Inheriting a SECRET (Corrigan & Co. Book 7) (2 page)

“You-you saw me? I
mean, someone who looked like me?” Shit. This was the other reason
I didn’t want to do this mission. I have my own secrets to keep.

“Oh yeah, and that’s
why I picked you for this. So I can finally kiss you, and also so you
can tell me where the jewels are.”

“You got one of your
fantasies, but you can keep dreaming about the other. If I knew
anything about any jewels, I certainly wouldn’t tell you. And since
it’s been ten years, they’d be long gone.”

“I can be very
persuasive,” he says, caressing my breasts over my shirt.

“I’m not some model
or actress who cares that you’re a prince.”

“No, but I think you
do care that I can implicate you in a major jewelry heist.”

“You’ve had ten
years to do that, and you don’t know it was me.”

“Oh, I know it was
you,” he says, continuing to drive me a little wild with those
caresses. I know I should pull away, but I can’t. “I told you
I’ve been thinking of you for ten years, and I haven’t forgotten
one little thing about you, or your sweet little body. I just
couldn’t find you. Until now.”

“So what? You’re
going to blackmail me into sex?”

“No. Never,” he
says, stepping away and taking those glorious hands with him. “I
won’t let you quit this assignment, but I’d never force myself on
you. You’re going to come to me willingly, and we both know it. You
were as into that kiss as I was.”

“We’ll just have to
see about that.”

And I’ll also have to
see how I’m going to survive this mission. I had no idea that he
saw me when I was fifteen—all the rooms were dark. Because yes, it
was me. I stole those jewels, not because I wanted to, but because I
had to. Just like I have to stay on this mission. History seems to be
repeating itself when it comes to Brayden James and his family, and
this time I’m going to be a whole hell of a lot more careful.
Especially since it’s only taken one kiss for me to realize that he
could be the one. The
one
,
and falling for him just might be worse than jail.

* * *

Brayden

That kiss. Fucking
hell, that damn kiss. It was somehow better than I’d imagined it
would be for the last ten years. And when she let me touch her. I-I
won’t even go there. I can’t. What I need to do is get my head on
straight. She’s nothing more than a means to an end, and I need to
remember that.

“Thank God. Brayden
this behavior is unacceptable.”

“What behavior,
Mother?” I ask as I turn to her.

“Don’t ‘Mother”
me in that tone. You know full well what I’m talking about.”

“I was busy.”

“Busy? We’re trying
to salvage the scraps of your reputation that are left hanging, and
you’re too ‘busy’ to even meet the fiancée
you
picked?”

“I just met her.”

“Was she everything
you’d hoped for?”

Yeah, I’m not going
there. “She’ll do.”

“I have to admit I
was nervous due to her appearance, and apparent penchant for leather
pants, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised. She’s very intelligent
and has done everything we asked of her without complaint.”

“So no leather
pants?” Damn, I want to see her in a pair of those.

“Of course not. We
did compromise on skirts though.”

I wanted my hands
on—and under—that little skirt she was wearing, so thank you Mom.
“How progressive of you.”

“She will be a modern
princess to be. I don’t expect her to wear a corset for God’s
sake.”

I
so
did not need a visual of Cat—I mean, Darcy—in a corset. Really.
The laces, and buttons coming undone in my hands while her sweet
little tits are popping free.

“Brayden?”

“Huh? What? Sorry, I
was off in my own mind for a minute.”

“I asked you if
you’re ready to take her to dinner tonight for your first public
outing together.”

No. I am not ready to
go out in public with her. Because I want so badly to be in private
with her, and I don’t know that I can hide that from all the press
who will be photographing us. Or from Darcy herself. Not that I
didn’t make my intentions clear earlier, but I promised not to push
her. That’s a promise I’m not sure I can keep. It’s time to man
up, though.

“Yeah, sure. Whatever
we need to do.”

I’ll play the game,
because I know I’m going to win. Darcy’s going to be in my bed,
and those jewels are going to be back in my family’s castle. I
promised my father that I would find them before I ascended the
throne. My mother’s in good health, but like Simba once said, “I
just can’t wait to be king.”

