by Anna James
An image of a naked Sophia, her smooth, supple body glistening with oil, formed in his mind. He swallowed hard and tried to steady the heart hammering in his chest. What the hell was wrong with him tonight and why had his brain suddenly gone into overdrive to create these flashes of vivid imagery?
“I can’t because Dante and I have a meeting in San Francisco on Saturday with a potential client.”
Clair’s eyebrow winged up. “Okay, I guess that qualifies as a good reason to stiff us. Too bad, though. We’ll miss you.” She slipped her hand into David’s. “We’ll let you get back to your dinners.”
“Not just yet. I have a bone to pick with you, young lady.” Sam pointed a finger at Sophia. “Why didn’t you call me when the police took you in for questioning this afternoon?”
“I did,” she insisted.
“You left a phone message. After the fact. I would have helped you arrange for an attorney or at the very least come with you for moral support.”
Sophia cringed. “I’m sorry, Uncle Sam. It happened quickly and—”
“Did you at least have Martin Snyder go with you?”
She nodded.
“Why did the police question you?” Dante asked.
Sophia sighed. “They think the burglary was an inside job.”
“Ah.” Dante had to agree after checking out the security system this morning before leaving Sophia’s house. The control panel had been hidden behind a picture frame in the kitchen, an unusual hiding spot to say the least. Someone would have to know exactly where it was located in order to break in and deactivate the system, or in this case, smash the panel before triggering the alarm.
The million-dollar question was, who tipped off the thief? Not Sophia and not the other members of her family standing here, either. A disgruntled former employee? Perhaps the housekeeper had been let go or the groundskeeper? He recalled Allen mentioning a few of the staff left because Sophia hadn’t paid them. Although, knowing what he did now about Allen, there was probably more to the story than he’d let on. Still, if one of those employees wanted revenge…
“Regardless.”
Sam’s deep voice rumbled, pulling him from his thoughts.
“I don’t want you staying at the house until the new security system has been installed.”
Dante almost smiled when Sophia sucked in a visible breath and let it out slowly.
“The house is safe, Uncle Sam.”
“No, I don’t agree. I’d feel better if you stayed with Clair and David for a few days,” Sam insisted.
“There’s no room if you and Aunt Caroline stay. Honestly, I’ll be fine.”
Sam shook his head.
Sophia let out an exasperated breath. “Fine. Trey Jackson is in town. I’ll call—”
No way. “I’ll stay on the couch again.” Damn it. His mouth was at it again. The words came out before his mind had a chance to sensor the thought.
Sophia’s eyes flew to Dante. “No.”
“Perfect,” Sam said in a satisfied tone. “Now that we have that settled, we’ll let you two finish your meals.”
They arrived back at Sophia’s home a short time later. She stopped at the front door, keys poised in hand, and glared at him. “For the last time, I don’t need a babysitter. I’m a big girl, Dante, and I can take care of myself.”
Dante did his best to remain straight-faced, but damn, she was cute when she was mad. “I promised your uncle I’d stay.”
A loud growl erupted from her mouth. She slammed her hands down on her hips. “Damn it, Dante, I don’t need anyone to stay. Why are you being so stubborn about this?”
Good question. Too bad he didn’t have an answer. “The security team will install the new system tomorrow.” Dante put up a hand to stop her protest. “Is having me around for one more evening, in case something should happen, that bad?”
She threw her hands up in the air and turned to open the door. “I give up. If you want to spend another night sleeping on the couch, then be my guest. It’s late and I’m going to bed.”
Dante gazed at her retreating form as she stormed up the stairs. A door slammed shut a moment later. After locking up, he sat down on the sofa, leaned back and closed his eyes.
Why had he insisted on staying with her? He agreed the risk of another break-in, especially so soon after the first, was almost non-existent. She’d be safe on her own. So why was he here?
Trey Jackson, that’s why. No way did he want him staying here, alone with Sophia. Which meant what? Holy hell. He was jealous of Trey’s relationship with Sophia. He shook his head, not wanting to acknowledge the truth.
Another door creaked open then slammed shut again. She was definitely ticked off. He grinned, hefted himself off the couch and mounted the stairs in search of an extra blanket and pillow. Sophia’s bedroom door stood slightly ajar. Her voice projected into the hall. He paused for a moment and peered in. She sat in front of her computer, a wide grin on her face.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you.”
He backed out of the door opening before she saw him and leaned against the wall in the hall. Sophia was Skyping with someone. He should leave and give her privacy.
“Sophia, it’s almost midnight. Why didn’t you get back to me sooner?”
His eyes narrowed. That was Trey Jackson’s voice. No way was he going anywhere now.
“I was out to dinner with Dante and—”
“What the hell were you doing having dinner with him? The bastard broke your heart when he dumped you six years ago.”
Dante sucked in a deep breath and blew it out slowly. He’d broken Sophia’s heart?
No. Impossible.
