She leaned back and pretended to relax as dusk began to steal over the park, shading everything with a soft golden light. Everything except Burt, who divided his attention between the stage and Jessica. Whenever their gazes met she felt the man’s animosity like a wild, living entity.
Was it just her personally, or did he always have problems with all his boss’s girlfriends? Whatever the case might be, his dislike for her was palpable in the air whenever he was around.
At seven-thirty Adam motioned for Sebastian to pack up the picnic items and he and Jessica headed toward the car. The concert was still going strong. “I’m sorry we have to leave early,” she said as they made their way across the park to the lot where the car was parked.
“I’m sorry you have to go to work,” he replied.
“Me, too. But the rent has to get paid and the utilities. However, if you keep feeding me like you have been I won’t have to worry too much about my grocery bills.”
They reached the car and Sebastian got behind the wheel as Burt opened the rear door. Adam slid through the back, then she started to get in next to him.
As she began to enter the car she felt the hot press of a hand on her bottom. She jumped and nearly fell into the back seat.
“Are you all right?” Adam asked in alarm.
“Fine. I’m fine. I just caught my foot as I started in.” She turned to look at Burt, who showed no emotion as he shut the back door. The slime ball. He didn’t like her but that didn’t stop him from copping a quick feel.
“I spent the entire evening talking about me,” Adam said once they were on their way to the club. “Now, let’s talk about you.”
She laughed. “This is going to be a short, boring conversation.”
“I doubt that,” he replied. His gaze held hers. Those intense blue eyes of his seemed to seek everything that might be found in her thoughts, memories and dreams. “So tell me, Jessica Sinclair…what are your plans…your long-term goals?”
“My long-term goal certainly doesn’t include working long term at Night Life,” she replied. “I only intend to work there long enough to get together enough money to go back to college for my teaching degree. I mentioned to you the other night that teaching was my real love.”
“Go back to college? You already have some college under your belt?” he asked.
If he’d done a background check into her life as Jessica Sinclair, then he probably already knew the answer to his question. She wondered if he was testing her or just trying to make conversation.
“I had just finished my first year at a community college when my parents were killed in a car accident,” she replied. “I quit school to get a full-time job and take care of Jimmy.”
“Your parents didn’t have life insurance?”
She smiled ruefully. “My parents were lucky if they could make the rent on time. They both worked minimum-wage jobs. We always had a lot of love and food to eat, but there were never any extras. Life insurance would have been a luxury they couldn’t afford.”
“But surely you could have gotten help from the state,” he replied.
Cassie stiffened her shoulders. “I didn’t want help. I handled it on my own. Jimmy got social security as an underage dependent with both parents dead, and even though it wasn’t much, it helped.”
“Ah, I sense a strong streak of pride,” Adam observed.
Cassie laughed and nodded. “Along with more than my share of stubbornness.”
Adam leaned forward. “I like that in a woman.”
Cassie worked at allowing a blush to steal over her features. Sure, he liked stubborn women, but she had a feeling he didn’t like them if they were butting heads with him.
There was no doubt in her mind that Adam was a control freak, that there would be no such thing as a fifty-fifty kind of relationship with him. He would be the boss and he wouldn’t tolerate insubordination.
Still she felt the power of his subtle seduction.
His gaze never wavered from her and he seemed to hang on her every word as if she were imparting pearls of great wisdom instead of telling him about growing up poor in Des Moines, Iowa.
He touched her frequently, reaching out to grasp her hand or rub her arm as if unable to help himself. “Are you coming into the club tonight?” she asked as Sebastian pulled up at the curb in front of the Night Life building.
“Not tonight. I’ve got some work to do.”
Cassie tamped down a wave of frustration as she grabbed her bag and together she and Adam got out of the back seat. He walked with her to the door of the building.
“I had a wonderful time, Adam,” she said.
“I did, too.” She knew he was going to kiss her. She saw his intention in his eyes before he leaned forward and covered her mouth with his. The kiss was neither particularly pleasant nor unpleasant. His lips were a bit hard against hers, as if trying to establish some form of dominance.
It wasn’t until she placed her hand on his arm that he took it as encouragement and wrapped his arms around her as he opened his mouth to deepen the kiss.
Cassie pretended to melt against him, as if overwhelmed with the mastery of the kiss. Men were so easy to manipulate when it came to matters of sex and their egos.
Reluctantly he ended the kiss and released her. “Can I call you tomorrow?”
She nodded. “I’d like that.”
He opened the door. “Good night, Jessica.”
“Good night.” She slid through the door and headed for the elevator. She went into the club and directly into the locker room to change into her uniform. Finding herself alone in the room, she took the opportunity to pull her cell phone from her purse and call Kane. She got a machine and left a message that she wanted the background on Mercer’s bodyguards.
For the next five hours she waited tables, bantered with customers and thought about Mercer. Although she knew she couldn’t rush things with him, she also knew that each moment that passed brought him closer to his plan.
She was exhausted by the time she got back to her apartment. She threw her keys and purse on the tiny kitchen table, then went into the bathroom. She popped her colored contacts out, then started the shower to wash off the smoke smell that lingered on her after time in the club.
