Dark and Deadly 00 - Secrets Exposed Read online

  SECRETS EXPOSED

  Prologue

  A shame to bruise such lovely skin.

  Her body lay naked on the bed, her long, blond locks positioned just so around her creamy white shoulders. A bright red mark on her left shoulder caught his attention, frustrating him. He gently positioned a strand of her silky blond hair so it wouldn’t show. Wanting, needing her, to look perfect.

  Stepping back, he surveyed his work. A slow smile turned up the corners of his mouth. Unable to resist, he moved again and ran his gloved finger down her ivory cheek. Pale and still, she was like a china doll displayed for his viewing.

  Beautiful.

  Calmness was settling inside him now. His job was done. The power his success yielded was surreal, yet so alive it delivered a boost of elation. She had been a real high, a challenge, where every step of the way had been a battle of wills. She’d offered no cries for mercy, no whimpering, as if she sensed the outcome before it happened. As if she knew he didn’t believe in mercy.

  The fight had been invigorating, making him hotter and hotter with every twist and turn of her soft little body. Taking her had been so sweet, so perfect, he’d drawn it out. Slowly he had explored, touching her, moving inside her, soaking in the pure high of owning her.

  But in the end, she hadn’t been as perfect as he had first expected. She’d been a disappointment. Because she had given up. Disgust coiled inside him, and he yanked his hand away from her face, remembering the low churn of anger when she had stilled beneath him. It had turned to rage, pushing him higher and higher, forcing him to squeeze the breath out of that delicate little neck.

  The calm followed so bittersweet in the aftermath.

  He had hoped she would be different, but she wasn’t. For that he had made her punishment long and painful. Besides, she wasn’t the one he really wanted. The one that, one day very soon, he would have. Balling his fists at his sides, he clenched his teeth. It angered him the way she had left him, going to Washington as if he wasn’t important. He’d had no choice, no option, but to try to find a replacement.

  Because she was his light, and without her, he was dark.

  He let his eyes slowly close. Come to me, Lindsey.

  Chapter One

  Lindsey Paxton had to play nice with the very man who was screwing up her life.

  The elevator doors opened on the twentieth floor, his floor, and she stepped out into the corridor. A long hallway greeted her, giving her the unnerving feeling that she was in an Alice in Wonderland clip. As she searched each of the heavy oak doors for the proper address, the hallway seemed to get thinner and smaller. Nervousness was very out of character for her, yet the wrenching in her gut refused to be ignored.

  At the very end of the hall, she found his apartment number, and forced herself to take a deep, calming breath. She hadn’t realized how apprehensive she was about meeting Mark Reeves, her father’s ex-partner, until she was actually standing in front of his door.

  Life as she knew it was going to be impacted by whether she could convince him to take control over her father’s law firm. She needed him to run the firm so she didn’t have to.

  Mark had her in a compromising position, and she hated it. She could only pray he was willing to be reasonable. Lindsey reached for the doorbell and gave it a quick jab. Waiting for a response, the seconds seemed to go by like minutes. Feeling impatient, she punched the button again. Seconds ticked by, and still no answer. It would be just her luck to have traveled halfway across the country, and manage to show up at his door when he wasn’t home.

  She needed him to be here.

  Intent on knocking, wrist in position, the door flew open. To her distress, she stumbled forward, her hand reaching for support, and landing on a very hard, very masculine chest. She looked up in shock to find a man, one she presumed to be Mark Reeves, staring down at her. A devilish smile slid onto his full lips as his eyes rolled down to the placement of Lindsey’s hand. Embarrassment swept over her as she followed his gaze. Yanking her hand away, she took a step backwards as if she had been slapped.

  “I, I’m sorry,” she heard herself stammer in a voice that didn’t resemble her own.

  Mark leaned a shoulder against the door jamb and crossed one booted foot over the other before clasping his arms in front of his t-shirt-clad chest. The casualness of his attire did nothing to lessen his good looks. If anything it enhanced them. He looked like a young James Dean, standing there, oh, so cocky, and masculine.

