Sexual Persuasion (6 page)

“You can’t tell anymore, can you?” Max said. “
Who’d’ve thought that guy was gay? Name’s Rip Cord. Looks like a Hell’s Angel, doesn’t he?”

“Nothing says a biker can’t be gay.”

Max looked like he wanted to say something but changed his mind. “How was your evening at the museum?”

“Quite interesting, actually.
Too bad you didn’t want to go. You’d have enjoyed it. Mr. Louis outdid himself. His dinner was superb.”

“I wasn’t in the mood. Glad Selene could accompany you. She usually attends those things, but they were sold out by the time she made up her mind to go. It worked out well. How’d you two get along?”

“She hung on me all night. I thought I’d have to pry her off.”

“Selene is used to getting any man she wants. You’re a challenge.”

“She’s not very aware of what’s going on in the world, other than who’s cheating on their mates. That’s not my type.”

“What is your type, Alex? We’ve been friends since we were on our daddies’ laps, and I still don’t know you. Half the city thinks we’re lovers; the other half knows we are.”

“They can think whatever they want. I couldn’t care less. My business is my business.”

“Your lack of insecurity never ceases to amaze me.” He sipped his drink. “So what made the evening so interesting?”

Alex wouldn’t tell Max about Charlotte. He’d never hear the end of it. “Jack Davidson was there with his girlfriend.”

“You mean Candy the stripper? Now there’s a match made in heaven. Jack dated a real classy number who owns a store on Newbury Street for about half a year. Okay pretty, but she had a pair of tits on her that put Candy’s implants to shame. And the asshole dumped her a few months ago. Shows how dumb he is.”

Alex’s stomach turned. Of course Max would know about Jack’s girlfriends. Max knew everything about people like Jack who owed him six figures. Alex wanted to defend Charlotte, to call down Max for his vulgarity, but it would be completely out of character. His friend would see through him in a split second.

“We had a little run-in when I saved a young lady from his unwanted advances. He didn’t know who I was and actually threatened to sic his lawyer on me. I gave him my card and said fine. One look at my name and he almost stroked out.”

Max broke into raucous laughter. “I bet he did. I doubt you mentioned his debt.”

“That’s not my job. You have muscle for those things.”

“That I do.”

“Saw Mike Branigan there too.”
Max stopped in mid-drink. Alex thought that strange. Why would Branigan’s name give Max pause? “Something I should know about?”

“Why would you say that?”

“I mentioned Branigan, and you went catatonic.”

“Nothing for you to worry about.
Remember, you have limits.”

That meant Max had something going with the head of the Department of Economic Development. Max was right. Alex didn’t want to know what. “That I do.” He finished off his scotch and rose.
“Gotta go.”

“I have a feeling you didn’t tell me everything about tonight. You’re usually unreadable, but I saw a flicker of―what?―interest?
Maybe distress?”

“Indigestion.
Mr. Louis is the best, but he uses too much butter. Later, Max.”

He went to the bar. “Got a telephone book, Rocky?”

“Sure.” The bartender handed Alex the book, and he flipped through the pages to get the number he wanted, glad it wasn’t unlisted. He plugged it into his phone’s address book, unsure he’d ever use it, then said good night to Rocky and strode to his car.

Max knew him too well, which was why he’d never mention Charlotte. But when the reference to her and Davidson came up, Alex reacted. Max saw it.

Charlotte Stone had broken through a barrier tonight that he’d erected seventeen years ago. He’d been so close to taking her, to devouring her right in the entryway of her building. Christ, he’d smelled the musky scent of his own arousal as if he were some animal on the prowl. Either he’d have to forcefully rid her from his mind―put her behind that protective wall―or he’d have to act on his desire and go where he swore he’d never go. He checked his watch.

It’s time, Alex. You’ve held back far too long
.
He put his car in gear and was leaving the parking lot when his cell rang.

“Alex?”

