CEO'd By Him Complete Series Box Set

by Nella Tyler

  I spent the whole drive to Carrington’s in a fit of nerves. I tried not to fidget with my dress or check my reflection. I reminded myself I needed to be aloof and unconcerned. The moment we arrived, I got down and decided that my plan of action for tonight would just be to ignore Chase altogether. Just before we walked into the pub, I grabbed Beth by the arm and pulled her to me.

  “Beth, you have to promise you won’t say a word to anyone about Cole, okay?”

  “Of course I won’t,” she agreed immediately. “You can count on me.”

  I nodded, and we walked in. It was strange how Chase was the first person my eyes fell on the moment we were inside the pub. It was almost instinctive the way I looked at him the same moment he looked at me. I saw his eyes go wide as he stared at me, but I lowered mine and turned away.

  Beth was right. He looked amazing. He looked more than amazing. I felt my body respond to the intense attraction I was feeling. It had been so long since I had felt that way that it took me by surprise for a moment. I kept my back to him, resisting the urge to glance behind to see where he was.

  The group surrounded us, and I was forced to concentrate on saying hello to everyone and answering their questions about where I had been all this time.

  “I’ve just been so busy with work,” I replied to Kaley. “I’m starting a new business.”

  “No way!” Bryan said. “No wonder we haven’t seen you in a while.

  “Have you spoken to Chase yet?” Tracy asked, waggling her eyebrows at me.

  I frowned; she had always been the class gossip and apparently very little had changed. “Not yet,” I replied. “I did just get here.”

  “Must be awkward for you, huh?” Tracy continued without any sensitivity.

  “Not really,” I said with an unconcerned shrug.

  The moment the crowd around us dispersed a little, Beth came to my side. “Are you okay?” she whispered to me.

  “I’m going to get a beer.”

  I had just been handed my beer when I heard his voice say my name. I felt my heart skip a beat and I felt betrayed by my own body. I had no choice but to turn. His deep, brown eyes were boring into mine and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t look away.

  “Lauren,” he said again. “I’ve missed you so much.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chase

  I don’t know what it was about my words, but they pissed her off. I mean they really pissed her off, and I could see the bolt of anger flash through her eyes as she stared up at me. I was trying not to be distracted by how amazing beautiful she looked.

  Her hair fell in soft, dark waves around her shoulders, and her green eyes shone, taking on different hues under the pulsing light. Her dress was a new one; I had never seen it before. It was short and black, and it hugged her body in all the right places. She looked like a seductive mermaid or a dark-haired siren.

  I looked at her pleadingly, earnestly hoping she could see how much I had missed her and how much I regretted leaving her behind. It was the first time I had seen her in four years, but I was hoping our connection had persevered through it all. I was hoping I could communicate everything I had felt in the last four years so that she would never have to doubt my love for her.

  But looking at her face, I could see that it wasn’t going to be as easy as that. She was hurt, she was angry, and she looked as though she had a point to prove. She had come tonight because she wanted to show me she didn’t care. She wanted to show me she was not scared to see me or be near me. And she could do that only because she was over me.

  But I had to say it. I had to tell her how much I missed her, because it was true, and because she needed to hear it.

  “Did you now?” she asked hotly. There was no denying the hostility in her tone.

  “Of course,” I said emphatically, glad that she was at least talking to me. “How could you doubt that?”

  “I’ve had a lot to doubt over the last four years,” she said as she pushed past me in an attempt to get back to the group.

  I blocked her path, desperate to keep her talking to me, desperate to make her see how urgently I needed her and how determined I was to win back her trust. “Lauren, please,” he said desperately. “It’s been so long; I just want to talk to you.”

  “Oh yeah?” she replied. “Well, tough shit.”

  She elbowed past me and this time, I didn’t stop her. Her words took me by surprise and had me re-thinking my bold strategy. This was much, much worse than I had anticipated. She had walked around me as though I had been some creep trying to get her number. She had looked at me like one, too.

