by Aimee Duffy
‘Really, I have to get back to the hotel. I need to say goodbye to the girls and I have somewhere to be tomorrow.’
Jenna and Sarah had left an hour ago to catch some sleep before their flight, but Alexa had taken Ric’s advice and switched to water—not because he asked her, but she didn’t want to feel like rubbish the next day and she’d had plenty of cocktails anyway.
As the alcohol left her bloodstream, exhaustion crept in, making her limbs feel as heavy as lead. Going for a nightcap at Daniel’s room was the last thing she wanted and she had a feeling that wasn’t all he wanted.
A voice in her head whispered that maybe Ric had been right, maybe Daniel was bad news. She shook off the thought. He hadn’t made a come-on. Still, doubt lingered at the back of her mind.
Once outside, he dragged her toward a taxi, ignoring her refusal. ‘Daniel, I just want to go home.’ She tried to pull free from his grasp, but he didn’t let go.
He turned to her. ‘One drink won’t kill you.’ He raised a hand to touch her face, but she flinched. Scowling, he muttered something under his breath that didn’t sound nice at all.
Her heart hammered against her chest, pounding adrenaline through her veins. The fog of exhaustion began to clear and Alexa wished she had a time machine and could go back an hour so she could leave the bar with her friends. What kind of an idiot was she? She didn’t even know him.
‘I’ve had a good night, but I’m tired. I want to get back to my suite.’
He stepped closer and gripped her waist. She pushed at his chest, but he wouldn’t budge. His gaze, slightly unfocused, glared down at her and his jaw clenched. Alexa swallowed against the lump in her throat.
‘Let me go. Please.’
His grip tightened and her heart pounded. He bent down until all she could smell was beer on his breath. She almost gagged.
‘You don’t mean that. I know you want me.’
The blood drained from her face. What was it with arrogant jerks who thought she would fall at their feet? ‘I want you to get your filthy paws off me. I’ve no idea where they’ve been.’
He pushed away from her, but the movement sent her off balance. She twisted at the waist as gravity pulled her down and she hit the pavement with her left knee. A jolt of pain shot up her leg and her palms stung from where they’d slapped the ground in front of her.
She heard him curse. Footsteps shuffled behind her but she couldn’t bear it if he touched her. Stomach rolling, she ignored the pain in her knee and crawled away from him.
The sound of a car door slamming made her wish the dim lights from the club weren’t the only ones. Hadn’t Marbella heard of street lamps? She turned to see a dark figure run toward them. Daniel turned just as the man threw out his arm and his fist connected with Daniel’s face. Fear froze her limbs as ice trickled through her veins.
Daniel didn’t go down, but he swayed on his feet, his hands clasping his jaw.
‘Get out of here before I call the police.’
Ric’s icy command zapped through her fear. Daniel didn’t argue or push like he had with her. Instead he walked away into the darkness. She could feel the heat of Ric’s fury from her spot on the ground and knew Daniel wouldn’t dare mess with Ric in this mood. Her knee throbbed out a protest and she shifted onto her bottom. The chill wasn’t half as bad as the pain.
Ric watched until the receding shadow melted into the black night then turned to her, his face expressionless. He extended his hand to her and she flinched back.
He sighed. ‘Alexa, I’m not going to hurt you.’
She knew that, she really did, but couldn’t ignore the fact he’d just punched a man in front of her. Ric was all about respect and upstanding reputations. Where did the anger and violence come from?
When a few seconds passed, he backed away a few steps. ‘Are you okay? Can you stand up?’
She shook off the thoughts and pushed off the pavement. Her knee throbbed in protest and she sucked in a breath through her teeth. He was at her side before she could process it and his arm banded around her waist.
Tears she’d been holding back silently spilled over her eyelids. The smell of his crisp aftershave was the most welcome scent she’d known. The violence he’d exuded minutes ago was forgotten and she felt safe with him by her side, supporting her weight. Without another thought, she turned, threw her arms around his neck and rested her head against his chest.
