Sons of Zeus: Risky Business Page 10

  And that was impossible. She would make certain that it would not happen. After all, what the hell good was being a mother if you can't look out for your children?

  "You paid the pilot? The woman in Reno has been instructed what to say?" Aphrodite tapped a button forwarding to the next image. The one of the young groundskeeper delivering a massive bouquet to Ms. Rainbo. Either Eros was very good, or very much enamored with Dr Rainbo.

  The mere thought that her son would betray her trust sent an icy chill though her bones. She of course, knew men could be manipulated for the very same reason and she was the first to admit to using it. But her own flesh and blood?

  Some day, he would thank her for saving him from skirting the edge of disaster.

  "You've done very well Stewy. Have I ever shown you my private workout room in my office?"

  The eager man's grin stretched wide.

  * * *

  Eros should have said no. Hell, he should have known better. This was a set up and he should have smelled it a mile away. But what reason would his mother have to get rid of him, unless she was planning on getting to Psyche, herself?

  Unfortunately, he was miles away from Psyche now to do much about it. The poor woman who'd been paid to act the part of an important client blew her cover when she suggested they go out for a drink and pizza and could she please invite fifty of her closest friends to meet him while they were at it?

  And naturally, now he received his mother's complacent message on her answering machine explaining she wasn't in and to please leave a message at the beep.

  He had. Several times.

  He was furious, but more concerned about reaching Psyche somehow and let her know that he might not make it tonight. Coincidentally, the pilot offered that most flights had been or were being grounded, re-routed, or delayed due to the adverse weather conditions in the area.

  He wanted to strangle the guy and whatever leash his mother had him on, had him unfazed to more financial bribery.

  "I can reroute and see if we can get in a little sooner, but we're looking at Sunday afternoon at the earliest. Unless there's a break in the clouds. That can sometimes happen. But that storm they say is bad up in the mountains."

  Eros sat in one of the swivel chairs on the plush passenger area of the plane. He'd been dialing Psyches phone number continuously, always receiving a busy signal. He glanced at his watch. It was nearly midnight. He thought of her lying in bed, her soft body cushioned by the rose petals. His memory came alive as he remembered where he was twenty-four hours before. Only this time he did not marvel at how his body reacted.

  Eros frustration coupled with his impatience was growing tighter by the minute. He considered renting a car, but again his plans were thwarted with the danger of mudslides through the mountain passes. He leaned back in his seat; his nerves pulled tight, causing a tick to start in his jaw. He needed to get in touch with Psyche somehow. If she was the kind of woman who placed trust high on the list of standards, him not showing, much less contacting her about it, was only going to lead her to speculation that all they had was one night of great sex and that’s all he wanted.

  Eros gazed out the window at the heavy rain pelting the tarmac.

  Hell no, he wanted a whole lot more than one night of sex, he wanted a lot of nights and some days of sex with her as well—A lifetime's worth in fact, the more he thought about it.

  The realization jarred him for a moment. Was he talking commitment?

  Son of a Muse. Maybe he was. Eros rubbed his fingers over his forehead, pressing against the throbbing headache due to lack of sleep. He brushed his palms together realizing they were clammy. His heart had a deep ache that thrummed in his ears. He thought he might get sick.

  Shit. He was in love. And with the one woman who had the power to turn his entire life into an upheaval.

  He had it bad.

  And to make matters worse, his conniving mother probably knew it.

  Chapter Ten

  The storm, as predicted, took out the electricity around six that night. Psyche occupied her time with several cups of tea, some paperwork and several trips to the bathroom. All the while keeping a constant eye on the storm's increasing intensity.

  She paced the living room, spent the better part of an hour gathering every candle and holder she had, lighting them all until the interior of the cabin resembled an ancient gothic church.

  Would he come back?

  The question taunted her every other thought from noon on and with each splitting crack of thunder, her nerves stretched tighter. The sound of a click jarred her from her mesmerizing gaze into the dying fireplace. It was only the hands of the wind-up clock on the wall dutifully announcing the eleventh hour. Though she thought she'd steeled herself to the possibility he wouldn’t show, she was not prepared for the savage pain that tore at her heart. She wanted to believe that his soft words and gentle hands meant more than a simple romp. Still, reality proved otherwise once again.

