The Devil's Gate Read online

  “My mother—my father painted this. He always said that you could capture a piece of the soul within a painting.”

  “He was so talented.”

  Jack paused as he stared up at the painting. I felt terrible that I said was and not is. It was accurate, but none of my business.

  “Yes—well, he was a very interesting man with many talents.”

  My eyes lifted to study her face once again. I realized that Jack had her eyes. Then I blushed as I thought about the fact that I had stared at his mother’s erect nipples. I cleared my throat and turned, mostly to avoid gawking at the painting any longer.

  “She was a free spirit, when she was younger—as you can see, and my father could bring that out in her. He probably could in many others.” he reached out and handed me a thick, square glass with a small amount of amber liquid in the bottom of it. I took it and lifted it to my nose, smelling the sweetness.

  I paused. His stare settling on me and his blue eyes soaking me in. “Brandy?” I questioned, as his eyebrow rose. He was apparently impressed that I recognized it.

  “Yes, it’s my poison of choice today.”

  I nodded to him and gently licked my bottom lip. He watched me take a sip. His breathing slow and steady, always in control, and making me feel a bit overwhelmed as his eyes remained locked on me. I rolled the edge of the glass against my bottom lip as I swallowed the brandy. It was smooth and immediately warmed my stomach. I sighed as I lowered the glass and then looked around the room. I noticed that it was all marble and black leather. The small bits of color splashed about were the two large pillows on the couch in red and the rug in front of the fireplace that was stark white in color. Shagged, something that fingers could run through very easily. It was the only thing in the room that looked soft in any way. Jack caught me staring, his expression subtle, but his enjoyment very apparent. He sipped his brandy and walked toward the fireplace. He placed his drink on the mantel and then buried his two strong hands deep inside of his nicely pressed pants. His suit was of exceptional quality, deep gray, white shirt, red tie to pop a color. The tie alone told me that he wasn’t stuffy, as the gray would suggest. The suit hugged his frame, tailor made to fit him and no other. He was so striking, in more ways than one. Breathtaking, to be exact.

  “Listen, thank you. I could never…” I started to say as he pulled a hand out of his pocket and rubbed the side of his neck. Was I making him uncomfortable by showing my appreciation?

  “There’s no need to thank me, I mean, what kind of philanthropist would I be if I allowed an attractive girl to die in the street in front of me? The press would be a nightmare.”

  I sighed, lowering my glass and feeling like a publicity stunt.

  “Certainly you wouldn’t want to tarnish your reputation.”

  He appeared to be amused as he watched me pout. It was unintentional, but the idea of me being a mere stumbling block that he needed to remove was aggravating, to say the least.

  He walked toward me and reached out, taking my glass from me and staring into my eyes.

  “Well, it was that and more.”

  My eyebrow rose as his statement intrigued me, “More, what?”

  He sighed as he touched his bottom lip with his thumb and gently rubbed it. His eyes lowered, and I felt my blood pressure rise as I gripped the front of the sheet tighter. I suddenly remembered that I wasn’t exactly dressed for this type of conversation.

  “More, you. I find you intriguing, Abigail.”

  I swallowed hard; his gaze unsettled me. Me? Intriguing? He was joking, he had to be. Not that I suck as far as human beings go, but I really had nothing to offer but my unwavering knowledge about marketing and promotion of which I had studied for the last four years. Other than that, I was pretty cut and dry. I love my coffee, I have one close friend, I grew up in a great home with loving parents. I was average. And—well, a virgin by choice.

  His eyes lit up just as that thought crossed my mind. He couldn’t possibly know that, could he? No, no way. It’s not like I wear a sign that says “deflowering needed” on me anywhere.

  The large door opened behind him, and a woman walked in, red hair, obviously dyed, and gorgeous. Her lipstick matched her hair. Her suit consisted of a white blouse, under a high waisted black skirt that hugged her curves like a sports car hugs the road. I let my eyes float over her frame and Jack watched me, very intently as I did so. She stepped up to me and then nodded to Jack.

