The Billionaire's Step - Complete Series (Forbidden Billionaire Stepbrother Romance)

by Adams, Michaela

  Now in the same town she had just been charged with murder but without the protection of Carlos, Cora knew it was time for her to leave whether she was ready or not.

  And thanks to various shady connections she had met through Carlos and Gloria, she had managed to snag a ride across the border, clutching a handful of forged documents, ready to start anew.

  Five

  “….but this Vilas character didn’t move far. About fifty miles east. On a map, it looks like it’d be a better spot for his smuggling but in actuality, his business has been hurting for the last two years. And he’s gotten quite reckless and vindictive because of it,” Paulson said.

  Holding the phone against his ear with his shoulder, Julian scrolled through the information Paulson had emailed him—copies of police reports, interview transcripts, and even a Wanted ad.

  “What does that mean—vindictive?” Julian asked, as he quickly skimmed over the police report the night Cora was arrested and charged with murder. His Spanish wasn’t perfect but it was enough to be able to know that the report noted bruises and blood on the murderer but nothing about a rape or assault. That wasn’t too surprising, given the town Cora had been in.

  “It means that Vilas has been lashing out on old partners for minor infractions. He’s been erratic on deliveries and strangely paranoid and suspicious with some of his men. And he’s been very paranoid with Gloria.”

  Although Julian now was completely sure that Cora Rámon was actually Karen Denton, it still hit him like a brick to hear Gloria’s name mentioned so casually. That woman had brought mayhem and chaos into countless lives but the most damage she unleashed was on her own daughter.

  “Does he have reason to be paranoid with Gloria?” He wouldn’t put it past Gloria to somehow cross an armed and corrupt drug lord. The woman must’ve been born without any sense of self-preservation.

  “Well,” Paulson said broadly, sounding like he was stretching in his seat. The man had been hard at work trying to piece together Cora’s life. “Now I can’t say for sure. From what I’ve been able to tell, Gloria’s been doing some small deliveries for Vilas for almost going on ten years now. All the deliveries have always been successful. But in the last year or so, she’s failed to make three deliveries. She could’ve been robbed or searched but three times is hard to brush off as a coincidence.” Julian could hear the click of a lighter as Paulson lit a cigarette. “If I were Vilas, I’d be suspicious too.”

  Julian read page after page, gobbling up information of what Cora’s life had been life for the past decade and a half. And with every revelation, his heart broke a little more for her. Life hadn’t just been hard for her. It had been goddamn impossible. The mere fact that Cora had grown into such a determined and well-adjusted woman made Julian’s heart clench in heartbreaking admiration.

  “So does this have any repercussions for Cora?” Fuck Gloria for all he cared. But he wanted to make sure nothing came back to haunt Cora. He would make sure she would be able to finally breathe a breath free of fear and obligation.

  “Just one repercussion. One big one.” Paulson sighed heavily. “It looks like Vilas had made some kind of deal with the arresting police department to free Cora. He would provide them with a small measure of drugs for them to sell. They would obviously still be giving Vilas a cut but in return Vilas would sell the product to them at a much cheaper rate. Well, two weeks ago he rescinded the deal.”

  “He rescinded it? After nearly six years?” Julian asked, surprised.

  “Yep. In retaliation, the police department dragged up Cora’s old charges and put out a warrant for her arrest. They thought that would bring Vilas down to his knees but little did they know that’s exactly what he wanted. Vilas has even helped broadcast the warrant further up Mexico.”

  “Why the fuck is he doing this?” Julian demanded, feeling his fingers curling into enraged fists.

  “Honestly, chief, who the fuck knows? This man has seriously gone a little bonkers and he’s soon on the brink of losing what little of an empire he’s made.” Paulson took a deep drag on his cigarette. Julian could almost imagine the grizzled old PI with a ragged cigarette hanging out from the corner of his mouth. “But one thing is clear, Cora Rámon is a wanted woman in Mexico. And soon as she steps foot there, Carlos Vilas will find her.”

