by Susanna Carr
The bracing cold water did nothing to cool his impatience or ease the grinding sense of resentment. He reached for his drink and raised it to his lips before he stopped. Cooper stared at the dark whiskey in the short glass tumbler and slowly set it down.
This was what defeat felt like. He wasn’t going to ignore or deaden it. Cooper knew he needed to accept it and remember this sensation so he would do anything in his power to stop it from happening again. He wasn’t planning on getting used to this feeling.
Every instinct told him to fight back and destroy his opponent. He had the power to do it. His father would encourage him to give a show of force or go for the jugular. But Cooper wasn’t going to follow his father’s footsteps and destroy Serena just because he could. There were other options but it was the right thing to surrender.
His father would never agree but Cooper didn’t plan on letting him know about this deal. He wasn’t doing this to get his father’s undying gratitude. He was doing this to save his father’s legacy. Save the empire that Aaron Brock had painstakingly created and fought for. Even though it meant revealing his wrongdoings in the process.
Cooper knew early on that building the business was the most important thing in his family. It was the focus, what kept them together. He had been born not out of love, but out of necessity. Aaron had needed an heir.
And while they had given him the best of everything, he had never been able to earn his parents’ love and attention. He did, however, know how to gain their respect through his achievements. He hadn’t just been on the football team; he had been the quarterback. It hadn’t been enough that he went to the best schools; he had to be top of his class. It had gradually become natural to assume the leadership position in every situation. It was important not to look weak. It was important to always be in control.
He wasn’t in control this time and he didn’t like it.
Cooper scanned the pool area but he didn’t see Serena. Who did she think she was? He gritted his teeth and leaned against the floating bar. Businessmen throughout the world had scurried after and feted him. They would never allow him to wait. But this woman had the power to do so and she wasn’t going to waste the opportunity.
He would let her take her time, Cooper decided. She had planned for this moment for years. He would allow her to savor her moment of victory but she better not get used to it. He was surrendering—just this once—because it was the right thing to do.
He saw Serena exit the building and approach the pool barefoot. Her hair was wavy and loose as it bounced against her bare shoulders. He noticed the proud tilt of her chin but she wasn’t gloating as he had expected. She looked determined.
Her stride was not that of a princess. It was of a warrior queen. He watched, his breath caught in his chest, as she casually removed the bright red sarong from her hips and revealed a tiny white bikini.
Her body was voluptuous but toned, the golden skin smooth and supple. His gaze traveled to a slender chain encircling her waist. The sun glinted on the silver, drawing his gaze to the feminine curve of her hips.
Cooper couldn’t look away. He didn’t want to be mesmerized and yet he didn’t fight it. He wasn’t the only one. Was Serena aware of the way everything stopped while she walked by? Did she think the lustful glances from the men were her due? Did she care about the jealous stares from the women?
He didn’t want any man to look at her. Touch her. Speak to her. He had never felt this way about a woman and hadn’t understood why men acted this way until now. He fought back the possessiveness that stormed through his body. He shouldn’t want Serena Dominguez. He needed to keep a careful distance. This woman was out to destroy him and his family.
And yet he couldn’t stop the need pounding through him as he watched her. She draped the sarong on a nearby chair and tossed her sunglasses on top. He was struck by her sensual grace as she approached the pool.
“This is an odd place to do business,” she said in a throaty voice.
“I’m surprised you didn’t insist on picking the location.”
She scowled at him and took the steps into the water. “It had crossed my mind,” she muttered. “But I thought I would let you have your way on this.”
Cooper kept his hand firmly on the floating bar as she waded into the water. He wanted to reach out and curl her body next to his. Skim his hands along her curves and strip the delicate bikini off her.
“Drink?” he asked gruffly as he held out a cocktail. He knew it was her favorite.
“Trying to get on my good side?” she asked as she accepted the glass. “It’s a little too late for that.”
“No, it’s not. I still think we would be good together.”
“In business?” she clarified.
“In everything.” Cooper’s gaze clashed with hers.
Heat streaked her cheekbones as desire glittered in her eyes. Serena shook her head as if to dispel the idea. “You’re just saying that because of the information I have on Aaron.”
He didn’t like her assumption. He didn’t make false promises and he was very careful with whom he did business. More important, he didn’t see Serena Dominguez as a conquest. She was already under his skin and in his blood. He wanted them inextricably bound together.
“I wanted you the moment I met you,” he reminded her. “I didn’t know how your past connected with my father’s.”
“And how much do you want me now, cowboy?” she taunted. “Now that I’ve got you just where I want?”
He leaned forward. “Why don’t you get closer and find out?”
Her lilting laugh heated his blood. “I don’t think so.”
“There’s no need to be wary,” he promised. He wanted her trust. Her total surrender.
Serena’s eyes widened. “Are you kidding? I know how powerful men act when they are cornered. That’s when they are at their most dangerous. They will fight back with everything they have.”
“Sounds like you’re an expert on blackmailing.” That disappointed him. For some reason he thought they followed the same code of honor. “I should have known. You do it so well.”
