by Alexia Praks
“Andy? Are you okay? What’s that man doing to you? Are you hurt?”
I could make out a strange voice, as though my brother were having difficulty breathing. “I’m… I’m fine, Mia.”
“Oh, Andy, tell me everything. Please tell me everything. I’m here in Los Angeles. I’m going to get you out of this mess.”
“Mia, I’m sorry…” More heavy breathing. “I can’t talk. I’m sorry. I just can’t. Not like this. I’m awful. I hate myself. That bastard. He makes me this way. I… Mia? I can’t talk… not now.”
I understood the meaning behind his words. That bastard Matt wouldn’t allow Andy to talk. I knew it. Was Andy being imprisoned somewhere? My stomach lurched with sickness. Oh please, let Andy be all right. Please.
“Mia, I want to see you. Then we can talk. We need to meet up. But Matt…”
I nodded. “I understand,” I said, glancing up to James. I knew I wouldn’t be allowed to see my brother until he got what he wanted. Either that two million or a contract with me as his—
“All I want to know is you’re okay.”
“Yeah… Yeah, I’m… I’m okay.”
I wasn’t convinced. Andy sounded like he was in pain. Was Matt torturing him? The thought made me feel sick to my stomach, and my body trembled with fear and anger.
“Andy, I promise I’ll do anything in my power to save you from that man,” I said, my resolve solid. I meant what I said. I’d do anything to save my brother, even if I had to become a mistress to Mr. James Maxwell.
I heard Andy give out a shaky laugh. Then he groaned again. “Just like you, sis,” he said.
The sound of hard knocks against a door through the phone made me jump.
“Oi, Andy. Open the fucking door. I’m not done with you yet. You think you can hold on much longer? The game’s not over yet. I said open the fucking door!”
I sucked in my breath. “Andy?” I whispered with concern. “Run. Hide. Don’t let him get you.”
“Sis, I can’t… I…” Andy’s voice sounded weak, as if he’d surrender to the inevitable.
I gritted my teeth as tears brewed in my eyes. “Andy…”
“I said open the fucking door, Andy. I’m going to finish you off. You know you can’t bloody hold out much longer. You want to fucking kill yourself or something?”
Tears flowed down my cheeks. I couldn’t help myself, knowing my brother was in such distress.
“Andy…” I managed to get out but couldn’t go further. I couldn’t think of what else to say.
I heard Andy laugh sadly. “I’m sorry, Mia. He’s right. I can’t hold out much longer. We need to finish this. See you soon, then,” he finished and then hung up.
“Andy, wait. Please. Run. Hide from him…” I said urgently to the silent phone. Of course I knew it was useless since Andy couldn’t hear me.
I wiped tears from my cheeks. Slowly, I handed the phone back to James and slipped off the barstool. My mind was completely numb with shock.
“Thanks,” I said quietly without looking at him. I just couldn’t. I didn’t want him to see me like this, crying like a child. I was vulnerable and wanted to be alone.
Before I turned, James caught my wrist. I reluctantly turned my gaze to him. “It’s not what you think. Matt won’t hurt Andy,” he said seriously. “Mia, you know what to do.”
I nodded. “I’ll think about it tonight,” I said, twisting my hand free from his clutches. Then I headed up the stairs and into my assigned room.
* * * * *
CHAPTER 14
James
James’s eyes followed Mia all the way up to the top of the first floor landing. Fuck! He really couldn’t help himself. It was Mia, and he just couldn’t miss the enticing view of her climbing the steps. Once she was out of sight, he returned his attention to his coffee, a smirk playing about his lips.
“Matt,” he said under his breath, shaking his head. “You’re playing dirty, my man. I hope Andy can handle you.”
Like Eric said, Matt would fuck the shit out of the boy, and James had no doubt tonight was one of those nights.
Damn! He was pretty sure Mia was confused and outraged when she’d heard her brother on the phone. It was amusing watching her expressions. The panicky look and then the suspicion that Matt was hurting her brother, and then there were the frustrated and surrendered looks. She was beautiful. And he remembered the lust he had seen in her eyes when he’d kissed her in the car.
