by Christina OW
He’d turned her back to that cowering little girl he’d tormented in that hotel room eight years ago. She’d worked so hard to crawl out of that shell and now she was back in it. Being in her parents’ home didn’t make her feel safe. Even the presence of her knight in shining armor, Jeb, didn’t help one bit. Hell, her mother slept in her bed because she was too scared to be alone to the point she couldn’t close her eyes. And even though she slept with her mother’s arms around her she still had nightmares and she would wake up drenched with sweat and tears. Some of those tears belonging to her mother.
She’d turned her mother into a weepy nervous wreck.
She needed to leave. Hide some place far away where she could build her confidence again. She couldn’t be this girl again, she couldn’t let him win!
“Miss Larson?”
Loraine looked up from where she sat in the garden at Carla, their housekeeper. “Yup.”
“There is someone here to see you.”
Loraine’s heart leaped with fear. She was halfway jumping off her chair when Melody stepped out.
“Hey, you. Why didn’t you tell me you moved out of your apartment?”
Loraine chuckled with relief, settling back down. God I’m losing my mind!
She blew out a breath before she responded. “I didn’t know I’d moved out either. Thanks, Carla.”
Carla nodded, disappearing back into the house. Melody moved toward her and settled into the wicker chair across from her.
“Is everything okay?”
Far from it. “Why do you ask?”
Melody’s brow creased with worry. “Your security is tight. I had to tell them I’m that Sinclair before they opened the main gates for me. Has there been a kidnapping threat?”
Loraine laughed outright. Kidnapping was the only threat rich kids were taught to prepare for, never a stalking psychopath.
“That would make things a little normal, but tell me, how’s the outside world?”
Melody watched her for a long while and Loraine knew she was analyzing the bags under her eyes, her pale practically see through skin and her exposed cheek bones. She’d lost a lot of weight and she was beginning to resemble a terminally ill patient with each passing day. Loraine fought to not raise her knees to her chest or cross her arms over her chest.
“You would tell me if something was wrong, right?”
Loraine smiled at her new friend. “I’ll tell you, just not now.”
Melody nodded. “Then this must mean you can’t leave the house.”
Loraine felt her mood rise then plummet at the prospect of going outside. “No I can’t.”
“Even if it’s to a different country?”
Loraine felt her mood rise again. “France?” she asked cautiously, praying the answer was no.
Melody shook her head. “No. We already have a Red Roses hotel in Paris. Since the franchise is doing well, I figured we should open another one in a totally different location. And I decided to make it a girls’ trip too—.”
Loraine stood up cutting her off. “Doesn’t matter. Let’s go pack.”
Melody laughed. “Love the enthusiasm but I’d planned to leave next week.”
No way. This was her only chance! “Is there something important you’re doing between now and then?”
Her dark shapely brows drew together. “Well no—”
That was all Loraine needed to hear. She grabbed Melody’s arm and pulled her off the chair, dragging her behind her. “Good. If there aren’t any flights tonight, we’ll just ask Allan for the jet. He did buy you a chain of hotels, what’s a little ol’ jet? Who does that anyway?”
Melody laughed behind her. “My brother. He’s buying Riana a school and a gallery. He’s just that kind of guy. We should probably have Riana ask for the jet.”
“Yeah, you are probably right. I wonder if he’d buy me an island if I ask for one for my birthday.”
Melody snorted. “You wish! You have to earn a gift that big.”
When they reached her room, Loraine pulled two large suitcases and two small ones. “Come on, let’s start packing. We still have to go by your place to pack your stuff.” Loraine pulled clothes from the closet, tossing them into her open suitcases. “You should probably call Riana first. I am so ready to blow this joint.”
* * * *
Reno stood at the beach shore, his feet sinking in the white sand as the tide washed in, lapping at his ankles. This was his favorite time of day, when the sky was orange-red as the sun set in the horizon, the blue ocean sparkling with the final rays of sun light. Even the cool evening air smelled sweeter and he loved the feel of it against his skin. Like the gentle caress of a lover, blowing into his clothes and touching every inch of his skin with its cool soft touch as a loving mistress would.
He closed his eyes, leaned his head back and spread his arms wide. He always felt free in the arms of his mistress. The one female in his life he loved without reserve. She was always there for him, never leaving, always ready and willing to help ease his heavy mind and strangled heart.
And right at that moment, the one thing weighing on him was Loraine Larson.
Everything had gone so well until that moment…
They had danced till the wee hours of the morning, closing the restaurant. Allan and Riana had left hours before when Riana began to nod off, exhausted not only by the long celebration but by her pregnancy. Amy and Matthew left with them, taking the kids who were fast asleep on their shoulders. Melody and Ruiz who had been flirting with each other the entire evening left around two hours later.
Reno had been worried that Ruiz was going to do something foolish like seducing Melody to bed, but when Amy called Melody to babysit and Ruiz offered to help, Reno was glad they would have chaperones, even though said chaperones were toddlers.
And once they’d all left, Reno felt free to put the moves on Loraine. They slow danced, pressed against each other, so tight not even a whisper of air could squeeze between them, as they gently kissed and touched. It had been wonderful and easy… desire didn’t explode inside him when he was with her like it did with other women. It was like a slow burn, slowing rising with each kiss of her soft pink lips and with every light petting touch of her wandering fingers until it grew into an inferno.
