Beauty and the Beast (9 page)

“Have you ever been to Virginia? It’s a beautiful state.” His hand gently stroked her back as he spoke and took her mind to other places. Sensual places and dreams that she wouldn’t dare dream. “And Dixon… All I can say is wow!”

The exuberance in his voice and his fingers’ play on her back almost made her forget the people he planned on putting out of work and the town he intended to ruin for a few dollars. She’d known he was hard, but she’d never seen him in action before. The reality of what he was capable of was quickly moving from her head to settle heavily in her heart.

“Did you hear what I said?” she asked. “Compromise. Use the land for your plans and let the mill stay open.”

“But I need the building also.”

“What are you up to, Bruce?” Usually, his smile warmed her, but at this moment, it was pissing her off. He was grinning bigger than a Cheshire cat at the thought of ruining a town’s livelihood.

“I thought you’d never ask. I’m turning Dixon Textiles into Dixon Resort.” Voice filled with the emotion of a child who’d received everything on his Christmas list, he explained how he would convert the mill and surrounding land into a resort. Nefertiti hated to admit it, but his plan to cater to the rich sounded like a winner.

He crossed his arms over his chest. “Early projections say we’ll need at least two hundred employees. And guess who I’m giving first chance at those positions?”

“The mill workers!” Nefertiti smiled so hard, she was sure he could see it through the veil. “I’m so sorry I doubted you.” Faith in him restored, she hugged him.

The devilish expression on his face suited his red pajamas perfectly. At any second, she expected him to sprout horns and a pointy tail. “So what do I get for being the good guy?” he asked huskily as he held her close.

“A clear conscience.”

“Cute.” He held her hands. “I want you to stop wearing gloves in the house. This is your home.”

She withdrew her hands and stepped away. “I’ve already agreed not to wear the contacts. In a few more seconds, you’ll want me naked.”

“Ummm, darling, I’ve wanted that since you were about fifteen.”

The gloves were hot and constraining, but were also an important part of her security blanket. The sound of Dennis cursing and rushing out of her hospital room after he saw her bruised and wounded body replayed vividly in Nefertiti’s mind. An hour before a nurse had checked on her and discovered Dennis’ vomit on the floor. The stench and a broken spirit were the only things Dennis had left her with. Tears filled her eyes.

“It’s all right, baby.” Bruce pulled her into his embrace. “Ignore me. I’m an asshole. Take them off when you’re ready, not when I’m ready.”

“I’m so tired. I’m always either crying or angry. I can’t live like this.”

“Humph, seems like you’ve been laughing quite a bit to me, water ninja.” He tapped her chin. “You just need something to think about besides your problems. Check this out.”

She expected him to release her and show her something, but he didn’t, and she was grateful. She longed for the protection of his loving embrace.

“The first floor of the mill is presently a huge open area with equipment and a few offices. Catherine may be a tad bit slutty, but she has a good business head on her shoulders. She had the second and third floors renovated into office space that Dixon Textiles rents out. The rental space helps keep the company in the black. I’m changing the upper floors into suites for the guests, and the first floor will be mainly your responsibility.”

“Me?” She pulled back. “I don’t know anything about resorts.”

“The first floor will be for vendors. I’m talking arts, crafts, books, homemade jellies…”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, almighty red one. How did I get nominated for this?”

“You’re the only person I know who can secure top rate vendors to fit my needs.”

“Yeah, right. You’re a successful businessman. You’ve gotten along fine without my assistance for years.”

“Come on. What else do you have to do besides feel sorry for yourself?”

Ice shards shot from her stone cold eyes at him.

“What?” he asked.

“You are such an insensitive asshole.”

“Yeah. And?”

She walked out with him close on her heels. Instead of going back through the door that connected to his sleeping quarters, she exited out of the door that led to the main hallway.

“Oh, so now you’re mad at me for stating the obvious.” He stepped in front of her.

“Excuse me, but I need time alone to feel sorry for myself.” She stepped around him and continued on her way.
I’m not feeling sorry for myself. I’m getting used to my situation.
She rounded the corner to the curved stairwell that led to the first floor.
Why does everyone expect me to pretend my life hasn’t changed?

One of the cleaning crew stepped out of the study. Nefertiti stood still, having forgotten Victoria had hired a cleaning crew. She should have taken the back stairwell. Upon seeing Nefertiti, he cocked his head to the side, a dumbfounded look on his face, then rushed back into the study.

Glad the man hadn’t asked any questions, she quickly continued on her way. Just as she hit the bottom step, three more men, along with the first man, exited the study and stared. Again, Nefertiti froze. Instead of seeing the staring men, she saw the interns the doctors had paraded through her hospital room. The way the students gawked made her feel like the star attraction of a freak show. What hurt most of all happened when they removed the bandages after the reconstructive surgery. Her parents and Victoria had been there for the “unveiling.”

The sight of three of the four people she loved most in the world trying not to cry had been more than she could bear. She just thanked God Bruce hadn’t seen her. He’d said he wouldn’t mind her scars, but if her own father couldn’t look at her, how could any man?

