The Billionaire's Proposition (The Romero Brothers, Book 4)

by Richards, Shadonna

  Still breathing hard, Venus playfully kissed a taut brown nipple on his chest as he moaned and she soon slid her tongue down his firm, muscular flesh. Goodness, he was so…fit! So healthy. His body was ripped and sculpted in all the right places. She leaned down and slid off his boxer shorts and his erection was sprung free.

  Oh, God! This man was…blessed with good proportions. She didn’t want to seem too surprised and tried but her look of approval and lust caught his attention and a grin of satisfaction curled his lips, she noticed.

  She eagerly glided her hand down his hard shaft, admiring his firmness. Venus then extended her wet tongue over the tip gently and he groaned with pleasure. Already, she was hot again, so turned on by his arousal. She wanted to do this right. She needed to please him the way he’d just satiated her.

  She kissed the tip of his erection and took him into her deeper and deeper with each suck, stroking his flesh simultaneously, and enjoying his moans of unbridled pleasure. He held onto her head as she bobbed up and down on his shaft, enjoying the taste of him inside her. He tasted clean, like a musky soap and a blend of his own masculine sex. The sensation filled her mouth as she pleasured him and swirled her tongue over the top before going down to the base of his erection.

  “Oh, God!” he cried out over and over. “I’m gonna come,” he said, motioning her head to shift but she wanted to experience all of him. She sucked harder and deeper until he came with a shudder, his milky release powerfully spilling over on her lips.

  “Why didn’t you move, baby?” he breathed, now hoarse.

  “I wanted to,” she said, moving up on him, pressing her lips to his neck and to his cheeks, and then moving over to his lips.

  “Oh, God, you’re something else, you know that?” he whispered.

  “Wanna go gloved or bare? You know I’m clean.”

  “I know, baby,” she whispered, kissing him intermittently. “We should use a condom, I’m…”

  He kissed her lips before she could finish her sentence. “Don’t explain. Safer is better,” he said, reaching over to the side table and opening the drawer. He pulled out a square golden foil packet and unwrapped it immediately.

  “No, let me.” Venus grinned. “I want to do this; let me put it on.”

  “Okay,” he moaned in a low voice, leaning back with a smile on his face. He seemed to enjoy watching her as she straddled him. She surveyed the condom to make sure she had the right way up before rolling it over his long, hard erection.

  “Mmm,” he groaned when she touched his length. Nothing pleased her more than to hear her man satisfied in every way.

  “Come here, baby,” Carl spoke softly, as he positioned her to the side and moved himself over her as if he were about to do push-ups. His arms were so strong, his muscles flexed. He then lowered his body to her while she breathed hard and deep. Her heart was pounding harder and harder in her chest. Beating faster and faster as he kissed her lips tenderly then passionately while he moved over her, he positioned his erection at her opening and gyrating his hips over hers, spreading her legs apart then…he slid deep inside her. Venus jolted. She cried out his name, moaning with delight. He came out slowly for a moment, teasing her. She wanted him back inside her, filling her again. She could not believe how wonderful his large manhood felt inside her moist, throbbing walls.

  Venus wrapped her legs around his firm waist crying out for more as blood rushed through her, enjoying the heat of his body on hers, inside her. She moaned uncontrollably as he pounded his hardness back and forth into the pulsing of her sex. She couldn’t believe how good he felt inside her, sating her completely. Fulfilling her. Desire shot through her body. She’d never felt so erotic, so in touch, so sexy, so desired. Feeling Carl Romero inside her, thrusting his manhood inside her as she tightened around him sent currents of desire through her body. His hardness inside, electrifying her sweetly.

  Soon she came again and again, her body jerking hard on the bed. Carl came hard as his body went into spasm on top of her. They both collapsed into each other’s arms in the afterglow of their magnificent love-making. The way newlyweds should be. If only, they could stay in this marriage—forever!

