Sweet Seduction Surrender (15 page)

Oh fuck, what I could show this woman.

"OK," she said, flicking her gaze over my shoulder. "We'll just be a minute."

"Is everything all right?" Imposter, imposing again.

"It will be," I threw over my shoulder, then forced myself not to reach for Kate's hand, just stormed from the room.

She'd follow.

Fuck, I hoped she'd follow.

My path was blocked by Nick out in the hall.

"What the fuck are you playing at, Cain?"

"Just gonna talk, Anscombe," I ground out, arms ready at my sides. "Nothing in your directive about not talking to her."

Nick's eyes darted over my shoulder, but I didn't need the movement to know Kate was there. I could feel her. Like sunshine on my back. Like the warmth of a fire after a cold and wet day.

"Nick?" she asked, tentatively. "What's the matter?"

Nick gave me one last murderous glare and then smiled at Kate.

"I don't think you should abandon your
date
, Katie. You can catch up with Jason at another time." His eyes hardened when they returned to me. "And you! You and I have an agreement. Don't fuck it up."

We did have an agreement. I said I'd stay away from her. I fucking cracked like a rookie soldier caught across the enemy line. I'd walked away from her on cloud nine, fucking humming a fucking tune, and by the time I'd made it to ASI I'd started to doubt. Me. Kate. My need for control. I mean, fuck! I'd been fighting the attraction for months, one weekend with her in my arms was not going to put an end to the doubts, was it?

And Nick, the prick, saw through me as soon as I walked in the office. Even before the debrief, he pulled me aside and screwed with my head. Not that he wasn't pointing out exactly all the fucked up shit that goes through my mind on a daily basis. Not that he didn't see right through the façade and recognise a man on the very edge.

But I allowed my fear that Kate wasn't the sort of woman who could handle my demands to rule my decision. I
let
Nick feed that fear until I was so unsure, but so desperate to not harm her further, that I agreed.

I was fucking mental. But not anymore. I saw the way she looked at me when she walked in that room. I saw the way she couldn't pull her gaze away; like me, stuck still by an invisible magnetic force. And I saw the way she tried to soften the blow when the fuck-wank imposter implied they were dating. She did that for me.

It was one thing for Nick to pull the brother card, to push my fucked up buttons and tell me I was a time bomb waiting to go off. Without Kate before me, I could see things his way.

With Kate here, nothing else fucking mattered anymore.

"I lied," I finally growled, almost spitting the words in Nick's face.

In the next second Nick had his fist around my t-shirt and my back against the wall.

"Hey, boss, take it easy," Eric piped up, appearing from fucking nowhere. "It's a barbecue. Let's all chill."

Not gonna happen.

I pushed back and slammed Nick into the wall on the other side. A picture in a fancy arse frame fell to the floor and the glass cracked.

"Whoa there, e hoa. Calm down. This is Dom's house and he ain't gonna like you trashin' it." And now the big M
āori was charging into the fray.

Eric wrapped an arm around Nick, who was trying to swing a fist at my face, while Ben hauled my arse backwards, as though I didn't weigh over a hundred and twenty kilos. And then Koki and Adam arrived, helping Kate take a step out of the blast range. And the cherry on top? Dominic storming down the hallway, fire in his eyes and a whole lot of hurt promised in his clenched fists.

He was so going to back Nick, no doubt about it. My time was running out. I'd be turfed out on the street in a minute. Way to fuck up Gen's big event. Because, sure as shit, it was meant to be something special and her fucked in the head PTSD soldier brother couldn't even behave in a civilised fashion.

Well, if the shoe fits.

"This is only the beginning, Kate," I said, directing the words to her and no one else.

"I think this is the end for you tonight," Dom shot back, indicating the door with a nod of his head.

I held Kate's gaze. She looked shocked. Surprised as all hell. Speechless.

But then she said, voice firm and unwavering, "Just go, Jason. Before you make even more of a mess of things."

Ouch. I deserved that.

But OK, I like a challenge when I'm given one. This was, by no means, over.

Kate was going to be mine. She just needed a little convincing.

And the brothers grim and grimmer?

Yeah, they could just go fuck themselves.

With a purposeful look at Nick, as I wrenched my arms free of my supposed captors and took a step towards the front door, I said with as much force as I could muster...

"I fucking quit!"

See how that affects our agreement.

What just happened?

Jason stormed off down the hallway and banged through the now opened door.

Gone.

My head was shaking back and forth, I think my body was trembling as well. I felt a little light headed actually. As though all blood had left my face.

"Katie, are you all right?" Dom asked. He probably shouldn't have, because it drew my attention to him first. So he was the one to receive my anger.

"Did you just throw Jason out?" Never mind that I assisted. I had no choice, Dom and Nick had seen to that.

"Yes," he replied, without apology.

"What?" Genevieve shrieked from the other end of the hall. None of us had seen her arrive. "Where's my brother gone?"

Oh boy.

"Sweetheart," Dominic said, a
whole
lot of apology in that word. "It was for the best."

