Beautiful Disaster (The Bet) (24 page)

His guard was immediately up. Defenses he’d worked so hard disabling over the last few months were instantly in place, armed and ready for anything his father would no doubt throw his way.

"Have your antics jumped to felony now?"

The formidable Grayson patriarch stood in all his six
foot
three inch glory, the epitome of a displeased tycoon, he followed his son's progress with hawk-like eyes. The rhythmic tapping of his cane stifled by the Aubusson carpet, he waited for a response from his disappointment of a progeny. 

"Hello to you too
, father. H
ow was your flight from Japan? Pleasing, I hope?" Nicholas was proud to be the one to put that permanent scowl on his father's face.

He sauntered
to the liquor c
abinet in the far right corner and
withdrew the whiskey decanter and poured himself a glass.

"Does propriety mean nothing to you?"

"I'm not particularly familiar with that lesson, father
,
please run that by me again. On second thought, give me the latest tabloid magazine and I’ll study yours and mother's examples of decorum." He mockingly raised his glass to his father before tipping it back.

"Continue to act the ill-mannered wastrel
,
Nicholas and I will not hesitate to strike you were it hurts most. Do not think me incapable of doing so." His father's tone chilled Nicholas's spine, the underlying threat not lost on him.

"Not to worry, I haven't been stupid enough to underestimate you since I was nine. I, more than most
,
know how loving you can be. So as much as I would love to take this pointless walk down memory lane, I'm quite pressed for time, so do me the favor of telling me why you are here or get the hell out,
sir
." The last part was said with derisive contempt that deepened Charles's scowl.

"My personal assistant has informed me that a woman has been incessantly calling my downtown office since Tuesday, claiming you have sexually violated her granddaughter resulting in her pregnancy. She has asked
her
to be rightly compensated."

"And exactly how much is she asking for?"

"You."

"Pardon?"

"She demands you marry her granddaughter or she goes to the papers."

"Really father, I’d thought you’d come up with something f
ar more clever
than this. “

"You know I am not one to play tricks, Nic
holas. The girl's name is Madeline
Tate." The name instantly swiped Nicholas's grin from his lips.

"Does the name ring a bell?" Charles asked snidely, attempting to discern the play of emotion on his son's face.

"She's lying." He said evenly, but his fingers clenched just a bit tighter around the tumbler in his hand.

"Make sure that she is Nicholas.
I will not have your idiotic display of childish rebellion sully the Grayson name. Your mother has done that enough. I will leave it
to
you to h
andle the situation accordingly;
fail me in this and I will make life for that girl you’ve been cavorting with very unpleasant."

Nicholas advanced on his father with every intention of making him eat his words, but seemed to think better of it at the sudden rise of the cane. Unpleasant memories from his childhood flashed in his mind of that cane and the agony it'd wrought. He stood rooted to the spot in paralytic fear.

"You didn't think I was aware of your recent activities? Oh yes, I have been informed of your every escapade and I know that you seem to have grown an affinity for this Eleanor Holbrook and her child. I will presume that you are sowing your oats and will disengage yourself soon."

"I didn't realize you were undertaking a business venture in espionage."

"I invest in what belongs to me, Nicholas."

"Stay the hell away from her."

"Try your damndest not to disappoint me.” He turned his back to Nicholas, a clear dismissal and headed back to his desk.

"Motherfucker!" His fist smashed into the nearest wall and Nicholas relished the agony that bloomed from his bruised knuckles to his arm in numbing explosion. Adrenaline mixed in with just the slightest bit of fear and anger had Nicholas ready to destroy something. It took a great amount of mental strength to
temper
the need.

Nicholas'
hatred for the man was staggering and he hadn't realized how crippling it was until now. Jesus Christ! He hadn't felt this way for quite some time now.

Charles was a malicious man who relished toying with his enemies. He knew exactly when and where to strike to have them begging for mercy and he was now using those ruthless tactics on his son. Charles was using this rape situation to bring Nicholas to heel. He wanted Nicholas to dutifully bend to his will; he wanted to mold him into a heartless replica of himself so that one day
,
Nicholas would oversee Charles'
multi-million dollar empire. Those were the wants and wishes of a megalomaniac father who believed himself the reincarnate of a Roman Emperor.

Nicholas had always known his father to be a little off kilter, but then that was why he’d had enjoyed pissing him off. Now the bastard was threatening Ellie and Sophie and Nicholas knew those threats weren’t empty ones.

With emotions running high, the walls of his bedroom seemed to be moving in on him, driving Nicholas further
off the edge. He grabbed his keys and
he hurried out the door. The need to see Ellie
was
undeniably strong.

"Mama!"

"Sophie!"

Mother and daughter
saw no one
else as they joyfully embraced.
Knowing
Ellie's bag was an accident waiting to happen, Gabe picked it and set it aside while watching the happy reunion. Not having expected Ellie until later tonight
,
Gabe was pleasantly surprised to have her back so early, although he wondered if anything happened with Nicholas.

"Miss Mama," Sophie declared, settling a hand on her mother's puckered lips.

"Missed you too, baby." Ellie noisily kissed Sophie's hand, then her cheeks and then her tummy, causing a riot of giggles to ring through the house.

The clearing of a throat finally drew Ellie's attention away from Sophie and land
on
to the smiling f
ace of---"Ms, Lawson!" what in G
od's name was her drama teacher doing here? Ellie wondered. "Am I in trouble?"

Victoria Lawson smiled. "No, No, Ellie, I'm here visiting your uncle."

