Flawed Perfection (An Eve Sumptor Novel)

  Copyright © 2013 by Jourdyn Kelly

  Published by Jourdyn Kelly

  All Rights Reserved.

  No part of this book may be used or reproduced, scanned or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  ISBN Number—978-0615868455

  Cover Art by: Jourdyn Kelly

  Interior Design by: Angela McLaurin, Fictional Formats

  Other books by Jourdyn Kelly

  Something About Eve

  Destined to Kill

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Perfection. That’s how Eve Sumptor-Riley thought of her life. She may be flawed, but everything else surrounding her is perfection. She thought of her marriage to the love of her life, Adam. Being with him was more amazing than she could have imagined. There was a time when she thought he would never be hers. Eve’s past had stripped her of trust and emotion, and it was only when she met her best friend, Lainey, did she learn how to open herself up. She would never be able to thank Lainey enough for that gift.

  Adam understood Eve’s past. He understood her. Loved her. Even though Eve had always believed she was unlovable, Adam proves her wrong every day. The way he looks at her melts her heart and drives her crazy. The day she allowed Adam in, was one of the best days of her life—even considering what she went through to get there.

  The birth of their daughter was the other best day in Eve’s life. Eve smiled down at their baby girl, Bella, currently babbling and banging her toys on her activity walker. Bella’s dark hair held the softest curls, and bounced as she tooled around the kitchen table. Her eyes, a combination of Eve’s gray eyes and Adam’s blue eyes, twinkled when she peered up at Eve. Bella is turning one in a few days, and Eve has been frantically trying to put together the best 1st birthday party ever. She doesn’t really know why she’s bothering with making it so elaborate. Bella won’t know the difference anyway. But, your daughter only turns one once, Eve thought, and Bella is special.

  “My two favorite girls,” Adam said softly, bending down to kiss Bella on the top of her head. He then moved to Eve, kissing her lips lightly at first. When she moved in to him, he deepened the kiss, touching his tongue to hers.

  “Yum,” Eve murmured. The one thing about their relationship that has always been amazing is their sex life. And, Eve was completely happy that hasn’t changed one bit, even after almost two years of marriage. In fact, it has only grown stronger. They had made love earlier that morning—one of Adam’s favorite things to do since Eve let him stay—but even that wasn’t enough for her.

  “You look beautiful.”

  “So do you,” Eve returned.

  “You’re the only one I will allow to call me beautiful,” Adam quipped playfully.

  “Stop,” Eve chuckled. “You are beautiful.” She couldn’t think of any other word that would come close to describing him. His jet black hair, currently longer than he normally wears it—though you won’t hear Eve complain, she loved running her fingers through it when they made love—framed a perfectly chiseled face that made the artist in her weep with joy. It also made the woman in her hotter than hell. The stubble across that sexy jaw rubbed her in all the right ways when he used his incredible, delectable mouth on her. And, the way he looked at her with those crystal blue eyes, could turn her into a sexual deviant at any given moment. And, honestly, with the way he looked in his navy pinstriped three-piece suit, and knowing all of the lines and muscle that lay beneath, that moment was coming fast.

  “Hmm. What’s on your agenda today?” She decided it was best to change the subject before her primal instinct took over.

  Adam saw Eve’s eyes darken and it took every ounce of will power he had not to take her right then and there. Their daughter was in the room, for crying out loud. He had more control than that. Though, if he were honest, not much more. Damn, she was the most gorgeous woman he had every laid eyes on in his life. How in the hell did he get so damned lucky as to land Eve Sumptor (now Riley)? She was perfection in the truest sense of the word. Her blonde hair was so soft and silky, he couldn’t keep his hands out of it. Her face, God her face, with those striking gray eyes and full, pink lips could make him hard with just quirk of an eyebrow. And, her scent was intoxicating. So sensual, so purely Eve, it’s a wonder he could concentrate on anything else when she’s around.

  “The bidding for Griffen Enterprises starts today.” He grabbed a piece of buttered toast from the plate in front of her, stuffing his mouth before he lost his will power, and let lust take over. “This could be great for the company if I land this.”

  Eve knew Adam had spent hours upon hours drawing up plans for Griffen Enterprises, and they were spectacular. He is a magnificent architect. She should know since he designed her gallery and their home, and they were both perfect. Hell, they were more than she could’ve ever dreamed of, even being the artist she was. At their home in the suburbs—Eve told Lainey she could see herself here one day when she settled down—Adam had given Eve her own space to create art, develop photos and just lose herself. He made sure she and Bella had everything they needed, wanted and more.

  “I’ve seen the plans, amant. You shouldn’t have any trouble.” Eve paused and smiled at Adam. “You’re amazing, you know that?”

  “You’re just saying that so I’ll build that extra room you’ve been wanting for your studio,” he teased with another kiss.

  Eve eyed Adam appraisingly. “Hmm. Do I need to compliment you for that? I thought a few sexual favors would do.”

  Adam sucked in a breath, and bent to kiss Eve yet again. He just couldn’t keep his lips off of her. Damned waning will power.

