Lies Lovers Tell (9 page)

“Tell me, Sean,” she said as she reached for the stilettos she’d tossed aside upon entering the room. “All of this stuff that’s on your mind. Is it something…or
someone
?”

Sean’s private life in general, and Maya in particular, was none of Tangier’s business. He intended to keep it that way. Instead of answering her question, he suggested what he hoped was a peace offering—in light of the fact Tangier hadn’t gotten the “piece” she wanted. “I’ll upgrade your ticket for tomorrow’s flight to first class. That should help the jet lag a bit, huh?”

Sean’s avoiding Tangier’s question simply served to piss her off. “What will help the jeg lag is a few days in sunny L.A.; maybe a shopping spree on Rodeo Drive, a night of classical music at the Hollywood Bowl, and some delicious seafood at an upscale restaurant.” Tangier reached for her purse and stood. “Since it’s clear that I’m of no use to you, I’ll just have to find other ways to spend my time here.”

“Don’t do this, Tangier.”

“Do what? Enjoy L.A.?”

“Stay where you’re not…where I’m not able to be with you as I’d like. This case is complicated. But if there’s any chance at all of us being together when it’s over, it starts with your being on that plane tomorrow.”

“And if there’s any chance for me to believe that statement, you’ll fuck my ever-loving brains out tonight.”

Sean sighed. There was no way he could be with Tangier; at this point he didn’t think he could get it up if he tried. He admitted a difficult truth—the only woman he and obviously his body wanted was Maya.

“I’ve told you already, I will not be distracted. Making love sounds wonderful but not here, not now.”
And not with you.
He walked over to Tangier and offered a light hug. “Wait now, better later?”

“I’m going against every instinct I’ve ever employed where men are concerned,” she said, a slight smile playing across her lips. “But I’ll take you up on your offer for that first class ticket. The faster I get home, the faster I can start preparing for you to come back there.” She hugged him tightly and forced his lips apart for a kiss. And then she was gone.

After closing it, Sean leaned against the door. His friend with benefits of the last two years had broken a cardinal rule; she’d come into his professional territory uninvited. Continued actions such as those could effectively close the door on their relationship. And as much as it pained him to consider, if he found out Maya had used him, he’d close the door on her, too.

“I want him out of B&A, out of L.A., and out of my life!” After railing nonstop about Sean to Trish, Maya felt no better than she did when she’d barged into her best friend’s home more than an hour ago. She’d already worked through hurt and confusion and was now spending time on anger.

“How could I have been so stupid? It’s obvious he was just using me to get to Zeke! All this time I thought we had something special. Ha! Well, I just saw his ‘special’ tonguing him in the hotel lobby!”

Trish had racked up a few dating doozies in her life, but she had to admit this scenario was crazy even by her standards. Knowing that Maya’s immense anger came from her deep feelings for Sean, she tried to go easy.

“I don’t know what to tell you, girl. It does look bad. But maybe you should at least talk to him, get his version of what’s going on, and who the woman is. Maybe she’s just someone he knows from back in the day.”

“Do you really think so, Trish?” Maya desperately wanted to believe that once she and Sean had a chance to lay all the cards on the table, to talk everything through, the fire they’d shared would still be burning. Hopefully when this charade was over and the Angel’s Way project was theirs, she’d be finished with her financial commitment to Zeke Brennan and could get back to being her true self…no more lies.

“Are you hungry?” Trish asked. “I’m getting ready to heat up some leftover casserole, or we can go out if you want.”

“Thanks, Trish, but I don’t have an appetite. Besides, your girl wouldn’t be good company. I think I just need to go home and try to figure out my life, untangle this Martha, Macy mess, and get back to just being Maya Jamison, executive assistant to Zeke Brennan with B&A.”

“Okay, but if you need some help with your multiple personalities, let me know!”

Maya knew Trish was trying to lighten the moment. She attempted a smile but failed miserably. “I’ll call you tomorrow.” And then realizing she’d spent the entire visit focused on herself, she added, “Oh, by the way, how are you and Tony doing?”

“Right now, not good.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing except I haven’t heard from him in two days. We normally talk every day, sometimes several times a day.”

“It sounds like you really like him.”

“He’s a little thugalicious but I’m hanging tough! Maybe I can love the thug out of him, you know?”

“You sure you want to?” Maya knew Trish liked to ride on the wild side.

“No, but that sounded good, huh?”

