Tiger Lily: Part Three
Table of Contents
Published by Amélie S. Duncan
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Copyright
Copyright © Amélie S. Duncan, 2015
Cover Design by Sarah Hansen, Okay Creations.
Copyright © 2015 Sarah Hansen.
Ebook Formatting Design by
Pink Ink Designs
All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means or stored in a database or retrieval system without the prior permission of the author or publisher. This book is a work of fiction. Any references to real people or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. All books, songs, song titles, mentioned in the novel Tiger Lily are the property of the respective songwriters and copyright holders.
ALSO BY AMÉLIE S. DUNCAN
Dedication:
To My Family
Thank you for the late night
singing and dancing
JONAS CRANE. I SAT
on his lap, crushing yet another one of his designer suits. Normally, I would be worried about it, but not today. He had placed me here the second he sat down in the car. I was exactly where he wanted me to be.
He was dressed for work, which he missed yesterday and would probably miss this afternoon as well. Something unheard of for him, a renowned workaholic. I knew he thrived on structure and order. Nonetheless, I had somehow become the chink in his armor. He had chosen me.
I positioned myself to stare up at his face, and I couldn’t help but gape. He was a gorgeous man, from his dark, wavy hair down to his polished leather shoes. High, sculpted cheekbones, a square jawline, and thick lashes that framed a set of sea blue eyes. If that wasn’t enough, he had full sensual lips that I knew to be as soft as silk. And a muscular frame built for sin, which he wielded at every turn. Potent, masculine perfection.
He had beauty as well as brains, a savvy business mogul and a legend in his field.
Jonas was sought the world over to impart his wisdom or provide his golden touch to new ventures. That was how we had originally met. My company, Arch, wanted him. He wanted me. Still wanted me, after I had disappeared from his life, believing I could protect all I cared for, and myself, by being alone. But in the end, I fell apart, and Jonas came for me.
Just one of the many reasons that I love him.
A grin spread across my face, and Jonas’s took on a suspicious glint. I didn’t blame him. Mischief was on my mind. I leaned up and gave him a noisy kiss on the cheek, interrupting his phone call. He responded with a reproving shake of his head and mouthed, “Behave.” A cute little pucker appeared on his brow.
I leaned up again and kissed his moving lips in apology.
“That won’t save you,” he whispered. A dark promise crossed his face and I shivered, such was his effect on me. Not because I thought he would hurt me physically. He had gained my trust there. And with that awareness, I decided to kiss him loudly once more, adding a giggle.
“I’ll phone back,” he said, ending his call.
He captured my chin and gazed at me intently. “What are you doing to me?” he asked.
My pulse sped up as I stared back at him.
His eyes glimmered and he used his free hand to caress the side of my face. He liked asserting his will, but also gave affection freely, which was one of the many reasons I loved him. He winked and tucked me back against him.
His warmth and the smooth ride through Manhattan traffic had me stifling a yawn. I closed my eyes and nuzzled his neck, inhaling his fresh scent. I loved the way he smelled. I loved everything about this man.
“You didn’t get your nap. You’ll take one after we eat lunch and talk.” Jonas brushed his lips against my forehead.
The words “I’m not hungry…” were out of my mouth before my brain connected to them. Jonas gave me an empathetic, though critical, look. His body tensed underneath me. “I’ll speak with Dr. Steinman. See what we can do.”
My trip to the doctor’s office yesterday had convinced me that I did have an issue with eating, as I was now underweight. A side effect of the extensive exercise routine I had cultivated in an attempt to exhaust my mind. Dr. Steinman ran some tests and I was waiting for the results. Or, we were. Jonas had included himself in the knowing.
He was taking me over and I wasn’t certain how I felt about it. Though I was certain, no matter what happened, I wouldn’t leave him again.
“I’m not sure how hungry I am.” I corrected myself. He brushed his lips to my forehead again and slowly rubbed my back. “We’ll eat lunch when we get there.”
My brows rose as I looked past him out the window. We had long passed through Midtown and were halfway through Downtown Manhattan now.
“Where are we going?” I asked.
“We’re staying temporarily in a furnished loft apartment in Tribeca,” he replied. “I’d prefer to move closer to Central Park and the Upper West Side when we can. Dani is going to help search for a place.”
I licked my lips. “I know you offered for me to stay with you, but you really don’t have to do that. The locks have been changed at my apartment and I’ll be finding a new place in a month.”
