The Gate (Dark Path Series) (21 page)

Chapter Nineteen

The light from the moon hit Erika’s face, and she rolled over to escape it. She should shut the drapes, but she was too comfortable to move. She closed her eyes again to find the sleep that had eluded her over the past few hours, just dozing but never falling under the darkness she hoped for.

A scraping sound across the room caused her to sit up. The sound came again.

“Catherine?”

A figure appeared in the doorway, someone she recognized too well.

“It’s Max.”

She sucked in her breath as he approached the bed. She reached to switch on the bedside lamp, lighting the room. Deep grooves marred his forehead, outlined his mouth. A long angry red line marked the side of his throat. His bottom lip was swollen and split in the middle.

Did I do that?
She ached to tell him she was sorry but instead hugged her knees to her chest.

“May I join you? I promise not to touch you.”

She nodded, wary as he sat next to her. Folding his hands on his lap, he stared ahead.

She rested her cheek on her knee, expecting him to start talking or try to touch her. He did neither.

Okay, it’s going to have to be me.
“How did you get in? The door’s locked.”

“I have a key to all the rooms in the building, just like Catherine does.”

She did mention that.
“How did you know I was here?”

He peeked at her from the corner of his eye. “She texted me.”

“Oh.”
No big surprise
.

“That’s all you have to say? You’re not going to call me a stalker?” His voice was thick, brittle. Lifting his thumb to his mouth, he bit down.

“Stop.” She didn’t think, just grabbed his hand. Before she pulled back, he linked their fingers together. “Max,” she whispered.

She tugged on her hand, and he sighed, letting it go.

“We need to talk.” He ran his hand down the side of his throat over his scratch.

“I can’t believe what we did at your apartment.” Her face warmed as she though back to the violent sex they’d shared.

“That was one of the best fucks of my life. Now we’re even.”

“How?” She straightened, her temper rising.

“You had your way with me like I did with you. Now that we got rid of all that pent up anger between us, we can talk like rational adults—”

She hit her knee with her fist. “This is serious. You can’t come here, act all coy and bashful, and think I’ll forgive you. You refused to tell me the truth. You’re keeping secrets. I won’t allow you to pull a fast one over me just because you’re good with your cock.”

She threw off the covers. As she dropped her feet on the floor, he shot up from the bed. Taking both her hands in his, he stared down at her with an open expression.

“I fucked up, I admit it.” A combination groan-laugh left him. “I knew about Walsh Publications being in the red for over a year, and I was waiting for when your father retired to strike. I never planned to seduce you in order to make it easier for me to take over the company. I lost myself in you. I was trying to find a way to tell you, but none of that mattered when I was with you.” Sitting back down, he kissed the tops of her knuckles. “All I can think about is being with you,
in
you as you’re under me and falling apart in my arms.”

“Usually tied to your bed or to some attachment in the wall,” she muttered with a sigh. “One of the most important things missing between us right now is trust. How can I trust you when you kept this from me? I accepted everything else about you, from your sexual needs to even your past with Chris’s sister, which I still don’t know the full story. You can’t expect me to be okay with everything. When push comes to shove, I’ll always side with my father.”

“Before I met you, everything was black-and-white. Now, it’s not. In less than a month, you shook the foundation I’ve built that has worked so well in both my professional and personal lives.”

“Me? I’m no one special. I’m—”

He clasped her by her arms then pushed her flat on the bed. He rose over her, his body vibrating with anger. When he brushed aside the hair falling over her forehead, she didn’t struggle or fight. His face so close she could see his irises, feel his warm breath on her cheek.

“Do
not
put yourself down like that. The moment I saw you on stage accepting that award with your father, I was punched in the gut. I’ve never felt that way about anybody, not the women I dated or the women who come to The Gate.” He brushed his lips across hers. “You fascinate me. You make me want to be a better man. To try to be normal.”

“Normal?” She rested her hands on his arms.

He nodded. “You must realize by now I’m not some ordinary man with average needs or wants. I’m always looking for ways to give me a sense of peace that’s always beyond my reach. I thought I found it at The Gate. For a while, it alleviated my urges. But then I grew antsy, wanting something more. The thrill of making money and having power helped, but even that lost its appeal.” He brushed his fingers over her mouth and down the middle of her throat until he flattened his palm over her chest where her heart beat. “Now that I’ve found you, I’m keeping you. You’re a balm for my fractured soul.”

