Harlequin Desire September 2015 - Box Set 1 of 2: Claimed\Maid for a Magnate\Only on His Terms (30 page)

He didn't want to hash this out here in front of the press. And he sure as hell didn't want to sound as if he was backpedaling because he'd chosen the worst possible time to blurt out a proposal.

Crossing her arms over her chest, she tipped her chin up just a notch, but enough for him to know she was good and pissed. “Would you have proposed to me if all of these people hadn't been around? Later tonight when we were alone, would you have asked me to marry you?”

Will gritted his teeth, clenched his fists at his side and honestly had no reply. He had absolutely no idea what to say. He didn't want to have such an intimate talk in front of the whole country, because that's exactly what was happening. The press would no doubt splash this all over the headlines.

“That's what I thought.” Cat's soft tone was full of hurt. “I'd say it's officially over between us.”

When she turned, she winced, but just as Will reached to help her, Bella stepped forward and slowly ushered Cat to the car. James moved in next to Will and ordered the press away. Will didn't hear much, didn't comprehend what was going on because in the span of just a few minutes, he'd gone from deliriously happy and planning his future, to seeing that future walk away from him after he'd hurt her, called her a mistake, once again.

This time, he knew there would be no winning her back.

Sixteen

“W
hat the hell is this?”

Will turned away from his office view to face his father, who stood on the other side of his desk with a folder in his hand. Will had been waiting for this moment. But he hadn't expected to feel this enormous pit of emptiness inside.

“I see you received the notice regarding your shares in Rowling Energy.” Will folded his arms across his chest and leveled his father's gaze. “Your votes in the company are no longer valid. I held an emergency meeting with the other stockholders and we came to the decision.”

Patrick's face reddened. “How dare you. What kind of son did I raise that he would turn around and treat his father like this?”

“You raised the son who fought for what he wanted.” Will's blood pressure soared as he thought of all he'd lost and all he was still fighting for. “You raised a son who watched his father put business first, above family, and to hell with the rest of the world. I'm taking Rowling Energy into new territory and I need sole control. I'm done being jerked around by you.”

Patrick rested his palms on the desk and leaned in. “No, you'd rather be jerked around by my maid. You two made quite a scene yesterday—it made headlines. You're becoming an embarrassment and tarnishing the Rowling name.”

Will laughed. “What I do in my personal life is not your concern. You poked your nose in years ago when you threatened to dismiss Catalina if I didn't dump her. I won't be manipulated ever again and you will leave Cat alone. If I even think you've tried to—”

“Knock off the threats,” his father shouted as he pushed off the desk. “Your little maid quit on me and has really left me in a bind. If you were smart, you'd stay away from her. You two get cozy and she quits. I don't believe in coincidences. Those Iberra women are nothing but gold diggers.”

Will stood up straighter, dropped his arms to his sides. “What did you say?”

Patrick waved a hand in the air, shaking his head. “Forget it.”

“No. You said ‘those Iberra women.' What did you mean?”

Will knew Cat's mother had worked for Patrick years ago. Maria had been around when James and Will had been young, when their mother was still alive.

“What did Maria do that you would call her a gold digger?” Will asked when his father remained silent.

Still, Patrick said nothing.

Realization dawned on Will. “No. Tell me you didn't have an affair with Maria.”

“Every man has a moment of weakness,” Patrick stated simply. “I expect this past weekend was yours.”

Rage boiled to the surface. Will clenched his fists. “You slept with Cat's mother while my mother was still alive? Did Mum know about the affair?”

The thought of his sweet, caring mother being betrayed tore through Will's heart. Part of him prayed she never knew the ugly acts his father had committed.

“She found out the day she died.” Patrick let out a sigh, his eyes darting to the ground. “We were arguing about it when she left that night.”

For once the great Patrick Rowling looked defeated. Which was nothing less than he deserved. Will's heart was absolutely crushed. He reached out, gripped the back of his desk chair and tried to think rationally here. Finding out your father had an affair with the mother of a woman you had fallen for was shocking enough. But to add to the intensity, his mother had died as a result of the affair.

Dread settled deep in Will's his gut. Did Cat know of this affair? Surely not. Surely she would have told him or at least hinted at the knowledge. Would this crush her, too?

