“Did it ever occur to you to make sure your maid had enough money to buy her own clothes, or even to ask her if she wanted your cast-offs? Did you ever think that your staff has a family and a life too, and they might not want to spend their holidays waiting on your family?”
“Look at this house.” Scarlett swept a hand around. “It doesn’t run without a large-sized staff either. Can you say that all of your servants have Christmas off?” she queried in a biting tone.
“No, but when they are forced to work holidays, they’re allowed to participate in the festivities. Have you ever invited anyone in your father’s employ to join you for dinner?” Carter lifted brow his brow, his expression skeptical.
Scarlett dropped her eyes, unable to say that she had.
Carter’s voice returned to its normal cool drone. “I didn’t think so after seeing your surprise the night of your arrival when Darren joined us for dinner.”
“So, I’m just shallow and spoiled?” Scarlett asked in a choked voice.
“How can you be anything else when you are Rocco Terini’s daughter?”
Scarlett nodded, folding her napkin in deliberate squares. “Will you please have Darren return me to my room?” She couldn’t bring herself to meet his eyes.
He didn’t respond for a moment and she looked up at him, his eyes had softened but there was still anger beneath the surface.
“I want to go to my room. I don’t want to sit down here with you anymore, don’t you see that? Or you can’t, because you’re so cruel?”
The last line made him move. Darren appeared only a few moments later and helped her to her room where she found herself crying into her pillow.
By the next morning, Scarlett was truly miserable. She’d spent the rest of yesterday in her room to avoid running into Carter. To her humiliation, his words had wounded her, and she’d spent an hour weeping over them. After the tears abated, she felt even worse, and her throat was so sore she couldn’t eat her dinner.
Ann, the maid, whose name she finally asked, brought her another tray for breakfast, but Scarlett waved her out after asking for her to bring a glass of apple juice instead. She was huddled under the covers a few minutes later when there was a knock at her door. Carter entered imperiously without waiting for an invitation. “Listen, princess, Ann has better things to do than wait on you hand and foot. If you don’t want to eat what you’re offered, you can come downstairs and get it yourself.”
“Get out of here,” Scarlett managed to croak out, keeping her back turned to him.
“If you’re on a hunger strike, it won’t work,” Carter said blithely. “All you’ll do is lose your pretty figure and make yourself ill, but you won’t soften my attitude. Fits and tears won’t get you home any sooner.”
Tears seeped from her eyes again, and Scarlett wondered why he was being so harsh with her. That night at the hospital, he’d been so kind to her, had even apologized for letting her get lost. Now he seemed determined to tear her down and hurt her at every opportunity. “I’m already sick,” she managed to force through her swollen throat.
Carter’s mouth snapped shut, and he sat down on the bed beside her. She felt his presence but didn’t respond. He gently rolled her over to face him. Carter placed a hand on her forehead. “You’re warm. I’ll call Dr. Weiss,” he said in a gentler tone.
6
Carter
Dr. Weiss examined her while Carter was waiting outside her room, pacing nervously. “How is she?”
“It’s pneumonia, but a mild case. She’ll be fine, Mr. Braxton. I’ve left her some tablets, and she should recover in a few days. Just keep an eye on her fever. If it gets above one-hundred-and-three degrees, I want you to call me.”
“You aren’t taking her to the hospital?”
Dr. Weiss shook his head. “There’s no reason unless she worsens. She’ll be just as comfortable here at home. In fact, she begged me not to admit her.” He ignored Carter’s arguments, battling his way to the front door a short time later.
His words played through Carter’s mind, and he laughed bitterly. Yes, Scarlett would probably be more comfortable at home, but she was here, in the house of her adversary, whether or not she realized Carter was her enemy. Shaking off his strange mood and his worry, he instructed Ann to keep a close eye on Scarlett, and closeted himself in the study for the rest of the afternoon.
Later that evening Ann came downstairs. “She’s thrashing, and her fever is up, Mr. Braxton.”
