Torn.
A BILLIONAIRE BACHELORS CLUB NOVEL.
MONICA MURPHY.
Dedication.
To all the readers out there who demanded Gage"s story immediately. This one"s for you.
Chapter One.
Marina.
"TELL ME YOUR name."
A shiver runs down my spine at the commanding, deep voice that sounds in my ear. I keep myself still, trying my best not to react considering we"re surrounded by at least a hundred people, but oh, how I want to.
If I could, I"d throw myself into the arms of the man who"s standing far too close to me. He"s demanding to know my name as if I owe him some sort of favor, which I can"t help but find hot.
Irritating, but hot.
"Tell me yours first," I murmur in return, turning my head in the opposite direction, so it appears I"m not even talking to him. He stands behind me, tall and broad, imposing in his immaculate black suit and crisp white shirt-the silvery tie he wears perfectly knotted at his throat.
I might not be looking at this very moment, but I"d memorized everything about him the moment I first saw him not an hour ago. He"d drawn plenty of attention without saying a word, striding into the room as if he owned it, casting that calculating gaze upon everyone in attendance. Looking very much like the mighty king observing his lowly subjects-until his eyes lit upon me.
He watched me for long, agonizing minutes. b.u.t.terflies fluttered in my stomach as I felt his hungry eyes rake over my body, and for a terrifying moment I wondered if he could see right through me. I shifted the slightest bit, inwardly cursing myself for coming tonight, but I held firm. I refused to react.
I still refuse to react.
"You don"t know who I am?" He sounds amused at the notion, and I"m tempted to walk away without a word. My earlier nerves evaporate, replaced by a steely spine and an even steelier att.i.tude. He"s so confident, so arrogant, I"m sure he believes he has me.
He doesn"t know who he"s dealing with then, does he?
We"re at a local wine- and brewery-tasting, and I"m here representing the bakery my family owns. The one I was recently allowed to take over and run since I"d graduated college. The business they all believe is going to fail. So why not give it to Marina? She can"t screw it up too badly.
That"s what I overheard my father telling my uncle. The memory of his words still cuts straight to the bone.
Finally I chance a glance at the man behind me, drinking in his thick brown hair tinged with gold, the way it tumbles across his forehead, his twinkling green eyes, the faint smile that curves his full lips. The combination gives him a boyish appearance. It"s a complete illusion because there is nothing boyish about this virile man before me.
"Perhaps you can enlighten me." I offer a carefree smile and turn to face him, the nerves returning tenfold when he takes a step toward me, invading my personal s.p.a.ce. His scent hits me first: clean and subtle, a mixture of soap and just . . . him. No cologne that I can detect.
Rather unusual. Most of the men I know slather themselves in expensive scents all with the purpose of drawing us silly women in. Instead, they end up choking us.
With the exception of this man. I find the uniqueness refreshing.
A slow smile appears, revealing perfectly straight white teeth. "Gage Emerson." He thrusts his hand toward me. "And you are . . .?"
He"s not very subtle. And he"s exactly who I suspected, not that I had any real doubt. The very man who recently bought up what feels like half of the Napa Valley, all in the hopes of turning it around and selling it to G.o.d knows who just to earn a hefty profit.
Not caring in the least that he"s forever changing the landscape of the very place I"ve grown up in. And devastating my family in the process.
"Marina Knight," I say. G.o.d, I sound breathless, and I want to smack myself. I"m not here tonight because of him. I came for other reasons. To promote the family bakery, to mix and mingle with local business owners, many I consider friends. My life in the Napa Valley is all I know.
And this gorgeous man standing in front of me is trying to take what I know away from me for good.
His smile grows and a slow, burning anger-combined with hunger, which makes me angrier-threads its way through my veins. I inhale sharply, desperate to control the unwanted emotion. I knew he was handsome, charming, well spoken. I"d recently done my research; Googled him for a solid hour, trying to find any sort of weakness-since he certainly knows my family"s-but it appears he has none. Like he"s some sort of untouchable superhero.
I didn"t expect my reaction to him, though. My body is humming in all the right places at his closeness. My skin literally tingles, and when he clasps my hand in his to shake it, my knees threaten to buckle.
"A pleasure to meet you, Marina Knight." His voice rumbles from somewhere deep in his chest and he draws his thumb across the top of my hand in the quickest caress before releasing it.
He"s just a man, I remind myself. A dreamy, s.e.xy man, in that polished, overtly masculine, deliciously commanding way that I don"t normally find myself drawn to, but . . . hmm.
A girl is always allowed to change her mind.
"Lovely to meet you too," I say automatically, sounding just like my mother. Wincing, I look away, feeling foolish. I"m twenty-three years old. I"ve moved amongst the revered social circles in the Napa Valley all my life. My family is one of the most well known in the area. You"d think I"d know how to handle myself around charming, ruthless men.
But I don"t know how to handle myself-at least around this one. Gage Emerson is intimidating. Gorgeous. Captivating.
I should run. Right now. Just turn tail and run. I don"t know what I was thinking, hoping to talk to him. He"s after my family"s extensive property holdings throughout the valley. And I want something from him too.
