The Highest Bidder (10 page)

“Why, if it isn’t Kristoff St. Michaels.” The sound of a man had them pulling apart and turning to see an older gentleman, probably closer to Veronica’s grandfather’s age, strolling up to them. His wide grin showed yellowing teeth and his frame was willowy from age. There were two stunningly attractive women beside him, both of them encased in white satin. He stopped in front of them and Kristoff immediately shook his hand. Dark eyes slid toward her as the older man took her in. The fact he blatantly checked her out had her feeling like ants crawled on her flesh.

“I see you’ve finally bought yourself a new female.”

“This is my
wife
, Veronica St. Michaels.” Kristoff’s voice had gone deep with warning. His hand tightened on her waist, the silent propriety gesture having her stand a bit taller. She was Kristoff’s wife, and he was making that very clear. “Sweetheart, this is Sebastian Sullivan. He is the CEO of Sullivan Innovations.”

Veronica nodded in acknowledgment. The fact he had not one, but two wives led her to believe he was filthy rich. “It’s very nice to meet you.”

“The pleasure is all mine, my dear.” He took her hand and brought it to his thin, papery lips. “This is Natalie and her sister Haley.” He let go of her hand and wrapped his thin arms around their shoulders. The women were several inches taller than he was, but they also wore ridiculously high heels. Their red hair was similar in style, but where one of them had blue eyes the other had brown. They were beautiful, and looking at their ample chests and womanly curves made Veronica feel slightly lacking the similar departments.

“I was hoping to see you tonight. I have a business proposition for you if you’d be willing to step away with me for a few moments.”

“Can’t this wait until Monday morning? I can have my secretary call you first thing in the morning and set up a lunch meeting.”

Sebastian shook his head, the loose skin around his cheeks swaying slightly. The fact that these two gorgeous women, most likely more than three times younger than him were his wives, had a little bit of the
ick
factor settling in her.

“I wanted to give you the first opportunity to jump on this proposal. I have a fully booked schedule all next week and can’t guarantee this offer will still be available.” Kristoff looked down at Veronica and she could see the internal struggle inside of him. It was clear he didn’t want to leave her alone. “If you’re worried about your darling wife being left unattended, I can have my lovelies keep her company.” He turned at looked at each of his wives. “Right, darlings? You don’t mind keeping Veronica here company?”

“Of course not, dear.”

“Absolutely not.” Both women smiled at her but it was too sugary and completely forced.

“See, everything will be fine. I assure you I’ll only take a few moments of your time.”

Veronica didn’t want him worrying, and she was sure everything would be fine the few moments he was gone. Placing her hand on his chest, she ran her fingers over one of his buttons until he looked down at her. “Go on. I’ll stay right here and admire the gardens.” It took him a suspended moment but he finally dipped down and dragged his lips across hers.

“I’ll only be a few moments, sweetheart. Don’t leave this spot.” He kissed her once more and leaned back. She nodded and watched him step away with Sebastian.

Turning her attention to the redheaded sisters she offered a smile. They stared at her as if they couldn’t be bothered with her presence. And just like that they disappeared into the crowd of bodies. Not that she expected them to actually converse with her, but still, it stung. She exhaled heavily. Now that she was left alone with her thoughts she turned and stared at the grounds turned toward the grounds. Minutes passed with only the sound of classical music and coaxing laughter as her company.

“It certainly is a lovely night, isn’t it?” Veronica choked on the champagne she swallowed and spun to see Andre striding toward her. The glass of liquor he held was nearly gone. His dark hair looked disheveled, as if he had run his fingers through it all night. “They said it might rain, but it looks like we lucked out.” He braced his arms on the stone in front of him. Bloodshot, half-lidded eyes stared at her intently. It was clear he was drunk, yet his words were surprisingly clear.

What she did know was that being around Andre was an uncomfortable experience. She took a step to her left, away from his too close presence and alcohol induced scent. Minutes ticked by with neither of them saying anything, and when she thought he might go back to the party he turned and faced her.

“Did Kristoff tell you he took Macie from me?” His words had her turning toward him with wide eyes.

“Excuse me?”

“He didn’t take her from me in the literal sense, but he took her from me nonetheless.” He took a drink before continuing. “We were at the auctions that day, and bidding on the same female no less. Even all those years ago Kristoff was a wealthy man, far wealthier than me at the time. I didn’t stand a chance.” The last part was said with so much anguish. She didn’t want to have this conversation with him. She was done talking about Macie, done having the ghost of her past haunting her. Every time she was brought up made Veronica feel a little less sure of herself, which in all honesty was a little unnerving and a lot ridiculous.

“I—” The dejected tone of his voice had her feeling empathy for his situation, but the cold and distant look in his eyes had that feeling washing away. He sniffed loudly and ran his finger under his nose. When she really looked at him she could see that he wasn’t just drunk. There was clearly something else wrong with him, and she had a feeling drugs were involved. Unease crept into her and she looked around, hoping to see Kristoff. Despite hundreds of people around, Veronica felt alone.