  A pounding on the front door brought Psyche to her feet, her hand clutching the front of her shirt. She prayed it was her lover, whether or not she saw his face.

  Psyche peered through the narrow curtains flanking either side of the door and saw only a shadowed outline of a tall figure, thin, perhaps female from what she could deduce.

  "Who is it?" Perhaps a stranded motorist whose car broke down near the road to her cabin? She glanced around her, wishing she'd thought to bring her cell phone from the downstairs bedroom. Who in blazes would be out in a frog-strangling rain at this hour of the night?

  "It's Aphrodite, my dear, Of Aphrodite's Pleasures. May I come in?"

  Psyche frowned. Her credit card was up to date; she'd paid for the spa treatment regardless of it being complementary. What could this woman want with her?

  "Do you have some kind of identification?"

  "Do I—my dear girl, I could have a legion of muscled gun men in purple spandex take this door down in the blink of an eye. But the point is, we have to talk. I have some news that you may find quite interesting. And I need your help and I believe that you need mine."

  Psyche's gaze narrowed as she listened. What could one of the most powerful and affluent women in the western hemisphere need or want with her?

  She drew open the door enough to peer out into the darkness. As though staged perfectly, a bright snap of lightening illuminated the woman's stern face staring back at her.

  Psyche jumped when the woman's ruby red lips broke into an unnatural smile.

  "May I trouble you for a cup of something warm?"

  A cold shiver ran over Psyches shoulders. "I trust this is urgent…if it's about my bill, I—"

  "Your bill?" The woman swept her trench coat around her, preoccupied with shaking off the rain.

  Why in the name of Zeus, would Aphrodite be visiting her all the way out here at this time of the night? Were her sisters in on some sort of sick prank?

  Psyche eased the door open and the slim woman slid through the opening as though afraid that Psyche might change her mind.

  Which she'd come close to doing.

  "That drink?" Rivulets of water trickled from the woman's sagging midnight black hair. The contrast to her fair skin gave the woman a corpse-like appearance, albeit a soggy one.

  "Cognac perhaps?" The woman's brow rose above her steely gaze.

  "Hot chocolate?" Psyche replied.

  The woman shut her eyes demonstrating that Psyche was trying her patience.

  "Tea would be lovely."

  "That I have, please come in and let me get you a towel," Psyche spoke over her shoulder as she made her way to the linen closet off the kitchen. She returned to find Aphrodite warming herself by the fire, her hair expertly coiffed, her clothing completely dry.

  "Lovely fireplace." The woman glanced up with a serene smile.

  Beyond the charm, Psyche connected the unspoken truth that the woman's power went beyond that of good business sense.

  The tea-kettle whistle blew noisily f
rom the kitchen.

  Psyche's gaze met her unexpected guest.

  "Ah, my tea. Be a darling and get us some, won't you dear?"

  As she dipped the teabags in the ceramic pot, Psyche assessed who she was dealing with. Obviously, she possessed powers of an unearthly variety so why did she need her help?

  Psyche cleared her mind as she returned tray in hand to the living room.

  Like a queen lounging in her court, Aphrodite reclined on the couch gazing into the fire. The grin appeared once again on the woman's face.

  "Here you are, it's Chamomile; I hope it's to your liking."

  "You are quite the hostess, Dr. Rainbo; very attentive to strangers in the middle of the night." Aphrodite plucked the cup from the tray.

  Psyche placed the tray on the coffee table, fearful her shaking hands might drop it. Was she making a general comment or was there more to the meaning in her words?

  Psyche perched on the edge of the chair opposite Aphrodite. She cradled a warm cup in her hands, noting how chilly it seemed in the house, despite the fire.

  "You've no reason to be frightened, my dear. I've come to offer you a proposition."

