But Lyra was quite different. I could hardly believe they were sisters. In her, I saw innocence and her heart was warm.
"But..""I will be happy to get you a cake," I said fervently. "And a designer wedding gown and a ten-carat diamond ring." Reaching for her hand, I kissed it, then looked into her eyes. "Just tell me what you want, and it's yours."I felt her hands tremble in my own before she yanked it away. "Just bring my sister home. Safely from your brother. The more time she spends with him, the more her life is in danger. We have never been apart for years and it's driving me crazy.""You have my word. I will bring her back to you soon." I rose to my feet. "I must call my lawyer to discuss some important things. In the meantime, you should rest." I gestured to the bookshelves of first-edition books. "Read if you like. I have great books that may interest you. Your breakfast will be here at any moment. Excuse me.""Thank you for saving my sister," she whispered. She took a deep breath. "And me."Uneasiness went through me, but I shook it away. My gaze traced unwillingly over the patterns on her skin, along the curves of her full breasts beneath her T-shirt, and I gave a stiff nod. "We will both benefit from this arrangement. Both of us," I repeated, crushing my conscience like a newly sprouted weed.I couldn't turn soft because of her. I had a lot of plans I hoped to accomplish and destroying Andrei was one of them."But I'll never forget what you did for me." She said softly, looking at me with gratitude. Her brown eyes glowed, and she was far more beautiful than I'd first realized. "I don't care what people say. You're a good man. You're not heartless or ruthless like they say."My jaw tightened. Without a word, I turned away from her. Once I reached my home office, I phoned my lawyer to arrange the prenuptial agreement and discuss ways to break Lyra's trust as quickly as possible. If only she knew I was the last person who would save Illyra.She was just a pawn in my game and I didn't care what happened to her sister at all. I just desired to punish the people that betrayed me and unfortunately, she was one of them.The discussion took longer than expected. There were several things that needed to be fixed with little time available.Unfortunately, I wasn't patient because I didn't trust my brother's heart. I knew how weak and vulnerable he was whenever he was with Illyra.She was a dangerous woman and it would take little effort to bend Andrei to his knees again. I didn't know what she did to him but she was his poison.Once he reconciled with Illyra, he would come looking for her sister. He wouldn't stop until he found her to make Illyra happy. And he would ruin my plans.When I returned to the library an hour later, I found Lyra curled up fast asleep on the sofa with a cold, untouched breakfast tray on the table beside her.Such a strange young girl. She nearly cried because of hunger, but she dozed off after being served breakfast. Who did that?I looked down at her. She looked so young, sleeping. Had I ever been so young? She couldn't be more than twenty-one, eleven years younger than I was and more stupidly innocent than I had been at that age. In spite of myself, I felt an unwelcome desire to take care of her. To protect her.And so I would. For as long as she was my prisoner-that was to say, my wife. I reached out a hand to wake her but stopped. I looked down at the gray shadows beneath her eyes. Our wedding could wait a few hours. She deserved a place to sleep, a safe harbor.Carefully, I picked her up into my arms, cradling her against my chest. I carried her upstairs to the guest room. Without turning on the lights, I set her gently on the mattress. I stepped back, looking down at her in the shadowy room.I heard her sweetly wistful voice. I do love a good wedding cake with buttercream frosting roses. It was weird that I wanted to get her everything she desired.I had told her the truth. She would be my only wife. I never intended to have a real marriage or trust any human enough to give them the ability to stab me in the back. I had seen what had happened when my brother tried it.This would be as close as I would ever get to holy matrimony. For the few brief weeks of marriage, Lyra would be the closest I'd have as a wife. To a family.I took a deep breath. She'd make an exceptional wife for any man. She was an old-fashioned kind of woman, the kind they didn't make anymore. From my investigator's report, I knew she was ridiculously honest and kind.I also hired a different investigator to monitor her in Seattle. He had dressed as a homeless street person, which should have rendered him invisible. But not to Lyra, though."She came right up to me to ask if I needed anything. Then she insisted on giving me her brown bag lunch." He had smiled. "Peanut butter and jelly."What kind of girl did that? Who had a