Her secret was safe.
It could only get better from here.
“You okay?” Javen stood in the doorway with a look of concern on his face.
“Yeah.” She wiped a hand across each cheek and hurried to her feet. “Now tell me, what’s going on? Why are you here? Not that I’m not happy to see you, because I am.”
“Mom and Dad are crazy,” he groaned, as she led him out of the closet and into the den.
“We already knew that.” She ruffled his hair, deposited him on the couch, and made for the kitchen. She searched the fridge for something to serve him, but who was she kidding? She hadn’t gone grocery shopping the entire time that she’d lived there.
“How do you feel about room service?” she asked.
“I say it’s just another reason I want to live with you. You get to live in this sweet place and do whatever you want.”
“Yeah, well, I’m three years ahead of you. I’ve earned the right. But don’t be too impressed; none of this is mine, and the situation is temporary at best. No telling how long Ira will allow me to stay.”
Javen’s beautiful brown eyes glinted on hers, his thick dark lashes practically sweeping his cheeks each time he blinked. “What does he care? He practically owns this town. He’ll let you stay as long as you want.”
“It doesn’t exactly work that way.” Aster frowned, taking a moment to study her brother. Her heart surging with empathy for all the trials he’d yet to face but undoubtedly would. She’d been so focused on her own struggle with her parents’ unrealistic expectations she hadn’t stopped to consider his. He was an artist at heart—but they were actively pushing him toward a more rigid profession. He liked boys, but they were already on the lookout for a suitable wife. In their highly structured world, there was no room to wander. And despite his youth and good looks, Javen was already exhibiting the strain of the expectations they placed upon him. “I’ll make you a deal,” she said, wanting more than anything to help him but recognizing her own limitations. “If you promise to call Mom and Dad and tell them you’re with me, then I’ll let you stay. We’ll order room service, watch movies, and stay up all night if you want. But tomorrow, you have to go home—sound good?”
>
Javen shot her a wary look. “Is this negotiable?”
“No.” She tossed him the room service menu. “Order whatever you want. I’m taking a bath. After that, I’m yours.”
Javen sank into the cushions, propped his feet on the coffee table, and immersed himself in the menu, while Aster made for the bathroom, where she went about filling the tub with heaping scoops of bath salts, before lowering herself in the water and resting her head against the tub pillow she’d bought her second day there. There was nothing like a nice hot bath to ease all her worries. For the first time in a long time she began to relax. She inched deeper, allowing the water to lap at her chin, soak the strands of hair all the way to her ears. It might not be the dream Jacuzzi she’d grown used to from her parents’ house, but it served as a pretty good stand-in.
She had just closed her eyes, about to drift to a faraway place, when Javen knocked at the door and said, “This was just delivered.” He tucked a plain manila envelope under the sill.
Same kind of envelope the DVD had arrived in.
The sight of it was enough to send a wave of panic coursing through her; she heaved herself from the tub. Water sloshing, feet skidding against the slick marble tile, she raced for the envelope, slid her index finger under the flap, wincing in pain when the edge sliced deeply into her flesh. She thrust the wound between her lips, her mouth filling with blood, as she dumped the contents onto the floor, gasping in shock when her gaze settled on a grainy picture of her naked, writhing self—a still from the video.
No.
No!
She yanked a towel from a hook, clutched it tightly against her, and stumbled toward her closet, needing to check the safe once again. Needing to verify the DVD was really still there. But that didn’t mean it hadn’t been removed at some point or that it had been the original DVD to begin with.
Had someone taken it, made a copy, and then returned it?
Or was there a duplicate already making the rounds?
At first glance it seemed just like she’d left it. But Aster was far more meticulous than most when it came to her belongings, and she distinctly remembered leaving the cash-filled envelope on the left side of the safe instead of the right, where it was currently placed. She’d been so relieved to confirm the presence of the DVD, she’d completely overlooked the fact that her things were rearranged.
She counted her money—it was all there. She flipped through her jewelry bag—it was just as she’d left it.
Still, someone had been there.
Someone had gone through her things.
She stashed the DVD in her bag. As soon as Javen left, she’d find a better hiding place.
Her luxury pad might seem sweet like he’d said, but one thing was sure—she knew it never had been.
FIFTY-SIX