I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn’t realize we’d stopped until Aiden shouted, “Wow”.
My mouth fell open as I glanced through the heavily tinted windows. Before me stood a mansion sitting on top of a hill with a spectacular view of the glistening waters of Lake Geneva, and behind the house, the backdrop of mountains already had a dusting of snow sitting on their peaks. I had no idea how many square feet this house was, but I was damned sure I couldn’t count that high.
“This is your place?”
He nodded, jerking his chin to let me know his driver was waiting for me to get out. “Come on, I’ll have Lia show you to your quarters.”
Quarters? It was like an episode of Downton Abbey, but instead of a stuffy seventeenth-century monolith, this place oozed contemporary design and style. And who was Lia? The housekeeper or his Swiss lover?
I swiped a hand over the prickles creeping along the back of my neck. If he paraded some gorgeous, buxom redhead in front of me, I’d… I’d… ugh. I didn’t care what he did. He could screw her on the front lawn for all I cared. He meant nothing to me. Nothing. I couldn’t bear the man. Sure, he’d played nice on the plane over, and if I closed my eyes, I could still feel the tingle caused by the tips of his fingers brushing my neck as he’d tucked my hair behind my ear and recall the butterflies swarming through my abdomen when I’d thought he was about to kiss me. But he wasn’t a nice man, and I could not allow myself to get drawn into a fake persona.
My legs almost gave way when a woman in her late fifties bustled out to greet us, a friendly smile extending across her face.
Housekeeper.
Thank God.
“Welcome,” she said, her arms outstretched.
Each of us received two kisses, one on each cheek, including Garen. I snuck a glance out of the corner of my eye to see how he reacted, surprised when I caught his kind smile.
“Good to see you, Lia,” Garen said.
“You must be so tired after your long journey,” Lia said. “Let’s get you all inside and settled.”
In seconds, Lia and my grandmother had their heads together gossiping as if they’d known each other for years. Aiden trailed in their wake, his mouth permanently hanging open in a state of awe, while Garen and I brought up the rear.
“This is one hell of a house,” I said as we entered through the front door into a large hallway grander than a lot of five-star hotel lobbies.
“It’s far too big. I bought it for the view. Come on, I’ll show you.”
He pressed a hand against my lower spine and steered me toward a winding staircase that led to the upper levels. Grams and Aiden were already halfway up, Lia offering her arm as assistance to Grams.
The warmth from his palm seeped through my thin shirt, and the hairs on my arms lifted in response. I should shake him off, step away, but I didn’t. It felt too good.
Dangerous, Catriona. Sending mixed signals wasn’t a good idea.
My reactions to him continued to confuse me. One minute I hated his guts. This was the man who’d sent in the bulldozers to flatten my beloved ballet studio, who’d forced me to my knees and pretended he wanted payment in the form of a blow job just to show me that he was in control. Not to mention he’d left me in the basement of his building without food, water, or a bathroom for nine hours.
The next minute, I remembered that he’d offered to pay for Aiden’s cancer treatment—meaning I could keep the money from the sale of the studio to help feed and clothe my family, and keep a roof over our heads—and then brought us here on his private jet and opened up his home to us.
His gentle touch on the plane and his almost-kiss meant I’d barely gotten a wink of sleep. All I could think was that he was right there, on the other side of the wall, trying to get some rest while sitting upright in an office chair, and all because he’d given up his bed for my brother, and me and Grams had commandeered his couch.
“This way,” he said, urging me up another flight of stairs while Lia led Grams and Aiden off down a plushly carpeted hallway.
“Where are we going?” I looked back at my family heading in a different direction.
“The roof terrace. It has the best views.” He grinned, an evil glint in his eyes. “Don’t worry, Catriona. You’re perfectly safe with me.”
I ignored him. From what I’d gleaned so far, the more I engaged in his silly games, the more he played them.
