The Rich List Series: Contemporary Romance Box Set (Millionaire, Billionaire, CEO)

by Hunter, Talia

  “Yeah.” He laughed. “Gives life a bit more sizzle, don’t you think?”

  They chatted for a while longer but Marcus stayed tense, and when they finished their drinks, he stood up to leave. Saying goodbye, he made as if to shake his brother’s hand. But Jake caught him in a bear hug.

  Even when they hugged, the arm that Jake had been rubbing all night stayed by his side. In fact, now she thought about it, he hadn’t moved it the whole time. He’d used his left hand to lift his glass.

  Angel and Marcus caught a taxi back to his hotel. They rode in a silence that felt almost unbearable to Angel. As hard as she tried, she couldn’t coax much more than grunts from him. But after a while he grabbed her hand and held it, stroking it absently as though his mind was somewhere else entirely. The silence got thicker as they rode up in the elevator and when he opened the door of his suite, she couldn’t stand it any longer.

  “Can we talk about it? Please? Or shall I go?”

  He turned on her, his face drawn. She shrunk back, but he pulled her against him, hard. “I can’t talk. Not tonight.” His voice was a growl and the pain in his eyes stopped her from protesting. When he kissed her, there was a desperation in him that made it seem as though he was falling into her, searching for something he needed. She reacted instinctively, answering his demands with a passion born of all the pain she’d felt at the thought of losing him.

  One of his hands went to her breast. The other moved between her legs, stroking her. He tugged her panties aside to slip a finger inside her and she moaned into his mouth.

  Then he pulled his hand away. Lifting her off her feet, he went forward until she felt the back of the couch against her legs. He leaned her against it, rucking up her dress and tearing off her panties. He ripped his trousers down with the same urgency and thrust into her so hard it made her gasp.

  No condom. But ohmigod, he felt unbelievably good. She couldn’t stop him now anyway, even if she’d wanted to. He was fucking her – she couldn’t call it making love – with such force she could only hang on. Her nails dug into his shoulders, and his fingers gripped her ass as he drove into her.

  She lifted her thighs higher, a little worried that the couch would tip with the strength of his thrusts, but mostly unable to care. She loved the feeling of him filling her so hard and fast. The whirlwind, breathless pleasure of it. His raw energy and lust excited her like nothing else. Oh god. She clung to him as her climax ripped her apart.

  It was still shuddering through her when he pulled out of her, still hard, his expression somewhere between agony and ecstasy. He wrapped his hand around his cock and with a few more strokes, spurted onto her bare thighs.

  When he was spent, he pulled her against him, breathing as heavily as she was. It took several long minutes for their breathing to return to normal, but eventually he let go.

  “I’ll get a towel.”

  He went to the bathroom and came back with a damp washcloth and a big fluffy towel. As he cleaned her, she shivered under his touch. His strokes were so tender it took her breath away. Was this the same man who’d taken her with such savage lust?

  “Are you okay?” she asked softly.

  He shook his head, not meeting her eyes. “Let’s not talk. Not yet.” Taking her hand, he led her to the bedroom, pushed the covers off the tightly-made bed, and threw off the extra pillows, letting the chocolate left by the maid tumble to the floor. Then it was her turn. He helped her get undressed, removing her clothes as though she was something precious that might shatter if he was too rough. His clothes joined hers a moment later, and he pulled her into bed with him.

  His kisses this time were infinitely gentle, his lips achingly soft. His hands explored her body with expert ability, drawing sighs out of her as he caressed her. He kissed her neck and breasts until she was weak with wanting.

  “I’m not on the pill,” she forced herself to murmur.

  “I’ll use a condom.” He hesitated, his eyes hidden in the darkness. “I shouldn’t have—”

  “Shh.” She cut him off with a kiss. He’d felt so amazing inside her, skin on skin, with no barrier between them. She couldn’t bear to hear him apologize for it.

