He hovered over her.
“Please,” she begged. “Please, Carter.” She didn’t recognize her voice. She was breathy and raspy. She thought she even sounded sexy.
“I’m not letting you out of this room tonight,” he promised. “Not out of this bed. Not out of my arms. I have to fuck you until the sun comes up. Do you understand?”
“God, yes. Yes.” She breathed, eager for all of it. But most of all for the rush of heat his cock would give her. The fire that burned between them.
With a sudden thrust Carter plunged inside her.
“Oh fuck,” he growled.
There was no more hesitancy. No more doubt. She wanted him to feel all the ways he made her feel good. Her hips bucked with each one of his thrusts. She clenched around his cock, gripping it with all her energy. He felt so amazing. So satisfying. So fulfilling.
The pace quickened as they melted into each other. His body grinding into hers. She clasped his hands, feeling the weight of his chest rubbing over her sensitive nipples. It was all too much, too fast. There was another orgasm on the edge, ready to crash and burn through her blood. She thought she could build up a resistance, but there was no such thing where Carter was concerned. It was as if his body was made to give her this. To show her carnal desire. To set her skin on fire. To torch the place between her legs no other man had ever known.
He panted in her ear. “I meant it. All night. Like this.”
She nodded, but knew the walls were crumbling. The barrier was gone. The orgasm ripped through her as she screamed Carter’s name to the ceiling. Like rapids, it rushed through her veins, spreading white hot heat.
She wanted it to last. She wanted to hold on to every shred of joy his cock pumped into her. The way her body fit with his. How she felt safe and protected in his arms. Worshipped in a way no man had dared before.
She felt the dew on her skin and the heat radiating from his chest. Just when she thought she was spent and all her energy was gone, she heard the deep stirring in his breath. He was on the edge.
She looked in his eyes, wishing she could see all the mesmerizing shades of blue. His thrusts grew more powerful. More urgent. More pleasurable. He hit deep inside her walls.
“Fuck,” he groaned as he stiffened. Then one. Two. Three more pumps and he collapsed sweaty and out of breath.
Her eyes closed. The only sound in the room was the racing beat of their hearts.
“I’m falling in love with you,” he said as he laid down next to her.
Scarlett knew it was a big step for him. She let his words fill her heart as he filled her body, and then she was lost in a vast ocean of love and desire, drowning in her own satisfaction.
“I have to be honest with you.”
Scarlett turned her naked body so she could look into Carter’s blue eyes. “Okay.”
“I am worried how you’ll feel after I’ve completely destroyed your father.”
“He might get the money for the house.” It seemed unlikely, since she had no clue how her father would accomplish such a miracle. “After he pays you what he owes you, your business is finished. I’m not going to hold a business deal against you.”
He shook his head. “It’s more than business, Scarlett. My dealings with Terini are very personal, and I won’t be satisfied until I’ve seen him reduced to the lowest point a man can reach.”
“But why?” She needed to know the truth. Why Carter’s family hated him so much.
“It’s not for you to know,” he said simply. “You must understand that I will do my best to ruin your father, and there’s nothing you can do to change that. I won’t let anything interfere with my revenge, not even my growing feelings for you.”
“What if I don’t accept that?” asked Scarlett, raising her head proudly.
“There can be no future for us,” Carter answered baldly, but there was sorrow in his eyes.
Feeling pressured, Scarlett slid from the bed, taking the sheet with her. “I don’t know if I can stand by and watch you tear my father down. I love you, but unless I can understand this unreasonable hatred you harbor for him, I don’t see how I can condone it.”
“It’s not unreasonable.”
“Then please tell me why you hate him,” Scarlett begged, holding her clasped hands in front of her, momentarily forgetting the sheet as it pooled on the floor.
“It will serve no purpose for you to know.”
“I need time,” she whispered, turning away from him after retrieving the sheet.
