Seized by Seduction--A Compelling Tale of Romance, Love and Intrigue

by Brenda Jackson

  “I want to tell you again how wonderful it was.”

  She wondered if a but would follow. When he didn’t say anything, she asked, “But?”

  He took a quick glance over at her. “But what?”

  “That’s what I’m wondering.”

  He gave her a quizzical look. “You think there’s a but.”

  “Isn’t there?”

  “Not that I know of. You think there should be?”

  Randi honestly didn’t know what to think. “The woman you love is now married to your brother.”

  “Yes. But what does that have to do with us and last night? And you phrased that wrong. Lilly is a woman I once loved. There’s a difference.”

  “Is there?”

  “Yes. And like you said, she is married to my brother.” The same brother he’d gone to jail for. Even now he wondered if his brother still had his hands in illegal activities. If he did, it would be just a matter of time before he got caught. A part of Quasar couldn’t help but hope that one day he would.

  “And how do you feel about that? Him marrying your girlfriend?” she asked, wanting to know.

  “Accepting.” He paused a minute and then added, “I stopped loving Lilly years ago, but she taught me a valuable lesson.”

  And Randi knew what that lesson was. He’d said as much on their first date. He didn’t ever want to give his heart to another woman again. She felt an explosive shake in her chest with the realization that the man sitting beside her could never love her. He would never trust her with his heart.

  * * *

  RANDI TOOK IN the crime scene while rubbing her arms. The moment she’d gone beyond the yellow tape, she had felt the hair stand up on the back of her neck. She encountered vibes so strong she stood rooted to the same spot.

  “What’s wrong, Randi?”

  She drew in a deep breath. Although Quasar had asked the question, she noticed Agent Riviera and Detective Sutherland and other agents and officers staring questioningly at her, as well.

  “I feel so much negative energy in here,” she said, glancing around the empty building. “As soon as I stepped beyond the tape, I felt a connection. Somehow I’ve locked in on both victims, Griffin and Constantine.”

  She didn’t say anything for a minute. “I had a flash vision of the execution. It was awful. They begged for their lives.”

  “Do you know who did it?” Sutherland asked anxiously.

  She closed her eyes for a minute and gasped when she reopened them.

  “What’s wrong, Randi?” Quasar asked her for the second time.

  She met his gaze. “Mr. Big. Overstreet was right. The man behind everything, the man who paid Constantine and Griffin to betray their gang, was someone Constantine knew only as Mr. Big.”

  “And how do you know that?” Sutherland asked.

  Randi glanced over at him and wondered if Sutherland felt stupid for asking her that when the others around looked at him strangely. To them it was obvious how she knew it. Her psychic powers were at work. However, she decided to answer him anyway.

  “Constantine. He’s reaching out to me. Griffin never met this Mr. Big, but Constantine had. Several times. And Constantine just warned me. Mr. Big wants me dead. An old score to settle.”

  “An old score to settle?” Riviera repeated.

  Randi didn’t say anything as she closed her eyes again. “I see him. I see Mr. Big through Constantine’s eyes.”

  “And do you recognize him?” Riviera asked in a voice just as anxious as Sutherland’s had been moments ago.

  “Yes,” Randi said in barely a whisper. “The face Constantine is staring into belongs to a criminal by the name of Levan Shaw.”

  “Levan Shaw?” Riviera asked in astonishment.

  Randi nodded and reopened her eyes. “Some still wonder if he died in that FBI raid a few years ago, but his body was never found.”

  Quasar said, “Now we know why.”

  * * *

  BY THE TIME they returned to the beach house that evening, Randi was mentally drained. After leaving the crime scene, she met with several agents, all determined to bring Levan Shaw to justice. She explained that she’d never come face-to-face with Shaw. The last time she’d gotten a psychic reading on him had been through one of his human trafficking victims.

  The woman’s detailed reading had provided enough information for Randi to lay out the facts to the FBI agents she’d been assigned to work with. Things would have been more successful if Agent Felton had believed in her. He hadn’t. And although she’d all but led them to the compound where those women were being held against their will, Shaw had escaped. The man she’d seen through Constantine’s eyes looked a little older and was wearing his hair shorter. But she remembered him from those horrible visions.

  “You want something to eat?” Quasar asked. “I can whip up some—”

  “No, I’m fine. I’m still full from lunch.” Riviera had ordered in again. This time it had been a huge seafood platter. “My sister called a few times, so I need to return her call before she panics. And I want to take a nice long soak in the tub.”

  “Okay. I need to make a few calls of my own.”

  “Okay. I’ll see you later.”

  Quasar watched her walk up the stairs. Was Randi putting distance between them, or was she so mentally drained she simply needed time to recharge? He’d seen her today with Overstreet and then at the crime scene. The woman was remarkable. Her psychic powers were truly a gift. Any man who didn’t think so or felt threatened by them wouldn’t deserve her.