“How high?” He removed his reading glasses, massaging the bridge of his nose.
“One-hundred-and-two, sir. Dr. Weiss left a page of instructions, but I’m concerned.” Ann wrung her hands helplessly.
He took the stairs two at a time. Why hadn’t he checked on her sooner? Scarlett was lying in the bed, her face flushed and sweaty. He looked at his watch, realizing Ann had already stayed on an hour past her shift. “You can go home. I’ll deal with this.”
“Thank you, sir.” Ann nodded her head and left the room as Carter returned his attention to Scarlett.
She was sweating and had soaked through her thin cotton nightshirt. Carter read the instructions Dr. Weiss had left, deciding a tepid bath was in order. He left the water running and returned to the bedroom. With a determined expression, he stripped the gown from her body and forced himself to ignore the tempting flesh displayed underneath.
He knew Scarlett would be furious with him when she regained her senses, but there was no other choice. He lifted her from the bed and carefully carried her into the bathroom. Her skin was silky against his, even with the sweat beaded on her forehead.
After sponging her in the cooling water for half an hour, Carter took her temperature again, pleased to see it had fallen by a degree.
Gratefully, he laid her on the bed and rummaged in the dresser until he found a pink cotton nightgown, which he slipped over her head. He tucked her under the covers and sat with her until her eyes opened a few hours later.
“Carter,” she said in a soft, dreamy voice. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes shone from fever, but for just a moment, he allowed himself to pretend it was desire that had wrought the change. He wanted to lean forward and kiss her sweetly pouting lips, but restrained himself.
“Yes, Scarlett?”
“I don’t feel well. Can I have some water?” As a result of the inflammation, her voice held a smoky, seductive note.
Resisting its siren song, knowing it was the illness that made her sound so sexy, Carter rose to his feet to bring her a glass of water from the bathroom. He supported her as she drank from the cup, and when he set it aside, his face was inches from her own. He stared into her fascinating purple eyes and grew hard with desire. He hadn’t held a woman for over a year, and none of the women in recent years had ever been this tempting. “Scarlett,” he said, clearing his throat.
She closed her eyes and pressed her lips to his, moaning low in her throat. “Carter,” she whispered against his lips.
He pulled away from her as she fell back to sleep. This wasn’t real, it was just the fever.
None of this was real.
It couldn’t be.
This was a business arrangement, nothing more.
7
Scarlett
For three days, Scarlett stayed in her room, recovering from her illness and dealing with the humiliation of kissing Carter. She still did not understand why she’d done such an impulsive, stupid thing, and was perfectly willing to chalk it up to her weakened state.
Carter had made a point of avoiding her for the past three days, and Ann had been her only companion, bringing her meals and taking care of her. She protested when she came in to find Scarlett dressed and walking to the door. “I’m much better now,” Scarlett said in a still-scratchy voice. In truth, her ankle hurt more than her throat, and though she felt slightly light-headed, she needed to escape the room for a while.
Ann hovered behind her as Scarlett limped down the stairs and into the breakfast room. She le
ft to bring in the food, and Scarlett was sitting in silence when Darren joined her a few minutes later. “Morning,” she said with a ghostly smile.
“You’re up,” he said with some surprise. “Are you sure you feel like—”
Scarlett waved her hand, “Yes, I’m much better, and so is my ankle. I’ll be taking this thing off in the next couple of days.”
“That’s good to hear,” Darren said, looking pensive. “Uh, Carter hasn’t been in a good mood the last three days,” he said abruptly.
“Really?” Scarlett inquired in a cool tone as Ann placed a steaming bowl of oatmeal before her. “Maybe he was deathly concerned over my illness. He wouldn’t want to lose such a large investment,” she mocked.
“I was just warning you,” Darren said and turned his attention to the food. They were eating in silence when Carter came striding in.
