A Deal with Benefits

by Susanna Carr

  Sebastian Cruz was an arrogant and powerful playboy, but he was also a family man. She admired how he took care of his family. She thought that kind of man was only found on unrealistic television shows. But she also noticed how Sebastian treated his mother and sisters.

  Unlike the playboys she knew, Sebastian respected women. No matter how exasperated he was with his sisters, Sebastian saw them as successful women who brought a valuable contribution to their fields, community and to the family. He listened to his mother’s opinions and sought out her advice. He was ready to help the women in his family if they asked, but he never saw them as useless, porcelain dolls.

  Ashley watched from her vantage point, knowing he couldn’t see her on the shaded balcony. She could study him and memorize his hard angles and wide shoulders. The man was raw male and sexuality even in his wrinkled cotton shirt and low-slung jeans. It was a shame she wasn’t carrying his child.

  She’d discovered that this morning, and instead of feeling relieved, Ashley had struggled with her disappointment. She hadn’t realized how much she’d wanted Sebastian’s baby until that moment. Now there was nothing to keep him at her side.

  Ashley saw Sebastian disconnect his call as he walked to the front door. She couldn’t see him but she heard him greet Clea.

  “Good morning, Mr. Sebastian,” the housekeeper said. Her tone was friendly as usual, but Ashley recognized a bubbling excitement underneath the words. “I’ve been meaning to ask you, but I haven’t had a chance to speak to you alone.”

  “What do you want to know?” Sebastian’s voice was low and rough.

  “Did you use to live in this house? I would say about twenty-five years ago?”

  Ashley jerked back as her heart stopped. What was Clea saying? That the Cruz family had once owned Inez Key? That was ridiculous, surely.

  “Yes,” Sebastian said with eerie calm, “this used to be my home until Donald Jones stole it from my family.”

  Ashley’s skin went hot and then cold as the bile churned in her stomach. Her father had taken this island from the Cruz family. Ruined them. And for what? He’d had no interest in Inez Key.

  “And you stole it back,” Clea said dazedly.

  The housekeeper’s words echoed in her head. Ashley leaned against the wall as her shaky legs threatened to buckle. That was why Sebastian had been so interested in this island. Why he’d refused to accept Inez Key wasn’t for sale.

  A collage of images slammed through her mind. Sebastian standing at the dock like a conquering leader. The watercolors Sebastian’s father had painted. The shadows in his eyes when he looked at the main house.

  He’d set out to seduce and steal Inez Key from her because her father had stolen it first. It was an eye for an eye.

  Ashley inhaled sharply as the fury and pain whipped through her. She tried to breathe, but her chest was constricted. This was why he didn’t respond to her declaration of love. Because he had no feelings for her. She was just a pawn in his game of revenge.

  How had she got it so wrong?

  She had made herself believe that Sebastian was nothing like the men she knew. That he could love and respect a woman. That he was a good man. A man she could trust and share her life with. Because she believed her happiness and safety was his priority. That he wanted what was best for her.

  She had ignored her first instinct. Was it his incredible good looks or his overwhelming sexuality that had distracted her? He used her without compunction. She had been a pawn he could easily sacrifice. She had believed what she wanted to believe.

  Ashley closed her eyes and turned her head. She wanted to block out the world around her. Pretend that this wasn’t happening. Run and never look back.

  But there was a simple truth she couldn’t ignore: She was no better than her mother.

  Linda Valdez wasn’t the only woman in this family who made stupid decisions over the men they loved. Donald Jones had not been worthy of her mother’s time or tears, but Linda didn’t want to see it. Her mother had built a fantasy world, a place where she had finally felt loved and special.

  Ashley slowly opened her eyes. She had done the same.

  Ashley couldn’t speak. It took all of her strength to stand still when her instincts urged her to escape before she lashed out. The walls were closing in on her. The anger—the howling pain—bubbled underneath the surface, threatening to break free. It was going to be ugly and violent.

