“Totally.”
“Wouldn’t the bank already be on it?”
I shrugged. “Probably. They’ll follow their protocols and proper procedures. I’m better and faster, though.” I chuckled.
He lowered his voice, making it sound like Al Pacino in Scarface. “Don’t fuck with you, eh?”
I chuckled. “There’re lots more where they came from. But if I stop one group, it’s at least something. Helping Becca was what mattered. They had all her information. She would have had credit cards in her name piling up the debt and God knows what else. It would have taken years for her to recover from it.”
“You risked your freedom to prevent that. Do you know how huge that is, Reid? I told Maddox, and he was furious with you, although he understood.”
I wiped my hand over my face, exhaustion setting in. “Yeah, there were a lot of texts. I ignored them. I’ll deal with them when I get back.”
“I’ll drive you to the hotel.”
“I’d appreciate that.”
We were silent on the drive. He pulled up in front of the building, shifting into park. He looked over at me. “Get some sleep, and we’ll talk when you’re more coherent.”
“I’ll call when I get home.”
He shook his head. “We’ll talk before that. Trust me.”
I opened the door, too tired to argue. He drove away, and I trudged inside, leaning heavily against the wall of the elevator.
Silence greeted me when I entered the room. The atmosphere felt as heavy as my footsteps while I stumbled into the bedroom, planning to fall face-first onto the bed. I needed sleep so I could think clearly. Prepare for the next step.
Nothing prepared me for the sight of Becca sitting on the bed, reclined against the headboard.
I gaped at her. “What are you doing here, Becca?”
She raised her chin. “Where else should I be, Reid?”
“With your father or Katy.” I closed my weary eyes. “Not with me.”
“My father is my family, Reid. Katy is my friend.”
I opened my eyes and frowned, not following her train of thought. “Okay?”
She tilted her head. “They’re important, but they aren’t you, Reid.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You were wrong earlier.”
I laughed bitterly. “I was wrong about a lot of things, Becca. Care to enlighten me?”
“You said I didn’t have to choose. But you were wrong. I did have to choose.”
My heart rate picked up. “And?”
Her voice quivered. “I choose you.”
Reid
I woke, surrounded by the feel of Becca’s arms around me, her soft skin under my cheek and her fingers drifting up and down my back. For a moment, I was convinced it was a dream, but I lifted my head and met her tired blue gaze.
“Hi, BB.” I sounded sleepy.
“Hey.”
“You’re here.”
“There isn’t anywhere else I want to be.”
Frowning, I cleared my throat. After Becca had dropped her bombshell, she had insisted I come to bed. I pleaded for five minutes and grabbed a hot shower, needing to loosen the tense muscles in my neck and back. The aching soreness had set in from hours of hunching over the keyboard in the cold temperature of the server room at The Gavin Group.
When I stepped back into our room, Becca was waiting. She lifted the covers, and I slid in beside her. Immediately, she pulled me to her body, encouraging me to lay my head on her chest, then wrapped her arms around me. I sank into her warmth, the feel of her against me better than any shower in the world.
“I don’t understand what’s happening,” I confessed.
She pressed a kiss to my head. “Sleep. We’ll talk when you wake up.”
I could feel the pull of exhaustion hitting me harder than ever. My body relaxed, and my eyes drifted shut. I struggled to get the words out.
“I fixed it, Becca. Just the way I promised.”
“I know,” she whispered. “I know, Reid. Sleep.”
“Where is your father?” I asked with a grimace, sitting up and grabbing a bottle of water from the nightstand, draining it in long swallows.
She leaned against the headboard. “At his place. No doubt stewing over our argument and grumbling about what a failure of a father he is.”
“No, he did a great job as a father—you’re amazing. It’s being a decent, nonjudgmental human being he’s rather shit at,” I said without thinking.
Her eyes grew round, and I grappled to apologize. “Shit, I shouldn’t have said that.”
