“Who is it?” he asked angrily.
He sat up in bed as soon as he recognized the voice on the phone.
“What’s wrong?” he asked worried.
He listened for a few minutes, and only his heavy breathing could give away how upset he was.
“How could you allow this to happen?” he barked. “I told you to take care of things,” he continued angrily. Jumping out of bed with swiftness that was amazing for his age, he threw the covers to the floor. “I’ll be on the first flight,” he said and slammed the phone down.
Chapter Five
A LOUD NOISE, like a door slamming shut, woke Alexandra up. Disoriented and anxious, she scanned her surroundings. Where on earth am I? What am I doing on a sofa, still wearing my suit?
All of a sudden, she remembered last night’s events and sat up abruptly. She took a quick look at the hotel room—spacious and elegant, but Alexandra was in no mood to appreciate anything right now—and stood up to go to the bathroom to throw some water on her face.
Where is John? she wondered, worryingly. He probably didn’t want to wake me up. She glanced at her watch and was shocked to see it was already eight-thirty. I need to get to the office. Alexandra stared at herself in the mirror with her hair all messed up and her clothes wrinkled. How can I go to work like this? She let out an exasperated sigh. Think, she urged herself. I can’t possibly sit around here all day. There must be something I can do.
Frustrated, she walked back to the room, trying to decide what to do. She picked up her purse from the floor, opened it, and checked her cell phone—no missed calls. She called John on his cell phone, but there was no answer. The phone rang and rang, finally diverting to the answering service. After a couple of tries, she finally left a message for him. She wished she knew Jeff’s number so that she could call him.
Eventually, she decided to call John at the police station. Even if he weren’t there, they should know where he was.
The policeman who answered the phone was polite but not much help. No, Detective Harrison wasn’t there; neither was his partner, Detective Nelson. No, he had no idea where they might be. The only thing he could do was take a message. After Alexandra gave him her name, his impersonal attitude changed slightly, and he offered to page them. Alexandra left him her cell phone number, so he could call her as soon as he got in touch with either one of them.
Irritated, she hung up and started pacing back and forth. Having to wait was driving her crazy. When she couldn’t take it any longer, she picked up her cell phone and called Holly. In a few words, she explained the situation and asked for help.
About an hour later and right about when Alexandra was ready to climb the walls from frustration, she heard a knock on the door. She rushed to it and looked through the peephole. Seeing it was Holly, Alexandra opened the door. Holly was standing right there with her hands full with shopping bags.
“Are you all right?” she asked Alexandra, worried, and dropping the bags on the floor, she gave her a big hug.
“I’m okay,” Alexandra replied, even though she didn’t feel that way at all.
“Come!” Holly cried out and rushed inside the hotel room. “I went by your apartment, but it was locked, and a policeman at the entrance wouldn’t let me go upstairs. So I drove by the mall and then by my house and picked up some things for you.” While talking, she started emptying the bags she was carrying and laying clothes and make-up all over the sofa and the coffee table.
“Sorry, I couldn’t get your briefcase,” she said, apologetically.
“Oh, honey! Don’t worry!” Alexandra said and hugged Holly. “I want you to know how much I appreciate all that you’ve done. I don’t know what I would have done if it weren’t for you.”
“He hasn’t called yet?” Holly asked and searched Alexandra’s face impatiently.
“No,” Alexandra replied and let out a deep breath. “I’m really worried. This isn’t like him at all. He would never leave me here and disappear like this. Something must have happened to him,” she continued, and her voice broke off.
“Oh! Stop thinking like that!” Holly urged her. “He’s fine. He’s just caught up in something, probably trying to hunt down the guys who broke into your apartment,” she said, trying to sound reassuring.
“But even so, he would have called,” Alexandra insisted.
“Come on. Let’s get you dressed.” Holly changed the subject, probably thinking that Alexandra was right.
