Beauty and the Billionaire Bad*ss Page 6

  Silence filled the cabin, and Scarlett grew uncomfortable. Carter, dressed casually in khakis and a white button up, looked busy. It was the first time he hadn’t worn a suit around her. Was he becoming more comfortable with her since showing his scars? She wasn’t sure. He was busy poring over a thick file of papers, and Darren was behind a thick book. Scarlett wished she’d thought to bring a book or her ebook reader, but finally settled for watching a movie on the small television bolted in front of her. She chose a DVD from the basket brought to her by the attendant and dozed off as the heroine was realizing just how tough it was to make it as an actor in Hollywood.

  9

  Carter

  Carter sat across from Scarlett, beside Darren, and she drew his gaze to her silky hair, secured in a braid that hung over her shoulder. Her unusual purple eyes were obscured by lids naked of any make-up, and her lips bowed in an O. The gentle rise and fall of her breasts as she exhaled mesmerized him.

  She was so vulnerable. Scarlett appeared to be sweet and innocent, and for a brief time, Carter could believe she was. How could her father’s corruptness have touched her in twenty short years? She seemed too pure to be his daughter, too unaffected by wealth and social position to be guilty of the crimes of which he’d accused her.

  His eyes moved back to her face and settled on the mark on her cheek, left by Rocco Terini. It was an angry pink shade, with tints of brown and purple showing through. Rage sat like a hot ball in his stomach as he looked at the bruise, and Carter’s determination to destroy Rocco grew even more.

  The jet was designed for long trips, so they did not touch down to refuel anywhere between San Francisco and New York. They left the plane at another private airstrip and took a taxi to their hotel. Darren had booked Scarlett into a suite on the floor with Carter’s. Carter knew Darren was trying to push them together, but he wouldn’t have it. Regardless of taking Scarlett to meet his mother, this was still a business arrangement. No matter how beautiful and innocent she could be.

  Scarlett

  Not wanting to spend the night in her room on her first visit to New York, Scarlett changed into a black crop top and a high waisted skirt and set out to explore the nightlife. She didn’t have much money left, so she would be conservative of where she went, choosing to walk instead of hailing cabs. Her ankle would protest at the exercise, but she’d worn flat shoes to be on the safe side.

  Just as she was passing Carter’s door, he opened it, revealing himself still dressed casually.

  “Going somewhere?”

  “Is that not allowed?”

  “Scarlett, as I have assured you many times, you are not my prisoner.”

  “Then stop treating me like one. I’m just going out for a bit.”

  “And your ankle?”

  So he was pretending to be concerned. That was crap. “It’s fine,” she lied.

  “Then enjoy your evening. We’ll be shopping in the morning, I would appreciate if you weren’t totally spent.”

  “Aka hungover. You’re telling me to not get wasted at some bar tonight.”

  He didn’t respond.

  “I’m a lady, a classy one at that. And I’m smart.”

  “I never indicated you weren’t.”

  She rolled her eyes, “Goodnight Carter.”

  He stood in the door and smiled, it made her even crazier. “Good night.”

  Scarlett stopped at a coffee shop for mocha just outside the hotel and watched the other customers come in and out. She wondered what it would be like to live in New York City, amidst the hustle and bustle of the daily grind. Though she’d lived near San Francisco all her life, she had grown up at Terini Manor, and was suddenly feeling very sheltered.

  After all, how many other girls would have allowed themselves to be used as collateral in a business deal? Most daughters would have told their fathers to go to hell, but she’d been responsible, as usual. Look where it had gotten her. Practically a prisoner of a man who hated her and her entire family. A man who would never believe she could love him...

  Scarlett’s eyes widened at that intrusive thought. She didn’t love Carter, and she wasn’t falling in love with him either. He couldn’t even tolerate her presence. When she was near him, he was rude and abrasive, accusing her of being manipulative and greedy at every turn. No, she simply could not be falling for that man, she assured herself.

