Moonlight Sins

by Jennifer L. Armentrout

  Lucian didn’t want her to leave and he wasn’t fool enough to even lie to himself that he had purely altruistic reasons for wanting her to stay, reasons that had nothing to do with his sister.

  Pinching the bridge of her nose, she lowered her chin. Damn it. She wasn’t convinced. So he did want de Vincents always did. He sweetened the deal.

  “How about we offer you a . . . a completion bonus,” he said.

  She dropped her hand and looked up. “What?”

  “A bonus that you’d receive upon completion of this job.” Now he had her attention. “Once we are no longer in need of your services, you would receive a sizeable bonus.”

  Julia was quiet, and he could see her working it over in her head. “How much.”

  Fighting a grin, he bent over and whispered an amount in her ear. Her soft curse made him chuckle as she jerked back and stared up at him with wide eyes. “I think that bonus would be suitable?” he said. “After all, it would be more than enough money for you to use as a down payment for a nice farm with lots of land for your animal rescue.”

  One hand rose to her chest. “You . . . you can’t be serious. That is a lot of money.”

  He raised a shoulder. “It’s really nothing.”

  She blinked like she was coming out of a dream. “Maybe to you, but to me that’s the kind of money I can’t even count to.”

  His lips twitched. “Will you stay, Ms. Hughes?”

  “Will I have that completion bonus in writing?” she shot back.

  Clever girl. “Of course. I’ll have the ratified contract to you by the end of the day.”

  Julia studied him for several seconds, and for a moment, he really thought she was going to turn him down. Then he’d have to add another number. He’d keep going until she said yes.

  She exhaled roughly. “All right. I’ll stay.”

  Lucian opened his mouth.

  Julia cut him off by raising her hand. “But we’re not going to talk about last night. Again. All right? We’re going to pretend it never happened.”

  He inclined his head.

  Her eyes narrowed, but then she turned away and picked up her purse. With her back to him, Lucian didn’t fight the smile curving his lips. He didn’t promise to not talk about last night or to pretend that it hadn’t happened. Lucian was a lot of things, but he didn’t make idle promises, ones he would have no intention of keeping.

  As Julia followed Lucian Taylor de Vincent back to the room she’d originally been placed in, she kept silently screaming the amount of money he’d whispered in her ear. He couldn’t be serious.

  A million dollars?

  A million dollars might not be much to him, but to her, based on her spending, that was the kind of money she could live off for decades.

  She was in a daze—had been since she realized that she’d be working for the de Vincents and then even more thrown off when she saw who Lucian was. Now this? Being offered a million dollars to not say forget this and get the hell out of here?

  In all honesty, there wasn’t a single part of her that wondered if she should turn the money down. Who would? Seriously? It wasn’t like he was offering her a million to have sex with him or to murder someone.

  And she didn’t even have the brain space at the moment to figure out how he felt about what had happened between them the night before. She didn’t even know how she felt about it now. This morning she was all “no regrets” but now? Julia couldn’t quite claim that. She still felt like she’d been tricked. It was asking a lot for her to believe that he’d had no intention of almost hooking up when they first met.

  Lucian’s hand landed softly on her shoulder again, stopping her from walking past the room. She shot him a look of warning.

  He winked.

  Insufferable.

  That was what he was. An insufferable jerk who just offered her a million dollars to complete the job she was hired to do.

  An insufferable jerk who’d also given her the first not self-induced orgasm in many, many years, but that was not something she was going to focus on.

  Devlin was still in the room. Turning to her, he said something into the phone and then slipped it into the pockets of his pants. His expected gaze settled on her.

  Julia knew it was time to pull it together. Inhaling deeply, her back straightened. “Let’s try this again.” She offered her hand to the oldest brother. “I’m Julia Hughes.”

  Dev took her hand, shook it, and then dropped it like any normal human being. “So, I am assuming that everything with my brother is . . . settled.”

  Praying that she wasn’t blushing, she nodded.

  “Then, please have a seat.”

  She sat back down, and much to her displeasure, Lucian dropped back down on the couch beside her. “I’m sorry about the earlier incident, but I was caught a little off guard by, well, everything.” She squared her shoulders. “I was under the impression that I would be caring for Mr. Besson’s daughter. I had no idea that it was, well, that you . . .” She peeked at Lucian. He was back to watching her with that smile. “I had no idea I would be working for your family.”

  “That is understandable.” Devlin sat in the chair to her right, crossing one leg over the other.

  She realized then that his eyes were the same color as Lucian’s, and just as intense, if not more. It was a different kind of intensity, though, one where she felt as if Devlin could see right through her skin, ripping through niceties, and exposing her deepest, darkest secrets.

  “I assume you understand why we didn’t use our name,” Dev said, and she swore she heard the one next to her snort softly. “We value privacy very highly and we have to be so careful when hiring staff and allowing people into our home.”

  Julia could understand that. After all, they were the freaking de Vincents, so she nodded. Still didn’t mean what Lucian had done was justifiable. To her, it was legit insane.

  “Hopefully that doesn’t change your acceptance of our offer,” Dev said.

