loose end for me. You wouldn’t want to risk me becoming a suspect.”
“No one is going to suspect you. Not if you did everything I told you to do.”
“But you have to make sure that it’s going to continue like that,” Stella said softly. “Because you’re such a careful woman, and the stakes are so high, aren’t they?”
“They’re high for you, too.” Nelda took an envelope from her purse and threw it on the bed. “There’s the proof of the electronic transfer I arranged into your bank in Grand Cayman, plus your airline tickets to Fiji. You have the very generous fee I gave you to rid me of Pierce together with those two cashier’s checks you stole from him. That means you have close to $2 million to stash in an offshore bank.” She paused. “Theft. And you’ve just killed a man.”
Stella’s gaze narrowed on Nelda’s face. “You think that’s a hold on me that will keep me quiet. It might, and it might not. I’m very smart, and there are ways to get around most crimes. You found that out, didn’t you, Nelda?”
She stiffened. “I thought Pierce was too shrewd to talk to a bimbo like you. Are you telling me that I was wrong?”
“Oh, he didn’t talk to me. He was too busy screwing me. But that doesn’t mean I couldn’t find out what I want to know,” Stella said. “I like secrets, but only when they’re mine. Beth Avery was the big secret that caused Pierce to jump through hoops. Of course, I had to find out what was so valuable that you’d give Pierce such a huge payoff all these years. Wouldn’t you?”
Nelda didn’t answer for a moment. “Yes.”
Stella threw back her head and laughed. “Gotcha. I knew we were alike when I watched you pulling Pierce’s strings.” She dropped down on the bed and drew her leg beneath her. “I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed him shaking in his shoes at the prospect of just talking to you. He liked to play domination games with me, pretending I was you.”
Nelda’s lips tightened. “Oh, did he?”
“But in the end, you and I always won,” she said softly. “Because we were stronger. A man like him couldn’t really touch us.” Her hand was stroking the satin of her robe on her thigh. “No man could.”
Nelda’s gaze was fastened on the hand sliding over the satin. She jerked it away with an effort. “I told you to get dressed. I’m bored with chatting with you. You have to get out of here. You’re taking a private jet out of Burbank at five thirty this afternoon.”
“You’re not bored. I’d never bore you.” She tilted her head. “And there’s a chance that you wouldn’t bore me … at least for a little while. You’re a beautiful woman, and you’ve taken good care of yourself. You’re strong enough that I’d have to fight to keep you from making a slave of me.”
“Go get dressed.”
“Why? You like me like this. I see how you’re looking at me. I knew the minute you walked in the room that I was right about you. You didn’t have to come here. You could have sent someone. You were curious about me.”
“I wanted to be sure you’d done what I’d told you to do.”
“And you were curious to see if Pierce’s toy was worth playing with for a while.” She smiled. “And you found that she is. I can make you very happy, Nelda. I’d be a challenge, and I know so many ways to please you.”
“You’re ridiculous. I didn’t come here to audition a slut.”
“Not until you found out how worthwhile I’d be in your life. Men are too easy for you. I’d never be easy.” She got to her feet in one sinuous movement. “Now I’ll go and get dressed. When I get back from Fiji, I’ll come to you. I’d give you a demonstration. Right now, but you might be a little tense with Pierce staring at us. Personally, I think it would be a kick.” She headed for the bathroom. “I could show you a lot of ways that you’d never—”
“Why?” Nelda’s gaze was narrowed on her. “You have enough money to set yourself up very comfortably. You don’t have to be anyone’s whore. Certainly not mine.”
“I don’t have to do anything. It’s always been my choice.” She paused at the bathroom door. “Why? Because you’ll always be worried that I might be caught, that I might talk if