Seduced by Second Chances

by Reese Ryan

  After Jessie’s performance, he would tell her the truth. Geneva had been his first love, so he’d held on to a romanticized view of their relationship. But they’d been too different from the start, and those differences had expanded over the course of their relationship. He’d tried to hold on to her by asking her to marry him.

  It would’ve been a mistake.

  One that would’ve left them both miserable and resentful. Altered the course of his life in ways he didn’t want to imagine. He and Geneva were both exactly where they should be. And he was convinced that Jessie’s reappearing at this point in his life was meant to be, too.

  It would be a mistake to dismiss what he and Jessie were feeling just to spare Geneva’s feelings when she was more than five thousand miles away.

  Now if only he could convince Jessie of the same.

  They announced Jessie’s name and she emerged onstage to the sound of thunderous applause, aided by the fabulous acoustics in the room.

  The sight of this woman, more beautiful than he could have ever imagined, stole his breath away.

  Jessie wore an exquisite rose-colored gown worthy of anyone’s red carpet. The goddess-style gown had a sheer overlay that covered one shoulder and added an elegant dimension to the dress. The fabric hugged her hips and dropped straight to the floor, but formed a short, graceful train behind her. And the dusty pink color popped nicely against Jessie’s flawless brown skin.

  She wore her dark brown natural hair in loose ringlets that dusted her shoulders. She’d captured the attention of everyone in the room and she hadn’t even opened her mouth.

  Jessie took a seat at the piano, adjusted the microphone and greeted the crowd. She went right into one of the songs from her recent pop album. But not one of the ones that got frequent airplay. It was a soulful tune about the highs and lows of being in love called “Nobody But You.” As she sang about a love that, even in the tough times, was better than the best times with someone else, he couldn’t help wondering who’d inspired that song.

  Whomever it had been, Gideon couldn’t help feeling a twinge of jealousy. For the first time in a very long time, he yearned for that kind of relationship. The kind that made you eager to return home at the end of a long, busy day because the person you loved was there waiting for you.

  Jessie played the crescendo of the song, and the pounding of the keys brought him out of the daze he’d gone into. If he was looking for someone who’d be waiting for him at the end of a long, hard day, he’d set his sights on the wrong woman. He was in Seattle and she was in New York.

  Gideon owned properties in New York, Miami and Los Angeles and on the beach in Costa Rica. Place wasn’t the biggest challenge to exploring a relationship with Jessie. It was their careers.

  He’d be making frequent trips to Dubai to oversee the deal and when the album was done, Jessie would undoubtedly spend several months out on tour.

  How could they expect to make a life together when they wouldn’t be on the same continent?

  He was in a very different place in his life now. This weekend, he’d been quietly observing the joy and contentment of men like Matt Richmond. No longer moving from one conquest to the next, Matt seemed genuinely happy.

  And for the first time in his life, as he watched the men around him on the hunt, he recognized the faint emptiness in their pursuits. Something he’d long felt deep down inside, though he’d always ignored it.

  He’d focused on the high of the next big deal and the solitude at the bottom of a well-earned glass of whiskey. The temporary comfort and fleeting company offered by a pretty face.

  He didn’t want to live that way anymore.

  Maybe it was because of Jessie. Or maybe it was a realization that had been a long time coming. Either way, he wouldn’t let Jessie walk out of his life without telling her how he felt.

  Gideon was mesmerized by her soulful performance. Her melodic voice had range. She was capable of going low with a voice that was gritty and raw. But she could also hit notes in her upper range that were simply angelic. Her lyrics touched him in a way no performance ever had.

  He watched her onstage, completely rapt by her performance, like nearly every other person in that room, including the two producers she was so eager to meet with.

  “Thank you so much.” Jessie seemed genuinely shocked by the enthusiastic applause that just wouldn’t die down after her last song. “You all have been such a wonderful audience. So I’d like to show you my appreciation by sharing a new song with you that I haven’t performed for anyone else. It’s called ‘Okay,’ and I hope you like it.”

