by HELEN HARDT
Her cheeks reddened, but she parted her lips and licked the cream off my spoon.
My groin tightened.
Damn.
She was so sexy, and she had no fucking clue.
I wanted her badly.
“So?” I asked.
“It’s delicious.”
A smudge of chocolate lay on her upper lip. I leaned in closer, closer…almost…
She backed away abruptly.
“You just have a little…” I brushed the chocolate off with a finger, wishing I were licking it off instead.
“Oh.” Embarrassed again, she dabbed at her lips with her napkin.
I stared at her for a few timeless moments. She was really quite lovely. Her face was a perfect oval and her chin was slightly prominent, giving her an aristocratic profile. Her eyes were big and blue and long-lashed, her nose perfectly aquiline. And those lips. Full and pink and luscious.
“Zee…” I began.
She lifted her eyebrows.
“I’m dying to kiss you right now.”
Her eyes widened, which of course didn’t surprise me.
What did surprise me were the words that had just come out of my mouth. I never asked a woman if I could kiss her. I never even mentioned it. I was a doer. When I wanted to kiss a woman, I did it.
Zee was different, though. I got some signals from her, but I also knew what she’d been through. Even though my original intention had been to seduce her, I was having second thoughts.
And third thoughts and fourth thoughts.
I had faith in my ability to seduce any woman, but for the first time, I wondered if it was really the right thing to do.
It was an odd feeling—considering someone else’s needs.
It disturbed me a little, though I supposed it shouldn’t.
Was I more like my father than I wanted to admit? Not the rape, incest, and murder part, of course, but the “I’ll have what I want at all costs” attitude.
For the first time, I wanted to go slowly with a woman.
Unfortunately, time was not in my favor at the moment. Slowly really wasn’t an option. My family needed Zee. I needed Zee.
But she had needs as well, and they might not align with ours.
She didn’t reply to my statement. Just stared down at our dessert.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I tend to say what’s on my mind.”
She paused a moment. Then, “I’d be lying if that thought hadn’t occurred to me as well.”
My heart jumped. Funny. Normally I’d be all over this, but now? “You seem like you’re not ready to go there, and I want you to know that’s okay. I’ll never push you into anything.”
Damn it all. I meant every word I said.
If she was never ready to go to the police with her story, I’d live with that. I’d find some other way to exonerate my siblings and myself.
“I believe you,” she said.
She was right to. I wasn’t lying.
Then, “About the shoes.”
“That was presumptuous on my part,” I said. “I don’t blame you for returning them.”
Man, I was being so unlike Reid Wolfe. And it felt… Good?
Yeah, it felt good. Considering someone else’s needs felt damned good, especially someone I cared about.
I liked Zee. I really did. And though I knew I wasn’t responsible for my father’s actions, I felt guilt for what he’d put her through. I wanted to make up for it.
“Listen,” I said, “if you need anything—I mean anything—I’m here for you. I know you’ve been through hell at my father’s hands, and if I could erase it all, I would. I wish I could.”
“I’m the lucky one,” she said softly. “I never forget that. There were other women there. Other women who didn’t escape.”
Wow.
Like literally, the word “wow” was audible in my head. All she’d suffered, and her thoughts were with the others who hadn’t made it out of my father’s twisted maze.
Wow.
Without thinking, I covered her hand with mine. “I know. I’m going to make sure they all get justice.”
“How can you? Your father’s dead.”
“But the other guy isn’t. I’m going to see that he pays for what he did to you and those countless others.”
“The other…” She gasped softly. “He’s still…”
“Yes. And there may have been others as well. Do you remember anyone other than those two that you signed the non-disclosure agreement with?”
“It’s hard to say. Those two were always together, but I think… I think there might have been others.”
“If you can remember what they looked like, or whether anyone called them by a name…”
She shook her head. “I’d help you if I could. I’d love to see all of them go down.”
“Does this mean you’ll tell your story?”
She paused another instant. “I didn’t know the priest was still around.”
“He is.”
“Then, I… I really should, shouldn’t I?”
I squeezed her hand slightly—only slightly, so as not to frighten her. Yes, I wanted her to tell her story. But I ultimately wanted what was best for her, even if it didn’t align with what was best for me. Surprising, but no less true.
“It’s up to you, Zee. As I told you, I won’t push.”
17
Zee
He seemed so sincere.
And God, he was so gorgeous!
Sitting here next to him stirred up emotion in me that I’d thought was gone forever.
Then…about my story… I hadn’t thought of the priest. Derek Wolfe was always the leader of the hunt, but the other one… Father James, who’d given me my first communion. Did he remember me? When he looked at me, did he see that eight-year-old girl in a white lace dress? He signed the document I signed. The settlement covered both of them.
He was still around, according to Reid.
He could be caught. Tried. Convicted.
If—and only if—I told my story.
How easy it would be to tell Reid I’d cooperate. Then to let him kiss me if it was what he truly wanted. It certainly was what I wanted.