Chapter Sixteen
Dante’s eyes snapped open wide. He sat up with a start and gazed around the room. At first glance he didn’t recognize his surroundings, then comprehension dawned. Sophia’s home. Right, he’d stayed on the couch again last night. So, how the hell had he ended up lying on the floor? He must have rolled off the couch and the sudden jolt of hitting the ground woke him up. Not surprising considering he’d tossed and turned all night.
He stood. The muscles in his back protested. “Damned couch,” he muttered, and stepped into the jeans he’d changed into before going back to the office last night.
Last night.
Trey’s words echoed in his mind. He’d broken Sophia’s heart. Could it be true?
His mind drifted back to those few short weeks they spent together before he’d learned the truth. They’d been happy right up to the moment her father knocked on the door to his downtown Manhattan studio apartment. Sophia had recognized Gil’s voice.
A red haze had filled his vision as his brain connected the dots. Sophia Hamilton was Gil Baker’s daughter.
He’d gotten involved with the boss’s daughter. Again. Only this time it was much worse. Gil had told him Sophia was only nineteen.
Sophia had hurried into his kitchen, begging him not to reveal her presence as he strode toward the door.
He’d gotten rid of Gil as quickly as possible, then dragged Sophia from her hiding place demanding answers. He’d lost it when she had none and accused her of toying with him, setting him up, using him. All the things Barbara Kane had done when he’d been stupid enough to get involved with her.
Sophia hadn’t cried, or pitched a fit or defended herself in any way. She’d simply thrown him an icy glare and left.
At the time he’d taken her reaction as confirmation he’d been right, but if she loved him…
He closed his eyes and swallowed hard. If she’d been in love with him, his accusations would have cut deep. No wonder she didn’t want him around.
“Dante?”
He glanced up. Sophia stood at the top of the stairs dressed in an over-sized T-shirt, and dear God, no bra.
“I just woke up.” She
gazed at him, a stricken expression on her face.
He nodded. “Me too. I’ll put on some coffee while you get ready and then we’ll head over to my place.”
“Dante, it’s almost eight o’clock. Our appointment with Sanford and Trey is at nine.”
He glanced at his watch and swore.
“I’m sorry. I set the alarm but didn’t hear it go off.”
He shook his head. She probably thought he’d blame her for this mess like he’d done with everything else that had gone wrong since he’d come back. That needed to change, now. “Not your fault. Is there another bathroom I can use to shower while you’re getting ready?”
“The guest room across from mine.”
“Okay. If we can get out of here in fifteen minutes we’ll have enough time to stop at my apartment so I can change, and make it to the office in time to meet Sanford.”
She nodded, turned on her heel and hurried off.
Sophia reappeared in the living room a short time later. Dante checked his watch, amazed that not only was she ready to go, and on time, but her hair had been styled into an elegant twist and the clothes she wore presented a calm, cool and in-charge business professional. He handed her an umbrella he’d found in the closet. “It’s pouring out. You’ll need this.”
She let out a snort. “Of course it is. After months of dry weather, Mother Nature picks this moment to end the drought? What else can go wrong today?” Opening the closet door, she reached in and grabbed a trench coat, slipped it on and pulled the hood up over her head. “You can use the umbrella. I’ll be fine with this.”
Sophia ran to the car and Dante followed.
Once inside, she unbuttoned the coat and pushed back the hood. Raindrops glittered on her long, dark lashes. Before he could stop himself, he wiped a drop lingering on her patrician nose.
She smiled. “Thanks.”
He grinned back, started the engine, and backed out of the driveway. “You’re welcome.”
“I made a slight change to our proposal last night.”
“Why? The one you showed me at the restaurant was perfect.”
“I finally got a hold of Trey. We spent some time discussing his holdings. He wants to purchase an apartment building.”
Dante frowned. “He wants to be a landlord?”
“No. He wants to convert the building into a homeless shelter.”
“Why?”
“To expand the work he’s doing both abroad and here in the US.”
“Where would it be located?”
“In New York City. He also wants to set aside annual funding to keep the shelter going.”
On the surface, it seemed like a good plan. So why did he smell a rat? Telling Sophia would make her angry and he didn’t want them to be at odds anymore. Better to stay silent for now.
Sophia hurried into her office with only a minute to spare. She barely had time to turn on her computer and compose herself before the receptionist showed Trey and Sanford in. Dante followed behind them.
Today, she’d make sure to keep this professional. With that in mind, she stood, shook Sanford and Trey’s hands and suggested they all have a seat at the table, then handed each a copy of her recommendations. “The first few pages are a summary of Trey’s entire portfolio. You’ll notice I’ve kept most of the allocations the same as my father had already optimized the investments and they are doing well. I have some minor changes in some of the funds due to changes in the market. Take a few minutes to review the report and let me know if you have any questions.”
Trey winked at her and breezed through the report. Sanford, on the other hand, seemed to scrutinize every word. After almost thirty minutes he finally peered over at her, but said nothing. This can’t be good, she thought, when he continued to stare. Then a wide grin flashed across his face and Sophia let out the breath she hadn’t been aware of holding.
