The Boss Too: Billionaire Romance (10 page)

The limo sat waiting outside when they stepped out of the Rittenhouse. Alex directed the driver to take them directly to the hospital. The ride grew long and silent. Alex kept his head down, texting on his phone and going through his messages. Jamie, on the other hand, stared out the window growing more and more nervous as the seconds ticked by. Images of Alex yelling at Mark, or freaking out beside his father’s bed flashed through her mind. What if this was a huge mistake? He would blame her if things went sour. She wouldn’t blame him, she was the one who pressured him to open the door to the past and go see his family. She crossed her fingers and hoped for the best. Deep down she knew this was the right thing to do and Alex needed this as much as his family did. Nerves were letting her worry. She bit her lip and continued to stare out the window as they pulled up to one of the entrances of the concrete, grey-stoned hospital. Ironically, clouds had filled the sky and it looked ready to rain. 

Alex went to reception and asked for his father’s room. In the elevator, Alex reached for her hand and slipped his fingers between hers. He said nothing and neither did she. The lift's door opened, and Jamie saw Mark pacing in a waiting room on his father’s floor. He froze when he saw them.

Alex hesitated on the elevator, squeezing Jamie’s hand so hard it hurt. She made no attempt to pull away.

The two brothers stared at each other without speaking or moving. Jamie finally stepped forward, afraid the elevator door would shut and take them back down to the main floor.

“Hey, brother.” Mark spoke first and cleared his throat. He nodded at Jamie. “Hi Jamie. Nice to see you.”

“Mark.” That single word, full of emotion, and yet hard as stone.

“Dad’s waiting for you.” Mark stuffed his hands into the back pockets of his jeans. “He can only have one visitor at a time. It’s 203.”

“I know the room.” Alex’s voice was stiff, hard as steel. He dropped Jamie’s hand like it burned him and headed down the hall, leaving Jamie alone with Mark.

Jamie sat down in one of the waiting room seats. She blew a long breath out of her mouth. The tension in the room could be cut with a knife, it was that thick. She’d heard that term before but never fully understood it until that moment.

“Thank you for getting him here,” Mark said as he sat down beside her.

Jamie nodded. She didn’t know what to say. Part of her was angry at the teenage Mark for not sticking up for his brother.

He watched her intently for a moment. “So, he told you about everything, then?”

“Yes,” she said finally. “It’s quite a story.”

“I’m glad he swallowed his pride and came. It wasn’t right for him to ignore Dad all these years, but at least he’s pulling through in the end.”

Jamie frowned. “That’s what you think? That this is Alex’s fault?”

Mark looked at her in surprise.

Jamie ignored the look. “If your father really wanted him around, then why didn’t he come and apologize? For a father who spent time in the military, why the hell did he play favorites? You’re the good son, right? Can do no wrong?”

Mark’s brows furrowed together. “What the hell are you talking about? There wasn’t any favoritism!”

Jamie glared at him. Of course he wouldn’t see it as favoritism. Her sister would react the same way. They were blind to the mistreatment. “Alex told me everything. I honestly don’t blame him for staying away when your father was so awful to him.” She shook her head, disgusted. “His own father! Testifying against his son at the trial.”

“Because Alex deserved it!” Mark’s voice rose. “He nearly killed a kid!”

“He fought someone his own age to protect an innocent girl! Regardless, your father shouldn’t have sided against him. You think he would’ve done the same if it was you?”

“Yes!” Mark shouted and then lowered his voice. “Because what Alex did was wrong! It wasn’t noble like he wants you to believe!” Mark shook his head, staring at her with angry, dark eyes. “You know what? You should stay out of our family business.”

“Why? Because you and your father have spent so many years believing the tale you’ve told you can’t see it any other way? You can’t admit that maybe you were wrong? Too proud to apologize super-boy?” She stood, annoyed she had thought he was a sweet person. He played the part to use her to get Alex here.

“Shut the fuck up!” He seized her arm and clasped it painfully.

Suddenly, Alex appeared out of nowhere. He grabbed Mark by the collar, his eyes blazing as he threw him against the wall. He was in Mark’s face instantly. “Don’t ever touch her again,” he hissed, his voice deadly quiet. “Or I’ll kill you, I fuckin’ swear it.”