“That’s a great speech, but I don’t believe for a second you can give up the lifestyle. You’ve lived it for too long, and you love it. I’m just one of many who will be in your life for a short time until you don’t need me anymore,” she whispered, sadness filling her.

He rested his cheek on her shoulder. Staring up at the ceiling, she waited for him to release her. He ran his fingers over the side of her face and in her hair. She sniffed, refusing to cry from his tender touch. This was the first time he wasn’t teasing her into a fever pitch where she ended up begging him to fuck her, allowing him to do whatever he wanted in order for her to surrender.

“We can’t lie here all night. Catherine will find us.”

He chuckled. “We can always go to my suite and talk there.”

“Is that what we’re doing, talking? I don’t think we have anything else to discuss.”

He stroked her stomach. A fluttering sensation lodged there, and she dropped her hand over his to get him to stop.

He stilled, but he smiled. It took everything in her not to hug and kiss him, telling him she would forgive him, that they could go on as they had before.

“What if I told you I’ve reevaluated my business plan concerning Walsh Publications and would help keep the company running?”

“What game are you playing at now?” Pushing aside his hand, she sat up.

“No game. You’ve changed my mind.”

She snorted internally.
Like I have the power to change the mind of power hungry M.L. Crawford regarding a multi-million dollar investment.
“If we weren’t together or I wasn’t a Walsh, would you still try stealing Walsh Publications?”

“Absolutely.” He grasped her fingers, rubbing them between his palms. “Your hands are like ice.”

“It happens when I get upset.” Her hands warmed up—along with the rest of her body.

“They weren’t cold earlier when we fucked each other against the wall.”

Her entire body burst into flames. She halted the erotic caresses by thrusting his hands down on the mattress. He shook his head, a stony glint surfacing in his eyes.

“What is it?” she asked.

“No other woman would have dared to come into my domain, itching for a fight then going toe-to-toe with me. No other woman would have dared to slap me like you did after we fucked. No woman—” He placed his palm on hers. “—would sit here, calm as can be, willing to touch me after a disturbance in our relationship.”

“Disturbance? That’s a strange word to describe your lying to me.”

“I wish I had the correct words to explain what you mean to me. I’m not a poetic man, never have been. I’d rather use actions to show what I mean. How I feel.”

Through dirty, kinky sex where you’re always in control?
She nibbled the inside of her cheek. “Prove it, then. I want you to back off your attempts to steal Walsh Publications to show you’re serious. You’re going to meet with my father tomorrow to discuss ways to help the company stay afloat.”

Max raised an eyebrow. Reaching up, she traced the arc with a finger, drew down the side of his face and along his neck, landing over his scratch.

He gave her a small smile. “I’ll make an appointment with your father tomorrow. I can’t promise he’ll see me.”

“Better yet, why don’t I take my father to lunch and you can join us? We can meet at the restaurant on the ground floor of Walsh Publications’ headquarters. For once, you’ll be on my turf and not the other way around.”

He kissed her palm. “It looks like I don’t have a choice, do I?”

“Nope.” She smiled, proud for standing up for herself. Less than a month ago, she would have never done such a thing. But now she could, all because of the man sitting before her.

She yawned again, beyond exhausted, and had so much to do the next day. The most important was getting her father to go to lunch with her.

“Precious, you’re ready to drop.”

A rush of warmth ran over her skin. She loved hearing him call her that in his sexy, smooth voice. “I think it’s best if I go back to sleep.”

“I agree.”

She gasped when he tugged her over to the edge, scooping her into his arms. She jabbed his shoulder to get him to put her down. “Where are you taking me?

He walked out of the bedroom. “My suite. You’re not sleeping in another person’s bed. Only mine, with me next to you.”

She settled in his arms. What was the point in arguing with him? He would get his way regardless. She’d already won the battle of wits tonight, so she would concede for the moment.

Unlocking the door to his suite, he went straight into his bedroom. After setting her on her feet, he motioned for her to get in the bed.

“Just sleep, Maxwell?” She crossed her arms.

