The Devil's Kiss, page 12
“Then do the right thing. Let me go.”
“So you want me to let you out of our contract, but I’m supposed to keep paying for Eve’s medical bills?”
“Haven’t I paid enough? You’ve put me through hell and you know it.”
“I’ll do it under one condition.”
His words stunned me, but then suspicion set in. “What do you want?”
The edge of his mouth turned up. “I already told you what I want.”
He wanted me. “Why, Gage? I don’t understand. You could have any woman you wanted.”
“Not any woman,” he said wryly.
And that was it. I was the forbidden fruit on the tree, though why he’d placed me into that category was unclear. If he’d approached me like a decent human being, I might have liked him. Now all he had going for him was my chemical reaction to him. It was just sex—really fantastic sex mixed with really horrific pain. “I’ll ask again, what do you want from me?”
“I want your trust.”
“Are you kidding me?”
He shook his head and stared at the scattered papers on his desk. “I’m a jealous man, Kayla. I don’t like sharing. But I admit that I went too far with you.”
“Is this the part where I tell you it’s okay?” I’d locked my anger away too long, and now it exploded in a rare display of fury. I stalked across the room and swiped the papers from his desk. Even his computer crashed to the floor, but I couldn’t bring myself to care. “I don’t like being raped, but that didn’t matter to you.”
He tensed, and for a moment I was sure he was going to explode. He stared at me for several long moments before speaking. “A part of you does like it, or you’d walk away right now.”
I opened my mouth but nothing came out.
“Eve is getting better,” he said. “I could stop paying for her care and she’d still recover.” He leaned forward. “So why are you still here, Kayla?”
My mouth hung open, a dozen replies forming on my tongue, but the truth gagged me.
I didn’t know why I was still there.
“Give me one more weekend. We’ll leave the contract behind.”
“And if I say no?”
He shrugged. “Well, if you’d rather carry out the rest of your six weeks, I guess I can punish you now for your blatant disobedience.”
I clenched my teeth. “One weekend, then I’m free?”
He nodded. “One weekend, and then you’re free.”
25
Rain pelted my windows as I sat in my car, debating on whether or not to knock on Jody’s door, but I was here so I might as well get it over with. I reached for the door handle but snapped my hand back when two people emerged from her house. The sight of Rick speared through me, and I gripped the steering wheel as the fight or flight instinct kicked in. He grabbed her in a way that was too familiar; hands gripping her hair so she couldn’t move while he kissed her, his body trapping her between him and her front door. A passerby would see two people locked in a passionate embrace, but I saw it for what it was. Possession—the same kind Gage had wielded over me. He and Rick were made of the same cloth.
They finally broke apart, and the heat boiling in my stomach wasn’t born of jealousy. I pitied the poor woman who fell for Rick’s charm, for his crooked, boyish smile that was bright enough to disguise the viciousness lurking within him. No, it was hatred that set my blood afire; hatred for the man who’d taken my innocence and trust and had used them to shatter me. Flesh wounds heal—even the evidence of the beating Gage had issued would disappear—but the damage inflicted on the soul would last a lifetime.
Never taking my eyes off them, I dialed Ian’s number.
“Hi…” I said once he’d answered. “It’s me.”
His sigh came over the line. “I was so worried. Why’d you ignore my calls?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know.” Only I did. My confrontation with Gage still lingered, as did the questions he’d asked that I had no answers to. Rick finally broke away from Jody, and I sank down in my seat as he crossed the street to where a shiny BMW was parked. If that wasn’t evidence of Gage Channing’s money, I wasn’t sure what was.
“Are you okay?” Ian asked.
I hesitated, searching for an answer that wasn’t total BS. “Okay” was difficult to define. “Yeah…I’m at Jody’s. Gage said she’s also responsible for the embezzlement.”
“Jesus, Kayla. You can’t trust anything he says.”
