Breaching the Billionaire, AR, Kobo

by Ruth Cardello

  She almost smiled at his reference to her derriere, but instead put her chin out defiantly. “Your Neanderthal tactics don’t impress me.”

  He growled in her ear and said, “Liar. Aren’t you imagining what we’d be doing if we weren’t in a public place? If I could rip that dress off you and end the pretense that we’re both not hot for each other?” He moved a hand up to the back of her neck and said, “I’ll carry you to the car if I have to. I don’t even mind if you struggle. You’re rubbing all the right places. But you know that, don’t you?”

  “Okay, okay,” she said, her voice husky from a passion she was fighting to deny. “I’ll get in your car. Now get your hands off me.”

  He released her a bit but retained a grip on one of her arms. Opening the door, he guided her into the passenger seat. “Bolt and I’ll put you in the trunk next time.”

  “As if you’d do that,” she scoffed, glaring at him, but she didn’t move from where he’d put her. He was the only man she knew who might succeed at doing it.

  He checked her seat belt, then secured his own and pulled into traffic.

  “I could have you arrested for abduction.”

  “You’re too smart to involve the law when you know you’d lose. Imagine what I could counter your claims with.”

  Angrily folding her arms across her chest, Alethea said, “I’m not a criminal. In fact, you stopped me from doing something that could very well have helped the people you work for. I can’t tell you the details, but it’s big.”

  He turned a tight corner and, with his eyes still on the road, said, “I know why you were there. I had Whitman escorted out of the Corisi building this morning, and he won’t be back.”

  “Why would that have anything to do with me?” she asked innocently, hoping her voice didn’t betray how disappointed she was to have lost her informant. Now, if Stephan wasn’t behind the glitches, she’d lost her chance to find out who was.

  When Marc raised a mocking eyebrow, Alethea snapped, “If you know everything, then you know why I have to see Stephan. He’s the only one who knows if he’s guilty or not.”

  Shaking his head, Marc asked softly, “And what did you think—that he would just tell you?”

  Alethea looked out the window. “I’d have known the truth as soon as I accused him. It would have been in his eyes.” Marc didn’t say anything. “No pithy put-downs? I’m surprised you’re not telling me why that was a ridiculous plan.”

  “Not ridiculous. Dangerous and possibly explosive. You would have gotten your information, but at what cost?”

  “The truth is worth any price.”

  “Is it? It’s worth your life?”

  “When it comes to protecting the ones I love, yes.”

  She expected him to argue with her, but he didn’t.

  “I understand why you planted Whitman. The sister of your best friend had run off with a rogue billionaire and you thought the scenario was too good to be true. You wanted to protect Abby.”

  With a shaky, slowly released breath, Alethea said, “Yes.”

  “But things have changed. Dominic and Jake are not a danger to the women you love. You could work with them instead of against them.” He reached out and put a hand on her tense thigh. “But you won’t let yourself trust them.”

  She looked down at his hand on her leg and said, “I don’t trust anyone.”

  “Except Lil.”

  Alethea turned her face away.

  Very softly, Marc said, “When you’re under fire, and I’m talking about the real deal, men are dying around you, and all your survival instincts are screaming for you to run—that’s when you have to trust your unit. You have to believe that you are stronger together than you are individually. That kind of faith doesn’t come easily. It starts with trusting one of them and builds.”

  “This isn’t a war, Marc,” Alethea said dismissively.

  “Yes, it is, Alethea. It’s your war. And you’ve been fighting it alone for too long.”

  What the hell did I tell him when I was drunk? “You don’t know me. You don’t know what I’ve been through.”

  He looked at her quickly before returning his eyes to the road. “I know something hurt you—and scared you. You deal with that fear by trying to control every situation. But control is also an illusion. This level of hypervigilance you’re living at isn’t healthy. If you continue down the road you’re on, you’ll lose everything—do you see that? Or you’ll get yourself killed.”

  Tears sprung to her eyes, blurring the buildings they passed. “I’m not the one that matters.”