  It was late the next afternoon when the plane landed on Carter’s private island, Thakilopos. The temperature was peaking in the upper-eighties, and Scarlett wished she’d worn something cooler. Feeling absurdly nervous about meeting Carter’s family, she’d chosen to dress conservatively in khaki slacks and a prim white blouse with frilly cuffs. Now she longed to strip off the clothes and put on the new swimsuit she’d purchased in New York.

  A silver Cadillac waited for them, and Darren rode in the front with the driver, while Scarlett and Carter shared the back seat. She stuck her head out the window and took a deep breath. The humidity was high, and the air felt heavy and moist, making beads of sweat appear on her brow almost instantly.

  It was a small island and appeared to have only this one road cutting through it. They were only a mile or so from the sandy, brown beaches and sparkling Aegean Sea. The car halted after a few short minutes, and Scarlett stepped out of the Cadillac, anxious to see the villa.

  It was a squarish stone building, whitewashed, with olive trees in the yard. The grass was bright green, freshly mown, and masses of greenery grew in organized chaos. Scarlett followed Carter inside the house, noticing the exquisite marble steps, and gasped in delight as they went in the entry way. A breathtaking mosaic of Diana was inlaid under their feet, the details painstaking. “This is lovely.”

  “My sister Thea designed it.” Pride warmed his voice. “She studied art in Europe and worked at the Louvre for a time before returning home. Now she paints and sculpts. In her free time, what little there is,” he shared an amused look with Darren, “She donates her services to restore ancient Grecian art.”

  “Does she live here?” asked Scarlett, eager to meet the woman responsible for the beautiful art they were standing on.

  Carter nodded. “Yes, she lives here with Mama, and my other sister, Lydia, and her son Noah.”

  Scarlett was unable to ask any more questions as his family descended upon them. The two younger women were beautiful, with olive complexions and wildly curling black hair. They both talked rapidly in Greek. Scarlett turned her attention to the older woman standing slightly behind her daughters and saw she was being observed.

  Carter’s mother was tall and elegant. Her thick, black hair, streaked liberally through with gray, was bound on her head in a bun, making her look almost severe. The warm smile of welcome on her face counteracted Scarlett’s first impression. In accented English, she asked Carter, “Who is this lovely woman you have brought with you?”

  Carter hesitated briefly, and Scarlett had an insane urge to blurt out a name, any name, as long as it wasn’t her own. She was saved from doing anything foolish by Carter’s reply. “This is Scarlett,” he said, pausing as he looked at his sisters, then his mother. “Terini.”

  His sisters, who were filled with friendly chatter only moments ago, fell silent, their mouths gaping open. His mother’s eyes widened with surprise, and maybe something more. Her welcoming smile disappeared, and Scarlett felt exposed before them. “Hello,” she said, trying to sound bright and cheerful, but only managing flat and hoarse.

  A sudden flurry of Greek began, and Carter responded to them in the language they all shared. Darren seemed to understand it too, as Scarlett saw him wince a couple of times, usually when Carter raised his voice.

  A sullen silence fell, and they stood there awkwardly. Carter took a deep breath, but there was still a flush to his cheeks. “Scarlett, this is my mother, Athena.”

  Scarlett held out her hand, and Athena accepted it. It wasn’t a cordial exchange, but she wasn’t openly hostile. She turned to be introduced to the taller
sister. Her eyes were dark and full of anger, and she held herself stiffly. “Scarlett, this is Thea.”

  Scarlett extended her hand, but the other woman made no move to accept it. “This is a beautiful mosaic,” she said, faltering as those angry eyes continued to drill into her.

  “You are not worthy to stand upon it,” Thea snapped, earning a sharp rebuke in Greek from her brother.

  The last sister, who could only be Lydia, was also openly hostile. Scarlett didn’t bother to offer her hand, and she said nothing. After a tense silence, Lydia suddenly burst out, “How can you bring her here to our home, Carter? After what her father did? How can you bring such a traitor into this house?” With an angry sniff, Lydia turned on her heel and stomped away, quickly followed by Thea. Only Athena remained, and she was standing quietly, watchful.