When we reached the top of the house, Garen opened a door and gestured for me to go through. I stepped out onto an enormous terrace with views right down the mountainside to the beautiful lake below. The weak fall sunshine glinted off the water, so still it appeared almost glasslike. Nestled behind the opposite shoreline were more mountains, and the trees dotted along the slopes bore the golden colors of the season.
“Oh my goodness, it’s beautiful,” I said, stepping forward to take a closer peek. “I mean, we have our own wonderful scenery in Canada, but this…”
And then the strangest thing happened. Hot tears sprang up out of nowhere, my tightly contained emotions getting the better of me. It was all too much. Losing the studio, Aiden’s terrifying diagnosis, the trip here. Worry over what the future held. Blinking furiously, and relieved Garen was standing behind me and therefore wouldn’t witness me teetering on the edge of an emotional breakdown, I pulled myself together and put my moment of weakness down to overtiredness.
I jumped when he clasped my upper arms. His breath warmed the back of my neck, and I felt the heat coming off his body, despite the chill in the air. A tightness spread across my chest, and a sudden need to taste his lips surged through me. I leaned my head against his shoulder.
“Catriona.”
Garen’s voice rasped in my ear, and he turned me around until I faced him. I kept my eyes lowered to the ground, the abrupt change in atmosphere from a light teasing to something far deeper sending me off-kilter.
“Look at me,” he commanded.
Slowly, my head came up. Our gazes collided, and then his mouth was on mine, hard, urgent, demanding I submit. Lightheaded, I clutched his arms, feeling the power in his muscles as they bunched beneath my hands.
His tongue surged between my lips, dueling with my own as he branded me with a kiss like no other I’d ever experienced. He buried his hands in my hair, angling me, plundering my mouth over and over, like a man starved of female attention.
Except he wasn’t starved of female attention. He’d freely admitted he had more than enough willing partners, but what had attracted me to him was my unwillingness to capitulate. And here I was, kissing him as if I’d die without his lips on mine. The man who loved to torture me, to hurt me, to punish me.
I jerked backward, stumbling in my need to put distance between us. My chest heaved, my breath coming in urgent little pants, my lungs burning, demanding more oxygen.
You’re an idiot, Catriona.
He took a step in my direction. My hand shot in the air.
“Don’t. Don’t touch me. I can’t bear it.”
He arched a brow, his lips curved in a half-sneer. Compared to me, he appeared calm, in control, completely put together.
“You can’t bear it?” His tone oozed sarcasm. “From the way you almost ate my face just then, I beg to differ, mon petit chaton.”
“Stop calling me that,” I yelled. “I am not your little kitten. I am nothing to you, and you’re nothing to me and never will be. Now please, leave me alone.”
I dashed into the house and headed in the direction Lia had taken my grandmother and brother, bumping into her coming out of one of the many doors dotted along the hallway.
“Oh, there you are, Miss Landry.” She smiled, but it didn’t last. “Are you okay?”
I nodded, swallowing past a thick throat. “I’m fine. Please, would you take me to my room?”
She frowned but didn’t question me further. “Of course. This way.”
Lia pointed out my grandmother’s and Aiden’s rooms, which were next to mine, and told me to
dial zero on the phone if I needed anything. I quickly unpacked, then checked on them both. They were fast asleep, worn out from the long journey. Reluctant to risk bumping into Garen, and exhausted myself, I took a shower and got changed for bed.
I flicked off the bedside lamp and stared up at the ceiling. I touched my fingers to my lips and called to mind the memory of Garen kissing me. Damn, it’d felt good. So good. His tongue sliding between my lips, the feel of his firm biceps beneath my hands, the smell of him, all man and sandalwood cologne.
Rolling onto my side, I closed my eyes and hugged the pillow toward me, wishing it was him.
19
Catriona
The following morning, I awoke to bright sunshine and the sounds of birds tweeting outside my window. Checking the clock, I couldn’t believe I’d slept right through and it was now seven a.m. I squinted, trying to work out what day it was.
