Redeeming

by Calle J. Brookes

  “Going to blackmail me into sleeping with you, too?” Her eyes had darkened and he felt the shiver that ran through her body. She wasn’t just cold, was she? “I won’t do it.”

  “We both know you would. But because you know you’d enjoy it. We both would.” But he would never expect a woman to be with him because he’d forced her. He would never force a woman. He wanted to make that very clear to her. “And that is the one thing I would never force you to do. If we were ever together in my bed, it would be because we both wanted it. And not just me.”

  He did kiss her, just because he could not help himself at all. She kissed him back, shocking the hell out of him. How long had it been since he’d kissed her? Hours. It had been several long hours.

  He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her tighter against him. She was too short for what he really wanted. He lifted her onto her toes, then anchored his arm around her back. He needed to taste her, didn’t he? That’s what he told himself.

  He’d wanted to kiss her since the moment he’d seen her wearing that green dress that revealed more of her figure than it concealed. He’d ordered it sight-unseen, but the clerk at the boutique had more than fulfilled his wishes. He’d send the woman a personal bonus and his heartfelt thanks first thing in the morning. But now that he knew what Payton had beneath those sweatshirts she wore all the time, he’d never be able to forget it. He deepened the kiss.

  Finally, he pulled away. She was more vulnerable than he would like, after what she’d been through. It would be wrong to push for more.

  Especially since he had no intention of ever acting on the lust eating at him. No more than a few kisses. That’s all he would risk. Payton Asher was the kind of woman who needed a real man. One who could give her that white picket fence and four kids and homemade cookies. Not one like him, who’d basically forced her into spending time with him because he wanted to use her. “I’ll never force a woman to sleep with me. Remember that. Call me when you get home so that I know you’re safe.”

  He lowered her to her feet and she stepped back. “Are we even then? Or am I going to get another call at five in the morning demanding I be your date for the evening?”

  “No guarantees. You’re so easy to extort.” She could have turned him down, and he would have sucked it up. But she hadn’t. Did she honestly think he’d jeopardize Cody because of her?

  He stepped away from her. “Here’s the deal, Payton. I’ve done what I had to do to protect Cody. She won’t get into any trouble, even if the deal over Lucy goes south. Got me? No more blackmail between us. I care about Cody, understand?”

  “So why did you let me think that…”

  He smiled. “Because I could. And I’m not a nice man. Go back inside to your friend. You’re freezing, and I’m going home. Try to take care of yourself, ok? I doubt we’ll be seeing each other again.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Payton knew he knew she was waiting at the door—again. Terrance had buzzed her in through the gates. He’d smiled and nodded at her. She’d tried to thank him again for how he’d helped Al, but he’d waved her thanks away.

  “No one deserves to be ambushed like that, especially a woman like Agent Brockman. I was glad to help.” And she’d sensed that he meant it. Where had Luc found him and Chase, and the six other security men who took turns guarding him? He obviously trusted them and they seemed extremely loyal.

  What was it like to have to be dependent on someone else just to keep you safe at all times? Was the money worth it? She somehow didn’t think it was.

  She’d googled him, of course, and she knew that he’d been adopted as a teenager by a man who was extremely wealthy. Manual Lucas had been widowed and lost his two children when his family was killed in a robbery-gone-bad. Three years later he’d taken in a young boy. That young boy had inherited the man’s entire estate.

  Since then, Luc had grown Lucas Tech to be a huge, multi-billion dollar company. He had to be proud of himself, he deserved to be.

  Especially if what she suspected was the truth.

  Something had clicked when she’d looked at him sitting next to Paige tonight. It had taken her a few hours to put it together. She’d been sitting there, thinking of her brothers. And Al’s brothers. And Luc.

  Then Paige had said something, and tilted her head just like Luc. Her hair was the same dark color, the eyes the same almost black, with the same shape at the corners. Luc’s skin was far darker, but other than that, the resemblance was very strong between them.