  This time, he didn’t slide into her until she was so ready for him she was almost begging. When he did, the pleasure was exquisite. Angel felt tears prick her eyes. She hadn’t expected such aching tenderness.

  Later, in the darkness, he curled around her back, his arm over her waist, and his hips snuggled against her butt.

  “I’m sorry,” he murmured, his voice so close to her ear that his breath ghosted her cheek.

  “Sorry for what?”

  He let out a long breath that tickled her skin. “It’s complicated between my brother and me. I should have spared you all that, and gone to meet him alone.”

  “Why didn’t you?”

  “I thought having you there would make things easier.” He paused. “And if I’m honest, I suppose I wanted to spend more time with you.”

  She felt a smile creep onto her lips in the darkness. There was a long silence and she thought maybe he wasn’t going to say any more. She didn’t want to speak in case she broke the spell, this sudden closeness. They were breathing in time with each other, as though they were two halves of a whole.

  Finally he said, “My childhood was fucked up. All this time I’ve felt terrible for Jake, because of his arm. But I’m starting to think he’s not the only one with a wound that will never heal.”

  “What happened to his arm?” she asked softly.

  “Nerve damage. A gift from dear old Dad.”

  She drew in her breath. “Your father did that to him?”

  “Yeah. Jake was good at sport as a kid. Could have gone far. But Dad took that away from him, and now I feel like I’m rubbing my success in his face whenever I see him.”

  “He loves being a counselor. Even if he hadn’t said so, his face lit up when he spoke about it.”

  “But he dreamed of playing soccer.” Marcus sighed. “I have the job I wanted, but my brother didn’t get the same chance.”

  “That’s not your fault.”

  “No. But I’m the one who got to run away to New York and leave it all behind. He’s stuck here, probably still having to go to physio every week just to keep the pain under control.”

  “Have you ever thought about moving back to Sydney?” She held her breath as she asked it. I’m a fraud. I’m not asking because it would help his relationship with his brother, but so I can keep seeing him.

  Marcus gave a sharp, humorless laugh. “Why would I do a thing like that?”

  She swallowed, trying not to be hurt. “You make it sound like I’d suggested you move to Siberia.”

  “I’d rather live in Siberia. My father’s dead, but my mother still lives in Sydney, and I never want to see her again.”

  “There are more than four million people here. You’re not likely to bump into her on the street, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

  “I’ll never move back to Sydney.” It sounded as final as when he’d told her he couldn’t give her the General Manager’s job, and her heart twisted. So in a few short hours he’ll be flying out of my life for good?

  “Is that why you don’t date?” she asked.

  “What?”

  “I was just thinking.” She took a breath. “It’s understandable you’re wary of relationships. My father left, and it had a big effect on me. I can’t imagine how much worse it must be for you, with both parents having let you down so badly.”

  He was silent. But his arms stayed tight around her, his thumb gently stroking her arm.

  After a while, she said, “You should talk to your brother about all this. It’d be good for both of you.”

  He didn’t say anything else, though she could tell by his breathing that he was wide awake. Eventually she drifted off in his embrace, with his arm pressed on her waist and the weight of his thoughts heavy against her back.

  9

  Just
like he had the morning before, Marcus woke up with his arm thrown across Angel, and her warm, soft body snuggled against him. But this was the last chance he’d get to enjoy it. His flight left in two hours.

  Problem was, he didn’t want to get out of bed. In fact, he was reluctant to fly to New York and leave Angel behind. He liked having her in his bed. And he was suddenly aware of how lonely it felt to be leaving her behind and going home to an empty apartment.

  Last night, in the dark, when they’d talked about his fucked up family, he’d felt closer to her than he did to anyone. She was the only person he’d ever talked to about his brother. Somehow, she’d eased a confession of guilt out of him, and instead of being painful, he’d actually felt better for talking about it.

