“What is going on?” I mumbled, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes.
I wasn’t about to be left out of whatever it was that was going on. Making my way over to my door, I pulled the fluffy pink housecoat off the hook on the back and wrapped it around my body. Whatever was happening had the thick and palpable tinge of secrecy to it, and so, I found myself tiptoeing down the hallway as I snooped around my own home in the middle of the night.
Most of the lights in the house were out, but before I’d even reached the top of the staircase, I could see the porchlight was still on. I thought I could risk taking the stairs to get closer to the visitor, but then I heard Nicholas’ voice. I froze where I stood, keeping to the shadows. He was speaking in hushed tones — angry, but hushed — and I strained to hear what he was saying. I thought perhaps I might be able to identify the second voice if I heard enough of it.
“You need to get out of here,” Nick snapped. “You’re not welcome.”
A crude laugh sounded, one devoid of humor. “Do you really think I’m gon’ let a city boy like you chase me away? I heard what the will said. You’ve been away too long if you don’t think word travels fast around here.”
“What does the will have to do with anything?”
“Oh, come on, boy. Do you really think you’re going to be able to find a woman who will love this place as much as Lorraine in the space of a mere three months?”
My brows shot upward. What was that supposed to mean?
“I think you underestimate me, Bill,” Nick said, his tone threatening. “What makes you so sure I haven’t already found the girl?”
“Oh?” the man called Bill spoke once more. “And, who is this girl that’s going to help you get ol’ Granddaddy’s ranch, hmm? Does she know you’re just using her?”
Oh, my God. My hand flew to my mouth as I gasped, realizing that I must be the woman Nick was speaking about. My stomach constricted, and I felt as if I was going to be sick, bile threatening to rise. I forced myself to hold my ground. I needed to hear where this was going, even though every part of me suddenly felt dirty for letting that sleeze-ball touch me.
“Does it matter? My grandfather’s will was pretty clear. If I find a woman who loves the ranch as much as his wife, I get to keep it. All I gotta do now is claim what’s mine.”
I didn’t know if he was talking about the ranch or if he was talking about me, but both left an awful taste in my mouth. Before I knew what I was doing, I ran down the stairs. The fact that I was in a fluffy pink dress in front of a complete stranger didn’t matter. I walked right up to Nicholas Parker and, as I’d wanted to earlier that afternoon, I raised my hand and slapped him right across the cheek. The sound echoed in the quiet night sky and my hand burned, but I didn’t care. It felt good.
Bill reacted first, bursting into a fit of laughter even as tears welled in my eyes.
BOOK TWO: SECRET DEAL
Chapter 1
Gwen.
Well, I had no idea what to do now.
I spun on my heels and raced up the stairs in a blur of movement, ignoring the fact that Nick was calling out to me, his tone desperate and almost apologetic.
In fact, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say he was, but I’d heard the truth from his own lips, like a slap to the face, a rude wake up call...but one I needed to hear nonetheless.
As soon as I made it to my room, I slammed the door shut behind me and locked it for good measure, not trusting the fact that Nick might try to come up there again and seduce me into giving him a second chance.
My traitorous body couldn’t be trusted around him.
Angrily, I yanked off the fluffy pink robe I wore and tossed it onto the desk in the corner. It fluttered before landing in a soft heap, and I gave it a long venomous look, fantasizing about ripping the fabric into tiny little pieces then tossing it out the window.
No, it wouldn’t do anyone any good, least of all me.
Besides, it was Mr. Owens who would be stuck cleaning up after me, not him – and essentially, that was what it boiled down to. I wanted to hurt him, to yank the rug out from under him, leaving his head spinning and the room tilting.
However, it was too late for that. And, it wasn’t as if I was the kind of person who liked revenge, anyway, the idea of it making pinpricks of unease race up and down my body.
In truth, I just pictured it to make myself feel better, imagining the triumphant moment I could snap my fingers in front of Nick’s face and gloat, able to wipe that pompous smirk right off his face.
For good.
I sighed and raked my hands through my hair, focusing on combing out the stands, one by one. The gesture was both soothing and comforting, offering a brief respite from the tumultuousness of my own emotions. It was like a tug of war waging on, clamoring for attention.
I knew exactly what I had to do: go on with my chores as if nothing happened, as if I didn’t feel violated in the most disgusting way possible. My entire body itched, a sick, crawling feeling building its way up.
Suddenly, I stood up and strode over to my own bathroom, one of the few luxuries afforded to me on the ranch, and something I was immensely grateful for. I sat on the edge of the tub and switched on the water, waiting for it to warm up, dipping my fingers in every so often to check the temperature.
When the water was finally warm enough, I slipped in, sighing as the hot water sloshed over my body, the effect almost instant. I leaned back against the cool tile and allowed my arms to rest on either side, body tingling in response.
“Gwen,” Nick called out. He rapped softly on the door. “Please open the door.”
I leaned forward and picked up my loofah, lathering it with soap before I ran it all over my body. I was doing my best to block out the sound of his voice, treating it as nothing more than white noise, inconsequential and annoying.
“I know you’re upset, but we should talk,” Nick insisted. “I won’t leave until you do.”