‘Why didn’t you come back to the hotel with your friends?’
The anger in his tone didn’t put her on the defensive this time. If she wasn’t still in shock, she’d be angry at herself. ‘He persuaded me to stay for a while.’
He pried her arms from his neck. A stab of pain sent another well of tears spilling over her lids, but it wasn’t her knee this time. It felt like a blow to her chest.
‘Are you hurt?’ he asked through gritted teeth.
A dull throb pounded in her knee and she could feel the hot sticky blood dribbling down her leg. Her palms stung, but more from the slap than anything. ‘I’ve cut my knee.’
‘Let’s get you back to the hotel.’
Alexa slid into the car in silence. Ric didn’t even glance at her all the way back and it made her even more aware of the throb in her knee. It had turned into an ache and part of her wished she was still tipsy, because she knew it would dull the pain. His jaw remained taut as he focused on the road. She tried not to glance at him too much, knowing what a wreck she probably looked. Not to mention the air was thick with his anger, and no doubt every ounce of it was directed at her since he’d already taken out some of his fury on Daniel’s face.
He surprised her by taking her around the back of the hotel to a private entrance. Alexa didn’t argue, since he had to support her weight with his body.
Ric guided her to the lift and hit the button for the penthouse. Now that she could see him more clearly, the angles of his face were hard, his shoulders stiff and his lips pressed into a firm line. She could practically feel the anger pounding off of him, but he never said a word.
‘Aren’t you dropping me on my floor?’
He turned to her and his expression shifted slightly, from anger to something else she couldn’t decipher. His gaze fell down her body and he winced when it reached her knees. ‘Ouch.’
Alexa looked down. The blood had poured down to her foot and stained the gorgeous Louboutins she’d borrowed from Jenna. A big scratch tainted the silver leather. Damn.
‘I’ll take you back once I’ve cleaned you up.’ Ric frowned, and she wondered whether he was merely luring her into his penthouse to give her hell for not listening to him about Daniel—or for another lecture on maturity.
He was dressed casually now, in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt that reminded her of the one he’d let her borrow, which of course reminded her of his chest. Suddenly, Alexa wasn’t so cold any more. Her heart was back to thumping out the mamba but it wasn’t from fear. Nope, not one bit. She bit back a groan. When would her body learn?
The ping of the lift announced their arrival and Ric led her through the entrance suite she’d assumed was his living room the first time they had met. The door at the far end led to a long hallway with several rooms off to either side. He opened the second on the right and led her into a swanky kitchen, gleaming with chrome and silver furnishings. The room looked too polished to be well used. Alexa guessed he lived off room service. If her father had been different, she’d probably still be living at The Crystal and would do the same.
Ric pulled a barstool out from the frosted glass breakfast bar and lifted her onto it. After sliding another in front of her, he carefully lifted her injured leg and rested her calf on top.
A bolt of pain sliced through her knee and she bit her lip.
All the anger drained from his expression and those rich, dark eyes softened. ‘I’ll get the first aid box.’
Startled, she watched him fetch a little blue box from a unit beneath the sink. ‘You have a first aid box?’
He grinned, a full blown smile, showing white teeth and making his eyes crinkle. Her heart took off like the blades of a helicopter.
‘You can never be too careful.’
After he said the words, his shoulders stiffened and the smile disappeared. Alexa sighed as he rummaged around in the box, pulled out an antiseptic wipe and tore it open with his teeth.
‘Out with it.’ She folded her arms across her chest and stared him down. Just because she knew she’d been a complete idiot, didn’t mean she was going to admit it to him.
Ric shrugged, but the movement was too stiff to be casual and his eyes narrowed. ‘I’ve nothing to say.’
‘If they gave out prizes for the world’s suckiest liar, you’d win.’
He laughed and shook his head. ‘I’m not losing the bet.’
‘Oh.’ With everything that happened, she’d forgotten about the bet. ‘Still, I want to know what you’re thinking.’
