Beautiful Prey 2: The Storm Series (BWWM Romance) (11 page)

Natasha placed her last suitcase in the trunk of Malik’s BMW.
Ready for the three-hour road trip that would kick off their weekend in Galena,
Illinois.

Jack had recruited Natasha to help
with the events, and he convinced her to arrive a day early in order to help
prepare for Victoria’s surprise. The Delilah Rose Summer Camp was fully
operational and scheduled to be open by the summer.

But, before he opened it to the
children, Jack planned a weekend getaway, filled with pool parties, barbecues,
boat trips, horseback riding, and a black tie gala.

Jack was a wonderful and thoughtful
husband who treated Victoria as if she was his entire world. Too bad his cousin
was an inconsiderate soulless bastard.

Natasha still couldn’t believe that
he’d ditched her in the middle of the night. Selene must have thought Natasha
to be no more than a cheap one night stand. Not to mention, the embarrassment
Natasha felt when she explained what happened to Malik. If Natasha could go
back to the night that she met Gianni at the hospital, she would have called
and checked on Victoria instead of stopping by.

Although, it had been more than a
month since Natasha had seen Gianni, that didn’t stop him from calling her
twice a day. She never answered, but the messages that he left were a clear
indication that he was arrogant enough to have no clue as to why she was
ignoring his calls. Although, Natasha had absolutely no intention of speaking
to Gianni Storm ever again, she couldn’t help her traitorous memories of the
way he mastered her body. Natasha had never been so turned on in her entire
life, and no man had ever given her the immense amount of pleasure that Gianni
had.

Natasha put her thoughts of Gianni
back in the “do not touch box” that she’d created in her mind and hopped in the
passenger seat. She looked over at Malik and shook her head.

“Malik, did you pack anything other
than alcohol?”

“I’m a man... Necessities, Tash...
Just the necessities.”

Natasha laughed and buckled her seat
belt. She prepared herself for Malik’s speed racer driving, which would’ve had
Dale Earhart Jr. clutching the door handle. The next two hours and forty–five
minutes were filled with singing, laughter, and talk of sex. Or rather,
Natasha’s lack thereof.

As they drove through the town of
Galena, Natasha admired beautiful, but modest, miners’ cottages. Malik drove through
several winding roads lined with bright green grass and flowers that appeared
tropical, despite the fact that they were still in Illinois. Once they reached
their destination, Malik pulled next to the guard shack that was positioned in
front of an impenetrable brick wall that surrounded the property. In the center
of the wall was a tall black wrought iron fence.

A security guard approached them and
gestured for Malik to lower his window. The guard politely requested both of
their identification. Once their identity was confirmed, the gates opened.
Malik drove through the gates, on a path that separated an almost never ending
perfectly manicured lawn. Natasha’s mouth fell open as Malik pulled around the
circular drive that led to the main building. Its architectural style could be
characterized as “Neo–Renaissance.” It was beautiful.

With the assistance of the valet, who
unintentionally shoved unwanted thoughts of Gianni back into Natasha’s mind,
she got out of the car and looked around.

There were several smaller buildings
of similar design, spread throughout the property.

Natasha couldn’t wait for Jack to
reveal his surprise to Victoria. She just wished that she was going to be
present to see the look on her face. The Sickle Cell Foundation meant the world
to Victoria, and her passion for the charity was contagious. And since Jack had
superb investigative resources, he had another surprise for Victoria.

Malik hopped out and tossed his keys
to the valet. “Damn,” he whispered as he approached Natasha’s side. She nodded,
unable to look away from the massive structure. Suddenly a golf cart appeared,
driven by a man in a pristine white uniform. He stepped out of the cart and
walked over to Natasha and Malik. The valet loaded their luggage on the back of
the golf cart.

“Good afternoon Miss Walker... Mr.
Harper.  I’m Lawrence. I’ll be transporting you to your cottage and George
will be handling your luggage,” he informed them with a friendly smile, before
nodding in the valet’s direction.

Malik thanked George for retrieving
their luggage and helped Natasha on the golf cart. Malik was the perfect man in
Natasha’s eyes. He was a loving and protective gentleman. And despite his
sexual orientation, he was uber masculine. Malik was the perfect catch. Parker
was a lucky man, but then again since Parker was totally devoted and fine as
all hell himself, so was Malik.

“Mr. Harper, your husband called. He
said that he’d be arriving no later than nine  tomorrow morning,” Lawrence
informed.

“Thank you.”

Lawrence drove on paved narrow paths
between the smaller buildings. Natasha marveled at the breathtaking beauty of
the entire camp. They’d driven by at least three Olympic sized swimming pools,
not including the huge custom designed pool that was located directly behind the
main building. There were stables filled with horses, sailboats, canoes, and
almost everything a kid could possibly want. Lawrence had informed them that
there was a fully staffed medical facility that could rival any hospital in
that part of Illinois.

