Perfect Homecoming (Barrington Billionaires Book 10)

by Danielle Stewart

  Placing one hand on his shoulder, she began to explain. “There are all types of abusive relationships. The abusers don’t follow one script. In the movies, it’s a punch to the face and a woman who has to conceal the bruise around her eye. Don’t get me wrong, that happens too. But there is this other kind of abuse that doesn’t get talked about the same way. It’s not as theatric. It’s the man leaning in quietly with a threat. Or the flash of their power at just the right moment to show they have the upper hand. It’s words like I’ll end you. I’ll bury you. They don’t punch you, they punch the wall next to you. And when the sheetrock crumbles and dust flies, it’s enough for you to understand the damage they could do. If it’s you and not the wall next time, it’ll be disastrous.”

  “I can understand that,” Brian said quietly.

  “Or there’s the man who’s so savvy with his timing and his wording that there seems to be no room to call him out on what he’s doing. If something is punctuated with a laugh, you’ll seem prudish and uptight if you take offense. If they inch, ever so slightly, over the line every time they speak, before you know it the line is so far out of sight it doesn’t exist to protect you anymore. Without a contract or a clear directive, you realize that saying no to him means saying no to your career or your next opportunity. It means you’re no fun. It means you won’t play ball. And just like the news of your promiscuity moves quickly through the industry, so does your lack of it. Both can cause you to lose it all. Walking away from a man like that can mean walking straight into a black hole.”

  “You know your stuff.” Brian felt the cool air on his shoulder as her hand slipped down and back to her own lap. “What kind of man is Curtis?”

  “He’s nuanced, like most people. There’s some duplicity in his personality. It’s rare that any person can be summed up in one way. Curtis loves the chase. It won’t do to come on strong. Flirting turns him off. If he thinks he can have you, he doesn’t want you. Being unavailable is enticing to him. It’s blood in the water and he is a black-eyed shark. Married women, women who would lose everything if they risked being with him, that he likes. It also plays well after. Blackmail. Information. Power. He lords it over them. His employees are his other targets. People who need him and their job to be able to survive. More than that one job, they need his approval and recommendation if they want to move on to another job.”

  “Slime ball.” Brian’s grip tightened around the steering wheel. He hadn’t been a perfect man over the years. There had been women he’d never called back. Relationships, though they were casual, that overlapped too closely to be considered acceptable. But this, the things that Carmen was describing, infuriated him. Even his worst friend, the biggest womanizer he knew, wouldn’t rise to this level of evil.

  “Yes,” Carmen agreed. “And Curtis, when rejected, resorts to violence. Not when the rejection is out front and meant to head off his advances. There has to be a bit of cat and mouse first. Maybe even the start of something. But the moment the woman realizes his game and tries to get the upper hand, he lashes out. Often times that includes forcing himself on them.”

  “So that’s the position you think you need to get to? The start of something, followed by rejecting him, and then fighting your way out?”

  “I don’t know,” she admitted, her cheeks going pink. “I have been thinking that now, the way the world is going, outing him as a serial sexual harasser could be enough. It would at least be enough to stunt his career. Maybe outing him that way would get other women to come forward. But I don’t think a man like Curtis would take that punch and stay down very long.”

  “He needs the TKO?”

  “Yes. I think there has to be irrefutable evidence of the intent of violence.”

  “There’s a pretty small window of time between intent and actual violence. You’d be threading the needle.”

  “Knowing so much about what he’s done in the past and who he is, I’d be able to defuse anything if the situation wasn’t right.”

  “And if you couldn’t?” Brian bit at his bottom lip to keep from scolding her. She didn’t need a mother hen reminding her of the danger. But she did need to know just how much of it might be there waiting for her.

  She reached into her bag and pulled out a small Taser and a can of mace. “I won’t be without some recourse.”

  His chest sank. Her little arsenal could end up being wholly ineffective depending on the situation. “I need to know something.”

  “Okay?” Her voice was sharp and uneasy. This was what always seemed to put her back on her heels. Questions unsettled her. But he had to ask.

