He shook his head. “Nope. The only thing that will put me into a panic is the thought of you leaving.”
She smiled so wide her cheeks hurt. “Then let’s get out of here.” He straightened and took her hand, but she stopped before they got to the glass doors. “Oh, shoot. My bags. I’ve already checked them. They’re probably already on the plane.”
“Actually, that works out pretty well because I’m pretty sure my car has been towed.”
“What?”
He shrugged. “I was in a hurry.”
They did stop by the airline baggage desk to let them know of the change in plans. Luckily, her suitcases had not yet been loaded, and they could retrieve them and deliver them for a fee. Clay handed over his credit card. “It’s my fault. I’ll pay for it.”
The clerk nodded and handed over a form for Astrid to fill out. “If you could provide your delivery address, that would be great.”
Clay took that and plucked a pen from the holder on the desk, writing down his home address.
“This is moving very fast,” Astrid joked.
He lowered his head with no regard for the people around them. Astrid was fine with that. Right now, he was her whole world. He nudged her nose with his before delivering a tender, leg-melting kiss. “I’m not stupid, Astrid. I’m not letting you out of my sight.”
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The Devil’s Bargain
by Kira Sinclair
One
Three years. That’s how long she’d successfully avoided Finn DeLuca. Apparently, the reprieve was over.
Genevieve Reilly stared at her attorney...waiting for him to laugh. Or tell her April fool. Or pinch her so she’d finally wake up.
“At least the judge recognized the validity of our argument against letting him take Noah overnight.”
Oh, because that was the silver lining in this nightmare.
“How? How could this happen? You promised me he’d never be granted visitation. He’s a convicted felon, for God’s sake.”
“No.” Lance reached across the conference table and placed a soothing hand on her arm. “I told you it wasn’t likely. But it appears Mr. DeLuca has not only influence of his own, but also friends in high places. Anderson Stone spoke on his behalf as a character witness.”
“Another convicted felon.”
“With billions of dollars and a media campaign touting him as a hero who saved the love of his life from a rapist.”
“Whoop-dee-do. That has nothing to do with Finn. Finn isn’t a hero. In fact, I’m pretty sure he’s the devil’s son.”
Genevieve rubbed at the ache lodged right between her eyes. She’d regret the day she ever met Finn DeLuca...except that would mean she’d have to regret her son. And nothing could ever make that happen. Noah was the best thing in her life.
Having Noah had given her the strength to walk away from a life that was slowly poisoning her. Yes, the decision meant she and Noah had to fight for everything they had...but the fight was worth it. She’d do without if it meant raising her son in an environment that was healthy and happy.
Lance shrugged his shoulders. “Devil or not, he’s Noah’s father. And let’s be honest, he has enough money that he could have fought us as long as he wanted.”
That had sorta been her hope...and also what had kept her up at night. As long as they were in a court battle, then she didn’t have to face him. But she didn’t have access to unlimited bank accounts anymore so paying for all those legal bills would have been difficult. She’d have managed. Somehow.
They could appeal the judge’s decision, but in the meantime Finn would get visitation. Which meant she’d have to see him. A reality she’d been both dreading...and dreaming about.
Waking up with her sex throbbing from memories of Finn was something she tried not to think about. She didn’t really want him. Couldn’t, wouldn’t let herself.
Nope, she refused to admit that any part of her wanted to see Finn DeLuca again.
Her last memory of him had been less than happy. Blue-and-red lights reflecting off the forecourt of her grandfather’s estate. The cool, remote expression on Finn’s face as an officer placed a hand to the top of his head and guided him into the back seat of the cruiser.
She’d refused to attend his trial. There’d been no point. And, thank God, the prosecutor hadn’t needed her to testify. Not when Finn had been caught red-handed with a fifteen-million-dollar diamond stuffed in his pocket.
Her diamond. Or, rather, her family’s. Nearly losing the Star of Reilly to the charismatic, smooth-talking devil had almost gotten her disowned...a fate Genevieve had spent her entire life bending over backward to avoid. It was the threat her grandfather had used to keep her in line from the time she was very young.
After losing her parents at an early age, her grandfather had been the only family she’d ever known. He might have been the monster in her closet, but he was all she had. So she’d grown up desperate to please him. Desperate not to lose him, too.
Who knew a few months after Finn’s arrest she’d be the one walking away? Life was funny...and not for the faint of heart.
And the thought of seeing Finn again had Genevieve’s stomach flipping uncomfortably close to her throat. He was handsome, charismatic, dynamic and dangerous. He was temptation personified, and despite everything, Genevieve didn’t exactly trust herself to hate him. Even if she should.
“Mr. DeLuca’s attorney has requested you provide your preferred location for the visit. He expressed
