Dangerous Intentions (His Agenda 2) Read online

  He was in his late forties, with a pot belly and no hair, wearing a suit that was too small for him. I’d seen him once before, when he had been someone else’s client.

  My stomach turned, and I considered bolting. Forget the money. Forget Allure. Forget Bruno. But my feet were already taking me in his direction. I’d come too close to making real money to turn back now. My knees trembled; it was a wonder my six-inch heels could carry me.

  Leon flicked the cigarette butt onto the ground and pressed it into the asphalt with the toe of his shoe. He slid into the car, expecting me to do the same. I did.

  “Hi,” I said, pulling the seatbelt across my chest and clipping it into place. The car was filled with the scents of new leather and wood.

  “Evening, Rose.” I caught a whiff of his breath, a mixture of beer and cigarettes. I cringed just thinking about him breathing onto my face later.

  Rose was the name I used for business. It was too humiliating to use my real name, and Rose was easy and memorable. Like the wigs I wore, the fake name distanced the real me from the stranger I became at night.

  Leon started the car and I held my breath.

  I turned to the window, peering past my heavily made-up reflection and black wig. The lights from the houses and shops lining the streets blurred by.

  Heavy metal music was on the radio, and my head pounded in rhythm to the beat. Leon tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. I had never been a fan of that kind of music, but though it grated my nerves, it eliminated the need for conversation.

  After ten minutes of music, Leon switched off the radio and I sighed with both relief and dread.

  “So,” he said, his voice like gravel, “what positions do you like to be fucked in?”

  I almost choked on my own saliva. Now I wished he hadn’t turned off the radio. “I… I don’t know.”

  “Anything goes?” He didn’t turn to look at me. “I like that. I love fucking in the ass. You up for that too?”

  “I… no,” I stuttered. “I don’t like that.” The thought made me sick to my stomach. I sank my teeth so deep into my bottom lip, I tasted blood.

  “Tonight is not about what you want.” His tone was suddenly chilly. “But don’t worry, I’m taking you to one of the most luxurious resort hotels in the world. I promise you’ll love everything I do to you in our suite.”

  No amount of luxury would make me feel better about what I was about to do. I’d do what I had to and leave, hopefully before midnight. Then I’d go home and take a long shower.

  The knowledge that I’d be able to pay my rent in the morning was the only thing that kept me from going crazy.

  ***

  The car drove through shiny high gates and down a driveway that was brightly lit on both sides. I’d heard about the Devine Resorts Hotel; its doors were opened to the public just a year ago. I had read about the luxury of the place in the papers. I’d also read about the high cost of that luxury.

  A lit-up fountain in the center of the courtyard welcomed us. Luxury cars—with designer-clad guests dripping with jewels climbing out of them—surrounded it.

  “Final destination.” Leon brought the car to a stop next to a white limousine.

  A gangly porter approached the car, but Leon waved him away. We had no luggage for him to carry inside.

  Leon came to my side of the car and opened the door for me. Supporting my elbow, he led me into the chandelier-lit building and through the marbled lobby. More rich people. More diamonds.

  With my heavy makeup and hooker dress, I felt obvious, ashamed, and out of place.

  I pulled my shawl out of my purse and threw it around my shoulders, hoping it would make me look a bit more respectable. I was reminded of the movie Pretty Woman, but there was nothing pretty about my ugly situation.

  Leon led me to one of the cream leather couches on the far side of the lobby and ordered me to sit. He wouldn’t be long.

  I watched him approach the reception area and talk to a pretty brunette with a sharp bob that ended at her jaw line. She peered at her screen, then flashed him a bright smile and nodded.

  I dropped my gaze to avoid meeting the eyes of the other guests. I inspected my hands. The bright red nail polish on my short nails was faded and chipped in places. Bruno wouldn’t approve. He always harped on about how we should always look well groomed from head to toe. We were Allure Ambassadors.

  “Our room’s ready.”

