The
SEDUCTION FACTOR
Book 3—Broken
Scarlett Avery
Copyright © 2015 by Scarlett Avery
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, without prior written permission.
Scarlett Avery / Absolutely Naughty Publishing
Edited by RJ Locksley
Proofread by Chrissy Becker
Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental. This book is for sale to adults over 18.
The Seduction Factor / Scarlett Avery.
ISBN 978-0-9940233-2-2
Foreword
I can't thank you enough for purchasing this sizzling read.
I’m absolutely passionate about what I do. Once I start writing, I just can't stop.
It's taking me a whole lifetime to get to the point where I’m able to live out my dream every single day.
The captivating stories and the enigmatic characters live with me throughout the writing process. I think you'll quickly notice how much care and attention I put into each one of my romance novels.
Another thing you’ll discover about me is how much I love my readers!
To thank you for buying this romance novel, I’d love for you to lose yourself in even more sultriness, sexiness and seduction!
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***
The Seduction Factor Series
Book 1—Casual Encounter
Book 2—The Billionaire's Desire
Book 3—Broken
Book 4—Love Tangle
Book 5—Sinful Desires
Book 6—Always & Forever
***
BOOK 3—BROKEN
Chapter One
“He’s absolutely crazy. There’s no way my mother cheated on my father.” I utter these words through my tears as I desperately try to get away from Dr. Diego Echevarria.
I run out of the building so quickly I stumble and nearly fall. It’s the middle of the afternoon and my arrival causes a commotion on this busy Barcelonan street. A gentleman clad head to toe in Barcelona FC kit catches me and helps me find my balance. Beads of sweat are pearling against my forehead and dripping into my eyes—the late summer heat is oppressive. I blink a few times before looking up at the good Samaritan willing to prevent me from crashing against the pavement. The rays of the sun blind me temporarily and it takes me a few seconds to regain my composure.
“¿Señora, está bien?”
The stranger looks so concerned when our eyes meet. I can see my reflection through his eyes, with my disheveled chignon and the mascara running down my face.
“Gracias. Sí, estoy bien.” I lie and pretend everything is okay, but nothing will ever be the same.
“Pero, está llorando.”
“No es nada. No se preocupe. Acabo de recibir una buena noticia.”
I reassure the stranger my tears are of joy and he walks away.
Fuck, I need a cab. I don’t want Diego to come down and find me.
I run to the street and hail the first one I see. I sink into the back of the cab and cry in silence in the palms of my hands. Tears roll down my face as I replay the dreadful conversation in my head.
A few days ago my life was perfect. I was at the top of my career, a hot guy I hooked up with in Toronto flew all night from Tokyo to be with me in Barcelona, I was so excited about my business meeting with a wealthy Spaniard and my family was intact.
Now my world is upside down because a stranger I only just met has shattered my whole existence by claiming to be my biological father.
Did my mother really have an affair with him? Am I an illegitimate—the product of a one-night fling?
Could my mother have done such a cruel thing to my father? Could she have betrayed our entire family?
Oh my God, who am I if I’m not Emilio’s daughter?
I’m not even sure Diego isn’t making all of this up, but he knows intimate details about me. He scared the hell out of me.
My phone is ringing off the hook. Diego has been trying to reach me since I burst out of his office, but I have no intention of talking to him ever again.
I need to turn this phone off before it drives me out of my mind.
With one touch, I shut out the confusion, chaos and commotion.
Maybe he’s trying to blackmail me after he saw those photos on the cover of the British tabloids? Maybe he wants to expose me and ask for money to keep quiet?
I shake off this far-fetched idea because my entire family already knows about the royal scandal and, they’ve already made peace with the fact those revealing photos will live on Google forever.
Thousands of questions spin through my mind as I make my way across the city.
I need to lose myself to think.
Twenty-five minutes later, I’m at Las Ramblas in central Barcelona. This is a tourist trap and a great place to lose myself in my sorrows.
I’m grateful I didn’t wear a lot of flashy jewelry today. The Ramblas is a spot to buy souvenirs and ward off gypsies who have perfected the art of pickpocketing for generations. I head to the first store I see to buy a sensible pair of shoes I can walk in and a cheap canvas bag to hide my designer handbag. I slip off my expensive Cartier watch and diamond studs and place them inside my Chloe bag, which is hidden inside the inexpensive beige canvas bag.
This is the last place where I want to walk around with a sign on my back that reads “lunch money” to a group of hungry gypsies.
I’m surrounded by thousands of curious tourists and eager merchants, but I’m lost in my thoughts. My heart bleeds. How can my entire childhood have been a lie?
God, I’ve never felt more alone in my life.
After a few hours of walking aimlessly, I leave Las Ramblas in search of more secluded parts of the city. I don’t know where I’m going, but I do know I need to get as far away from Diego’s office as I can.
