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  Black Heart

  Dangerous Duet - Book Two

  Jenny Lynn

  The characters in this series are not based on any other individuals; living, dead, or fictional. Any resemblance is purely coincidental.

  The author retains all rights over the works, no parts may be used or reproduced without permission, except in the case of brief quotations for review purposes.

  Copyright © Jenny Lynn

  Prologue

  If you’re lucky, life has a way of making sure you have everything you need. Things will fall into place, neat and orderly, like puzzle pieces. If you’re exceptionally lucky, life can hand you more than you ever dreamed possible. Even after everything I had been through, I still consider myself exceptionally lucky. I’m engaged to Nicholas Blackstone, CEO of Blackstone Enterprises. A man who is devastatingly handsome as well as charismatic and determined. He has a stubborn streak though. Nicholas is not the type of man who takes no for an answer; when he had his legal files ruined by me, clumsy waitress Breanne Taylor, something caught his attention and he pursued me until I agreed to be his wedding date. Nicholas is the kind of man who knows how to take charge in the boardroom as well as the bedroom, the kind of man any woman would be lucky to have. And now, I have him.

  Not that our romance was without its challenges. I had to deal with his mother’s initial disapproval — believing back then, that I was beneath their class. Then there was Lilly, my rival for Nicholas’ affection who never let me forget my place in society. Not to mention the worst of it all, his brother-in-law, Liam. No one ever saw that one coming. I could never have guessed that by falling in love, my life would be in peril. But thanks to Liam, it was. Multiple times.

  Media had a field day with the trial. In the end, Liam was convicted for killing Simon Blackstone, Nicholas’ father; and the attempt he made on our lives. Liam is where he belongs now, safely behind bars where he can do no further damage to the Blackstone family.

  I walked through fire for this relationship. Every time I look down at the vibrant diamond ring on my finger, I am reminded how far Nicholas and I have come from that first day we met and all of the moments we shared together since then. Nicholas is my anchor in a turbulent world, and after everything we have been through, we deserve our happy ending. I can’t wait to stand in front of him at the altar and say my vows; make the promise of forever. With the dangers of the past behind us, the future looks promising and bright.

  1

  I pulled the grey silk fabric between my fingers, looping it around Nicholas’ collar and looking up into his eyes. I wrapped it around his shirt, pulling it tight and then securing it. As I ran my hands down his chest, I looked up into his pale blue eyes. He was watching me, smiling. I tugged on his tie and reached up on my toes, pressing my lips against his. I would never get tired of this for the rest of my life, and the rest of my life was the promise Nicholas Blackstone made me when he gave me my stunning engagement ring.

  He kissed me back, possessively, wrapping an arm around my waist and holding me close. When he reluctantly pulled away, he sighed. “I’m going to be late getting to the office.”

  “You don’t think our shower together was worth it?” I asked, smiling coyly.

  “Oh, it was worth it, no question,” he replied with a raised eyebrow. “They can’t start the meeting without me anyway.”

  Nicholas walked out of the bedroom, slipping into his suit jacket and fastening the buttons. He looked as good in a suit as he did out of one. I leaned against the wall admiring him as he picked up folders he had brought home with him late last night and placed them into his bag. He headed for the private elevator at the end of the hall leading from our penthouse to the lobby below and turned his head. “I might be a bit late tonight Breanne, I hope you won’t mind. I love you.”

  “I love you too Nicholas,” I said as he disappeared into the elevator, the doors closing and obscuring him from my view.

  Just an hour ago I had snuck into the bathroom, the shower spraying steam and hot water making the air thick with moisture. I had pulled my white slip over my head then stepped out of my underwear before tapping on the glass. Nicholas turned, saw me standing there and his expression grew dark the way it did when he wanted me. He opened the door and pulled me inside, then proceeded to take control of my body in ways only he could. I was grateful for our large shower and loved the way our bodies fit together. Standing there, staring at the closed elevator doors, my body still felt deeply satisfied after a quick morning sex session.

