by Megyn Ward
She glances at Jonas as if making sure he can’t hear, she turns to glare at Liesa. “I’ve seen the way you treat your mother on your show. If I were her, I’d have cut you off long ago.”
Liesa’s mouth drops open. “You must know the show is—.”
One frown from Mrs. Knightly stops her cold “And you.” She points at me again. “I know how young people now think they don’t have to show their elders respect.”
I’d been nothing but polite and respectful but I don’t try to respond.
“I taught my Jonas how to be a gentleman. He knows the value of family. You see how he treats me like a queen. That isn’t by accident.” She glances at him again. “Oh, I know he’s not perfect. but he loves his mother. Cynics might say he’s so good to me because he stands to inherit my fortune, as long as he stays in my good graces.” A twinkle lit her eyes. “All I know is that when I snap my fingers, he comes running.”
I steal a glance at Liesa and she looks as confused as I feel.
Jonas starts back across the room toward us. Mrs. Knightly leans forward. “You’ll both do well to remember that, lest you displease me.”
Lest you displease me?
Who talks like that?
She lights up when Jonas pulls out his chair. “There you are. I was just telling these fine young people what an attentive son you are.”
I’m sure Liesa is as relieved as I am when they bring our food. For once, I’m glad of the gourmet portions so we can eat quickly and get away from the doting mother and son who take all the fun out of dysfunctional.
I try to direct Liesa to my car when we leave the restaurant, but she grabs Jonas’s arm and walks with him to the office building, up the elevator and to his office. I follow like a meek lamb, and settle into a chair while Jonas fixes post-lunch cocktails.
He shakes his head. “Sorry about Mother. But thank you for being nice to her. She can’t hold on too much longer and then I won’t have to suffer through these annoying interruptions.”
I don’t say anything, but if I had to venture a guess, Mrs. Knightly is going to outlive us all.
Are you having a good time in Cayman?” Jonas hands Liesa a gin & tonic she hadn’t asked for
Liesa settles back in her chair and gives him fat lips. “It’s so hot and humid here. I feel like I’m wilting.”
Jonas’s face falls and he targets me. “Zach’s not showing you a good time?” He makes it sound as if I’m guilty of war crimes.
“It’s not like Monaco, you know?” She pulls herself to her feet as if she weighs eight-hundred pounds, aiming a pouty glare in his direction. “Mother sent me here so I can’t get into trouble, didn’t she?”
“She sent you here to relax.” Jonas spreads his arms wide and laughs. “Let yourself slow down, hon. You’ve been working so hard you need to unwind.”
What the hell is she doing? It’s like she’s a totally different person.
“We had a diving lesson yesterday. That was fun,” I say, trying to remind her.
She shrugs and walks heavily toward the window. “It was okay.”
Jonas glares at me behind her back. “I’ve got tickets to a booze cruise. Sets sail from the harbor a little before sunset, cruises up and down the coast. Lots of music, young crowd. You’ll love it.”
She shoots him a bored look over her shoulder and sighs. “I don’t think so. You’re probably right. I need to relax. Maybe I’ll hang out at the house for a day or two, get good and rested and go back to Florida.”
Jonas’s face turns red. His expression clearly warning me to do something before he does something I won’t like.
“Liesa. I’d hate for you to head home so soon.” I try to put as much feeling into it as I can.
“God, it’s so hot and windy here.” She twitches but doesn’t turn. “And there’s sand everywhere.” She sighs and turns to Jonas. “Mind if I use your restroom?”
He sweeps his arm toward the closed door of what must be his private bathroom and clicks the door shut behind her.
Jonas rushes toward me. “What the hell is going on?” he hisses at me.
Damn Liesa. “It’s under control. Believe me.”
He stands so close I’m practically bent backward over his desk. “It doesn’t look under control. She’s bored to death. You’re supposed to dazzle her. You’ve got two days, Zach. Don’t fuck this game up.”
Game?