  * * *

  Venus woke up, a satisfied smile on her face, her body still felt a bit sore in a good way, but still buzzed from Carl’s stunning love-making. She’d been so intimate with him last night. It was incredible. Incredible was probably not even the best word to describe what they’d experienced. She reached over to his side of the massive king-sized bed but Carl was not there.

  “Carl?” she said, propping herself up on the bed in the dark. The room was darker now since the tiny little love candles had burned out. The moonlight was the only illumination in the grand honeymoon suite. She saw a shadow of a man sitting by the window with his knee propped up.

  “Carl?”

  “Yes, I’m here.”

  But something was wrong. Terribly wrong. She turned on the side table light. Carl’s expression was nothing like the one she’d seen before. She glanced at the clock on the table. It was four in the morning.

  “Is something wrong?” she asked, sitting up on the bed. Her heart was pounding hard and fast. But this time it had nothing to do with the anticipatory passion she’d felt. This time, her heart beat furiously out of fear. Oh, no. Did he find out? But how could he? She’d tried to be so…careful.

  Carl had on a pajama bottom. His beautifully ripped chest still bare to her delight. She loved capturing his masculine, naked physique every chance she got.

  Hours ago, love shone in his beautiful dark eyes. And now? Anger flashed in the blackness of his eyes. They glowed with a savage inner fire. It brought shivers down her spine. Oh, God! He knew. He knew about her.

  “Yes,” he said, his voice devoid of warmth or any expression for that matter. “Who the hell are you?”

  “W-what?”

  His tone chilled her body.

  “Who are you and where is Tristan’s real mother?”

  “Carl, what are you talking about? I…I’m Tristan’s mother.”

  “Don’t lie to me, Venus. You know you are not. Did you think I wouldn’t know?”

  “Know what?”

  “That you were a virgin,” he said, and he rose from his chair to full height. He placed his hands in the pockets of his silk pajama bottoms and paced by the window, eyeing Venus occasionally. He looked as if someone had punched him in the gut and ripped out his heart. He looked…crushed. Disappointed. In shock.

  Venus flinched.

  “There’s no way you gave birth,” he continued. “You sure as hell didn’t do it naturally and you have no signs of ever having a surgery or C-section. What’s going on? Who are you? You came to work for my family saying that you were a single mother and needed a job. You lied right there. You’re not a mother.”

  Venus trembled inside. “I…I am, Carl.” Caught up in her own web of lies. Now what? “Okay, Carl,” she said, sitting back down on the side of the bed. She covered her face with her hands and willed her tears to stop. She then looked up and heaved a deep sigh. “Carl, I’m so very sorry, you had to…find out like that. You’re right. I’m not Tristan’s…real mother.”

  “What? So it is true,” he said, looking more shocked. Finally hearing the truth from her lips knocked reality to him.

  “M-my name…is not Venus Jackson.”

  “Who are you then?”

  “M-my real name is Nadya. Nadya Korosokowii.”

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  “You know, I’m worried about Carl,” Toni said turning to his wife, Shelly. It was four in the morning, but for some reason Toni could not sleep. He was propped up on his side of the automatic reclining bed. Thankfully, it had two power modes where each side of the bed could be lowered or raised separately.

  Shelly turned over to face him. The nightlight on his side of the bed was turned on.

  “Toni, what are you doing up at this hour?”

  “I’m worried about that grandson of
mine. You know, him being in Vegas with Venus and…well, planning this one-year marriage for the sake of the election and his public image. I wish he would do this for real.”

  “I agree,” she said, raising her side of the bed. “But I think he knows what he’s doing. Carl is a good man, the best man for the job, Toni. We both know that. But we also know that a disadvantage like being single and young can run high, too.”

  “That’s true,” Toni admitted, adjusting his glasses over his nose. He dropped the newspaper on his lap. “But right now, the media is saying all kinds of nasty lies about him. I hate it. My blood is boiling over just thinking about them getting away with putting him down before he even has a chance to announce his candidacy. And you know where all this is coming from?” he said, rhetorically. “Those Bronsons! They own half the media outlets in this town and they’re always all too happy to put my boys down. They’d done so in the past. Not to mention Carl’s potential rivals who are trying to dig up dirt on him so that they can bury him before the election. I tell ya, politics is a dirty game. It’s not for the faint of heart.”