Scarlett didn’t look up from her oatmeal, but noticed the room temperature seemed to drop. She forced the ball of paste down her throat and sipped at her juice before finally lifting her head. “Good morning,” she said stiffly.
Carter ignored her greeting, and Darren’s as well, as he took a seat at the head of the table. Ann bustled in with a tray for him, and they maintained an uneasy silence. Darren finished his meal quickly and left them with a nod. The room grew even colder.
“Feeling better?” Carter sounded disinterested in her reply, making it plain he only inquired because it was expected.
“Yes, thank you.” She strove to match his distant tone.
“We need to get something straight.”
Scarlett lowered her spoon and looked at him. “What’s that?” she asked in a quiet voice.
“You can’t soften me up.” He glared at her.
“Excuse me?” Scarlett inquired, but she knew he was referring to the kiss.
“You heard me,” he bit out. “I don’t know what kind of scheme you hatched with your father, but I’m not relenting, and I’m not relinquishing my claim to the house.”
“I never thought you would be so kind,” Scarlett said blandly.
Carter snorted. “Of course not. You just decided to kiss me for other reasons,” he mocked. “I suppose you fancy yourself as Beauty?”
Scarlett blinked her eyes for a moment before grasping the reference to the fairytale. “And you’re the beast?” She arched a brow.
“If you like.” He shrugged. “But don’t expect a happy ending here, princess. After six months, I’ll be returning you to your father in exchange for the house, and I couldn’t care less what happens to you or the rest of the Terinis after that time.”
“Why did you agree to accept me in exchange for an extension?” Scarlett demanded, tossing her napkin on the table. “If it’s so important to you, why did you prolong things for another six months?”
His smile was hateful. “To see your father squirm. I rather enjoy the thought of him scrambling to come up with the cash and not having a prayer.”
“You’re a detestable man.” Scarlett shook her head. “Why would you want to hurt my family? We’ve done nothing to you. You’re taking business much too far.”
“Done nothing to me?” Carter repeated in a hard voice. “I could destroy all of your illusions about your father, Scarlett, with a few simple words.”
“I wouldn’t believe anything you told me.” He couldn’t say anything she didn’t already know. She had accepted her father’s mob ties and gambling problems years ago.
“Try this one,” he suggested. “Your father offered you to me as a virtual sex slave for cash. A lot of cash, assuring me you were surely worth it, since you had dated only approved boys. You might call it a virgin sacrifice,” he added in a husky voice.
Scarlett’s face flooded with heat, and she gasped in outrage. “That’s a damn lie,” she screamed, bringing Darren running into the breakfast room. “I hate you, Carter Braxton,” she cried and ran from the room, not acknowledging the pain in her ankle until she was halfway up the stairs. She pulled herself along using the banister, then collapsed on the bed into a sobbing heap.
After her ankle stopped throbbing, Scarlett called a taxi and arranged for them to meet her at the gate. She couldn’t stay in this house another minute, regardless of the stupid deal her father had struck with Braxton. After hanging up, she grabbed her jacket to ward off the light rain showers and left her room. No one saw her go down the stairs, and she made it out of the house without being noticed. Scarlett thought regretfully of the clothes and books she’d left behind, but the suitcase was just too heavy to lug with her injured ankle.
It was an unpleasant and painful walk to the gates. She found the taxi waiting for her, and the man looked impatient. “I’m sorry you had to wait,” she apologized, offering him a hundred dollars from the meager amount of spending money left in her wallet. “This should be enough to cover your wait, and a trip to San Francisco airport,” she said. The cabbie eagerly accepted the money and drove her into the city. He tried to chat with her a few times, but her answers were monosyllabic at best, and he gave up to her relief.
At the airport, Scarlett made her way inside and went to the nearest charter service. A flight she needed left in an hour, and she booked herself on it. The attendant ran her credit card through and frowned. “It was declined, miss,” she said with a sniff of disapproval.
