Everything You Want: Everything For You Trilogy 2 (35 page)

Hers clothes look horribly familiar and my heart sinks. They’re of the same style of designer couture that Jack purchased to update my own professional image. Did he buy her similar clothes? Or was she the impeccable model on which he based his choices for me? I can’t bear to get lost any deeper inside this maze of foreboding but I feel less powerful in my business suit than I did ten minutes before.

“This is rather unexpected.” I have no intention of making small talk about her visit being any sort of pleasure. Neither of us is prepared to pretend that we like the other.

“It’s a surprise,” she says.

“Well you certainly surprised me. I didn’t think we had anything more to say to each other, Amanda.” Anything pleasant that is.

She knows Jack has been spending his personal time with me. I’ve stomped all over her territory to mark mine. She can’t pretend by now it doesn’t include sex. And lots of it. Kinky sex on kitchen counters too. The rising thought that Jack possibly has had kinky sex with Amanda on his kitchen counter is truly nauseating.

“My visit is about Jack.”

“Naturally.” We get straight to the matter in hand. I take a deep breath as I’d forgotten to breathe which is the first sign of a panic attack. I mustn’t show any weakness in front of her. “What about him?”

“Don’t you know what Saturday is?” She’s cool and collected. I’ll give her that.

“The start of the weekend?” A weekend Jack plans to spend entirely with me.

She laughs her irritating, high-pitched little trill. I’m certain it’s not at my feeble attempt at a joke. It’s about me not knowing something she so obviously does.

“Try again.” All pretence of humour evaporates. She really wants to see me squirm.

I run the date through my mind and it comes to me in a flash. “Jack’s birthday!” How could I have forgotten? The last birthday I ever spent with him I gave him the eternal knot cuff-links. The ones he kept and wore on our very first date just a couple of weeks ago – and when did I start referring to it as a date? It was a deal. Amanda has had every birthday with Jack since then. Four years of them. Of course she would remember.

“Jack’s. Birthday.” She repeats the words with a sneer in her voice.

It doesn’t go anywhere near explaining why she’s here. Is she going to ask me to do the decent thing and give him the best gift of all? His freedom.

“What of it?” My heart pounds in a doom-laden beat.

“Advance has arranged a celebration. We’re hosting a dinner for two hundred and fifty guests at Claridge’s. A little surprise thank you for the opportunity to bid for Zee-Com’s business.”

That’s playing dirty. I can’t afford to compete with that sort of corporate entertaining. “You won’t buy his favour, you know.”

“Oh, child, you’re so completely naïve. But I’m not here to discuss business practices or their merits. Will you help or won’t you?”

That stuns me. “What sort of help are you expecting?” I have no intention of helping Advance or Amanda in their scheming little plans. Why on Earth would I?

“As I said it’s a surprise. Jack has absolutely no idea.”

“Aren’t you worried I’ll spoil your plans and tell him?” I arch my eyebrow at her.

“You’re not that petty.” It’s the closest thing she’s ever come to a compliment. “Besides, do you really want to let Jack see you’re the one who’s spiteful enough to ruin his special day? What would he make of you then?” She manages to look coolly disinterested and completely hateful all at the same time. It’s a neat trick.

She has me there. She knows I wouldn’t do that to him. “I still don’t see what you need to speak to me about. Do you want a contribution?”

Her shrill laughter knifes through me setting my teeth on edge. “Silly child. Advance could buy you out ten times over. We probably will when we secure Jack’s account.” She glares at me.

“Don’t be so sure about that.” I glare back.

“Of course we will. Did you think letting him use your tight little body for a few cheap thrills will make him hand over such an important part of his business? Then you don’t know him at all, in any way that counts.”

And doesn’t that thought play right to my terrified moment of truth. I wrestle back the persistent doubts and fears.

“Are you speaking from experience? Now he no longer wants you.” We’ve resorted to sniping at each other across the barricades. I knew the glass-thin truce wouldn’t last long.