“Just sleep. Nothing more, Miss Walsh
.” He unbuttoned his shirt. “I’ll even sleep in my briefs so as not to tempt you.”

She rolled her eyes. Before she got under the sheets, she rested her palm on the middle of his chest. “My brain is about to shut down, but we still need to talk about Page.”

Gathering her close, he kissed her ever so gently on her mouth. “After lunch with your father tomorrow, we’ll talk about her. I promise.”

She wagged a finger. “We better.”

She rose onto her toes to increase the pressure of the kiss. He joined in until she yawned. Breaking away before things spiraled out a control, she climbed into the bed, pulling the covers up under her chin. When he was down to his black briefs, he got in next to her. She rolled on her side, facing away from him, but that didn’t deter him from holding her. His arms and legs came around her, spooning her close in a protective embrace. Unable to help herself, she snuggled into him. His cock poked her lower back, and she smiled. He was always erect and ready for her if she wanted him.

“Goodnight.” Her eyes drifted shut.

He said the same, grunting when she wiggled her ass over his crotch, taunting him on purpose. He didn’t pounce on her, but his hand shifted between her legs to cup her. He ground his palm over her mound, and she stilled, waiting for him to do more. But his hand went lax, remaining stationary.

He chuckled near her ear. “Behave.”

Chapter Twenty

Erika drank her water, trying not to look at the restaurant entrance every few seconds for Max. Shaking her leg, she tried to concentrate on the menu in front of her.

“I can’t remember the last time we had lunch with together.” Her dad smiled, unaware of her inner turmoil.

“Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to eat with me. I also invited someone else to join us.”

“Is it Chris? Maybe you two want to tell me something?” With a wink, he sipped his rum and Coke.

She groaned. “Dad, we’re just friends. Nothing more.”
Not even that
. “There’s a reason I’ve been so busy and we haven’t seen much of one another even at home. I-I started seeing someone. I asked him to lunch. You’re probably going to be very up—”

“Hello, Erika. Hello, Roger.”

When Max’s hand came down on her shoulder, her entire body went numb. It wasn’t because of his touch, but the stunned expression on her father’s face.

Bending down, he kissed her cheek. “Breathe, baby,” he whispered.

“Don’t call me baby,” she muttered through the side of her mouth.

She glanced at her father, uncertainty washing through her. Roger stood when Max held out his hand. After a beat, both men grasped and shook.

Releasing a pent up breath, she fiddled with the napkin on her lap while Max pulled up a chair to sit down. His fingers dropped over hers, giving a little squeeze.

Grabbing her glass of water, she took a huge gulp. He draped his arm across the back of her chair. Her father’s eyes narrowed to slits.

Placing her glass on the table, she forced a smile to hide her anxiety. “Dad, the reason I asked you to lunch to meet with Max. I found out about the possible bankruptcy and how he is thinking of—”

“Stealing my company out from under my nose? Isn’t that right, Mr. Crawford?” Roger asked with frostiness then finished off his drink.

Max gave her back a soft tap. “I’m not going to beat around the bush. Yes, I’ve had an interest in Walsh Publications for a long time. When I heard of the company’s financial problems, it gave me the chance to acquire another asset that would make me money.”

Her father slammed his empty glass on the table.

“Max,” she warned in a whisper.

He acknowledged her by tugging on her hair. She looked around for their server to request something stronger to drink. If the two men were going to fight, she needed some liquid courage to sustain herself.

Her dad’s chest puffed out, his face reddening. “Crawford, you’re a real piece of—”

“Let me finish before you jump to conclusions.” He held up a hand. “If I were in your shoes, I would be angry, too. Especially if I found out my daughter was involved with my rival.”

“More like the enemy,” her father grumbled, shooting the man next to her a brooding stare.

“Dad….” She rubbed her forehead where an ache had started to form between her eyes.
It’s worse than I expected.

“Erika, your father is right. I’m more of an enemy than a friendly competitor. When it comes to business, I can be ruthless, doing whatever it takes to succeed.” In front of the entire restaurant and her father, he kissed her on the mouth then brushed his hand down the side of her face.

She gaped, stunned by his affectionate display. Her father had a similar reaction, but he covered it by chewing on an ice cube.

