Operation Saving Daniel (Entangled Covet) (8 page)

When they reached the restaurant, everyone else was already seated around a long table on the terrace under a green-and-white umbrella. She and Julia took the last two seats opposite Daniel and Sophia. Sophia was wearing a beautifully cut cream linen dress that complemented her dark red hair. Daniel wore a matching cream linen shirt—she wondered if they’d coordinated their packing to give the impression of the perfect couple. Lissa tried not to stare, turning her attention to the rest of the table. Julia was on her right and her father, Jim, on her left. Across the table, Daniel studiously avoided her, leaning in close to talk to Sophia. Lissa glared at him, willing him to glance her way. Finally, he raised his head and stared into her eyes. As he held her gaze, he lifted Sophia’s hand and kissed her fingers.

Bastard.

It was going to be a long and painful lunch.

“What would everyone like to drink?” Pamela asked.

“I’ve ordered champagne,” Daniel said smoothly. “Sophia and I have an announcement to make.”

“Here it comes,” Julia muttered from beside her.

They had to wait while the waiter brought round the champagne and filled the glasses. Lissa nibbled on a breadstick hoping it would settle her stomach, which was churning madly. She might even be sick. Could she use the excuse to leave the table? After all, it would hardly look good if she projectile-vomited over Sophia’s perfect cream dress. She placed her palms on the table and was about to push herself up when Julia laid a hand on her arm and leaned in close.

“Don’t you dare,” she whispered. “Stay put and take it like a man.”

“But I’m not a man.” There was a pathetic whine in her voice. Trouble was, Julia knew her too well. Lissa relaxed into her seat as Daniel and Sophia rose to their feet.

Lissa wanted to put her hands over her ears. She knew what was coming and didn’t think she could bear it. She’d never allowed herself to think realistically of a future with Daniel. The possibility had been too remote and terrifying. Still, she hadn’t been able to prevent her secret fantasies from playing in her mind, and once he said the words, once he committed to another woman, she would have to put an end to those clandestine dreams.

“Firstly,” Daniel said, “I want to thank you all for welcoming Sophia into the family.”

“Do you think there was a touch of sarcasm in there?” Julia murmured to her.

“A hint, maybe.”

“We did invite her to go with us last night.”

“Maybe we didn’t ask nicely enough. Shhh.”

“And we wanted you to be the first to know—I’ve asked Sophia to marry me and…” He paused dramatically.

“And she said ‘no’?” Julia whispered hopefully.

“She said…yes.”

Everyone clapped politely, including Lissa, though there was a pain in her chest and it hurt to breathe.

Daniel reached into his pocket and brought out a small box. He flicked it open and took out the ring. Lissa peered at it, trying to see what it was like but it was hidden in his palm.

Sophia held out her left hand, and Daniel slid the ring on her finger.

Something seemed to break inside Lissa. Before, it hadn’t seemed real. Deep down she’d believed that he wouldn’t go through with it. For a second, she closed her eyes, and when she opened them, Sophia was leaning across the table, her hand held out in front of her.

“Do you like my ring, Melissa?”

Lissa glanced down and bit back her initial response. The ring was horrible. The stone was huge, a square-cut green emerald surrounded by diamonds. It looked like something out of a Christmas cracker. She would have thought Daniel had more taste, but maybe Sophia had chosen it.

“It’s gorgeous. Congratulations. Daniel is a very…lucky man.”

“He is isn’t he? And I’m a lucky lady.” She moved away and wandered around the table her hand held out for people to admire. Or not.

“I don’t think lucky comes into it,” Julia said once the other woman was out of earshot. “What a ghastly ring.”

“Yeah, suits her perfectly.”

Chapter Seven

Sophia spent the rest of lunch being really, really nice. Scarily nice. If it was an effort, it didn’t show. And Pamela and Jim lapped it up.

The perfect daughter-in-law.

Even Lissa began to wonder if she’d gotten her wrong. Maybe some subconscious jealousy made her see monsters where there was only a beautiful woman engaged to the only man Lissa had ever loved.

