Revenge With Benefits

Susannah looked up, her gray eyes narrowing. “What are you doing here?”

“I came to see if you’re okay.” Ryan knew it was a useless gesture as soon as he spoke. Still, he didn’t regret rushing over. It had enabled him to meet Zoe.

“Oh, for heaven’s sake! You and Mom. I just got off the phone with her a few minutes ago. I’m fine.” And she meant it. Even when they were kids nothing had seemed to faze Susannah. Her unflappability would serve her well in the months to come. “Lyle is barely more than a speed bump.”

Ryan glanced over his shoulder to where her staff had fallen to conversing in low tones among themselves. “Gil doesn’t seem to share your opinion.”

“He likes to worry.”

“You don’t worry enough.”

“What good would it do me?” Susannah asked, her brows coming together. “Lyle switched districts because he wasn’t going to get elected to a fourth term, and he’s too arrogant to believe that I won’t be as much competition as Jeb Harrell.”

“It’s your first shot at running for state senate.”

And you’re a woman. Ryan knew better than to add the second part. Abernathy would throw dirt at Susannah any way he could. It was a sure bet he would use her gender against her.

“I’m a fantastic candidate for this district and everyone knows it.” She paused and gave him a cocky little smile. “Including Lyle Abernathy.”

“That’ll just make him play dirty.”

“I’m as squeaky clean as it gets,” his twin reminded him. Then, seeing Ryan’s continued doubt, she huffed impatiently. “There’s nothing for him to use against me.”

“That won’t stop him. He’ll make stuff up.”

“We’ll be ready.”

Ryan opened his mouth to argue but decided he’d be wasting his breath. Susannah Dailey-Kirby was not a woman in need of his assistance.

The walls separating Susannah’s office from the rest of the campaign headquarters were made of glass. Blinds had been added in case she needed privacy, but at the moment they were open. Ryan caught himself glancing a third time toward the front door where he’d last glimpsed Zoe.

Susannah followed the direction of his gaze. “Looking for something?”

“Someone. Your newest volunteer.”

“I don’t see anyone.”

“With everything going on, she left before anyone met her. I was hoping she’d changed her mind and come back.”

“My,” his sister drawled, “she must’ve been something for you to be this interested. Was she pretty?”

“Yes.”

Was he crazy to be so preoccupied with a woman he’d talked to for less than a minute? But then he remembered how bumping into her had short-circuited his system and knocked all thoughts of politics and Lyle Abernathy from his mind.

“Very pretty?”

“Very pretty. But she was different from the women I’m usually attracted to.”

“How so?”

For a second Ryan wondered if he could put into words his unexpected reaction. He met hundreds of women a year. Why this particular one? While beautiful, she wasn’t the most stunning woman he’d ever met and he hadn’t spoken with her long enough to determine if she was bright or funny. Yet her impact on him lingered.

“She dressed like a badass. Black jeans and a graphic tee. Spiky blond hair and dark makeup. Sort of a ‘flower child meets rock-and-roll’ vibe.” Yet beneath the tough-girl exterior he’d sensed her vulnerability.

“Seriously?” His sister made no attempt to hide her amusement. “You’re right. That doesn’t sound like your type at all.”

He was tired of dating successful, sophisticated women like his sister—women who made it their mission to kick the world’s ass. He wanted someone who could use his help. A woman who wasn’t afraid to need him. “Maybe what I need is someone totally different.”

Despite his mistakes with Kelly Briggs, Ryan liked the idea of being someone’s hero and he refused to shy away from the arrogance of being convinced he was right when he acted in another person’s best interest. Sure, maybe in this day and age women didn’t want to be rescued or helped. Maybe they demanded the power in their relationships be balanced and equal. Ryan wasn’t opposed to that, but what was wrong with letting their guard down and letting a guy flex his muscles once in a while?

Zoe intrigued him. He’d glimpsed something in her eyes that triggered his protective instincts. Which might prove problematic, given what had happened when he’d tried to help Kelly Briggs. She’d misinterpreted his assistance as some deep emotional connection between them. When he’d explained his concern was strictly platonic, she’d struck out against his company in a vicious act of revenge.

