Wicked Seduction

17 Hope bites back

Song for the mood: Naked by Ava Max. A snippet of the lyrics:

Tell me if it's safe to bare my soul
I wanna show you my deepest secrets
I think I'm ready to be exposed

Vera

Manhattan, New York, Wednesday, June 1

"This is fascinating," Julian commented, reading the hieroglyphics on a scroll displayed behind the protective glass at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. "It's an ancient Egyptian love spell."

The museum held a special black-tie event on Wednesday evening to showcase new artifacts in the Egyptian art department. Naturally, Julian, an archaeology professor, was hooked, like a child in a toy store.

"Come on, Jules. You don't want to be late," I insisted. Under normal circumstances, my brother was at least fifteen minutes early for meetings, but he was under a spell, entranced by the ancient artifacts.

I grabbed his hand, and we rushed to the Temple of Dendur, which featured two columns on the porch and a depiction of the god Horus's wings. The temple displayed carvings of papyrus and lotus plants, as well as figures of the Nile god Hapy.

"Vee, this place is a dream!" Julian exclaimed. He rarely smiled, but he beamed with hopeful energy tonight. Dressed in a tuxedo, he was oblivious to a group of women who gave him lascivious stares.

"Alistair has impeccable taste," I replied. I smoothed my embroidered lace dress, embellished with pearls and crystals that flowed in intricate patterns, revealing my olive skin. The delicate garment was a gift from Alistair.

Looking ahead, I saw him standing fifteen feet away from me, talking with one of New York City's deputy mayors. My heart leaped at the sight of him in a jet-black tuxedo and polished shoes. His curls were slicked back in a fashionable style, and he emanated bold masculine appeal.

"Jules, Alistair's here," I said, nudging my brother's elbow. He glanced at my lover, curious to meet the man who organized a private jet and accommodation in a five-star hotel near Fifth Avenue for us.

As soon as Alistair's eagle eyes met mine, he wrapped up his conversation with the deputy mayor and sauntered toward Julian and me.

"So, we meet again, Miss Richland," he drawled. Our glance was brief because his eyes traveled over to Julian.

"Mister Scott, I'd like you to meet Julian." I kept my tone impersonal as I stood next to my brother.

"Alistair Scott," Alistair introduced himself, giving Julian a firm handshake.

"Julian Richland," my brother replied, nodding his head. "Thank you for taking the time to meet this evening. I wish we could have met under more favorable circumstances."

"Come with me," Alistair said. "There's a private area where we can talk."

A few minutes later, a security officer escorted us to a secluded place with two private rooms.

I noticed Julian and Alistair were similar in height, but my brother was more muscular due to his regular workouts with weights. Both men were haughty and intelligent, yet their personalities were vastly different.

Julian was introverted, thoughtful, and careful with his words, while Alistair was edgy, impulsive, and sometimes lacked a filter when words came out of his mouth.

"Vera, will you please excuse your brother and me?" Alistair asked, opening the door to one of the rooms. I was about to protest when he raised an eyebrow at me. "I need to talk to him alone."