  He was, in her book, a handsome, real life version of the Devil.

  Had he not abandoned her father’s law firm, she would be back in Washington where she belonged. Instead, she was here, in Manhattan, desperate to find a way to get back home.

  Mark gave her an assessing gaze. “Did you think holding the buzzer down would assure my attention?” His voice had a lazy quality, but it hinted at amusement. And his eyes were far too alert as they slipped down her body, and seemed to take in each and every detail.

  She had carefully dressed in a fitted white, long-sleeved suit. One that was feminine, but not overly revealing. The skirt fell several inches above the knee. It hadn’t felt short when she put it on, but the way he looked at her made her reconsider. Her jacket had a zipper straight up the middle, which she left open just enough to be feminine. His eyes assessed the area as if she revealed more than she concealed.

  She had the distinct impression he was trying to unnerve her, and she wasn’t about to let him think he’d succeeded. Despite the heavy weight of his stare, she managed a cool reply. “I didn’t hold the buzzer down. When you didn’t respond, I thought it was broken.”

  He narrowed his eyes at her. “Did you ever consider I might not be home?”

  “Actually, no.” She waved a hand his direction. “I see you are indeed at home.”

  Looking at his light brown hair, a bit too long for the attorney he was, she assumed he was into nonconformity. “Normal” and “compliant” were not words that would be used to describe Mark Reeves.

  His lips lifted in a slight smile. “You’re persistent, I’ll give you that. I wasn’t going to answer the door.”

  “I don’t give up easily.” She took a breath. “Not when something is important. I really need to talk to you.”

  Mark stood watching her for a long moment, seeming to contemplate every crevice of her face and body. She had to will herself not to fidget. She felt naked under his intense scrutiny. He was far more attractive than she had expected. Not that she hadn’t seen plenty of good-looking men. There was just something about Mark that really demanded her attention.

  After several moments, he said, “Your pictures don’t do you justice.” His tone was suggestive.

  “What?” she asked surprised. “Pictures? You know who I am?”

  The amusement in his eyes seemed to brighten. “Do you think I could work for your father for five years and not know about his amazing Lindsey Paxton?”

  Lindsey’s frown deepened. His tone was a bit sarcastic, and she didn’t like it one bit. “I had no idea. He and I . . .” Lindsey stopped short. She mentally shook herself for even starting to explain her relationship with her father. She stiffened her spine. “It doesn’t matter,” she said, steel in her tone. “I need to speak to you. Can I come inside for a few minutes?

  “I’ll save you the trouble of coming in. You can tell your father no.” His tone held icy decisiveness, and his eyes were growing cold.

  Not a good start. His feelings towards her father were still raw. She needed to get past the front door if she was going to plead her case. Arrogant, controlling men like this one—lord only knew she had worked with plenty of them, had to be handled with care. Th
is was not the time to tell him why she was here. Inside his home where she had more sure ground was the place to lay it on the line.

  As of yet Mark hadn’t moved from the spot where he was comfortably perched. He either wasn’t planning to invite her in or he was going to make her ask. She gave him a direct look that said she was not leaving until she said her piece.

  “Mr. Reeves,” she started to speak, her tone sharp enough to match his, pausing for effect, which he took advantage of to interrupt.

  His tone softened. “Mark is fine.” He smiled. A sexy, compelling smile that only served to enhance his strange shift of mood. “I hear ‘Mr. Reeves’ enough in the courtroom.”

  Her lips pursed. She found this man far too appealing for her own good. Especially since he was the enemy for all practical purposes. Why, then, was she drawn to him? “Fine.” She paused for a split second. “Mark,” she said with sharp enunciation. “My father wouldn’t approve of me being here at all. I’m here for my own reasons.”

