Page 44

Chapter 2

L ucas Vallois was an arrogant prick.

Marc was sure that Lucas was making him wait just because he could. Of course, he would have done the same damn thing if the roles had been reversed, which was the only reason he managed to not pace the luxurious lobby outside of Lucas’s private office. The entire area was decorated in neutral beiges, brushed nickel, and black, while large floor-to-ceiling windows looked down on the city. The cold, gray sky didn’t improve his mood. Winter hadn’t been horrible, but like the rest of the city, Marc was ready for the early signs of spring to start peeking through.

As far as he could see, the only other offices on the floor were for Lucas’s personal assistants. The male assistant had spent every second since Marc’s arrival on the phone, making a seemingly endless series of phone calls. The woman, Candace, had personally greeted him and fixed him an espresso while informing him that Lucas was just finishing up another meeting.

Meeting, my ass.

There was a nagging voice in his head prodding him to just get up and walk to the elevator. He could handle this on his own. He didn’t need Lucas Vallois and his connections. He didn’t need help.

But even as the voice needled and poked, his eyes caught on the white bandage around his left hand. The bandage stretched up his wrist and forearm, hiding long scratches and more than a few stitches. Yeah, that was why he was willing to reach out to Lucas. He’d tried to handle things on his own, and he’d come too damn close to dying.

He and Lucas had their differences and a past that wasn’t exactly positive, but Lucas was friends with Rowe Ward, and he needed Rowe’s security company to deal with his problem. And if the culprit was who he believed, then he couldn’t risk being seen walking into Ward Security. Which brought him right back to waiting on Lucas to finish with his so-called meeting.

The soft thump of heels across the carpet drew Marc from his thoughts to find Candace approaching him with a polite smile.

“Mr. Vallois is ready for you now.”

Marc gave a brief nod and grabbed the black rectangular box with a bright red ribbon he’d brought with him before he pushed to his feet. He followed the short woman into Vallois’s private domain, and he had to give the new billionaire props—it was a damn nice office. Classy and intimidating all in one. A mix of traditional with little touches of modern coolness to give everything a somewhat cold and detached feel. So much like the man himself.

Lucas stood behind his desk, his cell phone pressed to his ear. He listened to the caller, but his eyes tracked Marc as he crossed the room to him, a slight smile on his full lips as if he was already amused that Marc was there. His free hand was in his pocket, and his suit jacket was unbuttoned to reveal a crisp, white shirt under a gray vest. It was like the man was posing for a photo shoot.

“We can talk about it over dinner tonight. It’s time you told Hollis about your little plan,” Lucas murmured into the phone. He paused, his smile growing. “Fine. But he needs to know about the new restaurant before you attempt to set a wedding date. We’ll talk tonight.”

Lucas ended the call and placed the phone on the desk, turning his attention fully to Marc. “It’s good to see you, Marc.”

“Lucas. Congratulations on your marriage.” When he reached Lucas’s desk, he handed over the black box. “Considering that it only made the society page, I’m assuming everything went well. No unexpected fires or shootings.”

Lucas’s smile tensed just a bit, and Marc nearly cackled. Just over a year ago, Lucas and his businesses were constantly in the news for his near death, a car chase, and several businesses burning to the ground. Not exactly what you’d expect from a stylish property developer.

“The wedding was perfect,” Lucas said evenly.

Marc watched as he removed the ribbon and opened the box. Lucas’s only reaction was an arching of one eyebrow.

“I’m impressed. I was just searching for a nice Bordeaux.”

“The 2010 Grand Vin de Chateau Latour is my personal favorite.”

“I’ve heard that. I’ve also heard that you managed to get your hands on two cases of this particular year.” Lucas held up the bottle. “From your personal reserve?”

“It is.”

“Thank you. I think I’ll save it for our first wedding anniversary.”

It was on the tip of Marc’s tongue to ask if Lucas’s husband would appreciate the two thousand dollar bottle of wine, but he knew he was being unfair. He’d never met Andrei Vallois. Just heard vague rumors that the man was a former fighter turned bodyguard. Not exactly the silver-spoon set that Marc was accustomed to, but then neither was Lucas Vallois, technically, and the man gave off every air that he’d been born to it.

