by Tiffany Snow
“It means I got there and she’d already been to the guy’s room.”
Kade let loose a string of profanity, furious anger riding him hard. “Is there any other way you can possibly fuck up her life?” he snapped at Blane, ending the call before he said something he couldn’t take back.
So she’d slept with some guy, a stranger, to pay off her debt. The debt Blane had already paid, but obviously hadn’t bothered to tell her about. As always, too wrapped up in himself to make sure she didn’t go through with it. Blane had no doubt just assumed Kathleen would never do something like that.
Kade could’ve told him different.
Kathleen was honorable and brave. If she had a debt, it didn’t surprise Kade at all that she’d do what she had to in order to pay it off, even if it terrified her. And Blane had been too late to stop her.
After what she’d gone through in Chicago at Stephen Avery’s hands, Kade could only marvel at her courage. Sex was just another weapon in the arsenal, for men and women. Sometimes sex could comfort, other times it was like scratching an itch, but mostly it was about a power struggle and using people. The lovey-dovey shit you saw in the movies was a fairy tale. Kathleen was learning that the hard way.
Glancing at his unmade bed, Kade had a twinge of regret that Kathleen wasn’t still there.
But she could be.
There might not be a better time to make a play for her. Blane had fucked up royally. Kathleen was probably feeling vulnerable and lonely, perhaps traumatized after her ordeal tonight. Kade would be as good as anyone else at picking up the pieces, perhaps slightly better, since he knew her.
And he did know her, he thought as he drove toward her place. He knew all about her past, which explained why she did some of the things she did. And he knew that she would come home tonight, wanting the safety and security her apartment represented.
Kade waited for her, sitting in her living room with the glow of the Christmas tree the only lighting. His eyes adjusted as he stared at the door, anticipating her arrival.
She’d fucked somebody else tonight, and it bothered him, in a way he was trying to ignore. It didn’t matter. Sex didn’t matter, whether it was between two friends or two strangers, so he shouldn’t care who else Kathleen had slept with, which is what he kept telling himself.
Finally, he heard a key in the lock and the knob turned. Kathleen stepped inside. She was tired, her whole body seeming to droop, and she limped slightly, as though her ankle hurt. She hadn’t seen him and once she’d locked the door, she stopped to take off her coat. The garment slid down her arms and she tossed it aside.
Holy shit.
Kathleen was wearing…next to nothing. An outfit that made the Santa slut costume seem downright modest.
A tiny black skirt that stretched tight across her ass, the hem barely covering her crotch. A silvery scrap of fabric covered her breasts, clinging to the curves and clearly outlining her nipples. There wasn’t even a back to it, just a little tie around her neck and another around her waist to hold it on. That alone was enough to make his dick stand at attention, but it was her shoes that made Kade want to pick her up and fuck her against the wall. Or bend her over the couch. Or, even better, toss her onto the bed and hook those legs right over his shoulders.
“What do you want, Kade?”
Her question caught him off-guard, so caught up had he been in his fantasy. She sounded…pissed and tired. Oh yeah. The file.
“I saw you took a tour of my office. Then left. Something I remember quite clearly telling you not to do.” And if she hadn’t left, she wouldn’t have had to fuck that guy tonight. No one would have found her at Kade’s.
The thought made his words come out more harshly than he’d intended and he realized...he felt guilty. He’d left her alone all day. If he hadn’t, she wouldn’t have gone tonight, wouldn’t have done what she did.
“Seeing as how you have a rather detailed file on me, I’m surprised you’d expect any different.”
Yeah, she was pissed all right.
“Yes, the file currently decorating my floor.” Not one hundred percent true. “The file you’re all pissed off about. The one I refuse to apologize for making.” He couldn’t stand not being close to her any longer and got to his feet, heading for her. He stopped when they were just inches apart. She didn’t back away.