The reminder only brought forward a powerful surge of passion in his blood, and he gulped another mouthful of coffee to clear his head. Suddenly, her sadness, those tears flowing down her cheeks, appeared in his mind. It was enough to make him feel sick to his stomach. Oddly enough, he felt his heart aching. It was unlike him.
He dismissed the thoughts of Mia and returned his attention to the phone. He dialed the house number, and a few moments later, Ms. Lane answered. He requested an audience with his daughter.
“Daddy?” Aria’s voice came through not long after.
“Hey, sweetheart,” he said softly, smiling.
“Did you find her? Did you find her, Daddy?” came her eager question.
He had to chuckle. “I did.”
“When is she coming over, Daddy? I promised to have dinner with her. We’re going to have so much fun together.”
James shook his head. Aria was just so cute. “As soon as I can, but not tonight, sweetheart. She’s busy.”
Now wasn’t the right time to bring Mia home. The girl was tired and confused and needed to sort out what she needed to do next.
Prior to his encounter with her, his plan was to simply recover the two million Andy had lost. Once he laid his eyes on her, however, everything changed. He was attracted to her and wanted her, hence his offer. Now he no longer gave a shit about that two million. Heck, he could make two million in a heartbeat. The only problem was now he was worried about her welfare.
The sickening feeling when he noticed both the Mexican and the Albanian trailing her wasn’t pleasant. Fuck, the naive girl didn’t even notice a thing, even ten men following her every move. He had no choice but to brand her his to make sure they knew Mia belonged to him, to protect her. If he hadn’t decided to follow her himself this evening, either the Mexican or the Albanian would have gotten her by now. They would’ve forced Andy out of hiding and killed both brother and sister to shut them up.
Aria’s voice came through loud and clear. “Oh, okay, then. I can’t wait to see her, though.” She giggled.
James chuckled. “Are you in bed?”
“Hmm?” came the reply.
“Aria?”
“Yes, Daddy?”
“Daddy won’t be home for a couple days. I have business, okay?”
“Oh.” She sounded disappointed.
He chuckled. “When I’m home, your Mia will be there with me, all right?”
“Promise?”
“I promise,” he replied. “Now go to sleep.”
“Okay, good night, Daddy.”
“Good night, sweetheart,” he replied and then hung up.
After putting the cups in the dishwasher, he headed upstairs. His eyes lingered at Mia’s door for a brief moment before he finally went into his own bedroom.
He’d just finished showering and getting ready for bed when the phone rang.
“We have a problem,” Scott said the moment he picked up.
James sighed. “What now?”
“It’s Eric,” Scott muttered. “He’s fucking crazy.”
James laughed as if Eric were never crazy, as were all them Maxwells. “What’s he done now?”
“You need to talk to him, James. He’s bloody leaving for Japan in a couple days.”
“What the fuck for?”
Scott sighed on the other end of the line. “He wants to stop the wedding.”
“Shit!” James swore. He’d known Eric was against their old man’s wedding to this Japanese woman the whole time, but he didn’t think he actually wa
nted to wreck it completely.
“You have to talk him out of it, James,” Scott said. “Eric doesn’t listen to me. He’d listen to you, though.”
James sighed. “All right, I’ll talk to him.”
“We can discuss it over lunch tomorrow,” Scott added. “I’ll text him.”
“Sure, thanks.” He was about to hang up when Scott stopped him.
“So you found yourself a little rabbit, eh?” The brother chuckled. “I heard she’s very pretty.”
“Fuck!” James swore again.
“Andy’s sister?”
Nothing could go past Scott without him noticing. He was as sharp and shrewd as their old man. There was no need to deny the truth.
“Yeah,” he said. “She came to me.”
Scott laughed. “She came to you? Lucky bastard.”
“She came to settle her brother’s debt,” James said.
“Is it settled yet?”
James smiled. “I’m pretty sure it’s a done deal.”
