor: “I’m dreaming of great things and doing them.”

  She went directly to his desk. The first thing she did was insert a recording device into his phone, then she took a CD out of her bag and put it in the computer. After it loaded, she hit the Enter key and the disk whirred then exited.

  Mia checked her watch. She’d been gone a little more than five minutes. Hopefully, Ashley was running her mouth and asking a zillion questions. She took one last look around, went to the door and cracked it open. The hallway was empty. She stepped out and shut the door behind her.

  Briskly she walked down the hallway, turned right and ran smack into Brenda.

  “Oh, I’m so sorry,” Mia sputtered. She pressed her hand to her chest.

  Brenda stared at her. “This isn’t the way to the ladies’ room.”

  Mia smiled and shook her head. “I got totally turned around. I should have taken you up on your offer.”

  “It’s this way,” she said with quiet deliberation. She extended her hand in the opposite direction.

  Mia clutched her purse tighter in her hand and secured her tote on her shoulder. “Thanks.” She followed Brenda to the door with the image of a woman emblazoned on the front. Mia pushed the door open.

  “I’ll wait for you so you don’t get lost again.”

  “’Preciate that.” Mia stepped inside and nearly collapsed against the door. Another minute and Brenda would have seen her coming out of Michael’s office.

  She walked to the sink, turned on the cold water and looked at her reflection. “This is only the beginning,” she said to the reflection, “so get it together.”

  Mia ran her wrists under the cold tap water to slow down her racing heart and lower the heat in her body that was making her light-headed. She dried her hands then took her lipstick from her purse and touched up her mouth.

  Brenda was leaning against the wall when Mia stepped out.

  “All done!” she said with a cheery smile.

  Brenda stepped up to her, so close that Mia noticed she was wearing individual false eyelashes and a couple of them had come out.

  “I don’t know what your deal is,” Brenda said with chilly calm. “But stay away from Michael.” With that she spun away on her two-inch heels before Mia could digest the veiled threat and deliver a comeback.

  Stirred but not shaken, Mia followed the scent of Brenda’s perfume and joined the trio at the receptionist’s desk.

  Brenda Forde was going to be a problem.

  Chapter 9

  “You’ve been pretty quiet today,” Blake Fields said to Steven as they reviewed the blueprints for a co-op they were helping to develop. “Everything cool?”

  In Steven’s circle of friends, Blake was at the center. They’d been tight since college. Steven was Blake’s best man when he married Savannah and was godfather to their daughter Mikayla. They’d shared a great deal through the years, the good and the bad, and they never lied to each other, no matter how much the truth might sting. That was the cornerstone of their friendship. If there was anyone that he could talk to about what may be going on with Mia, it was Blake. It helped, too, that Blake’s wife was Mia’s best friend.

  Steven put down his drafting pencil and looked across the table to Blake, who was rerolling the blueprints that needed to be stored.

  Blake turned from the pigeonhole where the blueprints were kept and focused on Steven. His brows drew together in concern. “I’m listening.”

  Steven linked his fingers together while his tumbling thoughts settled down. “It’s about Mia.”

  The frown line deepened. “Is she okay? She’s not ill…pregnant?”

  Steven released a short chuckled. “Naw, none of the above.”

  “Oh, cool. So what is it?”

  “Man, I don’t even know where to start or if I’m making something out of nothing.”

  “Start at the spot that’s buggin’ you the most.”

  He ran his tongue across his lips and blew out a breath, leaning slightly forward. “Me and Mia have this bangin’ sex life, no pun intended. Anyway, lately she hasn’t been there, ya know what I mean?”

  Blake nodded.

  “I know my woman. I know her body and I know when she’s faking.”

  Blake’s eyes widened.

  “She acts like she’s into it but I can tell she’s not. And last night…” His voice drifted off. He wasn’t sure that he was ready to tell his buddy that he couldn’t satisfy his woman.

  “Have you talked to her?”

  “I’d feel like an idiot. It’s probably just in my head.”

  “If it’s in your head, it got there for a reason.”

  Steven was silent for a moment, trying to pinpoint the date and source of his unease. “I guess it started about two weeks ago. She’s been distracted and kinda secretive. I mean, I’ve walked in on her a couple of times and she shuts the computer off or abruptly ends a call. And she’s been evasive when I ask what she was working on. Then the whole sex thing.” He looked away.

  Blake was quiet for a moment. He’d been in Steven’s shoes, or at least his wife, Savannah, had been in Steven’s shoes. Tristan Montgomery—a client—had decided that she wanted Blake as an addendum to their business contract, and she made life very difficult for him, to a point that he seriously considered ending the contract, returning the money and moving on. The tension played havoc with his marriage and Tristan’s tireless come-ons could wear down the best of men. But he couldn’t imagine that someone was hovering in the background of Steven and Mia’s relationship. Unfortunately, however, anything was possible even in the best relationship.

  “Look, man,” Blake said, straddling a chair and bracing his forearms along the top. “You know the mess I went through with Tristan. The only thing that saved me and Savannah was talking. Once I let Savannah know what was really going on, it removed her doubts, it gave me strength and then as a team we dealt with it together.”

  “I guess the thing that shakes me the most is that it’s always been me who was holding all the cards, the one who raised the questions, the one who got to walk away.”

  “Hey, hold on. That’s taking it to the extreme, don’
t you think?”

  “I know, I know, I’m just saying…I feel out of my element. I’ve never let a woman get this close to me. And move in with a woman!” He snorted. “I took a big chance with Mia. If she messes over me…” He shook his head.

  “We all thought we were playas until the right woman came along. Even you couldn’t outplay me until Savannah came along,” he teased.

  That drew an appreciative chuckle from Steven. “So whatcha sayin’? I’m your wingman?”

  “And a damn good one, too,” Blake said, laughter rumbling over his words. “Bottom line, my brother, you have to admit that your playa card had been pulled. And the sooner you accept that and give in to what you feel for her, all that other macho BS about being in control and in charge won’t mean jack. But you gotta talk to her. Tell her how you feel, what’s been on your mind.”

  The waning afternoon light played on Steven’s eyes, turning them a darker shade of grayish green.

  “Yeah, guess I’m gonna have to. This just isn’t my thing, spilling my guts.”

  Blake gave a crooked smile. “You’ll get used to it.”

  “Do me a favor.”

  “Sure.”

  “See if you can pick Savannah’s brain. Maybe Mia might have said something to her.”

  “I’ll try. But haven’t you heard of the girlfriend oath?”

  Steven frowned. “The girlfriend oath?”

  “Yeah, no boys allowed.”

  When Steven arrived home, he had every intention of talking with Mia, as Blake had suggested. But the truth was, talking about insecurities and being vulnerable to a woman didn’t sit well with him.

  He lived by the example set by his father. A man was a man. Men didn’t cry, show fear or give in to their emotions. You never let a woman get beyond those defenses, no matter how much you loved them. If a woman could get to you in that way, then your enemies could get to you through her.

  His father, Frank Long, had been a street hustler since his early teens and carried the mantra of the street deep in his soul. Although Steven knew that his father loved his mother, there were never open displays of affection or words of love tossed freely around. Frank showed his love through things. They had a stunning home on Sugar Hill in Harlem. His mother had more jewelry than she would ever wear, and he and his brother and sister never wanted for anything.