Dark Ties

An Interweaved Duet

Jamie Begley

Sarah Brianne

Young Ink Press Publication

YoungInkPress.com

Copyright © 2021 by Jamie Begley & Sarah Brianne

Edited by CD Editing, Erin Toland,

& Diamond in the Rough Editing

Cover Art by Cover Couture

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

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Dark ties are like roots of a dead tree. They are as twisted as they are rotten, lying there hidden beneath the earth.

Dante

Made Men, #9

SARAH BRIANNE

Prologue

Dark Family Ties

“Haley, all I’m asking you to do is to take one meeting for me. Is that too much to ask from you?” It was. It truly was. Her poor reclusive friend could barely order a cup of coffee with confidence, much less expect her to do what she was asking of her now. But Nadia had to convince her co-partner to do this somehow. Her charity depended on it, and it was now solely resting on Haley’s shoulders.

Nadia slapped down two manila folders on the desk, each containing her best friend’s worst nightmare.

Watching her put on her glasses, she could see Haley’s confidence sink when the names on the folders came into focus.

After a few moments of silence, Nadia snapped her manicured fingers in front of her ashen face. “Earth calling Haley.”

“I’m sorry …”

“Forget whatever excuse you were about to give me. It’s not going to work this time.” Laying her palms on the desk, Nadia moved closer to face Haley. They had known each other since they were thirteen, and she had given her every weak excuse in the fucking book. Sometimes, Nadia would pity her and accept it, but today was not one of those days. “I can’t be at two meetings in different areas of the city at the same time. We need the funding to find a new building. We have less than two months to find something with the space and the facilities we need …” It was time for her to hit below the belt. “Or the kids are going to be back on the streets. Do you want that?”

“You know I don’t!” Haley started to lose it as she was slowly being cornered with no way out. “I suck at doing this type of stuff. Just reschedule!”

“I’ve tried!” Nadia stated the obvious. Asking the scaredy cat was clearly her last resort. “I’m worried that, if I try again, they’ll change their minds about giving us a chance to solicit their donations. I can’t become a nuisance before they even meet me.”

The two meetings dealt with two different millionaires who, unfortunately, could only meet at the same designated time. Over a hundred thousand dollars were on the line, along with the countless lives of at-risk teens. As much as she loved Haley and tried to keep her in her little bubble as much as possible, Nadia would pop it in a heartbeat for the kids. Haley would live … right?

Seeing the eyes behind her huge glasses move back to the names, Nadia knew she broke her and started to feel a twinge of guilt. This charity was her baby, and her baby for a reason. They both knew Haley had come along for a smooth ride. She had given her the position of accountant so she could handle things behind the scenes where she felt comfortable. Nadia, however, was the face of it now, after she had taken it over from her beloved Anna.

“Desmond Beck …” Haley read one of the names before reading the name on the second folder. “Dante Caruso.” Swallowing hard, she pushed her fallen glasses higher up the bridge of her nose as she looked back up at Nadia. “Why do they sound like they’re both in the mafia?”

Well, this is awkward … “I think one actually is,” she mumbled under her breath, hoping her friend couldn’t hear.

“Nadia!” she exasperated shakily.

She held up a finger. “Remember the children.”

Haley rubbed her temple. “Fine. Just tell me which one that is.”

Nadia moved her finger to the folder that held Dante’s name for a split-second before the other folder was snatched up and claimed by greedy little hands.

“I am so not getting involved in those dark family ties,” Haley said with a shiver, looking at the folder that still lay on the table.

“I don’t blame you,” Nadia told her sympathetically, knowing her friend came from dark family ties of her own. “But, um …” Ugh, this was going to suck to tell her this. “Don’t be angry, but I had to use your family connection to even get an appointment with Desmond Beck.”

If it was possible, Haley’s face dropped even more. “Which family connection?”

Nadia had to avert her eyes. “I couldn’t even reach Mr. Beck’s assistant to ask for an appointment until I mentioned your family name and that you’re related to George and Amelia Clark.”

Haley’s eyes went as big as her glasses. “I haven’t talked to my uncle and cousin in years.”

“He doesn’t know that, does he?” she said slyly, but the guilt panged in her chest again. Picking up the untouched folder, she held it out to her. “We can still switch, if you would like?”

Haley eyed it like it suddenly looked like the better option. “How mafia are we talking? Robert De Niro or Al Pacino?”

“Would it really matter?” she asked her honestly.

“Robert De Niro is actually capable of having a kind face,” Haley stated the difference before the brave face she had put on slowly disappeared. “But what does Desmond Beck do again?”

“He’s just a philanthropist.” Well, I hope. She kept that bit to herself this time.

Haley’s orbs danced between the folder in her hand and the one Nadia still held out, clearly trying to decide the lesser of two evils. “I’ll go with my gut instinct.” She gripped her folder tighter, solidifying her fate with Desmond.

“All right.” Nadia brought the folder closer to her, staring down at the name Dante Caruso. Unlike Haley, her fate had just been decided for her. An ominous shiver went up her back.

Putting on a brave face herself, she held her folder to her own chest. “There, that wasn’t so hard, was it?”

“Clearly, you have put your blinders on. You know I can’t get three words out in a row on a good day, much less when I’m nervous.”

“I’ll write down everything you need to say. Just memorize the script I give you.” Nadia already solved that problem. “You got this.”

A quiet sigh of defeat escaped Haley’s lips.

“You’ll see …” Nadia no longer knew who she was trying to convince anymore.

“Are you sure there isn’t a way that you can at least come with me to start the meeting then leave?” Clearly, this was Haley’s last-ditch effort.

“I won’t be able to start the meeting with you, but …” Nadia gave in to her guilt, “if mine finishes early, then I may be able to take over the meeting from you.”

Haley looked relieved as she bounced her head in a nod. “Then let’s go with that plan.”

“Plan?” Nadia had taken pity on her, and it was already backfiring. “It’s not a plan. It’s a maybe!”

Smiling, Haley pushed her glasses up again. “I’ll hold down the fort until you can get there. This will work much better …” Haley nervously spoke the words that would most certainly jinx them. “What could go wrong?”

The two women stared at each other, unaware that the same thought was now going through both their minds.

A million things.

One

All Rich Assholes are the Same

Nadia hated casinos … No, she loathed casinos. Not only were they greedy businesses that preyed on the weak, but they were loud as hell and reeked of smoke. If Haley was in her hell, currently on the other side of Kansas City, Nadia was definitely in hers.

She came up to a huge security guard dressed in a basic black suit who appeared to have been expecting her since he immediately led her into the elevator and punched in a few buttons for different floors that seemed to be a code to take them straight to the top.

The guard wasn’t much for conversing, as the awkward silence filled the air for a quick moment. Getting off the elevator, she followed closely behind the suited man. Now, Nadia wasn’t the nervous type, but she was starting to feel like taking a meeting with a potential mob boss might have been a bad idea.

The guard knocked on a door with a heavy fist.

A dark voice sounded from the other side. “Come in.”

She watched him open the door, and it wasn’t until the huge man stepped to the side to let her enter the office that she was able to see into the room.

Oh God. Nadia swallowed.

“Thank you, Amo,” Dante dismissed him.

Nadia would have only moments until the guard left and closed her into his office for her to gather her thoughts and screw her head back on straight. The man before her was definitely no Robert De Niro … or Al Pacino. Even though he was an older gentleman, probably in his late forties, he was breathtakingly handsome. Hell, if she was honest, his age was what made him even more so. Any girl with daddy issues—and Nadia was one—would be risking it all for one night in his bed.

His dark, tanned skin glowed next to his expensive black suit jacket and white button-up dress shirt. He only had a little bit of speckling gray through his pitch-black hair, but it weirdly made him hotter. It was his piercing icy-blue eyes, however, that had her unable to breathe until the door snapped closed behind her and her time of being jumbled up was over.

“Mr. Caruso,” she got right to business, “thank you for seeing m—”

“I’m afraid we don’t have much time,” he said, looking at his watch before he waved to the chair in front of his desk. “Please sit, Mrs. Brooks.”

“Ms. Brooks,” she corrected him.

There seemed to be a slight surprise behind those icy eyes of his before it quickly vanished. “I apologize, Ms. Brooks.” Again, he repeated with another wave, “Sit.”

Nadia couldn’t help but notice how he told her to sit like it was a command. It was glaringly obvious the man didn’t like to repeat himself, and even though she had only just met him, he appeared to always get what he wanted.

Taking the seat, she didn’t need to see the future to know that this wasn’t going to go the way she had planned. Hell, he hadn’t even bothered to get out of his leather chair, or shake her hand, much less give her more than a few-second glance. That last part might have hurt her womanly pride, but she had to remind herself that she wasn’t here for that. Nadia was here for the children, and she wasn’t going to go down easily. Seeing that time was an issue, she got right to it.

“I’m here on behalf of my charity, Moonbeam. We are—”

“Do you mind?” he asked nonchalantly, holding up an unlit cigar.

She, in fact, did mind, but before she could answer, he was already lighting the end; not that she had room for complaint as it was his office.

“No,” she grumbled out before continuing. “We are looking to upgrade our facility.” She watched him blow out a puff of smoke as he stared at his rich cigar more than he was paying any attention to her. Still, she managed to trot on. “With that, we can help house more at-risk teens throughout all of Kansas Ci …” She trailed off as she noticed him glance at his watch. Fury rose inside her. “I’m sorry. Do you have somewhere to be?”

“Actually, yes,” he answered with harsh honesty. “Your incessant calls have, unfortunately, driven me to finally accept this meeting. I specifically agreed to today because I’m taking my youngest son on vacation for the weekend.”

Unfortunately, all rich assholes are the same.

“Then, by all means, Mr. Caruso … let me get right to it.” But she did have to give him credit for the smart play of not letting this meeting drag along. “I’d like a generous donation from you.”

“Don’t you all,” he muttered under his breath before putting the cigar back to his lips.

Excuse me? Nadia opened her mouth to rip the mother-effer a new one when the door behind her flew open.

“Sir, Leo is in the car, waiting for you out front.”

“Sorry, Ms. Brooks, but it looks like this meeting has to be cut short. The yacht will be departing soon,” Dante said with a smile, putting out his cigar in the crystal ashtray.

Fucking prick. She wished she had said the insult out loud as she stood from her chair. She didn’t plan to waste another bated breath on him, yet she found herself turning to face him one last time.

“I can’t believe I was so wrong about you. Have a lovely vacation with your son, Mr. Caruso.” There was no hiding the disappointment in her voice. “I’ll see myself out,” she told the guard who had brought her up and was holding the door open as she passed him.

Having the final word made her feel better … Slightly, at least. Of course, the vacation he’s going on is on his fucking yacht, she thought to herself as she walked back the way she had come. While she was desperately trying to fight for her kids, who didn’t have a dime to their names, Dante was taking his probably just as stuck-up son on a vacation that most likely wasn’t a drop in the bucket of his wealth. Nadia couldn’t believe she had found the unbearable man attractive at first. Hitting the elevator button, she began to lie to herself …

He’s freaking hideou—

Speaking of the devil …

* * *

I can’t believe she said that to me, was the only thing that had run through Dante’s mind for the last minute. He had also told himself that it was his son waiting out front that had him rushing to the elevator.

Seeing her shocked yet frustrated face, he could only imagine the words Nadia was saying about him in her mind.

The curve of Dante’s lip lifted up into a devilish smile that he could tell only infuriated her more.

Fueling her imagination gave him pleasure. It had been a long time since a woman had shown him any attitude. The effect he had on women was much like how Nadia had acted the moment she had met him. She had been taken aback by his good looks, but he had been amused with how rapidly she had put it behind her. His effect didn’t usually wear off so quickly, if ever.

Putting his eyes on the elevator door, Dante supposed the woman was good-looking, too, but it had been even longer since he had found a woman beautiful.

* * *

Yep, he was definitely not hideous. At least on the outside, but his insides sure are.

Ding. The elevator slid open.

He did his pretend polite wave again. “After you, Ms. Brooks.”

As if getting massively turned down wasn’t embarrassing enough, she clicked her heels inside the moving box that she was going to have to share with the man who had just brushed her off and took her meeting simply so she would never contact him again.

Dante, followed by his guard, entered the elevator with her, and then the guard punched in the code to take them straight to the bottom.

With the door sliding closed, Nadia slithered her eyes over to see him staring at his expensive watch again. It was everything she could do to keep her mouth shut, and it was only staying glued that way because she had still had the last word.

Putting his arm back to his side, Dante looked up at the falling numbers.

Nadia snapped her eyes to do the same, unable to wait for her release. Her eyes had wanted to drift back, swearing that she felt the icy gaze of his on her …

* * *

Don’t ask.

He wanted to.

I don’t care.

He did.

Don’t you dare ask.

He definitely wanted to.

I do not fucking care why she said that.

He definitely did, and if he was going to ask, he needed to do it now before …

* * *

Ding.

Oh, thank God.

Relieved, Nadia hurriedly stomped out of the elevator, leaving him in her dust. Well, she hoped, because she wouldn’t dare turn her head to see. Nope, her head stayed firmly forward as she went through the casino. Breathing in the cigarette smoke was a relief compared to the scent she’d had to endure in the elevator. The confined space made her realize, with the slight hint of what smelled like whiskey and his expensive cologne, she didn’t hate the scent of cigar smoke. Nadia was sure that scent would linger in her mind for days.

Finally, true freedom reached her when she swung open the heavy glass doors. Or so she thought.

She hadn’t made it a few steps on the sidewalk, toward her building that was only a few blocks away, when she heard her name being called from that commanding voice.

“Ms. Brooks.”

She was tempted to not turn around, but she found her body stopping and turning to look at Mr. Caruso, who stood beside the blacked-out town car that was parked in front of the hotel casino.

“How were you wrong about me?” He spoke loudly so his voice would travel over the noise of the city to her ears. “Because I can’t imagine what you expected from a man like me.”

Nadia could see his dark features become darker as she stalked up to him. “Yes, I’ve heard the rumors about you, Mr. Caruso.” She made no effort to conceal that she wasn’t scared, whether he was or wasn’t what those whispers were saying about him. Frankly, she just didn’t care what kind of organization he was running, legal or illegal. “But, depending upon who you ask, you’re considered a good man in the eyes of a lot people who live in this city.”

He seemed to be stunned by her answer for a moment. “The company you keep may not be of your best interest, then, Ms. Brooks.”

“The only company I care about are the kids who walk the streets all alone at night and grew up without a fighting chance.” She paused for a moment, her warm brown eyes boring into his cold ones. “I was under the impression you helped a young man in that same position once upon a time …”

* * *

Dante’s jaw flexed into a hard position upon hearing just how much she knew about him. Taking Salvatore Lastra off the streets when he had been just thirteen years old wasn’t something a lot of people in Kansas City knew about him. Nadia had clearly done her research, and he didn’t know how he should feel about it … until he did.

* * *

She watched his jaw fix into position as every hair on her body stood in fear. Men never made their money by being nice, and Nadia was afraid she had just gone too far, especially with Dante, who didn’t try hard to pretend he hadn’t made his money outside of the law.

“Careful, Ms. Brooks,” he warned in a low tone before the curve of his lips went up in another slow smile, “you may find a secret about me one day that you wish you hadn’t.”

It wasn’t until he reached into his hidden suit jacket pocket and pulled out a checkbook and pen that she relaxed.

Oh, I don’t doubt it.

Watching him scribble on the check, she couldn’t help but think, as soon as she got the check in her greedy little hands, this would be the first and last time she would ever be in the presence of Dante Caruso. She would take all future checks via mail or not fucking at all.

“Thank you, Mr. Caruso,” she said sincerely, uncaring of any amount he wrote in that tiny box. But when he handed it to her, she couldn’t help but notice it was the exact amount she needed from him. One hundred thousand dollars. “Y-you have no idea what this means to us,” she stammered in disbelief, pressing the check to her chest.

Placing his checkbook and pen back in his pocket, he threw open the car’s back door as his smile disappeared. “Well, the IRS was going to take it from me, anyway.”

Nadia wanted to roll her eyes at him, but she could see past what he was trying to pull off. Keeping up his asshole façade must have been tiring.

“I don’t care,” she told him honestly, putting the check in her blazer pocket before holding out her slender hand. “Thank you, Mr. Caruso.”

He stared at her hand for a moment before he took it in his. “You’re welcome.”

All focus had been lost again as his hand touched hers and she went right back to how she felt when she had first seen him in his office. “H-Have a lovely trip,” Nadia told him genuinely this time, not wanting his contact with her dropped anytime soon.

If he felt even remotely the way she did, he was much better at concealing his emotions. “Have a lovely day, Ms. Brooks.”

She felt his grip loosen, and her heart sank until his grip suddenly tightened on hers again, this time in a death grip. Everything seemed to move in fast motion as she was then thrown into the back seat of his car.

However … it didn’t seem to happen fast enough.

BANG!

Two

SPOILER ALERT … The Rumors About Dante Caruso are True

Shit, shit, shit, was all Dante thought as he slammed their bodies into the back seat of the car. He couldn’t explain it. It had just been a gut feeling that he needed to get out of the way, and fast. His instincts taking Ms. Brooks with him.

“Get us the fuck out of here!” he growled.

Amo had already thrown the car in drive. “On it.”

The car being punched forward, which threw the back-seat car door to an automatic close. Dante was thankful that, while he had been talking to Ms. Brooks, Amo was getting into the driver’s seat. One of his soldiers, Vincent, had driven Leo up, and they would all be fucked if he was the one driving them away from this shit show. Amo was one of his few men left who wasn’t stuck up a girl’s ass, so he was one of the only ones he trusted willing to be his guard for the weekend. It was a dark time for the family if his men couldn’t leave their women for a few days to go party on a fucking yacht. God, he really missed the old days.

“Leo?” His fatherly instinct had him yelling out for his son.

“I’m fine.” Leo’s voice came from the passenger side. It seemed to be dropping octaves more and more each day.

Able to focus on the woman in his arms now, he studied her. “Are you hurt?” When she didn’t answer, he nervously began checking her body. It was strange, the fear he felt banging in his chest. He hadn’t felt fear like that since …

* * *

What the fuck! Nadia’s heart pounded in her chest. She had wanted to scream, but the shock didn’t allow it. Then her shock turned into even more shock, if that was possible, when she felt Dante’s hands searching her body for a gunshot wound. She could practically feel the relief radiate off him when he realized the reasoning for her silence.

“Ms. Brooks, I think you’re in shock.”

Was that a … smirk on his face? What about this is funny? She was repulsed that her internal monologue was braver than she was on the outside at the moment. It would take her until the fear of imminent death wore off, she supposed.

“Uh-huh,” was all she managed with a little nod to confirm that he had hit the nail on the fucking head.

That slight smirk on his face grew a touch bigger as he began to sit up.

“Sir, I’d stay down,” Amo said, looking serious in his rearview mirror.

“Why—Oh shit,” he groaned when he was thrown back into the seat when a car rammed into their rear end.

“Christ!” Nadia yelled, seeming to have found her voice upon the second hit. The only reason she hadn’t gone flying was because the grip Dante had on her was becoming slightly painful at this point.

“Hang on,” was the only warning Amo gave before he suddenly jumped on the freeway.

Well, if the car behind them wasn’t going to be the one to kill them all, it certainly was going to be the breakneck speed the Caruso bodyguard was sure to impend upon them.

“Why am I getting the feeling this is normal for you three?” she asked, exasperated at being the only one showing any emotion.

She had expected Dante to be the one to answer. Instead, it was his son, Leo, who ominously said, “It is.”

Nadia couldn’t see much of the boy yet, with Dante’s body blocking her sight, but from what she could see, she guessed he was definitely a teenager, and the cut of the dirty blond hair told her that he probably didn’t fall far from the tree in the good-looks department. Calling his son pretentious was going to be an understatement if he looked half as good in the front as he did from the back, especially with kids these days.

The back seat of the car was small, anyway, but with her height and fat ass, along with Dante’s tall … firm … muscular frame, which she had delightfully discovered over the last few minutes of being pressed up against him, only made the seat smaller. She desperately needed a breather.

“Okay, I think it’s safe enough to sit up.”

Dante’s warning wasn’t fast enough as she fought to get out from under him. “I wouldn’t—”

This time, the three-word phrase had no trouble coming out when a bullet hit the back windshield. “What the fuck!”

“It’s bulletproof,” he told her, “but it’s best not to test it.”

“You think?” Sarcasm was an understatement for how her words came out as she slammed her body back down with Dante’s. Bulletproof glass was like airplanes—it was something you couldn’t explain how it would even fucking work and only had one explanation. Witchcraft.

“I think he just wants to take you out, sir,” Amo stated, seeing he and Leo were clearly not the target.

“That bullet was meant for me,” Dante darkly confirmed. It was clear he didn’t have a shadow of a doubt on his mind.

Amo gripped the wheel tighter. “It looks like our friend is done with the games and has decided to go straight to the top.”

“Your friend?” Gulping, Nadia’s mouth slowly started going dry while she stared at Dante. “How many of your men has your friend taken out so far?”

“A few,” he admitted after a few passing moments. “And then some.”

Nadia didn’t know what “and then some” meant, but she really didn’t like the sound of that. It somehow seemed worse than death.

Seeing the fear flash across her features, he reassured her, “I promise to get you home safely, Ms. Brooks.”

Okay, that she liked the sound of coming from his hot lips.

“Don’t worry, boss,”—Amo took the car to new heights, trying to lose the person following them, for good this time—“I don’t plan on any of us dying from One-Shot today.”

“One-Shot?” Nadia repeated the name drop as if it was casual. Whoever, or whatever, it was that was chasing after them had clearly earned a reputation badass enough to warrant a nickname like that.

I’m fucked, aren’t I?

* * *

I’m fucked aren’t I? Dante didn’t know how to tell her that One-Shot had gotten his name because he only needed one bullet to shoot someone right between the eyes.

Clearing his throat, he hoped to change the subject. “Leo, get Lucca on the phone—”

Before he could finish, his son had his phone pressed to his ear. “Vincent already told him. He heard the gunshot as he was walking into the casino. He tried to go after the car but lost it. Lucca’s been tracking us, but no one’s been able to catch up to us.”

“Won’t matter much now; we lost him,” Amo said, glancing sternly into the rearview mirror.

Leo listened to the other end for a few moments before hanging up.

Having mixed feelings about losing One-Shot was an understatement for Dante at the moment. If Leo, or Ms. Brooks, hadn’t been in the car, he and Amo would have chanced their luck at taking him out.

“I think it’s safe now to sit up,” Nadia had to remind him.

“Right.” Dante shook his head slightly before muttering, “Sorry.”

* * *

Feeling his grip on her loosen and disappear, she quickly sat up. Her body might’ve enjoyed being pressed up against him, but her mind was becoming more claustrophobic in this death trap of a car by the second. The sweat on her brow and racing heart had her wondering if she was becoming lightheaded or car sick.

“Can we slow down now?” she asked the crazed driver, whose foot hadn’t left the gas.

Amo acted as if he hadn’t heard her.

She wiped the bead of sweat that was sliding down her temple, her voice seeming to become weak as she said, “Please.”

“Slow down.” Dante’s order carried strongly to the front of the car and, almost immediately, the car began to slow to a more legal fast speed. “Take your jacket off …”

Huh? she thought in a haze.

“Before you pass out.”

Oh.

* * *

Watching her struggle, he scooted closer to her to help her get her black blazer down her arms. His cold eyes followed the perspiration sliding down the side of her face, to the beads that were beginning to form on her chest. He watched one of the salty beads fall from her clavicle, slowly traveling down to her breasts, before it disappeared under her white tank top that was being revealed.

Dante no longer “supposed” the woman was beautiful, as Nadia was, in fact, beautiful. Her hair was silky black and didn’t quite touch her shoulders. He found himself liking the style of it. It was a smart, chic style that suited her bone structure. It was parted to the side, with one side of her hair being fuller than the other, in a bob-like cut. It was the type of haircut only women with strong, beautiful features could pull off.

Being a part of the Italian mafia, it was a bad habit to want to know what ethnicity a person was, as they mostly dealt with people of the same bloodline as themselves, since the beginning of time. He wasn’t quite sure what bloodline Nadia had. While they shared many of the same features on paper, she didn’t look Italian. Her tanned skin had more of a bronzed look than his; her strong, black brows weren’t as thick but shaped thinner; and her nose, while long, was perfect. He didn’t know what word he was looking for to describe her features until it popped in his head … Sculpted.

Another thing Italian men couldn’t help but notice were clothes. Her suit that consisted of a pencil skirt and a one-button black jacket might have suited her, but it didn’t take him feeling the material in his hands to know it was probably picked off a department store rack.

He began to wonder how she would look in a tailor-made suit with expensive Italian fabrics, like he wore …

Quickly folding up her jacket, he placed it between them on the seat as he slid over abruptly and put his face forward.

* * *

Nadia didn’t know what had happened. She was simply counting down from ten in her head, trying not to pass out, when she felt the cold chill of Dante’s eyes on her. The moment she turned to look at him, his almost kind demeanor from when he had helped her get out of her jacket had quickly dissipated to a cold shoulder that matched his eyes.

She wasn’t sure if it was the coldness from him or taking her jacket off that had instantly cooled her enough to focus on the situation at hand. With the fear of passing out finally subsiding, she went for her phone but couldn’t find her purse. It must’ve dropped outside the car when Dante had thrown her in.

Shit. She couldn’t even check how Haley had managed the meeting with Desmond Beck. I bet she wants to kill me right about now …

The help Haley was banking on clearly wasn’t going to happen.

Nadia wasn’t sure if Haley was going to even believe her excuse.

Taking a side glance over at Dante, she thought, He might be hotter than Al Pacino, but he’s clearly as dangerous as Tony Montana, as she was thrown into full-fledged Scarface. There was no longer any doubt in her mind because, SPOILER ALERT … the rumors about Dante Caruso are true.

Thank God Haley hadn’t chosen Dante’s folder. She managed to find some relief in the situation. Then, looking heavenward, she made a silent wish.

I sure hope Haley had a better meeting than me …

Three

Well, You Do Today, Ms. Brooks

“I say you should continue on with the vacation, sir,” Amo told him, still behind the wheel and heading to their destination. “Getting on that yacht is the safest thing you could do right now. One-Shot won’t be able to touch you in the middle of the ocean, and you seem to be his only target at the moment.”

His soldier might have a point, but Dante hated running away. He felt like a coward and was about to tell him to head back to the casino hotel when he got a glimpse of his son’s profile.

Leo hadn’t shown much care about anything lately, but when he mentioned going on vacation on the yacht, he had seen a glimmer of interest cross his face. He knew his son desperately needed to get away from the city for a bit and couldn’t take that away. Not when he felt his last child slipping from his grasp, like the rest of his children already had.

Dante moved his eyes from his son to the rearview mirror and firmly nodded.

* * *

“You can let me out anytime,” Nadia reminded them that she was still here. “Here’s fine,” she added, trying not to sound worried when she didn’t get a response.

“I’m sorry you were dragged into this,”—Dante was the one to break the news to her—“but I can’t do that in good conscience, Ms. Brooks.”

Whipping her head toward him, she stared at him in confusion while the slight twang of fear returned to her spine. “Excuse me?”

“I’m afraid One-Shot might not take you as just an acquaintance now,” he told her, reminding her that he had cared enough to get her out of Dodge. “You’ll be safer accompanying us this weekend.”

A short laugh escaped her, thinking he must seriously be fucking joking, but then she suddenly stopped. “No.”

Hell no.

Absolutely not.

Nope!

Her little run-in with the mafia had lasted long enough, as far as she was concerned.

Cold eyes pierced into her soul. “I wasn’t asking, Ms. Brooks.”

Nadia didn’t know what kind of women Dante usually hung around, but she assumed they were about as submissive as his men were to him. That was not her.

“Neither was I, Mr. Caruso.”

Dante’s brows furrowed at her response. Getting his way with her, unfortunately, wasn’t going to be as easy as it usually was.

“If I let you out of this car and One-Shot gets even a whiff of who you are, he will find you and either kill you point blank … or worse.”

Nadia slightly gulped, wondering what could possibly be worse than that.

“He will use you to get to me.” His brows relaxed their furrow, his eyes becoming slightly softer. “Since I got you into this mess, you are now the responsibility of the Carusos … until I can get you out.” Suddenly, his fierceness returned. “But I will not let you risk the life of my family because you do not want to go on a yacht for a few days. Got it?”

As much as Nadia wanted to shove her foot up his ass, she nodded … For now.

She hadn’t been more grateful for a car to come to a complete stop when the mad driver put the shifter in park. The eager teen was the first one to jump out of the car. Nadia, on the other hand, wasn’t as eager for the next part of the journey to begin, not leaving the confines of the car until several minutes after the others.

Fuck. She should have never stepped out of the car, seeing exactly where they were. Nadia had been so busy trying to think of a plan to escape that she hadn’t paid attention until she was staring straight at a white private jet.

It didn’t take Dante long to notice something was wrong. “Everything all right, Ms. Brooks?”

She watched the back of his son disappear into the jet, unable to put her words into a sentence that didn’t make her sound like a child in front of him.

The left side of his mouth tugged up, catching on. “You don’t like flying, do you?”

“Correction,” she began to clarify. “I do not fly.” She left out the bit where she believed flying airplanes was like magic.

There wasn’t an ounce of pity on his face when he spoke. “Well, you do today, Ms. Brooks.” Dante then gave a brief nod to his bodyguard before turning his back on her and heading toward the jet.

Her fear of sounding like a child came to fruition as she suddenly felt like the annoying kid of a rich son of a bitch who didn’t have the time of day to parent. And, with Amo suddenly giving her a nudge to get moving, he might as well have been the mean-ass nanny.

“I’m going!” she snapped at the prick when he was about to push her forward again.

As she began to walk past him, she was able to see him head-on, which gave her a better view of him than she’d had in the back seat of the car. “Jesus, how old are you?” she asked incredulously, seeing that, while his frame was massive in stature, his face still had a youthfulness to it.

He gave her a suggestive wink, making her regret her words. “Old enough.”

Nadia couldn’t help putting him back into his place. “But are you old enough to drink?”

His smirk instantly disappeared as his eyes turned into vicious little slits. “Get going.”

“I’ll take that as a no,” she commented with a smile, knowing he was practically a child compared to her. Well, at least she was certain she could definitely outsmart him on her escape plan. Unfortunately, though, as she headed toward her second death trap of the day, it wasn’t going to be possible to escape here. She needed brawn, and Amo definitely beat her there.

Her ankles rattled in her heels as she walked up the steps to the jet, only able to step into the big machine because of the big idiot right behind her.

“Not there.” He pushed her past the first seat that was facing backward and was the closest to the door, to the one that was facing it on the opposite side, in the middle of the plane. There was a mahogany table between the two facing chairs, but hers was right next to where Dante was already sitting, so when she took her seat in the white, luxurious leather recliner-like seat, there was only a small aisle separating them.

When Amo went to buckle her in, she slapped his hands away from her. “I’m not a child …” Like you. She looked at him ruefully, knowing he knew her exact thought.

He flexed his jaw before taking the seat facing her.

Dante had simply watched their interaction curiously, clearly trying to figure out the context he had missed in the few minutes he had left them alone.

Reaching for the seat belt, she fumbled with it nervously as the jet’s door was closed.

Maybe, just maybe, she thought, hoping there was a way off this plane.

“Did you know that private planes are nearly as deadly as cars?” she said loud enough so the whole plane could hear her.

“That’s not true,” Amo retorted before looking over at Dante. “Is it?”

“Oh, it is,” Nadia confirmed as she finally clicked her seat belt together before continuing, “Loads more people die flying private than commercial.”

“You’re lying. She’s lying, right?” Amo asked, looking at his boss. You could practically see the nerves as he loosened the tie around his neck.

“Just Googled it.” A younger voice came from behind them, one belonging to a face that must have been plastered to his phone. “She’s not.”

Amo was no longer loosening his tie. He ripped it off his neck.

Taking the slack from her seat belt, she gave it a good, dramatic tug so it practically dug into her organs. “But, if you think about it, if something happens to your car, well, at least you have a chance of fixing it. Something goes wrong up there”—she pointed to the sky—“well, good luck fixing that.” Letting the tip of her finger fall in a decrescendo, she whistled as if it was an airplane about to crash.

“Ms. Brooks,” Dante called her name, as if in warning, while he reached over to cover her hand with his, “enough.”

Nadia drifted her eyes to the strong hand over hers.

CLICK.

The sound of Amo’s seatbelt finally clicking had her senses returning as she ripped her hand out of Dante’s.

She gave the bodyguard in front of her one hellish look, now that he had killed any hopes of her getting off this plane.

It was worth a shot.

Four

Fucking Florida

Nadia didn’t know who was more grateful—she or Amo—when the plane finally touched the ground and slammed to a screeching halt. It actually might’ve been Amo, since he was the first to stand and leave the second the door was opened. She would be proud of herself for getting inside the Caruso’s bodyguard’s head if she weren’t still in shock from doing the one thing she swore she would never do. She had still yet to even unbuckle her seat belt.

Again, the only thing she still saw of Dante’s son was his back as he followed behind Amo.

“Are you coming?”

Nadia blinked a few times before looking at Dante, who was standing over her.

“Well?” His voice was as cold as his stance. She could practically see the agitation she was causing him by having to tag along.

“You know I don’t want to be here, either. So, if I’m annoying you, remember that you only have yourself to blame for the situation you put me in,” Nadia told him, point blank.

“I already apologized, Ms. Brooks, for the circumstances of why you are here, and I only ever offer my apologies once.” He spoke as bluntly as she had. “And your presence wouldn’t be half as annoying if you weren’t trying to place your irrational fear on one of the last few good men I have left.”

Nadia had figured that her constantly asking if the turbulence was normal when they had been up in the air was getting under Dante’s skin, especially when Amo had finally taken over the job of asking.

It’s not my fault the big ones are usually the biggest scaredy cats. The big buffoon’s fear just happened to be the same as hers.

“If you’d like to stay on the plane, however, be my guest,” he kindly offered from over his shoulder as he headed toward the exit.

Asshole.

* * *

The woman had about five seconds to get her ass off the plane before he turned around and dragged her out.

Luckily for her, he heard the sound of the seat belt unclicking.

The small smile that played on his lips went unbeknownst even to him.

* * *

It was déjà vu all over again when she got into the back seat of another town car with Dante. Amo and Leo had already taken their places in the driver’s and passenger’s seats while the trunk was finally shut as the last of the suitcases was loaded by the small airport staff, just like it had been unloaded in Kansas City.

Long way from there now.

The sticky, muggy air that was practically suffocating her reminded her that she wasn’t in Kansas City anymore. The bright city lights from the tall buildings were now replaced with palm trees, while the smog from the city was replaced with salty air. She could practically feel her slick, silky black hair rising from the humidity.

Florida, she huffed. The disdain for the state that wasn’t hers could even be heard in her mind. Nadia had practically forgotten that getting on the airplane ended up in a completely different destination, and it hadn’t been until the pilot had spoken the name of where they were landing, followed by the weather, that she’d remembered that fact.

“What?” Dante asked.

Nadia turned her head from the window. “Huh?”

“What did you say?” he repeated.

She realized her huffing “Florida” hadn’t exactly been an internal thought.

“Oh …” She trailed off, turning to look back out the window, staring at the homes that were different than the traditional homes she was used to. There wasn’t a brick or stone in sight. Instead, most of the homes were covered in a mostly warm-toned stucco covering the Spanish-style homes. “Nothing.”

Staring at her curiously, he slightly raised one of his dark brows. “Do you have a problem with Florida, Ms. Brooks?”

“No, it’s not that.” She lightly shook her head. It wasn’t that she hated Florida, per se, or any other state, for that matter. She just didn’t have any particular feelings about any place but the one she had called home for thirty years. “I’ve just never left Missouri before, is all.”

You don’t exactly put much thought into traveling when you grew up the way Nadia had. She had learned early on in life that dreams never came true while you were awake.

Dante looked at her inquisitively with his icy-blue eyes. “Never?”

She shook her head before shrugging. If she had wanted to leave Missouri, she could have done so by now, but she had decided to be honest with herself on why she hadn’t.

“I love my city.”

* * *

He had to avert his gaze away from the woman who was becoming mesmerizing to him.

I do, too.

But even his soul knew that was a lie now.

Well, I used to.

* * *

Gripping the door handle, she could see her fingertips turning white, knowing that her escape plan would be happening soon.

It wasn’t her hand that opened the door, though, but Dante, who was now motioning for her to come on with his cold eyes alone.

She wondered why he was doing Amo’s job until she began walking slowly down the dock. The Caruso bodyguard was already on the yacht, seeming to be patting down the small staff, leaving Leo to take care of the bags.

Taking a quick glance over her shoulder as her cheap heels hit the wooden deck, she could see Dante only walking a few steps behind.

“Could you hand me that bag, please?” She heard the voice of the young man ask her.

She snapped her head forward to stare down at the black duffle bag at her feet. Bending her knees slightly, she quickly picked it up to hand it ov—

Oh my gosh. It took all of Nadia’s might to keep from jumping in shock upon seeing Leo’s face for the first time. The white gauze that covered his left eye sent a chill up her spine. She didn’t want to know what it was hiding underneath.

Her mind instantly went back to, “How many of your men has he taken out so far?”

“A few,” he admitted after a few passing moments. “And then some.”

It seemed Nadia had finally found out what that cryptic “and then some” meant after all.

Swallowing, she snapped herself out of it, hoping her face hadn’t given anything away. Nadia didn’t want Leo to know she found his face shocking. Working with damaged teens was literally her job. It was what she prided herself on, and even after seeing all the vile and horrible things that they went through … none of it prepared her to look upon him.

Nadia had what she called a gift. One look was all she needed to see beyond a child in pain in order to know their story. She had empathy for those who couldn’t protect themselves because no one had been there for her, either, as a child. Not until she found Anna …

Anna had had a gift like her, a gift that came as a blessing and a curse.

“Here you go.” She pasted a smile on her face while she held the duffle bag over the water for him to take as he stood on the yacht.

His single blue eye, which was much different in color than his father’s, dropped from her face sullenly to the bag she held out. “Thanks.”

The pang that ran in her gut told her what she thought of herself before her mind even did. Failure.

She had just failed this kid, and that was going to be the last time she was ever going to see him, as she was about to make her escape. Nadia didn’t know why, but she was sure that moment was going to be the one replaying in her mind until the day she died.

Leo Caruso was going to be the one that got away.

The disappointment in herself showed through as she watched him walk away. She couldn’t believe she had been so wrong about him. So used to working with teens who had nothing, she hadn’t gotten a chance to work with one who had every materialistic need.

She could feel the set of cold eyes on her now, and when Nadia looked over at Dante, she knew he had witnessed what had happened, and all her hopes of maybe playing off she hadn’t been shocked at all vanished. Expecting a disappointed look on his father’s face, much like herself, she didn’t expect the sympathetic presence that held his features.

“After you, Ms. Brooks,” he said with a wave toward the yacht.

“That’s okay. You go firs—”

“I insist.” Any hint of sympathy was now gone. His voice held that demanding grip that was usually present as he placed a light hand on her shoulder before giving her a push forward.

Prick. It was, in fact, the father who was the rich asshole.

Being last to get on the boat wasn’t in her escape plan. While she shakily got onto the boat, she also failed at trying not to seem like she struggled doing so.

The nerves in her belly began to stir as they started to undock and set sail. Dante staying one foot away from her at all times was going to make it tricky to escape if he didn’t give her space.

Watching the dock begin to get smaller and smaller, she knew her window of opportunity was closing. It was now or never, if only this asshole would take one step away from he—

* * *

The suddenness of Nadia’s hand being thrown up to cover her mouth had all three Caruso men looking at her as she ran to the edge of the boat.

“She’s going to blow,” Amo warned, and that was exactly why Dante didn’t follow close behind her. He didn’t need to see what she ate for breakfast.

Plus, they were so far out now that it wasn’t like she was going to jum—

Splash!

“Holy fuck!” Amo shouted.

Leo looked around at them. “Did she just fall in?”

They quickly ran to where she had flipped over the ledge, with Dante leaning his head over the water. He didn’t see her drowning. Nope, Nadia was trying to swim away.

“Well …” he said, looking at his soldier, who was just staring down at her, “are you going to get her?”

“Hell no!” Amo told him truthfully. “I’m built like a boulder; I’ll just sink.”

Turning, he looked at his son, but Leo clearly wasn’t eager, either, needing to only point at his nonexistent eye to say, “Not it.”

“Goddammit!” he grumbled, throwing off his jacket. What is the fucking point of having an army of men at my disposal for a time like this?

“You’ve got time,” Leo informed him nonchalantly as Dante quickly slipped off his Italian leather shoes. “She can barely doggy paddle and isn’t getting very far.”

Oh, how he desperately wished Lucca or Nero had come. Hell, he was sure his daughter, Maria, would have fucking jumped in, heels and all. Instead, he was stuck with these two.

Climbing onto the ledge, he took a single deep breath before expertly diving off. He cut through the water like a freshly sharpened knife cutting into paper before he rose back out of the depths. Shaking the water off his face, he adjusted his eyes to see that she, in fact, hadn’t gotten far at all. Hell, he wasn’t even sure you could call what she was doing a doggy paddle; that would be disrespectful toward canines who actually had the instincts to fucking swim.

Hearing a plop behind him had him looking to see that Amo had actually done something by throwing the life preserver over.

Dante had half a mind to let her ass drown right here and be done with her. Unfortunately, he found his arm hooking through the red and white ring to save the now-beginning-to-sink woman.

* * *

Okay, maybe I didn’t think this through.

If the devil were on her shoulder right now, he’d be saying, “Gee, you think?”

Hitting the water had knocked all the breath out of her as she made herself fall like she had passed out instead of properly jumping off. But that certainly wasn’t all, because she was certain she could swim as a kid.

All thoughts, however, were beginning to escape her, except for one, as water started to fill up her mouth and fatigue started to set in.

Fucking Florida!

She had taken one long dunk underwater, afraid this might be the end, when she felt a strong grip on her arm pulling her back up. Coughing up water from her lungs, she found her arms placed on something that floated, and she was able to put all her weight on it as she tried to catch her breath.

“Are you fucking crazy?” Dante’s harsh voice cut through the end of her coughing fit. “You could have hit your head and killed yourself falling off the boat like that!”

“Well, I was trying to get away from you!” Her hoarse voice cracked as she yelled back at her rescuer, who was still holding her to the floating device.

“Yeah, well, you were doing a great job at that.” His sarcastic tone couldn’t be missed over the sound of the water lapping against them.

She tried to push her wet hair out of her face. “Well, I swam this far, didn’t I? I wasn’t expecting anyone to jump after me, let alone that person being a faster swimmer than me.”

“Swimming?” He laughed sardonically. “Is that what you call what you were doing?”

“I went swimming as a kid once, and I thought I was going to be a much better performer than th—”

“Once?” He caught what she had said and seemed like he was reaching the end of his rope on dealing with her bullshit. “You’ve swam once in your whole life, and you still fucking jumped?”

She matched his tone. “Well, I decided to take my fucking chances with the water instead of One-Shot!”

It was like when she said the mysterious name, she could feel the mob boss’ presence completely change.

He took a deep breath, his anger dissipating as he took his hand off her to push his own hair out of his face. “I suppose that was smartest thing you’ve done all day.”

“Wow, thanks,” she quipped, slightly wishing he had just let her drown if One-Shot was as horrible as he was making them out to be.

“Listen, Ms. Brooks”—Dante caught his own breath while giving her complete honesty—“if you’re scared of One-Shot, like you should be, than the safest place you could be is on that boat for the weekend.”

“Okay, fine.” She finally gave in to him, defeated.

“So, we have a deal, then, Ms. Brooks?” This time, he removed his hand from the floaty instead of the one attached to his arm that held her to it.

She stared at the tanned hand, wondering if she should take the deal with the devil in the middle of the ocean or take her chances with the one out there … But, hell, this man had jumped in to save her, after all. She supposed she could give him a couple of days.

Finally, she took his hand. “We have a deal, Mr. Caruso. But, please, call me Nadia.” There was no point in keeping up the pleasantries, as she had a feeling this was going to be the longest weekend of her life.

“Nadia,” he repeated her name before asking her to do the same. “Dante, then.”

“Dante,” she agreed, their hands still clasped together, but she suddenly found her hand being dropped as he motioned for them to be pulled in.

“Just promise me one thing.”

Nadia looked at him curiously, wondering what the hell he wanted now.

“Don’t ever try to swim again.”

Five

Dramatic Effect This—

The sound of water dripping on the deck could be heard from both her and Dante, from being drenching wet as they were finally pulled back onto the yacht.

“Have a nice swim?” Amo asked her with a smile.

Nadia shivered, too cold to get her smart comeback out before Leo’s remark.

“I’m not sure you could call that swimming.”

Just when she thought the youngest Caruso was nothing like his father … “That would have been funny, if your father hadn’t already made the same joke five minutes ago.”

Both Leo and Amo furrowed their brows together as they looked over at Dante strangely.

She was just about to ask them why they were looking at him like that when Dante addressed the small staff that had just helped pull them out of the water.

“I’m sure one of you can show Nadia to her room and find her something dry?”

“Of course.” A blonde woman in a white Polo stepped forward. “Please, follow me.”

“Thanks,” she muttered, falling in step behind her, but her steps weren’t the only ones she could hear as she turned her head to see Dante following close behind, holding his dry jacket and shoes that he must’ve taken off before taking his dive.

“I’d like to get dry, too.”

“Right,” Nadia said with a nervous laughter. She tried not to feel guilty for his current state, but she certainly was responsible for him being wet.

Continuing to follow the staff woman, she led them to what appeared to be an outdoor living room with a bar that looked like an oasis in the middle of the ocean. However, it was when they went through the huge sliding glass door that her mouth dropped to the floor.

It was the most beautiful living area you could dream of, and it was on a freaking boat! Whenever Nadia thought of a yacht, she imagined them decorated in white and gold, but this was clearly no ordinary yacht. The walls were matte black, and the furniture was a rich velvet in a navy color. You’d think it would make the yacht appear too small, but it actually made it beautifully intimate, especially with the sliding glass doors open so you could hear the peaceful sound of the ocean. Nadia just wanted to be dry, curl up on the couch, and read one of her favorite books while she watched a movie on the ginormous TV screen. And that was just the living room.

There was also a small indoor bar and gaming section that held a pool table. This yacht was insane, and she couldn’t begin to wrap her mind around not only the cost of something like this but the fact that it was just a “vacation home.” She would be shocked if it was used more than five times a year.

This must’ve been the middle deck, as the woman led them to a staircase in the back. One half went upstairs, and the other half led down.

The woman motioned her hand toward a staircase that went upstairs. “Mr. Caruso.”

Dante simply nodded his head as he started to disappear up the steps.

“Ms. Brooks, you may continue to follow me,” the woman said as she began to descend below.

“Right, sorry.” Nadia quickly fell back in step … after she removed her gaze from the mob boss.

She didn’t know what was upstairs exactly, but down below held extravagant cabins, and as they passed each room, she could see a suitcase sitting beside the foot of each bed.

Nadia’s room came last. It appeared to be one of the more feminine rooms, decorated in a royal purple rather than a beautiful shade of blue. Unfortunately, her room didn’t hold a suitcase that was going to be magically filled with her stuff from home.

“I believe we have plenty of clothes for you here, ma’am. We typically get a lot of late arrivals of the female variety.” She winked before opening the small closet to reveal it jammed full of brightly colored clothing that appeared to be mostly skimpy dresses and cover-ups. “Boss likes us to keep anything that has been left behind.” She tried not to chuckle. Then, getting a hold of herself, she pointed toward the chest. “You will find plenty of bathing suits there, and any other items you might need will be in the head.” She now pointed toward a door. “Bathroom,” she explained the boating term when Nadia seemed confused.

Nadia tried her best to give the woman a friendly smile. “Thank you …”

“Lila.”

“Thanks, Lila,” she repeated the helpful woman’s name. Then Lila finally left her to it with a smile.

Nadia headed to the “head” first, needing a nice, warm shower after today’s events. First, she took off her jacket that had become plastered to her when she suddenly remembered …

The check!

Pulling out the now extremely wet rectangle piece of paper, she carefully placed it on the counter. The ink had bled a little, but it was still legible, right? She would let it air dry and find out later. If it wasn’t, she’d get Dante to write her another one. Hell, he might even add another zero after this disastrous meeting that had turned into a weekend.

She quickly undressed then showered in the small but luxurious bathroom before throwing on a bathrobe. She managed to find a blow dryer and a round brush to give herself her usual sleek blowout. It didn’t take long until her shiny, black hair was placed perfectly in her long bob that barely grazed her shoulders.

Shockingly, there was even makeup, but she decided against her usual cat eyeliner and nude lipstick, only putting on a tinted SPF she found to protect her skin from the harsh Florida sun. She supposed the perfect business look she always displayed could take a break for a few days while she was forced to be here.

Finally leaving the bathroom, she headed toward the dreaded closet. She gingerly looked through the brightly colored clothes to find them all of the skimpy variety. Hell, she was better off wearing her robe than those.

Deciding there was no way in hell, she went to the chest, praying for something that would cover her big ass around the man who had just given her a hundred thousand dollars for her charity, but when she opened the top drawer, then the next, then the next, she practically screamed when she opened the last.

Slamming the drawer closed, it was decided …

She would stay in her fucking room all weekend.

* * *

Dante sat with his son and Amo in the outdoor living area, catching the last few sunrays left in the day. They had all already changed into their vacation attire and had been resting, waiting for Nadia to join them. It wasn’t until the sun was beginning to set that worry started to set in.

“I’m going to go check on Nadia.”

“Good idea,” Amo told him, picking up an hors d’oeuvre from the plate Lila held. “I thought I heard her scream.”

“What?” Dante quickly got to his feet. “When?”

Amo plopped the little dish in his mouth. “When I went to go change.”

“That was hours ago!” It was everything he could do not to slap Amo on his big-ass head. “And you didn’t fucking think to check on her?”

“It wasn’t like a screech of terror,” Amo explained dumbly for him to calm down. “It was like one of those screams a girl makes when you get them white chocolate instead of dark chocolate when they’re on their periods.”

Leo, who looked like he might’ve been asleep, raised his sunglasses, revealing his bandaged eye underneath to give Amo a speculative look.

“Is that so?” Dante asked through gritted fucking teeth. It was no fucking wonder Amo was one of his last men who was still happily single.

“Yeah.” He shrugged his big shoulder, clearly not reading the room. “You know they do it for … dramatic effect.”

Dramatic effect this—

“Ow!” Amo yelped, rubbing the back of his head where Dante had just slapped the shit out of him as he passed. “What did you fucking hit me for?”

“Don’t be so dramatic,” he told him from over his shoulder as he headed toward the stairs.

He saw the tug on his son’s lips when he put his shades back down and went back to pretending to be asleep.

Fuck. He thought going on vacation was supposed to be relaxing. Instead, it was anything but. Now he had One-Shot finally targeting him, and what was worse was that now Nadia was involved. She wasn’t meant to have been thrown into his shit. He regretted ever calling her back to give her the check. He should have just fucking mailed it to her, but his ego wanted him to do it in person.

He had made a mistake by letting his instincts throw Nadia into his car because now One-Shot could interpret it as him caring for her. Hell, she wasn’t under-aged; he could just let her go and let One-Shot handle the rest, but his conscience wasn’t letting him, and now he was playing babysitter.

At least, if he got her out of here alive, she was going to be easy to keep quiet. Handing money over to her little charity was going to serve as more than just a tax write-off now.

Finding her room was easy once he took the final step. It was the only door down here that was closed. Raising his knuckles, he gently raked them on the door. “Nadia?” he called out when she didn’t answer.

He was just about to knock the door down when he heard a stir …

* * *

Nadia cracked open the door to see a sliver of Dante’s face on the other side. She couldn’t help but notice his ice-blue gaze drift down to what he could see of her robe.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb your sleep.”

“I wasn’t sleeping.”

“You’ve been sitting in here this whole time?” He began to slightly narrow his eyes now, as his hand started to lightly push against the door. “Is something wrong?”

“Excuse me!” Nadia quickly lost the battle as he barged in. “This is my room!”

“Amo thought he heard a scream earlier,” he said, giving the room a quick look around.

“I may or may not have screamed,” she said, pulling her robe closer together. “But that was a while ago. A little too late now to be worried.”

“Yeah, well, he didn’t tell me till about a minute ago.” Dante let his disappointment show clearly in his tone as he went to give the bathroom a check now. Returning to the bedroom, he asked the question she was hoping he wouldn’t. “Why did you scream, then?”

“I was just being …” Nadia couldn’t think of the right word to describe why she had screamed after seeing the clothing options.

“Dramatic?” he asked with a raised brow.

“No”—you freaking prick—“silly.” Yep, that was a much better word.

“Okay, then, what were you being silly about?”

Nadia went to open her mouth but couldn’t think of what to say.

“I’ll wait here all day ‘til you tell me,” he threatened, crossing his arms.

Clearly, there was no getting out of it. He wanted to know what caused her distress.

Shit, the crossing of his arms drew attention to what he was wearing now. Dante had changed into a looser white button-up shirt that revealed the top of his tanned chest. His black slacks were now a navy pair of … khakis? No one in Kansas City would ever believe Dante Caruso would be on a yacht in khakis, yet here he stood, and Nadia had to admit the casual look made him appear somehow younger, fresher and, regretfully, even hotter.

When he was about to take a seat on the bed, she gave in to his relentlessness.

“Fine.” She rolled her eyes with a sigh, heading over to open the closet door. “I didn’t scream out of fear. I screamed in frustration because the only clothes available to me this weekend belong to”—she pulled out a yellow see-through dress—“Sherry”—she then revealed a red dress with the sides cut out—“Cherry”—now she headed toward the chest to open the forbidden drawer, grabbing a handful of string bikinis that she let rain back down into the chest—“and Missy!”

Stepping closer, he took a good look at the contents in the drawer. “This is why you’ve been locked in your room all day?”

Okay, when he said it that way, while he looked at her like that, it did sound a bit dramatic … silly … or somewhere between both.

“They’re just bathing suits, Nadia,” Dante told her simply, like it wasn’t a big deal. “We’re in the middle of the ocean, for Christ’s sake. Just try to chill out this weekend and enjoy yourself. You’re safe here.”

Unconsciously, Nadia took a deep breath, feeling relief wash over her almost immediately at his words.

“Plus, I promise you, no matter what clothes you wear, it’ll be tough to break your”—Dante stared at her a moment, clearly thinking of the right word, until he did—“uptight façade.”

Nadia’s mouth practically dropped to the floor. “I am so not uptight.”

“Really …?” Dante lifted his tanned fingers to the first fastened button of his shirt. “You sure about that?”

“What are you doing?” she quickly stammered out, taking a step back.

Smiling now, the mob boss finished unbuttoning his shirt, revealing his cotton white tank top that clung to his now apparent muscles underneath. Holding it out to her, his smile only grew wider. “Use this as a cover-up.”

Nadia cleared her throat, both of them knowing she had just eaten her I’m not uptight words about as fast as they had come out. “Thank you,” she said kindly, taking the shirt from his grasp.

“You’re welcome,” he said, clearing his own throat.

It was as if, just as soon as she had seen his ice-blue eyes become warmer, they turned freezing cold once more as his smile suddenly disappeared. She began to wonder what she had said or done to warrant the quick change in his demeanor.

Unfortunately, his voice went just as cold as he headed for the door, “I’ll see you at dinner.”

Staring at the door that had just been slammed shut, Nadia was simply dumbfounded.

And I’m the dramatic one?

* * *

Dante’s jaw set in a fixed position as he left the room and went up the first flight of steps. He couldn’t remember the last “kind” act he had given, and the fact that he just kept doing them with a woman whom he was beginning to find attractive, more and more by the second, made a weird feeling creep in his gut. Was it … guilt?

Unfortunately, Amo and Leo had come into the inside living area. Even more unfortunate, they didn’t miss a beat.

Amo was the one to ask the obvious. “What the hell happened to your shir—”

“Shut it,” was all Dante said as he began climbing up the other steps to go put on another shirt. He knew how it looked, but he also knew it looked much worse than what had actually happened.

Right?

It was that fucking guilt that had him asking. Damn, he should have just let her stay in her room all fucking weekend. Why did I have to go make sure she was all right? It was all Amo’s fault because he had said he had heard her scream.

What was even worse was the fact that Amo’s idiotic comment had been right …

And he thought Maria was fucking dramatic.

Six

Father of the Fucking Year

Nadia had managed to find a black dress that had some length to it, thank God, and it actually covered her ass and the tops of her tall legs. The downside, however, was the top portion. The sweetheart neckline left nothing to the imagination when it came to her breasts. Thankfully, Dante’s shirt fixed that.

Taking the white button-up, she slid it on, but instead of buttoning it, she tied it around her waist, giving the dress a more casual look … while also expertly covering her goodies.

It didn’t take long for her to notice his scent. She wasn’t sure what exactly it was, but it smelled expensive and warm, with a touch of whiskey.

Shaking the thoughts of Dante’s smell beginning to creep into her mind, she finally left her room. She was about as comfortable and covered up as she was going to get with the clothing options she had. Uptight, pfft.

Nadia wasn’t uptight; she was just … sensible. Plus, her being uptight was rich, coming from a man who expected you to ask how high when he told you to jump.

Heading upstairs for the first time, Nadia tried not to feel self-conscious when she entered the room, but she couldn’t help it when Amo and Leo both noticed the shirt was clearly Dante’s. It appeared Amo seemed to be more amused than Leo, however, by the smirk on his face. Thankfully, Dante wasn’t in sight—

Well, shit.

Hearing someone on the steps had her head turning to see Dante gracefully descending. Oh, how she wished she didn’t find him so attractive, but he was quickly becoming her weakness.

When he simply walked by her without so much as a glance, she tried not to feel hurt. Why would she care if he looked at her, anyway?

Amo sat at the inside bar, unable to contain his smile. “Nice shir—”

Whack!

Dante smacked the back of his soldier’s head, stopping Nadia from being able to hear what he was going to say.

“Oh, and he is not twenty-one,” Dante told the male bartender, who had just poured whiskey into a crystal glass that sat in front of Amo.

When he watched his boss take the glass for himself, Amo frowned, his eyes immediately going to Nadia.

Nadia smirked maybe a bit too evilly at the big buffoon’s clear embarrassment now that her suspicion of him not being old enough to drink had been proven. All young adults wanted to be was old enough to legally drink, and they didn’t know yet that being able to buy your own alcohol wasn’t as great as it seemed.

“Of course, sir. Sorry about that,” the bartender, named Max, said as he lowered his head apologetically.

“And my son isn’t old enough to drink, either,” Dante warned in case Leo had any ideas, too.

Leo appeared unbothered and didn’t seem like he was the least bit upset, like Amo had been.

She walked up to the bar. The smirk hadn’t left her face as she stopped next to the sullen bodyguard. “I’ll have a drink, however.”

“What would you like?” Max asked from behind the bar.

“A glass of red wine would be fine, thank you.” Nadia wasn’t much of a drinker, but every now and then, she and Haley did enjoy a glass of wine with dinner.

You could practically hear the rolling of Amo’s eyes as he swiveled on the chair and got up. “Shocker …” he mumbled under his breath for only himself to hear. It was apparent he thought her drink choice matched her “uptight” persona.

“Would you like a particular—”

“Surprise me,” she answered, cutting him off. The only thing she knew about wine was that she liked it, even if it came out of a box, and she wasn’t about to embarrass herself pretending she knew anything about wine in front of Dante Caruso.

“Dinner’s ready!” Lila announced.

Just in time.

Taking her freshly poured glass, she and the rest of them followed Lila to the outdoor dining area on the deck. The table was beautifully set, and the view was beyond breathtaking.

Nadia took her seat at the end of the table, opposite of Dante, while Leo and Amo took theirs on each side of her.

Their salad was brought out almost immediately. Nadia took one look at it and instantly knew this was going to be interesting. The dressing was green, and it took her two bites to figure out what it possibly was.

“What the hell kind of dressing is this?” Amo whispered under his breath so none of the staff could hear. He was still trying to swallow his first bite.

Leo had been smarter, taking a smaller bite, but it was clearly still just as difficult for him to swallow.

“Enjoying the salads?” Lila asked, dropping off fresh bread. “The avocado cilantro lime dressing is a chef favorite.”

Amo went to open his mouth, but a kick from under the table, from Dante’s direction, had him managing to fake a pleasant sounding, “Mmhmm …”

It was all Nadia could manage to keep herself from laughing until Lila had left. “Eat some of the bottom with some bread. It’s not covered in the dressing too badly.”

Both boys immediately thought it was a good idea, as they each took a healthy piece of bread and cut to the bottom of their salads.

To be honest, Nadia could see even Dante was having trouble eating the top part of his salad, even though she was sure he wouldn’t admit it.

Thankfully, their next dish was brought out quickly. When asked if they were still working on their salads, they followed Amo’s suit of telling them to take it.

“Seared ahi tuna,” Lila told them gleefully as she set a beautiful but rare-looking dish in front of her.

Amo’s eyes went wide when his plate was set in front of him. “Oh, yum.”

Again, it was hard for her not to laugh. She, however, wasted no time digging in. She was never going to be able to eat fancy food like this, prepared by a chef, on her budget.

“It’s awfully …” Amo had trouble swallowing yet again.

“Rare,” Leo finished for him, the fish clearly not to his liking, either.

“That’s what seared ahi tuna is.” Dante was beginning to get frustrated with them. Whatever tone it was, though, Nadia didn’t like it.

“They’re just kids,” she told him, continuing on before Amo could get offended. “They just want pizza and fries, and I can’t say I blame them after that dressing.” Hell, she probably couldn’t pay one of her kids back home to eat this food. “That lettuce didn’t deserve that,” she finished with a small joke to soften the possible blow from the fierce-looking man who was staring straight at her for speaking up.

She waited for his smart response, but then they all turned at Leo’s light chuckle.

It was quite obvious to her that his father and friend were stunned. She wasn’t sure why until she quickly realized she hadn’t seen Leo crack much of a smile, let alone a laugh.

Leo was pretty quiet, and when he did speak, he didn’t use many words to get his point across. He liked to blend into the background, not draw attention to himself. And it broke Nadia’s heart because she knew exactly why he did that—his eye, or lack thereof. She was pretty sure that whatever had happened to him was quite fresh, considering his once white bandage grew muddier-looking in the center than the last time she had seen his face hours ago.

If there was one thing Nadia understood, it was the less you talked, the least attention you drew to yourself. Her friend, Haley, had perfected that.

She was at least thankful Leo’s laugh had drawn Dante’s attention, and it was as if his anger began to slowly dissipate.

“Here.” Nadia scooped half her rice onto Leo’s plate, and then the rest onto Amo’s. It was actually really good and seasoned to perfection, but she didn’t mind letting them have it instead. Finally, she took a piece of Leo’s tuna and placed it on her plate, but as she did, she would have sworn his eye, that was as deep and blue as the ocean, had seemed mystified. Unsure what caused it, she knew not to draw attention to it as she then, riskily, went to take a piece of tuna off Amo’s plate and managed to reach across the table to plop it onto Dante’s.

Dante stared down at his plate, just as dumbfounded as the boys were that she had just done that.

“Go on,” she spat after a few silent, awkward moments. “Eat up.”

All three men picked their forks back up and ate.

She felt as if she was testing the waters, seeing what she could and couldn’t get away with, with Dante, but she was almost certain it was the fact that Leo still held an almost hidden tilt to his lips that kept the big, bad mafioso silent.

“The rice is good,” Amo practically groaned in thankfulness that there was something he liked.

“It is …” Leo agreed quietly. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” She smiled over at the teen, suddenly grateful her attempted escape had been unsuccessful. Clearing her throat, she got her arising emotions under control. “Let’s hope you two will at least like the dessert.”

“Did someone say dessert!” Lila came back out, holding a pie.

Amo grumbled under his breath, “Oh Lord,” but quickly ate his words when she set it down in front of them with some plates.

“Key lime pie!”

Nadia’s mouth was already watering, “That looks wonderful. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Lila beamed, looking at her almost empty glass of wine. “Can I get you more wine?”

“No, thank you. I’m not much of a drinker.” As soon as she said the words, she regretted them as the Caruso soldier rolled his eyes again.

“Of course, you’re no—”

A kick from Dante’s direction had him stopping his words.

This time, however, Amo looked at his boss fiercely. “Ow.”

Playfully smirking, she hoped he had hit him in the same spot. She was pretty sure he had, as that one did appear to hurt.

“Would you care for a refill, Mr. Caruso?” Lila asked.

“Yes.” He wasted no time handing her the now empty glass, clearly needing it.

Lila took his glass to the bartender and was back with it in a simple moment.

“Thank you.” Dante didn’t even let the glass hit the table, downing half of the brown liquid immediately.

Finishing up their main dishes, neither Leo nor Amo could stomach another piece of tuna, while Dante and Nadia enjoyed theirs. Not able to stand them struggling any longer, she took her last bite then pushed her plate off to the side.

Grabbing the pie from the middle of the table, she took a clean spoon to taste test it first. “It’s good,” she announced to them, who clearly did not trust the chef to replace a simple ingredient for a fancy one.

You could practically see the relief on Amo’s face.

Taking the small plates, she cut a big helping of the key lime pie and handed it to Amo.

“Thanks,” he said, digging in.

Cutting off another huge piece, she handed the plate over to Leo with a sweet smile. Again, she swore his single deep blue eye became a little glossy.

“Thank you …” The teenager took the plate politely. “Nadia.”

“You’re welcome,” she said with a beam.

This time, she cut a perfect triangle piece that wasn’t nearly as big and held it out to Dante across the table.

He stared at the pie critically, not taking it. “Why do I get a smaller piece?”

Nadia was the one to roll her eyes this time. Men.

Setting that piece down in front of her, she took the last dessert plate and cut another piece, this time bigger than hers but still not quite as big as Leo’s and Amo’s had been. And she did so smugly, out of spite. Handing this piece to him, she could see his eyes had drifted over to Amo’s plate, noticing it was still smaller than his.

“Take it, or you won’t get any,” she warned him with an overly sweet tone.

Dante quickly took it while the boys’ eyes had grown slightly larger, but they didn’t dare say a single word.

That’s right. See if I cut you a piece of damn pie again.

About to pick up her spoon to eat her own piece, she couldn’t resist pissing the man off once more …

* * *

Dante watched as the fierce woman cut what was left of the pie in two.

She wouldn’t.

His gut instinct was telling him that she wasn’t going to do what she was about to do, but when he watched her place another piece on Leo’s already empty dessert plate, his jaw began to set, because his suspicion, he was sure, was about to come true.

He did not mind the pieces that were going to his son. He found it sweet, actually, and it tugged at what he thought was his dead heart. However, when the last piece hit Amo’s plate, his eyes turned into beady little slits at his soldier.

She would.

Why he fucking cared, Dante didn’t fucking know. But what he did know was that he didn’t fucking like it. Not one bit. And the fact that Amo seemed to enjoy being spoiled wasn’t helping.

His hand itched to pick up his fork … and wipe that fucking smirk right off his—

“Mmm …” Nadia groaned, finally able to take a bite of her pie. “The chef might be better at baking than cooking.”

Swallowing the bite of pie he had in his mouth was proving difficult. That small sound of satisfaction, along with the bit of cream she had just licked off her lips, made him have to adjust in his seat.

Dante took an inner deep breath and got himself under control. It had been a while since he had been with a woman. Every now and then, when he felt like he needed a release, he would take an out-of-towner up on their seductive attempts. But with his family, the family, and One-Shot being a constant problem in his life lately, the urge to fuck hadn’t even entered his mind. He was sure if he had taken that blonde who had given him a wink at the bar in his casino hotel yesterday, he wouldn’t find Nadia attractive in the least.

Not his dick, nor his brain, let himself believe that lie.

“I’ll say,” Amo agreed with her that he was a much better baker. “Do you cook, Nadia?”

What the fuck? His soldier had been trying his best to get on her nerves, and now he was easily being won by her cutting him a piece of fucking pie.

Suddenly, Dante’s hand itched to pick up his fork again …

* * *

Nadia tried her best not to laugh. “If you count microwaving and ordering takeout as being a cook, then I’m a pro.” Unfortunately for her, there were no passed-down recipes, let alone a hot meal prepared by a parent. Of course, it was no excuse, since she was now an adult and there were plenty of delicious recipes plastered all over the Internet, but her life pretty much revolved around her work, and she always thought her time would be much better spent on other things than learning to cook. “How about you?”

Amo shrugged. “Nah, I pretty much get all my food from the restaurants at the casino hotel.”

Nadia looked at Leo now. Any chance she was going to get to learn about Leo, she would take it. “And who’s the cook at your house? You or your father?” She highly doubted the latter.

“Neither,” Leo said without a thought. “My older brother, Lucca, usually cooks, if he’s home. He’s a really good cook.”

“He sounds lovely.” She liked Lucca already.

All three stared blankly at her, making her feel like she was missing something.

Amo was the one to break the silence, but she wasn’t sure if his words were serious or sarcastic. “He sure is.”

Again, the awkward silence had Nadia moving on. “So, do you live at the casino hotel or something, to eat all your meals there?”

Surprisingly, it was Dante who answered. “A lot of my soldiers have an apartment on the top floor.”

Huh? Is he beginning to trust me?

Nadia was sure that information wasn’t publicly known, yet he had trusted her enough to tell her. Why?

“That’s generous,” she commented. “And how long have you been living there?”

“Ever since I graduated high school and he gave me a job.”

Even the way he said the word job told her what kind of work he did for Dante Caruso.

“And you?” Nadia asked, her eyes piercing the mob boss’ young son. It might’ve been too late for Amo, but Leo was probably only halfway through high school. He still had a chance to not follow his father’s footsteps. “Do you plan on working for your father?”

She could tell Dante was waiting on bated breath to know what was going to come out of Leo’s mouth.

There was complete silence while Leo thought about his answer. Then he said, “I used to think so.”

Only Nadia asked the one thing everyone else wanted to know. “And now?”

Leo drifted his one eye to the table. “And now I don’t know.”

Instantly, Nadia’s heart sank, taking her stomach along with it. She knew his mind had only changed because of his eye. She desperately wanted to get to the bottom of his feelings, but with his father sitting on the other side of him, it wasn’t the time nor her place.

That was a job for his fathe—

“I’ve had a long day.” Dante wiped his mouth with his napkin then tossed it down onto the plate in front of him. “Good night.”

It was everything she could do to keep her jaw from hitting the floor as she watched him rise. But once he disappeared behind the sliding glass doors then up the steps, her jaw became practically sewn shut as her teeth clenched together in anger.

Father of the fucking year.

Seven

The Line Where the Ocean Met the Sky

Nadia woke up sometime in the middle of the night. She had always been a light sleeper, so when she heard a door opening, followed by footsteps padding down the hall, her curiosity had her getting out of bed and throwing on her robe.

As she passed the slightly ajar bedroom door, she instinctively knew which boy it probably belonged to and who was most likely still asleep, snoring on the other side of the other bedroom door.

Letting her feet take her to the bow, she followed her gut, heading to the front of the boat. It didn’t take long to find the one who had snuck out of his room.

“Can’t sleep?” she asked quietly over the ocean waves.

The back of the dirty blond hair just slightly shook. He hadn’t needed to turn his head to know who it was.

Not taking a step, she stared at the silhouette of the boy in the night. “Do you mind if I sit with you?” It was always important to ask for permission to talk with a troubled teen. Forcing your way in to understand them would never work.

“Sure,” he answered quietly.

Lightly stepping forward, she took a seat beside him on the deck of the boat, about a foot away from him. Nadia didn’t look over at him just yet, let alone speak. They both sat there quietly for what seemed like an eternal moment as they watched the front of the yacht slowly cut through the sea. Sailing during the day was beautiful, but it was a whole different kind of beauty at night. Up above held the most beautiful night sky that was filled with a billion twinkling lights, while below, the now dark ocean sparkled back with every wave that broke the salted water. They went on forever like a perfect picture until the different yet mirroring views seemed to meet miles upon miles away.

Thinking back to when Dante had left the table, Nadia had wanted nothing more than to do what his father should have—comforted Leo. But before she could get a single word out, Leo had left the table, like his father had, leaving her with Amo.

They had followed to bed shortly after, retreating from the awkwardness of what had taken place, making Dante successful in ruining the night for everyone.

“So, your dad … he’s quite … intense, huh?” she asked delicately, beginning to probe.

“You mean an asshole?” he said the word she clearly hadn’t used. “Yeah, pretty much.”

“Has he always been like that?”

“Yes and no.” Sensing she didn’t quite understand, he elaborated, “We always knew our father was an asshole, but he changed when our mother died.”

Nadia had probably been in her early twenties when Dante’s wife had died. Melissa Caruso’s blood that had been splattered across the grocery store parking lot, along with the bullet casings, hadn’t even been cleaned up when practically the whole city had found out about her gruesome death. No one had even needed to ask how or why she had been murdered. Everyone knew why … because she had married the most dangerous man in all of Kansas City.

Even though at the time, Nadia had known nothing about Dante nor his crime family, but she had been smart enough to know he had enemies. She just couldn’t believe she would get firsthand experience of the enemies he had attracted later in life.

“I’m sorry about your mother. I remember when it happened. All everyone ever said about her was how kind and beautiful she was.”

Leo, who had his arms resting on his bent knees, hugged them a little bit closer to himself. “I don’t have many memories left of her, but from what I remember, she really was.”

It hurt her heart to think how young Leo must’ve been when she had been murdered, but before she could express that to him, he stopped her. It was as if she had popped a cork on a shaken-up champagne bottle; his thoughts began to just bubble out.

“Losing her was harder on my older siblings, since they had spent more time with her. My brother, Lucca, took it the worst out of us kids, I think.”

All the things Nadia had heard about the oldest Caruso sibling had her intrigued to hopefully meet Lucca one day. She could only imagine how good of a person he must be.

“But, of course, none of us took it as hard as our father did.” Leo’s single blue eye hadn’t moved from the ocean view, but he appeared to be seeing a different scene in his mind. “None of us lost as much as he did that day.”

With her throat going dry at his words, she swallowed hard. He changed, she remembered the words Leo had just said moments ago.

Sensing her exact thoughts, he continued, “Dad was always intense, but not with her. With her … he was just happy. And I don’t think he’s been happy since.” Leo’s voice turned to a whisper. “Not even his own children make him happy anymore.”

Nadia finally turned her head to look at Leo. From this angle, he looked perfect, untouched, but she knew what the other side held. Her heart absolutely shattered for the boy who was clearly lost at sea.

“It is never a child’s job to make their parents happy. That was never yours, nor your siblings’, responsibility. Happiness is something Dante needs to not only find but to accept all on his own.”