  “Do you understand that you are putting yourself in danger?”

  “I told you that I—”

  “No, I’m not somebody who needs that part of the conversation. I don’t need to hear the narrative where you have things totally under control. That’s not what I’m asking. I’m asking you if you feel invincible and that there is no scenario where you see yourself being in danger? Or do you understand what might happen, and it’s still worth it to you?”

  She breathed out through her flared nostrils. He took a sharp turn at an exit off the highway and she held the door to try to stay steady. “You continue to surprise me. I keep waiting for that moment.”

  “What moment?”

  “You’re clearly this macho guy. You curse. You fight. You get dirty work. Nothing seems to scare you. There’s no doubt the idea of a man putting his hands on me,” she paused and shook her head, “a man putting his hands on any woman doesn’t fly with you. So I’ve been sitting here waiting to hear you put your foot down. When is that moment coming where you tell me I can’t do this? That you won’t have it.”

  “What word did you use for Curtis? Duplicity. I think we all have a bit of that. You’re right. I’m no bystander, especially in those situations. But I’m not foolish enough to think I could convince you to stop. That job offer from Lauren could have convinced you. Your own conscience could have swayed you when you bought a can of mace, assuming you might need it. If you’re still here after all that, I’m not going to change your mind.

  “It’s the second,” she uttered quietly.

  “The second what?”

  “The second thing you said. I know what’s at risk. I know what could happen. It’s still worth it.”

  “Okay. Then you can stop waiting for the other shoe to drop. I’m no idiot. What happens when I tell you that you can’t do this?”

  “I cut you out.” She gulped the words out.

  “This is your ship. You steer it. But I’m not about to get thrown overboard, either.” He gestured to the Taser and the mace she’d already put back in her bag. “If things go bad, maybe you’ll be glad you have those things, but I’m still the best weapon you’ve got.” Brian slid his hand into hers and without a moment of hesitation she squeezed back, her fingers going white from the tight grip. That was what she needed. A healthy dose of fear didn’t make her weak or unprepared. It was what would keep her safe in the end. If it was all delusion and feeling invincible, it would scare the shit out of him.

  “The first part will be easier,” she explained, her lips pursed and her eyes closed. “I’m his type.”

  “Is that enough?”

  “It was for Lilly. That paired with the fact that he’ll be holding the possibility of a job over me will be a combination he shouldn’t be able to resist.”

  He couldn’t argue with how irresistible Carmen was.

  “The important part will be the rejection.” She tightened her hand on his again, and he was sure she didn’t realize she was doing it. “It has to be a blow to his ego. Something that shifts the power in a way that will infuriate him. Then he’ll go down, and he’ll come up—” She paused, seeming to choke on the word.

  “He’ll come up swinging.”

  Chapter Nine

  Carmen

  Brian hadn’t put the car in park. His foot stayed pressed firmly on the brake as he tapped his fingers against the
steering wheel. Carmen could tell he was apprehensive.

  “How can you be sure you don’t need me up there now?” He’d backed the car into the parking spot so he could see the looming office building. It wasn’t as if he’d be able to really see anything through the shiny tinted windows on the eleventh floor.

  “Curtis doesn’t know anything about me. He’s not going to risk doing something crazy before he understands how I’ll react. I could slap him. I could scream. I could make a scene. The whole point of this is for him to analyze me. He’ll try to figure out if he can manipulate or blackmail me. It’ll be subtle today. Nothing at all for you to worry about.”

  “After this, we go to the hotel and get prepared. I want a way for you to reach me in an instant. A panic button of some kind. And we need to talk more about what to do if you find yourself in danger. I can show you a few moves that can get you out of a tight spot.” Brian’s words flooded from him rapidly and didn’t stop until she rested a hand on his arm.

  “That’s what we’ll do then,” she assured him. “This won’t be long. Then we’ll grab dinner. It’ll be all right.”

