Her gaze moved from him to roam around the room. He waited to see the recognition, the happiness. When her eyes looked back at him, he saw nothing but anger. What the fuck was wrong with her? “Don’t you recognize the room?”
She stared at him for several seconds, then shook her head.
He tamped down his temper; his McKenna was sometimes dense about certain things. “The room is identical to your room when you were a teenager. Remember? When we first met?” When she just stared at him, he sighed with frustration. “On Sundays, when you and your family went to church, I would sneak in and sit in your room for hours. I remembered every detail of your room and replicated it perfectly.”
Tears fell from her eyes again. Damon ignored her for the time being. There would be plenty of opportunity later to discipline her if she continued to be stubborn. For now, he needed to say what he’d been planning for years to tell her.
He stood and began pacing around the room as he recited all the things he had done for her. “I created an empire for you, amassed a fortune. Built this mansion with you in mind. The swimming pool, too.” He turned around suddenly to see that she was once again shaking her head. “Dammit, stop that. All of the things I’ve done for you, and yet I still see no appreciation.”
Damon drew another breath and started again. “I know we’ve had our differences. Our time together, after your parents’ death, wasn’t what I wanted it to be. You were rebellious and I was angry. You deeply disappointed me and I had no choice but to punish you until you complied. But the way you handled things, McKenna…” He shook his head. “That was so very wrong. And then your betrayal…if not for the friendships I made, I would still be in prison.”
Damon closed his eyes as he felt the anger try to reemerge. No, all of that was in the past. He needed to forget about how much she had hurt him. “I know you were angry with me. You didn’t approve of the way I handled the situation with your parents. But they were trying to keep us apart, McKenna. You broke up with me because of them. I couldn’t allow that. Don’t you understand? I couldn’t let you go, baby. From the moment we met, I knew we were meant to be together.”
He sat down across from her again. “I was angry and let my temper get the best of me. I should have sent you out of the house before I took care of them.” He smiled. “See, I’m not too proud to admit my mistakes.” Leaning forward, he caught her gaze. “But you need to understand that it wasn’t all just me. There were so many things you did, too.”
Tears filled his eyes as he remembered the things she’d done to hurt him. “You tried to leave me in the cruelest way possible. And then, when that didn’t work, you betrayed me.” He wiped at his face, a little embarrassed that he’d let her see his weakness. A strong man did not cry, even when those he loved tried to destroy that love.
“But I’ve forgiven you, McKenna, for all of those things, and I’m ready to move forward. All of that is in the past, where it belongs. You’re here to stay. And we’ll be happy. I’ll make sure we’re happy this time.
“When we were together before, I realize my punishments were painful, but I only did it to help you understand how much I love you. I had no choice but to teach you a lesson. That’s what love is…punishment and then forgiveness. You understand that, don’t you?”
She closed her eyes and tears slipped through her closed lids. He knew she was probably exhausted. He would let her rest soon. “Look at me when I’m speaking, McKenna.”
In an instant, her eyes flew open.
Her immediate obedience pleased him immensely. “Good girl. I want you to be happy. Everything I do…it’s all for you, baby. Now, nod your head like the good girl you know how to be and I’ll get you some water and food and allow you to rest.”
She nodded frantically.
Damon smiled his approval. Yes, she was coming around very quickly now. To show her how considerate he could be when she obeyed him, he explained, “I know it’s been a while since we’ve seen each other and you might be feeling a bit shy, so my housekeeper is going to help you freshen up. I must warn you, though, Margret has a black belt in karate and has my full permission to restrain you by force. Whatever bruises she’s forced to give you, I’ll have to add to them. Do you understand?”
When she nodded again, he smiled his pleasure. Things were going splendidly. “Tomorrow we’ll start rebuilding our relationship.”
