Vicious Seduction

29

I slid my hand around the back of her neck, bringing her wide gaze to mine. “Wouldn’t have given it to you if I wanted it back.” f**k if I didn’t want to kiss her senseless, but I was already swimming in a dangerous cocktail of emotions. The last thing I needed was to confuse the situation any further and end up drowning. I allowed my thumb one slow caress of her cheek before I let my hand fall away. “Time to go.” Our arrival at the club went as expected. While we got drinks at the bar, we were the subject of stares and whispers as word got around about our sudden engagement. I was extra attentive to Lina, but it wasn’t just part of the show. I found myself wanting to be near her to shield her. A tendril of guilt had slithered into my conscience over the position I’d put her in. When I’d switched tactics and coerced her into the relationship, I hadn’t exactly thought through how she might feel about being a spectacle—the girl who’d jumped from one man’s bed to another in a small social circle. It wasn’t a flattering light. In my original plan, she was a witless bit of arm candy who wouldn’t care what others thought as long as she’d secured the biggest fish in the pond. That wasn’t Lina. I didn’t know who she was exactly, but it wasn’t a gold digger. I was even hesitant for her to leave my side when she excused herself to the bathroom before dinner. If I was going to put her in a vulnerable position, the least I could do was protect her as best I could. Had escorting her to the toilet been an option, I would have done it. Though I was glad I hadn’t when her stepfather approached me the moment she disappeared. I was eager to finally meet him. Charles Brooks was the stereotypical result of new money. In the seventies, he’d made his initial fortune from a sizable investment in highrisk, high-yield stocks. From what I’d gathered about the man, he was quick to leave his immigrant parents and modest upbringing in the past. Charles had money, and he liked people to know it. I hadn’t had the opportunity to talk with either of Lina’s parents yet and had been hoping to get the chance. They’d lost her favor in a big way. Now that I knew her better, I suspected I wouldn’t like them either, but I wanted to see for myself. “Charles Brooks.” The waif-like man extended his hand. “We haven’t had the chance to meet.” “Oran Byrne.” Shaking his hand was like holding a cold, wet chicken cutlet. I had to fight back the urge to wipe my hand on my pant leg afterward. “You’re Lina’s stepfather, correct?” “Yes, and I hear congratulations are in order. Quite the surprise.” He lifted his drink in the air, and I mirrored him, though neither of us drank. “Sometimes these things fall into place unexpectedly.” “Good for you. I mean, if you’re the sort who doesn’t have a problem sharing his wife...” His comment wasn’t just in poor taste. It was malicious and condescending. My temper spiked from zero to volcanic in an instant. Thank God I had better control over that sort of thing than many of the men in my family. Charles Brooks might have already been bleeding out by now. Considering how disrespectful he’d been to me and my future wife, that might still be his fate. “What exactly do you mean by that?” I allowed my tone to vibrate with menace. He raised a hand, and his brows lifted to his thinning hairline as though suddenly realizing his unintentional slight. “Oh, nothing to get upset about. I just mean that she’s not … pure, if you know what I mean. I didn’t want you to end up feeling misled down the road.” That was the most f****d-up thing he could have said, and the worst part was, it was a load of bullshit. He’d backed off whatever he meant to imply and had gone with something he thought was docile in comparison. “I wouldn’t expect her to be a virgin at twenty-eight.” Each word was stiff with restraint. “As a man who married a widow with a daughter, I’m surprised you found that sort of thing worth mentioning.” “A widow is different from someone who…” His eyes cut to mine assessingly. “I’ll just say that if your intent is to advance in the club, her presence will only hinder you.” What in the ever-loving f**k was he talking about? Advance in the club? And what was he implying about Lina? My entire body quaked with the need to force some answers out of Charles Brooks. I’d happily break a bone for every minute he made me wait. Remember your goal, dickhead. You’re not here for Lina. This is about Wellington and justice. But if I was out to kill a wasp and happened to uncover an entire nest, why wouldn’t I torch the whole bloody thing? Something was off about the Olympus Club and its members. I started to wonder if Lina’s involvement with Wellington was actually about the club rather than a relationship. If Brook’s statement stood alone, I’d have said he was just a whack-job trying to scare me away from his stepdaughter the best way he knew how. But when I factored in Lina’s odd reluctance to leave Wellington behind and her animosity toward her mother, I couldn’t ignore the likelihood that something was up. “I appreciate the advice,” I said coolly, reining in my temper. “Any other suggestions?” “Not at all. I can see now that you’re the sort of man who can handle himself. I’m sure you and Carolina will be well matched.” His eyes drifted over my shoulder just as an arm hooked around mine possessively. I didn’t have to look to know it was Lina. She fit at my side as though we’d been made as part of a matching set, only just reunited. At almost the same time, Eliza Brooks appeared at her husband’s side like troops rallying behind their commanders. The four of us squared off across from one another. I placed a firm hand over Lina’s where she held my arm. A message to her and her parents. Lina was mine, and I wasn’t about to tolerate any disrespect. Judging by the way Eliza’s blue eyes sparked, she either didn’t get the memo or simply didn’t care. OceanofPDF.com