Disguised with the Millionaire (Dangerous Millionaires Series Book 2)

by Debra Andrews

  Her thoughts gone, she gasped at the sensations he stirred inside her. With a moan, she pressed her palm to his hard erection through his slacks.

  He groaned and then reared back. He pushed her hand away. Breathing hard, he gazed down at her, shock written all over his face at what had nearly happened.

  His eyes, like black granite, glowered at her as she half lay on his desk with her clothes half-stripped off her. “Damn it, Kate. You can certainly be hot if it suits your cause, but I suggest you find a change in your taste in partners, sweetheart.”

  Kate blinked. Stunned, she focused on his harsh face. “What do you mean?” She sat up on his desk.

  “Because I know all about you. My mother brought me a little report about you—from a private investigator.”

  The blood drained from Kate’s face.

  “So you do understand my meaning? Yeah, you forgot to tell me about your wonderful stepfather and all the dirt I would find on you.”

  “I wanted to tell you and was afraid you wouldn’t understand. I tried, but we ended up…you know…busy,” she said, wincing.

  Anger etched his brow. “Hell, I thought you were going to tell me you’d been married before or something. Not that you and your father are damned swindlers… Bill Jackson of all disgusting creeps.”

  She cringed. It hurt to have him think such a terrible thought about her.

  Trent looked like he could strangle her. “Damn it to hell, Kate—and that isn’t even your real name—just how long did you think you’d get away with proclaiming to be a psychologist while sleeping in my bed?”

  She ran her tongue over her dry lips. “I promise…I planned to tell you everything.”

  “Too late now,” he roared. “I won’t believe your excuses.” He gripped her shoulders.

  “What are you going to do?” she cried.

  He gave a laugh, without humor. “What should I do about it? You do give it your all, though, I have to say that for you. How many of your victims have you slept with?”

  “None! And I don’t have any victims. My stepfather wasn’t the nicest of men, but he died a few years ago.”

  “Great—he was a conman, and if he hadn’t died you’d probably still be working with him. You even lied to me about your age. You’re twenty-six, which explains a few things.” He grabbed her chin roughly. “Did you come here to steal or do something to my company?”

  “No—”

  He tightened his grip on her chin. “Once you found out how hot my family was for me to marry, did you think that route would be more lucrative?”

  “No. I swear it.” She pulled her face away from his touch. “Nothing like that occurred to me at all.”

  “So you admit trying to con us?’

  “No!”

  “And do you have sex with men without birth control? Or was that just another lie… were you trying to trap me into marrying you? Have I caught something?”

  “No, Trent! Listen to me. I’m not anything like what you’re thinking.” She slid off the desk and pushed down her skirt. “I know this looks bad, but please, I can explain everything, if you’ll just let me.”

  “However good your charade, I won’t be lied to again. You played me for a fool? Do you think I’d believe you now?”

  “Well, you could listen to what I have to say.”

  His expression was implacable and unnerved Kate. “Do you know what happens to frauds like you? Prison, sweetheart.”

  Frowning, Kate bit her lip, drawing blood. “But he was my stepfather,” she said weakly, dabbing her thumb at the moisture on her lip. “I tried to explain to you before, but I was afraid you wouldn’t think much of me if you knew about him.”

  “You were right.” He grabbed her arm and shook her. “You worked with him. Damn it! You were arrested and prosecuted in one of his schemes. What could you possibly say to clear yourself?”

  “I did work for him a few times,” she said through rubbery lips. “He told me I had to earn my ‘keep.’” Tears burned her eyes. Except for her Aunt Kate, she had never told anyone how badly her stepfather had treated her. Even she didn’t want to think about all he’d done to her. She swiped her eyes with her fingers. “I didn’t work for him in the Wallingford Case. I was exonerated.”

  “But did you do it?”

  “No! He used my name. I was only eighteen and completely innocent of any involvement...that time.”

  “That time?”

