Scandal (Tainted #1) Read online

  ‘Is it really necessary? Blair and I thought it would just be a quiet, family thing.’ At least Daria sounded like she was paying attention now.

  ‘You know your father.’ Well, she knew enough of him to know events like this in their household were events he wanted the wold to witness. His filthy secrets and betrayals on the other hand …

  ‘OK, I’ll think about it,’ Daria said, but it sounded more like a way to end the topic.

  ‘Thank you. Have you spoken with the French designer about the dresses? We can’t leave that much longer.’ Then there were the caterers, the decorators, the flowers. So much to do in such a short time. The distraction from her life was heaven sent.

  ‘Actually, would you mind taking a look at what I’ve drawn up? I’ve been working on dresses for Alicia, Sylvia, and myself.’

  Juliette frowned. Arthur would not allow his eldest daughter to be in anything but the best – even though she’d be happy as long as Daria was. Something else she’d have to subtly fight for without overstepping her place as the dutiful wife. ‘Email them to me and I’ll run them past your father.’

  ‘You know what he’ll say,’ Daria said, then sighed. ‘Thanks for trying though.’

  Juliette knew alright. She knew everything about that man – every scandalous detail. ‘I can’t promise he’ll agree but I’ll try.’

  ‘You’re the best,’ she said.

  Juliette smiled and her heart swelled. This was the kind of relationship she wished she could have had with her mother, one full of confidences and love. Her children’s love was the only love she’d known.

  ‘I’ll call you tomorrow, dear,’ she said.

  Daria said her goodbyes. Juliette had just returned the phone to the cradle when Arthur stormed into her study. She jumped a little, but quickly regained composure. Had he been listening to her conversation?

  But then he threw a file down on the table over her plans for the wedding. ‘This is the last straw! If you won’t let me do something about this then you should. She’s your daughter too!’

  Startled at his anger, she opened the file to reveal a dozen photographs. She didn’t recognise the couple at first. Not until she noticed the man’s dark hair beneath the cap. Though it was hard to make out his face in some, she recognised the woman attached to it.

  Juliette gasped and dropped the pictures. ‘Where did you get these?’

  ‘Does it matter? He’s playing Alicia for a fool. You have to talk to her, make her see sense. It’s either that or the press get to them first.’

  For once she couldn’t hide her anger. ‘Is that what you care about, Arthur? That your daughter’s embarrassment will cause your own? Alicia will be heartbroken.’

  The old fool sputtered. ‘I saved her from that before and look how she thanked me! No, now I care about the things she doesn’t. This family’s reputation is much more important –’

  ‘You forced her to kill her child,’ Juliette snapped, unable to hide the hatred she had for him.

  His scowl turned dangerous, like it did the day he kicked Jonathan out. Part of her wanted the same fate, but she’d be shamed. Just like Arthur’s son. Still, it meant she would be freed from this life, wouldn’t it?

  ‘She was just a child herself. Imagine the hell she’d have gone through if I didn’t! Do you think any respectable man would have had her, lumbered with a baby at sixteen?’ he countered, but his voice had turned icy cool.

  Juliette knew she couldn’t push him further. Not that she wasn’t tempted. But she wouldn’t risk him turning her children against her. They were all she had.

  He must have known he’d beaten her, because he smiled. ‘Talk to her, make her see sense or I’ll forbid her from ever setting foot in this house or associating with any of us again.’

  She gritted her teeth. ‘You can’t fault her for falling in love – it’s not a crime. And if anyone bothered to scratch the surface of the façade we all put on, they’ll find more to bring us down with than a cheating boyfriend.’

  ‘Maybe so, but nobody has reason to, and the past is buried deeply.’ He walked away, but issued one final command. ‘This weekend I want you to give Alicia these pictures. And if she doesn’t believe them, there are plenty more.’

  ‘You hired someone to dig up dirt on her boyfriend?’ And she’d assumed there were no new ways her husband could shock her.

  ‘Yes, and he’s only just scratched the surface.’

