Page 10 of Fool Me Once

“Why do you do it?” sheasked.

She didn’t take a sip ofher drink. He’d noticed she never drank. In fact, if she wasn’t aware of whatthe drink was, and it was alcoholic, she left it. There was no water, and heknew from experience she hated sparkling water.

“Business,” Cain said.

“There must be anotherreason. I’ve watched you conduct business multiple times and not once have Iseen you do something you very clearly hate as much as this.” She glancedaround the dining room.

He’d already noticed a lotof men were admiring her. The moment their gazes caught his and they realizedwho she belonged to, they averted their eyes. He knew what they were allthinking. They were imagining her naked, wrapped around them, wondering if hercunt would feel just as good on their cocks as her mouth probably would.

He would kill anyone whodared attempt to get close to her. Fucking destroy them. No man was having her.

He’d seen the way his sonlooked at her tonight, and knew he’d have no choice but to be on guard. Dannyblamed Leah for all his troubles because it was easier for him to do so. Thelittle shit didn’t even realize he was the main cause of all his problems.

He took a sip of thechampagne and wasn’t interested with the taste.

Several couples hadalready made their way onto the dance floor and were moving together.

“This is why you had toteach me how to dance?” Leah asked.

“Yes. I want you to beavailable at any moment.” He saw Constance, one of the women more interested inhis wealth and power than in him. The woman had been attempting to seduce himfor months. Her last husband died of mysterious causes, and since then she’dbeen looking for a replacement. He refused to do business with her.

Constance was old money,but it was the kind of money that didn’t invest in the new, and with that camea problem. If you were not willing to move forward, it was only a matter oftime before that refusal to move forward caught up with you. He heard she waslosing money by the hour, and unfortunately, her family didn’t teach her thevalue of good business. Also, there were a few husbands that had taken a chunkof that money with them.

“Mr. Knox, it is so lovelyfor you to make it to this event. It is always so good to give to those who …need it,” Constance said.

Cain offered a smile. Sofar, he hadn’t made any such donation, as he knew the foster homes rarely gotit. There was always some form of red tape that kept a small fortune held back.

“Lovely event,” Cain said.

“And the dancing isexquisite. Please share a dance with me.” She held out her hand, and he turnedtoward Leah, who simply took his glass from him.

“Who I am to come betweena dancing couple?” Leah said.

“Two minutes,” he said.

At first, she raised herbrows as if she didn’t have a clue what he was talking about, but then she gavehim that eye wink which told him she did know what he wanted. One day, he wasgoing to put her over his knee and spank that ass. She was due one with hersassy tone.

He took Constance’s handand led her onto the dance floor. He made sure to turn her so that he saw Leah.His own date had already put down their champagne glasses on a passing waiter’stray.

She stood, arms at hersides, watching him. Cain noticed a few men had already seen she was alone. Hewaited to see if anyone would dare move in.

There was a single man,who also happened to be part of old money as well. Only, Drake Sherwood knewwhat he was doing with his inheritance and had learned to invest it. There wererumors circulating about some of his business allies. Rumors of being close tothe Italian mafia, but again, there was no evidence to back any of it up. Justrumors.

Leah turned toward Drake,and he saw her stay tense. She nodded, offered that fake smile he knew she wascapable of. There was even a chuckle, but he saw it didn’t reach her stomach.Everything was fake. She played her part to perfection.

Drake offered her a chanceto dance. She declined and came toward him. She was perfect with her timing asConstance had started to talk about them spending more time together.

“I think I would like tocut in,” Leah said, coming in close. She put a hand on Constance’s shoulder. “Ithink it is only fair that I get a chance to dance with my date.”

Cain nodded at Constance.

“Date?”

“Ah, yes, Constance, thisis Leah Masters, my date. She was rather interested in this charity event asI’m not sure you’re aware. Leah, herself, is a foster child.”

“It’s always nice to knowthere are people willing to give to those, but it is so strange, as all myyears in the system, we never heard of a charitable donation.”

Constance turned pale butthen chuckled and waved in a direction. “Please forgive me. I’d love to stayand chat, but I must go and speak with someone.”

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