The Alpha's Touch Boxed Set (14 Book Bundle)

by Taylor, Tawny

  "What are you offering?"

  "You and your fath-, you and George won't go to jail. You will be very well taken care of. Clothing and jewelry provided, as you'll need to look the part, always. George gets to stay head of the business."

  "What do you want in exchange?"

  "You. Completely."

  Her breath caught, and the memory of his touch made her nipples hard. It was gratifying that after all this time and bitterness, he still wanted her. Whatever reason he had for leaving, it hadn’t been for lack of lust.

  "George retires from the business. I suppose you should give him an allowance, but he keeps no control in the business. Cut out completely, do you understand?"

  Leo's eyebrows shot up and he nodded slowly.

  "This house is mine, for Victoria to live in. He signs it over completely and has to move out. And an allowance for her. Mrs. Thompson must stay on, to watch over her. And you will try and find Robert for me."

  "You have a lot of demands, but not much leverage."

  She turned to him and smiled sweetly, letting the daggers drip from her tongue, and said, "Oh, but I do. You were willing to give my father...things in return for me. If you want me as completely as you say, well then, just consider this cutting out the pimp. If I'm selling myself, it will be on my terms, not his, not yours."

  Leo turned red, stepped towards her and said, "You think of this as selling yourself?"

  She backed away from him, and said, "Let's not lie to each other. We both have something the other wants. You want the respectability of my tattered family name. I want you to save my family from my father."

  He stepped quickly towards her, and she backed away, until she was pressed against the wall. He put his hands up, caging her between them. She pressed her hands against the wall, the urge to slide them up his chest strong. He leaned in, his check gliding against hers until his lips where at her ear. He whispered softly, "Do you think you're selling yourself for your family or because you still want me?"

  Her breath caught, she knew he could feel how ragged her breathing had gotten and hated the response he could still draw from her. He rubbed his face against hers, the raspy surface against her soft skin, and she finally said, "You're blackmailing me. Jail or your bed. But since you want more than just that, I'm going to make sure my family is taken care of."

  "You keep telling yourself that." She could feel the anger in his voice, and he took a hand and trapped her chin, and claimed her mouth with his. She didn't want to respond, but the strength of his lips against hers and she melted, parting her lips slightly. He deepened the kiss, and she found her tongue flicking against his. Despair gripped her and she felt a tear slip down her face. How was she going to keep her heart protected against him? When he’d left her before, she buried the hurt, tried to never think of him. Let her mother’s need blot everything else out. And now he was here, again, wanting her. Demanding her.

  He pulled back abruptly, and said, "You keep telling yourself that you don’t want me." She looked at him in a daze, realizing her hands had moved up, gripping his shirt. He let go of her chin, and gently followed the path of her tears, and said, "Like I said, you should be in the movies."

  She froze as he dropped her arms and moved away from her. He stared at her as he straightened his clothes, his eyes keeping her pinned to the wall. "I'll have the lawyers draw up the contracts. Have anything you want to bring packed in the morning."

  "Mo...morning?"

  "I see no reason not to start immediately. I have several engagements that will go much smoother with you on my arm." He looked her up and down again, frowning slightly. "I realize you haven't been very social in the last few years. There will be a personal shopper bringing you things tomorrow. Will that be a problem?" She just shook her head as he continued, "I have an assistant who will be working with you, bringing you up to speed. I will go speak to your father, tell him of the changes."

  "Don't," Anya said.

  "Don't?"

  "I'd rather he find out later."

  She couldn't look him in the eyes. She didn't want to be in the house when the simmering anger in her father erupted, and still didn't want to admit that to Leo. He just nodded sharply at her, and said, "I will return in the morning, 8am sharp. Please be ready."

  He turned and walked out of the door and Anya finally gave in to the panic, the terror that gripped her, and slid down the wall. Tears fell in earnest, as she pulled her legs up, wrapped her arms around them and laid her head on her knees. All the work she'd done keeping the family together, destroyed in such a short time by her father. Or maybe that’s who he’d been her whole life.

