The Naked Truth (21 page)
Authors: Natasha Rostova
A hint of guilt flashed in Callie’s eyes. ‘I know, I suppose I should have told him something,’ she muttered. ‘But you don’t know Logan.’
‘Yes I do!’ Adam said emphatically. ‘He wouldn’t let me keep my eyebrow ring.’
‘Your eyebrow ring?’
Adam waved his hand in the air. ‘It’s just an example. I meant that I know how very domineering and aggressive he can be.’
‘Yes, well, until he figures some things out, our relationship doesn’t stand a chance.’ Callie looked saddened by the thought.
‘What is it he needs to figure out?’ Adam had already decided that he liked Callie Waterford a great deal. Even after this one conversation, he could see how she and Logan would argue about any number of things. But as kind as Callie appeared to be, Adam knew she would meet Logan head on if she had to.
‘He needs to understand what makes a marriage work, for starters,’ Callie said.
‘How long have you been married to him?’
‘Three years. I’m not even sure why we got married in the first place. We’re completely different in personality. He’s . . . well, you know how he is.’
‘And how are you?’ Adam asked.
Callie considered the question. ‘I don’t know,’ she finally said. ‘I’m more relaxed and certainly more tolerant. I grew up in very working-class household, though, so I’ve learned to appreciate everything. Well, almost everything.’
‘Maybe the problem was that Logan didn’t appreciate you,’ Adam said gently.
Callie looked at him and smiled. She had a perfectly lovely smile that made her eyes light up and her features relax. ‘Thanks, Adam. But given Logan’s recent behaviour, I suspect he has no intentions of even thinking about our relationship, let alone appreciating me.’
‘I’m sorry.’
She nodded. ‘So am I. I just wish he knew how . . .’ Her voice trailed off and she shrugged.
‘How to do what?’ Adam prompted.
‘How to feel. How to unbend a little.’ She smiled slightly. ‘Or, in his case, how to unbend a lot. I think that’s the main reason our marriage is in such trouble. He never even wanted to talk about things.’
‘Well,’ Adam said, coming to a realisation of his own. ‘It seems to me that if things don’t work out, then it would be his loss.’
Chapter Ten
L
ogan picked up the ringing telephone. ‘Logan Waterford.’
ogan picked up the ringing telephone. ‘Logan Waterford.’
‘Sugar, it’s Gloria.’
‘Gloria.’ Logan sighed and clicked off his computer. He’d completely forgotten to call her about Callie.
‘I’m sorry I haven’t been in touch, but I went to New York for awhile,’ Gloria said. ‘Bloomingdale’s was having the most marvellous sale. Although I was a bit disappointed to discover that you hadn’t tried to contact me at all during my absence.’
‘I’m sorry, Gloria,’ Logan replied. ‘I’ve been swamped with a court case and other things. I meant to call and tell you that I found Callie.’
‘You did? Where is she?’
‘She’s living and working at a shop in City Market,’ Logan said. ‘It’s called Nebula Arcana.’
‘You’re joking. She’s living in a shop?’
‘In a flat above the shop.’
‘Have you seen her?’
‘Yes, a couple of times.’
‘And she’s coming back to you, I hope.’
Logan’s fist tightened on the receiver. ‘I haven’t been able to convince her to, no.’
‘This is completely absurd!’ Gloria said in outrage. ‘I’m going to talk to her myself, Logan. This has gone far enough. It’s about time she came to her senses.’
‘Her senses appear to have deserted her completely,’ Logan replied dryly. He remembered seeing her outside of the home of the voodoo priestess. The whole concept of voodoo didn’t shock him so much as the knowledge that Callie was becoming involved with it, since that meant she must be getting very desperate. Logan himself had even gone so far as to consult a psychic years ago when he’d been entrenched so deeply in a black hole that he hadn’t foreseen any way out. Unfortunately, neither had the psychic.
‘Isn’t she thinking about our reputations?’ Gloria snapped, breaking Logan out of his thoughts. ‘The women at the Ladies Guild are already talking. Heaven only knows what kind of rumours they’re starting.’
