As the car parked, Derek stepped out of the front door of the restaurant. He met her at the curb. Helped her out of the backseat.
“You look beautiful,” he said as his hand clasped hers.
Her gaze swung to his. “Thank you,” she murmured. “You must be freezing.” He wore a pair of black pants and a white dress shirt, no jacket.
“It’s fine. Come. I reserved a private room in the back,” he said, a grin pulling at his sexy mouth.
“Derek! You didn’t have to do that again. But I’m glad you did.”
He led her inside though she knew the way, and walked to the back room. Their booth was there and they sat side by side, his thigh close to hers. Just being near him, inhaling his cologne, taking in his handsome profile, she knew what she wanted.
She desired Derek and a future with him.
The waiter came to take their order. “Same as first time?” he asked.
“Sounds perfect to me.” She was definitely in the mood for their steak au poivre, a baked potato loaded with sour cream, and creamed spinach.
Derek grinned her. “Me too.”
Without looking at the wine menu, he ordered a bottle of Miner Cabernet. The red wine had been delicious with their meal.
“I’m assuming that’s okay? If you still like wine, that is?” he asked with a wink before the waiter took his leave.
Her lips lifted in a knowing grin. She remembered her exact words here too. “I still prefer wine to beer. Though once in a while, sharing a bottle can be fun.”
Derek laughed, obviously pleased.
The waiter tilted his head and excused himself, pulling the door closed behind him, but he returned quickly and poured their wine, pausing for the ritual tasting.
Finally, though, they were alone.
“Well,” she said into the silence.
“Well.” He raised his glass. “To … us.”
Before she tapped her glass to his, she wanted him to know everything. She lowered the glass. “There are things I think you ought to know first.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Let me make this easy on you. Your brother was the one who stole the necklace, not my mother.”
“How do you know that?”
He leaned in close, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “I had a visitor. Someone else who wanted to make things right.”
Her mouth went dry. “Who?”
“Your father.”
She swallowed wrong and began to cough. She picked up the water and took a few sips, waiting until she could speak again.
“Are you okay?” Derek asked.
She managed a nod. “I don’t understand.”
“Apparently, your mother had a long talk with him following your discussion with her.”
“What did he say?”
“Believe it or not, he told me Spencer stole the necklace.”
“Did he apologize?” she asked hopefully.
Derek let out a laugh. “No, I wouldn’t say that. Not specifically. He did, however, excuse his behavior by saying he really had thought my mother took the jewelry. And then he said he wanted to make things right. With you and with my family.
Cassie’s insides were trembling at the thought of Derek meeting with her father. “How?” she whispered.
“To make up for being a bad father to you, and to make things right by me, he accepted the offer I made on the company all those months ago.”
Her head was spinning with the information Derek had given her and the implications of it all. “Slow down. How did he know you made the offer?”
“Investigation.”
“Does that mean Spencer’s no longer chairman?”
Derek nodded, the pleasure he got from that change evident in the broad smile on his face. “Your father hadn’t yet finalized your brother’s transfer of power in writing. He was still in charge of the company, and of course, he still holds majority stock. He can make any decision he chooses. And he chose to sell to me. I, in turn, chose to throw your brother out on his entitled ass.”
“I’m speechless,” she murmured.
“Good, because I’m not finished. I have more to say.”
She blinked, sensing something big was coming. “What is it?” she asked.
“I’m signing the company over to you.”
“What? You can’t do that!” she said, her hands beginning to shake.
“I can. I only wanted it as a means of revenge. Storms Consolidated means everything to you. This way nobody can take it away from you ever again.”
Tears leaked out of her eyes. “Derek, no. That’s too generous. Beyond generous. Put me in charge if you want. I won’t argue. I’ll step up and make you money on your investment. That’s all I really want.”
He unwound his arm from behind her and turned so they were face-to-face. “You told me to think about what it meant to have you in my life. And that’s all I’ve done since you shut me out.”
“I didn’t…” She closed her mouth. Opened it again. “I did. But I needed you to consider how you felt about the baggage that came with me.”
He shook his head. “Silly woman. Does my past come along with me? My family?”
“Yes.”
“And if things were reversed, would you walk away from me?”
She shook her head. “Of course not.” She furrowed her brows, her forehead wrinkling. “I was being ridiculous.”
“You could say that.” He tapped her nose.
“I panicked. I spent the entire day working on a rebuttal article to what Spencer printed. I laid out the truth of what happened, with my brother’s faults and lies.”
“Princess, you can’t prove he did it. He could sue you for libel. Your best bet is to let my kicking him to the curb suffice as his punishment. That and I’m sure your father isn’t going to be funding his lifestyle anymore,” Derek said, sounding satisfied with that outcome.
“I can live with that.”
“Good. Now, I have a solution to you not wanting to let me gift the company to you.”
Her heart was beating rapidly in her chest, her love for this man growing exponentially with every word that came out of his mouth. Nobody had ever looked out for her before. Put her first. Cared about what she wanted in life and gone out of their way to make sure she got it.