She doubted the man who had almost everything couldn’t find happiness after all these years. It was something the mob boss was no longer accepting into his life.

“Do you understand?” she asked seriously as she fiercely stared at the boy. She desperately wanted him to understand that not an ounce of his father’s happiness ever rested on his shoulders. Hell, she didn’t want Leo to blame any misfortune of his life on himself. “The life your father has chosen is his to make, and I’m sure your mother knew the risks as well. But you, Leo … you haven’t chosen this life.”

Slowly, Leo turned his head as a single tear spilled down his perfect cheek. “I can’t choose anything now. I’m stuck with this.”

Her eyes drifted to the left side of his face. She didn’t know what crept below that gauze, yet she knew it was as gruesome as the color of it now. His words might not have told her everything, but she understood enough.

“Don’t think, for one second, that having only one eye will hold you back from the life you want. There are people out there who have done extraordinary things who have lost both.”

Was Leo sighted? Yes. But would Leo ever look the same or be the same? No.

“That,” she said fiercely, nodding her head to his lost eye, “is simply a scar of where you came from, and don’t ever let that keep you from the life you deserve.”

Wiping his cheek with the back of his knuckle, he went to wipe his other cheek, only to remember that not only would a tear not be there but could never cross that cheek again.

“How would you know?” he asked harshly under his breath. He appeared to be breaking.

Nadia took no offense, knowing he was lashing out in the only way he could. So, she calmly took a deep breath, looking at the line where the ocean met the sky. It was a reminder that, even if you came from two worlds, you could always find a place where they came together.

“I don’t remember much of my mother, either. I just remember I loved her so much. Like your mom, she was so kind and beautiful …” She let her eyes drift to the dark sky, looking at a particular star that sparkled brighter than the others. Knowing where the story was going didn’t make it hurt any less, even after all these years. “She was murdered by my father when I was five, right before he took his own life.”

Leo slightly turned his head to look back at her. His eye had lost all tears, and the deep blue orb had turned stormy …

“It was a classic domestic abuse case,” she told him, continuing. “But since their arguments were always about my mother loving me more than him, I blamed myself for my mother’s death”—taking a moment, Nadia had to clear her throat for her confession—“for a long time.”

It was apparent in Leo’s intense eye that he was beginning to understand, as it was obvious he, too, wanted her to know that she couldn’t blame herself for her parents’ mistakes.

“I was put into the foster care system after that,” she announced, her tone changing from something heartbreaking to somber, like this part of her life, while tragic, wasn’t as horrific compared to losing her mother and being in a domestic violence home. “And with every bad home I was put into, I ran. While every good home I was placed in, I managed to ruin because I didn’t believe I deserved happiness after what I had done.”

“I’m sorry,” Leo finally managed to say with a slight flex of his jaw.

“It’s okay,” she told him, letting him see she was now content with her past. “My social worker was overworked and frustrated, so she sent me to check out this charity that was just starting up when I was thirteen. And when I got there”—a smile finally touched Nadia’s lips—“Anna took one look at me, and I swear she understood everything I had ever been through, right there.” The brighter tone carried on in her story as she found her happy ending. “She got me into an amazing program where I got to go to a boarding school for free in St. Louis, and there I met my best friend, Haley. When I graduated, I came back to Kansas City and started working for Anna, because all I wanted was to help others like me.”

“And now?” he asked curiously, wanting to hear the rest. “Do you still work for Anna?”

“Unfortunately, she passed away last year … from cancer,” she told him, letting him know that, while she had gotten a happy ending from her past, it didn’t mean that there still weren’t bumps in the road in the future. “But she left her charity, Moonbeam, to me, and I still get to help so many teens today.” Proud of what she had accomplished was an understatement. Moonbeam, which had started out in the same building it was housed in today, was about to get an upgrade in their mission to help shelter even more at-risk teens, thanks to her and Haley. “That’s why I’m stuck here.” She laughed. “I met your father at his casino hotel for a meeting.”

“Did you get your donation?” he asked with a slight smile, knowing why she must’ve come.

“Oh, I got a bit more than that,” Nadia joked, looking at where she sat in the middle of the freaking ocean.

The two sat for a few more eternal moments under the moonlight, not needing to say another word. The hardest part had come, and now she had to wait, for not only when Leo was ready to talk, but if. It hurt to know he would have to come to her first, as all she had done was open the door.

Feeling like she had accomplished enough with Leo for one night, she stretched out the next few moments until she yawned then got to her feet. “What do you say to getting some sleep? That way, we can spend the day resting in the sun tomorrow?” she asked with a smile while she held out her hand to help him up.

“Sounds good,” Leo told her after a few seconds before taking it. As he did so, both of them had a silent understanding that he was taking the helping hand not only literally but figuratively as well.

The walk back to the cabins below was spent silently between the two as they were careful to not wake anyone else on the boat. Whispering good night to the boy, she then opened the door to her room when she heard him speak.

“Nadia?”

Nadia turned her head to look at Leo, who stood down the hall just a bit outside of his door.

“Thank you.” He said the words so gratefully that it almost broke her.

She swallowed, hoping her voice didn’t come out hoarse from too much emotion. “You’re welcome.”

Watching him slip into his room, she slipped into her own and wiped away the tears that were able to fall upon both her cheeks. There was always that fear she had when she dealt with teens who had extreme cases …

Nadia just hoped she wasn’t too late.

Eight

Thinking of You 🍆👅

Nadia felt groggy the next morning after going to sleep with tears in her eyes. She couldn’t help but be affected by the teen. She hoped that at least while they were on the boat, she would be able to shoulder his pain for a few days.

Getting dressed for the day, she focused on de-puffing her eyes and followed up with the tinted SPF again. Quickly brushing through her short hair, she left the bathroom with a silent prayer that she would magically find something appropriate to wear.

Of course, she had no such luck.

Scavenging through the bathing suits, she didn’t pay any attention to looks or color; all she focused on was which one had the most coverage. Finally, she came across a neon orange bathing suit that at least wasn’t a string bikini. She had to admit, it did do a lot of favors for her, especially the bright color against her tanned skin.

She then found a pair of cutoff blue jean shorts that didn’t cover much more than her bikini already did, but when she finished it off with the button-up shirt that Dante had let her borrow, she didn’t feel so self-conscious. She looked perfectly appropriate to be dressed this way on a yacht and finally felt comfortable enough to leave her room.

You’re going to enjoy yourself. It’s not like you’ll ever get to be on a freaking yacht again.

Mentally preparing herself for the day was important as she went up the steps. It didn’t take her long to notice the glass doors were already opened once she had reached the landing. Following the sound of commotion, she saw Dante already at the breakfast table, drinking a coffee.

“Good morning.”

* * *

“Morning.” Dante had simply raised his eyes above his mug for only a second before instinctively looking back down then straight back up for a double-take to make sure he had seen what he had seen.

Thankfully for him, Nadia had been walking to her seat and didn’t catch his action. He was simply noticing her slow change in appearance from her usual uptight self. He could still see that part of her, but now he could at least picture her having fun outside of an office.

Hell, after last night’s dress and the orange bathing suit he could see peeking through under his shirt, he was starting to wish she had her clothes from home, too. It certainly didn’t help that the shirt was his. It had been a long time since his shirt had been around a woman, and it was putting thoughts he definitely shouldn’t be having about Nadia in his mind.

He needed to be careful about letting his gaze linger on her. He didn’t want her to notice because, if she did, she might make a move, and he wasn’t sure he was strong enough to turn her down right now.

Man, how he wished he had taken that blonde up before he’d left …

* * *

It was everything Nadia could do to keep her eyes to herself as she took her seat across from him. He was wearing a casual outfit again with the top of his chest peeking through, and she just wished he didn’t affect her, like she was clearly not affecting him. The mob boss hadn’t so much as glanced at her since he had come into her room yesterday, and, honestly, now that she thought about it, she didn’t know what she expected, as he had literally given the shirt off his back to cover her up.

If a man was giving you clothes to hide your body, it probably meant he didn’t find you attractive.

Suddenly, she felt stupid for even caring about what she wore when she had come out of her room. She could be fucking naked, and she doubted the man would even notice.

“Would you like some coffee, Ms. Brooks?” Lila asked, holding a coffee pot.

“Yes, please,” Nadia answered quickly, needing the pick-me-up ASAP after the events of yesterday, and last night on top of that.

“Didn’t sleep well?” Dante asked, finally taking a proper look at her.

“You could say that,” she told him, not wanting to reveal the reason for her lack of sleep.

Thanking the kind blonde, she poured some cream and a packet of sugar into her coffee that was sitting in the middle of the table.

The big sounding footsteps, followed by, “Mornin’,” didn’t require either of them to look up to know who it was.

A refreshed-looking Amo took his seat while Leo joined them, looking the exact opposite. Not even his sunglasses could hide his weariness, and his father took notice as he then danced his eyes between his son and Nadia, making her grow nervous. It would be fine if Dante found out she had a deep conversation with his son; she just instinctively knew Leo didn’t prefer it, as most of their conversation revolved around Dante.

“Late night?” he asked his son suspiciously.

“Nah, he went to bed right after you,” Amo surprisingly answered, getting Leo and her off the hook.

“Oh,” Dante spoke, and it was like you could see his suspicion move from Leo to Amo. “So … you two sat up late, then?”

Huh? Nadia didn’t quite know what was hidden in his tone until a slow smile appeared on Amo’s lips before he spoke.

“Why would it matter?”

Uh, no! “No, it was an early night for everyone.” She made it extremely clear for them.

Did she just see a wash of relief pass Dante’s face? He didn’t look pleased with his soldier right now. In fact, it kind of looked like he wanted to kill him. But what did that mean …? Could Dante have been jealous if she had sat talking with Amo all night?

Nadia practically laughed that idea off in her head. There was no way Dante Caruso gave a shit what she did as long as she stayed on this yacht.

“So, what’s for breakfast?” Amo asked Lila when she poured him and Leo some coffee into their awaiting cups.

“Yogurt parfaits!” she announced before leaving to go get them. As she brought them each a beautifully displayed serving, she could tell Amo didn’t appreciate the beauty of them, due to their size. “You’ll want to be sure to save your appetite for lunch. The chef is preparing something yummy.”

“Great,” Amo voiced, practically eating his parfait in one bite.

Leo had done the same. Except, as soon as he finished, he went to go lie down on one of the sun loungers. Amo actually followed behind him, only he had thrown his shirt off before lying in the sun, revealing that his shorts were actually swimming trunks underneath.

“May I borrow your phone?” she asked Dante before he could get up to do the same. “I really need to let my friend know I’m okay.”

Not saying a word, he reached into his pocket then slid out his phone before giving it to her.

“Thanks.” You could hear the surprise in her voice that he had actually done so. Nadia didn’t know why, but she was afraid he would assume she would try to call the cops or something, saying he had “abducted” her. Again, it showed the trust they were gaining in each other.

She hit the ten-digit number, and the other end rang for a few moments before it went to voicemail. “Shit.”

Dante lifted his cold gaze to her. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” she muttered. “I’m sure she just thinks it’s a spam call. Do you mind if I text her?”

“Go ahead.”

It was hard not to be nosy as she went to the messaging app on his phone. She really freaking tried not to glance down at the preview they gave you for the previous messages, but her eyes instantly went to a particular message, due to the graphic Emojis that were used …

THINKING OF YOU 🍆👅

It was everything Nadia could do to keep the regurgitation from coming out of her mouth.

She had half a mind to text the poor woman back that Dante clearly didn’t care enough about her to add her number in the contacts, but that would require Dante finding out she had done so. Hopefully, the woman would get a clue soon that even the Caruso mob boss was shockingly … just like all men.

Sure not to look at any other messages after having her fill, she quickly punched in Haley’s number and sent her a message.

LOST MY PHONE. USING SOMEONE ELSE’S TO TELL YOU I’M SAFE. SEE YOU MONDAY.

At least now, if she didn’t see Haley on Monday, she would call the cops and come looking for her, and that gave Nadia relief enough to enjoy the rest of her weekend.

“Thanks,” she told him, handing back his phone while trying to still get that godforsaken text message out of her head, along with the bad taste out of her mouth. “Are there any books here?” Knowing she wasn’t going to be able to sleep in the sun all weekend, she itched to read one.

“There are some books under the television,” Lila was the one to tell her as she refilled Dante’s cup.

Smiling in thanks, she headed for the console placed under the huge TV in the inside living room. On the side was an open bookcase, holding a few decorative items and even fewer books.

She had to crouch to her knees to read the spines and, as her finger went through the options, she quickly realized she wasn’t going to find a book to her liking. They were all nonfiction, and Nadia preferred fiction. Her life had been enough of a shit show, so when she read, she preferred to escape.

On the last shelf, she noticed a hardcover that certainly stood out compared to the others. For one, it had a spicy couple on the front, while the other covers looked quite boring. Picking it up, she quickly glanced at the back, reading the synopsis. It was a romance that happened to take place in a motorcycle club, and that was definitely not fucking boring.

Nadia enjoyed a good romance, but they were usually historical ones, and, from the cover alone, she highly doubted they would be anything alike.

Deciding to take off the dust jacket to avoid any remarks at her book choice, she headed back out to the deck.

She took a lounger on the other side of an already sleeping Leo and dived right into the motorcycle world. Instantly, the one difference she noticed between historical and contemporary romance books was that they certainly didn’t waste any time. In her historical books, it took practically the whole book until the couple did the deed, but in this book, she didn’t even make it past the first chapter.

Going from a sweet romance to this was like being thrown into a proverbial sex dungeon. The main character called herself Sex Piston, and her group of biker bitches each had a nickname just as worthy. The men of the club, however, were much like men in the real world, except they actually voiced they were horny twenty-four seven. But for some reason, it was strangely endearing when it came out of a hot six-foot-one biker who wanted to fuck you in nothing but his cut.

Nadia couldn’t believe how easy it was for men these days. All they needed to do was read one of these bad boys, and they would have a woman all figured out. If only they knew the secret to all women was held within the pages of a romance book … divorce rates would plummet.

But just as she had that thought, Dante came over to the remaining lounger.

Nadia thought that keeping her eyes from reading Dante’s text messages was hard, but it was impossible to keep her eyes on the cream pages in front of her.

Watching his fingers slowly travel down the front of his shirt had her belly somersaulting in anticipation. Fucking hell. The man gave the hero in the book she was reading a run for his money, and his nickname was Stud.

Dante was a certified D-A-D-D-Y, and she was sure, if he were in this book, Sex Piston would be screaming it. His olive complexion graced every inch of him, and there wasn’t a single tan line to be seen. Honestly, Nadia didn’t know where to look. The man had fucking abs, for Christ’s sake, and in his forties! Between the abs, the salt-and-pepper hair, and the swim trunks, she didn’t know if she was melting because of the sun or him at this point.

Even his chest hair had her reeling. Oh God, but the shorts … had her going back for another peek from behind her book. They were a gray pair that hugged his tone body to perfection. They not only highlighted his abdominal muscles, but the muscles in his thighs that were on display due to his shorts being on the fitted side rather than the loose ones that men had worn when she had been growing up.

Stop it! She had to snap herself out of it. She blamed the damn book, even though she had been stuck reading the same sentence over and over again for the last five minutes.

At least her stance on one thing had changed—she was certain Dante Caruso didn’t need to pick up a romance novel to know what a woman wanted …

“Drinks?” Max was overheard behind them before he appeared, holding a tray of extremely large, garnished beverages.

“What is it?” Nadia asked as she stared at them quizzically.

Amo took his drink that was being held out to him. “Who cares?”

“Rum runners.” Max smiled now, handing one to a groggy Leo. “But don’t worry; I made theirs virgin.”

The huff from the bodyguard at the end was not missed.

“Yours, however, are not,” the bartender said, holding one out to her.

“Oh, no, thank you. I’ll pass.” It was a bit too early in the morning for her. She much preferred her glass of wine for dinner.

“What a waste,” Amo grumbled, not so much under his breath.

“You know what …” Nadia shot an evil glare down to him. “I will have one.”

Taking the huge glass, she took a big, spiteful sip from the straw and, as much as she wanted to rub it in his big face, she was actually taken aback by how good the frozen drink was. “That’s delicious, Max.”

“Thank you.” He beamed, giving the last one to his boss.

Taking another sip from her drink, she sat back and dived back into her book. It was hard for her eyes to leave the pages, only doing so when Dante flipped himself in the lounger to tan a different side of his body. Having all her attention on one male in the real world was enough, so it really made her focus on the heroine called Sex Piston. She was everything Nadia wasn’t, and the more she read about the biker bitch, the more she fell in love with her. She envied Sex Piston’s confidence more than anything. Sex Piston wouldn’t have screamed after finding those clothes Nadia had been left with. Hell, those clothes were probably from a woman named Sex Piston. But even though she showed off her body, she still demanded the same respect that would be given to a nun … unless she was in the bedroom, then she definitely didn’t want to be treated like a nun. Nadia was right there with her, however, because she definitely wouldn’t want Dante to treat her like a nun.

Before she knew it, she was another chapter in when the straw that hadn’t left her mouth had struggled to come up with more liquid while it made a gurgling sound.

As she set her empty glass down, her eyes caught Leo’s sleeping face, and she could see his cheek turning a shade of pink.

Nadia quickly put her book down and went on a hunt for a bottle she had seen lying around somewhere. Finding it under the TV, she went back out to the boys.

“Wake up,” she demanded the two, and when their sunglasses had raised with them waking, she tossed the bottle at the big one. “You need to put on some sunscreen.”

“We’re Italian.” Amo shrugged, putting his shades back on. “We tan. We don’t burn.”

That logic almost hurt her brain. “Where the hell did you hear that?” she asked, dumbfounded. “The sun doesn’t care what you are; it will still burn you and give you skin cancer if you stay out long enough. Now, put it on.”

“Damn.” Amo picked up the bottle. “All right, then.”

Her delivery might’ve been a little harsh after that rum runner, but at least she was getting them to do it.

Taking back her seat, she didn’t pay them any attention as they started slathering themselves.

“Can you do my back?”

Nadia drifted her eyes over. “Me?”

“Yes, you,” Amo said, like there wasn’t anyone else around who was perfectly capable of doing it.

Dante could be heard stirring for the first time in a long time.

Her eyes merely went back to her page as she flipped to the next one. “No, Leo can.”

“Hell no,” Amo told her. “He ain’t rubbing shit on my back.”

Rolling her eyes heavenward, she put her book back down. The downfall of big dudes was they had to look hard at all times. “You know, real friends rub SPF onto each other’s backs.”

“No, I just don’t trust him to miss my whole left side.”

Nadia’s mouth practically dropped at Amo’s “one eye” joke, not knowing how to react in the silence until Leo did.

“Fair enough.” Leo laughed. “I don’t even trust you, and you have two.”

Nadia felt comfortable enough to chuckle now as she took the bottle and squeezed out some of the contents. “Turn.”

Another sound came from Dante’s direction.

* * *

Dante turned in his lounger, the death glare in his icy eyes hidden behind his dark glasses.

However, he was sure his soldier still could not only see it but felt his warning glare.

He had two best friends, and Amo was one of his best friend’s son. But not even his father, Enzo, could protect Amo from the wrath he felt raging in his bones. Dante wanted to do more than slap the back of his big-ass head right now while he watched Nadia begin to rub the liquid onto his back. Never once had he been jealous of one of his soldiers … but there was certainly a first for everything.

He hoped Amo was enjoying himself, because that was going to be the first and last time he was going to get Nadia’s hands on him.

“Ah … that’s the spot—”

Whack!

“Make it weird, and you’ll be left with Dante rubbing lotion onto your back all weekend,” she reprimanded the six-foot-something soldier after doing exactly what Dante had wanted to do by smacking the back of his big-ass head. He only had one criticism …

Hit harder next time.

Amo was still rubbing the back of his head. “Sorry, I won’t do it again.”

Clearly satisfied that he had gotten the message, Nadia went back to finishing up his back.

Dante, however, wasn’t satisfied. At least not until her attention went to Leo. He carefully watched her look Leo over, and when she rubbed in a still white spot on his cheek that he had missed, he saw her frustration with herself.

“I should have had you two putting on SPF earlier. I’m so stupid.” Nadia wasn’t happy that Leo’s cheeks had turned the slightest color of pink, placing the blame of them getting burnt onto herself, even though Leo was not only old enough to know to put it on himself, but also Dante, Leo’s father, was sitting right there.

When Leo grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled it off finally, he let the woman cover his back, and that was when Dante saw it.

Nadia had taken the same care in covering both of them, like a mother would have. Her touch on Amo was no different than Leo’s, and suddenly, his jealousy turned into a feeling that again tugged at his heart.

It had been a long time since he had seen anyone mothering his son. His daughter, Maria, would do a motherly act every now and then, but this was obviously different to him. And with every kind act toward Leo, it made him see Nadia differently each time.

It was only the guilt that crept into his soul that reminded him to stay away from her.

Men like Dante didn’t deserve happiness. Not when he had buried his wife six feet below.

* * *

Satisfied the boys wouldn’t burn, Nadia took her spot back on the lounger with the bottle in hand.

“I’m going to go for a swim to cool off,” Amo announced, which had Leo following.

“I’ll come, too.”

Watching the boys head to the back of the yacht, she could see Amo jump straight into the ocean, while Leo sat down to let his feet dangle in. She could tell he didn’t want to get his bandage wet.

Returning to her task, she squeezed some of the lotion out and began to apply it liberally to her risen tanned leg.

* * *

Okay … maybe he deserved happiness, at least for the weekend.

Careful that his shades were concealing his insistent staring, he watched the woman, who was becoming more beautiful by the second, apply lotion to her body. Her bronze tan glowed more with each swipe until her legs glistened in the sun.

Dante was sure the lower half of her body was his favorite, at least from what he had noticed. Her calves were toned, along with her thighs. On first glance, you’d think she was just on the thicker side, but you could actually see the muscle turn under her skin as she moved her leg to reach a different spot.

She had a true athletic build, with a generous ass to prove it, but when she slipped his white shirt off her shoulders to finally reveal her orange bikini top, he was no longer sure her bottom half was his favorite.

Her bronze skin continued glowing with each lather. She had merely turned enough to give him a glimpse of her breasts, and, while she was bottom heavy, they were a perfect handful that had him closing his eyes to dream about …

* * *

Nadia tossed the bottle onto a sleeping Dante. “Put this on.”

She was surprised to find that he didn’t argue like Amo had but did as she said without so much as a word.

Picking her book back up wasn’t enough to distract her from watching him, so she had to completely turn herself to the other side in order to concentrate on the words and not gawk at Dante.

“Would you mind?”

She looked back over her shoulder at his words, seeing that he held out the lotion.

“I can’t reach my back.”

Internally screaming at her predicament, she had to think, What would Sex Piston do? But she knew exactly what Sex Piston would do.

“S-Sure.” She swallowed, gathering her composure as she put down her book. As she took a seat behind him on the lounger, Dante waited patiently.

Squeezing out the contents with shaking hands, Nadia bit her lip nervously. Stop being stupid. She had just applied lotion on Amo’s and Leo’s backs, and this was no different.

But staring at the expanse of his back told her it was much different, and it sure as hell felt different when her hand touched his skin. They had been just kids, whereas Dante Caruso was a man. A man who had her body aching since the moment she had lain eyes on him in his office, but she had just been too proud to admit it until she could no longer deny it.

Goose bumps prickled up her arms at the fact that she suddenly had free reign to touch his body, especially when she got to his strong shoulders. She knew that was definitely going to be her favorite part, which was why she saved it for last, and it certainly didn’t disappoint.

When a wild thought caught her mind that would have been Sex Piston approved, Nadia hurriedly rubbed in the last bit that was still white, then she made it disappear quite roughly.

“Okay, done,” she blurted awkwardly, wanting to desperately put space between them, but as she quickly stood, her hand was captured.

“You need some, too,” he announced coolly, pulling her down in front of him, making her unable to protest.

Still, she tried. “Oh, I’m oka—”

“Don’t be silly,” he said, using her words against her as he kept her in place. “You can’t make a big deal out of us using it to not do it yourself.”

Nadia gulped. “O-Okay.”

Christ, she thought, applying it was hard, but just waiting for Dante to start is torture. He seemed to be taking his job seriously, making her technique pale in comparison, even before he began touching her.

Rubbing the liquid between his palms, he warmed it up so when his hands did finally grace her skin, it was like warm oil being caressed into her skin, unlike the cold, thick mess she had rubbed into his.

To say it was like Heaven to be fondled over by Dante Caruso would be an understatement. The things he made her feel with his hands alone weren’t going to get her into Heaven. He made her feel sinful, in every good way imaginable, and she never wanted this moment to end.

Actually, she was starting to get the impression he didn’t want it to end, either, with the amount of time his hands spent coating her body. It far exceeded the amount of time he needed, and it was as if he was exploring. Every inch of her, he had taken special care, and when his fingers danced under her top strap and came dangerously close to the side of her breasts, she thought she was going to explode with pleasure. So much so that her lips parted.

When his hands then slid slowly to the other side, her back practically arched in anticipation …

Unfortunately, the light footsteps couldn’t be heard until they were right next to them.

“Sorry.” Leo quickly noticed that he might be interrupting something. “I just needed some water.”

* * *

Dante practically sighed when Nadia hurriedly left his touch in embarrassment to go sit back down in her lounger.

He had really been enjoying himself, too. Regretfully, probably a little bit too much until his son arrived, and he didn’t miss that fucking smirk Leo carried on his face, either, as he went to get a drink.

Fucking kids. They ruin everything.

Nine

Fucking Kids. They were such Cock Blockers

“Do you think you can make me another one?” Nadia asked when Max had shown back up to take their empty glasses.

“Of course.” Max smiled, proud with himself. “Another rum runner coming up.”

“Now, that’s what I’m talking about,” Amo cheered, coming back from his swim. “Keep ’em coming.”

Nadia laughed, proud of herself the more she loosened up, and when her second drink came, it tasted better than the first.

“Oh, I didn’t …” Dante stared at the rum runner that was being held out to him and was going to deny it, probably for his usual brown liquor, but he ended up just taking the drink. “Thanks.”

Lunchtime came shortly after, when Lila showed up to their loungers with sandwiches and fries. “Who’s hungry?”

“Me!” Amo urged like none of them didn’t already know.

Lila started handing out plates. “Well, I thought you guys might enjoy eating out here.”

“Great idea,” Nadia told her with a smile as she took her plate. She wasted no time plopping a fry into her mouth only for her to barely be able to contain her laughter so she could see the reactions she knew were about to ensue.

She watched them all take a big bite of their café-style chicken sandwiches first, and finally died of laughter when Amo ate a fry.

“What the fuck is that?” he yelled.

Nadia plopped another fry in her mouth. “Truffle.”

“How the hell do you always know what’s in it?” Amo asked in frustration.

“I went to a boarding school, and I ate a bunch of interesting food there.”

Amo didn’t look the least bit surprised, “Of course, you did.”

Leo suddenly met her eyes, both of them sharing a knowing look. She could see the fact that he wanted to say something to Amo about his comment, but Nadia gave him a silent look not to.

She had never cared what people thought of her. Many people assumed she had been born with a silver spoon in her mouth, and if she had spent her life telling everyone she ever met that it had actually been plastic, Nadia would be exhausted.

However, her focus being on Leo made her miss the fact that Dante had noticed the strange exchange between her and his son.

Amo now looked on the verge of tears from hunger. “Now, why do they gotta ruin perfectly good fries with that shit?”

“It’s how they make fries fancy,” she told him, glad to move the conversation along.

“Fries are supposed to be fucking greasy, not fancy.” Amo shoved his sandwich into his mouth with defeat. His next words were almost unintelligible while he rolled his eyes. “Rich people.”

“They can’t be—” Leo took a fry to try. “Never mind.”

Seeing Leo wince, Nadia was honestly beginning to agree. The food was good, but it would be even better if the chef had taken their preferences into account. They didn’t have to add a special ingredient to everything just to “fancy” it up. Some foods—and yes, even greasy food—were perfect already.

“The fries are fine,” Dante practically scolded them with a cold voice when he tried them. “It’s simple. Eat them or don’t.”

“They’re just hungry,” Nadia spoke up. They couldn’t help it if they weren’t used to this food. “If they had one descent meal they like—”

“They’re not starving.”

Anger rising in her, she didn’t like how he was making her feel, like she was being dramatic or something. He was the one who should fucking care—they were his family. Giving him a death glare, she showed him how dramatic she could be as she cut her chicken sandwich in half then proceeded to give one half to Leo before giving the other to Amo.

“Eat it,” she said, not allowing them any possibility to protest.

Leo got the message and was really appreciative. “Thanks, Nadia.”

“Yeah …” Amo might’ve said the words to her, but he looked at Dante while he said them, “Thanks, Nadia.”

Satisfied, she went back to her delicious drink and fries, propping up her book to continue reading while she did so.

“What are you reading over there?” Amo’s mouth was full when he talked.

“Oh.” Nadia gulped down her drink, thinking quickly. “It’s just a girlie book.”

“So, a romance book.” Amo winked, catching the drift.

If by romance, you mean erotic, then … “Yep.”

Slurping her drink brought up the gurgling sounds again since she had reached the end of her second drink.

“Would you like another?”

Seeing Max come out right on cue had to be a sign. “Yes, please.”

* * *

Dante stared at Nadia strangely behind his sunglasses as she downed her now third rum runner of the day. Clearly, he had judged the so-called “uptight” woman too hard.

Nadia had no fucking problem telling him off. Her ass was lucky he knew she had good intentions behind it, because she wanted to make sure Leo was happy. If that weren’t the case, that ass would be swimming home.

Plus, there was no way she was that uptight with the way she was throwing back those drinks. Dante had had two of those suckers, and even he was beginning to feel them in the hot sun. Rum was one of those alcohols you had to be careful with. It was sneaky like that, and the way Max was pouring them, he doubted there was much else in the glass. Hell, he was shocked she hadn’t gone out of the sun to take a nap, like Amo and Leo had.

That book must be good because, how in the hell could she still read straight at this point?

* * *

“What are you reading?”

Those words, with his curious tone, told her she had just made a brutal mistake being too enthralled in her book. She hadn’t noticed Dante had been staring at her when she busted out in laughter from what one of the biker bitches in her book had just said.

“Like I said, just some girlie—”

Trying to fight to keep the book in her hands made her lose concentration of what she was saying, but of course Dante had slid the book out of her hands a little too effortlessly, making her think she should slow down on the drinks.

“Sex Piston?” he said, half in shock and in laughter while he slid his eyes across the page to read a passage. “Is that really what the author named her?”

“Her nickname, yes,” Nadia clarified, trying to take it back in sheer embarrassment, though, again, it wasn’t hard for him to hold on to it. She was sort of just like an annoying fly while he began flipping the pages.

OH GOD.

She knew he had gotten to a good part when his eyes grew wide. “No wonder you’ve had your nose stuck in this book all day.” Seeing how far she had read into the book, he couldn’t resist another joke. “You’ve been busy.”

She ripped it out of his hands finally. “It has a good story.”

“Uh-huh.” He looked at her just as sarcastically as the words he had to say. “I’m sure everyone who has read Sex Piston read it for the story.”

Nadia couldn’t help but let the chuckle escape her lips. He might have had a point, even though the story actually was good. “Well, you can’t have a book called Sex Piston in your library and expect me not to choose it, when the only other options are autobiographies and how to invest money.”

Dante opened his mouth to tell her something, but she continued her rant, not letting him speak.

“And while I’m on the topic of things you could change around here … you could let your chef know your kids don’t like his food. That way, he could prepare them something different.”

What he was going to say clearly flew out of his head, as it was apparent on his face that he had changed gears to address something else she had said. “Amo is not a child, nor is he my son. He’s my soldier.”

“I thought you called yourselves a ‘family’.” As soon as she put her hands down from air quoting her last word, she regretted them.

Okay, now she was certain she’d had too much to drink.

Nervousness quickly grew in her stomach from the deafening silence, not knowing how he would take what she had said. Of course, it was apparent now that he was the boss of the mafia family. However, speaking it out loud was a different thing altogether. She had let her guard slip. Being on vacation with him had somehow made Dante Caruso seem less dangerous, but the man before her was extremely dangerous, and she needed to remember that. Actually, the whole Caruso family was extremely dangerous, apart from the two he had brought, Amo and Leo, who she was sure wouldn’t harm a fly.

Kansas City was full of whispers about the family, especially with one member in particular whom they called The Boogieman. And whoever the hell he was, she hoped to never ever cross his fucking path.

* * *

Her words had struck Dante like an ice pick going straight into his gut.

I thought you called yourselves a ‘family.’

It was true, they did. Every member had each other’s back, like a brother, father, or son, depending on where you fell in the family hierarchy, but if he was honest with himself, it had been a long time since it had felt like a family. Then, to make matters worse, it had been even longer since he and his children, who were his own flesh and blood, had felt like family. Dante knew when he and his own children stopped feeling like a family, but he didn’t know when the family had stopped feeling like one. He was sure they were synonymous with each other; it just took some catching up to do.

“I … You’re right,” he finally said, coming up empty with what to say.

Nadia easily sensed the change in him, her tone becoming sympathetic. “It’s okay. No harm done.”

His mind instantly went to each one of his children he had recently wronged in order.

Nero.

Lucca.

Maria.

And now Leo.

The words seemed to shockingly slip right past his lips. “What if I have …?”

Suddenly, Nadia caught on that they weren’t simply talking about the chef’s food with his bone-chilling voice.

“And now it’s too late?” he finished the grave question.

Nadia let go of her book, reaching across to grab his hand. “I have never come across anything that couldn’t be fixed with a sorry and some time.”

Looking down at the soft, slender hand that covered his brought the strongest comfort he had felt in years to his soul, along with her words.

She now spoke as if she was revealing the world’s biggest fucking secret. “You just have to mean it.”

* * *

That was often the part people seemed to forget. It was like it was foreign for people to actually mean their apologies.

It was simple. You actually are sorry when you say sorry, or you don’t fucking say it at all. But even after all these years of human evolution, the concept had yet to be grasped.

When she felt the light squeeze on her hand as their fingers intertwined, all thoughts went out of her head as she was tugged in Dante’s direction …

* * *

Dante couldn’t believe it himself as he pulled the woman in for a kiss. It was possibly the rum runners, or the place, but it just felt right, while it was also indescribable. The peace that was beginning to wash over him while being with her, he was sure would envelope him when their lips met … But, of course, it would all be too good to be true when light footsteps grew closer.

Leo cleared his throat to announce his arrival when he went back to his lounger. Dante had wanted to see his son happy again, even if it was just for the weekend, but he couldn’t say he was exactly pleased at the shit-eating grin on his son’s face.

Fucking kids. They were such cock blockers.

Ten

Foodgate

Each one of them sat around the table, eyeing each other as they waited to see what Lila was going to put in front of them for dinner.

Nadia was certain Amo had made the sign of the cross, kissing his fingertips in a silent prayer for the food to be good.

When the salads showed up with another weird dressing combination, she went to take a sip of her rum runner to calm herself.

She didn’t know why it was bothering her so much, but she was certain it was because it didn’t bother Dante. All the unbearable man had to do was walk into the kitchen and tell his chef to prepare something different. Sure, Leo and Amo weren’t starving, but Nadia understood what it was like to get fed food you didn’t like, and that was probably why it bugged her so much.

A lot of her foster parents, the bad ones, either made her go without eating or never cared to ask what kind of foods she had liked; sometimes even forcing her to eat foods they knew she hated.

However, since she and Dante had spoken about it, she supposed she should give him a chance to fix it. Still, anger ate at her while she watched the two boys eat the bottom of their salads, so she sat there, taking her frustrations out on her drink as she sipped it dry.

Seeing Lila head toward them with plates, Nadia started her own prayer.

So help me, God, if this food is disg—

One look at the dishes that was being put down before them had every single one of their mouths dropping, including Dante’s.

“Whole fried lionfish!” Lila announced proudly, on the chef’s behalf.

Nadia was pretty fucking certain her food should not be staring back at her as the thing in front of her looked like a dead carcass served on a plate. Not even the lemon cut into a crown that the chef had placed on the terrifying fish made it appear a delight to eat. It only increased its jarring appearance.

Something in Amo had clearly broken, as he whispered, “I can’t do it.”

Oh, honey, neither can I.

She was giving Dante one final fucking chance, but he appeared to still be speechless as he continued to stare at the water monster.

Fuck it …

* * *

Dante stared at the frightening fish that looked like it had jumped straight from the ocean floor and onto his plate after being barbequed on the way up. Honest to God, he had never seen anything like it in his life. Of course, he had seen whole fried fish before, but certainly not like this. Lionfish had a different effect to see it … well, whole. This fish either needed to stay deep, deep, deep down in the ocean where it belonged, or it needed to be served like fucking fish sticks. There was simply no in-between.

It was only when he heard a thump that he lost eye contact with the nightmarish fish.

Nadia had abruptly stood, causing her chair to fall backward at the movement.

“Lila, I’m sorry, but we will not be eating this tonight.”

Everyone looked at her, stunned; the blonde woman even more so.

“Y-You won’t—”

“No,” she said with certainty, picking up the deadly plate. “Now, please help me take these back to the kitchen. I’d like to talk with the chef.”

Oh no.

“Y-You would?” the blonde stammered, still stunned.

“Oh yes,” Nadia said, picking up Leo’s plate.

Oh shit. Not only had that been Dante’s thought, but it was clearly the thought that went through Amo and Leo’s minds, too.

Dante had half a mind to tell her no and attempt to calm her down, but he had seen enough women in his lifetime with the same determination in Nadia’s eyes to know to stay out of it, especially when a woman had had a little bit too much to drink.

Leo gave his father a concerned look. “Should you do some—”

“Hell no,” Amo stopped him. “They were foul to do that to the fish. Plus”—he got up excitedly, like he was about to go watch a show—“I gotta see this.”

“Yep, we better go follow,” Dante agreed, telling himself he was only going to make sure it went okay, not because he was eager to see it play out.

Leo stood up just as quickly. “Sounds good.”

The men swiftly caught up to Nadia, who walked like she was on a death march with those creepy-ass fish in both hands. All they could see was the back of her as she used her foot to kick open the kitchen doors with a thud.

“Where is it?” was all they could hear as they waited for the swinging door to not slap them in the face.

“Where is wha—” the chef’s booming voice echoed in the kitchen then suddenly disappeared when he spun around. When he saw who it was, his tone came out kinder. “I’m sorry. Is there a problem with the fish?” he asked, noticing them back on his steel counter.

“Yes,” Nadia confirmed the fucking obvious. “It still has eyes.”

Amo blew a raspberry from his sudden laughter while Leo and he fought to look out of the right side of the kitchen door window. Dante had to laugh himself while he looked into the left.

“My lionfish is a delicacy,” the chef explained offensively, looking at the plates. “You didn’t even try it.”

“No, we did not,” Nadia said, moving to the fridge while Lila stood frozen. “Now, where is it?”

“Where is what?” the chef asked, appearing more offended by the second that she was going through his kitchen.

She didn’t lose focus from her rummaging through the fridge. “The food the staff eats.”

The chef held up a finger, like she had just said the most offensive thing to have ever been spoken in existence. “We eat what I prepare.”

“I can’t see!” Amo cried, fighting for Leo to move over.

Leo elbowed him in the stomach. “Well, I only got one eye, fucker, and your big-ass head is in the way.”

Rolling his eyes, Dante grabbed the back of Amo’s neck, moving him closer so his soldier could look through his window with him. It had solved his problem of being able to hear what was happening inside the kitchen, but the downside was his face was now plastered against Amo’s so they could see out of the small window with one eye each.

Coming up empty with the fridge, Nadia took a deep breath. She faced the chef, and her frustrations disappeared when she tried a different approach. “Listen, you make wonderful food. Truly, you do … but I got two kids here who really just want some chicken tenders or something like that.”

“I am not a ki—Ow!” Amo huffed, holding his ribs where Dante had just elbowed him.

Nadia’s sweet voice could melt butter now. “Please, I’m sure you have something they would like.”

Maybe I should go in.

Dante could only see the back of the chef, and he wasn’t sure how he was going to react to even Nadia’s sweet tone. About to swing the door open, he stopped when Lila finally spoke up.

“I’ll show you.” Lila stepped forward in defeat. “Max and I have a stash in here.”

The chef’s jaw dropped to the floor. “Excuse me?”

“Sorry.” Lila winced, heading to the walk-in freezer. She went in then came out with a big box that had been shoved into the corner that was labeled as sauerkraut.

You could see that Nadia no longer wanted to be in there when the chef went through the box and pulled out frozen nuggets and pizza.

“So, you’ve been eating this?” the chef asked then suddenly gasped, “Have you two even been eating the dishes I’ve prepared for you?”

Lila winced again. “No, we’ve been tossing them in the bin when you weren’t looking. Then we sneak in here in the middle of night to make us something to eat from the box.”

It was like you could see the puzzle clicking into place on the chef’s face. He had seen the signs, but he couldn’t possibly believe anyone wouldn’t like his food.

“Oh, mon dieu!” the chef cried, throwing the towel that was on his shoulder up into the air. He sputtered off some more words in French, but Dante, Leo, and Amo were too busy jumping out of the way as the chef flew open the kitchen doors.

Thankfully, he had been well past offended, so the chef didn’t pay any attention to the three as he left for his room. They quickly went back to looking through the window.

* * *

Nadia stood there awkwardly, practically waiting for the ground to swallow her whole. Not knowing what to say, only a long, “So …” came out of her mouth.

“Would you like nuggets or pizza for dinner?” Lila asked, like nothing had happened.

“Pizza sounds great,” Nadia said thankfully, with a smile, like the awkwardness had suddenly left the room. “Would you like some help?”

“Oh no,” Lila told her. “I’ll just heat them up really quick and bring them out when they’re done.”

Nadia didn’t need to be told twice, grateful to leave the kitchen, as if it were the scene of a crime and she had been the murderer. “Okay, thanks!”

* * *

“Shit,” Dante grumbled, letting his feet fly back to where he had come from.

“Run,” Amo said with a harsh whisper, grabbing Leo’s arm to get him moving.

It might’ve been bad that he had left his son behind, but it wasn’t like Nadia would have killed Leo for watching. Him, on the other hand, he wasn’t so sure … And whether she would kill Amo, he doubted he could get so lucky.

Even though he might have been the oldest, he still beat them back to the table but was slightly out of breath.

He and a now exasperated Amo and Leo retook their seats, as if they had been sitting there all along.

* * *

What was that?

Swinging the kitchen doors open, she swore she not only heard but saw something flash a ways up. Thinking it must’ve been the chef, whom she had just embarrassed to death, she couldn’t believe she had just singlehandedly started a foodgate on the yacht. She suspected there had to be some kind of food, other than what the chef was preparing, but she hadn’t expected it to come out like that. She thought she had been planted into a fucking telenovela when Lila had walked out with that box.

Now, Nadia just hoped that any of the food they might eat for the rest of the weekend wouldn’t have spit in it, thanks to her. She wouldn’t blame anyone for it, because she probably deserved it.

Walking back to the table, she tried her best to keep a straight face, as if nothing had happened.

“How does pizza sound, guys …?” Nadia trailed off the moment she saw their faces. “You saw that, didn’t you …”

The men shook their heads vigorously. They might’ve been smart enough to stay silent, but their ragged breathing had clearly given them away.

“Max!” Nadia called out, hoping he was near.

“Yes, Ms. Brooks,” the bartender answered, as if he was Batman.

Well, there was one similarity between Batman and Max … she hoped he would be able to save the fucking day.

“We’re gonna need another round.”

Eleven

The Consequences of Too Many Rum Runners

“I told you I don’t want to,” Leo frustratingly told Amo.

They had moved into the indoor living area and bar while they waited for their pizzas, and Amo had been spending his time trying to persuade Leo to play pool with him.

“Why not?” Amo pleaded.

Annoyed, Leo finally gave the reason, “How the fuck do you expect me to shoot a ball in a hole? I can’t do shit now.”

Nadia’s heart sank, along with everyone else’s in the room. She had seen him struggle to do a few things, witnessed him try to stick pieces of food with his fork and miss. She imagined losing an eye would need time and physical therapy for your brain to rewire, but she could imagine even more just how hard it must be to go through.

Watching Amo sadly put the pool stick back down, she was absolutely gutted for the soldier, who looked guilty for even asking.

Nadia took a sip of her drink before getting up from the bar. Moving to the pool table, she picked up the stick and walked up to Leo, who was sitting on the velvet couch.

“I imagine trying to shoot a ball into a hole is the best practice you could do.” With a tender smile, Nadia held out the pool stick to him. “What do you think?”

Leo stared at the outstretched stick while they all closely watched the one-eyed teen in silence for what he was going to do. It wasn’t until he finally took it that the tension left the room.

“All right!” Amo boomed, rubbing his hands together and walking back to the pool table.

Neither Nadia nor Leo needed to say a word to each other. There was a silent understanding between the two as Leo went and started to play with Amo.

“Pizzas are here!” Lila announced, coming in with a pie in each hand.

The disappointment was obvious on Amo’s face that he wasn’t going to get to play pool after all.

Suddenly, Nadia was struck with an idea. Taking one of the pizzas from Lila, she took it over to a table by the pool table that was meant to hold drinks and set it down. “Why don’t you two eat and play in here, and—”Nadia grabbed the other pizza—“we can enjoy ours on the deck? I like watching the sunset,” she added, not wanting to miss it.

Amo and Leo liked the idea and agreed happily, while Dante agreed by taking their drinks to the table for them.

Nadia was surprised when Dante pulled the chair out for her. “Thank you,” she said, taking her seat, only to be more shocked when he took the seat next to hers, since they usually sat at opposite ends, yet now he was mere inches away.

The beautiful setting sun only added to the proximity and feeling she was getting by sitting so close to the irresistible man.

Nadia should have been upset that she had been the one to say something to the chef, as Dante had sat there stumped. However, she truly believed he had been so shocked to see his dinner staring back at him that he hadn’t known how to respond. Whereas she did …

His response, or lack thereof, of the chaos she had ensued told her that Dante had agreed with her response.

At least somewhat.

Now, if he had disagreed with her request of wanting different food, she imagined they wouldn’t be sitting here, watching the sunset together.

“Well, I have to say that this is far better than what we were going to eat,” Dante said with a smile, picking up a slice of the cheap peperoni pizza.

“I think so, too.” Nadia laughed, grabbing a slice of her own. “You don’t think I was a bit overdramatic, do you?”

“Nah,” Dante said, taking a swig of the brown liquor he had switched to. “Did you see that fucking thing? That chef dressed a fried lionfish with a crown. Now that was dramatic.”

She died of laughter because it looked like the big, bad mafia boss would have nightmares over that lionfish. “Okay, ’cause I was worried you might hate me after that.”

A confused Dante swallowed the bite he had in his mouth before speaking, “Why would you think that?”

The laughter suddenly eased out of her. “I don’t know. Just thought you might’ve thought I was being rude.”

“No,” Dante said, easing her worry. “I know why you did it.”

He does?

“You do?” she asked, surprised, before taking a bite of her pizza.

“To make Leo happy,” he said simply before begrudgingly continuing, “And Amo.”

Smiling at the last part, she knew he cared for his soldier, but it obviously wasn’t the same care he had for Leo.

“I appreciate you caring for him,” Dante revealed quietly, needing to clear his throat to continue. “He’s had a tough time lately, and none of us—I…” Dante changed his words, seeming to put responsibility on himself alone. “I don’t know what to do to help him.”

Nadia swallowed, carefully thinking about her next words, as she stared into those icy depths she could now see appeared a bit helpless. When it became too much, she averted her eyes and gazed at the low sun that had turned the ocean orange. “I think you bringing him here was actually a good start.”

“You think so?”

“I do.” She could practically see the relief starting to ease in his eyes. “Sometimes, kids just need someone who’s not their parents, or even family, to talk to.”

“Is that what you did …? Talk to him?” he asked curiously, taking another sip of his drink. When Nadia’s eyes went slightly wide, he came out with it, “I could tell you must’ve talked to him by the way he was looking at you. I can’t get him to hardly look at me anymore, and you two seem to understand each other.” He phrased the words with a slight hint of jealousy, but he wanted to make it clear. “I’m not upset, though. I’m glad he had someone to talk to.”

Relief flooded her at seeing he was genuine. She had encountered how some foster parents didn’t appreciate her talking with their children.

“We did,” Nadia confirmed his suspicion, but she made it clear with her face that she wasn’t going to divulge what they had discussed. That was between her, Leo, and the ocean. “We talked about a lot of things, but he didn’t tell me how it happened …”

It was a long shot to drop the last bit in, and maybe she should only want to hear it from Leo, as it was his story to tell, but a part of her couldn’t help but want to know how it happened. Maybe if she knew, she would better understand him, if and when he came back to talk to her.

Dante sat back, the weight of the world apparent on his shoulders, while any ease that had been brought to his ice-blue gaze came flooding back.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have ask—”

“No, it’s okay,” he assured her before she could finish. “It’s only natural to be curious about what happened.”

Nadia sat there quietly as the sun ominously disappeared into the ocean, like it had been swallowed whole. The only thing they had been left with was the sound of the salted waves.

“One of my men went to pick up my children to take them to school,” Dante began slowly, telling her the story, “and right before he was about to get in the car … it blew up.”

Nadia somehow knew in her bones the last few words he was about to say, but it didn’t make them any less jarring as every single piece of her shattered into a million pieces.

“Thankfully, the blast didn’t kill him, but he was unlucky enough for a fragment to lodge straight in his eye.”

“Oh, my God,” Nadia whispered, covering her mouth. The gruesome image that came to her mind, she was sure the real thing couldn’t even compare to her imagination.

The fact that Leo still stood on this Earth brought tears to her eyes, knowing the initial blow didn’t account for what came after. It was a testament to the teenager’s strength for him to be where he was now.

But then it hit her. “It was …”

“One-Shot,” Dante said the name of the person responsible, a name she couldn’t. “The last thing I want to do is scare you more than I’m sure you already are, but—”

“No. Thank you for telling me.” She was grateful to know what had happened to the boy who had fascinated her all weekend. The part inside of her that desperately called to fix broken kids needed it. “I haven’t slept from wondering what happened.” It might’ve been worse than all the scenarios she had imagined, but at least the mystery was no more. Now she just might be able to sleep more peacefully tonight.

“Well, you should certainly sleep tonight,” he said, nodding his head toward her almost empty rum runner. They had no idea what number she was on now.

She took a sip of her drink to finish it off, and the light change in mood brought happiness to both their faces. “If only I had a tub in my bathroom to take a hot bath, that would knock my ass right out.”

“I have one in mine,” Dante revealed. “You could use it, if you’d like.”

“Oh no, that’s ok—”

“Seriously.” Deciding against persuading her since she was clearly hard-headed, he quickly stood up, taking her hand to come with him. “It’s a waste up there with me. I’ve yet to use it.”

“Really, that’s okay,” Nadia insisted, not wanting to intrude on his space.

“It’s a clawfoot …” he tempted.

“Well, why didn’t you start with that?” Nadia said, practically breaking out into a run.

Suddenly, she stopped to quietly poke her head into the indoor area to see what Leo and Amo were doing.

“What are you—”

“Shh …” Nadia covered his lips. “You know what they’ll think if they see me going up there.”

Dante wasn’t getting why it mattered.

“And then I’ll never hear the end of it for the rest of the weekend.”

“You’re right,” he suddenly agreed, knowing Amo.

“I mean, it’s not like anything’s going to happen,” Nadia stammered out nervously, feeling as if she was a teenager herself, telling a boy that he wasn’t going to get to third base with her. “But you know how kids are.”

“Yeah,” Dante agreed again. “Of course.”

Exactly. I’m just going to use his bathtub. Nadia didn’t know why she was telling herself that. That was only something you had to do when you needed to convince yourself. And Nadia did not need to convince herself to not sleep with Dante Caruso. It would be really, really bad if she did …

Right?

She saw the backs of the two boys still playing pool; it was now or never.

Yes, it would be completely irresponsible, she told herself while she and Dante made a run for the steps, hand in hand.

Right?

Holding on to the rail, Nadia followed Dante up the stairwell, feeling the consequences of too many rum runners finally start to catch up with her. At the top of the stairs, she toed her shoes off, afraid to walk on the white carpet. Who the hell would put white carpet on a boat? Gaping at the private lounge, she snapped her mouth closed when Dante turned to see what was keeping her when she didn’t follow him through two open doors.

Making her feet move at the same time as she gazed around the lounge, Nadia nearly walked into a huge round chair piled high with black fuzzy pillows.

Dante frowned at her. “How many of those rum runners did you drink?”

Righting herself, she returned his frown. “How many drinks have you had today?”

“A few,” he admitted.

Nadia gave him a superior smile, like the ones Haley would give her when she had overspent on a budget.

He went back to her. “Give me a number.”

One, two …

“I can’t. I lost count.”

“Same here.”

Curiously, she stared at him, knowing that look. “You want to bop me, don’t you?”

Dante regarded her, as if she had taken a swan dive off the balcony. “Excuse me?”

She drunkenly lowered her face to point to the back of her head. “You want to smack me the way you do Amo.”

“Oh … no.” Dante’s icy gaze sparked a small fire. “I don’t want to smack you the way I do Amo.”

Her rum runners kept her from recognizing his true meaning as it went right over her drunken head. “Good. I have to admit, I don’t know what I would have done if you had taken me up on my offer.” Moving around him, Nadia wished she had her phone so she could take a picture. The bed was a showstopper. The sleek black bed took up most of the room, which was twice the size of hers. Five people could sleep on it and still have space to roll over. “You must be a restless sleeper.”

“Why?” Dante asked, giving her another strange expression at the personal question.

“The bed is the freaking size of Texas.”

For the first time, he took his gaze off her to look at the bed. “You’re exaggerating.”

“Not by much. Where’s the tub? In Oklahoma?” She laughed at her own joke, as if it was the funniest fucking thing ever told. She only stopped laughing when Dante hadn’t even started.

Walking past the bed, he slid another door open.

Her eyes immediately lit up, eyeing the clawfoot tub glistening in the moonlight coming through the window it was sitting in front of.

Hell to the no. “I can’t take a bath in that.”

“Why not? I told you it was a clawfoot t—”

“Well, you failed to mention the giant window in front of it!”

Dante went to the tub and started the water. “Who can see? There isn’t a deck below this room, and there aren’t any ships close to us.”

Moving to the window, she pressed her nose to the glass to see for herself. “Oh … Then you can leave. I can take it from here.” She started untying the knot she had made to close the bottom of his shirt.

Instead of leaving, Dante opened a cabinet. “This is where the towels are. There are some soaps and bath salts you can use, if you want,” he offered, watching her unbutton the shirt.

Practically salivating, Nadia had to check out the tempting items that could practically furnish a small bath store. Her attention wasn’t diverted when he went to turn the water off.

“Rosemary lemon.” Nadia winkled her nose, preferring not to smell like a Thanksgiving turkey, then moved on to Lavender Dream. “Got anything other than flowery scents?”

“You don’t like flowery scents?”

“Nope. Makes me feel like I’m in a funeral home.” Going on her tippy toes, she found a yellow bottle that interested her enough to grab it. “Got you.”

“Which one did you pick?”

Did he stub his toe when she wasn’t looking, because why was his voice sounding so hoarse? She held the now open bottle to her nose; it smelled like the perfect day in the sun, which was appropriate, considering where she was, but this somehow smelled better. It smelled of vanilla beaches and sea salt breezes, but the most intoxicating part of the scent was the sun-dried oranges. “Sunshine Kisses.”

“Good choice.”

“I thought so.” She showed him the bottle. “It foams, too, so it’s a win-win. Now, if you don’t mind, I have a tub of warm water calling my name.”

Dante reached past her to take two towels out then put them in something that resembled a clothes hamper.

“I didn’t touch them. They aren’t dirty.”

“This is a towel warmer,” Dante explained.

Nadia started to bend down to examine the contraption, but as she did, she felt a wave of dizziness attack her.

“Whoa …” Grabbing the side of the tub to make the room stop spinning, she felt Dante grab her arm to steady her.

“Are you all right?”

“I’m fine. Nothing a few splashes of water won’t fix. If you ever leave …” she hinted.

“I’m going to watch a game in the lounge. If you need something, yell out, and no more rum runners for the rest of the night.”

“Yes, Dad,” she mocked then began to giggle when Dante’s face looked like it had been chiseled from stone. “You have problems with people joking around you?”

“Not when they are funny …”

She laughed through blurry eyes. “Have any of your kids told you that you’re a downer?”

“No.” His face had finally moved, but only to frown even more.

Nadia, however, didn’t hold back. “Take it from someone who has a best friend who is also one. You are.”

“Then why are you friends with her?” he asked honestly.

“Haley asks me that all the time.”

His honesty turned into curiosity. “So, what do you tell her?”

“That I don’t pick and choose what I love about her. I love all of her.” She spoke the words that came so simply to her. “Despite her lack of sense of humor.”

“Are you and Haley a couple?”

“No.” Nadia specifically blamed the last rum runner she’d had for the saucy wink she gave him. “I like men the way I liked my bath water—hot.” Smashing a hand over her mouth, she almost tumbled backward into the bathwater. Luckily for her, Dante ran forward and held her upright.

“I don’t think it’s safe to leave you alone with a tub full of water.”

Nadia gave him a pfft. “I would be fine if you quit distracting me.”

“How am I distracting you?”

Unconsciously, Nadia splayed her hands over his chest while she noticed him trying to assess how drunk she was. “I’m s-o-b-e-r,” she spelled the words out to him rather slowly.

“From where I’m standing, it doesn’t seem that way to me.”

The alcohol made her brave enough to keep saying the things she had been wanting to tell him. “You’re just being overcritical of me, which you’ve been since you met me.”

“I haven’t been critical of you,” he said, taking no offense.

“Ah … Then it’s your persona.”

Okay … now he was offended.

“What persona?”

“Condescending. You come across as being very condescending.” Nadia shrugged, supposing it came with the job.

And now he was past offended.

“I do not.”

She couldn’t help but feel as if the tables had turned from when they were in her cabin and he was calling her dramatic. Rightfully so.

“You do. You’re doing it now.”

“Right now, I’m annoyed,” he clarified the difference in a warning tone.

“Yeah, I get that from you, too. I was just being nice not to say so.” She crossed her arms, the action causing her breasts to lift higher. “And if I’m annoying you so much, why don’t you leave so I can take my bath?”

Dante took a cooling breath. “I’m not annoyed at you. I’m annoyed at myself, so it doesn’t matter if I’m here or in the lounge.”

She slowly dropped her arms back to her sides, taking in his sudden change. “Why are you annoyed at yourself?”

“Because, right now”—his next cooling breath came out rather shakily—“the only thing I can think about is you finishing unbuttoning my shirt.”

“Um …” Nadia licked her suddenly dry lips. “I wasn’t expecting that.”

Meeting her eyes, he gave a long pause for her to say something else. When she didn’t, he turned to leave.

“Don’t go.” Nadia couldn’t understand where her plea had come from, or why she reached out to grab his arm. “I must have hit my head when you pushed me into your car.”

Turning back, he swept his gaze down at her again. “Why?”

“Because I don’t know why I said that,” she lied, knowing it was, but she couldn’t keep her mind up with what her body was telling her.

“Want me to give you a clue?”

A thrill rushed up her spine when his fingers went to the top button of the shirt she was wearing. At the movement, his knuckles grazed her nipple behind the swim top underneath. Sucking in a deep breath, she waited breathlessly for him to give her another clue.

Cool air from the vent above raised goose bumps on her skin, or was it Dante’s touch? With her heart racing, Nadia curled her fingers under the opening of his shirt. The firmness of his flesh sparked an arousal, which would normally mortify her that she was being so handsy with a man she had just met the day before.

Of course, Nadia was no virgin. At thirty years old, she had even experienced a one-night stand or two when the need had hit, but this felt like anything but. This felt like the start of a beautiful beginning or a disastrous ending. Which one it was, she wouldn’t be sure until she was on the other side of it.

She had never felt anything like this with someone. The people whom she had dated or slept with, she couldn’t say she had felt much for them. It was like all her emotions and feelings were reserved for the children at Moonbeam. But now, here on this yacht, with him, it was like they were all directed and focused on this man. Was it because she was far away from Kansas City and couldn’t focus on the kids right now? Most importantly, was she brave enough to find out?

His masculine scent enticed her to say yes, as there was nothing soft or boyish about Dante. The musk he was putting off was pure, unadulterated, viral man that was as heady as three rum runners.

About to give in to temptation … her hands slipped away, and she took a step back, pulling the plug on the attraction that was getting out of hand. “My water is getting cold.”

Dante took a step back as well. “I’ll lay out a clean shirt on the bed for you to wear. When you’re ready to go back down, I’ll be waiting in the lounge.” He then left.

Removing her clothes, Nadia didn’t bother to make him close the door. If Dante said he would stay in the lounge, then that was where he would be. Dante Caruso didn’t need to stoop to being a Peeping Tom.

Sinking into the tub, she luxuriated in the silky feel. Letting her toes peek out of the water as she stretched out full-length in the clawfoot tub, Nadia felt the tension and arousal seep out into the calming water.

You almost made the worst decision of your life … yay. She didn’t know if her inner voice was congratulating herself or not. A little taste wouldn’t have hurt.

“Who are you lying to?” she grumbled out softly, only for the world to hear. “You would let that man chew you up and spit you out … and then thank him.”

Goddamn, that sounds nice, she let her mind wonder at the thought of not having her head screwed on so tightly for one second. Then she remembered his face, how unbothered he was when she had turned him down after winding him up. It had been gentlemanly and respectful, of course, but oh, how she wished it were at least a little difficult for him to walk away from her. Like it had been for her to walk away from him.

The water had turned cold. She was about to stand up when something had her eyes going to the side to peer out of the huge window first.

“Oh, my fucking God!”

* * *

Dante had sat in the lounge, staring up at the ceiling, trying to calm himself down. He had counted down from ten several times, only to start over because none of the pressure he felt building in his pants had eased.

Thank God she stopped us …

He adjusted himself, taking another breath. Yeah, right.

Dante had to start over again.

Ten …

Nine …

Eig—

What the fuck!

Her screaming had Dante barging into the bathroom.

* * *

“What’s wrong?”

“That is what’s wrong!” she screamed, pointing at a cruise liner starting to pass by with several cameras flashing.

She sunk lower into the water to cover her face. Her fucking ass would have already been back in Kansas if she didn’t have to show the state of Florida her birthday suit in order to get the towel.

“Shit.” Dante ran to grab the towel out of the warmer then stood in front of the window, giving it his back as he spread it out to block anyone from seeing her.

“Who’s going to see you?” She didn’t give it a thought that Dante’s cold gaze had been on her when she had escaped from the chilly water to the warmth of the towel now wrapped around her. “Just a thousand people!”

“How was I supposed to know a cruise ship was going to pass?” he said, easily lifting her from the water. Carrying her into the bedroom, he shut the bathroom door closed.

She couldn’t believe it when he stood her on her feet, and he was actually laughing now. “Oh, so that’s what you find funny?”

He started trying to dry her off but couldn’t help himself to laugh again. “Well … yea—OW!”

Nadia had picked up one of the black fluffy pillows from the chair and whacked him with it … gently, she was sure. “How does that feel?”

As she went for another one, Dante took a few steps back. “Now, wait a damn minu—”

Nadia had already sent the other outrageously plushy pillow through the air.

“Come on; I bet it just feels like a love pat compared to the ones you give Amo. Poor boy …”

“Woman, you’ve lost it,” he said, putting up a warning finger.

She waved the third pillow as if it were a missile in her hand. The flashing lights from all the cameras on the cruise ship that were taking pictures of her charged her need to launch it. “I suppose I’m just being a bit dramatic, huh?”

“That’s it.” Dante didn’t give her time to let the pillow soar as he came at her like a charging bull, making her wish she hadn’t put that extra zing into the last throw.

Oh no. She tried making a run for it, but her efforts were fruitless as he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind.

Suddenly aware of the feeling of something poking into her back, she started squirming then stopped, tensing under him, realizing the towel had fallen to her feet. Oh no …

Dante, however, had been highly aware of her nakedness as he spun her around at her hips to finally face him.

Her breath hitched, making her glance downward. She saw her breasts plastered against his hard chest, each heavy breath she took causing them to press deeper into him. The material of his shirt was damp where her body touched his.

Dante now looked down, too, to see what she was staring at. His powerful body tensed in unison at the sight.

Nadia was still trying to process what had just happened in the last few minutes to get her from the bathroom to here, now being swept up in his arms …

“I should let you go,” he said roughly, without making a move. The harsh tone in his voice hadn’t come from a place of anger but a special place right between pleasure and pain.

Her chest fell deeper, the peaks of her nipples the only things resting against him for a single moment. “Is that what your inner voice is telling you?”

“No, it’s my dick warning me.”

“Oh …” Nadia waited to listen for her own tightly wound-up head to speak up, but there was nothing but silence this time. Taking it as a go-ahead, she brought her arms up to wind around his neck, bringing her breasts closer to his chest than ever. “I have an idea. I won’t listen to my head if you don’t listen to yours.”

Dante didn’t need to know her head was being conspicuously silent …

Picking her up, he placed her expertly down onto the bed, without their skin separating for even a second. “Woman, that’s the most rational thing that has come out of your mouth in the past ten minutes.”

Twelve

Respectable Woman

“My name is Nadia.”

Dante’s brows rose upward. “I know your name.”

“Just checking. You keep calling me woman. I just want to make sure you didn’t forget my name.”

Dante eased his weight slightly so he could get a better view of the perfect mounds of her breasts. “It’s pretty safe to say I won’t be forgetting you anytime soon. You screamed loud enough to raise the dead.”

Nadia craned her neck to look over his shoulder. “The boys won’t come barging in, will they?”

“Amo heard a scream from your room and then told me about it three hours later,” he said, shaking his head. “What do you think?”

Dante didn’t like the glint that entered Nadia’s eyes at that piece of enlightenment. He had told her about it before, but now that she had come to know Amo better, it seemed to land a bit differently this time.

Feeling bad for the boy because of his reminder, he tried to take her mind off whatever revenge Nadia was planning. The woman was lethal with a pillow … and generally problematic, he thought after trying to find the word that best suited her. Unfortunately for Nadia, problematic fit. So far, in the time that he had known her, the woman was either too busy trying to solve problems, or she just caused more.

Seeking his own type of revenge, Dante covered her nipple with his mouth. This is such a bad idea. Nadia wasn’t the type of woman he usually fucked with. He had never been attracted to women who lived in Kansas City. It didn’t help that she didn’t take his gruffness without giving a smart comeback, knocking him off the pedestal he had attained at being the top of the family organization.

But oh, how he wanted her—nope, needed to fuck—but even he was well past believing that. So, he blamed him wanting to fuck her on breaking his cardinal rule: You weren’t supposed to mix alcohol. It led to bad decisions and regret, and right now, mixing whiskey with rum runners had led him here, between Nadia’s voluptuous thighs. The want for her would disappear just like the alcohol in his system would tomorrow.

But tonight … he thought as he grabbed her hips to adjust her the way he wanted with his dick riding the notch between her thighs, I will give in to my drunken demands.

Removing his shirt with quick hands, he settled down to business to arouse Nadia before she said something that would snuff out his raging hard-on. Stretching her thighs farther apart, he slid downward to go down on her.

Her hips arched at the first touch of his mouth. Licking the rose-red vulva, Dante didn’t give her time to have second thoughts and started laving the sunshine-scented, damp pussy. Boldly, he thrust his tongue inside of her and started tongue-fucking her. He gripped her generous ass harder to hold her higher against his mouth. “Put your legs over my shoulders.”

Her movements were slow, but her legs gradually climbed higher until Dante had her in the position he wanted. Nadia opened to every damn demand he gave her. Using his fingers, he stretched her open by small increments. The tight sheath was slowly opening wider as her arousal grew. If he fucked her the way he wanted, she would be hurting afterward. He made it a point to never leave a woman he fucked unsatisfied, but with a pleasurable memory when the night was over.

Gauging how aroused Nadia was by the rhythm her hips were keeping with the thrusts of his tongue as she started moving faster, Dante lifted his mouth and pulled her legs off his shoulders. Flipping her onto her front, he lifted her hips again until she was on her knees, begging as she pleaded for him to fuck her. It only made his dick somehow harder, causing him to press a firm hand onto her back and lowering her head to the bed, wanting her in the perfect position as his body moved between her thighs.

He obliged her pleas. With one shimmy of his hips, Dante pushed his cock inside of her welcoming pussy. Nadia might have lost her mind when the cruise ship had passed by while she was naked, but Dante lost his in the moment his dick impaled itself within her. His mind dissolved in a bliss he had never encountered before. Like a dandelion being blown into the wind, his mental capacity diminished until there weren’t any cognitive abilities left. All that was left was the instinctual need to satisfy the lust-filled cravings she had raised in him. Not even with Melissa had he ever felt this all-consuming need that needed to be expelled or his body would explode into a million fragments.

She would lurch forward each time he would plunge inside of her, then she would thrust back on him, driving him higher inside of her.

“Careful. I don’t want you hurting yourself,” he grunted out.

“Why do men always overestimate their size? You might be big, but you aren’t that big,” she teased with ragged breath.

Dante couldn’t help but chuckle at her snide comment. Placing a rough hand on her ass, he lifted it higher until he could feel it bouncing back against his abs. He groaned at the sight, coming to the conclusion that her ass was his favorite part of her body.

Deciding to return the favor, he covered her back with his chest so he could play with her clit. Dante started moving faster with each scream of pleasure she expelled into the pillow. His breaths went choppy, desire coiling tighter and tighter, as his balls smacked off her with each plunge. Grazing her back with his teeth, he felt the muscles in her pussy squeeze his cock tighter.

Giving a pleased murmur against her skin, Dante felt her trembling as her pussy started pulsating around him. He stroked the pad of his palm from the hand that hadn’t left her backside over the globe of her ass, and felt his own climax take over, sending him rocking against her in a heated rush to come with her.

When they both stopped shaking, he rose to the end of the bed to cuff her ankle with his hand and slide her toward him.

“Hmph. What are you doing?”

Something I’ll regret in the morning, I’m sure.

“I need a bath. You can keep me company.”

“I’m not going back in there.” She rose to her knees, trying to scramble away.

“Look around you. It’s dark. I’ll turn the light off so we can see, but no one will be able to look in and see what we’re doing.” When she didn’t stop squirming, he tried a different approach. “Plus, what are the chances of two ships passing by us?”

Nadia didn’t try to get away with that logic when he lifted her into his arms and carried her into the bathroom. When he placed her down, she stood motionless until a small flame flickered to life beside the feet of the tub.

“Exactly what are you planning, Mr. Caruso?”

Turning the water on, Dante stepped into the tub to sit down. He held out a hand to help her inside and waited until her ass was fitted snuggly in front of his balls to curl two palms over her breasts and pull her back to his chest.

“Making wine from sunshine.”

The sun shining on her face had Nadia disoriented enough to open her eyes. She could barely manage the act, having to close them again as suddenly as she had opened them. She hadn’t been able to see much, but she found it strange that the sun had been in her eyes. When she had awoken on the yacht yesterday, it had been dark, as the cabins were below deck …

Wait a minute.

The sheets that hugged her felt different. She thought hers had been cotton, while these felt rather silky …

Did they change my shee—

Oh no.

Nadia’s eyes flew open with a quickness, fighting the sleepiness. It was like it had worn off in an instant when she noticed she was definitely not in her cabin.

Images of a blissful, sexy dream of her and Dante flooded her mind. Only they hadn’t been dreams …

They had been real.

Oh God!

Her stomach sank to the pits of her own hell before she felt it rise back up. Shit!

Jumping up out of bed, she bolted to the bathroom, barely making it to the toilet when the contents of the many rum runners, along with last night’s pizza, erupted.

It was like instant relief as she wiped her mouth on the back of her hand.

Sure she wasn’t going to geyser again, she flushed the contents and got up from the rather cold floor—

Oh my God, I’m still fucking naked! Shit, shit, shit, shit! She really hoped Dante hadn’t just witnessed her run butt-ass naked to go vomit in his bathroom.

Covering her front bits with her hands, she prayed to the one-night stand gods that Dante was still asleep when she poked her head around the corner. Nadia didn’t care what kind of sense it made to cover her body, considering she was pretty fucking sure the man had seen more of her body than she had ever seen of herself in her lifetime, but she just expelled every bit of her liquid courage, and any bravery she had had just been flushed down the toilet. Literally.

Phew. She breathed out a heavy sigh of relief at seeing he was nowhere to be found. That made her lucky but also unlucky, considering how high the sun was up in the sky. She had no clue what time it was, and when she went down those steps for her walk of shame, in the same clothes she was now quickly dressing herself in from yesterday … that meant that everyone on the ship might just be up to witness it.

Fuck. Nadia cursed herself for the millionth time when she left Dante’s luxurious cabin. Her shaky legs didn’t even want to start descending the stairs as she carefully listened for any signs of life that might be waiting at the bottom. Not hearing anything, she slowly took a step at a time until she was able to see that no one was in the indoor living area.

“Thank God. Maybe it is early—Shit!” Nadia bolted like her life depended on it, yet again seeing the backs of Leo’s and Amo’s heads on the other side of the sliding glass door. She was sure she might’ve seen Dante’s face as he talked to them, but she didn’t care if he had seen her or not. He had been a fucking accomplice. Of course, he knew she would have to take the walk of shame.

When she heard the sliding glass door open, she jumped down the last bit of steps to the lower floor that held the cabins. There were no words for the relief she felt once she closed the door behind her and was safely in her cabin, like she had been there all night. Nadia threw herself down on her made-up bed with a thud, and all the adrenaline that coursed through her veins to get her here unseen seemed to have evaporated. Hangover signs seemed to rush her all at once—the pounding headache, grogginess—

Oh no.

She wasn’t sure how, but Nadia had to sprint to her own bathroom this time to relieve even more contents.

“Yep”—Nadia spat into the full toilet before flushing—“that should do it.”

Lying back on the floor, she let the cool tiles try to soothe her.

I don’t want to ever hear rum fucking anything ever again.

* * *

It was a long time before Nadia not only was able to physically pull herself together enough to leave her cabin but to also get the courage to look at Dante again with each unveiled memory that came back of last night.

“You might be big, but you aren’t that big.”

Yikes, that certainly was going to be awkward.

Remembering the feel of him inside of her, she was certain he actually had been big, but drunk Nadia wasn’t about to stroke Dante’s enormous ego. With her body practically melting at the memory, she got back to the point.

Usually, when you had a one-night stand with someone, you weren’t going to be fucking stranded with them in the middle of the ocean the next day. She definitely didn’t regret the hot and steamy session she’d had with Dante last night; she just wished she had thought it through enough to wait until after they came back from their weekend trip. That way, she could run back to her apartment and wait for him to text her, like every other respectable woman. Then again, rum runners didn’t wait for you to return back to Kansas City to work their magic.