  No, she wouldn’t let it. She was not going down the same path as her mother. Ashley curled her hands into fists and dug her nails in her palms. She welcomed the bite, but it didn’t take the edge off her fury. Now, more than ever, she needed to be in control.

  She had to get out of here. Her legs were unsteady as she walked across the room. She wanted to double over from the pain but kept walking until she found the bag she had packed in the closet.

  Her legs felt heavy and she just wanted to fall into a heap and curl in a protective ball. She blinked as her eyes burned with unshed tears. Don’t cry now, Ashley thought. Cry when no one can see you or use your weakness against you. Cry when you’re alone.

  Alone. She was all alone with no support system. No home. There was no comfort or peace in her life. Sebastian had taken it all away.

  Ashley exhaled slowly, but the pain radiated in her body. She knew she had been different from the other women in his life. She questioned how she’d gained his attention, how she’d attracted him, but hadn’t wanted to inspect it too closely. She had been too afraid to poke at her good luck in case it fell apart.

  Ashley bent to the waist as the agony ripped through her. It had all been an illusion. All of it.

  Even the sex. She leaned against her bedroom door as the nausea swept through her. Especially the sex. He had made her feel special and desirable. Powerful and sexy. Sebastian had introduced her to pleasure. Passion. She thought he had felt the same.

  Her body burned with humiliation. She wanted the floor to open up and swallow her whole. Ashley quickly grabbed her bag, knowing she only had a few moments to escape.

  She was crossing the floor of the master suite when she heard Sebastian’s footsteps down the hall. She barely had time to brace herself when the door swung open.

  Her heart gave a brutal leap when Sebastian stood in front of her. She felt so small and insignificant next to him, like a peasant standing before an all-powerful emperor.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked in a hiss.

  Sebastian noticed her stricken expression and the bag clutched in her hand. He glanced at the doors that led to the balcony and immediately assessed the situation. A shadow crossed his harsh features. He closed the door behind him and leaned against it. He didn’t speak as he crossed his arms and watched her.

  She felt trapped, weak, and had a fierce need to hide it by striking first. She was never more aware of his intimidating height and powerful build than right at this moment. The button-down shirt and faded jeans didn’t hide the fact that he was solid muscle. There was no way she could move him.

  “You look upset,” he drawled.

  Did he still think this was a game? Had he no remorse? “What is Inez Key to you?”

  He paused. “It was my childhood home.”

  “And you felt the need to steal it from me? It was my childhood home as well.”

  “I didn’t steal Inez Key,” he pointed out calmly, but she saw the anger flash in his eyes. “Your father did.”

  “What exactly are you accusing him of?” she asked hoarsely. She knew Donald Jones probably did something underhanded. It was how he approached life.

  “He won our home in a poker game,” Sebastian said. “But he had cheated.”

  That sounded like dear old Donald, but maybe this was the one time when her father’s reputation automatically made him the culprit. “You don’t know that.
You have no proof.”

  Sebastian’s eyes narrowed. “He bragged about it years later. His friend Casillas confirmed the story.”

  Ashley wanted to be ill. “Why did he want the island? It doesn’t make sense. My father didn’t care about property. He rarely used this island.”

  The anger whipped around Sebastian. “He wanted something else and tried to use the island as a bargaining chip.”

  “What?” Ashley couldn’t shake off the dread. “What did he really want?”

  “My mother.” His voice was cold and harsh. “Jones said he wouldn’t take the island if he could take my mother to bed instead.”

  The words drew blood like the lash of a whip. She could easily imagine her father trying to make a deal like that. She’d seen him try many times. And he occasionally succeeded. “Is that why you slept with me?” she asked.

  “No,” he said in a raspy voice. “I took you to bed because I wanted you and I couldn’t stop myself.”

  She wasn’t going to believe that. Not anymore. He had already proven that she had no power over him. He didn’t stop himself because he wanted to continue playing the game.

