The Devil's Bargain Read online

  The precipice was what called to him. The danger of walking on the brink. The potential of being caught was what made the rush so thrilling. Without it...

  “Stone, I’m smart enough to keep myself out of jail. I’ve said it before, she’s—” he gestured to the photograph beneath the pile of papers “—the only reason I got caught. I have no intention of ever letting that happen again.”

  Stone made a sound in the back of his throat that clearly stated his skepticism.

  “I successfully pulled off more than two dozen jobs before her. I let myself get caught,” Finn insisted.

  “Uh-huh.”

  “I chose to go back. I put myself in that position.”

  Genevieve had distracted him. Made him sloppy. And he’d done something stupid. He had no intention of letting that happen again. What he needed right now was to win back Genevieve’s trust so he could have access to his son. Period.

  Stone’s eyebrow rose, but he chose not to push him. Smart man. “Genevieve might be starting to make a splash on the jewelry scene, but her finances are precarious at best. What little money she got from her family is mostly tied up in inventory. Loose stones, precious metals.”

  His friend wasn’t telling him anything Finn wasn’t already aware of. He’d been going over Genevieve’s financials just as closely as his own. He might ignore his company, but information was knowledge and he wouldn’t let anyone take advantage of him.

  What he didn’t know was where Stone was going with this. “Your point?”

  “She spent money she didn’t have to hire a damn good lawyer to fight you.”

  Which was nothing less than what Finn had expected. And he hated to think of Genevieve putting herself and his son in that situation, but he’d remedy it as soon as possible.

  “I tried to give her money. She hasn’t cashed the check.” Which also wasn’t a surprise. But he had a plan to get her an influx of cash...one she couldn’t afford to refuse. “Don’t worry, man. I have everything under control.”

  Stone gave him a hard look. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”

  Yeah, so did he.

  Everything was riding on the next few weeks. One hiccup could cost him everything. But Finn was used to betting everything on a single well-planned adventure.

  * * *

  Genevieve paced through her living room, the heels of her shoes clicking against the hardwoods she’d refinished herself. Hands tucked beneath her crossed arms, she couldn’t stop herself from looking out the open blinds to the street in front of her little house. Waiting.

  Down the hall she could hear Maddie’s happy, high-pitched voice as she read a book to Noah. She had no idea what she would have done over the last three years without her best friend. She’d been with Genevieve every step of the way...including being in the delivery room when Noah was born.

  Maddie had also been there when Finn first slammed into Genevieve’s life. There’d been something about him, something that drew Genevieve from the first moment they’d met, at a charity gala hosted by her grandfather.

  Certainly, Finn was charismatic and handsome. Every female there that night had taken notice of him. But for Genevieve...it was more. She’d sensed the dangerous edge behind the polished exterior. And despite herself, she’d been tempted by it. For someone who’d been raised under a sheltered, strict upbringing that temptation had felt...deliciously forbidden. And so had he.

  The sensual pull had only heightened when, without asking permission, he’d pulled her onto the dance floor. The warmth of his smooth palm caressed across her bare back. From that first encounter, she’d craved him.

  Unfortunately, despite everything, there was a huge part of her that worried she still did.

  Glancing at her watch, Genevieve felt her heart lurch into her throat. Five minutes.

  What she couldn’t understand was why Finn had fought so hard to meet Noah. The man she’d known had worked hard to avoid any semblance of responsibility to the point of outsourcing the management of his family’s company. It wasn’t likely he’d suddenly developed a burning desire to be a father.

  Her biggest concern was the impact this was going to have on Noah. She really didn’t want her son falling in love with his daddy only to have Finn disappear. Or disappoint. Both highly likely.

  A car door slammed. Genevieve glanced at her watch again. Exactly ten. The chime on her front door pealed. Swallowing down the butterflies storming her belly, she stalked across the room to yank it open.

  And lost her breath.

  Damn him for being exactly as she remembered. His feet were spread, encased in large black motorcycle boots planted on the pale boards of her front porch. Shoulders packed with muscle, nearly as wide as her doorway, blocked her view of the car undoubtedly sitting at her curb. A perverse part of her wondered if he still drove the sleek Maserati he’d delighted in racing through the city at top speed, practically taunting the local police to pull him over.

  He’d been reckless and wild. So different than she was, which was undoubtedly what had attracted her in the first place. Finn DeLuca was a force. A storm, beautiful and raging. Uncaring what he destroyed in his path.

  His hair was just as dark, almost jet-black, and untamed as the rest of him. A thick scruff covered his chin and cheeks, giving the impression he couldn’t be bothered to shave rather than he was cultivating an actual beard.

  But it was his eyes that got to her. Every damn time. So dark they almost appeared black. But she’d been close enough to know they were actually a deep, dark shade of coffee brown. What had gotten her more than the color, though, was the way he’d looked at her...like he’d actually seen her. All of her, especially the pieces she’d gotten very good at hiding from everyone, including herself.

