Текст книги "Twisted Together"

Автор книги: Pepper Winters

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Текущая страница: 16 (всего у книги 33 страниц)

Roux met my eyes. “Care to jump in and explain, Mercer? After all, it’s your fledging.”

I scowled. I didn’t want to hear what I already knew, and I had no desire to talk about it either—even though I was secretly pleased and rather honoured how the news had gone down with the world.

You want her to inherit everything. It’s only fair she knows exactly what she’s accepting.

I sighed, unlocking my arms to sit forward. “You’re doing such a good job. Finish it.”

Frederick nodded. “Fine. Well, the bad news is, the company lost its backing from over forty-eight percent of its regular investors. Overnight they cut association with all subsidiaries of Moineau when they heard the news Q accepted sex slaves as bribes to finalize developments. There was an uproar when they heard he not only accepted them as bribes, but kept them in his home.”

Tess gasped, a hand flying to cover her mouth. “Oh, my God.”

Frederick sighed, enjoying the theatrics of telling a sordid tale. “I know. Terrible. Death threats were sent, a few properties were defaced, and we prepared for the end of Mercer’s empire.”

I rolled my eyes. He made it sound like the apocalypse. None of that mattered. It was superficial at worst. Even disgusting rumours couldn’t hurt us in the long run.

Tess wrapped her arms around her waist, leaning forward. “This is awful. Can’t someone explain?”

Roux held up his hand, his blue eyes grave and bleak. “Then the rumours started flying that Mercer used them for his pleasure. That he killed them once he’d finished—seeing as no one ever saw a harem of women running around his estate. And believe me. They searched.

“Local villagers spread filthy lies about Q inheriting more than just Moineau Holdings but also his father’s side business as well.”

At that my stomach knotted into a trillion pains. Fucking people saying I was like him. It didn’t matter they were lies. It still tarred me with the same brush. Still made me seem like the monster I never wanted to be.

“But that’s not true!” Tess cried.

Frederick pursed his lips. “International law enforcement got involved; they seized most of our files—not that they’ll find any wrongdoings there. We’re pristine in every area of the business.”

I snorted. Yes, everywhere apart from my red binder full of sadistic sons of a bitches, bribes, dates, and names of the girls I’d taken as payment for buildings constructed on their behalf. I’d broken the law by dealing with criminals, but in a business point of view, we’d done nothing wrong. I delivered a service for a transaction rendered. It didn’t matter I used a barter system of women rather than capital.

Tess twisted her fingers. “Someone has to sue them for slander, surely. How can they say such a thing?”

 Frederick held up his hand, a smile tugging his mouth. “But then other villagers stepped forward claiming Q was nothing like his predecessor, and they had it all wrong. Local doctors broke their Hippocratic Oath to stand up for Q, explaining his outstanding care of the women who’d been broken by bastards. And that’s when the local police chief came forward and spilled the truth.

“No names but an approximate tally of all the women Q saved along with a guestimate on dollar value of what he’d spent repairing what others had broken.”

Tess swivelled to face me, her eyes glowing with unshed tears. She looked at me as if I were some celebrity or even worse…a god. I wasn’t. She knew that. Shit, I’d fucked her like a beast possessed only a few hours ago. She knew me better than anyone at how close to home those first rumours were.

Frederick muttered low, purely for my ears. “Thanks to them they saved your business, but no thanks to them they’ve taken—”

“Enough, Roux.” My eyes narrowed, warning. Tess didn’t need to know the other rumours. The ones whispering in the dark alleys of misery. They’re coming. And there was nothing I could do to stop it.

Tess went white. “So…what happened?”

Roux fell silent, waiting for me to answer. None of this was interesting. It was a waste of time. A waste of precious fucking time where I could be kidnapping her somewhere else.

Time.

The traitorous bitch was once again working against me. In more ways than one.