  I gazed up and met Leon’s narrow eyes. My stomach turned again. He had to be rich, but he wasn’t blessed with looks. His ears pointed out, his nose was too large for his face, and all the other parts of his face didn’t seem to belong there, as if he had been given the leftovers.

  I nodded and stood, and he led me into a mirrored elevator.

  “Are you spending the night here?” I asked Leon to fill the silence.

  “We are.” There was a hint of surprise in his voice. “I paid for a whole night with you.”

  “Bruno didn’t mention that to me.” A whole night meant more money, but the thought of sleeping next to Leon—and giving him the opportunity to do whatever he wanted to me—made me want to throw up.

  “Hey, I’m not a rule-breaker.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a phone “Do you want to call him to confirm?”

  With a soft ding, the elevator doors slid open.

  I shook my head. He took my arm, led me out into the carpeted corridor—soft, rich, cream-colored carpets the heels of my shoes sank into.

  We came to a stop in front of one of the white doors. The number 105 glinted on a golden plate. Leon slipped the keycard inside a slot. At the sound of a soft click, he pushed the door open. The sleeve of his suit jacket moved up and I caught a glimpse of his gold watch. It was 10 p.m.

  In two hours, the residents of Serendipity would sprinkle their rose petals over Serendipity Lake, as they did on the first day of each summer, sending out their wishes for true love. In two hours, I’d be lying in bed next to a stranger who had bought me, the film of his sweat clinging to my skin. In two hours, I’d become my mother.

  ***

  Almost everything that happened after we entered the hotel suite was a blur. Leon asked me to go to the bedroom and undress while he called room service to order a bottle of champagne. It arrived within five minutes. He offered me a glass and I declined, saying I didn’t drink alcohol. He wouldn’t quit, so I accepted and took just a few sips while he drank straight from the bottle.

  I remembered wishing he’d just have sex with me and let me go. But he wanted to draw everything out, to enjoy every moment.

  While he guzzled down his champagne, he ran a hand up my thigh. I tried hard not to cringe. When he reached the thin elastic of my panty and slipped a finger inside, I shut off. I wanted to make it through the ordeal like a robot. I wanted not to feel, not to remember.

  I remembered nothing after that.

  When I woke up in the morning, Leon was next to me in the queen-size bed. There was blood everywhere. On him. On me. On the walls. He had been stabbed repeatedly in the heart, abdomen, everywhere.

  Leon was dead, and the knife that killed him lay between us, in my hand. I had murdered my client.

  Chapter Five

  Haley

  Present Day

  Dustin didn’t speak for a long time, just gazed into space, his jaw tight.

  I stayed quiet too. I wanted to give him the time he needed to digest the information.

  He finally spoke in a thick whisper, “How did you meet him? Jude?”

  I sucked in a breath and dropped my head. “When I saw the blood, I panicked. I just… I ran.”

  “You ran?” He looked at me, his eyes unreadable.

  “Yes. I got dressed and left. I wasn’t thinking straight. I didn’t even think of washing off the blood. My mind was numb.” I licked my dry lips and continued, “I just wanted to get out of there. I bumped into Jude at the elevators.”

  “And you told him what happened.”

  “Ye
s. He offered to help me. I didn’t know he owned the place.” I pinched the bridge of my nose. “I was stupid. Alarm bells should have gone off when he offered to make it all go away. What kind of man covers up a murder without blinking an eye?”

  Dustin’s eyes met mine. They were full of more questions. “Thank you for telling me. I’m sorry you had to go through that.” He paused. “It’s shocking, what happened, and it’s a lot to take in, but right now I want to focus on keeping you safe from that monster.”

  ***

  Dustin escorted me out of the jet and into a Range Rover parked right in front of the tiny airport. We were in Stony Creek, Wisconsin, a small town of less than 200 residents no more than an hour and a half from Serendipity, and two hours from Madison.

  It was late in the day and the sun blinded me as I looked out through the car window. As we drove through cobbled streets sprinkled with residents who waved hello, Dustin explained that he was taking me to his ranch. “You’ll be safe there,” he said.

