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  I snicker, knowing all too well her love for the playboy mystery writer. “Yes, Clive is supposed to be here. Though, I don’t know why you wouldn’t rather meet David Sharp. At least he’s not eighteen years older than you.”

  “David doesn’t write with Clive’s sharp wit. I love that man’s style. It’s classic and sexy all rolled into one. Age difference, pffft! You’d better introduce me.”

  “Fine. You’ll get your introduction. Just keep in mind Clive has a reputation with the ladies, especially ones half his age.”

  Her light brown eyes narrow into pleased slits. “I’m counting on it.” Clapping her hands excitedly, Cass stands. “Okay, let’s get you dressed. You need to be downstairs in an hour.”

  Once Cass adjusts the spaghetti strap on my fitted black velvet tea-length dress and I slip on my diamond stud earrings, a knock sounds at the door. “Miss Lone. It’s time to head downstairs,” Sebastian calls through the thick wood.

  Cass taps my collarbone, excitement glittering in her eyes. “I have a necklace for you to wear.” Meeting my gaze in the mirror, she lowers her voice. “His deep voice sounds divine. How hot is your bodyguard? Would I want him to guard my body?”

  All Cass knows about my involvement with the Hawthorne resort’s pilot this past summer was that it happened, and that he’d saved my life. I never told her he was the Robin Hood from that masked party that she and I had attended three years before. I hadn’t planned to tell her anything, but Sebastian sent a package to my apartment the day after I’d returned to New York from Martha’s Vineyard, so Cass quickly learned that what transpired between myself and the pilot was more than a fling.

  Once I opened the slim package to see the gorgeous strand of black pearls I’d left behind and a note penned in his bold script that simply said, Per your request, a clean slate. Have dinner with me, Cass had squealed with delight and instantly grabbed up the necklace. “Oh my God. You didn’t say your pilot was loaded, Talia.”

  I shrugged. “It’s a strand of pearls, not crown jewels.”

  “Not just any pearls.” Carrying the necklace over to the light, she inspected them, then glanced my way. “Do you have any idea how rare these pearls are?”

  “What do you mean?” I asked, confused.

  She held the necklace up. “These are Tahitian rainbow pearls, Talia. The dark color isn’t a dye. It’s formed naturally, and because of the iridescent rainbow hue it takes on, that means putting a matching necklace together would take combing through thousands of pearls. With this longer length and the uniformity of each pearl, I’ll bet this strand is worth at least twenty grand.”

  “How do you know so much about pearls?” I’d asked, trying to sound casual. While she went on about how her mom had started collecting different kinds of pearls once her dad’s career took off, my mind stayed locked on one aspect of what she’d said.

  Rainbow pearls?

  My heart clung to the word. Did Sebastian know that when he bought them? Of course he knew. Everything he does is with purpose. Why did he have to be so freaking perfect in all the ways I wanted him to be but the one that mattered most? His confession that he wouldn’t stick around was pretty much a deal breaker, no matter how layered his gift appeared. Learning the necklace most likely had an intimate meaning specific to us only made my heart hurt more. I quietly took the strand from Cass, closed it in its box, and then put it away. Cass could tell by my expression that I didn’t want to talk about it, so she let it go. I’ve never been more thankful for my friend’s silent understanding than I was that day, because I couldn’t bring myself to look at the necklace again after that.

  Sebastian knocks on the door once more, pulling me out of my musings, his tone sharper. “Miss Lone, we need to get moving.”

  Cass scrunches her nose and whispers, “Is he always that bossy?”

  I snort. “You don’t know the half of it.” I have no plans to tell her that my bodyguard and the pilot are the same man. She’d demand answers. And honestly, I don’t have any to give her that don’t involve cutting open a vein and bleeding out my conflicted feelings. It’s bad enough that she’s already given me a hard time about Blindside’s straight mystery storyline, saying, “I can’t believe you totally denied your readers some good smexy-times.” Why give her more fuel to tease me with?

  “We’ll be out in a sec,” I call to Sebastian just as Cass clasps a necklace around my neck.

