Family Man

“Luke, he was desperate. Can't you find it in your heart to understand what it's been like for him? Justine wouldn't even consider him as a successor. She wouldn't give him a chance. He only wanted to prove himself in the business world.”
    “He proved he's an ass. And no, to answer your question, I can't dredge up one single drop of understanding for the jerk.”
    “Well, you're going to have to do something to help him,” Katy said.
    “Give me one good reason.”
    “I told him you would.”

CHAPTER

NINE
    I f she had been any other woman, Luke thought—any other female on the face of the earth—he would have sworn he had been deliberately manipulated. But it was hard to blame a guardian angel for doing what came naturally.
    Besides, there was no getting around the fact that he had seduced Katy, not the opposite. Under the circumstances it would have been a little difficult to accuse her of employing her feminine wiles with the goal of manipulating him.
    The situation he was in was of his own making. Luke swore under his breath. He had to admit that even if he had known last night where it was all going to lead, he would still have taken Katy to bed.
    Damn, but it had been good. He was getting hard just thinking about it. Even allowing for the fact that he had been without a woman for a long time, it had been an incredible experience. Unlike anything he had ever known. She had made him feel so alive. He had felt so damn good afterward. At least until she had dropped her bombshell.
    Christ. He still could not believe he was doing this.
    Luke, dressed in his customary uniform of black jeans and a black pullover, lounged against the lobby wall of the downtown athletic club and smoldered silently while he waited for his quarry.
    The club was located near the Pike Place Market. Its upscale clientele arrived in business suits and changed into brightly colored sweats that carried designer labels.
    Outside on the street a long string of vans and trailers occupied a row of prime parking spaces. Luke idly noticed that the vehicles were all white and unmarked. Another film company was shooting on location in Seattle.
    The vans contained portable dressing rooms and lighting and sound equipment. Cables, folding chairs, and large black boxes sat on the sidewalk. There was even a catering truck parked nearby, although the crew was shooting scenes on streets that contained some of the city's best restaurants. One of the establishments being thus immortalized on film was the Pacific Rim.
    Luke frowned thoughtfully at the sight of the restaurant, his mind switching briefly to what he had learned in yesterday's series of meetings.
    “Luke, what are you doing here?”
    At the sound of Darren's startled, wary voice Luke groaned silently. He unfolded his arms and straightened away from the wall. “I want to talk to you.”
    “Yeah. Sure. What about?” Darren had obviously just finished working out. His hair was still damp from his shower. He was dressed for work in close-fitting black slacks and a black shirt and tie. He carried a black jacket over his arm.
    “Not here.” Luke started toward the glass doors at the front of the lobby. “Let's go someplace quiet.”
    He pushed open the doors and went out onto the sidewalk. Darren followed, his expression one of caution.
    “Is this about business?” Darren asked as he reluctantly fell into step alongside Luke.
    “You could say that.” Luke turned at the corner and walked a few paces uphill to get out of the busiest section of the market. Halfway up the block he turned again and started down a quiet brick-lined alley. The noise and bustle faded.
    “Come on, what the hell is this all about?” Darren demanded.
    “I had a long talk with Katy this morning.”
    “Shit.” Darren was silent for a few seconds. “She told you?”
    “She said you were involved in a real estate scam.”
    “Goddammit, that's not true,” Darren flared. “It wasn't a scam. It was a legitimate partnership deal that went sour, that's all. I just need a little cash to help pay off the initial purchasers.”
    “A hundred and fifty grand?”
    “Jesus, Luke, that's not much. Not when you're talking real estate deals. You know that.”
    “But it's more than you have on hand.”
    “Well, hell. How many people have that kind of money sitting in the bank?” Darren muttered.
    “Katy doesn't, that's for damn sure.” Luke halted and turned to confront Darren. “You had no business even