Stroke of Luck Read online

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  This book is dedicated to

  Mark, Matt, and Jason.

  I love you with all my heart.

  Also, to Laura and Jocelyn,

  who enrich our family with love and joy.

  Prologue

  April woke up with blinding sunlight flashing across her eyelids. Her head throbbed, and she just wanted to fall back asleep so she didn’t have to deal with it. She shielded her eyes with her hand and kept them closed against the onslaught.

  Her head was foggy, but she knew she had to get up. For the past several months, with planning her wedding, her to-do list was always jam-packed. And the big day was …

  Yesterday!

  Her eyelids snapped open as a slew of memories fluttered through her brain. Of packing for the trip to Las Vegas. Of meeting Maurice at the hotel.

  Oh, God, then the rehearsal dinner …

  Her head ached even more as she remembered that disaster. She rubbed her temples.

  As her bleary eyes focused, shock surged through her. There was a naked, masculine back facing her. Big and muscular with a small red birthmark on the right shoulder blade that looked like an eagle with its wings spread.

  She sucked in a breath and realized there was an arm around her waist, too. Strong and thick. On the wrist, there was a gold watch with the iconic Rolex crown on the black face. On the back of his hand was a small scar.

  Her breath caught when she saw a wedding band on the ring finger of the hand. Oh, God, she’d gone to bed with a married man? She’d never do such a thing.

  The other man’s hand was draped over the covers, and she was shocked to see a wedding ring there, too.

  She drew in a deep calming breath. No, she couldn’t have.

  Then she glanced at her own hand and …

  Red spots flickered in front of her eyes, and if she hadn’t been lying down, she probably would have fainted.

  She was wearing a wedding ring, too.

  She had to think, but her mind swirled in confusion.

  All she knew for sure was that yesterday had been her wedding day.

  And neither of these men were her fiancé, Maurice.

  1

  A DAY EARLIER …

  April was close to tears as she sat all alone on the cushioned bench in the elegant sitting area right outside the second-largest penthouse suite in the new luxury hotel in Las Vegas.

  Today was her wedding day. An hour from now, she should be walking down the aisle wearing the designer gown her fiancé, Maurice, had bought for her, her hair coiled into an elegant updo, her face beaming with happiness.

  But instead she sat here, with the head of hotel security standing a few feet behind her to ensure she didn’t take off, as hotel staff went through her room packing up her stuff. She didn’t know exactly what was going to happen after this, but the next stop would be the manager’s office. When she explained she really had no way to pay the huge bill, she was sure she’d be thrown in jail.

  She stared at the checkout statement in her hand. The penthouse suite cost more for one night than a monthly mortgage payment on her town house, and the amount for the entire rehearsal dinner was included on the bill. The final total was more than she made in a year.

  Maurice had also charged some purchases from the gift shop to the room. She was sure the staff were looking for those items to return to the store. One was a very expensive diamond tennis bracelet, and there were a few other pieces of jewelry.

  They wouldn’t find them, though, because he hadn’t bought any of that jewelry for her.

  Tears prickled at her eyes as an unwelcome image rippled through her mind. Of last night when she’d gone looking for Maurice and walked into the private hospitality suite the hotel had provided near the ballroom.

  She’d found him. He’d been fucking a busty blond bombshell at the time.

  And the woman had been wearing a diamond tennis bracelet.

  Instead of being apologetic, Maurice had snapped at her to get out. April had backed away, shocked, then turned and run to the elevator. She’d gone right to their suite.

  Maurice had shown up an hour later, then banged on the bedroom door, which she’d locked. He’d said they should be adults about this. That when she was his wife he would provide for her well, and she should accept that he’d have the odd affair on the side.

  She’d told him to go to hell.

  He’d pounded hard on the door with his fist, terrifying her, but finally he’d left. She still quaked inside at the memory of his fury. She’d never seen him like that. It was like she didn’t really know the man. Which she realized now was true. She’d never truly known him, despite the fact they’d dated for two years. He had always been charming and sophisticated, if a little distant, but that just seemed to be his nature. He’d always been generous with her, helping her in her career and life choices. Grooming her to be his wife.

  Now she realized he wanted an appropriate wife on his arm while he fucked whatever tramp he wanted on the side.

  Which told her she had never meant anything to him. It had been an act, and she’d fallen for it. All because of her need to be loved. To be the most important person in the world to someone. And she’d believed that someone was Maurice.

  Her heart clenched.

  She’d been such a fool.

  This was the worst day of her life.

  She glanced up, and her heart stopped. Oh, God, and it had just gotten worse.

  * * *

  Quinn left his suite and walked toward the elevator. He’d been tied up with a call, so his business partner, Austin, had gone ahead to the restaurant for lunch.