My heart hammered. “Nothing until someone”—and if I ever found out whom, I’d shoot them—“told a tale of how a woman I’d saved from traffickers in Mexico fell in love with me. They spun a ridiculous love story of a man berserk with terror when those same bastards came back for her to teach him a lesson.”

The tears in Tess’s eyes broke the confines of her lashes, trickling down her cheeks. My heart physically hurt at the love beaming from her—it was tangible, heating, hugging me.

“Online tabloids and international magazines spread the story like wildfire—embellishing, editing, but ultimately getting it surprisingly right. And when the news got out I’d found you but you were almost irreparable—well, that’s when the phones started ringing for an entirely different reason.”

Tess didn’t say a word, blinking in shock. My headache grew as stress layered my system. I didn’t want to talk about this. I’d deliberately kept it from her—I refused to let myself think about it as it made me feel…I didn’t fucking know. Humbled. Honoured. Amazed. I felt loved by more people than I’d ever met, and after a lifetime of never being cared for, I had no idea how to deal with it.

“So what happened?” Tess prompted.

 I laughed softly, unable to believe what the future of my company—my father’s company—faced. “Being heralded as a saviour didn’t exactly ruin my image. It didn’t matter people were calling me sick and so entrenched in the underworld they couldn’t believe a word of truth.

“There were more people who believed in the good than the bad, and it’s been used to my advantage.” Taking her hand, I pulled her toward me. My muscles shuddered as her warm weight rested along mine. Her hair tussled over her shoulders; smudges of sleeplessness marked under her eyes. “You’re going to be the face of the new Moineau, Tess. Be prepared.”

Her lips parted. “Wait…how?”

Frederick jumped in. “The forty-eight percent of investors we’d lost were rapidly replaced with smaller donations, lesser scale projects, and a lot of interest to join Q’s crusade against trafficking.”

Tess turned in my arms, annoyance shining on her face. “Why didn’t you tell me any of this?”

“That’s not all,” Frederick continued. “His good deeds will be recognised by the prime minister himself. Q’s business no longer deals with the filth of the world in order to save the innocent. Rather, he is now supported by organisations who will fight against that filth by pooling resources and authorities Q didn’t have on his own.”

My heart thudded, sending heated blood through my veins at the thought of all the extra women I’d be able to save but never see. All the sorrow I could fix; all the families I could reunite.

My company had branched out. Property and slaves. Who knew there would ever be a correlation.

Frederick beamed, his blue eyes practically blazing like daytime stars with happiness. “Moineau Holdings is no longer just a property empire. In fact, half of the company’s equity has been channelled into a new venture under the Moineau umbrella.”

Tess froze beside me, holding her breath.

“The latest enterprise is called Feathers of Hope, and we’ve donated exactly half of all Moineau’s proceeds to fund the worthy cause.”

Tess looked between the two of us, the file on her lap completely forgotten. “What does it do?”

Roux answered, “Feathers of Hope provides homes, rehabilitation, and therapy for all the women involved in the sex slave industry. It also backs private law enforcement along with larger firms in order to shut down slavery rings and prosecute men responsible.”

Tess started to quake. I cinched her harder against me, hating the onset of shock. Fuck, it hadn’t been my intention to make her panic. This was why I wanted to keep it simple and not drag her into everything. She’d probably have a heart attack to know how many people wanted to meet her. Interviews were turned down every day for her exclusive story of survival.

I smiled. It was her face people wanted on the Feathers of Hope logo—not the two feathers linked together with a red bow that we had now. She’d be immersed in my company—whether she wanted to be or not. It was just a matter of time.

Time I might not have.

Goddammit, I promised myself I wouldn’t think about it. Roux had no right to remind me—especially in front of Tess.

Tess looked up, her face whiter than a ghost. “You’re a hero. My hero. Their hero. My God, Q—”

I snarled, hating the word. “No, esclave, I’m not. I’m making up for the sins of my past. The sins of my father and all the fucking bastards I’ve had to deal with in order to free a small fraction of women. I’ve so many things to pay for, including my own sick perversions.”

