by Shayla Black
Rory glanced around because this wasn’t a conversation for the tabloid reporters almost certainly lurking about. Oh, they wouldn’t be allowed inside, but they always had ears and eyes at events like these. The last thing he needed was an article about the Thurston-Hughes brothers speculating on whether or not their publicist was a virgin.
He dropped his voice. “None of it matters because you’re going to leave her alone.”
“I won’t do that and I told you why.” Callum glanced up. “Damn, they’re all on her now.”
He followed his brother’s line of sight. Sure enough, the al Mussad brothers, along with the queen, hovered around Tori. “I don’t think the sheikh approves of your choice of clothing, either.”
Callum went a little pale. “Actually, I think they might be asking her how she afforded the dress.”
“Didn’t you ask Sheila to find her something she could afford?” They had a personal shopper who could work miracles at times. Of course a man like Callum didn’t need a miracle. He could buy whatever he wanted and he definitely wanted Tori. “Tell me you didn’t.”
“I wish I could. I sincerely do right now. Do you think they know those diamonds are real?”
“They buy jewels for their wife all the time. Of course.”
“Shit. I might be in a bit of a pickle then.”
“You idiot! You paid for the jewels and the gown and let her think she could afford them.”
“And the shoes. Don’t forget the shoes. They were ridiculously expensive and I bet she looks like a dream in them.” Tori suddenly glared Callum’s way. “She’s going to murder me.”
“I might help her,” Rory snarled.
“Do you think the al Mussad brothers will kidnap me and drag me to their desert to kill me slowly? Or will they simply do it here for the sake of swift vengeance?” Callum straightened. “No. I won’t let them intimidate me. I’m going to talk to the sheikh and explain that I’m serious about Tori. I’ll get his permission to court her.”
“And if he won’t give it?”
“Then I’ll watch my back and pursue her anyway. Her sister already likes me. I sent her boys signed footballs and promised to coach them when they get older. Hell, I’ll take on the country’s World Cup team if I have to.” Callum had always known how to use his resources.
“You’ll do nothing of the sort.” Maybe it would be best if the al Mussads dragged her out of the country. Otherwise, Rory wondered if the mutual desire he and his brothers had for Tori would tear them apart.
Unless she was the one who brought them all together. It had worked for the al Mussads.
But Oliver would never share, and they didn’t live in Bezakistan. Foolish notion. Such a relationship would never be accepted in England.
You’ve got a billion pounds at your fingertips. If you never made another, you could live happily for several generations. What good is all that bloody money if it doesn’t give you freedom?
Sometimes the voice in his head made too much sense.
“We’ve got a problem.” Claire approached them as quickly as her four-inch heels allowed.
“Yes, we seem to have many of those tonight,” Rory drawled. “And you’ve clearly forgotten the top of your bloody dress, too. I should have wondered why you came down wearing that shawl. You knew very well I would have told you to change.”
Her lips curled up in the sweetest smile as she patted his cheek fondly. “You’re a dear, Rory. But I’m almost twenty-seven and I don’t need my brothers to choose my wardrobe. It’s smashing that you would watch out for me, but I think our dear Cal needs our attention just now.”
“Why?” Despite Callum’s worries, Rory didn’t really think the al Mussads would kill him. They would be far more subtle and dangerous. Besides, the queen really did like Callum.
She glanced over her shoulder, toward the entry. “Security fetched Oliver a moment ago. There’s a woman at the door without an invitation, insisting on seeing Callum. She claims to be his fiancée.”
Callum cursed. “Bloody Thea.”
Did the drama never end? “I’ll talk to her.”
“No,” Callum said. “I’ll do it.”
The press would be all over that.
“No,” Rory insisted. “You stay here. Oliver and I will deal with her. Don’t you dare show your face. It will do nothing but encourage her.”
Callum’s lips flattened. “She’s my problem.”
