by Long, A. L.
Rade was planning on going to the penthouse to grab a few hours of sleep himself, but was pulled away from his plans when Keeve stopped by Dylan’s office with some important information that he needed to tell him. Rade tried to convince him that it could wait, but when Keeve insisted that it couldn’t, Rade had no other option but to satisfy Keeve’s request. But first he needed to take care of his own needs.
No matter how drained and tired Rade was, he only wanted to see Dylan, but with Keeve’s request, his time with her was shortened. She was the only person that could brighten his day
Shutting the door to Dylan’s office, Rade walked to where Dylan was sitting behind her desk. With one quick pull, he had her out of her chair and in his arms. Dylan would never get tired of his scent. Even though he was still in the clothes from two days before, he still smelled amazing with his signature woodsy and spice cologne.
Placing his hand on her cheek, Rade gently rubbed his thumb across her soft skin. Nudging her forward, he placed his lips on hers and took what would always be his. Given the threat of the text, letting her out of his sight was no longer an option. Now more than ever, he needed to stay close to her.
Dylan knew by the passion in his kiss that he was hiding something. She wasn’t sure if it had to do with the private club or something else. Whatever it was, she was determined to find out.
“Rade, is something else going on with you other than going to The Castle?” Dylan questioned.
“It’s nothing for you to worry about, Sweetness,” Rade whispered as he continued his assault. “I need to get to Keeve’s office and find out what’s so important that it can’t wait.”
Dylan wasn’t convinced it was nothing. With the meeting Rade was going to have with Keeve, Dylan knew that his day was going to get worse. She wasn’t sure if she should shed some light on what Keeve had to tell him or wait until the meeting was over. Even though she had promised Keeve not to say anything to Rade about his private business arrangement, she needed to at least tell him something to prepare him for what was about to happen.
“Rade,” Dylan said just before Rade got to the door. “Whatever Keeve tells you, don’t be too hard on him.”
“Do you know what this meeting is about, Dylan?” Rade asked as he lifted his brow.
“It’s not my place to say,” Dylan admitted.
Rade was confused by Dylan’s admission, but let it go for now. If anything, his curiosity was piqued.
*****
When Dylan arrived at the penthouse, Rade was nowhere to be found. She thought for sure he would have showed up at the penthouse before she did. Pulling her cell from her purse, she decided to call him and find out where he was at. When she got no answer, her next move was to text him.
Dylan: Where are you?
Rade: At the office, will be home late.
Dylan: How late? I can wait up for you.
Rade: Not sure. Don’t wait up.
Rade knew that his explanation was cold and to the point. After his meeting with Keeve, his day went from bad to worse. Knowing that his father was going to have a part of Spectrum didn’t sit well with him. Instead of getting the sleep he needed, Rade spent the last four hours trying to figure out how he was going to make the deal he had with Keeve and Mason work out. Mostly he wanted it for Dylan. She had worked so hard on the account that he couldn’t let her end up with nothing. His best bet was to get in touch with his father and see if he could compromise with him.
Grabbing his suit coat, Rade headed out of his office to the Four Seasons where his father was staying. Even though his father wasn’t yet fully recovered, the authorities agreed to house him at the Four Seasons per Rade’s request. An officer remained with him 24/7. Rade could no longer stand having his father so close to him. He needed distance.
Rade was surprised to see Chloe answer the door instead of the officer. Rade knew that she was staying with his father. Rade wasn’t sure what her game was, especially since she had an apartment of her own.
“Rade, how nice to see you, sweetheart,” Chloe said with a fake smile.
“Where’s my father and the officer that’s suppose to be watching him?” Rade barked.
“What… no, ‘How are you? How’s the baby?’” Chloe questioned.
“I’m not in the mood for your games, Chloe,” Rade cursed as he stepped past her.
Stepping further into the suite, Rade found his father sitting on the couch with a crystal glass in his hand and the assigned officer on the chair next to him fumbling with his cell phone. “Do you really think it’s wise to be drinking while you’re on medication?” Rade inquired.
