SeducedByTheAntiHero Read online

  More introductions were made and she came to learn many of the guys there were fighters from the gym Tyler and Brian belonged to. Some had girlfriends with them but some, she was delighted to find, were on their own. And some of them were pretty hot. Hot and they seemed to reciprocate her interest. Unlike a certain gorgeous man sitting by the fire she was trying her damndest to ignore.

  Before she could elaborate on that thought, she was extricated from her reverie when Adam arrived and pulled her into an unexpected hug. “I’m glad you showed,” he said with that panty-melting smile of his when he pulled away. Not for the first time did she wonder if Chloe maybe hadn’t picked the wrong twin to hook her up with. But then she felt the weight of a silent gaze boring into her profile and it just did something to her that Adam’s warm embrace couldn’t match.

  Which was bullshit and something she needed to get over if she wanted her plan to be successful. Ben was so off her “Charming List” radar it wasn’t even funny. While she knew her mission called for her to kick her list to the side, the guy she hooked up with had to possess some of those qualities. Ben was just downright rude and non-personable.

  “I’m glad you decided to show up, too, little brother,” Brandon quipped, looking down at his watch for emphasis.

  Adam shot him a sheepish but worried look. “I know. I would have been here sooner but it was The Captain. He’s been having some…um…trouble lately and I wanted to make sure he was comfortable before I left.”

  Brandon laughed. “I swear to God, man, you should just marry that damn dog and be done with it.”

  And with that, an almighty bicker-fest started up between the three brothers surrounding her and she couldn’t contain her amusement. But along with her mirth came a pang of homesickness for her own family. It had been a long time since her family had been assembled like this all in one place and she hadn’t realized until this moment how much she had been missing them. They were scattered on different ends of the country and didn’t get the opportunity to come together very often outside of the major holidays.

  It didn’t escape her notice, however, that Ben remained removed from his brothers. His lack of contribution to the lively conversation spoke volumes and despite herself, she was curious.

  For the time being she shook off her wayward interest and settled into a seat by the fire to enjoy the company she was in. The fact that he soon got up and made his way toward the house helped. But he was stopped by a burly-looking man who could only be a fighter and from then on she was acutely aware of his location in relation to hers. Still, she tried to forget he was there.

  “So, Emma,” Kim said turning away from the brothers and their arguing to face Chloe and Emma. “Chloe tells me you two went to college together. What did you study?”

  A rueful smile lifted her lips when she thought about it. “I was an English major, actually. So I have no idea how I ended up in banking.”

  Kim’s laugh was warm and infectious and Emma took an instant liking to her. “Believe me I understand how that goes. I majored in psychology, intending to be this affluent psychiatrist for the criminally insane. The courses were interesting but it took me almost four years to realize I really wanted to go to culinary school. Go figure.” She rolled her eyes. “I would say it was a complete waste of time, but that’s how I met Brandon.” There was no mistaking the dreamy satisfaction that surfaced in her expression and from everything Emma had seen, it didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that their marriage was a happy one.

  “Well, at least you ended up doing something you wanted to do. That’s all that matters,” Emma said.

  “You did too, though. Or at least you’re on your way,” Chloe interjected then leaned forward on her elbows toward Kim. “Emma’s going to be a world famous writer.”

  Emma scoffed, thinking about the latest critique she’d gotten on her novel. “Yeah, I don’t know about that.”

  Chloe shot her an affronted glare. “I do.” She turned back to Kim. “She writes these really hot books—”

  The thread of the conversation was lost on Emma when Ben made his way back to the fire to sit near her. He didn’t speak to anyone and her curiosity was inflamed once more. She didn’t know why, but his stillness and appearance of solitude in a crowd full of people were enthralling. What had made him this way? Obviously, it wasn’t a family trait, as his brothers appeared happy and well adjusted. There was a story there. She could feel it.

  The shadowed light of the fire danced over his features. That strong jaw with just a touch of dark stubble. Those almost obscenely full lips Those dark eyes that appeared black and fathomless. In that moment he looked like Lucifer himself sitting across from her, tempting and evil, staring solemnly into the flames of the fire-pit. And it was then that she became cognizant of the fact that she had never been more attracted to a person in her entire life. The realization was alarming.

  When Ben’s head snapped in her direction as though he’d been startled, she once again began to take notice of the other people around her and caught the tail end of what Chloe had been saying.

  “…severe lack of quality orgasms are cutting off her creative flow.”

  Wait, what was that now?

  It was with dawning horror she realized, too late, that Chloe had been telling the whole world Emma’s real reasons for coming to visit. Okay, so maybe not the whole world but anyone other than Chloe knowing was one person too many. Let alone Ben knowing. Because oh yeah, in addition to Mina and Kim, he’d heard her.

  This was Chloe’s grand strategy? To just lay it all out there for public consumption? Wow, she’d forgotten how tactless Chloe could actually be. Now all she wanted to do was let the ground open up and swallow her whole.

  Especially when Ben looked at her pensively and said, “What, your city boys can’t satisfy you?”

  Good Lord, please just take me now and get it over with. What the hell was she supposed to even say to that?

