Prologue
Jake Lassiter sat alone in his spacious Las Vegas office shifting through various reports spread out on his desk looking for a clue he brother might have left for him to find since he went missing. For months now he’s been trying to track his twin brother Dylan to no avail having lost contact with him six months ago. His younger brother, by minutes, took an assignment that took him off to California and now he listed as missing.
Dylan was sent there to investigate criminal activity within a small family based business. Cantrell Books contacted them suspecting that someone within the company, possibly a family member was behind grand larceny bleeding the store dry. Even Dylan’s partner Margaret Elizabeth known as M.E. Jones had no luck in locating him. She was his brother longest partner and knew him pretty good and hoped she’s report back with good news, which was any day now.
Recently Jake had been having vivid dreams of his identical brother being held somewhere in a run down warehouse but nothing curial to the locating. At least he knew for certain Dylan was alive. For now. There was only Dylan and their younger sister, Jewel, who was happily married to Warrenton and is about have her first child that was part of his immediate family. Their parents had long ago perished in a car crash caused by a drunken driver leaving the boys to be raised by their godmother, Breanne O’Connor. Their extended family freely gave any support the boys needed to a point. They had their own families to rise and gladly gave the twins to Breanne to rise, who is Hunter Harvard his best friend’s grandmother.
“Jake, I know you asked not to be disturbed for the rest of the day,” Rachel Welles, his proficient sectary buzzed on him on the intercom waiting for him to answer before giving her reason why she was disturbing him.
“What is it?” He sighed heavily his concentration gone now anyways so what the hell, right?
“Mr. Harvard would like to speak with you. It’s about Mr. Dylan, sir.” She winced at the intercom, his harsh bark was getting worst each day pass without any word from Dylan.
Jake bolted out the door before she stopped speaking yanking the door open to find his partner Hunter Harvard perched on the edge Rachel’s desk, flirting with her. What the hell? His brother is missing for six close to seven months and his best friend was busy hitting on his sectary!
“What did you find out? Have you found him?” Jake demanded soon he found his tongue so was his frustration. Its not like he had anything against Harvard and his women…
Suddenly a blinding white-hot pain exploded in his head, knocking him to his knees, his heart thundering madly in his chest pumping fresh blood throughout his veins like he was about to be attacked. The office blurred to a dim darkness, seeming to transform to where he could see his brother taking a nasty beating by two mean looking guys twice his size. Dylan’s arms were tied above his bent head the rope burned into his wrists like fire.
They were in some kind of drafty warehouse. He could hear lapping water like an ocean splashing at the shore. Concentrating he turn his dazed attention focus back to his brother, horrified helplessly watching one to the burly men reach for a gun tucked away in its holster aiming it straight at Dylan.
“Nooo!” Then total blackness enshrouded him after the brilliant flash of a discharged gun. And the gun was aimed at Dylan at point blank.
“Jake, hey pal, c’mon wake up now. If you don’t Rachel threatened to call 911. I don’t think you want to chance the ribbing from me or the fellows from the ER bringing you in when nothing’s seriously wrong with you.” Harvard knelt by his friend’s very much concerned by Jake’s unexpected collapse. He knew he had something to do with Dylan and it didn’t look promising, which he prayed to God he was wrong. He loved both of them like a blood brothers and losing even one of them would be unbearable. M. E. better report soon because he’d hate to see the lengths Jake would do to get answers.
Jake groggily cracked his dark eyes carefully opening them only to a frowning Harvard hovering over him and Rachel was behind him looking at him like he was at death’s door. What was he doing on the floor? He felt like he could hit by a Mac truck doing sixty on the freeway.
“Wh-what happened?” Gingerly he moved his limbs checking their mobility relieved when they responded with minor stiffness. Although there something was terrible wrong. Like something missing. Or someone? A link perhaps?
Dylan.
“Jesus, God! Those bastards killed him!” The special bond connection he shared with Dylan was severed. Closing his eyes he tried to considerate on his brother, trying to get a fix on him but nothing came back to him. It felt so strange after thirty-three years of having someone mentally to talk to and to have it gone so abruptly was unspeakable. Never had he felt so disturbingly alone.
“He’s dead, Hunter. Dead. Just like the men who did this to him will be, I so swear it!” Jake breathed harshly totally unprepared for such a phenomenon incident he now had to deal with. How did one deal with the lost of a twin? This was so much more than losing a sibling. It felt like he lost a part of himself leaving him half of a man.
Now wasn’t the time to grieve. Now was the time to hunt down those responsible and bring them to justice one way or another.
“Take it easy, partner. You can’t know that for certain, right? I mean until we find a body there’s still hope he’s alive.” Rarely had Jake used his Christian name and he was worried for his friend. Hunter always went by his last name and answered to it more that his first. All the more reason to alarm by the ruthless look of his partner. Harvard knew what that look meant in Jake’s savage eyes and he knew he had to stop him from doing something stupid. Oh, like hunting down the men who killed Dylan and seek revenge. Possibly killing them in the process of seeking such a justice.
“Book me the next flight to California , Rachel.” Jake ignored the large man beside him as he climbed to his feet, dusting the seat of his pants. He should have gone when Dylan was first reported missing but Harvard talked him out of it arguing that his brother might need a little more time, that eventually he check in with them.
Rachel hastily dialed the airlines quick to book passage feeling for her boss, thinking how devastated she would be if Warren her older brother were missing then presumed dead. She couldn’t even image that because he was the rock in her life ever since their parents’ deaths.
“This won’t accomplish a damned thing and you know it. Going out half cocked like this is a sure way of begging for trouble, pal.” Harvard tried again to reason with him not putting much hope in a fool’s errand. “Fine, if I can’t make you see reason then I’m coming too.”
“No, I need you here in case anyone calls about Dylan.” Jake went back into his office gathering papers and shoving them in his briefcase, his mind already checking off things he needed to get done before he left.
“Damn stubborn man! I can see why Dylan was so eager to prove to you he can take care of himself. You’re the very overprotective smothering brother. I thought Duncan was crazy telling me how much of a kid you treated him. Guess I was wrong, huh?”
“He’s just a damned kid.”
“Then so are you! What does that make you? An old man? Good God, man, he’s only a few seconds younger than you are!”
“He’s ten friggin’ minutes!”
“So, sue me. Do you realize how crazy you just sounded? I know he’s more than your brother, Jake. I love the both of you like my blood but please think a moment. Are you really helping him by rushing off like this? Haven’t you noticed the big chip on Dylan’s shoulder lately? What is he going to think when you show up like a charging bull ready rescue him, hmm?”
“You’re on the seven o’clock flight, Mr. Lassiter.”
“Not you too, Rachel! This whole thing is preposterous I hope you two realize that. What if he calls and I’ll be forced to tell him that big brother’s on his way, hmmm? He’ll be angry that’s what!”
Jake shrugged his broad shoulders not worried should that be the case. Once he knew Dylan is indeed safe will he give him hell for keeping out of contact for so long. “I’ll see you in a few days.”
But little did Jake know that he was about to meet a woman whose was about to change the way he lived his life in a very good way. Depending on how one looked at it.
Chapter One
“Pregnant?” Shiloh Grace Langdon grimaced in a tiny gasp reaffirming what her doctor and best friend confirmed astounded that her suspicion were indeed proven true. She hoped the drugstore pregnancy tests were wrong. Yeah she only took about a dozen until she got one answer she desired. Negative. She was reclined on the paper-covered table clad in thin hospital gown looking dejectedly at her best friend wondering how she was going to tell the father to be. Jake Lassiter had decided about four months prior he didn’t want anything serious proclaiming, “This is getting way too serious for me. I don’t want to be committed to one woman right now. There’s too much going on in my life.”
