Ruthless (8 page)

He slid back into his car and grabbed the bottle of water in the cup holder. He reached into the glove compartment for the bottle of pain relievers and popped the plastic top, tipping the bottle until two little pills fell into his hand. The clock on the console told him he wasn’t due for another dose yet, but his pounding head told him otherwise. He threw back the small pills and took a sip of water.

His phone buzzed and he slipped it out of his pocket. It was a text message from Trey demanding to know his whereabouts. He took a deep breath and forced himself to get out of the car. He walked through the paved parking lot, barely taking notice of the people around him.

“Luc, we’re so glad you could make it,” Elaine Turner said, falling in step beside him.

He bent down to kiss her cheek. “Where’s Jared?”

“He’s already inside. I just forgot my camera, so I had to run back to the car and get it. I don’t want to miss a moment of this.”

Luc forced a smile. He knew how long Trey and his family had been waiting for this day; he didn’t want to do anything to diminish their enthusiasm. “I’m happy for Trey and Sierra, for you too, little Nana.”

She laughed and grabbed his hand. “I guess it won’t be long before my baby’s having a baby of her own, now will it?”

Luc’s heart ached at the thought of Marisa having a baby. He didn’t think he could stand to see her pregnant with another man’s child, but the alternative was to cut himself off from people who were more of a family to him than his own parents.

“Can’t be easy for you to think about, Luc,” Elaine said, quietly.

“No, ma’am, it isn’t.”

“It’s obvious you still love her.”

He felt the emotion rising, threatening to choke him. He cleared his throat. “More than she’ll ever know, Elaine.”

She squeezed his hand. “Oh, honey, I wish you two could work this out.”

He looked at her, surprised by the sentiment. “I thought you and Jared would be thrilled when Marisa accepted Tim’s proposal. The Mitchells have been friends of yours for a long time, haven’t they?”

She smiled and waved at an elderly couple entering the church before turning her attention back to him. “The Mitchells are good people.” She sighed. “Do you know Tim has been in love with Marisa for as long as I can remember?”

“How come I don’t remember him hangin’ around the house when she was younger? The first time I saw him was at Jimmy’s bar a while back.”

“He was never at the house when you were because he knew how Marisa felt about you. Hell, everyone knew; she talked about you all the time.” She smiled and patted his cheek. “Everyone, it seems, except you.”

He laughed. “Guess I was a little slow on the up-take, huh?”

She smiled. “Yeah, just a little. Marisa always thought of Tim as a good friend, but that poor boy always believed that if he waited long enough, she’d come around.”

He scowled. “Guess he got his wish, didn’t he?” He hated to think some guy had been secretly fantasizing about his girlfriend and he’d been oblivious.

“Do you know why Marisa spent the night at our house the night Tim proposed?”

He shook his head. “No, why?”

“She came over because she was terrified she’d made the wrong choice, and she was hopin’ her daddy and I would tell her she was doing the right thing, put her mind at ease.”

Luc was afraid to ask whether they had given the union their blessing. He didn’t want to know.

“We told her that marrying one man to get over another is a recipe for disaster.”

Luc chuckled. “She couldn’t have been too happy to hear that.”

Elaine rolled her eyes skyward. “You know my daughter. She’s as stubborn as her daddy, but she’s smart too. I think she’ll come to her senses, given a little time.”

“Why do I get the feeling you’re trying to tell me something, Elaine?”

She shrugged her petite shoulders that still seemed strong enough to bear the weight of the world for her children. “Maybe because I am.” She looked him in the eye. “Don’t be so quick to let her go, Luc. I think that would be a mistake you’d regret for the rest of your life.”

“What do you suggest I do? She’s marrying another man, remember?”

She tipped her head to one side. “You must know she’d much rather be marrying you.” She squeezed his hand. “You think about that. I’ve got to go on in now.”

He watched her disappear inside the church. Is that all it would take to make Marisa his again: a ring and a promise of forever? Could he afford to take that kind of risk? What if he let her down, disappointed her? He would never be able to live with himself. No, Marisa was better off without him.

