The Crime: Billionaire Love At First Sight (All In Series Book 3)

by Maggie Cole

  He leaned into me. Our lips found each other. My body molded into Jack’s as it so easily always did, and my womanhood pulsated at the touch of his manhood next to me.

  We quietly made love. There was no pleading, no games, no commands, or dirty talk. Just Jack and me, as our bodies melted into each other.

  Jack’s hands were magic on my body and played me like a familiar instrument. He worked my insides and outsides as his mouth worshiped every inch of me.

  He didn’t make me wait, as if he knew how much I needed it. In his typical way, he made me number one. He swiftly moved to my sex and threw my legs over his shoulders while he ate me out with voracity. My hands gathered in his hair and pushed him into me, as my moans told him exactly how to send me over the edge quickly.

  And after my high, he stayed there, kissed my thighs, and let me catch my breath. To my surprise, he started pleasuring me again. He glided his fingers into me, and gently wrapped my already exhausted clit with his lips, as he once again flew me to the heavens.

  I was exhausted, yet Jack wasn’t done with me. He feasted some more on my body, as he made his way up. I bucked my pelvis into him and wrapped my legs around him tightly, as I pushed him into me, because I still needed more.

  With passionate kisses, he stated how delicious I was, and my previous orgasms danced on his tongue. His moans escaped his mouth as we made our journey together to the place that only he and I could take each other.

  We violently climaxed together. Jack was on top of me, our foreheads were together, and our eyes watched the others. From time to time, our lips would meet with heat.

  When we finished, I fell asleep in Jack’s arms; exhausted, content, and not thinking about anything except him.

  18

  Maddie

  At 9 a.m., Jack and Tom’s attorney, Claire Whitfield, was in the living room, asking me tons of questions about Mike. Many of them I couldn’t answer. It was another sad indication of how much of a doormat I had been in our relationship.

  The question, why did you allow that, haunted me for the millionth time since I left Mike.

  “Maddie?” Claire prompted.

  “Sorry, what was the question?”

  Claire smiled gently. “I know this is hard, but the FBI is only trying to find out more information about Mike.”

  I sighed, still not sure they didn’t think I was a suspect.

  Claire put her pen on top of her notebook. She had questioned me for about an hour. “Maddie, there are going to be a lot of questions they will ask. I don’t know exactly what, but at any time, if you need clarification or don’t know how to answer something, say my name as a question, okay?”

  “Okay.” I need a code word with the attorney? What the hell? My stomach was officially a pool of anxiety.

  Jack came over with more coffee, refilled our cups, and put a fresh pot on the serving tray. The doorbell rang. Jack rubbed my leg and kissed me on the lips. “Don’t worry, babe. It will be fine.” He stood up to let the two FBI agents in.

  Agents Piper and Creedie were both men, probably in their forties. They seemed nice enough, but it was hard for me to relax. Piper put a recorder on the table and turned it on. “Please state your full name.”

  Claire piped in and smiled at them. “Gentlemen, I thought this was an informal questioning?”

  I caught Agent Creedie as he glanced at her. A small flush crept up his neck.

  Yep, he's interested in Claire, went through my mind.

  “You’re correct. This is an informal questioning,” Creedie assured us.

  Smiling some more, and wagging her finger in a slightly flirtatious way, Claire directed at Creedie, “Pull out your notebooks then; the recorder goes off.”

  Creedie’s flush deepened. Piper was about to talk when Creedie held up his hand and stopped him. He leaned in and turned the recorder off, then put it in his briefcase.

  “Thank you!” Claire flipped her hair, drilling her eyes straight at Creedie, then gave him another flirtatious smile. “Now what questions do you have for Maddie?”

  Oh, she is good, I thought, and I watched her uncross, then cross her legs again, as Creedie’s eyes nearly popped out of his head.

  Suddenly, I wanted to laugh. Claire Whitfield knew the law, but she also knew how to make men putty in her hand. My anxiety started to leave. I gazed over at Jack, who was standing off to the side, and he winked at me.