“For years I watched him with her. At every function it was hell seeing his hands on her, his mouth on hers.” Veronica so did not want hear any of this, but there was a steely determination in Andre’s face that let her know he wasn’t nearly done. “I thought time would wash away the love I had for her, but they only seemed to grow. I immersed myself in women.” He laughed but it was humorless. He searched her face. “I never believed in love at first sight, but when I saw Macie up on that stage I knew that was what I felt.” He turned away from her and downed the rest of his drink. He motioned for another from one of the passing waiters.

“I don’t think this is appropriate conversation, Mr. Patrowski.” He cut his eyes to her and the force of his stare had her taking a step back. He lifted his hand and she froze in place when he took a piece of her hair and rubbed it between his fingers. “W-What are you doing?” His touch set off all kinds of unease inside of her until her skin felt tight and prickly. “You are the complete opposite of her in every way.” Andre murmured to himself, his gaze trained on the lock of hair between his fingers. “She loved me, did you know that?” His gaze lifted and he dropped her hair as if it burned him. “She told me she loved me, but that the years had opened up her eyes and she found her one true love. Her one true love, can you believe that?” Veronica knew he wasn’t asking her literally. He was in the past now, his eyes unfocused as he conjured up his memories. “She told me she could never be with me, that she was pregnant with the child of the man that had stolen her heart.” His jaw locked tight and he took a step forward.

Andre made no sense, but Veronica didn’t dare interrupt, not when he seemed unstable as it was. Being this close to him had the stench of alcohol seeping from his pores and the faraway, drug-induced stare going right into her soul.

Veronica took a deep, steadying breath and once again searched for Kristoff amongst the crowd. Andre’s voice was growing increasingly rougher, like his emotions were getting the best of him. His hands were tight balls at his sides and he had a wild look behind his eyes.

“I grew crazy with jealousy knowing that she was pregnant with
his
child. The fact she would choose him over me drove me insane. I wanted both of them to hurt as much as I did.” His chest rose and fell with his labored breathing. He gripped her arm and a gasp left her at the strength behind his touch. “I went away after that, knowing I couldn’t be around her and watch as her belly grew big with another man’s child, especially
his
.” It was like he couldn’t speak Kristoff’s name in the same sentence as Macie.

“Let go of me, please.” Her voice was a mere whisper, but his eyes widened and his nostrils flared right before he dropped her arm.

“I’m sorry.” He ran his finger under his nose again and sniffed. “I’m not thinking clearly tonight. I said things completely out of line.” He turned away from her and stared out at the gardens. “Forgive me.” With that he turned and left her standing there wondering what in the hell had just happened.

Minutes, or maybe it was hours passed before Kristoff was beside her again. She inhaled his familiar scent and closed her eyes, trying to purge everything Andre said out of her mind. Turning to look at him, she wondered if he knew any of it. Did he know his former wife had loved another? How could anyone not fall hopelessly in love with the man before her? Kristoff was gentle and nurtured her, and to know Macie betrayed his love sent a spike of anger through her.

“How about we leave, sweetheart?” His low words were whispered against the shell of her ear. “I think I’ve had enough of this stuffy party and the assholes filling it.” That was probably the best news Veronica had heard all night.

Chapter Thirteen

They entered their home and by then Veronica’s feet were killing her. Holding onto Kristoff’s arm, she took her shoes off, laughing as she tried to keep her balance. A sigh of pleasure left her when the offending apparatuses were removed and dangling from her fingertips.

“Better?” Kristoff’s lips twitched with suppressed laughter.

“So much.” They made their way upstairs and into their room. After taking a hot bath and wrapping a towel around herself, Veronica stepped into the bedroom. Kristoff was propped against the headboard, his chest bare and the sheet stopping at his lean hips. The television was on but the volume muted. As if he sensed her presence he looked up from his papers and stared at her. She may have had a thick towel wrapped around her body, but the way his eyes scanned the length of her from her toes to her shoulders, she felt completely bare.

He clicked off the television and the soft whirl of the wide screen sinking into the ground pierced the sudden stillness in the room. “Come here, baby.” She dropped the towel and watched in pure feminine appreciation as his arousal became apparent through the sheet. After climbing onto the bed and slipping beneath the cool sheets, Veronica pressed her nude body against his. She let her hands slide along the hard, defined contours of his chest. Desperation and arousal combined inside of her until she felt drugged, but first she needed to tell him what Andre said.

“Kristoff, I think we should talk…” He silenced her with a passionate kiss. He sucked her bottom lip into his mouth, his teeth causing a slight sting that morphed into pleasure. Hands running up and down her length, all thoughts of what she should do left her mind as blissful arousal consumed her.