  “Mr. Landon.”

  He nodded back to her. “Miss Cox.”

  She looked back to me with a cold stare and held my clothing up, neatly folded on top of her open hands. I reached out and took them from her as she looked me over and then turned to walk away. Her skirt hugged her hips as they swayed back and forth and I watched as she stepped up to the door and looked back at me. Her long, red hair gently fell over her shoulder. It was lying in long curls, beautiful, pristine, just like Jack. I suddenly felt a bit inadequate and silly for even toying with the idea of flirting with him. She opened the door, stepped out, and left us alone in the room.

  I looked up at Jack and half-grinned. It was fake. “Thank you, I should get dressed and leave.”

  “Don’t you want to ask about Miss Cox?”

  I shook my head as I stared at my cheap clothing in my hands. I am sure she laughed as she carried them toward the room and thought about how I was obviously lower class.

  “Know what, she works for you, right?”

  “If I fuck her, of course, Abigail.”

  I laughed. It was a sharp sound that echoed in the room. The rush of blood to my cheeks followed quicker than I could control it. I spoke, but my voice cracked, “Why would I—I mean, what a bizarre assumption. What you do and with whom is your business, Mr. Landon.”

  He licked his lip and then bit into it as he watched my cheeks become rosier by the moment.

  “It’s just Jack, Abigail, and I don’t. I’ve never even entertained the thought of having her; my taste is very defined.”

  I cleared my throat and nodded to him. “Okay then, thanks for the information.”

  He laughed. I looked in the direction of the door; an escape would be awesome right about now.

  He forced me to look at him again when he spoke to me, just as calmly as he had when he asked me if I wondered about Miss Cox. “I assume that you want to get dressed now.”

  I held my clothing tightly against my chest. “Yes, I do—please. I should go.”

  “Okay then.” He turned and walked to the door and then stopped and turned back toward me. He looked like a model in some high fashion magazine as his hair fell a bit and swung into his face. He put it back in place and grinned at me. His eyes were playful and so mischievous. He was trouble. A lot of trouble. I stood my ground as I straightened my shoulders.

  “We’re having a dinner tonight, for the mayor and his wife. Other politicians will be joining us.”

  I crinkled my brow as he shifted from one foot to the other.

  “Would you like to have dinner with me, Abigail Watson?”

  I swallowed hard as I nodded ‘yes’ to him without any control over it what-so-ever. He nodded to me. “Good. I can have the driver take you home and wait.”

  He walked out of the room as I sucked in my breath and realized that I had nothing to wear to something like this. NOTHING at all!

  “You idiot,” I whispered under my breath.

  CHAPTER TWO

  BLINDED BY THE LIGHT

  I stood in my apartment and stared at the open closet. I could die. Truly I could. Why did I agree to go back there? What power could he possibly have over me to jerk me from my safe environment of obscurity to suddenly want to attend a dinner with politicians? It was like he owned me, and I let him. His control was seductive, everything about him was. His look, his smell, the way he stared at me. It all gathered to create one perfect storm within me.

  I shook my head and crossed my arms on my chest as my roommate, Avery, came bouncing into the roo
m. She dropped on the bed and lay back, staring up at the ceiling as I stood there in a complete panic, the closet looming before me. She leaned up on her elbows and a bright smile lit up her face. Her giddiness undeniable.

  I was trying to own my aggravation with myself, but her cheerful attitude always pulled me out of any funk that I found myself caught up in. “Why are you so happy?”

  She cooed. “I got some.”

  I turned and stared at her, a grin breaking my stressed expression. I kind of live vicariously through Avery when it comes to sexual exploits. She was the only person in the world who could talk to me about it and didn’t make me feel like curling up in a ball and rocking in the corner. “What?”

  “Yes—and it was with you-know-who at you-know-what.”

  I sat down on the bed next to her and shook my head. “You did not.”

  She nodded to me. “I so did! After two years of listening to him speak and watching his tight butt in those jeans, I finally got him.”

