“What are you doing here?”
“You had the heart of every single person out there in your hand and you treated it with care and handed it back more full and glorious than it was gifted to you.”
Todd had always had a talent for crafting the perfect compliment. He was best at it when he wanted something.
What could he want now? She hadn’t seen him for six months – not since she’d got sick of being nothing but an afterthought with him and had left with what little pride she still possessed.
“Why are you here?”
“I’m here because I’ve got some bad news. Paul Fitzgerald died last week.”
“Oh, Todd, I’m so sorry.”
Paul had been Todd’s best friend and business partner. A very nice, friendly man in a social setting but an absolute hard-arse in the corporate world. Paul had begged her to stay with Todd, to give him a chance, to let him work through this one major account that would make the company and then he’d be there for her.
Except until the next account. And the next. This was the way it had been for the ten years Bradshaw and Haycock they’d been building their new business. Making money had become the focus of Todd’s life.
The only reason Marinna stayed as long as she had was for the children. Once Portia had started university, Marinna had decided the time had come to end their farce of a marriage.
Todd ran his fingers through his hair, showing why it wasn’t in its usual preened and primped condition.
“A heart attack.” His voice was raw and his eyes shone with sorry. “Just like that. We were in a meeting and suddenly he was lying on the table and he’d stopped breathing.”
Marinna ached to reach out to him, to comfort him but she stayed where she was. She had given up that right when she left him.
Instead, she stood, silent, and let her ex-husband talk.
“The funeral was small, intimate, and after I was talking to Tabitha and I saw the horror in her eyes as she tried to deal with living without him and I recognised that expression. I’ve been seeing it every morning in the mirror since you left, only I’ve refused to acknowledge it.”
Todd stood straight, walked toward her and stopped just a metre away – well within touching distance. This close, his scent teased her senses and she remembered the times when she’d cuddle next to him, close her eyes and just breathe him in. Like he was all she needed to live.
“Losing Paul has made me see what an idiot I’ve been,” he said softly. “I thought I had all the time in the world. I could focus on my career now and have fun when I retired. Only I may not have that time – none of us may – and when I turned around to share with you, you were gone.”
Marinna shuddered.
“I was wrong to take you for granted. I was wrong to put my career over you. I want you back in my life, Mari, and this time you’ll come first.”
Marinna couldn’t decide if this was a dream, or a nightmare.
“This was where we first met – remember?” He waited, and she nodded because she felt she had to respond. Todd smiled.
“I remember I hadn’t wanted to come, but Paul made me, said I needed the relaxation. And then you came out, with your skin shining in the lights and wearing a dress that showed just enough cleavage and leg for a man to dream of tearing it off you. Then you started to sing and I knew, there and then, that your voice could guide me and save me the rest of my life. I don’t know how the fuck I forgot that, but listening to you tonight I realised I was right – I need you. I need your sweetness, I need your light, I need you to make any sense of this world.”
Interesting, Marinna thought, starting to hear the words as though far away, just observing rather than participating. I’d never thought I’d see Todd scared. And that’s what he is – but scared of what?
“Marinna, I can understand that after the way I’ve treated you, you won’t believe me. So to prove it, I’m making this commitment to you.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope.
“Open it.” He held it out.
Marinna reached in and pulled out the papers inside. She unfolded them, dreading what she might read.
Her eyes widened so much they hurt.
“It’s the deed to the Sapphire Lounge.”
Todd nodded. “I bought it. For you. So you’ll always have somewhere to perform.”
It took a moment for Marinna’s mind to be able to hold a thought, and the first one was - money. Todd had spent a whole buttload of money. For her. Without thinking. Without talking.
Why on earth would she want to own the Sapphire Lounge? Running a business like this was hellish.
Todd was still talking. “We’ll redevelop it. Make it a fabulous, swanky club, that the rich and famous will love. I mean, look at this room. I can’t believe it still looks exactly the same.”
“No.”
Todd frowned. “What?”
Marina folded up the deed, put it back in the envelope and held it out. “I don’t want it. I don’t want you.”
“But – I love you. You love me.”
“Not any more,” Marinna whispered. “It died. Years ago. And this,” she waved the envelope, “this just proves that you and I don’t work any more. You want different things to me. You want money, prestige, fast cars and fancy friends. I want home, music, companionship, soul. There’s no middle ground.”