  “Well, now,” he said between kisses. “Let me think about what you can do …”

  “Hello? Oh!” Lainey stopped short when she walked into the kitchen, catching Adam and Eve kissing. She felt a small pang of jealousy, but shook it off immediately. “Sorry!”

  Eve broke the kiss, reluctantly. “Lainey,” she called before Lainey could walk out. “It’s okay. Come on in.”

  “Please,” Adam said. “I have to get going, anyway. See you tonight.” He ran a thumb down Eve’s cheek. “I love you.”

  “I love you, too.” Eve grinned, knowing he was still getting used to hearing her say the words. She watched as he closed his eyes briefly and a smile touched his lips. Without another word, Adam kissed Bella on the head and Lainey on the cheek before leaving.

  “I should know better than to just walk in,” Lainey sat opposite of Eve at the table.

  “You know you’re welcome here anytime, Laine
y.” Eve smiled warmly at Lainey. She loves Adam with everything she is, but Lainey would always have a piece of her heart.

  Lainey’s smile was shy and knowing when she glanced quickly at Eve’s mouth.

  Eve reached over and touched Lainey’s hand briefly, before turning back to her coffee and iPad. “Seriously, should it be this hard to plan a birthday party for a one year old?”

  Lainey smirked. Seeing Eve as a mother was definitely entertaining. “You know, she’s not going to remember any of this. You could just have a nice quiet day.”

  Eve raised her eyebrow. “Are you telling me that when Kevin or Darren turned one, you didn’t hire acrobats and ponies?”

  Lainey laughed. “I didn’t go as far as acrobats and ponies, no.” But, Eve was right. She did go overboard when her sons’ first birthdays came around. “Just wait until she’s a teenager.”

  Eve remembered Darren’s thirteenth. The party Lainey threw for him didn’t seem too overly done. It was simple and fun with friends, video games, pizza and cake. How hard could that possibly be.

  “Boys are way easier,” Lainey cautioned, reading Eve’s mind.

  “Awesome,” Eve mumbled and rolled her shoulders to ease some of the tension.

  Lainey cleared her throat, and changed the subject abruptly. The mere glimpse of Eve’s cleavage—granted to her by Eve’s customary three-buttons undone—was enough to have Lainey’s mind reeling. “Are you ready to get to the gallery?” She rose from the table, and picked Bella up out of her activity walker.

  Eve searched Lainey’s face for any indication of discomfort or sadness, but for the first time since knowing her, Eve couldn’t read the emotion on Lainey’s beautiful features. Her dark blonde hair was pulled back, delicately, away from her face, giving Eve an unobstructed view of Lainey’s alluring, green eyes. Her slightly bowed—and Eve remembered, very kissable mouth—was curved in a small smile as she cooed to Bella. Everything about her seemed happy and normal, but Eve couldn’t shake the feeling that something was bothering her best—her only—friend.

  “Lainey?”

  Lainey shivered slightly at the sound of Eve’s voice calling her name. It’s silly to feel this way, Lainey thought, chastising herself. The two of them haven’t been intimate since before the shooting, and she’s been fine with that. Yes, of course, she has thought about Eve many times, but she has learned to compartmentalize it. For her sake as well as Eve’s. She turned to Eve, avoiding looking directly into those amazing eyes.

  “Yes?”

  “Is everything alright?”

  “Of course,” Lainey answered, a little too brightly.

  Eve sighed and reached out to take Bella.

  “Hey there, baby girl. You ready to go to work with your Momma?” She glanced at Lainey, again. “If you want to talk, I’m here.”

  She didn’t wait for an answer from Lainey. She didn’t expect one since Lainey wasn’t being particularly forthcoming. Instead, she walked out the front door, waiting for Lainey to follow, then locked it behind her.

  Eve settled Bella into her car seat in the back of her Lexus LX 570.

  “I sometimes miss your Jag,” Lainey said softly.

  “I still have it.”

  “I know, but you rarely drive it.”

  Somehow Eve didn’t think they were actually discussing her sleek Jaguar.

  “Lainey, just because I don’t drive it as often, doesn’t mean I don’t think of it constantly.”

  “Hmm.” It was Lainey’s only response before turning up the radio. She lost herself, listening to P!nk urging her to try, try, try.

  “Oh thank God you’re here, Mrs. Riley!”

  “Mikey? What’s wrong?”

  Mikey has been with Eve since she reopened her gallery in New York. He began as her intern, but his extensive knowledge—and eagerness to learn more—prompted Eve to hire him on full time. She can’t remember ever seeing him this flustered before.

  “They are delivering the paintings today, including the Van Gogh’s and Cezanne’s. But, I don’t think they’re all here.” He began going over the order form once more, hoping maybe he had just made a mistake.

  “Give me Bella, Eve.” Lainey reached over, plucking Bella from Eve’s arms. “I’ll take her to the nursery while you take care of this.”

