by Angie Derek
A slow awareness that she was no longer alone hit her, and she jerked up and scrambled back toward the headboard.
"It's just me," Marc said quietly as he sat on the bed.
She told herself to relax, but her heart still pounded in her chest, refusing to listen to her.
"I didn't mean to wake you."
"You were just standing over me staring?"
"Pretty much," he said thoughtfully. "How are you feeling?"
"Well, you scared me, so a little on edge at the moment."
"Sorry," he replied, tone still thoughtful. "Jio and I were talking."
"Yeah?"
"We think it'd be best if no one was aware you can identify who grabbed you."
"But I can't."
"You will. It'll come to you."
Lessa sighed, her pulse was slowing down and she no longer had the fight or flight feeling. But she wouldn't say she was exactly relaxed, either. His mask was back in place, and she was too tired to figure out what he was thinking.
"We'll start working on it tomorrow," Marc continued. "Your mother called."
Lessa had been about to lie back down, but stopped and started to climb out of the bed.
"I told her you were resting." He laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. "She wants you to call in the morning."
"Okay."
His thumb moved in a circular caressing motion on her skin. "Why aren't you wearing any clothes?"
"I took them home with me." She looked into his eyes and watched the flames begin to kindle.
"I'll have Nina bring you something." He gently caressed her cheek with his other hand. "Do you wish to go back to sleep?"
"That depends."
"On what?"
"On whether you'll be sleeping with me."
His lips curved. "That could be arranged."
He eased closer to her and tugged gently on the sheet she'd been holding up to cover herself. Lessa held on to it for a moment before reluctantly letting go. She didn't know what was causing her reluctance. It wasn't like Marc hadn't seen everything already, but after her conversation with Nina and Clarissa, she wasn't as sure as she'd been earlier.
His hand slid across her shoulder, down her arm to her hand and back up. He was no longer watching her face intently as his heated gaze followed the trail of his hand. This allowed Lessa to analyze his face without the distraction of his fathomless eyes.
He was incredibly handsome. That had been obvious from the first moment she'd met him. Well, maybe not model handsome, but good looking enough to have any woman he wanted. Like a mistress. She nearly jerked at the thought Nina and Clarissa had put in her head. She tried to shut her brain off and just enjoy the moment, but couldn't.
His hand dropped to cup her breast, and she figured this was as good a time as any to ask, since she couldn't stop the questions.
"Do you have a mistress?" she blurted out.
Marc didn't drop her breast, but raised his eyes to meet hers. "Interesting question."
She shrugged and felt the loss of his fingers when they fell away. "Do you?"
"Who've you been talking to?"
She pulled the sheet back up to cover her nakedness and wondered briefly what happened to her towel. Would he be honest with her now?
His lips curved into a smirk. "No, mistresses are too demanding." His hand went to pull the sheet back down.
She held it in place. "I'm not joking."
"I can see that. What do you expect me to say?"
"I want you to tell me the truth."
His eyes narrowed and he stood up. "Do you really? If I answer yes, you'll decide I'm a cad. If I answer no, a small part of you will wonder if I'm lying and telling you what you want to hear. I'm in a no win situation."
He sighed heavily. "I don't have a mistress, but I can't prove it."
She brushed her fingers over the blanket. "Girlfriend?"
"No." His voice was short as he paced over to the window.
"You can't expect me not to wonder or ask."
His shoulders shrugged. "I'm telling the truth, but I can't prove it."
She crossed her arms and stared at his back. "You said it yourself, Marc, we aren't the same. Your expectations in a relationship are probably different from mine. Don't you think we should get everything out in the open before one of us does something hurtful to the other?"
Marc turned away from the window to look at her from the shadows. "All right. Ask me your questions."
"It goes both ways."
"I already know all I need to know about you."
"You think you do. You know what you think I want and will react to. Just as I was told what to expect from you."
"Nina and Clarissa. Remind me to thank them for this later."
"This is between you and me." Lessa glanced around the room. It was a little uncomfortable having this conversation in bed stark naked. Her towel from her hair was on the floor, and she reached over to scoop it up. With a little maneuvering, she was able to get it around her and slide out of bed.
Marc watched her from hooded eyes. "Try to make sure it stays that way."
If his harsh voice was meant to intimidate her, it had the opposite affect and made her even more determined to set things straight between them. "There are always things assumed between a couple. Deal breakers and deal makers. We each have different expectations. Don't you think we should figure them out?"
"Right now, my only expectation is to have you naked underneath me, moaning."
"Trying to distract me?" She walked up to the window to stand next to him.
"Maybe. A conversation seems pretty pointless. Either you want to be with me or you don't. It's very cut and dried."
"Marc." Lessa sighed. If she kissed him now, he'd drop the entire conversation, but what Nina and Clarissa had said stuck with her. She had to make a decision. Her heart pulled her one way and her head pulled her another. "Nothing is ever cut and dried. Not when you're constantly reminding me that you live by different rules than I do." She focused on her intense fear after he'd found her in the hallway eavesdropping. "What if you want to hit me?"
"I would never hit you."
"You wanted to that night."