  He opened the door and the dogs woofed at her. She gave them a few moments of attention before looking at him.

  “How’s Agent Brockman?”

  “She’s awake. Cody is with her now. I came back to finish what we were working on last night.”

  “I was going to have Chase drive that over to your office. I don’t think it’s such a good idea that you be seen hanging around here. You might ruin my reputation.”

  “Please don’t joke, Luc. I’m too tired to keep up.” And she hadn’t wanted to go home. She’d felt so useless sitting there in the hospital, reliving everything that had happened when her brother had died. And by helping him with the handwriting analyses, she was at least doing something productive with her time. “I need to do something to take my mind off of last night. Sitting there in the hospital…thinking of my brother Patrick…I…”

  “I know what happened to him, and I’m sorry.”

  “It’s hard to lose a sibling. At any age.” Payton followed him into the living room. Her bag was right there on his leather couch where she’d left it. The pledge cards and the bills-of-sale were spread over the coffee table. She looked back at him. He’d changed into jeans and a t-shirt, something she’d never seen him wear before. He was a beautiful man, so dark and dangerous looking. “You should know that.”

  His brows rose and he placed the can of soda in his hand down on the table. He sank into the big brown leather chair, and dangled a leg over the arm of it. Luc looked at her. “Should I?”

  “Why didn’t you tell me you were related to Paige?”

  “What would you say if I told you I don’t know what you are talking about?”

  “I’d say you’re lying, Lucian.”

  “And how did you figure that out?”

  “I have access to all kinds of databases at work. I stopped off at PAVAD on my way over here to confirm. I found the adoption papers and legal name change forms. They weren’t that well hidden, though it took me a few minutes. I’m good at finding things in databases and paperwork. It’s kind of what I do. Then I made an educated guess.”

  Anger was on his face, and she hesitated. He stood again, and she took a step back. Sometimes he was a bit overwhelming. All he did was tangle his hand in her hair. He pulled on the end of the ponytail until her head tilted back, like he’d done before. He ran a finger from his free hand down her neck. He spread his hand wide around her neck.

  “And what do you plan on doing with that information? Blackmailing me? I think we can both agree that’s my game, not yours.” He replaced his hand on her neck with his mouth, brushing his teeth and lips against her skin. Payton fought the urge to shiver. He was just trying to intimidate her, to confuse her. That’s all. And he knew she wasn’t immune to him. Hadn’t she already proven that?

  “I plan to do nothing with it. Except…I think you should tell her.”

  “No.” He turned from her so abruptly Payton almost felt dizzy. “I won’t do that. You won’t do that, either, Payton, I mean that.”

  “Why not? She deserves to know.”

  “She deserves to not be bothered by me at all.”

  “How? How can you say that? Are you an ax murderer? A sexual predator? Do you pull the tails on little kittens? What do you do that is so bad? Fund charities for runaways and victims? Help clean up the world with your company? What do you do that is so bad that you’d hide yourself from your own sister?”

  “What is it any business of yours?”


  “I’d like to think I’m your friend.” Grasping, she knew. They didn’t know one another at all, not really. “I do know that I am hers. And I do know that she’d love to have you in her life. How could she not? You grieve a lost sibling, Luc. And Paige is a remarkable person; somehow I doubt she wouldn’t want her brother.”

  “Then you know nothing. Not about me or Paige. Do you know how we were separated, sweetheart? Probably not. It’s too despicable for someone like you.”

  “Someone like me? What do you mean by that? What kind of person am I that makes me so different from you in your eyes?” She knew she was pushing him, but she knew what she saw in his eyes right then. It was fear. Fear and hurt, and a bit of longing that she understood. She’d do anything to have Patrick back in her life. And she somehow knew Paige probably felt the same way about Luc. “Luc? How old were you when you were separated?”

  “I was eleven. She was three. She doesn’t even remember me.”

