Billionaire's Tragedy (Standalone Book) (Billionaire Bad Boy Romance) (43 page)

CHAPTER
FORTY-SEVEN

Dax

I
winced when I heard Brooke cursing older brothers. She had no idea how
difficult it had been for me to put Beck in rehab, but he was my responsibility
and I had to take care of him. I needed to see her, but she didn't know how
much. I shook my head to clear it and then called down to the bar and told
Kesha we needed to talk.

"Sup,
boss?" she said as she entered my office in a decidedly calmer manner than
Riza had left it. She was wearing a wild combination of neon green and royal
blue leggings with a blue top that cut down to her navel. Her
mohawk
was dyed a shocking shade of green today, and it
stood straight up in wicked looking spikes. It was a startling look, but it was
one that worked for her. Many of the club’s patrons came to the club
specifically to see what Kesha's newest fashion statement was. I didn't care
what she did, so long as paying customers kept coming.

"What's going
on with the shipment?" I asked as I looked at the computer screen in front
of me. For as modern as our business was in many ways, in order to move the
drugs, we had to rely on old-school, non-tech methods to get it from one place to
another.

"They said
it's on its way right now, but that they were held up crossing the
border," she said without blinking. "I'm expecting them to arrive in
time for tonight's action."

"Any trouble
with the police since yesterday?" I asked.

"No, but that's
got me a little concerned, quite honestly," she said.

"Why's that?'

"Well, if
you're charged with murdering your own lawyer, I'd expect there to be some
nosing around to be done here," she said. "Instead, they all cleared
out after they took you into the station."

"Hmmm, that's
interesting," I said. "What do you make of it?"

"I don't
know, but in my experience I'd say they're holding back because they've got
something bigger and better coming," she said. "And, that has me
worried."

I sat and thought
about it for a moment, then looked up at her and said, "Divert the
shipment to the west side holding pen."

"But, boss,
there's nothing available for tonight," she protested. "We need that
shipment."

"Yeah, but if
we bring it in and you're right about them waiting for us to screw up, then we
are seriously screwed and I'll be in jail for a lot more than murder. What we
need is a team who can transport it into the club without getting caught,"
I said. "Do we have any good corner kids who are legal?"

"Yeah, I got
a few of them," she nodded, quickly tapping her phone screen. "How
many you want?"

"What's the
crowd looking like for tonight?"

"Pretty big,
maybe five or six hundred," she said.

"Shit, we're
gonna need a lot of stuff then," I said as I tried to calculate the weight
of what we'd need for the crowd. "Get as many of them as you can, but tell
them they're going to have to dress like club kids tonight. No exceptions! We
need a couple to filter in early and then the rest need to move with the crowd
one by one."

"Got
it," she nodded. "I'll get them in here and going ASAP."

"Kesha,"
I said.

"Yeah,
boss?"

"You have got
to make sure that every single one of those little mules blends the fuck
in," I warned. "One fuck up and we're dead."

"Got it,
boss," she said.

"I gotta run
out for a bit," I said. "Errand that needs to be run. Text me if you
run into any problems. But, Kesha..."

"Yeah,
boss?" she sounded a little irritated as she listened to me while rapidly
tapping the screen of her phone.

"Don't have
any fucking problems," I warned.

CHAPTER
FORTY-EIGHT

Brooke

Once
the song was over, Teddy turned down the radio. "Brooke, you need to be
careful with this case."

"Oh God, not
you, too," I groaned. "Pop already lectured me about this before you
got there."

"I'm not
kidding, Brooke," he said, keeping his eyes on the road but reaching
across the seat to grab my arm and squeeze it. "You need to tread
carefully around this one."

"Teddy, look,
I'm a grown woman," I said in an exasperated tone. "I'm a lawyer, and
I know what I'm getting myself into. I'm defending a man who didn't murder
anyone. So let's just stop and consider what it would look like if I said no
thanks to work, which, by the way, we don't have enough of these days."

"Brooke, I
know all those things," he said quietly. "I'm just saying that the
guys on the force have been talking about Malone and his crew for a long time,
and they're getting ready to crack down on his drug trade. I don't want you in
the middle of it, that's all."

