One Bossy Offer (90)

Good thing she’s got her protection, or she’d walk away from this with triplets.

Hell, the fact that it doesn’t freak me out in this heated, clenching moment where ecstasy grips like a brute and wrings us out says everything.

It proves I’m dependent on this high, this woman.

This beautifully fucked up thing with a thousand complications that’s impossible to quit.

And when we start breathing again and I seal our insanity with a kiss, I know.

I know I don’t want this to end.

“I marked you,” I say brokenly, as soon as we’re nestled together, bathing in the sun and the slick afterglow of our own sweat.

Her mouth drops open in amusement. “You—what?”

“Did you feel it? I wrote my name inside you, Jenn.” I reach down between her legs and cup her mound, leaking my nut. I close my palm against her pussy and hold the rest in. “Call it cheesy or whatever the fuck. Don’t care. You’re mine now. Head to toe, inside and out. Finders fucking keepers.”

She laughs louder, making this whole vibe more dreamlike than it already is, and it’s so damn erotic I’m already getting hard again.

“You’re a crazy man. You know that, right?”

I swat her thigh and she jumps.

“Whatever. Just as long as you know you belong to that madman.”

We spend some time sunbathing before its cleanup time.

Then we hit the shower together, and after I bring us off again with her pressed up against the wall, I find a couple robes and take her hand.

We walk outside on the newly repaired balcony, just in time to finish watching the sunset. I sit on the outdoor chaise she’s put outside and she curls up next to me.

“It’s so beautiful. People would pay dearly for evenings here.”

I pull her into my lap.

“But you’d miss this view,” I growl, pressing my forehead to hers.

Not that it’s the end of the world.

If I have anything to say about it, she’ll spend more time next door at my place which has a majestic view that’s pretty close.

My phone rings, and I fish it out of my pocket, glancing at the screen.

“Louise. I’d better take this,” I tell her.

She leans closer to me and stares out at the setting sun.

“Cromwell.”

“Hi, I have news from Legal—”

“About time. Report.”

She hesitates, though. “I’m afraid you won’t like this, sir. We have no good options legally against Pacific-Resolute.”

“How?” I clip.

“The content was all original, so we can’t claim losses due to anything stolen. And it seems the claims that you were ‘bribed’ to portray the town in a positive light weren’t salacious enough to warrant any action for libel since they weren’t really public.”

“Shouldn’t I be the judge of that?”

“You’re welcome to consult Bradley yourself, of course. I’m just the messenger,” she reminds me tactfully. “But Legal says if you file, it’ll likely be thrown out in under a month. If it’s tossed, then you have to pay her attorney fees.”

“Fuck. It won’t stop if that whore gets away with this,” I snarl. “This can’t be the end of it. Simone won’t quit until I fold. Until I’m dead, just like—” I stop, nearly biting my tongue.

Beside me, Jenn stiffens.

I don’t need to look at her to know her eyes are fixed on me.

“Louise, I have to go.” I cut the call and slide my arm around my girl again with a sigh.

“Miles?”

I don’t look at her, keeping my gaze on the sunset over the ocean, where any woes are unimaginable.

“What did you mean?” she asks again.

“What?”

“You said Niehaus wouldn’t quit until you were dead. You think she wants to kill you?”

“No. Not exactly.” I look at her, hating the worry glistening in her pretty green eyes. “And you need to not scare yourself sick, kitten.”

She stands, hands balled into fists.

“I will worry! If someone wanted me dead, would you just be so chill? And why didn’t you tell me before? You can tell Louise, but you can’t tell me?”

I stand and move closer to her.

“I shouldn’t have said that. I wasn’t serious. She’s a monster bitch but she’s not a serial killer.”

No, there’s only one death I’m sure she had a hand in.

“Shouldn’t have said what? Telling me to calm down or that this horrible woman won’t quit until you’re dead?”

“Both,” I say flatly.

She snorts. “Did she kill someone you know?”

Fuck.

I’ve never hated my big mouth more than I do right now.

“I was upset and I overreacted. That’s all.” I guess I can’t avoid lying because I’m not sure I truly overreacted. “If the witch doesn’t stop, I’ll be a corpse of a CEO. That’s what I was getting at.”

“Were you?” She puts her hand on her hip. “I’ve never heard that expression before in my life.”

“I made it up.”

She glares at me, her eyes swirling with suspicion.