“But I think we are even more grateful for the generous donation you made this December to our children’s charity.” Lucas lifted his strangely colored eyes to Marc, pinning him. “Thank you, Marc.”

An awkward uneasiness filled Marc’s chest and he looked away first. He didn’t like to talk about his charitable donations or any volunteer work he secretly did. He didn’t like the vulnerability it touched off inside of him. The weakness. But Lucas’s gaze made it clear that he meant what he said. The stilted dance had stopped for a moment.

Marc gave a little shrug. “I figured it was either the wine or a bassinet, but I wasn’t sure if you were rushing headlong into kids now that you’re finally married.” He fully expected Lucas to laugh and deny the idea of kids, but the man just gave Marc a little smile that simply floored him. “Are you kidding me? Adopting?”

The smile Lucas gave him was a real one at last. “Surrogate,” he confirmed. He glanced down at his desk, his cheeks flushing slightly. “But it will take some time. We need to find the right surrogate, the right donor egg. We have to agree on who will be donating the sperm as well.”

“He’s not ready for a little Lucas Junior?” Marc teased.

“I’m not. Andrei has not yet come to accept that our first child will be his . It’s not negotiable.”

Marc shook his head as he paced away from Lucas and over toward the large boardroom table that ran along one side of his office in front of the massive windows. Lucas Vallois, settled down and happily married. Lucas Vallois, father. Those were some scary thoughts. The man was the king of the nightclubs in Cincinnati. He wasn’t known as a playboy, but he’d been linked to several wealthy, attractive women over the years before he finally came out and then publicly announced his engagement to his former bodyguard. He had it all…and Marc felt jealous. No, envious.

His gaze caught on the white bandage again, and he frowned. Lucas’s life would never be his life.

“When is Ward getting here?” he asked a little more harshly than he’d intended.

“Rowe is actually out of town at the moment. Personal vacation with his boyfriend. I’ve invited Ward’s COO to meet with you.”

Marc clenched his teeth and shook his head. “That’s not going to work for me. I need to keep this quiet.” He started to turn and walk back toward the door. This had been a mistake. He’d known it was a mistake from the start. Hated the idea of turning to Vallois and Ward in the first place, but he’d been desperate.

He didn’t get more than a couple of steps before there was a quick knock at the door, and then it opened to reveal Andrei Hadeon, now Vallois. Marc stopped dead in his tracks. Holy shit . He got it now. Pictures didn’t do the man justice—didn’t capture his intensity. Andrei was gorgeous in a sleek, almost predatory way. He didn’t walk through the room, but rather, prowled like some dangerous animal. And he had eyes only for his mate.

“I’m sorry I’m late. Traffic was worse than I expected for this time of day,” he said as he walked straight to Lucas. One hand slid along Lucas’s lower back as he pressed a lingering kiss on his lips.

Lucas simply smiled at him, pure contentment beaming straight from his soul. “Marc and I were just chatting about the wedding and our plans for a surrogate.”

Andrei snorted, his lips twisting into a wry smile. “Did you mention that you’ve rejected every woman as being unsuitable to carry our child due to questionable lifestyle choices?”

“I want the mother and child to be healthy.”

“The occasional pizza and chocolate ice cream is not a detriment to the baby.” Andrei turned to Marc finally, rolling his eyes. He crossed and extended his hand. Marc didn’t miss the tightening of the muscles in his face when he saw the white bandage. Those dark eyes then swept over him, and Marc swore he could hear the calculations going through the man’s head.

“It’s good to finally meet you, Mr. Vallois,” Marc said stiffly, taking Andrei’s hand.

Andrei’s smile returned. “Andrei, please. Why don’t we sit and talk about your situation?”

Marc hesitated when Andrei moved them away from the boardroom table and over to a corner with a love seat and two chairs as if they were in Lucas’s living room. It felt more intimate and cozy. It also made him uneasy. He was going to relax, say something he didn’t want to tell these men. Reveal too much about himself, his family.