  Six

  “Cora, I need more. I need three grand more,” Gloria said urgently.

  Although she knew her mom couldn’t see it, Cora threw her hands up into the air. “Mom, I already sent you three thousand dollars. I had to take everything in the bank plus max out a credit card to get that money. There’s no other place I can possibly go now to get any more.”

  She could hear Gloria’s agitated breathing on the other end of the phone. This was more than just a missing delivery. Something more serious was happening. “Mom, what’s wrong?”

  Gloria hesitated before sighing and whispering, “Something’s wrong with Carlos.” Another agitated breath. “Something’s been wrong with him for awhile now.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I—I just need some more money, Cora,” Gloria said, a genuine note of desperation entering her voice.

  “But mom,” Cora said, trying to uncover what was unnerving her mother so, “how do you know another three thousand will make it right with Carlos? What if he keeps asking for more? There’s only so much money I can scrounge together. What then?”

  Gloria gave a small frustrated cry. Cora could tell she was trying to keep her voice down. Wherever Gloria was, she didn’t want to be overheard. That alone alarmed Cora.

  After a long pause, Gloria whispered, “I need to get out of here, Cora. I need to get away. But I don’t know how. I can’t do it alone.”

  Cora was only human. She couldn’t help but feel the initial pang of bitterness at Gloria’s words. Who had helped Cora when she had tried to cross the border? Who had protected her or watched over her as she tried to dangerously forge a new life for herself?

  But Cora quickly shook the thought out of her mind. No matter what her feelings, Cora had never been able to let go of the debt she felt she owed her mother when Gloria had helped free her from prison. Cora had very narrowly escaped life in a Mexican prison where women inmates were routinely raped and abused. She just couldn’t ignore such a debt even against all the terrible things her mother had done.

  And if now Gloria was thinking about leaving Carlos, that meant she was frightened of something. Carlos offered luxury, comfort, and most of all protection. To leave all that meant Gloria would rather take her chances on the dangerous and cutthroat streets again. Something was seriously wrong.

  “What do you mean by ‘leave,’ mom?” Cora asked cautiously. From what Cora remembered of the man, Carlos was a very possessive person. He would not let any thing—person or not—go without a fight. “Where do you want to go?”

  “To the north. To the States. Any fucking place but here,” Gloria whispered. Now that she had voiced these dangerous thoughts aloud, it seemed like there was no stopping her. “I just have to get away from here. Carlos is just getting too crazy and if I stay, I don’t know what’ll happen to me.”

  Cora’s eyes widened at this. Of course she had always realized that there would be substantial risks in engaging in a relationship with a drug lord, which is why Cora had always chosen to keep a safe distance away. Her mother, on the other hand, had thrown herself head over heels into Carlos’s waiting lap. But after so many years of relative calm, Cora had just assumed that Gloria must’ve secured quite a safe position within Carlos’s heart.

  It looked like she was wrong.

  And it sounded like Gloria was now afraid for her life. Cora remembered the cold prison cell and the taunting guards. She remembered how one of the officers had given her ass a painful squeeze as he tossed her into the cell with a promise of more to come.

  Cora owed Gloria.

  “Mom, I can come down. I can’t help with money but I can help try and get you to sa
fety,” Cora said slowly. She hadn’t set foot in Mexico in years and had no particular desire to ever again. But if Gloria was in trouble, she would go.

  “No!” Gloria said suddenly. “No! You can’t come! Definitely not now!”

  Cora was brought short. “Definitely not now? What does that mean?”

  Gloria hesitated. “Just—I mean, you just need to send me more money. That will help.”

  Cora shook her head. “Mom, I really don’t have any more money. And there isn’t anyone I can borrow money from.” Julian’s face quickly flashed through her mind. “The only thing I can offer you is for me to come down there and help you.”

  There was a long pause.

  Finally, Gloria took a deep breath. “Okay, fine. Come find me, Cora.”

  Seven

  “I think you’ll be doing just fine on your own when I leave,” Trisha said with only the slightest note of pride in her normally reserved voice.