  Reluctantly Brian put the car in park and turned the engine off. “Be careful anyway.” He brushed her bangs off her forehead and gave her a long look.

  “Always.”

  Stepping out of the car, Carmen felt empowered. She truly did believe this initial meeting with Curtis didn’t pose any real threat. If he was that stupid, he’d have been taken down by now. With her shoulders back and her high heels clicking across the tile floor of the large lobby, Carmen knew she was ready.

  The office didn’t intimidate her. Before Italy, she’d interned in an office similar to this one. Floor to ceiling windows. Thoughtfully selected art on the walls. Everyone scurrying around as if the world would end if they slowed down for even a moment. When she first left for Verde Lago, she missed the pace terribly. It wasn’t as if she’d been wildly successful. But she’d been a loyal employee of the compliance firm who’d moved up rapidly through the ranks for her age. They gave her more and more responsibility, and each time she exceeded their expectations.

  It meant, as Curtis’s assistant called her name, that Carmen knew how to hold her shoulders. She understood how to look prepared but not too eager or desperate. Instead of hopping right to her feet, she kept her eyes on her phone for a few beats as though what was on the screen was more important than anything around her. Just long enough for the receptionist to notice, but not so long as to be rude.

  “Mr. Lewis keeps a very tight schedule,” the woman said, mostly through her nose. She had a pinched-up face and an outdated business suit. That was how men like Curtis normally preferred their assistants. Matronly. No threat of any kind of attraction between the two of them. Someone in that role was too close to home and sleeping with your assistant was too cliché for a man like him.

  “I can appreciate that,” Carmen replied flatly, checking her phone again. “I actually have a lunch meeting right after this. I’ll be sure to be brief.”

  His assistant raked her gray eyes over Carmen again as they reached the large oak door that presumably led to Curtis.

  “Don’t rush him either. He’ll decide how long the interview will go.” She pinched her face even tighter as though she’d licked a lemon.

  Carmen didn’t answer. It was petty and condescending not to answer, but Carmen had to remind herself this was a role she was playing. Her power suit and her stylish hair brushing her shoulders was all part of the plan. If it didn’t feel great, Carmen was just going to have to get used to that. Nothing about this would take her comfort into consideration.

  Curtis was playing a game of his own already. He didn’t look up as she came into his office. The stack of papers on his desk was far too important to greet her right away. It wasn’t until his assistant cleared her throat that he bothered to look up.

  He looked different than the pictures she’d found on social media. The filters and good angles under just the right light had done him a favor. Here, in person, the edges of his features were sharp and unforgiving. But there was still enough there. Paired with money and power, it was enough to keep women engaged with him.

  “Ah, an interview?” he asked, looking from Carmen to his assistant. She imagined this was all a ploy.

  “Yes, Mr. Lewis. Should I reschedule it?” His assistant pulled a phone from her oversized blazer.

  Curtis checked his watch and then ran his eyes up and down Carmen. “No. I can squeeze this in. Just ask the sales reps coming in to hold tight a while.”

  “Of course,” his assistant said, pursing her lips and slipping away.

  Curtis stood and buttoned his suit coat as he gestured toward the chair across from his desk. “Sorry for the mix up. It’s a busy time for us.”

  “It’s no problem,” Carmen said with a smile. When their eyes met, she offered a calculated expression. A flutter of her lashes, and a tipping up of her chin. “I appreciate the time.”

  “You’re the girl from Kinross?” He held up a hand before she could answer. “I’m sorry about that. Girl? That’s so demeaning. I didn’t mean that. It’s been a long day. I meant to say you were previously employed by Gloria Kinross?”

  “No problem at all. I understand long days. Yes. I worked for Ms. Kinross at one of her facilities in Italy.” She sat and crossed her legs obediently with an air of royalty in her motion.

  “Gloria was quite a—” Curtis paused and curled his lips up in a creepy way.

  “She certainly was,” Carmen offered, letting him off the hook. The actual translation was that Gloria was terrifying to men like Curtis. A ball buster. Someone who would never be intimidated by all his tricks.

