Villain (Hero 1.50)

Henry had only faltered once and that was when I opened the door to my apartment. I’d had to clear my throat loudly to get his attention off my assets. But from then on, he’d been a total gentleman, making direct eye contact only.

“Henry.” A tall, lithe young woman laid a hand on my date’s arm. As she pressed her boobs against his side, she smiled flirtatiously, a smile Henry easily returned. “You look wonderful as always.” She trailed her fingers over his arm. I don’t think my presence even registered on her radar. “We missed you at Fee’s birthday bash last month.”

“I was traveling. Work. Sorry I missed it.”

Anger bubbled under my skin at the fact that Henry didn’t force any distance between him and the woman. Anger I had to cool when his hand on my back tightened and he drew me closer. “Lana, this is my date, Nadia Ray.”

Lana’s eyes reluctantly swept from Henry’s face to mine and she stepped back a little. “You look familiar.”

Henry grinned proudly at me. “Nadia is WCVB’s favorite broadcast meteorologist.”

It was clear from the downturn of her mouth that Lana was less than impressed. “How diverting. I could never be a weather girl. Those early mornings have such a negative effect on the complexion.”

I stiffened at the underhand insult but Henry laughed and patted Lana’s arm, “Oh, be honest, Lana, you couldn’t do the job because it would mean exerting yourself beyond the physicality of using Daddy’s credit card.”

I choked on my laughter as Henry guided me away from the socialite, her jaw almost to the ground. “I can’t believe you said that.”

Henry shrugged. “I hate cattiness.”

“You slept with her, didn’t you?” I covered my displeasure with a teasing smile.

“Once,” he answered honestly. “It didn’t mean anything.”

To you it never does.

And there was the rub. I didn’t believe Henry when he said he wanted more from me, more nights, more dates… because he was saying that before we’d even had sex. I knew… as soon as he’d had me, he’d walk out that door and I’d never see him again. There was absolutely no way I’d make myself any more vulnerable to the man than I already had.

“It means something to her. That’s why she was rude to me.”

Henry stopped from nodding at acquaintances as we passed through the mingling crowds to face me. “I don’t want to talk about her. Or my past. I can’t change it. But I can take charge of my future.”

I shivered under the heated determination in his eyes, of the intent behind his words. “Champagne?” I squeaked out.

Laughing, he glanced around the room, perhaps searching for the alcohol, when his grin widened. “Caine’s arrived with Alexa.”

As Henry led me toward them, I tried to gain control of my nerves. I hated the fact that I had to lie to these people. Nearing the couple, I didn’t know which one to look at first; they were so striking together. Caine was even more good-looking in real life than I could have imagined, but there was a cool hardness to his masculine gorgeousness. Alexa had a fresh-faced beauty with her high apple cheekbones, thick dark hair, and vivid blue-green eyes. She was tall with a slender figure encased in a stunning pale green and silver Jenny Packham dress. The dress’s silhouette would have looked ridiculous on all of my exaggerated curves. Envy niggled at me. I’d never be able to pull off that kind of elegance.

“Alexa, looking more beautiful than ever,” Henry said.

“Henry,” she murmured, leaning into him with familiarity and affection as she kissed his cheek.

I stared at where he rested his hand on her waist a little too long and when I glanced over at Caine, I saw he was displeased by the embrace.

Jealousy pricked me for about a second until Henry caught Caine’s scowl and rolled his eyes at him, taking a step back from Alexa. Something about Henry’s amusement put me at ease. And then I saw the way Alexa turned to Carraway and stared up at his face, and I knew there was no reason to be jealous of her and Henry. I wondered if she knew her heart was in her eyes when she stared at her boss.

Interesting.

Henry nudged me forward. “Caine, Lexie, this is Nadia Ray. She’s a local weather girl.”

I tried not to read into the fact that he’d referred to my job title correctly with Lana earlier but called me a weather girl to his friends. I hoped it was just a slip and not an intentional attempt to rile me.

Recognition lit Alexa’s eyes and unlike Lana, she did look impressed. “It’s nice to meet you,” she said, and sounded like she meant it.

I grinned back tremulously, still unsure of how to act when I knew too much about her—more than I’m sure she’d be comfortable with me knowing.

