Fool’s Paradise: Cartwright Brothers, Book 5

by Anderson, Lilliana

  As I stood and stretched my legs, I swiped through the pictures I’d caught of her on my phone, zooming into her face, trying to read her expression. She wants to like him.

  Not a date.

  Was that true, or did he lie?

  A lie was certainly possible if he was a player. Lots of men downplayed their romantic connections when they wanted to keep their options open. But was there romance here? I tapped the screen and flicked through the pictures. Maybe. Especially if he was playing the long game with this one. I’d seen it before. Some guy acting the gentleman, wining and dining a woman, making her feel safe; as though she was the only woman in his world. And while he was waiting for her to be ready to give it up, he satisfied himself elsewhere. With women like me. It happened all the time. Men were ruled by their dicks.

  Pulling the telephoto lens off my phone, I walked over to the couch while I cropped a picture of her face and uploaded her to a facial recognition data base. It wasn’t the same one the cops used. They only had access to known criminals because of all those privacy acts out there that protected the layperson from the authorities. For us, there were other databases that combed the Internet like little ants piggybacking on legitimate code, gathering data from social media and smart phones then reporting back. It made it so the people with the right kinds of connections—people like me—could figure out who anybody was. That’s why, if you didn’t want to be found, you disconnected entirely. No photos. No social media.

  As I watched the search bar creep incrementally along the screen, I yawned and blinked through heavy eyelids. Surveillance was tiring work, but I wasn’t ready for sleep yet. I was restless.

  From what I could tell, there wasn’t a hell of a lot of anything going on in Wannanup besides the marina. And being late at night, there wasn’t a lot open besides a tavern a few streets away.

  “Bloody hideaway towns,” I said as I slipped my feet into my shoes. If I hadn’t been so eager to get in this house and spy on Toby Cartwright, I would have searched for a bottle shop to pick up some vodka: my drink of choice. “How do people even live here when there’s no nightlife?”

  Thankful for the cooler night, I enjoyed the sea breeze as I walked through the dark towards the marina. The pathway running along the water was a straight shot to my destination: a tavern positioned right next to the bridge overlooking the Dawesville Channel. When I got inside and saw the massive windows showcasing the view—the lights from the bridge glittering against the water—I sucked in my breath. it was pretty fucking spectacular.

  “Vodka, lime, and soda,” I said as I approached the bar, a handful of other patrons dotted around the room.

  “We close at twelve,” the bartender said, sliding my requested drink in front of me.

  “Line up three more and I’ll be out of here by 11:55.”

  He laughed through his red middle-aged nose then got to mixing my drinks.

  “Hard day?” he asked as he set the last one in front of me and took the fifty I held out to him.

  “Nope. This is how I always drink.” I answered him honestly, but his laugh told me he still thought I was joking. Or at least hoped I was.

  “Didn’t like the Irish Pub?”

  Based on the way my skin prickled, I didn’t even have to turn my head to know who it was. I thought he’d gone to bed.

  “I decided to eat in.” I locked eyes with Toby Cartwright, my heart kicking up a beat at the connection. “Date didn’t turn out the way you wanted it to?” What the hell is it with this guy? I’m wet just looking at him.

  “It was fine.” He laughed as he paid the bartender, who placed a beer in front of him before he even ordered it.

  “Ha. So you admit it was a date.”

  He took a sip of his beer and pressed his lips together, the pink of his tongue poking out to lick away the foam. “I’m just not going to argue with a person who couldn’t even give me her name, but seems overly interested in my personal life.”

  I let my eyes do an obvious and lazy drag down his hard T-shirt clad body then back up to his eyes. “Have you seen yourself? I’m sure every woman you meet is interested in you.”

  He smiled, and I moved on to my next drink. “More friends who didn’t show?” he asked, indicating the row of vodka limes.

  “Nope. These are all mine.” I drank the entire glass in two gulps and reached for the next.

  “Drowning sorrows?”

  “I’ll let you know when I figure it out.”

