by Katie Reus
“Unfortunately yes. We should just leave,” he muttered.
She eyed the wide-open gates as Evan drove past. “Are we really leaving?”
“I have a friend who lives a few houses down. We’re going to park there. I don’t want to risk my car getting blocked in. Because this is clearly a shitshow.”
“Oh, good idea.” She didn’t like being out at all, but Detective Duarte had given her a courtesy call and told her they were fairly certain that Rodney was behind the poisoning and hospital attack on her. He couldn’t tell her more or why he thought that, but he’d wanted to give her peace of mind when he’d let her know that Rodney was currently being questioned by the police. He’d asked for an attorney, but at least he was in custody. It made her feel better about being out tonight. “Are you sure you don’t want to leave?” This party had nightmare written all over it.
“I want to say yes, but with Rodney in police custody we should be fine. And I’m carrying.” He patted his jacket once and she knew he had a gun under there. It wasn’t like he always had a weapon on him, but right now she was grateful that he did. “Let’s get in and out. If Bentley is too hammered to talk to us, we’ll leave. I know a way to strong-arm him into meeting with us.” His tone was positively savage.
Isla shot him a surprised look. “Seriously?”
“Yes. I’m not proud of it but…I can make a meeting with us happen. I just didn’t want to go that route. I want everything to go as smoothly as possible where this deal is concerned. It matters.”
She nodded because she understood. It did matter. Evan had been right earlier when he’d called her out for working on these deals when she didn’t necessarily need to. There were plenty of capable people who worked at her father’s company. Her company. Damn it. She couldn’t quite think of it as her own. Probably never would. But some part of her—that little girl who still needed her father’s approval—didn’t want to disappoint her dad or dishonor his legacy. So here she was, working stupid hours at a stupid party, meeting a frat-boy man-baby who’d never grown up so she could help close her father’s final deal.
“Hey,” Evan murmured, reaching his hand out to hers as he turned into a quiet, gated driveway. “We can leave.”
“No, I…I was just thinking about my dad.”
He paused as he pulled up to the gate and let the security know he was there to park—he must have texted his friend, or they knew who Evan was. She was betting on the latter.
As the gate opened for them, he squeezed her hand once. “I think about him a lot. I’ll find myself wanting to call him over random things and then it hits me that I can’t. And I know it’s got to be harder for you, especially since you’ve stepped into his shoes so seamlessly.”
“It is, thanks. I’m reminded of him every day. It’s why I didn’t take his old office. I just couldn’t stomach the thought of sitting at his desk, of truly taking over.” And that was about all she could say on that. She didn’t want to start talking about her dad or she’d get emotional. Right now, that wasn’t what she wanted. She simply wanted to talk to Bentley and then get out of here and back home.
Well, not home, but Evan’s place, since she was still staying there for the time being. Which was a whole other can of worms she was dealing with. She’d slept in his bed last night and she couldn’t deny the attraction she still had for him. The man was under her skin, in her soul and she… She didn’t know if she could let go of things and move on. Though she wanted to, for both their sakes.
“I ordered you a box of that biscotti you love,” he said as he steered down the driveway, slowing when they reached a parking section off to the right of the four-car garage.
Her heart rate kicked up. “Seriously?” She’d searched online and hadn’t been able to find the supplier.
“Yep. I figured after what happened, you deserved that damn biscotti.”
“I kind of want to kiss you right now,” she blurted, then pulled her hand from his and started to laugh it off, to tell him that she didn’t mean that, but couldn’t force the lie out. Because the truth was, she was crazy enough to want to kiss Evan Bishop. Now and all the time. The man owned her heart whether she wanted it or not. She couldn’t escape her feelings, and it was that much harder now that they were sleeping under the same roof.
“I wouldn’t stop you if you did.” His words were as heated as his expression.
Oh, no. Nope. Not happening. Instead of responding, like a coward she escaped the now parked car, grabbing her small purse before shutting the door behind her.
“So…we’re not going to discuss that?” he asked as he rounded the vehicle.
She glanced away from him and focused on the flashing lights half a street down. “Nope.”
He didn’t comment, just linked his arm through hers as they started walking along the driveway.
Being so close to him like this was familiar in a way that made her ache. His scent wrapped around her, teasing her, making her think about how easy it would be to simply kiss him, to give in to her impulses. But then where would they be? If they kissed, it would definitely lead to more. But what the hell could he offer her? And once this mess with Rodney was over, he could back out of her life just like before.
Sure, he’d told her that he just wanted to be friends, but she didn’t know how that was possible. Not for her anyway. And she wasn’t sure how it was possible for him either. Because he was jealous of Geno, a man she had no real relationship with, other than a working one. What happened when one of them started dating?
Ugh. No way. She couldn’t even think about him with another woman. It would bring on a wave of sadness, and she simply could not deal with that right now.
Chapter 16
He stared across the crowd of scantily clad people, surprised that Isla and Evan were here. And going by the way Evan had his arm draped around her shoulders possessively, keeping her close, it was clear they were together. As in truly together.
This wasn’t some publicity stunt as he’d thought it might be.
