Laws of Attraction (6 page)

Or perhaps while working for Esteban, he’d discovered how brutally his employer dealt with opposition.

She looked down at the torn cherry blossoms littering her clothes. Dallas didn’t know half of it. If Esteban learned who she really was, she’d end up in worse condition than the bruised, crumpled flowers.

And Dallas could pay dearly for defending her.

Esteban snuffed his cigar in a ceramic ash tray on the table. “You are engaged?” he said softly. “Then the lovely lady is not a problem at all. You should have brought her along to lunch.” He smiled at Mia. “I am honored to make your acquaintance,
Señorita
Mia.”

Okay … For a ruthless killer, the man had manners up the wazoo. “Er, nice to meet you, too.”
I’ve been waiting months
.

Esteban gave her a courtly nod and waved at the expansive emerald lawn and mansion beyond. “Please, I do not wish to cause you distress over your fiancé’s employment. Feel free to visit anytime, and make our home your home.”

A thrill coursed through Mia. Obviously, Dallas was in a trusted position. And she’d just been handed free license to explore.

“That won’t be necessary,
Señor
,” Dallas countered. “Now that she knows there’s nothing to worry about, Mia won’t be bothering you again.” Steely indigo eyes drilled her. “Will you, darlin’?”

Dammit, he was stealing her opportunity before she’d even had a chance to cash in!

A stunning hit-and-run idea crashed into her. She could turn this to her advantage. How far did Esteban’s chivalry extend? How far could she push Dallas’s defense? If she appealed to Esteban’s gallantry and gained his sympathy, Dallas couldn’t keep his “fiancée” from visiting the mansion.

She inhaled deeply.
No guts, no glory
.

Safe in Dallas’s encircling arms, Mia used six years of theater classes to dredge up convincing crocodile tears. “He says he loves me, and claims I don’t have anything to be concerned about.” She sniffled. “But even with the baby on the way, he’s never around anymore. I miss him. And he won’t set a date for the wedding. It’s no wonder I feel lonely and insecure.”

Dallas went rigid. His mouth dropped open, then snapped shut—as if he didn’t trust himself to speak.

“Baby?” Esteban exclaimed. “You are all right,
Señorita
? The fall … do you require a doctor?”

“No, thank you. Dallas caught me. I’m fine.”

“
Señor
Dallas?” Esteban’s tone grew stern. “This woman is carrying your child?”

“
Fuck
!” Dallas growled beneath his breath. “You heard her,” he gritted aloud.

“And you will not marry her?”

“I never said that.”

Esteban’s sharp glance arrowed from Dallas to Mia. She held out her left hand. She didn’t have to fake the trembling. “My bare ring finger speaks for itself.”

“She’s lying,” Soledad protested. “Dallas never said a word about her to me.”

“I don’t mix my personal life with my job.” Dallas shifted, and tense, hard-muscled thighs flexed beneath Mia’s butt. “Which is why I’ll take Mia home. Immediately. And she won’t be back.”

Not happening, cowboy
.

What did she have to lose? She might as well play it to the max. Mia heaved a sigh and rested her head on Dallas’s chest. His body outwardly rock-steady, his heart thundered under her ear. “And then you’ll leave me all alone in that empty apartment.” She quivered her bottom lip. “Like always.”

Deep frown lines furrowed Esteban’s mouth. “I hired you because your reputation led me to believe you were a principled man. Why have you not met your obligations and married the mother of your child?”

Dallas’s respiration kicked into double-time. “As you know, I’ve been putting in twelve-plus hour days to get your security up to speed. I fully intend to meet my obligations where Mia is concerned.”

“I see.” Esteban pinned Dallas with a stare. “When?”

“As soon as possible. I’ll take care of her.”

And didn’t
that
sound promising?

“So, it is on account of working for me that you have not had time to do the honorable thing by your expectant fiancée?” Esteban tapped pursed lips with his forefinger. “This troubles me greatly.”

“
Señor
,” Dallas began. “Please, don’t concern yourself with—”

“It is very much my concern, and goes against everything I stand for. I was raised in poverty by a single mother. It is not a life I wish for anyone. And like
mi madre
, your fiancé is small and helpless in a cruel world. Many will take advantage of her.”

“
About as helpless as a friggin’ tornado
,” he muttered. Out loud, he said, “This situation is hardly the same.”