“What’s your solution?” she asked.
He grasped her hand and held it tight in his. “Cassie Storms, I love you and someday I plan on marrying you. I realize it’s too soon, and we have a long way to go getting to know each other better and building something solid and real. But when I do make you my wife, what’s mine is yours. And then, you’ll take the company as a wedding gift.”
Her breath caught in her throat. Again. “Derek,” she said, hardly able to believe the words coming out of his mouth.
“Not what I want to hear. ‘Yes, Derek. I agree,’ is about all I’ll accept.”
Her heart felt full to bursting. “Yes, Derek, I agree.” She laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close. “Because I love you too. And I can’t wait to spend my days … and nights with you. To build memories and work toward a future,” she said, happy tears building behind her eyes.
He slid his hand behind her head, pulling her close. “Promise me you’ll never pull away again. We have an issue, we talk it through.”
She nodded. “I just wanted you to make a clear, rational choice.”
“Well, I did. And I choose you,” he said and sealed his lips over hers.
Epilogue
Lucas and Maxie’s wedding was taking place at a beautiful catering hall just outside of the city with windows all around, revealing the snow-covered trees and grass beyond the glass.
Kendall Parker sat in a chair by the floral-laden arch, surrounded by a small amount of family and friends, waiting for the procession to start. She was thrilled for Maxie, finally getting the happy ending she deserved, just as she was happy for her sister, happily married to Kade.
Kaden Barnes was a good
man. He’d forgiven her when he could have caused a lot of trouble in her life. And her life was already difficult enough. Kade had understood that. And she would be forever grateful.
Before she could muse further, Cassie, Derek’s girlfriend, joined her, taking the seat beside her.
“Hi.”
“Hi,” Kendall said. She’d met Cassie at a fundraiser, and Kendall liked the other woman.
Now that she was with Derek, Kendall figured she’d be seeing a lot more of her.
“Don’t you just love weddings?” Cassie asked, her voice high-pitched with excitement.
“They’re wonderful,” Kendall murmured. And they always seemed to happen to other people.
Always a bridesmaid, she thought, but today she wasn’t even that. Her twin was closer with Maxie. Kendall, on the other hand, had a problem keeping people in her life, maintaining close relationships.
Thank you, bipolar disorder. Then again, she hadn’t been with a guy since she’d gotten the right kind of treatment and dedicated herself to her recovery. She hadn’t been interested in any man since Julian.
“Are you okay?” Cassie asked.
“Just thinking … about relationships,” Kendall said honestly.
“About Julian?” Cassie asked. It wasn’t a leap considering the first time they’d met and really talked, Julian had shown up at the same fundraiser Kendall was attending.
Cassie had taken Kendall out of the room to calm her down while the others had seen to Kade, who always tended to explode when his ex-friend showed up. Kade looked out for Kendall like a big brother, and after what Julian had done, he didn’t want the man anywhere near her.
He didn’t have to worry. Kendall didn’t want anything to do with the man who’d deliberately dated her, used her, set her up to hurt Kade and her sister. And because Kendall hadn’t been on the right medications, hadn’t cared who she hurt when she was on a high, she’d fallen right into Julian’s trap.
Unfortunately she’d fallen in love with him too. Something else she did too easily, too fast, too impulsively. In Julian’s case, she’d fallen for the man he’d pretended to be in order to get her to do his bidding. She was just reaching the point where she was getting over him.
“Kendall?” Cassie placed a hand on her arm and glanced at her with concern in her eyes.
“I’m sorry. I’m fine. And no, I’m not thinking about Julian.”
Cassie blew out a relieved breath.
She’d probably been well briefed by Derek on Julian’s behavior. About how stupid Kendall had been to fall for him.
The good news was she was well-medicated, holding down a job, living her life, making friends, not alienating people.
Suddenly music started, and Kendall turned toward the back of the room in time to see the groomsmen start down the aisle. Kade, wearing a tuxedo, walked with Lexie, who looked beautiful in a pale blue bridesmaid’s dress. Next came Derek and Maxie’s friend, Bailey, followed by the groom. Lucas strode down the aisle and turned to wait for his bride.
The music changed to the traditional “Here Comes the Bride,” and Maxie stepped onto the carpeted aisle, framed by drapes on either side.
Kendall pivoted in time to catch Lucas’s expression as he viewed the woman he loved in her ivory gown, her blonde hair falling in curls around her shoulders and the small swell of a baby bump at her stomach. A huge smile lit his face, and Kendall sighed at the love she saw there. A lump formed in her throat, and she had tears in her eyes, so happy for the couple she’d come to know.
Someday, she thought, reminding herself that she’d been working so hard to live a well-functioning life. She knew what she had to do, keep to her routine, healthy diet, exercise, and avoidance of stress. Not to mention keeping up with her therapy appointments. If she did all this, she thought, listening to the wedding vows, she had to believe that, someday, the happiness Kade and Lexie, Maxie and Lucas, and now Derek and Cassie had found could be hers, as well.
