STAG: MC ROMANCE (Forsaken Riders MC Romance Book 7) (128 page)

Chapter 4

Dirk regretted leaving the company of the gorgeous woman at the table, but as soon as he heard Tanner's voice, he knew something was wrong. Tanner, his business partner and ex-stepbrother, was in a panic.

“What's wrong?” Dirk asked, rushing toward his office.

“We've been hacked!” Tanner exclaimed. “Remember that deal that didn't go through with the Russian group a few months back? They wanted more money, more this, more that. They were terrible to work with. Shady, too.”

“Yes, I remember. They hacked us?”

“All they wanted then was to get closer to your business model. Inside intelligence for their own company. They wanted to pull Russia ahead of the rest of the world and knew your ideas were brilliant enough to steal from. Well, they just breached our security!”

“Did they take anything?”

“We don't know how much information they've gotten.”

“Fuck! How could you let this happen?” Dirk growled into the phone.

“You know it's not my fault, Dirk. As soon as I know more I'll let you know. For now, all we can do is take it a step at a time. We need to update the security and move all our accounts as quickly as possible. Are you ready for a long night?”

“Yeah, let's do it. Fuck.”

Dirk kicked the office door shut behind him and turned his computer on, bouncing his foot impatiently as the system booted up. Finally, he was able to access his network and worked at superhuman speeds to move all of his accounts before the Russian scumbags could take anything else.

***

Katherine's mother found her at the bar eventually. She had completely forgotten their conversation by the fountain and was drunker than ever. She loudly demanded someone show Katherine to her room before disappearing off into the manor. Katherine sighed, partly glad her mother didn't remember what had happened, and partly agitated at how drunk she was.

She happily allowed the maroon-suited staff members to lead her to the extravagant bedroom that had been set up for her. Her bags were near the doorway, and she closed and locked the door behind her, taking a look around the room. It was posh, with thick pink carpet and intricate wallpaper. She walked around the room slowly, peeking into doorways and drawers. She found a closet the size of her bedroom back home, and a bathroom with a Jacuzzi tub. It was nicer than the most luxurious hotel she had ever stayed in, and she shook her head in disbelief. Her mother really had moved up in the world.

The wedding would take place bright and early the next day, and so she dug through her luggage for a pair of comfortable silk pajamas and locked herself in the elegant bathroom. She noticed with pleasure that candles were dispersed throughout the room, and she lit them happily, deeply inhaling their calming lavender scent. Even if everything else went wrong during her stay, at least she would be able to fully enjoy the luxury of this bathroom. It looked as if it had never been used, and she ran the bath, stripping slowly before she dipped her toes in the warm water. Finally, she found herself fully able to relax for the first time in days.

Her mind wandered back to the man at the bar. She had never responded so physically to somebody she had only just met. It may have just been his magnetism, but maybe it had been something else. Either way, his masculine face and piercing silver eyes had left a huge impression on her. She sighed and leaned back in the tub, imagining secretly what it might be like if his strong arms were wrapped around her. She closed her eyes to relish in the thought before shoving it out of her mind.

Although the fantasy was a guilty pleasure, she had to shake it off. The man seemed a little too self-absorbed to fantasize about. He didn't even say hello to the people at the bar, and he had just left her at the table as if he had forgotten she was there at all. And what was with the way he called her “Kate?” She hated it when people called her that. He wasn't the kind of man who was worth a second thought. Attractive or not, she had her standards. And her standards did not include being called Kate.

Katherine finished her bath and headed to bed, totally exhausted from her trip and emotionally drained from her confrontation with her mother. It would all be over soon, and she would never have to think about this island again. She thought once more about the handsome stranger before she let herself drift into a sound sleep.

Chapter 5

Dirk groaned as the alarm clock buzzed loudly in his ear. He had only been sleeping for an hour and awoke feeling surly and agitated. Tanner had helped him secure the rest of their accounts and move all sensitive information to a new network with tighter security, so at least that wasn't a concern anymore. Now all he had to worry about was making it through his father's wedding without nodding off into his cake.

