DANA ARRIVED AT CRUZ’S house late in the afternoon. Her three friends sat together, looking shell-shocked. There was evidence of tears and despair, which made Dana uncomfortable. It wasn’t that she didn’t care about her friends’ suffering, it was that she didn’t know how to fix it.
The normally perfectly groomed Lexi looked rumpled. Mascara blackened the skin under her eyes. Izzy looked smaller somehow, as if the pain had caused her to shrink. Skye’s red hair was an even bigger contrast against her especially pale skin. All the color had faded from her face, leaving her looking defeated.
“I’m sorry,” Dana said lamely as she walked into the living room.
“There’s nothing to be sorry about,” Lexi told her. She stood and walked toward Dana. “You did everything we asked and now we know the truth.”
The two women embraced, hanging on to each other, as much as they could with Lexi’s large belly between them.
Izzy and Skye joined them before they all sat on two couches and faced each other.
“Where are the guys?” Dana asked.
“We sent them away,” Skye told her. “This is our problem and we have to figure out a solution together.”
“Then why did you call me?”
Lexi was next to Dana. She smiled and put her hand on Dana’s arm. “Because you’re practically a Titan. Like it or not, you’re stuck with us.”
“I can live with that.” Dana drew in a breath. “I’m sorry about all this. I never thought…”
“Us, either,” Izzy said.
“Are you okay?” Dana asked.
“No, but I will be. I wanted to be right about Garth, but not like this. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised to learn Jed doesn’t care if I live or die, but I am.”
Skye put her arm around Izzy. “Don’t go there. It only makes it worse. You have us and Nick and we all love you. We’ll always be here for you.”
Izzy nodded, but didn’t look convinced.
“You went over the material?” Dana asked.
Lexi nodded. “Garth played us the recording of Jed offering him everything. So we’re totally convinced.”
Dana winced. It was probably better that they knew everything their father had done, but she hated having them hurt. She fought guilt, telling herself she didn’t have any part in this.
“It shouldn’t be a surprise,” Skye murmured, pulling Izzy close and stroking her hair. “We all knew what Jed was, but I don’t think any of us wanted to believe it. Now we have proof, which makes denial more difficult.”
“I could probably swing it, but I don’t want to,” Izzy said, blinking back tears. “We have to remember this. It changes everything.”
“She’s right,” Lexi told Dana. “Garth is determined to bring Jed down. It appears our father is a lost cause. We’ve been talking about it and our larger concern now is Garth.”
“We don’t want him to end up like Jed,” Skye said.
“How are you going to make sure that doesn’t happen?” Dana asked. Garth was a determined and powerful man. “You’re not going to get him to change his mind. He’s been focused on this for years.”
“It will take time,” Lexi said. “Part of our plan is that we’ll work with him to stop Jed. Hopefully he’ll see that being a part of something is better than going it alone.”
“Have you met Garth?” Dana asked. “He’s not likely to be swayed by hot chocolate and pictures of the family tree.”
“That’s where you come in,” Skye said. “We want you to keep working with him. Be our emissary, so to speak.”
Dana nodded because the alternative was to admit that Garth scared her. Not just with his ruthless ability to get everything he wanted, but because of how she reacted when she was around him. He made her feel things she didn’t want to feel. And she knew better than most the danger of letting a person have emotional power. Better to be alone and strong, than weak with someone else.
“You’re also going to help him get Jed,” Izzy said quietly.
Dana stared at the youngest Titan sister. Izzy’s normally bright eyes were dull and swollen. There were red blotches on her skin, probably from crying.
“Izzy, you’re upset,” she began.
Skye shook her head. “We’ve talked about it, Dana. Jed has gone too far.”
“He’s your father. You don’t want to do this. Once you start down this path, there’s no going back. Jed is already in trouble and facing charges. Do you really want to pile it on? Can you handle being the reason he goes to jail for the rest of his life?”
The sisters looked at each other, then at her.
“It isn’t us,” Lexi told her. “Jed did this himself. He claimed his destiny when he refused to help Kathy and Garth all those years ago. Maybe it wasn’t his responsibility, but the money would have meant nothing to him. When Garth first came after all of us, Jed could have told us what was going on. We could have worked together. Instead he lied about some things and misrepresented others. Then he arranged for the oil rig explosion. He could have killed his own daughter, not to mention everyone else on the rig. Jed deserves what he gets.”
The words all made sense, but Dana wasn’t willing to let it go. “He’s your father. I don’t want you to have regrets.”
