Page 150 of Love ad Lib
He smiled like a patient teacher about to explain the blatantly obvious to a dimwit student.
‘You’ve got Henry at your disposal now.’
‘At my “disposal”?’ she replied in disgust. ‘He’s not a cash machine.’
He laughed. ‘Babe, think outside the box. His dad’s a collectoranda connoisseur of the female form. Foxbrooke Manor is stuffed with art. You can get me an in.’
The thought of introducing Lucas to Henry’s family as her friend made her stomach roll.
She shook her head. ‘No way, Lucas, I won’t do it.’
‘Jesus, Lib-Lob, why not?’
If she couldn’t bear the thought of Lucas at Foxbrooke Manor, the thought of his art hanging on the walls she liked even less.
‘I’m not using Henry or his family.’
‘Don’t you want your money back?’
‘Yes, of course I do! But taking it from them is not the answer!’
‘But they’re a perfect fucking fit!’ he hissed. ‘The Duke is all about the “divine feminine”. If you could just get me in front of him, I could persuade him to commission me to paint both his wives. Think of the money in that!’
‘Paintthemor their bits?’
‘Vulvas, Libby,vulvas. Don’t be such a prude when it comes to the beauty and mystery of the female form.’
She swallowed to stop the rising bile shooting up from her stomach. Even though the image was the last thing she wanted crossing her mind, it still conjured up Dervla and Vivienne, their legs spread as Lucas held up his paintbrush and stared.
‘No, Lucas. I’m saying no.’
‘Well, then. If you won’t, I’m going to give your new “boyfriend” a piece I’ve been working on.’
‘What piece?’
His eyes were pale, his smile sly and thin. ‘It’s of you.’
‘But you’ve never painted me before.’
He shrugged, as if that fact were irrelevant. ‘And it’s also ofme...’
‘What?’
He tapped the side of his head. ‘Unlike you, I’ve got imagination, and I’ve been putting it to work. This piece may be life-size, but it’s very intimate. Probably best hung in the bedroom… I’ve titled it “The Submission of Liberty”. I think Foxy will like it. Might give him some fresh ideas for what he can do with you,’ he sneered.
She stumbled back. ‘You wouldn’t,’ she whispered.
‘Everything okay over there?’ Brandon called over.
Lucas turned. ‘Yeah, bud, no drama.’ He looked back at her. ‘My life is in the shitter and I’m trying to get out. As a friend you should be there for me.’
Her heart was hammering so hard she couldn’t reply.
‘Get me in with the Foxbrookes or I give Henry the painting,’ he said, before walking away.
‘Calm down,Libby, I can’t understand a word you’re saying!’ Claire yelled, her voice shrill on the phone.
Libby was huddled in one of the stalls in the pub’s toilets, shaking and crying.