“Get out,” Will said in a low, powerful tone as he kept his eyes on the blotter on his desk. “Get the hell out of my office and be glad my freezing your voting rights in this company is all I'm doing to you.”

Patrick didn't move. Will brought his gaze up and glared at the man he'd once trusted.

“You have one minute to be out of this building or I'll call security.”

“I never thought you'd turn on me,” his father replied.

“I turned on you four years ago when you threatened the woman I love.”

Will hadn't meant to declare his love for Cat, but it felt good to finally let the words out. And now more than ever he wasn't giving up. He was going to move heaven and earth to win her back because he did love her. He'd always loved her if he was honest with himself. And he wanted a life with her now more than ever.

Bella was having a fund-raiser this coming weekend and Will knew he was going to need reinforcements. He wasn't letting Cat go. Not this time. Never again.

* * *

“I figured you'd be at work today.” James sank down onto the chaise longue on his patio as Maisey played in her sandbox. “You look like hell, man.”

Will shoved his hands in his pockets and glanced toward the ocean. “I feel like hell. Thanks for pointing it out.”

“You still haven't talked to Catalina?”

Maisey squealed, threw her toy shovel and started burying her legs beneath the sand. Will watched his niece and wondered if there could ever be a family for Cat and him. She wanted a family and the more he thought of a life with her, the more he wanted the same thing.

“No, I haven't seen her.” Will shifted his focus to his brother and took a seat on the edge of a chair opposite him. “Bella's fund-raiser is going to be at the Playa del Onda house this weekend, right?”

“Yes. Dad will be out of town and that house is perfect for entertaining. Why?”

“I want you to ask Cat to help with the staff there.” Will held up a hand before his brother could cut him off. “I have my reasons, but I need your help in order to make this work.”

James shook his head and stared down at his daughter for a minute before he looked back at Will. “This could blow up in your face.”

Will nodded. “It's a risk I'm willing to take.”

“What's in it for me?” James asked with a smirk.

Will laughed. Without even thinking twice, he unfastened the watch on his wrist and held it up. “This.”

James's eyes widened. “I was joking.”

“I'm not.” Will reached out and placed the watch on the arm of his brother's chair. “You deserve it back. This has nothing to do with you helping me with Cat. The watch is rightfully yours.”

James picked it up and gripped it in his hand. “We've really come a long way,” he muttered.

Will had one more piece of business to take care of and he was not looking forward to this discussion at all. There was no way James knew of the affair or he definitely would've said something. Will really hated to crush his brother with the news, but James deserved to know.

“I need to tell you something.” Will glanced at Maisey. “Is your nanny here or is Bella busy?”

James sat up in his seat, slid his watch on and swung his legs around to the deck. “Bella was answering emails, but she can watch Maisey. Is everything okay?”

Will shook his head. “Not really.”

Worry and concern crossed James's face as he nodded. After taking Maisey inside, he returned moments later, closing the patio doors behind him.

“This must really be something if it has you this upset.” James sat back down on the edge of his chair. “What's going on?”

Will took in a deep breath, blew it out and raked a hand through his hair. “This is harder than I thought,” he said on a sigh. “Do you remember the night Mum died? Dad woke us and said she'd been in an accident?”

James nodded. “I heard them arguing earlier that evening. I was heading downstairs to get some water and heard them fighting so I went back upstairs.”

Will straightened. “You heard them arguing?”

James nodded. “Dad raised his voice, and then Mum was crying and Dad was saying something else but in a lower tone. I didn't hear what all he said.”

Will closed his eyes and wished like hell he could go back and...what? What could he have done differently? He'd been a kid. Even if James had gone downstairs and interrupted the fight, most likely their mother still would've walked out to get away from their father.

“What is it?” James prodded. “What aren't you telling me?”

Will opened his eyes and focused on his brother. “Dad had an affair. They were arguing about that.”

“What?” James muttered a curse. “Has that man ever valued his family at all?”

“There's more.” Will hesitated a moment, swallowed and pushed forward. “The affair was with Maria. Cat's mum.”

Will started to wonder if James had heard him, but suddenly his brother jumped to his feet and let out a chain of curses that even had Will wincing. James kicked the leg of the chair, propped his hands on his hips and dropped his head between his shoulders.