Claire shook her head, blond curls brushing her bare shoulders. “No, she’s our problem and we’ll deal with her. Trust me, if I ever acquire my own creepy stalker, I’ll let you handle him.”
After a long moment, Callum yielded. “All right. I’ll keep Tori nearby in case we need some damage control.”
Claire reached for Rory’s hand. “Let’s put this to rest. And keep an eye on Oliver. I’m a bit worried how he’ll handle this.”
Because Oliver was something of a psychopath lately. Rory turned and left his horniest brother in order to deal with the most violent one in a situation guaranteed to rev up Ollie’s temper. Brilliant.
Rory sighed. Sometimes, being the reasonable one was bloody difficult.
* * * *
Oliver stormed toward the security guard. He wanted to blame Tori for wearing that next-to-nothing gown and making him feel so damn possessive. If her breasts hadn’t been on display, maybe he wouldn’t have wanted to murder every man who laid a hand on her, even her brothers-in-law.
He’d watched Kadir touch her as though he had every right. Granted, the contact hadn’t been sexual, but… It was plain to see the al Mussads wanted her back at the palace where they could watch over her and very likely choose whom they believed would be a proper husband for her.
Or husbands, as was their custom.
What did Tori’s brothers-in-law think of her poor fiancé back in Texas? Did anyone give a whit about him?
As he reached the security station, Oliver felt more than ready to deal with any man who stood in his way. Instead, he found a woman beside the gate, wearing a stunning, form-fitting ecru gown that barely covered her. Gown wasn’t the right word actually. Mini-dress might be more suitable. The tiny garment showed off her breasts and brushed high on her thighs. The poor girl couldn’t possibly bend over without showing the world her backside.
If she was pregnant with Callum’s baby, it certainly didn’t show.
“I don’t understand the problem.” She pouted at the guard. “My fiancé is inside. He simply didn’t leave me with the proper paperwork.”
“You need an invitation to get in, miss.” One of the guards sent her an expression of grim apology.
She stamped her designer heel. “I don’t need an invite. My future husband is Callum Thurston-Hughes. You will allow me in this instant.”
Ah, the young and delusional. He looked her over for a moment. Thea Palmer was an “actress.” She’d landed small roles in three films and large spreads as a page-three girl before she’d taken the plunge and gone under the knife. Between the lip enhancements and the overly large breasts that looked ready to pop at any moment, she’d probably spent everything she had on surgeons. Besides being “enhanced,” she had absolutely no education whatsoever. So naturally, his younger brother had thought she’d make a proper bedmate.
According to the reports Oliver had received on her, she’d most recently landed a small role on a show in America that had been canceled after only three episodes. She’d returned to England and apparently decided that Cal was her meal ticket.
By contrast, Tori was smart. A few weeks back, they’d had a long talk about politics, and she’d known far more about European systems of government than he’d imagined. Discussions with her were a pure pleasure. He found himself engaging intellectually in a way he hadn’t since university. He’d debated with her for nearly two hours, their easy camaraderie making the time fly by. He’d been shocked when he’d finally glanced at the clock. He usually felt the weight of time…except when she looked at him with he
r soft blue eyes and that smile that lit up the world.
The woman in front of him had absolutely none of Tori’s easy intelligence. His publicist handled people with a deft hand. This woman used a hatchet.
“I’ll have your bloody job, I will.” She stared up at the guard.
“What seems to be the problem?” Oliver stepped out from the hallway and into her line of vision for the first time.
Her eyes widened. “Mr. Thurston-Hughes, thank goodness. Please speak with your guard. There seems to be a mistake.”
Out of the corner of his eyes, Oliver saw an intrepid twenty-something woman in a modest black dress designed to help her blend in. As she loitered around the guard station, he recognized her as a reporter from The Sun. Damn. She likely intended to snap pictures of the celebrities coming and going, but the minute she realized the drama playing out here, Callum and Thea’s “love child” would be front page news. Again.
And Tori would be furious.
