Fashioned for Power (13 page)

“I’ll get to work on some deals for you while you’re recuperating. Your old agent will still be in charge of the projects he’s already brought to you. Bring any new ones to me.”

“Will do. I actually fired my agent three weeks ago. Allegra had told me all about you. I knew I was going to sign with you, providing you treated Allegra as she deserves. And you do. All this time I was taking advantage and mucking it up for you by hiding the truth of who I am. I’m sorry for that. I have a stack of movie scripts to go through for you to negotiate. That is, if you want to be my agent.”

“You bet I do. Now, if you would excuse me, I have a woman to win back.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Finn said goodbye to Nate and and ran for the shower. In record time he was running through the lobby of Simpson Global. “Hold the elevator,” he shouted. A walker stuck out and the doors opened again.

Real Men Know Women Only Get Better With Age & I’m Near Perfection
. Finn read the large banner on Shirley's walker and imagined what he and Allegra would be like when they were older. He liked it. Holding grandchildren in their arms as their children talked to them. That was perfection.

“Big day for you, huh?” Shirley asked as she pushed the button to Allegra’s floor.

“Yes. I’m going to win her back, and I’m not going to let go this time.”

“Finally figured out Nate was gay, huh? Bet you feel silly thinking she was cheating on you with him.”

Finn whipped his head over and down to look at Shirley’s upturned face. “You knew?”

“Of course I did. It was so obvious. He overplayed it when I hit on him. Dead giveaway.”

The door opened, and Finn just watched as Shirley turned up her hearing aids and started to wander down the hall. He was sure she was getting the morning scoop on the happenings at Simpson Fashion before heading up to Bree’s floor and seeing what was going on at Simpson Construction.

He stepped out of the elevator and walked down the long hall to the corner office. He could see Allegra sitting at her desk staring out the window overlooking downtown Atlanta. Finn was starting to realize the quieter the person, the more layers they had. He never would have thought sweet, innocent Allegra would be strong enough to still be standing after all Harry had done to her. She was strong in a silent, resistant way that blew him away.

Finn passed her secretary and made his way into the office. She turned around and looked at him with yearning in her eyes. Finn smiled at her and stepped to the large bank of windows looking out at the employees. He turned the rod and closed the blinds.

“We need to talk,” he said softly. “Nate came to see me this morning.”

Allegra’s eyes widened in surprise. “He did? What did he want?”

“I’m so sorry for behaving like a jackass. I should’ve trusted you.”

Allegra jumped up from her desk and hurried over to him. “He told you?” Finn nodded and Allegra threw her arms around his neck. “It’s my fault. I should have told you more. I love you, Finn.”

Finn opened his arms and Allegra fell into them. He ran his hand over her silken hair and held her tightly to him. “I love you, too. We have to stop doing this and start talking about what’s going on in our lives.”

“I agree,” Allegra leaned back and put her hand to a beautiful pearl necklace. “Does it look good? I really love it.”

“Yes. Everything looks good on you,” Finn lowered his voice as he nipped at her bottom lip. “From now on, no secrets.”

“No secrets,” Allegra agreed as she tilted her head back and offered up her lips.

Shirley smiled and started whistling a jaunty tune as she passed by the office. She was happy to take the good news to Elle and Bree. Then she heard the knock on the office door and the secretary telling Finn he had a call from Miss Eddie. The curse words that came out of little Allegra Simpson had Shirley smiling wider. She finally picked up on some of what Shirley had been teaching her.

“Tell her I’m busy. And call Kirk and tell him he has a new client. I’m handing Raven off to him. Then wish him good luck.”

Shirley heard the door lock and something on the desk fall to the ground. Oh boy, oh boy! Things were getting interesting around here.

* * *

He used his key to open the door and then turned off the alarm. He sauntered into Allegra’s house with all the familiarity of living there. Guilt washed over him for sleeping with that waitress, but Allegra had forgiven him. She always did whenever he slipped. She saw him for him and still loved him. Would he stop sleeping around? No, but Allegra would remain his. She was perfect like that. He saw his gift around her throat this morning. It was so sensual he almost came forward to claim her right then and there. It had taken all his restraint not to do so.

