Chapter 12
Chapter
12
She was opening the doors of the sitting
room when he caught up with her.
Clamping his hand on her arm, he spun her
around, his eyes smoldering.
"I don't know what this is."
"It's nothing."
"Hell it isn't!" His frustration
was ripe, fingers digging into her skin. "Have dinner with me.
Tonight."
"I can't-"
"Please. There is this apartment
building we're refurbishing-" He closed his eyes briefly. "It's
so far unoccupied. We could have dinner and talk."
"About?"
"This. What we're going to do. I want
you." He added abruptly, the words appeared to be wrenched from
his mouth. "Even after having you just now, I want you still."
His fingers dug into her arm. "I cannot understand what the hell
is happening." He hauled her up against him and took her mouth
savagely-ruthlessly.
She clung and felt her body melting into
his. She ached for him. Not just the physical, but the emotional. She
wanted him like she had never wanted another human being before. The
realization that she had fallen helplessly and hopelessly in love
with him did not surprise her. She wanted to erase the hurt and pain
of his past.
Wrenching his mouth from hers, he stumbled
back, gray eyes darkened, a harsh expression on his face. He wanted
to touch her, but knew if he did, he would be dragging her to his bed
and insisting on her staying the night.
It frightened him. This was new and he had
no idea how to deal. He was out of his depth and pissed that this one
slender woman had upended his life.
Pacing away from the door, he brooded.
Spinning back to her, he studied the passionate face. He had stripped
her lips of artifice and plundered until it was swollen.
"I will text you the address," he
said abruptly, keeping his hands in his pockets.
"Am I to be your dirty little secret?"
she asked sweetly. She would not dream of saying no to meeting him
later, but she did not want to appear too eager. She knew
instinctively that Jack Hadley had the power to cause immense pain.
And even if she had not discovered that she had fallen in love with
him, she had seen the way that blonde gazed at him hopefully. He had
either not noticed or cared.
She was not going to fall into the category
of being one of his many conquests.
His eyes glowered at that.
If she had expected him to be diplomatic,
she was in for a big surprise. "For now, yes. Is that a
problem?"
Hiding the ache spreading inside her, she
turned away and reached for the door handle. His hand clamped on her
arm again and spun her around. Zuri felt the thud of fear when she
saw the banked fury in his eyes.
"What the hell do you want me to say?"
he demanded. "That this is a relationship?"
Lifting her chin, she managed a cold,
haughty look, her own eyes flashing.
"I don't think you're capable of any
such thing." She tried to wrench her arm free, but he evaded her
effort with humiliating ease.
"Let go of me."
"Will I see you later?"
She was about to tell him to go to hell
when she noticed the whiteness of strain around his lips. It occurred
to her that he was having a hard time navigating this situation they
found themselves in. The passion was clearly there. Each time they
were around each other, it was as if someone had lit a match to an
active fuse.
"Yes."
He struggled to keep his expression
neutral, even while the relief flooding his entire system. He told
himself that he would have respected her wishes if she said no, but
he knew that was not the case. The urge to be with her was so
intense, it was making him weak. He had no idea what was happening
between them but was wise enough to know that this was huge. And he
was afraid.
Letting go of her, even though he wanted to
kiss her again, he stepped back and spoke briskly. "Good, see
you tomorrow."
"Tell Jason, I will call him."
He nodded and stood there as she walked out
of the room.
He did not move for a few minutes. His body
was primed and tensed, his mind swirling with thoughts of her. She
had left her perfume behind, but even if that was not the case, he
was filled with her. He could still feel her wrapped around him.
Swearing softly, he slammed the door shut
and made his way to the bathroom. A shower might help.
As the water cascaded over his body, he
closed his eyes and tried to clear his mind. But the sensation of her
touch, the intensity of their encounter, seemed to cling to him like
the droplets on his skin. He was consumed by thoughts of her, unable
to shake the feeling that had taken root deep within him.