Messing up the bed for good measure, so it looked like she had slept in it last night, she pushed up the big-ass designer sunglasses she had found, hoping they would cover her sins from last night, and left her room.

She wondered what it was going to be like to face Dante. Unfortunately for her, she didn’t have to wonder for too much longer as she was now facing him.

“You’re alive,” Amo noted with a smirk.

“I’m surprised I’m alive, too,” she said, taking a seat at the table. She could see they must’ve just finished lunch. “Trust me.”

Oh God. Focusing on the smirks now on Amo and especially Leo’s, face, she knew that they knew.

Amo laughed, clearly taking in her appearance. “I’d stick to your little glass of wine at dinner from now on.”

Phew. She breathed. They only know about your massive hangover, so chill!

Calmed, she was able to chuckle a bit. “I learned a hard lesson … rum and I don’t mix.”

“Nadia! It’s good to see you today!” Lila came out to greet her. “They just finished lunch. Would you like me to bring yours out?”

“Oh no.” Nadia practically vomited at the thought. “I just need water, coffee, and some aspirin, please, if you have it.”

Lila smiled in understanding before leaving to go get it.

“So, what did they fix you to eat today?” she asked them curiously, wanting to pull the attention off her raging hangover.

“You missed a good breakfast,” Amo began. “Pancakes, sausage, toast …”

Nadia, however, got lost in thought over what the soldier was saying when Dante abruptly stood from the table to go lie down on a sun lounger without a single word.

“… So, lunch was good, too.” Amo’s voice had trailed back just in time for him to finish.

“Th-That’s good,” Nadia commented, trying to place her attention back on the boys, but it was hard because she couldn’t help but feel slightly hurt. Is he ignoring me? Her mind couldn’t comprehend Dante would do that, considering they were forced together for another day or so. There was no way he was going to get away with that, so she clearly must just be overreacting. Right?

Seeing that Leo had noticed something about her, she pulled herself together to put on a smile. “I’m glad you two are enjoying yourselves now.”

“Yeah,” Leo said, his voice laced with a tone she didn’t quite understand. He appeared kind of down, but before she could ask what was wrong, he got up like his father had.

Amo either didn’t catch what Nadia had or chalked it up to Leo’s normal behavior when he thanked her. “Yeah, thanks to you and those rum runn—”

“Oh God. Don’t remind me.” Nadia covered her mouth at the alcoholic beverage that must not be named, and it was like the bartender felt his senses tingling when Max showed up.

“Ms. Brooks, can I get you—”

“Nope!” Nadia violently shook her head. “You may not.” She, however, didn’t have the heart to tell him what she really wanted to …

Never fucking again.

As far as alcohol went, she was now celibate … and she was quickly about to find out that Dante was going to make her want to be forever celibate in another way, too.

The bastard didn’t so much as glance her way after she finished her coffee and took the sun lounger next to his. The boys had asked her to apply sunscreen on their backs again, and when she handed the bottle to Dante to use, he told her simply, “No, thanks.”

Frustratingly, Nadia had to even manage applying sunscreen to her own back.

He was perfectly fine with me touching him last night … and him touching me! Or had he really? All those memories of last night, and she couldn’t remember him kissing her once.

Last night had been all about sex, and that was it. And while she didn’t complain in the moment, now that she was fully sober, she was able to notice what drunk Nadia hadn’t. The small red flags that told her it would never, could ever happen again. While that would be fine, if the sex had been bad, it stung Nadia, because that had been the best night of her life, even drunk on rum runners. None of her sober sexcapades had come close to that one, and that was just sad …

She couldn’t believe the audacity of men. Once they had gotten their dick jerked, they went on to catch the next sucker. Heaven forbid they had to face the woman the day after and “acknowledge them,” but that would require facing the consequences of your own actions, and we all know men royally suck at that.

With each passing hour he ignored her, Nadia couldn’t even focus on the book she had yet to finish, reading the same cursed page over and over again. She couldn’t believe women would even write this false crap. All women knew men couldn’t be further from what was written in the pages of a romance book, yet they still succumbed to reading them, just to keep the hope alive that one day, they could find a man like Stud or whichever fictional character they were in love with.

Fuck hope. She slammed the book shut, having had enough. Maybe nonfiction was best. The real world might be cruel, but at least the stories weren’t based on lies.

Like clockwork, Dante had come back from his swim, dripping wet in all his glory—

Stop it! She cursed herself for not finding the man repulsive for his behavior, while he continued it by lying back down in his sun lounger without a glance or word to her yet again.

Am I hideous or something? she asked herself, looking down at what she was wearing. Maybe he thought she was, and that was why he was acting that way. A lot of people wake up the next day next to someone who wasn’t up to their standards if they had been sober. For Christ’s sake, it was so common that they had a name for that—coyote ugly.

Shit, am I his coyote ugly?

Glancing over at where Dante lay still, she knew the asshole wasn’t asleep, even though he was already pretending he was. Leo and Amo, however, were actually asleep, that she was certain about.

She studied the man, wishing she could find something, anything, about him that made him physically unattractive, yet she couldn’t find a single fucking thing. She wished Dante Caruso were her coyote ugly, but the man was anything but. He was and probably would remain the most attractive person she had ever slept with, and that made her hate him just a little bit more.

I am the ugly one, Nadia thought, coming to the only conclusion left of why he must be treating her that way. He was embarrassed by the fact he had slept with her.

No! she stopped herself. Nadia herself knew she was not ugly and couldn’t believe she was letting a man make her feel that she was. If he did find her unattractive, then fuck him.

I’ll show you ugly.

Slowly, Nadia stood, removing the shirt Dante had given her and revealing the white triangle-top bikini underneath. Then, only when she was certain he was looking at her, did she leisurely remove her blue jean shorts. She adjusted the white string bottoms to sit higher up her waist, making sure Dante got an eyeful of her ass before she walked off. She remembered last night well enough to know where his hands had stayed firmly planted.

“Where are you going?”

So, he can speak …

Looking back over her shoulder at the prick, she saw that he had pulled his sunglasses far down his nose to get an undistorted view … I guess he can see me, too.

“Going for a dip. I’m hot.” She decided to play it cool, like she didn’t want to murder the asshole.

His brows furrowed together. “You can’t swim.”

“Says who?” Nadia said, walking off again. She didn’t need his negative energy.

“You!” Nadia could not only hear the frustration in his voice, but she could see it in his face, too. “When you took a dive off the boat. Or have you already forgotten that I had to jump in to save your ass?”

The emphasis on his last word proved her theory right.

“Well, don’t bother this time,” she grumbled, giving the man the sight he wanted.

* * *

Goddammit.

Dante weighed his options while he stared at Nadia’s backside walking away. He could either listen to his head and go make sure she stayed alive himself, or he could listen to his actual head and get Amo to watch her.

The sight of her glorious ass made him not want to do the latter, but he found himself picking up the bottle of SPF on the ground and throwing it at his soldier to wake him up.

“What the—”

Amo shot up, prepared to fight, but quickly saw the bottle on top of him. “The fuck was that for?”

“Go make sure Nadia doesn’t fucking drown herself,” he spat at him grumpily, already regretting his decision.

“Why can’t yo—”

Amo was already about to lie back in his lounger when he caught Nadia in her white bikini in the distance. “No problem.”

It was everything Dante could do not to strangle his soldier when he practically jumped up to go watch Nadia. The only thing that kept him plastered to his lounger and his jaw tightly shut was the fact that Leo had woken up … and was watching his every move.

* * *

Proud of herself, she smiled smugly as she walked to the swim platform at the back of the yacht. She sat down, dangling her feet into the warm salted water, feeling like she had beat him at his own game. Any moment, he would be comin—

“Didn’t expect you to want to go swimming anytime soon,” Amo joked, joining her.

Nadia looked back at Dante, who was already back to acting asleep on the lounger. Her eyes turned into beady little slits. That motherfucker. He had woken up his soldier to deal with her instead.

“I don’t,” Nadia huffed, dipping herself into the water just enough to wet her body. She pulled herself back out of the water just as quickly then walked off the way she had come, leaving Amo baffled.

Her excessively loud footsteps let her presence be known, and it took all her willpower not to flick him off when she sauntered by him in her wet white bikini. Knowing the sun was going to set soon, she didn’t let herself dry off, heading back to her room instead.

She could practically feel his heated gaze on her backside this time, and now that she knew how to get his attention …

He was going to pay.

Thirteen

The King of Kansas City

The look on Dante’s face as Nadia joined them for dinner after disappearing made getting all dolled up for the last hour worth it. For the first time since he had given it to her, she had left his shirt behind to reveal her dress in all its glory. She had picked a sexy, red, ruched dress that hugged her body for dear life, as it was probably a size too small, but it really did a number for her curves. It was quite short, but she had checked her self-consciousness at the door, because this was payback, and her fiery-red dress with matching red lipstick gave her all the confidence she needed for retribution.

Her winged eyeliner was also back in action, along with her full face of makeup to prove to Dante that she was anything but ugly.

“Holy f—”

Amo’s words came to a harsh halt when he was kicked under the table. “Wow, you look nice,” he said in an unlike himself, gentlemanly manner.

“You look very nice,” Leo corrected before turning to his father and giving him a piece of his own medicine by kicking him under the table. “Doesn’t she?”

“Ow!” Dante cleared his throat but was careful not to let his eyes linger. “Yes, you do.”

Nadia might’ve felt a bit deflated on the inside, but she didn’t dare let it be known on the outside. “Thanks,” she said, only looking at Leo and Amo when she said it. “I figured, since it was our last night here, I should look nice for our final dinner.”

“Good thinking.” Amo got up quickly to pull her chair out. “Let me get that for you.”

She gave the soldier the sweetest smile as she took her seat and he pushed her up to the table. This time, she looked at Dante, who was throwing ice picks with his icy eyes at his soldier, when she said, “Thank you.”

At least the kids have fucking manners …

“You’re welcome,” Amo cooed, taking back his seat but making his chair now sit a bit farther away from Dante. He had done so just in time for dinner to be served.

Lila brought out salads, but this time, they were dressed in a homemade buttermilk ranch, and the bread was delicious, like always. When Max came out, he brought Dante his usual whiskey in a crystal glass, and when he asked Nadia if she would like anything, she simply held up her hand and told him, “Too soon.”

They were brought perfectly cooked filet mignons shortly after, with a healthy-sized, fully loaded baked potato and asparagus to match. The sight and smell made all their mouths water, and none of them waited to dig in.

“So, what do you do, Nadia?” Amo asked before taking a bite of his food.

* * *

Dante’s steak-filled fork froze on the way to his mouth. Excuse me?

Amo was one of his soldiers who didn’t give a single fuck about anyone but himself. He was young and selfish, with an emphasis on selfish. That was why he and Amo got along lately—because he only cared about moving up in the family hierarchy and did his job well without worrying about a girl at home, like all his other men were at the moment.

Even Nadia was stunned by the sudden interest.

“I run a charity for at-risk teens.”

“That’s very generous of you.’’

He stabbed his steak with his fork. I’ll show you fucking generous.

“You should come by Moonbeam”—Nadia sliced into her steak with a smile—“and volunteer sometime.”

“Oh, that’s okay.” Amo shrugged. “I’m not the volunteer type.”

That was certainly true about his soldier, at least.

Nadia laughed. “Volunteering is good for the soul.”

“So is working for money,” Amo told her unapologetically.

See? Selfish.

“Just stop by sometime to say hi, okay? I think you just might find a reason to come back.”

Dante studied Nadia then. He could see by the sly look in her eyes that she had settled on a plan she had been searching for last night. He just didn’t know what.

If Amo was smart, he wouldn’t step a single foot inside her facility, because he knew that look … but he certainly wasn’t going to give his soldier a heads-up. He was going to take that as payback from having to watch his soldier hitting on Nadia all day.

If Amo didn’t realize she saw him as a child, and a child only, he had a rude awakening coming. That was the only reason Dante could even stand watching his soldier make a fool of himself, because if one thing was proven last night, it was that Nadia preferred men … older men.

“You should come, too.” Nadia directed her attention to Leo now. “Stop by every now and then to say hi.”

Leo merely nodded his head. “Sure.”

Nadia sullenly went back to cutting another piece of her steak, and even Dante couldn’t believe his son. Come to think of it, he noticed Leo hadn’t been surprised one bit by the fact that Nadia ran a charity. Clearly, that was one of their topics of conversation when his son and Nadia had their little chat.

“Do you have any children?”

* * *

Nadia coughed. The abrupt question had sent a piece of food down the wrong way. “No,” she managed to get out, clearing her throat.

“Really?” Amo asked, surprised. “Thought someone would have tried to tie you down by now.”

Nadia had to talk over how loudly Dante was stabbing his steak with his fork. “No, it’s not that. I just don’t want children.”

She had said it so nonchalantly, thinking nothing of it, because that was how she had always felt since the day she had been old enough to grasp how a child was born. It was nothing new to her, but she looked up, feeling conscious of the three of them strangely staring at her.

Amo was the one who was either brave or dumb enough to say what they were all thinking. “But you’d be a great mom.”

“Thank you.” She appreciated his words, knowing they had come from a good place. It was a relatively new time for women to openly admit they didn’t want to have children of their own, and while it was easier to tell people to mind their business, it was also beneficial to tell others your reasoning for deciding against bringing another life onto this Earth, especially when it came to kids she helped. She had promised herself long ago that, if they were curious about something, she would always answer their questions openly and honestly. “But there are plenty of children out there already who need me, and that is good enough for me.”

And it truly was for Nadia. Her calling wasn’t to be a mother. Her calling was to help those who didn’t have one. The only mom she was planning to be was a dog one when she eventually moved out of the apartment.

She could see the understanding pass over Amo’s expression. It was like he could truly see her now, and she knew he meant every one of his next words. “You’re a really great person, Nad—”

“Could you stop blowing smoke up her ass just so you can sleep with her?” Dante hissed at his soldier coldly.

Everyone went deathly silent at his outburst.

Nadia, on the other hand, couldn’t believe the man she had spent last night with had said that. She knew Amo hadn’t said that last part to fuck her. He had said it because, unlike him, Amo was a good person deep down.

Wiping her mouth with her napkin, she felt pure fury rise in her veins. “Thank you, Amo.” Her once sweet tone turned deadly harsh as she directed her next words to someone else. “I wish it took blowing smoke up my ass to get me into bed.” Throwing her napkin down on her plate, she stood then walked off as her appetite and weekend had now been ruined.

It turned out that getting all dressed up hadn’t been worth it at all.

* * *

Oh God, Dante had fucking regretted the words the moment they had left his lips. When was he going to learn that you couldn’t take back the things you did, let alone said?

He wasn’t the king of Kansas City anymore. He was the king of ruining every relationship he had ever had or might ever have. Dante Caruso was the biggest piece of shit on the planet, and what did it say about him that he would agree?

Each step he took to his room made him feel guiltier, and even though he didn’t take the stairs down to Nadia’s, he knew there was going to be a bigger guilt waiting for him if he apologized.

Opening his door, he noticed the item that had been placed on his bed immediately. He knew what it was already, but it didn’t make him hurt any less the closer he got to it until he saw what was lying on top.

His white button-up shirt that he had given Nadia had been perfectly folded, awaiting his return. He had given it to her on the first night, hoping it would make her feel secure and safe enough to leave her room, and it killed him to think it no longer provided that for her. That he no longer provided that for her.

He didn’t know if it was the returning of his shirt or the rectangle piece of paper that had been torn into two that rested on top that hurt more. The one-hundred-thousand-dollar check that was now rendered useless had him feeling as if he himself had been ripped in half. He knew it that meant for her to do that. She had spoken about her charity and the children she helped like nothing else in her life mattered more than them. So, for her to choose to give up the money to help build her kids a new facility meant that he had gone a step too far.

I have never come across anything that couldn’t be fixed with a ‘sorry’ and some time. Her words from yesterday came to his mind, but as he picked up the ripped-up check, he couldn’t help but think that there was no amount of sorry or time that could fix this. Like he felt with everyone he wronged in his life lately, some things aren’t meant to be fixed.

Dante picked up his shirt and brought it closer to his face. It smelled of detergent, as any trace of her had been washed away. He had secretly hoped it smelled of sunshine, wanting to remember …

… Dante must’ve only slept an hour or two when his eyes drifted open. The only reason he knew that was because the sun had yet to rise, along with the pounding headache. Then he felt the sleeping figure next to him before he actually saw her.

Many times, he had fucked a woman after his wife’s passing, but this time was different. For one, he had always taken the woman to her room in his hotel and was able to escape shortly after to walk the short distance back up to his penthouse to never have to see her again if he didn’t want. That was why he preferred women who were just visiting the city. Here, with Nadia, there was nowhere for him to go. He not only let her into his bed, but he wasn’t going to be able to escape her until they returned to Kansas City.

Secondly, he had never actually felt comfortable enough to fall asleep by his one-night stands. He had them for one reason, and one reason only—he sought women for sex, not for comfort. Yet he had fallen asleep next to her so easily.

Thirdly, there was no amount of alcohol he had consumed to blame it on. He had always needed a couple of glasses of whiskey to fuck, and even though he had told himself that the only reason he wanted to fuck Nadia so badly was because he broke his cardinal rule of mixing alcohol, now that he had, he was left with nothing but the truth.

He liked her, wanted her, and was starting to crave her after only knowing her for two days. Hell, the smell of her was becoming intoxicating, and that told him all he needed to know, because if he could care for her this much after two silly little days, what could he feel for the beautiful woman next to him after a week? A month? A year?

Suddenly, he got up, desperately in need of space. He was quiet as he threw on some clothes, unable to so much as look at her again, afraid if he did, he might crawl back in bed with her. It wasn’t the regret that made him capable of leaving her; it was the grief and sorrow that had been eating away at him for years since his wife’s passing.

He was going down the steps to find a place to sleep, either on one of the couches or a sun lounger out on the deck. Hell, he didn’t care as long as he was alone—

“Dad?”

Dante stopped in his tracks to see his son coming in from the deck. “Why are you up?”

“Can’t sleep,” Leo told him, closing the sliding glass door. “You?”

“Can’t sleep, either,” Dante agreed.

“Right.” Leo’s face turned slightly suspicious. “Where are you going?”

He wanted to tell his son to stop asking questions and get his ass back to bed, but he knew that would only make him more suspicious. “To see the view at night. Same thing I’m sure you were doing, right?”

“Yes, but … don’t you have a better view than all of us on the balcony?” He pointed up the steps to Dante’s quarters.

Dante flexed his jaw. It was much easier to lie to your kids when they were young. Now, all his kids were too damn smart for their own good.

Thinking quickly, he did the best he could. “Well, I wanted to go for a walk on the deck and see the view.”

It seemed to have worked because he had Leo asking, “Want me to join yo—”

“No,” Dante answered, probably a bit too quickly. “You go get some sleep.”

“All right.” Leo shrugged, passing him.

It had made Dante instantly feel worse than he was already feeling, but he knew if Leo had come with him, then at the end of their walk, he would have had no choice but to go back up to his room with Nadia. And that was something he didn’t think he had the strength to do.

It was already going to be hard to resist her for the remainder of the weekend, with nothing but the smell of sunshine surrounding him. He couldn’t promise he wouldn’t sleep with her again, knowing he would use the excuse that it would be the last time. The fact that he was already envisioning them fucking again before she slipped back down to her room, along with the excuse he needed to do so, told him that it wouldn’t be the last time. Nadia was the kind of woman whom you couldn’t only fuck once. You needed seconds, and thirds … each time tethering yourself to her until there was no escape.

No, his first with Nadia had to be his last.

He knew this, because he had experienced this feeling only one other time in his life. And he planned on keeping his promise to love only one woman for the remainder of his. So, he would have to ignore Nadia from here on out, no matter how much it hurt to do it.

“Oh yeah, Dad?” Leo called out to him before disappearing down the steps.

Dante turned to look at his son, who reminded him the most of his dead wife.

“Amo heard a scream, so I went to go check on Nadia in her room.”

Swallowing hard, he knew exactly where this was going.

“But she wasn’t in her room.” Leo’s lips lifted in a smile. “Don’t worry; I covered for you, but you might want to tell Nadia that she screamed because she saw a spider.”

He stared back at his son, confused, but then nodded.

“You’re not going to go back up there, are you?” Leo asked knowingly, his smile disappearing.

Dante slowly shook his head this time, deciding to tell the truth.

Watching his son give him his back and walk away, he could feel the disappointment in Leo without a single word.

Dante didn’t know what bothered him more—the fact he had just disappointed his own son yet again, or the fact his son was disappointed he wasn’t going to give Nadia a chance.

Dante stared down at the shirt. The memory that had played in his mind hadn’t been the one he had wanted to remember.

Tossing the items back down, he no longer gave as much care as Nadia had when she had handled them.

But sometimes, you are reminded with what you must never forget.

Fourteen

A Better Chance with Poseidon

A strange smell entered Nadia’s dream. She woke up groggy, scrunching up her nose, to find the smell wasn’t in her dream at all. She sat up, and an ominous feeling overcame her, her instincts telling her something wasn’t right.

Quickly, she got out of bed, grabbed her robe, and wrapped it around her tightly before opening her door. The strange smell only became stronger as she did so. It smelled like …

Fuel?

She was now certain something was definitely wrong.

Adrenaline soaring through her, she hurriedly knocked on Leo’s then Amo’s doors, yelling, “Wake up!” loudly after she had tried to open their doors but found them locked.

She banged on the doors like their lives depended on it, her fist about to meet Amo’s door once more, only for it to miss when it was suddenly swung open.

“Jesus Christ!” A sleepy Amo finally appeared. “Is there a spider in your room or somet—”

“No! What?” Nadia was confused by the spider comment, but she didn’t have time to wonder where the fuck that had come from. “Something’s wrong. You smell that?” Her grave voice let him know the severity of her fears.

Amo simply sniffed the air once, and it was like the beast inside of him had awoken. Without a word, he went to Leo’s door.

“It’s locke—”

Using his arm to take the blow, he used his brute force to force it open before Nadia could even finish her word.

The sight of Amo frightened her. She had always seen him as a boy up until this moment, but now Nadia could see the soldier. It was like a beast had been locked away inside of him, waiting for its moment to break free.

Leo stood, shocked at the break-in. It was clear he had been throwing a shirt on, something that Amo hadn’t had the luxury of doing. But once he took in their appearances, Leo immediately understood the severity of the situation as well.

“Let me get my shoes.”

“No time,” Amo said, grabbing his arm and jerking him forward. None of them were going to be wearing shoes for whatever they were about to face.

Passing Nadia, Amo did the same—grabbing her arm firmly and giving a silent order that they were to stick together.

Quickly, they took the steps up, and once they were on the floor of the indoor living room, they heard a noise coming from outside on the deck, causing them to freeze in place. It was like the sound of a garage opening.

“What is that?” Nadia whispered with a hard swallow.

“I don’t know,” Amo answered with a worrying tone in his voice. For a second, it was like you could see the brave beast slip to reveal that he, too, was becoming afraid for them.

The soldier’s mind worked a mile per second, figuring out his next move, and then he suddenly decided. He brought Nadia’s and Leo’s hands together. “Wait here while I get Dante. I’ll be back with him in a second. If something happens, you two run for it, right off this boat and into the ocean.”

Nadia firmly nodded, as did Leo, all of them internally knowing they might have more of a fighting chance in the water than on the yacht. What was once a bright oasis to them all weekend was now beginning to feel more and more like a death trap. The eerie night making it feel like this might just be their burial site.

Certain they would listen to his order, Amo ran up the steps, and Nadia watched him until he disappeared.

It felt strange for her to take orders from Amo. She was much older; she should be the one to give orders and think about what they should do next, but something in her told her to trust the Caruso soldier. It came easy and felt safe to do so.

Nadia gave the hand in hers a squeeze that seemed more for herself than for him. Glancing over at the teenager, she thought it had been alarming to see Amo the way he was in dire situations, but seeing Leo was something different altogether … more frightening. There was no concern or worry on his beautiful, young face. It was like she had seen acceptance for whatever was to come. Her depths going to the gauze covering where his eye should be, she could see how desperately it needed to be changed. It was stained with discharge and was starting to lift from where he must have slept on it after wearing it all day.

It was clear Leo no longer feared death. His accident had rendered him dead inside already; therefore, there was nothing to fear. It seemed almost a blessing in this moment as Nadia’s knees began to shake, but she knew better than to know it was actually a curse. It made her soul hurt even more for him, even though they might only have moments left to live, but she wished he knew how precious those moments could be.

Leo squeezed her hand in return, and, unlike Nadia, he kept his grip tight, not letting it falter.

It was like her shaky legs had suddenly stopped as they found the strength to stand firm. The boy gave her strength, sharing it between them selflessly, and that was when Nadia found peace, her gut telling her everything would be fine at the exact moment she heard running coming back down the steps from a returning Amo and Dante joining them.

The three men all gave a single look at each other, and Nadia found the comfort to know she was going to live then. The overwhelming certainty that they were going to make it out alive was a strange and profound feeling, but her gut just told her it would be so. And it was all because of the determined three before her. Whatever they were about to be faced with was going to be no match for them.

Dante and Amo led the charge, while Leo still held her hand tightly as they followed their backs to go see what the noise had been. They could hear muffled voices coming from below deck, and when they reached the railing quietly, they looked down into the ocean to see a tender was being deployed from its stowage.

“Hurry this thing up!” a voice hissed.

“I’m going as fast I can!” another one hissed.

“Well, I’d like to be fucking out of here when this thing blows!”

If it was even possible, Nadia’s heart pounded harder.

Dante and Amo gave each other another knowing look as Amo pointed to his chest then to the tender below. Dante nodded in return, pointing to his chest then to Leo and Nadia. When they nodded, it wasn’t a split-second later when their silent plan went into action, starting with Amo.

In one fast motion, Amo went over the railing, taking a dive into the ocean below and right beside the almost fully deployed tender.

“Now us,” Dante announced once their cover was officially blown. They had clearly wanted Amo to have the element of surprise by making him go first.

“What? Jump?” Nadia looked at him like he was fucking crazy. “Like when I did before I almost drowned?”

“Exactly,” Dante instructed. The voices of the ones already escaping told them that they had no time to do or get anything else. It was now or never.

Leo was already climbing to the other side of the railing.

A frustrated Dante pushed her to hurry. “You already did it wh—”

“Well, that was before I realized I couldn’t swim—AH!” Suddenly, Nadia was lifted into his arms then tossed overboard. All she had heard was, “You lived,” before she was surrounded by water.

Just as she was rising out of the water, two splashes erupted right beside her. It took her a second to catch her breath, coughing and blinking her eyes while she struggled to float.

It had been much different the first time she had jumped into the water. For one, it had been her choice to do so. Secondly, it was so dark now, and the ocean was a scary thing to be in at night.

Taking another wave straight to her face, she went under, thinking this was going to be it for her, when arms surrounded her, pulling her up to the surface once more.

“You’re fine,” a soothing voice told her, beginning to pull her through the water. “Just relax.”

Seeing it was Dante, she immediately did as she was told, knowing he had saved her from drowning before, so she trusted him enough to know this wasn’t going to be any different.

Dante swam them toward the tender while Nadia focused on trying to keep her head above the water. She couldn’t imagine the sheer strength he must’ve had for him to be able to do this, because Nadia was already exhausted just from trying to keep herself from taking on any more water.

They finally reached the tender, and she was grateful when Leo, who had already climbed on board, held out his hand for her to take. Nadia took it like it was the lifeboat and was shocked he managed to pull her out of the water soaking wet. She was not petite by any means, so she knew why Dante had to be the one to swim her to safety, as Leo was still quite young and hadn’t filled out yet.

Being brought onboard the small boat, she helped Leo bring up his father, as he was much heavier.

“We gotta get the fuck out of here,” Amo warned once they were all on. “Now!”

Nadia wiped the water from her eyes, coughing. She could see Amo’s back while he appeared to be facing the culprits with their bloody hands covering their faces. The soldier had obviously been busy.

Dante sprang into action, moving to the wheel to drive them away from the yacht. Even though this tender looked like a really nice speedboat to her, it was like going from Buckingham Palace to a shack with all six people onboard.

When Leo went to help Amo hold them in place, Nadia was able to finally see who was responsible.

Max … Lila?

She found herself more shocked by the latter, not believing the sweet woman could have done anything to hurt them. Well, whatever they had or hadn’t done, she was about to find out as Dante cut the engine. He had brought them quite a distance away from the yacht once he was certain enough they were out of harm’s way.

“Talk.”

Nadia went from fearing for her life to Max’s and Lila’s by not only the anger in Dante’s voice, but his frost-bitten gaze, and they were the ones who were wearing life jackets.

When the two sat there frozen, Amo picked Max up without warning, spun him around, and forced his upper half over the side, holding his head under the water. He pulled him back up for air with the vice grip he had on his hair.

“Now are you willing to talk?” Dante asked over his choking.

“Don’t tell them, honey,” Lila said with a muffled voice, still holding her nose. “They won’t kill—”

Amo sunk Max’s head back under once more, this time holding him there longer than he did last time.

Max came out of the water choking harder as the blood continued to spill from his own broken nose.

“Okay!” Max choked out, agreeing to talk in fear of being drowned.

Lila went to detest, but Max screamed at her, “Easy for you to say; you’re not the one being fucking drowned!”

“I can give you a turn?”

Lila’s mouth snapped close at Amo’s warning.

“Now …” Dante told him to get talking.

“The day you boarded, I was sent a text, along with fifty thousand dollars deposited into my bank account to kill everyone on the ship. They told me, after I did it, I would be deposited another fifty.”

“A hundred thousand?”

She watched Dante utter the number in disappointment. It was quite obvious he thought his life alone was worth more than that, and Nadia was pretty sure he would have doubled the money for him not to do it.

Amo was just as hurt, throwing Max in for another dip.

“It was a hundred,” Max came up out of the water, clarifying in deep breaths, “but I told them I would only do it if my girlfriend, Lila, could come with me and got her own hundred thousand dollars.”

“How sweet …” Nadia grumbled sarcastically.

Dante shared her sentiment but continued on, “Who sent the money?”

A nervous Max started stuttering, looking at Lila as she silently pleaded for him not tell. “I-I-If I tell you, I’m dead anyway.”

“Okay, then.” Amo started jerking off his lifejacket, and when he didn’t reveal the name in the time it took for him to do so, he threw him off the boat. “Get to swimming.”

“He didn’t hurt anyone yet!” Nadia screamed at the soldier over Max’s attempts of swimming away. She couldn’t believe she ever thought Amo wasn’t capable of hurting a fly. “Nothing’s even been done to the ship ye—”

BOOM!

Staring at the flames in the distance, she quietly sat back down, knowing the chef and skipper were still onboard. Nadia didn’t agree with it, but after that, she knew Max had a better chance with Poseidon than up here with the fucking mafia members whom he had almost just killed.

When Amo grabbed a crying Lila by her lifejacket, her mouth started moving a mile per minute.

“One-Shot! All they would tell us is they went by One-Shot! We were to cut the fuel line while everyone was sleeping, and that was it. We tried doing it the first night, but Nadia and Leo woke up and were talking. So, the next day, Max planned to get you all drunk, even told you their rum runners were virgin, but they weren’t.”

Suddenly, Nadia felt sick, sicker than anything she had witnessed tonight. The fact that they knew they were going to kill kids—well, at least she still viewed Leo as a kid—told her what kind of cruel people they were.

“That, of course, backfired when Nadia slept upstairs that night, because we weren’t sure when you two would actually stop fucking and go to sleep.”

Nadia’s mouth hit the fucking deck, and what was worse was seeing Amo’s eyes practically popping out of his sockets, while Leo didn’t even react, meaning he had clearly already known.

“There was no spider, was there?” Amo asked, turning to Leo when something clicked together in his head.

Leo shook his head. “No.”

Oh God, she cried inside her head, wishing she were swimming with the fishes alongside Max right about now, finally understanding the spider comment. I should have stayed on the fucking boat.

Covering her face with her hands, she looked at Dante through her fingers to see he hadn’t been bothered by the revelation in the slightest.

“Okay.” Amo cleared his throat, throwing a forever embarrassed Nadia a lifeline by continuing. “Go on.”

“Tonight was our last chance, so when you all stayed in your rooms and were separated, we … well … went for it,” Lila finally finished.

“Anything else, boss?” Amo asked, looking at Dante.

“Nope.”

With that, Amo flung the woman overboard.

“No!” Nadia shot up from where she sat. “She told you everything!”

“That’s why I left her lifejacket on.” Amo shrugged coldly. “She’ll live … if someone other than us comes to rescue her ass.”

Going to protest, she suddenly heard something in the distance. “Shh!” Nadia urged.

Everyone stopped moving to carefully listen.

“That’s just Lil—”

She shook her head. The noise was over Lila’s swimming and much farther in the distance.

A quiet, “Help! Aide-moi!”

Before she could even get the words out, Amo was already getting behind the wheel.

Dante pulled her to sit down beside him, holding her close as the boat took off toward the yacht. With the flames illuminating everything around it, they were able to see a body holding on to the top of floating debris, and then they saw another person beside him the closer they got. The chef and skipper were alive.

She hadn’t noticed how cold she was until that moment Dante wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

“Are you okay?” he asked, looking her over.

Nadia found herself shocked he was no longer ignoring her. “Yes, I’m fine.”

“Sorry I threw you over,” he said apologetically.

Nadia managed to chuckle, despite what had just happened. She figured she should still be mad, but it appeared, like him, she had clearly found a new perspective after what they had just gone through. “I’m sorry about your yacht.”

“Oh yeah.” Dante’s gaze went to the fire getting closer, which happened to be burning up millions of dollars’ worth. “It’s not mine.”

Her own eyes shot to his in surprise. “It’s not?”

“Nope,” he said, unbothered. “It belonged to Desmond Beck.”

Fifteen

The Most Dangerous Man in Kansas City

Once Nadia had made it safely back to Kansas City, it was strange to be home from the moment she got off the plane. The plane ride had been nerve-racking, but she had found herself much calmer this time. On the way to Florida, it had not only been her first time flying, but she had been amongst strangers. This time, however, she felt amongst friends and was comforted in that fact.

But when it was time to land and the airplane door opened, she couldn’t help but feel the bond they had formed over the weekend was beginning to slip. It was like making a type of friend over summer vacation that you normally wouldn’t have gotten the chance to make, and when they went back to school, there was an awkward moment of goodbyes before you felt the sudden loss, both of you knowing you might not see each other until next year … if ever.

However, when the car went toward the casino hotel instead of taking her home, it appeared she was wrong about having to say goodbye just yet.

“Uh … My apartment is that way.” She pointed in the opposite direction.

Dante’s face stayed impassive. “I’m aware.”

“So … I’d like to go home,” she finished, as if it was silly that she even had to say them in the first place. Of course, she wanted to go home. She wanted a shower and to be in her own freaking clothes for once. Dante had purchased them each an outfit to come home in, as all their belongings were either in the ocean or burned to a crisp. Yes, the basic yet expensive jeans and T-shirt were nicer than anything she owned in her closet, but she still just wanted her own stuff back.

“There’s been an issue. We need to go to my casino first.”

Silence filled the car for the rest of the ride.

Nadia didn’t know what to think, but she got this instinctual feeling that whatever “issue” it was, it must’ve involved her; otherwise, why would he be bringing her along?

A little tingling of fear grew in her at not knowing what had possibly happened to make this never-ending roller coaster of a ride worse. Nadia just really wished she had her phone to check on Haley. She was sure she was worried by now.

The many possible scenarios filled her head as they got to Dante’s casino hotel and took the trek she had made just Friday, which now seemed like a lifetime ago.

Walking through the casino, going up the elevator, and heading to his office felt much different this time around. The first time, she had been slightly nervous, afraid that she wouldn’t walk out with the donation she needed. This time, however, she was smart enough to be afraid for her life.

When Dante opened his office door and held it open for her to enter first, she walked through slowly, frightened of the man who sat behind the huge wooden desk. She remembered walking in and seeing Dante in that same spot, but not even Dante’s icy exterior compared to this one’s foreboding one. The chill that went up her spine traveled all the way from her fingertips down to her toes. Her gift of intuition screamed for her to run, while his strange, blue-green gaze beckoned her to come closer, telling her that, if she took even one step in the opposite direction, it just might be her last, and that was when she knew exactly who she was face-to-face with … The Boogieman.

The second she knew she needed out of here was the same second Amo and Leo walked in as well, closing the door behind them. There was certainly no escaping now, as she had to keep herself from shivering in his presence. The wickedness in him affected her more than a usual person, and that was saying a lot, because she was certain there wasn’t anyone who wanted to look him in the eyes.

The smile that tugged up one side of his lips made him appear even more handsome than he already was, but for her, it served only as a reminder of just how dangerous he was.

“Ms. Brooks, it’s nice to meet you.” He waved a hand for her to sit down.

She could feel his strange gaze taking her in as she sat. Being looked at by men was nothing new to a woman, but he didn’t look at her like men usually did. He looked at her curiously, like she was under a microscope and he was simply trying to find out everything and anything about her in a single glance.

Frankly, she didn’t know which way would be worse for The Boogieman to look at her.

“Scoot,” Dante told him, motioning for him to get out of his chair, making Nadia look at the perplexing pair. The second she saw the two side-by-side, she knew before he spoke his next words. “Nadia, this is my oldest son … Lucca.”

She found herself frozen like a statue, not believing she hadn’t seen the resemblance at first. It was certainly blatantly obvious now. Knowing he was one of his sons, she was only shocked by the fact that it was Lucca. From what they had said about him, she would have never guessed he was the one all of Kansas City was frightened of.

“Nice to meet you,” she managed to get out.

“Scoot,” Dante told him again when his son continued to stare at her. “And are you going to tell me what it is that couldn’t wait till the fucking morning?”

“Yes.” He continued to stare at her a moment longer then stood to let his father take his place.

She was grateful to finally be released from his gaze, but it was short-lived when he threw a newspaper down on the desk.

Being closer, Dante didn’t need to pick up the paper to see what was plastered on the front page of The Kansas City Tribune.

Is that …?

“Oh, my fucking God!” Nadia screamed, picking up the paper off the desk to see herself in black and white. But it wasn’t just an innocent picture of her; it was a picture of her in a bathtub while Dante stared down at her. Someone on that passing cruise ship had taken a picture of them at the perfect moment, making them appear more than they were … Well, more than a one-time thing.

“Holy shit.” Amo came closer to get a look. “I gotta see thi—”

Nadia quickly folded the paper out of his view and smacked him with it.

Leo continued to stand quietly, but with a smile now, while Lucca began to curiously stare at her again.

When Amo jumped back, she opened the paper again to take another look at her humiliation, managing now to look past the photo to see the headline.

Sixteen

Has The Casino King Chosen His Queen?

“Oh my God …” she cried again, the pit in her stomach about to make her sick.

“When was this?” Dante slid the paper out of her hands, keeping her from staring at it a moment longer, to see the date.

“Today’s paper,” Lucca informed him. “And I’m sure you’ll get the front page again tomorrow due to the boat blowing up.”

“Get the editor in chief on the phone and remind him who he really fucking works for,” Dante ordered fiercely.

His son nodded.

Dante now looked at Amo. “I want you and Drago to switch off guarding Nadia until we find One-Shot.”

Amo went to firmly nod his own head when Lucca spoke up.

“Drago’s not going back to bodyguarding anytime soon. He has his wife to worry abou—”

“That was an order,” Dante boomed as he hit the desk with his fist.

Nadia could see it then, as the ice-blue eyes battled against the blue-green ones. The shift of power that was trying to be out won from father to son. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to know that Lucca must’ve been his underboss, and he sought the chair his father sat in. She just wondered how much longer it was going to be before the bloodshed. And for bloodshed to happen against your own family, of those you once loved, was a crime of the highest accord. It was simply unforgivable.

Nadia would know because she had survived it.

The boss’ tone shifted, his order now coming out as a plea. “Please, just ask Drago. I’m sure you could figure something out to keep Katarina protected while he’s with Nadia.”

“I don’t think One-Shot will go for Kat again. I think, after that,” Leo finally spoke up, pointing at the paper that sat on his father’s desk, “Nadia might be next, especially if she’s an easy target with no guard. She needs the best,” he warned his brother gravely.

Whoever Drago was, she could only imagine he was the best of the Caruso men, right along with Amo, who had proven himself on the yacht.

Lucca seemed taken aback by Leo’s response, moving his eyes to his younger brother’s. It was like they spoke to each other without words before he nodded, agreeing to do it.

“Thank you,” Dante said with relief.

If it was possible, blue-green eyes went back to staring at her even more curiously, making her head spin more than it already was with how they were talking about her as if she wasn’t in the room.

“Dante, can I talk with you?” Nadia interjected quietly. “Alone.”

None of the men waited to hear Dante’s response, beginning to leave.

“See you soon,” Amo told her.

Leo, however, paused at the door, turning to give her a last good look. “Bye, Nadia.”

“Bye, Leo.” She waved at him with sadness in her heart. She couldn’t help but feel hurt to see him leave when she just wanted more time to help him.

Waiting until he was completely gone from view, she finally turned back around to face Dante, only to see Lucca still standing there, closely watching her. He did so a moment longer before he spoke.

“It was nice meeting you, Ms. Brooks.” His eyes glowed as a slow smile curved his lips. “I hope to see you around.”

Those words should have scared her, coming from The Boogieman. However, there was no chill that went up her spine when he had said them, seeing he had genuinely meant them. Whatever had just taken place, she wasn’t quite sure what to think, other than she strangely got the approval of the most dangerous man in Kansas City.

“Nice meeting you, too, Lucca.”

She watched him quietly disappear and couldn’t help but think what it would have been like to not have gotten his approval.

Dante got right to it, without hearing what she had wanted to talk to him about. “You can stay here at the hotel. I have a roo—”

“No,” Nadia said, stopping him.

“No?” He looked at her, not comprehending what she must be referring to. “No, what?”

“As in, no, I’m not staying here. I haven’t been home in days,” she clarified. “I just want to go home and sleep in my bed and in my clothes.”

Stunned, Dante clearly hadn’t considered what she might want. It took him a few seconds to get his thoughts in order. “Okay, Amo will take you home, then, and stay with you for tonight.”

Nadia shook her head. “Your men are clearly spread thin. He can take me home, but I’ll be okay for tonight. Haley is my roommate, so it’s not like I’ll be alone. Besides”—she looked at the godforsaken newspaper—“whoever it is wanting to kill you won’t know we’re back till tomorrow.”

Opening his mouth, he then quickly closed it before he seemed to say something else entirely as he went around the desk to stand in front of her. “If this is about the paper, fuck the paper.”

“Dante, I run Moonbeam; how am I supposed to get donors after—”

“Donors are not going to be a problem,” he assured her.

Angry with his nonchalant response, Nadia went for the door.

“I’m sorry.” Dante grabbed her arm, stopping her from taking another step. “I’m sorry I dragged you into any of this,” he apologized sincerely, bringing her closer to him and resting his head on hers.

Nadia’s breath hitched. It was the closest they had been since …

She took a deep breath, trying not to go back to that night on the yacht. She needed to keep her head straight enough to leave.

“Listen, this is a lot. I just need to go home and clear my head, okay? I can come back tomorrow, and we can talk about this after a good night’s rest.” She emphasized the word this for whatever the hell was happening between them. They had yet to talk about what they were or if there was even a possibility of them. But she was sure Dante didn’t even know himself yet.

Slowly, he nodded his head against hers then pulled away to let her leave. “Good night, Nadia.”

She thought watching Leo tell her goodbye was hard, but this was excruciating, and they weren’t even saying bye; it was just for one night. “Good night, Dante.”

* * *

Waiving Amo goodbye, she unlocked her apartment door, only to be tackled as soon as the door was closed.

“I’ve been worried sick.” A familiar, sweet woman squeezed her to death for an eternity before she pulled away and started hitting her. “You scared the shit out of me, Nadia!”

“I’m sorry.” She laughed, trying to dodge the love hits. “I sent you a text saying I lost my phone, but I was all right!”

“You’re supposed to be the responsible one. How could you lose your phone?”

“Yeah, well, it’s surprisingly not hard when you’re getting shot at.” The smart comeback slipped through her lips.

“What?” Haley suddenly stopped hitting her. “You were shot at?”

“Yes—”

Nadia got the breath knocked out of her when Haley grabbed her for a hug again. “But I’m fine,” she assured her best friend that she didn’t even get a scratch on her.

“Thank God!” Haley cried then pulled herself together. “What the hell happened?”

Nadia was able to answer simply, “Dante Caruso happened.”

Her friend’s mouth dropped open. Then, seeming to remember something, she went to the coffee table and picked up today’s paper. “Oh, I know.”

Going over, she slipped the paper from Haley’s hand and took a seat on the couch, staring down at it ominously. “Yeah, well, he gives Tony Montana a run for his money.”

“Spill,” Haley said, sitting down next to her.

Knowing Haley would go to her grave with what she would tell her, she spilled everything that had happened since she had walked into the hotel casino on Friday to today, letting her know that the rumors about Dante Caruso were true.

There were several moments of silence after she got done with her story while Haley took in everything she had said before she spoke. “Do you know what you’re going to do or say to him tomorrow?”

Nadia shook her head, staring down at the black and white photo again. “I think I really like him,” she finally admitted, more to herself than to Haley. “But I don’t think he’d ever care for me the way I feel myself beginning to care for him.” It was true and blatantly obvious that the man she was falling for in a mere weekend had already given his heart away to another woman many years ago, his heart that was now buried along with her.

“You sure about that?” Haley asked softly, pointing at Dante’s face in the photo.

As she let her eyes drift, her heart skipped a beat. She had been so focused on herself in the bathtub, as it was humiliating to be undressed on the front page of the newspaper in her city, that she hadn’t really gotten a good look at him.

The way Dante looked at her was the way any woman would dream to be looked at. There was so much care, tenderness, and … love in a single look that it had Nadia wanting to run back to the casino hotel right now.

“By the way, you forgot to mention how hot he was in that folder of yours that you made of him. I would have picked him if I kne—”

“Desmond!” Nadia gasped, remembering Haley had had her own meeting. “How did it go?”

“Well …” Haley started, not knowing where to begin, “I think I might have gotten you more than just a donation.”

“What?” Nadia screamed in excitement. “Spill!”

“I will, but not tonight,” she told her. “Your story is enough for one night, so we’ll save mine and Desmond’s for another day. Now, I’m going to bed before you make me spoil it.” Haley laughed, quickly starting to leave. She knew if she stayed there, Nadia would have it out of her in five minutes, and they needed to get some rest.

“No fair!” Nadia yelled at her friend before she disappeared behind her bedroom door. The silence hit her hard, reminding her that she was finally alone.

Nadia slowly brought her eyes back to the black and white photo. Only she no longer saw herself in it anymore.

Had he been looking at her like this the entire time, and she had simply missed his glances? Or did the photographer snap the picture at the perfect moment, making it look like more than it was?

I have one night to decide.

Seventeen

Maria Fucking Caruso

Getting to sleep had been hard for Nadia, but she had woken up this morning refreshed and knew exactly what she had to do. She now walked onto the casino floor with a clear mind, planning to go through with her decision. After she hit the elevator button with certainty, it took several moments before it dinged, and the doors slid open. The person on the other side had her star bound …

“Hello.” The beautiful woman in five-inch heels smiled brightly. “It’s Nadia, right?”

The little girl in Nadia, who had been bullied by beautiful girls in the past, wanted to wait for the next elevator, but grown Nadia had learned to handle herself, so she took a step onto the elevator. “Yes. And you are?” she asked, really hoping it wasn’t one of Dante’s women who had been sexting him.

“Sorry.” She laughed, realizing how weird it might’ve come off that she knew her name before they were introduced. “I’m Maria. Maria Caruso.”

Oh, thank God. Nadia breathed, suddenly feeling the warmth come off the girl. “You must be … Dante’s daughter?”

“Yep.” She smiled, raising a perfect brow. “Who did you think I was?”

“Honestly, I was scared you might’ve been one of Dante’s—” She paused, not knowing the proper word for “one of his booty calls.”

“Oh no.” Maria practically gagged in understanding. “He’s my dad, but not that kind of dad.”

“Okay, good.” Nadia laughed it off, knowing a girl Maria’s age would consider a guy at Dante’s age a daddy.

“Yep, you’re totally safe with me,” Maria assured her. Then, moving to the elevator buttons, she lit one up that would take them down instead of going to the top to Dante’s office.

“Uh … I was actually on my way to see your fath—”

“I actually thought we could hang out for a bit.” The woman’s teeth sparkled even brighter. “I’ve heard so much about you from Leo and Amo. I’d love to get to know you myself.”

Nadia swallowed hard, looking at the numbers falling to the basement floor. She had never been so frightened of a woman until this fucking moment. It was weird to fear a tall, legged blonde goddess in a dress, but something in her told her to run, like it had with Lucca. Honestly, maybe more so, because if there was one thing women knew how to do, it was how to hurt another woman much worse than any man ever could.

Maria fucking Caruso looked like she belonged to the plastics on Mean Girls … except somehow richer and prettier. No, worse than that. It looked like she ate Regina George for fucking breakfast.

“I-I-I should really go see him.” Her survival instincts tried to kick in to save her, but the gorgeous girl wasn’t having it.

Maria locked her arm with Nadia’s just in time for the elevator door to ding open. “Oh, he can wait. Plus, I have something fun to show you.”

She really, really, really didn’t want to walk down the dark hallway she was faced with, but Maria began dragging her toward a door that was waiting at the end. Listening to the girl’s stilettos hit the floor, she walked down, arm-in-arm with her, not knowing what to fucking do.

Dante’s offspring were not only turning out to be more good-looking than him but were quite honestly terrifying. She was sure she would rather take on The Boogieman again than this psychotic princess.

Sensing her nerves, Maria spoke but continued dragging her along. “I was so jealous I couldn’t join you on the yacht last weekend …”

“Uh-huh,” Nadia said, glancing back at the elevator … for it to already be gone. How the fuck do I always end up in these situations?

“But, you know, I’m married, and my husband and I haven’t even been apart for a day since.”

It was everything Nadia could do to stay polite and calm as Maria flashed her huge diamond ring.

“I-It’s beautiful.”

Christ, if Regina George was fucking real, she was with the thing that fucking spawned her.

“Thanks.” She smiled so sweetly before banging on the door like she was a prison guard bringing in a prisoner.

To think that One-Shot was going to be the one to take her out was a joke. It was the fucking Victoria Secret model who was going to be the one to brutally murder her.

The door flung open, and a big, suited guy stood on the other side, not looking happy to see Maria, but he moved to the side nonetheless for her to enter.

Nadia couldn’t believe what she was looking at. It was another casino full of tables and risqué-dressed women all over. This casino, she was sure, was the best kept secret in all of Kansas City.

Still holding her arm, Maria said hi to the passing lingerie-clad women as if she was on a first name basis with them all. As she sat them at an empty blackjack table, Nadia could see she had no reason to fear for her life at all with the woman. She was the friendliest girl she had possibly ever met—

“You wish.” Maria flashed her left hand and shiny rock, practically taking a man’s eye out when he leaned too closely to her so he could whisper in her ear.

When his eyes drifted over to Nadia, then, her next words came out as a hiss, “Does she look familiar? Or did you happen to miss yesterday’s paper.”

Realization hit the man like a Mack truck.

The blonde’s pouty lips lifted into a wicked smile. “Unluckily for you, you happen to not only hit on his girlfriend, but his daughter in one fell swoop.”

Now the man looked like he was going to shit himself. “I-I’m sorry. Please tell your fath—I mean, Mr. Caruso—I apologize.”

“Hmm …” Maria tapped her chin with a manicured nude nail. “I’ll think about it.”

Correction: Maria eats men for breakfast.

Nadia would have a reason to fear for her life if she were a man, but luckily for her, she wasn’t. This poor sucker, however, wasn’t as lucky.

“That’s your cue to leave,” came from a female voice.

When the man scurried off, Nadia turned to see the woman who now stood on the dealer side of the table. Snickering with Maria, she was a different kind of a man’s dream of a woman than Maria was. Where the blonde bombshell was a tall, legged, sophisticated woman, fit for a runway, the dealer was every horndog’s wet dream—short, curvy for days, and had a pair of tits on her that Hugh Hefner would have wanted plastered on the cover of the next issue of Playboy. It would undoubtedly be a bestseller, too, and Nadia herself would purchase it.

“I’m Sadie, the pit boss,” she introduced herself with a fast shuffle of the deck. “But for Maria, I go back to dealing just for her.”

Watching Sadie take several hundred-dollar chips out of the tray to place in front of the blonde, she didn’t want to hold them up. “I’m sorry. I don’t have anything on me. I lost my purse the other day, and I didn’t think I’d be gambling when I came here.”

“Oh no, you will not be paying to gamble in my father’s casino,” Maria said, halving her chips and placing them in front of Nadia. “He owes you a lot more than this for getting you plastered on the front page of The Kansas City Tribune.”

“That’s right.” Sadie nodded firmly in agreement before giving her a wink. “Plus, what good is it to be the boss’ new girlfriend if it doesn’t come with perks?”

“Oh … I’m not …” Nadia couldn’t even say the words, knowing a one-night stand with the man was far from being called his girlfriend.

“Honey, we all saw the picture.” Sadie’s tone matched a mother’s telling her daughter that she knew everything there was about love. “If he’s not asked you to be his girl, he will soon.”

Maria simply bobbed her head in agreement, like the best friend who was telling her that her mother was, in fact, right.

“Oh God.” Nadia’s head fell to the table, her mind that was once clear wavered back into a jumbled mess.

“Don’t worry, honey. You came to the right place.” The pit boss assured her before yelling to a passing waitress, “Cherry, two tequilas and two waters!”

Maria patted her back in comfort. “Yeah, Sadie’s the woman whisperer. She’ll sort you right out.”

“That’s right. I sorted Maria out, and now look at her. She’s married to the second finest man in all of Kansas City.” Confidence slipped through the pit boss’ lips.

Again, Maria held up the big diamond as proof on her left hand.

“It’s beautiful,” Nadia told the girl again so she would finally put it down.

“Wait—who’s the first?” Maria went back to Sadie, catching that she had called her husband only the second finest man in Kansas City.

“Oh, buttercup”—Sadie tapped the tip of Maria’s perfect nose—“I love you and all, but if I told ya, then I’d have to kill ya. Now, how is Dom doing?”

“Good.” Maria laughed, letting her drop it. “He’s still perfect, of course.”

Nadia said a silent prayer for the man named Dom. Within the ten minutes she had known Maria, she was a handful and probably had the schmuck by the ball—

“Oh, I know,” Sadie said in agreement, clearly approving of her choice in husband. As she was dealing out the cards, it was starting to feel like an AA meeting for girls. “Unfortunately for all of us, we got it bad for a man.”

Ugh, she was right. Nadia slammed her head back on the desk.

“Just in time,” Sadie announced when two shots, along with the waters, appeared on the table. “Drink up. It’ll give you some clarity.”

“You can have mine, too,” Maria told her, sliding her shot of tequila closer to Nadia.

Sadie’s brow lifted in suspicion. “What? Are you pregnant?”

“No …” The blonde quickly tapped the table to hit her thirteen. “I’m just not drinking tonight.”

“Well, me neither.” Nadia slid the shots back to the blonde. “Last time I drank … I just have to keep my wits about me this time.”

Now Sadie’s suspicious gaze went to Nadia, seeming to know exactly what she meant.

Rolling her eyes, she picked up the two shots, downing one and then the other like it was simply water. Whatever love life problem Nadia was having, it looked like it paled to Sadie’s in comparison. Maria’s, however, was clearly as perfect as her and the twenty-one she had just made by receiving an eight of hearts.

Hitting her twelve didn’t go quite as perfectly as Maria’s had, busting with a face card. Then, when it was Sadie’s turn to reveal her house card, she had a six hiding underneath, forcing her to hit and get another face card, making the house bust. The analogy was almost a perfect representation of their love lives.

Maria beamed as Sadie slid over her winnings.

“Perfect twenty-one and Dominic Luciano. Girl, you just can’t lose.”

Nadia had been taking a drink of her water and practically spit it all over the table. Dominic Luciano?

“You okay?” Maria asked her with concern.

“Mmhmm …” she choked out. “You mean, Luciano as in …” The fucking rival mafia family in Kansas City?

It was Sadie who answered in understanding. “That’s the one.”

Oh, this girl, Maria, had it out for every man, including her father. She was sure … “I don’t take it your father took that very well.”

“No, he did not,” Maria assured her, but Nadia didn’t miss the hint of sadness in her voice. On the outside, it looked like Maria’s life was perfect, but it was clear that even a girl who had everything still had some scars deep down.

“Want me to hurt him for you?” Nadia asked, knowing her father had hurt her in some way.

The beautiful blonde laughed at the joke, and the sadness that didn’t belong on a girl like her left. “Thanks for the offer, but something tells me Karma might just be catching up to him.” The way Maria was looking at her made Nadia feel like she was said Karma.

“You going to place your bet, hon?” Sadie reminded her to move a new chip in the circle.

“No, I think I’m done.” She sighed, giving Maria back her chips.

The pit boss placed her hands on her hips. “What’s wrong?”

“Honestly, I hate gambling,” Nadia confessed to the girls. It had ruined so many of the kids’ lives who went through her charity due to their parents’ addiction. It made her feel so guilty to even be here.

“Oh, girl, I am so rooting for you.” Sadie laughed along with an agreeing Maria.

Her not liking casinos, or gambling, for that matter, seemed to be that bit of Karma that Maria was looking for, after all.

Sadie began dealing just for Maria. “So, what’s the plan?”

“The plan?” Nadia asked her, confused.

“The plan of coming here today? Do you know what you’re going to say to him?”

Damn, Sadie really was the woman whisperer. She knew exactly why she was fucking here and didn’t even need to hear it. It must’ve been written all over her torn face.

Taking a deep breath, Nadia decided to fuck it and confide in them, but before she could, a cold familiar voice greeted them.

“Hello, ladies.”

Seeing Lucca Caruso for the second time wasn’t quite as jarring as the first. Nadia found herself no longer fearing The Boogieman; she could see past the man to the child beneath. Like in Leo, she could see the trauma, but it wasn’t marred on the outside. It was deep and hidden beneath the wicked darkness, yet it was still there all the same, like it had been with Maria. Had their father been the cause of all their pain?

“I hate to interrupt, but Dante would like to see you now.”

Yikes. Him being on a first-name basis with his father told her about all she needed to know.

“You ready?” His dark voice ominously asked her when she hadn’t made a move.

Thankful that she hadn’t taken that shot of tequila, she wondered if the three pairs of eyes staring at her could see the fear and nerves on her face.

Managing to finally muster up the courage, she finally nodded and stood up from the chair. Was it weird that this felt like it was going to determine the rest of her life?

“Good luck, girl.” Sadie winked at her.

Maria, however, stopped her from leaving and, for the first time, Nadia got a good look at her bright, emerald-green gaze that matched the green in her older brother’s.

“I may be rooting for you just so you can turn his life upside down,” Maria began confessing as harsh words spilled for her pretty lips, “but I can already tell he doesn’t deserve you.”

That revelation from his daughter sent Nadia’s already fucked-up mind in a tailspin. So much so that she missed the odd look between Lucca and Maria before he started to walk her out, and the room full of people parting to give him a wide berth.

It wasn’t until she was faced with Dante’s door that everything stopped, and it was just …

Clear.

Eighteen

I Will Haunt You

Walking into Dante’s office, she hadn’t expected it, but her heart had skipped a beat upon seeing him again. However, with the look of his icy exterior, she doubted his had done the same.

Seeing him start to get up, she stopped him. “You can stay there. This won’t take long.”

“This won’t take long?” he questioned, stunned, and froze in place from rising out of his chair.

“Yes.” She waited for him to slowly lower himself back down to his chair before she began. “I don’t know what you planned to say to me, whether you were going to ask to see me again or not, but when I leave this office … it will be the last time you see me.”

It was easier this way, because if she heard him say he no longer wanted to see her, it would break her heart. But what would hurt even worse was if he did ask to see her again. Then she wouldn’t have the strength to do this.

Nadia couldn’t see anything in his hardened face, only the slight flex to his jaw.

“May I ask why?”

“I hate casinos.”

“You hate casinos?” he asked, confused more than ever.

“Exactly.” She nodded firmly.

“Then don’t play in my casino. I don’t care.” Dante seemed to have an easy fix, but when Nadia shook her head, telling him it wasn’t that easy, he continued, “I’m sorry, but I’m not understanding why that means you plan to never see me again once you hit that door?”

“We’re two different people—” It was him this time who was going to interrupt her, but she wasn’t done. Softly, she spoke the words containing the hard truth, “And you’re in love with someone else.”

Dante sat back in his chair, knowing exactly who she meant. “I will always love my wife. It’s not like she walked out on me, Nadia. She died … because of me.”

“I know you will, and I wouldn’t want that to ever change,” Nadia said, taking a breath. “But you’re not willing to share that love with anyone else, and as amazing as that night was with you, I know that’s all you could ever give me, and it would never be enough.”

She had to look past him now, the words too much for herself to bear saying, and Nadia couldn’t witness the pain beginning on his face from talking about his wife. “You can blame yourself for her death all you want, Dante, but she knew the consequences of being with you … just like I do, which is why … I can’t. I don’t choose a life where I will wonder if my next step will be my last, or if you don’t pick up the phone, it might mean you’re dead.” She spoke the name of the ghost that haunted his ice-blue eyes. “Melissa did … I don’t.”

Dante stared at her for several moments, having to take in what she said, and when he finally went to open his mouth, there was a knock on the office door before it flung open.

One of his men, holding a folder, paused upon seeing her. “Oh, sorry, I—”

“That’s okay. I was just leaving,” Nadia said, wiping away the tear that had fallen before she turned for the door.

Standing from his chair, Dante waved his man on. “Sal, can you give us a minute?”

“No, please stay,” Nadia urged him, and the man didn’t know what to do, but she kept him in place when she went to the door herself. “Tell your men I can make it home myself, and that I won’t be needing their services.” Turning, she gave one last look at the man who had stolen her heart and would never be able to give his in return. “Goodbye, Mr. Caruso.”

* * *

Dante fell back down in his chair, watching where she had just disappeared without giving him a single chance.

“Sir …”

“Sal, give me a fucking minute!” Dante yelled at his soldier, who quietly left, closing him in alone with nothing but his thoughts and a memory he had hidden deeply …

“Where is your mom?” Dante asked a young Maria as she came running in with her pink floppy dress from the direction of the kitchen.

Melissa had said she was going to take a nap while Leo was having his, so he had gone to his study to take care of a few business matters that were important, or he would have taken one with her.

Dante gave a silent curse at the missed opportunity. His wife and he hadn’t been able to have one since Leo’s birth.

Maria brushed her golden locks out of her face. “Have you checked her garden?”

“Tell Lucca to start dinner. I don’t want your mother extending herself any more than she needs to.” His son was only a young teenager, but his mother had already taught him well enough that he didn’t need supervision to cook anymore.

Walking outside, the crisp air, along with the beautiful scents of her blooming flowers, caressed him. He always loved the smell back here. It was exactly how she smelled.

Glancing around, he was almost ready to go back inside when he caught sight of his wife on a ladder at the side of the gazebo, fiddling with a hanging planter well above on her head. Dante started running when her fingers brushed against the heavy glass planter and it wobbled.

As he snatched Melissa off the ladder, the planter fell down, crashing to the ground.

“What in the hell are you doing?”

“Shh … One of the children will hear you.”

“Don’t shush me. They’ve heard much worse from me.”

“Which you have promised to work on,” she reminded him.

“Why are you on the ladder? You could have asked me or Lucca.”

“I didn’t want to disturb you.” Peeling herself away from him, she went to get a broom and a dustpan from the gardening shed.

Fuming, he had to wait until she came back before laying into her again. Taking the broom and pan away from her, he started sweeping up the shattered glass.

“You don’t think me finding my wife with her head bashed in would disturb me?”

“You’re overreacting. It was a simple mishap. Don’t make more of it than it was.”

His overwhelmingly beautiful wife gave him a censuring glance.

“I’m not overreacting. What would I do without you?” It bothered him to his core to even think about that possibility.

“I have every confidence you would raise our four children with all the love you are capable of.”

His brows furrowed at her choice of words. “What does that mean?”

“You’re not a very demonstrative man, Dante. We’ve discussed this many times before.”

Dropping the shards of glass in a waste bin, he leaned the broom against the gazebo before taking his wife into his arms.

“I love you.”

“You do now, but you didn’t when we married.” She wrapped her arms around him. “We weren’t given the choice to choose.”

“Would you have chosen me?”

“Yes, once I got to know you better. Would you have chosen me?”

“If I didn’t want you, I would have told my father to choose another bride for me,” he hedged. “I loved you within the first month of our marriage. Just because I wasn’t the one who picked you doesn’t mean my love is less than a man’s who was able to choose.”

“Dante, from the moment you told me you loved me, I’ve never doubted your love for me, or our children. The problem we have is your inability to express your love to others the way you do to me.”

“Our children know I love them.”

“Do they? I worry about Lucca.”

“You should be more concerned about yourself. If I ever see you climbing a ladder again …”

“Why? You would never lay a hand on me regardless of how angry you are with me.” Patting his cheek, Melissa moved out of his arms. “Leo will be waking. I need to go check on him. Come with me?”

Dante took her hand to creep inside the nursery next to their bedroom. Lovingly smiling at the small infant gurgling in his crib, Melissa picked the baby up to carry Leo to a rocking chair.

Going to their bedroom, he filled a glass with ice and opened a bottle of sparkling water, filling it up. Carrying it into the nursey, he gave it to Melissa as she nursed Leo.

“You take such good care of me. You’ve been a good husband.”

“What brought that on?”

“I started thinking. You were right; I shouldn’t have climbed the ladder. The basket was too high. Most accidental deaths happen in the home, by people just doing things that would have been wiser for them not to do. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

“Thank you. That still doesn’t get you off the hook.”

“I didn’t expect it to.” Melissa gave him one of her gentle smiles, which never failed to make him feel as if he was the luckiest son of a bitch on Earth that she had grown to love him. “I have to admit; I’m always so worried about your safety, I didn’t take into account your feelings if something were to happen to me.”

“I would be completely lost without you,” he said with a hitch in his breath. Even saying it took away his ability to breathe.

“You’re overreacting again. You could never be lost. You would be unhappy for a while, then I think you would find another woman to love. You have my permission to remarry if you do.”

“The same permission won’t be coming from me if I die.”

“I would never remarry. No one would be able to compare to you.”

He couldn’t disagree with that, so he didn’t try.

“I won’t, either.” His hand went to his heart as he made the pledge. “My eyes will never show love for another woman, my lips will never kiss another’s, and my voice will never tell another woman of my love for her. I will only give those promises to you.”

Her loving eyes grew sad. “Dante, if it does happen, and you do fall in love, please remember what I said. I would never want you to be alone. One day, the children will leave the home we made for them, and autumn leaves will continue to fall as we grow older. I couldn’t be happy in Heaven if you were alone without someone to love.”

“Let’s change the subject. We’re going to have to agree to disagree.”

“Just promise me one thing, and we can talk about something else.”

Dante knew Melissa wouldn’t stop until she got out what she wanted to say.

“What do you want me to maybe promise you?”

“I want you to promise me … when you do want to remarry, that you love her before you put a ring on her finger.”

Dante glared at Melissa when she said want. He was done with the conversation.

“I will,” he said without meaning it.

“Dante Caruso, say I promise.”

“No.”

“I will haunt you if you don’t.”

He laughed. “Go ahead. I’m not afraid of ghosts.”

“Please … Dante. I promise never to climb a ladder again.”

“I promise, only because I know you’re going to outlive me …”

He was forced to eat his words eight years later. His beautiful Melissa in a coffin because of him had marked his soul and heart forever. Autumn leaves had fallen without her by his side, and he swore he would remain alone until his dying day. He wasn’t concerned about the promise he had given Melissa; he wasn’t capable of loving another woman, so the promise had been null and void, just like his life was. So, he had let himself forget that sad memory and had let his life pass him by in a blur, with their children growing older and making lives for themselves.

In the quietness of the air, Dante thought he heard the sound of someone weeping. Thinking he was imagining things, he pushed it out of his mind until he gradually heard the weeping fade away.

Droplets hit the windowpane behind him, having him swivel in his chair. The beautiful, sunny day had turned cloudy, and the sky was beginning to rain. It was like watching teardrops quietly slide down the window until it pounded and beat at the glass. Melissa had once told him that God showed His anger with thunder, but it was the angels you had to tread softly around, for their tears could actually touch you.

“Darling, you can be mad all you want,” he said out loud to the empty room. “I’m not afraid of ghosts.”

No, it was a black-haired woman who terrified him.

* * *

“Nadia … Nadia!”

Nadia had been walking at a practical jog, trying to get the hell out of there in case Dante or one of his men came after her. And even though she had come to care for the boy who was yelling after her, she wasn’t sure she was strong enough to keep a brave enough face. However, having to wait for the elevator gave her no choice.

“We found your purse,” Leo said, slightly out of breath from having to run to catch up with her.

“Oh …” Nadia took the outstretched purse. “Thanks.”

Leo’s brows drew together, not missing the hurt she was desperately trying to hide. “You’re not planning to see my farther again … are you?”

She could only slowly shake her head, afraid her voice would betray her and the crying that she just barely held at bay would start.

When the elevator door dinged open, she walked through, raising her hand to wave the boy goodbye … for the last time.

* * *

Dante stared down at the folder Sal had given him.

Sal was known to the world as The Great Salvatore, and to the government as the biggest pain in their asses. He might’ve been a world-renowned hacker, but to Dante, he was Salvatore Lastra, the boy he had picked up off the street many moons ago. It was the exact person whom Nadia had spoken of that had Dante opening his wallet to give her the donation to Moonbeam.

He had been good to the kid, arguably better and more of a father to Sal than he had been to his own kids, but that was because looking at Sal never reminded him of her. In return of the good fortune Dante had given him, Sal had joined the Caruso family and did things for him none of his other men could possibly dream of doing behind a computer screen. The folder he stared down at that contained probably everything he ever needed to know about Nadia Brooks was one of them.

Opening it, he noticed the first thing that was written about Nadia was that she was of Greek descent. That explained a lot of the similarities yet differences between them, like why her tanned skin was more bronze and why her athletic body looked like it had been chiseled. However, that was as far as he had gotten when his door barged open for the second time.

“What the fuck did you do?”

Dante looked up from his desk to see his youngest son. “What I did?” he asked harshly, knowing he must’ve passed Nadia on her way out. “She didn’t give me the chance to say or do anything!”

“Well, I certainly didn’t see you chasing after her!”

Even though his son’s response might’ve been harsh itself, it was true …

“I just needed a fucking minute to gather my thoughts.”

Frustrated at his predicament, he hadn’t known what to feel, especially before she had walked in that door. After that night they had spent together on the yacht, he had been trying his damnedest to ignore her, even though it was impossible and proved itself so when it had blown up. Even the smallest interaction had him breaking his will, although he blamed it on the immense pressure and predicament they had landed in. Dante had told himself that he would figure it out when they got back to Kansas City, but she hadn’t even given him a chance to do so. She had decided it all on her own, and sure, he should have been faster on the uptake, but it had been a long fucking time since he had been faced with these kinds of feelings, and he was rusty. It really wasn’t until he had just watched her walk out that fucking door, and knowing his late wife, Melissa, would approve of her, that he finally accepted his feelings.

“What is that?” Leo asked, looking down at his desk to the folder.

Unfortunately, there was no hiding it, as his son had already seen her name at the top of the page. “I asked Sal for—”

“You didn’t even need to do that,” Leo hissed, knowing exactly what it was. “She would have told you anything you wanted to know about her, if you had fucking cared to ask.”

He had been curious, as a father would be, with what they had talked about, and he had expected their conversation to be about Leo. He hadn’t expected, however, the possibility they might’ve talked about her.

“So, that’s what you two talked about? Nadia?’

“Partly,” his son admitted, keeping the rest of their conversation hidden. “But if you finish reading that, you’ll be making a mistake.” He nodded toward the folder. “Whatever is in there, you should want to hear it from her.”

Slowly, Dante closed the folder, knowing his son was right.

When a satisfied Leo went to leave his office, he quickly got out of his chair. “Son, wait.”

Leo halted.

Meeting him on the other side, he stared down at his son. Out of all of his children, being around Leo hurt the most. Before the accident, it had hurt because he was the most like Melissa, his kindness and pure heart a constant reminder of what he had lost. After the accident, however, it hurt from how much he had changed. He no longer resembled Melissa, and that was what broke him, because now his choices had cost his son an eye, like it had cost his wife’s life.

Looking into his ocean eye, he remembered Nadia’s questions she had asked of Leo …

“Do you plan on working for your father?”

“I used to think so.”

“And now?”

“And now I don’t know.”

Dante had left the table because he had known exactly what his son’s thoughts were, and he hadn’t been a good enough father in the moment, but he wanted to try now.

“I want you to know that you could have lost both of your eyes, and I still would have found you a place in the family, if that’s what you wanted.”

Leo, even though he had too kind of a soul, had looked up to his older brothers. It had been their footsteps that he wanted to follow, not his father’s. And while they all knew he wasn’t built for the job before, him losing his eye was what made him think he couldn’t join. Little did he know yet that was exactly why Leo was going to be made one day. He just didn’t know it yet. Leo still needed to learn that he was no less than he was before. In actuality, he was greater. That, though, was going to be a long road for him to find out. Dante, however, was going to start doing everything in his power, as a father, for him now.

“Understand?” Dante asked when Leo simply stood there in shock from his words.

Leo finally nodded.

Reaching out, Dante did something he should have done every day since his wife’s passing. He hugged his son. “I love you.”

The rain that had yet to let up finally seemed to ease.

Nineteen

The Old Ways

Nadia stood outside of Moonbeam’s doors, looking at the black-tinted Cadillac that royally sucked at concealing itself. She made the slow journey to the car and knocked on the blacked-out window.

“I can see you two in there!” she roared. It might’ve been tinted to hell and back, but it wasn’t impossible to see in with the sun out.

The window awkwardly dropped with the push of a button, and she couldn’t help but laugh at the pair.

“I take it Dante sent you?” she asked the big one.

Amo spoke unapologetically, “Yep.”

She looked to the blond one, who was still too young for this job. “Why are you here, then?”

Leo shrugged. “Thought I’d keep him company.”

“Well … at least make yourself useful.” Nadia turned to walk back inside, but when they didn’t begin following her, she looked back at them. “Come on, then.”

Both car doors quickly opened following the cutting of the engine.

