Freeing Alex (The Alexandra Drake Series) Read online

  I glare at her. Lady, I’ll deal with you later. I make a note to discuss the inappropriate chatter. So, Aconi is a stud? Umm.

  “I have an appointment with Mr Aconi, or should I say I had an appointment twenty minutes ago. I believe he knows I’m waiting, so please would you tell him that Mrs Alex Drake is still here, still waiting for him.” I’m firm. Since leaving Lewis I’ve started to regain a little of my confidence, confidence that was initially bashed out of me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not there yet, just working on it, but determined that I am going to have a new life, a fulfilled life and, yes, I’d like a new man I think, but not just yet. Give me a couple of months and then I can roll in between the sheets with a stud!

  She looks at me again, down her nose at me, I’m sure, and makes the call. “Roger, can you tell Mr Aconi that Mrs Drake is still here, waiting to see him, she says she has an appointment… Okay, I’ll ask her to wait.” Her tone’s demeaning. I don’t know if I like this young lady. I wonder if she would be different if she knew who I was, her real new boss, the person who could effectively click her fingers and have her fired? Not that’d I do that. No, I’m a little more tactful, just a little more compassionate than that, but she – they – will have to be told about their behaviour.

  She hangs up and looks at me. “Please take a seat, Mrs Drake. He knows you’re here, he won’t keep you too much longer.” That tone needs to be checked too. Mental note.

  “Thank you,” I look at her badge, “Monica.” I’ve got your name, lady. I won’t be marking her card yet, but we need to have a chat.

  I return to my seat and continue my wait. My thoughts drift again to the last few weeks, the people I’ve met in person and talked to on the telephone, mainly business, people that Maggie was involved with. The car I bought, because the Focus died. The fact that I hate driving in London!

  I sigh and return to people watching, it fascinates me. I look at those coming and going from the hotel and my eye is drawn to a large blond man, late thirties, maybe early forties, I guess. He’s with a petite slim young lady walking at his side, slightly in front, almost as if she’s being escorted from the premises. There’s a hoot of laughter from reception, I look up and see the two girls that were gossiping watching the big man and this woman walk straight across the foyer. Is that Aconi?

  He escorts the woman, who looks dishevelled, probably from the good shagging that I understand has taken place, out of the hotel and then approaches the reception counter where he speaks briefly to the girls. One of them points to me and he makes his way over. As he approaches I get to see him more closely. There’s no fat on him, he’s big, muscular, and very tall. No, scrub that, he’s huge!

  “Mrs Drake?” he enquires in a very deep gravelly voice.

  I stand. “Yes.” Oh God, I remember now what it feels like to be attracted to someone of the opposite sex, I haven’t felt like this for years. Shit, Alex, pull yourself together!

  Now I’m closer to this blond-haired Action Man standing before me, I re-evaluate my guess at his age, maybe in his forties, and my initial impression is that this is the great James Aconi, the General Manager that I have heard so much about. He’s dressed in a dark suit and a black shirt, he’s also wearing an earpiece. What a prat, I think to myself, walking around the hotel with his Bluetooth earpiece in place, and did he service that woman with it stuck in his ear, I wonder if he conducted business between thrusts? He looks so cool and calm, he can’t have just been doing it? No, surely not, she looked wrecked, he looks shower fresh!

  “I’m Roger,” he growls, “security. I’ve been asked to walk you through to Mr Aconi‘s office.” He’s very matter of fact and his introduction, well, that’s chucked my theory about him being Aconi right out! “Follow me, please.” He looks me up and down, his dark blue eyes taking everything in, the rugged face, the rugged handsome face clearly making a mental note of his surroundings, of me. This guy has to be ex-military, his posture, the way he holds himself.

  He waits for me to collect my bag, once I’m sorted and stood behind this towering man he walks quickly to the back of the foyer I follow him to a door marked Staff Only, which leads us to a corridor and a staircase leading up and down.

  “We need to go up,” he grumps. He’s huge. Security, yes, this guy is every inch a security man, I wouldn’t like to mess with him – or maybe I would?

