by Lisa Lace
Time is running out. It’s time for my plan. I REALLY hope you’ll join me.
She shut the ringtone off and turned on the recorder before locking her phone and tucking it back into her purse. Walking up to the front door was one of the hardest things she had ever done. It took everything she had to knock on the door. When no one answered, she wondered how much time she had to talk herself out of what she was about to do before Jack got home. Would she even have the chance? What if Edward got there before Jack and pulled her away? What if Edward never got her text and she was on her own?
Wishing she had grabbed a jacket, she rubbed her arms and walked along the long driveway leading up to the house they had just invaded earlier that afternoon. Her mind started working on her nerves, and she reached for her purse to make sure her text was sent when a set of headlights illuminated her as it rounded the driveway toward the house. She let her purse go and quickly straightened up.
She wanted to run into the bushes. Did she change her mind or was she just afraid of what could happen? Edward’s words echoed through her mind, screaming for her to stay away from Jack. Do you understand me? You don’t know what he is capable of.
She took a big breath. “I guess I’m about to find out, aren’t I?” She straightened her posture as the car turned toward her and stopped in front of her, the lights lighting her up. She stepped back into the shadow of the night and watched the car pull past her. When the door opened and Jack climbed out, his eyes were glued to hers. He stood in his driveway until the car backed up and pulled out.
“Hello, Mia. What are you doing here?”
“I came to—” She stopped and cleared her throat, trying to control the quiver in her voice. Was it from the cold or from her fear of being alone with him again? “I came to talk to you.”
“What about?” He had the same rigid, unfeeling tone Edward had when she told him about Jack. The only similar characteristic she had noticed so far.
“I thought about what you said.”
“And?” He raised his eyebrows, not moving from where he stood.
Mia felt her body start to shake. “Can we go someplace and talk?”
“No. What do you want?”
“I wanted to tell you that you were right. I’m admitting defeat.”
He pursed his lips and stared at her, his eyes studying her face for some truth. She rubbed her arms in hopes he would take mercy on her. When he walked away from her, she followed. He opened the door and stood in the doorway, providing only a small access space for her to squeeze between him and the door casing.
She looked around, pretending it was the first time she’d seen the inside of his house. She heard the door close.
“So, talk. Why the change of heart?”
She followed him through the foyer and the living room into a dining area with a small bar on the wall. “I know you have the upper hand. You can have my company if you want it that badly. I know I don’t have a chance to fight you. I just don’t want to lose Emily.”
“Aw. You’re such a good mommy.”
She hated him for being so condescending.
“Drink?” He held up a glass half full of whiskey.
She shook her head and watched him walk to the long dining table. He pulled a chair out and sat down, crossing his leg over the other and downing half his drink.
Her mouth was dry, and she realized it wasn’t the cold outside air that made her shake. “Stay away from her, and I’ll sign over my company.”
“I want to help you, Mia. I like you.” He downed the other half and set the glass down. “You’ve got spunk.” He stood up and walked back to the bar, filling his glass again. He walked to her as he took a sip, his eyes glued to her. “I tell you what I’m going to do. You see, I’m quite a skeptic when it comes to deals being made and business decisions being decided on. As much as I want to, I don’t believe you.”
“You don’t? Why would I lie?”
“I’m not sure. I don’t know what your angle is yet.”
“I’m here, aren’t I? Isn’t that enough?”
“Is it?”
“I know you have the power to ruin me.”
He shook his head and smiled. “Convince me.”
She stared at him, a sick feeling stirring around in her stomach. “Convince you? How?”
He turned and looked toward a spiral staircase, nodding his head toward it. “The same way you got yourself into this mess, Mia.”
She looked at the stairs, pretending she didn’t know exactly what he was referring to. “I’m confused.”
“Of course, you are.” He moved closer to her, reaching up to her face. “I know why you started your little cosmetic company. I know why you bought into DT and why you keep such close ties with me.” He looked at her and smiled. “Our daughter.”
Mia turned away from him before he touched her, an awkward and uncomfortable feeling creeping inside. She was regretting her decision to take matters into her own hands.
“And we both know how she was created, don’t we? Do you often recall that night, Mia? Do you think back on the heat between us?” He leaned toward her, stepping closer with each step she took backward. “God, I get hard thinking about it. We had some chemistry, didn’t we?”
She didn’t dare say a word about that night, about how he pushed himself on her, coaxed her until she didn’t think she had a way out. About how he’d changed toward her the moment he got off, leaving her there without satisfaction, never to hear from him again.
“You want to ensure a bright future for her. I can make that happen.” He caressed her shoulder with his hand. “It can be just as good if you let it.”
She stepped back once more until she was up against the wall. “You already won, Jack. You get my company. What more do you want?”
“I want you in my bed.”
“No. I’m not sleeping with you.”
“It’s the only way I’ll know you’re dedicated to this.”
“You are forcing me to be. Why are you doing this?”
He pushed himself up against her, pinning her to the wall. “It will show me how serious you are.” She felt his hot breath on her, the smell of stale whiskey on his breath. “Sex is a powerful thing, Mia.”