“Of course,” he agreed distantly. Rising from the bed and grabbing his clothes he said, “I’ll leave you to think.”
Scarlett watched him go without speaking again. After the door closed behind him, she dropped the sheet and slid on a white terry cloth robe before dropping on the bed.
He was asking the impossible of her. How could he expect her to stand by and watch him destroy her father, while still loving him? How could he be so cruel to her as to pursue his campaign of revenge even though he knew how it would hurt her? Why was it so damned important to him? What terrible deed could her father have possibly done to warrant such anger and hatred?
Her thoughts was interrupted by another knock at her door, a knock too quiet to be Carter. “Come in,” she said wearily, and was surprised to see Lydia standing in her doorway, clutching a file to her chest. “What do you want?” she asked, puzzled.
Lydia closed the door behind her, engaging the lock, and for a moment Scarlett experienced déjà vu. “My brother has gone to the wine cellar to open a bottle of wine to drown his sorrows,” Lydia said stiffly. “It will be some time before he returns.”
“What do you expect me to do about it?”
Sighing impatiently, Lydia said, “I did not come to ask you to intercede with his drunken binge. He seldom indulges, and I see no harm in the occasional episode. I’ve come to tell you why he hates your father.”
Scarlett’s eyes widened, and she sat up completely, staring at Lydia as she stood over her. Pieces fell into place, and she said softly, “He doesn’t want you to tell me this, does he?”
“Of course not.”
“Then I don’t want to hear it,” Scarlett said, feeling as if her loyalty rested with Carter. He had his reasons, and she would respect his wishes.
“I’m going to tell you anyway. You have to know the truth.” Before Scarlett could interrupt her, she said, “Your father killed my husband and left Carter with the scars he bears today.”
“No,” Scarlett denied quickly. She’d inferred Lydia believed her father to be responsible for her husband’s death by her previous statements over the past few days, so her accusations came as no surprise. Scarlett dismissed them as the imaginings of a grief stricken widow. “I don’t believe you.”
Lydia’s face twisted. “Believe what you like,” she said with a shrug. “But I’m going to give you such a large dose of the truth that you will choke on it.
“Carter was a brilliant student, and he gravitated toward electronics in college. He has been hailed as a visionary in his field, though his presence is circumspect these days. Fresh out of university, he formed a partnership with his best friend, Justin, my husband. Together, they created Roche Electronics. They used Justin’s name for the company, I’m sure you’ve heard of it.”
“I fail to see how this is important,” Scarlett said, determined not to listen to any more of Lydia’s words. It wasn’t just her loyalty to Carter that drove her determination to shut out Lydia. A cold fear was stirring in her stomach, and she sensed an oncoming disaster.
Ignoring her, Lydia continued, “They invented a revolutionary memory chip that held three times the industry standards of ten years ago, but was less than half the size. Your father approached them about buying the chip, but Justin and Carter knew it would make them rich. They refused Terini’s persistent and dogged attempts to gain the memory chip.”
Lydia fell silent for a moment, drawing in a deep breath before continuing. “Terini got tired of
waiting, and he sent a security team to the warehouse where Roche was headquartered at the time. The men beat Justin and Carter until they were unconscious, stole the chip, and set fire to the building. “
“Darren was returning with food, and he was able to pull Carter from the fire, but the building was engulfed with flames before he could even think about returning to the inferno to retrieve Justin. My husband burned to death on the direct orders of your father. His men were instructed to kill Carter and Justin and cover their deeds with arson.”
“You have no proof,” Scarlett insisted stridently. “Those men could have come from anywhere.”
“My brother is still old-fashioned in many ways,” Lydia said with peculiar satisfaction. “He spent two years tracking down a member of the team, working with the only lead he had. The face of the man whose mask he’d displaced in their fight.” She tossed the manila folder down on the bed. “In exchange for my brother’s silence, Louis Venetta confessed to his part in the crime and signed this statement. Carter has not pressed charges because he wants revenge himself. However, he is a fair man, and would not pursue Terini until he was positive that he was the one responsible.”