"You misunderstood my anger." Marc shifted. "Did I hurt you?"
"You scared me." Scare was such a small word for what she'd felt as he'd looked into her eyes. Thinking about it caused her pulse to pick up, but he hadn't physically hurt her.
His voice was low and full of emotion. "My anger was directed at myself, the circumstance, and the fact that I couldn't just erase your memory. I wouldn't have hurt you. I could never hurt you."
"Some men think they need to keep their women in line." She forced the words out, intent on revealing her fears to him.
"I don't hit the women in my life."
"Have you?" Lessa felt sick asking, but she had to. He'd terrified her, and in that moment, she hadn't had any confidence he wouldn't hurt her or done worse.
"No," Marc said with a sigh of resignation. "I can't do anything to prove it to you. All I can do is promise I'll never raise a hand to you. I couldn't."
"All right."
"You still don't believe me," he said in a flat voice.
She smiled weakly. "As you said, it isn't something you can prove until it's too late."
He sat heavily on the window seat. "You're going to leave again."
Lessa stood in front of him, considering. She couldn't deny she was confused. How far could she trust her heart and him?
"I don't know. You're so complex." She waved an arm around the room. "Everything here is so freaking complicated."
"I'm not that hard to figure out." He locked his eyes with hers.
"Oh, Marc, you define unfathomable." She gave a small laugh.
"This life may be complicated, but I'm straightforward. What will it take from me to get you to stay? Just lay it out, Lessa."
She chewed on her lip and took hold of her heart. "I don't understand these relationships. I have
n't seen an ounce of affection between Jio and Nina. All I see is ownership. You had no affection toward Clarissa. I don't know about my father, but he obviously ran around on his wife, or I wouldn't be here."
"I have affection for you." Marc pointed out.
"Yes, I believe you do." She took a small step closer. "You want me to stay, and you came after me. I believe you feel more than just affection for me. But what about later?"
"Later?"
"Yes, later." Lessa rolled her eyes. "When you grow bored of me and decide you want some excitement."
"I'll be faithful. I give you my word."
"You can't just change."
He tugged her closer and wrapped his hands around her waist. "What do you need me to do to prove it to you?"
"I want you to tell me if you want to be with someone else."
Marc grinned. "You want to watch?"
"I'm not joking." But despite herself she was intrigued by the offhand comment.
"I know. I swear I'll tell you if my feelings begin to change, though I highly doubt they will."
She held herself stiffly in his arms. "Okay."
"Anything else?"
"I don't like lies."
"I can't always tell you what's going on. Our business is very secretive."
"I'm talking about us. No lies between us."
"No lies between us." He paused, his eyes drifting away from her for a moment before returning to lock her in his serious expression. "I probably shouldn't say anything about this until Jio and I come to an agreement, but I'm working on distancing myself from the business."
She bit her lip, not sure what to make of his declaration.
He pulled her between his legs. He was now eye-level with her breasts. They began to ache at his perusal, and she could feel the tension and heat between her legs. "Are we done talking?"
"No," Lessa said with a mock frown. "There's lots more."
He tugged at the towel so it fell away. "Maybe we could get into the 'more' a little later."
"Well." She moaned as his lips attached to her nipple. Her body was in agreement with her heart, as it surrendered completely. "Remind me."
"Can do." He chuckled returning his attention to her breasts.
Her knees felt like jelly, and she had to brace her arms on his shoulders to keep from falling. Lessa ached in all the right places as his arms wrapped around her waist to draw her in between his legs. She wanted to touch him and moved her hands down his chest to find his shirt buttons. Her fingers fumbled since she couldn't really keep her eyes open, and she clenched her thighs together on a shuddered breath.
His hands moved over her butt and down her thighs before going back up. His lips released her nipple and he looked up at her with a smirk.
"Don't stop," she whispered as he took her hands into his and rose.
"I wasn't planning on stopping." He kissed her mouth, and she leaned in to him eagerly. "If you're going to say no," he whispered, thumbs rubbing her wrists. "Now is the time to say it."
"I say yes."
"Lessa," he whispered, pressing a kiss just under her ear. "I'll always take care of you."
As he picked her up and carried her to the bed, she raised her arms and cupped his face with her hands. Drawing him closer, she captured his lips with hers. He returned her kiss, gently at first and then with increasing passion. Tomorrow was soon enough to worry about what came next. For tonight, there was nowhere she'd rather be.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Lessa snuggled deep into the covers. Daylight illuminated the room, but she wasn't ready to face the world yet. She was enjoying the safety of her cocoon with Marc's warm body next to her. This was the first time they'd slept next to each other. Frankly, she'd been surprised he'd stayed after making love to her. She'd expected him to leave as he had the first time.
He shifted and rolled over. She peered at him, but his eyes were still closed as he snuggled up next to her. Her heart warmed at the contact.
His phone vibrated on the bedstand next to Lessa, and she turned her head to glare at it. How dare his world intrude into this moment?
Marc levered up and reached over her to snag the phone, his gaze going down to hers. She was surprised to see quiet alertness without a sign of sleepiness. He gave her a soft kiss as he pushed the talk button and listened.