Caine gave me a clipped nod that only made my nerves worse.

The man was intimidating without even trying.

“This place is insane, right?” Alexa said, bugging her eyes out as if to say, “What the hell do we do here?”

Relief at finding someone who felt like an outsider too made me laugh. “It’s not what I’m used to.”

“I hear you.” She nodded, scanning the room. “But the mini crab rolls at these things are usually to die for.”

“Nowhere near as good as the crab rolls we used to get at this little deli on campus at Wharton.” Henry closed his eyes in exaggerated pleasure. “Oh, those were the days.”

I chuckled because I equated good memories with good food too. Alexa smirked. “Crab rolls. That’s what you remember most about business school?”

“I didn’t say that.” His eyes popped open as he grinned. “The women were also very memorable.”

I refused to react because there was something about the way he deliberately didn’t look at me when he said it that suggested it was for my benefit. Was he trying to make me jealous? Did he want a reaction? What kind of game was he playing with me now?

Despite the jealousy I did feel, jealousy that told me I should not be here or even contemplating letting this man anywhere near my bed, I pretended indifference to spite him.

“Oh, so it was the crabs you remember most?” Alexa cracked and I burst out laughing.

I had a feeling I was going to like this woman.

“I wasn’t that bad.” Henry snorted. “Okay… I was almost that bad.”

“How did you put up with him? Or were you even worse than he was?” she asked Caine.

Caine didn’t join in on her teasing. He was so cold and standoffish, I was suddenly glad I hadn’t gone to him with what I’d found.

Alexa didn’t seem bothered by his attitude at all. She huffed in exasperation. “Caine never talks about Wharton. It’s like he’s wiped it from existence.”

Henry sobered as he and Caine shared a dark look; I shifted with unease. Oops. That’s why Caine was looking so uncomfortable. The topic of business school. Right. Prostituting himself through school wasn’t exactly something he wanted everyone to know about.

“We’ll get you a crab roll in a minute,” Caine suddenly said. “First we have to go over and say hello to the Delaneys.” And without another word, he guided Alexa away from us.

She shot us an apologetic look over her shoulder.

“Well… that was… uncomfortable.?

??

My date’s demeanor changed so swiftly, he reminded me of the man I’d met weeks ago in my apartment. “She doesn’t know and she’ll never know. Understood?”

“I’ve already told you I have no intention of telling anyone.”

“Good.” He grabbed my hand and wrapped it around his arm. “Make sure it stays that way.”

Bitterness reared its ugly head. “From the man who says he wants to date me.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means there’s no point in dating someone you don’t trust.”

“I trust you,” he said. Taking in my disbelief, he wrapped his hand over mine, his expression softening. “Nadia, I trust you. That was… that was a stupid thing to say to you. I… I’m uncomfortable with the fact that Caine doesn’t know that you know. I apologize.”

And there he went, switching to the gentleman. You would think I’d relax but his ability to be these two different people unsettled me. Reluctantly, I muttered, “Accepted.”

His eyes swept over my face, his features tightening. “Do you know how much I want you?”

“You’ve mentioned it once or twice.” I turned away, not quite ready to return to that flirty place with him.

“I said I was sorry.”

“I know.” I eyed him now, trying to work this man out. I knew people were complicated—we all had good and bad in us. I couldn’t work out how much of Henry was a good guy, and it bothered me more than it should considering I was only supposed to have sex with him once and be done with him.

“Then what’s the problem?”

“No problem.” I bit my lip as we studied each other. His unrelenting gaze made me sigh. “Okay… You’re so unbelievably charming.”

“That’s a problem?”

“I bet nearly all the people in this room would be shocked to their core to learn that you have a side capable of pinning a man to wall, threatening violence, and getting him fired less than twenty-four hours later.”

Understanding lightened his eyes. “And you’d be right.” He shot me a wry smirk. He glanced around the room and turned back to me. “Caine and I get things done. But we choose a different path to the same destination. He comes off cold, he’s intense, sometimes ruthless, and people fear him to the point where they don’t want to piss him off—they want to be his ally. I, on the other hand, am all lightheartedness and effortless charm. People see a blueblood who got where he is because of his father. Most of them don’t take me seriously.” He grinned and it was hard and wolfish. “They underestimate me to their own detriment.”