  Chapter Sixteen

  ‘That was amazing,’ Sebastian said, pulling her onto his lap and nibbling her collarbone.

  It had the affect he was hoping for – Alicia shivered and a moan escaped her lips.

  ‘Did you think that because we had a cook I’d never put a meal together before?’ she asked, arching her neck to give him better access.

  Sebastian pushed her hair out of the way, exposing her pale, smooth skin. He trailed his tongue down her artery and a flash of heat arrowed straight to his groin. ‘Everything you put your mind to turns out brilliant.’

  It was the truth. Over dinner she’d caught him up on what she’d done for the charity. In a few days she’d put everything together better than a professional probably could have. Not to mention the way she’d dealt with his confession. It made him feel like an idiot for going to see Mai and not expecting she had a ploy to make a mint off him. And he felt even worse for not telling Alicia what he’d been up to beforehand.

  ‘Flattery will get you everywhere, Collins.’ She twisted in his arms until she’d straddled his hips. ‘Maybe it’s time we moved this from the sofa?’

  He traced the outline of her lips with his thumb, putting the way his heart swelled down to gratitude. Other women may not have heard him out before they jumped to conclusions but Alicia hadn’t pushed for answers. She’d just tried to fix it, even though he’d seen the flash of hurt in her eyes. Sure, he was paying her to clean up his rep but they were also together for now. He owed her the truth.

  ‘I’ll make you a deal,’ he said.

  ‘OK,’ she agreed, but it was more than curiosity in her eyes.

  Sebastian tugged her so close their lips were almost touching. ‘I’ll do anything you want tonight, but you have to ask me for it.’

  Her eyes widened. ‘In detail?’

  He couldn’t be sure if she was turned on or terrified by what he was asking, but decided to push her that bit farther. He knew she was passionate with a lot more of herself to give. Something in her past was holding her back and he wanted her to be free of it almost as much as he wanted to wipe the floor with his opponents at Wimbledon.

  ‘Yup. You don’t ask, you don’t get.’ He grinned.

  Red scored her cheekbones. ‘I … don’t know.’

  Sebastian kissed her – hoping to make her so hot her embarrassment would fade. It backfired when she met him full-on, opening to him and caressing his tongue with hers. When her centre pressed against his erection, causing a friction that made his blood boil and reason fade, he had to pull back.

  They were both breathless as he waited, and finally she said, ‘I want you to kiss me like that. In my bedroom.’

  Any more kissing would mean he’d get way too impatient to wait for instructions, but he reckoned that was her plan. Still, he obliged because she asked and tried to pull himself back from the edge so he didn’t give in too soon.

  Her bed helped. It was all pink and fluffy with a few stuffed animals placed by her cushions. Alicia’s face turned a darker shade of red and he couldn’t hold in a chuckle. ‘It’s not the manliest place in the world.’

  She pulled off the toys and placed them on her dressing table, like she was in a rush to get rid of the evidence. ‘There’re never any men in here, so it’s not normally a problem.’

  Her admission brought back the feelings he’d had last night, in his bathroom after the first time they’d been together. It felt a lot like an instinctual need to claim and devour, which helped clear his head. This wasn’t about marking Alicia as his – she
could never be. Their lives were too different and no matter how much he’d wanted a steady partner, a home, someone to love, that was never going to happen. He’d learned his lesson with Mai.

  ‘I want you to undress,’ she said.

  All thoughts of the day and previous night got shoved aside. Alicia was asking for what she wanted and there wasn’t a shred of embarrassment in her eyes now. He tugged off his T-shirt, then went to work on his jeans. She watched his hands as he undid the buttons and pushed them down his hips.

  The carnal look in her eyes made waiting for her to ask feel like torture.

  ‘Now I strip you?’ he asked, too impatient to wait. He didn’t see the sweater that hid her figure or the jeans that didn’t do a thing to showcase her long, lean legs. All he could see was her soft curves, pale, smooth, and sexy as hell.

