His Other Wife (Beautiful Lies Book 1) Read online

  The shock of seeing him, of having her worst nightmares realized, shattered her. Since Knox’s show, hell, before that, since they’d spent their first night together at that bed & breakfast, Anouk had been telling herself that it was all good from now on, that this was the happy life she was meant to have.

  But, of course, the world didn’t work like that, and the way she had left London so suddenly… she should have known Shawn would try to follow her. She remembered back to the night she had first encountered his other wife. That night she’d fallen asleep to him telling her “…please, never leave me, I’ll never let you go.”

  Asshole. Anouk let her anger out then, raging, shouting, sitting there in her car, until she saw a dog walker looking at her in alarm from the other side of the street. Feeling her face flush red, Anouk started the car and drove home. Knox’s car was outside the apartment building, and Anouk checked her reflection in the rearview mirror. She grimaced. It was obvious she had been crying. She repaired the damage with her compact powder as best she could, then shrugged. She could pass her red eyes off as tiredness.

  Anouk took a few deep breaths before she went inside. As she opened the door, she heard laughter from the kitchen, and as she went inside, Knox and Iris were bent over laughing as they cooked together. A spike of unreasonable jealously went through her, and she ducked Knox’s kiss so it landed on her cheek. She felt bad as she saw the look in his eyes, and smiled to cover it. “Missed. Try again.”

  Knox hid the confusion, and this time, she kissed his mouth firmly. “Hey, baby.”

  “Hey, you okay?”

  Iris had stopped laughing now too, and they both looked at her with a concern that made her want to cry again. “I’m good. Just had a sneezing fit, is all. Hope it’s not allergies.”

  “In November?” Iris said doubtfully, but Anouk shrugged.

  “A cold then, but I hope not.” She peeked at the pots on the stove. “What’s for dinner? I’m starving.”

  “When are you not starving?” Knox had obviously decided to go along with her faux good mood, but she could tell he wasn’t fooled. She swatted his butt with her hand.

  “Cheeky.”

  “It’s just pasta, but we’ve messed with the recipe a little. Go get changed and it’ll be ready.”

  “Yes, boss.” Anouk moved toward her bedroom, but then heard whispering and stopped.

  “Go see what’s wrong.” Iris told Knox.

  Anouk went to her bedroom, and sure enough, Knox followed her. “You sure you’re okay?”

  “I’m fine, baby, just tired.” She glanced at the clock. “Do I have time for a shower?”

  Knox smiled. “I would think. Need some company?”

  “You know what? Usually, I would never turn down ‘dirty shower’, but really, I just need to wash and change. We have time for dirty later.”

  “Oh. Okay, I’ll go help Iris.”

  Anouk kissed his mouth. “I promise, lots of dirty later.”

  She heard him chuckle as he went back out to help Iris with the supper. Anouk striped off and got into the shower, hurriedly washing herself, then holding her face up to the stream of hot water. Fuck Shawn for making her feel like this. She wouldn’t let him ruin her happiness. She had already decided that she wouldn’t tell Knox about him. Now, with Iris and Knox’s friendship obvious, she knew she couldn’t tell Iris that Shawn was back.

  She was on her own in this.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Knox was distracted. As he watched the movers bring in the furniture he had ordered, and put into storage, he couldn’t help thinking about Anouk. For the last week, she had been quieter than usual, and there was a skittishness about her that he couldn’t understand. She wasn’t the chilled out, relaxed Nook, at the moment. He wanted to chalk it up to her being in charge at the gallery while Tom was away. The fact that Tom had seemingly disappeared off of the face of the earth, not even calling in to see how his beloved gallery was doing without him, Knox knew was stressing Anouk out. But when he asked her about that, she told him she thought that Tom was doing it deliberately. “He told me that I was in charge now, and that I had it in me to take the gallery to the next level. I hope I’ll be able to live up to his faith in me. After all, I’ve only been working for him for a few months.”

