“How was France?” Sandra asked as Alec strolled into the office, still nursing his persistent headache. He simply grunted in response and headed straight into his room. He flopped down on his chair and powered up his computer. Before it was even up and running, there was a quick knock on the door and Sandra stepped inside with a bottle of water and a bottle of aspirins.
“How’d you know?” he muttered as he took the two bottles from her.
“Please, like I haven’t seen you hung over or jetlagged a hundred times before,” she rolled her eyes. “You have a meeting at 10 am. You want me to push it back?”
“Who with?”
“Jack Steele.”
Alec groaned. “Could you cancel it altogether?”
“Ah. I take it Mrs. Steele wasn’t as cooperative as you’d hoped?” Sandra noted.
“Something like that,” he muttered and took a swig of water to chase down the aspirin.
“I’ll cancel the meeting then. When do you want to reschedule for?”
“No, keep the meeting,” Alec said, rubbing his temples. “I’ve still got two hours to fix this.”
“I’ll hold your calls,” Sandra said and headed out.
Alec sighed. Desirée Grimaud was refusing to sell. He would need leverage to convince her otherwise, and to be honest, he really didn’t want to try digging up dirt on her. How do you go about blackmailing and intimidating a woman you’ve… Alec stopped himself before his mind could make up stories about him falling for Desirée. He most certainly hadn’t.
Their night together had been great, a break from the outside world and all its responsibilities, but he was back in the real world now. He just needed to keep that in mind.
-
“Mr. Steele,” Alec greeted the businessman, “Have a seat,” he said and gestured to one of the chairs in the conference room. His own room was a mess, having pored over all the documents relating to Jack’s case again.
“How did your meeting with my ex-wife go?” Jack asked as he sat down.
“It was a first step in what looks to be a long process,” Alec said diplomatically.
“In other words, you failed,” Jack said, his jaw set.
“Mr. Steele,” Alec said tersely, “You came to me because I’m the best at what I do. I will get you the results you desire, provided I’m awarded full disclosure.”
“What does that mean?” Jack practically barked.
“That means, Mr. Steele, that I can’t have clients lying to me or leaving anything out. This is the time you put all the cards on the table.”
“I don’t like your tone, Mr. Grayson,” Jack said icily.
“Forgive me, I’m jetlagged,” Alec quipped. “And I don’t really care what you think of my tone, Mr. Steele. My job is to deliver results, not coddle your ego. Now, tell me about your wife. Who were her friends? What were her hobbies? What was the reason for your divorce?”
“Those are some very personal questions, Mr. Grayson.”
“And the answers will help you get what you want,” Alec said simply. “I need information on your wife – personal information – for the next phase of the negotiations.”
“You mean you need something to threaten her with?” Jack said, his lips quirking into a devious grin. “Some sordid details she might not want exposed?”
“Information is power, Mr. Steele, surely a successful business man like yourself is well aware of that fact,” Alec said coolly.
Jack seemed to be mulling over Alec’s statement and several minutes passed before he spoke again. “Come to dinner next week, Mr. Grayson. I’ll tell you everything you need to know.”
Alec had Sandra show Jack Steele to the door while he got himself a cup of coffee and went back to his room to go through some files. He’d been neglecting his other clients in favor of the Steele/Grimaud case, and if Jack Steele wasn’t in a hurry to lay all his cards on the table, Alec could do with a break from it all.
Alec read until his eyes burned, finding he was having trouble concentrating on what he was doing because his thoughts kept straying to Desirée. Was she lonely in that cottage now? Did she miss having him there? He toyed with the idea of calling her to see how she was doing, but decided against it. What would be the point? They were at a standstill, on different continents, even.
Besides, if he was going to keep working for her ex-husband, he couldn’t let his feelings for her affect his performance. He would see to it that he got a deal that made both Jack and Desirée happy enough, and if he had to use sordid tactics to get there, so be it. He couldn’t let one night of passion throw his whole life off track.
~~~
“Rae? You okay in there?” Zach tentatively knocked on the bathroom door and Desirée flushed the toilet, heaving herself off the floor to clean herself off.
