Flawed Perfection (An Eve Sumptor Novel) Read online

  Eve wasted no time doing just that. She owned restaurants and clubs, as well as some of the most prestigious art galleries in and out of the country. Now, with Bella and Adam, Eve had everything, and she would do anything she had to do to keep it.

  Eve stood just inside the door and waited for Adam. Bella has already been dropped off at Lainey’s parents house with Kevin and Darren, Lainey was home with Jack getting ready for the night, and Eve opened a bottle of champagne and dressed—or rather undressed—for the occasion. She and Adam were going to start the celebration early.

  Eve’s lips twitched just thinking about what she wanted to do with Adam. To him. Her mouth watered, and she felt the arousal begin a slow burn in her stomach. She felt him near even before she heard the car door slam shut, and the slow burn became a fierce smolder. With two champagne glasses in hand, she turned up her mega-watt smile—the one that could make men drop to their knees—and waited with anticipation.

  Adam turned the doorknob, feeling a sudden spike in his heartbeat. He only felt that spike when Eve was near. Just thinking about her, he felt a twinge in his dick. Damn, but that woman had a hold on him like no other. He had never felt passion like he felt with Eve. She was easily the best he’s ever had. His wife—shit, he loved that—knew how to fuck, gave head like she was born to do it, and knew how to make sweet love that made a man feel as though he could die in her arms and be damn happy to do so.

  He pushed open the door and nearly fell to his knees. Adam was greeted with the awe-inspiring vision of his wife in sexy as hell black lace lingerie, thigh-high, black stockings, a garter belt that begs him to use his teeth, and a pair of black fuck me pumps that turned the twinge in his dick to a full on, throbbing erection.

  “Jesus, Eve,” he growled. He dropped his briefcase and keys, not giving them another thought, and kicked the door closed before striding to her.

  “Congratul …”

  It was all she had time to get out before Adam’s mouth crushed down on hers. His tongue plunged into her mouth, possessing her, caressing her tongue in a seductive way that had Eve’s knees buckling. When he tore his mouth from hers to work his magic on his neck, Eve tried speaking again.

  “I have champagne,” she breathed.

  “Fuck the champagne,” he rumbled. “I have all I need right here.” To emphasize his point, he moved his hand down to cup her between her legs. Then he changed tactics, grabbing her ass—her fucking perfect ass—lifting her until she wrapped her legs around his hips.

  “Put the glasses down, baby,” he commands softly in her ear. He walked her to the table near the door, waited for her to comply, then climbed the stairs to their bedroom.

  Eve has always needed some sort of consistency in her life. For her, this came in the form of similarly decorated master bedrooms in each of the properties they owned. Everything from white carpets and linen—Eve’s signature color—to the platform bed as big as an ocean in the middle of the room. He walked up that platform, and released Eve until she stood before him.

  “How long do we have?”

  “Long enough to get the celebration going.” Eve reached for Adam’s tie, loosening it and sliding it from his neck. “Not long enough to do everything I want to do to you,” she whispered against his lips.

  “Fuck.” His cock was jumping. Throbbing. The need for Eve was almost excruciating. She was unbuttoning his shirt, and he left her to it as he let his hands roam her toned, sensual body. His hands engulfed her swollen breasts. They were slightly bigger now after she had Bella, and Adam certainly wasn’t complaining. He dipped his head to taste her, slipping her nipple into his mouth, sucking. Biting. Her murmurs of pleasure washed over him as she slides his shirt off his shoulders. He wanted to continue his journey down her body, but she stopped him.

  “No, amant. This is to celebrate your accomplishment.”

  “That’s what I’m trying to do, beautiful.”

  Eve smiled, that beautiful, gut-wrenching smile, and worked his belt. She turned them until Adam’s back was to the bed. Unbuttoning his pants, she let them fall to his feet, along with his boxer briefs, then nudged him until he sat on the bed. Eve got to her knees in front of him, grasping his cock in her hand.