Sophia kept touching Daniel as though she couldn’t keep her hands off him. While Daniel didn’t return the affection, he also did nothing to prevent her from groping him in a public place.

It was disgusting.

Julia leaned in close. “Do you think she’s going to paw him all the way through lunch?”

“Yes.”

Sophia’s scarlet-tipped fingernails were stroking down his bare arm. Lissa was sure she saw a look of distaste flash across Daniel’s face but then it was gone, leaving him expressionless.

But he placed his hand on top of Sophia’s and squeezed.

…

“Oh, Pamela, you must introduce me to your hairdresser,” Julia mimicked Sophia, throwing herself on the bed in the room they shared at the villa. “Oh, Jim, you are so handsome—it’s obvious where Daniel got his good looks.” She punched the pillow. “Smarmy bitch, sucking up to Mum and Dad like that.”

“But what if we’re wrong about Sophia?” Lissa said. “What if she really is nice after all?”

“You think?”

Not really, but Daniel had told her that he loved the other woman. Right before he’d nearly made love to Lissa on the kitchen counter. She pressed a finger to her forehead, trying to ease the ache. She didn’t understand anything anymore.

A sharp
tap
sounded on the door. Before Lissa could move, Julia had rolled off the bed, jumped to her feet, and was heading to the door. She opened it a crack and peered outside.

“Is Melissa here?” Sophia asked and Lissa’s heart sank. What the hell did Sophia want with her? She could make a guess, and she so wasn’t ready for this.

Julia glanced over her shoulder at Lissa. Lissa shook her head furiously, but her so-called best friend just smiled and opened the door wider. She gestured to Sophia to enter.

Sophia had changed from her smart lunch outfit. She was back in her scarlet bikini with a matching wrap tied between her breasts and four-inch scarlet mules on her feet. Her toenails were painted the same red as her bikini, as were her lips. She was frighteningly coordinated.

A smile curved her scarlet mouth, her expression friendly and charming as she faced Julia. “Could I speak to Melissa alone for a moment?”

Lissa wanted to shout “no.” In fact, her mouth opened but the word didn’t come out. She glared at Julia, whose smile turned into a grin. “Of course you can. I’ll take myself off for a walk, leave you two to a bit of girl talk. No comparing notes on Daniel though. You know”— she leaned in to speak directly to Sophia— “we were all convinced that Daniel and Lissa would marry one day.”

Thanks, Julia
, she silently fumed.

Julia waggled her fingers and left the room.

As the door closed behind her, the charming smile slid from Sophia’s face as if she had taken off a mask. And what was underneath wasn’t pleasant. She strolled across the room, and only a determined conscious effort kept Lissa from backing away. There was something not quite right about Sophia.

The air crackled with energy. Lissa rubbed her arms as her skin prickled.

Sophia came to a halt way too close. So close, the sweet, sickly scent of her perfume clogged Lissa’s nostrils and beneath that, something musky.

“Daniel is mine,” Sophia said.

“Of course he is.” Lissa tried to make her tone soothing. She really wished Julia had stayed.

“Don’t patronize me,” Sophia snapped. “I’ve seen the way you stare at him. You want him.”

“No, I don’t,” she lied.

Sophia ignored the interruption. “Well, he’s already taken.” She waved her hand under Lissa’s nose, almost jabbing her in the face with the huge emerald ring. “And I’ve got this to prove it. So stay away.”

She whirled in her high heels and stalked to the door. Lissa released her breath with a huge sigh of relief. A little premature, it turned out, because Sophie turned back to face her. Her dark eyes narrowed to slits.

“You keep your hands away from Daniel, or I’ll rip them off.”

She grabbed the door handle and wrenched open the door. Julia nearly fell into the room. She righted herself. “Finished already?”

Sophia didn’t reply, just stalked off down the corridor. Lissa hurried across and watched until she disappeared around the corner, then she sagged back against the wall.

Julia shut the door and came to stand beside her. “You okay?”

“Not sure.”

“Well, at least we don’t have to worry that we made a mistake. I think it’s official. Sophia is a bitch.”

