Broken Promise (The Denton Family Legacy #1) Read online

  “Go,” she said.

  “I love you, little sis.”

  “I’m only a few minutes younger than you.”

  “Those few minutes count. Call me when you get home.”

  “I will.” She watched Riley leave the office, and Frank made his excuses to leave. When they were gone, she slumped in her chair, and just gave up to the fear that was consuming her.

  Jacob gripped her arm, and she tensed, crying out. Quickly moving out of his reach, she turned to face him, shaking.

  He held his hands up. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

  She wiped away the tears that were refusing to stop falling. Lou hadn’t cried in so long.

  “You hurt him?” she asked.

  “Yes. He put his hands on you, and now I wished I hadn’t let him walk out here alive. He’s made you cry.”

  She bit her lip, trying to contain her emotions. It was hard with Jacob staring at her as if he could see right into her soul.

  “Have you killed people before?”

  “Do you want me to lie to you or pretend?”

  “I want the truth.”

  Jacob’s jaw tensed up as she watched him grit his teeth. “Go out on a date with me.”

  “What?” She frowned.

  “Go out on a date with me, and I will answer any and all questions you want.”

  Lou didn’t know what to think. “If I say no?”

  “I don’t give you a single answer, and you won’t have a clue what Riley is up to.”

  “Will you kill someone in front of me?”

  He smirked.

  “Why are you smirking?” she asked.

  “You know, we’ve been talking for a couple of minutes and you’ve stopped shaking. I’d say I was good for your health.”

  “You’re not good for my health. You’re an asshole.”

  Jacob closed the distance between them, and Lou had no choice but to take a step back. He kept advancing, and she kept backing away until finally her back was against the wall. His hand moved above her head, and the jacket he wore couldn’t hide the thick, corded muscles in his arms. Biting her lip, she tried not to show her fear, and a little arousal as well. No man had ever done something like this with her before, chased her. That was what Jacob made her feel, chased. In a weird way, he made her feel special.

  “I’ve hurt men for calling me less,” he said.

  “Less what?”

  “Less than an asshole. I’m not a very nice person.”

  “I know that. You’ve killed people?”

  “Go on a date with me.”

  Lou tilted her head to the side, forcing herself to keep looking him in the eye. She shook her head. “No.”

  He leaned in close so that his lips were touching her ear. “Are you a chicken?”

  Jerking back, she placed her hands against his chest. “I’m not going on a date with you. It’ll just give you an excuse not to tell me the truth.”

  “Or maybe I’ll show you too much truth. Your parents, they’re not good people.”

  “I know that.”

  “No, you don’t. You know what you think you know.”

  Her heart started to pound. “You’d take me with you? No hiding?”

  “No hiding, but you’ve got to promise me you won’t run to the cops.”

  Lou frowned. “Why take me around if you risk me going to the cops?”

  He twirled a strand of her hair between his fingers, and the back of his knuckles brushed along her cheek. She tensed up, not knowing what he was going to do. Jacob was confusing to her. Lou didn’t want to give him anything, and yet he was determined to take. He annoyed her.

  “You want something, to know the truth about your brother, and what he’s doing. I’m willing to give you the answer you want.”

  “And in return?”

  “You go on a date with me. It will be a combined date of knowing what I do, and having dinner with me.”

  Gritting her teeth, she saw that he had her interest piqued, which only annoyed her.

  “What is it going to be?” he asked.

  Several seconds passed until she finally caved. Her parents wouldn’t let her know anything, and she was always left in the dark about what they did. She knew they operated the illegal fights, but that was it.

  “Yes, I’ll go on a date with you.”

  “Wednesday night,” he said.

  “Why then?”

  “Because your brother doesn’t start until Thursday, and it’s the night I’ve got free. Now, let’s take you home.” He grabbed her arm, and together they made their way out of the strip club. Before she left, she looked over his arm to find all the strippers out and dancing for the men. When she caught sight of her brother sucking a woman’s breasts, she winced, and turned back to the front.

  “Someone ever told you that curiosity killed the cat?” he asked.

  “How did you know what I saw?”

  “I didn’t. I guessed.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “I didn’t take my car tonight. I walked.”

  Jacob paused, glaring down at her. “You walked?”

  “Yes.”

  “What the fuck! Do you know how fucking dangerous this place is at night?”

  “I’m not in the mood to be badgered. Are you taking me for food or not?”

  Jacob opened the door, and they made their way out into the warm night air.

  “From now on, you either come by car, or you call me.”

  “Not happening. I’ve agreed to go on one date. That’s all. I’m not going to have my life invaded by yours.”

  Jacob caught her arm and pressed her up against his car. At least, she assumed it was his car. “Are you going to be a pain in my ass all the time?”

  “Maybe.”

  He pressed his body against hers, and she struggled to think of a reason as to why he shouldn’t be touching her. One of his hands gripped her arm, and the other touched her waist. Her heart was pounding.

  She didn’t mean to be a pain in the ass, but it was so damn easy to be a bitch. It was easier never to expect anything from anyone, so she was never disappointed. Growing up, she’d been disappointed her whole life, from Christmas to parents, to parties. She had learned at a young age that her parents were not like others. The best way to protect herself was by not letting anyone get close. It sucked, but it worked.