  “I love that I do this to you.” She stroked him as she looked into his eyes. He groaned, moving his hips to the rhythm of her hand. She tipped her head, using her tongue to stroke him this time. Adam’s head fell back in complete ecstasy feeling her hot tongue roll over him. When she took him into her mouth, he fisted his hand into her hair, guiding the bobbing of her head.

  “That feels good, baby.”

  Her answering moan vibrated against his cock, sending a thrill right through to his core. She sucked him like it was her favorite thing to do, and right at this moment, he believed it was.

  God he felt good in her mouth. Tasted even better. Eve couldn’t get enough of him. He was smooth as velvet, and so hard her sex ached to have him inside her, but she continued working him with her mouth. He was huge, much more than she could handle with her mouth alone, so she used her hands to help her while taking him as far down her throat as she could. She came back up, hollowing her cheeks as she sucked, then rolled her tongue around the tip of his cock, reveling in the taste of him. Eve felt his body tense as she pulled the bulging head into her mouth, stroking him at the same time.

  “Eve.” His voice was hoarse and strained, and Eve knew he was close. “Baby, do you want me to come in your mouth?”

  “Mmhmm.” Eve sucked harder, stroked faster, wanting to feel his orgasm in her mouth. She loved the taste of him. Needed it. On a pleasured groan, she felt his body jerk as he came. The warmth of him coated her throat, and she swallowed instinctively, trying to keep up. Using her finger, she wiped the bit of Adam’s semen that trickled from her mouth, and sucked it from her finger while he watched.

  “Damn, beautiful, you undo me.” He ran his fingers through her silky hair, and she smiled up at him.

  “Good.”

  Eve rose from her knees, and straddled him on the bed.

  “You taste amazing, baby.”

  “My turn?”

  “Unh uh. We have to get ready to go.”

  Adam’s voice was rough when he muttered, “When I get you home tonight …” trailing off as he stood with Eve still wrapped around him.

  Eve laughed softly. “Can’t wait.”

  Dinner that night was at Eve’s restaurant, The Garden of Eve, and the evening couldn’t have gone better. Lainey seemed to be in good spirits. Whether she was pretending or not, Eve didn’t know. If it was an act, Eve appreciated the effort Lainey put in for Adam’s sake.

  After dinner, Adam made good on his promise to continue the amazing beginning to their celebration. To say that she felt the earth move wasn’t an exaggeration in the least. The things that man could do to her made Eve’s toes curl, her heart skip and her brain turn to mush. Needless to say, her mood was exceptionally good when she woke up the next morning. The morning shower sex only made it that much better.

  It wasn’t until Eve and Lainey were driving to the gallery that she found out Lainey’s good mood was a farce the evening before.

  “You couldn’t have waited until after dinner to fuck Adam?”

  Eve sighed and glanced in the mirror at Bella who was sleeping in her car seat behind her. Lainey’s harsh words were whispered, but Eve certainly heard them loud and clear.

  “Lainey …”

  “You know how I feel, you know I’ve been struggling. Did you really think I wouldn’t notice?”

  “You’re being unreasonable.”

  “Unreasonable?” Lainey hissed.

  “Yes, unreasonable.” Eve was trying to keep her tone even and calm, but it was seriously taking a lot of will power to do so.

  “You couldn’t have controlled yourself for a few hours for my sake?”

  That was it. Eve could no longer restrain her fury. She pulled over to the side of the road, jerking to a stop and turned to Lainey
. Her arm draped over the back of the seat, and she gripped Lainey’s headrest in a white-knuckle grip.

  “How dare you?” She was fuming. “How dare you make me feel guilty about being with my husband?”

  “I just thought you would be a little more sensitive to our situation. Instead, you have sex before our dinner together. Then I have to watch you two …”

  “Enough! I can’t believe you’re doing this to me, Lainey. Yet, here we are. So, fine, you want to do this, let’s do it. First of all, Adam and I didn’t have sex before dinner, I sucked him off. We saved the mind-boggling, earth-moving fucking for after dinner.”

  Lainey flinched, and Eve was instantly sorry for being so blunt, but she told herself it was Lainey’s own fault for doing this to her.

