The warm water and a large hand roaming over her waist and hip, brought Sophia back to earth. Alistair was holding her in his arms inside the black marble pool. When her eyes fluttered open, she saw Alistair’s smiling eyes gazing at her with so much love inside them that she sighed aloud.
“You are certifiable,” she murmured, putting her head on his shoulder.
“Aye,” he whispered to her, tightening his arms around her. “Since you said you love me the last of the sanity I had flew away.”
“You’re debauching me. I have never done anything so, uh-”
His smile darkened and a proprietary glint shone inside his eyes. His mouth trailed a warm path on her neck, making her moan.
“Exposed? Dangerous? Fulfilling?” he said in between nibbles from her neck to her ear, ending on her bottom lip as the hand behind her knees moved to caress her intimately. “Want to do it again?” he demanded as he swirled in the water and pressed her against the pool wall, wolfishly smiling down at her and surveying her naked body.
Her breath vanished when hot desire pooled between her thighs, “You are going to kill me.”
“With love, I hope,” he breathed as he started the sweet torture all over.
Chapter 28
Ashford Steel Industries.
Tuesday, April 13th, 2010.
7.45 p.m.
The intercom double buzz informed Scott that his boss was ready to receive him. He gathered all his clippings, arranged them neatly in his black leather folder, straightened his dark-gray tie and headed to Ethan’s office. He pushed the door open after a fortifying breath.
Ethan looked up from his computer screen and motioned for Scott to sit, “A minute, Scott.”
“Would you like water and coffee, sir?” Scott asked.
Barely suppressing an amused smile at the predicable behavior of his assistant, Ethan answered, “Yes, please.”
He finished his work and leaned on his Aeron chair to watch Scott’s profile, his glazed watery blue gaze and long thin pale hands caressing the red and gold designs on the navy background of the delicate Imari porcelain.
Ethan grinned thinking of what would happen if he shouted at Scott right now. He shook his head at the silly thought and waited patiently as his assistant served his coffee and Bling water and sat down in front of him.
Scott opened the folder and fished out his white handkerchief and Montblanc pen from his suit breast pocket. Beads of nervous sweat appeared at his forehead which he immediately mopped. He cleared his throat. “Sir, I have good and bad news. What do you want first?”
Ethan smiled. He was in an exceptional mood after signing the contract to supply steel to the Brazilian government. Sophia really was his lucky charm. He couldn’t have imagined that a personal trip would bring such immense profits. It had to be really bad news to dampen his mood. “The bad first.”
“All right,” Scott mumbled, breathed and launched into it, “Leibowitz’s computer security system is almost unbreakable. Ghost is still working on it. He’s been exchanging ideas with other hackers, but Leibowitz’s technicians noticed the first attempts and reinforced their firewalls and cryptography. However,” he raised a finger to emphasize, “we were already inside her personal email account, iPhone and home computer and they didn’t discover it. Her security impressed Ghost, but it was nothing one of the best hackers in the world could not surpass,” Scott boasted the hacker’s qualities as if they were his. “You can access her schedules and all her data from your computer.” Scott rounded Ethan’s desk with a sheet of paper in his hand, squinting at the instructions on the sheet and typed in a long sequence of commands as he kept explaining, “Ms. Leibowitz backs everything up to a cloud. Oh. I’ve secured an ally inside her house. Acting under Ghost’s directions, he bugged her phone lines and tapped her TV and internet lines.” Gabriela’s face appeared on Ethan’s screen with Sophia’s desktop icons at the bottom. Scott rightened his posture and puffed out his chest, proud of his achievement. With a stylishly wave of his hand, he presented the mirror of Sophia’s computer. “Here you are, sir. She is all yours.”
“Good,” Ethan drawled, approaching the screen, “very good, Scott. Don’t bother anymore with Leibowitz Oil. I’m only interested in her personal life. Is she back?”
“Not yet.” Scott clicked on an icon and Sophia’s mail box appeared on the screen. “George V in Paris. Tomorrow.”
“That’s interesting.” Ethan rested his chin on his hand and leaned back in his chair. “What else can I do from here?”
8.21 p.m.
When the door closed softly behind Scott, Ethan walked to his bookshelf and stopped in front of his grandfather’s photo. His lips curled and he raised his eyebrow.
See, Niarchos? Do you see, old man? I’ve surpassed you. I’ve learned.
No one betrays me anymore.
No one fools me anymore.
No one!
France, Paris, VIII Arrondissement. Hotel George V.
Wednesday, April 14th, 2010.
6 p.m.
Alistair settled a sleeping Gabriela higher on his shoulder and turned to look at the grand lobby with its immaculate marble columns and floors, highlighted by pink, lilac and purple orchids that glowed with beauty.
“This is the type of place that you imagine just can’t get any better, but it continually surpasses our expectations.”
“I always stay here because of Gabriela. There are few hotels in Paris that receive children like George V.” She looked around as well and her eyes sparkled. She licked her lips as if she could taste the scented lobby.
“I don’t know if I like this expression of yours,” Alistair cocked his head. “What are you planning now?”
Sophia wasn’t listening. She was intently examining the orchids that appeared to be floating in air. That’s it. “Mmm,” she moaned and purred, “I want him. I want Jeff.”
“What?!” Alistair was aghast. He blinked at his future wife. “You want... Jeff?” Who the hell is Jeff?
She startled and looked up at his face. “Yes, I want Jeff. Jeff Leatham. He’s the artistic director of the hotel. The amazing flower designer responsible for this,” she raised her arms showing the superb floral arrangements. “For our wedding. I have to call him. Now. He’s very sought after.”
“Madame Leibowitz. Lord Ells. What a pleasure!” Christopher Norton, the general manager was waiting to accompany them to the Penthouse Suite Sophia had booked for them. “Your luggage has arrived and I’ve already sent the Rolls for your sisters. Their flight is supposed to land in half an hour.”
“Superb, Chris.” She linked her fingers with Alistair’s and smiled at the manager. “Could you get me an appointment with Jeff Leatham? We are getting married in August and I’ll have no one but Jeff for the flowers and of course, for all his creative ideas.”
“Congratulations to you both! I’m sure Jeff will be thrilled, Madame.” He exited the lift and opened the doors for them.
Designed to resemble an elegant European residence, the Presidential Suite was two thousand square feet, and its six terraces offered a three-hundred-and-sixty degree view of Paris. Jeff Leatham’s beautiful floral arrangements, along with French paintings, Blue de Chine pottery and the floral damask fabrics in golden-yellows and dark-blues created the sense of a luxury home.
Their personal maid and butler were already unpacking their luggage in the main bedroom.