Seven Guilty Pleasures

by Jeannette Winters

  She looked at him and asked, “What exactly do you have in mind?”

  His mind was racing, and he needed to come up with something she would not find threatening. He quickly thought back to what she listed on her application. One of the questions asked about hobbies. She had listed visiting museums. That wasn’t going to be very romantic or exciting. But if it got her to say yes, that is what they would do.

  “There is a museum that opened a few days ago. I assume you have not visited it since you’ve been working.”

  He could tell that piqued her interest. “A new museum?”

  He nodded. Drake could not believe he was about to do this. “It’s about world-famous quilts.”

  “I’m sure I misunderstood you. You said quilts?” Drake nodded, and she continued, “Things you would put on a bed?” He nodded again. “And you want to go?”

  Fuck no. “I thought you might enjoy it.”

  “Why are you doing this?”

  “Asking you out?” Drake asked. Isa nodded. “Is there a problem with me wanting to spend time with you?”

  “I’m not sure. It’s not like I work directly for you. I mean I report to Carlos. You do however sign my paycheck so . . . it’s complicated. We cannot get . . . involved.”

  He could tell she was uncomfortable talking about it. She was thirty-eight years old. Surely this was not the first time a guy asked her out. But he had to remind himself she was not a regular woman. Depending on what her past experiences were, it might make her less trusting of men. And I have probably given her plenty reasons not to trust me.

  “Why don’t we take it one day at a time? Today we do a boring as hell museum and tomorrow, maybe skydiving.”

  Isa chuckled. “Maybe we can compromise and find something we both like. This way neither of us needs to suffer.”

  “Deal. How about a movie?” Drake suggested.

  “Great. I know this chick flick—”

  “Bowling sounds even better.”

  Isa laughed, saying, “Yes it does.”

  Drake hadn’t bowled since he was a kid. His blood boiled at the first gutter ball. The only thing that prevented him from quitting was the expression on Isa’s face when she got a strike. From that point on he didn’t try to win. The only thing that mattered was how much fun she was having. When the game was finished, she had them print out the scores.

  “Did you want to take this home with you or should I take it home and frame it?”

  Drake shot her a warning look. “I don’t think I trust you with that. You may end up blackmailing me with it later.”

  “And what exactly do you think you have that I may want?” Isa asked.

  He didn’t know what came over him. “This.” He leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. He could feel her lips quiver beneath his, yet she didn’t pull away. It would be too easy to press forward, take more. If he did, their first kiss would also be their last. When he released her, he wasn’t sure what her response would be.

  Isa didn’t say anything. Instead, she lifted the score sheet and tore it up.

  “Why did you do that?”

  “No need for blackmail. I already got what I wanted.” Fuck. Yes. This woman is more surprising than I thought.

  Drake slipped an arm around her waist as they left the bowling alley. He couldn’t believe how good it felt when she did the same. He was a grown ass man out on a date that teenagers normally did. And enjoying every fucking minute of it.

  When they returned to the limo, he received a call from Dean. There was no way he could answer it in front of Isa. “I’m sorry, but I need to get back to the office. There’s a meeting.”

  “I understand. This outing was all spur of the moment. Thank you. I truly had a great time.”

  Drake could feel her withdrawing from him again. He tightened his hold. “We’ll plan it better next time. And maybe do something I can win.”

  He felt her relax again. “You can try, but I’m not the type of girl who will let you win.”

  I wouldn’t want it any other way.

  Chapter 9

  Drake didn’t want to leave Isa, but there was so much to discuss with Dean. He had to get back to the office and get an update from Gabe before meeting with Dean. For all Drake knew, Dean might already know more than he did. He hadn’t counted on how friendly the Turchetta and Henderson family had become. If he had known, he might not have hired Gabe. There was only one problem: they didn’t come any better than Gabe. I’d rather have you as an ally than an adversary.

  He looked at the clock and knew Gabe should be there any minute. Unfortunately, so should Dean. Maybe it was time for the three of them to sit down and discuss everything they knew. At least this way, Drake didn’t need to wonder what Gabe was telling the Hendersons.

