CHAPTER NINE
Griffin
Hale O'Connor had not been in touch yet. That didn't surprise me. I assumed his tactic was to keep Scarlett (and myself) so unnerved that I'd be grateful when he eventually reached out to make peace. Of course ‘making peace' would involve some dirty business deal or other.
O'Connor wasn't stupid. That's why he hadn't pushed me in the past. But he'd gotten more arrogant over the years, and something told me he had formed a new connection with someone powerful enough to make him think he was untouchable.
His own arrogance would be his downfall.
Before, he was trying to insinuate himself into my club.
Bad move.
Now, he was threatening my wife.
Fucking fatal move.
I had no doubt I could destroy the fuck. Usually patient in business I felt anything but that as I waited for him to make a move against Scarlett.
I shook the concerns off, attempting to concentrate on the contract my lawyer had sent over from a real estate venture I was starting down by Mystic River. The words echoed in my brain and then seemed to fall right out again. Jesus Christ.
It was her.
I stared at my door knowing she was in the apartment, so close and yet so far. Last night I'd sought to torture her a little, but it was just as torturous for me to hold and touch her and know it was all just pretense for her. That when we got back the club, she’d avoid me as soon as possible.
Which she had done.
A knock on my office door interrupted my unfocused mind. “Yes?”
Xavier walked in. "Sir, here is the menu for the Thanksgiving dinner we're serving at the club for those members who won't be spending the holiday with their families." He placed the menu in my hand, and I perused it.
Satisfied I handed it back to him. “Tell Chef it looks good.”
"Sir," Xavier for once looked a little unsure, "I hope I'm not overstepping my place if I suggest that perhaps you have Chef arrange a private Thanksgiving dinner here for just yourself and Mrs. Mandeville."
For a moment I was confused. And then I saw the glint in my butler’s eye. “Ah. Right. A private dinner. With my wife. Yes. Have Chef arrange that and let him know how important it is to my wife to have a special Thanksgiving for the first time in her new home.”
Xavier's eyes smiled. "I'm sure that when Chef is aware of that, he will be the first to assure Mrs. Mandeville that he will work extremely hard to create a dinner she won't forget."
My lips twitched. “To which I’m sure my wife will then feel obliged to eat the meal.”
My butler managed to keep a straight face. "Of course, sir." He gave me a conspiratorial nod and strode back over the door but before he left he turned to me, "Mrs. Mandeville is ensconced in the movie room, Mr. Mandeville. Should you wish to join her, I am sure Wells could handle club matters in the meantime."
I nodded, my feet already itching to stand. “Then please inform Wells that he has the run of the place for the next few hours.”
"Excellent, sir."
As soon as Xavier left, I put away the contract. It would wait until later.
Strange anticipation moved through me as I strolled out of my office and made my way to the movie room. I couldn't remember the last time I'd used it, but I suddenly felt like an idiot for not using it to spend time with Scarlett before. It occurred to me that I had no idea how to really live comfortably with a woman. I was sure watching television and movies were what most normal couples did together.
I braced myself at the door, knowing she wouldn't want me there. But if I wanted to make progress with her, I needed to start taking advantage of the moments I could spend time with her.
Walking in, the first thing I saw was the movie playing on the screen.
Gone with the Wind.
Shit.
Her mother’s favorite film.
My eyes flew to her where she was curled on the massive sofa with a blanket over her. She stared at me, her eyes big and round with surprise at my interruption. Other than that she didn't look sad. Still… "Are you alright?"
“What are you doing here?” she sat up, holding the blanket up as if it was somehow a defense against me.
“I heard the movie from the hallway.”
“I’m sorry. I can switch it off.”
I waved her away. “Don’t be silly. This place should get some use.” I looked back at the film. “It’s been years since I’ve seen this.”
“Me too.”
At the slight melancholy in her tone, I shrugged out of my suit jacket and threw it over the edge of the couch. Then I walked around it and sat down with only a cushion seat between us. Loosening my tie, I tried to concentrate on the film and not the fact that my wife was inches away on a large, very comfortable sofa.
“What are you doing?” she asked, suspicion clear in her voice.
I looked at her. She'd dimmed the lights and drawn the black-out blind on the window. The light from the film danced across her face. Her make-up was always very light unless we were attending some function or other. Today I didn't think she was wearing any because I could see the very light freckles sprinkled across her nose. Her lips were bare too. My wife had the perfect mouth. When I'd been struggling against my attraction to her, I used to curse that fucking mouth of hers. Heart-shaped, plump perfection. I could nibble on that mouth for days.
My cock stirred. This time I let it.
I wanted her.
No point hiding it.