heart that was unguarded and soft? Unlike Andrei and Illyra unlike myself, Lyra deserved to be protected. She was an innocent and loyal girl who had done nothing to earn the well-deserved revenge I had planned for the other two.Even though it would still hurt her, I felt a spasm beneath my solar plexus. Guilt, I realized in shock. I hadn't felt that emotion in a long time. I wouldn't let that stop me, though. But I would be as gentle as I could with her.Turning away from her sleeping form, I went back downstairs to my home office. I phoned my head secretary, and ten minutes later, I was contacted by Honolulu's too wedding planner. Afterward, I tossed my phone onto my desk.Swiveling in my chair, I looked out the window, overlooking the penthouse rooftop pool. Bright sunlight glimmered over the blue water, and I could see the city and distant ocean.For ten years, I had been wearing Andrei down. I had been fighting his cartel tooth and claw with mine, getting his attention the only way I knew how-by, making him pay with tiny stings, death by a thousand cuts.But getting Illyra Bennet to betray Andrei would be the deepest cut of all. The fatal one. Rising to my feet, I stood in front of the window, hands tucked behind my back as I gazed out toward the Pacific.I'd give my lawyer a few weeks to transfer the possession of Lyra's land back to my control. By then, once the two little love birds were immersed in each other, I would blackmail Illyra into sabotaging my brother's cartel.I narrowed my eyes. Illyra would crush Andrei's heart beneath her boot, and he would finally know what it felt like to have someone else change his life, against his will, when Illyra betrayed him.She would have no choice when I ask her to do so. I had all the ammunition I needed to make Illyra Bennet do exactly as I wanted.I had her sister.Illyra's POV“Illyra, wake up! Wake up, please!”A hand roughly shook me awake. Startled, I sat up with a gasp, blinking in the darkness. Were we under attack?My younger sister, Lyra, was sitting on the edge of the bed. Tears sparkled on her pale cheeks in the moonlight, and I immediately knew something wrong had happened. “What’s happened? Talk to me, Lyra. What happened?” I dropped my bare feet to the tile floor, ready to run, ready to fight anyone who had made my baby sister cry. “What’s wrong? Did anyone hurt you?”Lyra took a deep breath and exhaled. “I really messed up this time.” She wiped her eyes. “But before you freak out, I want you to know it will be fine. I know how to fix it.”Rather than be comforted by this statement, I felt deepening fear. There was nothing scarier than the words she said to me. My twenty-one-year-old sister, five years younger than me, had a knack for getting into trouble. Everything she did somehow always got her into a mess. And she was wearin
For a second, I couldn’t understand the words that Lyra said. Or maybe I didn't want to understand them.The lingering tears of relief burned my eyes like acid as I stared at my sister. How on earth could she do something so stupid? A hundred thousand dollars. How would we pay back a hundred thousand dollars? We were running from men already because of our debts, and the least she could do was lay low. Instead, she decided what we owed was not enough and had to add to the number. Turning away, I started to pace, compulsively twisting a long tendril of blond hair into a tight ringlet around my finger as I struggled to make sense of all my worst fears coming true. I had feared something like this would happen at the resort. I had dreaded the day we would be stuck in a terrible situation and flee our job. I tried to control my shaking hands, but I couldn't. I tried desperately to think of a way out, and my mind was blank. There was only one way out in situations like this. “But I to
“No! It’s my fault, Illyra, and I can fix it. Listen. On Christmas Eve, I met a man who told me how...”But I didn’t wait to hear whatever cockamamy sob story someone might have fed my softhearted sister this time. No one was coming to save her, and I had to do it. I grabbed my black leather motorcycle jacket and headed for the door.“Illyra, wait! Don't do it! You don't have to do this for me. I could get you into trouble.” She cried but I ignored her. I didn’t look back. I walked out of our tiny apartment and went down the open-air hallway to the moss-covered, crumbling concrete steps of the aging building where all the Hale Ka’nani Resort’s staff lived."It’s just like riding a bike. It will be easier than you think." I told myself fiercely as I raced down the steps. It was just as easy as dozing off after a long workday. Even after ten years away from the game, I could win at poker. I could. I didn't have a choice, or my sister would be indebted. And I knew just the way Aldric w