Max stared at her warmly. “I’ve been like this for years, but then someone new entered my life who showed me how being compassionate, genuine, and kind also works. Not just in matters of the heart but in business as well.”

Their server reappeared, asking if they wanted any refills. Her father requested the same drink while she asked for a vodka and cranberry, heavy on the vodka. Max tsked under his breath, teasing her, but ordered a gin and tonic for himself.

After the server left, no one spoke. She cleared her throat, trying to ease the tension.

“Are you saying my daughter changed your mind?” He gave her a tender look, and she smiled.

“Yes. Erika is an amazing woman. After that night we met at the awards ceremony, I was struck by both her beauty and her compassion. I had to see her again, and she honored me with her presence. For the past few weeks, we’ve been dating. I came clean because of my guilt regarding my planned takeover of Walsh Publications and wanted to set things right.”

The way he spun the truth didn’t sit easy with her, but it was better than him lying or twisting things. Taking his hand in hers, she decided to go along.

“Dad, Max and I had a long conversation last night about how his takeover would have ruined everything between us. From our discussion, we found a solution that will not just benefit you and your employees, but also Crawford Media.”

“Really?” He rubbed his chin then steepled his fingers under his nose. “What solution did you two come up with?”

“Walsh Publications and Crawford Media join forces,” Max announced. “We become a united front, an unstoppable media partner, not just in New York but across the United States and then the world.”

Her father brushed a hand over his head. He glanced at her then stared straight ahead.

Linking their fingers, Max gave her an assured smile that did nothing for her nerves. She chugged her water.

Her dad eyeballed the man next to her. “I’m not promising anything, but I would be interested in hearing you explain how a future partnership between us would work. I’m willing to listen to what you have to say because most of the time my daughter is a good judge of character. From what I’ve seen here in the last few minutes, she has vouched for you not just with words but through her body language as well.”

“Oh, boy.” She dipped her head in embarrassment.

Max tapped her foot with his. He looked at her like she was something special, created just for him, and her heart sped up.

Her father coughed loudly, causing her to turn away from Max—but not before she brushed the side of her foot along his calf. He reciprocated by grazing his thumb over the side of her hand.

“Why don’t we discuss while we eat?” Her dad opened his menu.

“Great.” She reached for her menu, but the man who’d changed her life took her hand and kissed her knuckles.

“You’re wonderful, precious,” he whispered for her ears only.

Her father gave her a “we’re going to talk” look.

When the server arrived with their drinks, she took a healthy sip of hers. She hoped her appetite rebounded so she wouldn’t feel compelled to run and hide in the bathroom while the two men she cared about talked about the future.

***

“We’ll continue the discussion next week with our lawyers.” Her dad wiped his mouth with his napkin, covering a burp.

Erika poked her chicken with her fork. She’d eaten little, sticking to drinking, while the men discussed both their companies and ideas for how Walsh Publications could be a part of the future. To her surprise, her father had listened, agreeing with much of what was said. Max didn’t dominate the conversation, at times inserting lighter topics such as their favorite books, movies, and even sports.

Her head spun. As she reached for her drink, her date snatched it away. She went to argue, but he dangled his arm on the back of her chair. Pressing his mouth near her ear, he caused an enjoyable ripple to flow down the side of her face.

“If you have anymore, I’m going to have to carry you out of here. Why not lay off the booze? I have plans for you later on. I want you passing out after I make you come a few dozen times, not because of the alcohol.”

A zip of heat crashed between her legs. She cleared her throat when the server removed their plates, asking if they wanted dessert. Her father took a look at the dessert menu while Max ordered coffee. She smiled in appreciation when he ordered for her.

“Hello, Roger and Erika. Having a nice lunch?”

Her stomach lurched, and she swallowed the bile creeping up her throat. She wanted to crawl under the table. Chris stood there with a pleasant expression on his face, but he glared at Max who appeared either unaware or didn’t care. He took her hand and kissed the back of it. She tried to pull away because she didn’t want any bloodshed, but he wasn’t having any of it. Going one step further, he kissed the inside of her wrist.

Her dad seemed to have missed the entire spectacle. Two other men from the office approached him, and they started chatting.

“H-hi, Chris. How are you?” Her voice came too high and girlish, and she swallowed, waiting for his response.