  The door swung open, she heard her father come into the room and looked up at him. Bitterness rose in her throat and started a low flame in her belly. He was smiling at her.

  "I told him you'd do it. Get up, don't be so wet."

  She stood and turned on her father, the rage finally erupting, "So you'll whore me out to save your skin. You'll do anything but be a man."

  "Don't you talk to me like that!" His fists clenched.

  Anya threw her head back and laughed, hard. The absurdity of the situation hit her like a truck, and she said, "Oh, you hate thinking of yourself as a nasty, dirty pimp. Selling your family out at every opportunity. Was mom's body even cold before you forged my name?"

  "How dare you! I've given you everything. This is just doing what I needed to do."

  "You needed to do? You needed a new car? A boat? You know what?” Anya paused and ran her hand through her hair.“It doesn't matter. You did this. The lawyers come at 8am, sharp. Be ready."

  She turned and walked away from her father. Anya paused at the door and said, "Have your things packed, you don't get to stay in this house."

  A feral grin spread across George's face and he said, "You think that's how it's going to work?"

  "It is if you want to stay out of jail. That was one of my requests and Leo was happy to give it to me."

  "It's a white elephant, I'll be glad to go into the city."

  She walked away, holding her tongue. If she lashed out at him now, she wouldn't be able to keep from gloating about finally getting her own back from him. She ran up the stairs to her room.

  She pulled her suitcases out, started to get things out of the closet, and then stopped. Leo had made it clear her wardrobe was going to be replaced. She packed a handful of favorites, and looked around the rest of her room. There was so little to take. Everything of value had long since been pillage by her father, with the exception of the few pieces of jewelry she'd hidden.

  She stroked the lavaliere necklace, the twisting metal had always fascinated her as a child, when her mother wore it. The diamond tennis bracelet was for Vikki, a graduation present when her mother realized it was an event she wasn’t going to make it to. She rolled her grandfather’s cuff links in her hand. They had been entrusted to her for Rob, but he was gone before she could give them to him.

  In the end, she fit everything in one good sized bag, including her favorite picture of her mother. Before she packed it, she traced her mother's face. She was surrounded by all three of her children. There was a matching one with her father, and Anya left flipped it face down on the dresser.

  She curled up in her bed, wondering why she wasn't angrier at Leo. Why she felt an odd sense of relief. She no longer had to be responsible for everything in the family. She might not have chosen this path, but at least she wouldn't have to fight so hard for everything, only to have it snatched out of her hands.

  ***

  Anya was back in the library, this time with the bright light of morning steaming in. She stole a look at the clock and sipped her coffee. Any minute now the lawyers would steam in, with endless contracts to sign. Her father would read them and all hell would break loose.

  She found herself wising Leo would be there for the signing, as he had a way of quelling her father with just a look. She assumed the cadre of lawyers would not have the same impact. She heard nois
es at the door and in the hallway and waited for Mrs. Thompson to escort them in. She poked her head in, and said, "Anya dear, they're here. I set up one group with your father in his office. Do you still want to meet them here?"

  Anya stood up and straightened her clothing. Her last good suit, she'd carefully chosen it for a protective layer of armor between her and the pile of paperwork. It's almost seemed foolish now, like some fabric would protect her. An older gentleman walked in, with a fairly substantial folder.

  "Please, let's use this desk." Anya settled in at the broad desk near the window, hoping to get through everything before her father did. She pulled out her favorite pen, and took a deep breath.

  "Ma'am, Leo asked that I go over certain clauses with you. Once we're done, there is a car waiting outside for you."

  She nodded at him and tried to smile. She knew it must look stiff, so just gestured for him to begin. The opening sections were straight forward. She signed off on each one, until she reached the one about her sister.

  "Oh, this is different than what we'd talked about," Anya said.

  "Are you not satisfied with the provisions for you sister?" The lawyer had a concerned look on his face.

  "Not, it's just more than we had talked about."

  "Mr. DeSilva is a generous man."