This time, Maya’s smile was genuine. But it was short-lived. She was physically, spiritually, and emotionally exhausted. All she wanted to do was sleep. Once she arrived home she methodically fed Lucky, walked into her bedroom, removed her clothes and headed straight for a hot shower. Just before she turned the water on, her home phone rang. Her heart sank as soon as she heard the recorder announcing a collect call. It could only mean one thing: Stretch was in trouble. She rushed to pick up before the call disconnected.

“Yes,” she said in answer to whether or not she’d accept the charges. She wearily sank down on her bed and wrapped the cover around her naked body.

“Hey, sis.” Stretch’s voice was low and tentative. “I didn’t do nothing, this time. I swear, Maya, I didn’t do nothing!”

“What happened, Malcolm?” Maya called Stretch by his real name when things got serious.

Stretch shared with Maya how he’d been busted for consorting with a known felon, an act that violated the terms of his probation. That this felon was his first cousin and best friend from the day they were born didn’t matter to the law.

“If y’all weren’t doing anything, how’d you get arrested?”

“We got a DWB…Driving While Black. Cops pulled us over and said they smelled weed. We didn’t have anything on us, but they took me down anyway. You gotta get me out, sis. I can’t take this shit!”

“Well, neither can I, Malcolm! I’ve been bailing you out of one scrape after another since I can remember. And I’m sick of it! You think you’re the only one with problems? Well, you’re not. I’ve got my own problems right now, little brother. You need to call your attorney, somebody who can help you.”

Stretch was stunned. Maya had never talked to him like this before. His concern immediately switched from himself to her. “What’s up, sis? What’s the matter?”

Maya sighed. “I’ve just got a lot going on with the job right now. I’m stressed out. And I can’t keep fighting your battles, Malcolm. I’m tired. Talk to your attorney and see if he can get you out on your own recognizance. I don’t have a lot of free money right now. You might have to sit there for a minute, and take that time to figure what you want out of life.”

“I probably just need five thousand, Maya. You’ll get it back, I promise.”

It was all too much. Her career was clandestine crazy, she’d just caught her man in a hotel with someone else, and now her one and only close relative in the world was calling her from jail. Maya, usually the strong, stoic one, broke down.

“It’s okay, sis, look, don’t sweat it. I’ll call my attorney tomorrow and see if he can get me out. This is bullshit anyway, Maya. I’m telling you, I didn’t do nothing. Stop crying, My-My,” Stretch whispered, calling Maya by her childhood pet name. “It’s going to be all right. I’ll probably be out by tomorrow. Then I’ll come over and find out what’s making my sister cry.”

They talked for a couple more minutes and after she’d hung up, Maya didn’t even have the energy for a shower. She curled up under the cover, in the fetal position, and grieved the mother she had lost three years ago, the father she never knew, the brother who couldn’t seem to get it right, and most of all, Sean Wynn, her Mr. Right. She just hoped he didn’t turn out to be Mr. Wrong.

After a fitful night’s sleep, Maya got up, showered, and was in her office by seven thirty. She had made a crucial decision in the predawn hours. It was time to get her life back, starting today. She was surprised to see Jade also there and stunned that Zeke too was in his office. What was going on?

Something was definitely up; Jade usually showed up at nine and left promptly at six and Zeke was known for burning the midnight oil, not being an early riser. Not wanting to appear insecure or anxious, Maya decided to go through her mail, e-mails, and in-box before approaching Zeke. While he had been reassuring in guaranteeing her job security, Maya wasn’t taking any chances. She had to make sure nothing important slipped through the cracks while she was out of the office, pushing a mop.

Maya hoped this was the day that marked the end of Martha Jones. There were only a couple of days until she would have finished anyway. She would find another way to retrieve documents or information that could verify Sam’s identity, but after seeing Sean in his bed, she no longer felt comfortable being in his house. What would happen if Sean showed up there again, especially since he knew the real deal? Now that she thought about it, she figured Sam might know the real deal by now as well. Somebody close enough to sleep in his bed probably wouldn’t keep something like that a secret.

A slew of e-mails kept her mind occupied for the most part, but every now and then memories of her ardent lover crept into her thoughts: his smile, cleft chin, dimples, love. Her heart ached to be held by him again, and she willed time to race toward that moment. A few more days, a few more answers, her debts paid and then…just maybe…lasting love.

With urgent e-mails answered, mail opened, and in-box organized, Maya had one more thing to do before she went into Zeke’s office—call Ester. She looked at her watch and, seeing it was nine o’clock, dialed the operator.

“Good morning,” Ester answered cheerfully yet in a low voice. “I’m glad you came in today. I was going to call you if you didn’t.”