“And where the fuck have you been?” he asked. His gaze dropped to her breasts all the way down her bare thighs to her toes, peeping out of the best pair of fuck-me shoes he’d ever seen. She looked even better up close and he had to curl his hands into fists so he wouldn’t touch her. “Dressed like that, I can only guess you thought you’d keep your appointment for Simone.” Would she tell him the truth? Would she tell him she’d fucked a stranger?
“I took care of myself,” she hedged.
“I’ll bet you did.” The lucky bastard. Though Kade had just added him to a list inside his head. A list of people whose life now had a termination date. Wasn’t the guy’s fault. He was probably just looking for an easy lay and Simone had provided it. But he’d slept with Kathleen against her will, so he had to die now.
“I didn’t screw him, Kade,” she said, her eyes flashing. “I blackmailed him.”
Whoa, what? Kade was pulled from the fantasy of how exactly he was going to kill the unknown john. “Blackmail? Who?”
“James.”
There was only one James and the mere mention of his name sent Kade’s temper boiling.
“James Gage?” he asked, just to be sure. Kathleen nodded. “Junior? James Gage—the DA? You blackmailed the district attorney?”
She nodded again.
Well. Kathleen was full of surprises. It embarrassed him that he hadn’t thought enough of her to think she’d find a way out of it. But…maybe she hadn’t, not completely. James was a dick. Even with the threat of blackmail, Kade wouldn’t put it past him to molest her, especially if he’d been outmaneuvered by a chick. James’ pride was in inverse proportion to his intellect. Kade could imagine how enraged James would have been at Kathleen’s blackmailing him. She was lucky to still be standing there.
It scared Kade, even more than if she’d just gone to have sex with a stranger, and he detested that feeling. James was weird with a capital “W” and he didn’t think before he acted. He could’ve killed Kathleen and then poured himself a glass of wine, and she didn’t seem to realize that, looking at Kade with defiance in her eyes.
Take care of herself, my ass.
“And how far did it get before you pulled off your Big Plan?” he bit out, angry at how clueless he’d been to the danger Kathleen had put herself in tonight.
“That’s none of your business.” The little snot was practically spitting nails at him.
God, she was hot.
“Dressed like that, I’d be surprised if he let you go before screwing you, no matter what you threatened.” Kade certainly wouldn’t have.
“Oh, you like my outfit?” she asked, her tone deceptively nice. A tight smile curved her mouth as she ran her hands over her sides down to her hips. Kade’s hungry eyes followed the path. “You should—after all, you bought the shoes.”
It took Kade a second longer than it should have to catch on. Of course. The money he’d left. She hadn’t sent every dime to the bill collectors. She’d done exactly what he’d told her to do and bought herself a pair of shoes. And not just any pair of shoes, but sky-high stilettos that matched her eyes.
She was absolutely fucking perfect, in every way.
“Then I should take a closer look,” he said, latching on to the excuse she’d just handed him to touch her.
Kade crouched down and slid his hand behind her knee, pulling her foot up to rest on his thigh, forcing her to clutch his shoulder to keep from falling.
“What the hell are you doing?”
“Taking a closer look at the merchandise,” Kade said. It was pure pleasure and torture to touch her. So much skin was bare, he could slide his hand all the way
up the back of her thigh. He made a big show of examining the stiletto. “These are definitely Come-Fuck-Me shoes. They must have set you back some.”
A woman who’d spend five hundred dollars to buy a pair of shoes that would live in his fantasies for weeks was his kind of woman.
“Well, you were quite generous the last time you were here.” Sweet and nice Blane had said? Kathleen could give lessons on bitchy.
And it was a complete fucking turn-on.
With her foot raised, her skirt had hiked up further, giving him a perfect view of the scrap of satin panties she wore. She was the perfect height. All he had to do was lean forward and he could fasten his mouth between her legs. He could smell her perfume and just…her. He’d never wanted to eat a woman’s pussy as bad as he did right then. His dick felt like it was going to explode, he was so hard.
Kade tried to reign in his thoughts. He swallowed. What had she just said? Oh yeah. The money. Speaking of which… “It was stupid of you to send all that money to the bill collectors.”
