Beauty Mark

Chapter 1-2

Scarlett’s eyes welled as she thought of Franco. She and her brother had been so close. She missed his quick smile and sharp wit. Everyone loved him, and hardly a day went by that she didn’t think of him. He was the bravest soul she’d ever known, and the best tribute she could give him was to emulate him and his approach to life.

As soon as Scarlett graduated from law school, she’d moved her mother from the barrio to the west side of Los Angeles, where she lived in a lovely little condominium and spent her time making baby clothes for children Scarlett might never have time to have.

Still, Isabel Sandoval didn’t give up easily. Every time Scarlett visited her, she seemed to have another nice young man to introduce.

Somehow time had slipped away from Scarlett. It seemed that one minute she was twenty-four and graduating from law school, and the next minute she was thirty-two with a ticking clock. She’d been a bridesmaid so many times she’d lost count. Even if she met someone today, she’d probably be thirty-five before she had children. She’d always thought she’d have a family by now. And so did her old-school mother. She adored her mother, but the world was different today.

One of the problems was that she wanted to get to know a man well before she married. As an attorney, she’d heard far too many horror stories to jump into a relationship. Maybe that’s what held her back, she thought, suppressing another yawn.

Scarlett put on headphones to focus on the detailed task at hand. Dinner came and Scarlett ate while she worked, eager to finish the agreement during the flight. They crossed the Atlantic and the eastern seaboard. Judging from the time they’d been in the air, they were somewhere over the midwestern United States, Scarlett figured. Finally, she hit save, closed her laptop, and got up to stretch.

She took off her jacket, and then wandered to the flight deck to say hello to the pilot and crew. “Hi, Jeffrey.”

“Hi, Scarlett,” the pilot replied with a grin, touching a finger to his forehead. The aircraft was on autopilot.

She chatted with Jeffrey and the crew about upcoming flight plans, which included the next European rugby match, snow skiing in the southern hemisphere, a fly fishing junket in Scotland, and Formula One and Grand Prix races. Lucan spent a fortune on entertaining clients, but it certainly paid off.

Scarlett was booked for Fashion Week in Paris, and the Cannes Film Festival, where she often negotiated licensing deals for many of her clients. She went to all the glamorous parties, but she was not there to play. Marsh & Gold partners expected her to bring in new business, and she did.

In truth, her manic work pace and extensive travel didn’t allow for much of a personal life. She envied her friends who managed to balance their lives.

As she walked to the galley for tea, she thought of her good friend and client, Verena Valent, who, after having lost her family’s legendary skincare salon to an unscrupulous investor, created another skincare line. Verena managed to blend work, the care of her twin sisters and her grandmother, and a new relationship. How did she do it?

But Scarlett knew the answer. It was the flexibility Verena had as an entrepreneur. She was always busy, but on a time schedule of her own making. It was the same with their other friends, such as Dahlia, whose family ran a perfume business, and Fianna, who was a fashion designer and owned a boutique.

For eight years, Scarlett had been focused on working her plan, investing her life into her career, and making partner. After graduation, she had sat for two of the toughest bar exams in the country—California and New York—and passed them both on the first try.

She’d had several competing offers, but she’d accepted a generous one from Marsh & Gold. Now, she was next in line on the partner track. The decision would be made next week. A satisfied smile curved her lips. Soon it would be worth the years of struggle.

Scarlett picked up the green tea she’d brewed and sat down on the divan. She kicked off her shoes, took a few sips, and leaned her head back. She closed her eyes. It felt so good to relax. They still had a couple of hours before landing at the Van Nuys airport in Los Angeles, where the corporate plane was kept. She felt herself drift off.

Her dreams were quite realistic sometimes. “Mmm,” she murmured, as someone stroked her shoulders and arms, which felt so good. She couldn’t remember who he was, this man in her dreams, she couldn’t see his face. If she opened her eyes…but her eyelids were heavy.

“Just relax,” he whispered. He ran a firm hand down her throat and chest, pausing on her breast.

She smiled in her sleep. Who was this virile dream man who seemed so real? One of her old boyfriends, or someone she was yet to meet? She had to know. Straining against her slumber, she fluttered her eyes, trying to capture him.

As she did, she gasped, and shot bolt upright on the divan. “What are you doing?”

“Relax,” Lucan repeated. He hovered over her, and his white dress shirt was unbuttoned. “You work so hard, Scarlett. A beautiful woman like you needs a break.”

“Lucan, stop it.” Scarlett glared at him. “We’re not doing this. Get away from me.”

“Come on, Scarlett.” He twirled a lock of her coppery blond hair around his finger. “Who’s to know? David’s zoned out on Ambien. Fleur passed out in the stateroom from too much vodka.” A smile curved his perfectly tanned face. “And the crew won’t talk. So let’s have fun.”

“Absolutely not.” Scarlett stood, weaving a little on her feet from a mixture of exhaustion and air turbulence.

“Scarlett, Scarlett. So naïve in so many ways.” Lucan patted the spot next to him. “Sit down. I’ll have a couple of nightcaps made for us.” He pressed a button and spoke to the crew. “I won’t bite.”