Pressing a kiss to the top of her silky head, he walked out the door. Margret stood in the hallway, ready to take care of his woman. She had been his loyal servant for years and was totally devoted to him and his happiness. She would make sure McKenna had everything she needed and would ensure she wouldn’t leave.
Tomorrow he would show McKenna around his estate and share the most exciting news of all. What woman wouldn’t be thrilled to know that in a few days from now, she would have her dream wedding?
London
“It’s getting late. I need to go.” The words sounded much more sure than what she felt. She didn’t want to leave. It had been the best day of her life, without exception. Lucas had showed her around the grounds, then she’d sat with him in a darkened theater room, held his hand, and watched an old Cary Grant movie she’d never seen. They’d eaten buttered popcorn and drunk icy sodas; McKenna felt as if she were on a real date. After the movie, dinner had been served in a room overlooking a lake. Moonlight had turned the water into a shimmering lake of diamonds, and McKenna knew she would return to this night in her memories for years.
Lucas had done nothing other than allow her a day without pressure. She hadn’t once wondered if Damon would be waiting for her behind a door to pounce on her. She hadn’t felt this safe in forever.
“I have several bedrooms. You can take your pick.”
She shook her head. The temptation was too great. And it was one she absolutely couldn’t indulge. If she stayed one night, she’d want to stay the next and then the next. Years ago, she’d sworn never to be on more than a first-name basis with anyone. They had gone eons beyond first names. If Damon knew about Lucas, he would kill him.
“Tell me what you’re thinking.”
The question made her smile. If he had voiced those words hours ago, she probably would have left immediately. Now the question seemed as natural as his smile. There was no pressure to tell him anything. And that made her want to tell him all the more. Another reason she had to leave.
Standing, she pulled the strap of her purse higher on her shoulder. “I can’t stay. Thank you for a lovely day.”
He stood and held out his hand. She took it and allowed him to draw her closer. “Will you come back?”
Knowing the answer should be no, she said what she shouldn’t: “If you like.”
Pulling her against him, his breath soft against her lips, he whispered, “I’d like very much.” And then his mouth was on hers.
McKenna leaned into him, wrapped her arms around his neck, and allowed herself forgetfulness for several magical seconds. Only this man had the ability to make her forget who she was, what she had done, and why a future was impossible.
Heat washed over her. She moaned beneath the delicious, masculine mouth eating at her lips. Desire and need were rare enough, but she recognized them. What she could barely comprehend was the level of trust she felt with Lucas. The arms that wrapped around her felt wonderful…strong and exciting yet safe. There was nothing she wanted more than to lie down with him. The rigid erection pressing against her stomach should have terrified her. Instead, she wanted to touch him, taste him, and feel that hard length inside her. Arousal shuddered through her; with that thought, she knew she had to pull away.
Leaning her forehead against his chest, McKenna tried to slow her heavy breathing and thundering heart. She could feel Lucas’s heart pounding just as hard. He wanted her…she wanted him. How easy it would be to just let go. Indulge herself. And how much more difficult that would make it when she said goodbye for good.
“I have to go.”
“Stay
, McKenna.”
The husky thickness in his voice almost melted her resistance. She imagined how he would sound as he made love to her, how that beautiful, crisp accent would sound in her ear as he moved over her, inside her. A hot flush of heat spread throughout her body. Nipples peaking and desire pooling between her legs, McKenna jerked away. “I can’t.”
His grip on her arms tightened for barely a second, then he let her go completely. McKenna almost whimpered at the loss of his warmth, the magnificent feeling of his body pressed against her.
“Go, McKenna, before I try to convince you to stay.”
The frustrated anger in his voice grounded her. Leaving him was difficult for her; why would she think it was less so for him? Lucas had gone out of his way to show her she meant something to him. He had been kind and considerate. And she’d done nothing but take advantage of his wonderful hospitality.
That thought stiffened her spine. Typical, selfish McKenna.
Refusing to back away from the anger she was sure to see in his expression, she looked up at him. “Thank you for a wonderful day.”