  He’d been the devil sitting on her shoulder, tempting her to sin. With him, she’d felt powerful, intelligent and beautiful. He’d convinced her she could be daring, too.

  Finn DeLuca had the uncanny ability to make her feel like she had no secrets...and that she didn’t need any. Turns out he’d been right. She hadn’t had any secrets from him because he’d researched every damn aspect of her life. And used each piece of knowledge against her. To make her care for him. Love him.

  Trust him.

  All so he could steal what he wanted—the Star of Reilly—without regard to the damage he inflicted on her life.

  “The neighbors might start talking if you leave me standing on the front porch all day, Genni.”

  “Don’t call me that.” Her response was automatic. So was the way she stepped back, doing exactly what he’d wanted her to.

  He paused beside her as he moved into her home. For a second she thought he was going to touch her. Genevieve tensed, not certain how she’d react. But instead of reaching out, Finn slowly turned his head and flashed her that dangerous, mischievous grin. The one that always made her knees go weak. Because whatever nefarious thought was usually behind that grin had inevitably left her a naked, quaking, pleasure-infused mess.

  Nope, that wasn’t happening now.

  Shoving the door closed, Genevieve purposely walked away from him. She stopped in the middle of her living room and swiveled, wrapping her arms around herself in a comforting hold.

  “I don’t know what you’re hoping to gain here, Finn, but whatever it is, you can’t have it.”

  “The only thing I want is the chance to get to know my son. You look real good, Genni.”

  She shook her head. “We both know that’s not how you work, so cut the BS. I haven’t figured out your play yet, but I will. And just in case you’re not aware, although I’m sure you are, I no longer have access to the Reilly estate, including any of the jewels, the business or the art.”

  “Yep, I’m fully aware. Why do you think I wrote you that check?”

  “Speaking of which, you can have the pieces back. And so we’
re clear, flattery won’t get you anywhere with me. We both know you have the ability to spout pretty words with no substance. Don’t waste your breath.”

  Finn’s face drew tight. His mouth flattened into a sharp line, giving her an expression she’d never seen before. But that was probably because he’d only shown her what he wanted her to see.

  “I meant what I said. And just so you know, I meant every word I’ve ever said to you. I might have done many things, but I never once lied to you.”

  Genevieve laughed, the sound of it very out of place. “Sure, except when you told me I could trust you and promised you’d never hurt me.”

  He took a single step toward her. Genevieve held up both hands.

  “I’m sorry, Genevieve.”

  It was tempting to believe he actually meant the short declaration. She heard sincerity in the words. And there was a part of her that thought maybe he was sorry.

  At least sorry he’d gotten caught.

  “It doesn’t matter anymore. I don’t actually hate you, even though you deserve it. You gave me Noah. And even if it wasn’t the way I would have preferred, you showed me I could have a life I didn’t think possible. And gave me the confidence to fight for me and my son when I needed to. I’m happier now. But that doesn’t mean I intend to forgive you or forget how you used and manipulated me.”

  It was Genevieve who closed the gap between them. She walked straight into his personal space, going toe-to-toe with him. She looked up into his dark, swarthy expression and said, “But I promise you this, I will never let you hurt or manipulate my son. So, for your sake, I hope you’re telling me the truth. Because I’m not the naive, malleable girl you knew three years ago.”

  Two

  Boy was she telling the truth.

  Genevieve wasn’t the innocent girl he’d known before. Back then he’d fought against the urge to protect and shelter her. To hurt her grandfather for the way he’d treated her. She’d been so meek. Beaten down by years of hearing she couldn’t do anything right. Being constantly reminded of every mistake or flaw.

  Even then Finn had known there was a fire deep inside her, banked and waiting for the right fuel to fan into something beautiful and mesmerizing.

  He had been right.

  The fierce expression in her gaze as she stared up at him made the blood whoosh faster in his veins. It made him want to grab her, yank her hard against him and devour that passion. And her soft, pink mouth.

  But that would no doubt get him slapped.

  And might cost him the opportunity to get to know his son.

  Just the thought of that word had his stomach cramping. He had no idea what to do with a toddler.

  He hadn’t exactly had a wonderful role model in either of his parents. They’d been too wrapped up in their own worlds to even remember they had children for the most part. His mother and father had been more like Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny, dropping into his life once or twice a year, bringing lots of excitement and presents he didn’t really want or need.

  Because while they were stingy with their attention, they made damn certain their sons had every material thing they could possibly want.

  Too bad those things hadn’t made a damn bit of difference to Sawyer. Or Finn, for that matter.

  He was not going to be that kind of parent. Refused. He might not know how to handle a baby, but he was going to damn well figure it out.

  Genevieve stared at him and he realized he’d been silent a little too long. He needed to get his head in the game before he blew it.

  “I don’t expect you to forgive me, Genevieve. But I am sorry for what happened. And while you might not believe me—”

  “Because you’ve given me no reason to, but every reason to distrust you.”

  Finn nodded his head, acknowledging she had a point. Not that he was going to let it stand between him and what he wanted.

