Nothing Ventured

by Kristen Luciani

  "Oh my God."

  "What?"

  "You like her. Don't even try to deny it. It's written all over your face."

  What the hell was he going to do now? His best friend's fiancée just outed him. Jay would skin him alive when he found out.

  "There's more."

  Fuck.

  "She's totally into you, just in case you were wondering."

  "You're out of your mind. She hates me."

  "Did you catch the evil eye she hit me with? Twice? She likes you too." Jessica clasped her hands. "Holy cow! I can't believe I'm witnessing this firsthand."

  "Even if there was a remote possibility you were right, it couldn't go anywhere. Conflict of interest and all that crap. Besides, she's dating someone." His stomach clenched at the thought of that tool laying a finger on Mia.

  "Things don't always happen in the most convenient ways. Sometimes you just need to follow your heart. James is just nervous about the Blue Coat partnership, but he'd always want what's best for you."

  "Promise you won't say anything to him."

  "I'll let you do the honors. In the meantime, find Mia and apologize, grovel, do whatever it takes, because she's just as hot for you as you are for her. I'm going back to the table. Standing on these stilts is killing my feet. Now, go."

  Chris gave her shoulder a squeeze. "Thanks, Jess."

  MIA REGARDED HER REFLECTION in the mirror. Her contacts were cloudy, and her eye drops were on the dresser at home. Forcing a yawn did little to generate tears.

  She fluffed out her hair, trying to calm her racing pulse. Who was he with — the pre-one-night stand? Probably not. The girl was stunning, with long, dark hair and emerald green eyes. She may be around for longer than one night.

  Why was she behaving like such a jealous bitch? He didn't owe her anything, and after the stunt he'd pulled that afternoon? He was dead to her. But seeing him with another girl… damn, that stung. Alison and everyone else were right. It had been foolish to read so much into those fleeting moments of candor, thinking maybe he might be different, that he might be special. Her job was still a definite, albeit temporary obstacle, but…

  Newsflash! He was just like every other slimy player out there. The Lexi-tie incident had been proof enough of that, regardless of his explanation. Angry tears pooled in her eyes, and she could finally see again. Great, there was the silver lining.

  A quick swipe under her eyes repaired the smudged eyeliner. She reached for the door handle and stumbled forward when her heel got caught in the tile grout. Gritting her teeth, she yanked open the door a second time and stormed out.

  "Mia."

  That voice… dammit, it could still melt her insides.

  She spun around, her head still foggy from all the wine.

  Chris placed a hand on her shoulder. Warmth generated by his touch sent tingles down her arm. Oh God, why couldn't she hate him? Why did he have such a hold on her? "Are you okay?"

  "I'm fine, thank you." She shook off his hand. Where'd his date go? Did she already see through the charming facade to the core of his womanizing heart?

  "I'm sorry about the way things went down at the meeting. I didn't handle it well, and I—"

  "For the record, I listened to you the other day. I heard your concerns about selling, but you didn't trust me. Instead, you made an ass out of me in front of Paul. Do you know—" She swallowed hard, a chill forcing its way into her extremities. "It doesn't matter. Just forget it."

  "Mia."

  "What?"

  "I just didn't want Paul to think he could walk all over us. You know how he is. But it's still not an excuse. I was out of line, and I apologize."

  "I appreciate that."

  "And I…" He inched closer, her resolve faltering with each passing second.

  So many emotions flickered in that hazel-eyed gaze—remorse, disappointment, desire? No way. It couldn't be. The wine had made her hallucinate. That was the only explanation. He couldn't possibly… right?

  "I just wanted to tell you that—"

  "Hey!" Mia gasped and spun toward Alex's booming voice. "I came to check on you. Are you ready to go? I told Jana and Sean we're taking off now."

  Mia managed a weak smile. "Yes."

  "How's everything going, Chris? Business good?"

  "Yeah, real good. I ran into Mia and we—"

  "We were debriefing." Mia looped her arm through Alex's. "Let's go."

  "Take care, man. Have a good night."

  "Thanks. You too," Chris replied in a flat voice.