An hour and a half later, Alexandra, dressed in a dark grey pair of pants and an emerald silk blouse, walked into her office with Holly following right behind her. She stopped dead in her tracks, seeing the guy who was sitting on the sofa in the waiting area of her office.
“Miss Stewart! How nice of you to show up!” Mark said sarcastically and sprang to his feet with the swift move of a panther. Dressed in a dark blue pair of pants, a white silk shirt, and a light grey sports jacket, he looked even more delectable—as if that was possible—than the first time she had laid eyes on him. His dark brown hair shone in the sunlight coming through the windows, and his deep blue eyes were staring down on her intensively.
Alexandra’s breath caught in her throat. She opened her mouth, but the words died on her lips as she was drawn into the mystifying ocean of his gaze.
It was Holly who saved her, holding out her hand to the guy and introducing herself. “Holly Graham,” she said in a soft, caressing voice. “And you are…”
Mark took Holly’s hand, and to Alexandra’s surprise, he bent down and kissed it. “Mark Taylor,” he said in his deep, sensual voice. “Charmed,” he added and gave Holly a sexy smile.
Holly’s intrusion gave Alexandra the time to pull herself together.
“I don’t believe we’ve been introduced,” Alexandra said, trying to make her voice sound sarcastic. She felt her temper rising, remembering the first time she had seen him. What an arrogant man, she thought as she was giving him her hand. “Alex Stewart!” she said, even though, he already knew her name.
“Mark Taylor!” he repeated and took Alexandra’s hand in his.
No kissing this time, Alexandra thought and drew her hand back as fast as she could. The mere touch of his hand send electric sparks throughout her body. Trying to regain control, she lifted her head, shook her hair back, and passed right in front of him, towards her office.
Mark didn’t wait for an invitation. He followed her in and went to stand by the window, looking outside. What a rude person, Alexandra decided.
“What can I do for you, Mr. Taylor?” she went straight to the point, trying to get rid of him as soon as possible.
“Do you normally come to work at eleven o’clock?” He turned to face her, ignoring her question.
“Did we have an appointment?” Alexandra came back at him.
“I’m the Managing Director of Imperial Resorts Corporation. Does a client like me need an appointment to meet with you?” he asked, pretending to be surprised.
“Mr. Taylor, obviously you are a priority client to Guarantee Insurance, and we definitely value you. However, you are not the only client I work with. If you’d tried to schedule an appointment, you would have been informed that I had other meetings off-site today until eleven.” You arrogant SOB!
“Can I get you something to drink?” Holly, who had followed them inside the office, asked without taking her eyes off of him.
“Some coffee would be nice,” he said and gave Holly a bright smile. “Black,” he added and turned his gaze outside the window, again.
As Holly walked out of the office, Alexandra felt uncomfortable being left alone with him. Since he was standing by the window, she didn’t want to sit in her chair, which was right next to him. So she went and stood at the other side of her desk, trying to put some distance between them.
He seemed to sense her uneasiness, but didn’t move a muscle. She was positive he was enjoying himself.
“What can I do for you, Mr. Taylor?” Alexandra asked, impatiently.<
br />
“I need to go over some things with you,” he said, keeping his gaze outside.
“What things?” she insisted.
“About the offer,” he replied, turning abruptly around to face her.
As if he’d touched her, Alexandra instinctively took a step back. His presence in her office was more than she could handle. She felt grateful for Holly, who came right back, holding a tray with two cups of coffee.
“Thanks, Holly,” Alexandra said and took her cup.
However, Holly had her eyes fixed on him. He rewarded her with another one of his smiles, and then turned back to Alexandra as Holly quietly left the room.
“Like I said, there are a few things we need to go over. However, I’m running out of time right now, so I suggest we meet later for lunch.”
Alexandra was taken by surprise and swallowed hard.
“I’m swamped, Mr. Taylor,” she protested. “I’m not sure I have time to break for lunch.”