It was only a summer fling she tried to tell herself, however she wanted so much more than that short time with him. She had met Jake Lassiter while vacationing in California staying at her family’s villa in Los Anglos. He bought the house right next door a few weeks ago and he was lonely not having any family there, he told her. How stunningly handsome he was with thick wavy black hair, ebony eyes a straight Roman nose and a God like body that had her swooping in the overwhelming desire she never experienced before. And what a summer it was for them…until it ended two short lovely months later with her heart broken in a million shattered little pieces.
“Are you very sure, Maggie? There can be no mistake, then?”
“I guess you don’t want to hear congrads. And yes, you’re about four to four and half months gone now. As least you’ll know what to be for your mother’s Halloween soirée, huh?” Maggie Silverton chuckled nodding her dark head, her sparkling velvet honey brown eyes closely observed the woman she knew since childhood. She had seen the pictures of Shiloh and Jake together and thought they were a happy, striking couple. She, for one couldn’t wait to see what the baby would look like. Would he or she have Jake’s dark hot roman looks or Shiloh ’s angelic fair ones, or a blended exotic mixture of both? Hmmm. Only time could tell.
“Ha, ha, ha! Very funny. Mother has a big Halloween gala planned and there’s no way I’m going to that this year. What I really wanted you to tell me that the test was negative and I’m not pregnant! My mother is going to kill me and my father’s going to hunt him down and kill him when I tell them! But as long as you’re having a good time my misery is good for something.”
“That’s not what I meant and well you know it, Shiloh Grace! One needs to look at the bright side of life when things aren’t going according to one’s plan, is all.”
Shiloh bounded from the table snatching her clothes from the chair donning them hastily while muttering to herself, “He left me at the end of the summer to go back to his ex girlfriend, Anna Hillcrest. He stood up me the last night I was in town to be with that…that would be wanna be movie star. Oh, he called me the next afternoon to apologize for that night. Do you want to know what he told me?”
Without waiting for her reply Shiloh stormed, “He told me he didn’t want to hurt me by leading me on while he took care of some family business. He broke up with me over the phone! He wasn’t man enough to say it in person! What am I supposed to do now?”
“Is that a rhetorical question because I really don’t look forward to have my head bit off again. Although, it does create a rather nasty problem, hmm? But it’s too late to terminate the pregnancy you know being so far along. I guess you’ll do the right thing and tell him, right? I mean he did give you a way to contact him, just in case I trust?”
“Oh God, no! I forgot to ask him before I left. I was just that furious. I really don’t want to think about this right now. Great, I can just see Jake with his model or some other thin knock out bimbo draped on his arm when…if I just so happen to run into them trying to tell him that I’m having his baby. He’s liable to accuse me of doing this to trap him into an unwanted marriage! Or worst yet think the baby’s not his, oh Lord.”
“Calm down, Shi, I’m sure he won’t. You guys were using protection, right?” Maggie rested a comforting hand on her friend’s shoulder showing her support.
“I was on the pill and he used a condom every time, because he didn’t completely trust the pill doing its job correctly. Little wonder,” Shiloh sniggered nervously near hysterical then took several deep-calming breaths trying to subside her rampant panic, jammed her legs into her jeans, and discarded the paper-thin hospital gown for her lacy bra and pale pink silk blouse.
“You can’t tell anyone, Maggie or I’ll–”
“Hey, don’t worry, mother-to-be, not only am I your bestest dearest friend in the whole wide world, but also I’m your doctor remember? I can’t tell anyone since this is all strictly confidential. However I advise you to sign up for Lamaze class in a few months to give you a better feel what you’re up against here.”
“Oh my goodness, I’m going to get fat! I don’t want to get fat not when that bimbo Anna looks like the woman I always wanted to be! Tall, dark and beautiful.”
“That sounds like Jake, silly. I should know have seeing the pictures. He’s a hottie, my friend. Besides, you’ll be pregnant, not technically fat so to say just, ah well rounded. And you’ll have a healthy baby before long and naturally I’ll be the awesome godmother to spoil her or him.” Flashing her friend a bright smile she flipped closed Shiloh ’s medical file tucking it firmly beneath her arm.
“But it wasn’t supposed to like this. You wanted the children and I wanted to be the godmother, not the mother! When did things get so out of hand? Dear Lord I next to nothing about babies? And motherhood? Goodness me oh my. I’m actually going to be responsible for a small defenseless being.” She glanced at Maggie totally overwhelm feeling hopeless like she was being pulled in several different directions at once, her heart pounding a dreadful beat in her breast above her baby’s safe heaven.
Some many things could go wrong. Her mother had trouble getting pregnant and had several miscarriages before she bore her. No to mention Millicent’s hips were too narrow to have her child naturally. It chilled her thinking that might happen to her. Lose her baby. No! She’d do everything she had to ensuring her baby’s health.
“So, you’ll learn like any other woman whose having a baby. No biggie, dear. It’s not an exact science raising kids these days, you know. Nevertheless, you’ll be a wonderful mother I just know it. And don’t worry about your mother’s history on having babies. I promise I’ll be watchful for any signs.”
“I’ve gotta go.”
“Call me later, ‘k? We need to set up a check up appointment for the both of you.” Maggie laughed after her wondering what her friend had in mind this time. “Ah, love. Ain’t it grand?”
“Who are you talking too?” Nurse Nancy wanted to know, staring questioningly at the young doctor, a tray filled with medication in her hands. Her stern somber eyes narrowed dourly thinking all the doctors thought the nurses needed to be supervised like they were children.
“Ah, no one, Nan . I believe the patients are waiting for their meds.”
Shiloh threw her purse in her car, jumped behind the wheel, jabbed her key in the ignition started the engine with a quick twist of her wrist. She pulled out of the hospital parking lot heading for her father’s place of work. What she really needed right now was to lay her head on his strong shoulder and have a good long cry. Then she would tell him what kind of trouble she was headed for, and he would know what to do to make things better.
Teague Langdon had built a multimillion-dollar empire for his family from practically nothing but his keen business wits and shrewdness. Surely he would know what to do in the face of her problem. He was like her knight in shiny armor, always there for her.
Shiloh had recently gone back to school for her degree in creative writing still trying to prove to herself a success in her field selling romance novels to millions around the world. Unfortunately, each one of her proposals were rejected countless times, but where that may have discouraged most writers, it only made her more determined to succeed. All she had to do was come up with something fresh, believable and something that tugged at the heartstring of the readers. Not even her mother’s loud objections had discouraged her from her dreams of sharing all the love and passion she had in her soul with readers.
Her mother simply wanted her darling only child to marry well and have a family of her own. Yeah, well she was unknowingly about to get one of her fervent prayers answered. Millicent Lowe had married the wealthy Teague Langdon, assured herself that both her and any child of hers would be taken care of for the rest of their lives. But much to her mother’s dismay her marriage had disincarnated soon after Shiloh reached her tender teenage years.
Shiloh was startled for her cell phone chimed insistently from her purse immediately interrupting her troubled musings, which she was thankful. She wanted to avoid talking to her mother if at all possible. Flipping her phone opened she cringed forgetting to scan her calls before she answered it. It might be Mother.
“’Ello?”
“Where have you been, young lady? You were supposed to meet me at Della’s Café for brunch. Where are you right this minute?” Her mother’s angry voice shrieked from the earpiece and Shiloh was glad she was stopped at a red light, and held the phone far from her ear. So much for avoiding mother.
“I’m on my way to Langdon Park .”
