Claimed by Ice (5 page)

“
N
ight
, Eric,” Jane said.

“Night, Janie,” he replied. Then he blanched, a red blush creeping up his neck. “I mean, Ms. Graves.”

She laughed. “Please, call me Janie.”

He stood and walked into the elevator with her. “You headed home?”

She nodded.

“Would you mind some company for part of the walk? I’m going in that direction,” Eric said.

“Of course not,” she replied.

He held open the door for her, and they exited the tall, sleek building.

“I have the evening off, so I’m going to go see my boy,” Eric said.

Jane glanced over at him quickly, but didn’t press. They had been friendly, but she hadn’t gathered the nerve to ask about the nature of his dealings with Exander. So instead she murmured noncommittally, but Eric continued.

“He’s eleven now.”

“He lives with his mother?” Jane asked.

Eric shook his head. “No, my wife and I live in another part of the city. Chad stays at the center.”

Jane continued to walk, but again glanced at Eric quickly. “Do you want to tell me about it?”

Eric smiled. “I’m that obvious?”

She shrugged. “Just seemed like you want to talk.”

“Sorry. I’ve seen a lot of folks come and go, and I’ve never had the urge to share. But I feel like you understand.” Eric speared her with an assessing gaze, then nodded, seeming content with his decision. “You do. Most of the others, almost all of them, focus on the money, the imagined prestige of being close to them. But you’re in it for family, right?”

Jane nodded. “My sister. And you’re in it for your son?”

“Yeah. He got into an accident when he was a toddler, had some bad brain injuries, the kind that make it impossible for him to stay at home. My wife and I had insurance, but we saw the kinds of places he would end up, knew they wouldn’t take care of him like they should have, and we couldn’t do it at home. So I turned to the dragons, prayed that they would hire me.”

“They did, obviously,” Jane said.

“Yep, best thing that’s ever happened to me. It’s hard, and Mr. Vale is…demanding, but Chad has the best care money can buy.”

“That’s great, Eric,” she said.

Eric looked at her with a knowing glint in his eye. “Exander isn’t bad, you know. He can be difficult, like I said, but he’s one of the most decent people I’ve ever met.”

He stopped in front of a tidy four-story brick building, and Jane smiled at him again.

“Enjoy your visit, Eric. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“See you tomorrow, Janie,” he said as he walked into the building.

Jane thought about what Eric had said as she continued home, and found that it was reflected in her experience. He was distant, reserved, stern, and definitely not friendly, but he had only shown her kindness.

He was fundamentally decent, she decided. She’d caught it in glimpses at first, but as the days had passed she’d become more and more convinced of the truth of the man behind the frigid exterior. And as she got closer to home, she realized she felt surprisingly light, the worry about Jewel fading in the face of her new realizations about Exander Vale.

E
xander looked around the small
, tidy apartment and felt his frown deepen. The place was neat, about as cheery as one could make a basement apartment, but it was entirely unsuitable. Exander had far too easily been able to gain access, and his mind raced with the possibility of someone else being able to do so. And besides, if she were going to be in his employ, she ought to have better surroundings.

That was what he told himself as he milled around the small apartment, covering the space in four long strides and then doing it again, the idea of being in her home, seeing how she lived, far more interesting than he should have allowed it to be.

At the sound of the key sliding into the lock, he turned and faced the front door, saw Jane start when she sensed his presence, fear morphing into annoyance in the blink of an eye.

“How did you get in here?” she said.

“It only took twenty dollars. The superintendent let me right in,” Exander replied, watching Jane’s face turn down in a frown that probably mirrored his own.

She closed the door behind herself and locked it, then strode until she stood in front of him.

“Is there something I can help you with, Mr. Vale?”

“You left this,” he said, lifting the blue-and-brown plaid scarf Jane had left behind.

“Thank you, I suppose,” she said, lifting the scarf from his hand.

When her fingers brushed his, he felt a twinge of electricity, and from the way she widened her eyes, she had felt it as well. It seemed silly, now that she said it out loud, but when he’d seen the scarf, his only thought had been that he should return it, that it would be the gentlemanly thing to do. And it had nothing, nothing at all, to do with any desire to see her.

“Is there anything else?” she asked, the scarf held tight in her fingers.

“Actually, there’s been a change in plans. This place is entirely unsuitable. You cannot stay here,” he said firmly.

She bristled with anger, eyes flashing. “You don’t get to dictate where I live,” she said.

“That’s where you’re wrong. I do. And I am.”

She breathed out harshly, her eyes clashing with his.

“And where would you have me go?” she finally asked, voice a mix of panic and anger that made him miss her usually soft, soothing tones.

“To my home, of course,” he replied.

Jane looked at him as if she questioned his mental stability, and he could admit that he questioned it himself. He hadn’t given this any thought, but the idea of Jane in his home was appealing. Too appealing. And it got her out of this place.

“No.”

“No?”

“Yes,” she said. “No.” She laughed, then shook her head. “You’re not accustomed to hearing that, I suspect.”

“I’m not. And even less accustomed to accepting it, Ms. Graves.”

“You don’t own me, you know,” she said quietly.

“Of course not. But that doesn’t change the fact that you can’t stay here.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s not safe,” he said.

And because I want you with me.

But he left that unsaid.

“And if I say no, what will you do?” she asked.

He shrugged. “I don’t know.”

That answer seemed to placate her, much to his surprise. “Fine. I’ll pack a bag if that’s okay with you,” she said.

T
he ride
in his expensive car, him behind the wheel, was surreal. She was confused, felt almost torn asunder by the conflicting emotions that roiled through her. It was beyond ridiculous, him entering her home, demanding she leave.