  He took one of her hands in his and held it on his leg. “Yes, you are. I’m not telling you to stop fighting for what you care about—I’m telling you that you’re not alone. I care about the same people you do. Protecting them is just as important to me.”

  She met his eyes, her breath caught in her throat. Her eyes were focused on his profile as he parked the car. “Trust me,” he said, unbuckling his seat belt and getting out of the car.

  He opened her door and held out his hand. She stepped out and froze when she saw where they were. The Corisi Enterprises building loomed above them.

  “What are we doing here?” she asked.

  “Meeting with Jake.”

  Alethea stepped back and shook her head. Memories of her recent meeting with Marie and Nicole still held too much sting. “Maybe you’re right—I shouldn’t have gone to see Stephan. But I shouldn’t be here either. Jake will never believe anything I say. He’ll tell Lil that I came here and she won’t forgive me for this.”

  He put a hand on her lower back and looked into her eyes. “I’ll be standing right next to you the whole time.” He dipped his head and whispered against her lips, “You can do this. Or walk if you’re too scared. Your choice.”

  He didn’t move. He just held her eyes and waited.

  Alethea wasn’t easily intimidated, but she was shaking in her five-hundred-dollar shoes. She’d grown used to risking her life, but it had been a long time since she’d opened herself to being hurt the way she’d feel if this was all just a ruse to get her into Jake’s office.

  Marc stood there, looking down at her with those piercing blue eyes.

  She ran through a mental checklist of all the ways his plan could fail, but she couldn’t bring herself to turn and walk way. If there was the slimmest chance he was right, this could very well be the crossroad everyone faced at least once in their lives. If you take one road, you find your happy ending. If you take the other, you spend the rest of your life wishing you’d been braver.

  “Okay,” she said, as they began their walk to the elevator together.

  When they stepped inside, Marc pulled her into his arms and hugged her. She breathed in his scent and closed her eyes. It was a moment that ended too quickly. He set her back just before they reached their floor. His hand was firmly placed on her lower back again, giving her no opportunity to change her mind.

  They stepped through Jake’s outer office and Marc asked the assistant to announce their arrival. Alethea tensed instinctively while they followed her to Jake’s door.

  Marc leaned down and said, “It’ll be fine.”

  She nodded and stood taller. She didn’t fear Jake, but she was afraid to say or do something during their meeting that would end her friendship with Lil forever. Lil loved him and his approval mattered, even if Alethea had tried to pretend it didn’t.

  Jake stood when they entered. He looked disappointed at her arrival. “I was hoping it wasn’t you.”

  Marc guided Alethea to a seat in front of Jake’s desk and said, “She’s not the source of the problem, but you won’t like what she has to tell you either. Hear her out.” He took the seat beside Alethea.

  Jake sat back down and leaned forward on his desk.

  Alethea thought back to how she’d given the news to Lil and the women. They hadn’t believed her. Why would Jake be different? Trust. “I’ve traced the problems at your company back to a specific I
P address. That doesn’t mean that I know who is responsible for the code errors, but I do know how they are accessing your server.”

  “You’re wise to not assume things are always as they appear. IP addresses can be compromised. I won’t even ask yet how you know what’s going on inside our server. I’m guessing that knowing would only serve to infuriate and distract me. Has that leak been dealt with, Marc?”

  “Yes, sir, it has been.”

  “Good,” Jake said, “we’ll talk more about that later. For now, which IP did you trace it back to?”

  “Stephan Andrade.”

  Jake sat back and rubbed a hand over his eyes. “Fuck.”

  Marc said, “It doesn’t make sense for it to be him, though. He could have taken Dominic down with much less trouble. What would he gain from doing it now that he wouldn’t have gained before?”

  Sitting forward again, Jake rapped his desk with his knuckles as he spoke. “His thirst for revenge might have been too hard to put aside. He changed his tune fast. Maybe too fast.”

  Alethea said, “I could dig deeper, but I wish I had someone like Jeremy in on this.”

  Jake’s eyebrows shot up.