He had a plan, and he was going to stick with it. But now with these tempting outside influences gone, she would give all her attention to him. Just two more gifts to give her, and then he could set the finale of his plan into action.

He went to her utility closet and pulled out the stepstool. He carried it down the hall to her master closet. He opened it and climbed up the stairs to the attic entrance. He pushed the wood door up and slid it over so he had enough room to pull himself up. The attic was at an angle, and he had to bend over to make his way to his destination. He stopped at the air ducts and set down his bag. He pulled out a screwdriver and carefully pried a section loose. Looking through the vent, he saw her bedroom.

Pulling out the tiny camera, no bigger than his fingernail, he attached it to the ductwork. He had retrieved the cameras from her old house a couple weeks ago. It was time to see what Allegra was up to so he could prepare for the grand event. He turned it on and then sat back on his heels while he booted up his laptop. He ignored the few live images of their old house, now sitting empty, and pulled up the new camera. He’d kept three small cameras there just in case she went back. A clear image of her bedroom came into view with her bed right in the middle. Good.

He put everything back in place and crawled a little farther into the attic. He stopped at the bathroom vent and repeated the process. When he turned on his laptop, an image of the vanity and glass shower came into view. He moved quickly as he put cameras in the living room and kitchen.

He slid from the attic and used a portable vacuum to clean up any dust that had fallen onto the hardwood. He walked around the house once again. It felt so right to be so near her. The sound of a car door shutting sent him to the window. It was Allegra. His heart beat faster and his palms started to sweat with the anticipation of touching her.

This time he wasn’t going to leave. He’d already locked the door and rearmed the alarm when he arrived. Instead of leaving, he headed for the coat closet near the living room. He closed the door just as the front door opened.

“I’ll just be outside, ma’am,” a deep voice said. Good girl. Being safe again.

“Thank you.” Allegra’s sweet voice washed over him. Even with a door dividing them, it felt as if she caressed him.

He grabbed the doorknob and slowly turned it. He waited and listened to her set down her keys and her purse. She always put them by the door. Silly girl, she tended to forget her purse if she didn’t. When he heard her turn into the kitchen, he opened the door slightly. He could see her back then. She was reaching for a bottle of water and humming. She leaned forward and put on the digital music player. He’d programmed it just for her. Their song played, and she moved her hips to the music as she took a drink of water.

Allegra reached forward again and pressed a button. Music poured out of hidden speakers throughout the house. His girl stopped in front of him and did a shoulder shimmy as she bent to pick up her coat. He moved to the back of the closet and watched as she opened the door all the way. She reached inside and took a hanger from the rod. She did a little spin and then put her coat in the closet before closing the door.

He pulled out his laptop then and turned on the screen. He watched as she made her way to her bedroom and pulled her shirt from her pants. Her fingers made quick work of the buttons, and he couldn’t wait for them to be on his body. He opened the door then and walked toward her bedroom. He closed the laptop and looked into the open door. She was bent over pushing the pants from her legs. She wore the panties and bra he had given her. He stepped forward. He was so close. He reached his hand out to her but then she moved. She walked into the bathroom before he could touch her.

Allegra reached into the shower and then whipped around. She could have sworn she heard a creak in the floorboards over the music she had put on. But no one was there.

“Hello?” she called out. She grabbed her towel and wrapped it around her body before stepping back into her room. It was empty. She walked through her house, but didn’t see anyone or anything out of place.

She dropped the towel and slid out of the panties and bra Finn had bought for her. She stepped into the hot shower and moved to the music as she washed her hair. Out of her peripheral vision, she saw a shadow and jerked around.

“I thought you could use some help.”

She laughed. “Right on time, Mr. Williams. I need help washing my back.”

Finn shot her a grin that made her insides melt as he stepped into her shower.

What was that bastard doing here? He sat in his car on the street behind Allegra’s house and watched on the laptop as Finn stepped into the shower. What a whore she was. He buys her things, and she sleeps with other men. Well, he’d handled Nate, and he would handle Finn, too. But first his wife needed a reminder of whose clothes she wore and whose jewelry was around her neck as someone else screwed her.