“If I'd have gone downstairs that night...” he muttered.

“Mum still would've left,” Will said softly. “We can't go back in time and you're not to blame. Our dad is the one whose selfish needs stole our mother. He crushed her. She would've done anything for him and he threw it all away.”

James turned. “Does Cat know this?”

Shaking his head, Will came to his feet. “I doubt it. She's never said a word to me.”

“Do you think once she knows the truth she'll take you back?”

Yeah, the odds were more than stacked against him, but he refused to back down. Nobody would steal his life again. And Cat was his entire life.

“I don't even know what to say about this,” James said, staring out to the ocean. “I never had much respect for Dad, but right now I hate that man.”

“I've made his life hell.” Will was actually pleased with the timing. “As CEO of Rowling Energy, I've frozen his shares. He can no longer vote on any company matters that come before the board.”

James smiled. “If this action were directed to an enemy, dear old Dad would be proud of your business tactics.”

“Yeah,” Will agreed, returning the grin. “He's not too proud right now, though. But I have more pressing matters to tend to.”

James reached out, patted Will on the back. “I'll do what I can where Cat is concerned. I know what this is like to be so torn over a woman.”

Torn wasn't even the word.

“I never thought either of us would fall this hard.” Will pulled in a deep breath. “Now we need Bella to convince Cat to work the party. I can take it from there. I just need you guys to get her there.”

Seventeen

I
f Catalina didn't adore Bella and her valiant efforts to raise money for the Alma Wildlife Conservation Society which she'd recently founded, Catalina wouldn't have stepped foot back into this house.

But Patrick was out of town and Bella and James had caught Catalina at a weak moment, offering her an insane amount of money to help set up for the event.

In the past week since she'd last seen Will, she'd not heard one word from him. Apparently she wasn't worth fighting for after all. Not that she would have forgiven him, but a girl likes to at least know she's worth something other than a few amazing sexual encounters.

Catalina hurried through the house, hoping to get everything set up perfectly before the first guests arrived.

Okay, fine. There was only one person on the guest list she was trying like hell to avoid.

She'd spent this past week furiously working on her final designs. She didn't have the amount of money saved up that she wanted before she left Alma, but it would just have to be enough. Alma had nothing left to offer her. Not anymore.

Catalina took a final walkthrough, adjusting one more floral arrangement on the foyer table before she was satisfied with everything. She'd already double-checked with the kitchen to make sure the food was ready and would be served according to the set schedule. She'd also told Bella she would be back around midnight to clean up. There was just no way she could stay during the party. That had been her only condition for working tonight, and thankfully Bella had agreed.

Catalina checked her watch. Only thirty minutes until guests were due to arrive. Time to head out. She'd opted to park near the side entrance off the utility room. Just as she turned into the room to grab her purse and keys, she ran straight into a very hard, very familiar chest.

Closing her eyes, she tried like hell not to breathe in, but Will's masculine aroma enveloped her just as his strong arms came around to steady her.

“Running away?” he whispered in her ear.

Knowing she'd never get out without talking, Catalina shored up all of her courage and lifted her gaze to his. “I'm not the one who usually runs.”

Keeping his aqua eyes on her, Will reached around, slammed the door and flicked the lock. “Neither of us is getting out of here until we talk.”

“I don't need you to hold onto me,” she told him, refusing to glance away. No way was he keeping the upper hand here just because her heart was in her throat.

“I want to make sure you'll stay put.”

He dropped his hands but didn't step back. The warmth from his body had hers responding. She wished she didn't fall so easily into the memories of their lovemaking, wished she didn't get swept away by such intriguing eyes. Even through their rocky moments, Catalina couldn't deny that all the good trumped the bad...at least in her heart.

“I'll stay.” She stepped back until she was flat against the door. “If I don't listen now, I know you'll show up at my apartment. Might as well get this over with.”

Why couldn't he be haggard or have dark circles beneath his eyes? Had he not been losing sleep over the fact he'd been a jerk? Why did he have to be so damn sexy all the time and why couldn't she turn off her hormones around this man who constantly hurt her?

“There's so much I want to say,” he muttered as he ran a hand over his freshly shaven jaw. “I don't know where to start.”

