“Max, there’s something you need to know about me.”
“This sounds serious.”
“It’s more than serious. It defines who I am.”
“Whatever it is, I’m sure we can work it out. Why don’t we sit down at the table? You can tell me all about what’s causing you so much grief and you can take a bite of food,” he says, pulling a chair out for me before circling behind me and sitting across from me with his back facing the large window.
“These earrings are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen, Max.” I lower my precious gift on the table next to me, teary-eyed. I sigh before scooping up a few spoonfuls of yogurt from a silver bucket resting on a bed of ice cubes and dropping the creamy cloud in the bowl in front of me in the hopes of settling my queasy stomach. I sprinkle the raw sugar and the muesli on top and I take a few bites under his watchful eyes.
After a few minutes, Max breaks the silence. “Candy, how bad can it be? You’ve shut down on me and I feel helpless. What prompted the tears?”
“It’s about my family.”
“Are they okay? Did something happen before you left New York?”
I shake my head and close my eyes before allowing the words to escape my lips. “I’ve been an orphan for the past five years—since I was nineteen.”
“Baby, I’m sorry to hear you lost your mother and father. Did your siblings also pass away?”
“I don’t have any brothers or sisters. I’m an only child. I lost both my parents during a freak accident. My maternal grandparents passed away when I was a small child and I never really knew them. My paternal grandfather Randolph had a heart attack six months after he lost his only son. My paternal grandmother Barbara survived him by only one year. She passed away eighteen months ago. I’m certain she died of a broken heart over the death of my father. Other than my cousin on my mom’s side, who now lives in Los Angeles, and my aunt, who moved to Maine right after my mom died, I don’t have anyone else left who is related to me by blood. I don’t get along particularly well with either of them. My pillar of support and strength in the past five years has been my three best friends––Devin, Lexi, and Lia. You’ve already met Lia. She’s the one I was having brunch with at Vanilla Beans…”
I’m so afraid I might choke up, I don’t even dare to take a breath. I blurt everything out in one sentence hoping I’ve shared enough for him to understand the depth of my sorrow.
“I didn’t want to pry, but you’ve been as silent as a clam when it comes to your family since we’ve met. I only knew of your cousin Trish because she was the catalyst to us bumping into each other again before the meeting at Sassy magazine’s office. I had no idea you were dealing with so much emotional turmoil over the loss of people you loved.”
“Yeah, it’s been a devastating road to have to navigate. I’m much better at dealing with my past now, but it’s still very much part of my life. I’ve healed somewhat, but I can’t forget.”
“Of course. What do you mean by freak accident?” Max pulls his chair closer to mine and caresses my thighs. His touch brings me comfort and makes me feel safe.
I sigh and flash a mechanical smile. “They say in life everything happens for a reason. If that’s true, how can you explain death?” I say, putting my elbows on the table before resting my chin on top of my folded hands. “I’ve asked myself this question at least a million times and I have yet to find a logical answer for losing my parents at such a young age.”
“My God, what happened to them?”
“It was a horrific accident, Max.” I’ve been haunted for years by the mysterious events surrounding my mom and dad’s final hours. I’ve even somewhat made peace with it all after my grandmother died, but it’s still an agonizing exercise to voice so much pain. “I lived an idyllic life as an only child of two adoring parents. It’s funny because until my parents’ death, I had dealt with very few devastating moments in my life. I guess the price to pay for such a privileged childhood was to experience the worst kind of suffering possible—losing both parents at the same time.”
I shut my eyes to muster up the strength to continue, but I don’t think I have the courage to tell Max what happened to the two people I loved the most on this planet. Too many emotions. Too many bad memories. Too much sorrow.
“No, Candy, look at me. Don’t shut me out.” When I finally look up at him, he strokes his warm hands up and down my arm. “You’re mine now and I’m here for you. Please talk to me.”
Okay, you can do this. Under his anxious gaze, my words spill out of me, ugly and raw. I confess things I haven’t been able to share with Trish or my aunt Caroline.
“That summer, my parents put me in the back of their Volvo for a road trip to Connecticut, where I was to spend the summer with my paternal grandparents who owned a home there. Once they dropped me off, my mom and dad planned on driving cross-country to Colorado. The drive from New York was absolutely breathtaking and the short trip locked in the car gave the three of us a chance to bond as a family, since we were all so busy with our hectic lives. I was always swamped with assignments and papers for school. We only spent a couple days with my grandparents before they hit the road again. On an early Sunday morning, they waved goodbye to my grandparents and me before heading west.”
I shrug, barely moving my shoulders an inch to brush away the bad memories.
“I never saw them again. I vividly remember the life-changing knock from the police on my grandparents’ door at one o’clock in the morning—it had taken them a while to connect the dots and to contact family members. Had it not been for the fact my dad paid with his credit card at Sweet Sally’s, we might never have found out what had happened. Since Dad had parked right across from the eatery, the cops were able to piece the puzzle together when they interviewed witnesses.” I shudder.
“I can’t believe you had to live through this. Did the police investigate the accident?”