  Piper spoke up, “So Maddie, as you know, we are investigating your ex-boyfriend, Michael Duponte. I believe you call him Mike?”

  “Yes.”

  He continued. “Mr. Duponte is being investigated by the FBI for human and drug trafficking, along with fraud, embezzlement, money laundering, rape, and murder. We want your help to lock him up.”

  I think my jaw hit the floor when I heard the FBI rattle off all of Mike’s crimes. It hit me like a shock wave, and nausea raced through me. I think my face turned green because Jack grabbed the garbage can near the desk and brought it over to me, then rubbed my back.

  I tried to breathe through it and willed myself to not throw up in front of all these people.

  “Ms. Burns, are you able to continue?” Agent Creedie gave me a sympathetic gaze.

  I looked up from the trash can. “I’m fine.” No way I wanted to have to do this at a later date.

  “My client doesn’t know about any of Mr. Duponte’s criminal activities. She wasn’t a part of them, so what can we do for you, gentlemen?” Claire sweetly but sternly told them.

  Piper and Creedie both nodded in unison. “Yes, we do believe Ms. Burns isn’t involved, but we are hoping she can give us something, anything, to help lock him up,” Piper repeated again.

  “I don’t know what I can tell you. I didn’t know about any of this. My relationship with Mike was almost non-existent over the last few years. He was never home, constantly canceled plans, or stood me up. We rarely shared a bed he was gone so much.”

  Jack shifted uncomfortably on the couch next to me.

  “Ms. Burns, when did you start dating Mr. Duponte?” Creedie inquired.

  “June eighteenth, 2013.”

  “And you lived in Anaheim, California, and met there?” Creedie queried.

  “Yes.”

  “Can you give us a timeline of your relationship. When was it really sexual, when did you feel a shift in your relationship, etc.?” Piper’s pen was on the paper, all ready to write down my sexual history.

  I turned toward Claire. Why were they asking me this? Was it really necessary to make me spill all my personal details? “Claire?”

  “Could you be more specific as to why you need these intimate details of my client's life?”

  Piper cleared his throat. “We tend to find that there is normally a change in behavior in the bedroom when someone enters the criminal world. From what we have gathered, Mr. Duponte was not a criminal at the time he met Ms. Burns. It was during the relationship when the criminal activity started, and if we can pinpoint the time, with Ms. Burns’ help, we might be able to find others involved.”

  “Go ahead, Maddie.” Claire motioned her hands for me to continue.

  My head was spinning. “I’m not sure how to answer that.”

  “How was your sex life at the beginning?” Piper asked.

  “My sex life with Mike was…I was young.” I fidgeted with my fingers, and my face burned red hot. “I wasn’t very experienced…”

  God, this is so embarrassing.

  “You were a virgin?” Creedie blurted out.

  My head snapped up. “No!”

  “Now that isn’t any of your concern. Besides Michael Duponte, Ms. Burn’s previous lovers don’t have anything to do with your investigation,” Claire scolded him.

  “Sorry…” Creedie’s face turned purple as he looked at Claire and cleared his throat. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jack drum his fingers on his upper thigh.

  Piper continued, “And was there ever a point in your relationship where you remember the sex in
creasing? A time when he wanted more, and it was out of his character? Or a time when the sex changed? Maybe a normal style to rougher or gentler?”

  “Claire?” I assumed Claire would step in, but she motioned for me to answer the questions.

  You have to be kidding me. I wanted to die from embarrassment. I shifted in my seat. Then I spun toward Jack. “Can you leave the room?”

  He rubbed my back again. “It’s okay...I’m okay.”

  “No, Jack. I need you to leave the room.”

  His face dropped, wounded. “Why?”

  “I don’t want you to hear this, Jack.”

  “Maddie—”

  Claire cut him off. “Jack, why don’t you go to the coffee shop? I’ll call you when we are done.”

  Jack glared at her. He was a man used to getting his way.

  I fidgeted with my fingers. I could feel Jack’s stare before he stood up and quietly left.

  I took a deep breath, “There was a period where my sex life with Mike changed. Probably eighteen months into our relationship.”