He wiped the blood from her foot, then slowly cleaned the stains from her calf. Goosebumps broke out on her skin. Reaching for another wipe and discarding the soiled one, Ric shook his head. ‘It’s after midnight. You said I have to be nice to you starting today, and what I want to say isn’t very nice.’
She could imagine what he would have said and she wouldn’t be able to disagree. She’d stayed there feeling brave and secure because Daniel had been friendly—maybe a little too friendly if she was honest—but he was a nasty drunk. Or maybe the charm just fell away after a few beers. Of all the silly things she’d done, it was the first time she’d knowingly put herself in potential danger. And for what? She shook her head. Maybe she did need to grow up.
The antiseptic wipe hit the gash in her knee and she squeaked.
‘Sorry,’ he murmured. ‘Close your eyes and think of something else.’
Alexa squeezed her eyes shut and thought about earlier, when Sarah had pulled a gay guy. The kiss had been her own idea ‘to make sure he was really into her’ she’d said. A giggle escaped her lips which cut off as the sting intensified on her knee.
‘You can open your eyes now.’
Alexa did and looked straight down to her injured leg. ‘Are you having a laugh?’ Who bought navy plasters?
She scowled at him. Ric’s lips pressed together but she could see the corners twitch.
‘If you wear reasonable skirts, no one will see it.’
‘I think that defies the part of the bet where you make me do something I don’t want to.’ Alexa pouted at him.
He grinned and her traitorous body prickled with awareness, souring her mood further. ‘This is your fault.’
Ric’s eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched. ‘How do you come to that conclusion? I warned you about him.’
Her anger deflated. He was right, he’d warned her and she went ahead and ignored him, thinking he was manipulating her in some way to do what he wanted her to.
He moved closer so they were almost nose to nose, the heat of him and the scent of his spicy aftershave made her blood sizzle. Confused lust swarmed her body and her breathing sped. His chocolate irises shrunk with the dilation of his pupils and Alexa’s breath caught.
Trapped between the table and Ric, Alexa felt the ghost of her earlier panic with Daniel.
It wasn’t the same.
Despite how it looked, Ric told her he wanted nothing to do with her and logically, she didn’t want anything to do with him. But she couldn’t control the unease coiling in her stomach.
She shuffled back on the stool, away from him, but it was a shift too far. Just as she felt gravity pull her down, Ric grabbed her by the waist and hauled her back up.
‘What the hell, Alexa?’
All trace of arousal vanished and his brow creased in concern.
‘Please, let me go back to my room.’ Exhaustion was kicking in fast and her mind was muddled between the lust and her earlier scare.
He cupped the side of her face in his hand so tenderly that her eyes welled up again. ‘I’ll take you back whenever you want, querida. I’d like you to tell me what happened just now though. I would never hurt you.’
Her heart bounced into her throat and all she could manage was a shake of her head.
‘I see the fear in your eyes. Don’t tell me that’s nothing.’
She averted her gaze to the granite floor tiles to avoid his searching gaze. For the first time in her life, she didn’t have a clue what to say. Maybe it was the stress of the last hour catching up with her.
Ric grabbed her chin and tilted her face back to look at him. ‘I’m fine,’ she told him, but her voice wobbled.
His frown told her he wasn’t buying it. ‘I think you and I would end up with a suckiest liar award each.’ Her lips curved involuntary. ‘Now, why did you flinch away from me?’
Ric watched the blood drain from Alexa’s face. He released her chin. If that bastard hadn’t hurt her, rage wouldn’t have coursed through his veins and Ric wouldn’t have hit him. It had been a long time since he had to use violence and he wished she hadn’t seen it. His insides were still in knots remembering the fear in her eyes.
‘You hit him.’ Alexa’s gaze dipped to the floor.
He ran his fingers through his hair, rage reverberating through him so viciously that his hands trembled. ‘I would never hurt you,’ he whispered and her wary gaze met his. ‘I saw him push you and I—’
‘I don’t think he meant to hurt me. I rejected him and he got angry.’