“You’re going to see your father’s when you had an appointment with me? I swear I don’t understand you at all, Shiloh Grace Langdon! Not at all.” A heavy sigh was breathed on the other end making Shiloh squirm in her seat. She knew better than to bring up her father in her mother’s company. It hasn’t been long since the divorce.
“Mother, I have to go the light changed green. People are honking on their horns at me.” A small white lie soon to be the truth if she didn’t move it by the looks of the person behind her.
“Something’s wrong I know it or you wouldn’t have forgotten about me this afternoon, Shiloh Grace. Now why don’t you tell me instead of you running to your father, hmm.”
“Ah, nothing’s wrong, Mother.” Well at least not yet, nervous of telling her intimidating mother of her pending news of motherhood. Oh great! That would make her mother a grandmother and she’d never hear the end of how she forced Millicent to such an undesirable status at such a young age forty-nine. Shiloh would rather wait until after she talked to her father before telling her mother. She didn’t want to deal with the drama Millicent was famous for.
“Don’t you dare lie to me your mother, young lady! It’s a sin. I’ll meet you at your father’s in fifteen minutes.” The dial tone clicked loudly in her ear, abruptly ended any conversation or protests.
“No, Moth–” sometimes it didn’t pay to leave one’s bed, but that’s how she got herself in to this predicament she reminded herself with a rueful smile by getting in bed in the first place. And her dear mother was losing her mind if she thought lying to one’s mother was a sin, at least it’s not in the Bible.
Ten minutes later Shiloh parked in her father’s business complex and was on her way to his office when her mother’s sleek black limo drove up to her. The back door flew opened and Millicent gracefully swept from the dark interior dressed in a dark dress suit and sunglasses looking like a movie star that just stepped off the set.
“Ah good, I caught you before you got to your father’s office. Well, give me a hug, darling girl.” Her gorgeous mother didn’t waste another minute as she embraced Shiloh as if she hadn’t seen her in months kissing her on each cheek in a European greeting.
“Why did you come? I wanted to talk to Daddy alone, Mother!”
“And you would have kept whatever you told your daddy from me, too. So, now that I’m here I can hear all the tinny wee, little details you tell him, saving you the trouble of repeating yourself.” Clasping Shiloh ’s arm within her own, Millicent lead the way to the elevators inside the tall main building that housed her father’s office.
“Mrs. Langdon! Miss Langdon! B-but, Mr. Langdon’s in a meeting and can’t be disturbed!” Etta, Teague Langdon’s secretary, shot form her chair behind her desk trying to stop her mother from entering the office to no prevail, as she boldly walked in on her ex husband’s business meeting.
“Milli! What in the world are you doing? Shiloh ?” Teague glowered darkly at his ex wife then frowned at his pale daughter standing behind her mother in a cringe. He quickly excused himself from his associates escorting the women from the important business meeting, and down the hall to his private offices.
“I tried to stop her, Mr. Langdon, sir!” Etta was in a tizzy following behind the trio while glaring at Millicent. That woman caused a lot of grief when she was married to her boss and she hoped they wouldn’t get back together any time soon.
“It’s all right, Etta. Perhaps you should fetch some coffee for my, ah restless colleagues and let them know I’ll be back in a few minutes.” He assured her in a gentle voice as they passed the distraught woman on their way to his private office down the long hall. Once he had them closeted in his spacious corner office he immediately whirled to Millicent with a low growl.
“Don’t you ever disturb me when I’m busy in a meeting. What? Didn’t you receive your precious alimony check, yet?” Teague was trying to keep the money troubles he was having quiet and hopefully once the investigator he hired was on the job some of his worries would be dealt with accordingly.
“How dare you! I am here for my daughter, Teague Langdon!” How she missed this man! Too bad he gave all his attention and time to his business and not to his family she despaired with a pang. She’ll just have to teach him a lesson on that. She had hoped the divorce would have opened his eyes to her needs for him but so far it was futile.
“Our daughter, Milli, ours not yours.” He corrected wearily without thought as a beginnings of a wicked migraine formed behind his eyes. He didn’t need this today of all days, fighting with her like they did while they were married. That was why one of the many reasons they decided on the damned divorce! Or so he kept telling himself hoping one day to believe it. It seemed he saw more of her now than when they were married. Damn the woman anyways! She was driving him to drink before too long.
“Don’t call me that, you home spoiler rogue! My name is Millicent not Milli!” Truth to be known, she melted each time he say it sending warm shivers of delight down her back and her knees weaken to jell-o. Curse his rotten soul! She was still in love with the handsome bounder, just her dreadful luck. When would she ever get lucky with this man?
“ Shiloh ? What’s wrong, baby?” Her father dismissed his ex focusing his attentions on his precious little girl who looked like she was about to cry. His arms gathered her close to his heart silently lending her the support she craved most to divulge her most overwhelming news. Shiloh wished he had used another endearment than that one, sharply reminded her of why she came here.
“I, ah had a bad day and wanted to see you, and I see now that I should have called first. Sorry, Daddy.” Pulling away from him she headed towards the door though her mother had other plans cutting her off by standing in front of the door with her hands on her rounded hips. The dear girl wasn’t about to get off that easily!
“You don’t need to make an appointment to see your daddy, sweetie. Isn’t that right, Teague Langdon?” Millicent shot a hard glower at him still blocking the only means of escape.
“Of course, it is! C’mon and have a seat, honey. Tell Daddy what he can do to make it all better?” Glowering warningly at Millicent, he guided Shiloh further into his office settling her in a loveseat, and taking the seat beside her. Grasping her trembling hands in his larger warmer ones, he gave her his full concentration.
Millicent smiled pleased that their daughter meant more to Teague than his silly business dealings. If only he showed her the same consideration then perhaps they’d still be together and if he only loved her more than his obsession to build his empire. If only, if only…! Stop it! Stop it!
Sighing heavily she gratefully sank in the closet chair to them, impatiently waited for Shiloh to tell them what was so wrong that she completely forgot about their brunch meeting.
“I don’t know if I can tell you. You’ll be mad and disappointed in me…both of you.” Shiloh eyed the door longingly feeling cowardly at the strong urge of running from the office, ashamed. She was determined to come clean today…this very afternoon.
“You can tell me anything, Princess, you know that, right? I promise I won’t get mad and your mother had better not either.” Throwing a dark warning look over his shoulder at Millicent to behave he locked concerned eyes with his daughter’s disregarding Millicent’s little gasp of motherly outrage.
“I don’t get mad. That’s your father’s way of dealing with things he has no control over, not me, dear.”
“Oh, shut up, Milli! Now Shiloh Grace, tell me what I can do to help.”
Shiloh wished her mother was anywhere but here right now mentally bracing herself for the scene that was about to break all hell loose. What wouldn’t she give not to have to tell them? But if she didn’t then her belly would in a few more weeks. No, it was better this way from the start.
“I’m pregnant.” She blurted out two little words that changed her life forever before she lost her courage and procrastinating by fibbing something else. Her eyes tightly closed bracing herself even hoping for the best.
Total and absolute silence greeted her startling announcement, rendering both her parents absolutely speechless for the first time she could recall. Neither moved a muscle as if frozen, as each slowly disgusted what their only beloved daughter just brazenly proclaimed.
“Wait a minute. I must have heard you incorrectly. You’re going to be a… what?” Were the first words screeched from her mother’s bow shaped mouth, gasping like she had just finished running a flight of stairs. “Oh my sweet, sweet Lord in heaven! My baby’s having a baby.” Then ever more horrified a quick, “Oh God, I’ll be a grandmother!” Millicent chocked, her hand furiously fanned her chest not getting enough air to breath. Of all the things that possibly rushed through her mind this was the absolutely last one. Not to mention the most shocking to boot.
