A Second Look: A Forbidden Second Chance Romance Read online

  A SECOND LOOK

  A Forbidden Second Chance Romance

  By: Lexi Aurora

  © Copyright 2019 by Lexi Aurora - All rights reserved.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction

  Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Contents

  Chapter 1: Sebastian

  Chapter 2: Eve

  Chapter 3: Sebastian

  Chapter 4: Eve

  Chapter 5: Sebastian

  Chapter 6: Eve

  Chapter 7: Sebastian

  Chapter 8: Eve

  Chapter 9: Sebastian

  Chapter 10: Eve

  Chapter 11: Sebastian

  Chapter 12: Eve

  Chapter 13: Sebastian

  Chapter 14: Eve

  Chapter 15: Sebastian

  Chapter 16: Eve

  Chapter 17: Sebastian

  Chapter 18: Eve

  Chapter 19: Sebastian

  Chapter 20: Eve

  Chapter 21: Sebastian

  Chapter 22: Eve

  PREVIEW: Wrong Man by Lexi Aurora

  Chapter 1: Annie

  Chapter 2: Grayson

  PREVIEW: Bought Out by The Billionaire by Lexi Aurora

  Chapter 1: Sloane

  Chapter 2: Reid

  All Books by Lexi Aurora

  A Second Look

  Chapter 1: Sebastian

  “My lady,” I said, grinning at the girl before me, taking her hand to plant a soft kiss on her knuckles. She giggled when my lips touched her fingers, pulling her hand away from me with a shy look.

  “You’re so old-fashioned,” she said. “Such a gentleman.”

  “I wouldn’t say that,” I said to her, unsurprised when it made her blush.

  “I believe you were going to show me something the next time I was here,” I said to her. She nodded, glancing around the corner.

  “I’m not supposed to,” she whispered. “My father would throw a fit.”

  “This party is big enough. The Duke won’t notice we’re missing,” I said to her. “Your father doesn’t know his ass from his head.”

  She laughed, throwing her head back, and I lowered my gaze to the white of her throat. She was beautiful; truly a high-society woman. Her skin was pale and creamy, hair golden, eyes the color of sapphires. I glanced over the curves of her breasts, wondering if I’d have time to take her to bed before I caught my flight. She looked at me with a playful smile on her lips.

  “Why do I get the feeling you just want to see my treasures?”

  “I want to see all that and more, my lady.”

  She giggled again. “You can call me Melanie, you know.”

  “Melanie,” I said, reaching forward, pushing a golden lock out of her face. “Beautiful.”

  “Thank you,” she said in a satisfied voice.

  “Shall we have a tour, then?” I asked her, gesturing for her to walk ahead of me. She nodded and took my hand, leading me through a hallway as she glanced around to make sure no one was watching. I felt excitement surge through me as we went up to the third floor—I had been in royal palaces all over the world, dined and danced with the highest in society, but I had yet to unlock the treasures that lay within the Hilborne Estate. She looked back at me as we approached a door, giving me a giddy, forbidden look.

  “Quiet,” she said, putting a finger to her lips. I grinned at her and nodded as we went inside. I looked around in wonder at what was displayed on the walls—millions of dollars’ worth of jewelry sparkling in the low lights, paintings older than the palace itself, valuable despite the fact that they were mostly faded.

  “What do you think?” she asked, looking up at my face as I looked around the dazzling room, my eyes settling on a dagger in a case near the corner.

  “Does he always keep these locked up?”

  “Always,” Melanie said. “He would kill me if he knew I brought you in here.”

  “I’m keeping my hands to myself,” I said, holding them up to show her. “I won’t touch his goods, I promise.”

  “And what about mine?” she asked. I leered at her, leaning forward to kiss the corner of her lips.

  “We’ll have to see about that,” I said to her, staring into her eyes. There was a dazed, mesmerized look on her face. She didn’t take her eyes off of me, despite the beauty that surrounded her.

  “What’s the story behind the knife?” I asked her, approaching the case, looking at the dagger with rubies on its hilt. She reached into her clutch to pull out a key, then unlocked the case, pulling the dagger out.

  “Want to hold it?” she asked.

  “Yes,” I said, taking it from her, looking it over in my palm. “Where did you get it?”

  “It was my great-grandfather’s. It’s been passed down through the family. Those are natural rubies,” she said as they sparkled in the light.

  “It’s beautiful,” I said, lowering my hand slowly while I held her eye. I glanced down at her lips, then leaned in to kiss her softly. She let out a sigh and began to respond, and I tasted her mouth, pulling her close with my free hand. I slid the dagger up my sleeve using my other hand, while I slipped my tongue into her mouth, kissing her deeply, allowing it to grow more heated. I knew it had worked when she pulled away, her mind off the dagger. I nearly laughed at how easy it was as I smiled at her.