  Ahead, he noticed a forlorn-looking woman in the sitting area near the other penthouse suite. The next thing he noticed was the security manager standing close by. The man wore a discreet suit, but Quinn recognized him because the hotel manager had introduced them in case he and Austin had any special security needs during this or any future stay with the hotel.

  He glanced at the woman again, and his heart skipped a beat.

  It couldn’t be …

  She glanced up, and her eyes widened.

  Fuck, that was her.

  April. The woman who had broken his heart in college.

  He should keep walking. Just pretend he didn’t recognize her.

  But before her gaze had darted down to her hands, he’d seen a deep pain in her sapphire eyes. No matter what she’d done to hurt him, he couldn’t ignore it.

  He walked toward her, but glanced at the man behind her.

  “Good afternoon, Mr. Johan,” Quinn said, offering his hand.

  Mr. Johan stepped forward and shook it.

  “Good afternoon, Mr. Taylor. Is there something I can do for you?”

  “No, I’m fine. But I know Ms. Smith and would like to know if there’s a problem.”

  “I’m sorry, sir. It’s a private matter.”

  He nodded. “Fair enough.”

  He glanc
ed down at April, who kept her gaze averted.

  “April, it’s nice to see you again.”

  Reluctantly, she tipped up her head. “Hello, Quinn.”

  Her cheeks had blossomed bright red. Of course, she was embarrassed. But her eyes were puffy, and clearly she’d been crying.

  Fuck, he shouldn’t care. She’d callously walked away from him without a second thought. He should just walk away now.

  He sat down beside her. “Are you in some kind of trouble?”

  Her hand was shaking, and he realized she was holding a piece of paper.

  “We’re done, Mr. Johan,” a woman’s voice said.

  Quinn glanced up to see two female staff in maid uniforms standing beside Mr. Johan, several pieces of luggage on a cart beside them.

  “Mr. Taylor, I hate to break up your conversation, but Ms. Smith needs to come with me.”

  Quinn raised his hand. “In a minute.”

  He glanced at the piece of paper, and when she realized where he was looking, she crumpled her hand around it.

  “April, tell me what’s going on.”

  “I…” She glanced over her shoulder at the staff standing behind her, then she bit her lip in the way he used to find so appealing.

  She sighed, no doubt knowing that there would be no point in trying to avoid his question.

  “I can’t pay the hotel bill.”

  “That’s all?” He hadn’t known what to expect, but this was such a trivially easy thing to fix. “I’ll take care of it.”

  “No, you don’t understand. It’s huge.”

  He plucked the paper from her hand and glanced at the amount. Without blinking, he folded the sheet of paper and slid it into his suit jacket pocket, then glanced at Mr. Johan.

  “Add it to my bill.”

  He ignored April’s wide blue eyes as she stared at him. Her jaw had fallen open, and she shook her head in disbelief.

  Mr. Johan seemed just as stunned. “Mr. Taylor?”

  “Is there a problem?” Quinn asked, sending the man a steely gaze.

  “No. Consider it done.”

  “Good.” He stood up. “You can take Ms. Smith’s luggage to my suite for now.”

  “Of course, Mr. Taylor.” Mr. Johan nodded to the staffers with the cart, and they rolled it away.

  Quinn glanced at April, still sitting on the bench.

  “Are you coming?” he asked.

  She drew in a shaky breath. “Where?”

  “To join my business partner and me for lunch.”

  * * *

  April stood up, and Quinn started toward the elevator. Still shocked at what Quinn had done, she hesitated.

  He glanced over his shoulder. “Come on,” he said.

  She hurried after him, trying not to think about the fact she had nowhere else to go. Not just because her wedding had been canceled and her life turned upside down, but she had no means by which to go home. Or anywhere else.

  She didn’t even have anyone to call. She had no family, and as she racked her brain to think of a friend she could call for help, she realized that all her friends were Maurice’s friends first. After graduation, he’d talked her into moving to Lachelle, a large town in Massachusetts he and his family basically owned.

  She caught up to Quinn and fell into step beside him, having trouble keeping up with his long-legged stride.

  “Quinn, thank you for what you did back there.”

  She still couldn’t believe it. He hadn’t even blinked when he’d seen the amount.

  “It’s nothing.” His tone was chillingly indifferent.

  She glanced at him in surprise. “Not to me.”

  Quinn stopped at the elevator and pushed the down button.

  “I don’t know how I’m going to pay you back,” she continued, disturbed by his silence, “but I’ll find a way.”

  “Why didn’t your fiancé help you out?” he asked.

  “What?” Then she realized she’d been toying with the diamond ring again. Turning it back and forth on her finger.

  She stopped and dropped her hand to her side.

  “Oh.” Her stomach clenched. She didn’t want to tell him about her humiliation. At least, not here in the hallway. She did want to explain at some point, though, so he wouldn’t think she was wildly irresponsible.

  “He left me. This morning. And he canceled my credit card.”

  “You had a joint credit card?”