“And I was about to say the same thing to you.”
The husky want was still in his voice, but his expression held nothing but amusement and tenderness. And there wasn’t a hint of anger.
“I don’t want to use you.” The words burst from her mouth before she could stop them.
He cocked his head. “Use me…how?”
Ignoring the nausea in her gut, she refused to back away from the truth. He had to know where she stood. “There can never be anything permanent between us.” She cringed at those words. They sounded so egotistical, and she hadn’t meant them that way at all.
“Friends don’t use each other, McKenna. They lean on each other. Support each other. And they’re always there for each other. That’s not using.”
McKenna’s heart melted. For so many years, she’d felt so alone. Now Lucas was telling her that not only did he understand her, but he was also her friend.
“And you can lean on me, too, right?” she asked.
“I’m counting on it.” He pressed a tender kiss to her lips, her nose, and then her forehead. “Go, sweetheart. Come back when you can.”
Before she could change her mind and ask him if she could stay forever, McKenna took one last look at his face and then ran out the door.
Lucas waited until he heard the front door slam before he picked up the phone. The nice thing about having a private investigator on sole retainer was that day or night, he was on call.
“I have her fingerprints and some information. Can you be here in an hour?”
“Yes.” The male voice sounded groggy, but Lucas knew when the man arrived, he’d be alert and ready to do what needed to be done.
Lucas dropped into the chair and stared at the fire. A part of him knew and accepted the betrayal she would feel; the other part didn’t give a damn. This woman stirred more in him with one small look or soft sigh than any woman he’d ever met.
If he hadn’t known for damn sure that she felt something just as strong, he might have considered not doing what he was about to do, but he doubted it. The fact that there were very intense feelings drawing them together was one reason, but not the only one. This woman was terrified of something or someone. She was in hiding, and whether she wanted to admit it or not, she was vulnerable. He intended not only to find out what or whom she was afraid of, but to remove the threat from her.
He hadn’t asked her because not only wouldn’t she have told him, she would have been on the run again. Lucas wouldn’t stop her from running, but he could damn well find out what or whom she was running from. Did she fear the law? Something told him she did, but not because she’d done anything illegal. He sensed a lack of trust more than anything else. Besides, Noah McCall might bend the rules frequently, but LCR didn’t get involved in illegal activities. And McCall wouldn’t be associated with someone who did.
The day had been full of delightful surprises and a frustrating lack of information. For every step he had taken to get to know her, she’d retreated two steps back. In anyone else, he might have suspected coyness, but McKenna was totally lacking in that area. She was straightforward, direct, and as evasive as hell.
Hearing a noise, Lucas turned. Conrad stood at the door. Standing beside him was Myron Phelps, the Kane family private investigator. The man had gotten here faster than Lucas had expected.
Getting to his feet, he held out his hand in welcome to Myron and then turned to Conrad. “Go on to bed. I’ll see our guest out when he leaves.”
His face stoic as ever, Conrad nodded and turned away. But before he did, Lucas saw something in his eyes he’d never seen before: disapproval. Conrad knew why Myron was here and he didn’t like it. Lucas felt a twinge but ignored it. He was doing this for McKenna, not for himself. Conrad didn’t understand that yet. When this was over, he’d explain it to him. And to McKenna. Somehow he got the feeling that Conrad would be much more understanding.
Determined to go forward, no matter what, he turned to Myron and began explaining exactly what he wanted him to do.
nine
Palm Beach
Damon unlocked the bedroom door and eased it open. The enticing scene of his woman lying on the bed he’d bought for her, sleeping in the nightgown he’d chosen for her, brought fresh tears to his eyes. How long had he dreamed of this day?
Treading softly, he went to the bed and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Wake up, my love. It’s time to start our new life together.”
She blinked sleepily and then her eyes opened wide. Making an odd little sound in her throat, she shrank away from him as if terrified.
