Burning Desire

by Scarlett Avery

  I run my thumb along her trembling lip before leaning in and kissing her.

  “Ali, first off, you don’t know what you’re fighting yet since your ex-boyfriend is tight-lipped about the situation other than to tell you to hire legal counsel. Second off, I agree. You shouldn’t put your family’s livelihood at stake for mistakes Clark is potentially responsible for. Third off, you’re not alone. You have me now. Why don’t you allow me to help?”

  “I could never ask you to do anything like that. I’d rather die,” she says, panicked by my suggestion.

  “Sweetheart, you’re not asking, I’m offering. We’ve shared so much already in the past few weeks and I’d hope that by now you’d see us as friends as much as lovers. I couldn’t bear seeing you deal with this situation without stepping up.”

  “Oh,” she lets out, surprised, before curling her lips into a faint smile. The dark cloud over her hazel eyes has lifted and she’s gazing at me with a glimmer of hope. “Are you serious?”

  “Ali, by the sound of it, your ex-scumbag-of-a-boyfriend has screwed you over and I want to make things right for you and straighten his mess out. Allow me to do that much for you.”

  Her mouth falls open in shock and I instinctively want to tear Clark limb from limb for having put her in harm’s way with his callous actions. I don’t know the full story yet, but I do know a class-action suit is serious shit and it means an unscrupulous dirtbag was willing to take advantage of innocent people by robbing them blind.

  “Are you sure? I don’t have the money to repay you.”

  I can’t believe she’s so stunned someone would want to lighten her burden and be there for her. What kind of lowlives has she dated in the past?

  “Who said anything about you having to repay me?” I flash her a sly smile before dropping soft kisses against the neck I want to suck on for hours.

  “I don’t know how I can ever thank you for coming to my rescue like this.”

  “Seeing you smile again is all the thanks I need. I have more money than I’ll ever need from the sale of my former dotcom company and Hunter and I have been extremely lucky because the ranch has been turning a solid profit year after year since we bought it. Why have all this money if I can’t put it to good use? Not to mention I have the right connections—sharp people who can help us make sense of all of this. You’re in trouble and you need me.”

  In all of my years in business, no one has ever sued me, but I have gone after a number of dishonest individuals and so far I’ve always won. The tech business is cutthroat and many less formidable competitors won’t hesitate to use dishonest practices to gain an edge. I’d like to say I’ve always ended on top because I’m smarter than the crooks who were trying to wrong me, but it’s really because our fortune has allowed us to hire top-gun attorneys. If you’re going to fight fire with fire you need to be armed with a stellar legal team.

  “So you know of a good attorney in New York?”

  Her innocence is endearing and I have to fight off a smile so she doesn’t think I’m making light of the situation.

  “I know some of the best attorneys from coast to coast. I also know of a cleaner who’ll help us find information your ex is unwilling to share.”

  “A cleaner? What are you talking about?”

  “Your Clark must be hiding a lot. If you claim you’re not a treasurer in his company and he’s claiming you are, there’s foul play somewhere and we need to dig deep in order to have solid data before our attorney stands in front of a judge. In the tech world, we have cleaners who can break into any computer, tap into wireless communication systems, dismantle any complex code and track anything that can be traced electronically. In my case, his name is Winston Hughes.” Winston takes care of cleaning rich people’s laundry and in the past few years his roster of clients has been heavily skewed towards tech moguls who all of a sudden find themselves with a lot to lose in the face of frivolous lawsuits. Winston’s team consists of a bunch of nerds and former Army intelligence who put their incredible talent to good use clearing the names of their elite clients.

  “Clark can be very sneaky and Jasper has always given me the creeps. Are you sure this Winston guy is going to be able to come up with anything?”

  “Trust me, idiots like your ex and his business partner are no match for Winston and his team.”

  “Without you, I would’ve given into desperation.” She looks so vulnerable now and the only thing I want to do is protect her.

