Best of 2017

by Alexa Riley

  Me: I have to know her.

  Bull: Violet is leaving in two weeks, man. You don’t have to know her. Just forget about her.

  Her sweet scent lingers in the air, and I’m already craving to see her again.

  Me: That’s impossible. You know this.

  Bull: Not saying I like it but I have your back. At least come to the house and have dinner with Sadie and I. Joshua misses his uncle.

  He’s trying to distract me. There’s no point.

  Me: Give the family my love. I’ll see you Monday. I have some work to do.

  Bull: Try not to get arrested.

  At this, I smirk.

  Me: Wouldn’t be the first time you’ve had to bail me out.

  I’m still smirking but it quickly turns into a scowl. Bull has always had to look after me in some way. The day when shit went south with those Saudi Arabians, he saved my life and pulled my unconscious body to safety. My thoughts drift into the darkness.

  “WANT TO WATCH MTV?” the peppy nurse questions. “Music videos all the time. Can you believe it? The hospital finally got cable. I’ve never had cable before so the only time I get to watch is while I’m at work.”

  I drag my gaze from the book I’m reading to glare at her. “I’m reading. Go away.”

  She laughs at me and strolls into the room anyway. Last nurse that came in, I had her close the blinds. This fucking woman yanks on the cord to allow the sun to stream in. I squint against it and toss my book to the floor.

  “Close the goddamned blinds,” I snap.

  Nurse Fucking Annoying ignores me and flips through her chart, humming some semi-familiar song I’m sure she heard on her beloved MTV. “Looks like it’s time to change your dressings.”

  I wince because I fucking hate this. Not only is it painful as hell but it’s also a stark reminder of everything that went wrong. “Fine. But don’t be so damn eager.”

  “I do love to see a man howl in pain,” she teases. “But I’ll tamper it down just for you. Sound good, big boy?”

  I flip her off and bury my face into the pillow. But when I close my eyes, I think of her. Adara. Her wide, innocent brown eyes. The way she stood at the exact moment I pulled that trigger. She was supposed to stay seated. Everything revolved around her remaining in her seat. The wound would have hurt, but she’d have lived. It was meant to be a simple graze—a distraction. If only she’d have stayed in her goddamned chair. That one small variable was the catalyst for everything that went wrong.

  Nurse Fucking Annoying Giggling Sadist happily spends the next hour removing the soiled dressings on my back, buttocks, and legs. I black out a couple of times from the pain. When I come to, she ruffles my hair. “Need a little something for the pain, soldier?”

  I grunt and soon something cold enters my vein. At least Nurse Fucking Annoying Giggling Sadist puts me out of my misery for a couple of hours. But despite my drug-induced haze, I can’t ever seem to shake the image of those brown eyes, belonging to the teen I so brutally shot. It was an error. I don’t make errors. But that day, I did.

  I’ll never make a mistake like that again.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  VIOLET

  BEFORE HEADING to the farmer’s market, I stop by my apartment and change into something more comfortable. I’m still shaking with fury. How dare he suddenly become so damn nosy about my life! I’ve worked hard to keep certain things to myself. And now, I feel like he’s prying into something that needs to remain shut. If he pulls open the parts of my past I keep contained, I’ll lose my mind.

  I don’t want to remember the years I spent with Vaughn.

  I don’t want to recall how he went from possessive boyfriend, to monster, to my worst nightmare. I don’t want to think about the things he made me do. Things that still embarrass and horrify me. Things that would tear apart everything I’ve worked so hard to achieve if they ever got out.

  Hot, furious tears are spilling from my eyes. I hastily swipe them away as I leave to do my weekly shopping. Gray, my stupid boss, has grabbed my now normal life and given it a hard shake. I don’t like that he’s rattled some memories inside me that I prefer to keep hidden.

  In an effort to block his annoyingly handsome face from my mind, I think about my new job. I’m eager to learn something different. On the way to the market, I pass by the post office where my PO box is located. I check it but don’t find any correspondence. That both hurts me and relieves me. The last few cards I sent, I foolishly included my PO box address. I pull the sealed envelope that holds ten crisp one hundred dollar bills inside a funny card out of my purse and slip it into the outgoing box.