“Dammit, McKenna. I thought we were over that.” A healthy fear was good, it would keep her in line, but she acted as if he was going to kill her or something.
Damon took a breath to control the mass of conflicting emotions McKenna always created in him. All he had ever wanted to do was love her, and when she didn’t appreciate what he had done for her, hurt and anger blended into a mass of volcanic emotions he had difficulty controlling.
Drawing a breath, he reminded himself that she had been here just one day. He had rushed her before, gone a bit overboard in his discipline. It would take her some time to adjust. There was romance to be had, and they had all the time in the world.
He stepped back several feet. “I want you to join me for breakfast. There’s a blue and white dress in the closet…it has little flowers on it. Put it on and come down.”
Would she remember it was identical to the dress she’d been wearing when they first met? Would she appreciate the time and effort it had taken to replicate every single thing, down to the very clothes she wore? He had re-created it all just the way it was before their difficulties had begun. And he’d done it all just for her.
When she merely looked at him with those accusing eyes again, Damon huffed a frustrated sigh and walked out the door. Impatience, especially with McKenna, had always been his downfall. That’s what happened when you loved someone more than they loved you. Expecting her to fall in with his plans was unrealistic. In time, McKenna would see what he had done for her, what he would do for her. And then all would be well.
Margret stood in the hallway, waiting for him. “Louise Stenzel, the wedding planner, is here, sir.”
A burst of optimism shot through him. Soon McKenna would be wholly and legally his. Then she could never leave him, never deny him.
“Have her meet me in my office. I want to go over a few details with her before McKenna comes down. Have breakfast ready for us at the pool in half an hour. Give McKenna ten minutes to dress and then bring her down to me.”
Margret nodded, her face expressionless as always. When they’d first met, he had wondered if Margret had any emotions in her at all. But the longer they were associated, the more he realized that he and Margret had much in common. They loved fiercely. He loved McKenna and would do anything to have her. Margret loved Damon. And becau
se of that love, she would do anything to see that he was happy. He had never asked her to kill for him, but he knew that she would.
Funny, he was almost tempted to ask her to kill someone, just to see her reaction. It would be an interesting experiment to see how she would carry out the deed. Shrugging off the odd but intriguing idea, he headed downstairs to see the wedding planner. He couldn’t wait to get started.
Damon entered his office and sat down at his desk. When the door opened, he stood and waited for the woman to come to him. She needed to be alerted to certain facts before his bride-to-be arrived. He’d been assured the woman was discreet and would look the other way as long as she was handsomely compensated. He intended to make sure of that before he allowed her to meet McKenna.
“Thank you for coming, Louise. You come highly recommended.”
She seated herself in a chair in front of his desk. “And it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr. Hughes. You come highly recommended as well.”
“As you know, I’m an eager bridegroom, so by necessity, the wedding will need to take place quickly. That doesn’t mean, however, that I want to skimp on the wedding itself. It must be as spectacular as my bride.”
“I have ten individuals who at a moment’s notice can create a masterpiece.” She pressed several buttons on her BlackBerry, apparently looking at her calendar. “What month and day do you have in mind?”
“This weekend.” His expression one of utmost seriousness, he waited to see if she would pass the first test. Though her head popped up and her eyes widened briefly, she nodded as if it was a reasonable request, then looked down at her calendar again.
Damon knew his request wasn’t reasonable. Putting together a fairy-tale wedding in three days would take a miracle. Since he had the money and power to order a miracle, he fully expected her to do what was necessary to make sure he got what he wanted. If she didn’t, she would pay a hefty price.
He handed her a detailed plan. It included everything, from the specific flowers he wanted to use to the design of the wedding cake. After years of imagining this in his mind, it had taken barely an hour to put everything down on paper. “This is what I want, down to the smallest detail. See that I get it and your commission will be beyond your wildest dreams. Fail me and you will regret it.”
Last Chance Page 10