“But this isn’t about me,” Ryan objected. “It’s about your campaign. You need all the help you can get. Especially now that Lyle has joined the race.”

“Sure.” His sister gave him a wry smile. “You keep telling yourself that. I hope she comes back.” Susannah’s eyes twinkled. “For the campaign’s sake, of course.” She paused to let her ribbing sink in and then added, “What did you say her name was?”

“Zoe. Hopefully she’ll come back.”

“If she does, we’ll make sure we get all her details. I don’t want her to disappear on you a second time.”

Ryan opened his mouth to deny his interest and sighed instead. “That would be great. I have to get going. Call me if anything new comes up.”

Before he could go, Susannah caught his arm. “I love you, big brother. Thanks for worrying about me even if I don’t really need it.”

He covered her hand with his. “It’s what I do.”

“I know. And I worry about you in turn.” She spoke in a low tone. “I hope your mystery woman comes back and that she’s great because you deserve someone fabulous in your life.”

“I’m fine,” he said automatically.

“Of course you’re fine,” she countered. “But I want you to be fantastic and the right woman could do that for you.”

Susannah had married the first man she’d ever dated and they lived the blissful life of the perfect couple. She and Jefferson had been married for ten years and had two beautiful children, Violet and Casey, ages six and eight. In addition to being a supportive wife and supermom, she was a corporate attorney with the top law firm in the city. Every day she strove to take successful to new levels and did it with grace and ease.

“Jeff is a lucky man to have you,” Ryan said. “I’m afraid you might have set the bar too high for my future wife.”

With a quick wave of her hand, Susannah dismissed his compliment. “We’re a great team. I couldn’t do any of this without him.”

While Ryan wondered if that was true, he gave her a hard hug and took his leave.

Despite his sister’s confidence that she could handle whatever trash Lyle threw at her in the senate race, Ryan didn’t like this new development. It was time for him to pay his buddy downtown a visit. He might have a fresh take on what sort of dirty tricks they could expect in the months between now and election day.

Two

The day after Zoe’s first attempt to join Susannah Dailey-Kirby’s state senate campaign, she returned to the storefront, hoping for less chaos and no Ryan. Although the atmosphere continued to buzz with activity and anticipation, the staffers were no longer in crisis mode. She was greeted as soon as the door closed behind her.

“Hi, I’m Tonya.” A pretty redhead in her midtwenties wearing jeans and a T-shirt emblazoned with Dailey for Senate approached Zoe. “Is there something I can do to help you?”

“Yes, I was here yesterday and—”

Tanya interrupted her. “Are you Zoe?”

That the staffer knew her name sent a shock through Zoe. Had she been found out already? Impossible.

“Yes.”

“Wonderful. We’re so glad you came back. Ryan mentioned that you’d stopped by but left before we could get any of your information.”

“You all looked really busy,” Zoe said, hoping her relief didn’t show. “I just thought I’d try a different time.”

“Well, we’re really glad you did. Have you ever volunteered for a political campaign before?”

Zoe shook her head and Tonya began to describe the various activities volunteers could participate in.

“Why don’t you come sit at my desk and I’ll get some basic information from you.”

While it was easy for Zoe to give Tonya her email and phone number, when it came to her home address, she was cagier. “I’m crashing with a friend at the moment. Can I give you a PO Box?”

Tonya looked doubtful but nodded. “I guess that would be okay. Are you looking for a permanent place?”

“That’s the plan.” Zoe pictured her cot in the back room of the retail space she’d rented a year earlier. That was before legal fees had consumed her divorce settlement and jeopardized her dream of running a consignment store that helped victims of domestic violence get back on their feet financially. “I just need something I can afford.”

“Sure.” Tonya went on to ask questions about what sort of work Zoe did and what she saw herself doing for the campaign.

While Zoe answered Tonya’s questions, her gaze was drawn toward the large glassed-in office at the back of the campaign headquarters. From this angle, Zoe could see Susannah working on her computer. Zoe’s gut tightened. She was dreading her first meeting with Susannah, knowing she was going to do everything she could to cause the woman harm.

