When Alicia stopped cooking and started reheating leftovers, something was very wrong.
“What did this Rick do to you?” He managed to keep his tone even.
“Nothing. Nothing at all. It doesn’t matter.” She slammed open a kitchen cabinet and retrieved two dishes with a loud clatter.
“Alicia Montoya, I know you better than I know myself and I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this upset. Now you want to lie to me and tell me everything’s okay?”
She stopped dead, hands frozen in midair with their plates.
“I don’t want to lie to you, Alex.” She turned, slowly, and set the plates on to the island. “I don’t ever want to lie to you, or to anyone else.”
She took a deep breath and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Then she lifted her chin and looked him dead in the eye with an expression he’d never seen before. “I spent last weekend with him.”
A fist closed around Alex’s heart. “At his house?”
“In a hotel.”
Alex’s lungs couldn’t hold air. This sleazebag had taken his baby sister to a hotel? Probably some lowlife motel filled with hookers and junkies and…“Where can I find him?”
Alicia pursed her lips with distaste. “And you wonder why I didn’t tell you about him?” She crossed her arms over her chest. “You treat me like a little kid. You made me sneak around. I would have liked to tell you about him and see if you know him and ask you what you think, but because you turn into a raging beast at the thought of me dating a mere mortal, I couldn’t.”
Alex frowned. Was this true?
She’d dated. He remembered those sorry losers who came to the house over the years.
He’d made sure to let them know that Alicia was not just any girl they could grope and fondle and tell their friends about. Maybe he had scared a few of them off.
“You deserve the best, ’Manita.”
“I know you only want to protect me, but it’s too much. I’m twenty-six and I need to make my own mistakes.” Her stern demeanor wavered. “And I just made one, but it’s okay. I learned from it, and I’ll know what to do differently next time.”
Alex worked hard to keep his breathing steady. The urge to pummel someone—namely this Rick—made his blood pump fast and hard. “I’m glad you learned from your mistake.” Good. His voice sounded nice and calm.
“We went out a few times and I really liked him.” Her eyes shone with pleasure. Which was like a fist of very unpleasant feeling to Alex’s gut.
“He was sweet, considerate.” Her expression hardened. “So, after the fire, I decided to go stay with him.”
“You lied to me.”
“I did. There was enough drama already. I didn’t need to make more, for either of us. I just wanted to spend the weekend with a man I’d grown to like.” A frown furrowed her pretty forehead. “But he turned out to be a totally different man altogether.”
Adrenaline flashed through Alex. “Did he hurt you?”
“No! Nothing like that at all. But he’s not right for me. That’s all that matters.” Her gaze implored him not to pry further.
He stepped forward and took her in his arms. She softened and let him hug her.
“You be careful with those rich boys at the club. Those kind of men eat girls like you for breakfast.”
“I know. I wasn’t planning to date one of them. It just happened. But it’s over now. Can we leave it in the past?”
“Sure, ’Manita. Just one of those things.”
Rick. The name didn’t ring a bell. He’d put out feelers though. By this time tomorrow he’d know who’d made his baby sister cry. And then he’d figure out what to do with him.
Justin scanned the café at the Texas Cattleman’s Club. No sign of Alicia. He poked his head in the game room. Still nothing. He was about to go explore the library, when a hand on his arm stopped him.
“Justin Dupree, I presume.” Cara Pettigrew-Novak fixed him with a steel-blue gaze.
“At your service, ma’am.”
“Just checking, because I thought you might be someone called Rick Jones.”
Justin frowned. “I’ve been known to use that alias on occasion.” He arched his brow.
“So I hear. You used it on my friend Alicia.”
“Where is Alicia? Is she okay?” Urgency sparked through him.
“She’s fine, no thanks to you. Why did you give her a fake name?”
Was that why she wouldn’t return his calls? He knew she wouldn’t like it, but he was pretty sure it wouldn’t be a deal breaker. Not after they’d shared so much together.
