The Billionaire's Betrayal (Highest Bidder Book 3)

by Carmen Falcone

  She sighed, loosening her limbs, and he took the cue and began slowly moving his fingers inside her, exploring her dark circle. The lube he’d used had a warming effect, causing hot sizzles inside her, adding another notch to her already high level of arousal.

  He closed his mouth on her pussy again, sucking her clit, making a slurping sound, then intensified the play in her hole. She arched toward him, loving how soft her bones felt under his command. Relentlessly, he devoured her pussy, and sizzles seared through her like flames on timber.

  On the brink of an orgasm, she stretched her hands to clutch the bedspread, but before she could do it, he stood upright. “I want you on all fours,” he demanded.

  She followed his direction with some prompting from him—desire had weakened her knees so much, she wobbled a little when she turned around, and he brought her to the edge of the bed once more. He splayed his hand on her lower back, cuing her to prop herself on her elbows and lift her ass in the air. He whistled, nudging her thighs apart, and she swayed her hips in a sensual invitation.

  “Damn, woman. You’re a lot to handle.”

  And he could handle her more than anyone she ever met. In the bedroom and out. Her pulse fluttered. “Thank you.”

  He grabbed the dildo he’d brought, thicker and bigger than the one she’d used to play with moments earlier. He added more lube to his fingers, and lowered them to her ass again, spreading her cheeks and stretching her hole.

  She quivered, her nipples hardening. She clutched the bedspread, bracing for his invasion, but he surprised her by grabbing the dildo and rubbing it against her outer lips, in a circular motion, relaxing her and turning her on at the same time. More of her cream coated her pussy, and he took full advantage, thrusting the dildo inside, catching her by surprise. She gasped, the thick and large toy filling her to the brim. A ripple of pleasure ran through her, and she threw her hips back, offering them for him. Hell, if he wanted to take her ass, he’d better do it now before she came again and dropped dead on the mattress.

  He palmed her ass with the other hand and put his cock in between her cheeks, sliding the tip into the tighter area leading to her sinful hole. Ruthless, he hastened the thrusts of the dildo in her front, earning increasingly loud moans from her. This… Her breath was socked out of her lungs, sweat dripping down her limbs. This was too much stimulation.

  “You’re so tight, baby. Both holes are yummy and tight. Both holes are mine,” he said, his gruff voice reverberating through her. Mine. Never in her life had she wanted something to be true. Her heart flipped in her chest like it performed aerobic moves. Never in her life had she wanted to belong to someone the way—

  “Yeah, baby. Move your ass like this,” he said, pulling her back to reality.

  He inched more of his cock inside her ass, and his fullness sent an achy thrill through her. The discomfort stiffened her shoulders, but he compensated by slamming the dildo inside her cunt. A ball of heat shot from her core, spreading through all of her, dotting her vision. Pleasure rode through her like a storm, strong and powerful, shaking every limb, draining every bit of cream from her until she let out a cry, exhausted, spent.

  He tossed the dildo to the side and placed both hands on her sides, fingers biting into her skin. “Fuck,” he said under his ragged breath, sliding his cock out then slamming it back in, deeper. She drew in a long breath, confused by the aftershocks of orgasm and the savage pace with which he fucked her ass, in and out. Each time, his balls slapped her thighs, causing lust to reignite within her. Each time he thrust into her, he nearly split her in half, but when he retreated, she threw back her hips, needing this man’s cock inside her. Needing him inside her. Needing him.

  “Mine,” he said, voicing the word that had stirred her up and enhanced all the emotions swirling through her. God. Her poor, overworked clit came to life again, pulsing and tingling. This couldn’t be happening so soon, right?

  He kept on ramming her, sending her to the edge, each shove adding to the delicious friction on the sensitive rim of her hole, until she groaned, letting pleasure claim her one more time, ripping tortured moans from her throat, increasing her body temperature so high she thought she was literally on fire.