Because that’s what this is. A game to him. To my father.
I straighten myself, using my full height to force him back. “I said it’s under control.”
He narrows his eyes and studies me. “What do you have going on?”
“She loved diving.” I say, keeping my eyes on the bathroom door. “So much, we’re going tonight.”
His face relaxes and he smiles. “Interesting.” He taps his chin. “Here’s the plan—I gave the cameraman and director some time off while Liesa is supposedly on break. Give me a day or two to get them back so we can capture the moment of conquest in real time. It’s never as good if we have to stage it. Though, we can do fill-in footage later, if we need to.”
Moment of conquest?
I have to press my lips together and nod because I don’t trust myself to open my mouth without telling this asshole to fuck off with his moment of conquest.
The bathroom door opens and Liesa steps out. Jonas turns on the charm. “It’s after twelve. How about a G&T to start the afternoon off right?”
Liesa waves his offer away. “No thanks. I think I’ll go home and take a nap. Rest up for next season, right?”
Jonas hurries to her and puts an arm around her shoulder as she walks to the door. “Rest is good, sure. But you need to have some fun, too.”
At the door she kisses Jonas on the cheek. “Thanks for lunch.”
I follow her out and Jonas catches my arm. “You better score soon, son.”
We walk past the Interchangeable Receptionist at the front desk and into the elevator and saunter by the Interchangeable Receptionist downstairs. As soon as we exit JK Investment’s marble and glass structure, Liesa starts to sing. Her step lightens and she sways to her tune.
Holy shit.
“You were faking?”
She grins and shrugs.
“Why?” Either this girl is seriously nuts or she’s an evil genius. “What purpose could that have served.”
“Uncle Jonas and mother treat me like a doll—dress me up. Pull my string and make me talk.” Her face hardens for a moment. “Sometimes it feels good to be the one pulling the string.”
“You’re fucking scary.” I open the passenger side door to my car and usher her inside.
Sliding across warm leather, she smiles up at me. “You don’t know the half of it.”
Chapter 32
Zach
I drive Liesa home, rolling through her exclusive neighborhood and pushing in the security codes she recites as we pass through gate after gate.
We finally pull into a flower-decked courtyard in front of the white mansion. The red-tiled roof is shaded by lush trees. An enormous fountain trickles in the middle of the circular drive. I’m used to luxury but this place is next level.
She jumps out of the car and starts for the front door and I follow her, even though I want nothing more than to get in my car and drive away.
“Liesa.” I stop just inside the entryway, my feet refusing to take any further.
She swirls around and grins at me. “Zach.”
“I’ve got a couple of things I need to do.” What the hell is wrong with me? This is what I’ve been pushing for. What needs to happen if I’m going to get out from Jonas Knightly and my father. “I’ll come back to get you so we can meet Kylie and Blake for the night dive.”
“I want you to stay.” She takes a step toward me and reaches out to lay a hand on my arm and I have to fight the urge to brush it off. “I thought maybe we could—”
“I can’t.” I shake my head. “I just remembered I have some work back
at the office that I need to finish up.”
“Really?” She looks disappointed. “You can’t do whatever it is tomorrow?”
This is my chance. Tell her how good she looks. How much I want her. Move in. Kiss her. She wants me to. She wants me to do more than that.
“I can’t put it off.”
She steps even closer and lowers her voice. “I really want you to stay with me.”
“I really want to stay too, but I can’t.” Reaching down, I lift her hand off my arm and raise it to press her fingertips against my lips. “I’ll be back in a couple of hours.”
Taking the gesture as a sign of encouragement, she presses close to me, the elastic band of the strapless sundress pulling down, nearly slipping over her nipples. I have this insane urge to yank it back up. “I’ll bet you’re as worn out from drinking and staying out late last night as I am.” She pulls her hand free from mine and slips it around my neck. I’m sure Uncle Jonas won’t mind if you stay and take a nap with me.”