“I’m fine,” she answered. “Just a little queasy. I’ll be right out.” Desirée looked at herself in the mirror and sighed. She looked like death run over twice.
“You think the food was bad?” he frowned as she stepped out of the bathroom. Thankfully, the TV was loud and monopolizing Juliette’s attention, so she seemed oblivious to her mommy’s visit with the porcelain queen.
“No. The nurse at the clinic said there could be side effects. Or I’m just stressed out. I don’t know.”
“You want to stay here a few more days? I can make you chicken soup,” he said in a sing-songy voice and Desirée laughed.
“Thanks, but I worry I won’t be able to keep your cooking down – few people would,” she teased.
“Ah, you wound me,” Zach said, covering his heart with his hand. “Seriously, though, you want to stay? I can take a few more days off work…”
“I’ll be fine,” she assured him. “The company needs you. You can’t let it slip out of your hands. But I’d be eternally grateful if you could drop me and Juliette off back home…”
“Sure thing, Rae,” he said and squeezed her shoulder. “And I’ll be over this weekend to check on you, all right?”
“Sounds good,” she smiled.
~~~
Alec stared at the phone in his hand. He should call Desirée. He wanted to call Desirée. But in the middle of the night, alone in his darkened apartment, maybe wasn’t the best time. He should call her from the office, maybe even with his office door open, to make sure the call was professional and to the point. Except he didn’t want to discuss business with her…
Alec raked a hand through his increasingly disheveled hair. The drink in his hand had disappeared and he wondered briefly who’d finished it when he wasn’t looking. He checked the time. 2 am. It would be Sunday morning in Espoire right now… He picked up the phone and called.
“Grimaud cottage,” a male voice answered, hoarse from sleep.
Alec swallowed hard, the bitterness almost choking him. It didn’t take long for her to move on, did it? “I want to talk to Rae.”
“Who can I say is calling?”
“Check the display, you dimwit,” Alec growled, the whiskey he’d consumed making his patience run low.
“Alec Grayson, big shot New York lawyer…” the man said, his voice laced with contempt. “Does my brother know you’d go to any length to get him what he wants? Oh, wait, that’s probably why he hired you, right?”
“Lemme guess… Zachary Steele…” Alec drawled. “I’ve dealt with enough Steeles to last me a lifetime. Put Rae on the phone,” he demanded.
“She’s indisposed,” Zach replied cryptically.
“Tell her to call me back, then,” Alec huffed and hung up the phone. His head was killing him. The anger surging through his veins was beating at his temples and he felt like throwing a chair across the room. What the hell was wrong with him? So she slept with another guy less than a week after he left? They’d both been clear on the fact that there couldn’t be anything between them, so why was the thought of Desirée in another man’s arms so utterly repulsive and infuriating to him?
Alec took another swig of his drink and undressed, heading into his bedroom. He just needed to get laid, was all. One good roll in the hay with some random debutant or model and he’d be able to put all thoughts of Desirée Grimaud out of his head. He’d see if he could pick one up at the gala next weekend.
~~~
“Did I hear my phone ring?” Desirée came out of the bathroom, looking even paler than she had before she rushed in.
“How are you feeling?” Zach asked, changing the subject.
“Oh, I’m just… not great,” Desirée sighed and wiped her clammy forehead. “I think I have the flu or something.”
“You don’t think it’s a side effect from the pills you took? Maybe you should call the clinic and ask?”
“It’s only been a few days, Zach. Trust me, this is nothing compared to morning sickness. I can take it.”
“Is this about you punishing yourself?” Zach frowned.
“No, this is about me being stressed and probably catching a cold from the rainy days we’ve had. Juliette insisted on playing outdoors, and I didn’t dress properly… you know how it is.”
“Okay… well, I should get going. Thanks for dinner yesterday. I’ll see you next weekend unless you and Juliette decide to drop by.”
“Have a good week, Zach,” Desirée said and waved him off. She was definitely coming down with something, so she put her painting supplies aside and headed back to the cottage to check on Juliette before taking a hot shower.
~~~
Alec groaned as he came to. Did he really call Desirée last night? He fumbled for his cell phone and checked the call log. 2 am. Meaning he drunk-dialed her and probably made a fool of himself.
