Montgomery Billionaire Series

by Michelle Love

  Yep. Yup. Definitely. She had a queen-size crush on Grady Mallory. He was so much fun, so knowledgeable, so….something. Last night they had laughed until their sides hurt at dinner, messing around. She hadn’t felt the age gap between them once, was surprised in fact when she got home and Googled him to see he was in his late thirties. Fifteen years between the two of them and yet when they were together, she couldn’t tell. Not that Grady wasn’t mature, just, he had little regard for what anyone thought of him. He’d walked her back to her hotel and kissed her cheek, very gentlemanly, but God, she had wanted to drag him into her bed and fuck him senseless. The Google search hadn’t revealed any girlfriends or lovers but who knew? She read how he’d lost one girlfriend to his brother Kit; a beautiful, dark-haired woman called Asia. Flori felt inadequate as she looked at the lawyer’s photograph. Damn, she thought, absentmindedly scrunching her own messy hair up into a bun and fixing it with a pencil. Brilliant, smart and beautiful. ‘The golden trifecta,’ she thought to herself now as she walked to the auction place.

  Grady had called – he was supposed to meet her before but had gotten a last minute commitment he couldn’t break.

  ‘I’ll make it up to you after the sale,’ he promised, and she couldn’t help fantasizing about what that might entail.

  After I beat him out for the Kahlo, he walks me out, his hand on the small of my back, shaking his head ruefully. Another one bites the dust, he says. As we walk back towards the Quarter, he takes my hand the suddenly pulls me into a side street. I’m sorry, he says, I can’t wait another minute, and he kisses me. God, that kiss, his mouth soft and yet so passionate, his hands on my body, sliding under my skirt, into my panties. Please, I gasp, and he takes me there, in the evening streets, his cock so big, so hard inside of me and…

  ‘Wake it up, lady,’ a grumpy man pushed past her into the sale room. She stuck her tongue out at him and followed him in. She glanced around. No Grady yet. The room began to fill so she grabbed a seat quickly. There were so many people now that she couldn’t see through the crowd to find him. Cursing under her breath, she turned her attention back to the sale. Her phone vibrated.

  You there?

  She sighed. Yes.

  Mallory there?

  Flori closed her eyes for a beat then typed. No. She waited.

  If he doesn’t show, don’t bid on anything.

  Even though she had almost expected that answer, she was still shocked. So it was to do with Grady. Hell, what had she gotten herself in the middle of?

  Okay.

  Let me know what happens.

  She turned her phone off and decided to block everything from her mind.

  The Kahlo was the fourth lot to be sold. Flori heard a few bids shouted, but none of them were Grady… suddenly it was imperative she get it for him.

  ‘Twenty-five!’ All head turned towards her, and her cheeks flamed red. The auctioneer took it in his stride and continued. The bidding got up to thirty-three million dollars.

  ‘Thirty-four.’

  Grady. She turned and looked for him and finally spotted him looking straight at her, grinning, challenging her to top his bid. Everyone else had dropped out. Flori smiled as the auctioneer raised his eyebrows at her.

  ‘I have thirty-four….Miss?’

  Her smile widening, she turned back to the auctioneer and shook her head. ‘No.’ Her voice was true and clear as she glimpsed at Grady to see him looking shocked. She laughed a little.

  ‘At thirty-three million dollars…going once….twice…sold! Congratulations, Mr. Mallory.’

  Flori giggled as Grady looked astonished – and grateful. He mouthed to her ‘Why?’ and she merely shrugged and smiled.

  He caught up with her finally as the crowd dissipated and hugged her. God, those thick arms around her… ‘You little dreamboat,’ he said, ‘I’m still in shock. How…why…?’

  Flori swallowed over the lump in her throat. ‘Because you deserve it. I wish it had been the Rothko.’

  He looked down at her, lost for words and their gazes locked. Her heartbeat quickened.

  ‘Grady?’

  They both turned at the sound of her voice. Flori’s stomach dropped to the floor. Asia Flynn stood behind Grady. He took her hand. ‘God, I’m sorry, As, I got carried away. Asia Flynn, meet Floriana Morgan.’

  Flori shook the other woman’s hand, tried to return her warm smile, but her heart was cracking open. Asia smiled at her. ‘Grady has told me a lot about you; won’t you join us for dinner?’

