The Charmer’s Gambit

by Lexi C. Foss

  “With a note that said, ‘From my family to yours,’ ” Mark added. “Sorry, but that was my favorite part. Well, and the whole attacking-him-inside-his-own-home bit. Nice.”

  Will shrugged. “Seemed appropriate. He knocked out Sam and Beau because he couldn’t get directly to me. I wanted him to know that my contacts don’t lack that particular skill set.”

  I gaped at him. “Why didn’t you tell me this?”

  “Because this wasn’t so much about you as about me informing Albertson that I’m not an enemy he wants to fuck with lightly.”

  “And now your ex will think twice about touching you,” Mark said. “Because not only would he be putting his career on the line, but he would have to maneuver around Mershano. Which he now knows would be easier said than done.”

  My gaze flipped back and forth between them. I was torn between frustration and relief. “You should have told me, Will.” If anything, just so I knew. “But I’m glad you did it.” His connections should have scared me, but I knew him too well to fear him. He wasn’t Ryan. He would never use those contacts against me. But he would use them to protect me should I need it.

  Warmth flowed from my chest at the realization that for the first time in years, Ryan Albertson couldn’t touch me.

  No more threats.

  No more texts.

  No more calls.

  No more pain.

  Freedom.

  I blinked back tears as I studied the men before me. I worried this moment would leave me feeling weak, but it was the opposite. Strength and pride lit me from within.

  Yes, Mark had done most of the heavy lifting, and Will used his influence to intimidate Ryan, but I was the one who asked for help. I trusted them with the darkest part of me and let them guide me to the light. That took courage.

  It wasn’t so much physical as mental, and now I was ready to begin the next step of my healing process. The part where I never allowed Ryan to control me again. It wouldn’t happen overnight. Just thinking about the last time I saw him sent a chill down my spine, but someday, it would disgust me more than frighten me. Knowing he could never touch me again allowed me to start building a new wall, one that belittled his impact on me, and fortified my resolve.

  “Thank you,” I whispered, then cleared my throat to say it again with more strength. “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to articulate what you’ve done for me.”

  Will set his wine on the glass table before joining me on the couch to wrap me in his arms. I melted into him with a content sigh as he kissed the top of my head.

  “I love you,” he said, his lips brushing my ear. “I’ll always be here when you need me.”

  “I know, and I love you too.”

  “And I’ve apparently chosen the wrong time to enter the room. Or perhaps the right time,” Garrett mused as he joined us in the living area. His unexpected presence immediately drew Mark’s undivided attention, or maybe it was an excuse to not observe my embrace with Will.

  “Everything good?” Will didn’t sound at all fazed by his friend’s abrupt arrival. He had warned me that Garrett would be stopping by today, but I didn’t realize the man would just walk right in like he owned the place.

  “Other than your cousin losing his mind, sure,” he replied as he smoothed a hand over his black tie. Then he trained that startling blue gaze on Mark. “I don’t believe we’ve met.”

  My friend stood to shake The Devil’s hand, and a moment passed between them that unsettled the room. Garrett might look fancy in that designer suit, but I sensed that a fighter lurked beneath the clothes. One who wasn’t averse to a little pain, and it seemed Mark sensed it as well.

  “Your employer intrigues me,” Garrett finally said, cocking his head to the side. “We should talk.”

  “Indeed,” Mark agreed.

  “If you two are done flirting, I have one final question on the Albertson case.” Will’s voice held a touch of amusement, but his expression was bored. “Does he know we’re behind the media leak?”

  Oh, I hadn’t thought to ask that. Good question.

  “No, he assumes it’s a political opponent, but his sources are digging into it. If they find anything, and that’s a big if, it won’t point to our meddling.” He didn’t sit down again, and I wondered if it was because of Garrett. Both men maintained casual stances, but neither looked entirely comfortable with the other. “As I’ve already stated, I’m not concerned, especially with Rachel moving in with you next month. Which reminds me”—his devious gaze swung my way—“do you need any help packing? I’ll actually be in town for a bit.”

