Built for Power (7 page)

Bree shot him a smirk. “Only if you get caught.” She tried to pull away, but Logan kept his hands around her waist. She felt his fingers flex and saw raw hunger in his eyes.

“What are you doing here, Bree?” he asked again, his voice turning seductive as his hands moved to her hips.

“You’ll never get it out of me,” Bree said with more bravado than she felt. Especially when she realized she’d been leaning into him.
Way to stay in control,
her mind chided.

Logan’s fingertips danced along her back as he pulled her against him. “I can think of a way, many ways in fact, to get it out of you. I’ll warn you, it may take all night.”

Bree suddenly felt out of breath. Men usually did one of two things. They were such pushovers they did whatever she said or they tried to overpower her and take complete control of her. Logan was different.

And therein lay the difference between him and other men who had tried to be completely alpha. Logan was secure enough with himself that he didn’t have to try. He just was. And that is what made Bree long for him to do exactly what he threatened to do.

“Really?” she tried to say as calmly as she could while feeling Logan’s hand skimming her rib cage.

“Really. It’s just too bad someone’s coming or I’d show you,” he whispered against her ear.

“What?” Bree said loudly before Logan’s hand clamped over her mouth.

“Smooth, Simpson. I just heard a truck pull up. We need to get out of here.”

“We can go out the way I got in.” Bree hurried to the table and pushed Logan toward it. “You first. I can move quicker and hide if need be.”

“I don’t like . . .”

“Oh, I know. You’re the big, bad man and you want to protect me. But in this case, it’s better for you to go first.”

Reluctantly, Logan climbed onto the table as the sound of truck doors closing reached them. It took some angling, but he made it out the window. Bree threw her leg out the window and slid the rest of her body through before turning around and placing the fan back in front of the open window.

“Come on,” Logan whispered.

“Wait a minute,” Bree whispered back. She had to see who it was.

The door opened and two security guards flashed their lights around the trailer. Bree ducked and listened to the men complaining about their girlfriends and having to watch chick flicks. Disappointed not to find any more clues, Bree let Logan pluck her from the ramp she had made. Quietly, she helped him pick up the board and put it back in place before ducking under the fence.

CHAPTER TEN

Logan parked the car a block away and walked around to open Bree’s door. The ski mask hung in her hand as she got out. The ride to her mother’s house had been quiet. They both had felt the crazy energy in the trailer and neither knew quite what to say about it.

“Over here. Mrs. King goes to bed early and won’t see us sneaking across her backyard,” Bree said as she reached for his hand.

Logan laced his fingers with hers and used his thumb to trace her palm slowly. The tension slammed into him as he felt her shiver in response. “You know you could just use the front door.”

“And let my mother know I was gone? I’d never hear the end of it,” she laughed.

The sweet sound had an instant reaction on him. As they stopped beside a large tree in her backyard, he wished nothing more than to grab her and race back to his hotel and make love to her all night. But what would Shirley say? He had some major decisions to make before he could be with Bree.

“Um,” Bree started in a hushed voice, “thanks for looking out for me tonight.”

Logan looked down at her upturned face and when she nervously ran her tongue over her bottom lip, he decided he’d let Shirley kill him, because what a way to go! He bent down and captured her lips. He didn’t start slowly. He didn’t ask permission like a gentleman should. No, he invaded. His fingers speared her hair as he thrust his tongue into her mouth, knowing Bree would either bite him or give as good as she got.

He had his answer when she ground against him and moaned. Logan backed her up against the large tree and used it to shield them from view. Bree was already pulling his dress shirt from his jeans as he shoved her shirt and bra up to expose her breasts. Bree bit his lower lip and Logan wanted to strip her naked right then and there. Instead he bent his head and scraped his teeth along her raised nipple before sucking it fully into his mouth.

Bree grabbed his head and held him to her as he cupped her other breast. He squeezed and she closed her eyes, enjoying his hands on her. “Bree, I don’t want to stop.”

“Then don’t,” she panted as she tried to pull him to her again.

Logan captured her lips again as his fingers worked her into a frenzy. He pushed against her and she inhaled sharply when his erection rubbed against her. Tearing his lips away and taking a step back, Logan stood breathing heavily.

“Damn, Bree,” he whispered in reverence.

Bree slumped against the tree and took a deep breath. She shivered as the air blew on her bare breasts. She just nodded at Logan.

“I take it you kinda like me then, huh?” Logan grinned. He’d never been so lost in someone before. It was as if they consumed each other.

“It’s probably just the head wound,” Bree joked as Logan reached forward and pulled down her bra with a sigh.

