Second Chances (19 page)

She forgot about the soap to enjoy the hot liquid, playing her fingertips on the fragile liquid surface, then moving her open palms into the water like a dolphin, with a childish grin.

The doorbell broke through her bubble. She guessed Isobel was coming to the rescue again, probably with Tristan this time, and as much as she loved them, she wanted to be left alone. Closing her eyes, Maya refused to acknowledge the disturbance.

The bell rang again, twice, and this time she couldn’t ignore it. She rose from the water with a heavy sigh and draped her robe around her, then lifted the plug to empty her tub. She had little chance of getting rid of the importunate visitors and coming back to her bath before it cooled completely.

Tristan was indeed waiting on her doorstep. Her eyes, however, rested on the blond figure by his side.

Arthur fisted his hands deep in his pockets to prevent them from reaching for her. A delicate scent was drifting from her, intoxicating. Some wet tendrils had escaped from her loose bun to caress her slender neck and her porcelain skin was pink, maybe from water that was too hot. She was clutching the belt of her robe while her vivid eyes searched his face. He swallowed hard. She was the most desirable thing he had ever seen.

Tristan stepped forward, but she stayed stiff in her cousin’s embrace, her eyes never straying from Arthur.

“Maya, we need to talk to you.”

Arthur was grateful Tristan took the initiative. His tongue was glued to his palate, his mouth parched, and all he could think was to fall on his knees and beg.

She turned away silently to invite them in, and the spell lifted partly, allowing him to breathe again.

“Give me a minute.”

The young woman escaped to her room to dress. Tristan turned toward Arthur who was still frozen near the door.

“Maybe it’s better if I explain.”

He never felt that clumsy in front of anyone. Arthur suspected his sudden capacity to use words came from her exiting the room. He choked a vague “Be my guest,” before language eluded him again.

***

Maya leaned against the closed door, shaken. She had seen him less then 24 hours ago, and he looked taller, broader, his eyes bluer, his whole being echoing into her to make her heart race. He looked more tired, too, and troubled. She couldn’t fathom why he was there with Tristan; her cousin was more likely to kill Arthur for being such a jerk rather than try to bring them together. At least she thought he was.

The young woman put on jeans and a sweater, before she took a deep breath and joined her unexpected visitors in the living room.

***

Their drinks stayed untouched on the coffee table. Only Maya had hers on her knees, and her hands cupped the hot mug, seeking a sense of reality in their story.

Tristan had taken the lead and related fact after fact about the Foundation and Moira, Cedric, and the drug money. The incredible accusations floated between the three of them and she tried to wrap her mind around them.

She didn’t know what hurt the most, her sister being an addict for so long without her even noticing, or Moira turning something good they had created together into a farce. Maybe it had been her intention all along to use the foundation for dirty business…Suddenly, it all made sense: the changing moods, the depression when Cedric (her supplier!) was absent, Moira’s epic fights with Robert when he tried to control her. Her godfather had been the only one who had actually done something to stop it. If he had confided in her, instead of treating her like a baby and later pushing her away, she might have been able to help. That was what hurt the most. Not having been granted a chance to help…

Arthur saw the pain flashing in her beautiful eyes, and only that made him decide to speak.

“I should have told you from the beginning what was happening with the Foundation, Edana. I’m sor…”

“Don’t you dare call me that.”

Pain lost the battle against cold rage. She stood to face him, her cheeks colored in anger.

“You lied to me and you used me even after I…”

Her voice was high-pitched and she paused a second.

“Not once. Not once did you try to tell me the truth. You promised me you’d treat me decently. You broke your word.”

Maya was about to add he was not better than his father, but shut up. She was mad, but not enough to hurt him intentionally. Not yet.

Tristan had noticed his companion’s posture hardening with each accusation. However, Maya’s wrath was more of a concern to him. Her stare had paled to the color of pale jade. Sensing the danger, he interfered.

“Arthur came to me, Maya. It was our decision to…”

“Don’t.”

Arthur interrupted him; he couldn’t let someone else take the blame for his mistakes.