He had never intended to let anyone get
this close; to pierce the armor he had built so meticulously over the
years. Yet she had done just that, slipping through the cracks and
embedding herself in his very being. He knew he was in trouble. This
wasn't just a fleeting attraction; it was something much more
profound, something that frightened him as much as it exhilarated
him.
Emerging from the shower, he toweled off
and dressed mechanically, his mind still locked on her. He had to see
her again, had to understand what was happening between them. Was
this just a passing storm, or something that would alter the course
of their lives forever?
Dragging restless fingers through his hair,
he felt the desperate need for a cigar. He had given up the habit
years ago, but for the first time in a while, he felt the pressing
need for one. It might help to calm his nerves. And also help to
control the terrible yearning that was churning inside his body.
Uttering several curses, he made his way to
his son's room.
Jason sat up straight as his father walked
into the room, peering behind his back.
"She had to run. Said to tell you, she
will call," Jack stood there in the middle of the room and felt
the ugly memories assailing him. This had been his bedroom when he
was growing up and being in here was giving him an itch.
"Did you say something to make her
leave?"
Forcing the memories away, he gave the boy
his attention. "No. She just had to leave." He moved to sit
on the edge of the bed and gave the boy a contemplative look.
"You have a crush on her."
Jason felt the blush staining his cheeks
and cursed himself for the lack of control. No doubt his father would
despise him for allowing his feelings to surface like that. Something
he was certain; Jack Hadley would never allow to happen to him.
"I like her," he responded
mutinously. Plucking at the sheets, he did not notice the slight
smile curving his father's lips.
"I take it, she's your first crush?"
Jason's eyes lifted in astonishment. The
tone was mellow and the expression on the man's face was not one he
was used to seeing. For a minute, all he could do was stare. It took
him another few seconds to realize that he had not answered the
question.
"Er-yes. No," he shook his head
in confusion.
"Which is it? Yes or no?"
"It's not a crush."
Jack's brows lifted. "Are you afraid
I'm going to punish you for it? You're a young man and she's
beautiful. It's natural for you to notice." He rose and walked
over to the smooth mahogany chest of drawers. The furnishings were
more or less the same with a few additions.
"This used to be my room," he
murmured absently.
Jason watched him curiously, suddenly
feeling the unease as the tension built. His grandmother had told him
some of what his father had gone through.
"I know."
Jack passed a hand over the smooth surface
slowly. There was a slight nick in the wood where his father had
heaved a heavy crystal ashtray at him. He remembered the incident
clearly. He had been studying for a test that was coming up the next
morning when his father came in without knocking as usual. The
contention had been a spillover from the day before. Something to do
with a birthday party he wanted to attend.
Jack had made the mistake of defying the
old man and had paid for it in spades.
"Dad?"
Shaking his head, he turned to look at the
boy propped up on the pillows, a concerned look on his face. Not for
the first time did he notice the uncanny resemblance between them,
but it was the first time he felt actual pride.
Shaking his head again, he went to the edge
of the bed and reached out a hand, touching him briefly on the arm.
"Sleep well." With that, he left the room, with Jason
staring after him in astonishment and hope.
*****
She was not so nonchalant when she got
home. In fact, she had shed that layer as soon as she entered the
car. Her hands gripped the steering wheel, and it took her a few
minutes to gather her composure so she could drive out of the long,
curving driveway. Nothing made an impression on her-not the sweeping
magnificence of the manicured lawn, with the lush green grass cut in
such a precise manner, it was as if the gardener had used a ruler to
get the exact measurement. Nor the rioting blooms of
flowers-oleanders, baby's breath, patches of rose bushes and the palm
trees waving in the breeze.
The windows were closed against the stiff
spring breeze that had sprung up and because of the close confines,
she could scent his cologne on her. She had managed to twist her hair
into some semblance of order but could not get rid of the scent. It
smelled woodsy and masculine-pure animal magnetism, something she
associated with him.
