Hard Bargain: a Billionaire Suspense Romance (City Sinners Book 3)

by Kenna Shaw Reed

  “A combined wedding and Christening,” he mused. “Nothing like a baby to make everyone accept your marriage.”

  “By then, we’ll have been married almost a year, and I’ll be able to fit into any gown mama chooses. The ceremony doesn’t matter as much as being married to the right man.”

  “My darling girl, you look happy and that’s all I’ve ever wanted. The baby news came as a shock, to all of us—”

  “This baby is loved and wanted,” I said as if there were any doubt.

  “I know.”

  “I promise, I didn't mean for anyone to find out that way. I certainly—”

  “How did your father take it?” His eyes were soft and loving. The opposite of what I’d expected.

  “Daddy, well you know, my baba.”

  “I do.” He laughed. “I remember when he proposed to my sister and expected the family to accept him with open arms. He never wanted to be part of the real family.

  “I know, and mama—” I sobbed.

  “I know,” my uncle tried to reassure me with words that would never count unless and until my parents accepted my husband and me. “Darling girl, they wanted more for you.”

  “I have a man who loves me, spoils me, and has a countdown calendar on his phone that tells us how many days until our baby is due.”

  “And the nightclubs? I know my sister would be happier if you were married to a normal businessman.”

  “Really?” Now it was my turn to laugh. “Prediction time. Mama will suddenly think Ibby is the most amazing husband put on the earth the minute her grandchild is born.”

  Uncle Norman patted my arm as if I’d been patiently waiting to unwrap Christmas presents instead of brokering peace between my husband and family. “Ibrahim will win them over. Your father is embarrassed that I met and approved of him first.”

  “Not that you had a choice,” I reminded him. Being frogmarched into the restaurant, I’d looked for Ibby but saw my uncle. Two quick blinks and I’d understood. No one knew our connection. He’d protect me but needed to see how far the threat had gotten.

  “I’d heard a lot of things. Garrison wanted my support in taking over Ibrahim’s nightclubs. When I heard a girl was involved, her description matched.”

  “There have to be millions of blondes in Sydney.”

  “Possibly, but when Sydney’s most eligible billionaire bachelor takes himself off the market for the same hostess and emerging social influence who is the target of Garrison’s attention, it narrowed down the field.”

  “Thank you. For what you did that night, for setting Ibby up with Scott Alexander, and for—well—everything.”

  “Now, even though you didn’t invite me to watch your wedding vows, I’ve got a gift for you.” He looked up and took both my hands. “I’ve seen the way your husband showers you in gifts, so what could I give the couple who has everything?”

  “I have no idea. Your blessing?”

  “Tonight.”

  “I don’t understand. You’re giving me the wedding present tonight?”

  “In a way, I’m giving both of you the wedding present, tonight.”

  “But Ibby is in Brisbane, opening The Venue #7.”

  “I’ve seen the publicity—you’ve done a great job creating the buzz,” Norman smiled as if he was personally responsible for my marketing prowess. “So why aren’t you up there? You deserve to be standing beside your husband and enjoying the night.”

  “Um—” I patted my stomach which was actually big enough to sit rest a plate of food. “I’m seven months pregnant and even the thought of flying commercial is enough to send me to my comfy lounge at home, remote in one hand and a plate of macaroni and cheese in the other.”

  “Latest craving?”

  “Insane, but the baby wants what the baby wants. It’s fine.”

  “Which comes to my gift. My plane.”

  “Your plane?”

  “My plane for the next week. As long as you can get me a ticket to the opening of The Venue tonight, you can leave me in Brisbane while you and your husband enjoy a babymoon. My plane, wherever you want to go.”

  “Um,” I wanted to protest, tell Norman it was too much. “How quickly can we leave?”

  An hour later, my uncle’s limousine collected me from home. Packing had been relatively easy—anything that fit. Including a dress I’d been saving for a special occasion.