She touched the cabin wall for support and glanced around. Where could she go? The stateroom door was closed. David was snoring in the front of the cabin. But a crew member would be here any minute. She perched on the bench, leaving space between them.

“So, is there someone else in your life?” His voice was warm and amicable. “You can tell me. After all, you’re going to be a partner soon.”

“Lucan, I don’t want to talk about my personal life.” Of which I have none, she thought. And then, partner? Did he really say that? She scooted to the edge of the seat. “And I’m awfully tired.”

He stared at her, his brilliant blue eyes crinkling with laughter at the corners. He was a virile, handsome man, and he knew it. His irresistible charm had made a fortune for the firm. “I have a little pick-me-up if you need it.” He brought out a tiny vial filled with white powder. “Come on, loosen up, Scarlett.”

“Look, I’m not into that. Please leave me alone so I can take a nap before landing.”

“Let me help you relax,” Lucan said.

She started to rise, but he pounced, knocking her against the back of the sofa. In a flash, he was all over her. Scarlett flailed, but he was a muscular man, and he pinned her down. She glanced over his shoulder and saw a female crew member delivering the two snifters of cognac Lucan asked for.

“Help me,” Scarlett cried.

The petite dark-haired woman looked shocked, then angry. Scarlett reached out to her, pleading with her as she struggled under Lucan’s weight. Suddenly, the crew member dropped the drink tray on purpose, and the glasses shattered on the table. “Sir, I’m so sorry,” she exclaimed. “Watch out for the glass.”

Startled, Lucan rolled off her and jumped to his feet. “You i***t. What’s wrong with you? Clean this up and get out.” Lucan buttoned his shirt and fussed with his hair.

Scarlett sprang up and threw a grateful look to the woman, who scurried away to get cleaning supplies.

“Don’t you ever do that again,” Scarlett snapped.

“What? You’re overreacting.” Lucan spread his hands out in an innocent gesture. “Your honor, I’m innocent.”

The crew member rushed back, but she took her time cleaning. “Need to clean this mess up,” she said calmly, brushing her dark hair over her shoulder. Her name tag read Lavender. She flicked on a small vacuum cleaner.

Scarlett turned on her heel and marched to the flight deck. She was so livid she couldn’t stay in the same cabin with him.

“David, we’re almost home.” Scarlett spoke loudly to wake her colleague.

“Huh? Oh, Scarlett, what’d I miss?” David lifted his eye mask and rubbed his eyes.

“Not a thing.” She shot a look at Lucan, and he suppressed a grin. “It was the best kind of flight. Unremarkable.” She wished she could slap that grin from Lucan’s face. What on earth was he thinking? She was still fuming.

Fleur came stumbling from the stateroom, her purple hair and makeup in disarray, her gold-plated phone already pressed to her ear.

“Have a good sleep?” Lucan asked when she hung up.

Fleur yawned. “Yeah.”

Lucan’s eyes roamed over her. “I assume you want to swing by the hotel and freshen up before we go out.”

“Sure. Whatever.”

Scarlett bit back a reply. The man was indefatigable. Then she remembered she’d gone straight from a meeting in Studio City to catch the outbound flight for London. Her car was still at the office in Century City, near her townhouse in Beverly Hills.

“I’ve got a car waiting for us here,” Lucan said, as if reading her mind.

“Thanks, but I’m meeting a friend,” she said cordially. Why had he ruined their professional relationship? What a jerk.

When they scudded down the runway in Van Nuys, Scarlett breathed a sigh of relief, glad to be home. As they taxied, he gazed out the window at palm trees swaying against a mountain backdrop.

Lucan and Fleur got off the plane first. Scarlett gathered her laptop and exited the plane with David.

“Wait right here,” Lucan said to Fleur. “I forgot something.”

Lucan pushed his way past Scarlett, and she nearly dropped her laptop. She clucked her tongue. The man was an oaf.

Once inside the airport, Scarlett ducked into the women’s bathroom to avoid Lucan pressuring her into joining them in the car. She was washing her hands when the petite, dark-haired crew member who’d come to her aid opened the door. Scarlett raised her eyes and met her gaze in the mirror.

“Hi.” The woman drew her brows together. “Are you okay?”

“I guess so.” Scarlett lifted a shoulder and let it fall. “That was fast thinking. I really appreciate what you did.” She smiled. “My name is Scarlett.”

“And I’m Lavender. Hey, we’re a colorful pair,” the young woman said with a grin. “My mother was a hippie.”

“I have no excuse. My real name is Escarlata.”

Lavender laughed. “Look,” she said, turning serious, “I’ve been in situations like that myself, but you’re a big attorney, right?”

“Not immune to idiots, though.” She turned off the faucet and dried her hands.

“And he’s your boss?” Lavender looked sorry for her.

Scarlett nodded.

“I left my last job because of s****l harassment.” Lavender shuddered. “I don’t need that in my life.”

“No woman does.” Scarlett was still furious. She was smart, but she was street smart, too. She was angry with herself for missing the signs. But Lucan was the one to blame.

They spoke a little more before Scarlett left to retrieve her luggage.

As Scarlett walked out, she saw Lucan ahead of her, so she hung back to avoid him. He glanced around and then tossed a package into the trash. She stopped, hoping he hadn’t seen her.