Release Me

Part 20

Two days later, the piercing trill of my phone punctured the tranquil rhythm of my thoughts. Samantha's name sparked like a flare in my mind, yet I steeled myself against the impulse to glance at the caller ID. With an abrupt movement that sent ripples through the room's tranquility and I picked up the phone.

"Hello?" My hand continued its dance over the paperwork, scrawling the last fragments of a sentence even as my attention began to fracture.

"Ah, Alexandra, you are in your office. How perfect." The familiar, smug tone was unmistakably that of Mr. Chase's.

An involuntary sigh slipped past my lips, a traitor to my disciplined calm. "Mr. Chase." I relinquished my pen and swiveled in my chair to confront the intrusive interruption. "To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?"

"I need your help."

"Oh?" My voice betrayed my amusement as a slow smile crept across my face. I leaned back into the familiar hug of my executive leather office chair, a silent observer in this unfolding drama. "Pray tell, what seems to be your... quandary?"

His heavy sigh resonated through the phone like a plea echoing in an empty hall, a testament to his predicament. I bit the inside of my cheek, stifling the laughter threatening to bubble up from my throat.

"The venue for my art show flooded last night. A burst pipe."

"My, my," I drawled, the corners of my mouth twitching. "That does sound problematic."

"I can't cancel the show. My contract owner is already fit to be tied over the whole situation. I've called over fifteen venues, but once they hear what I wanted to do, they all refused."

"Hmm. That seems to be a predicament indeed, but not one in which I can offer assistance."

A long pause penetrated the air between us, and realization dawned on me. I shook my head in preparation for his next words.

"Since it is Society based, I want to hold it at your new club."

My reaction was immediate and fierce. With a violent push, I shot up from my chair, sending it skidding across the floor to crash into the wall behind me.

"No. Absolutely not." My voice was flat, brokering no room for negotiation. "There's no way I can elevate the club to Society standards by this weekend. I'm sorry, Mr. Chase," I added, though I was anything but, "but the answer is no."

"I was afraid you'd say that."

The sudden rap on the door yanked me from my brewing storm of frustration. Before I could even utter an invitation, the door swung open with a creak, unbidden. The intruder strolled in, placing a side-sealed envelope in my hand. A wax seal adorned the back, catching the light. I placed a steadying hand on my desk, leaning on it for support as I watched the courier retreat, leaving only silence in their wake.

"You son of a b..."

"Now, now, Atl... Alexandra, there's no reason to be rude. I played the game better. You must respect the fact my decisions give me access to areas you refused to accept. E8 pawn to queen, my dear. Never underestimate the lowest piece to make the largest moves. I'll see you this weekend."

The line went dead before I could say another word and I slammed the receiver into the cradle. With a stormy expression, I stalked over to my abandoned chair and yanked it back to my desk. I fell into it with a huff, my irritation simmering just below the surface. My hand found the dagger-shaped letter opener, its cold, sharp edge a mirror of my mood. Imagining Parker's smug face, I sliced through the top of the envelope, pulling free the enclosed letter with a savage tug.