Shattered Vows (The Denton Family Legacy Book 2) (3 page)

“I didn’t order anything.”

“I doubt you ordered yourself flowers,” Betty said.

Harper spotted the flowers on the kitchen table. “They’re for me?”

“Didn’t you hear the door?” Damian asked.

She shook her head. “No, I was getting ready for work.”

“Please, you hate working for that loser.”

“You don’t even know his name,” Harper said.

“Yes, I do. It’s called asshole lawyer.”

Harper laughed, picking out the card that was inside the flowers. “Did you read it?”

“Nope. We’re interested to know who it is though. Someone from work?”

“I doubt it. I don’t recall talking to anyone.” She opened up the card, and sighed. Looking up at the other two men, she shook her head. “Seriously, I’m kind of a little creeped out right now. I don’t even know this guy, and he’s sending me flowers.”

Damian shrugged. “I didn’t know he was sending flowers.”

“Wait! Is this the asshole who grabbed your ass last night?”

“Yep. Here, keep the flowers, and the answer is no.” She handed the card over to Damian.

The simple letter had apologized for his shitty behavior last night, and asked if she would kindly forgive him by going out to dinner.

Going back to her bedroom, she changed quickly, and saw she had at least two hours to get to work. She was in the mood for walking today, and clearing her head. Exiting her room, she found Damian and Gideon at the door, saying goodbye to her friends. Moving around them, she left the apartment, shouting out a quick goodbye.

Rushing down the staircase, she burst onto the street, which wasn’t as busy. Campus was closed for the weekend, apart from the library, which was always open.

She looped her fingers through the bag on her back, and made her way in the direction of the office.

“Hey, Harper, wait up,” Damian said.

Don’t wait up.

Why not?

Ugh!

She turned toward him, and smiled. “What can I do for you?”

“You looked a little hurt there.”

“I’m good. More than good.” She smiled at him.

“Abel’s sorry,” Gideon said.

Harper paused. “Are you trying to help him?”

“Abel would like a chance to get to know you.”

“This is screaming stalker, and no way is that even book-boyfriend material!” She read a lot of books, and had a lot of guys she’d gladly have as a boyfriend. Pushing that out of her mind, she stared at the two brothers, wrinkling her nose as she looked at them. They were both good-looking men, and she imagined all of them were handsome, sexy even. Kind of like the men you didn’t want to love but had no choice but to love.

“What is a book boyfriend?” Gideon asked.

“Never mind. It was an awful example.”

“Abel just wants a chance. He’s an asshole, but he’s our brother.”

“So it makes everything okay?”

“No,” Damian said. “Look, let me just say it’s not like he has a whole lot of choice.”

“Really? Someone is forcing him?” Harper was confused.

“God, this is hard,” Damian said, looking up at the sky.

“Enjoy it. We’re all going to have to go through this.” Gideon spoke this time.

“As much as I’d love to have this chat, I have work to do.” She turned to Damian. “We had fun last night. I was a little hurt that you went home with my friend, but that doesn’t matter. It has happened a lot, and I don’t put out on the first date. Also, last night, I lied. I’m not twenty-one years old. I’m six months away from that, so I shouldn’t have been inside the casino last night. I’m sorry. Now, I don’t date, I don’t really do anything crazy. That’s all you’re going to get from me. It was nice meeting you. Please don’t break my friends’ hearts. I love them like sisters, and can I please go so I can clear my head, and not get fired?”

“By asshole lawyer?”

“Asshole lawyer actually gave me a chance. I need to pick a path for myself, and the only way to do that is to know what I do and do not want out of life.” She took a deep breath. “Nice talking to you.”

Harper left them behind, and smiled as she made her way up the street. The flowers had been nice. She couldn’t deny that. Abel Denton was the first guy to grab her ass, ask her on a date, and send her flowers. She couldn’t help but be intrigued, even though she wasn’t sure that she liked him very much. He was rude, and she didn’t really know him at all.

Pushing him to the back of her mind, she concentrated on work, and the potential future she had to start figuring out.

Chapter Three

“What do you mean, she didn’t like them?” Abel asked, following his younger brother as they entered their parents’ kitchen.

His mother, Charlotte was standing at the sink, peeling potatoes.

“I mean, she wasn’t impressed. There’s no chance of you getting with her if you keep putting pressure on her,” Damian said.

“She looked pissed that Damian was with Betty,” Gideon said, biting into an apple, and talking in between bites. “She may even have a crush on him.”

“How the fuck is this even possible? She’s mine.”

“What are you moaning about?” Charlotte asked, turning around to face the room. “Jacob and Lou are due back home any minute, and you’re moaning. What do I have to fix now?”

“Mom, you’re going crazy. Jacob and Lou are due back next week,” Abel said, laughing.

“Abel Denton, they’re coming back today. Now, are you going to be a pain in my ass, or are you going to tell me how I can solve your problems?” She had her hands on her hips, giving him a pointed stare.

“I found the woman for me, only, she hates me.” There, the truth spilled from his lips.