  “We’ve already covered that,” Lucian answered for her, causing her jaw to lock down. “She’s one million percent on board. Leaving now won’t be so easy.”

  Devlin’s gaze slid from her to his brother. The slash of his mouth tightened. “What my brother meant by that is you’ve already come all the way here. From Pennsylvania, correct?”

  “Yes.” That was so not what Lucian meant. “It doesn’t change anything. I took the job. I’m not going anywhere.”

  “That pleases me greatly to hear,” Lucian murmured.

  Dev closed his eyes for about five full seconds before reopening them.

  She decided the best possible course was to ignore him. “So, I am guessing the patient is not Mr. Besson’s daughter?”

  “It’s our sister,” Lucian answered, and her gaze shot to his. His sister? “You will be caring for Madeline de Vincent.”

  From the very second she was in that car and realized that she’d be working for the de Vincents, she couldn’t figure out who she’d be possibly caring for. The sister had never been an option, because she remembered all the drama from about a decade ago. Every news station had covered it incessantly for months.

  Julia glanced between the two brothers. “I thought . . . I thought your sister disappeared about a decade ago?”

  “You know about our sister?” Dev asked, sounding about as happy as Livie did when they asked her to stay late for one reason or another.

  Julia nodded. “It was all over the place. She just vanished the same night . . .” She trailed off and the pink tip of her tongue darted out, wetting her lips.

  Oh hell.

  Arousal was like a punch in Lucian’s gut. He had to look away, because this was ridiculous. She was talking about some serious, unsexy shit, and here he was, getting hard.

  Her nervous gaze darted over to him, and he knew what she was thinking but not saying. So he said it while his brother went characteristically silent. “Our sister disappeared the same night our mother . . . died.”
>
  “It is imperative that no one outside the immediate family is aware that she is home,” Dev said then. “She is in a very . . . fragile state. Media attention would only complicate things.”

  She lowered her gaze as she seemed to draw in a deep breath. “I understand. You have nothing to worry about. Patient privacy is of the utmost importance, whether you were Billy Bob off the street or a de Vincent.”

  “Billy Bob?” Lucian chuckled, and her eyes narrowed a fraction of an inch.

  Dev’s jaw tightened. “I am glad to hear that.”

  “Do you have an idea of where she may have been or what she might have been doing?” Julia asked.

  “Why would you need to know that?” Dev asked.

  Lucian opened his mouth to tell his brother to watch it, but Julia beat him to it. Her chin tipped up and she held his gaze. “I get that discretion is a big deal for you. Totally understand that, but there are going to be things I need to know to be able to effectively do my job.”

  Dev folded his hands around his knees. His knuckles were turning white.

  The corner of Lucian’s mouth curved up. Good to know she wouldn’t be easily pushed around by Dev. That would prove . . . entertaining.

  “You will have to be open and honest with me,” she continued, undaunted by Dev. “If not, I’ll be going in blind and that’s not going to help anyone. Knowing these things could possibly help with her treatment. If she was without food or basic nutrients, for example. The type of conditions she may have lived in would also help guide me in what would be needed.”

  “She appears to have been well cared for,” Lucian answered, earning a sharp look from Dev. He also had Julia’s attention again, so win for him. “She is thinner than I remember, but that was ten years ago. She’s also taller than I remember, but she . . . she appears healthy.”

  “Okay. And you’ve had her checked over by another physician?” When Lucian nodded, her brows puckered together. “Did she just show up at your front door?”

  “No,” he answered as pressure walloped him in the chest again. “Gabe—Gabriel—our other brother found her floating facedown in the pool.”

  “Oh my God.” She blinked several times as a bit of the rosiness faded from her cheeks. “Was their water in her lungs or—”

  “She was breathing when Gabe pulled her out. Our doctor said she did not appear to have suffered any damage to her lungs.” Lucian exhaled heavily. “We don’t know how she ended up in the pool and we don’t know how long she was in it.”

  Julia appeared to mull that over and then she nodded curtly. “I think the best thing is for me to see her at this point.”

  “Doctor Flores will be coming over shortly to meet with you and go over Madeline’s medical records.” Dev unfolded his hands and then rose. “I will take you to her room. And Lucian,” he added, “I need you to wait for me in my office. There’s something important we need to discuss.”

  Lucian smirked as he dipped his chin. “Of course.”

  Julia rose, picking up the purse that was large enough to stash a baby in it. Maybe even a toddler. Thank God she hadn’t hit him with it. Would’ve left a bruise.

  She glanced over at him and a small frown marred her features. She didn’t say anything, just nodded and then hurried to join Dev where he waited for her in the archway. Lucian wasn’t frowning at all as he watched her lovely ass sway side to side.

  As Julia passed under the archway, Dev placed his hand on the small of her back. She didn’t even seem to react to the polite gesture, unlike earlier when Lucian had done the same.

  Dev looked over his shoulder at Lucian, raising a challenging eyebrow.

  A muscle flexed along Lucian’s jaw as he held himself in place, denying the sudden primal need to remove Dev’s hand very forcibly. Very painfully. Like snapping some bones painfully, and Jesus, that was a bit concerning.

  Because that kind of raw reaction was excessive, but then again, Lucian was excessive in all things.