“We want you to help Garth bring him down,” Izzy said quietly. “Legally. We won’t create the problem. Jed can do that all on his own. We want to find the paper trail legitimately and take it to the police.”
“Unless you don’t want to get involved,” Lexi added. “We’ll understand if you’re uncomfortable.”
Dana looked at all of them. “You’re my family. I love all of you. Of course I want to help.”
UNSURE OF THE NEXT step, Dana drove back to her condo to figure it out. Instead of tailing Garth and hoping to catch him doing something wrong, she was supposed to work with him now. Talk about changing the rules. She wondered how he would react to the news that the sisters now considered him one of the good guys.
She pulled into her covered parking space, then walked to her apartment. As she approached the door, she saw someone standing there. He moved into the light. It was Garth, and for reasons she couldn’t explain, she was almost not surprised.
“You spoke to them?” he asked.
“Yes. I was just there.”
“Are they all right?”
She unlocked the door and stepped inside. He followed her.
“Be careful,” she told him. “Someone could interpret that to mean you care what happens to them.”
“Maybe I do.”
He wore a suit-no surprise there. As they stood in her small living room, he shrugged out of the jacket and draped it over the club chair she’d bought on sale at a furniture liquidator with a storefront by the freeway. Her sofa had seen better days and the entire square footage of her apartment could probably fit into Garth’s penthouse bathroom.
The small space made her want to back away from him, but there was nowhere to go. Besides, she didn’t back away from a challenge. She faced it head-on.
She motioned to the sofa. After he’d taken a seat, she slid out of her leather coat, then hung it on a chair in the dinette. She took the club chair because she didn’t want to sit next to him. Caution, she reminded herself.
“You’re actually interested in the welfare of your sisters?” she asked. “The same women you have been going after for months? Color me surprised.”
His dark gaze settled on her face. “You don’t believe me?”
“I’m not sure. Why the change?”
He stood and crossed to the window that looked out on the courtyard. “I didn’t like what I saw earlier today. Them. When they found out about Jed it was like…” He cleared his throat. “I didn’t like it.”
It was like they were broken. At least that would be her interpretation of what had happened. She knew that Garth had a heart-she just wasn’t sure she believed it was so easily touched.
“What about Jed?” she asked.
He turned back to her. “He’s finished. I’ll make sure of that.”
“So you end up with three loving sisters and you still get to face your paternal demons. A win-win for you.”
He shoved his hands into his pockets and walked toward her. “The situation is a little more complicated than that, but you have the basics right.”
She stood so she wasn’t looking up at him. “They want me to help you bring down Jed. It’s a two-pronged attack. Your financial assault, along with a campaign to make sure he goes to jail for all he’s done.”
“I don’t have a problem with that.”
Jed going to jail or them working together? She decided to assume he meant both.
“There have to be some ground rules,” she told him.
He smiled. “Of course. You like rules.”
Was it her, or had he just moved closer? She’d always really liked her apartment, but right now it seemed tiny. They needed more space, or at least she did.
She cleared her throat. “Nothing illegal. We’ll find what we find through legal channels. If we’re building a case to send Jed to jail then it has to stand up in court.”
“Agreed.”
She looked at him. “I thought you’d want to keep up your little covert operations.”
“I wasn’t looking to play spy. My way is faster, but you’re right. If we want to be able to use it against Jed in court then we’ll do everything legally.”
“Okay. The sisters are off-limits.”
“I’ve already said I’m not going after them.”
“I’m just checking. You haven’t exactly been brother of the year through all this.”
He nodded. “I give you my word that I will do nothing to hurt any of my sisters. Now or in the future.”
Now came the hard part. She squared her shoulders and looked him in the eye. “This is strictly business. We’re helping people we care about, nothing more.”
One corner of his mouth turned up. “Meaning?”
“Nothing personal between us.”
The words just kind of hung there in the silence. She braced herself for his laughter because this was where he pointed out she was nothing he would ever want.
“Haven’t you figured out it’s all personal?” he asked right before he kissed her.
She was caught off guard, something she never allowed to happen. One second he was speaking, the next he had his hands on her upper arms and was drawing her close to him. At the same time his mouth claimed hers with an intensity that left her breathless.
This wasn’t an exploring, getting-to-know-you kind of contact. This was hot and demanding. He kissed her as if he didn’t have a choice.
Heat swept through her. It burned away any conflicted feelings, so that she could feel nothing but his hands on her arms and his mouth on hers. She couldn’t think, either. There was only the sensation of skin on skin and the fact that she needed so much more than this.
