The Master Page 9

  “Your fake tits are over inflated, lopsided and too hard. Maybe I didn’t care about all that back then. I guess I didn’t know any better. All I saw was a big pair of tits, and that was good enough. But I’ve had the real thing, Willow.” He shook his head in dismay. “Yeah, the real thing. Not quite the same when you get close up and fill your hands with them.”

  “You're just saying that to be spiteful. Tits are tits, and you’ve fucked mine enough to know how great they are.” She pressed up against him, crushing her breasts to his chest.

  “I mean it. I’m not in the mood for your silly games.”

  Her eyes narrowed and her blood red lips set into an angry line. “Are you still hung up on that Serena bitch? For crying out loud, give it up already, Bash. Haven’t you seen enough to know she’s not for you? I mean, really. Can you imagine a whore like that running in our circles? She’d be laughed out of every ball, dinner and banquet in town. Not to mention what she’d do to your reputation. You have your career to think about Sebastian. A woman like that on your arm could only bring you leers and secretive comments about your sex life. Instead of reviewing your music, they’ll gossip and speculate on the freakish things you do in bed.”

  “Thank you for your concern, Willow, but I assure you, I know what I want in my life, and Serena is part of it.”

  “Then you're a fool.” She held her arms out on either side of her, flaunting her body. “I’m the perfect woman for you, Bash. I’m beautiful, I have a fit and sexy body, and I know how to use it. I’m sure Serena is all that as well, but what I have that Serena doesn’t is social standing. I matter in this community. I’m respected and well liked.”

  At this, Sebastian sneered. “You're not as respected as you think.”

  She huffed and ran her perfectly manicured fingers over her perfectly coiffed hair. “Just because a few old biddies are jealous doesn’t mean I’m not respected. I do a lot for the community, and I know it’s all well appreciated.” Leaning into him, she arched her back and offered her breasts to him. “And I know I do a lot of other things very well and it’s all well appreciated, too.”

  “Then why don’t you go find one of your many conquests and have your way with him?”

  As his rejection sunk in, her eyes narrowed into two indignant slits. “Do you really think you’ll ever be put in charge of Sorensen Holdings with that tramp on your arm? How can you ever hope to become president or CEO with such a disreputable woman at your side?”

  “Thank you for your concern, Willow. I’ll keep all your warnings and comments in mind.”

  “You arrogant bastard. You think you’ll last a day in your father’s company with that attitude?” She looked around the prestigious office. “Price will make sure you never make it. Every day he’ll remind you and the business world who and what Serena really is.”

  She turned on her heel and Sebastian thought it was the end of the conversation, but she spun back around. “For all the trouble you're giving yourself, in the end, Serena probably won’t be able to settle down with you anyway. She’s had Price all her life, remember? For all you know, she might be with him at this very moment. She’s probably fucking his brains out as we speak. Think about it, Bash. She’s with him, her body rejoicing in his every masterful touch. Do you really think she’ll be able to put that behind her and settle down to a nice quiet home life with a…” She grimaced. “With a musician?”

  Sebastian grinned. It was the same argument he’d heard over and over again; from his father, from his mother, and now from Willow. He was just a lowly musician and he would do well to put all that hard work, not to mention talent, aside in order to run Sorenson Holdings, with Willow at his side, no less.

  “Laugh now, Bash, but in a year or two when your world is crumbling around you and you realize the mistake you made, don’t come crawling to me. I don’t take discarded leftovers.” Again she spun on her heel and walked to the outer office.

  “Willow,” he called out.

  Her face bright and eager, she turned and walked back to him. “Yes?”

  “You never answered me.”

  Her smile broadened and her eyes filled with lusty hunger. “Answered what?”

  “What are you doing at my father’s office?”

  “Under the circumstances, I don’t think it’s any of your business. After all, you clearly want nothing to do with Sorenson Holdings, so what does it matter to you?”

  “You conniving slut. What the hell are you up to?” He grabbed her elbow and pulled her to him.