Darcy

I need my armor—and
my friends tonight. But there’s no way I’ll be allowed to wear
leather pants, and my best friend is off with his girl—and a pony.
Yeah I said “pony.” Who knew badass Nate Anderson would turn out
to be such a romantic? Not me. I’m happy for him, though. Watching
him pine over Jade for two years was getting old. Especially because
I didn’t understand all the fuss.

She wanted him, he
wanted her, and yet he refused to make his move. Now that I know
everything
, I get it,
but then again, part of me still doesn’t. Maybe it’s because I
can’t even imagine ever wanting to be with someone forever. I’m
not sure something like that is even possible. Several of my friends
from the Society have found “love” recently, but will it really
last forever? And do people really want that? I know they do, but I
don’t. I never have, and I can’t imagine that I ever will. Which
makes my “fiancé” an even bigger problem.

I’ve never wanted
love, but I do want
him
.
I can even admit to myself that when he kissed me, I felt a
connection that was more than sexual. I’m not looking for happily
ever after, but I want more than one night with this man. Since we
have to be believably in love, that’s a good thing for my mission.
But I’m afraid that it’s a very bad thing for me. One night of
release is all I’ve given any boy, or man. Ever. The fact that I’m
wanting to give this one more is scary—but kind of exciting, too.
Yeah, I’m screwed.

Before I can continue
on with my pity party, a knock sounds at the door. I look at myself
one more time in the mirror before answering. I had to forgo leather
for lace, but I like it. The strapless pale grey dress has a high-low
hemline and is covered in white lace that’s heavier on the bottom
and top. It’s funky while still being somewhat proper. My hair is
up in a twist and pearls are in my ears. I have white sheer pumps on
my feet, and my “engagement” ring on my finger. I grab my clutch
and open the door.

“Hot damn, you look
good enough to eat, Cat. I mean, your dress even looks like dessert.”

Is it wrong that the
slight accent he has is turning me on? No? Okay, but I can’t let
him have the upper hand, even if he does look edible himself in that
black suit and skinny tie with his dark blonde hair pushed back, just
begging for me to run my fingers through it.

“Darcy. My name is
Darcy.”

“I know your name,
but I already told you that you’ve been ‘Cat’ to me for ten
years.”

“If you want to live
another ten years, you’ll cut the crap.”

The smirk that had been
on his face falls off at my words. “I assure you,
Darcy
,
I am completely and totally serious about what’s going to happen
between us. In and out of bed. I will have my family’s jewels back,
and I will also have
you
.
Make no mistake about either of those things.”

Two can play at this
name game. “You’re the one making the mistake, Donkey. I don’t
take kindly to threats from playboy princes.”

“Donkey?” he asks,
his nostrils flaring.

“Well, they do ‘bray’
and you’re an ass, so it fits.”

“You little bitch,”
he says, stepping into my personal space. I hold my ground, because
while I may be considerably shorter than him, I’m not some
shrinking violet.

“You can’t
intimidate me.”

“It’s so cute that
you think that.”

“I
know
it. Bigger and badder men than you have tried and failed.”

“I don’t fail,
Darcy. Ever.”

“Neither do I.”

“Well, one of us is
going down,” he tells me, and the smirk is back. Bastard.

“You’ll be on your
knees longs before me. Trust.”

“You’d like that.”

“Wouldn’t you?”

“Fuck yeah.”

He reaches for me, but
a man who looks to be a few years younger than us has appeared behind
him in the hall. I put my hands on his chest, and subtly gesture
behind him. “There’s someone behind you.”

“Noah?” he asks, on
a sigh.

“Yes, Bray. It’s
time to go.”

“Of course it is.”

I step around him,
stopping to whisper in his ear. “Hee haw.”

* * *

Brayden

Damn little vixen. And
damn my best friend. “Perfect timing as always, Noah.”

“You were going to
kiss her,” he says as he comes to stand next to me and we both
watch her walk towards the stairs.

“Obviously.”

“Do you think that’s
a good idea? Getting involved with her?”

“I’m not getting
involved, I’m getting
inside
.
Or, at least, I was on my way there before you interrupted us.”