And she could not stop shaking. She had
agreed to see him tomorrow night, which meant she was going to have
to make up some excuses to her brother. She could not
very well tell him that she was having a secret assignation with Jack
Hadley. He would no doubt think she had gone completely and utterly
mad. And he would probably disown her and never speak to her again.
Easing out a breath, she shied away from
thinking ahead. Jack Hadley was not your regular Joe. He was never
going to offer her marriage and a family. She had seen the bafflement
on his hard and cynical face and the fact that he resented what he
felt for her.
He undoubtedly thought she was not good
enough for him. He was from a long line of wealth and prestige, while
she-Blowing out another long breath, she navigated the heavy traffic
and concentrated on the road.
She was the daughter of a bar owner and was
running that bar herself. It did not matter that she had gone to
college and had degrees in administration and art. They were leagues
apart and that was what he would look at. What people in his society
would see.
That's why he had suggested the empty
apartment building. She was not good enough to go out in public with.
She should tell him to go to hell and never see him again. But she
knew it was too late for that. She was hooked. First with the son and
now with the father. And she was yearning to have them both in her
life. She wanted to be a mother to that sweet boy and a-her thought
reared back.
"Stop it!" she whispered
fiercely. "You're a sophisticated woman of the world who can
deal with just having a physical relationship with a man. Stop trying
to complicate things by thinking
long-term. Just enjoy the ride and be smart about it. The man is
never going to fall in love with you."
Biting back a sigh, she drove into the lot
and turned the engine off.
She sat in the car for a moment, letting
the silence envelop her. The echoes of her worries filled the air,
but she pushed them aside. Determined not to let her emotions dictate
her actions, she stepped out and made her way into her apartment.
The solitude of her room provided a
semblance of comfort. As she undressed, her thoughts wandered back to
Jack Hadley. She couldn't deny the allure he held, nor the magnetic
pull she felt towards him. But beneath the surface of attraction lay
a tumultuous sea of uncertainty and fear. She had to remind herself
that this was purely physical, no matter how much her heart yearned
for more.
After a quick shower, she wrapped herself
in a towel, contemplating the decisions she had made. Was she foolish
to think that anything meaningful could come from this? The image of
Jack's stern face flashed in her mind. He was a man of status,
wealth, and power, while she was just a simple bar owner's daughter.
Yet, there was a part of her that refused to give up on the
possibility of something deeper.
She was rubbing cream into her skin when
the knock sounded on the door. Before she could issue the command to
come in, it was pushed open and her brother filled the doorway, one
broad shoulder resting against the jamb.
"So, you came back."
Sliding her gaze away from him, she
continued her task, meticulously smoothing the thick cream into her
skin.
"I don't want to fight."
"Then you should stop trying to piss
me off," he looked up when he came into the room and closed the
door with a snap. "You left me in the middle of a very busy hour
Zuri, with just the hurried assurance that you would be back shortly.
And on top of it, you did not even bother to come back onto the
floor. We had a wrestling match that you implemented and were not
here to see it through."
"How did it go? Was I right in
thinking that Samuel held his own?"
He simply sent her a furious glance as he
came and sat on the edge of her bed. She worried him. Ever since she
met that boy, she has been distracted, her mind not on her tasks. Oh,
she efficiently and faithfully prepared the books every day and saw
to the invoices, but she was spaced out, her mind not here. And
tonight, she had raced out when she received that phone call.
"Are you still interested in what we
do here?"
She turned around on the vanity stool and
sent him a cool look. Snagging the lapels of the robe around her, she
started on her feet. It was a nightly ritual with her. This rubbing
the scented cream into her skin. She had a flawless complexion, which
was genetics, but she took care of it religiously. A woman in her
thirties would soon be a woman in her fifties and so forth. And she
was yet to have a steady relationship.
"I cannot believe you asked me that.
Am I not here every single day, slaving over blasted paperwork?"
His thick brows lifted. "Is that how
it is now? Slaving?"
