When Lightning Strikes Twice Read Free

a real pain. But the Cormacks badly needed one, and he’d taken on the position. A hot fling with the sensually talented, former nude lap dancer who was now his wealthiest client was off-limits for Quinton Cormack, Brady’s father. Pathetic Frank Cormack’s son. Austin and Dustin Cormack’s big half brother. Or was he their half big brother?
    Whatever, he was now the Cormack patriarch-by-default. He gave his head a slight shake and a self-deprecating smile quirked his lips. He had morphed into a chronic, play-by-the-rules type, the kind of guy he used to mock. The kind he’d once sworn never to be.
    If his friends from the good old days could see him now, they wouldn’t believe it. On the other hand, if his mother could see him now, she would be truly thrilled.
    The orchid stretch limousine was parked alongside the curb in front of his house, the uniformed driver awaiting Mrs. Tilden Senior. Quint chuckled at the sight. “That custom paint job must’ve sent the rest of the Tildens into orbit.”
    “Townie thought it was pretty.” Misty slid him a slyglance. “And you’re right. Those stuffy, stuck-up creeps went ape-shit when they saw it.” She ran her fingertips along the curve of Quint’s jawline.
    “Let me know what you decide, Misty.” He took her hand and held it between both of his. He hoped she would interpret it as a paternal gesture, not a repelling one. And definitely not a come-on.
    But Misty’s attention was focused elsewhere, not on him at all. “I don’t want to give
them
anything.” Her eyes narrowed to slits. “Why should I? They treated me like I was lower than garbage from day one. Can we really win this, Quint?” She lost some of her bravado. “What if they take us to court and we lose?”
    “We won’t,” Quint said firmly. “I guarantee that the will will stand up in court. I ought to know; I drew it up anticipating a court fight, remember?”
    “Of course, you’ll charge me a ton of money for going to court” Misty smiled, batting her thickly mascaraed lashes at him.
    “Absolutely. I have a child to support, remember? Not to mention—oh, never mind, I’ll spare you the tale of the convoluted Cormack family ties. So your final decision is not to settle?”
    “That’s it,” Misty said grandly.
    Quint nodded his approval. “Why settle when we hold the winning hand?”
    He saw no need to mention to Misty how much he relished the prospect of taking another swipe at Saxon Associates—and winning again! Just the thought of besting Rachel Saxon and her aunt Eve and cousin Wade warmed him.
    An image of Rachel Saxon flashed before his mind’s eye. He couldn’t seem to visualize Aunt Eve or Cousin Wade very well but Rachel appeared in clear detail.
    She was the epitome of class, illuminating intelligence and good taste and impeccable manners like an aura. She was also a bona fide knockout, though he doubted shewould appreciate hearing herself described in such plebeian terms. Especially by a prole like him!
    He’d heard others proclaim her resemblance to “a young Jacqueline Onassis,” and Rachel’s high cheekbones, wide-set eyes, and full generous mouth did lend credence to the comparison. But Rachel’s uptight, icy demeanor and I’ll-strike-you-dead-if-you-come-near-me-stare made the late Jackie O seem like a warmly accessible, down-home country girl.
    Quint remembered some of his meetings with various Saxons during the twists and turns of the Pedersen case. Eve was always pleasant and professional, Wade possessed a disarming mellow charm, but Rachel …
    Quint actually smiled at the memory. Rachel didn’t waste a second being pleasant or charming; she treated him like the upstart marauder she considered him to be. Those hazel eyes of hers blazed with unconcealed fury as she glowered at him, and when he came within a foot of her, she stiffened and stepped back as if to avoid contamination.
    For some reason, her wholehearted scorn amused him. It was so pure, so