  He frowned, wondering how he could so easily think such a thing. Randi and another man. He would admit that today he had been more territorial than ever. He blamed it on the fact that last night they’d shared a bed. It had annoyed the hell out of him when he’d noted how often Sutherland had stared at her with lusty eyes when he thought no one was watching. More than once he’d been tempted to knock the hell out of the detective. And what really pissed him off was when Sutherland had invited himself to join them for lunch in that conference room.

  When the detective had suggested Quasar leave them alone for a while to discuss the case, Quasar had refused to do so. He’d told Sutherland whatever he needed to talk to Randi about needed to be said in front of him, because he wasn’t going any damn place. Since Randi hadn’t argued the point in favor of the detective’s request, evidently she hadn’t wanted to be alone with Sutherland any more than Quasar had wanted her to be alone with him.

  Although Randi said she wasn’t hungry, Quasar headed for the kitchen, deciding to prepare a meal anyway. Her powers might be a gift, but he could see they took a toll on her.

  * * *

  “SO THERE YOU have it, Haywood. Quasar will never fall in love with me. I’ll be living a miserable life alone for the rest of my days.”

  Randi had spent the last twenty minutes giving her sister an abbreviated version of today’s activities before confessing to last night’s. She needed a shoulder to cry on, and she knew Haywood’s shoulder was always available. She couldn’t help but recall the words she’d spoken to Quasar the first night in LA when he’d taken her sightseeing at Mulholland Drive Overlook. She’d told him that she hadn’t been interested in falling in love any more than he had. She saw now how wrong she’d been.

  “I never knew you were a quitter, Randi.”

  Randi frowned, somewhat irritated by her sister’s assessment. “What are you talking about?”

  “I’m talking about the fact that years ago, you were given a vision of the man who would be your mate for life. You knew you would have to earn his love and he would have to earn yours. A few months ago you finally met the guy, and the two of you were instantly attracted to each other. You got a chance to spend a little productive time together and bam! He’s earned your love wi
thout much effort and without knowing he had to.”

  “So I’m easy to please. Sue me.”

  “Don’t want to sue you, but I do want to knock some sense into you. Listen, kiddo. Men are funny creatures. Sometimes they don’t even know what’s good for them. Some of the time—hell, most of the time—women have to be the ones who go after what they want. Men can be so damn clueless. I refuse to allow you to grow old alone, so take my advice. You’re there with him, so seize the opportunity. Use all that woman power. Let him earn your love but give him a reason to want to earn it. Seduce the hell out of him.”

  Randi shook her head. “Honestly, Haywood? Seduction?”

  “Yes, seduction. Think about it. Lilly is no threat. But she did leave scars. It’s up to you to erase those scars.”

  Randi drew in a deep breath. “That won’t be easy.”

  “Never known you to be afraid of a little hard work. Just think of all the benefits and your reward in the end. There has to be a reason that of all the men in this world, Quasar was chosen for you. Evidently the powers that be think the two of you are right for each other. Need each other. So don’t turn your back on him.”

  Randi nibbled on her bottom lip. “Seduction? I’m not good at that sort of thing.”

  “All women are good at that sort of thing, thanks to Eve. How do you think she got Adam to take a bite of that apple? Try it. You did say he was horny as hell.”

  “I didn’t say that.”

  “You didn’t have to. I can read between the lines. Sounds like you’ve kicked his libido into overdrive. Take advantage of it.”

  Randi finished removing her clothes for her bath. “I’ll think about it.”

  “Don’t think. Act.”

  After her soak in the tub, her conversation with Haywood remained on Randi’s mind. She’d even closed her eyes and envisioned a number of hot scenarios while submerged in her bubble bath. The last thing she wanted was just sex between her and Quasar, although she had to admit the sex had been off the charts. But she knew she had to start somewhere, and if that meant she could get the ball rolling by seducing him, then she would try.

  * * *

  LIKE SOMEONE WHO was part of the night, Leo moved around in the darkness, through the trees and thickets, being careful not to make a sound. The house hadn’t been difficult to find. The FBI had established a roadblock to stop anyone driving down the long dirt road, like his contact had said, but too bad they hadn’t counted on anyone traveling on foot.

  Leo had parked his car at a rest stop at the base of the mountain. When he was certain no one was watching, he had gotten his gun case containing his high-powered rifle and swung it across his back. Appreciating the skill he’d obtained in the military as a Green Beret, he had set out on foot and disappeared into the darkness.

  He knew it was hard for some to believe that at one time he’d served his country and had intended to make a career out of it. That was until the brass found out he was making a little profit on the side with a prostitution ring he’d set up in Beirut. Who gave a fuck that most of the women had been used against their will? They weren’t American women, so why give a damn? He found out the hard way that quite a few people did, and he ended up court-martialed.

  It was while in federal prison serving time that he met a man by the name of Orson Pinkney. Orson had been into gambling and racketeering. After serving five years of a ten-year sentence, Levan hooked up with Orson the minute he was out, right under his parole officer’s nose.

  He and Orson worked well together and began making money right and left, until the Feds started busting up their operation. They retaliated and killed a couple of agents and robbed a few banks to replenish their capital. They expanded into casinos in Vegas, they paid off government officials in DC, they helped fund an illegal war in the Philippines. Their biggest moneymaker was the human trafficking operation until Dr. Fuller came in and messed things up. Orson had gotten killed in a raid. Luckily, Levan had been tipped off and had left right before things went down.

