4. Dont Run
CHAPTER 4
DON'T RUN
Tristan
“How about that good news you had, Gardenia?” Fisher breaks the silence first. “Now’s a good time for it.”
I let go of her wrist, and she practically slams her body against me, wrapping her arms around my waist. This move was so Gardenia. One minute she’s angry at the world, the next she’s kind and understanding. “I’m sorry. I just thought you were ready to throw it all away. All our hard work just for her.” She sniffles into the lapels of my tuxedo.
“You don’t have to worry about me. The path in front of me is clear.” I cup the back of her head for a beat, then step back to look her in the eyes. “The good news?”
“Oh yeah.” She wipes her cheek then smiles up at me. “The pink diamond is here.” She fumbles with the many pockets buried in her voluminous skirt until she finds what she’s looking for—the map of the gallery downstairs. She hands it to me. “It’s in there.” She points at it. “He changed the setting. Turned it into a necklace. But that’s your Freya’s diamond.”
“That it is.” I glare at the trifold and shuffle quickly through all the auction items listed. “That son of a bitch is auctioning the pink diamond.”
“Is that the bad news?” Jacob asks.
“Yeah.” Gardenia flashes me yet another look of pity. “How much money does he need for his campaign?”
“A lot if he’s willing to undersell a diamond he’s had in his possession for twenty years.” I fist the paper in my hand.
“We have to find the diamond and take it home tonight.” Gardenia paces the room. “I mean, we’re already here. We can search the primary bedroom. It’s probably there, right? In some secret safe. He’s so cliché. It’s probably hidden behind some fancy portrait.”
“It’s not.” I shake my head.
“What do you mean?” She furrows her brows. “If he intends to sell it tonight, he’s gotta have it here somewhere in the mansion.”
“No, I mean, you’re right. It is here. It’s on full display for everyone to admire.” I rub the creases on my forehead as an image of her shoots into my mind—the soft lights playing with the diamond, making the green specks in her eyes stand out.
“Where?” Gardenia asks.
“Around Paloma’s neck.” Anger churns in the pit of my stomach.
For one because even after learning her true identity, I chose not to believe what was right in front of me. I saw the pink diamond downstairs. Then dismissed the thought the second it popped into my head. I told myself it would be impossible for Paloma to be wearing my mother’s diamond. I was wrong.
“Oh crap.” Gardenia paces the room. “Now what? It’s not like you can just swipe it off her neck.”
“We still have time.” I glance over at Chuck. “We stick to the plan. We’re already up here. We might as well check every room and see what we can find.”
“Okay, that’s a good idea.” She nods then rushes to the bed to take off Chuck’s shoes.
I join her, remove his tuxedo jacket, and place a bucket near the bed. Standing back, I smile at Gardenia as she takes another minute to untie his bow tie and unbutton his dress shirt. When she finishes, she cocks her head to admire her work.
“Other than putting him in his pajamas, or taking him to rehab, I don’t know what else we can do for him.” Gardenia shrugs.
“Trust me. There’s nothing else we can do for him. I’ve tried over the years. He doesn’t want help.” I place my hand on her shoulder and escort her to the door. “I’ll start with the primary bedroom. That’s the one at the end of the hallway.”
“Yes. Thank you for reading my discovery emails. No one ever does.” She reaches for the doorknob and pulls the door open.
“I read your discovery emails. All five of them,” Jacob says, sounding a bit wounded. “For example, there are ten bedrooms on this wing. The other ten are on the opposite side of the mansion. Your assessment says the Senator’s bedroom should be on the west wing. That’s where you are right now.”
“Stop flirting with me.” Gardenia scoffs, but then smiles at the floor.
“If you two are done.” I peek out into the hallway to make sure we’re alone. “Let’s get back to work.”
“I’ll start on this end.” She rushes across the way to the bedroom ahead.
The original plan was to use Chuck to gain access to the upstairs bedrooms. I was sure the Senator would want to keep the pink diamond somewhere close to him. I wasn’t entirely wrong. The diamond is here, literally at an arm’s reach. I still want to search his room for clues of illegal activity, anything to back him into a corner. Rex and Santino have already agreed to help me in that department. But it doesn’t hurt to learn as much as possible about the Senator.
