The Job Read online

  “You will do no such thing, Nat. I really couldn’t get you out of that one. Besides, with your cousin’s gambling addiction and his predilection of choosing unsavory company, someone will no doubt kill him sooner rather than later, so there is no need to get our hands dirty.”

  Nat shook his head at the lawyer’s dry sense of humor.

  “Please continue, Miss. I take it he was successful with his blackmail attempts?”

  Johnson’s simple question hung in the air between them. Nathanial’s muscles ached with the need to take his girl in his arms, to comfort her, but every cell in her body literally screamed don’t touch me, so he kept his distance.

  Eventually, she replied with just one word.

  “Yes.”

  Nathanial bit back another curse while Johnson sighed.

  “Thank you for your honesty, Miss. Now, please forgive me for asking this, but do you have the intention of taking any of what conspired then or indeed last night to the papers.”

  “Of course not. I would never do that, I’m not… Well, I mean.”

  Nathanial had heard enough. Snatching the phone back up off its resting place on the counter, he turned off the loud speaker function and raised it to his ear.

  “Enough, Johnson, deal with this. Make it go away, will you.” He ended the call before the other man could respond and turned the phone off for good measure. Not knowing what else to do, he held out his arms to Alex and waited.

  ****

  Her heart pounded so hard against her breastbone, Alex felt faint. Talk about one shock after another. When she had woken up thanks to an urgent need to use the loo, she had frowned at the empty bed. She could hear Nat talking to someone in the bathroom. Making her way slowly off the bed, she’d winced as her sore muscles had protested any movement. Alex had to grin when she caught sight of herself in her mirror though. Her ass was still red and bruises were forming. Her nipples looked swollen. Faint fingerprints showed on her breasts. Nathanial’s bite marks were also clearly visible. Seeing the evidence of his possession on her body filled her with a warm glow inside. It might be completely misplaced, but she couldn’t help that bubble of happiness that threatened to spill up and consume her.

  Surely, he wouldn’t have done all this if he didn’t care? A man in his position had to be careful. Leaving any mark on the wrong person would have him up on an assault charge faster than you could say flogging. As far she knew no such rumors had ever attached to his name.

  Hells bells, he’d managed to keep that marriage under wraps. That thought had shaken her out of her happy place. Seeing his abandoned shirt, she’d shrugged it on to cover herself. She hadn’t liked the doubts creeping in, especially when she’d made out who Nathanial was talking to in the bathroom. He was clearly on the phone to his lawyer, the very man, who would no doubt ensure no such rumors would ever attach themselves to the family name.

  Hand raised to knock on the door to announce her presence, she’d stumbled when she heard Nathanial refer to her as his fiancé. The resulting conversation had made her head spin. While a huge weight had lifted off her shoulders, now that everything was out in the open, it also left her feeling vulnerable, exposed.

  A heavy silence descended between them after Nathanial ended that call. When he held his arms out to her, she froze. Part of her wanted to throw herself at him, but the other, the desperately-in-love-with-this-man part, held back. If she allowed herself to think he’d actually meant what he’d said about marrying her… No, this was a ploy to appease his father, to smooth over the fallout in the press, that was all.

  “I can almost see the wheels turning in your head, baby. Please, put me out of my misery. Let me hold you.”

  His face fell, when she shook her head. Her heart squeezed painfully in her chest.

  “What you said to him about marrying me… That’s just—”

  “Not the most eloquent marriage proposal, I know, but I mean it, baby.” He took a step toward her, and another, but it was the hesitant way in which he reached out to her that spoke of his feelings more than anything.

  Gone was the confident, arrogant playboy, the Dom who could make her sink to her knees with just one raised eyebrow. In its stead was a man who looked as unsure as she felt.