Lawrence stopped the cart in front of
a small cottage and walked around to assist Natasha. George pulled in beside
them and began unloading their luggage.

Malik stepped off the cart and helped
him, disregarding George’s protests.

Lawrence led them up the path to a
country-style front porch, equipped with porch swing.

Lawrence unlocked the front door, and
they entered a fully furnished living room.

Natasha stepped across hardwood
floors that shined like a new penny. Two brown leather high–back chairs flanked
a sofa and were angled toward a large fireplace. The decor was warm and
inviting.

“Mr. Harper and Miss Walker, your
rooms are on the second floor. Please follow me.”

Natasha and Malik followed George up the
stairs. After depositing Natasha in a bedroom, George left to show Malik to his
room. Natasha looked around. It was true to the country–style theme of the
cottage. She dropped her purse on the bed and walked over to the window. She
stared out at the picturesque view of beautiful landscaping.

A few minutes later, Natasha and
Malik assembled in the living room. Before leaving them to their own devices,
Lawrence told them that they were welcome to take a golf cart out to explore
the camp.

It was only when Lawrence and George
were out the door did Malik turn to Natasha and yell, “Gotdamn! This
motherfucka got coins!”

Natasha nodded her agreement.

“No. I’m serious, Natasha. Jack makes
you look poor,” he chuckled.

Natasha narrowed her eyes at Malik,
not wanting to go where he was traveling.

“Let’s go check it out, she said,
changing the subject. Malik took the hint and headed out the front door.

********************

Natasha stood at the reception area as the rich and richer
trickled in. They were arriving in packs, either by car or helicopter. The
night before, Natasha had enjoyed a comfortable night’s sleep in the big poster
bed in her room. She and Malik spent most of the night exploring the grounds.
They’d even taken a late night swim in one of the small pools, and enjoyed a
night filled with fun and laughter, enhanced by tequila.

Since seven a.m., Natasha had been
working closely with Lawrence to make sure that the accommodations for the
elite were suitable. And, when she was done conferring with Lawrence, she spent
the rest of her morning with the band. By noon, everything was in order, and
the camp was buzzing with conversation and laughter.

Natasha walked through the main
building and out the back. She stood in front of the pool and admired the meticulousness
in the design. She looked up as another helicopter came into view. This one
read, ‘Storm Entertainment.’

Jack and Victoria weren’t scheduled
to arrive until five o’clock this evening.

She knew this because she’d been in constant
contact with Jack all day. Not to mention, Jack’s corporation was called Storm
Enterprises.  Natasha watched as the helicopter landed on the port, and
when the doors flew open, she intended to run to Victoria. Only, it wasn’t
Victoria or Jack that disembarked. Natasha stumbled backwards and gasped for
air as Gianni came into view. He was wearing a charcoal polo shirt and black
slacks. The wind from the blades caused his dark hair to slap one side of his
gorgeous sun–kissed face that adorned dark sunglasses. He was without question,
a walking orgasm.

“Shit!” She cursed out loud, before
turning and running back into the building.

Natasha could be as strong as she
wanted with Gianni halfway around the world, but it was obvious that she had
zero control of her body when he was near. She hustled through the building and
out the front door. Natasha hopped on a golf cart and headed to her cottage,
where she would hide until it was time for Victoria to arrive. Now more than
ever she was regretting her brave decision to surprise Victoria, but there is
no saying no to Jack Storm.

Victoria sat silently in her seat on the Storm Enterprises
helicopter that was being piloted by John, Jack’s director of security.
Victoria wondered if there was anything that John couldn’t do. The only thing
that Jack had told her, before whisking her and the baby away, was that he was
making good on the surprise that he’d had for her before they were shot. She
was super excited, but she didn’t question him. She trusted Jack, so she
decided to go along for the ride. But, as the helicopter descended, she
wondered how long she would have to wear the blindfold that he placed over her
eyes. Her curiosity was getting the better of her.

They’d landed, and Jack had yet to
remove her blindfold. She was carefully escorted from the helicopter and led to
an open vehicle, either a jeep or a golf cart, she assumed. She rode for about
three minutes before she was assisted off of the vehicle and led up a set of
steps. Victoria had no clue as to what the surprise would be. It wasn’t until
she was completely inside that Jack removed her blindfold. Victoria looked
around at what seemed like a beautiful country cottage.

“Oh, Jack! This is beautiful,” she
said enthusiastically. “Are we at a bed and breakfast?”

Jack stood in front of Victoria with
a smile that completely reached his eyes.

It took Victoria’s breath away. His
vibrant blue eyes were gleaming with excitement as he stood holding Jasmine in
his arms.

“Sort of,” he responded.

Suddenly, three women and one man
walked into the cottage. The man carried a long garment bag and a shoe box.
Victoria looked from Jack to the strangers.

“What are you up to, Jackson Storm?”

He smiled wickedly, “Plenty.”

Before Victoria could respond, a
feminine voice came from behind.