  They had talked about it in bed the previous night, after Anouk had endured a particularly stressful day with a difficult artist. “He would not listen to direction,” she complained to Knox when he came to meet her. “Yes, his work is good, but he’s not even close to your level.”

  “You’re biased,” Knox grinned at her, but she just shook her head.

  “He’s in that middle ground. He’s talented, yes, but is he good enough to show at the Granger? I want to give up-and-coming artists their shot, but his attitude sucks.”

  Knox went to her and rubbed her shoulders. Anouk leaned back and sighed. “That feels so good.”

  “You’ve been stressed out lately. Can you take a couple of days off?”

  He’d expected her to object, but she nodded. “I’m scheduled to have this weekend off. I was wondering… well, would you like to spend it together?”

  Knox snorted with laughter. “Well, let me think… hell, yes, I do. I’m going to put you to work though.”

  Anouk leaned her head back, grinned up at him, and she looked like his Nook again. “Oh, yes?”

  He spun her chair around. “Here’s my plan…my new place. I need it painted. You, me, a tub of boring basic white. In between decorating, we christen every room, and eat our own body weight in pizza, and drink beer. How does that sound?”

  She framed his face in her palms. “It sounds perfect.”

  “Then how about I take you home and you pack a bag for the weekend?”

  “Deal.”

  As they walked out to the car, however, Anouk stopped and stared across the street. Knox frowned. “Babe?”

  Anouk blinked and looked at him, her eyes full of confusion for a second. “Are you okay?”

  She nodded. “Sorry, just thought I saw someone I knew… but I didn’t.”

  She was quiet on the drive back to the apartment. Knox looked over at her and put his hand on hers. “You sure you’re up for this? If you’re too tired, we can do something else. Go back to that B&B again.”

  Anouk smiled at him. “No way. I’m looking forward to this.”

  Iris was still at work, so Anouk left her a note telling her where she would be for the weekend, and then she and Knox drove back to his new studio. They wandered through the place, Anouk commenting on the features she’d missed the first time around. “This place is just gorgeous.”

  Knox smiled. “Right?” They climbed the iron steps up to the second floor. “And I’ve never lived somewhere like this before.”

  Anouk tested the door to the apartment. It was wooden and slid on a decorative rail above the door. It was curved to the concave of the wall, but as Nook pushed it, it rattled ominously. “Not very secure.”

  “The door downstairs is deadbolted, so I’m not worried.”

  “What about when you have an open studio day?”

  Knox smiled at her. “Haven’t thought that far ahead, babe. You worried about my security?”

  Anouk shrugged. “It’s something to think about. Your work goes for millions.”

  “I’m on it. And don’t worry. When you move in with me, I’ll protect you with my body.” He said it casually, but he looked at her out of the corner of his eye. For a second, she didn’t catch on to what he’d said, then she stopped.

  “What?”

  “You heard me.” He searched her eyes. “Too early for that conversation?”

  Anouk studied him, his expression unreadable. Finally, she smiled a little warily. “It is a little early, but we’ve been there before with the too early. I’m not saying no, just… not yet.”

  “I understand, just wanted to put it out there, that I can see this being somewher
e we grow old together.”

  Anouk flushed pink, and he could see she liked the idea. “And our seven kids?”

  “We can keep ‘em in a cage in the studio.”

  She laughed then. “Fiend.”

  Knox wrapped his arms around her. “Listen, we’ll paint this place tomorrow. For now, let’s get comfortable, because I need to be inside you.”

  Anouk kissed him. “Dirty boy. Hey, does this thing have hot running water?”

  “Of course, why?”

  She grinned. “Because I need a shower, and this time I think I need to get really dirty in it.”

  Later, they laid on his bed talking, the remnants of three enormous pizzas in boxes on the floor, and empty beer bottles lined up alongside the mattress. Anouk propped herself up on her elbow. “You’re going to get a proper bed, right?”

  “Meh, this is how artists sleep.”

