Cunning (Infidelity #2) (2 page)

Oh shit! Now what do I do?

As if reading my mind, Karen handed me the glass with the remaining whiskey, nodded, and said, “
Whatever
he tells you to do.”

I took the glass and drained the contents.

Fire.

As I closed my eyes, tears teetered on the lids, and my lips burned. The liquor scorched everything in its wake. From my tongue to my throat, the heat left a blistering trail all the way to my stomach. And then the fire dimmed. Warmth radiated to my fingers and toes, leaving me calmer than only moments before.

Karen took the glass from my hand and asked, “Would you like another?”

Would I? Would I like to be so drunk when I reached Nox’s car that I wouldn’t process the shame that overwhelmed me? The idea that he, the one man I’d wanted, knew what I’d done was almost unconscionable. I’d told him I didn’t sleep around, and yet he’d just purchased a year with me. If I had another drink, maybe then when I awoke in the morning, I wouldn’t remember our reunion,
the one he paid handsomely for
.

I looked up at Karen’s face. This was her job, what she did day after day. Yet the confident demeanor I’d witnessed yesterday was gone. In her eyes was something between pity and fear.

“Ms. Flores,” I asked, “has Mr. Demetri been a client before?”

Her shoulders straightened. “All of our clients are covered by our confidentiality clause. I’m not at liberty to discuss Mr. Demetri with you any further than what we’ve already exchanged.”

“That for the next year he owns me,” I repeated her earlier words. “But yesterday you said this could take weeks. How? How did we go from weeks to less than twenty-four hours?”

Karen dismissively walked back to her chair. “Thank you, Alex, for coming to Infidelity. You don’t need to return until your one-year anniversary. We’ll be in contact with you and Mr. Demetri as that date approaches.”

I stood, my volume rising with me. “What about training… or hell, I don’t know…?” The whiskey gave me strength. “…therapy? Surely, a company as
successful…
” I used air quotes. “…as Infidelity has some plan or program to help its employees, to ensure we don’t mess up or go insane.”

“You’re a Stanford grad and a Columbia Law student. Figure it out.”

My forehead lengthened as my jaw dropped. “Figure it out? Figure it out? I feel like I’m being thrown to the wolves.”

“Just one wolf, Miss Collins, and you’re not being thrown. You walked in here of your own volition. You will walk back out of here to your client’s waiting driver the same way—with your head held high. And you will not mention Infidelity to anyone—today or ever. You and Mr. Demetri are now a couple. When you’re in public, you are his.” She stood and leaned forward with her hands on the desk. “When you are in private, you are his. Currently, you’re making his driver wait. I don’t know Mr. Demetri well, but I’d venture to guess that he doesn’t like to wait. I’d also venture to guess from what I overhead that you
do
know Mr. Demetri, don’t you?”

It was my turn to be defensive. “Why, Ms. Flores, I thought that it was your job to know all.”

“Tick-tock. Your client is waiting. Your income will be deposited soon.” She lifted a brow. “You’re the employee; don’t forget that.”

I reached for my purse and turned to leave.

“Miss Collins?”

When I spun back, Karen’s expression had softened.

“I wish you luck.”

Luck?

“Thank you,” I said, straightening my neck.
I’m going to need it
. I didn’t say the last part aloud. Instead, I left her office with my head held high and found my way back to the secret elevator. Thankfully a badge wasn’t needed to go down as it was to go up.

As the doors closed, I collapsed against the wall with a
whoosh
and tried to decipher what just happened. Though my mind told me to be nervous, upset, maybe even scared, because that was definitely the vibe I got from Karen, I wasn’t. Well, maybe nervous. Perhaps it was the whiskey, but if I were honest, I was mostly excited. I didn’t know how Nox did it or if he was a longtime client. I didn’t know anything other than that soon I would be looking into the pale blue eyes I’d dreamt about.

I didn’t ask him for help, but just as in Del Mar, he rescued me.

Maybe he
was
Batman.

