by K. M. Scott
“If you’ll excuse me gentlemen.” Even though I understood his horror, I had to deal with Karl and the repercussions that would inevitably fall in my lap. Returning to my office, I asked Michelle as I passed her desk, “Can you get Harvey on the phone? Tell him I’m going to need him on this Rider thing.”
Dialing the phone, she said, “Daryl had me call him earlier. He made sure to send what he’d found over to his office so he’d be ready when you called.”
“Good. Let me know when you get him.”
I opened the door to my office and heard her say behind me, “Is everything going to be okay, Tristan? They’re not going to blame you for this, are they?”
With a shrug, I tried to downplay how concerned I truly was. “What’s that saying—the buck stops here? As CEO, I needed to know what Karl was up to. I didn’t. I don’t know what they’ll do.”
The truth was I really didn’t know what they’d do, but whatever happened, at least Cardiell would be off the market and Karl wouldn’t be hurting anyone anymore.
“I have Harvey on the line,” she yelled in as I sat down at my desk.
Raising the receiver to my ear, I pressed the blinking button on the phone. “Harvey, you got the information Daryl sent over?”
“I did. This firm will take care of it. Don’t worry.”
“I’m not. You never let me down before, Harvey. I know things are going to get ugly before this is over, but I’m prepared for whatever happens. I have something else I need you to take care of too.”
“What’s that?”
“I want to sell my share in a business I’m part owner of. This isn’t part of Stone Worldwide, though. This is a private business arrangement. Can you handle it?”
“Sure. We can talk after our meeting with the Feds.”
“Sounds good. I’ll see you in a little while.”
I hung up the phone and sat back in my chair to look around my office, noticing the bare white walls that surrounded me. After all of this business with Rider was over and Nina and I were back from our honeymoon, I wanted to have her pick out some artwork for this office. It was about time I made this place my own.
Chapter Sixteen
Tristan
Hours later, I arrived home to find Nina pacing the floor in our bedroom. I hadn’t made it two feet into the room before she was peppering me with questions about what happened. I’d hoped Daryl wouldn’t tell her about the possibility that I’d be held responsible along with Karl for the Rider mess, but I wasn’t that lucky. Leave it to that hairy son of a bitch to pick that day for true confessions.
“I’ve been a nervous wreck for hours. You weren’t answering your phone, and Daryl was no help at all. What happened? Can your lawyers get you out of this?”
Loosening my tie, I slipped it from under my collar and threw it on the bed. “One question at a time. It’s been a long afternoon.”
Nina slid my jacket off, draping it across the desk chair. “I’m sorry. I’m just a mess from worrying. Why didn’t you tell me about this?”
I smiled and began unbuttoning my shirt. “Because I knew you’d be like this.”
She let out a heavy sigh and sat down on the bed near me. Tugging on my shirttails, she twisted her face into a fake scowl. “What happened to me being an equal and you not keeping secrets from me anymore?”
Lying hadn’t been what I’d intended, but she was right. Looking down at her, I hoped if I flashed a smile I could lessen her justifiable anger. “I figured one last time I could spare you. I didn’t realize Daryl would suddenly need to bare his soul.”
“Don’t think you’re going to get out of this with that famous Tristan grin. I’m angry at you, Mr. Stone.”
I shrugged off my shirt and flashed her another smile. “Then I’m going to have to figure out a way to make sure you’re happy again, Ms. Edwards. Give me ten minutes and I’ll tell you everything. Then I’ll see what I can do to bring back that beautiful smile I love so much.”
Nina ran her finger along the top of my pants, her nail grazing the skin beneath my boxers. “Ten minutes. That’s it. I’ll be waiting.”
“You could join me.”
Chuckling, she pressed her palm to the front of my pants. “That would only make you think I forgive you already. You’re going to have to do a little more than that to make up for this.”
Her touch thrilled me, making my cock spring to life. Wanting her more than a shower, I pushed my hips forward, causing her hand to slide down the length of me. “Forget the shower. I’ve got a better idea.”