“Maya, Tristan advised me to tell you and also to break our deal, and I didn’t.”

He stood up.

“We have insufficient proof, but it might be enough to obtain an injunction for a legal investigation. You deserved to know it before seeing your sister under arrest, or the police probing through your files. Please accept my apology.”

The calming effect from her bath seemed centuries away. Maya sat back in her seat, ignoring Arthur and avoiding her cousin’s stare. Tristan too was pushing to his feet when her question resounded in the room.

“What would be considered sufficient proof?”

Arthur turned toward her. This time she held his stare firmly.

“Cedric and Moira can be linked to cash flows which are not related to the usual operations of the Foundation. But there’s nothing to prove Cedric deals drugs.”

She gave it a thought. “Yes, there is.”

Her assurance surprised both men.

“I saw him giving Moira some pills on Christmas day. She claimed she had a headache.”

Recognition lit Arthur’s eyes. “When I found you in her office…”

The memory also awoke the protective beast in his chest. Maya nodded.

“Yes. That’s proof, isn’t it?”

Triumph glittered in her green stare, but Arthur stayed impassive.

“Circumstantial, again. It could have been aspirin. We can’t prove it was not.”

“Then we need some of those pills.”

Tristan looked grimly at the Ping-Pong contest between them. He knew his cousin well enough not to try keeping her out of it again. Unfortunately Arthur didn’t, and he reacted instantly, fool as he was.

“I don’t want you to be involved in this.”

Maya frowned and annoyance flared in her eyes so fiercely her opponent nearly stepped back.

“I don’t remember requiring your permission.”

Piqued, Arthur folded his arms on his chest and smirked.

“And how do you intend recovering the drugs? You think he is graciously going to give it to you?”

“Maybe. But I’ll have to ask very nicely.”

He caught the lowering in her voice before a shadow dimmed her face swiftly. Then her meaning sank and he roared.

“NO!”

Tristan understood too, his reaction coming less intense but just as stern.

“Absolutely not, Maya.”

The young woman stood gracefully and started toward her bedroom. Arthur grabbed her arm and she pulled away with equal force, yet unable to shake him off.

“Get your hands off me.”

The order did nothing to calm him. In no way was he was allowing her to go to that brute and…He nudged her against the door, uncaring of her gasp when his fingers bit hard into her tender shoulders, or of her cousin being only feet away. His mouth crashed on hers. Her head bumped into the frame and she choked, nearly surprised he didn’t use the opportunity to invade her mouth. It shamed her to feel arousal pouring inside her at the aggression.

For a second, he felt her quiver against him, as if she was going to kiss him back, half-hoping she would, but Maya pushed him brutally.

“GET OFF ME!!!”

Her shout was nearly hysterical. Arthur freed her arms, and smirked nastily.

“You can’t stand being touched by someone you dislike. You’ll never convince him.”

Maya glared down on him.

“I can, and I will.”

She smiled at her cousin sweetly, shot another scornful glance to Arthur, and banged the door in both their faces.

Chapter 30

In a way, she was lucky, Maya thought. It was Friday, which meant Moira was at her yoga class and Cedric was alone at home.

She smoothed her skirt nervously. A double dose of Arthur’s abusive behavior and the rightful anger it arose would help right now. She pushed aside the troubling memories of the possessive kiss and squared her shoulders, pushing her chin up proudly. Part of her bravado might have come from some irresistible need to make Arthur pay; she could do this, and would. If she had managed to shove him away, Cedric didn’t stand a chance; did he? In addition, the police officer had confirmed it was a good plan…

***

Arthur looked at the inspector in front of them with a very annoyed expression on his face.

“You were supposed to convince her otherwise, Luke, not encourage her.”

The man shook his head.

“We’ve been trying to nail Cedric for months now and he’s systematically managed to dodge the traps; this is a perfect opportunity because it could potentially give him the full control of the Finnegan sisters, so hopefully his greed will lower his guard.”

Arthur growled. It was not greed that interested the guy but…

Luke went on.