“Dammit, woman! Stop your womanly vapors, right now! This isn’t helping matters any.” Teague ordered disgustfully, but quickly went to her kneeling in front of her catching her in a dead fainted. “Who the hell is he, Shiloh Grace? I swear I’ll kill the son-of-a-!”
Shiloh really wasn’t sure what to anticipate, however it wasn’t her father going to her mother as he had, presenting a united front like this by two little words that held the power to utterly change all their lives as they knew it. She had always wanted her parents to get back together when she was a child, but she never thought it would take this to accomplish it.
“Wake up, Milli! Now look what you’ve done to your mother, young lady.” Never had her father used that low furious tone with her before usually used it with her mother, and she was at a loss how to respond. Teague didn’t wait for an answer as he fanned Millicent with his hand then a light tap on her pale, colorless cheek to revive. Nothing worked. He wished Millicent would stop fainting like this every time she didn’t want to hear something she didn’t want to or escaping from shocking news like this. It was damn annoying!
Usually she used the swooning act as a way to get out of doing what she didn’t want to deal with at the time.
“I see it was a mistake coming here and tell you my news! I thought you would like to know from me instead of some tabloid. I should have known better than to trust the both of you in the same room together. I am the one with the problem, not Mother! Me, Daddy, me! I knew I shouldn’t have come.” She repeated again shaking her head in disgust staring at them, clearly distraught.
“ Shiloh , get back here this instant!” Her father’s bellowed decree fell on deaf ears as she dashed from the office like a frightened doe. There was no way she was going back in there!
“You better get my mother her smelling salts, Etta.” Shiloh told the secretary knowing there was some on hand on her way to the elevator urgently smashing the lighted button repeatedly. She sighed gratefully when the doors opened, then wished like hell they remained closed because the source of her troubles stood there and he wasn’t alone.
“Shi? Shiloh , is that really you?” Oh God, it was Jake! Could her day possibly get any worst? Ask and you shall receive the saying mocked her when she noticed the clinging vine at his side.
Jake Lassiter looked so achingly handsome standing there in a dark navy suit with his wavy jet-black hair smoothed back from his bronzed roman features. Then her amethyst eyes widened painfully seeing a stunning Anna Hillcrest latched to his arm like a greedy triumph leech.
There was no other way for Shiloh to react but to utterly panic. She darted straight for the stairs willing away her foolish childish tears. Hormones stupid dumb hormones, she obstinately claimed silencing what her heart tried to tell her. She certainly had no claim on Jake whatsoever so why then did she feel the need to cry? It was her pregnancy, she abruptly blamed. Of course, that was it. Maggie warned her her emotions would go haywire at any time.
And right now all she wanted to do was get away from her hurt and her disillusion parents who were understandably disappointed in her. Heck, she was disapponited in her, which made it even worst. Not to mention getting the hell away from the main source of her anguish standing in the elevator would at least diminish some of her bitterness. She had thought telling her parents was bad enough, yet nothing could prepare her seeing her Jake in the arms no other than that of Anna Hillcrest.
“Wait, dammit. Shiloh !” But she was already gone disappearing behind the stairwell door. She hoped to get back to her car before she lost the inner battle as her traitorous tears seeped from her troubled red-rimmed eyes.
“Miss Shiloh? Are you okay?” Mercer Matthews, her father’s right handed man asked the near hysterical woman that flew passed him like a blur in the main lower lobby. He was about to go after her when he saw a young handsome man shoot out of the elevator, in hot pursuit after her out in the main parking lot, shouting her name over and over again.
“ Shiloh , dammit! Wait a minute,” Jake cursed beneath his breath trying to catch her before she got to her car and vanished from his life again. He wanted so badly to talk to her about his untimely break up with her that night, but she had already vacated the house next door to his in California . He managed to grab her arm, forcing her to stop.
“Hey, didn’t you hear me call you?”
“Let me go, Jake Lassiter! We have absolutely nothing to say to each other.” She whispered achingly tight refusing to look at him instead locking her tormented gaze on her car a few yards away. So close yet so bitterly far away!
“I want to explain about Anna…and California,” he began helplessly not knowing where he should start feeling strangely guilty about being with his ex girlfriend. There was so much she didn’t know about him and he wondered if she would ever forgive him, and let him back in her life after he what he intentionally kept from her. “There are things I have to be clear on with you that I wasn’t months ago. I just couldn’t find the right words.”
Somehow he felt like he cheated on her catching him with Anna in the elevator staring at him mutely as Anna brazenly pressed her ample breasts against his arm. In fact, he hadn't seen her in weeks being reassigned to New York to meet with Teague Langdon. Anna had followed him from California to New York like a shadow smothering him continuously. He was such damn fool for dumping Shiloh . Had she ever look more stunning than she did at this moment?
“Don’t feel like you need to justify yourself to me, Jake. I’m no longer apart of your life. Bare in mind you left me, not I you.” Her gentle words weren’t bitter just extremely sad and he felt a sharp twist of regret bite through his heart. “Besides, I know Anna Hillcrest, remember? She was the one you were with before me. Now, if you don’t mind I really need to go.” She tugged at her arm clasped in his hand looking away from him as if looking at him hurt too much. Damn, he had a lot to explain for!
“I know I don’t have to tell you, dammit, but I want too. My reasons had nothing to do with Anna.” How could he tell her he wasn’t what he appeared, that in a couple of weeks he would more than likely tear her world apart again. However, this time he was determined to be at her side when the time came. Again? How could he do this to her? Wasn’t once enough?
“Too darn bad, Jake Lassiter! I don’t want to listen to what you have to say. You had that chance months ago before I left California and news flash you blew it. Now, let me go.” Finally successful she snatched her ensnared arm from him determined to get away from him and wanted to leave before she had to face her parents so soon after telling them they’ll be grandparents.
“ Shiloh!” Her father bellowed across the parking lot breaking Jake’s hold on her arm and she wasted no time getting to her car. She took one last quick look at Jake, then at her father before she drove away.
“Ah, hello there. Can I help you, sir?” Teague came to stand beside the younger man to watch his distraught daughter speed safely away. It seemed like the women in his life were always leaving him and he was getting damn sick of it.
“I’m Jake Lassiter and I was on my way to see Teague Langdon.” His dark eyes watched until her car was out of sight. He would make her listen to his reasons and if need to beg for a second chance.
“Jake? Jake Lassiter, hmm, that name seems to sounds familiar. I’m Teague Langdon. I didn’t know I had a meeting with you this afternoon.” Teague affirmed ruefully, still scowling after his daughter. “Do we have a meeting this afternoon? I’m afriad my sectary didn’t give me a run down on my daily appointments.”
“Yes, but if you need to we can reschedule I understand.”
“Nonsense, my boy. Oh, now I remember. Let’s go back inside and talk about that, ah, …merger? Right?” Slapping his forehead with his large hand he remembered who Lassiter really was.
“Ah, yeah sure. That wasn’t your daughter, was it, sir?” Oh my God! Please tell me it’s not. This could not be happening like this. When they were together they hadn’t actually talked about their family but this was just too much.
“Why yes, yes it was. That was my little Shiloh . I’ll deal with her, later. C’mon, let’s get this deal cracking.”
Oh my God, I nailed my assignment’s only daughter! And more than once.
This wasn’t how Jake wanted to begin the undercover investigation although it seemed like he didn’t have much of a choice about it now. They went back to the office building talking about mundane things like the weather and sports. Jake was still trying to digest the fact that Shiloh Langdon was Teague Langdon’s only daughter and heir of his vast wealth. A fortune he was hired to protect!
Teague contacted him a few weeks ago, hiring him on the spot to investigate of possible embezzlement or leaks of vital information for his client and charge with criminal activities.