And nothing made up for those sins more than handing over the red folder with every sick fuck who’d raped and traded women.

Tess’s fingers suddenly clutched my shirt. “Wait…are you safe?” Her eyes flew to Roux, her muscles locking with panic. “Please tell me he’s not painting a bull’s eye on his back by doing this?”

Shit. Why the hell did she have to ask that damn question? I’d deliberately kept her from TV broadcasts and webpages unfolding the latest allegations and threats on my life. Most of them were false—I was still alive after all.

But some…some were real.

Frederick laced his fingers together, placing them in his lap. “That’s not for me to discuss.” He gave me a pointed glare. “But rest assured he has a legion of supporters and an army of people willing to protect him.”

An army could only do so much against determined murderers. It was all up to me in the end. And I had a plan.

Tess spasmed in my arms; her skin went frigid with fear.

“Before, when he operated on his own, he was in worse danger. Pretending to be a devil among devils would’ve always ended badly,” Roux said, noticing Tess’s anxiety.

I didn’t have the heart to tell him I never had to pretend. I just shed my humanity and allowed myself to be free. I fell into the role of master looking to purchase a slave. I might never have touched one, but it hadn’t stopped my mind from conjuring depraved acts I would never speak about.

As sick as it was—I would miss that part. Miss stepping into the dark. I would miss being dangerous and walking amongst the blackness of the world, rubbing shoulders with men who were so like me—men I belonged with but would never let myself be a part of.

Living in the light was fucking hard. But it was the sacrifice I paid to keep my sanity. I had no choice but to embrace the sun and leave my darkness behind.

Enough talking.

“Read the file, Tess. I won’t ask again.”

I was done talking about this. I wanted to leave, and we couldn’t until the matter of signing in front of a witness was complete.

Roux cleared his throat. “Um, I know you’re going to bite my head off, but it’s my job as your business partner to ask.”

Tess looked at the paper.

I ground my teeth. “I know what you’re going to say, and no it’s not your job as my business partner—or friend. So drop it.”

Tess held up the pen, sitting straighter. “Wait—tell me.”

Oh, for fuck’s sake.

Frederick rolled his shoulders, chagrin loud and clear in his body language. “It’s nothing against you, Tess. I’m just looking out for a friend. Don’t take it personally.” His eyes zeroed on me. “So—you’re sure?”

I shoved Tess away, ready to stand up and show him just how sure I was. Tess tugged on my hand, keeping me seated. It took everything I had to stay in control. “Did you and Angelique sign a prenup?”

Tess relaxed. “Ah. I get it. I’ll gladly sign one—it’s no issue, really.”

Frederick smiled at her.

I swore, “You’re not fucking signing one. End of story.” Shoving a finger in my supposed friend’s face, I growled, “Answer me, Roux.”

His cheeks flushed as he ran a hand through his hair. “Well no, but only because we met in high school around the same time I met you. I was penniless before you asked me to come work for you. I never had the wealth you do—even now when you’ve been totally generous.”

Memories flickered of his friendship through those awful days with a drunkard for a mother and an asshole for a father. He’d been the only one who I let get close, and only once my mother died and I shot my father. I still remembered the afternoon he met Angelique. In a way—I was responsible for that, too.

Shaking my head, I scattered the memories. “You could’ve had one drawn up. What stopped you?”

Frederick stiffened, anger creeping up his neck. “My love and trust in my wife stopped me.” He flung his hands up. “Fine. I get your point.”

Smiling at Tess, he softened his voice. “Sorry. My mistake.” Motioning to the unread paper, he said, “Read it. It won’t bite.”

Tess laughed nervously. “Are you sure about that?” Risking a look at me, she added, “If the paper doesn’t—Q might.”

Roux laughed, slapping his thigh as if it was the funniest fucking thing he’d ever heard. Bastard.

