He led her to a table already full of people. To her, everyone was staring at her. She didn’t know if that was true, or just her insecurities. She sat and smiled at everyone as Colton introduced her.
“You want a drink?” Colton asked.
Maybe something to calm her nerves. “Some red wine would be fine.”
“Maybe a Zinfandel?”
“Sure.”
Not that she would know the difference. Colton left to get her drink. The conversation flowed around her until someone asked her a pointed question.
“What do you do?”
She didn’t know which person asked. On her lips was “waitress,” but she wasn’t that anymore. “I’m a model.”
They all nodded as if not surprised. Did Colton often bring models here? Maybe he did and she wasn’t as special to him as she thought. Was he only being nice to her son because he wanted to sleep with her?
Feeling out of her element brought out her insecurities. About everything. Would she know the right knife to pick up? The right fork to use? There was only one knife, but there were three forks. Crap.
Colton came back with her drink and she resisted the urge to finish it in one swallow. Instead, she sipped delicately.
“Would you like to dance?” Colton said.
“Uh, sure.”
He took her hand. He brought her to the dance floor and moved her around it like an expert.
“You seem tense.”
“I’m feeling a little out of my league here?”
“League?”
“I’m a poor girl from the Bronx.”
“No one cares about that. You’re here now. And with me.”
“Do you often bring your models to these things?”
“Where is that coming from?”
“When someone asked me what I did, I told them I was a model. They nodded knowingly.”
He shrugged. “I’ve probably brought a model or two. It’s my lifestyle. That’s who are in the same social circles as I am. They would be my dating pool.”
Made sense and he did put her at ease. A little. He whispered into her ear. “Don’t worry so much. I’m happy you’re here and that’s all that matters.”
He was right.
The song ended and they headed back to the table. She looked at her phone and realized that Shalia had called. “I better call her back.”
***
Colton glance around. Ellyn seemed to be gone for a while so he went out to find her. He found her in the front entrance. She was holding the phone close to her ear. “Call the cops,” she said He stopped in front of her, his brow knit. He waited until she hung up. “What’s wrong? Is it Derek?”
“Something like that. I need to get home. Now!”
His heart raced. What was wrong? Why did she need the cops?
She brushed past him. He grabbed her arm. “I’m going with you.”
“No need. It’s my problem.”
“It’s mine, too, if it’s about Derek.” He pulled out his phone. “Let me call Paul. He shouldn’t be far.”
“I’ll be there in ten minutes, boss,” Paul said, when he answered.
“Try to make it less than that.” Colton hung up. “I’ll get our coats.”
“This is your thing. You don’t have to leave. Let Paul drive me home.”
“No. Now, tell me what’s going on?”
She looked around. “Not here. When we get in the car.”
“Okay. Stay here. I’ll be right back.”
He strode to the coat check area and retrieved their coats. Ellyn was still standing in the hallway, her eyes darting around. What could have her so upset? he thought. Is Derek sick? Has someone broken in?
He doubted that. It was a high security building. How could anyone get in?
Paul pulled up in front of the hotel. Colton opened the door for her and Ellyn slid into the vehicle. Colton sat next to her, taking her hand. “Tell me what’s going on?”
Ellyn glanced out the window as if not being able to make eye contact with him. “I’ve never told you about Derek’s father.”
“I saw it as none of my business. I figured you would tell me when you wanted to,” he said.
He’d been curious, but he didn’t want to pry. Of course he could have used his resources to find out who was listed on Derek’s birth certificate. He’d chosen to respect Ellyn’s privacy.
“His name is Chance and he’s in jail. Well, was in jail. He got out on some early release program.”
In jail. He hadn’t wanted to assume that. To say he was surprised was a lie. She’d never spoken of him and if he’d died, she would have said that. “Go on.”
“He showed up at the apartment. Well, at the building. He didn’t get in, but he made a stink.”
“How did he find you?”
“Shalia thinks he might have followed her.”
“He didn’t get in, right?”
“No, he didn’t, but Derek figured out that his father was downstairs and he almost ran out. Shalia was able to corral him.”
“Shouldn’t he be in bed?”
“Shalia lets him stay up a little later than I do. It’s okay. I don’t have to get him up in the morning for school,” Ellyn said.
She was trembling so he took her in his arms. “We’ll work this out, Ellyn. I promise.”
“It’s not so simple.”
“Nothing is, but there is always a solution. Let’s work together. Don’t shut me out.”
She rested her chin on his chest. “Are you for real?”
“What do you mean?”
“Why haven’t you turned tail and run?”
“Because I don’t back down from a problem.”
“You don’t see obstacles, do you?”
He laughed. “No Ellyn, I don’t. And you shouldn’t either. We’ll figure out what to do. I assume he wanted to see Derek?”
“Probably.”
“Did Shalia know if he’s still there?”
“The doorman said he was hanging around.”
“Okay, then we’ll have to be quick about getting out of the limousine.”
“There is no use in avoiding him. He’ll just keep trying. He’s pretty persistent,” she said.
