“YOU’RE SURE YOU DON’T WANT ME TO COME into town?” Paul’s voice soothed like a cool compress through the receiver. I knew if he did, I’d not have a moment of peace.
“Not tonight, sweetheart.” I nearly choked on the words. “I just need to sleep. I’m sure by morning I’ll be fine.”
“Okay, then. Sweet dreams, dear. I’ll keep watch over you while you sleep.”
His offer sent a shudder down my spine. “No, Paul, I’ve covered the mirrors. Tonight I don’t want to think about anything but sleep, do you understand?”
“No, you’re up there all alone and the surveillance helps keep an eye on things. It’s more for your protection than anything. I’ll activate the cameras—”
“Don’t, Paul. I’m on the thirty-third floor. No one can reach me up here.”
“Except me, of course.”
“Except you, of course,” I said placatingly. My head was throbbing in earnest now.
“You’re sure you’re okay? I can send Jenkins with something for—”
“Paul, please just give me some private time. I promise to call if I need anything, really.”
“Promise?”
“Absolutely,” I lied. I’d sooner choke on my own spit than ask this weasel for anything, but I couldn’t afford not to have a plan, and it had to be infallible.
“All right, then. I’ll call you in the morning to arrange for the car to come around. When you get home, I’ll have the cook fix us a nice breakfast, with mimosas. You like mimosas, don’t you, Charlie?”
I sat down on the edge of the bed, holding my hand to my forehead. “Yeah, I do, but the couple I had at lunch today really threw me. They must have made them with exceptional champagne.”
“Nothing but the best for my girl,” he cooed.
The tone of his voice caused me to blink. It wasn’t possible. How could he have known where I would be for lunch? What was he doing to me?
A panic rose in my gut. What if that waiter knew? What if Paul had paid him to put something in my drink? “I need to go lie down, Paul.”
“Sure, sweetheart. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
The receiver clicked and the sound of it echoed in my ear. I stared at the receiver. He hadn’t told me, as he always did without fail, how much he adored me.
Something wasn’t right.
I showered, closing the door, and later slipped into my sweatpants and hoodie that I used for workouts. The hot shower had helped to clear my head, but my stomach still roiled. Scrounging through the cupboards, I found some chamomile tea, nuked a hot cup and curled up on the couch, staring out at the darkening sky.
I’ve no idea how long I sat there, letting my life play like a movie in my head. The first time I’d met Paul; how he never wanted me to bring up the topic of his other wives; how he was selfish, admitted openly that he didn’t want kids. He wanted to give me everything my heart desired. And he’d kept true to his word.
I hugged myself and leaned my head against the back of the couch. The room grew dark as I stared through the picture window at the neon lights of the city beginning to dot the skyline.
A sound startled me, pulling my attention to the dim shadows near the front door. There in the dimness I saw the silhouette of a man standing in the foyer, watching me. Without thought, I leaped over the couch and grabbed the floor lamp, flicking the switch in the process, momentarily blinding the intruder.
“This apartment has surveillance cameras crawling all over it. You’d be wise to leave now before the alarms go off.”
“The alarms aren’t going to go off, Charlie. And you’ve done a remarkable job of covering all the mirrors. That’s where the cameras are hidden, aren’t they?”
At the sound of Cade’s voice, I let the lamp slide from my fingers and returned it to the floor. “What are you doing here? How did you get in?”
He was dressed in black clothing from head to foot. Only his handsome face was exposed.
“I’m pretty handy with alarm systems as well as locks, Charlie. I figured this one out the afternoon we spent together. It really wasn’t that difficult.”
My mind reeled with confusion.
His eyes narrowed, studying me for a moment. “I suppose you’d like an explanation?” he offered, sauntering down the two steps into the living room. He headed for one of two leather chairs flanking the French provincial fireplace. Cade eased down into the seat and crossed his leg over his knee, as if he had all the time in the world. He worked at pressing the fingers of his leather gloves tighter on his hand.
I stared at those leather-encased hands, remembering how they had felt a few hours earlier caressing my body.
“You see, when your husband hired me the first time, I had to guess that any man who had enough money to hire a guy to have sex with his wife was a man who would likely strike a bargain to get her back.”
My brain went numb as I stared at Cade. My sweet, gentle lover with soft brown eyes—those dark orbs that now glinted as they held me captive. “I don’t understand.” I thought I was going to be sick.
“The idea hadn’t occurred to me until this afternoon, really. After he approached me a second time, the seed began to form in my head. And shortly after you left today, the whole plan fell into place. I just needed to fill in the details, and hopefully the rest will be as easy.”
“The rest?” I swallowed hard, forcing the bile back down my throat.
“It’s fairly simple, really. I kidnap the wife, demand the ransom, collect it, but unfortunately, they’ll never find your body. Eventually the case will be closed.”
“You plan to kill me? You planned this all along?” My throat was parched with fear. I looked around the room, searching for a weapon…anything to defend myself. However, the furnishings were sparse on purpose. It helped to create an ambience of anonymity for Paul’s videos.
“Oh, no, not all along, Charlie. I just realized it’s the only way, don’t you see? Now, are you going to come quietly, or are we going to get the police up here, where they are sure to find all those incriminating tapes your husband has?”
My eyes welled. He knew all about the others. But what about the tape with him and me on it? “They’ll check the tapes after I’m gone, and they’ll find the one of you and me that afternoon.”
His grin sparkled in the low light of the room. He held up a video case, waving it in his hand. “That one will be with his wife.”
“You think you’ve thought this through, don’t you? You’ve no idea how possessive my husband can be. How powerful his connections are.”
“It’s infallible.”
I stared at him and wondered if he was as clever as he thought he was. Still, he was right. I had no option but to go along with his plan. “Fine, just let me get my things.”
He grabbed my arm as I walked past him. “You won’t need them where you’re going. Come on, Charlie.”
I jerked my arm from his grasp.
“Look, I’m sorry it has to be this way, but you’d do the same in a heartbeat. You know you would.”
In the dark shadows of the night, Cade did not detect the flicker of regret in my eyes.