Page 11 of Desperate Vows

She was close to breaking. I could feel it, taste it.

“Fine.” I pushed her away, making her stumble.

I was almost to the door when she flew in front of me.

“Please, wait. Please.”

My plan was to use their greed to topple the entire Benoit enterprise, but between arriving at the club and seeing her, I’d changed course. If I could get her on my side, maybe we could take him out. She’d be indebted to me, and using that, I could not only take them down, but their associates too. “Are you going to tell me what I want to know?”

Her bottom lip caught in her teeth. She wasn’t trying to be sensual, but my body didn’t seem to care. I’d never wanted to kiss a woman as badly as her. I wanted that soft lip between my teeth and her breathlessly calling my name.

Stepping closer, she clasped my hand in hers and tugged at me to walk with her. We delved deeper into the garden, and when we were as far from the door as possible, she stopped.

She looked down and away. “No, we’re not close.” Slowly, she lifted her gaze to mine. “He hates me.” The sadness in her voice grabbed my heart.

My dad and I were close, as he was with all my siblings. As soon as we were old enough to understand, we started working with him. He’d taught me everything. Losing him right after my sister had been the nail in the coffin for my mom. They’d loved each other, and it made sense when her heart gave out.

“If you’re not going to tell the truth, I can’t help you.” I’d stalked back to the door when she caught up. She grabbed my hand, and the electricity momentarily froze me. I turned to her. She had no idea how much I hated liars. I’d rather call a thief friend. At least I knew what to expect. “What?”

“I’m telling the truth. We’re not close.”

“You realize if we take him down, I’m taking over Benoit, right? You will never take control of your family’s business.”

Her lips pinched together, and fire ignited in her eyes. Before her hand could reach my face, I grabbed her wrist and squeezed. “And that won’t be tolerated.”

Her lips curled as she leaned in, lifting on her toes to get in my face. “I’d do anything to get away from the family business.”

My eyebrow hitched up, and I raked my gaze over her. “Anything?” I moved like lightning, twisting her arm behind her back and drawing her close enough that our breath mingled. “We don’t have to be married for that.”

The words doused the fire burning in her eyes and replaced it with terror. I knew she was attracted to me by the way she’d gawked each time we met. Surely, she’d felt the heat of a man’s touch before and knew what marriage would mean.

Chapter Five

CLAIRE

I knew sex was on the table when I began devising a plan to marry. There was even a strong possibility that it would happen whether or not I was willing. For some reason, I thought Lucas might be different. A hidden talent was my ability to read people, and I’d been grossly mistaken about him.

The fear I should have felt when I first met him now swallowed me whole. “If my father catches you?—”

“Your father invited me and gave me permission to do whatever I wanted to do with you.”

It was all I could do to keep myself from hyperventilating. This club held my darkest secret. “Please, not here. Anywhere but here.”

“So, it’s not the threat of what I might do to you that upsets you; it’s the location?”

“Both are equally appalling, but this club…” This time, my entire body convulsed. “I’ll go willingly as long as it’s not here.”

His hold on me loosened. “I’m a lot of things, Claire, but a rapist isn’t one of them.”

“Are you trying to tell me you don’t take what you want?”

The hand that held me snaked around my waist, making me gasp as he pulled me hard against his granite body. “In that department, I’ve never had to take anything. It was freely given.” His voice dipped low and sultry.

I’d never given my body to anyone willingly, but that purr did things to me no other man had ever achieved.

I licked my lips, and he lowered his gaze to them.

His eyes narrowed. “You keep doing that, and I’m going to kiss you.”

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