Defying Dorian: Bad Boy Billionaire Romance

by Sloan Storm

  Hanging up, I stared out the window into the darkness for a few minutes. Somewhere out there were the two most important women in my life. After seeing the picture, it made me sick to think what other twisted shit Malcolm might be up to with them. It took every ounce of restraint I had to stay focused and not let it get to me.

  Luckily, my phone rang, distracting me. “That was quick. What do you have for me?”

  “I’ve got an address. Big warehouse, out your way.”

  Snapping my fingers, I got Kendrick’s attention and motioned for him to bring me a pen. He swiped one off my desk and hustled across the room, passing it to me.

  “Okay, I’m ready. Go ahead…”

  After getting the address, I hung up.

  “They are close by,” I said, dialing Ronan again. “Not more than fifteen minutes away.”

  Ronan answered.

  “I’ve got the location. Have you heard from Malcolm?”

  “No, I haven’t.”

  “Okay, that’s a good thing. Right now, Malcolm needs to believe you’re going to keep your promise to him. He’s got to think you’re going to deliver the case, and I’m not going to be involved in any part of it.”

  Ronan interjected. “Wait a second… You aren’t thinking of going after Malcolm alone, are you?”

  I didn’t hesitate. “I don’t see how I have any choice, Ronan. Right now, I’ve got the element of surprise on my side. However, I’ll promise you this. If Malcolm hasn’t harmed either of them, I’ll leave you to deal with him any way you want. On the other hand, if he has, I can’t promise anything about what I’m going to do.”

  Ronan exhaled. “As much as I don’t like hearing that, I understand. Would you be willing to wait for me? I can be there in a few hours.”

  I shook my head while he finished the end of his sentence. “No, there’s no way. I don’t trust him around either of the women for one second longer than is necessary.”

  “Hang on, man, hear me out.” Ronan said, his voice growing louder. “Think for a second. You know this whole thing will have a much higher chance of success if we all get together and plan it out. You have to know your enemy. I know my brother, better than you. I’m telling you right now, he wants the case more than anything. There’s no way he’s going to hurt them.”

  For the first time since all this shit started, I stopped to think. The adrenaline raging in my veins calmed long enough for me to listen to Ronan. I took a deep breath, running my fingers through my hair. He had a point. I’d be an idiot not to listen to him.

  “Okay,” I began, swallowing my desire for blood. “Once that plane lands, don’t waste any time. Get your ass straight over here.”

  “Will do. Thanks for this. You’re making a smart decision.”

  “I hope so. I really do.”

  After hanging up, I turned and looked at Kendrick.

  “What’s going on?” he asked.

  I started to walk in the direction of my desk, waving him off. “Go get the security team. I want all of them assembled here as soon as possible, in full tactical gear.”

  Kendrick nodded and turned to leave. Still holding the cell phone, I went to put it in my pocket when I felt the ring I’d found at Tempest’s apartment.

  Pausing, I pulled it out. “Kendrick.”

  He stopped and turned around. I held the ring up in my hand. “Here, come get this. Put it in the safe.”

  He walked back over to me and took it without a word, turning again and leaving the office.

  Once Kendrick left, I sat down in my chair.

  I found myself thinking about Tempest again. Every second I wasn’t preoccupied with finding her, I thought about what it would be like when I finally saw her again.

  I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I let this happen. I swear nothing like this will ever happen again, not ever. You’re never going to be away from me again, baby.

  I couldn’t wait to be with her again, holding her again – inside of her again.

  The feelings consumed me.

  19

  Highest Bidders (Tempest)

  “Now let’s smile and look our best. Important guests will be arriving very soon.”

  I had no idea how long we’d been in the damn warehouse. It was probably only a couple of hours, but it seemed like weeks. I exchanged glances with Ainsley. She looked as confused as I was about what Malcolm just said.

  Important guests?

  All I could do was hope he meant Ronan, but I wasn’t optimistic.

  I watched Ainsley, studying her. I could tell by her body language she’d begun to lose some of the defiant attitude she had earlier. She started to slump in her chair, her posture drooping.