No, wait… she didn’t answer the call, did she? It was Zachary Steele. As the memories came back, Alec grew more annoyed than remorseful. She didn’t think twice about going from one man’s arms to another’s, the little vixen. He couldn’t believe he’d had qualms about trying to find dirt on her - she was the dirty one.
At least he didn’t pretend he was better than he was. With a new resolve, Alec shot out of bed and showered quickly before heading into the office. He didn’t owe her anything. It was time he got back to doing what he did best – his job.
~~~
It soon became apparent that Desirée indeed had come down with the flu, and while she recovered, Juliette stayed with Colette, thus giving Desirée a lot of time to herself to think.
After reading until her eyes hurt, she lay back in her bed and rested for awhile, letting her mind run wild. It insisted on conjuring up images of her and Alec locked in the most intimate of embraces, and her fever burned hotter than ever. She cursed her body for being weak and her mind for the same offense.
Tossing and turning, her sheets clinging to her sweaty body, Desirée could practically feel Alec’s hands roaming freely; caressing her legs, her arms, every piece of her anatomy. Why was her mind putting her through this torment? She’d had fantasies before, sure, but never like this. Never had she felt desire so vividly, taunting her of what she could have had but what had now been forever lost to her.
This was all because of the flu, Desirée told herself. As soon as she was back to her old self, she wouldn’t be plagued by these kinds of thoughts anymore.
~~~
Jack Steele occupied a full floor of a New York high-rise with a spectacular view of the city. They were served dinner by a young Russian girl that looked to be a model and Jack mentioned that the cook was the girl’s great-aunt. A package deal, he called it and patted the young girl’s bottom. Alec struggled not to cringe in disgust.
“You have an impressive place here,” Alec said politely. “Have you lived here long?”
“More years than I can count,” Jack replied and sipped his wine.
“So you and your ex-wife shared this apartment?”
“Yes. As you can imagine, two people can live as strangers in a place such as this,” he drawled.
Having had a brief look around the lavish Steele apartment upon arrival, Alec was inclined to agree. Providing you wanted to live as strangers, of course. If he’d lived here with Desirée, he’d make sure to have her in every room. Alec mentally shook himself out of his errant thoughts and focused on doing his job.
“And this was the cause of your divorce? Estrangement?”
“All in good time, Mr. Grayson,” Jack said and picked up his knife and fork. “Let’s eat.”
Alec would have liked to argue that he didn’t come for a social visit, but Jack Steele was the one calling the shots here. He would have to take a bite of the sour apple if he wanted the whole story. Swallowing his impatience, Alec dug into his dinner instead.
Since his phone call on Sunday, Alec had spent his time going through the finances of Steele Enterprises and its subsidiaries. He’d even called in an accountant he’d worked with before to go over the numbers with him.
Kara Reynolds was the opposite of the stereotypical boring accountant. She had curly blonde hair that refused to be tamed with styling products and a temper to match. But she was also sharp and professional, and her expertise was the reason Alec called her whenever he needed someone to bring a fresh set of eyes to tricky financial records.
In the old days, Alec and Kara would have gone for drinks when they’d finished a day’s work, but this time he’d heard himself declining her invitation. He still couldn’t believe it. It was as if Desirée was sitting on his shoulder and scowling at him for even thinking of going out with a beautiful woman.
Alec snapped out of his musings when Natalja, the Russian girl in Jack’s employ, refilled his wine and he realized he’d spaced out and managed to finish much of his dinner and a full glass of wine without speaking to Jack at all. Highly unprofessional, but then again, so was everything about this case.
~~~
Desirée stretched in bed. Finally her flu had released her from its iron grip and she was feeling much better. She rolled out of bed and padded over to her bathroom. She’d go pick up Juliette from Colette’s house and make them breakfast.
She’d hoped that the memories of her night with Alec, and the fantasies of many more of the same, would go away when her fever broke. They didn’t. She was determined to put him out of her mind, though, and to focus all her attention on Juliette and on her art. Maybe she would try to sell her paintings, after all. Just because Jack never believed in her didn’t mean she wasn’t good enough.