  Safe. I had forgotten a long time ago what that word meant. But right now, I had no choice but to trust Dustin—yet another man who promised to protect me.

  Chapter Six

  We drove mostly in silence, the cloud of my confession hovering over our heads.

  Eventually, Dustin slowed down in front of a wooden gate bearing a sign that read Brannon Ranch. He hopped out of the car and went to push it open, then climbed back in and drove through the opening, following the wide dirt road that would take us to the house.

  “Wow. This is amazing,” I breathed as I took in acres and acres of wide open fields and admired the trees showing off lush green leaves. We drove past a large barn and stacked hay bales, and then along a winding brook. My heart clenched; as a child I dreamed of someday living on a farm. I opened my window and listened to the calming sound of rushing water.

  “This is my oasis,” Dustin said softly, glancing over at me. “Nature reminds me what life is all about: living.”

  We drove along the brook for quite a while until I caught slivers of light reflecting off glass in the distance. As we approached, a large house emerged through the trees.

  Someone stood on the porch—a woman. She peered in our direction, holding up a hand to shade her eyes. Could it be Dustin’s mother, Rachel? I had only met her twice, at birthday parties, but I remembered her as a warm-hearted woman. It would be nice to see her again, but would she feel the same way about me after all these years? Would she approve of her son sheltering another man’s wife?

  “Is that your mom?” I asked to make sure. My stomach was already knotting up.

  Dustin glanced at me and turned back to the road. “No, that’s Grace. She and her husband Travis take care of the ranch. My mom never spends the night away from her house in Serendipity. She feels she’s closer to my father there.”

  I sighed, the tension melting from my shoulders. “I understand that.” Dustin’s father died when he and his brothers were small.

  Dustin parked and Grace rushed over to meet us, her salt-and-pepper pigtails fluttering in the wind. She had to be in her sixties, but looking at her soft, round face, it was easy to imagine how she must have looked as a small girl.

  She hugged Dustin tightly and planted a kiss on his cheek. “I thought you wouldn’t come and see us for another month. Imagine how happy I was when you called.”

  “I know how much you like surprises,” Dustin said, chuckling. “Grace, this is Haley. I told you about her on the phone. She’ll be staying here for a while.”

  “Oh, yes.” Grace turned to me. “Very nice to meet you, dear. You’ll love Brannon Ranch.” She kissed me on the cheeks as well.

  I bit my lip and smiled. My eyes flitted to Dustin’s face. I tried to determine from his eyes exactly what he had told her, but he blinked and I couldn’t read them. I turned back to Grace. “I’m sure I will. Nice to meet you, Grace.”

  Grace placed a hand on my back. “Come on inside.” She ushered me up the porch steps and into the house, wrapping me in the smell of vanilla that swirled around her. Dustin followed us in.

  Like Jude’s mansion, the house was spacious and full of expensive furniture. But unlike Jude’s, it felt like a home. The furniture was all browns and creams, and the reclaimed oak floors and natural stone walls radiated warmth. So did the throws and homemade pillows on the couches of the Tuscan-themed living area. What I loved most were the photos above the cast stone fireplace. I recognized the faces of Dustin’s mother and some of his brothers. There was also a picture of Grace with a man, who I assumed to be Travis, next to her.

  I caught a whiff of something meaty. Stew, perhaps. Dustin must have too, because he said, “I smell something delicious, Grace,” and opened the glass doors that led out to a patio. “What are you cooking? Trying to get me to stay longer, are you?”

  “Just making your guest feel welcome. And of course, trying to get you to visit us more often.”

  Dustin obviously didn’t come to the ranch often. I couldn’t understand how he could own this paradise and not live here permanently. When Grace left us to go and check on the stew, I asked Dustin.

  “You’re right, I only come here a few times a year,” he said. “I thought of selling it six years ago, but Grace and Travis lost their home to a fire around the same time. They lost everything they had. I told them to make the ranch their home.” He pushed his hands into his pockets and his gaze took in the room. “To be honest, I’m glad I didn’t sell it. Coming here, even for a short time, helps me unwind.”