Logan glanced at his watch and stood up. ‘Gloria, I have to go. I have an appointment in half an hour.’
‘All right. Can I bring you dinner tonight?’
‘No, I won’t be here.’
‘I’m going to talk to Callie myself tomorrow,’ Gloria assured him. ‘Don’t fret, sugar. She’ll come home soon.’
Damn right she will, Logan thought. He hung up the telephone and pulled on his suit jacket. He was dreading this meeting with the Lawrences. He wanted to get it over with as quickly as possible.
After parking on River Street, Logan pressed the entry buzzer of the five-storey building. The oak-and-glass door opened automatically. He stepped into the elegant, lobby. Two chandeliers cast moving patterns of light on the forest-green carpet. A chubby, uniformed man was sitting at a carved, wooden desk near a row of pigeonholes. He looked up from his newspaper at the sound of Logan’s entry.
‘May I help you, sir?’
‘Yes. I’m here to see the Lawrences. They should be expecting me. Logan Waterford.’
‘One moment, please, Mr Waterford.’ He picked up the receiver of a telephone and punched in several numbers, then spoke in a low whisper. After placing the receiver back into the cradle, he nodded at Logan. ‘Mrs Lawrence says you may go up.’
‘Thank you.’ Tightening his hand on his briefcase, Logan walked to the lift and pressed the button.
‘Top floor,’ the doorman called out unnecessarily. ‘Penthouse suite.’
Nerves knotted in Logan’s stomach as the lift began its ascent. Every single muscle in his body felt tight, but he refused to betray the slightest sense of anxiety. Not with Elenore and Gerald Lawrence. Not with anyone. He rang the bell of the penthouse and waited.
‘Mr Waterford?’ A young woman in a maid’s outfit opened the door. ‘Please come in.’
‘Thank you.’
She ushered him inside. The marbled hall led to a sunken drawing room appointed with Victorian elegance. Floral prints hung on the walls, and fresh flowers bloomed from crystal vases. Sepia-toned photographs rested on the tables and the marble mantel of the fireplace. Logan walked to the windows, which opened to a magnificent view of the Savannah River and surrounding wetlands.
‘May I bring you some coffee or tea?’ the maid asked.
‘No, thank you. I won’t be staying long.’
‘Mrs Lawrence will be with you shortly.’
Wasn’t that just like Elenore, Logan thought. Making him wait gave her some sort of advantage.
‘Logan, darling.’
To Logan’s ears, the silky, southern voice sounded like fingernails raking across a blackboard. He turned and watched her enter the room, assessing the changes that fifteen years had wrought. She was a tall woman, clothed in a filmy, white garment that consisted of a gown and a transparent robe that billowed behind her like a cloud. Her dark hair was pulled into a chignon, emphasising the aristocratic lines of her face and her kohl-lined, dark eyes. Two silver streaks of grey hair swept back from her temples. Lines radiated from the corners of her eyes and bracketed her reddened lips, but her skin was smooth and supple. She looked older, of course, but she was still a striking woman. Logan calculated that she was almost sixty now.
She smiled. ‘Well, my goodness, look at you. Don’t you look wonderful? The boy has become quite a man. The years have done you great justice.’
She approached him and reached up to kiss his cheek. A waft of her sweet perfume made Logan feel sick.
‘Hello, Elenore,’ he said. ‘Where’s Gerald?’
Elenore pulled away from him as her lavender-tipped hand went to her chest. ‘You didn’t hear? He died five years ago of a heart attack. I still miss him rather desperately.’
Logan’s first reaction was one of relief that he wouldn’t have the old bastard to deal with, but he forced himself to say that he was sorry.
‘Thank you.’ Elenore waved towards a chair. ‘Please, sit down. I asked Julie to bring us some tea.’
‘I don’t have time for tea,’ Logan replied shortly. ‘What is it you want, Elenore?’
