I extended my hand as the senator came near. He wasn’t the only guest in the room. While we shook, I took in the strange gathering including Bryce, who was walking toward me.
“It’s a pleasure to see you again,” Senator Carroll said.
“Darling,” Bryce said, placing his hand in the small of my back, “you didn’t tell me you knew the senator.”
I turned his way. “I guess it never came up.”
Bryce extended his other hand, the one holding his crystal tumbler and made formal introductions. “Gentlemen, my fiancée, Alexandria Collins.”
“Collins. Yes,” Senator Carroll said. “That’s what threw me off. Of course.”
As my heart pounded with the likelihood that whatever was happening was not legal and could possibly affect Lennox and Demetri Enterprises, I tried to remain calm, exuding the perfect exterior.
“You remember Senator Grant Higgins,” Bryce prompted, “from your welcome-home party and Severus Davis.”
Graduation party.
Nodding, I forced a smile as each man came forward and shook my hand.
“Congratulations, Miss Collins,” Mr. Davis said.
“On?”
“Why, your wedding of course.”
The room broke into a rumble of laughter as the pressure from Bryce’s hand increased on my back.
Playing off my mistake, I smiled. “Yes, how silly of me. I suppose I’m just overwhelmed with all the planning.” I turned to Bryce. “Did your mother tell you we decided on the dress style for the bridesmaids?”
Though his eyes narrowed, his voice rang joyfully. “No, she didn’t. That’s wonderful. I’d love to hear all about your day.”
“Nonsense, you’re busy and I was about to clean up for dinner.”
He leaned closer inhaling, his nose near my neck. Leaning back, he eyed me up and down. “That seems like a good idea.”
What the hell was he doing? The lump from earlier was back. Pushing it down, I turned back to the room. “Well, gentlemen, it is a pleasure. I hope to see you again.”
Senator Carroll spoke first. “Tomorrow night. We’re happy to share in your celebration.”
Though Bryce moved toward the door, I stopped, asking, “We? Is Mrs. Carroll with you?”
His cheeks rose as he exchanged looks with Mr. Davis. “Um, she isn’t, but when Shirley learns this is your party…” He gestured about. “…and home, I’m sure I can convince her to jump on a plane and join me. She isn’t usually much for traveling, but I’d expect that for you, she’d make an exception.”
“It will be nice to see her again if she can make it. Please tell her I said hello.”
“I will.”
“Gentlemen,” Bryce said, nodding and leading me toward the door and out into the hallway.
Severus Davis’s voice bellowed as we walked away. “Well, I hope that doesn’t mean I need to call Marisa.” His comment was met with another round of hearty laughs.
As we approached the front stairs and I tried to wrap my mind around that grouping, Bryce stopped.
“What were you all discussing?” I asked.
“Where the hell have you been?”
His sudden change in mood made me take a step back. “At Leopold’s with Patrick. We called.”
“You left my mother over three hours ago. Your security detail had a hell of a time. Do you know how upset Alton was when they informed him that you were alone?”
“I wasn’t alone. I was with Patrick.”
“And that’s supposed to make me feel better?” Narrowing his gaze, he scanned me again from head to toe.
“What is your problem?”
“It’s… I don’t know… something’s different.”
I shook my head. “You’re delusional. You spend too much time with Alton.”
“Where’s your ring?”
Shit!
I fumbled for my purse, opening it and fishing the diamond from the depths. Pushing it on my finger, I smiled. “There. I’m not used to wearing it. It’s so heavy.”
Bryce narrowed his gaze and nodded. “Get used to it.”
“I’m trying.”
When I stepped onto the first step, so did Bryce. “Where are you going?”
“To your room.”
“Why?”
“I haven’t seen my fiancée alone in days.”
Gathering my wits, I said, “And you have a room with two senators, my stepfather, and a lobbyist. Don’t you think that I can wait? Besides, I need to clean up for dinner. Apparently, I’m different.”
“Does Patrick wear cologne?”
