by Croft, Nina
“You’re in danger of becoming paranoid, cara.”
“Yeah, right. How can you say that when the only reason I’m here is because you got me into a compromising position and took photos of me? Who knows how many times you’ve done this sort of thing before for your own nefarious purposes.”
“Nefarious?” he said with a chuckle. “I’ve been called many things, but that’s a new one. And it may come as something of a surprise, but I do not actually make a habit of seducing women in my office.”
“So why make an exception with me?”
“It seemed like a good idea at the time.” He relaxed back in his seat and studied her. “Can’t you accept that I wanted you, found you attractive and desirable? And you, Lia, why did you sleep with me?”
“I thought you knew why. I was using you, of course. Getting you all relaxed so you would fall asleep and I could search your office. Hey, and guess what—it worked.”
“So how many men have you slept with?”
“That’s none of your business,” she said stiffly.
“Humor me.”
She bit her lip, but really it was no big deal. “Two.”
“And I’m presuming one of them was me,” he said smiling. “I knew you were innocent.”
“That doesn’t make me innocent. And don’t go thinking it means anything. I’ve just had my mind on more important matters.”
He examined her for a moment making her want to squirm. “The man I saw you with at the stables, who is he?”
“Which man?”
“The one you kissed.”
Lia thought back, puzzled. She wasn’t in the habit of kissing men at work. Or anywhere, really. Then she realized whom he meant. “Pete.”
“Pete?”
“My boss. He’s a good friend.”
“Boyfriend?”
“Not that it’s any of your business, but no.” Not that he wouldn’t have liked to be, but she didn’t say that. “He gave me a job when I was sixteen, and I’ve worked there since. Now he’s my trainer as well, and he lets me compete on his horses—it’s a good job.” She glanced across at Luc. He didn’t appear impressed, but at least he changed the subject.
“So, why did you really want to find your father in the first place? After all this time?”
Lia considered the question, but there was no real reason not to tell him. The reasons no longer applied. Now that Pete was going to buy the land from her, there was no way Luc could use the information against her. “I told you, my mother died. I hadn’t realized until then that the situation was so bad—she’d been paying the mortgage by selling jewelry, paintings, anything and everything. Well, by the time she died, it was all gone. I knew my father had taken out a mortgage on the house before he disappeared. I wanted him to give the money back.”
“So why don’t you want to find him anymore?”
“I don’t need the money now. I’m selling the land that goes with the house. It’ll be enough to keep us going for the next few years.”
“Selling. Who’s buying?” Luc asked suspiciously.
“Pete.”
“I don’t want you taking money from him.”
Lia stared at him in amazement. “I’m not taking anything from him, he’s buying some land. And what business is it of yours anyway? Look, forget about it, it has nothing to do with you.” She got to her feet, impatient. “Why don’t you just tell me about your big plan? What do I need to do for you to destroy those pictures and let me go home?”
“There’s time for that later.”
“Why not now?”
He frowned at her. “Are you always this impatient?”
Lia thought for a moment. “Yes.”
“Well, sit down again, and I might tell you what’s going to happen. Can I get you a drink first?” he asked.
She cast him a snarky look. “Do I look like an absolute imbecile? Been there, done that, and it’s so not happening again.”
He laughed softly. “Don’t blame it all on the alcohol. You were amazingly easy to seduce.”
“Yeah, but only because I let you. And it won’t happen again.”
He relaxed back in his seat and studied her, his eyes half closed. “Is that a challenge, cara mia?”
She shivered at the sensual promise in his voice then made an effort to pull herself together. “No, it’s not,” she said, “and will you stop calling me that?”
“Calling you what?” he asked. “Cara mia?”
“I’m not your cara, I’m not your anything. I’m here because you threatened me and that’s the only reason.”
“Really?” He got to his feet, moving to stand in front of her. Lia stood up as well, not wanting to be at a disadvantage. A wave of apprehension passed through her, but she stood her ground. She was determined she wasn’t going to be intimidated, but he was just so big, and she’d always been better at dealing with horses than she was humans. Maybe she should treat him like a stallion she was training. Stand up to him, show him who was boss…and if all else failed—castrate him.
“What are you thinking?”
“Sorry?”
“You were smiling.”
“Really?” Tilting her head back, she stared him in the face. He was watching her through those half-closed eyes, the brilliant green almost hidden behind a thick fringe of black lashes. She dropped her gaze and again wished she hadn’t—his shirt was open, showing the strong, tanned column of his throat and the dark shadow of his body hair. She remembered the feel of it under her fingers, silky and amazingly soft.
Luc smiled, a slight curl of those stunning lips, and all of a sudden, she had a flashback to the feel of them moving on hers, moving on her body. She stared at them for a long, long moment until he laughed softly, breaking the silence.
He reached out and stroked the ball of his thumb across her lower lip, and that simple touch caused the heat to coil low down in her body.
“Don’t kid yourself, cara,” he said. “You want me as much as I want you.”