  “You were nice to my sister, Lou.”

  “It’s Louisa.”

  “And I think there’s more to you than you let anyone see. Riley, he was talking about how damn sweet you are, and yet, you’ve been nothing but a bitch to me.” Jacob smiled, gripping her hip a little tighter. “I think I’m looking forward to finding that sweet woman you hide from the world.”

  He released her, easing her away from the door, and opening it up. “Let’s go and have some food.”

  Chapter Five

  Taking a seat in the booth opposite Lou, Jacob couldn’t look away. She was a beautiful woman, no doubt about that. He loved her green eyes, and the way they kept looking at everything but at him. Jacob wondered what she was thinking. She reached out, picking up the menu and opening it up. Her blonde hair looked a mess where it was bound at the back.

  “Release your hair,” he said. He wished to see those blonde locks falling all around her.

  “What?” She lowered her menu, frowning at him.

  “Your hair, release it.”

  The pulse at the side of her neck started to pound. They were only subtle changes, and he had to wonder if she even realized that she was attracted to him.

  “Are you crazy?”

  Jacob sat back, staring at her. “I’ll take you to the casino to meet my father, and you can see where we do business.” She didn’t need to know that he had every intention of showing her everything. He wasn’t going to hide who he was, and he saw that with Lou, he’d have to be open and honest.

  “You’d do that? Doesn’t that break some kind of Denton rule?”

  He shook his head. “Take
your hair down.”

  “If I don’t?”

  “You don’t get to see it.”

  “Ugh! See? You had no intention of showing me shit.”

  When she made to move, he pressed his leg against her seat and grabbed her arm, applying a little pressure. He didn’t try to hurt her, just enough to make her stop.

  “I’m going to show you a great deal. You’re not part of the family. I’m offering you a deal to go out with me.”

  “You’re not making any sense at all.”

  “Good. Take your hair down, and you’re going to have to learn to trust me.”

  “You’re doing this on purpose?”

  “What? Tempting you? Making you want something you didn’t think you wanted to know?” he asked.

  “Yes to everything, and you’re doing it on purpose.”

  Leaning forward, he captured her chin, running his thumb across her bottom lip. He was a little surprised that she didn’t try to bite him. “Let’s just say I know what I need to do to make sure you belong to me.”

  “This is not going to get you in my pants.”

  “You will, when the time is right.” His cock was rock hard, and he was finding it hard not to just grab her, bend her over the nearest counter, and fuck her. But he wasn’t into rape, and Lou wasn’t going to give in easily.

  “You arrogant ass.”

  “I know, and you’re going to love it about me.” He gave her a wink. “Do we have a deal?”

  She sighed, and pulled her hair out, letting it fall down.

  Letting her go, he sat back. “Run your fingers through your hair,” he said.

  Lou ran fingers through her hair doing as he instructed. “There? Are you satisfied?”

  “Yes, I am.” Handing her the menu, he urged her to order. “Pick whatever you want.”

  “Do you own this place as well?”

  “The Dentons own everything.”

  She shook her head. “You know the rumors about you are not good.”

  “What kind of rumors?” he asked, intrigued. There were a lot of rumors about him and his family.

  “That you’re not known for showing mercy.”

  “Yet you don’t know if I’ve killed anyone.”

  She shrugged. “I try not to listen to rumors, but seeing as we’re here, I figured it’s a good point of talking about something.”

  “Do you really think we’ve not got anything in common?” he asked.

  “No. We’re completely different. There’s no way we have anything in common.” She looked up from the menu.

  Running a finger across his bottom lip, he watched her. He wanted to see those full tits bouncing in front of his face as he rode her pussy hard. “Are you a virgin?”

  She rested her arms on the table, placing the menu in front of them. “Are you?”

  “A little fighter. I like it. No, I’m not a virgin. I like pussy way too much.”

  “I’m not a virgin either.”

  “Really?”

  “Why do you sound so surprised?” she asked.

  “Your parents—”

  She laughed. “Yeah, my parents. They’re the reason I’ve made so many crazy decisions, and I’ve hated most of them. My virginity, I gave it up when I realized that my parents were looking for a prospective husband for me.” She snorted, and he saw the pain in her eyes. “I was seventeen at the time, and I wasn’t interested in sex and fucking. I was walking downstairs in our home when I overheard them talking to some guy. I don’t know who he was, but they were saying how I’d never been with a boy, not even had a boyfriend or something like that. Anyway, to cut a long story short, he wanted a virgin bride, and I was a virgin. By the end of the week, I was no longer a virgin.” Her hands shook a little as she picked up her menu. “I’m in the mood for greasy. What about you?”

  He looked down at his menu, angry at her parents. This was the world where they lived, and most of the time, women were married off as some kind of trophy. He shouldn’t be angry, but he was. He was fucking furious.

  “You didn’t want to have sex?” he asked.