  She nodded. Maurice had his own card, but he’d also set up a separate joint card for her.

  Not that she’d wanted that. Maurice had insisted so she would have the exclusive perks and status of a first-tier luxury card, along with the unlimited credit and VIP treatment that came with it. He’d wanted her to become used to his wealthy lifestyle.

  She would never have been able to get a card like that without his name on the account.

  In truth, bringing out the gold-plated metal card made her uncomfortable, especially when paying for everyday things like lunch with her coworkers at a roadhouse. It underscored the fact she was engaged to the owner of the company and kept her a little outside the social circle.

  Everyone thought she was a kept woman. She’d overheard others speculating on why she bothered working, since she clearly didn’t need the income.

  The truth was, however, that she’d insisted on paying her own bills every month. She didn’t want to take Maurice’s money. So she worked and paid her own expenses, including the mortgage on her town house, though she had accepted the low interest rate he’d arranged for her through his family’s bank.

  The metal door slid open with a ding, and she followed Quinn onto the elevator. She saw her face in the mirror and realized she looked like a fragile ceramic doll. Like if she fell, she’d shatter into a million pieces.

  Her eyes were red and puffy, and she pulled her compact out of her purse and tried to cover the redness with powder. Quinn’s eyebrow arched, and she was sure he thought her too vain, but the last thing she wanted was to walk into a crowded restaurant looking weak and defeated.

  She applied some lipstick, then dropped the tube into her purse and took a final look. She still looked a wreck, but not quite as bad.

  “You said we’re having lunch with your business partner?” she asked as she put her compact away and snapped her purse closed.

  “Yes, but don’t get any ideas about replacing your rich fiancé with Austin.”

  Her spine stiffened as her gaze darted to his. Of course, that’s what he really thought of her. That she was a gold digger. She could see it in his acid-blue eyes. She bit back a sharp retort and stared squarely at the door as the elevator glided downward.

  “Or you either, I take it,” she said.

  “You’re damn right about that.”

  She couldn’t blame him for his attitude, since he thought she’d left him for Maurice. Quinn had been a broke grad student, just like she had been, and he’d been convinced she’d left him because Maurice was rich.

  “Don’t worry,” she said. “The thought hadn’t crossed my mind.”

  It was true. But even if she had thought about it, the fact that he was clearly rich himself now meant he’d be wary of her showing an interest in him. So ironically, his wealth made it impossible for her to even consider trying to turn around her mistake from the past.

  “Just one question,” she said. “Why did you help me by paying my bill if you’re so convinced I’m just after money?”

  He shrugged. “You meant something to me once. I wouldn’t have felt right ignoring your predicament, especially when it was so easy to fix. The money means nothing to me.” His intense gaze bored through her. “But let me be very clear. If you ever ask me for money, the answer will be no.”

  2

  Austin leaned back in his chair sipping his imported beer. His gaze was on the man two tables over rolling a poker chip between his fingers, back and forth, as he watched the sexy blond waitress clearing dishes from another table.

  The guy had b
een flirting with her when she’d served him his meal, and now Austin would pay odds that he’d give her that fifty-dollar chip as a tip, then invite her to his room after her shift. From her body language when she was near him, despite her warm demeanor, Austin would lay even bigger odds that she’d turn him down. Politely, of course.

  She picked up the tray of dishes and carried them away. Austin couldn’t help watching the gentle sway of her hips as she walked.

  She had greeted Austin by name when she’d shown him to his table. It seemed the staff were made aware of the wealthier guests staying in the hotel. She’d given him the best table in the house, overlooking the stunning garden and spectacular fountain outside, and right near a trickling waterfall inside that, set among greenery and flowers, fed a small pond with water lilies. The table’s corner location, with windows on two sides, allowed him to see all the other tables while affording him a little more privacy. Which he loved because he was a people-watcher.

  The waitress had flirted with Austin, and he was sure she would jump at an invitation to join him for dinner tonight. And she’d probably wind up in his bed. Seeing how she was with her customers, he was sure she’d be great company. And probably sensational in the sack.

  But he didn’t want someone who just wanted to be with him because of his money or status.

  His gaze drifted to the couple near the opposite window. They were clearly regulars because as soon as they’d walked into the place, the waitress had nodded and brought them two slices of cheesecake and tea. She’d chatted with them for a few minutes before she’d continued on her way.

  Austin smiled as he watched the two people holding hands. The look of love in their eyes was palpable.

  That’s what he wanted.

  He and Quinn had spent the past two years thinking of nothing but building the business. Nights. Weekends. They’d had no social life at all. Except the occasional casual fling to relieve the tension. Nothing serious.

  But now that the ICO had launched and the new cryptocurrency they’d put on the market had skyrocketed, propelling them to heights of wealth they’d never imagined before, it was time to start living. And not just carousing around. He wanted to find a meaningful relationship.