While walking from the secret elevator to the main elevators within the catacombs of Infinity my purse vibrated. I stopped and moved to the side of the hallway as it vibrated again. I removed my phone from my purse and held my breath as I swiped the screen.

Am I ready to hear his voice again? Will he be upset that I’m making Isaac wait? Am I making him wait?

A lump formed in my throat until I saw the name: PATRICK.

“Pat,” I whispered into the phone.

“So… tell me. I’ve been worried sick. Is there a problem?”

“N-No, I can’t talk right now.”

“But you’re all right? Tell me you’re all right,” Patrick implored.

“Yes.” The way my cheeks rose into a hint of a smile told me that I was—all right. This could have gone wrong in so many ways and instead had gone right beyond my wildest imagination.

“Tonight, girl. Tonight you’re filling me in. Cy’s out of town. It’ll just be us and some wine. I’ll cook—”

“I don’t think I’ll be there.”

“What? Why? You’re not going back to the house of horrors, are you? You can’t. You signed—”

“No, I’m not. I-I met someone.”

Patrick’s voice lowered to a stage whisper. “You couldn’t. It doesn’t work that way—not that fast. I don’t think that’s even possible.”

I looked around the hallway as people walked by. “Pat, I love you. I promise I’ll keep in touch. Thank you for all that you’ve done. Really. This is good.” My anticipation at seeing Nox again replaced the whiskey with adrenaline. “I need to go.”

With each step toward the main elevators and the entire way down the thirty-seven stories my mind filled with Nox. The memories I’d kept at bay came rushing back. My cheeks reddened as the number of people around me grew. I was almost certain they could read my mind. The voices in my head were so loud.

I remembered his gaze and the way his pale eyes glistened with the menacing spark. I recalled his cologne, the woodsy scent that dominated my senses, and his touch, controlling yet adoring. I bit my lip to stop the sounds that longed to escape my lips.

This was my fantasy, my dream, and it was about to be my life. I should have thought about Bryce or the announcement Alton wanted to make. I didn’t. My thoughts were too overwhelmed with Nox. Nox Demetri.

I shook my head. I now knew his last name.

The warm August air went unnoticed as I pushed my way through the revolving glass doors and onto the sidewalk. Parked along the curb was a string of black cars. I stopped and rolled my upper lip between my teeth.

What if Nox is inside one of the cars?

“Miss Collins?”

I spun toward the tall man dressed like Brantley. His attire of dark slacks, a white shirt, and jacket, was the signature unassuming uniform of drivers everywhere. By his shaved head and wrinkle-free face, he was younger than my stepfather’s driver. He was also larger, with the muscled build of a bodyguard.

“Miss Collins, I’m Isaac. I believe Mr. Demetri told you that I’d be picking you up?”

“Yes. Is No… Mr. Demetri with you?”

“No, ma’am.”

My earlier memories washed away in a wave of disappointment. I took a deep breath as I followed Isaac to the waiting car. When he opened the door to the backseat, I asked, “Where are you taking me?”

“I was told to ask you.”

“Me?”

“Your things. I’m to take you to recover your personal items.”

Isaac shut the door. My emotions were all over the place. One moment I was excited; the next I was scared. While Isaac walked around the car to the driver’s side, I fought a new urge to run. If I opened the door, I could flee into the sea of people. What would Nox’s driver do, tackle me? He was big enough to do that, but would he risk the scene?

“Which hotel?”

Isaac’s question returned me to reality, while the motion of the car confirmed that I’d missed my opportunity to run. We were now easing into the afternoon traffic.

“Hotel?” I asked.

“Ma’am, where have you been staying?”

Did I want Nox to know that? Did I want him to know about Cy and Pat? Then again, we were now a couple, in private as well as public. That was what Karen said. I couldn’t spend the next year with him and not tell him about my cousin. My stomach twisted. My cousin. Would that mean I’d tell him about all of my family?

“Miss Collins?”

“I-I’m sorry, Isaac. I wasn’t staying in a hotel. I was staying with some friends: 1214 Fifth Avenue.”

He nodded and guided us through traffic toward the Upper East Side. I wasn’t a fan of being driven, but for once I didn’t mind. It gave me time to think and plan.

