Chapter One (37 page)

someone knocked, she looked up and shook her head, pointing

“I’m confused Mr. Walters. I don’t understand why to the Closed sign.

you’ve come here or what you’re trying to say.”

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Jaci Burton/
Wild, Wicked & Wanton
/Unedited Advance Reading Copy Berkley Heat/May, 2007

“What I’m trying to say is that I was in the movie door and pulled the night shade down. Then she fell into the theater with you and Jack last night. I know exactly what you chair and collapsed, letting the racking sobs overtake her.

two were doing in the back row.”

Oh, God, what had she been thinking? She’d almost Oh, God. Oh, God. The senior partner of Jack’s firm ruined Jack’s life with her sexual perversions. Swiping at the was in the movie theater? Shit! What had she done? Flames of tears, she stood and grabbed a towel, cleaned her face, then embarrassment licked up her neck. She looked down at the grabbed the bank deposit, determined to do the right thing.

paperwork on the table, too ashamed to even look the man in No way would she stand in the way of Jack and his the eye.

career. What they had was fun, but fun was one thing, and a

“As you can imagine, we cannot entertain that kind of man’s career was another. She might love him, but she wasn’t depravity at Walters and Little. If word of what kind of sexual the right woman for him.

activities Jack is engaged in got out, his career would be Tonight, she’d tell him it was over. It was the right ruined.”

thing to do. Because she did love him, she’d let him go.

Tears pooled in Callie’s eyes. She blinked hard, forcing She should have known better than to think she and them back. “I understand.” She would not do anything to hurt Jack could ever be together.

Jack’s career. She looked up at the man, trying to muster up She should have stayed on her own side of town, and whatever shreds of dignity remained. “What do you want me to kept her sexual fantasies to herself.

do?”

“End your relationship with Jack. Let him find Jack hoped he wasn’t too late as he knocked on Callie’s a…different kind of woman. One who won’t embarrass him.”

door. Anticipation knotted inside him. God, he’d missed her Bob placed his hand over Callie’s. “If you care at all for him, today. She’d been all he could think about since he’d seen her you’ll do what’s best for him and for his career. He’s worked bright smile this morning for coffee, saw the blush tingeing her long and hard for his success and he’s almost reached the top.

cheeks when their fingers had brushed as she’d handed his cup Don’t make the mistake of standing in his way now.”

over.

She shook her head, forcing the nausea away. “I would And now he felt like a teenager as he stood at her door never do that.”

waiting for her to open it.

Bob nodded. “Good girl. I knew you cared for him. I So this was love. He grinned, feeling stupid and happy could see that.” He stood. “I’m sorry to do this, but I only want at the same time.

the best for Jack. He’s like a son to me.”

But his smile froze when he saw the look on her face She walked to the door and unlocked it, her throat raw.

when she opened the door.

She couldn’t even speak, she just let the man out, locked the

“Callie, what’s wrong?”

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Jaci Burton/
Wild, Wicked & Wanton
/Unedited Advance Reading Copy Berkley Heat/May, 2007

She looked awful, her eyes swollen, her expression so weekend of wanton sex. I fulfilled the terms of the bet and now sad she looked as if someone had died.

it’s over.”

“We need to talk. Come in.”

“A bet?”

He stepped inside and she shut the door, but she didn’t

“Yes. We’ve been making bets since we were in high invite him further into her house.

school. It was a game. A silly little game.”

Uh oh. Something was up. When he reached for her,

“I see.”

she pulled away. “Callie, what’s the matter?”

He couldn’t breathe. This wasn’t happening. He’d been She wrapped her arms around herself. “I don’t want to thinking forever with Callie, and all the while she’d been see you anymore.”

thinking weekend fuck. A bet. He was a goddamn bet. Shit.

His heart skipped a beat. “What?”

How could he have been so off base?

“The weekend we had was fun and all, but I really don’t

“Look, Jack. I’m sorry if I led you on in any way. I want to continue this.”

didn’t mean to. I had fun. But really, I’m tired and I have to get Okay, something wasn’t right here. “You can’t be up early for work.” She opened the door and looked at him serious.”

expectantly. “If you don’t mind…”

“I am.”