  He lifted his dark brow and took another mouthful of his drink. “Listen, I’m not sure what you had going on with Devin. But from what I can tell, he isn’t the most stand-up guy.”

  I smiled. How sweet. He’s playing the ‘good guy’ card. “And you are a stand-up guy?”

  An amused breath burst past his lips as his knee bounced on the edge of his stool. “Far from it. But, I know you don’t ask a woman to meet you on a boat then not show up.”

  I rested my head in my hand as I leaned on the bar and angled myself towards him. “You’re pretty stuck on that, huh? What if he had a really good reason?” He did, of course. The man had no idea who I was and was currently on the other side of the country in Sydney. I checked.

  “There’s never a good reason to give someone the runaround.”

  “Says the man who had a date tonight, but is drinking here with me.”

  “Speaking of being stuck on things.” He chuckled then finished his beer, placing the empty glass on the bar with a thud before he stood up. “This place is closing. I’ll walk you back to wherever you’re staying. A B and B, right?”

  “An Airbnb, actually. But there’s no need. I'm perfectly capable.” I finished my last drink then stood and grabbed my bag, slinging it over my shoulder.

  “Another thing a man should never do is let a woman walk home alone in the dark when she's been drinking.” He held out his hand.

  Lowering my eyes to his upturned palm, I couldn’t help notice how manly his hands were, well-worn with small calluses under each of his joints, a testament to the hard work they'd seen. Another thing I noticed about them was the fact they were very large. And you know what that means… Gulp.

  “I don't know if that's a good idea,” I said, meeting his eyes. “I mean, I just meet you today.”

  “I don’t bite.” He grinned in a way that made me think perhaps he did.

  I shuddered. “How disappointing.”

  He laughed and scraped a hand over his stubbled jaw.

  “Just give me a minute to use the ladies and we’ll leave,” I said with a slight smile.

  Lowering his hand to his side, he nodded once then stepped back until he was leaning against the bar, watching me walk away. I had never met a man so… beautiful in my entire life. I’d seen handsome, attractive, manly. But never beautiful. Despite the scruff on his face and the too-long hair in his eyes, he took my breath away.

  The fact he was so confident approaching me told me he was aware of the power he held over women. He didn’t seem douchey about it, just conscious of it.

  As I walked away, I threw him a smile over my shoulder, my own awareness of my effect on men causing me to sway my hips in that hypnotic way all lust-filled men enjoyed. It never ceased to amaze me how easy it was to lure men into my bed. I guessed the apple didn't fall far from the tree with me. The only difference between my mother and myself was that I did this for free, which meant I got to choose who I shared my bed with. And the payment never came in powder form, only orgasms. Big difference.

  Once I relieved myself, I stood at the sink washing my hands and checking my appearance. Despite the long day, I still looked good. My hair was straight as a nail and shone like sunlight was trapped in it, and my makeup had held up against the warmth. I swiped a thin layer of gloss on my lips, rubbing them together as the stall behind me flushed then opened.

  A woman in her mid to late thirties stepped out, straightening her skirt and running her hands down the fabric to smooth out any bumps. I smiled at her in t
he mirror as she stepped up to the basin and switched on the tap.

  “Was that Tom I saw you talking to at the bar?” she asked, her voice slightly husky and her smile knowing.

  “I think that's his name, yeah,” I said, capping my gloss and sliding back into my bag.

  “And you're leaving with him?” Her eyes met mine via the mirror. She was pretty with that 'mum’s night out' kind of vibe.

  “He’s offered to walk me home. Is that a problem?”

  “Not at all.” She smiled and leaned in conspiratorially. “I was actually just going to wish you luck. I hear he’s a devil in the sack.”

  “A devil?”

  She nodded. “Between you and me, a girlfriend of mine spent the night with him, and she couldn't walk properly for almost a week.” She lifted her brow before holding her hands out to show his size.

  My eyes widened. “Well, I did notice the big hands.”

  She smirked and nudged me in the arm with her elbow. “And big feet.”

  I pressed my knees together.

  “Did your friend say whether it was worth it?” I asked as I hooked my bag on my arm.

