And why was she, Lucia, more terrified than anything that Alex might fall for her friend?
Tyson Janek listenedto the dull reports he got daily of Ori’s whereabouts, about her daily goings on. She was protected, no doubt, and Janek’s own rising profile meant he could not go to her without raising suspicion.
He had a plan, however, but he would need her to come back to the States to execute it. Should she come here, he could have her abducted and taken to the secret compound in the Louisiana swamplands. She would be totally at his mercy. He could spend days there fucking her and torturing her before he killed her. It would be days of sadistic pleasure before he dumped her body into the swamp to make it disappear forever. He imagined her beautiful eyes open and sightless, staring up at the sky as her blood-drenched body sank slowly into the murky water; the thought of it kept him going.
But she never came to America. Oh, she traveled, mostly to Paris or other European cities, and always, always with Maceo Bartoli and his huge and highly trained security team. Untouchable.Not forever, my darling Ori, not forever …
The minute she stepped foot on American soil, she was a dead woman walking. He would see to that …
His party had recalledhim to the front seats again, AJ’s death having absolved him, it seemed, of all his indiscretions. There were even whispers of the V.P. slot on the next ticket, whispers he intended to make rallying calls. But Ori could bring that all down—even if her claims of his abuse were dismissed, just the mere mention of them would lead to his downfall. Tyson wondered if Bartoli had told Ori about his abuse of AJ. From how aggressive Maceo had been with him the day Ori was attacked, Tyson thought not. But maybe he should have …
If Ori knew that Tyson had raped his own son, she would go ballistic and become reckless. Maybe she would come after him here in the States.
Tyson began to smile. It was risky, yes, but maybe, just maybe, Maceo Bartoli could deliver Ori right into Tyson’s hands …
Amonthafter they had begun to sleep together, Shiloh was still waiting for the punchline. How was it that the untamable Benoit Vaux would be happy with a woman like her? It didn’t help that the newspapers had gotten hold of the story and now she was followed by paparazzi everywhere.
She had been offered a new position at a human right’s law firm, a junior assistant, and, grateful for the job, she had taken to the job at once. Her first love would always be the environment and her city, but she found a new love here, working to keep asylum seekers in the country, helping them to save their families.
At night she would meet Benoit and, over dinner, they would share their day, then go to his penthouse or her studio and make love. Shiloh found it wonderfully relaxing to be in his company, except she wondered if this life was as exciting asheneeded. They had settled into a pattern, and Shiloh was constantly worried he would get bored of her.
When he askedher to fly to Venice with him, however, she was thrilled. “I’d like you to meet my friends,” he told her.
Ah, the elusive Midnight Club.She had heard about them from Benoit and, from his tone, she knew they were his brothers-in-arms, his family. Benoit, knowing she would frown upon him using his private jet, flew them using standard airlines—but business class, of course. When Shiloh looked disapproving, he shrugged unrepentantly. “The plane would be flying whether we were here or in coach,” he said, and she couldn’t argue with him.
Venice was a revelation to her, and she fell in love with the city almost as soon as she saw it. Benoit had booked an incredible suite at a luxury hotel and arranged for a local designer to bring Shiloh some spectacular gowns.
He was watching her change now, grinning lazily as she poked her tongue out at him. “Come zip me up,” she said, shrugging into a midnight blue dress. But instead of zipping her up, he let the dress fall to the floor and tumbled her onto the bed. Shiloh giggled at his mischievous smile as he removed first her bra, then her panties, and hitched her legs around his waist.
“You are insatiable,” she sighed, then gasped as he launched his cock into her, ramming his hips against hers. His lips found hers hungrily and she moved in rhythm with him, her fingernails digging into his buttocks, urging him deeper, harder…
They were lateto the restaurant and, by Maceo’s Bartoli’s grin, their friends had all guessed why. Shiloh flushed as she was introduced to Maceo, Ori, and Alex. “My date is also late,” Alex said, then looked over to the door. “But there she is.”
He waved at another young woman. “That’s Lucia,” Ori said to Shiloh. “She’s being Alex’s friend-date for this evening. She and I have known each other since college.”
Shiloh warmed to both of the young women immediately. Benoit had warned her about Alex’s recent bereavement, but he seemed steady enough. Maceo was a joker, she thought to herself, but he was clearly head over heels for Ori.
The meal passed quickly, and Shiloh could not have imagined a more pleasant bunch of people to be around. The food was exquisite and, when they all moved to the lounge for drinks afterward, she found herself relaxing in the opulence around her. Truly, she could not have anticipated a year ago, that she would be here with a man like Benoit. Their whole relationship had been a whirlwind.
She swallowed over the discomfort that was sitting in her chest. Shiloh had a secret, something she did not want to tell Benoit—not yet, not to spoil all of this. She was falling for him—hard—and yet something was holding her back.
Her law firm had been so impressed with her that they had offered her a chance of a lifetime defending human right’s abuses in Africa. It would mean moving to the country for however long it took, which meant she would have to put her life on hold. Her life with Benoit.
The trouble was … she couldn’t see a way to have her cake and eat it. A man like Benoit would not wait for her forever, and why should he? But Shiloh knew that this was the career break she had been waiting for; she could not, in all conscience, decline it.
So, she was doing what she knew best— sticking her head in the sand. Her firm had given her a month to consider and so, right here, right now, she was enjoying her time with Benoit.
She had tried talking it over with Liv and Heloise, but Liv was a romantic, and Heloise … well, it hadn’t been the same between them since that awkward confrontation at the apartment. Shiloh’s heart ached for her old college roommate, especially now, seeing Ori and Lucia so close.
When Benoit was deep in conversation with Maceo and Alex, Ori leaned over to Shiloh. “Are you okay? You seem distracted. Tell me to mind my own business if you like, but if you need to talk ….”
Shiloh smiled gratefully. “Thank you, but not here.”
Ori squeezed her hand. “During the week, then. We’ll go for lunch?”
“That sounds perfect.”
Ori typed her number into Shiloh’s phone. “Anytime,” she told her, and smiled.