  With a slight flush of anger, Alethea said, “Not so I can see him again.” She looked over at Marc and said, “We were never a couple. We were friends. Not even good friends. I used him. Yes, I know, I’m an awful person. But that doesn’t mean he’s not our best option when it comes to something like this. If someone is setting Stephan up, Jeremy could find the proof my sources couldn’t.”

  “Already done. He’s on it.” Marc didn’t look bothered by her statement. “And I’m not worried about your past.”

  Jake coughed. “Okay, let’s focus on the problem at hand and not whatever you two are up to that I don’t want to know about. It won’t take Jeremy long to figure this out, but I’ll call him and see what he needs. I was hoping not to bother Dominic with any of this. He’s not going to be happy.”

  Oh, what the hell. “Could you mention something to Marie, also?” Alethea added.

  Jake and Marc looked at her in confusion.

  Alethea shrugged defensively. “She thinks I’m a liar.”

  Jake stood abruptly. “Marie knows? How did she find out?” Alethea didn’t respond. Jake crossed to stand in front of his desk and said, “You told Lil.”

  Alethea stood and nodded. “Nicole, too.”

  Marc moved protectively closer to her side, sending a shiver of pleasure down her spine. She couldn’t look up at him because she didn’t want him to see how much his support meant to her.

  Jake, on the other hand, was not as sure of her choices. “Is there anyone you didn’t tell? I’m surprised you didn’t go to Stephan yourself.”

  It was easier to face Jake’s aggression than whatever was building between Marc and her. Easier, and infinitely less scary. She didn’t need anyone to defend her. She always had, and always would, handle her own problems. Chin high, Alethea said, “I almost did, but I came here instead. Was that a mistake?”

  Running his hand through his hair, Jake sighed. “No. I’m not your enemy, Alethea. You’re practically my fiancée’s second sister. I know how much you’ve done for her over the years. But you’ve also hurt her. Your involvement in this is done. Are we clear on that?”

  Alethea didn’t like to lie so she said nothing.

  Jake was too intelligent to miss the meaning of her silence. He also knew that arguing with her would be a waste of time. Instead, he directed his next command to Marc. “I don’t care what it takes, but keep her out of this. I’ll be occupied with damage control here and at home. I don’t want any more surprises, understood?”

  “Yes, sir,” Marc said, and then looked at Alethea. “What if I took her downstairs?”

  A sudden look of amusement flashed across Jake’s face. “Normally I would consider that a bit extreme, but in this situation I think it’s a viable option.”

  I don’t get the joke. What’s downstairs that has them looking so pleased with themselves?

  Marc forcefully guided her out of the office. “Come on.” They walked past the main elevator to what appeared to be one reserved for maintenance only.

  She stepped inside with him and turned toward the closing door. “What’s downstairs?”

  He pressed a blue button on the very bottom of the panel. “Something even you don’t know about.”

  Although her curiosity was piqued, her stomach was churning—a time-tested indicator of trouble. “I’m sure it’s fascinating down there.” In the jail cell or dungeon you want to lock me in. “But I’ll take a rain check.”

  “You heard Jake—it’s my job to keep you occupied until Jeremy solves this. I know just how we could pass the time until then.” He hit the stop button and pulled her into his arms. His mouth was hot and demanding on hers. All fight melted out of her, and she wound her arms around his neck. His tongue teased her with a quick flick, then thrust into her mouth, claiming it as his.

  Desire doesn’t care if it’s unwelcome.

  It doesn’t wait for a situation that makes sense.

  It whips in, crushes all rational argument for why it shouldn’t be there, and sweeps a person away.

  Alethea opened herself to him, moaning with pleasure when he pushed her up against the wall and ran his hands over her as if he had every right to. She was clutching him just as eagerly. She slid her hands beneath the back of his suit jacket and dug her fingers into the rippling muscles of his back, rubbing against him, wantonly seeking to deepen their connection.

