And what the fuck was Sapphire thinking to let the guy get away with it? Okay, that wasn’t quite fair. He’d seen the way she’d jumped and hurried ahead of Ivan. He’d have much preferred if she’d turned around and slapped the guy’s face. But that wasn’t her style.
She needed a fucking keeper.
When he realized how much he was swearing, even if it was only inside his own head, he tightened the reins on his temper. How much he swore was a good gauge of how angry he was.
Jake kept to the shadows as he followed them through the boisterous groups of people all out taking advantage of the clear, cool night. The bastard was using the crowded sidewalk as an excuse to put his arm around Sapphire’s waist.
No doubt in his mind that Gregor was expecting to get lucky tonight. Gregor was the type to spring for an expensive meal and expect to be paid back for it in sexual favors. The guy oozed entitlement and elitism, thinking himself above everyone else, including the law.
As much as Jake itched to pound the crap out of the guy, he knew in the long run that was the wrong approach. He had some research and surveillance to do over the next few days. The cops might not have the manpower and resources to watch this guy, but he did. If Jake had his way, in a matter of days, Ivan Gregor would have his hands much too full trying to stay out of a media firestorm filled with scandal and charges of corruption to even think about Sapphire Jewel.
Men like Gregor usually took one look at a guy like him and dismissed him as nothing more than muscle, brawn with no brain, but he’d used that perception to his advantage many times before. No doubt about it, he was built to protect, but he also had a high IQ and understood computers and how they worked. More than that, he understood people—what motivated them and what they desired most. He couldn’t wait to get at his keyboard and start digging deeper into Ivan Gregor’s life.
But that was for tomorrow. Tonight was all about getting Sapphire home safe and sound. No way was he letting Gregor enter Sapphire’s apartment building. Unbeknownst to her, Jake had checked out her new place when she’d moved in. It had good security, but could be better.
Thankfully, she only lived six blocks from the restaurant and, since this was New York City, they would walk. It was a nice evening for a stroll, not too warm and not too cool. He frowned as he watched Sapphire hurry down the sidewalk and noticed she was limping slightly. Damn high-heeled shoes. She wasn’t used to wearing them that high. The things were like walking on toothpicks.
He wanted to scoop her off her feet and carry her. Yeah, like she’d let him do that after the way he’d left her. He’d be lucky if she didn’t start yelling and take a swing at him when she finally saw him. Not that he’d blame her.
And why didn’t that bastard Gregor notice she was in pain?
Sapphire’s feet were screaming by the time her building came into view. She sent up a silent prayer to the heavens in gratitude for making it home, even though she knew she’d have blisters. It was a lesson she wouldn’t soon forget—never wear new shoes on a date when you’ll be walking.
She’d gotten a cab there to meet him, not wanting him to pick her up at her apartment. It paid to be cautious, even if a friend had vouched for Ivan. But he’d insisted on walking her home, and she was quickly coming to realize that he expected to get his own way. She’d decided to let him walk her as far as her building. No way was she letting him come inside.
She stopped outside the double-glass door, grateful for the bright foyer lights. “Thank you for a lovely dinner.” She smiled and offered him her hand.
He frowned and glanced down at her extended hand. “What the hell is this?”
Now it was her turn to frown. “This is me thanking you for the evening.” She couldn’t even say it was an overly nice one. Ivan Gregor was losing more of his shine by the second. She had a feeling his charm was something he put on like a cape to hide his true self.
“I’m coming up.” It was a demand, not a request.
She shook her head. “No, I’m sorry, you’re not.”
“I paid for an expensive meal. You owe me.” He wasn’t joking. He really expected her to have sex with him because he’d bought her supper.
She reached into her clutch for her emergency money and pulled out a hundred dollar bill. “If that’s the problem, then here you go. That should cover my share. If it doesn’t, just let me know and I’ll send you a check.” When he didn’t take the money, she tucked it into the pocket of his jacket.
All she wanted was for this date to end. “Good night.” She turned her back on him and inserted her key in the outside lock.
A heavy hand landed on her shoulder and yanked her around. Ivan’s face was red and his green eyes glittered with anger. For the first time this evening, fear snaked into her consciousness. This man was more dangerous than he appeared. He might be wearing a designer suit, but he was anything but civilized underneath it.
“It don’t think so, bitch.” His fingers bit into her shoulder hard enough that she knew they would leave bruises.
“Let me go.” Their voices were pitched low and no one passing them on the street would see more than a man and a woman talking.
“You owe me and I plan to collect.”
Sapphire slapped her hands against his chest and tried to push him away. She managed to shove him back a few inches, but he grabbed her other shoulder and yanked her against him. His mouth descended but she turned her head aside and brought her knee up quickly. Wearing a short skirt had one plus—it enabled her to move her legs freely and quickly.
Ivan barely jerked back in time to keep from getting smashed in the family jewels. His expression darkened and Sapphire swallowed hard, getting ready to scream for assistance.