  “Oh, no. You’re not still reading all that gossip, are you?” Shelly commented. “Toni, that’s going to drive you crazy, up the wall.”

  “I just need to keep up-to-date on what’s being said about my grandson. You know how much that matters to me.”

  “I know. But you also have your detectives on the case, too. You told me that your men are keeping an eye on what’s going on. If they come up with anything libelous then we can go after them.”

  “I know, I know,” he said. “It’s just that the boys have been through so much in their lives. They’ve really had it rough, as you know. They used to be poorer than poor before they came into my life—after they lost their mother and their dad lost their home.”

  “I know. But they’re grown now and doing so much for themselves. God, Toni, those young men have skins more solid than steel. Nothing can penetrate them. You know that. They’ve accomplished so much, too. You can’t keep seeing them as boys, Toni. You have to let go at some point. All you can do is guide them and offer them your opinion and let them do the rest.”

  “Yes, of course,” he said dismissively.

  “Why do I get the feeling that’s not all that’s bothering you?” Shelly probed perceptively, raising her brow.

  “You’re right, my dear. That’s not all that’s bothering me.”

  “Well, what is it then?” she asked softly.

  “I just don’t want to see my grandsons alone, that’s all. I see the way Venus looks at Carl. Just the way Lucy looked at Antonio and Maxine at Lucas. And of course let’s not forget Zack who’s more happy than he’s ever been now that he’s married to Blue. Marriage is magical when you’re with the one who would do everything in the world to make you happy. Someone who loves you for who you are and cherishes you,” he said.

  “I agree. Couldn’t have said it better!” Shelly smiled.

  “Venus seems to care so much for Carl and he doesn’t seem to see it. Or at least, he dismisses it. He’s been…well, hurt before by a bad relationship with that Nea girl, his first real love, and I think he finds it hard to trust and lose love again. But life is about taking chances. That’s what living is—or we’d all be sitting in a closet withering away. I hope and pray that he gives Venus a chance. If nothing else comes out of this...political game. I pray that they will at least find love with each other.”

  “I hear you,” Shelly said.

  “I mean, look at us. Who would have ever thought we’d end up together? You worked for me as my nurse, remember?”

  “How could I forget?” She grinned. “I’m still your nurse.”

  He chuckled, momentarily. “Well, you know what I mean. The family didn’t think we’d be good together because of our age difference and the fact that you were wife number five but the fact remains is that we gave love a chance.”

  “I know,” she said, and she reached over to him and kissed his cheek.

  Toni felt warm inside and patted her arm affectionately. “I don’t know what I would do without you, Shelly.”

  “Probably enjoying a peaceful night sleep without someone nagging you all the time,” she teased.

  Toni grinned. “Yeah, yeah. I just hope that Carl sees Venus as more than just a meal ticket to a high-profile position.”

  “Oh, now stop. You don’t give those boys much credit sometimes, Toni. You know Carl is a lot more profound than that.”

  “I know, I know. But I hope he doesn’t throw love away. You and I both know that there’s a lot of politics in…politics, right?”

  “Yeah,” she said, “and what are you getting at?”

  “Life can be hard sometimes. Any place in life worth going, like the road to happiness, is often paved with a lot of trials and tribulations. It’s not always smooth.”

  “I know,” she said, “and having someone by your side makes it all the more worthwhile and tolerable,” she said, finishing his sentiment.

  “That’s right. You know I’m not going to be around forever, you know. I’m getting old. I know the boys keep saying that I’m always nagging them about marriage but marriage is the best partnership a person can have.”

  “Well said, Toni.”

  He chuckled. “Well, you know me and philosophy, right?”

  “Yes, and you’re my modern day Aristotle,” she said, playfully.

  “I just hope it really does work out for Carl and Venus. I don’t know what I would do if it doesn’t work out between them.”