  “Uh . . .” I didn’t get a chance to say anything else, as the other men in the room spoke over each other.

  “Oh, for fuck’s sake, not you too,” Garrett said as Will pulled away with, “You’re moving in with me?”

  Heat crept up my neck as I met my boyfriend’s surprised expression. “Uh, no? I don’t know. I put in a transfer request for the Charlotte office last week, and it was just approved this morning.”

  “And he knew this before me?” He pointed to a smirking Mark. The nosy man seemed quite proud of himself.

  “Not because I told him,” I said with a glare at the so-called FBI agent. When I looked back at Will, my throat tightened. He looked not so much mad as darkly curious. I wasn’t sure if that was better. “So, uh, Janet called me two hours ago and said the relocation makes sense since I’m Mershano Vineyards’s primary contact. She also said she expected the request, but it’s not mandatory. I can stay in Chicago, but I just wanted the option to, uh . . .” I cleared my throat. “Yeah, we can talk more about this later.” When we didn’t have an audience.

  “Oh, we’ll be discussing it,” Will replied, his eyes glittering. “Thoroughly.”

  That look captivated me. It held a dark promise, one my body craved more than oxygen. “Yes, sir,” I whispered, knowing he would understand my meaning. It’d become a taunt of sorts that I used when I wanted him. He looked ready to kiss me, but voices in the foyer ruined the moment.

  “I miss having an empty house,” he muttered as he stood again to greet his guests.

  31

  A Mershano Family Reunion

  “He’s right here,” Evan said as he entered the living area. A glowing Sarah was attached at his side as they focused on the phone in his hand. I guessed someone’s face was on the screen, and when he passed the device over to Will, his expression brightened into a smile.

  “Well, hello, darlin’. You’re looking tan.” Affection laced his tone—not the sexual kind but the happy kind.

  “Burnt,” a female voice corrected over the speakerphone. “But I didn’t call to talk about me. I want to hear about you.”

  He chuckled. “You mean you want to hear about Rachel.”

  He’s been talking about me. That thought warmed me to my toes.

  “Obviously. I finally met Evan’s fiancée, or rather, saw her, so now tell me about yours,” the woman said. I assumed it was Mia, even though I couldn’t see her nor did I have the wherewithal to focus on it.

  Then her words hit me.

  Evan’s what?

  Fiancée?

  No . . .

  My gaze homed in on my best friend’s beet-red face. That alone was a tell. Sarah Summers never blushed. “You’re engaged?”

  “Surprise?” She raised her left hand and wiggled her fingers, which of course forced me off the couch. I grabbed her wrist to better examine the gorgeous ring.

  “You were not wearing that earlier, were you?” She flew in this morning with Evan, but we hadn’t spent a lot of time together yet. Mostly because I spent the day working in Will’s office.

  She bit her full bottom lip and shrugged. “You were busy.”

  “I think that’s the kind of thing you’re allowed to interrupt me for, Sarah.” I loved my job, but not nearly as much as I loved my best friend. “And this didn’t just happen, so why didn’t you call?”

  “He proposed a few days ago in I
celand, but I wanted to surprise you in person.”

  My hands settled on my hips. “By letting some woman on the phone tell me?”

  She grimaced. “Uh, no, not quite like that . . .”

  “Uh-huh,” I said, eyes narrowed. But I wasn’t mad. Not with my best friend radiating so much happiness.

  “Isn’t she gorgeous?” Will stage-whispered, drawing my attention to the phone angled my way. A female version of Evan Mershano smiled back at me.

  “Hello,” she said. “I’m Mia.”

  I pursed my lips and fought the heat creeping into my features. “Rachel,” I replied and coughed to lodge the cotton from my throat. “Sorry. Just surprised to hear my best friend is engaged.”

  “Oh, don’t apologize. I’m loving this. It’s all quite amazing. I leave the country, and my big brothers finally decide to grow the fuck up.”

  “Hey,” Evan chastised, stepping into view. “Don’t loop me in with Will. We both know I’m the adult in the room.”