I narrowed my eyes and tossed a look across the room, a retort on the edge of my lips. Instead of letting out the colorful stream of curse words that would’ve made the Parkers blush, I swallowed heavily and turned my head to the front, scrubbing vigorously.
For a while I sat there, taking my frustration out on the loofah. My skin turned raw, pulsing an angry red, so I stopped, putting down the fabric as I touched my body and winced slightly.
It appeared that in my desire to wipe every trace of Nick from memory, including the one imprinted onto my skin, I’d gone a bit overboard, nearly hurting myself in the process.
The water dripped as I stood up, the quiet drips echoing back to me in the bathroom as I reached for the fluffy towel and used one hand to tie it around myself while the other unplugged the tub.
Quickly, the water swirled around in rapid movement as it was sucked into the drain, leaving nothing behind. I placed my hands on either side of the sink, my head dipped forward as I avoided looking at myself in the mirror.
Honestly, I was afraid of what I’d see looking back at me.
Before long, I crawled back into bed, having bundled up the sheets and left them in a pile on the floor – to be washed or burned, I hadn’t quite decided which yet. I drew the covers up to my face and gazed at the door as I drifted back to sleep, wondering if Nick was still on the other side.
Sunlight poured in through the open window when I opened my eyes again, and I opened my mouth to let out a soft yawn. I brought my arms up above me, stretching as I tried to remember why my stomach was in knots.
Nick.
The thought of him slammed into me, and I swung my legs over the side of the bed, tiptoeing to my door to see if he was still there. I dropped to the floor, belly down as I studied the shadows underneath, determining that he was indeed gone.
A flicker of disappointment coursed through me, but I snuffed it out, shaking my head at my own stupidity. It wasn’t right for me to want him to make amends because an apology wouldn’t change what he did. It wouldn’t turn
back the clock.
Besides, I’d never be able to know if he was sincere or simply looking for another way to get his hands on the ranch, collateral damage be damned. Quickly, I got dressed, grabbed a sandwich from the kitchen, and raced outside, burying myself in the work.
The only way to get through it was to pretend that Nicholas Parker didn’t exist.
It was easier said than done, but I was going to give it my best shot.
Chapter 2
NICK.
This was pretty much pointless.
Even my financial advisor warned me against sticking around and making a bigger mess of things than I already had. Of course, that wasn’t entirely outside the realm of possibility, given how I had the uncanny ability to stick my foot in my mouth, at least where the ranch was concerned.
For the life of me, I couldn’t even figure out why.
I was a fucking businessman for Christ’s sake. I knew how to charm the pants off some of the most stoic people in the world. had even done so on several occasions, much to the surprise of my colleagues.
When it came to business, I was in my element. Everything would click into place, letting me know exactly what I needed to do to reach my goal. Honestly, it wasn’t hard for me, and I couldn’t explain why.
It was just a feeling that I had, a sixth sense if you will, and I’d learned, fairly early on, not to ignore it. So far, it hadn’t let me down. Yet, Matt insisted that I needed to cut my losses and go home, shifting my focus to the ranches I already owned.
But I couldn’t do it.
Not only because I wanted to acquire the ranch, add it to my expanding list of ranches, but also because the thought of someone else owning my childhood home didn’t set well with me.
Whenever I thought of it, a vice-like grip wound its way around my heart, and I felt bile rise in the back of my throat. My visceral reaction was strange, especially considering how hard I’d fought to get away from it, hardly leaving anytime to visit when I finally did move to the city.
I blamed it on nostalgia, creeping in and softening the edges to make it seem better than it actually was. I couldn’t allow myself to forget the truth, though: the ranch was nothing but a black pit, a vortex that sucked money, energy, and time.
Nothing more and nothing less.
And I, for one, had no intention of going down that particular rabbit hole. Not again. I’d worked too hard to crawl my way out. But I wasn’t about to turn my back on it, not by a long shot.
There was still a chance for me to get the ranch fair and square.
All I needed to do was convince Gwen to go along with my charade. So far, I was having zero luck in that department, with all my attempts at getting her to talk to me amounting to nothing.
I had to hand it to her. She knew exactly how to ice someone out, and honestly, I did feel like shit for what I’d done. Granted, I hadn’t intended on things escalating the way they did, but being around her just drove all my plans and calculations right out the window.
And the way her body responded to mine, melting instantly, had sent shockwaves through me, taking me by complete surprise. In that moment, the only thing I cared about was hearing her make more of those little noises.
Unfortunately, Gwen would never believe me if I told her that.
As far as she was concerned, I was the asshole who swooped in with his money and self-entitled behavior and wormed his way into her pants, without any kind of regard for her own feelings.
The problem was she wasn’t wrong.
I felt bad for hurting her, but not contrite enough to abandon the plan and fly back to the city with my tail between my legs. On the contrary, seeing Bill made me want to redouble my efforts, a sinking feeling in the pit of my gut letting me know that if I failed, the bastard would be the one to get the ranch.