The venue is small, at one of the many local wineries in the area. I"d found out Gage was coming so I planned to attend as well. I"d already talked to the winery owner, giving him my card in the hopes he would discuss the offer I made him earlier tonight, right before the party started.
The artisan breads my aunt bakes every morning would go perfectly with his wines. I"ve been trying this tactic for a while, approaching local businesses the bakery could pair with for promotional purposes, but so far, no luck. I"m starting to believe the word "failure" is tattooed on my forehead, and the only one who can"t see it is me.
"Would you like a drink?" Gage asks. When I look at him once more he inclines his head to the side. "I"m headed to the bar. Care to join me?"
I follow him wordlessly through the crowd, murmuring h.e.l.los to the people I know as we pa.s.s, which is most of them. I"ve spent my entire life here. The towns that make up Napa Valley may be large, but the community is small, and everyone seems to know each other.
The gossip will probably be rampant with the fact that I spent time in the company of the calculating, interloping real estate shark Gage Emerson, but I don"t mind. Ultimately I"ll get what I want.
Though he probably won"t.
He settles his hand at the base of my spine, steering me toward the bar, and I feel his touch in the very depths of my soul. My knees weaken as we come to a stop, standing in a short line to order our drinks.
"So what brings you here this evening, Marina Knight?" he asks, making idle conversation. He doesn"t sound overly flirtatious, but I can never be too sure. At least he"s not touching me any longer. I don"t know if I"d be able to form words with his hands on me. My brain seems to go into temporary lockdown just having him close.
"My family," I say, not wishing to give too much information away. If he can"t figure out who I am after my introduction, then I really don"t want to give him any more hints.
He lifts a dark brow. "Your family?"
"We own a few businesses in Napa Valley," I finally answer vaguely, stepping forward as the line moves.
He keeps pace with me, his gaze roving over my face, as if he"s trying to figure out if we know each other. "Family businesses? Have we met before?"
I slowly shake my head. "Hmm, not that I can recall." I"d rather have him think he"s utterly forgettable.
Not that he is. Oh no. It"s only been a few minutes, but I"m afraid he"s burned himself onto my brain forever.
"Huh." He sounds stumped. Looks it too. Which means he looks adorable.
His squeaky-clean image is the stuff of legend. Well, really his public image is one of all business, no play. Yes, he always has a beautiful woman on his arm at various public events. Yes, he"s been linked to a few relationships, always with women who are as successful and powerful as he is.
So what could he see in little ol" me? The bakery manager with the giant family that"s slowly losing its fortune, one buyout at a time?
Ugh, I need to push all the ugly thoughts out of the way and focus on the here and now. Like how can I convince him that the next acquisition on his agenda is off limits. The one he"s going to be offering on very soon. The deal my family-specifically my father-won"t be able to resist much longer.
I need to hold Gage off from making that purchase. He buys up the strip of businesses my family owns in St. Helena, and my career is over. My entire life I"ve wanted to run one of the family businesses, specifically the bakery. It was expected. The bakery had been a part of my life since I could remember. Now, with everything being sold off, there won"t be any businesses left. After all that my family had done over the years, to be left with nothing makes me sick to my stomach.
I"m a part of the Molina family legacy, one of the oldest families in all the Napa Valley, yet I feel like there"s nothing I can do. It"s slipping out of my grasp right before my eyes and I"m powerless to stop it. Though maybe I could stall Gage for a little while . . .
But how can I hold him off? What can I do to stop him from changing my life forever?
You"re a smart, strong woman. You can come up with something.
Sometimes I swear it feels like the voice inside my head is not my own.
It"s our turn to order at the bar, and Gage asks for a beer while I order a gla.s.s of sparkling wine, locally produced. I"m ultraconscious of supporting our area businesses. After all, I"d hope for the same in regards to my business.
My failing business, thank you very much.
He pays for my drink, and I let him. He"s still trying to figure out who I am; I can tell by his scrunched brows, his narrowed eyes. We move away from the bar but remain standing nearby. His back is facing everyone else still in line, and he"s turned toward me while I"m leaning against the wall. He"s got me effectively trapped, though I don"t feel it. I rather like being surrounded by Gage Emerson.
Even though I shouldn"t.
Gage I CAN"T PLACE her, but I swear I"ve heard of her before. Maybe even met her though I can"t recall where. Archer"s hotel opening, maybe? I don"t know. I met an endless stream of people at that specific event, though they weren"t overly friendly. Most everyone in the Napa Valley still treats me like an outsider.
Marina Knight . . . it"s her first name that"s tripping me up. I don"t know many Marinas. Or even one aside from her. Who does? But this one . . . she"s beautiful. And not what I expected-though really? What the h.e.l.l could I expect? I don"t know her.
At least I don"t think I do. And d.a.m.n it, I"m too distracted by her pretty face. I think she"s s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g with my brain.
All that calm, contained elegance she wears so eloquently is seductive. Honey-blonde hair that falls in gentle waves to the middle of her back. Cool, a.s.sessing blue eyes that seem to see right through me and are amused with what they find. Her mouth is slicked with a deep, ruby red lipstick and she presses her lips together before she flashes a mysterious little smile. Just looking at the gentle curve of them sets my blood on fire.