  She just smiled at him and signed with a flourish. She hadn't realized what a weight worrying about her sister's wellbeing had been. Vikki was out from under their father's thumb. Her smile slipped when she thought about her brother, Rob. After the fight at the funeral, he'd left with Leo, and just disappeared. As she signed each page, it struck her just how alone she’d been this last year.

  She signed the last paper with a flourish. Done. Her part was done. She stood up, eager to leave before her father finished. She made it to the door of the library, when she heard bellows from the office. She considered making a dash for the front door, but straightened her spine. She got strength from her mother, not cowardice from her father.

  The office door flung open, and George stomped out of it, clutching papers in his hand.

  "What the hell is this, Anya?" He walked towards her, pushing her back into the library. He slammed the door shut on the two lawyers, and locked the door. "What the fuck do you think you're doing? You can't force me out. You can't make me 'retire'." He punctuated every word with a step closer to her and waving the offending piece of paper in her face. Anya backed away from him, feeling chills of fear creep up her spine. She knew he wouldn't be happy about what she did, but the look on his face was terrifying. "You're going to call him and tell him you changed your mind." She shook her head, not trusting her voice. "Are you telling me no?"

  She swallowed, and whispered, "You forged my name. You did that. You don't deserve anything. You're a criminal, and you tried to make me one too. You stole money people trusted you with. You're forcing me to get married, because you're a thief. I'm not going to let you pimp me out for your benefit. This is the price you pay for embezzling."

  He sneered at her, and said, "You've already fucked him, and now he's going to take care of you. You should thank me."

  She stared at him in disbelief. "Thank you? For making me a whore?"

  He reached at and slapped her, hard. She staggered back, clutching her cheek.

  "You don't talk to me that way. It's disrespectful." He grabbed her wrist and dragged her to the table, grabbing the pen and shoving it in her hand. "You write on this that you changed your mind." He forced her hand to the paper.

  She struggled against him and started shouting. "You're crazy, let me go!"

  The door to the library crashed open and Leo walked in. George turned to him and said, "She has changed her mind on some of the specifics of the agreement."

  Anya pulled out of George's grasp, rubbed her wrist and moved towards Leo. His eyes were dark with anger and she shrunk away from him. He stepped towards George and said, "You sign the agreements as they stand. This is your last chance."

  George bared his teeth at Leo, who just stared at him impassively. He snatched the pen off the desk and scrawled his signature on the last of the pages, and said, "It's done." He threw the pen down and stalked out of the room, pausing only to glare at Anya before leaving.

  They stood in silence until they heard the front door slam. Anya drooped as all the energy flowed out of her. It was done. He was out of their lives. She didn't want to think about what she had bartered to pay him off. She jumped as Leo took her hand into his, surprised by his silent movement.

  "Are you ok?" He frowned as he realized there was a bracelet of bruises forming around her wrist. "I should have realized how badly he would take this. He finally looked at her face, and swore at the red streak. "He hit you." He tilted her chin up, to better see the forming bruise. She pulled out of his hands, confused by his tenderness.

  "I'm fine. He's gone now. My bag is in the hall, I should go." She just wanted to put all this behind her – to settle into whatever her new life would be. She wanted to learn what masks she needed to wear. Leo stepped towards her, but Anya spun on her heel and walked into the hallway.

  "There is a car waiting, I need to go."

  She looked around, and couldn't find her bag. Panic welled in her. She had to get out, out of her mother’s house.

  "Mrs. Thompson, I think she's in a little bit of shock, could you get us some tea, and an ice pack?"

  Mrs. Thompson looked at Anya sadly and said, "Of course, Leo. There is actually breakfast laid out in the dining room. I'll get that icepack. Poor dear."

  Leo walked over to Anya and said, "Please, sit with me a moment. The driver already picked up your things. Please, Anya."