“Since when do you care about my health?” Garrett hissed, downing the rest of his drink.
“I don’t give a shit about your health. I only care about one person and that’s Dylan,” Rade huffed.
“What is this about, son? I know it’s not a courtesy call,” Garrett asked.
“You’re right. I’m here to talk some sense into you about your partnership with BlackStone,” Rade began. “I would like to buy out your controlling interest.”
“Now why would I want to let go of control?” Garrett asked, amused.
“Because it would be the right thing to do,” Rade pointed out. “I think that the guy that came looking for you at BlackStone came after you for a reason. The only tie you have with them is the partnership. I think it would be smart to let that go.”
The officer quit typing, interested in the conversation between the two men. This might be information he needed to listen to.
“You can’t be certain that the shooting had anything to do with my partnership with BlackStone. I think you are grasping at straws. You will do and say anything to have control over BlackStone, or at least the deal with Spectrum,” Garrett argued.
Rade knew his father was way off base. Rade had no intension of keeping controlling interest in BlackStone. If his father agreed to his demands, Rade would gladly split control with Keeve and Mason, giving them equal control. The only thing he cared about was the potential revenue he would have once the voice recognition app was up and running.
“Be a smart man. The money I would give you to end your partnership would allow you to start your own business. If having a partnership is so important to you, then partner with me. There are several companies I have been looking into that I would be willing to let you have controlling interest in.” If Rade could offer his father a deal he couldn’t refuse, there might be a chance he would let BlackStone go.
“So if I allow you to buy out my partnership with BlackStone, you would be willing to partner with me instead?” Garrett inquired.
“That about sums it up.”Rade confirmed.
“How do I know that you won’t shove me under a bus?” Garrett asked
“I’ll provide you with all the information you need before you make a decision. It would be stupid for you to not take advantage of this. This is a one-time offer. If you choose not to do this, I won’t offer it again,” Rade declared.
By the time Rade left his father’s suite, he was second-guessing his offer. He knew he needed something to entice his father into letting go of controlling interest in BlackStone. There was still another card Rade hadn’t played yet. If his father agreed to his proposal, Rade figured that within six months, his father would be penniless. All he needed was to wait for his father to take the bait.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
“Something is wrong,” Chloe said, feeling a sharp pain in her stomach. “This can’t be happening again. I thought for sure being five months pregnant, the baby would be okay. Oh God, what is happening to me?”
It was the middle of the night when Chloe began feeling the sharp pain in her belly. It took all her strength to get from her bed to the kitchen where her phone was. She needed to contact Dr. O’Brien. If she was about to lose the baby, she wanted to make sure plan B was in order.
“Cali, it's Chloe. Something’s wrong. How soon can you get here?” Chloe pleaded.
> “On my way. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes,” Cali said calmly.
An hour later Chloe was in Dr. O’Brien’s office resting. Cali needed to make sure that Chloe was okay before letting her go back to her apartment. Chloe prayed that she wouldn’t lose the baby again, but when Cali O’Brien came into her room, she knew exactly what happened. The baby was gone and so was her initial plan to get Rade.
Chloe had waited for months for Rade to give up his infatuation with Dylan. She thought for sure the night at The Castle would bring Rade to her. With Dylan out of the way, she knew Rade would soon be hers. But then Dylan forgave him and she was right back in his bed again.
Even though she lost the baby, she still needed to continue with her plan. Rade needed to think she was still carrying his child. Soon they would be together. Soon Dylan would be gone forever. Not even Rade would be able to stop what she had planned for his little schoolgirl. With Alex gone, there was only one other person who could help her get Rade for good.
*****
The planned London trip was only a week away. Dylan still hadn’t mentioned what she would like to do for her birthday and Rade was getting worried. He wanted to take her somewhere special, he just didn’t know where. He only had until tomorrow to find a place. A place she would never forget.