  I’m starting to feel a little like my old self. Being away from Lewis for these last few weeks, not feeling like I’m walking on eggshells all of the time, is doing me good. I always said that no man would ever want me, that I’d never, ever get involved with another man. Hell, who’d have me anyway with my monstrous scars, but – well, I can dream, can’t I?

  “Did you find us okay?” he asks as I follow him, presumably trying to make polite conversation and drawing me from my thoughts.

  “Umm, not too bad. Although I dislike driving in London, too busy for me.”

  He laughs. “Not from around here then?”

  I huff my way up the stairs. “No, we’ve relocated from Staffordshire, a small village, so this is completely different.”

  “You’ll get used to us, I’m sure,” he mumbles.

  “I wouldn’t put money on it,” I laugh. “Where is Mr Aconi's office?” I ask as we seem to climb endless stairs.

  “He’s on the fourth floor, there’s a lift but I prefer to use the stairs.” His deep voice almost echoes as we climb the narrow dark staircase.

  “Well, I suppose they are healthier,” I add, catching my breath as we climb more and more stairs.

  We finally stop climbing at what I guess must be the fourth floor, although we seem to have been going on forever. Action Man pushes a door open and we walk further along a dimly lit corridor. This is most definitely a staff only area and not at all like the luxurious surroundings I have just been sitting in. “He’s just along here,” he mumbles, and eventually we stop at a door signed General Manager. He stops and knocks on the door a couple of times – firm, loud knocks – and walks in, he doesn’t wait to be called.

  “James, this is Mrs Drake,” he announces.

  “Just a moment,” the man behind the desk says. He has his head down, I see a mass of unruly dark curls, yes, this guy looks as though he’s just had the most amazing time, lucky woman! He looks up. “Hello,” the stunningly handsome man at the other side of the desk says.

  Well, if this is Aconi he’s totally and utterly different to anything and everything that I was expecting. Lord, how any woman wouldn’t just melt at the looks is, well, just not possible – and judging by the conversation I heard downstairs, they do! This guy is stunning! Maybe being away from Lewis has changed me.

  “Hi, I’m Alex Drake,” I pant, out of breath, I think, although I’m possibly also aroused for the first time in years! I know I used to visit the gym regularly and consider myself reasonably fit, but this security person, whoever he is… well, it feels like I’ve just run 10K up those stairs, he certainly keeps an accelerated pace. I’m about to collapse on the floor when the handsome bloke at the other side of the desk stands up.

  “James Aconi. Pleased to meet you, Mrs Drake. Please – take a seat.” He gestures towards the battered leather chair before sitting back down in his swivel chair.

  I look at the chair in front of his desk, it looks well used. Glancing around his office, I wonder where he and that girl— Alex, stop it! I reprimand myself before collapsing into the leather, aware that I now have Action Man behind me and a movie star in front of me. Holy shit, Maggie worked with these two, no wonder she never came home. I mean, who in their right mind would leave this pair for a quiet little village in Staffordshire where nothing ever happens and the highlight of the year was Mrs Watson’s garden party! I struggle to get my breath back without making too much of a fuss. My mind’s whizzing at a hundred miles an hour, two fit blokes and me! Wow! Alex, keep your thoughts to yourself and your mouth zipped, no loose lips in here. Oh Lord above – take me now! Either one of you –
both of you!

  I try to mentally calm myself and glance around his office. It’s not plush but comfortable, with a large dark desk which looks quite old and battered and, well, I suppose well used! There’s a high-back swivel chair which Aconi sits in. He must be all of thirty-five at the most, I’m still stunned, he really is not what I was expecting. He’s built, not like Action Man behind me, but not far off. Through his white shirt I can see thick arms and the open neck shows how well developed he really is. I have no doubt that what I see at that neck leads to exceptional pectorals and abs. No, I’m speechless at this James Aconi, the one with the beautiful, handsome face, the olive skin, that dark curly hair and… wow, the eyes, whoa!