“Hey, Sapphire. Great to see you.” Like a dark avenging angel, Jake Knight swooped out of the night, appearing from seemingly out of nowhere. Relief swamped her. She might be angry with him, but right now she was glad to see him. He was the lesser of two evils. Better the devil she knew than the one she didn’t. Besides, as angry as she was with Jake, she knew he’d never physically hurt her. He might shred her heart and damage her self-esteem, but he wouldn’t harm her. Ivan had already proven he had no problem with manhandling a woman.
“Who the hell are you?” Ivan demanded.
“Jake Knight. You?”
Sapphire compared the two men, noting how Jake seemed to dwarf Ivan even though her date was only an inch shorter.
“Ivan Gregor.” He said his name like everyone in the free world should know who he was. Then he drew back his shoulders and practically sneered at Jake’s plain black jeans and black shirt that he’d topped with a leather jacket. “I’m her date. You?”
Jake slung his arm around her and pulled her into the curve of his body. “Me, I’m practically family. Her sister is marrying my brother. Which reminds me, babe, we need to discuss the latest change in the wedding plans.”
Sapphire didn’t know whether to laugh or to stamp on Jake’s foot with one of her new spiky heels. Ivan, on the other hand, looked about ready to have a stroke his face was so red.
She jumped into the breech. “I really should be going, Ivan.”
“I’ll call you,” he said stiffly.
She shook her head. “I don’t think that would be wise.” The way he glared at her made her very happy for Jake’s presence. Her shoulders still throbbed from where he’d grabbed her and she knew she’d had a lucky escape tonight.
“I’ll call you,” he repeated. He swept Jake with a glare filled with disdain and fury.
Jake only smiled and gave him a short wave. “Have a good evening.” He used the bulk of his body to block her from Ivan’s view, for which she was extremely grateful. She didn’t want to see the nasty expression on his face. She inserted her key into the lock and opened the door.
“Let’s go up to your place and talk about the wedding.” Jake stepped into the foyer beside her, letting the door close and lock behind them.
Now Sapphire was totally co
nfused. Why would Jake want to talk to her about the wedding? He put one hand on her back and urged her toward the elevator. Even though she told herself not to look, she couldn’t keep from glancing over her shoulder. She caught sight of Ivan on the other side of the glass, watching them. His expression wasn’t pleasant at all. In fact, he looked downright enraged.
Another shiver snaked down her spine as the elevator door came open and Jake ushered her inside. When the door slid shut, he removed his hand and took a step back. Stupidly, she felt bereft and abandoned. But he’d already abandoned her, she reminded herself.
“Thank you for getting rid of Ivan,” she began, but stopped speaking when she got a good look at Jake. He was furious. She could see it in the slight tick under his left eye and the taut muscle in his jaw. Funny, she wasn’t the least bit afraid of him, not like she’d been of Ivan.
Jake stared down at her, legs splayed, hands on his hips. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
Ivan stood on the sidewalk and watched as Sapphire disappeared into the elevator with the ruffian with more brawn than brains. He knew the type well. That she’d go upstairs with a man like that and not with him was infuriating.
How dare she! She’d smiled at him prettily all evening long, flashing her cleavage and long legs, batting her eyelashes at him. She was begging him to fuck her, promising him his due, only to renege at the last minute. She’d learn that no one cheated him in a deal. No one. He’d have restitution one way or another.
Her protector might be around tonight, but he wouldn’t always be there. Of course he wouldn’t. There was no way she was fucking a guy like Jake Knight. It was obvious the man had no culture or breeding and he certainly didn’t know how to dress.
No, Sapphire was simply playing hard to get. She was nothing more than a tease. He’d have to show her the error of her ways and then he’d move on. He never allowed a woman to become a permanent fixture in his life and why should he? There were so many of them just waiting to be fucked, and most of them could be had for the price of a good dinner and a few glasses of wine.
It was laughable that Sapphire thought herself any better than the rest of them. His phone rang and he pushed her out of his mind, for now. He looked at the number and smiled. He’d been waiting to hear from this particular city official. “Hello, my friend. Do you have good news for me?”
Chapter Three
Tonight had been a complete and utter disaster. All Sapphire wanted to do was forget her less-than-stellar date with Ivan. But her body had other ideas. It was coming alive, every nerve ending sparking with desire the longer she stood next to Jake. He looked so big and sexy standing there with a scowl on his face. So solid. So…hers.
She swallowed and looked away, trying to ignore the heavy throbbing between her thighs. It did no good to remind herself that he wasn’t hers, had never truly been hers in spite of the fact they’d slept together.
“Hey, are you okay?” His voice gentled and she had to blink back tears. Even though it had been a close call with Ivan, she was safe now. There was no reason for her to be upset. Her emotions were on edge these last few weeks. So many changes and no time for her to really settle into the new life she was trying to build for herself.
Jake cupped her chin and tipped her face up so she was forced to look at him. Wearing high heels brought her closer to him than she normally was. “I’m fine.” She was proud of the way her voice stayed steady when her insides were quivering.
“Then what the hell were you thinking to go out with a guy like Ivan Gregor?”
It was her turn to frown. “What do you mean? He’s a friend of a friend.”
