Chasing Temptation: Forbidden Series #7 Read online

  Copyright © 2019 by Tracy Lorraine

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Edited by Pinpoint Editing

  Proofread by Paige Sayer Proofreading.

  Cover design & formatting by Dandelion Cover Designs

  Contents

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  A Note

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgments

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  About the Author

  Also by Tracy Lorraine

  Sneak Peek

  His Manhattan

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  A Note

  Chasing Temptation is written in British English and contains British spelling and grammar. This may appear incorrect to some readers when compared to US English books.

  Chapter One

  Doing as she asked is harder than I was anticipating. I’ve never chased a woman in my life. I’m usually the one trying to shake the clingers, but sitting here, waiting for the clock to tick around so I can leave for my class, I wouldn't be opposed to wrapping my arms around her the second I walk into the room and never letting go.

  It’s been three days since I dropped her off for work on Monday morning, and I’ve not heard a squeak from her since. I kinda hoped she might at least message me to let me know she’s okay, but apparently her need for space meant as much distance as she could put between us as possible.

  I can’t really argue; she’s got shit going on, and this thing between us has been intense to say the least. She’s my teacher, for fuck’s sake.

  The plan was to re-do a couple of my GCSEs, rewrite a couple of the fuck tonne of mistakes I’ve made in my life, and see if I’m actually competent enough to consider further education and possibly a serious qualification that might allow me to be more than just a builder.

  Okay, so I’m not just a builder—my job description says I’m a site agent—but I’m under no illusion that I only got that title because I was in my old boss’ back pocket.

  I was a mess the day I stumbled into Johnson & Son’s office. If the boss had turned out to be anyone but my dad’s old mate, I doubt that anyone in their right mind would have given me a job. I was seventeen, covered in tattoos, hungover, and I probably smelled like the back end of a rhino, but he gave me a chance.

  Or rather, he gave me what I needed in order for me to do his dirty work.

  The second I saw him, I should have known he wasn’t offering me a job out of the goodness of his heart. The man had been a friend of my father’s; anyone who spent any time with that man was obviously of dubious character. I should have known better than to agree to dance with the devil. It was only later that I was to learn that he was probably worse than my father ever was. He was the master manipulator, and I had no choice but to be his bitch. He could take everything away from me in one swift move if I disobeyed him.

  Weirdly, he was the only man I’d listened to in my entire life.

  But it wasn’t through choice.

  It was through necessity.

  Looking back now, I can’t be all that angry. Yes, he played me, but he wasn’t hiding it from me; the person he was really playing was his daughter, Lauren. She’s the reason I can’t be angry about it all, because he gave me her.

  I’d had a few friends growing up but nothing lifelong. The guys at the pretentious all boys private school my parents sent me to only wanted to know me because I knew how to get my hands on alcohol and good weed. Then, when my gran enrolled me into her local comprehensive, I was the bad boy all the ‘cool’ kids wanted to befriend and all the girls wanted to bed. I certainly got an education from that place, although not in the way of qualifications. I learned that girls would go even further out of their way than boys to get what they wanted, and it was where I discovered that really, I didn’t care what sex they were as long as they were willing. I’d lose myself and my shitty life in them in a heartbeat.

  I’ve never been embarrassed by the way I’ve lived my life or the bad, slutty choices I’ve made.

  Not until I walked into her classroom and her dark, innocent eyes stared into mine. In that moment, I wished everyone I’d ever touched would vanish. She was too good for me, and I was desperate to be worthy. The longer she looked at me, the more I wanted her.

  I told myself it was lust at first sight, but even in those very first moments I knew it was more than that. Yes, I wanted to bend her over her desk and fuck her until she cried out my name—that was a given—but more than that I wanted to pull her into my arms and tell her that I’d take away the fear that was oozing from her.

  My phone buzzes beside me, and I almost manage to crack a smile at seeing my best friend’s picture staring back at me.

  Lauren: What time are you showing your face tonight? Erica won’t forgive you if you bail.

  Tonight’s my flat mate’s birthday. I do need to be there after everything she’s been through recently, but nothing will drag me away from seeing Quinn tonight. I’ve promised Lauren that I’ll get to the restaurant as soon as I can, but I don’t think she believes me.

  I’ve kept my Thursday night dalliances to myself. I thought I was crazy when I filled out the application online to go back to school, and I had no idea what those around me would think. Lauren knows about my past, and I’ve no doubt she’d support me no matter what, but everyone else…I’m not so sure. They don’t know what a fuck up I was, and, quite honestly, I’d rather not have to revisit that time in my life.