  A massive grin spread across her face as she met my eyes and nodded. “Best experience of her life.”

  Chapter Four

  Hey Siri

  “This is me,” I said, standing on the driveway of the Airbnb I rented. We’d walked along slowly, making conversation about inconsequential things. He talked about his boat and his fishing charter, plus a little about his dog, Rogue—no name change there—who was old and enjoying the sea life. I spoke about a job in marketing that didn't exist and told him I travelled a lot, having no time to consider settling down like my (imaginary) high school friends had. In between the lines of our conversation we were actually saying things like, “I’m only interested in you in this moment,” and “I’m emotionally unavailable,” letting us both know this would be nothing more than a one-night stand.

  My favourite kind of something.

  “Right near the marina. Nice.” His gaze took in the expanse of the waterside property. It truly was beautiful. A six bedroom home with three living areas and outdoor entertaining. I imagined it would be a family’s dream home. For me, the size was wasted. All I needed was a room with a bed.

  “Tom.” I’d avoided saying his name as much as possible so I didn’t call him Toby accidentally.

  His gaze dropped to mine and held, the blue of his eyes as clear as the surrounding ocean. My skin tingled with the expectation of his touch. “I still don’t know your name,” he said, his eyes crinkling at the sides as he almost laughed about it.

  I smiled then lifted on my toes and pressed my mouth to his. He froze for a split second, his lips pursing to receive the kiss, but not parting right away. It seemed he needed to consider what was happening before responding. Then he was on me, his tongue pushing past my lips, and his hand in my hair. He took over, devouring me, controlling the depth along with my movement.

  Fuck me, fuck me, fuck me.

  A low hum rumbled in his chest as his tongue slid against mine, the beer he’d drunk earlier mixing with the tartness of my vodka lime. It tasted like a good time, and I wrapped my arms around his neck as his other hand found my arse and pulled me flush against him.

  Hmm. That thing is big.

  “Inside,” I whispered, pulling at his shirt when he pulled back to allow us to catch our breath.

  He shook his head and released my hair. “You’ve been drinking. I should go.”

  Did my ears hear right? “I’m not drunk.” Not even close.

  Still a little out of breath, he ran a gentle touch down the side of my face, sending waves of longing all the way through me. “Still, I like my women sober.” He ran his thumb over my bottom lip, dragging it down before he dropped his hand to his side. “I also like to know their name.”

  I smiled as he waited, still getting nothing from me.

  “OK. It’s like that.” He took a step back, teeth pulling at his bottom lip. “I guess I’ll see you around, stranger.”

  “You don’t have to leave. It’s not like I’ll ask you to call me in the morning.”

  His grin got bigger. “You’re forward.”

  “Then you won’t be shocked when I tell you I want you to come inside, fuck me and leave without saying goodbye.”

  A sound that could be described as both contemplative and erotic vibrated in his chest. “Tempting. But I’d still need your name.”

  If he hadn’t kissed me the way he did, I’d be wondering if I’d lost my touch. This guy had some serious restraint. Kudos.

  I grinned. This was a game now. “It’s tattooed on my arse. You’ll have to undress me to find out what it is.”

  A laugh burst out of his chest as his eyes twinkled, taking me in. “Seems we’re at an impasse.”

  “That it does.”

  Sliding his hands in his jean pockets, he took a step back. “Good night, enigma.”

  I laughed at the name as I pulled out my keys. “Good night, Toby. Thanks for walking me back.” Flicking my hair over my shoulder, I headed for the front door with a giant grin fixed upon my face. I was enjoying him even more now he’d shown restraint. It was rare to meet a man willing to walk away from a sure thing. But here was one, standing in my rented driveway with a giant hard-on after kissing the life out of me. It had to be uncomfortable.

  “Last chance to get inside me,” I called over my shoulder as I slid the key into the lock. With no response forthcoming, I turned on my toes and found nothing but empty space where he’d been standing. Damn. There goes my orgasm.

  “Thank god for vibrators and a vivid imagination,” I muttered as I unlocked the house and stepped inside.

