They ate lunch off silver platters. There was white wine, oysters, lobster, foie gras, truffles, a decadent chocolate cake, and the best well-done steak Allyson had ever had. She was dressed in nothing but a satin robe, sipping wine on the bed.

“How are you?” he asked. Dane was sitting up, leaning against the headboard as he skimmed through the newspaper. He had on nothing but his boxer briefs, the hard muscles of his chest exposed.

Her mouth watered. After their passionate lovemaking on the floor of the hotel living room, he’d ordered room service for her. It was like something out of a dream. She didn’t know how it was possible that her feelings for him kept growing but, somehow, they did. Her heart was overflowing and she didn’t know what to do with herself. Didn’t know how to confess it. Allyson could feel herself falling in love with him and it terrified her. Exhilarated her.

Being with a man like Dane was like dancing on the edge of a knife. In his world of power and money, one wrong move could be the end for her. She had been heartbroken once in college. Somehow, she had picked up the pieces and moved on. But she had no idea how she’d begin to move on if the worst happened now. 

“I’m fine,” she finally replied. Now wasn’t the time to pressure Dane with her deepening feelings. He was going through so much and she had to be strong for him.

Dane set the newspaper aside. “Are you? Because something happened before we left headquarters.”

She sighed heavily. “Monica showed up at work.”

His brow furrowed. “Did she want to talk to you about what she did?”

“That’s just it,” she murmured. “Monica wasn’t there to see me. She was there to see Katherine Handel so she could tell her that she suspected that you and I were together.”

Quickly, Allyson filled him in on her sister’s surprise visit.

He cursed loudly. “I knew I should have canned her. After all these weeks, Katherine is still up to her schemes.”

“What if she goes to the press with this? I don’t want your dad finding out that way again. Not in his state.”

“Maybe we could keep Katherine quiet.”

“How?”

“Threaten her job,” he replied. “I still have the power to fire her.”

“Nicky wouldn’t like it. He seems like the type who would probably try to make our lives miserable,” she pointed out.

“This can’t go on,” he said firmly. “I might have to tell my father about us.”

“Maybe I can talk to Katherine.”

“Katherine isn’t going to be swayed by anything you say. She wants me, remember?”

Her chest tightened. She did remember. Katherine would do anything to get her claws into Dane again, and she felt a sudden pang of jealousy. She trusted Dane. Knew he would never betray her, and certainly not with Katherine. But Katherine was still his ex. His mother was still probably eager to get him together with the British aristocrat. Falling for Dane while Katherine hovered in the background gave her pause. Made her scared. Katherine was a threat: she knew that if Dane fired her, her brother Nicholas would use his newfound power to make them all pay for it.

Allyson’s cell phone rang and she grabbed it off the nightstand. She answered it and to her dismay heard none other than Katherine Handel’s British-accented voice on the other end.

“Hello, darling,” Katherine drawled.

“Hello,” Allyson replied curtly.

“Are you out with Dane?” Katherine asked. “Because I had a chat with your sister and she had so much to tell me about you two.”

“Don’t believe everything my sister tells you.” Allyson rolled her eyes. “She’s desperate for attention.”

Dane turned to her sharply, his eyes narrowed. “Is that Katherine?”

Allyson held up her hand, trying to calm him down as she focused her attention back on Katherine’s syrupy-sweet voice.

“Well, maybe I can forget you two are sleeping together if you do me a little favor,” Katherine said.

“What’s the favor?” Allyson asked warily.

“Not over the phone. I want to talk in person. This afternoon.”

“Fine,” Allyson said coldly. “Meet me at the Prescott Hotel restaurant in half an hour.” With that she hung up, not caring to hear if Katherine agreed.

“You’re meeting with her?” Dane’s jaw clenched. “Why did you ask her come here? We’re hiding out, remember?”

“She already suspects something is going on,” Allyson said with a sigh. “Better to get her in a public place where she can’t do much damage.”