He pulled out his cell phone and started typing. She would remember him, and she would stop this adultery. And if she didn’t . . . well, he’d gotten rid of one of her men already. He’d just get rid of another.

* * *

Finn woke to pounding on the door. “Sweetheart, is Nate back?” he asked as he pulled Allegra closer to him. She wiggled against him as they spooned and at that moment he didn’t care if the President herself was at the door. She could wait.

He cupped Allegra’s bare breast in his hand as he nuzzled her neck. He pulled her hips tight against him as he ground against her. His lips kissed their way down her neck and over her shoulder.

The banging continued, and finally Allegra let out a frustrated breath and got out of bed. She slid on a sweatshirt and yoga pants. Finn watched her storm from the room, and he felt very sorry for whoever was disturbing their morning. He lay back in bed and rested his head on his hands as he waited.

The scream Allegra let out had him jumping from the bed and running naked for the front door. He slid to a stop when he saw Margaret, Elle, Drake, Bree, Logan, and Reid standing at the door holding vases of white roses.

Finn lunged for the kitchen and grabbed the first thing he could. He covered himself with a washcloth and stood there trying to act casual.

“Um, Finn dear, I think you need something a little bigger than a washcloth. It’s still peeking out at us,” Margaret said as she averted her eyes and found a sudden interest in the floor.

A white head poked through the wall of Simpsons and let out a whistle. “He’s a keeper all right,” Shirley told Allegra as Finn prepared to die of embarrassment. Allegra hurried to the closet and pulled out a blanket. He wrapped it around his waist and tried to keep calm.

“Finn, look,” Allegra said in a shaky voice as she pointed to the flowers. Now that the embarrassment faded he remembered Allegra’s scream of fear. A feeling of dread filled him. He remembered the last time she’d gotten flowers like that.

“Where did those come from?” he asked as Allegra’s family filed into the apartment and set down the flowers on the table.

Margaret straightened. “They were delivered to me at the hospital. It seems Harry’s done his research. He knows I volunteer at the Children’s Hospital in the morning.”

“Ours were delivered to our house,” Elle told them.

“Same with ours,” Bree added.

“Not me. Mine found me at the hotel with a date,” Reid said, sounding pretty pissed off.

“You don’t have dates at eight in the morning,” Shirley pointed out. “You have walks of shame at eight in the morning.”

“Ewww,” the girls all groaned.

“But the point is he knew where I was,” Reid explained.

“You’re always at the hotel. It’s finished and the grand opening is in a few months. Of course you’re going to be there.” Bree rolled her eyes like she was about to say
duh
.

“Either way, I also have my apartment here. So the fact he knew to send it to the hotel and not to my apartment means he’s not only watching Allegra, but he’s watching all of us. Elle, you and Drake live off the grid. But he found you.”

Finn put his arm around Allegra and felt a tremor run through her. Reid was right; this just became a lot more dangerous.

Allegra reached over and plucked all the cards from the flowers. She opened the first card and pulled it out.
Your daughter is a whore
. She opened the second.
Your sister is a whore
. She didn’t need to open the others.

“Well, now we know why she didn’t answer the phone,” Shirley teased as she wiggled her bushy eyebrows at Finn.

Suddenly the scary notes were forgotten as all eyes turned to her and Finn. Her mother raised one eyebrow at them. Allegra felt as if she were eight years old again and in trouble for sneaking a cookie before dinner.

Oh no. She was going to crack. No one could withstand her mother’s silent stare. She wanted to blurt out she was having the best sex of her life with Finn, and that’s why she didn’t answer the phone. No, that didn’t explain the depths of it. She was making love to the man she wanted to marry . . . marry? Wait. They hadn’t gone there. Well, he did kind of bring it up that one morning. They’d only been together a month. But, they had spent the time beforehand getting to know each other and becoming good friends. She certainly had feelings for him the whole time. Was she sure about wanting to marry him? No. Yes. No. Yes.