  The urgency in his voice cut through the jumble of thoughts in her head, and she let herself be drawn into the room and seated at the table. Mrs. Thompson fussed over her, going silent at the bruise from her father's ring under Anya's eye. Anya sat quietly, drinking some tea and eating a scone. Leo sat quietly next to her, not pressing her for anything.

  Finally she looked up and said, "I'm sorry, I'm not sure what came over me. I won't let that happen again."

  Leo crinkled his brow, shook his head and said, "Anya, that wasn't your fault. I had no idea your father was capable of acting like that."

  Anya started laughing and said, "Yes, he's very good at showing only the best face to the world. He must think very highly of you to let you see that. He thinks you approve, I'm sure. Whatever it takes to make a deal."

  She kept laughing, hysteria taking her over until she started weeping. Leo reached for her, but she batted his hand away. "No. I already know what you think of me. Please let me just leave here." Anya stood up and practically ran out to the hallway and out the front door. All she could think of was getting away from the house, from Leo, from everything that was happening. She couldn’t stay in the house her mother loved and let any more of this farce play out.

  There was a long, black Rolls Royce waiting outside. As she ran down the steps the driver stepped out, hurried to open the door for her and said, "Please, Miss Anya." She flung herself inside, and looked up, to tell him to close the door, that she was ready to go, when Leo slid inside after her. She pressed herself against the window. Anya was so overwhelmed, and she just wanted to be free, just to get away from everyone. Leo signaled the driver, who closed the door and drove them away from the house.

  Leo kept his voice low, not wanting to upset Anya anymore. She was clearly stretched right to the edge. Regardless of what she'd done with her father, it was clear his attack had rattled her. He said, "Anya, you need to put your seatbelt on."

  She blinked at him, slid back into her seat, and fastened the seatbelt, while he attended to his own. She took a breath and struggled to paste a pleasant look on her face. Leo's words from last night echoed in her head. "You should be in the movies." She had to tuck everything away. She was his now, and he didn't believe much of anything from her. She was a face and a name, a means to an end. She had no illusions that when he had everyt
hing he needed from her, she would be discarded. If she wasn't sure of her place, the contracts and prenuptial agreements spelled it out very clearly.

  They drove the rest of the way in silence, until they pulled in front of Leo's building. Anya had forgotten that he had a penthouse in the city. She would have to get used to not having gardens to retreat to.

  He helped her out of the car and escorted her inside. He seemed to take her behavior in stride, and said, "You'll get a security card and key later today. I apologize that they are not ready yet. The personal shopper will be here at shortly. I had been thinking we'd go out tonight, but I think I will adjust this week’s schedule."

  She turned to him and said, "I’m fine to go out this evening."

  He shook his head and said, "Actually, I was thinking we should get used to being around each other. I hadn't entirely thought that through, but if we're getting married in a few weeks, I don't want any reason for people to suspect anything."

  "Other than we haven't been seen together in years?"

  "You've been mourning, no one expected you to be social." She nodded and looked away from him as they stepped into the elevator. The elevator was fast and silent and they were at the top of the building before she had time to think any further on that.

  She stepped into the hallway and Leo opened the door to the apartment. She stepped in and had to suppress a gasp. It was beautiful, an icy, cold modern beauty. Her heart sank. This was a house devoid of any warmth, of any sense of home. It was all slick surfaces and harsh light. She stepped inside and followed Leo. It wouldn't be hard to remember her role in a house like this.

  "Let me show you were our room is."

  She couldn't help but stiffed at his words. Their room. She would have no escape from his unrelenting presence. She trailed him to a room as cold as the living room. The master bedroom was luxurious, crisp and spare. There were no overstuffed chairs to sink into anywhere.

  "Your things will be brought up. This closet is yours." He gestured to a door which led to a room that rivaled her bedroom in size. She smiled at the thought of her sad little bag of clothing lost in that room. She wandered over to the bathroom and her first real smile appeared. She couldn't help but delight in the massive tub and separate shower. Leo followed her and they stood around awkwardly in silence. All the contracts in the world couldn't bring back the years that separated them. How on earth were they going to convince people they had been secretly seeing each other?