Tony paced slowly across the wooden floor of the cabin. He turned on his phone one too many times as if expecting a call or a text. A minute seemed like forever as he waited.
Finally, his phone pinged.
He didn't look at it with the eagerness one would have expected. But after he did, he let out the breath he's been holding since Emily stormed off.
***
The elevator door in Torredo's house chimed, and the door slid open.
Victoria stepped into the private foyer. The low-cut corset dress snatched her waist firmly, revealing her striking hourglass figure. The height of her stilettos gave her a graceful arch as she sashayed toward Alex.
Alex stood rooted to the foyer floor, his mouth slightly agape. He went on to say something but his voice died in his throat.
She stopped right in front of him. Too close that she could see his chest rise and fall in quick rhythm.
"Hey" Her words didn't just hit his ears; they washed over him like a warm, slow-moving tide.
Alex swallowed hard, the dry rasp in his throat finally forcing him to blink
"Hey. What are you doing…" his words trailed off.
She moved past him to the living room. Alex followed closely behind.
"I was in the area."
"Okay…" He sounded unsure what to make of that.
She turned to him. "You look like you could use company."
Alex hesitated.
"And I need it to." She sank into the cushion; draped herself across it and crossed her legs.
"Let me get us something to drink."
Alex turned toward the bar, his composure finally regained. He poured two glasses of vintage scotch, took a slow, steadying breath, then turned back to where Victoria sat draped across the velvet.
He walked over and handed her a glass, his fingers brushing hers for a fraction of a second. Then, he sank into the cushions beside her.
Alex leaned back, his arm resting on the sofa's frame just inches from her shoulder, his voice finally a mellow, matching hum to hers.
"So, what brought you to this area?"
"Date."
She took a slow, calculated sip, her eyes dancing over the rim of the glass. "Not as good as the one we had."
Alex looked away so sharply his neck strained.
"Well, until you bolted like I was after your life," she continued.
Alex didn't defend himself; he couldn't.
"I apologize. I didn't mean to make you feel that way."
"And since then, it's just been 'Hello' from a distance."
"Well, I have been busy.*
"Yeah, right…" She rolled her eyes at him, not buying the excuse.
"What happened that night, Alex?" She asked.
"I don't know. I guess the pressure from my uncle to make this work. We tried before when there was no pressure from the business and it didn't work."
"My father is very excited about the partnership deal too."
Silence.
Victoria heaved a sigh. She collected his glass and dropped it on the table alongside hers. "Do you want to know what I really think?"
Alex sat up with curiosity. "Do tell."
Victoria moved closer to Alex. Her breasts were almost in his face.
"I think you worry about the wrong things."
Alex's eyes widened in surprise. "Really?"
Victoria leaned forward; her lips to his ears. "You have a beautiful woman who wants you. Together, you both will be unbeatable in the business. Why do you keep hesitating? Hmm?"
"Nothing," Alex's rasp voice barely made him heard.
With her index finger she moved his face and looked directly into his eyes.
"Then how about we give this a try. What's the worst that can happen?"
Alex searched her eyes for a reason to back down. He found nothing. Slowly, his hand moved to her face. He gently caressed the outline of her lips with a finger.
He dived in, his mouth colliding with hers. At first, it was gentle, then gradually it became a starved, desperate kiss that tasted of everything he'd been trying to deny. A low, ragged groan vibrated between them. Victoria surged forward, her hand anchoring in his hair. His chest heaved against the rigid curve of her corset as the kiss deepened.
***
Sometime during the night, Alex rolled over. He reached out, his hand searching the other side of the bed. It was empty.
He opened his eyes and sat up.
The room was quiet. Then he heard something; a faint sound in the hallway. Alex stepped out of the bedroom and followed the sound down the hallway.
Emily's bedroom door opened and Victoria emerged with a phone in her ears. "Yes. Tomorrow morning."
"Victoria?"
Victoria flinched. She heaved a sigh of relief when she realized it was Alex.
"Let's talk later," She whispered into the phone then ended the call.
"You scared me for a moment," She said. "I got a call. Family emergency. I didn't want to wake you so I came out to answer it."
She noticed Alex's eyes were still on the room.
"Oh! My bad! I was just wandering. Sometimes I can't help it."
Alex didn't respond.
"I promise, I wasn't snooping."
"Of course," he finally found his voice. "It's just.. That is Emily's room."
"Well now I feel silly."
She held his hand. "How about we go back to bed and snuggle?"
Alex smiled. "I like that."
She put her arms through his as they both headed back to bed.
***
Emily stirred as the morning sun seeped through the heavy linen curtains, casting long, dusty shafts across the hand-hewn logs of the bedroom walls. The other side of the bed was empty.
She curled onto her side, squinting into the light. Last night's argument echoed in the quiet room. It was clear that Tony was not about to meet up with his part of the contract.
She was supposed to be waking up a free woman, and she was determined to make that happen. Steeling herself, Emily pulled her body from the tangled sheets. She refused to feel sorry for herself, refused to be weak. She needed to get back to the penthouse, find that document, and get her freedom.
She threw on a thick, oversized cardigan and made her way out of the room. Her bare feet were silent against the floorboards as she searched the guest rooms and the study. Her eyes scanned for any sign of Tony. Nothing. She hurried down the stairs, her pulse quickening as she reached the living room.
"Good morning, Ms Emily," a quiet, neutral voice spoke from the kitchen.
Emily jumped slightly, turning to see one of the house staff Tony had brought in to oversee the cabin's activities. The woman was already placing a silver carafe of coffee on the table.
Emily's gaze darted to the empty chair at the head of the table. "Where's Tony?"
"Mr. Tony went out quite early. He asked me to tell you to enjoy your breakfast and wait for him here."
Emily stared at the steam rising from the porcelain cup, her jaw tightening as she wondered what he might be up to.
***
Tony stood in the middle of the woods with his hands outstretched over the makeshift fire crackling inside a rusted, oil-stained drum. He didn't move as the crunch of dry pine needles announced Richard's arrival.
Richard held out a thick brown envelope. "You were right."
Tony took it and tore it open. He scanned the document. It was the contract of his marriage to Emily. The only copy left. The only proof that her freedom was imminent.
His jaw tightened as he forced his anger back inside.
With a flick of his wrist, he dropped the envelope into the heart of the embers. He watched until the paper curled into black ash and the words within turned to smoke.
"Thank you my friend."
Richard nodded.
***
Later that night, Emily and Tony returned to the penthouse.
Emily hastened up to her bedroom, her heart beating faster than usual.
She closed the door behind her and crossed to the large mirror on the wall. She put it down, revealing a hidden safe.
Her hands trembled slightly as she put in her code and opened the safe.
The safe was empty. The envelope was gone. Her breathing grew shallow, her chest rising and falling rapidly.
Someone had taken the only document that could set her free.