Page 2 of Caged in Desire
The mention of my sister-in-law brings a smile to my face. Her ability to tame Ledger still baffles us all. He was trouble incarnate, raking about almost indiscriminately, before he fell head over heels for his wife of almost two years. “And how is my favorite sister-in-law?”
I can practically hear the smile on his face at the thought of his wife. “Oh, she’s fantastic. She’s at home sorting through everything she and Margothad to havefrom all their shopping in Paris when we visited last week. I know for a fact there are at least two early birthday presents for you that she’s dying to see you open.”
“Margot could make the most devout minimalist become a hoarder. How is our sister? Still getting along in Paris?” I ask.
Our little sister, Margot, moved to Paris almost two years ago for an internship after college and seems to be thriving, from what I hear. I didn’t grow up nearly as close to her as my brother did, and even though I’m making more of an effort, she and Ledger share a closeness I doubt we’ll ever achieve.
“Oh, you know how she is now, all serious and mature. I haven't decided whether it’s a good thing or a bad thing yet, but she’s always in good spirits when she gets around Sloane, so it’s hard to tell.”
“Wonderful. Well, if you’re sure you don’t mind, I’ll let you go. I have quite a lot on my agenda today, including a two-hour meeting with Jack concerning some legal jargon for Rendezvous Too,”I say, mentally rolling my eyes at the thought of dealing with Jack Carter for two hours.
Not to say I don’t love Jack, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a bit jealous of his relationship with my family. Mother took him in after his own mom died when he was only five, and she loveshim like a son. He and Ledger are as close as brothers. Being the same age, they hit it off right away and have been thick as thieves ever since. As much as I hate to admit it, they're probably closer than Ledger and I are. And he’s leagues closer to Margot, who was only a year old when I left the country for school.
“Oh yes, I think he mentioned being confused about something related to that. Give him a hard time for me. I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“Yes, I’ll give you a more accurate estimated arrival later after I see how much disruption this meeting is going to cause.”
No sooner have I ended my call than Linda is knocking on my door. “Sorry to bother you again, but the Taranovs just reached out to confirm your attendance.”
I take a moment to ground myself with a calming breath before addressing Linda. I know this isn’t her fault, and her persistence is part of what makes her such a good assistant, but it’s occasionally trying, particularly lately. I'm not sure if she's gunning for a promotion or a raise, but she's been even more of an unrelenting presence in my life lately. “Yes, Linda, please let them know I’ll be there. Make sure someone from our legal team can attend. I would prefer Danny, but if he’s unavailable, I’ll take Jason or Stewart.”
“Of course, sir. I’ll arrange the legal counsel and confirm the meeting for today.” She seems as if she wants to linger yet again, but I turn to gather documents for my first appointment with Jack. Despite a twinge of uncertainty at this surprise meeting, I’m more at peace than I've been in some time. Once I know Ledger is alright, I'll be able to fully settle in, and I'll feel even better once I get back to the club tomorrow.
A knock on the door signals Jack’s arrival, right on time. Routinemostlyintact, I turn to greet him with a smile. I shake off my negative thoughts and prepare myself for what’s morethan likely going to be a grueling few hours of putting out another family fire.
Chapter two
I breathe a sigh of relief as I round the corner and see Danny waiting for me outside the conference room. He’s the best representation we have, bar none. While our entire legal team is excellent, there isn’t anything Danny hasn’t been able to work out in our favor.
“Ah, you made it. I hope this didn’t inconvenience you toosignificantly,” I say, reaching out to shake his hand.
Danny rolls his eyes with a grin. “Linda didn’t leave me much choice. You know how scary she gets when you tell her no.”
“Yes. In fact, I do.” That’s exactly why she’s been such a commodity to me over the years.
“So what is this about? What’s so important that the jet was waiting for me in New York at ten o’clock this morning?”
“I have no idea. Are they here yet?”
Danny shrugs. “Dunno. I just beat you here by a couple of minutes.”
Taking a deep breath, I push open the door. I’m immediately surprised by an occupant I wasn’t expecting.
“Mother? What’s this about?” I ask, my surprise mirrored on her face as I enter the room.
“Darling, I could ask you the same thing. I had no idea you were still here. Pavel didn't mention anything about you joining us.”
“Pavel? You're on a first-name basis with Mr. Taranov? Why have you never—”
I’m interrupted from any further interrogation of my mother by a portly man knocking twice on the doorframe before entering, ushering two men inside, and closing the door behind them. He’s much shorter than I am, although most people are, and he has a slightly sinister aura. An expensive suit, a more expensive watch, and eyes that look like they’ve seen plenty of trouble in their lifetime make me believe Pavel Taranov, assuming this is him, is not someone to cross. When he sees me, he smirks before hiding it with a smile, and I see my mother’s face drain of color. I’m not sure I’ve seen her look so distressed since Father died.
“Blanche, how lovely to see you. Surely, you haven’t forgotten me. I know it’s been years since we’ve met, but it looks like you’ve seen a ghost! And this must be Henry. Dear boy, I daresay I would recognize you anywhere. You’re the spitting image of your father. God rest his soul,” Mr. Taranov finishes, before pulling my mother into a crushing hug.
Mother blinks, and I feel like I have whiplash. Rather than the severe Russian I was expecting from his demeanor, Taranov has a soft American accent. I suppose I should be slower to judge books by their covers.Unless…
“Pavel,” my mother recovers smoothly, and I see she has her game face on again. “I’m not sure anyone could ever forget you. I’ll admit I was surprised to hear from you, but it’s an absolute treat to see you. You look well! You’re right, this is my eldest son, Henry.”
Recognizing my cue to move to center stage, I shake the man’s hand, taking the opportunity to look into his eyes and…there.I knew it. The hard look I saw when he first entered this room is the real Pavel Taranov. He’s just excellent at covering it. Well, two can play that game.
