by Lilly LaRue
Freddie smiled. “The luscious Ms. McKenna.” He frowned suddenly. Had he drank more than he’d planned? His tongue was flying too freely.
“You didn’t like her, huh?” Cooper asked, without a trace of anger.
Barking with laughter, Freddie leaned back in the chair that she’d once occupied. “I hated her. She stole my job. I should have been the RD. Hey, when is this ‘acting’ bullshit going to end?”
“Soon,” Cooper promised with a slight chill. “Was there any other reason you hated her?”
Cooper seemed genuinely interested in Freddie’s answer, and his chest swelled. It wasn’t often that people wanted to talk to Freddie, and he didn’t even mind if it was a crippled half-man who wanted to chat. Caution had been thrown to the wind, and he answered without thought. “She reminded me of my wife, ya’ know? So snooty, and repressive. Then she’s sucking your dick when no one’s around, every chance she could get, right here in this office sometimes. Fucking pricktease.”
“Did she ever tease you?” Cooper made himself ask.
Freddie grimaced. “Not blatantly, but she was flaunting herself.” He shook his head. “If she was qualified to be boss, she wouldn’t have been sucking you. No offense, Cooper. Still, I can’t blame you, huh? I bet you don’t see much action, and here’s this hot little Hoover, sucking your brain out through your cock.”
“How do you know about that?” Cooper balled his fists together. It was getting harder and harder to maintain his cool.
Laughing, Freddie propped his feet on the desk. “I saw you two a couple of times. She made me so hot I had to go jerk off once or twice. I do envy you that, Fielding.” His lack of respect was obvious. “I wouldn’t want to be in that chair, but at least you got something from her, huh?” He snickered gleefully. “She woulda had to fuck a normal guy, but with you, she got off easy. She wouldn’t have been so lucky with me.”
Closing his eyes, Cooper drew strength enough to continue the conversation. “So you hated her?”
Freddie shrugged. “Yeah, maybe so. I’ll bet you hate her now too, after all that business with the theft.”
“Hey, I was wondering if you know how that got out?” Cooper asked casually. “Everyone in the office knew about it within an hour of her departure.”
Biting his lip, Freddie belatedly decided to tread cautiously. “Er, I don’t know, Fielding.”
“Yeah, I can imagine how you’d hate her. She stole your job, and then did it more efficiently than you have the last four months. Bari really was more qualified, and it’s too bad she had to get greedy,” Cooper said sadly. “Still, you’ll do for now, huh, Freddie?”
Angry, Freddie straightened in the chair, swinging his feet off the desk. “I’m ten times the RD than she was.” He shot spittle as he protested loudly. “I’m much better on a computer than she is too. I got into her system, didn’t I?”
“Oh?” Cooper asked disinterestedly. “When was that?”
Freddie giggled, feeling more than slightly tipsy. He was approaching giddy, and he knew the alcohol wasn’t completely responsible. “She was stupid enough to leave the computer on. That was a real surprise when I came in to her office to get her special clearance badge. The passwords were a piece of cake with my de-cryp program. I wrote that myself,” he boasted, not realizing what he was saying in his anger and drunkenness. “I could have kicked myself when I realized I’d forgotten to totally remove it, but it worked out for the best. It was one more piece of evidence that contributed to her sacking.”
Cooper laughed heartily. “You did all that, Freddie?” he asked with forced awe. “I had no idea you were so capable.”
“I’m full of surprises.”
Smiling coldly, Cooper said, “I have a surprise for you too, Freddie. You’re fired, and I’m going to press criminal charges against you.” The look on Freddie’s face was almost worth the past four months of hell he’d endured without Bari. Almost.
♥♥♥
Bari watched the last student leave the classroom with relief. She enjoyed teaching the class more than she’d expected, and her Spanish had improved by leaps and bounds, but she was tired tonight. The baby was restless and had shifted into a position that put pressure on her lower back. She absently massaged the spot of pain as she wiped off the overhead.
