slowly, wishing the panic that banded her chest would dissolve. Defeat was not an option. This was her last chance, but she was going to find a way to get back her family home.
Ashley glanced around the waiting room, noticing that it was quieter now that most of the office workers had gone for the day. It didn’t make the space any less intimidating. She almost hadn’t stepped into the building when she noticed the towering height and the aggressive sleek lines. It had taken more courage than she’d care to admit to stay seated on the chair throughout the day, feeling small and invisible, as she watched the employees attack the day with ruthless energy.
Her head jerked when she heard purposeful footsteps echo against the polished black floor. The tall man in the designer suit and prestigious school tie she’d spoken with earlier approached her. “Miss Jones? Mr. Cruz can see you now.”
Ashley nodded as her throat tightened with anxiety. Her hands went suddenly cold as she rose from the seat. She felt uncoordinated, her legs stiff and her borrowed heels heavy, as she followed the man in the suit.
You can fix this, she reminded herself fiercely as she nervously smoothed her hand over her hair. It had taken ages to coax her wild mane into a tight bun and she felt as if the waves were threatening to break free.
As she tried to keep up with the man who was undoubtedly an assistant, she tried not to notice the imposing features of the stark and colorless corridor. She didn’t know how this Sebastian Cruz had got Inez Key, but she knew it had to be a mistake. She couldn’t imagine why someone with this amount of wealth would want a run-down island.
Ashley glanced at the assistant. She was tempted to ask about Sebastian Cruz, but she sensed the man wouldn’t reveal much. She regretted not researching the man who owned Cruz Conglomerate. If the executive suite indicated anything, she suspected Sebastian Cruz was an older, formal gentleman who valued propriety and status.
Ashley tugged at the vintage white dress that had once belonged to her mother. She was glad she’d made the choice to wear it. It was outdated and restricting but she knew she looked sweet and demure.
Now, if only she could remember to speak like a lady. Ashley paused at the grand black doors to Mr. Cruz’s office. Everything went into slow motion as she watched the assistant knock and open the door. Just watch your mouth. Ashley swiped the tip of her tongue along her dry lips. She knew more than anyone how one reckless word could ruin everything....
Ashley barely heard the assistant’s introduction over the sound of her heart pounding in her ears. She sensed the magnitude of the room but controlled the impulse of looking around. She placed a polite smile on her lips, stretched out her hand and froze when she saw Sebastian Cruz.
“You!” she blurted out as she instinctively snatched her hand back. Standing before her was the one man she’d hoped she’d never meet again. This was Sebastian Cruz? The man had turned her world upside down a month ago, had torn down all of her defenses and introduced her to a world of pleasure and promise.
Ashley gasped for her next breath as her body went rigid, primed to flee. What was going on? This could not be Sebastian Cruz. It was Sebastian Esteban. The name was burned into her mind forever. A woman never forgot her first lover.
But this man didn’t look anything like the mysterious guest who had arrived for a weekend getaway on Inez Key a month ago. The faded jeans and knowing smile were replaced with a severe suit and a stern mouth. Her gaze traveled from his short black hair to his large brown eyes and the hard thrust of his chin. He was attractive but forbidding. Menacing.
Sebastian’s raw power was barely concealed underneath the tailored lines of his black suit. His lean and muscular build hinted that he was sleek, swift and that he moved with stealth. This man could fight hard and dirty.
He smiled and a sense of unease trickled down Ashley’s spine. This time his smile didn’t make her heart give a slow tumble. His sharp white teeth made her think of a cold-blooded animal tearing apart his quarry.
Feeling a little shaky, Ashley took a step back. Sebastian was stunning, but her memories had muted the brutal power and raw masculinity he possessed.
“Ashley,” he said silkily and gestured at the chair in front of his desk. He didn’t look surprised to see her. “Please sit down.”
“What are you doing here?” she asked as conflicting emotions swirled ferociously inside her. She felt dizzy. Vulnerable. She wanted to sit down and curl into a protective ball but she couldn’t give the man any advantage. “I don’t understand. He called you Mr. Cruz.”
“That is my name,” he said as he sat down behind his desk.
“Since when?” She winced when her voice rose. Ashley tried desperately to hold back. “You introduced yourself to me as Sebastian Esteban.”
“That is part of my name. Esteban is my mother’s family name.” His dark eyes were intent as he watched her closely. As if that name should mean something to her. “I am Sebastian Esteban Cruz.”
That was his excuse? She stared at him, waiting for more. Instead, he sat in his chair that was as big as a throne and watched her with an air of impatience. He wasn’t going to apologize for anything.
“Why did you lie to me? Is that part of your routine?” A woman only had to look at Sebastian Cruz and know he was a heartbreaker. She thought she could remain unscathed by limiting their encounter to a one-night stand. She had been wrong.
But she hadn’t been thinking during that sensual weekend, she thought as regret pricked at her. Instead, she had followed a primal call and fallen into Sebastian’s bed.
She had known better. Expected more from herself. After being raised by a philandering father, Ashley had recognized the signs of Sebastian’s tried-and-true routine. She should have remembered the devastation that immediately followed the promise of paradise.
“When a wealthy person is interested in buying property, it’s in their best interest not to reveal who they are,” he said unrepentantly. “Otherwise the sale price goes up.”
“Inez Key wasn’t for sale,” she said hoarsely as the anger whipped through her. Now she understood why he’d chosen to visit her island. He had intended to steal her family home from the beginning!
“So you kept saying.” He gave a dismissive shrug. “I had approached you through several of my representatives, but I kept getting the same answer. The offered price was extremely generous. I made a personal visit in the hopes that I could convince you to sell.”
She had thought it was strange that a man like Sebastian had arrived at her island for rest and relaxation. He was the kind of man who thrived on challenges and conquering uncharted territory. “Instead, you stole it from me,” she whispered as her stomach churned. “This is all making sense.”
“I didn’t steal it,” he corrected her. “You missed the deadline to repay the loan. Inez Key is mine.”
Ashley didn’t like the triumph she heard in his voice. She clenched her purse tighter as she choked back the fury. “That loan is none of your business! It was a private agreement between Raymond Casillas and me.”
“And I bought the loan from Casillas. You shouldn’t have put up your island as collateral.” He mockingly clucked his tongue and shook his head at her poor judgment.
“It not like I had a lot of choices,” she