“Probably. But if that’s what it takes for a guy like me to get a woman like you, then I’ll take it.” Logan paused and looked at her. “I don’t want to be a one-night stand. I want more of you than that. I want to wake up beside you. I want to spoil you, take you on dates, show you what you’re beginning to mean to me. You deserve that.”

“Logan, what about when you leave?” Bree swallowed hard. She was a strong woman, and he could tell she wasn’t going to cry at the thought of a guy leaving her.

“I don’t know. It’s why I don’t want to rush. If I slept with you, then it would kill me to leave you. I couldn’t bear to think I hurt you.”

Bree stepped forward and placed her head on his chest, listening to his strong heartbeat. Logan cupped the back of her head with one hand and the other ran up and down her back as he held her. They stood there holding each other for a long time.

“You better get inside. I’ll see you tomorrow for dinner.”

“Dinner?”

“Yeah, remember? Your mom invited me.”

Bree groaned. “Oh God. Our first date is going to be dinner with my family.”

“It’ll be our second. We did a little breaking and entering for our first date. I even got a kiss goodnight.”

Bree rolled her eyes and had to smother a laugh. She reached up and grabbed the low-hanging branch. She leaned forward and brushed a kiss on his cheek. “Best first date ever," she whispered in his ear before pulling herself up into the tree.

Logan watched until she climbed into her window and gave her one last wave before heading around the house.

“Yoo-hoo! Mr. Ward!” Logan whipped around at the sound of the woman hailing him. Margaret Simpson stood at the open front door with a tray in her hands and a dishtowel thrown over her shoulder. “Thank you for making sure Bree got home safely tonight. We’ll see you tomorrow for dinner?”

Logan shot a glance to the back of the house and Margaret just smiled serenely. “I’ve known about the tree since she was sixteen and used it for the first time to sneak out. Just don’t tell her I know,” Margaret winked and held out her tray. “Cookie?”

Logan plastered a smile on his face. His hair was messed up and he was pretty sure his shirt was only partly buttoned. “No, thank you, Mrs. Simpson. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow night, though.”

“Good. I look forward to getting to know you better. Obviously my daughter already has. Good night, Mr. Ward.” Margaret sent him one last smile and then closed the door with her hip.

Finally looking down at himself, Logan saw he had managed only three buttons. He groaned when he saw his reflection in his car window and silently cursed. His lips were swollen from kissing. His dark hair was a mess and there were nail marks across part of his exposed chest. Dinner tomorrow was going to be hell. What did he take to the hostess to say
thanks for inviting me even though I almost had sex with your daughter against your tree
?

* * *

Bree sat in her office and looked over the folders Mallory had given her the night before. Trevor was due in that morning and then Jeff would meet with her in the afternoon. One way or the other, she was going to get to the bottom of this.

Noah buzzed her and she pressed her intercom button. “Mr. Marion is here to see you.”

“Let him wait ten minutes and then show him in. Let it slip I’m on a call with the owners of the corporate center.”

“Yes, ma’am. Sorry to interrupt your call with the owners. I hope everything is okay with the corporate center.”

Bree made a note to give Noah a raise at his next review before picking up the phone. She dialed the first number Big Al had given her. “Hi, Todd. This is Bree Simpson of Simpson Steel and Construction. Al gave me your number and said you’d make a great site manager.” Bree nodded as Todd talked even though no one could see her doing it. Then she smiled. “Yes, I know you’re Jeff Henderson’s site manager, but I’m prepared to pay you more than Jeff ever would. I appreciate my workers’ opinions and my workers say you’re the best. I want you to join my team.”

Bree threw out a number and put a check mark next to Todd’s name after he eagerly agreed to meet with her tomorrow. One down and a whole crew to go.

“Miss Simpson, Mr. Marion is here to see you,” Noah said formally as he showed Trevor into her office.

Trevor’s beady eyes reminded Bree of a rat. He eyed the office as if it were his and ignored her until he had surveyed the entire room. He slowly made his way to the chair in front of Bree’s desk and lowered himself into it. It was only after he crossed his legs that he looked up and met her eyes.

“I won’t tell you ‘I told you so,’ but I hear you’re not going to make your first milestone.” Trevor didn’t bother to hide his glee. “It was always too big of a job for a little lady like you. I’ll be happy to step in and save the project for you. Just have all the files sent to my office.”

Bree sat and waited as Trevor talked. He was so arrogant it never occurred to him that Bree would have him here for any other reason but to hand over the project. So, she waited. She listened to the comments she’d been hearing since shop class—a woman didn’t know construction, a woman couldn’t run a company as large as Simpson Steel and Construction, a woman couldn’t work with all those men and remain a lady . . . wink, wink. Bree managed to remain impassive until Trevor finally talked himself out.