Esteban clapped his hands. “I have the perfect solution to ease both
Señorita
Mia’s distress and my troubled conscience. My private jet is available to fly to Las Vegas at any time, and the two of you could be married there.”

Mia gulped. Holy hell-in-a-handcart! She’d merely wanted to wangle an invite to dinner. Who knew drug lords could be over-the-top chivalrous?

Too bad he didn’t treat his victims so benevolently.

“That’s so nice of you, but I don’t—” She glanced at the broken branch and lattice debris littering the gazebo. She hadn’t heard anything useful before her fall from grace.

Mia looked up at Dallas, and he gave her an almost imperceptible nod, sustaining her objection. McQuade would hustle her out and ensure she never again got within ten miles of the place.

But if they
were
engaged to be married…

She bit the inside of her cheek until she tasted blood. Access to Montoya’s inner circle! Did she
dare
even go there?

Dallas’s strong heartbeat thrashed beneath the soft cotton. He leaned forward. “With all due respect, sir, we don’t think that’s the best idea.”

Esteban’s elegant silver brows slammed together. “Perhaps I have misjudged you,
Señor
McQuade. A man who does not treat his woman with respect is not a man of honor—in any capacity.” His voice softened further, his tone uncompromising. “I do not wish to have such a man in my employ.”

A muscle ticked in Dallas’s jaw. “I’d marry the little lady in Vegas,
if
that’s what she wanted. She had her heart set on a fancy church wedding, though.” His livid gaze impaled hers, demanding she take the excuse.

Given this same ultimatum, most men would just quit. Apparently, Dallas was prepared to go to extremes to keep his job. She knew exactly how he felt.

To get her life back, she would marry the devil himself.

What was McQuade up to? He had a flourishing security firm, he didn’t need Montoya’s money. One less job wouldn’t break him. In fact, it wouldn’t even make a dent.

There was something more going on here.

Mia squared her shoulders. Harper and Paul Grayson still had a sword hanging over her head … a blade that could completely destroy her on their whim. Freeing herself was worth
any
risk.

Or she was as good as dead, anyway.

She’d spent the night with Dallas in nothing but her underwear, and he hadn’t laid a finger on her. In fact, he’d been sweet and considerate and concerned for her welfare. He hadn’t hurt her then. And if McQuade wanted to get rid of her now, all he’d had to do was keep his mouth shut when she dropped into his lap—and let Esteban do what Esteban did best.

Instead, Dallas had stepped in to save her ass, at considerable personal risk. She had no idea why. But his motives didn’t matter, as long as she could use them to her advantage.

She again glanced at the jagged branch.
Talk about a lucky break
. She’d accomplished more in a few hours than she had in four endless, torturous months.

She could stall the wedding indefinitely and parlay the planning into excuses to pop by the mansion on a daily basis. She’d have open access to Esteban’s household.

Mia offered her agitated ‘fiancé’ a sweet smile.
Objection overruled
. “An elopement, how romantic! I’d eventually love a Vegas wedding.”

“Wonderful!” Esteban crowed. “No reason to delay, we will go today.”

She jolted.
Today
?

Oh, shit
.

Esteban nodded. “I shall set the wheels in motion, then.”

You’ve stepped in it neck-deep this time, Mia. Way overplayed your hand
.

Dallas’s eyes glittered. He started to speak, inhaled, then clamped his lips together.

Trapped between disaster and a prospective wedding to man she barely knew, her stomach pitched. Lose/Lose.

Mia, jump off the crazy train, now. This is insane
!

Squelching the roiling panic, she managed to keep her mouth shut.

Esteban rose. “
Señor
McQuade, you will see to the security arrangements. Immediately.”

“Right away, sir.” Dallas stood, dumping her from his lap. He grabbed her hand and towed her toward the house, scattering cherry blossoms across the manicured lawn. She had to run to keep up with his loping stride.

He yanked her into a sunny, spacious living room where he planted her on a leather sofa. “I don’t know what you think you’re up to, but I’m damned well going to find out. Don’t budge from this spot,” he snarled. “Or I will shoot you myself.”

His scowl blacker than Texas thunderclouds, he stalked away.

Mia glanced around at the red stucco walls, vivid patterned rugs and primitive native art, and rubbed a twinge in her elbow. She’d lost what scraps remained of her sanity.
I just agreed to marry a virtual stranger
.

