Claimed by the Sicilian Tycoon (Criminal Seduction #3)(23)

And Rachel? Her mission would be considerably longer, just like Lyra’s would. There were weeks and weeks ahead of them yet…

A few hours later, after she’d taken a nap, drank two more cups of coffee, and watched a bit of TV, a knock sounded on the front door. Lyra shot up, wondering if it was Andros, and felt ever so slightly disappointed when she opened the door to see a woman stood in the doorway. She was mid-thirties at most, her hair a perfect wave of auburn cut close around her chin. She was also very tall, very thin, and looked very stern.

“Lyra Matthews?” she asked, looking her up and down.

Lyra nodded.

“I’m your personal shopper, Melissa.”

It was then that Lyra noticed a number of binders in the woman’s arms and she remembered Andros saying something about a woman coming round. “Of course, come in.”

The woman, Melissa, followed her into the living room and Lyra waved a hand towards the couch.

“Can I get you some coffee? It’s only instant I’m afraid and there’s no sugar.”

“I’ll pass thanks. We can get right down to business.”

She crossed her legs, shook her head so that her hair fell into place and smiled. Lyra smiled back even as uneasiness settled in her gut. Melissa’s manner was off, but how exactly Lyra couldn’t put her finger on, so she joined her on the couch and took one of the binders the woman offered.

“These are all readymade,” Melissa said. “Choose from them, and I will ensure they are delivered before close of play today in your size.”


Lyra opened the folder, and flicked through page after page of dresses. “There’s so many.”

“Andros has given you an unlimited budget. You can have them all if you desire.”

The way she said his name…Lyra looked up and caught the other woman’s eye, noticed that her gaze flicked back and forth to what she was wearing—Andros’ shirt—and realized then exactly what the issue was. “He has, huh?”

Melissa nodded briskly. “This binder includes shoes and handbags. There is also one here for coats. It is my understanding that you plan to shop on your own in the future and this is all to get you started.”

“That’s right.”

“Just put a little x next to the ones you like.” She handed across a pen and Lyra took it despite the fact that her mind was not on the clothes, beautiful though they all undoubtedly were. She wanted to know instead exactly when her personal shopper had f*cked the man she was now f*cking. In fact, that question became suddenly very important to her.

“How long have you worked for Andros?” Lyra asked as she ticked against the dresses. Pink, red, why not have the black one too?

“I do not work directly for him,” Melissa said, pointing to a hideous purple dress. “That one will look very good against your skin.”

“Not my color. So who do you work for?”

Melissa paused a moment before answering, and when she did her voice was noticeably colder. “My firm specializes in shopping for a number of clients. We got the call early this morning to assist Andros, and naturally, as one of our more important clients, I decided to come myself.”

Lyra wondered if Melissa had expected to see Andros, or if she was simply scoping out the competition. Either way she could back the f*ck off, Lyra thought. For now Andros was hers. Soon, in a month or so, Melissa could have him back, but in the meantime, whilst they were together, she could not afford for him to lose interest and start seeing someone else. Because of the mission, she thought, and nodded inwardly to herself. But then the image of Melissa’s skinny arms wrapped around Andros’ toned waist hit, and she exhaled sharply. Lyra did not like that thought at all. Not one little bit.

“And how long ago did you f*ck him?”

“Excuse me?”

Lyra dropped the binder and gave Melissa a look. It was the look Lyra had used on people who would eat this woman for breakfast and spit her out a moment later. It said, don’t f*cking mess with me, rich bitch. “Let’s not play the game,” Lyra said. “It’s pointless.”

“This is completely unprofessional,” Melissa snapped. “And none of your business.”

“You coming here is unprofessional.”

“I am merely doing a favor for an old friend.”

She placed a deliberate emphasis on the word friend and Lyra’s heart slowed slightly. She wasn’t even sure when it had begun to race. Maybe when the image of Andros f*cking her personal shopper came to mind? But no, it was fine; in fact it had backfired completely. Though Melissa had tried to suggest a closeness with that word, Lyra was a whole lot more perceptive than many people were. It was a trick she’d picked up in the dark days, when judging an adult’s mood was necessary to ensure she and her sisters were safe or fed. Melissa may have f*cked the Sicilian once but it was nothing that had meant anything or lasted. That fact was written in the stiff line of her skinny body, the frown on her lips, even the way she held herself.

“Friend?” Lyra asked, allowing herself one small smile.

“That was what I said,” Melissa replied, her teeth practically grinding against one another.

“That’s debatable.”

The other woman glared, gestured to the binders, then glared some more. “Have you made your choices?”