I close the door behind me and take in the sizable suite, which has the layout of a one-bedroom apartment with a room with a bed, a living room, and a butler’s bar. The art on the walls is a well-curated collection of various artists. I recognize them too because these paintings used to hang in my father’s study. I fist both my hands and count to ten. Mom told me everything had been destroyed in the fire. Did she know it was still here? Did she lie to protect me?
Reaching into the inside pocket of my tuxedo jacket, I fished my phone out to take pictures. Now that I know for sure the diamond isn’t in the Senator’s quarters, I don’t think I need to spend too much time in here. We have already wasted enough of it in Chuck’s room.
I take more stills of his bathroom. As soon as I enter his walk-in closet, her scent assaults me for a third time this evening. She was here not too long ago. I browse around the room, until I find a of pair of women’s gloves. Pressing them to my nose, I take in her perfume. Was she here for the necklace and simply forgot her gloves? For a moment, I consider stuffing them into my pocket. But what would be the point? I don’t need a reminder of what almost happened in my hotel suite. Isn’t that why her scent affects me so much? I feel her in my arms every time I catch a waft of it.
Ignoring the ache in my chest, I replace the gloves where I found them and move on to the bedroom next door.
“Why are you guys so quiet?” Jacob asks.
“Is someone coming?” I ask.
“Nope. The coast is clear. The Senator is still working the room with his beautiful daughter hanging from his arm. I thought he had a wife. Where is she?” Jacob chews on something crunchy.
“She’s deceased,” Fisher answers. “I thought you read the discovery emails.”
“Does skimming count as reading?” he quips.
“Figures.” Gardenia sighs. “I’ve gone through five rooms. They all look the same, same decor, different color. No one has been in here for a while. Tristan? I mean, Archer? Did you find anything good?”
“Hmm?” I blink to bring the view in front of me into focus. “Yes, I’ll share pictures when we get downstairs.”
“Hurry. We have five minutes tops before the Senator sends someone to check on his son.” Static crackles in my ear as she lets out a breath.
“That’s all I need.” I shut the door behind me, intrigued by the soft hues of pink around me.
Her room smells of fir and cedar-wood. The cold air rushes in from her balcony where she left the French doors wide open.
What is it Little Dove? Is it that hard to breathe in your little cage?
I pick up a crystal figurine of a swan from her vanity dresser. It fits perfectly in my hand, with its head arching over my fingers.
Congratulations, Beautiful.
With so much love,
Hunter Archibald Du Pont
I read the note aloud.
Who the fuck is Archibald Du Pont? I place the trinket in my pocket and continue to rummage through more of Paloma’s personal effects—makeup, brushes, hair ties, a pair of diamond earrings, a music box with a tiny ballerina, and her phone.
“Hunter Archibald?” Gardenia asks.
“Someone left a note for Paloma. Can you break into her phone?” I wind the music box and watch the tiny dancer twist and turn up and down.
“Yes, but I need more than a minute for that,” Gardenia answers. “Bring it to me.”
I place the device in my pocket and continue to her closet. The slinky red dress she wore to the hotel bar last week hangs from a valet rod. I bring the fabric to my nose and breathe it in. Strewn on the floor are a pair of beat-up ballet shoes, tights, and a tutu. She’s a ballet dancer, a real-life ballerina.
The Swan Queen.
Is that what Chuck was trying to say downstairs?
“Gardenia.” I snap a picture of the scattered clothes. “Find out if Paloma is with a ballet company.”
“Ok,” she answers and I swear I can see her eyes rolling.
“Oh fuck,” Jacob blurts out as his chair squeaks loudly. “Incoming.”
“Who is it?” I put my phone away and head out of the closet.
“It’s her. She’s running down the hallway,” Jacob adds.
“Thanks for the warning.” I stand in the middle of Paloma’s room, staring at her.
“What are you doing in my room?” she asks, her gaze shooting daggers at me.
Somehow, she’s already half undressed but still wearing the pink diamond. Seeing her like this makes my blood boil and not in a good way. Was she just with someone else?
“Oh no. What’s going on, Archer?” Gardenia asks.
“Go back downstairs. I got this,” I say then turn off my earpiece before she has time to admonish me.
“Who are you talking to? Your girlfriend?” Paloma’s cheeks turn bright red.