“You may have him for now. I’m far too busy professionally to service his needs, but he’s only on loan. He’s using you because you can’t say no. He’ll always come back to me.”

I think the bolt just pierced my heart. She sounds so convinced. So confident. I mustn’t let her poison get inside my head. “Is that all you came to tell me?”

Her expression is pure scorn. “Will you help or won’t you?”

I gather together everything he’s taught me. “What exactly do you want from me?”

She taps her purple manicured fingernail on the surface of my desk until I want to whack the irritating little digit with the sharp edge of a ruler. I hold my nerve and wait.

“As it’s a surprise...” She speaks to me like she’s trying to teach a cow calculus. “...we need him out of the way until the very last minute. Important professional acquaintances, close friends and colleagues will be invited so he mustn’t attempt to go into work that day. Do you think you can keep him otherwise occupied?” She makes it sound very clear that I’m none of the above but a useful little distraction of a slut, nonetheless.

“I could.” He’s taking me up the Thames on his boat on Saturday. We’re leaving early and will presumably be gone for most of the day.

“Will you?”

I get the distinct internal warning I’m damned if I do and I’m damned if I don’t. Yet Amanda is right. I’m not so petty I would ruin Jack’s special day. I take a very deep breath. “Yes, Amanda, I’ll do it. For Jack.” I want us both to be very clear about that.

“Good.”

“How will you get him to Claridge’s?” In a moment of triumph I wonder how she’s going to manage that without inviting me.

“You come in handy for that, too.”

“Oh?” I want to hear this. She hasn’t told me anything yet that would make me unduly suspicious but I simply don’t trust the woman.

“If everyone he knows is already at the dinner waiting, there’s only one way to get him to appear. You must make an excuse to leave him a couple of hours before. He mustn’t suspect anything, mind you.”

“Go on.” This could be more difficult than she imagines. Jack hates me out of his sight these days unless he knows exactly where I am and who I’m with. Not that I’m telling Amanda that.

“After you leave, someone can phone and tell him you’ve had a little trouble.” She sees how uncertain I look at the prospect. “Don’t worry, it’ll be something simple like you’ve lost your purse and can’t get a taxi home. We don’t want the man having a heart attack. He’ll simply come to your rescue at Claridge’s. Where he gets the surprise of his life.” Her frozen face doesn’t match the pleasant nature of the event but I put that down to her having to involve someone she hates. Me.

“Is that all?” I’m being sarcastic. It may sound simple in theory but Jack sees through me too easily to let me just disappear on him for a couple of hours. I’ll have to be very inventive.

“Nearly. Of course, you’re invited too.” Her chill voice fails to hide its begrudging tone.

“Of course.” I’ve had warmer invitations.

“You’ll have to sneak out a cocktail dress for yourself and black tie for Jack to change into. We don’t want to embarrass the man.”

“Couldn’t you have given me a little more notice?”

“How much notice do you need to grab an outfit and take a taxi?” Somehow she manages to make me feel incompetent.

I reassure myself by thinking it’s easy to be devious when you’ve had as much practice as she has. I’m still not certain why Amanda hasn’t devised a way that excludes me, beyond knowing he spends all his time lately with me. I try to consider any angle she may be working especially as she and Brent are now in cahoots to bring me down. But I suppose if I keep my wits about me there’s nothing particularly dangerous in any of it. She may despise me but she’d never do anything to hurt or disillusion Jack about her loyalty to him.

“Okay. What time do you need me to get him there?”

“Eight thirty should be perfect. All the guests will be in place by then.”

“I’ll leave Belvedere around six. That will give plenty of time to send him a distress call and get him there in time to change.”

“I knew I could count on you.”

Her statement makes me feel very uncomfortable. I can’t help thinking she’s up to something. “Keep Ben Gunn away from me. If you’re planning anything like last time, I’ll rip your cold heart out.” I just wanted to get that out in the open as I stand, ending this awkward interview.

