Lucky SEAL (Lucky Devil #2) (13 page)

She giggled. “I was never a socialite. Maybe at home, I could have been with time. I was more of a debutante. A spoiled debutante, and I had no idea how blessed I was. I’ve been your average starving artist for a long time. That’s the story Pastor Davis told people who asked questions about me. I only had those three dresses. They’re expensive, and they make me stand out. They only had men’s clothes and none that I have the figure to hold up. So I wore my dresses when I needed to leave my cubby.”

She sobered. This was the hard part. As if the rest of the story didn’t suck enough. “Some men love to date the dancers. You’d be surprised how much attention we get.”

“No, I wouldn’t. I’ve seen you naked,” he hummed and kissed her quickly. She smiled. Rourke just made her happy. Being in his arms made this easier.

“Anyway,” she continued. “This one particular guy approached me at an after party. He asked me for a date.”

Rourke growled. Jennifer ignored it.

“I refused him. I was asked out frequently, along with many of the other girls. He was a handsome, wealthy man. He didn’t take no for a final answer, though. He came to the shows often and always found his way backstage. He turned on the charm and continued to pursue me. He was polite but ignored the other girls.

“All of the other dancers thought I was crazy to turn him down. He claimed to be a successful investment banker. I couldn’t figure out why he fixated on me. Looking back, I think it was the thrill of the chase or something. I turned him down, so I became a conquest.

“Eventually, the other girls convinced me that it couldn’t hurt to go out on a few dates with the guy to see if I like him or not. So the next time he approached me, I agreed to a date.”

“I hate him,” Rourke rumbled.

“You should. So do I.” Jennifer rubbed Rourke’s chest. “We went on a few dates, and Evan was really nice. He took me to nice places. He complimented my style, which is rather bohemian and I admit not fashionable, but it’s me. I like flowing skirts. I like to wear scarves on my head sometimes. I’m usually in ballet flat type shoes.”

“So you dress like a woman who grew up dancing in leotards and skirts. I get that. I bet it’s hot as hell. I’d be imagining tossing up your skirt all damn day,” Rourke groaned.

Jennifer laughed. “Yes, I guess I do dress like I’m on the way to dance class. Back to the story. I want to get it done. We’d been dating for a month when he picked me up after a show and took me to this club. It was a private club. I’m sure you know it. It’s called Hell.”

Rourke inhaled sharply. “Luc owns the hotel and casino and the club. That’s not easy to get to into unless you know somebody.”

“Yes, I met Luc that night when he had us tossed out on our asses because Evan, that’s his name, Evan MacGraff, had started a fight in a bar full of naked people.” She was glad it was dark because she blushed at the memory. “I was in shock. We’d never even had sex, and he had me in what amounted to a brothel. Then there was a fight, and I was literally shoved out into the alley on my ass.”

“Is that why you were so tense on Thanksgiving? You were afraid of Luc?”

“Yes. I’ve been through a lot. I’ve been in hiding from Evan. Luc wasn’t exactly friendly that night. I didn’t want my cover blown. Luc knows Evan. What if Luc recognized me and told Evan where to find me? They didn’t part on friendly terms, but I was still frightened.”

“Let me put your mind at ease on that score. Luc is a hard ass businessman. When it comes to The Inferno and Hell, he doesn’t take any shit. He took over the company from his father, and it wasn’t doing so well. He’s turned it around while fighting to gain the respect and loyalty of people who’d served his father for years. So he rules with an iron fist, but he’s a fair man. Luc is one of the good guys, and I’d trust him with my life. He’d never do anything to hurt a woman.

“If he tossed Evan out, it was for good reason. You were there, right? Hell is a club meant for shady characters and people with money to burn who don’t mind jumping rope with the line of morality.”

Jennifer couldn’t argue that. She’d seen things in the hour she was in Hell that had shocked her to her toes. She blushed again just remembering that night.

“My point is that if Evan got ejected, he was somehow stepping on Luc’s toes. He was either hurting someone or cutting in on Luc’s business. Just being an asshole wouldn’t be enough. Even starting a fight wouldn’t get his membership revoked. There are fights there every day. You’d be escorted out for the night until you cooled down, but that’s it. So something else was in the works.”