  The door to Drake’s office was open, and Gabe walked right in. “You might as well wait.”

  That answered Drake’s question. Gabe already knew Dean was coming. “Is there anything else I should know before he shows up?”

  Gabe nodded. “I was able to get you a little more information on Isa.”

  “I didn’t know you were still looking.” Drake wanted to know what Gabe had found but also needed him to back off. He was capable of taking care of her without Gabe’s assistance.

  “I can handle more than one thing at a time you know. Besides, the more we know, the easier it will be for Alex to deliver the news to Ziva.”

  Unless I find it best coming from me. He’d gotten to know a different side of Isa. One you couldn’t learn about by researching on some damn computer. She was much more . . . complex than he first thought. She had a tough shell she used to protect herself, but deep inside, he knew she was as fragile and vulnerable as a small girl. He wasn’t going to let anyone, not Gabe, not Alex, and even not her own sister, bring so much pain into her life that the walls she built around her heart became permanent.

  “What did you find?” Drake asked.

  “First of all, she’s really hurting for money. Her landlord has threatened her with eviction; if she doesn’t pay her full back rent by the end of the month, she’ll be homeless.”

  Fuck. Drake knew when they pulled up to her apartment building she didn’t have money. He didn’t judge. He grew up in a one family home, but he remembered what it was like when bill collectors called and his mother told him not to answer the phone. Their messages on the answering machine had been threatening and cruel. He’d even heard his mother crying once as she begged for an extension. One that wasn’t granted. They came and took the only vehicle they had at the time.

  That’s why he paid his employees a better wage than his competitors. He wanted to give them a fighting chance to make ends meet. That didn’t mean it did.

  Drake asked, “Do you have the landlord’s information?”

  “I do. But I strongly suggest not interfering.”

  He glared at Gabe. “I didn’t ask for your opinion.”

  “If she’s like any of the Tabiqian women I’ve met, she is a hell of a lot stronger than you give her credit for. If you go behind her back and fix things . . . she’ll look at it as though you’re trying to control her.”

  He didn’t want to admit Gabe was right, but he’d witnessed it for himself. Although, I truly enjoyed her attempt to fight me on buying her breakfast. How to help her wasn’t going to be as easy as dropping cash her way. There needed to be another way, one that wouldn’t . . . offend her. There was almost a week left before she needed to come up with the funds for the landlord. That meant whatever Drake was going to do it needed to be soon. Planning would need to be done after his meeting with Dean.

  “Anything more?”

  Gabe nodded. “Somehow Isa was able to get out of Tabiq. There’s no information on how. If someone helped her, they aren’t speaking. We can only assume whoever she was running from, she probably still is.”

  “Why do you believe that?” She had been in the States for more than half her life. Who would search for her that long?<
br />
  “I couldn’t find anything on her that would lead back to Ziva or her parents. It was as though she needed to vanish.”

  Drake wasn’t sure he could handle hearing what had happened to Isa to bring such drastic action on her part. He wanted to call her, go see her—hold her—but nothing he did would erase what she’d been through. Every single one of those bastards who went to Tabiq to prey on those innocent girls should be shot. He wouldn’t hesitate to pull the trigger either if he found the asshole who had hurt Isa. It wouldn’t be quick either.

  Drake didn’t need a blow by blow. “How did she end up in the States?” Direct questions seemed the best way to get answers from Gabe.

  “The Bowens were on vacation overseas. From the paperwork they submitted on Isa’s behalf, they had come across her cleaning in some hotel. She was working for food and shelter only. It’s not clear if Isa reached out for help or the Bowens picked up that she was in trouble. Either way, they stayed and worked with the US Embassy there to file the paperwork so Isa could return to the States with them. They didn’t have any family and seemed to take Isa as their own. Everything was done legally, so she’d never have to return to Tabiq.”