  Too weak to keep her elbows in place, she slumped on the mattress, face down, leaving only her ass lifted for him to enjoy.

  One more thrust, and an animalistic growl filled the air. She didn’t have the energy to look behind her shoulder, but felt him jerking behind her, filling her with his hot load once more, his legs shaky and sweaty. When he fell down next to her, she turned her face to study him, to see the redness on his face, hear the way his breathing slowly calmed down. And to hope…that being with her affected him as much as being with him affected her.

  …

  “I set up the photo shoot with the guy from Texas. I shot him an email and a local photographer will send us the proofs as soon as she has them,” Jackie announced, walking into the office holding her tablet in one hand and a mug in the other.

  “Great.”

  “This weekend’s virgin is coming in for a costume fitting, and—”

  “About that. I’m not sure I’ll be here for the auction. Would you feel comfortable doing it without me?” Alexa asked. She’d talked to Brooks about the possibility of going to visit the Grand Canyon for the weekend. For the past couple of days, she’d spent as much time in bed with him as possible—even though he kept his stuff at the hotel, they spent most of their free hours at her place.

  Enjoy being with him while you can. The honeymoon would come to an end soon. The guy Brooks hired had told him he was nailing down a list of the top three employees who could have been involved with Pamela’s disappearance, but didn’t want to share his findings unless he knew for sure. So he’d asked for more time, and Brooks had reluctantly allowed it.

  Jackie sat across from her. “But they expect to see you. No one knows me.”

  “Then they will,” Alexa said. Why not? Tall and slim, with her pixie blond hair and bright green eyes, Jackie carried herself with professionalism and flair. She had a veneer of pragmatism about her that potential buyers would appreciate.

  A flutter spiked Alexa’s pulse. Jackie would be a fine successor when Alexa left the business. Everything would fall into place.

  Jackie took a sip of her coffee, then put it on the desk. “I hate to be nosy, but that man, Brooks Taylor… I’m worried about him.”

  “Why?” Alexa asked. She’d noticed the way Jackie responded, with guarded indifference, whenever she mentioned Brooks. Amusement tickled her. Her assistant probably thought she was crazy to get involved with a man whose sister had almost been at the auction. A lump of apprehension thickened in her throat. I am crazy, but I can’t stop seeing Brooks.

  A measure of concern washed over Jackie’s expression. “I’ve never seen you with anyone. If this story with his sister leaks, your name will be implicated. Who knows what this guy’s motives are?”

  Alexa swallowed. “He wants to do right by his late sister.”

  “Yeah, that’s what he says. But Brooks having this kind of sensitive information worries me. He could use it against you. What if he goes to the newspapers and tells them someone allegedly disappeared at an auction?”

  Alexa clutched the arms of her chair. “He won’t. He doesn’t want to bring his family into this until he’s sure about what happened. He has an elderly mother with delicate health.” Of course, at some point, the truth would come out, but she hoped it’d be when the real culprit behind Pamela’s death had been found—therefore shrinking the role that House of Alexa had in the story.

  “Okay. So he’s your boyfriend now?”

  She squared her shoulders. God. She’d never had a boyfriend before, and doubted she ever would. They were just fucking each other. A lot. And yeah. She wished there could be more, but she was a realist. He’d never bring someone like her home t
o meet his mother. “Jackie, why are you so riled about my personal life?”

  “I’m sorry,” Jackie said in a small voice, rubbing her chest. “Ever since I broke up with my boyfriend last year, I think all men suck.” She shrugged. “I’m looking out for you.”

  “I know,” Alexa whispered. “I’ll be fine. I know my liaison with Brooks is temporary, which is why I’m enjoying our time together without many worries.”

  “How can you tell? He seems to be into you.”