  A replica of the blue bodycon dress I’d worn our first night. Slightly larger to accommodate my enormous breasts and stomach. Mostly, I felt like a beached whale, but in the dress, I felt loved. I could feel Ibby’s hands explore and his eyes devour.

  “You ready?” My uncle helped me into my seat while his driver stowed away my bags.

  “I couldn’t get hold of Darius or Lachlan, but Scott got us tickets. He won’t breathe a word to Ibby.”

  In less than three hours, I’d be in my husband’s arms. By this time tomorrow, we’d be on Lizard Island, enjoying a week’s long babymoon.

  I was no longer Katie Elias, fallen woman and ostracised by my family. They would come around.

  I was no longer Katie, The Club’s favorite hostess with energy to burn and a hole in my heart where Ibby belonged.

  I was Katie Mercia. Beloved wife of Australia’s nightclub king, social media influencer, marketing manager for The Venue.

  In Ibby’s eyes, I was his sexy goddess and soon to be mother of his child.

  Ibby: About to head to The Venue.

  Katie: I predict you’ll have an amazing night.

  Ibby: I predict, I’ll spend most of my time wishing you were here.

  Katie: I predict you don’t

  Ibby: I predict that within five minutes of me getting home, you won’t be wearing clothes, but you’ll be screaming my name.

  Katie: I predict …

  “My dear, we’re about to land.” My uncle looked pointedly at my phone.

  “As good a place as any to leave a conversation!”

  “You ready to go straight from the airport to The Venue?”

  “Absolutely.”

  I loved Brisbane.

  I loved the way the city caressed the river.

  I loved the people.

  I loved that the man I loved was only minutes away.

  “There it is!” I squealed like a schoolgirl as the building came into view. Crowds had only started milling around but if I knew my husband, he’d be inside trying to find Ricardo to give him last minute changes. If I knew Ricardo, he’d be hiding and wishing I was there to distract Ibby in any way possible.

  Soon.

  Soon.

  “My darling girl, if your parents could see you now, they’d be as happy for you as I am.”

  “I love him. I know he’s made mistakes, but I forgive him.”

  “Garrison will never hurt you again, and if Ibby does, well—”

  I didn’t bother answering my uncle as the car came to a stop. I didn’t even wait for someone to open my door. Although, a less pregnant me could have leapt from the car with grace and beauty, instead of having to adjust to my new centre of gravity.

  “Easy, we’ll find your man.” I barely acknowledged the voice to my side, or the arm that steadied me.

  “No! No! No!” I heard my husband barking his displeasure. At least we could follow the signs of fleeing staff. “Daytime lighting. Our guests are expecting daytime lighting and restaurant sampling dishes. On daytime crockery. Not weekend. My wife left very clear instructions—”

  “She certainly did,” I called out, coming into view. Watching Ibby’s eyes light up with recognition, and then cloud over with desire. Yep, same dress and same reaction. “What my husband is trying to explain, is this is a very important night for all of us. People said we couldn’t do this. They said a venue couldn’t be a restaurant by day, nightclub by night, and a family steakhouse on weekends. They said he was dreaming.”

  Ibby reached me before I’d taken two more steps. His hands to my face, one thumb tracing my lips. T
o the room, I added, “The Venue is what happens when people believe in the impossible. Now, if you will excuse me, the clock is ticking, and my husband has got just over four minutes.”

  Ibby knew. Clothes on the floor. His name sounded through the air.

  “Katie, sweetheart, how did you get here?”

  I saw where he wanted to drag me, towards the back and his office.

  “Ibrahim Mercia, I’d like to introduce you to my mother’s brother.” My uncle stepped forward to give Ibby the second shock in as many minutes. “Uncle Norman, otherwise known as Norman Hastings, I’d like to introduce you to my husband.”

  “Fuuuuuck.”

  Coming from my husband, it was my favorite word. A noun, a verb, an exclamation, and my favorite waste of time.

  Thank you for reading Hard Bargain.