  I laughed out loud. “Avery, you shouldn’t sleep with our professor.”

  “Oh, come on! He is only thirty-five and oh my God, Abi—he does this thing with his tongue that is…”

  I stood up and held my hands up to her. “Don’t, I can’t—seriously. I have to finish that class, and I can’t think about that crap, Avery!”

  She laughed at me and dropped back onto the bed. Her full lips pursed as she looked up at the ceiling. Her excitement told me everything. It must have been good, I mean exquisite. Avery is a snob when it comes to sex. If it sucks, she will totally say it, more than once like she is warning herself to stay away from whoever ruined her day. She sat up, quickly switching gears in the conversation. She pointed toward the window. “Did you see the limo downstairs? What is that all about?”

  I turned back toward the closet and stared in at the miserable selection. “It’s waiting forme,” I said quietly.

  She jumped up and turned me to face her. “What?”

  I raised an eyebrow and then nodded. “Yeah, I, uh—I ran into someone today, and he asked me out to dinner after he saved me from being crushed by a bus.”

  “In a limo—wait, what?A bus, what happened?!” she yelled as she ran to the window and looked down on it. She turned back, leaning on the edge of it and tapped her nails on the wood. “Spill it—now, Abi.”

  “I wasn’t paying attention and I stepped out into the road, then he tackled me, and the rest is history.”

  I sighed as I rubbed my neck and stared into the closet. I turned to face her. “Oh my God, Avery, help! I have nothing to wear, nothing! This is so ridiculous—I should cancel right now, what the hell was I thinking? I mean—it’s Jack Landon, Avery!” I started to head toward the door, and she blocked me, slamming her hands against the doorframe to create a human barrier.

  She grabbed my shoulders and half-shook me. “Are you kidding me? Jack Landon asks you out, and you’re thinking about canceling? NO—I won’t let you, Abi, follow me.”

  She grabbed my wrist and dragged me to her room. She stopped and let me go as she opened her double doors and flipped on the light. I stared in amazement as I saw things that she never even wore out. Dresses that would rival any high fashion magazine mixed amongst her jeans and t-shirts that she regularly wore on the daily.

  I stepped in and let my fingers run along her clothing, stopping as I spotted a red evening dress that was gorgeous. I paused and looked back at her in confusion. “Why do you have this stuff?”

  “I have a naughty little secret, Abi.”

  I stared her down with such anticipation, “What is it?”

  “I’m an escort.”

  My jaw dropped, “What?”

  Avery held it together for about fifteen seconds before she burst into laughter. “No, Abi, my parents are rich. I know I never said anything because, honestly, I hate it. Every time I go home they give me stuff like this and I just store it away. Like I need any red carpet dresses.” She laughed but then looked me over as she leaned on the doorway. “But now it all makes perfectly good sense. It was so that I would have this for you when you needed it.”

  I shook my head as I looked back toward the dress. “I don’t know, I mean—do you think I can pull that off, and I don’t have any jewelry to go with it.”

  “Oh—girl.” She walked away and came back with a jewelry box that she flipped open to expose some beautiful pieces. I was stunned.

  “You live a double life, Avery.”

  She winked as she walked toward me. “Let’s get you all dolled up while you spill it, the whole thing—I want to know everything that happened today.”

  I nodded to her; she deserved it, especially after saving me with all of this fantastic stuff that she had been hiding. Avery—rich? I couldn’t believe it. She never said a word, not one thing for four years. I would be mad, but then again I also knew that she always told me the truth about everything. Well—except for that strange omission. It was weird to think that Avery was ashamed of where she came from. She knew that I would love her regardless. It isn’t like having money makes me believe that someone is a jerk—just like I would hope that people wouldn’t think less of me because I came from a middle-class family. None of that mattered to me at all. It isn’t about that; it’s about the person.

