by Madyson Grey
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know anyone was out here.”
Her words came more breathy than she had intended, but the man standing before her was robbing her of oxygen. The man’s bronze skin seemed to glow under the sunlight. Dark brown eyes stared down at her with searing intensity, as if they could penetrate her very soul. He was tall, towering over her own five-feet six-inch frame. She cursed herself for having kicked off her heels. His square jaw line and strong nose gave him an air of hard masculinity. A lean, toned body was evident under his suit. He was all male; giving off a sex appeal that she was sure pulled women to him like moths to a flame. The only thing remotely feminine about him was his impossibly thick and long lashes. Goodness, he was something to look at. Was he Latin?
“No need to apologize.” His eyes dropped to her bare feet and his lips twitched with amusement. Victoria flushed wanting the ground to open up and take her in.
“This is your home, isn’t it?”
His tone washed over her like a soft caress. She could listen to him speak all day. Victoria blinked. What had gotten into her? She wasn’t attracted to the strong, dangerous looking type. At least, she had convinced herself that she wasn’t. This man seemed to be nothing but trouble, something that she wanted avoid. She thought of Harry back in Seattle. Good, quiet, simple Harry. That was what she preferred. Right?
Victoria gulped. The very tall Adonis looking at her was wreaking havoc on her senses. Pulling herself together, she squared her shoulders.
“It is, but I don’t mind going back inside.” She slipped on her shoes and moved to make her escape.
“Please, stay. I don’t mind the company.”
Fiddlesticks. Now, she had to be polite and stay. “Thank you.”
“Feel free to make yourself comfortable,” he said with a smirk, eyeing her feet again.
Victoria nibbled her lower lip. There was no way she was going to take her shoes back off.
“I’m fine. So, was my father a friend of yours?”
He seemed to contemplate her question. “Of a sort.”
“I see. Based on your words earlier, you’re not a fan of the group inside.”
His lips lifted slightly along with his shoulder. “It seems you aren’t either.”
He continued to study her intently, making her squirm beneath his stare.
Victoria almost expressed her dislike for the type of people crowding her living room but stopped. He was among them, so he must be one of them.
“It’s neither here nor there.”
“Mhmm. When do you return to Seattle, Victoria?”
Her head snapped up. “Y-You know my name.”
Well, of course he did. It was likely that everyone her parents were associated with knew who she was. But, she had never seen this man before. Not many of her parent’s friends knew where she lived presently.
“I assume my father told you I’m stationed in Seattle?”
“He mentioned it.”
“You two must have been close, then.” It was strange. She was sure she knew her father’s closest friends.
“Our relationship was more on the business side.”
“Oh.” She extended her hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. …”
“Rivera. Rafael Rivera.”
Victoria’s heart stopped. She wasn’t quite sure if it was because of the jolt that ran through her when his hand engulfed hers or the discovery of who he was. Rafael Rivera. This was the man that took her father’s business. The man who drove him to end his life. She ignored the radiation of heat that shot though her with the simple physical contact. Anger rolled through her. The man had some audacity showing up at her father’s funeral, his home.
Marian was right. Rafael River was heartless. She stared into deep brown eyes. There was no sign of remorse. Her eyes narrowed, and she snatched her hand out of his. The need to give him a proper lashing with her tongue mounted. Better yet, she should deliver him a blow to the face. But she’d never hit anyone before, so she might fail miserably.
“So you’re Rafael Rivera.”
“You’ve heard of me.”
Oh you bet I have, you snake. She glared. How dare he smile at her so kindly? How could someone like him deliver such sugary charm and at the same time such powerful sex appeal?
“You’ve been mentioned,” she replied coolly.
Rafael studied Victoria with interest. He’d been standing outside, hidden by tall, spiraling topiary trees when she appeared. It seemed she had stepped out to avoid the crowd as he had. He would have left already had it not been for his mother. Manuela had insisted on staying for the entire funeral as well as coming back to the Thorntons’ house after. When Victoria came outside, he was glad that he hadn’t left. He would finally get the chance to meet David Thornton’s daughter, the woman he was fascinated with even though he didn’t know her.
