Indecent Invitation: A Dark Romance

by Piper Stone

  Chase gave his usual smile, shaking her extended hand. “And you are a complete surprise. I must say, my brother’s tastes have improved.”

  “Can we just enjoy an evening together,” Ashley dared to say. “Pathetic.”

  “I’d watch your mouth, sister. You’re coming dangerously close to making a fool of yourself.” Chase’s bitter words caused my sister to retreat into a shell.

  “I told you that you shouldn’t have dumped your fiancée,” I heard my father hiss to Chase. Suddenly, my brother’s anger was directed toward our father. Another ugly secret in the family. I should be used to them by now. I snickered at the thought.

  “Leave Bridge out of this,” Chase snapped, his jaw clenching.

  I was actually surprised when Riley jumped up from his seat, his expression one of disgust directed toward the rest of the family. He made a wide berth around my father’s chair before advancing. “Don’t let the bullshit scare you off, Bristol. We’re always contentious.” There was something entirely different about him than before, as if he’d grown a backbone. Well, he certainly had to, or he’d be swept under the coattails of Chase and my father.

  “Don’t worry,” she said, holding her own.

  “He’s right. Let’s sit so we can get this over with. I have more important things to do.” I guided Bristol to her seat, smiling at my father in spite. I immediately motioned for the waiter, ordering drinks for both of us. At least Bristol didn’t contest, but I could tell she was fuming. Hell, I didn’t blame her in the least. This was just the farce I knew it would be.

  “Why don’t you tell us where you met my brother, Bristol? I’m certain it will be enlightening to hear.” Chase eased into his seat, immediately pushing the chair away as he grabbed his drink.

  And so the charade began in earnest.

  While I wasn’t necessarily surprised that Bristol was able to provide such a stunning performance, appearing giddy from her adoration of me, I wasn’t certain her acting skills would be enough to pass the first test.

  There was a moment of utter silence after she finished speaking, my father and Chase exchanging glances while my stepmother held her usual nasty glare.

  “To the two lovebirds,” my father said, lifting his glass. “May you find all the happiness you seek.”

  Ashley suppressed a giggle, which I could tell was difficult for her.

  “What are your plans for the wedding?” Charity asked. “I’m certain we could obtain a reservation at this glorious club.” She lifted her glass as she shifted her gaze in my direction, her eyes glassy.

  “As Bristol said, we haven’t made any formal plans. I was thinking maybe an outside wedding and reception.” I didn’t give a crap about the wedding, but it certainly wasn’t going to be held in the horrific setting of the club.

  “That is just like something you’d say, brother,” Chase snarked.

  “I think an outdoor wedding would be fabulous.” Bristol kept her smile but damn if the woman didn’t have an icy stare.

  “As long as it’s appropriate for the Powers family, the correct guests invited, then I don’t give a shit. I do hope your relationship can last.” My father’s booming voice didn’t just indicate disapproval. He was already challenging both of us as to the validity of our special union.

  “Don’t worry, Pops. I’m certain it will be the elegant affair that befits such a glorious family.” My counter was repaid by another hard, cold glare from my father. All I could do was smile.

  And so the fucking evening progressed, the conversation growing edgier by the minute. While Bristol was able to maintain her calm and collected manner the majority of the time, she’d thrown enough barbs of her own to both titillate as well as infuriate me.

  “I think I need to freshen up,” Bristol stated.

  When she shoved her chair away from the table, quickly walking away, I took a deep breath.

  “You’re going to need to teach her some manners, boy,” my father said, swirling his damn cognac as he smirked at me. “She needs harsh discipline in order for your marriage to work. I think that will help create a harmonious environment in the household.”

  “Is that how you handle Charity, Pops? By issuing strict rules?”

  “Don’t you dare talk to me that way, boy. I am your father.” When he pounded on the table, I’d had enough, jerking to my feet. “You could do well learning from my actions. They’ve served me for a hell of a long time. Not that you ever listened to my advice over the years.”

  My God. The man had gotten worse over the years.

  “She’s mine to do with as I please.”

  Ashley placed her hand on my forearm, whispering under her breath, “Don’t.”

  Sighing, I walked away, milling through the other dining room toward the restrooms, waiting until she opened the bathroom door. I caught her by the arm, dragging her into the shadows of the hallway. “What do you think you’re doing?”

  “Defending myself. You neglected to tell me that my choice in careers was going to become fodder during dinner.”

  “I warned you that my father will try anything to get under your skin and he succeeded.”

  She shook her head. “You know what sickens me? You’re just like him whether you want to admit it or not.”

  I pushed her against the wall, planting my hands on either side of her. “Don’t push me tonight, Bristol. I’m in no mood. Behave for a little while longer then we’ll get the hell out of here. Can you do that?” As I lowered my head, she pressed her palms against me.

  “Yes,” she said through clenched teeth. Perhaps I was far too much like my father, a brutal, unforgiving man. All I could think about was dragging her into the bathroom and fucking her. What did that make me?

  “My father is a harsh taskmaster and always has been.”

  “I gathered that from his ridiculous statement.”