  I reply, promising that I’ll be there. What I really want to do is convince Quinn to come with me after class and introduce her to my friends. This thing between us has only been going on for a few days at the most, but already I’m sick of hiding her.

  It’s still too early to leave but fuck it. I grab my leather jacket and my bag and head out of the flat. I usually take the tube, but seeing as it’s pissing it down with rain and with the hope that I’ll be able to get Quinn away quicker after class, I unlock the van door and jump in. It’s meant to be for business use only, but what’s Ben going to do? Fire me? Lauren wouldn’t allow it.

  One of the benefits of having a bestie who’s banging the boss.

  I park a little down the street, thinking it’ll make Quinn happy later, and slowly make my way inside.

  I’m the first to arrive, not that it’s a surprise, and her classroom door is shut. I clench and unclench my fists with my need to go barrelling in and pull her into my arms. The fact that she’s in the middle of teaching a class is the only thing that stops me. After three days, I’m fucking desperate to feel her body pressed up against mine and to breathe in her sweet scent.

  A couple of others I recognise join me. I nod at them in greeting, but no words pass my lips. Befriending my classmates has never been that high up on my to do list. Getting up close and personal with the teacher, though…that one’s right up there.

  Eventually her class comes to an end and students start filing out of the room. My heart pounds as the anticipation of seeing her gets the better of me.

&nbsp
; Shoving my hands in my pockets to stop me from pushing the students leaving the room aside in my haste to get in, I wait as patiently as possible.

  When it looks like the last couple of stragglers have left, I take a step forward, beating anyone else to the doorway. They might be keen to learn or whatever, but my need is much more important.

  Walking through the doorway, my heart’s in my fucking throat. I need to look at her, to stare into her kind, dark eyes and take in her soft curves. I’ve missed her so fucking much this week and right now, seconds away from laying my eyes on her, I’m not too afraid to admit it.

  Dragging in a much needed deep breath, I prepare to look at her—only when I lift my eyes, she’s not the one rubbing writing off the white board.

  “Where’s Miss Smith?” I demand, walking straight to the front of the room. I was concerned about her going home after her flat was broken into. I told myself that I was just being paranoid, but now with her not here, it’s sending my imagination into overdrive.

  Eddie spins, his eyes narrowing on me, disgust clear within them.

  “None of your business. I suggest you take your seat.”

  “Bullshit. Tell me where she is.”

  Something flashes in his eyes, and it’s enough to tell me that he doesn’t know the answer to my demand.

  “If she’s in trouble and you’ve done fuck all about it, I’ll—”

  “I don’t know,” he admits quietly, his skin paler than it was just a few moments ago.

  “You don’t... Fuck. When was the last time you saw her?”

  “Monday.”

  “Fuck.” My hands go to my hair as I try not to panic. I’m aware I’ve got a class full of Quinn’s students piling in behind me and that Eddie has no clue there’s anything between us—or at least he didn’t until a few seconds ago. “Did you know her flat was broken into?”

  “Y-yes.” Guilt twists his features.

  “And you didn’t think to check up on her, seeing as she hasn’t turned up to work since Monday?”

  “I meant to, it’s just—”

  “I don’t want your fucking excuses.” With that, I turn and march from the classroom. I feel the stares of everyone in the room burning into my back, but I don’t care what any of them think or what they might have overheard.

  All that matters right now is Quinn.

  Please be in your flat. Please be in your flat, I repeat on the drive over. I don’t remember any of the journey; my head’s too much of a mess with all the things that could have happened. I don’t register any traffic lights or roundabouts as I manoeuvre my way through the London traffic. The only thing I know is that I break every single speed limit in my need to get to her.

  The second I pull up into her building’s car park, I grab the spare keys the locksmith gave me for her flat and jump from the van without bothering to turn the engine off or shut the door. The only thing I can focus on is finding her, and finding her safe.

  She’s kept her past so close to her chest, but the fear that was always in her eyes and the fact that she was always looking over her shoulder was enough to tell me that she didn’t want to come face to face with it again. She tried to play off the break in, but I saw the terror in her eyes. It’s the reason I refused to allow her to stay, but it’s not like I could have kept her locked up safe after. She felt the need to come back here, and all I could do was trust her. Fucking wish I hadn’t, mind you.

  The front door’s still fucked when I get to it. I swing it open with such force that it slams back against the wall. If there were any glass still in it, I might be concerned with the force of the collision, but as it is, I don’t need to worry.

  Taking the stairs three at a time, I race towards her door. I breathe a sigh of relief when I find it closed and locked.