“Why, what’s up?”

“I don’t know the whole 411 but I know it involves the Rosenthal Group, Angel’s Way, and Jade all up in the mix. She’s been coming in early every day this week, acting like the office diva and meeting with Mr. Brennan. He’s getting her a secretary or research clerk or some mess. Watch your back, girl.”

Before Maya could respond, her other line beeped. Zeke. “Thanks for the heads-up,” she said quickly. “Gotta go.” She pushed the button to a second phone line. “Good morning, Zeke.”

“Good morning, Maya. I need you in my office for a meeting.”

“I’ll be right there.”

Maya grabbed the small laptop she used to record notes and headed for Zeke’s office. Thanks to Ester’s heads-up and her own intuition, she wasn’t surprised to see Jade sitting at the conference table. A couple of company directors were also there.

Zeke walked over to the table and, after sitting down, began without preamble. “Rosenthal continues to try and sabotage our chances to procure the Angel’s Way project. I’m sure all of you know I’m not going to allow that to happen. Chris, I want you to rework our numbers. Alex, go over the building designs and double-check that they’re environmentally friendly. Along with our numbers, attention to that detail with everyone going green will give us an advantage.”

After giving directives to the remaining departments and requesting additional environmental research from Maya, Zeke turned to Jade. “Get a copy of the statistical report you put together for these guys, Chris and Alex. In fact, I’d like all the directors to have it. Jade’s work is impressive,” he said to the group. “The information she assembled should make some of your job easier.”

Maya watched Jade covertly as she recorded the meeting. She was surprised at the envy that arose as Jade virtually preened in front of the men. The reaction surprised her; Maya was a strong, confident woman who was usually nonplussed at the various antics she saw taking place on the regular in corporate America. She knew all about Jade’s attempt to usurp her position as Zeke’s assistant. Where was this jealous streak coming from? Maya wondered.

It didn’t go without Maya’s notice that when Zeke dismissed the meeting, he did not ask her to stay behind as he often did. Instead, it was Jade who remained seated. Still, Maya played it cool. She’d get her chance to find out exactly what was going on from Zeke himself, and didn’t intend to leave the office until she did.

Eight hours flew by before Maya knew it. Her growling stomach reminded her she hadn’t even stopped for lunch. She felt good, though; even with her absence from the office, everything on her desk was in order and to top it off, one of the agents had alerted her to a possible B&A sale in swanky Santa Monica, one initiated by a lead she’d discovered and passed on. Not only would her part of the commission be a welcome bonus to her bank account, but it would place her one step closer to financial freedom. In fact, Maya believed she could close the deal herself, and would love to do so. It was time to put her real estate license to use.

Maya stood, stretched, and walked over to look out her skyscraper window. It was a perfect August day and though her view was unobstructed externally, Sean’s face provided an internal block. Try as she might, she couldn’t keep her mind off him for long. Whenever she finished a report, a phone call, a memo or message, Sean Wynn would rush to the forefront of her mind. If his face didn’t appear, then Stretch’s would. Thinking about either of them gave her a headache.

She sat down at her desk and reached inside the top drawer for the aspirin inside. Laying her head against the chair’s cool leather material for a moment and closing her eyes, Maya redirected her thoughts to the end-of-the-day visit she planned to Zeke’s office. Was now the right time to ask to be released from her Martha Jones duties? Should she worry about Jade’s seemingly growing importance with Angel’s Way? And just how much should she share with him about her relationship with Sean?

There was only one way to find out. Maya placed her stocking feet back into the Prada pumps that had rested under her desk for most of the afternoon. She stood, finished drinking the water in the glass on her desk, picked up a couple of folders, and headed for Zeke’s office. Usually she’d call first but she’d already checked his calendar and seen there were no meetings scheduled—he should be free. Things in the office became more casual after five, and Maya often poked her head in Zeke’s door for a last-minute check-in before going home. That her job status was shaky, her nerves were on end, and her head was pounding like a bass drum was no reason for her to alter her behavior. She was trying to get her life back to some semblance of normal; conducting business as usual was a first step.

Maya tapped lightly on Zeke’s closed door. When there was no answer, she opened the door gently and peeked inside. He wasn’t sitting in the area just inside the door, as he often did as he unwound from the day, so she entered the room, closed the door, and headed around the corner to the more official desk area and conference room. A quick scan of his desk showed that Zeke hadn’t left for the day; his partially opened briefcase lay near the corner of the desk and his BlackBerry was blinking missed calls and/or messages. He was probably in one of the agents’ offices. Ester would know; it seemed that woman knew everything. Maya decided that instead of using Zeke’s phone, she would return to her desk and call. There might be some updated Jade info Ester had to share.