She wasn’t wrong there. A total bitch. “You were listening?”

“Of course. I had my ear pressed to the door.”

“She’s mentally deranged.”

“Yup.”

“And she’s bigger than me.”

“We can’t let Daniel marry her.”

Julia seemed to be missing the point here. “On the other hand we can’t let Sophia rip my hands off.”

“It’s our duty to save him.”

“You don’t really think she’ll rip my hands off, do you?”

Julia considered the question. “I’m not sure it’s physically possible, but I suppose she could try.”

“Thanks. You’re making me feel much better here.”

Julia grinned. “Hey, what are friends for?”

Chapter Eight

The birthday party was in full swing, spilling out of the house onto the terrace and around the pool.

Lissa sipped her champagne. Her dress, another recent purchase, was purple, so dark it was almost black and made from thin silk that skimmed her body and slid across her skin as she moved. On her feet were three-inch sandals and her feet already hurt.

All night, she tried to get Daniel alone, while being really unobvious about it. She’d sort of convinced herself that Sophia wouldn’t rip her hands off, but she wasn’t entirely convinced Sophia was stable.

Unfortunately, the Evil One clung to him for the entire evening, leaning in close and occasionally reaching up to kiss his cheek, telling the world in no uncertain terms that he was hers. As each new person was introduced, she held out her hand displaying the garish ring like a dog holding out its paw.

“She must have a bladder like an elephant,” Julia said. “She’s been swilling champagne all night and hasn’t even been to the bathroom.”

“She’d have to let him go for that.”

“I would hope so,” Julia said morosely. “The dancing will start soon. Maybe you’ll get a chance then.”

“I doubt it. She’s not going to let him dance with anyone else.”

“Well, we’ll have to make sure that someone else dances with her. I’ll put Dad up to it—she’ll have to accept or lose the perfect daughter-in-law vote.”

“Good plan.”

The band started playing around ten. They were situated on a raised dais close to the pool, and a dance area had been set up on the lawn. Luckily, there were chairs around it, because by that time Lissa’s feet were killing her. She wanted her flip-flops back.

As she expected, Daniel and Sophia took to the floor for the first dance. Slow, seductive music filled the air; he pulled her close, and they swayed together. Sophia’s head rested on his chest, her arms around his waist beneath the suit jacket.

Pain hit her hard in the heart as she watched them together.

She’d lost him, and it was her own stupid fault. She’d run away because she was a coward and scared to love in case Daniel hadn’t been able to love her back. But it had already been too late, even ten years ago.

Now he belonged to another woman.

“Don’t give up,” Julia said squeezing her hand. “For Daniel’s sake.”

…

As he shuffled around the small dance floor, Daniel was totally aware of Lissa scrutinizing his every move and tried to keep that fact from Sophia, who was in a strange mood.

They’d argued when they got back from lunch that afternoon. She’d stripped in front of him and expected him to service her as if he were some kind of rent boy.

It was just another power play. She thought the ring made a difference. But they would never be together that way. He’d seen Sophia do things that made him vomit. Ethan often allowed her to punish other pack members because she enjoyed inflicting torture. She’d also stood by as they killed Barbara. Had laughed at his pain, and now she expected him to fuck her.

He’d die first.

Or maybe he’d kill her first. Certainly before he’d allow her to touch Lissa.

Life would have been so much easier if Lissa had never come back. Before her reappearance, he’d been doing a great job of overcoming his squeamishness and convincing himself to push the experiments—take more and more of the drug—until he was strong enough to kill Ethan. And Sophia if he had to.

Now, he hated that he could think about killing so calmly. Hell, he was still deluding himself. If he was honest, he was eager to kill. Another side effect of his inner beast growing stronger. But Lissa was such a good person. She could never love a killer.

So if he followed his present course, he would defeat Ethan, save his family, and lose Lissa forever.

Deep inside him, his wolf stirred sleepily and whined. Wolf wanted Lissa. Wolf recognized his mate and wanted to make her his. Wolf wasn’t happy that Daniel held another woman in his arms and a slow growl trickled from his throat.

