The building is like all the others on the street. A high-rise with top-of-the-line security and two guards who’re vigilant but a little too confident in their tech.
Since I’m in the heart of downtown and it’s after ten p.m. on a Tuesday night, there aren’t a lot of people strolling by on the sidewalk. I stick out by virtue of being in the area at night when no one else is working. The fact that I look like a college student taking a shortcut home after night classes at the University of Pennsylvania helps.
The tricky part is going to be getting into the building undetected. Pete’s already given me the best access point. Back of the building, service entrance, only accessible if you have the code for the door and know the location of the access.
The cameras back here are motion activated, and at this time of night, if you maneuver correctly, I can get to the door without setting off the detectors. And if I’m faster still, I can get inside before anyone notices the door opening and closing.
Lot of luck involved but I’m good at my job. Just not good at anything else apparently.
Shaking off that thought, I make it through the door without setting off any alarms and head for the stairs. I have to get to the twentieth floor so I start the climb, head down. If the guards actually catch sight of me on the security feed, they won’t see my face.
Not even winded by the time I get to the right floor, I’m in the zone now and happy to be there. I’d been a little worried all this shit with Aiden would screw with my ability to work. Nice to know it didn’t.
I make it to my target in a matter of minutes and I’m staring at the door to the office, feeling confident that I can be in and out without being seen. But something about the name on the door catches my eye and makes me pause. Something about the way it looks. I’d researched the company, found nothing to make me suspicious of…what?
Do you really think he’ll go out of his way to set up another meeting?
Do I want him to?
Shit. This is how you make mistakes and get your ass caught.
Pushing thoughts that don’t belong there out of my head, I take one last look around, double-check the position of the cameras, and head for the door.
Sliding into the office, I lean against the wall and just breathe for a few seconds. Even if security caught sight of me, it’ll take them several minutes to get up the elevator. So I’d better get moving.
What I need is in the office in the back, so I head for the door at the far end of the room.
As I get closer, the hair on the back of my neck lifts and goosebumps cover my arms.
Someone’s in the office. Don’t ask me how I know. I just do.
And I think I know who it is. If I’m wrong, I’ll be arrested. If I’m right…
I should leave. Get out now.
Anger burns its way through my body, spreading out from my gut until I’m pretty sure steam curls from my ears.
That damn logo on the door. I realize it looks familiar because it is. It resembles the Battle Holdings logo. Aiden’s company.
Coincidence? No way in hell.
Forgoing stealth, I fling open the door and step into the dark office. Except it’s not an office. There’s no desk, just three couches in a U-shape and two chairs at the ends. If I could see more clearly, I’m pretty sure it’d look Mad Men chic. But my attention is fully focused on the dark figure sitting on the couch at the far end of the room.
And I stop because something’s not right. No, that’s not it. Something’s different.
“Aiden?”
The man sitting in the dark doesn’t answer right away and for a few seconds, I’m frozen. I was so certain he’s here—
“Shut the door behind you, Olivia.”
My breath releases in a rush. It is Aiden. There’s no mistaking that voice. Or what it does to me, which makes the anger overtake the fear.
“Turn on a light first.”
I hear him huff out a laugh then light flashes across the room, and when my eyes finally adjust, I see what I registered as different.
“You cut your hair.”
His mouth twists into what you can almost call a grin. “Thanks to you, I now have control of one of the largest Fortune 500 companies in the world. I decided I should look the part.”
He looks…amazing. Like he walked off a GQ photo shoot. His hair isn’t short but it doesn’t reach his shoulders. I could still run my fingers through it and grab hold. My hand curls into a fist so I can’t reach for him.
“Congratulations. You look like a cutthroat tycoon. But you didn’t need the haircut. You only had to make a demand and everyone in the room would know they had to jump to do your bidding.”
“So you like it?”
My mouth drops open. “Are you seriously digging for a compliment from me?”
He shrugs one broad shoulder but his gaze never leaves mine. “I figured we’d start with the easy stuff.”
“Start what? And nothing has ever been easy between us.”
His gaze darkens. “True.”
“Then why am I here? You made it pretty clear we were finished. And I’m not stupid enough to make another deal with you. Once bitten, twice shy. You don’t get a second bite.”
“Not even out of your beautiful breasts?”
Heat blooms in my lower body, spreading outward and fueled by the blatant carnality of his statement and his expression. Damn him.
But I wasn’t kidding. I can’t afford to let him get to me again. There’s no future here. I don’t trust him.
“What do you want?”
He pauses and I find myself holding my breath.
“Has your father had any more trouble with Vincenzo?”
The abrupt change in the direction of the conversation makes me frown. “No. Why? Should we be worried that you didn’t hold up your end of the bargain?”
“Not an ounce of give in you, is there?” His expression is hard but he sounds almost upset about that.
