Draco

by Saskia Walker

  Rory nodded. “Can we do that while I work?”

  Draco nodded. “Yes, of course.” He took off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves. “Got a spare overall?”

  Rory grinned.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  In the early hours Draco uploaded the presentation to Rory and copied it to Compton Senior’s email address, then prayed Rory would be there on time and he’d cope. He couldn’t sleep so he played computer games to blot out thoughts until it was time to get ready. Once he’d showered and dressed in the black suit Lara liked most, he headed to the tube.

  When he got to Compton Finance, Lara was waiting outside the building, hovering by the front doors. As soon as she saw him, she waved and headed to meet him. He’d never seen her look so happy.

  “I’ve missed you so much.” She threw her arms around his neck, kissing him passionately.

  Draco held her close, lifting her off her feet, desperately grateful to feel her in his arms again.

  “Why the hell didn’t you tell me what you had planned?” She looked up at him, demanding the truth.

  “I went in on my own so you wouldn’t have to. Hey, I did keep telling you I’d do everything I could to keep you safe. I didn’t want any blame to land on you.”

  “I was nearly ready to face him. I just need a bit of time to prepare. Hell, it was my idea!”

  “It could’ve gone badly wrong. I care too much about you to let that happen.”

  “I know.” Her expression softened, and Draco was more glad of it than he had been of anything in his life. “Way back before we met, when you planned this crazy scheme, you thought about what you wanted the outcome to be, didn’t you?”

  Reluctantly, she nodded.

  “My bet is you decided it was fifty-fifty. If you impressed him, great. But you’re canny enough to weigh it all up, and you knew there was a chance there would be wreckage afterwards. But you have your mum and she’ll always love you, and the fact you went in with good intentions and it fell apart had its own value.”

  She considered him thoughtfully. “How come you’re such an expert on dysfunctional families, when yours is so scattered?”

  “That’s why I could see it, Lara, because my family has its own issues and we all have to negotiate each other around minefields of past history—our parents as well as our own—it makes it easier for me to see what’s going on with other people. The whole time I’ve been with you has made me think about my family too and I’ve been dealing with that as well. Being around you has helped me.” He grasped her around the shoulders, focusing them both on the important thing—their connection. “It’s always easier to analyze someone else’s problems than your own, believe me!”

  “I suppose so.” She laughed.

  It was so easy to love her. Her fire and rebellion, the way she laughed, the way she teased him. She’d impressed him from the off. She wasn’t high powered, but she gave it a shot. It was that simple ability to give life a go, to try, to hope, to be ready for failure when it happened and not be undone by it. Those things drew him like a magnet. Then her tenderness, the way she clung to him when they made love, it was beyond anything he’d ever imagined, finding pleasure in the simple things, waking up with her alongside him, smiling at him.

  “I’d given up hacking when you came along, but I’d have done anything for you. Sure there was an attraction on being inside a place like this, to see what it was really like and maybe stir up a bit of trouble. But it very quickly came down to me and you.”

  “It did.”

  “I had to live with the fact that you might be some royal princess larking about, trying to pull one over on her brothers.”

  She shook her head.

  “I worked hard to get you what you wanted.”

  “How hard? It always bugged me you seemed to spend more time in bed with me when you were supposed to be hacking.”

  “You cheeky madam.”

  “I judged you, I’m sorry. You were right about the whole family thing. I didn’t really know how much I actually cared about them, the other side, the enemy.” Her eyes sparkled and she laughed.

  “I judged you too,” he whispered, “but don’t feel bad about it, we both soon learned what we needed to know about teach other, didn’t we?”

  “We did, in fact we did more getting to know each other than actually working, but why the hell didn’t you tell me it was my dad behind the breach, way back when you figured it out?”

  “Because I wanted to be with you, Lara. I wanted to spend time with you. If I’d have told you we’d have walked away from each other. I wanted to know you better.”

  Lara shook her head, incredulous.

  “I love you Lara.”

  The shock in her eyes made him chuckle.

  “Why’s that so hard to believe?”

  “It’s not. It’s just that I..”

  Tension buckled his lungs, and then she returned his smile.

  “It’s just that I love you too, and I thought it was just me. I was going to give up the whole stupid secret project so I could keep seeing you.”

  He glanced at his watch. It was minutes until the board meeting, they had to get into place soon. “Hold that thought! I’ve got a surprise for you, something risky.”

  Grabbing her by the hand, he headed to the elevators. “You’re going to enjoy this,” he told her as they went.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  Thrilled to bits, Lara held Draco’s hand tightly as he urged her quickly along the corridor. They were on the tenth floor, where her father’s office and the board rooms were located.

  Draco drew to a halt outside a door at the far end of the corridor and entered a code into the keypad located on one side. It looked like it might be a cleaner’s storage cupboard. He turned the handle and the door opened.

  Beckoning her in, he glanced up and down the corridor.

  Amazed, Lara followed him. “You hacked the code?”

  He laughed. “Lara Compton, you’re going to have to stop thinking like that. Your dad gave me the code so we could observe a meeting.”