But he got to his feet and he chose a spot on the love seat. To his surprise, Andrei sat directly beside him.

Lucas stood by one of the chairs, frowning a bit. “Do you want me to leave?”

“Does it matter? You’re married. You’ll hear about it anyway.”

“I don’t work that way,” Andrei said firmly. “Ward Security respects the privacy of its clients. From this moment on, Lucas doesn’t have to know another word of your situation if that’s what you want.”

Marc’s eyes moved from Andrei to Lucas and then back down to the small coffee table in front of them. Unease twisted in his stomach and pumped through his veins. He hated for anyone to know his problem, but if there was anyone who might understand, he had a feeling it was Lucas.

“Stay.” He looked up at Lucas and sighed. “I know we’ve had our differences, but I’d like your insight on handling my…problem.”

With a grunt, Lucas took the chair closest to Andrei. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, giving Marc his full attention.

Yeah…his problem…

Marc looked back down at the bandage on his hand. An ache that started in his palm echoed up his arm, but it didn’t compare to the feeling of betrayal cutting through his heart.

“So…I think someone in my family is trying to kill me.”

He chanced a glance up at Andrei and Lucas when they remained silent, expecting shock and horror, but both men were stone-faced and attentive. He didn’t know whether to find that reassuring or hurtful because they weren’t surprised that a family member wanted him dead.

“What was the first thing that happened to make you think this?” Andrei cautiously asked.

“I…I have a heart condition that requires I take medication every day. It’s easily managed but can be life threatening. Someone replaced the pills with something else. They looked nearly the same, but I’ve been taking those damn pills every day for a few years. I know them.”

“Do you know what the replacements were?” Lucas asked.

Marc shook his head. “I threw them out and called my doctor for a new script. Told myself that someone was just playing a joke. That they were placebos.”

“And what happens if you don’t take your medication?”

“My irregular heartbeat gets worse. Possibility of a heart attack.”

“What else has happened?”

“I’m allergic to tree nuts. Have been my whole life, so I don’t keep any nuts in the house as a rule. My housekeeper knows that. She cooks three times a week for me and leaves the food in the fridge. Recently, finely chopped nuts were placed in a chicken salad I ate. I wanted to think it was an accident until the epinephrine injectors I keep in the kitchen and my bedroom were missing. I luckily had a spare in a travel bag that I hadn’t yet unpacked from a trip.”

“But that’s not everything,” Andrei prodded when Marc paused.

He looked down at his hand again, helpless rage making his fingers tremble. “Someone tampered with the brakes on my car.” He forced a laugh. “So fucking clichéd. You’d think they’d go for something original. I’m actually insulted this person isn’t at least putting a little effort and creativity forth.”

“I think that lack of creativity is the reason you’re still alive,” Lucas murmured. He sat back in his chair, a scowl etched in his face. Marc could almost believe the man cared about the fact that he’d nearly been killed three times.

“Why are you convinced this is a family member?”

“Because two of them happened in my house. The person knows my routine. They know my ailments and allergies. That shit isn’t common knowledge. Just my siblings and my housekeeper know.”

“How do you know it’s not your housekeeper? An unrequited love who wants revenge for you not noticing her?”

Marc smirked at Lucas. “Mrs. Elderidge is fifty-eight. She’s been happily married for thirty-five years. She has three kids and six grandchildren.”

“Underpaid?”

“Extremely well paid, considering she does a little dusting three times a week and makes me a few small meals.” Marc could feel his face heating, and he had to look away from Lucas and Andrei when he admitted, “I started to take on more of the cleaning when she admitted that the arthritis in her hands was getting worse.”

Lucas chuckled. “Who would have guessed that you’d have a soft spot for your housekeeper?”

“Shut up.”

Andrei cleared his throat, and he at least looked like he was trying not to smile behind his hand. “Who else has access to your house?”

“My siblings. Lilah has taken up residence in the guest house. She comes and goes in the main house whenever she wants. My brothers, Richard and Gabriel, have their own places around the city, but they both have keys to my house. They know my routine.”

