War Of Hearts: A Wicked Hearts At War Book One

by Mallory Fox

“Done.”

  Grunts of pain and muffled screaming draws me back to the action. I grimace and avert my eyes. Whatever they’re doing, it’s not a pretty sight.

  “Seen enough?” He asks.

  Oh yes. “It’s burnt into my retinas for life.”

  “Good, now that’s out of the way, we should get going,” Seth says, turning back to the house, leading me toward the left side where the garage is located.

  “To where?”

  “We have the small thing of our parents’ wedding to go to this weekend, or have you forgotten? Since I’m driving us to the airport we may as well leave early.”

  I see Stamford wheeling my suitcase down the little path that runs around the house and connects to the driveway.

  How the hell did he get my suitcase?

  I don’t think to ask him that though, I’m still amazed and surprised that Seth did what he did for me. “Wait, who are those girls?”

  “Employees of mine,” he says, matter of factly.

  I shoot him a curious look.

  Seeing my obvious confusion, he continues with a face that’s totally unreadable. “Montford part owns London’s largest fetish nightclub. I could take you there sometime… if you’d like.”

  I knit my brows and try not to gape. “Are you into that sort of thing?”

  Seth just stares, giving me a dark teasing look that neither affirms nor denies. A flash of memory, of Seth walking towards me with my school tie wrapped around his hands, has me parched all of a sudden. I end up taking a large mouthful of cocktail, just to stop myself from spontaneously combusting under the heat of his gaze.

  Fuck a duck.

  Chapter 10

  Seth

  I leave Pearl waiting for me on the driveway, looking delectable in her leather jacket and top that shows off her bare midriff. I’m not sure if that’s her nipples standing to attention under the top she’s wearing or if it’s the design, but I fucking love seeing her in it.

  I’d love taking it off so much more.

  Stamford, smoking outside while waiting with Pearl’s suitcase, joins me as we walk to where my car is parked in the side row of garages. I take her pink Rimowa suitcase from him and pull it between us.

  Typical Pearl, already packed for the wedding. Once she left for the party, getting Charlie to fetch it was simple enough. She would probably say it’s an invasion of her privacy, breaking into her room like that. Maybe it is, but I trust Charlie. He wouldn’t do anything without me instructing him to. And the bastard owes me.

  “Royce isn’t going to let this go. You know he has Vaughn’s ear,” says Charlie putting his cigarette out before we get to the garage.

  The familiar black rage that I keep locked away resurfaces at the mention of my cousin’s name. My hand tightens around the suitcase handle and I focus on dragging the thing in a straight line. “Royce can go fuck himself. He touched what was mine when I specifically told him not to,” I hear myself say.

  Charlie tilts his head to look at me, a question in his eyes. “Is she? Yours?’

  “She’s going to be my fucking stepsister, of course she’s mine,” I snap.

  He shakes his head. “She’s trouble, that’s what she is. Watch it with her.”

  “I think I can handle her for one shit-show of a weekend,” I say as we get to where our cars are parked.

  “The lads are hoping that’s the case. They’re taking bets.”

  I stop and look at him. “I can imagine they are. Give me your car keys.” I’ve changed my mind about driving my car. The press will be hounding us all the way to the airport if I take mine.

  Charlie sighs and digs in his pocket and throws me the keys to his AC Cobra. Pearl’s suitcase is small, so it should fit in the trunk.

  “Tell everyone it’s over. No more pranks or games. Pearl is a Montford now,” I say, popping his trunk and squeezing Pearl’s case into the small space.

  Charlie follows me around to driver side. “What happened to blackmailing her?”

  I open the driver door and get behind the wheel. “Change of plan.”

  His brows raise. “Just like that?”

  “Just like that.”

  He sighs at me. “When will you be back?”

  I adjust the seat and mirror and then close the door. “Monday. I want Royce fucking gone by then because if I see him, I won’t be able to stop myself from doing what she asked me to in the first place.” Fortunately for him, he’s still my cousin. Otherwise I’d have killed him by now. That little game in the garden was just a warning.

