CHAPTER 1

          EIGHT WEEKS EARLIER

          Strangely, the main door wasn’t closed, so Paxton entered the restaurant’s dining room. There wasn’t a single soul inside, and the lights were off, but he could see a ray of light coming from a backroom. Maybe it was the kitchen. He came closer to the door and the voice of a woman made him stop in his tracks.

“‘Yes, Kieran, I understand you had other things to take care of, don’t worry. Still, I really hoped you could be here,’” she said and started laughing slowly. “‘Funny, but no! I didn’t bite her head off… The meeting with the interior designer went perfectly. Her ideas were great. She will start the work as soon as possible.’”

          The woman was talking on the phone with his brother. Paxton came even closer and kept listening from behind the ajar door.

“‘This place is changing fast and it’s all because of you. Just promise me you’ll come here soon. I want to show you the last changes I made. Okay, Kieran, absolutely. I’ll see you soon. Bye for now.’”

          So, his brother won’t come to see her tonight. Perfect! This was the right moment to strike her, to crash her and force her to stay away from Kieran. Tonight, Rhiannon King, his brother’s new fling, is going to learn a valuable lesson: there is no place for gold-diggers in the Ridgway universe.

          Her game was so misleading. On the outside, Rhiannon looked so damn innocent but Paxton knew her kind. He knew that she was as lethal and as poisonous as she was gorgeous and charming. Nonetheless, Paxton had a lot of experience in dealing with such dangerous snakes. He knew exactly where to hit her to annihilate her.

          Money was all she had in mind since the moment Kieran looked her way. But the thing Rhiannon didn’t take into consideration was Paxton and his determination to leave her empty-handed. And she won’t know what hit her.

          Based on what Paxton heard, after her brother’s death, Rhiannon left her personal affairs and focused on keeping “King’s Wish”, his restaurant and legacy, alive and kicking. But no one, except for Kieran, knew how desperate the situation was. The restaurant was on the verge of financial disaster. The bankruptcy was just one step away. She needed a capital injection as soon as possible and she knew exactly where to find it. She used all her charms and her power of persuasion and got under Kieran’s skin.

          Well, tonight was the end of the line.

          It was payback time!

          After tonight, she will stop targeting Kieran.

          So, let the games begin!

“Rhiannon?” Paxton said, after clearing his throat. “Are you in there?”

          The kitchen door opened quickly and Paxton found himself face to face with her. Dammit, she was so beautiful and elegant… even now, while she was wearing jeans and a white shirt.  

“Paxton…” she murmured. “I wasn’t expecting you… Well, to be honest, I wasn’t expecting anyone.”

          Rhiannon looked over his shoulder at the restaurant’s dining room.

“Wait… How did you get in? The door is closed.”

          He laughed and took away his suit jacket.

“I have superpowers…” Paxton replied.

“Really?” she asked raising an eyebrow.

“I was just joking. The main door is still open.”

“What? Oh, my God, I thought the guys closed it after they finished cleaning. Or maybe they urged me to do it…” she added, trying to remember the last words her staffers told her. “I don’t remember… Wow, I’m losing it. Lately, I have so much on my mind. I swear, one of these days, my head is going to explode.”

          She went to the door and turned the key in the lock, then put it in her pocket.

“It’s okay… No one noticed,” Paxton said smiling.

“No one but you…” she countered. “Excuse me, I’m such a bad host… I’m keeping you here in the dark. Come to the kitchen. That’s my office… for the time being.”

          They entered the kitchen. The place was extremely neat, except for the papers and the plans splashed all over the counter. She was already planning how to spend every single dime of his brother’s money. Greedy little bitch!

“Can I get you something?” she asked.

“No, I’m okay… for now,” Paxton replied, still looking around.

“I hope you won’t think I’m being rude, but… Why are you here, Paxton?” she asked, drinking the last drop of coffee from her cup.

“I was in the neighborhood…” he replied and they both started laughing. “No, I was not. The truth is, I was curious to know how you were doing. I know your brother’s death hit you pretty hard…”

“It did. But I have this… His place. It keeps my mind occupied most hours. Well, it keeps my mind occupied every hour of every day…”

          Austin King, her brother, was one of the most prolific chefs in New York, extremely well-known and appreciated. In his mid-20s, he took over the “La Terrasse” at the “Hotel Continental” in Nice, which soon earned him three Michelin Stars. And he went on, showing his prowess in the kitchen and winning more stars.

          But he wasn’t a very shrewd businessman. Austin made a lot of mistakes. He opened one restaurant too many, while he had money problems. He surrounded himself with worthless people and created working relationships meant to go nowhere.

          In a few years, Austin lost almost everything, except “King’s Wish”, his first restaurant. He tried to keep it open, but once the jet set branded him “a failure”, Austin started losing ground. People working with him said he started using drugs while jumping from one bed to another. They found him dead in one of his… girlfriend’s bed, a very married girlfriend.

          The brother - an addict and a playboy.

          The sister - a moneygrubber and a whore.

          And their mother… She was a real piece of work, too.

          Such a perfect family!