“Gunn was your mess, not mine.” She’s not in the least intimidated. She stands too. “Besides, I haven’t got a heart. You should know that by now. This is all for Jack’s sake. I give you my word on that.”

I don’t trust her word. But I do want Jack to be happy and I won’t be the one to stand in the way of a special night with his friends. I’m really not that selfish.

“Until Saturday, Ms Caid.”

“Ms Devereaux.”

She trips out on her stilettos, ignoring Libby on her way through the door.

Libby rushes straight in when she’s gone. “What was that all about?” she scans the room and grins. “I don’t see feathers on the carpet. No blood up the walls.”

I collapse in my seat and sigh. “Relatively civilised actually.” I tell her the story.

She looks a little dubious. “Are you sure you can trust her?”

“Not in the slightest. But I’ll have my eyes wide open. After last time there’s not much worse she can do to me in public without alerting Jack.”

* * *

Jack and I travel home together in the Bentley on Friday evening, the way we have all week.

“How was your day?” Jack’s enquiry is casual but I’m immediately on alert.

“You don’t usually ask me that.”

A faint smile tugs at the edges of his lips. “Are you being evasive?”

“Why would I need to be evasive?” Of course I am. I can hardly tell him about Amanda’s unexpected visit, her request or her plans for his birthday. Yet his question makes me suspicious. Nothing much gets past the man. Does he already have some suspicions of his own? Is it wise to lie to him?

“Can’t you answer a simple question?” His Arctic eyes pierce mine. It only takes a second for the intensity to peak. He unsettles me so easily.

I’d like nothing more than to get it all off my chest but how can I? If he doesn’t know about Amanda’s birthday plans or only suspects them, I can’t be the one to spoil his surprise. I’m no good at keeping secrets at the best of times but I find it particularly hard to keep anything from Jack. I feel completely transparent when he looks at me, so much so I’m truly amazed he hasn’t worked out already, I’m in love with him. I grasp at a swift diversion.

“I’m making big changes at work, that’s all.” I wait. Best not to give too much away.

“What sort of changes?” He sits forwards, genuinely interested.

“It’s no secret.” Blast. The secrets on my mind seem to want to come right out my mouth. My skin flares so I turn to look out of the window. “Traffic’s heavy tonight.”

He sees through the tactic. “Secret?” Jack appears more amused than ever.

I launch into an explanation of the new structure I’m planning at CaidCo but I keep Brent and his evil intentions out of it. I don’t want Jack even thinking of going in there on Monday and tackling him. I remember how he was with Luc. I don’t want to be drawn into any reference to Amanda’s visit either. I figure if I keep talking he won’t ask me awkward questions.

By the time we reach Belvedere, he looks like he’s sorry he asked. I’ve hardly stopped to draw breath.

As we ride up in the elevator I turn to face him; too curious for my own good. “How come you’ve never asked me about work before?”

“There, you make all the decisions. You’re the boss. Just like I’m boss at Zee-Com. And Belvedere.” He shoots out of the lift with a grin on his face leaving me stunned in his wake at the sheer arrogance and assumption he’s the boss of me in private. Even if it is practically true.

“Only because I let you,” I yell pathetically to his retreating back.

He’s waiting for me behind the bedroom door where he grabs me and captures me in his arms. He tosses my bag to the floor, struggles to kiss me, hold me tight and remove my jacket and skirt all at the same time.

I want to challenge him about Amanda’s professional outfits being so much like mine but I must pick my moments. For more reasons than one. He pulls me down onto the bed with him.

“I need to shower first, Jack. I’m all hot and sticky.”

“Mmm. Hot.” He kisses me again. “Sticky,” he murmurs between nuzzling my lips, undoing the knot on his tie with one hand and shucking his jacket from his shoulders.

“Shower?” I remind him.

He pauses and looks at me like I’m trying to spoil his fun. He stands, pulling me to my feet, nudging me into the bathroom in front of him. “Let’s kill two birds with one stone then. It’s clear who’s really boss around here.”