Bennett put his arm around the woman and gave the man a look. Try it. I fucking dare you. Because I’ll have you in the fetal position so fast that your girlfriend here will never look at you like you’re a real man ever again.
The man, average height with blond hair, suddenly looked like he might wet himself.
Good choice, my friend. Just snap your picture.
He did and handed the phone back to his girlfriend. “Th-thank you, Mr. Wade.”
Bennett gave a nod and headed through the crowd in the other direction. That man wasn’t the first—more like the twentieth this evening—and he wouldn’t be the last to instantly assume that men like Bennett were pussies in suits who wanted nothing more than to hide behind their money and take their girlfriends. But not all rich bastards were alike, and he hadn’t grown his multibillion dollar empire by backing down from a fight. That, and hard work. Lots of it. His company was his life and the only thing he did with his time aside from exercising—which had become his primary form of stress relief these days, given he hadn’t been able to get it up for over a year, except for Taylor. It seemed his dick was smarter than he was and had gotten tired of the shallow women like Kate who had only been after his money. But the minute the real deal showed herself, his dick knew.
Oh yes. It knew.
Taylor had entered that conference room in Phoenix in her tight little suit, her face flustered and flushed, and it wanted her. Not because his “friends” were lined up around the block pining for the woman, betting to see who could get her in the sack first, but because she had this fire in her sultry brown eyes—the same fire he’d seen in a picture when one of his “buddies” told him about the bet after a game of golf (a necessary evil for doing deals in his world). The moment he heard she’d turned them all down, it piqued his interest. Because she was single, beautiful, a hard worker from what the guys said, and couldn’t be won over with a few cheap pickup lines and a big bank account.
They’d all tried. Repeatedly.
They’d all crashed and burned. Repeatedly.
He had to meet her.
And as luck so happened, he was headed to Phoenix to golf with an executive from Japan who was there on business and interested in selling the patent he needed.
So he made a few calls and set up the meeting.
Yes, just to meet her.
Silly, a guy like him, who could have any woman he wanted, going out of his way just to get in a room with Taylor Reed, a woman he’d never met.
But he’d been right about her. She couldn’t be fooled or charmed. She could see through ten feet of bullshit from a mile away, and that, that was why everyone failed to seduce her.
The moment she chewed his ass out in Phoenix, he knew he wanted her because she might just be the only woman on the planet capable of seeing him for what he truly was: fucked up. The tailored suit is a deceptive tool, indeed. However, each time he thought of calling her, he’d pathetically lost his nerve. She had to hate him after the way he behaved, after losing her job, so he convinced himself to let it go, that he had no interest in her, that she wasn’t his type because a woman like that couldn’t be happy with what he had to offer: a mess inside a suit. And then one day, her name came up again in a round of golf, his “buddies” making fun of her efforts to start her own company, and it set him off. He might not be interested in her, but he’d be damned if he was going to let those assholes put her down simply because they all failed to get in her pants. So he’d decided to hire her. Yes, to snub those bastards. He also figured it couldn’t hurt to get her help with Lady Mary. Of course, the moment he saw Taylor again in Seattle, that same fiery look in her big brown eyes, well…he began to get the feeling that he might actually need her. Really need her.
As he looked up, Bennett spotted Ms. Luci’s approach through the crowd. She had a scowl on her face. Not a good sign. That woman frightens me.
“Mr. Wade!” she barked out, turning a few heads, despite the loud mariachi music pouring from one of the other six tents they’d set up to accommodate the thousand-plus guests. Many were here to attend the group wedding being held for Ms. Luci’s successful matches. Apparently, they did this every year. A goddamned nooky cookie cult.
“Ms. Luci.” He dipped his head, getting the distinct feeling she was about to…
She grabbed his arm—Ow! She has a grip—and dragged him to the edge of the tent. Her manservant or lover or whoever that Sebastian fellow was stood behind her, his one large eye poking out like it might bite someone. “Bennett, this is your last warning,” she said, “or I will send you to the kitchen. Stop terrorizing my guests.”