  He finally saw the lights of the house ahead. More FBI cars were parked outside. He figured everyone was inside and getting ready to eat dinner. He chuckled. They had no idea this would be their last supper.

  Taking the rifle case from his shoulder, he pulled a beauty of a high-powered rifle from the case. It was loaded, and he had more ammunition if needed. He intended to take them by surprise. There wouldn’t be any survivors.

  He’d expected agents on the perimeter, but there were none. Evidently they felt confident in the roadblock. Fools, all of them.

  Crouching low, he eased toward the side of the house. His contact hadn’t said anything about special security devices monitoring the yard, but you could never be sure. Hell, for all he knew, there might be patrol dogs somewhere. He had made it across the yard, relishing that he would do what those imbeciles he had hired had failed to do. End Dr. Randi Fuller’s life.

  He had made it to a good spot and had lifted the MCX rifle when a bright beam illuminated the entire yard, lighting his position up. “What the fuck!”

  A booming voice came through a megaphone. “This is the FBI, and you’re under arrest. Drop your gun, Shaw!”

  Instead of doing as ordered, he began shooting.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  “MMM, SOMETHING SMELLS GOOD.”

  Quasar looked up from the pot he was stirring on the stove and drew in a sharp breath. Over the breakfast counter of the open concept house, he could see Randi as she came down the stairs. She was wearing one of those tops with spaghetti straps and a long flowing shirt that seemed to wrap around her legs with every step she took. She looked absolutely gorgeous, and the closer she got, he more he decided the aroma of the food had nothing on her. She wore that perfume he liked, and the scent had a hypnotic effect. There was no mistaking all that combustible chemistry gliding right along with her.

  She looked refreshed, well rested. She’d been upstairs for over an hour, and he wondered if she’d snuck in one of those power naps she told him she occasionally took. He was getting tired of asking himself just what there was about Randi that could make his libido go wild. So he would stop asking and accept it as one of those things that just couldn’t be explained. If he still couldn’t figure it out after their sex marathon last night, then he wouldn’t lose any more sleep about it.

  He turned back to the stove or else she would clearly see evidence of his desire for her. “I know you said you weren’t hungry, but I figured you might be after your bath,” he said over his shoulder.

  “Is it safe for you to stand that close to the stove wearing your gun?”

  He wanted to glance around to see if that had been a serious question, but even the sound of her voice could make him hard. “It’s safe,” he replied over his shoulder. The sound of silky material sliding across leather let him know she’d sat down at the breakfast counter on one of the bar stools.

  “What are you cooking?” she asked.

  “Everything’s all done,” he said, slowly turning around. He couldn’t stand with his back to her forever. Besides, it was no secret they generated a lot of sexual energy. They’d tried working it out of their systems last night and failed miserably, but he’d enjoyed every minute.

  “I thought I’d introduce you to my godmother’s favorite soup. Usually she prepared it during the winter months, but since she claimed it was an energy picker-upper, I thought you might need it. You had a full day.” That kicked off from a full night, he decided not to add.

  “Thank you, Quasar. You take such good care of me.”

  If she’d only known just how much more he wanted to take care of her, and in what way, she would have been shocked. But then, after last night, maybe she wouldn’t.

  “Here,” he said, walking over to place a bowl and spoon in front of her. “Try it. Tell me what you thi
nk. And be careful. It’s hot.”

  “I like it hot.”

  The heat of her gaze touched him in places already sizzling. He didn’t need to deal with any more surges of desire in his body right now or else he just might overload. “Do you?”

  “Didn’t I prove that last night?” she said with sultry humor in her voice and a sexy smile on her lips.

  Why did she have to go and mention last night? Although he’d been remembering it a lot today, now that he knew she was thinking about it, too, a sexual explosion was bound to happen. He doubted he would ever forget the feel of thrusting in and out of her, their bodies gyrating, the sound of her screaming his name while shattering in his arms...

  “Well, didn’t I?”

  She really wanted an answer? In that case, he would give her one. “Yes, you proved a lot of things last night, Randi.”

  She held his gaze. “All good, I hope.”

  “Very good. Too damn good.” Then he added in Spanish, “Quiero meterme todo dentro tuyo otra vez y no me importa si nunca vuelvo a salir.”

  Quasar thought she looked pleased with his response, and she picked up her spoon. It was a good thing she didn’t understand Spanish because he’d just told her that he wanted to get inside her body again and wouldn’t care if he never came out.

  He watched as she placed the spoon to her lips and blew on the soup a few times before sliding it into her mouth. He felt a stirring in his groin as he recalled that same way she had slid him into her mouth last night. He hadn’t expected it but had gotten a whole hell of a lot of enjoyment from her doing so. She had licked him all over...the same way she was licking that spoon now.

  He swallowed as she ran her tongue across her bottom lip and then the top. In a husky voice he asked, “So what do you think?”

  “I think it’s delicious, Quasar, and I want some more.”