Shadow of Sin (The Martin Family) (16 page)

BOOK: Shadow of Sin (The Martin Family)
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Carly. Vincent’s pet name for Carlotta made her sound like a child. In many ways, she was. Her broken mind and spirit had turned her into a shell of the woman she’d once been. A lifetime of misery and pain could do that to a person.

Even as a child, she’d been too soft for this world. In another place, another time, Mark would’ve tried to protect her. Back before she’d forgotten him, left him to suffer.

“Don’t worry, Vincent. You won’t see me again. You have my word.”

“Regardless, my patience is at an end,” Vincent huffed. “This game you play has grown tiresome. Be done with it.”

For once, Mark was in complete agreement.

“You’re the boss.”

He adjusted his black leather gloves and reached for the customized hunting knife secured at his belt. The gloves prevented him from experiencing the texture of the handle, but he’d had enough experience with such a weapon to know the amount of force he’d need to get the job done.

Mark stood, the feel of the knife in his palm a comfort. He walked behind the bench and clapped a hand on Vincent’s shoulder.

“You really should be more careful about protecting your back.”

Vincent craned his neck around to look at him. Mark moved with silent speed as he clamped a hand over Vincent’s mouth and swung his arm in a wide arc, plunging the knife deep into Vincent’s chest.

Vincent’s eyes widened a moment before impact and his struggle lasted only a moment. Mark held firm as blood seeped through Vincent’s stark white dress shirt, its crimson warmth spreading across the material with slow precision.

Mark watched the life in Vincent’s eyes vanish. Quite the same as Carlotta’s had, just a few hours ago. Only where Vincent’s gaze held betrayal and shock, Carlotta’s had been soft and quiet. She’d accepted her fate with the same grace with which she’d lived her miserable life.

“I never did understand what my sister saw in you.” Mark placed his lips against Vincent’s ear. “Game over, motherfucker.”

Chapter 16

“E
verything okay?” Opening the door, Caleb stepped aside to let her go first.

“Is there a reason it shouldn’t be?”

He’d never cared about pissing her off before. She couldn’t fathom why he’d care now.

Vincent had been right and she’d been a fool. Caleb hadn’t suggested they go out because he’d wanted to spend the evening with her. He’d been doing his job—keeping his word to help her. It made perfect sense. She should be grateful. Instead, she felt duped. Disappointed. All the things she’d swore she’d never feel with a man again.

She’d been naive. Allowing herself to live in the fantasy of Caleb these last few days, forgetting who he was and why they were together in the first place.

“You seem upset.”

“Do I?” she snapped.

His lips thinned. “Little bit.”

She tossed her clutch on the counter. “Do you think I’m blind?”

“What?”

“Stupid? Helpless?”

His eyes darkened dangerously. “No. What is this about?”

Un-fucking-believable.

She hit him with a question of her own. “What are you doing about my situation?”

He wrestled the jacket from his shoulders and tossed it across the back of the couch. Samantha bit her tongue as he went about releasing the simple, silver cufflinks that held his shirtsleeves closed. They fell to the counter with a
clink
. With quick movements, he rolled the sleeves back to reveal tanned, muscled forearms.

His belt came next and her stomach jumped as he released the sleek, stylish buckle. With a resounding whoosh of leather against fabric, he jerked it from the loops in one smooth motion. He let the belt slip through his fingers to fall to the floor as he released a few more buttons on his shirt.

He pulled out a barstool and sat on its edge. He hitched his pants before settling a foot on the lower bar. A smile played at the corners of his lips. “You want to talk about this now?”

Damn, the man was sexy. Watching him undress had been one of the most erotic things Samantha had ever seen. Lust burned across her nerve endings, setting them off one by one, until she wanted nothing more than to shed her own clothes and let him have his way with her. Unfortunately, that wouldn’t solve anything.

“Yeah, Caleb. I think I do. When I told you I’d let you handle things, I didn’t mean I’d tolerate being kept in the dark. How long did you think I’d hide away here without knowing what’s going on?”

He pinched the bridge of his nose, as if she wore on his patience. “I’d like you to trust me.”

She coughed out a laugh at the irony. “Like you trusted me tonight? And please, don’t insult my intelligence by denying it.”

“I never lied to you,” he insisted.

“Well, you sure as hell didn’t tell me the truth. How hard would it have been to give me a heads up? What did you think would happen?”

“Oh, I don’t know, fight me tooth and nail as you’re doing now? Try to get into it with Matteo yourself? Cause a scene?” He blew out a frustrated breath. “You aren’t exactly known for showing restraint, Samantha.” He waved his arm out. “Case in point,” he droned.

Bastard.

