The older woman watched her with so much suspicion, it was almost palpable.

“Alicia, set up a guest room for Miss Jones. Also, I need you to run to the store. Miss Jones is going to need a litterbox and supplies for her cat,” Alec told the housekeeper, who made no immediate move as her eyes raked over Briar. “Alicia!” Alec snapped. “She’s tired.”

“Yes, Mr. Petlier,” the woman intoned, but even as she walked away, her head seemed to spin like the little girl in The Exorcist to eye Briar.

“Don’t mind Alicia,” Alec told her, ushering them into the study and closing the door behind her. “I don’t entertain a lot.”

“Really?” Briar demanded dubiously, looking around the sprawling mansion in awe. “What a waste.” If I had a place like this, I’d have a party every weekend.

“Can I get you a drink?” Alec offered.

“Uh… yeah,” she agreed, her eyes falling onto the bar cart in the corner by the window. “What do you have?”

“Everything.” He said the word with nonchalance, and somehow Briar believed him.

“I’ll have what you’re having,” she said, unsure of what else to ask for. It wasn’t like she was often invited to manor houses with an unlimited open bar.

“Whiskey it is,” he replied, sauntering toward the bar. “Rocks?”

“Huh?”

“Ice?” he asked patiently, and she blushed furiously.

“Yes, please.” Alec made her a drink, and Briar took it eagerly, swallowing a big gulp down.

“Sit down,” he said, gesturing at the nearby oxblood settee. “You’re done running around.”

“For now,” she sighed, shaking her head. “I’m still not convinced I’m safe here.”

A shadow crossed over Alec’s face.

“You’re safer here than you are at home,” he promised. “Especially because you won’t be evicted from here.”

“Funny,” she muttered, taking another sip. Alec chuckled.

“Has your brother been stealing from you for a long time?”

Defensiveness spiked through Briar, and she sat up stiffly. “He doesn’t steal from me,” she replied shortly. “He…”

“Borrows? Takes a loan?” Alec offered sarcastically, leaning back against the desk.

“You don’t have siblings, do you?” Alec lost the smug look on his face and shook his head.

“I don’t,” he responded.

“I can tell.” Briar exhaled in a puff of wind and downed the rest of her drink. Alec reached for the glass and moved to refill it.

“I never bought into that ‘blood is thicker than water’ bullshit,” Alec said. “If someone cares about you, Briar, they won’t hurt you, and you shouldn’t put up with that from anyone, especially family. They’re the ones who are supposed to protect you.”

“It’s not that simple,” Briar muttered, accepting the glass from him. He sank onto the settee at her side and sighed.

“I think it is,” he countered. “I think it’s us who make it more complicated than it needs to be.”

“I can’t just cut off my brother.”

“Your brother got you involved in something that could easily get you killed,” Alec reminded her. “I think there’s a point where you just need to cut your losses and say, ‘I’m done.’ Don’t you think?”

“You’re the one who was trying to pay his rent!” It was an unfair argument, but she was feeling overwhelmed by the truth of what he was saying.

“I was trying to ensure that you don’t get evicted, Briar. I really couldn’t care less what happens to the man who assaulted me and my friends for a few bucks.”

She cocked her head to the side. “And yet you cared what happened to me when you thought I was the one responsible.”

The liquor had gone to her head already, the alcohol warming her gut, to the point where Briar didn’t feel any inhibitions as she stared into Alec’s dark-lashed eyes. The urge to kiss him was suddenly overwhelming, particularly when he studied her lower lip with so much interest.

“It’s different with you,” he told her huskily, his irises searching her face, drinking her in slowly.

“Why?”

Alec placed his tumbler on the floor by his feet, his gaze never wavering from her face. The tips of his fingers slowly traced along the lines of her face, and a shiver of warmth slid through Briar’s body.

“I don’t know why,” he breathed. “But I’ve known you a lot longer than we think.”

Even though the words made no sense, Briar understood them, and she found herself leaning in, her lips brushing against his. Their eyes locked, a startling blue against a storming green, and within seconds, they were entangled in one another, their mouths pressed together, locking in the heat of their yearning for one another. Somewhere in Briar’s mind, a rational thought cried out that she was vulnerable, that she was only responding because she was scared, but her heart knew better.