“I know, but Rick just left her house, so something is definitely up. I’m gonna talk to her.” I waited until the BMW disappeared around the corner before opening my door.
“I called the PI. He didn’t find anything else.” His frustration was obvious.
“Thanks for trying. I’ll call you after I talk to her.” I ended the call as I darted across the street, keeping my head ducked low against the rain. And then I found myself facing her much too soon. I opened my mouth, but no words came out.
“Kayla? What are you doing here?”
“I need to talk to you.”
She stepped back and opened the door wide. “Come in.”
“Thanks.” I stepped inside, and I didn’t miss the worried glance she sent down the street as she closed the door. I’d met her shortly after my wedding, and at one time we’d been close. Now there was a huge divide between us, only I hadn’t realized how far apart we’d drifted until now. I hadn’t realized the divide was Rick himself. There was no point in beating around the bush. “I saw you with Rick.”
She swallowed hard, and her attention landed on anything other than me; the plush burgundy runner on the floor, the large poinsettia plant on the hutch in the foyer, even her own reflection in the oversized mirror. “I don’t know what to say…”
“Why don’t you start with the truth? Why is Rick blackmailing Gage?”
Her gaze jerked to mine. “What are you talking about?”
“Don’t play dumb. I know about the embezzlement. Gage told me you were involved.” I still wasn’t sure if I believed him, but I had nothing else to go on.
She crossed her arms. “Gage Channing is crazy. You can’t trust anything he tells you.”
“How about his financial records? Should I trust those? The evidence doesn’t lie, Jody. Money went into Rick’s account, and it coincides with Gage’s statements.” I wondered how long her affair with Rick had been going on. Had she been sleeping with him while he’d been married to me? “Since I just saw Rick leave here, I’m going to assume Gage was telling the truth.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Look, I know this must be a shock to find out about Rick and me this way, but—”
“It’s more than a shock—it’s crazy! Jody, do you have any idea what he’s capable of?”
She pursed her lips. “It’s been three years. I thought you’d be over him by now.”
I was sure my eyes bulged. “You think I’m still hung up on the man who beat the shit out of me?” I took a step toward her. “How long has this been going on? Has he hit you yet?”
Jody shuffled back and wrapped her arms around herself. “He’s changed. He never meant to hurt you.”
I arched my brows. “Really?”
“He told me what happened. You don’t have to be ashamed—a lot of women suffer from postpartum depression and do things they regret.”
I stared at her, incredulous. “This should be good. Please, enlighten me—what bullshit did he feed you?”
“It’s in the past.” She shook her head. “I know you’d never try to hurt yourself or your daughter under normal circumstances, and obviously you got the help you needed—”
“Obviously,” I snapped, folding my arms. “I can’t believe you’re buying into his lies.”
“He wouldn’t lie to me. He loves me.”
I almost snorted. “Rick doesn’t love anyone.”
“He loves me, and he loves Eve. You can’t keep him from her forever. He already lost a year and half in prison.”
I blinked, struggling to form a reply to such a crazy statement. “He should have been locked away a lot longer for what he did to me.” His expensive attorney had gotten him a lenient plea bargain, otherwise he’d still be in jail, and I’d still be safe from the threat of him. “How long has it been going on?” I asked.
She studied the purple nail polish on her toes. “Since before you guys split. I’m sorry. I never meant to hurt you, Kayla.”
“You’re going to be the sorry one. Rick is rotten underneath his appeal.” I headed toward the door and opened it. “Tell him if he comes anywhere near Eve, I’ll have him thrown in jail again.”
Her expression iced over. “It’s not fair to keep him from her. He just wants to be part of her life—we both do.”
“Over my dead body.” I slammed the door behind me, and Ian called before I reached my car. He started talking the instant I answered.
“I’m going on my lunch break now. Can I come over? I need to see you.”
“I need time, Ian.” I slid in behind the wheel and slumped in my seat. Letting him past my defenses that morning had been a mistake.
“Why do you keep shutting me out?”