She pushed me away and shook her head. “No way. Now get in there and wash the day off you. I’ll be back in ten minutes so you can tell me everything about what happened.”
“I like my idea better.”
Standing, she kissed me softly and smiled. “Don’t try to charm me. I won’t let you this time.”
“Can’t blame a guy for trying. Get ready for a great night. We’re celebrating being back in our own bed and together.”
“It’s a deal. See you in ten.”
After a quick shower, I dressed in pajama pants and prepared to tell Nina everything as quickly as possible so we could get to celebrating. I had a surprise for her I knew she’d love, but she was nowhere to be found by the time I got out to the bedroom. Thinking she may have gone to the kitchen for a snack, I made my way there only to hear her talking to someone in the entryway. When I turned the corner, I saw her standing with Varo, and suddenly all that jealousy I thought I’d conquered rushed back, filling me with rage.
What the fuck was he doing in my house?
Struggling to get a handle on my emotions, I crossed my arms and leaned against the wall to wait for one of them to realize they were being watched. Nina was talking about something concerning her garden, but it didn’t matter. Varo worked for me guarding Nina. He had no business standing there talking to her about anything.
He saw me first and instantly his body language became defensive. Crossing his arms, he took a step back away from her. “Mr. Stone, we were just talking about the gardener Nina’s looking for.”
Nina turned around and quickly the smile she wore faded. “Hey, that was less than ten minutes.”
“Be in my office at nine sharp, Varo. Good night.”
With a quick nod, he got out of there before I had to say another word, leaving Nina standing in the middle of the room staring daggers at me. “What was that about?”
“What was he doing here?”
Knitting her brows, she frowned and shook her head. “Exactly what he said. I’m hiring a new gardener.”
“Then I’ll take care of it.”
Her disgust came out in a huff, and she stormed past me down the hall. I followed her, knowing what was coming next and wanting it far too much. I found her in our bedroom pacing the floor just as I’d found her a short time earlier. Folding my arms again, I leaned against the doorframe and waited. It didn’t take long.
She spun around and pointed her finger at me. “You aren’t seriously going to be jealous after making me kiss him, are you? I mean, you wanted me to do that and now I have to deal with this nonsense?”
“Nonsense?”
“That’s exactly what it is. You’re jealous and it’s nonsense. Or maybe you’d rather me call it bullshit. Whatever we call it, I can’t believe you’re acting like this.”
“Like a man who doesn’t want his soon-to-be wife hanging out with other men?”
“You’re acting ridiculous, Tristan. So now there’s a problem with me talking to one of my bodyguards?”
“Maybe you wouldn’t mind if I had a conversation with Brandi?”
Her pacing stopped dead, and in her face I saw what I felt. Rage. Jealousy.
“What the fuck are you doing? I did nothing wrong out there and now you’re acting like a jackass. A jealous jackass!”
I knew she was right, but it was like I was standing outside my body and couldn’t stop the words from coming out of my mouth. My heart to
ld me I had nothing to worry about with her and Varo, but my brain so filled with those old demons egged me on. “I’m not in the mood to discuss this, Nina. I’m replacing Varo tomorrow.”
Her mouth dropped open. “What are you doing? Why? He did nothing wrong. If anyone should be fired, it’s West. Varo’s been nothing but an obedient employee, even when you made him pretend to be my boyfriend,” she screamed. “Don’t do this.”
“I didn’t realize you cared so much about what happened to him.”
She came at me like she wanted to hit me but stopped short just inches away to stare up into my eyes, as if the answer to my madness could be found in them. Taking my hands in hers, she pleaded, “Tristan, what is going on? Stop acting like this and tell me what’s wrong. Whatever it is, we can handle it. Just tell me.”
Lowering my head, I shook it, unable to explain why I was acting so stupid. “I don’t know. It was just something exploded inside me when I saw you together.”
She caressed my cheek with her hand and said quietly, “Baby, I don’t know how to convince you that you’re the only man I want. I can tell you a million times, but you don’t seem to believe me.”