“The cops can’t do much if he’s on the sidewalk. That’s public property,” he said.
There was a solution. He had to find it before they go to the building. He was beginning to think of Ellyn and Derek as his and would protect them with all of his resources. No two-bit criminal was going to take that away from him.
“Your jaw is set. What are you going to do?” Ellyn asked.
“I don’t know, but I’ll think of something.”
“Just let me talk to him.”
“Not without me.”
“I’m not in danger.”
“Still. I’m not leaving you alone with him,” Colton said. “No arguments.”
She sighed. “Okay. Fine.”
Paul pulled up to the building. “Let me get out first,” Colton said.
He did and spotted who he thought was probably Chance. He could probably get Ellyn into the building without the man seeing her, but he was going to trust her decision to speak to the father of her child.
But only so far.
He ducked his head back in. “I think he’s here.”
“You need me to stick around?” Paul said.
“No, I think we’ll be fine. You have a good night, Paul,” Colton said.
Ellyn climbed out, then Paul drove away. She squared her shoulders, and Colton squeezed her hand. “I’m right here.
The man approached Ellyn, eyeing Colton at the same time.
“Ellyn.”
“Chance.”
“You look good.”
So far so good.
“Can we talk alone?” the man said.
Ellyn glanced at Colton. He shook his head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“No, Chance. Say what you have to say.”
CHAPTER 12
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Ellyn swallowed. She really didn’t want to speak to Chance alone, but she didn’t know what her resources were. She hadn’t thought about when he would be released, because that date should have been far in the future.
Now he was here. Intruding on her new life. She had Colton by her side, but this was her fight. Her mistake, though she’d never regretted Derek for a minute. She regretted that Chance was his father.
Never more than this moment.
She stood on the street between her past and her future. Not that she thought Colton was her future, but he represented what could be her future. Chance was not only her past, but her past mistakes. When she’d been young and foolish.
Chance glanced at Colton, then back to Ellyn. “I want to talk alone. About our son.”
“Talk here, or not at all,” she said.
He frowned. “I want to see my son.”
“That doesn’t mean you can just come barging in here. I had no idea you were out,” she said. “I have no problem with you seeing Derek, but you can’t come disrupt his life.”
“Disrupt? I’m his father.”
“And it is past his bedtime. I bet Shalia had a heck of a time getting him back to bed,” Ellyn said. “If you want to be a parent, fine, but you need to actually be a parent and that means you put his need above your own.”
“I don’t appreciate a lecture on how to be a parent,” Chance said.
Ellyn sighed. She didn’t want to fight, but she was damned if she was going to back down. “Then act like one. It’s late. We can discuss this in the morning. I’ll meet you somewhere.”
“Without your white boy bodyguard?”
“If I so choose, yes,” Ellyn said.
Colton squeezed her hand. She squeezed back. She didn’t want him to say anything.
“You come back to the Bronx,” Chance said. “You meet me at the playground down from where you live. With Derek.”
“Not with Derek. We work out the arrangements without him.”
“I want to see him,” Chance said.
He’d never wanted to spend this much time with her son before he was in jail. What was his angle? “No Derek until we work out custody.”
“Custody. Big damn word,” Chance said.
Ellyn could feel Colton seething next to her, but this was her fight. Not his. Her son. Her ex-lover. He didn’t need to ride in and make it all better.
“It is a big damn word and I’ve paid my dues to say it. I’ve been there from the beginning. With no help from you so I get to set the ground rules.”
“So that’s it? That’s my choice? Do what you say or what?”
“Or we’ll do it in the courts,” she said.
She had some money for a lawyer now. She would use it for this.
He frowned. “Fine. Tomorrow. One in the afternoon.”
He stomped away and she let out a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding.
“You okay?” Colton said.
She took a few deep breaths, while they stood on the sidewalk. “I am.”
“I don’t want you to go by yourself tomorrow.”
“That’s not your decision to make. Besides, I need you to take care of Derek.”
She saw the confusion cross his face. “Don’t go.”
“Colton. It’s not your decision to make. If he’s out of jail, I need to hash this out with him.”
“You’re going to let him see Derek?”
“He’s the father. He has rights.”
“But what kind of influence will he be?”
She pressed her lips together. “He’s Derek’s father.”
“I think you should talk to a lawyer.”
She waved a hand at him. “I will if we cannot come to an agreement tomorrow.”
She could see Colton’s frown in the light of the streetlamp. Tough. This was her problem.
“You have to protect yourself, Ellyn. Talk to a lawyer before you make any arrangements.”
Striding into the building, she didn’t want to discuss it. She crossed her arms while she was waiting for the elevator. Colton stood in front of her.
“Colton. Stop. It’ll be okay. I can handle Chance.”
“You’re afraid of him. Don’t deny it. You were trembling while you were speaking to him.”
She had been, but now she felt empowered. “I’ll be fine.” The elevator doors opened and she stepped in. “Good night, Colton.”