“I wish I had known you were having lunch here. I would have joined you.” He stared at Max. “This is a surprise, Crawford.”

“Is it?” He shrugged and relaxed in his chair. “Erika invited me to dine with her and Roger. Funny how you weren’t.”

Chris cracked his knuckles, causing her to squeeze Max’s hand in a warning. He gave her a wink and draped his arm around her shoulder. He twirled a piece of hair as he studied the irate man before him.

Having finished his conversation, her father turned to slap Chris on the back. “We’re about to have coffee and dessert. Why don’t you join us? M.L. and I had an interesting talk about both our companies. We might work together on something you’ll want to be a part of.”

“Yes, Christopher, join us,” Max replied in a smooth voice. His hand traveled down her back, slipping around to curve her waist.

She wanted to tell him to stop the antics. But how without causing a commotion that might ruin everything?
The bathroom
. But if she did, what would she come back to? She wouldn’t be surprised if both men duked it out.

“Excuse me. I’ll be back in a minute.” Her father stood and headed toward the restrooms, effectively taking the decision out of her hands.

Chris stared at Max in disgust while Max lifted an eyebrow, daring him to start something. The tension threatened to choke her. She needed air and a way to talk to Chris alone to defuse the situation before he exploded.

Something chirped. Max took out his phone from his jacket pocket and tapped the touch screen.

“Excuse me for a moment.” Rising from his seat, he tugged on her hair then walked a few feet away. He spoke in low tones, keeping them both in his sight.

Grabbing a chair from a nearby table, Chris sat, curling his hand around her knee in a tight lock.

“We need to talk as soon as possible.” His fingers dug into her skin. She tried pushing him off.

“It’s obvious you’re upset. Calm down.” She glanced at Max who still watched them. She gave him a smile, hiding her trepidation, but a tick in his cheek appeared. Her stomach rolled.

“What the fuck is going on here?” Chris accused in a harsh tone. “When did Crawford and your father get all buddy buddy?” His grip tightened. “You’re in deep shit right now.”

Since he wouldn’t release her, she jabbed her nails into the back of his hand. He flinched but didn’t back off. “I’m in deep shit?” she whispered. “How? Because you’re bent out of shape you weren’t invited to our business lunch or because I’ve decided to stay with Max even after everything you said about him?”

He dropped his hand away, an ugly grimace appearing on his face. He set his clenched fist on the table, his knuckles white with strain. His breath came out in huffs through his nose.

She rubbed her aching knee, ready to leave the table to head to the bathroom. She thought she might puke. She started to stand, but he grabbed her arm. She slapped him away, ready to yell at him to leave her alone, but her father returned to the table. Max appeared at her side, wrapping an arm around her waist.

Chris shot daggers at both of them.

“Ah good, Chris, you’ve decided to join us,” her father said in a pleased tone as he sat back down. He tapped his chest and burped. “I think I’ll just have coffee. I have some heartburn from what I ate.”

“An emergency has come up I have to take care of. I won’t be able to stay.” Max snagged his jacket from the back of his chair. “I’ve put the meal on my tab. Take care, Roger.” He turned. “Until next time, Milton.”

Chris’s mouth tilted upward in a parody of a smile. “We’ll see each other again. That’s a promise.”

He nodded. “Erika, why don’t you walk me out?”

“Of course.” She didn’t mind his request because she needed to escape Chris before he ended up doing something appalling like trying to punch Max.

He curled his hand around her elbow as she strode alongside him. She peeked over her shoulder. Her father and Chris had their heads together, talking.

When they reached the front, he took both her hands in his giving her a rueful smile. “I hate to cut our lunch short, but I have to meet with someone.”

She wondered who that someone might be but didn’t press for more information. At some point, he would tell her. “Go ahead. I’ll finish up here with my father. Call me later?”

He cupped her by the back of her head, scrutinizing her face as if he was memorizing her. Blushing under his stare, she tried not to fidget.

“I’ll call you.” His hold tightened. “Promise me one thing. Don’t go off with Milton alone. He’s going to do whatever he can to turn you against me like he tried to do a few days ago. I don’t like leaving you here with him. If he touches one hair on your head, I’ll end up killing him.”