  Finally she spoke. “I did not know you were bringing a guest,” she said to Carter before turning to Scarlett, “So it will take a little time to arrange a room for you, Ms. Terini.”

  “Please call me Scarlett.”

  After a brief hesitation, Athena nodded once, “That would be for the best, I’m sure,” she said cryptically. “Let us have refreshments on the patio while we wait for your room.”

  Scarlett followed Carter and his mother through the house, as Darren brought up the rear. Athena disappeared inside to order the room prepared before reappearing with a tray of fruit juice and biscuits. Conversation was stilted as they waited for the time to pass. “What do you do, Scarlett?” Athena asked as she refilled her glass.

  “I’m a student. And you, Mrs. Braxton?”

  “You may call me Athena,” she said. “Thanks to my son, I am a lady of leisure.” She gave Carter a proud smile.

  “As you deserve to be,” Carter said quickly. “Mama is also active with several charities and often goes into Athens for social functions or charitable causes. Lydia is following in her footsteps.”

  A maid appeared to let Athena know that the room was ready, so they went into the house and she took Scarlett into a spare room. It was not very large, but had a bed, a dresser, and a small attached bathroom, making it more than adequate.

  To Scarlett’s surprise, Athena closed the door behind her and turned to Scarlett, looking very serious. “I must apologize for the reactions of my daughters, and for myself. I’m sure you can understand how shocked we were to hear your name, but that does not excuse our rudeness.”

  “Why do you hate my family?” asked Scarlett, letting her confusion show.

  With a great deal of surprise, Athena raised her brows. “You do not know?” Scarlett shook her head, waiting for an explanation that didn’t come. “Carter will tell you when the time is right I’m sure,” said Athena, looking uncomfortable as she opened the door. “If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to ask. Dinner will be at nine, and it’s your decision if you want to dress up. I recommend cool and casual in this heat,” she added with a smile as she left.

  Sighing, Scarlett unpacked her things, wondering at the angry reception from his family. What was the missing piece in this mystery? They obviously all knew something she did not, and she figured it must be connected with her father. She had to find out what was going on.

  10

  Carter

  Carter was settling into the room his family kept prepared for him when his mother knocked. “Mama.” He hugged her, pressing a kiss to her cheek. “It’s good to see you again.”

  “I’m happy to see you too, but you have some explaining to do.”

  “It’s not your concern.” Of course she would want to meddle. She practically couldn’t help herself.

  “Do not use that misogynistic nonsense with me,” Athena said in a strong voice. “Your father used it much too often to hide his failures, and I won’t be lied to or kept in the dark any longer.”

  Carter nodded. “I finally have Terini where I want him. He offered me one of his daughters in exchange for a six-month extension before I take his home. He’s desperately scrambling to come up with close to two million as we speak,” he said with ferocious satisfaction.

  “Why would you agree to such a ridiculous bargain?” Athena demanded. “Are you in love with the girl?”

  “Of course not.” Carter let out a cold laugh. “I would never allow myself to love a Terini. It is simply another way to toy with Rocco.”

  “And that innocent girl is caught in the middle,” Athena summed up, her disapproval evident.

  “She’s a Terini, so therefore she is not innocent,” said Carter with firm conviction.

  “Just because she bears her father’s name does not mean she shares his character,” said his mother.

  Eyes narrowed, Carter said in a low voice, “Blood tells. She is like her father. Manipulative and unfeeling.”

  “It was not indifference I saw in her eyes when we responded so coldly to her arrival,” said Athena. “She was hurt and confused by our rejection.”

  “I know her better than you, and I know she is like her father, dammit,” Carter insisted.

  “You bear the name Braxton, but you are not like your father.”

  “Pop was a good man,” Carter said defensively, suddenly feeling fifteen again. “How can you say that he was anything like Terini?”

  “I’m not.” Athena patted his arm. “I’m merely pointing out that you have little in common with your father. You are responsible and hardworking. Does your father’s inability to support his family make you a bad provider?”