  “Maybe not.” What would Paige think, if she knew? Payton had thought before how alone Paige seemed. She had Carrie, who was her former foster sister, and she had Al and Dan Reynolds’ family. Paige rented an apartment from Dan. Other than Carrie, who was newly married and now pregnant, Paige didn’t have anyone close enough to call family.

  She was almost as alone as Luc was. And they didn’t have to be. “Does Cody know?”

  “No. I don’t think so. If she does, she’s never said. You’re not to mention it to her, either.”

  “You don’t have to glower like that. Or even think about threatening me. I’m not going to do anything to hurt Paige…or you. But I think letting this secret stay hidden for too long will hurt both you and Paige in the end.” She didn’t know why she pushed him, and she knew she was doing just that. It was just…she liked both of Al’s brothers and they could have lost her last night. In a moment, she could have been gone just like Patrick. And they would have lived with the recriminations that they should have done something to save her, to help her.

  Just like she had with Patrick’s loss.

  She didn’t want Luc—or Paige—to go through that. They were missing so much from each other’s lives that they didn’t have to. They were right there and could be rebuilding their relationship. “Just consider it, ok?”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  He stared at her for a moment. What in the hell should he say to her? Paige was the only subject that he ever felt vulnerable about. And she’d touched on it so strongly; did she realize that? And when threatened, Luc reacted with the offense. He couldn’t help himself.

  He studied her, then stalked across the room. He expected her to step away, especially after he’d just been so in her face. She didn’t, though. Her chin raised, and she kept her eyes on his. But she never stepped back, never backed away.

  Just continued to look at him with clear blue eyes, beautiful and tired eyes, but devoid of fear or nerves. When had that happened? She was always nervous with him, wasn’t she?

  And he’d liked that. He’d be the first to admit he’d liked having her vulnerable with him. He slipped one arm around her waist and the other behind her back. He pulled her flush against him. “What will you give me if I do that?”

  She pushed him in the stomach with both of her hands. “I won’t give you anything, least of all sex.”

  She stepped away from him, obvious aggravation on her face now. He laughed, and grabbed for her. He picked her up off her feet and held her tight against his chest.

  She kicked her legs. He tightened his hold, not wanting her to unbalance them.

  “Let me go, Luc.”

  “In a minute. Sex between us wouldn’t be least of anything. I happen to think it would be pretty damned special.” And in that moment, with her looking up at him like she could see into his very soul, Luc wanted nothing more than to strip the sweatshirt off of her and get started showing her that. “Payton…I…”

  Her tongue darted out and moistened her lips. He sucked in a deep breath at the nerves that hit him.

  Luc had kissed her before. Teasing, mostly. There had been a few embraces that had been more than that, but he’d never intended to do anything more than occasional fun kisses.

  But all his good intentions disappeared in that moment. He took in a deep breath. Luc pulled her against him, hard. He guided her legs around his waist. The couch was right there…he lowered her to it before he thought the action through.

  “Luc…” It wasn’t a protest on her lips now. Her hands slipped around his back and tightened on him.

  This time it was Payton who kissed him.

  ***

  What was she doing? She didn’t kiss men she’d only known for a few days, not at all. Especially ones she wasn’t entirely sure she liked. But that didn’t seem to matter right then, did it?

  Luc slipped his hands under her sweatshirt and ran his fingers over her stomach. The muscles of her abdomen clenched. But instead of pulling away from him like the sane part of her brain told her, she arched against him. And when his hands slipped higher, she pulled in a gasping breath. But she pressed her flesh into his grasp.

  He pulled away, dragging in a breath of air. “Payton…baby…sweetheart…are you sure what you’re doing right here?”