Guilt gouged her conscience. She’d been so focused on getting through her divorce and being angry at everything Tristan had done to her that she’d barely considered the damage her bargain with London and Everly would do to an innocent third party. Zoe gave herself a mental shake. She couldn’t start thinking like this or she’d never be able to go through with what she planned. Instead, she focused on Everly’s justification that Ryan deserved to feel the sort of pain and frustration Everly had gone through because of what he’d done to her sister.

While she shied away from dwelling on the ethics of what she and her coconspirators were up to, Zoe heard the front door open behind her and noted how the energy in the room ratcheted up several notches. Tonya’s attention shifted past Zoe and her expression relaxed into a relieved half smile. Alarm bells began to ring in Zoe’s mind. Had she been found out? Was someone coming to haul her away? She balled her hands in her lap and dug her fingernails into her palms to fight down panic. Letting her imagination run amok wasn’t going to make her job any easier.

“Hi, Ryan,” Tonya said, her smile turning supernova. “How are you doing today?”

Learning that Ryan was the person who’d just arrived didn’t calm Zoe’s nerves at all. She’d bolted after meeting him the day before, determining she was too rattled by her sharp reaction to their brief encounter to stick around and pretend she was just an average campaign volunteer.

Now, feeling Ryan’s approach in a rush of tingles over her skin, Zoe contemplated the younger woman and realized that Tonya had a crush on the handsome businessman. This gave Zoe a little breathing room. At least all eyes wouldn’t be on her for now.

“I’m great,” Ryan said in his velvet voice. “How are you doing, Tonya?”

The woman rolled her eyes significantly. “Way better than yesterday. The news about Lyle was such a shock. But of course Susannah calmed everyone down. She’s so amazing.”

The hero worship in Tanya’s eyes might have amused Zoe if her own heart wasn’t pounding so hard in reaction to Ryan Dailey.

“She is that,” Ryan agreed as he stepped into Zoe’s line of sight. “You came back,” he said, a warm smile curving his sculpted lips. “That’s great.”

Zoe’s gaze drifted upward over his light gray suit, white shirt and peach-colored tie. Her mouth was practically watering by the time she noted the faint stubble on his chin that gave him a slightly rakish air.

While preparing to take down Ryan Dailey, Zoe had done extensive online research. Despite his wealth and business success, the man wasn’t much for stepping into the public eye. She’d had only the headshot of him on his company’s web site to recognize him by. That photo hadn’t prepared her for the man’s compelling presence.

By contrast, his sister enjoyed being in the spotlight. She was on the board of several charities focused on children’s issues. With her husband at her side, she attended all sorts of events. Although Zoe had seen her many times over the years, they ran in completely different circles and never crossed paths. Zoe couldn’t imagine what she could possibly say to engage such a brilliant, successful lawyer.

Whatever interests Ryan Dailey pursued in his personal life, he kept a tight lid on his activities. Zoe had found no trace of his love life in the media, but she suspected like so many wealthy and powerful men, he liked arm candy. Beautiful and sexy women that were meant to be showed off. They accentuated a man’s virility.

But Ryan Dailey didn’t need help in that department.

Zoe cursed as she noted her breathlessness. “Everyone seemed really busy yesterday,” she explained.

“I’m glad you came back.”

The fact that he sounded sincere combined with the keen interest in his gray eyes sent a shiver of awareness through her.

To Zoe’s dismay, she recognized what lay beneath the shrilling of her nerves: attraction. It sizzled through her like lightning, awakening a fever she’d never known with her husband. Their marriage hadn’t been a love match. He’d chosen her for reasons he’d made clear in the months following their wedding and in the beginning she’d been both flattered that he’d found her desirable and naïve enough to believe that feeling affection for her husband was enough for her to be happily married.

She’d never make that mistake again.

Zoe wasn’t exactly sure what she wanted out of her next long-term relationship, but she’d never be with anyone who trifled with her emotions or damaged her self-esteem in any way.

“I am, too,” Zoe said. “Tonya was just filling me in on some of the things I could do to help out.”

“So you’re going to be a regular?”

“I’d like that,” Zoe said, glancing Tonya’s way to escape his intense scrutiny.

The turmoil raging inside her from her subterfuge, her guilt and her body’s chemical reaction to Ryan was a volatile mix. Zoe set her palms together and slid her hands between her thighs to hide their shaking.

