Read Online The Plume: The Second Anthology by Ella Ardent - Free Book Online Page B

don’t want to give her.” Rex threw himself
into his chair, spinning it in frustration. “And now you’ve
provided her with the leverage to make me give her what she
wants.”
    “Oh, you don’t know that! I think she was
just curious, and we know that you’re paranoid...”
    Rex held up a finger. “I’m going to call
Julius this morning, and he’s going to call her. He’s going to ask
her to sign a contract belatedly, and I will tell you right now
what she’s going to say.”
    Athena leaned in the doorway and folded her
arms across her chest. “What does she want from you?”
    “To have a public exhibit of my
photographs.”
    Athena took a step closer, her gaze bright.
“Which photographs?”
    “Guess.”
    Athena was visibly impressed. “Wow! Why
wouldn’t you leap at that opportunity? You could have the career as
a photographer you’ve always wanted...”
    “Because it will expose the members of the
Plume! It will violate our contracts with them and let the whole
world see what we do here in secret! We could get shut down. We
could have our assets frozen...”
    Athena got it. She sat down heavily.
“Oh.”
    Rex got to his feet. “You could have trusted
me. You could have made one phone call before you made a
decision.”
    “I’m sorry, Rex. I didn’t know.”
    “I know. And now I’ll have to figure out how
to fix it.” He forced a cold smile. “Have a nice massage.”
    Rex couldn’t stay in the office for another
second. He pushed past Athena and marched down the corridor that
connected the administrative offices to the rest of the Plume. The
entire building was a warren of corridors connecting separate
worlds – the Dungeon, the bar, the stables, the factory, the locker
rooms, the boutique, the gym and spa.
    Rex decided right then that he’d go to the
lawyer Julius this morning, instead of calling him. He felt so sick
that he couldn’t stay in the Plume, not knowing that he was going
to have to betray every single member, either personally or in
concept. He’d be there when Julius called this woman and he’d know
the bad news right away.
    Maybe, just maybe, Julius could think of
another solution.
    The only thing Rex could do was hope. He
pulled out his cell phone and called Mike to ask for the name of
the woman who seemed determined to ruin his life.
     
    * * *
     
    “Trouble in paradise?”
    Athena glanced up at the familiar voice and
tried to compose herself. The Count stood in the doorway to the
Plume’s office. He looked every bit as rakish and sexy as an
Italian James Bond and Athena warmed at the sight of him. He’d
undone his bow tie and the top button of his shirt, so she could
see a tiny bit of his dark chest hair. The Count never waxed, he
was old-fashioned like that, and Athena suddenly itched to run his
hands over his nudity again.
    He carried a pair of champagne flutes, both
full, and offered one to her with a smile. Yet again, she had the
sense he’d read her thoughts, that he’d known that she was upset
over Rex. Maybe he’d come to make her feel better or offer
consolation.
    Maybe she’d just amused him.
    Athena took the glass with poor grace. “Rex
is angry with me about your kitten.”
    The Count rolled his eyes. “I’m sure you
calmed him down.”
    “Why are you sure?” Athena was
suspicious.
    “You seem to have a special relationship with
him.” When Athena might have asked after that enigmatic comment,
the Count toasted her with his glass and sipped, closing his eyes
as he held the champagne in his mouth. He’d told her once that he
loved to feel the bubbles against his palate and she felt as if she
had an inside secret as she watched him savor the champagne. His
lashes were so dark and thick. She seldom noticed them unless his
eyes were closed.
    Because his gaze was so compelling.
    She sipped her own champagne, more keenly
aware of the froth in her mouth. She closed her eyes to enjoy it.
She opened her eyes to find him watching her, his eyes