  Their eyes locked in an unblinking stare. Curiosity flashed in his deep, dark eyes but quickly disappeared and was replaced by an expressionless mask. “Well then, I guess I should invite you in.” There was a taunting edge to his voice. “For some reason I find hearing your reason for visiting an entertaining idea.” His lips settled into a mocking smirk.

  She bit her bottom lip to quell the sharp response that begged to slip from her mouth. Mark stepped to the inside of the door, and in an exaggerated, gallant wave, motioned for her to enter. She picked up her briefcase and entered the apartment. Lindsey followed Mark down several steps into a sunken living area. Inspecting the room, she hoped for some insight into Mark’s character.

  The entire front of the living room was filled with curtain-free, ceiling-to-floor windows, allowing for a brilliant view of the towering Manhattan skyline. Lindsey walked to the sleek, contemporary, black leather couch facing the view and sat down.

  The apartment screamed money and luxury, and a pampered lifestyle. Not that she faulted him for his choices. There was a time when she had chosen the very same things. Walking away from partnership rights in her father’s law firm had been a good decision. No, she didn’t have the money she had before, but she had her self worth.

  Something she prized far more than material items.

  Mark walked to the glossy black bar to her right. “Would you like a drink?”

  “No, no thank you.” She didn’t look at him. Her focus was on the city. “Spectacular view,” she commented, unable to help herself. It was hard not to miss a city that beckoned the senses and stirred the soul.

  How had she forgotten the lure of New York?

  She could feel his eyes on her. Knew he studied her. “Thanks,” he said. “It helps me think.”

  Lindsey turned and watched him pour himself a whiskey. It was her first opportunity to assess him. He carried himself in a commanding fashion, moving with confidence. Rounding the bar, he moved in her direction, drink in hand. His jeans fit his strong, muscular legs like a glove while a white t-shirt hugged his well-defined waist and broad shoulders. A light stubble on his square jaw matched his slightly too long, sandy brown hair, giving him a rebel edge. The woman in her couldn’t help but notice how his defiant air and good looks made for one hell of a sexy man.

  Mark sat down in a large, leather chair across from Lindsey, leaning back in a relaxed fashion. He took a slug of his drink, and then pinned her in a stare. “So, why are you here Lindsey?”

  She sighed, trying to expel tension so it wouldn’t be evident in her voice. “You’re aware my father has cancer, I assume?”

  His voice held no emotion, no sign of remorse. “Yes, I know.”

  “You’re the person he was grooming to take over the firm.” It was not a question but rather a statement of fact. They both knew it to be true. He was hired to take over the role she had resigned from.

  He tilted his head a bit. “Was. Was the person.” He paused, and then added, “Actually, he settled for me when you left. You were it. You always his first choice.”

  She cleared her throat, drawing her spine up stiffly. “I understand what it’s like to bump heads with my father. Your falling-out is understandable.”

  “So kind of you to understand.” His voice was laced with sarcasm.

  Lindsey inspected his face for a clue to his mood. His aristocratic bone structure gave him an unapproachable air. She intentionally softened her voice. “I know my father can be difficult.” Just talking about her father tended to make her tense, and she hoped it didn’t show.

  He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, his glass dangling from one hand. “A falling-out is an understatement, Lindsey. Edward is a very difficult man.”

  Her defensive mechanism flared. Why she felt protective of her father, she couldn’t say. “I understand you are as well.”

  Mark’s eyebrows lifted. “What exactly does that mean?”

  She smirked ever so slightly. “You have a reputation.” In the courtroom he was known as a cobra with a deadly bite if crossed. In his personal life, rumor had it he was an extremely private person who rarely let anyone get close to him.

  “From the mouth of your father, no doubt.” His voice was colored with acid-like disdain.

  “Oh please. I’ve hardly spoken to my father over the last few years. Your reputation extends far beyond him.” And popular vote was correct; he was without a doubt a worthy opponent she would enjoy taking on in the courtroom. Of course, she would never step into a courtroom again, so that would never happen.

