by Julia Sykes
Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore. She was so hot; she needed air. Excusing herself from the group, she made her way out to the balcony.
She gave a sigh of relief as she breathed in the fresh air, but the balmy breeze wasn’t enough to cool her heated skin. She was starting to feel dizzy, her anxiety getting the better of her.
This must be what it felt like to have a panic attack. Shay couldn’t be sure. She had never been prone to panic before she met Lucas and Jonathan. She had always been confident, driven.
Her head spun, making her mind go fuzzy.
Breathe. Breathe.
But her lungs moved easily. Her lightheadedness wasn’t the result of lack of oxygen. Her confusion was swallowed by another wave of dizziness within moments.
Suddenly, her back was against the wall. She sought its support, and the rough bricks lightly scraped her skin. Closing her eyes, she drew in several more deep breaths, trying to stop the spinning in her head.
“Shay? Are you all right?”
Shit. Jonathan was the last person that she wanted to see right now.
“Yes,” she said, but her voice came out as more of a groan.
What was wrong with her? Was it the alcohol?
No, she had only had one glass of champagne. It was the presence of the two Doms that was getting to her. She needed to be left alone, for Jonathan to go away.
“You don’t look okay.”
Shay’s eyes snapped open at the proximity of his voice. He was standing only inches from her, towering over her. She instinctively tried to back away, but there was nowhere for her to go.
He placed his index finger under her chin, forcing her head up so that she would meet his eyes. As angry as she was with him for hemming her in, she couldn’t help the shudder of pleasure that ran through her at the contact. Her heated skin was so alive, and even this light touch made her sex clench.
“Please,” she mumbled. “Don’t.”
But he wasn’t listening. Gripping her chin between his thumb and forefinger, he held her face where he wanted it as he lowered his mouth to hers.
No! She didn’t want this. She wanted Lucas.
But her body was betraying her. She tried to push Jonathan away, pressing her hands to his chest, but his kiss was making her weak. Her efforts to move him had no effect. His tongue was at her lips, demanding entrance. Need filled her, flames licking over her skin as she yielded to him.
“What the bloody hell is going on here?”
Oh, god. Shay redoubled her efforts to push Jonathan off of her, but he held her firmly, his mouth lingering on hers for a few more seconds before releasing her.
Finally able to turn her head, Shay looked toward the open doorway and took in Lucas’ hulking frame. He appeared all the more large with his obvious rage.
She reached out towards him. “Lucas,” she tried to say his name, but her tongue felt thick in her mouth and the word was garbled.
“I don’t want to hear it,” he snapped. Her stomach sank as he speared her with his furious gaze. When he spoke, his voice was tight with anger. “I thought we had an understanding, Shay. Apparently I was wrong. You’re clearly too much of a dumb slut to understand.”
Shay reeled back at his harsh words, stunned as though he had slapped her. She struggled to speak, but the words caught in her throat.
He turned away from her in disgust and stalked back into the ballroom. She tried to go after him, desperate to explain, to apologize. But Jonathan’s strong arms were trapping her, his hands braced against the wall on either side of her waist.
“I would never speak to you that way, Shay,” he murmured against her lips. “Come upstairs with me to my suite.”
No. This was all wrong. She wanted Lucas. But her head was spinning so badly that she was having trouble focusing on Jonathan’s words. She shivered as he stroked his long fingers down her cheek. Was it from pleasure or disgust? He bent to kiss her again.
I don’t want this. I can’t take it.
“No, Jonathan,” she forced out.
He ignored her, pressing his lips to hers.
Adrenaline coursed through her, momentarily clearing her head and giving her the strength that she needed. She brought her knee up sharply and was satisfied to hear Jonathan’s grunt of pain as she nailed him in the groin. He doubled over, releasing her as he cursed.
Shay seized her opportunity, stumbling away from him and into the safety of the brightly-lit ballroom. She scanned the room for Lucas. She had to get to him.
Her vision wavered. She took another step forward, and the ground heaved beneath her.
She couldn’t get her hands out in time to catch herself, and the impact jarred her as she hit the marble floor. She wanted to push herself up, to find Lucas, but her body wouldn’t cooperate. Her limbs were immovable, seeming to weigh a ton. The world was a blur. It swirled around her, and she squeezed her eyes shut.
Strong hands grasped her shoulders, turning her onto her back. The contact felt delicious; her sense of touch was incredibly heightened. She let out a low, pleasurable moan. Someone was shaking her, calling her name.
“Shay! Shay, look at me.” The voice was commanding, but it was also colored with fear.
She wanted to obey, but she couldn’t open her eyes. If she did, the world would start spinning again.
No, it was much nicer staying in the dark. She couldn’t fight it anyway; she was trapped inside her own body. So she might as well enjoy the floaty feeling that was filling her.
Ignoring the voice, she allowed herself to be enfolded by the warm darkness.
Chapter 3
“How is she?” A deep, Southern-accented voice asked, floating down to her through the fog that surrounded her.
There was a low growl beside her. “Get out of here, Jonathan.”
Lucas. Shay instinctively wanted to find him, to reach out for him. But her arms were so heavy.