  He smiles and that just about does it, I’m officially an exhausted quivering heap. He sits, just looking at me, weighing me up, I think. He gazes at my Marks & Spencer dress and handbag, no doubt aware that my floral dress came from the mid-range store. “So you’re my new boss?” he states with an almost sarcastic tone. Oh shit, the tone of his voice – he’s going to give me trouble, and not just in a work way!

  “Yes, I suppose I am. I’m so pleased to meet you at last, I’ve heard such good things about you, James. I can call you James?” I’m still trying to catch my breath.

  “Sure, everyone else does, ‘cause that’s my name.” His voice is husky and he sounds cock sure of himself.

  Action Man coughs to cover a laugh from behind me. “Anything else?” he mutters, addressing Aconi.

  Aconi looks at the security man. “No, Rog, that’ll be all.”

  The big guy leaves. I sense that James is not happy about me being here, but I’ve no intention of stepping on his toes, I don’t want to run the place. Hell, I don’t really know what I want to do just yet other than just to know what goes on.

  “So,” I say brightly, now that I’ve finally got an audience with Aconi, the King of Sex, “I wanted to come along today and introduce myself. I’m not sure how much Maggie had to do with this place, although I don’t think she got involved with the day-to-day running of it, and everyone speaks highly of you.”

  He picks a pen up off his desk, rolling it between his long fingers. “Do they? Well, I suppose that’s good. What do you intend to do with Reid’s?” he asks, straight to the point, his tone brittle to say the least. I really get the impression that this stunning bloke is not happy with me being here, not happy at all, although I don’t know why, maybe he just feels threatened? Maybe his next girl is lined up, waiting for his ministrations?

  I watch him for a moment or two, taking more of him in. “Nothing, for the time being. I intend to leave it as it is,” I say firmly, looking around the dark but tidy office. “You’re the General Manager, if there are any problems I expect that you will put them right. If something is wrong and you can’t fix it, I expect that when Maggie owned the place you would have told her, so I would like to think you’ll do the same with me,” I say calmly.

  “So are you saying you’ll operate the same as Maggie?” He sounds a little brighter, I’m starting to think that maybe he felt a bit threatened.

  “I suppose so.” I sigh. “Look, James, I’ve no idea how Maggie looked after her affairs, I’m just learning. I don’t know how she ran this place, if she ran it at all, and I certainly don’t want to tread on any toes. You run this place, everyone speaks so highly of you. I just feel that I need to know who works for me, what they do, and in that respect I will be a little more involved than Maggie was.” I try to explain my rationale for being here today.

  There’s a moment’s silence, maybe he’s processing what I’ve said. “Really? So you’re not going to take over anything?” he questions, frowning, his tone just a little more at ease. He leans forward, placing his forearms on his desk, and as each second passes he looks a little more relaxed.

  I shrug my shoulders, looking at him, that stunning face. He still looks confused. “No. Why would I want to take over? I have no idea what to do. Frankly I don’t need to work, but I want to, I need to keep myself occupied, that’s all.”

  I open my hands. “You have my assurance, James,” I reiterate. “Look, I’ve no bloody idea how to run a hotel, a bed and breakfast or any kind of hospitality business. I used to teach primary school kids, that’s my background. I’m here today to learn about you,” shit, that came out wrong, “…not take over from you.”

  I see him visibly relax. “I don’t think we got off to a particularly good start, did we?” I say. I don’t mean to sound patronising but it comes out like it. “Shall we start again?”

  He smiles. Oh Lord, that smile. I swoon. Gosh, I haven’t felt like this for… how long? Lewis and I haven’t been intimate since, oh I don’t know when, must be fifteen years ago, and even when he did come near me it was only for his own benefit. I never had feelings like this since – well, not since I married, apart from the odd bloke in the supermarket that disappeared around an aisle before I could get a second look. I was always too busy worrying about whether I was in trouble for anything at home to think about sex. But now, as I sit in this battered old chair in front of this man with movie-star looks, all those feelings I remember from my youth come flooding back. He’s watching me, weighing me up, I’m struggling to keep it together. Shit, I’d forgotten what it felt like to feel horny!

  “I’d like to start again,” he says, showing me that smile again.

  Oh God, I need to get out of here. But you can’t, Alex, I think to myself, pull yourself together.