She checked the computers to make sure they’d all been shut down properly by the students, flicking off one here and another there. She pushed in all the chairs and shrugged on her coat, grasping her briefcase. It was snowing again, and she expected the roads to be icy. Bari was not looking forward to the drive home, but a hot bath motivated her to dig her keys out of the briefcase.
Bari was just flicking off the lights when the door opened. She heard the whir of Cooper’s wheelchair before she saw him, and she froze. She didn’t turn the lights back on, and turned away from him. “What do you want?” Bari kept her spine straight as she strode to the window to stare out.
“I came to offer you your job back,” Cooper said in a stilted voice. “Inconsistencies in our investigation pointed to another person involved in the theft. It didn’t take long to realize the likely candidate was Fred Kent, and you wouldn’t have been working with him. You’ve been cleared of all wrongdoing.”
If he was expecting a profuse thank you, he could go to hell, Bari thought with a hard face. “Well, everything’s okay now, then, isn’t it? I can just forget that my employment record is smeared, that I couldn’t find a job in my field, and that you happily let Freddie ruin my life.” Coldly, Bari asked, “Or should I forget that I’ve been forced to work in a deli and teach a typing class to make ends meet?”
Recklessly, she turned to Cooper. “Or maybe I can ignore the fact that the father of my baby rejected me when I needed him, casting me into a state of misery? Should I forget I’ve lived with the constant worry of how to provide for my child when he’s born?”
With a trembling hand, Cooper flicked on the switch and caught his breath when he saw Bari’s swollen stomach in the pink maternity pants and sweater. “You’re pregnant?” He wore disbelief and shock like a mask.
“No,” Bari said sarcastically. “I’ve just hidden a stolen program in my pants.”
“Bari,” he tried to say, but his voice broke. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“When should I have done that? I asked how you felt about children, and you ripped my heart out when you said you weren’t interested. I couldn’t tell you then, and I certainly couldn’t tell you the day your security goons escorted me around the building when you fired me.”
Cooper was ashen, and he swayed sickly. “I’m so sorry.”
Inflexible, Bari snorted. “Sorry won’t cut it, Mr. Fielding.”
“Of course not,” he agreed numbly. “We’ll get married. I’ll take care of both of you.”
“Thanks, but I’ve also heard your view on marriage.”
“That was a long time ago,” Cooper whispered. “These last four months have been so terrible, Bari. I’ve missed you so much, and I came here tonight to offer you your job, but I’d hoped you would accept my other offer instead.” He dug awkwardly into the pocket of his pants.
Bari stared at the box he held out to her, finally taking it reluctantly. Slowly she opened it, gasping when she saw the diamond inside.
“I hoped you would agree to come back to me, to be my wife,” Cooper added. “Please marry me. I don’t want to live without you.”
Bari was wavering when the baby shifted, kicking her gently. “What about our child? You don’t want children, and I won’t have him raised as an inconvenience. That’s how my mother treated me, and I won’t put my baby through it, no matter how much I love you.”
“You love me?” Cooper asked incredulously. “After all that’s happened, you still love me?”
“That’s not the issue,” Bari snapped. Seeing his crestfallen expression, she relented slightly. “Yes, I love you, Cooper. I won’t marry you unless you can accept our child though.”
&nb
sp; With a tremulous smile, Cooper held out his hand to her. “You once told me it takes more than athletic ability to be a father. I think I can handle it, with a lot of help from you.”
Bari’s last resistance crumbled, and she knelt down, taking Cooper’s hand and rubbing it against her cheek. He leaned forward and kissed her hungrily. “I love you too,” he whispered against her hair. “Sometimes I can be a real ass, and stubborn as well.”
“Yes, you can,” Bari agreed happily, rubbing her cheek against his chin. “We’ll work on that.”
♥♥♥♥♥♥
Cover Images Courtesy of:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/results.aspx?qu=wheelchair&ctt=1#ai:MP900422767|mt:2|
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/results.aspx?qu=businesswoman&ctt=1#ai:MP910220993|mt:2|
Lilly LaRue lives near Victoria, British Columbia. She enjoys fishing, cruising, and whale watching. If she isn’t in the beach house her partner built with his own hands, you’ll find her on the water. She has a seafaring Newfoundland, named Newton, who loves the water almost as much as Lilly.