My problem is I want to forgive him. I want to cover the space between us and sit on his lap and kiss him until my core aches then stick my hands down his pants and—
“I can’t trust you.”
His gaze remains steady on mine. “Did I break a promise to you, Olivia? Did I fail to uphold some part of our bargain?”
“The bargain was bullshit to begin with. You wanted to hurt my father by fucking me. But my dad wasn’t the problem, was he? You’re the one with the problem.”
I expect him to get angry or to shut me down. Instead, he nods.
“You’re right. So I’m here to offer you another bargain.”
I shake my head. “No—”
“Come to dinner tomorrow night.”
“Why would I do that?”
“Because you know you want to.”
He’s not wrong. And that’s the best reason for staying away from him.
“And what do you want, Aiden? Just another fuck? I’m sure you can get that from anyone you meet. You don’t need a woman to climb into your third-floor window. Or does that get you off?”
“You get me off.”
God, the man’s voice should be illegal. “So I’m just supposed to forget what you did?”
“No. But I’m hoping we can move on.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes.”
“And if I say no?”
“You walk out the door.”
“No strings?”
“No strings.”
I turn and walk out the door.
Chapter Nine
Aiden
“All right, this moping has gone on long enough. You need to get your ass out of that house tonight and come with me.” Giselle’s voice rings through the phone, making me smile as it usually does. “I want you to meet me at Haven tonight. I want you to meet this—”
“No. Stop right there. I’m not meeting another one of your friends tonight. I agreed to meet your friend Wednesday night and that turned out to be a disaster.”
A l
ong-suffering sigh comes through. “You’re totally right and it’s all my fault and I’ve apologized several times for that. I had no idea Vivian was such a flake. I mean the woman’s a lawyer, for chrissake.”
“She’s also the most boring person I’ve ever met.”
“I know. I’m sorry. But really Judi’s not at all—”
“No.”
Another sigh. “So what are you going to do tonight besides watch the foreign markets and listen to horrible music?”
“Zeppelin is one of the best rock bands ever.”
“Blah, blah, more boring stuff. And I notice you didn’t say I was wrong about watching the foreign markets. Aiden, I’m worried. For the past two weeks, all you’ve done is work. You need to get a life or you will turn into our grandfather, bitter and mean and a totally gross human being.”
I’d told Giselle everything I’d learned about our grandfather in the two weeks since I’d taken the company. She hadn’t been shocked. She’d been more shocked when I’d told her about Olivia. Hell, I’d shocked myself. And when I’d told Giselle the whole story, I thought she’d lump me in with our grandfather.
She hadn’t. She’d told me I was an asshole and no wonder Olivia wouldn’t see me again.
“Fine. Be all silent and broody. I knew you’d say no. Try not to spend all night working, Aiden.” She pauses and I think she wants to say something else but all she says is, “Love you.”
“Love you too. Be good tonight.”
“No way in hell.”
She hangs up, leaving me shaking my head.
And feeling guilty as my gaze turns to the television, where I have the BBC business news streaming.
She’s right. I need to get out. I can already feel the walls starting to close in around me, but there always seems to be something I need to handle personally. Maybe in a few years, it’ll be different but now that I’m actually in charge, the weight on my shoulders seems a hell of a lot heavier.
And lonelier.
But there’s only one woman I have any desire for, and she turned and walked away from me a week ago and never looked back.
I’ve had enough on my plate to keep me busy all week, and while business never really takes a break, this is Saturday night—
A noise from above catches my ear and my heart starts to pound out a harder beat. Which is ridiculous.
That can’t be Olivia.
I gave her my word I wouldn’t pursue her, that she could walk away and I wouldn’t follow. And when she left, not going after her was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I’d been trained by my grandfather to take what I want and that you failed only because you didn’t try hard enough so try again until you succeed.
So what the hell is going on—
I hear distinct footsteps now and I head for the stairs to the second floor.
The light shines at the end of the hall. I know I hadn’t turned it on earlier.
So who the hell is in my bedroom?
Giselle was right about one thing. I’ve been miserable all week, and almost everyone who knows me has stayed far away if they didn’t absolutely have to talk to me.
Whoever has the absolute bad timing to break into my home tonight is about to find out just how bad my mood has been.
Stalking down the hall, I make no effort to hide my approach.
I throw open the door, ready to expend some of this restless energy on the idiot in my bedroom, and stop in the doorway.
Olivia sits on the edge of the bed, legs dangling over the side, hands on her thighs, staring straight at me.
She’s wearing the same tight black leggings and skintight black shirt she wore the first night we’d met.
My breath catches in my throat and I’m struck momentarily dumb. For a man who needs to have the right words at all times, right now, they’re eluding me.
I want to grab her and tie her to the bed so she can’t get away but I know that’s not going to get me what I want. Which is her.
So I plant my feet on the floor and cross my arms over my chest.