“You’re the first. And the last,” she admitted before she took a sip of her drink.
If only she were speaking about lovers, Cooper thought. He closed his eyes and clenched his jaw. He had to stop thinking about Serena that way. She knew she was his weakness and she was using it against him. He had to concentrate on the deal before he lost everything.
“Speaking of blackmail,” Cooper said as he crossed his arms, “when do I get the information you gathered on my father?”
“When I get the shares,” Serena replied, setting her drink down.
No way, Cooper thought. “I’ve already authorized the transfer. You will have them by the end of the week once we sign the paperwork for the Alves land. When will I get the file? And I want any copies that have been made.”
Serena pursed her lips and tapped her finger against her chin as if she was trying to remember the terms. “I don’t believe I agreed to that.”
He frowned. She had to give him all of her evidence or this agreement was worthless. “I’m giving up something of value for your silence. I want a guarantee.”
Her thick dark eyelashes fluttered. “You will just have to trust me.”
Hell, no. “No, not good enough. I will stop the transfer.”
“No, you won’t.” Serena gave an arrogant flip of her hair. “It’s too big of a risk.”
Dread knotted in his chest. “If you break this agreement...”
“What? What would happen?” she asked as she crossed her arms. “The entire Brock wrath will come raining down on me? I’ve survived it before. I can do it again.”
But he didn’t want it to happen again. Cooper hadn’t considered the struggle she had faced because of what their fathers ha
d done almost fifteen years ago. He wished she hadn’t had to go through it. He wished he could fix it. He couldn’t. The best he could do was give her the revenge she needed. Make it right in her eyes.
“I don’t want to fight you,” Cooper said with a weariness he felt in his bones. His shoulders sagged from the weight of it.
“You say that now when you have no weapons to fight me with.”
“What do you want from me, Serena?” His voice was husky and quiet. Serena would always see him as the enemy. The obstacle to her happiness. He would never be her hero. Serena would ignore the happiness he could bring her because he was the link to her dark past. “Tell me what you need and I will give it to you.”
* * *
Serena saw the defeat clouding his eyes. This was what she wanted, wasn’t it? She missed the cocky smile and the dynamic energy that swirled around him. She saw the tension deepen the lines around his mouth and understood the agony he was going through. It was the same emptiness she had lived with for years.
She thought that the pain she had felt all these years would somehow transfer onto the Brocks, the family who had given it to her. Serena always believed she would somehow feel confident and happy at this moment. But instead of getting rid of the fear that had become part of her, she felt a sharp, unwelcoming jab of sympathy.
She understood the pain Cooper felt right now. She had lived with it when her world had come crashing down. She knew what it felt like to have no choice in the situation. The aching awareness that you had no power to change your circumstances. She was familiar with the dying hope, the bad dream you never wake up from.
Why had she wished this agony on anyone? She wasn’t getting rid of her pain but instead spreading it around. Cooper had said this need for revenge was ruining her life. Hurting her. And she saw how it was destroying the world around her. It was as if he knew, as if he had struggled with this before.
She didn’t want this life. She wanted to feel powerful, safe and happy. She hadn’t grown up wanting to become this destructive person. But could she stop it?
Maybe Cooper was right. Serena abruptly looked away as she pushed back the memories of despair that no longer fed her anger. Maybe she didn’t have the killer instinct. Because all she wanted to do was erase Cooper’s pain.
“Why do you want the Harrington shares so much?” he asked.
“I wanted something you couldn’t walk away from. I needed something that would require you to sit and listen to me.” She wasn’t sure if she should tell him even this much. She knew how Cooper worked and would use this to renegotiate. But she needed him to understand. “I wanted Aaron Brock to know how it felt to be afraid every minute of the day and have the fear bleed into his dreams. I wanted him to see his bright future disappear. Watch all that he had go away.”
Only it didn’t happen that way. Aaron Brock still walked away unscathed. All because Cooper would do anything to protect his family. She should hate Cooper for that. For getting in the way of her revenge. And yet, she respected him even more for doing it.
“I know it doesn’t mean much,” Cooper said, “but I’m sorry that he did that to you.”
Serena stared at him. Cooper was wrong. It did mean something to hear those words. It was important that someone saw her and understood her struggle. No one else had seen it, not her parents, her friends, her neighbors. No one.
“I should be having this meeting with him,” Serena said. She thrust her wet hands in her hair as conflicting emotions pushed and pulled inside her. “He’s the one who destroyed everything.”
Cooper didn’t argue. “It’s too late for that. I’m taking his place.”
“But you shouldn’t.” She blinked hard as her eyes burned. She didn’t know why she felt like crying. This was supposed to be her moment of triumph. “You’re not the one who hurt my family. Yes, you benefited, but how much did I benefit with the choices my father made?”
Cooper rubbed his hand over his forehead. “What are you saying, Serena? What is it that you want?”