Jamie glanced up to see the nurses at the nurse’s station stand up. One lifted a phone, probably to call security. “Alex, Mark, both of you, calm down.” She reached for their arms and tried to pull them apart. Mark shook her off with a snarl, which angered Alex even more.

“Alex? Mark?”

“What?” both men shouted at an older, pale-faced nurse.

“Your father doesn’t have much time,” she said quietly. “He asked to see both of you.” She looked at them sternly. “I suggest you behave yourselves for a few minutes.”

Mark took a deep breath and stepped away from his brother to follow the nurse.

Alex grabbed Jamie’s hand and pulled her with him. Jamie let out a shaky breath. Tempers were running high and this didn’t look like it was going to be the happy family reunion she had hoped for.

Alex’s father looked incredibly frail, but his eyes, the same bright blue as Alex and Mark’s, were still alert, just like his sons’. He stared tiredly at both of his sons and then slowly wandered over to Jamie. He managed a smile, but even that simple move seemed to exhaust him. “You must be Jamie,” he wheezed. “I’ve heard so much about you from… both of them.”

“Dad, rest,” Mark said. “Don’t strain yourself.” He moved forward and reached for his father’s hand.

“It’s too late for that, son.” He waved his hand away. “I don’t have much time now. But I needed both of you here.” He breathed shallowly as he gathered his strength. “I made my peace with Alex. But I need both of you to promise me now that any issues with me won’t stop the two of you from having a relationship in the future.”

The brothers glared at each other and for a second Jamie was sure they were going to start arguing.

“Promise.” Their father’s voice was so faint that it was barely audible. “Please.”

“Fine,” Alex said. At the same time Mark said, “I’ll try.”

“Good.” The man closed his eyes, his breathing erratic. “I’m tired now.”

“Dad…” Mark whispered. “Wait.”

The nurse stepped forward. “How about we let your dad rest now?”

Mark nodded and headed out of the room with the nurse.

“Dad?” Alex leaned close to his dad’s ear. “I—I’m sorry. For everything.”

His dad smiled weakly, the effects of the drugs and cancer taking its toll. “You’ve nothing to apologize for. You turned out better than I ever could have imagined.”

Alex sharply sucked in his breath and a tear ran down his face. Jamie touched his arm and he pulled her close to him, his shoulders shaking.

They sat at the hospital in the room with his father, not talking, but holding hands and watching the monitor and his father’s shallow breathing. The doctor had explained that his father would slip into a coma now and probably not wake again. Alex nodded and asked a few questions. He had gone to the nurse’s station to make sure the medical bills and everything were covered as well. Mark came in sporadically and returned later in the evening with his wife. They made brief introductions and sat silently.

Alex pulled Jamie out into the hall to go for a walk while Mark and his wife stayed with his father. “My father gave me a letter,” he said as they walked down the stairs to the main floor to grab a coffee. He stopped on the second to last step. They were alone in the stairwell. “My mother passed away a little over ten years ago,” his voice cracked as he spoke. “That’s the last time I saw them. I swore I’d never come back.” He covered his face with his hands. “Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!”

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and held him as he cried. She let her own tears fall silently down her own face. She wished she could take his pain.

Finally, Alex inhaled a long breath and stepped back. He wiped his face and smiled sadly at her. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay.” She used the back of her hand to erase her own tears. “It sucks. I get it.”

“Yeah. It sucks.” He frowned and reached for his phone in his pocket. He checked the messages. “It’s over.” He turned and headed back up the stairs to his father’s room.

“Are you sure you want to stay here tonight?” Jamie asked. They were back at the hotel suite despite Mark’s half-effort invitation to join him at their childhood home.

“I’m sure.” Alex sat on the couch, his voice scratchy from crying. He was turning the envelope from his father over and over in his hands.

“Do you want something to drink?” The bar in the room was stocked.

Alex shook his head and motioned for her to sit by him. He pulled her close when she sat down and rested his head on her shoulder. “All I need right now is you.”

Jamie stroked his hair. “What did the letter say?” she asked gently.