He released her face and she missed the warmth of his skin against hers. “You need new friends, babe. This guy is bad news. A lot of his business practices are questionable and not all his associates are nice guys.”
The elevator bell dinged and the doors slid open. She stepped out and started down the hallway. Part of her wondered what Jake was alluding to and how he knew it, but the other part of her really didn’t want to know. The last thing she needed in her life was more trouble and turmoil.
“No need to worry. I don’t plan on seeing him again.” She tightened her fingers around her keys and the metal dug into her skin. The quicker she could get inside, the quicker she could get rid of Jake.
All she could think about was their last time together. How he’d left her lying naked and completely sated in bed without a backward glance. Both her heart and her pride were still hurting.
A sense of relief swept over her when she unlocked her door and stepped inside the quiet of her new apartment, grateful she’d left a lamp on in the living room. The dim light provided her with a sense of comfort.
She turned to say goodnight. “I’m tired, Jake. We can talk tomorrow.” Preferably over the phone so she wouldn’t have to see his ruggedly handsome face.
She smiled and tried to close the door, but he literally picked her up, shifted her to one side and shut the door, with him on the inside.
Okay, being subtle wasn’t going to work. “I think you need to go. We have nothing to discuss.” She removed her jacket and tossed it over the back of a chair. She wanted to kick off her shoes and rub her poor, abused feet, but felt the added height gave her more of an advantage. And she needed every advantage she could get when it came to dealing with Jake.
He shook his head and wandered into the living room. His black jeans hugged his butt to perfection and his shoulders looked as wide as a mountain range in his supple black leather jacket. His hair was a bit longer than it had been the last time she saw him. It fell past his shoulders now and was sexy as all get out.
Jake took his time wandering around the room, his fingers trailing over the back of the chocolate-brown sofa she’d purchased when she moved into her new place. Bookshelves filled one wall and held pictures, small mementos and, of course, books. They also housed her stereo, flat-screen television and DVR. She’d made the space as cozy as possible.
“Jake?”
He turned and his laser-blue eyes landed on her, freezing her in place. His gaze skimmed over her blouse, reminding her that it was cut much lower than she was used to wearing. Her breasts swelled and her nipples puckered under his intense perusal. She barely restrained herself from crossing her arms over her chest. No need for him to know just how much his presence was affecting her.
He stalked toward her like a panther hunting a small rabbit. She resisted the urge to back away from him, holding her ground. No way would she allow him to intimidate her, especially not in her own home. He ran a finger down the deep vee of her blouse, his touch searing her skin. “Pretty.”
She barely managed to suppress a shiver of desire. She marshaled her defenses, swallowed hard and managed to speak in a casual manner. “Thanks, it’s new.” She’d liked the way the dark-brown color matched her eyes. She just wished it didn’t dip quite so low.
His fingers flowed between her breasts, over her stomach and hip and finally landed on the top of her thigh. The temperature in the apartment felt as if it had jumped at least twenty degrees in the past ten seconds. Her skin tingled where he touched her and her pussy throbbed with need.
“A lot about you seems new since we last saw one another.” His voice was low and seductive, but she wasn’t allowing herself to fall under his spell again, not after the way he’d hurt her.
His hand caressed the hem of her skirt before dipping beneath it to caress her thigh, and she forced herself to take a step back. “I decided there were a few things I needed to change in my life.”
And that was an understatement. After he’d demolished her confidence, she’d taken a long, hard look at her life and decided she needed to break out of the boring rut she’d allowed her life to become. Moving into her own place, buying new clothes and dating were supposed to change that. Problem was, she was still the same woman inside, and that woman was content to stay home in her comfortable jeans and work on her jewelry designs.
> She’d changed the outside packaging, but inside nothing had changed. It had been silly to think a man like Jake would be interested in her for long. He lived life on the edge and she’d always sensed a smoldering darkness simmering within him. The most dangerous thing she’d ever done was move out on her own. Even when she and her sisters had started their business together, they’d had one another to depend on.
And she was acting pathetic, something she most definitely wasn’t. She might not be enough of a woman for Jake, but she’d come to the conclusion tonight over dinner that she was good enough for herself. No more trying to change who she was for any man.
He was staring at her, his eyes hot and smoldering. She had to get him out of here. “You said there was something about the wedding we needed to discuss?” Which didn’t make any sense. Topaz would have called her if there was some major change.
One corner of his mouth kicked up, making him appear impossibly handsome. Her heart skipped a beat before it took off at a full gallop. “I just said that to get rid of your date.”
Her shoulders started to throb at the reminder and she rubbed her hands up and down her arms to comfort herself. No, her dating days were over for the foreseeable future. “Good thing you just happened by.”
Jake didn’t say a word and his silence spoke volumes. Her brows drew together and she frowned. “You weren’t just passing by, were you?”
He shook his head. “I was following you.”
His stark honesty took her aback for a brief moment, but anger quickly ensued. “What do you mean you were following me?” She stepped up to him and drilled her forefinger against his chest for emphasis. She suddenly remembered the feeling of being watched back at the restaurant. “Were you there when we were eating?”
Stroke of Sapphire ad-8 Page 3