In his arms, Sophia stiffened. She raised her head and stared at him through narrowed eyes. “Have you been holding out on us, Danny-boy?”

“Don’t call me that,” he snarled. Then he forced himself to relax each tense muscle and made his face go expressionless. “What do you mean?”

She sniffed the air. “I can smell wolf. Alpha wolf. What have you been hiding?”

He cursed inwardly. “You’re imagining things.”

“Am I?” She sniffed again. “Gone.”

“It was never there. Now dance—you wouldn’t want the nice human beings to think we’re not in love would you?” He wrapped his hand around the back of her neck and pulled her close.

Finally, the music ended. God, he wished he could go to bed, sleep, forget everything for a little while. But no, he had to stay here make a spectacle of himself, act the man in love.

His father approached and tapped him on the arm. “Could I have the next dance with my future daughter-in-law?”

“Of course, Dad.” He released his hold and handed her to his father, almost smiled at the expression of annoyance that flashed briefly in her eyes.

The waiter circled with champagne, but he needed something stronger, and he headed into the house. Inside, it was quiet, all the guests making the most of the beautiful evening. He made for his father’s study where there was always a decent bottle of scotch. The first measure went down in one gulp. He refilled the glass and sank down into the huge leather armchair behind the desk. Resting his head back, he closed his eyes and sipped his drink.

He was unsurprised when he heard the lock
click
; he’d known Lissa would follow him. When he opened his eyes, she stood framed in the doorway. She was beautiful in a long dark dress that left her arms and shoulders bare and skimmed the rest of her figure. With the short haircut she looked like a pixie or a sprite, her eyes huge in her slender face. If werewolves existed, why not pixies? Maybe she could cast a spell and get him out of this godforsaken mess.

She strolled into the room and tripped over her feet. Swore loudly.

He had a flashback to that other time he had seen her in heels. She had stumbled then as well. Best not to think of that time and how it had ended. With her naked in his bed and…

“You can’t marry her, Daniel.”

He shook his head to dispel the memory.

“Why not?” he asked.

“Because she’s a maniac. She’s not normal.”

His eyes sharpened on her, searching for some sign of injury but she appeared fine and some of the tension eased from him. “What did she do to you?”

“Nothing…yet. She just warned me off you.”

She was getting closer, inching around the desk. Now was the time he should get up, go back to the party. Go back to Sophia. Instead, he sat and observed her out of half-closed eyes and took another sip of scotch, the warmth stealing into his belly.

Lissa perched on the edge of the desk, so close he could reach out and rest his hand on her thigh. If he wanted to.

Who the hell was he kidding? Of course he wanted to. He reached out for the bottle instead, slowly unscrewed the lid, and poured himself another glass.

“You can’t blame her for warning you off,” he said. “The way you’ve been staring at me for the last couple of days.”

“I haven’t been staring at you.”

“You’ve been watching me like you want to jump me, drag me into the nearest bed, and have your way with me.”

Shock flared in her eyes. “No, I haven’t.”

“Yes, you have.”

“No—” She cut off and scowled. Reaching out, she grabbed the bottle of scotch and took a long pull. “Well, maybe I have been watching you. I can’t help it. You’ve changed so much, and I’m trying to see if there’s any of the old Daniel left under there.”

“None,” he said. “So don’t waste your time searching.”

She took another swig, placed the bottle gently on the desk, and studied him, her head cocked to one side as though she were trying to take him apart, see what made him tick.

“What happened?” she asked. “Why did you change?”

“Maybe I just grew up.”
Or maybe I got bitten by a fucking werewolf
. But of course, he didn’t say those words out loud, though he wondered what her reaction would be. Probably total disbelief. But it might make her back off if she thought he was insane.

And he needed her to back off. This close, her scent, sharp and sweet, filled his nostrils, so familiar but tinged with something else.

Arousal.

She wanted him.

God, he wished she could have him.

She licked her lips and his dick twitched in his pants. How did she do that to him? One look and he was hot and hard as hell for her.

“You can’t marry Sophia.” She shook her head in frustration. “I don’t know what happened to you. What changed you…?”