  A dime-sized filigree white gold design decorates the Y on the delicate lariat style chain, while a single pear-shaped black pearl dangles at the bottom of the Y. The pearl stops just at my cleavage that’s currently pushed up by my dress’ fitted bodice. “This is gorgeous, Cass. Where did you get it?” I ask, leaning toward the mirror to inspect the unusual swirled pattern in the filigree.

  Before she can answer, the door opens and Sebastian scowls at us. “Ladies, we need to leave now.”

  “Holy hot-damn!” Cass spouts out, then grins unrepentantly at Sebastian. “If Talia gives you a hard time tonight, I’ll be happy to let you guard my body.”

  A slight smirk breaks Sebastian’s stoic expression. “You must be the roommate, Cass.”

  I roll my eyes. Of course he’s done his homework. “Cass, meet my guard for the week, Mr. Black.”

  “Ah, so Talia has told you about me. That’s interesting…” Pausing, she cuts a suspicious gaze my way. “Because she’d told me nothing about you.”

  “For the record, I told him nothing about you,” I say, giving her a cheesy smile.

  Huffing, she glares. “We are so going to have a talk when I get back.”

  I slide my phone into my clutch purse, then snap it shut. “You’ll have to stay home long enough.”

  “Ugh, you’re so exasperating!” Tossing her long hair over her shoulder, Cass grabs her purse and precedes me into the hall, but not before she stops briefly in front of Sebastian. “Talia definitely needs guarding, and if she gives you a hard time at all tonight, let me know. I’ll be sure to kick her ass for you so she flies straight the rest of the week.”

  Ignoring Sebastian’s low, “I’ll keep that in mind,” comment, I follow my well-meaning friend down the hall.

  Once Cass and I step into the elevator, I turn to her while Sebastian pushes the button for the lobby. “Where did you get this necklace? Did you borrow it from your mom?”

  “No silly.” She quickly opens her purse and pulls out a small white card. “It came this morning, along with this. Since your name wasn’t on the package, I opened it.” Handing me the card, she says, “Is this Jared’s way of wooing you?”

  As soon as I see the bold script I know it’s from Sebastian. Cass never saw his note in the first package he sent me, so she had no way of knowing this is from him. I work hard to keep my hand from shaking as I focus on one sentence on the stark white card.

  To favorite places.

  I feel Sebastian’s gaze on me as Cass continues, “It’s a gorgeous necklace. I think the pearl sits a little low, but you can easily have that adjusted. So, did you two walk past a jewelry store and he saw you admiring it? Is that what the card means? What a romantic gesture. Well played. But why doesn’t the guy just freaking ask you out already?”

  My gaze strays to the black pearl practically kissing the hollow between my breasts and my body heats all over at the memory of Sebastian holding my breasts and running his nose along my cleavage. He’d inhaled deeply and told me it was his second favorite place on my body. I refuse to look up when Sebastian says in a curt tone, “The necklace is perfect as is.”

  Cass chuckles, sliding her gaze to my chest. “Well, it’s certainly sexy.”

  Just then the elevator pings and a couple people get on, separating us from Sebastian. I glance up briefly to see his jaw muscle working as the elevator doors close. When the elevator slows to the next floor and a few more people dressed in formalwear squeeze in, I quickly whisper in Cass’ ear, “Mr. Black is my pilot, Cass. No more talk about the necklace, okay!”

&n
bsp; While Cass gapes at me, Sebastian maneuvers fluidly through the crowd to stand on my right, cutting off her chance to ask the myriad of questions written all over her face. The general hubbub in the elevator goes up as the group of people—obviously there to meet their favorite authors and rub elbows with big wigs from the oldest and biggest publishing house in New York—discuss the upcoming event.

  “I can’t wait to meet David Sharp,” a middle-aged woman says.

  “I’m dying to see Carolyn Rivers. I hear she looks nothing like her picture on her book,” another woman pipes in with a smirk.

  “Have you heard Clive Osslander speak? Did you know he narrates his own audio books? His voice is so riveting.”

  I suppress a chuckle when I see Cass nodding with the others about Clive.

  “I got an advance copy of Blindside to review for our magazine,” a preppy guy in his mid-twenties says from the opposite corner of the elevator. “It’s based on true events and ties back to a string of serial killings that happened right here in New York. It’s a damn good story.”