For the next two hours or so, Jake and Teague closeted themselves in Teague’s private office, poured over certain contracts that were out bid by another company. Jake had thought going into a mock business with Langdon would draw out the culprit.
Jake had been set up as a wealthy young tycoon ready to branch out with lots of money to invest. They wanted to make no secret about the ‘merger’ within the company. Hopefully, soon they’d get some solid evidence of who was behind these crimes.
“Do you have any ideas who it could be? Any enemies I should know about?” Jake flipped through his notes trying to come up with possible leads could have been missed. So far there was no suspects and it didn’t look too promising. He had a hard time concentrating on the details still thinking about Shiloh and what hell he was would bring to her into her life by her father’s own hand, no less.
Damn, he hadn’t realized how much he missed her until he saw her again for the first time since the breakup. Or how amazingly beautiful she was. It seemed like the separation had blossomed her in a way he never noticed before.
His main reason he decided to end it with her was the search for Dylan proved fruitful just like Harvard predicted. There still hasn’t been a call from his brother and until he knew without a doubt Dylan was dead he was going to keep on searching for him. So what if the conncetion they had since they were kids wasn’t there didn’t mean he was dead. Until he had Dylan’s body to bury he wouldn’t stop hoping or looking for him.
Another was he had committed his time to another assignment across the world and wasn’t sure how long it would take to finish, thinking it wouldn’t be fair to ask Shiloh to wait for him. If he was totally honest with himself he was afraid.
Afraid of what he wasn’t so sure now. He thought at the time she was just like another woman wanting more of him than he was prepared to give or to have access to his millions. Now that he knew who she was he didn’t have to worry about that issue having more than enough to live off of for a couple of lifetimes.
“…how about it? Jake?”
“Ah, what? Sorry, must have wandered off.” Apologizing a charming faint smile curved his lips his teasing deep dimples appeared. He tried to rememeber what they were talking about but nothing came to mind but Shiloh . Damn, he really had to do something about that if he was going to do his job. He really had no idea what Teague had rambled about and couldn’t care less unless if it was about Shiloh . What a mindless idiot he was reduced when it came to that woman!
“How about you join me for dinner at the house this evening?” The older man offered again throwing him a curious look while he waited.
“Well, of course he shall! We can go over my plans for my St. Hollow’s Eve soirée.” Millicent answered for him barging into the office with a harried Etta trailing behind her like a prison guard as she again butted in where she didn’t belong. “I think Shiloh and I will also attend for dinner.”
“Sorry, Mr. Langdon. She wouldn’t listen to me when I told her you were in a meeting. Again.” Etta groaned ruefully wincing when she noticed the throbbing vein popping out on his forehead. Cringing inwardly at her intimidating boss glowered darkly at his ex wife and Millicent just titled the corners of her mouth in a beguiling little sexy smile that could force any man to his knees.
“That’s quite all right, Etta. Why don’t you call it a day? I’ll handle this from here.” He gestured ruefully to Millicent hoping he could stop whatever she planed for later tonight. She knew he didn’t like to mix business with his personal life. What was she up to now?
“Thank you, sir.” Beating a hasty retreat Etta was for once happy to leave early. Sometimes it just didn’t pay to get out of bed some days and this was one of them. She only prayed to escape the low dull throb in her head before a full migraine hit her full force.
“And you, Milli, don’t answer for the boy. I thought you left hours ago chasing after Shiloh.”
Oh sweet Jesus! This stunning creature was Shiloh ’s mother? Jake didn’t mean to stare, but the woman was just as gorgeous as Shiloh with long flowing golden curls and amused lavender eyes. If he didn’t know better he’d thought Millicent was Shiloh ’s older sister. Now, he knew where Shiloh inherited her looks and saw what she might look like later in life. Hell, he thought he’d had a time of now what was it going to be like a few years down the road.
“Luckily you didn’t make your fortune reading my mind, my dear ex husband or truly you would have ended in the poor house.” Millicent laughed gaily patting his arm like she would a simple-minded child. Then she turned back to the young man with the hot dark handsome Roman looks. “My, my aren’t you simply magnificent? Do tell, any, ah…older brothers in the family tree?”
“No, just a baby sister whose about to have her firstborn any day now.”
“Pity,” her musical laughter so like her daughter’s completely captivated him. Damn it, he had to stop this! He had to stop thinking about that little minx! Millicent’s large light violet eyes boldly raked down his finely cut body before they locked with Teague’s insanely jealous ones. Well, well, well. Isn’t this interesting turn of events? Great her plan was finally working. She planned to make Teague so jealous by pretending to be ensnared by another man that he was coerced to confront his feelings he still had for her.
“I don’t think Shiloh would want to come to dinner with us, tonight.” Teague forewarned his meddling ex, thinking of what a disaster this afternoon proved and he had no qualms to force his daughter in another commotion with Millicent so soon after this one. Besides, she was carrying his first grandchild! The stress couldn’t be good for either one of them and he meant to keep as much stress from her as he could.
“Oh pish posh, m’dear. Shiloh shall be ready for dinner tonight, promptly at eight.” With those her parting words, Millicent gracefully took her leave like any mighty Queen would envy. Now all she had to do was convince Shiloh that her daddy badly needed her this evening. Her fingers busily dialed her daughter’s cell phone number while she rode the elevator down to her waiting limo, parked in front of the building.
“ Shiloh , darling, it’s Mother. Ah, listen your daddy feels simply wretched about this afternoon as do I and want you to come to dinner tonight. I’ll be there shortly to pick you up. Kisses.” She blew kisses through her phone quite pleased with her clever message flipping her phone closed with a smart satisfying click. What a scheme she was cooking up for her much in need daughter. It was a blessing at times to be the meddler of the family. She had more persuasion for things to turn out in one’s favor and didn’t feel the least bit guilty at employing them. Oh, this was going to be fun!
“Where to, Mrs. Langdon?” Charles, her driver inquired holding open the back door for her.
“First, to Samantha’s boutique for a quick change of clothes, then to my daughter’s apartment.” Millicent clasped her hands greedily in front of her already plotting her the next part of her plan. How could any young lonely woman resist a man like Jake? “No one, that’s who!”
“Madame?” The driver raised a questioning brow at her still holding the door for her. He had worked for Mrs. Langdon for almost twenty years and knew what that twinkle in her eyes meant. A member of her family was about to have a drastic change in their lives. What remained to be seen was which one.
“Oh nothing, Samuel. Just drive,” She ducked into the back of the limbo, hardly able to wait to see how well her little plan would turn out. Tonight was just the beginning! Millicent was fairly bursting with glee carefully planning her next move. Her daughter mustn’t get an inkling because she was quite stubborn like her father ruining her schemes to get Shiloh and Jake together.
Shiloh meanwhile ignored her mother calls, was curled up on the couch at home morosely watching television with a throw blanket covered her silk pajama legs. She perked up slightly when her door lock clicked and her mother cheerfully burst through her front door jingled her keys, an extra key to her apartment was one of many. Mentally noting she would need to get her locks changed in the near future. She gave that key for emergencies only.
“Mother, what are you doing here? Although, I shouldn’t be so surprised, hmm?” She snuggled deeper on the couch wishing her mother would leave her alone for the time being. No such luck for her.
“Oh bother, don’t tell me you didn’t get my message? Well, no matter. Kindly take a shower and put this on. We are to join your father for dinner at his house.” Millicent had time to think about her daughter’s pregnancy and to come to grips about becoming a grandmother, deciding she rather liked the idea of spoiling another child. What Shiloh needed was a father for her baby helping her through the long miserable months ahead of her. How well Millicent remembered her own pregnancy and how much she needed her husband’s support and bitterly not getting it. Well her daughter was! She had the perfect mate for Shiloh too and not a moment too soon it would seem.
