“When are you going to let these people know what Club Destiny is truly all about? The lewd and repulsive acts that go on behind closed doors?”
Funny how the woman didn’t find the club lewd and repulsive when she had been the one being nailed to the wall by one or more members of the club during her frequent weekly visits.
Tag raised his eyebrows as if to question Susan, knowing full well she was continuing to dig herself a deeper hole every time she chose to open her mouth.
He sometimes, like now, had trouble understanding what made the woman snap. Tag liked Luke McCoy well enough, but seriously? Could Luke have been that good in bed that the instant Susan felt he wasn’t hers to have any longer she went off the deep end? Shit, he’d engaged in some seriously intense sex in his lifetime, but no one had ever pushed him to his limits.
Then again, Tag never allowed himself to consider anyone his the way Susan mistakenly did. There might have been a relationship or two that Tag considered exclusive, but with those partners, they agreed up front and they knew full well what he was and was not interested in.
When it was over, it was over.
Another reason he liked the recent nontraditional aspect to his relationships. He was content with being a third because it allowed him the freedom he craved while also giving him the monogamy – for lack of a better word – that he desired. However, his current relationship status stood at single because he didn’t have time for anything else. Or at least that’s what he told himself.
For a solid month, Tag had managed to avoid Logan and Samantha McCoy’s requests for him to join them in their infrequent rendezvous’ because... well, because of her. The sinfully beautiful woman, dressed in black, from head to toe, pinning him with those exquisite eyes; the same one standing behind Susan Toulmin, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth in another attempt to fuck with him.
Instead of responding to either woman, Tag turned around, and this time successfully escaped the throng of reporters eager to sling mud all over the front pages of whatever magazine or newspaper they represented.
Including McKenna Thorne.
If she knew what was best for her, she’d back off before she bit off more than she could chew.
~*~*~
McKenna watched as the extremely fine specimen known as Tag Murphy slowly disappeared from sight, appearing to be swallowed whole by the throng of reporters jumping for the chance to catch that one golden ticket comment that would rocket their career to stardom.
She didn’t move until she couldn’t see his sexy as hell bald head any longer. What she wouldn’t give just to follow him. Thankfully, she had been blessed with enough common sense to know better.
From the moment she laid eyes on him nearly two months earlier, McKenna realized Tag was one she didn’t want to mess with. Yet, she was captivated by him. Totally enthralled with every facet of the man to the point she was all but stalking him on the internet, digging up as much information about him as she could, and absorbing it as fast as possible. It was a good thing that was her job, or she might be a little worried about her own sanity.
Oh, hell, who was she kidding? She was a little worried.
She found some consolation in the fact that Tag Murphy considered her the enemy; therefore, thwarting any chance of her getting close to the man. Little did he know, McKenna was the least he had to worry about. But, it was easier to accept his aversion to her than risk the chance of facing him one on one again.
Their impromptu introduction a couple of months before had left her reeling. Similar to her intentions today, McKenna had been at the courthouse in hopes of speaking to Tag in regard to his personal take on the trial. Considering he wasn’t representing Sierra, she had been hoping to get his opinion on a future outcome.
From the moment she asked the question, McKenna had been caught up in the mesmerizing intensity of his beautiful green eyes. He never did fully answer her, but something else had transpired between them that day. Something McKenna thought about often in the days since.
In recent days, she’d acquired a few juicy tidbits of information about the sexy lawyer that she was tempted to share with her readers, but for some reason, she felt it necessary to keep those intricate secrets to herself. After all, she hadn’t become successful by exploiting people. No, her readers had come to love her online magazine for her insight and her honesty. But, just like any other journalist worth their salt, McKenna had learned how to get the information she needed.
That was her job, and she was good at it.
Although, it didn’t explain why she couldn’t get her mind off of him and hadn’t been able to for longer than she cared to admit.
Tag Murphy was sex personified, and she could only imagine what he’d be like between the sheets. Not that she would ever find out, but she could have fun pretending for a little while.
Her attention was pulled to the woman standing next to her, feeding a line of unsubstantiated bullshit into one of the lingering microphones. McKenna already knew what the bitter Susan Toulmin had to say. Same thing she always did.
According to Susan, the club Luke owned was one that dealt in raunchy, indecent acts of debauchery that were often orgiastic in nature. She continued to taunt the media by threatening to mention names of supposedly prominent members of society who frequented the club. However, whenever asked about her own membership, Susan often backtracked, hinting that she hadn’t realized what she was signing up for at the time she applied, was accepted and then paid the outrageously expensive membership fee.
McKenna knew she should be interested because, at some point, Susan was going to slip up. She just had an issue with taking her at her word because no one had the lowdown on the legendary Club Destiny, which meant there wasn’t enough proof for her even to hint at a story and feel good about it. She was curious though.