  “Oh, now that’s more like it. I always did like it when you played rough, Bash. It always turned me on.”

  “It’s so easy for you to talk about Serena like she were merely some slut I picked off the street, but look at you. You’re no better. In fact, you’re worse. Serena found herself indebted to Price after starving out on the streets. He picked her up and gave her life. What’s your excuse for acting like such a slut? What’s the reason behind your push to have me? Huh? The money? The prestige? The social status? You're no better than the whore who sells it on the street. The only difference is you have your parents’ blessing, not to mention my mother’s.” He pulled her closer. “But listen to me, and listen good. I’m not buying, Willow. If you were the last woman on earth, I wouldn’t want you. You're a greedy little slut and you’ve done everything possible to exploit your relationship with me, and while I may have fallen for it once, there’s no way in hell I’d ever fall for it again. The game is over, Willow. And you lost.”

  She pulled her hand back and slapped him across the cheek, raking her fingernails across his skin in the process. “You ignorant pig. I’m the best thing that ever happened to you.” Wringing her arm free, she walked away. “You don’t deserve me, Sebastian Sorenson, so you can rot in hell for all I care.”

  Chapter 16

  Serena

  As the last of the men left Price’s luxury yacht, Serena sat back and grinned at Laura. “That’s it. We’re all done.”

  “I’ll tell you, that horny little old man didn’t give up easy, did he?”

  Mr. Daily had argued for nearly ten minutes over his need to rid himself of his sexual tension. Apparently the doctors had warned him to release that sexual tension whenever possible, if not his heart wouldn’t be able to take the strain.

  “My wife wants nothing to do with me. She’s cold and frigid. Won’t even give me a hand job, never mind giving it a good suck. If you don’t offer me relief, my death could very well be on your conscience, young lady,” he’d said.

  “Yeah,” Serena said. “They have every excuse in the book when they really want it.”

  “And, man, did he want it. For a minute there I thought he was going to pull it out and whack it right in front of us.”

  Serena looked at her friend. “That could have ruined sex for both of us for a very long time.”

  They both grimaced and laughed.

  “Well,” Laura said as she clapped her hands to her lap and stood. “As amusing as this night has been, I really have to get going. It’s late and I have a class in the morning.

  Laughing Serena stood and patted her good friend on the shoulder. “You really did a great job. I didn’t understand half of what you said to those men, but whatever it was, it worked. When you finish law school, you’ll make a great lawyer.”

  Laura waved her comment away. “This was fun. Now I have to get going, but Serena, tell me you’re going to be okay. Why are you even on here? Where’s Sebastian? Where’s Price?”

  Serena looked around at the vast and empty room. She’d let Price’s goons leave when the crowd had dwindled down to a manageable three men. “It’s a long story, Laura. Sebastian had to chase his father. Price… hopefully he’s still being detained at Sebastian’s place. I have to go find Sebastian, but first, I have a couple of things I need to take care of. But thank you, Laura, I couldn’t have done this without you. I owe you one.”

  “Yep.” She stapled the last of the agreements to
their corresponding fantasies, tidied up the whole stack of paper and put them in the briefcase Serena had pulled out of Price’s office. “And I’m not cheap. You’ll see when you get my lawyer’s bill. But don’t worry, I’ll charge you a friend’s fee of only seventy bucks an hour.”

  Smiling, Serena said, “And you deserve every penny.”

  Laura laughed and clipped the briefcase shut. “You know I do kind of feel like a real lawyer. Pretty awesome. But, as far as a fee is concerned, what you really owe me is a big fat explanation of what happened here tonight. And I want to know every sordid little detail, but I’ll give you time to think about it. For now, I’m fading fast and I’m heading home.”

  With her large hooped skirt sweeping the floor, Serena followed Laura out. “Can I ask you one last favor?”

  “Sure, honey. What do you need?”

  “I need a ride into town.” She pulled up her full skirt. “Maybe a change of clothes would be a good idea, too.”