His words started a fire in her belly. She opened her mouth to deny it, but she didn’t want to push him into trying to prove his point. The truth was, he might be a blackmailing bastard, but he was also the most gorgeous guy she had ever met, and for some reason he got to her like no other man ever had. So instead, she took a deep breath and sat down. The sooner they got this over with, whatever “this” was, the sooner she could go home and get on with her life.
“So tell me this plan of yours.”
“We’re going to get engaged.”
Lia’s mouth fell open. She managed to close it, but stared at him for long, long moments. Had he really said they were getting engaged? “Never going to happen.”
“Don’t worry,” he said. “I don’t expect to have to go through with the actual fuss of a wedding, though we could consider the consummation part.”
“No freaking way. I’d rather get engaged to your monster friend Harley.”
Luc laughed out loud at the comment. For a moment, he looked almost young and carefree, and Lia did her best to ignore the queer little twist in her gut.
“I doubt Harley would agree,” he said. “You’re not his type.”
Lia sighed. “I don’t want to get engaged to you.” She knew it was a pathetic reason, but it was the truth. Luc didn’t seem impressed, and she searched her brain for a better argument. “Okay,” she said eventually, “forget all that. But what can it possibly achieve?”
“Publicity.”
Lia was totally bewildered. “Yeah right, because the whole world gives a damn if we get engaged.”
“Do you ever read the gossip columns?”
“No.”
“Well, you’ll just have to believe me that I can get us the publicity we need. People are interested in me, believe it or not. You may consider me unlikable, but many others find me fascinating.”
Lia could well believe it, but she ignored his teasing tone; she wasn’t ready to be teased by this man, however fascinating he
might be. “I still don’t understand. So you get the publicity, we get our names in the papers, then what happens?”
“And then your father, wherever he is, sees it, or more likely hears about it and can’t resist coming out to…”—he paused as if thinking of a suitable word—“…congratulate you on your amazing catch.”
Lia snorted. “Commiserate more like. And I’m not convinced of that. He’s made a pretty good job of ignoring us for the past ten years. I doubt he even knows Mike exists.”
“I think he will. Harley says he doted on you.”
“Harley was wrong.”
“We’ll see. I’m hosting a party next Saturday night. It was organized a long time ago, but it will be an ideal place to announce our engagement.”
“I don’t like parties.”
“Well, pretend. We’ve already established that you’re a good actress. So act.”
Luc got up, crossed the room, and poured himself a drink. “Are you sure you don’t want one?” he said with a glass in midair.
She shook her head. Tonight she was staying firmly in control of all her faculties. “I would like a coffee, though.”
Luc put down his drink and headed for the kitchen, and Lia sighed with relief as the door shut behind him. He was so intense, but strangely enough, despite his blackmail threats, she felt safe with him. Well, maybe safe was not the right word, but she was sure he wouldn’t attack her or force himself on her.
She sat back and closed her eyes. His plan had no chance of working, so it was pointless to worry about her father turning up. Pete had suggested she take a holiday. When was the last time she’d had some time to herself? She couldn’t remember—she’d been constantly training since she was sixteen.
She looked around at her luxurious surroundings. If she had no choice but to stay here, why not make the best of it? Not that she would mention that to Luc—she had no intention of making things easy for him.
“I can’t go to your party,” she said as he handed her a steaming cup of coffee. She took a sip; it was delicious, strong, sweet, just the way she liked it. “I don’t even own a dress.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll get someone to take you shopping. Just make sure you have everything you need.”
“Who?” she asked suspiciously. “Who will you get to take me shopping? I’m not sure I want to be ‘taken’ anywhere.”
“Her name’s Maggie. She was a…” he paused for a moment, “…a friend of my mother’s.”
She didn’t want him to have a mother with friends; it made him too human. She was determined to see him as nothing more than the monster she had called him. If only he looked like a monster. She put down her cup and jumped up. “I’m going to bed.”
He stood and caught her shoulder as she passed, her mind completely numb as he turned her toward him. She stared at his lips as he lowered his face slowly. It seemed to take forever, but finally his mouth came over hers, firm but gentle. His tongue slid gently into the moist recesses of her mouth, filling her with the taste of whiskey and warm man. It lasted the briefest of moments, and then he stepped back.
Chapter Eight
Luc tasted her sweetness. Briefly, he was tempted to push her beyond the limits she had already set out, but he could sense the tension radiating from her body. He made do with a question instead.
“Alone, cara?”
He almost smiled as she gave him a filthy look out of those beautiful, extremely expressive eyes. Then she turned and stalked off.
“Damn,” he muttered as the door slammed closed behind her. He ran a hand through his hair—he was in big trouble. Sighing, he sank down onto the cream leather sofa and tried not to think about the fact that he was so hot and hard it was painful. Or the fact that it was turning into a regular occurrence.
That wasn’t what worried him. He knew he could seduce her, but he was starting to realize that as far as Lia Brent was concerned, mere seduction wasn’t enough. He wanted her to come to him freely. And that bothered him. A lot. He still didn’t trust her, wasn’t sure he could ever trust Jimmy Brent’s daughter or forget what he owed the man.
