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Leith rubs his chin. “Damn, Bleu.”
“Knee and elbow strikes are permitted.” Bleu darts to Leith’s side and spins before delivering a well-placed elbow strike to his ribs, sending him to his knees. “Just so you know … he isn’t paying me to be his whore. He’s claimed me.”
Chapter Eleven
Bleu MacAllister
One night together and he asks me to move in? I suppose my virginity was a bigger asset than I anticipated. Who knew it would be so easy? But I won’t mistake confidence for trust. Sinclair Breckenridge shared his secret because he would have no qualms about killing me if I even thought of talking.
I feel bad about what I did to Leith. But in my defense, he called me a whore. He shouldn’t have done that. I’m certain it’s a mistake he won’t be making again. All ended well between us, though. He apologized, and I accepted. Water under the bridge as far as I’m concerned.
Sin looks at me frequently during the drive to his house. Sometimes it’s my face but mostly my body. He has a hungry look in his eyes. It’s the same one I’ve seen each time my tenacious side has made an appearance. A strong woman turns him on. That means I know what we’ll be doing when we get back.
We barely make it through the front door before he pulls me into his arms. His mouth crashes into mine and it isn’t gentle. He’s made love to the virgin and now he wants to fuck the fighter.
I move my mouth down his neck and taste the salt. “God, you’re sweaty.”
“I was last night as well but I don’t recall you minding.”
He’s shirtless, his saturated with red, and he has small traces of blood still around his nose and upper lip. “And you’re bloody.”
“So were you last night but I don’t recall me holding it against you.” He snickers.
“That was crude … and true.”
He urges me to the sofa, forcing me to fall on it when he pushes me backward. “Who are you and where did you come from?” He’s wearing a seductive grin so I know I’m safe. “I have a hard time believing a typical small-town girl from Tennessee would be a grand master in Muay Thai.”
Rule number one: lies are like boomerangs. You better throw them out as hard and far as you can because they always eventually come back. “My uncle is an instructor.”
He lowers himself to the sofa so he’s lying on top of me. His mouth immediately goes for my neck. “He taught you well. You delivered that elbow strike with extraordinary precision. I was very proud.” He’s hard. I feel it pressed against my stomach.
“And very turned on.”
“You can tell, aye?” He hovers above me and moves his mouth down my cheek. He puts his hand between my legs and rubs my crotch through my yoga pants.
I want to do it again but I haven’t emotionally dealt with the actuality of what I’ve done with Sinclair. I loved every touch and sensation my body experienced last night—and then again early this morning after my nightmare.
When I awoke to him comforting me, I’d been dreaming of that night. He held me and stroked my hair, whispering in my ear, “I have you, Bonny. You’re safe. It was just a bad dream.”
He makes me feel feminine and desired. No other man has ever done that so I couldn’t help myself. I had to have him again, so I was the one to initiate sex. And it was magnificent.
This is messed up. Sinclair isn’t just any petty criminal; he’s a killer. And a monster. He didn’t kill my mother but he’s the spawn of the man who did. I’m supposed to be sickened by his touch, so why am I desperate to have more of it?
Something must be terribly wrong with me.
We hear the sound of a shutting car door and look at one another. “Seems you have a visitor.” We rise to a sitting position as a knock sounds on the door.
“Aye, and whoever it is decided to come at a very inconvenient time,” he groans. He goes to the window and draws the drape for a look. “This can’t be good.”
“Who is it?”
“My father.”
Holy shit. I’m about to come face to face with Thane Breckenridge. “I can’t be introduced to your dad looking like this.” I won’t meet him wearing yoga pants and a ponytail. I grab my bag from the floor and run toward the stairs. “I just need ten minutes.”
He calls out my name but I don’t acknowledge it. I’m afraid he’ll tell me I can’t meet Thane. “Okay. Make that fifteen.”
I burst into Sin’s bedroom and look at what I have in my bag. Not much. I could put on the dress I brought for tonight. That would catch his attention but it’s not what I’m looking to do. I need Thane to look at me and see my mother. I want him to be reminded of what he did to Amanda Lawrence.
It won’t be difficult to jog his memory. I have my mother’s … everything. Thick chestnut hair, identical shade of steel-blue eyes. I got nothing from my biological father. I’m sure everyone would comment on how similar we look if she were still living. But she isn’t. Thane made her an angel in the ground.