Not a good sign.
She"s of average height, hitting me at about my shoulder, and she"s wearing a simple black dress that covers her completely yet clings to every delicious curve. She screams both ice queen and touch me-an alluring combination I"m finding harder to resist the longer I"m in her company.
Lately, I"ve sworn off women completely. I enjoy spending time with them. I appreciate them like any other man. But they"re a total distraction when I don"t need one, always wanting more than I can give. Focusing on my business is the ultimate goal at the moment. Starting up a relationship with the potential for it to turn serious?
I don"t think so.
Truly, that is the absolute last thing I want. Especially after witnessing my best friend Archer Bancroft fall hopelessly in love-with my little sister Ivy, for G.o.d"s sake. I know that"s not the path I"m ready to take.
Plus, there"s a h.e.l.l of a lot of money on the line. The a.s.shole friend of ours who came up with the million-dollar bet, Matt DeLuca, is laughing hysterically at me right now. I can feel it; I can always feel it. I think he"s here somewhere, probably spying on me as I talk to this woman I don"t even know. All the while he"s got that new a.s.sistant of his following him everywhere, sending him longing glances while he"s an oblivious idiot.
She"s got the hots for him, the poor thing.
We were at a friend"s wedding when the three of us declared we never wanted to get married. We must"ve been drunk when we did it, but we all bet each other we"d never let ourselves get tied down to a woman. And the last single man wins one million dollars.
f.u.c.king crazy.
If I have my way, Matt definitely won"t win. Smug b.a.s.t.a.r.d. He thinks this situation we"ve all found ourselves in is hilarious. He believes he"s got winning our stupid bet covered. Mister Lone Wolf has thrown himself completely into the renovation of the winery he recently bought. Women don"t interest him, he told me just the other day. Maybe for a quick romp between the sheets, but nothing that could last. Nothing serious.
All the while, his very attractive a.s.sistant is sitting not ten feet away from us, her body stiff. I swear to G.o.d, her head tilted toward us so she could totally listen in on our conversation.
I"m with him one hundred percent in that regard. Let Archer take the fall-alone. He"s thrilled to be playing house with my sister, which still blows my mind. Ivy"s just as enamored with him. Funny, considering how not that long ago they argued all the d.a.m.n time. I figured they hated each other.
Now . . . h.e.l.l, they"re getting married in a couple of months. I"m going to be Archer"s best man. Just thinking of wearing the imaginary noose that Archer"s willingly walking into has me tugging at my suddenly too-tight shirt collar.
"So what brings you here tonight, Gage Emerson?" Marina repeats the question I asked her earlier, that same little mysterious smile curving her lips. There"s a natural sultriness to this woman that calls to me. I can"t explain it. I want to lean in closer to her and inhale her scent. Touch her soft cheek, take her hand and press my palm to hers. Something, anything to make that instant connection between us I"m suddenly looking for. Her lips drive me to distraction; they"re such a lush, seductive red.
I bet she tastes f.u.c.king amazing.
Keep your head straight, a.s.shole.
"Business," I answer firmly, sipping from my bottle of beer. It"s from a local microbrewery that"s become a recent favorite. That"s why I came, that and-as always-to make business connections. Archer got me the invite. The more properties I buy in the area, the more inclined I am to stay here.
I like it. The countryside is beautiful, the people seemingly friendly until you want to take over their turf, and it"s not too far from San Francisco, my home base.
I keep my eyes trained on Marina the entire time I drink, noticing how she jerks her gaze away from mine, her chest turning the faintest shade of pink, as if I might"ve made her uncomfortable.
Yep, I"m such a goner. And when I know I shouldn"t be. I"m completely entranced. The women I"m normally drawn to are sophisticated, confident. My equals in age, status, and earning capability. I appreciate more of a powerhouse couple ethic. I sound like a complete jacka.s.s in my own d.a.m.n brain, but I can"t help it. I"m drawn to intelligent, confident women.
This one is young, pretty, and seemingly shy . . . with that air of innocent, yet sensual mystery that has me eager to get to know her better, despite my current aversion to the fairer s.e.x.
"And what sort of business are you involved in?" I swear she just batted her eyelashes at me.
"Real estate." I take another drink, giving her the side eye as she casually averts her gaze, seeming to scan the crowd from over my shoulder. I glance behind me, seeing no one familiar in the room before I turn to face her once more. Of course, I"m the outsider here. And they"re all watching me as if they expect me to grow five heads or something. I feel out of place.
Napa is small and everyone notices a new face. At least back home in San Francisco, it"s pretty d.a.m.n easy to get lost in the crowd when you want to. "I"ve recently made some purchases here in the area."
"Is that so?" Her lips curl into a knowing smile and I frown, trying my best to figure out who the h.e.l.l she is.
But I don"t know. Not for lack of trying.
"It is. There are a few more that I"m interested in too. That"s why I"m here. I"m hoping to find out some information."