  She looked up from her menu. “As shocking as this may sound, I wasn’t actually ready to give it up. I did it because I felt that if I didn’t do something, they were going to take the decision right out of my hands, and that I couldn’t stomach. This is my life, my body.” She forced another laugh. “I say those words, and yet I fucked a guy I didn’t like because he was easy, and I knew he’d brag about bagging the Moore girl. Riley beat the shit out of the guy, which again didn’t make me happy. When I think of my life, all I see is a bunch of decisions that were taken out of my hands.”

  “Is that why you don’t want to go on a date with me?”

  Lou licked her lips. “It’s one of them. Besides, I don’t want to be part of this life, this world that you Dentons rule.”

  “Have you fucked a man you wanted to?”

  She nodded. “Yes, a couple of years ago. I’m not a prude. When was the first time you had sex?”

  “I was thirteen, and I seduced the babysitter. She was eighteen.”

  Lou’s eyes grew wide.

  “You didn’t think I was going to tell you who I’ve screwed?”

  “Trying to get a date with a woman doesn’t start out by telling that woman who you’ve fucked before.”

  “I figured out early on that you’re not like any other woman. I’m going to be upfront with you.”

  “Interesting,” she said.

  “Can I help you with anything?” a waitress asked, interrupting their conversation.

  “I’d like your burger with everything on it,” Lou said. “Don’t skip anything. I’m not going to be on a diet today.”

  After she ordered, Jacob watched as she looked across the diner, clocking his guards. Jacob was a strong man, and he’d take whatever was thrown at him, but he was also the oldest son of a Denton. His father wouldn’t let him go anywhere without a guard.

  Once he finished ordering, he waited for Lou to return her attention to him.

  “Those two men are watching you,” she said.

  “They’re paid to watch me.”

  “Oh, bodyguards.”

  “Yes.”

  “So, have you ever been married?” she asked.

  “No.”

  “This business requires you to marry well, right?”

  He shook his head. “I’ll marry who I want to marry, and I won’t be told before then.”

  “Must be nice to have that kind of control.”

  “You don’t think you have?”

  “I can work in shitty jobs, and piss my parents off, but at the end of the day, they’re the ones who always have the control.”

  “Who?”

  “My brother, Riley. They like to put him in circumstances to keep me in line.”

  “Why were you at the fight the other day?”

  “My parents weren’t going to be there, and I heard who he was fighting. I care about my brother, Jacob. He’s the only family I have, and I love him very much.”

  They paused as the waitress brought them out their drinks order. He had a strong coffee while she had a milkshake.

  “This work you’re taking him out on, it’s dangerous, right? More dangerous than getting into a fight?”

  “The fights can sometimes be to the death, you know that?”

  “I know that. Riley, he doesn’t fight to the death. He told me he doesn’t.”

  “And you believe him?”

  “I’ve got no reason to doubt him.”

  Riley had lied to her. Jacob had seen Riley fight, and he’d watched Riley kill his opponent. This was not his confession to make.

  “I’m not going to lie and say the work isn’t dangerous. It is. Please be reassured that I’m the one going to be there by his side. I’ll keep him safe.”

  “Do you promise?”

  “I promise.”

  The waitress came back to the table with their food. “This looks really good.”

&nb
sp; He watched as Lou grabbed her burger and took a huge bite.

  “Wow, just wow, that is so amazing,” she said.

  “I told you this was a good place.”

  “And to think I wasn’t going to take you up on that date.”

  “Ah, you admit you’ll go on a date with me?”

  She shrugged. “I’ve not got anything else to do. I may as well have some fun with you.” She gave him a wink, and Jacob relished the small victory. He wasn’t fucking her yet, but he would.

  ****

  “Once you’ve vetted my boss will you give me permission to work for him?” Riley asked.

  Lou glanced over at her brother, who had stopped by while she’d been getting ready to go out on her date. “I’m not vetting your boss.”

  “You screw him and I’d probably get a raise.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Will you stop? The only way you’ll be getting a raise is if you work damned hard.”

  “I know that, but Jacob has a thing for you.”

  “Please stop.”

  “He’s asked you out on a date, and he pretty much had to tempt that curiosity of yours before you’d give in.”

  Lou shrugged. “Nothing is going to happen.”

  “No? Wow, think of how much the parentals would love you.”

  “Stop it, Riley.”

  Her brother held his hands up. “I’m just, you know, putting it out there for you.”

  “I’d rather you didn’t. This is not about them, and I’m not going to let them spoil it by thinking it is.”

  “You’ve got issues. You know that, right?” Riley asked.

  “I’m already a nervous wreck. The last thing I need to be thinking about right now is my parents. Now,” she ran her hands down her legs, “how do I look?” She turned to her brother.

  “Cute.”

  “Cute?”

  “Isn’t that what you were going for?”

  “I was going for practical.”

  “Practical? You’re going on a date.”

  “Oh, I hate you!” She wore a pair of jeans and a white blouse. On her feet she wore a slender heel that gave her a little more height. She doubted he’d allow her to see the real dangerous element of his life, so she’d gone for the practical look. She wasn’t the kind of woman who needed expensive restaurants.

  The jeans also give you an added layer of protection.