She struggled to open her eyes, but it was as though lead weights were holding her lids closed. Frustration ran through her, but she was so tired that she couldn’t summon up too much concern.
“I have just as much right to be here as you do.” Jonathan’s tone was confrontational. “In fact, I believe I have more right to be here. I seem to recall you verbally abusing her the last time you spoke.”
What? Unpleasant memories flickered at the edges of Shay’s mind, but she shied away from them, unwilling to face them.
There was the sound of a chair scraping back as Lucas stood abruptly. Shay could feel the power and anger rolling off of him like a palpable thing as he loomed above her.
“Get out, Jonathan,” he repeated, his tone brooking no defiance.
“No,” came his staunch reply.
“I’m warning you, Jonathan…” Lucas’ voice was low and dangerous, and something in Shay quaked at the threat in it.
“What are you going to do? Punch me out? Right here?” There was a mocking edge to Jonathan’s tone.
This was all wrong. They shouldn’t be fighting. Through the fog in her brain, she knew that this was all her fault somehow; she had to stop it.
“Stop,” Shay wanted to say. Only her voice didn’t seem to be working, and all that came out was a low, distressed whine.
Both of the men fell silent for a moment, tension still seething in the air around her.
“Fine,” Jonathan finally said in a clipped tone. “You’re upsetting her. So since you obviously won’t be the bigger man here, I’ll leave. For now.”
There was the sound of footsteps retreating, and Lucas let out a low sigh beside her. Then his warm hand was on hers, his touch gentle.
“It’s okay,” he said soothingly. “You’ll be okay.”
Shay wanted to squeeze his hand reassuringly, but her fingers barely twitched. Her body was so heavy; she was utterly exhausted. Taking comfort in Lucas’ warm touch, she let the darkness pull her under once again.
Shay swam through dark waters, fighting her way to the surface. She knew she
had to escape the oppressive weight, the pressure that held her eyes closed and her limbs immobile. With a great effort, she broke the surface, forcing her eyes to open.
She was immediately blinded by the brightness, but rather than allowing herself to be pulled back under, she blinked rapidly, ignoring the sting of the light. As the world materialized around her, she took in a stark white ceiling above her. The room sharp with antiseptic. She was lying on something soft, and she was wrapped in warmth. There was a hotter point on her palm, and she looked down to find a large hand covering hers.
“Shay,” came his accented voice.
She met a pair of gorgeous green eyes. They were glowing with relief.
Her voice was raspy from lack of use, but she forced out his name. “Lucas,” she breathed, relief flooding her as well.
But she was unsure why. What had happened? Where was she? The last thing she remembered was feeling tense as she stood between Lucas and Jonathan at the party at The Carolinian…
She swallowed, struggling to find her voice again. “Where am I?” She asked him, trying to understand what was going on, fighting to remember how she had gotten here.
“You’re in the hospital, Shay,” he said softly, as though trying not to spook her.
Fear and confusion spiked through her. “Why? What happened?” Her voice was high and thin.
“You’re all right now,” he soothed, tracing his thumb across the back of her hand. But his expression was tight with anger. “You were drugged. Someone spiked your drink with rohypnol.”
“What?” She asked faintly. She cast her mind back to the party, struggling to recall what had happened. Flashes of memories swam to the surface: the oppressive heat, the dizziness, and…
Oh god. She had kissed Jonathan. The memory was hazy, but she could recall the heat between her thighs as he had taken her mouth, pressing her body up against the rough brick wall.
She had kissed him, and she had enjoyed it. How could she have done that to Lucas? Had he seen them? Did he know?
She only had to glance at the furrow in his brow and the angry twist of his mouth to know the answer.
She dropped her gaze as tears welled in her eyes. What could she possibly say? What she had done was unforgivable. Self-loathing filled her. How could she have allowed herself to act like such a slut?
Slut. Something unpleasant stirred at the back of her mind, but she pulled away from it.
“Do you remember anything? Anything at all?” Lucas’ voice was gentle, but was that… anxiety in his tone? How could he feel concern for her after what she had done?
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered.
The words weren’t enough. Nothing she could say or do would be enough. She tried to pull her hand away, knowing she was undeserving of his touch, but his grip tightened, keeping her hand firmly in his.
“It’s all right, Shay. You’re okay now, and that’s all that matters.” He paused for a moment. “What do you remember?” He asked again. “You can tell me; it’s okay. You weren’t in control of your actions.”
Shay swallowed. She didn’t want to say it out loud, to admit it. But she made the mistake of peeking up at Lucas, and she was caught up in his demanding gaze.
“I…” Her voice was barely audible. “I kissed Jonathan,” she forced out. “I’m so sorry,” she said again, futilely.
Lucas stroked a gentle finger across her cheekbone, wiping her tears away.
“You didn’t know what you were doing. I’m not mad, Shay,” he assured her gently. But his expression tightened. “I promise I will find out who is responsible for this.”
“Oh, you’re awake. Thank god.”
Shay tore her eyes away from Lucas to find Jonathan standing in the doorway. He was holding a bouquet of yellow roses.
