Hold Me (12 page)

Through the lingering patches of fog on her lenses she saw him watching her. Then, a little awkwardly because he was still balanced on the crutches, he reached up and removed her glasses. Katie’s breath caught. She felt exposed, almost naked. But she didn’t move away.

“You’re right,” he whispered, his eyes staring straight into hers. “This is completely unprofessional and a big mistake.”

And then he bent his head and kissed her. This time his kiss held a kind of desperation, almost anger. His lips ate at hers, his tongue filled her mouth, and all she could do was hold on to his broad shoulders and try to anchor herself. It didn’t work.

Spot barked. The sound jerked them both back to reality.

“I really am going to kill that dog,” Luc muttered against her mouth. He was so close that Katie could see him without her glasses, his face soft and muted like a painting.

Spot barked again. Sighing, Luc looked down at the Newfoundland, then over Katie’s head toward the outer doors. Whatever he saw there seemed to annoy him because his full mouth tensed.

“We have company.” His voice was clipped as he released her, the tone completely unlike the velvety rich deepness it had held just a moment ago. But he wiped the lenses of her glasses on the bottom of his T-shirt, and his hands were gentle when he slid them back on her face, hooking the sidepieces carefully over her ears. The world came into focus, and she was both more hidden and more vulnerable.

Luc gazed at her for a second longer, then moved away. “I guess I’d better go let him in.”

Completely baffled, Katie turned.

She saw a familiar figure outside, lounging against the stone wall that surrounded the courtyard. Luc went to the French doors and punched some buttons on a computer keypad hanging next to them before opening one.

“David,” he said. “I thought you knew the security code.”

David Allen straightened and walked into the ballroom. His mouth was compressed and his eyes held an ominous sparkle.

“Hello, Lucas. I didn’t want to interrupt.”

Luc’s face tightened. “It wasn’t what it looked like,” he said.

David bent down to pet Spot, who had run to greet him. “Then what was it?” he asked with exaggerated politeness.

Luc glanced at Katie, and she could have sworn she saw a flush darkening his cheekbones under his tan skin.

“Hello, Mr. Allen,” Katie said, and felt a blush heat up her own face.

He turned to her and smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. Then he took her hand and enclosed it in both of his, smiling more fully. “Call me David. I don’t think we need to stand on formality, do you?”

Her blush intensified for some reason. “David.”

“What the hell were you doing out there?” Luc demanded, sounding harsh and irritable.

David dropped her hand and turned to face him again. His smile took on a sharp edge. “I was checking the perimeter to see if I spotted anything unusual.”

“And did you find anything?”

“Not what I expected.”

The two men faced each other. Katie couldn’t read their expressions, but she definitely heard the warning bells. It was obvious that David was furious, and it was equally obvious that Luc was his target. Oh, for sweet Christ’s sake.

“Ahem.” She cleared her throat and brought their attention back to her. Both pairs of dark eyes stared at her with such intensity that she lost her train of thought briefly.

“What?” Luc snapped, the gentle lover long gone.

“You’re angry,” she said to David. Might as well get it out in the open.

“I am?” His voice was smooth, like butter.

“Yes, you are. You’re angry at Luc because you saw him kissing me.”

“Really.” David’s voice became, if anything, even more silky.

“Katie.” Luc glared at her, but she ignored him.

“I’m going to tell you something, David. There were two of us here in this ballroom. I have a pretty good idea how to say no if I want to. I’ve kicked one guy in the balls and sent him to the hospital, and I’m not afraid to do it again.”

Luc winced. “Katie—”

“So, I’m telling you not to worry about what happened,” she said. “It was between me and Luc and is absolutely none of your business.”

David remained silent for a long time, simply looking at her, his face unreadable. “It was unacceptable behavior,” he said finally.

“You don’t know what was going on, and you don’t know what kind of behavior it was. I’m asking you to drop it. I think you owe me that much.”

David considered her. “If that’s what you want.”

“Yes, that’s what I want.” She nodded her head, let out a breath and fisted her hands on her hips. “Now, I’d appreciate it if one of you fine gentlemen would show me the way back to the kitchen. I need some coffee.”

Actually, what she really wanted was a slug from the bottle of whiskey she’d found in a cabinet last night when she’d been making dinner, but coffee would have to do.