Friday. Today was Friday. We’d left Canada on Wednesday afternoon. I’d better get up. Aiden had an appointment at the hospital at eleven this morning for some initial tests before his treatment started in earnest on Monday.
I showered, dressed, then knocked on Aiden’s door and entered to find him lying on the bed with his eyes closed.
“I’m awake,” he said.
I perched on the end of his bed and brushed his hair out of his eyes, wondering if he’d lose his silky locks or if there was some kind of medication to prevent that happening.
“How did you sleep?”
“Good.” He stretched and yawned. “It’s so quiet here.”
I nodded. “A bit different than the constant traffic noise at home, huh?”
“Yeah.”
“Hungry?”
He smiled a little. “I could eat.”
“Okay, well, you get dressed, and I’ll check on Grams, and then we’ll see if we can rustle up some breakfast.”
He threw back his covers. “Sounds good.”
My grandmother was sitting in a chair by a window that overlooked the lake and the mountains, her trusty knitting in her lap, needles clacking away.
“How long have you been awake?” I pulled up a chair next to hers and leaned over to kiss her soft cheek.
“A while,” she said.
“You were fast asleep when I popped in last night.”
“Long trip.” She narrowed her eyes. “Where did you disappear to?”
My face heated. “Garen showed me the view from the roof terrace. It’s so beautiful, Grams.”
“What is? Him or the view?”
I inclined my head. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
She arched a brow. “Girl, I’ve lived a long time. I know a spark when I see one. And you and him? Forget a spark. It’s more like fireworks.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to deny everything, but my grandmother wasn’t a woman who was easily fooled. Instead, my shoulders drooped, and I lowered my head.
“One minute I hate him. The next...” I trailed off.
“That’s men for you,” she said, patting my knee. “When I first met your grandfather back in Ireland, I couldn’t stand him. I found him overbearing, obnoxious, arrogant. He constantly riled me and took pleasure in it, too. I used to lie in bed at night and think up ways I could kill him and get away with it.” She cackled. “And then I recognized it for what it was. Passion. Lust. Craving. The kind of attraction me and your grandfather had reminds me of you and Garen. It’s rare, girl. Don’t throw it away. Embrace it.”
“You were the one who told me to be careful,” I accused.
She nodded. “That was before I met him. And now I have, that advice still stands. Guard your heart, but don’t close it off. If we don’t take risks, then what’s the point in life?”
I sighed, long and deep. I couldn’t deny Garen’s attraction to me. It had been right there in the way he’d kissed me on the terrace. But I truly believed I was a dalliance, a brief moment in time, and there was no getting away from the awful things he’d done.
“He’s mean to me, Grams. He says and does terrible things.”
“And yet here we are.” She gestured around the room. “Do you really think he’d do all this for a woman he couldn’t stand?”
I pinched the bridge of my nose and shook my head. “I don’t know.”
“Men are strange creatures, Catriona. Maybe he’s like the seven-year-old boy who never grew up and is pulling the pigtails of the girl he likes in the school playground. Or there is some deep-seated psychological issue he’s dealing with that makes him a Jekyll and Hyde character. Or he really is a horrible man with narcissistic and Machiavellian tendencies. I don’t know the answers to those questions, and neither do you. Only time will reveal the truth. The question you need to answer is whether you care enough to find out.”
I turned to stare out the window at the beautiful view of the mountains towering majestically over the lake below. My grandmother was a wise woman, and only an idiot refused to listen to what she had to say. The problem I had was that I didn’t know what to do. His mood swings concerned me. I never knew which man would show up. The playful one with a hint of mischief in his eyes or the cruel one who seemed to look for ways to cause the most hurt to whoever he’d set his sights on, and at the moment, that individual was me.
“Come on.” I got to my feet. “Let’s fetch Aiden and go grab some breakfast. I need to order a cab to take us to the hospital, too.” I bit my lip. “Maybe Lia has a number I can call.”
Grams set down her knitting and hoisted herself out of the chair. “I’m sure she will have.”
