The Naughty Nine: Where Danger and Passion Collide

by Nina Bruhns

  “No!” She looked up and he had the pleasure of seeing her cheeks heat.

  He'd thought her diary would have shed some light on the true nature of their relationship. Maybe there was something in it that even he hadn't seen coming.

  “She was pretty mean to you.” She looked back down at her hands. Even though they were still in her lap, he could tell she was mentally fidgeting.

  “She?” He asked.

  “I, well…Eve, the other Eve.” She looked at him and raised and lowered her shoulders. “It's hard to explain, since I don't think the same way that she did. I can't…I guess it's hard to explain,” she repeated and looked back at her hands.

  “I understand. She wasn't too mean. I think she enjoyed seeing me flustered.” He smiled a little. “Actually, I'd like to hope that she enjoyed some of the arguments we had. I know I did.”

  She looked at him and smiled a little. “Yes, she said it was a step in the relationship.”

  His smile dropped away. “Eve, I'd like to explain about…”

  She quickly stood and shook her head. “No, you don't have to. I read her diary. She had it all planned out. How she would buy into the company.” She frowned and started walking towards the door. “I… I should get to work.”

  He quickly walked over to her and took her shoulders, waiting for her to look at him. “If you know, why do I get the feeling you're trying to avoid me? That you’re avoiding talking about the one thing we need to talk about.”

  “I just can't deal with this right now. I've just found out who she…who I was, how I feel. I need to find out again for myself. And this time, make some pretty big decisions. For now, I'd like it if we can be friends again.”

  He didn't think his heart could break again, but hearing those words from her caused a pain he didn't know if he'd ever recover from.

  “No, I don't want to go back to square one. I know you're going through some things, but I want to be here, with you. I know who I am, how I feel about you. That's been clear for a very long time.” He felt her pull against his hold. Releasing her shoulders, he watched her step back.

  “Carter, I just can't right now. I have to trust before I can decide if I want to continue with anything further.” She had one hand on the door and looked like she was trying to run from a fire. He'd never seen her like this before. Even after her big break up with Steve, she'd always appeared calm. Never had she acted like she was panicked. “I have to get to work.”

  He must have sat there looking at the closed door for a while. When Mitch walked in, he was too deep in thought to realize.

  “Hello? Earth to Carter.” Mitch knocked his knuckles on his forehead.

  “Hmm? What do you want?” Carter walked around his desk and sat down. He didn't trust himself to stand too close to anyone at the moment. He wanted to punch someone, and right now, Mitch was being just the right amount of annoying.

  “I said…Do you want to go to the movies with Sandi and I this weekend? We're seeing the new zombie movie.” His friend smiled. “Sandi has never seen a zombie movie and I think it's about time she was introduced to the walking dead.”

  “Sure, whatever.” He looked down at the stack of papers on his desk, not really hearing his friend. Paperwork had stacked up during his month hiatus. It was going to take him three months just to get back on top of everything, especially since his mind was not focused on the task. He felt like throwing it all in the trash. Taking up a folder, he tossed it across the room. When it hit the wall, he smiled.

  “That bad, huh?” Mitch sat in the chair Eve had just vacated.

  Carter stood up and started to pace. “She wants to be friends. Just friends. She read her diary and found out that she was the reason that number was so high on the buy-in. But that doesn't change her mind. She has to trust before she can go further with our relationship. Trust!” Carter ran his hands through his hair, wishing he could pull it out. “Trust has never been an issue between us before. She's always trusted us, ever since that event when we were kids. Why is she telling me she has to trust now?” He paced across the room, gaining speed in his steps. What he wanted was to take a run. Looking out the large window, he saw the snow falling and felt even more frustrated.

  “Take it easy.” Mitch stood and stopped him from pacing. “We need to look at this differently. We have to see her as a completely new person. She isn't our old Eve. We're complete strangers to her. She's a complete stranger to us.”