He wanted to throw Thea out, but the chit would likely find the reporters stalking about and give them a tearful story about how the man who had fathered her child was dancing the night away while she was left on the streets to fend for herself.
He should have thrashed Callum more thoroughly. His unruly cock had landed them all in trouble.
“Come with me, Ms. Palmer.” He unlatched the velvet rope and allowed her to pass through. He couldn’t miss the look of triumph on her face as she passed the guard. Oliver shook the uniformed man’s hand. “Thank you. You did well. I’ll handle her from here.”
The guard leaned over. “Be careful, sir. She walked up with a man who looked a bit thuggish to me. He disappeared once she got close. I don’t think she wanted me to see him.”
Oliver nodded. “Keep an eye out for him. And don’t hesitate to work with the al Mussad guards.” Of course, they’d brought their own. “They’re some of the best in the world.”
He turned back and had to hustle to catch up with his prey. She wasn’t lollygagging about, waiting to talk to him. She marched straight for the ballroom, likely prepared to hunt down Callum and cause a scene—along with massive problems for the whole family.
Luckily, Rory blocked her path before she could rush in. “Hello.”
Thea eyed him as though weighing whether she could rush past him.
Oliver intended to shut down that line of thinking. “Why don’t you join us in the office? We’ll have a good chat.”
He tried to sound non-threatening, friendly even. Surely he could manage that for a few minutes. If they could pass the evening with only minimal damage, Tori might not even have to know anything had happened at all. She might believe the Thurston-Hughes brothers could make it through one night without being at the center of a tabloid-worthy story.
Thea’s eyes narrowed. “He’s in there with that whore, isn’t he?”
And just like that, Oliver abandoned the non-threatening approach. “You had better not be talking about the woman I think you are.”
Her lips curled up in a smirk. “She might be related by marriage to Middle Eastern royalty, but that pathetic American is nothing more than a whore looking to elevate herself.”
“That’s the pot calling the kettle black,” Rory said under his breath, scanning the area. “Oliver, we should move this somewhere private.”
When Oliver glanced behind him, he winced. Sure enough, the reporter from The Sun was talking to the guard. She wouldn’t get anything out of him, but if Thea didn’t keep her voice down, that professional gossip in the black dress would hear far too much.
With a scowl, Oliver took hold of Thea’s arm and began escorting her toward the security office.
She struggled. “You can’t keep me from Callum. He’s the father of my unborn child.”
Oliver dragged her into the little room and slammed the door, flipping on the glaring light overhead. He dissected the conniving bitch with his stare. Instantly, he knew his brother was telling the truth. Callum might make mistakes, but never one this big. Oliver sensed that Thea and Yasmin were kindred spirits, the sort of women willing to tell any lie to get their way.
“I don’t believe you, Ms. Palmer. I grant that my brother fucked you last year before his injury, but not since then. You cannot possibly be carrying his child.”
She had the temerity to look shocked by his bluntness. “How dare you!”
Oliver ignored her. “I’ll make you a one-time offer. I’ll write you a check for a hundred thousand pounds if you agree to recant the story that Callum is the father of your baby. You’ll have to sign paperwork to that effect, of course.”
“Oliver,” Rory barked. “You can’t reward her lies.”
“I’d rather not, but I won’t have this hanging over our heads for the next year.” They had enough problems to deal with. “Once she’s signed, if she comes after Callum in any way, we’ll sue her.”
“And if she’s truly pregnant?” Rory argued.
“Then she shouldn’t be doing cocaine. There’s a bit of it still on your nose.” A smudge of white powder clung to her nostril, and her eyes had gone a little glassy. The fact that he’d ever believed, even for a moment, that his brother might impregnate such a creature made Oliver sick.
Tori, on the other hand, was a different animal. He could imagine perfectly well Callum trying to get her with child. He would do it to secure a future with her, but Oliver refused to allow that. Callum might think it was all right to pursue her because her fiancé apparently neglected her, but he must see the dishonor in that play. Tori had chosen another man. The people in her life should respect that choice, no matter how badly they wanted her for their own.