I caught her hand and lowered it between us. Looking down at it, I said, “You’re not wearing your engagement ring. Why? Have you changed your mind?”
“Is that what this is about? Look at me and tell me. Is that it?”
I let my gaze travel up to hers and shook my head. “No. I’m fucked up. That’s it. I don’t know why.”
“Well, fucked up or not, you have nothing to worry about. Remember you left me for months? I don’t want anyone else, so let poor Varo have his job and stop thinking I want anyone else on Earth because I don’t.”
“I have a surprise for you.”
Sighing, she asked, “A good one?”
“A good one. Sit down and close your eyes.” She did as I said and I grabbed the box I’d picked up earlier that day. Kneeling on one knee, I opened it and held it in my palm. “Okay. Open them.”
I saw in her eyes the surprise I’d hoped for. In my palm sat a robin’s egg blue Tiffany’s box with a new ring. It was meant as a new start, even though I’d nearly fucked it up with my jealousy just minutes earlier.
“Another ring? Why? I loved the first one,” she said as she lifted the box up to examine it. “It’s beautiful, Tristan. But why?”
“Maybe we had bad luck the last time. And the time before that. I want this time to go right, so I bought this ring hoping that maybe this can change our luck. Marry me.”
“Of course I’ll marry you. You didn’t have to buy me another ring, though. I’d marry you even without one.” Leaning down, she kissed me sweetly on the lips and whispered, “You do this proposal thing pretty well, Mr. Stone.”
I pressed my forehead to hers as a sense of relief flooded over me. “Third time’s a charm. Isn’t that what they say? Put it on.”
Holding her hand up, she wiggled her fingers to show me how perfect it looked on her and grinned broadly. “Is it me?”
“It’s all you.”
“What are we going to do with the other ring?”
“I don’t know. Donate it to a charity. Get it reset in a necklace. Save it for our kids.”
Nina stroked her fingertips over my shoulder and down my arm. “I like this proposal best. You’re already half naked and on your knees.”
“Mmm…is that a proposition from you?” I teased as my hands slowly made their way over her thighs. Making quick work of the button at the top of her jeans, I tugged them and her panties off her body in one pull, leaving her wide open for what I planned to do.
“I like the way you think,” she said with a moan as I slid my finger through the folds of her wet and ready pussy.
“Lean back,” I ordered. She whimpered a tiny noise at the first touch of my tongue to her clit. Sucking it gently, I eased my middle finger inside her tight cunt. Her body clung to me as I slowly added a second finger.
I stared up into her face and watched a look of pleasure settle into her features as I finger fucked her, loving the moans that flooded my ears as I inched her toward release. I wanted to make her forget my stupid mistake from before so all tonight would be in her mind was the night I showed her how much I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her.
“God, Tristan…don’t stop. That feels incredible. God, don’t stop!”
Arching her back, she angled her pussy toward my mouth and I obliged, running my tongue up to her swollen clit. She moaned my name, and I thrust my fingers into her hard as I flicked my tongue over her tender skin, wanting her to come apart under my mouth. Her cunt tightened around my fingers, and I quickly pulled out, replacing them with my tongue thrusting inside her.
“Yes…yes! Oh, God…yes!” she cried, pulling on the back of my head to hold me as she rode the tremors of her orgasm.
When she finally finished, her thighs quivered uncontrollably against my jaw. Turning my head, I placed a light kiss on her left leg, loving the feel of her soft skin against my lips and the knowledge that I’d made her tremble.
She lay there, eyes closed and biting her lip as she waited for me to get rid of my pants and rejoin her on the bed. I hovered over her and rolled my hips forward to slide the full length of my cock through her drenched pussy, loving how her eyes rolled back in her head when it skimmed her clit.
“Mmmm…you just love to tease me, don’t you?” she said with a sexy grin.
“I love watching you come. You are so fucking sexy when I’m between your legs lapping your pussy.”