“We have the rest of our lives to talk, Veronica. Let me show you how much I love you.” He started kissing her throat, dragging his tongue down and depositing several long, agonizingly lust-filled nips and licks to her collarbone. “Ever since I saw you in that dress the only thing I could think about was being inside of you.” Lower and lower he went, smoothing his tongue along her skin until it pebbled from the contact. He sucked a hard nipple into his mouth, drawing it in hard pulls until heat surrounded her. Arching her back to thrust her breasts further into his suckling mouth, Veronica moaned from the intoxicating feeling he conjured inside of her.

“Yes.” She closed her eyes and slid her hands into his hair, gripping the strands tightly. “Please, Kristoff, I need more.”

“You want more, baby? I’ll give my girl more.” He ran his tongue along her nipple once more and then covered her body with his larger one. She spread her legs to let his hips settle between them. The feel of his hot, hard length slipping between her folds had her lifting her hips in invitation. In one swift move he rocked into her, burying his entire length in her body. “So good, baby.” His hands gripped her wrists and brought them above her head, causing her to bow into his chest.

His lips found the base of her throat as he moved in and out of her, picking up his pace until the headboard slammed against the wall with the force of his lovemaking. Sweat formed between their chests as he sunk into her, bringing her closer to euphoric release. The tip of his erection dragged along the swollen bundle of tissue deep inside of her on his descent and she exploded around him. Calling out his name as she came, Veronica heard his answering groan as he found his own orgasm. The heat of him spilling inside of her was all-consuming and she absorbed everything he had to give. The emotions, sensations, and love––all of it was hers and she knew the chemistry between them would always be this intense.
 

He collapsed on top of her, a tangle of arms and legs making them seem like one. His weight was heavy but comforting. He rolled off of her and wrapped his arm around her waist, bringing her flush with his body. Veronica rested her head on his chest and let her hands play along the hard ridges of his abdomen. The muscles contracted under her touch. They still needed to talk, but she didn’t want to break the spell that surrounded them. Closing her eyes, she let the sweet wave of drowsiness consume her.

****

Veronica opened her eyes but only saw darkness. It took a few moments for her vision to adjust to the shadows that surrounded her. Kristoff was beside her in bed, his arm still wrapped around her waist and her head on his chest. His breathing was slow and even and the steady beat of his heart was right below her ear. Something had woken her, and when she sat up and looked around she couldn’t see anything but shadows playing around the room.
Maybe it was a dream?
She was about to lie back down and let sleep consume her once again when the sight of their bedroom door ajar caught her attention. Feeling her brows knit in confusion, she thought back to earlier, trying to remember if they had shut it. No, she knew for a fact it had been shut before Kristoff made love to her. Veronica could have just gone back to sleep, but her curiosity spiked.

Sliding out from underneath the thick, heavy weight of Kristoff’s arm, she grabbed her robe and slipped it on. Everything was still and quiet. Her breathing sounded like a tornado in the small confines. When she was close to the door she gripped the edge and inhaled. The scent of liquor slammed into her nose and caused her stomach to clench in disgust. The aroma was thick in the air and had her nose wrinkling in disgust. The chime of the grandfather clock let her know midnight had approached, well past the appropriate hour for any of the staff to still be in the house, let alone drinking. Although she was curious, she wasn’t stupid enough to investigate. She started to close the door when a hand reached out from the darkened hallway and wrapped around her wrist. Before she could scream out in surprise she was pulled out of the bedroom and something covered her mouth, a hand her confused and frightened brain surmised. Her breathing was even harsher now in the silence, and Veronica strained to see who held her captive. It was no use, not when the cloak surrounded her. The door shut with a whisper-soft click.

For several long seconds she didn’t move, didn’t even breathe as she took inventory of her surroundings. Her back was pressed against a wide chest and the stench of booze nearly overpowered her. Aside from their ragged breathing and the erratic pounding of her heart, everything was quiet and seemingly peaceful. She was dragged across the hallway, up the stairs, and led into a room. It all happened so quickly that her head spun and bile rose in her throat by the time she was released. A faint light illuminated the room and she realized she was on the observation deck on the third floor of the manor, much too distant from Kristoff. Glass surrounded her on three of the four walls, but because of the lack of light she couldn’t see the pond or gardens that she knew were just beyond her view. The sound of liquid sloshing behind her had Veronica spinning around and coming face-to-face with Stephen.

He held a bottle of whiskey which was nearly gone. His eyes were glazed over and bloodshot and his big body swayed slightly. It was clear he was intoxicated, but why he had clearly been in her room and then taken her left her feeling disoriented. “What are you doing?” The words came out of her on a hiss despite the fact she was petrified of what his intentions were.

