Alpha Crusher
by Shani Greene-Dowdell
Chapter One
Mira
Being a black woman doing a man's job is tough, but I am tougher and harder than nails. I get the job done, and that’s why clients keep trooping to my construction company in droves. When I first started in the industry, many of the men in the business were uncomfortable around me. They often turned their noses up at me or tried to talk over my head. Some clients were afraid a woman would mess up their jobs. There were also clients who said they couldn't hire me because of their wives (as if I wanted to sleep with every male customer that booked me). There was this one time when a man contacted me to build a house for his family. Everything was good to go. He’d picked out the floor plan, the outside design, and I’d done a rundown of the pricing. Then, when his wife met me, the first thing she wanted to know was if I was married or not.
“We can’t do business with a woman who has no family, Terry,” she’d said looking visibly disturbed by my womanhood. “I wouldn’t feel comfortable with you meeting with her alone, and that would mean I would have to take more time off work than necessary, so I could be there,” she told her husband as I sat there in awe.
I spent the next twenty minutes trying to convince the woman I was qualified for the job, and I worked with the utmost professionalism. She still declined to work with my company because I was a woman.
“Well, it sounds as if you need to time travel back into the 60s when women were barefoot and pregnant,” were my last words to her before I cut my eyes in her husband’s direction and said, “And thanks for wasting my time!”
In the beginning, it was rough. I could have given up then. But my doggedness, determination, passion, and love for architecture brought me to the point of being respected in the industry.
M&M Construction was a name to reckon with, and we had won several awards. Recently, we won two national construction awards. The focus of my company was delivering excellence and cost-effective construction solutions. That accomplishment earned us the Project New York City Skyline contract, which comprised of the building of seven skyscrapers, each with intricate designs.
“Hello, Miss McBride,” Joe’s voice broke into my thoughts, and I smiled at my foreman as he made his way toward me.
Work was ongoing at the construction site, and we had all hands on deck, working hard to have the first building completed before the deadline.
“Hey, Joe,” I replied.
He stood beside me, and we looked at the uncompleted site. I saw the excitement in his eyes that mirrored mine. Building a new house or taking on a new skyscraper project came with its ups and downs, but in the end, it was worth the stress. I felt fulfilled when I saw the delight on the faces of my clients. This was a huge project, and although we would meet the deadline, we still had to do our best until the job was done. Joe had been my foreman for the last five years, and he was like family. I could always count on Joe to get the job done.
“What do you think?” I asked. “We are gonna make it on time, right?”
He nodded and braced his muscled arms on his chest. Joe was tall and muscular with sandy brown hair and olive skin. He had a charming personality and an optimist view of everything, which was why I liked him.
“Of course,” Joe replied. “We’ll meet the deadline and clinch another award with the work that’s being done here.”
I laughed. “That’s what I want to hear.”
Optimism and hard work were the only things I would accept from anyone in a managing spot in my company. Two of the masons came down carrying some equipment; however, upon seeing I was on the site, they scurried away before I could look at them good. Everyone on my team worked hard because they knew it was required, and my mere presence was a reminder of that obligation.
“So…” Joe started to say something, but someone called out his name, cutting him off.
“Joe!” A tall, well-proportioned, chestnut-haired man with the thickest brown brows approached Joe. He wore faded denim jeans and a loose gray shirt. He looked confident, and while I liked confident men, I didn’t know why I didn’t like this man’s disposition. Maybe it was because he was marred with cockiness and arrogance that swished around him in the air as if it would blow anyone over that he wanted to cross. If there's anything I loathed in this world, it’s arrogant people.
This man didn't walk. Instead, he sauntered with a swagger that gave him a roguish persona. Besides being strikingly handsome, he had a full beard that added to a grown and sexy look that worked for him. His reddish-brown hair was tousled by the wind, and a wisp of hair had strayed to his temple. He easily brushed it back with the tips of his big fingers as he looked at me. His eyes were so beautiful that I couldn't stop staring into them. It grated my nerves to know I allowed myself to ogle him. I knew men like him. He either treated women like they weren’t their equal or felt he could get away with anything he wanted by flashing a sexy smile.
Not with this girl!
The longer I stared at him, the more his face looked familiar. I couldn't remember where I had seen him before as he shook hands with Joe without sparing another glance in my direction.
“Good morning, Mr. Levine,” Joe said cheerily. “This is—”
"Joe, your company is doing well, and I'd like to schedule a meeting with you to talk about acquiring it. It’s going to be a lot of good money in it for you, Joe," the man’s brash voice spat out, authoritatively. As if what he’d just barked out was not anyone’s choice but the final word. "Come to my office tomorrow so we can go over the details. What time are you available? Say around 11? Is that fine?"
What? I screamed in my head and clenched my fists tightly. Who is this big head who thinks he can march in here talking about buying M&M without even talking to me? Whoever he is, he has some serious issues.
Joe blanched, looking pale as the color drained from his face. He turned to me, and the color had returned, but he was beet red.