She shook off his touch so she could hang on to him. He wrapped both arms around her, drawing her nearer still. They touched everywhere and it wasn’t enough.
The intensity of the flaring passion frightened her, but it also intoxicated her so that resisting wasn’t possible. She tilted her head, then parted her lips before he even asked. He swept inside and she met him stroke for stroke. They kissed deeply, taking and giving, straining for more.
His hands moved up and down her back, then to her sides. She broke the kiss long enough to nip his lower lip. He dropped his head so he could nibble the length of her neck.
Everywhere he touched burned. Her breath came in gasps. She ran her fingers through his hair, in part to touch him, in part to hold him in place. His breath was hot on her skin, his mouth warm and teasing.
Without thinking, she reached for his shirt. She told herself to stop, that this was insanity, but there she was, unfastening the small white buttons. He pushed her back and grabbed the hem of her sweater. With a single, swift movement, he pulled it up and over her head. Then they were in each other’s arms, mouths clinging, tongues teasing.
She felt fire on her skin and a quivering that began low in her belly. The wanting was beyond powerful. It was greater than her need to breathe. She knew she would die if they stopped-that her heart would cease beating.
He touched her bare arms, then her bare back. Every inch of contact was heaven. She wanted his hands everywhere.
Her bra was suddenly loose. She hadn’t felt him unfasten it, but was grateful that he had. She tossed the sensible white undergarment away and reached for his hands. She placed them on her breasts and moaned softly as he cupped her curves.
His thumbs and forefingers found her aching nipples. He squeezed them, sending ribbons of liquid need pouring through her. She was ready, so ready. She wanted to be taken until she was weak with surrender.
Surrender. The word was nearly enough to stop her. While she enjoyed sex, she never gave in completely. There was always a part of her that she kept to herself. A place no man went.
A problem for another time, she thought frantically, trying to tug off Garth’s shirt so she could touch him.
He drew back enough to shrug out of it. While they were separated, he kicked off his shoes. She pulled off her boots. His pants went flying, as did her jeans. Socks followed and soon his briefs and her panties were puddles on the floor.
She had a brief impression of toned muscles under scarred skin. He was already hard and thick. Just the sight of his arousal made her thighs tremble. The intensity of her desire made it difficult to catch her breath. They reached for each other again.
Even as they kissed deeply, he was urging her backward. She took several steps, then felt the sofa behind her. He pushed lightly on her shoulders, urging her to sit. Unsure of what he wanted, she hesitated, then he pressed a little harder and she sank down.
Before she could figure what was going on, he’d dropped to his knees on the carpet and leaned in to kiss her breasts. His mouth sucked deeply, pulling satisfaction from her. His hands explored her thighs before dipping between them. She knew she was already wet and swollen and waited breathlessly for his fingers to discover all her secrets.
He didn’t disappoint. He parted her curls and went directly to that one spot designed to bring her pleasure. He circled it, then rubbed it lightly, making every muscle in her body tremble. It wouldn’t take long, she thought. She was so close, so fast. A few minutes of concentrated attention and she would be flying.
He shifted to her other breast. She closed her eyes and leaned back, torn between the sensations he evoked. His mouth and tongue against her nipple, the steady movement of his hand between her legs. All of it made her strain for more. Then he shifted his hands to her hips, where he pulled her forward, so she was nearly hanging on the sofa. He lowered his head.
She knew exactly what he planned to do.
“No,” she said, trying to move back.
He didn’t bother looking up. “Yes.”
“No. I mean it. Not like that.”
He straightened and stared into her eyes. There were questions there, questions she didn’t want to answer. Fortunately men were easily distracted.
She reached for him. “Be inside of me,” she said, guiding him toward her. “I’ll come that way.” She rubbed the length of him, then stroked her thumb against the tip.
She shifted so she could take him inside, but instead of going along with the suggestion, he pulled out of reach.
“Why?” he asked.
“It’s not my thing.”
“Maybe it’s mine. Talk to me.”
Words no normal male ever said on purpose, she thought, annoyed and feeling the passion fade away.
“Does there have to be a complicated story about everything?” she snapped. “I don’t like it. So let’s move on or forget it.”
Actually moving on was no longer an option. She stood and stepped around him. There were clothes everywhere, a testament to their uncontrolled desire. Or at least it had been uncontrolled until he’d insisted on getting bossy.
This was exactly why she didn’t have anything to do with men like Garth. They were too used to getting their own way every damn time.