Who didn’t look too happy about it.

A shiver wracked her, and she stiffened her spine. She’d lived through tougher situations. Besides,
if
things actually went that far, a false marriage wouldn’t be difficult to annul once she’d cleared her name. And when Harper Grayson, the scum, and his son Paul, scum junior, ended up in prison as a result … she won.

Discovering Dallas’ agenda would have to wait.

She leaned into the cushions. No problem, right? She could rope and wrangle Cowboy, get what she needed, then split.

Soledad marched into the room and stared at her, arms crossed. Mia braced herself. Soledad clearly had Dallas in her sights. And a case of Snickers bars said Daddy’s Princess wasn’t accustomed to sharing.

“You are Dallas’s woman? He never mentioned you to me.”

Mia shrugged. “He didn’t mention you to me, either.”

“I am Esteban’s daughter, Soledad.” Surprisingly, Soledad’s face softened. “I want you to know, nothing happened between us.”

Mia’s fierce wash of relief caught her off-guard. Why did she care about the relationship, or lack thereof, between Dallas and Soledad?

“Truly,” Soledad said. “Had I realized his heart belonged to another, I would not have tried to tempt him. Now that I know about the
bebé
, I understand why your jealousy drove you to extremes. We women do such silly things for the love of our men. My Cousin Isabel, she—”

Soledad broke off, frowning. “I’m sorry about overreacting outside, but I thought you were going to hurt
Papa
. I hope we can start over and be friends. I am so lonely here.”

“Of course.” Guilt gnawed at Mia. If she succeeded, this woman’s father would end up behind bars, his financial empire crumbled. Mia understood better than anyone the sins of the father weren’t necessarily repeated in their children.

But she also knew innocents sometimes suffered the consequences of other’s bad choices.

“Mia?” Soledad’s cheerful voice pulled her out of the dark abyss.

Mia glanced up and saw the other woman watching her, head tilted. “I’m sorry, what?”

“Ah, you are daydreaming about your
mucho
virile Dallas.” Soledad chuckled. “I asked what you planned to wear for your wedding and honeymoon.”

Very virile
indeed. A flush prickled her skin.
Honeymoon
? Mia swallowed hard. “I don’t know. I didn’t plan on—”

“You would like to borrow a dress?”

Mia enviously assessed Soledad’s voluptuous figure. “We’re hardly the same size.”

“No matter. We can find something. Come.”

She’d be a fool to pass up the chance to case the rest of the house. Mia followed Soledad upstairs to a huge bedroom decorated in coral and cream, peeking into rooms as they passed and memorizing the layout.

“My
mama
was
pequeña
, like you, and she adored formal occasions.” Soledad slid open a mirrored door and disappeared into a cavernous walk-in closet, her voice growing muffled. “She died years ago, but I have never had the heart to give away her things.” She emerged holding a white, sleeveless empire-waisted gown spun from gossamer lace. “She wore this for a charity ball. It is perfect for you.”

The vintage gown was lovely. A lump lodged in Mia’s throat. Her own mother wouldn’t even know about her wedding. Even if she did, would she care? “Soledad, I couldn’t.”

“Of course you can.
Mama
would have been the first to insist.” Soledad thrust the dress at her. “Try it on.”

She studied the diaphanous lace. “It’s awfully sheer.” Her dancing flamingo underwear would show right through.

Soledad pursed her lips. “I believe there is a fitted satin slip that goes beneath. I shall find it. Try on the dress, see what you think.” She disappeared into the vast closet again.

Mia stripped off her shoes, socks, jeans and T-shirt. Wearing her panties and bra, she draped the dress across a chair and bent over to unfasten the row of intricate pearl buttons closing the back.

Pounding footsteps thundered along the carpeted hallway, accompanied by slamming doors. “Of all the mule-headed, contrary females,” Dallas’s baritone drawl shouted. “Where the hell are you, Mia, and what kind of trouble are you cooking up now?”

The bedroom door whipped open. Mia straightened, whirled.

Dallas stood frozen on the threshold. His startled gaze swept her from flushed forehead to flamingo bra and panties, down her bare legs to her pearly pink toenails … then slowly cruised back to her face.

Raw, carnal heat arced between them. Fierce hunger ignited in those brilliant indigo pools, and a low rumble vibrated in his chest.