"Drug trade
or no drug trade, I'm the lawyer for his murder case," I said. I knew I
was being stubborn, but I was tired of everyone making me feel like I couldn't
handle a challenging case. I also didn't want them to know how I felt about
Dax, mostly because I wasn't quite sure how I felt about him yet. "I can
handle it."

"I know you
can," Teddy nodded. "I just don't want you put in harm's way if this
all goes to hell in a hand basket."

"How on earth
could I possibly be in harm's way?" I shot back.

"Brooke, his
previous lawyer is dead and he's been charged with her murder." He gripped
the steering wheel and pushed the car up over the speed limit.

"Yeah, well,
I'd say I have a far better chance of dying in a car crash caused by your
crappy driving than being murdered in a drug shootout," I replied with a
wry grin.

"You've
always been a stubborn girl," he said as he eased off the gas and shook
his head. "Too stubborn for your own good."

"Oh please,
you've always been an overprotective older brother," I teased.

"Only because
I love you, Brookie," he said, suddenly serious.

"I know,
Teddy," I said as I patted his shoulder. "I know."

Before too long,
we pulled up in front of my office and Teddy reached over and pulled me into a
bear hug before letting me get out of the car. I hugged him tightly and then
patted his cheek before I got out. I knew he'd worry about me, but I didn't
have time to stop and think about it. I needed to get up to the office and talk
with Dax.

CHAPTER
FORTY-NINE

Dax

I
watched Brooke as she
walked through the lobby of the building, marveling at the way she turned,
walking into an act of seduction. Her hips swayed as the slit up the back of
her skirt exposed the soft line of her legs. I watched as she stood in front of
the elevator, waiting for it to arrive, and then silently walked up behind her
and wrapped an arm around her waist as I slipped my hand into her hair and
lifted it off her neck.

Brooke screamed
and kicked backward with the sharp heel of her stiletto pump. It connected with
my shin and caused me to let go of her. "FUCK!" I yelled as she
rammed her elbow into my abdomen, knocking the wind out of me.

"Brooke!
Brooke! Stop!" I yelled as I saw her preparing to attack with her
briefcase. "It's me!"

"Jesus H.
Christ!" she yelled as her breath came in rapid gasps. "What the hell
is wrong with you?"

"Nothing, I
was just trying to seduce you," I said as I held a hand to my sore side
and wondered if she'd drawn blood on my shin.

"That's a
stupid, stupid thing to do late at night in the lobby of an office
building!" she hissed as her eyes blazed with fury. She drew a deep breath
and tried to calm herself. I could see how badly I'd frightened her, and while
I was sorry, I was also intensely aroused by her fierceness. Her blonde hair framed
her face and she had a wild look that made me want to pull her into my arms and
kiss away the fear.

The elevator door
slid open and she motioned me to follow her. Once inside, I couldn't stop
myself from stepping close to her and gently wrapping an arm around her waist.
When she didn't resume her attack, I smiled and bent down and softly kissed her
lips. I heard her sigh as I brushed my lips across hers before pressing them
against hers more urgently.

"I'd hoped
we'd have been doing this early this morning rather than you bailing me out of
jail," I murmured against her mouth as I used my tongue to gently push her
lips apart, seeking the taste of her mouth. She moaned softly as our tongues
tangled and my hands slid up her sides. I could feel her softness under the
silky blouse and wanted nothing more than to yank it off of her so I could bury
my face between her soft round breasts. But we were in the elevator, so decorum
won as I continued kissing her harder and deeper.

When we reached
our floor, the doors silently slid open and she pushed me out into the hallway
without letting my lips leave hers. She pulled away and motioned for me to
follow her as she walked down the hall and unlocked the front door of her
office.

"We need to
talk business, Malone," she scolded when I moved in behind her and wrapped
my arm around her waist.

"Are you
going to use your self-defense moves on me again?" I growled in her ear,
lifting her hair up to gently bite the curve of her neck.

"That was
your fault," she groaned as my teeth found her sweet spot and I ran my
hand up over her breast, cupping it before I lightly traced a circle around her
already erect nipple. She moaned softly as I began pinching it between my
fingers.