Without losing their grasp on one another, Alec pulled her gently down along the settee, her back sliding over the leather, her shirt rising up to bare her breasts as Alec’s mouth trailed along the curves of her body.

Gooseflesh covered her entire form, from head to toe, as her knees rose to secure Alec against her. The heat of his flesh was shockingly hot, like molten lava melding into her. The feeling was matched only by the passion of his intense kisses, following the crevices along her body seamlessly, like he had been there hundreds of times before, though he obviously hadn’t. Briar had never felt herself give in so wholly, not when his tongue jutted out to sample the divots of her body, his breaths growing as short as her gasps of pleasure.

Piece by piece, their clothing littered the library until they were a web of limbs, twisting in one another.

Alec flipped her onto her belly, pushing the blonde mane away from her neck to taste the sweet spots between her shoulder blades. Briar cried out, arching back to meet his hard, solid form, willing him in deeper and faster as her nails curled into the grooves of the couch.

Sweat comingled, their yelps of desire continued to grow louder. Briar was certain the birds outside were startled from their roosts, but there was no silencing what was happening between them. Over and over she climaxed, Alec’s muscled form pounding into her with fervent lust until Briar was only a pile of trembling legs and Alec was shuddering almost violently above her.

With a final thrust, they both fell from the couch onto the thick faux fur rug on the ground, half-laughing and half-gasping as they landed.

“That is called finishing with a bang,” Alec joked, and Briar snickered, rolling around to look up into his face.

“Clever,” she joshed. His eyes were shining, and he softly traced the lines of her cheekbones.

“I wasn’t expecting that,” he confessed. “But then again, I wasn’t expecting any of this.”

“Tell me about it.”

His brow furrowed. “How are you feeling?” he asked suddenly.

Briar chuckled. “Are you fishing for compliments now?”

“Hardly. I meant… your injuries. How are you doing?”

“Oh.” Briar sat up and twisted her body slightly, her own eyebrows knitting. “You know what? I’m not feeling any pain at all, actually. It’s weird, isn’t it?”

“Not as weird as you think,” Alec muttered.

“What?”

“Nothing.” He reached for her drink and handed to her. “You need to rest,” he reminded her. “You’ve had a crazy day. I’ll see if Alicia got your room all set.”

Briar reached out to stop him as he pulled on his sweatshirt.

“Do… do I really need my own room?” she asked, her words almost a whisper. It wasn’t like her to ask something so bold, but she wanted him to know that she wasn’t done with him—provided he wasn’t done with her.

Alec’s eyes gleamed.

“No,” he replied quietly. “We can certainly share a room.” He reached out to cup her face, drawing her closer for a kiss. Eagerly, Briar responded.

“I don’t know where you came from, Alec,” she muttered. “But I’m really glad you found me.” He smiled.

“Me too, Briar. Me too.” He released her and finished dressing. “I have to deal with some work stuff now, all right? I’ll have Alicia show you to your, uh, our suite. You can shower and relax or sleep. There’s everything you need. If you’re hungry, ask Alicia to get you something, but Briar…”

She looked at him curiously. “Hm?”

“Don’t forget that your name is Jennifer, right? Do not tell Alicia your real name. You’re Jennifer Jones until we can figure out all this with Raven and your brother.”

The feeling of contentment began to slip away as Briar was thrust back into the reality of what was happening.

“I won’t forget,” she muttered, looking down. “Don’t worry.”

“This will all be handled soon,” Alec promised. “You just need to have a little faith.”

“I have faith,” Briar assured him. “In you.”

“Have you and Mr. Petlier been dating long, Miss Jones?”

The pointed question surprised Briar. She didn’t know a lot about how the other half lived, but she had always assumed that the help minded their own business.

“Who says we’re dating?” Briar asked sweetly as Alicia led her to Alec’s rooms. Alicia didn’t seem to appreciate the response, but to Briar’s relief, she didn’t ask anything else about their relationship.

“Are you hungry? Mr. Petlier says that you’ve had a rough day.”