  In the end it didn’t matter because before she could utter a word, Chloe cut her off at the pass. “I personally think it’s just men in general. Well, except my man of course,” she smiled sweetly at Brian who seemed oblivious. Looking back at Ben she cocked an eyebrow. “You think you can do any better?”

  Sinfully dark eyes met Emma’s before his gaze slowly roamed over the length of her body. Down then back up causing tingling goose bumps to form on her skin. Then, what she was coming to believe was a rare smile tilted the corners of his lips. “Hell yeah, I can,” he all but growled. The deep sound sent a flood of moisture between her legs and she swallowed hard.

  Just as the implications of his words were starting to sink in, Chloe once again interjected on her behalf without consulting her. “Prove it, then. And since she needs inspiration that lasts, you have to make it diverse. Switch it up in a bunch of different ways so that her…stories,” an evil grin split her lips, “don’t ever get stale.”

  Emma would have then turned to her so-called friend to gape in outraged shock if she hadn’t seen the dark light glittering in Ben’s eyes as he put his beer to his lips. “I’ll take that bet,” he said after a slow swallow then licked his lips. “And don’t worry, Sugar, I can make it last.”

  When her mouth dropped open, he laughed and got up to move toward the house, yelling at his twin to toss him another beer.

  Had that really just happened? He was barely civil toward her and now all of sudden he wanted to help fuck her into a better writer?

  “What the hell’s the matter with you?” Emma hissed when Ben was safely out of earshot.

  Chloe shot her a sly smile, as though all had gone according to plan. Well, it had, hadn’t it? “Hey, at least it got you a man to try out your experiment with, didn’t it? And a damn fine man, too.”

  “Oh come on, like he really meant all that. I’m sure he was just playing along with you.” Had to be, right?

  “Hmm…I dunno. I’ve never known Ben to joke about anything like that, have you?” she asked Kim.
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  Smiling as if she’d been in on Chloe’s plan all along, Kim said, “Nope. He’s not really the joking type.”

  “Usually when he says he’s going to do something he does it.” Chloe narrowed her eyes. “And don’t act like you’re upset about this. You forget, I know you too well. You can’t hide the fact that you want him.”

  “That’s beside the point,” Emma grudgingly admitted. “I didn’t expect you to tell everyone and their brother about my problem, Chloe.”

  “I didn’t tell his brothers, just him.” Chloe laughed when Emma glared. “How did you expect to find someone to help you out if you weren’t going to tell anyone you’re interested?”

  Emma opened her mouth to reply, had nothing, then closed it. Chloe had a point there. But still. “It’s one thing to let a man know that I’m interested and quite another to lay it all out on the line. Tell him that no man has ever given me an orgasm before. Nothing like putting on the pressure.”

  Shaking her head, Chloe said sagely, “If you don’t present a challenge to them up front you’re just going to have more of the same experiences in bed. This way, they know they have to work harder. It’s a male ego thing,” she waved her hand in the air as if everybody knew that, silly. And apparently everyone did because Kim was nodding in agreement.

  It made sense. But Emma was still pissed Chloe hadn’t given her any warning before she opened her big mouth, so she ignored it. “Besides, I figured that I would just hook up with one of the fighters while I’m here anyway.”

  The incredulous expression on Chloe’s face was comical but Emma refused to laugh. “Why would you want one of the fighters when you have Ben freaking Serano?”

  Well that was just it, wasn’t it? She’d only known him for less than a day but she didn’t want anyone else now that she’d met him. Rude behavior and all. But come on. Didn’t men like him usually go after stick figures with a low IQ who were too vapid and self-absorbed to notice how closed off he was? She had a healthy self-image but no way someone as gorgeous and private as Ben would want her with her inquisitive intellect and her size twelve figure.

  No, she figured she’d have to scale it down just a bit. After all, she wasn’t looking for Mr. Right at the moment. Just someone who could make her come so hard she forgot her own name. Ben was a little too complex for something so simple.

  Oh she knew that he’d want to keep it simple but his complexity would spark her curiosity until she couldn’t leave it at just sex. She’d want to know more, delve deeper and that wouldn’t be good for either of them.

  So she let the conversation drop for the moment and moved on to more pleasant things. But she was resolved to find herself a fighter and leave Ben Serano and his complicated deliciousness the hell alone.

  Chapter Four

  Saturday night found Emma in a rather unexpected, but not entirely unwelcome, place. As with everything fall-related, Halloween was her favorite holiday and when Chloe had called her that afternoon to ask if she would like to go to a haunted factory, Emma had jumped at the chance. They hadn’t been to something like this since college.

  The lazy orange October sun was just starting to set as she and Chloe waited in line outside the dilapidated-looking building housed in a random part of town. A brisk wind picked up, causing little wisps of her black hair to dance around her face and she zipped her hooded sweatshirt up a little farther.

  The line was wrapped around the building and as she waited she contemplated why people liked to frighten themselves so much. Maybe it was the blood pumping adrenaline or the exciting sense of the unknown. She had to admit that it had a way of making a person feel alive in an otherwise predictable existence. In a controlled environment, such as this one, a person got a thrill without an actual threat. No heart palpitations or loss of bladder control because deep down she knew that none of it was real.

