by T. M. Cromer
She liked the consistency of everyday life. Liked waking in the mornings, manually making baked goods for her family, and then spending the rest of her day tinkering in her workshop. Liked dinner or a movie with a lover who would spend the entire night in her bed and who woke her with the gentlest of touches to make love again. She wasn’t lying when she said she loved who he had pretended to be. That was the Zane she wanted. The man who didn’t exist.
As Winnie’s energy drained away, her hold on the storm clouds eased. Blue skies returned. She looked around at the damage she’d wrought. “This is what you do to me, Zane. This is destructive and ugly. I don’t want that in my life.”
“We don’t have to be that way,” he protested. He smoothed back her wind-blown hair and pressed his forehead to hers. “Please, Win. Please give me another chance.”
She shoved him in the pool.
15
As Zane stomped and sloshed his way toward the elevator, the metal doors parted. Spring exited in front of the Maltese warlock. When she saw Zane, her hand flew up to hide her smile. The older man’s mocking gaze scanned him from head to toe.
Zane narrowed his eyes and glared his anger. He could feel the water starting to evaporate into steam as his body warmed in its fiery fury. “Not one fucking word,” he warned, his tone low and lethal.
Rafe bowed and with swirling gesture of his arm, the dumb prick gestured to the empty elevator, unaware he was two seconds away from dying a painful death at Zane’s hands.
The doors dinged and closed before Zane could catch them.
He could feel his lip curl into a snarl and struggled to stave off the growl of frustration. One check of the mirrored doors showed his resemblance to a soaked and rabid mongrel.
As he dripped water on the tile, the doors swished open to reveal a cool and collected Winnie. With her black hair swept up in a high-sitting ponytail and dark liner to emphasize her sultry blue eyes, she stole his breath away. Yet, she stepped around him with her nose in the air as if he were a steaming pile of dog dung.
Before he could stop himself, his hand shot out to stop her progress. “This isn’t over between us, Win. I don’t care what you do. This…” Zane gestured back and forth between their bodies. “… isn’t over.”
A calculating gleam entered her storm-colored eyes, and she shifted her gaze to Rafe. A half-smile shaped her berry lips. When she leaned in, Zane got a whiff of her seductive floral scent.
“Tonight, when you’re lying in bed alone, I want you to think about how it felt for me to see you kiss your girlfriend, Zane.”
His heart stopped. Her meaning was crystal clear. She intended to take Rafe for a lover.
“Don’t do it, Winnie,” he rasped out. “Not if you care about him even the smallest bit.”
“Oh, I think he can hold his own against you, newbie,” she mocked. “In fact, I’m counting on it. I’m counting on him being better in all ways.”
He lost his mind. One minute he had a grip on his reality. The next, he had her up against the wall in his suite, kissing the living hell out of her. He didn’t have time to appreciate his teleport skill or worry that he might have left witnesses to his disappearing act. All he could concentrate on was Winnie.
Zane ignored her soft mewl of protest and ravaged her mouth. Because while he would never resort to taking her against her will, he had no problem reminding her what she craved most about their lovemaking. He felt the movement of her knee and countered by shifting his hips sideways. Her hands gripped his hair and tugged, but despite the burning scalp and potential bald spot, he continued to kiss her. Part of him feared losing half of his tongue should she take it in her head to bite him. She didn’t. She gave as good as she got; her tongue tangoed with his, sucking and drawing in an angry duel.
Soon enough, the fingers woven tightly through his hair eased, and Winnie’s sexy little moans were pleasure filled. When she softened against him, he unbuttoned her lacy, white shirt and parted it, pulling back slightly to admire the expanse of skin in her white push-up.
Their eyes connected. Her irises were the color of dark, churning waters before a thunderstorm. The color of her passion.
Zane leaned in to capture her lips for a second soul-shattering kiss and bumped his nose against the drywall.
He spun in a circle. No Winnie.