She ignored that. “Why the file, Kade? Why would you put me under the microscope like that? Invade my privacy?”
Ah, shit. She’d lost the bitchy and now just sounded…hurt. Fuck.
“You were dating my brother,” he answered, his voice flat. “I told you once before that I won’t take chances with Blane. I needed to find out who you were.” He looked up and their eyes met. A beat passed.
“It seemed very…thorough,” she said at last, and Kade could tell she’d already forgiven him.
She watching him, her cool blue eyes steady and serene, and Kade couldn’t lie to her.
“Yeah, well, that’s what it became.”
A slight frown marred her brow, but Kade didn’t say anything else.
He couldn’t take his eyes off her, and it suddenly struck him that he was on his knee. It seemed appropriate somehow that he should kneel for her. Kathleen was so much more than him. She looked like a goddess, staring down at him, the silver top making her shine in the lights from the tree. Her hair was long and golden, her skin satin ivory perfection. Her breasts were full, the nipples hard points beneath the fabric, begging for his touch.
Kade slowly stood, his hands wrapped around the back of her legs, sliding up her thighs to her skirt, then dragging the hem up further. To his surprise, he touched nothing but sweet skin.
Fuck. Me.
She was wearing a G-string. Sweet, innocent little Kathleen owned a G-string. And was wearing it. Right fucking now.
He cupped the globes of her ass in his palms, ignoring the way she stiffened.
“How about I spend tonight in your bed instead of on the couch?” he whispered in her ear.
“Kade, stop,” she said.
God, he loved hearing her say his name. He closed his eyes, inhaling the scent of her hair and perfume.
“You shouldn’t…touch me like that.” She tried to move away, but Kade tightened his grip, pulling her body into his. With those shoes on her feet, his dick was nestled against her abdomen in the sweet spot between her hips.
Kathleen was as turned on as he was. He could tell. Her pulse was racing and her breath was coming in those sweet little pants that he knew he’d never tire of hearing. Both her hands were on his shoulders, and it wasn’t to push him away.
“Why not?” he asked. “We’re two consenting adults.” His lips brushed her ear. “I know you want me, princess.” A telling shiver went through her at the slight touch and her eyes slid shut.
“Just because you have a file on me doesn’t mean you know me or what I want.” Her hands locked around his wrists, moving them from underneath her skirt.
Kade wrapped them around her waist. She was so tiny, he could nearly span the width of her with his hands. More warm skin met his fingertips. She was like a Christmas present, all sparkly and full of promise. He just had to convince her to give him a shot. God, they’d be so good together. It would be a night she’d never forget, he could promise her that.
“I know you better than you think,” he said. “I know that you wanted to be a lawyer, which is why you got a job at the firm. I know that piece of crap car you had was one of your sole possessions. I know that you avoid sad movies because you hate to cry.”
Her wide eyes stared into his. “What are you doing, Kade? Why are you telling me this?”
It was now or never. Time to go for broke and lay it on the line. “I also know that the last thing you want to do is trust someone,” he said, “because everyone you’ve ever loved has left you. And I know this because we’re the same, you and me. Trust, love—those things are more dangerous than knives or bullets.”
She was trembling. He could feel it. He wanted to pull her close, wrap his arms around her and ease her fears. But he had to get through to her first, make her understand this wasn’t just about a quick lay. It was more, she was so much more than that.
“Trust is hard earned, princess, and I didn’t mean to break the little trust you had in me.” Kathleen said nothing, her eyes still wide. “The file on you started as a background check. Then I met you.”
Memories of Kathleen assailed him. Cradled in his arms, gazing up at him like he was her hero after saving her from Avery. Standing in front of a server rack, blinded by darkness, terrified he was going to leave her. Her tongue sliding against his, tasting of chocolate and vodka.
“Then I kissed you, touched you, worked side-by-side with you. And suddenly, I care about more than just Blane and my own hide. And I didn’t want to. I’ve fought it and I tried to hate you, tried to despise you—but I can’t.”