He looked at the open door then back at her. “Wow. I He dragged his hand through his hair, confused as hell.

was really off base about you. About us. I’m sorry, Callie.” He

“This doesn’t make any sense.”

turned and walked out the door, wincing at the sound of it Callie shrugged. “Look, Jack. I’m busy with my career closing behind him.

and you’re busy with yours. I had a nice time this weekend, but He turned and watched as the lights went out in Callie’s you really can’t expect me to behave that way every day, can house, but as he climbed into his car and drummed his fingers you? I mean let’s be realistic here. The public sex was hot and on the steering wheel, he shook his head.

all, but it’s not my everyday life. For a one time fling, great.

His instincts had never been wrong. They’d seen him But that was it.”

through years of college and numerous cases at work. Instinct One time fling? What the fuck? Hurt knifed hot in his told him now that Callie had been lying.

stomach, leaving him at a loss for words. He couldn’t believe Something was off about her performance back there.

this was the same Callie he’d just spent the weekend with.

And that’s what it had just been: performance.

Something was off, but he couldn’t figure it out.

Callie was many things, but a cold, heartless bitch

“Tell me what’s really going on, Callie. This isn’t you.”

wasn’t one of them.

Her gaze narrowed. “Isn’t it? You really don’t know me She was warm, caring, generous.

at all, Jack. You know nothing about me. We had a fun fuck, He wanted that Callie back, and he was going to find but that was it. You were a bet I made with my friends. A out what the hell had happened to cause her turnaround.

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Jaci Burton/
Wild, Wicked & Wanton
/Unedited Advance Reading Copy Berkley Heat/May, 2007

Callie stood at the window and watched Jack get into his car, then just sit there.

“Drive away, Jack. Just drive away.”

Her heart ached so much she was afraid she was going to die from the pain. It was like losing Bobby all over again, that heart wrenching, stabbing feeling of loss.

The hurt in Jack’s eyes as she’d flung her noncaring attitude at him had torn her apart. She’d never felt so callous before. God, it hurt. She wanted to open her door and run out to his car, throw her arms around him and tell him she was lying, that the weekend they’d spend together had meant everything to her. That she was sorry for hurting him, that she hadn’t meant anything she’d just said.

But if she did that, she’d ruin his life. Everything he’d worked so hard to achieve.

Finally, he drove away.

She sank to the floor and sobbed.

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Jaci Burton/
Wild, Wicked & Wanton
/Unedited Advance Reading Copy Berkley Heat/May, 2007

“She was worried about you two being so different socioeconomically,” Blair explained.

Jack shook his head. “That’s bullshit. And we talked about it. I told her my roots. I grew up on a farm, for the love of God. We come from the same type of background so that wasn’t an issue for her.”

“Hmm, then you’re right. That can’t be it,” Blair said, tapping her nails on the table.

Jack searched the restaurant for two familiar faces,

“Maybe it had something to do with that guy from your finally locating Blair and Abby at a corner booth. He firm stopping by her shop the other day,” Abby said.

maneuvered his way through the crowd and slipped in the Jack’s gaze shot to Abby. “What guy?”

empty side of the booth.

“She didn’t say. Only that one of the senior partners of

“I appreciate you both agreeing to meet with me.”

your firm came by after she’d closed up shop, and that she Blair shrugged. “No problem. What’s up?”

didn’t care very much for him. Some Walters guy. Monday, I

“I was hoping you could tell me. What’s up with Callie, think.”

that is.”

And Monday night was when she’d had her little Abby frowned. “What do you mean?”

goodbye talk with him. “Ah. I see.”

He relayed what happened the other night, feeling

“What?” Blair asked.

strangely comforted when both women’s eyes widened.

“I think I have an idea what might have happened.”

“That’s not like Callie at all,” Abby said.