  I had a few free hours until class, so I took my time getting ready. I opened the doors to the walk-in closet, stepping inside and running my fingers over clothes, trying to decide what I should wear. My wardrobe had changed a bit since I started dating Nicholas: There were now more designer pieces than I ever thought I would own. Before any fancy dinner or high-profile event, Nicholas would send me shopping with his sisters and his credit card. I learned to shrug at his indulgence, it was his way of spoiling me and I let him. Still, I was most comfortable in a simple skirt and t-shirt, or a pair of dark jeans.

  I pulled out a navy silk skirt and a white shirt, taking them over to the bed. After I slipped on my underwear I got dressed, dried my hair and applied a bit of makeup. I heard my phone buzz and dug through my purse to find it, there was a text from my best friend, Tabitha.

  Coffee before your next class?

  I looked at the clock, if I left now I would have time.

  I’m not on campus but am heading there now, meet you at The Green Bean?

  I grabbed my books and shoved them into my bag, sliding it over my shoulder and stepping into a pair of nude flats. I made my way to the elevator, down and out the expansive lobby, my shoes echoing with each step.

  “Have a nice day, Miss Taylor,” said the doorman.

  “You too, Frederick,” I answered, waving as I walked past. It wouldn’t be long before they would be calling me Mrs. Blackstone.

  I waited at the nearest streetcar stop, popped in my headphones and began to listen to a playlist which Nicholas had curated for me. I had curated on on his iPod, we liked to share music with each other. I couldn’t help but smile as the beat made me move my head in time with the rhythm. It was a beautiful day, I had had a fantastic round of morning sex with my drop-dead gorgeous fiancée, and I was heading to campus to meet my best friend before my favorite class of the week. Life was good, life was so very good.

  When I arrived at the campus I made my way to The Green Bean, a small coffee shop stuffed with an assortment of mismatched couches and tables. The walls were adorned with old movie posters, reminding us of a bygone era. It was a casual and comfortable space popular with students where they were always playing acoustic music in the background. I looked around and found Tabitha seated at a brown floral couch, reading a book and sipping at a cappuccino. I went up to the counter, ordered myself a latte, then brought it over and sat down beside her.

  “Hey, you made it,” Tabitha said as she put down her book and smiled at me. “I assumed you’d be at the library or something.”

  “I had a few things to take care of at home this morning,” I said as I sipped my latte. It was rich and creamy against my tongue; I loved coffee in all of its forms. Tabitha laughed.

  “Would those things involve Nicholas?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

  I blushed. “He’s at work so often lately, I really miss seeing him. So sometimes I need to get creative with our time together.”

  “It must be hard, both of your schedules. He’s trying to keep his company steady after all of the controversy with Liam, you know, trying to kill you both to take over Blackstone enterprises. Not to mention you’re busy with school and work. I have to admit, I thought you’d quit your job. I know Nicholas wants y
ou to.”

  “I know, it’s hard to explain. It’s a point of pride for me to be able to pay for my own education. Anyways, Nicholas finds other ways to spoil me so I think it all evens out and we both get what we want.”

  “Once you’re married there will probably be expectations, you know that, right, Breanne? Mrs. Blackstone can’t be a waitress if you want to fit into his world.”

  “I’ll worry about that after the vows. So how did your date go with Shane last night?” I asked, switching topics.

  “It was okay, nothing special,” Tabitha shrugged.

  “Oh no, what happened?” I asked.

  “He was just so full of himself, it felt like a job interview. The conversation was forced, there was no chemistry. When he wasn’t bragging about his car or the exclusive clubs he belonged to he was grilling me on my family and connections. He’s an obvious social climber, it was such a turn-off.”

  “I’m really sorry,” I told her.

  “My family is too high profile for normal guys, they find it intimidating, and I can’t stand country club guys with their egos. I may as well adopt twenty cats and accept my fate as an eccentric spinster,” Tabitha sighed, taking another sip of her cappuccino.