“This is my outfit for the night.” My voice was cool as I stared him down. “For poker.”"Are you going in to play?" He asked me, looking shocked. "Yes, my sister started a game and I am here to end it." I replied. “Oh.” His round, friendly face looked confused. “Well. Okay. Go in, then.”“Thanks.” Forcing the ice in my voice to fully infuse my heart, I pushed open the door. There was no going back, and I knew it. I walked into the room and exhaled. The private room for the villa residents had a cavernous ceiling and no windows. Everything was built with security and privacy in mind. The walls were soundproofed with thick red fabric that swooped from a center point on the ceiling. The effect made the room glamorous and cozy, and claustrophobic all at once. It felt all too dark and unhealthy for me. I wondered how Lyra was brought to a place like this and didn't freak out. To me, it felt like entering the tent of a sheik’s harem. But as I approached the wealthy men who were playing
Andrei Andreevich's eyes narrowed with recognition, and then I felt the rush of his sudden searing hatred like fire. I could feel the heat of his intense eyes all over my body. “Have you met Prince Andrei?” Aldric asked, looking between us. Everyone at the table was staring as well. Maybe it was the way I looked like I had seen a ghost or the way he was gritting his teeth. Either way, we both looked vicious. “Prince?” I choked out. The last time I remembered, he didn't use his worthless title. I could not look away from his face, the face of the man I’d dreamed about unwillingly for the past ten years.His cruel, sensual lips curved as he leaned back in his chair. My heart tried to pump blood aggressively, but I resisted. I wasn't going to let my guard down for him. “Miss Bennet,” he drawled. “I didn’t know you were in Hawaii. And gambling. What a pleasant surprise.”Miss Bennet? He would never call me that ten years ago. He loved to call me Illyra all the time. His tone also carri
Fine. I felt the same about him. Let him hate me. I hate him as well. He could glare at me for hours, and I don't care. His hatred bounced off the thickening ice of my scorn for him. I’d thought he was so perfect and noble. I thought he was the right one who would love me unconditionally. I’d killed myself trying to be worthy. I gave away everything trying to fit into his life. But when he’d learned the truth about my past, he’d deserted me without giving her a chance to explain. He had abandoned me without thinking about all the promises he had made to me. So much for his honor. So much for his love.My lips twisted. Turning away, I gave the rest of the men a sensual smile. “Win this first hand, and you’ll have me at your mercy. You’ll get your revenge. Humiliate me completely. Take my body, and make your last memory of me one of your own pleasure.” I gave a soft sigh, allowing my lips to part. “My skills at cards are nothing compared to what I can do to you in bed. I’ve learned
My brow furrowed as I tried to read his expression. I couldn't understand what he was trying to do. What on earth was he doing? What was Andrei planning in his dark mind? Was he trying to help me? Or giving me more rope to hang myself with? It had to be the latter because his eyes screamed mercilessness. Andrei would never help me, especially when he had a chance to revenge. Repressing my inner tumult, I stared him down. In for a penny. I could use his idea to my advantage. I lifted my chin. “If it’s worth five more, why not ten more?”The corners of Andrei's mouth lifted. “Yes, indeed. Why not?” He looked around the table. “Miss Bennet has raised the wager by ten thousand dollars.”To my shock, one by one, the men agreed to my supposed “raise,” except for the German, who folded with an unintelligible curse. What was happening? Could I really win and save Lyra? Was Andrei helping me, and for what reason? And just like that—oh, merciful heavens—there was suddenly a pile of chips at
“You’re firing us?” My jaw dropped. “For what cause? What did we do?”“I don’t need one,” he said coldly.I stiffened. I hadn’t seen that coming, and I should have. A small-minded man like my boss would never stand being beaten in a card game by a female employee. He’d already resented me for weeks for the respect I’d quickly gained from the staff and all the notes I’d left in the suggestion box, listing possible ways to improve his management of the resort.“Fine.” I grabbed my handful of chips and glared at him. “Then I’ll tell you what I should have written up in the suggestion box weeks ago. This resort is a mess. You’re being overcharged by your vendors, half your employees are stealing from you, and the other half are ready to quit. You couldn’t manage your way out of a paper bag!”Mr. Aldric's face went apoplectic. “You—”I barely heard him as he cursed at me. These extra chips, worth thousands of dollars, would give both Lyra and me a new start—buy us a plane trip back to the