WHILE KILLING HER THREE minutes in the Beast, Tess may have accidentally on purpose swiped a few of Daire’s things. If staying in the hotel was inevitable, she’d need some comforts and went upstairs to pack. Her Heart’s apparel was buried in the bottom of the almost-full carpet bag by the time Hugo wandered into her closet much later.
“You almost set off a full security lockdown,” he said. “I came to your suite to find you and you were gone.”
“I wanted to get the last of my things.”
“That’s great,” he said, coming closer. “Really great. You’re ready to get out of here?”
“We don’t have to go tonight,” Tess said, trying to delay what was becoming inevitable. “We can have dinner here and—”
“I have something special planned tonight,” he said, hooking one handle of her bag and then the other, closing it as he picked it up. “Very special. There’s a car waiting outside.”
“I’m not dressed for dinner or—”
“All of that will be taken care of, sweetheart.”
With the bag in one hand, he offered the other to her. Commitment. The only way she’d keep the wheels on the wagon was to ride right through. Freaking out or causing drama wouldn’t help. It wouldn’t help Harry… It wouldn’t help Daire. Her father was still a conundrum. But Daire… The man who’d opened up to her, shared his secrets without prompting, he was the one she trusted. The one she wanted to support.
“Lead the way,” Tess said, putting her hand in Hugo’s.
As soon as they got in the car, Hugo produced a black satin blindfold.
“What is that for?” she asked, noting champagne and flowers awaited them too.
“It’s a surprise,” he said. “Trust me, you’ll love it.”
Would she? “Where are we going?”
“Somewhere special. Somewhere we haven’t been before. You humored me the last time I had a surprise. That worked out for you, didn’t it?”
According to her suspicious mind, his statement was one of opinion not fact. They were going to eat somewhere special. Somewhere they hadn’t eaten before. Not exactly informative, but what did she expect him to say about a surprise?
“You’ve spoiled me so much already.”
“Never enough,” he said, holding up the blindfold. “Humor me again, please.”
If he hadn’t made such a big deal about her staying in the suite at his hotel, she’d think he’d bought her a house or something.
“See how it plays out,” that was Daire’s advice. No rocking the boat. She’d follow her Heart’s counsel and see where Hugo’s plan took them.
Turning around, she let him put the blindfold over her eyes and then settled back in the seat.
The warmth of his hand on her thigh through the fabric of her dress was probably meant to be reassuring. Focusing on anything but that point of contact was difficult. Hugo talked about his work, about how things were going with her preparations for opening the store. One good thing about the billionaire? He liked to hear himself talk.
Her input was minimal. Making conversation took some energy. The blindfold dulled her awareness and caused a sensation of vulnerability. She didn’t like it. Couldn’t remember ever being blindfolded. The longer the satin encircled her head, the harder it got to breathe or concentrate.
On the cusp of a panic attack, dizziness took over. A scream threatened her throat just as the car came to a halt.
“This is it,” Hugo said, taking her hand.
Not a moment too soon.
He didn’t comment on her moist palm or trembling fingers. Up front, a door opened and closed. A moment later the one next to Hugo opened and she was being guided out onto what felt like thin carpet. Her heels wobbled but didn’t clack. It wasn’t a hard surface but was solid… if that made sense.
Still trying to figure out where they were and what was happening, disorientation ruled. There was movement and air, but little sound. If they were somewhere busy, somewhere with people, none of them were speaking. The car idled behind them. Did that imply they wouldn’t be staying long?
That question was answered when the car moved, the engine sound receded and drifted away. If it was going to be parked, the lot was far from where they were.
“What’s happening?” she asked, turning in the direction of the man still holding her hand.
Hugo let go to loosen the blindfold. She blinked, taking a moment to orient herself. Nothing about their surroundings helped her relax. They were on carpet, temporary carpet that must have been rolled out just for them. She didn’t care about the carpet, she cared about the plane a dozen yards away.
“Come on,” Hugo said, taking her hand to pull her forward.
Resisting, she planted her feet. “No, I don’t think we should—”
“Trust me, Tess, it will be fine,” Hugo said, his smile broad and oblivious. The keen businessman might be savvy in the boardroom, he wasn’t so great at reading women. His calm expression contrasted her feelings. Tess was anything but calm or intrigued. “We’re going somewhere special.”
“I don’t want to,” she said, withdrawing her hand to step backward.
Glancing around the airfield, she didn’t see anyone. There were planes and buildings, but no people. Play along? What kind of advice was that? Getting on a plane was a step beyond what she’d even considered a possibility.
Hugo laughed. “There’s nothing to be afraid of. Do you have a fear of flying?”
“I have a fear of getting on planes when I don’t know where they’re headed.”
“Look,” he said, approaching to take her hand. “We’ll go and have a good time. Any time you want to come back, we’ll come back.”
What Harry had said about Three being out his depth came back to her. The man could be flamboyant, Harry said that too. Was that what this was? Him waving his cash around, like providing her a store and everything she needed to make a success of it? Hugo wanted her favor, not knowing why unsettled her.
“I should call Harry—”
“Harry knows all about it,” Hugo said on another laugh, edging nearer. “You’ve never been treated like this, I get it. You’re unsure, but you don’t have to worry. We’re part of the same team. All of us. We are all part of the same unit.”
Unsure if she wanted to be a part of his unit, she remained dubious. Looking into Hugo, she tried to tell if he was being honest or if something else might be going on.