  “You’ll meet a nice guy, I know you will, you just need to give it time. And you need to help them through being intimidated. Being pulled into Nicholas’ world was difficult for me at first, I needed to ease into it. You’re Tabitha Bates, and even though you’re so far from being a snobby socialite you make men who aren’t used to that world nervous.”

  “Thanks, Breanne, I guess I never thought of it that way. I see you and Nicholas so happy together, and I want that for myself.”

  “I know you do,” I told her. “And if there’s any way I can help you know I will.” I was interrupted by the sound of my phone ringing. “One second,” I told Tabitha as I pulled my phone out of my purse. It was my boss Mark from the restaurant.

  “Hello,” I said.

  “Breanne, it’s Mark. Can you come in for the dinner shift tonight? We have a bunch of reservations and it’s going to be busy.”

  “I have class, then I would need to head home to grab my uniform.”

  “Could you? We’re really in a bind here.”

  “Of course, I’ll be there around four,” I agreed.

  “Good. Thanks, Breanne,” Mark answered, then he hung up. I sighed. There went my plans for later in the evening with Nicholas.

  “Was that work?” Tabitha asked.

  “I need to go in tonight, and speaking of going, I should head to class. See you this weekend?”

  “Girls night with you, Evelyn and Sasha? I’m looking forward to it,” she replied.

  I smiled as I picked up my bag, waved goodbye and headed towards my forensic psychology class.

  I made my way into the lecture hall and found a seat, pulling out my notebook and a pen. Students filtered in, followed by Professor Scott. Since this was the career I hoped to pursue, his class was one of my favorites and I always came excited and eager to learn. As the lecture began, I was transfixed on every word Professor Scott spoke, taking detailed notes as I listened. Hours flew by as we discussed famous case studies, from Jeffrey Dahmer to David Berkowitz. Professor Scott ended with Kenneth Bianchi when time was up, and said he would continue next class. As everyone gathered their things to leave, I made my way to the front.

  “Professor Scott, great lecture today,” I told him.

  “I’m glad it piqued your interest, Breanne. Have you settled on a subject for your paper yet?”

  “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. I had a meeting with a Psychologist, a family friend, who is going to connect me with a Forensic Psychologist here in Chicago. I thought after we meet I might leave with an idea of one or two case studies that could help inform my paper.”

  “Are you still interested in deception?” he asked me.

  “I am, I just need to refine my thesis a bit more.”

  “Well, you’re very lucky to be able to meet with someone in the field. I think you’ll find that very illuminating. If you want to talk through your topic in more detail you know my office hours, feel free to come by.”

  “I will, thank you, Professor,” I told him.

  I headed out of class into the sunshine. I took transit home, dropped off my things, then changed into my work uniform. It was hung up in the closet next to gowns and designer heels. My old life and my new life, mixed together like a jigsaw. I thought about what Tabitha said, about how one day I won’t be able to straddle both of these worlds. She was probably right.

  As I headed back onto the streetcar I sent Nicholas a text.

  I got called into work tonight, I’ll be back late. Sorry.

  I pulled my hair into a ponytail while the streetcar bumped along, stopping every so often to let people off and on. When we arrived at my stop near Cafe Mirage, I hopped off then headed inside the building into the elevators to the top floor where the restaurant was located. As I made my way through the doors I glanced out the windows at the panoramic view of the Chicago skyline. It still took my breath away, buildings reaching up into the sky while sunlight bounced off their shining surfaces.

  “Breanne, there you are,” said Mark walking towards me with a smile. “Thanks for coming in, I hope you didn’t have anything planned this evening.”

  “No, I was free,” I lied.

  “Good. You may not need the money anymore, but we still need you,” he said with a wink. I flinched, put off by his insinuation, and the smile faded from his face. “Let’s get moving, it’s going to be a busy night.” Mark walked past me to speak with the bartender, I headed over to the waitress station and picked up a crisp white apron, wrapping it around my waist and tying it behind my back.