  But Alicia wasn’t listening. Her gaze roved over his exposed skin with parted lips, like she couldn’t get enough. His plan to get her to ask for what she wanted and open up didn’t seem as important as having his hands on her in that moment.

  When he tugged her into his arms and kissed her, he knew this was a better idea. She pressed herself closer, and all he could think was that there were far too many clothes in the way. Going to work on her jean buttons he kept her close and kissed her deeper. Alicia got rid of her top and he shoved the trousers down to her knees with her pants.

  ‘Sebastian, there’s something I want.’

  She didn’t meet his eyes, instead focused on his throat. The colour flushing her cheeks meant she was about to ask for something he probably wouldn’t mind giving her.

  ‘Name it.’

  He nibbled her throat while he unclasped her bra. Alicia dug her nails into his biceps as a sigh escaped her lips. ‘I want you to do what you did last night. I … liked that.’

  He did too. Just thinking about it made his cock harden.

  Turning them both, he sat on the edge of the bed, tugged her close. Her breasts were taunting him and no matter how hard he tried he couldn’t resist a taste. Alicia threaded her fingers through his hair and held him to her.

  He ran his thumb between her legs, groaning when he felt the silky proof of how ready she was. She jerked her hips into him, urging him on, and he didn’t tease her anymore. Sliding two fingers inside was all it took to push his patience to breaking point.

  ‘Where’s my bag?’ he asked, but didn’t let up on what he was doing.

  She was panting so hard she didn’t hear him and he wanted nothing more than to pull her down on him and bury himself as deep as his fingers.

  But they needed protection and he didn’t think that was something Alicia kept in her bedside cabinets.

  ‘Sebastian, I’m … I need …’

  He swirled her clit with his thumb, over and over until her nails bit into his shoulders so hard he thought she might draw blood. She convulsed around his digits, but he didn’t stop – even though the need to feel her doing that around his cock made it impossible to think.

  She swayed a little and he pulled her against him, bracketing her thighs with his for support. When the tremors stopped raking her body she slumped against his chest, panting against his neck. His throat felt too thick as he watched her face, bright with colour and wearing a satisfied smile.

  ‘Wow,’ she said.

  He had to agree – she was spectacular. ‘That was just the beginning.’

  Tonight had been crazy – in more ways than one.

  When she found out what he’d done with his day, Alicia’s emotions had been all over the place, and then there was the minor miracle she’d have to pull off to keep what happened out of the press.

  But Sebastian’s husky promise made it easy to forget those worries for now.

  ‘You asked for your bag,’ she said, wondering if she had enough control over her leg muscles to make it to the sitting room.

  He grinned. ‘You heard that?’

  A fiery flush scored her cheekbones. She’d heard him, but couldn’t actually process the words. Not when he’d been driving her towards an epic orgasm. Alicia untangled herself, but he kept hold of her waist. His grin faded as he looked her over and those dark eyes got so hot she forgot why she’d stood up.

  ‘We need condoms. I’ve got a packet in my bag.’

  Right, the bag. But she didn’t move. Instead, she wondered what it would be like to have him inside her without the flimsy barrier – nothing but skin on skin. An ache formed between her legs, but squeezing her thighs together didn’t help much.

  She’d been on the pill since her father found out what had happened – not that she’d ever had unprotected sex with Darrell. Accidents happened no matter how careful she’d been, so she’d kept taking them all these years.

  Still, the thought of having Sebastian with nothing between them was tempting. ‘We don’t really need them, do we? I’m covered.’

  He met her eyes then and she could see the want in them. That was the only answer she needed. She climbed onto his lap. His hand on her hips stopped her from positioning herself where she wanted to be.

  ‘We’ll talk about this later,’ he said, though from the way every muscle in his arms tensed she guessed he was holding on by a thread.

  That was probably a good idea. Even though there was no risk of pregnancy, there were other things to worry about. She shifted so she was sitting next to him instead. ‘It’s beside the chair in the living room.’