  * * *

  After remembering I had a half full bottle of vodka tucked inside the boot of my car, I inserted my earbuds and had myself a little alcohol induced dance party. I had energy that needed to be burned that multiple self-induced orgasms couldn’t overcome. So, I drank straight from the bottle, jumping around and singing to my favourite songs until my mind and body went numb. Bliss.

  I woke to a cotton wool mouth and a pinching at my wrists. When I went to move... I couldn’t.

  “What the fuck?”

  “Stay still.” I looked up to find Toby holding the Touch ID on my phone up to my zip-tied hands. Shit.

  “Don’t.” I thrashed about, trying to make a fist so he couldn’t get into my phone. But it was no use. He was far too strong for me, and I was bound, hands and feet tied to the bed frame.

  No. No. No.

  The moment he got past the lock screen, he backed away from the bed, the glow of the display illuminating his features in the dim room as he swiped with his fingers. His jaw tightened. “You shouldn’t drink on the job, Blair. Big Jim should have taught you that. It makes you sloppy.” How the hell does he know who I am? Who I work for?

  “What I do and when is none of your business,” I spat, bracing my arms against my restraints.

  He jabbed at my phone, his eyes busy as he continued tapping around, probably deleting all the information I’d gathered about him. I cursed myself for holding off on the upload. I should have sent it all off last night instead of letting my curiosity lead me astray. Sloppy.

  “This life you lead isn’t a nine to five, Blair. The job ends when you get paid.” He stopped his assault on my phone and met my eyes. “Or does it end for you when you get laid.” His eyes travelled slowly down my body, a singlet and a pair of black panties my only clothes.

  “Fuck you.” That was a low blow, even for a criminal.

  “You wish,” he said, sniffing as he went back to working on my phone. “Tell Jasmine you couldn’t find me. Better yet, tell her I’m dead.”

  “What’s to say she isn’t already on her way?”

  He glanced at me and rolled his eyes. “You haven’t called in for almost twenty-four hours and nothing has been uploaded to your server. I’m deleting your pictures, your notes are coming with me
and I’ve canceled the facial recognition search you instigated. That girl is of no consequence to you.”

  “She is to you. Why?”

  “That’s none of your goddamn business,” he growled. “If I find you anywhere near her, you won’t just wake up tied to a bed. I’ll make sure you don’t wake up at all.”

  Scowling, I clenched my teeth and pulled at my restraints. Who the hell is this guy? “I’m not promising you a fucking thing.”

  “Considering you’re nearly two hours away from the nearest major city, I’d be promising the world if I were you.”

  “You don’t scare me, Toby Cartwright. I’ve met and overcome far worse than you.”

  In response, he just shook his head and concentrated on my phone. Once finished, he shut off the screen and held the slim device between his large palms. “You better not become a pain in my arse, Blair.”

  “I wanted to be the finger in your arse, but I guess that ship has sailed,” I said with a shrug. I swear I saw the corner of his mouth quirk.

  “Wanna know?” he asked, his eyes pointing out my current state.

  “Sure.” I rolled my eyes. This wasn’t the first time a mark had confronted me, and since it seemed Toby wasn’t planning on ending my life today, I doubted it’d be the last. During the course of this job—this life—I’d been beaten, tortured, and then some. There wasn’t a thing a person could do to me I hadn’t been through already. I wasn’t afraid of pain. Or death. Being tied to a bed was almost boring to be honest. “But, if I had to guess, I’d say you’re paranoid and think everyone is after you.”

  He actually smiled at that, and despite my prone and vulnerable state, I still found that smile attractive. My stomach even flipped. Crazy. “I was. It took me forty years to get away from those people. But lately…” He took a deep breath and ran his teeth over his bottom lip. “You know, for the first time in a year, I was feeling relaxed enough to move here. Wannanup. My own slice of paradise. I set up my dream business, was even looking into getting a house closer to—” Stopping, he pressed his lips together and shook his head, closing his eyes with a sigh, like he couldn’t believe he was unburdening himself. “You called me Toby.”