“Miss Finnegan will wear a bug and if she manages to have Cedric admit something compromising, we will have enough material to issue a warrant for his arrest and to search his place.”

“This is unacceptable, the risks…”

Her murdering glance shut Arthur up. Then Maya turned to Luke.

“I can’t wear a bug under my clothes, he’ll notice…”

Arthur’s disgusted sneer was priceless. She could hear the jealous wheels in his head spinning. The officer answered,

“We’ll use your cell phone. You’ll only have to call a specific number I’ll give you and to keep your phone on, so we’ll record everything.”

***

Maya resisted turning her head toward her cousin’s car down the street. Her phone was open in her pocket and the three men would be hearing her verbal exchanges with Cedric. And if she screamed, it would take them less than a minute to come over. But she would not scream. She would lure Cedric into giving her some of his “medicine” and talking about his crimes, so his abhorrent trafficking would stop.

Maya placed her best innocent smile on her lips and rang the bell.

***

The man was barefoot and his shirt half-opened when he came to the door. When he saw her, the annoyance on his face changed into a carnal sneer.

“Hey…My delightful baby sister-in-law…It’s my lucky day after all…Please, come…”

“Hi Cedric.”

The door clapped on her like a mousetrap. Following him inside, Maya put her coat away so she was sure he didn’t notice the phone was online.

“I’m sorry to bother you on your vacation…I’ve got something to ask you…Moira is out so…”

She put enough coyness in her words to catch his interest. She didn’t need to play to sound hesitant.

***

Arthur groaned.

“We can’t let her do that. The man is a brute, he can’t think of anything else but…”

Tristan shot him a dark glare.

“That’s the point.”

Luke in the backseat said nothing. Arthur growled again; Luke had accepted being involved as a punishment for Arthur stealing Emily from him. Idiot. Arthur tried to forget it was Maya in the house with the bastard.

***

She waited in the living room, unwilling to be out of her phone’s reach, while Cedric moved to the kitchen and came back with his coffee. She was glad he didn’t offer her one; her stomach was so tense the smell of the strong beverage was enough to disturb her.

Maya presented him with another weak smile and a flutter of lashes when he sat close to her on the couch. “You said I just have to ask…You see, Arthur has those terrible migraines and the pills you gave Moira seemed so efficient…”

***

Even muffled by the fabric of her coat, the tremor in her voice was unmistakable. It came from fear. He knew it did. It galled Arthur even more. He flexed his fingers on his lap, trying to ignore the anger rising in his chest.

Tristan peeped at his companion at the mention of his migraines, but stayed focused on the phone.

***

Cedric’s hand brushed her leg when he put his cup down and she bit the inside of her cheek not to jump away. The contact made her twitch, and the man grinned arrogantly. Maya placed one hand on his arm.

“Please, Cedric…”

She hoped he mistook the quivers in her fingers for worry for Arthur, instead of the rising panic it really was. His skin was too hot under her palm, and he was way too close.

***

Hearing her “please” was unbearable.

Hateful images were playing in his head; the rogue had his hands on her and she was allowing it. He didn’t care about exposing the dealer, he didn’t care about his father’s reaction if he screwed this sole chance up, he didn’t care if she never looked at him again; he just could not hear the fear in her voice while she begged.

***

The despicable fingers found their way to her knee.

“Those are not free, Babe…They’re illegal and I took them in for Moira…”

“Please…I’ll repay you, I’ll…”

A pair of voracious lips swallowed hers. Maya couldn’t help it and stiffened at the contact. Cedric pulled away and laughed.

“What will darling Arthur say when he learns how you paid for his medicine?”

Maya dipped her head so her “companion” didn’t see the disgust and shock in her eyes.

Cedric laughed harder.

***

Tristan’s hands clutched the wheel so hard his knuckles had turned white. He could see how the whole scene was affecting Arthur and he was no different.

It was his kin Cedric was harassing. The man was a pig. He had suffered him for Moira but now…He loved Maya like a sister and this…This was madness. He’d never forgive himself if anything…He glared at Luke in the mirror.

“Five more minutes and I’m going, proof or no proof.”