  “Hey, Breanne,” Sandra said as she refilled a pitcher of water. “You coming in after school?”

  “I am, yeah,” I told her.

  “I really admire you,” Sandra said. “I mean, you don’t need to work here anymore but you still do. Not many people would do that.”

  “It’s important to me that I work for myself. It’s the way I was raised.”

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you,” Sandra said softly. I sighed.

  “You didn’t, I just wish everyone here would treat me the same. Nothing has changed. I’m getting married, I didn’t win the lottery. I’m still the same Breanne.”

  Sandra smiled at me. “Well then, same old Breanne, you better head to your section. They just seated a table there,” she said gesturing over to the corner of the restaurant.

  I nodded and headed over, greeting the guests warmly. “Welcome to Cafe Mirage, what can I get for you this evening?”

  “We’ll have a bottle of champagne,” said the man wearing a dark suit, the corners of his eyes crinkling slightly as he smiled.

  The woman seated there beamed at the man across from her. “It’s our anniversary,” she looked up and told me, her fingers gently tracing a line along the man’s arm.

  “Congratulations,” I told them. “We’re glad that you chose to celebrate with us this evening. I’ll get your champagne right away.” I headed over to the bar as the couple gazed longingly at each other across the table. Seeing people in love warmed me; it reminded me of how wonderful life could be when you found the person who complimented you so perfectly. As the bartender prepared the champagne, Mark caught my eye and gestured for me to go over to the corner to speak with him. I walked away as Keith, the bartender, filled a bucket with ice and started to uncork the champagne.

  “Listen, Breanne, we need to talk,” Mark told me.

  “What is it, Mark?” I asked.

  “I’m happy for you, but your ring. It’s enormous. It’s a distraction really.” I looked down at the sparkling diamond on my hand, then back at Mark.

  “It’s my engagement ring,” I told him plainly. “Is there a problem?”

  “It’s just that you’re a waitress here, and I think it draws unnece
ssary attention,” he continued.

  “I haven’t had anyone say anything to me,” I told him.

  “Well, I’m saying something. Hide it when you’re at work, okay?” I bit my lip, unsure why this was such a big deal. “The champagne is ready for your table, you better go bring it over,” Mark told me before walking away.

  Feeling embarrassed and chastised, I slipped the ring off my finger and took off my necklace, threading it around the chain, refastening it around my neck then tucking it under my shirt. Mark had never mentioned anything about it before, why now?

  I shook the encounter from my mind, picked up the champagne and brought it to the table with a smile on my face. I went through the rest of my shift focusing on the needs of the people around me, it was a busy night and the restaurant was packed. By the end of my shift, my feet were aching. I helped close up, then headed downstairs, feeling exhausted.

  “Need a ride?” a familiar voice called from the curb.

  I turned my head and saw Nicholas smiling at me from the back of a Bentley, his arm resting on the window frame. My heart skipped a beat and I walked over, he opened the door and I slid in beside him. He wrapped his arm around my waist and kissed me, holding me close, taking my hand in his as I closed the door. He looked down at my hand, puzzled. “Where’s your ring Breanne?” he asked.

  “Oh,” I said, looking down at my bare finger. I pulled my necklace free from my shirt and unclasped it, taking my ring and sliding it back onto my finger where it belonged.

  “Why were you hiding it?” Nicholas asked me as we pulled away into traffic.

  “Mark said it was a distraction, and he doesn’t want me wearing it at work,” I replied flatly. “It’s okay, really. I don’t want to make a big deal of it.”

  “That’s ridiculous,” Nicholas said, his features hardening. “What right does he have to ask you to do that?”

  “He has every right since he’s, well, my boss,” I said with a sigh. “Let’s talk about something else. This is a nice surprise, I thought I would just meet you at home.”