Numbly, Scarlett flipped open the file and read the two page statement from Venetta as Lydia maintained a hostile silence. “This man is a liar,” she said, but her tone lacked conviction.
“In addition to the statement, Carter had preliminary proof when Terini released the MX-187 chip, almost an exact replica of his prototype, less than six months after the fire and Justin’s death.” She gazed down at Scarlett.
“What more do you want?” she asked weakly.
“Now you can see why a future between you and Carter is impossible,” Lydia gloated. “His hatred of your family will always interfere. It is best to end things now, before you fall in love with him.”
“Too late,” Scarlett said bitterly. “I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I have no intention of breaking my relationship with Carter. I love him, and now I understand his rage at my father, thanks to you. I will support him no matter what he does to my father.” Lydia’s plan had backfired, Scarlett would make her see that. What a terrible sister she was.
“Brave words,” Lydia mocked. “But time will show how well they hold up,” she added, leaving the room.
She’d left the folder behind, and Scarlett impulsively hid it in her suitcase, wondering if she would need it in the future for some purpose. As she returned the case to the closet, Lydia’s words sank in, and sobs burst from her chest. The man who’d raised her was a murderer. How could she ever look at him the same way again?
A fierce wave of love washed over Scarlett, and she was grateful that Carter had tried to spare her this pain. Dashing the tears from her eyes, she belted the robe securely and hurried from her room, practically running down the hall to his bedroom. She pounded on the door, then impatiently again when he failed to answer immediately. His door finally swung open, and Scarlett threw herself in his arms. “I’ve made my decision. I’ll stand by you, no matter what action you take against my father. I love you.”
Carter sighed as his heart lifted. He pulled her against him and crushed her mouth under his in a fierce kiss. “You won’t change your mind?” he asked.
“Never,” Scarlett vowed.
“I won’t let you,” Carter whispered as he pulled her into his room.
18
Scarlett
Though their visit had gotten off to a rocky start, Scarlett enjoyed the rest of the trip. His family was warm, with the exception of Lydia, and she knew they’d accepted her. Even Thea hugged her before she got in the town car. “Come back soon,” she whispered.
When Vanna wrapped Scarlett in a sisterly embrace, she said, “The wedding will be lavish,” she predicted. “You must have it here.”
Scarlett shifted uncomfortably, glancing over at Carter, who was busy saying goodbye to his brother. “We haven’t gotten to that point yet,” she muttered.
Vanna laughed. “You will. Then there will be bambini, and Athena will be very happy.”
Scarlett sighed in exasperation, but she secretly hoped Vanna was right. She moved on to Ekaterini, then Athena, receiving warm hugs from each of them, and kind comments. Athena grasped her face between her hands, looking deep into her eyes. “Love him well.”
“I will,” Scarlett promised, and Athena nodded her satisfaction.
She wished they could stay on Thakilopos forever, just making love on the sand, swimming in the Aegean, and living an idyllic life far away from her father.
The meeting was scheduled for the day after tomorrow, and Scarlett knew Carter had to be there for that. She realized how important his revenge was to him, and she didn’t blame him. Dismantling Rocco’s company was a very important piece of his vengeance, and she wouldn’t deny him the right, nor the pleasure he would receive. Her only wish was that it was over already, and that they could concentrate on the future.
“Are you all right?” he asked, noticing her frown.
Scarlett turned to Carter and smiled. “I’m fine. I was just wishing we didn’t have to leave already,” she explained as they got out of the car and boarded the jet. Leondris was in the cockpit, and the plane lifted smoothly from the runway. Soon, they were airborne.
“I miss Thakilopos,” Carter said. “I don’t mean I miss it already. I mean I miss living here. If not for...things...I would have moved back long ago.”
“Does that mean you’re going to return to Thakilopos when...” Scarlett paused. “When you’ve carried out your plan?”