  Her cheeks heated, while hot tears rolled down them. How could she raise her horrible past up to the light, when all she’d ever tried to do was bury it as deeply as possible? She wanted to get out of Trent’s presence, go somewhere, and curl up into a ball. “Bill Jackson was a terrible man. H-he made me do certain things...or...or…”

  Dark memories rushed back to her—memories that she didn’t want to think about. She wanted to tell Trent everything, but at the disgusted look on his face, the words died on her lips. Her vision blurred and all her insecurities as an abused child returned.

  He’d never believe her now. Probably never would have, no matter when or how she’d told him. She clutched the back of the chair for support.

  “Your stepfather’s been dead for three years. You did this con job at my company on your own.”

  A shock of defeat swept through her. He had her on that issue. “I did this for my bro—”

  “I won’t listen to your lies, blaming anyone else for your coming here. Doesn’t matter anyway. Since I won’t publicly humiliate myself, I’m not about to have you prosecuted. You’re fired. I want you to get the hell out of my company. If you’re anywhere near here or our operations—if you have anything to do with what is going on with my company—I’ll be sure to make you regret it.”

  “But… I—”

  “Shut up, Kate, or I might change my mind and call the police now. Just be glad you’re getting off so lightly.”

  Anger darkened his expression. Knowing he would never trust her again, Kate nodded as tears sprouted in her eyes.

  Trent shoved his shirt into his slacks. “You can stop the phony tears, princess. You’re the worst of women. Lying, cheating, sleeping with your victims—it makes no difference to you. You’d do anything for money.”

  She shook her head. “Trent, I––”

  “Spare me—I hate liars. Everything you’ve told me from day one has been a lie, Doctor Meyers. Can you deny that?”

  Kate winced. “Not everything. I was with you because you really meant something to me.” She searched under the desk for her underwear, but only found her tights. She thrust them in her pocket and stepped into her high heels.

  “Stop acting like there was something special between us, when you’re nothing but a lowlife con artist,” he ground out.

  The lowlife remark sliced her to the core and brought a fresh welling of tears to burn in her eyes. Deep inside, because of her stepfather, she’d always felt that maybe this was true about her, even though she’d tried to make a life of her own away from the taint he’d marked her with. It must be true. The crushing pain in her chest took her breath away.

  Even though she couldn’t find her underwear, she couldn’t stay a moment longer in Trent’s angry presence. “I tried to tell you everything, about my brother and why I was here,” she said, using her last defense. “But I was afraid you would think the worst of me, and you wouldn’t give me a chance to explain. Turns out, I was right. Which just proves that I would never have been good enough for you—even if we’d met under the best of circumstances.” She’d never tell him now. She was done.

  “You are correct.” He pointed toward the door. “Now out. I know all about Jeffrey Cooper as well. Seems like your fiancé found out what a treasure you were and dumped you. Do you think I’d want to be involved with a criminal or a gold-digger like you?”

  Her cheeks felt on fire. He couldn’t have hurt her more if he had struck her. “I wasn’t after his money. He never said… I had no idea Jeff…was…was—”

  “One
of the richest heirs in the country?”

  “No, I didn’t know. And his mother didn’t like me for the same reason you’re blaming me—because of my stepfather. I can’t help it if my mother chose to marry Bill Jackson. She died within a year of marrying him. I had to live my entire life with her mistake.”

  Whirling away from the disbelief simmering in his eyes, she swiped away the humiliating moisture sliding down her cheeks.

  “Your tears won’t work with me, princess. I know you for what you are. Your excuses can’t explain your lies to get into my company—or the fraud you perpetuated on me.”

  She cringed. Oh God, he was right.

  He reached for his wallet and tossed several hundred-dollar bills on the desk. “I’ve never paid before, but in this instance, I want to make sure you get something for all your trouble. I enjoyed the sex, but in spite of what you thought, your little scheme would never have worked.”

  Now shaking, she ignored the money. “You have a right to be angry, but you’ve got me all wrong.”

  Only moments from breaking down, Kate elevated her chin. She hung on to her crumbling composure as she marched toward the door.