The first sight of her had robbed him of breath. His eyes had run over her slender form as she’d stomped outside, chestnut brown hair swinging in the light breeze, kicked off her shoes, and sat down. Though she was petite, she had curves in all the right places, curves he would love to run his hands over.
She had seemed upset, understandably so. He’s watched her for a few seconds before making his presence known. She was gorgeous. The pictures he had seen of her hadn’t done her justice. Lovely almond shaped sea-green eyes had gazed up at him with curiosity. His eyes were drawn to her full red lips, lips that he instantly wanted to kiss. She had a pert little nose and she didn’t turn it up at people like so many of her peers did. She gave off an air of kindness.
Something had happened in the short span of time that they had met. The curiosity and kindness in her eyes vanished, making wonder if he had imagined them. She now looked at him with cool disdain. When she pulled her delicate hand away from his, he felt bereft of her warm touch.
Rafael frowned. It couldn’t have been something he said. All he had done was introduce himself.
“Are you all right, Victoria? May I call you Victoria?”
He watched her take a deep breath as if she was composing herself.
Victoria pursed her lips. Her mother’s idea of revenge was quickly becoming appealing.
“Feel free,” she responded.
Rafael continued to hold her gaze. He supposed he could understand her sudden change in mood. He would be temperamental, too, if he had lost a loved one.
“Victoria,” he said. “I would really like to see you again. Is that possible?”
“Do you ever take no for an answer, Mr. Rivera?”
He smiled slightly. “Not usually.”
She bet he didn’t. He was after all a cutthroat businessman according to her mother. “Then if I say no, you will not stop until you convince me to say yes. So I guess I had better say yes.”
Rafael chuckled, becoming more intrigued with Victoria by the minute.
“I’m not sure if I should be offended by your comment. You make it seem as if I have to force a woman’s companionship. Trust me, Victoria I never do. They always come willingly.”
The sexy dip in his tone and the suggestive twinkle in his eyes made her toes curl. Why did the one man that she felt such a powerful attraction to have to be the man who led her father to kill himself? Looking at him now, she never would have believed him to be that kind of person.
“I have no doubt that they do,” she murmured.
Rafael smirked. “Is it settled, Victoria? Will I have the pleasure of seeing you again?”
Victoria hesitated. She wanted to say yes and no at the same time. A part of her wanted to see him again for her own pleasure, another part wanted to decline because of what he had done. Then there was the part of her, the part buried deep in her subconscious that wanted to destroy him as her mother had suggested. But, she couldn’t go through with such a thing. Could she? She didn’t have a manipulative bone in her body.
She opened her mouth to say no, but the word, “Okay,” came out instead. She clamped her mouth shut. Oh no
.
Rafael grinned. “Great. What do you say about dinner?” He didn’t give her time to answer. “I’ll pick you tomorrow at seven. I know most would say you need more time to mourn, but in my opinion, it doesn’t help to sit at home and wallow in grief. I think you need to get out and get your mind off of everything, Victoria. I can definitely help with that.”
She gaped at him; a silent witness of the way Rafael Rivera took charge of her. This must be how he operated in the boardroom. His opponent didn’t stand a chance. She could imagine that this was how he steamrolled over her father, claiming everything. The arrogant jerk.
“I don’t-”
“It is settled, Victoria. Tomorrow at seven.” Rafael grasped her hand and lifted it to his lips. He planted a kiss on the back of her hand. “It was a pleasure to officially meet you, Victoria Thornton. May I escort you back inside?”
“I-I’ll stay out here a bit longer, thank you.”
“Very well.”
He nodded and headed toward the door. Rafael glanced back to see Victoria still staring at him, her mouth hanging slightly open. He grinned, not feeling guilty at all for practically bulldozing her into a date with him. He’d seen her protest emerging and had instantly shut it down. He didn’t become a self-made billionaire by taking no for an answer. He went after what he wanted and ensured he got it. And he wanted Victoria Thornton. Now, there was only the small matter of her returning to Seattle. He had to find a way to take care of that.