I hadn’t wanted to kiss a man since long before…
His hand on mine felt good. Like the comfort of a warm blanket on a cold afternoon. As if it were a barrier to the stormy weather.
As if he would protect me.
Part of me wanted to look into his beautiful eyes and tell him I was there for him. That I’d tell my story.
And part of me—that part between my legs—wanted to tell him to kiss me. Yes, please kiss me, and then take me home with you.
I wasn’t ready for the second part, no matter how much my body pleaded with me.
But the first part?
Could I?
Finally, I said simply, “Thank you. For not pushing me.”
“You’re welcome.” He scribbled his signature on the check and shoved his credit card back into his wallet. “Shall we?”
“We didn’t finish dessert,” I said.
He smiled—and oh, it was a dazzling thing to behold. “Please, then.” He nodded toward the dessert.
I kind of wanted him to feed me again, but it dawned on me that he hadn’t yet tasted the chocolate deliciousness. I gathered my courage and dug my spoon into the cream. Then I held it to his lips.
He closed them around the crème brulée, swallowed, and then licked his full lips.
And yes, I imagined that tongue on my flesh.
On intimate parts of my flesh.
He then took another spoonful of the dessert and held it to my mouth.
We spoon-fed each other until the crème brulée was gone.
I’d never experienced anything so intimate in my life.
Feeding each other. Silly, right? Maybe it was the dessert that was so ridiculously decadent. Or maybe it was the fact that a handsome man was feeding me.
But honestly?
The i
ntimacy came from the bond I didn’t realize I’d formed with Reid Wolfe.
I wasn’t ready for it. Maybe never would be.
But it was there, and it was as real as anything in my life.
His gaze burned me with hot blue flames. I couldn’t be imagining this intimacy.
Could I?
I patted my napkin to my lips. “Thank you for dinner. I haven’t eaten a meal so good in a long time.”
“You’re welcome, Zee.” He smiled that dazzling smile once more. “I enjoyed myself.”
“I’m sorry about…”
“About what?”
“About dragging Mo along. The truth is she wanted to meet you. And I didn’t think this was a date or anything. I mean, I know it wasn’t a date, and I—”
He touched his fingers to my lips to stop my babbling. For that was what I was doing. Nervous babbling.
“I enjoyed meeting your friend”—he dragged his finger over my jawline, making me shiver—“but this was a date.”
My cheeks grew hot. Really hot. I didn’t want to think about how red they undoubtedly were.
“I’d like to see you again while I’m in town,” Reid continued.
“I’ll… I’ll be working.”
“I know.” He continued his path with his finger, letting it meander onto my neck. “My loss.”
“I’m… You know… Free in the morning.” Already I wanted to smack myself. I slept in each morning. Much needed sleep.
“What about breakfast tomorrow, then?” he said.
“Maybe brunch would be better.”
“Brunch would be great. The Wolfe has a wonderful brunch buffet. I’ll send a car for you at, say, ten?”
“All right.” I grabbed my phone. “That should work well. I want to try to get in with my stylist sometime before my call.”
“Your call?”
“Not a phone call,” I explained. “A call means what time a person has to be at the theater for a show.”
“Got it,” he said. “Ten it is, then. Expect a car at your place, and when you arrive we’ll enjoy the Wolfe’s famous brunch.”
“I… That sounds…nice.” At least I didn’t stutter.
“Are you ready, then?”
I nodded. He slid out of the booth and then offered his hand. When I took it, warmth slid through me. Warmth coupled with sparks of energy.
This had been a date in his eyes. A date.
I’d just had a date with a billionaire. A billionaire who wanted something from me, yes, but a billionaire who also said he wouldn’t push me.
I liked him, so I chose to take him at his word.
I hoped very much I wouldn’t regret it.
18
Reid
The limo pulled in front of Zee’s building, and I walked her to the elevator.
“I told you, that thing hasn’t worked in—”
I pressed the button, and the elevator whizzed to life.
Her eyebrows popped upward. “What’s going on?”
“I made a phone call earlier today. No more climbing all those stairs, though for a dancer I’m sure four flights aren’t anything.”
We rode up to her floor and then walked to her apartment. She fumbled in her purse, and when she found her key, I took it from her.
“I don’t think I’m ready to say goodnight yet,” I said.
She reddened, the rosiness so lovely in her cheeks.
I slid the key into the keyhole and unlocked the deadbolt. “But I think you are ready to say goodnight, so goodnight, Zee.” I handed the key back to her.
She shoved it in her purse, and then she met my gaze. “Maybe I’m not ready to say goodnight either.”
This time I lifted my brows. “Oh?”
“You said…”
“Yes?”
“I’m… I’m not inviting you in. I mean, I share a bedroom with Mo. And I’m not—”
I touched her lips softly to stop her. “I’m not asking for anything like that.”
She slid her tongue between her lips, inadvertently touching my finger.
And damn, I got harder than ever. I moved my hand away quickly.
“What are you asking for, then?”
