Homewrecker Incorporated (22 page)

"So what's the deal with your necklace?" He pointed toward it with his fork before he took a bite of salad. "You always wear it."

My hand shot to it instinctually. I was surprised he'd noticed but he was right, I never took it off.

"It was a gift from my mother. The last one she gave me," I replied, letting my fingers slide over the delicate detail of the rectangular filigree locket. It looked like a typical pendant at first glance, but it slid apart to reveal three pieces, each with a tiny photograph tucked carefully inside. The front photograph, which faced toward my heart, was a picture of my mom on the day I was born. The next, which faced toward her, was of me, and the third was of Jessica, both taken while we were in Tuscany. When I was younger, I would open it often and stare at my mom's picture but in recent years, I'd allowed myself to open it only once a year on my birthday. It was an early birthday gift. When Mom gave it to me a few days before my birthday. She said it was because she wanted me to have it with me--to keep her in my thoughts while I was away at college.

"I'm sorry, I know you don't like to talk about your family."

"It's okay." I slid the panels of the locket between my fingers to open it. "This is a picture of her."

I turned the pendant around so he could see it but because of how small it was, or maybe just because he wanted to, he came and sat next to me on the seat to get a closer look. He took the pendant from me and studied my mom's picture before looking into my eyes.

"You look like her," he whispered so close his breath teased the skin of my face.

I wanted to kiss him so badly I could hardly stop myself, but I had to. I had to steer clear of the attraction I felt for him, so I thought of the one thing that could pull me from any other feeling.

"She committed suicide," I whispered so low it was barely audible. "Fourteen years ago," I continued. My voice sounded a bit stronger despite the tear that slid down my cheek. It'd been a long time ago but for some reason, I hadn't really been able to move on. I still felt the pain of her loss. Probably because I lost my father, and any chance I ever had of trusting a man, that day as well. Until Grey.

Grey didn't say anything; there was nothing to say. Instead, he pulled me into his arms and I buried my face against his chest and sobbed.

❖

On my way to pick up food on Friday for my third consecutive lunch with Grey, I thought about how strange it felt opening up to someone, about how something awful changes the dynamic of a relationship. Everything was just easier with him.

While the attraction between us simmered below the surface, waiting for a chance to ignite the flame once again, we both managed to stick to our agreement and remained strictly friends. He quickly became a very important part of my day, so much so I was sometimes able to forget it would have to end soon. 

Whenever I did let myself consider the impending end of our friendship, my chest tightened and my eyes stung, only a tiny preview of the pain I was going to feel when it actually happened. Somehow I ignored it all and decided to enjoy the time I did have with him. It wouldn't be long before Gregory would be spending a lot more time in the office, and with me.

He was leaving in the afternoon for the convention in Kentucky he and Gregory were attending over the weekend, so I'd volunteered to pick up lunch for the second day in a row.

"Have a nice day," the girl who'd put together my order said as I passed her the signed credit card slip and picked up my bag of food.

I was excited to get back and share a sampling of some of the best sushi in Chicago with Grey, knowing it was going to be three days until I saw him again.

"Cynthia? Fancy meeting you here," a voice I'd hoped to never hear again said from beside me, far too close for comfort. "Surprised to see me?"

"Wow, Eric. What are you doing here, in Chicago?" I asked, trying to hide the fear that was prickling all over my skin. Not only was I running into a former mark at home, but it had to be Eric Bennett, the only one whom I'd ever actually been afraid of. 

"I could ask you the same thing. One day we're having a good time and I tell you I'm falling for you, and the next you're gone, your phone is disconnected and I never hear from you again. I checked at your job, and they said you'd quit, didn't even leave a forwarding address for your last check."

I smiled, looking around casually for a way to escape--a cop nearby I could grab. But what could I say? Eric hadn't actually done anything to me, and they couldn't exactly arrest him because he gave me the creeps.

"I'm really sorry, Eric. I meant to call you, but things just got really crazy for me after the last time I saw you. I came back here for a family emergency, and I dropped my phone rushing through the airport. It got crushed under some big guy's shoe and I lost all my contacts. I ended up just taking on an extra line my sister already had on her plan instead of forking over the money for a new phone."

"Things got really crazy for me, too, Cynthia. I'm getting divorced--thought you might be interested to know that little tidbit--but I'm actually here to check out possible locations for a new hotel." His tone was calm, but there was something brewing behind his eyes I couldn't quite read.

"Wow, that's crazy. Are you okay?" I tried to sound concerned and surprised.

"I'm great. Why don't you give me your number and we can get together later, talk about everything in a more
private setting
?" he said, moving closer to me.

I pulled the bag of takeout in front of me to hold it with both hands as if it was getting too heavy for just one.

"Actually, why don't you give me yours? I left my phone back at my sister's place when I ran out to pick up lunch for us, and I don't have the number memorized yet. How long are you in town? I can give you a call tomorrow or maybe this weekend."

"Or I could just follow you to your sister's and then you can give me your number, too, and I'll know where to find you."

The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end.

"That's not a good idea; things are a mess there. Her husband had an accident and just came home from the hospital today." I prayed he would drop it.

"Fine." He pulled a pen and business card from his inside breast pocket and wrote his cell number on the back.

He stepped forward and slipped the card into the pocket of the fitted trousers I was wearing as he stared down into my eyes. His gaze then shifted to my lips. I smiled up at him, trying to muster every ounce of skill I had to maintain the act of a woman who was actually attracted to him while in reality his nearness made me want to vomit.

"I'm in town until Monday. Don't wait too long to call." He ran his fingertips down the side of my cheek.