  Keep reading for a sneak peek into the lives of Sydney and Australian rock band with first in rockstar reverse harem series, Seducing the Band in Lockdown. Or, go back to the fight and woman who started it all with The Bad Kitty. (And because I couldn’t resist, there’s also a short sneak peek from the next City Sinner when Scott makes a Reckless Gamble.)

  Contact me

  I write from experience of past loves and lovers. Of broken hearts and redemption. Of women who get the man (or men) they deserve.

  Join my mailing list, get Dirty Blonde as your FREE gift and exclusive material and connect with me on:

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  If you loved Hard Bargain, or even if you have strong feelings about Ibby and Katie, I would greatly appreciate if you would leave a review. Thank you so much. Kenna xoxo

  What to read next?

  All my books can be read in order or stand alone. Start at the beginning or jump in at any time.

  Rockstar Reverse Harem with a touch of suspense – Loving the Band

  Sydney never expected running from her past would end up spending lockdown with the band. The competition for her heart might be fun, but can relationships survive the consequences?

  After quick reads Seducing the Band, and Playing with the Band, get full length Enjoying the Band in Lockdown and Reuniting the Band in Lockdown.

  “Tell me what you want,” Xavier asked, his eyes and body mine to command. Join my newsletter and find out why he asks in your free prequel, Dirty Blonde today.

  City Sinners

  Billionaires and broken hearts. When the sun goes down, the deals are done and the sinners come out to play. Start with Broken Trust or go straight to Ibby and the romantic suspense Hard Bargain today

  Aussie Military Romance series

  After all they do to protect and serve, these Australian heroes deserve a happily ever after. And they have the bodies and the means to defend the women they love from enemies foreign and domestic.

  Start with Avenge Her today.

  Choose Your Own Romance

  When one happily ever after is not enough, choose your own. Read them as stand-alone or as a series.

  Choose from A Complicated Marriage where you get to choose for these wives. Can—or should—their marriages be saved? Have fun exploring their options. Start with The Politician’s Wife.

  Or from the Choose Your Own Romance series. Curl up with these sexy romances and see how much fun it is to be in control of their happily ever afters.

  Romance with Passion

  Less steam and more passion. These men, and their women have overcome overwhelming loss and deserve their happily ever after. Perfect for a rainy Sunday afternoon. Bring your tissues. Check out the full series.

  Sneak Peek: Seducing the Band in Lockdown

  A rockstar, reverse harem.

  We arrived at Meringa Pub shortly after lunchtime. The keys were taped inside the outdoor pizza oven. The centre-piece of the beer garden at the back of the building. Evidence from the recent bushfires remained. Ash, charred walls. The wooden furniture looked new, possibly locally made. I could see where an outdoor stage and pergola once stood. But inside, it had the musky smell of old wood, stale beer and decades of serving steak and chips.

  A restaurant, bar and social area downstairs, a fully stocked cellar and walk-in refrigerator-freezer below ground, and two floors of single and double rooms. Probably for fly-in fly-out style workers.

  Comfortably rustic. Plenty of rooms to find my own space if I needed.

  “What do you think?” Xavier grabbed me from behind. Linking his hands while his lips started sucking their way around my neck. “Think it’s a step up from the bus?”

  One hell of a way to spend lockdown. Just me and five guys.

  Call it quarantine.

  Call it fucking my way through boredom.

  Call it my new normal.

  “I think I can handle it.”

  The band had insisted Xavier and I take the room at the far end of the corridor. Furthest away from other bedrooms, and with its own bathroom.

  “Unless you want me to fucking join in, keep the noise to a moderate roar,” Devon warned, placing a platonic kiss to my cheek. “Then again, if you want me to join in, all you have to do is ask.”

  “Later, bro,” Xavier didn’t rise to the bait, marching me by the elbow past his friends. He wasn’t the only one impatient to christen our room.

  This whole day had been surreal. Almost adopted by the band as Xavier’s mascot. Accepted as his woman.