Of course, I didn’t have any proof, and it wasn’t a guarantee, but I knew somehow that it was the way things would unfold. After all, Bill was loaded, and he wasn’t exactly subtle about his interest in the farm. He had even tried to proposition my grandfather long before his death.
It was my grandmother who managed to put him in his place, remaining steadfast and true to the ranch they called a home, and my grandfather stood by her side, loyal and true.
Sentimental till their last breath.
Well, I wasn’t about to make the same mistake. Buying the ranch was purely a business venture as far as I was concerned, and I was going to find a way to get through to Gwen, one way or another.
The chemistry between us was undeniable, an undercurrent that was both palpable and strong, tugging on the seams and demanding what it was owed. I doubted it was a good idea to play on that given the disastrous results – and the fact that Gwen was likely to keep an eye out for that exact ploy – but I had no other ace up my sleeve.
And, the only way this would end up being a win for me was if I got the ranch.
Plain and simple.
Gwen just had to see my things my way, and if she didn’t, then Matt would find me my loophole. In light of the fact that the will was written at a time when my grandfather had gotten on in age, it was highly likely that there was something in the fine print I could use to my advantage.
Right now, I just had to be patient; it wasn’t my strong suit, but I intended to stay put, whether or not I was welcome here. Based on the reaction of the current ranch hands, who were allowed to stay until the ranch was transferred to its new owner, it wasn’t going to be easy.
All of them alternated between eyeing me warily or sadly, except for Gwen who looked like she might be tempted to grab a shotgun off the wall and aim straight for me.
Damn, she was a feisty one alright.
It was a pity.
Chapter 3
GWEN.
Trying to act like Nick didn’t exist was hard – harder than I anticipated – and he wasn’t exactly making it easy for me. In fact, he was going out of his way to make it difficult, setting his sights on me like a dog with a bone.
And, I couldn’t understand why.
Honestly, I’m sure there was a plethora of other women, a whole revolving door of them actually, who would happily perform the role, engaging in whatever twisted arrangement they set up between themselves.
In fact, I could even direct him their way if he wanted to, but he didn’t seem interested in them. Only me. All because I happened to work on the ranch and care for it as if it were my own.
That stupid condition was proving to be a lot more trouble than it was worth.
Grandpapa Parker’s heart was in the right place, I knew that much. I missed him something fierce, but he wasn’t here now, and for some reason, he’d gone to his grave believing that Nick would be dissuaded by the condition, or at the very least kept in line.
The idea was laughable, really. As if I could somehow persuade Nick to do something other than what he intended to do. Mainly, I imagined him packing his bags as soon as the deal was done, leaving the day-to-day care to someone else and jetting off to overcome new hurdles.
It was just the way he was built, and I couldn’t fault for him that. For the past few years, Nick had worked to amass his fortune, building an empire with his own blood, sweat, and tears, so in a warped kind of way, I understood his desire to eliminate whatever threat arose.
It didn’t mean I approved of his methods – far from it – but Nick wasn’t getting the hint. Either that, or was he was outright ignoring it, finding excuses just to talk to me, keeping a steady stream of conversation that was mostly one sided, aside from the occasional grunt or sharp comment tossed his way.
I had to admit that I admired his tenacity. It definitely made him a formidable businessman, and I prayed that God helped whoever dared stand in this man’s way, but I wanted no part of it, real or not.
I’d already opened myself up to Nick, only to find nothing but a trail of lies and deceit; I had no interest in going down that path again, not with everything tinged with the memory of his betrayal.
&nb
sp; Yes, I was just a hired hand, I thought, but I was also a person, and I deserved to be treated better.
I huffed as my muscles strained to hoist up the bucket of water, a small grunt escaping my mouth.
Hopefully, I glanced around to see if I could enlist the help of any farm hands, but aside from a vague outline in the distance, no one seemed to be around. I sighed deeply, wiped the sweat off my brow with the back of my hand and crouched, my lower back screeching at me in protest.
“Need a hand?” Nick asked.
I whirled around, nearly dropping the pail in the process. As it was, some of it sloshed over the side, and I gave him a dirty look, as if he controlled the liquid. He shoved his hands in his dark jeans and shrugged.
“If I did, I wouldn’t ask you,” I responded, coldly.
Nick did a double take, surprised that I addressed him at all, even if it was to tell him off. Truthfully, the silent treatment was getting old, and I was no longer interested in maintaining it.
If Nick insisted on being a pest, buzzing around incessantly, then I would treat him like one – a nuisance to be ignored, but tolerated. After all, he was still a Parker, and there was no way for me to run him off.
Even if the thought had occurred to me.
“I don’t see anyone else around,” he pointed out, holding out his arm with a hopeful look crossing his features. I ignored him, coughing as I balanced the pail filled to the brim with both hands and stalked in the general direction of the stables.
Behind me, I heard the soft sound of his footsteps, measured and even, the walk of a man who was used to getting his way in the world. I shot him a look over my shoulder, raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.
With my shoulders, I pushed the barn door open and used the tip of my nose to flick on the switch. Nick hurried behind me, eager to help and frowning when he realized I did it all on my own.
Secret Series: A Stealthy Billionaire Romance Box Set Page 4