by Lynda Chance
Rule’s Seduction
The House of Rule: Book Four
Max and Erin’s Story
By Lynda Chance
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When Max Villarreal finds out about the existence of Erin Rule, he realizes she could be the means for the perfect retaliation against the Rule Corporation. When he meets her for the first time, he immediately wants her for himself. Revenge and relief. Who knew it would be as easy as taking candy from a baby?
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Rule’s Seduction
Copyright 2015 Lynda Chance
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author or publisher except for the use of brief quotations in critical articles or reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, places, businesses, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, actual events or locales is purely coincidental.
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For everyone who wanted Max.
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Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Epilogue
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Prologue
Maximo Santiago Villarreal rode the elevator to the top of his building, his anger almost uncontrollable, especially after enduring the tedious flight from Florida. The Keys were always beautiful, but he was relieved to be back in his office in Houston even if he was about to blow a fuse from the information he’d stumbled upon while in Florida. He strode down the corridor, barely glancing at his secretary who manned his inner sanctum as he barked, “I want Luis Diaz in my office, now.”
After ten years, Carol Jennings was used to his ways and wasn’t flustered in the least. “Yes, sir.”
He slammed the door between them and stalked to the bank of windows that overlooked the western skyline of downtown. The sky was a cloudless blue, the weather more than pleasant, but he saw none of that. His mind wasn’t on the beauty of the day or even on the appointments he had scheduled for that afternoon; he was too pissed to concentrate on anything else. He was so enraged he could taste it.
He was out for fucking blood and he wanted it, now.
As he stood with his legs braced apart, he attempted to gain control over the pounding in his head, but it was useless. At the knock on his door, he turned and barked, “Enter.” Carol opened the door, allowing Luis Diaz to walk into his office.
From experience, she said nothing, only shutting the door and leaving Max alone with the younger man he was about to interrogate. Luis Diaz stood still, barely meeting his eyes, the tension around his mouth speaking for itself. The nervousness the man exuded failed to soothe Max, it didn’t even begin to appease the hot rush of anger he was feeling. He cracked his knuckles, forcing himself not to give in to the urge to launch himself at the other man. He watched his employee, his lips curling into a snarl as he tilted his head, indicating one of two chairs that faced his desk.
Diaz glanced at him cautiously before taking a seat.
Max remained standing, his hands fisted at his sides while he stared at the younger man. The silence became deafening as Diaz began shifting uncomfortably in his seat. Max paced a few steps, leaving his employee to sweat for a few more seconds before finally lashing out, “What is it that you do for me? What do I pay you for?”
The man licked his lips, stalling before answering in a halting manner, “I monitor the Rule Corporation’s movements, sir.”
“Yes, you do—that’s the one assignment you’re responsible for. Watching the Rule Corporation and their cutthroat business practices.” Max felt his tension rise another notch. “I pay you a shit fuck ton of money so I can stay at least three steps ahead of those motherfuckers in all things, isn’t that right?”
Diaz cleared his throat and shifted in his seat. “Yes, sir.”
“You’re supposed to tell me everything about those three goddamn brothers and their motherfucking corporation—that’s the reason I pay you a ridiculously high salary, isn’t that correct?”
The man paled. “Yes, sir.”
The agreement only pissed Max off further. “Let’s go over your job description one more time, shall we?” he snarled sarcastically. “When those motherfuckers purchase a block of stock—I want to know about it. When they start sniffing around a piece of real estate, I want to know where the property’s located—how much it’s worth.” He narrowed his eyes and stared at the man who was now clearly sweating in his seat before continuing harshly, “When one of those fuckers takes so much as a goddamn piss, I want to know about it. Are we clear on that?”
“Y-yes, sir,” Diaz said hesitantly, telling Max that the younger man didn’t understand exactly how he’d fucked up, only that he had fucked up.
Max crossed his arms over his chest, wanting the man to suffer a few more moments before lowering his boom, so he questioned softly, “How long have I been relying on you to do this job for me?”
“About … about two years, sir.”
Max took a breath, trying to clear his head, and sat down behind his desk. He clenched his teeth and continued to stare the other man down. “So why the fuck am I only now becoming aware of the fact that they have a younger sister?” he shouted. He paused and tried to regain control but it was next to impossible. “And I found out that pertinent piece of information on my own! They have a goddamn sister and you’ve failed to mention that fact?”
“I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t—”
“Didn’t what?”
The younger man swallowed noticeably. “I didn’t think it was the kind of information you were looking for. You said you wanted to know about the Rule brothers and the Rule Corporation. I had no idea the sister was relevant to what you needed.”
“That’s for me to decide, isn’t it?” Max questioned softly, knowing without a doubt that a female, blood-relative of the Rule brothers could be the means for the perfect retaliation.