It wasn’t fair for him to be going through this pressure with his father in the hospital. But maybe she had a chance of standing up to Katherine now that she seemed to want a favor. Besides, if any tabloid reporters were lurking around, their little rendezvous would look like a work meeting.

“Please stay up here while I meet Katherine.”

He narrowed his bright blue eyes. “Why?”

“You know how you get when you think anyone is a threat to me.” She leaned forward to plant a quick kiss on his lips.

She ate while getting dressed and seconds later got a call from Katherine, announcing her arrival. With her stomach in knots, she headed downstairs to the Prescott Hotel’s swanky restaurant.

Katherine was dressed to the nines in the same immaculately-tailored white skirt suit Allyson had spied her wearing earlier that morning. “You’re looking well today,” Katherine greeted.

Allyson ignored her remark and sat down across from the smiling blond.

“You wear your weight so well,” Katherine said.

The sudden urge to slap Katherine flared again, but Allyson bit her tongue. Right now, she had to hear Katherine out so that she wouldn’t go blab to the press about Allyson’s secret relationship with Dane. Even if she could get Katherine to wait so that Dane had time to gently break the news to his ailing father, this meeting would be worth it.

“What do you want?” Allyson wasn’t going to play Katherine’s game. She had one of her own to play out.

A waiter quickly appeared to hand them their menus and then disappeared.

“I want...everything.” Katherine appraised the menu.

“Yes, well, I can’t give you that, so what’s this favor you want?”

“I want you to help my brother.” Katherine folded the menu and set it down.

“I’m already working for him,” Allyson pointed out.

“You are. But I want you to make sure that my brother stays CEO of Prescott, permanently.”

“I don’t have the power to do that,” Allyson snapped.

“But you do,” Katherine said. “You have Dane. And your contract with its huge improvements. I suspect it’s because you screwed him. Literally. You probably still are.”

Her words were so vulgar that Allyson was incensed. She and Dane weren’t just having sex. And even if that’s all they were doing it wasn’t Katherine Handel’s business. Allyson had no idea if Dane’s feelings for her were as strong as her feelings were for him, but he had made it clear he wanted more than just a fling. He trusted her. Just like she trusted him. But Katherine only wanted Dane because she relished media attention. Clearly, a woman like her could never understand what Allyson and Dane shared.

“For someone so rich, you really have no class,” Allyson said.

Katherine laughed cruelly. “And I suppose you think an assistant like you will be the one to teach me. How much did your dress cost?”

Sweat broke out on her forehead as fury took over. “Could you afford your clothes without your daddy’s money?”

Katherine’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “Be careful, little girl. I’m not small-time like your grubby older sister. I have the power to wipe you out.”

“Then, why haven’t you?” Allyson demanded, hoping her voice sounded more confident than she felt. “You’re the one begging for a favor. You’re obviously threatened by me.”

“The favor is for my brother,” Katherine snapped. “The poor dear has no idea how difficult all this is going to be. He thinks he can hold onto power on his own. However, every scrap of power he’s ever gotten is because of me. I’m the power behind the throne and, one day, everyone is going to know it.”

“Until then, you’ll be crawling to me for favors.”

“You don’t get it, do you? This isn’t a favor. This is blackmail,” Katherine said coldly. “I’ll keep my mouth shut about you and Dane. In return, you get Dane to step aside permanently. That way Nicky can be CEO for as long as he wants.”

“You’re asking me to betray Dane?” Allyson shook her head vigorously. “I won’t do it.”

“Then I’ll tell his mum,” Katherine said with a sneer. “And we all know that she’s a much bigger problem for you and Dane than I am.”

“She’s going through hell right now with her poor husband in the hospital,” Allyson said. “Don’t you have any shame?”

“No.” Katherine reached into her designer handbag and whipped out her cell phone. “In fact, I’m shameless enough to call Dane’s dear mum and have her come down here. You had better give me what I want or I’ll have her here in 90 seconds to tell her the news.”