"Ronnie's an old school friend of mine from college actually. Why would you be in trouble?"

"No reason," she hastily replied only to blush as both Ms. Lawson and Gabe turned curious eyes her way. "Ms. Lawson, welcome to our home I'm sure Gabe and Sophie have kept you well entertained."

A look that
Ellie realized that she and Nicholas sometimes shared when they thought no one else was looking
,
passed between Gabe and Ms. Lawson and she inwardly smiled. These two were seriously sprung!

"Your daughte
r is an absolute delight, Ellie.
When I look at her, it
makes me want to have kids." That look passed between them again and Ellie laughed when Gabe coughed and looked down at his feet.

"This is priceless, I knew I'd like you the minute I met you, Ms. Lawson. Anyone who can make Gabe blush right down to his roots is definitely okay in my book. Welcome to the family!"

"Ronnie, please, and...thanks?"

Ellie laughed as she followed them to the kitchen, holding Sophie close. "So, how long have you been going out?"

"Ellie." Gabe warned, turning from the boiling pot to glare at his grinning goddaughter.

"What? It was an innocent question."

"One that isn't your business---"

"Three months." Ronnie cut in.

Ellie's eyes widened, "Three months! And you didn't even bother to share this joyful news with me? I’m hurt." Ellie shook her head, feigning disappointment.

"
We both know you're nosy, Ellie. Y
ou would've found out eventually."

"
You
call it nosy. I call it harmless curiosity."

"You
’re home earlier than expected. Did something happen
?"

Ellie
set
Sophie
on her feet and held her
hands as she playfully walked in place. "Nicholas had family problems he needed to take care of." She said mindlessly, her thoughts on what had transpired the night before with Nicholas. Being with him had been everything Ellie had ever expected and so much more. She had tingles just thinking about it. "Uh---I'm going to go take a shower. I'll be down in a little bit." She handed Sophie off to Gabe with a kiss and headed upstairs.

Chapter
Ten

It had to be a sin to be this happy, Ellie thought silently, catching a glimpse of her smiling face in the mirror. Dark hazel eyes stared back at her from a face flushed slightly pink from the scorching hot shower she'd just taken.

"You look like a goofb
all." She murmured at the image
shaking her head
as
she headed out of the bathroom. She needed to think of other things besides Nicholas and his abilities to make her feel this elated.

But no matter how hard she tried, Ellie just couldn't seem to get him out of her head. And why would she want to? Their time at the cabin, however short it may have been was something Ellie would hold dear to her heart for as long as she lived. The sex had been spectacular, but the friendship they shared, the connection he had with Sophie was what cemented Ellie's love for Nicholas.

Deep in thought, Ellie didn't realize there was someone else in the room until it was too late. A large hand covered her mouth preventing her scream even while a large body pushed her against the bathroom door, restricting any struggle. The dim lighting in the room didn't permit her a chance to look at her assailant's face
,
but it was the familiar scent of cedar wood combined with something all too Nicholas that finally set Ellie at ease.

B
efore Ellie's racing heart could return to its steady beats, Nicholas
’
mouth replaced his hand and hungrily savaged her mouth. The volcanic heat from the night before erupted, melting hot between her thighs. Ellie tilted her to the side allowing Nic
holas better access to her neck. S
he
moaned
as teeth scraped over her pulse before gently licking the spot.

"Nicky," Ellie gasped as his lips enveloped a nipple, his fingers searched her out beneath the towel she held futilely in her hands. She arched forward, wanting more, yet realization of what she was doing and where she was doing it had her attempting to push him away. "Nicky...we need to...Agh..."He nibbled a path from her navel up to her breasts and grazed his teeth across her nipples, his tongue swirling to sooth the delicious ache.

The towel inevitably fell to the floor and in the moment that it took for Nicholas to observe what he'd unwrapped, Ellie found enough sense to grab it and cover herself. She dodged the hand that
reached out
to grab her wrist even while heat rose across her skin from that consuming gaze.

With a healthy distance between them, Ellie was free to clear her lust
-
clouded mind. With curious eyes
,
she took
in
Nicholas
. T
here was something different about him tonight. She didn't know how she knew, maybe it was from all the time they'd spent together, but Ellie knew there was something wrong. "Are you all right?"

Nicholas shrugged, slipping his hands in his pockets, a sure sign that something was bothering him. "Could be better." He humorlessly smiled taking two lengthened strides towards her. "Want to make me feel better?” he stalked her around the room while Ellie did her utmost to evade him.

"Nicky, you're acting weird...cut it out." The back of her knees touched the wooden frame of her bed, cornered.

"Make me." He challenged invading her personal space, his gaze inscrutable his stance impossibly domineering.
Ellie shoved
at his ch
est to get some breathing room and
was disheartened to find Nicholas rooted to the spot. She did
,
however
,
receive a shock when he pushed her back and she found herself stumbling backwards the bed breaking her fall. Nicholas seized upon her seconds later, his larger frame looming over her, pinning her to the mattress.

"I don't know what you're hoping to prove, but I wouldn't think any less of you if you cried. I'll love you just the same." She quietly
uttered, gazing up at his face
contorted by his inner struggles, torn between rage and sorrow, he looked on the brink. Ellie
,
unflinchingly
,
held tho
se storm grey eyes as Nicholas'
fist hammered down on the bed, inches from her head. Wordlessly,
she wrapped her arms around him and
held him close and when his body fell onto hers, his beautiful face hidden at the base of her neck, Ellie's hold only tightened.