Only Pleasure (Bound Hearts 10)

"Two hours," he snapped. "If you're late, I'm docking your pay. "

The call disconnected before she could argue. She should be late just for the hell of it after that comment, she thought. Minutes later, the cab pulled up to her apartment building.

She rushed inside, calculated the time, and figured she'd be at least a few minutes early.

The good thing about working for her father again was that she didn't have time to miss Chase as she would have had otherwise. The bad thing about it? She didn't have time to. miss Chase as she knew she would have.

She almost laughed at that thought as the elevator doors opened and she moved to her apartment.

At least it was a dinner club, she thought as she let herself into the apartment and rushed for the shower. Because she was starved. And she missed Chase more than she thought it possible to miss anyone.

He hadn't realized she was a pawn of such value. Of course, there had been talk, two years before, when Drew and Kia Stanton divorced. Talk that Chase Falladay was too interested in the girl's welfare, talk that something could have been brewing.

He had been watching Chase, seen the girl with him and Khalid, but he thought she had better sense. He had thought she wasn't so easy for Falladay to manipulate. He should have known better.

The other night, when he had followed them, watched her spread for him on the hood of that car and take him, he had known she was a pawn, not a child.

He'd been waiting. Waiting so patiently to find a way to hurt Falladay. To destroy him. Waiting was often the hardest part. Forcing himself to patience, forcing himself to wait, not to strike. He didn't want Chase dead. Oh no, killing him was much too simple.

He wanted to destroy him. And this girl. She was the first in many years that Chase Falladay had been known to take alone. It was obvious she meant something to him.

He watched her dash into her apartment and made his plans. He would have to be careful, very careful. He would have to arrange things just right. And when the opportunity came, he would destroy Chase Falladay through this beautiful, vibrant young woman.

It was such a shame that she would have to pay the price for her lover's sins. But wasn't that the way of the world? Justice must be served, and he would serve it through her.

She was right on time.

Kia approached her father's table, ignoring his shocked look as he caught sight of her clothes. The dinner club was trendy, new wave, and filled, as she had known it would be, with the best and the brightest of the happening business crowd.

After work it was time to relax and time to have fun. Jordain's was becoming the place for a little business mixed with a little fun, and Kia dressed the part.

The black leather skirt was short enough to be flirty without being indecent. The bronze silk blouse was stylish and undecorated. But it was the boots that got the looks. Black leather, snug, over the knee, and with killer three-inch heels that made her legs look miles longer than they actually were.

The club was warm, filled with laughter and chatter, and nearly every person she knew in Alexandria was there, she was certain.

"I'm three minutes early, I should get a bonus," she told her father as he stood and held her chair for her, glaring down at her balefully.

"I should dock you for your attire alone," he growled.

"Timothy, leave her alone. She's gorgeous," her mother said, laughing. "I love the skirt. "

Her father's expression was one of complete male frustration at that point as he turned to a grinning Ian and Cameron. "Boys, have sons, not daughters. "

Kia laughed back at them. "Yes, do. And make certain they're complete workaholics so they don't endanger any more female hearts than necessary. We'd hate for them to follow in their father's footsteps, of course. We enjoy boring lives. "

Courtney Sinclair swallowed her wine with a little cough and an astounded expression before she burst out laughing.

"Kia, warn me before you make comments like that, please," she ordered her fiercely. "Spewing my wine across the table would have been humiliating. "

"Not to mention messy. " Jaci laughed as she turned to Kia. "You bought the boots when we went shopping, didn't you?" The amusement in her eyes was wicked.

"And a few other things. " Kia smiled.

Jaci looked at the silk blouse, then pursed her lips to hide a smile. "You're wearing all the bronze?" she asked, leaning close so the men wouldn't hear.

"Every thread. " Kia wrinkled her nose playfully. "Was that one of the pictures Courtney sent him?"

Jaci's eyes widened. "You knew about the pictures?"