Page 15 of Treachery

The bride, Martina Rogers, glared so viciously at Nadia that she could almost feel her skin starting to smolder.

“Why do I need to give 48-hour notice if I change my mind about the flower arrangements—it’smywedding, I should get to change my mind!” the woman shrieked. Nadia didn’t flinch though; years of dealing with mean, entitled women had numbed her to vitriol.

Refusing to acknowledge the stupidity of the woman’s question, Nadia continued undeterred, “Ms. Rogers, Janice is doing what she can to secure a new florist, one who will have your orchid.” The woman sneered, lifting her chin as if Nadia’s very words were beneath her. “In the meantime, why don’t you enjoy champagne in the White Room?” At that, the woman’s nostrils flared, her eyes narrowed, and she huffed.

“Fine,” Martina snapped, waving her hand dismissively. “I guess I can sip a little bubbly while I wait for this one-star motel to get their act together.” Nadia, holding back another flinch, this time one of offense, gave the woman a practiced, plastic smile.

“Very well. I will send Janice to you as soon as she’s secured your orchids.”

With that, the woman hefted her chin once more, threw back her shoulders, and swanned out of the room.

“One-star motel?” Vicki stage whispered from beside her, shaking her head. “If this place ever got below three stars, Bengwell would cut off his own hand—the one he uses to count his money.” Evander Bengwell was old money, his family having permanently commuted from Manhattan to northeastern Pennsylvania ninety or so years ago. They used their old railroad money to buy up properties in the valley, and transform them into destinations for the wealthy looking to enjoy time away from the big city. They wanted to give the Poconos a run for their money, and they did pretty well for themselves, if the poshness and exclusivity of Emerald Greens was any indication.

Nadia snickered, then sighed. “Bengwell has other people to count his money.” Heading toward her office where she hoped to catch five minutes off her feet, she turned to Vicki who was keeping pace beside her. “Speaking of money…did you hear how much those orchids the bridezilla wants cost?”

Vicki pursed her lips in thought. “No, but I’m assuming more than my house payment.”

“$200,” Nadia blurted, making Vicki gasp. “Per flower! And the bride wants six bouquets of a dozen each!”

Vicki stumbled but recovered quickly. “Holy shit.”

In all honesty, Nadia could afford the orchids, and they were actually exquisitely beautiful…so beautiful, she wouldn’t have minded having them in her own bouquet at her own wedding…if the man she’d wanted to spend the rest of her life with hadn’t been a lying, manipulative, arrogant asshole.

Good thing I learned the truth….True, but not before she’d already pried open her chest and given him her heart, given him those three precious words. Words he’d never returned. That should have been a red flag right there, but she’d been so caught up in everything James Monday, she honestly believed those words would come with time. The only thing that came with time had been devastating heartbreak. So, no expensive, exquisite orchids for her.

Snapping herself out of that spiral to emotional hell, Nadia nodded at her friend’s response, then pushed her office door open, slid into her desk chair, and groaned at the immediate relief in her feet.

Vicki plopped herself in the chair on the other side of the desk, and stuck her hand in the candy dish Nadia had there and regularly filled with butterscotch candies.

Popping a candy into her mouth, Vicki mumbled, “Any more biker sightings?”

Nadia sighed and threw herself back into her chair. She narrowed her eyes at Vicki. “I never should have told you about that; now you think he’s some sort of morally gray, anti-hero stalker from one of your dark romance books.”

Vicki’s cheeks turned pink. “Well, heisa bad boy, hedidbetray you, and he has beenfollowingyou—that’s a recipe for groveling, dirty make up sex, and an HEA.”

Nadia glared. “Yeah, if the man actually gave a shit about me, which he doesn’t. You forget that he used me to get information on Elijah; everything was fake, including his supposed feelings for me. ButIhaven’t forgotten, Vicki, because I am reminded every day when I wake up in that empty bed, or when I see a coffee mug he used once, or when I hear the sound of a Harleyanywhere.” Sitting up, Nadia started fiddling with the stacks of paper on her desk, anything to keep herself from snapping at her friend, from snapping period.

She was a fool to think she could just get over him if she kept herself busy, and even though she hadn’t seen him following her in a week, didn’t mean her thoughts weren’t of him, or that she wasn’t actively looking for him on every corner.

Or through the rearview mirror, like a freaking sap.

There was silence for long moments as Nadia shifted papers, and finally Vicki stood up, cupped Nadia’s face, and planted a soft kiss on her forehead. Nadia closed her eyes, leaning into the affection she needed so desperately.

She was hurting. So fucking much. Her breath caught, the sob choking her as she attempted to swallow it. She was done crying over him, over what she lost; the future she’s envisioned with him, the hope of a happy life, a beautiful family, and an undying love.

Vicki sighed. “I’m sorry, hon. I didn’t mean to make light of what he did, I’m just…lost as to how I can help you. Margs and sexy Jensen didn’t seem to do the trick. And withhimcomingaround, thrusting that fiery hot poker into your chest over and over….”

Nadia lifted her eyes and met Vicki’s concerned, pained gaze.

“I just want you to be happy, Nadia…and I can’t help but feel like, well, we don’t know everything. It doesn’t make sense for the Unchained prez to agree to leave you alone, and then send Locust to spy on you again.”

Nadia snorted, rolling her eyes. She didn’t see a point in reminding the woman that there hadn’t been Locust sightings in days. “That man, the cold-hearted Frost, ordered another man to fuck me for my supposed secrets, I doubt there’s anything he wouldn’t do to get what he wants. And Locust is such a loyal little biker bitch boy, he’ll do whatever his prez tells him to do.”

“Well, what?—”

Whatever Vicki was about to say was interrupted by a knock on the door. Nadia hadn’t bothered closing it all the way, because she hadn’t meant to be in her office this long.

Clearing her throat, she called, “Come in.”

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