  A proposition? "I'm afraid I don’t know what I have to offer you, Aphrodite. You and I are…well, for the most part on opposites sides of the fence."

  With a dainty sip of her tea, Aphrodite looked up at Psyche with a demure smile.

  Psyche remembered a hyena she'd seen once hunting its prey. The smile was the same.

  "On the contrary, my dear. I believe we have more in common than you are aware."

  Psyche frowned searching her mind for any possible connection they might have, other than the clothes she'd recently purchased from her store. She cleared her throat.

  "Don't look so puzzled, Dr. Rainbo. I know about your studies, your books, your research on relationships, and your counseling."

  What else did she know?

  "Let me get right to the point. I am seeking to change the image of Aphrodite's Pleasures. I want to be more accessible to the common persons needs, offer a healthier approach to relationships. I need a publicity makeover and I think you are just the person I need to make it happen."

  She couldn't believe her ears. One of the most influential women in the promotions of carnal lust was asking her to team up with her?

  "I know it must seem a bit bizarre at first, but believe me, I wouldn’t have traveled all the way out here in a raging storm had I not been very sincere about this." Psyche watched in amazement as the woman sipped her tea, her demeanor as relaxed as if this were her house and Psyche, her guest.

  "I want us to be a team, Psyche. I want to bring you on board and have you help me change the image of Aphrodite's Pleasures. I want to help people in troubled relationships. I want to promote secure, healthy relationships with long-lasting value. You know the happily ever after kind of thing." She twirled her hand with a flourish.

  Psyche was speechless.

  "Well, what do you say?"

  "I—I don't know. I guess I'd like some time to think it over?" The prospect of using Aphrodite's connections and networking was tempting. If the woman was on the level.

  Aphrodite shrugged. "Certainly, as any good business woman would do. Why don't you come by Monday morning. Our board meets promptly at nine. You can meet the others and hear our ideas. How does that sound?"

  The woman stood, her chiffon dress swirling about her knees and for a moment Psyche expected her to disappear in a cloud of purple smoke. Caught up in the possibility of what changes she could implement on such a grand scale, how many desperate people she could reach, just having the publicity of changing Aphrodite's outlook would bring her fame and fortune untold.

  Psyche simply nodded her head.

  "Wonderful darling. I hope I haven't kept you from your work. You weren't expecting anyone were you?"

  Psyche's gaze darted to Aphrodite's again startled at her coincidental insight—or was it Psyches guilty conscience?

  Perhaps Psyche was overreacting, perhaps she needed to refocus her responsibilities and put these silly notions of romance and passion behind her.

  "No, I was doing some research. I just needed a break from the office."

  A smile crossed Aphrodite's face. "It can be taxing on us, can't it? People expect so much from us. There are takers in this world, Psyche, who live only for their own pleasure. And there are the givers—like you, my dear who wish to make the world a better place."

  Psyche realized, waking from her reverie that Aphrodite was on her way out the door.

  "Nine A.M. sharp. My board doesn't like to be kept waiting."

  The door opened and Psyche covered her face with her forearm guarding it against the blustery rush of wind and icy rain. When she lowered her arm, the woman was gone.

  Psyche stood at the open door, the rain pelting against her thin robe. Maybe it was time to try calling her mother

  Who knew the lines would go down, causing radar equipment for the airports to temporarily ground all incoming and out-going flights until Monday morning?

  If he didn’t know better, Eros would have guessed his mother had a hand in it somehow. He felt like hell, and he had to look worse. He'd dozed as he sat on the plane, waiting all day and into the night for a break in the storm.

  As he hustled through the busy Monday morning airport, he gripped a steaming cup of coffee in one hand and glanced at the clock from the waiting area of the airport. With any luck, he could still make the morning meeting, but he'd have to bypass cleaning up until later.

  Eros rubbed his scruffy beard, his hair unkempt was a mass of black curls, and his mouth felt like the soles of Ares army boots.

  He slid on his black Ray Bans and popped a breath mint in his mouth. There were worse things that he had to deal with this morning. Being late to a board meeting was one of them.