Gen stared at him, mortified, for several long seconds. We all waited. I think everyone knew what was going to happen, but with Gen there's just no preventing it. It's a knee jerk reaction and now she's pregnant, I can imagine it'll get a lot worse.

"Dom," she cried in a pitifully small voice, and then the tears started falling. My heart ached for her, she'd worked so hard to plan this evening and it had all gone to hell.

Dominic was beside her in a second, so keen to reach her before she crumbled that he pushed Eric out of the way roughly, making him fall into the wall and another photo frame to tumble. Ben made an angry sound at the damage, Dom muttered some sort of excuses, pulling Genevieve away to have more privacy and then, for some reason, all eyes turned to me.

Nick was the one who spoke.

"Do you have something to tell me, Katie?"

"What do you mean?" I shot back, sounding completely guilty.

"
Is
there something going on between you and Jason Cain?"

"That's none of your business," I replied, eyeing Eric, Koki, Adam and Ben. There were a lot of unnecessary people in on this conversation.

Nick didn't seem to care about that right now. He was fuming. I couldn't tell if he was angry at me or Jason, though.

"He's the wrong man for you," Nick said, and from his tone he meant every single word.

My mouth fell open in shock. I could
not
believe my imbecile brother would say that. What on earth made him think it had anything to do with him, or that I would listen to his ridiculous overprotective ideas about who I should and shouldn't date. Of course, Jason and I weren't dating. I had no idea what we were doing, but he had said this was only the beginning.

Like he had at my house. Which made me feel all sorts of warm and wonderful when I shouldn't have been feeling anything but anger, facing off against my brother and his posse of men.

I lifted my chin defiantly.

"You don't know what you're talking about, Nick."

He sighed. "Katie, I know more than you do. You're just going to have to trust me. Stay away from him. OK?" No, it was not OK. "Anyway, you've got a date tonight, what the fuck are you doing entertaining Cain?"

"It's not how it seems," I defended Richard's presence, and by extension the way it made me look like a hussy.

"How about you concentrate on the man in there," Nick said pointing purposefully back at the lounge where Richard had been left, "and forget all about Jason. He's wrong for you, Katie," he semi repeated.

"Nick," I started, really getting annoyed now, but then surprisingly Eric, of all people, butted in.

"Sweetheart, Nick's got this right."

"Yeah," Ben added, on a sigh. "He has, Kat."

"And the rest of you?" I demanded, arms crossed over my chest, eyebrows arched.

Various nods of agreement from Koki and Adam. An awkward silence followed. It lasted a very long time, because, for the life of me, I just didn't know what to say. How to defend Jason against something I wasn't even privy to. I could ask, what exactly made Nick think this, and I wanted to. I even opened my mouth to say the words, but Nick just raised his hand to stall me.

"You just have to trust me, Katie. When have I ever put you wrong?"

I blinked at him, wanting to argue the point, but there didn't seem to be much chance of winning that right now. Nick was determined, he'd said his piece, he meant every word. I'd have to get him on his own and pick away at his resolve in order to get any answers now. He was too strong willed to break his silence in front of his men.

"I don't think I can be around any of you right now," I said. The truth. And it seemed to be a slap in the face, each one of them grimacing at my words and tone. "Please give my apologies to Genevieve and Dominic."

"Katie!" Nick attempted to stop me mid spin away. I ignored him and walked stiffly back into the lounge.

Richard was in conversation with Brook, one of Nick's men, and my parents. Making an impression, if the smiles and avid conversation was anything to go by. I'd hoped he'd been cornered by one of the Sweet Seduction gang, then escape would be easier. But getting my parents to understand our early departure was going to take some doing.

I sucked in a deep breath, tried to still my anger-filled rapid heartbeat, and crossed the space to stand beside him. His smile down at me was genuine. It did absolutely nothing to my heart rate. Didn't speed it up. Didn't make it trip. Nothing.

I offered a wan smile in return and his lips dipped slightly, a frown attempting to come out.

Well, no time like the present to announce our imminent departure.

"I'm afraid we have another appointment," I said, aiming my words at my parents, but avoiding eye contact with my father. Guilt was gnawing at my conscience already. "We have to leave, unfortunately. Genevieve and Dominic are aware." A slight exaggeration of the truth, but Dom would figure it out soon enough.

I could feel Richard tense beside me, now alerted to the fact that something drastic had happened while I was out of the room. I hated dragging him into this, but my ticket out of here was him. I'd make my apologies once we were well away.

Of course getting well away was never going to be easy.

"Katie, don't you think you should have some dinner before you go?" Mama suggested softly.

I checked my watch to make my point. "I'm sorry, but we have to leave." My eyes flicked to Richard's, pleading for him to back me up.

"Yes," he said, jumping in to save me with smooth grace. "My fault, actually. I made our reservations earlier than Catherine had planned, and we can't change them now or we'd lose our table."

"Where are you dining?" Papa asked, voice steady, but I could tell he saw through the ruse. I'd heard that tone many times before, but usually when he confronted one of my brothers, not me.

"Kermedec's," Richard replied without hesitation, naming one of the top restaurants on Viaduct Quay.

"Oh, how nice," my mother voiced. "I guess you can't stay then."

