Page 27 of Vicious Seduction
“That’s too bad. I was hoping to talk to you about a visit I’d had with Donati this weekend.” It was bullshit. I hadn’t talked to Renzo, but Wellington didn’t need to know that.
“In that case, let me get a drink, and we can talk.” He nodded and made for the bar.
I immediately leveled Lina with an arctic stare. “When he comes back over, you will excuse yourself to go home and change, and you will stay there the rest of the night. Should Wellington offer to take you home, you will urge him to stay and talk with me. Is that clear?”
“What?” she asked with wide eyes. “Why would I do that?”
I lifted my glass until it was flush with her breast, thenmechanically poured its entire contents down the front of her dress. Her jaw dropped, arms going out to the sides in shock.
“Go home, Lina,” I instructed harshly one last time.
“What’s happened here?” Wellington returned with exceptional timing.
“Oh, Lina. I’m so incredibly sorry. What a clutz.” I snagged a cocktail napkin off a nearby table and tried to pat at the golden stain down her creamy sheath dress.
Finally collecting herself, Lina snatched the napkin and shooed my hands away. “I’ve got it. It’s no problem. I’ll just run home and soak the dress before it sets. Is that okay, Lawrence? I don’t want to keep you two from visiting.”
“Yes, you need to clean yourself up. We’ll talk tomorrow.”
“Okay. I’m so sorry.” She gave him an apologetic smile, then shot daggers in my direction before stepping away toward the elevator.
Just wait, Lina. You’ll really hate me when it’s all said and done.
But she’d be safe, and that was all that mattered, right?
Right.
CHAPTER 14
LINA
If I believed in a god,I’d have said he was pissed at me. And I’d have had definitive proof that God was a man because women had too much shit going on to find time to be so vindictive.
I mean,really.
What other explanation was there besides the universe colluding against me?
Something had prevented me from seeing Lawrence for two weeks straight. Each time I made plans with him, something had come up on his end or mine.
After Oran spilled his drink on me, I spent the next two days confined to my apartment, unsure whether I had the stomach bug from hell or had eaten somethingrotten. The entire weekend was a wash. Lawrence ended up with unexpected business out of town the first half of the week, then Cosmo got word that a huge Parisian design firm wanted to see our work while they were in town and insisted both designers be present. I had to spend three days wining and dining them.
Granted, the pitch had resulted in an incredible contract—more money than we’d ever pulled in before—but the timing sucked. Any excitement I felt for our success was leached of joy by my frustration and growing despair whenever I thought of the days slipping through my fingers.
Lawrence and I both had other obligations during the week of Christmas. We weren’t close enough to spend that time together. Cosmo and I did a Christmas Eve celebration with friends every year, and I had spent Christmas Day for the past eleven years with Mama G. That wasn’t something I was willing to give up.
The next opportunity to see him was the Wednesday club dinner on the twenty-ninth. I was all keyed up to manipulate information from him using his need to humiliate, but at the last minute, I got a notice from the city about an emergency gas test being performed in my building due to a suspected leak. They were asking for one member of each household to be home, and Jessa wasn’t available.
I started to question whether I was cursed.
It would have explained a lot through the years. But if I didn’t believe in a god, then I wouldn’t believe in curses either. Sometimes shit happened.
Tonight, however, would be different. I was going to the club with Lawrence for its annual New Year's Eve party, andnothingwould stop me.
My makeup was water soluble. My hair was up but only loosely. My dress was a pale blue silk that complementedmy eyes and would leave the perfect stains when I cried fake black tears. I was certain I would make the most of the night.
When a knock sounded on my door, I’d never hoped with such fervor to find a Jehovah’s Witness on the other side. Lawrence thought I lived in another building, so it wasn’t him. Jessa had already left for the night. None of the remaining options looked promising.
Hands starting to sweat, I peeked through the peephole. Three armed police officers stood in formation facing my door—not remotely what I’d expected to see. I wasn’t sure what I’d expected, butthatwasn’t it.