She shook her head. “You’re right, though. We had the biggest fight ever after you left. I didn’t hold back, and I told him how ashamed I was of what he said to you.” She reached for my hand. “I owe you an apology. I never should have listened to him, and I shouldn’t have let you walk away.”
I lifted one shoulder. It had hurt, but I understood. “He’s your dad.”
“And you’re my forever.”
I turned slightly, facing her. “Yeah?”
She cupped my cheek, her fingers moving restlessly on my skin. “Yeah. You walking away made me realize how selfless you were being. The exact opposite of my dad, who was being self-righteous and rude.”
“What happened? I asked.
“We argued. I told him what I thought of his behavior and how angry I was at myself that I had let you think I doubted you. He pointed out you had walked away. I informed him you had sacrificed your feelings so I didn’t have to make an impossible choice. That, above all else, proved to me how much you really loved me. I told him if he couldn’t see that, we had nothing else to talk about.” She sighed and ran a hand through her hair, pushing back the messy waves from her face. “It got loud and ugly, and I walked out.”
“I’m sorry, BB.”
She shook her head. “No, I am, Reid. I should have listened to you right away. I should have told my dad off big-time the first day. I regret bringing you here.” She sighed. “If you still want to leave today, we can.”
“No. I want you to show me the city. All the places you love. Meet your friends for dinner the way we planned.” I took her hand in mine. “I assume Richard knows what happened between you and your dad?”
She sighed, her fingers tightening within mine. “Yes. I was so upset, I called Katy, and she came and got me. We took the girls for a walk and ice cream, then she drove me to the office.”
“Wait. You were there?”
“Yes. I watched you for a while, and I got you a sandwich and coffee. I asked Richard to give it to you. He drove me back to the hotel.”
“Why didn’t you come into the room?”
“I watched you for over an hour, but you never noticed me. You were in the zone. I didn’t want to disturb you. I came here to wait, and Richard went to see my dad. He told him off—again.”
“Wow.”
“So, we need to take a cab to get the car.”
“Are you going to go up and see your dad?”
“No. We both need to cool off. We said things—harsh things. Today is only for you and me.” She met my eyes, her gaze anxious. “If you want that?”
“I want.” I grazed her cheek with my knuckles. “I think we had our first fight, BB.”
Her sigh was shaky. “It was a big one.”
“But we’re here. Together.”
“Yeah.”
“And you love me.”
A tear ran down her face. “So much, Reid. I’m so sorry—”
I laid a finger on her lips, silencing her. “It’s okay.” I edged closer. “You know what, Becca?”
“What?”
“I have another first for us.”
“Our fight?”
I shook my head, quirking my eyebrow. I’d had enough of heavy and the pressure of the last several hours. “Make-up sex. I heard it’s epic.”
A smile crossed her face. She crawled onto my lap and cupped my cheeks. Her mouth hovered over mine.
“I’ll make sure of it.”
* * *
“Oh God, Becca,” I groaned. “You need to stop.”
She met my eyes, slowly sliding her mouth off my cock. “Really?” she murmured. “You want me to stop doing this?”
I pressed my head into the softness of the pillow. “I can’t even watch you. You look so sexy with my cock in your mouth, I’m going to come right now.”
“That’s the plan.” She slid her mouth down my shaft, her tongue doing that teasing, twisting thing to it, which drove me crazy and brought me back to the edge.
“Jesus,” I hissed, unable to keep my hips from propelling upward, trying to get close to the source of pleasure. I fisted my hands in the sheets. “Becca, baby. Let me be inside you, please.”
After one long, final lick, she pulled herself over me, straddling my hips. “Like this?”
Her heat was right there. Barely skimming the head of my cock. Tormenting me. “Yes.”
She leaned back, bracing her arms on my thighs, and sank down. Slowly. Easing herself onto my cock inch by torturous inch. Until we were flush. Until I was surrounded by her.
“Oh God, Reid. You feel so good inside me.” She moaned.
“Becca—”
Her voice dropped, her fingers clutching my skin. “Fuck me, Reid. I want you to fuck me.”
I loved hearing her say what she wanted.