  “It’s so kind of you to do that for them.”

  “They make this place a home for me.” He pulled his hands out of his pockets and laid one on my back, between my shoulder blades. “Come, I’ll show you to your room.”

  I nodded and followed him up the beautiful floating wooden staircase. Just like the rest of the house, my room was spacious, bright, and homey. It featured a large bed covered with white sheets and pillows, and it had its own luxury wood and natural stone bathroom that took my breath away.

  “I’m glad you like it,” Dustin said. “I’ll let you settle in. Come down to eat when you’re ready.” He strode to the door, but hovered in the doorway for a moment as if he wanted to say something else.

  “Is everything all right?” I dropped down on the double bed, sinking into the welcoming mattress.

  He moved back into the room and sat down beside me. “Please don’t feel offended by this question. I’m asking because I care about you.”

  I had already told him my deepest, darkest secrets. What could he ask now that would offend me? “Okay. Go ahead.”

  “Do you… have any money? Again, I’m not trying to—”

  “No. No, I don’t.” I looked at the floor as shame washed over me.

  “Thought so.” Dustin stood, not meeting my eyes. I knew why. He didn’t want to see my shame, didn’t want me to be more embarrassed than I already was. “Would you allow me to give you some?”

  I wanted to say no, but knew I didn’t have a choice. As much as I didn’t want to depend on another man, I would have to take some money, at least for now. “Is there anything I can do around here? You could… I mean, I could earn my keep.”

  “You’re not my servant.”

  “I know.” I sighed and gave him a weak smile. “I’m scared, Dustin. I’m terrified of depending on another man for everything. It cost me so much before.”

  “You’re my friend. I’m trying to help you out as a friend. Please allow me to, and don’t feel guilty about it. I’m not Jude. You know me, Haley. I can never do to you what he did.”

  I bit back tears. “I know. Thank you. I only need enough for a few pieces of clothing and toiletries.”

  He pulled his wallet from his pocket. He took out all the bills nestled inside it and handed them to me.

  I looked down at my hand, a tear trickling onto the top of the pile of cash.

  “If you need more money,” he said, pushing his wallet back into his pocket, �
�please don’t be ashamed to ask.”

  I nodded. “I only need your help for a while. As soon as I’m free of Jude, I want to learn to stand on my own two feet again. I want to start over.”

  “And I know you will.” Dustin smiled, squeezed my shoulder, and left the room.

  I placed the money on the nightstand and buried my head in my hands. Then I wept the fear, anguish, and disappointment out of my body.

  I grieved for my friend Diana. I still couldn’t forgive myself for the fact that she was dead. How did Jude sleep at night, knowing he had robbed two small children of their mother? The bastard. He clearly didn’t have a conscience.

  Chapter Seven

  Dinner was a pork roast, homemade bread, and rice. I enjoyed the meal at a beautiful reclaimed wood table, while Dustin went to his office to make a call.

  As I chewed, I realized it had been a long time since I’d enjoyed food so much. In the past months I’d eaten expensive food, but it had always left me hungry in some way. There was a void inside me that no amount of Beluga caviar or olives imported straight from Greece could fill.

  “This is delicious,” I said to Grace. “I can’t get enough.”

  Grace laughed out loud and ladled another helping of stew into my bowl. “That makes me very happy to hear.”

  I smiled. “I heard you live here with your husband. Is he around? I’d love to meet him.” Talking about her would keep the conversation from turning to me and my disaster of a life.

  Grace pulled out a chair and reached for the bowl of rice. “Not here, exactly. There’s another house not far from this one. Also on the ranch.”

  “Oh, so no one lives in this house when Dustin is away?”

  She shook her head. “No one but Dustin when he’s in town. He insisted on us staying in the ranch house, but he has done so much for us already. We couldn’t ask for more. The house we live in is just as beautiful. My husband, Travis, is a bit under the weather today, which is why he’s not here for dinner.” She paused. “Dustin told me you knew each other as kids. I’m glad he’s stepping in to help you with… your problem. He’s a good man.”