Freshly showered, she pulled on a pair of clean panties and a long T-shirt, then left the bathroom. She’d taken only one step out of the bathroom when a hand touched her on her back.
Her reaction was purely instinctive. Adrenaline spiked through her, she grabbed the hand, stepped back and threw the body that was attached to the hand over her shoulder and to the floor in front of her.
She leapt down, straddling the body before she realized it was Kane.
He stared up at her, his face expressionless. “Isn’t there a nicer way for you to say hello?”
“That’s what you get for sneaking up behind me.” She grinned. “I’m good.”
He didn’t even blink, but in one smooth movement he flipped her on her back so he straddled her. His hands held her wrists above her head and his face Was mere inches from hers. “You’re good, but I’m better.”
She was aware of every point of contact…his hands holding tight to her wrists, the strength of his thighs on either side of hers and the hot intimacy of their positions. Her heart was racing at a full gallop in the space of a second.
Their gaze remained locked and in his eyes she saw a flicker of burning hunger. He felt good…and right…and terribly dangerous. “Kane.” His name whispered from her and she wasn’t sure if it was a plea or a protest.
He was on his feet in an instant, his eyes darkly shuttered and not displaying any of the hunger she’d thought she’d seen in the dark depths. He held out a hand to help her up off the floor, then moved across the room.
“Sebastian Smith and Burt Weatherby,” he said matter-of-factly. “Both ex-cons, although they’ve both kept their noses clean since coming to work for Mercer a little over a year ago.”
“I guess you got
my message,” she said, hoping her heart would quickly find a more normal rate of speed. “What did they do time for?” She tried to keep her thoughts focused on the conversation even though she was suddenly remembering the way Kane kissed.
Kane’s mouthwatering lips had always been soft against hers and he’d never seemed to need to establish some kind of weird dominance through a kiss. Kane was so comfortable with himself that he didn’t need to play macho games with the woman in his life.
She frowned. She shouldn’t be thinking about Kane’s kisses when she should be thinking about getting closer to Mercer. She shouldn’t be thinking about Kane at all.
“Smith did time for possession with intent to distribute, robbery and assault. Weatherby is another animal altogether. Aren’t you going to offer me something to drink?”
“You aren’t staying that long,” she replied, grateful that her voice betrayed nothing of her emotional turmoil. “Tell me about Weatherby.”
“Bad news. He’s been in and out of prison since the age of eighteen on a variety of charges. Was arrested four years ago for the beating death of a young woman.”
“So why isn’t he in prison now?”
“The arresting officers screwed up, made so many mistakes the judge had to declare a mistrial. The prosecution was so fractured by the errors, they couldn’t go forward with another trial. Why are you asking? Problems?”
“No…no problems. Just wondering, that’s all.” She’d known it would be something like this, that Burt with his wicked dark eyes and malevolent aura had more than a little bit of the devil in him.
“I watched the two of you in the park. You looked pretty chummy.” There was just a hint of something—anger?—in his voice.
Cassie sank onto the sofa, momentarily overwhelmed. She was surprised to learn that he’d been in the park watching her and Mercer and the anger she thought she’d heard in his voice only added to her confusion. “Kane, I have to get chummy with him. It’s the only way we can find out what we need. It’s why you brought me back.”
There was a moment of silence. His gaze was suddenly dark, brooding as it lingered on her. “Why’d you leave, Cassie?”
It was the question she’d hoped he wouldn’t ask, the question she’d hoped she’d never have to answer. She didn’t know whether he was asking her why she’d left the agency or why she’d left him. In any case, it was a question she didn’t want to answer. “It’s complicated,” she finally said.
“Then uncomplicate it for me.” Although he didn’t raise his voice, there was a hard edge to it that demanded an answer.
However, Cassie refused to be bullied, no matter how subtly, into talking about something she wasn’t ready to speak of. She stood. “Kane, I’ve got enough on my mind with the here and now. I’m not going to have a discussion about my actions five years ago. Now, do you have any other useful information for me about Weatherby and Smith?”
“Yeah, stay away from Weatherby. He’s bad news. He liked to hurt people.”
“I’ll do my best. Anything else?” She followed him as he walked toward the window.
“Don’t underestimate Mercer and his minions,” he said. “Don’t take unnecessary chances.”
“You know me better than that,” she replied.
Again his gaze held hers. “I know you, and that’s why I’m telling you, don’t take risks. It’s important to me.” Without warning he pulled her up against him and captured her lips with his.
Kane’s kiss had all the spark that Adam’s had lacked. Fiery heat swept through her as his tongue parted her lips and slid sensually against hers.
Before she could come to her senses, he released her and swung one of his legs over the windowsill. “You need to stay healthy and well because I’m not finished with you yet, Cassie Newton.” With these words he disappeared outside.
Chapter 9
“Oh, my gosh, I had no idea,” Cassie exclaimed as Adam Mercer’s estate came into view.