Instead of grabbing her clothes, she stalked out of the living room, down the short hallway and into her bedroom. She picked up her robe off the bed and pulled it on. But before she could tie the sash, let alone return to the living room, she felt him reaching for her from behind.
She started to turn toward him, but he held her with both arms around her waist. His powerful body nearly dwarfed hers and she wasn’t especially tiny. Only one more wildly annoying thing about the man.
“You should get dressed,” she said. “This isn’t going to happen.”
She braced herself for the temper tantrum sure to follow, but all she got was a soft kiss on her temple.
“Why does it frighten you?”
“It doesn’t. Just because I don’t happen to like something doesn’t mean there’s a problem. It’s a personal preference. Now it’s getting late. You should go.”
“It’s barely six in the evening.”
“It’ll be late soon.”
He turned her so they were facing each other. He was still completely naked and mostly aroused, which was a little disconcerting. She shifted her gaze to his face. He looked curious and a little determined. Not a good combination.
“Did someone hurt you?”
She tied the sash on her robe. “No. Why do you have to assume that just because it’s not something I like that I must have a problem? Maybe it’s you. Maybe you’re obsessed. You should consider therapy.”
He gave her a slow smile. “Are you done?”
“No, but you can talk if you want.”
“I’m not obsessed. I like that part of sex because the feedback is easy to understand. Plus it practically guarantees my partner is satisfied.”
She rolled her eyes. “And you’re all into a job well done. Aren’t you a giver?”
“Do you always tell guys no?”
“Yes, and most of them are fine with it.”
He put his hands on her shoulders, easing her backward. She only resisted moving a little.
“I’m not like most men,” he told her.
“As I’ve pointed out before, you’re not all that.”
“Sure I am.” He unfastened the tie and slipped off her robe.
“We’re not doing this,” she said, but without a whole lot of force.
“Sure we are.”
He moved closer and kissed the side of her neck. A shiver rippled through her. His hands skimmed her back before finding her breasts. Okay, maybe she wasn’t as out of the mood as she’d thought.
He eased one hand down her belly, then between her legs. He immediately found where she wanted him to be and rubbed her swollen center.
“We wouldn’t want all this going to waste,” he murmured against her skin. “One more step back and then you’ll be on the bed.”
“Right where you want me,” she said, taking the step, then letting herself fall onto the mattress.
He settled next to her, touching her, kissing her mouth, then her breasts. He worked his magic, sucking on her tight nipples until the heat was back, as was the frantic need. She was more than ready. It wouldn’t take but a second.
But instead of kneeling between her thighs or touching her with his hand, he shifted on the bed, moving lower and lower until they were back where they started. She slammed her legs together and half rose on her elbows.
“Look, there’s no way we’re going to-”
“Trust me.”
Two words. Meaningless, really. Because she had no reason to trust him. He was the enemy. At least he had been until today. This was all about winning. He wanted to defeat her, to make her surrender and she wouldn’t.
“Why do you have to go and spoil a perfectly good moment?” she asked, furious with him for insisting and herself for being tempted.
“Trust me.”
She should throw him out. If the need didn’t go away on its own, she had a very nice shower massager that would take care of business. Didn’t he understand? She didn’t like oral sex. Not that she’d ever actually allowed anyone to do that to her, but what was the point? One orgasm was as good as another.
“Five minutes,” he said. “If you want me to stop after that, I will.”
“Can I hold a gun to your head while you do it?” she asked.
“I’d be worried what you’d do when you lost control.”
“I won’t.”
“Want to bet? Come on, Dana. What’s the worst that could happen?”
The answer to that question was vague at best, but full of dark fear. If she allowed that, if she gave in, then…What? What would happen? Did she actually think Garth would physically hurt her?
The idea was ridiculous and because she never let fear win, she grudgingly relaxed back onto the bed.
“Five minutes,” she said, bracing herself for something hideous. “Then you’ll stop.”
“If you tell me to.”
“I will.”
Instead of answering, he stretched out between her legs. When he was comfortable, he reached for her hands and brought them in so she could use her fingers to hold herself open for him.
The feeling of being wildly exposed nearly made her blush. She wanted to jump up and announce that she’d changed her mind, but she reminded herself it was only for a short time and then they could be done with this nonsense.
At first there was nothing. Just a whisper of breath. Then she felt a single, slow stroke of his tongue, as if he were getting the feel of her.
The warm, soft, wet contact nearly made her jump. It was…different. Nothing like she’d thought. If she had to assign a single-word description it would be delicious.