“Thank you for your generous offer of assistance, Trevor, but that’s not why I called you here,” Bree said with a bored look on her face.

“It’s not? Don’t you know . . .”

Bree held up her hand and just shook her head. “It’s my turn to talk now. I have every intention of hitting my milestone. The reason I asked you here was to find out if you had a hand in the explosion at my site.”

Trevor’s eyes went wide and he began to sputter. “How dare you!” he finally roared. “Why would you think I would even concern myself with your project, much less actually try to interfere with it?”

“Simple—money. You need it for all the bribes you’re paying out.” Bree slid a picture of his former secretary across to him. Both eyes were black and there were clear fingermarks around her neck. “I believe this one cost you a $600,000 house in Florida and $2,000,000 in cash. She’s just one of many, as you know.”

“You bitch!” Trevor’s face turned a dangerous shade of red as he leapt up from his chair.

Bree just smiled. “Why, yes, I am. I’m glad you finally realize that. Now sit down and shut up.”

She could see Trevor debating, but he sat down anyway. “You want money now, too? All you whores stick together.”

“I want to know everything you know about the vandalism and the explosion at my site. And don’t tell me you don’t know anything.”

Trevor fell back against the chair and stared at her. A trickle of sweat ran down the side of his face. With a long exhale he sat forward. “All I know is you’ve pissed someone off. The talk on the street is he will pay anyone who disrupts your build.”

“How could he do that and remain unknown?” Bree asked.

“It’s all done online now. He has the vandal take a picture of himself with the mischief they caused and send it to him electronically. Once verified, he sends cash in the mail. He's smart enough to cover his tracks, too. Then he retains the picture of the vandal for blackmail if they ever talk. I’ve only heard whispers of it and haven’t been able to learn more. No one is talking because they don’t want the money to dry up.”

“See, that wasn’t so hard, was it?” Bree said sweetly.

“What are you going to do with that photo?” Trevor asked nervously.

Bree smiled again and tucked it into her drawer. “I think I’ll just hold onto this. If I hear of you touching another woman," Bree paused for effect, "I will ruin you. And I’ll enjoy it. Goodbye, Trevor.”

Bree dismissed him and looked down at the file in front of her. Her heart was pounding, and she couldn’t read a single word on the page, but it held her interest as Trevor steamed. Finally he gave up and stormed from the office. She didn’t breathe until the door slammed behind him.

“Do you believe him?” Mallory’s soft voice asked as she stepped out of Bree’s bathroom.

“I think so. After looking at the reports you gave me, I think Jeff’s behind it. Trevor is all brute and no brains. At first glance, the things that happened to the project and me appear to be brute force. But really it’s far more complicated. Just enough destruction to delay the project and get me fired. The ATF said that the explosion wasn’t so much to destroy the whole build as to just damage it a little.”

Mallory sat in the chair Trevor had just occupied and crossed her legs. Red stilettos bounced as she thought. “I’m going to withhold judgment until I see Jeff. What are you going to do with those pictures?”

Bree grinned and pulled out a file. “I’ve already made copies and they’re ready to be sent to the local and state police. And maybe one or two news stations. I want to wait until this whole matter is settled and then Trevor will pay for his crimes. Hopefully, my threat of blackmail will keep him in line until then.”

“I won’t say it again, but you’re playing a dirty game here. You need to be prepared for the mud that will be flung. It goes both ways, you know. I can almost guarantee Trevor is having someone turn over every rock, roommate, and boyfriend you’ve ever had to find dirt on you. After all, it’s what I would do.”

“I know. I’m ready for it.”

Bree’s cocky attitude slipped a little as she waited for Jeff Henderson to walk into her office. When it came to power players in Atlanta, Jeff was at the top. He had successfully kept his position at the top by ruthlessly squashing competition. That led her to believe he was the man behind her attempted ouster. And it made her worry at the same time.

She knew it was both a fault and an asset that she tended to be cavalier. When dealing with the big boys of Atlanta, a woman could not be afraid to take risks. But now she was playing with her father’s legacy as well. If Jeff took her down, then he would take Simpson Steel with her.

“Mr. Henderson to see you, Miss Simpson.” Noah stepped aside as Jeff sauntered in.

Unlike Trevor, Jeff entered the room and his gaze never left hers. His dark hair was sprinkled with a dash of silver and swooped over his broad forehead. His dark brown suit fit his thick but solid shape to perfection. It was also more expensive than most of Bree’s own clothes. His shined shoes didn’t have a scuff on them. Jeff was making a statement.