by J. S. Scott
He nodded curtly. “I’m an asshole because I have to be. Business gets nasty.”
“You’re distant because you have to be. Do you think I don’t understand that?” I’d spent years being distant, having only books as friends while I stared at the same concrete walls and bars every single day. I got it. Obviously, he didn’t. For him, the distance wasn’t deliberate. It was the way he lived his life to protect himself.
“Maybe you do understand,” he said grudgingly. Trace stood and held out his hand. “Come with me.”
I knew that he was changing the subject because he wasn’t comfortable with talking about himself, but I let him off the hook. Hell, sometimes there were things I didn’t want to deal with either. I let him tug me to my feet and I followed in his wake as he made his way to his home office.
“You asked about the cell phone. I had some things delivered for you, things I knew you would need.”
And he thinks he’s an asshole? The breath whooshed from my lungs as he arrived at his destination and pointed toward a pile of goods that took up half of the floor space in his office. “What did you do?” I asked breathlessly.
He’d already provided me a new wardrobe to play my part. Did I really need all this?
“Your new phone.” He unplugged the latest model iPhone from the charger and handed it to me. “I think it has everything you’ll need installed.”
I took the cell from him automatically, still gaping at the ton of things he thought it was necessary for me to have.
A new laptop computer.
A digital camera.
A Kindle e-reader?
I reached out and touched the marvelous device that was capable of bringing me something I dearly loved: unlimited books.
“I thought you’d like it. I opened an account for you, and loaded it with funds from a gift card. You can get as many books as you want.”
Oh. My. God. He’d went so far overboard on what I really needed, but it touched me that he’d been listening to me when I told him I loved to read. “Trace, I don’t need all of these things. They aren’t necessities.”
“Some women would argue about that,” he answered drily.
“I wouldn’t. I know exactly what I need to survive.” I picked up another box. “What’s this?”
He shrugged. “Jewelry. If we’re engaged, I’ve obviously given you stuff. Gifts.”
I dropped the box instantly, recoiling from the thought of jewelry. “I don’t want it.”
“Don’t, Eva. I know how you feel about the past, but these are gifts.”
“Not jewelry.” I shook my head and backed away from the plethora of electronics, jewelry and gifts.
“Yes. If we’re together, I’d make you accept every damn thing I wanted to give you.” He turned and strode to his desk and brought back a small box that didn’t look new. He held it out to me. “Your engagement ring.”
I swallowed hard and tried to breathe. I couldn’t wear expensive jewelry. “I can’t.” My voice was cracking with emotion, and tears sprung to my eyes.
Trace opened the black velvet box and took the ring out. “Yes, you can.” He took my hand and slowly worked the ring onto my finger. “It’s necessary.”
I held out my hand when he was finished, noticing that I was actually shaking. The ring was stunning. Princess cut and probably several carats, it sparkled with a fire that was nearly blinding. “It’s beautiful, but it’s enormous. What if I lose it?”
Shit, I’d be terrified every single day with this rock on my finger.
“It belonged to my mom, so I’d prefer you didn’t take it off,” he answered huskily.
I gaped up at him. “Oh, my God. Can’t we pick something else?” The giant diamond had sentimental value to him, and I didn’t want to be responsible for losing something that belonged to his mother.
He grinned at me. “No. I’m the oldest son. My fiancée would be expected to wear it, unless you hate it.”
“I don’t hate it,” I rushed to assure him. “It’s amazing.” I was telling the truth. The ring was magnificent, but I was terrified to have it on my finger. “But it means something to you, and I don’t want anything to happen to it.”
“Nothing will happen. And it looks good on your finger. It fits almost perfectly.”
Yes, it did. His mother must have had almost the same ring size. “That’s not the point.”
“You need to wear the ring, and I hope you’ll wear the other stuff I bought for you. That jewelry is all yours. I bought it.”