  “Man…that was rough.”

  I turned and found Tyler standing next to me.

  “You heard that?”

  “The whole damn conversation,” he replied, not even pretending as though he hadn’t been eavesdropping. “If you could call that a conversation at all.”

  “Fuck,” I said running a hand through my hair. “That didn’t go according to plan.”

  “What did you expect?” Tyler asked. “She’d walk through that door, take one look at you, and run into your arms?”

  I shot him a dirty look. “I was hoping for more than ‘tough shit,’” I admitted.

  “She’s pissed.”

  “No shit, Sherlock,” I replied with irritation. “Now tell me something I don’t know, like what do I do about it?”

  “Well, what can you do?” he asked with a shrug. “She’s angry, and she has all the ammunition she needs to hurt you.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Look at her, man,” he said, gesturing over to where Lauren was standing with Beth. “She’s hot as fuck, and she’s standing over there flaunting it in your face. She’s trying to make you see what you left behind.”

  “Well, it’s working.”

  “Exactly,” Tyler nodded. “Which means the only thing you have in your corner is persistence.”

  “Persistence?” I repeated.

  “Yup,” he nodded. “You want Lauren? Then you’re going to have to fight like hell to win her over. You’ve got to prove to her that you’re not dicking around.”

  “You’re right,” I nodded. “You’re absolutely right.”

  I continued to watch Lauren as she parted with Beth to talk to Michelle and Bernie. She had always had an amazing body, but tonight it was seriously on point. Or maybe my perception was skewed because I hadn’t seen her in so long, but she looked better than she did when I had left four years ago. And it was making me ache.

  “You need to find out if she’s seeing anyone,” I said, turning to Tyler with purpose.

  “How am I supposed to do that?” he demanded.

  “Just walk up to her and ask,” I said as though he were stupid.

  “Don’t be an idiot,” he replied. “She’s going to see right through that. She knows you and I are tight, and she’s going to know that I’m only asking the question on your behalf.”

  “Then find out some other way,” I said through gritted teeth.

  “Okay, and what if it turns out she does have a boyfriend?” Tyler asked. “What then?”

  I hesitated for a moment. “Well then, you’re going to have to find out his name and address so that I can track him down and murder him,” I said as calmly as I could manage.

  He nodded seriously. “Oh that’s a great plan. Four years in the military and then twenty years in prison for manslaughter. That’ll go down well.”

  “You are no help,” I huffed. “I’m going to go talk to Beth.”

  I left Tyler standing there and moved towards Beth. Lauren had disappeared behind a sea of people, and I figured it was the perfect opportunity for me to get some information.

  “Beth,” I nodded.

  “If you’re here to talk to me about Lauren, then I’m not interested,” she said before I could say anything further.

  “Can’t a guy come talk to his friend without being accused of this and that?”

  Beth gave m
e a small smile, and I hoped that meant she might warm to me a little. “We can talk,” she said. “But keep in mind that I’m Lauren’s friend before I’m yours.”

  I sighed. “Thanks for getting her here.”

  “I didn’t do it for you,” she replied. “I did it for Lauren. She needs to have some fun.”

  “Has she not been having fun lately?” I asked instantly.

  Beth shot me a cold look. “Don’t worry about her. She’s doing just fine. Better than fine, actually.”

  I didn’t know what that meant and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to in the first place. “Where is she living now?” I asked as innocently as I was able.

  Beth sighed. “If you’re going to keep talking to me about Lauren, then I’m out.”

  I gritted my teeth together. “You’re right,” I said looking towards Lauren. She was standing by the edge of the dance floor talking to Daniel. “I shouldn’t be talking to you about Lauren. I should be talking to Lauren.”

  With that, I left Beth and walked right up to Lauren. She didn’t see me coming until I was at her shoulder. “Hi, guys,” I interrupted. “May I cut in?”

