Lead Me From Temptation (Divine Darkness Book 1) Read online

  I brushed a leaf from my Grandma Indriel’s headstone and sighed. “I wish you were here. You’re the only one who ever got me.”

  I stood back from their graves and took it all in. If I were ever going to have a family reunion this would be it. Other than my ailing Aunt Sally, I was the last one—the very last one.

  “Indie?”

  “Oh hell!” I shouted as I jumped.

  I turned and found David Thornbury standing directly behind me. “How did you get here? I didn’t see or hear you,” I asked as I looked beyond him, still trying to catch my breath.

  “I was calling your name as I came closer. You seemed pretty lost in your own world.”

  “You could say that.” I placed my hand on my chest and felt the Hamsa as my heart tried to calm itself. “What are you doing here?”

  David looked to the headstones—all reading Luce and back to me with sadness in his bright green eyes. “Same as you, I suppose.”

  “Who?” I asked, shaking my head in disbelief.

  “My mother.”

  I nodded. “How long ago did she pass?”

  “Thirty years ago today. She died giving birth to me.”

  “Oh…” I hesitated as I put the pieces of the puzzle together. “And today is your birthday.”

  He said nothing but confirmed the truth with a single nod.

  I dropped my head. “Happy birthday, David.”

  “Thank you.”

  I looked at him standing there in his grey pinstriped suit and white shirt. Again, he wore no tie, but was so devilishly handsome he didn’t need anything extra. He was dead sexy and he knew it.

  “Did you receive all the paperwork we sent over?”

  “Yes, and thank you for the flowers. They were beautiful. Please tell your father if you see him.”

  “It’s interesting that you say that,” he replied, bringing his index finger to rest on his lips as if he had a secret. “The apple was from him—his little joke—the flowers were from me.”

  “They were beautiful and everywhere, I might add. My little house smells like a garden.”

  I watched him laugh and the mere sound made my insides tingle.

  “I’ve been trying to reach you today on your phone. Is it not working properly?” he asked as he checked me out in my pink sundress and cardigan sweater from head to toe. The wind kicked up and the full skirt began to blow in precarious ways. I quickly responded holding it at bay with my hands. There was no need to pull a full out Marilyn Monroe.

  “I’ve had it with me all day. I didn’t hear it ring.”

  “Is the ringer on?” he asked with a sly smile. His white teeth were such a contrast to his tan skin and I loved the way his eyes sparkled when he smiled.

  “I guess the ringer’s on,” I replied with questionable sarcasm.

  “I’m guessing it’s not.” He laughed and it went all through me. “Anyway, it’s a bit of luck to find you here. My father wanted to meet with you today to go over some plans and he doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”

  “Oh, no. I’m so sorry. It’s just…it’s Saturday and I only signed the contract this morning. I guess I assumed Monday would be my start date.”

  “When it comes to my father don’t assume anything. Ever. He didn’t get to where he is working five days a week.”

  I nodded and felt like I’d disappointed my new boss before having the chance to impress him. “I’m really sorry.”

  “No harm done. You can still see him today. Shall we go?” he asked as he held out his arm for me to lead the way.

  “Yes. Absolutely. I’m just parked over here.”

  “Excellent. Me too.”

  We strolled along the paved lane that wound all through the headstones. The trees seemed to grow inward along the pathway as if they were trying to shield those who came to visit. From what I didn’t know, but it was comforting all the same.

  We reached the parking lot and I spied David’s car next to mine. The gleaming black Ferrari was a stark contrast to my rusted out, still gold paint in places Honda. “I’ll just follow you,” I said as the car door let out its usual moan when I opened it. “That is as long as you go the speed limit.” I smiled nervously, embarrassed that I drove such a crappy car.

  “I never go over the speed limit,” he said, just before pulling his head of dark wavy hair into the car that cost more than my house.

  The sports car responded with a roar as he started the engine and I suddenly realized what it purrs like a kitten meant.

  Conversely, my car yammered over and over, refusing to start. “Come on, just one more time,” I whispered. “Please don’t do this to me now.”

  David patiently waited to pull out as I tried over and over to get the car moving. I wondered if it was the battery or worse, the end.

  David climbed out of his idling black stallion and walked to my window with a smile. “What seems to be the trouble, little lady?”

  I laid my head on the steering wheel like I’d done a hundred times before. “This is so embarrassing. My car picked today of all days to just up and die.”

  “C’mon,” David said as he opened the door and offered his hand. “We’ll have someone tow the car back to your house. We’ll call on our way.”

  I nodded, took his hand and got out of the car. I knew my face was red with embarrassment.

  “We should roll up the back windows. I wouldn’t want anyone to steal anything,” David said as he inspected the car.

  “There’s nothing in there that’s worth anything—just some groceries that have already gone bad and my AC/DC CD.”

  “Still, we should roll up the windows.”

  I shrugged my shoulders in embarrassment. “They won’t go up. I tried already. The car is just doomed. I didn’t know when the day would come but it finally did. I’m just sorry you had to witness it.”

