Chapter 1
Preface
Logan James was a wolf, a predator who operated with stealth in business.He bought companies after he’d run them down and stripped them back to their bare bones before inserting his own people or selling them on.Darkly handsome with short dark brown hair and neatly groomed light facial hair around his jawline and mouth, he was ruthless and some questioned whether or not he had any heart at all.When it came to women, he took who he wanted when he wanted to his bed to dominate without any apologies whether she was single or married.All he requested was that she was submissive and would willing submit to his rule and discipline.It had all made the Scottish Lord Kendrick very rich and the most sought after aristocratic billionaire bachelor on the planet.But the wolf had a secret that should it come out would ruin his dark fierce reputation forever . . .
Chapter One
He hadn’t expected to see her. Did she even know he was there watching her across the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden from his own box? He knew his face was obscured by the shadows in the darkness as he sat at the back but he still hoped she would see him, acknowledge his presence, anything to break this silence between them. He was kissing the woman he brought as his guest for the evening as Madam Butterfly played out on the stage beneath them but he could not take his eyes from the woman on the other side of the Opera House, the woman who belonged to him.He continued pulling the zip down on his guest’s seductive red silk evening dress his female companion for the night was wearing, lowering his mouth to kiss at her neck so he could take a better look at Megan.
She hadn’t changed after seventeen years. She was still as beautiful and fragile in her appearance as ever with her long dark chestnut curls piled high on her head in a stunning off the shoulder magenta evening gown.The dress brought out the colour in those haunted deep brown eyes that always captivated him leaving him helpless under her spell. He swept his hand over Andrea’s bare back wishing it was Megan’s skin he caressed so lightly with the tips of his fingers noticing tears falling from her eyes with the emotion of the performance. She’d always loved Madam Butterfly and the tragedy of the story. It served to heighten the vulnerability he saw within her she worked so hard to hide. Slipping his hand discreetly in to Andrea’s dress, shielding her body from view with his own, he caressed her breast cupping and squeezing, imagining the whole time it was Megan’s flesh he held so tightly.
Look over. Look over. See me.Be jealous. Be angry, be anything.
Perhaps his thoughts had power because she raised her eyes from the stage to sweep them around the Opera House and rested them on his box.The billionaire immediately lifted his head from Andrea’s throat to make direct contact with Megan’s eyes while he still caressed Andrea’s breast.He held his breath feeling his heart pound with anticipation.Her eyes widened as she came to realise who was watching her so intently.For a brief moment, he thought he saw something, hurt, jealousy and even love mingle and tense her features but it was fleeting.That damn mask of control she wore so well covered her face once more to leave him wondering, wishing again.Wanting to provoke the reaction once more, he lowered his lips back to Andrea’s throat and sucked passionately raising his eyes to see her.Megan was staring at him unable to tear her eyes away.He hadn’t been mistaken there was hurt in them.So, there was hope after all.She wasn’t lost to him even after all of this time.
But the Scottish Billionaire and Lord, Logan Kendrick was to feel the pinch of jealousy himself when Megan’s handsome male companion narrowed his eyes at him and leaned towards Megan to brush his lips across her cheek then down the side of her neck.It was a direct communication of ownership.Hands off.But to Logan’s surprise Megan appeared angry and disturbed by the action.She moved her head away and glared at the man before standing and lifting her gown to leave the white gold edged box, much to his amusement in a particularly dramatic moment in the performance that fit the situation and her departure.
Oh no.You don’t get away that easy.I am not letting you just walk out of my life again.
Logan let go of Andrea.
“Forgive me,” he whispered giving her a quick kiss.“I have to go.The driver will take you home.”
Ignoring her confusion and delicious pouting lips, he stood and made his way out of the box determined to catch Megan outside.He ran down the deserted stairs in his tuxedo as the performance echoed out around him, his heart thudding.When he reached the lobby, she was just going out the main door.
“Megan,” he called out to her.
She lifted her face towards him hearing his voice.She shook her head and opened the door to run outside.He followed her and caught hold of her arm just before she crossed the road no doubt to find a taxi and get away.He swung her around to face him.
“Let me go.What the hell do you want?” she growled as he pulled her towards him.“Don’t think you can just walk back in to my life and start treating me as though I am a piece of your property,” she retorted.