I tried taking deep breaths to control my panic. I couldn’t believe he was trusting a woman who had done time for stealing expensive jewelry with a priceless heirloom, and a ton of other expensive gems. What was he thinking? Yeah, he’d said he trusted me, but I hadn’t realized quite how much…until now.
Trace really does believe I could never steal anything.
He sat down in a brown leather chair near the pile of gifts, then grasped my hand and yanked me down onto his lap. I struggled for balance, but finally righted myself with Trace’s protective grip on my waist, and my arms wrapped around his neck.
I looked down at him from my perch on his thighs, sighing as I saw the hungry look on his face. “I’m not sure I can do this.”
“Are you backing out of our deal?” he growled, his grip tightening around me.
I shook my head. “No. But all of this is mind-blowing, Trace. And for obvious reasons, I hate jewelry.”
“This is different, Eva. And I love seeing my mother’s ring on your finger.”
“Why?” I asked curiously.
“Because it means that for now, you belong to me.”
I didn’t have time to babble a response before he snaked a hand around the back of my neck and pulled my lips down none-too-gently to capture my mouth.
Chapter Nine
Trace
I knew from the moment I saw my mother’s ring on her finger that I was screwed. Every well-meant intention I’d had to keep my hands off Eva had completely flown from my mind.
Yeah, I knew I shouldn’t touch her again. She’d been a virgin, and I felt bad enough for the way I’d taken her, but that didn’t matter anymore.
She’s. Fucking. Mine.
My hand moved to her silky hair and I fisted it to try to regain control as I claimed her mouth just as thoroughly as possible, my dick demanding to be inside her.
My heart slammed hard and fast against the wall of my chest as she moaned against my lips, music to my ears.
I wanted to fuck her again, this time slow and gentle like I should have done last time. Problem was, I wasn’t sure I could stay in control with Eva. I wanted to own her: heart, body and soul. I wanted to be so deep inside her and make her feel so good that she’d never want another man.
In a way, I’d actually been screwed since I’d realized she was a virgin. Primitive emotions had swamped me then, grappling with my common sense. All I could think about was that I didn’t ever want her to have any other man…except me. Hell, I probably would have felt the same way if she hadn’t been untouched. I was just that obsessed with her.
I broke off the kiss and rasped against the soft skin of her neck, “I won’t do this again. I can’t fuck you again.” Jesus, I hated it when the higher, more noble emotions got in the way of me getting what I wanted. I’d much prefer to give into the barbarian and take what I wanted.
“Why?”
The disappointment in her voice damn near broke me. “It’s not fair to you. I was a greedy bastard, and I never even thought to ask if you were a virgin. It should have been different for you.”
It should have happened with a man you loved, a guy who could make you feel special.
After everything she’d been through, she deserved that and more.
“It did happen just the way I wanted it. No one has ever made me feel the way you do, Trace. Please don’t regret it,” she pleaded.
That was the problem. I actually didn’t regret it. I relished the fact that
I was the only damn man to be inside her, and it made me possessive. I didn’t like feeling that way, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself when it came to Eva. “I don’t,” I admitted reluctantly. “And it’s going to be hell when we have to sleep in the same bed.”
“Why would we do that?” she asked in a distracted voice, a tone that made me realize she was sexually frustrated. Immediately, I wanted to satisfy her need.
“You’re my fiancée. Don’t you think it would be a little strange if we don’t sleep together?” I knew that would be a big red flag for my brothers.
“I suppose,” she answered wistfully.
“We’ll manage,” I said abruptly, moving her slowly off my lap before I could act on the impulses bombarding me, the instinct to claim her again.
She wriggled as she went to stand, and I had to hold back a groan as her luscious ass moved around on my swollen cock. Christ! It took everything I had not to strip her naked and have her ride me into oblivion right here in the chair.
Watching her as she fidgeted, messing nervously with her hair and then smoothing imaginary wrinkles from her jeans and sweater, I felt the sudden need to protect her. Eva had come to enough harm in her short life, and she didn’t need further pain from me.