It was once again a Monday evening. She and Adam had talked on the phone every day for the past week and three of those nights after her work they’d shared a late dinner. Finally he’d invited her to his home for dinner and drinks.
Mercer’s home was on the south side of town and set behind a ten-foot-high stone wall that made it look more like a fortress than a home.
As the car pulled up to the gates, they swung open and the car pulled around the circular driveway to the front door.
The house itself was a three-story monstrosity, bigger than any single dwelling she’d ever seen in her life.
“Between my inheritance, my own earnings and the fact that I’m a silent partner in my ex-wife’s import-export business I do fairly well,” Adam explained. “And then there are my investments. Using my business acumen, I’ve managed to make a considerable amount of money.”
Cassie made a mental note to have Kane check into Adam’s ex-wife and their business dealings, if the agency hadn’t already. “I’m so pleased to be able to show you my home,” Adam said and squeezed her hand.
“I had no idea,” she replied as the car came to a halt. “It’s rather intimidating.”
Adam laughed and squeezed her hand once again. “It’s just a house, Jessica. Just bricks and stones and wood.”
“A lot of bricks and stones and wood.”
He laughed again and together they got out of the back seat of the car. Burt followed them to the front door while Sebastian drove the car toward the unattached four-car garage.
They entered a foyer bigger than Cassie’s apartment. A carved glass table sat in the center, topped with a huge bouquet of fresh flowers. To the right was a grand staircase leading up to regions unknown. But it was to the left that Adam led her, through French doors and into a living room that stole her breath away with its casual elegance.
“See, a television, a sofa, coffee tables…just like any other living room,” he said, although there was obvious pride in his voice.
“Yeah, right.” She followed him through a doorway that entered a formal dining room with a table big enough to seat at least twelve. The table was set for two, with elegant candles burning in the center and the chandelier overhead emitting a faint glow.
“If you’ll have a seat, I’ll just let the cook know that we’re here.” He gestured her toward one end of the table, then disappeared out of the room.
While he was gone Cassie moved her place setting from the end of the long table to the chair right next to his.
There was no way she was going to sit ten feet away from Adam and try to carry on a conversation. As she waited for his return to the room, she tried to contain the thrum of excitement that swept through her. Finally she was in his home. Finally their relationship had gone a step further, hopefully a step closer to getting her into his confidence.
She only hoped he didn’t push for any kind of physical intimacy or contact. Even the most casual touch from him had started to give her the creeps. Suddenly she wasn’t sure she could sleep with the man, if need be.
Adam looked at her in surprise when he returned, then smiled with obvious pleasure as he sat next to her.
“I like this much better,” he said, his gaze filled with a heat she hadn’t seen before.
“I don’t want to have to shout to talk to you over dinner,” she explained. “Besides—” she looked down at her plate as if struck by intense shyness “—I like sitting next to you.”
“And I like having you with me,” he replied, his voice filled with the heat that his eyes had held moments before.
At that moment a thin dark-haired woman entered the dining room carrying a large bowl of salad and a basket of yeast-scented rolls.
“Jessica, this is Ramona, my chief cook. Ramona, this is Jessica.”
“Nice to meet you, Ramona.” Cassie smiled at the woman, who didn’t return the gesture. Silently she served them each a helping of salad, placed the bowl between them, then disappeared back where she had come from.
Adam smiled r
uefully. “Forgive Ramona. She’s short on social skills but is one hell of a cook.”
“Has she been with you long?” Cassie took one of the rolls from the basket.
“About a year.”
“What did you do? Hire a bunch of new staff a year ago? Burt and Sebastian and Ramona…” Instantly she realized her mistake. Adam hadn’t told her that Burt and Sebastian had only been working for him about a year, Kane had told her that information.
“How did you know Burt and Sebastian had only been with me a year?” he asked, his eyes taking on a pale, frosty light.
“That first night that we had dinner and Burt walked me to my car behind the club, I asked him how long he and Sebastian had been working for you.” She mentally kicked herself for such a stupid mistake. It was those kinds of mental errors that could blow the entire operation and maybe get her killed in the process.
He visibly relaxed and picked up his fork. “Actually I did do some staff housecleaning about a year ago. My ex-wife had always been in charge of hiring the household help and when she left, some of the help went with her. I decided it was time to downsize. I know the few people I hired now work for me without any torn loyalty to my ex-wife.”
“It must take a huge staff to keep a house like this running smoothly,” she said.
“Actually not as many as you would think. I prefer to have a small staff of people I trust than a lot of relative strangers running around.”
“I guess that’s one of the drawbacks about being wealthy, that you don’t know who you can trust.”
“It’s not just a matter of my wealth,” he explained. “I have political enemies and of course my work with drug addicts hasn’t exactly make me beloved by the drug lords and street thugs.”
“It must be awful, to always have to look over your shoulder,” she observed.
“You get used to it after a while.”
Dinner was served and was not surprisingly another feast, consisting of roast duckling in a mint sauce with new potatoes on the side. Their conversation flowed, a mixture of small talk combined with a hint of sexual innuendo and teasing.
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