Luc turned without responding and limped to the main ballroom door, Spot dashing ahead. David gestured for Katie to precede him and then fell into step beside her once they were out in the hallway. Katie stifled a small sigh.

Yeah, she thought, stick with the caffeine. She knew better than most people that sometimes what you really wanted just wasn’t a good idea.

Back in the kitchen, Luc and David settled down at the table while Spot sprawled underneath it like a huge black rug. Katie, willing for the moment to assume the domestic role she’d apparently been assigned, went to the counter and dug out the coffee maker and the beans, grinding and brewing and getting out mugs and spoons and milk. Anything to keep busy. Anything to stop thinking about the way Luc had touched her, kissed her. Again. And the way David had surprised them. Again.

The two men were talking quietly, mostly about business. She could tell they were both trying to ease the tension still swirling between them. They acted as if they were brothers instead of co-workers, and she knew without asking that David’s disapproval hurt Luc. Which probably meant Luc really wouldn’t kiss her again.

Good. That was good.

Damn it.

Eventually coffee was served and there was nothing to do but either join the men at the table or leave. Looking into David’s intelligent, knowing brown eyes was hard, and a part of her wanted to make her escape and exit, stage right. But there was also the chance she might learn more about the situation in which she found herself. That possibility proved irresistible.

Katie sat next to Luc, tried to ignore the warmth of his body so close, the scent of his skin. She found herself watching him while he drank coffee, watching his throat move when he swallowed.

She forced herself to look away. God. She really had to pull it together.

The men were talking about a big case David’s squad had wrapped up a few days ago when Luc had still been working on the Silvano estate.

“I just wish we hadn’t been distracted by the question of whether or not Justin Némes was corrupt,” David said. “When the evidence he’d compiled was called into question, it delayed everything by a good nine months.”

“At least we know now that he was set up.” Luc’s eyes were flat and hard.

“But you wondered for a while, didn’t you?”

“That was because of Liza.” Luc paused and drank his coffee. “I was a little screwed up.”

“I believe it. I think she’s still in contact with him.”

Luc sighed. “Lord.”

“Who are you talking about?” Katie asked, curious. Luc shrugged, a lazy rolling of his wide shoulders.

“Just a guy we both know. A former FBI agent. It looked like he was selling drugs when he was undercover, which threw off the whole investigation. He resigned, but the charges turned out to be bogus.”

“Luc blames himself things went as far as they did,” David added. “The rumors came out at the same time he realized Némes was having an affair with Liza. Kind of got him twisted up.”

Katie studied Luc. “Liza? Your ex-fiancée?”

“She wasn’t an ex at the time,” Luc muttered.

Katie turned to David. “Didn’t Luc tell me that Liza is your administrative assistant?”

David’s smile was more natural now. “I know it sounds like Peyton Place, but the woman sure can organize an office. I’ve thought about getting her transferred, but she’s the best admin I’ve ever had. I just keep putting it off.”

“Well, that must be awkward,” Katie mused.

“We pretty much pretend we never knew each other. I stay out of her way as much as I can.” Luc sounded a little desperate to change the subject. “David, Katie’s mother called this morning.”

David sobered immediately. “Damn.” He looked at Katie, his expression all sympathetic understanding. “Did you talk to her?”

Katie’s throat was very tight. She nodded.

“She had to,” Luc said. “She used the secure phone.” He told David about the corporate retreat story. “It’s actually a pretty good cover,” he said, “but we don’t know if Mrs. McCabe bought it. God knows your mother wouldn’t have.”

David considered that for a moment. “I know someone at the company where you work,” he told Katie. “I’ll see what I can do to back you up if she calls there to check.”

Katie blinked. “You know someone where I work?”

“Sometimes I think David knows people everywhere,” Luc said.

David only shrugged. “It’s part of my charm.” He smiled at Katie and that charm was on full display. It was dazzling. Then he sobered. “You can’t talk to her again.”

She swallowed hard. “I know.”

David nodded. He reached over and covered her hand with his own, then straightened away from her. They all sat silently around the big wooden table while Spot snored underneath.

“What did you do with the Corvette?” Luc asked after a few minutes.