“I don’t want to shut you out, but…”
“But what?”
I’m ashamed.
“I’ve got some stuff to sort out. I’m sorry.” I hung up, shut off my phone, and headed to the hospital to spend the rest of my day with Eve. And I prayed to God Ian would stick to the wing he worked in.
26
Eve’s doctor gave me the best Christmas present I could’ve hoped for. My baby was coming home in two weeks.
I must have cried happy tears for an hour straight, and thankfully Eve was too preoccupied with opening her gifts and visiting with Santa to notice that her mother was a basket case. Only this time I was a basket case in the best sense of the word; I hadn’t been this happy in months.
So of course Gage would have to ruin my Christmas with his mere presence.
“Merry Christmas,” he said, nodding toward Santa as the big guy in red and white exited Eve’s room. Gage shut the door and took the empty seat on the opposite side of her bed.
I gawked at him as he began removing presents—all of them wrapped in shiny paper splashed with Santa’s reindeer and adorned with fancy bows. I wondered if he’d wrapped them himself or if he’d paid the department store to do it for him. He smiled at Eve, a grin so huge and unguarded that I did a double take. When she sat up and grinned back, something within me unleashed. I bolted from my chair and pulled him away from her.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing here?”
He had the nerve to look offended. “It’s Christmas. What do you think I’m doing here?”
“Mommy! Can I open them?”
“Of course you can,” he answered before I was able to. “I brought them especially for you.”
I glared at him. “I won’t let you use her to get to me. I don’t want you anywhere near her.” I lowered my voice amidst Eve’s enthusiastic package-opening. “Do you understand? She’s off-limits to your sick games. You can play them with me all you want, but you’d better leave her out of it.” If I hadn’t been so worked up myself, I would have been alarmed by the fury that crossed his face.
His gaze darted behind me, and I turned around and noticed Eve’s curious expression. He grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the door. “I need to talk to your mom. Merry Christmas, Eve.” He practically dragged me from her room, and I saw him strain under the effort it took to keep from slamming the door. He moved against me, both arms trapping me between him and the wall.
“Let me go. This is not the place.”
“Don’t you think I realize that?” He ground his teeth. “Let’s get something straight right now.” He leaned even closer and spoke to me nose-to-nose. “I would never…never…hurt Eve.”
“You expect me to believe that after the last beating you gave me?”
He buried his face in the hollow of my shoulder, and I felt him inhale deeply. “If I could take it back, I would.”
I went still. I’d guessed he was dealing with some amount of guilt, but I never thought he’d admit it. “Why’d you do it?” I squeezed the question past my constricted throat.
“Get your hands off her.”
Gage pushed away from the wall and glanced at Ian, who looked ready to greet him with his fists. “Dr. Kaplan,” he said, his tone unworried. He returned his attention to me, as if Ian’s presence didn’t matter. “Next weekend, Kayla. I’ll pick you up at seven.” He brushed his lips across my cheek. “Wear something sexy.” My face flamed, both from anger and embarrassment as he took off down the hall.
“What is he talking about?”
I studied the worn carpet. “He said he’d let me out of the contract if I gave him one more weekend.”
“And you believe him?”
I was tired of trying to figure everyone out, of trying to understand my own reactions to a man whose presence should send me running in the opposite direction. “I don’t know what to believe.”
“He’s gotten under your skin.”
I wanted to deny it, but it’d be a lie. Gage had gotten under my skin, only I hadn’t realized to what extent until now. Until Ian had thrown the truth in my face. Gage hadn’t just cast the line; I’d opened my mouth and let him hook me.
Ian let out a curse. “After everything he’s done, how can you have feelings for him?”
“I don’t.” I stepped back against the wall and folded my arms.
“Then why are you agreeing to this?”
“It seems like the best way out.”
“You could go to the police. It’s not too late.”