"You can reschedule, surely?" Papa suggested, eyeing me thoughtfully. "A family barbecue should take precedent over dinner out."

"Papa," I said, having to meet his eyes for the first time. He had that look on his face. Concern edged in disappointment. I would always be his little girl, always be a worry of some sort or other to him. But I was also letting him down tonight, leaving an event before it was socially acceptable.
Family
barbecue or not.

"Go if you have to, Katie," he said, dismissing me with a slight turn of his back.

My mother frowned, well aware that I'd somehow upset my father, but also embarrassed by
both
our behaviours right now.

"It was lovely meeting you, Richard," Mama said, picking up the reins my father had dropped and carrying on with Anscombe integrity. "I do hope we get an opportunity to see you again. For longer, perhaps."

"I too would like that, Mrs Anscombe." Richard nodded his head towards my mother, offered a smile to Brook, who had remained quiet throughout this little battle of wills, and shook my father's hand. At least Papa had remembered himself at the last moment.

I kissed Mama on the cheek and went to follow Richard, who had taken a step away, towards the exit.

"Katie," my father called, before I had a chance to catch up to a rapidly retreating Richard. "Is everything all right?"

I almost sighed aloud. Everyone seemed to be asking me that question, but I don't think they really wanted to know the answer. Katie Anscombe was
always
all right.

And in that vein, I said, "Of course, darling. Splendid."

Papa's face fell, just briefly, then he caught himself and frowned instead. I didn't stay long enough to see the disappointment.

Richard was waiting for me at the door, he helped me into my coat and we slipped out without another confrontation. He didn't say anything as we walked down the front path to his Lexus, or as he opened the door for me to slip in. He still hadn't said a word by the time he had joined me and started the car. It wasn't until we were several meters down the road that he spoke.

"Do you wish to talk about it?"

I smiled over at him. "Not really. But thank you for the rescue."

"It was a rescue attempt, then?"

"I'd say it was a success, not just an attempt. Wouldn't you?"

"That's not my point, and you know it. You required an escape from your brother's house," he said purposefully.

I didn't feel at all comfortable talking to him about this. Yes, technically, he was my date. But he was also a client and I didn't know him well. Besides, what would I say? I'm in love with my eldest brother's soon-to-be brother-in-law, and my other brother's employee, who happens to think there is a reason that Jason is
wrong for me
. What a mess.

"I think we have more pressing matters to discuss, Richard. You're heading off tomorrow and we need to finalise your featured pieces. If we get this sorted and you agree to my quote, I could have a design finalised by Tuesday morning."

"You don't need to quote, I've already committed to you being my designer. I'll pay whatever you suggest."

"That's highly unusual," I said, surprised at his lack of business acumen.

"I'm not really in a position to negotiate, Catherine. I need this completed in ten days time. It's a finite time-line, and as such, I am at your discretion. I'll even sign a contract this evening, to get the ball rolling. Could you have the design completed by tomorrow night?"

I blinked at him, stunned. Not so much at the speed with which he wanted things progressing, he'd made no bones about that, but that he'd simply sign a binding contract without a quote in place. I couldn't make a number up off the cuff. It would take some calculation. I could give him a ball park figure maybe, once we'd agreed on the final pieces to be featured. But it would have to be extremely elevated, in order to protect myself. I'm not in the business of ripping off my clients, but I am also not in the business of setting myself up for a loss.

Richard would have to look after himself, I couldn’t and wouldn't do it for him. But this left an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Still. A job is a job. "Yes, I believe I could have a design finalised by Sunday night." My heart stuttered at the impossibly short time-frame I'd just verbally committed myself to. But it was a much more favourable sensation than the ache that had been there for way too long. I grasped the adrenaline rush, pushing all other unwanted emotions away.

Anything I could do to replace that anguish and confusion I would.

"Brilliant," he replied, with genuine enthusiasm. "The other reason why I don't want to wait for a quote is, I would also like security included in the final finished product. And I expect it would be difficult for you to estimate a costing on that."

"Security?" I asked, confused. "Richard, I'm an interior designer, not a security consultant."

"But your brother runs a security firm," he pointed out. "Surely you have worked with him on properties before."

I had worked with Anscombe Securities and Investigations before, or at least the securities division. Which included mainly Eric, who was their security guru and also the consultant ASI used to install security systems on those properties they were contracted to protect. Many of my clients had asked if I could suggest a reputable security and alarm company, and of course, I had pointed them in Nick's direction. Richard's suggestion wasn't that unusual. But he clearly wanted me to deal with them, rather than do so himself.

"Usually my clients converse directly with ASI themselves," I decided to admit.

"Yes, yes, but I really don't have the time and as we've established, I must have the showroom open in ten days time. I very much desire for you to do this for me. As a favour, if you like. I will also be more than happy to compensate you for your time and effort. And really, how bad can it be dealing with your brother?"

He had no idea. Especially now. But then, I could make sure that all my communications went through Eric and not Nick. Even if Eric was of the same opinion as my brother and his men. And none of those boys could resist an opportunity to push their point of view. Oh Lord, what was I going to do?