  "Oh, we will." Alex led Mia toward the exit. She stole one last look at Chris slumped against the wall, an unmistakable look of defeat shadowing his features. Her chest tightened with each step, shoulders shaking with pent-up sobs. Nobody outsmarted love. Somehow, she'd fallen victim, and all that remained were pieces of her shattered heart and the man she left behind.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  ALEX PULLED HER ONTO THE COUCH, his hungry lips sliding across her neck. Mia squeezed her eyes shut. The room spun faster and faster. Clutching his arms to steady the dizziness only spurred him on.

  "Mmm, you taste so good. I've wanted this to happen for so long." His hands were tangled in her hair, gripping, pulling, and tugging with desperation. A muffled cry escaped her lips, apparently only heightening his appetite. Demanding hands raked down her back, eliciting waves of nausea. If only she could have blamed it on too much wine.

  He slipped the straps of the dress off her shoulders. One flick of his fingers unhooked the lacy black bra, and it fell to the floor.

  "Lie back." With more force than was necessary, he pinned her against the cushions and held her wrists overhead.

  She winced; his fingernails pierced her skin like shards of glass. Her teeth chattered uncontrollably as she choked back a sob.

  "I'm gonna make you come, right now," he growled, scotch-tinged breath making her stomach churn.

  The dress was torn from her body, exposing thin silk panties. A cool draft wafted over her quivering legs. "Alex, stop." With a hand covering her mouth, she pushed him away and ran to the bathroom. She collapsed onto the floor and clutched the sides of the toilet, tears streaming from her eyes.

  "Mia!" Alex's fist pounded on the door. "What's wrong? Are you okay? Let me in!"

  "Please give me a minute, okay?" She clutched her chest and lay crumpled on the cool tiles as tears pooled around her. Alex wasn't the guy. He never was, never would be, and it was time to tell him the truth.

  Twenty agonizing minutes passed before she could drag herself off the floor. Cold water from the faucet felt so good against her scorching hot skin. With her robe wrapped tightly around her, she opened the door.

  "You had me so nervous. What happened?" Alex took her by the shoulders, and she pulled away.

  "We need to talk. I can't do this."

  "I don't understand. We've taken things slowly, just like you wanted. I haven't pushed you at all." He narrowed his eyes. "Is there someone else?"

  "N-no. It just doesn't feel right. I'm sorry. You're a really nice guy, but—"

  His face twisted into a sneer, and he backed her against the refrigerator. "I don't believe you. Are you screwing around with Camden? I saw how he was looking at you tonight. Do you take me for some kind of fucking idiot? Did you think I was too stupid to realize there was something going on between you?"

  "There's nothing going on. Please, I—"

  His mouth formed a nasty smile as he gripped the sides of her robe. "Why don't you want me, Mia? I want you, I have from the minute I saw you. Don't deny me that pleasure. I did everything the way you wanted. Now you're gonna do everything I want."

  Her eyes darted around the kitchen. The knife block was just out of reach. Blood rushed to her head. What the hell was he going to do to her?

  "I swear there isn't anything going on with me and Chris. I'm so sorry. I don't want to hurt you."

  He dragged her squirming body toward the couch and threw her down.

  "Alex, stop!
Don't do this!"

  He unbuckled his belt, and, with one free hand, he tore off her already-ripped panties.

  An ear-piercing scream erupted from her lungs. "No, no, no!"

  "Shut the hell up!" A large hand clamped over her mouth.

  Something shiny caught her eye, and her teeth clamped down, drawing blood.

  "You fucking bitch! I'm gonna make you pay for that!"

  She leaped off the couch, narrowly escaping his grasp. "There's nowhere to go, Mia!" With her hands finally free, she grabbed the silver pen from the coffee table and stabbed him in the shoulder as he lunged toward her.

  "Ahh!" He collapsed against the couch and clutched the pen stuck in his arm. With a loud roar, he yanked it out, watching a large bloodstain form on his shirt.

  Adrenaline coursed through her. If he grabbed her again… fuck no. She ran into the kitchen and pulled a large knife from the wood block. "Don't even think about taking another step. Get the fuck out of my house now!"

  Alex's eyes looked like beady black marbles in the darkened room, diabolical almost. He glowered at her, but within seconds, the chilling look was replaced by an equally unsettling smile. As he sauntered out of the house, his parting words made her flinch. "This isn't over, Mia."

