He winced as Clem answered her daughter’s phone. His ex-wife’s voice was like ice. ‘She doesn’t want to talk to you yet, Luca. Give her time.’
‘I’m so sorry, Clem, to Bree, to you that my relationship with Emory has been exposed like this.’
‘You mean with pictures of her naked, astride you? With you fucking her?’
Luca sighed. ‘We had no idea we were being watched?’
‘And I had no idea you were fucking the woman who saved our child’s life? Were you screwing her before the shooting too? Or have you really moved on so quickly?’ Clem’s voice had risen progressively during her rant until finally, the phone went dead.
Luca dropped his phone and his head into his hands. Emory kept her arms around him, having obviously heard everything. ‘I’m so sorry, Luca,’ she whispered, and he could see the tears dripping down her face.
‘You don’t apologize for anything, baby.’ His jaw set in anger. ‘I’m going to find out who’s behind this, and I’m going to tear them apart.’
By the end of the week, Zea was exhausted. Now she had the weekend free, and she was planning on doing some chores and then relaxing. Huh, relaxing, she thought, that’s a good one. She’d been on edge ever since the photos of Luca Saffran and Emory Grace had appeared in the papers. What if someone was trying to seek her out too? What if someone had gotten some shots of her and Flynt Newlan that night?
You’re being paranoid. But now when she went out, she was extra-vigilant, checking all around her to see if anyone was watching. She didn’t care if she looked like a lunatic. She was filling her car at the gas station and, having check around her beforehand, she jumped sky-high when an insolent drawl came from behind me.
‘Your ass looks good in those jeans.’
She turned slowly to see Flynt Newlan leaning on his car, grinning at her. She scowled at him. ‘Haven’t you heard? It’s the twenty-first Century. You can’t say stuff like that to women. You might get your own ass handed to you.’
He laughed, a deep throaty, sexy sound that made her sex quiver and her stomach flip. ‘If it’s you doing the ass-handling, sweetheart, I could take it.’
He came up behind her and took the gas pump handle from her. Zea felt breathless as she leaned back into his hard chest. She could feel his erection hard against her butt. His lips were at her ear.
‘See, I just want to bend you over the hood of this car, right now, beautiful,’ He ran the tip of his tongue around her earlobe, and she shivered with desire, his free hand stroking her stomach.
Gathering herself, she turned in his arms. ‘I don’t do relationships,’ she said, trying to keep her voice steady in the face of his outrageous beauty, ‘I don’t do commitment, or feelings or any shit like that. I have far too much going on in my life to get involved with someone like you, Flynt Newlan.’
He grinned. ‘But you cared enough to find out my name, sweet cheeks.’ He leaned and whispered in her ear. ‘You really think you get to set the terms, huh?’
She shivered, desire racing through her body and Flynt laughed softly and nodded to his car, a sweet Mustang. Muscle car. Of course. ‘You really do fit every stereotype, don’t you?’ She grinned suddenly, and he laughed and shrugged.
‘I do me, it works. Now, your gas tank is full. Why don’t you shift that sweet ass and follow me somewhere more private?’
I shouldn’t be doing this, Zea thought, I should just turn the car around, go home and forget about this man. Her mind was made up; sadly; her body won the argument. She followed him out to the forest. When she got out of the car, he was waiting for her. He was smiling, but she was relieved to see it wasn’t a smile of victory, more of pleasure.
He slid a hand around her waist and tugged her to him. She studied his intense blue eyes, his stubble, his swarthy skin. ‘Who are you?’ Her voice was a whisper.
‘For the next hour or so, beautiful, I’m the man who’s going to be inside you, fucking you, tasting you, making you come, making you scream my name.’
His fingers were already under her t-shirt, and he pulled it over her head in one swift motion. One by one, he pulled the lacy cup of her bra down and took her nipples into his mouth, teasing them until they were so sensitive, Zea thought she might scream.
He stripped her slowly then sat her on the hood of his car, pushing her back, so she was lying beneath his still fully-clothes body. He kissed her lips then moved down her body, his tongue tracing a path down her belly, his hands pushing her legs apart until his mouth found her sex and lashed around her clit until she was moaning and writhing. He made her come once then as she caught her breath, he moved up her body.