“What?” Scarlett asked in shocked disbelief. Her father had given her that card two years ago, and she’d never had any problems with it before. “Is there a phone I can use?” She had be forced to leave even her cell phone behind so they couldn’t track her. Braxton surely had it tapped. But the card was her father’s, he wouldn’t find her with that.
The attendant returned her card, and Scarlett made her way to bank of payphones against the wall. She dialed the customer service number and waited on hold for a few minutes before a male voice answered. She explained the circumstances, and he looked up her account. “That card hasn’t had a payment for two months. You’ll need to get current or we’ll be forced to take further collection actions.”
“It’s my father’s card,” Scarlett said softly. “He just gave me one in my name.”
“You’ll need to have him call us, Ms. Terini.”
In a daze, Scarlett agreed and hung up. She was stranded at the airport. She sat on a chair and counted out her cash, realizing she shouldn’t have given the cab driver such an extravagant tip. She had enough to rent a car if they would allow her to pay cash.
She made her way to the rental car desk, and the clerk didn’t ask why she wanted to pay cash when she had a credit card. He just took an imprint of her card, a copy of her license, and called her insurance company to confirm she had coverage. After taking her payment, a younger boy came and took her out to the lot, handing her the keys to a sedan.
Scarlett found it nearly impossible to drive with the brace on and pulled over before leaving the city so she could remove it. Her ankle was still throbbing, but at least she could manage the pedals now. She drove on toward her home, wondering what sort of reception her father would give her. She’d never let him down before, and she’d never shirked her duties, but surely he would understand. He had to. It was his fault she was in this mess
Feeling tired and drained, Scarlett pulled into the drive of Terini Manor nearly three hours later. She was surprised to see catering vans parked around the side, before remembering today was Halloween. They always threw a lavish Halloween party, complete with decorations and resplendent costumes. Scarlett’s dress should still be hanging in her wardrobe.
She limped her way into the house and surprised Marcia into dropping a vase of flowers on the floor. The water soaked into the carpet, and the maid hastily bent down to dab at it. “Where’s my father?” Scarlett asked.
Marcia looked up. “He’s at the golf course, but your sisters are upstairs.”
Scarlett suddenly realized there was fear in Marcia’s tone when she spoke to her, and she was uncomfortable when she remembered Carter’s remarks.
She limped up the stairs, grimacing at the pain in her foot, and found her sisters in Lecy’s suite. They flocked around her. “Has he let you go?” Chrys asked as she hugged her sister. “Has he released you from that awful deal? Did Father take care of everything?”
“I left,” Scarlett said. “I couldn’t stand to be there another moment. He’s terrible, simply terrible. He’s cruel and abrasive, and he treats me like a pariah.”
Lecy patted her sister on the shoulder. “You did the right thing in coming home, sister. We’ve missed you so much.” She hugged Scarlett once more, and then said, “Perhaps you can help us with the caterer. We can’t understand a thing he says, and he just gets impatient with us.”
Sighing, Scarlett sank onto Lecy’s mattress, sprawling on her back. “I’ll do my best,” she promised around a yawn, “But first I need a nap. It was a long drive, and my ankle is hurting.”
“What did he do to you?” Chrys asked at the same time Lecy said, “Why didn’t you fly?”
Scarlett chose to answer Lecy first, “My card was declined.” She was almost amused at their looks of horror. “Either there’s been a billing error, or Father hasn’t paid the bill in two months.”
“No.” Lecy gasped. “It can’t be.”
Chrys burst into tears. “Are we poor now, Scarlett?”
Scarlett tilted her head, searching for a pillow, “We might be.” It didn’t matter much to her either way, though she would miss some of the advantages of being wealthy.
“If you go back to that man, will we be rich again?” Chrys asked, worriedly gnawing at her lip. She was older than Scarlett by a year, but she often turned to her for comfort, as Lecy was not the nurturing type. “I don’t want to be poor,” she wailed.
Beauty and the Billionaire Bad*ss Page 4