She left them behind, making them catch up to her in the small building.

“So, this is it?” Amo asked, confused.

“We’re packing up.” She smiled, knowing where his confusion was coming from. “And moving into a huge facility.”

No thanks to Dante. She kept that part to herself. It was, however, Dante’s friend, unbeknownst to her, she could thank. Desmond Beck. And Haley, of course, because he had made an offer in their meeting that Haley couldn’t refuse. In return, he gave the plans to an abandoned mall here in Kansas City to be renovated into the next Moonbeam, becoming a self-sustainable community, with housing and jobs for all of her at-risk youth. It was a literal dream come true that only came at her friend’s cost … What that cost was, Nadia still hadn’t been told. Haley promised to tell her when the time would come. She just prayed she would fare better than Nadia had with Dante.

“Oh.” Amo looked around at all the teenagers helping to pack up. “Aren’t some a little too old to be here?”

“I help kids up to nineteen years old. Just because you’re eighteen and considered a legal adult doesn’t mean you should stop receiving help.” Those two years of being an adult were sometimes the hardest. You needed help to learn how to actually be an adult. By the time her kids reached twenty, they were set up for success in the real world.

She shook her head at seeing that Amo was pretty much uncomfortable here. The thought of a little work without receiving money clearly wasn’t something he was interested in.

“How about you go help”—Nadia took a look around for the person whom she had in mind—“her.”

“Her?” Amo asked, nodding to a girl who was struggling to hold up a huge box.

“Yep.” Nadia smiled evilly and, thankfully, Amo had just missed it.

Leo, however, had not.

“You’re doing something sneaky, aren’t you?” he asked, watching Amo’s back.

Nadia was caught by surprise. None of her evil plans were ever caught. Poor Haley had yet to even learn until it was too late. “How’d you know?”

“I don’t need two eyes to know when someone’s being a sneaky bastard.” Leo smiled, letting her know he wasn’t going to stop his friend from being ensnared in her trap. “Especially when you grew up with three of them.”

“Well, you know what they say …” She whistled, not even needing to say the last part, as both of them were well familiar with the saying.

Payback’s a bitch.

* * *

F-o-r-g-i-v-e-n-e-s-s was an eleven-letter word that he was asking for from each of his children, and Leo had only been the beginning.

He stared at his children in front of him. His oldest, Lucca, stood in the corner, flipping the Zippo he had gifted him when he had become his underboss. The two chairs in front of his desk were occupied by his other children. Maria, his second oldest, he arguably owed the biggest apology to. Then Nero had followed her, but he was the first child whom he’d wronged.

“Thank you for coming to see me”—he specifically looked at Maria, who looked like she was going to leave any second—“even though I know I don’t exactly deserve the chance to see you.”

Unfortunately, the other two didn’t have an option not to be here, as they worked for him.

Maria had stopped stirring at his words, finally looking up from the clock on her phone.

“And I don’t think I should get the chance to explain myself, but I ask that you let me—”

“I am not listening to this shit again,” Maria hissed, standing up and moving toward the door.

“Maria, please,” he called out to her, hoping she would stop. Dante knew what she spoke of, and it was the exact reason she was so hurt by him.

The day she and Dominic Luciano had married had been the day that he had told his only daughter that he wouldn’t be able to walk her down the aisle, let alone attend her wedding. He had tried his best to explain to her why, as the Caruso boss, he couldn’t, but he, too, agreed it made him a poor excuse of a father.

“If you don’t like what I have to say this time, you never have to see me again.”

Maria paused but only went back to her seat when Lucca nodded for her to return.

“Thank you,” he said gratefully.

It took him a moment and a long deep breath to put his words together. All three children shared something in common—they had all fallen hard in love with someone who wasn’t of pure Italian blood. The single, oldest rule in the Italian mafia was that, in order to be made, you must be of pure Italian blood. Over the years, slight exceptions had been made that, as long as you were of mostly Italian descent, it was approved … as long as you didn’t have the Caruso name, that is. The men who bore the Caruso last name were ordered to keep their Italian blood pure. That way, the high positions they held in the family of boss and underboss were never taken from them.

The problem was that his children weren’t the only ones who shared that commonality of falling hard for someone who wasn’t of pure Italian blood.

“Your mother and I had an arranged marriage,” he began the story they hadn’t heard since they had been children. “Her father owned this casino hotel and had received many offers to sell, but the only way he would agree to sell to my father was if his daughter married his son. That way, when he passed, this property would pass to me, which would be returned back to his daughter, and then his future grandchildren.” Dante stared at the faces of those grandchildren whom he spoke of before he got to the part that they had never been told before. “However, even though her father and mother were, in fact, Italian … your mother was not.”

This time when Lucca’s Zippo flipped to a close, he didn’t continue his movement of flipping it back open. “Who knows this?”

“Very few people ever did. Most of the ones who did are dead now.” He knew his oldest son was the only one who knew the severity of this information, so he explained to Maria and Nero why he had disagreed with their choices in partners from the beginning. “If this information fell into the wrong hands, any future children you might have with Dominic, Elle, or Chloe”—he looked from Maria’s emerald gaze to Nero’s emerald pair then to the blue-green ones that glowed in the dark corner—“might never sit where I sit one day.” They were already only fifty percent Italian, which meant Nero’s and Lucca’s children would only be twenty-five percent.

“Dom might be from Spanish descent, but he’s fifty percent Italian,” Maria told him, clearly not forgetting the conversation he’d had with her on her wedding day.

“Yes, but one day, you might be in the same position I’m in right now—worried about your future grandchildren.”

She spoke to him as if he had forgotten a vital piece of information. “My children will be Lucianos.”

“Yet you didn’t take his last name?” Dante asked, raising a brow to look at the wedding ring that she so proudly wore on her finger. “The two families are starting to merge, and your children will not only carry Luciano blood, but Caruso as well. I imagine you will want them to at least have the chance to take their pick?”

Maria seemed to understand clearly now.

“Good thing you will be gone when that happens and the rules will have been changed,” Nero finally spoke for the first time. His cold words reminding him that he might’ve been the first he wronged with more time to have passed, but he had yet to forget.

“There will always be those who will never forget the old ways.” His grave warning was not only for Nero, but also his other children.

The silence was unquestionable, and it was only when he was certain his children finally understood that Nadia’s words came to mind. I have never come across anything that couldn’t be fixed with a ‘sorry’ and some time.

“I understand why you three might hate me forever, but I just wanted you to know it was never anything against who you three have chosen; it was my greed for power that kept me from accepting them like a father should have. I not only wanted my children to fill this seat one day, but I wanted your children and theirs after to fill this seat.” Dante swallowed hard, having to clear his throat to say his final peace. “Otherwise, I feel like I would have lost your mother … Melissa, for nothing.”

It was the first time his children heard him speak her name since her death.

“I am sorry.” He looked at each of them genuinely, but he now settled on Maria’s green gaze that seemed to sparkle. “And I wish those words alone were enough to ask for forgiveness, but I can only hope you will give me the chance to prove just how sorry I am with time.”

That sparkle in Maria’s eyes had fallen as tears hit her cheeks. Not once had he seen his daughter cry, not even when her mother had died. Dante had passed on his lack of compassion and emotion to all of his children who were in the room.

“Shit.” She wiped the tear away that was ruining her perfect makeup, as all of them stared at her in shock. “I’m pregnant.”

Dante’s heart skipped a beat. “Y-You are?”

“Yes.” She cried glittering tears. “That’s why I’m crying.”

Throwing himself out of his chair, he practically ran over to his daughter and had to force himself to stop. “May I?” he asked, holding out his hand.

Maria stared at his tanned hand before taking it and placing it on her belly that was only just beginning to show. “It’s a girl,” she whispered through her tears.

Tears welled in his icy eyes. She could blame the tears on her pregnancy all she wanted, but he knew she was crying for the same reason he was, and she would soon find out …

Little girls will always stay your little girl.

* * *

Amo walked up to the girl holding the huge box that Nadia had pointed out. She looked like a fumbling box with a pair of legs as the only thing he could see of her was the short legs struggling to hold up the box she had just packed.

Ugh, he internally grumbled from having to be in here. He wished he were still in the car, just getting paid to watch Nadia, not getting paid to watch Nadia while actually having to do some work. Volunteering was something kids had to do to go to college, and even though Amo hadn’t graduated high school that long ago, his ass still hadn’t volunteered a day in his life because De Santis men didn’t go to college. They went into the mafia to become made and were always the bodyguards of the highest decree, being the ones to guard the Caruso boss for generations. His uncle Drago had been one of the best of the De Santis protectors, and Amo was following in his footsteps.

When he got closer to her, she was just about to run into him before Amo rolled his eyes and bent down to take the box from her.

“Oh!” the girl huffed as the weight of the box was released from her. “Thank you.”

“No problem,” he grumbled under his breath.

“It goes over there, against the wall with the others.”

Able to only see the top of her bright, orange hair, he sidestepped around her to move to the burgeoning pile of cardboard boxes.

“Wow, you’re big—” The words slipped from her mouth in astonishment. “I mean, strong.” She nervously laughed, correcting herself.

“Uh-huh,” Amo said dismissively, hoping the kid would stop following him.

The girl didn’t, however, clearly feeling the need to explain her choice of words to him. She followed right behind him as she continued to nervously explain herself. “I’m sorry, I really didn’t mean to call you big. You’re just quite …”

Amo walked faster, hoping she would take the fucking hint.

“Tall,” she finally found the word. “Compared to me, is all.”

She didn’t, because weakening laughter still followed him.

“Because I’m, um …”

He rolled his eyes again. Short.

“Short …” she stated the obvious that clearly didn’t need to be said but didn’t know how stupid it sounded until she had said it. “I’m sorry. We should start again.”

You see, this is exactly why I hate being around little kids. He threw the box down onto the pile and began to turn … They’re fucking annoyi—

“I’m Winnie.”

Amo blinked at the girl smiling nervously up at him. Her voice had been so soft and sweet that he had thought she was just a little kid, but the girl didn’t look that far in age from himself. And she was right; she was just short.

Able to see more than just her bright, orange hair, he moved his eyes to her button nose and chubby cheeks that were both just as rosy and covered in freckles. She looked like a cute, chubby bunny, and he figured she was about as harmless, too. While Amo looked like a beast that would swallow her whole in comparison.

He told himself to walk away, but the beast inside kept him in place.

Cause, oh …

Did she look …

Delicious.

* * *

Knowing it was just the hormones that had his daughter hugging him goodbye, along with hugging her other congratulating brothers, he watched her leave his office right before Nero gave him a nod. It might not have been a hug or an I love you, but he knew it was his son’s way of forgiving him as he watched him, too, disappear through the door.

Dante hadn’t expected much of a response from Lucca, so he wasn’t surprised when he headed for the door without so much as a glance.

“Lucca …” he said before he could walk through. “I’d like to talk to you alone for a moment.”

Stopping, his son lightly closed the door before he walked over to take one of the leather chairs.

He watched Lucca reach into his pocket and pull out a pack of cigarettes. Putting the stick to his lips, he lit the end with the flick of his Zippo. Dante stared at the burning end. He had seen these exact motions a million times before, but never, not even once, had he slid the crystal ashtray he used for his cigars closer for him to use.

Lucca narrowed his eyes on the ashtray, unbelieving of the act himself.

“Son …” Dante began the words he had been desperately holding on to, “it’s time.”

Twenty

Last First Kiss

Nadia waved the boys goodbye as she made it to her apartment door, fumbling with the keys for a moment before finally able to put it in the slot when the door opened.

“Hey, Nadia.” Haley smiled mischievously.

That look caused Nadia to look past her to see Dante sitting on their couch behind her. What the—

“Bye, Nadia!”

“Where the hell are you going?” she asked as her friend passed her.

“Dante gave me a free room at his casino hotel for the night.” Haley dangled a key out in front of her then yelled loud enough so her voice would travel, “Thanks again, Dante. I’ll see you soon!”

Her mouth dropped open in disbelief and only dropped more when she watched her friend give her a thumbs-up of approval, along with a wink for good luck before she disappeared from view. Unlike Nadia, Haley wasn’t above gambling, especially when it came to playing slots, as it was the perfect loner activity.

“What the fuck?” Nadia spoke the rest of her thought rather than thinking it.

“What?” Dante asked, confused from where he sat in the small living area.

“She doesn’t …” She had to replay what she had just witnessed in her mind before she could finish. “Haley doesn’t talk to people.”

“Sure she does. She just did.”

“Not if she can help it,” she explained while she came inside and closed the door behind her. “And she certainly doesn’t talk to strangers, let alone men who come to our apartment uninvited.”

“Hm …” Dante brushed it off, seeing it wasn’t a big deal.

But it is. “She likes you.”

“I take it that’s a big deal, too?”

“Yes, she’s not exactly a people person,” Nadia said, looking at him curiously now. It was like she was trying to figure out what the hell Haley saw in him to be able to talk to him like it was nothing.

“Neither am I.” He shrugged. “Maybe that’s why.”

“And what about her?” she asked, crossing her arms. “Did you like Haley?”

It was clear he didn’t know how to respond based on her stance. “She’s … nice?”

Her eyes went into slits. “Just nice?”

“Yeah, she was nice, woman! I only got to talk to her for ten minutes before you walked in the door. What the fuck else do you want me to say? Other than I can certainly see why you two get along.”

* * *

Dante was rethinking this whole fucking thing. The headache this was already causing was the exact reason he had never wanted another relationship in his life. And hell, they weren’t even in a fucking relationship. He was fucking here to try to see if they could start one, and it was already going bad from having to dodge around and answer the stupid-ass questions properly that women always asked.

The only reason he wasn’t walking out that door right now was because the woman had brought his children back into his life.

“How’s that?”

“For one, she’s the only one I’ve seen who’s been able to stop your roll.” Dante was fucking envious of Haley for that. Nadia had controlled the endings of all their conversations as of late, yet her friend, who was supposedly meek and mild, had controlled theirs.

“No, she places speed bumps, so I never get lost.” Quietly, Nadia took a seat beside him on the couch.

Dante watched her mouth open to say something else, but then she closed it, deciding not to. “What were you going to say?”

Nadia had to clear the sorrow out of her throat before she could begin. “My father killed my mother when I was child. If I hadn’t hidden in the laundry hamper, he would have killed me, too.”

His son had been right; she so freely started to give her story away, so there was no need to search for it anywhere else. The contents of that folder would have never been as rewarding to know as she continued.

“I was so petrified he was going to find me that I wouldn’t breathe. Then I smelled smoke and heard another gunshot. The smoke made it harder for me to stay quiet as I started to feel myself choking. If I hadn’t been afraid he would hear me coughing, I wouldn’t have jumped out of the hamper and started running.

“I thought, if I could just make it to the door, I could get help for my mom. I remember it being so smoky that I couldn’t see where I was going. The firefighter who rescued me found me a few inches away from the door. My father must have heard the sirens and shot himself.” She paused briefly, then her tone returned quieter. “You know the sickest part?”

“No.” The Mafioso didn’t want to, either. He wouldn’t be able to make the son of a bitch pay for whatever Nadia was about tell him. If the man were alive, Dante wouldn’t even order the hit. He would have done the job himself.

“Even when I found out my mother was dead, I hated him just as much for killing himself. I was left with no one. No one who would care how I was treated in foster care. No one who would care if I was lonely. No one who would answer a call in the middle of night if my car broke down.”

Dante finally understood what Nadia was explaining to him before she even did. “Haley would pick up the phone.”

She nodded, glad he understood. “Haley bought me my first cell phone. I’ve had people ask me why I’m friends with her. I say the same thing every time. I can’t understand why she’s friends with me.”

He reached out to take her hand with his tanned one. “How do they respond?”

She curled her fingers, holding his back. “I don’t know, because I leave after saying it and cut them out of my life.”

“That’s why you asked me what I thought of her.” Dante now smiled, expecting no less from her. “You were prepared to cut me out of your life if I said the wrong thing.”

“It would have been a deal breaker, yes.” Nadia smiled back, not making any apology for her feelings.

His breath hitched in his throat at the sight. “Well, in that case, I like her … almost as much as I like you.”

“Oh, really?” Nadia snuggled closer to him on the couch.

“Mmhmm …” Dante chuckled, letting his lips get closer to hers. “A lot.”

“Well, I like you, too,” she breathed.

He moved his lips closer. “How much?”

“A lot.”

He captured her lips; it was the first kiss he’d had in years, and this time, he hoped it would be the last first kiss he would ever have to give …

* * *

The kiss was more than she could have dreamed of. She knew it wasn’t something he so freely gave. He had given his body to her that night on the yacht, but never as an act of love, like the hand held in hers or a simple kiss. That was something she knew he held tightly in his heart, only ever given to his wife.

Deepening the kiss, Nadia was too afraid he would change his mind and pull away, so she positioned herself on his lap, hoping it would hold him there with her forever.

However, it would be Nadia who had the sense knocked into her.

Pulling her lips away, she was able to think clearly. “Wait. I meant when I said we can’t ever even start whatever this is … I can’t find out what it’s like to have you in my life, only to lose you.”

He snuck another kiss on her lips. “Well, it’s a good thing I gave it up, then.”

“You what?” she asked, pulling her face back to look at him.

“I let Lucca have what he’s always wanted,” Dante said, as if the words weren’t a big deal.

She knew better to know that they were a big deal. It was obvious the family had been the only thing Dante truly cared about for years. “I-I can’t have you doing that for me.”

“I didn’t do it for you … I did it for me.”

Her heart melted into a puddle, much like she was becoming in his arms with each word he spoke.

Dante’s ice-blue eyes seemed to slowly defrost. “I can’t bury another woman in my life because of my choices. I will not allow it.”

“Oh. That changes things,” Nadia said breathlessly when he lifted her up and walked them to her room. She felt his strength with the ease he carried her. Dante Caruso was an indomitable man. He was used to wielding his power in Kansas City, and Nadia had seen people cower when his name was mentioned.

Had she been swayed with the attraction she was feeling to accept him so easily into her life just because he said he was letting his son take over for him?

“I don’t like that look on your face.”

Nadia didn’t try to hide her trepidation.

“You’re lucky Haley likes you, or I wouldn’t have let you in the door. I would have made you at least take me out to dinner a couple of times. I don’t want you to think I’m easy because I slept with you so quickly.”

Putting her down, Dante started rolling her pants and thong over her hips until they puddled at her feet. Removing her top, he let it drop carelessly to the floor onto the growing pile. Placing a hand on her waist, he then started pushing her backward. “There is nothing easy about what you do to me,” he said, giving her another push so she toppled to the bed.

Languidly, Nadia watched as Dante divested himself of his clothes until there was nothing for them to hide behind. Normally, the times she had sex, she had felt self-conscious with her nudity. For some unexplainable reason, she didn’t with Dante. The male appreciation in his gaze brought a warm heat to her groin without him having to lay so much as a finger on her.

“Mr. Caruso, surely you don’t think I’m naïve enough to believe that you don’t have women trying to get your attention regularly.” She remembered the unanswered text message he had received and doubted it had been his first.

Dante grinned, running a finger from her collarbone to the valley between her breasts, riding the swell to the rosy patch of color. He used the pad of his thumb to trace the areola, bringing it to a pert tip.

“Striving and getting are two different horses. I prefer thoroughbreds, and I don’t come in contact with those frequently.”

Ah, so that was why he didn’t care if she gambled in his casino. He was a horse-betting guy.

Leaning over her, Dante licked the tip he had awakened.

“Are you comparing me to a horse?” She laughed.

“Oh, darling … there are worse things to complain about than being compared to a thoroughbred. I should know. I can spot a winner a mile away.”

Goose bumps broke out on her skin when Dante blew a small puff of air on the wet tip.

“Uh, I wasn’t complaining … believe me.” She gave a small moan when he moved his mouth to her other nipple.

“You taste like sunlight.” He traveled back to the valley between her breasts to move upward to her chin, then hovered over her lips. Nadia caught conflicting emotions cross his face before he lowered his mouth over hers.

Shamelessly, she pulled him down over her. She had never wanted to become lost in a man the way she did with Dante. There was a darkness about him that made her believe the dangerous reputation he had earned had been based on fact and not overblown gossip.

His mouth clung to hers like a leaf floating down a river to see where it would go. There was something both vulnerable and earnest about the way he was kissing her that it sowed a seed of a possible future between them.

He wasn’t treating her like a one-night stand, like he had the first time. No, he was treating her with the care and attention of a man who wanted to protect something precious.

Their kiss went from exploring to passionate when Dante’s hips sank harder on hers. Every movement he made heightened her awareness of what he was doing to her body.

Reaching out a hand, he took hers to lift it over her head, stretching her body taut under him. Nadia licked her bottom lip to taste him on the silky skin. Moving with a natural sexiness that showed his raw masculinity, Dante plunged his cock inside her. He didn’t have to check to see if she was wet for him. He knew.

As he seated himself to the hilt in one long, smooth motion, she cried out in ecstasy at the feelings he was creating. There wasn’t anything magical or dreamlike about what Dante was doing to her. His more dominate personality claiming her in a sensuous glide of flesh meeting flesh in the endeavor to achieve the fleeting moment of rapture, he wanted to give to her and take for himself.

Fervently, Nadia responded in the only way she could—by surrendering instead of fighting the rise of the tide that was threatening to overtake her.

His mouth returned to hers as his thrusts gained speed, like the leaf that was now traveling through rough waters. She held on, going where Dante was leading her, clinging to his shoulders for dear life, determined to hang on for each precious moment. Dante was unrelenting, like a never-ending rapid she didn’t think would ever end. Then, in one single burst, she found herself going over a waterfall to fall safely back to Earth with Dante murmuring in her ear and stroking her body in soothing movements that showed it was safe to breathe once again. Thank God she had been drunk when they’d had sex the first time, or when she had gone to his office, she would have latched on to him. Not even Amo would have been able to pull her off him.

“Am I alive?” she gasped out.

Dante gave a growling laugh against her throat. “Yes.”

“I can see why everyone says you’re lethal. I thought I was about to go through Heaven’s gate there for a second.”

“Only a second? Damn.”

“Any longer, and you would have needed to bring me back to life.”

Dante reached a long arm down to the floor to pick up the blanket that had fallen, covering them as he settled down next to her. “You have any plans for tomorrow?”

Raising sleepy eyes to his, she saw he had risen up on one elbow. “Nothing in particular.”

“Feel like hanging out with me for a few days at the beach?”

“There’s a beach in Kansas City?” she asked, trying not to yawn.

“I was thinking more like Cancun.”

Contentedly, she placed her head in the curve of his arm, snuggling closer to him. “How long?”

“A couple of weeks, maybe three.”

Nadia instinctively knew why he wanted to go on a sudden trip after the one they just had. He wanted her far enough away from One-Shot until his son Lucca either unmasked the person or killed them.

“I’ll have to ask Haley.”

“I already did. She said she didn’t see any problems she couldn’t handle.”

“I don’t know if I’m liking this relationship you are developing with my best friend.” However, she could see how important it was to him that she was out of harm’s way. “But I’ll go as long as I don’t have to get on any boats.”

“We’ll fly there,” he said, finally able to relax since she said she would come. “Desmond has a private jet. I’ll ask if he’ll fly us there.”

Nadia made a comical face at him. “Good luck with that. I wouldn’t even place a one-dollar bet on that possibility.”

He disagreed. “He owes me a couple more favors.”

“Dante, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I think any favors he owed you were blown to hell and back.”

Epilogue

The Promise

Dante skirted around the workmen carrying plywood and tools inside the mall that Nadia was converting into Moonbeam. Glancing around the bustle of activity taking place, he searched for Nadia.

Amo had texted him to explain which portion of the mall Nadia was currently working in. Taking his phone, he was about to text Amo back to ask for better directions, when he heard a laugh coming from somewhere above his head. Recognizing the joyful sound coming from the ceiling, he moved forward and looked up then nearly lost his lunch.

Nadia was balanced on one board between two scaffolds, walking on the thin plank as if she were a fucking gymnast. Dante lost ten years off his life at seeing her casually hanging a “Welcome” banner from the ceiling.

Afraid to take his eyes off her, he started making his way toward one of the scaffolds.

How in the fuck did she even get up there?

Terrified that if he said something, she would lose her balance, he snarled at two workers who were walking past him, in too big of hurry to get where they were going to pay any attention to him. He lost another five years of his life when the long sheet of plywood they were carrying came within a hairsbreadth of hitting one of the scaffolds that Nadia was on.

Silently reciting the rosary, Dante finally reached one of the scaffolds, trying to determine how to get up the fucking thing.

“I’m up here, Dante!”

Jumping in his shoes at Nadia yelling down at him, he managed to choke down the hellfire he was going to bring down on her head once she was on firm ground again.

“Having fun?” he asked blandly.

“We’re having a blast!” She smiled, completely unaware of his feelings. “Amo and Leo are around the corner, if you’re looking for them.”

It was everything he could do to stay cool. “I came to see you. Can you come down here so we can talk?”

Nadia leaned over the side to frown down at him. “I’m a bit bus—”

“It’s important,” he urged as ice-cold fear had him promising to seek the nearest confessional right after he turned her ass the same color as the red-hot rage streaking through him. “How did you get up there?”

“I climbed.” She lightly walked to the side of the plank farther away from him, and he saw her swing a leg over the metal bar and begin to climb down.

Swiftly, he went to hold the bottom of the ladder that had been hidden from his view by a large pillar.

She jumped down the last two steps, then Nadia’s jubilation collided full force with his fear.

Taking her by the arms, he jerked her into his. “What in the fuck were you thinking to be up there? You could have broken your neck,” he blasted her. “I told you I didn’t want to lose another woman I love, and you’re up there, prancing around like you’re going to win the gold medal on the balance beam!”

“I-I’m sorry.” Nadia snuggled into his chest instead of pushing away. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“Scare me? You took ten years off my life, and you’re going to pay me back for each one of them.”

“How am I supposed to do that?” she asked politely, twining her arms around his waist.

“I want us to go away for a couple of weeks.”

Nadia shook her head. “Look around. This is a madhouse.”

“Haley can take care of anything that needs to be taken care of.”

“That’s true,” she said after a few moments of thinking. “To tell you the truth, I think she would rather I disappear so I will quit spending money.”

“So, you’ll go?” he asked hopefully.

“Depends. I have no desire to get on a boat ever again. The last time, we almost got blown to smithereens.”

“We could fly to a Greek island?” he suggested. “Desmond has a plane.”

Nadia laughed. “I don’t see him letting you borrow it anytime soon.”

“I’m sure he would.”

“I wish I could be a fly on a wall for that conversation.” Raising her chin from his chest, she gave him a critical glance. “You really were worried about me, weren’t you?”

“How could you tell?”

“You haven’t let me go, and everyone is standing around, watching us. I think some of the workers are afraid for me.”

Dante shot an icy glare around at the onlookers. “I wouldn’t hurt a hair on your head.”

“I didn’t think you would.” Using her shoulder, she nudged him to turn to the side. “You want a tour?” When he still didn’t let her go, she nudged him again. “Come on. I want your opinion on an idea I have.”

Dante tried to pay attention as Nadia pointed out several areas where the workers were making repairs, or the changes Nadia and Haley wanted. Concentrating was difficult because he still was picturing Nadia carefree walking on the plank feet above the floor. One small slip, and Nadia could have been seriously hurt, if not killed.

He was unable to take his eyes off her as she explained Moonbeam’s future plans, and all he could think was that all those future plans would have been snuffed out with one slip of her tennis shoe.

The realization he had come full circle with Nadia overlapping the love he had shared with Melissa slapped him in the face. Neither circle was stronger or weaker than the other. He would be just as lost if Nadia had fallen as he had when he had lost Melissa. Love couldn’t be measured by length or depth. No, what he was feeling was more intrinsic and simpler than that. The other person’s happiness had to go above your own. He had been a selfish, stingy bastard even before Melissa’s death, and it had only grown worse afterward.

Having Nadia walk away from him because she refused to accept any potential thing that could bring unhappiness to her life was a self-defense mechanism she put in due to her childhood. You could see she only wanted to start each day with a smile, and regardless of how tired she was at the end of the day, she only wanted it ending with a smile, too.

“This is the area I wanted to show you.”

Dante saw a group of construction workers had taken out a portion of the wall to install doors. Carefully, they walked over lumber to make their way outside.

The area sat snugly between two curves of the mall. Each of those curves had their own separate exits. There were even more workers out here. Another wall was being built opposite of the one they had gone through.

“This is going to be our tranquility garden. The kids can come out here to relax, or just to have some time alone.” Nadia grabbed his hand. “I want to plant different types of trees here. The ceiling is going to be like a conservatory, so they’ll be able to sit outside despite the weather. Can you imagine sitting out here in the winter when it’s snowing?” she asked breathlessly.

He actually could.

“It’ll be beautiful.” Dante imagined the area filled with trees and kids using the opportunity to unwind.

“I think so, too. We’re going to use artificial turf so they’ll be able to sit and have picnics, even when it’s freezing outside. I get a tingle inside just thinking about what it will look like when it’s done. In the middle, we’re going to have a big pine tree so all of the kids living here can help decorate it during the holiday.”

Dante saw hesitation in her gaze when she turned back to him.

“With your permission, we’d like to call this area the Melissa Caruso Tranquility Garden?”

The tightness in his throat prevented him to speak the words for a moment, “She would like that.”

“I thought I would ask Lucca for help to know what flowers and trees to plant.”

He could only nod his head, knowing Lucca had brought Melissa’s garden, which he had let die, back to life.

“I would appreciate any help he or any of your children would be willing to give.” Linking her arm through his, she proudly beamed at the work that was taking place in front of her. “I want the garden to reflect how much you and her children loved her.”

Dante placed a gentle kiss on her lips. “That isn’t all it will reflect.”

“What do you mean?”

Wistfully, he stared into her eyes. “It will show how much love and dedication you put into Moonbeam. You give everything. You never measure the cost to you. You just give all of yourself. Even to me when you said you wouldn’t. You caved after just one kiss. You share your heart with everyone you come into contact with.”

She lovingly wrapped her arms around his neck. “What can I say? I’m easy.”

He didn’t laugh at her humor. “Just do me a favor and don’t get on anything above four feet.”

Surprise showed on her face. “You were that scared for me?”

“Put it this way, I made two promises when I saw you up there: go to confessional to confess my sins … and tell you I love you.”

“I was perfectly safe, Dante—” Realization hit her at what he had just said. “You love me?”

He nodded, having only been this sure once before. Like what this room would one day hold, Dante had a woman who smelled of flowers, and now a woman who smelled of sunlight. That was why he had been so attracted to Nadia’s scent; it was so different from Melissa’s, but it was the exact thing you needed for flowers to grow. Whereas a flower’s time would come to a beautiful end, the sun was always there to greet you in the morning.

And it was clear his sun had been waiting for this day and wanted to cherish it.

“How much?”

Dante smiled. “A lot.”

“I love you, too,” she said the words that he, too, had been waiting to hear. However, it was obvious from the heat that continued to radiate off him that he was still unhappy she had been up there. “I swear I’ve been much higher than that before. There was nothing to worry over.”

Dante felt himself breaking out in a cold sweat. “If that’s supposed to make me feel better, it doesn’t.”

“If it means that much to you, my feet will stay firmly planted on the ground from now on. I promise.”

Dante gave a sigh of relief. No arguments, nothing except the agreement that she wouldn’t put him in that position of fear again.

“You know, I’ve never begged for anything my whole life, not from any man, woman, or even God have I considered lowering my pride for. Darling, I was getting ready to beg you for that promise.”

“Now you don’t have to. You won’t ever have to with me, Dante.” Her words slipped from her lips like an oath. “Anything you want from me, all you have to do is ask.”

“Then are we going to take that vacation I wanted to?”

“Yes,” she laughingly agreed. “But I still say Desmond won’t fly us there. He wouldn’t let us near his plane and made us fly commercial to Cancun.”

“This is different. I plan to give him a good reason.”

Slight concern showed on her face. “Like what? Is there someone else who wants to kill us?”

“No. We’re going to be celebrating.”

“What will we be celebrating?” She frowned, wondering if an occasion had slipped her mind. “Neither of our birthdays are near.”

Knowing Dante had fulfilled the promise to his late wife, he was now finally ready to move on with his life and make a new promise. “Our honeymoon.”

GOODBYE

i said we were over a Gazillion times,

but even i didn’t believe my Own mind.

if Only you had stayed the same,

as the Day that i had met you,

you’d still Be mine.

but now i’ll never forgive You,

for making me put the E in goodbye.

SARAH BRIANNE

Please, if you or someone you know ever needs help, follow this link to get more information and help.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

victimsofcrime.org

Books by Sarah Brianne

Nero

Vincent

Chloe

Lucca

Angel

Drago

Maria

Dominic

Dark Ties: Dante

Desmond

Jamie Begley

Prologue

“Haley, all I’m asking you to do is to take one meeting for me. Is that too much to ask from you?” Her friend and co-partner balefully slapped two folders down on the desk in between them.

Haley pulled on her bifocals to stare down at the thick folders with a sinking stomach. Nadia was already pulling out the big guns to guilt her into agreeing. She hated arguing with anyone, much less the only person she could count as her friend. She had chosen to be an accountant for a reason—the profession suited her introverted personality. She wasn’t required to have interactions with others, and those she did have were kept to a minimum, taking place in her office or over the phone, in an environment she could control.

Her entire family had focused their whole life in the spotlight, while Haley had carefully cultivated her hermit lifestyle. She was more than happy for it to continue, too, despite Nadia repeatedly trying to nudge her out of her safety zone.

The folders on the desk with the names visibly marked might as well have been inked in neon with the heart-pounding that was going on in her chest.

Fingers being snapped in front of her eyes had Haley focusing back on Nadia.

“Earth calling Haley.” Nadia’s patient tone belied the determination shining in her hazel eyes.

Inwardly, Haley knew that Nadia had no choice but ask for her help. It still didn’t make her willing to give the help her friend needed.

She had come to the conclusion years ago that she was a lousy friend. This was just one more example that she would fail the woman who had stood by her side since their teens.

“I’m sorry …” Haley began, using a stern face that Nadia knew would be hopeless to argue with.

On the other side of the desk, Nadia laid her palms flat. The beautiful line of her jaw turned stubborn. “Forget whatever excuse you were about to give me. It’s not going to work this time. I can’t be at two meetings in different areas of the city at the same time. We need the funding to find a new building. We have less than two months to find another building with the space and the facilities we need … or the kids are going to be back on the streets. Do you want that?”

“You know I don’t!” Haley snapped. “I suck at doing this type of stuff. Just reschedule!”

“I’ve tried!” Nadia rejoined. “I’m worried that, if I try again, they’ll change their minds about giving us a chance to solicit their donations. I can’t become a nuisance before they even meet me.”

No, she couldn’t. Haley had to agree with her at that point. The funding they needed and were going to ask for amounted to over a hundred thousand dollars.

Haley rubbed the side of her temple. The rich expected you to drop everything to make them happy. Her stomach curled into a tight ball of knots. She knew exactly how the rich thought, which was why she had no intention of taking a meeting with either of the obnoxious millionaires who Nadia had singled out. She had no clue about who the men were; that they were millionaires was all she needed to know. Quibbling about appointment times would put to death any request for donation or aid Nadia was planning to ask for.

The names on the folders didn’t ease her trepidation. The crippling shyness she hid behind her overly large eyeglasses only fueled it.

“Desmond Beck …” Haley paused before the second name. “Dante Caruso.” She swallowed down the lump in her throat before she brought her eyes back up to Nadia. Pushing up her glasses, she made a light joke. “Why do they sound like they’re both in the mafia?”

“I think one actually is.” Nadia’s voice was barely audible.

“Nadia!” She had clearly stated that as a joke, yet she was pretty freaking sure her friend wasn’t joking. Suddenly, a finger appeared in her face.

“Remember the children.”

“Fine.” She began massaging her head. “Just tell me which one that is.” Seeing her point to Dante’s folder, she quickly grabbed up Desmond’s without a second thought. “I am so not getting involved in those dark family ties.” She shuddered thinking about her own.

“I don’t blame you. But, um …”

She didn’t like where her friend’s sympathetic tone was heading.

“Don’t be angry, but I had to use your family connection to even get an appointment with Desmond Beck.”

Haley frowned. “Which family connection?”

Nadia gaze shied away from hers as she confessed, “I couldn’t even reach Mr. Beck’s assistant to ask for an appointment until I mentioned your family name and that you’re related to George and Amelia Clark.”

Haley’s eyes widened. “I haven’t talked to my uncle and cousin in years.”

Nadia shrugged. “He doesn’t know that, does he?”

Haley wanted to lay her head down on the desk and cry. She definitely didn’t want to take that meeting. She would make a fool of herself if he asked about those particular snobby relatives of hers.

Nadia clearly took pity on her, holding Dante’s folder out to her again. “We can still switch, if you would like?”

Suddenly, the Mafioso seemed like the better option. “How mafia are we talking? Robert De Niro or Al Pacino?”

“Would it really matter?”

“Robert De Niro is actually capable of having a kind face,” she told her, as if she was stating the obvious. However, unfortunately, Nadia was right. “But what does Desmond Beck do again?”

“He’s just a philanthropist.”

Haley sure hoped so, because that was who she was getting as she held her choice closer to her chest. “I’ll go with my gut instinct.”

“All right.” Nadia did the same with her folder. “There, that wasn’t so hard, was it?”

Haley raised her eyebrows at her friend, not missing the worry that Nadia was trying to hide. “Clearly, you have put your blinders on. You know I can’t get three words out in a row on a good day, much less when I’m nervous.”

Nadia waved her anxiousness away. “I’ll write down everything you need to say. Just memorize the script I give you. You got this.”

Giving a low sigh at Nadia’s optimism, Haley stared across the desk at her skeptically.

“You’ll see …” Nadia continued breezily.

Haley was pretty sure Nadia was trying to convince herself as much as her. She could already feel the tingling in her overwrought nerves. Her resting pulse rate went to panic mode anytime she was out of her comfort zone. Tomorrow wasn’t only taking her out the comfort zone, it was throwing her in the pool without a life preserver. She needed her life preserver.

“Are you sure there isn’t a way that you can at least come with me to start the meeting then leave?” Haley wasn’t above begging.

“I won’t be able to start the meeting with you, but if mine finishes early, then I may be able to take over the meeting from you.”

The brewing panic attack eased. All she had to do was keep her head above water until Nadia showed up and saved the day. Haley had no faith that she would be able to convince the man in the folder to donate the amount of money needed for a cup of coffee, much less the thousands they needed.

“Then let’s go with that plan.” Haley nodded as if it was a done deal.

“Plan?” Nadia frowned. “It’s not a plan. It’s a maybe!”

Haley gave her an unperturbed smile, returning back to the numbers that she was much more comfortable dealing with and pushing her glasses back onto her nose. “I’ll hold down the fort until you can get there.” Haley gave her another nod. “This will work much better … What could go wrong?”

The two women stared at each other, unaware that the same thought was now going through both their minds.

A million things.

One

Haley nervously studied her reflection in the plate glass mirror of the double glass doors that she was about to enter. Then, blowing a swatch of her hair out of her eyes, she forced herself to open the heavy door.

You can do this, she tried to encourage herself silently.

No, you can’t, the pessimistic side of her mind shot her down immediately before she could even reach the information desk.

“Good morning. How may I help you?” the attractive woman behind the desk greeted her.

Clearing her throat, Haley gripped her briefcase tighter. “I have an appointment with Desmond Beck at eight. My name is Haley Clark.

“Certainly, Ms. Clark. Mr. Beck is expecting you. I’ll just double-check to make sure Mr. Beck is on time.” The woman gave a nod and a professional smile in acknowledgement as she began clicking on the keyboard behind the computer. Reaching into a drawer to her side, the receptionist took out a plastic card attached to a metal clip. Placing it within her reach, the woman who made her feel like leftover stale bread gave her another professional glance, which Haley swore she planned to incorporate into her own arsenal. “Take one of the elevators behind me to the thirtieth floor. Mr. Beck is running ten minutes behind schedule. I hope that won’t be a problem for you.” The receptionist didn’t bother to raise her eyes from her keyboard.

“Not at all,” Haley hastened to assure her. “Mr. Beck can take all the time he needs. I’m not in a hurry. No rush. I’m more than happy to wait until he can fit me into his schedule.” Biting her bottom lip to keep herself from making a fool of herself, Haley held on to the handle of her briefcase in a death grip as the receptionist gave her a sympathetic smile at her nervous chatter, as if she understood the cause of her anxiety.

“Ten minutes should be sufficient. If there will be a longer delay, Mr. Beck’s assistant will keep you apprised. Have a great day.”

Haley didn’t have high hopes it would be a great day. She had every expectation her day would end up in the toilet.

When she didn’t move away from the counter, the receptionist stared up from her keyboard quizzically. “Is there something else I can help you with?”

Not unless she could move time ahead for the next two hours and the meeting with Mr. Beck was over. Taking a guess the receptionist couldn’t fulfill that request, she moved on to what the woman could accomplish.

“My partner is meeting me here when she is able.” Haley wasn’t about to get on any elevator unless she was assured her life preserver would be able to reach her.

“Mr. Beck also sent an ID for your partner. When she arrives, I’ll send her your way.”

“Thank you, that would be fantastic. It’s very important for her to be at the meeting, so if you—”

“Certainly, Ms. Clark,” the receptionist interrupted, her patience running thin as the line behind her grew. “Have a great day.”

Refraining from telling the woman what she could do with her great day, Haley moved away from the desk, feeling as if she had gone into an oxygen-deficient mode.

Get a grip on yourself, she blasted herself. You’re being ridiculous. It’s not like you haven’t sat in meetings with Nadia and didn’t know what to say.

Haley chose not to remind herself that Nadia had quit wanting her at important meetings when she would freak the potential donors out by the constant use of her inhaler to keep from passing out.

Several people were waiting for the six elevators that were spaced three feet apart on each side of the wall, anxiously hanging back until the elevators filled and the hallway was temporarily empty. Haley then moved closer to the bank of elevators. Luckily, as she approached one, the elevator opened, and she was able to get inside an empty one. Congratulating herself, Haley hastily pushed the button for the thirtieth floor. She would rather walk up twenty floors than be crammed into a metal box with a group of people. If she had to pull out her inhaler, Nadia would kill her.

As the doors began to open, her eyes widened when a man came rushing forward with a smile.

“Hold the elevator!”

Quickly, Haley brought her finger to the control panel, aiming for the open door button. Then her eyes widened to their full extent when she missed and her finger landed on the close door button instead, the action sending the doors closed, nearly on the man trying to get inside.

“Sor-sorry,” Haley stuttered in horror at the man whom she had unwittingly stopped from entering.

Closing her lids tightly, unable to look at the steel—the damn thing had shut with the speed of light—Haley tried to tell herself what had just happened … hadn’t.

“You didn’t just close the door on Desmond Beck!”

Haley moaned in alarm. Nadia would never talk to her again. Only she could botch the meeting before it could begin. She had to reach the thirtieth floor before Beck could and cancel their meeting for being a rude bitch. How was he supposed to know she didn’t have the mental capacity of a three-year-old?

The elevator dinged as it rose steadily upward with stops on each and every floor.

She was dead meat. Her mind went to all the various ways that Nadia was going to kill her, and what Mr. Beck was probably telling his assistant had her reaching for her inhaler to take a quick puff.

Finally reaching the thirtieth floor, she shot out of the elevator like a scalded cat, afraid the doors would slice her in two. Spazzed out, she distraughtly stared around the bank of elevators as if Nadia would appear and tell her what she should do next. Haley didn’t know if she should stay still and pray Beck had also been forced to endure the repeated stops or go ahead to his office. Leaving with her tail tucked behind her wasn’t an option, as much as she wanted to.

Like a mechanical toy train off track, she couldn’t figure out her next direction. So, she slowly forced herself to analyze the situation.

Desmond Beck would have no idea that the woman who had shut the elevators on him was the woman he had a scheduled meeting with. There was still a chance.

How had she screwed up something as simple as pushing a button? When the elevators around her kept opening and closing and Mr. Beck wasn’t on any of them, Haley had to admit defeat and slowly walked to the receptionist desk, castigating herself every inch of the way.

No hot chocolate for you tonight. You’re not even getting any of the Bundt cake you made last night.

The male behind the desk raised his brow at her when she remained silent.

“May I help you?” he prompted.

“I … I have an appointment with Mr. Beck.”

“Name?”

“Haley Clark.”

The man stood to come around from behind the desk. “Mr. Beck will be with you shortly.” Motioning to the hallway to the side of his desk, he said, “You may wait in his office.”

Haley had to crane her neck at the secretary’s imposing height. The width of his shoulders had her taking another step back. The man looked more like a linebacker than a secretary.

Her feet felt as if she was walking through tar as she followed him to the nondescript door a few feet away.

Clearing her throat at the unease she was experiencing, Haley glanced toward the elevators, wishing she were brave enough to face Nadia without going through the upcoming meeting. Her nerves were going into overdrive, sending tingles of warnings of danger flittering through her bloodstream.

“I was under the impression that Mr. Beck doesn’t have a permanent office here.”

“Your information is correct. Mr. Beck has several permanent offices nationwide. Here in Kansas is temporary. He is on the board of the corporation who owns this building, and they have generously made an office available for Mr. Beck’s use when he is in the city.”

In the folder that Nadia had given her, Desmond Beck’s impressive wealth and holdings had been listed in detail. While he was a philanthropist, known throughout the world for the charities he contributed to, his business dealings had been kept under the cover of the prominent names of the lesser-known partners who were willing to take the glare of publicity from Beck, leaving him to remain in the background.

Opening the door, the secretary motioned her forward before entering behind her. Placing a hand on the back of a chair at a small conference table conveniently placed to the side of the room, Haley took the seat he indicated, placing her briefcase on the modern, solid white table.

“May I offer you a cup of coffee or tea while you’re waiting?”

“No, thank you.”

“If you change your mind, just press the button on the intercom. I’m Mr. Beck’s assistant, so if you have any special requests that I can fill, please feel free to ask.”

“I will.”

Looking at her strangely after her fervent reply, the assistant watched as she self-consciously opened her briefcase to take out the portfolio that Nadia had assembled to show Mr. Beck the desperate need their charity was experiencing.

Taking out her cell phone, she glanced at the time, praying without much optimism that Nadia had texted that she was on her way. Gloomily, Haley became even more dispirited when she saw no new texts.

She was going to fail at the endeavor that Haley had no doubt she already had one strike against her. Beck’s visage as the elevator door shut in his face had tendrils of unease coursing down her back. Everything about this meeting was giving her the heebie-jeebies, ever since looking at the names written on the folders that Nadia had placed in front of her.

The flashing danger signals going off in her brain had her wanting to get out of her chair and hightail it to the door. The assistant standing over her wasn’t helping, either. Did he think she was going to steal something from the office if left alone?

Her unease deepened when he saw the cell phone in her hand.

“Mr. Beck allows no cell phones in his meetings. They should have taken your phone before giving you a badge.”

Haley frowned back. “It wasn’t mentioned downstairs.”

“They should have.” The linebacker glowered down at her sternly. “I’ll have to make a report to their supervisors for who failed to check it in before giving you the badge.”

“I’m sure it was just a simple mistake. I don’t want to get anyone in trouble.”

“I’m afraid I’ll have to take your phone.” Holding out his hand out, the assistant made it plain he wasn’t going to take no for an answer.

Haley apprehensively tightened her grasp on the phone, not making a move to hand it over. “I don’t feel comfortable giving you my phone.”

“When Ms. Brooks called to schedule the meeting with Mr. Beck for you, I made the conditions plain. No cell phones and no interruptions during the one hour scheduled, or the meeting would be terminated.” Withdrawing his own cell phone, he began clicking away.

Haley’s heart started beating in fear that the meeting would be cancelled, making a mental list of the mistakes she had made since entering building so she could explain to Nadia why she should never be asked to take another meeting. Images of her BFF’s disappointed expression, and the faces of the thirty teens who depended on Moonbeam to keep them off the streets, and the many more whom they would be able to service if she and Nadia were both able to find the funding needed, had her loosening her grip on the phone.

“I didn’t say I wouldn’t.” She stopped, relieved when the assistant’s fingers stopped moving to glance down at her. “I don’t feel comfortable just giving you my phone.” Making a last-ditch effort to keep her phone, she gave him a pleading look, hoping for his understanding. It wasn’t forthcoming. I bet the prick would let Nadia keep hers. No one made Nadia do anything she didn’t want to do, unlike her, who just lay down and let everyone stomp all over her.

“Your phone will be at my desk, waiting when the meeting has ended.”

The secretary might have muscles for days, but he had the personality of a gnat.

“Mr. Beck will be in shortly. Are you sure I can’t get you coffee or tea?”

“No, thank you.” She wouldn’t ask the prick for a fire extinguisher if her ass were set on fire.

Deciding to be the better person, Haley didn’t give him the bird as he turned to leave.

Her hands shook as she took out the specs she had made in a bid to garner his compassion at the immediate need Moonbeam required in the next sixty days. Removing the paper clip from the corner of the sheaf of papers, Haley fiddled with the paperclip anxiously. How would she know if Nadia was going to be able to come without her phone? Would Mr. Beck count Nadia’s arrival as an interruption? Freaking hell, this meeting was going from bad to worse, and it hadn’t even started yet.

Minutes ticked past, each building her hopes that Nadia would arrive to take the meeting and she could slink away without being seen by him, right after she made Nadia get her phone back from the prick. Mr. Beck could take as much time as he wanted; the longer the better.

She patted her suit pocket to make sure her inhaler was still where she had stashed it, the ingrained habit giving her a small hint of confidence without knowing why.

At the sound of door opening, Haley stood, placing a hand on the conference table to brace herself when she saw who had entered. The man could never be mistaken for Nadia.

Preparing herself to start apologizing for accidentally shutting the elevator door in his face, Haley watched Desmond Beck cross the carpeted floor. Her mouth went dry in nervousness. Haley prayed her knees would support her weight as he gave her a charming smile, which Haley was aware didn’t reach his eyes.

A cold shiver slid down her spine.

“Mr. Beck,” Haley rushed out before he could speak, “I apologize for accidentally hitting the close button—”

“Ms. Clark”—Mr. Beck held out his hand—“I am aware it was an accident. I’ve had nightmares about those doors.”

The charm and humor in his voice didn’t fool her for a hot second. The debonair philanthropist might be rich as hell, yet a warning tingle right behind her shoulder blades had her unconsciously taking a step back, forcing her to awkwardly take the chair behind her as Mr. Beck came closer with his hand still out, waiting for her to shake it.

“I didn’t think you meant to shut the door on someone you were about to ask for a huge amount of money.”

Haley forced herself to take his hand at the reminder of why she was there.

“You knew who I was?” She quickly removed her hand from the heat of his.

“Of course. You knew who I was, as well.”

Using her legs, she scooted the chair back an inch to give herself breathing room. Haley hoped he didn’t notice the movement under her long dress. The charismatic man put off a vortex of heat that had her considering asking his assistant for that fire extinguisher, despite the promise she had made to herself.

While Desmond Beck didn’t have the huge muscles of his secretary, he did have the awesome height. At five foot two, she envied anyone above six feet. Both men were dressed in designer suits, which thanks to the males in her family, she knew cost enough to house one of the teenage runaways for a year.

His secretary’s suit had been indistinctive, his shirt designed to blend into the background, while Beck’s clothing dragged eyes to him. The dark navy color emphasized the physical shape he was in. The purple silk shirt and blue tie exhibited the athletic body he had to work diligently for. Every single thing about Desmond Beck was appealing, designed to make anyone who came into contact with him drawn into his sphere, as if they were already friends.

In less than a minute, Haley had pegged and classified the man standing next to her. She wasn’t taken in by his charismatic demeanor, nor the suit he used to camouflage himself. Her whole family had the same intangible It factor, except for her. Her It had skipped her hard.

Wealth and appearances were the main focus of every moment within her family’s life, and her side of the family were the least wealthy with the Clark name. Watching her parents, brother, and sisters use every opportunity to increase their own wealth and gain their own share of fame had Haley determined to remain in the shadows, beyond anyone’s notice.

Haley’s guard had gone up when she had spotted him striding toward the elevator, and if she were to admit the full truth, her shutting the elevator door on him had not been an accident; it had been an act of self-preservation. Now that he was closer to her, there was nothing about Mr. Beck that dissuaded her from the first impression he had given her—an air of danger that she could see from a mile away.

Concealing her tenseness and wariness had never been easy for her. So, patting her suit jacket, she again tried to decide if she should give a feeble excuse to leave and run. Her breathing escalated, kicking in her fight-or-flight response. Then, perfectly willing to admit she was a coward, Haley started to lift herself from the chair, deciding to leave at the same time Mr. Beck took a chair at the table. Nadia might kill her, but she would have to catch her first.

His eyes pinned her in place at the movement, his face becoming even more charming. Haley still wasn’t buying it, not for a second. She was a cheapskate where fear was concerned. When a wolf showed its teeth, you did not smile back. You ran. It was a lesson she had learned for herself and was smart enough not to repeat, especially to a wolf who seemed bigger and fiercer than the one who had taught her the pain-filled lesson.

“Lucas tells me you were unaware of my policy about cell phones.” Leaning forward, Mr. Beck laid her cell phone down on the stats she had laid out.

Forcing herself not to make any sudden moves, she didn’t reach for it immediately.

“The receptionist won’t get in trouble downstairs?”

“Of course not. I’m not Scrooge.”

“Mr. Beck, Nadia handles this side of the charity …” Haley kept her voice low and steady, not wanting to alert him to the fact that she was ready to ditch the meeting.

She looked longingly at the door, willing Nadia to walk through as a sense fatalism washed over her. Nadia wasn’t going to come in time to save the day.

“Unfortunately, her schedule prevented her from being here,” Haley went on as she slowly crept her hand toward her phone. “If you have any other appointments you need to keep, perhaps we could switch out—”

“Please, call me Desmond. Unfortunately,” he drawled out in amusement, “you’re my last appointment before I fly out.”

“In that case”—shoving her phone in her suit jacket with her inhaler, Haley pushed the information across the table toward Mr. Beck while raising halfway out of her chair while one-handedly closing her briefcase—“all the information you need about Moonbeam is here for you to read. Nadia wanted me to impart the urgency needed for the charity to continue providing the services that so many of our youthful clients depend on. You can get in contact with Ms. Brooks when you come to a decision.” Standing, Haley grabbed the handle of her briefcase as she sidled around the table to make her escape.

“You’re leaving?” Desmond Beck raised an inquiring brow, using the rollers on his chair to turn toward her, looking neither surprised nor perturbed at her imminent departure.

Nodding, Haley kept her eyes glued to the door. “I don’t want to take more of your valuable time. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Nadia. She’ll be more than happy to delve into the details if you need anything else explained,” she hastened to justify without breaking her stride toward the door.

“You haven’t explained anything.”

Haley didn’t stop her momentum to the door.

“Haley!”

She froze at his silken voice. Do. Not. Move, she warned herself. The worst thing she could do was run.

Slowly, she turned to face Desmond Beck. The polite façade he had pasted on his face was gone, and in its place was the imposing image of a man who was used to getting what he wanted. This formidable man was what her self-protective instincts had screamed at her to what was hidden underneath. The wolf was coming out of hiding.

Seeing that he had captured her attention, he gave her reassuring smile.

Hell nah. She was out of here.

“I really need to leave … Ms. Brooks should be here shortly.”

At this point, Haley didn’t care if Nadia was coming or not; she just wanted to get out of the office.

Reaching into her pocket, she grabbed her inhaler, the shot of albuterol easing her overworked breathing.

“Are you okay?”

“It’s a little stuffy in here.” Little? More like a freaking inferno. She could barely stop herself from fanning her face.

Unfazed at her using the inhaler, Desmond Beck merely regarded her intensely, as if studying a bug under a microscope. “I’ll turn the air conditioner up. Please, sit back down. I have no interest in talking with Ms. Brooks. The only one I’m interested in speaking with is you … Haley. You’re the only reason I’m here in Kansas City.”

Two

“Me?” Her jaw dropped at the revelation.

“This week was meant mainly as a much-needed break, visiting a friend of mine.” He slowly rose from the chair. At his movement, Haley took a step toward the door. Beck’s imperturbable, unexpected admission only added to her wariness.

“I’m a busy man. I was going to forgo my week of poker and catching up with my friend until your associate, Ms. Brooks, found out I was going to be in Kanas City and asked for a meeting. She’s very diligent. That she was able to find out my schedule is a true testament to her dedication to Moonbeam. As I had already informed my assistant, I wouldn’t be coming to Kanas City, except Lucas refused her request. That’s when Ms. Brooks decided to mention her connection to you.”

The revelation had Nadia planning on a long talk when she left here, right after she satisfied her curiosity as to why Desmond Beck made a special trip to Kansas City to talk with her. She might be a scaredy cat, but she was also just as curious as one.

“Why would her connection to me matter?”

“The Clark name is very well known. I’m very well acquainted with George and Amelia. I’ve also met the rest of your family. I had thought it odd to never have met you, but I kept my curiosity at bay.”

Being friends with her family didn’t lessen her wariness. In fact, it raised warning flags.

“So, you decided to satisfy your curiosity by going to the source?”

“More like intrigued. Care to satisfy my curiosity?”

Haley looked down at her cell phone. She had thought for sure that Nadia would have texted her by now. Glancing up, she saw that Desmond Beck was waiting for an answer.

“Probably because I had better things to do than kiss my rich relatives’ asses.” She might be a scaredy cat, but she could show her claws when cornered.

A corner of Desmond Beck’s mouth curled upward. “The rest of your family doesn’t have that problem.”

“No, they don’t,” she agreed.

Beck stood to move away from the conference table to stride toward a desk by the huge bank of windows. Removing a folder and a laptop, he walked back to the table to lay them down. Opening the laptop in the middle of the table, he started the computer and, with a series of strokes on the keyboard, Haley saw a YouTube video that had been made years ago.

She moved to the side to get a better view of what he was doing.

“I can see why. While your family was focused on gaining followers to their platforms, you were an expert at staying out of the camera lens. It must have been very frustrating for whomever was behind the camera.”

Numbly, Haley stared at the computer. “My father.”

“I’m getting vibes that you and your family don’t exactly get along.”

Haley couldn’t watch. Leaving her spot on the carpet, she went to the table to close the computer. “I’m not here to discuss my family. I’m here to discuss Moonbeam.”

He arched a brow at her. “Have you decided to stay?”

“You’re not the only one curious. You’ve gone to a lot of trouble to fly here, as well as search for these old videos. Why?”

“Because I want you to work for me.”

A job offer from Desmond Beck was the last thing she had expected.

“You went to all this trouble to get me to work for you?” Confusion filled her. “You’re one of the wealthiest men in the world; you can hire anyone you want with a hell of a better degree than I have.”

“Whomever I hire wouldn’t have your family connections.”

“Which member of my family put you up to this?”

His eyes lightened in amusement. “You think a member of your family asked me to hire you?”

Haley stared down at the folder, wondering what was inside. As if reading her mind, Beck opened it.

“According to this dossier that my assistant put together on you, your family wouldn’t ask me to give you the time of day, much less a job.”

He was right.

“Then why do you want to hire me?”

“While you may not have an accounting degree from an Ivy league university, you have worked your butt off earning a double major in business and accounting from a university by the age of nineteen. At twenty-one, you garnered an extensive resume working for an impressive array of businesses, bringing them back from the edge of bankruptcy to ones that are profitable endeavors, all without leaving that cardboard room you call an office at Moonbeam. At twenty-eight, you accumulated enough money on your own, without any of your family’s wealth, to help Ms. Brooks in her endeavor with Moonbeam. Aren’t you bored using all your talents working exclusively with her, doing the same thing every day?”

Haley shifted her eyes away from his. “No.”

“You are.” Beck splayed his hand across the stat sheets she had put together for cost estimates that they needed to fund a new building for Moonbeam. “How long did it take for you to create this presentation? Half a day? Or more likely two hours?”

Haley remained mute.

“You’re wasting your talents.”

His critical assessment stung.

“It doesn’t matter how long it took; it’s where my heart is.”

“You can keep your heart exactly where it is. I’m not interested in your heart. I want your brain, and I’m willing to pay for what I want.”

“Exactly what are you offering?”

She didn’t miss the glitter of triumph in his eyes at her question. Desmond Beck was used to getting what he wanted, and he expected her to fall into place, exactly where he wanted her.

“I want to place you on retainer. You will be able to keep Kansas City as your home base until I have need of your expertise. Then I’ll send my private jet to fly you to the location of the business when I need you.”

“I won’t do anything illegal,” she warned.

“You’re considering my offer?”

“No. Just telling you so you’d know this has been a waste of your time and mine.”

Her curiosity satisfied, Haley turned to leave, patting the side of her pocket, proud of herself that she hadn’t resorted to using her inhaler again.

“Not even to make Ms. Brooks’ dreams come true?”

Haley stopped dead in the thick carpet.

“You’ve given up a very lucrative career to support Ms. Brooks’ cause—”

“Moonbeam is my cause, also—”

“With my backing,” Mr. Beck continued, as if she hadn’t spoken, “Moonbeam can accomplish what neither you nor Nadia assumed was possible.” Desmond Beck spread the papers within the folder to show a glossy picture of a vacant mall that Haley had no problem recognizing.

She looked from the picture questioningly.

“I just bought this mall. That’s what I was finalizing before meeting you.”

“Malls aren’t exactly a sound investment.” Haley wanted to kick herself for offering the unsolicited financial advice.

“I didn’t buy it for an investment.”

Her breath caught at his words. Stepping closer to the table, she spread out the drawings that had been partially obscured by the picture. “You’ve turned them into small apartments.”

“Yes. There’s also a variety of restaurants, a laundromat, a thrift store, and a grocery store. The runaways you’re trying to help can work in the stores to make their own money for what they want. It’s been designed to allow the teenagers to be a self-contained community where they can get the therapy, education, and skills they need until they’re ready to be on their own.”

What Desmond Beck was showing her was the dream that Nadia and she had been striving for. It was like he had reached into their deepest desires and was tormenting her with what could be. “There’s no way you would be willing to finance Moonbeam to this extent.” She stared dumbfounded down at the drawings, there was even an area of the mall sectioned off where the teens could go to school and receive the counseling they so desperately needed.

“I would,” he stated implicitly.

Haley straightened from the table, closing her mouth. “In return for having me at your beck and call?”

Beck gave a curt nod, seemingly not angered at her play of words.

“I won’t do anything illegal,” she repeated, pretending to stand on the moral high ground, sincerely hoping she could. In all honesty, she might be willing to allow all kinds of offenses to make their dream come true. Would they let her keep an inhaler with her in prison?

“What I need is someone honest to look over any files I give you and tell me if they are on the up and up or if they’re hiding something, and if they are, what are they hiding? Can you do that?”

Haley didn’t have any doubts she could. She had been gifted with the particular ability to read a column of numbers like most people could solve a crossword puzzle.

“Yes,” she assured him, her breath catching in excitement. She was going to be able to pay Nadia back for her belief in her—

“There’s only one thing, or clause, I will expect from you. If you can’t do that, then all of this is a no-go.”

Haley wanted to cry when Beck shuffled all the drawings back within the folder. She knew he had been full of crap … All rich assholes were—

“I expect your complete loyalty, Haley.”

Haley lifted her eyes away from the folder he was deliberately holding just out of her reach. The magnetic pull of his gaze held her captivated.

“I want your loyalty completely. I will be given first priority when I call, despite any other plans you may have scheduled. I won’t care whatever the reason; I will expect the job I want done to come first. I will give you a monthly retainer; some months, I won’t require your services, and others, you will spend in a hotel. I will give Moonbeam enough money to develop the plans, including building the stores. Ms. Brooks and you will have to come up with further financing to furnish the apartments, pay any of the utilities, and whatever more costs arrive. My pockets will not be bottomless. If Ms. Brooks’ meeting with Dante Caruso goes well, he may give you the rest of the funding you need, but my involvement with Moonbeam will end. I have other charities that need my attention that don’t have the same extremely capable coordinators at the head.”

He was going to donate that huge sum and wouldn’t expect detailed summaries on how Moonbeam went going forward? Jeez. Was she dreaming?

Haley racked her brain for the negatives if she agreed to his job offer. The tedious boredom of doing the same thing every day would be broken. That was also in the plus column.

“I prefer to work by myself. Would I have to work with others?” she asked hesitantly. She would work next to Attila the Hun if she had to get the funding, but she was, for the moment, in a position of power and was smart enough to use the opportunity while it lasted.

“No. You would only have to report your findings via the Internet, my assistant, or myself.”

Haley placed another checkmark in the plus column, which was leaning heavily in Mr. Beck’s direction. There had to be a catch somewhere, though.

“I will work for you and give you the loyalty you require on two conditions.” Much as she loved Nadia and Moonbeam, she wasn’t just going to walk into the deal blindly without an escape clause.

Desmond Beck’s charming façade turned irritated. “The amount of money I’m about to give you and Moonbeam isn’t enough?”

She took her time responding. Beck was going to a lot of trouble to have her work for him. Like a brand-new car, her worth would diminish as soon as she was driven off the lot. Employers always forgot the true values of their employees as time went by.

“The amount of money you’re willing to spend is extremely generous,” Haley agreed forthright, meeting his eyes confidently for the first time. She might be a wuss in everyday situations, but where her work was concerned, she was a ballbuster.

“The stipulations I want aren’t about money. I get one freebie where I won’t have to explain why I won’t be able to do the job at my discretion. Also, and I can’t emphasis this enough, my loyalty will not involve me doing anything illegal. I work at my own speed, and I won’t be rushed to fit any time limit you may want to impose. If you’re okay with those stipulations, then yes, I accept your offer of employment.”

Desmond placed the folder within her reach.

Taking it within her hand, Haley belatedly wished she had talked to Nadia before making the deal. The amount of the check that Mr. Beck removed from his jacket left no doubt she had made the right choice.

Nadia would get drunk off her ass, and she was practically a teetotaler. Hell, she might even join a celebratory drink this time. The money would be life-changing for so many of the youths who depended on Moonbeam. Nadia wouldn’t care that she had to hand her loyalty over to Desmond Beck; she would have accepted Beck’s job offer herself if it had been reversed.

Moonbeam had been Nadia’s baby to start with. Now, with Mr. Beck’s money, she could play fairy godmother.

Haley placed all the paperwork and the check inside her briefcase before snapping it closed.

Desmond moved to sit down behind the desk in front of the enormous windows. “Lucas will be in touch with you to get all the necessary work-related forms filled out.”

Giving him a nod, Haley headed for the door, practically walking on air. Nadia wasn’t going to believe what she was bringing back. She was even going to stop at a liquor store and buy a bottle of champagne. She could just see Nadia’s face—

“Haley.”

Absentmindedly looking toward Desmond Beck, she didn’t miss the steely-eyed look he gave her. She wasn’t perturbed at the change in his behavior. In all actuality, it was what she expected from him. He had gotten what he had wanted from her, so there was no need for the amenable façade any longer.

“Loyalty means different things to many people. Don’t deposit the check unless you’re willing to live up to my expectations.”

Haley gave him a nod in understanding before she continued toward the door, her mind already on the numbers to make the new shelter a reality before their contract with the old one ran out.

Closing the door behind her, she had to contain herself from skipping to the elevators. The only thing stopping her was that she didn’t want to appear unprofessional in front of Mr. Beck’s assistant.

I did it! I did it! Whoopie!

Her self-congratulations only lasted until the elevator opened and she instead made for the stairs exit. She wasn’t about to get eaten alive by the doors before the check was deposited.

Making a mental note to charge Mr. Beck hazard pay if she ever had to work in this building, she trekked down the steps.

Passing the receptionist desk as she left, she noticed the woman who had given her the badge was no longer behind the counter. Haley bit her lip. Did she really want to know?

Berating herself, she got in line. Five minutes later, Haley left the building, her euphoric happiness dimmed by what she had discovered. The woman had been fired. Unsurprised, she left the building. Desmond Beck had proven her theory that rich men were assholes.

Three

Three Years Later…

Haley tallied another column of numbers as she sipped the lukewarm coffee. Finishing the section on the computer she had been working on, she stood to stretch. Flexing the tendons in her neck, she caught sight of the clock on the wall and promised herself another thirty minutes to finish before calling it a night.

She was about to return to her desk when she heard the connecting door attached to Desmond Beck’s office open. Living up to his word, he had arranged for her working space to be closed off from other employees unless she ventured out. During the three years she had worked for him, she had been sent to various locations. Currently, she was at her least favorite location, where her workspace was fitted snuggly between Lucas’s office and his.

His cool gaze traveled from her empty desk around the room to find her. “Security is ready to close the building for the night.”

“I just need another thirty—”

“You have five.”

She had worked for Mr. Beck for three years, so she knew that, when he used that clipped tone of voice, there would be no arguing with him.

Going to her desk, she saved her work then exited out of the file.

“How much longer before you’ll be able to give me an answer on Torpedo?”

Placing her nearly empty coffee cup in the trash can, Haley grabbed her purse from the desk drawer. “Friday.”

Seeing she was gathering her personal items, Beck paused before walking through the door of his private office. “That’s three days away,” he remarked. “Usually, it only takes you a couple of days.”

Walking to the doorway, which was in front of her desk that led into Lucas’s office, Haley curiously halted. Mr. Beck had never made any attempt to engage her in conversation on any of the previous assignments. She had been treated as if she were just another worker bee, intent on bringing Desmond Beck’s philanthropic endeavors to fruition. Having the benefit of being one of the charities he had aided, Haley often marveled at the large scope of businesses and organizations Mr. Beck worked with.

Haley could now understand his wish to keep a hands-off approach with Moonbeam. Many of the charities that were asking for aid were scams that would benefit the organizers more than those they were supposed to fund. Using her to weed out those scammers left him more time to focus on those who were truly needful.

“I had to ask Mr. Owens to send over a couple of forms verifying employee statuses for five workers and a business ID number for the business he purchased the air conditioners from that go to his apartment buildings,” Haley explained. “I asked for the information yesterday afternoon, and he hasn’t responded. I was going to call him again before I left when you came in to tell me security’s waiting for me to leave.”

Mr. Beck looked irritated. “You could have told me you needed to make an important call.”

Haley shrugged. “I’m just being overly cautious. Mr. Owens’ figures all seem to be factual, yet I want to double-check with the amount of money he is asking for you to buy into Torpedo. It makes me wary of giving you the go-ahead.”

Mr. Beck casually slid his hand into the suit of his pants. “For the amount of money Owens is asking from me, I won’t only take your opinion. Not only am I having his financials checked out, but I’m having him personally investigated. I don’t want any surprises coming to bite me on the ass if he isn’t as legit as the social image he loves to parade around to get donations for Torpedo.”

“Then we’re in accord.” Haley gave him a nod as she reached for the doorknob. “Good evening, Mr. Beck.”

“Good evening, Haley.”

Her eyes flickered toward his direction, at the way he had said her name. Had she heard a seductive edge to his voice, or was she imagining it?

Rolling her eyes inwardly at herself, she was sure she had. Mr. Beck, in the three years she had been employed by him, had never given her the slightest hint that he saw her as anything but the human calculator she was paid to be. The professional aura he exhibited when she worked with him provided a comfortable safety zone. So much so that she couldn’t remember when the last time was she had used her inhaler.

Leaving Mr. Beck in her office, Haley saw Lucas behind his desk, talking to someone on the phone. With a slight wave of his hand, he acknowledged that she was leaving, pressing a button beside the phone to release the glass door leading to the lobby of Mr. Beck’s suite of offices.

Taking out her cell phone, she sent a text to Nadia. Anytime she was out of town, Nadia and she would regularly maintain contact out of the safety for the other. It was a leftover remnant of when Nadia had disappeared with Dante three years ago, when she had gone to meet him for the first time. While Nadia now had a whole platoon of people concerned about her, Nadia was her sole friend. Other than her, she could disappear from the face of the earth, and no one would notice.

Pocketing her cell phone back in her suit jacket, she pressed the button for the elevator, hearing footsteps coming up behind her.

“Working late tonight?”

“I lost track of time,” she admitted, her shoulders stiffening.

Zach Fulton was her least favorite coworker whom she came into contact with. Thankfully, the extent of their contact was simply briefly passing each other in the hallways or in the breakroom that was beside the employee restrooms. Haley made it a point on her transient stay in Queens City to limit the time she spent in the breakroom, finding them more of a breeding ground for gossip than the respite from work for which it was intended.

Zach pressed the elevator button impatiently. Haley didn’t state the obvious, that she had already pressed the button. She wondered if Zach was in a hurry for any particular reason, or if he was anxious for his own workday to be over.

“Rough day?” he asked.

Haley was tempted to reach for her inhaler at the way he was staring at her, all the tender feelings of inferiority from her childhood threatening to swamp her inwardly. Outwardly, Haley locked her jaw, determined to hide the hurt from the disdainful way Zach was looking at her.

Piqued at his disregard for her feelings, Haley wondered what he would do if her inhaler was used differently than its intended purpose. Visualizing which part of his body she could shove the inhaler up made her feel marginally better. She could be cruel in the punishments she imagined in her head. Unfortunately, she had never acted any of them out. On the other hand, she disliked Zach enough to make an exception.

Zach tilted his head to the side, as if checking to see if anyone was behind them.

“About the same as usual,” she said noncommittedly. “You?” Haley returned politely, not really interested.

“It’s always a rough day when Desmond is waiting for your report.”

Astounded at Zach’s admission, she widened her eyes widened. Even though they had the same employer, they had never discussed the particulars of the job each held. She had never cared enough to ask.

Zach continued on, “He gives us the same amount of time to find out our results as you take for your report.”

Was he complaining that she was making his job more difficult? She only answered to Mr. Beck or Lucas, not Zach.

She patted the pocket in her dress pants, confirming her inhaler was still there.

“Mr. Beck doesn’t give me a timetable.”

“We’re all aware of that—that he won’t rush you.” Zach’s expression became even more disdainful. “We’re the ones who have our jobs put on the line if we fail.”

If anything, his berating was giving her the incentive to go faster.

Biting her lip, she remembered he said team. It would make her year if Zach was fired, but she didn’t want the guilt of anyone else losing their livelihood.

The opening of the elevator door brought their conversation to an end. Haley let Zach press the main floor number as she clenched her teeth, giving him his moment of dominance. She bet he had a three-inch penis.

Turning to face him, she made sure she understood what he was saying. “So, when I submit my finding to Mr. Beck, he expects the others on your team to be finished with their own findings for him?”

“Correct,” he snapped rudely. “You are capable of understanding something other than numbers.”

Haley patted her inhaler again.

Zach was sinking further and further in her opinion.

Putting her dislike of him aside, she concentrated on the people on his team. In the years she had been working for Mr. Beck, Lucas, nor any of the other employees, had given any hint that their workload depended on her schedule.

