Billionaire's Bunny (XOXO: Spring Love 2020 Book 1)
Page 4
I sank onto the step. Embry couldn’t make Susan fire me, but he’d made sure no hours were available. I started putting two and two together.
Yesterday, Des had known him. He’d known his coffee order. He’d had no problem having me take a break for as long as I wanted to speak with Embry. I’d bet my last cent that Embry was the reason Des suddenly had to cut back on hours.
Embry liked that I was smart, but apparently, he didn’t think I was smart enough to figure this out. My jaw clenched, and I shook my head in disbelief. But I’d been stupid enough to fall for him and his plan. Not to realize he’d played me. Not until it was too late, and I’d given him my virginity.
Now, I knew he was just a great big lying asshole.
Unable to face him, to let him lie to me one second more, I headed for the front door and slipped out. Jogging down the driveway, I dialed Blake.
“Hey!” she chirped happily when she answered.
“Hey,” I replied with less enthusiasm. “Can up come pick me up?”
Chapter Seven
~ Paige ~
Blake hadn’t pressed me too hard when she’d picked me up a quarter mile from Embry’s place.
“What happened?” she simply asked.
Quietly, my voice flat, I explained about the tuition, the jobs, Embry ruining it all.
“Oh, Paige,” she sighed. “Why didn’t you just ask me. You know my family has money. Hell, you know Gavin has it, too. We could have helped you out.”
“I didn’t want to take advantage—”
“You’re lucky I’m driving, or I’d smack you right now,” she exclaimed. “You’re the last person in the world who’d ever take advantage. You’re so fucking independent and self-sufficient. God forbid you need anything. You always figure it out. Right? That’s your life motto…figure it out?”
“Blake…”
“I’m so mad at you right now. I love you, but damn it, Paige!”
“You’ve certainly picked up Gavin’s language,” I grumbled.
“Don’t deflect.”
“Can’t you just me mad for me, instead of mad at me?”
“Oh, I am. I might kick that man’s ass if I ever get the chance—or get Gavin to take his hockey stick to him. He’s still got those fighting skills from the game. But Paige, maybe you should talk to him. I mean…men are dumb, sometimes. They do whatever’s necessary to get their way and forget the consequences until later. I swear sometimes it’s our job to get them to grow up the rest of the way.”
“He lied to me. He made it so I had to depend on him—or at least he tried to. You know how important it is for me not to be in a vulnerable financial position. It’s been my whole motivation for working so hard through high school and college. I can’t ever be that girl again. To have this bill crop up. I felt so…helpless. I can’t feel like that. If I let Embry try to support me—and I think he ultimately wants that—I’ll never be on sure footing.”
“Tell him that.”
I sighed. “I don’t want to talk to him ever again.”
“Dramatic much? You slept with him, and I know you’ve never slept with any other guy. There’s no way you don’t have feelings for Embry. They didn’t go away because you’re pissed at him.”
“Geez, who’s side are you on? I need some girlfriend power anger.”
“I’m on your side. Just promise me you’ll think about it.”
I doubted I’d think about anything else but Embry and this situation for a long, long time.
Blake dropped me off ten minutes later, and I sprinted upstairs to my apartment. I had to get ready. I’d immerse myself in school for a few hours. Then I’d try to muddle through this thing with Embry. One day and we were already at a crossroads.
I threw open my door and was about to toss my purse in the chair just inside the living room when I froze, standing stock-still in shock. My mouth dropped open as I surveyed the space I could see. It was trashed. The furniture was on its side, my TV gone. God knew what else had been taken.
Shaking so hard I could barely pull out my phone and dial, I called the police.
* * * *
Twenty minutes later, I was standing just inside my apartment with two officers when Embry burst through the door.
“Paige,” he yelled before he saw me. I didn’t even care how hangry I was at him. I turned into his arms and buried my face in his chest. His arms closed around me, holding me safe.
“What happened?” he asked.
“Someone broke in, and vandalized her place,” one of the cops answered. “When Ms. Wright arrived home, she discovered it and called us.”
Embry’s arms tightened. “You’re not staying here anymore. We’ll pack your stuff and bring it home.”
Hearing him speak like that reminded me of my anger. “We’ll talk about that later,” I muttered. Pulling from his arms, then wrapping my own around me, I turned back to the other two men.
“First, we need to establish where you were at the time of the entry,” the younger of the two said. He held up a hand. “Standard question.” I got the feeling Embry had been about to tell them it wasn’t their damn business.