“I use it all the time. Keeps the press off my trail.”
“Alicia isn’t a journalist.”
“I know that, now.”
“Did you ever think she was?” Cara tilted her chin.
“No. I didn’t.” He narrowed his eyes. “What exactly is going on? Does Alicia know I’m Justin Dupree?”
“She does.”
“How?”
“I told her.” She crossed her arms. “I thought she should know. Don’t you?”
“Yes, of course. I was planning to tell her.” Why was he having this conversation with Cara, when he should be talking to Alicia? “Is she here?”
“Nope. Haven’t seen her. I hear someone broke her heart.”
Justin gulped. “She was upset?”
“Really, really upset.”
“Damn.” His chest tightened. “I’ve got to explain.”
“That you didn’t want the press on your trail?” She chuckled. “I’m not sure that will go over well.”
“That I wanted to tell her because I…because she…” Because I’ve never met anyone I care about so much. “Where is she?”
“At home, I imagine. El Diablo.” She leaned close. “It was cruel, you know, giving her a fake name so she wouldn’t know she was being seduced into bed by one of the foremost ladies’ men in all Texas.”
“Cara, you exaggerate.” He tried to make light of her barb. “And I didn’t seduce her. At least I don’t think I did. It was mutual. And why am I telling this to you?”
“I told her she should give you a chance to tell your side of the story. I assured her there was probably a perfectly reasonable explanation. So far, I haven’t heard one, but…” She shrugged her slim shoulders. “She didn’t seem very interested.”
“I’ve got to go see her.” He reached into his pocket for his car key.
“You’ll recall that she lives with her brother.” Cara tilted her head, waiting for his reaction.
“Alex Montoya. I’m sure he’ll be reasonable.”
She laughed. “He can be, under the right circumstances—which these definitely aren’t.” She patted his arm. “Listen, I don’t know you that well, but you seem like an okay guy. At least that’s what Kevin, Lance and Mitch say.”
“I’m honored.”
“And Alicia was pretty smitten with you before I clued her in to your little deception. I hope you two manage to work it out.”
“Me, too.”
The gate to El Diablo was locked, and Justin had to use the intercom to request admittance.
“Name?”
He thought for a second. “Rick Jones.” That’s what she’d expect him to call himself.
With relief, he saw the gate swing open, and he drove in.
Cattle grazed in fenced pastures on either side of the long curving drive that led up to the grand old house. Alex Montoya had done well for himself—and for Alicia—especially considering their humble background.
Alex was a smart man. Hopefully not one to jump to rash conclusions, or hold a grudge.
Yeah. Right. He and Lance had one of the longest-running grudges in local history.
He parked in the turnaround in front of the house and stepped out. Before he’d reached the shady porch, Alex emerged from the front door, his dark, intense eyes set in a fierce glare.
His deep voice boomed through the air. “Since when do you go by the name Rick
Jones?”
“Is Alicia at home? I need to speak with her, Alex.”
“She doesn’t want to see you.” Alex took the steps two at a time, until he was standing chin to chin with Justin. Alex’s chin, however, was several inches higher than his. “You can leave now.”
“I’d appreciate the chance to talk with her.”
“That won’t be possible.” The taller man’s eyes narrowed. “Do you always use a fake name with women that you plan to use and cast aside? Nice girls who don’t have blue blood so they’re ripe for the plucking?”
Alex’s eyes flashed. He grabbed Justin by the shirt, knuckles digging into his chest.
“It’s a bit more innocent than that. I get hounded by the paparazzi so sometimes I resort to—”
“If you didn’t sleep with so many damned heiresses, the paparazzi wouldn’t be interested in you,” Alex hissed right in his face. “If you come near my sister again, I’ll, I’ll…I don’t know what I’ll do, but let’s not find out.”
He removed his fist from the front of Justin’s shirt and looked at it as if it had a mind of its own.
“Your sister means a lot to me.” He held his head high. “She’s a very special person.”