“Then …” It clicked into place why the man sharing the elevator with her was being so nasty to her tonight, and why the other workers whom she came into contact with remained aloof. She wasn’t as unlikeable as she perceived herself to be. Her unpopularity was all Mr. Beck’s fault. “You’re working late because I am.”

“Jeez, you think so?” he drawled out sarcastically. “Nothing gets past you, does it? I just told you that.”

His insulting behavior might make some other coworkers, or his wife, upset—Haley hadn’t missed the wedding ring on his finger when he had pressed the elevator buttons—but she just let it slide off her back. Mercifully, Zach’s behavior scored a one on her internal troll meter. She had cut her teeth on being the recipient of bullying from her family members, and boarding school had finished her indoctrination to just how mean and cruel others could be with their insults.

When the elevator came to a stop, Zach reached to the control panel, pressing the button to keep the elevator door closed. “When do you expect to complete the project? I need at least until Monday to get the leg work done on Owens’ background check.”

Haley pursed her lips, thinking. When Desmond Beck had hired her, he had demanded her loyalty. She didn’t owe loyalty to Zach. She didn’t even like the dude, especially after the disrespectful way he was treating her. He had never so much as gone out of his way to offer her a donut that she had seen him carrying into the breakroom on a few of the past occasions when she had worked in Queens City. She was pretty sure if she were as attractive as Nadia, she would have been offered donuts and coffee despite Beck’s pressuring him to remain on schedule with her. She was more bitter about the donuts than the insults he handed out so freely. Damn, she adored donuts. Her size-fourteen hips were proof enough that she would have appreciated the sweet treasures.

Haley gave a low sigh. Putting the donuts, insults, and even how many people were on his team aside, there was only one option. Loyalty.

“I’m sorry. I can’t help you out. I’ve already told Mr. Beck my work would be completed by Friday. I suggest if you have an issue with your assignment, you discuss it with Mr. Beck and not me.”

From the way Zach angrily glowered at her, Haley didn’t see any donuts in her future if she continued to work for Mr. Beck. Not unless they contained rat poison.

Giving him a challenging chin lift, she knocked his hand from the close button, allowing the elevator door to slide open.

As she stepped out, Haley heard Zach mutter, “Fat bitch,” behind her back.

Shocked, she stopped and turned her head. Then she went to the elevator door, preventing it from closing and blocking Zach’s exit.

“Did I just hear you call me a fat bitch?” she asked calmly.

“What if I did? Are you going to report me?” Sneering at her, Zach’s face went from handsome to ugly.

“No, I don’t report personal opinions of my fellow coworkers,” she stated, her voice taking on a distinct chill. “I don’t place that much importance on them, as they aren’t the ones who are responsible for my income, but I do appreciate you showing me your true feelings. I’ll make sure never to find myself alone in an elevator, or the office, with you again. Ever. I’ll leave it to you to explain to Mr. Beck why I no longer feel safe in your presence. Have a good evening, Zach.”

She wasn’t afraid of the expression that came over Zach’s face, but she did take a step backward to allow the elevator door to close. Zach stepped forward at the same time, blocking the door from closing.

Haley was smart enough not to turn her back on the furious man as she brought her hand to her suit jacket pocket and the cell phone within. At the same time, a movement at her side had both her and Zach turning to see Mr. Beck had stepped out of the other elevator and had overheard the confrontation between her and Zach.

Zach paled. “Mr. Beck, I can explain …”

Mr. Beck flickered his eyes toward her. “No explanations are necessary, Zachary. When you come in, in the morning, clear out your desk. Lucas will have your severance package ready for you.”

“Mr. Beck …”

Haley didn’t want Zach fired for calling her a fat bitch. She could practically hear the employees in the breakroom discussing the reason for the popular man’s dismissal.

Before she could get another word out, though, Mr. Beck took her arm, propelling her away from the elevators and Zach.

“You can’t be serious, Desmond! I’ve worked for you for the last ten years!” Zach shouted at their backs as they walked toward the main entrance.

“Sir, Zach and I were having a disagreement, and you only heard the tail end. Disagreements happen from time to time when people are on a deadline. I’m sure Zach regrets his loss of temper.”

Mr. Beck didn’t break stride, ushering her through the main door. Haley could tell from his expression that nothing she could say or do would save Zach’s job.

“Where’s your car?”

Looking at the cars in front of the building, Haley pointed to one not far from where they were standing. “My Uber is there.” Her eyes went back and forth between Mr. Beck and Zach as she tried one more attempt to save the man’s job. “Mr. Be—”

“Good evening, Haley,” he brusquely cut off her attempt to defend Zach. The authoritative warning was clear in his voice. If she continued, Zach wouldn’t be the only one to lose their job tonight.

She loved this job. The pay was fantastic for the amount of work she actually had to do each month. She wasn’t about to screw herself out of a job she loved for a man who believed she didn’t deserve a donut. Hell, they weren’t even specialty donuts; they were the chain ones that tasted stale … or they had been the few times she had sneaked one out of the breakroom.

“Good evening, sir.”

Catching sight of Zach behind Mr. Beck, she decided it would be better to leave the two men alone, to give Zach the opportunity to defend himself without her presence.

Haley felt the imaginary dagger buried in her back as she walked to her Uber. She planned to call in the morning and take the morning off. There was no way she wanted to be in the office while Zach was picking up his things.

No sooner had the thought occurred than she squashed it.

Haley wasn’t going to give Zach the satisfaction that she had taken off to avoid a confrontation with him. Her butt would be sitting at her desk at the same time it always was.

Behind the tinted window, as the driver pulled away from the curb, Haley caught a brief glimpse of Zach trying to catch Desmond Beck’s shoulder, to keep him from walking away from what he was trying to tell him. Haley gripped the door handle when, with a swift movement from Beck, Zach was sent flying over his shoulder.

Zach was twice as large as Beck, yet it was Zack lying prone on the sidewalk without minimum effort from the man who didn’t break his stride, leaving Zach without a second glance. He knew Zach wouldn’t be getting up anytime soon. Chills ran down Haley’s spine, reminding her of the first day she had met Desmond Beck.

There was more to Desmond Beck than he exposed to the public. She had forgotten that first impression of him because she wasn’t around him frequently or associated with him enough to worry about what he was like personally, away from the work she had been hired to perform.

She wouldn’t make that mistake again. Desmond Beck wasn’t the aristocratic gentleman he portrayed himself to be. The man she had witnessed reacting instinctively to Zach’s aggression had revealed a man more than capable of physically defending himself. No fear had been on Beck’s face. What had been was the enjoyment of getting what he wanted. He had used the excuse of Zach touching him to hurt him physically.

Haley leaned back in her seat. Beck must have been wanting an excuse to fire and bash Zach in the ground for a while for him to have reacted so swiftly. She told herself to stop shivering, stop yearning to have the same strength Beck had exhibited.

The imagery of her sending Zach over her shoulder after being called a fat bitch had her thinking of taking one of the self-defense lessons that were taught at Moonbeam. Nadia would be a pain in her butt when she asked her to email her the schedule of lessons tomorrow. Her BFF would ask about her change of heart. Haley knew she wouldn’t be able to tell her. Otherwise, Nadia would jump on a flight to Queens City just to kick Zach in his sperm bank.

“If you’re cold, I can turn up the heat?” her driver offered.

“Thanks, I would appreciate it.”

Registering she was still shivering from witnessing the interaction between the two men, she folded her arms across her chest for warmth.

Working for the teenagers at Moonbeam, Haley had witnessed her fair share of fights between both sexes. She had even observed fights while out and about in the city and, while upsetting, she hadn’t reacted with the same sense of unease. No, something was totally off about Desmond Beck. His reflexes had been more like a man accustomed to participating in a bar fight than the verbal altercations that most men with his standing handled.

She was overanalyzing the situation. In two days, she would be back home, and she wouldn’t have to see Mr. Beck for another two or three weeks. Everything would go back to her normal, well-ordered life. Hell, she might even stop on the way to work to get donuts, and not the cheap ones, but the designer ones from the store a block from the office. She would even carry a few of them back to her office in front of the other workers, promising herself that, if she did, it wouldn’t bother her if they called her “the fat bitch who had Zach fired” behind her back.

The fancy donuts aren’t going to make them like you, she scolded herself.

Maybe not, she argued back mentally. But with a caramel-dipped donut, topped with graham cracker crumbles, she would be able to block out their negativity.

With revenge on her mind, she made a plan of action. She would arrive early so that Zach would see the huge box of gourmet donuts, sitting out in plain sight, when he went to get his coffee cup from the breakroom. She would even charge the purchase of the donuts to the expense account Mr. Beck had given her, hiding it in the miscellaneous category. He would never know. Hell, she might even spring for a latte.

Four

Infuriated, Desmond watched the Uber driver pull the car away from the curb with his little accountant tucked safely inside. He was so angry that he wanted nothing more than to use the briefcase he was holding to pound the fuck out of the employee whom he had just sent flying over his shoulder.

“Exactly why am I paying you a generous salary to watch my back when I have to do it myself?” he barked out at the biker whom he heard coming up behind him.

Jackal gave him one of his twisted smiles. “Technically, you didn’t need defending. The shithead wasn’t a threat.” With his eyes, the biker followed his former employee as he sprinted toward the parking garage before turning back to him.

“Better give Creed a call, to give him a heads-up. The prick will be suing your ass.”

“No, he won’t.” Desmond began walking toward the garage, knowing without looking that the Predator would be following his steps. “Have Max swing by where Zach lives and have him show that asshole how I expect women in my employ to be treated.”

Jackal casually strolled up next to him, easily keeping up with his stride. “What did he do?”

“I only heard a portion of their conversation. What I did hear was Zach calling Haley a fat bitch.”

Jackal gave a low whistle. “The fucker was brave after you told all your employees to be on their best behavior around her.”

“Exactly. When I give an order, I expect it to be carried out.”

Jackal gave him a sidelong look. “Don’t snap at me. I’m not the one who called her a fat bitch.”

Desmond pressed the button on his Mercedes’ key fob. “Make sure it’s the last time that Zach does. I’m not happy, and I want Zach to experience my unhappiness.”

“I’ll make sure Max expresses your dissatisfaction.”

Desmond didn’t miss the shrewd look Jackal gave him as he folded his long legs into his car and tossed his briefcase into the passenger seat.

“You sure Zach is the real reason you’re angry?” Jackal asked perceptively.

“Other than I pay the Predators for bodyguard protection around the clock and didn’t get my money’s worth tonight?” he asked snidely.

“Seems to me you’re more upset that you’re not the one driving Miss Fancy Pants home.”

“Haley’s more a bookworm than a fancy pants,” Desmond said without responding to Jackal’s observation. He wasn’t upset that he wasn’t driving Haley home. He didn’t get upset over women.

“Either way, neither one is your type of women. You going to have to change your plans for her?”

No, he wasn’t going to change his plans for Haley. His revenge was etched in stone and wasn’t going to be rewritten because the bookworm wasn’t reacting the way women normally responded to him.

What he couldn’t understand was why. He had never come across a man or woman whom he couldn’t charm his way into their life and manipulate them the way he wanted to. He had spent the first fifteen years of his life scraping by to survive, learning from trial and error what would give him a respite from hunger pangs and a roof over his head each day.

What humanity he’d had, had been ground out of him when he had lost the only woman he had loved. The years ahead had been forged with one goal in mind—to make enough money that he was never helpless again and exact revenge for Aanya.

Profound hatred for Ivan Pavlov consumed his every waking hour. Haley Clark was the key to achieving the goal he had set for himself. Unfortunately, the bookworm was stymieing him from moving forward in his plan.

Desmond broached the subject to Jackal that was becoming more mystifying as the months went along. “No. She’s just shy. I just need to change my methods.”

Desmond didn’t appreciate the mocking smile the Predators’ enforcer gave him at his confidence.

“Okay …” he drawled out slowly. “You keep doing you and don’t ask for my advice, and see where it gets you—Nowhereville.”

“You think you’d do better?”

“I would. Fortunately for you, I’m a married man.”

“Which still amazes me.” Especially after he had met the woman whom Jackal was married to.

Jackal gave him a crooked smile. “She hated my guts when we first met. It was my winning personality that eventually won her over,” he joked.

Desmond knew that Jackal didn’t believe his own joke.

As he stared at his long fingers on the steering wheel to avoid eye contact, the question came out of his lips, “How did you really change Penny’s mind?”

Jackal took so long to reply that Desmond didn’t think he was going to answer and started to reach out to close the car door. Jackal caught it, preventing him.

“I kept putting myself near enough to her that the attraction outweighed her feeling of distaste for me,” Jackal divulged. “Which wasn’t easy. Like I said, she hated my guts.”

“Why did she hate you so much?”

“Probably had something to do with me kidnapping her ass. Took her a while to get over that.”

“That would do it,” Desmond agreed.

“Seems to me the only hitch preventing you from hooking up with the bookworm is lack of motivation on your part. She doesn’t have any reason to hate you. I’m stumped at what the hold-up is. I’ve seen your regular booty calls; none of them look alike, but what they do have in common is them waiting on stand-by for when you’re in the mood for a date or a fuck. Those bitches keep their phones close, waiting for your texts, because they know you plan your hook-ups two weeks in advance, and if they miss your text or call, you’ll just move on to the next bitch on your list. Fuck, even your one-nighters are planned in advance. You’re trying to pretend to be spontaneous when you ask her out, yet you’re not even interested in her enough that you want to fuck her is going to come across as fake as fuck, which is why you’ve been cock-blocking yourself.”

Desmond gave a frustrated sigh. Jackal wasn’t wrong. He had no desire for the woman. He was attracted to self-confident women who were aware of their own sexuality and able to handle the emotional detachment he required from each of his sexual partners. Each knew any attempt to ingrain themselves into his life and heart would have the exact opposite effect, having them lost in the shuffle of his past lovers whom he no longer contacted.

“You’re going to have to change your mindset, or you’re never going to get anywhere with her.”

Jackal was right again. His lack of attraction to Haley was what was standing in his way. It certainly couldn’t be his conscience that was holding him back. He didn’t have one. He had hired her for two reasons—as a safeguard for the future and to utilize her for information on her family, if the need ever arose.

The time had come, and either he needed to get a return on his investment on her or find another way to accomplish his goal, one that wouldn’t require using her to achieve his goal. Callously, he determined to set up the ruse tomorrow. He had already waited too long. He should have done it a month ago.

Starting the car, he coldly raised unfeeling eyes to Jackal. “I agree.”

Jackal arched a brow at him. “You do?”

“I’m going to have to fake it until I can make an attraction for her.”

Jackal gave him a twisted smile. “Good luck. She doesn’t exactly scream fuck me.”

“No, she doesn’t,” Desmond concurred. “But you know what she does have that appeals to me? Karma. She screams Karma to me.”

“Karma?”

“Karma.” Desmond’s gaze grew glacial. “She’s going to give me the key to destroying her family.”

Jackal gave a low whistle. “And when she does, what will happen to her?”

“I call it collateral damage.”

Five

Frowning down at a large number that shouldn’t be in the column, Haley dragged a notepad toward her to double-check the entry against the invoice that had been provided to itemize the list of repairs Owens paid a contractor to install more Internet hubs and equipment for another branch office.

Rubbing her brow as she concentrated, she was becoming deeply suspicious at the amount of the deduction. Placing her pen down on the desk, she dug her fingertips in harder. She was developing a headache.

Opening a drawer, she took out a bottle of pain relievers to take two.

Zach had lost his job for no reason, since she wasn’t going to finish by Friday. The way it was going, she would be in Queens City another week.

The sound of her cell phone ringing had her pressing down on the button to accept the call then another to put it on speaker.

“Hey, girl, what’s up?”

Haley rolled her eyes at the phone. Nadia only called her this time of the day when she wanted something.

“Working. You need something?”

“Nope. Just wondering when my Marvel sidekick is coming home so we can catch a movie. Dante and I will be home in a couple of days unless I can convince him to stay another day. The new Avengers movie is out, and Dante refuses to watch it with me.”

Haley smiled, moving her hand from her forehead to prop her cheek on it as she took a much-needed break.

“I wonder why …” Haley laughed, knowing full well the reason behind Dante’s refusal.

“He’s being ridiculous. He thinks I’m secretly in love with Chris Evans.” Nadia gave a snort from the other end of the phone. “As if.”

“Then he should talk to me. I’d fill him in on the truth. I’d tell him who his real competition is, and it’s not sweet and hunky Chris Evans.”

“Shh …” Nadia hissed. “You’d actually rat me out?”

Laughter bubbled from Haley’s throat. “I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to figure it out. I swear, I think more women watch The Avengers movies than men. There’s an Avenger for every woman’s secret desire.”

“Okay … I’m pretty sure that’s not true.”

“Pretty sure it is. Bet me… I know which Avenger Dante should be worried about.” Haley smothered her laughter, afraid she was getting loud enough for the men in the other two offices surrounding hers to hear.

“I’ll take that bet. You can pay for dinner and the movie.”

Haley returned in her I-know-it-all voice, “You’ll be the one buying ’cause I know who you’d choose.”

“You do not,” Nadia argued heatedly. “But you have my permission to go ahead and try. Who, then, do I imagine as my boy toy?”

“Bucky. He’s certainly not a boy; that goes without saying. You’ve always had a thing for the bad boys,” Haley disclosed her friend’s secret without a qualm in the privacy of her office.

What sounded like a struggle came over the phone.

“Nadia, are you still there?” she questioned as the crackling electronic sounds kept coming from the cell phone. Giggling, Haley placed her hand over her mouth so the man and woman arguing over the phone wouldn’t hear her laughing at them.

Breathlessly, Nadia came back on the line. “I’m going to have to take a raincheck on the movie when you get back. We’ll do lunch …” Nadia’s voice broke off.

“Dante … give me back my fucking phone!”

Haley laughed as she pressed the end button on the call. Her laughter then cut off and her eyes widened when she saw Desmond casually leaning against the doorjamb. She hadn’t heard him opening the door, much less noticed that her boss had been standing there, listening.

“Trouble in paradise?”

The amused way he was staring at her left no doubt he had been listening to her and Nadia’s lighthearted conversation.

Haley nervously picked up one of her pencils lying scattered around her desk. Him mentioning paradise told her he was well aware of where Nadia and Dante were currently staying.

To remain on the safe side concerning her friend’s safety, she sidestepped his remark, giving a slight shrug. “More like trouble picking out which movie to watch. I think Dante is jealous of Nadia’s movie choices.”

“He wouldn’t. Dante doesn’t believe in healthy competition when he can crush it under the heel of his Testoni shoe.” Mr. Beck moved farther into her office, resting a hip on the corner of her desk. A tan, long finger rolled one of the pencils across the back of her desk in a straight line.

“Every time I spend vacations with them, it’s refreshing to see how happy they are. After he lost Melissa, I didn’t think I would see another smile on Dante. You missed a great time last week. Watching Dante preventing Nadia from going swimming is just as amusing as listening them fight over her movie choices. Nadia mentioned she had invited you to come along.”

Straightening in her seat, Haley found it perturbing that she was seeing her boss two days in a row. Usually, she would only see him in the beginning of her assignment, then later when she handed in her report. Many times, Lucas was the one whom she reported to when Mr. Beck was unavailable. The novelty had her concerned.

Haley had found that people didn’t change their normal habits unless they had a reason. Nine times out of ten, the reason wasn’t to her benefit. On the other hand, Haley assured herself, Mr. Beck might just be stopping by her office to be nice after one of his employees had been rude to her last night.

“Water and I don’t mix. I thought I would save Dante from having to rescue me. I’m not a great swimmer either, and the last time I let Nadia talk me into sunbathing, I ended up in bed with sun poisoning.”

The pencil continued to roll along her desk.

Mr. Beck gave her a commiserating look, as if knowing how bad she had felt when it had happened, which had Haley schooling her own features. If he expected her to believe he had been sunburned badly enough to experience sun poisoning, he was wasting his acting skills on her. His bronze skin glowed with health and only highlighted his athletic build.

Haley knew he knew how to swim from the descriptions Nadia would give her when Mr. Beck would invite Dante and her to join him on his boat, or when Dante would invite Mr. Beck to the beach house they regularly visited.

From what Nadia had told her, there wasn’t any sport he didn’t do well. She didn’t need Nadia to tell her some of the gossip magazines would photograph him playing tennis, golfing, swimming, to diving in many of the countries he visited.

Desmond Beck was fodder for the gossip magazines who always wanted to get the scoop on which high-profile woman he was currently dating or who had their heart broken by him. From what Nadia had told her, he had broken up with a famous singer from Europe right before he had visited Dante and her a couple of weeks ago.

He lifted his eyes from the pencil. “You would certainly need a good sunscreen with your porcelain skin.”

Biting the inside of her cheek to keep herself from blushing, Haley began transferring numbers from the computer screen to a sheet of paper.

“Did you have a question?” Haley timorously approached why he was in her office, changing the conversation from the personal route it had taken to a business one, which she was more comfortable having with him.

She immediately felt his annoyance with her and couldn’t understand why. She lifted her eyes from the numbers and got caught up in his. It took several moments for her to realize he hadn’t answered her question.

Pushing her glasses higher up her nose, she gave him the best schoolmarm impression she could manage. “Mr. Beck? Did you have a question?” she repeated.

He stood up from leaning against her desk. “No question. I just wanted to inform you that Zach picked up his things and has left. He won’t be back.”

“I’m sorry he lost his job, but I won’t regret not seeing him again.”

“You won’t,” he said decisively. “Any further updates on you finishing?”

“I was going to talk to Lucas when he comes back from lunch. I won’t be able to finish by Friday. I’m sorry about the delay, but I need to cross-reference Mr. Owens’ entries.” Haley used a trimmed, unpolished fingernail to point at a number on the screen. “I called him this morning, and he gave me the ID number I needed. The hiccup I’m having now is Mr. Owens deducted ten thousand for a bathroom remodel, using the same company he paid to install Internet hubs. What I found even stranger is it’s the same one he purchased the air conditioners from. Notwithstanding, I find it strange that the company he used is so diverse that they sell toilets, modems, and air conditioners, but the company went out of business six months ago. I also find it odd that nine other companies that Mr. Owens used in the past year have been accused by their customers from everything to incomplete jobs, incompetent workmanship, to outright accusations that the businesses in question keep the down payment yet refuse to render the services, or products that were paid for. Actually, the only good rating these companies have”—Haley switched the computer screen to use her curser to highlight the reviews—“are the five-star reviews Mr. Owens’ companies give them. It seems his business is the only one who gets the jobs done satisfactorily.”

“I take it you don’t believe in coincidences?”

“No, I don’t.”

“In other words, you don’t think the apartments and businesses they are trying to sell to me would be a good decision. Those two apartment buildings were going to be donated to NewDay, who find homes for homeless veterans.”

“I wouldn’t buy the apartment until I had it thoroughly checked out by ten building inspectors. Where the business is concerned, I wouldn’t take one if he sold it to me for a dollar. Then I’d have my lawyers set up an airtight contract that any lawsuits brought to any of the business you purchase from him, Mr. Owens would be the one held legally responsible for settling.”

“It would be easier to just walk away from any of the deals I was going to make with him,” Beck told her.

Haley, lost in the moment where numbers were concerned, had forgotten who she was talking to and couldn’t help but show her excitement. “Not necessarily.” Her eyes grew cunning as she pointed to the name of one of the holdings Mr. Beck was thinking of buying. “You can use the information I’m gathering to cut the asking price Mr. Owens wants, ditch the rest of the businesses, and make a decent profit on this one. Mr. Owens hasn’t put any effort in the business, and, despite his negligence, it is showing a steady growth profile. Imagine what it could do with someone who doesn’t want to run it to the ground to launder money.”

Mr. Beck’s lips turned thin. “Is that what you believe he is doing?”

Haley gave him an engaging grin. “I’d bet my next payday on it.”

“Take your time to get me the proof I need and give me the figure where it would be advantageous for me to offer.”

“Yes, sir. I’ll get it to you as soon as I can.”

Haley became so lost in the computer screen that she was unaware Mr. Beck hadn’t left until she heard the pencil rolling on her desk again.

Distractedly, she glanced up. “Was there anything else, sir?”

“When I talked to your cousin, Amelia, this morning, she told me she and George were excited about their family reunion this weekend. I don’t want you to have to miss your family function. I can drive you there,” he offered.

Her enjoyment in work dimmed at being drawn back to reality.

“No, thanks. I prefer to work this weekend.” As she spurred his offer, her eyes remained on the computer screen.

“You sure? It wouldn’t be any trouble.”

“I’m sure,” she stated dispassionately, sitting tensely at her desk until she heard his footsteps heading toward the door.

“That’s a shame. They invited me, and I get bored driving alone. You could keep me company and give us the opportunity to get to know the other better.” Mr. Beck paused, as if expecting her to jump at the chance. “If you change your mind, let me know,” he said softly. “The weekend is still a few days away.”

Waiting a full minute after she heard the door to his private office close, she finally lifted her eyes away from the computer and pressed her sweaty palms on the lap of her beige-colored dress. Taking her inhaler out of her dress pocket, she took two puffs, restraining herself from draining it empty.

Had there been a seductive undertone to his voice, or had she just imagined it? Blinking rapidly at the closed door, Haley decided she had. Men like Mr. Beck wouldn’t waste their skills on seducing a woman like her.

Repocketing the inhaler, she gave herself a half-laugh then went back to her numbers, quickly forgetting the sensual appeal of the man who had been standing just inches away from her, and the invitation he had offered.

Seeing her family again and getting further acquainted with Desmond Beck on a personal level would be a highway to disaster. One she would avoid like the plague. She had managed to survive a childhood filled with drama of her father’s making just to make the videos interesting. She had felt utter humiliation at some instances that every child went through as her father had recorded them, using her as the brunt of his jokes. With the grace of God, she had managed to escape her family’s influence without suffering everlasting effects. At least those that weren’t visible.

The terrified voice she kept hearing in the back of her mind warned her that Desmond Beck had the same calculating expression on his face that her father had when he hadn’t been aware of her watching him.

The numbers on the screen merged into a void that took her back to a childhood filled with fear and humiliation.

Her parents had used their family name to draw attention to their videos posted online. She had become a source of amusement for thousands of viewers to reach a monetary status at her cost. Even now, the videos could be seen, gauging new viewers daily. Haley knew she could have the videos taken down, yet she let them remain, unwilling to give her family a reason to make contact with her.

When she had graduated from boarding school, instead of moving home, like her sisters and brother had, she had moved into a cheap apartment with Nadia. Like her, she had nowhere to go. She would willingly walk over a pit of snakes before putting herself in their orbit ever again.

Her parents had hidden the fact that she had no contact with them from their fans by explaining she was away at a gifted school, then college. Haley found it hilarious that they had believed her a dimwit by some of the stunts her father had arranged, and then later, she was supposed to be smart enough to earn a spot in a gifted program.

She clenched her hands into fists until her nails cut into her skin, bringing her out of the dark void of her past.

She nearly reached for her cell phone to call Nadia. Her friend always knew the right thing to say to get her out of the cloudy funk she would go into whenever her family was mentioned. Shaking her head, she instead went back to the numbers. Besides, Dante was probably proving to Nadia that he was the only hero she needed in her life.

Her mind found solace in the safety of numbers. They were always what they seemed. People could manipulate them to do what they wanted, but their true value was infallible. They could be backtracked until the true story was discovered … unlike videos that could be manipulated behind a camera lens.

The rumbling of her stomach brought her back to awareness. Usually, she brought her lunch, but she had been so focused on getting the donuts that she had opted from making her own to eating out. She was regretting the hasty decision now.

She could skip lunch. Yeah, the self-debate was short-lived as Haley reached for her purse while rising from the desk when her stomach growled again. The lone donut she had eaten would be on her hips for the next six months, but the sustenance had lasted a whole ten minutes. Go figure.

The only thing worse than eating alone was sitting alone. You were damned if you did, and damned if you didn’t.

Opening her office door, she momentarily paused at being the focus of two male gazes.

“Excuse me. I didn’t mean to interrupt.” Closing the door behind her, Haley hurried across the carpet in front of Lucas’s desk, making for the corridor outside of his office that would lead her to the elevator. “Just on my way to lunch,” she explained self-consciously, feeling their eyes track her progress.

Desmond Beck’s long strides beat her to the glass door. “I was just on my way, also. Mind if I join you?”

No! The internal denial never made it past her lips as she hastily came up with a more polite response.

“I was actually going to do take-out from the sandwich shop across the street.”

“You can’t eat there.” He gave her a firm shake of his head, and Haley knew he wasn’t going to be turned down easily. “The restaurant is a repeat offender on Dirty Meals. In good conscience, I can’t let an employee get a case of food poisoning on my watch. At least not until you finish my report.”

Was she supposed to agree with him or laugh? To be on the safe side, she laughed, which sounded fake to her own ears. It must have to Mr. Beck, too, considering the strange way he looked at her. Why were people always giving her that look?

Remaining several inches from his body, she pressed the elevator button, desperately trying to think of a way to politely refuse his company. Then, entering the empty elevator, she ignored the amused look he gave her when she parked herself in front of the control panel and pressed the button for the ground floor.

“Michelangelo’s is just around the block. They have lunch specials that are guaranteed to have you back at your desk in thirty minutes.”

The door sliding open had her nearly running out of the elevator.

“I don’t care for Italian,” she threw over her shoulder, only to find Mr. Beck was easily keeping up with her.

“You don’t have to like Italian. Michelangelo’s has a variety of dishes to tempt any palette. I’m sure you’ll find something you’ll enjoy.”

The choice was taken out of her control when Mr. Beck cupped her elbow as they stepped out of the building, turning her in the direction he wanted.

What’s thirty minutes? Haley assured herself.

Beck dropped his hand from her arm when he saw she was complying with his wishes. She nearly used the opportunity to bolt away from him. Jeez, get a grip, Haley. He’s taking you to lunch, not his apartment.

The hilarity of the thought had her gaining a grip on her absurd reaction to eating lunch with him. Hadn’t she complained to herself just yesterday that she had no friends in the office? Technically, he wasn’t who she had been thinking about, but this could be a good thing, right? Besides, she couldn’t eat at the sandwich shop now.

She would have been perfectly happy with the sandwich, but now she was questioning the meals she had eaten there before. She would never have known that the darn restaurant had bad reviews if Beck hadn’t told her, but he had, and now there was no way she would be able to eat there again. It was in her wheelhouse, and once something was there, it didn’t roll backward.

Haley would have passed by the small brick house if Mr. Beck hadn’t stopped her. The house looked just like the others on the street. No cars were parked outside, nor was anyone coming or going.

“Are you sure this a restaurant?”

His lips twitched in amusement. “I’m sure.”

As they neared the door, a man dressed in formal black opened the door.

“Mr. Beck, how nice it is to see you today. Your table is ready.”

“Thank you, Eduardo.”

The interior of the restaurant reminded her of old Italian restaurants that were seen in black and white movies. The entrance broke off into three levels. The host led them down a short flight of steps that had only four tables spaced apart. The host waved her to one side of the booth, while Mr. Beck slid inside the other side. Haley was aware of the curious glance of the maître d’ on her as she awkwardly sat down, fumbling with the napkin on the table to place it on her lap.

A waiter then came down the steps, carrying a bottle of wine.

“Riccardo, we won’t be having any wine,” Beck stated, taking the menus from Eduardo then giving her one. “Haley and I are taking a working lunch. I told her you could have us out within thirty minutes.”

The older man gave him a beaming smile. “We will endeavor to do our best.”

“I’m sure you will.” Mr. Beck gave him a smile back before switching his gaze to Riccardo, who handed the wine bottle to the maître d’ as he left. “I will take the chicken caprese sandwich with a cup of your soup.”

“Certainly, Mr. Beck.”

Haley took a quick glance at the menu, aware the men were waiting for her. “I’ll take the same.” Haley closed the menu and gave it to the waiter, who moved away to place their orders.

“I thought you didn’t like Italian. There were several options you could have chosen from.” Mr. Beck stared at her from across the table. “There was no rush for you to choose.”

Haley shrugged. “I might not like Italian, but I don’t mind trying new things, and I’ve never had a caprese sandwich. If I don’t like it, I’ll still enjoy the soup.”

The waiter returned with a basket of fresh bread and an ice-blue bottle of water. Opening the bottle, Ricardo poured both Mr. Beck and her a glass.

Left alone with Mr. Beck once again, Haley felt ill at ease at the silence. Other than the sound of customers entering the restaurant and being seated in different areas, they were cocooned off to the side, out of sight from others.

Finding the silence unnerving, she fought to fill it with the first thing that came to mind. “When I asked Lucas about restaurants near work, he didn’t mention this one.”

Mr. Beck took a slice of bread, dipping it into the olive oil. “You have to have a membership to eat here.”

Haley gave him a wry smile. “That explains it, then. I’ll have to make sure I enjoy the rare treat.”

His eyes crinkled in silent laughter. “You’re the rare treat. I don’t think I’ve ever met a woman quite like you. Nothing really impresses you, does it?”

“Not much,” she confirmed.

“Such a jaded attitude from such a young woman. Was it because you were born into such a wealthy family or the experiences you went through when your family became so popular on YouTube?”

She almost choked on the small piece of bread she was nibbling on. She absolutely hated being reminded of that time in her life.

With her free hand, she patted the hidden pocket in her dress. “I don’t discuss that show with anyone.”

Mr. Beck took another slice of bread. “I apologize. I usually don’t let my curiosity get the better of me.”

She had been too young to make a mature decision on the videos her parents had posted. Older now, she had a say, and that included not talking about them.

The arrival of their food had Haley hoping that Mr. Beck would get the message that her family was a topic she would not discuss.

Picking up her sandwich, she began to eat, wishing she were already back in the office and out from under Mr. Beck’s scrutiny.

“You’re a hard woman to get to know.”

Haley set her sandwich back on her plate. “Why would you want to get to know me?” she asked forthrightly. “As an employer, I would think you would prefer to be pococurante of your employees.” He might be her boss, but she didn’t hesitate to chastise him.

Him bringing her family up twice had her on high alert. Beck wanting to get to know her better was suspicious in itself. No one wanted to know her better. She could count the fingers on one hand the number of people whom she had come in contact through her working life who had wanted an opportunity to be on friendly terms. Not one of them had been male, and certainly none had his good looks, not even the women. Nadia attracted people to her like bees to honey. On the other hand, people went out of their way to avoid her.

Mr. Beck’s food remained untouched as he sharpened his gaze on hers. “You remind me of Julia.”

Haley paled at the remark. It took every bit of her control not to reach for her inhaler.

A deep loneliness struck her in the chest as she gripped the end of the table at the comparison. Julia was George’s wife and Amelia’s mother. She had been more of a true mother to her than her biological one had been. She still missed her deeply.

“I seem to be making a habit of saying the wrong things. I apologize again. Were you close to her?”

“Very.”

“My acquaintance with her was short. She became ill, and when I was invited to visit George at their home, she usually remained upstairs.”

“Which didn’t prevent him from hosting his friends for long weekends.”

“I didn’t stay for any long weekends. I would usually come by for a lunch or dinner then leave. I was aware Julia wasn’t well. I didn’t want to turn my back on George because his wife was ill.”

Haley was aware she was coming across as an utter bitch, but she couldn’t help it. Her ill will with George ran too deep.

“The short time I knew her, before her illness grew worse, I found her smart as a tack, and she didn’t mind cutting you to shreds if she didn’t agree with you.”

Which Haley would believe to her dying day had led to Julia’s death. The hurt of being brought back to the end of her aunt’s life had Haley determined to find the true motives behind his sudden friendliness.

“Why did you bring me here? To find out for yourself why I no longer have anything to do with my family?”

“Not quite.”

“Then I’m perplexed as to why you decided to join me for lunch.”

“You don’t make anything easy, do you? Since you want me to be blunt, I will. I brought you here to fire you.”

Six

Numbly, completely taken aback, Haley didn’t know how to react to being fired. She had never been fired before in her working life.

“You’re firing me?”

Mr. Beck picked up his sandwich and began eating, showing that firing her didn’t affect his appetite. “Yes, effective immediately. Would you like a glass of wine?”

“No!” Lowering her voice when she saw their waiter look toward their table, she said, “I don’t want any wine. What I would like is an explanation.”

She had loved working for Mr. Beck. Intellectually, it challenged her in a way that no other job had ever done before. Financially, she wasn’t worried that she wouldn’t find another replacement; she had been her own boss before, and it wouldn’t take a great deal of difficulty to contact her past clients and start anew. What she would miss was the projects, without having to come into contact with numerous clients. She was able to keep to herself, isolated in which office was designated to her.

Mr. Beck placed a better buffer from other workers than Nadia had done. Nadia had tried to pry her out of her closed-off shell, while he let her be.

Haley conveniently forgot that she had been mentally complaining that no one had made a friendly effort toward her, and her stomach began to feel queasy.

“You’re firing me,” she repeated, hoping, by some miracle, that he had changed his mind.

“Yes.” Mr. Beck nudged her plate closer to her. “Eat. You look like you’re about to pass out.”

“Why?”

Haley thought she would melt in her chair when his lips curled in a sensuous smile. Food was the furthest thing from her mind as his hypnotic gaze froze her in place. The soft music playing in the background aided in the sense of intimacy that surrounded them. She had to force herself from being sucked into the lure he was casting her way.

Taking a bite of her sandwich, she managed to maintain composure. It wasn’t every day a man of Mr. Beck’s caliber made a pass at her, if that was what he was doing. She had never been in the position where it had happened to her before.

“You intrigue me, Haley. I’d like to get to know you better on a personal basis. I ethically can’t do that if you continue to work for me.”

“I’d rather keep my job.” Haley reached into her pocket to take out her inhaler, taking two puffs before she set it beside her plate in case she needed it again.

He had the nerve to laugh at her instead of being concerned.

“Don’t worry about my pride. I’ve never had a woman who needed to use an inhaler when I express my interest. You sound like you’d rather face a swarm of bees than become involved with me.”

“I would.”

“And the shots keep coming.” He laughed. “Relax, Haley. We can take it slow.”

Mr. Beck didn’t know the meaning of the word.

Haley chewed thoughtfully before swallowing. She could handle this. All she had to do was find the ulterior motive behind his request. Being a numbers person gave her the ability to analyze the odds that he was really interested in her. The odds weren’t in her favor.

“I’m going to be honest. I’m not interested in you.”

“I’m becoming aware of that fact. In reciprocation, I’ll be just as honest. I plan to change your mind.” He grinned. “Is there any particular reason you don’t like me?”

“I don’t like or dislike you. I actually haven’t given you much thought in a romantic sense.”

“Ouch.”

One characteristic about men that Haley did know, and she was as far from being an expert on that, but she did know that, when men were making a pass at a woman, they didn’t normally laugh at getting shot down.

Haley set her sandwich back down on her plate. “Please don’t act like you’re really interested in me, or say you’re being honest. I’m well aware that I’m not exactly the type of woman who would normally draw your interest.”

“Ah …” His sensuous smile widened in satisfaction. “If you know which type of women I normally date, then you must have given me some thought. I’ll take your interest any way I can get it.”

She stared at him skeptically. Something was off about his motives. Haley sensed it with every fiber of her being, and she was never wrong.

She loved orchids so much that she had studied them. Mr. Beck was made of one in particular. The orchid mantis. They lured their victims to their deaths. Without a doubt, Mr. Beck was gorgeous enough to attract attention from men and women. He had the It factor, which basically enabled him to bypass their normal safeguards.

“What motive could I have for lying? I have a healthy bank balance. I don’t need your family connections. It seems to me I’m closer to them than you are.”

“Mr. Beck, I’m not blind. I didn’t miss the way the maître d’ and the waiter looked at me. I get the feeling that I’m not exactly in the category of most of the companions you usually escort here.”

He refilled her water glass from the ice-blue bottle. “My name is Desmond.” With a wave of his hand, he motioned their waiter away. “If you have been offended in any way by their behavior, I will have to find another restaurant when I need to satisfy my love of Italian.”

She desperately wanted to slink out of the restaurant when the waiter blanched at Mr. Beck’s grim statement.

“They didn’t offend me, Mr. Beck,” she hissed, blushing as the waiter flashed her a hurt look before rushing off. Haley knew he was rushing off to tell Riccardo.

“Desmond,” he corrected her.

“Mr. Beck,” she bit out. “I was not complaining about—”

“Desmond.”

She curled her hands into fists at his attempted manipulation. Then she nearly laughed in his face. She had been schooled by a master. Desmond might be skillful, too, yet he wasn’t a master, not yet. In actuality, she was more comfortable in dealing with this situation. She had crossed a similar bridge before when she had been much younger.

“Mr. Beck, perhaps, if you could bring yourself to be completely upfront and honest without the attached mind games as to why you feel it’s necessary to pretend to have a romantic interest in me, I can make an informed decision as to help you or not. I’ve never been a fan of cat and mouse, and I refuse to play.”

Conflicting emotions chased across his face at being called out.

Haley nodded at him while taking a slice of bread from the basket to twist in her hands.

“I’m not—”

“Please.” She disdainfully dropped the mangled bread on her plate. “If you respect my work for your company to oversee million-dollar accounts, then afford me the same courtesy and respect that I have the same mental capabilities to recognize when a man is attracted to me or not.”

His expression drew closed. “I need to get some undisclosed information about your relatives.”

And there it was.

Wiping her hands on her napkin, she resumed eating her sandwich. The world was right again.

“Which relative?”

“George.”

Haley chewed on her sandwich, staring off into space.

“You’re not interested in what information I want?” he asked.

She took a drink of water to clear her throat. “It doesn’t matter. Neither George nor Amelia would give me the time of day if I asked.” She shook her head at him. “My family and I have been estranged for several years.”

“Many families take breaks from one another; it doesn’t mean all the avenues leading to reconciliation are closed.”

“I see. You were hoping that with me dating you, I would be once again privy to what is going on within my family?”

“Yes.”

Haley nodded in understanding. “What is the information you’re seeking?”

She watched a muscle in Desmond’s jaw twitch, as if he was holding back a strong emotion.

“I can’t tell you.”

“Why? Because you’re afraid of what I would do with the information?” Her eyes met his over the table. “Desmond,” Haley finally allowed herself the familiarity of using his given name, “like I said before, you trusted me with millions of dollars of your money; you can trust me to keep anything we discuss confidential.” She shrugged as if it didn’t matter what he told her. “I feel no particular obligation toward neither George nor Amelia. In fact, I will disclose that I detest both of them, with extra emphasis on George, and they are well aware of my feelings toward them, and the feelings are completely mutual.”

Desmond dropped any pretense of eating, sliding his plate to the side. “I need to find out if your family has any undisclosed property, somewhere off the grid, with no capabilities of Internet, completely out of the way where it would be hard to find.”

“This place”—Haley studied him curiously at the vague description—“how large does this place need to be? The size would be helpful to click a few off the list.”

She prepared to rack her brain for the few memories she had of George and Amelia’s holdings. A few properties had been purchased by Amelia after Julia’s death. Those Haley wouldn’t know anything about.

Desmond’s expression became even grimmer. “A piece of land that a few hundred people could survive on by themselves.”

Seven

Desmond regretted revealing his true purpose. Unsettled when she had been unmoved by his lack of interest, he had switched gears. When their lunch had started out, he had been determined to set his plan in motion to use Haley, to use what charm and charisma he had in his arsenal to get her to fall for him.

She had turned the table on him, using her quick mind until he was the one captivated by her. As if removing a pair of imaginary thick glasses that distorted his view of Haley, he was able to see past the image she presented to the world.

The beige dress gave her a shallow complexion, making the flower planter placed behind her glow, and brightened her eyes. What was really throwing him for a loop was the stirring of his cock every time she took a bite of her food, his gaze drawn to her lips.

Under the table, his cock hardened when Haley pressed against the table as she leaned forward, unwittingly exposing her lush curves and the pale pink bra underneath the modest neckline of her dress.

“Did you just say a few hundred people?”

He could retract his statement, yet he found himself giving a curt nod. Time was running out. “Yes.”

She leaned back in her chair, her expression turning introspective.

Desmond was nonplused that Haley seemed to be contemplating his question without giving him the third degree as to why.

Giving her several minutes, Desmond had to concede there was more to the woman than he expected, especially when he saw her repocket her inhaler, as if discussing any possible relationship was off the table.

“My family owns several properties in the Unites States and abroad. Some larger than others. I believe George has three apartment buildings, but they aren’t exactly considered off the grid. Two in Florida and one in the Bahamas, which I believe they use as sold time-shares to their friends. Four properties were willed to Amelia by Julia. All are in the United States. Three are in the Washington area, the fourth in New York. All of them single residences. I have no idea if she owns other properties or if those I mentioned have been sold since Julia’s death.”

Dumbstruck as she began disclosing the detail of the Clark’s holdings, Desmond felt another shift in his regard for Haley.

When he had hired her, she had quickly exceeded his expectations, and that was saying a fucking lot. She had earned his respect for the hard work she performed for him, but this was altogether different.

Her analytical mind was fascinating to watch, her face showing a myriad of expressions as he assumed she checked off mental lists in her head.

Damn. He really didn’t want to like her on a personal level. It would be harder for him to kill her if she got in his way.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I really didn’t expect you to be willing to help me,” he admitted. “At least not without some coercion.”

“Why? Because I’m a woman or because I’m a Clark?”

“Both.”

“Ouch.” She made a face at him. “You don’t have a very high opinion of women, do you?”

“I have every respect for women. My problem with them is that they tend to stay loyal to their family and the men in their lives, regardless of whether they’re right or wrong.”

“I can’t argue with that assessment.” Placing her napkin on her plate, Haley reached for her purse to take out her wallet. Laying a twenty and a five on the table, she then started to rise.

“Put your money back. I’ll take care of the bill. Give me a minute, and I’ll walk back with you,” he snapped.

“No, thanks. I prefer to pay for my own lunch and walk back by myself. I’ll get done what I can today, and I’ll make notes to leave for whomever you choose to take my place.”

Catching her wrist, he pulled her back down to her chair. “Wait. That’s it? No more questions about why I’m searching for the property? Or the people? You’re just going to clean out your desk and leave?”

“Pretty much. Would you tell me if I did ask?” she questioned, pulling her wrist away. “I won’t help if you’re unwilling to give me more information, so I wouldn’t be useless to you in finding out the information you need about my family. As far as me continuing to work as an accountant for you, I no longer want the job.”

Desmond frowned. This was not going the way he had wanted it to go.

“I have to respect the person I work for,” she said cuttingly.

His shoulders rose under his expensive jacket as he kept himself from jerking her across the table to him. No one had talked to him that way since he was fifteen years old. He didn’t give a flying fuck what Haley thought about him. What angered him was her disregard in the way she was speaking to him.

The disappointed expression in her eyes sent darts seeking to find a vulnerable spot. He didn’t have one. Any vulnerability had been ground out of him before he was three years old when he had grabbed his mother around her waist and begged her not to leave him. She had drunkenly stumbled out of their disgusting apartment without a backward glance.

The years ahead had just been more of the same, everyone in his life putting their selfish wants and desires above providing the most basic needs for the helpless child he had been. By the time he had been seventeen, he’d been unaware of any softness left inside of him … until he had met Aanya.

She had blown through any of his defense when he had fallen in love with her on sight.

A blinding pain struck him in the heart at thinking of Aanya, bringing him back to the table and the woman about to leave.

“Give me a chance to explain before you make your decision.”

“I don’t want an explanation from you.” Haley stopped trying to get away from him, folding her hands over each other as she leaned back across the table, her furious face just inches from his. “I had you pegged the minute I met you.” She scowled at him. “You’re the type of man I detest. Every single part of your appearance has been strategized to promote the façade you want to promote to the world.” She lifted one of her hands, giving a sweeping wave in front of his chest. “Rich, successful, generous, and last but not least, a high-profile confirmed bachelor. The unattainable, confirmed bachelor who men are envious of and who women try to prove they can be the one to win your heart.” She dropped her hand back to the table, narrowing her eyes on him. “But not me. I see you exactly for what you are—a cold-hearted, egocentric Loki.”

“I doubt you are that observant.” The corner of his mouth edged upward in amusement.

“Really?” Her voice became scornful. “Why?”

Any pretense of amusement vanished, his glare becoming grim.

“Because if you did, you wouldn’t still be seated there. You would be running for your life.”

Eight

Haley felt the ripples of fear travel down her spine. Desmond’s charming façade had faded, allowing the almost brutal part to confront her.

With a swift movement, Haley felt herself jerked to her feet as Desmond practically frog-marched her to the front door.

When Riccardo rushed forward, she heard Desmond tell him to add the bill to the card on file before ushering her out the door. She didn’t try to get away from him. If Desmond Beck was going to off her, he wouldn’t do it when he could be linked to her murder. No, Mr. Beck was too smart for that. On the other hand, she would make darn sure that her doors and windows were bolted tightly when she went to bed, and the small pistol Nadia had talked her into buying was tucked under her pillow. She would be on the first plane that left in the morning, regardless of if it was heading home or not. She could end up in Timbuktu and be happy.

Walking through the door, Haley felt herself rushed along the sidewalk, back to the office. She tried to jerk her arm from his grasp before they reached the elevator.

“Have you lost your mind?” she hissed. “Everyone is watching.”

Desmond didn’t utter a sound, pressing the button on the elevator with his free hand.

Haley stopped trying to get away from him. Her movements weren’t making a difference, anyway, other than attracting attention. She still didn’t resist when Desmond moved her forward as the elevator door slid open.

“If you’re trying to prove you’re stronger than me, you win. Unfortunately, you don’t have my permission to be so heavy-handed with me—”

Haley gave a gasp as she was rushed from the elevator toward Desmond’s office.

“Lucas, hold my calls.”

She gaped at her former boss’ behavior, her bravado beginning to desert her when the office door closed behind them.

“Take a seat.”

The cold tone of his voice had her tearing her arm away from his touch. Turning sideways on shaking legs to face him fully, she told him, “I no longer work for you, which means I don’t have to do a damn thing you say.”

Desmond’s face went rock-hard. “Not even if you could possibly save hundreds of people’s lives, many of which are women and children?”

Haley didn’t know if she could believe him or not. How many times had she been taken in when her family had lied to get her cooperation?

“I’m not lying,” he said, as if he could read her mind. “Hear me out. If you still want to leave when I’m finished explaining, I won’t stop you.”

Giving a curt nod, Haley went to sit in the chair in front of his desk.

“My wealth has opened doors that, many times, I have wished they had remained closed. One such door was opened by a man who has enough power and wealth to do anything he wants, to the detriment of others.” Desmond’s feet didn’t make a sound on the carpet as he moved to sit on the edge of his desk.

Haley tucked a swatch of hair behind her ear. “And this man is …?”

“It’s better for your own safety if you don’t know, but I will say your family is well-acquainted with him.”

Conveniently, that meant she would be unable to prove any untruth he was about to tell her. Despite being skeptical, her mind went back through her childhood, sorting through the gatherings she had been forced to attend. Her parents would caution her brother and sisters to be on their best behavior and to be extremely polite and attentive around the rich ones. Some, she could recall; others were more of a blur.

Haley started to get up.

“What I’m about to tell you could jeopardize many lives, some of which are children. I inexpertly was trying to find a way to get the information I need while trying to shield you from his notice.”

She sat back down. “By pretending to have an interest in me, you thought you could find out some family secrets?” she asked snidely. “I don’t appreciate being used as a pawn. On top of my dislikes, it’s number one.”

She wasn’t taken in by his boyish contrition at her question. She had learned to look for shadows on a bright day.

Deciding to let Desmond continue explaining without interrupting again, she focused on his demeanor, as well as his words, trying to read into every subtle nuance of his expressions. She didn’t trust him any farther than she could throw him.

“Yes,” he admitted. “I’m not normally so deceptive. My only excuse is that I’m desperate. Children are involved, and they are my weak spot, and I feel as if their lives are riding on my shoulders if I fail at finding them.”

A normal woman would instinctively be concerned of the welfare of children when it’s mentioned their lives are at stake. She wasn’t normal. To her detriment, she’d had it used against her dozens of times. She had been duped numerous times by her family, using the same excuse. Children were always used to lower guards. Her family had promised thousands of dollars to organizations that benefited children. The money had been donated … maybe less than one-fourth, while taking the remaining for themselves. It was a charade she hated.

Haley didn’t shy away from his scrutinizing gaze. Her silence brought a surprised glint to his eyes at her lack of reaction.

“Not only do I have my own philanthropic charities, I belong to an organization of wealthy individuals whose international reach can benefit millions in need. One of the groups—”

“Can?”

“Depending on whose perspective you were asking from. The members of our organization or those who are supposed to be helping.”

Haley gave him a nod of understanding. “Go ahead.”

“Some of the groups’ members are your uncle George and Amelia.”

“George is my uncle by marriage only,” she corrected him. “Are my parents members?”

“No.”

Just because she no longer had contact with her family, that didn’t mean she didn’t keep track of their social media accounts, especially George’s and Amelia’s. They had substantially increased the fortune her aunt Julia had had before she had married George. Using the power and influence of social media to effect anything from politics to a brand of detergent while lining their own pockets.

“If you belong to the same organization, I don’t understand why you think I would be able to find out any information you don’t already have access to. You were the one invited to my family’s reunion this weekend, not me.”

A stray thought clicked into place as she talked, her eyes widening in realization.

“We aren’t talking about Gabriel Allerton’s charity, are we?” Haley tensed in her chair, waiting for his answer.

“Yes, we are.”

Any idea that she was going to walk away from Desmond Beck after his failed attempt of seduction died. Actually, could she even hold it against him? The effort he had made was half-hearted at best. Desmond could have literally given her a million reasons, and she wouldn’t have become involved in his deception, but Gabriel Allerton’s connection had her biting her nails into the arms of her chair and dropping her eyes to the carpet on the floor to hide the reaction she felt. Gabriel Allerton’s presence among the human population took great pains to ignore.

“You’ve met him?”

Her stomach muscles clenched in disgust. Yes, unfortunately, she had been forced to share air space with him numerous times. Each one was a memory she wished could be scrubbed clean from her mind. Even when she was no longer in contact with her family, all she had to do before his downfall was to turn on the television or read the news to have his face staring back at her.

Gabriel Allerton’s presence among the wealthy elite was hard to miss. Presidents had asked for his advice for the economy before his sins had been discovered and his firmest friends had refused to acknowledge him.

Haley lifted her eyes from the carpet. “Quit playing games with me, Mr. Beck. You already know the answer to that question.”

“So …” Desmond paused as his eyes became razer-sharp, scouring her features. “It’s true, then? What I’ve been able to uncover?”

All the childhood emotions swamping her had Haley jerking to her feet. “I can’t do this.” Rushing to the door, she reached out for the doorknob, only to find her escape obstructed by Desmond’s hard palm preventing it from budging.

“Why? Because it was true?” he pressed implacably.

“Stop. I … I need to leave!”

Fear, disgust, and hatred had her twisting the doorknob frantically, desperate to get out. She sunk her head to the hard panel of the door, trying to block out Desmond’s muscular body standing so close to hers.

“I would if I could. I don’t want to upset you, I really don’t, but any information at this point could be useful.”

Raising her head, she kept her face averted as she moved away from the door to the middle of the office. Crossing her arms over her waist, she tried to calm her rolling stomach.

“Gabriel is the one who you’re worried about harming the people you’re concerned for?”

“Did any of your relatives discuss, or did you hear about Sherguevil Island?”

“The island where he supposedly retired to?”

Desmond moved to stand in front of her, towering over her. Haley could only shake her head at him. His expression became uneasy for the first time.

“Yes.”

“Yes, I heard my parents, Julia, and George talking about it on a few occasions. The island has also been mentioned several times on the news I’ve listened to since his arrest.”

“What hasn’t been revealed to the public is his connection to the missing population from the sister island to Sherguevil—Clindale. The whole population has disappeared. Gabriel keeps insisting they were killed in a hurricane.”

She dropped her arms to her sides.

Instinctively, as a child, she had always known Gabriel was evil. When she had told her mother and father, they had told her she was being absurd. The only one who had listened to her and who had taken her seriously had been Julia.

The horror of what he was telling her was shocking, but any plan on leaving this office, and Desmond, to catching the first plane out of Queens City died a quick death. She hadn’t believed Desmond when he had expressed an interest in her, but this she did believe. Gabriel was capable of anything, and he had the money to reach his goal.

“You don’t believe they’re dead?”

“No, and I’m not the only one. Gabriel makes a habit of hiding his victims in the ocean, and there is no proof that can be found there.”

“Nothing you, or anyone else, can do will be able to find them. Gabriel doesn’t make mistakes.”

“I can find them with your help.”

Haley couldn’t hold back an ironic laugh. “If you’re only looking in the ocean for his victims, that’s your first mistake. He isn’t above digging holes if it suits his purpose.”

“Gabriel wouldn’t have killed them if they serve a higher purpose.”

Her heart sank. Desmond was right there. Money always held the upper hand with Gabriel.

“Regardless of any efforts made, we won’t be able to figure out what he did with them. He’s truly …” Her childhood fears started swarming her.

“Evil?”

Haley shuddered. “Yes!”

“If he finds out you’re searching for them, he’ll have them killed. He can’t be beaten. Just because he’s in prison doesn’t make him defenseless.”

Desmond’s expression turned harsh as he gripped her upper arms tightly. “I can beat him. Gabriel isn’t the only one who knows how to fight dirty.”

“Are you ready to jeopardize everything and everyone to win?”

The last of Desmond’s façade dropped, showing the cruel, merciless part of himself that he had been hiding. “Gabriel already destroyed the only thing I could ever care about. It’ll be a fight that I intend to win.”

Haley tore herself away from his hands to stare at him, seeing the fierce resolve that had her taking another step back.

Could Desmond win? For him to win, she would have to open the gate to her family’s secrets and let him step inside, exposing everything she had kept hidden. Was she capable of doing that? Of putting another target on her back? She had barely survived the first time; could she do it again?

She clenched her teeth to keep a scream from escaping. If lives were really at stake, she had no choice. She was going to have to face the monster again.

Nine

“How do I know that this isn’t a setup for Gabriel’s benefit?” she probed, moving around him to retake the chair on shaking legs. “You could be acting on Gabriel’s behalf to find out what knowledge I have.”

The man who had investigated Haley’s troubled past with her family felt saddened to the extent she was so wary of Gabriel’s power. In their pursuit of money, the Clarks weren’t above using anyone, not even an innocent child, who their first priority should have been protecting her.

“You know that doesn’t make sense,” he contradicted. “I can understand your fear; just don’t let it get the better of you. Gabriel spent his life being cut-throat and hiding the fact. Believe me; I know him for the vicious bastard he is. I will make certain you’re protected from any ramifications, from either Gabriel or your family.”

He couldn’t blame her for being afraid. How she had managed to escape the plans they’d had for her boggled his mind. The explanation came to his mind a second later.

Nadia. Nadia must have taught the little mouse to roar.

“I’m supposed to trust you when not less than half an hour ago, you were stooping to seducing me,” Haley said sarcastically.

She had him there.

“You said there are others trying to discover their whereabouts?”

Unless he could get past her skepticism, he was never going to make any headway.

“There are,” he confirmed, choosing to remain vague.

“I doubt the government is providing any assistance.” Raising a stubborn chin challengingly, she showed she wasn’t going a step further until she was convinced of his sincerity to do the right thing. “They were content to let him get away with the crimes he was committing until the group that brought him down managed to find the proof needed to prosecute him and gave it to the FBI.”

“You are incredibly well-informed. Do you know who it was that gave the FBI the proof?”

“No. They say it was someone who was undercover.”

“It was a couple, and their group of friends. Gabriel fucked with the one person in the whole world he shouldn’t have.”

“Who are they?”

Desmond shook his head at her. “That, I can’t tell you. The married couple deserves their privacy, especially the husband. If it made the headlines, his past could come out, and I wouldn’t want to do more damage to him than what’s already been done. What I can say is, you have something in common with him—videos that he didn’t want taken of him, and his wasn’t as family-friendly as yours.”

When she blanched, he knew she had received the message.

“Jesus.”

“I imagine he no longer believes in any higher power. I damn sure wouldn’t if I had to go through what he did.”

“And he’s the one trying to find the islanders?”

“Yes. His wife was born on the Clindale Island. She considers many of the islanders family.” Desmond gave her as much of the truth as he could. Gavin deserved his privacy. Not only that, but any misstep he made could result in the death of the woman whom Gavin was going to marry.

His explanation was a turning point.

“You wanted to know about the large properties my family owns? I’ve already told you of those I’m aware of. Gabriel, on the other hand, has numerous properties available to him through his network of friends.”

“Gabriel wouldn’t want his name linked to them. He’s too smart for that. Which is why I thought of your family. George and Amelia were his closest friends. I actually expected Gabriel and Amelia to become a couple to cement their financial ties.”

Haley didn’t restrain herself from rolling her eyes at his supposition of a marriage between Gabriel and Amelia.

“That wasn’t going to happen,” she mocked.

Desmond raised his brow at her. “Why not?”

“They’re both too cold-blooded. Amelia is the female version of him. She’s too strong for him. Gabriel is only attracted to weakness, sexually.” Her eyes went over his shoulder to focus on the painting on the wall behind him.

“The information I uncovered was true, then?”

“That I was being groomed to become his wife? Yes, it was true. It was my family’s dirty little secret, and when it was exposed, it tore me away from them.”

This part, he was unaware of, and he listened intently.

“Who exposed their plan?”

“My Aunt Julia.”

Ten

“He’s sicker than I gave him credit for.”

Haley gave Desmond a curt nod.

“Don’t underestimate Gabriel. He made an entire population disappear. Nothing, and I mean nothing, is taboo or expendable, as far as he’s concerned, in his own mind. He will go to any lengths to get what he wants.”

“He didn’t get you.” Folding his hands over his trim waistline, he watched her intently.

“No, he didn’t,” she confirmed, trembling. Just discussing Gabriel had her imagining him standing behind her, breathing down her neck. “It wasn’t from lack of effort. I was close to my Aunt Julia. She was a wonderful person. The family money came from her side of the family. George wasn’t her first marriage, either. George had worked for Pierson, and when he had been killed in a factory accident, he made himself indispensable to Julia. They were married less than a year later.

“She was the kindest person I’ve ever met. I used to beg to stay with her, and my parents were more than willing to further the bond between us. I was young, but I saw her slowly change. She went from the fun, spirited, vibrant aunt I loved spending time with to someone I no longer could recognize. She became withdrawn and stayed in her room, watching old movies. When I would visit her, she would pull me down on the bed and hug me as we spent hours watching her favorite movies, over and over again. I was young, but I could see how desperate she was becoming.”

Haley steeled herself to continue without breaking down in tears. “I quit asking to go see her at the same time my sisters and brother did. While they didn’t pressure my siblings to go with me, I wasn’t given a choice, despite me crying and begging them not to make me. I told my parents that Julia wasn’t the same, that I was scared for her. They didn’t listen, ignoring me as they packed my suitcase.

“My visits with her were becoming longer and longer. Before then, I had met Gabriel sporadically when he was visiting my aunt and George. That was when my sisters were there. Once they stopped coming, it seemed he was there every weekend.” Her lashes fluttered downward as she squeezed her eyes shut in disgust.

“He creeped the hell out of me.” Haley felt her heart palpitating at describing the turmoil she had gone through as a naïve child. “When I would come down for breakfast, he would make a comment on what I wore. If Gabriel didn’t approve, my uncle would send me upstairs to change. It even got to the point where he would critique the way I wore my hair. My visits home became fewer and fewer between Gabriel’s visits until I was practically living with my aunt and uncle full-time. George even hired a tutor so I would be homeschooled.”

Her heart began beating harder until a pain-filled stitch began burning a fire in her side. She crossed her arms over her belly, her shoulders hunching as she tried to relieve the pain. Releasing a tortured breath, Haley calmed herself by switching the focus from herself to Julia.

“My aunt never left her room when Gabriel was there until, gradually, she didn’t come out at all. She was so unhappy, and nothing I could say or do made a difference.”

Watery pressure started burning behind her eyes at the mental image of her aunt’s frailty during the last few months of her life.

“How did you manage to break away from them?” Desmond’s voice drew her back to reality.

“I had been pleading for Julia to come downstairs with me. It was her birthday, and the housekeeper had made her favorite meal and let me make a birthday cake. She wouldn’t come downstairs. After George, Amelia, Gabriel, and I ate, I went into the kitchen to cut Julia a piece of the cake when Gabriel came into the kitchen … Thankfully, Julia decided to come down soon afterward and was looking for me. The next day, Julia sent me home, and I was never asked to visit her again. She died six months later.”

“They didn’t try to make you go back to visit after she died?” Desmond asked.

“They tried. I ran away.”

“That’s how you met Nadia,” he stated.

“Yes. She kept me safe.”

“Friends like that are hard to come by. I have a friend like that myself.”

“Friends like that are worth their weight in gold.” She didn’t know how her life would have turned out without Nadia’s encouragement and steadfast refusal to let her be mowed down by her family’s pressure to conform to their emotional demands.

“So, you see, I won’t be much help to you. I’ve been out of the loop for several years.”

“There’s a way to end your estrangement and put you back in your family’s good graces.”

“Hell would freeze over before I—”

Desmond opened a drawer in his desk to remove a folder. Opening it, he spread several photos within her sight.

Sliding to the end of her seat, she saw the pictures seemed to be of a large village with wide-ranging ages of the villagers milling or sitting outside their homes. Her heart sank at the children playing in the background as their parents sat in front of several fires.

“I have less than a month to find out where Gabriel will be moving them to. My greatest fear is that several of the women and children will be misplaced in the move, if they haven’t already.”

“Gabriel is behind what is going to happen to them?” she asked with a catch in her throat.

“Yes, but I’m sure George and Amelia are aware of his plans.”

She couldn’t walk back into their spider web. She wouldn’t have escaped in the first place without Nadia.

“Haley, look at me.”

She lifted her eyes from the pictures. Desmond’s gaze pierced hers with command.

“I will protect you.”

“You don’t know what you’re asking.”

“I think I do. I have spent enough time with your family to be aware of how toxic they are.”

Haley’s lips curled in an unamused smile. “Just think how poisonous they are when you aren’t there, watching their behavior.”

“It doesn’t matter. I can protect you. They will be afraid to make you angry or go against what you want.”

“That’ll never happen in a million years,” she scoffed.

“It will,” he countered firmly.

“Why would this time be any different?”

“Because you’ll be mine.”

Eleven

Knocking on the door, Desmond impatiently waited for Haley to answer. He was fucking tired, and his eyes burned from staring at a screen for the numerous hours he had put in today. It was nearing ten, and he wanted nothing more than to go home, shower, drink a glass of his favorite whiskey, and give in to the mental exhaustion causing yet another migraine brought on by mental fatigue. Masking the pain as Haley opened the door took all of his effort.

She partially opening the door a crack, her head barely popping out behind the wooden door. “What are you doing here?” she asked skittishly, as if ready to slam the door in his face if he made the wrong move.

“Let me in.”

“I was in bed. We can talk tomorrow,” she demurred.

The last thing he wanted was to stay out in the hallway when the three other tenants on the floor could upon them at any second.

“Quit wasting time; let me in,” he ground out, his head splitting open from the pain of his migraine.

“Sorry.” The door inched closed as she began to move her head away from the opening. “We’ll talk tomorrow.”

Using the flat of his hand, Desmond pushed the door open, shouldering Haley aside as he stepped inside the apartment, closing the door behind him.

“Leave now, or I’ll call the police!” she shrieked at him.

Desmond ignored the demand. “Do you have any Tylenol? My head is killing me.”

Flabbergasted, she stared at him before turning on her bare feet to walk into the powder room that was tucked in a small hallway to the side of the door.

In less than a minute, she was back, handing him an unopened bottle.

“May have I have a glass of water?”

Giving him an infuriated stare, Haley left him by the door as she walked through the open-concept living room to go behind the granite counter and take a glass from a cabinet, pushing it under the ice dispenser then filling it with water.

Without invitation, he moved farther into the living room to drop down on the tan sofa. Desmond could feel the glare she was giving him from the kitchen.

Shoving the glass into his waiting hand, she then sat down in the chair across from him. “Are you usually this rude when you show up at someone’s door without calling first?”

Taking the tablets, Desmond set the glass down on the end table next to him. “I tried calling and texting numerous times. Check your phone.” Letting his head fall against the back of the couch, he closed his eyes and listened to the rustle of her pajama bottoms as she left the room.

“I must have accidentally muted my phone when I took it out of my pocket.”

Raising heavy-lidded eyes, he stared her without lifting his head. “You didn’t hear the landline? You didn’t hear the phones in the hallway, foyer, and bedroom ringing?”

Haley shook her head at him, flushing. “I had my ear pods in. I was listening to an audible book.”

“That explains it.” Closing his eyes again, Desmond began dozing off.

“Are you going to sleep?” Her voice rose incredulously.

He rubbed his temple at her low shriek, and his tone came out harsher than he had intended. “Yes. Wake me up in about forty-five minutes.”

“Are you drunk, Desmond? Is that what you needed the pills for?”

“No, I have a migraine.”

Desmond heard the rustle of her movements again. Dozing off, he then felt something cold pressed against his forehead. Startled awake, he jerked his head up. A soft hand pressed him back down.

“It’s just a headache patch,” she explained.

Removing her hand, Haley gave him a considering look as she sat back down. “What was so important that you needed to talk to me tonight?”

“It wasn’t a matter of talking, more that I wanted to be seen coming here this late at night. No one will believe we’re in a relationship if we aren’t seen together during the evening hours.”

“Then you’ve caused yourself needless pain. No one will be aware or interested you’re here.”

“I can guarantee they are. The night front door concierge will spread the gossip to the morning concierge, who will then dish out that little tidbit of information, as well the time I came and left. By eleven a.m., and that’s being conservative, most of the inhabitants of this high rise will also know, several who are friends and business acquaintances of your relatives.”

“You’re joking.” Skeptical, she made a face at him.

“No. By noon, I expect to receive a call from either George or Amelia, just to catch up on the weekend ahead, which will actually be to put out feelers to see if the gossip they heard is true. I will confirm that we are seeing each other, then ask if I can bring you to their party this weekend. The party is four days away, which means I will be here every night for varying lengths of time.”

“Every night?”

“Yes, if we want our pretend relationship to be believable.”

“Fine. Then can you come earlier? I prefer going to bed at nine thirty.”

“I usually work until close to ten. Many of the projects I’m involved with are in countries with different time zones.”

“Then it seems I have no choice.”

“I’m not excited about it, either, but I don’t think us being inconvenienced for a couple of weeks will kill us.”

The easing of pain in his skull had him pulling the patch off his forehead. It looked like an oversized Band-Aid.

“How have I never heard of these? Show me the package, and I’ll have Lucas order me a couple of cases.” Letting his body melt into the soft couch, Desmond started to drift off again.

“A couple of cases? You have migraines that often?”

“A couple a week,” he mumbled.

“Then you should see your physician,” she suggested.

“I have medicine for them, but they knock me out, so I don’t take them.”

“You would rather suffer than sleep for a few hours?”

“Yes, I have to be on call, day or night, to make decisions. I can’t do it if I’m too groggy, or not wake.”

Not only did he make himself available to the organizations he provided business initiatives to, but numerous charities, duties that came with taking over AWR. While those were his philanthropic commitments, they didn’t compare to being the kingpin of Queens City.

The closely-guarded secret was only known by a few. Those who did discover his involvement in the criminal activities in Queens City, and his rank in the underworld, found it to their detriment when it was too late to escape him.

He had been born into the life he ruled. His mother had been a twenty-dollar hooker who found herself knocked up. How he had survived his first three years of life, he would never understand. Desmond thought she tried to be a good mother with her lack of skills and education, but when it had become too much, she had returned to the same way of life she’d lived before his birth.

His earliest memories involved being left alone in a tiny one-room efficiency and him scourging through the cabinets for food. He had no doubt he would have starved to death if not for a child next door, who had seen him wandering around the low-income housing complex and brought him to his apartment. Jager hadn’t had much more than what he had, but what he had been blessed with was a street-smart mother who had enough compassion to keep her two children fed. After that, Jager would come and get him when he would go out to play then take him home to his place to eat before bringing him home.

Only a couple years older than him, Jager had a cunning intellect that went beyond his age. He’d taught him everything he needed to know to survive in the dog-eat-dog world they had been born into. When Jager’s mother had nearly been stabbed to death by her pimp, it had fallen to him to not only keep his mother, his little sister, and himself fed, but Desmond as well.

Desmond owed his life to Jager. He had kept him by his side rather than let him get hooked into the gangs that were controlling the city. They had learned to make their own way, banding together and fighting their way up the ranks of the crime-infested streets, delivering drugs from low-level pushers to bigger pushers. Then, as they grew older, they dealt small quantities to larger and larger quantities.

Making their way up the ranks didn’t come without repercussions. They had to become as bloodthirsty as those who tried to take what was theirs. There wasn’t a day, or night, when they didn’t have to fight to survive another day. The one thing he and Jager had in common was the cut-throat mentality to live at whatever the cost. They began to be feared, and those weaker than them started coming to them for protection. When the hookers started begging Jager and him for their protection, they did offer them safety while taking a lower percentage of their profits than their current pimps, and without the beatings and cruel servitude they had to endure.

Resentment and jealousy began to put a target on their backs. Jager was the first one to pay the price of their status when his sister had been kidnapped and he was blackmailed. Jager and Desmond had gone to the meeting to get her back at all cost, willing to lose their life to free Ariel. They had underestimated Jager’s ruthlessness when the kidnappers wanted to show what damage they had inflicted on the girl.

There was nothing left of her to save.

It was a tactical error they had paid with their deaths. Afterward, Jager had earned the nickname King by showing no mercy to anyone who stood in their way.

Learning from Ariel’s death, they would select those who could place a wall of protection around them. King picked Henry as muscle, using him to keep the women safe on the streets, then opened a strip club to take them off the streets. Next, he convinced a biker gang to do the real dirty work. King and he stopped dealing drugs, using the Predators’ motorcycle club to gain leverage and monitor for a cut of the profits.

He had just turned sixteen when a dirty cop who King had paid off became greedy. King had bought Desmond a brand-new Mustang for his birthday. King had just taken him outside to see the car when the cop had pulled in. Seeing the car, he had demanded it as payment for keeping his mouth shut. King had laughed in his face, and the cop left with a warning that they would regret not giving him the car.

Two days later, Desmond had been closing the strip club when he turned to find someone behind him. Desmond recognized the man as the cop’s brother. Before he could say a word, he found himself slashed in the chest. Bleeding, he started fighting back, the life-and-death struggle taking them to the ground as each fought viciously to stay alive.

Gaining control, Desmond plunged the knife into the chest above. Then he managed to stand, staring down at the dead man whom he had just killed. Hearing the sounds of sirens, he took off.