  “I was sorry to hear about her passing.” He didn’t sit. That would put them on an even playing field. Instead he stood, paced a bit. Leaned against his bookshelf and eyed her closely. “But I have been a fan of poaching her talent for years. When a résumé comes across my desk with Kinross on it, I always give it attention.”

  “I’ve been hearing that in most of my interviews.” Confidence was key. It would be easy to fall into the trap of damsel in distress. A weak woman, on paper, would seem perfect for a man like Curtis. But that didn’t offer him enough of a challenge.

  “You’ve been interviewing a lot?”

  “I really enjoy the process, to be honest.” Carmen leaned in a bit and put a hand on his large wooden desk. Her palm lay flat against the cool surface and she watched his eyes drink in the motion. It was a harmless gesture, but it was drawing him in. “I think it’s such a great opportunity to interface with people at the top of their game.” She drew in her lip for just a second. “Like you.”

  He adjusted his tie and grinned. “Then let’s interface. Tell me why you’re interested in the position. Is it a position you like?” This was how Curtis operated. Human Resources couldn’t argue with a well-crafted double entendre. That was the whole point. If he was challenged it would be easy to say he’d misspoken.

  “I try not to look too closely at a title. If you’re doing things right, your title and position are temporary. But I do like the idea of global solutions. It’s a challenge I enjoy.” Carmen pretended to check Curtis out, making sure he noticed before she bashfully pulled her eyes away from his chest.

  “You like a challenge? That can be risky.” He licked his lips and smiled wryly as he shoved his hands into his pockets. She nearly laughed as he puffed his chest out a bit.

  Continuing to play the game, she blinked slowly at him, drawing in a long breath. “I enjoy pushing myself, seeing what I’m capable of. But I don’t step outside the boundaries. If you’re worried about that, I’m not a risk in that way.”

  “But you are a risk?” He cocked up his thin brow.

  She pointed at him and laughed. “Oh, you’re good. I’ll have to be careful what I say around you. You must keep people around here on their toes.”

  “I do.” The compliment landed perfectly. It wasn’t an obvio
us attempt to flirt but it did bolster his ego. “You seem like you can hold your own, though. Tell me how you handle difficult situations.” He took his hands from his pockets and crossed his arms over his chest.

  “It depends. I have to admit that my personal and professional life require different strategies. As you can see from my résumé, I’ve led large teams before and that requires tact and working within the acceptable limits of corporate standards.”

  “But in your personal life?”

  She blushed and looked down at her hands. “I’ve been lucky to avoid many difficult situations in my personal life. If I had a résumé for my personal life, it would be mostly blank. I’ve worked a lot, really dedicated myself to my job. But I don’t have much experience with other things.” She covered her face. “I’m sorry, that sounds so stupid when I say it out loud. I grew up really sheltered, and working under Gloria, I found myself very busy but also cut off from things. She was a very independent woman and without saying it, she kind of pushed that agenda on all of us.”

  “From what I heard about her that sounds right.” He softened his voice and finally sat down. That was a good sign. He didn’t feel the need to have to tower over her anymore. “Don’t be embarrassed by that answer. I appreciate the candor. I could easily sit here and ask you about where you see yourself in five years. Or I could probe your past work challenges. But I much prefer to get to know the whole person. It’s how I interview. I like to see every inch.”

  She kept her face steady, but in her mind, she groaned at the obvious play on words.

  “Tell me more about your time with Gloria. I’m fascinated by your perspective there.”

  “I really did enjoy working for Gloria, but she was a bit of a man hater.” She bit her lip and tried to look apologetic. Curtis was practically foaming at the mouth with excitement, as though Carmen was validating all his opinions on Gloria. She hated to lie this way, but she reminded herself it was important. “And I always felt as though she wanted us, all the young women who worked for her, to be the same way. Since I started with her when I was in my early twenties, I never really had the chance to let loose or enjoy some of the things people my age were doing. Her opinion meant so much to me.”