"I won't. I'll be here helping my sister with the kids and taking care of the house for the next couple of weeks. Then I'm heading home to Kansas to visit some other family, but I'll be back in L.A. by the end of the month. I have a couple of auditions lined up." I backed away; thankful I still remembered the backstory I'd fed him. "I really need to go. My sister will start to worry, especially since she can't call to check on me."

Eric gave a single nod and stared at me until I turned and walked through the door. I could still feel his eyes on me as I walked down the sidewalk out of view from inside the restaurant. I'd walked from G&G, but I couldn't risk Eric following me, so I hurried around the block and hopped into a cab.

"Can you just drive around for a little while and then I'll give you the address?" I said to the driver.

He drove around downtown and along Lakeshore for about fifteen minutes while I watched the cars behind me, looking for Eric or any sign of someone following me. Finally, when I was confident we hadn't been followed, I directed the driver to G&G, gave him a big tip, and hustled into the building. When I was inside, I stood by the mirrored glass, watching again just to be sure I didn't have a tail before I ducked into the lobby restroom and dialed Grace on my cell.

My hand trembled as I raised the phone to my ear. Grace picked up on the third ring and she giggled before she said hello.

"Grace, holy fucking shit! He's here, in Chicago! He just tracked me down in a restaurant and told me he's getting divorced, and I'm fucking freaking out. How the fuck did this happen?" My voice shook.

She said something to someone. Her voice was muffled so I couldn't hear what exactly, but I heard the low tones of a man's voice respond.

"Okay, Claud, slow down. What the hell are you talking about? Who's in Chicago?"

"Eric Bennett!" I whispered loudly.

"Holy shit!" Grace responded. "Did he tell you why he's here?"

"He said he's in town scoping out a location for a new hotel, but he wants to see me and, Grace, something was off, more than before."

"Maybe it's time you tell me what really happened in L.A." 

Fuck. I'd just wanted to forget him and everything that happened between us. Now he was here in my hometown and there was no escaping the past.

"Yeah, okay. We'll talk tonight when I get home."

As soon as I ended the call, my phone vibrated in my hand.

Grey: Hey, what's taking so long? I'm starving here!

Me: In the lobby, be right up

I sat the bag of food and my purse on the counter. I needed to get myself together before I saw Grey, or he would know something was up. That was the last thing I needed.

❖

Grace wrapped her arms around me as soon as I stepped through the door.

"Jesus, Claud, are you all right?" She held on to my shoulders and looked into my face.

"I'm fine. Seeing Eric like that, here at home, just scared the shit out of me. What if I'd been with someone when he called me Cynthia--like Gregory," I said.
Or worse, Grey,
I thought.

"Just be happy you weren't."

She stepped away and passed me a glass of wine she had in her hand. I dropped my bags and followed her to the couch to sit.

"He said he's only here until Monday but if his company is building in Chicago, he'd be around for months."

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. Bridget can keep an eye on his company's website and their public filings so we'll know if and when the time comes," she said, taking a drink.

I stuck my nose in my glass of Cabernet, inhaling the deep scents of earth and chocolate before taking a long sip, preparing myself for what was next.

"Actually, I think I need something a bit stronger for this." I headed to the kitchen.

I returned with a bottle of bourbon in one hand and two glasses with ice in the other and sat back down next to Grace. She took one of the glasses before I opened the bottle and covered her ice with the dark amber liquid. I filled and emptied my own glass once before I started talking again.

"I assume Patty told you about the stuff on the tape: the ropes, the handcuffs, the floggers, all the kinky shit he was into," I said while Grace watched me with rapt attention. 

"Yes, she told me."

"For the record, none of that is really my thing, but I did whatever it took to get the job done. Anyway, does she also mention how the tape cuts off at the end while I'm still tied up?"

She nodded.

"It wasn't a glitch, I deleted the rest."

Grace's eyes were filled with concern as she shifted in her seat on the couch, but she stayed silent.

"After the parts Patty saw, he got really angry for absolutely no reason. He said I'd displeased him, so I needed to be punished. I played along at first, but then he put a ball gag in my mouth and I couldn't use my safe word and then he flogged me again--a lot harder. So hard that he drew blood. I tried to scream at first, but that only seemed to encourage him so I stayed silent while he kept going."

"Oh God," Grace said through the hand covering her mouth.

My eyes stung, but I refused to waste any tears on that piece of shit so I swallowed hard and continued.

"Then, just like that, he stopped, turned off the light, and walked out. He left me in there, alone in the dark, for what felt like hours. My arms were numb by the time he finally came back and untied me. When I was free he acted as if nothing happened, and I played along because I was terrified of what else he might do. Then he asked me if I wanted a drink, gave me my stuff, said he had an amazing time before he kissed me, and walked me to the door."

I poured myself another glass of bourbon.

"He called me several times the next day and left crazy messages about how he was falling in love with me, how he wanted to leave Alaina for me. I had to turn the phone off; it was insane. I even left the apartment and stayed in a hotel that night before I flew back here. I was certain he was going to show up looking for me."

"My God, Claudia. I had no idea. No wonder you were so scared today. Where did you run into him?"

"It was at that little sushi place I told you I liked--about five blocks from G&G. I was careful when I left. I took a cab and drove around for a while before I went back to the office. I'm sure no one followed me. Guess I won't be eating sushi for a while," I joked, trying to lighten the mood for my own sake.

"I know this isn't what you want to hear, but maybe you need to take a long weekend. I could call Janet for you on Monday, tell her you have the flu. Gregory is out of town until Tuesday anyway."