The Predators had hidden him until King managed to get him out of the country. Killing a cop’s brother, and the reward for his capture, made it impossible to stay without spending the rest of his life in prison.

Ending up in Mexico, he had started working as a waiter when the money King gave him ran out. Cautiously, he and King decided not to have any contact with each other, to prevent the money from being tracked to him. Taking on an assumed name, he started working as a waiter near a beach when he made friends with some of the regular cruise workers. That was where he met Andrei. He was a ship’s captain for an Ivan Pavlov yacht.

Joining the crew was the best and worst decision of his life. The eye-opening experiences broadened his horizons in unimaginable ways, in ways he would have never seen if he had stayed in Queens City. He quickly learned that, while he had been poor, it didn’t compare to the poverty in other countries, nor the despicable way the poverty-stricken were treated. He had thought there wasn’t much he hadn’t seen with the way he and King had lived, but working for Ivan showed him horrors that still haunted him to this day.

He’d decided to stay in Mexico the next time the yacht docked there, when Ivan informed them that his wife would be joining him. Desmond still remembered standing on the deck, wearing a neatly-pressed uniform, when she had come onboard. He had taken one look at her and was attracted. She was older, but he didn’t care, nor did he care that she was married to a dictator who could end his life with one spoken word. The spark of attraction was intense and had him watching her as she walked across the deck.

Smiling, she had greeted each of them in the line they had formed. When she stood in front of him, unlike the others, he didn’t bow his head. He hadn’t been able to move with her so close to him. Despite the crewmembers on both sides of him digging their elbows into his ribs, he couldn’t fucking gather enough sense to move.

He should have lowered his fucking head, but he hadn’t, and it had been his downfall. In one single moment, she stole his heart, and any plans to disappear once they reached Mexico. He couldn’t leave her behind. She was everything he wanted and needed in life. Someway, somehow, he wouldn’t stop, regardless of how many years it would take.

Aanya would be his.

Twelve

“That’s ridiculous. You’re basically working twenty four hours a day.”

Coming back to the present, Desmond shook off the grogginess.

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

“Sooner or later, your schedule will get the better of you. Pick the priorities that matter the most to you, then hire someone else to help you with the rest.”

“I like to stay busy.”

“There’s busy”—the mocking perusal she gave him had him straightening on the couch—“then there’s driving yourself to exhaustion. Something is obviously going to get affected, and from where I’m sitting, it’s going to be your health.”

“I’m in perfect health.”

“The migraines are your body’s way of giving you a warning sign. Keep ignoring it, and your health may cost more than even you can pay,” she advised.

“Thank you for your concern, but I am fine.”

“Your health is no concern of mine,” she corrected him, “but it should be yours.”

Desmond couldn’t help but laugh at her retort. “I stand corrected. My mistake.”

“I just gave you the same advice I would give my father.”

“Ouch! I need to start using the gym more if you’re comparing me to your father.”

“You are his age.”

“There’s a few year’s difference.”

“Not by much.”

“Wow, that was a shot to the heart. Was my age the factor in shooting me down at lunch today?” he asked curiously.

“No. I shot you down because I could tell you weren’t being authentic. I can recognize someone being phony from a mile away.”

Haley giving him that insight was a tactical error on her part. If he were a nice person, he would warn her that was a trait she should keep to herself. Since he wasn’t, he would keep that suggestion to himself.

“I have to admit, I haven’t been called a phony before.” At least not to his face.

“I didn’t say you were a complete phony. Only what you were saying.”

“Don’t be shy. Tell me what you really think about me. You do believe I am, don’t you?”

“I think you give people the impression you’re charming, concerned about the less fortunate, and manipulative. Wait a minute. I take it back. The order should be reversed.”

“And you’ve gained this opinion of me in the short periods of time we have spent together?”

“I forgot to mention intelligent. You’re very smart. You recognize that I see you.”

“If I do, why would I have embarrassed myself by pretending an interest in you?”

She gave him a complacent grin. “Which is why you then tried manipulation, so you could reveal what you really wanted from me.”

He had to mask his reaction, his astonishment that she hadn’t been taken in by his intended deception.

Her expression turned mocking, and again he was surprised at her ability to read him.

“You don’t give me enough credit. Most people don’t.”

“You picked right up on what I was doing. How?” he asked.

She nodded, her mocking smile disappearing. “Years and years of experience.”

“From your family?”

“They are master manipulators. By the way, you can’t hold a candle to their maneuvers.”

Desmond raised his brows at her, his migraine forgotten. “I’m not on their level?”

“You come close, but no cigar. I’ve worked with you for three years. When you want something, you make a split-second decision. You pretend to wait for me to give you my opinions on financial matters, opinions you pay me to give advice on, but you already know whether you’re going to do it or not. You just wanted me to confirm your decision. You want to appear to care about the people you’re helping, but you only care about the purpose you need fulfilled.”

Taking a breath and curling her legs underneath her, she went on, raking him over the coals. “The women you choose are in habitual short relationships that last for a maximum of two months. After which you block their numbers and order Lucas not to transfer their calls to your office, and those are of the women you publicly date. I wasn’t curious enough to listen to the gossip about the women you date out of the spotlight.”

“You found that out by listening to the gossip at the office?”

“Discussing you in the breakroom is everyone’s favorite topic.”

The disclosure had him determined to hold a staff meeting in the morning. When they walked out of the conference room, there would be no doubt of his displeasure.

“I didn’t take you for a woman who listens to gossip.”

“I don’t, but I can’t help hearing the tidbits when I’m getting coffee,” she explained with twinkling eyes. “You’re angry because I hit too close to home, didn’t I?”

“I’m not angry. My migraine is getting worse.” Because she was right, Desmond sought to turn the tables on her. “Did you take into consideration that I was giving you a partial truth? That I am attracted to you, but that I feel it is more important to find the people who are missing from Clindale Island?”

“No, one doesn’t negate the other. Desmond, you would never be attracted to me.”

“And why is that?”

“Because I see you. Have you ever let anyone see the real you?”

Her intuitive statement hit him hard. “One person.”

“Who?”

“A friend of mine. We grew up together.”

“Have you maintained your friendship through the years since then?”

“Not as much. He’s since married, and his loyalties have switched directions.”

“So, you haven’t remained close?”

“No.”

“Then you’re no longer friends?”

“We’re still friends. I would die for King.”

He could see he had finally surprised her.

“That’s a strong claim for a friend.”

“King is more like a brother. I owe him a debt that I’m trying to repay.”

“You have enough money so he wouldn’t have to work another day in his life.”

“I wish it could be that simple. King doesn’t need money. He doesn’t need anything.”

“Then how are you going to repay him?” Curiosity displayed in her eyes.

“The only way I can. By finding out what happened to the missing natives of Clindale Island.”

Thirteen

Desmond tightened his hand around Haley’s waist as they walked through the entrance of the foyer after being greeted by her uncle’s butler. Expecting her to cut and run from the terrified expression on her face, Desmond lightly pinched her.

While he’d spent the last few evenings with Haley, she had come out of the schoolmarm personality she hid behind, so to react so visibly to her family annoyed him. If she could stand up to him, she was certainly strong enough to conceal her feelings for them.

She glared up at him. “That hurt.”

“It was intended to. You’re a grown woman; quit looking like a scared rabbit.” He gave her the harsh rebuke, wanting her to get angry with him.

It worked. A red flush highlighted her cheeks, bringing a sparkle to her gray eyes.

“Do it again and see what happens.”

His mouth quirked in amusement. “What are you going to do? You’re too timid to scare a fly away.”

“You think so?”

“I know so.” Guiding her in the direction of the door that led to the outside, where many of her family had gathered for their reunion, he was satisfied that he had deliberately taken her mind off the obvious anxiety she was exhibiting.

“If I’m lucky, they won’t even recognize me.”

Desmond caught her hand before she could adjust her dress for the thousandth time. “Leave it alone. You’re perfectly covered.”

“That’s easy for you to say. It isn’t your tatas hanging out for everyone to see,” she snapped.

“Your breasts aren’t hanging out,” he gritted out between clenched teeth. The woman was driving him insane with her insecurity. “It’s a backyard barbeque; you would have looked ridiculous in anything else unless you wore shorts or a swimsuit, and you refused to consider those options.”

He had sent a complete wardrobe and a stylist to the apartment that he had temporarily moved her to when she had finally agreed to help him. The stylist had called him in less than an hour when Haley refused to even try on many of the garments he had chosen for her.

“I would rather die.”

She probably would just to piss him off. He snorted to himself.

Haley made it an art to downplay every feature on her body. The clothes she wore belonged to a bygone era that was better off dead and buried six feet deep. Not only had she given him grief about the clothes, but she had argued about going to the salon he had taken her to as well.

Biting back the words filling his mouth, he opened the door and ushered her outside to the crowd milling around. “How are you and Nadia friends? You couldn’t be more opposite.”

“She lets me be me,” she said simply.

“Desmond!” A feminine voice drew their attention.

Desmond turned his head to see the woman walking toward them in sandals that were slapping on the tiles in hurried taps.

“I was expecting you an hour ago.”

“Amelia,” he greeted the woman as she drew abreast of Haley and him. “Haley and I were stuck in traffic on the way out of the city.” Releasing Haley, he pressed a prefatory kiss on Amelia’s cheek.

The tall blonde brushed a lingering kiss on his cheek before turning to Haley. “Desmond said he had talked you into coming,” Amelia said excitably. “I’m so happy you decided to join us. We’ve missed you terribly.”

Haley allowed herself to be pulled into a hug, giving her the same glamorous smile she wore like another extension of her clothes.

“I’ve missed everyone, too.” Haley raised her arms, hesitantly hugging Amelia back.

Releasing Haley, Amelia scooted between them to hook an arm between Haley and his arms. “All of the family are excited to see you again. Dad said he didn’t believe you would show, but I told him that, if Desmond was bringing you, you’d be here. No one says no to you, do they, Desmond?”

Desmond smiled down at her indulgently. “It’s been known to happen.”

“I’d have to see it to believe it.” Amelia gave Haley a conspiratorial wink. “Don’t you agree, Haley?”

“Absolutely.”

Her answer was so low that he could barely hear it over the music.

As they neared a small group sitting in lounge chairs, Desmond glanced at Haley to see her face had gone pale, as if she was going to pass out.

“Amelia, would you mind getting Haley and me a drink? It’s been a long drive.”

Their momentum stopped. “Of course. I’ll be right back.”

Desmond retook Haley’s arm as soon as Amelia moved away. “Get that look off your face,” he snapped harshly. “No one is going to say anything to you. They’re too afraid they’ll anger me. Get a grip on yourself, or we’re wasting our time even being here.”

His effort to buoy her courage resulted in her taking out her inhaler from the pocket of her dress to take quick puffs. Did the woman have a pocket in everything she wore?

“Okay.” Her expression changed, giving him the same fake smile that Amelia had greeted them with.

Ready to pull his hair out of his head, he forced himself to show some concern when what he really wanted to do was spank her silly. She had no confidence that he would be able to protect her.

“Better?”

“Some.”

“At least I can work with that.”

“Arrogant asshole,” she mumbled under her breath.

He jerked his head down toward hers. “What did you call me?”

Her fake smile remained plastered on her lips. “I said, arrogant assholes ahead.”

“I must have missed the last part.”

She shrugged. “You must have.”

This was why he had become annoyed by the little mouse a minute ago. She could speak up when she wanted; she just lacked the courage not to skittle away when something deviated marginally from her neat and tidy routine. How Haley could be related to the cut-throat family she had been born into stumped him.

He wondered, if not for her friendship with Nadia, if her personality would have turned out differently. Each person at the party hid behind a false glamorous façade. Some of the older women had soulless eyes, as if they held no enjoyment in life anymore. The other half looked as if they were about to feast on the others’ remains. Her male relatives were pretentious schmucks who didn’t have a full set of balls between them. What was more sickening to him was each had enough money to dupe others into their various schemes to exploit them for their own financial gain.

When they reached a group of occupied chairs, his hand remained firmly on Haley’s arm.

Taking George’s hand as he rose, he put his dislike aside to copy the same warm grin. He had lost count of the numerous instances when he had deliberated on which of them was being the faker of the two of them. Desmond thought he was, but he never lost sight of the fact that George could be. Being too confident could end with his throat slit and his so-called friends divvying up his money.

“Desmond, glad you decided to accept our invitation. Haley,” he greeted his niece with a short aside, as if she were a stranger. Then George introduced the couple who remained sitting and were staring at Haley in shock. “Desmond, you’ve met Samuel and Charlotte.”

“It’s nice to see both of you again.” Desmond took the hand Samuel offered while remaining seated.

An uncomfortable silence turned the air chilly, despite the warmth of the sun beating down. It was Haley who broke the silence.

“Mom, Dad.”

“Haley.” Her father reluctantly returned the greeting without any real warmth, as if they had never met Haley before.

Desmond thought his childhood had been fucked up, but from what he had uncovered about Haley’s, the amount of money someone had in the bank didn’t make them good parents.

“Here you go.”

Desmond took both drinks from Amelia. After giving one to Haley, he motioned for her to take the lounge chair next to her mother before offering the empty one to Amelia.

“You go ahead, Desmond. I need to check on the caterer. I sat you and Haley next to me at lunch. We’ll chat later.”

Taking the chair next to Haley as Amelia excused herself, he started making small talk with George while listening to the conversation going on between Haley and her parents.

“You look well.”

“I am,” Haley responded to her mother. “You also. I like your hair. It suits you.”

Charlotte fluttered her hand to her hair. “You think so?”

“I do. It’s very becoming.”

“I thought so.” Her mother’s standoffishness seemed to loosen slightly. “Your father said the same, but sometimes I think he only compliments me to make me happy.”

“You know better than that. Dad would never let you look less than your best.”

Her parents eyed her, as if trying to decide whether she was giving them a double compliment or insulting them.

Looking at Haley out of the corner of his eye, he had to give her props. Even he couldn’t tell the difference with the feigned smile still in place.

Seeing she had drained her glass, Desmond decided it was Dutch courage and switched glasses with her. If all it took was a mimosa to make Haley able to blow smoke up her parents’ asses, then he would keep a pitcher on standby.

“You’re looking fantastic, Dad. You look like you’ve dropped twenty pounds since I saw you.”

How Haley could make that assertion while her father was sitting down had Desmond worried she had gone too far in trying to get back in her parents’ good graces, but he needn’t have.

Samuel straightened in his chair, releasing Charlotte’s hand. “I told Gilbert I had, but he says my scale is off.”

“He’s probably worried you’ll look more like his brother than his father. You really look amazing.”

“Thank you.” Samuel looked toward his wife. “Charlotte, you should find the girls and Gilbert to tell them their sister is here.”

Haley’s mother immediately jumped to her feet. “Of course, what was I thinking? I’ll be right back.”

“Desmond said you’ve been working for him.”

Breaking away from the conversation he was having with George, Desmond made no pretense that he wasn’t waiting to hear what Haley had to say.

“Are you making him richer?” Samuel joked.

Hearing a jarring note in the laughter, Desmond reached out to take Haley’s hand. “She did before I had to fire her.”

Both George and Samuel stared at them in shock.

“You fired her?” Samuel angrily looked toward Haley.

Desmond thought it telling that her father immediately placed the blame on Haley instead of being angry at the man who had fired her after admitting she had made him money.

“He did,” she confirmed after downing her second glass of mimosa.

“What did you do to get fired?” George asked, giving his niece a weathering glare.

Seeing Haley raise her empty glass at a passing waiter, Desmond stepped into the fray to save the mouse from being stomped on.

“Nothing, other than I decided I wanted to have her in my bed rather than as my accountant.”

Fourteen

“I can’t believe you said that to my relatives,” Haley hissed up at the uncompromising jawline of the man who was becoming more irritating the longer she was forced to spend time with him. He was an enigma that, as soon as she placed him in one category, he broke the mold, and then she had to figure him out again.

He carried his wealth like her uncle and Gabriel did, yet there was a difference she couldn’t pinpoint. Every now and then, she would catch the same darkness they were capable of, but the difference lay in the feelings they arose in her. She feared George and Gabriel, but when she caught glimpses of Desmond’s dark anger, in the moments when he was unaware he was being watched, the fear escalated to spine-chilling terror.

George and Gabriel let others do their dirty work for them. Haley had no hesitation in believing Desmond had the same fledglings to handle dirty aspects of the jobs that he wanted done. The difference lay in the fact he wouldn’t be above getting his hands dirty, if it suited the purpose he desired. He could be charming one second and cunningly ruthless the next.

When he had sent a stylist to the apartment he had rented for her when she had agreed to help him, she had refused all of the clothes he had chosen. The stylist had called Desmond to tell on her, and he had tried to talk her into accepting them. When she hadn’t been persuaded, he had told her they would talk about it later then hung up on her. The stylist had then suggested they have lunch and go to the stores afterward, letting her choose a new wardrobe for herself.

Agreeing, they had gone out, and Haley had been surprised to find she had enjoyed shopping with the woman who reminded her a little of Nadia. Going back to the apartment with Paige, Haley had gone into the bedroom to change into a more comfortable outfit and discovered all of her clothes had disappeared, down to every last sock and underwear. Furious, she had called Desmond, only for him to hang up on her again when she had started her tirade. Since then, whenever she brought the subject up, he would hang up or leave the room. With Desmond, it was either his way or no way at all.

“Had them dropping the subject like a hot potato, didn’t it?”

Escorting her away from the luncheon tables that had been situated around the massive professionally-designed backyard, Desmond was unfazed by her anger.

Unable to argue the fact, Haley gave him a fulminating glare as they bypassed several groups who had stopped to take pictures together.

“Would you like to join in?”

“Do you hear any of them asking me? Being ignored at lunch was bad enough. My sisters and brother didn’t say two words to me.”

“You made the same token effort, from my viewpoint.”

Hearing the censure that he made no effort to hide, Haley chose a small group with her mother, father, and Amelia. At least it didn’t hurt so badly when she disappointed them.

“Fine,” she snapped. “My mother is the one who I need to concentrate on. She keeps track of every skeleton in the closet, and every dime in the bank so she can try her best to outdo them.” Frigidly walking away from him, she put herself in their vicinity where it would be rude if they ignored her.

“Your dress brings out your complexion. If you stand sideways between Dad and George, the photographer can fit the pool behind you.”

“You’re right.” Her mother switched places with her father, making sure she stood far enough away not to get in the picture but close enough that she could talk to her mother as her relatives shifted to different groups for the photos that would be posted to their social media accounts, to pretend they lived normal lives.

Admiring the way Amelia slipped in and out of the groups, Haley wanted to gag at the effusive friendliness she portrayed to everyone. If she hadn’t borne the brunt of her bullying so much when she had been younger, Haley would have been taken in, also.

Bracing herself when she saw Amelia moving closer, refusing to reach for her inhaler, Haley made herself remember the old saying that Nadia had repeated to her whenever she would use her shoulder to cry on. It had happened so often that they had shortened it to three simple words.

“Sticks and stones.”

“Their words do hurt,” she had insisted time and time again. Each time, Nadia would counter with the exact same rejoinder.

“Their words will only hurt you if you give them the power to. Don’t give them that power.”

“How do I do that?”

“Do you know, if you hold a lit firecracker lightly, it’ll sting, but if you close it in a fist, it’ll blow your hand off? Don’t let the ones saying words that hurt you get close enough to blow you away.”

With Nadia not being there, Haley replayed her words in her head.

She promised herself that she would never give Amelia the power to hurt her ever again.

“You’re not joining in?” Amelia reached out to brush a swatch of hair from the side of her face.

Flinching at the feel of Amelia’s touch, Haley wrapped her hand around her inhaler inside her pocket. The pleased smiled on her cousin’s lips proved she had made a tactical error.

“I see you’re still the same jellyfish—afraid of someone stepping on you.”

“Be careful, Amelia. Jellyfish sting,” Haley warned without a thought.

Amelia’s rosebud mouth twisted in anger before she could stop herself, unprepared for the comeback.

Berating herself before the last word had come out, Haley knew she had made yet another mistake.

Derisively sweeping her vicious gaze over her, Amelia made a pretense of pulling the sleeve of her dress higher on her shoulder. “We need to get together for a shopping trip. The dress you’re wearing makes you look like a slut. Everyone is laughing at you behind your back.”

Each word lashed out in a low hiss, striking her in the vulnerable parts of her psyche that had never completely healed from childhood, ripping them open to expose the feelings of inferiority, shame, ugliness, and that she would never be able to measure up to those she wanted to love her.

“Desmond is only using you for sex. It’s embarrassing you let him use you like a common whore. Dad said you’re even living in the apartment he keeps for his mistresses. You’re breaking your mother’s and father’s hearts! All of us have told them that they should completely disown you. They wouldn’t have come today if Dad hadn’t pressured them to. Anyway, Desmond will get tired of you in a couple of months, and then we can all go back not to seeing you again.”

“You all think I’m a whore for living in his apartment and don’t want anything to do with me, but it doesn’t affect the family’s relationship with Desmond?” she managed to choke out.

Amelia became even more cutting. “Boys will be boys.” Giving a dismissing wave to the photographer as he approached, Amelia continued without taking a break in her cruel ranting. “He’s just sowing his wild oats. It’s understood that he and I will be together once he’s ready to make a commitment and start a family.”

“He’s hasn’t told me that.”

“He wouldn’t, would he?” Amelia looked at her as if she was slow on the uptake, her face becoming even more condescending. “You were always such a brat, not understanding how these things work out when money is involved.”

“I understand. I was the one whom your father was determined to sell off to Gabriel,” she said caustically.

Far from being upset at the two men’s sickening plans for her, it fueled Amelia’s anger even more. “Which you even fucked that up, too.”

“You are aware he’s in prison and all his money has been confiscated by several different governments, right?”

“If you don’t think Gabriel didn’t plan for that eventuality, then you’re a bigger fool than I took you for.”

Haley’s instinct was to move away from her cousin, but she remained by her side. She had heard worse insults from Amelia, and if she wanted back into her family’s fold, she was going to have to let them bounce off her back. She needed to take any chance to find out any information that could benefit the people Gabriel had taken.

“You could have had it all. Instead, you’re at the beck and call of a man who will never put a ring on your finger.” Amelia gave her a contemptuous sniff, as if she was smelling something foul. “I don’t see why he’s fucking you, anyway. You look like you have health issues. Have you thought about getting the gastric sleeve? You need to lose at least fifty pounds. You resemble a pineapple Squishmallow in that dress.”

“I’ll have to tell Desmond you dislike his taste in clothes,” Haley lied, turning sideways to completely face her. “The dress is a present from him.”

Amelia gave her a warning glare.

“Furthermore, why do people think that a woman’s endgame is to have a ring on her finger?” she mocked. “Maybe I’m the one using Desmond for fun and games until I decide to settle down. He may be hell in bed”—Haley nearly broke out in laughter at the look on her cousin’s face. She had no idea how Desmond was in bed, taking a wild guess just to infuriate her cousin even more—“but for a husband, he is the last man on earth whom I would pick.”

“Is it because I fell asleep before I gave you the foot massage last night?”

Kill me. Please strike me dead, Haley pleaded with the big guy upstairs.

Only when it became obvious her silent prayer was going to be unanswered and Amelia was unable to speak, did Haley turn around, saying the first words she could think off, “You don’t do dishes.” She had no idea if he did or didn’t, but she didn’t know how he was in bed, either, and that hadn’t stopped her from telling that lie.

Giving her a disarming smile, which melted her insides to mush, Desmond fitted her intimately to his side, furthering the impression that they were involved in an affair.

Painfully aware of his body so close to hers had her wanting to pull away, yet she forced herself to stay still and ignored the scorching heat in the portions of her body that came into contact with his.

Clucking his tongue at her, he gave her a side hug, which had her hand going to his waist to catch herself from melting into a puddle at his feet.

“Your cousin is a demanding little thing, isn’t she? A warning would have been extremely helpful so I could mind my Ps and Qs.”

Not even Amelia’s masterful acting skills could hide the fact that she was shocked. “Yes … well … Dad needs my help to escape Aunt Naomi.” Slowly gathering herself, Amelia looked like she had witnessed a zombie apocalypse.

Waiting until Amelia was a few yards away, she jerked herself away from Desmond, desperately wishing she had grabbed a drink before the waiter had left. Nervously pulling the strap of her dress higher up her shoulder, she stepped behind Desmond’s back and took two quick puffs of her inhaler.

Desmond turned in time to see what she was doing. “Stop. Your dress is fine. Don’t let that bitch rattle you,” he ordered.

“Too late. She said I looked like a pineapple Squishmallow.”

“First of all, I don’t even know what a Squishmallow is, so I’m not even going to bother with that. Second, do you want me to stand here and reassure you that she’s just a jealous bitch for the next hour, or are you going to do something helpful, like saving people’s lives?”

I don’t need a whole hour, she thought sourly, but a second or two would have eased some of the sting.

“You’re a bastard. You know that, right?”

“Playing nice never got me a damn thing I ever wanted.”

“I bet you’ve gotten everything you’ve ever wanted, haven’t you?” she said snidely then started to walk away.

“Then you’d lose that bet.”

Hearing a slight hint of pain that Desmond had unintentionally exhibited had her pausing. “Who was she?”

Desmond’s expression went flinty. “No one you’d know. Now, can you manage to act like a grown woman long enough to find out some useful information, instead of worrying about yourself for once?”

Wounded by his contempt, Haley hurried off so fast that she nearly stumbled in the grass. Managing to catch herself, she found her mother sitting in the same area she had been in before lunch. Taking one of the lounge chairs, Haley saw that she was texting someone.

Her mother dropped the cell phone on her lap when she realized Haley was there. “It took you less than two hours to upset your cousin. Just one time, do you think it would be possible for you not to embarrass me?”

Surmising that it was Amelia who had texted her mother, to tattle on her, Haley refrained from saying the comeback that came to her mind. It wouldn’t make a difference. Amelia had always been a vindictive bitch toward her, and she would never change. Nor would her parents for not taking up for her.

She had thought she had grown a thick skin, yet she was realizing her family would always pierce her with their barbs. Licking her wounds could come later when she was alone in the apartment. Right now, she had to work on the greater purpose—feeding Desmond the information he needed so she could run away from the world she had been born into before it succeeded where it had failed before.

To destroy her.

Fifteen

“I’ll apologize to Amelia.”

The damage she had done for daring to speak up to the high and mighty princess of their family had to be repaired before she could gain any headway.

“Does she enjoy champagne chocolates?”

The expensive chocolates made with vintage champagne were over a hundred thousand dollars a box for four bars. Haley remembered her eating them in front of her when George had come home with the gift from one of his trips while she had been staying with her aunt. Amelia would have flushed one in the toilet uneaten before she would have shared any with her.

“Yes, she does.” Her mother’s posture relaxed.

“Would you like me to send you a box, too? I could have it delivered when Dad goes to his club tomorrow afternoon.”

“I really don’t need them,” she demurred. “Your father has been complaining that I need to lose five pounds.”

“What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”

Her mother mischievously looked around to make sure no one was listening. “You’re right.” Emboldened, she leaned forward in her chair to talk in a hushed voice. “He worries about every ounce I put on, yet when he can’t fit in his pants, he blames the dry cleaners.”

“Personally, I think the five pounds look great on you. It makes you look younger.”

The compliment made her mother’s eyes glisten. “I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you, too, Mom.”

Being separated from her mother was the hardest part of her estrangement from the other family members. Her mother wasn’t bad like the rest of them; she was just a product of her upbringing. Haley thanked God every day that Nadia had come into her life. She had saved her from becoming a replica of her mother.

Asking after the relatives who weren’t able to attend the reunion, Haley made small talk, painstakingly drawing her out until she could casually inquire into other parts of their lives.

“Gilbert hates his job. He applied for a Chief Administration Officer position on Sherguevil Island. I suppose Desmond told you about what happened with Gabriel?”

“Mom, it made the news.”

“Oh … Anyway,” her mother resumed, “with all the publicity, George and Amelia have taken a step back from their association with AWR. Desmond is the only member of the board willing to accept the responsibility to keep the charity going. All the members wanted to cut and run, but Desmond promised, if he took over, no one else would be targeted in the investigation of Gabriel’s actions.”

“Mom, he killed several men to cover up the murder of Aanya Lukin by her husband. He not only covered Ivan Pavlov’s crime, but allowed him use of Sherguevil Island to skirt the laws of the United States by funneling their money into secret accounts while taking more for himself.”

Her mother wildly looked around. “Shh … Someone will hear you. George gets really upset when someone mentions those false accusations. We must wait and see what the court says. Gabriel will prove he’s innocent.”

She wanted to tell her mother that Gabriel was going to spend the rest of his life in prison, but Haley had to pretend agreement. Distancing herself from the horror of Gabriel’s actions wasn’t easy to do.

“Sorry, I wouldn’t want them to get the wrong impression. I don’t believe a word about what they said Gabriel did,” she said hastily, changing tracks. “I was just repeating what I heard.”

“Oh …” Mollified, her mother went on, “With Gabriel no longer in charge of the island, Desmond has been having to go back and forth to handle the workload of keeping AWR running. Keeping the island maintained is vitally important for the charity. AWR uses it as a private resort where potential donors can be spoiled while their donations are being solicited. In return, they are given unlimited access to the island. Having access to an isolated island where the donors can get out from under the public’s eyes is well worth the donations itself, much less the contacts you can make by meeting other influential donors.”

Haley didn’t mention the charity that Nadia and she ran, nor that they had managed to gather the support of high-profile donors without bribing them with a stay at a luxurious beach resort.

“Gilbert would be perfect for the position that Desmond needs to fill. It would go a long way in repairing the hurt you’ve done to the family, if you could convince Desmond to give Gilbert the job.”

“Won’t you miss having Gilbert and the grandbabies close?”

Her mother shrewdly caught her eyes. “We all have to make sacrifices to keep our men happy. In return, they make us happy.”

Her trying to reinforce the misogynistic rule of men had a swell of disgust hitting her stomach. She had learned long ago that there was no fighting their viewpoints, but it still hurt that her mother herself was a woman with three daughters and still perpetuated such a double standard for her children. What hurt the most was that her family’s lopsided values would be passed down to yet another generation.

“I’ll talk to Desmond right after the party,” Haley assured her then resumed digging for more information.

“Did you and Dad ever visit Sherguevil Island?”

“A few times in the last five years,” she revealed. “Of course, with everything going on with Gabriel, Samuel felt it better for us to forego our vacation there this year.”

“Oh, really?” Pretending sympathy, she delved deeper. “Where will you go instead? It’s not like you can go to the normal vacation spots where all your fans will recognize you.”

Her mother preened in her chair. “You’re right there. We’re up to five million subscribers.”

“Wow. That’s amazing! Congratulations!”

“Thank you. George has offered for us to stay at a tiny little island he purchased several years ago that doesn’t have quite the same amenities as Sherguevil has, but it’ll do in a pinch.”

“Really?” Haley’s heart started pounding. “Where?”

“Actually, I don’t think it has a name, or if it does, I don’t remember. I’ll have to ask Samuel.”

Haley had to think fast. “I was just curious, so if Desmond has already filled the position on Sherguevil Island, maybe George has a comparable position on his island for the donors who are hesitant to return to Gabriel’s island.”

“You’re right.” Her mother seemed excited at the prospect. “I’ll go ask Samuel. We should have thought of that ourselves. Working on Sherguevil Island would provide experience for Gilbert, but the needs of the family must come first.”

“For sure,” Haley agreed, remaining seated after her mother left. To pass the time, she amused herself by watching her relatives interact with each another. Her two sisters and brother were swimming in the pool with their children and various other cousins.

Desmond was right; I didn’t make a true effort when we spoke before, Haley chastised herself.

When they left the pool, she resolved herself to make the effort to bridge the disconnection that had been created between them. She was about to make the first move when her mother returned, resuming her seat. From her downcast expression, Haley’s heart sank.

“Samuel said Gilbert finding a job where we’re going on vacation is a no-go. There aren’t any openings.”

Biting her lip, Haley hesitated before asking the name of the island, afraid her mother would shut down. Before she could come to a decision, though, her mother made the choice for her.

“By the way, Gabriel doesn’t own the island. Rhone Rivera does.”

The drink Haley was holding shook in her hand at the mention of the owner’s name.

“Rhone Rivera?” Haley double-checked, holding her breath.

“Yes, he’s a good friend of Gabriel’s. Ours, also,” she bragged. “He’s made his fortune investing in Bitcoins.”

Haley had to release her breath to have enough air to answer, “I know. I worked for him.”

Sixteen

Carefully concealing her reaction from her mother, Haley searched for Desmond while her mother went on about Rhone. She caught sight of him at the pool, talking to Gilbert, as a knife twisted in her chest.

Her brother hadn’t spared her two words earlier yet was animatedly talking to Desmond. That she didn’t share a close relationship with her siblings still caused an ache that never went away, regardless of how much time had passed.

“Rhone is still single …”

Haley tuned back to what her mother was saying, preparing to leave to try to make yet another effort to speak to her brother and sisters.

“When”—her mother’s eyes turned cunning—“Desmond moves on, perhaps I can talk Samuel into letting you accompany us to his island. Opportunities to get to know single men like Rhone don’t come by often.”

When, not if, Desmond broke up with her. Did her mother even care that what she had just said was belittling to her? It was everything Haley could do not to tell her mother that she had Rhone’s private phone number, and she could call him anytime of the day or night if she wanted to.

She concluded that she and her mother would never be on the same page where men were concerned. “I need to go rescue Desmond. He motioned me over.” Haley mimicked the same haughty tone her mother had been using on her. “You must tell Gilbert not to come on so strong about the job he wants. Subtlety works better with Desmond. I should know.” Giving her mother a conspiratorial wink, Haley left her speechless, staring after her.

Uncaring that she was being petty, she was tired of being ostracized from family. If Desmond thought she should make a bigger effort with her siblings, then he shouldn’t mind being used to make that possible.

Taking two quick puffs of her inhaler, Haley walked up to Desmond’s side, sliding her arm around his to cling to him.

“Here you are! I was becoming bored without you.”

Haley felt a spurt of joy at Desmond’s expression, giving him a big smile as she clung tighter to his arm. “Need I remind you that you promised to focus on me today?” Trying not to cringe at her harping voice, Haley gave him a pout. At least she hoped that was how it was coming across. Having never pouted before, she couldn’t be sure. When she got back to the apartment, she would have to check in the mirror to give herself a pass or fail score.

Gilbert’s expression nearly had her breaking the role she had cast herself in. Holding back her laughter, she went all out.

“Desmond is usually so busy that we aren’t able to be together as much as I want. He promised to spend the day catering to me,” she explained, as if her brother cared, which she knew he didn’t.

Gilbert looked more uncomfortable, as if he was waiting for Desmond’s cue on how to react.

“Darling, I’m sorry I let Gilbert distract me. It won’t happen again.”

Haley gave him a playful smack on his chest. “It better not, or I’ll take Mom up on her invitation for me to vacation with her and Dad. She thinks Rhone Rivera will be more appreciative of my company.”

The golden tan on her brother’s face began to look splotchy.

“Rhone? Then I need to have a word with Charlotte to let her know you’re not going on vacation without me, especially if Rhone is there.”

“Maybe Mother would invite you, too. She loves champagne chocolates.”

“Does she? Then I’ll have to send enough until she has to invite me. Gilbert, can I count on you to help me out with Charlotte? Rhone could never appreciate a woman of Haley’s caliber like I do.”

Haley had to turn her face into Desmond’s shoulder, appearing to give him a side hug, to hide her smile.

Gilbert looked like he was to about to gag.

She had to give Desmond props; his acting skills were vastly superior to hers.

“Of course … I’m sure Mother was joking around with Haley. She never could take a joke.”

Haley took her face out of Desmond’s shoulder at the snide comment. “I can take a jab when they aren’t meant to hurt just to get a reaction for a video.”

“They were just jokes, Haley. Jeez, you were always such a wuss. I see you haven’t changed much.”

Over Gilbert’s shoulder, Haley saw her sisters get out of the pool at Gilbert’s booming voice. Haley didn’t let the loudness bother her, however. The men in her family were predictable. if nothing else. They used their loud voices to drown out any hint of opposition. Desmond, on the other hand, wasn’t having it.

“Lower you voice. Either talk to your sister respectfully, or we’ll be leaving.”

Desmond’s grim order must have taken Gilbert aback, having him hastily scan Desmond’s face to see if he was serious. Haley had to look for herself. She wasn’t used to anyone ever taking up for her, except for Nadia.

“The particulars of Haley’s and your relationship is none of my business, so I won’t go there. What is my business is how she is treated now, and any negativity toward her, I will take personally toward me. That you call Haley a wuss tells me that you don’t know your sister at all. Haley is a successful business woman who can manage accounts worth billions of dollars in the blink of an eye, including mine. She also co-manages a charity that has several big-named charities scrambling to copy their success. Instead of asking me for a job, you should be asking your sister for one. Maybe you could learn a thing or two, and you wouldn’t have to use your uncle for his connections to get a job you’re not qualified for and clearly just exhibited why the position wouldn’t be suitable for you.”

Haley’s eyes went wide. Was she falling in like with Desmond? Damn, his defense of her had the internal scale she used as a measure tilting his way. Usually, the men she worked for balanced the scale evenly. Only once before had that happened.

“Haley doesn’t share her success.” Her older sister, Candace, came to stand in front of their brother. “Don’t be taken in by her, Desmond. Haley loves to play the victim. When she was younger, it got to the point that Mom and Dad had to send her off to stay with our aunt. Any success Haley has found, I can guarantee it’s come at someone else’s expense.”

The caustic accusation had her hand going to her inhaler, gripping it in a death grip at the festering bitterness Candace was expressing in front of Desmond. Any effort she was going to attempt to breach the gulf between her and her brother and sisters was futile.

A sudden and profound sense of grief struck. Each word Candace had uttered had lashed at her soul that had craved that special bond between siblings. The chance to have that relationship was gone now, and alongside the grief was relief. Their toxicity was something best left behind before the insidiousness could work itself into her future.

“Ah …” Haley felt as if the monstrous weight she had been lugging around on her back had fallen off with a massive swish. “I’m sorry you feel that way, Candace. Gilbert and Audrey, do you share her sentiments?”

“Damn straight.” Audrey’s diminutive frame moved to stand next to Candace.

Gilbert clenched his hands at his sides. “I’m just as sick of your drama as they are.”

Without Desmond’s presence, she was sure Gilbert would have reacted the same way he had done in the past when he was annoyed with her. Haley could see the flashpoint temper glittering in his eyes.

“Go ahead. I dare you.” Her days of being afraid of Gilbert were gone, regardless of whether Desmond was there or not.

From the corner of her eye, she could see Desmond staring at her quizzically, wondering what she was daring Gilbert to do.

“What’s the hesitation, Gilbert? I know you’re dying to do it. Would it help if I promise Desmond won’t interfere?” She looked toward Gilbert’s wife, who was still in the water, watching their two boys. The overly large sunglasses shielding Leighton’s eyes gave Haley the knowledge that her brother beat her to a pulp. “Or did your wife become your go-to punching bag when I was no longer around?”

Gilbert took a step toward her. “Shut the fuck up!”

Fury gave her the courage to defend Leighton when Gilbert’s frustrations turned to violence.

“Do it,” she goaded him. “I can guarantee the days when you backhanded me are over. There will be consequences now, and we both know the family hates publicity. I’ll call the police in a heartbeat, but you won’t, will you?” She braced herself in case Gilbert did strike out. However, Gilbert took a step back at her threat. “Because, like all men who abuse women, they’re cowards. They strike, and they run.”

Disgusted at her brother’s behavior, and her sisters’ enabling, she stepped around her siblings to walk to the end of the pool and stare down at her sister-in-law. Then, crouching down, she lowered her voice. “When you’re ready, just call me. I can help find you and the boys a safe place to live. Leighton, you’re smarter than this. Get yourself and the boys out before it’s too late.”

Haley wanted to cry when she saw the sadness that crossed across Leighton’s face.

“It already is.”

“It’s never too late. You’ve been lucky so far with the boys. Do you think he’ll exercise the same restraint? He won’t. I can testify to that fact. If the child you’re carrying now is a girl, you need to protect her the way Aunt Julia did me. Get her the hell away from him.” Standing, Haley reached for her inhaler to take the puffs she needed. “My offer will be there when you’re ready. He’s powerless where I’m concerned, and I can accomplish the same for you.”

“Perhaps it would be better if we leave.”

Haley nodded, returning to Desmond at his suggestion. “I’m ready.” She let him take her arm to lead her away from her brother and sisters. “I won’t apologize for making them angry. I was going to try—”

“I would appreciate it if you would wait until we’re in the car before saying anything else.”

Feeling the tension emanating from Desmond in waves, she thought it wise to follow his advice.

Haley didn’t remember a step she took as they walked back through George’s house. Fear soared through her as they drew closer to Desmond’s car. Instead of getting in the car when Desmond opened the door for her, Haley wanted to run helter-skelter down the driveway.

“Get in, Haley.”

He moved closer, leaving her no choice than to enter the car.

Wincing when Desmond slammed the car door, Haley took her inhaler out of her pocket, holding it tightly in her hand. It was a good thing Desmond and she weren’t dating in real life. If they had been, she was sure it would be the end of that relationship.

Haley tried to buoy herself up as Desmond walked around the car to get inside. She couldn’t imagine feeling worse than she did now, and there weren’t any emotional attachments to him. Or were there?

No, Haley thought shakily. No, there aren’t, she told herself more firmly. There couldn’t be. Desmond was the type of man whom women didn’t recover from loving. He was the type who would rip your heart out and never give it back, regardless of how much you needed it to survive, while keeping his own intact. He was a heartbreaker, and the only way a woman stood a chance was if Desmond didn’t want your heart. She would have a better chance of winning the mega lottery than withstanding Desmond.

You’re being ridiculous, Haley berated herself. Besides, it didn’t matter anyway, because while the odds of her winning the lottery were low, the idea of Desmond ever really wanting her were below nil.

Seventeen

“Before you say anything”—Desmond slammed his car door before turning to stare at the woman sitting next to him. Placing his hands on the steering wheel, Desmond had to restrain the rage that had him wanting to tear the column from the dashboard—“did it dawn on you to tell me that your brother was abusive toward you?”

“No. It was when we were growing up. He hasn’t touched me since I moved in with Julia. I know you’re furious at me for ruining getting more information, but if—”

“I’ll find another way to get the information I want.” Shifting in his seat, Desmond wanted to pull her out of her seat and shake her silly. “What I’m furious about is being unaware of Gilbert using physical violence toward you. I would have never put you in the position of having to be in their company. Saying that, if we had been working together, as we were supposed to be doing, I would have told you to let me handle the situation before you said anything to Leighton.”

“What would you have been able to do that I couldn’t?”

Her snideness was the last straw.

Leaning over the console, Desmond wrapped his hand around the back of Haley’s neck, bringing his face up close and personal. “I would have fucking told you to invite Leighton to lunch tomorrow after Gilbert flew out to Sherguevil Island. I had promised him a job interview and a tour of the island to assess if he would be a good fit.”

“Oh …”

“Yeah, fucking oh …” he said sarcastically. “For someone who pretends to be all meek and mild, you have a fucking mouth that just won’t shut the fuck up.”

“You don’t have to be so … mean.”

“Woman, what in the fuck will it take for you to realize I need a few minutes to calm down? I want to go back inside and beat the fuck out of that twerp for laying a hand on a woman, much less one who is about to give birth to his fucking child.”

“You wouldn’t. Your friendship and business ties with George and Amelia are the real reason you held back saying anything.”

“You know what your problem is? You think there is only one way to handle a situation. Your way. That’s why you stay cooped up in your office and don’t have any friends. You pretend to be a scaredy cat, meanwhile, when no one is looking, you’re shredding the fuck out of the sofa.”

“I do not!”

“No? You’re a hellcat.”

“Take that back. I am not.”

“Pfft. Lady, I’ve got news for you. You are. It’s amazing you and Nadia are friends. I bet you run her over to get your way. The only reason I can come up with is she feels sorry for you.”

“Take that back!”

“Hellcat, hellcat.”

“You… you…”

Desmond laughed at her sputtering in her rage. He started laughing harder when she started pummeling his chest. His humor had him leaning back against the door as she continued to strike out at him.

“Under that reserve, you’re like your family, ready to claw anything or anyone to get what you want.”

“And under that make-believe charm, you’re nothing but a bastard,” she spat out.

“I’ve been called worse. Much worse.”

Jerking her back when she tried to pull away, he then slid his hand under her hair, holding her in place.

“What’s the hurry? Afraid of being so close to me?”

“I’m not afraid of you!”

“You should be. You should be very afraid.”

He brought his mouth to her ear and could feel her trembling in his arms. “Why are you shaking?”

“Because you won’t let me go.”

“I’m only protecting myself from you hitting me again. Unlike you, I have survival instincts.”

“Let me go. I promise I won’t hit you again.”

“I’m just supposed to take your word for it?” Desmond let the tip of his tongue come out to trace the shell of her ear.

“Quit playing with me. Let me go.”

“If I were playing with you, you would know. I’m not playing.”

“Then what are you doing?”

When she turned her head away so he couldn’t have her ear, it brought them face-to-face, their lips barely a centimeter apart. And when she licked her lips in reflex, Desmond took advantage, pulling her tongue inside his mouth.

What in the fuck was he was doing? He should put her ass back in her seat, drive back to Queens City, and figure out another route to finding the missing Sherguevil Island inhabitants. However, what he should do and what he did was the direct opposite.

Tugging her closer, he deepened the kiss, expertly twisting his mouth over hers, sliding his tongue alongside of hers, exploring the deep recesses of Haley’s mouth.

She tasted like fine brandy. The delicate taste disarmed him as he slowly kissed her, savoring the slow burn then the escalating heat that was setting his cock on fire.

Nuances of citrus and flowers wrapped around him, making him want more. The heady sensation was something he had never experienced before with any woman. He had felt passion and desire before, but this was different. It was a yearning to discover more, to become oblivious to anything but this moment.

“Stop, Desmond!” Tearing her lips away from his, Haley arched her head away so he couldn’t resume their kiss.

Lifting her off him, he placed her back in her seat before starting the car.

While they drove back to Queens City, neither one talked. Desmond couldn’t find the right words to say, planning to drop her off at the apartment and never see her again. She was useless to him now, so there was no further need to see her or employ her.

The plan lasted about a quarter of a mile until he licked his lips and tasted her on them again. The next mile was spent planning how he was going to manage to get himself in her apartment and kiss her again. By the time they arrived at the apartment, he had determined just how he was going to seduce the accountant and find out how she tasted on his tongue from other areas of her body.

Instead of pulling in front of the apartment to let Haley out, he drove to the parking garage. “I’ll walk you up.”

“There’s no need.”

As soon as he parked the car, she was out, striding toward the lighted entrance.

Getting out, he followed behind her. “Haley, there’s no need to run. I’m not going to attack you.”

She stopped short of the door. “I didn’t think you would.”

“Then why are you running?”

“To get my computer, to get Rhone Rivera’s private number so I can call him,” Haley stated, rushing again.

Her answer stunned him. What was so important that she had to talk with Rhone now?

“Are you coming or not? Why aren’t you more excited? I think we just found your missing villagers.”

Eighteen

“You have Rhone’s private number?” Desmond asked as he closed the apartment door.

“Yes, he gave it to me when I worked for him,” Haley casually answered, not looking up from her computer.

Desmond watched as Haley sat on the couch with her computer on her lap, then as she started keying the numbers on her cell phone.

“Why not just keep it on your phone?”

“This computer isn’t wired to the Internet. I promised not to let his number get out. He only lets friends have access to him.”

“He actually gave you his number?”

“Yes. Why are you acting so weird about a phone number?”

“Probably because I consider myself a good friend of Rhone’s, and he hasn’t given me his number.”

“Did you ask for it?”

“Several times, as a matter of fact.”

“Then I guess you’re not as friendly as you thought you were.”

“I guess not. Did you ask him for his number?”

Taking a seat on the couch next to him, she set the computer on the coffee table. “No, he offered it to me when he asked me to work for him.”

“How long did you consider working for him?”

“For about sixteen minutes.”

“Why only sixteen minutes?”

“I told him I wouldn’t do illegal stuff, which is the same thing I tell all potential employers.”

Desmond vividly remembered that she had, in fact, stated that during their first meeting.

“He wanted you to do something illegal?”

“I don’t discuss particulars of my previous, or potential, employers.”

“Not even if you considered it a total of sixteen minutes?”

“It’s a rule that doesn’t have time limits.”

Her hidden depths went beyond what she tasted like. Haley had a sense of integrity that was in short supply in today’s world.

Casting aside the prick to his pride because Rhone never gave him his number, Desmond eyed the phone in her hand. “Why do you think Rhone knows where the villagers are?”

“My mother told me that she and Dad are going on vacation to an island Rhone owns.”

“Rhone doesn’t own an island. He would have told me.”

“I don’t know why he didn’t tell you. George was the one who invited Mom and Dad to the island because they’re all afraid to go back to Sherguevil Island.”

“How long has he owned it?”

“I don’t know, but he didn’t own it before I went to work for you. I would have remembered it from the list of properties he owned.”

“It must have been a recent purchase, then,” he mused.

“You’re just going to call and ask if the people who are living there have been kidnapped from another island?”

Haley made a face at him. “Give me some credit. I was waiting for you to tell me what to say to him.”

He carefully thought out his best options.

“Do you think you could wrangle an invitation out of him and bring me as a guest?”

“I don’t see why not. I haven’t lost contact with him since I quit. I’ve hit him up several times for donations for Moonbeam. We also go out occasionally when he wants to ask my opinion of a business deal he’s about to make.”

“You help him, even though you don’t work for him?”

“We’re friends.” She shrugged. “As long it isn’t illegal, I don’t mind offering my opinion.”

“Without charge?”

“Sometimes, or he’ll make a generous donation.”

“So, when you were supposed to be working for me exclusively, you were moonlighting on the side?”

“I wasn’t moonlighting … I was helping a friend out. Do you want me to call or not?”

“Yes,” he gritted out, not understanding why he was so irritated at her. Why did he give a fuck that she was so friendly with Rhone? Because Rhone was a walking thirst trap for women, and he wasn’t above using it to his benefit.

In their circle of friends, his sexual exploits and the sheer number of women who lusted after him were widely known. He was also known for just how many fantasies he had fulfilled. Almost as many as he himself had.

Desmond wanted to snatch the phone from her hand as she went to press the call button. With no other recourse available to him in finding the missing villagers, however, he let Haley make the call. Intentionally moving closer to her, Desmond told himself it was just to be able to hear the conversation better, not because he wanted to be in close proximity to remind her of his presence.

Haley raised her chin off the phone. “Do you mind? I could use some breathing room.”

He slid over an inch.

“Hello, Rhone, how are you doing this evening?” Sparks glinted in her eyes when he refused to budge another inch.

She held the cell phone sideways, so he could hear Rhone’s answer.

“Doing well. How about you?”

Desmond wanted to roll his eyes at the seductive purr that came from Rhone’s end.

“To tell you the truth, I’m just a little upset with you.”

“Why’s that?”

“Everyone in my family has been invited to your island, and I haven’t.”

“That’s because I haven’t seen you in the last couple of months. Gillis Island is a new acquisition of mine. Not only that, but when I invited you to my other vacation spots, you refused the invitation. My ego was battered enough with you turning me down umpteen times.”

“Your ego is just fine and dandy.” Haley laughed. “If anything, I did you a favor. It keeps you grounded.”

“Who wants to be grounded? Baby, I could make you soar to places you’ve never seen before.”

About to ask Rhone who he was calling baby, Desmond tried to take the phone away from Haley. He raised the phone above his head with one hand, and he and Haley got into a struggle on the couch. Smirking at keeping the phone from out of her grasp, he was then shocked by her climbing onto his lap to reach for the phone over his head. He was so stunned that she was able to snatch the phone out of his hand.

“Are you still there, Haley?”

“I’m here. Sorry, I dropped the phone.”

Giving him a killing glare, Haley tried to slide off his lap. Her thighs were on the sides of his. While she wasn’t completely on top, there wasn’t much room between the juncture of their thighs, with her knees taking her weight to keep them separated.

He gripped her hips, pressing her downward as he gave her a mocking glance, daring her to do something about the intimate way they were sitting while she talked to Rhone.

“No problem. So, are you saying, if I were to invite you to Gillis Island, you would come?”

“Absolutely. I could you use some fresh air. I just finished a job, and it would give me a place to think about what I want to do next.”

“You’re no longer working for Desmond Beck?”

“No, he fired me.”

“Any chance you would come work for me?”

“Any chance you wouldn’t ask me to do anything illegal?” she countered.

“I’m not good at making promises,” he hedged.

“Then working for you won’t be an option. Does that mean no invite?”

“Hell no. I live in the hope of changing your mind … in all areas of the spectrum.”

“You’re the biggest flirt I know.” She laughed.

“Including Desmond? A little birdie told me you two are seeing each other.”

“We are. I was going to wrangle an invitation for him, also, so he could keep me company.”

“What am I? Chopped liver?”

She glared down at him for preventing her from getting off his lap. Desmond had to give her props for not letting him distract her from the conversation with Rhone.

“You could never be chopped liver, but you have to admit to becoming easily distracted when other women are around. Not that it bothers me,” she hastened to assure him. “I’m appreciative of any time you make for me.”

“Nice save.”

“I thought so.” She laughed.

“You’re more than welcome to come for a vacation.”

“Would next weekend be okay?”

“Yes.”

“Can I bring Desmond?”

“If you have to. I’ll send the location to Desmond’s assistant to give to his pilot.”

“Thanks, Rhone.”

“No thanks necessary. I might ask you to look over a few accounts for me while you’re here.”

“As long as—”

“I know, I know… as long as I don’t ask you to do anything shady. You know what I want to tell you about that rule, don’t you?”

“But you won’t.”

“Because I’m too much of a gentleman.”

“More like you’re afraid I won’t talk to you anymore and stop the freebies I’ve been giving you.”

“That, too,” Rhone said drily. “I’ll see you next weekend.”

“Bye, Rhone.”

Disconnecting the call, Haley tried once again to get off his lap.

“Sounds to me like you and Rhone were more than friends.”

“Rhone and I are friends, yet I really don’t consider us friends. We’re more bartering partners. Not that it’s any of your business.”

“It is my business if we want him to believe we’re in a relationship. Rhone knows I don’t share when I’m involved with a woman.”

“Are you kidding me? This is a make-believe relationship, not a real one. You’re concerned I’ll cheat on you with Rhone?””

“Why is that so shocking?”

“Because you and Rhone are two peas in a pod. Rhone would never be attracted to me any more than you would be.”

Jerking her down onto his trousers, he let her feel the straining arousal trying to rip his zipper apart. “Baby,” Desmond mimicked the same sultry tone of voice that Rhone had used, “do you see any other woman in this room?” His eyes fell to her dress, which had slid up her thighs. Another inch, and he would be able to see what color panties she was wearing underneath.

“The real question is: are we going to continue with this fictitious relationship or make it the real deal?”

Nineteen

“We are not going to make it the real deal.” Haley huffily tore herself off his lap to stand over him.

“Are you sure? We could be good together.”

“As much as you’re tempting me with all your sweet talk, I’m afraid I’ll have to pass. I know how your real relationships end. I’m better off with the fictitious one.”

When Desmond started to say something, she put up a hand to stop him.

“Please don’t tell me you don’t know what you’re missing. It’s too cliché.”

Desmond relaxed back on the couch with a laugh, placing a long arm along the top. “I wasn’t going to say that.”

“What were you going to say, then?”

“Never mind.”

Haley couldn’t help herself as she started laughing. “You were so going to say that.”

“You’ll never know, will you?”

“I know. You just can’t bring yourself to say it after I said it’s cliché.”

“I have to admit that term has never been used before concerning me.”

“At least not to your face.”

Haley stared at the attractive man casually sitting on the couch as if he didn’t have a care in the world, while her insides where doing Olympic tumbles. She couldn’t fathom what was behind his sudden turnaround. Was he paying her back for making a scene at the party or paving the way for her continued cooperation? One thing was for sure—it didn’t come from any sudden desire for her body.

“Come sit back down,” he encouraged.

Narrowing her eyes on him when he patted the couch cushion next to him, she remained where she was, standing on the other side of the coffee table. “I’m good where I am.”

“Don’t you trust me, or is it you whom you’re afraid of?”

Haley burst out laughing then wished she hadn’t at the way he was looking at her.

“You’re serious?” Her laughter died in her throat.

“What makes you think I’m not?”

“I don’t know, Desmond. Maybe because you look like you’re more ready to strangle me than to kiss me again.”

“I was beginning to wonder if you were going to pretend the kiss never happened.”

“It happened. What I’m confused about is: why? You don’t do anything unless it’s carefully thought out.”

“I didn’t plan the kiss. I felt like kissing you, and I did. You enjoyed it.”

“Did I?” she hedged. Haley felt uncomfortable delving into the kiss they had shared.

“Haley, we are both mature adults. I’m long past the age where it’s embarrassing to talk about kissing, or sex, for that matter.”

“We’re definitely not going to talk about sex. You may not find it embarrassing to discuss, but I do, especially when I’ve never considered you in connection with either of those two topics.”

Desmond gave her a look of injured pride. “Not even after our kiss?”

“No.” Haley told her first lie without a qualm.

“I did.”

“Then don’t,” she said simply.

This time, it was Desmond who broke out in laughter. “That’s not so simple.”

“Then keep it to yourself.” Crossing her arms over her chest, Haley gave him a no-nonsense stare.

“All right.”

She regarded him suspiciously, not really believing his easy acceptance.

“Like I said, we’re both adults.” Desmond stood. “If you’re not into me, you’re not into me.” He shrugged.

“It’s nothing personal.”

“You don’t have to explain, Haley. I’ll see you tomorrow night at the usual time. Good evening.”

“Wait.” Haley trailed after him to the door. “There’s no need for you to come tomorrow.”

“We can’t drop the pretense until we return from Gillis Island. I don’t want to fumble the ball right before we know if the natives from Sherguevil are there. From the way Rhone talked to you, he would like nothing better than to find out we aren’t a couple.”

“Fine, then, but I think you coming over every night until then is unnecessary. We don’t want Rhone or anyone else to think we’re too serious.”

“Why not?” Stopping by the front door, Desmond gave her a quizzical look.

Giving a frustrated puff of air, Haley had to come up with a quick answer, other than the truth. The less time they spent together, the better. A girl could only take so much temptation before she broke, and she had a sneaky suspicion that was what Desmond was counting on.

“When you usually install your girlfriends in this apartment, do you visit them every night? We should keep to your regular habits.”

Desmond gave her a feral grin. “You know about this apartment?”

“My mother told me. I was under the impression it was used for your business associates, not a … love nest.”

“I wouldn’t say it was a love nest, per se. I purchased the apartment for a variety of reasons. Some nights, I work late and don’t want the long drive to my home. Then there are business purposes, visiting friends, and whatever needs arise.”

“Like giving your current mistress a place to be at your beck and call?”

“That, too.”

The bastard wasn’t the least bit embarrassed at being called out for the numerous affairs that had taken place in the apartment. Why should he? It was none of her business what happened in the apartment when she wasn’t staying here.

“Since we want to give the impression that we are close enough that you want me to accompany you to Gillis Island, I think me visiting here each night until then is completely normal. We don’t want to deviate from the pattern and raise any suspicions, do we?”

She was forced to agree. “I suppose not.”

“Good. Then I’ll see you tomorrow night.”

Haley stared at the door long after he had left. Why did she feel as if she had walked into a trap with no way out?

Taking a step forward, she locked the door before getting ready for bed. Hearing the ping from her phone with text messages coming in from her mother, Haley read the first one that said her mother had disowned her yet again and left the others unread.

Why had she lost control and mouthed off to Gilbert? Haley knew why—Leighton. Her sister-in-law was too kind and sweet to let Gilbert destroy her without making an attempt to save her.

Getting ready for bed, Haley sat on the side of the mattress and tried not to think about the numerous times Desmond had lain on the bed to have sex with his numerous women.

The deep purple and gold curtains and comforter underscored the massive black leather tufted platform bed. With the matching octagonal nightstands and the contemporary gold lighting that hung from the ceiling, it should have given her the heads-up that Desmond had used the apartment for something other than business purposes.

Sliding under the silky covers, Haley couldn’t help but imagine Desmond being there. Shutting the thought out of her mind was easier said than done.

Rolling to her back, she stared at the ceiling in the darkness. Her mind was going to turn to mush if all she could think about was Desmond. Tomorrow, she would find something to occupy herself… something that didn’t involve him… and certainly something that didn’t have her replaying that kiss a thousand times over.

As soon the thought entered her mind, she had to retract the number… Make that a thousand and one.

Twenty

“What can I get for you?”

After giving the barista the huge order, Haley walked blindly to the end of the counter to pay. The barista stared after her in dismay. However, dropping a twenty-dollar bill into the tip jar seemed to mollify the woman as Haley stepped to the side to wait for her order.

Carefully carrying the two trays of hot coffee, she crossed the street to the office building where she used to work at before Desmond had booted her out.

She was going to regain her footing, regardless of what Desmond wanted. If she had stayed isolated in that apartment one more day, she would have fucking lost it. No wonder Desmond’s kiss was preying on her mind; it’s all she’d had to think about over the last two days.

Out the corner of her eye, she saw a lone motorcycle rider drive across the street to find a parking spot.

Why would the biker move the motorcycle to the other side of the street? The action seemed unnecessary. Could the biker be one of Desmond’s employees?

Pausing inside the door, Haley continued to look outside the glass window to see the biker remained seated on the motorcycle. Was it the same person whom she had seen outside the apartment building when she had left thirty minutes ago?

She didn’t know enough about motorcycles to tell if it was the same one, but the rider was wearing the same color helmet.

“Now you’re imagining bikers following you,” Haley complained out loud to herself.

Why would a biker be following her?

Committing to memory what the motorcycle looked like, Haley stepped away from the window to walk to the elevators. Straightening her shoulders, she left the elevator to head to the breakroom. Dropping off the drinks, she took one for herself and carried the other one to Lucas’ office.

The assistant gazed at her in surprise at her appearance in the office.

“Here you go. I’ll be in my office, if you need me.” With an air of confidence she wasn’t feeling, Haley strode to her old office as if she belonged there instead of being fired the previous week. Wondering how long it would take for Lucas to inform Desmond that she was there, she started on the job she had been hired to work on remotely.

It took less than five minutes before she heard Desmond enter the office.

“What are you doing here?”

“I’m tired of my own company, and I didn’t see any need for this office to sit empty when I could use it during the day. Any objections?”

“A few.”

“Is someone using it?”

“Not currently.”

“Then what are your objections?”

“How are we supposed to keep up the pretense of us being involved if you work here? It’s one of my stringent rules, kind of like yours about not doing anything illegal.”

“All you have to do is tell them that I’m not working for you, that I’m renting the office space from you, which I deducted a reasonable figure from my last payday before submitting my last invoice for the work I did for you.”

Desmond came around the desk and keyed up the payroll. “You think five hundred is reasonable? Do you know how much I pay for this suite of offices?”

“I took into consideration that I would only be using this office for this week, and today is Tuesday, so I’ll only be using it for four days.”

“Why not just work at the apartment?”

“Because I wanted to get out.”

“Just so you could closet yourself in this room? What’s the difference?”

“The difference is I’m more productive in an office atmosphere. Don’t you feel the same? I’m sure you can handle most of your work remotely from your home.”

“It’s totally different.”

“Why? Because I’m a woman?”

“No, because if I have a question or need something handled, I have a team to get it done by the end of the day, and I can be on hand to oversee any difficulties that arise. I have numerous reasons, none of which apply to you. I can guarantee I’m not here because I’m lonely.”

“I didn’t say I was lonely. Why is it bothering you so badly that I’m here? Because I have a mind that can think on its own and don’t have to be at your beck and call?”

“That refrain is getting old.”

“Why? Because it’s true?”

“No. I don’t expect you, or anyone else, to be at my beck and call.”

“You kind of do.”

“No, I don’t.”

“Again, I beg to differ.”

Haley had to look back down at her spreadsheet to hide her smile. It was obvious Desmond was becoming irritated.

“What work are you doing?”

“Accounting.”

“For whom?”

“A previous employer.”

“Rhone?”

“No. No one you are acquainted with, to my knowledge.”

“Tell me who, and I’ll tell you if I am.”

“Whether you are doesn’t have any bearing on the work I am doing for them. If you don’t mind, I want to get to a certain point today.”

“In other words, leave?”

“Yes. Thank you for your cooperation.”

She could practically see the steam coming out of Desmond’s ears. The playboy wasn’t used to being dismissed.

Peeking underneath her lashes, she saw that the office was empty. He was angry enough that she was willing to bet he was telling his assistant to lock her out of the office when she left that day.

Curious to know if Desmond was, Haley silently opened her door.

Desmond was standing by Lucas’ desk with his back turned toward her, unwittingly giving her the advantage of remaining unseen. Only able to hear the tail end of what Lucas was saying to Desmond, Haley managed to make it to the small alcove where the water cooler was situated.

“… I put her in your office.”

“What in the fuck is Soleil doing here?”

“She was crying, so I didn’t ask her. I just shoved her in your office to get her out of sight.”

“Can this shit become more of a clusterfuck than it already is?”

Her curiosity grew at Desmond’s harsh unconcern as to why the mysterious woman was so upset.

“Keep everyone away until I can get rid of her.”

Who was Soleil? One of Desmond’s past girlfriends? Or a current one that Desmond had been hiding until their pretend romance was no longer necessary?

“Then call Jackal and find out how in the fuck she was able to get away from him and why he wasn’t able to catch her before she made it here,” Desmond snapped.

“Will do.” Lucas’ voice was just as grim.

Whoever Jackal was, he was going to bear the brunt of both men’s anger.

Hearing the opening and closing of Desmond’s door, Haley remained standing in the alcove, trying to figure out how to explain her sudden appearance while listening to the movements Lucas was making at his desk.

Lucas’ voice drew her attention back to him from the excuses she was trying to formulate into believable lies.

“Where are you? … You can stop looking. Soleil is here, at the office. How’d she manage to get past you?”

Haley pressed her back against the wall when she heard Lucas get up from his desk.

“Next time, don’t hand over a fucking job to Max without Desmond’s permission. She showed up here, using the same waterworks she used on Max. If I were you, I would bust a nut to get over here. How long will it take?”

Haley heard a pause, then Lucas’ voice moved farther away.

“I’ll inform Desmond that you’ll be here in ten. I wouldn’t stop for any red lights. Desmond is irritated enough.”

The opening of Desmond’s door had Haley using the opportunity to rush back inside her office. Quietly closing the door behind her, she moved to her office window, which overlooked the front of the building. Looking outside, she watched for anyone who seemed to be hurrying toward the front entrance.

Less than four minutes later, she watched a biker pull up next to the one whom she had seen this morning. They talked briefly, and then the one who had just arrived made a beeline toward the entrance. The man carried himself confidently, as if he could handle anything, not frightened in the least at facing Desmond, merely following orders.

Haley remained standing by the window, ready to make a lame excuse to go out to the main office when she saw the biker, Desmond, and the woman who Lucas had referred to as Soleil. From her viewpoint, she couldn’t make out any of her features, only that she was holding on to Desmond’s arm with what seemed to be a death grip.

A limo pulled up in front of the two motorcycles. Opening the door of the limo, Desmond ushered the woman inside before sliding in himself. As the limo drove away, the biker who had come inside started his bike after saying something to the one who had been there since this morning before riding off to follow Desmond’s limo.

The remaining biker didn’t seem to be leaving anytime soon, never turning his head away from the building entrance.

Haley had no idea who the woman was or her relationship with Desmond, but they had one thing in common. Both of them were being watched.

Twenty-One

Haley arrived early the next morning after spending a fitful night’s sleep. Desmond had never shown up last night; neither had he called to tell her that he wasn’t coming. Unable to explain the hurt feelings that had kept her awake, she reminded herself that their relationship was only pretend and Desmond didn’t owe her any explanations.

Her rationale didn’t ease the hurt feelings, but it did bring something else into perspective. The emotions she was feeling revealed how close she was to losing her heart, if she hadn’t already. The late-night conversations they had shared had formed an attachment she had been unaware of until he had stayed away last night.

Since she had never been in this position before, her acknowledgment of the feelings gave her time to pull her emotions back before more harm could be done when their pretend relationship was over. She hoped.

Leaving the elevator, Haley approached Lucas’ desk. “Good morning.”

“Morning,” Lucas replied without stopping his typing.

“Desmond in this morning? I have a quick question, if he has time.”

The typing stopped. “Mr. Beck won’t be in today, nor tomorrow. Perhaps I can answer your question?”

“No need. It wasn’t important. Thanks, anyway.”

Going into her office, Haley put down her briefcase and began working on Moonbeam’s account. The light work could have been done from the apartment, if not for her becoming stir-crazy.

Within an hour, she found herself at a loose end after finishing the work. She stood to move to the window and saw the biker who had followed her yesterday was there. Why was Desmond having her followed?

Last night, after she had gone back to the apartment, she had decided to go to the grocery store to stock up on supplies and saw a biker sitting at the end of the parking garage. If she hadn’t been looking for him, she would have missed him parked behind the massive stone pillar.

He was there when she had come out of the store, too, and she heard the sound of the motorcycle as she carried her groceries inside.

Should she ask Desmond if he was having her followed? What if she was placing herself in danger by the presumption that he was?

Haley shook her head at herself. Deep down, she knew who was having her followed. The question was why, and she planned to get her answer at the first opportunity.

Sitting down at the desk, Haley used the computer to search what was going on with the case against Gabriel Allerton. That Gabriel was in prison gave her a sense of joy she hadn’t shared with anyone else, except Nadia.

Even as a little girl, she had sensed the cruel intensity behind his gaze every time he had come to visit George. She was sure Julia had sensed it, also, which was why her aunt had monitored her closely during his stays.

Regardless of how careful Julia had been, George had undermined her.

She gave a disgusted shudder at some of the memories bombarding her. One memory in particular would live in her head until the day she died.

Gabriel had shown up unexpectedly one day when Julia had gone to a doctor’s appointment. And Amelia had gone to a sleepover with a friend and hadn’t returned yet.

Unaware that Gabriel was there, she had left her bedroom to take advantage of the pool. She had swum laps around the pool. Then, growing tired, she had climbed out of the pool to find Gabriel holding her towel.

In her innocent mind, it had never occurred to her to be frightened of him. He was a family friend and, as much as she disliked him, Haley never in a million years thought to be wary of him. Now, after therapy and years at working with troubled children, she knew that men like Gabriel Allerton used that family connection to scout for their victims, and to use it to their advantage.

Sadly, back then, she hadn’t been aware of the sick ploys.

Naively, she had reached out for the towel offered, only to find herself enveloped within the folds as Gabriel started to dry her off. Stunned at the gesture, she had stood there, not knowing what to do. Then, when she had tried to pull away, the towel had been wound tight around her, used to press her body against Gabriel’s. Pressing her hands against his chest had been ineffective.

“I can dry myself off,” she had protested.

“Can’t have you getting sick.”

He was three times her size, but that wasn’t what held her back. It was her background, how she had been taught to always be polite, that had been her undoing. Rather than try to struggle hard out of his grip, she had remained courteous.

To do it over again, she would have clawed ten fingernail marks across his debonair face.

However, she couldn’t do it over, which was why the memory would stay with her for a lifetime.

Stupefied at Gabriel’s behavior, it had only been when she had felt the repulsive feel of his lips against her shoulder that a primitive instinct she had been unaware she possessed kicked in. That was what had saved her from the encounter becoming much worse.

“Thanks. That’s good enough. I need to hurry. My dad is on his way to drive me home. I promised to babysit my niece so my sister and her husband can go out. He should be here any minute.” She had immediately gained her release.

Taking off, leaving the towel and her wrap on the lounger, she had run all the way to her room. Locking her bedroom door, she had then huddled in her private bathroom until she heard Julia entering the bedroom next door. Dressing, she had run to her and told her what had happened.

Julia had sat and held her while calling George to her bedroom. Her aunt had wanted Gabriel to leave, and an argument had developed about how she had misunderstood the whole incident. Haley had watched her aunt go from furious to wavering as George took up for his friend. Her aunt backed down from asking for Gabriel’s immediate departure at George’s opposition.

While she did reconsider letting Gabriel stay, Julia had kept her close to her side. Haley had begged to go home, but Julia had pleaded for her to stay, saying she made her feel better just by being there. Torn, she had quit asking to go home, not wanting her frail aunt unhappy.

The turning point had come when Julia had walked into the kitchen and saw Gabriel in the kitchen with her. The next day, Julia had her bags packed and told her she was going to boarding school. Not wanting to go, she had cried to her aunt that she didn’t want to go. It was then that Julia had confessed to her that her parents didn’t want her to go home.

Her parents had chosen Gilbert over her. They had known his attacks toward her were only going to become worse and, while he was the darling of their Internet show, they weren’t going to mess up their success.

After that, Haley had faced the stark reality that she was parentless and homeless. Unlike her family, she was a naturally withdrawn person, and she sank further into it once she had entered boarding school. There were times she never left her room other than to attend classes or take meals.

If not for Nadia making repeated attempts to talk to her, she wouldn’t have gradually loosened up enough to form the unbreakable friendship they still shared.

A knock on her office door had her breaking free of the memories that had dragged her back into the dark hole of her childhood.

“Come in.”

Lucas poked his head in the door. “I’m finished for the day. The security guard is asking how much longer you are planning on staying.”

“I’m done.” Haley gathered up her purse and briefcase after removing the searches she had done on the computer. “Can I ask you a question, Lucas?”

Instead of leaving, Lucas stepped further into the room to hold the door for her. “Depends. I’ll answer as best as I can.”

Haley gave him a reserved smile. “Afraid I’ll ask you something about Desmond?”

“It wouldn’t be the first time.”

“I bet.”

She walked out the door with him, and they made their way toward the elevator. Haley reached out to press the service button. “Don’t worry; it’s not about Desmond. I was just curious about why you don’t like me. Have I done something to offend you?” Haley met his eyes as she asked the straightforward question.

“I don’t like or dislike you, Haley. I prefer to make my work environment impersonal. When I leave here, I can go home and not give it another thought unless Desmond needs me for work.”

The arriving elevator had them stepping inside.

“Don’t you find it hard to remain so detached?”

“No. Do you?”

Her reserved smile changed to a full-fledged one. “Yes, hence the coffee and donuts,” she confessed unashamedly.

“How’s that working out for you?”

“It isn’t. I’ve always sucked at trying to make friends.”

“Maybe you should try talking to people instead of letting coffee and donuts do the talking for you,” he suggested with the beginning of a small smile.

Theatrically, Haley put her hand over her chest. “I actually have to talk to people?”

