Lilac Temptress (55 page)

“
I will overlook what you
have just said, but only just this once. I plan to carry them both
back to my home in Lafayette today. I will return tomorrow morning
in time for the nuptials.” Girard’s glare was hard and
steady.

“
Like hell I’m letting her
leave with you.” Drake grumbled low, his voice carried a violent
edge to it.

“
So, then do you plan to
call off the wedding and rectify the situation?” Girard asked
matter-of-factly. “And what will you do about your intended
wife?”

Drake clenched fists at his sides,
with wild eyes. “Stand down Girard,” Drake voiced in a fierce
tone.

“
Be reasonable Drake, her
leaving with me is for the best. I will look after her, watch over
them both. I will keep her safe until she can make due on her own,”
Girard stated sensibly.

“
Please, step aside,” Drake
demanded, his voice lower and wrathful.

Girard moved away, clutching Drake’s
arm before he could enter Sierra’s room. “Just so you know—you are
correct. I have fallen in love with her. When it happened, I do not
know,” Girard said. “But I value our friendship well enough and I
expect that I shall do nothing about it.”

There was a moment of silent exchange
between them, which seemed to weigh the air down before Drake spoke
again. “I wouldn’t worry so much if you were an ordinary man, but I
know the good man that you are,” Drake gripped Girard’s shoulder,
making his peace with him. Girard didn’t have his dark past with
women and Girard was dedicated and loyal and in all truth, probably
much better for Sierra, he thought.

* * *

Drake turned away from Girard and
walked into Sierra’s room, shutting and locking the door behind
him. He would have no interruptions from anyone.

Sierra stopped her fumbling through
clothing on the bed and turned to look at Drake in tears, and with
disheveled hair. She quickly ran her hands over her hair to smooth
it, and started wiping her tears away on her blouse sleeve. She
wanted to look somewhat presentable. It was a time for courage and
she would not further humiliate herself like she had
earlier.

“
You no longer have to
concern yourself with me. I won’t be here much longer to continue
getting in your way—disrupting your plans. I don’t intend to be the
death of you, nor in any case, make a fool out of myself once more.
And I will only take what I came here with. Half of these dresses I
have not even worn,” Sierra sniffed softly. “Maybe you can return
them. I’m sure the boutiques will take them back.” Sierra reached
for one of the gowns strung across the bed, and held it up toward
Drake. “See. It was not ever worn and is in mint
condition.”

Drake watched Sierra drop the dress
back onto the bed—her voice wavering, her eyes red and swollen, and
he felt utter remorse for was putting her through. He had failed
her. He had broken his promise to take care of her. He had caused
her tears, he thought.

“
These are for you. They
are invitations from wealthy, would-be suitors who seek an audience
with you.” He reluctantly reached into his vest pocket. His guilt
over all the pain he had caused her wouldn’t allow him to keep the
letters.

“
For me?” Sierra asked
surprised and ill at ease, barely interested.

“
Seemingly, you caught the
interest of these gentlemen at my family’s recent affair.” Drake
voiced apprehensively. He didn’t want to give her the letters, but
he couldn’t bring himself to be further dishonest and hide them
from her.

“
I suppose it would be rude
if I did not give my responses.” Sierra’s heart broke as she took
the letters. She thought Drake loved her, but he had never
confessed his love in the heat of their lovemaking.

“
I know that you have
chosen to leave with Girard.”

“
He is not my suitor,”
Sierra stated quickly, wanting to make it clear—she wanted Drake to
believe that her love for him was genuine.

“
Perhaps for
now
he is not.” Drake
tried to sound as cool and unaffected as possible, but he didn’t
know how long he could withstand the turmoil raging inside of him.
He had meant to come and apologize to her, but thoughts of her with
his best friend, infuriated him.

“
Perhaps so. I won’t
pretend to be naive,” Sierra agreed softly, “but he’s offered to
help Kyle and me temporarily and has sworn friendship. You do
understand why I couldn’t accept your offer, Drake. I think that to
truly start my life over, I mustn’t have any ties to you at all,
and this will be good for Kyle as well. We both know he is not
properly suited for Rosaline.”

“
So, it will be as simple
as that? This is how it all ends, with you running into another
man’s arms, needy and helpless as you are?” Drake voiced coldly. He
couldn’t stop himself from taking his anger out on her for leaving
with another man. “I thought you were a more confidant woman than
this. I thought you were fearless, strong and independent. But how
could I have not seen clearly that you are not the woman you’ve
pretended to be.”

Drake moved closer to Sierra until he
was standing just inches away before her. His pulse raced, and his
skin dampened, but he had to create a reason to stop needing her.
He had to be angry with her and he wanted her to run away from him,
never looking back.

“
You could have left
William at any time. But you waited didn’t you, for the perfect
opportunity to arise. Jason once was to be your ticket out of
Jadesville. Jason Grant—who came for you just the other night,”
Drake voiced accusingly.

Sierra’s eyes widened at hearing
Jason’s name cross Drake’s lips. “You’ve known about Jason and
you’ve kept this a secret from me? How could you take advantage of
me like this?” Sierra swept her skirt behind her recoiling from
Drake—his lack of disclosure shocked her.

“
Take advantage
of
you
?” Drake
gave a mirthless laugh. “Did you think I was taking advantage? You
see, very little escapes my attention on my own property. I was
alerted to Jason’s presence as soon as I left your room that
night,” Drake snapped heatedly. “You meant to keep his visit a
secret from me and yet you stand there like you’re my
victim.”

Sierra remained speechless, realizing
that Drake had used Jason as an excuse to validate his reason for
making love to her, and to justify ruining her.