I growled, tearing the paper out of Tess’s fingers and shoving it in her face. “Read. It. Now.” Plucking the pen from her slack hand, I added, “Then you sign and we’re gone. We’ve been here long enough as it is.”

I want out of France. The temptation to return to Volière was strong—at least there we might be safe.

Tess threw me a look, her eyes glinting. Ripping the page from my grip, her gaze settled on the waxy seal at the top. Decorated with my logo of a sparrow flying over sky rises, she skated down to the small but extremely life-altering paragraph.

Quincy Mercer II hereby agrees that all his wealthy possessions, fortune, investments, and all goodwill are hence forth owned jointly by Ms. Tess Snow soon to become Tess Mercer. Upon his death, Tess will be the sole recipient of Mr. Mercer’s fortune and any living heirs they might have.

The moment I knew she’d read it, I stole it again and slammed it on the table.

Tess said something incomprehensible, trying to steal it back, but it was too late. Uncapping the pen, I scrawled my autograph onto the parchment and held it out to her. My heart swelled with knowledge she would be forever protected, looked after, and kept healthy by all things money could afford.

Even if I wasn’t around.

“Sign it, esclave.”

She shook her head, eyeing the paper as if it had herpes. “I can’t…let me think for a moment.”

Too bad. I wasn’t a patient man.

Capturing her wrist, I shoved the pen into her right hand, and jerked her forward to place the nib against the paper. “I’m not letting go until you sign.”

“Mercer,” Frederick muttered.

I threw him a look; he wisely shut the fuck up.

Tess bit her lip but hesitantly obeyed. Her penmanship was compromised by my grip, but I didn’t care.

The moment she finished the little flourish at the end of her name, a weight lifted off my shoulders. One more way she was joined to me for life. One more way she’d proven she was mine. One more way I could make sure she was always cared for regardless of my future.

I loved my wealth for one thing only: to save women. And now it had saved the most important woman of my fucking life.

Her.

Always her.

Eternally her.

I tossed the paper at Frederick. “File it with the lawyers. We’re leaving.” Reaching down to hoist Tess to her feet, she whispered, “Q…how much…how much did you just sign over to me?”

Ah, the moment she’d find out the truth and know she could no longer hate my fortune because it was hers.

A shot of jittery happiness erupted down my spine. Get ready, Tess. I’m going to love watching this sink in. No more running from it. No more pretending her life hadn’t changed forever.

Not removing my eyes from hers, I demanded, “How much, Roux. The joint owner in Moineau Holdings wishes to know.”

Tess shuddered as Frederick came close, patting her on the shoulder. His eyes were gentle, understanding—from one person who’d had no wealth to another. “You’ve just inherited nine billion, seven hundred thousand euros, as of this morning. But that figure is growing daily.”

Tess promptly fainted.

Chapter Nine

body of body, shared thoughts and lustful need, we bow to this swirling new greed

I must be dreaming. This can’t be happening.

I pinched myself for the billionth time.

Hah, billion.

I’m a billionaire.

I put my head between my legs. I’d never felt so…surreal. There were no words to describe the euphoric weakness or the heart-numbing flabbergast.

Q’s hand landed between my shoulder blades, rubbing gently in circles. His loving touch belied his true feelings. I’d never seen Q like this. I personally thought he’d gone insane; he’d finally cracked, and I’d never find the sometimes sullen, always temperamental man I fell in love with.

The plane’s engines suddenly increased in decibel, shooting us down the runway like a rocket. Looking up, I steeled myself against Q’s handsome face. The same face that hadn’t stopped smirking since I woke up from my stupid fainting episode.

“It’s not the end of the world, esclave.” His pale eyes danced, not showing me any mercy.

I glowered and looked out the window—pointedly ignoring him. It was the end of the world—my world. He’d had a lifetime to get used to the luxury and complications of money. It wasn’t fair to force me to sign a piece of paper—under duress no less—and accept his entire fortune when I had no right to it at all.