“I want this to be over.” The words spilled from her mouth. Vengeance wasn’t going to bring her happiness. It didn’t make her fearless. Instead, she felt the opposite. If she wanted a different life, a chance for happiness, now was the moment to take a different path. But was it too late? “You were right. I have been holding on to it for too long. It’s obsolete.”
“No, it’s not. I was wrong to say that. I felt that since you’re a success now, it didn’t matter what happened in the past. What my father did was unforgivable and the time that has passed or the outcome shouldn’t erase that.”
“I’ll send the file to your headquarters in Texas. Everything,” she promised. The idea made her nervous. She was so used to having the information with her. As the file grew, she felt more in control, more powerful. But she didn’t realize that it had held her down. Held her back. She needed to let go, no matter how much it frightened her. She had to if she wanted to save herself.
Cooper didn’t say anything. He watched her with an intensity that made her skin tingle. He was trying to determine if she was bluffing. She wondered if this was how his opponents felt when they played poker with him.
“You paid your father’s debt,” Serena said. “You didn’t have to but you did it, anyway.”
She wasn’t sure if this was the right choice. She hadn’t considered the risks or consequences. Serena was working on instinct and not sure if she should.
“The file you have is worth more to me than the shares,” Cooper said carefully, “but it’s worth even more to you. Why would you give it up for a percentage in a hotel?”
He was still trying to figure out how The Harrington fit into this. “It’s not about the hotel. It never was,” she insisted. “You have no reason to trust me, but I promise, I’m giving you that file I have on Aaron.”
“Why?”
“Because exposing that information wouldn’t hurt him as much as it would hurt you,” she hurled back.
Serena winced. She had revealed too much. Cooper already knew that the sexual attraction between them was her weakness. He didn’t know it went deeper than that.
Cooper reared his head back. “Why do you care what happens to me? I’m the enemy.”
“No, you’re not.” She said the words slowly, testing them out. She had always considered a Brock to be the enemy and now she knew it wasn’t true. It felt odd to say it, as if her mind was reluctant to follow with what she knew in her heart.
“You’re giving up your revenge on my family?”
The answer stuck in her throat and she gave a sharp nod. She felt jittery and violently alive, as if she was torn free from a heavy anchor. She stared at him in a daze as she took in a deep breath that burned all the way to her lungs. This was the feeling she had been hoping for when Cooper had surrendered.
“You can’t just make a switch like that.” Cooper didn’t try to hide his disbelief. “One minute you see me as the enemy and the next I’m what? An ally?”
Ally? The idea of him on her side was tantalizing. What kind of world would it be if he cared about her? If she protected him the same way he wanted to protect her? It would be better than what she had now, but she wanted much more than that.
She took a step closer.
“A friend?” he asked. “What do you want to be, Serena?”
“Closer.” Serena couldn’t believe she was doing this. Opening herself up to a man. To Cooper Brock. She reached up and splayed her hands on his chest. His muscles bunched under her touch but he didn’t move away.
“Why?” His voice cracked.
“I’m tired of this fight.” She slid her palms up to his shoulders. Cooper went very still. He felt solid and strong under her touch. “Of fighting you.”
“About time,” he muttered.
She placed her hands on his
head, threading her fingers through his short blond hair. Her heart was pounding as if she was on the edge of a cliff. She wanted to take this leap of faith. She needed to see where it would take her.
Serena lowered his head and claimed his mouth with hers.
CHAPTER EIGHT
THE RESTLESSNESS HE always felt disappeared the moment his mouth grazed hers. Wild, hot sensation hurtled through him, stealing his breath. Cooper’s whole world rested on Serena Dominguez. Every instinct demanded he sweep her against him and deepen the kiss. Explore her body and claim her. Possess her.
But Cooper sensed her hesitation. Serena may want him, may have been driven to make the first move, but she didn’t trust him. Because she was smart, he decided. He wanted her so badly that nothing else mattered. He didn’t feel sophisticated or in control when he was around Serena. His needs were uncivilized. Primal.
He didn’t like how his hands shook as he gently placed them on her hips. His big fingers grazed the silver belly chain. He was tempted to snap it off and throw it away. He didn’t care how expensive it was or if it had sentimental value. He didn’t want Serena to wear anything given by another man. She was his now.
Cooper knew he had to be careful and hold back or she would bolt. He didn’t want to restrain himself. Not when she had tormented him for the past month. He softly dragged the tip of his tongue against her bottom lip when he wanted to bite down. He lightly dug his fingertips into her hips when he wanted to clench her against him.
One sexual encounter wasn’t going to soothe the burning need inside him, Cooper thought dazedly as he tasted her lips. A one-night stand wouldn’t be enough.
He wanted her to yield. He needed her total surrender.
Serena gripped his hair in her fists and she moaned. The erotic sound teased him. He wanted more. He needed her to chant his name in awe and wonder. He wanted to hear her beg incoherently for his touch. Cooper explored her mouth when he wanted to devour it. His blood pounded through his veins, demanding he boldly conquer Serena Dominguez.