  Gideon finished the last of his whiskey and set the glass down on the bar as he turned back to the stage. For the first time that night, Jessie’s eyes met his as she sang the opening lines of the song.

  “You were the only one I ever wanted. Your heart was the only one that spoke to mine. But it was never me that you wanted. You loved the one I stood behind.”

  Her words and the pain in her voice and in her eyes as she said them felt like a punch to the throat. But he couldn’t look away, no matter how deeply the words cut.

  She turned her attention to Chase and Dixon, who seemed just as rapt by Jessie’s performance.

  Jessie’s voice was raw and powerful. You could almost hear a pin drop in the space as she performed the song.

  Her eyes met his again as she sang the chorus. “You deserve to be happy, for that I’ll be glad in time. Right now my heart is still aching, but just know I’m gonna be fine. Because I’m okay, okay. Even though my heart is still breaking. I’ll be okay, okay. So for that, love, one day I’ll thank you. Because I made it to the other side...okay.”

  He’d wanted to stand up at the back of the room and tell her right there in front of everyone how damn sorry he was things worked out the way they did between them. That he hated that it took fifteen years for them to find each other again. That the time was right for a second chance for them.

  Instead, he placed his hand over his heart, then blew her a kiss.

  Her eyes widened and she acknowledged his gesture with a quick smile, the emotion in her voice intensifying. When she was done, the entire room erupted with applause and Dixon Benedict jumped to his feet. The rest of his table and the rest of the room quickly followed.

  Tears glistened in Jessie’s eyes. “Thank you all so much. This has been such a tremendous night and I just want to say...”

  Suddenly Jessie froze, her eyes filled with fear as a man babbling incoherently made his way to the front. He hopped on the stage, swiped the microphone from Jessie’s hand and started to yell into it, his speech slurred.

  Gideon sprinted toward the stage as quickly as his legs would carry him.

  Twenty

  It felt like everything was moving in slow motion. Liam had been lost in thought as he listened to Jessie Humphrey sing about loving someone you wanted to be with, but couldn’t. He didn’t see the man until he’d already climbed onto the stage.

  Next, he saw Gideon Johns rushing toward the stage, leaping over a chair or two to do so. Liam was closer, so he jumped into action. He climbed onto the stage and tackled the man, who was still mumbling incoherently about rich liars and losers.

  The man thrashed wildly. His elbow nearly caught Liam in the chin. Liam punched the man, knocking him out cold.

  Liam shook his throbbing right hand and tried to catch his breath. “Jessie, are you all right?”

  “I’m fine.” She nodded. “How about you?”

  “Jessie!” Gideon rushed onto the stage and gripped her arms. “He didn’t hurt you, did he?”

  “No, not physically.” She turned to watch as the crowd was escorted from the room by members of the security team Matt had hired for the event.

  “Where the hell were you guys before this drunk party-crasher leaped onto the stage?” Liam barked at the men, who l
owered their eyes and continued to evacuate the room.

  Gideon pulled Jessie against him as he stared at the man lying unconscious on the floor. It was as if he was waiting for him to climb to his feet so he could land his own punch.

  Two members of the security team climbed onto the stage to assess the crazed man.

  Another approached Jessie. “Miss Humphrey, I need to escort you to your room until we’ve assessed the threat.”

  Jessie turned away from the man and stared up at Gideon, her eyes wide. The poor woman looked traumatized.

  “No.” Gideon hugged her against him tightly. “She’s staying with me. I’ll see that she’s okay.”

  Jessie gave him a grateful half-smile, then confirmed to the man that she was staying with Gideon.

  The security man walked away reluctantly, then noticed Nicolette Ryan’s cameraman with his camera still propped on his shoulder. “Are you still filming?”

  Nicolette, who’d been staring at the stage in horror, was shaken from her daze. She rushed over to her cameraman and placed her hand over the lens. “Cut it. Now!”

