Tempting Zander Read online

  Or that she isn’t right.

  Kate’s plan did make perfect sense. If it had been anyone other than Kate offering herself up as the decoy, he would probably have suggested the idea himself. But the thought of her being anywhere Taylor could get his hands on her made Zander feel positively murderous.

  “Could you gentlemen clear the room while Miss Stewart and I talk privately?” Zander requested with a mildness he was far from feeling.

  “Instead of disturbing everyone and then having to waste time calling them all back again, why don’t the two of us go into the bedroom and have this private conversation?” Kate crossed to the adjoining bedroom door in restless strides. “Unless you don’t trust yourself to be alone in the bedroom with me?” she challenged as he made no move to follow her.

  Yep, a spanking was definitely in Kate’s near future.

  Ian attempted to soothe the awkward moment. “I’ll order us all some coffee and food while we’re waiting for Taylor’s call.”

  “Do that.” Zander waited for Kate to enter the bedroom before following her and closing the door firmly behind him. “Never challenge me like that in front of my men again,” he bit out between clenched teeth.

  She arched her brows. “Even when I know you’re wrong and everyone else knows you are too?”

  “Yes.”

  Kate gave a shake of her head. “That makes absolutely no sense.”

  “That’s probably because just being around you drives me fucking insane!” he snapped. “Is this what happened to Taylor too, or was he always crazy?”

  Kate winced. “Looking back, I think he was always crazy.”

  “Well, being around you twenty-four seven is having the same effect on me.”

  “Then go,” she dismissed harshly. “Just get the fuck away from me and stay away this time. I don’t need someone in my life who obviously doesn’t believe a word I say.”

  “I was playing devil’s advocate regarding the NYPD—”

  “You pretty much called me a hysterical liar in front of your men.”

  “Trying to reason with you is fucking impossible!” The fierceness of Zander’s gaze remained on her as he began to pace the bedroom, his shoulders tense.

  When he was still silently pacing two minutes later, Kate felt her nerves starting to fray again. “Zander—” It was as if he had just been waiting for her to speak as he pounced, taking her in his arms, his mouth crashing onto hers so forcefully, she tasted blood from where her lip had split on impact.

  Her arms moved up about his neck as she kissed him back as fiercely. She had wanted nothing more than to have Zander’s arms around her, to kiss him, to have him kiss her, since the moment Joey ended his call. She had needed that reassurance, and instead Zander had initially treated her with kid gloves, as if she were a piece of delicate porcelain he was frightened of breaking. His behavior just now in front of his men had been nothing short of humiliating.

  They were both breathing hard by the time the kiss ended and they stared into each other’s eyes.

  “Okay, you can come with—”

  “If you really don’t want me—”

  They both started talking at once and then both stopped at the same time.

  “I can come with you?” Kate repeated cautiously. She could imagine nothing worse than the agony of sitting in this suite with several of the hotel security men, waiting to hear news of Zander and his men.

  “Yes.” A nerve pulsed in the tension of Zander’s jaw. “But when we get there, you’ll do exactly what I tell you to do.”

  “That’s what Joey said too.”

  “I don’t give a—” He drew in a controlling breath. “You do as I say once we leave the hotel, Kate, because if you don’t, I’ll have someone bring you straight back here. No buts or maybes about it.”

  She nodded. “I’ll behave.”

  His expression turned skeptical at the ease of her submission. “I mean it, Kate. Listening to me could mean the difference between life or death. Not just your own, but for some of my men and the Cooks too.”

  “I’ll listen to you,” she promised.

  “But will you take any notice?” he derided.

  “Yes.” She would definitely try to, at least.

  “Your lip is bleeding.” Zander frowned as he gently touched the corner of her mouth with the soft pad of his thumb. “Did I do that just now?”

  Her arms tightened about his neck, and she raised her face to his. “Kiss it better?”

  Zander lowered his head and ran his tongue along the seam of her lips, lapping up the bead of blood at the same time. “You and I have some talking to do when this is over.”

  Her breath caught in her throat. “We do?”

  “Hmm.” He nodded. “After I’ve tanned your backside.”

  “What did I do this time?”

  “You know damn well what you did, so you can drop the too-innocent expression.”

  “You said you didn’t believe me,” she defended.

  “What I said was we had no concrete evidence to convince the NYPD to believe you.”

  “It didn’t sound that way.”

  “Well, it was meant that way, and in future, when I give instructions to my men, I don’t expect to have them countermanded by you, understood?”

  “Even if my plan was better than yours?”

  He gritted his teeth. “If you have something to say to me, then wait until we’re alone to say it.”

  “But—”

  “Kate!”

  “Okay, okay.” She sighed heavily as she moved out of his arms. “Do we really have to wait for Joey’s second call before we do anything?”

  He nodded. “Never immediately give in to the demands of a blackmailer.”

  “And what do I say when he does call? Sorry I’m late, but I had to wash my hair before leaving?”

  “We’ll have your cell on speaker when he calls back, so that we can all hear him. We may pick up things, background noise, etc., that you don’t.”