  She stared around the narrow room. It was barely lit, with LED lighting running around the skirting boards so you could see where you walked. A couple of stackable chairs stood in one corner, but nothing else. Then she noticed a tinted glass window filled one wall. Beyond the window she could see a boardroom. “Wait, what? My father has a secret viewing room?”

  “Yes, and he’s allowed us to watch because we think you’ll enjoy this. And…if it goes well, your dad might let me hang around here a bit longer.”

  Before she had a chance to reply, people streamed into the boardroom beyond.

  Lara recognized many of the management team, but there was a young guy dressed entirely in leathers, and he was being ushered the table by Janice. Janice put him at the opposite end to her dad who was already in his seat.

  “Who’s that?

  “That’s Rory, my stepbrother.”

  “Oh, wow!” She peered at the biker guy, intrigued.

  Rory put a document folder and his bike helmet on the table.

  Lara craned her neck to see her dad’s reaction. He appeared to be staring at the unlikely presence of a motorcycle helmet on his pristine glass boardroom table with an amused expression.

  The meeting began.

  Lara suddenly realized a speaker allowed them to hear what was being said.

  She grinned at Draco.

  He nodded. “I know! How cool is this?”

  “Before we get to matters on today’s agenda, I’d like to introduce a guest speaker. Rory, if you’d like to give your presentation.”

  Rory stood up. “Ladies and gentlemen, I’ve come here today for a few minutes to talk about computer security and recent unapproved accessing of financial accounts within the company.”

  Douglas Warrington, the IT manager, shuffled in his seat and looked at Compton Senior before gesturing with his hands.

  Lara saw her dad put up his hand, indicating
Warrington should stay quiet.

  “First of all let me explain my appearance. I have to be at my real job soon.” Rory grinned. “I’m a motorbike mechanic and my usual place of work is a bike workshop. I’ll leave my card in case any of you ever need motorcycle maintenance.”

  Draco put his hand over his mouth as if trying not to laugh.

  One of the assembled managers harrumphed loudly enough for all those assembled to hear. Her dad shot him a silencing glance.

  “I’ll be direct. My brother hacked into Compton Finance’s security system around eighteen months ago and is currently serving a jail sentence.”

  Around the table there were gasps and murmurs of disapproval.

  Rory continued. “Mr Compton was concerned there might be another security breach during the last few weeks. I was called in. I found the breach, and the name of the individual was passed to Mr Compton.”

  The tension around the table magnified.

  Lara leaned closer to the glass, thrilled.

  “I’m sure many of you are wondering why a motorbike mechanic can analyse the systems used by numerous financial gurus on a daily basis. Let’s just call it a knack.” He smiled. “I was employed because someone believed I could analyze the system quickly and efficiently. Job done. However in the process of analysing the security breaches—and there were several—I noticed some additional areas could be tightened up. With Mr Compton’s approval I put together a document with a few suggestions. I’ve printed out several copies of the document and Janice will be emailing a copy of this to each and everyone at you after the meeting.”

  Lara watched her father carefully. Had he welcomed Draco on-board and let him execute his suggestions?

  Draco caught her eye and she could see he was pleased. She took his hand, realizing what he and her dad had cooked up. She glanced around. Everyone was focused on Rory, thinking he was the interloper, the one pointing out where they were failing in their jobs. As long as her father approved of the outcome, Draco’s position would remain untarnished. If her dad agreed, no one would think twice about him joining the company on a permanent basis.

  Rory picked up his motorcycle helmet and strode around the table to shake her father’s hand.

  “If you take a seat outside, Rory, I’ll see you at the end of the meeting.”

  Rory shook hands with him.

  “A small thank you is with my PA.”

  “Thank you, Sir.”

  Disconcerted mumbling started off around the table when Rory left the room.

  “They can’t hear us, can they?” Lara whispered

  Draco shook his head and moved closer, wrapping his arms around her.

  “I can’t believe you got him to do that! I love you so much, Draco.”

  He stared down at her, serious a moment. “I think I loved you from the moment I locked eyes with you in the diner.”

  “That’s not possible.” She laughed.

  “I love it when you laugh.”

  “You make me happy”

  “Just as well, if you’re going to give up all this,” he waved his hand at the tinted window and beyond, “just to keep seeing me. Although I don’t think that’s entirely necessary now.”

  She stared up into his eyes. “I would have, willingly.”

  “I think you would. Then again, you are a crazy lady.”

  ###

  If you enjoyed DRACO please

  consider leaving a rating or review at the retailer’s site.

  Watch out for SEAN, book #3 in the Coded For Love series – coming soon!

  Read on for an excerpt.

  SEAN

  Rowan Vaughn doesn’t need a man. All men do is break your heart. So when Sean Rattigan drives into town on a Harley Davidson—ripped and brooding—she has to lift her jaw and act like she doesn’t care. Sean is the one who stole her heart and promptly disappeared with it. She isn’t going to give him the satisfaction of falling on her back for him all over again.

