If he did turn up, she was going to appeal to his better nature, tell him that she didn’t want to find her father anymore. And Luc would go away, and she need never see him again or think of him again.
Yeah, right. She snorted. Just how likely was that to happen? Not a night had gone by that he hadn’t come to her in her sleep, and that was what was bothering her the most—she hated him for what he was doing, but part of her couldn’t forget how he had made her feel.
Outside, the dog started barking. Mike poked his head around the door. “Lia, there’s a man here to see you.”
Lia’s hand tightened around her mug of coffee; her heart sank. “There is?”
“Yeah, and he’s got the coolest car.” Mike didn’t wait for an answer, just disappeared again.
“Shit,” Lia muttered.
“Lia!”
“Sorry—horse manure.”
Sally smiled. “You want me to go?”
For a second, Lia was tempted. Maybe she could hide under the bed or something. Then she shook her head. “No, I think this one’s for me.”
Luc’s black car was parked in the front driveway with Luc crouched down beside it, talking to Mike. She hesitated. Luc’s face was softer this time, and as she watched, he reached out and ruffled Mike’s hair, then picked him up and swung him into the driver’s seat of the car.
She opened her mouth to complain, then closed it again—this was the first time she had seen Mike animated in so long, and she wasn’t going to jump in and spoil that because she had issues with Luc. Luc was being genuinely nice—maybe he did have a better nature after all.
“It’s a Ferrari, Lia,” her brother said, his tone filled with awe.
“Is it?”
“Yes, and Luc said he’ll take me for a drive.”
“Oh he did, did he?”
“Yes,” Luc said. “I have a little brother who gets a kick out of cars too. But not tonight, kid. Tonight you get to sit there and not touch anything while I talk to your sister.”
Five minutes later, Lia scowled. So much for appealing to his better nature! It should have been obvious from their previous meeting that he didn’t have one.
Luc stood, hands thrust into the pockets of his black trousers, his cold green eyes narrowed on her.
“I’m not coming,” Lia repeated. “I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“We had a deal, cara.” He was silent for a moment, his eyes running over her, and she shifted from foot to foot under his intense gaze. “You are obviously your father’s daughter,” he said. “Treacherous. You probably can’t help yourself.”
A wave of indignation washed over her at his words. She wasn’t the one using blackmail. And calling her her father’s daughter? That was a low blow, and one that hit home, mainly because it had always been a worry to her over the years. After all, she certainly hadn’t gotten her character from her mother—but there was also another puzzling aspect to this conversation. “I thought you were his friend.”
“I said acquaintance, cara. Your father didn’t have any friends.”
“It doesn’t matter. I don’t want to find him anymore.”
“Unfortunately, I do.”
“Why?”
“Old business.”
His face was cold, implacable. She tried a different approach. “Anyway, I can’t go with you. I’ve got my little brother to take care of.”
He appeared unimpressed. “You also have a live-in housekeeper.”
“How do you know?”
“Come on, Lia. I had you investigated.”
Lia stared at him. “You’re unreal, you know that, don’t you? And in serious danger of becoming paranoid.” When he didn’t answer, she continued. “I can’t believe you had me investigated. Why?”
“Look at it from my point of view,” Luc said. “You arranged a meeting, you seduced me, then waited until I was asleep and searched my office. Of course I had you investigated.”
Lia examined his face for some sign that he was joking. This was so bizarre. He was crazy. She took a deep breath. Just stay calm.
“I did not arrange a meeting with you. I arranged a meeting with Mr. Watson. I’d never even heard of you before that night.”
Luc looked skeptical. “So you say.”
Lia wanted to scream. She took another deep breath, and then one more, closed her eyes and counted to ten.
“So, you had me investigated. You already knew all about me. You knew all the time that I was lying and that my mother was dead.”
“Not when you came to see Harley, no. But soon after that.”
She stood for a moment, nibbling on her lower lip. Would he go through with his threat and post those pictures on the Internet, leak them to the local press? The thought sent shivers of panic rippling through her. She couldn’t risk it; this was her career on the line. She had no choice but to go along with him. As she admitted it to herself, an entirely inappropriate wave of excitement washed over her, and she hugged her arms around her middle. Why did he have such an effect on her? All these years she had thought herself immune to men. Why did he have to be the one to prove her wrong?
He lounged against the wall, arms folded, but while his position was casual, his whole body radiated masculine power. With his scar and his dark good looks, his beautiful emerald eyes, he also appeared vaguely menacing and immensely sexy. It was a bizarre and powerful combination.
Her body tightened at the memory of all that leashed power focused on her. The way he had controlled her, overwhelmed her, made her feel in that moment as though she were the most desirable woman in the world—the most important person in his world. And it had all been a lie, an act.
“Well?”
His question brought her out of her thoughts. She was going to have to go with him, she knew that, but it was imperative she make one thing clear at the start. “I’ll come, but I’m not going to sleep with you. This is just to find my father.”
“Wait until you’re asked, cara.”
She ignored the comment. “And I can’t come with you if I think you’re going to hold those pictures over my head and threaten me every step of the way.”
“Lia, you will come with me because I’m holding those pictures over you.”
“That’s immoral.”
He smiled, but it did nothing to alleviate the sense of panic threatening to overtake her. “I have to admit to a certain level of moral flexibility when it comes to getting what I want,” he said. “It’s probably best you know that right from the start.”