Jennifer just nodded. She’d have to take Rourke’s word for it. She knew Evan was up to no good, even if she didn’t know the details. Luc still scared the shit out of her. He didn’t frighten her as much as Evan did, but she would never want to be on Luc’s bad side.

“What changed exactly? This guy was Prince Charming. What happened?” Rourke asked.

Jennifer was truly glad it was dark for this part. Her heart started to pound just thinking of the way Evan took over her life. It happened so fast, and nothing she said seemed to matter to him in the least. He claimed her as his own, and that was that.

“It’s okay. I’m here. I promise you’re safe from him now. Just tell me everything so I know how to proceed.” Rourke hugged her tighter to him and stroked her back soothingly. “Trust me, Jennifer. I’m kind of a tough guy.”

“Even tough guys aren’t bulletproof, Rourke.” Tears filled Jennifer’s eyes. “Not even Navy SEALs are invincible.”

“Thankfully, neither are the criminals. I think I need to hear the rest of the story. What did this prick do that landed you in a storage room? Why did you run out on me twice?” Rourke asked without a hint of accusation. He wasn’t blaming her for disappearing on him. He just wanted to understand why she’d done it.

Jennifer couldn’t avoid it any longer. She had to trust Rourke to help her. Jennifer loved Rourke, and she wanted to protect him from this mess, but he wasn’t going to allow it. If she was going to have any chance at a normal life, she needed his help. Stacy Rourke was her only hope, not only to free her from Evan’s shadow, but also for real love. Because Jennifer didn’t think she would ever feel for another man what she felt for Rourke.

On a ragged sigh, Jennifer told Rourke the entire, sad sorry story starting with Evan abducting her. She told him about being hit and choked. Jennifer described the misery of using a bucket as a toilet and not having any tissue to use. She told him about the indignity of being dragged around by her hair and about being watched every time she showered or used the bathroom because she wasn’t trusted to be left alone. Jennifer related every little detail she could remember, even the embarrassing stuff. Jennifer wanted Rourke to know everything she’d been through, so he would understand why she’d felt the need to hide her identity and sneak away from him. He stopped her only a few times to ask questions.

“So after days of being starved and locked away, I decided pretending acceptance was my only chance of escape. If he began to trust me, I might have an opportunity to get away. I would just have to wait for an opportunity to present itself. So I was polite. I ate all of my meals with Evan, and I pretended to be interested in his conversation. I smiled. I chatted about bullshit. Things were going well, but he still didn’t trust me. My every move was watched. I thought it was all over when Evan tried to seduce me. He was tired of waiting.”

When she finally reached the part of the story when Evan began to expect physical proof of her commitment, Rourke’s body stiffened. She rubbed his chest comfortingly. She hated talking about it, but Rourke needed to know everything.

“I didn’t go that far in my pretense. Thankfully, Evan bought my story. It was farfetched, but he was so eager to believe I was the perfect woman that he bought it. Evan thought he’d eventually see the truth of the story. The situation was coming to a boil. I had to find a way out.” She was lost in memory; reliving her fear that Evan would decide he couldn’t wait any longer to consummate the relationship.

“What exactly was your story? Come on, babe, I’m dying over here,” Rourke urged her to go on. He was looking pinched and on the edge.

“I told him I was a virgin.” She smiled. Rourke’s eyebrows rose in disbelief. “I told Evan I’d been very sheltered by my family. I’m the only daughter of a wealthy lawyer and a southern lady. In my youth, I was kept busy with school, dancing, and other activities fit for a young lady.

“This was the first time I’d been out on my own. I hadn’t dated anyone since I came to town. This was all actually true except for the virgin part. My parents were protective. I was a busy young woman, and my mom watched me like a hawk. I haven't dated anyone in Vegas. I’ve been working nonstop,” she explained.