“The first moment he met her, he grabbed her ass, and it kind of pissed her off,” Damian said, taking a seat at the kitchen counter. “Now he sent her flowers, and expected her to fall at his feet.”

“The plot thickens though. Damian was flirting with her last night, and it looked to me like she liked Damian.”

Charlotte rubbed her temple. “I knew this was going to be a challenge when I gave birth to boys, and your father told me about this little … legacy.”

“I’m not a boy, Mom,” Tamsin said.

“Yeah, I’m kind of worried about you.”

“It’s only supposed to happen in the men, babe,” Maddox, their father said.

“And I don’t know if I like that or not,” Charlotte said. “Look, Abel, I know you’re used to getting everything you want, and not really caring about anyone else in the process, but this is the woman you’re supposed to love for the rest of your life. Don’t be an asshole, and actually think about someone besides yourself.”

“Mom, that was a little harsh,” Jacob said, making everyone turn to the new arrivals. Jacob and Lou were smiling, and they stood in the doorway, wrapped around each other. Jacob held their son.

Abel went, hugged his brother, kissed Lou on the cheek, and then kissed Riley.

After all the greetings were done, Jacob came toward him. “The legacy has struck you?”

“You can say that again.”

“Oh, another thing, Harper got into the club last night with a fake ID.”

Maddox turned to glare at Damian. “What the fuck?”

“Dad, you can’t curse in Mom’s kitchen,” Tamsin said.

“You’re telling me there was a girl underage at the casino?”

“Yep, she was only twenty, and you demand they have to be twenty-one. She’s not. You know in the UK, and in other places, the age of consent differs,” Damian said, clearly not seeing his lack of concern was pissing their father off.

Maddox stepped in front of his son. “An underage girl in my casino is bad for business, Damian. Why didn’t you deal with it?”

“I only knew this morning.”

Their father still stared at Damian, disappointment easy to see.

“I’m sorry.”

“Charlotte,” he said.

“Already on it.” Charlotte took Tamsin out of the room.

“I don’t want to leave.” Tamsin complained all the way out of the kitchen.

“Our work means we draw a fine line between legal and not. We have contacts within the force that keeps them off our back providing we pay them. Something as stupid as an underage girl could fuck everything up, and I don’t want to have to deal with that, nor do you. Do you understand me?”

“Yes.”

“Good.” Maddox stepped away and made his way out of the room.

“You’ve found your woman.”

“Yep, and she doesn’t want to have anything to do with me,” Abel said, running fingers through his hair. Just last night he’d been balls-deep inside a whore, and now, the thought of being with Deidre repulsed him.

“Sounds like me when you wanted me, Jacob,” Lou said, smiling. “I didn’t cave to him really.”

“You were a bitch.”

“Yeah, and then Riley…” The smile faded.

Riley had been Lou’s twin brother, and a voice of reason for her. He’d helped her to see that Jacob wasn’t a bad guy. Toward the later months, he’d been part of them, and their family. He was a good guy. Sadly, he’d taken a bullet, and died in Lou’s arms. Even to this day, over a year since she’d lost him, the emptiness was still there.

Lou let out a cough, and smiled. “Don’t be an asshole, Abel. That’s the only advice I can give you.”

“I came on too strong. I couldn’t help it. I just had to have her in my arms, and hold her.”

“Told you it was bad, and consuming,” Jacob said.

“I didn’t think it was like this. I had a background check done on her.” He’d known she’d been underage for the casino last night, but was more than willing to keep that detail to himself. Maddox didn’t like it when something interfered with their lives. If an underage woman died of a drug overdose in their casino, it would create a very sticky situation. It was why the Dentons were known for running a tight ship, and taking out anyone who would dare threaten that. Innocent lives being lost was not something they wanted any hand in. All of her information was on his cell phone, every detail. He knew she was working today, and that she had a deadline on picking a major at college.

Fuck, he had a hard-on for a college chick. This was a classic porno film.

Lou shook her head. “When are you men going to learn that doing background checks and blackmailing and stuff, really doesn’t work, and makes us all hate you more?”

“It’s a ploy, sister-in-law,” Abel said.

“A ploy?”

“Yeah, you see, we make you think we’re pretty bad, being an asshole and stuff. It’s so when we turn that romance button on, you all swoon at our feet.”

Jacob laughed. “You’re so full of shit.”

Lou was chuckling. “I hope this woman, whoever she is, makes you beg for it.”

“Well, I can’t stay for dinner as I’ve got to go and convince my future wife to marry me.” He ran his fingers through his hair again, and whistled. “I look good.”

Abel didn’t stick around to hear anymore, and made his way outside, climbing back into his car to get ready to woo the woman who now owned him. It couldn’t be all that difficult. His brother had done it. His parents, uncles, grandparents had all done it. He didn’t see what all the fuss was about. Wooing a woman was easy. A little bit of attention, and Harper would belong to him.

****

“Oh, my God. Are you, like, a stalker now?” Harper asked.

The day at the law office had been difficult. Not only was her boss dealing with a huge murder case, but also, her very future needed to be decided. Entering the staff room to get her bag and jacket, she hadn’t expected to see the guy from last night. He was there, and in his hand was a single red rose.

