Jardin’s Gamble

by Roberts, Laylah

  He gave her a wicked smile. “Maybe I just enjoy saving damsels in distress. Gives me an ego boost.”

  “You need an ego boost?” She gaped at him. How could someone who looked like he did need an ego boost?

  He burst into laughter. “Well, I don’t now. Maybe we don’t know each other. But that’s what a date is for. Getting to know someone. And hell, maybe I’m just hard-up for some company.”

  “I doubt that,” she said dryly.

  “Look, I’ll get your car towed. Got a buddy who will do it cheap. I’ll work on it for you, when it’s fixed, I’ll give you a call and we can go on that date.”

  She cocked an eyebrow. “You’ll hold my car prisoner until I agree to a date?”

  “Damn straight.” He winked at her and she couldn’t help but smile back. He was charming and funny and gorgeous.

  Why aren’t you jumping at the chance to date him? Because you’re an idiot.

  She let out a deep breath. “It’s a deal.” She held her uninjured hand out to him. Her other hand was still throbbing painfully. Perhaps she was being stupid. For all she knew, he was going to take off with her car and she’d never see him again.

  Yeah, right. Because your car is totally worth stealing.

  He wrapped her small hand in his, gently squeezing. Dear Lord, there was something about such a big, strong man being so very careful with her that did something to her insides.

  Likely there was something wrong with him. Maybe he snored. Or he didn’t lower the toilet lid. Perhaps he did drugs. Or pimped out women.

  Her breath whooshed out of her at the thought.

  “Hmm, I’m guessing you’re back to thinking I’m some sort of serial killer,” he drawled.

  “What? No!”

  He grinned. “You’re the worst liar.”

  She bit her lower lip. “Sorry.”

  “Would it help if I gave you my mama’s phone number? She’d kick my ass if I didn’t treat a lady right.”

  “I . . . I . . . no!” she squeaked out, completely horrified at the idea. Speak to his mother? On what planet would she want to do that?

  He threw back his head with a laugh. “That was a joke. My mama and I aren’t exactly on speaking terms.”

  Oh, that was sad.

  “Okay, darlin’. Here’s my card. Tell me your name and number and I’ll put it in my phone.” He drew his phone out.

  Crap. Well. Here goes nothing. She rattled off her details.

  “Thea, it suits you.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “Do you think?” She’d always thought it sounded too pretty to be her name. Too elegant and refined. Everything she wasn’t.

  He tapped his finger against her nose. “No bad thoughts about yourself allowed.”

  How the heck did he know? She gaped at him. But he didn’t give her an explanation. He was too busy tapping away on his phone. “My buddy will get your car in twenty. You said you needed a ride into work?”

  “I’ll be fine. I’ll get a friend to pick me up.” A friend . . . an Uber . . . that was close, right?

  He watched her suspiciously. But she went back inside her car and brought up the Uber app. It wasn’t a cost she could really afford, but she’d take public transportation home. It would mean taking three different buses and walking for half a mile at night in her shitty neighborhood, but it couldn’t be helped.

  When the Uber was booked to arrive in five minutes, she looked at the card.

  Carrick Arson.

  Cool name. Carrick. He didn’t look like a Carrick. She slipped back out of the car when he got off the phone. Grabbing hold of her bag, she locked up. “What shall I do with the keys?”

  “I’ll wait for my friend to get here.”

  She frowned slightly. “I don’t want to hold you up.”

  He shrugged. “It’s that or leave the keys under the tire, darlin’ and there’s no guarantee even this car will be here when Jack arrives.”

  She bristled slightly at the slur to her car. But hell, who was she kidding? It was only the truth. It was a piece of shit.

  She sighed. “I don’t know what to say.”

  “Thank you works. I mean, if you wanted to say thank you, Carrick, you handsome, gorgeous, sexy man, I wouldn’t say no.”

  She grinned. “Thank you.”

  He held a hand to his chest. “Wounded.”