“And we’re happy to have her,” Tonya said, her attention remaining fixed on Ryan.

“Hey, Tonya, could you come here a second?” a man called from across the room.

“Excuse me,” she said, getting to her feet. “I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere.” This last part she added with a wry smile in Ryan’s direction.

With Tonya’s departure, Zoe expected Ryan to head off, as well. Instead, he dropped into the chair Tonya had vacated and glanced at the paperwork Zoe had filled out. He glanced up and noticed her watching him. His lopsided smile made her pulse skip.

“I was afraid when you left yesterday that I’d never see you again,” he said, the admission making her heart race.

“It just didn’t seem like the right time to be here,” she murmured, barely able to hear herself over the litany of alerts blaring in her mind.

“Do you want to grab a cup of coffee when you’re done here?”

Her initial unguarded reaction was jubilation and she goggled at his invitation like a smitten fool. Ryan was an incredibly sexy man and any woman would be thrilled that he wanted to spend time with her.

But did it make sense that he was interested in her? Not Zoe Crosby the wealthy socialite, but plain Zoe Alston with her spiky hair and inexpensive clothing. In her current state, she recognized she wasn’t in his league and he had to know that. So what was his angle and how did she go about finding out without tipping her hand?

Everly had warned her that Ryan was bound to be suspicious if Zoe came on too strong, so she intended to focus all her attention on getting on Susannah’s good side. She’d never imagined that Ryan might be interested in her and this odd turn left her tongue-tied while she rethought her strategy.

“Don’t look so alarmed,” he said, misreading her hesitation. “I’m harmless. Ask anyone here.”

“I’m not sure harmless is an accurate description of you,” she said.

“No? Then what would you say that I am?”

Charming. Sexy. Irresistible.

Or if Everly was right, he was predatory, manipulative and cruel.

Zoe couldn’t picture him like that.

“You seem quite nice.”

He laughed. “The way you say that it almost seems like an insult.”

“It’s not.” Her cheeks felt overly warm. “I like nice.”

His white teeth flashed in a smile that heated her blood and drew her in until she caught herself leaning into his space. Silver glinted in his gray eyes, mesmerizing her.

“Good,” he murmured. “Because I want you to like me.”

It unnerved her to discover that she craved his company and that her motivation wasn’t due to any revenge plot she’d embroiled herself in. Zoe recognized that her interest in Ryan was purely female and driven by an instinct as old as time. She fingered her short hair and struggled against the pull of his charisma.

“I’m not sure how long they need me to stick around today,” she hedged, glancing in Tonya’s direction. The woman watched Zoe and Ryan with interest.

“I’ll wait.” His gray eyes remained fixed on her and their steadiness made Zoe fidget.

“I’m sure you have much better things to do than hang around and wait for me,” she said. “Don’t you have a company to run?”

He deflected her brush-off with a lazy grin. “One perk of being the boss is that I set my own schedule.”

His utter confidence was turning her on. Zoe shifted in her chair. This would not do. There was too much at stake for her to become distracted by an attack of lust.

“Or if you’d prefer,” he continued, his deep voice turning her bones—and willpower—to mush. “We could have dinner.”

Zoe compelled her gaze to shift away from the determined glint in his eyes, but the damage was done. His unrelenting focus had struck a match to the dry tinder of loneliness she’d endured in her marriage.

“Sure.” The word came out in a breathless rush before her thoughts caught up to her emotions. “I mean—”

A broad smile bloomed on his face. “Too late,” he said, cutting her off. “Tonight at seven?”

“I’m busy tonight,” she lied, remembering that she shouldn’t appear too eager.

“Tomorrow?”

“You’re awfully determined, aren’t you?” She tried to act as if she wasn’t flattered by his persistence while a traitorous thrill pulsed deep inside her, setting her nerves to jangling and twisting her stomach into knots.

“I’m used to getting my way.”

Indeed. Which was why she’d be wise to keep her wits about her and her defenses on high alert. Her purpose in joining the campaign was to hurt him by causing his sister damage. An eye for an eye, Everly had said.

Zoe hadn’t taken into account how difficult it would be to exact revenge on someone she found herself liking. She had to remember that Ryan was a bad guy like her ex-husband. Focusing on that would make it a lot easier to take him down.