  “Mama, I respectfully demand you mind your own business,” said Carter in a firm voice.

  Athena shrugged. “As you wish, but be advised that such dealings have a way of backfiring on you.” She walked out of the room, closing the door firmly behind her.

  His mother was feisty, but he couldn’t admit she may be right, that he was wrong about Scarlett. And that he might be falling for her.

  11

  Scarlett

  Heeding Athena’s advice, Scarlett wore a light skirt and blouse down to dinner. If she’d known how chilly his sisters’ reception would be, she might have worn a sweater. Lydia sniffed when she entered the room, and Thea turned her back. A boy of perhaps eleven sat on the couch, wearing shorts and a button-down shirt, and he glared at her as well. With his black hair and dark eyes, there could be no mistaking his relation to the Braxton family.

  Not bothering to speak, knowing she would receive no answer, Scarlett went to the far corner of the room and stared out the window. She was still able to make out the sea, a small dock, and a medium-sized yacht anchored to it. A smaller speedboat drifted beside the yacht, and Scarlett assumed that was their primary transportation to Mykanos and Naxos.

  She looked around just as Athena and Carter entered the room, followed by Darren. Athena was dressed casually, as were her daughters, so Scarlett stopped worrying about her choice of clothing.

  Not that the right outfit would make them accept her, she acknowledged. There was nothing she could do to win over these women, and it didn’t matter. She didn’t have to be liked by Carter’s family. It was not required that they get along. After two weeks, she would never see them again, so if they didn’t want to be polite, she could live with an uncomfortable twelve days.

  After drinks, they adjourned to the dining room. The meal passed in cold silence, with only an occasional remark made by Athena or Carter. The sisters were stubbornly silent, and Noah spent the entire time glaring at her sullenly. Scarlett resisted the urge to demand why he hated her as she forced the food down her dry throat, wishing she was anywhere but here.

  “This is a lovely island,” Scarlett said, trying to break the silence.

  “Yes, it is home,” Athena said.

  “Has your family owned it long?” asked Scarlett.

  “Carter purchased it five years ago,” Lydia said in a frosty tone. “He takes great care of us. He is good to those he loves and ruthless with his enemies.”

  How did she respond to that? “Er—”

  The chi
ld suddenly stood up. “I know who you are.”

  “Sit down Noah,” Athena urged.

  “You’re a Terini, and you’re all murderers.”

  “What?” asked Scarlett, aghast.

  Carter spoke up for the first time. “That is enough, Noah.”

  “It’s not enough,” Lydia snapped. “It can never be enough.”

  “Lydia...”

  “I hate her,” Noah said shrilly, pointing to Scarlett. “I wish her family was dead.”

  “Cease,” said Carter, following his command with a burst of Greek.

  Noah proudly raised his head. “I don’t have to listen to you. You aren’t my father.” His burning black eyes turned to Scarlett. “My father is dead.”

  Taking a deep breath, Carter said, “I’m not your father, but do you think he would be proud of this display? Would he admire you for yelling at a woman?”

  Noah dropped his head. He still wore an angry expression, but now it was tempered with guilt. “May I be excused?”

  “That’s very wise,” Carter agreed, and the boy rose from the table. With one last angry glance at Scarlett, he fled the room.

  “That was uncalled for.” Lydia’s eyes sparkled with anger. “How dare you speak to my son that way?”

  “He needs guidance and firm rules,” said Carter. “He needs a man around to act as a role model.”

  “His father would be around if it weren’t for her family,” Lydia said hatefully and left the table.

  “Have you nothing to add to these dramatics?” Carter asked Thea with deceptive blandness.

  “You know my feelings.” She rose from the table. “I hate the Terinis.” Her cold gaze settled on Scarlett. “But I don’t have the same depth of rage as Lydia and Noah. I believe they have reason, don’t you?”

  Scarlett watched her depart, her mouth still hanging open at the accusation.