  MIA'S WHOLE BODY TREMBLED as she crept from room to room. All the locks were tested, and every entrance bolted, just in case Alex made another impromptu visit. The urge to flee took hold, but who the hell knew if he was still out there, waiting for her to do just that? Calling her parents wasn't a good option. They'd panic, and she didn't want to frighten Chloe.

  She clasped the phone and took a few deep breaths, unable to stop her teeth from chattering. Tears that stung her eyes seconds earlier flowed freely when Jana's voice came on the line.

  "Mia, what's wrong? Are you hurt? Where's Alex?"

  "Jana, I… can you guys… I don't want to be alone right now. Just please come over." The words spilled out of her mouth, and she shivered. Alex could be right outside her door, waiting, biding his time. "I — I'm… so scared… please get here soon."

  "Sweetie, calm down. We'll leave right now. Just stay put, okay?"

  "Okay," she whispered. "Hurry."

  "SOMETHING'S WRONG WITH MIA. We have to go. Now."

  The bar at Joya was so loud Chris could barely hear himself think, but he snapped to attention upon hearing Mia's name.

  Mia? Chris twisted in the direction of the voice, eyes widening when he recognized her sister-in-law from the park. "Jana! What's wrong? Is Mia okay? Did something happen to Chloe?"

  "Chris." A fearful expression crossed Jana's face. "It's not Chloe. She's with my inlaws. But I couldn't make much out. Mia was crying too hard. She and Alex left together about an hour ago and went back to her place." She nudged Sean. "Throw the bartender some cash. We need to get over there."

  "I want to come with you."

  "I don't know if that's a good idea. She's pretty upset and—"

  "Please. I know she's angry, but I want to make sure she's okay. If there's anything I can do…"

  "Let him come." Sean pulled out the valet ticket. "We don't need to waste any more time deliberating."

  Jana bit her lip. "Fine, you can follow us."

  Time stood still as he followed Sean and Jana to Mia's house in Palo Alto Hills. The ride was neverending. Palo Alto Hills was surrounded by open space preserves and the houses were set farther apart than in other areas of the city. If she'd needed help, none of her neighbors would have even been close enough to hear a disturbance. His pulse raced out of control, thoughts exploding from his brain like bullets. Had something happened with Alex? Maybe they had a fight. How would she react to him showing up at her doorstep? Would she even let him in the house? She'd been cold, angry and abrupt earlier, and, even though he deserved it, he still needed to make sure she was safe.

  A few minutes later, he pulled up to the house and followed Sean and Jana to the front door. Chris drew in a sharp breath when Mia answered the door dressed in an oversized sweatshirt and leggings. Her glasses were on, but they couldn't disguise the red and puffy eyes. That fucking bastard was a dead man.

  Jana hugged her. "What happened? Is Alex still here?"

  "N-no. There is no more Alex." She sniffled, a confused look settling on her blotchy face. "What's he doing here?"

  "He overheard me on the phone with you and insisted on coming along."

  Chris nodded, his eyes still locked on Mia's. "I was worried. Are you okay?"

  She took a deep breath and backed into the house. "No."

  Once inside, they followed her to the living room.

  "You need to calm down and tell us what happened." Sean sat next to her on the couch.

  Mia wiped her eyes, voice cracking. "We came back after dinner, and he wanted to… but I just couldn't… It didn't feel right, and I tried to end things. And then… he got angry… and he tried… he tried to…" Sobs wracked her body. "I stabbed him with a pen, and he finally left. But he said… he said it wasn't over. I was so afraid he'd come back."

  Chris paced restlessly, torn between wanting to comb the town looking for that son of a bitch and gathering Mia in his arms. "Did he… did he hurt you?" His voice broke, and he clenched his fists.

  "No. I got away before anything happened, thank God."

  "We have to call the police." Sean grabbed his cell phone.

  "Not now. I don't want to rehash everything. He's gone. Can't we just leave it alone?"

  "This lunatic can come back when Chloe is home. Do you really want to take that chance?"

  "What are the police going to do? It's his word against mine, right? I can't prove anything happened."