  “Thank you.” Eve turned her attention back to Mikey and the delivery men. She walked up to the stack of paintings leaning against the wall. She didn’t need the order slip. Eve knew every painting, every print, every statue that goes in her gallery. This order was missing three.

  “This is all you had in your warehouse?” She asked the deliverymen.

  “Ma’am, we had everything, double checked. They were all there when we left the warehouse.”

  “Are you saying I did something with them?” Mikey shrieked.

  “They’re not saying that Mikey,” Eve soothed. “Something happened between here and there, gentlemen. I paid a lot of money. I want my paintings.” Her voice was gentle, but held undeniable power.

  “Ma’am, we don’t know what happened.”

  “Get your supervisor here. Let’s figure this out.”

  She walked up to another stack of paintings laid out on the table as the men called their boss.

  “Is everything okay?” Lainey stood next to Eve, watching her run her hands—and, oh, what expert hands they were—over the paintings.

  “They’re fake.”

  Eve’s voice was so soft, Lainey almost didn’t hear her. Even so, she couldn’t have heard correctly.

  “I’m sorry?”

  She was startled a bit by Lainey’s voice. She had been so focused on the paintings in front of her that she hadn’t heard Lainey come up.

  “The paintings. They’re forgeries.”

  Lainey looked at the paintings. With degrees in Art History and Fine Art, she was proud of her knowledge. But, as she studied the art in front of her, she couldn’t tell how Eve saw they were forgeries.

  “How do you know?”

  “The brushstrokes.” Eve took Lainey’s hand and gently guided her fingertips over the painting. “What do you feel?”

  Besides you touching me? Lainey thought. “Um. It’s smooth.”

  “Exactly. It shouldn’t be. You should be able to feel each stroke, each line.”

  Lainey’s hand burned where Eve touched her, but she refused to let it show.

  Eve felt the heat radiating from Lainey and it confused her. She set that feeling aside for now, needing all of her focus to be on this screw up in front of her.

  “Ms. Sumptor?”

  “Mrs. Sumptor-Riley.” Eve corrected. The owner of the delivery company used to transport her paintings was a short, pudgy man with a round face, beady eyes and a razor thin mustache adorning thin lips. She felt an instant dislike towards him for some reason.

  “Right. Well, let’s see what we can do about your situation.”

  His condescending tone rubbed Eve the wrong way, but she held her anger in check.

  “It isn’t my situation, Mr. Branson. It is your problem to fix.”

  “Now, let’s just hold on one second, young …”

  “Do not finish that sentence, Mr. Branson.” Her voice was cold, and the fury behind it was not subtle. “I paid millions of dollars for art. What you have brought me is not even worth the gas it took you to bring them here.”

  “Only three paintings are missing, Ms …”

  “Mrs. Sumptor-Riley. And, the others are fakes.”

  “Impossible!” His indignant attitude and red face was almost enough to make Eve laugh.

  “And, yet,” Eve spread her hands to the framed art in front of her, “here we are.”

  “You must be mistaken. We’ll take them to someone who can determine …”

  “How dare you!” Lainey could tell Eve was holding back her anger, but she would not stand there and let this man belittle Eve’s expertise. “Sumptor Galleries are the most prestigious galleries in the US. Eve is not only talen
ted, but she is the most cultivated art dealer around.”

  Lainey’s outburst didn’t surprise Eve. She knew Lainey would always have her back. But, the fierceness behind it made Eve more determined to find out what was going on with Lainey. For now, Eve touched Lainey lightly, just a small run of her fingertips down the back of her arm as a thank you.

  Lainey could feel the goosebumps form where Eve touched her, and it took all of her strength not to shiver in front of her and everyone else. Damn it. She thought she had been in control of these feelings.

  “I didn’t mean to insinuate …”

  “Yes, you did, Mr. Branson.” Eve was growing tired of his excuses and arrogance. “I want you to find my paintings. And, in the meantime, I will take the money you charged me for delivery. With how much you charge, you should be more careful.”

  “There is a strict no refund policy, Mrs. Sumptor-Riley.”

  Well, at least he got my name right.

  “Mr. Branson, you will return my money. And, in light of what has happened here, I don’t expect to be writing you any more checks.” The statement was said with such finality that there would be no argument.

  “I will get our investigators on it immediately,” Mr. Branson grumbled.

  “As will I.”

  “I don’t think that will be necessary.”

  “You’ll forgive my concern for your competency, Mr. Branson.” Eve raised a brow, just waiting for a retort of any kind. When she received none, she went on. “I’ll feel much better knowing my people are on it, as well.”

  Eve waited until they left before turning to Lainey. “Can I see you in my office, please?”

  “I have things I need to take care …”

  “In my office. Now.”

  Eve turned on her heel and started up the stairs. She heard Mikey clear his throat and mumble something about sweeping the floor before the gallery opens.

  “I don’t appreciate you talking to me like that in front of Mikey.” Lainey closed the door with an aggravated thud, standing just inside it with her hands on her hips.

  “And, I don’t appreciate you trying to avoid me,” Eve shot back. “Something is wrong with you, and I want to know what it is.”