  “You can’t mean it. You don’t know me. You haven’t seen me in ten years. What we shared back then, well that’s not a basis for marriage. What we did tonight isn’t either. It was awesome, but… This is insane. I won’t run to the papers, so there’s no need to—”

  “Fuck it. Why do you have such a low opinion of me? If I could change the fucking past I would, but I can’t. Alex, you know me. You’re probably the only one apart from my mum and dad who ever got to see the real me. We grew up together, for fuck’s sake. How is that not a solid basis for us now? I know we need to build on that but…”

  When she just stared up at him with wide eyes, shaking her head, he groaned. Nat slammed his fist into the tiled wall. The resulting crack made her jump, and Nathanial swore under his breath.

  “I … fuck this.” He stalked past her and slammed the bathroom door shut. Alex jumped and bit back tears, as something crashed against the wall in the other room. There were sounds of rustling. Another door slammed, then … nothing. He wouldn’t have left her here, would he?

  Sure enough, when she stuck her head out of the door the suite was empty. For one second she had visions of him running around the corridor with nothing but a towel slung round his hips. Then she noticed that his clothes were missing. Well, all bar his shirt, which she was still wearing. A hysterical bubble of laughter escaped her, and she slammed her hand over her mouth. Somehow the thought of him in his tux, shirtless, wasn’t much better than the towel look in her mind.

  That’s it, she’d lost her marbles, as had he, clearly. If he was looking to do damage control, then running around this luxury hotel in that disheveled state would do him no favors. It was too much to wrap her head around right now. Having taken care of the now urgent demands of her bladder, she took a much needed shower.

  When she emerged suitably rejuvenated, there was still no sign of him. Making use of the hotel provided hairdryer, she set to work to tidy herself up. She was in the process of pulling her jeans slowly over her tender bottom, when her phone rang. She had turned that off, hadn’t she?

  Frowning, she fished it out of her bag. Alex groaned when she saw it was Marissa. It stopped ringing before she could swipe to answer it. Unease trawled up her spine, when she found the number of missed calls she’d had from her friend over the last half hour. She slapped her forehead dreading that conversation. Rather than turning it off, the phone had been set to do not disturb and the specified time frame had run out.

  Almost immediately the phone rang again, and Alex answered it with a hesitant, “Hello?”

  “Finally. Jesus, girl, tell me you’re okay. Why are you not answering your phone? What in the world is going on? I had my boss on the freaking phone, thanking me for a job well done. I tell you I almost passed out when she called, especially as she’s tripled my fee for the night. What’s more, the woman knows it wasn’t me with the client. So, I’m imagining all sorts here. Then you don’t answer… Dammit, say something, babe.”

  Alex had to laugh as Marissa finally stopped speaking.

  “Well, I would, if you let me get a word in edgeways. I’m fine by the way.” She grimaced at her reflection in the mirror as she said that. Sure enough Marissa snorted down the phone at her.

  “You don’t sound fine. I want to know what the fuck he did to you that I get paid off like this. I don’t like it.”

  Alex sighed, and bit back tears, as images of last night invaded her consciousness, together with the murmured words delivered in his deep voice. I love you, Alex.

  She thought she’d dreamed them, but if he’d really said that, then … fuck. She had to go and find him.

  “Look, Marissa, I’ve just realized I’ve fucked up big time. I need to go and find him, to—”


  “Now hold on one freaking minute here.” Marissa almost shouted down the phone. “You’re not going anywhere until you explain this to me—”

  “I love him, okay. I need to tell him that, before I never see him again. Oh my god, what if he’s left already…” The sharp intake of breath down the line stopped her.

  “You what? After one night? Come on, girl. I’m really worried about you now. Who does that? Certainly not you. You’re drugged, right? I’m coming over there to sort this.”

  The sound of the door opening meant Alex stopped listening to her friend, as Nathanial stepped through. He stopped on the threshold, watching her warily, as though he was expecting her to throw something at him. Her heart gave a few bumps, before it settled back down again.

  He looked utterly disheveled and so damn sexy standing there with his bare chest peeping out from under his tux jacket, his hair in disarray as though he’d run his hands through it repeatedly. The sheer force of the relief of seeing him again took her breath away.

  “Alexandra!” The shrill tone coming from the phone she still clutched in her hands made her jump. Nathanial’s expression darkened as he fully stepped into the room, shut the door, and leaned against it. Hands in his pockets, he stared at her and then pointedly looked at the phone.