“Get the hell out of our home!” Bruce roared. The men and Nefertiti jumped. Janis ran out of her office.

The men rushed into the study. Nefertiti ran up the stairs to Bruce.

“Mr. Maxwell,” Janis said calmly, “that’s the cleaning crew your aunt hired.”

“They weren’t cleaning shit.” He held Nefertiti close. “Fire them!”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Maxwell, but your aunt hired them. Only she can fire them.” Janis, apparently used to Bruce’s temperament, returned to the study.

Veil soaked with tears, Nefertiti allowed Bruce to lead her to his room where she lay on his bed. “Thank you, Bruce.”

He lay beside her. “I’m sorry, baby. I was out of line. You have a right to feel sorry for yourself. Who wouldn’t?” Heavy hand resting on her back, he caressed gently. “I’m just afraid you’ll slip into chronic depression. Believe me, it’s hell. I don’t want that for you.”

 
She propped a pillow under her arms. “I guess I am feeling sorry for myself. I can’t live like this. If I can work from here, I’ll take the job. How long do I have?”

“If things go according to plan, I’ll own the overwhelming majority of the company in one, maybe two weeks. But the resort won’t be ready for a year or two. You have plenty of time to plan things correctly. ” He sighed as he lay beside her. “We have a lot of work to do.”

He went on about his plans to have a spa and restaurant built directly off the present main building, refurbish the present cabins and build a few more, add a ski lift to attract the winter tourism crowd, train the mill workers to run the resort…

 
Oh lawd.
The way he talked shop was sexy, too sexy for Nefertiti. And now he was lying beside her, massaging the small of her back. Focus on business, not tasting his lips.

“If you want to kiss me, I won’t stop you,” he teased.

Horrified she’d been caught oogling him, she said, “You are a complete pig.”

“Umm-hmm, but you still want me.” He moved her hip so she’d be fully facing him, then rested his arm on her waist.

She smiled. “An arrogant pig at that.”

“I’ll bet you’re smiling under that veil.”

“You’d lose. Now back to work. You know, since you don’t want the mill, why don’t you just buy land no one is already using someplace else? There are tons of beautiful places out there.”

“Okay, change of subject. After I saw the mill’s property, I actually investigated the area for other property.” He gazed into her eyes. “The lake’s proximity to the mill, the trails, the cabins… It’s all perfectly laid out. Catherine just wants to run the mill. Well, she can. Only production will have to move to Asia. She can call the shots from anywhere in the world. Hell, how many companies are shipping jobs oversees? There’s a reason. Her desire to keep production in America isn’t feasible. The little profit the mill makes now is because she doesn’t collect a salary, she pinches every penny and she rents out space.”

Though his words had reverted to business, the way his hand kneaded her waist made it impossible for her to concentrate on much else than turning off the lights and making love. Feeling him on her, around her, in her.
Pay attention to the conversation at hand.
“Wait a sec. Did you say she doesn’t make any money? How can she afford that?”

“Her father. She needs to think globally. To compete globally. She can’t keep paying American wages and full benefits. She may think me a son-of-a-bitch right now, but this move will make her a rich woman. She’ll no longer have to depend on her father, and the factory will be self sufficient.”

Nefertiti pursed her lips. “If she cared about money, she would be collecting a salary.”

He rambled on about business, but she drifted into a fairy tale land where dreams came true and they could be together the way they both wanted.
Stop! Some dreams hurt too much to have.

“… Dixon Textiles will fold within the next five years if Catherine does not cut wages and benefits. Do you think she’ll do that?”

“I feel so sorry for her.”

“Catherine’s a fighter, but she’s fighting a losing battle. Even if she cut wages and benefits, the company would fold within ten years. Then where would those hundred and fifty families be?”

“You’re right.” She stretched and yawned. “I’m sorry. I’m usually asleep at this time. So what’s up with the lunch tomorrow?”

“I’ll state my case.”

“What if she doesn’t want to go along?”

“I’m still going forward.”

“She’ll fight you.”

“I know. I also know she’ll lose. I always get what I want.” He gently pinched her chin.

 
Message received, she flushed. “I need a nap. Which room should I use until the cellar airs out?” Nefertiti couldn’t help but smile. She wondered if Victoria was fooling anyone with this sudden need to have the cellar treated—this was Victoria’s way of forcing her out of the “dungeon” as she called it. She also knew that Victoria would not allow her to return to said dungeon.

“You can sleep here for now. I have work to do.”

“I can’t sleep dressed like a water ninja.”

Chapter Four

“Y
ou sick, man.”

Butch snarled at his cellmate. “It’s a good thing I sliced that bitch’s eyes,” he whispered. “Now her ass can’t identify me. I can’t believe she lived.”

“Remind me not to get on your bad side. Damn. What the hell were you doin’ there anyway?” Ken prodded.

“You all up in mah business.”

“Shit, man, what the hell else we got to do?”