by JS Scott
“Well…just saying. But I won’t argue if you want to do it again. In fact, we could go home right now-”
“In the house, birthday boy.” She laughed as he slipped his arm around her waist and led her to the door, a small, satisfied smirk still present on his lips.
“Tomorrow night we’re going out alone,” he muttered, his arm tightening around her body as he led her to the front door.
“Tomorrow?” she said, confused.
“For your birthday. I’m taking you out. Alone.”
She turned to face him after they had climbed the marble steps, stopping at the huge double doors. “You aren’t taking me out. You’ve done enough. It’s not necessary.”
“It’s very necessary,” he answered, his voice harsh. “I want to. It’s your birthday.”
The door swung open before she could answer.
“Hey, bro! Glad you finally decided to join your own party.”
Kara immediately recognized Sam Hudson. Simon had been right. He was movie-star handsome. Dressed similar to Simon, his sweater was an emerald green that nearly matched his eyes. He looked like an enormous, blond, mythological god…but in Kara’s opinion, he lacked Simon’s sex appeal. Although she could aesthetically appreciate Sam’s handsome face and gorgeous body…he had nothing on his younger brother.
Sam stood back and motioned for them to enter. Kara could feel Sam’s eyes studying her, his brain working furiously to figure her out, put her in a box. As she entered the marbled entryway, she wondered what Simon had told his brother about her.
“Kara, this is my brother Sam,” Simon introduced them casually, his hand reaching out to take the jacket she was discarding. An elderly man, obviously an employee, took the coat from Simon’s arm.
“Well, bro, no need to ask why I haven’t seen much of you lately,” Sam said softly, his tone mocking.
Kara extended her hand politely. “It’s nice to meet you, Sam. I’ve heard a lot about you from your mother.”
“A pleasure.” His hand engulfed her smaller one in a firm grip, holding it a little longer than necessary. “Mom’s talked about you a lot, too. All of it good, of course,” Sam answered, his smile brilliant and his manner persuasive.
He’s good. I see why Helen says he can charm anyone. It’s really too bad that his smile doesn’t quite reach his eyes.
Kara reclaimed her hand by pulling it out of his grip and letting it drop to her side.
“Eat, get a drink, have a good time,” Sam suggested jovially, slapping Simon on the back. “Happy birthday, little brother.”
“Yeah, thanks for the party,” Simon grumbled, shooting his brother an I’ll-get-you-for-this look that only brothers could exchange as he nudged Kara toward a cluster of guests and the food in the living room.
“You love me. You know you do.” Sam smiled, his voice teasing and arrogant at the same time.
“Not today,” Simon snarled back.
Sam laughed wickedly as he moved away, advancing toward a group of people who were motioning for him to come over.
“Bastard,” Simon said in a low, irritated voice.
Kara rolled her eyes, keeping her amusement to herself. “He’s your brother, Simon.”
“Not today,” he repeated, his hand sliding across her back as he led her to the lavish food and drink tables.
Sam’s home was stunning, surprisingly decorated in white, light, airy décor that made the already-spacious mansion appear even more enormous and grand. Well-dressed guests chatted in groups, their wealth and status obvious by their dress and their ease with the sumptuous surroundings.
Kara tried not to gawk like the penniless woman she really was, but it was difficult to keep her gaping mouth closed. The women were dripping with diamonds and gems and their expressions were cool. The men smelled of money and power, gathering in groups, probably discussing business or golf scores.
Simon filled their plates from a large buffet that was bursting with elegant-looking appetizers that were being continually replenished by silent employees. She picked up two napkins that were folded so precisely that she almost felt guilty about messing them up. The dishes were obviously fine china and Kara frowned. Crap…she’d hate to have to clean all of these dishes and wondered how many servants it took to clean up the mess after the party was over. Hadn’t the wealthy ever heard of paper plates and napkins?
She didn’t have any idea what she was eating, but she downed every morsel on her plate after she and Simon had found a quiet corner to eat. Every bite melted in her mouth and she licked her lips as she consumed the last delicate treat, hoping she hadn’t left crumbs on her face.
“God, that was delicious,” she uttered appreciatively as she handed her empty plate to a roaming waiter.
“May I get you anything else, madam?” the older waiter asked politely.
“No, thank you. I’m full.” She smiled as the little man gave her a polite bow and moved away.
Simon had discarded his plate and snatched two full champagne flutes from a passing waitress. “I love that about you,” he said quietly as he handed her a glass.
“What?” She gave him a confused look as she accepted the glass, sipping slowly at the drink, trying to decide if she liked champagne. It was dry, but not bad.
“You enjoy your food. You don’t pick away at it or eat like a bird. I’m almost jealous when I watch your face. If it’s good, you look well-pleasured,” he answered before taking a healthy sip from his glass. “Watching you eat is almost an erotic experience.”
She shrugged as she lowered the glass from her face. “If you don’t have an endless supply and you’re never sure when your next meal will be, you appreciate the taste of good food.”
“Will food always be an orgasmic experience for you?” he asked casually, but his eyes were full of mirth.