“Mrs. Storm, I’m Emma. I’ll be taking
care of Jasmine this weekend. Mr. Storm has informed me that you are
breastfeeding and that you’ve pumped a sufficient amount of milk.”

Victoria turned to an attractive
black woman. She was maybe in her fifties, but she had smooth dark skin and
kind eyes, causing Victoria to long for her own mother.

“I can assure you that Jasmine will
be perfectly safe in my care.”

“Yes, ma’am. I’m sure she will. Thank
you,” Victoria responded.

 Then, yet another woman stepped
into the room.

“Mrs. Storm, your bath is ready,” she
announced.

Victoria walked over to Jack and
kissed the top of Jasmine’s head, before standing on her toes to kiss her sex
on a stick husband.

“Loooove youuu,” she sang. “See you
later.” Then she followed the woman up a set of stairs.

Jack patiently waited by the golf cart for Victoria. In the
time that it took her to get ready, Jack had gone to the ballroom and met with
Lawrence in order to ensure that the night would be perfect for Victoria. After
that, he toured the grounds with George, who assured him that the camp was
fully operational and ready for summer. The medical facility was the last stop
on Jack’s tour, and once he was satisfied, he returned to the cottage to get
ready for the gala.

When Victoria finally stepped out in
a black, lace, form fitting dress that sparkled, her beauty caused Jack’s heart
to skip several beats. The gown that she wore was clinging to her in all the
right places, and it flared like a fishtail at the bottom. It was long–sleeved,
but off the shoulder, exposing her soft caramel skin.

He gasped as he made his way to the
porch. “Oh God, you’re beautiful.”

Jack assisted Victoria down the
steps, and when she reached the last step, he couldn’t resist tasting her. He
kissed her delicate neck and inhaled her essence. She made him weak in the
knees. She was indeed his kryptonite.

“Oh, Jack. Honey, you look like sin,”
she swooned.

Jack walked her to the cart and
helped her into the seat, before jogging around to the driver’s side. Jack
drove them through the camp, to the main building.

Victoria’s curious eyes attempted to
take in everything that she saw on the way.

Even though she was no longer on the
department, Jack could see the cop in her, clawing her way out.

“Victoria, we’re about to arrive, and
since you’ve obviously spent some time on your makeup, I don’t want to
blindfold you. I need you to close your eyes, my love.”

To Jack’s surprise, Victoria closed
her eyes without protest. He continued for a minute or two before he arrived at
the front of the main cottage. George and Lawrence waited just outside the
double doors as Jack helped Victoria from the cart. He escorted Victoria up the
short walkway. Once they reached the entrance, George and Lawrence opened the
double doors.

“Keep ‘em closed,” Jack urged as he
walked Victoria to the ballroom. He could see the struggle within her as her
eyelashes fluttered, but never opened.

Victoria, obviously, wasn’t good with
surprises.

Jack looked into the ballroom, and he
was taken aback by the amount of well-dressed supporters that stood before him.
His entire family, along with Victoria’s stood in a hush, waiting for her eyes
to open. Victoria really believed that they were at some sort of bed and
breakfast, and when she realized the truth, she’d be blown away. Curious,
Victoria raised her head, attempting to decipher the chatter about the room.

“Baby, open your eyes,” Jack
whispered in her ear. 

Jack watched as Victoria’s eyes
fluttered open and widened. She focused in on the people that stood before her.
Victoria’s parents, his parents, and all of their siblings wore smiles filled
with warmth. Victoria’s mouth flew open and she inhaled sharply. Curiously
looking around the ballroom, her eyes landed on her former team members.
Finally exhaling, she turned to face Jack. Beautiful pools of warm brown eyes
were filled with curiosity, looking to Jack for answers.

Leaning in to place a gentle kiss to
Victoria’s forehead, Jack felt as if he was the luckiest man alive. Words were
not yet invented to describe how much he loved his wife, and he would do
anything to make her smile.

“Baby, welcome to the Delilah Rose
Summer Camp.”

Victoria’s loud gasp preceded the
tears that fell from her eyes. Jack used his thumb to swipe a rolling tear from
her cheek.

Her continued shock humored Jack. “So
this is not a bed and breakfast?!”

Jack shook his head with a laugh.

“This is a summer camp for children
with Sickle Cell?!”

Jack nodded still laughing.

With tears pouring and lacing a big
grin, Victoria blurted, “You did this?!”

Now, those nearby that could hear
her, were laughing as well.

“Yes, but with a lot of help.”

Victoria charged him, wrapping her
arms around his neck. Jack tightened their embrace while Victoria sobbed.
Although Jack was happy that she was happy, he couldn’t stand to see Victoria
cry, for any reason.

“Baby, stop being a crybaby and greet
your guests,” he teased while planting kisses along her jaw line.

“O... Okay,” she hiccupped. Victoria
wiped her tears and turned and turned to face the crowd.

They all yelled with smiling and
adoring faces. “Surprise!”