  As their tongues teased and explored each other in an intimate dance, Alethea imagined other places she would welcome his wet invasion. Would he thrust that tongue between her lower folds with as much relentless skill? No hesitation, just plundering and demanding a response that she was helpless to stop herself from delivering. To feel those teasing flicks on her clit, that hot breath on her thighs, those strong hands of his spreading her wider for his pleasure.

  Oh, God, take me. Here. Now.

  She was drenched and ready for him. He broke off their kiss and caressed her neck hungrily. She threw her head back and gasped when one of his hands slid boldly up her inner thigh and pushed aside the soaked satin of her thong panties. His middle finger thrust deeply inside her wetness and began to roll inside her, while his thumb found her eager clit and flicked it lightly. In a hot circular fashion, his thick finger filled her and sought what others had often missed, the one spot that sent her over the edge. Sensing his triumph, he used his thumb to circle her nub while he kneaded without mercy at her most sensitive inner spot.

  His other hand came up and pulled aside the strap of her dress and her bra, revealing her left breast to his hungry mouth. All she could do as he suckled her, nipped her, and plunged a second finger into her, was close her eyes and bite her lip to stop from calling out.

  “Come for me,” he said hotly against her neck. “Now.”

  She pushed her hands on his chest as her head thrashed from side to side. She didn’t want to give him this power over her. She wanted to resist the pull of the orgasm that threatened to wash over her. “No,” she whispered hotly.

  “Yes,” he said, taking her chin in one hand and forcing her to looking into his eyes. His thumb moved faster on her nub and his fingers pulled out and thrust deeper, harder than before, a combination of pleasure and pain that was impossible to resist. When the heat began to spread through her, robbing her of her ability to breathe, her eyes began to close from the intensity of it, but he shook her chin lightly in reprimand. “Share it with me.”

  Her whole body shook, and she clenched his fingers deeply inside her as she came with a cry. For a moment, just a moment, she was his. The feeling was terrifyingly good.

  But it didn’t last.

  Almost instantly she felt vulnerable and exposed. She used her hands, hands that a moment ago had been clinging to the front of his shirt, to push him back from her. His pleased expression angered her and brought a defen
sive coolness to her voice, even as her body hummed with desire for his continued touch. “If we’re on the bottom floor, why isn’t the door opening?”

  “Patience, Alethea. We’re not there yet,” he said softly, watching her expression closely. “Prepare to be amazed.”

  Seriously? She cocked an eyebrow at him. “Pretty confident about your abilities, aren’t you?”

  He backed her up against the wall of the elevator again. With one hand on the wall beside her head, he closed a hand over the breast she’d forgotten was uncovered and leaned down to growl in her ear. “I was going to wait until we were somewhere more comfortable for our first time, but if you push me to prove myself now—I’m ready.” He took one of her hands in his and brought it down to rest it on his straining bulge. “More than ready.”

  Looking up into those intense blue eyes, Alethea panicked and pulled her hand free. Jake had told Marc to keep her occupied. That’s all this is. Allowing herself to feel anything would only lead to hurt. A man like him probably looks that way at anything female. Since the beginning of time, women have confused lust with emotion. He doesn’t care about me. He sees me as a potential, convenient fuck. Don’t forget that. “Then it’s a shame that I’m done. Sorry to get mine and run, but I’m really not interested in going any further with you.”

  A line creased his forehead, then disappeared, and he smiled. “Let me see if I can change your mind.” He inserted what looked like a pen into a small hole beneath the elevator panel. A section of the metal panel slid aside, revealing a control pad. He typed in a code. A small camera popped out above the elevator buttons. Marc positioned his eye in front of it until a green light blinked and the elevator began to descend again. “I used a gaze-password authentication system instead of the mainstream retinal scan. It required individual calibration and an estimation algorithm from the computer nerds upstairs, but the result is a password that cannot be used by an imposter thanks to logged variations in gaze parameters.”

  Alethea sagged against the wall of the elevator as his foreplay entered an entirely new dimension, one that she was unprepared to fend off. “Does the algorithm include any biometric features?”