“What about former lovers?”

“No.”

“Have you said anything to anyone about these incidents?”

“No.”

“Have you confronted any of your siblings?”

“No.”

“How is your relationship with your siblings?”

Marc had to look away from Andrei and Lucas for a moment, staring at the white bandage around his left hand. “Until this, I thought it was good. We don’t always get along. We argue like siblings.…But nothing so serious that one of them has ever threatened me. Betrayed me…”

“And this could be someone else,” Andrei said gently.

Marc wasn’t as surprised at the man’s tone as he was by the hand that landed on his shoulder. The COO of Ward Security was not like his husband. And while he appreciated the concern, more than he was willing to ever admit even to himself, he would never show any weakness. He forced himself to stand and walk a short distance away from Andrei and Lucas, so he could stiffen his spine and straighten his shoulders.

“That’s why I want this done as quietly as possible. I don’t want my family to know I suspect anything. I don’t want anyone to know there is a problem. If it’s not one of my siblings, the accusation would hurt them, destroy what’s left of our family.” It wasn’t necessary to say what it would do to his family if it was true.

“Your home security?”

“Top of the line,” he said quickly and then paused, his lips quirking. “But it’s designed to keep intruders on the outside from getting in.”

Andrei returned the smile. “Doesn’t do shit for capturing what’s going on inside the house.”

“True.”

“We can place some discreet cameras and motion sensors around the house. No one would notice them, and only you would know of their placement. We can have it all routed to your phone as well as our home office. The cameras would be recording at all times, but I give you my word that Ward Security would view only the footage you told us to look at.”

Marc couldn’t help the wicked grin that lifted one corner of his mouth as his gaze slid over to Lucas. “While I’m sure what happens in your home is worthy of a high-priced porn production,” he drawled, pausing as Lucas glared at him. To his shock, Andrei just grinned. Night and fucking day… “I don’t bring such things into my home. In short, nothing to see.”

“The improved security system is a good first step,” Andrei continued, his voice firming.

“I don’t need the sales pitch. The cameras are enough.”

“They’re not, and this isn’t a sales pitch.” Andrei also stood, sliding both his hands into the pockets of his dark trousers. While Lucas always looked the part of the sleek businessman, the perfect suit couldn’t mask the fact that Andrei Vallois was still a fighter, a predator. Lucas was a lucky fucking man.

And Marc needed to get fucking laid.

“I understand that you want to keep everything discreet and private. And we can definitely do that. But discreet doesn’t mean anything if you’re dead.”

“I don’t need a bodyguard,” Marc snapped.

“And I don’t need you telling me how to do my job.” Andrei paused, and his dark eyes landed heavily on Marc’s bandaged hand. “There’ve been three attempts. Each time you’ve been alone. Each time you’ve been lucky. Your luck will run out.”

“I—”

“Cameras, motion sensors, a live-in bodyguard with you at all times, and my team begins quietly investigating possible suspects. We do this my way, or you can take this to the cops. Let them ransack your life.”

Marc glared at the man squaring off against him. There wasn’t an inch of give in Andrei’s stance. He wasn’t going to back down no matter what Marc argued, bargained, or threatened. And what was worse—he knew that Andrei was right. His pride had him fighting getting help in the first place, but what if he wasn’t the only one being threatened? What if one of his brothers or sisters were being threatened as well, and he didn’t know it?

“You get off on this, don’t you, Vallois?”

“A bossy Andrei?” A slow grin spread across his lips. “You have no idea.”

He looked back to Andrei to see that he hadn’t flinched or moved a muscle, but he continued to stare Marc down. Shaking his head, he paced away, cursing himself and the fucker who was trying to kill him.

“How are we going to keep this discreet and hidden from my brothers and sister if I’m suddenly going to have a bodyguard shadowing my every move?” When he turned back, it was to find Andrei smiling at him, and it sent a cold chill down his spine.

“I’ve got an idea for that.”

Marc was sure he was going to hate this idea.