“Yes, sir—it is. I apologize for the mistake, sir.”
Max narrowed his eyes and took three deep breaths before steepling his fingers and leaning into his desk. “All right. I’m so pleased we’re on the same page.” He gritted his teeth and tried to calm down. “Let’s move on.”
“Okay,” the younger man exhaled slowly in obvious relief.
Max glanced at the clock on the wall, finally feeling more in control. “I want all the information you can find on the sister and I want it in the next hour.”
Diaz got to his feet and began edging toward the door. “Yes, sir.”
“Just a minute,” Max called out. The younger man halted in mid-step just as he was about to reach the doorknob. “Do you know her age?”
“She’s twenty-five, sir.”
Max held his breath and stalled only a moment before asking his next question. “Is she married?”
The other man shook his head. “She’s single and—”
“And, what?” Max prompted.
As if reading his mind, the younger man breathed out, “And heterosexual, sir.”
Max let out a breath, leaned back in his seat and rapped his fingers on his desk before saying, “Just so we understand each other
—you’re going to watch her every movement from this moment on. I want to know every single thing about her—find her social media accounts and figure out a way that I can see them—set up a dummy account for me. I want to know every thought in her head—her favorite color, her favorite foods—her goddamn hopes and dreams. Got me?”
“Yes, sir.”
“For now, I want a dossier on her by the end of the day. Do. Not. Fuck. Up. Again.”
The other man turned away and answered, “No, sir. I’m on it now, sir.”
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Chapter One
Las Vegas—Two months later
Did the dude actually think she didn’t know he was watching her? Or maybe he just didn’t care? Erin blew out a breath and refused to glance in the direction of the bar again. In an effort to conceal any agitation that her body language might be revealing, she picked up her glass—a Maker’s and Diet Coke—and brought the straw to her lips.
Although she tried to keep her mind off the guy, it was impossible. The man in the mirror looked to be several years older than she was—and there was no way she could miss his swarthy good looks. In fact, he was infinitely good-looking, and his contemplative eyes held a sharp intelligence that made her question why he was watching her so openly. And he was watching her—watching her as if he wanted to strip the clothes from her body and check out every inch of her, before sinking his teeth into her and gobbling her up whole.
And damn, she couldn’t really say she felt any differently, even though she’d tried to shoot him down with a bland look in return—asshole shouldn’t act so damn cocksure! Her ploy hadn’t worked though, not in the slightest. He’d ignored her subtle hint and continued to watch her with a look that screamed aggression—a look that was putting her back up and taxing her patience. Why in the hell did he have to have that air of arrogance? Physically, he looked perfect. But his attitude … shit. Maybe she should feel complimented instead of slightly threatened—the guy had obviously passed being merely attractive years ago. He looked to be around his mid-thirties, and from what she could see of him, he was insanely hot—despite the slight edge of remoteness that his features reflected.
She took another sip of her drink and contemplated him from under her lashes—she refused to openly watch him as he was watching her. He appeared to be of Hispanic heritage, or at least she thought so. His hair was dark, as were his eyes. His shoulders strained against the fabric of his button-down, emphasizing the broad muscles of his chest and arms. From his seat at the bar, he looked to be tall as well, and the muscles rippling under his shirt made her pulse race. Could she see herself waking up in his bed one morning? Oh, she could—absolutely. And the tantalizing vision was sending a wave of heat down her spine and a reminder that she needed to be careful. The man didn’t look completely sound—he was definitely watching her as if she were his for the taking—regardless of what she thought about it.
And what exactly did she want, anyway? There was no question that she was looking for something. Nothing permanent—at least not yet—but something besides her damn vibrator. Sometimes a girl just needed some human contact, you know? But geez—not him. He looked doable enough, positively, but the aura of danger that hung around him was giving her second and third thoughts about even looking in his direction again, no matter how tempted she was.
Damn, had it really been college since her last relationship? Where the hell had the time gone? She admitted, she was more than ready to find someone who could help her take the edge off. And what better place than Las Vegas to start getting with the program again?
Erin knew the guy was dangerous, but with curiosity overcoming her common sense, she studied him again and saw right away that he didn’t have a ring on his finger. Why the hell had she even looked for a ring? Just because he wasn’t wearing one didn’t necessarily mean that he wasn’t married—a real bastard would have removed a wedding band.
Married men weren’t on her agenda, absolutely not. She wasn’t about to get involved with any messy shit. All she needed was a single man for casual dating. It was true that she wanted a fairytale love story someday—just like the next girl—but she had to figure out her professional life first. After that? Then it would be time to start a serious search for a husband.
No, she wasn’t ready for anything long term, at least not quite yet. True, she wanted wedding bells someday—and she wasn’t going to settle. At twenty-five, she had plenty of time—of course she did.