  He looked at her a long moment. She had no doubt he knew he had a reputation; in fact, he was probably proud of it. “It must extend quite the distance,” he said. “Don’t you live in Washington?”

  “I was in Washington and hope to go back soon.” Thus her visit to him. “I’m on a leave of absence from work due to my father’s illness.”

  “FBI, right?” he asked calling up his memory.

  “Right.”

  “Weren’t you here local for a while? In some special crimes unit?”

  Lindsey didn’t immediately respond. Her eyes drifted to the ground as her mind flashed back to some of the horrific crimes she had investigated. She had gotten out of practicing law to avoid the turbulence and bureaucracy of the legal system. In the process, she had gone from bad to worse. Her criminal law background had made her first pick for criminal investigation, and in a city like New York, that had meant she was in big demand. When the opportunity to transfer to a counter-terrorism division had come about, she had jumped at it.

  “Lindsey?”

  Lindsey mentally shook herself, desperate to snap out of her own dark thoughts. As she refocused on Mark she realized he) was staring at her. Something in his eyes made her stomach flutter. There was a sizzling awareness between them. Something she didn’t understand. It laced the air, hidden behind their conversation. She pushed the feeling aside, and said, “Yes, sorry. FBI, then and now. Only now I deal with counter-terrorism. No blood, no bodies, no red tape.” She wished she could yank the words back, but they were out before she could stop them. Her feelings about her career were none of his business.

  “I take it you saw a lot of violent crime?”

  “In the local office, all the time. Local officials called us in as back-up. In this city that was a regular thing.”

  He studied her a moment, as if he wanted to ask more. Instead he said, “Tell me about this reputation I have.”

  She raised a brow and shot him a knowing look, thankful for the change of subject. “Your way or the highway.” Inwardly she smiled, because despite her disapproving tone, she actually respected his success and the methods he used. He wasn’t dishonest or devious, just ruthlessly competitive. He won fair and square, no foul play.

  Mark’s lips turned up with a confident smile. “I like to win, if that is what you mean. I have little tolerance for obstacles.”

  “And my father was an obstacle,” she stated in a toneles
s voice. Even as she said the words, they didn’t make sense. What obstacle would her father offer that would bother Mark? Her father could be impossible at times, not listening to new thoughts and methods. Mark could have easily gotten tired of walking around his idiosyncrasies.

  Lindsey crossed her long legs and watched as Mark’s eyes shifted and followed the path from her hem to her shoes, and then back up again. She should have been insulted . . . instead, she found herself warm with awareness. She swallowed. It had been forever since she had wanted a man. Why, now, was she responding to Mark?

  “Look, Lindsey.” His voice was different now. She could tell he had decided to explain. “His priorities became skewed. At first I thought he was just distracted and would get back on track, but that wasn’t the case. Your father lost his business sense. I take my work very seriously. There are things I can deal with and things that I won’t tolerate. There are distractions, and there are obstacles. Distractions can offer a needed break, while obstacles impede progress.” He paused, looking a bit torn about his next words, before adding, “Your father became an obstacle.”

  She could understand his point, but it didn’t change her position. “He’s no longer capable of being an obstacle.”

  Mark shook his head. “He’s still an obstacle I can’t overcome, and you know it. He would cause me unwanted grief I’m simply not willing to take. Good thing you’re an attorney, Lindsey. He always wanted you to follow in his footsteps and take over for him. Now you can.”

  “I’m not an attorney any longer,” she stated firmly.

  “I know you’re still licensed to practice law.”

  She frowned, wondering how he knew that. “Only for convenience,” she clarified.

  “Are you afraid you’ve lost your touch?” The words were spoken softly, and were packed with far too much truth.

  Lindsey felt the heat of her emotions like a pinch, sharp and quick. She ignored his question. “I don’t want the firm. Don’t you understand that?”