  And before she had a chance to respond, I grabbed Lauren and pulled her out onto the dance floor. She struggled at first, but I kept a tight hold on her, pulling her body as close to mine as it would go. It felt amazing to hold her, even though she didn’t seem too thrilled about it.

  “Is this how you hooked up with women over there?” she demanded. “Man-handled them into dancing with you?”

  “I wasn’t interested in women over there,” I said immediately. “The only woman I’ve ever had eyes for is you.”

  She lowered her eyes, and I noticed that she had stopped struggling against me. She was even dancing a little, and I took that as a positive sign. She didn’t resist when I pulled her a little closer.

  “I’m sorry, Lauren,” I said taking advantage of the moment. “I’m so sorry for how things—”

  “Don’t,” she said quickly, turning her eyes up towards me. “Don’t talk. Don’t say anything. I don’t want to hear it.”

  “But you need to hear—”

  “If you keep talking, I will walk out of here,” she interrupted again fiercely as her green eyes flashed threateningly. “I’m serious. I don’t want to talk. You want to dance, then we can dance. But I most definitely do not want to talk. I don’t want to hear your explanations or your excuses. I don’t even care to hear your apologies. My life is good now. I have a life now, I have a business, and I have Cole—”

  “Cole?” I said, catching her abrupt end and the way her cheeks flashed scarlet as she said his name. My heart dropped, but I couldn’t stop myself from asking the question. “Is Cole your boyfriend?”

  She looked at me, and I couldn’t read those perfect, green eyes. They were hooded and reclusive and filled with four years’ worth of secrets. “He is very much the man in my life,” she replied as she looked me straight in the eye.

  Then, she dropped her hands and walked away from me, off the dance floor. I stared after her, feeling as though someone had just punched me in the gut. She had a boyfriend – this was my worst nightmare come true.

  I stood there, surrounded by gyrating bodies and watched her as she approached the bar and sat down. She hadn’t waited for me like I had always suspected…and hoped. She had moved on with her life, she had met someone new, and she had built herself up out of our breakup.

  As I stared at the back of her head, my will cemented itself into resolve and I realized that this boyfriend of hers didn’t matter, because in the end, Lauren would end up with me. I would make sure of that. I left the dance floor and headed for the bar towards her. This boyfriend of hers was only temporary, because this time, I wasn’t walking away that easy.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Lauren

  I wanted to kick myself. Of all the stupid things to say, I had gone and confirmed that Cole was my boyfriend. I didn’t even have a boyfriend, and Cole was my son. Cole was Chase’s son. But his name had slipped out of my mouth and Chase had asked the question and I had just…gone with it.

  It was more than just finding a convenient explanation for Cole, however; I knew that a part of me had wanted to hurt Chase by telling him that I was with someone else, that while he was away, some other man had swooped in and taken his place. I had seen the shock on his face, I had seen the hurt in his eyes, and I had gotten only a few moments of satisfaction before it had crashed down around me.

  “Hi, barkeep,” Chase said sliding into place beside me. “Can we get some shots over here for the both of us.”

  “I’m not drinking tonight,” I said firmly as Chase sat down.

  “Yes you are,” he replied.

  I glanced at his face. He seemed to have shaken off the shock and there was a new expression there. I wasn’t sure I could read it and that made me depressed somehow. So when the shots appeared before me, I thought to myself ‘fuck it’ and downed one swiftly. When I set the shot glass down, Chase was looking at me with a smile playing on his face.

  “What?” I demanded.

  “Nothing,” he said quickly as he took a shot, too.

  He threw it back and then looked over at me. “So, are you going to tell me about this Cole?”

  “Umm, no.”

  “Come on,” he prompted. “I’m curious.”

  “Too bad,” I replied.

  He kept staring at me and the more he did, the more self-conscious I became. I figured the best way to combat that would be to keep drinking, so I took another shot and glared at him. “Stop staring.”

  “Sorry,” he replied easily. “That I can’t do.”