She tried not to smile, she really did, but her lips twitched as her eyes met his. “Probably.”
“Simon!”
The male tenor voice carried across the room and both of them turned to see a middle-aged man raising his arm, trying to get Simon’s attention.
“You better circulate, birthday boy. You are the guest of honor,” she told him with a smile. “I’m going over to talk with your mom for a while.”
He didn’t look happy, but he left her side and went to greet the man waving frantically for his attention. She sipped her drink and watched as Simon moved around the room, greeting people, his smile charming. While he might not have quite the charisma that Sam had, Simon could work the room. Not for one second did he look uncomfortable with these people. He was able to chat and make small talk, taking total command of himself, moving in and out of the crowds as if he belonged here.
Because he does. He may not always like socializing, but he plays the game well.
Her gaze stayed riveted on him, marveling over this part of Simon that she had never seen before. The man had so many layers, so many facets to his personality.
Forcing herself to stop staring like a complete idiot, Kara looked around for Helen, finding her at the buffet table.
She chatted for quite some time with Helen, until her friend was pulled away by another acquaintance. Not wanting to appear as though she knew no one else-which she didn’t-she strolled to a set of ornate doors, fairly certain that they led outside, knowing the view would probably be spectacular.
There were more people outside, seated at small, intimate tables. Not all of them were occupied. It was getting later and the air was brisk, but it felt good to Kara after being inside the crowded house for so long.
She took a deep breath as she stepped outside. There was a lighted path in front her, a cobbled walkway that appeared to lead down to a boat dock. Before she could follow the path, a conversation right next to her stopped her in her tracks.
“I thought we could spend some time together, Simon. I saw this divine di
amond bracelet that I’d love to have.” The female voice was artificial and simpering.
Kara drew a deep, bracing breath, hoping that she wouldn’t see the Simon that had, just a short time ago, left her breathless in an elevator.
She turned her head slowly, knowing that she had to know. Her breath caught as she took in the broad shoulders, the dark hair and the sweater that she knew were Simon’s. He was no more than five feet away, his back to her, a slim set of arms around his neck and perfectly manicured fingers resting casually against the nape of his neck.
“I’ve heard about your…arrangements. I was hoping we could come to an agreement.” The sugary voice was seductive and the woman’s hands wandered over Simon’s shoulders like she owned him.
Nausea began to rise in Kara’s throat and she moved soundlessly away from the couple to creep to the steps. She didn’t want Simon to see her and she didn’t want the nameless woman to think that she was spying on them. Not that blondie would probably care. The woman looked like a cat with its claws solidly imbedded into something it wanted and wasn’t about to be distracted.
The light wasn’t as bright as it was inside, but it took only a brief glance back at the couple to see that the woman in Simon’s arms was everything that Kara was not. She was blonde, thin, her make-up and hair perfect. In other words…sickeningly gorgeous.
Kara couldn’t move, couldn’t function; her eyes were riveted on the couple and her feet felt like they were embedded in cement. She could hear the woman murmur something softly, but she couldn’t make out the words. Cherry-red lips curved into a calculating smile before the blonde grasped the back of Simon’s head, pulling his lips down to hers.
Her heart thundering, Kara took the steps leading down to the path faster than she should have in thin, delicate heels, needing desperately to get away from the scene that had been playing out in front of her like a horror movie. Her heels got caught up in the cobbles on the path and she kicked her shoes off, scooping them up with barely a pause.
Breathe. Just breathe.
She reached the dock, panting and nauseated. She gripped the wooden railing on the dock to steady herself, trying desperately to calm her ragged breathing.
Breathe. In. Out. In. Out.
It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter. The sex life of Simon Hudson was none of her business. She wasn’t committed to Simon and he certainly wasn’t committed to her. They had sex with no strings attached.
In. Out. In. Out again.
Her breathing settled, but the nausea refused to go away. No wonder Simon had never had a girlfriend. There was obviously an endless supply of women to entertain him…for a price. An arrangement? Really? No wonder Simon had never had a real relationship. Women used him and he used women. Her stomach rolled and she gripped the wood harder.
Forget about it. It doesn’t matter.
It shouldn’t…but it did. It hurt that Simon could be making a casual agreement to screw another woman while he was still making time with her. They had nearly fucked each other to death a few hours ago. Or so she thought. Maybe it had only been earth-shattering for her. Maybe he missed tying up his women, having them helpless and blindfolded. Maybe he needed it.
Did you think you were someone special, the person who was going to help Simon break free of some of his past insecurities? Maybe he really doesn’t have any. Maybe he likes his life exactly as it is. Maybe you’re just a complete bonehead who can’t comprehend a billionaire playboy who can buy any woman he wants.
Her thoughts grated, ground her down until she wondered if everything she had convinced herself was true about Simon was actually a big fat lie, a self-created falsehood, a man she only imagined.
You don’t really believe that.
“The problem is…I don’t really know anymore,” she whispered softly to herself, her voice trembling.
Her illusions were shattered, and she had no idea what to believe in anymore. She had trusted Simon, had thought he was a decent but troubled man, and his actions left her confused, raw, and completely devastated.