  Pausing, she faced him once again. “Be careful,” she said, her voice low with strain. “I think whoever is sabotaging your company has access to Purchasing. You need to check the equipment records.”

  Disgust for her was written all over his handsome face. “The number one person in this company I can’t trust is you.” He thrust his finger toward the door. “Now take your things and get out.—or I’ll have the pleasure of throwing you out. Understand?”

  Numbly, she nodded.

  On shaky legs, she walked as composed as she could out of the office. Mrs. Nash’s mouth gaped open. The woman said nothing about Kate’s hair hanging in a long tangle down her back, or anything about her face that must surely be a mess with her new use of eye makeup.

  Kate stepped into the hallway and exhaled a deep breath. Thank God, it was empty. Hugging herself, she hurried toward her office. Did she deserve this gut wrenching pain? Had she perhaps been wrong to come here, especially by lying to get the job?

  She'd not exactly had a normal upbringing. Had she been so accustomed to her stepfather’s con games that she’d gone a little too far by coming to the company to investigate on her own? Had there been another way? What was the old saying? ‘Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.’

  She had come to the company on false pretenses—but what else could she have done to find justice for Matt? No one at the police station believed her because of her stepfather’s criminal past. And actually, she’d found that everything going on at the company was different than she’d expected.

  Now, she had to leave when she was so close to finding the person responsible for Matt’s death. And she had lost her heart in the process and badly hurt the man she loved.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Trent followed Kate out of his office and watched her retreating back as she rushed down the hall. He hoped that was the last he’d see of scheming Kate Meyers. In spite of all the warning signs about her, he’d let her into his heart. What a fool he’d been. He’d trusted her.

  He blew out a deep breath. For once, he was glad his mother had interfered. She’d saved him from making the biggest mistake of his life.

  On his return to his reception area, he ignored Mrs. Nash’s furrowed brow and proceeded into his office. Trent shut the door and sat at his desk, aching like hell from the blow Kate had dealt him.

  Unbelievable, the spell the witch had cast over him. A moment ago, he’d nearly lost his senses and made love to her again. He’d been about to drive into her like a raging bull—like an idiot…an unprotected idiot. And she’d been just as receptive.

  He sighed, glad he had taken care of birth control over most of the weekend, except for the first two times.

  Now, if he could, he had to shut her out of his mind and his life. What he’d done today had been the most difficult thing in his life: throwing her out of his company. At one point he’d nearly weakened, and had wanted to believe there had been some reason—any reason—but that had made him even angrier at himself so he had struck out hard. He had resorted to being nearly cruel to her about the money he’d tossed at her—to remind himself what she was—when all he’d wanted to do was to clutch her to his chest and for her to once again be the woman he’d come to care for.

  He grappled with the pain, the twisting in his gut, the emptiness in his heart. She had been nothing but an illusion. He had to remember what she was...whenever he weakened. She’d put him through hell.

  Feeling something under his shoe, he rolled the chair back and discovered her panties.

  He bent down and dropped the bit of black lace in the trashcan. She deserved to feel uncomfortable with a naked butt for conning him and his family.

  He should call security to escort her out. Better yet, he should go over to her office soon and make sure she’d vacated the premises and do that job himself if she was still there.

  “Trent,” Mrs. Nash said over the intercom. “I didn’t want to interrupt you when you were with Dr. Meyers, but your grandfather called awhile ago.”

  He frowned. “Is he all right?”

  “Yes. He said he was feeling a little weak today and planned to stay in bed, but for you not to worry. He wants you to call him when it’s convenient. Trent, but before you do, I must ask you, is Dr. Meyers all right?”

  “She’s fine.” He punched in his grandfather’s phone number.

  He didn’t want to talk about Kate, or think about her. He blew out a deep breath. He felt as if he’d been beaten to a pulp and it was still early in the day.

  “I hope you’re taking it easy,” Trent said when his grandfather answered the phone.

  “One never rests when one is neglecting his duties.”