  He pushed his friend’s hands off him. “No, not to me.” He stormed from the room, stopping briefly at his assistant’s desk and telling her he was heading to the gym and he'd be back later.

  That night, he lay awake in bed. When his phone rang around midnight, he was still awake.

  “Yo?”

  “Carter is that you? Someone's trying to break into my apartment.” Eve's voice sounded distant. Instantly he was out of bed, putting on his shoes.

  “Stay where you are. I'll be right there.” He grabbed a sweatshirt and rushed out the door.

  * * *

  Eve put a hand over her mouth, trying to hush her breathing. She watched a dark form cross in front of her hiding spot. Fear caused her to freeze. She felt pins all over her skin, like she was being poked by a million needles. The shadow crossed again, and she heard a male voice cuss. Then she heard her front door slam open and Carter's voice as he called to her. She was still frozen. The person was right in front of her; if she called out, he'd find her. Then she heard Carter running towards her bedroom and closed her eyes.

  What had she done? How had she ended up calling him instead of the police? What if the man had a weapon? What if Carter got shot and died? Before she knew what she was doing, she opened her closet door and flung herself at the man.

  When their bodies hit, his legs hit the side of the bed and they tumbled over. She landed on his chest and started hitting him while screaming for Carter.

  She realized two things at once. First, the man wasn't fighting her back. Second, Carter was laughing. She looked up and saw him standing over them, his hands on his hips as he looked down.

  She glared at him, then turned to look at the man. He was gorgeous. His dark hair had been slicked back, and his eyes were a crystal blue. He had a slight dimple in his chin and from what she could tell, he was solid muscle under her. He was frowning, causing her to notice his perfect lips.

  “If you're quite done, would you mind leaving us alone? We'd like to get reacquainted,” he said with a rich accent.

  “Oh, no you don't.” Carter's voice turned dark. “You broke her heart once. Don't think we'll stand by to let it happen again.” Eve looked back up at Carter and could see the humor had left his face. “Eve, you can continue pummeling him now.” He crossed his arms over his chest as she pulled herself off the man.

  “Would someone please tell me what's going on?” She sat on the floor, trying to stand up. Carter reached over and, putting a hand under each of her arms, lifted her with ease.

  “Well, you've just met your ex-fiancé. The man who left you at the altar, literally.” Carter tried to keep a protective arm around her shoulders, but she pushed him away.

  “I don't have an ex-fiancé.” She crossed her arms.

  “Yes,” the man said as he pulled himself off the floor, “you do. Me, Steve Hopper. We were engaged for eight years, three months and four days.”

  “Eight years?” She leaned against her dresser. “Why would I be engaged for eight years?”

  “Exactly!” Carter smiled and leaned next to her. “We wondered the same thing. Well, when he finally got around to telling us why it took so long to put a ring on it, we were all surprised. It seems that Steve here has a wife and child in California. You were just his East Coast fling. Not a bad deal. He had free rent, all the attention he could get without a lasting commitment, and you.” Carter frowned.

  She glared at him. “I didn't read about him in my diary.” She nodded toward Steve, who was sitting on the edge of the bed. “Get off that.�
� She waved him away. She couldn't explain it, but she didn't want him near her bed. He stood and frowned.

  “Oh, right. You burned our last one.” He smiled a little and she felt shivers running down her spine.

  “Why are you here?” She stood in front of him and pointed at his chest. “Is it true? Were you trying to waltz in here and start something new? How did you get in?” She gasped. “Do you have a key?” She searched his pockets and found a ring of keys.

  He tried to grab them, but she slapped his hands away. She searched the ring and when she found one that looked like hers, she rushed to the front door, checking it. It fit perfectly. It took some doing, but she removed the key from the ring and put it in her robe pocket, then she tossed his keys out her front door.

  Carter and Steve had followed her out of the bedroom, Carter following Steve closely, a frown on his face.