She stared numbly at the lights that were blinking over the rolling water and wrapped her arms around her shivering body. How would she ever erase the memory of Simon kissing a blonde bombshell, a woman so perfect that it made Kara wonder what Simon had ever been doing with her?
She blinked and a lone tear slid silently down her cheek. Most likely, she wouldn’t forget. The memory, the sense of betrayal, and the crushing pain were likely to hang around for quite some time.
Lost in her thoughts, Kara stood on the dock like a shadow, unmoving, no longer feeling the chill, wishing that she never had to go back and face reality.
She would. She had to. But she would avoid it as long as possible.
“Whatever my brother is giving you, I’ll give you more if you come to me when he’s finished with you.” The sultry male voice pierced the silence right next to her ear, startling her so badly that she would have toppled over the dock railing if a strong male hand hadn’t gripped her waist. “Whoa. Steady.”
She whipped around to face the voice, already recognizing it as Sam’s. He crowded her, resting one hand on each side of her, keeping her from escape.
“W-What did you say?” The man left her cold and she didn’t appreciate his familiarity.
“I’ll pay. Whatever you want. However much you want.” His eyes were cold and she shuddered.
Oh, God. She was going to be sick. Gulping, she stared up at Sam’s deity-like appearance, barely able to believe that he was actually propositioning her.
Like a harlot.
Like a prostitute.
Like a whore.
Anger rose inside her like a phoenix, climbing higher and higher, stronger and stronger. She could barely see through the haze of red that clouded her vision as her body trembled.
“Simon won’t mind,” Sam assured her as his hand moved to her bare shoulder.
His comment resonated through her, making her snap. What the hell was with the Hudson men? Did they think they could buy any woman they wanted to fuck? She drew her hand back and let it fly…hard. It connected with his smirking face with a satisfying smack that exploded in the near-silent evening, cracking through the peace of the night.
“Maddie was right. You are a complete snake,” she hissed, her body shaking with rage.
“Maddie? Maddie Reynolds?” Sam’s expression was complete astonishment and shock. She wasn’t sure if it was the slap or the mention of Maddie’s name, but she didn’t wait to find out.
She pushed his arm out of the way and ran, deviating from the path to run across the well-manicured lawn to the front of the house.
She tore down the driveway and ran until she found James waiting patiently in the Mercedes. Tearing the front door of the car open, she dove into the front seat. “Please take me home,” she choked out, tears clogging her throat and making her voice raspy. “Please.”
“Ms. Kara. Are you all right?” She couldn’t see his face in the dark, but the concern in the driver’s voice was evident.
“I’m not feeling well. I need to go home,” she stated, not able to keep a pleading note from her request.
“Is there anything I can do?”
“Yes. Take me home. I’ll be fine.”
She wouldn’t be fine. Not now. Not tomorrow. Probably not for a very long time. But she didn’t tell him that.
James, bless him, didn’t ask any more questions. He started the vehicle and headed directly toward the condo.
Kara knotted her shaking hands around the soles of the shoes in her lap, trying not to let the tears flooding her eyes fall. She couldn’t cry. There wasn’t anything to really cry about. The Hudson men were just doing what they normally did. She was the one with the problem.
Somehow, she had done an incredibly foolish thing. She had allowed herself to fall in love with Simon H
udson. Deeply, passionately, completely in love. It wasn’t like the love she had harbored for her ex. This was a confusing, soul-shredding, rip-your-guts out love that was going to hurt. Big time.
Swallowing down a bitter sob by biting her lip until it bled, she turned her head to the right, watching the city fly by as James drove her competently toward home.
You’ve gotten through loss before, Kara. You’ll get through this.
Since the death of her parents, she had used encouraging words and pep talks to get herself through her toughest battles. They had always worked before. Hadn’t she made it this far?
You’ll forget him. It will just take time.
An uncomfortable weight settled on her chest-hard, heavy and totally crushing.
For the first time in her life, Kara Foster felt like she was lying to herself.
“Kara!” Simon bellowed loudly as he slammed the door of his condo behind him, tossing his keys carelessly on the kitchen counter.
There was a small, neatly wrapped present on the counter with a card, but he ignored it and raced through the condo like a man possessed.
“Kara!”
He yelled her name until he was hoarse, but every single room was empty. Her room looked basically untouched, except that her backpack was missing.
“Shit!”
He went to the kitchen and lifted the gaily wrapped package, finding a personal check from Kara in the amount of ninety thousand dollars and a single sheet of paper under the card and gift.
I’ll repay the rest as soon as I get a job. I left all of the things you gave me except for a few pairs of jeans and a couple of shirts. Thanks for everything. I’ll always be grateful.
Kara
What. The. Fuck. He didn’t want her damn gratitude. He wanted…her.
He crumpled the paper in a tight fist, his knuckles white from the effort.
She had left him?
No explanation.
No goodbye.
Just…gone.
He scooped up the gift and the sealed card, carrying them both to the living room while he poured himself a stiff drink. After knocking back a whiskey in one gulp, he poured himself another and dropped into a leather chair, setting the drink on the coffee table beside him.