“She was with me at my home,” he said and rattled off his address.
“And you are?”
“Embry Fitzgerald. Her fiancé.”
I turned and gave him a wide-eyed look. He did not just say that. Add another topic to the list.
“And when did you leave here?” he asked me, while the other officer snapped pictures of the damage.
“Last night about eight. I returned right before I called 9-1-1.”
“Were all the doors and windows locked? And does anyone else have a key?”
I nodded. “Yes. No one has the key other than the building’s owner as far as I know.”
“That’s it for now. We’re going to have the team come dust for prints, and we’ll finish taking pictures and looking for point of entry.”
“That would be the slider,” his partner interjected. “Jimmied.”
Embry stuck inches from me as I followed the officer around the apartment, telling him what was missing with a cursory glance since they didn’t want me to touch anything. As soon as he could, he hurried me down to his car. We sat there in silence, his hands on the steering wheel while he stared out the windshield.
“Don’t you ever sneak out on me like that again. Do you have any idea how worried I was? And then the cops were here… Jesus!”
Oh no, he wasn’t. “Do you have any idea how pissed off I am at you, you…you…lying bastard?” I retorted. I reached for the door handle, and he snapped the locks.
“Don’t even think about it.”
“Let me out of this car! I don’t want to talk to you.”
“Too fucking bad. What the hell is your problem? I left you warm and replete in bed to do a few things, so I didn’t have to go into the office today. Next thing I knew, you were gone.”
I glared at him.
“I’ll give you a hint. Two things: Bunny Gram jobs and coffeeshop hours.”
“Fuck,” he muttered.
“I don’t like being manipulated, Embry.”
He caught my hand. I tried to pull away. When he touched me, my body wanted to forget I was angry with him. He wouldn’t let go. In fact, he reached over and hooked two fingers on my chin, making me turn to face him. “Baby, I’m sorry. I really am. When I did it, I felt like I had a really good reason. Then, later, I knew I was wrong, but I didn’t want to screw up things between us—”
“Like you did?”
“Like I did. Why did you do it?”
“I wanted you to come to me for the job. I didn’t want you going to random guys’ houses, like I said, but mostly, I wanted you. Then I found out how much you feel the need to stand on your own, and I knew I fucked up. But I was hoping to be further along before I had to tell you.”
“If you ever—”
“I won’t. I’ll try not to, anyway. But Paige, it’s in here,” he smacked his
chest, “to want to take care of you.”
“Wanting to take care is one thing. Lying and manipulating is a whole other thing.”
“I know.”
“Is there anything else you need to tell me?”
He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel and I knew there was something else.
“Embry,” I prompted.
“Embry. Fitz. Gerald,” he said slowly. “EFG.”
“Oh my God,” I said, completely annoyed.
“Listen,” he cut in before my upset settled in. “I consult at the school and I saw your work, long before I knew Paige Wright was you. You are incredibly talented. Even if I didn’t love you, I’d want you to work with me. Anyone who didn’t would be a fool. Your work is amazing. Together, we can take the world by storm.”
“Haven’t you already?” I asked.
“Not like we will together. I’m serious, Paige. I would have pursued you, seduced you if I had to, but I never would have hired you if I didn’t think you had the talent for the job. Hell, you’re too talented for the job, but I’m selfish. I want my wife working with me every day.”
I didn’t miss that he’d slipped in loving me and the wife word.
Silence grew between us as I studied him. This annoying, wonderful man. He’d be a handful to rein in. I also loved the things that made him annoying, so that was a conundrum. He could manipulate all her wanted, as long as it wasn’t me.
“I love you, too,” I finally said.
Embry caught his breath. “Paige.”
“Promise me.”
“I promise I won’t lie to you. Ever. I won’t manipulate you. I won’t go behind your back. But I swear to God, if you try to deliver Bunny Grams to anyone—or any other thing like that—I will lock you in our bedroom. You’re mine and all your deliveries are for me.”
Leaning forward, I cupped my hand behind his head and drew his mouth toward me. “Okay,” I said against his lips. “But just so you know, you’re on probation, buddy. I want a long engagement.”
“So like…two weeks?”
“Embry…”
“A month?”
“We’ll talk about it.”
Epilogue
~ Embry ~
Two years later
The office door slammed behind my wife before she squealed and flew across the room at me. I stood and caught her as she launched herself into my arms.
“Good meeting?” I laughed.