Thea rubbed her free hand across her nose. “It’s not what you think.”
“It’s exactly what I think. You’re looking for a payoff. I’m offering you one.”
Again, she pulled out the mock distress. “I want Cal. I love Cal.”
“I seriously doubt that. I’ll do what I need to protect my brother. This is a one-time offer, Ms. Palmer. If you don’t agree now, I’ll come after you with everything I have and destroy your credibility. And I assure you, I have a great deal of pull.”
Tears filled her eyes. “You can’t do this to me.”
“I can and I will. I’m the head of this family. I protect it. I have no qualms about eradicating any future you have in order to help my brother. I’ve had a private investigator look into your basic background. I already know some very interesting things about you. If you refuse me now, tomorrow morning I’ll have him dig deeper, especially into your sexual habits these past few months. I have no doubt he’ll find enough dirt to make a mockery of you and your claims in every paper across the country.”
Her mouth pursed and her face turned purple with fury. “I want to talk to Callum.”
“You may be used to getting what you want, but I’ll make certain you don’t get anywhere near him.”
“Because he’s with that whore, isn’t he? I know exactly who she is. I’ve seen them at dinner together, watched Callum escort her around London as if she’s some fucking princess. If I see a single negative piece about me in the papers, I’ll make sure everyone knows what a slut Torrance Glen is.” Thea pulled away. “I won’t allow her to take my man.”
The need to wrap his hands around the bitch’s throat rode him hard. He barely managed to quell his rage. “Are you refusing my bargain?”
“Bloody right, I am.”
“Then we’re at an impasse, but you should know your clock is ticking. If you are pregnant, science will easily prove the baby isn’t Callum’s. Until then, I recommend that you keep your mouth shut. Your life will be much easier.”
“You’re a fucking wanker.”
Oliver smiled tightly. “And my offer is now rescinded. Get out. If I see you again, I’ll have you arrested.”
“This isn’t over. I won’t let you or anyone else keep me apart from Callum.” She whirled around and jerked open the door, stomping out of the roo
m and toward the guard and the exit.
Oliver waited until she’d walked past the reporter, blithely licking her wounds. For now. He was sure Thea would be back—and become an enormous pain in his arse.
“She’s rather frightening.” Rory’s lip curled up in distaste as he watched her. “She knows about Tori. We need to do something about that.”
“That’s precisely why you should have allowed me to send her back to the States.” Oliver wouldn’t mention the utter relief that had flooded his system when he realized he didn’t have to let her go. It was perverse, but then that word described him perfectly these days.
Rory sighed. “I don’t want her to go.”
“God, not you, too.”
Besides Callum’s obvious desire for her, Claire had done her best to capitalize on his growing feelings for Tori and push them together. Until this moment, he hadn’t realized how badly Rory wanted her as well. “Can’t you see we’re terrible for her? She won’t mean to, but if we’re not careful, she’ll tear this family apart.”
“We won’t let her. That’s not what she wants.”
“She wants to go home at the end of this assignment and marry her fiancé. She made her choice months ago, and you and Callum will bring great dishonor to our name by trying to seduce her out of it. I will not marry again. Even if I did, I certainly wouldn’t pick a naïve girl like Tori Glen. I have no interest whatsoever in having a relationship with her.”
He charged out of the room and nearly ran into another reporter. They were everywhere. With a curse, he stepped back into the ballroom, hoping the fundraiser would end soon.
Claire strode toward him instantly, her face tight with concern. “Oliver, I can’t find Callum. He appeared to get into some kind of an argument with Tori and now they’ve both disappeared.”
No. This ball wouldn’t be over anytime soon. Oliver sighed. In fact, it looked as if he was in for a long night.
CHAPTER FOUR
Tori descended the ballroom stairs with a charming smile in place, but Callum saw the furious glower underneath. He started up to meet her. Bugger. No doubt, he was in hot water.