  “Don’t you ever doubt I’m here for you. You hear me?”

  She nods vehemently and fights off tears. “Okay, I won’t.”

  “I’m going to stay by your side throughout this whole ordeal. If I have to hire more men to take over for my responsibilities on the ranch so it doesn’t all fall on Hunter’s shoulders, I will without a shred of hesitation.”

  “Oh, no,” she says, widening her eyes and bringing her hand up to her mouth. “You can’t do that on my account. I mean I don’t want to add to your load,” she protests.

  “I don’t think you heard me. There’s no negotiation here, Ali. I’m in this with you. Period.”

  “Gosh. You don’t know what it means to me to hear you say that.”

  “At some point you’re going to have to fly back to New York to meet with the attorney and possibly stand trial. I’m coming with you because there’s no way I’m letting you go alone. I’ll be on that plane sitting right next to you and I’ll stay in the Big Apple for as long as it takes for us to get resolution. Do you hear me?”

  Her face brightens so much I know I’ve been able to cast away her worries.

  “Thank you, thank you, thank you,” she chants, jumping into my arms, covering my face with kisses.

  God, I love feeling her curves against my body like this. I could stay wrapped around her all day long.

  As much as I hate having to postpone my plans to confess how I’ve fallen for Ali and my desire to have her all to myself, it’s clear she needs me now more than ever. Once we put this nightmare behind us, we can start making plans for a future together.

  CHAPTER THREE

  ALLISON

  Three weeks later

  I’m incredibly excited and nervous about tomorrow. In a little over twenty-four hours, I’ll be back in New York City.

  Two days ago, Jake’s legal eagle, Aaron Schatzberg, asked us to jump on a flight and rush to the Big Apple. Although Jake kept begging me to have faith, I nearly lost all hope until Hilary McMillin, one of Winston’s investigators, caught a lucky break when she got her hands on damaging evidence we needed in our fight against Clark and his business partner. The minute it became clear we had some solid proof, Aaron summoned us for a meeting at his office to prepare me to stand in front of a judge who will hopefully rule in my favor and clear me of any wrongdoing.

  Between the endless conference calls with Aaron and the long hours I’ve spent every day on the phone with Winston’s team, I’ve been mentally and emotionally drained. I usually would confide in my best friend, but she’s been away on a buying trip for work, which made it nearly impossible for us to find a decent time to talk. She’s been shopping her head off in Indonesia, Thailand and Bali. I’ve done my best to keep her up to date with the latest developments via text messages, but I didn’t want to overwhelm her so we decided to talk when she got back.

  She’s been trying to get a hold of me all day, but I’ve been so busy, I couldn’t even find one minute to dial her. I’ve had to let all her calls go to voicemail because between Riley, the lawyer and the cleaner, it’s been absolutely insane. I figured it would be best for us to catch up at the end of the day when I’d be able to kick off my cowgirl boots and unwind with a glass of wine.

  It’s true I’m seeing her in two days for breakfast before she heads to the office, but since she left the country three weeks ago, there’s so much to catch up on. Not to mention there’s plenty I don’t want to discuss in a public place. I’m happy I’m all packed and ready for my trip. Since I do
n’t have to worry anymore, Gwyn and I can talk as long as we want.

  When I dial her, she picks up immediately and I’m already giddy. “Oh my God, Gwyn. I’ve missed you so much.” I’m so overjoyed right now, it’s not even funny. I swear if we were on a Skype video chat, she’d see me jump up and down.

  “Ali, sweetie. It seems like a lifetime. I feel like I’ve been gone so long I’ve had time to celebrate two birthdays.” She giggles.

  “I’m so happy to finally hear your voice again.”

  “I feel the same. I can’t believe I was on the other side of the planet while you were dealing with all this shit. How’s everything?”

  “I won’t lie. The last few weeks have been a rollercoaster filled with scary lows and heartwarming highs. I can’t remember the last time I was this stressed out.”