He had been ready to take her there on the spot, in the middle of the dance floor but the restaurant owner politely threw them out before he did exactly that. He’d thought the interruption had broken the spell until he looked into her eyes. It wasn’t a subtle invitation that she gave him; it was an explosive fireworks display and the writing in the sky with lights kind of invitation.
She took his hand and pulled him out of the restaurant and into the waiting limo. Immediately the door closed, sealing them in partial darkness, Loraine straddled him devouring his lips with her own.
Any self-restraint he would have shown before then, was gone. Reno was glad her dress wasn’t tight and long around her legs and hips. He pushed his hands up the dress, caressing the soft flesh of her thighs as he made his way up to her hips. She’d moaned, pressing her core down on his huge erection and making soft gasps as she rocked against him, while pushing her supple breasts into his hard chest.
Completely run over by desire, he pulled at the band of her panties, snapping it in two and ripping the scrap of fabric off her to expose her hidden treasures to his fingers. She’d gasped, stopped her rocking and kissing to look at him for a moment then began to laugh.
She’d just said ‘you are buying me new panties’ when the limo came to a slow stop. She’d scrambled off him, pulling her dress down while he stuffed her ruined panties into his trouser pockets. They’d barely gotten themselves in order when the door swung open. Loraine jumped out and he quickly followed. They half ran, half walked to the elevator. They got into the car and she stopped another couple from joining, telling them to wait for the next one.
Reno laughed remembering the surprised look on their faces. He suspected they didn’t understan
d a word she said, but her actions—escorting them off the car and waving at them until the doors closed—was loud and clear.
They’d made out like horny teenagers all the way up to his floor because Melody, the kids, and Ruiz were using her two roomed suite. He’d carried her out of the elevator, her legs wrapped around his waist as she sucked sinfully on the skin above his pulse. The desire that shot through him when she did that almost brought him to his knees several times. It made walking an even more difficult task because his cock was so swollen thick with want he’d had to walk with his legs apart to make room for it. He kept chanting ‘just a few more steps’, fighting the yen that told him to take her in the hallway against the wall. She wasn’t wearing any panties and all he had to do was unzip his fly, free his cock and quickly sheath himself in her soft hot little passage. Take her hard and fast until his legs were too weak to hold them both up.
But he waited, making it into his room. He pressed her against the wall, ready to take her but then he wanted to feel her naked skin against his own when they gave into their desires. She whined at the delay but he made quick work of their clothes, throwing her onto the bed and climbing over her. Poised at her entrance, ready to put them both out of their misery, she suddenly went stiff and he noticed her breathing wasn’t heavy with desire but panic.
When she let out a desperate scream and began sobbing, he launched himself off her, moving as far away as possible, and watched as she pulled her knees to her chest and rocked herself, murmuring so quietly he didn’t catch a word of what she was saying. Fear, then shock, then embarrassment played on her face before she began to cry again. He slowly pulled on his briefs, careful not to make any sudden movement to avoid freaking her out. Then he picked up his shirt and approached her, carefully placing it over her shoulders. When she didn’t jump away from him, he then slowly slide her arms into the shirt, his eyes set steadily on her face as she gazed up at him, tears swelling and falling from her sad eyes down her red cheeks, her lips tightly pressed together but trembling. When he was done buttoning the shirt, covering her nakedness, he moved to sit at the foot of the bed, her eyes following his every move.
He tried to deny the thought that persisted in his mind but the tortured, defeated look in her eyes made it scream louder in his head. He wanted to shout, throw something and punch, no, pummel the man responsible for her pain until he was nothing but a bloody pulp. He wanted to tear him apart and cause him more pain than he’d caused Loraine. Hell, he too was in pain just watching her suffer.
“What do you need from me?” he’d asked, hoping there was some way he could take her pain away, even if it was for the night.
She’d crawled toward him and he’d tensed, watching her, keeping his body still. She climbed into his lap and wrapped her arms around his torso. All she wanted was to be held and so he did, holding her tight against him. When she barreled into him, he held her tighter rocking from side to side until he felt her go limp and her breathing became shallow. He put her in bed, intending to sleep on the chaise beside the window but she moved into him when he laid her down, holding tightly to his arm.
He laid down next to her, cradling her against him and watched her sleep, her face soft and peaceful even with the tearstains on her cheeks. She was beautiful and looked even more vulnerable. He’d watched her until he too fell asleep, but when he woke up a few hours later, she was gone and he knew she’d gone back to the States.
He was sad she was gone but he knew it was for the best. She had been through a lot and she didn’t need him or his screwed up life to add onto her problems.
“Hey Reno!” The voice snapped him out of his musing.
Reno sighed at the intrusion. He was hoping for a few more minutes on his own before he had to go back to work. Lowering his arms he asked, “What is it Ruiz?”
“You’ll never guess who’s here!”
He turned around to ask him who when he spotted them behind him, standing a few yards away—Melody and Loraine.