He could hardly hear his name through her sobs. “Charlotte? Is that you?” When she didn’t answer, he said, “What’s the matter?”

“Jack was waiting in my apartment,” she said in a ragged voice. “He tried to rape me. I wanted to call the police, but he has pictures of me.
Nasty pictures.”

Alex’s voice turned calm and steady. “Where is he now?”

“I kicked him in the groin and got him out the door.”

“Okay, listen to me, Charlotte.” She didn’t answer. “Are you listening?”

She sniffed out a, “Yes, I’m listening.”

“Is he still outside your door?”

“I don’t know. It happened half an hour ago. I’ve been sitting here wondering what to do. I don’t hear him, but I won’t open the door to find out if he’s gone.”

“No,” Alex said more forcefully. “Don’t open it until you know it’s me. I’m on my way.”

To the Rescue

Nude and still shaking, Charlotte picked up her clothes and hopped into a hot shower to get the slimy residue of Jack off her body. She dressed in jeans and a long-sleeve T-shirt. A million things crossed her mind.

The key.
Jack still had one. She needed to change the locks, put in an alarm system. She had one for the store.

The pictures.
He’d be vengeful enough to send his disgusting photos to some sleazy rag, and she’d be on the front page for all to see. How would her customers react if they saw that? She’d be the talk of the town. She’d lose business, everything she worked so hard for. She didn’t know how much time had passed while she sat rigid, forcing down the rage and fear of what Jack had done and what he said he’d do.

How could she trust what just happened to an almost total stranger? But she couldn’t call the police. Dropping her head into her hands, she wanted to cry, but that was what the old Charlotte would do. Her face stung from Jack’s slap; bruises circled her wrists. She’d never experienced anything so ugly in her life. She allowed herself
a shiver thinking about it.

Before long, the buzzer sounded, and Alex’s voice came over the intercom. She opened the door and without thinking collapsed into his arms. His strong embrace broke down her resistance, and she released a waterfall of tears, wetting the collar of his
tux.

He held her, gently rubbing her back. “
Shh,” he said in a quiet, comforting tone. “Let me look at you.” He leaned back and inspected her. “He hit you?”

She nodded, sniffed. “It was awful. He pushed me up against the door and held my wrists over my head. He pawed me, then pulled up my dress and forced himself on me, sticking―” She swallowed hard. “I took a shower to wash off his stink.”

“I’ve searched the area. He’s gone. I was hoping he’d still be here.” He pulled her to him again and held her close, whispering softly in her ear. “Everything will be all right.” He removed his handkerchief from his jacket and wiped her eyes. “How did he get in?”

“He had a key. He must have copied mine somehow when we were dating. He can get in, Alex. Until I have the locks changed, he can get in here.”

“You have a dead bolt, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

“When I leave, you lock the door from the inside and put on the safety chain. Understand? I’ll have a locksmith over here first thing in the morning to put in a double lock. In fact, I’ll call him right now.” Alex punched a number into his cell phone and told whoever answered what he needed. “Eight thirty?” He looked at Charlotte for approval. She nodded, and Alex okayed it with the locksmith and hung up.

“Come, sit down. Do you have any brandy?”

Charlotte shook her head. “Just wine.”

Alex walked her to the sofa and sat her down. “Where is it?”

“There’s an open bottle on the kitchen counter.”

“I’ll be right back. Sit right there and don’t worry.”

“How can I not worry? I’m pissed, but more than that I’m frightened. If I hadn’t kicked him in the nuts, I really think he would have hurt me.” She wanted to break down again, but once was enough. She gathered her composure. “Oh God, it was ugly. What am I going to do? He’s going to show those pictures all over town. He said he’d send them to the newspapers.”

Alex came back with a glass of wine and handed it to her. “He won’t. I promise.” He made her look at him. “Do you trust me?”

Did she? She’d already decided no man was trustworthy, and now she considered putting her trust in this man she hardly knew? He seemed so calm. How could he be so calm when her whole world was falling apart?