I lean back against the security wall. “Liesa, I…”
She puts a hand on my chest and pushes herself up on her toes. Soft as silk, she touches her lips to mine.
I jerk back as if she’d bitten me.
Her eyes widen in alarm and she jumps back. “Sorry. Oh, god, sorry.”
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
I reach for her hand to keep her from running away. “No. Wait. It’s me. I’m sorry.”
She won’t look at me, her cheeks flaming red.
“I really like you, Liesa.” I force myself to say it, shifting my hold on her hand to pull her closer.
She focuses on a bougainvillea growing along the bricked driveway. “Sure.”
I cup her chin and tilt her chin so she has to look at me. “I do. A lot.” It’s true, I do like her. But not the way she wants me to.
“So much that you are grossed out by kissing me.”
“No.” I shake my head, hoping I sound more convincing to her than I do to myself. “Not at all. I liked it.”
She shifts her eyes away. “Right.”
Fix it, Zach. Fix if right fucking now or you’re done. You can kiss your trust fund goodbye.
“It’s just that I like you so much I don’t want to rush into something. I want it to be right.”
“It would be right.” She puts her arms around my neck and presses into me. “Let’s go inside,” she said.
I disengage her arms and clear my throat. I scrunch my forehead as if in pain. “No. When we make love for the first time, I want it to be special.” Inside I cringe. Could I be any more cliché? Make love for the first time? Who the hell talks like that?
Probably Mrs. Knightly.
Cliché or not, what I say seems to appease her. She sighs and steps back. “You’re so good to me.”
“You deserve someone to take care of you.” I mean that. She does deserve to have someone take care of her. I’m just not the guy to do it.
Tears fill her eyes.
I feel like a liar.
I am a liar.
I’m an asshole.
As big as they come.
And then I make it even worse.
“I think I’m falling in love with you,” I whisper, leaning in to press my lips to her cheek, near the corner of her mouth and I feel it lift under mine in a smile.
I curse Jonas Knightly.
I curse my father.
And I curse myself.
Chapter 33
Kylie
Blake and I haul the tanks and gear to the edge of the dock. I still think it’s an epically bad idea to take an inexperienced diver out on a night dive but I’ve decided, for once in my life, to just roll with it. Blake and I are both certified dive masters. If we can’t keep track of one flighty reality TV star then I’ve got bigger problems than a clandestine night dive with the rich and famous.
Bigger problems?
Like Jonas Knightly?
For the first time since I got here, I have a plan. Or two plans, really. Zach’s working on getting me to Jonas and I have Liesa. For some weird reason, she agreed to help me get the DNA evidence I need to prove Jonas is my father. It’s just a question of which of them will come through first.
“You okay?”
I look up to see Blake watching me from his position crouched down beside me, his usual cheerful expression clouded with concern.
“Yeah.” I force a smile. “I just can’t believe we’re taking Liesa Temple on a night dive.”
“I can’t believe Liesa Temple had dinner at our house—” he laughs and shakes his head. “Or that she’s an actual human being.”
I laugh because I’m supposed to but the sound of it dies quickly. “Can I ask you something?”
Blake stands. “Anything.”
I shouldn’t ask. I really shouldn’t but... “Why did you kiss me yesterday?”
“Ahhh...” Even in the dark, I can see the red flush erupting across his face. “Well...”
“Forget I asked.” I hold up a hand. The last thing I want is to make him uncomfortable. “I just—”
I’m sure what’s going to come out of my mouth but it doesn’t matter. Blake steps into me and lifts his hands to frame my face. He presses his lips to mine and I try—I really, really try—to feel something. Anything.
But I don’t.
When he breaks away he gives me a sad smile. “Still nothin’, huh?”
“Blake—”
“Don’t.” He shakes his head. “Don’t apologize.” He smiles and, his thumb skimming my cheekbone. “Still friends?”
I nod, reaching up to cover his hand with mine. “Always friends.”