“How far along are you, my darling girl?”
Shiloh just stared at her mother, jaw slaked, attempting to read her mind for she couldn’t ever reminisce her mother being so…well tranquil after the kind of bomb she dropped on her parents at Daddy’s office. Certainly, she thought her mother would bemoan her untimely fate being too young to be a grandmother not this calm creature hovering in front of her. Something was wrong here. Unless her mother had some devious designs for her. Heaven save her!
“What’s going on, Mother? This afternoon you swooned at the mere thought about being a grandmother and now, suddenly you’re interested? Just like that?” Snapping her fingers to stress her point she remained reclined on the couch studying her mother with narrowed amethyst eyes and a raised mocking brow.
“I’m only curious, precious, that’s all. No need to be rude. If you don’t want to tell me fine and if you don’t, then that’s also fine. Your father is expecting us shortly, so do hurry, darling. I took the liberty of buying you a dress at.” Her mother snatched the blanket off of Shiloh balled it up and threw it Samantha’s over her shoulder. Taking her hand and pulling her from the sofa, Millicent gently shoved her in the direction of the bathroom.
“I don’t feel like keeping company this evening, Mother. Please leave.” Samantha’s was a high priced boutique designer’ dresses that catered to high society and she wondered what her mother was scheming now.
“The sooner you do this the sooner you can come back here and sulk to your heart’s content. Your father and I simply felt dreadful about this afternoon and want to make amends. Please, darling girl, let us make it up to you. Oh please, please, please!”
“You win, yet again!” Shiloh threw up her hands in feign surrender grabbing the professed black garment bag on her way to the master bathroom, praying to God that her mother hadn’t planned anything outrageous. Thirty minutes later she had her shower and donned the flattering black party dress Mother bought her. She slipped on the high heel shoes giving her the extra height she always lacked before she rejoined her uninvited guest.
“Oh, I wish I brought my camera! You look absolutely smashing, my dear. Now quickly get your wrap. It’s going to be cold tonight.”
They barely made it through the door of her father’s house twenty minutes later when Gerald, the stern faced butler, airily announced that dinner would serve in the formal dinning hall in a few minutes. He winked slyly to her mother then on silent feet disappeared whence he came, which had Shiloh frowning because rarely could they stand to be near each other.
“Well, I must see what’s keeping your father, my delovely. Why don’t you wait for us in the front parlor, hmm?” Before Shiloh could answer her mother disappeared just as fast as Gerald. Something was defiantly going on. Her mother and Gerald hardly ever got along before when they lived here and even after they moved out, they weren’t that cozy of one another. Completely baffled at their strange behavior, she sternly told herself to wait patiently, as she entered the parlor. She didn’t have long to wait until she figured out what was going on.
“What are you doing here? In my father’s house, no less!” Shiloh closed the double doors behind her leaning weakly against them, grateful for their added support. She had to be dreaming she tried to tell herself closing her eyes and willed him far, far away.
“Open your eyes, Shi honey.” Jake Lassiter had been staring out the bay window waiting for dinner to be announced with a brandy in his large hand.
“No, you’re not really here! You’re only a figment of my over creative imagination.” Simply refusing to believe what her eyes told her she kept her eyes tightly closed. This couldn’t be happening! Not now, with her parents so close at hand. What did she ever do to deserve this? She went to church almost every Sunday and said her nightly prayer before bedtime. What more would she have to do until her luck changed for the better?
Jake was thunderstruck, more so when she breezed through the door in that little scrap of a black evening dress like a fresh of breathe air. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her to save his life and luckily the house wasn’t on fire, or he’d be a goner. He set his glass down on the mantle and sauntered over to her caging her in his arms on either side of her head leaning over her. Had she ever smelled this wonderful like a ripe flower waiting to be plucked? His mouth watered hungrily wanting to taste her as he sharply reigned in his impulsive desires. He wanted Shiloh in his life and wasn’t about to let her get away from him so easily.
He had it really bad. The nesting urges rode him hard and that wasn’t the only thing that was hard. He wanted to say the hell with dinner and toss her over his shoulder and have his dessert.
Her.
“I’m really here, sweetling. Open you eyes, baby.” His warm breath tickled the small wisps of hair at her temples and her face instinctively titled towards his waiting for his kiss.
“Why are you doing this to me?” She kept her eyes closed against him for if she saw him she would beg him to take her back. Her bruised pride demanded her to hold fast against what he wanted because the last time he left her it devastated her and next time it would destroy her, and there would be no broken pieces of her heart to piece back together.
“What am I doing to you?” His warm breathed caressed her slightly parted lips craving her sweet enticing taste. He wanted to drag her to the closest bedroom, strip that alluring black scrape of a nothing from her off and make sweet hot passionate love to her all night long. He knew she wanted him noticing her pebble hard nipples boldly straining against the top of the dress, begging for his touch.
Jake couldn’t remember ever being so hard and ready for any woman than he was now. Though only with Shiloh . That was how it was like before and he somehow knew that’s how it would always be.
“Shiloh? Are you there?” Her mother tried to open the door but Shiloh leaned heavier against it blocking her. “Darling, your father’s ready in the dinning hall. Do come out while it’s still hot.” Millicent didn’t know how the double meaning of her words affected the two would-be lovers on the other side of the door.
“Let me go, Jake Lassiter or I swear I’ll hit you!” Shoving at his broad shoulders in vain hope she shove him away from her. She was beginning to weaken against her desire that burned hotly for this man. Yet she wasn’t foolish enough to get caught with him in her parent’s pallor. She had to just get through tonight, and then hopefully she wouldn’t have to see him ever again if she had anything to say about it that was.
Jake paused just for a minute letting her know that he could take her if he wanted too, that he knew she wanted him just as badly noting her dilated eyes and her heavy breathing before he relucantly eased away. “I was invited here by your father, by the way.”
Shiloh paid no attention to him quickly turning around to the doors and yanked them opened nearly falling over her hovering mother. Her eyes locked with Millicent’s for a second before she fled the room without a word to either of them.
“I apologize for my daughter’s lack of manners, Mr. Lassiter. She’s been going through a hard time lately.” Millicent’s concerned gaze followed her daughter from the room wondering what in the world had happened between theses two. They were only alone for a few minutes if that. Hmmm. Interesting.
“No need to apologize, Mrs. Langdon and please call me Jake. Mr. Lassiter reminds me too much of my father, and he wouldn’t dream of having such a beautiful woman like you to be so formal with a wild rascal like me.”
“My, my, not only handsome as sin but a charmer to boot. Only if I was as young as my darling daughter you would be fabulous for my ego…pity.” Millicent sighed dramatically looping her arm through his escorting him to the formal dinning room where Teague and Shiloh impatiently awaited them. “I have it! Shiloh can come to my party as Cinderella and Jake as her Prince Charming for my Saint Hollow’s Eve bash!”
“Absolutely not, Mother! I may not even come this year.”
“Be still my heart, why ever not? You always enjoyed my costumes gatherings. What has changed this year, hmm? Well, we’ll just talk more about this later.” Millicent waved her daughter’s words away like a fairy godmother would her wand, magically making the protest disappear.
“Ahh, good you made it. Had any problems getting here, my boy?” Teague greeted their guest with a warm smile and a friendly firm handshake. “I don’t know about any of you but I’m starved.” Nodding to Millicent to take her seat at the other end of the table he took the head leaving the younger couple to seat themselves then he nodded again to Gerald to serve dinner.