Watching all three of her brothers over the last few months, seeing them finally finding happiness with The One hadn’t made Erin jealous, exactly. More like envious. Truly, Damian, Nick and Garrett couldn’t have picked better women, and Erin loved all three, especially Courtney, who’d already been like a sister to her. But even Angie and Maria were women she’d grown to love and respect. Watching from the sidelines as all three women had—how should she put it?—transformed her arrogant brothers—men who weren’t exactly known to be gentle and kind—and made them into the ideal mates had really shaken her up, albeit, in a good way.
Erin had grown up knowing that her brothers loved her, even if she had been mostly an afterthought to them. That was understandable, of course, because she’d been younger, the little sister. It was just the way life happened. But as much as her brothers had gone about the daily business of their own lives, she’d never doubted their love and affection—it was just the typical, distracted love and affection for a younger sibling. She respected and loved them, too—though as she’d grown older it became apparent that all three of her brothers were driven to succeed, to a point that made them almost unapproachable. Of course, some of that drive had been forced upon them when their father unexpectedly suffered a massive, fatal heart attack, a devastating loss that had bonded her brothers and brought them closer together in an endeavor to succeed financially—so they could take care of the family.
They’d succeeded admirably and she respected them for it. The Rule Corporation was a conglomerate that, by her estimation, knew no rival. Unfortunately, her job with the company, in her eyes at least, had been mostly manufactured for her sake. She’d figured out after the first week that the Rule Corporation didn’t need an interior designer on staff—so she theorized that her job was simply a means for her brothers to keep tabs on her. It was understandable, she supposed, because she knew they worried about her, and since they didn’t have time to worry about her, what better way to keep her safe than to stick her in a nice office with no windows? Her brothers had made more than one enemy in their climb to the top and having their little sister tucked safely away inside an interior office, performing an unneeded job with little responsibility for a ridiculously high salary, was their way of protecting her from the real world.
She loved them to distraction but she was so bored and tired with her everyday, humdrum existence. She knew in her heart it was time to move on, to find her own place in the world, even though she knew it would shake up her siblings. To that end, she’d been watching out for different openings online, but so far, she hadn’t jumped the hurdle of actually applying for another job, even though one had been so tempting that it seemed to be almost unbelievable—as if it had been designed with her in mind—it had been too spooky.
One thing that working in the Rule Tower had allowed her to do was to get to know her siblings better. And at first, before they’d settled down into their relationships with Angie, Courtney, and Maria, all three men had possessed rough edges—rough edges that had contained a dangerous, controlling bite. In essence, all of her brothers had been supremely driven, keenly intelligent, mercilessly imposing, and so over-the-top arrogant that they’d almost reeked with it.
And although the rough edges were still there, they’d been polished somewhat by domestic bliss. Erin had watched, flabbergasted, as one by one, her brothers were transformed from ruthless, cutthroat businessmen to protective, loving husbands. Of course, being in the family fold and having such a close relationship with Courtney, Erin had seen
firsthand how that particular relationship hadn’t been angst-free.
It wasn’t as if any of the women had waved a magic wand, making her brothers change without a quibble. It hadn’t been like that at all—each relationship had a story. There was no question that Erin loved and admired each of the women for their own attributes as well as the loving, more generous qualities that they’d brought out in each of her brothers.
And now, glancing at the magnetic man in the mirror who’d briefly looked away from her, Erin shuddered. She’d grown up with that kind of power and force around her, but naturally, it had never been directed upon her in a sexual way. Not until now. The man at the bar held that certain it quality, and this was the first time in her life that a man of his caliber had focused that attention directly at her.
His eyes came back to hers and held, and her stomach did a double flip as a shower of sparks crackled through her bloodstream. Steeling her nerves, refusing to allow him to see her interest, she forced herself to maintain dispassionate eye contact for a couple of seconds before snapping her gaze away from his with a dismissive win.
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When the little witch glanced away with a look that screamed indifference, a punch of blood ran through Max’s veins that settled in his groin, hardening him beyond comfort. Son of a bitch. He needed to fuck her—damn badly.
He’d known going in that he would fuck her, that he’d enjoy fucking her—her social media accounts had told him that. Some postings and musings had revealed her dreams and aspirations—useful information that he hadn’t been averse to using to his advantage. But he admitted that it was her personal photos that had him … almost obsessed. Yeah, her pictures had reflected her beauty, but watching her now, he realized a salient fact. The images he’d seen in no way reflected the sultry presence she projected. She was sexiness personified and he felt the effects of that now, even while sitting several feet away. So yeah, he’d known from the beginning he wouldn’t have any trouble fucking her. But he’d never expected to need to fuck her—need to fuck her so badly that he could already taste her.