  A giggle escaped, surprising her. Laughter wasn’t something that really existed in her world. Something inside her softened. This big, gorgeous, funny man had managed to make her laugh.

  A car pulled up and she looked over. There was her Uber.

  Carrick’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the car. “Friend, huh?”

  She shrugged.

  Leaning down, he brushed his lips across her cheek. Then his mouth moved to her ear. “Just as well you’re not mine. Or you’d be getting a red ass. Both for lying to me and for taking an Uber.”

  Crap.

  “You’ve got a thing against Ubers?” she asked, ignoring what he’d said about giving her a red ass. He had to be joking, right?

  Or was there something about her that screamed, spank me?

  Dear Lord Thea. Chill.

  “I’m not happy you’ll get into a stranger’s car but not mine.”

  She cleared her throat. “You are a stranger.”

  “Not for long. And then we will revisit this. That’s a promise.”

  Thea had the feeling she was in far, far over her head. But a shiver of arousal went up her spine as she looked into his face. She saw the intensity in his gaze and nodded, incapable of speech. Then proving himself the gentleman he’d proclaimed to be, he walked her over to the car, opening the back door. She slid in.

  The Uber driver turned to smile at her, blanching when he saw Carrick standing there, scowling at him.

  Holy. Shit.

  “Fasten your seatbelt,” he rumbled.

  She scowled. She’d been about to. Maybe. With a sigh, she did it up. He crouched down and grabbed hold of her chin, kissing both of her cheeks. “Have a great day at work.” He turned to the Uber driver. “Drive carefully, anything happens to her, I’m holding you accountable.”

  “Carrick,” she protested. Thing is, she wasn’t sure if she was protesting the threat to the Uber driver or the note of possession in his voice.

  She didn’t know him. He didn’t get to claim her.

  Right, like you’re putting up any sort of real protest.

  “Text me when you get to work.”

  Before she could remind him that he didn’t get to make demands on her, he closed the door and was walking away.

  And man, he sure did fill out his jeans nicely.

  It took everything he had to walk away and not drag her out of that car and over into his truck.

  An Uber.

  Was she freaking kidding him? Not only had she lied to him, but she was trusting her safety to some stranger?

  Taking a deep breath in, he let it out slowly.

  Easy, man.

  Much as he’d wanted to go all caveman on her ass, he’d known he had to let her go. Throwing her over his shoulder and taking her back home wasn’t the way to win her over. And he wanted that. He wanted her trust. Her desire. Her fire.

  He’d immediately noticed the way her gaze had eaten him up as he’d walked toward her. It had amused him as she’d stood there, her mouth slightly open, pulse racing. He’d be lying if he said it hadn’t boosted his ego.

  Most women who saw him coming toward them would run the other way, not devour him with their eyes. He was a big guy and she was small. Curvy in all the right places, but still so fucking small. Delicate. Even though he’d never use his strength against a woman, she didn’t know that. She should have been more careful. He frowned as he thought about her being that trusting with another stranger. One not as honorable as him.

  Yeah, he’d pushed her into that date. And, no, he wasn’t going to let her pull out. But he wouldn’t want anyone else to do that to her.

 
; Ah, well, after your date you won’t let anyone else close to her anyway.

  He wasn’t sure what it was about her that called to him so strongly. But he wanted her.

  And no one was going to get in the way of what he wanted. Not this time. Never again.

  2

  Jardin stepped into the outer office just as Thea started to lower herself onto her seat.

  “You’re late, Ms. Garrison,” he barked. He felt a flicker of guilt as she startled, and her seat flew backward on its wheels. She teetered on her heels and he dove forward.

  He might be an ass at times, but he wasn’t about to let her fall flat on her butt. Grabbing hold of her waist, he steadied her.

  Her waist was so tiny that his hands fit all the way around. His pulse picked up. He should never have hired her. It had been a stupid, impulsive decision. One made with emotion rather than logic. Something he prided himself on no longer doing. Emotion would be his ruin. Once, he’d let himself be run by it, and he’d lost everything.