  And I’m going to do the same. “She provided my HR department with the proper citizenship paperwork. Unless you believe my staff isn’t capable of doing a thorough background check?” He was thankful that Gabe had found as much as he had on Isa. Drake only wished there was some good news. It was definitely an eye-opener. Isa needed him more than he first thought. Maybe even more than she knows.

  It was good to know Isa wasn’t tied to the thefts at all. Because that would’ve complicated everything. It wouldn’t have surprised him though. From what he’d just learned, Isa was in dire need of money. Most people would let their values fall by the wayside to save themselves. He couldn’t let that happen to Isa. From what he’d seen, she probably never would forgive herself.

  “I’ll take it from here. Just tell me what you learned on the thefts,” Drake snapped as anger filled him. Not at Gabe, but the entire situation. Drake wasn’t used to feeling . . . helpless. He knew what really pained Isa wasn’t something he could fix. No matter how much I want to.

  “Damn, Drake. Can you let a guy tell the story the way he wants?”

  “I don’t have all day. Unless there’s a point behind it.”

  “There is. About a year ago, before the Bowens passed away, they’d hired a private investigator to look for Isa’s family. They knew Ziva was here and married to Alex Henderson. Yet they never told Isa.”

  That didn’t make any sense. If they had gone through all that trouble to help Isa, bring her here for a better, safer life, why keep the truth from her? Had they found something out about Ziva they didn’t like? More likely the Hendersons. And with good reason. Maybe all they knew about the Henderson family was the despicable actions of the father. No wonder they kept Isa away.

  “How did you find this information?” Drake asked.

  “I told you. I’m damn good. If it’s out there, I’ll find it.”

  “Then find out why they kept it from her. I need to know.” If it had to do with protecting her from the Hendersons, he wouldn’t hesitate to do the same. They may scare a lot of people, but not me.

  “I’m looking for—”

  “For what?” Dean said as he joined them in the office.

  “For a place that serves good coffee,” Gabe joked.

  “I hear that young lady of yours can make a mean cup,” Dean replied.

  Gabe laughed. “Coffee is about all Vanessa can make. But I’m not with her for her culinary skills.”

  “Yeah, I know. She’s the only one who can tolerate your jokes,” Dean stated.

  “Ouch. Rough room,” Gabe said, acting as though he was hurt.

  Drake wanted to regain control of the room. This wasn’t a bar, and they weren’t old friends getting together for drinks. Time was of the essence, and they’d already gotten sidetracked. It was understandable, because Dean had no idea the shit that was going down. Once he did, Drake was sure Dean’s cheerful demeanor would be gone. “I hoped having the two of you here would make this meeting more productive.”

  “Then you have the wrong Turchetta. If we’re discussing security in Tabiq, I would’ve suggested we bring in Bennett Stone.”

  “Thanks, Dean. I’ll keep that in mind when we get to that point. Right now I hired Gabe to look into a more . . . personal issue I’m having.” Drake wasn’t about to divulge it all. Especially since he didn’t know everything Gabe had found.

  “How personal? One that might affect our joint endeavor?” Dean asked.

  The last thing Drake wanted was Dean heading back to Boston with nothing finalized. If there was going to be a disaster in Tabiq, they all needed to know about it now.

  “That’s why Gabe is here. Hopefully with the answer to that question.” Drake turned to Gabe. “The floor is all yours.”

  Gabe nodded. “Drake hired me to look into a few employees who . . . didn’t have Drake’s best interest in mind.”

  Dean shot Drake a look. “I didn’t know High View Falls was having any issues. Anything I should know about?”

  “At first I didn’t believe so. Gabe has uncovered something which affects us both.” And potentially puts the brakes on the resort in Tabiq.

  “I haven’t been able to find who, but I’m getting closer. Until then, I think you should proceed with caution,” Gabe said.

  “Fletcher or me?” Dean asked.

  “Both. Someone is going to a lot of effort to make you guys back out of the deal in Tabiq. They want to ruin the Henderson name.” Gabe shrugged and added, “Shocking that someone had to work at it. You guys already have one hell of a reputation.”