A few days ago, he’d have been right. She might have done any one of those things. Or all of them, depending on her mood. What Caleb failed to see is that she
had
trusted him. For crying out loud, she’d danced with that asshole! She’d let Vincent put his hands on her, when what she’d really wanted to do was knee him in the balls so hard he’d choke on them.

“Did you know Vincent was going to be at the benefit tonight?”

She needed to hear him say it. It wasn’t right to exclude her from plans that directly affected her life. He’d figure it out if and when he decided to pull his head out of his ass.

“Yes,” he said without hesitation. He uttered a curse and dragged his hands through his hair. It’s a wonder he wasn’t bald, as much as she’d seen him do that. “We’ve got nothing, Samantha. Do you realize that? Not one goddamned thing to connect him to the shooting, or anything else that’s happened to you.”

Her inner attorney rose to the surface. “It’s still early in the investigation. We don’t have the ballistics report —”

“We don’t have shit!” he surged from the stool and advanced on her. His hands wrapped around her biceps, as if he wanted to shake her. “Don’t you get it, Samantha? How am I supposed to send you out there, back to your life, when at any time … when he’s —”

Caleb closed his eyes and rested his forehead against hers, struggling with some internal battle she didn’t understand. The gesture was painfully loving, though his grip on her arms had tightened to the point that her fingers tingled. Still, she didn’t want him to let go.

“I had to look him in the eye.” Caleb’s breath was warm against her lips. “I had to see what kind of man we’re dealing with.”

God help her, she wanted him to kiss her.

“A pissing contest? That’s what tonight was about?” Her breathless voice betrayed her need.

“Tonight was about your life, sweetheart. Vincent won’t stop. Not until he gets what he wants from you.”

“I can’t hide here forever.” She refused to be ruled by fear. Vincent wouldn’t get what he wanted from her. Not ever. But, staying with Caleb would end up hurting her more than Vincent ever could.

She twisted out of his hold, unable to think with him so close.

How could she make him understand?

“Trust is a two way street. You expected me to cause a scene and I didn’t. I could have. I
wanted
to. Do you know how hard it was for me to keep my mouth shut and wait for you to notice us? Of all people, I would’ve thought you’d get it, that you’d understand what it took for me to stand down, to count on you.” She shook her head in wonder. “After everything we’ve been through, you still keep me at arms length. You share your body with me, but nothing else. I put my faith in you tonight, Caleb. Is it too much for me to ask for the same courtesy?”

His expression blanked, making it impossible to read his thoughts. His silence proved what she’d already known—he wanted something from her that he wasn’t willing to give in return.

Pain and sadness filled her chest. She loved him, but what kind of future could they have if he wouldn’t share his life with her? She wanted more than sex. She wanted the whole package, his joys, his fears. She wanted his heart. If he were unwilling, then she had no choice but to walk away.

“That’s what I thought. Good night, Caleb.” Samantha turned in the direction of the spare room. A perfectly good evening spoiled by the elephant in the room.

Trust.

She was an idiot. Caleb wasn’t capable of trusting anyone outside his own kin, and sometimes she wondered about them too.

“Trying to run away from me again?”

She jumped at his voice in her ear. His arm snaked around her waist and he pulled her flush against his chest.

He felt so good. Solid and steady. She longed to lose herself in him again. To forget the last ten minutes and pretend that maybe, in some other place and time, they’d have a future together.

“There’s nothing to run away from. I’m going to bed.”

Her eyes drifted closed as his lips brushed her shoulder. Her body came alive at his touch. The subtle hint of spice from his cologne went straight to her head. He smelled delicious. His lips continued a path along her shoulder until he reached the curve of her neck. He hesitated and, unable to resist, she tilted her head in invitation.

He was a master of seduction. Coaxing her body with his wicked lips. Lips that worked their way up her neck, until his breath was in her ear.

“Is that right? Sweetheart, my bed is the other direction. This looks like running to me.”

His voice, laden with lust, sent shivers across her skin. Her nipples puckered against the soft silk of her dress and begged for attention. His hand wrapped around her throat and tilted her head back. So gentle, as if she was made of fine china.

“I know what you’re doing,” she breathed. “It won’t work.”

He nipped her earlobe. “You’re going to deny us the perfect ending to our first date?”

Date.

The word was ice water to the flame. He should’ve quit while he was ahead.

Samantha jerked from his grip and retreated to the other side of the couch, putting as much distance between them as she could. “Date? Tonight wasn’t a date, Caleb. It was a summit meeting. A cease and desist mission. Not a date.”

A date meant the start of something. Or at least the potential for something. They had sex and an agreement that it would all end once Matteo was neutralized.

“A date means two people getting to know each other, learning about each other. I’ve answered your questions, shared the ugliest parts of my life, and what do I get? You couldn’t even tell me the truth about why we went out tonight.”

A low growl rumbled from his chest as his good humor vanished. “What the hell do you want from me?”