Over the last week Rade had been working endlessly trying to find the whereabouts of Michael Stewart and thinking of nothing else. With no leads in sight, it was beginning to take a toll on him. Every time he thought he was close, it ended up being a dead end. His only hope was that soon Michael would get sloppy and make a mistake.
At least one thing was going his way. His father agreed to hand his fifty-one percent interest in BlackStone Industries over to Rade. This was the first step in cleaning up Keeve’s little side business venture. It would only be a matter of time before Keeve Black and Mason Stone would have equal control over their company once again. If it hadn’t been for the love he had for Dylan, Rade would have kept the fifty-one percent interest himself. She deserved his equal share.
Another matter was Chloe. They still had to figure out how to get into Chloe’s deposit box without getting caught. All they needed was admittance in order to get a look at what was inside the steel box.
Rade was finalizing the paperwork with his attorney when a call came in on his cell. “Dylan, I was just thinking about you,” Rade admitted.
“I hope I’m not interrupting you,” Dylan asked.
“You could never interrupt me, Sweetness,” Rade said. “Can you hold on for just a minute?”
Rade finished up his meeting with Miles, letting him know he would be in touch to schedule a meeting with Garrett Matheson once the agreement was ready.
“So, what’s on your mind, Sweetness/” Rade asked as Miles left his office.
“I was just wondering what your plans were this evening. I thought it would be nice to go out to dinner,” Dylan suggested.
“I think that’s a wonderful idea. How about I pick you up at your office in an hour,” Rade said, looking at his watch for the time. He still had a few things to wrap up before he left for the day.
“That would be fine. I’ll see you in an hour,” Dylan replied.
Nothing brightened Rade’s day more than hearing Dylan’s voice. Even though they hardly spoke to each other the past week, Rade was ready to spend an evening with her. This friction between them needed to change. He needed to put his problems to the side and focus on the woman he loved. He knew he was more than neglecting her and he was beginning to feel the animosity Dylan was having towards him.
Rade pulled up to the BlackStone building in just under an hour. Tonight he needed to focus only on Dylan. His mood these last couple of days had been nothing but tolerable. He wanted to change that.
When Rade walked inside the building, Dylan was already waiting for him in the lobby. Looking at her gorgeous body, all Rade could think about was how much he wanted to take her right then and there. Dylan was wearing her Louboutin stiletto and a red pencil skirt which enhanced the beauty of her already gorgeous legs. How Rade would have loved to have those soft silky limbs wrapped around him as he thrust deep inside her.
As Rade walked up to her, he could see that she was in deep thought. Rubbing his thumb down her cheek, he leaned over slightly and gave her a soft kiss. Turning towards Rade, Dylan took in his form. Being left alone again this morning, Dylan didn’t get a chance to see him. Looking at him now, she wished she was back at home in their bed.
Rade and Dylan left the BlackStone building, leaving behind the problems of the day. Rade wanted to take Dylan somewhere special. Even though her birthday wouldn’t be until tomorrow, he wanted to start it tonight.
Dylan wasn’t sure where Rade would be taking her to dinner, but when he pulled up to a modern-style building on Duane Street, she knew he had chosen one of the most expensive restaurants in New York. Before Dylan could exit the car, a valet opened her door and assisted her out. Standing just outside the restaurant, a hostess greeted them, requesting the information for the reservation. Dylan knew that it took months to get a reservation at this restaurant, but when Rade told the hostess who he was, they were led in with no question. Dylan just rolled her eyes, knowing that Rade pretty much owned New York and it didn’t matter where they went, everyone bowed to him.
Once they were seated at their table a waiter presented a bottle of red wine, which Rade accepted after he tasted the sample that was poured into a wine glass. The taste of the wine was out of this world. It was like nothing Dylan had ever tasted. Dylan was surprised to find that no menus were presented to order from, but when their first course showed up minutes later, Dylan suspected that Rade had placed their orders ahead of time.