  “Don’t lie to me,” she warned. “It was an eye for an eye. My father tried to blackmail your mother into bed. You did the same to me. Only you were successful.” Because apparently she had a price.

  “My father wasn’t going to let Jones touch my mother. She was his wife. The mother of his children. He should have killed that man for suggesting it.”

  “And I was a spoiled heiress living the life you should have had,” she whispered. She gripped her bag until her knuckles turned white. She wanted to get out. She needed to escape before she said too much or crossed the line.

  “Put down the bag,” Sebastian ordered. “You’re not going anywhere.”

  “I believed every word you said,” she said and scoffed at her ignorance. “You said you would look after me if I got pregnant. I actually thought you meant it.”

  “I still mean it.” Sebastian froze and his gaze quickly traveled down the length of her body.

  “Don’t worry, Sebastian. I’m not pregnant. Or was that part of the plan too?”

  He took a step toward her. “I would never do that to an innocent child.”

  Ashley backed away. She didn’t trust herself around Sebastian. She’d already made a few assumptions and poor choices. He had the ability to make her forget her best intentions with one simple touch. Worse, he knew it.

  “But you would do it to me because I couldn’t possibly be innocent. I’m Donald Jones’s daughter, right? I must be punished.”

  “Let me explain,” Sebastian said as he reached for her.

  “No! Don’t you touch me. You no longer have that right.”

  He held up his hands. “Listen to me. When we thought my mother was dying, she made a request. If she survived the surgery, she wanted to live out her remaining years on Inez Key.”

  Ashley remembered Patricia’s faraway look when she’d talked about her home. She was remembering Inez Key. It had been lovingly re-created in the watercolors her husband had painted. It was the paradise she had lost.

  “Oh, well, that makes all the difference,” Ashley said with heavy sarcasm. “Your mother wanted the island. That excuses the fact that you seduced me and stole my home.”

  “I’m not making any excuses,” he said as he watched her reach the door.

  “No, you don’t think you need to. You were only getting justice, right?”

  “What he did—”

  “My father stole the island from you. You stole it from me,” she said as she swung open the doors and fled down the stairs. She heard Sebastian’s footsteps behind her. “My father wanted to humiliate your parents by blackmailing Patricia into bed. You blackmailed me and tried to humiliate me by making me a mistress. My father’s action drove you into poverty. Your actions leave me homeless and broke. Have I missed anything?”

  “I had no plans for revenge,” Sebastian said as he followed her. “My goal was to buy Inez Key and make it my mother’s home.”

  “Oh, you didn’t plan to repeat history,” she said as she marched to the front door. “You accidentally fell into the same pattern that my father followed. What a relief! You don’t know how happy it makes me feel that you are exactly like Donald Jones.”

  Sebastian glared at her. “I didn’t start this twisted game. I finished it.”

  “Congratulations, Sebastian. You won.” She almost choked on the words as she opened the door and crossed the threshold before she slammed the door shut. “I hope it was worth it.”

  * * *

  Ashley didn’t notice the aggressive lines of steel and glass as she strode into the Cruz Conglomerate headquarters. The impressive lobby and stunning artwork no longer intimidated her. The anger coursing through her body silenced the noise and the crowds of people surrounding her. She didn’t care about anything other than saying a few choice words to Sebastian.

  She crushed the buff envelope in her hand as she waited impatiently at the reception desk. She wasn’t looking forward to seeing Sebastian. It had been a month since she’d left Inez Key and she didn’t feel ready.

  She still loved the rat bastard. She shook her head in self-disgust. It was a sign that she was definitely her mother’s daughter.

  Her first instinct had been to ignore the letter he sent. But how could she? She had felt numb for the last few weeks until she had seen his name on the envelope. She had been pathetically pleased that he knew where she lived. That he was still aware of her.

  That ended when she read the letter. Her body shook with anger and hurt, confusion and despair. Every dark emotion whipped through her body until she leaned on the wall and slid to the floor.