“Marinna?” The door opened with a thud. Saul got several steps into the room before he stopped and frowned at Todd. “Everything okay?”
“This is private, mate,” Todd said. “Close the door when you leave, all right?”
Todd’s lack of grace reminded Marinna what he was like when things didn’t go to plan. He was demanding, wouldn’t allow any alternative arrangements and he could get well pissed if he felt he wasn’t going to achieve what he was aiming for.
“Marinna?”
Marinna looked at Saul and was surprised that just like that, her body started to burn again. She looked at his hooded dark eyes, his full lips, the curl of his hair on the collar of his shirt.
Saul had said he made good on his promises. Todd had proven over the years he wouldn’t.
“Just give me a moment,” she said. “I promise I won’t be too much longer and like you, I keep my promises.”
Saul grinned. “Absolutely edible.” He winked at her and then sauntered out and Marinna took a moment to enjoy watching the movement of his tight butt as he walked away.
Then she looked at Todd. “It’s over, Todd. We had an amazing relationship. We’ve got two incredible children. One day, maybe we’ll be able to be friends. But never again lovers. Never again more. We can’t do it. Goodbye, Todd.” She swept out of the room, smiling over making such a dramatic entrance.
“Wait. Marinna. Think this through.” Todd came after her.
Marinna walked through the club, waving goodbye to the few people still there and stepped out into the chilled night air.
Saul was waiting for her, leaning against a car. He straightened as she came out and his grin was pure sex.
“So I’ve been entertaining myself with thinking of ways to make you scream.”
Marinna could hear Todd right behind her and she hesitated, wondering what her next move should be.
Todd grabbed her shoulder and swung her around. “You love me. I love you. We should be together.”
Above his head, the sign for the Sapphire Lounge glowed a bright blue, casting them all in an unearthly sheen.
She looked over at Saul. He still stood in the shadows and his face was dark. Saturnine. Promising all sorts of pleasure.
“Scream, you say?” she said.
“In a good way. Not how you want to scream at this tool.”
“Hey.” Todd stepped in front of her. “You will not speak to my wife like that.”
Marinna rolled her eyes and stepped around Todd. She needed to make Todd see what she’d realised today – they weren’t a good match. He should go on and find another woman, just as she had found anoth
er man.
With that inspiration, she acted. She walked up to Saul, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.
He responded with admirable speed, hauling her against his body and slanting her mouth so she could receive the thrust of his tongue.
The kiss might have started as a signal to Todd but it quickly became a sign to Marinna that if she and Saul didn’t find somewhere private, they’d end up doing something that was probably illegal there and then in the car park.
Saul broke the kiss and Marinna gave a small mew of disappointment. “Well, that showed him.”
Marinna looked over her shoulder. The blue light of the Sapphire Lounge shone on nothing but air. “He’s gone?”
“Didn’t fight for you long, did he?”
Marinna sighed. “He never did.”
“Hey.” A finger to her chin and Saul was tilting her head up to look at him. “He’s an idiot. If I had a woman like you, I’d bloody well fight to the death for you. And that’s a promise.”
Marinna smiled. “And apparently you keep all your promises.”
“Well, haven’t I shown that you are, in fact, edible?” As he spoke, Saul bent his head and pressed kisses to the side of her neck.
Marinna shivered as delight danced over her nerves. “Your promise was to show me how edible I am. I’m not sure I know that yet.”
Saul lifted his head, his dark eyes shining at her. “Then let’s go to your room and I won’t stop until you’re sure.”
He took her hand and started to pull her across the car park, toward the hotel where they were staying. Marinna smiled, hoping that this new man would make the Sapphire Lounge once again a favourite venue.
###
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Elizabeth Dunk is the contemporary romance (and now paranormal erotica) writing alter-ego of Nicole Murphy, who cut her teeth writing science fiction and fantasy. A long-time romance fan, Nicole couldn’t resist attempting to sit fair and square in the modern world and bring two fabulous characters together and thus Elizabeth was born. As Elizabeth she had two sexy contemporary romance novels published, both with Escape Publishing – Arranged to Love and The Lies We Tell – as well as some short stories. As Nicole, she has dozens of short stories in print and an urban fantasy trilogy, The Dream of Asarlai. Find out more about Elizabeth/Nicole at https://nicolermurphy.com
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