Ruthless Renovator : A Hero Club Novel

by Paisleigh Aumack

  “Well, Moretti, I’m here. What the fuck is going on? And don’t sugarcoat this shit. My girl is freaked the hell out and I walked in here ready to commit murder.”

  “As I told Joss, if it were my woman I’d want to be here so I waited for you. I think you get where I am coming from, yeah?” Wes asked Zane.

  “Yeah, I fucking get you. Get on with it then.”

  “Well, about a half hour ago I received a phone call from a connection I have at the DA’s office who said Bruno Haynes posted bail this morning. They also said Bruno was talking about getting even with the bitch who brought him down. His cellmate was questioned and when they asked him who he was referring to, he said ‘his skater girl,’ who made it her mission to be a cocktease, and some chatty bitch named Gabby. Bruno’s whereabouts at this moment are unknown but with what we know, he is likely heading for you, Joss,” Wes deadpanned and looked at me with concern.

  “Fuck,” Zane barked out in a growl. I felt his entire body go still as Wes spoke and I knew that things had just escalated quickly for me.

  “I don’t understand. It’s not like I knew who you were and I purposely brought you there. How could I have been the one who brought him down? I didn’t make any reports. Wes, you and Arden were the only ones who knew I felt uncomfortable around him until Zane came back into my life.” Then it dawned on me.

  “Zane, could your guy who looked into things have been traced back to me?” I asked him. I was starting to really freak out, and I couldn’t understand why I was now the target of this crazy fuckwit’s revenge mission.

  “Shit. It’s possible, but Davien would never put you in harm’s way. He knows what you mean to me and has for a long time.”

  “That doesn’t mean it didn’t leak. Not that it was your man’s fault, but Davien Miller isn’t the best at covering his tracks when doing his digging. And before you ask, yes, I know of him. I learned more when you had him look into me,” Wes put in.

  “FUCK!” Zane roared. “What do I do to keep Joss safe until this shithead is behind bars, since you no longer will be with her?”

  “Hire security. I’m sure Davien could use a break from that fucking bitch you were married to. Besides, it would only be when Joss was here at the office since your ass is never far away from her outside of business hours.” Wes was right about that. Still, though, I didn’t want security at work.

  “No. No security. I won’t allow my job to become a source of fear for me. I’ll continue to do my show and maybe it’ll draw him out. Once your people have a lock on his location, you can arrest him again or whatever, but absolutely no to the security detail.”

  Zane’s arms got tighter around me and he brought his mouth to my ear.

  “Baby, I know you don’t want it but I have to keep you safe when you are here. If I wasn’t so busy right now with my own work, I’d stay with you all day, every day. It’s just not an option, and neither is you being a free target for this fucker. I wouldn’t be able to handle anything happening to you. It would destroy me, forever.” Zane sounded angry, but right on the edge of his anger, I heard his fear. I didn’t like it and I didn’t want it in his voice. My thoughts were all over the place and my head no longer allowed me to compartmentalize my feelings. Over the last week, Zane broke me of that.

  I broke out of my thoughts when Zane shook me and told me it would only be until the authorities could put Bruno away permanently. I sighed and nodded my head.

  “I’m sorry, Joss,” Wes said gently. I smiled a small smile at him but he knew me well enough to know it wasn’t a real smile. He wasn’t to blame and he needed to know that. I got up off Zane’s lap and walked over to him and gave him hug.

  “It’s not your fault. Nothing to be sorry for. If you could stay to keep me safe, I know you would. Now, before this one,” I pointed my thumb over my shoulder in Zane’s direction, “goes gonzo and finds Bruno himself, let’s go get Arden and get him drunk.”

  “Sounds like that best plan to me.” Wes squeezed me and then turned me into Zane’s arms again. We watched Wes leave my office and I felt the loss of him more than I had the entire day. Maybe it was my new set of circumstances, maybe not. It still sucked all around.

  “Come on, Joss. Let’s get to The Lantern. We could both use some liquor to calm our nerves and it will give me a chance to call Davien on the ride there.”