They were still laughing when they got off the elevator. Outside the entrance, Lucas stopped as she took out her phone to request an Uber driver.

“Don’t let me hold you up,” Haley told him when he remained unmoving.

“I’ll wait. Queens City can be unsafe at night.”

Haley used her chin to gesture to the lone motorcycle rider a few feet away, strategically parked behind the building sign. “I’m sure whomever Desmond hired to watch me will step up to rescue me if the need arises.”

Watching his reaction, Haley noticed Lucas didn’t look toward the biker.

“You noticed?”

“Kind of hard not to, even though it took me a couple of weeks.”

“Desmond won’t be happy.”

Lucas didn’t seem happy, either. She was in that particular club herself. Refraining from telling him that small fact, she saw the car she had ordered pull up to the curb.

“See you tomorrow, Lucas.”

Leaving Desmond’s assistant staring after her, she gave a jaunty nod toward the biker before climbing inside the car. She didn’t look back to see if the motorcycle followed as the driver pulled away.

Biting her lip, she stared out the window as they drove through the dark streets. Inexplicitly, she felt like crying. She wasn’t anxious to return to the lonely apartment, which made it tempting to call Nadia when she got there, just to relieve the boredom.

Changing into more comfortable clothing, she made herself a light dinner before popping a bag of popcorn, which she ate after turning on a comedy show.

At twelve, she turned the television off to go to bed. The sooner she returned back home, the better, she told herself. If she missed Desmond this badly after just two days’ absence, she didn’t want to know how it was going to affect her after spending the weekend at Gillis Island with him.

The lonely years she could see ahead looked bleak enough without adding the heartbreak of loving a man she could never have. Women like her didn’t get happily ever afters; they became cat ladies.

That’ll never happen to you, Haley scolded herself for being ridiculous. She was allergic to fur.

Twenty-Two

Desmond stood, looking up at the apartment window, seeing the lights go off. Taking out his cell phone, he texted Ice that he wanted to talk. He was tucking the phone into his jacket when the limo door opened and the president of the Predators got in next to him.

“You want to tell me how Haley was able to make out she was being followed?”

Ice’s frosty gaze leveled on him in the dim lighting. “Some of the brothers may have been lax in keeping out of sight.”

“Which brothers?” Desmond snapped. “Because I want to know which ones to remove from my payroll.”

“I’ll take care of it.”

“How? I let the bullshit slide when you let King and Shade on my property without notifying me first. I won’t continue paying for protection that a six-grader could provide without the high price tag.”

“We’ve been spread thin lately with all the transactions going down in Queens City, which is why we had to let the prospects handle Haley’s detail. It’s hard for me to put someone on watch for her when all she does is stay in a guarded building while the other brothers are putting their lives on the line to make sure we get our cut from the drug buys going down, or keep upstarts from taking over our territory.”

Desmond had to bite back the response he was going to give. His current lifestyle didn’t make him blind to the life he had left behind. One false move, and someone would die. The struggle to remain on the top was just as brutal, maybe even more than being on the bottom.

“Who are you going to place on Haley? Whoever’s been doing her detail is failing.”

“That’s my mistake. I’ll take care of it. The brother has his plate full and didn’t want the job, anyway.”

“Then my suggestion is to remove him from my payroll.”

“Already done.” Ice’s frostbitten gaze became deadlier, letting Desmond know he was done being the whipping boy for whichever Predator had fucked up.

“Who did you place on her now?”

“Cole, when I’m not available.”

Understanding dawned on him as to why it took two attempts to get Ice to say who was on Haley’s detail.

“Cole? Max’s brother-in-law?” he asked to make sure he had heard Ice right.

“That’s the one.”

“You trying to get him killed?”

Max’s brother-in-law had brain damage from his stepfather’s attack. Casey, Max’s wife, had tried to bring down his organization to try to protect him.

“I give it a week before I get turned into the feds.”

“Cole’s got his head back together. He’s the right one for the job. No one will get within five feet of her, and he won’t get distracted by any ass walking past him.”

“What’s he going to do if shit hits the fan? Call Casey?”

“He doesn’t need anyone to watch out for him anymore. Cole served in the Marines before his stepfather tried to beat out his brains with a pipe. Don’t know how it happened, but he’s all there again. The problem with him now is Casey and Max being overprotective of him. It’ll give Cole something to do where they aren’t watching his every move.”

“Maybe there’s a good reason they’re still so protective. You think of that?”

“Thought of it, but I’ve seen the way Cole handles himself. Casey and Max have a house full of kids. He watches them better than Max. He’s got a protective streak a mile long. Nothing will happen to Haley. Cole would die before he would let anyone hurt her. Isn’t that what you’re bitchin’ about during the fucking night?”

“Watch the tone, Ice.”

Ice gave a harassed sigh. “What has you so up in the air about her protection, anyway? You’ve never given a single fuck before with your other bitches. I give it another week before you’re calling me to move my man to another pair of tits.”

“Doesn’t matter if I do or don’t. When I order a job, I want it done right. King thought he had all his ducks in a row, and Ariel was killed.”

“The Predators weren’t working for King then. I’m not going to have my ass reamed for someone else’s fuckup.”

Ice’s comeback pierced into him like a lightning strike. There were two areas of his life that he was vulnerable about, and both women were now dead. Responsibility for both had him trying to make amends. He wasn’t going to add Haley to his list. She was an innocent being drawn into a world she had no knowledge about.

“I was the fuckup. I let King’s sister convince me that she was staying the night at a friend’s house, and she promised not to leave until I came to pick her up.”

“You didn’t know she would sneak out to buy King a birthday present.”

“She wanted to surprise him. Ariel thought I would tell him what the present was. She had saved up fifty dollars. The bastards raped and killed her before we could get there. You know what pissed me off the most?”

“Don’t tell me unless you left one alive for me to take off.”

Desmond continued talking, picturing the beautiful, carefree child who had just wanted to do something special for a brother she idolized. “What burns the most was what they did with the fifty dollars. I see it every time I close my fucking eyes, and the sickest part of it was what it did to us when we saw what they had done. We were going to kill every motherfucker there. We didn’t care if we died making them pay. They underestimated King’s and my reaction to what they had done.

“Don’t make that mistake, Ice. Just because I wear a suit and drive around in a limo doesn’t mean I can’t protect what’s mine when I have to. Don’t make me step in to protect Haley if shit happens because you’re overconfident about your man. You won’t like the consequences if I do.”

“Message received.”

“I hope so, Ice. I really do. I like you, but I would kill you, anyway.”

A curt nod, and then Ice slipped out of the car.

The partition separating the front of the limo from the back lowered.

“You think he’ll still put Cole on her?” Lewis turned to look over his shoulder at him.

“Yes, Ice is sure of his decision, or he wouldn’t have put Cole on her. He doesn’t make mistakes.” Desmond went back to studying the dark window of Haley’s bedroom.

“Then why did you threaten him?”

“Because I don’t want Haley to be his first failure.”

“Or could it be you’re getting attached to the bookworm?”

“No.”

“Then why are we sitting outside her apartment?”

“To send another message to Ice.”

“Which is what?”

“Not to fuck up. Let’s go.”

The limo pulled out onto the deserted street.

“You want me to redress your bandages when we get back to your house?”

“No, they’re good for now. Janine can change them in the morning. Have the car there at nine. She should be done packing by then.”

“Does she know yet?”

“I’ll tell her in the morning.”

“Afraid she’ll have too much time to destroy shit?”

“She’ll throw a fit, but nothing a few monthly payments can’t fix.”

“Why break it off with her so soon? She’s hot as fuck.”

He had met Janine when he had gone to Greece two months ago. He had brought her back with him when their sex was at the steamiest point. However, he hadn’t fucked her since Haley had come to Queens City. Desmond didn’t bother to question himself why, nor why he wanted all trace of her removed from his home. He had decided to send her packing on Tuesday when he had woken to find Janine trying to go down on his dick. Plunking her off him, he had gotten dressed and went to work. Soleil had forced the change of plan when she had showed unexpectedly at his office.

The FBI were trying to force her to turn on Gabriel. Not only did she not want to, but she was terrified of the consequences if she caved to their demands to reveal any of Gabriel’s secrets.

She was right to be fearful. Gabriel’s reach within prison had extended outward to her, which was why it had shaken her into running to him for help. He had ordered a hit on a woman, and he wanted Soleil to do the job.

Soleil didn’t care that the hit had been ordered on her daughter, only that she would be next in line when the job was completed. The bitch had proven yet again that, where motherhood was concerned, she lacked the maternal instincts. Her heart had belonged to Gabriel from the moment they had met.

When he had been working on Ivan Pavlov’s boat, it hadn’t taken him long to hear the rumors about the affair going on underneath Soleil’s husband’s, Jasper, nose. He had been the water engineer working on Clindale Island.

Desmond and the other staff had placed bets on Jasper finding out, yet the poor schmuck hadn’t until it was too late. Not even when Soleil became pregnant.

He had struck up a friendship with one of the fishermen who would bring fresh food daily to Sherguevil Island from Clindale. The fisherman had been unaware of his son sneaking children from their island onto Sherguevil. The small band of pickpockets would fleece Gabriel’s guests then sneak back onto the boat without being caught by his fisherman friend. Mateo was a good-looking boy who would take a cut of kid’s thefts. To do it over again, Desmond would have told his friend what was going on behind his back, but he had stayed out of it.

During one of his breaks, he had been sent to shore for supplies, and he had seen one of the children whom Mateo had brought to the island singing in the marketplace.

Her features differed from the other native children in the crowd. Watching her, he realized she was with Mateo. Curious, he had taken Mateo to the side and questioned him on whom the child belonged to. When Mateo had told him that she was the child of the teacher and the water engineer on their island, he had warned Mateo that he shouldn’t be bringing the child to the island. He had promised not to, and Desmond had taken him at his word.

Giving the child one last look, he had returned to the ship, knowing the child was no more Jasper’s than his. If he could figure it out, it was only a matter of time before Gabriel would.

He had heard whispers about the owner of the island, and he didn’t want Mateo or Gyi drawn into the confrontation he could see was brewing.

In Queens City, he had seen too many lives destroyed by infidelities when King had opened the strip bar. They never ended well and usually ended in bloodshed.

Returning to the boat, Desmond had put the child out of his mind when he had heard that Aanya and Ivan had gotten in a fight while he was gone. He had been the one tasked with taking Aanya’s meals or fulfilling her requests when she wanted something from the kitchen. Often, she would strike up conversations with him, asking him about some of the islands they visited. Gradually, she had begun confiding in him. Infuriated with her husband, he had drawn out those conversations, trying to get her to notice him as someone other than the friend she took him for. In his make-believe world, Aanya would realize she was in love with him and run away with him.

Grimacing at himself now, he still couldn’t understand how foolish and unrealistic he had been. Aanya had never, by word or action, given any signs of feelings for him, other than being a confidant.

The loud arguments between Aanya and Ivan coming from their suite had the crew concerned yet unable to interfere for fear of losing their job, or worse. Desmond had been saving every dime he earned, preparing to sweep Aanya away as soon as she gave the word. Every day grew more and more tense until the crew was jumping at every movement Ivan made to keep him happy.

Staring out at the darkened streets he had claimed as his empire, Desmond could only shake his head at what an idiot he had been. In every way, he had never stood a chance with the beautiful woman. He had been much younger, unsophisticated, and with no future ahead of him, yet he had still believed that once Aanya was away from Ivan, she would miraculously return his feelings. In hindsight, he had prepared for every eventuality, even using some of the money he had been saving for Aanya and his escape to purchase false documentation.

The person he had bought his fake identity from had given one based on a real person who had died overseas. With every member of the deceased man’s family dead, except for the father who had lost his wealth, Bernard Benson lived on Sherguevil Island as a waiter. Desmond had met him during one of the many trips to the market. Not above selling his dead son’s identity, he had also managed to get one for Aanya.

As the fights between Aanya and Ivan escalated, Desmond was in a constant state of wariness for her. Ivan had a maniacal temper when raised. Two members of the crew had gone missing when Ivan had used them to transport him to the island. Some assumed they had taken the opportunity to run off, while others, like him, had assumed the worst.

On edge, he had silently made the preparations to sneak off the boat. Going so far as to steal the spare key to the boat that transported Ivan to the island.

What he had failed on was taking into account the wise old saying he hadn’t learned with Ariel’s death but was now gospel to him. When making plans … “It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him.”

While he had taken Ivan into account, he hadn’t put Gabriel in the mix. The mistake had cost Aanya her life. One Desmond wouldn’t rest until he found the revenge he had sought against Ivan and Gabriel.

Gabriel was sitting in prison, and Desmond was going to make sure he stayed there. For the last part of his revenge, he had to use Soleil, which hadn’t bothered his conscience in the least. That part of the plan had been instigated two days before and set in motion the part he needed Haley to play.

That was the hit to his nearly nonexistent conscience. He hadn’t expected to begin liking the woman, nor the attraction that was undermining the determination that had factored into his life since Aanya’s death.

Backtracking to find another course would put him in the crosshairs, and the stack of his cards he had carefully crafted would come crashing down on him. Too many lives in Queens City would be upended if they lost his protection. He refused to let Queens City sink back into the cesspool it had once been. Not even for Haley, who would run screaming if she found herself involved with the real man behind the mask he had been wearing. If he fell in love with her, he wouldn’t be able to wear the mask all the time.

Love had a way of unmasking the ugliness hidden from sight, exposing the monster walking freely among them.

Twenty-Three

“You’re a piece of shit, Desmond!” Haley heard the loud shout coming from inside the home she had taken great effort in finding last night.

Indecisive, she let her hand hang in mid-air instead of pushing the doorbell.

“I’m not fucking leaving. You brought me here; you can take me back!”

Wincing at the female screech, Haley decided to come back later… much later. As in never.

This had been such a bad idea. She hated confrontations. On a scale of one to ten, it was placed at twenty.

The sound of the front door being jerked open had her staring, open-mouthed, at the woman standing on the other side.

“Who the fuck are you?”

The stunning woman’s fury didn’t affect her looks. She was one of the most beautiful women whom Haley had ever seen. She was at least six feet tall, and her heaving breasts were braless underneath the pale pink baby doll nightgown showing a glowing golden skin that had her feeling plain and washed out.

“Um… nobody,” Haley managed to stutter out, taking a step back from the door. “Wrong address.”

The woman narrowed her eyes to slits. “Who are you looking for?”

“No one. My Uber driver must have gone to the wrong house.” Haley took another step back, nearly tripping on the low step she had forgotten was there.

Her gaping mouth widened farther when she saw the man who came to the door, dressed only in a pair of light gray sweatpants. She had never seen Desmond in anything but expensive suits and ties.

Nearly choking on her own tongue, she managed to snap her mouth closed without maiming the delicate tissue.

“What are you doing here?”

God, just let me magically disappear. Haley had never been so embarrassed in her entire life, and that was saying a lot.

“Oh … I was … never mind. I should have called. Excuse the interruption.”

Haley frantically pulled out her cell phone to call for a driver to get her the hell out of Dodge.

“Come inside before you pass out. Janine was just leaving.”

“Fuck you, Desmond! I’m not going anywhere. This is my home!”

God, please … Haley pleaded again at Desmond’s expression.

“This is my home. You have been a guest. My plane is on standby to fly you home, Janine. Keep going with this temper tantrum, and you’ll be flying back on a commercial flight.”

At his threat, the woman seemed as if she was trying to get control of her fury.

“How can you do me this way? I love you. We can work out our problems.” Flinging herself into Desmond’s arms, Janine began pressing kisses along Desmond’s hard jawline. “Don’t make me leave … I was a bad girl … so bad …” Her heaving breasts were now flush against Desmond’s bare chest as she rubbed against him like a cat begging to be petted.

Trying not to gag at the plaintive sounds Desmond’s girlfriend was making, Haley requested a car. Blushing when she saw Desmond watching her reaction instead of the woman pleading for his attention in his arms, Haley gave him an unsympathetic look.

“Cancel the car, Haley. Come inside.” Pushing the woman away, Desmond reached out, snagging her arm to pull her between him and the woman who was now the one standing with her mouth open at Desmond’s cold behavior.

With a deft movement of his hand, he took her open phone away to cancel the car. Haley tried to snatch the phone back, becoming just as furious as the woman at her back at her failed attempt before Desmond pocketed the cell phone in his sweatpants.

Angry as she was, Haley didn’t attempt to fight for it, despite the daring gleam in his eyes. She would happily die a wimp rather than reach her hand into the pocket where the outline of his cock could be seen under the material.

“Wait in the study. I’ll be there in a minute.” He pointed in the direction for her to go.

Haley nearly ignored the command. Instead, she edged away from them and made her way down the long hallway.

Without her phone, the walk back would take forever, never mind that she was maliciously beginning to enjoy hearing Desmond’s girlfriend’s gag-worthy use of baby talk on him. She was going to have a field day when her phone was returned and she called Nadia.

Staring interestedly around as she walked down the long passageway, Haley had to admit that Desmond’s home was gorgeous. The hallway didn’t have normal walls. Instead, they were made of glass, where you could see bottles of liquor and wine interspersed with pieces of art that showed Desmond had a vast variety of tastes, from the iconic, to easily recognizable, like Andy Warhol, to more contemporary, like Faye Bridgewater.

Restraining herself from losing herself in just staring at the paintings, she looked to the left to see what she assumed was the main room. Sleek, black leather couches were placed opposite each other, sitting atop an opulent black and white rug, giving the room an elegant appearance that mirrored the owner. Glossy gold lights hung down from the ceiling, highlighted from the open shelves with recessed lighting. This one room had probably cost more than the furnishings in her whole house, Haley estimated from the prints alone.

Moving into Desmond’s study, she was struck by the difference. While the other parts of the house were all modern, this area was filled with antiques. The huge oak desk was massive, as well as the high-backed, tufted chairs sitting by a glass encased liquor cabinet.

Refusing to take one of the rigid chairs sitting in front of the desk, Haley went to the liquor cabinet and poured herself a shot of brandy. She could count the number of times on one hand how often she had drunk hard liquor but decided to splurge today.

Swirling the amber liquid in her glass, she gave a small laugh before taking a sip. How could she not laugh? The whole situation was hilarious.

“Mind telling me what you find so amusing?”

Startled at Desmond’s voice behind her, she nearly dropped her glass. “I thought you would be much longer.”

“What does that have to do with me hearing you laugh?”

Rather than fabricating a lie, she gave him the truth. “I don’t think you would find it funny.”

“You, on the other hand, find something hilarious.”

“Chill, Desmond. It was just a small laugh.”

“Why don’t you let me be the judge and tell me the joke?”

“Are you sure you want to hear it?”

Desmond stepped around her, pouring himself a glass of brandy then refilling hers. “Go ahead. Right now, I could use a laugh, even at my own expense.”

“I find it funny that she was calling you daddy, and you actually looked like that was normal.” Yeah, she should have tried harder to make something up.

Desmond swallowed his drink then refilled the glass half-full. “I’m not old enough to be her father.”

“It wasn’t the age difference between you two that made me think it was funny; it was the way you looked at her that did. You looked like you wanted to spank her.”

Choking back more laughter at his piqued expression, she said, “Come on, Desmond, ease up. I was trying to lighten the situation.” She hadn’t, but he didn’t know that.

Finding herself in an inexplicably good mood, Haley sat down in one of the soft-as-butter chairs. “Jesus, how much do these bad boys cost? I need one in my life.”

Desmond’s lips quirked in a semblance of a smile. “Twelve thousand.”

“Damn, that’s a no-go for me, then.”

Sitting down on the other chair, Desmond crossed his legs at the ankles. “I happen to know you can more than pay for one if you wanted to.”

Haley shrugged, her good mood not even letting it bother her that Desmond was aware of her financial situation. “I’m curious. Is there anything about me you don’t know?”

“No.”

“Gilbert was a surprise,” she pointed out badly, as her good humor was starting to ebb. “Moving on … Shouldn’t you be with Janine? If you give me my phone back, I can call for a driver.”

“She’s good. At this point, the less she sees of me, the better. Care to explain what was so important that has you in here instead of waiting until I came into the office today?”

“I didn’t know if you were going to be there today. It’s not like you’ve been there the last three days, and Lucas would rather cut out his tongue than answer questions about your schedule.”

Holding his glass between two slender fingers, he continued to stare at her. Belatedly, she realized he was waiting for her explanation of why she needed to talk with him.

“I wanted to ask why you were having me followed. I didn’t see one today, but I know I’m not imagining someone has been watching me.”

“How do you know I’m the one having you followed?”

“Who else could it be?”

“I can come up with several scenarios of why someone could be following you. You’re a lone woman, living alone; you could have a stalker from your time on your parents’ show. There could be other, more frightening reasons, such as sex traffickers looking for their next victim, ransoming you for your family’s wealth …”

Haley drained the last of her brandy. “So, you weren’t the person who was having me followed?”

“I was.”

“Then why were you trying to frighten me?”

“Payback.”

Twenty-Four

Twirling his brandy, Desmond told himself that carrying Haley upstairs to fuck her brains out before the door was closed on Janine was in bad taste.

His ex-mistress’ behavior had been cringe-worthy, which he had to reluctantly admit. Still, that Haley found it so amusing that she laughed at him irritated him more than Janine trying to steal one of his favorite prints from his bedroom. He had gotten it back then left his butler to watch her pack the rest of her belongings.

“Payback? For what?”

He narrowed his eyes on Haley.

“For laughing? I’m sorry, all right? It’s just … I’m sorry, but hearing a grown woman call a man who isn’t her father daddy, and men who enjoy being called daddy, is kind of weird to me. So, I laughed, okay?”

“So you know women who call men they are intimate with daddy refers to them taking care of her.”

“I get that. I just—”

“Would never call a man daddy,” he finished for her.

“Never in a million years.”

He almost laughed at the icky face she made.

“Got it. You have daddy issues.”

“I don’t have daddy issues,” she snapped, her expression becoming irritated.

Desmond raised his glass to hide his smile. “Hmm … then sexual issues.”

Red flooded her cheeks.

“I don’t have those issues, either.”

“Seems you have a little of both going on,” he surmised out loud.

“You’re changing the subject.” She clenched her glass. “Why were you having me followed?”

“I was having you followed for your own safety. Now, going back to your issues, if you decide to seek help, I can make myself available day or night.”

“Are you actually hitting on me while your girlfriend is still in your house?”

“Ex-girlfriend, and yes.”

The rosy coloring in her cheeks fled. Then Haley jerkily rose to her feet, setting her glass on the small table next to the chair before holding her hand out to him. “I’d like my phone back.”

Desmond had expected several reactions to his come-on, yet the hurt look she was giving him had him trying to repair the damage. “Haley—”

“Either give me my phone, or I’ll walk. I won’t stand here and be made fun of. When you aim for payback, you go full ninja.”

“I don’t understand?” he confessed.

Her hands on her hips, Desmond had to jerk his legs back as she strode forward, her knees bumping his. “You’re not exactly being subtle. Did I hurt your manhood so badly by laughing at you that you decided to bring me down a peg or two? I’ve got news for you. I’m aware that I am nowhere in Janine’s class of beauty, but I do have standards.”

Desmond set his own glass down. “Are you saying fucking me is beneath your standards?”

Rage filled him that Haley thought he was beneath her. Images of his childhood came back to haunt him of being the hungriest, dirtiest child not only in his neighborhood, but in all of Queens City.

Confusion filled her eyes. “What? No, that isn’t what I’m saying at all. You weren’t making fun of me?”

Snagging her wrist, he pulled her down onto his lap. Her soft, cushioned ass landed on top of his aching cock. “Does that feel like I’m making fun of you?”

Haley tried to wiggle off his lap, but he grabbed the nape of her neck to place her head in the crook of his shoulder.

“Let’s try this again. I’ve been attracted to you since we ate lunch together. So much so that I’ve been useless to Janine, or any other woman, whom I’ve tried to be with.”

“You have?” She searched his eyes.

Desmond admitted the truth to her, and finally to himself, the real reason he was desperate to get Janine out of his house. “I have.”

“Oh …” With her hands on his bare chest, she made a move to push herself off him. Before she could, though, Desmond placed his mouth over hers. Parting her lips with one stroke of his tongue, he delved inside, searching for the unique taste that only she was able to give him.

He had drunk two glasses of brandy since he had entered his study, and neither of them had the heated effect that one kiss with her was giving him.

Passion had his thoughts and body swirling, losing sight of Janine being upstairs, of his careful plans, of every fucking thing except the woman in his arms. He had never lost himself in a woman before, and the novelty of it sent warning signals traveling to his brain and to a cock that only wanted to bury itself deep in the warm part of Haley’s body, which was squirming on his lap.

“Desmond … we are not going to do this.”

The prim and proper accountant attempting to defuse the situation had him battling a conscience that was getting stronger every day she spent in Queens City.

Telling his conscience to fuck off, he went to work changing Haley’s mind.

Giving a low groan, he used the tip of his tongue to trace the long line of her throat. “Why not?”

“Your girlfriend is here.” She tried to heave herself off him again.

“Ex,” he reminded her, playfully biting the end of her chin. “She’s upstairs.”

“No, I’m not, you fucking bastard.”

Gritting his teeth in frustration at being interrupted, he reluctantly released Haley.

“You couldn’t wait until I was out of the house?” Janine screeched.

Slowly getting to his feet, Desmond faced Janine’s fury head-on. “All packed? Lucas is outside, waiting to drive you to the airport.”

“That’s it? That’s all you have to say to me?”

Without remorse, he didn’t attempt to soothe her battered feelings. Janine had come to Queens City heedful that their affair would last only as long he wanted it to. Multiple warnings had obviously fallen on deaf ears, despite his constant admonitions when she would pressure him for a commitment.

“Have a good trip home.”

Janine’s lips curled vengefully, her eyes dropping to the swollen arousal the sweatpants did little to hide.

“I wouldn’t,” he warned.

“I don’t have anything to lose playing nice anymore, do I?”

Desmond received her hint. “Anger me at your own cost. How much are you willing to lose just to play the rejected ex-girlfriend?”

“I didn’t expect you to throw me out after a couple of months.” Janine tossed back her silky hair. “Especially not for someone who is so plain. I knew you were fucking around on me when you were staying out so late, but come on, Desmond; you have a whole smorgasbord you could choose from. I’m disappointed in you.”

Desmond took out his cell phone and started texting.

Janine paled. “What are you doing?”

“Stopping the payments I said I would give you over the next four months.”

“You can’t do that!”

“Why can’t I? I only said I would give you the money to be generous. There is no written contract between us. You can walk out of here under your own steam, or I can carry you out. Either way, it’s time for you to leave.”

With another flip of her hair, she was gone, and once she was, Desmond focused his attention back on Haley.

“Ignore what she said. She was being a bitch.”

“She was hurt! How can you be blasé about her feelings?”

Smashing down his growing conscience, Desmond disregarded the astonished look she was giving him. “Janine’s feelings were never involved, nor were mine. We had a mutual agreement that should have ended a month ago. I never misled her once.”

“Then why didn’t you end it before?”

Desmond gave a careless shrug. “Boredom.”

At his flippant response, Haley’s astonishment disappeared, turning more quizzical. “What are you doing?”

He frowned at her, not understanding her question. “What do you mean?” Tensing when her expression turned speculative, he moved to stand behind the high-backed leather chair. Had she picked up on his injured thigh?

“Your house is guarded. I had assumed, in the heat of the moment, that your girlfriend had let me inside. She didn’t, though. It was you, wasn’t it?”

He tightened his hands on the back of the chair, unable to deny her assertion.

“Which one of us were you giving a message to? Janine or me? Or were you killing two birds with one stone?”

“I knew you were concerned with something important, or you wouldn’t have come here. Don’t construe something that isn’t there.”

Haley continued as if he hadn’t spoken. “Was Janine harder to get rid of than you assumed she would be, or were you thinking that I would make something of that kiss in the car? Is that why you haven’t been coming over during the evenings? Afraid I would expect more from you on an intimate level?” Her voice dropped so low that he had to struggle to make the words out. “Were you worried the ugly, fat accountant would fall in love with you after one little kiss?”

“Don’t talk about yourself that way!” Moving around the chair, he took a step toward her.

“Don’t you dare touch me.”

Desmond stopped in his tracks. “You’re completely misunderstanding the situation.”

She shook her head at him. “I don’t think I am. I think, for the first time, I have you pegged exactly right.” She extended her hand. “Give me my phone.”

“I’ll drive—”

“If you still want me to go with you tomorrow, give me my phone now, or I’ll be going alone, and I will make sure you never step foot on Rhone’s island.”

Giving her the phone, he watched her order a car before heading toward the doorway.

“I’ll pick you up in the morning. We leave at eight.”

“I’ll meet you at the airport,” she countered.

Desmond had to shove his fisted hands into his pockets to prevent himself from stopping her. Then, waiting several minutes before leaving his study, he slowly strode out into the hallway. The house was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. What staff was there were good at making themselves invisible.

Walking to the closed front door, he was able to look out and see Haley outside. He waited and watched until he saw the car arrive and her get inside before he made his way upstairs to shower.

Facing the wall, which was a full-length mirror, he gingerly peeled the loose sweatpants down his thighs. Once he managed to step out of them, he carefully unwound the gauze bandage on one of his thighs, exposing the burnt flesh underneath. Tossing the used bandage into the trash can near him, he then went to the vanity to pick up a box of saran wrap, winding the wrap around the wound on his thigh until he was satisfied.

Stepping into the shower, he used his handheld showerhead to wash himself. Afterward, he applied the medicine his private doctor had given him before rebandaging his thigh. Throughout his ministrations, he had managed to keep Haley out of his mind.

Once he was done, instead for getting prepared for work, he went back to his suite of rooms to pour himself another glass of brandy from the liquor cabinet he kept in the sitting room off his bedroom.

Twirling the crystal glass, he lifted it to his lips, tilting the glass back until the liquor touched his lips. However, he pulled his hand back, unable to bring himself to drink it.

Unbridled self-loathing overcame him, to the point that he could no longer contain it. Throwing the glass at the antique liquor cabinet, he sent shards of glass flying. Rather than congratulating himself on accomplishing the goal he had set out for, he had destroyed a cabinet that had taken months to acquire.

Sinking down on a nearby chair, he buried his face in his hands. Then, lifting his head, he stared at the scattered remains. It wasn’t the only thing he had a hand in destroying today. He had wrecked any chance of ever getting close to Haley again, which was what he had wanted to do, so why in the fuck was he feeling this way?

You already know the answer, his conscience wasn’t long in answering. You were scared shitless that you were falling in love with her. You didn’t take into account the bigger problem.

Which is? he asked the imaginary voice in his mind.

It was his heart that replied.

You already are.

Twenty-Five

In his bedroom, he shut the door to the sitting room with an unscratched bottle of whiskey. Laying down on the bed, he raised the bottle to mockingly cheer himself before opening it, setting about getting shitfaced.

Taking a drink, he told himself not to replay the events, which he had used as an excuse to put an unremovable barrier between Haley and him.

He had actually done her a favor. There was no way she would want him to touch her if she was aware of what he was capable of. Soleil had found to her own deterrent the monster residing within him.

Since Gabriel had gone to prison, he’d had the Predators watching over her. There was never a chance Soleil would ever betray Gabriel, despite any threats the CIA or the FBI made. Desmond covered his bases with the Predators; he wanted Gabriel to stay exactly where he was—behind iron bars. Soleil could be the only hiccup in his objective.

She was smart enough to know he was one of the few who could help her achieve her aim of getting Gabriel released. So, pretending to go along with her to find out Gabriel’s intentions on how to get out, he had flown with her to Kansas City, to Dante’s Casino. Once there, she had told him her plan to get Ginny’s help to get the FBI’s protection. The whole time, Desmond had known Soleil had been lying through her teeth.

“Why would your daughter try to help you? You didn’t try to help Ginny when Gabriel had her on Sherguevil Island. The truth has come out about the affair you and Gabriel were having and that he’s responsible for Jasper’s death.”

“Which I didn’t know about.”

Desmond had nearly rolled his eyes at the flat-out lie.

“How are you even planning to get close enough to talk to her? You’ll never get past Gavin.” He’d thought it only fair to sway the woman from something that could only lead to her death.

“I could with your help.” Crying, she had thrust herself into his arms. “You helped me once before. I’m begging, Desmond.” Lifting her face to his, she had wound her arms around his neck.

It had taken everything he could not to cringe.

“You saved me on the worst day of my life. Evangeline’s, also. She would have drowned that day if not for you.”

The reminder of that day had him jerking out away from her. The night Soleil had referred to still burned him, that he had been unsuccessful in killing Ivan and Gabriel. If he hadn’t been pulling a double shift to go to the island, he would have been on Ivan’s boat and would have heard the beating that had taken place while he’d been gone. When he had come back with the fresh supplies, it’d been to the staff and Ivan in turmoil about a child sneaking on board. Ivan had been frantic about finding out what the child had stolen.

From the moment he had stepped back onboard, he had sensed something terrible had happened. When he’d tried to ask several of the crew, they had scattered away fearfully.

With terror clogging his throat, he had grabbed the first thing that could satisfy his curiosity—to this day, he still couldn’t believe he had the wherewithal to take the hard drive from the security system—before going to Aanya’s suite. He had found his way blocked by her security detail. Their grim faces had warned him away.

When he had tried to explain he wanted to see if Anaya needed anything before he retired for the night, he had been told she had flown back to her home.

He’d walked away from the suite, knowing she was dead inside. He’d felt it in every pore of his being.

He had gone back to the main room, where Ivan had been ranting, only to find him gone. Gabriel had sent one of his boats to pick him up.

Taking the spare key he had planned to use when Aanya and he made their escape, he used it to go back to Sherguevil Island with every intention of killing Ivan, and whomever else was in his way.

Starting the boat, he had seen a fire coming from the dock lighting the dark sky. He drove to the side of the dock, cutting the lights and killing the motor so no one would see him. As he did, Desmond was able to see the child climbing off the boat that was on fire and starting to swim. From the loud voices on the dock, he could make out that the owner of the boat was dead, and the fire had been set to draw the child out.

Keeping an eye on the swimming child, he waited until she slowed down before diving underwater. Luckily, he had been close enough to her before she had sunk even further.

Swimming back to the boat, he pushed her over the hull then pulled himself abroad the boat. Then he’d found a blanket and covered her before checking for a pulse.

Mercifully, the tide had been ebbing toward Clindale, drifting until he was out of sight. He had been about to start the motor when saw a small motorboat nearly run into them. Turning on a flashlight, he had recognized the woman.

“Did you just come from Sherguevil Island? I’m trying to find my daughter. Did you see a little girl—”

“I have her,” Desmond cut her off. He could see her relieved expression in the dim light. “You’re not the only one looking for her.”

“Give her to me.” Soleil had maneuvered her boat closer, holding her arms out.

Reaching down, he lifted the unconscious child, and as he leaned over to hand the child over, the blanket slipped away, and he could see what was pinned on her top. The expensive pin was confirmation that his worst fear was true. Aanya was dead. The pin had always been latched to her clothing, showing her status as royalty.

Desmond pointed to the pin. “They’re searching for her because she has that pin. They’re not going to let her live if they find out she’s the one who has it, even if you give it back,” he had warned her.

“Gabriel won’t let anyone harm my child,” she had argued.

“Gabriel Allerton won’t care if he’s fucking you or that she’s his kid. Ivan won’t let her live.”

“Gabriel Allerton isn’t her father. Jasper—”

“I don’t give a fuck if your husband is turning a blind eye to your affair. I’ve done what I can. You let Allerton find out she’s the one who was on the island tonight, the kid won’t live to see another day.”

He was shocked when he saw her start edging the boat toward Sherguevil instead of going back to Clindale.

“Lady, are you fucking crazy? Are you trying to get her killed?”

“Gabriel won’t kill her. I’ll give him the pin.”

“You’re seriously going to put her in danger? You fucking see that fire? Gabriel is the one who set it. There are two dead bodies on the dock.” Desmond could tell he was making no headway with her, so he had tried another tact. “Does Gabriel know she’s his kid?”

She stopped the boat. “Evangeline is not his daughter!”

“Lady, I don’t know shit about genetics, but the kid looks just like him. You try to take her over there, I’ll make fucking sure he knows she is before I let him hand her over to Ivan. There isn’t a man or woman alive who doesn’t know Gabriel’s decision not to have children. He finds out who she is, your affair will be over.”

“What am I supposed to do?”

“Go back to Clindale and get her off the island.”

“No one leaves either island without Gabriel’s permission, you know that. What am I supposed to do?”

“Lady—”

“My name is Soleil.”

“I know who you are,” he snapped. “Obviously, you don’t have any problem lying to your husband, so spread a few lies to Gabriel. Just do it before he finds out she was the one who was on the island tonight. I would make her disappear from sight if you want to make sure he never finds out whose kid she is. If you don’t protect her, I will make sure he knows.”

“I have money,” she pleaded. “If you’re so certain Ivan will kill her … then help me.”

The rich bitch couldn’t care less about the little girl. She hadn’t even checked on her once since setting her down.

Desmond remembered staring at the little girl, her unconscious face turned in his direction. Still reeling from losing Aanya, the childlike innocence had brought him down to earth. Aanya had loved children. Before she had married Ivan, many had benefited from her taking up their cause. He knew what Aanya would want him to do. It had been as if she was standing over his shoulder, protecting the child.

“Take her home. Do you have a safe place you and your family can go?”

“My mother’s. But if Jasper and I leave, Gabriel will get suspicious.”

Desmond could tell Soleil had no intention of leaving Gabriel.

“The holidays are coming. It’s a perfect excuse to send her to your mother.”

“I can send both my girls. That will make it seem more probable to Gabriel.”

“You have another daughter?”

“Yes.”

“Then send them.”

“I will.” The indecision he heard in her voice didn’t bode well for the kid.

“You want to keep Gabriel in your life, then send her away.” Pointing the flashlight at the little girl, he said, “She’s the fucking image of him. How do you think he’s going to react when he finds out you’ve been lying to him?”

Finally, she received his fucking message.

“I’ll get her out as soon as I can get a flight.”

“Good. I’ll contact you in a few days on what to do next.”

“What do you mean?”

“Give me the pin. I’ll keep it for safekeeping. Gabriel and Ivan won’t stop until they find it.”

“How do I know I can trust you?” she’d asked.

“I could not give a fuck and go on my merry way. I’m trying to help you.”

“Why?”

“I didn’t keep her from drowning just to let Ivan kill her.”

Soleil took off the pin then leaned over the boat to give it to him.

They had drifted far enough away from Sherguevil Island, so Desmond started the motor, turning the wheel to head back to Ivan’s yacht.

“Wait—what is your name?”

His voice clogged when he tried to give the name of the identity he had bought for him and Aanya to start their new life. He knew that life had been a fantasy that had no hope of coming to fruition, but it still hurt like a motherfucker.

“My name is Garrick.”

Twenty-Six

The memories assailed him as he stared off into space. He had put the memories behind him until King had shown up months earlier, asking for help to get two people off Sherguevil Island.

He’d remained composed as King had filled him in about Gavin, who went by the name of Reaper and belonged to The Last Riders, the motorcycle club whose enforcer, Shade, King’s daughter had married.

Despite his friendship with King, Desmond had had every intention of remaining neutral. He had worked silently over the years to bring Gabriel and Ivan Pavlov down.

Unbeknownst to King and Shade, they were giving him the prize. The woman whom King had asked him to help was Soleil’s own daughter, Evangeline, who was married to Gavin, and Gabriel was refusing to let them leave until he found the artifact she had stolen as a child.

Desmond had wondered what had happened to the little kid after he used the last of his connections to make the child disappear. It had cost him every cent he had saved, but watching Ivan’s reaction the day Evangeline’s plane had supposedly crashed had been worth every fucking dime.

The day after the plane crash, he had snuck off the yacht during the middle of the night. Using his spare key, he made his last trip to Sherguevil Island and had gone to Bernard’s cottage, killing the only person who could identify him as Garrick. Then he had swum back to the boat and taken off, sinking the boat not far off from an inhabited island.

Penniless and alone, he’d had few choices. He had wanted to come back to the States, but because of his murder charge, he had known it wouldn’t take long before he was caught. Neither did he want to get King involved. With few options, he had been forced to do something he had sworn never to do.

Contacting his father had been a bitter pill to swallow. When his mother had asked for help from Nathaniel Beck, he had denied being his father. Being from a wealthy family, there was no way he was going to admit an association with a ten-dollar whore. Any attempts to collect child support had a team of lawyers bringing out affidavits of men claiming they were his father. They had even been able to produce a marriage license to a man whom she had married when she had been three months pregnant, and an application for aid where his mother had signed the bozo whom she had married as the father. Conveniently, for his real father, the bozo had died of a meth overdose when Desmond had been two years old.

Desmond had never been within speaking distance of his father until Nathaniel had approached him at his mother’s funeral. By then, he had been fifteen and hadn’t seen his mother in years. The only reason he had gone to the funeral was to pay for it.

When his father had tried to talk to him, he had spit on his shoes and told him that, if he ever came near him again, he would kill him.

Nathaniel had been unfazed by the threat, putting up a hand to prevent the bodyguard from taking his cocky ass out. The two of them had then stared at each other, the spitting images of each other. The resemblance was how he had so easily recognized Evangeline as being Gabriel Allerton’s. A by-blow could always recognize another one.

His father had handed him a card and told him to call if he ever needed him. Curling his lip at him, Desmond had told him hell would freeze over before he would ever call.

Narrowly escaping Sherguevil, he had been cautious about working on the island he had found himself stranded on. Without money to buy another fake identity and still determined to exact revenge on Ivan and Gabriel, he had resorted to calling Nathaniel.

Within five hours, his father had arrived with the same team of lawyers the Becks had used to deny his paternity. In his hand were a new passport and birth certificate.

As much as he wanted to tell his father to shove it, he had accepted the documents and the new life he was offered. Nathaniel would erase all proof that could tie him to his prior life. All he had to do was become the son Nathaniel had previously denied was his.

The irony of the situation of Nathaniel now wanting to claim him wasn’t lost on either of them. Staring down at the fake birth certificate, he saw Nathaniel listed as father and the differences from where his mother’s name and the one he had been given at birth were.

As Logan Miles, he would never be able to exact the revenge he wanted on Ivan and Gabriel, but as Desmond Beck, he could.

Leaving with his father that day had been a turning point. Gradually, he had grown to respect Nathaniel. While they never achieved the close bond of father and son, they did achieve the objectives each of them wanted.

Nathaniel got an heir to the Beck family fortune that came with a pedigree that was acceptable to their standards, and Desmond had been able to systematically begin undermining Gabriel Allerton. Unless he brought him down, he didn’t stand a chance at hurting Ivan.

The years of working on a vacation resort and the yacht hadn’t been in vain. It had taught him how to act and fit seamlessly into a lifestyle that he had been denied at birth. Incorporating King into his new life had taken delicate handling, extending their friendship that tightened the hold King had on Queens City.

Tipping the bottle to his lips, Desmond continued down memory lane.

Soleil was the only one who could identify him as the man who had rescued Evangeline from the ocean and was responsible for her disappearance into oblivion. Soleil had been given the choice to go into witness protection, yet she had refused. Desmond hadn’t been surprised. When he had his father ask an old college roommate, who was a highly ranked official in the government, Desmond had made sure the only stipend was the child would be lost in the system. No one would be able to find her, regardless of the money that could be used if the operation failed.

No one had, either, until Evangeline had exposed herself to protect the man she loved. Making a deal, she secured Gavin and The Last Riders from being prosecuted.

Going to Sherguevil at King’s asking, he had been able to see the woman the child had become and the man she was married to. Her appearance had changed, along with her name.

He’d had no intention of helping Ginny, not ready to show his hand when Ivan still remained out of his reach until he was introduced to her husband, Gavin, which was the other reason King and The Last Riders were trying to get them back to the mainland. Reaper was the club’s president’s brother.

All his plans burnt to ashes when he had seen Reaper. The man had looked as if he had walked through the torments of hell and what came out was a creation made from nightmares. When you looked at Reaper, you didn’t see a soul in his eyes; you saw pain … a haunting pain that only those who had walked through hell also could understand. Desmond had walked those paths himself and probably still would be, if not for King.

After meeting the couple in the flesh, he had to rearrange his plan of non-action. Every time he looked at Ginny, he saw the child he had pulled out of the ocean, and the way Reaper looked at Ginny when she wasn’t watching reminded him of the way he would stare at Aanya. Weighing the benefits, Desmond had aided Ginny, Reaper, and The Last Riders’ escape.

Assuming Gabriel’s position on Sherguevil and Angel’s World Rescue had given him the advantage, unexpectedly placing him in range of finally being able to make Ivan pay for Aanya’s death. The downside was that he was going to have to put Ginny and Reaper in danger and use Haley. He had set her on the sideline, waiting for the opportune time to use her.

The time had come, and as much as he wanted to leave Haley out of his machinations, he couldn’t unless he told her the full story and was willing to expose his ugly past. He would have to trust her, and he had never given that level of trust to anyone but King. He had killed to protect his new identity and felt zero remorse at doing so. Yet, no amount of liquor, or reasoning, made him feel better about what had happened downstairs. He had deliberately pushed Haley away from getting closer while taking the easy way out of getting rid of Janine.

She had been right; he had been killing two birds with one stone.

He drained another fourth of the bottle, his vision becoming blurry.

He could kill a man without giving it a second thought, yet killing a woman had him reevaluating if he had done the right thing.

The bitch was going to kill her pregnant daughter.

Drunkenly, he told himself it had been Soleil’s plan all along. She’d been begging him for his cooperation to get near Ginny, so he knew the bitch was being shady, yet he had gone alone and drove her to Treepoint to keep an eye on her.

His only stipulation was to tell Ginny the truth about Gabriel being her father and to give her the pin and video drive he had taken the night Aanya had died. Soleil didn’t know what was on the drive, or where it had come from. Desmond had told her it would make Ginny trust her, show a good faith effort to get her daughter’s support and get the FBI off her case. He had been bullshitting her the same way she had him by agreeing.

The image of Soleil pleading with him to stay in the car was scored into his mind.

It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out she was going to double-cross him. So far, he had played along with Soleil, the woman who had been pretending to be afraid for her life was more afraid of life without Gabriel than what her lover would do to her. She held all of his secrets from the sheer fact that she would never betray him the way she had Jasper. That was why the FBI wanted the information she had. Soleil didn’t need Ginny to bargain for her.

Ducking down in the back of the car so Ginny couldn’t see him, he had waited until Soleil had gone inside Ginny’s home before he had snuck out to keep an eye on what was going on inside. Looking through a window, he could see the two women talking while being unable to hear them. He really didn’t give a fuck what lies Soleil spun as long as she would give Ginny the pin and video drive.

The sudden opening of the door and Ginny coming out had him running around the side of the house to remain out of sight. Witnessing Soleil giving Ginny the pin and the drive had him prematurely thinking she was actually going to do right by her daughter.

As Ginny had walked away, toward a clump of trees, he had been about to come out of hiding. If he hadn’t been standing by the end of the house, where neither woman could see him, placing him behind Soleil’s back, he would have missed what the bitch had been doing.

Running toward Soleil, he had been able to grab the pistol she had pointed at Ginny’s withdrawing back with one hand and smashing a hand over her mouth to prevent her from screaming.

Struggling for the gun, Soleil had frantically tried to escape his hold.

“You fucking bitch. You’re going to kill your own grandchild?”

From the wild-eyed look Soleil had given him, Desmond knew Soleil would never cooperate with the FBI or would never stop trying to kill Ginny to get Gabriel out of jail. A coldness had come over him then that Desmond was familiar with, despite all the years of living in the upper echelons of society. He had resorted to the level of a street thug to save the woman who carried Reaper’s child.

He was fucking tired of evil winning, for once good was going to win, regardless of the cost. So be it if Soleil’s death would be yet another reason he was destined for hell.

Their struggle had them crashing into the door, his hand slipping from the gun and her frantically aiming the gun at Ginny again.

Wrapping his free arm around Soleil’s neck, he had used his body to bash her into the doorframe, with his other hand keeping her from screaming. Then he had given a sudden twist, snapping her neck.

Dragging Soleil’s body through the door, which had come open when they had crashed into it, he had placed her inside before going to get the purse Soleil had dropped. If he couldn’t see Ginny, he had planned to carry Soleil to the car. Then, as he had neared the purse, he could hear a clicking sound coming from inside.

When he picked the purse up, his life had flashed before his eyes. The fucking bitch had planned to fucking blow Ginny’s body up after killing her, and the incriminating evidence he had given her to give to Ginny.

Hearing another click, he had reflexively thrown the purse with the bomb through the open doorway, and as it flew through the air, he had started running.

Flinging the car door open, he had felt a burning pain strike his leg as the house exploded, flinging him inside the car. Raising his head, he had managed to get the car started, backing it out of the driveway while putting the fire out on his pant leg.

Driving through Treepoint, he had passed the fire trucks heading toward the mountain where Ginny’s house had been.

Draining the whiskey bottle of the last sip, he morosely glared down at his injured thigh under his black sweats. It was the only evidence that could place him near the bomb when it had gone off, and Soleil’s death.

Ginny and Reaper might have to rebuild their dream home, but their main dream of having a future together would never be put in harm’s way again. Not from Soleil, Gabriel, and certainly not from Ivan. The information he had given Soleil shed light on why they had been so frantic in finding her as a child and had led to the deaths of three men and the removal of the Clindale inhabitants.

All he had to do was wait and see what Ginny did with the information and go to Rhone’s island this weekend. Afterward, he could send Haley back to Kansas City and never see her again. This should be a piece of cake, he buoyed himself up. Right? Then why did he fucking feel as if he had broken something priceless?

Twenty-Seven

Holding two cups of coffee in a carrier, Haley carried her suitcase in her other hand as she approached Desmond’s private plane. Ignoring the man’s side-eye to the escort walking next to her for not carrying her things, she focused on the tall man in a pilot’s uniform standing with Desmond beside the open stairwell of the plane.

“Beautiful day, isn’t it?” Smiling, she set her suitcase down to take one of the cups from the holder, giving it to the pilot. “I brought an extra. Wanted to make sure you were wide awake. I hate flying.”

The pilot grinned back at her. “You’re not one of those people who freak out if I hit some turbulence, are you?”

She looked up at the cloudless sky. “Are you expecting any?” she asked worriedly. “We can delay the flight if—”

“I expect a smooth flight,” he hastened to assure her, his friendly attitude changing to a confident professional.

“Relax, I was only joking. I love flying. In fact, I’m working on getting my pilot’s license.”

The pilot laughed. “A woman after my own heart.” Reaching into his pocket, he took out his wallet to hand her a card. “You need any pointers or someone to fly with you while you get your hours, I’ll be able to help any way I can. Of course, my fee is a cup of coffee,” he joked.

Feeling as if she had made a new friend all on her own, without Nadia’s help, Haley laughed back.

Seeing her escort carrying her suitcase inside the plane, Haley stepped around the men to walk up the steps after giving Desmond the cold shoulder.

“See you when we land,” she said to the pilot as she went inside.

Taking one of the window seats, she pulled out her iPad and started reading while taking sips of her coffee. She didn’t bother looking up when she heard the men enter the plane, nor when the male attendant closed the stairwell.

Out of the corner of her eye, Haley saw Desmond had taken a seat across from her, facing in her direction. While hers was facing forward, she could still see what he had in his hand.

As the engine of the plane started, Haley quit pretending to read.

“I brought that coffee for the pilot.” Snidely, she glared at Desmond, who blatantly took a sip.

“I need it more,” he groused at her.

Looking at him closer, she saw Desmond hadn’t removed the dark-framed sunglasses he had been wearing outside, and his complexion was pale.

“Are you hungover?”

“Not yet. I’m still working on getting there.”

“You’re drunk?”

“Bingo.”

“Do you have to work so hard at being an ass?”

“I don’t have to work at it at all. It comes naturally.”

“That’s for sure.” At least we agree on that, she thought sarcastically. Haley pretended to go back to reading her book.

“What are you reading?”

“Why don’t you mind your own beeswax, and I’ll mind mine until we land and have to play this ridiculous charade?”

His eyebrows arched over his sunglasses. “Why is it ridiculous?”

“Because I can’t stand you.”

“Don’t hold back. Tell me how you really feel.”

Haley knew he meant to be snide, but she had been holding her anger in since she had left the previous day, so having the outlet conveniently close, she let loose.

“You’re a terrible person. There’s no excuse for the way you acted yesterday.”

“I agree.”

Her mouth gaped open. “You agree?”

“I do. Yesterday wasn’t my finest moment. I was irritated at myself and took it out on Janine and you. I called Janine this morning and talked to her. She accepted my apology, and we parted as friends, which is how I should have handled it yesterday.”

Haley stored her iPad away when the pilot came on the intercom, announcing that they were about to take off. Rather than looking out the window to watch the takeoff, she stared at Desmond.

“Well, I’m waiting,” she said through tightened lips.

“What for?”

“Where’s my apology? The only call I received last night was from Lucas telling me what time to be here today.”

“I wanted to give yours in person, which I would have already done if you hadn’t been giving my pilot googly eyes.”

“I was not—”

“Nor did you bring me a cup of coffee while you have literally given everyone on the planet one.”

“I have not—”

“And I’m not sober enough to keep from making an ass out of myself yet again, so I decided to wait until we were airborn and you couldn’t toss me out of the plane.”

She was not going to be taken in by his charm, Haley promised herself.

No sooner had the thought crossed her mind than his complexion went from pale to gray.

“Do you need a barf bag?” Haley raised her voice enough for the attendant to hear, and he unbuckled himself to grab one for Desmond.

Taking the bag, he motioned the man away.

He really must be sick, or Desmond would have shooed the attendant away before he gave him the bag.

“The coffee won’t help your stomach,” she advised when he took another drink from the cup. “If you have any clear liquids on board, they’ll be easier on your stomach.”

Desmond set the cup down. “Kirk, bring me a Sprite,” he ordered the attendant.

Waiting until Kirk had brought the drink to Desmond and left, she tried to take his mind off his queasy stomach.

“His name is Kirk?” she whispered, not wanting the man to hear.

“Yes. Why?”

“Why didn’t he just have us beamed to Gillis Island?”

While she couldn’t see behind the dark lens of his sunglasses, the lips curling in amusement was easily visible.

“Do you know how many times both of us have heard that joke?”

Haley gave him a two-shoulder shrug. “I couldn’t resist.” Tilting her head to the side, she was relieved Desmond was getting more color back into his cheeks. “You said you were irritated yesterday and that was why you were such an ass. Why were you so irritated?”

“Because I’m forty-eight years old, and I like my life exactly the way it is.”

“Okay …” she drawled out, “so you acted that way to push Janine away. She was taking your relationship too seriously,” she surmised.

“She was, which is why I broke up with her, but my behavior was geared more toward myself. I wanted to place a wedge between you and me.”

Haley turned her face forward again in embarrassment. He had recognized the change of feelings she felt toward him and had put a kibosh on her crush going any further.

“You achieved your mission. Congrats. Can I go back to my reading?” She got her iPad back out and started reading.

“That’s all you have to say?”

“What else do you want me to say? Nothing you said could be remotely considered an apology. Or did you want an assurance from me that I’m not taking you seriously in our make-believe relationship? I’m not. Satisfied?”

Hearing his sigh of frustration, she lowered her iPad. “Desmond, may I ask you a personal question?”

“Why? So you can twist my words again?”

“I did not twist your words. I merely read between the lines of what you were saying.”

“Then I hope you read your book with better clarity than you’re reading me. I’m still drunk enough that I don’t give a fuck about being a gentleman. I’m attracted to you—”

The startling admission had her searching his expression.

“—and I don’t want to be. I conduct my affairs with women who know there will be no permanent future, no permanent commitment, no children, and no marriage. I don’t want a monogamous relationship. I don’t expect a woman to be faithful to me, and I make no excuses that I won’t be to her. You would never be able to emotionally handle just a sexual fling with me without getting hurt, nor do I want to be put in the position of being the one to hurt you, hence my behavior yesterday. The wedge wasn’t designed to keep you from getting the wrong idea but to strengthen my resolve not to become involved with you.”

“Wow.” Haley widened her eyes to their fullest extent in mockery. “I won’t tell you how arrogant or conceited that so-called excuse came across. I thought Dante was the most arrogant asshole I’ve ever met, but God, you just showed me the error in my thinking. You take the trophy.” Rage filled her, fueling the disdain she couldn’t hold back. “Women actually let you get by with that crap you’re shoveling my way? No permanent commitment,” she mimicked him. “No children, and no marriage. All I can say is thank God you don’t. But thanks for the warning.”

She snickered at him then went back on her words, not done berating the arrogant a-hole yet. “Did you give one single thought about letting me make my own decision? Maybe you’re not the only one who doesn’t want any emotional attachments. Or that I don’t want children, either?” Raising her hand, she snapped her fingers at him. “Marriage may be a no-go for me, too. How would you know unless you freaking ask? You just assumed, like you do with everything else about me. Seems to me you’re the one who is emotionally vulnerable.”

Haley dropped her voice, simpering toward him like Janine had yesterday, losing sight of what she was saying in her rage. “Don’t be such a scaredy cat. I can be a good girl when I want to be. I don’t need a monogamous relationship as long as you left enough for me when—”

“Damn, you don’t need to convince me; you win. I told you I was weak. When we get to the island, I’ll tell Rhone we won’t be needing two rooms tonight. Kirk, bring me a shot of whiskey.”

“Huh?” Stopped mid-spiel, Haley had to replay the words she had been throwing out at Desmond.

Desmond grinned at her ruthlessly, deliberately misunderstanding her confusion. “Hair of the dog that bit you; that’s the only thing that works for hangovers.”

“But …” Haley tried to get herself out of the quicksand she had buried herself in. “We’re not having an affair,” she said, searching for firmer ground.

Desmond stood, and Haley shrank back in her seat, afraid he planned to start their affair this minute.

“Not until we go over the finer points tonight in our room. I’m going to go sit up front with the pilot and co-pilot. I’ve been thinking about taking flying lessons myself. Would save me a ton of money for having to keep Jim on payroll.”

Haley stared, nonplused, as Desmond walked down the aisle. He was paying her back for being so disparaging to him, right? He didn’t think she was agreeing to twist the sheets with him. He couldn’t be that looney, right?

Regardless how Desmond had misquoted what she’d said, she would be sleeping alone tonight. If the arrogant ass tried anything, he wouldn’t have to be worried about the dog that bit him; he would be mauled if he tried anything funny. He could play whack-a-mole with some other woman who would accept whatever terms he wanted to lay out.

A naughty thought came to her mind. What if she could beat him at his own game? Say, just for instance, the little devil sitting on her shoulder whispered into her ear, you negotiated the terms more favorable to you. She would love to make him eat his own words. You owe it to womankind to bring him down, the little devil whispered.

“Yes, I do,” she uttered under her breath as Kirk walked by.

“Did you say something?”

“I’ll take a whiskey sour, if you have the ingredients.”

“Certainly. Anything else?”

Haley saw the attendant was holding an empty glass.

“Were you getting another drink for Desmond?”

“I was.”

“Make it a double for him.” Giving a saucy wink that she had never given in her life, she relaxed back in her seat to search through the books Nadia had downloaded to her iPad. Their reading tastes were vastly different, but Nadia would send the ones she really loved for inspiration to get out in the dating world. Looking through the titles, she found one that should do. If she was going to be bad tonight, she was going to need all the help she could get. She wanted to bring Desmond Beck to his knees, prove to him that numbers weren’t all she could handle. It was going to be a piece of cake, right? What could go wrong?

The little devil fell off her shoulder, laughing.

Everything.

Twenty-Eight

Rhone was waiting for them when they stepped off the plane. Haley laughed when she was swept up in a bear hug.

“It’s been too long since I’ve seen you,” he said, pulling away.

“It’s been three months. You came to Moonbeam’s anniversary, remember?”

“Three months is too long.” Rhone turned his head to include Desmond in the conversation. “I guess I have you to thank for dragging Haley away from work. I’ve been trying to get her to take a vacation for over a year.”

Desmond took the hand held out to shake. “Glad to help.”

Haley tucked her arm through Rhone’s. “You going to show us around?” Haley turned them around at Desmond’s aloof behavior. He was giving the impression that he would rather be anywhere else.

The airstrip they had landed on consisted of the one runaway and a small aluminum building set to the side. A warm breeze had Haley wanting to explore the island.

“How’s Nadia doing? When I was in Kansas City, she promised to bring Dante and come for a visit. I’m beginning to feel unappreciated,” he joked as they walked toward an old beat-up pickup truck.

Taking the luggage from Kirk, Rhone heaved the two suitcases over the bed of the truck. Haley nearly laughed at Kirk’s expression at the loud thump they made when the suitcases hit the metal lining.

“Going to be a little tight, but we should all fit in.” Rhone opened the back doors for Kirk and the pilot. “Nice and cozy. You can sit in the middle, up front with me and Desmond.”

“My staff won’t be staying.”

“You sure?” Rhone stared at Desmond quizzically. “I have plenty of rooms.”

“I’m sure. They’ll pick us up on—”

Desmond had cut himself off when Rhone lifted her into the front seat and shut the front door.

Through the open window, Haley heard Desmond finish his sentence through a clenched jaw.

“—Sunday.”

“Cool.” Rhone patted Desmond on the shoulder. “You can take the back seat, then.”

Haley had to smother a giggle at Desmond’s expression. Her ex-boss wasn’t used to not being the center of attention. Haley loved it. The next time Rhone invited her out, she just might accept his invitation.

Rhone lifted himself easily behind the steering wheel. “Buckle up. The roads here are still a work in progress.”

Haley felt as if a huge weight had been taken off her shoulders just by being in Rhone’s presence. He was in a perpetual good mood. Despite his Herculine frame, he was the gentlest man she had ever met. Anytime Nadia or she needed anything for Moonbeam, they knew Rhone would make it happen.

She had met him a year before she had gone to work for Desmond. He had tried to lure her away from working for him. He would have succeeded if she hadn’t spotted some illegal sources of his income. Any help Moonbeam accepted from Rhone, Haley made sure came from his legal enterprises.

“Your island is beautiful,” Haley commented as they drove through the tropical paradise.

“Not mine. The land I built the hotel on is rented for fifty years. After that, I can negotiate my rent and the hotel goes into the hands of the government here. The arrangement works for both of us. There’s a population of over four thousand here, and not many jobs. I negotiated a few contracts to let a few cruise ships dock off the island. The jobs it provided boosted the economy, as well as the tourists that vacation here. We keep the tourists at a steady number. We want to make it a getaway.” Bringing the truck to a stop, Rhone beamed at the hotel like a proud parent. “What do you think?”

“I think you’re going to have a hard time saying good-bye when the fifty years are up.”

“Nope. By then, I’ll have moved on. Plan to be chasing after my great-grandchildren, if I can ever catch a woman willing to marry me.”

Haley rolled her eyes at him. The last problem Rhone had on earth was finding a woman to marry him. Every time she saw him, he had a different woman on his arm.

“You shouldn’t be so picky,” she advised, preparing to get out.

“At my age, all the good ones are taken,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows at her. “Or has a stick up her ass. I want a woman who wants at least five kids. How many kids you planning on having?”

“Not five, that’s for sure.” Haley laughed as she started to open the door, only to find that Desmond was opening it. Then, before she could climb out, he was lifting her to the ground.

Finding herself the focus of so much attention was heady. Haley wanted to pinch herself. Get ahold of yourself, she rebuked herself. Desmond is just playing the attentive boyfriend.

Following Rhone inside the hotel after he had retrieved their luggage, Haley gazed around in admiration. The hotel was only two levels and was surrounded by palm trees. To the side was a long expanse of beach with only a handful of people lying spread out under canopies or hammocks. The turquoise water gleaming under the bright sun had her promising herself a swim once they were given their room.

Skirting the reception desk, Rhone carried their luggage up a winding staircase.

Gazing around, Haley felt at ease. Nothing about the hotel was pretentious. The main area had neutral colors, blending with bold displays of flowers.

Reaching the top, Rhone led them down a wide hallway to the end where there were double doors. Swiping a plastic card, he opened the door, exposing the room filled with dramatic glory.

The entryway had shiny, cream tiles. Haley hated to walk in for fear of removing the shine. They were greeted by a large round table with a huge bouquet of assorted flowers, iced champagne, and a tray of fruit and cheeses.

“Darn, Rhone, I may never leave,” she joked, walking farther into the suite. The entryway had a door to the side before leading to a main room, where there were two lemon-colored sofas, catty corner to each other in front of the window that gave a sparkling vision of the beach.

Setting the suitcases down, Rhone walked to the side of the window then began opening it completely. Going outside to the open balcony, Haley saw a table and four chairs.

“I thought we could share breakfast before I left you two on your own,” he said, motioning to the fully set table that had several covered dishes and a glass pitcher of orange juice.

“That sounds wonderful. Thank you, Rhone.”

“My pleasure.” Smiling, he went behind one of the chairs and gestured grandly. “My lady.”

“Be still my heart.” Grinning up at Rhone, she caught a strange expression cross his face. It only lasted for a second but had her wondering what had brought on the guilty look she had caught.

Pouring herself a glass of the orange juice as Rhone and Desmond took their seats, she almost dropped the pitcher when Desmond slid his chair closer to hers, placing an arm across the back of the chair.

Transferring an omelet from the serving tray to her plate as the men filled theirs, she felt her cell phone vibrating in her pocket. Taking it out, she saw an unexpected number calling.

“Excuse me.” Rising from the table, she pressed accept before going into the entryway, where she was far enough away from the two men outside.

“Hello, this is Haley.”

“Haley, this is Leighton.”

Her breath caught in her throat. Her sister-in-law would only call if it was bad news.

“I just wanted to thank you.”

Her mind went blank. “What for?”

“For sending Desmond last night.”

Haley’s eyes flew toward where Desmond was sitting on the balcony.

“I don’t know how you knew to send him, but he got me out of the house last night with the boys. I’ve been trying to leave Gilbert for the last six months, but he manages to keep one member of your family with the boys anytime he leaves the house. I wasn’t going to leave my boys …”

Hearing a sobbing cry from the other end of the call, she waited patiently for Leighton to begin speaking again.

“Gilbert and I had a terrible fight last night. I thought he was going to kill me right before Desmond came knocking on the door. He stayed with Gilbert while I packed the boys and my things. He drove us to the airport and flew us to Kansas City. We’re staying with Nadia and Dante until she helps me find a safe place for us to stay.

“I’m sorry for rattling on, telling you what you already know when you’re the one who set it up. How can I ever repay you?”

“Leighton …” Haley waited until Leighton quit crying so hard. “You’re going to get the hiccups if you don’t stop crying,” she teased. “Listen, I’ll get Desmond to fly me there, and we can figure out—”

“No, stay wherever you are. I don’t want to interrupt your weekend with Desmond after he’s done so much for us. He said you’re only going to be gone for three days and that it was safer for us to stay with Nadia and Dante, anyway. It won’t be safe for you to stay at your apartment, either. Gilbert has lost it since the reunion party.”

“I didn’t mean to make it worse for you.”

“Haley, it was already bad. Everyone else at the party ignored that I was there with two black eyes. Only you and Desmond were the ones concerned for me. He gave me his private number after lunch when you were talking to your mom and told me to call him if Gilbert raised a hand to me again. I couldn’t call him last night, though, because Gilbert has the only phone.”

“I’m glad Desmond was there for you and the boys.”

“Me, too. I’m not going back ever.”

“I don’t blame you.”

“I’ll let you go. The boys want me to watch a movie with them. I just wanted to thank you.”

“I’ll pass it on to Desmond. Take care, Leighton.”

“I will. Goodbye.”

Disconnecting the call, Haley returned to the table.

“I put your omelet back on the tray to keep it warm.” Desmond opened the top of the dish and put the omelet back on her plate.

Haley placed her hand over Desmond’s arm when he went to resume eating. “Thank you.”

Desmond raised his brow at her soft tone, dropping his eyes to the cell phone in her hand.

“I don’t have to guess who just called.”

“No, it was Leighton. Thank you for helping her.” Leaning to the side, she pressed a fleeting kiss on his cheek. “My hero.”

Desmond turned red, and Rhone pretended to gag on his toast. Haley shook her head at the men’s reactions.

“I wouldn’t say that,” Desmond hedged, shooting Rhone a dirty look.

“I wouldn’t, either,” Rhone said blithely. “You told me I was your hero when I stocked your grocery store.”

Haley picked up her orange juice, tilting it toward each man. “You both are superheroes in my book.”

Appeased, Rhone raised his own glass. “We’re not superheroes. We’re knights seeking to appease our lady.”

Haley playfully hit Desmond on his back when he pretended to start gagging.

Coming to Rhone’s defense, she gave Desmond a reproving glare. “Cut it out. It’s sweet. I, for one, think it’s refreshing how he talks to me. Makes me wish I lived in the time period where men behaved courtly to women.”

“You would have hated it,” Desmond surmised.

“I wouldn’t have minded being Queen Guinevere.”

“You have a round table here, and two knights at your Beck and call.”

Haley found herself on the receiving end of Desmond patting her on her back when she choked on her juice.

Rhone cracked up at the pun. Desmond, on the other hand, didn’t find it amusing. To make matters worse, Haley couldn’t stop laughing at Desmond’s pained expression.

“If you’re Queen Guinevere, then I’m King Arthur … which means you both have to follow my orders. Haley, finish your breakfast. I want to go for a swim.”

“What are my orders, Your Majesty? Get lost?” Rhone joked.

“No. Go bring me that cheese tray in the entry then go sail the seven seas.”

Twenty-Nine

“Do you need to take a nap?”

Desmond looked up from unwrapping the charcuterie board. “No, why?”

“I was wondering if that was why you were being so rude to Rhone.”

Placing several cheeses on his plate before focusing on Haley, he said, “Rhone was hitting on you in front of me. I shut him down politely. If I had acted any other way, he would have been suspicious.”

“Rhone was not hitting on me,” she protested.

“You’re not that naïve. When I fired you, you had no problem calling me out for my motives, yet when Rhone is sitting there, telling you he’s looking for a wife then asking how many children you want, you deny he’s fucking hitting on you. I called him out. End of story. You should get some food in your stomach. I want to go explore the island when we’re done. We only have two and half days to find out if any of the Clindale islanders are here.”

“I’m finished. I’ll go get changed.”

Desmond continued eating.

Rhone had shown them the bedrooms, placing Haley’s suitcase inside before he had left. The suite contained two bedrooms; one on each side of the main room. The fucker had left Desmond’s by the other door.

Losing his appetite, he rose from the table to go into the other room. Taking a quick shower and finding a bottle of Tylenol in the medicine cabinet, he took them to ease his pounding headache.

He looked worse than Leighton had last night with the dark circles under his eyes. He had managed less than thirty minutes of sleep after drinking himself into a drunken oblivion when Ice had called to tell him that Haley’s brother was using his wife as a punching bag. Desmond hadn’t been surprised. He had expected it would be just a matter of time before Gilbert couldn’t control his temper.

After the reunion party, he had Ice place one of his men on watching the couple’s home. It had paid off. Desmond hadn’t let the Predators have the pleasure of dealing with Gilbert, though. He had taken care of it on his own.

Showing up at Gilbert’s door in the middle of the night had shocked the son of a bitch enough that he had managed to get Leighton and the boys out without incident.

He had received pleasure when he had used the opportunity of Leighton gathering their belongings to threaten him within an inch his life if he tried to contact Leighton ever again. Desmond knew it was only a temporary fix, as Gilbert viewed Leighton and his children as his property, and no one was going to take them away from him, regardless of him mistreating his pregnant wife.

Personally, Desmond believed the only way to deal with his maniac behavior was to place him behind iron bars or six feet under, but he was going to give the SOB a way to save his life before he had him eliminated from the woman’s life altogether. As much as he wanted to give the order to Ice, he really didn’t want Haley’s brother’s death on his conscience.

Dressing in a pair of shorts and a T-shirt and placing his sunglasses back on, he went to the other room to find Haley waiting. She was wearing a tan and cream floral button-up shirt dress and sandals, with her hair spilling down to her shoulders, and all he could think about was unbuttoning the dress to bare the body underneath.

“Ready?” she asked excitably.

“Yes.”

At the raspy sound of his voice, she looked at him quizzically.

“Are you sure you don’t need a nap?” Her eyes filled with concern.

Wanting to snap at her that he didn’t need a damn nap because what he really wanted was to fuck her, Desmond pushed back his surging libido and centered on finding out the information he was searching for. “No, I took some Tylenol. I’m good to go.”

Leaving their suite, they walked through the hotel and went outside.

“Where should we start?”

Desmond gazed around the area in front of them. They were facing the beach where several tourists were swimming or lying out. He needed local information. “Wait here. I’m going to go see if there are cars available for rent.”

“Okay.”

It didn’t take him long to secure a small compact car that Rhone made available to his personal guests. He returned to Haley’s side, and they only had to wait a few minutes before a car was brought to them. It was a two-seater and ran on electric.

Leaving the windows down, he started driving after giving Haley the map of the island that he had received when he had asked for the car.

“If you stay on this road, we should reach a small town in a few miles. It doesn’t seem far.”

As they drove, the hotel and the beach fell farther behind them, leading them past the airstrip and over several dips in the road that had their heads hitting the roof of the car.

After the third time, Haley gave him a caustic look. “You think, if you had been nicer to Rhone, he would have let us borrow his truck?”

Desmond grinned at her. He liked her snappy comments. Usually, women tried to appear either unflappable or so nice it made his stomach turn, which was why his relationships never lasted longer than a hot second.

“We’ll live.”

“I hope Rhone has medical services on this island. We’ll be lucky if we don’t get a concussion on the way back.”

“The hotel has a doctor from the island on call.”

“How do you know?”

“I asked while I was at the desk. I didn’t want to take you out exploring without knowing what emergency services the island has available. There’s a hospital, also.”

“That’s good to know.”

“Yes, it is.” Especially if Rhone continues to flirt with Haley in my presence, Desmond thought darkly.

Rounding one corner, they found themselves in the town. The roads were better, and they passed several other cars. The town was much larger than Desmond had assumed it would be. This was what Gabriel could have done for Clindale, if he had wanted to. This was a thriving community, enhanced by the visitors who came here.

“Where should we start?”

Considering several options before answering, he found what he was looking for. “Let’s park and walk around.”

“Okay.”

Pulling into a small parking lot near a restaurant, they got out.

“Let’s go inside some of the shops. If they sell items that are locally made, it won’t seem out of the way to ask questions.”

“Good idea. Let’s give it a go.”

The first shop they went to sold jewelry. Desmond didn’t have to pretend an interest. Striking up a conversation was easy as they examined several pieces, the woman owner enlightening them where she had sourced her material.

After he purchased two pair of earrings he had seen Haley keep going back to, they left the store.