Turning to him, I snapped, “I want to go back. I want Frederick to tear it up.”

Q reclined; his long legs stretched in front of him, crossing at the ankles. His hair shone from the sun streaming in the circular window as the plane swooped into the sky. In his black trousers and white shirt, he was a splash of sophistication in the otherwise hushed cream world of the private jet.

“Now why would I do that?” He couldn’t wipe the damn smile off his face. “Struggling to come to terms with something, Tess?” Chuckling, he leaned over and cupped my cheek. “Perhaps you’re having second thoughts about falling in love with a man who just changed your perception on how you see the world.”

My belly fluttered. He’d already done that. He’d made me a lover of pain. He’d made me an accomplice in a charity I hadn’t known about until an hour ago. He’d turned my life completely inside out, back to front, bleached it, then cut it up and sewed it back together.

All while keeping something from me. The comment from Frederick, the tension echoing in Q’s limbs. No wonder he’d been cagey whenever I tried to watch TV or go online. He’d hidden all the news from me. He also downplayed just how dangerous it was to have people know the truth.

Foreboding sat like a heavy smudge on my heart.

This is too much! All of it. I needed to know the truth. How much jeopardy was he truly in? He needs to stop being so damn blasé.

“Can you be serious for one second?” I hadn’t been cross with him before but his smug grin really flipping annoyed me.

He laughed, throwing his head back, elongating his perfect neck. My mouth went drier than a desert.

Holy hell, how was I supposed to concentrate when everything about him exuded raw sex?

His gaze locked on mine. “What seems to be the problem?” Reeling off on his fingers, he said, “It can’t be the fact you’ll never go hungry, or cold, or homeless. It can’t be the fact you’ll always be safe and be able to afford the best protection and healthcare. And it certainly can’t be the fact that you can use that money to help others.” Rolling his eyes, he smirked again. “God, you’re acting like I made you sign a death sentence and not a life improving sentence.”

Swivelling in my chair, holding onto the cushioned arm rest as the plane banked suddenly, I said, “You don’t get it. You’re giving away half of the money that’s rightfully yours, and you’re treating it like it’s nothing.”

And hiding your safety from me.

His eyes flashed, losing his mirth, trading it for his well-known aggression. “Ça y est tu peux passer au dessus.”It is. Get over it.

“No. Not until I’ve processed it. Don’t you understand I’d won the lottery by finding you? That all my wishes were granted when you fell in love with me?  How can I justify being a billionaire in monetary worth, when I’m already beyond wealthy by having you?” My eyes burned as tears puddled from nowhere. Damn, I didn’t want to cry. I didn’t want to appear weak. I didn’t know how to formulate my real concerns because I didn’t even understand them myself.

My real fear stemmed from Frederick’s veiled comment.

“They’ve saved your business but taken—” Taken what? How soon? I couldn’t stomach the thought of Q being hurt.

Q frowned; he lost the edge of anger, confusion filling his gaze. “Tess—it’s because of those reasons why I gave you the money. I’ve never trusted anyone to use my wealth in the same way I do. I never had the urge to share that responsibility. It’s because you love me that you’re perfect to accept the weight of the Mercer fortune.”

I looked out the window again, swallowing the lump that had the audacity to choke. I’m afraid I’m not worthy of all of this. I’m afraid life will expect me to pay another toll, and I’m terrified I won’t be able to afford it.

Q pulled his legs toward him, stretching to wrap a fist in my hair.

My heart flurried as he gently but firmly tilted my head to face him. “What’s this really about, esclave?” His eyes searched mine, and I knew he’d never understand.  I’d agreed to marry him. By that alone, I would’ve spent my life surrounded by wealth because I would spend it surrounded by Q. It made no difference.

But my real terror was the prick of instincts honing in on things Q kept hidden.

