View Park. Angela Winters
admit it to a soul, he had intimidated her in a way his little brother was never able to, and Avery knew she hadn’t seen the last of him.
Standing outside of Essentials, Carter took a deep breath as he pulled out his cell phone. He had intended to be as polite as professionally possible, but when she referred to him as one of Steven Chase’s little boys, she declared war. This was his fight now, and unlike Michael who went right at you, Carter took the less expected route. From what his private investigator told him, Craig Moon was that route.
Sean thought of his entire apartment and surmised that it was probably the size of Haley’s bedroom. Sizing it up, the only thing that really bothered Sean was the balcony. He noticed the white garden climbing trellis with thick flowery vines on the right side against the house. It was sturdy enough to hold a normal sized person and reached all the way to the ground. The backyard was well manicured, with bushes and statues that could hide a considerable figure. He wondered how much of this big-neck Jason had figured out.
The room was at the west end of the home, which was separated from the neighbors by tall eucalyptus trees. No gate on the sides, which wasn’t good. He knew the family must have a top-notch security system outside as well as in, but sometimes the richest families were the most absentminded when it came to security. He’d seen the results of their mistakes; especially when they didn’t give a damn, which perfectly described Haley. He had to get his mind around that girl.
Returning from the balcony, Sean came face-to-face with a scowling Haley just as she closed the door behind her.
“What in the hell are you doing in my room?” she asked.
“Checking for safety. Your father gave permission.”
“Well, it’s not his room, is it?”
Sean found her sense of entitlement incredible. As if she didn’t owe everything to her father. “You want to make the rules, why don’t you get a place of your own? That way you can give all the permission you want.”
Haley’s lips formed a prissy smile. He was a slow learner. “So I can live like you? No, thanks. Keep your middle-class fantasy. I like my life just fine.”
“Well, if you want to keep that life, I suggest you check that attitude and get with the program.”
“I’m not with anyone’s program but my own.” She looked him over. “You’ll find that out sooner or later. Now get out so I can take a shower.”
What hit Sean wasn’t what she said, but that her eyes told him she really meant it. She wasn’t just trying to be tough. This girl was a serious bitch. “I’m not leaving until I’ve finished my work here.”
“I know what you’re doing. You don’t care about my safety. You’re here to get a peek, aren’t you?”
“You overestimate yourself.”
“That’s not possible.”
“Either way, I’m not leaving yet.”
“Fine.” Haley’s mouth curved into a put-your-seat-belt-on smile. “Then I’ll just have to take the shower with you here.”
Sean couldn’t have turned away if he wanted to and as Haley let her robe drop, revealing her naked body in all its perfection, he knew he didn’t want to.
She smiled victoriously because he couldn’t take his eyes off her. No man could resist her, she knew that much. She had long legs and a curvy body that had brought better men than Detective Jackson to their knees. She walked past him into her bathroom wondering how long he would be frozen in awe. She hoped it was long enough to learn his lesson. No one said no to Haley Chase.
When he entered his downtown L.A. penthouse condo, Carter was too preoccupied with thoughts of Avery to notice something was wrong. He wondered if he could count on Craig to keep their conversations secret. He wanted to feel bad for what he was doing to Craig, but Avery’s stinging words reverberated around him. It was his father in him. Michael embraced that willing-to-do-anything quality, but Carter tried to draw lines. He wasn’t a lawyer because he wanted to be rich. He knew he would be rich no matter what he’d chosen to do. He was a lawyer because he believed in right and wrong, no matter how inconvenient that belief might be at times. Times like this, when he knew what he was doing was wrong, but the Chase blood in his veins urged him to look beyond it. Oh, yes, he was also a lawyer because he had a bloody thirst to win.
It was late, past nine. He was a workaholic, but his law firm was still growing and he wouldn’t ask his lawyers to work till nine if he wasn’t willing to. His father hated him for choosing to start his own law firm instead of working at Chase Beauty and that fueled his already ambitious heart to make Chase Law better than successful.
He heard a noise in the distance, stopping him cold. Usually pitch black when he came home, there were some dimmed lights coming from the dining room. Tossing his keys and briefcase on the console, he cautiously headed down the hallway. Michael always stopped by un-invited.
He stopped at the edge of the dining room, noticing the perfectly set table with catered food and candlelight. Definitely not Michael.
She stood at the entrance to the dining room with a seductive smile on her face. Tall and elegant with long black hair and eyes like coal, her dark skin favored perfectly with the silky peach dress that hugged her curves. Carter’s lips slid into a smile. “Lisette McDaniel.”
“In the flesh.” Her English accent was decidedly upper class. She placed a hand on her hip with a slow tilt of her head. She was a master in the art of enchantment. It was what attracted Carter to her in the first place. He had jumped in too fast and learned his lesson the hard way. Lisette was too expensive for him. Three years after breaking up, every time she came back into his life she wanted one thing. Money.
“When did you get back from London?” he asked.
“Yesterday.” She took a step toward him. Then another. “I had to sleep off a little jag. I miss the Concord. Travel is brutal without it.”
“I don’t remember ever giving you a key.” Never give a woman the key to your home. She’ll assume it’s the same as an engagement ring.
“I don’t need keys to get anywhere I want. You should know that by now.”
Carter wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her to him. She smelled…expensive.
“It’s been a year,” Lisette said. “I assumed you’ve missed me terribly.”
“What if I had come through that door with my girlfriend?”
“Like that would matter to me.”
Carter was always intrigued by her honesty. The woman wasn’t any good and she was proud of it. “That’s not a good girl.”
“I don’t have to be a good girl.” She rubbed up against him. “Because I know you’re a good boy. If there was a woman in your life, you wouldn’t have laid a hand on me. So shut up rich boy and give me a kiss.”
Carter kissed her, remembering immediately the fire they had together. Brief, but hot. Like so many of his relationships. Something inside him was turned on by the confusion of getting everything he wanted from a woman and still being unsatisfied. Suddenly, an image of Avery came to him. Sitting at her desk, lips pressed together, every inch of her ready for a fight she knew she wouldn’t win. Carter leaned back, wondering what was wrong with him thinking of that witch at a time like this.
“What is it?” Lisette asked.
“Nothing,” he answered. “I…I’ve had a long day.”
“I’m good for long days. You used to think so, at least.”
Lisette was exactly what Carter needed tonight even though he knew he would pay for it tomorrow. He grabbed her tighter and kissed her harder this time.
Haley laid still as night under her bedsheets as she heard her