Risqué Business (Club Risqué #8)

Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

J ames turned to look at her, an odd light in his eyes. He strode purposefully across the room, and Luanna’s eyes widened in alarm when he intruded on her personal space. “J-James?”

Instinctively, she brought her hands up, only to find they collided with his chest when he pulled her close. His unmistakable erection wedged against her belly sent a frisson of unease through her.

“I want you.” His breath sounded loud in her ear, causing her to shiver for all the wrong reasons. He mistook her reaction, of course. “And you want me too; I can feel it.”

“No!” Luanna shook her head rapidly, vehemently denying his words.

“You don’t need to play coy with me, Lulu…”

She cringed at his use of her childhood nickname. She so wasn’t that person anymore.

“Seriously James? I’m engaged…”

“That can change,” he said decisively, like it meant nothing.

A righteous anger swept through Luanna, making her strong. “And what about you, James? You’re married! Did you forget that? Did you forget I wasn’t good enough to be with you? Jesus, I am never going to be your ‘bit on the side.’ Not in any lifetime.”

“Things change,” James told her. “It will be different this time. You were always hot for me, Lulu. Did you think I forgot that?”

“That was almost twenty years ago, James. When we were kids. Before you allowed your father to rule your life and married someone else. And you’re right, times change. Believe me, I worked out exactly how important I was to you. I don't know what you're imagining, but it's all in your head," she said, pushing against his chest in an attempt to create distance.

She’d always considered James to be harmless, but there was a light in his eyes she didn’t like.

His next words froze her cold. “Kimberly’s dispensable…”

“Dear God, James. That’s your wife you’re talking about. The mother of your children.” She felt faint, just listening to the callous way he spoke about the woman who had been by his side for the past fifteen years, trying time and again to provide him with the required son, even to the detriment of her own health. That he could speak of her so carelessly sickened Luanna.

“She hasn’t produced an heir. I’ll just divorce her, and we can be together. We can get married and give Danny his rightful name. James Fulford the fourth.”

Luanna opened her mouth to speak, but the words never left her throat as James’ lips came crashing down against hers. Using her shock to his advantage, he thrust his tongue into her mouth and Luanna reacted instinctively, biting his lip and pushing him away.

“You need to leave, right now,” she told him. “And for the record, I no longer believe Danny seeing you is a good idea. Consider my agreement terminated,” she told him angrily as she pulled open the front door.

He didn’t seem like he was going to let the idea go, of course. “Luanna, just think about it,” he whined, reaching for her hand. “We could be great together.”

Jeez! The man was deluded!

Fortunately, another car pulled up outside the house, effectively saving her from the discussion.

He let go of her hands and stepped back, leaving her breathless with relief and dread simultaneously. Luanna straightened herself, thankful for the interruption, but looked in confusion as Danny climbed out of the front seat, then narrowed her eyes when his grandfather wound down his window. In true Fulford Senior style, he completely ignored Luanna, looking past her at his son. “Well?” he snapped, and James jolted like he was a child being scolded.

“Working on it,” Luanna heard James mutter as Danny came bounding up, full of exuberance as he started telling her all about his time with his sisters… and his grandfather.

Little things dropped into place, and Luanna had something of an epiphany.

“I’ll see you again soon,” Danny told James, flinging his arms around his father. If he noticed the puffy lip James sported, then he didn’t mention it, and rushed into the house to pack so they could get home in time for his next game, as soon as his grandfather’s vehicle pulled away. Once he was out of earshot, she turned on James.

“Seriously?” she demanded. “You know what, James? I do know you, and some things don’t ever change. I was prepared to give you the benefit of the doubt when we met back up again. I really thought you wanted to build a genuine relationship with your son. But this? What happened here this afternoon? This is all down to your father, isn’t it?”

She eyed him with equal parts disappointment and disgust. “You have a wife and a family, James. Are you really so gutless that you’d just throw them away to do your father’s bidding?”

James had the grace to look pained. “Luanna, I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me. Please…”

She held up a hand to stop him. “I don’t want to hear it, James. That boy in there is just a child. He’s sixteen years old. The same age as we were when I got pregnant. Can you recall how you felt back then, James? Do you remember how scared and uncertain and unprepared you were for the future that loomed ahead of you? Because I can. I remember how terrifying it was. I remember how much I needed my parents. How everything that transpired back then, moulded me into the woman I became.”

She stood close and got right in his face. “I will not allow your father’s twisted machinations to rub off on our son and be detrimental to his positivity and self-esteem. Because he’s a bloody good kid, and I will never let you ruin that.”

“Jesus, Lulu, please. I know I fucked up. I never meant to kiss you. I just lost my mind for a moment there. We have all this history…”

Luanna crossed her arms and glared at him.

“It won’t happen again, I promise, and I do want to know my son… I always did.”

The last words were quiet, almost pitiful and Luanna almost felt sorry for him.

Except, he opened his damn mouth again.

“But you don’t know the pressure I’ve been under, Lulu…”

“Stop calling me that,” she snapped. “My name is Luanna, use it. I’m not that girl anymore, but you know what, James? You’re still that boy. You’re still bowing and scraping and running scared from everything your father says and does. Grow some backbone, for all our sakes. Not just mine and Danny’s, and any relationship you might have with him, but for Kimberly and your daughters. For yourself! Stop letting him control you, because I can guarantee, he will

James’ face darkened. “Is that a threat? Are you going to let your high-powered boyfriend crush us all? Are you so high and mighty now that you’d take away the livelihood of all the hardworking people who owe their livelihood to my father’s empire?” he said with a sneer.

Luanna shook her head in pity. “Don’t try to guilt trip me, James. It’ll never work. I know how badly your dad treats his employees. I doubt that’s changed over the years. And don’t you dare judge me by your own shitty standards. If you feel that much for all the people who work for you, then start by changing things for them, for the better.”

She opened the door wider, gesturing for him to leave. “And just so you know - no, it wasn’t a threat. But do you really think the people around you will continue to put up with the way you treat them because you insist on being a slave to your father’s demands? People don’t respect him, James. They fear him. Just like you do. So maybe take a moment to think about what that will mean for you when you take over running the business.”

Danny came barrelling back down the stairs again just then, still full of his day and his new sisters, so nothing more was said.

But she did know a moment of guilt since she planned to put an end to that relationship, because while Danny might not yet realise it, Luanna knew it was toxic.