  The thought of me not being around to touch, kiss, lick, or even talk to Zane made my blood run cold. I knew I was in love with him. Shit. I had been since I was a teenager, but this was different. So much different I felt it down to my marrow. If there was anything I knew, it was I needed to let him protect me. So we were making our way to the bar and I’d agreed to let him do what he needed to do.

  And just like that, we were moving past the latest drama but preparing for future ones all the same.

  Not only did I need a shot, I needed my Ardie. It sucked that Soraya was across the country and couldn’t round out our group, but I’d fill her in later if I wasn’t too drunk to call her.

  CHAPTER 20

  On-Air.

  Mac

  THE NEXT COUPLE of weeks were busy for both Josselyn and me. Davien was more than happy to get away from my ex and the Hollywood scene to come play bodyguard to Joss until the trial for Bruno started. Joss was not happy but the good news was, Davien only had to be around while Joss was at work and then he could do whatever he wanted since we always wound up together at night. The position Wes vacated was filled by Ryanne Bishop. Wes reached out, and at first Ryanne was not really interested but then changed her mind. Wes knew they would make magic together and so far, he was not wrong. As for us, Joss and I worked out a routine of working, eating, sleeping, and fucking. The latter was the best part of my day. Like I told Joss, every time got better and better. She wasn’t just amazing; she was the best I’d ever had. If I got my way, it would be her for the rest of my life. My theory about her attitude and what she could do with her mouth proved true the first time she went down on me after our first fight and has every time since.

  Don’t worry.

  I returned the favor.

  Liberally.

  It wasn’t just that her taste made me insane; I craved it like the junkie I was for her.

  Joss and I also talked about the call I had from Graham the night after we all partied with Wes at The Proud Lantern. Under no pressure or being put on the spot this time, Joss agreed to do the demo at the opening. Graham, always being on top of things, emailed over Josselyn’s contract immediately after I had told him she agreed. When we spoke last, I’d asked him to make sure the surprise for Joss was all in order. Of course, it already was and the fucker went on for twenty minutes about how it was good to finally see me pussy-whipped. Graham wasn’t one to ever mince words. I had to give it to him, though; he was always honest. Once he received Joss’s signed contract back, Graham went balls to the wall advertising; New York City billboards, signs adorning benches all up and down the California coast, and every type of ad social media would allow him to run. He’d even managed to get Joss to run a read through spot on her show, and Soraya had a permanent ad spot in her column touting ‘the return of the greatest female skateboarder of all time to the ramp’ for one night only.

  Joss and I had finally begun to trust one another and learned so much about what we needed and wanted from the other. Josselyn would send me texts that arranged plans or told me she missed me. I’d reply with what I thought were sweet, romantic sentiments but, according to her, were just straight-out sexts. No matter how many times throughout the day we messaged, it always made my chest tighten and a smile spread across my face. I was pretty fucking happy things were solid between us, but I wasn’t stupid enough to let my guard down. Bruno was out on bail and the trial wasn’t set to begin for a few months. There hadn’t been any word from him, but then again, Joss was protected pretty much all the time.

  It was a Thursday, show day for Joss, and I had been driving from the warehouse renovation site. Eve
rything was coming along great and we were ahead of schedule and under budget on almost all of the projects my team had been working on. It was a weird feeling of relief that I had and shouldn’t have let it settle in. As soon as I turned the radio in my car on to my girl’s show, the relieved feeling was immediately replaced with uncontrollable possessiveness. Josselyn ‘let it rip’ to Arden about the other men in her life. Not currently in her life, but we’d had an agreement that I didn’t want to hear about any man who had touched her before me. I was the only man in Josselyn’s life with that privilege and she knew it made me crazy when she talked about this shit on air. I had been on my way to my house but after hearing what was being discussed, my car made a quick turn toward the radio station.

  I threw the Chevelle in the closest spot I could find to the stairs and parked. My control was gone and I knew Joss was still on-air, so I couldn’t barge in there and claim what was mine like the caveman in me wanted to. My heart was beating up against my chest as I listened to more of her show, which was not at all helping me to calm down.