  I sighed in frustration and grabbed another shot. A part of my brain registered that I was going too far with the drinking and I was also vaguely aware of the fact that I hadn’t drunk much in the last four years so my alcohol tolerance had significantly reduced. I was dangerously close to being drunk and I had only been there an hour.

  It didn’t help that Chase kept looking at me as though he wanted to throw me across the bar and take me in front of everyone present. I felt my thighs heat up and moisture begin to form between my legs as I grabbed another shot. Chase’s smile stretched into a grin as he saw me down the shot.

  “Don’t you have anyone else to talk to?” I demanded.

  “Please,” he said shaking his head. “I came here for you, and no one else.”

  His words sent a thrill of heat racing through my body and I became painfully aware that the alcohol was messing with my willpower. With every shot I took, it became harder and harder for me to resist him. I looked around for Beth, hoping that she would be able to save me from a bad decision, but she was nowhere in sight.

  “Who are you looking for?” Chase asked, leaning in a little.

  He smelt so good, and I backed away from his intoxicating presence. He didn’t seem to mind; in fact, he leaned in further so that his dark gaze trapped me.

  Beth was right – the stubble suited him. He looked more intensely masculine, more powerful, and more confident than he ever had before. I could detect changes in him, both physically and otherwise, but they were subtle and every one of them suited him. It was infuriating.

  “Whatever happened to the gym you dreamed of owning one day?” Chase had the gall to ask me.

  I gave him side eye and grabbed another shot. “It got delayed a bit,” I replied. “But don’t you worry, it’s still happening.”

  “I always knew you could do it,” Chase went on. “With or without me.”

  “I’m glad it was without you,” I said firmly as I turned to him. “Now when I look at my business, all I’ll see is myself and my accomplishments. It won’t have anything to do with you.”

  If he was hurt by my words, he did a good job of hiding it. “Then I’m glad I wasn’t involved, either,” he said. “I wouldn’t have wanted it to have anything to do with me. This is all you, Lauren, and you should be proud.”

  I turned aw
ay from him. It was incredibly annoying how he managed to turn around every single thing I said and still come off sounding like the more evolved one. I gritted my teeth and grabbed another shot. The moment I finished it and slammed it down against the bar, Chase grabbed me by the hand and pulled me to him. That was the first indication I got for how drunk I was because my body didn’t seem to have a will of its own. Chase pulled me and I went.

  “Where are you taking me?” I asked trying to muster up the necessary force behind the words.

  “To the dance floor,” he replied. “And this time, I want to see you dance.”

  He took me to the center of the floor so that we were lost in a crowd of bodies and pulsing lights that distorted our faces and made us look like we were camouflaged. I glanced around.

  “Nobody’s watching us, Lauren,” he leaned in and whispered in my ear. “It’s just you and me now.”

  And oddly enough, I believed him. A sea of bodies surrounded us, and yet I felt utterly alone with him. It was the strangest sensation, but I suspected even at the time that it had something to do with all the shots I’d drunk. I decided not to think about it. I decided to simply be in the moment and dance.

  Chase’s body was right up against mine the whole time. I could feel his hands on my hips, my stomach, and my torso. His eyes never left my face and his hands never stopped exploring. If I had been sober, I might have stopped him, but I was past the point of caring or resisting him. I was blissfully open to the night’s possibilities, and I found it freeing.

  The more we danced, the less inhibited I became. I grew more relaxed and Chase grew bolder. His hands travelled to my ass, cupping it slowly and pulling me to him with purpose. He bent his head down and kissed my neck and when I didn’t resist him, his lips travelled up until he was kissing me on the lips.

  It was the first time in four years that I’d been touched this way and I realized how much I wanted this. But it wasn’t just about sex. It was about him. I wanted him. I wanted him to defile me and ravage me and take me hard against any surface he could find. I wanted to feel him inside me and I wanted to remember what it felt like to be whole again…even if it was for just an hour.