“Let’s take some of this stuff to your room,” I suggested in a hoarse voice as I stood. I needed a distraction or I was going to lose it.
“It’s too much, Trace. I realize that I have to wear the ring, but the other stuff…” she threw her hands up in the air.
I grinned because I had to. What woman didn’t want to accept gifts?
Only Eva.
And she wondered why I trusted her? Granted, it was more gut instinct than proof, but I would stake my life on the fact that she wasn’t guilty of her supposed crimes. My gut had never steered me wrong. Unfortunately, I couldn’t take away the pain she’d suffered in the past. But I was going to give her a better future, even if I had to fight her to do it.
I’d win.
I always did.
“You’re taking it or you’re fired.” I tried to make my tone firm.
She was adorable when she put her hands on her hips, and she lifted her chin stubbornly. “You won’t fire me.”
Nope. I wouldn’t. It would kill me not to know where she was and how she was doing. But I didn’t say that. “Don’t tempt me,” I grumbled.
“I’d like to go shopping tomorrow. I’d like to buy something for your brothers for Christmas. Can I borrow one of your fancy cars?”
I didn’t give a damn if she took any one she wanted, and it didn’t escape my notice that she hadn’t agreed to accept my gifts, but she would. I was fine with her doing whatever made her happy. Except it meant that I’d be alone in the house, and the idea didn’t appeal to me at all. I’d planned to go to the office early in the mornings, and then get back home in the afternoons. The ball had already been set into motion to investigate exactly why Eva had been in jail, and to view the supposed evidence. I was going to do whatever it took to right the wrongs that had been done to her as soon as possible.
“I’ll go with you,” I answered, resigned. “I haven’t bought things for my brothers either.”
Fuck! I hated shopping. I usually left all Christmas gifts to my employees.
“Where is your tree?” Eva looked at me hopefully.
“My employees haven’t put it up yet.” But they would. Because my family was coming, I’d eventually have a Christmas tree. It was another one of those things that just appeared without me thinking about it.
Her horrified expression was almost amusing. “You can’t let your employees put up your tree. It should be a tradition,” she answered emphatically.
“I’m alone. What does it matter?” Most years I didn’t even bother with a tree at home.
“It matters. I always had some kind of tree, even if I had to find one that was discarded and put it up with homemade decorations.”
My gut rolled just at the thought of Eva underage and so damn alone, hungry and afraid. If her mother wasn’t already dead, I’d be tempted to kill the bitch myself. “The tree will get put up eventually.”
“Or we could pick our own and put it up ourselves.”
Her tone was so damn hopeful that I was completely destroyed. I’d give her everything she ever needed and more. “If you wish,” I agreed.
Nothing had ever felt better than having Eva hurl herself at me and put her arms around my neck, pressing her entire cuddly body against mine. My arms wrapped around her automatically to steady her after her precarious dive into my harder form.
“Thank you, Trace,” she said tearfully. “It would be amazing to put a tree in this house. It will look incredible. I haven’t truly been able to decorate a normal tree for such a long time, since Dad died.”
Such a small thing, with such a big response. It was almost humbling how easily I could make her happy. It was also distressing. If a simple Christmas tree could make her happy, it told the story of how difficult her life had really been.
“We’ll get a really big tree,” I grumbled, rubbing a hand on her back. I wasn’t sure if I was consoling her or trying to sooth my anger.
“Everything worthwhile doesn’t have to be big.” She pulled back slightly and smiled.
Yeah, I’m an asshole, but I couldn’t resist. I grinned at her. “Sometimes it’s much more enjoyable if it’s big enough.”
She understood immediately, just like I knew she would. Giving my arm a smack, she answered cheekily as she rolled her eyes, “Pervert. Is everything all about getting laid with you?”
Hell, yes. It had been since I met her. I’ve never met a woman who could make me run around hard all the fucking time. Yep…pretty much all I could think about was being inside her again. “Pretty much.”