“I’m not giving you anything,” Allyson said angrily.

For a split-second Allyson thought she might actually reach across the table and scratch the horrible smile off Katherine Handel’s face. Instead she sat in her seat, seething as Katherine called Dane’s mother.

“Hello, Mrs. Prescott?” Katherine said sweetly. “I’m here now with Ms. Smith. Please come and join us.” She hung up.

Allyson stared daggers at her. “Dane has gone through enough. Stop this.”

“Well I’ve gone through enough, too,” Katherine hissed. “He dumped me and made me look like a fool. Now I’m going to get exactly what I want. You’re going to give me what I want. First, you’ll get Nicky to be in charge permanently so the Prescotts will be out. That way I’ll get a position on the board. And then you’ll stop seeing Dane so that I can take my rightful place beside him.”

Allyson gasped. She’d never met anyone as horrible, scheming, and vicious as Katherine. Her own sister Monica was practically a saint in comparison to the snooty British blond. “Does your brother know what you’re up to? Does he know anything about what you’ve been doing to me and Dane over the past few weeks?”

“He barely knows anything because he doesn’t want to hear it. Nicky thinks he’s too good to do things my way,” Katherine snapped. “I said we should use a firm hand, but no. He decided that he’d rather do things his way. Secretly making peace with the board.”

Allyson rolled her eyes in response. “Your brother’s hardly a saint. He started his plan to get the CEO position the minute he found out about Dane’s dad having a heart attack. Who does that?”

“You’re no saint, either, though Dane seems to think so. And my stupid brother practically worships you already,” Katherine shot back. “You lied about being married to Dane. You’re just a cheap gold-digger. Maybe Nicky will figure that out once you get him the CEO position.”

“I will do no such thing,” Allyson said through gritted teeth. “And I’m not interested in Nicky.”

“Oh, really? Because he seemed to think you left the door open after he asked you to dinner,” Katherine accused.

“He told you about that?” Allyson gasped. She hadn’t asked Nicky to keep his feelings to himself, but it was best if he was discreet. Especially now that Prescott was still dealing with less than positive press.

“He didn’t have to,” Katherine replied. “I saw that look on his face when I walked into his office. What do these men see in you? Honestly, you’re just a cheap tart but they seem to think you’re some sweet innocent.”

Dane’s mother suddenly appeared at the table, causing Allyson to nearly jump out of her skin.

The hard, angry expression on Katherine’s face melted away as she got to her feet to hug Liliana. “You’re here!” Katherine exclaimed. “I’m so glad you could make it.”

“Hello, Katherine. What’s all this about?” Liliana looked weary. Her voice was small and, somehow, she looked less formidable. Less imposing now that her husband was in the hospital. The poor woman looked like she was wasting away.

Allyson got to her feet and put a gentle hand on Liliana’s shoulder. “Mrs. Prescott, how are you feeling?”

Liliana stared at her, a strange sadness in her blue eyes. “I’m holding up as best as I can.”

Gently, Allyson helped Liliana into a seat at the table before settling back into her chair. “If you ever need to talk, I’m here.”

“That’s very kind of you,” Liliana said. “I really do appreciate the kindness you showed me at the country club. When you covered for me with Dane’s father.”

“That’s why we’re here,” Katherine said. “To talk about Dane.”

“Oh?” Liliana frowned. “You made it sound like some sort of emergency. I don’t think my family can take much more chaos. I hope the news isn’t bad.”

“It doesn’t have to be if Ms. Smith decides to help me with a little problem I’ve been having,” Katherine said pointedly.

Allyson glared at Katherine before turning to Liliana. She threw her shoulders back, trying to brace herself for what she was about to do. “Mrs. Prescott, I know you don’t want to deal with more problems right now, but it’s best I come out and say it. Dane and I are dating.”