  Following his bizarre comment, Malcolm walked across the room. I watched him until I guessed he was out of earshot. Once he started talking with his men, I turned and looked at Ainsley.

  We hadn’t gotten along with each other since well… ever. But, in spite of the frostiness of our relationship, I felt like we stood a better chance of getting out of the situation together than apart. Even though I hated to admit it, we needed each other.

  “Ainsley,” I said, whispering to her. “Are you okay?”

  Ainsley blinked slowly, turning to face me. A hard swallow crept down her throat.

  I didn’t like the look of that.

  “Malcolm…” she muttered, shaking her head and glancing towards him. “He is up to something. I don’t know what he meant by ‘guests’, but it’s not going to be good. That much I can promise you.”

  Once she finished talking, she kept her eyes fixed on Malcolm.

  “What about the deal he made with Ronan? To get the case? He’s got to be coming soon, don’t you think? We won’t be here much longer. You just have to think positive.”

  She looked at me again, all emotion gone from her expression. “You’re right about one thing. You and I won’t be here much longer. He has no intention of letting us go, no matter what happens between him and Ronan.”

  The tone of her voice sounded like she was giving up or something.

  “Please don’t talk like that. Everything is going to be okay.”

  Ainsley didn’t respond, only motioned with her chin towards Malcolm. He’d started to walk in our direction again. I held my breath while the red haired lunatic headed towards me. I didn’t think people like this actually existed in real life. Once he closed within a few feet of us, he clapped his hands together and rubbed them with eagerness.

  “Well,” he said, staring at us. “Are the two of you excited? I know I am!”

  I took a quick peek at Ainsley. She’d all but given up, but I hadn’t, not by a mile.

  “Excited for what?” I snapped. “You tell us that there are important guests coming and that we should look our best. But here we are tied up, blood on our faces… Not to mention these ridiculous wigs. How are we supposed to look good and for who?”

  I expected him to completely lose it, flip out and I don’t know, slap me or whatever. He didn’t. He just stood there, looking at me. It was almost like he considered my response and took it seriously. Once he spoke, my suspicions were confirmed.

  “You do have a point. I’ll give you that. Hmm, even so, there is no need to fret. My buyers can spot a true bargain when presented with one.”

  He paused and looked in Ainsley’s direction. “I mean, two bargains.”

  Buyers? Bargains?

  “What are you talking about? What do you mean, ‘buyers’?”

  Malcolm looked at me again.

  “Oh yes, yes…” he started, inching closer to me. “I forgot to mention… The two of you won’t be staying, not with me anyway. That’s why you’re here, you see. I hadn’t expected to include Ainsley in the transaction but all the better.”

  “What?”

  He ignored me. “You’re not only very beautiful but also quite inquisitive. It’s too bad that you…”

  Before Malcolm could get another word out, one of his henchmen cleared his throat. M
alcolm turned and looked towards him. I followed with my eyes and noticed two men walking towards us. I hadn’t seen either one of them before.

  They came closer to Malcolm, and I got a better look at them. Middle Eastern maybe? I’d seen their kind plenty in the bar over the years. More money than they could spend. Fending off ass grabbers at the Bellagio was one thing — this was something completely different.

  And then, the realization hit me…

  I bolted upright in my chair. Was Malcolm actually selling us to these men? My mouth hung open while I watched him greet the two of them, shaking their hands and exchanging kisses on the cheek. When they finished, all three turned and looked at Ainsley and me.

  I recoiled, too frozen in my chair to even glance at Ainsley.

  The three of them started to walk in our direction. Our would-be buyers chatted with each other in a language I didn’t recognize. The closer they came however, I felt more sure about my suspicions.

  Dark skinned, slicked back hair, and wearing more jewelry than I’d ever seen on men, they leered at us. I felt like I always did at the bar, like eye candy. This time, the difference was I couldn’t call my manager if their flirting crossed the line. This time, I had no idea what would happen.

