Dangerous Temptation Read Free

brother and I were identical when we were born, too."
    "Then it's a pity it wasn't you who died instead of your brother," exclaimed Alice recklessly. She flinched at the sudden anger in his eyes, but she pressed on regardless. "I wonder, if he'd lived, would he have married Iris for her money?" She gazed at him contemptuously. "At least Fletch married me because he loved me. And whatever else you say about him, I know he doesn't cheat on his wife!"
    She thought he might hit her then. Alice was used to being hit if she voiced her opinion. But she should have known Jacob was far too civilised to do something like that. "I'll overlook your ignorance," he said coldly, "because I know you must be tired. But, please, don't insult my intelligence by pretending the Neanderthal you call a husband has any scruples. I doubt there's anything I couldn't buy from him including you. So I suggest you stop fighting me and take the opportunity I'm offering."
    Alice gulped. "Go to hell!"
    "I very probably will." Jacob was philosophic. "But before I do, I want to know there's someone I can leave to take my place. A son," he said, looking down at the cribs, a muscle jerking spasmodically in his jaw. "My own son." He lifted his head and looked at her. "Is that really so much to ask?"

1

    1997

    Jake saw the rental car at once. It was the only half-decent vehicle parked outside Casey's bar at this hour of the afternoon. Which meant Nathan was already inside, waiting for him. Jake grimaced. It must be something serious to bring his brother here. It wasn't as if they were friends. God Almighty, when he'd first found out he had a twin brother, he'd been desperate to see him. But Nathan wasn't like that. Jake was reluctant to admit it, but Nathan always thought first about himself.
    When he'd got back to his office, after taking a deposition at the courthouse, Loretta had told him Fletch had been trying to get in touch with him—which was nothing new. Since his mother died, and Fletch had lost his job hauling lumber, he was often on the phone to the man he'd raised as his son. Most times he'd had too much to drink and he'd wanted a sympathetic ear for his troubles. Because he drank so much, his own daughters had given up on him long ago.
    But this time Fletch was ringing to complain about the fact that Nathan had come to the house on Jackson Street looking for his brother. "He wants to see you, boy," he wheezed, his gravelly voice revealing the resentment he felt that Jacob Wolfe's son should have come to his house. "I told him you don't live here no more. That you'd got your-self a place out at Pine Bay, but he don't want to come to your office. He says can you meet him in town. The sooner the better, as far as I'm concerned."
    Jake could hear Nathan's voice in the background, but he didn't bother asking to speak to him then. On the rare occasions that Fletch and Nathan had met, their mutual dislike had always coloured the proceedings. Fletch despised Nathan because of his parentage; Nathan thought Fletch was an ignorant old bastard.
    Which was ironic really, Jake reflected now, as he got out of the Blazer and locked the door. If anyone was a bastard around here, it was him or Nathan. Only his brother preferred to forget who his real mother had been.
    It was dark in the bar, but as his eyes adjusted to the light, Jake saw Nathan slumped in a booth at the far side of the room. There were already a couple of empty bottles in front of him, and Jake reflected that Nathan and Fletch weren't as different from each other as they'd both like to think.
    Nathan saw him, and getting to his feet, he gestured for Jake to join him. "Where the hell have you been?" he demanded with his usual lack of restraint. "I've been sitting here for God knows how long. I thought you said you were coming right down."
    "Some of us have work to do," remarked Jake mildly, sliding into the booth across from the other man. "In any case—" he indicated the empty bottles "—you look