“
You know what I think?”
Drake asked gazing at her with such ferocity that Sierra thought
his glare might set her ablaze and consume her.

“
You wanted me to become
your new benefactor, and you brought Kyle along with you just in
case our arrangement didn’t work out. And I must confess that I
have no idea how Jason might have fitted into your plans. Even so,
you have Jason that you can choose to run away with now—not that he
might be in the greatest condition for running,” a wicked smiled
lined Drake’s lips.

“
Drake, what have you done?
If you’ve harmed him—”

Sierra opened her mouth to speak, but
Drake, resisting the urge to kiss her, placed one finger over her
lips to silence her. He was so roused to taste her lips, that every
thought inside his head was a contradiction.

“
Shhh, my darling, make no
idle threats. I did not harm him too badly and I am not finished
with you yet.” Drake ran his hand along the side of her cheek
before pulling away.

“
Will you choose
Jason, or will you go dashing into Girard’s open arms? Ah, but you
now have so many willing admirers to choose from.” Drake eyed the
letters in her hand, exasperated. “You took those letters so
easily. You, my dear cunning temptress, are dependent on men for
your survival. You play us all for fools. You wrap
us all
around your pretty
little finger. You are indeed no better than
Isadora.”

Sierra couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Drake’s words
cut deeply, infuriating her to the near brink of explosion. “Drake,
I had never thought that you, of all people, would say such
terrible things to me. You have dishonored me—taken the best from
me that I had to give, which I can never get back!” Sierra
yelled.

“
Well, surely you didn’t think that there wouldn’t be a price
to pay for my hospitality,” Drake voiced heatedly while stepping
extremely close to her. She was quite beautiful when she was angry,
and the sweet smell of her skin was costing him his focus. He had
to remain angry. It was the only way he would be able to let her
walk out of his life, he told himself.

Sierra didn’t move, bravely showing Drake that he could not
intimidate her.

“
You told me that you
would do everything you could to make me happy. You promised me I
wouldn’t owe you anything. You’ve lied to me, ruined me, and now
you have accused me, and I am vulnerable to your cruelty because
I’m so far away from home. Girard only wishes to help and why
should you care? You’ve already taken what you’ve wanted from me,”
Sierra eyed the letters in her hand. “
You’ve
given these to me
so
easily! Did our love
making mean nothing to you last night?” she demanded, searching his
eyes for his answer.

Drake didn’t answer her. His forced
opposition ruled and silenced him. His love making to her had been
a perfect moment in time. Nothing had ever given him such
fulfillment, and when he had left her that morning, no matter his
confusion and regret over what he had done to her, an aching
loneliness and emptiness consumed him. He never realized how lonely
he had been until Sierra had entered his life and filled his void
with her liveliness—her spontaneity. And she was a challenge; the
challenge he needed to make him feel like loving her might be
enough.

Sierra searched his face as tears
streamed down her cheeks once more. His sharp, wrathful words had
hurt her. “You see, Drake, I have no love left for Jason, and I
will not go to him... and I don’t have romantic interests in other
men.” Sierra used the back of her hand to wipe away her tears. “No
matter how you stand there and try to justify your actions, I still
can’t help but love you and I cannot bring myself to hate you. And
though I have already given my heart entirely to you, I will not
let you accuse me any longer of such horrid things.”

Drake felt like an ass. His angry convictions relinquished him
and he only wanted to console her. “Oh God, Sierra... “I can’t do
this anymore... I can’t invent reasons to argue with you any
longer. I am so sorry. I wish that you didn’t love me. I wish that
you would hate me. I am deserving of your hatred... It would be so
much easier for me if you would only hate me,” Drake touched her
cheek, wiping away her tears. He couldn’t stand the look of her
aching green eyes and a part of him wanted to keep her locked away
in this bedroom forever where only he could console her.

“
Sierra, I have to do this.
My family business suffered terribly during the revolution and we
need this merging of the families to see the company into the next
century. Without this merger, I’ll lose business to the Marcos
family. I need more ships and I don’t have the time to raise the
capital needed to remain competitive. I know that you are probably
not interested in my trade... but it is my responsibility to see my
company through.”

“
Drake, I’m
interested in everything concerning you, but you are
underestimating me because I am not
her
,” Sierra said, referring to
Isadora. “I understand your situation—believe me I do, but marry
her? Why must that be the only way? Maybe if you just talk to me,
tell me your plans or show me your ledgers, maybe you have missed
something. You don’t have to depend on your own strength. I’ve
helped Wil and Adrienne in the past with troubles they had
encountered. I am no stranger to business dealings. I’m willing
learn everything, if you’d teach me,” Sierra implored
him.

“
My business is complicated
Sierra. This is the best way. There is no risk this way,” Drake
persisted gently.

“
You mean this is the
easiest way... Drake, for as long as I have known you, I’ve learned
that you are fearless in the face of challenges. Are you going
through with this marriage to make your father happy? “Does your
father threaten you in some way if you defy him? Will he disown you
or better yet, disinherit you?” Drake, help me understand,” Sierra
pleaded with him.

Drake smiled weakly. “It has nothing
to do with that. I have more money than I can possibly spend in one
lifetime handed down to me through generations of McCalister men.
However, initially, it would take a substantial amount of my wealth
to acquire more ships, hire more men, and secure more government
transport contracts to keep my business afloat, especially if I
started losing too much business to Alexandre Marcos.”

Drake frowned somberly. “Please
understand that this is not about wealth. This is about doing
something to help others prosper.” Drake sighed. “I’ve always been
too privileged. I have traveled a lot in my business procuring
land. I have seen many people suffer and I thought that if I could
help them in some small way... any kind of way...”