Marisa watched Luc claim a seat beside Avery in the back of the church. She laid her hand on his arm and whispered something in his ear. He flashed a sexy grin and she smiled back, shaking her head.

The woman was stunning and, by all accounts, smart and funny. Marisa knew Avery and Luc dated briefly before she returned home from school, and she couldn’t help but wonder whether they were still sleeping together. A sickening thought occurred to her. Had Luc been sleeping with Avery while they were involved? Her mind started racing, thinking back to their impromptu meetings and phone calls.

Avery would call his cell phone at all hours of the night. Luc always claimed it was a situation with one of their clients, but what if he’d been lying? She had to know the truth before she made a decision that would impact the rest of her life.

She stalked to the back of the church, a pleasant smile plastered on her face for the benefit of the guests. She stopped in front of the pew where Luc and Avery were seated. “Can I talk to you outside, Luc?”

He looked between Avery and Marisa, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. “Uh, isn’t the ceremony supposed to be starting soon?”

“We have a few minutes. This can’t wait.”

He glanced at the front of the church. “Won’t your fiancé miss you?”

“He’s talking to his parents right now.”

“Avery, will you excuse us for a minute?”

Avery looked Marisa up and down. “Of course.”

Marisa resisted the urge to jump over the pew and throttle the woman who had been dragging her boyfriend out of bed in the middle of the night.

Luc grabbed Marisa’s upper arm, escorting her out of the church. “What is this about?” he whispered.

“Your car, now,” she said, stalking off ahead of him. She spotted Luc’s black Maserati parked beside Avery’s BMW convertible. At least they hadn’t driven together. She crossed the distance to his car and stood beside it, waiting for him to un-lock the doors and claim the driver’s seat.

She sat in the passenger’s seat, clenching and un-clenching her fists as she waited to have his undivided attention. “How dare you have sex with Avery!” she shouted.

He stared at her as though he feared for his safety, being trapped in a car with a raving lunatic. “Uh, wait a minute. You and I weren’t even together when I was sleeping with Avery.”

She crossed her arms and tapped her foot against the floorboards. “Are you sure about that?”

He had the audacity to laugh in her face and she lunged across the gearshift, grabbing the lapels of his designer suit. “You think this is funny, you son of a bitch?”

He seized her wrists as his eyes travelled from her eyes to her lips and back again. “You seriously think I cheated on you?”

“Didn’t you?”

“Hell no, never. I can’t believe you’d even think that, Marisa.” He let go of her wrists and eased her back in the passenger’s seat. “I was crazy about you. You were everything I’d ever wanted. Why would I have slept with Avery or anyone else when I had you at home?”

She felt shame and embarrassment wash over her. “I saw you two together today and I...”

He grinned. “You were jealous, weren’t you?”

She glared at him. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

“Maybe now you know how I feel when I see you with your cowboy.”

“Does that mean something is going on between you and Avery?” She knew she sounded petty and insecure, but she couldn’t help it. If he was sleeping with someone else, she wanted to know. Not that she could do anything to stop him, but it might help her get over him, or it might serve to fuel her already unhealthy obsession with the man.

“No, sweetheart, I’m not sleeping with Avery or anyone else.” He brushed the back of his hand across her cheek. “The only woman I want in my bed is you.”

She closed her eyes. She knew she was drifting into dangerous territory, but she couldn’t seem to stop herself. “Do you mean that?” she whispered. She opened her eyes to find him staring at her lips.

“You know I do.”

She allowed her gaze to drift to his sensuous lips and they reminded her of the countless times he’d turned her inside out with his mouth. “I can’t marry him,” she whispered.

He leaned back against his seat and closed his eyes. “Thank God.” He shifted in his seat to look at her.

“What does that mean for us?”

“I don’t know.”

“When are you gonna tell him?”

She sighed, thinking about how hard it would be to break the news to Tim. “Tonight after the christening.”

“Will you meet me at my house after you talk to him?”

She shook her head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea...”

He seized her chin and turned her face toward him. “We need to talk.”

She considered refusing, but she knew they couldn’t go on this way. “Okay, I’ll be there.”