Shiloh hastily stepped to the chair on her father’s right but Jake was quicker gallantly pulling out her chair seating her. “Thank you,” she mumbled, hopefully he would sit farther down with her mother hereby leaving her alone. No such luck tonight for he claimed the seat next to hers, brushing her stocking leg with his. A tingling heat coursed instantly from her leg to the core of her being causing her oversensitive nipples peaked in ravenous longing.
Jake chuckled softly silently telling her he noticed her responses to him tonight. He inhaled sharply since her hand rested high on his hard thigh, almost touching his swollen erection straining painfully against the fly of his pants.
“Well, I for one, refuse to be by my lonesome.” Millicent proclaimed tartly, immensely pleased that the younger man was attracted to Shiloh and seated herself on Teague's left, grinning happily at her disgruntled ex and flushed daughter. “There that’s better.”
The food was promptly served at Teague’s terse nod, wondering what the devil Millicent had cooked up for their daughter this time. He kept a close watch on Shiloh and Jake throughout the evening noting the sparks that singed the room. Whatever Milli was up to he meant to be a stop it before anything had a chance to start for once and for all! He wouldn’t allow her to meddle in Shiloh ’s personal life anymore than she already had or possibly causing more misery then happiness.
Shiloh stonily remained silent, while her parents and Jake talked amongst themselves, instead focusing all her attention on the plate full of food in front of her. Unexpectedly her belly lurched curling at the obnoxious, repulsive smell of the fish fillet swathed in a creamy white sauce in front of her. How was she going to make it through the meal without vomiting? Usually she adored this dish but since her pregnancy the things she loved most she had to give up.
She breathed a sigh of relief when finally the dishes were immediately taken away hoping to leave before her disagreeable stomach rebelled against the food she managed to consume. Quickly declining dessert of cheesecake with a shake of her head she instead took a cup of tea. Actually she wasn’t sure how much long she could keep her food down, swallowing tightly against the burning lump stuck in the base of her throat. Please God, not now!
“Are you alright, Shi?” Jake demanded to know watching her like a hawk all throughout the evening meal. She appeared a bit green, like she was going to be sick at any moment.
Shiloh abruptly lunged to her feet, slapped her hand across her mouth rushing from the room. Barely making it to the bathroom she left the door wide open forgetting to close it behind her in her hast to get to the toilet. She fell to her knees barely had enough time to lift the lid before she promptly lost everything she ate.
“What the…? Is she going to be ok?” Jake tailed after Shiloh and her parents, staring over her their shoulders as they all crowded into the large bathroom.
Shiloh wished the floor beneath her would open up and swallow her whole when she heard his concerned voice. How was she going to explain her getting sick like this to him? Why, oh why, did he have to be here tonight?
“She’ll be fine in a few minutes. Must have been something she ate earlier today didn’t agree with her. Teague, why don’t you show our charming guest the house while I see to Shiloh ?” Millicent shooed the hovering men out of the bathroom closing the door behind them. She wetted a cloth and handed it to her groaning daughter on the floor, hugging the toilet for dear life wishing the room would stop spinning.
“That went rather badly, don’t you think? Oh well, no harm done. I’m just glad you made it to the bathroom or else that would have been very messy.”
“Mother, please shut up.” Hearing her talk about it wanted her to do it all over again. The only problem was she didn’t have anymore to give. Quickly flushing the toilet she carefully eased back on her haunches praying she was done, and wiped her mouth then face with the cool washcloth.
“There’s not need to be rude, darling girl.”
“What is it you want from me now? Wasn’t it enough that I came here tonight as you wanted, then getting ambushed with a blind date set up by my mother, might I add.”
“All I’m going is looking out my only darling daughter and my first to-be-grandchild. You need a husband and your child needs a father and lucky for you I’m a mother that wants only the best for her child.”
“I do not want or need a husband to have this baby. My child already has a father, thank you very much. So you might as well stop whatever you’re scheming with Jake.” Shiloh stood throwing the washcloth on the counter washing out her mouth in the sink. Goodness, she hoped the morning sickness wouldn’t plague her all throughout her pregnancy like it did to some women. She would be glad to keep the food she ate in her belly where it belonged not a repeat appearance, thank you very much!
“Speaking of fathers I want to know who he is, young lady and why he isn’t here helping you through this? He made his, er bed so he might as well as lay it in! Don’t tell me he’s one of those deadbeats’ dads…or worst yet, he’s married! And it’s Jake and not Mr. Lassiter, hmm? How intriguing.”
“Mother,” groaning warningly Shiloh was surprised it took this long for the dreaded question to resurface again. There was no way she was going to tell her parents who the father was. Ever! It was just too embarrassing! She knew she should have kept her mouth shut about Jake because now Mother would just keep harping about it at odd times until she finally cracked and told her all of it.
“Is he married? At least tell me that much about the man whom impregnated you,” Millicent was like a dog with a bone, not about to relent until she had a solid answer. This was her grandchild they’re talking about! Crossing her arms belligerently at her waist she tapped her foot impatiently. “I’m waiting, young lady.”
“Very well, Mother. No, he wasn’t married when I was with him.” She mentally winced knowing she was in trouble when the dreaded young lady spilled from her mother’s lips.
“Pray tell, what does that supposed to mean? He wasn’t married when you were with him! Are you telling me he is now? Does he even know whomever he is is going to be a father?!
“What? Don’t give me that look, young lady. I have a right to know just as does your poor father! I won’t have just any man for my son-in-law, you know.”
Millicent rose a perfectly arched brow at her obstinate daughter, prepared to wait her stubborn daughter out if need be. Not just any man off the street could be a father and she wanted to know whom she was going to have to deal with.
“I am not having this conversation with you! This is my life, not yours! You seem to forget constantly that, Mother. Furthermore, I refuse to talk about my love life with you.”
“I am your mother and soon you’ll be one also. Besides, you’ll want to know all about your child’s life a few years later! Worried sick when he or she hides things from you, wondering if they’re doing drugs or doing something illegal! Or the very thought of them hurting themselves while causing mischief! What’s the big deal if you just tell me who the father is? I swear your father needn’t know. And you did admit that he’s not married, so where’s the harm?”
“Oh Lord, it begins!” Shiloh threw up her hands, almost ready to cave just for some much needed peace. Staring at her mother through the mirror she thought: Is this my punishment for a short summer of great sex with a bad boy hottie? To be hounded by her mother every day and night until she gave birth? No, it wouldn’t stop there. It would all begin anew! First, its: whose the father, then it she would try and take over her child’s life! Oh, no! That wasn’t about to start…not now and definitely not later.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Her mother’s fisted hands rested on her rounded hips, tapping her foot in exasperation. She made sure she was in front of the bathroom door, barring Shiloh from any early departures because this conversation was far from over.
“Can we talk about this some other time? When Daddy’s doesn’t have a guest waiting?”
“Does your father know who the father is?”
“No, now will you get out of me way? I’m going home.”
“Oh no, you’re not! You’re still needed here to entertain Mr. Lassiter. He’s such a charming fellow, don’t you think, dear?”
Was this night never going to end? Wait a minute; what was mother up to now? Chills of dread raced down her spine at all the possible probables flashed through her mind.
Shiloh did, indeed, know how charming Jake could be and looked where it got her! A few anxious minutes later they rejoined the men in the front pallor Shiloh refused to answer anymore of her mother’s questions. The men were talking shop and abruptly stopped when the women breezed into the room.
“Are you alright, precious?” Teague inquired softly, calmly seated in a loveseat sipping his after dinner brandy. She seemed to be glowing from within, he thought to himself, her cheeks flushed becomingly and the sparkle came back into her eyes. Good.