Chapter Six
Victoria studied herself in the full-length mirror. Marian stood behind her with a satisfied grin. “You look incredible, Vicky.”
Victoria’s eyes met her mother’s in the mirror. Vicky. Marian rarely called her by the shortened version of her name in such an endearing manner. Was she finally warming up to her daughter or was it because Victoria had given into her ploy to be used as a pawn for revenge? Her heart sank. More than likely it was the latter. After all the guests had evacuated their house yesterday, she had gone to her mother and told her she changed her mind. She would go through with bringing Rafael Rivera down.
She had vented about the nerve the man had to show up at her father’s house to help mourn, after he was the one who had ruined him. Then of how he had steamrolled over her, resulting in a date with him. Rafael Rivera was arrogant and callous. She had left out the part of her finding him incredibly handsome and attractive, however. Marian didn’t need to know she felt that way, no one did.
Marian had listened, silent and smiling as Victoria ranted and paced her bedroom. She then unfolded her arms and walked toward Victoria.
Placing her palms on Victoria’s shoulders, Marian said, “I’m glad you have come to your senses, Victoria. I’m glad you saw Rivera for what he really is, a monster. There is no doubt you will discover that he can get much worse.”
“There’s one problem, Mother. I might want to go through with your revenge plot, but there is the matter of my life back in Seattle, my job.”
Marian chuckled. “My dear, you won’t need to go back to your little art job after we are through with, Rafael Rivera. We will have your father’s company back in the family, where it belongs. We will also milk the scoundrel for all that we can get, maybe billions.”
Victoria opened her mouth to protest, but her mother continued.
“Once you get close enough to him to find out all his dirty secrets, we’ll have leverage to demand everything he has.”
Marian’s eyes seemed to glaze over with excitement and anticipation.
When her mother had initially mentioned the twisted scheme, Victoria had been against it, she kind of still was. But after meeting Rafael Rivera, she wanted to get her father’s company out of his greedy hands. As underhanded and wrong as revenge by blackmail was, she was willing to get her hands dirty if it meant returning her father’s legacy to where it belonged. But, taking everything from this man, destroying him completely, was a whole other story. Could she sleep at nights knowing she’d had a hand in his demise? Could she live with herself? This was not her at all.
“I agreed to get Daddy’s company back, Mother.” Maybe cause Rafael Rivera a little trouble and heartache for what he did to her father. “I’m not interested in taking some billionaire’s money from him.”
Letting out an aggravated sigh, Marian threw her hands in the air.
“For pete’s sake, girl, grow some backbone. Do you think Rivera thought twice about taking down your father? Do you think he will think twice about destroying you, us, if he discovers what we are up to? No! He will go in for the kill without hesitation, so you had better toughen up, girl. Do what needs to be done, without hesitation or pity. Do you hear me?”
Victoria had started at her Mother in horror. What had she gotten herself into? She had already gotten her hands dirty by agreeing to cozy up to Rivera and find out his secrets. She felt dirty, like a criminal and she hadn’t even done anything yet.
Standing in front of the mirror now, waiting for Rafael, she felt even worse. Her stomach rolled and her heart pounded. She was way in over her head. She glanced at her Mother. Marian was relaxed and mighty pleased with herself. Of course, she was. She wasn’t the one throwing herself at a rich, powerful man to get into his home, his head to get information to bring him down? Weren’t people trained for years to do things like this? She seen spy movies, and she was no spy. She was a reserved Art Curator for goodness sake.
Rafael Rivera would probably take one look at her and know what she was up to. Then he would turn on her as Marian had said. She didn’t have the money and power to stand up against a cutthroat billionaire. I am indeed way over my head. Victoria groaned, her stomach fluttering uncontrollably.