  Cora looked up distractedly then gave the woman a quick smile. She appreciated Trisha’s training and wanted to make sure the woman knew it before she left. But Cora was still so distracted from her mother’s phone call.

  If she left for Mexico, she didn’t know how long she would be gone. She had only just gotten the job at JB Enterprises. It would be extremely unprofessional to leave now for an unknown amount of time.

  Besides, Cora realized, she didn’t know if Julian would grant her the absence anyway. He had maintained his aloof manner towards her even in the office. He still greeted her and was quite vocal during their professional meetings but outside of that, he was just always a little removed and distant. She could feel him watching her and calculating something in his head. She only wondered what it could be.

  She had worked so hard to build a life not only in New York but in America. If she left for Mexico now, she wasn’t sure what she would return to. Certainly not this job at JB Enterprises. She was positive Julian would fire her as soon as she asked for any kind of time off.

  But there was no way that Cora could live with having Gloria’s blood on her hands and if she really was in that kind of mortal danger, Cora needed to do something.

  As Cora carefully filed away some contracts that needed signing before the end of the day, she began to realize perhaps this distance between herself and Julian was a blessing in disguise.

  With Gloria in trouble, the last thing Cora wanted was to drag Julian down with her. Nobody deserved that kind of baggage and drama and Cora felt shame at the idea of Julian even having a hint of the kind of background she came from. She would’ve been torn and heartbroken at the idea of choosing between Julian and her mother. At least this way, there was no choice. The choice had already been made for her.

  As Cora continued her gloomy ruminations, the large office door opened. Julian stepped out in an immaculate dark gray suit. He looked so good it made Cora’s chest hurt. She immediately stood up, smoothing out her skirt.

  “Mr. Benedict, is there something that I—”

  “I’d like you to have dinner with me tonight, if you’re free,” he said swiftly, pinning her with his steely dark gaze.

  Cora’s mouth hung open, completely at a loss for words. Shaking herself, she nodded and said, “Of course, sir. But do—”

  Julian nodded. “I’ll pick you up at seven o’clock then,” he said before quickly walking towards the elevator.

  Cora suddenly forgot why any distance between them would be a good distance. All she could see was his broad back and her fantasy of being able to press her face against it, hugging him close and never letting go.

  As Julian rode down the elevator, he felt crackling energy run through his body like a live wire. Tonight he would confront Cora. Tonight he would reveal everything.

  In any other circumstance, he might’ve tried to take his time in opening Cora up to him but now with her situation being more dire and immediate, he wanted to make sure she knew who she could depend on. He wanted her to know she had protection.

  As the elevator opened on the ground floor, Julian strode out with a determined and set face.

  Ready or not, Karen, you’re going to be meeting the real Julian Benedict tonight.

  And he’s been waiting a long time for you.

  Eight

  “More wine?”

  Cora’s head snapped up from her decadently plated, half eaten salmon and Dijon mustard sauce.

  Julian lifted the bottle of red wine a little higher, in question. Cora gave a quick nod and he poured her another inch of wine.

  Since picking her up and arriving at the restaurant, Julian could tell Cora was nervous. He wasn’t quite sure why though. He knew she had been confused the last few days by his behavior towards her. To be fair though, he had also been quite confused as to how to behave around her as well.

  But there something more than just confusion. He could see from the way she nervously chewed her bottom lip and darted her eyes about that there was something else worrying her.

  Had she somehow come to the same conclusion he had? Did she know why they were having dinner?

  Only one way to find out.

  Julian pushed forward his nearly empty plate. “Do you remember when we were leaving Paris, I mentioned my father?” he started, slowly gauging her reaction.

  Cora looked surprised by his choice of topic but nodded in response.

  Julian continued. “He was quite a brilliant engineer. Created patents for a lot of inventions that actually helped start JB Enterprises.”

  Cora’s brow creased quizzically. “But I thought you started JB Enterprises.”

  Julian indulged in a wry smile. “I did,” he said. “But I started my company on a lot of patents my father had created but had never implemented. He died only a few years after his second wife left him.”