Guilt twisted her gut. He was the last person she wanted to see right now. Not only had she betrayed Lucas by giving in to her lust for him, but she had further led him on by doing so. She couldn’t bear the thought of hurting him again.
He began to stride into the room, but Lucas stopped him short. “Get out of here, Jonathan. I won’t tell you again,” he growled.
His grip on her tightened possessively. Jonathan’s eyes fell on their intertwined hands and he scowled.
“I think you should be the one to leave,” he said, his voice tight with anger. “How dare you even touch her, you bastard.”
Shay’s eyes widened in shock. What?
Jonathan caught her look of confusion. “Don’t you remember what he said to you?” He asked gently, his blue eyes slightly pitying.
At his words, the memory that had been hovering at the edges of Shay’s mind ruthlessly came to the fore, sharp and cutting.
Dumb slut. To her horror, she recalled the disgust and contempt in Lucas’ eyes.
No. No, this was all wrong. Surely that was just a bad dream…
She met Lucas’ eyes and saw the anguish there.
Dumb slut. The memory was real.
“Shay,” he began, his voice strained. “I’m so sorry…”
She wrenched her hand from his, recoiling.
So that was why he had been so keen to know what she remembered. How could he? He was going to allow her to forget what he had said, how he had treated her?
It was clear that all of his talk about respecting her was a lie. He would never be able to after she had betrayed him by sleeping with Jonathan. She had thought he had forgiven her, but now it was obvious that he would never get past what she had done.
Dumb slut. He would never see her as anything else.
She could no longer meet his eye.
“Get out,” she said quietly, suddenly unable to stand his proximity.
“Shay,” he said her name longingly, his voice tormented.
He reached out for her, but she flinched away.
“I believe she told you to leave,” came Jonathan’s voice. His Southern drawl was colored with satisfaction.
Lucas stood abruptly, his hands clenching into fists as he turned to his partner.
“No,” he refused staunchly. “Not until I can explain.”
“What is there to explain?” Jonathan asked sharply. “You can’t un-say it.”
Lucas advanced on him, but Jonathan stood his ground. Although Lucas was the larger of the two men, Jonathan seemed to grow taller as he squared his shoulders, bracing for a fight. The tension in the room was stifling, unbearable.
“Stop it!” Shay’s voice was ragged with emotion. “Stop!”
Both the men glanced at her in surprise.
She could no longer bear to see them, to endure the guilt that wracked her over what she had done. She couldn’t stand to see how she had torn these two friends apart.
“Both of you, just go away. Please.” Her voice was a strangled whisper as she fought back the tears that threatened to overwhelm her.
They stared at her, neither of them moving.
Mercifully, a nurse entered the room. She glanced from Lucas to Jonathan, and then to Shay. Shay’s expression must have betrayed her anxiety, because the woman turned a frown on them, planting her hands on her hips.
“I think Miss Greene needs some privacy. If you could kindly leave, please.” Her tone was hard. It probably would have intimidated any normal man.
But not the two Doms who stood before her. They remained as immovable as stone.
The woman pursed her lips impatiently. “Or do I have to call security to escort you out?” She snapped.
“Fine,” Jonathan said finally, his voice hard. He turned on his heel and strode from the room.
“You too,” the woman said pointedly, glaring at Lucas. He shot Shay one final, anguished look.
“I’m sorry,” he said quietly, his shoulders slumped. Reluctantly, he tore his gaze from hers and walked away.
Shay waited until she was sure that they were out of earshot before finally letting out the sob that she had been holding in. God, she had fucked up so badly.
The nurse smiled
at her kindly and took her hand.
“You’re okay now, honey,” she said gently. “Let it all out.”
No longer able to hold back the flood of grief that filled her, Shay allowed the tears to flow.
Chapter 4
Lucas clung to his fury, preferring it to the anguish that was gnawing at his heart. How could he have spoken to Shay like that? He had felt so betrayed when he saw her kissing Jonathan.
But his words were inexcusable. Especially since she hadn’t been in control of her own actions.
He was enraged that Jonathan had taken advantage of her in that state.
But that wasn’t right either. He hadn’t realized that there was anything wrong with Shay until she had collapsed. Why should Jonathan have known someone had drugged her?
His hands clenched into fists. Who had done this to her? Someone from a rival company? Someone who wanted to publically embarrass her and Augustan Technologies for choosing her as their architect? Most people would have thought she was drunk out of her mind, but Lucas would be sure to set the record straight. As soon as he found out who was responsible.
“I need to see your security surveillance tapes from the ballroom last night,” he said to the woman behind the front desk at The Carolinian.
Her eyes widened. She was obviously surprised by his request. But she quickly schooled her face to a neutral, professional smile, knowing better than to contradict Lucas Cross.
“Of course, Mr. Cross,” she said quickly. “Please, follow me.”
She led him to the elevator and pressed the button for the underground level of the hotel. Moments later, they stepped out and walked down a long corridor in silence before arriving at a door labeled “Security.” She knocked on it softly, and a doughy man in an official uniform opened it for her.
“Mr. Cross would like to see some of our security footage from last night,” she explained.
The man’s eyebrows rose as he looked at Lucas, but all he said was “Of course, Mr. Cross. Please come in.”