  “I’m not stupid, Luc. Nor am I a virgin. I’ve had sex before.” Fulfilling relationships that had just fizzled out over time. They weren’t bad relationships, just unremarkable. She’d wanted what her parents had—still had. Her previous relationships hadn’t been that. She didn’t figure it would be that way with Luc, either. But she didn’t care. She wanted him, wanted something—someone—just for a little while. Why shouldn’t it be Luc? He made her burn, and he made her laugh—something she hadn’t realized she’d been missing since her brother’s death. And she had found in the hours before Al had been shot that she actually enjoyed talking to him. “If I want you to stop, I am perfectly capable of saying so.”

  “I don’t want to stop.”

  “And I’m not saying it, am I?” Payton slipped her hands over his shoulders and pulled him closer. “Kiss me.”

  ***

  No way in hell did he want to stop, though he knew he should. Sex had never been casual for him, despite what the media had painted him out to be. Did she realize that? He knew she wasn’t one for meaningless affairs, either. Unless his security staff had failed to find that information in their original background checks of his sister’s friends. He felt a moment of guilt at his invasion of their privacy, but his ultimate goal had always been keeping Paige safe—and after finding Cody nearly dead by someone targeting Cody and her friends, he’d felt justified at the time.

  The fact that he’d memorized every detail in Payton’s file in the last few days spoke more to the way she burned him crazy hot rather than anything else.

  He made a split-second decision. To hell with him if he screwed things up, but he needed Payton right then. Right there on his couch. And that was where he’d have her. He lifted her up until he could slip the sweatshirt over her head. She wore a t-shirt beneath, and he left that alone while he carried her down the long hall toward his bedroom.

  The security cameras in there were placed discretely; her privacy would be protected. And so would she; he had it in the bedside table. Luc placed her on her feet next to his bed. The dress she’d worn the night before was still spread over the foot of the bed; he’d crashed on the couch after returning from the hospital the night before. He lifted it out of his way and set it on the chair.

  He needed the delaying tactic—his hands were shaking. He turned back to her as she slipped the pink t-shirt over her head and pulled the hairband free from the ponytail. She never took her eyes off of him, and her direct look had him filled with nerves. It was the first time he’d ever felt so damned insecure when with a woman. Damn her.

  The bra she wore was simple pink cotton and silk—feminine, but still so practical. Like her. He took her glasses off her face and set them carefully on the dresser. He ha
d not wined and dined her, there was no romantic music or fancy candles like he knew women liked. Would that matter to her?

  She reached back to flick open her bra, her gaze never leaving his. He put both hands over hers. “Let me do it. I want to unwrap every inch of you.”

  “I’m not a present, Luc.” But she raised her hands to his chest. Her right hand spread open over his heart. Could she feel how much it was racing? He fumbled with the fastener of her bra, but he was finally successful. The pink confection slipped down her shoulders, revealing breasts that were firm and beautiful. She wasn’t an especially well-endowed woman, but to him her body was absolutely perfect. Beautiful.

  He yanked his shirt over his head and tossed it to the floor. He unbuttoned his jeans and slid out of them as quickly as he could. Damn, but he wanted this woman in front of him more than he’d ever wanted another. What did that mean? What was so damned special about Payton Asher?

  Then she smiled and he realized what it was. Payton was real. There was nothing cruel, or cold, or grasping, or mercenary, or even evil, if he believed in evil, about this woman in his arms. She was kind and gentle and warm, in every way that mattered. And for some damned reason in that moment she wanted him.

  Warts and all. And with her he knew for sure that she didn’t want him because of the number in his bank account.

  For a man with what he had, that meant a hell of a damned lot.

  “Are you going to just stand there staring at me for the rest of the night?”

  “Touch me, Payton. Here.” He grabbed her left hand and put it over the top of her right. Directly on his heart. Luc looked into her blue eyes and wanted to remember the expression on her face for the rest of his life.

  ***

  He was more emotional than she’d expected. And not quite as dominant. She’d thought he’d take the lead and would run with it, but he hadn’t. He seemed content with letting her set the pace and the tone, and for some reason that made her especially nervous.