I shook my head. “Yes, and it’s divine. I don’t know the brand, but I can ask.” I had, but that didn’t seem important.
“No, it’s just…” Bryce shook his head. “I told you to be here before Alton.”
“You didn’t tell me what time that would be.” I splayed my hand over his chest and faked a grin. “This is earlier than normal. Now, go. I’m confident that you shouldn’t miss whatever they’re discussing.”
He leaned closer, his lips near mine, his Cognac breath teasing my nose. “Weed, that’s what they’re discussing. It’s rather comical. I doubt any of them have ever tried it.” He brushed my cheek. “Do you remember that one time at Duke?”
Weed? Pot? Marijuana?
I shrugged. “I remember. It made me sick.”
I fought the urge to flinch as he brushed his lips over mine. Cold and tight. The connection was nothing like the electricity with Nox. Unconsciously, I sighed at the thought of the man I loved.
Bryce pulled me closer, misreading my body’s clues. “Go on. Clean up. You’ve had a long day.” He kissed me again. “And for God’s sake, put on some perfume. You smell like… your cousin.”
“I do?”
He kissed me again, this time probing my lips.
I closed my eyes as his wet tongue parted my lips. When he pulled away, he added, “But you taste like good whiskey and ice cream.”
“I think it’s you who tastes like whiskey.”
Hurriedly I moved up the stairs, each step praying I wasn’t being followed. By the time I reached the top, my heart was thumping in my chest.
“What the hell?” I muttered, unsure how to decipher the clues Bryce was giving. Did he have any idea where I’d really been? I should have cleaned myself at the hotel, but I’d been too upset to think about that.
A million thoughts fought for top billing as I made my way to my room.
Locking the door behind me, I relished the solitude. When had it happened? When had this room become a sanctuary? When had the rest of the house become so bad that my room became the least evil?
I sat on the edge of my bed and lay back. It wasn’t the underside of the canopy that filled my vision, but memories of the afternoon before the spell was broken, when the world was right and safe. I wanted that with all my heart. I also wanted to tell Nox or even Deloris that Senator Carroll was in my house with Senator Higgins and Severus Davis.
Suddenly I sat up. Davis was old, not as old as Alton, but much older than Bryce. That was the person Chelsea was supposed to have been paired with. Did she know that? Did she know he was here? Had she agreed, knowing his age and that he was married?
Why?
Suddenly, getting ready for dinner lost its importance.
I rushed down the corridor and knocked on Chelsea’s door. Slowly it opened.
“Where did you and Patrick go?” she asked.
“To visit my mom and then we went for ice cream.”
She eyed me up and down.
What the hell? Was I wearing a sign?
“Hmm,” she said, opening the door wider. “Do you want to come in?”
“I do. What’s the matter? Did Suzanna get her panties in a wad?”
Chelsea shrugged. “No more than usual. I came up here as soon as I could, hoping to miss the drama.”
I reached for her hand and tugged her toward two chairs near the window. As we sat, I noticed her view
. It was neither of the front of the house nor the back. From this bedroom’s window was a view of fields. As I looked more down than out—closer to the house—the tennis courts and small building were visible.
Reaching for my necklace, I took a deep breath. If I could slip out there, I could tell Nox what was happening.
I turned my focus back on Chelsea. “Tell me why you’re here. How did you of all people become Bryce’s alibi?”
“I can’t. I don’t know.”
“That doesn’t make sense. I mean, if what you’ve said is true, then you never met him until the night at the hospital. Tell me how you got from maybe having a job in D.C. to being with him.”
Saying D.C. hit a cord. That would have been where she’d be if she’d been assigned to Severus Davis. Did he know that he could have had Chelsea? How did it all work?
Dressed in a pair of yoga pants and a tank top, not the attire for dinner, she pulled her knees to her chest and perched her bare feet on the edge of the plush chair. “Alex, I wish I could tell you. I’m dying to talk to someone about it, but I can’t. All I can say is that we’ve told the Evanston police the same story. Bryce was with me when Melissa disappeared.”