  “He’s from an old money Texan family. I’m definitely not wife material, and even if I were, I’m not ready for that kind of commitment.” I wouldn’t know the first thing about being in a healthy long-term relationship. Why fool myself? Disappointment lumped in her throat, and she had to swallow twice to unstick her tongue from the roof of her dry mouth. “So let’s talk about you replacing me. You can totally do it. Besides, the men come to bid for a virgin, not for me,” Alexa said, ignoring her own common sense. Throughout the years, people whispered her name during events, and the enigma surrounding her persona enticed people to google her or even attend the event without the real goal of purchasing someone’s virginity.

  Jackie drummed her fingers on the tablet, her gaze darting around the office. “I’ll give it a try.”

  “I’ve been giving you more and more responsibilities to prepare you for this moment. I know you can do this.”

  Hours later, she met Brooks at the restaurant he’d mentioned. They usually ate at her place or ordered in, but he’d suggested they grab something to eat, so she acquiesced. When she saw the hostess, the young woman in sky-high heels greeted her with enthusiasm. “Hi, Ms. Alexa, such a pleasure to have you here.”

  “I’m waiting for someone.”

  “Yes, your company is already seated. Please come this way.”

  She stared at the wall, looking nowhere in particular, and followed the hostess with long, purposeful steps. She could feel eyes on her as she walked, and barely registered the piano bar or the tasteful decoration. Maybe a few people recognized her from a couple of the rare interviews she’d given. Or men who had attended her auction regarded her with curiosity, wondering if she was meeting a man for pleasure or business.

  When she reached the corner booth, where he texted someone on his cell, something inside her melted, softening her stance. “Mr. Taylor, your date has arrived,” the hostess said.

  Brooks’s gaze lifted to her, and specks of warm gold glinted in the depths of his irises, as if something inside of him lit up just by seeing her. A girl can dream.

  “She’s arrived indeed,” he said to the hostess, his eyes still trained on Alexa.

  The hostess excused herself, and Alexa slid into the seat, positioning herself in front of him. “A date with a rich Texan. I guess I could do worse.”

  “I hope you won’t,” he said, scooting closer to plant an intimate kiss on her cheek that gave her all kinds of thrills. She shivered, loving how her body reacted to his. “I’ve missed you,” he said in a low voice.

  They had last seen each other in the morning, when she’d left her home to go to work and he had phone calls and decisions to make—managing his assets and properties from far away. “It’s been sixteen hours.”

  “Sixteen hours too many.”

  She splayed her hand on his chest, pushing him away. “It was your idea to eat out, so let’s do it.”

  …

  Brooks cut into his steak, the meat juicy and tender. He’d managed to keep his hands to himself for the past hour, even if every part of him craved to touch her.

  “How was your day?” she asked, raising a piece of salmon to her lips.

  “Work-wise, productive. Liam said one of the employees he suspects moved to New Mexico, so he’s tracing the information to find out more.”

  She flashed him a look of concern. “And you trust this Liam guy?”

  “I’ve used him before to scout out potential business partners for some investments I’ve made outside of the agriculture field.” In four years, Liam hadn’t steered him wrong. He took a drink of his beer. “Though this is a bit different, he can still help with leads.”

  She put her silverware on the plate and clapped her hands together. “Of course. I hope he’ll help you.”

  “Me too.” He peered at the amber contents of his tumbler. “The past two years have been crap for me. My mother was diagnosed with dementia, Pamela died, and I haven’t had a relationship with my father for a while. But we stopped pretending we gave a damn about each other because of my mother.” Hell, ending the pretense was the one thing he could be proud of. No more dinners at the country club or handshakes in public functions.

  “Was your mother nice when you were growing up?”

  “Yes. She was good and gentle. She never had much spine to put my father in his place, but I didn’t know that back then. She told me she never knew about his affair with the housekeeper, but now I wonder if she just brushed it aside. You know, old school train of thought.” He shrugged. If his father had taught him one thing, it had been to never cheat on a woman. Brooks had had his share of girlfriends—had even engaged in a threesome or two—but he’d never slept around on anyone.

  “Yeah. Obviously my mom didn’t have much spine, either,” Alexa said. “How’s your mom today, health-wise?”