Bennett had a very, very deep respect for his mother—a strong woman and the only person he’d ever known to love him unconditionally besides Taylor—and Luci reminded him exactly of her.
Your mother or Taylor?
Both.
“My apologies, Ms. Luci. It will not happen again. However,” he glanced at his watch. “I’m afraid I’ll need to depart in a moment. I’ll be out of the country for a few weeks, traveling on business, and must stop to see my mother before I go.” Ms. Luci would understand why. His mother confessed that the two had been corresponding for months now, growing quite a friendship, so she’d be aware of his mother’s cancer.
Luci’s face lit up with panic. “Leave? You can’t leave.”
He raised a brow. “You’re saying I should not go and visit my sick mother?”
“Uh-uh,” she stammered. “Can you at least wait a few more minutes? Until the ceremonies begin? They are…” she searched for words. “Touching!”
Why did he feel like she was up to something?
Because she probably is.
“Ms. Luci, I know you are hailed as some great matchmaking expert, which I’m sure is the reason my mother contacted you initially, but I’m sorry. I’m not interested in dating.” Ever again.
She had a guilty look on her face, which she hid rather poorly. “Dating? Now, who said anything about dating, mijo? I’m simply asking you to stay for a few…” Her dark eyes flashed to the other end of the tent, and then a look of relief washed over her face. “Ay dios. Thank goodness.” She smiled up at Bennett. “I think someone is looking for you.”
He turned and spotted Taylor in a sexy little white strapless dress that hugged her soft curves and accentuated her breasts, making them look plumper and so…
In need of my hands.
He gulped. Goddammit. She looks fucking amazing. Her dark, silky brown hair cascaded down her bare shoulders, her pouty lips—the ones he dreamed of kissing almost every single goddamned night—looked downright sinful. His dick instantly began hardening. You are not a goddamned compass. And Taylor isn’t your goddamned polar north, you sonofabitch.
Taylor’s pleading eyes locked onto his from across the crowded tent of happy, formally dressed guests. He knew she felt sorry. But what was the goddamned point when he couldn’t forgive her? He’d shared his darkest secrets, he’d opened up to her when the act of doing so felt like taking a knife to his own goddamned chest. But, he’d done it. For her. Taking a risk that she’d love him anyway. Did she have any idea how difficult that had been after Kate?
He’d put his faith in Taylor. His goddamned faith. And then she ran. No note. No message. She just…ran. Straight to Mary, a stranger, in order to share his dark past. Yes, Taylor probably thought she was helping, but it wasn’t her story to share. And why had she done it? To hide the final nail in her coffin: that she’d only come with him on that trip to ruin him. Taylor. The one woman he’d hoped, with his entire soul, he could trust. I can’t be wrong about this one. Not her. Not this time, he’d thought over and over again. But he had been.
With their eyes still locked across the crowded tent, he slowly shook his head at her, warning her not to come closer. It was over. He didn’t want to see her again.
Taylor’s face then flushed with determination, and she began making her way toward him.
Stubborn woman. Why co
uldn’t she simply leave him be? She’d already done enough damage. He made his way across the grass toward the parking lot and was almost to the security check point when he heard his name over the loudspeakers.
“Bennett. Bennett Wade. Don’t you dare walk away from me!”
He stopped and looked toward the tent in the middle of the field, about fifty yards away. It was where Luci said they’d be holding the one hundred weddings later tonight.
When his eyes focused, he spotted Taylor in her white dress, holding a microphone and standing on a podium decorated in a crap load of white flowers and ribbons and wedding bullshit.
“Bennett, I know you can hear me,” she said. Even though she was half a football field away, he felt her eyes on him. “Before you leave, I want you to know that I am…” There was a catch in her voice, and Bennett realized she was crying. A brunette woman he’d never seen before ran up on the podium to comfort her. “Go on, Tay,” the woman whispered, the mic picking up her words. “Say what you came here for.”
Bennett felt his body tense up with anger and so many other emotions he wasn’t used to feeling. Did she honestly believe some speech would change his mind or undo the damage?
