Page 3 of Taboo

“I feel—and I don’t want you to get your feelings hurt by this—but you seem to have been in a bit of a rut.”

“A rut?”

Nicola nodded. “Yes.”

“My work has been subpar?” Great. Now she’d let her family down, on top of having a real tosser of an ex throwing out lies about her.

“No, not at all. I just don’t think you’ve been happy with it.” Nicola’s ice blue eyes studied her for a long moment before Julienne dropped her gaze to her lap. It was true, and she didn’t know what to do about it. “Your work has been excellent as usual, but you don’t seem happy like you used to.”

“I haven’t been happy with my entire life. I recently broke up with Gregor.”

“It’s been a year. And you did that because you were bored.”

She raised her gaze to Nicola’s. “You’re right, but…”

“You were unhappy with things before that, Jules.”

This woman was so damned perceptive. “Yes. I don’t know what’s wrong.”

Her position in the family business was all about interior design. She handled their public and private spaces, and she had loved it. Adored it, actually. She’d been in the top five at the Royal College of Art where she received her MA in design. And it had all seemed like so much fun when she’d started, but now…

“You’re creative. You need to get out there, see some of the world, do something different. Creative types always do.”

“If my work is satisfactory, then why do I need to change?” The moment the question left her lips, Julienne realized how insane the comment was. In college, she had thrived on challenge, always looking for something that pushed her.

“You know why. And look at it as kind of a vacation. You and David can go over to Hawaii, meet with the Johnsons, and have a little fun. Yes, people notice you if you run with an entourage, but if you fit in with the locals, they won’t pay attention to you.”

She gave her sister-in-law a smile. “This pasty Brit is going to stand out among all the golden-skinned locals.”

“There’s more than a few pasty Brits over there, but you will also just look like another tourist. And take the jet.”

“Why? If David and I are heading over there, wouldn’t it just be wasteful?”

“You can just disappear from here and no one will know where you are.”

Of course. Julienne had flown commercial for most of her life if she wasn’t on official business. Even sometimes when she was. Since all the mess with Gregor, she hadn’t been able to.

“And if you agree to take a few bodyguards, Jensen won’t throw a fit.”

“Ugh, really?”

Nicola had a stalker a year ago and they had almost lost her. Jensen had gotten a little overprotective of everyone, including Jakob. Her brother’s wife nodded. “Yes. Now you know you and David will have a wonderful time. Go start packing and I’ll begin working on your brother.”

“Fine, but if anything happens here, anything I need to be here for, you will call me back. Agreed?”

“Of course.”

She and Nicola discussed a few of the particulars of the trip, and then Julienne went across town to her flat to pack. It didn’t take her long to gather up everything she thought she would need. She hadn’t traveled much in the last few years, but their family had traveled a lot when they were kids. Her mother had all taught them how to pack fast and light.

Once that was done, she grabbed a cup of tea and sat in front of the massive window that looked out over London. It had been the main reason she’d bought the flat a few months ago. Grey clouds and the smattering of rain made for a dreary day, and Julienne decided that a little break in a tropical paradise might be exactly what she needed.

chapter two

“Is there anything else, Mr. Johnson?”the bellhop asked him. Alek didn’t respond for several moments, then he realized the kid was talking to him. He still wasn’t accustomed to the nameMr. Johnson.

“No, this is fine,” Alek said, handing him a tip. The bellhop smiled and thanked him, then scurried out of the room.

Once he was alone, Alek toed off his shoes, the need to be barefoot still thrummed through his blood. There were a lot of things he’d left behind in Hawaii when he joined the Army fifteen years ago. An ex fiancé, his family, and all the headaches both of them gave him. But this connection was always there. It felt weird to be inside a home or hotel room and keep his shoes on.

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