  He shut off the camera and the two made their way toward the exit. Nicolette turned back and mouthed “Sorry” to Jessie.

  “Get me out of here, please.” Jessie clutched Gideon’s chest as she turned her head away from where other guests were filming the ruckus on stage as they filed out of the room. “Now,” she pleaded.

  “Have you got this under control?” Gideon asked Liam as he clutched Jessie, who’d buried her face in his chest.

  “We’re fine. Just take care of her.” Liam wiggled his fingers, making sure none were broken.

  “Thank you, Liam.” Gideon shook his left hand, then escorted Jessie from the stage.

  “I can’t believe this.” Teresa hurried toward the stage, going against the flow of the crowd. “I was in the kitchen speaking to Chef Riad when we heard screaming and people running. What on earth happened?”

  “This dude crashed the party, climbed onto the stage and ripped the microphone out of Jessie’s hand.” Liam hopped down to the floor and pointed over his shoulder to the man still facedown on the stage. Liam shook his aching hand. “I had to sucker punch the guy before he hurt someone. He was behaving erratically, like he’s on something major.”

  “Your hand is swelling.” Teresa took his hand in hers gingerly and examined it. “We should get you to a doctor.”

  “I’ll be fine.” Liam shrugged. “I just need to submerge my hand in an ice bucket. Is there one around here somewhere?”

  “At the bar, I’m sure. I’ll take you back there and—” Teresa pressed a hand to her mouth and hurried onto the stage.

  “Teresa, what’s wrong?” Liam turned back to look at her.

  She rushed toward the man the security guys had flipped onto his back. She dropped to her knees in her beautiful dress and hovered over him. Her hands were pressed to the floor on either side of the man’s head.

  “Josh, honey. It’s me, Teresa. Are you okay?”

  “Josh? As in your brother, Joshua St. Claire?” Liam stood in front of the stage.

  “Yes.” Teresa patted her brother’s cheek, attempting to wake him. “I don’t know what he’s doing here or how he even knew where I’d be. We haven’t spoken in weeks.”

  “Well, someone obviously told him where to find you.” Matt Richmond approached them. He was clearly furious with Teresa. “How did this happen? You assured me that your personal issues wouldn’t impact my event.”

  “It didn’t, I mean I couldn’t have known—” She stammered, her face red and her eyes brimming with tears. “I’m so sorry, Matt. I don’t know how this happened, but I promise I’ll find out.”

  “A lot of damn good that’ll do me,” he said bitterly.

  “Take it easy, Matt.” Liam held up his open palms. “I realize you’re upset, but so is she.” He gestured toward Teresa. “Your security team can sort out what happened later. I’ll take care of this. Why don’t you and Nadia go and try to calm the guests. Hopefully, everything will be back up and running soon.”

  “That’s a good idea, Matt.” Nadia squeezed his hand. “The guests need to see that you’re calm and that this is just a minor inconvenience.”

  “Fine, but we will get to the bottom of this.” Matt huffed, wrapping an arm around Nadia. “Your mother tried to warn me against using Limitless Events. I should’ve listened,” he groused.

  “My mother contacted you?” Liam turned to his friend.

  Matt nodded. “Too bad I didn’t listen.”

  Liam’s mother still believed Teresa had had an affair with his father back when he mentored her as a college student. She hadn’t been pleased that Liam no longer believed it. Still, he didn’t think his mother would go out of her way to bash Teresa’s business and hamper her ability to make a living.

  “Will you be pressing charges against my brother?” Teresa asked quietly as she knelt beside Joshua. He was breathing normally, but still unconscious.

  “I honestly don’t know yet.” Matt dragged a hand through his close-cropped hair in frustration. “Do you think Corinne and the rest of your staff can manage the remainder of the retreat without you?”

  “Yes,” Teresa stammered, her eyes wide.

  “Good, because I want you and your brother out of here as soon as possible,” Matt said.

  Teresa nodded, tears streaming down her face.