“I’m going to be sick. I can’t do this, Mother. I just can’t. I’m going to take this ridiculous, too tight, too revealing dress off. When Rafael gets here, I’m going to cancel our date. I’ll tell him I’ve fallen ill.”
It wasn’t far from the truth. She felt like she was about to lose the delicious lunch Lena had prepared for her. She might just faint as well.
Marian drew in a deep breath, careful to keep her temper in check. Now wasn’t the time to use her usual scare tactics. Victoria was scared. She supposed she could understand that. The young girl had never done anything even remotely close to this before. She still had an air of innocence around her. Marian let out the long breath. She schooled her features, giving off a warm, understanding expression.
“Victoria, honey I know you’re terrified, but you’re not doing this just to get money from a rich man. No, darling, you’re doing this for your beloved father, we’re doing this for him. I will be behind you every step of the way. We finally get to do something together, for your father, and we will be successful. His company back in the family and Rafael Rivera made to pay. That is what David would have wanted. If he were alive, he would have gone after his enemy himself. He’s not here anymore, but we are.”
Marian railed a finger over Victoria’s cheek, her tone lowering, becoming more cajoling.
“If I could do this on my own, I would. I don’t have your youth and beauty to attract Rafael’s attention.”
She forced herself to keep the malice out of her tone. “Look what you have already accomplished, darling. You caught his attention without even trying. You’ve got him, Victoria. All you have to do is reel him in.” She took hold of Victoria’s shoulders and gave her a gentle push closer to the mirror.
“Look at yourself—beauty and the smarts to avenge your father. You have to find your courage, Vicky.”
Victoria stared at her reflection. Her slight curves tightly hugged by a placid blue dress that flattered her ivory skin to perfection. Her hair hung in silky waves around her shoulders and her makeup was subtle and flawless. She did look amazing, thanks to Marian. She was the expert in all things fashion. Victoria always dressed classy, it was in her blood, but she never dressed to impress or stand out. She always downplayed her looks. After Marian had taken her in hand, dressi
ng her up for her date, she’d come out looking ready to rival any high fashion model on a runway.
Her eyes shifted to her mother’s. Her heart tugged with longing. Growing up, she had craved this kind of attention from Marian. She wanted a mother who helped her dress for her first date, encourage her to do things as gently as she just had, someone to engage in mother-daughter activities. Victoria nearly snorted out loud. It figures; the one time Marian behaved like a real mother, with words of encouragement and kindness, it was to coax her into using her body to get leverage to blackmail a man. Talk about dysfunction, she mused bitterly.
Victoria supposed she would just have to take what she could get. This certainly beat having Marian shout at her and break her down with uncaring, hurtful words. A sigh of recognition escaped her lips. She would make her mother happy and avenge her father. How hard could spending a few days being wined and dined by a very good-looking man be? She could convince Rafael that she was his friend and see what she could find out about his life.
“All right, let’s do this and get it over with. I’ll call my boss and take the two-month vacation time I have saved up.” It was a good thing she was a workaholic and hadn’t taken a vacation in two years.
Marian smiled triumphantly, hazel eyes gleaming with pride. Finally, Victoria was acting like the daughter she had tried to groom.
“That’s my girl. This will be fun, hmmm? Since you’ll be here for a while, we’ll get to spend plenty of time together. You would like that, wouldn’t you?”
A flicker of hope sparked in Victoria’s heart.
“Yes, I would.” Despite the prospect of finally gaining her mother’s love, there was still the part of her that felt the weight of reluctance and shame at what she was about to do.
Rafael drove through the gates of the Thorntons’ property, coming to a stop in front of the massive house. He cut the engine of his silver Ferrari and hopped out. He had been anticipating this evening since yesterday. He felt like a teenage boy going on his first date, which was ridiculous. If there was one thing he was used to it was female company. He practically had a different one on his arm every week. Why was he so anxious about seeing Victoria? Because I’m unreasonably attracted to her, that’s why. He still couldn’t wrap his head around it.
