Page 44 of Vows in Name Only
Sixteen
“Cain,” Ben called from the doorway of the study.
Cain glanced up from gathering files to bring to the office. The office he was late going in to. The minutes ticked closer and closer to ten, and he had an eleven-thirty meeting. Usually, he arrived at Farrell before anyone else except the security guards, but not this morning. And he couldn’t complain. Not when the reason for him being late had just slipped from his bed a few hours earlier.
A smile tugged at his mouth as heat slid through him. There’d been a time when he would’ve never allowed a woman to interfere with his business life. But with Devon? The woman had thrown him curveballs from the moment they met. And he couldn’t regret running a little late if it meant waking up curled around her curvy little body, her scent in his nose and his sheets.
Especially considering her confession the night before.
It shouldn’t have surprised him that Gregory Cole would blackmail his own daughter, but it had. The man had no lows to which he wouldn’t sink. And though hearing her admission sickened Cain, it’d also hauled a huge weight off his chest. Until it lifted, he hadn’t realized just how much her supposed complicity with her father had eaten at him. The relief and emotional intensity from unloading his own past on her had triggered a lust that he’d worked out on the kitchen table. Another unprecedented event for him.
A contradiction of emotions had warred within him as he’d dropped her off at her home that morning. An almost overwhelming need to call her back, to stay another day in bed, locked away from the demands of the world. And a sense of...fear.
Because at some point, Devon had infiltrated his carefully constructed guard and become important.
And yeah, that was terrifying.
He still couldn’t fully trust her.
Maybe it was because of all he’d suffered as a child or who her father was, but he had a difficult time letting anyone close. Her. Kenan and Achilles. Even his mother, to a degree. Yet, none of them threatened his cocoon of self-preservation, his equilibrium, his control.
Not like Devon.
“Cain,” Ben said again.
He shook his head, shooting his butler an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry, Ben. Yes?”
“There’s a Gregory Cole here. He said you would see him even though he showed up uninvited.”
That fast, anger kindled. Damn, the balls on this man. “Send him in.”
Ben nodded and ducked out. Moments later, Gregory strode in, and it required every bit of Cain’s control to remain behind the desk. His father and Gregory were two of a kind, and just being in the same room had Cain itching to take another shower. After he slammed him against the wall.
“What are you doing here, Cole?” Cain asked, voice cold and impatient. “Showing up where you’re not wanted or invited is becoming a bad habit for you.”
The man’s smile remained in place although his green eyes glinted with irritation. “Considering we’re soon to be family, we shouldn’t stand on formality,” Gregory said. He gestured to one of the chairs in front of Cain’s desk. “May I sit?”
“No,” Cain clipped out. “I’m headed into the office. So whatever you came here to say, you need to make it quick.”
“Fine.” Gregory tugged at his cuff, the movement stiff. “I heard about the North Station project Farrell International is heading. I want in as an investor.”
Cain blinked. Stared at the other man. Then barked out a disbelieving laugh. “You’re joking.” When Gregory’s mouth hardened, his shoulders going rigid underneath his flawlessly tailored jacket, Cain laughed again. “You’re not joking.” He shook his head. “I can’t trust you, but you think I would do business with you? Ask my partners to trust you?”
“My firm is above reproach—”
“No,” Cain interrupted, voice flat. “And if you still don’t understand that. Hell no. Now—” he stuffed folders into his leather case “—if that’s all you came over here for...”
“I didn’t want to go here, but if Devon had convinced you as I asked her to, then this wouldn’t be necessary.” Gregory tsked, mock regret coloring his voice.
Unease crept into Cain’s chest, clenching his gut.
If Devon had convinced him as he’d asked?
“What are you talking about?”
“If Devon had used her influence, then I wouldn’t have to once more use the...information I have to convince you to let me in on this project. But here we are.” Gregory spread his hands wide, palms up. “Now, I can come to your office later to talk details.”
Rage, fueled by betrayal, rushed swift and hot through him. Rage at Gregory extorting him again. Proving that Cain would never be out from under this man’s thumb. Cain would forever be at his mercy as long as he possessed that inflammatory material on his mother. And Devon... She’d known all along about her father’s intentions to infiltrate this project. And she’d saidnothing. All the time they’d spent together, she could’ve but hadn’t. The sting of that betrayal burrowed deep, past skin and bone to the part of him he’d vowed no one would ever hurt again.