‘Still getting right to the point, I see,’ Elenore replied. She sat down, arranging her gown over her legs as she crossed them. ‘Very well. As I told you, I’m starting a new venture that involves renovating my riverboat. I think it will be quite a success, especially where tourists are concerned. However, I’m running low on funds.’
‘I’m not giving you money, Elenore.’
She looked at him. ‘You might at least hear me out first. I have several investors, but they’ve only agreed to set amounts. And, since I want the boat to be decorated entirely in authentic nineteenth-century furnishings, I’m refusing to skimp on expenses.’
Logan glanced around the suite. ‘Seems to me you should have enough money to finance it yourself,’ he said dryly.
‘Yes, you’d think so, wouldn’t you?’ Elenore rose and approached him, padding lightly across the carpet. ‘Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Gerald purchased this penthouse, but I’ve had to liquidate many of our assets since his death. You see, he left behind a substantial number of creditors when he passed away, and one thing creditors don’t have is patience.’
Logan laughed humourlessly. ‘And that surprises you? If I recall correctly, and I know I do, you two were always sticking your fingers into illegal businesses. It’s no wonder you have to pay off now.’
Elenore’s expression hardened. ‘There is no need to gloat.’
Logan shrugged. ‘You mess with sharks, you get your arse bitten. It’s a simple fact. And I can’t help you, Elenore. I don’t loan money.’
Her mouth twisted. ‘You mean, you don’t loan money to
me
.’
me
.’
‘That, too.’
She crossed her arms over her ample breasts and narrowed her eyes. ‘I’ve heard that you’re married, Logan.’
‘You heard right.’ Logan’s fists clenched as he thought of Callie. He’d been watching her sporadically for the past week, but he hadn’t had a confrontation with her since he saw her on the street. Right now, keeping track of Callie’s whereabouts seemed to be the only thing he had control over.
He levelled a hard look at Elenore. She wouldn’t dare do anything to hurt Callie, not if he could stop her. ‘What does that have to do with anything?’
‘Does she know of your little escapades of the past?’ Elenore asked.
A rock sank into Logan’s gut. He’d known that Elenore was fully capable of playing dirty pool, but he realised now that he had also hoped that age would have mellowed her. So much for hopes.
‘What are you getting at?’ he asked tightly.
She reached out to straighten his already-straight tie with her long fingers, pursing her lips thoughtfully.
‘Well, I’m sure you would hate it if Savannah society found out the truth about you.’
Logan’s blood turned to ice. ‘You wouldn’t dare.’
‘Wouldn’t I?’ Elenore shot back, her dark eyes flashing at him. ‘I want this business to succeed, Logan. I’ll do anything to make that happen, even ruin you if I have to.’
‘Trying to ruin me won’t get you the money,’ Logan said coldly. ‘I know the kind of people you deal with, Elenore. I’m not about to put my money into your schemes.’
‘Why, because you think it’ll damage your sterling reputation?’ Elenore laughed. ‘And you don’t think I can do equal amounts of damage?’
‘You bitch,’ Logan snapped, unable to help himself from letting his anger show. He was ready to strangle her. ‘You can’t blackmail me into investing in a goddamn casino. I know you. You’re not going to play straight either with your so-called investors or your customers. Forget it.’
Elenore’s expression turned ugly. ‘You have the nerve to criticise my business practices after what you did fifteen years ago?’
‘My situation was completely different.’
‘Was it, Logan?’ Elenore taunted. ‘I don’t think so. You needed something and you went after it however you could. But I’ll bet you never thought it could all come back to wreck your life so many years later.’
Logan dragged a hand through his hair and tried to think. He felt sick, unable to think of even a single way this could work out without ruining him. If he gave Elenore the money, he knew the entire thing would explode into scandal when people discovered Elenore’s illegal finances. And his name would be right up there with hers. But if he didn’t give her the money, she’d yank the past into the present and destroy him in a whole other way.
Shit. Logan sank down on to a chair and rested his forehead in his hand. For the first time in fifteen years, a horrible sensation of defeat coursed through him. She would not ruin him. No matter what he had to do.
‘Elenore, right now I could strangle you with my bare hands.’
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