  “Of course. This is your name and reputation we’re talking about. I’d be losing my mind with worry as well.”

  “It’s true the burden of having to prove my innocence has been weighing on me like an eight-hundred-pound gorilla, but it’s lightweight compared to discovering Clark has been involved in malicious activities.”

  “What has the scumbag done now?”

  “While we were together he always claimed he had big plans for Venture App—”

  “Wait. Don’t tell me he lied.” She snorts.

  “Yeah,” I respond, matching her disdain. “He did have some lofty financial forecasts, he only omitted to share he was willing to reach his goals by any means possible—even if it involved duping a bunch of innocent investors.”

  “So it’s true? He and Jasper stole all this money from these investors?”

  “Gwyn, it’s been disgusting to witness. He was never the person I thought he was and he didn’t hesitate to throw me under the bus to save his own skin.”

  “Do you know how you ended up being an unsuspecting treasurer in his fraudulent company?”

  “Not at all, but it all comes out in a couple of days. Jake’s attorney, Aaron Schatzberg, is finally able to divulge more details. So I’m both looking forward to and dreading getting back to NYC. As much as I’ve tried, it’s been nearly impossible for me to focus on work because my days have been so chaotic.”

  “How’s your boss taking all this? I mean you’ll be away for a while.”

  “To my great relief, Riley has been incredibly understanding about what I’m going through and she’s given me the time I needed to sort this mess out as long as I made up for the hours—which I always did. While I’m back home, I’ll continue working electronically. I won’t be at the lawyer’s office or in court all day.”

  “Good. So it’s all out in the open with Riley?”

  “Yeah. Jake insisted I let Hunter, Riley and Isadora know early on about what I was dealing with because he knew I would be distracted and he also knew I would be spending lots of time on the phone during my work hours. Isadora has taken it upon herself to cook the most delicious Southern comfort meals I’ve ever tasted in my life. It’s her way of showing she cares and I love that woman so much for what she’s done for me. Riley’s four-year-old daughter, Erika, will come up to me and give me a big hug whenever she notices I’m sad or anxious and she’s already quick at reminding me everything will be okay. She’s so adorable, I’d totally adopt her if I could.” I laugh.

  “I’m so happy you have good people surrounding you.”

  “Gaven’s been amazing. He’s checked up on me daily—sometimes twice a day—to find out how I was holding up. He’s such a sweetheart and a keeper.”

  “I love him to pieces. I asked him to reach out to you while I was gone and I’m so proud of him for going beyond and above.”

  “He certainly did.”

  “What about your parents? Did you finally confess?”

  I sigh, still remembering the difficult conversation I had with my mom and dad. “It took a lot of courage, but I did manage to speak to my family about what was going on. Needless to say, the news was a shocker for my parents and my brothers.”

  “I have no doubt this must’ve scared the living daylights out of them when you told them.”

  “They were incredibly worried, but when I explained I wasn’t alone, they were grateful I had someone like Jake in my corner fighting for justice.”

  “It takes a certain type of man to be willing to step up to the plate like he has.”

  Jake has unselfishly set aside so many of his own priorities in order to be at my beck and call. The turmoil in the pit of my stomach since I found out I was looking at a multimillion-dollar lawsuit has been eating at me little by little. I think Jake must’ve sensed that, because he’s been particularly caring and protective of me. His business has been growing in leaps and bounds and he’s also had the burden of hiring more staff to work on the ranch in order to respond to the insatiable demands of a roster of new clients, but he dropped anything he was doing if I needed him. No matter how many times I’ve told him how much I appreciate what he’s doing for me, I still feel it’s never enough. I haven’t got a clue how I would’ve navigated this treacherous road without him.

  “I couldn’t be luckier to have so many amazing people in my corner rooting for me.”

  “On a different note, what about Jake and Hunter? What’s going on with your two guys?”

  “Hunter’s also been supportive and as you know, Jake’s been a real pillar of strength during these trying times.”

