Seduced and Betrayed Read Online Free PDF

Infinitesimally.
    "Mueller," he said, a question in his voice and eyes.
    "I got a prospective tenant here," Mueller said, jerking his head toward Zeke. "Showing him the place."
    "See?" the woman said, giving the man a saucy little smile as she slipped past him. "I told you it wasn't an ax murderer."
    Zeke smiled his most charming, aw-shucks, I'm-really-perfectly-harmless smile. "I'm sorry if we startled you."
    "Oh, you didn't startle me," she said, returning his smile with one of her own. "My husband's the one with the suspicious mind." She held out her hand. "I'm Faith Shannon. And this is my husband—"
    "Jack," Zeke said, unconsciously interrupting her. "My God, you're Jack Shannon."
    "Yes, that's right."
    Suddenly uneasy, Faith shifted her gaze back and forth between the two men. They were staring at each other as if they'd just seen a ghost. "Jack?" she said hesitantly, reaching out to put her hand on her husband's arm.
    "It's all right, Angel. This is an old—" he hesitated briefly, as if he weren't quite sure of the proper word "—friend of mine. I haven't seen him for twenty-five years. Not since right after Eric died." He shifted the grocery sack he held so he could offer his right hand. "How are you, Zeke?"
    "Stunned," Zeke said as they shook hands. "Completely stunned. I had no idea you were the tenant Mueller was talking about. Or that the apartment I was going to look at was 1-G. He never said a—" Zeke broke off in midsentence and turned to face the man in question. "Why the hell didn't you say anything about this?" he demanded.
    "No point until you decided to take it," Mueller said, unperturbed by Zeke's hostility. "So, have you?"
    "Have I what?"
    "Decided to take it."
    Zeke didn't even have to think about. "Yes," he said. "I'll take it."
    Mueller nodded, as if he'd known the answer all along. "Stop by my office before you leave," he said, and headed for the front door. "I'll have the rental agreement ready for you to sign." He paused, waiting until he had everyone's attention. "Ask the Shannons about the woman in the mirror," he said, his voice low and dramatic. "They'll tell you she's real."
    Nobody said another word until he had walked down the hall and out the door, closing it firmly behind him.
    And then Faith Shannon sighed and shook her head. "Mr. Mueller is a very strange man," she said. "It's very disconcerting."
    "It's irritating as hell, is what it is," her husband grumbled.
    "But he's right, you know," Faith said to Zeke. She reached out to take the sack of groceries from her husband, transferring it to her hip as she spoke. "The woman in the mirror is real. I've seen her. And so has Jack."
    Zeke tried not to look too skeptical. "And did your lives change?"
    "Completely," she said blissfully, and smiled at her husband over the top of the grocery sack.
    He smiled back and reached out, tenderly brushing back a tendril of hair that lay against her temple.
    Zeke felt as if he were watching them kiss. Passionately. He cleared his throat. "Well, I guess I'd better be going. Let you two, um... finish your packing."
    "Oh, we're finished for the day," Faith said, shifting her attention back to her guest. "I was just going to put on a fresh pot of coffee to go with the baklava—" she tapped the side of the grocery sack "—Jack couldn't resist. You're more than welcome to join us, ah..." Her smile was both charming and apologetic. "I'm sorry. I guess I didn't catch your name."
    Jack Shannon gave a muffled snort of laughter at the quick look of surprise that crossed Zeke's face; being so completely unrecognized was a novel experience for him. "Angel, this is Zeke Blackstone," Jack said, before Zeke could introduce himself. "One of Hollywood's brightest lights?" he prompted. "Actor. Director. Producer."
    "Actor?" she said hesitantly.
    "You know, like in the movies?" he teased gently, then flashed a grin at Zeke. "You'll have to forgive her. She's only seen about five movies in her entire life."
    "It's been