* * *
November, one year ago
Ten years of on-and-off dating. No, you couldn’t really call it dating. The more accurate term would be booty-calling. A week’s conference in New York, a business trip to San Francisco, a secretly planned mini-vacation in the Bahamas. Two or three times a year, sometimes more, they’d find an excuse—or make one—to get together. Even though Vanessa’s prediction about their careers seemed to be playing out, they couldn’t really let each other go.
He stewed over that as he’d walked along the night streets of downtown L.A. after leaving his friend—and Vanessa’s brother—Iain at a club. Vanessa had been so odd when he’d shown up at her firm, all uptight and aloof. Nobody, not even Iain, seemed to know what was wrong with her.
Instead of trying to figure out Vanessa’s inexplicable mood, he needed to leave for Houston. His great-uncle Barron would kill him if he didn’t show for Thanksgiving, especially since it was the first one he was celebrating with his girlfriend and her family…who also happened to be their in-laws now.
Then he heard the laugh that never failed to grab his attention. Throaty and full-bodied, it flowed over him, warming him from the inside out. He turned his head, and there she was.
Carrying a briefcase and a purse, Vanessa was striding along confidently in those crazy sexy stilettos of hers. Her red hair glinted as she tilted her head to look up at a man next to her.
Justin narrowed his eyes. The other guy was a bit too close to her for Justin’s taste. He undoubtedly wanted to sleep with her. Given the man’s conservative haircut and outfit, he was probably a lawyer. Maybe another associate at the firm where she worked.
Suddenly V
anessa stopped as though she’d felt something, then turned and saw Justin. Her eyes flickered for a moment, then a blank expression descended upon her face like she was looking at a stranger.
The persona-non-grata treatment scraped his already shot nerves. He could still hear her moans, smell the sweat and sex on her skin when she’d come with his cock buried deep inside her the last time they’d met for a hook-up. The memory of her sweet, baked-pear scent sizzled through him like a potent drug, and she was standing so close to the other guy that Justin knew her date could smell her.
The man next to her smiled at Justin. “Hello, Mr. Sterling. Fancy running into you here.”
Justin gave him a warm, professional smile, while imagining breaking his nose. “Have we met?”
“No.” The other man flushed. “But I saw you at the firm. I’m Felix Peck. An associate.”
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Peck.”
“Please. Call me Felix.”
Justin nodded once.
Felix cleared his throat, shifting his weight. Vanessa put a hand on his sleeve. “If we don’t hurry, we’re going to be late.”
Justin reined in his temper. “Do you mind if I borrow Vanessa for a moment, Felix?”
“Sure.”
Justin pulled her away, none too gently, breaking the offending contact between her and Felix. She glared at him, but he didn’t give a damn right now. If they’d been in private, he might have done something far more glare-worthy than just moving her a few feet.
When they had a little distance from the associate, she hissed, “Stop. What’s wrong with you?”
“What’s wrong with me?” Justin almost snarled at her. “Don’t you know?”
“No. I can’t read your mind.” She yanked at her arm, but he didn’t let go.
“It hasn’t even been a month since you and I were fucking like bunnies, and you’re clinging to this guy Peck? Do you think he can give you what I gave you?”
Even in the dark, Justin could see her cheeks flush. “Don’t be nasty and weird. And hypocritical. It’s not like you’ve lived like a monk since then. I’ve seen more than one picture of you with a model on your arm.”
“Only because you didn’t want to go to any of those functions with me.”
“Justin…” She squeezed her eyes shut in frustration. “I like you, but it’s complicated.”
It suddenly hit him. The clarity of the situation—this messed up relationship he had with Vanessa—it was so obvious.
She was his Siren—the seductive, irresistible being that would lead him to his doom. Because no matter how much he wanted her, he couldn’t really have her. And what she did to him wasn’t healthy. By indulging her, he was letting her screw with his mind.