This morning Tom had come directly to work from the hospital, and on top of a lack of sleep, had found out that one of their parts suppliers had mucked up an order. It had put them behind schedule for the day, which was why he was still working at eight o’clock this evening, dead on his feet. Zip had volunteered to stay to help, and Tom had been happy to give him the overtime.
The smile on his lips died as soon as he saw Marcus’s sister, Kendra Black, standing by the counter. She was still a princess, and he was most definitely still the bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks. She was more beautiful than ever with her long, sleek black hair, olive-green eyes, and the sweetest, softest lips he’d ever kissed.
Even after all this time, he still remembered the way she’d felt against his mouth, his skin, and the sounds of pleasure that had come from between them. Reining in his libido, he walked closer.
“Kendra. Zip said that someone was here to see me, but I think you must want Marcus—”
Her eyes glittered like green glass. “No. I’ve come to see you.”
Tom’s eyebrows rose and a prickle of unease slid up his spine. Normally Kendra Black avoided him, and he was relieved. It hurt just looking at her. He still wanted her as much as he ever had, but she was still Marcus’s little sister and still off limits, especially now she had a kid and now he was in business with her brother. Marcus was still feral over the fact Kendra protected the man who’d done this to her. Tom had even offered to help Marcus kick this guy’s ass when they learned the truth. How dare this guy treat Kendra like this, let alone a little boy? He’d only seen Connor a few times, but he was the spitting image of Kendra with jet-black hair.
He thanked God every day Marcus never learned of his one big fuckin’ mistake. Tom had known to stay well clear of Marcus’s little sister. It was the bro code, but that was fuckin’ hard to do when she’d pursued him as if he was her favorite treat. Finally, four years ago, on a break from the racing circuit, he’d ultimately given in to his desire. She was a beauty, and though he had promised to leave her alone, he couldn’t. But really, when had he ever adhered to the rules?
From the minute of their first meeting by the pool, when she was still jailbait, Kendra let him know she was up for a taste of him. He deserved a medal for his resistance. He’d steered well clear of her until that fateful night four years later.
It helped that he spent most of the year in Europe on the racing circuit. But the down season was the hardest, and it finally got him into trouble.
The night he’d caved in to his burning need to taste her, she’d just turned twenty, and instead of remembering Marcus’s warnings, he had slept with Kendra. The exotic memory was burned into his brain. He should regret that amazing night, but he didn’t. He blamed it on her birthday party and her asking for a personal present—a kiss from him. It was the best night of his life. He’d told himself dinner and dancing, nothing more—she deserved way better than him, anyway. But that first kiss ignited something in them both, and it wasn’t long before they moved to his hotel and melted into one another’s arms, wanting way more than kisses. He still wanted more, couldn’t get her out of his mind even all these years later.
But happy families were not for him. He didn’t have any plans to be involved in a relationship. In his experience people let you down. Marriages never lasted, and you simply ended up hating each other, just like his parent’s had.
“We need to talk,” she said, looking at him coolly. Her voice coated him like a honey glaze. Kendra had a sweet tone with a slight rasp that turned him on. But there was an edge to her comment that made him concerned.
“Has something happened to Marcus?”
“The world does not start and end with my brother. No, this is about you and me.”
“Kendra, babe, there is no you and me,” he said looking around wishing she’d keep her voice down. Catherine was watching with interest. “Aside from friends I mean, or is that what you mean?”
“Friends, really? Okay, the past you and me then. Or have you forgotten our one night together, perhaps you have, as it has been awhile… almost four years ago.”
Forget? That night burned in his memory.
When he said nothing, her eyes narrowed. “I suppose it’s hard to keep track with all the women who throw themselves at you. Let me refresh your memory. You screwed me once and then tore out of there afterwards like your ass was on fire!”
Tom remembered everything. He especially remembered back further, eight years ago, to the day when he’d first met Marcus and laid eyes on his little sister, Kendra.
Marcus had caught him eyeing Kendra up — his recently recovered little sister who’d been sick with leukemia, though you’d never know it by looking at her now. Marcus had made it crystal clear back then that his sister was off limits, especially as they both had man-whore reputations. He’d vowed to his best friend he’d keep his zipper up around her. That vow had ripped to shreds when four years ago he’d been weak, and he’d given into temptation, betraying Marcus and totally screwing up with Kendra.
Tom forced his attention back to the present and shook his head. “That night was a mistake. I think we both agree about that. Why bring it up now?”
He was further startled when her jaw clenched and she banged a pretty fist down on the counter.
“A mistake? Well, some mistakes have consequences and it’s about time you faced up to yours whether you like it or not.”
Her breasts rose and fell under her black tank top, making it hard for Tom to think with his brain instead of where his blood had flowed. Shit. Only two minutes in her presence and he was ready to back her up against the wall and…
“I don’t know what you mean,” Tom said. “I only left that night because I had an early flight out. I had to get back to Prague and the racing circuit—” Tom stopped short of saying anymore because of what came to mind. He vividly remembered the condom incident too, something that may have propelled him out the door. They’d talked about it, but she assured him she couldn’t get pregnant.