Just as they were finishing their dessert, Rade’s phone began to ring. “Richard, I hope this is important. I’m having dinner with Dylan,” Rade said, none too happy about the interruption.
“It’s about Garrett, sir. Someone broke into his suite. There’s no sign of a struggle other than the officer being found tied and unconscious in the closet. There was a note. The person who has him is requesting fifty million dollars in exchange for his life,” Richard stated firmly. “The police are sweeping the room for any clues. Peter and I will stand by and let you know if they find anything.”
“When is this shit going to stop? Let me know the minute you hear anything.” Rade’s body stiffened, knowing this thing with his father was far from over.
“What is it, Rade? What happened?” Dylan questioned.
“My father. He’s been taken.”
“Who? Where?” Dylan asked, concerned.
“Not sure, but whoever has him wants money and a lot of it,” Rade hissed. “We need to get out of here.”
It wasn’t long before the waiter brought Rade the check and they were in Rade’s Martin driving back to the penthouse. Rade needed to get Dylan home so he could think of what to do. He still hadn’t heard back from Richard on whether or not the police had found anything. If Rade had to guess, they didn’t.
It had been a long night for both of them. Dylan decided to turn in early. She tried to convince Rade to come to bed with her, considering his lack of sleep, but he refused. He said he wouldn’t be able to sleep anyway. Dylan knew that she wasn’t going to be able to sleep either, not with everything going on. Pushing from the bed, she grabbed her robe and headed back to the kitchen. She thought maybe a glass of wine would help her sleep.
When she got to the kitchen, she noticed Rade staring out the floor-to-ceiling window. She would have missed him standing there except his form was visible by the light shining from the full moon. Placing her wine glass on the counter, she walked over to where he was standing. Fishing her hand around his waist and under his arms, she encircled his body with hers. Rade didn’t move. The only thing that Dylan could feel was the tension in his body. It felt like every muscle in his body was on stress overload.
Rade slowly turned his body so that he was facing her. R
aising his hand, he gently rubbed the soft skin along her cheek. “Why is everything so messed up, Sweetness?” Rade asked with difficulty. “The only thing good in my life is you.”
Dylan didn’t know how to answer him. So she showed him instead. Rising to her tiptoes, she placed her lips on his. Showing him just how much she loved him, Dylan captured his pain. Sliding her hands up his chest and over his shoulders, Dylan pulled him even closer to her. This must have been what Rade needed, because before she knew it, he had her up off the floor and in his arms, nudging her legs around his waist.
Unable to hold back, being without his skin next to hers for far too long, Dylan tugged his shirt over his head, feeling the warmth of his skin through her thin robe. Giving him everything she had, Dylan parted his lips with her tongue and began sharing the love she had for him. With parted lips, feeling the eagerness to explore her as well, he wondered if she could feel the pain he was carrying.
In one swift swoop, Rade had Dylan’s robe off her, exposing her soft breasts that he so loved. Lowering his head, he seized her taut nipple and began sucking and licking until it swelled into a hard peak. Satisfied, he moved to the other side and lavished that nipple in the same way. He knew she wanted him as her back began to arch in his arms, giving him the access he needed.
Tugging his jeans from his body while holding her to him, he freed his ironclad cock from its barrier. Erect and waiting, he took hold of Dylan’s lacy underwear and with one tug, ripped them from her body. Fully naked, he pressed her body against the cool glass and began devouring her like she was his only meal. With added force, he deepened his kiss further, sending them both to the land of pleasure. Their hands were all over each other. Feeling and touching with such fire, neither one of them could break free, nor would they ever want to. Rade gently moved Dylan’s body upward and with precision, separating her slick folds with his thundering mass, consuming her warm channel. The minute he entered, he could feel the tremble in Dylan’s body as his name passed from her lips. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder. Right now, this minute, no words felt more true. They had been under so much stress that time for each other was put on hold. Rade knew that no matter how bad things got, he would never go a day without having Dylan beneath him ever again.