As much as he abhorred tradition and ceremony, he felt obligated to put his best face forward. Despite his sleep deprivation, Dirk rolled out of bed and heading to the shower. He made it nice and cool to help him wake himself up, and tried to recall his dream from the night before. For some reason, it had involved the blonde woman he had taken to the bar. Her round, supple lips had been on his skin, tugging and pulling, sending tendrils of pleasure throughout his body.

There was something about her, something completely unlike any of the other women he had seen coming and going in the manor as he grew up. The women he was used to were cool and calculating, well accustomed to using their bodies to get what they wanted and instigating drama to seek entertainment in their sad, empty lives. There was something very much alive in Katherine, though. Something undeniably attractive.

If he got the chance to see her again, he would love to figure out what made her tick. She was mysterious and beautiful. Funny, too. Her company had been like salve to his wounds after the restless evening he’d been spending by himself. Yes, if she was within arm's reach anywhere on this island, maybe he would get a second chance to find out more about her.

What a hell of a night it had been. He stripped and stepped inside the shower, noticing his erection with amusement. He'd better take care of that before the ceremony. It was supposed to be his father's day, after all, and who could concentrate on him with Dirk's massive hard-on hogging the show?

***

Katherine was ushered into the room with her mother, where several women Katherine had never met were fawning over her and her wedding dress. Katherine begrudgingly admitted to herself that her mom did, indeed, look very beautiful, but who wouldn't in a million-dollar dress? Still, it was a happy occasion and she was determined to be as supportive as she possibly could. Maybe she was wrong and their marriage would last. She'd feel terrible for ruining her mother's happiness.

When her mother saw her, she beamed, and they chatted happily together as Katherine pulled her bridesmaid's dress on (shockingly, the least ugly bridesmaid dress she had ever seen). Eventually, the wedding was scheduled to begin, and her mother squeezed her hand excitedly before the bridesmaids lined up to lock arms with the groomsmen. Since she was the daughter of the bride, she went first, and caught the glimmering silver eyes of the man from the bar.

He looked astonishingly handsome, with his hair pulled into a neat ponytail. His five o'clock shadow was more pronounced, and the suit flattered his body in every way. He linked her arm, pulling her tightly to his side, and her heart skipped a beat. She was hit by a gentle fragrance of spicy cologne, and she snuck a glance at him. He was gazing down at her with a grin, and she felt again as if he could read her every personal thought.

Her face grew red, and his smile deepened. It was obvious that he knew she was attracted to him, and he seemed to be loving it. Katherine suddenly remembered the way he had left her sitting in the bar and recoiled. He was such a creep. And the way he seemed to relish in the attention she gave him – it nearly made her sick. The more she thought about it, the more she couldn't wait to get to the end of the aisle.

When they did part, though, the casual drop of his strong arm left her feeling lonely and vulnerable. She was suddenly aware of her solitary state as she made her way to her side of the stage. As the other bridesmaids filed in and lined up behind her, she tried to avoid the gaze of the man across from her. His eyes bore through her, though, and she felt almost naked in front of him. It was a terrible time to feel self-conscious. Still, her heart thudded in her ears, and a deep thrill secretly bubbled in her chest.

It wasn't until her mother and stepfather had said their vows that her mind began making the connection. She watched her stepfather as he embraced the cocky, muscular man behind him, and her heart dropped in horror. The silver-eyed man was now, officially, her stepbrother.

Chapter 6

The reception was the most awkward event she had ever endured. Dirk was like a glob of honey, and women, young and old and in between, were begging him to dance with them or help them to reach the finest morsel of food at the long banquet table. He was more than happy to help, giving some of the older women sly winks that sent them reeling with pleasure. Katherine was outraged. Not only was he cocky and rude, but he was also a playboy. She had been nothing but another of his random flirtatious whims.

