Explore Her, More of Her (19 page)

“Yvette Maynard was allegedly paid by Holden Reece and Matt Silver of the Reece Development to defame billionaire Belmont Lord of Lord & Lord Development in order to foil his bid to acquire prime riverfront property in downtown Chicago. The two corporations have been locked in a bitter battle since early May. We have acquired recordings of Maynard claiming that she will ruin the billionaire who has been named six times as
Luster Magazine’s
sexiest and richest man in the world.”

Words are displayed over a black screen as we hear Yvette say, “Jack Lord can just go (bleep) where his (bleep) (bleep) (bleep). I don’t give a (bleep) he’s married.”

“But you said he hired you to have sex with his competitors and make them pull out of the sale. Is this true?” a man asks.
 

I recognize the voice. “That’s Javar, but he’s speaking in an American accent.”
 

Belmont furrows his eyebrows.

“It is if I say so,” Yvette says.

“Now that’s a hefty allegation.”

“Jack Lord lies so much, who cares if someone lies about him? He deserves it.”

The anchor says, “Last night, Maynard assaulted Lord at a private party in France. Mr. Lord was accompanied by his wife, daughter of famed composer Jacques Blanchard and Hollywood producer Heloise Krantz.”
 

They show a photo of Yvette throwing wine in Belmont’s face and my shocked reaction.

Belmont and I laugh at how insane this is. The video ends. Belmont writes a text message.

“What are you doing?” I ask.

“Making sure Maggie is paid.”
 

Once he’s done he slams his phone on the nightstand and pulls me under him, parts my legs, and winces as he holds his sore rod.

“You’re overdoing it,” I say.

There’s a loud knock on the front door. “Daisy! Daisy! Get up! I want to show you something!”

“What the fuck,” Belmont mutters.

I peck him on the lips and scoot out from under him. “Take a soak in the bath. It may help soothe your man pole.”

“My man pole?”

I tug a plain white tank dress out of the cabinet. “Mm-hmm.”

Belmont watches me slip on the dress, and he lets out a frustrated sigh. His glistening eyes focus on my horns. I look down at my nipples, and they’re stiff.
 

I tug a robe off the hanger and put it on. “I’ll be back. Take a bath. It’ll help.”
 

Belmont groans and shoves a pillow over his face as I head out of the bedroom. I slip into my sandals and open the door. Anton is standing there in pajamas and a T-shirt.

“Come, come... I am excited to show you.” Anton takes my hand and guides me around the hedges and through the backyard.
 

“Where’s Anna?” I ask.

Grinning, he glances at me. “She is in my bed.”

I grin too. “You had sex?”

“Yes.”

“Was it everything you thought it would be?”

“It was more than I could imagine.”

He holds the door to the main house open for me, and I knock on his chest.

“You smell like sex,” he says.

“Belmont is insatiable.”

He gives me a lopsided smile. “So am I. That is why I show this, and that is that.”

“What do you want to show me?”

“I cannot tell you, only show.”

Anton leads me down the hallway. Inés is baking bread, and it smells like heaven. I must stop by the kitchen on the way back. He opens the door to the tower, and I follow him up the steps.
 

He stops abruptly. “Is here.”

Anton faces the wall. My heart skips a beat. It’s a black-and-white selfie of Anton. I’m behind him, curled up and sleeping in the passenger seat of his car.

“What the…” I smile so hard. “Did you take that while driving?”

“I did,” he says with a laugh. “Don’t you think this sort of photo is fitting for you and I?”

I inspect it. I look peaceful. “It is. It looks so professional.”

“That’s because I am an artist.”

We smile at each other.
 

“I also have this one,” he says.

We walk up three more steps, and there’s the picture we all took last night.

“You did this already?” I exclaim.
 

“I have the tools. It did not take long. You are now with the rest of the family, so you do not have to cry anymore.”

I give Anton a big hug. “Thank you. Really, thank you.”

“It is I who thank you. You told Anna my secret, and now my dreams have come true.”

We do the double cheek kiss.
 

“And now… good-bye.” Anton rushes back down the stairs.
 

I chuckle until he’s out of sight. As soon as he’s gone, I really take it all in. Belmont and I fit in perfectly with my family. Our smiles are real. He’s so sexy, and I must admit that I look really good standing next to him. Then there’s one of Anton and me. That’s the picture that makes me feel as if I’ve been on this wall all along. Life can’t get any better. I take in a deep breath… actually, it can get better.

I trot down the stairs and skip into the kitchen. Inés smiles at me as she squeezes jelly into the croissants.

“This is for you and baby,” she says.

I’m taken aback. “I’m sorry. What baby?” I say in French.

“No more wine for you.”

I shake my head. “I’m not pregnant.”

“You have this.” She hands me a platter loaded with warm bread, jellies, meats, and cheese.
 

I’m still processing her claim. I don’t know, maybe something got lost in translation. It happens. I take the food. “
Merci
.”

She smiles and turns toward the sink. I’m half in a daze as I return to the cottage. I see that Dexter and his crew stayed true to their word to leave before sunrise. When I get back to the cottage, I scarf down a croissant with cheese.

“Daisy, are you back?” Belmont calls.

“Yes!”

“I need you.”

I grin. “Here I come!”

“I agree!”

I snicker and shake my head—that was too easy. I finish eating the croissant, walk into the bathroom, take off the robe, and toss it on top of the bed.
 

I stand in the bathroom doorway, wearing my dress. “Hey, you.”
 

Belmont’s hooded gaze falls over my body. “Get in here.”

I peel my dress over my head. His man pole is sticking straight up. “How does he feel?”

“He’ll feel better after you get in here and sit on him.”

I chuckle and walk seductively to the tub, get in, and sit on it. “Ah…” I gasp.

***

Z.L. Arkadie

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