She turned her face away from him when she felt his hand on her breast. Her knee twitched and begged her to raise it up quickly and bring him to the floor, but she couldn’t think. She had to think of the situation, overall. Her future, Emily’s future, relied on her.
Reluctantly, she nodded.
“I knew you’d see it my way.” He stepped back and held his hand out toward her, but she ignored it and walked around him toward the stairs. “This night is getting better and better. I get the company and the girl. I am one lucky son-of-a-bitch.”
She reached the bottom of the stairs and realized she wasn’t supposed to know the layout of his house. As far as he knew, this was her first time inside. She waited, leaning against the banister and let him pass by and sneak a grab of her ass. She shook it off, hoping she wouldn’t have to go through with it. She needed to get him talking, to confess what she needed to know before she took her clothes off. That was not going to be easy.
Edward
Edward pulled his car into Jack’s driveway, shutting the lights off before rounding the drive toward the house. He rolled his windows down and crept closer, his eyes and ears peeled for any activity. Lights shone from a few select windows. He was angry at Mia for putting him in this situation, but at the same time, he admired her bravery and persistence. He shut the car off and walked closer, peering in windows when he had the chance. Walking to the front door, he didn’t see anyone inside. He held his breath, putting his hand on the door handle and pressing the large brass latch, praying for entry.
When the door opened with a quiet click, he took his next breath. He pushed the door open and peeked inside as he pushed the door open. Voices carried down from the staircase, so he followed them, walking through the foyer and into the dining
area. He looked up as the voices grew louder. Why were they upstairs? He clenched his jaw and tightened his fists at the thought of Jack’s hands on her.
She only wanted to talk to him, didn’t she? He tried recalling what she wanted to do, but only remembered how upset he was at her for even thinking up such a fucked-up plan. He thought he had talked her out of it.
Think! What did she say? Something about getting him to think she was giving up. She wanted to talk to him to find out if he filed the documents. He approached the bottom of the stairs and listened intently.
Jack’s voice carried down the stairs. “How long has it been? Nine years?”
Edward couldn’t remember anything in Mia’s plan about sex. It would be just like his sick and twisted brother to use sex to seal the deal. He always pushed for more.
Flashes of his childhood flooded his mind. Times when Jack would bully him, leaving him feeling worthless and bruised. His father telling him he to be a man and stand up for himself. His only memory of feeling wanted was from his mother, and she was driven out of his life at a young age. He was ridiculed for being too rich or too well dressed as if that was supposed to make up for the abuse he took.
He shook the thoughts from his mind and grabbed the banister. He wanted to run up the stairs and drive his fist through all of the memories Jack forced on him. He wanted to end whatever was going on up in his bedroom with the woman he adored. Was this all worth it? He gripped the banister to keep himself from wrecking Mia’s plan.
What if he stopped it? Could he force Jack to tell the truth? Blackmail. He tried fabricating a story in his head. What could he use against Jack? What if it didn’t work? Would Mia hate him for botching her plan? Would she actually sleep with him? He felt like he was going mad.
“Take off your clothes. Let me see what I’ve been missing.”
Everything Edward had swirling around in his head disappeared, and he reached over the banister, grabbing a lamp from a small wall table. He ripped the cord from the wall and heaved it across the room, slamming it into the wall. He wanted to rip Jack apart. He started running up the stairs when Jack and Mia ran to the top.
“Hey! Little brother! Fancy seeing you here.” He looked at Mia, and his facial expression changed.
Mia looked at Edward like she wanted to kill him.
He didn’t care. He couldn’t imagine the unimaginable. He couldn’t let it happen. There was a better way. There had to be. “You son-of-a-bitch.”
“You should probably leave. We have some, business, to attend to.”
“I’m going to kill you!” He started up the stairs toward them, with every intention of pummeling Jack to the ground. Jack seemed to have the same thought. He met Edward halfway, grabbing onto him and catching him off guard.
Together, they rolled down the stairs, as Mia squealed and screamed for them to stop. He felt Jack’s left hook on the side of his chin before he could get a hold of him again. His jaw slammed sideways, pain shooting through his head. He stopped the second punch and rolled him until he was over Jack. He showed Jack how that felt by laying in with his own fists.
He got three more in when he felt Mia pulling at him. “Get off him, Edward! What are you doing?”
He climbed off and stood up, his fists still clenched and ready for action. Jack stood up, wavered to the right and shook it off before looking at Edward, laughing as he rubbed his chin. “That was good. You’re finally learning, little brother. I’m impressed.”
“What are you doing here?” Mia widened her eyes at him.
Okay, he thought. This is part of the plan. I’ll play along, as long as you don’t go back upstairs. “Trying to keep you from making a mistake.”
“I’ve made my decision. I tried it your way. It didn’t work. This is the only thing I have left. Jack said he’d work with me.”
“He’s lying, Mia. You don’t have to do this. Leave with me, now.”