I shook my head. “But was he?”
“He was there in California before he told you he was. He has travel records proving he was there off and on during the full four years.”
My stomach twisted. “You lied to the police?”
“I didn’t have a choice. They were relentless. They even did tests on his cars and things. They came to Carmichael Hall… it was… scary.”
“But… your testimony?”
She shrugged. “I don’t think it’s really testimony. It wasn’t court. I pray it doesn’t get that far. It was a deposition.”
“God, you still falsified information. That’s perjury.”
“I didn’t have a choice…” Chelsea’s defense faded away.
I took a deep breath. “Because of the agreement.”
Her eyes widened. “What did you say?”
“I know about Infidelity. I didn’t know that was what you did, but I know about the company.”
Chelsea jumped from the chair and stood, facing the window.
I waited, but instead of words, her shoulders quaked and head fell forward.
Standing, I slowly made my way to her. She wasn’t far away, only a step, maybe two, but for a moment the distance seemed insurmountable. When I laid my hand on her shoulder, she spun toward me.
“I don’t know how you know,” she said between sniffles, “but since you do, now you know I am a whore.”
I recalled Karen Flores’s words, the ones I’d repeated to Nox. “It’s companionship, not sex.”
“How?”
“It’s a long story, but let me just say… I understand the allure, the promise of the compensation for what seems like not much sacrifice. But it is. You and your body are more valuable than that agreement. I’m more valuable than that agreement.”
She shook her head. “Look around. You can’t possibly know what it’s like. I’ve hated every day and yet in two months with the deal I made, Infidelity, and the HR job at Montague, I’ve earned enough to pay my sister’s tuition for two years at a state school.” She sighed. “It feels good to say Infidelity aloud.”
“Babe, you’re not a whore any more than I am.”
“No, you’re wrong. Bryce is all too willing to remind me daily of my title.”
“Fuck him!”
“I’d rather not,” she said with a grimace. “Besides, why would you even say that you’re a whore? You didn’t sign your life away.”
“No, I didn’t, just my companionship.”
Her steps stuttered backward as her hands went to her lips. “Nox?”
“Yes, but it’s complicated.”
“Oh my God.” The wheels of recognition turned in her head. “The trust fund. That’s why. How? Did Deloris tell you about it too?”
“Not exactly. Deloris found my profile and she stopped it. Nox—well, his company—is an investor.”
“He’s not your client?”
“Not technically. Tell me what Deloris asked you to do.”
Chelsea made her way back to the chair. “It wasn’t supposed to be like this. It was supposed to be some guy. I saw his picture, kind of distinguished. He’s married. I figured I’d only see him when he wasn’t with his wife. The rest of the time I could have a life and at the same time earn this income. I’m not a prude, but that wasn’t what happened.”
“I know. I’m sorry. Do you remember that guy’s name?”
“Yeah, it was like the teacher in Harry Potter, Severus.”
“Did you ever meet him? Does Bryce know that was who you were supposed to be paired with?”
Her head moved back and forth. “No… and no. Bryce told me how he found me. He thought it was pretty funny.” Her face contorted in disgust. “He was very proud of himself.”
I sank back to the chair. “You don’t have to tell me—”
She sat taller. “He put in specifics: hair length, body type, age. He described you.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“That’s why you were right when you said I looked and dressed like you. He made me, even making me dye my hair.”
“God, Chels, I don’t know what to say.”
“It’s not your fault. I did it.”
“But I told you to trust Deloris. I had no idea… Oh, but before I forget, the guy you were supposed to be with? He’s downstairs.”
“He’s what?”
I reached for her hand. “Not for you. It’s some political thing, two senators and Severus Davis. He’s a lobbyist.”
“But Deloris wanted me to spy on him. That was the plan. There must be some connection between him and Nox?”