  Quickly, he drew his hands from her waist, still tingling. Need for her was a thirst inside him that would never be quenched. Because Thea Garrison was off-limits.

  He’d hired her because he’d been desperate. He’d gone through more personal assistants than every other lawyer in the firm. Combined. He was a hard taskmaster. He knew that. Once, he’d had more give in him. More laughter. But that was all gone. All he had was work. And family.

  And he dedicated his life to both. Allowing nothing to interfere.

  Especially not a petite, gorgeous woman who wore ill-fitting clothes, had far too many shadows in her eyes and was definitely too young for him.

  “I’m seriously rethinking these shoes.”

  He glanced down at the hideous things with a grimace. How did she even walk in those? And they looked to be too small for her, her toes poking over the edge of them.

  If she were his, he’d have her in Louboutin’s. Those red soles would look sexy as hell. Especially as that would be all she’d be permitted to wear.

  Focus. She’s your personal assistant not your sub.

  And she would never be his sub. He didn’t take on untrained subs. Not anymore. Plus, she was his employee. He didn’t mess with people he worked with. Although that soon wouldn’t be a problem.

  “You’re fired. Get packed up and leave.”

  Her mouth dropped open and the blood left her face as she swayed, making him worry she was about to faint. He reached for her again, but she shocked him by slapping his hands away.

  He blinked. She was normally so professional. It had surprised him considering her lack of experience. Part of him had expected her to be gone by the end of the first day. That she’d lasted two months shocked him. But he didn’t have time in his life for mistakes. And he didn’t suffer anyone taking advantage of him. Not again.

  This is what he got for taking a chance on someone.

  “You . . . you’re firing me?”

  “I’m sorry if I wasn’t clear,” he said smoothly. “Yes, you’re fired.”

  “For being late?”

  “Yes, for being late.”

  What wasn’t clear about that?

  Devastation filled her face, almost swaying him. But he couldn’t allow it to. The New Orleans Malones didn’t deal with emotion. They didn’t like displays of affection and feelings. He couldn’t remember ever seeing his parents kiss or hold hands. It just wasn’t done.

  Unlike his wild cousins, he wasn’t given to letting everyone around him know exactly what he was thinking. His visits to Haven were now few and far between. Even though he was glad Alec and West had found women who made them happy, it was difficult for him to see. One evening at dinner, Alec had sat with his wife, Mia on his lap, feeding her bites of food, his hand rubbing her swollen belly as he watched her with affection.

  His mother would have died of shock had his father dared to touch her like that. Let alone pull her onto his lap and feed her by hand.

  It just wasn’t done.

  Of course, she likely wouldn’t understand that Jardin was a Dom. She’d think he was perverted. She’d likely have disowned him. She’d been a cold, hard bitch, who’d never smiled in her life.

  Mia rarely stopped smiling.

  So why am I trying to emulate what my parents had? Maybe I should be more like the Texas Malones?

  Dear Lord, there had to be something wrong with him. Had he really just thought that? His cousins were insane. It was just by some weird stroke of luck that two of them had managed to find women to put up with them.

  How none of them had ended up dead or in jail was beyond him. Every time he visited, he risked his life. They’d been known to shoot at visitors. And just because he was family didn’t mean he was exempt from that.

  It had almost become a competition. He’d even seen money exchange hands. Assholes.

  Damn, he missed them. It had been months since he’d been to Haven. Even if it did hurt, being there reminded him he was alive. The longer he spent in New Orleans, the colder he grew. The less invested in his life he became. The more the memories got to him, pulling him under, taunting him.

  “But you don’t even know the reason why I’m late,” she said quietly.

  “You’re not ill. And I’m guessing no one died since you’re not crying. I don’t see what other excuse you can possibly have.”

  “My car broke down.”

  “And your phone was broken? Why didn’t you call me?”

  Surprise filled her face. “You would have helped me?”

  Helped her? Of course he would have. No, wait. No, he wouldn’t have. She wasn’t his sub. Not his responsibility.

  “I meant to call a cab,” he explained coldly.

