Eyes Wide Open: The Blackstone Affair, Book 3
Eyes Wide Open: Prologue

I watch. I remember what she felt like. How she moved and sounded. All of it—everything about her.

She doesn’t see me, though. It bothered me at first, but now I know it doesn’t matter because she will. Soon enough she will see me.

Fate came along and put her in my path all those years ago and fate made another appearance when that plane went down. I never forgot about sweet Brynne Bennett. Never. I’ve thought about her for years, I just never imagined we’d meet again. I knew she left the States and moved to London, but it wasn’t until I saw her modeling photographs that I realized just how much I wanted to replace her again.

Now I have.

The fates have aligned. Everything has come together. I can get my due and have her in the process. Brynne deserves this. She’s a treasure. A rare jewel in the crown. Something to savor and enjoy for as long as I want.

We are all pawns. She as much as I. Pawns in a game I did not invent, but one I can certainly play. I’m fighting for equity. This is my opportunity of a lifetime and I won’t let it, or her, slip through my hands. Brynne just comes as a value added, and I look forward to the time when I can show her just how much I’ve missed her and our time together.

In my defense, I did try to get her to help me directly. I would have wooed her and been nice. She would have been happy to see me again. I know she would have been. Those assholes didn’t deserve her, and they certainly earned what they got. Doesn’t matter now, though. They’re out of the equation and that makes it better for me. In the end I’ll be the sole beneficiary anyway.

Now, Blackstone is another story. That bastard came along and swooped her up and into his life. I know he turned her head with his good looks and money, and it’s a damn shame too, because without him it all would have gone off without a hitch.

Blackstone ruined my initial plans, but not everything. He’s got good instincts, though, I’ll give him that. I thought I had her in the bag when he went out to have a smoke behind the building at that charity gala. I couldn’t believe my luck. He was outside. She was inside. Alarm goes off like clockwork. My only mistake was that I didn’t expect him to have her cell phone. That was a definite surprise. But still, I wanted him to know about me. He should know. I had her years before he did.

Then something happened that must have worked in his favor. I’m not sure why, but Brynne wasn’t where she should have been and she didn’t come out like she was supposed to. If she’d had her cell when my message came through I’m certain we’d be together right now, picking up where we left off seven years ago.

I lost her in the mayhem . . . and in the process, my golden opportunity. This is very displeasing to me. Some punishment will have to be delivered in order to restore the balance of things to their rightful place in the world. It’s not a problem, though. Everything will all come around to my way in time.

Blackstone has her well protected now, but I’m working on him too. He doesn’t have all the answers, and I’ll be sure to throw a few more tidbits his way to confuse him. My specialty.

No, I’m not giving up. I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve yet, and I can be very patient. There is still plenty of time to make my move, and I’m getting closer all the time.

Closer.

I didn’t know it at the time, but when those fools chose that song they were dead on. It is perfect. Just perfect.