His grin came unbidden. She was wily, his Winnie. But their kiss proved she was far from over him—as did her running. She could bluff a good game, but she wouldn’t sleep with Rafe. Not when she desired Zane.
With a snap of his fingers, he was once again dry and decked out in a clean outfit. He could thank Winnie’s relentless training for his newfound abilities.
From his balcony, he observed Winnie from where she walked beside Rafe and Spring. As if she were unable to resist, she glanced back and up toward his room. Her mouth tightened in irritation as Zane waved and blew a kiss.
He intended to enjoy seducing her back to his side. Call it arrogance on his part, but he believed she’d come around. After all, Thornes only loved once.
“You have your work cut out for you, son.” Alastair’s voice beside him nearly caused him a heart attack.
“Jesus, man! A warning of some kind might be nice.”
Deep, dark laughter echoed around his suite. “Where’s the fun in that?”
“You stuck around.”
“I’m invested in how this turns out.”
Zane eyed him. “How so?”
“She’s my niece, boy. If you think I’m going to allow her to be hurt by you or anyone else, you’re sadly mistaken.”
Zane turned back to watch Winnie’s retreat. He waited a long moment, then said, “She won’t be. Not by me. I admit I was an ass. But I love her and want her to be happy. Preferably with me.”
“We will put down your kiss with the lovely Angelica as a lapse in judgment. This time.” Alastair moved to stand in front of him. “But know this, if you ever pull something like that on Winter again, I will remove your balls and serve them to you on a silver platter. Are we clear?”
The promise of retribution was in Alastair’s hard stare.
“Crystal.”
“Good. Now, what’s your plan for getting rid of that waste of space she’s hanging out with?”
“I thought I’d find out from Winnie’s sisters what might soften her attitude.”
Winnie’s uncle held up his palm. A small booklet appeared.
“What’s this?” Zane asked as he accepted the gift.
“I did the work for you.”
He stared at Alastair in open-mouthed wonder. “How the hell did you know this would be my plan?”
“The ability to stay five steps ahead of others is my special talent.”
“You’re a scary bastard, Alastair Thorne. I want you to know that.”
The other man’s lips tilted up in his amusement. “Believe it, son.”
He clapped a heavy hand on Zane’s back and left him to work out his seduction alone.
Later that evening, as Winnie opened the door to her suite, she came up short. On every available surface was an item she adored: a small, potted gardenia tree, the finest English chocolates, a framed letter that stated a donation had been made in her name to a favorite charity, and much more.
As she moved from one item to the next, warmth gathered in her chest, melting the coldness.
“Do you like it?”
Zane’s deep, smooth voice didn’t startle her. Once she saw the gifts, she expected he was lurking about.
With deep regret, Winnie did what was necessary. She threw the box of chocolates on the ground and smashed them. The tree went into the trash, and the letter she removed from its frame and shredded into tiny pieces. Systematically, she worked her way around the room, and with each thing she destroyed, she maintained eye contact with Zane.
He rubbed a hand over his mouth, and she suspected it was to hide a smile. Dammit! He’d predicted she’d destroy his gifts.
Heat crawle
d up her neck as he continued to stare.
“What are you still doing here?” she asked.
“I had time to kill before we headed to Egypt.”
Egypt.
Colorful swear words rolled off her tongue. For the short time she’d been wallowing in grief caused by the demise of their relationship, she’d forgotten about the amulet.
He shoved away from the wall and ambled to where she stood.
“How was your day, Win? Did you enjoy the sights?” Love, or something like it, along genuine interest, was infused into his questions.
Had he touched her, made a move on her in any way, Winnie would’ve been able to snarl and snap her way out of the situation. But he didn’t. Instead, he gazed down at her as if she held all his heart could ever desire. And wasn’t that worse?
She lifted her chin and put on a superior air she didn’t feel. “Rafe was the perfect tour guide.”