Voices carry to us and Zach and Liesa slap in their flips along the dock toward us, drawing my attention. I look up just in time to watch the grin on Zach’s face fade and even though he’s here with another girl, I feel like I’ve betrayed him somehow. They’re standing on the dock, a few yards away and I drop my hand away from Blake’s and take a step back.
Catching my breath, I focus my gaze on Liesa. “Are you ready?”
“Oh my god,” she breathes, swinging the hand between her and Zach. “I’m so excited.”
They’re holding hands.
Of course they’re holding hands, stupid. This is their second date and she already told you she’s going to give him her V-card. I’m surprised they aren’t dry humping on the dock by now.
Recovered, Blake smacks his hands and rubs them together. “This is going to be fuckin’ epic.”
I point to one pile of gear. “There you go, Liesa. Do you remember how to rig the tank and get ready?”
She nods, all white smiles in the moonlight. “This is going to be so awesome!”
Yup.
Totally awesome.
Zach drops her hand to swing his gear bag to the deck and leans over to unzip it and starts pulling out his gear without saying a word.
We suit up. Liesa in a wetsuit, the rest of us in rash guards. Blake hands us each a high powered underwater flashlight., before leading Liesa to the edge of the dock. “Ready?” he says, pulling her down beside him.
Giving me a nervous glance over her shoulder, her face splits into a mile-wide grin. “Hell, yeah.” She plops down beside Blake and lets him pull her into the water.
“So, you’re kissing your roommate now?”
I turn away from the spot where Blake and Liesa disappear to look at Zach. He’s standing less than a foot away, glaring at me.
“No.” I shake my head, something irrational and ugly flaring in my chest. “No way. You don’t get to do that.” I lift my hand and jab a finger at him. “You fucking used me to get into Liesa Temple’s pants.” I refuse to cry. I refuse to let him hurt me. “And congradu-fucking-lations—it works. She told me last night that she’s going to—”
He grabs the finger I’m brandishing at him like a weapon and pulls me against him. Lowering his mouth to mine, I feel his free hand against my neck, slipping up to cradle the back of my head. His tongue th
rusting past my open lips to tangle with mine. I lift my free hand and I swear I’m going to use it to shove him away. I’m going to tell him he can’t kiss me. Not after what he did. That I deserve better. Liesa deserves better, but somehow, instead of shoving him away, I pull him closer. Angle my mouth under his to deepen the kiss, a thrill shoots through me when he groans in response, his hand sliding around the curve of my hip to grip my ass, pulling me tight against him. Letting me feel the hard length of him pressed against my belly, the heat of him spreading through me. Weakening my resolve. Making me—
Jesus, what am I doing?
Dragging myself away, I use the hand trapped between us to push him back. Breath ragged in my chest, I stare up at him. He looks how I feel. Wild. Desperate. On the verge of doing something we both know we can’t.
When he opens his mouth to say something I take a step back and shake my head. “This is it.” I lift my hand again and take another step back when he reaches for me because if I let him touch me again, I’ll give in. “After tonight, I never want to see you again.”
Because I know. I know I’ll never be able to do that again. I won’t have the strength to push him away twice. The next time he touches me, I’ll give in. I’ll let him.
Before he can say anything else, I pull my tank on and slip off the dock and into the water.
There’s nothing like the ocean at night. Joining Blake and Liesa, the first thing we focus on is an octopus slithering along the bottom. We all watch in our lights as it slithers along the ocean floor, forming and bunching around rocks and sand, moving as if poured from a bottle. Eels and sharks, tropical fish and glowing worms. It’s different in every way from sunlight dives.
We haven’t been down long before we encounter a swarm of jellyfish. They aren’t particularly dangerous but their stings hurt and I want to get Liesa away from them.
Since getting in the water, Zach hasn’t left Liesa’s side, with Blake and I keeping an eye on them both. Just as I’m about to signal them to turn around and head back, Zach’s light spins around and I follow it. Illuminated in the beam is an eagle ray with an eight-foot wingspan.