Edward felt a hole in his stomach when she fed her arm around Jack’s and leaned into him. “I can’t. I’m sorry. Jack was right. He won, Edward. I knew this from the beginning. I don’t know who I was trying to fool. I’m sorry. The deal is off.”
Edward bore a hole through Jack with his eyes, wanting to believe this was all part of the plan but worried that it wasn’t.
“It looks like we can be that one big happy family after all, huh, Mia?” He pulled her into him and locked his lips onto hers, forcing his tongue into her mouth while pulling her hips closer. Edward felt sick.
“I know what you’re doing, Mia. Please. We can figure this out another way.” His last futile attempt failed. He knew it before he finished his plea.
“Go upstairs to my bedroom.” Jack kept her close, kissing her once more, moaning into it, before turning his attention to Edward. “I’ll be up as soon as my guest leaves.”
“Mia.” He pleaded with her not to go through with it, but she looked at the floor as she turned away and walked up the stairs.
He started after her, but Jack got in front of him, grabbing handfuls of his shirt and keeping him there. “Don’t do this, Edward. She made it perfectly clear who she chose. I’m sorry for your loss. Now get out.”
Edward watched her until she disappeared from the top of the stairs. She didn’t look back once. He tore himself away from Jack’s grip, hesitating, toying with the idea that he could easily lay him out in one rage-filled, passionate punch. When he opened the front door to leave, he fought himself with every step. It wasn’t right. She wasn’t going to be okay. She needed him to save her. He saw it in her eyes. So, why was he still walking out the door?
Mia
Sitting on the edge of Jack’s bed, Mia shivered. She looked around the adjoining bathroom and thought the hook on the back door would be a good place for her phone, which was still recording in her purse. Everything was set. She just needed to get what she wanted from Jack before he got what he wanted from her.
She longed for Edward and the safety of his arms. She silently pleaded for him to save her, but she couldn’t be the one to walk away. She needed to do this. It was the only way to get Jack to talk. She relished every silent moment she was alone in that room. When Jack walked in and shattered that, she had become a woman with a mission.
“Finally, alone at last.” He walked toward her, his eyes taking every inch of her figure in. She stood up with an urgency and walked to the other side of the bed.
“Did you ever think this would happen?” She chuckled awkwardly and picked at her thumbnail.
“Yes, I did. I always get my way, Mia. Always.”
“I’m beginning to think that. You’re a powerful man. I think I was wrong about you.”
“Yes, you were.” He snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her into him, his mouth on hers before she could utter another word. His kiss was hard and aggressive, pushing her lips against her teeth.
She wanted to pull away, but she forced herself to respond the way he’d want her to. He leaned back and looked at her, smiling. “This just might work.” He pushed his mouth over hers again, his tongue filling her mouth. A moan came from deep in his throat as he pressed his groin into her. Memories of her first time with him slammed into her mind; the familiar groping, the same selfish aggression. He hasn’t changed. He shoved her onto the bed and watched as she backed herself up.
“I’m not easily surprised,” he said as he watched her struggle with what was about to happen.
“No? What do you mean?”
“You shocked the hell out of me.”
“How did I do that?” She leaned on her elbows, her breasts protruding out toward him. She tried acting sexy so he would watch her more closely, but she was scared as hell.
“Being here, for one. I’m surprised you aren’t angrier at me.”
“Why would I be?”
“Fuck, Mia! I took your company away from you.” Was he seriously getting mad at her? She couldn’t mess this up. “I believe I put a kibosh on your cute little love affair with my brother. I
fabricated that call to you, pretending to be him.”
“Wait. What?” She tried thinking back. “What phone call?”
“The night he got all fucked up. I called you on his phone, disguised my voice? Remember? When he told you, I expected some sort of backlash from you.”
“I guess things don’t always go as planned.” She climbed off the bed on the other side, turning away from him. She was angry at him for what he had done, but relieved, too. It wasn’t Edward. She knew there was something strange about the way he’d talked to her that night. It was never him. She took a big breath and forced a smile before turning back toward Jack.
“Now, let’s get you out of those clothes.” He started toward her, but she held her hand up.
She swayed her hips to a silent beat and pulled her shirt down off her shoulder. She turned away from him, moving her ass as she looked back at him, his eyes glued to her body. He looked hungry, and as long as she kept him there, she was okay. She pulled her shirt up over her head and continued to dance for him, dropping her shirt on the carpet.
“You’re sexy as fuck. I should have kept you for myself.”
“Yes, you should have. We could have had a lot of fun. Climb into bed, and I’ll give you a show.”
“I still can’t believe you’re getting so into this. You’re going to be fun to play with.” He stripped his pants off, ripped his shirt off, and slithered onto the bed, pulling the pillow up behind him.
“After I got over the shock and got used to the idea of you taking over my company, I realized I would rather join forces with you than to try and fight you. Now that you own everything, we can move forward from here.”
“You got that right.”
He wasn’t giving it up, and Mia needed to work fast. She only had so many articles of clothing to take off before she had to give more than her clothes up. “I think we should celebrate.” She turned toward him and opened her jeans, squatting down and opening her legs before seductively standing back up.