  “I’m sorry,” Cora murmured, a look of genuine sympathy on her face. How Julian longed to pull her into his arms and kiss her. Regardless of how distant he had been with her, he had not for one minute forgotten the passion that they had shared together in Paris. Nothing about Cora’s past had changed his feelings for her. If anything, they had only heightened them.

  Trying to remain focused, Julian nodded his acknowledgment of her condolences. “He didn’t handle heartbreak well. He let himself wallow and really just unravel. For several years, I was quite sure that every time I would come home from school, I would find him dead from alcohol poisoning.”

  Cora made a sound of sympathy. His heart tightened to see how real her concern for him was. After the hardships she had endured, she still had the capacity to hold empathy for others. It made it hard for Julian to really focus on what he wanted to say. It was as if the weeks of self-imposed distancing had finally come to a head. All he could think about was holding her, kissing her—just being with her.

  “I-I understand the hardships a parent can cause,” Cora said softly, completely surprising Julian. Was she about to reveal herself to him?

  “I’ve had a hard relationship with my mother for many years,” Cora continued, dragging her fork through the Dijon mustard sauce. “Because of our troubled relationship, there were a lot of times where I felt…alone.”

  God, Julian just wanted to slap Gloria for the pain she had caused her own child. He tried to consciously relax the tenseness within his body. Showing rage would be the worst thing he could do on a night like this.

  Cora slowly raised her head, her eyes shimmering with a sheen of tears. “That’s why I was so happy that night in Paris,” she said in a whisper. “For the first time in years, I didn’t feel alone.”

  That was it. His heart was both breaking and on fire for her. He must hold this beautiful, daring, broken woman or be damned.

  Julian raised his hand. “Check, please.”

  For the first time in his life, Julian brought a woman back to his home. But Cora barely had time to appreciate the beautifully decorated penthouse apartment. Julian had crushed her against him, kissing her thoroughly, as soon as they had entered th
e doorway.

  Without regard to anything else, Julian lifted her into his arms and carried her into the large and spacious bedroom. He lowered her gently onto the bed, stretching himself over her.

  Cora wanted to moan in pleasure just from the sheer relief in having Julian’s hands on her again. How good it felt to have his strong body pin her down and hold her.

  With expert skill, Julian quickly stripped her till she was just in her lace bra and panties. Pushing the cups down, he propped her creamy breasts on the wire and lowered his head, sucking hard on each nipple till Cora’s toes curled.

  He plunged a hand down her panties and Cora moaned once his fingers touched her soaking pussy. She couldn’t believe the effect of Julian’s body was just as potent as she remembered. Her body was aflame with desire.

  A thick finger stroked hard down her cleft, making Cora arch. Julian sucked on a nipple as he pressed a finger against her engorged clit. Cora was sure she would be driven mad by want. Every place he touched her made her skin tingle and burn until her entire body felt like it would melt from her sheer arousal.

  Suddenly, Julian pulled away his hand from her pussy and grabbed both her wrists. Pinning her arms up above her head with one hand, Julian pulled her legs into one of his, completely trapping her to the bed.

  Cora looked up, wondering what the man could possibly be up to. She was practically squirming for more and he was just lying next to her, pinning her against him.

  But the sight of Julian’s face nearly took her breath away. A mixture of stern tenderness darkened his chiseled face. Brushing a thumb against her lips, he said, “I want you to listen to something I want to tell you.” His lips twitched a little hollowly. “I keep trying to tell you something but you keep distracting me with your goddamn face. You’re a genuine heartbreaker, Cora.”

  Cora smiled but looked up nervously. He seemed quite serious despite his teasing compliment.

  “I changed my name when I started JB Enterprises,” Julian started, brushing a hand against Cora’s cheek. “It was a bit of a vindictive act. I was ashamed of my father. He had been so blind, so greedy, that he had let a lot of people suffer for the sake of his own happiness. I didn’t want to be associated with such a man. So I took my mother’s maiden name, Benedict.”