I completely expect him to be confused when he looks at me and sees my mother’s face. He’ll try to work it out in his head—how a young woman can look so much like a person he killed. Even if he suspected I was her daughter, Stella Lawrence is dead according to the forged death certificate.
The world wasn’t so technologically advanced eighteen years ago. It was pretty easy to have me declared dead on paper since Harry knew all the right people to make it happen. He took extreme measures for my protection, going as far as having a headstone placed next to my mother’s, so her killer would never return for me.
I’m still rummaging through my bag for something to wear when Sin comes into his bedroom. “Bonny, you can’t meet my father.”
“Why not?”
“I told you that The Fellowship won’t approve of us being involved with one another because you aren’t one of us.”
“Oh.” I shrug and fold the blouse I was considering and return it to my bag. “I didn’t think of that.”
“I don’t know how long I’ll be. Perhaps you’d like to read in the study while I’m tied up. It’s well stocked.”
“I guess I can do that.” I could, but I won’t. I’ll be formulating a plan to get to Thane. There’s no way I’m going to be in the same house as my target and miss being introduced to him.
“Are you always so agreeable?” He embraces me and places a featherlight kiss on my temple.
“Never. I guess you just have a way with me.” I return his embrace, my arms around his middle squeezing tightly. “I’ll be here waiting when you’re finished.”
“We might have to take a rain check on spending the rest of the day together. It depends on what we decide to do about our problem.”
Perfect. I know exactly how this will play out. “Do what you must.”
I wait forty minutes and decide to put my plan into action. I place my bag on my shoulder and make my way toward Sin’s office. I knock softly, waiting for him to tell me to enter, but he doesn’t. Instead, he opens the door and stares at me. I did this knowing I was risking his wrath. Well, I think I have it. He looks furious.
“I’m sorry to be interrupting but I can see that you’re very busy,” I whisper. “I’m gonna go. We can do this another day when you aren’t tied up with business.”
“I don’t want you to go,” he murmurs. “I need another thirty minutes. Maybe forty-five.”
His large frame is blocking my view of Thane but I hear him. “Sin, you didn’t tell me you had a visitor. I’d like to meet your guest, son.” His voice makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck.
Sin says nothing and opens the door the rest of the way so I may enter. Thane rises and turns to greet me. The shocked expression he’s wearing sends chills down my spine.
He holds out his hand and I place mine inside his. I’m touching the finger that pulled the trigger of the gun that killed my mother. This hand is one of two that held a pillow over my face until I could no longer breathe. “I’m Thane Breckenridge.”
I see w
here Sin gets his good looks. Father and son are very similar. I didn’t realize that until now. I can imagine a younger Thane looking very much the way his son does today. For the first time ever, I can consider the reason my mother might have been having a relationship with this man. Despite the gray hair at his temples and crow’s-feet around his eyes, he’s very handsome. “It’s a pleasure, Mr. Breckenridge. I’m Bleu MacAllister.”
“Bleu,” he whispers while studying my face. “You’re American.”
“Yes. I’m in Edinburgh to settle my late aunt’s estate and final arrangements.” He’s blatantly staring at me. It’s unnerving. “Is something wrong, Mr. Breckenridge?”
“You remind me of someone I once knew. The resemblance is uncanny.” Perfect. He’s seeing me just as I hoped he would.
“You know what they say—everyone has a twin somewhere.”
“True, but it’s more than your appearance. Your voice sounds just like hers. The accent is a dead ringer.”
“She must have been southern.” I laugh. “I hope I’ve spurred happy memories.”
“Aye. I loved her very much.” He could’ve said anything but that. He didn’t love my mother. If he did, he wouldn’t have killed her.
“It’s good to know I don’t bring up bad recollections for you.” I adjust my bag on my shoulder. “My apologies, again. I didn’t mean to interrupt your meeting.” I look at Sin. “We’ll try this again at a more convenient time.”
I’ve planted the seed in Thane’s mind. His head must be spinning about who I am and where I came from.
“Stay, Miss MacAllister.” There’s no request in the tone of Thane’s voice. It’s a demand. “Go change into something suitable for dining out. I’m taking you to lunch. I want to get to know the young lady in my son’s life.”
I look to Sin, as if to ask permission. He nods, not really able to go against his father’s request. “I’d like that very much.”
I turn to leave but stop because a picture frame captures my attention. It’s the photo of me, the one he took from my apartment. It’s sitting on the corner of his desk facing his chair—staring right at him while he works. He was telling the truth.