‘You want my cock now, beauty?’
Zea, almost delirious, nodded and Flynt grinned as he unzipped his jeans. He hooked her knees over his shoulders and slammed the entire length of his huge cock into her. Zea screamed as he thrust himself hard into her again and again, balls deep, until she was begging him never to stop.
Afterward, he flipped her onto her stomach and fucked her perfect ass, Zea utterly at his mercy. She was struggling for breath, later, as he pulled out of her. He kissed her thoroughly and then grinned, zipping his still-hard cock back into his jeans. He helped her dress, seeing she was shaking all over.
‘See you soon, gorgeous,’ he said and swaggered back to his car. Zea watched him drive off, a whirlwind of emotions inside her. Man, that guy could fuck, and the easy way he drifted in and out of her life after causing so much turmoil…she laughed to herself. Maybe Flynt was just what she needed after all. She drove back home and spent the rest of the day, reveling in the afterglow of Flynt Newlan.
Heroine or Whore? Did the Auburn Savoir Take Advantage of Her New Found Fame?
The Billionaire and the Beauty – looks like a love match for Luca Saffran and the girl who saved his daughter…
Was Emory Grace in cahoots with the Auburn Killer so she could ‘save’ the Billionaire’s daughter and reel him in?
The first headlines had shocked her but the last one…Emory burst into tears. Luca ran out of cuss words and had to make up a few new ones. His lawyer, Peter, watched as Luca comforted Emory.
‘We’ll hit them with everything we’ve got for that one,’ Peter said eventually, ‘don’t worry about that. Besides look at the rag it’s in - they’ve had Elvis alive and Cher dying for the last twenty years. No-one believes that shit.’ Peter was, if nothing else, a bulldog when it came to protecting his client. He was plain-spoken and forthright, but he looked kindly at Emory now. ‘The police have our backs, Emory, so please, ride out this storm.’
‘Ray did this,’ she said, wiping her face on the back of her hand. ‘He’s trying to destroy me. He knows he won’t get near enough to hurt me physically, so this is what he does.’
‘Then we’ll play him at his own game,’ said Luca with a voice of ice. ‘Raymond Grace won’t know what’s hit him.’
Sunday evening and Zea had fallen asleep on her couch so when someone knocked at her apartment door, she woke with a start and fell off the couch. Landing awkwardly, she scrambled up, cursing to herself. She opened the door to see Jared laughing softly. ‘That’s quite a lexicon you have there.’
Zea grinned, flushing red. ‘I tripped. Hello, Jared, good to see you, come in.’
‘I hope I’m not interrupting anything.’
She was confused.
‘Like what?’
He nodded to the floor. ‘Your floor routine for the Olympics. I assume that’s what the noise was.’ He grinned and looked so much like David for a second; it took Zea’s breath away.
‘You caught me. Is that for me?’
Jared was holding a bottle of red wine, and he handed it over. ‘I should have called first, but then I realized I haven’t got your number.’
‘Well, that’ll do it. Please, won’t you have a glass with me?’
‘Love too.’
Two hours later, and Zea and Jared were definitely on the wrong side of drunk. Zea discovered he
was a great drinking buddy: funny, erudite, gently teasing her. God, she was reminded of David, except…it was as if Jared was David turned up to eleven. Funnier, smarter, more sophisticated. And enigmatic – although he’d told her everything about his past – his adoption, his and David’s origins, he told her very little about his present.
She opened another bottle of wine. ‘So, Jared, tell me, do you have a family?’
He hesitated. ‘I did. My wife died a few years ago, cancer.’
‘I’m sorry. Did you have any kids?’
‘A daughter. She passed recently.’
Zea was appalled. ‘God, Jared, that’s awful, I can’t imagine.’
There was something in his eyes she couldn’t read, but he looked away, nodding. ‘It was an…accident. One minute she was there and the next…’ His voice broke.
Zea felt the tears come and drunkenly she got up and put her arms around him, hugging him awkwardly. ‘Jared, I’m so sorry.’