“Do you?” he repeated.

What choice did she have? She nodded. “Yes, but you can’t stop him.”

“Do you want those pictures out into the open?”

The thought horrified her. “No, of course not.”

“Then let me take care of it. Jack’s back is up against the wall. He’s in a bad position, and he’s desperate.”

“What do you mean, up against the wall?”

Alex hesitated as if he were thinking of whether or not to answer. “You know Jack gambles, don’t you?”

“Yes, I’ve seen him play. He usually loses.”

“Well, he’s lost big-time, and now he owes my boss a lot of money.”

“So what was he going to use those pictures for? Blackmail? He knows I don’t have any money. It’s all tied up in this building.”

“No, for you I believe it was sexual power. He thought you’d do whatever he wanted to keep him from exposing the photos. If he did that to you, I wonder how many others he’s targeted.” Alex brushed her hair off her face. “Just promise me you
won’t worry.”

“I’ll try.”

“Now tell me about the pictures.”

Embarrassment heated her face. “The last night I was with Jack, we were up in his attic room, you know, um―”

Yeah, Alex knew because he knew Jack. “Go on.” He sat down beside her. “Tell me everything that happened. Don’t leave anything out.”

She went through the story, even what Jack did, although she couldn’t look at Alex when she told him. “I never knew what he’d done in that room. I woke up groggy, cuffed to the bed. I was mad but fine. When I got home, I noticed my breasts were bruised, but I thought…I don’t know what I thought. We had―” She buried her face in her palms.

“You had sex, maybe a little rougher than usual,” he said, “and you thought it happened then.”

She nodded. “Yes.”

“So you woke up in that room. What happened?”

“He told me I had passed out from too much wine. But I swear I didn’t drink enough to pass out. I know that for sure.”

“That’s because he slipped you a date-rape drug, which is why you couldn’t remember anything.” Alex massaged his forehead. “I think I’ll have a glass of that myself.”

“What are you going to do?”

“There are ways to deal with the Jack Davidsons of the world.”

Charlotte’s breath caught in her throat. “Are you going to kill him?”

He looked at her without the indignity she expected. “No. I don’t do that kind of thing. Even if I knew someone who did, that’s not the way to take care of him.” He brought the wine bottle into the living room, refilled her glass, and filled his. “Now we’re going to finish this wine, and I’ll leave as soon as I know you’re okay. Then you’ll lock the door and go to bed. You’ll forget tonight ever happened.”

“All of tonight?”

He leaned closer, but then as he’d done earlier, he backed away. “Only the part with Davidson.”

“And then what?”

“I’ll make sure he never bothers you again.”

“But―”

“Don’t worry. We’re only going to talk. That’s all. Promise.” He finished his wine. “I’m going to leave now. Lock the door after me, and don’t answer the phone unless you know who it is. I’ll call you in the morning to make sure you’re all right.”

She walked him to the door. He started through, then stopped. He turned around, then pulled her to him, and this time he didn’t back off. He leaned down and kissed her―an openmouthed, tongue-exploring kiss. She let him in willingly, and a surge of electricity shot through her like a raging storm. Forcing herself calm, she took long, deep breaths.

“Why didn’t you do that earlier? You wanted to.”

“It’s complicated, Charlotte.”

Then he left without explaining further. For the second time that night, Charlotte wondered what had just transpired.

Candy for All

Alex left Charlotte’s apartment with a raging hard-on. He didn’t tell her that he’d surrendered to his desire after leaving Harbor House and had already decided to go back to her apartment when she called. He planned to finish what he’d started earlier. What his cock told him he needed to do. That would have been a big mistake. He’d never given in to superstition, but Jack’s nasty intrusion might have been a sign. How could he touch her now after she’d almost been raped? He’d gone too far when he yielded to the temptation to kiss her. He’d get the photos from Jack, let Charlotte know he destroyed them, and that would be it. If he could stay away from her.