  This was why she’d cut him out of her life. She couldn’t go through this pain. She wasn’t going to let her unrequited love tear her apart.

  The elegant receptionist hung up the phone and gave her a curious look. “Mr. Cruz will see you right away, Miss Jones.”

  Ashley nodded as the surprise jolted her system. The last time she was here she had been ignored and forgotten. Now she was given immediate access to Sebastian? She hadn’t been prepared for that. Ashley glanced at the exit and took a deep breath. She wasn’t going to hide from him. Not anymore.

  * * *

  She was here. Ashley was here to see him. Sebastian stood in the center of his office and buttoned his jacket. His fingers shook and he bunched his hands into fists. This was an opportunity he couldn’t squander. His future, his happiness, was riding on the next few minutes.

  The door opened and Ashley rushed inside. “What the hell is this?” she asked as she held up the envelope.

  He barely noticed his assistant closing the door and leaving them alone. Sebastian greedily stared at Ashley. This time she didn’t feel the need to dress up. He was glad. She looked stunning in her black T-shirt, cutoff shorts and sandals. Her hair was a wild mane and her skin carried the scent of sunshine.

  He frowned as he saw that Ashley was vibrating with anger. “That is payment for Inez Key,” he said. He thought he had explained everything in the letter.

  “Why would you give this to me?” Ashley asked, shaking the envelope close to his face. “You got the island because I couldn’t pay back the loan.”

  “I want to pay you my highest offer because I made a mistake. I went after this island even though it wasn’t for sale. My actions were legal but unforgiveable,” he admitted through gritted teeth.

  “And you think throwing money around is going to make it all go away?” she asked, tossing the envelope onto the floor. “Typical. You rich and powerful men are all the same.”

  Ashley may look sweet and innocent, but she knew just how to hurt him. “Stop comparing me to your father.”

  She raised her
eyebrows. “Oh, is that what this is all about? You’re uncomfortable with the idea that you are just like Donald Jones? Refuse to believe it even though you think like him. You act like him. You destroy lives like him. The only difference is that you out–Donald Jones the original.”

  “The difference is that I regret what I did. It’s tearing me up inside, knowing that you hate me. That your opinion of me is so low.” He cursed in Spanish and thrust his hand in his hair. That you loved me once but I destroyed those feelings.

  “And so you send me a check because you feel responsible? Because you think if you throw enough money at me you think I’ll forgive you?” Her voice rose. “Don’t get me wrong, Sebastian. I could use the money. I’m flat broke and I don’t know if I can make rent next month. But I won’t take a penny from you. You think this will absolve what you did? It won’t.”

  “I know that. I can’t erase what I did.” Sebastian would never forget the hurt in Ashley’s eyes when she realized his original plan. He wanted to be a hero in her eyes. He wanted her to look at him in wonder and admiration the way she used to. “The only thing I can do is repair the damage and make amends.”

  “It’s too late.”

  “I refuse to believe that,” he said as the hope died a little inside him. “I want what we had and I am willing to do whatever is necessary to make it happen. Tell me what you need from me. What can I do to regain your trust?”

  She glanced up and met his gaze. “There is nothing you can do.”

  Sebastian felt as if his last chance was disintegrating in his hands. He didn’t know what to do and the panic clawed at him. If she gave him a mission, he could earn her trust. But she didn’t want anything from him.

  “Stay with me,” he urged. His request was pathetically simple. He couldn’t dazzle her with his wealth and connections. “Give me a chance.”

  She shook her head. “You don’t have to make this offer. I’m not pregnant.”

  “That’s not what I’m asking.” Sebastian tasted fear. This reunion wasn’t going the way he had envisioned. He was losing her. If she didn’t want to be with him, he had nothing to use as leverage. She wasn’t interested in his money or power. Those were disadvantages in her eyes. All he could give her was himself. It wasn’t enough, but it was a start.