  “I wasn’t stealing the Star that night.”

  “You were caught with the stone in your possession. And a fake was in its place.”

  “Genni, I’d had the stone for three days by that point. I came back that night to return it. The plan all along was to take it and disappear. But I couldn’t go. For the first time ever, something—someone—was more important to me than the rush of success.”

  Genevieve stared up at him. A tangle of emotions flitted across her features. God, he loved her terrible poker face.

  She was probably one of the most forthright people he’d ever met. And, given the world she’d lived in, that surprised him.

  Anyone else might have become jaded or hard, but not Genevieve. She’d been a sweet breath of fresh air. Because he was jaded.

  She was everything Finn wished he could be and just wasn’t.

  After several seconds, her tongue licked cautiously across pink lips. “What?”

  “I was putting the stone back,” he said again.

  Getting the Star out had been easy. His plan executed flawlessly.

  His conscience had been his downfall. Not to mention his inability to walk away from Genevieve.

  He hadn’t prepared a plan for returning the stone. Who would have thought that would turn out to be the harder task?

  Genevieve frowned. “What’s that supposed to change, Finn? You still stole it.”

  “True, but I couldn’t keep it. You were more important.”

  “If that was true you wouldn’t have taken it in the first place.”

  “If you knew anything about me, you’d realize just how far off that statement really is.”

  Her mouth flattened into a hard line. “You’re right. I know nothing about you. But whose fault is that? I spent weeks thinking I was getting to know this amazing man I was falling in love with only to discover it was all a lie.”

  “Not all.”

  “So you’ve said. But the problem is, there’s no way for me to untangle the lies from the truth to figure out what I might be able to trust. And I’m not willing to make the effort even if I could. The past is over, Finn. I’m letting you into my son’s life because the court says I don’t have a choice. But I fully expect this is a novelty for you. Something your incarceration has convinced you that you should do. In a couple months some other shiny new toy will catch your interest and you’ll be gone.”

  Finn couldn’t stop himself. He moved into her personal space, crowding Genevieve in a way that would have had the girl he knew shying away. Instead, she tipped her head back and glared at him.

  Pride swelled through his chest, mixing with a healthy dose of amusement. Leaning down, he brought his mouth close enough to feel the heat of her skin caressing his lips and murmured, “Don’t count on it. I’m not going anywhere, Genni.”

  She couldn’t hide the shiver that rocked her body. With a huff, Genevieve stepped back, finally putting space between them.

  Tilting his head, Finn said, “If we’re done dealing with the past—” obviously, they weren’t, but they’d at least made a start “—can I please meet Noah now?”

  Her glare raked across his body, as if he was lower than the gunk on the bottom of her shoe. She might want to feel that way, but her reaction suggested she didn’t really.

  Finn simply waited her out, knowing his calm would irritate her. Now he was just being perverse, but he liked the snap of her temper. The way it made her eyes glitter and her skin glow.

  Finally, she said, “He’s in the back. I’ll get him.”

  She turned to go, no doubt assuming he’d wait. It was the polite thing to do. But he’d never cared about being polite.

  Following two steps behind her, he said, “No need. I’ll come with you.”

  Genevieve paused halfway down the darkened hallway. She didn’t turn and after several seconds began walking again. It didn’t suck that he got a view of her jeans molded to her pert ass. His palm itched to reach out a
nd smack it.

  But he wasn’t a complete idiot.

  They passed by a couple rooms. One was clearly set up as an office. Not just for the boring details no doubt necessary for running her business. Finn also caught glimpses of the tools she used in her work. None of the expensive jewels she sometimes used in her pieces, but shiny bits of rock, mineral and twisted metal.

  Another room was most likely a guest room. Genevieve paused in front of a doorway. It was closest to the shut door at the very end of the hallway. Probably her master.

  She blocked Finn’s view of what was inside, but it really didn’t matter. The expression on her face told him everything he needed to know. Pure love and adoration filled her expression.

  His own mother had never once looked at him with that kind of love. No one ever had.

  No, that wasn’t true.

  Genevieve had. But she certainly didn’t anymore.

  * * *

  She wasn’t ready. For Finn or for what was about to happen.

  How could she still react to him? After everything the man had done to her...

  His betrayal had cut so deep. Starving for affection, approval, acceptance, she’d been ripe to fall for Finn DeLuca’s lies. She’d wanted to believe him when he told her she was beautiful. Basked in his praise when he said she was amazingly talented and intelligent.

  Considering she’d grown up beneath the harsh and disapproving glare of her grandfather, a man who routinely pointed out that she was useless and couldn’t be trusted to do anything correctly, it probably wouldn’t have taken much warmth and sunlight for her to flourish. But Finn had given her more than a small taste of what she’d always craved.

  Stupid of her for believing him.

  But to her credit, she’d been naive and sheltered before. She hadn’t been aware of what was lacking in her life until Finn. Hadn’t understood that she’d deserved better than the demeaning and degrading verbal and emotional abuse her grandfather had subjected her to.