She stood there for a long moment, hugging the seated man then let him go, tottering backward a little. ‘I am really very drunk.’
Zea hiccupped and swayed, banging into a table. Jared steadied her.
‘Me too.’
She squinted at him. ‘Really? You don’t seem it.’
Jared laughed. ‘Are you really in the best position to judge?’
She chuckled. ‘No.’ She got up and attempted to take their empty glasses into the kitchen, colliding with the walls as she went. She snorted. Jared followed her in and took the glasses from her before she could break them.
‘I’m afraid I’ve had too much to drive. May I encroach on your hospitality a little more and sleep on your couch?’
‘Of course. I’ll get you a blanket.’
Zea pulled the linen closet open and retrieved what she needed. Closing the door, she yelped. Jared was standing behind it.
‘Sorry.’ He smiled and took the blanket from her. ‘Are you all right?’
She caught her breath and grinned. ‘Yes. You know where everything is, just help yourself.’
‘Thank you.’ He leaned in and kissed her, quick, at the side of her mouth. ‘Good night then.’
‘Good night.’
She opened her eyes. Breathing. Not hers. She froze. Then there was nothing. She steeled herself and sat up and flicked on the bedside lamp. The room was empty. She slid out of bed and checked the bathroom. Empty. Her bedroom door was ajar. She padded out into the hallway. The house was silent.
‘Jared?’
Nothing. She cleared her throat.
‘Jared?’ Louder.
She heard him now, shuffling from the living room to the hallway, hair on end, half asleep. She relaxed. He gave her a dopey smile, looking much younger than he usually did.
‘Are you all right?’
‘I’m sorry, Jared, I didn’t mean to wake you. I got spooked is all. Thought I heard something.’
‘Do you want me to check?’
‘No, no, please. I’m sorry. Go back to sleep.’
Jared gave her a wave and disappeared. Zea shook her head. Stupid, paranoid woman. She went back into her bedroom and got into bed.
Outside Zea’s apartment, Flynt Newlan stared up at her window. His face was expressionless, his eyes hooded and distant. After a moment, he got back into his car and started the engine, revving it.
She has someone else.
Flynt’s jaw clenched. He didn’t get involved; it was his number one rule…but there was something about this woman. Her dark, dusky looks, the promise of a fiery temper that could blow any minute. The feel of her soft wet cunt as he fucked her…damn.
But the fact that she had another man in her apartment – well. That answered his question for him. Don’t get involved, man. That way lies madness.
Flynt gunned the engine and sped out of the city. He was a lone wolf, always had been, always would be.
Just because thinking about Zea is keeping you up nights, that don’t mean squat, Flynt, man.
She was just another girl.
Despite her protestations, Emory was glad Luca had persuaded her to let him stay with her. ‘We need to let things settle down, baby.’
Emory turned away from the window now. Nighttime was both her pleasure – when she and Luca really did shut the world out – and her fear. Because Ray was out there and she knew that one day, he would come for her.
And when he did, Emory wasn’t certain which one of them would make it out alive.
Ray Grace had seen the light in the trees at the back of the apartment for two nights now. He turned out the lamps in the living room, used his camera lens to focus in on it. It was just after ten o’clock and the late summer sun had been set for an hour. In the gloom, he could see the light moving toward the apartment, the paved area at the back. It stopped at the tree line. He brought the camera up to his eye and zoomed. He started to laugh to himself. So the billionaire had someone spying on him. Moron. His smile faded. Luca Saffran was a fly to be swatted, not a big problem, but still a nuisance – he was getting in the way of Ray killing his ex-wife, and that was no use. Still, he’d think of a way to distract him and then Emory would be his.
Ray put his camera away, checking the equipment was stored properly. He lay down on the bed. He thought about the last time he’d seen Emory, the time he’d tried to choke her to death. He was glad now he failed; it would have been too easy a death for her. He wanted to feel her blood on his hands. He turned over and lay on his side, sliding his hand down his underwear to stroke his cock. He closed his eyes and tried to imagine himself as David Azano, thrusting a blade into Emory over and over. Except Azano had been an amateur. He, Ray, would have sought her out first, put a bullet into that beautiful body of hers, somewhere where it would take her time to die. Ray grunted as his hard-on grew painful at the thought of it. Azano’s knife driving into her soft abdomen, her gasp of agony – God, he would have given anything to have been there.