“My girlfriend?” My gaze drops to the barely-there chemise under her corset. The rest of her dress is at her feet. “Busy night? So many unsuspecting men to take advantage of.”
“That’s none of your business.” She sidesteps the pile of fabric as she eyes the door.
“Don’t run.” I prowl to her.
Her breath catches. She understands. The guests are two stories below us. No one can hear her scream. And as far as the Senator is concerned, I’m up here tending to his drunk son.
“You made it my business. Remember?” My palm itches to soothe the pebbled peaks pushing through her top.
She shakes her head once, and then, makes a run for the door. In two long strides, I catch up to her and wrap my arms around her waist. Her petticoat shoots in front of her as I press my body to her back. Fuck, she feels good in my arms.
“Let me go.” She struggles against my hold. But she’s no match for my strength.
“Or you’ll what?” I bury my face behind her ear. “You’ll scream?”
When she stops fighting me, I pull on the string of her petticoat and let it collapse at her feet. I pick her up and walk her toward the bed. I want nothing more than to lay her on soft bedding and take what I already paid for. The heat of her body is an aphrodisiac. But if I succumb to her charms all over again, I’m no better than the assholes downstairs. Her back presses against my front, as if she’s melting into me. For the love of God, she’s too good at this. I let her win for a moment and kiss her neck with all the urgency surging through me.
“Don’t.” She pants as her breasts swell up and down.
“Don’t what?” I kiss her cheek. “I already paid, remember?”
“My father is downstairs. He will kill you if he finds you in my room.” She labors to catch her breath.
I chuckle at her words, running my teeth along the cord of her neck. “You mean he chooses for you? He gets to say who pays for the pleasure of climbing into your bed.”
“How dare you?” She squirms but stops when I cup her full breast and turn her face toward me. “You can’t…” Her words die on my lips.
And then we’re back in my hotel room kissing. Her mouth is soft, pliable, and she gives into the kiss with the same innocence she did during our first encounter. And fuck, if that’s not exactly the thing that does me in. I claim her mouth, thrusting my tongue to meet hers, while cupping her sex. The cotton fabric of her chemise is the only thing between my palm and her wet pussy. She’s wet for me.
A knock on the door brings me back to reality. I hover my lips over hers while I hold her in my arms. “Did you invite someone up?”
“No.”
“Who is it then?”
“I don’t know.” She shakes her head, still laboring to catch her breath.
I turn my earpiece on. Before I say a word, Gardenia utters a string of curse words. “You can’t be seriously in there with her. Have you lost your mind? I’m coming in.”
“No,” I say to Paloma’s eyes.
As if saying the word out loud would make it easier for me to walk away from her. But then I see my mother’s diamond hanging from her neck and lucidity finds me again. I unclasp the necklace and let go of her breast in time to catch the chain in my palm. Paloma’s gaze is zeroed in on my mouth as if she doesn’t understand why we have to stop.
“You can drop the act, Little Dove.” I repeat my words from last week. “We’ll have to leave our unfinished business for another night.” I press my lips to her ear. “You can keep the Rolex.”
“What?” She blinks at me as if in a daze.
I release her and quietly dart to the door. Out in the hallway, Gardenia paces up and down, fuming. As soon as she sees me, she opens her mouth, but I muffle her words with my hand. “We have to go before she finds her clothes and decides to come after me.”
“What?” The look of horror on her face is almost funny.
“I’ll explain in the limo.” I grip her elbow and rush toward the grand staircase.
By the time I reach the second level, I’m sure Paloma is not chasing after me. I slow the pace and then stop by the gallery to look at the items up for auction tonight. As luck would have it, the poster board to my right has a picture of the pink diamond mounted on a platinum chain with a string of small brilliant diamonds surrounding the setting. The piece of jewelry is valued at five million dollars.
I tap on the iPad placed in front of it and place a bid of four million. The auction doesn’t close until next week.
“What are you doing?” Gardenia mouths to me. “I thought you said you didn’t want him to get a single dime from you.”
“So he won’t suspect.” I place my hand over my chest and the chunky diamond in the inside pocket of my tuxedo jacket.
“Omigod.” She covers her mouth with her eyes wide open. “You got it.”
“We need to get out of here now.” I gesture toward the second landing, then offer Gardenia my arm.
