Chapter 2

“The Breeds are moving against us, Kita,” he bit out harshly, his once kind, gentle brown eyes now flinty with determination. “Phillip is missing, your mother is dead, your aunt Cara is under arrest, and there are rumors of Breeds targeting Phillip’s entire family. I won’t have them taking you.”

“What are you so frightened of?” Kita could feel the nervousness, the sense of impending disaster suddenly tightening her stomach. “What have you done in the past two years? You swore.” Her breathing hitched. “You swore to me and Mom that you would never help Uncle Phillip in his schemes again.”

Her mother was gone, but she had believed he would honor the promise he made to her, that he would ensure he did nothing further to enrage the Breeds.

“Do you think I had to do more?” This time, he did shake her, just enough to shock her, to send a spurt of wariness pulsing through her. “Do you think, Kita, they wouldn’t use you if they could? That they wouldn’t take you?”

“Why would they want me?” This time she jerked her arm out of his grip, the hurt and anger rising inside her as she fought to hold on to it. She didn’t want to argue with her father. She didn’t want to fight with him, but God help her, what had he done that he was now so frightened?

It was enough to have fear edging past weariness. He had promised, and she had trusted him to keep that promise.

“God, Kita, they want you as a bargaining tool; they believe that by threatening to harm you, they can force something from your uncle. Or that I know something I don’t and they can force it from me.” He raked his hands through his hair, a grimace twisting his face. “They have Phillip. They’ll come for me next.”

“Only if they have a reason to,” she whispered painfully as she stared up at him, desperate to understand where her beloved father had gone. “What have you done, Daddy?”

He shook his head slowly. “It isn’t what I’ve done, Kee,” he whispered then. “It’s what your uncle’s done. And it will destroy us all.”

“No.” She knew better. “It’s not, Father. The only way I would be in danger is if you were involved.”

His lips parted as though to speak, but no words came. It was in his gaze, though. It was in the guilt, the shame, and the pain in his eyes.

What had he done?

He had broken his promise to her and to her mother.

“I’m glad Momma isn’t here,” she whispered tearfully. “I’m glad she didn’t live to see you betray her.”

The blow against the side of her face caught her off guard. The shock of the burning pain, but even more, the horrible sense of betrayal was like a dagger shoved into her soul.

“Mr. Engalls.” The voice was dark, low, and warning.

Kita’s gaze jerked up to meet the dark lenses of Creed Raines’s sunglasses and the tight expression behind them.

“What the hell do you want?” Her father turned on him then, enraged.

“I think you want to back off,” Creed drawled. “I didn’t sign on to watch a father that supposedly loves his daughter suddenly begin abusing her. Now did I?”

“Supposedly love,” Kita choked out as she backed away from both of them. “That’s a fairly apt description for a liar.”

She didn’t wait for her father to turn back to her or to see Creed’s response. Kita all but ran from the two of them, the anger and the pain converging inside her to tear at her heart until she felt as though it were nothing but shreds.

Rushing into the house, she moved quickly through the first floor, up the stairs, and into her bedroom where she slammed the door closed and locked it.

Laying her head against the door, Kita blinked back her tears and knew the decision she had been on the verge of making for the past months had been made the second her father’s large hand had connected with her cheek.

It was time to leave, no matter what it took.

CREED HADN’T EXPECTED this. Staring into Horace Engalls’s eyes, he had to admit that even though he had sensed the tension and the anger building in Kita’s father, he never imagined Engalls would strike his daughter.

Hell. Had he realized what was about to happen, he’d have stepped in sooner. The girl loved her father. She called him “Daddy” with that soft voice that bespoke a soul-deep affection.

He never would have allowed Engalls to do anything to threaten that affection or damage the precious emotion his daughter felt for him.

“Did I ask you to interfere?” The fear lay about Engalls like a particular stink, rancid to the senses.

Creed inhaled slowly, his senses amplified for some odd reason, the animal genetics that shared his body rising to the fore as though a true animal paced within his soul.

“You didn’t have to ask,” he assured the other man with the subtle Texas drawl that went with the identity he had stolen for this little adventure. “I offered. Do you really want to make her hate you? I’d say you’re riding that line with that slap to her delicate face.”

He could see the imprint of her father’s hand on her creamy flesh, and he’d never had such trouble holding back the primal growl that edged at his throat.

In that second he watched Horace Engalls’s lips tremble as emotion, a father’s love, overrode anger and fear.

Engalls lowered his head, gave it a brief shake, then turned and stomped into the house, leaving Creed staring after his retreating back.

Creed almost smiled; definitely he felt a flare of satisfaction. For the past year he’d been working as one of Engalls’s security specialists, slowly replacing the men that had originally come in with him with men he trusted himself. Men who would stand aside and ensure that when the time came, Creed would have a clear path to his objective.

To Kita Claire Engalls, the reigning, mostly spoiled princess of what was left of the Engalls empire.

He had been with her when her mother had died, just after he came to the estate. He’d been here each time she’d tried to slip from the estate for a bit of harmless feminine fun.

Sometimes shopping. Sometimes a late dinner with friends. A few times a bit of dancing at the exclusive nightclubs she and her friends enjoyed.

He knew her.

He knew her habits, he knew her expressions, her scents, and her flirtatiousness.

And he knew his dick was rock hard when she blew him those mocking kisses or watched him over the rim off her glasses as though he were a sensual treat and she wanted to lick him up a drop at a time.

Blowing out a hard breath, he strode to the house and entered as well. Hell, he’d be more than happy to let her have a lick or two, then he’d have his turn.

And he could well imagine the pleasure to be had there. A soft, delicate woman as heated as the hottest fire. Silken flesh. Sharp little nails.

His dick was vicious hard as he moved up the steps. The scent of her reached out to him, drew him. Hell, it was all he could do to keep his senses intact at the scent of her fear and her pain.

Betrayal was a bitter seed, and it was festering inside her. A father who had betrayed so many others surely would have no problem betraying one tender, trusting daughter.

And when he betrayed her, Creed Raines would be there. To deliver the final betrayal.

At that thought, he paused on the final step.

A feeling of reluctance stirred within his chest. Suddenly, fleetingly, the idea of betraying her seemed so very wrong.

Forcibly shaking the thought away, he took that last step, determination steeling him against these other emotions. He’d made a vow. He was a part of something far greater than a twinge of conscience.

Moving to the closed bedroom door, he rapped his knuckles softly against the heavy wood and waited. She was in there. He could smell her tears, her pain. The delicate scent of a woman who had reached a limit.