And both parents were having a hard enough time accepting that their golden child had done anything wrong. Early on, Lucas had tried to broach the subject, explaining Keith’s drinking and womanizing. His mother had cried and his father had cut him off, refusing to discuss the matter. Denial was a good way of describing how his parents were coping. Unless Maxie had told them, they didn’t know about the embezzling or gambling, and he doubted she had.
Drawing a deep breath, Lucas straightened his shoulders and opened the door. “Mom, Dad. What brings you by?”
“Your father took me for dinner in the city. How could we not surprise our boy?” Justine Monroe said, pulling him into a hug.
His father, Bryce, nodded. “What can I say? She wanted it to be a surprise,” he said, obviously more aware that they’d just dropped in unexpectedly.
Lucas shut the door behind them and led them into the area between the entry and the family room.
His mother had had a painful, difficult time since Keith passed away, becoming more reclusive at home, so he was glad she’d been willing to take a trip from Long Island for dinner.
He still wished they’d have called first, so he and Maxie could have prepared for the visit and discussed how to explain things. His parents knew about Lucas’ old feelings for his brother’s wife, and as a result, he didn’t think they were going to take the news that she was living here well. At all.
“You look great, Mom.”
“Thank you,” she said with a smile.
Although she had more defined lines since Keith’s death, especially around her eyes, she’d finally begun to have her hair colored red again. She was taking care of herself, and her full face of makeup attested to that fact, and it made Lucas happy.
“I’m glad you came in for a nice dinner,” Lucas said, speaking loudly, hoping to prepare Maxie for the shock. It was up to her whether to come out or remain hidden in the room, opting to tell them another time.
“We had a delicious meal in the theater district. I told your mother we should see a show one Saturday night,” his father said.
“A show sounds like a good idea,” Lucas said, noting that his father, too, had changed recently.
His hair had been jet-black like Lucas’ but was now grayer, his face also more lined. But they seemed to be slowly moving forward.
He hoped what they discovered today didn’t cause a setback or a family rift.
“Hello, Justine, Bryce.” Maxie walked out from the hallway where the bedrooms were and came up beside him.
She’d changed into a pair of jeans and a tee shirt and had washed her face and tied her hair back in a ponytail. There were no signs of the disheveled woman he’d kissed so thoroughly.
“Maxie?” his mother said, obviously stunned. “What are you doing here?” she asked, looking from her daughter-in-law back to Lucas.
“She lives downstairs. It’s obvious she’s here visiting,” Bryce said.
“But she’s coming from the bedrooms.” His mother’s forehead creased in confusion.
“Or the restroom. For God’s sake, Justine, stop looking for trouble or creating drama.”
“Mom, Dad—” Lucas began.
But Maxie stepped forward, taking control, and as he’d promised just a short while ago, he had no choice but to let her.
“The bank foreclosed on my apartment, and I had nowhere to go. Lucas was gracious enough to let me stay here until I get back on my feet,” she explained, glancing at Lucas from beneath her thick lashes.
His mother’s eyes opened wide. “But… but… I’m sure Keith had life insurance. He wouldn’t leave you with nothing—”
“Mom,” Lucas said, more forcefully than he’d have liked. “I tried to explain things about Keith to you a while ago, but you didn’t want to hear.” He drew a deep breath and dove in. “Keith lost everything. He died in debt. Maxie found out after he passed away, and she didn’t know about the apartment until it was already foreclosed on.”
“But… but…”
“Justine, come sit down,” Maxie said, shooting Lucas a pained look.
Which left him to handle his father, whose expression went from stoic to crumbling, his posture suddenly hunched over. “Dad, let’s go get a drink.” Lucas led him to the kitchen while the women settled in the family room.
He poured two shots of whiskey and handed one to his father before downing one himself. “Dad, I’m sorry.”
“About your brother? I am too. You’re right. I didn’t want to hear it. I still don’t, but I can’t ignore the fact that he left his wife destitute,” he said, his voice rising.
“Here. Have another drink.” He poured his father a final shot.
His father accepted it with shaking hands. “But as for Maxie, you can’t mean to live here with her, Lucas. You just can’t.”
And here it comes, Lucas thought.
“She has nowhere to go, and I’m not throwing her out on the street.”
“She can come live with us.”
“She has a job in Manhattan. It’s easier for her to live in the city than to commute from as far out on the island as you are. Besides, Dad, she barely wants to be here. She hates leaning on anyone. She’s not going to want to burden you or Mom.” Not that Lucas would let her leave here. “She’s settled and it’s fine.”
“Of course it’s fine for you. You’ve always been in love with her, but she’s your brother’s wife.”
“Widow, Dad. And Keith did not do right by her. At all. I’m not saying there’s anything happening between us, but if something ever did, it’s none of your business.”
“Whatever he did, Keith was still your brother, and you owe him some respect. That’s his wife,” his father said again.
Lucas leaned against the granite counter, his hands clenched in frustration at his sides. “Someday, I will explain to you exactly who your son was, and you’ll listen and understand. Or maybe you’ll choose to go on seeing him as he never was. A saint who could do no wrong. But if you do that, you’ll lose me too. Because I can’t live my life in denial like you are.”