Instead she caught herself daydreaming about his handsome face and gorgeous body. But more worrisome than her double-crossing libido was the way his wry humor made her smile and his easy confidence bypassed her defenses. Add in his devotion to his sister and he appeared to be quite the catch.

The question remained. If he was so wonderful, why was he still single? Everly insisted he lacked a conscience. That he had no qualms about using women and then throwing them aside. He’d certainly done that to Kelly Briggs.

And then he’d sent her to jail after she’d acted out, impulsively deleting engineering schematics that had cost his company millions of dollars. Everly wanted him to pay for leading her sister on and then turning his back on her. From the picture Everly had painted of him, Zoe easily perceived him as someone who deserved payback.

But how was she to reconcile that version of Ryan with the man she’d met? The disconnect worried Zoe and made her question the wisdom of what she’d joined Susannah’s campaign intending to do.

“Where can I pick you up?” he asked, interrupting her train of thought.

Zoe shook her head. He would expect her to be renting an apartment or a house. Her living arrangements were far less conventional and he would ask too many questions she didn’t want to answer.

“How about I meet you at the restaurant?” she suggested.

His eyes narrowed as he surveyed her. “How do I know you’ll show up?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“That’s an interesting question.” He leaned forward and his powerful presence enveloped her. “There’s something about you I can’t put my finger on, but you intrigue me.”

His declaration gave Zoe goose bumps. And only some of them were the good kind.

“Me?” She huffed out a laugh and shook her head. “That’s funny. There’s not a single interesting thing about me.”

“Let me be the judge of that. I’m looking forward to getting to know you much better. How about we meet at Charleston Grill at seven?”

The last thing Zoe wanted to do was to eat anywhere close to downtown Charleston where she might run into someone she knew.

“That’s a little too fancy for me,” she said, thinking fast. “How about Bertha’s Kitchen at six?”

The iconic soul food restaurant was located in North Charleston and famous for its fried chicken and Southern sides. The hearty helpings of delicious soul food were served cafeteria-style on no-frills foam plates. Not necessarily a place she’d expect a wealthy businessman like Ryan to dine.

To her surprise, he nodded without hesitation. “I’ll see you at six.” He pulled a card out of his pocket and handed it to her. “Here’s my number if anything changes.” When she started to pull it from his fingers, Ryan tightened his grip. “But you have to know I’ll be crushed if you stand me up.”

She doubted that anything could crush him, but rushed to assure him. “I won’t.”

With a quick, heart-stopping smile, he got to his feet. “See you tomorrow, Zoe Alston.”

“See you tomorrow,” she echoed faintly, her whole body buzzing with energy. “Ryan Dailey.”

* * *

Buzzing with satisfaction, Ryan headed for his sister’s office. As he entered, Susannah leaned back in her executive chair and the springs creaked ominously. Although his sister had more than enough money to furnish her campaign office with all new furniture, she’d chosen to downplay her wealth by sticking to a strict budget.

“Thanks for calling me with a heads-up that Zoe had returned,” he said, sliding into one of her guest chairs.

“I’m always happy to help out my big brother.” Susannah was five minutes younger than Ryan, but her serious nature had always made her seem years older. “Did you ask her out?”

“I invited her to dinner.”

Susannah arched an eyebrow. “And is she going?”

“What do you think?” He made no attempt to hide his smirk.

“That she’s not exactly your type.”

Ryan knew his sister was referring to the fact that all the women he dated came from their social circles. Interchangeable beauties that came from wealth. Good families. Good schools. Good manners. Good careers. By marrying any of them he would’ve fallen into a predictable pattern. He wanted a woman who riled his emotions and challenged him.

“I’ll admit her style isn’t what I’m used to, but I’d like to think I’m not that shallow.” Ryan flashed a disarming grin. “She’s mysterious and there’s something tragic in her eyes.”

“And deep down inside you have a knight-in-shining-armor complex that gets you into trouble.”

Susannah was talking about Kelly Briggs. He’d tried to help her out and the whole thing had backfired.

“Just because you haven’t needed my help since middle school doesn’t mean others don’t appreciate some assistance now and then,” he said. “And you’re not exactly one to talk. No one likes to help out more than you.”