Why was she defending him? Ric sucked in a breath to calm himself. It didn’t work. ‘I’m sorry. You should have come back with your friends, Alexa. If I hadn’t have shown up when I did he could have hurt you or left you alone in the dark. That dress is a hot-pink advertisement for an easy mug.’
He’d seen what kind of monsters lurked in the shadows, albeit in Madrid. He had the scars to prove it. There’d been a time when he’d have done anything to escape it, and he had. He’d sold his body and his soul for a place to stay and food in his stomach. The memories shivered through his blood and guilt and self-disgust joined his fury.
He knew he shouldn’t have left her at the bar. Knew it the second her friends had stumbled into the hotel without her. Instead of going straight to his office, he’d accessed his PC from the reception and worked there, feeling a shred of responsibility for her well-being all the while knowing she wasn’t his to look after—nor did he want her to be. But he couldn’t have left her alone drunk, like her friends had done, with the snake.
‘I should have listened to you earlier,’ she whispered.
It was so out of character, he was sure he’d misheard. ‘What did you say?’
She looked at him then, her eyes sad and distant. ‘I said I should have listened to you. Are you happy?’
The defeat in her voice dissolved his anger. Dark circles were visible under heavy lidded eyes and Ric knew it was time to call it a night. ‘No, I’m not happy,’ he told her, his voice softer now. ‘But I’m glad you’re back safe.’
Unable to resist, he tucked her hair behind her ears and held her face between his palms. ‘Alexa, you have to be careful at night. Spain has just as many thugs as London, maybe more.’
She swallowed and nodded. Her eyes morphed back to stormy grey and Ric felt the pull to close the distance between them deep in his gut. He released her and stepped back. The draw that pulsed between them now had nothing to do with lust and in his mind that was more dangerous than the desire to have her naked in his bed. Assuring himself it was only the emotions of seeing her on her hands and knees on the ground, the terror in her pale face and the fact she could have been hurt worse if he hadn’t got there in time, he held out his hand.
‘Come on, I’ll take you back to your apartment.’
Indecision seemed to flicker across her face, but after a second she took his outstretched hand and slid off the bar stool onto her right leg. He waited until she tried to take a step. Wincing, Alexa leaned her weight back onto her good limb.
Ric’s heart
gave a painful beat in his chest. Without thinking about it, he picked her up, an arm under her knees and another supporting her shoulders.
‘What are you doing?’
He strode through his home toward the elevator. ‘Taking you back to your room. Do you have ice?’
Alexa pouted. ‘I can walk, you know.’
‘Didn’t look like it to me. Ice?’
She nodded. He paused by the elevator and Alexa hit the button. With her warm body pressed against him and that dress hiking too far up her thighs, Ric hoped his zinging blood didn’t rush south. To distract himself, he watched the numbers above the doors climb up.
‘I wanted to see my friends to the airport today.’
Ric glanced down to see her attention was on the elevator doors. He knew they were leaving in a few hours and with the last minute change of venue, he and Alexa would have to work twice as hard to get everything organised in time.
‘We can’t put off Mark and Justin.’
She didn’t look at him, merely nodded and twiddled her thumbs. A twinge of guilt swelled in his stomach as he stepped into the elevator. It reached his chest by the time he’d settled her on the sofa in her suite with a bag of ice.
‘I’ll tell them you had important work to do. I’ll see you when I get back.’
Alexa’s lips parted and her eyebrows shot up.
‘See, I can be nice.’ He grinned at her before he left.
When Ric arrived back in his suite, he stripped off and fell straight into his bed without bothering to shower. The guilt had lifted, but as he gazed at the ceiling and willed sleep to come, the pull he’d felt toward her earlier still tugged at him. Whatever way he looked at it, a fling with Alexa wouldn’t work. She’d drive him up the wall and he’d lose all the respect he’d tried so hard to deserve over the years—like he would have done tonight if anyone had seen him plant a fist in that creep’s face. Not to mention the fact that it might cause enough of a media stir to trawl through his past. No, a fling with her was a risk he wasn’t willing to take.
Chapter Seven