"Is this my
fault, too?" I asked as I slid my other hand down her hip to her thigh.

"It's always
your fault, Malone," she gasped. "What are you doing?"

"Everything
you want me to," I murmured. I propelled her down the hallway with one
hand halfway inside her blouse and the other resting against her thigh.

"This isn't
appropriate," she protested as I pushed open the door to an office that
happened to be hers before spinning her around and pinning her against the door
so that I could kiss her again.

"I don't
really think appropriateness is our thing, do you?" I murmured into her
lips as I ran my tongue lightly over her top lip before biting down into the
bottom one. She gasped as she reached up and wrapped her arms around my neck so
that she could pull herself into the kiss. I smiled as I said, "I'll take
that as a no."

"But,
Dax..." she whispered into my lips.

"No
buts," I replied as I tugged at her blouse and freed it from the waist of
her skirt before running my hands up her abdomen and cupping both breasts.
"Just say yes."

I took the moan
that escaped from her lips as that yes and bent my head to capture one of her
lace-covered nipples between my lips. I sucked the hard bud through the fabric
and felt it swelling as I closed my teeth around it and bit down lightly.
Brooke cried out as she gripped my shoulder, and while I could feel her wanting
more, I took my time.

I ran my hands
over the bare skin of her back and made quick work of the hooks that connected
the fabric covering her breasts. She lifted her arms and I pulled the straps
down, exposing the rounded mounds of flesh. I cupped them in my hands, feeling
their softness before bending down and running my tongue across one and then
the other. I could feel Brooke's breath coming in ragged gasps as I teased her
until, still pinned against the door, she spread her legs to stabilize herself.

At that moment, I
stepped back and looked at her. The low lights of the office combined with the
moonlight streaming in through the window and illuminated her beauty. Her hair
was loose around her shoulders and there was a wild look in her eyes as she
stood before me naked from the waist up. I'd never seen a more beautiful woman
or wanted one more than I wanted her right now.

"Dax..."
she whispered as she hung on the edge. I knew that if I didn't act fast, her
practical side would overrule her passionate side and we'd be sitting in the
conference room talking about my case.

"Brooke..."
I moved forward and scooped her up. She gasped as I sat her on the edge of her
desk and held her with one arm as I used the other to swipe everything else
onto the floor with a resounding crash. Her eyes were wide as she realized what
I'd done, but I quickly bent and kissed her hard. There was an urgency in my
kiss, a need that was greater than the order and organization on her desk.

I reached behind
her and unzipped her skirt before sliding it off and tossing it in the corner.
I pushed her down on the desk so I could get a full look at her naked beauty in
the half-light. Her hair spilled across her desk and I inhaled deeply as I
admired every inch of her, while pulling off my own shirt. I could feel my own
need straining against my pants, but I wanted to draw this out and spend as
much time playing with her body as I could. Honestly, I wasn't sure I'd get
another chance.

I lightly ran my
fingers over the delicate fabric of her panties and watched her squirm as I
parted her thighs. I could feel how wet she was already, and as I slipped my
fingers under the lace, I felt her push her hips forward to meet my hand. I
slowly slid the tips of my fingers up and down, feeling the heat radiating
underneath them. Her mouth was half open and she moaned as I parted her nether
lips and slipped my fingers between them.

"Dax..."
she breathed as I bent forward and kissed her in response. Up and down, I
slowly dragged my fingers from top to bottom, stopping at each end to touch and
tease enough to make her raise her hips in an attempt to push me deeper. I
smiled as I pulled back and she groaned in protest.

"Don't you
understand, pretty girl?" I whispered as I kissed her neck and then bit
down on a tender earlobe. "I want all of you. Everything."

"Oh
God," she groaned as I returned to her mouth and bit down on her lower
lip. My fingers continued to stroke the velvety folds and I could feel her need
growing and spreading out. I'd never spent this much time teasing a woman
before, but something about Brooke made me want to draw it out as long as
possible.