Catalina tapped her watch. “Better hurry. The party starts soon.”

“I don't give a damn about that party. I already gave Bella a check for the foundation.”

“Of course you did,” she muttered. “What do you want from me, Will?”

He stepped forward until her body was firmly trapped between his and the door. Placing a hand on either side of her head, he replied, “Everything.”

Oh, mercy. She wasn't going to be able to keep up this courage much longer if he kept looking at her like that, if he touched her or used those charming words.

“You can't have everything.” She licked her lips and stared up at him. “You can't treat everything like a business deal, only giving of yourself when it's convenient for you or makes you look good in the public eye.”

Will smoothed her hair away from her face and she simply couldn't take it anymore. She placed her hands on his chest and shoved him back, slipping past him to get some breathing room before she lost her mind and clung to him.

“I'm actually glad you cornered me,” she went on, whirling around to face him. “I didn't want to run into you tonight, but we both need closure. I don't want to leave Alma with such awkwardness between us.”

“Leave Alma,” he repeated. “You're not leaving Alma.”

Catalina laughed. “You know you can't control everyone, right? I am leaving. In two weeks, actually. My mother and I have tickets and we're heading to Milan.”

“What's in Milan?”

Catalina tucked her hair behind her ears and crossed her arms. “My new life. I've been working for nearly four years and I'm finally ready to take my clothing designs and see what I can do in the world. I may not get far, but I'm going to try.”

Will's brows drew in as he listened. Catalina actually liked the fact that she'd caught him off guard. He'd been knocking the air out of her lungs for a good while now and it was only appropriate she return the favor.

“I know you're angry with me for blurting out the proposal in front of such an audience, but you have to listen to me now.”

“I'll listen, but you're wasting your time if you're trying to convince me of anything. We're not meant to be, Will. We've tried, and we weren't successful either time. I don't want to keep fighting a losing battle.”

“I've never lost a battle in my life,” he informed her as he took a step closer. “I don't intend to lose this one.”

“You already lost,” she whispered. “On the island we were so happy and for that time I really thought we could come back here and build on that. But once again, I was naïve where you were concerned. As soon as we stepped foot back in Alma, you turned into that take-charge man who didn't want to look like a fool in front of the cameras. You were embarrassed to be seen with the maid, and then when you realized just how much of a jerk you were being, you opted to propose? Did you honestly think I'd accept that?”

Will was close enough to touch, but he kept his hands propped on his hips. “I reacted without thinking. Dammit, Cat we'd just had the best few days together and I was scared, all right? Everything about us terrifies me to the point I can't think straight. I've never wanted anything or anyone the way I want you and I've never been this afraid of losing what I love forever.”

Catalina gasped. He didn't just say... No, he didn't love her. He was using those pretty words to control her, to trick her into...

What? What was his end game here?

“You don't love me, Will.” Oh, how she wished he did, but that was still the naïve side of her dreaming. “You love power.”

“I won't deny power is important to me. But that also means I can use that power to channel some pretty damn intense emotions.” He leaned in, close enough for her to feel his breath on her face, yet he still didn't touch her. “And I love you more than any business deal, more than any merger or sale. I love you, Catalina.”

She didn't want to hear this. He'd used her full name so she knew he was serious, or as serious as he could be.

“I don't want this,” she murmured, trying to look away, but trapped by the piercing gaze. “I have plans, Will, and I can't hinge my entire life around a man who may or may not put me above his career.”

And even if she could give in and let him have her heart, she carried this secret inside of her that would surely drive another sizeable wedge between them.

“Listen to me.” He eased back, but reached out and placed his hands on either side of her face. “Hear every single word I'm about to tell you. For the past four years I've fought to get you back. At first I'll admit it was because my father wanted something else for my life and I was being spiteful, but the longer you and I were apart, the more I realized there was an empty ache inside of me that couldn't be filled. I poured myself into work, knowing the day would come when I'd take over Rowling Energy. Even through all of that, I was plotting to get you back.”

He stared at her, his thumb stroking back and forth along the length of her jawline as if he was putting her into some type of trance.

“Just the thought of you with another man was crushing, but I knew if I didn't fight for you, for us, then you'd settle down and I'd lose you forever. I've always put you first, Cat. Always. Even when we weren't together, I was working my way back to you.”