The words came out strong, but they hurt, and Lucas feared his father wouldn’t listen.
“Justine!” Bryce called out, his face red with anger. He pushed past Lucas and stormed out. “Let’s go!” he yelled for his wife.
A white haze of disbelief settled over Lucas as Bryce didn’t even struggle to accept what his other son had told him. Grief, Lucas tried to remind himself. Bryce was grieving, and he couldn’t cope with the facts. But the sad truth was, he hadn’t seen who Keith had been even when he was alive. Not as a child and not as a man.
Lucas ran a hand over the top of his head and slowly made his way out of the kitchen and back to his parents, who were already at the front door. His father was rushing his mother out.
“Lucas—”
“Go, Mom. We’ll talk when everyone’s calm.”
He glanced at Maxie, who was pale and shaken.
“But—”
“Justine!” Bryce barked out.
“It’s okay,” he mouthed to his mother. At least she wasn’t as furious as his father. That gave him hope for the future.
Not, he thought, that he’d change his life to suit what his parents thought was right. Especially when it came to Maxie.
* * *
By the time Lucas’ parents left, Maxie was shaking. She headed straight for her bedroom and pulled out the suitcase from beneath the bed and began throwing clothing into it.
“What the hell are you doing?” Lucas strode in and slammed the top shut, leaving her holding a handful of underwear.
“I can’t stay here.” His parents were too upset, and she couldn’t handle being the cause.
Lucas took the clothes out of her hands and laid them on the bed, neither mentioning that it was her panties he was holding.
He grasped her now free hand. “We didn’t do anything wrong. I’m helping you out. Once they calm down and get over what they learned about Keith, they’l
l refocus their disappointment where it belongs.”
She narrowed her gaze. “You don’t really believe that.”
A sad smile lifted his lips. Lips she’d been kissing not thirty minutes before. Her body tingled all over again.
“I don’t care what they’re thinking or how they’re really coping; we’re adults. They can’t influence what we do,” he said.
That’s where he was wrong. “They were my in-laws, and they’ve always been good to me. And they’re your parents. I don’t want them hurting, and I won’t be the cause of a rift between you.”
He frowned. “And they don’t want you suffering, regardless of how they reacted tonight. So you aren’t moving out. Just take a deep breath and get some sleep. Give them some time to deal with things.”
She blew out a slow breath, knowing he had a point. She had nowhere else to go anyway, which was why she was living here now. “I overreacted.”
“No, you’ve just been through a lot.”
She nodded. “So have you.”
“I’d like to think we’re out the other side and on our way to better things.”
She smiled, appreciating his optimism. “I should get some sleep,” she said, well aware if he remained in the room, talk would turn to what they’d been doing before his parents’ surprise visit. And if they talked about it, she wasn’t sure she could stop herself from repeating it.
And if his family was against her merely living here, she didn’t want to imagine their reaction to her and Lucas being involved in any way. Despite what her body wanted, and there was no doubt she wanted Lucas, it wasn’t a good idea for them to pick up where they’d left off. Now, as before, the timing wasn’t right for them.
She was beginning to think it never would be.
* * *
Maxie threw herself into work, determined to prove to her new employers that they’d made the right decision in hiring her. She didn’t want anyone to think that she didn’t pull her weight or that she had it easy just because Lucas Monroe had made a phone call. She made it a point to get in early in the morning and stay later than most in the evenings. Civil litigation was far different than criminal law, and she worked hard to learn fast and fit in. She enjoyed the work and the people and felt comfortable there.
Over the last week and a half, she and Lucas had settled into a routine. Since he had to pass her office on the way to his place of business, he insisted on giving her a ride to and from work. She, in turn, took care of cooking because it was something she enjoyed. He would clean up.
And to keep things simple, they retreated to their separate rooms after the meal ended. Sometimes she’d hear him watching television in the family room, but she chose not to join him. Instead she’d read in her bed and unwind from the day.
There had been a few awkward moments, like the time she’d woken up in the middle of the night and walked into the kitchen, wearing nothing but a tank top and panties, so she could get a drink. At three in the morning, she hadn’t thought she’d need to cover up, but apparently Lucas had had the same idea. He’d walked in covered by nothing but a pair of tight boxer briefs, giving her a good outline of what was underneath. The second he’d caught sight of her barely there outfit, he’d gotten hard. And Maxie got a glimpse of just how big and thick he was.
She hadn’t been subtle about staring either. How could she have been when his erection was growing before her eyes? She’d wanted nothing more than to climb him, wrap her legs around his waist, and feel that masculine hardness against her sex. Her panties had grown damp, and she’d forgotten all about the drink, leaving it on the counter and escaping to her room before she could act on her desire. She’d returned to her room, slipped her hands beneath her panties, and rubbed herself to a nice, fast orgasm, thoughts of Lucas and what that erection would feel like inside her getting her off in seconds. She wouldn’t be surprised if he’d done the same to himself in the room next door.