  She blinked. And he worried for a moment that she might cry. Tears—her tears—might just break through the coldness. And he couldn’t allow that. If he let her in, he was in trouble.

  Because, deep down, the last thing he felt when he looked at Thea Garrison was cold.

  Nope. She heated him from the inside out. When she was near, his hands itched to draw her closer. His ears begged to hear more of her sultry voice. His entire body leaned toward her. Wanting . . . needing to touch her.

  And that is why he had to get rid of her. Thea was temptation wrapped up in a small, sexy package. It would be all too easy to get drawn into her web. He wasn’t going to allow himself to fall for her.

  So, he acted like she didn’t affect him. Like she barely existed beyond work. He didn’t ask her about her homelife, even though he worried about how threadbare her clothing appeared to be. He didn’t express interest in her wellbeing, not even when she turned up to work with large, black circles under her eyes. He didn’t care. Or, at least, he pretended not to.

  Because he had to keep himself safe. From the moment he’d given into weakness and hired her, he’d been cursing himself.

  Because he fucking wanted her. And for more than a quick affair. He wanted to wake up to those smiles in the morning and go to sleep with her curled next to him each night.

  But it wasn’t happening. She was his personal assistant, or at least she had been. She was way too young. Naïve. Innocent. They likely had nothing in common.

  Nope. Best he stick to his asshole routine and get rid of her.

  “I called for an Uber and I got here as quickly as I could. You see there was—”

  “You called an Uber?” He glared down at her.

  She frowned. “Yes. Why does everyone find that so objectionable? There’s nothing wrong with taking an Uber.”

  “It’s unsafe.”

  She threw her hands in the air. “How is it any less safe than taking a taxi?”

  “Taxi drivers are vetted.”

  “Right, we both know that’s not always the case. Anyway, as I was telling you there was this man—”

  “What man? Where?”

  An exasperated breath popped out of her and she placed her hands on her hips, glaring up at him, her toe tapping a tune out on the
thick carpet.

  “If you’d let me finish, I’d tell you.”

  Damn. How had he not seen this feisty side of her before? She always acted so professionally.

  This was hot.

  Back on track. Stop thinking about how hot she is. You’re firing her, remember?

  It shouldn’t turn him on to have her scold him, and he couldn’t understand why it did. He normally preferred subs who were obedient, who followed his every word to the letter. Brats had never interested him.

  “There was a man who pulled up when I was broken down and offered to have my car towed and fixed at his garage.”

  “And you just let him?”

  What was wrong with this girl? Was she totally naïve? How the hell had she survived as long as she had without someone taking advantage of her?

  His hands clenched into fists at the thought.

  “Well, it seemed like a good offer.”

  “He’s likely stolen your car, taken it to a chop shop, and you’ll never see it again.”

  “I could leave my car on the side of the road, keys in it, with a sign saying ‘take me’ on it and it would still be there in the morning,” she said dryly. “Trust me, no one in their right mind would steal that heap of junk.”

  What kind of car was she driving around in? How was that safe? Why didn’t she have someone looking after her? Making certain she was safe?

  “Why didn’t you call a family member?”

  “Like whom?” She gaped at him as though that was a weird question.

  “Like your dad. Don’t you have a dad?”

  To his shock, she burst into laughter. “Do I not have a dad? Jeez, how to answer that? Yes, I have a dad, but he isn’t the sort of person you call when you’re in trouble.”

  He didn’t like the sound of that.

  “I didn’t have anyone to call who could help. But it took a while to, uh, negotiate getting my car to his garage. I did call and leave a message with Jenny, though. Didn’t she give it to you?”

  “No, she didn’t.” He stalked over to the intercom system. “Jenny!”

  “Yes, sir?”

  The other woman’s silky voice grated on him for some reason. He’d seen the way she looked at him. Hungry.

  Jenny walked into the room, her hips swaying. A predator looking for prey. Although her prey came in the form of a rich husband. Her dress was tight and way too short for a receptionist in a respectable law firm.