  Flori was about to decline, but Grady was having none of it. ‘Hell yes, she will, I need to buy this girl some seriously expensive food.’

  Flori grinned then. ‘Gold-plated caviar with diamond ice on top.’

  ‘Foie grass made from the bird who laid the Golden Egg.’

  She giggled. ‘Grapes handpicked by Bacchus himself.’

  ‘At the very least. Come on, women; man feeds you now.’ He pretended to be a caveman and Asia shot Flori an amused look, rolling her eyes. Damn it; don’t make me like you, Flori thought.

  Half an hour later, it was a done deal. Asia Flynn was lovely, Flori had to admit. She’d been afraid she might feel like the third wheel but they were both so inclusive, so welcoming, that Flori had relaxed.

  ‘I feel I might be able to get used to this far too easily,’ she gestured around the French restaurant, the beautiful layout and atmosphere a reflection its surroundings. She’d passed on the escargot that Grady and Asia had tucked into so readily, and was quite happily working her way through the soft and fluffy bread, dipping it in garlic butter and swooning. At Grady’s recommendation, she’d ordered the Cote de Boeuf. When the food was brought out, she suddenly understood why Grady and Asia were grinning. It was huge, at least a thirty-two-ounce hunk of prime beef.

  ‘It’s bigger than my head,’ she said weakly, prompting loud laughter from the others. Grady wiped his eyes.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ he said, ‘I had to. But, I swear, it’s utterly delicious and,’ he leaned forward to whisper, ‘they do doggy bags.’

  She boinked him on the head with her fork. ‘I’ll put you in doggy bag, Mallory.’

  He sat back and grinned. ‘Eat up.’

  It was out of this world; Flori actually moaned with delight as she took her first bite.

  ‘Good?’ Asia grinned at her. Flori was glad to see the other woman hadn’t ordered salad or something ‘light’ but instead had a demi-poule on her plate that she was enthusiastically tucking into.

  ‘So good,’ Flori replied, ‘Please, have some.’

  Asia tried it and swooned. ‘God, yes. Next time, we’ll share one, yes?’

  Flori smiled. ‘Deal.’

  Afterward, they walked Flori back to her hotel, and it was only then she felt the pang of sadness as Grady and Asia walked hand-in-hand back to their hotel and the room they were obviously sharing. Flori waited until they’d turned a corner then sat down on the stone steps, breathing in the night air. She felt so conflicted; Asia Flynn was so lovely so kind and warm and yet… the thought of Grady making love to her was making Flori feel ill. Sick, actually, sick with jealousy. She breathed in a few lungfuls of the cool night air. I’ll get over it, she said to herself, I will. It’s just a crush.

  But she’d deliberately defied her employer. If he ever found out…

  ‘Bye bye college,’ she said. No, to hell with that, friendship was more important. Grady had wanted that Kahlo and her boss would have to get over it. If he fired her, so be it. She’d find the money someplace else.

  Decided, she got up and went up to her hotel room. She was pulling off her scarf when suddenly she gasped and turned. The man she called her boss was sitting on her bed. He stood, his face creased with rage.

  ‘You damn little traitor. I saw you, with them.’

  Flori backed up. ‘What?’ Her knees started to tremble. God, he knows…

  Gregor Fisk smiled without humor. ‘I gave you everything you wanted. All you had to do was beat o
ut Mallory for those paintings.’

  ‘I did,’ she said, ‘every time he was at a sale, I beat him out. The paintings are yours.’ Even to her own ears, the lie was pathetic. She’d backed up, so the door was behind her, her hand on the handle, ready to yank it open.

  She tried but Gregor slammed his body into her, banging the door closed. He reached over and locked it. Flori was terrified, could feel his hot, sour breath on her face. To her horror, he pulled a knife out from his pocket. Oh god, no… Gregor smiled.

  ‘Oh, no…I’m not done with you yet, girl…’

  And for the next few

  Tarnish Me

  Mallory

  By Michelle Love

  Pain. That’s all there was now, not night or day, not seconds, minutes or hours, just pain. Floriana Morgan opened her eyes to see a stranger, a man, a man with a kind face, bending over her. He was talking to her but it sounded a million miles away, hollow, weird. It’s okay, sweetie, we’ve got you now. Her eyes closed again. Pain.