“Does it have something to do with that guy from your

“She doesn’t have a mean bone in her body,” Blair firm?” Abby asked.

added. “And about the bet? She’d never throw it out to you like

“I think it has everything to do with that guy from my that. No way.”

firm.” He reached for Abby and Blair’s hands. “Thank you

“Have you spoken to her at all about the weekend we ladies. I appreciate the information. Now I have to go talk to spent together and what happened afterward?”

someone and hopefully get this cleared up with Callie.”

Blair shook her head. “She’s been strangely

“You do that,” Blair said. “Because I don’t think she’s unavailable. Says she’s busy. Which is really unusual for her.”

very happy right now.”

“I think she’s avoiding talking to us. We know she’s

“Well I’m sure as hell not happy without her. I want her upset, she said it didn’t work out for the two of you, but we back.”

thought it was the whole social status thing,” Abby said.

“That’s what we like to hear.” Abby squeezed his hand.

“Social status?” Jack asked.

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Jaci Burton/
Wild, Wicked & Wanton
/Unedited Advance Reading Copy Berkley Heat/May, 2007

Jack left the restaurant and hopped in his car, trying not

“Isn’t she? We have a reputation to uphold and we can’t to let fury overtake him. The last thing he needed was a car have sexually perverted partners in our firm. I like you, Jack.

wreck. He forced himself to calm down while he drove, but it You have a killer instinct and you’re going to make a was damned difficult. He had an idea, a really good idea, of phenomenal senior partner. But it won’t be with that depraved what had transpired between Callie and Bob.

woman at your side. Now you’re going to find a socially It was really too damn bad that murder was illegal, acceptable woman and marry her, and have normal sex with because it was first and foremost on his mind right now.

that woman and that’s all I’m going to say on the subject.”

Even though it was late, he knew Bob would still be at

“You can’t dictate my private life, Bob.”

the office. Bob was always at the office. Jack practiced Bob smirked. “Can’t I? How fast do you think your breathing in through his nose and out through his mouth while career will sink once word gets out about your predilections for he rode the elevator to the penthouse offices, then found Bob public sex?”

exactly where he knew he’d be—in his office, working. He

“You wouldn’t do that.”

must have one understanding wife.

Bob arched a brow. “Wouldn’t I? You know me, Jack.

He didn’t even bother to knock, instead stepped in and I’ll do whatever it takes to get what I want. And what I want is said, “Bob, I need to know what the hell you said to Callie.”

you in this firm as senior partner. And without that Jameson Bob swiveled around in his chair and smiled. “I saw the woman at your side. You continue to see her, that rather two of you in the movie theater the other night.”

unpleasant information about you goes public.”

Bob was there? Ah, that explained some things. “I see.

“You can’t prove it.”

And?”

“I won’t have to. All it takes is my word of what I saw

“So I told Ms. Jameson I saw the two of you, and what in that movie theater. Once a background investigation is you did. I said what you should have said to her. I told her to started, I’m sure we’ll be able to uncover many sordid little get lost.”

secrets about you.”

Blind spots sparked in front of Jack’s eyes. He didn’t He could not fucking believe this was happening. “And think he’d ever been this angry before.

to think I used to respect you.”

Stay calm. Don’t kill him.
Oh, but he really wanted to.

“I don’t care if you respect me or not, Jack. As long as

“What the fuck did you think gave you the right to go to her you continue to make this firm millions of dollars a year, you and say anything?”

can hate my guts. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.”

“Because you weren’t going to do it, and I will do

“This isn’t over, Bob.”

anything I have to do to protect this firm.”

Bob smiled, his lips curling in an ugly grin. “Yes, my Jack clenched his fists at his sides. He so wanted to hit son. It is.”

the smug bastard right now. “Callie is no threat to the firm.”

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Jaci Burton/
Wild, Wicked & Wanton
/Unedited Advance Reading Copy Berkley Heat/May, 2007

Jack pivoted and left the office before he decided to do better start minding your own perversions instead of worrying something he regretted. Like smashing his fist right through the about what everyone else is doing.”

son of a bitch’s face. As he rode the elevator back down to the Bob tore open the envelope and pulled out the photos, parking garage, he had to satisfy himself with imagined visuals his face going pale. He looked up at Jack. “What do you of Bob’s shattered nose and blood spattered all over his legal want?”