Even worse that she’d complied.

When she’d seen him standing in her home, his large frame making the space seem even smaller, she had been elated, had wanted to throw herself into his arms, press her body against his. And even after he had made his insane request—order—she’d still felt it, that unnameable pull sending her ever closer to him, impossible to believe but impossible to deny.

And as weak, as awful as it was, that desire to be with him was what had made her give in so quickly.

She shook her head, her own disgust with herself incapable of being contained for a moment longer.

“What are you thinking, Ms. Graves?” he asked suddenly, though Jane hadn’t even realized he’d been looking at her.

“Call me Jane. I mean, we may as well be on a first-name basis if we’re going to be roommates.”

“Very well. What are you thinking, Jane,” he said.

“I’m thinking I’m nuts to be doing this. I need this, but staying with you is crazy. Even if my place isn’t safe, why do you care?” she asked.

“My mother would have liked you. Would have insisted it was a terrible oversight on my part to let you live somewhere so unsuitable,” he finally responded.

“Would?” Jane said, giving in to her curiosity.

“Yes. We lost her many years ago, but I guess some of her lessons stuck,” he said.

Jane glanced over at him again, saw his reflective expression. Wondered if maybe Exander wasn’t as detached as he seemed, was less immune to common decency than he might have wanted others to think.

“We’re here,” he said as he turned into a long driveway and then parked in front of a small bungalow.

Jane got out of the car, noticed that even in the dark the house had a friendly, almost warm vibe.

“You were expecting a cave?” he asked.

“No, but maybe a meat locker,” she replied.

He grabbed the small suitcase she held in her hand. “You haven’t been inside yet.”

Jane laughed despite herself.

“
O
h my God
,” Jewel said, spinning around in circles, “This place is amazing, Janie! And expensive, too.”

“I don’t care how much it costs, Jewel. I still liked my place.”

Jewel looked at her like she had two heads. “Did you see this million-dollar view?” she said as she marched across the living room to stare out of the French doors.

It was probably more than that, but Jane held her tongue. “It’s nice, but I
still
liked the apartment.”

“You’re nuts. My big sister is certifiable. How could you possibly prefer your crappy basement apartment to this?”

“You lived in that crappy basement apartment, too. And I prefer it because it’s mine. I earned it, and no one can take it away. So don’t get too excited, because this is only temporary.”

“Maybe you should try to make it permanent,” Jewel said, regarding Jane with a gleam in her eye.

Jane shook her head, regretting her decision to allow Jewel to visit. “No. I’m going to make sure that problem is taken care of. That’s my only worry right now.”

Jewel looked around Exander’s house, a smile on her face. “Maybe I should have taken your place. This wouldn’t have been so bad after all,” she said.

“Maybe I should’ve let you,” Jane said around the anger that lodged in her throat.

“Don’t get pissy, Janie. I’m just trying to point out the upside. You can get something out of this, too,” she said.

Jane bit back a groan, her frustration with Jewel especially strong today. “You’ve seen it. Are you ready to go?” she asked.

“But there’s a pool. Can I…?”

“You don’t have a bathing suit,” Jane said.

“There’s one in my bag. I figured the outrageously rich, smoking-hot dragon would have one,” she said with a shrug.

Jane pressed her lips into a thin line, stared at her sister. “An hour, Jewel. And then we’re leaving.”

E
xander knew Jane was there
, would have sensed her even if he hadn’t seen the car he’d given her in the driveway. Ignoring the way his heart sped when he noticed she was home, he moved toward the backyard, eagerness to see her outweighing desire not to see her companion.

He walked through the open French doors, and his gaze immediately landed on Jane. She was lounging on a chair, face half covered with huge sunglasses, her modestly cut T-shirt doing little to hide the full curves of her breasts, her denim shorts clinging to her thighs in a way that made him jealous. And as had been the case in the weeks since she’d moved in, he found it difficult to pull his gaze away, took every opportunity to stare his fill, knowing he was playing with fire, but unable to stop.

A splash at the pool drew his attention, and he watched as Jewel emerged from the water, her brown skin glistening under the bright sun, her tiny gold bikini barely covering her. She walked to the lounge chair next to Jane slowly, eyes never leaving his.

“Janie,” she said, “we have company.”

Jane’s hand flew to her face, and she removed the sunglasses, looking surprised and then guilty.

“Sorry,” she said, standing hastily, “I didn’t expect you until later. We’ll be out of here in a few minutes. Shoot,” she said, looking around, “I didn’t bring any towels.”

Janie ran off, leaving him and Jewel alone, and when Exander looked at her again, he could see the invitation and the avarice in her eyes.

“You like her,” Jewel said.

Exander said nothing, just watched her with undisguised disgust, something she either didn’t notice or didn’t mind.

“Janie’s great. But she’s not like me,” Jewel said, letting one hand trail along her narrow hip. “But you and I… I think we could reach a very mutually beneficial understanding,” she said as she slinked ever closer.

She reached up but dropped her hand when Jane called out, “It’s time to go, Jewel.”

Jewel lifted one corner of her mouth in what Exander assumed she thought was a sultry smile, and then said, “Just think about it.”

Exander didn’t bother to watch her walk away. There was no need. He knew exactly what Jewel was, what she had to offer.

Her sister, though, was an entirely different matter altogether.

He’d denied it, tried to pretend, but it no longer worked. Every second he spent with her only confirmed it. He wanted Jane Graves, and he didn’t know how much longer he’d be able to resist her.