  Mia scoffed. “Whatever, Ev.”

  “And she calls me a child.” He shook his dark head and went back to Sarah’s side to hug her. The way she looked at him said it all.

  “When’s the wedding?” I asked, curious.

  “We were just talking to Mia about that,” Sarah replied. “We plan to go public with our engagement in the spring, after she returns. Then we’ll plan a wedding for either next summer or the autumn. Something small.”

  Mia’s giggle had us all looking at the phone. “ ‘Small’ and ‘the Mershano family’ don’t go together, but sure. Try it. Hey, who is that in the background, sulking by the wall?”

  I glanced over my shoulder, expecting to see Garrett, but he was on the opposite side of the room, staring out the window with his hands tucked in his pockets. Tension seemed to roll off him in waves. Interesting.

  “That’s Kincaid,” Will said by way of introduction. “Rachel’s friend.”

  “He’s cute,” Mia replied.

  Garrett turned at the words and arched a haughty brow but said nothing. When his gaze met mine, my breath stalled. Thankfully, he looked away a second later, refocusing on whatever held his attention outside. Because wow. Someone had issues with the woman on the phone. Had no one else noticed that? A glance around said nope, they were all smiling at Mark as he waved to Mia with polite interest.

  “He doesn’t smile much, does he?” Mia asked, eyes narrowed in an astute way. Will wasn’t kidding when he called her brilliant. Intelligence radiated from her, even through the phone. “Okay, who else is there?”

  “Garrett, but he’s busy sulking by the window,” Evan murmured. “He’s not nearly as thrilled by our engagement as you are, Mia.”

  Her expression darkened with disapproval. “Shocking,” she muttered. “I doubt much thrills The Devil outside of his lair.”

  Will and Evan exchanged a glance. “Probably not,” they agreed in unison.

  The conversation lightened a bit after that comment, but Garrett’s shoulders remained tense. It could have been my imagination, but there seemed to be a history between Mia and her older brother’s best friend. The other two men were happy to hear from her, but the third remained unmoved, his expression impassive. I’d have to ask Will about it later.

  When the call ended, Sarah ran over and threw her arms around my neck.

  “I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you. I didn’t want to interrupt earlier, and then Evan was insistent on telling Mia. He didn’t want her to hear it from someone else, especially with the show airing right now.” She hugged me tightly, and I returned the embrace.

  “It’s okay. I’m happy for you, Sarah,” I whispered. “So happy.”

  “I’m happy for you too,” she replied, equally soft. “Are you going to move?” Unlike Will, Sarah had overheard my conversation with Janet earlier about transferring offices.

  “I don’t know.” I glanced at the man I really wanted to have this discussion with, but he was busy sharing a drink with Evan and Garrett. The latter still wasn’t smiling, which appeared to be common for him. Mark had taken a position against the wall, his focus on a device in his hand. It looked somewhat like a phone, but not quite.

  “You know he wants to be with you, like, for good, right?” Sarah said, drawing my attention back to her. She sounded so confident, and knowing. Like of course Will wanted me to move.

  “I do.” Of course I did. I could see it every time he looked at me. It wasn’t necessarily so much possessive as all-encompassing. “But I don’t know if he wants to live together yet.” Especially after his reaction earlier.

  “What are you two whispering about?” Evan asked as he entered our bubble with a glass of wine for Sarah. A second appeared over my shoulder as Will stepped up behind me. His lips against my neck caused butterflies to take flight in my stomach.

  “Kincaid,” Sarah replied without missing a beat. The woman should have been a lawyer. “And that thing I want him to do.”

  “What thing would that be?” Mark asked as he slid the device into his jeans pocket. His foot slid up the wall as he balanced on one leg and folded his arms. An odd position, but seemed about right for him.

  “Okay, we all know you’re not FBI, but more of a contractor for hire, right?” Leave it to Sarah to be the blunt one in the room.

  “Sure,” he replied in that vague way of his.

  “Well, it just so happens I’ve come into a lot of money recently,” she cast a meaningful look at Evan before continuing, “and I want to hire you for a project.”