“The news claimed it was a freak accident—a downtown crane parked in front of a new real-estate development malfunctioned and an enormous steel cylinder dropped like a brick right on top of my parents’ parked car. My mom and dad had gone to the same place for Sunday-morning brunch for as long as I can remember—everyone knew them at Sweet Sally’s. They had stopped for a quick bite at their favorite spot before their long drive. They never expected it to be their last meal. There was nothing left of my parents. The crane destroyed their car and crushed them to dust. The puzzling thing to this day is how the steel cylinder dropped on top of their car like a missile, barely denting the cars parked in front or behind them—it seemed too precise.”
“Jesus Christ.” Max has shifted from his seat to sit at my feet. He’s hugging my legs and dropping soft kisses against my skin. I can read the devastation in his eyes as I recount my catastrophic tale.
“My grandparents nearly died when the police broke the news to us, but they found the strength to fight back after the development company offered me a pittance to keep me quiet—they didn’t want us talking to the press. My feisty grandmother sued the hell out of them, but after a nine-month court battle and a frightening legal bill, she resigned herself to the fact she had sunk all her savings into this—she even remortgaged my parents’ home. The police’s case went cold and they stopped cooperating with our attorneys. We were left alone against a giant with deep pockets—the classic case of David and Goliath, but this time, the monster won.” I sigh again and drop my shoulders, relieving them from the tension of having to dig so deep.
“I can’t believe the police didn’t pursue this further.”
“Me too, but I was a teenager back then. What was I going to do? I simply retreated into myself and I suffered in silence.”
“It’s unfortunate your attorney couldn’t dig up anything incriminating on that development company.”
“Yeah. I thought we might have had a lucky break a few months before my grandmother died, but I was wrong. My grandmother told me the lawyer had been in touch after not heari
ng from him for a long while. Apparently he had located a source who had some really important details about the case. Nothing ever came of it. He was in contact with my grandmother up until a few weeks before she gave up on life and then she said he never returned her calls so she figured he had hit another dead end.”
“Did you follow up with the guy after your grandmother died?”
“No. After her passing, I was too consumed with grief to chase after another pipe dream. My parents were dead, my grandmother was dead, I was alone. I resigned myself to the fact I’d never get a resolution to this sordid tale.”
“My God. What a heavy story,” he says, kissing my hands. “Was there anyone who wanted to harm your parents? Did your father have problems at work he never told you about? I’m speculating here, but I can’t imagine this came out of the blue.”
“Everything surrounding the death of my parents is so strange and that’s why my grandmother fought so hard. I can’t imagine anyone wanting to harm my parents. My mom worked in an accounting office as a clerk and my father was part owner of a pharmaceutical company. He was a lab nerd who found pleasure in complicated chemistry experiments. Dad had been approached six years before his death by an investor with deep pockets who was looking to diversify his business assets and he was eager to tap into the fountain of youth industry.”
“The what?”
“You know, the booming industry that’s selling women all sorts of creams, lotions, potions and pills of eternal youth.”
“I see.”
“My father’s business partner, Quintin Grayson, offered him something he never had in his previous job as head of research at a prominent biotech lab—freedom. That’s a dream for any geek. My father could spend his days playing around with formulas and pushing the envelope, something he could never do at his old job. In his mind, although he was still a scientist, he was no longer forced to work in a restrictive box. Quintin had bought out a fledgling pharmaceutical company a few years before meeting with my dad. He was looking for the type of partner who could help him take the company to the next level and a chance encounter at a conference connected the two men. My parents were also grateful for the boost in my dad’s income and they used most of that extra money to pay for my expensive university studies. Living on the edge for my parents meant trying out Greek food instead of steak and potatoes or taking an impromptu salsa class instead of playing cards with their friends in the middle of the week. My dad was doing well at his job, but we weren’t gazillionaires. He didn’t have an enemy in the world and neither did my mom. None of it makes sense to this day,” I say, shaking my head.
“My sweet Candy, you’re no longer alone and from what Deidra tells me, she’s taken quite the liking to you. I’ve known her for many years and she doesn’t like everyone, but she adores you.”
“Those words mean so much to me, Max.”
“Get used to it. I can’t erase the dreadful day your parents died, but I can protect you from now on.”
“Oh.” I’m so moved by his comment, I can’t believe he feels so strongly about me. I’m so utterly happy right now the words fail me.
“You’re all mine now.”
Max is still sitting at my feet. He grabs both my hands in his and brings them to his lips and I fold my body to kiss the top of his head.
I love hearing those intoxicating words roll off his tongue.
BOOK 3—CLAIMED BY AN ALPHA
Chapter Eight
Since Lexi is stuck at work, I decide to have lunch with a few co-workers. It’s always fun to get to know people outside of work and I welcome the chance to take a breath of fresh air after my stifling meeting with Maleficent.
After a much-needed break and a venti latte with a double shot of dark roast espresso, I do my best to immerse myself back into my work, but I find myself counting the minutes. Max should be back in Manhattan from his seven-day trip to India any time now. I can’t wait to spend tonight cuddled against his warm body.