He licked her again and her insides clenched. A third stroke of his tongue had her tingling. Then he focused all of his attention on that one swollen, hungry part of her.
He shifted his tongue up and down, moving steadily, but not too fast. There was just the right amount of pressure. The sensations were unlike anything she’d experienced before. Incredibly intense. Amazing and wonderful.
She drew back her knees and pulsed her hips in time with his movements. Pressure built inside of her, pushing her toward the edge, making her rock her head from side to side. Every part of her tensed. Her toes curled against the sheets. More. She needed more. He must have read her mind because he moved faster and faster until she couldn’t hold it all.
She came with a cry as her body shattered. Ripples of pleasure cascaded through her, making her shudder and moan and hang on to every ounce of release. He continued to please her with his tongue, moving exactly in time with her release, drawing it out until she was drained and boneless.
When he finally drew back, Dana could barely open her eyes. She knew she should say something, but she couldn’t bring herself to speak. Nothing had ever felt like that.
But as good as it had been, she felt strange inside. Twisted up and confused, as if she’d exposed a part of herself and didn’t know how to cover back up. What was he thinking? Vulnerability wasn’t her best feature and it was one she fought to keep to herself.
As Garth sat up, she opened her eyes. His expression was tense and hungry.
“Condoms?” he asked, his voice raw with need.
She pointed to the nightstand drawer. As he opened it and pulled out the small box, she saw his hands were shaking slightly. His swollen erection throbbed slightly.
He fumbled with the condom, finally siding it in place, then without any style at all, he pushed into her, filling her.
He was still a moment, his breath coming through clenched teeth. When she started to move, he groaned, then grabbed her hips.
“Give me a second,” he muttered.
If she’d been standing, the shock of it would have caused her to fall over. Just to be sure, she pulsed her hips and he swore. His eyes were glazed with passion, his muscles rigid as he struggled for control. He was a man on the edge.
She hadn’t been the only one to enjoy what he’d done to her, she thought happily, raising her legs and wrapping them around his hips. From the looks of things, he’d been caught up in the experience nearly to the point of losing it.
Suddenly surrendering didn’t seem too bad. Not when it brought a man like Garth to his knees. She shifted again, drawing him in deeper. She stroked his arms and his back, feeling thick scars and warm skin.
“Anytime, big guy,” she whispered.
He gave a short laugh. “My goal is to make it last longer than it would have when I was eighteen.”
“All flash and no substance. I should have guessed.”
He pushed into her and hissed out a breath. “It’s your fault.”
“Sure. Blame it on the woman.”
He pushed in again. He was thick and long and filled all of her. If he had five or ten minutes in him, she would have enjoyed the ride, but judging from the way he shook, that wasn’t going to happen. Which was fine with her. She’d had her turn and watching him fight for control was about the best part of her day.
“Next time,” he promised. “Is that okay?”
She smiled slowly, feeling intense female power, possibly for the first time in her life. “Absolutely.”
“I think I’ll struggle a few seconds longer. For pride’s sake.”
“I don’t think so.” She tightened her muscles around him, then pulsed again.
He tensed, pushed into her and two thrusts later, was done.
Still inside of her, he stared into her eyes. “I can do better.”
She smiled. “It was great. Better than great. It’s been a long time since I was with a teenaged boy.”
“Gee, thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
He kissed her. “Let’s get some dinner.”
Dinner as in eating together? As in going out?
“I, ah, don’t think that’s a good idea. I meant what I said. I don’t want anything personal between us.”
He chuckled. “Dana, we’re naked. My penis is still inside of you. We passed personal a long time ago.”
“I know, but we’re going to be working together and we should…”
She didn’t know what, exactly, but there should be rules and clarification and didn’t he want to leave? Guys always wanted to leave after sex.
He kissed her again. “You just had an orgasm. Be quiet and bask like every other woman.”
“That’s not me.”
“I know. Which is why I offered dinner.”
“What would you have done otherwise?”
“Offered to cuddle.”
Oh, please. “On what planet?”
“Okay, maybe I’m not much of a cuddler, but I can fake it the same as every other guy.” He nipped her bottom lip. “Which is it to be? Dinner or cuddling?”
“Dinner.”
He withdrew and sat up. “That’s my girl.”
“Let’s get this straight. I’m not your girl and after dinner, you’re not getting any again. And don’t for a moment think you’re spending the night.”
“Of course not. I’m not the type.”
“Neither am I.”