After the reception, her stepfather announced their plans to vacation in the mountains for their honeymoon. Her mother looked excited beyond belief, and Katherine couldn't help but feel happy for her. She was living her dream life, finally, and whether she had been a good mother or not, she still liked seeing her happy.

A huge private jet had been arranged for them, and they stepped onto the plane together, waving wildly as the crowd gathered around them threw flower petals and blew bubbles to see them off. Katherine waved, smiling at her mother, who laughed ecstatically when her husband picked her up and carried her into the plane. The crowd cheered and everybody whistled and clapped as the engines roared and they took off together for their honeymoon.

The crowd remained on the island and partied until the end of the night, but Katherine chose to retire early. She didn't want anything to do with the gaggle of rich strangers who had gathered to celebrate the wedding, and she wanted less to do with her new stepbrother. In fact, she would have been happy to avoid him for the rest of her life. She couldn't believe how foolish she had been to so much as strike up a conversation with the likes of him.

Katherine sighed and headed into the bathroom. It was still her favorite part about the estate. You live, you learn, she decided, lighting the comforting lavender-scented candles. At least now that she knew who he was and what he was like, she could take comfort in knowing that she had dodged a bullet. She sighed to herself and sank into the hot water to wash the day away.

***

Dirk left the party early. He was shaken and exhausted after his hellish night and single hour of sleep. And to top it all off, he had had a sex dream about his stepsister. Well, he hadn't known it was her at the time, but it was still pretty terrible. He couldn't help but feel dirty about it. He sighed irritably to himself, trying to reason it out. It wasn't like they were actually blood related. The fact was that he was a hot-blooded man who had a drink with an irresistible woman. For god's sake, he was a man after all, and whether anybody liked it or not, he had his needs. He wouldn't apologize for being who he was.

He stripped off his shirt and pulled on a pair of sweatpants. As soon as his head hit his pillow, he fell into a deep, sound sleep.

The next morning, he was pulled from his slumber when he heard the staff rushing about the hallways in a panic. He stirred groggily and stepped out of his bedroom to see what the commotion was about. His long hair fell in his face, and he pushed it back, squinting sleepily in search of someone who could tell him what was going on.

His gaze rested on Katherine, standing at the end of the hallway. She was flustered and upset, and he went to her instinctively, his urge to comfort her overpowering. She looked at him without seeming to see him at first, and when she did, her face reddened and she looked down at the ground. He realized, with the closest thing to embarrassment that he had ever felt, that he was shirtless, and his tattoos and muscled form were probably not the most comforting thing she could have seen. He stopped himself from reaching out to her.

“Are you all right?” he asked, his voice hoarse and thick with sleep.

“The plane is about to leave the island,” she said, close to tears. “But I can't find my passport.”

Dirk fell back into the wall, rubbing his tired face. The woman wouldn't be able to return to the United States without it. He groaned.

“Where's the last place you had it?” he asked, his mind slowly awakening enough to kick him into problem-solving mode.

“I haven't seen it since just before I boarded the plane here,” she said quietly.

“You mean you didn't have it when you got here?” he asked, straightening to his full height and looking down at her. She looked scared, so he tried to ease the intensity of his gaze and lower his voice.

“I don't think so,” she sighed. “I was in a hurry, I almost missed it. I think it fell out of my pocket.”

“All right,” Dirk grumbled, suddenly agitated. “We'll figure something out.”

He stormed off, running his hand through his hair. The last thing he wanted was to deal with her irresponsibility first thing in the morning, especially when his company was in jeopardy. And the idea of being stuck for some unknown amount of time with her until she got a new passport was very unappealing. He had been looking forward to her departure home. It was one thing to have a dream about your stepsister; it was quite another to have her lurking around while you try to secure your business. He sighed deeply and headed toward the room where he gave the staff their orders.

“Everybody knows what you're looking for, right?” he growled. “Comb the grounds. If we don't find it within the hour, let me know. We'll have to make other plans.”