  “Who’s the author?”

  He smiles down at the petite blonde woman next to him. “Her name is T.A. Lone. I’m definitely looking forward to meeting her.”

  “I’ll bet Blindside is nothing but a bunch of lies loosely based on an ounce of truth,” a bearded man with slumped shoulders grumbles directly in front of me.

  Cass stiffens, and when she opens her mouth to say something, I squeeze her arm and shake my head.

  We arrive on the lobby floor, and once everyone walks out and Cass follows, Sebastian glances down at me, his expression hard to read. “Ready to face the wolves, Miss Lone?”

  I raise my eyebrow as we walk out together, twisting my lips into a smirk. “With a deviously cunning raven keeping an eagle eye on me, I know I’ll be just fine.”

  Amusement at my reference to something from our past briefly flashes in his eyes before his intensity returns. “Don’t even think about returning that necklace. I meant what I said…” His gaze strays to my breasts then snaps to my face once more. “Pure perfection.”

  How does he manage to make two simple words sound like the most bone-melting compliment? I honestly can’t figure him out. He had been so cold in William’s office. Then later, he’d been almost angry, but definitely bossy in his texts while I was at lunch with Jared. And now I can feel the heat in his eyes as they slide over my skin. Is he the type of man who only goes after someone if she’s conveniently in his face? But otherwise, he can easily forget the woman the moment she leaves his sight? Before I can say anything about the necklace one way or the other, Jared approaches us, looking very formal in his double-breasted tuxedo and bow tie.

  “There you are, Miss Lone.” Clasping my hand, he wraps it around the crook of his arm. “Mr. Black,” he says in a business-like tone before he pulls me along and whispers in my ear, “Tons of people have been waiting to meet you.”

  I don’t look back at Sebastian, but I feel better knowing his solid presence is in the background watching and observing. I know he won’t miss a thing. Despite my bravado with Cass and while I talked to the police earlier today, knowing that someone broke into our apartment and pawed through my things is unsettling. No matter what transpires between Sebastian and me as individuals, I know he’ll do everything he can to keep me safe. That knowledge helps me hold my head high and meet the crowd of people in the ballroom with confidence.

  My aunt and Charlie approach not long after I walk into the room. “You look stunning in that dress, my dear,” Aunt Vanessa says as I hug her.

  I pull back and smile, looking over her formal gown. “And so do you. Teal really is your color. Have you lost weight?”

  “I have,” my aunt says, cutting a look Charlie’s way. “Thank you for noticing.”

  Leaning down from his barrel-chested, six-two height, Charlie kisses my cheek, his white hair tickling my temple. When he straightens, his black eyebrows are raised, amusement dancing in his dark eyes. “She didn’t like it when I commented on her weight loss, but when you do, it’s apparently a compliment.”

  While my aunt sputters at him and fluffs her salt-and-pepper styled bob, I smile. “That’s the benefit of blood. We get a free pass.” I turn to Jared, who’s gone quiet beside me, and introduce him to my aunt. “Jared, meet Vanessa Granger, my aunt, and her good friend Charlie Hamilton.

  Shaking Aunt Vanessa’s hand, Jared smiles. “You have a very talented niece, Mrs. Granger. We’re going to make her a household name yet.”

  My aunt clasps his hand and says in a firm tone, “Nice to meet you, Jared. I understand you’re management at Midtown Central. You make sure to take good care of my niece this week.”

  “Aunt Vanessa!” I say, embarrassed by her comment.

  Jared wraps her hand in both of his, sincerity in his gaze. “We’ve hired the best to keep her safe. Don’t worry.”

  When my aunt snorts as if she doesn’t trust him, I’m thankful Jared didn’t notice as he waves to a man snapping pictures of authors posing with their editors. “Let’s get a nice family photo of you two ladies for the company newsletter. Shall we?”

  Midtown Central’s photographer isn’t the only one who takes pictures though. Suddenly the crowd around us grows until it feels like a hundred flashbulbs are going off at once while we smile for the cameras.

  After the initial barrage of snapshots, the reporters turn to Jared and ask him questions. My attention stays focused on my aunt as she blinks repeatedly and presses her fingers to her temples, saying, “Oh God, how do you do that? I feel a headache coming on.”

