Pure Seduction by Frank, Ella (first ebook reader .txt) 📕

I swallowed back the shout I wanted to let free at his willingness to destroy our lives for the sake of his pride, for the sake of his desires. But there was no way I could turn down the opportunity to have my mom treated by the best, for her to have the chance at more time, and this soul-deep shame I was feeling… Surely it would ease over time.

“Well, what’ll it be, Miss Anderson?”

I squeezed my eyes shut and tried not to think too hard on what I was about to do. Not only to myself, but to Noah and the child I was carrying.

“I have a condition.”

Harry’s lips curled at the side, and the pleasure he took from a win as disgusting as this told me everything I needed to know about him. Maybe Noah was better off away from this monster after all.

“And what might that be?”

“A job.”

“A job?”

“Yes. I’m going to need one, and since I have other, more pressing matters than university right now, you can supply me with one.”

Harry eyed me but then nodded. “Done. We’ll find something for you up at the villa. You can stay until—”

“I decide to leave.”

He flicked the coin again. After he caught it and stuffed it back in his pocket, he held out his hand. “Deal.”

I swallowed, then reached out and took it, sealing my fate. I knew one day I would live to regret what I had just done. But right now I had no other choice. Why else would the devil have shown up with a deal I couldn’t refuse?

29

Noah

“NOAH? NOAH, ARE you in here?”

I glanced up from the numbers I’d been crunching to see my mom standing in my office doorway.

“Oh, there you are. When you get a free moment, Ryan asked if you could come and see him. He’s working on the west yard’s fencing where some of it has weathered.”

“Not a problem. I’ll just wrap this up and head on out.”

“Great.”

Mom smiled at me, and when she didn’t immediately leave, I tossed my pen down on the desk and sat back in my seat. “Was there something else on your mind?”

She looked over her shoulder and then stepped inside, closing the door behind her. “I’d like to talk to you for a minute about something in your father’s will.”

Shit. That was the last thing I wanted to do right now. But I’d just scheduled a meeting for the end of the month with the accountant about the whole Justin situation, so if Mom had something she needed to discuss regarding anything monetary, I supposed now would be as good a time as any.

“Okay. What is it?”

Mom twisted her hands in front of herself as she took one of the chairs opposite me. She appeared nervous, which was unlike her, so I sat forward and reached across the desk.

“Mom? What’s going on?”

She placed her hand in mine and squeezed, then offered up a tight smile. “It’s about Ryan and—”

“How Harry fuck—screwed him?”

Mom lowered her eyes and nodded. “Yes. I don’t like what he did, Noah. What he withheld from him? Ryan has worked here his entire life, and what Harry did was…atrocious.”

“I agree.”

She looked me in the eye. “You do?”

“Um, yes.” I couldn’t help my derisive laugh. “That’s why I’ve been poring over these books since we found out. I’ve been trying to work out a way to, umm…funnel some extra cash his way.”

Mom’s eyes turned glassy as tears welled, but the smile that lit her face was bright enough to light the room. “Really?”

“Really. Harry’s always been a bastard, but what he did to Ryan was some bullshit.”

She wiped at her damp cheek and sniffed. “I know. I never thought he would be so cruel, and to Ryan of all people. He loved Harry, used to follow him everywhere.”

I scoffed. “I’m not surprised. Harry didn’t have a kind bone in his body.”

“That’s not true.”

“Okay, he didn’t have one for any of his kids.” I let out a sigh and ran a hand through my hair. I wasn’t going to let Harry cause an argument here. Not when I could see that Mom was already feeling emotional.

“Will you let me know what you come up with?”

“Of course. I’m going to have to be stealthy about it. I can’t see Ryan taking this willingly.”

“I know.”

“Okay. Then leave it with me and I’ll see what I can do.”

Mom got to her feet and headed to the door, and just before she opened it, she stopped and looked over at me. “Have you seen Laurel today? I’ve been looking for her all over, but I keep missing her.”

You and me both. It was Monday afternoon and had been fairly quiet for the most part. Something I’d hoped to take advantage of by tracking down Laurel and finding out why she was avoiding me. But like my mom, I’d had a difficult time locking Laurel down. Every time I found her, she’d make up some excuse to be gone, and I had a pretty good feeling why—last night.

Something had changed between the beginning of our date and the end of it. And while I’d thought she was having as good a time as I was, there had been a distinct shift in her mood after our…second tasting.

“She’s around, but I’m not sure where,” I replied.

“Okay, well, if you see her, can you let her know I’m looking for her?”

“You got it.”

With a final wave, Mom disappeared out the door, and I decided that I might as well go and see what it was Ryan needed before I got stuck back into the numbers.

I exited my office and was about to head out the back when I spotted Laurel entering the tasting room. A glance at my watch told me she’d be leaving for the day soon, and I wasn’t about to let her go without talking to her first.

I didn’t want any misunderstandings between us, and if I’d done something to offend or, worse,