  “I have never once, not even when I was forced to watch you fucking Jack, made you feel guilty about it. In fact, I encouraged you to be with him! I told you every single time that it was natural and right!” She leaned in, holding Lainey’s hurt stare before continuing. “And every time I was with Adam you made me feel guilty about it.” She whispered.

  “Eve …”

  “No! I’m done, Lainey. I’m through with feeling guilty about fucking my husband! You’re not being fair. I didn’t make you watch us in my studio! I didn’t hide you in the closet!”

  Lainey cringed at the memory of Eve hiding in closet as Lainey and Jack made love. Or, more accurately, when Jack had his fun and left Lainey wanting, no, needing more. It was a regret Lainey holds to this day. Of course, she didn’t plan for that to happen. Eve had been there with her trying to help Lainey seduce Jack. Trying to help Lainey fix her marriage. Then, when Jack came home earlier than expected, Eve was forced to hide. It tore Lainey’s heart out when she saw the hurt in Eve’s eyes as she watched. Lainey softened her gaze, and spoke gently.

  “You may not have said anything to make me feel guilty, Eve, but the way you would look at me told me how you really felt.”

  Eve recoiled as though Lainey had slapped her. She shook her head slightly, losing the fight she had in her. She thought she had successfully hid the pain she felt knowing Lainey and Jack were finding their way back to each other. Obviously she was wrong.

  “You want it this way, Lainey, so be it. We’ll do it your way.”

  She turned away, putting the SUV into gear and pulling back onto the road. She said nothing else to Lainey as they drove into the city to the gallery. It killed her that Lainey was doing this to her, but she wouldn’t show it. This time she would be more successful at it. Eve Sumptor-Riley was well versed in hiding her feelings. She just never thought she would have to do it with Lainey after everything they’ve been through.

  Eve’s silence cut Lainey like a knife. She knew she was being unreasonable as Eve said, but Lainey couldn’t help herself. She had been hurt when she and Jack showed up at Eve’s house and Lainey saw plainly that Eve and Adam had been together. Yes, she knew she had no right to be upset. Yes, Eve had every right to be with her husband—without guilt—whenever she pleased. It was ridiculous for Lainey to behave the way she was. So, why couldn’t she stop? Lainey needed to figure that out and quell it immediately before she lost Eve altogether.

  Eve turned into the gallery’s garage and smiled at Pauly.

  “Good morning, Pauly.” She was thankful that her voice was lighter than she felt.

  “Good mornin’, Mrs. Riley.” Pauly stopped sucking in his gut and puffing his chest out whenever Eve came in. His priorities changed drastically two years ago. Besides, Eve was married now, off the market. Not that he had a chance in hell before—besides he was married, too—but, he saw it as an act of respect for Adam. The luckiest man on this green earth as Pauly saw it.

  Eve shut it down again, giving Lainey nothing. Not even a glance as she pulled into the parking space and cut the engine. Opening the back door, she started unbuckling Bella, smiling warmly at her and cooing.

  “Come on, baby girl. Momma has you.”

  Lainey’s heart clenched at seeing Eve interact with Bella. She was such a natural mother. Lainey could remember the terror in Eve’s eyes when Eve found out she was pregnant with Bella.

  “I lost my mother at an early age, Lainey. How am I going to do this? What if I fail?”

  Lainey reminded Eve of everything she’s overcome, and though she did lose her mother at age fourteen, what her mother taught her up until then—not to mention the journal she left Eve—was more than enough to help Eve be a great mother. Lainey was right. Eve doted on Bella, but did it in a way that didn’t spoil her. Too much.

  “Let me help you.” Lainey reached for Bella’s diaper bag, but Eve hefted it onto her shoulder.

  “I have it.”

  “Eve, please.”

  “I don’t want to talk.”

  “Eve.”

  “I don’t want to talk, Lainey.”

  Eve’s tone had Lainey’s mouth snapping shut. Shit. She was going to have to do some serious begging to get out of the hole she just dug herself in. She stole a couple of glances at Eve on the elevator ride up to the gallery. Besides a scattering of grins to a murmuring Bella, Eve’s face was set in a frown. When the doors opened to the gallery floor, Eve’s face changed completely, taking Lainey by surprise. The look was pure pain and confusion.