  We’d only been together for three days.

  Three glorious, sex filled days, but not enough time to define a relationship.

  “I could go,” I suggested, snuggling into his arms. The queen-sized bed smelt dusty and I’d use any excuse to wash the sheets and covers tomorrow. “I mean, thanks for inviting me to come along, but no one knows how long this lockdown thing is gonna last.”

  “Do you want to go?” Xavier’s hands were already removing my clothes.

  “I don’t want to get in the way, overstay my welcome.”

  “Does it seem like you’re in the way?” He pulled me on top, lying prone against his firm body. “If you sleep like this, there’s heaps of room for two.”

  Giggling, I slapped him playfully. “Would you let me get down! I’m serious. What about the other guys?”

  “Right now, they’re probably wishing they saw you first.”

  “It wouldn’t have made any difference.” The last thing I needed was for Xavier to get all alpha-asshole jealous. “I only wanted you.”

  “You and Devon seemed to get on.”

  “We bought groceries together.”

  “Jax couldn’t take his eyes off you.”

  “From what I’ve seen, Jax loses interest in any woman seconds after he knows her name.” Although any woman would get seriously lost in the fit body of the blonde lead guitarist whose vocals meshed with Xavier on stage to the detriment of female morality. Arms built for tearing apart a body, soft full lips ready to eat away at anything he damn well pleased. And according to social media, his cock had a reputation that preceded his presence in any town which meant that he rarely had to front up for hotel fees.

  “Guess it’s up to you, Sydney. Do you want to ride this wave with me, or have you got better places to go?”

  “Here. You. Me.” Now, I started grinding the full length of him. Rubbing his cock from my pussy, up to in between my boobs. Massaging them together, squeezing him tight until his moans echoed off the walls in the sparse room.

  “Sydney, oh, fuck, Sydney.” My name had never sounded sweeter.

  Then again, he’d been the only man ever to use it.

  I couldn’t believe my luck.

  Caught on a tour bus with The Flying Monkeys when lockdown happened.

  It was only supposed to be one night with lead singer, Xavier Galis. But now there was nowhere else I wanted to be.

  Xavier might be my one, but by the end of lockdown, I doubt he’ll be my only.

  Get your next rockstar reverse harem, Seducing
the Band in Lockdown, today

  Sneak peek: The Bad Kitty

  Chapter 1: Normality bites

  Kitty / Catherine / Cat

  OMG! Zac Templeton was supposed to be a no-show.

  Not only did he turn up to her parent’s party unexpectedly, but damn near took her breath away when he arrived with the first influx of early guests. Not giving her any time to prepare, change her outfit, fix her hair, make up or adopt an air of nonchalant and unaffected coolness. Oh, and somehow remember to breathe!

  She’d crushed on him for almost ten years. Since she started high school and he became friends with her older brother.

  “Catherine, good to see you.” A polite kiss before he stood his ground at the top of the white marble stairs, blocking all other guests from reaching the entrance of her home.

  Cat tried to remain calm as the green eyes traced the curves of her grown-up body and clearly liked what they saw. For years, she had delivered soft drinks and chips to Lucas’ end of the house, all for a glimpse of the tanned surf lifesaving body and long, light brown fringe he could never keep out of his eyes. Dearest, sexy Zac who never noticed she even existed. At least not in any way that mattered.

  “Zac!” Nervously she returned the kiss wishing it was more than an exchange between old acquaintances. “I almost didn’t recognize you.” A lie but he’d never be able to tell. “I didn’t know you and Lucas kept in touch?” She had looked for his name on the acceptance list and he’d clearly been a decline.

  Her words fell over themselves as she tried to say anything to keep him from moving past her to join the party.

  “I could say the same thing about you. How’s uni? What was it, business studies?”

  Cat could have died happy. He knew what she was studying! Information that could only have come from Lucas and her brother wouldn’t volunteer unless he was asked. More importantly, he wouldn’t have said anything unless he approved of them keeping in touch.