To think about Nox.

Retrieving my things
, even if it were only the clothes I’d taken to Savannah, made this real. I’d told Patrick I wouldn’t be at his place tonight, but I wasn’t sure I was ready to move out altogether.

With the effects of the whiskey waning, my mind began to overtake my body. Fright eclipsed excitement. Nox’s voice was different on the phone. His words were clipped and tone was harsh. Maybe I should be scared. Obviously, Karen was. At the very least, she seemed intimidated.

I’d never felt that way around him—until now.

Isaac pulled into the small circular drive and handed me a card. “My cell phone number.”

As he opened my door, he nodded. “Miss Collins, I’ll be waiting. Mr. Demetri would like you to gather as quickly as possible only the personal items you need. He said that he’ll send for the rest later. Tonight you have plans.”

I wanted to ask what kind of plans. I wanted to ask a lot of things, but instinctively I knew my questions wouldn’t be answered, at least not by Isaac. That wasn’t how this worked. I was only too well aware of the protocol.

“I’ll stay close,” Isaac said. “Please call me when you’re ready, and I’ll be here.” His eyes widened. “Do you need help? I can park and help you carry…”

“No, I’ll be fine.”

It didn’t hit me until I entered Patrick’s apartment that I didn’t even know where I was going. I had orientation in less than two weeks, and I was being driven by someone I didn’t know to an undisclosed location to meet with a man who, up until a few hours ago, had no last name.

I was breaking every rule in Jane’s safety handbook. The thought made me scoff as I packed my things. Hell, since I’d left Montague Manor—only three days ago—I’d not only thrown that handbook out the window, I’d shredded it.

Hurriedly, I left Patrick a note on the kitchen counter.

Patrick,

I can’t thank you and Cy enough for giving me a place to stay. For that, I love you.

I’ll keep in touch. Hopefully we can still run on Saturdays.

Love,

Your little cousin

My heart ached as I took one last glance at Patrick’s apartment. My thoughts and emotions were too jumbled to put it in words. Too many things had happened and too fast. My heart wanted what Pat and Cy shared. I didn’t want to think about how they met or how Nox and I found our way back together. I wanted to think about the fairytale, the way Patrick and Cy looked at one another, and the way my tummy fluttered at merely the thought of Nox’s gaze.

I couldn’t think about my employment at Infidelity or about being owned. The way I was able to put one foot in front of the other was to look at everything in a new way. In my newly contrived perspective, I wasn’t bought by Nox: I freely gave myself to him.

That was what I decided as I dialed Isaac’s number.

ISAAC BARELY SPOKE
as he drove, leaving me time to think. I couldn’t wrap my mind around what had happened, where I was, or even where I was going. The tumultuous tsunami of emotions billowed within me, the threatening winds frayed the edges of my well-bred façade. Nervousness and anxiety churned within me, their only outlet the uncharacteristic bobbing of my knee.

My current situation was almost unfathomable. I couldn’t imagine how I’d feel if I were on my way to meet a stranger. How did that even work? Did the client and employee meet over drinks like a blind date? Surely they didn’t move in together immediately. Nox was different. He wasn’t a complete stranger. Granted, I only learned his last name today, yet I knew much more than a name.

I knew that he possessed an intensity that fascinated me. I remembered the way deep navy swirled in his pale eyes when his emotions ran high. I’d seen only a snippet of his anger or annoyance with Max at the pool and then again as he spoke to someone on the phone. However, mostly the navy I witnessed was brought on by desire—something he wore like cologne, the need emanating so strongly that it lingered in the air, filling my lungs and laboring my breathing.

My insides twisted and tummy fluttered as memories surfaced. I tried to come to terms with the reality. Soon, I’d be with him again. Unconsciously, I shifted on the leather seat, ashamed of how aroused I was by the mere thought. The tightening deep inside of me wasn’t new, but it’d been absent since Del Mar. When Chelsea and I’d boarded the plane, I feared I’d never again feel this yearning. A small grin broke through my mask.