  “He said he doesn’t have Bernie and his family at his apartment.”

  “I’m sure he doesn’t, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be other noises in the background that might help us. The men I have outside report Taylor currently has six bodyguards in the apartment building. It would help if we knew how many were in the apartment and how many in the rest of the building.”

  Kate drew in a ragged breath. “And what do I say to him?”

  “You ask for proof he really does have the Cooks.”

  “What sort of proof?”

  “You demand to speak to Bernie. He’ll refuse and offer to let you speak to Sophie.”

  “Or he could just take exception to my demand and say no.”

  “Then you end the call.”

  Her stomach gave a sickening lurch. “And if he doesn’t call me back?”

  “He will.”

  Tears stung her eyes. “I’m not sure I can take that risk.”

  “You have to take the power away from him and bring it back to you. He will call back,” Zander’s voice had softened. “You have something he wants.”

  “Me.”

  His lips thinned. “Yes.”

  Her mouth had gone dry. “So I talk to Sophie, what then?”

  “I’m guessing he’ll give you another hour maximum to get to his apartment. We’ll ensure you get there with two minutes to spare.”

  “Won’t that just make him angrier than he already is?”

  “Wrong-footing him is part of the plan.”

  “Is this all a game, then?”

  Zander grimaced. “There are…certain scenarios that always occur in these situations, yes.”

  “Even when one of the players is crazy?”

  “Especially when one of the players is crazy.”

  “What if he’s already killed Bernie or Sophie in retaliation for my not showing up? Or one of the children?” she choked. “You said it yourself, Joey is capable of doing anything that will give him a thrill.”
>
  “He’s crazy, but I don’t believe he’s stupid enough to actually hurt one of the Cooks.” Zander moved to stand in front of the window to stare sightlessly at the New York skyline. “Being Silas Taylor’s son will only allow for so much leeway in Joey’s behavior. I doubt New York society or his father will think of abduction and murder as being acceptable.”

  “And you’re basing all your decisions on that premise?”

  He turned back to face her. “That, and years of experience.”

  “Abduction 101?”

  He gave a hard smile. “Something like that. You have to trust me on this, Kate.”

  “And if you’re wrong?”

  “Then I take full responsibility.”

  “That won’t keep the Cook family alive.”

  No, it wouldn’t, but that was something Zander would have to live with. If or when it came to that. “I don’t—” He broke off as his own cell phone rang, taking it from his jeans pocket and checking the caller ID. “I have to take this call. I’ll rejoin you in the other room in a few minutes.”

  She arched her brows. “Is that a dismissal?”

  “Yes.” He didn’t want Kate in the room when he took this call. Too much hinged on him keeping a clear head, and Kate was a distraction he didn’t need. “Just go, will you, Kate?” he encouraged impatiently as she made no move to leave the bedroom.

  “That isn’t very polite.”

  “Fuck polite. I have a job to do, remember?”

  Her expression remained mutinous as she strode to the door. “You were right earlier. There will be payback for this later.”

  Zander was looking forward to it.

  “So it’s true, then.”

  “What is?” Rather than turning in response to Ethan’s remarks, Zander continued to watch Kate as she stood across the sitting room, talking to Ian and Mac. She’d made no effort to come over and speak to him since he’d come back into the sitting room, so she was obviously still pissed with him for dismissing her. He could live with that.

  Someone had persuaded her to eat something, so she at least had some color back in her cheeks. Unless that was from Ian or Mac flirting with her, in which case—

  “You and Kate Stewart,” Ethan answered him. “Who would have thought it!”

  Zander looked at the younger man through narrowed lids. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

  Ethan grinned, obviously enjoying himself. “Gabriel mentioned a few days ago that he thought there was something…personal developing between you and Kate, so when you asked for four more men, I volunteered to be one of them. I had to come and see this for myself.”

  “And?”

  “And my powers of deduction, along with the photographs in today’s newspapers of the two of you together and Kate’s remark this evening, would seem to imply Mr. Strong and Silent obviously has hidden depths only she’s aware of.”

  “Very funny.” Zander scowled his displeasure with that description of him. Not that it didn’t fit, because it did. As Kate had already remarked, he wasn’t a great talker. Any more than he was socially adept or charming. Kate had accused him of having the demeanor of a bad-tempered grizzly.

  So why had she been so determined to have him these past few days?

  Maybe because he was all those things and represented a challenge?

  “I’m pleased for you, man.” Ethan grinned. “She’s not only gorgeous and very talented, but brave too.”

  “Rebellious,” he corrected tightly. Ethan’s description of Kate was only adding to Zander’s doubts. Why would a gorgeous and very talented woman, who could have any man she wanted begging on his knees, bother with a bad-tempered bastard like him?

  The other man shot him a sideways glance. “That must make it interesting in bed.”

  “That is none of your fucking business.” Zander looked at Ethan coldly.

  Ethan held up his hands in surrender. “I was only saying.”

  “Well, don’t,” he snapped. “My relationship with Kate isn’t up for discussion.” Especially when, despite his earlier assurances to Kate to the contrary, he had once again begun to question that relationship.