Glaring at the two of them, he grabbed a drink from a passing server and tossed back what turned out to be vodka. It burned going down so he grabbed another.
Why was she here tonight, throwing her relationship with Bishop in his face?
It was as if she was taunting him, mocking him. He loved her, but maybe she was like all the others. Just a whore. Otherwise why would she go back to Bishop? A man who didn’t love her, didn’t respect her. No, she was just like all the other women he’d been with—and there were many.
He gritted his teeth, shaking off the touch of a random woman who started stroking his forearm and asking if he wanted to dance. He turned away, needing distance from Isla and Bishop before he did something stupid.
He made his way through the crowd and grabbed another drink as he stalked around the pool, making his way inside.
He’d planned on having fun tonight—and finding a thin redhead who looked enough like Isla to fuck—but seeing her with Bishop had ruined everything. For so long, he’d wanted only her, even when he’d been with other women, even his ex. But now…things seemed clearer.
He was a fool with a fool’s dream. Apparently she just liked being with a man who treated her like garbage, who disposed of her as if she didn’t matter—but she came running when Bishop called. He gritted his teeth, barely noticing his surroundings as he moved. If he couldn’t have her, Bishop sure wasn’t going to. That man didn’t deserve her.
He shoved a waiter out of the way, ignoring the man’s cry of surprise as he stalked inside. He needed to cool off, to take a few deep breaths and collect himself before he left the party.
He couldn’t stay another moment. Not when she was here with Bishop.
He’d been keeping an eye on her for so long, waiting until the time was right to make his move. Maybe that was the problem. He needed to stop waiting, to stop being such a pussy.
He needed to take what he deserved—her.
Chapter 17
/> Isla was tired of waiting for the bathroom but she’d had far too much water tonight. The line was ridiculous, and considering the size of this party? She couldn’t believe Bentley didn’t have better facilities.
Annoyed that Bentley had blown her and Evan off a few times—and just frustrated in general that she was here on a weekday night—she leaned against the hallway wall, trying to find some relief for her tired feet. This was what she got for wearing stupid heels.
When she shifted slightly to look for Evan, who’d insisted on waiting at the end of the hallway for her, she nearly jerked back when she saw some woman trying to drape herself all over him.
Gritting her teeth, she rolled her shoulders once. She and Evan weren’t together. She didn’t have any claim on him. Except she kind of did since they were in a fake relationship right now, and the least he could do was fake it and push the woman off him.
She peeked around the person in front of her again and saw that the woman leaning toward Evan hadn’t stepped back any. No, she was all up in his personal space.
Temper spiking, Isla slipped out of line and turned the other way. She knew where another bathroom was and she was going to take care of business, then they were getting the hell out of here. She could tell that Evan was annoyed with the woman by the tense line of his jaw and his tight body language, but still, she wasn’t going to stand here for the next fifteen minutes and watch that woman throw herself at him. Isla had limits and that was one of them. She’d never had insecurities where Evan was concerned, but now? After the way he’d shut her out for so long, it seemed she had more than she imagined.
She took a left at the end of the hallway and made her way to the front of the house. Two sets of stairs arched upward in a beautiful sweep. She’d been here before, on two occasions, both with her father for some boring dinner party. The first time she’d received a tour, so she knew there was a nice little half bath right at the top of the stairs.
With no line. She hurried up the stairs, figuring she’d be done before Evan even knew she was gone.
Once she was done, she splashed water on her face and gave herself a hard look in the mirror. She wasn’t so sure she liked what she saw. She kept telling herself that as soon as these deals were done, she was moving on and would do everything she’d been dreaming of.
Planning on.
She’d already talked to Marcy about expanding the community center and building another one on the opposite side of town—because there weren’t nearly enough federally funded places for kids. Not good ones, anyway. She’d even spoken to Dylan Blackwood about properties and he had a few lined up for her to look at. But…deep down she wondered if she was dragging her feet because she was afraid she would fail. Which was stupid. Because if she did nothing, she was failing anyway.
“Stop second-guessing yourself,” she muttered. Then frowned. “And stop talking to yourself.”
Stepping out of the bathroom, she finger-combed her hair and headed for the stairs. As she reached the top, she turned at a whisper of sound behind her. Clothes or something rustling. She wasn’t sure what it was, but suddenly she wasn’t alone.
A man stood in the shadows, his big body vibrating with menace.
Panic punched through her and she felt like she was in the hospital all over again. Turning, she grasped the railing of the stairs and started to hurry down. As she moved, her heels slipped and she launched forward, unable to stop herself from tumbling. She cried out as her elbow and knee banged against the rug runner.
“Oh my God, are you okay?” A man wearing black pants and a black long-sleeved shirt with a small nametag on the right pocket raced up the bottom half of the stairs. He was part of the subtle security team Bentley had hired.
Groaning, she let him help her up. Glancing over her shoulder, she looked back upstairs as he helped her to her feet, but didn’t see anyone there.
Jesus, had she imagined the whole thing? No, there had been someone up there, but it wasn’t as if the man had said anything, or taken even a step in her direction. She’d simply gotten spooked and then nearly taken a header down the stairs. It was time to go.