  He nodded but didn’t say a word as he escorted me to the passenger side of his fancy car and opened the door. It’d been so long since a man had opened the car door for me—it made me feel worthy, important, and I was suddenly happy I’d dressed up for the day—even if I was dressing for another man.

  He closed the door and I felt as if I were in a soundproof booth. The car was completely quiet. As David climbed into his seat and buckled up I watched the lights dance on the dashboard, intrigued by all that was happening.

  “Seatbelt.” His green eyes flashed at me when he smiled and I knew I was blushing.

  I clicked myself into what seemed more like a cockpit than a car and looked out the tinted window at my old clunker. “I’m ready.”

  David roared down the road, careful to stay close to the speed limit. I knew once he hit the interstate it would be pedal to the metal. No one had a car like this and rolled at sixty-five miles an hour.

  As we pulled away I thought of how quickly my day and plans had changed. Mike was nowhere to be found—David was everywhere I needed him to be.

  TEN

  “Tell me about yourself, Indie. I mean, more than I already know.”

  “What do you know exactly?” I asked as I desperately tried not to look at him. Each time I did I felt the kind of tingle that made me think of things I shouldn’t in the presence of my boss’s son. I couldn’t explain the attraction and thought perhaps I was just looking for attention in the wake of Mike leaving me alone.

  “Tell me what’s not on your resume?”

  I laughed. “I didn’t know I had a resume.”

  “I know you’re an RN, graduated first in your class and took a position with The Path right out of school. You live alone, never been married and you love animals.”

  “Okay,” I admitted as I squirmed in the tan leather seats that smelled of a place a world away from Georgia. “Some of that would be easy to know or even find out, but the animal thing?”

  “I was just taking a stab in the dark. Am I right?” he asked as he took his eyes off the road for a split second and flashed me a smile.

  I couldn’t look at him an
y longer. Things that never went through my mind continued to circle in my head. I wondered what he looked like naked, I thought about how his lips would taste. I worried if I stared I would give away every naughty thought I had in my head, and yet I had no idea where the ideas were coming from. I wasn’t the kind of girl who was easily sexually aroused. I didn’t even own a vibrator, much to the dismay of Dr. Nabi. My mind just never went there. There were too many other things to worry about. But when I was with David none of that seemed true. I felt like a better, more confident version of myself. It was unnerving. And I was horny. Really horny.

  “A stab in the dark?” I asked finally, turning my eyes away from him.

  “I’m pretty intuitive with people. I can usually tell what makes them happy, sometimes even what scares them.”

  “What do you mean? What scares them?”

  “So was I right? You love animals?” he asked, ignoring my question.

  I narrowed my gaze and gave him a sarcastic grin letting him know I didn’t like it that he’d guess something about me so easily. “It’s more like animals love me.”

  He laughed. “No doubt they’re drawn to you for the same reason others are.”

  “And what’s that?

  He sat silent for a moment and I thought perhaps he’d talked himself into a corner and didn’t know what to say next. But as we stopped at a red light he turned to me and placed his hand on my arm. A wave of chills overcame me. “You can see what others can’t see. Maybe what they can’t see in themselves. You’re…” He paused as the light changed and accelerated down the street, changing gears on the fast car. “Benevolent.”

  I shook my head and watched us whizz past cars as we entered the interstate. “I’m not so kind. Why would you think I’m kind? I can be bad ass if I want to.”

  “Bad ass?” He laughed hard and it was contagious.

  “I’m sorry,” I said as I put my hand over my mouth realizing I’d overstepped the bounds between employee and employer too early in the game.

  “Sorry for what?”

  “Cursing and not being professional. It won’t happen again.”

  “Please Indie, let your hair down. Be yourself. You don’t always have to be perfect. I’m giving you permission right now to live a little.”

  I nodded. It did feel good to laugh. It felt easy and it gave me a charge. The energy made me want to ask questions. “Tell me what to expect today with your father.”

  “If only I knew. He’s a very private person, Indie. I’m just glad you’re part of the family now. It takes some of the pressure off.”

  “Off of what?”

  “Me.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “It’s hard to explain. Once you’re around my father for a while you’ll understand.”

  “I’m just being hired for palliative care, David. I’m here to make the end of your father’s life bearable.”

  “And you will. And you’ll make my life bearable without even knowing it.”

  David lifted his hand from the steering wheel as if he wanted to touch me again. Instead, he quickly adjusted the radio and asked the car to play AC/DC. The heavy bass of Back in Black began to thump through the elaborate sound system and I smiled. “Even the car does what you say.”

  He didn’t speak another word until we pulled in front of the GlobalTech building. “Ready?”

  “I guess,” I replied not knowing exactly what was in store for me. “Should I be something other than ready?”

  “No. You’re perfect.” He grinned and gave me a tiny nod, causing the dark waves in his hair to tousle just enough to make me weak in the knees. He was walking, talking sex. And he knew it.

  Before I touched the door it swung open and I found Six waiting for me with an umbrella. “Good afternoon, Miss Luce. Nice to see you again.”

  “Hello Six. It’s nice to see you too. Please call me Indie.”

