____________

Drake

 

 

 

“Drake.” My name broke through my haze.

Noriko jumped back, her cheeks coloring pink. I had been about to lunge for her, her dark eyes, sparkling with life and intelligence, drawing me in. As did her perfect pink mouth like a soft strawberry. I had a feeling that once I tasted her, I was going to end up dragging her back to the house and doing every single dirty thing to her body I’d wanted to do since I set my eyes on her.

Remember your promise to Loretta. You have to give Noriko until tomorrow night to settle in before you attack her.

Loretta would have my balls on a plate if I broke my promise. Then she’d serve them to me for dinner. Maybe it was a blessing that I was interrupted.

The periphery around my gaze opened up and the rest of the world rushed in. I tore my eyes away from my wife and turned to face the intruder. My hackles rose when I saw the smug bastard standing in front of me.

“Jared Wright,” I said, biting back my hatred. In so many ways he was my antithesis. Blonde with pale blue eyes, he was an all-American jock if I ever saw one. Even in college he never failed to rub his perfect family and their perfect business in my face.

He was a good-looking fellow, I supposed. If you were into smarmy, arrogant assholes.

Did Noriko think so?

My eyes darted back to her. She was looking at this newcomer with open eyes and a smile on her face. The logical part of my brain reasoned that of course she’s smiling, she assumed Jared was my friend. She was being a good wife. The rest of me wanted to kiss that smile off her face. To kiss her so hard that she’d never have smiles for anyone but me.

“Drake Blackwell,” Wright said in the same biting tone as mine.

I turned back to Wright, noting how I instinctively moved forward to place myself slightly between him and Noriko. “You have the timing and grace of a plague. Swift, sudden and completely unwanted.”

Wright laughed, amusement twinkling in his eyes, my insult rolling off him. “Guilty as charged. I couldn’t go a single second longer without meeting this ravishing angel you’ve somehow managed to convince to come here with you tonight.” He turned to Noriko. “Tell me the truth. How much is he paying you?” He laughed out loud at his own lame joke.

I flinched as his words hit home. There was too much truth in what he just said. Noriko was only here because I paid her to be. She was here because she needed money to save her father. Not because she wanted to be. If she looked like she wanted me to kiss her earlier, it was because I was paying her to.

Noriko recovered faster than I did. Her smile broadened but it didn’t reach her eyes. “You are a funny man. Did the gallery hire you to entertain us?”

I caught a flash of insult on Wright’s face. He didn’t like being mistaken for the help. It disappeared behind a charming smile. “Good heavens, you mustn’t be from around here if you don’t know who I am. Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Jared Henry Wright.”

I bit back a growl. Wright was flirting with her.

“Noriko.” She held out a slender wrist.

He took her hand. Bending, he put his lips to the back of her hand.

He had his lips on my wife.

My blood sizzled. Outwardly I remained calm.

Jared didn’t pull away. In fact, he sniffed her. He sniffed her. “My,” he said, looking up at her through his lashes, “that’s an intoxicating perfume you’re wearing.”

“Alright, that’s enough.” I snatched Noriko’s hand away from his mouth and pulled her firmly to my side, wrapping my left arm around her shoulders. My right hand gripped into a fisted ball by my side.

Wright chuckled as he straightened. “Very touchy, Drake. You’ve never been this way around any woman before.”

“This isn’t any woman,” I spat out between my teeth, “this is my wife.”

His eyes widened. He glanced between Noriko and me, a gleam in his eye. I wished to hell I’d said nothing. “So the rumors are true,” he said. “America’s most wanted bachelor is finally tied down.”

“America’s most wanted bachelor?” Noriko asked, all innocence.

“Now I know you’re not from around here,” Wright’s eyes narrowed. “Japan?”

“Yes.”

“How did you two meet?”

Shit. My mind drew a blank. Noriko and I hadn’t worked out a “story” for our arranged marriage. We hadn’t done anything except argue until tonight.

“Darling, there you are,” a female voice called.

I was grateful for the reprieve. Until I saw who it was.

Fuck. My. Life.

Kristie, the one who thought Jackson Pollock was an actor, strutted up to Wright and faced me. As always, her blonde hair was blown out around her face. Her clingy black dress plunged so low I could practically see her belly button. She was the very last woman I dated before Noriko.