  Just once I’d like to receive a letter back. To be acknowledged. But that would invite problems. Problems I don’t need, no matter how much my heart aches.

  The walk to the market is cold. I doubt we’ll have snow, but it looks like a chilly rain is imminent. I’ll need to hurry with my shopping today.

  Normally, I spend several hours at the market as I take my time and enjoy the day. But today, I’m too wound up. My tension is like the cold wintery rain that will most likely hit before I make it back to my place. Whipping all around me and stressing me out. I grunt all the way back to my building with my haul.

  It’s times like these when I wish I had actual friends. People I could chat with and talk about my day. A girlfriend to groan to about my annoying boss, my terrible drunk night with my future boss, the fear my psycho ex will hunt me down, and all of the other awful things in my life.

  Unfortunately, I don’t.

  The moment I feel the first drop of cold rain on my forehead, a shudder of defeat ripples through me. In this big bad world, I’m all alone. By nature, I’m not normally a crier. But today, I let it go. I sob as I run three long blocks through the soaking rain with my arms full of groceries. My teeth are chattering by the time I reach my building. Out front sits a shiny white Range Rover that seems to sparkle in the pouring rain. I suddenly wish I owned a car. I suddenly wish I lived somewhere with a garage, reliable heating, and tenants who aren’t drug dealers.

  I stomp through the puddles and seek refuge in the dilapidated building. Gray was right. I live in the ghetto. This place is all I can afford by the time I send away most of my wages. It’s sad. My entire life is just pathetic.

  Eventually, I make it up to the third floor but I’m exhausted and soaked to the bone. So when I see a familiar face, I’m too tired to fight. In some stupid way, I feel a sense of relief.

  “What are you doing here?” I mumble as I rummage through my purse for my keys.

  Gray frowns at me. He’s holding a folder tucked under one arm and a dripping umbrella in his other. The man still looks every bit as sexy as he did at breakfast. Too bad he’s such an asshole. “Can we talk a minute?”

  Letting out a sigh, I unlock my door and gesture for him to come in. My place instantly smells like him. Clean and masculine. A hint of cinnamon.

  Once inside, I make a beeline for the kitchen to drop my bags. He follows me into the small space making it seem even smaller with his imposing presence.

  “Let me unload those while you take a hot shower and change. You’re turning purple, Violet.” At his silly pun, he smiles. The man is ridiculously good looking and it makes me angry. I hate that I react so easily to him. My stupid heart patters away in my chest just from the way he looks at me. As if he’d like to lick away every droplet of the rain. I suppress a whine because that sounds a lot better than I want it to.

  “Thanks. I’ll be back in ten minutes. Don’t steal anything,” I threaten.

  He chuckles as he starts unloading the bag. “I wouldn’t dare.”

  Eighteen minutes later, I’m dressed in a warm hoodie and a pair of yoga pants. My slippers cover my frozen toes and I’ve pulled my wet hair into a messy bun to keep it off my neck. When I enter the living room, Gray is sitting in the middle of the only piece of furniture I own as he sips on some coffee. He looks like he belongs here. Like this is his place. The thought i
rritates me.

  “Make yourself at home, why don’t you?” I grumble.

  He winks at me and points to a steaming mug on the coffee table. Swallowing down my irritation, I sit down next to the big man with the intense gaze and take his peace offering. The coffee tastes good. I’d expected it to be the way he likes it. One cream. Two sugars. A bit of cinnamon. But it’s the way I like it. Black with a hint of sugar.

  “How did you know—”

  He cuts me off. “I need your help.”

  My brows shoot up. “This is work related?”

  His fingers run through his dark hair, messing up the gel, and a lock falls down over his eyebrow. It gives him a boyish quality, despite his age. I know he’s at least fifteen years older than me. Vaughn was much older too. I shudder at that thought.

  “I wanted you to take a look at this property. Tell me what you think,” he says, his voice gruff as he scratches at his jawline. I’m mesmerized by the way his long finger absently scrapes along the hair that’s just beginning to grow in there.