Nina giggled, and a blush covered her cheeks. “Mr. Stone, you have a dirty mouth!”
I placed a light kiss just below her ear and slowly pushed my hips forward again. “You love it.”
Nodding, she said whimpered. “I do.”
“Good. Now be a good girl and open those legs for me. I’m not anywhere close to done with you.”
“Are you going down on me again?” she asked with an innocence that made my cock stiffen to rock solid.
Sitting up next to her on the bed, I dragged my finger slowly down her swollen slit. She bit her lower lip again and moaned as I lingered there watching her. “I might. Then again, I might pin you to the bed and fuck you long and hard, or maybe slow and easy. I don’t know.”
She opened her legs wider, but I lifted my hand away, receiving one of her all-too-sexy pouts in return. “You are so mean. You make me wait for hours and then you tease me like this. Downright cruel is what you are.”
I bent my head down and captured a nipple in my mouth, flicking my tongue over the pebbled flesh. Nina’s fingers pressed into the back of my head, urging me on, but I pulled away and sat up.
“What’s that wicked grin for?” she said with an edge to her voice that told me my teasing was working.
“I was just thinking about how much I want to bury my cock in your wet cunt and fuck you until you can’t walk.”
Stretching her arm to touch my thigh, she stroked my cock from the base and smacked her lips. “Put up or shut up, Mr. Stone. The time for teasing is over.”
“Ms. Edwards, I’ll take that challenge. Get up here on my lap.”
Nina stood and straddled my hips, and I positioned her perfectly so all I had to do was lift my hips from the bed and ease into her. She didn’t give me the chance, though, and slid down my cock until I was fully seated inside her. Tracing her tongue around the shell of my ear, she whispered, “I didn’t want to wait anymore.”
“Always so impatient.”
I pushed hard into her and stopped, holding her hips tightly in my hands. She cried out, her fingernails digging into my shoulders, her voice filled with aching need. “Don’t stop. Please don’t stop. I’ll beg if that’s what you want. Just don’t stop.”
“You want me to fuck you? To slide in and out of your tight cunt filling you until you can barely breathe? To empty my cock inside you until there’s nothing left of me?”
She stared down at me and
knitted her eyebrows like she was in pain. “Yes. Tristan, yes.”
I wanted her as much as she wanted me, and as she buried her face in my neck, I pumped into her. She met my thrusts with her own, riding me with abandon until the two of us were close to coming apart. Pulling her head down, I kissed her long and hard, wanting to eliminate any trace of every other man her lips had touched. The thought of Varo’s mouth on hers tormented me, even as I tried to push it from my thoughts, and as if she read my mind, Nina broke off the kiss and said quietly as her body closed in around mine, “There’s no other man I want. Only you. All I want is you.”
Wrapping my arms around her, I held her tight as her release and mine exhausted us both. She was so small in my hold, a precious soul I needed to take better care of now that I was back. I couldn’t let my jealousy ruin her love.
I lay there with Nina in my arms and silently thanked God for everything I’d been blessed with. I’d avoided jail time from the debacle with Rider, and as the new director of the company I’d have a chance to make sure nothing like that ever happened again under my watch. Maybe we’d even be able to truly create a drug to help heart disease patients. My business life was going to be rocky for the foreseeable future with Federal investigators combing through every last inch of Rider Pharmaceutical’s actions since Karl’s takeover of it more than a decade ago, but that was the price I had to pay for turning a blind eye to even the smallest part of the Stone Worldwide empire. From now on, I’d have to accept the fact that being the CEO meant I couldn’t do it halfway anymore. I just hoped Nina would understand.
Our lives would have to change. For the first time in my life, I had to devote myself to the business of making money. It wouldn’t be enough to playact the role of CEO of Stone Worldwide as I had for the last five years. Now, I’d actually have to be that man.
Nina’s finger traced a line across my stomach, telling me she had something on her mind. It was one of the cute things she did when she wanted to talk about something but didn’t know how to bring it up.
“Tristan, we need to discuss what we want to do about the wedding.”