And her lips curl in a way that makes my blood sizzle.
“What are you doing here?”
“I’ve been told we need to talk.”
What the hell? “Told by whom?”
“She told me she was your sister.”
Giselle? “What did she want with you?”
“She said your grandfather wanted her to track me down. That he thought I might be useful as a weapon against you. I guess you do have an ally in your family. Giselle said she hoped I could talk some sense into you because you were…how did she say it?”
She taps a finger against her lips and my hands clench at my sides because I want to replace that finger with my mouth.
“Basically, she said you were a miserable ass and obviously pining over a woman. She hoped I was the right woman and that I’d pull you out of your funk.”
“And what do you think?”
“I think she doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”
“Then why are you here?”
“Call me curious.”
“Just curious? Curious enough to break into my home. You know you could have come through the front door.”
She shrugs and draws her legs up to cross them in front of her. “I like a challenge. You probably should lock that window.”
“Maybe I left it open because I hoped someone would use it.”
She doesn’t respond right away, just sits there staring at me. I don’t know what she’s searching for but I hope like hell she finds it.
“I may be willing to use the front door next time.”
I force back a smile at the “next time” comment. “Do you want to suggest a mutually agreeable arrangement?”
Her lips twitch into a smile. “First I want to know why you’ve been so miserable. You made the man responsible for your grandmother’s death pay for his sins. You’ve taken his company, made yourself supreme leader of his universe.”
My mouth twitches at her deliberate taunts. “I have. But I may have lost more than I gained. Unless you’re here to tell me otherwise.”
Another pause, then she crooks her finger at me and I don’t hesitate. I cross the room and stand in front of her.
Her lips are level with my chest, and if I rip my shirt over my head, she could use her mouth on my nipples.
And if I push her back onto the bed, I could go to my knees, strip her naked and put my mouth on her sex and make her come around my tongue.
“I’m here to see if you’re willing to make amends.”
I’m on my knees in the next second, my hands around her waist, dragging those tight leggings off her body. Either she wasn’t wearing underwear or I took them along with the pants. Doesn’t matter. They’re gone and she’s bare from the waist down.
Holding her body by the hips, I look up into her eyes as she reaches for my head with one hand. I expect her to pull me in and I’m not against obeying that command. But she doesn’t.
She winds her fingers into my hair and her gaze follows her fingers.
“I do like it. You look…more civilized.”
I give her the only answer I can. I show her just how uncivilized I still am.
I draw my hands down to her thighs, spreading them farther. Then I lean forward and lick through her folds to her clit.
Her thighs shake under my hands and her fingers tug at my hair. Hard. The sting feels so damn good.
“Aiden.”
I fucking love hearing my name come out of her mouth in that breathy tone. It pushes me to go after her harder.
She tastes sweet and hot, and when she releases my hair and falls back onto the bed, her hips thrust forward, pressing her even closer to my face.
I sense her surrender and victory slams through me. My cock, hard as granite, pushes against the zipper of my jeans.
“God, Aiden. Make me come.”
That’s exactly the plan and I use my tongue as my tool, lightly flicking her clit, teasing
her unmercifully, before I stiffen it and lick inside her to fuck her with it.
Squirming against me, she’s heat and fire. I can barely hold her steady and I’m not sure I want to.
Her every move incites me. She’s the piece of this puzzle that’s been missing in the past week since I’ve taken over from my grandfather.
Everything else is just business, but not Olivia. Not even when she broke into my house that first time.
I need to make her scream my name. Need her to give herself over to me completely. To trust me.
Seconds later, she tenses and I feel her quiver around my tongue.
When she cries out seconds later, victory rushes through me and I continue to lick her until her spasms start to calm.
Finally, I stand, my hand ripping open my jeans and releasing my cock. Olivia’s spread out before me, exactly where I want her…and I pause.
I wait for her gaze to meet mine, rein in the fierce desire to lose myself in her body because I want…no, I need something from her.
“I’d like to propose another bargain.”
She’s breathing heavily and it takes a few seconds for her to answer because she’s watching me stroke myself. Every muscle in my body is strung tight and lust burns through my blood like lava.
“What are the terms?”
“An exclusive arrangement. You and me and this bed. I’ll make you come every night you’re here.”
Her smile is faint but it’s there. “And what do you get in return?”
“You in my bed. For as many nights as you want.”
“So it’s all up to me?”
“It’s all your call.”
“Then I call you lie down on this bed and let me have my way with you.”
“I agree to your terms.”
The End
Stephanie Julian
Stephanie Julian has been a daily news reporter, a freelance feature writer and a movie, theater and music critic but what she loves most is writing heat with heart. She’s happily married to a Springsteen fanatic and is the mother of two sons.
Stephanie loves hearing from readers. You can connect online through these sites:
Consummated (Aiden & Olivia Book 4) Page 6