“The best. The bought the entire line and contracted for the next one, sight unseen.” She did a little shimmy dance, her fists punching up and down. She’d married me a week after we’d found out her mom had broken into her place and a week before Paige had started working here. Since then, she’d taken on more and more responsibilities. She was more of a partner and less of an assistant. Everyone knew it but her.
“I knew they would,” I said, lifting her and spinning in a circle before I settled her rear in my desk. “You’re amazing and everyone sees it.”
“They like the EFG brand,” he discounted.
“No, they love Buttercup.” With very little help from me, she’d developed the concept and run with it. The Stories line was still our flagship, but the new brand was catching up fast. “So now that you’ve stunned the buyer, are you ready to go home?”
“Yeah. You know I hate leaving Ember with anyone. She’s going to be crying for her mom soon.”
True. Our fourteen-month-old was a terror and a total mama’s girl. Usually she came to the office with us, but on meeting days, she stayed home with her nanny. On other days, she was here with the nanny in the suite dedicated for her care. Neither Paige nor I liked to be far from her baby girl. Now her brother would be here in a little over four months. I knew we wouldn’t be much different with him.
“You know…” Paige said, biting her lip and playing with the buttons on my shirt. “We won’t get any alone time until late tonight.”
“Yeah?”
“It’s been a while since you fucked me in your office.”
I chuckled. “Three days is a long time.”
She huffed. “If you don’t want to—”
I yanked her to me, cutting her off. “I didn’t say that.”
Settling her on the desk, I slid my hands up her thighs and pushed up her dress. I slipped a finger inside her panties and stroked along her folds. “So wet.”
“I need you. Fast and hard, Embry. Please. Just to hold me over until tonight, and then you can take all the time you want.”
“I can take all the time I want now, too. I’m the boss here I reminded her.”
“A boss who likes to please his wife.”
She had me there. I yanked open my pants and shoved them down. Doing little more than shifting the gusset of her panties to the side, I sank into her waiting vise. We groaned together. Nothing was as good as this. Paige was my favorite pastime. My favorite everything. I kissed her neck and she turned her lips to my ear.
“Jackrabbit into me, baby. I want it hard. Fuck me. Fuck your bunny.”
And I did. Just like we had from the very first day. Just like we would forever.
About the Author
When it comes to books and movies, I have one rule: there must be a happy ending. After that one requirement, anything else goes. And it just might in any of my books. Expect the unexpected.
I love hearing from readers! Please visit me on my website at www.brynnpaulin.com or contact me at brynnpaulin@yahoo.com.
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Books by Brynn Paulin
Cherish Cove (Home For the Holidays)
Jingle Belle’s Rock
Ex Scrooge Me
Loving St Nix
Cherish Cove (Beach Please)
Light My Fire
Reclaiming Love
Beach Please
Just Beachy (Coming Soon)
The Bad Boys
Bad Boy Biker Boots
Bad Boy Bossy Pants
Bad Boy Babymaker (Coming Soon)
Bad Boy Biology Professor (coming soon)
Daly Way
Belonging to Them
Plays Well With Others
Fill Her Up
One for the Team
Briar’s Cowboys
Roped by the Team
His Old Kentucky Home
Eye of Her Storm
Santa Secret
Mad About Her Cowboys
Tradition Bound
On Your Knees
In His Chains
Chain Me Up
Cruentus Dragons
Dragons Blood
Blood Bought
Blood Mates
Taboo Wishes
Punished
Kidnap and Kink
Yuletide Greetings
Mr. Smith’s Whip
Dick Does Jane
Sybil Disobedience
Billionaire Club
Blind Date With the Billionaire
Billionaire Auction (co-author Tia Fanning)
Stranded With the Billionaire
The Billionaire and the Beast
The Problem With Billionaires
The Secret Billionaire (Coming Soon)
Malloy Brothers (with Dakota Rebel)
Billionaire’s Christmas Cruise
Billionaire’s Beautiful Runaway
North Springs
Stocking Full of Cole
Love Notes
Alek
Standalone Books
Half Past Normal
Billionaire’s Bunny
Quarterback Leap
Penalty Kill (Coming Soon)
The Orgasmatron
Special Force
Wedding Jitters
Truth or Dare
Buried Secrets
Grave Destiny
Heart of Ice
Ménage
Two Plus One
Pride
Snows
Lynxed
Historical
In the
Dark
Taboo
Forbidden Obsession
Swapped