A shadow darkened his gaze. “I’m glad you had a good time. Would you join me for dinner tonight?” He held up a hand. “Before you say no, think about it. We need to discuss our upcoming trip and make arrangements.”
“Not dinner,” she blurted. Dinner with Zane would bring to the forefront of her mind the times he’d wined and dined her, along with all the delicious lovemaking afterwards. “I’ll meet you at ten tomorrow for coffee.”
He didn’t try to hide his disappointment. “Where?”
“There’s a great little café Rafe took me to this morning. It’s only a few blocks away.”
Zane’s mouth tightened. He nodded once and abruptly turned to leave.
Winnie’s conscience got the best of her. “Zane.”
He paused in his retreat.
“This isn’t payback. The café serves great coffee and pastries.”
“That’s fine, Win,” he said gruffly without sparing her a glance. “I’ll meet you in the lobby at ten. Enjoy the rest of your day.”
After he left, Winnie played back their conversation. Yes, she’d been more than a little confrontational, but he had to understand, she wasn’t going to be a pushover. He’d hurt her, and if she let him back in, chances were he’d hurt her again. She wasn’t as forgiving as her sisters, Autumn and Summer. She didn’t have it in her to overlook the poor choices Zane made because he was angry. Logic dictated that he’d do something similar if he was upset with her again. And he would definitely become angry with her again because he felt things with a stronger intensity than most.
Deep down, he hadn’t forgiven her for her mistake, and there was no way to rectify it at this late date. Her sincere, tearful apology hadn’t moved him. He’d set out to exact his revenge at the expense of her heart, her self-worth, and her peace of mind. With surprising ease, he succeeded.
Winnie wasn’t likely to put herself in the position to be hurt again. The one thing she needed to do at her first opportunity was to check the Thorne grimoire for a spell to break her bond with Zane. She’d be damned if she’d go her whole life loving the one man who wasn’t worthy of her love.
Dry-eyed and resolved, she conjured a bottle of wine and stepped out on her balcony. Next door, Rafe lounged in a chair.
“Qalbi. I see that you’re upset.”
“The expected visit from Zane.”
“Do you wish to talk about it?”
“No.”
“He’s insane for you.”
She closed her eyes and rested her head back against the top of the seat.
“Would you care for company?”
Winnie smiled without opening her eyes. “Aren’t you company of a sort? You’re only eight feet away.”
“I meant company of another nature.” The suggestive tone left her in little doubt about what type of company he had in mind.
Before she’d hooked up with Zane, this man’s voice alone would’ve had her aroused. The raspy, knowing quality had that effect on women. She’d seen it in the short time they’d been acquainted. Hell, it halfway turned her on now. But she was heart-weary and couldn’t drum up the energy for another romance this soon.
“You tempt me, Rafe. You truly do. But I’ll have to pass.”
“He’s volatile. Be careful.”
She opened her eyes and stared at him across the distance. “Thanks for caring.”
“I find myself liking you more than I should.”
“Why?”
“All you need do is look in the mirror, qalbi. But it’s also more than that. You are beautiful on the inside as well. A rare combination in women.”
She grinned. “You say the nicest things.”
One shoulder lifted in an air of careless dismissal. “I mean them.” He gained his feet and toasted her with his cup. “I’ll leave you to your quiet.”
“Thanks for today.”
“It was entirely my pleasure.”
16
The bright morning sun, diffused by the white curtain, eventually penetrated Winnie’s fog of sleep. Zane’s unique scent of hot chocolate and cinnamon filled her nostrils. With a gesture born of instinct, she reached for him. When her hand came in contact with his chest, she smiled.
“Zane,” she murmured.
His palm settled over the back of her hand, and one finger stroked along the vein located there. She loved waking this way. Loved knowing—wait a minute!
Her eyes flew wide.
Zane lay beside to her with his pale-blond head next to hers on the pillow. His mussed hair said he’d been there awhile, but he didn’t look tired. In fact, he looked fresh and yummy.