  He hands me the file, and I blink away my daze. “This is the Collins property. I thought you already acquired it yesterday.”

  He nods but his brows pinch together. “I did. It’s a resort a little up north. Do you think it was a good purchase?”

  I feel like this is a trick question. Or maybe he’s just toying with me. Either way, I don’t like how he suddenly feels the need to include me in on business. Maybe it’s about Mr. Collins. What if he’s here to gripe at me for pushing the old man into selling?

  “Sales price was fair for the market value,” I say slowly as I scan the documents. “It’s quite beautiful actually.” I stare at the picture of the ocean view.

  “Very beautiful,” he agrees.

  When I glance at him, his penetrating gaze is on me and not the picture. It sends a quiver of excitement rushing through me. I quickly scold myself internally and drag my eyes back to the file. “Everything looks fine to me. Looks to be a good investment.”

  He lets out a sigh that has me glancing at him again. “I agree. How did you learn all of this? You’re working as my assistant and yet you know all of these things. I was searching for a document and the IT department granted me access into your computer. You have so many emails…”

  Horror washes over me. And shame. As much as he pisses me off, I never intended for him to see my drafts in my inbox. Some of those emails I typed up were when I was angry. Not just at him but at the entire world. He always bore the brunt of my fury. Thankfully, I was smart enough to never send them. I never dreamed he’d ever read them.

  “I’m sorry—” I start, my voice but a whisper. I wonder if he’s come to tell me I can just quit without working my last two weeks. That stresses me out, considering I just mailed out my most recent paycheck—well most of it—back home. I’m sure Sean would let me start early, but I already feel humiliated by how I acted around him last night.

  “Don’t be. I know I’m difficult to understand and apparently difficult to work for.” He turns his sharp gaze on mine. I see the way his eyes dart over my face, inspecting every feature closely as if I’m on display under a microscope. It unnerves me, yet I find my body heat rising from his close inspection. “Tell me how you know these things, Violet.”

  I stiffen my back and let out a small sigh. “I’m perceptive. One of those watch-and-learn personalities. Also, I research a lot of things. If I’m interested, I try to learn more about it. I even took some night classes. Most of them were business related. Some touched on the economy and investments. I can’t really say I learned it all from one place. It was more or less a culmination of many things.” His eyes are on my mouth as I speak. I like how focused on me he is but at the same time, I’m disgusted.

  Vaughn kept a close eye on me and I hated it.

  I sip my coffee, directing my attention to the window. The rain pours outside. I should send Gray out in it and hope he gets drenched for being such a prick earlier. As if in tune with my thoughts, he speaks.

  “I’m sorry about breakfast. I didn’t mean to pry…”

  “But?” There’s always a but.

  He scrubs his face and regards me with a vulnerability I’ve yet to see from the powerful Grayson Maxwell. “But I’m just so curious about you right now.”

  His honest answer has me regarding him with gentler eyes. I know I can be a cold, hard bitch sometimes. Maybe part of the reason I don’t have any friends is because I refuse to let anyone in. My walls are always erect and impenetrable.

  “I just don’t like talking about my past or my reason for doing things,” I admit as I set my mug down.

  He mimics my actions and gives me a crooked grin that sends a swarm of butterflies fluttering around in my stomach. “Can we start over? Can we be friends?”

  With him sitting in my living room, looking like he belongs, and turning on the charm, I feel some of my inner ice thawing. “I’ll only be around for two more weeks, Gray. Maybe being friends isn’t such a good idea. I’ll be gone before you know it, no longer in your hair.”

  His eyes darken and I notice a tick in his jaw. “There usually isn’t a timeline on friendship. Maybe I still want to be your friend, even after you leave.”

  I chew on my bottom lip for a minute contemplating his motives. There really is no hidden reason why he would want to be friends. I mean, maybe his definition of friendship leans toward the fuck buddies territory, but I can thwart his advances. He knows I’m leaving and hasn’t necessarily tried to prevent me from doing so.

  “Please.” His word isn’t a plea but more of an olive branch.