He’d told himself Lia was business, purely a way of reaching her father and getting the revenge he craved. Told himself that the sex had been an added bonus, unimportant. He’d been lying. He wanted her again, had since that night, quite desperately, beyond reason.
Jimmy Brent had gone, no doubt, done his disappearing act because he knew Luc was after him, believed that Luc wouldn’t rest until he had made him pay. He was wrong. The choice had been a hard one, but in the end, he’d been happy to forget Jimmy. Now he wanted nothing more than the opportunity to forget him again. At least for the foreseeable future, until he had sated himself with Jimmy’s delectable daughter. He closed his eyes and imagined sinking once again into her silky depths.
With a groan, he rested his head against the back of the sofa. He needed a cold shower, or maybe a hot steamy one, where he could indulge in one of those fantasies. But he knew if he stayed here with Lia only a few feet away, no doubt curled up all warm and sweet in his spare room, then he might go seriously insane. He had to get out of there. In some ways, he’d been running from his past life. Maybe it was time to embrace it, blow off some steam, and he knew just the person to help him. He reached across and picked up his cell phone.
“Gary?”
“What the fuck…it’s nearly midnight.”
Luc grinned. “Yeah, the night’s still young. You want a drink?”
Gary was silent for a second. “I’ll be outside in fifteen minutes.”
“Take a cab,” Luc advised. “You won’t be wanting to drive.”
He showered quickly, dressed in jeans, a black T-shirt, and a black leather jacket—a remnant from his misspent youth—and headed out of the building. Gary raised an eyebrow when he saw him, then grinned.
Gary was tall and sandy-haired, and looked mean enough to scare anything that might be wandering the streets of London after midnight. He’d also been Luc’s best friend while they were growing up. They’d terrorized the streets together, gone after the same girls, watched each other’s backs, and managed to keep one step ahead of the law.
Gary had joined the army when he was seventeen. Luc had very nearly joined with him, but his father hadn’t been long dead, and Luc had still been determined to make those responsible pay. Now, he couldn’t help but wonder what his life would have been like if he’d enlisted with his friend. It was amazing how a single decision could affect your whole life and the lives of those around you. Would his mother have gone back to her family if he hadn’t gotten into trouble? She’d always sworn she wouldn’t.
Gary had left the army six years ago after a bomb blast in Afghanistan had left him with a permanent limp. He’d been unable to find a job, and Luc had offered him the position of head of security for his company. Now, he was in charge of hiring and firing the security force, but also headed up any investigative work Luc needed doing. He was good at his job.
“I kept the cab,” Gary said. “You want to go west or east?”
“East,” Luc said. “I have an urge to visit our old haunts tonight.”
“I know of a few places that might still be open. I’ll take you on a pub crawl.”
They were silent as they drove through the quiet streets, but as they settled down in the darkened booth of the first pub, Gary sat back, one arm along the seat, and studied him. “So what’s brought on this bout of nostalgia? Or need I ask?”
Luc took a long pull of his beer while he considered what to say. Gary was the only one he’d talked to about Lia—Luc had asked him to do a standard background check on her, before he’d left for the States. “Lia’s staying at the apartment until this is sorted out.”
“You know you’re making a mistake not letting me handle this,” Gary said.
“Yeah, and you know how I know—because you’ve told me a hundred times.”
“You’re too close, and it’s my job. You should listen to me. She’s ob
viously a treacherous bitch, and you’re a fool to go anywhere near her, let alone let her into your apartment.”
“Probably.”
Gary considered him for a moment. “Don’t take this wrong, but Harley reckons you’re thinking with your dick and not your head.”
Anger flashed through him, but he pushed it down. Gary was genuinely concerned. He might not have been around, but he knew the havoc Jimmy Brent had caused in his life. “You’ve spoken to Harley?”
“When I was preparing the report.”
“But you came up with nothing to suggest that she’s in contact with Jimmy?”
“Maybe not. All I’m saying is—don’t lose sight of who she is, and who her father is. Don’t trust her.”
Luc swallowed the last of his drink. Wasn’t he here to forget about Lia? And her father. He held up his empty glass. “Aren’t we supposed to be drinking?”
Gary grinned. “Hell, yeah. As you said, the night is still young.”
…
“Stupid machine!” Lia snarled, staring at the coffee machine in disgust. She couldn’t even work out how to turn it on.
It had taken her ages to fall asleep last night. She’d lain with the feel of Luc’s lips on her own, the taste of him filling her mouth, despite the fact that she had scrubbed her teeth for five minutes. When she had finally dropped off it was to her usual dreams, and she’d tossed and turned all night.
Something had awoken her in the early hours of the morning, and she’d lain in the extremely comfortable bed wondering what to do. She couldn’t go back to sleep and eventually, at six thirty, the need for coffee had driven her from her room. Coffee was an absolute necessity for her first thing in the morning. Not an option.
She stared at the machine disconsolately, then left the kitchen and wandered back into the huge living area. There was no sign of Luc, but a sound from above made her glance up. The door to the rooftop conservatory was open, and she tiptoed up the spiral staircase and peered out. For a moment, all seemed quiet, then the splash of water broke the silence. Lia froze. She edged through the doorway.