“Faith, I know you’re in there,” called the man himself through the door. “I can hear your phone ringing. Open up, it’s urgent.”
“Crap,” she said, leaping off Vance and frantically pulling on her clothes. “Well don’t just sit there,” she told him.
“I hate all this sneaking about,” he sighed, snatching up his t-shirt and pulling it on.
“Me too but just keep in mind that it’s only temporary.”
“They won’t believe we’ve been watching a film together. The room smells of hot, intense sex.”
“Faith,” repeated Caleb louder, banging on the door.
“Just a minute,” she called back. She looked to Vance. “You’re right. There’s only one thing for it – you’ll have to hide in the bedroom.”
“I do not hide.”
“There isn’t time for an argument Vance. Please just do it, for me.”
“All right,” he said, recognising how stricken she was. “For you.”
“Thank you.”
He gathered up the last of his clothes, kissed her and rushed into the bedroom, shutting the door behind him.
Faith took a moment to run her fingers through her hair.
“All right, I’m coming,” she barked when there was another thump at the door. She pulled it open to be confronted by Caleb, Kevin and Jason, her three younger brothers.
“Why the bloody hell are you bashing my front door in?” she demanded.
“Sorry Faith,” replied Caleb. “But it’s urgent. We really need to talk to you.”
“About what?”
“Not out here.”
“Come in then,” she said impatiently.
They stepped inside, three pairs of sharp eyes taking in the room and the bottle of red wine on the table accompanied by two glasses.
“Entertaining, were you sis?” grinned Kevin. “Is that why you took so long to answer the door?”
“Yes, so you’d better say what you want to say and then leave.”
“Is he still here?”
“We’re in a flat on the fourth floor with only one exit. Do you think I threw him out the window?”
“Who is he?”
“None of your business.”
“We can’t talk with him here,” said Caleb. “Send him home.”
“I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“He’s…tied up at the moment.”
Jason’s grin was full of mischief. “Do you mean that literally?”
“Yes, so why don’t you go to the club and wait for me there? Then we can talk in private.”
“We’ll wait while you untie him,” said Caleb.
“No you won’t. I’ll meet you at Pulse.”
“Don’t you want us to meet this mystery man?” he frowned. “Ashamed of us, are you?”
“No, of course not. I just don’t want you to see the things I’m into,” she replied, immediately regretting her choice of words.
“Woah, what are you hiding sis?” said Kevin. “A sexual torture dungeon?”
“Or is he dressed up as a gimp?” grinned Jason.
“Out all three of you and I’ll meet you at the club,” she retorted, wafting them to the door.
“Have you seen Vance?” Caleb asked her as he was ushered out.
“No. Why, can’t you find him?”
“He’s not at his flat and he’s not answering his phone either. We really need to talk to him. You see, it’s about…”
“Tell me at the club,” she told him firmly, thinking it was fortunate Vance had turned off the ringer on his phone otherwise they would have heard it going off in her flat. “I’ll try and find him and bring him with me. Now go.”
Finally she managed to get her brothers out the door and closed and locked it behind them. Only when she heard their voices retreat down the corridor did she rush to her bedroom and fling open the door. Vance lay on the bed, hands clasped behind his head, smiling at her.
“Did you hear all that?” she asked him.
“I did and it made me wonder what you’d look like dressed head to toe in skin-tight PVC. That’s something I really think we should try.”
“Never mind all that now. We have to get to the club. I wouldn’t let the boys tell me what’s happened because I was supposed to be hiding a man who was tied up but whatever it is, it’s urgent.”
“I’m ready to go,” he said, getting to his feet. “Whatever it is, they’re probably panicking over nothing. You remember when Jason went to pieces because a seagull flew into the club? Well, this is probably the same.”
“I don’t think so. Caleb seemed to be taking it seriously and he’s much more level-headed than Jason. Anyway, we’ll soon find out. I told them I’d look for you. Where should I say I found you?”
“In your bed.”
“Please take this seriously Vance.”
“All right, say you found me at the home of some buxom blonde being massaged with baby oil.”
“Or I could say you were in the pub.”
“That’s not as interesting.”
“No, it’s boring and it means they won’t ask awkward questions. Not Lil’s pub, she might tell Caleb you weren’t there. I’ll say I remembered you mentioned going for a drink in a bar on the front. I don’t want to mention a specific place.”
He took her by the shoulders and smiled. “Relax Faith. You look really stressed.”
“Sorry. It’s their fault for turning up unexpectedly like that.”
“You’ll have to get used to it if we’re going to keep seeing each other.”
“And I will. I just hate lying to them.”
“Me too but it’s the price we pay for being together.”
“And I pay it gladly,” she smiled, kissing him.
“We’ve got a little time then if you’ve got to go out looking for me,” he said, pulling her down onto the bed, making her laugh.
CHAPTER 2
“Where the hell have you two been?” demanded Kevin when Faith and Vance walked through the door of the office together at Club Pulse. Here was where they discussed all business, confident in the knowledge that no one could overhear them in a soundproof room.
“It
