“Yes, well ….” Allerton turned a cold shoulder to Gavin. “Mrs. James, Soleil just stepped out to take a call from Jasper. She should return at any moment.”
“That reminds me,” Gavin interrupted, making it possible for everyone listening to overhear. “We’ve not had cell service since we’ve arrived. Our families will be concerned we haven’t called.”
“I will have to check into the matter in the morning.” Allerton took two glasses of wine from a passing waiter, giving one to Gavin then one to her, before reaching for another one for himself before dismissing the waiter.
“Come along, my dear,” Allerton said brusquely. “I want to introduce you to a few of your parents’ friends.”
Leaving them to follow him, they made their way to a small group. The two men and one woman smiled politely at their approach. Gavin’s firm grip on her hand kept her from approaching too closely.
“Mrs. James, I’ve been a fan of yours since I heard you sing in Nashville with Kaden Cross.”
“Amelia, give me time to introduce you,” Allerton scolded the woman. “I should have asked before. Which name do you prefer to be addressed with—Evangeline or Ginny?”
“Ginny,” she answered immediately.
“Ginny, this is Amelia Clark and her father, George. Amelia and George, this is Ginny and Gavin James.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” Ginny said as Gavin nodded toward the father and daughter.
Allerton turned to the man standing next to George. “Desmond Beck is also a friend of your parents,” he introduced the charismatic man, who she had noticed when they entered the suite.
“I haven’t had the opportunity to hear you sing. I hope you won’t hold that against me.” The mesmerizing man gave Amelia an indulgent look, which had the attractive woman blushing, before turning his charming gaze on Ginny. “I promise, I will rectify the mistake when your next performance is scheduled.”
Ginny didn’t expect to take a liking to any in the group. However, Desmond was a surprise. He stood out like Gavin, exhibiting the same air of confidence that only certain types of men were able to achieve, regardless of wealth.
Her continued scrutiny of Desmond Beck had Gavin giving her a sharp look; Ginny smiled. Gavin might not be able to express his feelings for her with words, but he was like a dog, possessively watching over his favorite bone when other men paid attention to her.
“My singing days are over. I plan to concentrate on songwriting in the future.”
“Oh no, that can’t be true,” Amelia protested. “Your gift should be shared.”
“It will. Just in another way.”
Ginny wasn’t taken in by the woman’s flattery or by Desmond’s charm. She had prepared for years for this moment by studying the people whom Allerton called friends or business acquaintances. She wasn’t a gentle lamb being led to the slaughter without knowing the butchers who would receive a cut of her demise. What she couldn’t find out from media sources or computer searches, Hammer had filled in the gaps. He had prepared her from a young age what she would be up against when she came into contact with the monster.
And George Clark was just that monster. He might seem like the grandfatherly type, having his daughter Amelia later in life, but the tech tycoon was as cutthroat as any of the Predators. Yet, while the Predators were proficient at using guns and blades, Clark’s weapon of choice was a computer. He designed computer programs that correlated data from social platforms against internet searches that matched the user to products or social networks. Clark would then sell the data to the highest bidder. His software had been used to win elections, influence stock market prices, and destroy reputations.
His daughter had the same cutthroat attitude, except she’d disguised herself as genial, friendly, and the best BFF you could ever be fortunate to have. On the flip side of the coin, she would sell every secret entrusted to her, steal every dime you had, and take your boyfriend just because she could. She was beautiful, intelligent, and as cold-blooded as they came.
Looking over Amelia’s shoulder, Ginny saw an older woman standing outside on the balcony, talking on a cell phone. Tuning out the conversation going on between George and Desmond about golfing the next day, Ginny moved away from Gavin’s side to get a look at her mother.
“You don’t take after Soleil.”
She moved farther to the side of the window away from the small group, knowing Gavin followed at short distance behind her, but she didn’t take her gaze off her mother. “No, I don’t. T.A. looks more like her.”
Leisurely, Desmond broke of conversation with the Clarks to stroll closer to Gavin, eavesdropping into the conversation going on between her and Allerton. Remaining silent, the pair of men made her feel safeguarded. Ginny couldn’t explain why she felt the same vibe coming from Desmond as she did from Gavin. She had never met him before today, yet she felt comfortable in his presence.
A movement outside the window had her focusing back on Soleil. Her mother had the same curvy figure, hair color, and facial features as Trudy. The resemblance was startling.
She had deliberately avoided any public pictures of her parents, afraid it would bring back feelings of loss that she wouldn’t be able to deal with. Children were born with an innate bond to their mothers, and even though she’d been happy with the Colemans, she’d felt that lack of maternal influence. It was bad enough missing that emotional bond; she never wanted to make it worse by searching for pictures of a mother whom she wouldn’t be able to contact.
“Trudy may have Soleil’s looks, but not her brains. I think you inherited more than your share in that department.”
Every ounce in her being wanted to cut him down to size, which was exactly his goal. Allerton was trying to get under her guard to expose that she was closer to Trudy than she admitted.
“I didn’t take you for a man who judges a book by its cover.”
Allerton gave her a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “I wouldn’t be where I am today if I couldn’t spot a winner or a loser.”
“I guess that makes Dalton Andrews better at spotting qualities than other men.”
Allerton gave a short, humorless laugh. “Touché, Evangeline.”
Ginny didn’t miss the name hit.
“Which effectively puts me in my place. You dislike me intensely, don’t you?”
“I wouldn’t call it intensely. Intense involves hatred. I go back and forth between indifference and loathing.”
“That’s quite a range of emotions from a woman who has only been in my company briefly. It takes time or a specific reason to build those different levels.”
“I apologize. I should be thanking you for arranging this party for me to meet my mother.”
“I don’t need or want an apology, but I would appreciate a reason.”
“You don’t think me being called a thief is reason enough? You asked me to take a polygraph for something you said I did when I was three. Doesn’t it sound as asinine to you as it does to me?” Ginny carefully gauged how much irritation to exhibit in front of the monster. Not enough to seem over-the-top, but she wanted just enough to show indignation, hoping to confuse Allerton, since she had nearly slipped up defending Trudy. “Then you threaten to keep me captive on an island that I never knew existed before I took a DNA test.”