Thank you for reading GOING DOWN HARD. I hope you enjoyed. Get the next Billionaire Bad Boy’s story (Julian and Kendall’s story) in GOING IN DEEP—HERE.
Billionaire Bad Boys: Rich, Powerful and sexy as hell.
He isn’t Mr. Nice Guy…
Julian Dane thought he’d hit rock bottom—until he met a woman (isn’t that what they all say?). He used her and broke her heart. Now he wants to turn things around but the damage he dealt stands in his way.
Kendall Parker’s unique issues have made it hard to live a normal life. Very few people understand her and she trusts even less … but she believed in Julian once, and he only betrayed her.
Now Julian is back—a new man—and determined to win Kendall’s heart. But this reformed bad boy just might find that Going in Deep is harder than it looks.
Meet the Dares!
Dare to Love – Book 1 Dare to Love Series – (Ian Dare)
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Billionaire Bad Boys Reading Order:
Book 1: Going Down Easy
Book 2: Going Down Fast
Book 3: Going Down Hard
Book 4: Going in Deep
Dare to Love Series Reading Order:
Book 1: Dare to Love (Ian & Riley)
Book 2: Dare to Desire (Alex & Madison)
Book 3: Dare to Touch (Olivia & Dylan)
Book 4: Dare to Hold (Scott & Meg)
Book 5: Dare to Rock (Avery & Grey)
Book 6: Dare to Take (Tyler & Ella)
*each book can stand alone for your reading enjoyment
DARE NY Series (NY Dare Cousins) Reading Order:
Book 1: Dare to Surrender (Gabe & Isabelle)
Book 2: Dare to Submit (Decklan & Amanda)
Book 3: Dare to Seduce (Max & Lucy)
*The NY books are more erotic/hotter books
Read on for an excerpt of Dare to Love, Ian and Riley’s story.
Dare to Love
Excerpt
Order and Start Reading Dare to Love NOW!
Chapter One
Once a year, the Dare siblings gathered at the Club Meridian Ballroom in South Florida to celebrate the birthday of the father many of them despised. Ian Dare raised his glass filled with Glenlivet and took a sip, letting the slow burn of fine scotch work its way down his throat and into his system. He’d need another before he fully relaxed.
“Hi, big brother.” His sister Olivia strode up to him and nudged him with her elbow.
“Watch the drink,” he said, wrapping his free arm around her shoulders for an affectionate hug. “Hi, Olivia.”
She returned the gesture with a quick kiss on his cheek. “It’s nice of you to be here.”
He shrugged. “I’m here for Avery and for you. Although why you two forgave him—”
“Uh-uh. Not here.” She wagged a finger in front of his face. “If I have to put on a dress, we’re going to act civilized.”
Ian stepped back and took in his twenty-four-year-old sister for the first time. Wearing a gold gown, her dark hair up in a chic twist, it was hard to believe she was the same bane of his existence who’d chased after him and his friends until they relented and let her play ball with them.
“You look gorgeous,” he said to her.
She grinned. “You have to say that
.”
“I don’t. And I mean it. I’ll have to beat men off with sticks when they see you.” The thought darkened his mood.
“You do and I’ll have your housekeeper short-sheet your bed! Again, there should be perks to getting dressed like this, and getting laid should be one of them.”
“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that,” he muttered and took another sip of his drink.
“You not only promised to come tonight, you swore you’d behave.”
Ian scowled. “Good behavior ought to be optional considering the way he flaunts his assets,” he said with a nod toward where Robert Dare held court.
Around him sat his second wife of nine years, Savannah Dare, and their daughter, Sienna, along with their nearest and dearest country club friends. Missing were their other two sons, but they’d show up soon.
Olivia placed a hand on his shoulder. “He loves her, you know. And Mom’s made her peace.”
“Mom had no choice once she found out about her.”
Robert Dare had met the much younger Savannah Sheppard and, to hear him tell it, fallen instantly in love. She was now the mother of his three other children, the oldest of whom was twenty-five. Ian had just turned thirty. Anyone could do the math and come up with two families at the same time. The man was beyond fertile, that was for damned sure.
At the reminder, Ian finished his drink and placed the tumbler on a passing server’s tray. “I showed my face. I’m out of here.” He started for the exit.
“Ian, hold on,” his sister said, frustration in her tone.
“What? Do you want me to wait until they sing ‘Happy Birthday’? No thanks. I’m leaving.”
Before they could continue the discussion, their half brother Alex strode through the double entrance with a spectacular-looking woman holding tightly to his arm, and Ian’s plans changed.
Because of her.
Some people had presence; others merely wished they possessed that magic something. In her bold, red dress and fuck-me heels, she owned the room. And he wanted to own her. Petite and curvy, with long, chocolate-brown hair that fell down her back in wild curls, she was the antithesis of every too-thin female he’d dated and kept at arm’s length. But she was with his half brother, which meant he had to steer clear.
Going Down Hard Page 16
