"Flattery will get you nowhere, Aaron," I teased him. It seemed to be the best way to treat his easy teasing style.
He lifted his hand and placed it across his heart. "You wound me."
David moved past his brother and stalked over to me. Possessively he wrapped his arm around my waist and drew me with him across the room to the door.
"It's time we went down to dinner. I know what my brother is like. Given half an opportunity he will attempt to charm you right out of my arms."
I was a little stunned. This was the first time I had properly witnessed David's jealousy. The last time I had glimpsed a possibility of it was when Robert had tricked him into believing we had slept together.
Suddenly the tension in the room was raised by several notches. Aaron's face had gotten darker and I could feel the anger vibrating through David's grip. I touched his hand that lay around my waist and he jumped. When he looked at me it was as though he had been asleep and was only just waking up. He seemed to be looking at me as though for the first time.
"We should go." Aaron turned on his heel and made his way for the door.
With another touch on David's hand, I made to follow his brother but David held me back. He tilted my face up towards his and brushed his lips against mine. There was something in the kiss that let me know I was very close to finding out some of David's secrets. That he was indeed deep and that he had a darkness within him that I had yet to properly see.
"Now we go." He whispered the words against my lips before taking my hand and heading for the door.
Once in the lift the atmosphere seemed to relax. Aaron remained silent for the trip down to the lobby and I fidgeted nervously. If I could have avoided going to this dinner then I would gladly have done so.
The doors opened in the lobby and I caught sight of Angelica and Robert standing by the sofa at the far wall. From what I could make out they seemed to be arguing. Angelica was waving her hands about and her face was contorted in rage. Robert was as cold as I had ever known him to be. He jabbed one finger in Angelica's direction as we exited the lift.
Angelica's face changed the moment she saw David. It instantly softened and she lit up like a Christmas tree. I watched as Robert dropped his neutral facade into place. He seemed to know by Angelica's reaction that we had arrived. He spun around, a smile wreathing his face.
"David, Aaron. So lovely to see you. Carrie..." His voice turned husky as he addressed me, his eyes taking in each curve of my body beneath the black satin of my dress.
Angelica's reaction to me was far less warm. Her gaze left David for a second, flitting over to me. The look of adoration fled her face and was replaced with a grimace. Looking at her, if I wasn't mistaken, then it actually pained her to see me. I wasn't the only one who noticed this look. David squeezed my hand in his and I broke eye contact with Angelica to look up at him.
As though to prove a point he lifted my hand and pressed his warm lips to the back of it. The gesture sent warmth flooding down into my belly and turned my legs to jelly. There was a promise in David's eyes. A promise of what would come when this meeting was over and done with. He had started something tonight and who knew where it was going to end.
"Walk me in to dinner, David?" Angelica's soft breathy voice floated through my haze of lust and broke the connection between David and me. He turned startled eyes to Angelica. But the look quickly turned to one of disdain.
"Angelica, I am here with Carrie." He pulled me in front of him and wrapped his body around mine as though to emphasise his point.
Angelica visibly bristled at David's brush off and she opened her mouth to voice her complaint. Icy hate filled her eyes as she stared at me. She was obviously a very unbalanced person, I thought to myself. How could she hate me with such fervour when she didn't even know me?
"Angelica, Darling..." Robert's voice cut through the standoff and he stepped up and took her elbow. Pain flashed across her face and I glanced down at where he held her. His fingers had turned completely white and I could only imagine how painful it must be to have him dig his fingers into her small arm.
"I will walk you in to dinner. You are here with me, after all."
She opened her mouth but he silenced her with a look.
"We will deal with these indiscretions later." He pulled her arm over his in a very gentlemanly manner but I could see the pinched look around her eyes and I knew he was hurting her. I wanted to reach out to her, to tell him to get off and leave her alone, but she must have seen the look that entered my eyes. She shot me a dirty look and the look of pain disappeared from her face. It was replaced with one of haughtiness and she went willingly with Robert.
I leaned up to David and whispered my words against his ear, "Why does she stay with him if he hurts her?"
David shrugged his shoulders and looked sad. "I do not know. Robert is a very persuasive man. No one knows the true goings on in another’s relationship."
We followed the other couple to the dining room and took our seats at the large, round table.
David sat on one side, his hand tracing lazy circles on my legs through the satin of my dress. Aaron sat on the other side and Angelica and Robert sat almost entirely opposite us.
The men talked business and I only half listened. Several times it seemed that Robert might have the upper hand but David and Aaron quickly squashed him at every opportunity.
Half way through the main course Angelica leaned over to Robert and whispered something in his ear. He nodded and she stood.
"I'm afraid, gentlemen, I must retire for the evening I have the beginnings of a headache." She ignored Aaron and me, her gaze instantly going to David as she spoke. As she left I released a sigh of relief.
On one hand I pitied her and on the other I didn't like her at all. She made it very hard for me to feel compassion for her. I couldn't help but feel a little confused by her. Was I even meant to feel compassion for her? There was no way she could have any female friends and, if she did, then they had to be as cold as she was.
The hairs stood up on the back of my neck and I climbed out of my own thoughts. I glanced around the room but I could find no reason to feel so uneasy. It wasn't until I happened to look over at Robert that I realised the reason for my unease.
His eyes bored holes into me and I could feel the same icy hatred rolling off him as I had felt earlier with Angelica. David squeezed my leg and in that moment I was glad that he was here with me.
I turned to David as he lifted his wine glass to his lips. "I think I should allow you to continue your negotiations in peace." I quirked my eyebrow and slowly ran my tongue across my lips.