  He nodded and waited for David to join me under the umbrella. As quickly as he appeared Six was gone and moving the car from the front of the building.

  David held the umbrella high for me as the skies darkened and I thought about my car with its windows down, sitting in the rain. Security opened the doors for us and took the wet umbrella as soon as we reached the marble entrance. Everywhere we seemed to go there was always someone waiting to take care of things. I knew my role was to be one of those people and yet I felt more like I was enjoying the perks of being by David’s side instead of one of the working team that made the Thornbury boy’s life more simple.

  As we got onto the express elevator I turned to David. “Not to sound like a twit or anything, but we never called about my car. And now that it’s starting to pour I’m a little worried.”

  “It’s all taken care of.”

  “But how?” I asked as I checked myself out in the mirrored door while David looked at his phone. I didn’t want him to think I was vain, even if I was. I stared at the girl in the pink sundress and matching cardigan and smiled. Thank God I wasn’t parading around in a black bra today. And then I remembered—I wasn’t wearing a bra.

  “Let me take care of the car.”

  The door chimed and we were on the top floor of the building. Walking straight into his father’s office David called out to him, “Lewis. I’m here and I have Indriel with me.”

  “Indie.” I said the word quietly but with conviction.

  He sat behind his massive desk and stared at us in the immense area that was his office. I was surprised to find the space clear of any papers. It was always my idea that powerful men had lots of things to approve or go through. Even I had paperwork and I was a nobody. And then it hit me. Maybe the higher up you go the less paper there is. There are minions for that.

  “Thank you for signing your contract and coming in today, Indie.” Lewis stared at me, making me slightly uncomfortable.

  “Yes, sir. No problem. I assume the messenger picked up the contract from my house?”

  “You assume correctly,” Lewis said, his deep voice echoing against the beautiful marble floor.

  I gave one uncontrollable guffaw and quickly reined it in.

  “Something amusing?” Lewis asked.

  “No, sir. It’s just David had told me to never assume anything and that’s the first thing I did when I walked into your office. I was just laughing nervously at my idiocy, that’s all. I’m sorry. And I’m going to stop talking now.”

  Lewis stared at me. He wasn’t amused by my antics. Instead he moved on with business. “Indie, I want you to meet with my doctor tomorrow and he will go over everything with you—medications and so forth.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Today I want to go over the schedule for the next month.”

  “Okay,” I said, knowing I didn’t have anything with me to take notes nor did I have my usual calendar that kept my life and patients straight.

  I heard David’s footsteps behind me as he handed me a moleskin notebook with my initials embossed in gold in the corner—IAL. “Oh, that’s handy. And beautiful.”

  David smiled and then handed me the latest iPad Air. “Your schedule is documented and maintained on the mainframe here at GlobalTech. This GT app will show you everything you need to know about your schedule. It will remind you with alarms for meetings and travel information. The same app is on your new phone. It’s like your own personal assistant. She’ll know your every move.”

  “I see.” Our fingers grazed over one another and I felt the charge of electricity in the air as I watched his eyes flash and I tried to keep my mind on business.

  I looked back to Lewis knowing he could see the flush of redness to my face from being around his son. There was something scary and yet completely comfortable about Lewis Thornbury. I didn’t know what it was, but by the time my work with him was over I would. Death always brings out the real person—the honest to goodness person. Death made people get real with their families and with themselves. I was certain Lewis Thornbury would be no different. After all, w
e are all only human.

  “Open the app please and you’re going to see where next week is here in Atlanta and the following two weeks are in Italy.”

  “Italy?” I’d raised my voice and I didn’t know if it was because I was excited or because I was surprised.

  “If you don’t have your passport up to date we will take care of that first thing Monday morning. If you don’t have a passport,” he hesitated as he looked me up and down. “We can take care of that too.”

  “I have a passport and it’s up to date. I’m just surprised.”

  “Well, don’t be. I’m an international businessman. I travel a lot and you’re going to be traveling a lot too. Understand?”

  “Yes, sir. It’s just I need to play catch up as far as medical facilities should we need them while we’re away. I mean, do you have doctors we can work with in Italy?”

  He gave me a bit of a smile. “What do you think?”

  I shook my head yes with a nervous tic. “Yes. Yes, of course you do.”

  David sat across the room and looked through his phone and suddenly stood as he answered it and left the room. I was alone with Lewis Thornbury.

  “I’m happy to have you as part of our team, Indie.” Lewis stood and walked to me extending his hand. I stood immediately.

  “Thank you, sir. I’m happy to be here.”

  Lewis closed his eyes and took a deep breath as if he smelled my long day napping in the sunshine of the outdoors. I looked away, uncomfortable with the gesture. “Good,” he said, opening his eyes. “I’m sorry you lost your last little patient so unexpectedly yesterday. It’s always tragic when a child dies.”

  “I never told you my last patient was a child.”

  “Sorry,” David said as he entered the room abruptly. He could tell by the look on my face I was rattled. “Everything okay in here?”

  I looked to Lewis, who turned on his heels and walked away as David gave me a reassuring wink. I exhaled the air I’d been holding in since Lewis began his odd breathing routine.