“Yes, Daddy I’m fine now. Actually, it’s been a long day and I thought it might be best if I went home. I hope you’re not disappointed.” She wouldn’t look at Jake, keeping her eyes on her father. It hurt too much to have to look and talk to him right now. The image of Jake and Anna still stung earlier this afternoon.
“Not in the least, sweetheart. How about if I call the car around for you right now? I don’t want you to take the subway this late at night.” Teague reached for the phone beside him when Millicent sprang to life, her hand covering his.
“Teague, we mustn’t be rude to our guest. I don’t think Shiloh should be alone right now. I know, darling girl!” She clapped her hands in her meddler’s barely contained glee that Shiloh ’s seen for years and she silently groaned to herself.
“Why don’t you show Mr. Lassiter the indoor gardens? They are such a treat for someone who hasn’t seen them. So romantic.” Millicent patted Jake’s arm then shoved him in her daughter’s direction. There! That should assure them the some alone time.
Teague glowered forbiddingly at his scheming wife, ex wife hardly waiting to get her alone so that he could wring her neck. What was she thinking, fostering his guest and business partner off on their daughter! When would she learn to leave well enough alone? Could she not see how miserable Shiloh was or was he the only one?
“The frost early this morning killed the blossoms, Mother.” Shiloh protested but Jake seeing his opportunity to be alone with her grabbed her arm barring her exist. He wanted to know what the hell was going on and loathed to be in the dark any longer and he would have his questions answered before he’d let her out of his sight.
“No problem, Mrs. Langdon, I’ll just drive your daughter home." He offered willing Shiloh to glance at him but she stubbornly kept her eyes averted from him.
“I wouldn’t want to trouble you, Mr. Lassiter.” But her mother indicated otherwise having Gerald fetching them their coats a satisfied grin curved her lips.
“Trouble, to escort a beautiful woman safely home? No problem I assure you.” His dark eyes sparked heatedly on her aching to hold her in his arms again.
There was no way of denying him in front of her parents and he knew it, blast him! It was better to just gracefully give in and have him drive her home. They collected their coats from Gerald on their way out the front double doors leading them to the parked cars in the driveway.
“How do you know my father?” The first question she fired at him once they were alone in his truck driving away from her father’s house. Darn her run away tongue! Yet she was more curious to know when he was leaving so that she could get on with her life. Again.
“We’re going to be my new business partner. Soon.” He hedged secretively being under contract he couldn’t talk about the case he was hired to solve.
Oh dear, it was worst than she first thought! She assumed, rather prematurely that he only had a meeting with her father, not that he was going to be a consist remainder of what they could have had if he hadn’t thrown her away like he had. Was she ever going to get lucky?
“B-but you just moved to California last summer,” No doubt had Anna Hillcrest move in with him to boot! She swore she wasn’t jealous or that’s what she tried to convince her imprudent, foolish heart.
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“Oh, I’m keeping the my villa in California to remind me of how we met. I’ll just buy another house here.” To be closer to you. “No big deal, really.” Shrugging his broad shoulders indifferently at the drastic turn in his life, he stopped at a red light turning to look at her. She was so much more than he remembered! She took his breath away each time he was near her.
Not more than four months ago he told her he would never move from his house that he loved everything about the West coast. “Have dinner with me tomorrow evening.”
“No, thank you. I have plans.” Lying never came ease to her and she hoped he would be a gentleman enough not call her bluff. Actually she didn’t have any plans but she wasn’t going to admit that to him.
“Oh? What are they, Shi mine?” The pet name he gave her rolled over her like a sweet caress she desperately craved. How was she going to resist him?
“Green light,” she breathed in relief saving her from answering and for now Jake let her have her way. He had been getting impatient in California finding nothing about his twin and it frustrated the hell out of him. A lot had changed since the last time he was with Shiloh. He had changed. He found himself waning to belong and to have someone special to come home to when he was there. He was tired of going to an empty house night after night with no one to come home too. And not just anyone would suffice. He was so blinded to her love then but now he was determined to have her back.
Simply put he needed Shiloh back. In his life. In his bed. She was the only one that filled that empty part of him he felt when he lost contact with Dylan. He hadn’t realized how much he missed her until the moment he saw her in the elevator. But what right did he have to her after he so ruthlessly walked out of her life? Right? He would take that right if need be. He wasn’t about to let her walk out of his life again. He only needed to prove it to her because he knew he hurt her in the past and he intended to make up for that.
“I’m sure Daddy can refer a good real-estate agent to you for a house, but I hope you don’t think that you being here there’s going to be a chance of us being together. Like we were in California.” Shiloh couldn’t stand to with him a second longer without her sharp shrew tongue lashing him to pieces for falling completely in love with him. Or do something stupid like throw herself in his arms and demand him to never let her go again. She had too much pride for that being a Langdon, and a Langdon’s didn’t display unseeingly behavior in the company of a guest.
“Wait a minute, we’re not near through yet! We have a lot to talk about, Shiloh Langdon!” Jake hit the locks on his door locking her in with him as he pulled up to her building.
“I have nothing to say to you. Good night, Mr. Lassiter.” She turned away from him wishing she had asked her mother’s driver to take her home when he latched onto her arm, forcing to her to face him again. Jake wasn’t sure where to begin, staring at the back of her head because she kept turning her back on him.
“Look at me, Shi mine.” Oh, how she melted for that deep soft husky voice he employed with her in the past. No, she must remain strong and not to be used by him again.
“Today when I saw you from the elevator I knew what my life was lacking. It was you. I want another chance at us. I haven’t been involved with Anna since the first break up with her, so don’t even think about trying to use her against us.”
“Why are you doing this? You got what you wanted from me. We had a hot passionate summer fling…or was it affair? I believed those were your words to me. How dare you come here excepting me to welcome you with wide opened arms? Are you plain insane then or just lacking the smarts God gave man?”
“I made a blasted mistake, dammit! A mistake that I paid for in countless ways, believe me. I’m on the prowl for my mate.” Jake intended to right a grievous wrong he committed against her but was at a loss how to precede. His parents had long ago divorced when he was a tender child of six, always hateful to one another and he had no idea how to tell her the many feeling he harbored for her. He forced her to look at him tilting her chin with a gentle hand.
“A m-mistake? No, I don’t think so, Mr. Lassiter. You wanted me, had me and then tossed me away like I didn’t have a heart that broke. You stood me up at the restaurant and I though something awful had happened to you. Then you called me an hour later telling me you needed your space. Well, I need mine. Don’t you dare touch me!
“You lost any and all rights to me when you walked away.” Tears, hot and powerful clogged her throat making it difficult to get the words out as she dodged his soothing touch. She lowered her head hiding them, ashamed by childish tears as she tried to will them away. She wouldn’t let him see her cry, by God!
“I didn’t mean to hurt you. God, that was absolutely last thing in the world I ever wanted to do to you.” Jake wanted so badly to gather her close to his aching heart and sooth her pain away, promising to make it all better. Anything so as to not helplessly watch her cry.
“You didn’t want me. You didn’t fight for me. You walked away from me simple as that.” She snapped her fingers at him. “You didn’t want to hurt me. Well, too bad you did and I got over it. So, what is it exactly you want from me, Jake? I’m sorry but I’m a bit confused at the moment.”
“I want another chance with you, sweetheart.” Taking a chance he smoothed a lock of hair behind her ear greedily absorbing her shiver of pleasure delight.
“Absolutely not! There won’t be another chance for you and I to be together. Now, let me go! You used to be really good at that, please don’t tell me you changed.” Shiloh yanked her arm from his grasp and ran into her apartment building without looking back and the Jeffers the doorman firmly closed the door behind her.
“Run as fast and far as you can, sweetheart, but I mean to have you again.”
