Love Beyond Words (City Lights, #1)(24)

In the monthly expense account was the money to pay the regular bills, and the Home Owners Association fee on the penthouse that looked like a mortgage payment in and of itself. David paid all of this electronically, and wrote a check for Esther, the cleaning woman—whom Julian paid far more than was reasonable, in David’s mind—setting a clean slate for January, and leaving Julian plenty of money for anything minor he might want or need.

His second duty was to handle the Platinum Amex credit card bill, and this month’s balance was massive—much more than Julian usually spent—with holiday shopping. The card carried a top-of-the-line set of golf clubs for his editor, Len Gordon, and a gift basket of wine, chocolate, and a cashmere scarf for Len’s wife. It also bore a huge charge for the gold-and-diamond Bulgari watch that now glittered on David’s wrist. His heart fluttered with joy that Julian had spent so much on him, but a sour look crossed his features at the next item.

Julian had spent a ridiculous amount of money at a boutique jewelry store. A present for Natalie. Some trinket that cost less than David’s watch, but still too much by half. The little coffee shop tart isn’t worth that much. He’d known about the necklace, of course. No dollar spent escaped David’s awareness; it was part of his job to manage and protect Julian’s wealth. I protect him in all things, he thought, and paid the bill off.

He looked at the investment accounts and stock holdings in which the bulk of Julian’s fortune was doing them both some good. David beamed to see the numbers for EllisIntel LLC, especially. It was the kind of company that made Julian’s eyes glaze over with disinterest at the mere mention. He’d only agreed to invest at David’s urging, and never even thanked him when the company skyrocketed.

“One cannot live on royalties alone, my dear,” he muttered. At least not without sacrificing some of the lavish lifestyle David had established for them. But EllisIntel wasn’t just a moneymaker. Eight months ago, it became a lifesaver. Mine and Julian’s, though he doesn’t know it.

David pulled an envelope from his jacket pocket, fresh from yesterday’s mail. It was addressed to Mr. Julian Kova?, sent from EllisIntel Holdings. The quarterly dividend check. Money Julian didn’t know about because as far as he knew, EllisIntel didn’t pay dividends.

Oh, but they do.

David’s heart thudded dully in his chest as he opened the envelope. He already had an idea how much it would be by tracking the company’s stellar performance in the markets, but he still nearly wept with relief to see $63,890 in black and white.

“Sixty-three thousand…” He clutched the check to his chest. He’d have enough to keep Julian safe from those blackmailing thugs for another three months…just in time for another dividend check to arrive in March. “God bless EllisIntel.”

David shot another glance at the security console, and even peeked over his shoulder, as if Julian could materialize behind him like a ghost. Bile rose in his throat and sweat broke out on his forehead. It never got any easier. With fingers that trembled with reluctance, he took out his smart phone, brought up a banking app, and took a picture of the check.

“Like magic,” he said sourly.

Sixty-three thousand dollars Julian didn’t know was his was now safely deposited in a savings account he didn’t know he had. David took the check, and instead of filing it in with the other financial documents in the cabinet beside his desk, tucked it back into his inner jacket pocket to take back to his own apartment.

Then, as he always did, David whispered, “I’m sorry,” to the computer and hurriedly signed out of all the accounts.

The job was half-done. The second part of his task was infinitely worse than the first, but the banks were closed. The delivery would have to wait until tomorrow.

He took a deep breath and ran both hands through his unruly brown hair. The empty silence of the apartment began to pull at him, enticing. Julian wasn’t here, and yet he was. The very air was tinged with his scent: the remnants of soap and steam from his shower; the cleanliness of his fine clothes, his cologne... David could almost sense what routes Julian had walked through the house earlier that day. The kitchen was cold, but David smelled ribbons of coffee, eggs, and chorizo hanging above the counter, dissipating slowly. Julian was everywhere. David wanted more.

The desire rose fiercely this time, taking him by surprise. The thievery hurt and so his devotion to Julian surged to assuage his guilt, to reassure his conscience that what he did was out of love. And it wasn’t often he indulged his hungers, but it was Christmas Day, he reasoned. A gift to himself.

David drew a duster from a cabinet in the kitchen if Julian happened to come home and catch him unawares. It was a meager excuse and hardly necessary in any event. Julian’s trust was David’s best defense.

He meandered toward the back of the apartment, twiddling the duster here and there, until he arrived at Julian’s bedroom. He let out a little gasp. Julian was fastidious, but not obsessive: the bed was made but the towel from his morning shower lay over the comforter, like a gift left for a lover.

Left for me. David swallowed hard. Save it, he thought, and kept to his usual route.

First the bathroom. Quartz counters with gleaming chrome fixtures, marble walls veined with silver, dark gray ceramic tile floors. Coldly beautiful. Masculine. David trailed his fingers in the little puddles of water left on the sink from Julian’s morning ablutions, and picked up Julian’s toothbrush. It had been in his mouth, had been past his lips and along his tongue… David chuckled to envy a toothbrush and set it down.