“It’s a possibility I’ve been entertaining frequently
Tension filled Scarlett as she waited for him to ask her about the island. She would love to live on Thakilopos. In fact, the only drawback for her was Lydia, and possibly Noah, who still treated her with hostility. She could envision being very happy living on the island, but she would want a home of her own. As much as she liked and respected Athena, she couldn’t imagine living with her. She’d want privacy so she could seduce Carter in every room of their house.
Her silly grin faded as Carter remained silent. Worry took over as she fretted that he didn’t want to bring her back to the island. They hadn’t discussed the future beyond the next few days, and she was worried. What if Carter didn’t really love her? What if it was all still a game for him? No, that wasn’t true, and she knew it. Carter had been tender and thoughtful since she’d confessed her love. He’d been loving, and was generous with the words, “I love you.” He hated her father, and with good reason, but he didn’t hate her, and he wasn’t playing any games with her. Perhaps he was waiting to see if she could keep her promise after he’d destroyed her father. Scarlett sighed and rested her head against the back of the seat.
“What are you thinking?” Carter asked abruptly
“Nothing,” she dismissed with another sigh. “It wasn’t important.”
They stopped in New York to refuel and change pilots, but this time they did not stay at a hotel. Leondris waved to them jauntily as the plane taxied down the runway. They would not see him again until their next visit to the island as he divided his time between New York and Greece.
It was late when they landed at the airfield near Carter’s estate. Scarlett was tired beyond belief, just from sitting in the plane for so long. She yawned repeatedly, and leaned on Carter as they walked to the waiting town car.
Scarlett was half-asleep by the time they reached the house and allowed Carter to lead her inside. Carter carried her up the stairs and she felt so safe in his arms. When he took her hand and led her into his room, she was surprised and pleased. She didn’t ask any questions about the future as they snuggled together under the covers. She was too tired to form any words, and his arms were too heavenly around her.
When Scarlett awoke, the sun was streaming through the open blinds, and she knew it was late in the morning. Scarlett looked at the clock and gasped when she realized it was nearly eleven. The meeting was scheduled for eleven-
thirty at the Ritz-Carleton in San Francisco. She groaned, acknowledging she would never make it in time. She’d planned to attend the meeting, both as a show of support for Carter, and to witness the destruction of her father’s stolen company. The company he’d been willing to kill for. She hadn’t enlightened Carter to her plans, figuring he would object, and now it was too late to follow through.
Scarlett slid from the bed, taking one of Carter’s navy shirts from the closet and sliding it on so she could go to her old room and dress. As she stepped into the hallway, she was distracted from her purpose by the sound of raised voices downstairs. Recognizing Chrys’s voice, Scarlett hurried down the stairs, not bothering to dress first.
“I have to see her,” Chrys wailed.
“Miss Scarlett is still sleeping,” Edward said firmly. “If you would like to leave a message, or a calling card, I will see that she receives it.”
“Wake her up,” Chrys demanded. “She’s my sister, for god’s sake. I need to see her.”
“I’m awake,” Scarlett said softly, and abruptly became aware of her state of dress as two disbelieving faces looked at her. Edward quickly hid his shock, schooling his expression into blandness. “Thank you, Edward,” she said self-consciously, resisting the urge to pull at the hem of the shirt.
“Yes, madam.” He inclined his head. “Excuse me.” He dismissed himself, leaving the two sisters to stare at each other in awkward silence.
“Oh no,” Chrys wailed abruptly. “He’s made you his sex slave.”
Scarlett laughed to herself, if only. “Come upstairs with me so I can get dressed,” she invited, and Chrys trailed behind her up the staircase.
Scarlett took her into her old room, seating her on the bed before rummaging in the closet for something to wear. The clothes purchased in New York had been unpacked, ironed, and hung, and Scarlett made a mental note to thank Trudie, the upstairs maid.
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