“Hello, Harper Mavis.”

“Does everything I say just go over your head?” She folded her arms, staring at him. Beside him was her bag, and her jacket actually sat folded on his lap. “I really need to call the cops.”

“You don’t. You’re perfectly safe with me.”

She stared at him, refusing to move.

“Did you like my flowers?”

Harper wanted to be mean, but it wasn’t in her nature.
Damn!
“They were beautiful, and creepy.” Why couldn’t this guy just be … normal?

He smiled, leaning forward. “Will you go on a date with me?”

“You did get the creepy part.”

“I did.”

She frowned at him. “You know I enjoyed dancing with your brother last night. Damian, he seems nice.”

This time, Abel frowned.

“Then I woke up this morning, and he was screwing one of my best friends.” She licked her lips. “I love Lara and Betty. They’re like sisters to me.”

“They’re the girls that were with you last night.”

“Yes. Anyway, what I want to say is if you want to date them, and you think going through me is the answer, please don’t. Just go out with them, and don’t get me involved.”

She forced herself to stare into his eyes.

He was completely blank, and Harper didn’t know what he was thinking. Did he want to date her friends? Was this just a ploy to get their attention? Harper wasn’t used to having a stalker try to get her attention.

“If I wanted your friends, I’d have sent them flowers, not you. Is this what you think this is?” he asked. “This is me trying to get into your friends’ pussies?”

“Ew, God, that’s gross.”

“I’m blunt. I live in a world that doesn’t allow me to be any different.”

“I don’t know what to think, okay? This is all weird to me. You’re a handsome guy, and you’re sending me flowers, turning up at my work place, grabbing my ass—this is all just a little confusing to me.”

“Damian is not the guy for you.”

“What?”

“I was told this morning that you looked a little upset about it.”

Harper stared at the man. “Can I have my bag and jacket?”

“Come and get it. I’m not holding it hostage.”

“That is exactly what you’re doing.”

“You were hurt this morning. I see it in your eyes. You liked Damian, didn’t you?”

Dropping her hand to her side, she nodded. “Fine, yes, I liked him. He was a nice guy. Out of the whole club last night, he spoke with me, and I thought we were having fun. I’ve never done anything stupid like that. I wouldn’t have taken him home, but I liked it. It was nice. This morning, I—I don’t know. I just got a little upset that he picked my friend again.”

“I’d never pick your friends over you.”

She couldn’t look away. He ran the tips of his fingers against her jacket, and Harper watched, mesmerized.

“You would always come first,” he said.

“Even with your creepy tendencies.”

“I’m a nice guy.”

Harper took a step toward him. “How can I trust you when the first thing you did to me was grab my ass?”

“You have a really nice ass. Forgive me for being taken over by the need to feel it.”

She paused as he got to his feet, holding out her jacket.

How could she be mad at that?

He touched your ass.

Abel is still a jerk.

Stepping close, she made to grab her jacket, but he held it out of reach. “I’m being a gentleman.”

“After being a crazy stalker.”

“I haven’t done anything crazy yet.”

Giving in, she turned around, and accepted his help to put her jacket on. She didn’t see why she was fighting. The bag, he picked up and placed over his shoulder. “Now, how about we go out to lunch?”

“I would really just like to go home.”

“I can take you back to my place. I have a wonderful apartment above the casino. Perfect for being at work and in bed all at the same time.”

Harper stopped. “Why didn’t your brothers take my friends back to their place?”

Abel shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m not my brothers, and I’m inviting you back to mine, no one else.”

“I don’t know if I want to go with you. You’ve been very…”

“Creepy. I know.” He held his hands up. “I can promise to keep my naughty hands to myself, and I will not cause you any trouble.”

“Do you promise?”

“Yes, I promise. I want to get to know you.”

Harper stared at him. “Fine.”

“Are you always this judgmental?”

“Not usually. I’ve never had to deal with a guy who has grabby hands. That was weird. Your wandering hands. Shouldn’t a guy get to know a girl first?” Harper asked.

“Would it help if I let you slap me?”

“I’m not a violent person. I hate violence.” She wrinkled her nose. Even movies with too much blood and gore made her feel sick.

“No slapping then.”

“I don’t feel comfortable going to your place. I don’t know you, and I left my cell phone at home so I can’t call my friends to let them know that I’m with you.”

“I won’t hurt you.”

“I just don’t want to go home with you.” She hated being mean, and the way Abel was looking all sad was really making it hard for her to keep firm to her resolve. “Maybe we could go get some dinner? Would that be okay?” Biting her lip, she stared at him, wishing she had a backbone. This guy was just so intense, and she wasn’t used to that kind of intensity from anyone.

“I can handle that.” He pulled his cell phone out, and she listened in utter amazement as within seconds he spoke his name, and got them both a table. “Our table will be ready within fifteen minutes.”

“Wow, I’ve never seen anything like that.”

“Impressed?”

“A little bit. Is Denton a popular name?” She noticed he froze at her comment. “I don’t mean to sound insulting.”