And I loved fucking her.
Rising up, I gripped her hips, pushing her back on the bed, sinking farther inside her. She gasped at the feel of me. I groaned at the feel of her.
Then I gave her what she wanted. Fast strokes, hard pumps, pounding my hips into hers, making her grip me close, crying out my name. I lifted her legs to my shoulders, driving deeper. Harder. Hitting the spot that would push her over the edge.
She moaned and arched. Met my thrusts, cried my name. Her nails dug into my biceps, the slight pain only driving me higher. Nothing mattered in the moment. Nothing outside this room, this woman, was important.
Only her. Only the sensation of being lost with her.
There was no other place I wanted to be.
My orgasm hit me. Unexpected. Hard. A tsunami of ecstasy that tightened my balls, lit up my nerves, and shook my body. I roared her name, feeling her stiffen around me, her release spurring mine to lengthen and grow until I could barely breathe. Until I collapsed on her chest, spent. Unable to move except to press my lips to her damp skin and murmur her name repeatedly.
Finally, I slipped from her and rolled, keeping her close. Our ragged breathing calmed, the heat of our skin cooled, and I dragged a blanket over us, not wanting her to get cold.
“You,” she mumbled, her lips on my throat. “You are a fucking sex god.”
I chuckled.
“I had no idea you were going to become like this.”
“Like this?” I asked, curious.
“So good,” she replied. I could feel her smile on my skin. “You’re so good at sex.”
“I think you mean we’re good.” I dropped a kiss to her head. “Together.”
“Insatiable.”
“I need to make up for lost time. I figure in another five years, I should be good. By then, we can go at it once or twice a day, and I’ll be satisfied.”
She laughed, kissing my chest and lifting her head. “You’re the most amazing lover I’ve ever had, Reid.”
I narrowed my eyes. “I’m the last lover you’ll ever have, Becca.”
“Okay,” she whispered. “I’m good with that.”
I cupped her cheek. “I mean it. No matter what. Promise me we’ll find our way back to each other.”
“Always.” She drew in a deep breath. “I’ll always choose you, Reid.”
I brought her mouth to mine. “I know, BB. I know.”
* * *
Becca was finishing in the shower when my phone rang with an unknown number. Wary, I answered. “Reid Matthews.”
“Reid, it’s, ah, it’s Gerald. Gerald Holden.” He hesitated. “Rebecca’s father.”
“I know who you are, Gerald,” I replied dryly. “How did you get my number?”
“Richard gave it to me.”
I reminded myself to kick Richard’s ass the next time I saw him—which would be tomorrow.
“What do you want?”
“So much for the niceties, I suppose,” he muttered. “Are you still here? In Victoria?”
“Yes.”
“I need to ask a favor of you.”
Becca walked into the room, a towel wrapped around her body. Water glistened on her skin, her hair a dark mass of waves draped over her shoulders. She walked toward the closet to get some clothes as I listened, my eyes following her movements. She was pretty and graceful. I loved watching her move.
I realized he was waiting for a response. “Well, this should be good. What can I do for you, Gerald?”
At her father’s name, Becca’s head snapped up. Frowning, she held out her hand as she stomped across the room. I tried not to laugh at her anger, shaking my head and holding up my finger to stop her.
“I would like you to bring my daughter and come see me today.” He cleared his throat. “If that isn’t asking too much.”
“Wouldn’t it save us all a lot of time and grief if you just berated me over the phone? Listed my faults and the reasons for your intense dislike while I shaved or something?” I stood and paced the room, frustrated. “That way, you get what you want, and I can feel as though I’ve accomplished something while being told what a loser I am and how I will never be good enough for your daughter.” I barked out a laugh. “The added bonus is I can spare Becca listening to your venom. So, why don’t we do that, Gerald? You can start anywhere you want. Maybe alphabetically would be good. A is always a good place to start. I’ll even help you. Ass. I’m an ass for speaking to my girl’s father this way, but hey, it’s exactly what you expect of a bastard like me, right? Look—I already gave you B. You can carry on with C now. I imagine coward will be at the top of your list. Or maybe you have a better word. Go ahead. Hit me.”