“Everything.” He let out a shaky sigh. “He tried to apologize and explain everything. He was sorry things had turned out as they had. He pushed me too hard and wished he hadn’t, but he also said he was glad he did. He worried I had turned down a dark path I couldn’t leave. He thought pushing me hard would motivate more. He said his father had done the same to him. That’s why he joined the Navy and then moved up the ranks so fast.” His breath hitched, but he continued. “He agreed to testify against me so they wouldn’t try me as an adult. If they tried me as a minor, then my records would be sealed when I turned eighteen, and I could have a fresh start. Everything he did, he did for me, and I had no idea. And I ignored him.” Fresh tears burned Jamie’s shoulder.

“You had no way of knowing,” Jamie said. “You made your peace with him. It’s okay.”

Alex shook his head. “It’s not okay,” he moaned. “I could’ve had more time with him if I really tried, but I…” He groaned and sat up, burying his face in his hands. “Again, this is all my fault.”

She lifted his chin and forced him to look at her. “You can’t change the past, Alex. All you can do is help the present and the future. And the best way to do that is to get back in touch with your family. Re-establish your relationship with your brother.”

“I’m going to try. For my father.” Alex pressed his lips tightly. “You can be damn well sure of that.”

It was after three o’clock. Neither of them went to bed. They stayed sitting on the couch, waiting for the sun to rise. Alex put his arm over the back of the couch and Jamie settled in against his shoulder. Slowly she drifted off, listening to the strong, steady beat of Alex’s heart.

“I’ve already made arrangements with the crematorium,” Mark said stubbornly. “It’s all taken care of.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Nope. There’s a brief ceremony in a couple days at Spurr’s Funeral Home. Dad wanted closed casket. He’s going to be buried beside Mom.”

Alex nodded. He wore a golf shirt and dark blue jeans. He looked the rich businessman even without a suit. Mark, on the other hand, wore jeans and an old Queen t-shirt. They looked the same and so opposite at the same time.

Alex’s handsome face was pale and the dark circles were still in place from the night of restless minimal sleep. Jamie resisted the urge to put a comforting hand on his arm and instead tried to look busy with rearranging his work schedule so he could stay for a couple more days. However, she had actually sorted things an hour ago and really had nothing more to do than eavesdrop and field angry text messages from her family. They’d magically come out of the woodwork to complain that she wasn’t helping Christine anymore. Mainly her mother… and Christine. Jamie chose to ignore them for now.

“I’d like to pay for the funeral and burial,” Alex offered. “It’s the least I can do.”

“He never wanted a dime of your money before,” Mark snapped. “What makes you think I’d want it now?”

“I never said you did,” Alex said. There wasn’t any anger in his voice, just resignation. It was going to be a long time before the two brothers reconciled their differences, but at least Alex was trying to be civil. “It’s only fair since you made all of the arrangements.”

Mark hesitated and when his wife purposely coughed loudly, he rolled his eyes. “Fine. You can pay for half. Dad already had most of this taken care of when Mom died. Not that you’d remember,” he mumbled. He grabbed a beer out of the fridge. “Oh, and Dad wanted you to say the eulogy at the funeral.”

Jamie’s head popped up the same time Alex said, “What?!”

“His words, not mine.” Mark smirked and clapped Alex on the back. “It’s all yours, man.”

“I haven’t spoken to him in… what the hell am I supposed to say?”

“I’m sure you’ll think of something.” Mark’s tone sounded gruff, like he couldn’t quite muster sympathy. Jamie knew he was trying to stay civil as well, though. He had greeted them kindly when they came that morning and offered them coffee and breakfast. He clearly had a rough night as well and the strain from the past twenty-four hours was showing.

Alex rubbed his forehead. “Okay.” He sighed. “I’ll do the eulogy.”

“Good.” Mark moved around the small kitchen toward the back door. “I don’t know about you, but I need a break. I’m going to go and take a quick nap and then make the rest of the phone calls.”

Alex nodded. “If there’s anything you need me to do…”

“I’ll take care of that myself. If you get bored, there’s TV in the living room and there’s a bookshelf in Dad’s study. Feel free to help yourself to anything in the kitchen. We’ll be putting this place up for sale in the next few weeks, after the will’s read.”

“All right,” Alex said, forcing a smile. “We can stay here if anyone calls or shows up.” Flowers had already been delivered several times from local florists. “Jamie and I will be able to keep ourselves occupied for some time.”

Mark nodded before leaving with his wife. Alex waited until he was gone before he turned to Jamie. “I’m going to go for a drive.”

“You don’t have a car here.” Jamie wasn’t sure it was a good idea. He looked like he was about to fall over.