“If he got in once, he could get in again. I’m furious no one told me,” Jonas said, his tone sharp. He was talking about my ex, Declan, who had recently broken into my home and stolen photos and my prized possession—the
Peter Pan
book given to me by my father who, like my mother, was gone to me forever in a tragic car crash.
I curled my chin under in shame. If it had been my choice, Jonas would never have known what happened or seen me at my weakest.
He reached out and stroked underneath my chin, tickling the soft skin there, though I didn’t feel like laughing. “You’ll stay under my watch until we fix that piece of shit ex of yours,” he said in a softer tone.
I swallowed hard. Generally, I would have told him that Declan getting inside again wasn’t possible, but this time I just couldn’t. He had assaulted and stolen from me. I had given him my word I wouldn’t bother him if he didn’t bother me, but he still harassed me. All he did was continue to find ways to hurt me. Most recently, he sent me nude photos I hadn’t even known he had taken, the implicit threat being that he could easily post them on the Internet. He had the power to destroy my reputation and to hurt anyone else associated with me.
Even though I didn’t want to further my embarrassment, I decided to remind Jonas of that much and added, “You can’t. I told you what’s at stake.”
“You think I give a fuck about his threats to you?” he said, raising his voice. “I’ll destroy him.”
I flushed and closed my eyes. “I care. I’ll be ruined. And your reputation, along with mine.”
“Look at me,” he said.
I raised my head slowly.
His eyes were steady and determined. “That isn’t going to happen. I have people combing through his whole life right now. Trust me, he’ll be shitting his pants when I’m done with him.”
My pulse sped up. I was happy and terrified at the same time. Jonas’s nature was to fight. He was a warrior in business. He crushed his opposition—and worse, based on what he had shared with me. And from where I sat, it was evident he had declared war on Declan. From the set of his jaw, there was little I would be able to say to make him change his mind now.
Truthfully, I no longer believed Declan would do the right thing. I knew I needed help dealing with this, but I worried for Jonas. “I don’t want you, or anyone else, to get in trouble,” I pleaded.
He grinned and kissed me lightly on the lips. “We won’t,” he said confidently.
I touched my lips and stared off, wishing his words were enough.
“What are you most scared of?” Jonas asked in a gentle tone.
I cast my eyes down. “I don’t want anyone to see my body,” I said, just above a whisper. The truth, without sensor or process.
“I don’t either,” he admitted.
I flicked my eyes up to him and my stomach lurched as my old, negative tapes chimed in.
He’s embarrassed of me.
“Whatever you’re thinking, stop,” Jonas said, breaking my thoughts as he assessed me. “Your body is beautiful, but I don’t want anyone else to admire it. Only me.” He paused for a moment, then asked, “You need confirmation of this again? You’ll make me tell you.”
A crease appeared on my cheek. Ever the general, Jonas. Commanding me to get him to remind me that I was beautiful.
My heart skipped a beat over just the thought, though I didn’t see the beauty he referred to. Sure, my spa treatment had invigorated my skin. And Dee did wonders with my hair. I was pampered smooth all over. Some surface cosmetics to mask the darkness. But that wasn’t enough. And the more I thought along those lines, the more worries arose. “But you haven’t seen…”
“What haven’t I seen?” Jonas asked. He stroked the side of my face, letting me know he wanted me to continue. But I didn’t want to. “You need to tell me,” he implored.
“He showed people at his job. He sent photos to my cell, with messages…” I stammered.
Jonas’s facial expression turned lethal. “Show me.”
I absently reached into my pocket and fumbled with my cellphone. Then I realized I didn’t want him to see them either, and started to put my phone back. His hand closed on my wrist.
“No secrets. This, I will break you of. We won’t work if you continue to hide things from me. Now, give me your phone,” he said, releasing my wrist and holding out his hand.
My own hand shook as I placed the phone in his open palm. “That goes for both of us,” I mumbled.
“I know this is hard for you, but you will learn to trust me,” he said, kissing me on the cheek. A tear escaped the corner of my eye as I watched Jonas look through my cellphone history and the images Declan had sent of me. One, apparently new, had me naked in the shower. I could pinpoint the timeframe of most of the photos he had. They were taken right after I sank into a depression following my parents’ death. I had gained weight, which he made fun of, and shortly after, he broke off our engagement. I covered my mouth to try to still the wave of nausea that went through me. The bile rose in my throat and I motioned to Jonas frantically.