Damn it, she never should have come tonight at all. At least no one was in the foyer to see her limping along. Even so, her face burned with embarrassment. If anyone had witnessed that, they’d assume she was drunk and it would make it into a gossip section online.
She still hadn’t dealt with her attack, and being here was clearly messing with her head, making her imagine menacing men in the dark. She knew she needed to emotionally handle what had happened, and she’d been hoping that throwing herself into work would help. But being here after what had happened yesterday—she realized it was way too soon. She was trying to take on too much.
“Your dress is ripped,” the man said as he slid an arm around her waist, helping her walk down the rest of the stairs.
Wincing, she looked down and saw that yep, the hem of her dress was ripped. Pain ricocheted through her knee and elbow, her body sore as they reached the bottom of the stairs. Oh yeah, coming tonight had clearly been a dumb idea.
“Is there a private room I can sit in for a moment?” she asked, reaching into her purse to call Evan.
“Of course, this way.”
As they headed down another hallway, in the opposite direction of the raging party, they ran into Geno.
She wasn’t sure who was more surprised—her or him. “Geno, I didn’t know you were going to be here.” He looked a little rumpled, his shirt wrinkled and his hair mussed.
“Are you okay?” he asked, taking in her ripped dress. Just as quickly his gaze narrowed on the security guy. “What the hell happened!”
“Nothing. I’m just clumsy, that’s all,” she said, not wanting to get into it.
Geno opened the nearest door before the security guy could but the man with the nametag that said Mark didn’t argue, simply walked in with them.
“Here.” Geno slid off his jacket and put it around her shoulders. “Now tell me what happened.”
“Nothing. And I’m fine, I swear. Just embarrassed at my clumsiness.”
“Get her an ice pack,” Geno snapped out, his tone so forceful that Mark pretty much jumped up and raced from the room.
“Thank you,” she said quietly as she pulled out her phone and quickly texted Evan. She knew she should probably call him but she also knew he was going to be seriously annoyed with her for disappearing like that. And she was putting off talking to him until the last minute possible. “You don’t need to stay with me. Seriously. I just took a tumble down half the stairs because I apparently forgot how to walk in heels.”
Before he could respond, Evan strode through the open doorway, his eyes narrowing as he focused on Geno. It was clear he wanted to say something to the other man, but instead he hurried over to Isla and knelt in front of her. “Are you okay? What happened?”
“I’m clumsy.”
He narrowed his gaze again and she found herself unable to look away from him. That was how it had always been. This man had stolen her heart, and no matter how much she would like to deny it, he still owned it. If he stepped into a room, her eyes were on him, no one else. No way around it.
“No you’re not.” His voice was dry.
Sighing, she looked away, embarrassed. “I was coming down the stairs—”
“Why were you upstairs?” he demanded. “You just disappeared.”
Her cheeks heated up because she didn’t want to have this conversation in front of Geno. Or at all. “I was using the upstairs bathroom because I got sick of waiting in that line. When I got to the top of the stairs, I saw someone and it made me flash back to what happened at the hospital. Some fight or flight instinct kicked in and I panicked. No one attacked me or anything, I just…I got scared. Apparently I’m not handling things as well as I thought I was,” she whispered.
His eyes softened just a bit. “I knew we shouldn’t have come here tonight. We’re leaving.” He stood, all his muscles tight.
<
br /> “You can’t wait for her to get some ice?” Geno stepped forward, his jaw clenched hard. “She just fell down the damn stairs!”
Evan swiveled and stood, the two men facing off with each other as if they planned to come to blows.
“Stop,” she said quietly. “Whatever the heck is happening between you two, just stop. We’re going to wait for ice because my knee hurts, and then we’re leaving.”
Even though Evan’s shoulders were tense, he eased back from his aggressive stance.
Thankfully Mark returned with a bag of ice and a bottle of water for her. “I’ve let Mr. Bentley know what happened and he’s very sorry. He’s getting out of the pool and has said he’d like to talk to you—”
“I appreciate it, but it’s fine.” She and Evan had been trying to get the man alone for the last two hours and she was done waiting. She took the ice, thanked Mark, then looked at Geno. “We’re still on for tomorrow?”
“Are you kidding me?” Evan helped her to her feet. “You’ve taken on too much. Now isn’t the time for work.”
Something inside her snapped. “I’ll work all I want! I need this deal done so I can pass the company on. I’m done with my father’s business. I’m done with everything. As soon as these deals are completed, I’m selling the company.” The words were out in a whirlwind and she belatedly realized she shouldn’t have let such big information drop in front of Geno, but what was done was done.
Evan stilled, staring for a long second. To her surprise, he didn’t respond, simply slid Geno’s jacket off her shoulders, and instead of handing it to the other man, dumped it on the couch. “Thank you for being here for Isla,” he said coldly. Then he slid off his own jacket and wrapped it around her, his possessiveness clear as he helped her to the door.
“I’ll call you tomorrow,” she murmured to Geno, ignoring Evan’s growl of annoyance as they silently left the room.
She’d just dropped a bomb and there was nothing really to say.