  “You best answer her,” he said. “Doesn’t seem as though she is going to give up.”

  Nathanial didn’t know the half of it. Marissa was worse than a dog with a bone when she wanted to get to the bottom of something. She was also fiercely loyal and protective of her friends. If she said she was coming, then that’s exactly what she would do, unless Alex stopped her.

  “Stop shouting at me. I’m here. No, I’m not drugged, for goodness sakes. In fact, I’ve never seen things clearer in my entire life.”

  Nathanial frowned when she said that. His mouth fell slightly open at her next words.

  “No, I didn’t fall in love last night.” She walked toward him as she said that. Nat straightened and swore under his breath. “You’re right that would be ridiculous, but your client … well, I fell in love with him when I was sixteen. While that didn’t work out too well, I’ve just realized that I never stopped loving him. If what he said to me last night is the way he really feels, then … well then, I’m not going anywhere.”

  Nathanial froze. He looked utterly stunned, which made Alex smile.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

  Marissa’s equally stunned reply in her ears made Alex giggle. Nathanial drew in a sharp breath when she sunk to her knees in front of him.

  “Not kidding, Rissa. I’ll explain it all when I see you. I’ve gotta go, okay? Don’t worry about me, I’m fine. I really, really am.”

  Ending the call, she shut her eyes. She nuzzled into her Sir’s groin with a small sigh. His cock jerked and hardened under her cheeks. Alex smiled as peace descended upon her. Where this had come from heaven only knew, but here on her knees with her Sir wrapping his hands in her hair that’s exactly where she wanted to be.

  “What the hell are you doing, girl?”

  His voice sounded hoarse and strained. The hands holding her hair off her face shook slightly, as he tilted her head up.

  “Making amends, Sir.” He went so still she couldn’t be sure he was even breathing right now. The hold on her hair grew painful. A muscle ticked in his jaw as he stared at her.

  “I’m sorry about my reaction. I don’t have a low opinion of you. I just have a low opinion of myself—”

  She screeched in surprise when he yanked her to her feet to kiss her. This wasn’t just a kiss. It was a brand, a mark on her very soul, as he plundered her mouth in such a way that left her in no doubt of his feelings. Alex whimpered into the kiss. When Nathanial grasped her ass cheeks, she wrapped her legs around his waist. In the next instant, they fell onto the bed, ripping each other’s clothes off until they were both naked and breathing heavily. Pinned under his bodyweight, with her sore ass protesting at the move, there was still nowhere else she wanted to be right now. She blinked back tears, when Nathanial took her arms. He held them up above her head with his large hands on her wrists, while he nuzzled into her neck. Shivers of need darted across her skin at the feel of his scruff scraping along the sensitive skin. Alex spread her legs wider to enable him to settle between him. The action brought his erect cock in direct contact with her pussy. They both groaned as she grew even wetter for him.

  Flexing his hips, Nathanial ran the tip of his cock through her slit. Alex groaned as the sensitive tissues reacted instantly. The bite of pain just served to get her more aroused though. Nat grinned down at her, as he got to his knees between her legs. He transferred both her wrists into one of his large hands and ran his free one slowly down her body. Alex started panting when he reached her breasts. Using just one finger, he ran slow circles around her nipples. The buds firmed, ached, and yet more of her juices spilled out of her.

  “Please, Sir, I want you.”

  Nathanial’s grin turned wicked as he trailed that torturous finger lower, over her quivering abdomen until he could cup her mound. A hiss escaped Alex at the gentle contact and he bent his head to kiss her.

  “I want you too, baby, so much, but I don’t want to hurt you.”

  At her eye roll in answer, he laughed.

  “Okay, that’s not strictly speaking true, but I was hard on you last night. You must be sore.”

  Alex lifted her hips in a silent plea. Nat smiled and the tenderness in his eyes took her breath away.

  “I’m not that sore, Sir, please. It will be fine if you do it gently.”