  Dean snarled, “Watch yourself, Turchetta. We’re on the same side. That can change.”

  Drake knew Gabe was playing with the wrong Henderson. Alex had a sense of humor. Dean, on the other hand, might be the youngest, but he was the hammer. If Gabe didn’t adhere to Dean’s warning, there was no doubt Gabe would feel Dean’s wrath. But Gabe was proving himself to be valuable. Until this was all resolved, he wasn’t ready for them to part ways.

  “Why don’t you give Dean the information you gave me.”

  Gabe nodded to Drake. “Someone is using Drake’s employees to set you up. They want it to appear that the Hendersons are out to sabotage Drake’s business. Which in turn would sever the business relationship between you. It’s a great plan, but what they have to benefit is beyond me. The only ones getting hurt would be—”

  “Tabiq,” Drake and Dean both said in unison.

  “I haven’t been there personally, but what would they want? Hell, we’re not even sure we can pull it off, and we’re dumping billions of dollars into this.” It wasn’t like either of them would be seeing a profit any time soon. If ever.

  Dean replied, “Someone has been trying very hard to maintain things in Tabiq the way they were. That’s how the Turchattas ended up being brought it.”

  “You mean for research?” Drake asked. It was logical because that was Gabe’s forte.

  Dean shook his head. “Alex had been . . . detained. We were forced to remove the people in power.”

  There obviously was a lot more that happened in Tabiq than Drake had first thought. “Alex had shared some of the history. However, he seemed to have left out some things. Maybe it’s time to fill me in. From the beginning.”

  Drake thought it would take a couple of minutes. Instead, they spent half the night talking about how Tabiq had been brought to its knees, and the battle the Hendersons and Turchattas fought to get it where it was today. He’d known it was bad, but just how fucking ugly it had gotten hadn’t been mentioned before. How the hell was more not being done to rebuild this country?

  “You think one of those pieces of shit is out to do what exactly?”

  Dean answered. “Hold on to their . . . commodity. It isn’t pleasant to think about, but sex for sale, especially
beautiful women, is hard to let go of. But we, hopefully that includes you now, are going to crush whoever thinks Tabiq is going to be their play toy any longer.”

  “I’m with you all the fucking way.” He’d been invested financially before. Now, after getting to know Isa, this became personal.

  “Good to hear. So why don’t I conference my brothers in and get the plan into action.”

  Gabe chimed in, “I’ve spoken to my brother Rafe. Turchattas are all in as well.”

  Drake hoped none of it would be needed. “Are you sure that amount of firepower is required?”

  “We fucking hope not. But we’ve been there before, and when it goes bad, it’s really bad.” The seriousness was written all over Dean’s face as he spoke.

  He’d worked damn hard to stay off the radar of any trouble. That wasn’t easy running a casino. His tables were legit, and there wasn’t any skimming off the top. From the sounds of it, he was about to dive headfirst into what might be some rocky waters. But strangely, he felt ready for it. In fact, it was as if he’d been woken up. Prior to this deal, his life had normality and tedium as its daily routine. Yet since meeting Isa, and learning more about Tabiq, he felt he had . . . purpose. Drive. And not just to make money.

  * * *

  There was only one good thing about her phone breaking when she was out with Drake. The collection calls had stopped. Or at least she didn’t know they were happening. But the downside of it meant the only way to communicate was to leave her apartment.

  She didn’t miss it one bit yesterday because she had been with Drake. Even if it had still worked, she would’ve shut it off. Since he knew it bit the dust, Isa didn’t have to lie awake at night wondering if he’d call or text. Instead, I dreamt of his beautiful blue eyes and his sweet lips and . . . The bus hit a pothole, and she almost fell out of her seat.

  It was almost midnight, and she’d be home any minute. Even if her phone worked, who would she call? The only people who might still be awake were her coworkers. She’d just left them. If they wanted to chat or socialize, they would have said something before heading their separate ways.