“And he believed you?” Rourke asked. “He must be blind as well as insane because you have a natural sensuality in the way you move and carry yourself that’s enough to drive a man crazy.” Rourke gave her a slow kiss to prove his point. They’d just finished making love, and he was ready to go again. Jennifer could feel his cock stiffen against her with their passionate embrace. Rourke broke the kiss reluctantly. When he spoke against her mouth, stopping to place a kiss there after every sentence, he stole her breath.  “Keep going, babe.” Kiss. “I want to hear the rest.” Kiss. “Before I love you again.” Kiss.

Jennifer’s entire being lit up under Rourke’s tender praise. He said he wanted to love her again. Love her. Rourke had said Jennifer was his woman, but that didn’t mean he loved her. Was she Rourke’s until he went back to the Navy? Or did he feel that she was his to protect since they were sleeping together? Again, that would only last until he returned to service.

Jennifer knew, to spite their short acquaintance, she was helplessly in love with Rourke. It happened to Jennifer just as her mother always said it would. When it’s right, you just know. You feel his presence in a place so deep in your soul, no other man could ever reach it. Jennifer hadn’t understood her mother’s explanation of what it was like when you find the person who is meant for you at the time. She didn’t get it until the day she met Rourke and had to walk away from him feeling like he’d stolen a piece of her that she’d never get back.

Was it possible that Rourke loved her, too? Rourke’s actions told her he might care for her, but Jennifer needed to hear the words. Could he really love her, or was this just Rourke’s hero complex kicking in. He was a SEAL. Maybe Rourke was just drawn to a damsel in distress. Jennifer didn’t know, and she was afraid to find out. Her heart and her future were hanging in the balance. She would hold on to the hope they could have a real life together a little longer.

“He believed me at least enough to give me a little more time,” Jennifer continued before she found the nerve to ask if he actually loved her or if that was just pillow talk. “I told Evan I was saving myself for marriage. That pleased him to no end. He planned to marry me. He would be my first and only. It was the only thing I could think of to hold him off for a while. I couldn’t be sure it worked either. He wasn’t exactly the kind of man to put another person’s needs first. I smiled and tried to look happy about our impending nuptials. All I wanted to do was scratch out his eyes.”

“I’m surprised he didn’t try to marry you immediately.” Rourke kissed her neck, sending shivers over Jennifer’s body. 

“He wanted to. I acted like a total girl and cried because I wanted a real wedding and a honeymoon. Those were real tears, too. It wasn’t hard to dredge up real emotion when I was afraid he’d have a justice of the peace come do the deed right in his condominium. If we planned a wedding, I would have many chances to ask people for help, right? That was my thinking.

“He agreed to the honeymoon but not a wedding. He said we would get married on the honeymoon as a compromise, because he was feeling generous, and I was behaving myself. Briefly, I thought it would be a good thing if he brought an outsider in. I could refuse to marry Evan and beg for help.”

“What changed your mind?” Rourke asked.

“Evan has the cops in his pocket. That’s why I didn’t go straight to the police when I escaped. On two separate occasions, the police came to Evan’s apartment. One for a report of shots fired. I was there in the room when one of Evan’s ‘associates’ failed to produce funds that were due. One minute they were laughing and joking, the next Evan put a bullet in the man’s knee. I was in shock. It was just so surreal. I couldn’t believe I’d just seen a man be shot. Blood pouring the man’s leg. He was screaming. Evan continued speaking calmly about the payment he expected to be delivered within twenty-four hours. I was hunkered in the corner because Evan wouldn’t allow me to leave the room. I think he was demonstrating his power to make me understand there was no escape.”

“What did the cops do?” Rourke lifted his head to look down at her with unease. “Did they see you?”

“As soon as the knock came at the door, Tommy, that was my guard, herded me down the hall so I could hear without being seen. Then, Tommy leaned in to warn me with a whisper. He said,
‘Please don’t scream for help. This is a test. Even if they hear you, they won’t help. You aren’t getting out of this. None of us are, alive.
’

“I believed Tommy. He was a young guy, and I could tell he felt sorry for me. He didn’t like his duty, but he did what he was told. Evan purposely let me stay close enough to be heard if I cried for help. I was also close enough to understand that the police wouldn’t help me.”