Sure, Jack had paid for art classes, but that was more because he wanted her to have something to do during the day, while he was busy with his meetings. As the years went on, though, his concern for her well-being faded and he no longer saw the need to keep her occupied.
Jack had her sign up for different committees where she would sit and nod while the socialites debated the color theme for their next charity event. Oh, how she’d loathed the committee meetings, which were really just an excuse for bored housewives to engage in idle gossip and pretend they were above everyone else. They certainly thought they were above her.
Desirée’s exotic beauty had set her apart from the blue-blooded women that doted on Jack, and thus she became a favorite topic of theirs. They didn’t even have the tact to wait until she left the room before they started in on her.
“Did you see her dress for the Dupont Gala?” Mitzy Bunnyhat had whispered to Fifi Toppenhaut. Those weren’t actually their names, but Desirée had amused herself with thinking up alternative surnames for the stuck-up ladies in the committee. Thinking of them in silly terms lessened the hurt she naturally felt at being looked down on.
“Scandalous,” Fifi had replied. “I just don’t understand why Jack would marry a woman like that. She doesn’t fit into this world.”
“Indeed,” Mitzy had agreed and Desirée had slipped out of the drawing room they’d gathered in and swallowed the hurt.
No, she didn’t belong to that world, and she was grateful to be away from it. To think she’d fallen into another man’s arms that came from that awful place… Desirée shook her head, ashamed at herself and her weakness, and went to pick Juliette up.
~~~
“You enjoy art, I see,” Alec noted as they took their after-dinner drinks in the library. “But no landscapes.”
“Landscapes?” Jack laughed. “No, art is for pleasure and indulgence. Who would want to stare at trees all day long?”
Alec nodded pensively. Clearly Desirée’s artistic fire would have been quenched here. The paintings Jack Steele kept on display were nudes, all of them. Some fine, classic shapes, and others showing the baser parts of the human body and what it could be used for. Desirée had told him Jack had commissioned paintings of her. Were they like this as well? Alec felt his body tense as he imagined Desirée on display on Jack’s walls.
“I believe you were going to tell me about your wife?” Alec said and sipped the brandy young Natalja had poured him. It didn’t go down smoothly.
“I met Desirée in Paris,” Jack started. “I’m not proud to admit it, but I visited an establishment in the red light district. She was waitressing and I was captivated by her beauty. I paid a handsome fee to bring her back to my hotel room and convinced her she could have a better life in New York.”
Alec felt like punching Jack Steele’s lights out, disgusted with the way the man was spinning his lies about Desirée. His brain, however, insisted on reminding him of the fact that for all he knew, Desirée was the one telling lies, pulling on his heartstrings and playing on his sympathy. He pressed his lips together and let the man speak.
“I cared a great deal for my wife, Mr. Grayson. However, the life I provided for her wasn’t enough, and she seduced my brother, pitting us against one another. She refused to produce an heir and banned me from her bed. She was a cold fish and in the spirit of full disclosure, Mr. Grayson, I frequently found my needs provided for elsewhere. In the end, after a very generous settlement, all ties were cut off between us. She moved back to France and it wasn’t until recently that I found out she’d been working my brother to get him to allow her a greater influence in the company than her inheritance would grant her.”
“You were surprised when your mother left a third of the shares to your ex-wife?” Alec asked.
“No, I wasn’t surprised that my ex-wife had gotten her hooks into my dear old mother. She always looked out for herself.”
“You mentioned the divorce settlement… I went through the paperwork you sent over and I don’t recall seeing a settlement agreement.”
“It’s there, I’m sure. If not, I’m sure my ex-wife has a copy.”
“Well, I’ll have to go through everything again, then,” Alec said, “I’m afraid it will take some time before I can re-strategize. Unless you have any other information that might prove useful?”
“My ex-wife was always good at keeping secrets, Mr. Grayson. If you dig a little deeper, I’m sure you’ll find the leverage you’re looking for.”
If Jack Steele only knew how deep he’d gone into Desirée’s… Alec scolded himself for letting his mind even conjure up such images while he was with a client. No, he needed to focus on the cold hard facts and get his mind back on the job.