Keep reading for a sneak peek of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.
Chapter One
The limousine was long and sleek, much like its owner. It was a pure shade of black, so deep that it appeared to be blue, much like the hair of the man riding in the back. Angelos Barudikos’ one remaining eye was also a flashing black, set in a deeply tanned face. His Greek origins were easy to see, not only in his features, but also in his frame, tall and lean with sculpted muscles. In a different era, this man would have been a Greek God.
Angel shared many characteristics with the gods of old. He was hard and unyielding, cold, and arrogant. He had no tolerance for fools or lesser mortals, and most importantly, he believed in retribution. He carefully nurtured hatred in his heart, keeping it burning like the flame on Mount Olympus. He believed that a man’s sins would always be punished, if one were patient enough. Barudokis had few scruples when deciding how that person would be punished, and took little consideration for the severity of their crimes when deciding their fate. If crossed, he eventually got his revenge.
It was just such a mission that brought him to the luxurious home of Rocco Fortunati at nine p.m. on a Thursday night. After ten long years of waiting, Angelos Barudikos was about to have his revenge.
The limousine glided to a stop in front of the entrance where Angel’s Personal Assistant and bodyguard exited the limo first, holding open the door for his employer. He was a huge, muscular man with dark black skin, a smoothly shaven head, and a gold hoop earring. If Angel was a Greek God, Jamal was a pirate, minus only the eye patch and broadsword.
Jamal followed his employer up to the door and rang the bell for him. He noticed that Angel was leaning heavily on his silver-headed cane, but when the door opened, Angel straightened fully, quickly passing the cane to Jamal. He knew what the effort cost Angel, but Jamal understood why Angel did not want to appear weak, tonight of all nights.
“I have an appointment with Mr. Fortunati.”
The young maid trembled when he spoke. She took his trench coat and Jamal’s jacket while bowing her head, apparently eager to avoid looking at his face. “I’ll announce you right away.” She led them into a lavishly decorated study. “Mr. Fortunati will join you shortly.”
Angel took a seat in a wingchair in front of a massive mahogany desk, refusing to acknowledge the pain in his leg and hip from walking without the cane. Tonight was not a night for weakness, but for strength. He would accomplish what he’d set out to do, and he would do it standing tall and firm.
Jamal remained standing a few feet from Angel. When the door opened, his hand fell automatically to the gun in his holster, but he stopped short of drawing it, clearly deciding the situation had not become hostile yet. Angel didn’t expect his PA to have any need of the gun, but he was always prepared.
Rocco Fortunati was a man of average height with the beginnings of a paunch, well concealed by his tailored Saville Row suit. He surveyed his guests for a moment before stepping confidently into the room. At fifty-seven, he was still imposing, even if his hair had turned an iron shade of gray and his stomach protruded. “Mr. Barudikos.” He extended a hand to his visitor, his gaze not leaving the silver mask Angelos Barudikos wore.
The hand was coldly disdained as Angel fixed a pair of burning, black eyes on Fortunati. “Rocco.” His voice was smooth, with an underlying hint of steel.
Frowning, Rocco took a seat behind the desk. “I’m afraid my secretary didn’t give me any details of this meeting, Mr. Barudikos. Her only note is urgent, so you’ll have to tell me what this is all about.”
A grimace flashed briefly across Angel’s mouth, while he allowed just a hint of his hatred to show in his dark eyes. Rocco shivered slightly, and his smile grew. “It’s about Fortunati Electronics.”
Looking puzzled, Rocco said, “I don’t have much to do with the day-to-day operations anymore, Mr. Barudikos, but I’ll try to help you.”
“Yes. I’m aware of your lack of interest in the company, Fortunati. Is it not strange that ten years ago you were willing to kill for the company but today, you can’t be bothered to stop by your office more than once or twice a week?” Angel observed Rocco carefully.
“Excuse me?” Rocco grasped the arms of his chair with white-knuckled fury as he surged to his feet. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, and unless you can get to the point, this meeting is terminated.”