  “Can I see your room next?” I asked her, gazing at her through heavy lids. She chewed on her lip and nodded, smiling, taking my free hand and leading me down the hall. When her back was to me, I quickly slipped the dagger beneath a runner of a table on the way to her bedroom. When we got there, she undressed for me, and I tasted her for a long time before we were done. She fell asleep within minutes of finishing, and I slipped out of her room, grabbing the dagger from under the runner and slipping it into my sleeve again. I left the palace without another word to anyone, heading out to the valet and handing him my ticket. A moment later, I was in my rental, driving towards the private airport where my jet was waiting for me to board. When I arrived there, I got out of the car, went to the trunk and slid the dagger into my bag. I slung it over my shoulder and headed towards where the plane was waiting, climbing aboard, collapsing in one of the oversized recliners.

  “Did you get what you were looking for?” Daniel asked, appearing out of the cockpit. “I just talked to the pilot and we’re all set.”

  “Good,” I said to him. “I got what I needed.”

  “You really don’t have to do this yourself anymore, you know,” he said, grabbing my luggage and placing it overhead. “You have thousands of people to do your thieving for you. It’s dangerous for you to do it yourself. If you get caught—”

  “I never get caught, Daniel,” I said to him with a smirk. “You know that. I’m careful.”

  “Were you careful tonight?”

  “Very careful,” I said to him. “I promise.”

  He sighed. “Why do I work for you again?”

  “Because you have a million-dollar salary?” I replied. He laughed.

  “Good point,” he said.

  “And you’re a little fond of me. Adm
it it.”

  “I’m very fond of you. You know that,” Daniel said, “but you’re reckless. You’re going to put us both in prison.”

  “You worry too much,” I said, waving his concerns away. He shook his head and stood up.

  “You want a drink?” he asked. I nodded and he went to the bar, pouring us both a double scotch. He brought it back to me and drank his in a swallow. I couldn’t help but laugh.

  “Do I stress you out that much?”

  “Yes,” he said.

  “It’s good for you. Adds a little spice to your life.”

  He grumbled but smiled at me.

  “I got a call from Violet,” he said. I rolled my eyes.

  “What does she want?”

  “She’s pissed. Said that necklace you sold her is fake.”

  “That necklace is worth two million dollars,” I said to him. “It is not fake.”

  “She said she had it appraised and she thinks you’re a fraud.”

  I laughed. “Have her send it to our guy. He’ll put her mind at ease. Mention how much it’s actually worth and she’ll be eating out of the palm of your hand.”

  Daniel nodded.

  “I’ll call her when we get back.”

  “Good,” I said to him. “Now, I’m exhausted. I had a busy night.”

  “Why am I not surprised?” he asked dryly. “I am surprised you’re not taking anyone home with you this time.”

  “I got what I wanted,” I said. “It was enough.”

  “I’m glad you got something out of this,” he responded. I chuckled, leaning back in the chair and closing my eyes. A moment later, I was out, and didn’t wake up again until the jet had landed in the States.

  Chapter 2: Eve

  I tapped my fingers on my desk,glancing between my phone and my email on the desktop computer. Work had been slow for the past couple of weeks, and though I could probably use a break, I hated having gaps between jobs. I sighed when I scrolled through my email again, only to find nothing. I ran my hand through my short hair. I slipped some old case files into my bag, planning to study them when I got home. Between jobs, I liked to look over old cases, go through them again step-by-step to find out where I could have done better. I stood up from my desk and was about to leave when there was a soft knock at the door.

  “Come in,” I said, watching curiously as the door opened and a beautiful woman emerged. She appeared to be fifty-something and dazzling, with thick white curls adorning her head and jewels on all of her fingers. She smiled at me warmly, extending a gloved hand in my direction as she crossed the room.

  “Are you Evelyn Fox?” She asked. “Of Fox Investigations?”

  “Yes,” I said to her. “And you are?”

  “My name is Lola Darling,” she said as I shook her hand. I gestured for her to have a seat and she did, sitting on the edge of her chair, ankles crossed. I looked her over, noting how lavishly she was dressed, knowing that her coat alone probably cost as much as my car. She was poised like the wealthy too; straight-backed and proud, but natural.

  “What can I do for you, Ms. Darling?” I asked her.

  “Please, call me Lola. I’d rather go about this like friends.”

  “I see,” I said, giving her a polite smile. “Alright, then, Lola. You have my attention.”

  “You are a private investigator, yes?” she asked. “I’ve heard of you by word of mouth but your website says that you are a journalist.”

  “I am a private eye,” I said to her. “I use the journalist thing as a front. I used to work for the Post.”

  “Oh,” she said. “So you’re a writer?”

  “I was,” I replied. “Not anymore.”

  “What exactly do you do, Evelyn?”

  “Eve,” I amended. “I do a lot of things. Surveillance, mostly. I get a lot of work tailing husbands and wives.”

  “Surveillance is perfect,” she said, beaming. “I have a job that I think you’ll be interested in. It’ll be a lot more interesting than catching cheaters.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I need you to look into someone for me. He’s high-profile.”