  Jana laid her hand on Sean's arm. "She's really shaken up. We can call the police in the morning."

  "I really don't think we should wait on this." He looked at Chris. "Back me up here."

  "Sean's right. I have a few friends down at the station. Do you want me to call them?"

  "Not now. Tomorrow. Please?" Mia gnawed her thumbnail.

  "Okay, tomorrow." He looked at Sean. "I'll take care of it."

  "Fine." Sean toyed with the lock on the front door. "This thing is a piece of crap. I'll replace it for you and install a couple of more deadbolts."

  "Thanks."

  "Is the alarm system up to date?"

  "Yes. Guys, thanks for rushing over here. I didn't know what to do."

  Jana smoothed Mia's hair. "Sean, I'm staying here tonight. I don't want to leave her."

  "No, you need your rest. I'll be fine."

  "Then come home with us. You shouldn't be alone."

  "I can stay…" Chris looked at Mia. "… if it's okay with you. I don't mind."

  Jana's mouth dropped open, and she quickly closed it. "Um, are you sure?" Her eyes darted to Mia.

  "Chris, you really don't—"

  "At least let me keep you company for a while." He held his breath. There was no way he'd leave her unless she asked.

  "Okay," she whispered. "Thank you."

  Sean spent the next ten minutes checking locks on all the windows and doors. "All secured." He handed Jana her coat. "You're sure you don't want to come with us?"

  "I really feel much better. I'll call you tomorrow. I think I'm in good hands."

  Jana nudged Sean to the door. "They'll be fine. Let's go."

  Chris grinned. "I'll make sure this place is locked down like Fort Knox."

  "Good. Call us if you need anything." Sean kissed Mia on top of her head. "Keep that pen handy."

  Mia shut the door and locked it. "Chris, I…" She played with the hem of her sweatshirt, a sheepish smile spreading over her face. "Where do I even begin?"

  Mussed hair lay tangled around her shoulders. A tinge of pink remained on her tear-stained cheeks. She was beautiful but at the same time so broken and sad. Regretful even? An unwarranted feeling of possessiveness commanded him. At least for one night, Mia was his to protect. "I know I'm probably the last person you wanted to see tonight, especia
lly after—" He shuddered. The thought of Alex laying a finger on her made his blood boil. "But when I heard Jana on the phone with you, I… I had to see if you were okay."

  "I'm surprised you cared, considering the way I treated you."

  "I know I messed up. If it's any consolation, Jay was pissed off at me too."

  "Yeah, you were a real jackass."

  "I'm sorry. The last thing I wanted was to make you look bad. I just… I should have managed it differently, that's all."

  "I thought we were on the same wavelength the other day, so your reaction kind of threw me." Her swollen eyes held a glimmer of hope. "But I'd like to move forward."

  "Me too." He'd take any crumb she offered. If this was all they'd have, well, he'd deal. At least his big mouth hadn't fucked things up completely. "So you stabbed him, huh?"

  "Yeah. He cried like a baby."

  "I'm guessing the sight of that knife sent him packing."

  "I didn't know what I was going to do with it. I've only used those knives for trimming meat, not paralyzing attackers." She shivered and hugged herself. "I don't want to think about it anymore. He's over."

  "Okay, but don't make a liar out of me. I promised Sean I'd make the call tomorrow." He fumbled with his phone. Would she want him to leave now? That sicko could be out there right now, staking out the house. It was too dangerous for her to be alone.

  "Are you sure you don't mind hanging around for a while? I'm still a little bugged out. I'd feel more comfortable if I wasn't by myself." She studied her nails and sneaked a look at him.

  "Not at all." He grinned. "Although I bet you'd be just fine on your own, with all your pens and cutlery. I seriously doubt he's gonna be back to bother you."

  "Thanks. I'm really sorry this messed up your night. Was your date mad when you left?"

  "My date… " His confusion quickly turned to realization. "She wasn't my date. She's Jay's fiancée." Could that explain the evil eye she gave Jessica? Was she… jealous? But why would she even care? He held his breath. Unless…

  "Oh, I… I just assumed…"

  "We were out celebrating their engagement. He just proposed."