Eyes Wide Open (The Blackstone Affair 3)

The wave of grief came upon me suddenly and I tried hard to suppress it, but my posture must have showed signs of fatigue because Simon asked, “Need a break, sweetheart?”

I nodded, but I couldn’t speak. All I could manage was a deep swallow.

Sometimes when a person shows some kindness and you are in a vulnerable state, everything comes tumbling out no matter how hard you try to hold it inside you. That’s what happened with Simon when he put down his camera and walked up behind me, resting his hand on my shoulder in a simple gesture of support and comfort.

“I heard about your father. I’m so sorry, luv. This must be a terribly hard time for you.”

“Thank you . . . it’s still very fresh. Little things remind me . . . and I miss him so mu—”

And that’s the moment when Ethan busted into the room looking like a gladiator ready for the arena.

? “Brynne! What in the fu—” My speech cut off. It just up and died a quick and silent death once I got a good look of my girl fully naked with her legs spread and some toff with his hands on her!

I reacted and moved. That’s pretty much all I can recall. I got Brynne flying to her feet and the bloke in the green shirt flying into the canvas backdrop.

“Etha

n!” she screamed, “what are you doing?!”

“Trying to find you! Why don’t you answer your goddamn phone?”

“I was working!” she screeched, standing fully nude except for some black stockings and something added to make her hair longer.

“You’re finished here. In fact, this whole mess is finished!” I waved my hands and stalked toward her. “Get dressed, you’re leaving.”

“I am not leaving, Ethan. What in the hell is wrong with you? I’m working right now!”

Oh, yes, you are leaving, my beauty! In fact, I’m dead certain you are, because I’m taking you out of here myself.

The photographer wearing all the colors decided to make his move right then and pulled out his mobile. “Call security—”

“I am the security when it comes to her.” I pointed in Brynne’s direction as I relieved him of his mobile and cut the fucker off midcall. “Brynne is finished here. Ring my office if you want compensation for your trouble. I will gladly pay.” I took out a business card and flicked it. It spun through the distance between us and landed at his feet on the floor. I thought I was being remarkably calm, considering . . .

He glanced over at Brynne, who just stood there, staring at us with her mouth hanging open. And still fucking naked!

“Don’t look at her, motherfucker!” I yelled at him.

He squeaked like a girl and turned his head away, cringing.

“Simon, I am so sorry for thi—” Brynne stepped toward him.

“Oh, no you don’t!” I grabbed her arm and spun her, shielding her body with mine. “Would you put something on? You’re standing around here fucking naked, for fuck’s sake!”

Brynne glared at me with daggers shooting from her eyes and reached for her robe. It had been on a side table the whole time, just out of the camera’s view. I hadn’t noticed it there a moment ago. She pulled it on and belted the waist, her arms and hands making hard, snapping movements as she squinted her eyes, searing fiery brown daggers at me. She stuck her hand up under her hair and worked it around for a moment before extracting a long wavy brown hairpiece. She set it carefully on the table. Then she turned her back on me and bent over first one leg and then the other, removing the stockings and straightening them out to drape over the table next to the hairpiece.

I could tell she was beyond enraged with what I’d done, but I simply did not care. She was okay, at least. Couldn’t say that with much certainty about her photographer friend, but Brynne was safe in my sights and not in the hands of abductors. She was fucking naked alone in a room with another man having her picture taken, but at least my worst nightmare wasn’t a reality. She was here and I could see her.

The ride home was pretty silent. Just some sighing and the swishing of bodies on seats, and not much else. Brynne wasn’t speaking and I was in no shape for discussion either. No telling what would come out of my mouth the way I was feeling at the moment. Best to leave it stewing for a bit.

Once we arrived and got inside the flat, she beelined it into the bathroom and locked me out. I could hear the water running, but no other sounds. I put my ear up to the door and listened. I didn’t want her to cry alone if that’s what she was doing, but I was still furious. This modeling thing? It had to go. I just couldn’t stand the idea of it anymore, and it made me utterly irrational to think of her posing in the nude for others to see. And fantasize about fucking her . . . or worse!

There were a million things I needed to do at this moment. Places I should be and people I should be meeting with, but did I even consider leaving Brynne at home and going back to my office? Negative. I was going fucking nowhere right now.

I stepped out onto my balcony instead and settled onto a lounger where I could watch the city change from day into night. And smoke cigarette after cigarette after cigarette. It didn’t help me much. Funny how something that used to soothe me when I felt agitated didn’t really do the trick anymore. I waited for Brynne to come out of the bathroom, but she took the first round in a knockdown. It didn’t look like she would be making the first move tonight.

When I couldn’t bear my self-imposed solitude for another second I went back inside to try to reason with her. “Brynne?” Silence. “Let me in.” I rattled the knob, and to my great surprise it turned. Not locked out after all.

I opened the door to find her perched on the vanity stool painting her toes, her hair pulled up in a clip, wearing the yellow silk robe that made her skin glow. She wouldn’t look at me, but continued to work the dark pink nail polish as if I wasn’t there.