  “Can you expand on that?” Piper pushed for more.

  “Is this necessary?”

  “Unfortunately, we believe it is. Please, go on, Ms. Burns.” Piper motioned for me to continue.

  I once again hoped Claire would help me out. I turned to look at her, but she gave me her nod to answer the question.

  I thought back to my relationship with Mike during that period. “I thought Mike was cheating on me because he started coming home late at night. He would take a shower and then get in bed with me. Anytime I questioned him, he would go down on me, which was something he didn’t do prior. But he wouldn't have intercourse with me.” My face was in flames.

  I would fake an orgasm so he would get off me. I left that part out.

  “The morning after, I would wake up with him on top of me, as he pounded into me, almost frantically. I hated it,” I admitted it out loud. It was the first time I ever spoke about it.

  Piper cocked his head to the side. “Did you tell him to stop?”

  I bit my lip. “No.”

  “Why not?” Piper questioned.

  “I don’t know. I was young? I didn’t want what I suspected to be true? I wanted him to be happy? I don’t know,” I repeated, not sure myself, as shame ran through every cell of my body.

  “How long did this last?” Piper tapped his pen on the notepad.

  I thought for a minute. “About two months. As quickly as it came, it passed. Our sex life became less and less, typically only on a special occasion like an anniversary or birthday. That was the time he started to travel a lot more.”

  Creedie leaned toward me, “Do you remember anyone new entering his life? Business or personal?”

  My head snapped up. “Bo Crumo.”

  “Who is Bo Crumo?” Piper wrote the name down on his notebook.

  My stomach did a flip when I thought of Bo. “He started coming around the house. Mike and Bo would go out in the garage and have long conversations. I don’t know what about, but he always gave me the creeps. One day, Mike wasn’t home, and Bo came over. I had a car full of groceries, and he grabbed some bags and came in. I insisted I didn’t need help, but he wouldn’t listen.”

  I stopped, as I remembered Bo shoving his way past me and into my house.

  “Please, go on, Ms. Burns.” Creedie motioned.

  I closed my eyes, flooded by memories I had tried to forget. “Bo wouldn’t leave and insisted he would wait for Mike. I texted Mike that Bo was over and he needed to come home because he wouldn’t leave. I repeatedly told him to leave, but he sneered at me and wouldn’t go. I grabbed my keys to leave myself, but he blocked me and pushed me up against the sink...” I stopped. I bit my lip as the fear I felt that day crashed through me.

  “Maddie, do you need a break?” Claire gave me a concerned glance.

  I shook my head. “He pushed up my skirt and had just ripped my underwear off right when Mike walked in.”

  “What did Mr. Duponte do?” Piper inquired.

  “That was the worst part. Mike stood at the door, said in a strict voice, ‘Bo,’ and Bo laughed and let go of me. Then, Bo walked over to Mike and said, ‘Party later,’ and walked out.”

  I paused and took a sip of water. The agents and Claire waited for me to continue.

  “Mike told me to put my underwear back on and walked out of the room.” Fresh tears bubbled in my eyes.

  “Why didn’t you leave after that?” Creedie questioned.

  Why didn’t I leave? The big question that I’ve asked myself over and over again. “I was stupid. Mike took me out that night. We made love, and he said things I wanted to hear. I loved Mike. I wanted him to love me. He was attentive toward me for about a month, and then things slowly went back to old ways.”

  “This Bo Crumo, when did you see him last?” Piper wanted to know.

  “I never saw him after that day. Mike promised me I wouldn’t have to see him again, and he kept his word on that.”

  Creedie piped in, “Did you ever sign any papers Mike gave you?”

  I shook my head. I had already thought long and hard about that, and I knew I never had. “I’ve never signed anything. Anything with my name on it has been forged.”

  “We believe that, Ms. Burns.” Creedie nodded.

  Claire piped up, “Gentlemen, are there any other questions?”

  Piper and Creedie glanced at each other. “I think that will be all for now, Ms. Burns. We appreciate your time and would like to be able to ask you more questions in the future if needed.”