I traced a line
down the side of her neck with my tongue and once I reached her nipples, I
decided to keep going. Her skin was unlike anything I'd ever tasted or touched
before. She felt warm, and her scent alone had made me hard. As I moved lower,
it filled my nostrils, driving me to the edge of madness. I could smell her
need and now, I wanted to taste it.

I looped my
fingers over the edge of the panties so that I could pull them down and off. I
grabbed her ankles and pulled her down to the edge of the desk where I knelt in
front of her and spread her thighs wide.

"Oh my, look
at you," I whispered as I slipped my thumbs between her lips and splayed
them open. They were pink and already slick with her wetness. I couldn't stop
myself from leaning forward and running my tongue down the inner folds. Brooke
moaned and writhed so violently that I let go and gripped her thighs tightly,
pinning her to the desk. "Do not move." I said sternly. "Do you
understand?"

I looked up and
saw her raised head nod slightly before she lay back down. I was going to take
what I wanted – and what I wanted was this. I leaned forward again and slipped
my tongue deep into her warm wetness and lost myself in the act of licking,
stroking, and sucking. When I slid two fingers inside her tight opening, she
moaned and reached down to grip my head, but she didn't move.

I could feel how
much she wanted this, and I wanted to indelibly imprint this on her brain with
the hope that she'd give me so much more. Slowly stroking her hard little nub
with my tongue, I moved my fingers inside her and felt her wetness dripping
down my wrist. I was lost in my own pleasure of tasting her and feeling her
contract around my fingers that time seemed to stop.

There was nothing
more important than giving this woman pleasure, and when this wove its way into
my brain, for the first time in as long as I could remember, I felt fear. I had
spent the majority of my life focused on my own path, my own needs, and this
woman had come along and taken me out of my familiar surroundings. I licked
faster as I felt her begin to contract around my fingers and put the fear in
the back of my mind. I wanted nothing more than to feel her tipping over the
edge of ecstasy and calling my name.

"Dax,
Dax!" she cried as I stroked harder and faster. I could feel how much she
wanted it as her hips rose to meet my hand and mouth. "Oh God, I'm...I'm...I'm..."
Her cries were followed by a long low moan as I felt her muscles contract and
her body release. She climaxed hard as her wetness flowed onto my hand and I
lapped it up. She pulsed around my fingers as I continued softly stroking her
inner walls.

"Oh God,
yes," I growled as I felt her hips continue moving against my hand.

"Dax,
please?" she begged. "Please, I need you."

I stood up,
quickly shed my clothes, and slid my erection up and down between her open
legs, coating it in her wetness. She had a wild look in her eyes as she nodded,
and I positioned myself at the edge of her opening, stroking it with the tip of
my shaft before I thrust into her hard and fast. She cried out and reached out
to grab my arms as I lifted her legs and wrapped them around my waist.

"Yes,
yes!" she cried. "Hard, deep!"

Her begging was
all the encouragement I needed and I pulled back slowly once before I began
thrusting hard and deep inside of her. She moaned and reached out for me as I
leaned forward to lay my palms on either side of her head. I looked deep into
her eyes as I slammed my hips forward over and over. I could feel her gripping
me as I thrust into her again and again, and it drove me close to the edge so
quickly that I before I knew what was happening, I had taken flight and was
soaring with her as she climaxed again, this time with me.

I shivered as I
felt my body release everything that I'd been holding onto into Brooke. It was
as if she were taking all the fear and loneliness inside of her. I could feel
her hands stroking my face as I slowly returned and looked down into her eyes.

"Wow,"
she whispered in a voice ragged from screaming.

"Wow,
indeed," I agreed, leaning forward to gently kiss her lips. She returned
the kiss as I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her up off the desk so that
I could hold her body against mine. She wrapped her arms around my neck and
rested her cheek against my chest as I tenderly stroked her hair and kissed her
head.

Something in me
shifted, and I knew that I was going to have to come clean with Brooke Raines.
Not just because she was my lawyer, but because she was someone different.

"Brooke?"
I whispered into the tangle of blonde hair.

"Shhhh,"
she said as she stroked my neck and ran her fingers through her hair. "I
know, but shhhh..."

I nodded and
waited for her to give me a sign as to what I was supposed to do next, since I
had no idea where to go from here.