“Well, it’s not my fault you showed up at eleven o’clock,” he pointed out. “Besides, like I said, we need to talk… And you know, Miss Stewart, I hate to repeat myself. I’ll be here at one-thirty to pick you up,” he said and walked out the door.
As soon as he left, Holly rushed into the office.
“What a hunk!” she said, breathlessly.
“You think so?” Alexandra asked bitterly and immediately felt sorry, seeing the hurt expression on Holly’s face. Holly had been more than an assistant; she had been a good friend. Alexandra had no business treating her like this. “Sorry,” she mumbled. “I’m just all worked up with everything going on right now. I didn’t mean to take it out on you.”
“It’s okay,” Holly said and gave her a reassuring smile. “It’s just that there is something about him…” she continued and left her phrase unfinished.
“What do you mean?” Alexandra asked, curiously.
“I’m not sure,” Holly replied. “He’s the kind of man who can take your breath away and make you lose your mind… but I’m not sure I trust him.”
“As far as I’m concerned, I’m sure I don’t trust him,” Alexandra pointed out and smiled at Holly. “By the way, what about John? A gorgeous guy walks in, and you suddenly forget all about him?” she asked, trying to tease Holly.
Alexandra’s comment brought them back to reality. Mark Taylor and his sudden appearance had thrown them off balance for a moment, but now John’s disappearance came back to puzzle and worry them.
***
Mark was furious with Alexandra. He’d been waiting for her for almost two hours. Where on earth has she been? Did she spend the morning with that same man who was at her apartment the night before? He had read the reports. His name was John Harrison—a homicide detective and close friend of Alexandra. But just how close? Judging from what he saw the night before, he was more than a friend.
Walking down the hallway to the elevator, he clenched his hands into fists. This was a lot more difficult than he had anticipated.
Riding the elevator down to the parking deck, Mark found his car and drove towards his hotel. He hadn’t slept there last night. His date with the waitress he’d met at the diner had taken them to a nice downtown restaurant. However, the overwhelming feeling that something was wrong haunted him. After dropping her at her apartment and politely refusing her invitation to come inside, he’d driven around all night long. This morning, he’d stopped by his hotel room long enough to shower and change before going straight to Alexandra’s office.
Mark pulled into the parking deck of the hotel and took the elevator up to his suite. He went in and threw his keys on the coffee table. Frustrated, he took off his jacket and stretched out on the sofa. Soon enough, he realized he couldn’t sit still; he kept thinking about her. This girl infuriated him. One moment he wanted to strangle her, and the next he wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her passionately.
He started pacing back and forth when the phone rang.
“Taylor!” he answered it, angrily.
“Oh, hi!” he said, as soon as he recognized the voice on the other end of the line.
He listened for a moment and then asked, surprised, “What are you talking about? Where are you?”
Mark listened carefully and felt his temper rising. “I was out. I had no idea…”
“Okay!” he said after a while. “I’m meeting her in a couple of hours. I’ll take care of everything, don’t worry.”
He put the phone down and stood motionless for a few minutes, thinking of everything he had just heard. Things are getting dangerously complicated, he realized. We need to speed things up. There’s no more time.
***
At exactly one-thirty, Mark stepped out of the elevator. He’d changed his pants and sport jacket to a light grey Armani suit. Holly watched him walking towards her with the agility of a panther. His dark brown hair, still wet from the shower, shown in the light, and his deep blue eyes were fixed on her, making her cheeks grow warmer.
“Hello, Holly,” he said, and she melted, hearing him saying her name.
“Hello, Mr. Taylor,” she said. “Miss Stewart is waiting for you.”
Spellbound, she watched him walk right into Alexandra’s office without waiting to be announced. Glancing over to the other side of the hallway, she noticed Mary and Jennifer—the two typists—sitting there, staring after him. Holly laughed at the yearning expression on their faces; she was sure they were drooling. Who can blame them? she thought. She would feel the exact same way if she weren’t madly in love.