Chapter Seven

Luc had been feeling uneasy ever since Marisa told him she planned to end things with Tim tonight. He knew the cowboy wouldn’t take the news well. By all accounts, he’d been in love with her forever. He believed he was going to get the chance he’d been waiting for, only to have it snatched away from him. Any man would be devastated under the circumstances, but his gut told him Marisa may have a fight on her hands if she hoped to be rid of him permanently.

Despite what everyone said about Tim being a good guy, Luc couldn’t get past the rage and fear he saw in his eyes the night he came to his house to warn him off. He sensed desperation lurking beneath the surface of that controlled façade, and he knew from experience that desperate people could do desperate things when pushed too far.

Trey came up from behind and put his arm around Luc’s shoulders. “Hey, buddy, how’s it goin’?”

“Trey, have you got a minute to step outside with me? I need to talk to you about something.”

Trey looked wary. “What’s goin’ on?”

“I wouldn’t bother you with this today, but it’s kind of important.”

Trey nodded toward the French doors leading to the backyard. “Sure, lead the way.”

Several guests lingered on the patio, enjoying cocktails and appetizers. “Let’s head down to the pool.”

Trey followed him down the path toward the pool area. “You’ve been acting strange all day, man. What the hell’s goin’ on with you?”

Luc glanced at an older couple on a secondary patio, arm in arm, watching the sunset dip behind the low hills that bordered Trey’s property. He wondered if he and Marisa would be sharing life’s simple pleasures at their age. He prayed they would, because now that he had a taste of what it would be like, he couldn’t imagine his life without her. He scanned the pool area to make sure no one was lurking in the shadows before turning toward his friend.

Trey laughed. “Okay, this is all very cloak and dagger. Are you gonna tell me what the hell is goin’ on with you?”

Luc took a deep breath. He’d been weighing his options all day. He knew he had to tell Marisa the truth if they had a prayer of building a life together, but he was terrified that his secret might change her feelings. He decided to tell Trey and gauge his reaction before telling Marisa. Luc thrust his hands in his pockets and stalked the stone footpath surrounding the huge pool.

“Whatever’s on your mind, just spit it out, Spencer.”

Luc turned to face his friend. He and Trey were always there for each other. He knew if anyone would understand the choice he’d made all those years ago, it would be Trey. “I know my timing sucks. I shouldn’t be laying this on you today of all days.”

Trey walked toward him and clamped a hand on his shoulder. “Luc, I know you. Something’s been eating you up inside, and if I can help, you know I will. Now, what is it?”

Luc took a deep breath and dug deep to try and find the courage that had been eluding him for fifteen years. “I have a daughter.”

The color drained from Trey’s face. “Wait a minute; did you just say you have a daughter?”

Luc shook his head. He hadn’t spoken those words aloud in years. No one in his life knew about Nikki, not even his parents. “She’s fifteen now. I haven’t seen her since she was a baby.”

Trey sank into a patio chair, dropping his head in his hands. “I can’t believe this. Why didn’t you ever tell me about her?”

“The truth? I was trying to forget.”

Trey glared at him. “You were trying to forget you had a daughter? What the hell’s wrong with you, man?”

Luc expected Trey’s anger and confusion. Trey had wanted to be a father for as long as he’d known him. He’d never been able to understand Luc’s aversion to playing the daddy role. Maybe now he would. “I never wanted a baby, Trey. I was dating Nikki’s mom—”

“Her name is Nikki?” Trey asked.

“Yeah. Anyways, I was young when I was dating her mom, only twenty-five. My career was just starting to take off, and next thing I know, she’s telling me she’s pregnant with my kid. I was a wreck; I didn’t know what the hell to do.” Luc relived that conversation in his mind. Those two words had changed the course of his life. “I don’t understand how it happened. I was so careful about using protection, ya know?”

“It happens, Luc, even when you’re careful.”

“I guess. Anyways, I tried to be there for my little girl, Trey. But I was screwing everything up.” A day rarely passed when he didn’t ask himself if he could have done things differently, but it was too late now. No matter how much he may want to, he couldn’t re-write history.

“How so?”

“You know me, man. I’m a workaholic. It was even worse back then. I was still trying to make a name for myself. I was working all hours of the day and night.”