“Still… I’m sorry for your loss, Rhiannon… He was so young…”

“My brother always lived life at its fullest. Without regrets, without thinking too much…” Rhiannon replied in a sad voice and shrugged. “He was good in the kitchen but bad with numbers… and human relationships…”

          She lowered her eyes and Paxton felt a strong urge to hold her, protect her… help her in every way possible, even financially… He slightly shook his head.

          Help her financially?!

          Not in a million years!

          Rhiannon King may seem innocent and sweet, but she was just an opportunist, who was targeting his foolish brother, thinking Kieran was the chump she needed to keep “King’s Wish” from going into bankruptcy. For Kieran’s sake, Paxton had to finish her off.

“Well, let me tell you you’re doing a good job with this place. You are keeping it together. Kieran told me you are also a chef… a very good one.”

“As always, Kieran is exaggerating. I like food and I know my way around a kitchen,” she said pointing around. “I kinda trained myself since I was old enough to hold a spoon. I loved cooking with my brother, even if he was quite competitive… I even learned how to create from scratch a few of his signature dishes. Like ‘The Steak Sarnie’.”

“What is that?”

“A very original version of the classic steak sandwich… It’s… Oh, I’m sorry, I tend to run my mouth when I’m nervous, or tired, or both…”

“It’s okay… I like listening to you. My day wasn’t so good, so hearing you talking about this place and food helps me relax.”

          ‘Nice touch, Ridgway!’ he thought, extremely proud of himself.

“I’m sure it’s not true, but thank you nonetheless…”

          She looked at him in silence, then slightly, shook her head.

“You know, Kieran said you were cold and uptight…” Rhiannon finally told Paxton.

“Really? And what’s your opinion now?”

“I think you’re nice, kind, mysterious…”

“Rhiannon…”

“You’re the only one calling me this way… Everybody else is calling me Rina… or RiRi…”

          Paxton picked up her hand and started caressing her knuckles with his thumb. He could feel the strength in her palm, the callus at the base of her index finger, and the rough skin created by constant abuse in the kitchen. They seem capable hands, working hands…

          Why steal Kieran’s money?

          Why being such a cold, calculating bitch?

“Your name means ‘Goddess’ or ‘Great Queen’. Rhiannon… I like it…” he whispered, then took a step closer to her and cupped her cheeks. “I like you… so very much…” Paxton added and covered her mouth with his lips.

          For a split second, Paxton felt her body sagging in relief, surrendering so suddenly and profoundly… like someone just cut her strings. Breath whooshed out of her lungs. Her hands gripped his wrists, for balance, while his lips moved over hers.

          Willing to make things hotter, Paxton forced her to open her mouth and accept his invasion. His hands were warm on her cheeks as he tilted her head to better align his lips with hers. His mouth was soft and firm at the same time. His lips led hers in an easy dance, not giving her a chance to falter.

          Rhiannon flattened her palms on his chest and gently put an end to the kiss. She gasped for air.

“Paxton…” she whispered against his lips. “This is crazy… I don’t… understand…”

“Should I stop?” he asked, strangely unwilling to stay away from her. “Should I leave?”

“Only if you want me dead…”

          He grinned with satisfaction and took her mouth once again. Her lips were tentative, responsive to the slightest pressure of his mouth. When he deepened the kiss, Rhiannon opened to him. When he pulled away, her lips danced lightly over his.

          Paxton pressed her into the kitchen counter and she gave beneath him, arching, thrusting her full breasts toward him. Rhiannon tilted her hips in blatant invitation as their tongues asked and answered questions in a rapid exchange of straightforward desire.

          He hated her so much but he also wanted her in equal measure. Paxton pulled her closer until they were joined at chest, hip, and thigh. They moved as one, with communication hardwired between them, bypassing speech, relying on touch.

          Her body screamed ‘Take me!’ and his body answered with a clear, violent affirmation. He was harder than he’d ever been in his life. Paxton bent to lift her into his arms, so intent on getting her to the chair without losing contact with her mouth, a mouth that promised oblivion with every slow, gliding movement of her tongue, that he didn’t pay attention to where they were.

          Instead, he pulled her shirt above her breasts and cupped each warm curve in his hands. He flipped her white, lacy bra below her breasts, so he could suck a pink nipple into his mouth and draw a long, low moan from her throat. He reached between them to press his palm firmly against the denim between her thighs.

          Rhiannon pressed back.

“Not here…” she panted and pulled her shirt down while sliding out from underneath him. 

          His eyes flashed.

“I want to do more than kiss you, Rhiannon. You became part of my thoughts from the first time I saw you.”      

          She cleared her throat loudly.

“I’m so… confused… Yes, confused is the word. We saw each other only a couple of times before tonight… And we know nothing about each other… How can it be?”

“The heart wants what it wants… I guess,” he replied. “Have dinner with me, Rhiannon.”

          Frowning, she shook her head and turned her back. Paxton moved so close to her that he could feel the line of her back against his chest.

“Please. Let me take you on a… date. Now! Tonight!”

“I’m not dressed for going out…”

“Trust me, you look perfect.”

“I’m not, and you know it.”

“Rhiannon, we shared some fiery kisses tonight and I have no intention of saying goodbye to you.”

          ‘I’m not done with you… Not by a long shot!’

“Say yes!” he begged her.

“To what?”

“To everything! To all the things I have in mind for us!”