“Mr. Levine, this is my—” Joe said, trying to introduce me before Mr. Levine cut him off again.
"As I was saying, I have done my research, and I discovered that M&M recently won two awards, and it is also one of the best construction companies in America, but how long will that success last? I know you bought it from the black girl that started it, and both of you have done a good job here. But I can make sure that it remains in the number one spot, and take it even further," Mr. Levine bragged. Just as I suspected, he thought the sun rose and fell on his behind.
“Mr. Levine—” Joe spoke up again.
“Listen, Joe, you’ve gone through great lengths to try to hide the fact that you are the owner. It was like pulling teeth to sift through the paperwork and figure out who runs this operation, but I concluded it’s the guy that’s been right out there in front the entire time—you.”
“Wrong!” I said.
He ignored me and continued talking to Joe.
"It’s not easy to run a successful business, but you have done your best. I'd like to take the company off your hands and offer you a handsome deal for it."
"I own M&M, and it's not for sale," I said slowly but assertively.
“You?” he said, and his eyes roved over me from head to toe as if he were trying to figure out if I were worthy of making that announcement to him.
“Yes, me. This is a company I started from scratch and nurtured to what it has become today. I’ve heard of you, but I don't want to know you. I want you to turn your expensive shoes in that direction and leave, Mr. Levine.” I pointed toward the exit.
"Darling, Joe and I met in the gym, and we became friends. I’ve been studying his work," Mr. Levi
ne said. "But, I didn’t know…” He paused, continuing to size me up. A sparkle entered in his gaze, and no doubt it was the sparkle that comes to a man’s eyes when he thinks his charm is easy bait to reel in a woman’s company. “You are beautiful," he said.
The flirtatious grin on his face made my blood boil with anger.
“You are Ward Levine, the CEO of Levine Enterprise Holdings?” I asked, now remembering exactly who he was and the threat standing before me. He was the Ward Levine, a ruthless business tycoon, and a playboy. I had seen his shirtless photo on the cover of a sleazy gossip magazine, and my mouth watered as I remembered how toned and gorgeous his body was. He looked better in person, but his attitude was rotten. I had also seen his name on the Forbes Youngest Self-Made Billionaire list. There was a rumor around town that he loved to buy smaller companies and absorb them so they wouldn’t become a threat to him. Essentially, his business had become crushing small to mid-size real-estate related companies. Also, Ward’s name had been linked to several celebrities in the past, and there were speculations he had a series of lovers to keep his bed warm.
“Hello, I’m Mr. Right. I heard you were looking for me,” he said, bringing my attention back to his presence. “What’s a pretty thing like you doing in construction?” he drawled. “Why don’t you let me take this baby off your pretty little hands?”
“The first thing you should do is drop the cheesy lines. I didn’t come this far in this business to listen to catcalls and two-dollar whore lines,” I retorted. “Next thing you should know is that if you are looking to partner with someone…”
“These are not lines,” he cut in. “You really are the second most beautiful woman I have seen today.”
Who was the first beautiful woman he saw today? The thought popped into my head, and I knew I needed my head examined.
“In case you’re wondering, the first beautiful woman I saw today was Maggie.”
“I really don’t care. Why don’t you stop being a nuisance and leave?” I growled.
“Oh, you’re feisty and hot,” Ward said, smiling. “A great combination.”
I hardly knew him, but from what I’d seen already, he played too many games. Far too many. So why did a wave of jealousy sweep through me when he mentioned the name of his girlfriend?
Hormones.
Yeah, it had to be my hormones acting up on me. I didn’t care who he spent his time with, and why would I when the pig was there to steal everything I’d worked for?
“Please leave, you are trespassing,” I said as an order.
Joe pled with his eyes for me to control my temper. He knew how influential Ward Levine was in the real estate world. But he also knew I didn’t spend time playing little boy games.
Ward flashed a boyish grin, which would have melted my heart if it came from another man, but it only hardened it toward him.
“Can we start over?” he asked, extending his hand. “My name is Ward Levine, and I’d love to get to know more about you.”
“I know who you are, and right now, you are trespassing. I’d like you to leave,” I replied.
He shrugged as his eyes drifted over my body, and I felt a fluttery feeling in the pit of my stomach. I was confident I looked gorgeous in my favorite knee-length skirt with a button-down beige chiffon blouse and rich brown makeup. But the way he was looking at me made me want to glance down to see if there was a smudge of dust on my blouse. I folded my arms across my chest, maintaining eye contact with him.
“You just dropped something,” he said huskily.
“What?” I glared at him.
“Your name, but I didn’t catch it.” He grinned, showing a full set of pearly whites that sparkled under the sunlight.
"She's…" Joe started to say, but a look from me made him clamp his mouth shut. “I’ll let you two talk,” Joe excused himself and hastily walked away to speak with the two masons that were looking for him earlier.
“I’ve asked you politely. Don’t make me call my security guys on you,” I said, taking a step closer to Mr. Levine.