Neither of them had mentioned the incident the next day, but it was never far from her mind, and keeping her gaze on his face and not his… package wasn’t easy. It had been a long time since she’d had sex. Since long before losing the baby, in fact, as Keith had lost interest in anything but his extracurricular activities. She’d thrown herself into the idea of becoming a mother and shut off all thoughts of intimacy and physical need.
Since moving in with Lucas, those needs had come roaring back to life, reminding her she was a woman. And this woman very much wanted the man she was living with. He should be off-limits but her body wasn’t listening. From the often heated, slumberous look in his eyes when he looked at her, she knew he felt the same way.
Together they were smoldering embers waiting to be set aflame.
Chapter Five
Lucas hated black-tie affairs. All three partners at Blink did, which was why they alternated attending the ones that they deemed mandatory. For personal reasons, Kade took the events that focused on mental health issues, and Blink donated a lot of money there. Tonight Lucas was attending the Life Counts Gala, an event that raised money for suicide prevention among teens. Especially teens who were bullied. For obvious reasons, the cause was close to his heart, and Lucas did more than just donate money or attend a gala once a year.
With his first million, Lucas had immediately set about searching for a school system where he could help kids in need. No, he couldn’t stop bullying on his own, but he could spend time with geeky kids like he’d been, children who loved math and computers and couldn’t relate to the jocks and athletes who were more popular. Like his brother had been.
Lucas donated computers and iPads, knowing that geeks like he’d been would appreciate the technology they wouldn’t have access to otherwise. These kids took one look at Lucas, who donated his time, saw his muscles and tattoos and his willingness to accept them for who they were, and it gave them hope that they, too, would survive adolescence. He loved giving them something to focus on, where they could learn to code, create, and get lost in their own worlds. Often a safer world than the one in which they lived.
He swore to himself that when he had a family of his own, no child of his would suffer at the hands of a sibling or feel as alone as he often had as a kid. So tonight’s gala meant something special, and for that, he’d wear a tuxedo.
He adjusted his bow tie and shrugged on his jacket, grabbing his wallet and shoving it in his pocket before walking out of his bedroom.
To his surprise, Maxie sat on the sofa in the family room watching television on the large screen. Since the night of the kiss, they’d retreated to their separate rooms each evening, and he hadn’t expected to have to face her before going out tonight.
“Nice outfit,” she said with a cute whistle, rising to her feet.
He stopped and walked into the room, his gaze drawn to her pajamas. She was totally covered, wearing a navy silk pair of pants and a long-sleeve top, makeup free, her hair pulled into a messy knot on her head. So why did he find her so damned sexy anyway?
“Hot date?” she asked lightly, but they both knew it was more than a fly-by question.
He managed a shrug. “It’s a business thing.” And he wasn’t going alone.
Arielle Costas was his date. Since the gala fell on the one weekend she was in town, he’d invited her before Maxie had moved in and his life had turned upside down.
“Umm…” He searched for a way to explain.
“Never mind.” She waved a hand awkwardly in front of her. “I shouldn’t have said anything. It’s none of my business.”
But he wanted to elaborate. And he needed to, because tonight’s event included a red-carpet walk-in and would be covered on the local news and tech blogs, and Maxie might see. And get the wrong idea.
“I’m taking Arielle,” he said, forcing the words out.
She blinked in surprise. “I see.”
He doubted she understood. He wouldn’t if the situation were reversed. Jealousy would eat at him despite the fact that they had no relationship other
than friendship.
Normally he had no problem with his and Arielle’s bi-yearly get-togethers, but knowing Maxie thought he’d been engaged to her made this feel awkward.
And wrong.
“We get together once or twice a year, and this event coincided with her trip to New York.”
She nodded. “I get it. You don’t owe me an explanation. I’m just going back to watching TV. Have fun.” She waved in dismissal.
So he walked out and went to pick up Arielle. She wore a silver gown that clung to her curves. He’d always found the brunette attractive. He’d even contemplated making a move before nixing the idea of mixing business and pleasure, but her obvious beauty did nothing for him now. Not when a sad-eyed blonde waited at home.
He endured the flashing of the cameras and the long speeches that followed. Arielle made small talk during dinner, both with the other couples at their table and with him, but it must have been obvious his mind wasn’t in the present.
“Where are you?” she asked. “For the record, I’m asking for the second time. Which makes me wonder if I’ve gotten boring or you just aren’t paying attention?” she asked, always blunt and to the point. Something he admired about her.
“I’m sorry.” He picked up her hand. “It really is good to see you, but you’re right. I’m not really here.”
A knowing smile lifted her lips. “Then where are you? Because I’ve never seen you so preoccupied. And if you don’t want me to be insulted, you’d better tell me everything.”
He let out a laugh. “I didn’t know you were so nosey.”
“That’s because you’ve never given me anything to wonder about before. You were always so focused on business, full of questions and ideas. And we both know how much this event means to you. But you’re off in your own head, and I can’t help but be intrigued.” She leaned in closer. “Who is she?”
Going Down Fast (Billionaire Bad Boys Book 2) Page 6