  “Sure. We’ll swing over to my place.” She held up the briefcase full of documents. “We can find a nice, safe place for these while we’re at it.”

  After struggling to squeeze Serena’s dress into Laura’s car, they drove off giggling and joking about the strange circumstances of the night. While Serena let her friend in on a portion of what had happened, she knew they’d have a lot of catching up to do once everything was settled and over with.

  At Laura’s place, Serena quickly changed into a pair of jeans and a tight red knit sweater.

  “Thanks again for everything, Laura. You're a lifesaver.”

  “Don’t mention it.” With her eyes filled with concern, she looked at her friend. “And where are you heading off to, if you don’t mind my asking.”

  “I’ve got to finally settle this once and for all with Price.”

  Laura reached for the car keys she’d set on the kitchen counter and handed them to Serena. “So the next time we see each other, you’ll be a free woman, huh?”

  Her heart did a somersault at the sound of Laura’s words. Free. It sounded so simple, yet it’d proven to be so difficult.

  She nodded, kissed her friend goodbye and left. Now that the agreements were all signed and in Laura’s possession, she felt a huge weight lifted off her. The men who’d seen her perform these last years would be silenced and she could lead a normal life.

  All that remained was to break her bond with Price once and for all. As she pulled up in front of his modern luxury building she felt strong and in control; capable of taking on the world. It was the best she’d ever felt about herself since meeting up with Price all those years ago. While she’d admittedly felt weak upon other encounters with him, had doubted her ability to resist him, she now had every assurance and confidence that she was out of his control.

  She’d proven to herself tonight how she was capable of controlling the circumstances around her. She didn’t have to wait for Price to decide and take action. She could do it all herself, and that knowledge alone gave her power.

  Riding up in the elevator, she focused on what she had to do. Her belongings were still at Price’s, which she didn’t get the chance to collect because of her sudden disappearance with Sebastian. She needed to get those photos. As the elevator doors opened onto his penthouse, she realized she wasn’t alone. Someone was inside. But that was impossible. Price was being guarded in Switzerland. Or was he?

  From his study at the far end of his spacious penthouse, she could hear his voice.

  “It’s worth a whole hell of a lot more than that. The Australian subsidiary alone was worth over three hundred million dollars last year.”

  Silence.

  “And don’t think I don’t know about the deal is with Hoerath. That alone is set to be worth half a million.”

  More silence.

  Intrigued by the one sided conversation, Serena silently made her way to his study and saw him on the phone. His legs propped up on the corner of his desk, he reclined while smoking a cigar and sipping cognac. He seemed at the top of his game, and in complete control. Little did he know she was about to send his world crashing to the floor. If he was negotiating with Kaiser, she’d make sure the deal fell through.

  “Yeah, I know, but that doesn’t change the fact that I want it all. I didn’t spend all this time and put in all this effort just to end up with a fraction of the old man’s fortune.”

  Old man? He couldn’t possibly be talking to Kaiser. He was talking about him. But to whom?

  “Look, you promised me you’d be able to deliver all of Sorenson Holdings. I don’t just want part of it. I don’t just want the part you’ve worked on with Kaiser. I want it all!” he shouted.

  From where she stood, she could just barely make out the voice of the person on the other end of the line, just enough to tell her it was a man.

  “I know I was supposed to blackmail him, but things have changed and now I need you to hold your end of the bargain.”

  Silence.

  “Stop giving me excuses, Michael. I’m sick of it.”

  At the sound of Michael’s name, Serena gasped. How could Willow’s brother be involved with Price? It didn’t make sense.

  “Hold on,” Price said softly. “I think someone’s here.”

  Serena quietly backed away and hurried to the elevator. The doors slowly slid shut just as Price came running in. His features in a distraught grimace, he rushed for the elevator.

  “Serena!” he called out, his plea filled with pain and heartache. “Serena!”