  “And that’s how it starts, gentlemen,” Garrett drawled.

  “Oh, quiet, Mister ‘Knock Her Up And Leave Her,’ ” Sarah snapped. I didn’t follow the reference but assumed he had said something like that about her at some point. And from her expression, she was not a fan.

  “You were right, Evan,” he murmured, unfazed. His blue gaze danced over my best friend in a way that would make most women squirm, but Sarah was not most women. She folded her arms and glowered at the too-forward man, which only seemed to amuse him. “I do like her.”

  “I don’t think the feeling is mutual,” Evan replied with a grin at his fuming fiancée. “Which I also anticipated.”

  “It’ll make for an eventful wedding, I’m sure.” Garrett lifted a glass to his lips and gave a motion for her to proceed.

  “I cannot believe he’s your best friend,” she all but growled.

  “He grows on you,” Will put in.

  Sarah and I shared a look. Yeah. Right.

  “Anyway,” she said, addressing Mark again. He’d watched the entire exchange with a bored expression. “I need you to teach my twin sister a lesson.”

  His brow furrowed. “That does not sound like something I’d be interested in doing. At all.”

  “But I’ll pay you handsomely for it,” Sarah said with a pointed look at Garrett. “Since I have the funds.” When he didn’t react, she continued her spiel. “What do you think, Kincaid? Intrigued?”

  “Not even slightly,” he replied honestly while examining his watch.

  “What if I make things interesting?”

  He gave her a doubtful look in response.

  “Hear me out over dinner,” she continued.

  “Why?”

  “Because it’ll be a free meal.”

  Both of his eyebrows lifted. “And you’re under the impression I require free food?” He sounded more amused than annoyed.

  She sighed. “You’re going to make me beg, aren’t you? What will it take to hear me out?”

  Mark studied her for a long moment, his expression flattening. I couldn’t tell if he took pity on my best friend or if he just wanted to end the discussion, but he finally sighed, “Fine. I accept the dinner offer, but I’m telling you now that I’m not interested in your pet project.”

  Sarah brightened. “Oh, we’ll see how you feel after I pitch my idea.”

  “I’m confident I’ll feel the same.”

  “Ye of little faith,” she
teased.

  Will wrapped his arms around me from behind and laid his chin on my shoulder. “Unfortunately,” he murmured, “we won’t be joining you all for dinner, but good luck on the negotiation. In the meantime, I need to have a chat with Miss Dawson.”

  I shivered against him despite being warm. “A chat?”

  His scruff tickled my neck as he nodded. He pressed his lips to my ear and whispered low so no one else could hear. “I want you naked and waiting for me in my bed in five minutes.”

  Adrenaline shot through veins, setting my bloodstream on fire. Holy hell, that was hot. I had to force myself to swallow, to remember to breathe. When he talked to me like that, my entire world halted. Nothing else existed but Will and the visceral need he created deep within. We’d spent the last month and a half together nonstop, and I still hadn’t gotten enough of him. I doubted I ever would.

  It wasn’t until he let me go that I remembered our company in the room. Garrett’s gaze was knowing, while Sarah and Evan seemed too absorbed in a discussion about where to go for dinner to notice, and Mark had his phone out again.

  “Uh, I’m going to change,” I announced somewhat lamely. “Since we’re not going out to dinner.”

  Sarah’s eyebrows danced up, and I knew what she was thinking. Rachel lives in business attire. True. I loved my skirt suits, but Will wanted me naked. That qualified as a change of clothes, right?

  “Good luck at dinner,” I said before she could comment. “And we’ll catch up tomorrow or later tonight.”

  “I won’t be here, Rach,” Mark interrupted as he pocketed his phone. “I only dropped by to give you an update, and I assumed in person would be better. After I turn Miss Summers down, I’ll be heading home.”

  “Good luck with that,” Evan replied as he pulled my best friend into his arms. It seemed he was as bad as Will in terms of all the necessary touching. “She negotiates brilliantly,” he added warmly.

  “I do,” Sarah agreed.