Scott must have heard that light, amused tone in James’s voice, and he chuckled. “I know exactly what’s on offer.”
“Fuck off, Scott,” James muttered.
Scott ignored the warning and laughed hard out. “Bring her around. I want to meet the woman who makes my brother forget about two million.”
“I will, as soon as she signs the contract,” James said.
“How long?”
“Five years.” There was no need to hide it from Scott. He’d figure it out on his own in a split second. In a way, they had the same taste in woman. Even Eric, who was a fucking nuisance.
James should have seen the signs with Whitney when both Scott and Eric said they couldn’t understand why he’d marry the woman because they didn’t see anything beautiful about her. They were right, of course, and he had come to realize it a bit too late.
“What if you get sick of her?” Scott voiced his opinion.
James smiled. “I won’t,” he replied confidently.
“What if she gets sick of you?”
A knot formed in his stomach. “She won’t.”
“You’re a harsh man, James,” Scott said. “Good luck.”
James frowned. “What for?”
Scott just laughed, like he always did. “Good night, bro. See you tomorrow.”
“Good night,” James said and then hung up.
For a moment, James stared into space and wondered about Scott’s words. Would Mia ever grow sick of him? The thought didn’t sit well within him, and he felt sick. Fuck!
* * * * *
CHAPTER 15
Mia
When I woke the next morning, it was bright, the sun just rising across the horizon. I turned my head to my right. Instantly, I sucked in a breath. The view before me was indeed spectacular. The city’s buildings glittered like golden jewels beneath the glowing orange. I sat up, my eyes feasting on the sight before me with amazement.
“Beautiful.” The voice reached me, and I jumped.
I turned my attention to the door and saw the man who had been on my mind the majority of last night.
“James.” I voiced the name between my lips, my heart pounding within my chest. And it was so early in the morning, too.
Well, to be honest, it was hard not to be nervous around him, especially with him wearing only a pair of tight jeans and nothing else. His hair was wet, so perhaps he’d just showered.
He came into the room. “I did knock,” he said, placing a shirt on the bed. “But you were otherwise occupied.” He grinned. “I had to check in on you.”
In case the men snuck in and stole me away? I thought. Or I ran away? Then I thought both hypotheses were outlandish because the security was so tight in this building.
I nodded in understanding, very aware of my unpleasant appearance. I knew my hair and face were a mess. Feeling self-conscious, I pulled the blanket closer around me as though to hide myself from him. The fact that I was only wearing the I “heart” LA T-shirt and my undies didn’t help my feelings of insecurity, either, especially with him so near.
“I’m making some breakfast and coffee. Would you care to join me?”
Tentatively, I nodded.
James smiled and got up from his spot on the bed. “All right. See you soon, then. Oh, I noticed all your shirts are torn.” He nodded to the new shirt on the bed. “It’s probably too big for you, but it’ll do for today.” With that, he left the room.
Alone, I gazed at the shirt on the bed. It was a man’s shirt. Mr. James Maxwell’s shirt. My heart skipped a beat.
I pulled the duvet off me, jumped out of bed, and headed into the bathroom. Stripping myself naked, I headed into the shower and washed myself good. Once I was done, I got dressed in James’s shirt and my only pair of jeans that was still intact and wearable. Indeed, his shirt was way too large for me, the hem almost down to my knees and the sleeves past my hands. To make it more suitable, I rolled up the sleeves and arranged the hem so it sat properly on me. Once done, I headed downstairs.
James had breakfast ready as I hopped onto a barstool. He placed a plate of hot toast with scrambled eggs and crispy bacon in front of me. Beside the plate was a cup of coffee.
“Thanks,” I said, eyeing the meal, my mouth watering.
“No problem.”
I heard the amusement in his voice. I couldn’t help myself and had to glance up. Sure enough, he was watching me, his lips quirking up to one side.