“I had it towed, but I’ve let everyone think you’re still on assignment. The less people who know what you’re up to, the better.”

“Good.”

“The Nova’s running okay, right?”

“Right. Hey, I forgot to tell you that it has a name.” Luc smiled.

Katie saw his eyes twinkling and groaned.

“What, the car? It does?” David looked at Katie, speculative.

“Kato.”

“You’re kidding,” David laughed. “The Green Hornet?”

Katie felt herself blush. Jeez, did everyone know the comic? It was darned embarrassing.

“That reminds me of someone.” David drummed his fingers on the table and then snapped them suddenly. “I know. Your sister Melanie.”

Katie stared at David uncomprehendingly. For a moment his words did not penetrate, didn’t make any sense. As if he was speaking a foreign language.

Melanie. Luc’s sister Melanie. It had to be a coincidence. Had to be.

But Luc paled, the amusement draining from his face. He glanced at her quickly. Guiltily.

“Shut up, David,” he said.

David ignored him, obviously not aware of the impact of what he was saying. “You know how she always names everything after comic books? What does she call you? Dick? No, that’s not it.”

Katie straightened, hugging her arms across her chest without even realizing what she was doing. She went hot, then cold, then hot again.

“Bruce?” she whispered.

“Yeah, yeah. That’s it. Bruce Wayne. Batman.” David chuckled. “Never saw it myself.”

“Shut up, David,” Luc snarled.

The other man finally seemed to realize something major was going on. His smile faded, and he looked between the two of them. “What?”

Katie stood abruptly, knocking over her chair. Spot sat up and barked.

Luc. It had been Luc. How could she not have realized it? He’d known all along that Melanie called her Annie. He loved comic books, and Melanie had told her that was how “Bruce” had taught her to read. She saw the truth hiding in his carefully expressionless face.

It fit. It all fit.

“It was you.” She had to push the words past the sudden lump in her throat.

“Katie—”

“You’re Melanie’s foster brother.”

“Katie, you’ve got to believe—”

But Katie wasn’t listening. He’d known. Oh, God, he’d known. The whole time she’d been talking to him in the ballroom, he’d known. He’d known who she was and who he was and what had happened and how he’d rejected her. And he’d just let her talk…he’d kissed her…had he laughed at her too? Had it made him think he was powerful to know how he’d hurt her? To know that he could?

She turned and practically ran for the door. She couldn’t stand to be there. She couldn’t stand to be with him. She had to be alone.

“Katie! Katie, wait!” Luc followed her, moving quicker than she would have thought possible without the crutches, but she was still able to outrun him. Then she took a wrong turn and got trapped in an alcove.

Sobbing, she tried to make a break for it, but Luc caught up with her and grabbed her arm, holding her.

“Katie, please listen.”

“Was I an amusement? Did you find me to be terribly funny? Have you known all along?”

He held her still when she tried to twist away. She couldn’t see his face because she was crying.

“I didn’t know what to say,” he said, talking fast. “How could I tell you?”

“By opening your mouth and talking. You knew, and you didn’t say anything.”

“I knew that Melanie went to live with a family named McCabe, but I didn’t recognize you right away. I was certain on Friday night when you mentioned your foster sister but I didn’t want to load that on you on top of everything else.”

All of the blood left Katie’s body and then flooded back in a rush of embarrassment so intense it was physically painful. “Friday,” she said.

“I had no idea that what I did three years ago affected you so much. I swear it.” He was talking even more quickly, as if he was trying to convince her. As if he thought she’d ever believe him again. “I had a…good reason not to show up at that party, but I didn’t know how much it hurt you.”

“You’ve known the whole time,” she whispered. “And you kissed me anyway. What do you say about that, Luc? Or should I call you Bruce?”

“Luc. It’s Luc, goddamn it. And I have nothing to say about that. I kissed you because I wanted to.”

“Asshole,” she spat.

He hauled her into his arms and kissed her again, but not gently this time. For one brief, helpless moment she responded. She couldn’t not respond. Then she started struggling and when he let her go, she slapped him across his scarred cheek. Hard.

“Never do that again.”

Luc dropped her arm and backed up. As soon as his hold loosened, she bolted for the stairs, running as if her life depended on it.

Maybe it did.