***
The sound of the door opening made Alexandra raise her head from the pile of paperwork she was working on. She was taken by surprise to see Mark strolling inside.
“I didn’t know you’d arrived,” she said disapprovingly, wanting to point out the fact he wasn’t announced, not to mention that he didn’t even bother to knock on the door.
“Well, now you know,” he said impatiently, staring at her straight in the eyes. “We had an appointment.”
“I’ll be ready in a moment,” Alexandra replied, tired of fighting with him, and stood up. It was bad enough to have to worry about John. She didn’t want to make things more complicated. And of course, she didn’t want to displease such an important client.
She took her purse and walked right by him. “I’ll be back in an hour at the most,” she told Holly, even though the comment was addressed more to him.
“Rather unlikely,” he stated, walking by Holly’s desk.
“Excuse me?” Alexandra asked sharply, turning to face him.
“I said, rather unlikely,” he repeated his comment louder.
“What do you mean?”
“Oh! Come on, Alexandra,” he said impatiently. “I don’t have all day.”
Alexandra was left speechless. The nerve of him! For a moment, she felt like turning around and going right back to her office. Alexandra, grab hold of yourself, she reprimanded. Don’t forget he’s an important client. I just have to show a little patience, and he’ll be out of my way before I know it.
They went to the elevator and down to the parking deck. Alexandra was fuming, but she kept silent. She refused to even look at him, trying to avoid another confrontation. Well, if she wanted to be honest… that wasn’t the only reason she kept her eyes away from him. The truth was she couldn’t risk being drawn into the mesmerizing ocean of his gaze again.
Stepping out of the elevator, she turned towards her car.
“We’ll take mine,” he said and strode towards a black Mercedes, pushing the button on his keychain to turn off the alarm and unlock the doors. He held the door open for her, and Alexandra sank in the soft leather seat. The inside of the car was magnificent, a work of art. The whole interior was covered in soft black leather, except the dashboard, which was made of cherrywood.
Alexandra watched him as he swiftly walked around the car and climbed in the driver’s side. She shifted uncomfortably, feeling overwhelmed by his exhilarating presence in
the confined area of the sports car. She could sense him with every fiber of her body, and her pulse accelerated, leaving her breathless. She tried to move as far away from him as she could, but that wasn’t possible in the limited space.
He seemed to have detected her intention and simply smiled, keeping his gaze in front of him. The powerful engine came to life, and the car took off with a sudden turn. Alexandra instinctively held on to her seat with both hands. She saw him glancing at her sideways and tried to appear calm.
After a couple of minutes, however, seeing the confident way he was holding onto the steering wheel and the skill in which he was maneuvering the powerful car, she actually did relax. He knows how to handle a car just like he knows how to manipulate people, she thought bitterly.
Drugged from the scent of his cologne mixed with his soap, she wanted to lie back, close her eyes, and let her senses guide her. No, that’s too dangerous, she decided.
Mark took her down to Peachtree Street, and he pulled up in front of one of the most elegant restaurants in Atlanta. Alexandra instinctively glanced at the way she was dressed.
“You look fine,” he reassured her.
“I don’t worry about that,” she lied, but the sexy smile on his sensuous lips revealed he didn’t believe her.
He stopped the car, and a doorman rushed to open the door for Alexandra. Mark climbed out and followed her inside. The interior was elegant and the atmosphere cool and pleasant. The restaurant hostess led them through a row of small private rooms to a private area in the back with only three secluded tables, all of which were empty. She led them to a table for two by the window, overlooking the beautiful garden. Then, she handed them the menu and politely retreated to allow them time to decide.
Alexandra halfheartedly picked up the menu and quickly glanced through it. Mark, on the other hand, seemed absorbed, studying it. Alexandra was sure he was taking his time in order to upset her.
All of a sudden, he closed the menu and put it down on the table. “Well?” he asked.
“Well what?” She jumped, taken by surprise.