“You didn’t have to buy them. I was—”

“Take them as a thank-you for helping me get on the island,” Desmond said as he gave her the bag to put in her purse.

Biting her lip, Haley accepted the small bag from him. “I’m the one who owes you for getting Leighton and the boys to Nadia.”

“Your brother has a screw loose. I was only able to get her out because I surprised him. When he goes after Leighton, he’ll go prepared.”

“I’ve already thought of that. She’s going to stay with Nadia and Dante for the weekend. When I get there, I’ll be able to find a safe place for them to stay. Gilbert won’t be stupid enough to try anything when she’s under Dante’s roof.”

“No, he won’t,” he agreed.

Spending another two hours visiting the various shops, they then made their way back to the car.

“Hungry?” he asked.

Haley nodded. “I could eat.”

“Want to try out the local cuisine or head back to the hotel?”

“I’m adventuresome; let’s eat here. Which would you rather do?”

“Let’s eat here. I like eating at new places.”

Desmond caught the surprised way she was watching him once they were seated at a table in the restaurant nearby.

“Why were you surprised I would rather eat here instead of the hotel?”

Haley lifted a shoulder at him. “Probably because you don’t have to have a reservation to enter.”

“You think I only patronize five-star restaurants?”

“Or when your personal chef isn’t around.”

“You couldn’t be more mistaken.” He clenched his jaw in irritation.

“Why are you becoming angry?”

“You don’t know me at all.”

“Does anyone really know you, other than Lucas? You’re not exactly a fountain of information.”

“That’s rich coming from you.”

Desmond felt a spurt of satisfaction at seeing she was getting annoyed with his own critique.

“What does that mean?”

“You hole up in your office and only come out when you have to.”

“That’s not true. I’ve tried to make friends, but someone, who will remain nameless, put pressure on his other employees to get their work done before mine. You created an atmosphere of resentment.”

“You’re blaming me for you not having friends?”

Haley lifted her nose at a haughty angle. “I said you would remain nameless, but the shoe fits, doesn’t it?”

His irritation changed to amusement at her snideness. “Since you no longer work for me, the point remains moot, doesn’t it?”

The food arriving brought an end to the sparring. As they ate the steamed rice and spicy chicken, Desmond glanced around the restaurant.

“I’m sorry today was a bust.”

Turning his eyes back to her, he unconsciously gave a low sigh. “It was a shot in the dark, anyway. This isn’t where Gabriel stashed the inhabitants of Clindale.”

“Are you certain?”

“Yes. I’m going to try again once we reach the hotel. I’ll go to the kitchen and see if I pick up any gossip, but I’m fairly certain this isn’t the place where Gabriel took them to.”

“Can I ask the reason you’re so emotionally invested in finding them?”

“Why aren’t you?” Her examining his motives puzzled him.

“I am, but this isn’t an instance in which I’ve had to deal with matters toward lost populations. That’s the reason Nadia and I created Moonbeam. Did you know Nadia had a horrific childhood?”

“I know she met you in boarding school.”

“Before that, she was a runaway, lost in the foster care system. Her father killed her mother. Do not think I’ve spent time agonizing over contacting my relatives again. I would have never done so if you hadn’t told me about Clindale. I left that life behind, and I’m not enjoying being back in it, other than hopefully Leighton and the boys having a chance at being free of Gilbert.”

“I didn’t mean to come across as ungrateful.”

“If you truly mean that, then tell me the real reason you are helping. The one fact I do know about you, Desmond, is that you don’t get emotionally connected to your causes. You freely use your brain and money to help, but there is a difference in this case. You would not be throwing your wealth and prestige around to find out what happened to them, nor putting on false pretenses, and putting in your personal time to fly halfway across the world.”

Desmond set his fork down on the plate. “There’s a couple. The wife was born on Clindale. She’s pregnant. She wants them found, and her husband, Gavin, wants to make certain Ginny gets what she wants. The problem is, Gavin won’t stop until he finds them for her. We have no idea where they are. Gavin could endanger his life by looking in the wrong places.”

“Hmm … You and Gavin are friends? That’s why you’re so invested?”

“No.” Desmond shook his head. “We are not friends. I’ve only talked to him a couple of times.”

“Then I don’t—”

How could he explain something he could barely explain to himself?

“They deserve a break. If you saw Gavin with Ginny, I think you would understand better.”

“Ah … You’re doing it for them.”

“Yes.”

“That’s twice today you’ve shocked me. You want to help Gavin make his wife happy. I would have never believed you had a romantic bone in your body after the way you acted this morning. Who is she? Are you in love with Ginny?”

Aghast at the thought of being in love with a woman Ginny’s age, he said, “God no. I’m almost twenty years older than her.”

“Not into younger women?”

“No.”

“Then who is she?”

“If you’re finished, we should head back to the hotel.” Desmond was uncomfortable with Haley’s line of questioning.

Haley placed her hand over his on the table. “Whoever she was, she broke your heart.”

Desmond moved his hand, not wanting the sympathy she was showing. “No. We were never in a relationship.”

“Ah … It was an unrequited love.”

“You’ve been reading too many books.”

“Nope, Nadia is the bookworm. Did she know you loved her?”

Desmond didn’t know why, but he told her the truth. “No.”

Haley didn’t try to touch him again, but Desmond could tell she was holding herself back.

He started to reach for his wallet to pay for their meal.

“Don’t be embarrassed, Desmond.”

“I’m not embarrassed. There’s just no need to talk about it.”

“Why? Have you ever told anyone about her? Does she know?”

“She died,” he said grimly, taking money out of the wallet.

“So, it really is unrequited love. That’s the worst one to get over.”

His hand hovered over the table. “How is it the worst?”

“Because your mind stays in the fantasy you created and isn’t based on reality. Did the dream world you created where you lived happily ever after move forward in time?”

Desmond laid the cash down but didn’t move to stand. “What do you mean?”

“How old were you when you fell in love with her?”

“Seventeen.”

“If you met her at this day and time, do you think you would still have fallen in love with her? Or, if she were still alive, would she love you?”

His mind went to the type of woman Aanya had been. He wasn’t the same seventeen-year-old who had jumped every time she needed something. Aanya was kind and loving to children, and as terrible as Ivan was, she had still loved him and wanted their marriage to work. No, Aanya would never have loved him, even if he had managed to help her escape. He was younger than her, was a glorified busboy, and she would hate him now if she were still alive, with his involvement in the seedier side of Queens City.

“No, she wouldn’t.”

“The more important question is: would the man you are today love her?”

Would he? Or had he taken one look at Aanya and built a fantasy about them because she symbolized the type of woman he wanted in his life, and not her, per se? She was beautiful, caring, charismatic, gentle … everything he had lacked his whole life to that point. Had she been a beacon he had needed to lift him out of the quagmire he had made out of his life?

Haley stood and took their dirty trays to the bin. “Desmond, we should go before it gets much darker.”

How long had they sat with him lost in his own thoughts?

Neither of them talked during the drive back. Going back inside, he started to walk to the reception desk, but Haley stopped him.

“If you don’t mind, I thought I’d go for a quick swim in the pool while you go to the kitchen. You could make up an excuse about why you’re there without me.”

“All right, I’ll check the pool before going to the room.”

“Okay.”

Desmond watched Haley walk up the stairs. Would he have fallen in love with Haley if he had met her at seventeen? He had a sneaking suspicion he wouldn’t have. The two women had the same characteristic of wanting to help others, yet with Aanya, you were immediately struck by her beauty. With Haley, the more he had gotten to know her, the more beautiful she had become. She was like a pearl—the more you polished, the shiner it became, exposing the beauty within.

Had he wasted his life mourning a treasure belonging to someone else instead of searching for the one meant for him?

Desmond had to shake the notion out of his head. It didn’t matter. Until he found the inhabitants of Clindale, the only puzzle he wanted answered was what Gabriel had done with them. Until then, he couldn’t rock the boat. His objective was too finely balanced. Becoming further entangled with Haley could tip the balance in the other direction.

Seeing Haley was out of sight, he removed his sunglasses, uncaring that he looked like death warmed over.

Rubbing his brow, he put the discussion with Haley to the back of his mind. The woman was fucking with his resolve, and he needed to get back on track, and he would … right after making it clear to Rhone that his matrimonial prospects wouldn’t be including Haley.

Thirty

Desmond had searched through the lower floor and was about to go to reception to ask for Rhone to be paged when Desmond sighted him collecting a beach umbrella. He was barely able to see what he was doing as the last of the sun’s rays evaporated, leaving inky darkness behind.

As he walked closer to the beach, a light came on, and Desmond saw that Rhone had opened a door to an outbuilding and was storing the umbrellas inside.

Rhone spun around to face him when he entered the building.

“Jeez, Desmond. You know better than to walk up behind a man.”

“What were you going to do? Club me with one of the umbrellas?”

“More like shove it up your ass.” Rhone lifted the umbrella to place them in an upright container.

Desmond folded his arms over his chest. “What happened to the jolly, good-natured prick you were this morning?”

“It doesn’t benefit me to be nice to you. Where’s Haley?”

“At the pool. Why? You planning to try to steal her away from me again?”

Rhone gave a short laugh. “You still pissed about that? I was only doing what you wanted me to do. I made friends with her. You’re never happy.”

“Exactly when did I ask you to convince her to work for you? I must have missed that part.”

“That’s what getting old will do for you,” Rhone said, sliding the umbrellas to the side so he could walk down the narrow aisle toward him.

“I’m not finding you amusing, Rhone. I need Haley’s help to find the inhabitants of Clindale. Once I no longer need her assistance, you can flirt with her to your heart’s content.”

“Quit playing games with her. Why bring her here? You knew they weren’t here.”

“George is the only one Gabriel would trust with the knowledge.” Desmond ran his hand through his thick hair. “She has the power to make George talk. So far, she hasn’t.”

“I always knew you were a cold bastard, Desmond. I like Haley. She isn’t like us. She’s a good person, so just be upfront with her. I don’t want her hurt.”

“You think I like being in this position? Personally, I’d like to beat George to a pulp to find out what I need. Unfortunately, in this instance, I can’t. What if he doesn’t have the information and Amelia does? I might have low standards, but I refuse to kidnap and torture a woman. This way has the least damage.”

Stern-faced, Rhone looked over his shoulder. Desmond was about to turn around when Rhone reached to push a swim noodle back onto the shelf next to his arm.

“Personally, maneuvering Haley to be here under false pretenses to seduce her is pretty fucking damaging to her when she finds out you were just using her. Exactly what do you consider collateral damage you can live with?”

“I didn’t bring her here under false pretenses.”

“Bro, you been here three times. I’ve motherfucking told you the people you’re searching for aren’t here.”

“In the texts I found on the computer when I took over Sherguevil Island, Gabriel told you about Gillis Island. The inhabitants of Clindale disappeared after you negotiated a contract to build your hotel.”

“I’m not denying Gabriel put Gillis on my radar, but I used the locals to build the hotel. Hell, I wish like fuck they were here. At least I’d know they were living normal lives. Unlike you, my association with Gabriel was short-lived. When I saw who was visiting his island, I cut off any connection with him. Which I told you to do, and you refused.”

“I’ll tell you the same thing I did then … I had an agenda.”

Rhone released a breath of air. “Whatever,” he dismissed with a wave of his hand. “I’ve never asked why. Just don’t keep asking me to prove I’m not the one responsible for a whole population going missing.”

“Why are you out here, doing work you pay a staff to do? Every time I come here, you seem to be short-staffed.”

Rhone laughed in his face. “Jesus, is this why you won’t believe me?” Cutting his laugh short, Rhone gave a rueful look. “The people who live on this island like to celebrate a lot … and I mean a lot. When they do, it becomes a holiday. This weekend, they’re celebrating the birth of the mayor’s granddaughter.”

“I went to the town today. I didn’t see any celebrations taking place.”

“Take the car and go back. It’ll be different tonight. Of course, you won’t be joining the festivities—outsiders aren’t allowed to attend. But I’m more than willing to lend you the car. I’d enjoy seeing you come back with your tail tucked under your ass. The staff won’t be back until Monday. They’ll be recovering tomorrow, and they refuse to work on Sunday because it’s a—”

“Religious holiday,” Desmond finished for him. “How in the fuck do you manage to run this place?”

Rhone grinned at him. “Hence why my ass is out here, getting umbrellas.”

“Damn. Gabriel didn’t do you any favors.”

“Nope. I didn’t find out about all the holidays until the third day of construction when everything came to a standstill. I thought my construction manager was going to have a stroke.”

Desmond couldn’t help but to start laughing, too. “And you’re tied to the contract to build the hotel and run it for fifty years.”

Rhone gave him a pained look. “Not only that, but I was losing my ass on construction costs. So, to get them to work on holidays until the job was finished, I had to promise that either I or a family member would be responsible for running the hotel to prove my commitment to them. Gabriel didn’t do me any favors. He sabotaged me.”

“Damn.” Desmond gave a low whistle. “Why didn’t you just tell me this shit when I kept asking about Clindale?”

“Bro, it was bad enough to get suckered by Gabriel, then the locals here. I wasn’t about to confess this clusterfuck to you, Mister Dot Every Fucking I Twice.”

“I warned you about Gabriel when you joined, and then again when you left AWR.”

“Which is another reason I didn’t tell you. I’ve never been good at hearing I told you so.”

“Is there anything I can do—”

“Actually, there is. Quit playing mind games with Haley. I was serious when I said I would marry her. She would run this place like a champ.”

“While you’re out running around, resuming your other pursuits? Namely, bagging every woman or business that catches your interest.”

“Yeah … well … let’s not go into what I would do,” Rhone deflected his own motives for wanting to use Haley to switch it back to him. “What are you going to do?”

“What I have to do,” Desmond said grimly.

“At least don’t sound so cold-blooded about bamboozling Haley. What’s the deal with you, anyway? I know you want to help find them. Hell, I would give my left nut to find them, too, but … fucking hell, you even sent some big dude here looking for them. You need to chill.”

Desmond’s chest tightened. “What big dude?”

“He said his name was Reaper. Scared me out of ten years of my life. Flew in here using a distress call to get my permission to land. He wouldn’t leave until I gave him a tour around the island and he talked to several of the locals.”

“You gave him a tour?”

“He was a scary dude. I wasn’t telling him no for anything.”

“He’s the reason I’m trying to find them.”

Rhone gave a sympathetic glance. “Now I understand. I would be scared shitless if he were on my back to find them, too.”

“Reaper has no idea I’m trying to help him.”

“Then …?”

“Reaper was kidnapped and tortured within an inch of his life. Not only did they violate him, they videotaped their torture of him over a span of ten years. I would have offed myself after ten days, yet the man you met survived ten years. I’ve been able to get the videos scrubbed from the Internet and set off malware to anyone who tries to view the videos that were downloaded to other computers. Cost me a fortune. Dante Caruso has a computer whiz who can hack into Area 51 if he wanted to.

“Reaper won’t stop until he finds out what happened to the people who lived in Clindale. Next time, he might not be so lucky when he goes searching. Reaper is doing it for his wife, and he won’t stop. He doesn’t know how to.”

“Now I wish you hadn’t told me. I’d give both nuts if it helped. Unfortunately, I’m clueless.”

“Welcome to my world. I’m at a standstill unless Haley or Sal find someplace else I can search from on Gabriel’s computer that I gave him.”

“I hope you find them, bro. I really do. Anything I can do, just let—”

“There is… quit flirting with Haley.”

“Since when are you jealous?”

“I’m not jealous. I just don’t want to make this a competition between you and me.”

Rhone chortled at him. “Because you know I’d win. Who could resist me?”

“I could name a few, but I won’t,” he said snidely. “By the way, that reminds me, you gave Haley your cell number and wouldn’t me; why is that?”

“My cell phone number is sacred, and bro, you aren’t goddess material.”

“Fine. I’ll remember you said that the next time you call me.”

“Bro …”

“Another thing”—Desmond flipped him the fuck-you sign before turning to leave the storage building—“stop calling me bro.”

Thirty-One

Entering the suite, Desmond spotted Haley on the balcony, her back turned to him. When he closed the door, she turned around, and his breath caught in his throat.

As he approached, he saw the dark formal gown she was wearing was midnight blue, blending into the darkness behind her.

“I …” Desmond had to clear the rasp from his voice. “I didn’t know we were planning on going out.”

“We aren’t.” Haley placed her elbows on the railing, leaning backward before nodding her head to the side.

Turning, he saw the intimate dinner that had been prepared for them, the flames on the two candles flickering in the soft breeze.

“I’ll go get changed.” Desmond started to turn.

“Don’t bother.” Haley stepped away from the railing to walk to the table. “It’s a come-as-you-are.”

The seductive notes he could hear in her voice had the hair on the back of his neck rising.

Taking the champagne from the ice bucket and setting it on the table, she said, “Do you mind doing the honors?”

“Certainly.” Removing the foil from the top of the bottle, he took his time uncorking the bottle as he studied Haley from the corner of his eye. “You look beautiful.”

Sitting on the chair, she placed a glass within easy reach. “I don’t know about beautiful, but I don’t think I look half bad, either.”

Desmond filled her glass then filled the remaining one for himself. “More than half,” he complimented her. “I don’t remember this dress from the ones shown to me.”

“I’ve had this dress for a while.”

His eyes fell to her lips as she took a sip of her drink.

“Sit, Desmond. I don’t want the food to get cold.”

Taking a seat, he stared at her, amazed at the change in her personality and appearance. The midnight-blue gown had a halter neckline with a deep vee in the front showing a span of naked flesh with the two cups covering her breasts.

Drinking his champagne, he uncovered his plate, revealing a steak and lobster.

“I hope you like what I picked out for you from the room service menu. I chose lobster and shrimp for me. We can switch if you want?”

“No, I would have chosen this for myself.”

“Good.”

She started to eat while he continued taking her in.

“Did you find anything out from the kitchen staff?”

“No.” Desmond started cutting his steak, unable to meet her eyes.

“I’m sorry. Where do you go from here?”

“I’ve decided to take a break until we go back to Kansas City.”

“I think that’s an excellent idea.” Haley lifted her glass of champagne toward him. “Here’s to regrouping and coming up with another plan.” Haley took a sip before she placed the glass back down. “I have every confidence you’ll figure it out.”

“Then you have more confidence than I do.”

Flashing him a smile, she dipped a piece of her lobster into the melted butter, leaving her lips glistening in the candlelight after she took a bite.

Desmond nearly choked on the bite of steak he had just eaten. Forced to take a sip of his champagne, he lifted watering eyes to see her staring at him with serious eyes as she continued to eat.

Watching her dip the lobster and shrimp into the butter became additive. He was almost sweating by the time they finished their meal.

As soon as he finished his last bite, he was going to his room to take a cold shower. A long cold shower.

He had just placed a forkful of steak in his mouth when Haley used her phone to play soft music.

“Do you mind? My favorite singer just dropped a new song.”

“Not at all.”

They were almost done eating, and Desmond was just biding his time until he could get away.

“I’ve worn this dress before.”

The casually stated fact had him carefully chewing the steak before swallowing to have time to place when she would have.

“You did?” he said when she seemed to expect him to say something.

“Mmmhmm …” Haley nodded. “I wore it during Nadia and Dante’s engagement party. She picked it out for me.”

“I don’t remember seeing you there.” Frowning, he stared at the dress, trying to force the memory back.

The soft sounds of the music floated around the table, surrounding them.

“This song was playing, and you were talking to Dante and Nadia. She was asking you to dance with me. Do you remember what you said to her?”

“No.”

“You said you would find me after dinner and ask me to dance. You never did. I spent the rest of the night waiting. I was the last one there when you left. You never noticed me once.”

Desmond frowned across the table at her. “Haley, I might not remember you being there, or Nadia asking me to dance with you, but I do remember the day I—”

Haley waved away the excuse he was about to give. “It’s okay, Desmond. I almost forgot it myself until you pressured me into buying more clothes. Nadia, bless her soul, took the time to send it to me when I called. I knew I needed one nice dress.”

“And you chose that one instead of the ones I bought you.”

“Yes.”

“Is that why you’re wearing it tonight? To prove that you have better taste than me? If so, you win, hands down. You really look lovely tonight, Haley. The night of Dante’s en—”

She was already rising from the table, holding out her hand toward him. “It doesn’t matter, Desmond. Dance with me tonight … please?”

Refusing her wasn’t an option when she was staring down at him so appealingly. Rising, he took her hand and led her into the dimly lighted main room, the soft sounds of the music following them inside.

Desmond pulled her close but did keep a small space separating them. Then he grit his teeth in agony to control the desire raging through his body when she closed the distance between them until she was flush against him.

“Haley …” he groaned as they slowly danced in a circle.

Laying her head on his shoulder, she gazed up at him. “Yes, Desmond?”

Licking his bottom lip, he forgot what he had been about to say.

Lifting her head, she caught his tongue before he darted it back in his mouth. Sliding her tongue against his, she wound her arms around his neck as she started kissing him.

Desmond stopped dancing when his cock made the movement unbearable. He felt as if he was kissing fire. Every blood vessel within his already aroused body was scorched then melted in a vat of desire.

She eased her fingertips under his T-shirt to rub the back of his neck as they kissed. He was nearly fifty years old and had been touched hundreds of times in more intimate areas, yet her sensuous touch had shudders racking his body.

“We need to stop,” he groaned, desperately searching for some restraint to cool the fire he didn’t know how much longer he could hold back on.

“Why?” she whispered against his lips. “We’re two consenting adults. I don’t expect a commitment from you, children, or faithfulness once we leave this room. I just want tonight, just tonight.”

Desmond felt her rise to her tiptoes to press her breasts against his chest.

“What about tomorrow night?” Running his hand through her hair, he tilted her head backward.

“We’re only negotiating for tonight.” A smile played across her lips. “But tomorrow is another day. We can certainly reopen negotiations then.”

Lifting Haley into his arms, he carried her into the bedroom closest to them, which was the one he had his things in. Leaving the light off, he laid her down on the bed before he turned the bedside lamp on, casting a soft light around the room.

Their eyes met as he pulled the T-shirt off then unzipped the shorts he was wearing.

Her eyes dropped to the length of his cock stretching toward his bellybutton. “How on earth were you able to dance with that?”

“It wasn’t easy.” Toeing off his shoes, he lay down on the bed next to her.

Rolling onto her side, she placed a hand to his chest as she started kissing him again. His fingers went behind her neck to unbutton the halter dress. Haley pulled away from him to stand up and raised her hands to release the tie. The dress fell to her feet.

“God. I would have never been able to eat dinner if I knew what you were wearing underneath.”

There was nothing self-conscious about Haley as she removed her matching bra and thong before getting back on the bed.

The conscience at the back of his mind tried to stop him from reaching out to the woman who put herself within his reach. He was going to hate himself in the morning. He didn’t have to hear what the voice was trying to tell him; the thought was already there. It still didn’t stop him from rolling Haley under him to kiss her. The same fire ignited, as if it was starved for oxygen, as she trailed her lips from his, sliding them along his jaw line before raising herself over him.

Desmond tried to catch her mouth again, but she placed her fingertips over his lips, preventing him from succeeding.

“Just one night. One night where everything goes out the door, and it’s just us in here. Just us finding pleasure. Anything goes, with no recriminations afterward … just mind-numbing pleasure. That’s all I want from you, Desmond. You might have had hundreds of nights like that, but I never have. Can you give me you tonight?”

“You’re not asking for much.” Placing his hands on her hips, he rolled her over until she was beneath him. “You want pleasure, Haley? I’m going to give you pleasure until you beg me to stop, and when I do, you’re going to make me beg you to fuck you again. When I’m done, you won’t even be able to spell your name. Is that the pleasure you want? If not, I’m going to give you one chance to run.”

Her hands went to his shoulders, as if she was going to push him away, and Desmond sank his weight deeper onto her.

“Aren’t you going to give me room to move?”

He smiled down at her. “I didn’t say I would make it easy for you to run.”

She slid her hands over his shoulders until her arms were crossed behind his neck. “Then it’s a good thing I had no plans to run.”

He nuzzled the side of her neck. “Yes, it is. God help me, I don’t think I’m strong enough to let you go. I wouldn’t have been able to run you down.”

A giggle escaped her. “I bet you couldn’t with that yard stick in the way.”

Desmond gave her a rueful grin. “Probably not.”

Shivers racked his body when he settled between Haley’s thighs. Warmth surrounded him as she accepted his weight.

Rhone was right; Haley was a goddess. The woman enfolding him in her arms wasn’t a stick figure with bones making him gauge how to lie.

Another shiver traveled down his back as he tried to meld closer to her. It was as if her warmth was thawing him from the inside out.

“You feel so good,” he moaned without thought.

She clasped him tighter. “Are you cold? I can get up and turn the air conditioner off,” she offered.

“I’m not cold.”

“Why are you shivering, then?” she whispered, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Because this feels too good to be real.”

Desmond saw the flicker of disbelief before she lowered her lashes, and he could no longer see the yearning within the beautiful brown eyes she was concealing.

Arching his hips upward, he rubbed his straining cock along her clit, and a low moan escaped her. Using his hand, he lifted one of her breasts, latching his mouth onto the beckoning nipple. The low sounds she was emitting sent another shiver coursing down his back.

Drawing his hips back, Desmond tried to slow down enough to heighten her arousal and restrain himself from pounding inside of her the way he wanted to.

When her thighs circled his hips, pressing him back down, Desmond lost what control he was trying to maintain when she clenched his buttocks.

The wanton movements Haley made were so far removed from the shy characteristics she used to show. It had him reconsidering the woman he had assumed her to be. Every movement she made was natural. There wasn’t any of the self-consciousness or any of the reserve he had anticipated. She was being passionate, eager, and demanding for her needs to be met.

Grabbing a hold of her hips, he shifted to place himself in a better position to plunge his cock inside of the unbearable heat of her pussy.

Removing her nipple from his mouth, he laved the stiff tip. “You’re setting me on fire.”

Her mouth on his shoulder, she bit down before she started laving the pinched flesh with her tongue.

Thrusting inside of her, Desmond tried fanning the flames higher as she bucked her hips to take more of him inside. She didn’t want to be ridden slow, her movements speeding with his until they were thrusting in an unrestrained free-for-all.

“I want to feel every inch of you,” she moaned, lifting her hips higher.

Desmond felt his cock straining upward, trying to quell its own aching needs. Sliding higher within her tight sheath, he clenched his hands in the silky sheets to prevent himself from coming.

Swirling his tongue over her nipple as he glided his cock into Haley, Desmond raised her thighs higher as he fucked her so hard that gasps of pleasure came from her, bolstering him on.

Their hands searched and found each other’s most sensitive spots, teasing and playing with each other until Desmond was furious at himself that he had settled for one night.

At the sudden thought, a sense of vulnerability hit him that he had never experienced. He had fucked so many women in his lifetime that he had lost count and lost the memories of their encounters. Not once had he cared if he ever fucked them again, even the women he’d had affairs with over several months. He had never left their bed wondering if he wanted them again, if he would have them again. He just knew he could. Haley was different. She had said straight up that their hook-up was for only tonight. Did she mean what she’d said? Did that mean she wouldn’t want to fuck him again?

The novelty of being unsure wasn’t something he was used to, and he really didn’t like it.

Giving a low growl, he redoubled his efforts to please her. She might walk away from his bed without the intention of sleeping with him again, but the ache in her pussy would be bringing her back for more.

Her fingers tore through his hair as she gripped him as he felt the orgasmic spasms squeezing his dick.

Teetering on the edge of his climax, Desmond waited until hers slowed before moving faster, their slick bodies sliding together in unison, when he stiffened over her, driven over the edge in a bliss-filled oblivion that had him biting down on her nipple in ecstasy.

“Desmond … I’m going to need that back.”

Releasing her nipple, he moved to give her breathing room.

“I’m going be wanting that back in about … five minutes.”

Contentment had him lifting her over him, to smooth back the tousled hair concealing her expression.

Her eyes were clear and without regret. Desmond wished his conscience were the same. He had misled Haley from the moment he had met her years ago and had continued to do so since then.

“Whatever you’re thinking about, stop right now.”

Using a thumb, he traced her swollen bottom lip. “There is something I need to tell you.”

She placed her fingertips over his lips. “Tell me in the morning.”

Sultrily, she started sliding her fingertips down his body, trailing them off his mouth as she did. Desmond arched his back as the whisper-soft touch explored every crevice and cavity until his mind went blank when her mouth covered the head of his cock.

He gripped the sheets in clenched fists, and his skull nearly imploded as she removed his cock to suck his tightening balls into a mouth that was driving him to the point of oblivion before he had been able to recover from the first climax.

“Desmond?”

The erotic sound of her voice had his cock jumping, as if it was at her command.

“Huh …?” He was barely able to croak out.

“How do you spell your name?”

Thirty-Two

Carrying her suitcase down the front stairs, Haley saw the clerk behind the desk look at her strangely. Haley couldn’t blame him. It was five in morning.

“Is there something I can do for you, Ms. Clark?”

“No, thank you.”

Aware that the clerk was keeping her within eyesight, Haley didn’t let it bother her. A sound at the top of the stairs had her raising her eyes to see Rhone hurrying down.

“Is there something wrong?” he asked once he was almost abreast of her, taking in the suitcase by her side.

“I want to leave.”

“Right now?” He narrowed his eyes on her. “Did you and Desmond have a fight? I can give you another room—”

“We didn’t fight. I just want to leave. Please.” Haley bit her lip to keep it from trembling. “Please help me, Rhone. I’ll work for free for six months if you can get me out of here before Desmond wakes up.”

Rhone’s expression went stoic. “I’m your friend, Haley. If you want to leave that badly, you don’t owe me a fucking thing. Let’s go.”

Picking up her suitcase, he ushered her out of the hotel.

“My truck is over to the side of the hotel. Do you want to wait here or—”

She started shaking her head before he could finish his question. “I’ll walk with you.”

“Okay.”

Haley put one foot in front of the other instead of glancing toward the hotel as they walked to where Rhone’s truck was sitting beside the vehicle they had borrowed the day before.

Starting the truck, he cast her a glance before driving away. “Desmond won’t be happy you left him without telling him.”

“He’s not going to be happy you helped me,” she warned.

“I’m not worried about making him mad,” Rhone answered.

“That makes two of us.”

* * *

Pulling up to the metal call box, Haley lowered the window of her car.

“Go away, Haley. You are not welcome here.”

“Open the gate, Amelia. I want to talk to George.”

“Dad refuses to speak to you.”

“Then I suggest you tell him to open the gate, or I’ll contact my lawyer and we can have a nice sit-down with witnesses.”

The electronic gate slid open.

Parking the rental car in the driveway, Haley got out of the car and walked to the intricately carved door to ring the bell.

Amelia flung the door open as she approached. “Dad doesn’t want to hear an apology. You can leave.” Amelia haughtily blocked her from entering the house.

“Move, Amelia. I didn’t come here to apologize. George and I are going to talk. Personally, I’d rather have this conversation in my law firm’s office, but out of respect for Julia, I’m giving George the opportunity to talk to me here versus having witnesses present.”

“Let her in, Amelia.”

Her cousin moved to the side.

Walking inside, Haley saw George coming down the stairs.

“I’m late for an appointment, Haley. I will give you two minutes of my time. After that, you will be escorted from the premises. We can talk in the living room.”

“I prefer we have this conversation where your staff can’t overhear.”

“Very well.” George gave Amelia a shake of his head when she would have protested.

Haley let George and Amelia lead the way through the highly ornate house that Amelia had redecorated after her mother’s death. The cold, sophisticated style had replaced the casual warmth and welcoming interior that Julia had been so proud of.

George closed the door behind them then went behind his desk. Amelia cast her a dirty look before taking the closest chair.

“What do you want?” He inclined his head, as if giving her permission to speak.

Haley clenched her hand on her inhaler in the light jacket to give her the courage she needed.

“At least you don’t think I’ve come to apologize.”

“I don’t expect the unattainable. You’ve never apologized for your uncouth behavior before. At this late stage of your life, I was hopeful when Desmond told me he was bringing you to the reunion that you may have behaved more well-mannered. As always, we were disappointed.”

“I would say I cared, but that would be a lie.”

“Why stop now? You’re an excellent liar.”

Haley didn’t let George anger her. Staring at the man she hated more than anyone on Earth, she didn’t try to hide her feelings.

“Since you gave me a couple of minutes, let’s get to the point of my visit. Then I can leave and never see either of you again.”

“Agreed.” George looked at her as if he was expecting her to ask for a loan. She was about to disillusion him.

“You may want to ask Amelia to leave,” she warned.

“Amelia will stay. I won’t be left alone with you. I’m too well aware of your propensity to make up situations that are fictitious.”

It didn’t bother her one iota that George was referring to what had happened with Gabriel.

“I’ve never lied about Gabriel, which you’re cognizant to, despite your defense of him.”

George bristled behind his desk, as if he was going to argue.

“Save your feigned indignation. Neither of us have the time for it.”

George’s nostrils flared when she didn’t give him the opportunity to defend his despicable crony.

“I want you to tell me where the people whom Gabriel had removed from Clindale are.”

Haley wished she could take a picture of his face. She wondered if the shocked expression came from the temerity of her asking or the question itself.

Amelia jumped up from her chair. “Leave!”

“Sit down or leave, Amelia. This conversation is between your father and me,” Haley stated in a cold voice that she had never used before. “I only put up with your bitchiness out of respect for Julia. Seeing Leighton at the party and you not helping me convince her to leave Gilbert made me realize how deeply ashamed your mother would be of the woman you have become.”

Slowly, Amelia sat back down.

“Now, without further interruption from Amelia, or I will leave and you both can deal with the blowback when I do, where are they?”

“Gabriel didn’t do anything with them. They died in a hurricane. I thought better of you than believing blatant falsehoods.”

“They aren’t false. People deserve to be returned to their homes and island from where they were stolen from.”

“You have come here in vain. Even if the rumors are true, I have no useful knowledge as to their whereabouts.”

“You’re a liar,” Haley stated detachedly. “You two didn’t fart without telling each other about it.”

“Don’t be uncouth.”

“You think me saying the word fart is uncouth, yet you have no remorse over hundreds of people missing?”

“Your two minutes have passed. If you’re finished wasting both of our time, I suggest you return to Kansas City, where you belong.”

“How badly do you want to say let the door hit you on the ass on the way out?”

George’s nostrils flared again. “Again, uncouth.”

Haley just shook her head at the man behind the mahogany desk. “I feel like drawing this out just to irritate the hell out of you, but like you, I am pressed for time. I have a flight to catch in two hours.”

George’s relief was visible.

“Give me their location, or I will release the letter Julia wrote to me before her death.”

His complexion grew pale, even as he tried to blow it off as if what she had just told him didn’t matter.

“And why should that concern me?”

“In the letter, Julia told me you were poisoning her.”

“Get out!” George stood, slamming his hands on the desk. “No such letter exists.”

At least Amelia remained seated, Haley thought wryly, seeing her cousin appear stunned at her father’s show of rage.

“It does.” Opening her purse, Haley took out a sheet of paper and put it within George’s reach.

“This is a copy,” he noted.

“You seriously think I would bring the real one with me? The original is in a safe spot where no one has access to it. Feel free to read. I can spare a few more minutes.”

George snatched the letter and began reading.

“Julia also disclosed her belief that you were responsible for Pierson’s death.”

Haley noticed George’s hand holding the letter was shaking.

“I’m not responsible for her first husband’s death.”

“As you can see, she knew the truth, which is why she left the home and financial assets to me.”

“Let me read the letter.” Amelia started to rise.

“Be silent!” George shouted toward his daughter before taking a deep breath to regain his composure. “Julia was out of her mind, which is why you didn’t put up a fight when I contested the will. You knew it wouldn’t hold up in a court of law.”

“I didn’t contest the will because, as much as I dislike you, Amelia is Julia’s daughter, and I didn’t want to be the responsible for putting you in jail. She idolizes you.”

“You warped Julia’s mind! She picked giving her wealth to you over her own daughter. No one in their right mind would do that.”

“I was the only one listening to her!” Haley momentarily lost her poise to shout back. “Julia was such a gentle, sweet soul, which you trampled all over to get what you wanted out of her. Julia loved Pierson with every beat of her heart. She was destroyed when he died, which made her easy pickings for you.”

Haley stepped closer, her hands going to the desk. Bitterness that she had swallowed down for years spilled from her lips. “I don’t know for sure if you were responsible for his death, but you did take advantage of Julia’s grief. She wanted children to ease the pain of losing Pierson, which you let her have one but refused to let her have another. When she wouldn’t stop pressuring you to have another, not only did you start poisoning her, you started poisoning Amelia against her. Even when she figured out you were slowly killing her, she didn’t care enough anymore to tell.”

George crumbled the letter in his hand and threw it into the trash can next the desk. “Prove it.”

“I will. Before I leave here, I’m going to Kent Bryant’s office. I’m going to take everything Julia left me and ask Bryant to take the original letter to the police and reopen Pierson’s case on his death, including having his body exhumed. When I’m finished making you penniless, I will take out the chunk that belongs to Julia. With Gabriel behind bars and all of his misdeeds having come to life, the close association you flaunted before will give more credence to the letter than they would have before, I think. Don’t you?”

George put a steadying hand on the arm of his chair before he sat heavily. “I can’t give any information on where they are. If I do, I will expose my own knowledge of Gabriel’s duplicity.”

“Dad! Please tell me you didn’t …”

Both George and she ignored Amelia’s cry.

“I will make certain you won’t be implicated. All I want is their location,” she promised. “If you had nothing to do with their disappearance, then you won’t fear them being found. You no longer need to be loyal to Gabriel. He’s finished.” Haley dropped her hands back to her side.

“If you know where they are … tell her.”

Glancing over her shoulder toward Amelia, she wanted to give her cousin a hug. Amelia had retrieved the letter from the trash can and was gazing at it, as if devastated by what she had read.

George picked up a note pad and began writing. Once he was done, he tore the paper from the pad and handed it to her. When she went to take it from him, he pulled it back. “The original letter first.”

“I didn’t bring it with me,” she reminded him. “Once I receive confirmation that they are there, I will have the letter sent to you.”

“Then …” George started to tear the paper up.

“I give you my word. I will also tell my lawyer that I will relinquish all claims to the inheritance Julia left me.”

George placed the paper back within her reach. It was everything she could do not to snatch the fragile paper. Tucking the paper inside her jacket pocket, Haley turned to leave.

“Why … haven’t you taken this letter to the police before? You never contested Dad overturning Julia’s will. Why?” Amelia asked shakily, still holding the letter.

“The answer is the same for both questions. Julia had the letter mailed to me after her death. It was too late to make any difference to her, and she had already given me her greatest gift.”

“Which was?” George glared at her like she had stolen the family silver without his knowledge.

Haley showed her disgust of him before turning back to Amelia. “The knowledge that happiness can’t be bought, regardless of wealth.”

Haley left them staring after her, knowing she would never again step foot in the house Julia had left to her. Tearfully blinking back tears, she got back in the rental car. Driving back to Kansas City, Haley was lucky to find a parking space in front of the building she wanted.

Entering the lone office, she took a seat and waited to be called.

“Haley.”

Glancing at the man entering the office, Haley didn’t return her lawyer’s smile. “I’m sorry I showed up unannounced, but I wanted to speak to you before I fly out of town.”

“No problem. I can always make time for you. Have a seat.” Kent graciously indicated a chair in front of his desk once they were in his closed office.

“No, thank you. That won’t be necessary. I’m in a rush,” she refused icily. “There are a couple of matters I need you to take care of for me.”

“Certainly. Is something wrong?”

Haley reached inside her pocket to remove the slip of paper and gave it to Kent. “I need you to text Desmond Beck this location and ask him to inform you if the people are there. If they are, then please send the letter you were safekeeping for me to my uncle, George, along with the letter I drafted saying I wouldn’t contest George overturning Julia’s will.”

“The last time I talked to you, you were almost ready to proceed with the case.”

“I changed my mind. If you can take care of those two matters, I would be grateful. You can bill my account.”

“Of course. Haley, it’s a lot of money you’re relinquishing. Are you certain?”

“I’m certain.” She narrowed her frostbitten gaze on him. “My last request I expect you to do for free. Inform Desmond never to contact me again. I expect you to do this free of charge since I’m doing you a favor by not reporting you to the law board. There is no way Desmond would have known about Julia’s letter existing without you telling him. I wondered why Desmond had hired me to be his accountant when he could have chosen anyone, then the last two weeks, he’s been playing me like an organ. Why would he have gone through so much trouble unless he had confidential knowledge of a certain letter that could be used on George to make him play ball? There were only three people who knew the contents of Julia’s letter to me, and one is dead. That leaves you since I didn’t. Clearly, you’re on his payroll and betrayed my trust. I will be engaging another attorney when I return home. After you have taken care of these requests, I no longer need your services.”

Leaving her now ex-attorney speechless, Haley returned to the rental car to begin the long drive back to Kansas City. She wasn’t going to take the chance of being in the airport if Desmond flew back after finding her gone.

By the end of the drive, she was exhausted and cried until she had no tears left. Pulling up in front of Dante and Nadia’s house, she stared at the dark interior. It was three in the morning. She should go to her house and go to bed.

Putting the car in reverse, she saw the front porch light come on, and Nadia came out to stand on the porch, looping a belt around her house coat, with Dante watching from the left-open door.

Getting out of the car, Haley began walking toward the porch. As she grew closer, Haley began crying again, despite thinking she had nothing left. When the light hit her face, Nadia lifted her arms. Haley walked into those open arms without hesitation.

“He used me.” Sobbing into Nadia shoulder, Haley hated herself for crying in front of Dante.

“Should I call my men to take care of the fucker?” Dante’s harsh voice sounded from the doorway.

Haley was still giving it serious thought when Nadia rolled her eyes at her husband. “Of course not.”

Nadia made her feel ashamed for hesitating. Her BFF was always the sound of reason.

“Call Maria and tell her to bring a bat.”

Thirty-Three

Giving a series of sharp knocks, Desmond waited impatiently for Rhone to answer his room door. He was about to bust it down when Rhone answered groggily.

“What do Haley and you have against letting me sleep?”

“You have three seconds to tell me how Haley flew back to Queens City.”

“I might have helped her.”

Desmond grabbed Rhone’s T-shirt, raising his fist.

“Hold up. What was I supposed to do? She looked mad enough to swim back if I didn’t.”

“What you should have done is brought Haley back to our room and woken me up.”

“True that, but I didn’t.”

Desmond didn’t hold back the strength he used to punch Rhone in the stomach.

Hunched over, Rhone glared at him. “I thought you were going for my face.”

“True that, but I didn’t,” he snarled.

Rhone raised a hand to stop him when Desmond reared his arm back to punch him again. “How did you wake up? I thought I had another hour before you did. Security comes in at six.”

“I woke because I rolled over and she wasn’t there.”

“She actually let you touch her?”

Desmond raked him with a killing glare.

“I can mark her off my wish list, then. Before you try to beat me to a pulp, I may not have woken you, but I did contact your pilot. He should be here in an hour.”

“Right when your security comes on duty.” Snidely, Desmond debated wasting the next hour beating Rhone to within an inch of his life or getting his things packed so he could be waiting at the airport when his plane touched down. Getting to Haley was more imperative.

“Meet me downstairs. I’m going to get my suitcase. You can drive me to the airport.”

Managing to stand without hunching over, Rhone gave him a cocky salute. “I’ll have one of my st—”

Desmond punched him again.

“When I get downstairs, you better be waiting.”

Exiting Rhone’s room before he wasted more time, he went to his room and shoved the clothes he had worn the day before and dropped it into the suitcase he had thrown on the bed. Before zipping it closed, he went to the other room to make sure Haley hadn’t left anything.

How had she managed to sneak out without his knowledge? Fucking hell, why had she taken off like that? Was she regretting sleeping with him last night?

Unable to answer for her, he went down to the first floor to find himself irritated that Rhone wasn’t there already, waiting for him.

A honk from outside had him glancing over to see Rhone sitting behind the steering wheel of his truck. Not mollified in the least, he went outside to get in the vehicle.

“Did Haley say why she wanted to leave?” he asked once they were on the way to the airport.

“No, she came knocking on my door at three a.m. I was being a gentleman by not asking. I tried to get her to stay, but she asked me, as a friend, to help her leave. She’s a friend; there was no way I couldn’t help her.”

Desmond bit back what he wanted to say, turning his head to study Rhone. “Last night, Haley unlocked a memory I had completely forgotten about. When Nadia and Dante held their engagement party, you were there.”

“Yeah, so? I’ve become friends with both of them.”

“During the party, Nadia asked me to dance with Haley. Then I remembered something else after Haley brought it up. When I went to ask her to dance, I couldn’t find her, and I asked you if had seen her. You told me she had left. Then another flashback happened. I saw you dancing with a woman wearing a dark blue dress most of the night. It was Haley.”

“I thought it was funny you didn’t recognize her when she was right there.” Rhone shrugged.

“I don’t find it funny.”

“It’s not funny now, but it was then.” Rhone shrugged again, stopping the truck next to the metal building at the airstrip.

“I’ve never been a person to buy bullshit. Why didn’t you want me to dance with her?”

“Haley looked hot as fuck that night. You’ve been manipulating her since she went to work for you. I wasn’t about to let you get any more of your tentacles into her than you already had. When you asked me to become friends with Haley and pick up the slack they needed in funding for Moonbeam, that was just your bullshit, too,” he snorted out. “You reimbursed me for every donation I made out of your own pocket. And don’t fucking tell me it was because you preferred to remain anonymous. You love having your picture in the papers for good causes. When they ran out of money, I asked why Nadia didn’t ask you. She said it was the condition you made when you gave them the mall. Once you do something, you never go back on your word; that’s how you managed to get all those fuckwads in AWR to hand over Sherguevil to you. Except, you wanted to help Haley more, didn’t you? You just couldn’t bring yourself to make an exception for her.

“You really want to know why I wouldn’t let you dance with her and helped her leave last night? She deserved to know the real you before she found herself in love with you. She isn’t like those brainless money-hungry arm candies you usually fuck then dump to the wayside.”

Desmond stared dismally out the windshield, unable to defend himself.

“Haley was standing behind you last night when we were talking. She heard everything.”

He jerked his eyes back to Rhone. “She heard it all?”

“Every word,” he confirmed.

“You let me talk—”

The revelation blew his fucking mind. She had slept with him afterward.

“She didn’t let on, not once, that she had.”

“To tell you the truth, I expected her to come knocking on my door before three.”

“Ready to pick up the pieces, I bet,” Desmond snarled.

“I would have if I needed to. The thing about Haley I’ve discovered is that where Moonbeam, Nadia, or anyone she loves is concerned, Haley will go to the end of the earth for them, while she wouldn’t ask for a simple glass of water if she were on fire for herself.”

Through the windshield, Desmond saw his jet landing. Getting out, he removed his suitcase from the bed of the truck then waited for the jet to stop.

Rhone got out to stand next to him.

Once he saw Kirk lowering the stairs, Desmond turned to Rhone.

“You going to hit me again?”

“No. I’ve put myself in this mess on my own.”

“But …?” Rhone knew he wouldn’t get off that easily.

“You betrayed my loyalty. You’ll never have it again.”

Striding toward the jet, the lie he had told Haley came back to haunt him, as well as the talk he’d had with Rhone last night. He had been a fucking idiot toward Haley and had no one to blame but himself.

Climbing up the stairs, he felt his cell phone vibrating in his pocket.

His pilot was waiting inside the jet for his instructions.

“Set a flight course to Kansas City,” he ordered.

If Haley had left him in the middle of the night, while he was sleeping, there was no way she would have returned to Queens City, to his apartment.

“Sure thing. We can take off after we’re refueled.”

Waving Kirk away to pull out his phone, he read the text as another one came up. Before looking at the video that Kent had sent him, he ordered Kirk to get the pilot for him. As he waited, he pulled up a map.

“Yes, sir.”

“Change of plans, Corbin.” Widening the screen on his phone, he pointed to an island on the map. “Find out if there is a landing strip here. If not, get as close as you can where I can hire a boat.”

After the pilot went to carry out his order, Desmond almost sent Kirk to rescind the order then thought better of it. Despite Kent telling him that Haley wanted no further contact, he had every intention of ignoring her directive. It should only take half a day to find the location Kent had sent. He would give Haley those hours to lessen her anger toward him. The time would also give him an opportunity to come up with how he was going to explain his deceit to her.

You are so fucked, his conscience whispered insidiously to him.

Pressing play, Desmond watched the video of Ginny taking a stage. When the camera panned to the audience, he tensed in his seat. Ivan was seated with Aanya’s father and brother. At the end of the song, Ginny lifted the collar of the outfit she was wearing to show Aanya’s pin. The camera went back to where Ivan and her brother and father were. From his reaction, he realized his daughter was dead. There was no way Ginny would have the pin unless Aanya was dead. Their culture demanded it be worn every day, or submit to the penalty of death if it wasn’t. He hadn’t been able to watch the footage of how Ginny had received the pin she had shown when she had sung the song. He had watched thousands of times since stealing the hard drive from Ivan’s security system. Instead, he had kept his eyes trained on Ginny, the woman whose life Aanya had saved and, in return, was able to save Gavin. Him, too, if he was being totally honest. He had every intention of going to his death to avenge Aanya if he had made it to the dock that night on Sherguevil. That one little girl, a grown woman now, was going to be responsible for toppling Ivan’s kingdom.

Haley had provided the last piece of the puzzle by giving the location of the people of Sherguevil. Desmond didn’t have to guess at the cost, or why. She had sex with him then left his bed to go to her uncle for a reason. Rhone had said Haley would go to the ends of the earth for those she loved. Haley was in love with him.

Thirty-Four

“It’s been three months, Desmond. Every lead as to where Haley is has come up a bust.

Slowly swirling the amber liquid in his brandy glass, Desmond listened intently for Ice to make one excuse as to why he and his men hadn’t found Haley yet.

“There aren’t any more places we can check. She’s fallen off the face of the earth after she took that chunk of money out of her bank account.”

He clenched his jaw shut when Ice used the phrase fallen off the face of the earth.

“Nadia still refusing to talk to you?”

Desmond opened clear eyes to see Ice staring across the room at him. “No. When I went to her house, she threatened me with a baseball bat.”

“Fuck. Dante there?”

“Yes, even though Nadia said he wasn’t.”

“How the mighty has fallen,” Ice said, shifting in his leather boots.

“Like Grace doesn’t keep you on yours? If that puppy has an accident on my carpet, you’re going to be the one to clean it up. Why did you bring it here, anyway?”

“I fucked up with Grace one time. She was done with me. A puppy got me in the front door. The thing about puppies is they melt the worst anger.”

“You just told me you couldn’t find Haley—”

Ice raised a brow at him. “The puppy isn’t meant for Haley.”

“Then who …” Desmond began nodding when understanding dawned on him. “Nadia.”

“Got it in two. Good job.”

Texting his pilot, Desmond stood, setting his glass aside. “Make sure it doesn’t piss on my leather chair while I go pack a suitcase.”

Ten minutes later, he came back to see Ice was outside on the front lawn with the puppy.

“Come with me to the airport. You can come back for your motorcycle.”

“You can’t drive yourself?”

“I am driving. You’re going along to hold the puppy. I don’t want my upholstery scratched.”

Inside the car, Desmond caught the smug smile Ice was giving him.

“What?”

“Nothing, just happy this is the last puppy in the litter. Had the mom spayed so she won’t be having any more.” Ice patted the wiggling puppy’s head before lifting it up in the air to face toward him. “It’s a female, and the last of the litter.”

“You said that.”

“Females are more expensive.”

“You want me to pay for the dog, despite the amount of money I’ve paid you over the last three months, and you have come up with jack shit results.”

“Yes.”

“How much?”

“A couple grand should make Grace happy. She wanted to keep this one.”

Desmond pursed his lips into a thin line. “I’ll have Lucas bring you the cash.”

“Cool.”

They were nearing the airport when another realization dawned on him. “You could have come up with this suggestion a couple of months ago.”

“Could have,” Ice said, giving a predatory smile. “But I had to wait for it to be born, and then to be weaned off the mother.”

“Any dog would have done it.”

“How would it have benefited me?”

* * *

Nadia came out of the house as he opened the back door to remove the dog carrier. Holding the carrier, he walked it to a fuming woman who was glaring at him as if she wanted to stick a stake through his heart.

“I told you to stop coming here. I’m not going to tell you where Haley is!”

Desmond raised the carrier in front of his chest. “I brought you a present.”

Nadia stared at him suspiciously. “What is it?”

“Open it and see.”

Opening the small metal door, Desmond watched Nadia’s furious face switch to unrestrained joy.

“Aw … He’s so sweet.”

The puppy, grateful for being released, began licking Nadia’s chin.

“He’s a girl.”

“You’re giving her to me?”

“If you give me Haley’s address.”

Her eyes turned into slits.

“Dante!” Nadia screamed.

Alarmed at the explosion of sound that Nadia screeched, Desmond tried to calm her.

“There’s no need to call for Dante.”

“Help, Dante!”

Desmond took one look at the men coming out the door, Dante among them, and decided never to take Ice’s advice again.

Getting back into the car, he drove away, leaving the group outside eating his dust. He thought the bastard had retired. What did he interrupt, a fucking family reunion?

Making sure he wasn’t being followed by the goon squad he had left behind, Desmond pulled over to think of his options. His first plan of action was to find a place to stay in Kansas City. The red carpet wouldn’t be rolled out at the casino hotel anytime soon. Second, he was done playing Mr. Nice Guy. Fuck that. He had to go back to the way of thinking like when he had been desperate and was willing to live life on the edge.

Coming to a conclusion of what to do, he started driving again. First things first, he needed a place to live. He Googled the closest realtor then keyed the address into the GPS. Finding the realtor was easy; convincing the agent that he only had two items on his must-have list—an isolated house with no neighbors—was the hard part.

Using all the charm available to him, and several high-profile names as references, Desmond walked out with three addresses on his phone to be looked at. That the realtor had refused to go alone with him until another one agreed to go with her didn’t place a dent in his pride. He didn’t have any left. Haley had taken it all with her.

Thirty-Five

A burst of wind sent the trees overhead of her swaying, red, orange, and gold leaves floating down. Haley loved this time of year and enjoyed the sight of the leaf-covered sidewalk she was walking down. It was mid-day, during the middle of the week, so, many residents in the neighborhood wouldn’t be hastening to rake the leaves until the weekend. Wanting the exercise and fresh air, she had walked the mile to the small grocery store instead of driving.

No longer given curious looks or probing questions when venturing out, she had started broadening her horizons and gone into other shops.

Waving at the postman who had come to a stop to let her cross, she turned down the street to the one-story house she had rented.

Another gust of wind had her placing her bags in one hand to button her thick coat higher as she walked. Glancing up when she was done, she came to a halt at seeing the man sitting on the porch a few yards away. There was enough distance separating them that she could have easily taken two steps backward and been out of sight.

With a graceful movement, the man stood, catching sight of her, and began striding purposely toward her.

Shakily, she pushed her hair away from her eyes to get a better look at Desmond. He had lost weight. Even under the mid-length black coat, she could tell the difference. Both hands in his pockets had the coat pulled tightly across his shoulders, showing he was tense, unsure of her reaction.

Haley licked suddenly dry lips, waiting for him to speak. Was he going to say something harsh because she had left him in the hotel room? Or had he come to thank her for sending him the location he had been searching for? He did neither. Desmond just stopped an inch from her.

Removing his hand from his pocket, he reached out and plucked a leaf from her hair. “I missed you.” His raspy voice sent her stomach into cartwheels.

“I missed you.”

“All you had to do was go home. You made it pretty impossible for me to find you.”

“I didn’t want to be found.”

“Obviously.”

“How did you find me?” Her mind went through different scenarios that could have led to him finding her. She came up with nothing. She had been too careful.

“Nadia told me.”

“Nadia wouldn’t have broken her confidence to me.”

“She didn’t want to. I had something she wanted back.”

“What did you have?”

“Her puppy.”

Haley frowned. “Nadia doesn’t have a puppy. Dante refuses to have a dog.”

“I might have given her one, as an apology for hurting her best friend.”

Haley tried not to smile, but imagining Dante with a puppy was making it hard. “Typically, you give the person you hurt the present.”

“I would have if I could have found you,” he said, exasperated.

“So, you took the puppy back?”

“More like puppy-napped.”

Pressing her lips together in a tight line, she succeeded at holding in the laughter. “You didn’t.”

“Oh,”—he nodded his head—“I did.”

Haley couldn’t hold the laughter in any longer. “I can’t believe you dognapped Dante Caruso’s dog.”

Desmond gave a pained expression at her laughter. Taking his other hand out of his pocket, he raised a finger that had a Band-Aid wrapped around it. “The little fu—puppy bit me, too.”

Haley reached out a gloved hand to take the finger, pulling it toward her lips. Pressing a gentle kiss on the bandaged finger, she then released his hand. “All better.”

“No, it isn’t. You hurt something far worse.”

“What did I hurt?”

Expecting him to give her a litany of things that he could say she hurt, like his ego, his plans, his pride …

“My heart.”

That one was definitely not at the top of her list.

“How did I hurt your heart?”

“You made me fall in love with you, gave me unbelievable sex, and then you ran away before I could tell you how I felt.”

Haley shook her head at him in denial. “You’re not in love with me, Desmond.”

Reaching out, he took one of the bags away from her to place her gloved hand over his heart. “I am.”

Haley shook her head at him. “Are you looking for an affair? You weren’t the only one who lied. I did when I said I didn’t want a commitment, or children, and I didn’t need monogamy.”

“You’ve never lied, Haley, not once to me. You were only repeating my words back to me. To say I’ve been miserable the last three and half months is a fucking understatement. It doesn’t matter if other women are willing to accept my conditions, because none of them are you. I want to marry you.” Reaching inside his pocket, he took out a black velvet box and opened it.

Haley didn’t glance at the ring he was showing her. She looked into the depths of his eyes and found what she had always searched for—the truth.

“Don’t say no. If you want to stay here, I’ll find a place until you decide to accept me. I’ll give you any money you need to help with Moonbeam.”

When she started shaking her head at him, he grew more plaintive.

“If you don’t marry me, Dante’s going to have me killed for puppy-napping his dog.”

“I thought it was Nadia’s.”

“I didn’t figure on Dante getting attached to it, too. I barely escaped Kansas City with both of my kneecaps. You marrying me will save my life.”

“You’re exaggerating.”

“No, I’m not. Marry me, please.” Closing the ring box, he dropped it into the bag he was holding to pull her into his arms.

“What happened to you moving here until I decide?” Finding her face squished into the front of his coat, Haley felt free enough to let herself smile into the wool material.

“I’ve changed my mind. I’m afraid you’ll take off again.”

Haley pulled herself out of his arms. “You’re not saying this because I helped you find what you were searching for? I would have used the letter as soon as you told me about the people on Sherguevil Island, but I truly didn’t think George knew. When I went to see him, I was bluffing that I would give him the letter if he told me where they were. I didn’t expect him to tell me. I knew he was evil; I just didn’t know to the extent he is.”

“You had the original letter sent to him,” he stated.

“Truthfully, I wouldn’t have ever done anything with it. I didn’t want the house or money left to me, and I couldn’t bring myself to hurt Amelia.”

“Why? She’s a bitch.”

“She’s Julia’s daughter. There has to be some good inside of her.”

“It has to be pretty damn deep, then.”

“I hope, one day, she can become the daughter Julia could be proud of. I have every faith she will.”

Desmond plucked another leaf from her hair. “Can you take a chance on me, and extend some of that faith in my direction?”

Haley lifted watery eyes to his. “Why should I? You’ve lied to me over and over—”

“I love you.”

His simple response had her stomach doing another cartwheel.

“Trust me one time, and I swear I won’t disappoint you ever again.”

Haley shook her head. “You came here in vain, Desmond. I …”

A tortured expression came across his face at her words.

Giving another shake, she smiled at him. “I was coming back. You wasted a trip here. I have an airplane ticket for tomorrow morning. I was going to call you when I arrived home.”

His relief was palpable. “You were?”

“Yes.”

Finding herself tucked backed into his arms, she hastily pulled herself back. “Not so fast.” Haley took a deep breath, trying to find a way to say what she needed to get out. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

Desmond stared down at her, waiting, his eyes searching hers. Then his face went bland as he took a step back. He handed the grocery bag to her, and they maintained eye contact when she took it and he slowly unbuttoned her coat. His eyes left hers to travel down her body, lingering on her stomach.

“You’re pregnant.”

A joy she had never experienced before filled her when he reverently pressed a gentle hand against her stomach.

“I’m not showing yet.”

“You were coming back to tell me you’re pregnant.”

“Yes. You’re not upset?”

“No, I’m not upset,” he said huskily. “For the last twenty years, I’ve been consumed by becoming richer and chasing every business opportunity I could to fill a void that no one could fill.”

“What if you get bored with me and the baby? We should take our time,” she suggested.

“You’ve worked for me over the last three years. When I make a decision, I stick with it. My instinct has never steered me wrong.”

He had her there.

Haley nibbled on her bottom lip. She loved him and was concerned his feelings didn’t match hers. Desmond saw her indecision in her expression.

“I don’t want you regretting—”

“What am I going to regret? I’m going to be consumed with my new project. I plan to give the project my undivided attention and make sure every single need gets met.”

Haley frowned. “What new project?”

“It’s spelled H-A-L-E-Y.”

Thirty-Six

A pang of melancholy struck Haley as she looked out of the window of the house they had continued to rent. She’d fallen in love with the small town, and the picturesque views. The day Desmond had arrived, the trees outside their house had been covered in autumn leaves. Now they were bare and covered in snow, and she wished they could stay long enough for her to see the new leaves sprouting.

“We can stay longer if you want,” Desmond said, coming up behind her to cross his arms over the swell of her stomach.

“I miss Nadia, and I think she is missing me, too. She wants to get started decorating our nursery room. You know she’s already calling herself Auntie.”

Their peaceful existence had come to an end here, and much as she was frightened about leaving, it wouldn’t be fair to Desmond if they continued to stay just because she was terrified he would lose interest in her once they were enveloped in their normal everyday lives.

They had assumed a daily routine of him taking phone calls two hours in the morning, and two in the evening. She had accepted a few assignments from prior clients to keep herself busy while he worked. The rest of the day had been spent with them taking walks, playing board games, and talking. Idyllic days had turned into nights where they had done nothing but make love.

Haley bit her lip. How much sex was too much? That was on the top of her list that she didn’t want him to get bored with.

Desmond must have seen her uncertainty in the reflection of the windowpane. Leaning down, he placed his chin on her shoulder.

“I love you.”

Her eyes welled with tears.

“One part of this pregnancy I won’t miss is how emotional he has made me. I cry at the drop of a hat.”

“You’re not being overemotional because of the baby. You’re uncertain about my feelings for you. I don’t blame you. I jerked your feelings around like a yo-yo. “

One of the tears she had been holding back managed to escape to slide down her cheek as a car pulled into the curb.

“The taxi is here.”

Straightening, Desmond turned her to face him.

“We don’t have to go.”

“It’s not going to be easier tomorrow. We have to get your house ready to sell and find a new one in Kansas City. The one I have is only one bedroom. I’m just being silly.”

“You couldn’t be silly if you tried. It’s one of the things I love about you. Do you remember when I told you that I couldn’t understand how you and Nadia were friends?”

“If you’re trying to make me feel better, this isn’t working.”

“Nadia has a gift of looking past the exterior into the heart within. There isn’t anything fake about you. You don’t lose your head; you seek solutions while everyone else is still asking questions. I can from my own experience say you aren’t capable of being fake or stand by when someone is being mistreated. In this world, you’re an oddity, a rare person who has a standard of morals based on your own personal values. In other words, the complete opposite of me. You’re not the only one who doesn’t want to go back.”

“Why?”

“What if you want a puppy like Nadia has? Or you get angry at me and go stay at Nadia’s? Dante would love to have another chance to break my kneecaps. Or Rhone wants to come over, and I punch him again?”

“Why would you punch him?”

“If he makes another pass at you. Pregnancy suits you. He won’t be able to help himself.”

Desmond smoothed a hand over her burgeoning belly.

“I can be possessive. Which is news to me. I’m still finding new things to be jealous of.”

“Like what?” she teased, her tension easing.

“For instance, how long you can talk to Nadia when I’m winning at UNO, or how you talk to the neighbors when they bring over something, or one of your clients when I’m trying to make love to you.”

“I quit answering their calls.”

“Only because I quit stopping when you told me to.”

“That’s true. You win. We can go.”

His eyes went slumberous.

“Aren’t you going to reassure me the way I do for you?”

“No. I can’t have you to over-confident before we go house hunting and then shopping for the nursery with Nadia.”

“I can’t convince you to make love one more time here, for old times’ sake?”

“I think we have to leave and come back for it to be old times’ sake.”

“Then it’s a good thing I bought the house. We can come back here every year at the same time.”

“You bought this house despite me telling you not to?”

“Yes.”

Desmond didn’t look guilty at his confession.

“I should be angry, but I’m too happy.”

“Go with that feeling. It works for me,” he said, turning her around in the direction of the door.

“Now move. We have places to go and things to do.”

“Like what?”

“It’s a surprise.”

Holding out her arms, she put on the coat that Desmond held out for her, moving around her. She felt a surge of warmth as he meticulously buttoned it before placing her pom-pom hat on her head, giving her a critical glance before taking her hand.

Haley had seen other couples do the same numerous times and had been envious. Being on the other side of being the one given the consideration eased a tiny part of her heart that she had been holding back to keep from being completely devastated if Desmond woke up one day and decided they were over.

In the cab, Haley looked at their clasped hands as Desmond made small talk with the driver. Still adjusting to the weight of the engagement ring and wedding band she had only started wearing last week, she snuggled into Desmond’s side when he brushed a finger over them as if making sure they were still there.

When they arrived at the airport, Desmond’s pilot was waiting by his plane.

“Mr. Beck, Mrs. Beck.”

A thrill went up her spine at being referred to as his wife. Taking a seat next to Desmond, Haley realized it was a different plane.

“What happened to your jet?” she asked.

“Still in Queens City. I rented this one. It has a bedroom at the back.”

“Why did you rent it for the bedroom? It’s only a four-hour flight.”

“I can’t tell you. It’ll spoil the surprise.”

“Can you tell me how long we’ll be in the air?”

“About twelve hours. When you need a nap, we can go to the bedroom.”

“Give me a hint, at least.”

“No. Read a book. I had Nadia send you a few.”

Opening her travel bag, she gazed at the new books Nadia had sent.

“Desmond… I think Nadia is still mad at you.”

“Why?”

Turning the iPad to show him, she started laughing at his expression as Desmond read the titles off.

“How to make your husband your submissive”, “Husband in Training”, “How to Pick out your new Dog.”

“We are not getting a puppy,” he said firmly, then gave her slumberous gaze. “But anytime you want to try make me your submissive, you’re certainly welcome to try.”

“That’s okay.” Keeping a straight face, she shut the iPad. “Books aren’t the best teachers. I prefer finding an experienced teacher.”

Desmond’s face went jealous. “Like whom?”

“Nadia. She whipped Dante into shape, didn’t she?

* * *

Watching the wedding ceremony, Haley had to take the tissues Desmond had taken out of his trousers. Before landing, Desmond had her go into the bedroom to get changed into a dress he had pre-arranged with Nadia to send. The flowy, sage-green chiffon dress had an asymmetrical hem that was lightweight and cooling in the light breeze.

He had waited until they had stepped off the boat before telling her they were on Sherguevil Island.

“Why did you bring me here?”

“Wait and see.”

When they had driven past the hotel, her curiosity had deepened. Reaching the beach, she saw a speedboat waiting for them.

“What if I get seasick?”

“It’s only a short ride, and I’ll go slow so the boat won’t crash over the waves. Come on, I don’t want us to be late.”

Getting on board, Haley lifted her face to the breeze, not sick in the least as they went to the next island. Taking her hand, Desmond had helped her onto the dock and, with minutes to spare, found a place for them to stand at the back of the crowd.

Looking around her, she had started to cry at the joy on the peoples’ faces as they waited for the arrival of a jet that the bride and groom got off, as well as other members of the bridal party.

“You brought them home.”

“I didn’t. You promised George you wouldn’t tell where you had gotten the information from. Gavin had several investigators searching for them. I just made certain one of his investigators was given the pertinent information.”

As they reached the dock, music started playing. Haley recognized the lyrics instantly when the children in the crowd began singing “Somewhere over the Rainbow” by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole.

Using the tissues that Desmond gave her, Haley wiped the tears away.

Remaining at the back, they followed the couple and the islanders further into the island to climb a hill that led them to the breathtaking sight of a waterfall and lagoon.

As the ceremony for the couple began, Haley leaned in closer to Desmond to listen to every word. Afterward, Desmond and she both watched, spellbound, as the married couple jumped off the waterfall into the beauty of the lagoon beneath.

Joining in the cheering when the couple broke the surface and come up to kiss, Haley spared a glance to her husband to catch the sight of the expression on his face. Every fear and doubt she had about Desmond vanished. There was no way a man who had fought so hard for another couples’ happiness would do anything to jeopardize his own.

Puzzled, Haley was surprised when Desmond led her back down the hill instead of going to congratulate the couple.

Back on board the boat they had taken, Haley remained silent until they were in the room that Desmond had readied for them on Sherguevil Island.

“Do we need to stay the night?” she ventured to ask as she unpacked the small suitcase Desmond brought from the plane.

“Yes. I want to be cautious with you and the baby. Your doctor gave the go-ahead to fly, but he did suggest giving you a rest between flights. Besides, a friend I grew up with is here with his wife and family. I would like for you to meet them.”

“Then I want to stay. I was being ridiculous. Gabriel is still locked up in prison.”

“He will never see nightfall if he tries to come for me.”

The way Desmond said that statement sent a chill through her.

“You wouldn’t do anything, would you?”

His hands went to his pockets.

“There’s a long line of people wanting to get their hands on him. There wouldn’t be anything left by time he got to me.”

Desmond walked forward to take her arms to set her on the edge of the bed.

“There are things I’ve never told you about myself.”

Haley started shaking her head.

“I don’t need to know about your past.”

“I want to tell you… I’m just afraid I’ll lose you if I do.”

“It doesn’t matter what you want to tell me.” Haley took a deep breath and took his hands to tug him down until he was on his knees in front of her.

“You know what my favorite season of the year is?”

Desmond gave her a strange look at her changing the topic.

Haley went on. “Fall. The leaves are so full of beauty as they fall down to the earth after battling the wind, leaving behind the tree that is still standing there, ugly, waiting for another season to come so it can be beautiful again.” Her hands cupped his cheeks.

“How many years have you had to battle the cold winters alone?”

At her soft question, she didn’t expect the strong reaction she received.

“Too long.”

As he dipped his head to her lap, she felt his shoulders start to shake. Curling her arms around him, she laid her head on his back as she cried with him. She had worked with troubled youths too many years not to have recognized the signs Desmond had put out. When each new runaway had come in, she had never judged them for their actions, and she wasn’t going to judge him.

“As much as I love the color of fall, springtime is my favorite, with the new leaves blooming. Whether the tree is naked or covered in leaves of various colors, it’s the same tree underneath, despite all the camouflage. I didn’t fall in love with you because of the façade you wear, your wealth or possessions; I fell in love with the part you tried to hide the most. Your heart. Did you see the faces of the people on the island today? The bride and groom’s joy of being there? Mine, for the last few weeks? You’re responsible for that happiness, Desmond.”

When Desmond raised his head, she handed him the tissues he had given her.

“Your pregnancy symptoms are getting to me.”

“At least you aren’t craving a McDonald’s cheeseburger. There isn’t one on the island. Or is there?” she asked hopefully.

“No.”

She pouted at him. “Do you have cheeseburgers on the menu here?”

“No, and the chef here would have a heart attack if you asked for one.”

“Why would he care?”

“He only cooks gourmet dishes.”

“Then fire him and find someone else.”

“I would if I could. I’m stuck with him until his contract runs out. I even tried to pawn him off on Dante.”

“How did that work out?”

“Not too well, which is why he’s here.”

“I have a suggestion. I may know someone who will take him off our hands.”

“I’ll take any suggestion at this point. Who is it?”

“Rhone.”

“Do I have your permission to be devious?”

“How devious? He’s my friend, and he got me out of a bad situation when I needed him.”

Desmond didn’t act like he liked her last sentiment.

“He tried to steal you away from me so he could marry you, then ditch you to resume chasing after models who are at the top of their game.”

“I forgot that part of your conversation…”

He laughed.

“Hand me my cell phone.”

“You going to call Rhone and ask him to take the chef?”

Haley gave him a stern glance. “Of course not. I couldn’t lie to a friend.”

Taking the phone, she sent a series of numbers to Desmond’s phone.

“You are, and I think Mr. Chef deserves a raise.”

“What about all the happiness I give people? This isn’t going to make Rhone happy.”

“With sunshine, a little bit of rain must fall.”

Instead of reaching for his phone, Desmond’s hand curled over the swell of her stomach.

“I told you I had loved a woman when I was younger. The first time I saw her, all I could think about was making her mine.”

Haley didn’t feel a spurt of jealously at the confession, not with the loving way he was touching her.

“You know what I think anytime you walk into a room, or I touch you?”

“No. What?” she asked solemnly.

“I’m yours.”

Reading Order

1. Razer's Ride (The Last Riders) 

2. Viper's Run (The Last Riders) 

3. Knox's Stand (The Last Riders) 

4. Sex Piston (Biker Bitches) 

5. Teased (The VIP Room) 

6. Tainted (The VIP Room) 

7. Shade's Fall (The Last Riders) 

8. King (The VIP Room)

9. Cash's Fight (The Last Riders)

10. Fat Louise (Biker Bitches)

11. Riot (Predators MC) 

12. Shade (The Last Riders)

13. Stand Off (Predators MC)

14. Lucky's Choice (The Last Riders)

15. Keeping What's His: Tate (Porter Brothers Trilogy)

16. Merry Blissmas (Biker Bitches)

17. Hostage (Predators MC)

18. Winter's Touch (The Last Riders)

19. Train's Clash (The Last Riders, Biker Bitches)

20. Standing His Ground: Greer (Porter Brother's Trilogy)

21. Crazy B!tch (Biker Bitches)

22. Rider's Revenge (The Last Riders)

23.Stalked (Predators MC)

24. Claiming the Enemy: Dustin (Porter Brothers Trilogy)

25. T.A. (Biker Bitches)

26. Dangerous Love

27. Gavin’s Song (Road to Salvation: A Last Rider's Trilogy)

28. Ho Ho Hennessy

29. Reaper’s Wrath (Road to Salvation: A Last Rider's Trilogy)

30. Reaper’s Salvation (Road to Salvation: A Last Rider's Trilogy)

31. Dark Ties: Desmond