  “Hey!” Steve yelled as he rushed after his keys. When he stepped outside the door, she called after him, “Don't ever come back.” Then she slammed the door behind him and flipped the dead bolted.

  Leaning back against the door, she jolted as she felt him kick the door.

  “Don't be childish, Eve. Let me explain,” he called out through the door. “Kim and I are divorced. I made it final just last month. I couldn't live without you, baby. Please, just open this door and we can talk about it.”

  Eve closed her eyes and leaned back on the door again. “Was I a gullible person?”

  “No,” Carter said. When she opened her eyes, he was standing close. Steve was still trying to convince her to open the door, but his voice faded away as she looked into Carter's eyes. “You were the strongest, most honest, and least patient person I've ever known.” He smiled a little as his hand reached up and brushed a strand of hair away from her forehead. “I never thought he was right for you.” He leaned a little closer to her and she realized she was out of breath.

  “Carter…” she started, but then he was kissing her and she forgot about Steve on the other side of the door. Forgot about the contract, about not trusting herself after what she'd read in her diary. Forgot everything but the feeling of him next to her, of his hands on her.

  When he started pulling her back towards her bedroom, her mind cleared.

  “No.” She pulled away. “I can't.” She pulled her robe closed. “Please, Carter. I just can't.” She walked into her living room and looked out the windows at the dark city. “I didn't even know I had been engaged let alone for eight years.” She turned and motioned towards the front door. Steve had either gone quiet or had left. Either way, she didn't care. “I thought I would be okay with just being, but I need to know more. Seeing my parents, seeing the contract…What kind of person was I? I'm so thankful for my two best friends, really I am, but there was a side of me even you guys didn't know. I need to be okay with it. To find out if she's still here.”

  He nodded. “I know. Mitch talked to me. I know you need time. I'm sorry I pressured you.” He started to back up.

  “Carter?” She waited until he turned. “How did I call you?” She looked down at the phone in her robe pocket, she could have sworn she'd hit the contact that said, “”Emergency” on it. Then she looked up,m at him and frowned. “How did you get here so quickly?”

  He smiled. “I live on the twenty-fifth floor. I'm the one that told you about the opening in the building. I'm always the one you call for emergencies. Like when your sink stopped up last year.” He smiled. “I'll make sure he's gone and tell building security not to allow him in again. Night, Eve.” He walked to the door and closed it quietly behind him.

  Secret Identity: Chapter Fifteen

  Christmas was quickly approaching. Eve found a pattern at work and settled into it and actually started enjoying her job. Carter was right, it wasn't a hard job, just tiring. She felt like she was fake with most of their clients. She smiled and stroked their egos as she assured them they were the best at what they did. Almost every one of them fell for it. There were only a few that she just didn't know how to handle, so she ended up bringing Mitch or Carter along during the meetings.

  They had a holiday party at the office and she found she really enjoyed a lot of the other employees. She tried avoiding Carter when she could, but on several occasions she'd seen heat seep into his eyes and knew it matched hers.

  Every night she'd fallen asleep reading her many diaries. She'd found a box of them tucked away in the top shelf of her closet.

  How had Mitch and Carter not known she had a wicked side? She'd known for years that Carter had a thing for her. She'd exploited it to her personal gain. She even went as far as wearing outfits she knew he particularly liked when she needed him to give her something.

  She had started believing she was no better than her parents, after all. From what she'd seen, Carter and Mitch were two of the most honest people she'd ever met. Her diaries were full of kind acts from them, dating back to when she was in college.

  She'd found the part where she had met Steve at a party on campus. She'd been so dazzled by his looks, everything else had fallen to the side. She'd even known Carter and Mitch didn't approve of him, but she didn't care. She'd wanted him, and after learning more about the other Eve, she knew she always got what she wanted.

  The last thing the other Eve had had her eyes on was Carter. All the more reason for her to asses her feelings for him now. Was it evil Eve after him, or was she really falling for him herself?