Feeling my stare, she turned to look at me, and the light caught her eyes. I'd been fucked from the start when I met her. Those exotic bloody eyes could bring a man to his knees. I loved looking into them as I moved inside her. God, no woman had ever made me feel like she was truly looking at me the way Scarlett did.
I never knew I wanted that until she gave it to me.
She licked her lips nervously. “You’re not watching the movie.”
“I am.” I reluctantly turned my gaze back to the screen. It was the scene where Rhett Butler bid a ridiculous amount on Scarlett O’Hara for a first dance with her at a charity auction. The frowning host had just said Scarlett was in mourning and wouldn’t possibly consider accepting. To which she’d broken all propriety by disagreeing comically that she would.
My Scarlett let out a delightful bubble of giggles, and I flashed her smile. "She reminds me of you."
She raised an eyebrow. “I was just going to say she reminds me of Melanie.”
“Ah yes, you said you felt your mother should have named you both for the other.”
“You don’t think so?”
I glanced back at the screen. “You’re not as volatile as Scarlett O’Hara, but neither are you like the character of Melanie. You do have Scarlett’s fire.”
“You think so?”
Truthfully I was shocked she’d let me sit next to her this long without starting a fight, but whatever angel of mercy was sitting on her shoulder I wasn’t going to lose the opportunity to spend time with her. “I’ve never met a more stubborn woman.”
Scarlett wrinkled her nose. It was fucking adorable. “That’s not passion or fire. That’s obstinacy.”
I chuckled. "Yes, it is. But it's fueled by fire." My gaze softened on her. "You're fiercely protective and fiercely loyal. That's why I'd hate to see you lose that in exchange for protecting yourself."
She looked back at the movie. “I’ve already decided to not push away the people I care about.”
My heart literally fucking lurched in my chest.
“Except you,” she whispered, “Caring about you hurts too much.”
I closed my eyes briefly, fighting the urge to shake her. “Believe me,” I choked out, “Caring about you isn’t any easier.”
“Then why?”
“I told you—”
“I’m not ready. Yeah, yeah.” She huffed.
We were silent a while as the film continued and then I said, “Chef Depardieu has arranged a Thanksgiving meal for us to share.”
“I don’t want to.”
I bit back a curse. “Then you tell him. I’m sure the new hardened you can handle his utter disappointment.”
She scoffed, “Ha. I know what you’re doing you know. I’m not stupid. Manipulative jerk.”
I grinned at her. “Yet somehow it’s still working.”
Scarlett rolled her eyes.
“C’mon,” I teased, leaning toward her, “You’re not the least bit flattered by my attempts to coerce you into spending time with me.”
Narrowing her eyes on me, she replied, “Not at all. Your efforts are in vain. None of it will make me forgive you.”
"Maybe. Maybe not. But it will remind you that once upon a time we were good together and can be again."
She shook her head, her expression so unbearably sad; I wanted to haul her into my arms. Somehow I refrained.
“You don’t get it, do you?”
“Make me,” I urged.
“We weren’t good together, Griff.” Anger flared in her eyes. “We were wonderful. That’s why I can’t forgive you. And spending time with me, touching me, kissing me, isn’t doing what you think it’s doing. You don’t think I know I’m still attracted to you despite the shit you pulled? That I don’t think about what it’s like to have you moving inside of me.”
Fuck.
“I do,” she nodded, a stubborn set to her jaw, “But what you don’t seem to realize is that I have a lot of self-control. I can put the desires of my body aside when my heart tells me those feelings are wrong.”
I reached up, unable to keep myself from touching her any longer, and curled her hair behind her ear, caressing her soft skin. “They’re not wrong. And forgiveness is divine.”
She leaned toward me, the anger gone, replaced by pity.
My hand dropped to my side.
“How do you expect me to forgive you? To love you… when you have no idea how to love anyone as much as you love this club?”
Now I was angry. I slid my hand around her neck, pulling her into me. I perversely enjoyed her small gasp of shock. It reminded me of the noises she’d make when I’d suck one of her nipples into my mouth. My hand squeezed her neck as I warred between arousal and indignation. “You know nothing,” I seethed against her lips. “Nothing of what I’m capable of feeling.”
“Then show me. And not with sex.” She wrenched her head away and pushed the blanket off before launching herself off the couch. “Until then, you can’t seduce me. It’s impossible. So yeah, you’re right. I’m not ready to hear what you have to say or believe it. And what you need to prepare yourself for is that I probably never will be.”
She stormed out of the room, the door slamming shut behind her.
I glowered at the film.
My cock throbbed.
My fucking heart ached.
And for the first time, I cursed Melanie Jennings for bringing her sister into my life. I cursed Scarlett for destroying my well-ordered existence with her goddamn fire.