  That’s all there was.

  Asia Flynn pressed her lips to Grady Mallory’s and smiled. ‘Good morning, handsome.’

  Grady chuckled. ‘Good morning to you, angel. Come here.’ He pulled her on top of him. ‘God, is it possible you get more beautiful every day?’

  Asia puffed out her cheeks and crossed her eyes. Grady grinned. ‘I take it back.’ He looked over at the clock. ‘God, look at the time.’

  Asia shrugged. ‘So? We have all the time in the world.’

  Grady acquiesced. ‘Or until you have to go back to Seattle.’

  ‘Well, there is that…’ she half frowned, half smiled at him. ‘You talk as if you weren’t coming back to Washington…I thought you were only in New Orleans for a couple of weeks.’

  He hauled himself up onto his elbows. ‘I was…but I’ve been thinking this last week about the future. You and me, obviously, but more than that, about making a legacy for myself.’

  Asia looked interested. ‘Go on.’

  ‘Well, it’s a lot to do with Flori…you know she’s working for this guy who pays her to screw me over, right?’ He was grinning at this and she laughed.

  ‘Yeah, so? Oh wait…I see something, give me a minute…’ She pretended to be receiving messages from the beyond.

  ‘I just thought she would be a good…’

  ‘I see pro…project….no, I got it, protégé.’ Asia laughed and kissed him. ‘Seriously, you are so your father’s son, Gray.’

  He half-smiled. ‘Not quite. Dad had his students, yeah, but they were all in a classroom. I’m talking about a hands-on mentorship – so to speak – I teach Flori everything I have learned; pay her to be my student on the understanding that she, after a few years, does the same to another art lover. Pay it forward.’

  Asia nodded but said nothing. Grady studied her. ‘Asia? What?’

  ‘So you would travel around the world with Floriana?’

  He hid a grin. ‘As her teacher. Jealous?’

  She shook her head but then had to laugh. ‘A little. Flori’s gorgeous.’

  ‘And young enough to be my kid.’

  ‘If you grew up in a trailer park.’

  ‘Snob.’

  ‘Hell yeah. No, seriously, I do think it would be a great thing to do. I’m just jealous she’ll see more of you than I will.'

  He kissed her. ‘I’ll be a cruel, mean tutor. Make her get my coffee and then change my mind about what I want and yell at her for getting it wrong.’

  Asia laughed, rolling her eyes. ‘Yeah right. Go for it.’

  ‘Really?’

  ‘Yes, absolutely. In fact, call her now; ask if she wants to meet for lunch, I’d like to see her before I go back to Seattle.’

  Grady’s eyebrows shot up. ‘Wow. Are you jealous of me travelling with Flori, or Flori travelling with me…?’

  ‘Shut up. I need to pee. Call her,’ she called back as she went to the bathroom. Grady, still grinning, snagged his phone from the night stand and called Flori’s number.

  ‘Hello?’

  Grady frowned. Not Flori’s voice. ‘Hey, I’m sorry…’ he checked the number – definitely Flori’s – ‘I’m looking for Floriana Morgan, this is her cell phone, who are you?’

  ‘Dr. Thomas at the Sacred Heart. Are you a friend of Miss Morgan’s?’

  Grady’s heart began to beat unpleasantly hard. He swung his legs over the side of the bed. ‘Yes, why…God, is she okay?’

  The doctor hesitated. ‘I’m afraid Miss Morgan had been brought to the hospital in a serious condition, more than that I cannot tell you. We’re trying to get in touch with her family.’

  ‘I can help with that, Doctor, please, how bad?’

  Another pause. ‘Bad. If you can get her family here as soon as possible, that would be a help.’

  Grady thought he might pass out from the shock. When Asia came out from the bathroom, she went to him immediately, and he told her what happened. She was as shocked as he was. Grady looked up at her, his eyes red and scared.

  ‘I have to get to the hospital. Now. God, Asia, I think Flori’s dying.’

  Parker Thomas M.D. swept his hand onto Flori’s forehead. ‘Hey, Floriana, can you open your eyes for me?’