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Carl narrowed his eyes, overcome with shock and disbelief. The blood drained from his face. “Nadya. Korosokowii?” he echoed her name.

  His gut instinct was right. He’d suspected something about her but nothing close to this. Not even remotely. This woman was a complete fraud. An imposter.

  He paced by the fireplace in the hotel room and ran his fingers through his hair, dazed. His heart thumped fierce and hard in his chest. He felt his blood pressure soar. A humorless chuckle parted from his lips.

  “It isn’t what it looks like, Carl.”

  “No?” he said indifferently. “Why did you lie about who you were on the job application when you came to work for my family?”

  “I…I didn’t,” she denied.

  “Oh? But you just told me you’re Nadya whatever.”

  “Yes. I…mean, no. I mean, yes, I am now,” she stuttered. Carl could see terror in her eyes. There was so much more to this. So much more.

  “Okay,” he said, trying to sound more calm to give this woman a chance to explain herself. “Do you mind explaining to me what’s really going on, Venus, or rather, Nadya?”

  “I…” she got up, wringing her hands, the sheet tied around her, covering her voluptuous cleavage that hours ago he’d pleasured. My goodness. He’d just made love to a stranger.

  She drew in a deep breath and gazed out at the window, taking in the city lights in the darkness of the early morning. The city that never slept. And it looked as if they would not be getting any sleep either, any time soon.

  “You see, I was born Nadya Kosorokwii and Tristan was born Niko,” she paused, breathing hard as if overcome with anxiety.

  “Are you going to be all right?”

  “Yes,” she assured before continuing. “You see, Tristan is not my son. He’s my…my baby brother.”

  “What?” Carl rubbed the top of his head. Shit, this night’s getting crazier by the minute! “Okay, whoa there. Your brother? Tristan is your brother?”

  Well, now it all made sense why that little kid had her eyes, her nose, her face, and everything about her. They damn well looked alike. But not as mother and son. As sister and brother. What the hell was going on? What had he gotten himself into, marrying this woman with the intent of presenting her to the world as his wife?

  “Yes.”

  “So what about your parents?”

  “Well, that’s where it gets complicated. Oh, Car
l. I’m so sorry I…I didn’t tell you but I couldn’t before.”

  “Why, Venus…Nadya…or whoever you are?” Damn! This is all crazy!

  “You can call me Venus. Please. That is my real name,” she said with conviction. “Well, at least now it is.”

  “So you changed your name and kidnapped your brother.”

  “No, Carl. I…” Venus drew in a deep breath. Carl sensed this was difficult for her. He felt sorry for her. No matter who the hell she really was, he still had real feelings for her. His body could not deny that. Heck, he couldn’t deny it to himself. But he couldn’t go further without an explanation. He needed to know what the hell was going on and what he and she had gotten herself into. The press would have a field day with this if word ever got out.

  “Are you in trouble?” he asked pointedly. Was she running from someone? Hiding from something?

  “No. Yes. I mean, I was but not now.”

  “Okay, tell me everything, Nad—I mean, Venus.”

  “Okay. My name was Nadya and my brother’s name was Niko. He is now officially my son.”

  “How come?”

  “Well, you see, it all started a few years ago. In Murumba.”

  “So that’s where you’re really from. Why did you tell me Kansas?”

  “I had been to Kansas once a long time ago, so I thought it would be safe to say I’d spent longer than I had actually stayed there.”

  “I see.” His arms remained folded across his chest; his eyes penetrated her. She was still painstakingly beautiful. But just a beautiful liar now.

  “I had to say that so that your men, your people around your family could not pinpoint where I’m really from. My parents were brutally murdered in front of me, and Tristan—but he was just a baby so he wasn’t aware of it,” she said in a low voice, anger more than sorrow reflected in her voice and her beautiful dark brown eyes.

  “Oh, God! Venus, I’m so sorry. When did this happen? How?”

  “Well, first I will tell you that I had a part-time job to help make ends meet because my family lived on a substandard income. My employer, Eduardo Meritos,” she said.