“That’s it? Surely you remember our conversation about the condom breaking?” Kendra hurled at him. “Maybe that’s why you left that night, but what about after? You never answered my calls, emails, nothing! You never even tried to contact me.”
Tom hid his guilt behind a stony expression. He felt bad about not staying in touch, but he always figured she’d let him know through Marcus if there was a problem. Besides, Marcus would never approve of him hooking up with his sister, so staying in contact was a bad idea all the way around. “Look, it was just one night, all turned out good, right? And I warned you I wasn’t into relationships.” He shrugged, feeling like the gum on the bottom of his shoe. “I wasn’t trying to hurt your feelings, but I figured that a clean break was best so I ignored your messages and emails. Maybe that wasn’t the right thing to do, but I’ve been back in America for almost a year. How was I to know that you’re still pissed about it?”
She came closer, and the enticing scent she wore hit him like a ton of bricks. Heat roared through his body and he cursed the fact she still affected him so strongly. The instant arousal took Tom completely off-guard, and he staggered back a step.
“You think I’m still pissed about you not wanting more, more between us? You’re even more conceited than I thought. Think for a moment. Why might I have been chasing after you so hard?”
Tom’s second sense rose to the surface like it had back in the day whenever his drunken father was around. His insides clenched, fearing the worse. “What are you implying?”
Her eyes never left his. “What kind of man ignores a woman’s pleas?”
“Pleas?” But spots danced behind his eyes. It was as if his body knew what she was about to say, but his mind could not grasp the implication.
“What kind of man knocks up his best friend’s sister and doesn’t even want to acknowledge his son’s existence but is happy to go into business with her brother?”
Her hissed statement wa
s like a sucker punch to the groin, and Tom couldn’t move. “What?” he asked softly.
“You got me pregnant and left me to face it all alone,” Kendra said, tears shimmering in her eyes. “I begged and begged you to come be with me, to help me, but you wouldn’t. Obviously, you wanted nothing to do with me or Connor.”
A buzzing started in Tom’s brain, and he shook his head to clear it. “Connor? What the hell are you saying, Kendra?”
“Like you don’t know! It was in the emails I sent you!”
“No! I don’t know!” Tom shot back. Shit, he’d received her calls and emails but never listened or read them… he couldn’t, he missed her too much and he didn’t want to fuck up both their lives. He was just beginning to taste success and Marcus would’ve killed him for sleeping with his little sister, destroying both their chances to make it big. Why bother to cause that pain for something that would never last. Once Kendra got to know the real him, she’d leave anyway. Princesses always got their prince, not the frog.
Kendra said, “You’re Connor’s father! I told you in all those emails I sent!”
Tom could barely get his words out. “What? No, I’m not. Emails?”
She searched Tom’s face as if looking for any sign of deception. “Did you get my emails?”
Tom nodded, I guess now was as good as time as any to confess. “I got them, but I never opened them. I deleted your voicemails before I listened to them.” He knew if he’d opened even one, he’d be tempted to contact her and that wasn’t an option with the racing team on the cusp of victory. He couldn’t let anything destroy Marcus’s chance. He’d also promised Marcus he’d stay away from Kendra—but if he’d known... He looked at the hurt on her face and knew she spoke the truth. Finally, he understood why Kendra had refused to reveal the baby’s father to her brother.
Fuck. It was to protect him.
Guilt hit hard and fast. “You should’ve come and told me in person as soon as I moved back to LA.”
“I thought you already knew and had decided you didn’t want us.”
He ground his teeth. If Kendra had been a man, he’d have punched her for implying he’d treat any woman, let alone a child that way. Did she even know him at all? How could she? He’d never let her get that close. “I didn’t know.”
Kendra folded her arms. “Really?”
Tom’s expression tightened. The hits kept coming. “I can prove it to you.” Striding around behind the counter, he went to the computer. “Come here.”
* * *
Kendra followed him and stopped by his side. She watched him bring up his email account and log in. His hands were greasy, but that didn’t dim her sudden desire to feel them on her body. She’d loved the way his calloused palms had satisfyingly scraped along her thighs, while he’d held her down so he could pleasure her with his tongue.
Tom was right, he’d been in LA awhile now and she should have told him he was Connor’s father, but she’d hoped he would’ve come to her by now. That he wanted to come to her. Not that she expected him to be a dad, but he could pay his fair share.
Connor deserved to be protected and financially secure. She knew Marcus would always look out for Connor, but her son deserved to have one living parent in his life.
She jerked back to the present when he turned the computer monitor and pointed at an email folder with her name on it. “See that? I put all of your emails in here, but never opened them.” He clicked on the folder, and a list of over twenty emails lined the screen. Every single one of them was still in bold, and they were in chronological order.
Kendra looked at all the unopened emails and then into Tom’s eyes. She couldn’t hold his gaze for long, though, because she didn’t want him to see the tears that threatened. He hadn’t known!
She should have confronted him sooner, but pride had gotten in her way. She would not beg to have him in their lives. But today when Marianne, a fellow cancer survivor, had shared her terrible news, Kendra’s world became very black and white. Marianne’s cancer was back, and it was terminal. Marianne had been in remission as long as Kendra. What would happen to Connor if her cancer came back? Her little boy deserved to know and love, at least one living parent.