Taylor cleared her throat. “Bennett, I am sorry. And I know there’s no excuse for what I did, but I love you.”
The crowd, who’d gathered in front of the wedding tent, began to cheer.
Taylor dipped her head graciously. “Thank you. Thank you.” She held out her hand, pleading for them to let her finish. “But it’s now or never, Bennett. You can forgive the woman who accepts you exactly as you are, or you will lose her forever.” She wiped away the tears from her eyes, and her friend gave her a little squeeze of encouragement. Taylor squared her shoulders and looked out across the field in his direction. “Bennett, you once told me that we were the same, that we saw people and situations for what they truly were. Then can’t you see how truly sorry I am? Can’t you see that I never meant to hurt you?” She sighed. “Please, I’m begging you, please forgive me. Because…”
Bennett stared across the field, the crowd dissolving into the night. He wanted to go to her. He wanted to say he could forgive and trust and be a fucking man…but he simply didn’t know. So much pain weighed him down and until he made right with his demons, he couldn’t truly let go, or be there for anyone, or forgive or sleep or fuck or eat or love.
And that was about all he knew.
She let out a little hiccup before she went on, “Because if you don’t forgive me now, I’ll never be able to forgive you, Bennett. Never.”
What the hell did she mean by that? Forgive me or I won’t forgive you? He looked down at his polished black shoes and then turned toward the parking lot, fuming at her ultimatum. Could she see him? He didn’t know. He only knew that Taylor was the woman he’d thought was for him and the woman he needed to let go of if he hoped to keep breathing.
“Fine, you fucker!” a woman’s voice rang out. It wasn’t Taylor, but her friend who’d grabbed the microphone. “She’s pregnant, and you just lost the chance to be with the one woman who could ever love a rich, famous, totally hot asshole like you! Oops. I mean…asshole! Just asshole.”
Bennett turned his entire body just in time to see a thousand people scowling in his direction, probably willing him to die.
—
Taylor stood frozen on the podium while Sarah remained at her side, screaming to the world that Taylor had been knocked up by Bennett Wade.
Oh, the shame. Wasn’t it bad enough she’d gotten up on the stage in front of a thousand people and declared her love like a fool?
Don’t forget the begging. That was pretty pathetic, too.
But the shame was nothing compared to the heartbreak of seeing Bennett walk away like she’d meant nothing to him or wasn’t good enough to deserve his forgiveness.
And, of course, that heartbreak and shame only felt exacerbated by watching Jack, a big guy with a mean right hook, who was anything but a pacifist despite his Hippocratic Oath, tearing through the crowd after Bennett.
Taylor cupped her hands over her mouth. “Oh no.” Jack’s going to kill him. “Jack!”
She looked at Sarah who grinned from ear to ear. “Go kick his ass, Jack!” she screamed into the microphone. “I’ll make sure all charges are dropped!”
“I can’t believe this,” Taylor whispered, shaking her head as the entire party rushed off to watch the fight.
Wasn’t this supposed to be a giant love fest?
Taylor made her way down from the podium and charged off to where the mob had gathered near the edge of the dirt field being used as a parking lot. They started cheering. Oh, shit. That meant Jack was winning.
Wait. Shouldn’t she be happy about that?
No. Of course not. She didn’t want anyone fighting. Period.
She pushed her way through the crowd. “Excuse me! Excuuuuuse me!” She broke through just in time to see Jack straddling Bennett’s stomach, cocking his fist for a blow.
Oh God! “No! Jack do—” That fist came down, and she looked away, wincing. Oh, damn that had to hurt. The crowd went wild, and when she looked back, Bennett was in the process of throwing Jack off. It was like watching two big lions trying to chew each other up.
As everyone seemed to be basking in a bit of pre-matrimony bloodlust, not lifting a finger to break the two boneheads apart, she decided it was all up to her. She stormed toward Bennett right as he lunged for Jack, who was on his back, his mop of brown hair in his eyes.
Everything happened so fast.