Oxygen caught in my lungs. I’d been planning a lifetime together, so why did I suddenly have the horrible notion Q planned for much less?

Q’s face was cast with shadows as the plane pierced clouds, blocking out the view of the disappearing French countryside. “Peu importe ce qu’il y a tu peux me le dire.” Whatever it is, you can tell me.

I shook my head, swallowing my tumultuous concerns. He didn’t need to know I guessed something was amiss—not until I had concrete evidence and could demand an answer.

Resting my palm on his warm thigh, I said, “It’s fine. I’ll be fine. Thank you. Thank you for trusting me with everything that you are.” And stupidly planning for things I won’t let come to pass.

Q’s jaw clenched and for a moment I worried he wouldn’t let me hide the truth, but then his hand dropped from my hair, brushing against the ‘Q’ branded into my neck. The skin was no longer painfully sensitive; I shivered at the soft caress.

“You still don’t get it.” He shook his head, eyes alive with vitality and connection. Bowing his head, he brushed his lips against mine. “You may have become richer in bank balance—but Tess…you made me richer in my heart. And that’s fucking priceless.”

My body gave way from substance to molten, and I arched my chin to kiss him. I wanted to shed my skin and fly. I wanted to free my soul, so Q could see just how much I loved him. My note wasn’t enough to describe how much he’d changed my life. He was more than healing acid—he was my blood. We shared the same heartbeat and if he died I had no doubt my life would cease, too.

Q’s eyes drifted closed. His tongue licked my lips, changing the kiss from sweet to sultry. He gathered me in his arms, bruising my spine with his fierce embrace. His taste drugged me. All I wanted was to be naked and beneath him.

Safe. I wanted to be safe.

Breaking the kiss, I whispered, “Where are you taking me this time?”

Q laughed softly. “Always so inquisitive.” Kissing the tip of my nose, he murmured, “I’m taking you on that date, esclave. Our very first one, and I expect to get to second base.”

I moaned as his hand cupped my breast, rubbing his thumb over my nipple. “You’re already at second base.” My breath was as soft as the wispy clouds outside.

His mouth trailed along my jaw and down my neck, licking exquisitely softly. “So I am.” His touched turned firm, massaging my breast, unfurling desire in my core. “Stop being so damn easy to seduce.” Teeth replaced his tongue, turning soft to sharp.

“I can’t help it. I’m completely helpless against the man I’m going to marry.”

His arms banded tighter; a low growl bubbled from his chest. “Fuck, I love hearing you say that. Say it again.”

I smiled, shivering in his arms. “The man I’m going to marry.”

“And after we’re married, how will you address me?” His lips trailed fire over my collarbone.

“You’ll be my husband. My maître husband.”

He bit me, his large body trembling. “I like the sound of that.”

My insecurities broke my self-control. “And you’ll be mine forever, Q. Won’t you?”

He pulled back, scowling. “A marriage is forever, esclave.”

I nodded, forcing my eyes not to show my true concern.

A marriage maybe forever, but a human body was not. And Q seemed to think he was immortal.

But I knew the difference. I’d hurt him. I’d scarred him.

The invincible master bled…he could be killed.

* * *

Rome.

A honeymooner’s dream. Or, in our case, a crescent moon.

My mouth fell open as Franco opened the car door, granting me his large hand to climb out of the vehicle. Someone needed to slap me. I’d left reality and stumbled straight into the pages of my own fairy-tale.

The hotel soared upward as well as outward. I couldn’t see where it ended or begun—arched windows with Juliette balconies stood like perfect soldiers in a battalion of architecture. Pillars and porticos with dark brick, alabaster marble, and a red carpet leading to a lobby accepted me like royalty. And through the green-tinted glass of the entrance, the largest tiered chandelier I’d ever seen screamed fortune. The hanging crystals looked like an upside down wedding cake—if such a cake existed with fifty layers and thousands of jewels, all hanging from a colossal ceiling with Pegasus, Hercules, and Zeus immortalized by the finest painting imaginable.