  No response. God, this poor girl. In his fourteen years, he’d never seen a case like this. Floriana Morgan had been beaten and stabbed in such a brutal attack; Parker wondered how she was still breathing. Bags of blood and saline hung above the gurney she was on. He nodded to his resident. ‘Yeah, let’s get her down to surgery now, get this bleeding stopped. Then arrange for a head CT. I’ll be as fast as I can – if she weren't bleeding so badly, I’d be tempted to do the CT first, see if there’s a brain bleed but I don’t want her exsanguinating on me.’

  In the theater, he managed to stop the bleeding but it was touch and go so many times, he had to make the choice several times to carry on and not let her go. She’s just a kid, he thought, I have to try. He cursed the person who had done this to her over and over in his mind. At forty-one, Parker Thomas had made his fortune early by specializing in plastics, but six years into his own practice, he found himself needing more. Needing to help people in emergency situations, bringing people back from the brink, that’s where his heart truly lay. His half-sister, Valentina, called it his ‘God Complex’ and laughing, he’d agreed, yes, it probably was. Valentina, an actress with a flair for the dramatic, now referred to her brother as Dr. Savior. He would grin but really, knowing that his talent for going the extra mile for his most emergent patients, filled a hole in his heart.

  After Flori’s head CT, he sat in the booth looking at her scans, satisfied that there was no brain bleed. Thank god, she had a fighting chance if her brain was okay. He went to see her in the ICU. Coma was a scary word but sometimes, like now, it was the best thing for her. It saved her some of the pain. ‘Keep fighting, little one,’ he said.

  Out in the corridor, he saw a couple talking with the nurse. The man looked at him. ‘Dr. Thomas? Grady Mallory, this is Asia Flynn; we’re here for Flori – I‘m sorry, I mean, Floriana Morgan.’

  Parker shook hands with them. ‘As I said on the phone, I’m not able to tell you much because you’re not family.’

  Grady nodded. ‘I know, just…please…’ He got choked up and Parker took pity. He drew them to one side. ‘Look, I didn’t tell you this, okay? Floriana was brought in with multiple stab wounds to the abdomen. She was also badly beaten.’

  The woman, Asia, made a distressed noise and her eyes filled with tears. Grady Mallory hugged her to him, his own distress obvious. ‘Do the police know what happened?’

  Parker sighed. ‘I really shouldn’t…she was attacked in her hotel room. I really don’t know anymore. You said you could help find her family.’

  Grady nodded. ‘Yes, we’re looking into that right now, and we’ll fly them out as soon as we can locate them. As for press, I don’t think we should release her name.’

  ‘Agreed. Look, I wish I could tell you more
or give you better news, but we are doing everything to help her. She’s very sick.’

  Grady thanked him. ‘Doctor, I know this is a stupid question, but can…?’

  Parker shook his head. ‘I’m afraid you can’t see her yet. When her folks arrive, it’ll be up to them.’

  ‘Of course. I thought I’d ask.’ Grady gave him a half smile, ‘She’s just a kid,’ he said echoing Parker’s thoughts.

  ‘Yeah,’ suddenly Parker felt bleak. ‘This world, sometimes.’

  Asia Flynn put her hand on his arm. ‘This world. Thank you for looking after her.’

  He smiled at her. ‘Thanks. Look, I have to get back. If you can let the desk know when her parents get here?’

  ‘Sure thing.’

  He nodded, smiled and left them standing there. Checking some again on his patients, he left Flori until last. She was about the same age as Valentina, and the thought made his chest clench up. He would call his half-sister as soon as he got off work tonight. He checked her vital signs – steady, not great, but stable. Jesus, what people did to each other. Her injuries would heal, the bruises on her pretty face would fade, but only God knew what the psychological scars would be left.

  ‘Keep fighting, little one,’ he said to the comatose woman. Shit, why did it always get to him? He was a freaking professional. He went to update his charts. Helena, the ICU head nurse, nudged his shoulder as she sat down next to him. A Mexican woman in her forties, she had taken him under her wing as soon as he transferred to emergency medicine all those years ago – now she was family.

  ‘You okay, punkin? Rough day?’

  ‘Not as rough as that poor kid in there.’

  ‘Amen.’ She studied him. ‘You ever go out, let your hair down, Parker? Because you look like a guy who needs a big night, some good friends and an almighty hangover.’

  He grinned gratefully at her. ‘Hels, all I need is you to remind me that the world isn’t always a bad place.’