So much was in those words and so much more he couldn’t say, things he’d never felt for anyone before. Kade gazed into her eyes, his palms cradling her jaw as he willed her to understand, to feel the same way he did. That this wasn’t just a one-way thing, but a connection between them that was beyond anything he’d ever known.
He waited, praying to a God he didn’t believe in that she’d say yes, she felt it, too. He was vulnerable, too much so, in a way that he hadn’t felt since he was a kid. His heart on the line, wishing and hoping for a miracle.
“Kade, I can’t. Blane—”
Kade never would have thought that just hearing his brother’s name would be as excruciatingly painful as it was, but it just goes to show. Wishing and hoping only got you a fucking dropkick in the gut. He was a fool to think she’d want him—that she’d choose to be with him instead of Blane—even if Kade would treat her better than his brother would. Hell, he’d treat her like fucking gold. All she had to do was say the word.
But Kathleen wasn’t a fool. What did Kade have to offer besides a really good lay? Blane may cheat on her, ignore her, lie to her, and treat her like a child, but he was respectable. He had a good job, a home, a career.
“Of course,” he said, his voice much too rough. “I should’ve known you’d still want Blane, even if he is screwing someone else.” The words came out and when he saw the hurt in her eyes, he desperately wanted to take them back. But that was the thing. You can’t take shit like that back.
“I don’t want Blane,” she said, “but I can’t have you. Don’t you see that?”
Her eyes were pleading with him to understand. What was it? Was it because they were brothers? Did she view him as “off-limits” because she’d slept with Blane? Ethics and morals. Two things Kade didn’t give a shit about. He would have to pick a woman who did.
“You’re the only one who sees that,” he said.
He had to stop touching her, needed to put some space between them. His chest hurt, an ache he couldn’t place, and his gut felt like he’d swallowed a chunk of lead. He had to get out of there before he did something stupid, like drop to his knees and beg her. Kade headed for the door as quickly as he could without making it look like he was bolting. His dignity and pride were shattered already, but still.
“Wait!”
Fuck. He’d almost been there. His hand was on the doorknob, but he stilled. She h
ad that power over him now. He was helpless to resist her. And she had no fucking clue.
“You said I wasn’t alone, that I had you,” she said. “Were you lying to me?”
Kade closed his eyes. Maybe he was wrong. Maybe she knew exactly what she was doing. Did it matter?
No.
He was in love with her, an affliction he thought would never happen to him. But he wasn’t surprised that it wasn’t hearts and roses, not for Kade Dennon. He should’ve known that it would kick the shit out of him. After all, he deserved nothing more.
On that ironic thought, he turned back to face her. “No. I wasn’t lying. I won’t leave you alone.” More like can’t than won’t, but that was just semantics. “It’s just better for me to not be in here tonight. I’ll be close.”
Her eyes slid shut, relief washing across her features, and it was a slight balm to him. She didn’t love him, didn’t want him, wouldn’t choose him…but she trusted him.
It was better than nothing.
She opened her eyes again. “Will I see you tomorrow?”
“We have a case to solve and it’s not going away,” he said. And the sooner it did, the sooner he could get the fuck out of town. Being around her without being able to have her was a torture he didn’t need, especially when she wore next to nothing. “Just put some fucking clothes on before I see you again.”
“You know I don’t normally dress like this!” she called out to him as he stepped outside and closed the door behind him.
Something inside him, a part of him that didn’t want to give up and couldn’t bear to think this was the last of it, had him opening the door again. She’d turned away but jerked back around. Their eyes met.
“And the next time I see you wearing those shoes, they’ll be the only thing you’re wearing.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
Kade sat in his car for a couple of hours, until he was sure Kathleen was asleep, then went back inside. He couldn’t stay away from her, not when he could be close.
He stood in her bedroom, watching her sleep. She’d tossed and turned again, the covers twisting around her legs.