  And even though the people working the factory looked creeptastic as hell, she knew they weren’t actually allowed to touch her.

  Chloe’s apprehension, however, radiated off her in waves as she danced from one foot to the other.

  “What?” Chloe asked ceasing her hopping-in-place routine when she noticed Emma’s narrowed eyes.

  “What do you mean what? For as long as I’ve known you, you’ve hated haunted houses. Why are you putting yourself through this if it scares you so much?”

  Hands on her hips, Chloe lifted her nose up in the air. “Since when have I ever been scared of anything?”

  That would have been a point well made had they been talking about anything else. But as it was… “Remember the last time we went to a haunted house? Remember the gross seven-foot clown that followed you around the whole time?” Chloe visibly paled and Emma knew she had her. “You were so scared we had to sleep with a nightlight on in the dorm for two weeks. After that you swore up and down that you would never go to one of these things again. So why the sudden change of heart?”

  “Well, my boys are helping out and I’m showing my moral support.” She bit her lip.

  Emma cocked an eyebrow. “Your boys?”

  “Yeah, you know,” she waved her hand in the air absently. “My brother, Matt, Brian and the Seranos.” She mumbled that last bit so fast Emma almost didn’t catch it. But she did and she felt a thrill run through her that had nothing to do with fear.

  “No ulterior motive, then?” Emma eyed her doubtfully.

  Chloe rolled her eyes. “Absolutely none. They do this every year to raise money for the high school and I support their efforts.”

  Valid explanation but Emma wasn’t buying it. Crossing her arms to block out some of the wind, she said, “I don’t care who’s working here, if you don’t want to do something no one can talk you into it. You’re that stubborn, Chloe. What’s the real reason?”

  By this time they had made their way to the front of the line and were about to go in. Letting out an exasperated breath, Chloe whispered so that the ghoulish woman taking their money wouldn’t overhear. “I’ll tell you later.”

  With a sigh of resignation, Emma handed over her money and decided to let it drop. Whatever Chloe’s plan was—and she was certain her friend did have a plan—she would find out soon enough. She wouldn’t have been able to get out of it anyway so she made the choice to go with the flow and see what would happen.

  Before their group was allowed to enter into the maze of the haunted factory, Ghost Lady gave them a spiel that served as the ground rules and a warning.

  “Be forewarned, gentle travelers. To enter beyond these walls you must be on your guard at all times. The ghouls and spirits herein find their joy in harassing the living. Be wary of unseen taunts, dark figures stalking through the corridors and footsteps running past you in the dark. But don’t lose heart. If you do not seek to touch the spirits, they will let you escape unharmed.”

  Sooooo, basically, that was a fancy way of saying don’t molest the workers.

  Yeah right, Emma thought. Now that she knew Chloe was up to something, she kind of wanted to get through the maze as quickly as possible. No way was she about to grope one of the people working here, especially as one of those people very well could be Ben.

  That was a sobering thought and suddenly she had an idea as to what Chloe’s plan was. And when she slid her a narrowed glance of dawning understanding, Chloe’s complete avoidance of eye contact was a dead giveaway. Emma shook her head. Chloe never listened.

  When they finally entered the maze, she could barely see her hand in front of her face once the door shut behind them. But then a soft low glow coming from a strand of lights lining the floor flickered to life and she saw that there were several entrances into the maze. She hadn’t known that this was going to be a choose-your-own-adventure kind of deal. Usually these kinds of places take you on a guided path from beginning to end.

  This should be interesting.

  Seeing a few people take the farthest entrance on the right, Chloe and Emma looked at each other and both shrugged simultaneously. Laug
hing, they followed the crowd. One entrance was just as good as the others, in Emma’s opinion.

  The near complete darkness had them wandering around the first corridor at a snail’s pace until someone wearing a hockey mask and holding a chainsaw jumped out at them. Screaming they put their asses in gear, running to get around the next bend.

  “Holy shit,” Chloe rasped, panting and out of breath when they had finally gotten away from the Jason wannabe. “The things I do for you, Emma, you don’t even know.” She poked Emma in the side making her jump before putting her hand to her chest. “I feel like my heart’s in my throat.”

  “Hey, I’m not making you do anything. And I thought that you were here solely to morally support your boyfriend.” With a scowl, Emma rubbed her side where Chloe had gotten her. But Chloe was no longer listening.

  Emma followed her line of vision to see Brian standing farther down the corridor. Speaking of the devil, he stood dressed in tight black bondage pants with random safety pins poking through the material in haphazard positions. His black muscle T had tears in places and it showed off his beautifully sculpted arms, chest and broad shoulders to perfection. His skin was made to look vividly pale, sticking out in sharp contrast to all that black and his dark blond, messy hair fell around his face in a way that seemed careless but Emma knew was styled just so.

  His stillness in the darkness as he leaned up against the wall made him seem almost invisible. Until a group of girls strayed too close. Hissing, he bared a gleaming pair of pearly fangs that looked alarmingly real. The girls screamed and jumped backward as he stalked toward them, growling menacingly. The group hurried to disappear around the corner and he came back to his post, laughing lowly to himself.