“She’s not like
your usual bed mates. And don’t forget, she holds the key to the
mystery you’ve promised to solve.”

“So? You don’t
think I can fuck the truth out of her?”

“Maybe you can, but
getting out unscathed? That’s another matter entirely.”

“She’s not that
hot,” I lie.

“I’m not going to
touch that comment.”

My jaw clenches as an
unfamiliar emotion takes over me. I’m afraid it’s the one called
jealousy. “Stay away from her. I mean it.”

“I don’t want her.
At all,” he says with a shudder. “But don’t try and tell me
you’re not already in too deep now. Because we both know you’ve
always shared your women with me.”

Damn it. I need to rein
it in before
everyone
sees it. “Go for it. If she wants you, she’s all yours.”

“I don’t really
think she’s my type, but why not?”

He jogs down the
stairs, and I force myself to walk slowly behind him. I don’t know
what’s gotten in to me, but that’s how I’m feeling—and he
knows it. That’s why he’s messing with me. Darcy’s different,
and it’s not just because I’ve dreamed of her for so long. I
can’t pinpoint exactly what turns me on the most about her, but I
know he’s right. I’m already screwed, and if she takes him up on
the offer he’s about to make, I just might have to kill my best
friend.

“Son of a bitch,”
Noah yells.

I take the last stairs
at a run, only to find him on the floor with Darcy pushing her heel
between his shoulder blades. I can’t stop the smile that takes over
my face. I do refrain from the fist pump I want to do, though. She
turned him down. No one turns down Noah. I’m secure enough to admit
that he’s hotter than me, and he’s also well-known as my best
friend.

“Keep your friend in
line, Brayden. I’d really hate to have to mess up his face for all
the women who might actually want to take him up on his lame offers.”

I can’t stop myself
from saying the words, because I want complete confirmation. “He
knows about us, so if you wanted to…”

“I don’t,” she
replies, drilling into me with her gorgeous green eyes that look like
hard emeralds at the moment.

I ignore the danger,
and walk over to whisper in her ear. “Good, because I’m not
willing to share you.”

“This isn’t real.”

“Maybe the engagement
isn’t, but this fire between us is. And I’m not trained to fight
fires.”

“I am.”

“Forget the training,
just burn with me tonight.”

“We have to go to
dinner.”

“Yes, we do,” I
tell her with a smirk, already knowing what I’m going to do. I walk
her out to the car, and put the privacy screen up. “Ready to play
with fire, Cat?”

* * *

Darcy

Damn him and that
stupid nickname. I want to hate it, but I kind of love it. And I love
that he wants me too much to wait. I lick my bottom lip, and see him
swallow hard as his eyes track my tongue. I
am
ready to play, so I bite it gently, and he doesn’t try to disguise
his moan.

We meet in the middle
of the seat, and attack each other. There’s no other way to
describe it. We’re both fighting for dominance as we kiss, lick,
and bite. First lips, and then we open for each other, and it’s
tongues. I suck on his tongue, running my teeth lightly over it, and
he pulls back to look at me.

“I can’t wait until
you do that to my cock.”

“How do you know I
will?”

He licks up the column
of my throat, and then back down again, biting lightly on the place
where my neck meets my shoulder. I whimper, and lean back as he moves
his mouth lower.

“I
hope
you will.”

I want to. Dear God, I
want my mouth on him. I reach down to palm him through his pants, and
feel his hands move from my hair to my zipper. He pulls it down
slowly, growling as I squeeze his hard length. He’s not the biggest
I’ve ever had, but I’m already half in love with what I’m
feeling. And I haven’t even seen it yet.

My dress is peeled down
and then his mouth is moving over my sheer white bra. The friction of
the fabric between my nipple and his tongue has me almost coming. He
bites down, and then smiles.

“You’re so fucking
responsive.”

“You’re so good at
this,” I reply, and then stop in the middle of pulling his zipper
down.

My brain has just
caught up with my body. He
is
good at this. Because he’s done it so often. I’m no shy virgin,
but it still hurts a little to know it’s not me making him crazy
with lust. It could be any woman here with him, even though I’ve
never reacted to another man like this. I need to stop, no matter how
good it feels.