  Her defiance was admirable but challenging the darkness inside of me. “My father believes that punishment is good for the soul. His father was exactly the same way.”

  Her eyes opened wide. “That’s… horrible.”

  “That’s the way of my family.” I dropped my head even more until our lips were almost touching. “Don’t force me to follow through with the tradition.”

  “If I’ve learned one thing about you, it’s that you do exactly what you want to do.”

  “That may be so, but it’s necessary to remain on neutral ground. That requires your compliance.”

  “As I said, you should have provided more warnings.”

  A slight growl erupted from my throat. Unable to resist her, I captured her mouth and wrapped my hand around her throat, keeping her in position. The taste of her was even sweeter than before, her brazen attitude and refusal to play the game in its entirely a tremendous turn-on. There was no pushback as I slipped my tongue inside, enjoying the simple moment of domination. My cock ached like a son of a bitch, my blood pressure rising. She had no way of knowing what she did to me.

  She crushed her fingers around my shirt, tugging as the moment of passion exploded. Our connection continued to be strained but even more enigmatic than before. When I finally broke the kiss, keeping my hand caressing her lovely throat, I nipped her lower lip. “Just be a good girl for tonight.”

  “I’ll see what I can do.”

  As I pulled her by the hand, returning to the table, I could see a glint in my father’s eyes. He was such a freaking bastard.

  The banter turned relatively normal for a period of time, at least getting us through the main course. After the plates had been removed, I needed fresh air, the innuendoes and biting comments restarting with vigor. I also wanted to see if Chase would follow, providing any information that coerced me into finding out more about what the hell was going on.

  “Listen to me very carefully. Don’t make a scene. I need a few more minutes then we leave.” While I kept my voice low, I made certain she heard every word. My anger was already riled, my patience worn thin. I was no longer certain
I cared whether we passed the test. I’d already risen to my feet, my drink in my hand.

  “Why yes, sir,” Bristol snipped as she glanced up at me. “Just don’t be gone too long. I still find it difficult to hold my tongue.”

  Snorting, I squeezed her shoulder before walking around the table, heading for the set of open doors leading to the private deck. As I moved toward the railing, I inhaled, enjoying the various scents of the club’s grill as well as the ocean water. There was a peacefulness to the serene setting, the myriad colorful lights surrounding the walkway leading to the shore twinkling in the light breeze.

  As I leaned over the railing, swirling my drink, several memories from the past crept into my mind including the first time I’d been brought to the club. I’d been eighteen, my father insisting that I was ready to take a man’s place at the table, the visit nothing to do with a family gathering. He’d wanted me to see firsthand as he destroyed one of his competitors, the once powerful man my father considered an enemy begging my father for reconsideration.

  My father had enjoyed every moment, including threatening the man’s family. I would never forget the gleam in my father’s eyes, the laughter that burst from his mouth the moment the broken man walked out of the private room, shivering from the realization that his livelihood and his private life had both been destroyed.

  Then my father had gloated, ordering me a scotch as if the legal drinking age didn’t matter. There wasn’t a single person in the club who didn’t cater to him as if he was a god. To me, he was a monster, a man who had no conscience or humanity.

  That was the day I no longer worshipped the man who ruled his family with an iron fist. I’d rebelled against everything the great William Powers commanded, turning into nothing but a delinquent. All the years of boarding school hadn’t prepared me for his ruthlessness or his punishment for rebelling against him.

  I’d learned the hard way what challenging someone so powerful could mean. I lifted my glass, shaking my head. While he no longer had any level of control over me, that didn’t mean his influences weren’t toxic. After all, Bristol had been very astute.

  I’d become far too much like him.

  I heard footsteps behind me and bristled, refusing to turn around.

  “She’s lovely.”

  The sound of Riley’s voice surprised me. “She’s perfect in every way.”

  “Did you warn her?”

  Huffing, I shot him a look as he flanked my side, remaining a solid two feet away, his eyes locked on the shoreline.

  “About our caustic family? To a degree. She can make up her own mind after tonight. I can tell she’s not a happy camper.”

  “How could she be, Houston? My God, the gall of that man never ceases to amaze me.” I was surprised to hear Riley talk with any discord regarding the old man. He’d been the quiet kid, the one who remained studious, staying in his room. He also hadn’t been required to attend boarding school. That had always pissed me off.

  “Well, she needs to learn to turn it off.”

  A smile crossed his face. “That can be difficult given his oppressive nature.”

  I had nothing to say at that point. A moment of tension slipped between us.

  “I’m surprised you returned,” he said quietly.

  “It’s all about the trust fund.” I was curious if he’d received the same middle of the night phone call, although I had no intentions of mentioning it to anyone at this point.

  “Ah, that surprises me even more. I heard you were doing well.”

  “What little bird told you that?”

  Riley shifted his gaze in my direction. “You know how Ashley is. She did her best to keep up with you and your illustrious career. I say kudos to you for getting the hell away from here.”

  “You could do the same.”

  “You’ve seen my mother. She’s not well. I couldn’t leave her here by herself.”