  “Right. So…” I laugh.

  “Well, it’s good to meet you, Mrs Drake,” he says. His voice is so deep, so sexy, the brittle tone gone. I don’t know if I can work with him, I’m already feeling completely aroused.

  “Well, I have to say I’ve been excited and dreading coming here, mixed emotions.” I’m sure my voice trembles.

  “Have you?” He raises an eyebrow. “Excited… And why’s that?” He smiles again and stands. Oh God, he’s tall, and he walks around to the front of his desk, parking his arse on the end, his long legs stretched out before him, they look muscled as well!

  “Because it’s real. Maggie was silent in so many businesses, businesses that I have no interest in, no desire to even get to know. Because she was silent in those concerns it’s almost as if they don’t exist, they’re not tangible, but this is real… I can touch it, come into it, feel it. Does that make sense?” I try to explain as best as I can but all the time I’m mesmerized by this gorgeous man.

  “Yes, I suppose so. I assume you’d like to have a look around?” he offers, standing up from the corner of his desk.

  Only if you’re showing me. “Please, although I’d love a cup of tea first.” I’m parched and Action Man’s workout has just about finished me off.

  “We can stop in the bar area.” He opens his door, very polite a gentleman too, and gestures for me to follow. “Shall we?”

  “Hmm, you lead, I’ll follow.” I wait for him to walk out into the corridor before following.

  He looks at me, continuing to weigh me up, I think. It occurs to me that maybe he had an image of what I might be like. I wonder if he was expecting someone older or younger?

  I follow him out of his office and along the corridor, the stairs and into the public areas, as he guides me around the hotel pointing out various things, some obvious, some not. His pace is quick. I wonder if everyone here goes at a hundred miles an hour. His strides are purposeful and as I follow I can’t take my eyes off that bloody arse and those long, long legs.

  He points out the reception, as if I didn’t know. “Can you introduce me to the girls?” I ask. “I’ve spoken to them a couple of times today, but at your request I didn’t tell them who I was. Perhaps now is the appropriate time, I’d like to say ‘hello’.” I like the feeling that I’m in control. This is how I used to be before Lewis.

  He gestures towards reception and we walk over. Standing at the marble counter, the one I spoke to last, Monica, makes her way over towards us. “Mr Aconi.” She s
miles, looking longingly at him, looking flustered as the man she was discussing with her colleague stands before her.

  “Monica, just get the other two girls please. I’d like to introduce you to Mrs Drake.” He’s firm. Good – I’m glad he’s keeping the little miss and her colleagues in check.

  Within seconds all three girls are stood before him, all with their bright white smiles, all looking like they’re willing him to devour them instantly and he clearly has their attention.

  “Girls, I’d like to introduce you to…”

  As he starts to speak, I interrupt him, placing my hand on his arm. “Can I introduce myself?” I look up at him, and I do have to look up – he’s so much taller than me. The girls all look at me, not with daggers, more like pins!

  “Oh, yes, of course.” He smiles.

  I look at the three girls behind the counter, smiling sweetly, particularly at Monica. “Hello, I’m Alex Drake. I’m the new owner of this hotel,” I tell them with just a little smile. I’m enjoying this.

  Two of them smile and say “hello” very politely, but Monica’s face drops. She looks shocked, eventually stammering, “Mrs Drake.”

  “Yes, Monica, Mrs Drake.” I look at James. “James, I believe we may have a training issue in this area, in reception. Please can you look into it for me? We need to address private and personal conversations taking place in earshot of our – my – guests. Can I leave that with you to sort?” I smile at Monica again. Oh yes, she knows her card’s marked.

  He looks at his reception team, frowning, and then again at me. “Sure, I’ll get it organised.” He sounds confused.

  I smile at the girls again and lean towards Monica. I speak very quietly, nearly whispering at the shocked young woman. “If I hear anything like that again, lady, you’ll need to convince me to let you keep your job. Understand?” I don’t wait for her to answer and turn. Walking away, James catches me up very quickly after a few more quiet words with the girls. Hopefully that’s put her in her place, little madam.