  Nathanial kissed her again in a gentle exploration of her lips and mouth that made her feel truly cherished and loved. Sure enough, by the time he finally broke the kiss, and looked down on her, she could see the truth of his feelings reflected in the heated molten chocolate of his dark eyes.

  “Just so we’re clear here. I do love you, girl. My wanting to marry you has nothing to do with any damage control.”

  Happiness bubbled up inside of her at his whispered words. When he reached down and lined up his cock with her entrance it was her who lifted her hips so that he slid in.

  “Fuck, baby, tell me this is okay. I want to claim you with nothing between us.”

  Alex tightened her internal muscles in response and whispered her answer.

  “Yes, I’m on the pill, oh…”

  Nathanial swore and grasped both her hips, lifting her butt higher. It meant he slid in farther. Alex moaned as his thick shaft forced her sensitive walls apart. There was a brief flare of pain as her oversensitive tissues protested momentarily, before pleasure took over.

  “God, yes, please, more.”

  “So fucking tight and wet. I love how your cunt grips me. Tell me you’re mine, always.” Nathanial loomed over her, all dark, brooding, and intense. She bit her lip and nodded.

  “Say you’ll marry me.” He gasped the words out through gritted teeth as he bottomed out inside of her and pulled almost all the way out, before he slid back in.

  Pleasure erupted along her nerve endings, Alex groaned as the pressure built for her already.

  “No, I can’t. I… Oh… Please… I’m so close.”

  Nathanial pulled out again, then slammed back into her. It sent a shockwave of need through her system. Digging her feet into his calves, she met every one of his thrusts with an upward move of her hips.

  “Wrong answer, baby. I want to marry you. We’ve wasted enough time.”

  Again he slammed into her harder than before. Her orgasm hovered just out of her reach, as he circled his hips while buried up to the hilt in her body. He claimed her mouth in a kiss that stole her breath and her will to do anything but what he demanded of her.

  “Can’t … your father … won’t… Oh God, harder please.”

  Alexandra moaned and yanked on his shoulders when Nat pulled all the way out this time. He ran the tip of his dick up through her slit until he circled her clit. Shards of pleasure erupted
from that point of contact, yet it wasn’t enough to send her over the edge. She needed him back inside of her, but he denied them both teasing her until she wanted to scream.

  “My father has nothing to do with this. Besides, he’s been on at me for ages to settle down. He’ll love you.”

  Alex shook her head. She squeezed her eyes shut against the intensity burning in his eyes.

  “Yes, he will. Marry me, baby.”

  Nathanial thrust into her, and withdrew straight away. Alex screamed in frustration. Again and again, he repeated the process, punctuating every invasion of her body with a guttural, Marry me.

  How long he kept it up, Alexandra couldn’t fathom. She was too caught up in the myriad of sensations that assaulted her body, the burning stretch of his entry, the exquisite reawakening of all of her pleasure points on his slow retreat. Over and over he did that, their sweat slicked bodies sliding against each other in the age old lover’s dance, until she finally gave in and whispered her answer.

  “Yes, God, help me, yes.”

  As though a dam broke inside him, Nathanial let loose. When he flicked his thumb over her clit with a growled demand to come for him, Alexandra splintered and flew.

  Nathanial pumped inside of her a few more times, before he stiffened and shouted his release into her shoulder.

  “Fuck, yeah, I’m coming, baby. You’re mine, all mine, so fucking good.”

  Heat bathed her insides, as he emptied himself into her body. Alex burst into tears of happiness, as Nathanial slumped on top of her briefly, before he lifted off her by locking his arms and frowning at her.

  “Hey, why the tears? Did I hurt you?” He looked so worried, that she had to smile. She tightened her muscles one last time around his softening cock still buried inside her. Nathanial groaned, flexing his hips as he withdrew. Their combined fluids trickled out of her and ran under her bum. Nat grinned, his gaze fixed between her splayed thighs.

  “Do you have any idea how fucking hot it is to see you dripping in my cum. Makes me want to fuck you all over again.”

  He chuckled at her groan and pressed a gentle kiss on her mound.