  Today’s near-death experience didn’t change the fact Kate was who she was and he was who he was.

  As Ethan said, his behavior wasn’t typical at the moment. To the point Zander seemed to have forgotten all the things that should have kept him and Kate apart and instead concentrated on all the reasons why he should stay near her?

  If everything went as planned today and they managed to neutralize Taylor, then those reasons would no longer exist.

  Zander’s need to protect Kate would no longer exist.

  His reason for being here at all would no longer exist.

  He saw Kate visibly tense at the sound of the ring tone of her cell phone ten minutes later. She was visibly shaking as her apprehensive gaze immediately sought Zander’s, the color having once again drained from her cheeks.

  “Game on,” Ethan murmured with satisfaction as Kate stepped forward to take the call.

  Zander dug deep inside himself for a similar emotional detachment. One that would be necessary if he was to ensure everyone survived this evening.

  The Cooks.

  His men.

  Kate.

  Chapter 13

  “You’ve been very quiet since we left the hotel.” Kate frowned as she sat beside Zander in the front of the lead car going to Joey’s apartment building. Two more of the Knight Security employees sat in the back, and there were two more cars following with the other men inside.

  Joey had been furious during his second telephone call.

  Surprisingly, a calm had come over Kate as he ranted and raved for the listening audience he didn’t realize he had. She remained silent as she allowed him to get all the vitriol out of his system before she asked to speak to Bernie as proof Joey really did have the Cook family. Joey had refused at first and then, as Zander had predicted, he had told her Sophie would be calling her in two minutes, after which she had one more hour to get herself to his apartment.

  Kate’s inner calm had deepened at the realization there really was a pattern to this. It didn’t make it any easier to think of Bernie’s and Sophie’s fear and anxiety, but it did give her hope that Zander would be right about the rest of that pattern too.

  Her cell remained on speaker when Sophie’s call came through two minutes later. Her friend was crying, barely understandable through those tears, but Kate did manage to learn Sophie had no idea where she was, only that wherever it was, they were being guarded by two of Joey’s bodyguards.

  The call came to an abrupt end after she had revealed that.

  “Zander?” Kate prompted now when he didn’t answer her comment.

  “You didn’t ask a question. You made a statement.”

  Maybe his silence and abruptness wasn’t personal. Zander had never been particularly chatty when he was working. Or when he wasn’t, if Kate was being honest.

  Except… “Then how about I make it a question,” she suggested lightly.

  Zander gave a pointed glance in the rearview mirror at the two men seated in the back of the car before returning his attention to the traffic ahead of them. “Nothing to say.”

  Kate felt no such inhibitions. “Are you still annoyed that I’m here?”

  “No.”

  “That’s a crock of—”

  “Could you try going for five minutes without swearing?”

  Warmth flooded her cheeks at the rebuke. “Your hot-and-cold moods would make a saint swear!”

  “And we all know you’re far from being that,” he drawled.

  Kate gasped. “You bastard!”

  “At this moment, I’m a bastard with a job to do,” he bit out harshly. “So how about you stop talking and let me concentrate on doing it, hmm?”

  Her wince was pained. “What the hell is wrong with you?” So much for him not changing his mind about being her lover. He hadn’t wasted any time in becomin
g the complete asshole she was used to.

  Zander’s hands were gripping the steering wheel so tightly, his knuckles showed white. “I’m just fine, thanks for asking.”

  “You are not fine. You’re back to being that bad-tempered—”

  “Grizzly?” he taunted.

  “—bastard!” she repeated vehemently.

  “I thought I told you to show a little respect in front of my men,” he reminded.

  “Respect is earned, not given.”

  He shot her a glacial glance. “Are you saying I haven’t earned that from you?”

  Of course he had. Repeatedly. Kate didn’t know what she was saying anymore. Nor did she understand Zander’s taciturn mood, when the two of them had seemed to settle things between them at the hotel earlier. Seemed obviously being the appropriate word, because the Zander he had been this evening certainly wasn’t the same man who had told her that in future, he intended staying as close to her as a security blanket. Or the man she had made love with afterward. The man who had claimed to be her lover.

  “Never mind.” She turned to look out of the window next to her so that he didn’t see her blinking back the tears threatening to fall.

  Maybe she was blowing this out of proportion and Zander was merely tense about what was going to happen when they reached Joey’s apartment building. Once it was all over, would he go back to being that lover of earlier? For the moment, Kate decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.

  For the moment…

  He was going to have some serious apologizing to do later.

  Kate felt a warm glow forming inside her at the thought of what form that apology might take.

  Nothing was going right.

  He hated that he had argued with Kate before they left the hotel.

  He also took full responsibility for their bickering in the car on the way there, knowing it was his conversation with Ethan and the doubts now plaguing him which were responsible for that.

  Nor was it anyone’s fault that one of his men had contacted him on their way to the apartment building and reported that Taylor was now in the lobby, chatting with the security guy at the reception desk, along with half a dozen of Taylor’s security men, all with shoulder holsters strapped to their chests beneath tailored jackets.