  “Who is it?” I asked her, trying to keep the impatience out of my voice. If I had it my way, all of my clients would come in prepared with clean-cut statements, get straight to the point and cut the bullshit. I hated having to pry answers out of people with small questions, but in this case, I had a feeling that I had to be patient for the payoff.

  “Sebastian Cunningham,” she said. I stared at her, letting the name sink in.

  “The Sebastian Cunningham?” I asked her, though I already knew the answer. Sebastian Cunningham was one of the wealthiest men in the world, and the very definition of high-profile. He was also someone with whom I had a strange, tense history.

  “I’m sorry—” I began, but she put her hand up to cut me off.

  “I know. High-profile mean high risk of exposure. But I’ll pay you much more than your going rate.”

  “I don’t think so, I’m sorry,” I said to her. Just the thought of seeing Sebastian again after all these years made me uncomfortable.

  “Triple,” she said quickly. “I’ll triple your rate. And I don’t expect you to do anything but follow him and find out where he’s going and what he’s doing.”

  “Why do you want me to tail Sebastian Cunningham?” I asked her.

  “Because I know that he’s a fraud and I want to prove it,” the woman said. “The only way to do that is to have someone get that proof for me. Lord knows he won’t tell me anything.”

  “So you think if I follow him, I can prove that he’s up to what—something criminal?”

  “Yes,” she said. “I know you’ll find something. He’s a very private man—”

  I snorted. “His name is all over the tabloids.”

  “Because he’s handsome and rich, sure,” the woman said. “But he keeps his personal business under tight wraps. It’s going to take a professional to get any information out of him. Which is why I’m here.”

  “What is it you think that Sebastian is up to?” I asked her, growing more curious despite myself.

  “I don’t know,” she said evasively, and I could tell just by hearing her voice that she wasn’t telling me everything.

  “You don’t know?”

  “No,” she said. “It’s just a suspicion. He has so much money.”

  “He owns a string of fine jewelry stores all over the world,” I said to her. “That’s where he gets his money.”

  She shook her head. “There’s something else going on.”

  “How do you know?”

  “I can just tell,” she said, and this time her voice came out slightly sharp, impatient with my questions.

  “Ma’am,” I said to her. “I’m not taking this job if you’re not giving me any details. I’ve got nothing to work with.”

  “I told you, I don’t know much,” Lola said with a soft, apologetic smile. “I’m just curious about what he’s up to. I’m here on a hunch.”

  “And you got that hunch from where?”

  She sighed. “I had a business deal with Sebastian that went south. I don’t feel comfortable discussing the details.”

  “Look, lady—” I began in irritation, but she cut me off with her voice.

  “Triple,” she said. “What is your rate?”

  “My going rate is five-hundred per hour,” I said to her, stretching the real rate by an absurd amount, wondering how much she’d be willing to pay. “You’d do fifteen-hundred?”

  “Yes,” she said. “With a bonus once you’ve gotten some evidence that he’s up to no good.”

  “You’re seriously willing to pay me fifteen-hundred dollars an hour to tail a guy.”

  “Yes,” she said. “I’m assuming that’s more than fair, but if you need more money—”

  “Fifteen-hundred an hour is fine.” I said to her, knowing I had no other choice. I needed the money and the work, and despite my discomfort, tailing someone was
an easy job. “I can start tomorrow.”

  “Great,” she said in a satisfied voice, beaming at me again. “So we have a deal.”

  “Yes.” I said to her. “I’ll update you on my progress once a week for now. I usually tail for two weeks at a time for a basic amount of information.”

  “Just get me as much info as you can get,” she said. I nodded as she stood up again, reaching to shake my hand.

  “Thank you, Eve,” she said.

  “Thank you, Lola,” I said to her. “Email me your information and I’ll be in touch.”

  “Of course,” Lola said, giving me one last warm smile before sweeping out of the room. I let out a deep breath and my mind went to Sebastian—the last time I had seen him, we had been locked together in a kiss, one that I still thought about in moments when I was with other men. Just thinking about that irritated me—Sebastian had always gotten on my nerves, yet I couldn’t kiss anybody else without him flashing into my mind for an instant, despite the fact that I hadn’t seen him in ten years. I sighed and opened my computer again, typing in his name to do a basic search. The first thing that popped up was a news story about his business, a chain of jewelry stores that was worth billions of dollars. I scanned through an article about his business dealings, taking notes of dates and names as I went. I scrolled down to another article and opened it up, nearly rolling my eyes at the contents. This one was about a party he had attended in Paris, the women he’d brought home with him on his private jet. I grumbled at that and closed the window, deciding to go home for the night.

  Chapter 3: Sebastian

  I scanned through the guest list, frowning at some of the names that were on the list.

  “Daniel,” I said, calling him into my office. “Who came up with this list?”

  “Peter did,” he replied. I sighed.

  “Why did we hire that kid again?”

  “It was suggested that you take on a personal intern,” Daniel reminded me.

  “And somehow we ended up with Peter? He can barely use a stapler.”