Page 28 of Watching Her

Xander shook his head. “I’m very surprised your contestant has held your attention for so long without you swooping in like a viper. Very unlike you.”

“Yes, well, things change as we get older.”

“I agree. I came to congratulate you on your latest foray into darkness.”

I couldn’t take my eyes off her as she moved from one item for bid to another. Where so many patrons were used to seeing priceless jewelry and works of art formally kept in the dark vestiges of stuffy libraries, she seemed genuinely interested in every selection. She even took the time to read about the origin of the pieces.

“Foray into darkness,” I repeated. “My, haven’t we become more sophisticated over the years.”

“As you continue to point out. We are no longer twenty-one.” He turned, facing the direction of where I was looking. “Like you, I found the perfect woman. She is… amazing.”

“Amazing? I haven’t heard you so animated in perhaps your entire life.”

“You haven’t known me your entire life, Chris. Just the best parts of it.” His laugh was gregarious, livelier than I was used to or felt.

Perhaps the very darkness he’d referenced had stripped me of what little humanity I’d developed over the years. I certainly couldn’t recall the last time I felt this excited for an undertaking. Much of life was driven by the mundane. Money, things, women. Nothing excited me any longer. Drugs had never altered my state of being and alcohol, while I enjoyed the flavor, I wasn’t interested in the high often provided.

But standing here watching a beautiful woman who was clueless that her entire world was about to change was truly an extraordinary awakening.

“Just don’t break her, Xander. I don’t believe we’d be able to hide the body.”

We both chuckled at my statement. There were bodies of former rivals buried in very creative locations. I’d long since wondered if the unearthly graves had been discovered. Even if they had, there’d be no finger pointing. We’d been damn good at what we did, the games we played.

And every creative idea had followed us into adulthood and business.

“She has a fascinating taste in art,” he mused, nodding toward the painting I’d provided.

Penelope was giving the framed work of art more than a casual perusal. She was also more than genuinely interested. I could tell when she lifted her hand to touch it before realizing that wasn’t allowed.

“Don’t look now, my friend, but she’s putting in a bid for the piece. Be careful you don’t blow your cover before the night ends.” He offered an amused look before walking away. As soon as she slipped the paper into the box offering her bid, she walked away.

For the next twenty minutes, I enjoyed watching her from the shadows, although every time someone approached her, I was on edge. I’d also enjoying studying her while she’d been working earlier in the day, laughing and chatting with readers as if old friends.

Xander was right in that my methods had changed. Never had I spent so much time learning about a contestant. I was beginning to think she was more than that, perhaps a true possession that needed permanent residence on my shelf.

Whatever the case, my obsession with her was growing. And my possessive nature was on full display.

Especially when one man in question paid her far more attention than I would normally tolerate. While I had to give Penelope credit, her ability to push him off extraordinary and flawless, a moment of anger had already settled in.

His luck was with him in that he decided to take the hint.

The incident soured her actions. After giving the room another quick but detailed scan, she left, moving through an incoming crowd quickly.

Yet I’d noticed she’d been looking for something.

Or someone.

I took a swallow of my drink, heading toward one of the hotel employees assigned to the bidding boxes. “When the event has ended, I want the bids collected for item number twenty-three. Do you understand?”

The young man nodded several times. “Absolutely, sir.”

“Good.” Time to pretend as if I gave a damn about those gracing the event with their presence. I could play nice if only for a little while.

As far as later, I had plans of feeding my indulgence.

* * *

There was no room for error if I wanted to fully enjoy the contest. Yet I found myself drawn to sweet Penelope in inexplicable ways, more so than I’d experienced before and certainly more than I should at this juncture.