When she started to glance away, he tipped her head up, forcing her to keep her eyes on his. “You think I was working this long to win you back just to have sex with you? I want the intimacy, I want the verbal sparring matches we get into, I want to help you pick up those little seashells along the beach and I want to wake up with you beside me every day for the rest of my life. Rowling Energy and all I have there mean nothing in the grand scheme of things. I want the money and the power, but I want you more than any of that.”

Catalina chewed on her bottom lip, trying to force her chin to stop quivering. She was on the verge of losing it and once the dam burst on her tears, she might never regain control.

“Before you decide, I don't want anything coming between us again,” he went on. “I need to tell you something that is quite shocking and I just discovered myself.”

Catalina reached up, gripped his wrists and eased his hands away from her face. She kept hold of him, but remained still. “What is it?”

“There's no easy way to tell you this without just saying it.”

Fear pumped through her as her heart kicked up the pace. What on earth was he going to reveal? Whatever it was, it was a big deal. And once he told her his shocking news, she had a bombshell of her own to drop because she also couldn't move forward, with or without him, and still keep this secret.

“I found out that my father and your mother had an affair.”

When Catalina stared at him for a moment, his eyes widened and he stepped back. She said nothing, but the look on his face told her all she needed to know.

* * *

“You already knew?” he asked in a whisper. “Didn't you?”

Cat nodded. Will's heart tightened. How had she known? How could she keep something so important from him?

“You've known awhile,” he said, keeping his eyes on her unsurprised face. “How long?”

Cat blinked back the moisture that had gathered in her dark eyes. “Four years.”

Rubbing the back of his neck, Will glanced down at the floor. He couldn't look at her. Couldn't believe she'd keep such a monumental secret from him.

“I didn't know when we were together,” she told him. “My mom told me after we broke up. I was so upset and she kept telling me how the Rowling men... Never mind. It's not important.”

Everything about this was important, yet the affair really had nothing to do with how he felt for Cat. The sins of their parents didn't have to trickle down to them and ruin their happiness.

“I still can't believe you didn't say anything.”

Cat turned, walked to the door and stared out into the backyard. Will took in her narrow shoulders, the exposed nape of her neck. She wasn't wearing her typical black shirt and pants. Right now she had on a pair of flat sandals, a floral skirt and some type of fitted shirt that sat right at the edge of her shoulders. She looked amazing and she was just out of his reach, physically and emotionally.

“I wanted to tell you on the island,” she said, keeping her back to him. “I tried once, but we got sidetracked. That's an excuse. I should've made you listen, but we were so happy and there was no such thing as reality during those few days. I just wanted to stay in that euphoric moment.”

He couldn't fault her for that because he'd felt the exact same way.

“There's just so much against us, Will.” She turned back around and the lone tear on her cheek gutted him. “Sometimes people can love each other and still not be together. Sometimes love isn't enough and people just need to go their own way.”

Will heard what she was saying, but how could he not hone in on the one main point to her farewell speech?

“You love me?” He couldn't help but smile as he crossed to her. “Say it, Cat. I want to hear the words.”

She shook her head. “It doesn't mean anything.”

“Say it.” His hands settled around her waist as he pulled her flush against him. “Now.”

“I love you, Will, but—”

He crushed his lips to hers. Nothing else mattered after those life-altering words. Nothing she could say would erase the fact that she loved him and he loved her, and he'd be damn it if he would ever let her walk away.

Her body melted against his as her fingers curled around his biceps. Will lifted his mouth from hers, barely.

“Don't leave, Cat,” he murmured against her lips. “Don't leave Alma. Don't leave me.”

“I can't give up who I am, Will.” She closed her eyes and sighed. “No matter how much I love you, I can't give up everything I've worked for and I wouldn't expect you to give up your work for me. We have different goals in different directions.”

The fear of losing her, the reality that if he didn't lay it all on the line, then she would be out of his life for good hit him hard.

“I'm coming with you.”

Cat's eyes flew open as Will tipped his head back to see her face better. “What?”

“I meant what I said. I won't give you up and you're more to me than any business. But I can work from anywhere and I can fly to Alma when I need to.”