Australian Millionaires: The Millionaire's Seductive Revenge

And when he saw her with that toddler in her arms … it was as if he’d been seeing a glimpse of the future.

His and Kia’s future.

For the first time since Julia, he imagined actually being with a woman. Having more than just a physical connection. But not even Julia had roused the same level of yearning that had ripped through him today when he’d seen Kia.

But Kia was only out for one thing.

The woman needed money the way she needed air to breathe. Her assertion that she loved Phillip had sounded hollow to his ears, but even if he were tempted to forget it, he only had to remember that while her beautiful mouth might lie, the camera hadn’t. The self-satisfied smirk she’d been wearing in that photograph of her and Phillip had said it all: Kia Benton had caught her man.

He straightened in his chair, disgust tightening his mouth. So how could he even think about Kia on a deeper level? It was all this damn Christmas stuff, that’s what it was. It stirred too many memories of when he was growing up.

Not that he could complain about his childhood. His parents had been the best, practically adopting the other kids in the street. Many a time Flynn had taken refuge in Brant’s house when his father had been too drunk to care. And Damien’s parents hadn’t meant to be so distant from their son, leaving the small boy starving for parental affection. Brant knew if it hadn’t been for Barbara and Jack Matthews, his two friends may not have turned out as well as they had. It had bonded the three of them together.

Like brothers.

His mouth tightened. Unlike his own flesh and blood, who had stolen his fiancée.

He got to his feet and walked to the doorway, pushing aside the thought of his younger brother, Royce, as he forced his mind back to the business at hand.

For a minute he stood watching Kia’s fingers fly over the keyboard while she continued to type up the reams of paperwork needed to get the project back on track. He didn’t know what Phil had been thinking, putting together a package like that. It had been totally wrong, full of errors and not feasible.

“You knew, didn’t you?” he said, coming into the room. “That the presentation was all wrong?”

She blinked in surprise, then nodded. “I had an idea. I mentioned it to Phillip, but he thought he was right, so I left it at that.” She shrugged. “He’s the boss.”

“And so am I. You should have come to me.”

She arched a brow. “And tell you what exactly? That my boss wasn’t thinking straight because he’d lost the use of his leg and now I was telling him he was beginning to lose his mind, too?”

“I admire your loyalty, Kia, but next time save us both some stress and just tell me about it. I won’t go running to Phil, but I’ll find a way around it. If Phil’s not coping, we need to get him some help.”

She sighed. “Yes, you’re right.”

He went to speak, to tell her how Phillip’s judgment was sometimes suspect and had caused problems before, but then he remembered whose fiancée she was.

“Right. Let’s call it a night. Would you like to get a bite to eat on the way home?” Suddenly he didn’t want to go home alone. He had nothing waiting for him there. And no doubt they’d still have all those sappy Christmas movies on television.

She began stacking papers. “No, thanks. The pizza was more than enough.”

“We ate that hours ago.”

She looked up with a rueful gleam in her eyes. “I’m still full from Christmas lunch yesterday.”

That gleam hit him right in his chest. There was a warmth in her eyes whenever she spoke of her family that just didn’t correspond with the cold, callous player he knew her to be.

He stared at her for a minute more, then spun around and went back into his office. He supposed even criminals had their good points.

Six

The next day Kia would have loved to concentrate on the job at hand, but with everyone still on vacation, just being alone with Brant in the executive suite left her scarcely daring to breathe. It was the reason she’d insisted on working from her own office at the other end of the floor. Away from him. Away from temptation. And out of the sexual firing line.

He’d seen right through her, but she’d still held her head high when she told him she felt more comfortable at her own desk. It had been the truth, after all.

“Bring me the next twenty pages when you’ve finished them,” was all he’d said midafternoon, the glint in his eyes telling her that even a crucial project couldn’t surpass this attraction between them.

“Aye, aye, sir,” she’d snapped, spinning on her heels and leaving the room, but not before she’d seen the arrogance in his eyes. Okay, so he was the boss, but that didn’t mean he had to “boss” her about. It only made her madder, and ever since, her fingers had been flying across the keyboard, wanting to finish the twenty pages as soon as possible so she could march into his office and slam them down on the desk.

And that’s exactly what she did—in half the time it normally took. But to her amazement, when she got to his office, he was nowhere to be seen. The adrenaline that had given her fingers strength dissipated, leaving her drained and ludicrously disappointed. She sighed. The considerate thing for him to do would have been to tell her he was going out.

She placed the papers in the center of his desk and turned to go back to her office. A figure in the doorway made her jump. For a minute she thought it was Brant. Adjusting her eyes she realized it was Lynette Kelly.

Kia breathed in deeply, her heart not quite settling back into place. “Lynette, what are you doing here?”

Lynette blushed as she took a few steps into the office. “Oh, hello, Kia.”

She looked so nervous Kia felt sorry for her. “Can I help you?” she asked gently.

“Er … I need to see Phillip. I called him at home, but there was no answer. I thought he might be here.”

“I’m sorry. He’s not.” Lynette’s face fell and Kia spoke before thinking. “He’s gone home to Queensland for a couple of weeks.”

The other woman’s eyes widened. “Without you?”

Kia’s gaze darted away then back. “I had to stay here. To work.”

“Oh.” Her shoulders slumped. She turned away. “I guess I’d better—” She spun back. “Kia, do you really love Phillip? I mean, like a woman should love a man? Please, I need to know.”

There was such anguish in her eyes, guilt stabbed Kia in the heart.

“Kia, he needs me. I know he does. I love him with all my heart and I’m swallowing my pride in front of you and begging you to tell me the truth.”

Kia couldn’t stand Lynette’s pain any longer. It just wasn’t right to keep the other woman in the dark. She owed it to her—and to Phillip—to help straighten things out.

“No, Lynette. I don’t love Phillip. Not in that way.”

“Thank God.” Lynette swayed, then quickly gathered herself, blinking back tears. When she’d recovered, a crease formed between her eyes and she looked confused. “So why did you get engaged?”

Kia told her the truth and explained how one thing had led to another. “I’m sorry for all the pain we’ve put you through, Lynette. I was just trying to help Phillip.”

“Do you …?” Lynette swallowed. “Do you think he still loves me?”

“I know he does.”

Hope filled Lynette’s eyes and made them shine. “I have to go to him.”

Kia nodded. Behind the other woman’s delicate appearance, she sensed a strength of character she suspected would surprise Phillip. “If he gives you a hard time, tell him I said he’s a fool.”

Lynette quickly hugged her. “I hope you find someone for you soon.”