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‘NextFriday, yeah.Canyou assist?’Hesat at the kitchen table, laptop open.Gracewas asleep again upstairs, her body clock skewed by travel.Stellaworried they’d both be up all night again.
‘Great.AtherMayfairhouse, yup.Super.I’llbook her in and send you the details.’
Hehung up.
Stellastood at the counter, aggressively cutting peppers with a sharp knife. ‘Thatwas fast.’
‘Hmmm?’Shecould tell he wasn’t really listening as he typed an email.
‘Howdid she even know you were back?Isshe spying on you?’Stellayawned as she brought the knife down, almost slicing her finger open.Evenirritation couldn’t dull her exhaustion.
‘Um,Ithink she saw it on myInstagramor something.’
Stellatossed the peppers into the wok and they sizzled noisily in the oil.
‘Sowhat did she get this time?Anew car?Anotherboob job?Botox?’Valentinawas addicted to boudoir shoots withConnor.Shehad one every few months, every time she got a new toy or new surgery.Connorprobably knewValentina’sbody better than he knewStella’s.
Connorcontinued typing. ‘Adiamond necklace fromTiffanys,Ibelieve.’
‘Hmmm.’Shemoved onto the broccoli, tearing off the florets with surprising force. ‘Willher husband be there?’
‘Itry not to think too hard about where her husband is.’
Anotherreason thatStelladidn’t likeConnorbeing involved with theVavilveks: her husband,Asbjorn, was a money launderer for theScandinavianelite.Valentinahad let it slip during one of her shoots withConnor.Apparently, he was semi-retired, which didn’t makeStellafeel better in the slightest.Shedidn’t like the idea of where their money came from.Shesaid as much.
Connorsounded so convincing when he replied, ‘Iknow, but one shoot with her will pay for an entire year of school forGrace.’
‘Oh?Havewe decided that she’s going to an independent school then?’Thiswas an area whereConnorandStellahad differing views.Asthe child of a diplomat,Connorhad attended a string of private schools around the world.Hethought paying for education would open more doors for his daughter and he wanted only the best.Stella, however, went to state schools right up until university and had an amazing education.Shebelieved that they should keepGracein the state system.Ofcourse, their daughter was only one.Theydidn’t need to come to any decisions for a while.
Connorignored her question as he finished typing and closed his computer.Hegot up from the stool and walked around the island, slipping his arms aroundStellafrom behind and nuzzling her neck.Stellastood stiff, stirring the vegetables with added vigour.Hecouldn’t just seduce his way out of trouble.
Butthen he slipped his hand into her underwear and she drew in a sharp breath.Herback softened; her head leaned onto his shoulder.Suddenlyshe didn’t feel tired at all.
Deepdown she knew that he was playing her, wielding their fierce attraction to diffuse a tense situation.Aftertwo years of marriage and two years together before that, they enjoyed a well-honed sex-life.Theyboth found that any problems they had seemed to dwindle when viewed through a post-coital haze.
Hisfinger slid inside her and she groaned.Theirchat aboutValentinacould wait.
‘Howlong hasGracebeen sleeping?’ he whispered in her ear.
‘Aboutthirty minutes…’Shereached back and grabbed a tuft of his newly shoulder-length hair.Hopefullyhe wouldn’t cut it now that they were back.Itwas so incredibly sexy.
Heremoved his hands from her pants and flipped her around in his arms. ‘Thatshould give us just enough time…’
‘Toinstall the stair gate?Needsto be done.’Shesmiled and bit her lip coyly.
‘Later.Ihad something else in mind.’Heturned off the hob and pulled her towards the sofa.
Thestair gate would have to wait.
5
Krish’sfingerhovered over the buzzer.MarchFilmswas written inSharpieon top of the plastic.Helooked up at the building, a seventies-style office block, concrete and glass with smudged windows, each bisected horizontally by off-white slatted blinds in various states of disarray: some straight, some on angles, most with bent or missing slats.Itwas a far cry fromConnor’sluxury studio inIslington.
Heshouldn’t be here.Francescaprobably wouldn’t welcome the surprise.Buthe’d been in the area, dropping off a camera for repair.Thecuriosity to see where she worked had wormed its way into his thoughts to the point where he had to either act or go for a long, long run.Hechose action.
Besides, he was worried about her.She’dleft the bar so suddenly lastSaturday.Hewanted to check everything was okay.
Takinga deep breath, he pressed the bell and waited.Noreply.Maybeshe wasn’t in.Hetook out his phone and dialled the number on her card.Ithadn’t changed in five years.Neitherhad his.Hewondered whether she still had his number in her phone or if she’d deleted it.