  “She’s okay. I’m due a visit. I always go when my father is away traveling so I don’t have to deal with him.”

  “I’m not sure I ever told you…but it’s amazing what you’re doing for Pamela. To try to find out what really happened and make the guilty party pay.” She reached across the table and covered his hand with hers, clutching it. “I’m proud of you.”

  He opened his mouth, for the first time unsure about what to say, but a stocky man in his sixties approached their table, his gaze focused on Alexa.

  “Madam Alexa. I didn’t believe it was you.”

  For a fraction of a second, an emotion flashed in her eyes. Discomfort, maybe? But she threw her shoulders back and lifted her chin to talk to the man, who now stood with legs parted, hands on his waistline. Acting like they were old friends.

  “Hi, Lawrence. Long time no see,” she said.

  “Yeah. I’ve been too busy with work to attend the auctions,” he said, giving her a once-over. “How’s business?”

  Brooks’s fingers curled into a fist. A wave of frustration washed over him, and he fought not to rise to his feet and punch the man. Was it pure jealousy? A dark emotion chilled his heart. Or was it him finding it impossible to date her without all the baggage from the past? Would I think differently if I knew this guy? He’d thought he had the antibodies against his father’s blatant sexism, but maybe he still had work to do. “Good,” she said, without offering any information to keep the small talk going.

  “If you’ll excuse us,” Brooks said, irritation boiling his blood. He curled his fingers into a ball, ready to punch the man if he dared touch her shoulder.

  “Oh,” Lawrence said, glancing at Brooks like he’d just noticed him, his eyes widening. “I didn’t want to interrupt your business dinner. Since I ran into you, I was wondering if—”

  “Brooks is my boyfriend. We’re not having a business dinner,” she said, interrupting him and sending Brooks a glance that told him to play along.

  A zingy energy passed between them, and a warm sensation flowed inside him, expanding in his chest, and the doubts in his heart nearly dissipated. He covered her hand with his, linking their fingers.

  The man scratched his head, his confused gaze darting between the two of them. “I’m sorry. I—”

  Brooks waved him off, not making any effort to hide his irritation. “Don’t worry about it.” Just get the hell out of my face.

  “Nice seeing you. And you’re a lucky man. I’ll leave you two to it,” he said before finally leaving them alone and returning to his table
.

  “Boyfriend, huh?” Brooks mocked, loving the way the word rolled off his tongue.

  “Sorry for putting you in this position. He’s a nice man who’s become lonely after his wife died. If he thought you were only doing business with me, he’d never leave.”

  “I’m glad to be of service,” he lied. A nagging sensation stuck in his throat, and he pushed his dish aside, finding it impossible to finish. She hadn’t meant what she’d said, and he knew why. They’d skirted around the brevity of their romance to enjoy their time together, but she’d made it clear she didn’t want a long-term relationship with him or anyone.

  And what good would it do him to insist? None. His father had never been the marrying kind, but he married to follow the family tradition and keep the legacy of the Taylor name. He’d strayed on his mom and never acknowledged Pamela as his daughter. The typical example of a son of a bitch who should have stayed single and, preferably, neutered.

  While Alexa didn’t share his father’s lack of character, she was used to a life of auctions and edgy negotiations. Asking her to give it up would only bring resentment.

  “Are you okay?” Alexa asked, after the waiter poured more wine into her glass.

  “Does this happen often? Men just coming up to you and thinking because you run an auction, you’re game for sex?” he said, unable to keep the anger from his words. He ran his fingers down his face, rubbing his stubbly chin. Saying his feelings out loud brought another current of jealousy through him.

  “Not as much as you’d think. Some guys need a refresher, but I’m good at putting them in their place.”

  Her answer did nothing to dampen his apprehension. The thought of her walking down her street at night and being harassed by an asshole who thought he had a right—because of her job—tightened Brooks’s chest. “Your line of work is dangerous, Alexa. I don’t want anything to happen to you.” What if an angry client hurt her? The idea brought bile to his throat.