  Charlie gives me a strange look. “About that, Royce alluded that you were the one who asked him to push her to the edge…”

  I shoot him a look of disbelief, brow arched. “You think I’d actually do that?”

  Charlie snorts and shakes his head, fingers twitching, edging to light another cigarette. “No… I’ll see to it that he fucks off.”

  I start the engine and shift the car into drive. “Do that.”

  “Need me to do anything else?”

  “Nope,” I say, revving the engine loudly.

  “Are you going to bring my car back?” he shouts as I move off. In answer to that, I race out of the garage.

  As much as I trust Charlie, the family business is nothing to do with him. I need to sort this out on my own. During my visit to Courchevel, I wasn’t expecting Grandfather to be okay about the wedding, but he was. In fact, his orders were to let Nicole fuck up her life if she wants. It’s business as usual. Nothing has changed. We’re still wooing major shareholders within Darlington Estates and aiming for majority share through proxy by the end of the month.

  But the takeover only works if Graham Darlington is out of the picture. If he gains shares in Montford International through Nicole and we’ve spent all our cash on the acquisition, we’re screwed.

  It might be best to back down, save our money and merge our two companies instead. But there’s only one way we’re going to ever consider a merger instead of a takeover, and that’s if I can get Pearl to sign that ridiculous contract I sent her just to see if she would bite.

  Getting Pearl to sell her virginity to me would be one for the books; even I have to admit that. I doubt she will go for it. There’s a small chance she will and that excites the fuck out of me, but I’ve already backed a different horse in this race—Pearl’s father, for one.

  Either way, I will acquire Darlington Estates and have full control over it even if it’s the last thing I do.

  * * *

  I drive around to the far side of Coldhart house to where Pearl is waiting.

  I push open the passenger door. “Get in.”

  She doesn’t budge but her eyes narrow as they slide over Charlie’s cobra. “This isn’t the same car. Why do you have two cars at school?”

  “It’s Charlie’s,” I sigh, revving the engine. “Are you getting in or shall I see you there?”

  “Where’s your car?”

  “We’re not taking it.”

  She frowns. “Why?”

  I shoot her a tiresome look. I don’t know whether to grab her, kiss her, and throw her in the car already, or just leave her on the curb. I end up tightening my hands around the steering wheel. “Christ, Pearl, because it was my father’s pride and joy and it screams Montford. That’s why. Now can you get in the bloody car?”

  She gives me a funny look and climbs in. “Wait, before we go. I just want to know if it’s real?”

  “Is what real?”

  “The contract.”

  That throws me. That really throws me.

  “The offer? Why? Are you considering?” I say, keeping my face blank as I look at her.

  “No.” She shrugs off her leather jacket and tosses it onto the back seat. “But if you throw in a seat on the board I might accept.” The smug smile on her face is real.

  My mouth quirks. “You think very highly of yourself, Pearl Darlington.”

  Before I can say or do anything else, she climbs out of her seat
and on to mine, straddling me with her long legs. All I can smell is coconut and jasmine entwined into one as she takes my face in her hands and grinds into my crotch.

  “What are you doing?” I say, keeping my voice as level as I can.

  “What does it look like I’m doing?”

  “It looks like you’re using me to turn yourself on.” I was right. She’s not wearing a bra. Her nipples are like bullets as she rocks her hips.

  It’s total fantasy if she thinks she’s getting me aroused before we’ve agreed terms. I want her, but not until I have what I want first. But whatever I’m thinking doesn’t translate to the words that come out of my mouth.

  “Are you going to kiss me or are you truly the cock tease they say you are?”

  She pulls back, a terrible glint in her eyes. “This is just a taster, so you know the value of what you’re trying to buy.”

  “Princess, I already know the value. My offer is the best you’re going to get.”

  “Why do you keep calling me that?”

  “Because you secretly like it.”