  She knew his secrets now. How had she done that? The only reason he hadn’t pushed her away earlier was because he’d assumed they were using each other, and the sex meant nothing. Last night had been a shock. First when she’d more or less admitted she had feelings for him, then the terrible way he’d lost control with her after seeing Jake. Somehow she’d made it okay. She’d soothed him, and let him show her how sorry he was for being so rough. That’s when he’d realized his own feelings for her had crept up on him out of the blue.

  But he couldn’t trust anyone, could he? Hadn’t that lesson been beaten into him – literally – when he was young? Or maybe Jake was right and he was too caught up in the past?

  The only thing he knew for sure was that holding her felt good. It felt right. And he didn’t want to let her go.

  Angel sighed and rolled over so she was facing him. He kissed her gently, and she opened her eyes.

  “Ohh,” she groaned. “What time is your flight?”

  “Eleven.”

  She lifted her head to look at the clock. “Shouldn’t you be on your way to the airport already?”

  “I’m flying in Cross Corporation’s private jet. No check-in lines or waiting in the departure lounge.”

  “Give me five years, and that’ll be the only way I’ll travel.”

  “I don’t doubt it.” He stroked her hair back from her face. “And in the meantime, thanks to the company jet, I have time to do this.” His fingers moved to caress her cheek while he kissed her deeply. Then he ran his hand down the curve of her back to her ass. He cradled her butt cheek, and she licked her lips.

  “Mmm. That’s a nice way to wake up.”

  “You like that?” He moved his hand around to her breast. “How about this?”

  “That’s good too.”

  “What about this?” He stroked her belly, then moved his fingers down to explore the cleft of her thighs. He brushed his finger gently over her sensitive skin, loving the way she instantly responded to his caress.

  She bit her lip. “You really know how to wake a woman up.”

  He’d like to be able to wake her like this every morning. But the chance of him being able to get back to Sydney anytime soon was slim, and he could hardly ask her to wait for him. Their only hope of a repeat performance was if she came to New York.

  “All part of the service,” he said lightly, reaching for a condom. Only one rubber left in the box he’d picked up from the pharmacy next to his hotel. Was that some kind of sign or just a coincidence?

  While he sheathed himself, she dragged her fingernails over his balls. Shit, that made him want to come right away.

  He kissed her, and she responded so passionately it brought all his senses to life. The soft curves of her body pressing against him, the warmth and sweetness of her breath, the faint floral scent of her shampoo, her fast, shallow breathing. It was all amplified and imprinted in his mind. There was nobody in the world like Angel. She was one of a kind. Was he really going to let her go?

  All thoughts were banished in the rush of pure pleasure that surged through him when she caressed him. Her fingers knew just what to do, how to bring him to the brink. And when she parted her thighs for him, the feeling of sliding into her felt like coming home.

  Afterward, they lay entwined in each other’s arms, basking in the afterglow. But he couldn’t stop checking the clock. If he gave himself ten minutes to shower and dress, and five to pack, he could stay in bed for just three minutes longer.

  “When will you come back to Sydney?” she asked, running a finger in a slow circle over his chest.

  With an effort he cast off the last of the dreamy euphoria he’d succumbed to after their lovemaking. “After the board meeting, I have to visit some of our other branches. My calendar’s booked up several months in advance, and I don’t have another trip to Sydney scheduled.”

  “Several months?” Her hand froze. “So this is basically it?”

  He hesitated. There was only one way they’d get to spend more time together, but it was a lot to ask. Only days ago, he couldn’t have imagined asking any woman to move across the sea to be with him. But Angel wasn’t just any woman, was she? And if the alternative was spending months apart, what choice did he have?

  “Angel, I have a solution. Come to New York and work for us there.”

  She lifted her head off his shoulder to look at him, but he kept going before she could interrupt.

  “I’ll employ you as a manager right away, so you’ll have people under you. And it’s a bigger office with more opportunities. You could progress a lot faster.”

  She took a deep breath, and he found himself tensing as he waited for her reply. Willing her to say yes.

  “I can’t move to New York and leave my grandfather here.”

  “Bring him with you.”