  Alicia got treated to him walking away. She’d have melted into her mattress if she wasn’t so revved up with adrenaline. He’d promised to give her what she wanted and she definitely wanted more spanking. Was even getting used to the fact it wasn’t something she’d been brought up to do. Her mother had always stressed the importance of keeping her virtue, but she’d lost that a long time ago.

  What was one more vice? Nothing in the grand scheme of things.

  Sebastian was back in record time and ready to go. He threw the box down on her bedside cabinet, then he was on her. She lay back, curled her legs around his hips, and pulled him into position. The way he kissed her showed how desperate he was to have her, which only made her need for him grow – but he didn’t thrust inside.

  She squirmed, growing more impatient under his tingling kisses. Sebastian lifted her off the bed, then sat back down. This time when she tilted her hips to the right angle, he let her. The power running through her at the control he was offering was foreign, but didn’t feel wrong – quite the opposite. It gave her the confidence she’d never had to take him in, at a pace that teased them both and gave just enough friction where it counted.

  His fingers dug into the flesh on her rear, but he didn’t rush her. When she took his erection fully into her, one of his hands left her bum, then crashed down hard enough to sting a little. The thrill of it made her jerk, and he studied her with concern creasing his forehead. Alicia smiled to reassure him this was what she wanted, and wriggled on his lap, gasping when he swelled even more inside her.

  His jaw tightened and he rested his forehead against hers. She could feel in his tense muscles the effort it was taking to let her go at her own pace, to let her get used to this new position and sensations.

  Something suspiciously close to emotion wrapped around her heart and she had to remind herself again that falling in love with men like him only ended in heartache. Instead of going to that dark place, she pushed up on her knees, then sunk back down, earning another slap from him. Every nerve ending felt raw and exposed, so much so that when she changed to grind against him, the tension coiled faster than ever.

  He kept slapping her skin, alternating sides, and each time it pushed her closer, nearer the edge until her head got light and her skin felt like a current was pulsing over it, throbbing in erogenous zones she didn’t know existed.

  Picking up her pace, she revelled in the way he thrust his hips – like he couldn’t help himself. He pulled her down so every dip dragged the head of his erection over the spot inside that created the tension.
The smacks kept coming, harder each time until she was shaking with the orgasm waiting to break free. But she held on a little longer, wanting him to fall over the edge with her.

  His breaths came faster and his thighs tensed like rocks. She kept up the pace, knowing he was close, and then let go of the flimsy hold she had on control. The coil snapped, allowing the heady warmth of pleasure to pulse around her whole body. She kept moving, unsteady now she couldn’t feel her legs. He gasped out her name while he jerked his hips into her a few times.

  When he sagged back onto the bed, she followed, nestling her head above his collarbone. Sebastian cupped the nape of her neck, holding her in place while their chests rose and fell. The tingling sensation flowing through her was better than having a glass of wine after a hard day in the office. It was better than the buzz she got from pushing herself past her limits at the gym.

  She suspected it was a feeling she’d easily get addicted to.

  Alicia snapped out of the afterglow and jumped off him too quickly. Scrambling around for a something to cover herself with couldn’t have been her sexiest moment, but she had to get away. If she let him see her now, who knew what he’d see in her eyes? The emotions she’d felt before were back and no doubt written over her face.

  Finding a pair of flannel pyjamas, she left for the bathroom and got changed. She avoided the mirror, which wasn’t easy when she brushed her teeth, but she managed it. Then after splashing her face with cold water and towelling off, she was almost sure she had it under control so headed back to the bedroom.

  The lights were out, which meant he must have got up. Glad he couldn’t see her, she crossed the room to the bed. His breathing was slow, steady. If he was asleep it meant she could claw back some much-needed distance. Slipping into the edge of the bed, she pulled what covers were left over her.

  Sebastian tugged her into the centre of the bed and held her against his chest. His warmth seeped through her skin and melted the protest on the tip of her tongue. No matter how scary these feelings were, lying with him like this was bliss and though she knew she shouldn’t, she relaxed into him.