“You think I don’t know that?” Alex cocked his head and stared hard at Justin. “My sister is too good for someone who associates himself with the Brody brothers.” His voice took on a tone of polished steel.
“Mitch Brody and I have been good friends for a long time, and I know his brother Lance, too. They’re good men, Alex.”
Alex leaned in until Justin could smell the testosterone rolling off him. “Did they put you up to this?”
“Of course not. I happened to meet Alicia at the club, we struck up a conversation and became friends.” Which was the truth. Justin had volunteered to get information on Alex for the Brodys; they hadn’t asked him to. The thought of it now made him feel sick. How could he have even considered doing that to Alicia?
“Do I look like I was born yesterday?” Alex’s hands looked like they were itching to wrap themselves around Justin’s neck.
“Alicia is a beautiful and intelligent woman. I don’t need an ulterior motive to be interested in her. As I’ve tried to explain, I care for her very much. The name thing was a misunderstanding. Entirely my fault. If you’d just let me speak to Alicia for a few minutes, I’m sure—”
“Get off my ranch!” Steam was about to start rising out of Alex’s dark hair. “If you don’t leave now, I’ll have my men tow your car—and you—to the gates.”
“Alex.” Alicia appeared behind him in the doorway. “It’s okay. I can handle it.”
Justin’s heart surged. “Alicia, I can explain.”
“Go back inside, ’Manita. He’s leaving.”
Alicia came down the steps in faded jeans that hugged her spectacular legs and a simple denim shirt. Ravishing. “Alex, I said I can handle it. I’m not a baby.”
Her eyes met Justin’s and energy crashed between them. Hope swelled in his chest.
“I’ve been burning to tell you my real name, but the time never seemed quite right. I’m mortified that you found out and I promise to make it up to you.”
Alicia strode past Alex, boot heels firm on the hard ground. “Get in your car. I’ll ride to the gate with you.”
“Maybe we could sit somewhere and talk.”
Alicia ignored him, rounded his Porsche and opened the passenger side.
“’Manita, I don’t think you should—” Alex’s interjection was cut off by Alicia slamming the car door shut.
Justin turned his back on Alex and got in on the driver’s side. He turned to look at her. “I missed you,” he said softly.
“Start the engine.” She stared straight ahead.
He hesitated for a second, then turned the key. “Cara told me what happened.”
“Yes. I felt like a real ass.”
“I’m so, so sorry. I never meant for you to find out from someone else.”
He wasn’t embarrassed by the pleading tone in his voice. Part of him was just grateful and relieved to be sharing a space with her again.
“Drive.” She nodded to the gearshift. Justin reluctantly shifted into Drive and started along the driveway. “I don’t want to see you again.”
“Alicia, you don’t mean that.”
“Trust me—and me, you can trust, I’m pretty straightforward, unlike some people—so trust me, I mean it with every bone in my body.”
“I use the name Rick Jones all the time. I’m registered at the hotel under that name.”
“You registered with a fake license and credit card?” She cocked a brow.
“Well, no. They do know my real name, but officially, on the books, I’m Rick Jones.”
“But they have the privilege of knowing your real name. A privilege I was not granted.” Her voice was silvery and cool, not the warm caress he remembered. “Even after we slept together.”
“I wanted to tell you since the beginning. I tried several times but…”
“But what?”
He shoved a hand through his hair. “I guess I knew all along that it would be a big deal to you. Once I got to know you, that is. I could tell that you’d consider even a minor fib to be a huge deception.”
“You were right about that. And I’d hardly consider lying about your identity to be a minor fib.”
Despite him driving as slowly as the car would go, they were dangerously close to the gates. Kidnapping her was tempting, but definitely not a good idea under the circumstances.
“What can I do to make it up to you?”
“You can’t. As I said, I don’t wish to see you again. Since we’re both members of the Texas Cattleman’s Club, there’s no way we can avoid each other completely, but I see no reason for anything beyond a polite greeting in the future.”
