I was drawn to him as before, able to gather a scent of his musky cologne feet away. I was reduced to the first time we'd shared a kiss, the moment permanently ingrained in my mind. He was simply delicious.
"You look incredible," he half whispered, the sultry strains filtering all around me, pulling me into the thick, soft velvet of his tone.
"You have magnificent tastes." I surprised myself by twirling around, giggling for a few seconds like some stupid girl. Again, this wasn't a date. Not really.
This was business.
"You are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen." He came closer, his gaze sweeping over me several times. "I will be honored to have you on my arm."
"For show. I get it, Aleksei. I'm nothing more than very expensive eye candy. I will do my part." I would be an incredible actress, allowing every photo opportunity.
He inhaled before holding out his arm. "You are much more than eye candy."
I bit back a bitter laugh. That was true, but perhaps he had no idea how creative I could be. There was time to plan for the meeting with Peter.
The very one where I'd finally get all the answers.
From both men. Aleksei
I was a bastard.
There was no other word to call me. I was required by a certain code of oath to keep my business practices confidential. Even Maksim didn't know various aspects regarding the family organization. What I'd already told Willow would be deemed irresponsible, yet she deserved to know the absolute truth. A man of honor. I'd been spouting that off as if the attribute was true.
Maybe the only person I was fooling was myself.
I'd asked Maksim to check into every aspect of the Church family, including how their parents had been killed. I wanted to know exactly what I was heading into prior to the meeting. Peter was a cunning man and if he'd used his sister in such an egregious manner, he had no loyalty to anyone. So far, what he'd found had been disconcerting in every way, but not conclusive.
Still, I had the distinct feeling that there was much more going on within the Church organization that either my father or I had any inkling of. There was definitely a ticking time bomb going on.
I studied Willow as she moved to the edge of her seat, the dim lighting in the theater still allowing me to admire her stunning features. Her skin shimmered, her lovely mouth 'oohing and aahing' to the various string instruments, obviously her favorite. I'd seen so many emotions during the performance, her face lighting up at various intervals. While all through dinner she'd been tense, the concert experience had allowed her a quiet time to simply enjoy a night out.
I'd been right about the photographers, a few members of the press corps undoubtedly knowing my identity. They were hoping to catch a glimpse of the various celebrities in attendance. Instead, they'd photographed the picture of a monster.
Her face would be splashed all over various media sites, the risk I'd allowed weighing heavily on my mind. I suddenly wanted to keep her locked away, not only for her protection but because she belonged to me. The thought was riveting.
I sat back in my seat, scanning the periphery of our balcony view. I'd made certain we were seated alone, paying a heavy price for the remaining tickets, but it was necessary and not entirely because of security.
I wanted Willow to enjoy herself, to bask in the glory of incredible music on a perfect night. Maybe I craved nothing more than to have her on my arm, to be seen with such a gorgeous woman. That was the honest truth. Whether or not Peter Church actually did give a damn about his sister, over which I had my doubts, my desire had been to push away real life in exchange for a fantasy.
Only real life would soon bite me in the ass.
As the drums rumbled, creating an ominous sound, the pianist taking center stage, Willow's eyes opened wide. There was so much emotion in them, tears brimming her long eyelashes. When she reached over, her fingers delicately stroking my arm, a shot of raw protectiveness jetted through me.
Just as the song ended, the crowd erupting into raucous applause, she seemed embarrassed by her actions, slowly removing her hand. Her expression was intense, an outpouring of joy, although haunted by the dark strains from the music and a stark reminder of the very reason I adored her.
I leaned over, dragging my knuckles across her cheek. Every second we shared seemed precious. A mere blip in time. The getaway from reality. The way her eyelids fluttered, her mouth having formed a perfect 'O.' My cock twitched, the hunger unabashed and I had difficulty breathing from the building desire.
She gave me a slight smile before jumping to her feet, breaking the moment. She moved to the edge of the balcony, joining the other revelers, but I could see the single tear trickling down her cheek.
Yeah, I was more than just a bastard. I cringed, my self-worth called into question.
Lies.
I'd spent my entire time on this earth learning about, dealing with, and factoring into my world the understanding and usage of lies. My father had taught me well, his often vicious and unrelenting training difficult to stomach, but vital in an effort to stay alive. I was the master of keeping a straight face, a man who didn't mind stretching his principles in order to achieve a goal.
But I'd never lied to my family.
Today I'd told the truth to someone outside of the sanctioned group, at least to what degree I felt able. Only those truths had been about emotions, feelings I'd long since pushed aside in favor of never having to experience pain again. After doing so, I'd felt the need to shut down, just like I'd done for the majority of my life.
We'd sat through dinner barely making small talk, her inability to even lock eyes with mine more than once a telling statement.
My gamble and subsequent retraction, falling into the same pattern of pretending not to give a damn had driven another wedge between us. There was a part of me that likely instigated the shift for solid reasons. We weren't lovers. We were merely business professionals, perhaps now both longing to achieve the same goal.
Sadly, I still had additional cards in my hands, ones that could reveal the lies in her former life and destroy any remaining ties she had to it. I'd never given a shit before, at least not about anyone I'd originally considered an enemy. In just a few short days, the woman with the sharp tongue and vivacious personality had slithered into what few crevices I hadn't cut off from the world.
Maybe I wanted to push her away, even hurt her because of her uncanny ability to break through my defenses.
"That was beautiful."
Her words broke my concentration, her lilting tone floating above the continued applause. "I thought you'd enjoy."
She eased back, still standing over me. "You enjoy music."
"Of all kinds. Very much so."
"You are enigmatic, Aleksei, more so than you like anyone to see."