  * * *

  Her career was over and her brother was in deep trouble. Even if Liam hadn’t given him a serious concussion and Matt didn’t press trespassing or assault charges against Josh, he had another problem. If anyone was looking for him, they might’ve seen him on the live internet broadcast. That meant they knew where he was.

  She hadn’t talked to him in weeks. Who knew what kind of trouble he might’ve gotten himself into this time?

  Perhaps it was a good thing Matt wanted them to leave.

  “Joshua,” Teresa whispered, running her hands through her brother’s dark hair to check for a bump. “What’ve you done now?”

  “Teresa, I didn’t realize this was your brother. Obviously, I wouldn’t have hit the guy so hard if I’d known.” Liam stood on the floor in front of the stage. A frown furrowed his brow.

  She wasn’t sure if it was because of the shitshow Joshua had just put on or because his hand was still throbbing.

  “Your hand.” Teresa scrambled to her feet with the help of one of the security guys who was watching Josh closely. “I completely forgot. Come on, we’ll get you that ice.”

  Teresa walked to the back of the room and asked the bartender to put some ice in an ice bucket for her. The man obliged.

  They sat at a table at the back of the room, which was now empty, aside from the security team members and a bomb-sniffing dog they’d brought in.

  She carefully set the vintage glass art deco style ice bucket on the table, shifted the ice around, then put his hand inside it.

  He winced momentarily. “So about your brother...why do you think he showed up here severely impaired after dropping off the map?” Liam asked the question gingerly. “And since you two haven’t talked, how did he know where you were?”

  She was grateful for the kindness in Liam’s tone. After her conversation with Matt, it was the lifeline she needed.

  “Those are excellent questions, Liam. I only wish I had answers. And in Joshua’s current condition, I don’t expect we’ll get coherent answers anytime soon.”

  “Does he drink a lot?”

  “He did for a time in college, when he fell in with the wrong crowd. But what he’s been up to of late, I’m ashamed to say I don’t know.” She shifted her gaze to where Joshua still lay on the stage. “I’ve been too consumed with my own issues. Trying to keep my business afloat and my name off the front page of the paper.”

  Teresa sighed, her
hand resting on his wrist. “I haven’t been a very good sister, have I?”

  “Don’t blame yourself for this. Josh is a grown man, capable of making his own choices. You can’t babysit him for the rest of his life.”

  “Maybe.” Teresa sounded unconvinced. “In the meantime, I need to find transportation home for us.”

  “You and Josh can ride back to Seattle on my plane.” Liam clamped a gentle hand on her arm before she could get up from the table.

  “That’s sweet of you, Liam. But what happened tonight makes it abundantly clear that I need to stay away from you. If I don’t, I’ll end up bringing Christopher Corporation down, too.”

  “Teresa—”

  “I have to go before Matt changes his mind about pressing charges. He might even consider suing me. I wasn’t to blame for the mudslide, but the same can’t be said tonight.”

  “Don’t worry about Matt. He’s angry now, but he’ll get over it.”

  “Like your mother has?” she asked, then shook her head. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

  “No, you shouldn’t have. Given what my mother still believes about you, you can understand why she’s holding a grudge.” Liam hated what his mother had done and that she wasn’t willing to reconsider her position. But he understood her resentment. In fact, he’d shared her righteous anger just a few weeks ago.

  “That’s all the more reason I need to stay away from you and from your company. I couldn’t forgive myself if something happened to you or to your father’s legacy because of his generosity to me.” She stood.

  “I can help you, Teresa. You said it yourself, I’m a fixer, of sorts. If we work together, I know we can—”

  “Josh is my brother, and this is my problem, Liam. I won’t bring you into this any more than I already have.” Her chest ached at the thought of not being able to keep their planned date later that evening. “This is something Joshua and I need to figure out.”

  “So what are you going to do? You don’t honestly expect to get a commercial flight back to Seattle tonight, do you?” Liam removed his hand from the bucket and dried it on a towel.