I sucked in some much-needed oxygen after my diatribe. Becca gaped at me from across the room. There was complete silence on the other end of the phone.
Then he started to laugh. Big, loud guffaws. I pulled the phone from my ear, wondering what the hell was going on. Finally, his laughter died and he spoke.
“Reid, I’m asking. I’ll beg if you want. Give me fifteen minutes.”
I looked across to Becca. Her brow was furrowed, her eyes fixed on the bundle of clothing in her hands. She wasn’t going to ask me to do anything I didn’t want to do, even though she was torn. I could see that from her body language.
“Fine. You get your fifteen minutes. Unless I get fed up and walk out.”
“Thank you.”
“And I’ll be taking Becca with me this time.”
“Understood.”
I hung up and tossed my phone on the bed. “We’re going to see your dad before we go sight-seeing.”
Becca’s eyes glowed in the room. “I love you, Reid Matthews. You’re a good man.”
I stomped across the room. “Whatever. I want breakfast first. I prefer to have my character torn apart on a full stomach.”
I stopped at the door, turning.
“And that includes pancakes. A huge stack of them.”
She nodded, a soft smile lighting her face. “Okay.”
* * *
I shifted uncomfortably in my chair. The pancakes, bacon, and eggs I had wolfed down were weighing heavily on me, and I wondered if perhaps we should have held off eating until after her father spoke his mind. Again.
Beside me, Becca sighed. The grip she had on my hand tightened. She leaned forward. “You asked us here, Dad. What did you want to say to Reid?”
If it were possible, Gerald Holden looked more uncomfortable than I did. His shoulders were stooped, and he looked older than yesterday. Not so intimidating.
Or maybe he looked that way be
cause I no longer gave a shit.
He cleared his throat. “I owe you an apology, Reid.”
“You owe your daughter one as well.”
He frowned but nodded. “I was out of line yesterday.”
“Which part?” I snorted. “There were so many insults; I don’t know which was worse.”
Becca squeezed my hand, and I scrubbed my face with my free hand. “Sorry. I guess I’m angrier than I thought I was.”
Gerald leaned back. “You have every right to be. I apologize for all of it. The insults and innuendos, even the outright hostility.”
“Why?”
“I beg your pardon?” he asked.
“Why are you apologizing? Do you mean it, or is it simply to get back into Becca’s good books?”
Our eyes locked; mine challenging and defiant, his wary and sad. He shook his head. “I mean it. I’m an old man, Reid. Stuck in his ways, as Rebecca has pointed out. Cantankerous and pigheaded, as Richard stated.” He passed a hand over his head. “I have always been overprotective of Rebecca. I know that. Yesterday, I was—” he paused as if searching for the right word “—wrong. I was wrong to judge you. Becca says I’m too black and white, and she’s right. I was that way on the job. I had to be. I’ve seen so many things, witnessed so much bad stuff—”
I held up my hand, my eyes narrowing in anger. “And I haven’t? I was stuck in prison for four years. I saw plenty of things that still haunt my dreams. I’ve had to handle the rejection my past mistakes cause me time and again. I can’t escape it, and I probably never will. Don’t use your job as an excuse. You simply decided not to like me.” When he didn’t deny it, I kept talking. “I will tell you something, though—I was questioned, handcuffed, and put in jail, and those cops still showed me more respect than you did yesterday.” I jabbed my finger into my thigh in vexation. “I would never do anything to hurt Becca the way you did. She comes first. She has from the moment I met her.”
“He treats me so well, Dad,” Becca interjected. “I’ve never been happier.”
“I can see that.”
I didn’t respond. He’d asked me there, so it was his time to speak.
“I acted appallingly, and I said things I shouldn’t have. Made assumptions based on my history, rather than the person standing in front of me.” He straightened his shoulders. “I was wrong about you.”
Vested Interest Box Set Books 4-7 Page 22