She gave an exasperated snort. Capping the
cream, she put it away. "You always know that I hate to do
paperwork, but it's part and parcel of the entire operation and I am
damn good at it. I do more than my fair share around here and if I
have to run out to attend to something personal, I should not be
begrudged. You have been disappearing almost every night to God knows
where and do you hear me saying anything?" She threw up slender
hands encased in bright blue silk. "No. I don't harass you or
interrogate you about it, because you're a grown ass man and I happen
to be a grown ass woman. Yes, I missed the match that I set up, but
so what? Jason was not feeling well-"
"And as his mother, you had to rush
off to see to him. Don't you realize what's going on here?"
"Nothing is going on," she
muttered. "I like the kid."
"And his old man?"
The question had her jolting a little and
she prayed that he had not noticed.
"He's not old."
He studied her exquisite face for a minute
and felt the fear spiking. Jazmine had said something to him about
sparks flying between her and Hadley and he had shrugged it off. But
now he was wondering about it.
"Are you interested in the guy?"
"What guy?" She wished she had
not braided her hair yet; it would give her something to do with her
hands.
"Don't play games with me," he
snapped.
Her temper came to the fore. "Stop
treating me like a child."
"Then stop behaving like one. It
occurred to me that it might not be only the kid, but the father as
well. And if that's the case, you're a complete idiot." His eyes
were glowing with temper. "That man is way out of your league.
Yes, you're by far the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, and I
am not saying it because you're my sister. I am
a man, and I admire beauty. So is Hadley. But he has a reputation for
discarding women like yesterday's newspaper." He made a broad
sweep of his hand to encompass her tidy space. "We live on top
of a bar. Yes, we're doing pretty well, but the man is a fricking
money king! And not a nice one at that." His eyes bored into
hers as if he was trying to get at the truth.
Everything he said to her resonated and
sent shards of pain slicing into her heart. She had thought those
very things herself.
"You're getting ahead of yourself."
It took considerable effort for her to rise gracefully as if she had
no care in the world, while her heart was weeping. "I am just
concerned about the kid and that's it." She moved around the
room, taking up bits and pieces of clothing to put them in the
hamper. "I am sure you are running late for whatever it is you
do at this time of the night, and I am tired. I have inventory to do
early in the morning." She gave him a pointed look before
swinging her gaze to the door.
He rose and stood there looking at her for
a few minutes. "If he hurts you, he answers to me. I don't give
a crap about his money or status. If he breaks your heart, I am going
to make his life a living hell."
"I need sleep." Her voice
threatened to break, and she could feel the tears threatening.
He continued to look at her for another few
seconds before turning away and heading out without saying another
word. Zuri did something she had not done in a very long time. She
rushed forward and locked the door, sliding down and burying her face
between her knees.
Her tears flowed silently, soaking the silk
robe she had wrapped around herself. Zuri felt the weight of her
brother's words pressing down on her, squeezing her heart and making
it difficult to breathe. Firming her lips, she lifted her head. She
was allowing her doubts and her brother's words to drive her crazy.
And she was stepping ahead of herself. There was no need to jump off
the damn cliff. She was an adult and had been taking care of herself
since God knows when. She was not some na?ve schoolgirl who was
easily dazzled. She could hold her own. Pushing herself up, she made
a vow. Jack Hadley was going to fall in love with her. She was not a
damn victim after all.
*****
Sitting on his balcony, Jack ground out the
half-smoked cigar in the ashtray on the table next to the chaise
lounge. He was restless, irritated and angry. He had emotions
churning inside him that were unfamiliar. And his bed was empty. So
was his bloody life, he mused. For the first time he was thinking
beyond work and the simple yet fleeting pleasure of taking a willing
woman to bed.
Ever since he had met Zuri Bennett, the
woman had turned his life into one big ball of flaming hell and
indecision. He was not used to that. Right now, he was sitting and
mooning like a damn schoolboy. It would not do, he decided savagely.
Some ground rules had to be set, and she had better bloody well abide
by them.