  Chapter 17

  Dawn was slowly creeping up, but sleep was the last thing on Serena’s mind. Aside from drifting off every now and then as she waited in Laura’s car outside Price’s office building, she’d remained awake.

  Soon Price’s assistant, Penelope Bright, would be in, bright and early as usual. The no-nonsense woman had been with Price for years and she’d always been an early riser, and therefore, early to work. Of course it probably helped that the forty seven year old homely woman lived alone with no husband to tend to and no children to take care of. Though Serena had heard the woman had several cats to keep her company.

  Sipping on her third coffee, Serena saw Penelope’s grey sedan pull into the underground parking. She gave the woman five minutes to make it upstairs, start the coffee machine and settle behind her desk. After all, she didn’t want to startle the poor woman by tailing her.

  Ready for action, Serena finally got out of the car and took her time getting to Price’s office. She knew her way around well. Price loved impromptu visits and when they didn’t come frequently enough, he made appointments with her. At first they gave the outside appearance of being all business, but over the years they’d let slip a little murmur here and there.

  “Miss Singleton, you’re back…and so early,” Penelope said with a note of surprise as Serena came up to her desk. “Is Mr. Turnsby not with you?”

  Serena smiled, remembering that she was living with Price the last time she saw Penelope. She wondered how Price explained her absence while she had disappeared with Sebastian. “No, Mr. Turnsby had to go to another meeting this morning, but told me to come by his office.”

  “Is there anything I can do for you then?” Penelope asked.

  “You're right. I’m not really a morning person, but Mr. Turnsby specifically asked me to be here bright and early.” Serena smiled suggestively. “Something about starting the day off right.”

  Penelope blushed. For all the times she’d seen Serena come ‘visit’ Price, she’d never asked any questions. In fact, Serena’s very presence seemed to embarrass the poor woman.

  “Do you mind if I wait in his office.” She winked. “I have a little early riser surprise for him.”

  Penelope’s blush turned nearly violet. “Of course. Go right on in.”

  “Thank you.”

  With a definite sway to her step, she passed Penelope’s desk and walked to the door to Price’s office and turned back to the secretary. “Oh, and if Mr. Tur
nsby should show up early, could you give me a buzz so he doesn’t catch me off guard? I want to be perfect for him when he comes in.”

  The older woman didn’t even make eye contact as she nodded and quickly turned her attention to the files on her desk. “Of course, Miss Singleton.”

  Serena shut the door behind her and took in a deep breath. At least that had gone well. She looked around the large and spacious office she knew all too well. The cool, hard surface of the glass desktop. The soft velour of the couch. The uncomfortable size of the ottoman. The warm waters of the private bathroom. Flashes of her time spent with Price rushed through her mind, each memory more lurid than the last.

  But she hadn’t come all that way just to reminisce about her sex life with Price. Serena clipped open Price’s laptop, entered the password she’d seen him enter so many times and opened his agenda. She flipped back the digital pages looking for any strange rendezvous.

  As she flipped back over the past weeks, a name suddenly struck her and she stopped and stared.

  Brooks.

  Willow Brooks on a Thursday evening at the Montezuma lounge, then again the Wednesday before that at the Caldwell private club, and yet again on a Sunday morning two weeks earlier at the Supreme Latté on the other side of town.

  “But why are you seeing Willow Brooks, Price?”

  She remembered the beautiful blonde woman. Could Price be having an affair with the socialite?

  It hardly seemed likely. Their rendezvous were all in public places. Why?

  Serena thought back to when she’d met the Brooks family. Had Mr. Brooks ever been to one of Price’s parties? Maybe Price was trying to blackmail him through Willow.

  But no. She remembered his face very well and she’d never seen him at any of Price’s parties. Surely she’d know if he’d ever been present.

  All of the strange events that had plagued Sebastian when they’d first started dating… the poisoning at his mother’s charity event… his tires getting slashed… his penthouse getting ransacked. Though she hadn’t really wanted to admit it, she’d always suspected Price had had something to do with all of them.