  As the cab tooled through the morning traffic to the business offices of Aphrodite's Pleasures, he considered coming clean with Psyche. Would she accept him for who he was?

  The answer came all too quickly in light of the sudden disappearance over what was to have been a passion-filled weekend.

  He could make a bargain with his mother, perhaps. Strike a deal so she would realize how ridiculous the notion that Psyche was a threat to her. Eros settled back in the seat, watching with idle curiosity the hustle and bustle of the city, but what his mind was really on was being alone again with Dr Rainbo far from the crazy world.

  "Good morning, people. I'd like you to welcome—" Aphrodite's words cut off as Eros entered the room.

  "Darling, you look like hell. Where have you been? Not clubbing again, I hope." A fake titter of laughter followed, swept up by the joined laughter of the rest of the board.

  "We can discuss that later, Mother."

  She gave him a small shrug and ushered him to his seat.

  "You're just in time to meet our guest. Eros, I'd like you to meet, Dr. Psychedelic Rainbo."

  Eros heart slammed against his ribcage. He glanced across the massive cherry wood table and met her cool gaze. Did she know? Had his mother already told her about him?

  Hesitant, Eros reached across the table and held out his hand. "It's nice to meet you, Dr Rainbo," he mumbled, quickly returning to his seat.

  What was his mother up to? Eros cast a wary glance toward Aphrodite who stood poised and polished as though nothing was amiss.

  Perhaps, it was mere coincidence that Psyche was here. Eros leaned back in his chair and waited. What more could he do?

  "I've called upon Dr. Rainbo to join us in revamping our image of Aphrodite's Pleasures."

  Aphrodite glanced at Psyche with a motherly smile.

  "Perhaps in my old age, I'm becoming more old-fashioned in my ideas. I've been following Dr. Rainbo's research on relationships and find that a few, not all mind you, of her thoughts I do agree with. Enough at any rate to see how well our collaborative efforts can be a benefit to both our careers and to those desperate souls we try to reach out
to—both in our on way, of course."

  Eros covered his mouth with his hand, trying to hold back a brief guffaw rising in his throat. He folded his arms squarely across his chest. He hadn't heard this much B.S. since he'd been to Iowa to buy fertilizer for his mother's prize-winning labyrinths.

  "I've taken the liberty of drawing up a few statistics; if you'll follow along in the portfolio in front of you."

  Eros reached for the black folder, stealing a glance at Psyche. She was staring at him. The curiosity in her level gaze made him uncomfortable. It was as though she could see into his soul.

  He wondered if she could see how he truly felt about her.

  "Stewart, the lights please."

  The boardroom went dark and for the insanity of a moment, being in a crowded dark room with Psyche excited Eros.

  The projectors light snapped on, yanking him from his thoughts. And it was Aphrodite's gasp, followed by Psyche's that he heard next.

  On the huge screen, displayed for the entire board to see was a photograph of two people pressed against a wall, obviously in the throes of passion.

  Eros mind went numb as he realized that his mother had gone ahead and sent her paparazzi crones to the cabin for her own purposes.

  He closed his eyes, unable to look across the table at Psyche.

  "Stewart, what is this?" Aphrodite played the surprised and dutifully offended business woman, all the while clicking through a variety of similar pictures in rapid succession.

  "You told me you were going to do an interview with Dr. Rainbo, how could you do such a thing? Behave in such a manner. I thought I knew you better than this—"Didn't I tell you that I wanted to find out more about Dr. Rainbo's research? I didn’t think you would take it literally."

  Fortunately, several of the subsequent pictures were hazy with only dark shadows. That was Eros only saving grace, if there was anything that would save him now.

  "I apologize to Dr Rainbo for my son's behavior. I had no idea he'd use such tactics and then record them.—it's deplorable, it's irresponsible, and well totally unacceptable."

  "Now wait just a damn minute. You know that’s not the truth. For once in your life, mother, tell the truth. Don't use it to manipulate those around you." Eros burned with anger even as he felt the invisible noose tighten around his neck.