  Charlie takes Aunt Vanessa’s hand and folds it around his arm. “Come on, Vanessa. I’ll take you home.” When I start to apologize, he smiles. “Don’t worry. Bright lights give her migraines every so often.”

  “Really?” Since when? “I’m sorry, Aunt Vanessa. I didn’t know.”

  She squeezes my hand. “I’ll be fine, Talia. I’ll call you tomorrow, okay? Let’s go have lunch together.”

  I mentally grimace, knowing I’ll be swamped with tour stuff the next several days. “I can’t this week, but once the tour is over, let’s definitely have lunch.”

  My aunt sighs her disappointment, then lifts her eyebrows, an expectant look in her eyes. “Rudi’s at noon next Wednesday. I’d like to make lunch a weekly thing, dear.”

  “Um, but I have to work—”

  “To make up for all the times you’ve missed while working so much the past few months,” she says, her dark eyes searching mine.

  I glance at Charlie, who’s frowning slightly as his gaze shifts to my aunt. Great. I’m feeling bombarded with guilt. “I’ll figure a schedule out.”

  A genuine smile spreads across her face as she pats my cheek. “That’s my girl. Be very alert this week. I want you to stay safe. Enjoy the rest of your evening.”

  I nod my agreement, but don’t get a chance to watch them walk away because Jared pulls me into the conversation, introducing me to the magazine and newspaper people. When they start asking me pointed questions about the serial killer, Tommy Slawson, Jared interrupts and provides the dates of Blindside’s launch this week, including the two media Q&A time slots.

  When a few people ask to be included in the first Q&A session, Jared calls over a dark-haired girl in her early twenties to add their names to the schedule. I let my gaze quickly scan the crowd and I catch a glimpse of Sebastian standing not more than seven feet away, his back is to the wall. Broad shoulders pushed back, his expression is serious as he surveys the people throughout the room.

  Sebastian was right in his assumption about Jared. My assistant editor wants more between us. Jared asked me to dinner during lunch yesterday for the fourth time. This is after he confirmed my suspicion that BLACK Security had contacted them, pitching their high-profile company for the job opportunity that had gone out to a few smaller security firms to provide security for me.

  I’ve considered going to dinner with Jared. He’s sm
art and definitely driven to succeed like his father, but I certainly wouldn’t do it if he could ever potentially become my official editor. That’s currently his father’s role and I know he wants it. Jared just assists right now.

  Technically, that means I can say “yes” to dinner, but I’ve held off on answering him, claiming a need to get through the release of Blindside. My gaze strays to Sebastian, and I can’t help but compare the two men. Jared is a little over six feet. He’s well-built and looks fantastic in his tux tonight. Sebastian is the definition of fit, bulked in all the right places, yet he looks perfect in a suit. Instead of a tux, he’d opted for a custom black suit and a striking blue tie that matches his eyes.

  As Jared speaks to the crowd that has started to gather around about how they came to buy my book, his voice an interesting blend of confidence and storytelling, I have to smile. Jared’s all about grandstanding, whereas his father is currently walking through the crowd, shaking hands with as many people as possible.

  William is wearing a traditional tux, his longer hair newly trimmed and set with gel to give him a polished look. I mentally shake my head at the differences between their styles, but there’s no doubt they make a powerful team. Hence the reason their publishing house is number one. Jared is the type who commits to everything he does. I’ve seen it in his work ethic, his desire to be seen as his father’s equal despite the family ties. One of the secretaries let it slip that his last relationship lasted five years and everyone assumed he’d marry her, but then she got a job across the country. Jared’s attractive, attentive, and admirable. He represents stability.

  My gaze strays to my bodyguard and despite my efforts to remain detached, my heart jerks to attention. Sebastian represents something else entirely. He exudes an alluring, indescribable intensity. We have an edgy connection that I can’t deny, but he definitely represents heartbreak, and potential all-out devastation if I let myself get sucked in even deeper this time. Maybe the three women who’ve approached him the last forty minutes have picked up on his I’m-fucking-good-in-bed vibe, but did they not also notice the way he can so easily detach himself from everyone in the room? Or maybe they don’t care.