Alex opened a small wooden box hanging by the door and pulled out a set of keys. “Nothing ever changes here,” he muttered.

“Do you want me to come?”

“You do whatever you want.” He stepped outside, and then swore loudly. His head popped through the screen door a second later. “Sorry. I didn’t mean that.”

“It’s okay.” She felt bad for him and knew whatever anger or frustration came out, it wasn’t because of anything she’d done. She’d be as patient as he needed.

“Want to come?”

She nodded and followed him out to the garage. Inside was an old F150 pickup truck. It had aged but the thing was in immaculate shape. Like the neatness inside the house. Navy neat. Soldier perfect.

Alex sat for a moment and stared straight ahead before he sighed deeply and started the truck. It came to life immediately and he pulled it out of the garage.

Jamie glanced up at the sky, which was covered in a heavy covering of dark clouds. “Are you sure you want to go for a drive?”

“Yes.” He slammed the garage door opener harder than he needed to shut the door. “I need to get out and clear my head. I can’t stay in that house staring at those same bloody walls. I feel like I’m in high school again.”

“It looks like it’s going to storm.”

He glanced at the clouds and shrugged. “It’s just rain.”

Jamie buckled up and stayed silent. The clouds looked dark and mean. It was going to do more than rain. At least she was with him if he had to stop.

They drove for fifteen minutes without talking. The farther they got from his family house, the more Alex relaxed. His expression didn’t change and he didn’t say anything, but Jamie could see some of the frown lines ease and his shoulders fall back into a more comfortable position. The rain started to fall and as they went on it grew heavier. Thunder rumbled loudly above and the lightning in the distance seemed to be trying to point a finger at them.

The rain turned into a torrential downpour. Jamie couldn’t see if they were still in the suburbs through the rain, much less ten feet in front of her. “Pull over,” she said.

Alex snorted but complied. He pulled onto the shoulder just under an overpass bridge. The wind that had come up threw rain in their direction but at least it wasn’t pounding as heavily as if they were parked directly in it. Not a car or animal was anywhere in sight. They all knew better than to chance weather like this.

He let the car idle and shoved it into park before turning to face her. Wordlessly, he reached out and pulled her to him. She undid her seat belt and slid over. She hated seeing him look so lost. She squeezed his hand. “What can I do to help?”

“This.” He pulled her into his lap and kissed her hard.

Instant heat rushed through her at his touch. She kissed him back and wrapped her arms around his neck. Her skirt slid up as she straddled him. The truck had the perfect space between Alex and the steering wheel. He reached out to cup her ass, his hands pulling her skirt up higher. Jamie grated her hips against his thighs, her body having a mind of its own.

“Just keep me from thinking for a while,” he murmured as his lips traveled to her neck.

She could do that. Jamie reached down and started to unbutton his shirt. She arched her back slightly so she could see his body.

He groaned when her hand touched his bare chest. “You’re so fucking sexy,” he whispered.

Jamie gasped as his hand slid along her hipbone, over her skirt and then slipped inside it and rubbed his fingers over her thin panties. She responded by rubbing one of his nipples between her thumb and finger as she unbuttoned his pants with the other hand. Lust took over as heat coursed through her body and she grew wet from his touch. Her hair fell in her face as she leaned forward to taste the delicious tender part of his earlobe. She nipped gently at it, her breath coming out hot against his skin and warming her face.

Alex gasped. “How are you so good at this?”

Jamie didn’t respond. She couldn’t. One, because she didn’t know. Two, because she didn’t give a shit why at this moment. She could only think of one thing. Him inside of her. Instead, she grabbed hold of his cock and rubbed it as she went to kiss him and taste his tongue against hers. He groaned again and rubbed her breasts before unbuttoning her shirt, and in one motion undoing the front clip of her bra and catching her breasts with both hands as they fell free. Jamie cried out when his hand stopped its rubbing motion against her wet panties to touch her breast.

Alex blinked, coming partially out of his aroused daze. He looked at her with barely controlled hunger. “Did I hurt you?” he asked, his voice hoarse. “Do you want me to stop?”

Jamie smiled at him with a confidence she didn’t know she possessed. “Hell no!” She bit into her lip as she lifted her hips and tried to force his cock against her panties. “Don’t stop. Please.” Her eyes closed as his tip pressed against her, sending a tremor through her that nearly sent her over the edge.