  I pull her towards me. Her mouth opens hungry for me and she tastes like peaches and everything I’ve ever wanted. Her breath hitches as I massage her breasts and pinch her rock-hard nipples over the thin material of her wrap-around. Her fingers tease and pull at my hair. I’m straining for her. I want to fuck her so badly. Right here, in Charlie’s goddam car.

  Breaking the kiss, I run my lips under her jawline and nip down her neck.

  “You’ve got me so goddam hard, I’m going to break you the first chance I get.”

  “So you do want me, Seth Montford. Isn’t it a shame I’ll be your stepsister soon and you won’t be able to do that.” Her gaze runs up and down my body until she eyes my dick standing to attention.

  “Then we do it before the wedding.” My dick is speaking for me now. Great, just great.

  “Not so fast, your deal is full of crap,” she chides.

  “What do you want, princess? You only get one shot at negotiation.” And I mean it. I’m open to what she has to say, but if it’s a shit deal I’m calling it off.

  Her nails rake over the mound of my crotch and my mind blanks. “I don’t just want voting rights; I want it all. I want a seat on the board plus half of everything you own in Montford International.”

  My eyes narrow. “In exchange for…?”

  She grabs me through my trousers and gives a little squeeze. “Everything you asked for; me in an all you can eat buffet, and fifteen percent of the shares I inherit.”

  There’s a pounding in my ears as all the blood rushes from my head to my cock. I’m not thinking straight at all now. If I’m not careful, Charlie’s warning from earlier is going to come back to knife me in the balls.

  “Send your proposal to my lawyers, we’ll talk at the wedding,” is all I manage to say.

  “You say the sexiest things.” She gives my raging hard-on a pat. “Until then, down, boy.”

  She moves across back into her seat and I finally glance at my watch. “Shit. We’re late.”

  “I thought we were leaving early?”

  “Early for you, late for me.” I kick the car into drive, and then race all the way to the airfield with the radio on louder than Pearl can talk.

  Chapter 11

  Pearl

  Watching my father and Nicole kiss at dinner is wrong on all levels.

  I look away and find myself staring into the icy blue depths of my stepbrother’s gaze while his hand rests on my thigh underneath the tablecloth. He advances it higher until I’m squirming in my seat while he eats fucking fettuccine with all the grace of an aristocrat.

  Stepbrother.

  Seth is now my actual stepbrother.

  The whole wedding weekend, one last summer of love on the waters surrounding the French Riviera, has been filled with strained meals, awkward conversation, and buckets of ice-cold champagne. And a lot of unexplained disappearing acts, locked doors, and bumps in the night.

  Despite being stuck aboard my father’s yacht, Seth and I have managed not to get caught. Though we’ve actually not slept together yet, each and every moment we’re alone Seth likes to show me just what I’m missing out on by not signing. I know he’s punishing me for negotiating for more, and for that stunt I pulled in the car, but it’s almost too much.

  Wearing the most revealing dresses and bikinis despite the mild weather is the least I can do to fight back. Freezing my ass off is worth the look on his face, most especially when emerging from my cabin in a matching red two-piece that doesn’t leave much to the imagination.

  But that was at the beginning of the long weekend, when I thought it would be fun to tease Seth and I would be in charge. It turns out, it’s not so much fun when it’s the other way around.

  And Seth is the supreme king of teasing.

  Like now as I stare at my plate and Seth’s fingers brush ever so close to the silk of my thong, sending a flutter of tingles along my inner thigh right to my core with every bite of food that I swallow. From the look on his face, he’s enjoying this all too immensely.

  And I am too, but that’s not the point.

  Seth flashes a devilish grin at me while Nicole and my dad talk about some painting they want to buy. I kick Seth under the table in retaliation. His brow furrows but the grin stays, and the hand that was on my leg disappears and reappears around his flute glass.

  Seth and my Dad are laughing now at some joke I’ve missed, and I can’t help but think Dad always wanted a son like him and now he has one.

  Maybe I should just call the whole thing off?