  “I’m afraid I would be a terrible friend,” I admit with an embarrassed smile. “I don’t have any because I never really wanted any.”

  He regards me, his eyes doing that strange thing he does now—ever since he seemed to snap out of Mad Max mode yesterday—where they skim over every part of my face as if he’s trying to memorize each freckle on my flesh. “I’m the worst friend you’ll ever know. Just ask Bull.” He winces at the name, which only makes me want to know why.

  “Who’s Bull?”

  “Jeff.”

  I crack a smile at the sheepish way Gray is behaving. Normally, I see the powerful, arrogant, one-track minded madman who runs the company I work for. I’ve never seen other sides of him. Bashful and vulnerable. Playful and grinning.

  “What exactly do friends do?” I question, changing the subject. “We’re not sleeping together.”

  A beautiful smile curves his lips and his entire handsome face lights up like never before. Just one look at him like this has me chiding myself. Don’t lie to the sex god, honey. We both know you’re eventually going to let that man into your bed.

  His eyes narrow as they drop to my throat. The heat is painted on my skin—I can feel it. I clear my throat and tap the paper to distract him. “Have you been to the resort?”

  “Once before. The moment I settled into my suite with a glass of brandy and sat in the armchair that overlooked the chilly Atlantic, I knew I wanted it for myself.” His hand covers mine as he draws it away from the picture. He’s looking down at the stunning boutique resort, but I’m focused on the way his large hand lingers on mine. I swear my heart is thudding so loudly he can most certainly hear it.

  “Do you just take everything you want?” My words are meant to tease but they come out in an accusatory tone.

  He leans into me as his hand squeezes mine. Warm lips brush against the shell of my ear, and hot breath tickles me when he speaks. “Always. When I want something, I do whatever it takes to get it.”

  We’re not talking acquisitions anymore.

  Or maybe we are.

  “And what happens when you finally get it?” I can’t help but poke him a little more.

  He lets out a heavy exhalation that sends shivers of need coursing through me. If he asked me to get naked for him right now, I probably would.

  “I don’t let it go,” he says finally. He pulls away an
d takes the folder from me. I’m frozen in place, assuming he’s about to scoop my melted body up and take me into my room where he’ll spend hours ravishing me. I’m disappointed when he stands and clears his throat. My eyes drift to the large erection bulging in his slacks.

  “Are we done here?” I murmur before reluctantly pulling my gaze from his dick to meet his hardened glare.

  He runs those long fingers again through his now messy hair. I could think of a good use for those fingers…

  “For now. I’ll pick you up at seven for dinner.” He doesn’t wait for a response before he stalks toward the door. “Take a nap until then. You look exhausted.”

  I rise on shaky legs and follow after him. “Dinner? I thought we were just friends.”

  “Friends don’t eat dinner together?” he implores with an impish grin.

  I roll my eyes at him but I’m smiling too. “Last meal we had together went badly. You were an ass.”

  His smile falls and a fierce stare finds me. His hand raises to cup my cheek. “I’m sorry. I was out of line. It won’t happen again. You just…” He drops his hand and looks off behind me toward the windows. “You just looked too damn pretty to be prancing around without a bra on for all those perverts to see.” His eyes snap to mine and fire flares in them. I’m definitely melting again under his glare.

  “Oh.”

  “Wear something casual. Jeans or something,” he says.

  “And a bra?” I taunt, my lips turning up to give him a wicked grin.

  His laugh is charming and it shaves years off his age. “Clothing is always optional when you’re around me. I may have to beat some motherfuckers down for looking but I’m not opposed to the idea, little quitter.”

  He’s already turning on his heel and pulling the door open.

  “Bye, Gray.” Hours ago I hated the very ground he walked on, and now, I don’t want him to leave.

  “Bye, Violet.”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  GRAYSON

  THE DAY STARTED out shitty but having Violet bend to my requests earlier certainly made it better. I’d also successfully managed to return her key while she showered. She’s already softening toward me. Soon, she’ll soften beneath me as she takes every inch of my hardness. I can imagine her pouty lips begging. Please fuck me, Gray. Oh God…