"I'll be right there." Marc closed the phone, his attention shifting back to Lessa. "I've gotta go."
"I figured. When will you be back?"
"I won't be long." He leaned over her so she was pinned by the covers. "You realize I don't want to go, right?"
"That's what they all say, and then they never call."
His eyebrows lowered before the corner of his mouth kicked up a notch. "I'll always call. You're much more inviting than looking at a picture of a car." He ran his finger down her cheek, hesitated, but then dropped his hand. "You stay here."
"In bed?"
"That would be my preference, but not practical. Until we know who grabbed you, I need you to stay in the house. Don't go anywhere without protection."
"I won't." She had no desire to find herself a target again and planned on staying very close to home. Of course, her lack of wardrobe would keep her in bed. "About those clothes?"
"I'll tell Virginia on my way out." Marc leaned over for a last kiss before scooting off the bed. With quick motions, he pulled on his own clothes, then hesitated again at the door. "Stay safe."
"Promise," she assured him.
With that he left the room, and all feeling of safety went with him. She shook it off and slid out of bed. The towel she'd lost last night lay on the floor by the footboard, and she wrapped it around herself. She didn't want to be naked when someone came to bring her clothes.
With no toiletries, there wasn't much she could do after she climbed out of her shower. There was soap and shampoo in the bathroom, but no toothbrush. She opened the cabinets. Well, toothpaste, but no toothbrush. She squeezed some on her finger and worked on at least freshening her breath. Looking at herself in the mirror, she carefully squared her shoulders.
Did she really want to stay a captive forever? Though the cocoon with Marc was nice, she couldn't live the rest of her life that way. She needed to figure out who had grabbed her. Being locked on this estate like Nina would quickly grow old.
Concentrate, Lessa, concentrate. She thought back to the phone call. Sure, she'd been drugged and panicky, but she'd heard his voice. Focus on the voice. Why had it been familiar?
Lessa grew frustrated as she found she couldn't recall the voice itself. She could remember the words, but not the tone. It had been familiar, but why? If she recognized it, that meant someone connected to her new family had been involved. Someone she had at least met. Would she ever be truly safe if that person wasn't caught?
A knock at the door caused her to jump and spin to face the threat. Shaking her head at her own skittishness, she went out into the sitting room to answer the door.
"Who is it?"
"Clarissa," her sister said with a laugh. Lessa let her in. "Marc said you didn't have any clothes." Clarissa's gaze took in the towel. "I guess he was right." She passed off the small bundle in her arms.
"Thank you."
"No problem." Clarissa smiled. "How're you feeling?"
She shrugged, not really knowing the answer and having no idea how to articulate it if she had.
"Go get dressed, and we'll walk down to breakfast together."
Lessa took the bundle into the bedroom. It didn't take long to slip on the designer jeans and blouse. She looked down at her bare feet. Shoot. No socks, and she didn't want to look at the pile of clothes she'd kicked behind the toilet last night in her haste to purge herself of her kidnapping ordeal.
She padded out barefoot. Clarissa immediately noticed and laughed.
"I've got some sandals that might fit." She took Lessa's arm and pulled her out of her room. "Time for something to eat. Virginia always makes the best meals after a crisis. Probably not som
ething to celebrate, but it's true. We can swing by my room and grab those sandals and a brush."
"Not much left in my room," Lessa explained.
"That's what sisters are for, right?" Her quick steps slowed. "Interesting thought, isn't it? We're practically strangers yet sisters at the same time."
"Might take some time to get used to." She certainly still wasn't used to the idea. "But I'd like to think we've moved beyond practically strangers."
"I think you're right, practically friends." Clarissa smiled and led the way down one flight of stairs to the family level and her room.
Lessa looked around Clarissa's room with interest. It was a large bedroom decorated with expensive furniture, and she recalled Marc mentioning her own suite was for special guests. She frowned at the "little princess" feel to the room. It didn't match her sister's sultry personality at all.
"Don't say it." Clarissa walked into the bathroom before coming out with a wide-toothed comb.
"Don't say what?" She took the comb gratefully and began to untangle the long length of her hair as Clarissa headed for the walk-in closet.
"That it's a little girl's room." Emerging with a pair of heeled sandals, Clarissa closed the closet door with her free hand. "No backs, so they shouldn't fall off."
Lessa took the flip-flop styled shoes and stepped into them. They were a little long, but if she was careful they'd serve their purpose. "The room doesn't really seem like you."
"Oh, it was when I was ten." Clarissa sighed. "Father wouldn't let me change it after that. He wanted to keep me a little girl as long as he could."
Lessa nodded, though she didn't really understand.
"But that's just men I guess."
"Not all men."
Clarissa shrugged. "You think."
"I think that your perception of men might have been a little skewed by your father," Lessa said carefully.
Clarissa appeared to consider, but shook her head. "He was larger than life, and he controlled every aspect of mine, but I think he was the same as any man. He just had the power to do what other men only think of doing."
"Maybe. I've known guys who didn't try to control everything, or had the grace to back down when they realized they couldn't."