  This is too close to home for me. All this sneaking around, snogging in passageways, fooling with each other when no one is looking, is going to get us caught. The staff know about us, I’m sure. And if my father or Nicole cotton on to what we’re up to, how on earth are we going to explain it?

  “Pearl, are you going to eat that?”

  I snap out of my daydream in time to see Seth spear a piece of steak on my plate and eat it.

  “I was until you took it.” I glare at him.

  My father frowns. “Pearl, don’t be rude. Javier will cook you whatever you want. Do you want another steak?”

  “No, I want that steak.” How am I being rude? I’m not the one stealing food off people’s plates.

  Seth takes a sip of champagne and sends me another heart-stopping, seductive smile, one that promises dark things and makes my whole body flush. I shift in my seat and look anywhere but at my stepbrother. I’m going to have to excuse myself at some point tonight because the need for him has become almost too much to bear.

  My phone buzzes so I slip it out of my purse and place it on my chair next to me out of sight of the table. Phones are most definitely not allowed out during a Darlington meal. Casually swiping unlock and glancing down, I read my latest message.

  It’s from Seth…

  Why are you being such a brat? Do you want to be punished?

  Heat burns my cheeks as I read it. I discreetly click my phone to standby and look up across the table at my father and stepmother, anything not to have to look at Seth.

  Nicole is talking at me, and I catch on the tail end of her question. “… what do you think, Pearl?”

  Shit, what was she saying?

  “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

  Nicole looks between my father and her son, and then finally settles on me. “I was just saying that Seth tells me you want to start taking advanced business? He’s willing to tutor you this half term so you’re able to catch up, would that be something you would like?”

  Seth flashes his pearly whites at both of them. “I’m happy to tutor Pearl, if she’ll let me.”

  “I’m not sure I need tutoring,” I say, as I push my food around my plate.

  After a few minutes more silence, Nicole tries again. “Your father tells me you’re a member of a choir?” Nice change of subject, Nicole.

  “The school choir, yes I am.”


  Her eyes sparkle as though genuinely interested. “We’d love to hear you sing sometime.”

  “Well, there’s a concert on Christmas Eve if you want to come to that,” I say hopefully.

  “That would be lovely, wouldn’t it, Graham?”

  My dad presses his lips together in a thin line. “We can’t. We have the Annual Darlington Charity Dinner on Christmas Eve.”

  Oh yes, how could I forget.

  Nicole forces a smile. “Oh, well, maybe we can come to the next one.”

  “Sure,” I say, my face blank.

  Satisfied with that, our parents go back to their conversation and Seth and I continue to eat in silence. My phone buzzes next to me and I glance down at the notification flashing on the screen.

  Excuse yourself and go to the bathroom.

  Trying to calm my racing heart, I swipe my phone closed and continue to eat my pasta as though nothing happened. I dare not look at my stepbrother.

  About ten seconds later, my phone buzzes again. It’s another message.

  Are you turning me down, princess?

  I type a reply telling Seth he can go to the bathroom alone and wank himself off if he’s that desperate, and then sneak a side glance at him. The look on his face is wounded, arrogant and priceless all rolled into one. It makes me want to kiss away the storm.

  Dropping one hand under the table, I place it in his lap and stroke him until he puts his fork down and looks at me all dark and broody. His eyes are twin blue stars staring at me with such intensity I almost choke on the artichoke I’m chewing on.

  Pulse pounding in my ears, I finish eating and stand up from my chair. “Excuse me, I need to go to the bathroom.”

  As soon I turn the corner, I hear Seth excuse himself too. Like that’s not obvious. I enter the bathroom, but I don’t lock it. Two seconds later, Seth enters with a fire in his eyes I’ve come to interpret as ‘horny as fuck’.

  “They’re not stupid,” I hiss as he comes over and pushes me back up to where the sink basin is.

  “Shut the hell up.” He hitches my skirt up. My fingers entangle in his hair as he drops down to where my thong is and yanks it aside. I don’t put up any kind of resistance. My body, already begging for his touch, melts into him.