Lowering her eyes, Kendra said, “Let’s go somewhere and talk about this.”
She walked to the door. Relief sparked when she heard Tom following her. Anxiety gnawed at her insides as she led him over to her powder blue Honda Odyssey van.
“I can’t believe that Marcus is letting you drive this piece of shit,” Tom remarked.
Kendra’s chin rose. “Marcus has always been there for me. I won’t let him buy me something else. I depend on him too much as it is. It’s hard to make a car payment on what I make, but I manage… most of the time.”
She’d dropped out of law school as soon as she knew she was pregnant. When her father refused to support her unless she named the father, she’d turned to teaching music and doing backup vocals, mainly for new singers wanting demo tapes. She got by; proud she could do it on her own—mostly on her own. Marcus helped when she couldn’t make ends meet, but Tom didn’t need to know that.
Guilt and anger flitted across Tom’s chiseled face as she watched him look down at her, and Kendra’s lungs refused to expand for a few moments. He’d been downright sexy when they’d been younger, but he’d matured, he’d become even more devastating.
She’d liked when he wore his hair long, but the close-cropped, almost military style cut he now sported made him look edgy and even more dangerous. The black, Bad Boy Autos T-shirt molded his well-defined, muscular body. A tattoo peeked out from under the left sleeve, but she couldn’t make out what it was in the dark. It must be new, because she’d memorized every tattoo on his body that one night.
“You want to explain to me what’s going on in that head of yours?” he asked.
The unsure, perplexed look on his face softened her heart a bit. “You really didn’t know, did you?”
“No. And I sure as hell would have helped if I’d known. I’ve even met Connor. He looks nothing like me.” He stood looking down at her.
“You haven’t looked hard enough then, or spent enough time with him.”
“Why did you wait so long to confront me then? Is it because you’re not sure he’s mine? Weren’t you seeing a guy in your father’s law firm at the time? Marcus is sure he’s the father. He even let all the tires down on the dick’s Audi one night and refused to work on his car once too.”
“When you meet Connor, you’ll know.”
“Now. I want to meet my son now!”
“He’s asleep. Let’s go somewhere and talk about this situation.”
He gave a curt nod before looking across at Catherine. “We’ll go to my place. No one will bug us there. Just give me a minute while I let Zip know I’m leaving.”
Kendra swallowed the panic at the thought of being alone with Tom at his house, but they couldn’t talk at her place since her neighbor was watching Connor there. “Okay. I’ll follow you.”
He nodded again and walked back into the office. She watched him have a quick chat with Catherine, and then he disappeared into the work area.
In her head, Kendra went over the sum she’d come to for child support. It was fair, and it was an amount Tom could easily afford. He’d had a very successful career on the racing circuit.
She wasn’t greedy. She just needed enough money to ensure care of Connor. What she really wanted was for Tom to want to know his son, especially if the worst should happen to her. Her health—touch wood—at this point was good, although she had to be realistic. That could change in the blink of an eye. Like it had for Marianne.
About five minutes later a whistle pierced the air signaling he was ready to go, and she watched as Tom strode over to a red Mustang while she got in her van. She started it and tried to get her racing heartbeat under control. Tom had never lied to her. Even if he’d known something would hurt her feelings, he’d always been honest with her. She believed
his story of not opening the emails.
A horn beeped, and Kendra saw Tom’s car now faced the road. She put the van in gear and trailed after him as he pulled out and sped away. As she followed him, she pondered the fact that all her emails to him were still unopened, and she wondered why he hadn’t bothered to read them.
Why did she wait so long? It just never occurred to her he’d never even looked at the communication she’d sent him.
Had he just not considered them important enough? No, that couldn’t be right. You didn’t keep emails unless they meant something to you. You deleted them and forgot about them. But Tom hadn’t just kept them; he’d put them in a special folder. Why would he do that?
Had she been more than just a quick lay to him? Kendra squashed the tiny seed of hope that tried to sprout in her heart. No way I’m going down that road again, she thought as she kept Tom’s taillights in sight.
Chapter Two
Tom gripped the steering wheel so hard it was a wonder he didn’t snap it right off the steering column. His brain was going a hundred miles an hour as he tried to wrap his mind around this bombshell; he was a father. He did not doubt that Kendra spoke the truth, but perhaps it might pay to get a DNA test just to be sure. If Conner was his flesh and blood, why had she waited so long to tell him? She should have been right up in his face as soon as he’d arrived back in LA. He’d been here for months, she’d had plenty of opportunity.
He glanced in the rearview mirror to ensure Kendra was still following him. Kendra. The mother of his child. Over the whole drive to his house, he tried to solve the puzzle of their past, but he didn’t have all the pieces. He’d have to get more information from her.
When he pulled into his driveway, he quickly killed the engine and got out as Kendra parked beside him. Standing against his car, he watched as she gathered her things, and when her legs swung around after she’d opened the door, his physical response was immediate. He’d never gotten this woman out of his head.
Reckless Curves: Bad Boy Autos (Drive Me Wild Book 1) Page 2