Page 21 of Sadie’s Highlander (Highland Protector #1)
CHAPTER 20
S adie kissed the brooch, then tucked it back into her bra, nestling it snugly in the cleft between her breasts. She wore the precious keepsake on a ribbon around her neck, never taking it off except for bathing—or while making love to Alec. After the night it had snagged in his hair down under and the pin had nearly impaled him in a rather important spot, he forbade the wearing of the brooch during sex.
A satisfied sigh escaped her as she typed the final paragraph to the last erotic scene she owed Delia. This one was entitled Blessing the Castle . She hummed out an appreciative sound as a wicked smile tickled a corner of her mouth. Alec had been extremely helpful for this particular piece. It was some of the best work she’d ever written if she did say so herself. She saved the document to the memory stick, growing a bit warm and wet just thinking back over the past several days of in-depth research.
A sharp rap on the door rudely interrupted her erotic reverie and barely preceded Delia blowing into the room. Her sister halted halfway across the area rug, her unnaturally narrow nose wrinkling in a condescending sneer as she looked around the cozy decor. “Not exactly the presidential suite, but I guess compared to what you’re used to . . .” Delia didn’t finish the sentence, just scowled at Sadie as though a foul odor filled the room.
“I happen to love it.” Sadie removed the USB stick from her laptop and held it out to Delia. “You’re just in time. Here are the scenes you wanted. Just let me know if you need anything else.”
Her sister needed to take the scenes and leave. There was something about Delia standing in the middle of the room that had become the best home Sadie had ever known that irritated her to no end. Delia didn’t belong here. This was Sadie’s Nirvana , and Delia popping in for a visit was like a demon breaching heaven’s boundaries.
“Now that you mention it . . .” Delia rubbed her hands together and her overly crimson smile widened into an even more sinister sneer. “I do need something that only you can do for me.”
“What?” There was something dark about Delia’s tone. A nauseating chill flashed through Sadie, stinging across her skin and standing every hair on end. Something was about to go very wrong and if history was any indicator, Sadie would be the one to suffer.
“Don’t say what like that.” Delia snickered with a high-pitched hissing sound that grated on Sadie’s nerves even more. “You sound as though you don’t trust me.” Delia prissed around the room, lightly scratching her manicured nails across the back of the loveseat like a cat searching for the perfect place to sharpen its claws.
Sadie blew out a disgusted huff and turned the chair to fully face Delia. Alec always said, Meet yer enemies head-on . She did her best to concentrate on the warm weight of the brooch snuggled between her breasts. It was all she could do to keep from snapping that there wasn’t enough time in eternity to list all the reasons why she didn’t trust Delia. She still needed a paycheck to pay off some debts before she married Alec. She wouldn’t hang her burdens around his neck, even though she knew he would gladly take them.
“What do you want from me?” Sadie asked. The only way to get rid of her sister was to find out what Delia wanted, then sort through it for hidden traps later. Sadie glanced back over at her laptop, checking the time. “I’m due over at the park in less than an hour. Out with it so I can get changed and go.”
Delia snapped open a designer bag that probably cost more than Sadie’s college education and pulled out a folded manila envelope. Her expression was unreadable as she held it out to Sadie. “I need you to get the entire MacDara clan, Dwyn included, up to Wilmington for a few days. Here’s the itinerary. Food, lodging, and transportation are all taken care of courtesy of Realm Spinners Productions.”
“Why?” Sadie gingerly slid the envelope out from between Delia’s long, thin fingers as though it could explode at any minute.
Flipping a hand with a dismissive shrug, Delia tucked her bag back tight against her too narrow waist and attempted a smile. “Publicity, of course. I’ve spoken to the museum there and they’re very interested in helping the MacDaras set up several rooms to depict the Scottish influence here in North Carolina. Your Highlander should love it. Scots are totally besotted with sharing their history.” Delia turned, her spike heels shining with a malicious gleam in the late afternoon sun streaming in through the French doors. “It’ll spur more talk about the park and the filming. Talk about the filming equals chatter about the movie. Delightfully cheap promo compared to a standard campaign through who knows how many cities.” Delia rolled her eyes and groaned. “Involving actors and directors in meet-and-greets and red-carpet nights nearly bankrupted my last project. The alcohol, drugs, and escorts alone cost me more than you do.”
Sadie didn’t doubt that. Most of Delia’s promotional events ended up as drunken orgies aimed at luring in investors so Delia didn’t have to risk any more of her own capital. She slid her thumb under the flap of the envelope and peered inside. Everything seemed in order for a group trip to Wilmington. Absolutely innocent and just as Delia had said—a totally legit itinerary with contact names and phone numbers. Sadie resealed the envelope, a hollow sense of impending doom growing. “It’s a little early for promo about the movie, don’t you think?”
“It’s never too early for promo. Have you listened to nothing I’ve taught you?” Delia tossed her hair in a perfect cascade of bleached blondness over one shoulder. “You know the ‘Rule of Seven.’ Potential moviegoers have a lot of noise to sort through. I want to make sure they hear us loud and clear, repetitively, and often.”
Sadie nervously tapped the envelope against the palm of one hand. There had to be an angle. This was too strategically by the book and on the level. Delia never did anything without a hidden agenda. “I’ll bring this up to Alec, but I’ll have to let you know when they’d be willing to go. I’m not sure about everyone’s schedule. I know for certain they won’t want Esme missing any school and they won’t leave her here alone.”
Delia paused with her fingers on the door, holding it partially open. “The limo bus will be here at eight a.m. All reservations start tomorrow—nontransferable through this weekend. I already checked with the park’s activity director for any scheduling conflicts. The girl doesn’t have school on Monday. Some sort of teacher’s in-service day or something.” Her strained smile disappeared as she pointed a long, manicured nail at the envelope. “You’ll see that this gets done, Sadie. Don’t get difficult just because you think I’m afraid of your alpha Highlander.” Delia walked out the door, then stuck her head back in the room and gifted Sadie with a blood-chilling smile. “It takes more than a smashed laptop and an incompetent gnome of a lawyer to scare me.”
Bile burned in the back of Sadie’s throat as Delia closed the door with a threatening bang. What the hell was Delia up to?