I’m still crying and there are still so many questions begging to be answered, but I’m mostly concerned about how I’m going to approach my mother. I don’t want to shatter our tight family bonds, but I need to get to the bottom of this. I need to know if this guy is lying or if my mother has been lying to me from the day I was born.
Oh my God, has my entire life been a deception?
My grandparents. My aunts. My uncles. My cousins. Do I not have any blood ties whatsoever to any family on my dad’s side?
But I love these people.
What about the man who’s raised me and cared for me for all these years? Will he still love me if this story is true and he finds out he’s not my biological dad? Will he feel so betrayed by my mother’s actions he’ll turn his back on me?
The weight of this realization sends me spiraling. I let out a cry as I collapse on a bench.
This cannot be happening to me.
I’ve lost track of time and it hits me Nikolaj must be worried sick. I hadn’t told him where my meeting was to take place, but he knows it was hours ago. I pull out my phone from my bag and turn it on.
Is it really seven-thirty? I stormed out of Diego’s office at two-thirty and I arrived at Las Ramblas at three o’clock. Have I been walking around aimlessly for four and a half hours?
I check my messages. Nikolaj has called and texted numerous times. Diego has also been persistently trying to reach me. I delete all of his
messages. I don’t need any more of his shit in my life.
I call Nikolaj to let him know I’m still alive. “Hey, it’s me.”
“Goddamn it, where have you been? I’ve been worried sick,” Nikolaj roars.
“I’m so sorry. I lost track of time. It’s a really long story.”
“What do you mean?”
All of a sudden Diego’s words come crashing in and I burst into tears.
“Ciara, are you crying? Did the guy you were meeting hurt you? Did he put his hands on you? What’s going on?” Nikolaj is raging on the other end, but I’m too choked up to answer. “Please answer me. What has this man done to you?”
“I thought…” I stop and inhale, trying to find the courage to allow the words to escape my lips. “Diego, or I guess James, didn’t summon me to help him with his lighting needs. He wanted to meet me in person to destroy me.”
“What?”
“It’s a really twisted story. To be honest, I don’t understand most of it, but this guy claims to be my father. Nikolaj, he knew intimate details about me. Apparently, my mother is the informant.” I sob. “I’m so numb right now. I’ve been walking for the past four hours.”
“Where are you now?”
“I don’t know.”
“Listen, find the closest intersection, give it me and I’ll jump in a taxi to pick you up.”
I wipe the tears from my eyes and blink a few times until I can read the street names.
“Okay, stay where you are, I’ll be there as quickly as I can. Don’t move. You hear me?”
“I’ll be here waiting for you.”
I hang up and stare at my phone, unable to make sense of this day.
It rings. Oh, fuck, it’s Diego again. I let the message go to voice mail before wailing again.
Fifteen minutes later, Nikolaj arrives to take me back to the hotel. I’m so weak he has to help me off the bench and into the back of the cab.
“Let’s go back to the hotel, get you in a warm bath and get some food into you. When was the last time you ate?”
“Lunchtime.”
“Oh, baby, let me take care of you.”
I nod in agreement. I rest my forehead against his shoulder and I close my eyes, exhausted.
* * *
I wake up the next morning feeling like a bulldozer ran me over.
If I feel this crappy, I guess this wasn’t a bad dream.
“Did you sleep?” Nikolaj is sitting in a chair next to me and he looks so concerned.
“Oh, God. I look scary, right?”
“Not at all. You kept tossing and turning all night and you were talking in your sleep. I suspected you wouldn’t get a good night’s rest. I didn’t wake you up because I thought you’d need the extra sleep.”
“What time is it?”
“It’s ten o’clock.”
“What? I’ve slept thirteen hours?”
“Ciara, honey, you needed to block things out.”
“But I have a lot to do,” I shout, sitting up in bed.
“What’s so urgent, love?”
“I need to find a way to forget Diego’s words.” I sob again.
“Oh, baby.” He gets out of his seat, crawls back into bed and hugs me. “You were a mess last night. I didn’t want to let you out of my sight. I waited for you to fall asleep and I made sure to get up before you this morning to make sure I was here for you.”
“You took such good care of me, Nikolaj. I mean, I appreciate it, but this isn’t your family drama.” He’s so sweet for wanting to watch over me.
“Ciara, I’m no stranger to family sagas—trust me.”
“Yeah, but has your entire life been ripped out from under your feet by a stranger claiming to be your real dad?”
“No, and I’m sorry you have to deal with such a blow. I don’t want to make matters worse, but the front desk called a few hours ago to let you know a Dr. Echevarria was in the lobby hoping to speak to you. I told them to let him know you were sick.”
“What? He showed up here?”
“I’m afraid so.”
“He’s left me so many voice messages and he’s also sent me a few emails. I was determined not to validate his story by responding to his message, but…” My voice trails off to a whisper.
“What?”