“I’m pleased with the recommendations you’ve prepared. Now tell me about this property investment you’ve outlined in the addendum.”
“Trey wants to buy an apartment building or an old hotel and turn it into a homeless shelter. I researched properties currently on the market and developed a preliminary budget for the purchase. This income can be generated by liquidating the assets shown on page two of the addendum. You’ll also notice I’ve recommended a more aggressive investment strategy in some areas to generate the yearly funds required to run the place.”
Sanford nodded.
“If you decide to move forward with the project I’d advise you to hire someone who can prepare a more detailed budget. Once we have that I can tweak the recommendations to generate the income needed.”
He turned a calculating expression on her. “So you think the project is a good idea?”
Of course she thought this project was a worthy investment. Didn’t he? Trey had more money than he could ever spend in a lifetime. He wanted to give some back to those who were less fortunate. That said a lot about him and she was proud to help him generate the funds to make this dream come true. She squared her shoulders and held her head high. “Yes.”
Sanford nodded. “Make it happen.”
Sophia blinked. “Excuse me?”
He let out a hearty laugh. “I want you to handle the project. Starting now.”
She shook her head. “I’m an investment advisor, not a project manager. I strongly recommend you hire a team who can advise Trey.”
“I want you.”
“I agree,” Trey added.
She didn’t know the first thing about how to bring a project of this enormity to fruition. “I’d be doing you a huge disservice if I got involved. I’d be happy to advise you on the changes in your portfolio to generate the income to make this happen, but the rest…it’s completely outside of my area of expertise.”
“I’ll agree to hire a staff, but I want you to act as a consultant,” Sanford said. “It’s the only way I’ll agree to move forward with the project.”
Trey turned pleading eyes toward her. She didn’t want to let him down but…
“It’s also the only way I’ll agree to Baker Investments handling Trey’s financial investments moving forward.”
And there it was. Sanford had finally laid his cards on the table. Although, she still didn’t understand what he was really after. Regardless, she either agreed to his terms or he’d seek financial representation elsewhere. Baker Investments would suffer the consequences and everything her father had worked for would be for naught. She couldn’t bear that outcome.
Sanford agreed to hire a team. She’d only have to watch over them. She cast a glance in Dante’s direction and he gave her a quick nod. How bad could it be?
“Okay, I’ll do it.”
Chapter Seventeen
“So-ph-ia!” Trey said.
Sophia blinked and jerked her head up. “What?”
“What happened to you? One minute you were reading something to me off the computer and the next, your eyes glazed over and your mouth fell open.”
“Sorry, I guess I zoned out there for a minute.” She stood and took a lap around her office, needing to get the blood flowing again after sitting in her chair, hunched over the computer for so long. Her head ached and the muscles in her neck and shoulders burned.
“So, can we add this property to our list of those to see when we’re in New York next week?”
She sighed and sat down at her desk chair again. Trey had taken Sanford’s words to heart. They’d started contacting real estate agents the moment Sanford had given his approval on the project. From there, they’d moved on to assembling a list of properties they’d view when she went to New York next week. “Yes, add it to the list.”
Trey stood and walked over to her. He lifted her chin and waited for her to meet his eyes. “You’re pale. Is Dante working you too hard?”
She snorted. �
�Don’t be silly. I’m fine.”
He nodded, returned to his seat and picked up his laptop. “Okay, let’s get back to work.”
She returned to her desk and tried to focus on the computer screen but her head swam. A quick glance at her watch indicated it was after one o’clock. Her stomach gurgled. “I need a break.”
He shook his head. “We’ve got to get this done today.”
“Trey, we’ve been at this for almost four hours already.”
“I’m not the one leaving for San Francisco tomorrow.”
“I just want to grab a quick bite to eat. I missed breakfast and—”
“You should have said something sooner.” He stood. “Come on, let’s go. Why did you miss breakfast?”
She grabbed her purse and slung it over her shoulder. “I slept through my alarm and there wasn’t any time after we stopped at Dante’s place so he could change.”
Trey stopped short. “Dante stayed with you last night?”
She nodded.
“Are you crazy? What would ever possess you to ask him to stay?”
She threw him an exasperated glance. “I didn’t. Uncle Sam insisted. He was worried the thieves would return and he wanted someone to stay just in case, although what Dante would have done—”
“Where was Allen?”
“He moved out after the break-in.”
“Why?” Trey asked.
“Don’t know, don’t care, just glad I’ve finally got some peace and quiet.”
“You don’t find that a little strange after the stink he made about moving back in after the reading of your father’s will?”
Okay, yes. She found it odd, bizarre even, especially since he’d stayed such a short time and left right after the break-in. For a minute she’d even considered the possibility he might be responsible for the robbery, but then sanity returned. He had no reason to steal what already belonged to him. “When it comes to Allen, strange is part of the package.”
“Have you been staying in the house alone?”
She shook her head. “No, Dante stayed.”