She grabbed Bennett’s large arm, telling him to stop, at the precise moment his arm pulled back. His elbow hit her square in the breastbone, knocking her straight back. She landed with a thump in the dirt, choking for air.
The crowd fell silent, gasping, and maybe that’s what got Bennett’s attention, because he was suddenly over her. “Taylor! Fuck, are you all right. Please tell me you’re all right.”
Jack shoved him aside. “Get away from my sister, asshole!”
Bennett gave him a quick look. “You’re Taylor’s brother?”
Jack bent over her, ignoring Bennett. “Tiger, can you breathe?”
Her air returned in a gasp, and she nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine I just—”
“Did he hit your stomach?” Jack asked, calm but frantic—if that was possible.
“No,” she groaned. “Just my chest.”
“We should get her to the hospital,” Bennett said, now hovering to the other side.
“Hey. Back off!” Jack barked, his big green eyes projecting a death ray. “I’m a doctor. And you can just stay the hell away from her.”
“Like hell I will,” Bennett growled. “She’s carrying my baby.”
Jack sprang up, completely forgetting all about Taylor. “I don’t care if she’s carrying your goddamned litter. You will stay away from her.”
Litter? What was she, a dog now? Oh, no. I’m a tiger. “Guys!” She wheezed, trying to get to her feet. “Enough.”
Jack regained his composure and turned his attention to helping her up. “Slowly. Get up slowly.”
“I’m fine,” she said, now standing and covered in dirt.
“Taylor,” Bennett said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”
She held out her hand. “Just leave, Bennett. I’ll call you in nine months.”
He stepped toward her. “Please, let’s just go somewhere and talk.”
She pierced him with her gaze. “Don’t you get it, Bennett?” she whispered. “You weren’t the only one who put their heart on the line. It’s over. Just go back to your demons and leave me the hell alone.”
Jack stepped between them, facing Bennett. “She said leave.”
“This is between her and me,” Bennett snarled, the tip of his nose almost touching Jack’s since both men were about the same height.
“Not anymore,” Jack retorted, not backing down.
Oh God. They were going to fight again. She was just grateful h
er two other brothers, Marcus and Rob, and her father hadn’t shown up. Not that they hadn’t tried. The moment they’d heard Bennett Wade would be at the party, they began ironing slacks and getting out the hair gel. As a compromise, she agreed to bring Jack because he was the most level-headed of the men in her family. Racecar drivers, not so much. Surprisingly, Rob, the vintner, was a notorious hothead.
Ms. Luci suddenly appeared out of nowhere and wedged herself between the two men, facing Bennett. “It is time for you to go, young man. And don’t think I am not calling your mother. Just wait until she hears about this!” She shook her finger in his face and then turned toward Jack. “And you!” She pointed at him, hissing what sounded to be like some very lewd words in Spanish before finally saying, “I’ll not have fighting at my fiesta. You take your sister home, this minute.”
Jack nodded like a shamed little boy. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what got into me.”
Luci gave him a strange look. “You wouldn’t happen to be single, would you?” She shook her head. “Oh. Never mind. Off with you.”
Luci’s eyes then moved to Sarah, who’d now worked her way through the crowd and stood next to Jack. “Y tú! Un juez? Qué boca tan sucia! Y por supuesto eres soltera también.”
Sarah blinked at Luci, having no clue what she’d said. “Uh…sorry?”
“Come on, Tay,” Jack said. “Time to go.”
She hesitated for a moment, her eyes gravitating toward Bennett’s remorseful face, his eyes—one of them swollen and red—pleading with her. His hair was all mussed, and his bowtie had come undone, making him look like the sexy, bad boy billionaire, in need of a good spanking, that he was.
She sighed. God he was beautiful. And even now, she could feel her heart reaching out with its little arms toward him.
No, Tay. He only pities you. He’d be kind to her because of the baby. A relief, she supposed. But she’d need to save herself a lifetime of heartbreak, and allow him to only be a part of the child’s life—if that’s what he wanted—not a part of hers. Not any more than he had to be, anyway.
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