He tipped the bottle back and drank long and hard. He swayed again and had to place his hand on the wall to steady himself. His smile was lopsided but he didn’t make a move to come closer, just watched her with a menacing expression.

“You’re a pretty little thing, but certainly nothing like Macie.”

What in the hell was with everyone and Kristoff’s late wife? “I seem to get that a lot, but if you don’t mind I’ll let you get back to drinking.” Her false bravado had her feeling pride, but right before she got to the door Stephen’s meaty arm lashed out and stopped her, sending her strength fading.

“I don’t think so.” She took several steps back, trying to remember if there was another exit. This was going from bad to worse and she feared if she didn’t get out of this situation she was looking at a nightmare she couldn’t wake up from.

“What do you want?” Veronica looked around the room, hoping the only exit wasn’t the one Stephen currently blocked.
 

“You know, she was unhappy with him.” He took another swallow of liquor, “Every time I saw her she couldn’t keep her hands off me.” Stephen leaned against the wall, his eyes locked on hers. “I thought things were good, solid, but then she became secretive and I knew I wasn’t the only one that she cared for.” Veronica could see where this was going, could sense the churning rage that came from Stephen. She didn’t want to be on the receiving end of the wrath that was rising to the surface of the man in front of her.

“We had plans to run away together. It was just supposed to be us against the world. Who would have thought a lowly servant like me could steal the wife of the owner of one of the biggest and most prominent investment firms in the U.S.?” He chuckled and shook his head. His words were beyond slurred with each passing second. “I was flying high, had a beautiful woman that loved me and a child on the way.” His words stopped her cold. “That’s right, precious, Macie carried my baby…at least I thought it was.” He finished off the bottle and tossed it aside. The sound of glass breaking seemed so loud that she prayed like hell Kristoff heard, but deep in her heart she knew he wouldn’t, not when the walls were sound-proof and thicker than the eight-foot stone wall that surrounded their home.

“I found out she was seeing some rich asshole that ran in the same circles as Kristoff.” The words were spit from his mouth like acid. “I would have given her everything I had if she would have just loved me unconditionally.” His fist connected with the table and the picture frames that lined it fell to their sides. “
I
loved her unconditionally.” His words were deceptively low. It was then, when she looked down at his fists, she saw he held a small, square item in his hand. Veronica lifted her gaze to his and saw he too was staring at what he held.

“I can’t count how many times I’ve been in the room she shared with Kristoff,” his lips curled on the name, “looking at her picture and wishing I could turn back time.” When he brought his eyes to hers there was so much raw pain reflected outward that she stumbled back. He lifted what he held and her hand went to her mouth when she saw it was the photo of Macie that had been sitting on the bookshelf in their bedroom. “If she would have just stayed faithful things would have been so different.” A lone tear slipped down his cheek and he brushed it away angrily. “He robbed me of my future, they both did. Those men stole the love I had with her. Andre will get what’s coming to him soon enough, but I’m going to take from Kristoff what he now loves the most…You.”

Before she could respond he was in front of her, his hand wrapped tightly around her throat.
 
“If I couldn’t have her Andre and Kristoff wouldn’t either.” He pressed her against the windows and she clawed desperately at his hands. The air left her at a violent pace and stars danced in front of her vision.

Oh God, what was he saying? He killed Macie and now he was going to kill her?

“I didn’t have a choice.” He choked out the words, tears now falling freely from his eyes. He tightened his hold on her neck and her eyes rolled back in her head as darkness crept around the edges of her sight. “She was going to leave me for some dipshit with a bottomless wallet. That baby she carried could have been
Andre’s
!” He roared the name just as the darkness was about to claim her. In the next second the heavy weight around her neck was released and she sucked in great breaths of air. Her legs gave out and she fell to her knees, gasping for air as her vision slowly started to clear. Her head pounded and she was aware of the sound of flesh pounding against flesh and deep male grunts filling the room.

It took a great amount of strength to lift her head, but when she did a cry left her. Veronica blinked back the blurriness and focused on the scene before her. Kristoff held Stephen by the collar of his shirt, his fist flying into his face over and over again. Blood poured from every orifice on Stephen’s face, but in the next instant Stephen had the upper hand and threw Kristoff to the ground. The two grappled for dominance, their equally large bodies slamming into the furniture with enough force to echo through the room. The murderous look on Stephen’s face was downright evil in its intensity.

“You stole her from me.” Stephen threw his fist into Kristoff’s face. “She was mine. That baby was mine!” Stephen’s voice rose with each passing second until it was a crashing, living entity. “I’m going to make you watch as I squeeze the life out of the one you hold dear to your heart.” He hit Kristoff again and the two fought for supremacy. “You have no idea the pain that grips you when the woman your love is forced to sleep beside another man, kiss and touch someone that isn’t you.” Grunts sounded in the air and blood painted the floor. “I’m going to show you what that kind of pain is, though.”