  A huge part of him knew he should’ve squelched the building interest last night and he really shouldn’t be entertaining it now. Julia was here for his sister and if he kept after her, things could get messy.

  And his sister meant the world to him. They were inseparable until that night. After all, they were fraternal twins. When she disappeared, it had killed him, and when she reappeared in this state, it had killed him all over again. Dev had almost been right earlier when he claimed she was the only other thing he cared about. He should focus on something—someone—else. There were plenty of options available.

  But that would be the smart thing to do.

  That also meant that would not be what he would do.

  Rising from the couch, he left the room and found Richard near the entryway. “Got a job for you.”

  “Yes?” he replied.

  A slow grin appeared. “Move Ms. Hughes’s belongings to the second floor.”

  His expression was remarkably bland as he asked dryly, “Is there a particular room you have in mind?”

  “Yes.” That grin spread to a smile as he started backing up, heading for the stairs. “Move her to the corner room.”

  Chapter 8

  Julia struggled to not look back at Lucian as she left the room. Was he going to follow them? She sure hoped not, because it would be hard to focus on her patient with him lingering nearby, staring at her like he wanted a repeat of—

  Okay, she couldn’t even finish that thought.

  Thankfully, Lucian appeared to remain behind as Devlin escorted her up the interior staircase to the third floor. Pushing aside all thoughts of him, she focused on her surroundings, ending up enthralled by all the woodwork and beauty of the home.

  The walls were a pale gold color, the trim and chair rails that ran the length of the hallways an antique white. There were paintings she’d never seen before, so realistic that she could almost smell the earthy scent of the bayou or hear the sounds of Jackson Square.

  “The woodwork in the home is amazing,” she commented, trailing a hand along a railing. What appeared to be vines were carved into the rich wood.

  “Most of the woodwork you’ll see has been done by Gabe,” Devlin explained, surprising her. “He’s been working at it for the last decade or so.”

  “Wow. He’s very talented.”

  He nodded in agreement. “We have dinner here at six-thirty. You may join us if you wish,” he offered, and she had no idea if she could seriously sit and have dinner with whoever “we” were. “Richard will be with you shortly to discuss access to a vehicle. Since you have no set schedule, all that we ask is that if you are to leave, you advise Richard. Please feel free to take breaks. I know that her care does not require constant observation, but Dr. Flores will discuss that more thoroughly with you.”

  She murmured okay as she fidgeted with the strap on her purse.

  Devlin was quiet once more.

  She glanced up at him, still a bit shocked that it was the Devlin de Vincent in front of her. It was incredibly unreal that she was reading about him and his fiancée a few hours ago and now he was here.

  The photographs had not done him justice.

  “Is the third floor a new addition?” she asked in the silence between them.

  “The original house was only two levels, built in the late 1700s,” he answered.

  Whoa. That was seriously old. Like old enough to be haunted. She rolled her eyes at her own thoughts. Why did her brain always have to go somewhere creepy?

  Devlin continued up the staircase. “My family renovated the entire home about fifteen years ago. It had been upgraded before—the electricity, plumbing, and cooling, but it needed more. The third level was built then, done in the same design as the rest of the house.”

  At the entry of the third floor hallway, she noticed several doors. “Do they lead out onto the balcony?”

  “They’re more like porches, but yes. There are several entryways from the hallway and from each room,” he explained, never once lo
oking back in her direction. “There’s also an exterior staircase.”

  More fans churned overhead, keeping airflow going. This place must be a beast to cool in the dead of summer. “It’s a beautiful home.”

  It truly was, but there was a . . . a shadowiness that clung to the hallways, along the floors and ceilings. It was as if the wall sconces even during the daylight couldn’t cast enough light to chase them away.

  Devlin nodded. “It was my father’s pride and joy.”

  Was? She found that odd considering she was under the impression that the older de Vincent was still alive. She also found it weird that he wasn’t the one discussing Madeline’s care with her. Maybe he was away on business?

  Devlin went quiet then, and she assumed he wasn’t much of a talker, and she was fine with that. After all, what in the world would they have in common to even chat about?

  Nothing.

  She thought of Lucian and inwardly cringed. Last night, she’d been surprised by how easy it had been for them to talk, but now? She knew it had to be an act. They came from two very different worlds.

  Devlin stopped at the end of the hall, opening the door with pretty vine-engraved trim. An aroma of roses greeted her. Stepping to the side for her to enter, Devlin held the door open as she walked in and scanned the room.

  By a set of double doors with white curtains drawn back, was a large chair and in that chair was a woman. A thin pale blue blanket covered her legs and was tucked in around her waist, as if someone had lovingly folded it back and then smoothed all the wrinkles out. Her arms were pale and hands were resting limply on top of one another over her stomach. Under the short-sleeve cotton shirt, her chest rose and fell in deep, even breaths.

  “This is our sister, Madeline,” Dev said quietly. He did not look at her. Only stared in the general direction of his sister.

  Placing her purse on a nearby chair, Julia made her way to Madeline. Immediately, she saw the resemblance between her and Lucian. The same golden-colored hair and defined cheekbones. She had all the details of his face except it was a more feminine version.