  “Okay, that’s a great answer if you were speaking to your mom, but you know exactly what I mean.” She chuckles.

  “It’s been complicated.”

  “I bet. Have the three of you…”

  “Not really. Unfortunately, a few days after Riley got back from California, Hunter got an urgent call from his family. His grandmother had a serious heart attack and he had to rush back to Los Angeles to be by her side. He’s been gone for nearly three weeks. Even though I’ve been going through my own personal hell, his own ordeal has saddened me because it’s been really hard on him.”

  “Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that. How is his grandmother now?”

  “It was touch and go for a long time, but he texted Jake a few days ago to let us know the doctors were allowing them to take her home.”

  “Man, you’ve been dealing with a lot.”

  “Yeah, it seems like this tsunami of bad news just swept over the ranch all at once.”

  “What about Jake? Has anything happened between the two of you since he’s still living with you on the ranch?”

  “Legal drama and the return of my boss don’t bode well for our former debauchery. Hunter, Jake and I had to cool things off the minute Riley got back. It was a shock to my body at first to go without the warmth of these two men who made me climax over and over again, but this pending trial, Hunter’s grandmother’s condition and Jake’s busy schedule covering for his business partner has put a damper on things. Not to mention the cooking reality TV show shot Riley’s fame into the stratosphere and she now has more new business opportunities than she can handle, which means a lot more work for me.”

  “That’s it? It’s over?” I can hear the disapproval in her voice.

  “I really don’t know, Gwyn. Since I’m still hiding my feelings for Jake, I figured all these distractions were for the best.”

  “So you’re going to keep your feelings for him bottled up forever?”

  “I’m not like you. I’d never take the lead with a man. It’s not my style.”

  “He’s a great guy and you like him a lot, Ali. I don’t understand why you don’t just come out and tell him. You might be pleasantly surprised.”

  “I know where you’re coming from, but in the last three weeks, Jake’s been all business. Don’t get me wrong, he’s been watching over my case like a hawk, but he’s also been unusually distant.”

  “Could it be because Riley’s back? I’m sure he doesn’t want to put you in a compromising position since she’s the one who hired you.”

  “Maybe you’re rig
ht, but I’m not going to rock the boat.”

  “That’s not a good enough answer.”

  Damn, she’s relentless.

  I sigh heavily before speaking again. “I’ll admit I’ve found it challenging to figure out the best way of approaching Jake. Every time I tried, he turned the conversation around so we’re focusing on the trial. It really screwed me up for a while because I was afraid I was confusing gratitude for genuine feelings towards him, but when we’re in the same room together, my heart skips a beat.”

  “You’ll have five days alone with him, sweetie.”

  “We’ll be so busy in New York—”

  “It’s the perfect time,” she interrupts. “Think about it—no boss to watch over your shoulder, no nanny who could potentially catch the two of you, no nephews and nieces running around, no workers to manage and no business partner to handle. It’s just the two of you.”

  “I… I don’t know.”

  “Listen, I’m not going to pressure you on this one, Ali. You’ve been sharing your feelings about him for weeks now. I know this trial has derailed things for you, but from what you’ve described, I think you’re making a huge mistake by remaining silent. I’d hate for you to regret letting him go without a fight.”

  I take in her words as I ponder on a possible way for me to let Jake how I feel.

  “Let me think about it.”

  “You should, because life is too damn short to let every bump in the road throw you for a loop. You want him?”

  “I do,” I whisper, heavy-hearted.

  “Then you should go after him. Period. End of story.”

  There’s a long silence before she speaks again.

  “Honey, I’m going to have to go. I’m still severely jet-lagged and my bed is calling me.”

  “Okay, I love you. I’ll see you in a couple of days for an early-morning breakfast. I can’t wait to hug you again.”

  “Same here, kiddo. Have a safe trip and I’ll see you soon.”

  “I will.” I sigh heavily, clutching the phone in my hands.