“Drake,” she said, an edge to her tone, her chin held high. She slid her arm through Wright’s elbow and pressed to his side. Trust her to jump straight into the next billionaire’s bed.

I nodded but I didn’t offer my hand. “Nice to see you again, Kristie.”

She managed to make her smile look like a scowl. “I wish I could say the same for you.”

Noriko gasped beside me. Japanese culture was endlessly polite, this catty game we played here would be totally foreign to her. I ignored Kristie and turned to address Wright. “Sniffing around my leftovers, I see.”

Kristie bristled. I paid her no notice. I had been prepared to be pleasant with her before she threw the first blow.

Noriko tensed at my side. Ah, shit. If only I’d had time to warn her that she’d be facing my ex tonight.

Wright merely laughed, a sly look in his eye. “Lucky me, you always manage to piss off your ex-lovers. Which makes it so easy for me to swoop in and take your secrets. How did you think I found out that you were working the Mercer deal?”

I bristled. The bastard.

I turned to Kristie, ready to berate her for selling me out. She didn’t even have the decency to look guilty. She was glaring at Noriko. “And who is this?”

“Get this, Kristie,” Wright chuckled as if he was gearing up to tell a joke, “she is Drake’s new wife.”

Kristie’s eyes almost popped out of her head. “You’re married?”

I sighed. Here we go. “Yes.”

Her eyes searched Noriko’s hands and found…the ring. A simple white gold wedding band. I never bought Noriko an engagement ring.

Kristie’s eyes narrowed, fixing on Noriko. “When did you get married? When did you even meet?” Her eyes swung to me, I could see the calculations going off in her head. It’d only been six weeks since I told her I didn’t think it was going to work. I groaned internally. I could see exactly where her mind was going. “You cheated on me?” she practically shrieked.

I could feel Noriko’s eyes on me, questioning, wondering.

Dear God, can this night get any worse?

No, wait, don’t answer that.

“Excuse me?” A chirpy voice said. It belonged to a rather keen-looking woman, thick red hair tied back in a ponytail, dressed well in a slightly crinkled black pantsuit. I could tell by the off-the-rack fit that she wasn’t a guest. “Can I take your picture? It’s for the gallery press release.” She lifted a huge black camera.

Goddamn it.

“Yes,” Wright said.

“No,” I growled out at the same time.

“Come on, Drake.” Wright said with a jovial laugh. He leaned into the photographer. “Forgive him. He gets grumpy when he hasn’t taken his meds.”

Before I could protest further he planted himself on Noriko’s other side, between her and Kristie, sliding an arm around Noriko’s waist.

“Get your hands off my wife.”

“It’s for the press, Drake. Relax.”

“It’s okay, Drake,” Noriko said.

“Smile!” A flash went off in the corner of my eyes. “Um, maybe we can do that one again. Mr. Blackwell, can you face the camera, please?”

I was still glaring at Wright. He grinned at me over Noriko’s head, daring me to make a scene in front of the press.

Damn him. As much as I wanted to rip his arm off by its socket and shove it up his ass, I couldn’t. Part of my success was based on my reputation. I couldn’t be seen brawling with a fellow businessman. At a charity auction, no less.

The quicker I faked a smile, the quicker the photo would be taken, and his slimy paws would come off my wife.

I faced forward and forced a smile, tugging Noriko closer to me. I heard Wright chuckle.

The flash went off again and the photographer thanked us.

I yanked Noriko away from Wright. I was ready to leave, but I had to make one last thing clear.

I glared at Kristie. “I never cheated on you. We were never exclusive. I made that explicit.”

She sniffed. “You did not.”

I sighed. I gave up. “As much as I am dying to stand around all night trading pleasantries, we really must be going.”

“Drake, my boy, they’re about to call the first painting,” Wright said. “The Renoir that I noticed you were paying particular attention to. I was looking forward to snatching it right out from under you.”

“Noriko has a headache.”

“She didn’t say anything about a headache.”

“She doesn’t have to. I can tell by the tension in her…er, forehead. That’s what happens when you find the one you’re meant to be with—you can just tell things about each other. Good night.” I spun, taking Noriko with me, and charged for the door.

“Drake,” Noriko hissed. “Slow down.”

“Not until we are out of this tiger’s den,” I muttered. And safely in the limo.

“I thought you wanted to buy some art?”

I growled, as I dragged her beside me. “I changed my mind.”