“Terminated—what an interesting choice of words. Very well. I won’t draw this out. As of this afternoon, I have acquired ninety-percent of the shares of your company, Fortunati. I’m well aware of your financial troubles—that you’ve been discreetly selling your shares for years. Each time they became available, I purchased them by any means necessary…short of murder and intimidation, of course. That’s really more your style, isn’t it, Rocco?”
Rocco sagged back into his chair. “Why have you come?”
Angel smiled, feeling genuine warmth in his stomach that did not reach his eyes. “To inform you that you are no longer the CEO of Fortunati Electronics. In fact, you are nothing in the company. The other ten-percent you own is not enough to oppose me or my plans for the company.”
“My father built that company.” Rocco turned a furious scarlet. His eyes moved to Jamal, and he leaned back in his chair. “I’d always planned to purchase the stocks again, once things were straightened out.”
“I’m afraid that is no longer an option,” Angel said. “Your company is going to be dismantled with each part sold to the highest bidder. I’m only taking one thing from your company—the memory chip that I invented that you stole from me ten years ago.”
Rocco’s eyes widened fearfully. “Oh, my god. You can’t be serious, Mr. Barudikos.” His tone was perilously close to pleading. “Don’t do this to a family business out of some childish desire for revenge.”
“Childish?” Angel slowly removed the silver mask that concealed one half of his face and his missing eye. “I certainly have my reasons, Fortunati, and they are not the least bit childish.” He saw the sick look on Rocco’s face as he gazed at the scarred flesh. “You had no compunction about destroying my business, and I certainly have no concern for yours.”
Rocco squared his jaw as Barudikos replaced the mask, ignoring his queasy stomach. “I see. I’ll simply use the proceeds from the sale of the shares to rebuild my empire.” He waved a hand, as though unconcerned.
Angel laughed, a sound of true amusement. “I do believe you’re forgetting your rather substantial debts to the various casinos in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and Reno, Fortunati. You’ve found it incredibly easy to obtain credit in the past, and every last cent of the money you’ve made is going to be necessary to cover your debts. In fact, I believe you used this lovely home for collateral just last month.”
Rocco’s complexion had gone ashen, but he turned stark white when Angel removed a contract from the briefcase Jamal hande
d him. “You have three days to exit the property, Mr. Fortunati. As of this morning, I now own this house. I suspect you’ll have to sell all your lovely antiques and family heirlooms just to cover the difference on your debts versus your assets.”
“You son of a bitch.” Rocco jumped from his chair again. Jamal stepped forward menacingly, causing him to collapse back into the seat. “Not my home.” His voice had lost all hint of strength. “I have three daughters to provide a home for. Think of my children.”
“I have no concern for your children,” Angel snapped. “They are all of legal age and should be living on their own anyway. It is time to wean them off your teat, Fortunati. It’s time they realize what a worthless bastard you are.”
Sweat poured from Rocco’s face as he visibly strove to find some desperate way out of this. “Can’t we reach an agreement?”
Angel’s eyes narrowed. “Gambling once more, Rocco?”
“Give me a few months to scrape together enough to buy this house, at least. It’s been in my family for two hundred years, and you have no right to it,” he said sternly, as if trying to shame Angel into backing off.
“Why should I agree to such an absurd request? I would have no recourse against you if I agreed to this, and I would lose a substantial amount of money if you skip out on me.”
Rocco shook his head. “I’ll give you something for collateral.” His brow furrowed. “I have a Mercedes, and my daughters each drive nice cars.”
Angel laughed, sharing a look of amused disbelief with Jamal. “I have more cars than I could ever drive as it is.”
Forehead wrinkled, he seemed to rack his brain furiously, searching for something to appease Angel. His head lifted slowly as his eyes filled with tears. “I’ll give you one of my daughters,” he whispered. “She’ll stay with you for the time you give me. If I don’t get the money together, you can do as you wish to me.”
Angel’s eyes narrowed. “You’re giving me one of your daughters?” He was unable to believe the depths to which Rocco would sink. “How long would this arrangement last?” The game continued, he decided with a small smile of satisfaction. Dangle hope, then withdraw it—always amusing entertainment.