He followed her on. “I’m taking you all the way to your door. That’s what a gentleman does.”
She sighed. “Fine.”
Leaning against the opposite wall from him, she refused to make eye contact. Finally the elevator brought her to her floor. “Good night, Colton.”
He looked like a lost puppy dog. “You aren’t going to invite me in?”
“Why?”
He frowned. He clearly did not have an answer. “I guess it’s good night, then.”
“Did you think you were spending the night?”
“I had hoped to spend part of the night,” he said.
She sighed. A good bout of hot sex might just put her in a better mood. “Then come in.”
His smile lit up the whole hallway. “You won’t regret it.”
She doubted she would. Colton was an expert lover. She just had to keep her heart safe from him. That would get broken for sure.
***
Derek was asleep. Shalia was gone. Ellyn stood in the kitchen, eating leftover pizza. They’d missed dinner because of Chance.
He wasn’t missing out on sex because of her ex, especially because Ellyn could make pizza eating look sexy. In her fancy dress and bare feet, she held the slice out so it wouldn’t drip on her.
He couldn’t help smiling. Even if she was a little mad at him. He was staking his territory and frankly he didn’t want another man usurping what was his. That would include Derek, too. He didn’t care that Chance was Derek’s biological father. Colton could give him so much more.
And he would. He would be there for the boy. Not in jail.
Colton would bet that eventually Chance would be back in jail. He chose not to share these thoughts with Ellyn. Might not make her too happy that he wasn’t optimistic about Chance’s future.
He was optimistic about his own future.
Especially his short-term one.
Ellyn finished her pizza. He’d only eaten one slice. He wasn’t hungry for food. He was hungry for Ellyn.
He stalked across the kitchen to stand in her personal space. She looked up at him, her eyes dark with passion. For him. Only him.
He kissed her, wanting to mark her. Wanting her to know that she was his. He didn’t own her, but she was his and his alone. He wanted only the best for her, to make her happy.
Her lips were soft and warm and just what he wanted. And so much more. He wanted to be inside of her. He wanted to show her how he felt and his commitment to her.
“Ellyn?”
“Yeah?”
He nipped down her neck. “Can I keep doing this?”
“Please do.”
He was only being polite by asking. He wasn’t planning on stopping. Nope. He was all in. All. In. He’d never been that way with anyone.
He scooped her up and she squealed a little. “I can walk.”
“I know. I like to carry you.”
She was light in his large frame. Her arms went around his neck and she nuzzled his neck. “I could probably get used to this.”
“I hope you get used to this. I want to do it. A lot.”
He set her on the bed as if she were made of china. She was that precious to him. In a short time she’d become a large part of his world. He wanted to make her happy. Right now and in the long term.
She lay on the bed, staring up at him. He turned the light on. He wanted to see her. All of her.
“You are a sexy and beautiful woman and I want to make you have to bite the pillow to not scream and wake up Derek.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “Oh?”
“Bet no one’s ever said that to you,” he said as he removed his tie and set it on the nightstand.
He placed his cufflinks next to it, then unbuttoned his shirt. He took off his shoes and then knelt by her at the edge of the bed.
“No,” she said, her voice rough.
Good. She was turned on, too.
He slid his hands up her dress, his lips following his hands. He kissed as much of her thighs as he could. He could smell her arousal and the scent went right to his dick. It strained against his zipper. His friend would have to wait. She came first.
He slid her panties off, then dropped them on the floor. He had full access now. With his thumbs he parted her folds. She tasted like Heaven. Her back arched and she pushed herself into him.
She moaned and mewled as he stroked and licked her to her first orgasm. He hadn’t even used his fingers yet. When he looked at her face her eyes were heavy-lidded. He smiled. That was what he was talking about.
He pulled her to her feet, then spun her around. He unzipped her dress slowly kissing each vertebrae as he went.
“Mm.”
She clearly liked it. With her dress gone, he undid her bra, then laid her back down on the bed. His eyes feasted on her for a moment. Smooth, mocha skin. Curves in all the right places. What a woman.
And she was his.
He put his body next to hers then began to stroke the nipples of one breast, while his other hand found her warm center. He hooked two fingers in side of her.
“Oh, Colton.”
Her eyes fell closed and he could watch as the pressure inside of her build. Her back arched. Her fingers clutched the bedspread. She gritted her teeth. He enjoyed the show.
He enjoyed the control, too, truth be told. He liked to make a woman come. There was power in it and he was a guy who liked power.
A keening sound slipped out of her lips as her vagina clenched around his fingers. Bonus.
Then he put on a condom. Straddling her, he put the tip of his penis right in her entrance.
“What do you want, Ellyn?”
“You know.”
“Tell me.”
He wanted to hear the words. He needed to hear the words.
“I want you inside of me, Colton.”He complied, sliding into her warm and wet channel.
*
Ellyn wasn’t sure where else Colton could take her, but he managed to make each successive orgasm even better than the last.
How To Marry A Billionaire: A BWWM Billionaire Romance Page 13