“You don’t need to know, just accept that I have changed. I’m not the same person I was back then and whether you believe it or not I have to marry Sophia.”

“Have to?” She jumped on his choice of words and he swore under his breath. He could have phrased that better, but it was, no doubt, his subconscious talking.

“You know what I mean. She’s right for me, we suit each other.”

“She’s not, Daniel.” She took a deep breath. “She said she’d rip my hands off if I touched you. I mean, is that normal?”

“She didn’t mean it literally.” Oh yes she did. Damn, she must have been to see Lissa after they argued that afternoon. “She’s possessive because she loves me.” He almost winced at the lie and determined that after this weekend, he was going to make sure Lissa and Sophia never met again. Ever.

In fact, it would be best if
he
never met Lissa again. At the thought, something inside him cracked. The end of a dream. “We’re finished here, and we need to get back to the party.”

But neither of them moved and the silence stretched out between them.

This would be the last time they would be alone together. He had to taste her, feel her one more time. Afterward, he could turn away and do what he needed to do.

Inside Wolf roared his approval and Lissa rubbed her arms.

“What was that?” she said.

She could sense his wolf.

“Once,” he said. “Then never again.”

He slammed his glass down, reached out, gripped her wrist, and pulled her off the desk and onto his lap.

She didn’t fight him, just peered up with those enormous eyes, then licked her lips and heat gripped him.

“Daniel,” she murmured his name and stretched up her hand to stroke the curve of his cheek.

“You should get up and go,” he said.

“I like it here.”

It was too late, anyway. He curved his hand around her neck and dragged her closer, so her face was only inches from his.

Her sweet ass pressed down on his cock, which was already hot and hard, his balls aching with need. A wriggle of her hips sent pleasure shooting through him. He tugged and closed the last small space between them. His lips touched hers and she parted for him. He kissed her, gently at first, almost expecting her to pull back even now. Instead, he felt the tentative stroke of her tongue along his own, and he gave up the fight.

This once.

He deepened the kiss, thrusting his tongue into her mouth, tasting her sweetness, feeling her response to him, scenting her desire.

Heat pooled in his groin. He slid his hands to her hips and pressed her down into him. Thin straps held up the dress and he slipped them off her shoulders and tugged the material down to bare her breasts. She was so perfect. His hands cupped her, his thumbs brushing over the nipples. They tightened under his touch, and she gasped. He rubbed the stiffening peaks with his palms, then rolled them between his thumb and fingers. She liked it; he could tell from the little moans that slipped between her lips and into his mouth.

Shifting her easily, he lifted her and turned her to face him so she straddled his hips. He dragged the skirt up over her thighs so she could get closer to him, and then he settled her astride him and kissed her again.

The taste of her drove him wild, pushed him over the edge, and he came up for air. He was breathing hard as though he’d run. Her breasts were level with his face and he licked long, slow strokes over and over again until her skin glistened with moisture.

A flush stained her cheekbones as her hands glided into the hair at the back of his neck and she pulled him to her. He nuzzled her breasts, taking one nipple into his mouth and suckling hard. Her hips pressed against him, pushing down. Little moaning noises were coming from her parted lips and the air was perfumed with her arousal.

If he didn’t get inside her soon, he was going to go insane. But first, he wanted to feel her come for him.

He slipped his hand under her dress and stroked the soft skin of her thigh, then higher. For a second he cupped her sex in his palm and she went still against him. He massaged her gently, feeling the hot wetness of her through the lace. Then he slipped his hands inside her panties, and pushed his fingers between the hot, wet folds of her sex.

She was panting, her breaths short and fast as he circled her clitoris with his thumb, and at the same time, thrust one finger inside her. She was tight but so slick with need that he slid in easily. After circling her clit one more time he ran the pad of his thumb over her, and she came undone in his arms, convulsing against him. He held her still and rubbed again, and she exploded, her orgasm pulsing through her so the contractions pulled at his fingers as they thrust into her.

He reached between their bodies to free himself, every nerve intent on one thing—getting inside her.