  Malcolm pointed at me. “What do you think? She’s lovely, isn’t she? I think you gentlemen will find the price we discussed to be quite fair.”

  He stopped talking and gestured in Ainsley’s direction. “Of course, the price I quoted you didn’t include this beauty.”

  One of the men turned and looked at Malcolm, frowning. “How much for both?”

  Malcolm reached up and rubbed his chin with his thumb and forefinger, considering the question.

  “For both of them? Three times the original price seems about right.”

  I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Was this seriously happening? It couldn’t be real. It… It wasn’t. In the midst of my growing panic, Malcolm stepped to one side and gestured for the men to approach us.

  “Even at this higher price, you won’t find a better deal anywhere. Feel free to fondle the merchandise.”

  I felt my eyes widened in their sockets. One of the men walked right up to me. The stench of over applied cologne hit me like a wave of pesticide.

  I glared at him. “Get away from me.”

  “Hey!” Malcolm yelled. “Shut up.”

  Sitting up straight in my seat, I yelled back at him. “No! You lied! You made a promise to Ronan you would turn us over to him.”

  To my surprise, before Malcolm could say a word, Ainsley yelled at him also.

  “You don’t need their filthy money, Malcolm. Why are you dabbling in the flesh trade? Face Ronan like a man. Keep your sorry word for once in your miserable life!”

  Malcolm chuckled, and with a couple of steps forward he positioned himself between the two men. “Excuse us please, gentlemen.”

  The men lingered there for a second or two, staring Ainsley and me up and down before at last turning around and walking away. Once they did, Malcolm approached Ainsley, looking down at her with an ominous expression in his eyes.

  “You’re a conniving bitch, Ainsley. You always have been. I know exactly what you’re trying to do right now. Normally, I wouldn’t allow comments like that to affect my plans, but in this case, you’ve given me a great idea. Thank you.”

  Now what the hell was the psycho doing?

  Staring at Malcolm in disbelief, I watched him finish speaking to Ainsley and then reach inside the coat pocket of his suit. His eyes locked on mine and he raised his index finger to his lips while at the same time pulling out a gun with a large silencer attached to the end of it.

  Malcolm dropped his finger away from his face, arched an eyebrow at me and again, flashed his wicked grin. Turning his back on me, he moved the hand holding the gun behind him and began to walk towards the Middle Easterners.

  “Gentlemen! I’m afraid there’s been a change of plans.”

  I couldn’t help myself. I didn’t want to see one more person die, even if it meant saving freaks like this. “He’s got a gun! He’s got a gun!”

  It was too late. Before either of them could do anything, Malcolm whipped the gun around in front of his body and with two lethal shots killed both of them.

  Holy shit! Holy fucking shit!

  Malcolm stood there in silence, the gun hanging at his side before turning around and facing us again. The warehouse went completely quiet, that is, until he started to walk towards us. The sickening sound of his shoes clapping across the floor echoed in my head.

  “I want to thank you again, Ainsley,” he said, coming closer to us and putting the gun inside of his jacket once more. “You’re right. Killing you in front of Ronan will be far more satisfying than what I had originally had in mind.”

  Ainsley didn’t back down. “You sick bastard. Sick, sick fuck.”

  Ignoring her, Malcolm looked at me. “Now, I know what Ainsley means to Ronan. As for you, I wonder, what are you worth to Dorian?”

  “Don’t say anything to him, Tempest,” Ainsley interrupted, anger in her voice. “He’ll twist your words.”

  Malcolm glanced at her and then looked towards one of his henchmen, snapping his fingers. The man walked across the room when Malcolm pointed at Ainsley.

  “Gag her.”

  Ainsley struggled, but it was no use. In seconds, she’d been silenced. Malcolm stood directly over the top of me, staring me down. Soon, he began to walk around my chair, circling it while he talked.

  “It’s a shame about your fiancé,” he began, disappearing from sight and stopping behind me. “Todd. Wasn’t it?”