“On my way.” Jacob turns on the ignition. “Also, heads-up, I don’t have eyes anymore.”
“You were in there for way too long.” Gardenia glances up at me. “I figured we were going to have to make a quick exit. I took the camera down,” she mouths the last part.
“You did the right thing.” I gesture for her to go on. “I can’t leave without saying goodbye.”
“Let me come with you.” She turns to block me with her body.
“You do as I say, that was the deal.” I cock an eyebrow. “Wait for me in the limo.”
“Fine.” She pouts.
I wait until she’s past the foyer and climbs into the limo to go looking for the Senator. It’s a risk. Because even if Paloma chose not to come after me, that doesn’t mean she won’t change her mind. I shoot a quick glance to the top landing, half expecting her to be there waiting for me.
Kissing her again was a mistake. But in the moment, I couldn’t think of another way to stop her from screaming and run out of the room to get help. No doubt the Senator’s bodyguards are on duty to make sure Chuck stays in his room. That means multiple trips up to the third floor. To say that we got lucky tonight is a huge understatement. I press my hand to my chest to feel the gemstone in my pocket.
“Mr. Archer.” The Senator excuses himself from his current conversation and makes his way over to me. “I was just about to come up to check on Chuck. How is he?”
“He’s out for the night.” I stuff my hands in my pockets. “He won’t remember a thing in the morning.” I make a show of looking around. “Paloma also decided to leave us.”
“Yes, she wishes she could’ve stayed to say goodbye. But poor thing, she was exhausted.”
“Right. And she has an early day tomorrow.” An image of her in my arms rushes to the forefront of my mind. She didn’t seem tired to me.
“I wanted to thank you for your assistance. It’s rare for Chuck to leave a party without making a spectacle of himself.” He shakes his head, his eyes full of disappointment.
I can’t help but feel sorry for Chuck. Now I understand why he would rather drink himself stupid than deal with his father’s disappointment.
“He’ll be gone soon enough, I’m sure.” I shrug to hide my disgust. “He mentioned he wanted to return to London soon. I’d like to see him again before he does.”
“I think that’s a marvelous idea. You’re a good influence on him. I can see that.” He braces his hand on my shoulder with a fatherly look on his face.
It takes all my self-control not to take a half-step back and punch him in the neck. For several beats, I imagine him gasping for air, doubled over on the floor, while everyone around us simply watches him suffer.
“I have to go now.” I move out of his reach. “I’m glad we finally got to meet.” I make to leave.
“Mr. Archer,” he calls after me.
When I turn to face him, he gestures for one of his bodyguards. My whole-body tenses as my heart thrashes in my ears. Does he know I took the pink diamond from his daughter? Just because she didn’t come running after me doesn’t mean she didn’t talk to one of his men.
“Archer, get out of there.” Fisher’s words echo in my head.
“Archer.” Gardenia’s voice breaks.
The only exit is behind me, thronged by a bunch of drunk people most of whom are wearing big dresses and masks. If the Senator and his bodyguards want to grab me and throw me in the cellar for days, there’s nothing Fisher or Jacob can do to help me. There’s nothing I can do to help myself either.
I stand glued to the floor as I watch him give his bodyguard instructions. When he returns, he hands me a white stock card. “I’m hosting a birthday party for Chuck next weekend. He hasn’t been home in years. I figured we should celebrate. At any rate, I’m sure he would be delighted if you joined us.”
I’m certain the only reason for this party is so he can get more donors through the door. It’s all I can do not to roll my eyes at him.
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” I force a smile and accept the invitation he offers me.
“Excellent.” He dips his head.
“Jesus, Archer. Get out of there before your luck truly runs out,” Fisher says.
“See you soon, Senator.” I shake his hand and head for the door.
As I cross the foyer, my heartbeat settles into an even rhythm. Fisher calls me the lucky one. Some luck. My one obsession turns out to be deeply intertwined with my only enemy. Of all the times I dreamed of this moment, to finally come face to face with the Senator, I never once considered I would fall prey to his daughter’s charms. But that ends tonight. Whatever I feel when she’s near doesn’t matter. Starting tomorrow I will set in motion my plan to bury the Senator. I don’t care if in the process I have to get in bed with the Italian mob and forget about Paloma for good.
Paloma is nothing more than a means to the Senator’s end.