“My mother sent me a text message letting me know she was here and she was hoping I’d consider meeting Diego again so they can explain things more clearly.”
“Yikes. Your mother is here?”
“Yeah. She sent a text message last night and I saw it before turning off my phone, but I couldn’t deal with it. Her words stayed with me all night. It sort of put things into perspective for me. Why would my mother fly to Barcelona and side with Diego if he was lying?”
“Good point.” Nikolaj nods.
“Knowing she’s here ready to defend his story is more crushing than listening to him tell me my dad wasn’t my father. I was still hoping he had made up his outrageous story to hurt me.”
“I don’t want to step into something so personal, but Ciara, your dad is still the man who raised you and the same one who has been part of your life since day one. If the claims are true, Dr. Echevarria might claim to be your real father, but he wasn’t there for all the milestones.”
The weight of Nikolaj’s words sends me into another crying fest.
“Come on, love. Don’t cry.”
I hide my face in his shoulder and I sob uncontrollably. “They’ve destroyed my peaceful world.” Diego has some gall for creating such turmoil in my life with his false claims.
“Baby, there must be more to this story or else your mother wouldn’t have sent a text message supporting him. Maybe it’s worth sitting down with them and hearing them out.”
“You’re suggesting I meet with this monster again?” I ask, alarmed.
“I’m suggesting you get to the bottom of things and find out once and for all the identity the man who brought you into this world.”
“If this story has a shred of truth, my father is going to be devastated and I doubt my sister will ever recover.”
“All the more reason for you to find out the truth. They’ll need you when your mother breaks the news to them.”
I meet Nikolaj’s beautiful blue eyes and I can’t believe how quickly this stranger has become a pillar of strength in a time of chaos. “I don’t know if I can do this, Nikolaj.”
“You’re a strong woman,” he declares, lifting my chin with his index finger.
“Not for these matters, I’m not.”
“Do you want me to come with you?”
“Oh, God, no,” I say, panicked. “I mean, I appreciate the offer, but I have no idea if there isn’t more explosive news awaiting me.”
“Hmmm, so you’re considering meeting with them?”
I let out a heavy sigh. “My mother wouldn’t be here if there wasn’t a shred of evidence to Diego’s claims,” I say, shaking my head in disbelief.
“I think you’re right.”
“If she’s been lying to me for all these years, I want her to tell me to my face. I want her to see the pain in my eyes when she reveals she’s been unfaithful to my dad.”
* * *
“Good Lord, you’re unrecognizable from yesterday.”
“You like?” I twirl to allow Nikolaj to take me in.
“Ciara, you’re dangerous in your badass outfit.”
“I decided to dress to let my mom and Diego know they can’t crush me.”
“Well, a pair of tight leather trousers will send the message loud and clear.”
“You’re too easily impressed.”
“Are you kidding me? You’re smoking hot in these and if this wasn’t such a delicate matter, I’d get down on my knees and beg you to get back in bed.”
I push him away from me and reach out to grab my purple handbag. “I saw the sorrow in my eyes in the mirror when I got out of the shower and I decided I was going to take this news standing tall. It only took a l
ittle makeup and a few pins to hold my hair and voila! I’m a new woman.”
“It’s far more than a little blush. You’re naturally beautiful and you have a fighting nature about you. I’m glad you’ve decided to lead with your inner strength.” He gets close enough for me to feel his hardening cock.
“Oh, no, you don’t. I promised them I’d be there for three o’clock and I have to leave now or else I’ll be late. Your erection can wait,” I declare firmly before pushing him away.
“Ouch. You’ve cut me deep.”
“You can always jerk off while I’m away if it becomes too painful.”
“You’re too kind,” he mocks with eyes half closed. “All right. You win. I’ll sit here all day bored out of my mind with a hard-on counting the hours until I can slide inside you.”
“Cry me a river.”
We both laugh.
“Nikolaj, there’s something I need to share.” I really can’t leave before letting him know how he saved me.
“Why the sudden serious frown? What’s on your mind, love?”
“I want to thank you.”
“Thank me for what?”
“You’ve been picking up my broken parts since last night.”
“Ciara, I couldn’t possibly leave you to fend for yourself.”
“You went beyond caring for me and we both know it.”
“Come on, baby,” he says, taking a step closer.
“No, please let me finish. You allowed me to cry my heart out. You peeled off my sweaty clothing and you carried me sobbing to the tub and you dropped me in the warm water before undressing and sliding in. You sat in the tub with me for an hour, holding me, rocking me and allowing me to deal with my pain. You forced me to eat even when I refused and you held me until I fell asleep last night.”
He lowers his gaze, digs his hands in his jeans pockets and shrugs his shoulders. “When the taxi stopped at the corner where you were waiting for me yesterday afternoon, I didn’t recognize you—your deep sorrow had transformed the woman I knew. You needed someone to be there for you. I’m honored to have been the shoulder to cry on.”
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