Eva’s delighted laughter filled the room, and I felt my heart pounding erratically against the wall of my chest. Jesus! There was nothing better than hearing her sound young and carefree. I wished I could make everything like that for her all the time. She was young, but she’d never had much to smile about. Still, she could laugh at little things, stuff I didn’t even think about.
“Do you get the newspaper?” Laughter was still there in her voice.
I shrugged. “I probably do.” It appeared when I wanted it, so I assumed I did get the paper.
“You don’t know?”
“No. It’s usually on the table in the morning. So I guess it gets delivered. Why do you want it?”
She pulled slowly away from me, and my dick was screaming in protest.
“Black Friday deals. I wanted to look at the fliers.”
“Who shops for Black Friday?” It wasn’t like I didn’t know that there were massive sales the day after Thanksgiving. But a sale was never worth getting trampled over just to get merchandise. Hell, I didn’t even let my employees shop for me until the madness had calmed down.
“Me,” she answered quietly. “I’ve never had my own money before. I want to get a good deal on gifts.”
She sounded so serious that I didn’t dare laugh at her. “People get killed getting those deals.” I wasn’t thrilled about the thought of her getting stampeded, and I was suddenly damn happy I was going with her.
“People get killed doing almost anything,” she scoffed. “It might be a little crazy, but I think it would be fun to shop tomorrow during all the big sales.”
Fun? Seriously?
Shit! If it meant she would be smiling and laughing, I was screwed. I’d be in the stores on the craziest day imaginable to actually shop just to see her happy. “Fine. But no door buster sales.”
She covered her smile with her hand, but I knew she was laughing at me anyway. The little witch. Did she know she had me doing things I wouldn’t normally do, just to see her acting like any other woman her age? Well, maybe not women I personally knew, but probably the majority of normal women in their twenties. Honestly, I didn’t think she had any idea how much I wanted to make things better for her. Eva wasn�
��t the type to manipulate or take advantage. She was simply joyful about everyday things she’d never had.
“Okay. Nothing at four a.m. or earlier,” she agreed. “How about six or seven o’clock sales?”
I looked at her pleading expression, and I was done. Her dark eyes were too damn expressive, too damn enthusiastic. I fell into her mesmerizing gaze so easily it was pretty scary. “Eight o’clock.”
I’d compromise and hope most of the craziness had ended during the wee hours of the morning.
Nobody would ever miss me in the office since the entire company had the day off. I would have been the only one who was actually in the office tomorrow, and it probably would have been a productive day. But it suddenly didn’t matter.
“Okay,” she agreed hastily. “Can I use the computer? I can look at the sales online.”
“Of course. It’s your computer.” She was taking it whether she wanted it or not.
“I meant your desktop.”
“Use yours.” I wanted her to get used to having her own stuff.
“I don’t have one.”
I picked up the new laptop on the floor and handed it to her. “Let’s go find the sales.” Those words were foreign to me even as they rolled off my tongue. I’d never looked at sale items in my entire life.
“Trace, I can’t accept all this—”
“Of course you can,” I insisted, getting irritated because she wouldn’t take what I’d willingly given to her.
“I hurt your feelings,” she observed quietly. “Please understand how I feel. I’m not used to this.”
“Get used to it,” I told her in an ornery voice that I reserved for stubborn people, which fit Eva perfectly.
Making sure she had a good grip on the computer, I gave free reign to my caveman instincts and picked her up bodily and carried her out of the room before she could launch another protest.
I was going to win.
I always do.
Chapter Ten
Eva
The following few weeks that I spent alone with Trace were some of the best days of my life. The Christmas tree was beautiful. Once I’d convinced him to get a real tree, we’d had a wonderful evening decorating…after Trace had figured out how to put on the lights. That particular process had been filled with plenty of curses that made me laugh, watching him struggle with strings of lights. I was still amazed that he’d never decorated a tree himself, even as a child.