  “Okay.” Did I even have a choice?

  We walked them out. Claire picked up her phone. “Jack, you can come back now.”

  I had forgotten about Jack. He would be pissed. Well, he was going to have to be pissed because there was no way I wanted him to know that. It wasn’t a secret that I felt shame for the years I spent with Mike. But, as I listened to myself telling the story of what Bo tried to do to me, and that I still stayed with Mike, a fresh layer of shame wrapped around me.

  Claire packed up her bag.

  “Is what I said confidential?”

  Claire looked up. “Don’t worry, Maddie. Jack won’t ever find out what was discussed today unless you disclose it.”

  I gave her a grateful smile. “Thank you.”

  “I’m not sure if this helps, or not, but we’ve all dated shitty boyfriends and made decisions we regret.”

  “I appreciate you being here today. I think Creedie did too,” I teased. I really liked Claire.

  She laughed. “He makes it too easy, huh?”

  “Did you see his neck flush?”

  “Yep. Well, tell Jack goodbye for me, and call if you need anything.”

  “Thanks, Claire.” I walked her to the front door, and she left.

  Walking over to the window, I gazed out at the New York skyline. The city hustled as usual. I thought about how much of my life I spent trying to make someone love me, who was incapable of love. Those two months, when I would wake up, and Mike would be on top of me, I didn’t want or enjoy it, but I never told him no because I desperately wanted him to love me.

  How desperate was I to want someone like Mike to love me? How low was my self-esteem that I stayed in a one-sided relationship?

  Disgust filled me, and I wanted to erase all the years I spent with him, make different decisions, and be a different person. But I knew I couldn’t.

  I didn’t hear the door open. I was staring out into the city, beating myself up, lost in thought when I felt Jack’s arms around me, and his lips on my neck. “Maddie, are you okay?”

  I shook my head. The truth was, I wasn’t okay. What kind of person was I to allow myself to be mistreated and for so long? To feel unsafe but stay? The lies I told myself, over the years, played on repeat in my mind. My shame morphed into anger, and disappointment in myself deluged my soul.

  “Tell me what’s wrong, Maddie.”

  “You deserve someone better th
an me.”

  “Shh, nonsense.” Jack wiped away my tears and held me tighter. “What did he do to you?”

  “It’s not about what he did to me. It’s about what I didn’t do for myself.”

  Jack pulled me in tighter. “Help me understand, Maddie.”

  “I can’t, Jack…I stayed. I don’t understand it myself. All I know is you deserve someone better. Someone stronger who doesn’t need to be rescued every time you turn around.”

  “Stop. You're not being fair to yourself right now. We all do things we wish we could go back and change. Decisions we wish we could have a do-over on. All we can do is move forward.”

  I didn’t say anything. Jack held me for a bit. “Come on. Get your coat on. I have something to show you.”

  I didn’t move.

  “Come on.” Jack grabbed my hand and pulled me to the coat closet.

  I put my coat and boots on, and he led me out the door. We rode down the elevator and soon walked down the street. Jack put his arms around my shoulders and guided me through the city.

  “Where are we going?” We had walked several blocks.

  “You’ll see.”

  We walked in silence. About ten minutes later, he led me into a huge building that was under construction. I gave him a quizzical stare.

  “This is a building I bought.”

  “Congratulations.” I tilted my head and squinted at him, not understanding why he brought me here.

  Jack laughed and continued, “I bought this building after it was destroyed in a fire. Almost every wall in the place was burned to ashes, and only the steel shell remained. The electric caused the fire. It was old and outdated. If the landlord had repaired it, then the fire wouldn’t have occurred. But the landlord was too cheap and instead, put the lives of all his tenants at risk.”

  Chills ran through my body. “Did anyone die?”

  “Luckily, no.”

  “That’s good.”

  He continued, “I bought this about eight months ago. It’ll be a safe place for victims of human trafficking. They will have a safe place to live, get intensive therapy, and be able to get their education or learn new skills so they can support themselves.”