  “Stay in bed. You don’t need to worry about anything.”

  “Shouldn’t I? I heard about the elevator accident.” Leave it to his sharp grandfather to sniff out any detail.

  Of course, Trent thought dryly, and elevator crashing was a huge deal. “Don’t worry. I have everything under control,” he lied into the receiver.

  “I have some important issues to discuss about the future direction of the company. I want you to meet me on the yacht, Saturday, at three p.m.”

  “Do you care to enlighten me now on what this meeting is about?”

  “No. I’d rather review my plans to everyone all at once.” He ran through a few names and Kate’s name was on the list.

  “Dr. Meyers?” Trent muttered. “She can’t make it.”

  “This is a mandatory meeting. She must be there. The dear girl didn’t quit? I don’t think my heart can take much more worry.”

  Trent hung up the phone. Dear girl...?

  More like conniving viper.

  * * *

  Still trembling from head to toe, Kate stepped inside her outer office and closed the door.

  Darcy glanced up from her computer. “What’s wrong, Kate?”

  Tears burning her eyes, Kate shook her head numbly, unable to speak.

  Darcy jumped up and rushed to her. “What’s happened to you? You look like you went through a blender. Did someone hurt you? That damned Roland Sikes? Oh, my God. What did he do to you?”

  Wagging her head from side to side, Kate let the tears spill down her cheeks.

  “Well, then what? Did you find out who caused Matt’s death?”

  Kate shook her head. “Trent,” she managed in a hoarse whisper. “H-he knows…” Her mouth curved downward. “And he’s put the worst spin on everything. He wouldn’t even let me explain.”

  Darcy’s face fell. “Oh, goodness…” Then she let out a deep breath. “Okay. Okay, let’s think about this.” She frowned. “What does this mean for us?”

  “It means we’re fired. We’re lucky he’s letting us go without charging me with a crime. He thinks I was here to steal. So pack up—quickl
y.”

  “But, what happened? You really like him.”

  “No,” Kate rasped, “I never want to see him again.” Her despair sunk into her like a stone in a lake, and she hurried into her office to pack.

  Darcy followed behind her.

  At the sight of the red rose from Trent on her desk, a strangled sob burst from her throat. Kate pressed her knuckles to her lips. “No…no—I won’t cry anymore. It’s done—finished.” She straightened her shoulders and marched to the closet to retrieve the empty box she had standing ready for this inevitable day when she must leave. “Better to know now that I would never have been good enough for him—because of my stepfather.”

  She wouldn’t try to get him to believe her again. No point. After all, she was a conniving lowlife. Her throat ached in despair.

  “Oh, Kate... Can’t you just explain to him?”

  Kate dropped down at her desk and began to pack. “I tried, but he didn’t want to listen. My stepfather will forever taint my life,” she said, her chin trembling. “I didn’t even want you to know just how bad my life had been with my stepfather. ‘Earning my keep’ was better than the alternative Bill Jackson gave me. I had to help him several times in his cons—but I was just a kid.” She choked back a sob. “No, I won’t cry anymore.”

  Raising her hands to her burning face, she told Darcy the things she’d tried to bury so long ago—memories of her stepfather holding her on his lap.

  “I know your stepfather used to hit you, Kate, but did he rape you?”

  At the thought, Kate cringed even now. “No…but he touched me! I would have done anything—walked over hot coals—to prevent him from putting his hands on me.” She shuddered. “I realized later that he knew just how to manipulate me to get me to do whatever he wanted.”

  “Kate, and your fear of heights?”

  Kate swallowed a lump in her throat. “He made me go out on a seventh-floor ledge and into another office to unlock a door so he could enter.” She swiped away those tears she couldn’t stop now if her life depended on it. “I was eight and Matt was too big. I was the only one small enough. I failed anyway. I froze and was stuck on the ledge, for the longest time. My stepfather finally coaxed me back, and then he slapped and hit me. I couldn’t go to school for a week. He told them I had the flu…”