“I don’t really know. Maybe since we’re both here, we can keep our ears open. But know this: I’m getting you out of here. You don’t deserve—”
My words trailed away, stilled by pounding from the hallway. Bryce’s angry voice echoed down the corridor and penetrated the door.
My gaze met Chelsea’s.
“He’s yelling for you,” she said.
“Maybe if we stay quiet.” I walked to the door, hoping to see if he had gone.
Just as I reached for the doorknob, Chelsea’s door swung open wide with little regard for the other side. Quickly, I jumped back, barely avoiding a collision.
Bryce’s expression —the one I likened to Alton—was back, complete with the red neck and ears.
“What?” I asked, wishing we’d locked her door. “What are you doing up here?” I looked to Chelsea and back. “Bryce, you should leave. We need to get ready for dinner.”
He shoved the screen of his phone toward me. The picture was black and white and of poor quality.
“What? That’s me.” It was me, by my mother’s bed, her hand in mine.
“Today?” he asked.
Shit! The floor suddenly fell out from under me—more accurately, from under my alibi. The dress was different.
DELORIS INSERTED THE pen drive into her computer and pulled the documents up on her screen.
“I’ll send it to your iPad,” she said as her fingers flew over the keys.
“And mine?” my father asked.
Deloris looked over her shoulder. “Do you really need it twice?”
Oren shrugged. “Just curious if you have my private email address.”
She laughed as my iPad dinged with the incoming email.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” he said, leaning back and bringing his tablet to life. “This is a long last will and testament,” he continued. “I mean, I’ve seen some crazy shit, but old man Montague took control to a whole new level, all the way down to dictating his granddaughter’s future. You can look at the entire document, but I suggest we all concentrate on Article XII for right now.”
I looked over at Isaac. He was present, but silent. Instead of scanning the document, he was watching Cha
rli’s necklace app.
“Any change?” I asked.
“No, sir. She’s back at the manor.” He shrugged. “Sometimes I wonder if this heart-rate indicator works.”
“Of course it does,” Deloris said. “Why?”
“Like now, if it’s working, her pulse is ridiculously high. One hundred and thirty. That’s double what it is when she’s sleeping.”
My skin prickled. “If she just would have stayed.”
Oren turned my way. “A week ago?”
“No, today. I had her for a short time.”
“And you let her go?”
“She won’t leave her mother or Chelsea.”
“Fuck!” Oren stood. “You don’t think they’ve figured out that you two were together, do you?”
“No. We took care of everything.”
Oren turned on me. “We’re so fucking close. Don’t blow it because you’re…”
“Because I’m what? I’m worried sick. I needed to see her, to touch her. I’m beyond frightened with every new thing we learn about Spencer. I knew he was a slime in business, but now… I’m not going to blow this. I’ll storm that damn party if she doesn’t get to that road.”
“Gentlemen,” Deloris interjected, “we have a document.”
I took a deep breath and turned away from my father’s icy stare.
Oren had to have the last word. “This isn’t just about Alexandria. She’s the strongest one of the lot. She can make it one more day.”
His words made my skin bristle. I sat back down and picked up my tablet, praying he was right.
But if he was, then why the hell was her pulse elevated?
Focusing on the screen, I scrolled the pages, slowing for the subtitles until I reached: Article XII Provisions for Montague Holdings.
The room fell silent as we all read:
If at the time of my passing these provisions have not been satisfied, it is the responsibility of my heirs, Adelaide Montague Fitzgerald and Alexandria Charles Montague Collins, to willingly and legally satisfy the following criteria upon the appropriate dates. Failure to do so will result in the loss of all inheritance including but not limited to assets, property, company shares, personal properties, and the residence and remainder of my Estate.
As is now the case, it is essential that Adelaide Montague remain married to Alton Fitzgerald for the remainder of their earthly lives. As Adelaide’s husband, Alton Fitzgerald will have all rights set forth as the primary stockholder in Montague Corporation. If either party files for divorce or attempts to end the marriage, all Montague holdings revert to Alexandria Collins.