His mouth crushed hers and he reached down to move the seat back. “On your back,” he hissed, and in one motion he twisted and pushed her down on the truck seat.

His hand still cupped one of her breasts as she fell back, his fingers pinching her nipple hard. The pain brought a new wave of passion and she moaned at the pleasure. Alex was on top of her, kissing her jaw, her neck and then her breasts. Shivers raced up and down Jamie’s spine as he took one of her nipples in his mouth. He licked it and pleasure shot through her entire body. Alex groaned and bit the nipple while the palm of his hand trailed down her stomach.

He jerked her skirt up higher and reached into her panties to touch her bare pussy.

Jamie clenched her teeth together to stop herself from screaming out when his hand made contact. Alex smiled against her breast as he continued to suck it and rub her clit. Jamie’s hips bucked as pleasure spread through her like electricity. She could barely think let alone do anything else. She gripped his shoulder as he sank two fingers into her folds and started thrusting gently. “I can’t hold out any longer,” she burst out. “Please. Fuck me, Alex. Fuck me.”

He growled and then removed his hand from inside her panties.

The pleasure building in her slowly deflated. His mouth left her breast and he stared at her with his smoldering blue eyes.

“Not yet,” he teased. “You’ll need to beg harder than that.”

“Please,” she whispered. 

He grabbed a hold of her panties and the sound of them ripping sent another ripple of pleasure and desire through her. His eyes trailed down her body as he ripped the other side and pulled the tattered remains off her. His hands gripped the sides of her hips and he lifted her so her head rested against the passenger door.

Jamie sighed in anticipation as she realized what he planned to do.

Alex lowered his head to her pussy and licked it. She almost screamed as his tongue began to explore her. Her hips lifted and he gripped them tighter to hold them still. “Don’t move.” He trailed kisses down one of her inner thighs and then moved up to torment the other one. He seemed to enjoy her sighs and quivering body because he continued the sweet torture by moving back up to her pussy.

“Alex,” she groaned. “Please.”

“Please what?” Alex said, biting into her hip.

“Please fuck me.”

He smiled, cocky and sure of himself. “No. Not yet. I want to taste you.” He dropped his head and his tongue found her clit and began to stroke it. Jamie’s back arched as she tried to get him inside of her. He slid two fingers into her as his tongue continued its sensual torture.

She came, exploding against his mouth and crying out as every muscle clenched and sent ripples of pleasure through her. It didn’t sate her the way her mind had wanted it to. “Please, Alex.” She lifted her head and watched him continue to lap her up. “If you don’t fuck me now, I’m going to fucking kill you!”

Alex lifted his head, an eyebrow raised in surprise. He slid up against her slowly so his shirt, belt, and pants all brushed up against her nub and teased her. He pulled down his pants and boxers in one swift movement, freeing his rock hard rock. He rubbed it against the inside of her thigh.

Jamie shivered, loving how exposed she felt. She watched in fascination as he slid into her and then slowly out. She wanted to close her eyes and take him all in but the look on his face stopped her. It was complete desire, lust, and something else she was too scared and unfamiliar with to identify.

Alex lowered himself so his forehead rested against Jamie’s and he braced himself on his arms, trapping Jamie under him. He buried himself in her again in one smooth stroke. He smothered her cries with his lips, kissing her as mercilessly as he thrust.

Pressure built inside of her and finally she couldn’t hold it back anymore. Her hips bucked and she came hard. Again. The force of it left her quivering and whimpering in Alex’s arms, which pushed him over the edge. His own hips rocked as he came with her. He collapsed on top of her, his head buried in her neck.

The raging storm outside had nothing against the one inside the cab of the truck.

Slowly, Alex pulled out of her, shivering and moaning as he did so. “You are incredible.” He shuddered again as he rested his weight on his knees and pulled his boxers and pants back on. He reached for her hands and pulled her into a sitting position. Her bare bottom moved against the leather of the seat. He rearranged them so he was on his back and Jamie resting her head on his chest. Jamie pulled her skirt down over her bareness, feeling modest for a split second. Not toward Alex, but in case someone happened to knock on the fogged truck window to make sure they were okay inside.

Alex stroked her hair gently. He chuckled, the sound vibrating against his chest. “You have skills, girl.”