Because he’d dreamed of that moment a million times during their marriage. Even when they were happy – or at least when they thought they were happy – he would sometimes fantasize about killing her. They’d be in the kitchen, preparing supper and he would pick up a knife and just for a split second, imagine pushing her back against a wall and driving it into her.
Ray groaned and came, thick spurts of semen covering himself and the sheets. He showered after and it was in the shower when the idea came to him. God, it was so simple, so ridiculously simple that he laughed out loud.
He knew exactly how to get to Emory. Exactly…
Flynt Newlan was the first customer in the diner the next morning. Teresa goggled at him. ‘Flynt Newlan is up before noon? Is it Christmas? Or is it a Zombie Apocalypse?’
Flynt groaned, and she could see he was hungover. ‘Don’t bust my balls, bubba.’
‘Rough night?’
He merely grunted, and Teresa grinned. She ordered his usual hangover breakfast- fours eggs, sunny-side-up and half a sourdough loaf, sliced and toasted until almost burnt. Flynt looked at her gratefully as she dumped the laden plate in front of him and topped of his black coffee. Flynt fell onto his food while Teresa slid a large glass of cold water next to his plate.
Flynt ate for a few minutes then glanced at Teresa. ‘Zea in today?’
Teresa rolled her eyes. She knew Flynt’s reputation, had grown up with him. ‘You leave that girl alone. She doesn’t need someone like you to mess her up. I think that one has had it hard, don’t ask me how I know, I just sensed it about her.’
Flynt muttered something about ‘mad psychic’ and Teresa flicked a dishcloth at him, chuckling.
She looked up and saw Zea pushing open the diner door, laughing and chatting with the man who’d come to see her a few days ago. Zea’s eyes flicked to Flynt and Teresa saw her cheeks flush a little. She sighed inside. Goddamn, Flynt had already gotten to her young friend.
Zea introduced Jared to Teresa, telling her he was an old friend. She ignored Flynt who w
as staring at the newcomer.
‘Hey,’ he said, nodding at Jared, so Zea was forced to introduce Flynt to him. The two men shook hands.
‘Good to meet you,’ Jared smiled at Flynt, who grunted and went back to his food. Zea glared at the back of his head.
‘Anyways, we just came in to say hello,’ she said to Teresa who rolled her eyes at Flynt then smiled at Zea.
Zea and Jared didn’t stay long, and when they had gone, Teresa decided to rib Flynt a little. Serve him right for messing with Zea’s head.
‘So, he seems nice. Wonder if they’re dating?’
Flynt muttered to himself. They sat in silence for a few minutes.
‘I don’t like the way he looks at her.’
Teresa’s eyebrows shot up. ‘What’s this? Flynt Newlan…have you fallen for a woman, at last? Didn’t think you had it in ya.’
Flynt made a disgusted noise. ‘Don’t be ridiculous. I’m just saying. The guy looks like a creep to me.’
Teresa studied him. ‘Flynt…I mean this…Zea is not a woman built for your kind of crap. She needs a grown-up. You ready for that?’
Flynt grimaced. ‘Did I come here for a lecture?’
Teresa sighed. As long as she had known him, she still knew very little about him, apart from he was a woman’s worst nightmare. Drop-dead gorgeous with that swagger of his, never committed, never gave anything away. Nightmare. But even she could see the appeal of him -unless you fell for him and by the way, Zea had tried to studiously avoid him, something had happened between them.
‘Have you slept with Zea?’
Flynt grinned. ‘I don’t know about sleeping…’
‘God, I knew it. I’m warning you now, Flynt Newlan - you break that girl’s heart, and you’ll answer to me.’
Flynt wiped his mouth. ‘You don’t need to worry about that, Terry. Looks like she got someone else to occupy her now.’
‘Your boyfriend’s back.’
Evergreen: An Alpha Billionaire Romance Page 6