  “Fuck it,” I growled and was out of the car and engaging the alarm. On a determined prowl, I headed toward the stairs, taking them two at a time until I reached her floor. Davien was in the production booth and when I opened the door, he was smiling, and then burst out laughing. I wasn’t sure what was funny or if I had ever seen Davien laugh like that.

  “What’s fucking funny, asshole?” I inquired, as I crossed my arms over my chest.

  “I knew as soon as these two lunatics started talking about the men they had spent time with, Wes was coming home on the fed’s private jet to stop it or you were going to barge in here like a maniac. But you were the more likely option since Arden and Wes keep dancing around each other. Anyway, since you’re here, I’m going to hit the head and go get some lunch. Long night and had no time to stop for breakfast so I’m fucking starving. Be back in like an hour, if that’s cool with you?”

  “Yeah, man. It’s cool. I’ll be here torturing myself. Then Josselyn and I will be having a conversation about her choice of show topics.”

  “Right. Good luck with that. Be back.”

  _______________

  “And remember, ladies. You are allowed to have needs and have them met. The double standards in this society need to be obliterated. This is Josselyn Easton and thanks again for joining Arden and me today. Past experiences are always a favorite topic of ours to discuss. Remember to follow me on social and let it rip. Until next time,” Joss signed off her show. Her favorite topic was about to be the focal point of our conversation. As soon as I saw Arden and Joss remove their headphones, I went into the studio. Okay, I barged in like a madman. Any calm I’d established flew out the window, and I was again ready to carry Joss out of here over my shoulder. When I locked eyes with Joss, her face looked smug. Like she knew exactly what she did to me. After all, she knew I tuned in to listen to her show every time she was on-air. I marched over to stand in front of her and narrowed my eyes at her. Without moving or acknowledging Arden, I asked her to please give us a few minutes to talk.

  “Sure, Zane. Joss, text me later. I’m going to head home. I’m exhausted. Don’t forget, Ryanne isn’t in today so you have to finish post-production.”

  I waited patiently for the door to click closed before I spoke.

  “You knew exactly what you were doing today, didn’t you, baby?” I asked, as I closed the distanced between us, wrapping my arms around her waist, and backing her up into the small table she sat at. Her gorgeous ass knocked into it and I slid my hands down and squeezed both cheeks.

  “I told you last time, you can’t control what I talk about on the show. If you have an issue, don’t fucking listen.” Josselyn’s mouth was so close to mine, I felt her breath against my lips.

  “I will listen. You’ll just pay the punishment for doing what I ask you not to do.”

  “And what exactly is my punishment, Zane?” Joss asked, as she licked her luscious lips.

  My control snapped and I crashed my mouth down on hers. I bit her bottom lip then licked against the seam for her to open to me. She did and her tongue darted out to lick mine. With my hands still on her ass, I pulled her into me, showing her how hard I was for her. We kissed like we hadn’t had each other for weeks. The need to be inside her was too much. My hands traveled from her ass, up under her shirt, until I cupped her breasts, pinching her nipples through her lacy bra. Joss moaned into my mouth and before I could stop it, she was undoing my pants and taking me out and into her hands. I ripped my mouth from hers and was panting so hard the moan that left me sounded tortured. I rested my forehead on hers and closed my eyes, enjoying her hands on me. She stroked me so slowly I thought I would lose my mind. Up and down, up and down.

  Then she fell to her knees and took the tip of my cock into her warm, wet mouth. Her tongue licked circles around the tip agonizingly slowly.

  “Josselyn.”

  With a pop, she released me, looked up at me batting her eyes, and replied breathily, “Mac.”

  Fuck, but she could have any damn thing she fucking wanted when she said my name like that.

  “Don’t play games you know you can’t win. If you’re going to suck my dick, then suck it, baby.”

  “Maybe I want to play this particular game because even if I lose, I win.” She smiled at me and I knew my future was even more fucked than I’d originally surmised.

  “Careful, baby. If you make me wait for what I want, I may do the same for you.”