  “Oh, I forgot, of course.” She giggled. “Lunatic.”

  “We can go choose a bed at the store, if you like.”

  “How very domesticated.” She traced a line down the center of his chest with her forefinger and he smiled.

  “You ever lived with anyone before?”

  Anouk half-smiled. “I live with Iris right now.”

  “You know what I mean.”

  Her smile faded, and she looked away from him. “Nothing that significant.”

  “What does that mean? Come on, Nook, we’ve never had this talk. The exes, the horror stories, the ones who got away.”

  Anouk sighed. “What’s past is past. Who cares?” She studied him. “I wasn’t a virgin when I met you, if that’s what you wanted to know.”

  Knox grinned. “It wasn’t, but good. Imagine wasting this body on virginity.” He smoothed a hand down her body. “But it’s not about that.”

  “How about you? Was there a whole harem I don’t know about?”

  “Millions—”

  “—ha ha—”

  “—trillions. I’m surprised it hasn’t fallen off.”

  Anouk busted out laughing. “Eww, gross.”

  “Seriously, there were only a few before you. No one that serious.”

  “Same.” But she felt the tension in her body, and knew she wasn’t convincing him. “How is that possible? Anouk Devi, you are gorgeous.”

  “My looks have nothing to do with it.” She said it mildly, but couldn’t help but feel a little irritated. Why wasn’t he leaving this alone? The last thing she wanted was to bring Shawn into this conversation. She didn’t want to keep secrets from Knox, but at the same time, the horror of Shawn being in Seattle was too fresh in her mind, and she didn’t want to think about it. Not this weekend. She rolled over on top of him. “I’d rather talk about us. In fact, I’d rather not talk at all.” She kissed him firmly, her hand snaked down to stroke his cock, which quivered and stiffened in her hand.

  Knox pulled her face down to his to kiss her. “We’re not done talking about this.”

  “Hush.”

  He chuckled and they made love, Anouk happily distracting him from his questions long enough to exhaust him.

  Later, when Knox was asleep, however, Anouk lay awake. Trying to work out what she should do. Shawn knew where she worked, probably knew where she lived. She would bet her life he was the one who broke into her apartment that night, but was he the one who drugged her in the bar? Was that him asserting his influence over her? I still control you…

  Jesus. The detective who had questioned her in the hospital had told her they thought it was a random, malicious attack by some crazy, but she wasn’t so sure.

  Still… what on Earth would have Shawn gained by it? Anouk sighed, restless, and gently slid from under Knox’s arm. She padded quietly into the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water, draining it in one gulp.

  She walked down the iron steps to the studio. The wide-open space of the studio was cool and silent. Anouk walked around, touching the wide solid wood working tables, the new tubes of paint, new brushes. Everything new. She breathed in the cool air, the scent of freshly sanded wood, the tang of paint. It was all there, a new life, waiting for her, and yet she could not escape the past.

  She started a little as she felt Knox’s arms slip around her waist, and his lips against her bare shoulder. “Can’t sleep?”

  She shook her head, and he gently turned her around to kiss her mouth. “Let’s see if we can’t do something about that.” He carefully pushed her back down onto the table and covered her body with his. Anouk wrapped her legs around his waist as they kissed, then sighed happily as he entered her. In these moments, the two of them together, she felt safe, loved. Knox’s pace quickened as the excitement between them grew, and he pinned her hands above her head as he thrust harder, deeper with every stroke. Anouk gazed up at him as they made love, his beautiful face half in shadow. Oh, how I love you, she thought, but something was preventing her from saying the words aloud. She felt that if she did, then it would all come crumbling down.

  She arched her back as she came, releasing all the tension that had built up in her body, and clung to Knox as he neared his own climax. Afterward, he picked her up and carried her back upstairs to their bed, and they made love again, until both were sated and exhausted. Finally, Anouk slept, wrapped in the arms of the man she knew she was in love with.