“Just this.” I leaned in and brushed my lips lightly over hers.
She stumbled slightly, and I steadied her, gripping her shoulders. Had I gone too far?
Funny, this tiny kiss had me turned on all the way down to my toes. I was hard as a fucking rock for her. Just being near her. Just kissing her lightly. Man, what would happen when she let me slide my tongue between her lips?
Between her legs?
Just the thought had my dick pulsing inside my pants.
“I… I have to go in.”
I nodded and turned the doorknob. “Goodnight. The limo will be by for you at ten.”
“Thank you. And…goodnight.” She leaned toward me and brushed her lips over my cheek. “Goodnight,” she said again and then disappeared through her doorway like a flash.
The spot where she’d kissed my cheek stayed warm as I rode back to my hotel.
After dealing with the boner Zee had left me with, I sat down at my computer. It was nearly two a.m., but we had people working around the clock, and I wanted to see what Rock’s phone records showed.
First things first, though. I reserved a spot for brunch at ten thirty.
Then, onto business.
Sure enough, a phone call had gone into Rock’s Montana landline at the exact date and time Nieves had recorded.
And—
I gulped.
It had come from my business landline at the office.
I had not made that fucking call.
Which meant…
Someone who had access to my office had.
The call had come in during the day. Okay, easy enough. Where had I been that day? I traveled frequently, so there was a good chance I hadn’t even been in New York, in which case I could easily prove I hadn’t made the call.
I wrote a quick email to Terrence for him to check my whereabouts on the date and then rattled off another email to my siblings about the findings.
We hadn’t had any idea our father was about to be murdered. If we had? I don’t know what we would have done, but we hadn’t known, so the question wasn’t of any consequence.
Unfortunately, I still needed the rest of Nieves’s story. I’d asked Rock to contact her, as he knew her better than I did, but I hadn’t heard yet if he’d been successful. She was no doubt tending to her sister at the moment.
Who next?
Rock’s biker friends, Hoss and Manny, came to my mind. Rock had sworn they were good guys, but I wasn’t buying. They both skated between the lines of good ethics, especially Hoss. We’d already established that. I had a hunch they were involved in this mess more than we knew.
Then of course, there was Father Jim.
Disgusting and psychopathic Father Jim.
Obviously, he couldn’t be ruled out. Derek Wolfe had no doubt taken care of him over the years, but was the priest in a position to order a hit?
A hit cost money.
A lot of money.
Even more money to make sure several parties could be implicated, which had happened.
Father Jim might have had my father’s contacts, but would he have had the required money?
I didn’t know.
We’d already checked his financials. He made a modest income as the priest of St. Andrew’s, but we knew better than to take that at face value. He probably had money hidden somewhere. Our PIs were looking into it.
Did Father Jim even have a motive? Dad had taken care of him all those years. Why would he want to off his meal ticket? And his ticket to both of their repulsive appetites? Surely Jim couldn’t continue the “hunt” on his own.
Nausea crept up my throat.
How had we all been so blind to what our father was truly capable of?
Rock and Riley hadn’t been blind.
Molesting our sister was horrible eno
ugh. None of us had foreseen what he was ultimately capable of.
Zee.
Sweet and beautiful Zee.
One of my father’s many victims, and the only one—that we knew of—who had lived to tell the tale.
The tale we needed her to tell.
I’d said I wouldn’t push her, and I meant it. Oddly, my siblings, especially Riley, didn’t want me to push her either. I’d planned to seduce her and get what I wanted.
But those plans had gone to hell when I realized that…
I sighed.
That I liked her. I cared for her. I didn’t want to do anything to make her uncomfortable. My father had already done enough to her for ten lifetimes.
I wasn’t used to feeling this way. I loved women. Loved seducing women. Bedding women. But I’d never been in love. Women had always been playthings for me, and most of them were okay with that. I wined and dined them, and all was good.
Until Zee.
Zee, who refused my gift of expensive shoes.
Most women—at least the women in my circles—wouldn’t have.
Zee was clearly not most women.
And I liked that.
I liked that a lot.
I yawned as I shut down my computer. I didn’t need a lot of sleep, but it was time to call it a day. I had a meeting at eight with the contractor, and then I had brunch with Zee two hours later.
I brushed my teeth, undressed, and slid between the satin sheets of my king-sized bed.
Wishing a certain showgirl were snuggled up next to me.
19
Zee
My stylist wasn’t answering. I shoved my phone back into my purse as the limo navigated the streets of Las Vegas, delivering me to my brunch with Reid.
I’d slept well, which surprised me. No nightmares. No tossing and turning. And even though my alarm went off earlier than usual, I awoke with energy and a smile on my face.
Very unlike me.
I wasn’t complaining. Reid Wolfe had kissed me last night. A sweet kiss. A kiss that said, “I won’t push you.”
I’d searched the internet a few times in the last couple days. Reid had no shortage of beautiful women at his disposal, most of whom probably jumped right into bed with him.
