Rulers of Deception (29 page)

“What are you trying to tell me, here? That you’re just as ruthless?” Daniel chuckled, amused by the thought. He took a deep sip of his drink, shaking his head. “Is this supposed to be some ploy to scare me into submitting to you and your family? Because it won’t work. I’m going to get my company back, one way or the other.”

“You don’t get it,” Grant shot back, adding a tinge of heat to his voice. He held Daniel’s gaze firmly. “I’m telling you I understand your goal. In fact, I admire it.”

“Is that right?” Daniel sneered, downing the last of his martini. He lifted it up to catch the eye of the waitress before turning back to Grant. “So what are you going to do about it? Convince your whore of a sister to end the merger?”

“No.” Grant’s other hand balled into a fist beneath the table. It was the only outward sign of annoyance he showed. “But there are ways we can both reclaim our companies. You from your father and I from my sister.”

An indulgent grin flashed over Daniel’s face. “I knew you resented her for taking over. I don’t blame you. She’s driving the company into the ground worse than it already was and because of my moron father we’re going down with the ship.”

“Like I said before, we have more in common than you think,” Grant reminded him as the waitress brought by fresh drinks. He reached for his cognac without taking a sip. Instead, he shifted gears and primed for the punch. “I value being in control in every aspect of my life. Especially with women. My sister is no exception.”

“Exactly,” Daniel agreed, waving his drink at Grant. “She thinks so highly of herself, but she can be controlled just like any other woman. In the end, she’ll fall in line where she belongs. Then we can both have our way.”

Grant felt disgusted, but couldn’t turn back. “My wife was under the illusion she could control me. It didn’t take long to convince her otherwise. It’s amazing what one backhand, a simple show of control, can accomplish.”

“It never takes long once you show them how weak they really are. How helpless,” Daniel sniggered, sucking down the last of his drink. He chewed on one of the martini olives as he continued, a manic gleam in his eyes. “These feminist types just need to be broken. It’s not hard to do.”

Grant managed a tight smile. “Madison’s believed herself superior to me ever since we were children. I have no intention of letting her take my rightful place as head of the company.”

“What are you going to do to take it from her?” Daniel asked eagerly, the effects of the alcohol hazing his vision and loosening his tongue. “I may be able to help.”

Grant ignored the icy chill that shot down his spine. “She has weaknesses, ones I can exploit. If I can prove to the family that she’s unfit to lead, they’ll rise against her and I can force her to submit.”

Daniel smiled knowingly, gesturing to the waitress for another drink as she passed by. “I know for a fact that she’s sleeping around on that asshole husband of hers. Perhaps you can use that as a weapon against her?”

One of Grant’s brows rose. “How do you know?”

Feeling giddy from the liquor, Daniel started to laugh. “If I told you, you’d never believe me.”

Fighting to keep the revulsion from his voice, Grant finished the last of his cognac and tapped the glass on the table. “Try me.”

A proud grin lit Daniel’s face as he leaned in conspiratorially, his voice lowered to an indulgent whisper. “Because I fucked her the other night.”

Grant smiled, not only for show but because he knew he’d hit the mark. “How did you manage that? She hates you.”

“I told you. It isn’t hard to break a woman. All you need are the right tools.”

“Tools?” Grant prodded, scenting the confession the way a hound hunts a fated fox. “Did you get her drunk?”

Daniel sat back in his seat, a proud gleam flashing in his eyes. “Let’s just say I
improved
the effects of the martini she drank. It made her compliant as a rag doll and just as stupid.” The waitress returned with another martini, which he knocked back with glee. A hiccup escaped his throat as he laughed cheerily, shaking his head. “God, her face. You should have seen it. I think you would’ve enjoyed witnessing the bitch being put in her place. Down on her knees where she belongs.”

Satisfied, Grant reached under the napkin for the recorder and turned it off. Then he slid from the booth and got to his feet.

Daniel stared at him in confusion, mouth hanging open. “What’s that? Where are you going?”

Grant tucked the recorder into the inside pocket of his suit jacket. “Thank you for the confession.”

“Wait a minute.” Daniel scrambled out of the booth, slurring his words. “You can’t do that.”

“Yes, I can,” Grant replied coolly. He waited for Daniel to make a frantic lunge for him before he sent his fist flying directly into Daniel’s gut. Daniel wheezed and fell to his knees, out of breath and stunned. He coughed and sputtered, cursing under his breath.

Grant stared down at him, eyes filled with hatred. “Stay away from my sister.”

He turned around and left, ready to turn the recording in to the police.

“Wait, say that
again?” Wyatt demanded, clutching the phone to his ear. He sat down on the side of his bed and closed his eyes. “He didn’t sleep with her?”

“
He told the police he drugged her and took her home, but that he never touched her.
” Grant explained, the sounds of the busy police station buzzing in the background.

“You seriously believe that bullshit?”