  She pulled away from him and sat up, the sheet drawn up to her chest. A bad sign. Her expression was solemn.

  “If I asked him he’d probably move across the world for me. But he’d hate every minute of it, and he hasn’t got enough minutes left that I want to waste a single one. You saw him with his friends. He’d be miserable without them.” She gave Marcus a pleading look. “I can’t go, and I don’t want you to leave. Is there nothing I can say to make you stay?”

  Shit. There went any chance of them being able to spend more time together. He shook his head. “My job is in New York.”

  “And I need the General Manager’s job here in Sydney.” She hesitated. “But I’m not going to get that either, am I?”

  “After the board accepts my proposal, I’ll do the best I can for you.”

  “Thanks.” She gave him a slight smile that only managed to make her look more forlorn. “I know you’ll do whatever you can.”

  If only there was a way to give her what she wanted. He shouldn’t tell her about Bruce, but she deserved to know. Too bad if she made a formal complaint. If she did, he’d back her all the way and screw the consequences.

  “There’s something you don’t know. The chairman is Bruce’s uncle. If I promoted you, the chairman has the power to veto it anyway, and give his nephew the job.”

  Her eyes widened. “That’s why I’ve had no chance? Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I told you all along I couldn’t promote you. I thought it was unprofessional for me to share that relationship when it shouldn’t have any bearing on who gets the promotion.” Except I know it does.

  “Unprofessional? Bruce is the one who’s been acting unprofessionally. Him and his uncle. And I’m the one paying for it.”

  “That might be true, but I can’t do anything about it. Not until I get my proposal approved.” His eyes went to the clock. “Anyway, I have to get up. I can’t leave it any longer.”

  She stared at him for a moment, her lips pressed together. Then she scrambled out of bed. “I’ll let you go.”

  He got to his feet. “I’ll have to shower first or I’ll be late.”

  “I’ll shower at home.” She grabbed her dress and stepped into it, then turned to face him. “This is the end, isn’t it? I won’t see you for months. A year, even. So that’s it. Game over.”

  “Angel, you knew I was leaving today.”

  She zipped up her dress and tu
rned away from him, her voice breaking a little. “It’s just sinking in that I may never see you again.”

  Shocked, he realized she was headed towards the door. She was leaving? Just like that?

  “Wait, would you?” He searched for something to pull on. Dammit, where are my pants?

  Had he been right when he’d assumed she was just using him to get the position? Sure, she’d denied it, but why else would she take off so fast when she finally realized he couldn’t give her the job she wanted?

  She turned back, her face pale. “I won’t ask you to move to Sydney. You’ve already made your feelings about that plain.” She sucked in a breath and blew it out loudly. “So I guess that’s it. We’re out of options.”

  The minutes were clicking relentlessly past, and now he had less than five minutes to shower. Shit, shit, shit. The pilot had warned him not to be late because air traffic control had already allocated them a time for their takeoff.

  She looked around, searching for something. Probably her panties – they’d left them in the other room last night. Marcus felt his jaw tighten. This was the way his mother had left. No compromise, no discussion. Just a final goodbye, and then nothing.

  The thought made his voice hard. “So you’re just running out?”

  She stopped and looked at him. The vulnerability in her expression made his chest feel like it was being crushed. “I’m going to miss you. The time we’ve spent together has been the best of my life.”

  She crossed to him and kissed him, fast and hard. When she pulled free, she turned her face away and he couldn’t help but reach for her chin to draw her back towards him. Pain was raw in her eyes, and he felt a stab of guilt at having doubted her, however briefly.

  “It doesn’t have to be like this, Angel.” Even as he said it, he knew she was right and they’d taken their impossible relationship too far. If there was no way they could be together, it was better to finish it quickly. The more they drew the farewell out, the more it would hurt.

  “Then how is it going to be? Skype calls between meetings? Emails and texts?” She shook her head. “I’m sorry, Marcus. This is my fault. I wanted too much. Wanted something I couldn’t have.” She slipped her shoes on and headed towards the door.