She held her head with the dignity of a queen. Strange how someone could look so regal when dressed like a cowgirl, but that was Alicia Montoya. A woman of many dimensions, each more fascinating and compelling than the last.
If he told her he loved her, would that melt her hardened heart?
He cursed the thought even as it occurred to him. If he told her right now she’d think he was toying with her.
“Could I take you out on my yacht again, as a friend?” He didn’t try to cajole or sweet-talk her. She’d loved sailing though, he could tell.
“No. You can stop right outside the gates. I’ll walk back in.”
“Alicia, you’re making too much of this.”
“That’s your opinion. As you’ve already admitted, you knew it would be a big deal to me so you deliberately continued to conceal the truth. I told you all kinds of confidences.”
She turned to look at him, finally, eyes filled with tears. “I told you about my childhood, and my family, and all our private hopes and dreams. And you chose to disrespect me by keeping the truth from me, so it wouldn’t interfere with all the hot sex we were having.”
A fat tear fell and rolled down one lovely cheek.
Justin’s heart ached to bursting. He longed to reach out and touch her, but he knew that would propel her from the car.
“It wasn’t just about sex.” His voice was gruff. “You mean a lot more to me than that. I truly enjoyed every minute we spent together. I was afraid of spoiling it, yes. I figured the longer we spent together and the more you got to know me, the less of a big deal it would be when I finally told you. I almost gave it away when you noticed I spoke French—my family is originally from France and we’ve always spent enough time there to become fluent. I was about to turn and tell you everything, but there you lay, naked and resplendent, and the words withered on my tongue because I didn’t want to drive you away.”
A tear rolled down Alicia’s other cheek. She did nothing to brush it away. “I trusted you. I came to you asking for help. You knew I was innocent—dangerously naive, even—and you took advantage of that. Why didn’t you tell me you were friends with the men
who are trying to frame my brother for arson? Or that you already knew my brother? How could you keep that from me?”
“I didn’t think it—”
“I don’t even want to know.” She shook her head. “After what’s happened between us I could never trust you again, and I don’t intend to try.”
“But—” Panic surged through Justin as she reached for the door handle.
“Please, don’t come to El Diablo again. You won’t be welcome here.”
“I’ll call you, after you’ve had some time to think.”
“No. Don’t call, don’t visit, don’t write.” She turned a cold, dark gaze on him. “I’ll be polite when I meet you in company, but don’t for a single second think that it means I’ve forgiven you.”
She swung her long denim-clad legs to the ground, then slammed the door.
It couldn’t have hurt more if she’d slammed it right on his heart.
Nine
Justin heaved his clubs back into his locker. He’d whacked a ball around all eighteen holes of the Texas Cattleman’s Club golf course, and it hadn’t helped a bit. His muscles stung with energy and his legs itched to run.
He couldn’t stand still, or sit, or sleep when every fiber of his body ached to be with Alicia.
“Hey, Justin!” Kevin Novak strode into the locker room, blond hair windblown, hauling his own clubs. “I hear you’re in the doghouse with my wife.”
“Yeah. The girls have closed ranks against me.” He shut the locker door. “Can’t say I blame ’em though. I’m guilty on all counts.”
Kevin pulled out his driver and wiped off the end with a cloth. “I can see the advantages of having a double identity. You could get up to all kinds of tricks and no one could pin it on you.” He winked. “Sounds fun.”
“That’s all in the past. I don’t want to play tricks on anyone, but old habits die hard and all that. Rick Jones is dead. I killed him myself. I stand before you and everyone else as Justin Dupree.”
“The only man crazy enough to pursue Alex Montoya’s sister.”
Justin walked over to Kevin. “Alicia is the most incredible woman I’ve ever met. I’d walk through fire for her.”
The Maverick's Virgin Mistress (Texas Cattlemans Club: Maverick County Millionaire Book 5) Page 11