Zeus’s lightning bolts struck guests milling below, while cupid and his fellow cherubs shot heart-arrows like rain.

A party of three ladies entered the lobby, ignoring me on the curb gawking like an idiot. Each woman had a model-perfect Italian man trailing after her—their arms full of Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and Prada bags.

Franco’s finger pressed beneath my chin, snapping my jaw into place. “Showing your tonsils to the clientele isn’t the best first impression.”

I shook myself, waking up from the stupor of obscene wealth. I pointed at the ceiling where the lights spilled onto the night-shrouded sidewalk making me feel like an imposter for ever thinking I could stay there. “Look at it. It’s breath-stealingly beautiful.”

“No, that’s you. This is just a cleverly designed hotel meant to lure men like me to spend exorbitant amounts of money.” Q brushed against my shoulder, glowering at Franco for touching me.

A look flashed between them, adding to the smudge on my heart, stealing some of my wonder-filled joy.

Franco’s eyes were flat and distrustful of everyone in every direction.

Pretending to be oblivious of the building tension, I said, “That may be so, but…Q. This isn’t even our honeymoon, and you’re spoiling me rotten. How will you top this when we finally get married?” Another question formed on my tongue, but I swallowed it back. Exactly how soon will that be? After Q’s rush to get me hitched, he’d gone ominously silent on the subject.

Q looked over my head at Franco. “Check us in. You know what to do. We’ll head straight up.” With a quick scan of the street, Q grabbed my hand, dragging me from night-time to glowing lobby and toward a private elevator at the rear.

A man in a tailored tuxedo bowed as we pushed the up button and waited beside a flower arrangement that looked like a living fountain of orchids, lilies, and ferns.

“Ciao, Mr. Mercer. Very pleasant to see you again, sir.”

Q nodded, taking in the man’s shiny black hair parted to the side, his white gloves clasped in front of him, and the spotless presentation of a body well-maintained for a man in his late fifties. “Merci.” His tone was cool and clipped; his body vibrating with a new rigidity I grew to recognise as self-preservation.

The lift arrived. The man climbed inside and pressed the necessary floor. The doors closed, sliding upward to our floor. “Your room is available, as always. Would that be all you require, or should I have some canapés and champagne sent up?” The man smiled first at Q, then me. His eyes brightened as he took my hand, planting a dry kiss on the back of my knuckles. “Mi scusi. Sorry, madam. Excuse my rudeness. I am Alonzo, designated butler for all VIP guests.”

Q tugged me away, planting himself between me and Alonzo. “Thank you for your service, but we won’t be needing—” Q cut himself off, a calculating look entering his gaze. The lift came to a stop, its doors opening to reveal thick white carpet and matching ivory floral arrangements at regular intervals along the long corridor. “Tess, head down to the left. Give me a moment.” He shoved me forward, giving me no choice but to stumble off the elevator.

The doors shut, leaving me stranded, gaping like a fool. What the hell?

Should I wait? Should I obey? I had no clue which room was ours and judging by the fancy keypads on each door it wasn’t a key I needed but…a fingerprint?

Did Q chose this hotel for opulence or security?

Just as I took a few hesitant steps down the corridor, the elevator doors opened again and Q strode out, collecting my elbow as he prowled over the carpet.

I looked over my shoulder but didn’t see Alonzo. “What are you up to?” I asked, letting Q propel me forward.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He wrenched me to a halt, slammed his thumb against the small screen above the door handle, and opened it when a light flashed green. Pushing me inside, illumination automatically flashed on, drenching the huge open-plan space with warmth. Massive abstract artwork framed the walls while floor to ceiling glass brought the postcard perfect view of Rome into our bedroom.

Fountains and cobblestone streets looked magical in the rising moonlight, while men and women held hands, making their way to dinner.