  “Oh my God.” Eve’s voice was barely above a whisper, and Lainey barely registered the words before she turned to see what Eve saw.

  Eve heard Lainey’s gasp, but her focus was on the vision before her. The gallery—her gallery—was all but destroyed. Paintings and sculptures were scattered over the vast space, broken or damaged. Spray paint littered the wall that separated the space into a U shape in the middle of the room. Light fixtures were pulled from the ceiling, dangling menacingly above them. It was a disaster.

  Eve stood frozen, her face a picture of torment. Seeing Eve like that grabbed Lainey’s heart in an iron fist, squeezing painfully. Lainey had to reach out to stop the elevator doors from closing on them when Mikey came racing up to them.

  “Mrs. Riley!”

  Eve snapped out of her stupor, effectively hiding her emotions in a blink of an eye.

  “Are you okay?”

  Mikey blinked, surprised by Eve’s question. Her gallery was ruined, but her first thoughts were of his safety. “Yes! I just got here a few minutes before you.”

  Mikey’s eyes were rimmed red, and Eve knew he had been crying. Not because he was responsible, but because, Eve knew, he loved the art here almost as much as Eve herself. This was devastating for him. Not nearly as devastating as it was to Eve, but close.

  “I called the cops,” he continued. “I didn’t touch anything! Oh …” He turned to look at the chaos again. “I can’t believe this. Who would do this?”

  It was a question Eve wanted the answer to, and fast. She lost everything once before. She’d be damned if she would go through that again.

  “You and Lainey take inventory before the police get here. I want to know what is damaged and if anything is missing.”

  Mikey nodded solemnly while Lainey noted that Eve didn’t look at her once when she spoke, not even when addressing her.

  “I’m taking Bella up to the nursery, then I’ll be in my office. Send whoever is in charge up when they get here.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Mikey rushed away, and Eve started towards the stairs. She paused when she felt Lainey’s hand on her arm.

  “Eve.”

  Eve spared Lainey a glance, but was too raw to risk having Lainey say anything kind to her right now.

  “Do your job, Lainey.”

  With Bella tucked safely away in the nursery, and Mikey and Lainey doing inventory, Eve retreated to her office. She had to pull in several deep breaths before calming herself enough to just think. Now, she stood at her huge, arched window and blindly watched the people below her. She had to remind herself over and over again that Tony was dead. There was no way he could be doing this to her. So, who was?

 
“Eve?”

  Eve flinched at the intrusion of her thoughts, and confusion once again settled over her face. She turned, facing the man behind her.

  “Captain Harris?”

  His sandy blonde hair and full beard held a sprinkling of gray now. His golden brown, compassionate eyes had a few more wrinkles around them. Eve also noted the faint circles under them. He was tired, she thought.

  Understandable. Two years ago, when he found out his partner was a murderer, and framing Eve, he had no choice but to go after him. When Maurice showed up at Eve’s apartment to finish what her father, Tony, couldn’t do, Harris—a detective then—had no choice but to use deadly force to prevent this.

  Detective Charlie Harris was rewarded for his part in taking down Tony’s operation, even being offered the job as Captain. Eve learned later that the captain preceding Harris was also on Tony’s payroll.

  Eve continues to think all of this was well deserved, but she could see now that what he had to do to his partner still weighed heavily on him. She went to him, kissed him lightly on the cheek, and offered him a small smile.

  “What are you doing here, Charlie?”

  “Investigating a crime.”

  Eve’s brows furrowed deeper. “You’re a captain now. And, this isn’t a homicide. It’s vandalism.”

  “It’s you,” he said simply, holding her gaze.

  Eve’s features softened, and she gestured to the chair in front of her desk. When she was settled in her own chair, she got down to business.

  “Lainey and Mikey are taking inventory. I’ll have a list for you as soon as they’re done.”

  “And, after you’ve done the inspection yourself.”

  “They’re more than capable.”

  “It’s your gallery, Eve. You won’t leave it to anyone else’s hands, no matter how capable those hands are.”