Melody looked the same as she did when he last saw her weeks ago but Loraine…she looked thinner, paler, her arms wrapped around her middle as she hunched into herself like she was trying to protect herself or hide.
Reno clenched his jaw, all the calm he’d worked on the past few minutes disappeared, replaced by rage he hadn’t felt since the day Georgia ran off with a guest, making a fool out of him.
Ruiz slapped his shoulder, pulling his attention from Loraine’s pitiful image. “Melody says she needs to speak to you about something.”
Reno was surprised by that. What did he and Melody have to talk about? Yes they were family now but they hadn’t spent that much time together to warrant a visit, unless something bad happened to Riana? But it couldn’t be that because she was smiling.
“What about?” he asked cautiously.
Ruiz shrugged his massive shoulders. “No idea, but she did say it’s about the resort.”
Reno shifted his weight to his right leg and pocketed his hands in his khaki shorts. “Why couldn’t she just tell you?”
Ruiz’s dark brows pulled together. “Why would she tell me? I don’t own this place.”
Reno snorted. “Half of it would be yours if you weren’t so bull headed.”
His expression hardened, a muscle in his jaw twitched. “We’ve talked about this, Reno. If he wanted me to have a piece of La Paraiso, he would have bequeathed some of it to me. It just goes to show how right my mom was; he preferred your family to mine though he married my mother and we all know why. Hey, I’m not blaming you for anything but I’d rather forget about that man,” he snorted. “If it wasn’t for you and Riana, I would have changed my last name already!”
Reno wished he could tell Ruiz the truth but, it wasn’t the right time. Now, it would only worsen the situation. He began softly hoping his meaning wouldn’t be misconstrued or his words anger Ruiz further. “Have you ever thought to consider that he left it all to me because he knew I’d take care of you and Riana?”
“Whoopy do! The man was a prophet, but we both know that wasn’t the reason why,” he gnashed out. He held his hand up to stop Reno from speaking as he took a deep calming breath. “Look. It doesn’t matter. I have my awesome big brother, a beautiful little sister, a job and a home and that’s all I care about. Come on, let’s go speak to the lovely ladies.” He wiggled his eyebrows with a wolfish grin making Reno laugh.
“Careful, Allan has the means to make you disappear without a trace.”
“I’ll take my chances.” He turned to where the girls stood. “You know Reno, you could have just told me you wanted her for yourself, instead of telling me she’s crazy.”
Reno turned to look at Loraine. She was smiling at Melody’s animated gestures as she pointed around. “Well, I should have taken my own advice.”
“So you’ve noticed too?” Ruiz asked quietly in a somber tone.
Reno turned to face his brother and caught the solemn look on his face and then he nodded his answer, clenching his jaw tight.
“I’ll give Melody a tour; see if you can find out what’s wrong with her.”
“Why me?”
Ruiz smiled leaning his head slightly to the side. “Because big brother, if there is anyone who can make her feel safe and strong again, it’s you. That’s just what you do. And because you like her and I get the feeling she likes you too. Who better to help her?”
Reno wished that was true but he wasn’t so sure about helping her get past her problems. It wasn’t an easy one to solve.
Ruiz punched his shoulder lightly then jogged off to join the girls. He spoke to Loraine, pointing back at Reno, and then spoke to Melody taking her hand and leading her back to the resort.
He watched as Loraine watched the two leave and disappear into the wooden shack that was the beach entrance to the resort before she turned to look at him. They stared at each other for a long time before she took her first step toward him.
Reno forced himself to relax when his body tightened with
anticipation. “Here we go,” he whispered to himself then lifted his lips in a lopsided grin when she stopped a few feet away from him. “Crazy Lori, what brings you to my neck of the woods?”
* * * *
Loraine wasn’t sure exactly what kind of reception she would receive from Reno. More than disgust, she dreaded being pitied and it truly surprised her when he spoke to her like that night never happened. She was speechless, watching that come hither smile play on his lips like they were back to their seductive banter.
The man should have been an actor, not even his eyes gave him away.
“Ah, Melody has some business with you and I thought I’d tag along for a free vacation.”
Reno nodded, looking behind her for a moment before his eyes settled on her again. “Did she tell you why she’s here?”
Loraine wasn’t sure how Melody wanted to handle brokering the subject with Reno so she thought best to keep that information to herself and be as vague as possible.
She shrugged. “Something about a business proposition for you.”
He nodded. “You want to take a walk with me?”
Loraine blink a few times, a little confused at what was going on. “Ahh, sure?”
He pointed to her feet with his chin. “Take you sandals off.”
“Why?”
His brow rose. “Do you always have to argue? Just do it.”
Loraine fought the urge to stick her tongue out at him and slid off her sandals. “Fine.”
“Now, come closer to the water—don’t you dare ask me why or I’ll dunk you!”
Loraine would have asked why just to annoy him but the look in his eyes told her he was serious about his threat. She stepped closer to the water and closer to him with a patronizing smile. “Is this close enough?”
He chuckled, shaking his head and began walking away, leaving her behind. “Do you need me to tell you to follow too?”
“No!” she yelled, jogging to catch up with him. “I can take the hint.”
“Yeah, you’re just slow in processing it.”