“I…” Suddenly, Briar realized she was starving. She hadn’t eaten anything all day.

“I’ll get you something. Do you have any allergies or preferences?”

Briar shrugged and shook her head. “I’m easy,” she replied.

“I can see that,” Alicia muttered, and Briar gaped at her as the housekeeper spun away, leaving the blonde in Alec’s suite.

What is her problem? Is she that rude to everyone? Briar shoved the exchange out of her head. She had far more important matters to worry about than the opinion of Alec’s housekeeper.

She pushed open the double doors to the suite, and her mouth parted in shock at the opulence of the rooms. There were four in total: a sitting room, a bedroom, a dressing room/closet, and a six-piece bathroom, complete with a double-occupancy jacuzzi. The tub seemed to be calling to Briar.

After the beating my body took, I wouldn’t mind soaking in that with Alec. She decided she would wait until he came upstairs before running it.

Slowly, she wandered through the rooms, examining the ornate wainscoting and marble floors in awe. She’d never seen heated floors before, and she wondered how often Alec used them in Miami.

Imagine living like this, she thought, flopping onto her back on the California king bed to stare at the ceiling. Never in my wildest dreams would I have ever believed that I would see a place like this.

There was a knock on the door, and it swung open before Briar could respond. Alicia stalked forward, carrying a silver tray.

“There’s a sandwich for Mr. Petlier there, too,” Alicia announced. “Make sure he eats it.” There was no room for argument in her tone, and she stormed toward the door, but she paused at the threshold. “You know, Miss Jones,” Alicia commented coldly. “You would not be the first of your kind to attempt to get her hooks into Mr. Petlier’s fortune. He is not a stupid man.”

Shame and ire rocked Briar’s stomach.

“What?” she snapped. “What did you just say to me?”

“I’m merely forewarning you that bad things come to those who don’t have good intentions.” Alicia disappeared into the hallway, but Briar wasn’t about to let her go so easily. She leaped to her feet and bolted after her. By the time she got into the hall, Alicia was long gone.

How dare she! Briar thought furiously. She doesn’t know me at all! How can she say that to me?

But as she slunk back into the suite, she knew that Alicia had every right to protect her employer. After all, what else was the housekeeper to think when someone as wealthy and cultured as Alec Petlier brought home a nothing girl from the wrong side of the tracks?

“You okay?” Alec appeared in the sitting room, and Briar forced a smile.

“Yeah,” she replied quickly. “I was just thinking that I made myself at home too quickly. I really should take the guest room. I’m not going to be here very long.” She brushed past Alec, ignoring his shocked expression.

“Briar!” he yelled after her. She didn’t look back.

The sooner we get this all figured out, the sooner I can get back to my pathetic life. Then Alicia can rest comfortably.

“Briar.” She froze at the sound of Alicia using her name.

“Jennifer,” Briar lied, trying to smile through her panic. “I’m Jennifer.”

“I heard Mr. Petlier call you Briar. You’re the one who robbed them!”

Fear colored Briar’s face, and she shook her head vehemently. “No!” she swore. “It wasn’t me! There was a misunderstanding!”

Alicia scoffed. “I don’t know how you’ve weaseled your way into this house, but rest assured, Briar, you’ll get what’s coming to you.”

“Alicia!” Briar yelled out, a frenzy shortening her breath. “Please, you can’t say anything to anyone! My life depends on it!”

The maid snorted. “Oh, honey, I know. But whose fault is that?”

“I swear, Alicia, I wasn’t there!” Briar choked. “You can ask Alec. He’ll tell you!”

A mirthless smirk formed on her face. “I don’t know how you’ve convinced him you’re innocent, but Raven and Drake will see through your little act. You’ve got some nerve coming here after what you’ve done.”

Briar felt the blood drain out of her face as Alicia vanished into the house, leaving her to tremble in shock.

I have to get out of here, she thought, her chin quivering. I have to go now before Alicia rats me out. I should have never come here.

She ran, her feet pounding against the runner as she made her way to the stairs. There was no time to find Alec and tell him what had happened. She needed to go before she dragged Alec into the mess along with her.