“I don’t know…”
“You’ll love it. In fact, there’s a surprise waiting for you just up those stairs.”
A surprise? The plane itself was a surprise. It rankled that he acted as though she was an impressionable child, won over by candy and trinkets. Letting him have his way was about keeping the peace, not a lack of awareness there could be consequences.
If Harry knew, Daire knew… They’d been together that afternoon. Why hadn’t he told her about this? Had he learned of the trip after they parted? If he had a problem with it, he’d have found a way to keep her there. To get to her… Wouldn’t he?
“I don’t know that I should…” she said, conflicted. “I’d rather just stay here, Hugo. I’m sorry.”
Private planes and surprises probably worked with the dozens of women from his past. The money and reach would impress most people. Especially those who weren’t from an affluent background.
His brow descended, but before Hugo could say anything, someone appeared from within the plane.
“Is there a problem?” he asked.
“Oh my God,” she murmured, fixated on the dashing white haired man standing on the plane stairs. “Is that…”
“Yes,” Hugo said, guiding her a couple of steps.
She couldn’t believe who she was looking at. Couldn’t believe that the man right there, in front of her was…
“President Byron,” she said.
He smiled at her. Damn, he was charismatic. The man hadn’t been in office for years, but he hadn’t lost the magic that enchanted so many voters.
“Philip,” he said. “And you must be Tess.” Her jaw was moving, though no sounds were actually coming from her mouth. “Come inside and we’ll talk.”
Byron gestured as he retreated inside again. Her attention flew around to the smiling Hugo.
“Told you there was a surprise in there for you,” he said.
“Is there… I mean is he…”
“He has a security agent and there’s a stewardess. Other than them and the pilots, it will be just the three of us… His time is obviously valuable,” he said and laughed again. “I don’t think he’s used to being kept waiting.”
No, she didn’t imagine he was. Hugo guided her ahead of him and put his hands to her hips to direct her up the stairs into the plane. After shuffling through the kitchen, they entered a larger space filled with wide, deep chairs unlike any normal plane seats. Her experience on planes was limited. She and her mother used them occasionally in her early childhood, though not often. Buses, trains, cars, they didn’t require going through enclosed airports with security lines and few options for a hasty exit if the need arose.
After 9/11 when security measures became even more stringent, they’d opted not to use airlines. Being caught travelling on a fake ID was always a risk. The penalty for taking that risk became all the more serious after that fateful day. Hence why they stuck to roads and railways.
President Byron was at the opposite end of the room. To the left, sitting at a table with four chairs around it.
“Please,” he called to them, pouring champagne into tall flutes. “Join me.”
Refusing a president, even a former one, probably came with some kind of penalty. Maybe not an official one, but she definitely didn’t want to offend him.
Hugo ushered her down the plane and into a window seat before taking the one next to her. The president handed her a glass, then Hugo, though his smile stayed on her.
“You got the good stuff,” Hugo said, holding his glass to the middle of the table. “Philip, this is Tess. Tess, former President Byron.”
She’d figured that out all on her own. “It’s a… an honor.”
The warmth of Byron’s smile grew. It was probably her imagination, but was there an actual glint in his eye?
“Honor’s all mine,” he said, raising his glass toward Hugo’s. “Shall we drink to new friends?”
It took a few seconds to catch up with her glass.
“New friends,” Hugo said.
After all three of their glasses touched, the men drank. She did too, sort of wishing there was something stronger than champagne on offer.
The sudden movement of the plane took the flute from her lips. She hadn’t heard the door close or the engines. If the men noticed her surprise, they didn’t acknowledge it.
Byron lowered his glass and leaned a little toward her. “You know, I feel like I’ve known you all your life,” he said. “Seeing you like this, here in front of me… It’s a little overwhelming.”
What was he talking about? That such an important figure could think that way was astounding… and confusing. “I’m sorry, sir, I don’t…”
Byron laughed and reached over to lay a reassuring hand on hers. “Really, Philip is just fine. We don’t have to stand on ceremony. Not here. We’re equals here.”
Being touched by a president took her by surprise. That wasn’t the only surprise. While still trying to figure out what was going on, her attention was split by their vehicle’s change of angle. Glancing out the window, the runway sunk from beneath them.
“I appreciate that you took the time to come out this way, Philip,” Hugo said. “You’ve been on the go a lot recently.”
Byron’s hand slid away from hers. “The responsibilities of office have always taken precedence over everything else,” he said. “Even if the office has changed over the years.”
Tearing her focus from the disappearing city, and thoughts of the man left behind, she looked at the man seated opposite her.
“You’ve been doing a lot of charity work, work for the UN. You’ve been an advocate for many worthy causes.”
“Thank you,” Byron said. “I try to do what I can… There are so many issues worthy of our attention that it’s sometimes difficult to know whether or not we’re choosing the right ones or making a difference.”
“You inspire,” she said. “You and your wife. I love the work she does with children and how she champions education. It’s so important.”
“Yes,” he said, his head bobbing in agreement. “There’s much still to be done. It’s an ongoing process, ever changing. Many situations are dynamic, swinging from one end of the spectrum to the other. While others are stagnant… Those tend to need a little… push.”
“Or a big push,” Hugo said. “You read the reports?”
“Yes,” Byron said. “The official daily briefings can be frustrating given our stalled position.”
“Agreed,” Hugo said.
“I’ve heard the same from other quarters. Which is why we need to get things moving as quickly as possible,” Byron said, turning his gaze to hers. “Hugo assures me we can count on your support.”