  She’s just ill inside. She’s safe. She’ll be there. No matter how many times I repeat those words in my head, I know they’re not true. This is bigger than her being so ill she’s not phoned into work or let Eddie know. She told me herself that he’s her closest friend, so even if she wanted space from me, he should know what’s going on with her.

  Shoving the first key into the lock, I pray I’ll hear her shout, but there’s nothing but silence and the sound of the lock releasing. I repeat the action with the other and swing the door open.

  My heart’s pounding in my chest as I try to make out what’s in front of me.

  It’s pitch black with the curtains pulled shut.

  Running my hand along the wall beside me, I eventually find a switch and bathe the small space in light.

  I quickly glance around. Everything’s normal. But then I notice something.

  The soup and now mouldy bread she left out before our trip at the weekend is still sitting on her coffee table.

  Surely she’d have cleaned that up.

  I walk over, my eyes darting all over the place to try to piece together what’s happened. To my left, I spot her laptop bag dropped randomly on the floor, a pile of papers sliding out of it where it’s not zipped up. It’s only when I take another step forward that something else catches my eye.

  Bending, I run my finger over the spots on the old carpet floor. The colour of the stains has my heart threatening to beat out of my chest. It’s fucking blood.

  Standing, I back away towards the door.

  “What the fuck happened here, Quinn? And where the fuck are you?”

  Turning, I slam the door shut behind me and race back in the direction I came. Quinn told me that there’s only one person in her present who knows anything about her past. He’s the only one who’s going to be able to help me right now. I just have to hope she was right and that Eddie is as good a friend as she thought.

  * * *

  The shock on his face when I storm back into the classroom is even more evident than when I confronted him not even an hour ago.

  “She’s not fucking there.” My voice booms across the room, causing everyone to stop what they’re doing and turn my way.

  “I’m in the middle of something.” Eddie winces at my intrusion, but I see that concern in his eyes again.

  “I really don’t give a fuck. She’s in trouble. You know it as well as I do. But the difference is that you’re the only one who knows why and where she might be. Now give these motherfuckers something to keep them busy. You need to start talking.”

  Chapter Two

  My body’s vibrating with nervous energy and the need to hurt someone as I wait for Eddie to give my usual class something to keep them entertained. He rushes through his instructions, but I’m not sure how much that’s due to his concern or the fact that I’m staring at him with my muscles pulled tight and my fists clenched, ready to fight.

  He’s made no secret of the fact he doesn’t like me, or at least the image I portray. I don’t fit into his perfect world of designer suits, pocket squares, and tie pins.

  After what feels like a fucking year, he’s walking towards me and gestures for me to follow him to his office.

  “Where’s he taken her, Eddie?” I demand the second he has the door shut.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Cut the act. I might only know the very basics, but I know that you know everything. She’s been terrified for weeks that he’s going to find her, and now she’s fucking gone. Where has he taken her?”

  “How the fuck should I know? She’s been the only one I’ve had contact with since I left that place.”

  “But you know where that place is. Tell me that. It’s got to be a good start.”

  “Earlington Manor. It’s a private school.” The name sounds vaguely familiar, but the only private school I know is the hellhole my parents sent me to, and that’s not it. “Her father was the head and her husband the head of humanities.”

  “And why would they want her back?” I need him to fill in a few of my blanks if I have any chance of understanding what the fuck is going on right now.

  “Have you not seen the news rec
ently?”

  I cast my mind back to the image of Quinn freaking out in our hotel room while I was watching the news.

  “Earlington Manor,” I say out loud, more to myself than Eddie. “Sex scandal, child abuse, massive enquiry—”

  “The one and only. She exposed them. Managed to get evidence that her dad covered up one of her husband's most recent indiscretions and went to the police with it. Then she ran.”

  “Fuck.”

  I fall down onto the chair behind me as the information sinks in.

  It makes so much sense. It’s why she was so against us. She thought that by being with me, she was becoming them.

  “Fuck,” I repeat, not quite believing what I’m hearing but knowing full well that it’s true.

  “That place was hell on earth. A place full of wealth where money can buy anything and any wrongdoing can be covered up without a second thought.”

  “Where is it? We need to go there. We need to find her.”

  “We?”

  “Yes, motherfucker. We. Don’t you care about her? She told me you were her only friend. Don’t you want to know she’s safe as much as I do?”

  “Yes but—”

  “But what? Please don’t tell me that you’re too much of a stuck-up, pocket square wearing prick to get your hands dirty to save her.”

  “Uh…”

  “Fuck this. I’ll Google it. I’ll get to her with or without your help.”

  Turning away from him, I wrench the door open with enough force that it could well come off its hinges before running out of the building and towards where I abandoned my van on the double yellow lines out the front of the college.