  That had gotten her attention. I knew my girl and she loved her orgasms. And because I was a bastard, I grabbed her head and guided my dick into her mouth and Joss took over. Her mouth slid up but went down so far, I felt myself sliding to the back of her throat. It felt so good being so far down it, I grabbed her hair and rocked her roughly up and down over and over again. I’d never gotten this out of control when Joss went down on me and the last thing I wanted to do was hurt her. I grabbed her under her arms and forced her to stand again.

  “Did I hurt you?” I asked to make sure she was okay.

  “Not at all, Zane. I’m not made of glass. I do enjoy rough play once in a while. Plus, I knew you were liking it.”

  “I know you’re not made of glass but I also know I am hanging on by a thread here and if I don’t get inside you soon, I may implode. So, kiss me, baby, then get your shorts and panties off. I’m fucking you in the studio right here on this tiny-ass desk. This way, any time you want to mention another man touching you, you’ll remember this and that I am the only one who will ever touch you again,” I told her.

  She didn’t hesitate. She kissed me hard, long, wet, and as she did she lost the clothes standing in my way. I’d managed to get my pants down to my knees. I reached down and grabbed her thighs, Joss wrapping her legs around my waist and her arms around my neck to hold on. I dropped her ass to the desk, not caring what I knocked off or broke. I’d replace it. Then in one hard thrust, I was inside her warm tight heat and seated to the hilt. My knowledge of the equipment on this desk wasn’t extensive so I had no idea what damage I was doing as my rhythm picked up and fucked Joss harder. Her moans told me she was completely in the moment.

  “Oh God, Mac. Harder. It feels so good. Please,” Joss begged. Her words were like lighter fluid on this already blazing inferno. My heart was racing and I could feel her pussy start to tighten around my cock.

  “I’m going to come,” she screamed.

  “Fuck, baby. I feel you tightening around me. Let go, Josselyn. Give it to me,” I demanded.

  Josselyn’s orgasm crashed over her, and her pussy milking me sent me following her over the edge, releasing everything I had inside her. I gripped her to my chest tight and waited to hear her breathing calm down. Once we were both somewhat back to normal, I grabbed her face in my hands and kissed her gently. As I pulled away, I looked her in the eyes and knew something had changed. Josselyn’s eyes had zeroed in on something over my shoulder and her face went pale.

>   “Joss? What’s wrong, baby? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

  “Shit, Zane. Bruno is in the production booth. He just pointed upward.” Joss jumped down from the desk and out of my hold to find her clothes and get dressed. I turned to look and sure enough, that motherfucker was smirking at us. I’d let my possessiveness of Joss get the best of me and I definitely let my guard down. The production booth door should have been locked but I was too busy staking my claim.

  “Zane,” Joss whispered just loud enough for me to hear.

  “You’re okay baby. I’m here. He won’t hurt you.”

  “It’s not that. Bruno was pointing to the on-air sign. He just broadcast what we did to every subscriber on satellite.”

  I turn to where Bruno was and yelled, “Tell me you didn’t motherfucker.”

  Bruno leaned over, hit the button to engage the microphone inside the studio and said, “I sure the fuck did, asshole. Josselyn, it’s nice to finally see you in action, even if it wasn’t my dick you were riding. Now the world will really see you for the whore you are.”

  My vision clouded and all I could see was a red film. I moved toward the door, ready to kill that piece of shit until I heard Joss call. “Mac, don’t! He’s already gone.”

  I looked to where Bruno was standing and he was gone.

  Fuck. My body was tense but I controlled it enough to go to my girl.

  “It’ll be okay, Joss. We’ll get it all figured out,” I told her, as I smoothed her hair and peppered kisses onto her head.

  Fuck, if I wasn’t the biggest jackass.

  Because of me, our sex life was broadcast to millions of people.

  Bruno Haynes was going to ruin everything Joss had built, and all I could do is hope like hell she’d still be with me when it all came crashing down.

  My hopes weren’t high considering we wouldn’t have been in that situation if I could control my damn self.