Just as Maya turned to leave, she noticed a platter of pastries on Zeke’s credenza. Her stomach growled its pleasure and without hesitation, Maya walked over to the table to snatch a buttery blueberry croissant. She bit into her favorite flavor with relish and turned to leave. A soft tinkle of laughter stopped her cold. Maya turned in the direction of the sound.

Zeke had a small, private room just beyond the conference room, one he often used when pulling twelve-plus-hour days at the office. Who could be in there, one of his mistresses? That he dallied from time to time was a not-too-well-kept secret. But Maya hadn’t known him to entertain them in his office.

Maya silently retraced her steps, just in case she’d missed seeing Mrs. Brennan’s purse lying around. Although it was not impossible, Zeke’s wife rarely put in an office appearance. But considering Zeke’s long hours recently, maybe his wife had decided to surprise him with dinner and then be dessert. Maya did a quick walkaround. There was no evidence that Mrs. Brennan was the owner of the giggle.

Pondering her options, Maya slowly inched toward the door to Zeke’s private domain. It would be locked of course; that’s if Zeke had any sense at all. But then again, from the sound of things, it might be Zeke’s lower instead of upper head in control right now. Maya reached for the knob and turned it. The door was not locked.

Still, Maya pondered what to do. Zeke would not like being interrupted, much less busted. Would she be reprimanded for coming into his office without an invite? Mere weeks ago this wouldn’t have even been a question, but the playing field looked much different now. The easiest thing would be to walk away, forget what she heard, go home, and see about her brother. Here she was worrying about who her boss might be screwing while Stretch languished in jail!
By his own doing
, her inner voice reminded her. Maya pushed the guilt away.

She reached for the knob again. At least whatever happened from what she was about to do would not involve jail time. Short of that, there was no other reason not to feed her curiosity about who was with Zeke.

Maya inched the door open, stopped, listened. Nothing. She cracked it open just enough to peek inside. The couch and recliner were empty. She opened the door farther and stuck her head inside the room. Silence. Maya frowned. There were only two places Zeke and whoever was with him could be, the bathroom or the walk-in closet. Now the risk increased. Once Maya stepped into the room, her chances of exposure were just as high as Zeke’s. Even now, if he came around the corner, she’d be busted.

Heart pounding, Maya stepped inside. The room was fairly dark, lit only by a dimmed lamp in the room’s far corner. She looked down the hallway. A sliver of light came from the bathroom, which was across from the walk-in closet.

Maya took two steps, stopped, then took two more. She could hear it now, the low, sure sound of moaning and groaning, the kinds of sounds that accompanied sexual intercourse. She slid along the wall to the adjacent doors. The sound of moaning was louder now, coming through the bathroom door, which was ajar.

Maya remembered there was a medium-sized vanity area by the sauna stall, with the main bathroom area with tub and stool farther back. If Zeke was back there, the game would be over. No way was she going to actually go into the bathroom. She strained her neck to see through the small slit in the door without opening it farther.
Shoot, I wish I knew where they were!
She had to chance it. Using just her index finger, she pushed the door ever so slightly. It opened barely a half inch more. But that was enough. Enough for her to see the mirror that was across from the bench where one could towel off after being in the sauna. Zeke was on that bench, shirt open, pants down. His head was thrown back, mouth open, eyes closed. Jade knelt in front of him, providing skilled oral action as if his member were a hot dog and her mouth the bun. Her long dark hair swung back and forth as her head bobbed up and down. Zeke locked his hands into Jade’s hair, twisting some of it around his hands while pushing himself farther and farther inside her mouth. Then Jade rose, hiked up her skirt, and sat down on Zeke’s hardened shaft. Soon Jade’s murmurs joined Zeke’s. Maya had seen more than enough.

Back in her office, Maya quickly gathered her briefcase, laptop, and purse. She’d have to endure being Martha for at least one more day and for once the cover would work to her advantage. She needed time to regroup because knowing Jade had taken the sex bait Maya had rejected just upped the ante. Jade now had a different type of access to Zeke and Maya needed to adjust her strategy accordingly. She needed to move up the time table toward establishing her own business, and to do that she needed one, to be a pivotal player in the Angel’s Way deal, two, to find a successful end to the Sam Walters job, three, pay back her debt to Zeke Brennan and four…she needed Sean.