  I knew the real reason Charity remained married to the bastard. The prenup she’d been forced to sign detailed her years of marriage. She wasn’t eligible for the big prize just yet. That wouldn’t happen for at least a couple of additional years. “But you deserve to live your life the way you want to.”

  He laughed. “Your father has a way of squelching happiness and ingenuity.”

  I’d always found it interesting that Riley had never used terms of endearment for my father. Granted, he’d been treated like an unwanted creature, his existence barely tolerated. What I’d learned through months of investigation was that somehow Riley had been coerced into working at the great empire, handling every aspect of the new accounts brought in. “I’m certain with the money you’re making you’re getting by.”

  His face hardened. “I did what I had to do in your absence, Houston. I know we’ve never gotten along, but I’m not the wet behind the ears kid you remember.”

  “No, I can tell you’re not.” What I was keeping close to my vest is that I suspected Chase was planning some kind of coup, his longing for power and authority moving to an entirely different level than before. If he succeeded, my gut told me my trust would be placed in jeopardy. What role Riley played I wasn’t certain. But I would find out. Until then, the family gatherings would be kept to a minimum.

  “I heard you bought a house.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh. “News travels fast. Perhaps it’s past time to take what belongs to me.”

  He seemed antsy, even glancing over his shoulder. “Be careful, Houston. There are things happening within the company that are changing the course of the future for all of us.”

  “Would you care to elaborate?” Before he had a chance to answer, my attention was captured by the sound of a loud voice. When I turned toward the club, I was able to catch sight of Bristol in some kind of confrontation with Chase.

  “Jesus. He’s at it again. No wonder he refused to bring his girlfriend to the great party.” Riley polished off his drink, laughing softly.

  I didn’t like the sight or the sound of what was going on. The second I crossed the threshold, the sight of Bristol slapping Chase in the face was the last straw. My father would never allow her behavior to go unpunished. I could either succumb to his demands or get us the hell out of there.

  As I stormed inside, I noticed the smug look on Chase’s face. He’d provoked her on purpose, trying to break her resolve. And goddamn it, she’d allowed that to happen.

  I took her hand, ignoring the grin on my father’s face. “We’re getting out of here. Then we’re going to have a talk.”

  Chapter 6

  Bristol

  Talk.

  There’d been nothing but silence since leaving the club. Now, I certainly understood much better why Houston had required someone to portray his fiancée. The entire situation was ridiculous, one a normal human being couldn’t tolerate. Had he really grown up in that kind of household? If he had, no wonder he was so dark, almost soulless.

  At least he hadn’t lied to me about his family, especially his father. The man was an older carbon copy of Houston, but harsher, more brutal. Chase was entirely a different story. His words bothered the hell out of me, his hatred for Houston evident.

  “You have no idea what you’re getting in the middle of, Bristol. My brother is nothing but a cold, calculating man who will enjoy destroying you. I suggest you get out now.”

  The statement had seemed offhanded, a true warning. Whatever was going on, I doubted Houston was the only victim.

  I brushed my fingers across my lips, trying to hold onto the kiss, although I wasn’t certain why. If he had told me the level of compliance that was expected, I would never have signed the contract.

  Or was that just another lie I was trying to tell myself?

  Three months. You can handle this for three months.

  At this point, I wasn’t certain.

  After he parked the car, he took my hand, intertwining our fingers and taking long strides into the garage elevator. He crowded me against the steel wall, tilting his head. “
You defied me.”

  “I felt I needed to.” My words were little more than a whisper, my nerves kicking in.

  “Do I need to remind you about the terms of the contract?”

  I almost laughed. “No, you don’t. Do I need to remind you that information is helpful?”

  He took a deep breath, his expression ice cold. “Did Chase hurt you in any way?”

  My breath catching in my throat, I shook my head. “No. He was just so… condescending, trying to put me in my place.” I shuddered given the words Chase had used, uncertain of how to deal with his implied accusations.

  “I’m onto you, Bristol. There’s nothing that happens with regard to my family that I won’t find out about.”

  While he’d refused to elaborate, the secrets Houston and I were keeping were a ticking timebomb. The last thing I wanted to do was drive my fake fiancé into a bout of anger. For now, I’d keep Chase’s comments to myself.

  “That’s to be expected. You could have walked away.”

  “That’s not my nature.”

  He took a deep breath, holding it as the elevator continued to rise. There was something even darker about the look in his eyes, possessive as well as hungry. Everything about his demeanor had been entirely different. He hadn’t just been on edge. He’d been in a quiet yet bitter fight. There was a hell of a lot more going on than he’d allowed me to learn.

  “For every action there are consequences.”

  “Meaning what?” I knew challenging him wasn’t in my best interest, but the night had been draining.

  “I’m going to have to punish you.”

  “You’re kidding.” My stomach was suddenly nauseous, my heart hammering to the point the sound echoed in the tinny space. The same tingling I’d felt before shifted down to my toes, my mouth completely dry.

  “I don’t kid about the rules, Bristol. I thought you realized that.” His look was stern.