“Not if Jody’s involved.” It didn’t matter if she’d betrayed me as a friend. I wouldn’t drag her through this situation. “It’s only one more weekend, and then it’ll be over.”
He dropped his head. “I can’t talk you out of this, can I?”
I silently pleaded for him to talk me out of it, to pull me back, because I feared Gage had me in his sights and there was nowhere to hide. Nowhere for me to go but downhill from here, and what really sucked was how familiar this path was.
So was the same sense of helplessness I felt.
His composure fell apart, and he leaned against the wall, his arm hiding his face. “This is my fault. I did this.” Before I could refute or question his claim, he pushed away from the wall. “I’ve gotta go.”
He bolted down the hall, and I felt more confused than ever.
27
The week sped by too fast. Ian was obviously avoiding me, something I had to admit was a relief. Gage and I barely spoke, another source of relief. He’d kept me busy at work with tasks that kept me out of the office for the majority of the workday, and I spent my nights at the hospital with Eve.
I’d been a nervous wreck all week. I couldn’t help but wonder what Gage had planned for me at the week’s end, and considering how he’d chosen New Year’s Eve to begin our last weekend together, I couldn’t deny I was edgy…and curious.
Now as I slipped into a red halter dress, I recognized something was different about this weekend. Gage had told me on Wednesday that he was taking me out of town—not far in case Eve needed me—which only heightened the nervous flutters in my gut. I prepared my hair and put on my makeup. He hadn’t even arrived yet, but I sensed it; this weekend was significant, only I didn’t know why. It felt more like a date. I floundered at the thought, but I didn’t have time to dwell on it. A knock sounded on the door.
The reality of his arrival trembled through me. The idea that he wanted my trust was absurd. It didn’t matter how much I warred with myself—I would always remember the brutality of his hands. I took a deep breath and opened the door. He wore a dark suit, black on smoke gray, and he’d left the tie at home. He’d unfastened the top two buttons of his collar. I stumbled back a little. He looked good enough to eat, though taking a bite of that would likely poison me.
His wandering gaze heated, and I was certain he’d already undressed me in his head. “Are you ready to go?”
With a nod, I picked up the overnight bag I’d left by the door. “Where are we going?”
“You’ll see.” He grabbed my bag, and I shut and locked the door. Moments later we were in his car speeding down the highway, and it became apparent that we were headed to the airport.
“You said we weren’t going far.”
“We’re not. It’s only a two-hour flight on my jet. I can have you home in no time if need be.”
I wasn’t happy about this development, but I let it go. One more weekend, and it would be over. I was prepared to take whatever the next two days gave me. He parked next to a sleek jet where a man materialized next to the car and pulled our bags from the trunk. Gage placed his hand on the small of my back as we climbed the steps. His touch had a possessive connotation, and when he clamped his fingers around my side, I resisted the urge to squirm out of reach.
The inside of the plane was bigger than it appeared from the outside. I’d expected a few seats and little more. I should’ve known better. The inside was just as luxurious as everything else he owned. Every detail testified of money and power; the large flat screen television on the wall, the abstract pieces of art, the plush rug under our feet. He ushered me to the cream leather couch that spanned one side.
“Straddle me,” he demanded, pulling me onto his lap and denying me the chance to object. He slid his hands under my dress and grabbed my ass, bringing me against his erection. My reaction was instantaneous. A flood of warmth crashed at my center, and I struggled to catch my breath through lips that parted of their own volition. His hands kneaded my bottom. “You feel that?” Awareness zinged between us as he watched me. “We connect here, Kayla.”
“It’s just sex.” My voice sounded weak, and I despised myself for it, especially since my body rocked against his.
“No, you’re not the type of woman who engages in ‘just sex’ arrangements.” He brought his hands up and spanned my ribcage. “The fact that you’re sitting here hot for my cock after everything I’ve done”—he circled my nipples with his thumbs—“turning to liquid at my touch, gives you away. You can have ‘just sex’ with anyone. There’s more here between us.”