  She was at the Christmas party, standing in the small crowded room filled with all the K&E employees when she felt a familiar pull. Knowing he was looking at her, she turned and met his eyes.

  He looked especially handsome tonight. The first day back at the office, she'd been shocked at how good he looked in a suit. Their entire time in Maine he'd been wearing jeans and shirts. Sexy attire for sure, but now, he was dressed up and looking even sexier.

  “Merry Christmas.” He held out a flat box, with a smile on his face. “Mitch wanted to be here when I did this…”—he looked around—“but I think Sandi and he are in some dark corner, making out.” He smiled and so did she.

  “They are so cute when they do that, aren’t they?” She said.

  “Cute?” He chuckled, “I wouldn’t describe it as cute.”

  She reached up and took the box from him. “I'm beginning to find out that I like surprises.” She started opening the box slowly. “And apparently that I like to open my presents very slowly.” She laughed.

  “Yes, it was always very annoying.” He tried to reach over and rip off the paper for her. She slapped his hands away playfully.

  Finally, when she lifted the lid, she noticed a bundle of papers. Frowning, she lifted them from the tissue paper and set the box down on a table behind her.

  “What's this?” She started reading the bold print.

  “It's a new contract, splitting the company into thirds. It's been long overdue. All you need to do is sign.” He handed her a pen just as Mitch and Sandi walked out of his office, smiling.

  “Oh, you've given it to her?” They rushed over, smiling even bigger.

  “Well?” Mitch looked between them. “Is she okay with the new price?”

  “New?” She looked down at the paperwork and found the spot where the buy-in number was. Her chin dropped. “You can't do this.” She pushed the paperwork back at the trio. “I won't sign it. I shouldn't be given a third of this company.”

  Mitch sighed. “Listen, Eve. You may not remember this, but we've been all over the spectrum. From the largest amount you wanted, to this.” He handed her back the paperwork. “Each time we present you with these, you aren't happy with something. It's almost as if you don't want to become partner.” Mitch looked to Carter. She noticed then that Carter's shoulders had sunk.

  “We thought this was the right thing to do, considering the situation.” Mitch said.

  “It is a very generous offer, I just don't deserve a third of this company. Not now.” She looked between everyone. “I don't feel lik
e what I'm doing is worth it.”

  Carter and Mitch laughed. “Is that all? When we signed you on, we were sinking. The business was about to go under due to overcommitment and a dive in the economy. But in the last few years, you've revived it. You're the reason we're in the position we are today. You've more than earned it. You deserve it.” He put the paperwork back into her hands. “Sign it, Eve. Trust your two best friends, at least in this area.”

  She saw a flash in Carter's eyes. Reaching up, she took the pen he held out towards her. Turning around, she signed her name on the line. When she turned back around, the entire office cheered and tossed confetti at her. Champagne was passed out, and she was congratulated more times than she could remember. Someone turned on some music, and the party got even rowdier.

  The noise level mixed with the champagne caused her head to start aching so she slipped into her office to try and get some quiet time. She'd read all about her plans for K&E. How she'd get the two of them to let her buy in, then she'd take the business to the top, earning more money and basically running the company and her friends, since she knew their weaknesses and how to get what she wanted.

  Loosening her hair from the braid she'd worn, she walked over to her window and leaned her head against the cool glass. She wished she could just come clean to her friends, but every time she tried to talk to them about how she was in the past, they'd just laugh at her and smile. Then they'd say something like, “Yup, good old Eve,” like they were pacifying her. It was driving her crazy.

  Now she had gotten everything the old Eve had wanted. Hearing the door click shut, she turned and looked at Carter. Well, she thought, almost everything.

  “Hi, is your head hurting you?” He walked towards her, concern on his face. His voice was so soothing. It had been the one steady thing in the last few months. Hearing him always made her feel safe. She felt her throat close up, so she just nodded.