“
Not that it surprises me, but he had a hidden camera set up in his bedroom. The police reviewed it and confirmed his story. Most of what he told me last night was an exaggeration.
”

Wyatt took a deep breath, fighting to calm himself. “So this is good, right? He didn’t rape her.”

“
No. Though he’s still going to jail for attempted rape. His father will likely bail him out by this afternoon.
”

Wyatt sneered. “I’m still going to kill that piece of shit.”

“
Be my guest.
”

“Did you tell Madison?”

“
She’s not answering her phone. I can’t break away right now, so it’s best that you tell her.
”

“I will.” Hanging up the phone, Wyatt shot to his feet and collected his belongings. He wasn’t staying in the hotel room another goddamn minute, not when there was no reason for his wife to need distance. He was going back to her for good.

When he arrived home, he impatiently barged in and didn’t bother to knock. All he could think about was telling her the truth, giving her relief. Every second wasted was a second she spent thinking she’d been raped.

“Madison?” he called out, storming through the living room and into their bedroom. He found her sitting in her grandfather’s old leather armchair, knees pulled up to her chest and her eyes gazing unseeingly out the window.

She looked up when he entered, surprised to see him. “What are you doing here?”

“Daniel never touched you.” Wyatt knelt down before her, grasping her hands in his. “The cops arrested him this morning and there’s a video proving that nothing happened once he got you to his place.”

Madison tensed, eyes narrowed. “A video?”

Wyatt grimaced. “The creep had a hidden camera set up in his bedroom.”

“Why am I not surprised?” Madison mocked, even as part of her wept silently with relief. “How did the police get involved?”

“Grant met Daniel for dinner last night and got him to admit to it all on tape.” Wyatt rolled his shoulders, his body thrumming with restless energy. “I listened to it this morning. You wouldn’t believe what your poor brother had to say to get that confession. He should be a fucking actor.”

Despite everything, Madison laughed. It was cold and cynical, but it was still a laugh. She shook her head and gazed out the window again, wondering if it was really true. Even if it was, she still felt violated. Just a little less so.

“This doesn’t mean we’re not going to nail him to the wall, sweetheart,” Wyatt told her, squeezing her hand. “All I have to do is make some calls and he won’t make it out of prison.”

She shot him a sly look, a vindictive glint to her eyes. “I prefer exacting my own revenge.”

“I know you do.” Rising to his feet, he pulled her with him and crushed her mouth with his, raging inside. Relief and fury warred within him, competing for his attention. He released both into the kiss and sent a shockwave of heat rushing through her system.

She buckled against him, her own rage driving her mad from within. Embracing it, she dug her nails into his back and clung to him for dear life.

“God, I missed you,” he grunted, one hand diving into her hair and the other holding her tight against him. The feel of her was a drug he’d never be able to kick. Being without her was tearing him apart.

She felt herself giving in, so desperate to feel his touch again that it hurt. But as she kissed him, images of Daniel’s face flashed in her mind and knowing she had let him put his hands on her, even if it wasn’t sex, shook her out of the haze of desire like a cold slap to the face.

Disgusted, she broke the kiss and turned away, unable to look at Wyatt. Miserable and furious, she went to the window and laid her hands and forehead upon the cool glass. For several long moments, she said nothing. She could hear him breathing heavily behind her, stunned by her behavior. She was alarmed by it herself.

“What’s wrong?”

“I can’t, darling,” Madison replied quietly. “I’m sorry.”

He felt the loss of her passion as if someone had chopped off one of his arms. “You’re too strong to be this broken, sweetheart.”

Tears stung her eyes, forcing her to close them. She cursed herself for letting any of this affect her so badly. “Give me more time.”

“I’m not leaving you again,” he declared, tucking his hands into his pockets. “You can’t shut me out forever.”

“I know.” She turned around, reaching for his hand. “Lie down with me. It’s all I can offer you right now.”

With a nod, he accepted her hand and let her lead him to their bed. Curling up beside her, he held her close and breathed in her scent, warm sandalwood and rose, and fought for contentment.

Unable to deal
with the silence, Linc flipped on the radio and turned up Guns n’ Roses until the sound shook the walls of his tiny office. He stood before one of his charts, tapping his foot to the rhythm and working things over in his mind.

As thrilled as he was that Grant’s plan worked, Linc found himself just as pissed as before. Listening to the tape with Daniel’s confession only further proved what an asshole he was. Though Linc had to admit he was impressed with Grant’s acting abilities. Who knew his brother could be such a convincing liar?

Daniel claimed not to know who’d taken the photographs of him with Madison. He seemed just as surprised to hear about them as they all were. The only thing he’d been adamant about was that he never slept with her, which of course he’d proven with his creepy hidden camera. He’d tried, but didn’t go through with it at the last minute.

Linc wanted to be relieved, and in some ways he was. But none of this changed Daniel’s intent or his arrogance for thinking he could pull it off and not get caught.