  Avery smiled as she watched me in the hallway. I was waiting for the elevator and it seemed to be taking forever. I turned and held my hands out as she looked me over in the dress. It was incredibly beautiful. So retro. It had a sheer material over the bulk of it. It reminded me of an updated cocktail dress. It was strapless, fit me as if it was made for me, no gapping, nothing. It held my small breasts in place with ease while hugging my hips. The sheer material at the top covered the upper part of my chest and came all the way up to my neck. It wrapped my neck and had rounded buttons that ran down the back of it. The buttons stopped between my shoulder blades. Avery had paired it with red heels and small, but elegant, diamond earrings. She also insisted that I wear a large ruby ring on my right hand. I stared down at it in wonder as the light played off of the stone. I felt like a princess going to a ball of some sort. I had never worn anything as elegant as this, and I could only hope that my presence could match it.

  Jack did make me nervous; I needed to control that and not say anything unsavory tonight. I was still mulling over the fact that I gave into him so quickly. I was attracted to him, but there was something more. Maybe it was the way he looked at me, or maybe it was simply the fact that he saved my life. That was huge and deserved a yes to a dinner, right? It didn’t hurt that he made me feel—well; he made my heart beat harder in my chest, and I had never had that before. It was new and maybe I needed that, who knows.

  I heard the elevator ding and the two doors opened up as I stood there, kind of frozen in fear. Avery ran up behind me and pushed me into the elevator, smiling and giving me a wave as the doors closed and she disappeared from view.

  I took a deep breath and looked up to the mirrored ceiling and stared at myself. My dark hair looked incredible, slicked to the side with a large braided bun under my left ear. My make-up was incredibly sultry. My green eyes popped, lined in smoky gray, my lips barely tinted and glossy, my eyebrows refined. Avery was incredible. I didn’t even recognize myself. I was—sexy. Not that I think I’m ugly, by any means, but sexy is not something that comes to mind when I think about myself at all. I am as normal as they come, and I like it that way. But I won’t lie and say that looking like this and wearing such an extravagant dress didn’t make me feel special because it does.We all deserve to feel special in our lives, even for brief moments of time. I touched my lip and stared straight ahead as that thought lingered in my mind. Did Jack make me feel special? Of course he must. I wouldn’t be drawn to him otherwise. The dress-Jack, they could be one in the same. Both had the power to wake something in me. An Abi that needed to be seen in a new light.

  The elevator doors opened and I stepped out to stares from fellow classmates in the building. They we
re probably shocked at the way that I looked. I would be if the tables were turned. I walked up to the door and a boy ran in front of me and held it open for me. I wasn’t used to the attention, not at all.

  “Thank you,” I said quietly.

  He nodded to me. “No problem, Abi.”

  I walked out into the night air and the driver stood there next to the car. He looked me over and then opened the door so that I could get in. He said nothing to me, and that was okay. I would assume he isn’t paid to chat with anyone. I was too nervous to hold any rational thoughts. My conversational skills might be mediocre at best right now. My heart raced in my chest and I started to feel flush as we sped through the city toward Jack’s home.

  Three times I almost tried to open the door and roll out of the car, but the idea of ruining Avery’s beautiful dress stopped me, well, that and the idea of killing myself. I had no intention of finishing the job that the bus tried to play out earlier in the day. I am not that type of girl. I don’t do daredevil stuff. I play it safe.

  I stared at the couples on the street as we passed them by. A man leaned in and kissed a woman while he cupped her chin and my heart fluttered. I do believe in romance. I do enjoy the thought of having that in my life someday, but who knew when or if it would ever happen. All I knew was that Jack was intriguing, but I was sure that he was the farthest thing from my fairy tale ending as I could find. I mean sure, good looks—money, but he was a bad boy. I could see that as clearly as I could see my reflection in the glass as I noticed my eyes. I sighed as the car turned and we headed toward Jack’s home and hopefully, an enjoyable evening.

  The car stopped. The massive iron gates opened up as the limo slowly rolled into the long lane that lead back to the mansion. I waved my small purse in front of my face as the heat started to rise in me. The nerves were kicking in. I took a breath and then bit my lip as the car rolled to a stop in front of the large home. The driver stared at me in the mirror as I fanned myself.