He made sure he kept hold of her wrist anxious she would try to run from him again.He gave her frown.
“Why are you running from me?” he asked.
“You said you would keep away.That is what we agreed,” she said trying to free her wrist.
“I know what we said,” he was trying to keep his cool and argue that it was the wrong thing to do.He regretted everything he said and did all those fifteen years ago.
“Did you know I would be here tonight?” she snapped.
“No, I didn’t.I promise you.This is a shock for me as it is for you.Please let’s just go for a coffee and catch up.We used to be friends remember.”
She was silent for a minute and stopped struggling realising he wasn’t going to let go.He watched Megan sweep her beautiful chestnut brown eyes over him and flutter those long dark deep lashes he had always admired since they grew up as friends.She was still as breath taking as ever and if he had wondered if his everlasting love for her was a sham built on memories from his childhood, he was wrong.His heart was still beating for her.
“You look well,” she suddenly said in a soft voice.
He smiled.
“So, do you.”
Her smile widened.
“I have heard about all about your exploits with women.”She raised an eyebrow.“You have quite a reputation.There are always so many beautiful women around you.”
So, you have been keeping tabs on me all this time as well.Score.
He grinned.
“Just some fun.I see you are still with Tom.”
Megan lowered her eyes and said with a sigh.
“Yes, but I don’t know for how much longer,” there was a frustrated anger creeping in to her tone as she finished her sentence.“Things change.”
“I see.I am sorry to hear that.”
Liar.
“But your career as a Barrister is going very well.I see you made Queens Counsel a couple of weeks ago,’ he said forgetting himself.
“So, you have been following my life closely?” she asked surprised and a little unsettled.
“Why did you run from me?” he asked gently letting go of her arm, changing the subject quickly.
Megan lowered her eyes to the pavement.
“I don’t know.Too many memories, I guess.I don’t know.It was just a shock to see you after so long.It must be twelve years.”
“Thirteen.”
Logan felt frustration and disappointment rise and it was an effort to dampen it down.He put his hands in his trouser pockets and viewed her intently for a moment.
“How are you?” he asked.
“I’m fine.”
“No, I mean how are you really, Megan?Are you happy?”
She looked at him directly and her eyes were glassy.His owned widened in response.All of a sudden, she looked tired and there was a fear in her eyes.She was looking behind him as though reliving a memory.He heard the doors of the Royal Opera House open.
“Megan.What are you doing out here?What are you doing with him?”
It was Tom. Logan knew that pretentious English tone anywhere.
“We were just talking, Tom.I didn’t expect to see him here.”
Logan didn’t like the nervous tone to her voice.He searched her eyes.Was Tom hurting her?
He came to stand next them.
“We should go back inside,” he insisted.
“No, I just want to go home.”
“But you love Madam Butterfly.I planned a whole night.”
“I thought we were going for a coffee to catch up, Megan.I haven’t seen you for so long,” Logan urged in a possessive tone.
Why couldn’t Tom just fuck off for a while so they could catch up?He knew the score with their relationship.He’d been there from the start.
“Like hell are you.Megan, you are coming home with me now,” Tom said roughly taking hold of Megan’s arm to pull her to him.Logan stiffened watching her tremble when Tom touched her.She grimaced with his tight hold and struggled to get away as he began dragging her down the street to hail a black cab.
“Let her go you are hurting her,” Logan insisted following them down the street.
Tom wagged his finger at him.“You were supposed to keep away.That was part of the agreement.”
“I have kept away for thirteen years and I am beginning to see that was clearly the wrong thing to do.Let her go, now.”
He didn’t like the way Tom was manhandling Megan.He caught hold of her arm when she squealed and tried to pull her back lunging forward to remove Tom’s grip.“Get the hell off her.I said let her go.”
“Get back to Scotland or New York wherever you reside now and your damn life.She belongs to me, not you,” Tom shouted shoving Megan away so hard she moved sideways to trip on her dress and fall to her knees in the road.Logan saw red.Before he could reach her, Tom was swinging a punch at him.He moved sideways to avoid it and grabbed his arm to turn it up behind his back.He placed his other arm around his neck and pulled it tight.
“I don’t want to see you treating my wife that way again or we are going to take this discussion further.If I hear or see you hurting her again I will run you out of London.Do you understand?”