A spark of awareness flared to life inside Winnie. One that brought her mind around to other, more intimate, things. She sucked in a breath and did a quick scan of his body. He was fully dressed. She breathed a sigh of relief that she hadn’t slept with him—or at least, she hadn’t had sex with him. Still, it bothered her that in her drunken, wine-induced state from last night, he’d been able to sneak into her bed without waking her.
For reasons unbeknownst to her, she didn’t pull away now. Perhaps she should put it down to early morning brain fog. Their eyes connected and held. His chocolate gaze was adoring. Maybe that’s why she hadn’t freaked out. How did one reject puppy-dog eyes?
“What are you doing here?”
He raised her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “I was worried about you.”
She frowned and lifted her head to peek over his shoulder. The clock showed ten minutes to eleven. “Holy crap!”
“Yeah, when you didn’t meet me in the lobby, I panicked and teleported.”
“What if I’d had company?”
His eyes cooled. “I’d have dealt with that if it happened. My main concern was your welfare. This place isn’t warded, and there’s a crazy man on the loose who has a hard-on for destroying your family.” He tightened his hold on her fingers. “Something you seemed to have forgotten when you took off alone.”
Winnie jerked her hand away and sat up to massage her temples. “I don’t intend to live my life afraid of Zhu Lin, Zane.”
“No one expects you to, Win. But precautions wouldn’t be remiss.”
“Thanks for checking,” she said grudgingly. “I need a shower first, then I’ll meet you in the lobby in fifteen.”
“I could conjure us food here,” he offered as he sat up next to her and hugged his knees.
She could’ve told him at least ten reasons why that idea was terrible, why spending time with him was dangerous to her resolve. Any answer on her part was aborted by a knock on the balcony door. Rafe waited on the other side with two to-go cups of coffee.
“That fucker needs a clue,” Zane growled.
“No, he doesn’t, but you seem to,” she retorted as she padded to the door.
In response, he lay back down and crossed his arms behind his head. One brow lifted in challenge. The sexual pheromones he exuded had Winnie considering forgetting her late-morning visitor and jumping Zane’s bones. She didn’t think he’d be opposed to the idea based on the grin directed toward her.<
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With a regretful internal sigh, Winnie opened the door to Rafe. “Good morning.” She took one of the proffered cups from him and kissed his smooth-shaven cheek. “Thanks for the coffee.”
“You’re welcome, qalbi. I see you have company. Should I leave you alone?”
Zane cut through her “no” with his “yes.”
Without bothering to spare Zane a glance, Winnie smiled at Rafe and repeated, “No.” She took a long sip of her coffee and groaned her appreciation. “Zane was just leaving.”
“No, Zane wasn’t,” the man in question retorted.
“We could always enjoy our coffee on the deck, like yesterday morning,” Rafe suggested.
Zane jackknifed into a sitting position. “I’ll say one thing for you, asshole. You sure work fast.”
Rafe shot him a slow, mocking smile. “With someone as lovely as Helena, one would be a fool not to.”
“Helena?”
“Qalbi, I’m hurt. You didn’t tell him we were married?” Rafe winked down at her.
“You’d better be joking, you knob,” Zane snarled. “Win?”
She rolled her eyes. “When would we have had time to get married, Zane? And for that matter, do you honestly believe I’d be wasting my honeymoon sleeping in a separate suite?”
“Shall we take our coffee outside?” Rafe placed a hand on the swell of her hip.
There was an explosion of movement behind her right before the hand touching her was ripped away. Zane’s muscled arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her back against him.
“The only reason I’m not turning you into a human torch is because Winnie seems to like your smarmy ass. But if you touch her again, all bets are off,” Zane warned.
Winnie could feel his body tremble from his anger where it pressed against her. The heat radiating from his front to her back was enough to scorch her. She stroked a hand along his arm.
“Zane, you need to simmer down and control your power. Please,” she added softly.