I’ve already packed my weekend bag and I plan on sprinting from work at five o’clock sharp so I’m home in time to transform into a vamp before Max’s chauffeur picks me up at six-thirty. I want to make sure he flings me over his shoulder and carries me to his bedroom for a raunchy interlude the minute he lays eyes on me. God, seven days without his cock has been the worst punishment.
I open a few folders on my computer for upcoming articles I need to write, hoping I can quiet my mind and spark the inspiration I need to get some work done, but my phone vibrates on my desk. I glance down and my heart stops. Max is back. I pick up and try hard to contain my excitement in order to avoid bringing any attention to me.
“Are you back?” I whisper, covering my mouth so my voice doesn’t carry.
“Sweetness, I’ve missed you like crazy. Yes, I’m back in NYC.”
I’m thrilled beyond words. “Did you get in early?”
“We did. We wrapped things up as quickly as we could and we took a chance on being able to catch a flight a couple of hours before our scheduled departure time.”
“I’m already counting the hours until I see you,” I say, glancing at the time on my laptop. Only four more hours.
“Yeah, about us meeting later…”
Is he cancelling on me? “Did something come up?”
“As a matter of fact yes. I’m afraid, if I have to wait another four hours before fucking you, I’ll die from blue balls.”
My eyes widen and I place my free hand over my mouth again to hide my grin. “It’s not that long, baby. We’ve already waited a whole week. What’s a few more hours?” I love how he never seems to be able to get enough of me.
“I don’t think you understand me, Candy.” His domineering tone puts an end to my giggles.
“I did, but…”
“Can you get away for a little while?”
“Uh… Well, I think so. My boss is gone for the rest of the day. Where should I meet you? I can catch a cab.”
“You don’t have to travel far,” he interrupts. “I came to you.”
“Huh? Is it the jet lag or are you not making any sense right now?”
“I swear someone in your office needs to get fired for never locking the door to the Fashion Archive room. This is the third time in a row I’ve been able to slip in here.”
“Wh-what?” I nearly choke. “You can’t be serious.”
“Honey, I’m as serious as my hard-on. Now don’t make me wait. Get your fine ass over here for your quickie.”
“Wait. You mean now?”
“I believe now means immediately. So yes, now.”
My heart is racing and there are five hundred questions bouncing in my head. How the hell did he pull this off again? I mean you’d think a few women would ogle a tall, hot and sexy guy walking around in a well-tailored suit, but no… not at Sassy magazine. “What if…”
“We’re smarter.” He answers my question before I can finish asking it. “We’ll make sure to lock the door this time. Stop stressing and come and relieve my aching cock.” Max ends the conversation before I have time to reply.
Oh my God. This is so dangerous. What if this time we’re not as lucky and we do get caught? What then?
I look around the office. Since everyone knows Jennifer is gone for the rest of the day, some people are chatting away while others have opted for an extended lunch break—half the seats are still empty. The ones who are here are way too preoccupied to care about my disappearance. Good. I can sneak out without anyone noticing.
I slide my phone inside my handbag, grab a few magazines stacked in front of me, plop a notepad on top of the pile and stick a pencil behind my ear as if I’m on my way to an extremely important meeting. I head to the elevator and I avoid breathing just in case I wake up any suspicions.
When I get off on the floor where Max is waiting for me, I scan the hallway a few times before gently knocking on the door. I can’t believe I’m doing this. Again.
Max opens the door and peeks his head out and
the second I lose myself in his eyes, I know the reward will greatly outweigh the risk.
“Come in,” he whispers, grabbing my arms and pulling me inside the room. He locks the door and slides a chair under the handle to barricade our makeshift love shack from the outside world.
Max closes the gap between us, takes a deep breath through his nose and throws the pile of magazines I’m holding in my hands to the floor. Shit. He leans forward and presses his lips against mine and digs his fingers into my hair, pinning my body against an empty wall.
“Goddammit, I’ve been craving to taste you since I left,” he lets out between kisses. He’s so turned on his cock throbs against my tummy as my hands mirror his own and grip the base of his hair, fisting it roughly.
“You know, we should find another place in the building to meet,” I tease.
“I’ve become attached to this room.” He pulls my dress up along my thighs and groans into my mouth as his fingers travel to the lace edge of my thigh-highs. Had I known he’d be fucking me in the middle of the afternoon, I would have slipped into garter belts and silk stockings this morning instead of wearing these stay-ups. “Oh, Candy, you do this to torment me. I’ve gone without for seven painful days and you’re wearing this saucy little number?” I’m too consumed by lust to answer and I respond by running my tongue over his lips as Max’s fingertips brush the warm and drenched material of my panties. “I assume these are part of my collection.” He clenches his hold around the fabric and gives it a rough tug.
“I’m not going to have anything left at this rate,” I laugh.
“I’m sure I can replace these and all the others I intend on ripping apart,” he hisses, pressing his tongue between my lips and into my mouth.
“Damn, I’ve missed you.” I groan as he thrusts two fingers inside my eager pussy.
Claimed By An Alpha Page 8