I want you to love me.

“Nothing, Caleb. I don’t want anything from you.”

Samantha crossed her arms and forced herself to stand firm through the most intense stare down she’d ever experienced. She’d never imagined being here with him. Standing at a crossroads as if their very future was in question.

“Damn you,” he growled. “No man likes to feel cornered.”

She gave him a patient smile, even as her heart sank. Damn her, indeed. Too late for that. She was already damned. Damned to love this hardened man. This beautiful, stubborn, willful man.

Emotion played across his face. Anger. Desperation. Need. The force of it stole her breath. “Cornered? No one is forcing you to do anything, Caleb. You have a choice here.”

“Some choice. You want full disclosure? You show me yours and I’ll show you mine, right?” He shook his head. “I don’t work like that, baby, but not for the reasons you’ve got your mind set on. As for tonight, I did what I felt was necessary to get the job done, and I won’t apologize for it. Not to you, not to anyone.”

Of course he wouldn’t. Caleb Martin didn’t apologize to anyone for anything. “Which is why I’m going this way.” She hitched a thumb in the direction of the spare room. “And you’re going to bed alone.”

* * *

Caleb knew a no-win situation when he was smack in the middle of one.

Samantha wanted some grand gesture, proof that he trusted her. He wouldn’t do it. Any declaration he made now woul
d fall on deaf ears, forced from his lips as a way to placate her. That’s how she’d see it.

He had a much better idea. Words were what she wanted, but words were cheap. The essence of a man dwelled in his actions. She wanted proof? He’d give her proof.

He’d been a fool to believe she’d be better off with another man. No other man could give her what she needed. His wild Irish beauty needed a man who wouldn’t crumple under the strength of her will. She’d never be happy with some sniveling, spineless jackass who’d bow to her every whim, any more than he’d be happy with a woman who hung on his every move.

He wasn’t perfect—far from it. He was as stubborn and set in his ways as she was. His baggage was heavy. If there was a woman alive who could handle the weight, it was Samantha.

“If you know what’s good for you, you’ll stop right there.” Caleb used a tone sure to get her attention.

Her feet came to a halt. The muscles along her spine tensed as she squared her shoulders. “What did you say?”

Caleb bit back a smile. “You heard me. The view of your ass is incredible, but I’m getting damned tired of watching you walk away from me.”

Under the silken sheath of her dress, the cheeks of her ass tightened. Tempting little minx. He’d have her ass tonight. He’d have every delicious inch of her and, before he was through, he’d have her heart.

She already had his.

“Then give me a reason not to,” she demanded, keeping her back to him.

Now, he did smile. He knew the signs of her arousal. The tremor in her voice, the pretty blush of her skin. Her nipples would be hard, too. Peaked and ready for his tongue. She wanted him, but she wouldn’t give in easily. Not his Samantha. She’d make him work for it.

“I’ll give you a reason.” His voice darkened with sensual promise. “Come here.”

She turned, her expression mutinous even as she took a step forward. “Why should I?”

“Because, I want you here.” He pointed at the floor directly in front of him. “And this time Samantha, it’s my way.”

“Or the highway?” She smirked.

“Choose carefully,” he warned.

“You’re serious.”

“I am.”

“What does your way entail, exactly?”

He reached a hand out to her. “Come here and find out.”

Two long strides would close the distance between them, but she only took one. It killed him to stand there, to not throw her over his shoulder and cart her off to the bedroom like a caveman.

“What are we doing?” she whispered huskily.

Caleb assumed the question was rhetorical, but he answered anyway. “Take that last step and you’re mine. You’ll do exactly what I say, without argument. No more hiding. No more holding back. You’ll give yourself to me, completely.”

Take the step. Take the step.

Lust and indecision burned in her gaze, and christ, she was beautiful. Long, red curls framed cheeks flushed with arousal, her bottom lip tucked between her teeth as she studied him.

“And what about you?” she said finally. “Will you give yourself to me?”

Caleb held his breath as she moved forward, her hands coming to rest on his chest. God, he needed her. Needed to be inside her. Needed all of her.

“My sweet Samantha, you’ve already got me,” he said and crushed his mouth to hers. He swallowed her protest and cinched an arm around her waist. She tried to hold herself from him, as if her stubborn will needed time to catch up with the decision her body had made.

Within seconds, he felt her resistance fade. Her body melted against his. He wanted to shout in victory as she opened her lips and let him in.

Far beyond being gentle, he devoured her. He was lost in a sea of sensation, his love for her making every touch, every stroke of her tongue against his more potent, more essential. His cock thickened further as need raced through his system. He pressed the hard ridge of his erection against her, letting her feel his desire.

BOOK: Shadow of Sin (The Martin Family)
9.65Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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