As the three of us made our way downstairs, I silently prayed I didn’t bump into Garen. After what happened yesterday, I couldn’t face him yet. I needed time to work out what that kiss meant to me. I thought I hated him, yet my reaction to his touch had felt very different to hate. Following Grams’ perceptive comments, and my own incessant contemplation, I had to face facts: an undeniable attraction to Garen had sprung up out of nowhere, and I couldn’t turn it off.
Lia appeared before we’d reached the bottom of the grand staircase wearing a bright-pink apron and an equally bright smile.
“I thought I heard voices,” she said, gesturing for us to follow her. “I wasn’t sure what you’d like for breakfast so I took the liberty of putting on a whole spread.”
My eyes fell on a table groaning under the weight of food. Everything from meats and cheeses, traditional breakfast fare in these parts, to pancakes, bacon, and eggs. Not to mention a variety of cereals, breads, and pastries.
“That’s, um, a lot of food,” I commented, while Grams, in her inimitable fashion, muttered something about waste. I nudged her, sending her a warning glance. Lia was trying to be nice, that was all.
“Don’t worry, whatever doesn’t get eaten, the staff will soon devour,” she said, correctly reading our dismay.
“How many people work here?” I asked, sliding into a chair and picking up an apple. With Aiden’s upcoming appointment, and the way my stomach churned at the thought of it, a piece of fruit was all I could face.
“Seven, including me.” She poured coffee into three cups and loaded them onto a tray. “I must admit, it’s nice to have someone to fuss over. Mr. Gauthier only comes here about three times a year, and even when he does, he rarely entertains.”
“Where is he?” I glanced around as if, by mentioning his name, he’d miraculously appear.
She brought the coffee over and set it on the table. “He’s left for the day. He has meetings in the city. I should imagine he’ll be back sometime this evening. He did impress upon me that I was to take very good care of you all, and he asked me to let you know the car will be ready outside at ten-fifteen to take you to the hospital.”
At that, she cast a sympathetic look at Aiden. Garen must have told her the reason for our visit.
I didn’t know whether to feel relieved Garen wasn’t here or disappointed. His absence certainly made things a little more comfortable and allowed my shoulders to rel
ax from their new home around my ears.
“Oh, he didn’t have to do that,” I said, referring to the car. “We could have grabbed a taxi.”
Lia sliced her hand through the air. “Nonsense. Mr. Gauthier wouldn’t hear of such things.”
I felt Grams’ eyes on me. I studiously kept my gaze averted, encouraging Aiden to try to eat something before the battery of tests he’d have to undergo today ahead of his first treatment on Monday.
As promised, the car was out front when we emerged into the bright sunshine. A chill wind whipped around my shoulders, despite the clear skies, and I pulled my jacket closer to me, urging first Aiden into the car, and then Grams before I got in last.
The trip to the hospital took about thirty minutes, and as we entered the reception area, the reality of what my brother was about to face surged through me. My heart rate escalated, nearly exploding out of my chest, and my thighs shook. Taking a deep breath, I reminded myself that he was getting the best possible care, and his particular illness had a very high recovery rate.
Positive thinking, Catriona.
Grams and Aiden took a seat while I gave his name to the receptionist. Within minutes, a nurse came to fetch us, and we were taken down a sparklingly clean hallway to the doctor’s office.
An hour later we emerged, loaded with information but all of us feeling much more positive about the journey ahead. Dr. Faussman was ebullient about Aiden’s treatment plan and his subsequent chances of a full recovery. He explained in minute detail what would happen, and when he said that Aiden could undertake the first two month’s treatment as an out-patient, I felt much better. When I returned to Canada next Tuesday, at least Aiden wouldn’t be stuck in a hospital room with only Grams for company.
I must talk to Garen about organizing some regular time off, though, so I could fly back to see Aiden and Grams as often as possible. Surely he couldn’t deny me that?
Then again, this was Garen Gauthier. Who knew what went on inside his devious mind.
Entrapped: A Billionaire Romance (The ROGUES Series Book 3) Page 10