I ignored him and began the meal. Hot, soft scrambled eggs melted in my mouth, combined with crispy bacon and, of course, toast. As I ate, I wondered how a billionaire like him could actually cook. Surely, most couldn’t. Since they always had their minions at their beck and call, doing things for them. And this billionaire should be the same, right? I didn’t forget there were Ms. Lane, the prim and proper housekeeper, as well as the many maids back at his mansion. Surely, he didn’t have to lift a finger. He was born onto a silver platter.
“What’s wrong?”
I swallowed the delicious food and lifted my head. “Excuse me?”
James chuckled. “You’re frowning. My cooking not to your taste?”
I grabbed the mug of coffee and took a sip. After swallowing, I shook my head. “I’m just amazed you can cook. That’s all.”
He cocked his head to one side and then laughed. When he stopped, he leaned on the countertop, his face level with mine, his eyes staring deep into my own. I could never get used to that Prussian-blue color. Once again, the intensity took my breath away.
“Is it so rare, the likes of us cooking for ourselves?”
I licked my lips as his eyes bored deep in my own. “No, that’s not it.”
“Compliment me, Mia,” he demanded softly.
“Huh?” I was confused, and it showed on my face.
He smiled. “Compliment me,” he repeated.
Needless to say, I was both shocked and amused. He wanted me to compliment him on his cooking? Seriously? Who was this man?
I searched my brain for a suitable complimentary term and came up with, “It’s delicious.”
Of course I meant what I said. The meal was simple yet delectable.
He became serious all of a sudden, and I noted the glint in his eyes. My heart leaped in my chest as he swiftly moved forward and caught me, his hand resting firmly at the back of my head. He slammed his lips against mine, kissing me so hard and wild that I became breathless. He didn’t stop there, either. He parted my lips with his tongue and then invaded me.
I groaned and shivered deliciously. It was a different type of deliciousness than the food. This was intoxicating, enticing me to want more.
His tongue was passionate and wild, stroking me and caressing me until my body melted and my mind became a muddle of confusion.
When he released me from his embrace, I was lightheaded and dizzy. I was still breathing heavily when he said, “Have you made up your mind yet?”
I wasn’t thinking really, and thus, I nodded.
> “Yes?” he probed.
I licked my lips. “There’s no way I can find two million,” I murmured softly. I was staring at his lips, and I had no idea why I was doing that. Honestly, I should put some distance between us while we were discussing this particular topic. But I couldn’t seem to move. James still had me close to him, his hand still behind my head and his face a mere inch from me. I could feel the warmth of his breath against my skin as he spoke.
It was true where the two million was concern. I’d been going through every possible scenario in my head last night, but there was simply no solution.
“Yes?” he probed again when I was quiet for a bit too long.
“I…” I lifted my eyes from his lips to his eyes. Suddenly, I blushed. “If I agreed to your proposal,” I said, nervous all of a sudden, “you’d free Andy from his debt? I mean… you won’t go after Andy… Andy would be free?”
James smiled. “Of course,” he said, his face stern and serious. “I’m a businessman, Mia. A contract is a contract.”
I licked my lips and nodded. “A business contract,” I said. Suddenly, a thought struck me. “A written and signed business contract,” I said distractedly. “I… I would have one between us, please.”
He released me and then roared with laughter. I was bewildered at his reaction. When he managed to calm down, he folded his arms across his chest.
“Well.” I carried on, annoyed at his amusement. “I don’t want you to go back on your word now, do I?”
He leaned toward me again and proceeded to stroke my lips as if he found the red, sore flesh fascinating.
“I would be sad if you didn’t want a signed contract, Mia. I wouldn’t want you to run off on me,” he said, his eyes twinkling. “I’d be sad.”
I cocked my head to one side, wondering why he’d care if I were to run away before the contract ended. It must be his pride and possibly a billionaire thing. And of course, I could never do that, running away before the contract ended.
Five years was a long time, though. I wondered if I could handle it. But it was for Andy’s sake. If both Andy and I were to work our hardest, me as a kitchen hand and he as a waiter, to pay that two million dollars, it would take us the rest of our lives. Unless, of course, one of us won the lottery, which was very unlikely because neither of us had ever bought a lottery ticket before and weren’t likely to in the future.
