Page 6 of The Seductress

She was one cool customer, because not by so much as a flick of an eyelash did anything change. Was she so sure of herself that she’d fooled me so completely, that it never entered her mind that I would’ve found out? Seems like it. If the wayshe stood before me looking so innocent was any indication.

“My trip was fine what’s going on? You seem, distant.” That fucking deceitful smile flitted across her face. Instead of an answer I walked around behind my desk and removed the folder I’d just placed in the drawer. Throwing it on top of the desk I waited as the top fell open to reveal what I had there.

That was when I saw the first chink in her armor. She swallowed deeply and took a step back and I could see the wheels turning as she tried to come up with an explanation for what we were looking at.

“You were spying on me?”

“That’s good, go on the defensive. You’re the injured partyhere. Sorry that won’t wash.” I kept my voice level, reeling her in with a false sense that I didn’t know it all.

“I could explain...” This ought to be good.

“I’m sure you could.” Folding my arms, I leaned against the desk and waited.

She was trying hard to regroup but I had the element of surprise on my side. Now she was the one taken completely off guard. The first pictures were of her and the man she’d gone away to meet. The man she’d been having an affair with for the last ten years as far as I could tell.

She walked deeper into the room and I kept her in my sight. All wild animals attack when they feel cornered and I wasn’t expectinganything less from this snake. I could see it now, that hardness around the mouth and eyes.

What I’d once mistaken for reserve was nothing more than cold hard evil. “It was just a stupid thing. I ran into an old friend…” I held my hand up because I couldn’t believe just how stupid she took me for. Maybe she too had been fooled by my laid back stance. Could she really think that I was that far gone over her that I would fall for this shit?

“First of all, before you say anything else I know all about you and him. I know about the other men you’ve fleeced over the years and right now as we speak, I have people working on finding out just what the fuck you two have been really up to. You see what I’ve found so far seemsto point to you two sinking your hooks into unsuspecting men and taking them for everything, but what I don’t see is what you’ve been doing with it. Where did the money go Jen?”

She lost the color in her face and swear to fuck she was contemplating making a move on me. “Try it. Like I said I have people digging into your past since I’ve only had a week to get this much, but it’s enough to convince me that there’s more.”

“I don’t have to stand here and listen to this.”

“You do if you don’t want to end up in jail.” That stopped her in her tracks. “Jail? Why would I go to jail? We never made any commitment, I never took anythingfrom you.”

“That’s only because I found you out before you could reel me in. There’s still the question of what your intentions were beyond fleecing me. Does your exes know the whole story? Did they ever find out what you really are in the end?”

That really scared her and made me wonder all the more just exactly what it was she was up to. She changed tack once again and let the mask slip. “Who told you?” Gone was the polished sophisticate and in her place stood the heartless bitch I’d only just uncovered.

“What, about your two failed marriages? No one.” I lied. No way was I putting my future wife in the line of fire. “I had a hunch is all.” Shestudied me and I realized I’d seen that look on her face many times in the last three months. “Quite a racket you and your boy had going. You could’ve taken me for…” I moved the pictures around and got the information I had on her divorces. “Ten million easy. Not bad for three months work and you didn’t even have to sleep with me, so I guess that just stops short of making you a complete…”

She flew at me in a rage before I could say the word but I sidestepped and moved out of the way without touching her. Yes, I was recording this whole sordid ordeal, but I didn’t want her to know that. Not until I knew what her true crime was and I was sure there had to be one.

“I wouldn’t do that if I wereyou. Then we’d have to get the law involved and I don’t think you’d want that.” She fixed herself and tried for a semblance of dignity as if that was gonna happen.

“Where did you get that?” She was staring at the copy of her divorce settlements I held in my hand. “So what I was married twice before, it’s not a crime.”

“No, but your reasons for those marriages may very well be. In fact I’m sure of it.”

“Why? Because I didn’t tell you I was married before?” Oh now she was fishing.

“No, I can see why you’d want to keep that a secret. But I’m more interested in the men you chose and the way you played them. Allbusinessmen, all a lot older than me which is a bit questioning. Why me?”

“Because you were easy. I studied you-you know.” She sneered before studying her nails, failing at trying to give off an air of indifference. Since she’d done such a fine job of fooling me before, I was more attuned to her every move now.

That’s why I was able to see the slight tremble in her limbs, and the way her eyes moved around like a cornered ferret. If she was trying to get a rise out of me she failed. “You’re right, I was easy. But that’s mostly because I found more interest in my business dealings than you or any relationship we may have had.” I could see that last hurt her vanity.

“So, what now?” I looked at herand felt sick. Had I really been about to ask this to marry me? My body went cold at the thought but then I remembered what I had at home waiting for me and didn’t feel so bad after all.

“Now, you get the hell out of my life. You forget you ever knew me, and you don’t ever come near me again. If you so much as look in my direction after today, I will make you regret the day you ever set your sights on me.” I’d already told her that I had someone looking into her past and what the hell it was she was up to. And the fact that my threat to call the cops had kept her here only solidified my belief that she was doing more than scalping men who had more money than sense.

This was only the beginning. Ihadn’t told her the half of what I’d uncovered so far, I didn’t want her to run, not yet. I wanted her to think that she’d covered her tracks so well that there was no way I could expose her. Little did she know, that with my resources and drive, there wasn’t any place she could hide.

I opened the door and ushered her out watching until she hopped on the elevator. I’d kept my anger well hidden, not wanting to show my hand too soon. This phase of the game was more for Ashley than myself. She wanted Jen out of my life yesterday, which I understood. Had she not been in the picture I might have strung her along a little more until it was time to pounce.

But I had to get her out of my life and though I could’ve come upwith a million excuses for it, I wanted to make her sweat. I wanted her worrying, looking over her shoulder very second of every day, wondering when I’d finally have the last nail for her coffin.

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