  He’d followed them back to the unusual building tucked away down the alley. For hours he’d waited, until the lights inside went out, then tried to slide the door of the place open. It wouldn’t budge. He’d given up, not wanting to alert them to his efforts, but as he was about to give up and leave, he’d seen movement inside the window, and there she was.

  Naked, ethereal, walking down the staircase inside to the main studio. For a moment, he fantasized that she’d sensed his presence and was coming to him, open and loving; but soon he realized she was unaware of him. She looked sad, stressed, until the artist—that bastard—came to find her.

  Shawn watched as Knox Zapata fucked Shawn’s wife on the table, right there in front of him, mocking him, shaming him. Murderous fury bubbled up inside Shawn, but he had learned, over the years, to tamp it down. That rage would get him in trouble.

  He watched as Anouk came, as her lovely body undulated under Zapata’s touch, then as Zapata carried her back upstairs, he watched her face, soft with love.

  Bitch.

  He forced himself to walk away, to leave them unharmed, to leave her with that man. Soon enough, she would be back in Shawn’s arms, of that he was certain. For now, he would go take his rage out on someone else.

  He went back to the house he had taken over. The owners’ bodies were in the basement, and he knew he didn’t have much time here before the stench, the flies amassed over the corpses, would attract attention. He needed to move on soon.

  But for now, for tonight, he could go down to the basement, ignore the smell of death, and take his rage out on the unfortunate couple he’d murdered, and imagine he was punishing his beloved Anouk and the man who was obviously in love with her.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Ruby was waiting for Anouk as she returned to work on Monday morning, with an excited look on her face. “Anthony Klein called. He wants to show here.”

  Anouk stopped, gaping at her young colleague. “Anthony Klein? You’re kidding.”

  “Nope. He keeps calling, wanting to speak to you and Tom.”

  Anthony Klein was the enfant terrible of the British Art World, and since he’d been featured in an up-and-coming show at MOMA, every gallery in the word was trying to snag his first huge exhibit. And he was calling them?

  “Holy crap.”

  “I know, right?” Ruby handed Anouk a sheaf of messages with Klein’s on top. “I know Tom didn’t want calls, but I think you should call him.”

  “I will, thanks.” Anouk went into her office and dumped her bag on the desk, immediately picking up the phone. Tom’s voicemail kicked in, but as she was leaving him a messag
e, asking her to call him, apologizing for the interruption to his sabbatical, the mailbox cut out and the message said it was full.

  “Did you get him?” Ruby was at the door, looking hopeful. She seemed as excited as Anouk felt about Klein’s possible collaboration with them.

  Anouk shook her head. “His voicemail is full.” She checked her calendar. “He and Ramon are back from the Maldives now, right?”

  “Should have returned on Saturday. Want me to keep trying?”

  “Yes, please, Rube.”

  Anouk picked up the phone again and called Anthony, who was enthusiastic about the prospective show. “Tom Granger’s gallery is the bomb,” he said, sounding like a teenager, and Anouk hid a smile.

  “It is that.”

  “I heard about Knox Zapata’s show, and the papers here are still talking about it. I want that.”

  “Are you in Seattle?”

  “Not yet, but I could be there by the weekend.”

  “Well, let me know and I’ll set something up. Tom is actually on sabbatical, but I’m trying to get in touch with him. Can I call you back?”

  “Please do.”

  Anouk was smiling as she hung up. Klein was a sweet kid. She pressed the intercom. “Any luck, Rube?”

  “No, sorry. His voicemail wouldn’t even let me leave a message.”

  “Okay, thanks.” Anouk chewed her lip, considering. This was her first real choice; whether to interrupt Tom’s self-imposed exile. Would he tell her to make the decision, to land Klein without his input? Or, if Anthony failed to agree to terms without Tom’s presence, would her boss berate her for leaving him out of the loop?

  Making a decision, she grabbed her car keys and headed out of her office. “I’m going over there,” she told Ruby, “I hate to intrude on his vacation, but I think he’ll want to know.” She stopped. “Oh.”