  I didn’t answer him. Ainsley’s words of caution stuck in my head. He touched me with his clammy hand on the neck between my ear and shoulder. I flinched, startled by him. He didn’t pull it away, keeping it there while I squirmed.

  “I would think,” he began, gliding his fingertips up and down my skin. “Being so close to the man who was responsible for Todd’s death would be difficult to say the least.”

  He stopped moving. “It seems strange that you wouldn’t want Dorian dead. Don’t you want revenge?”

  I swallowed hard, looking straight ahead, doing my best to control my breathing. His serpent tongue prodded and probed me with venomous words, looking for a vulnerability.

  He pulled his fingers away from my neck and wrapped them around my shoulder. I sensed him close in on me until the heat from his mouth beat against my ear. I shivered, fighting to control my growing panic.

  “Todd was no great loss,” he said, whispering. “I’ll give you that. But, you don’t seem the least bit upset at the mention of his name. I wonder why that is?”

  He pulled away from me and circled around in front of my body. I watched him, never blinking. He stopped, standing directly in front of me. Using his index finger, he pointed at me first, then towards Ainsley and back at me once more.

  “Even more curious — the two of you seem quite close. That’s very unusual. Wouldn’t you agree?”

  I finally had enough. Whatever he was going to do, I just wanted him to get it over with. Squashing my fear, I snapped at him.

  “I would never agree with anything you have to say. Fuck you.”

  He snapped his fingers. “Ahah! That’s it, isn’t it?”

  I glared at him. “What is? I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  Malcolm squatted down in front of me. He stared into my eyes, his dark empty beads looking right through me.

  “You’re fucking Dorian, aren’t you?”

  It took every ounce of strength I had. Still, I didn’t back down. I didn’t look away. I knew if I did, if I showed any sign of weakness, it would only make him more aggressive and emboldened. I’d already seen him kill without regard. There was no telling what he was capable of doing to me, or Ainsley.

  Malcolm didn’t quit. “I’ve seen a lot of fucked up things in my life, Tempest, but fucking your fiancé’s murderer… That’s a whol
e new level of depravity, isn’t it?”

  Clenching my jaw, I straightened my spine. Malcolm stood, a grimy-toothed grin splitting his face in two. “A woman like you… You can’t be trusted.”

  Without a word, Malcolm reached inside of his suit pocket and pulled his pistol out in a flash. He lifted it up in front of his face and stared at it before looking at me again.

  “I think for Dorian’s sake, I should put an end to this sick, twisted relationship the two of you have. Don’t you agree?”

  Before I could say a word, Malcolm shoved the pistol against my forehead, right between my eyes.

  “Uhhnnn, nnnnnnn! Nnnnnnnnn!!!” Ainsley cried out, screaming into her gag and stomping her feet at the same time.

  My entire body began to quiver — no, shake. There wasn’t a single fiber of my being that didn’t think he’d pull the trigger any second.

  Staring at me, he held the gun there, pushing it harder and harder into the flesh of my forehead. I heard the sound of the safety disengage, and taking what I thought would be my last breath, I pinched my eyes shut, squeezing them hard.

  Ainsley continued to cry out, each time screaming with all her might. I couldn’t believe I was about to die, that this is how my life would end. I thought about my mom and my dad. My poor father. Hadn’t life been cruel enough to him?

  Malcolm pushed harder. I shook. Not knowing if it would be the last image I ever held in my mind, I thought of Dorian, about what we’d shared. It hurt to think of it, more than anything else.

  I wanted to hold the feeling in my heart. If it was the last memory I ever had, then so be it. Only, nothing happened. Soon, the pressure of the gun against my head eased. I opened my eyes to see Malcolm stepping back, putting the gun inside of his suit once more.

  “I’ve decided I’m not going to let you off that easy,” he said, making my skin crawl with his ghoulish grin. “For that matter, I won’t let Dorian off that easy, either.”

  20

  Plans (Dorian)

  Ronan finally arrived.

  He entered my office and I stood from my chair, nodding in his direction.

  “Come on in. We don’t have a lot of time. I need to get you up to speed.”