He stepped forward, and we were standing chest to chest in a standoff. Before I realized his intention, he lowered his head and dropped a kiss on my lips. It was brief, but he was close enough for me to inhale his masculine scent intermixed with cologne. I was shaken, and it took me some seconds to regain my composure to slap him across the face. He grabbed my wrist and dropped a soft kiss on the back of my hand. I yanked my hand away and stepped back.
"I stole a kiss from you, and I'd like to give it back to you," he said with a million-watt smile. “When do you want me to return it to you?”
“If you don’t get out of here,” I threatened, jabbing a finger into his chest. “Get the hell off my construction site.”
He stared into my eyes, and we had a stare down until he backed away and lifted his hands in defeat. I whirled around and walked away before he could realize how shaken I was by that kiss.
Lord, that kiss…
I touched my lips.
It'd been ages since someone stepped into my personal space, much less kissed me. I wiped the back of my hand against my lips as if I could erase that brief kiss, but the movement only reminded me that his lips had been there. Ward Levine was a charmer and a sweet talker. Fortunately, I was no longer the naive girl I used to be. I could pick his game apart. There was no way I would fall for the trap he was trying to set.
Chapter Two
Ward
Mira McBride.
The name suited her. It had a nice ring to it. My cheek still hurt from the slap she landed, but I couldn't get her out of my mind. She was feisty, gorgeous, independent, and strong-willed. All of the things I loved in my women. Did I mention she was gorgeous? Man, she was fine. Every delicate curve of her body made it impossible to mask my attraction.
Mira was beautiful with dark brown eyes and a small build that had, astoundingly, constructed many tall buildings. When I said small build, I meant her height compared to mine, because Mira was curvaceousness and thickness wrapped into a neat little fireball. Her backside was so round and luscious that I could see it as I walked toward her and Joe. Standing clearly a foot underneath me, the short, curvaceous woman with a memorable personality held my senses hostage. She smelled like a spring flower, looked like a winter rose, and her lips tasted as sweet as chamomile. I couldn’t explain why I felt the need to flirt with her, but I enjoyed getting a reaction out of her far more than I should have. She was so feisty that it did something to me.
As a man about his business, a successful business tycoon was what they called me, and I was used to women throwing themselves at me. I loved to do the chasing, but I found it thrilling when women made the first move. Successful businesswomen and celebrities offered their phone numbers without me having to ask for it, and I had tons of invitations to private dinners and concerts from beautiful women, many of whom I turned down. But Mira was different. She had a fire lit deep down inside of her, and I wanted it to ignite me too.
She exuded feminism and class, yet she had proven to have a good head for business. I couldn’t figure out why I instantly felt drawn to her when I was used to all types of women, from moguls to airheads, swooning over me. Maybe it was because women never said no to me. Mira turning me down made me want to know more about her. To know how to bend her to my will.
Every woman has a price. What is hers?
Was it an expensive piece of jewelry or a romp in bed? Those things could make a woman beholden to you for life. Something told me that wouldn’t work for Mira. She seemed wary of men like she didn’t trust easily. She was a mystery—an enigma even, and she had my full attention.
Usually, I liked to play a game where I guessed how long a woman would be able to keep my attention. The only woman who had been able to hold my attention for three months was a Persian beauty called Crescent. I didn’t know if Crescent was her real name or not, but she was skilled in bed and adventurous. We had passionate sex for three, hot, long months until I walked
into my house one day, looked at her, decided it was over and sent her packing.
If Mira was a good girl, she should be able to keep my attention for a few weeks before I wandered on to my next adventure. I wanted to see her again and have a taste of her. I would find a way to push her over and out of her business, or I would get her to spread her thick brown legs before the week was over. Perhaps both. It was a challenge I was willing to take.
I figured Mira must’ve been a private person. Despite her success, there weren't any details about her personal life on social media. I picked up my tablet and typed her name into the search engine again as the intercom on my desk rang, and the voice of my secretary came through the line.
“I’m sorry to bother you, sir. I have found a good construction company that can handle the new office building project we want to execute,” Mariah said, sounding as if she’d just hit pay dirt.
Mira's growling voice sending me away suddenly resonated in my head. Then, an idea came to mind. I felt the blood rushing through my veins. God, I wanted to have her in my bed. I wanted to run my fingers through her hair and caress her voluptuous curves until she spread them for me and begged me to make love to her.
If she proved too stubborn to take to bed, maybe I could at least get her to build the new offices for me at a cheaper rate. That way, I would have more time to convince her she belonged in my bed. Women loved to be sweet talked and treated like a queen, so this should be fun.
A hostile takeover of her company was officially shelved until I could get closer to Mira McBride. I was sure using her company for a building project would make getting close to her easier. She would be flattered I changed course and even more flattered to work for me. Anyone with any teeth in the construction business wanted to work with my family. With my uncle being a senator, the name alone was a force.
“Mr. Levine, are you still there?” Mariah’s voice penetrated my thoughts.
"I have already found a company I’m interested in working with, so I’ll handle it myself," I said to her.
Alpha Crusher: A BWWM Romance Novella Page 1