  Fresh out of jail for cyber crimes—and with a pack of hungry gangsters on his trail, slavering for his hacking skills—Sean Rattigan heads to Wales, determined to lay low in the land of the dragons. Seeking only a bed for the night, he calls on his stepsister, Rowan. But the magnetic attraction between Sean and Rowan is more powerful than ever, and their passion is quickly reignited.

  Rowan has a confession to make, but Sean disappears again without hearing her out. Furious, Rowan vows to give him a taste of his own medicine and follows him to London. What she doesn’t know is Sean left her behind to protect her, and she’s about to walk into the mother of all gangland showdowns.

  EXCERPT

  Nan and Gladys had conspired to trap them together. It didn’t surprise Rowan, but she could just walk away, couldn’t she?

  What if Sean didn’t let her? The thought turned her on, wildly. Then there was the fact his presence strolling behind her was totally magnetic. You need to have sex, that’s all. But she wanted him, always had. And he was so bad for her.

  She pushed open the door to the spare bedroom, which Gladys and Nan had spent all afternoon primping and preparing. It looked as if it’d been set up for royalty. Rowan pointed out several times that a six-foot biker fresh out of jail had no need for crochet cushion covers and goose down comforters.

  She ushered him in from the safety of the landing. “Your room.”

  He smiled, and lifted his eyebrows. “Why don’t you come in and help me get settled?”

  There it was, without a moment’s hesitation, the assumption. She folded her arms across her chest and glared at him. “No way.”

  “Why deny it, Rowan? I can see you want me as much as I want you.” He put one arm up against the door frame, his massive physique towering over her.

  The creak of his leather jacket brought back memories she thought long buried. She shook her head. “Damn you, Sean.”

  There was a wicked gleam in his eye. “You always did look hellishly sexy when you’re annoyed about something. I never could resist you, stepsister or not.”

  “Arrogant prick,” she muttered. It was like the past three years hadn’t even happened. “That was a long time ago, and you expect to come here and have me fall on my back for you when you haven’t even sent me much as text message from three years.”

  “Two and a half.”

  “Three.”

  “You always did love to exaggerate.” He moved closer to her. “Be honest,” he whispered against her ear, “you missed me.”

  Defiant, she tried to move out of his grasp.

  Before she could dart away, he wrapped his large hands around her shoulders and walked her back against the wall. Overwhelmed, she grasped and thumped his chest. She hated that her body responded so keenly to his proximity. She could smell him, soap and beneath it, his scent, so familiar, doing bad things to her

  With a husky laugh, he shook his head. “A lot has changed, yes but some things never change. You want me every bit as much as I want you.”

  She thumped his chest with her fist. All that did was assure her the muscles under the jacket were solid, making her hands itch to check them out. “Stop assuming! You don’t know me any more, Sean Rattigan.”

  “You admit I knew you well enough back then though. Knew how to make you happy. How to make you laugh. How to make you come.” His fingers were around the back of the neck, thumb stroking her under her chin.

  It was a good job the wall was behind her, because Rowan was so turned on by his actions, she was practically melting down the surface. How did that happen? How did the mere touch of his fingers stroking her take away the strength and independence she was so proud of, the qualities she clung to on pain of death. “How dare you? What we had back then was nothing but a teenage fling. Doesn’t mean you can come in here and expect me to drop my panties for you.”

  “I’m not expecting you to do anything you don’t want to do, but I always could tell when you were turned on. Something about your eyes, sweetheart.”

  His Ir
ish brogue tapped deep into her psyche, and he was holding her so she couldn’t look away, forcing her to look back into his eyes while he confronted her.

  “Besides,” he continued, “you wouldn’t deny a man fresh out of prison the chance to hold a woman in his arms.” His eyes darkened, his expression turning deadly serious. “The woman he thought about for a whole year behind bars…the only thing that kept him alive.”

  Her breath caught in her throat. Intrigued, she stared at his face. It was so much more brutal and rugged than she remembered. Was it true? The only way to find out would be to hear him out, discuss things properly, but that wasn’t an option. Her emotions were all over the place and he was far too full on to have a rational conversation. “We’re not kids any more, Sean. You can’t make comments like wishes on the wind and expect me to fall under your spell. You used to think you could say anything to get between my legs, but we’re all grown up now.”

  “I’m not easy any more,” she blurted, and then bit her lip, realizing what she’d said. Her body was at odds with her brain though. His arrival had unleashed her sexuality, as if his very presence in her life turned her into something she couldn’t easily control or push aside.

  “You never were.” The sudden twinkle in his eyes indicated he was laughing at her comments.

  As well he might, she admitted to herself reluctantly. What in gods name made her declare she wasn’t easy any more?

  “There’s that look in your eyes again, Rowan. You aren’t convincing me you don’t want to try this bed out with me.” He nodded his head past the empty door into the room that had been prepared for him.

  Meanwhile, he brushed his knuckles against the soft skin of her breastbone, a touch that electrified her—both gentle and brutal as it was. It was a reminder of what they’d been like, pent up desire had made them so hot for each other that they’d fuck with aggression, burning off the lust that’d been fuelled by the forbidden nature of the relationship. Stepbrother and stepsister, exploring each other intimately, while their parents thought they were simply hanging out and playing by the rules.