Figuring the day was already shot, McKenna switched off her microphone and turned to go. She didn’t need to hear any more, and if she was honest, she didn’t come to hear Ms. Toulmin speak in the first place.
Her real reason for coming had just walked away.
Grabbing her cell phone from her pocket, McKenna dialed her assistant’s number, wondering whether she was any more successful in getting information from Sierra or Luke.
“Whisper?” McKenna greeted when her assistant answered the phone.
Yes, her assistant’s name was Whisper, and no one knew whether that was her birth name, or if she’d changed it along the way. No matter what, the name didn’t suit her at all. McKenna was pretty sure the term “quiet” wasn’t even in the woman’s vocabulary.
“Hey, Mac? You have any luck?” McKenna barely heard her assistant over the sound of a hundred voices speaking at one time, so she waited until she emerged on the other side of the group huddled closer and closer to the mouth at the microphone.
“No luck on my end,” McKenna said, thinking back on that smoldering hot look Tag had gifted her with seconds before he turned his back on her. “How about you?”
Any good reporter knew that Sierra Sellers was going to escape through the back doors of the courthouse while a diversion had been set up out front. McKenna had known, but she had also opted to take her chances on that diversion being Tag.
“No, Sierra wouldn’t talk and the glares I received from those muscles on her arm had me backing off. I’m not an idiot, you know.”
McKenna laughed. Whisper might’ve been the loudest, most obnoxious woman she’d ever met – and she meant that in the most endearing way possible – but at least she knew when to back off.
Most of the time.
“I’ll meet you back at the office. I’ve got something I want to write up for tomorrow’s blog,” McKenna told Whisper as she headed to her car. “Don’t worry, it’s nothing juicy, but I figure it’s not a bad idea to dangle the carrot every now and again.”
“McKenna.” Whisper managed to drawl her name into way more than three syllables, which she recognized as a warning.
“Oh, hush. I’ve got this one covered,” McKenna told Whisper.
“You’re going to push that man too far, honey. I can feel it.”
McKenna’s sole objective these days seemed to be finding more and more ways to push him. The man was too self-controlled for his own good. She wanted to rough him up a little bit, and this little stunt just might get her what she wanted.
Chapter Two
*** ~~ *** ~~ *** ~~ ***
Was she out of her fucking mind?
Tag paced back and forth in front of his desk, certain he was going to wear a hole in the damn carpet if he kept this up. Hell, he hadn’t even had his morning coffee, and he was subjected to this... crap.
Staring at the tablet computer sitting on his desk, he still couldn’t believe his eyes.
Secrets or Lies?
Tag Murphy, the attorney currently representing the infamous Club Destiny and its owners - hot, sexy twins Logan and Luke McCoy - might just have a few skeletons – or shall we say whips and chains – in his closet.
Is this mysterious man who has captured the hearts of so many women as we swoon in front of the television waiting for him to lavish us with his seductively dark, rich voice truly whom he says he is? Or does he have a secret?
Considering Mr. Murphy is currently representing the very private, very exclusive Club Destiny in a lawsuit against former member, Susan Toulmin, inquiring minds would like to know.
Stay tuned as we expose some delicious details about the uber sexy Tag Murphy and the rumor that he’s got a few toys still hanging in his dungeon... er ... closet.
He hadn’t thought it possible, but McKenna Thorne was beginning to be an even bigger pain in his ass than she already was. Didn’t the woman know when to leave well enough alone? There was no doubt in his mind that she was playing a game and that damn blog of hers was going to get her in some serious trouble if she wasn’t careful.
Grabbing his cell phone, he went to the kitchen and poured a cup of coffee. There was no way he could face McKenna first thing without at least a little caffeine.
Toys?
Dungeon?
Seriously?
Tag didn’t need any damn toys. He would gladly use his hand when he pulled McKenna’s sweet little ass over his knee and showed her just what it meant to tempt him.
When his cell phone rang, Tag snatched it up from the counter and hit the talk button without even looking at the screen. He already knew who it was.
“So, Sam wants to know why you haven’t introduced her to this dungeon of yours.” Logan’s deep baritone reverberated through the phone.
“Fuck off.” Tag wasn’t in any mood to play games right now, not even with Logan or Sam.
“Touchy, are you?” Logan laughed. “I think you might’ve just captured the attention of McKenna Thorne, my friend.”
It appeared that way.
“That woman’s beginning to piss me off.” And make my fucking dick hard. Tag thought the last part, not willing to share even that much with Logan.
“Well, according to what I read, you might just be well equipped to teach her a lesson.”
Tag grunted, not dignifying Logan’s sarcastic comment with a response.
“Seriously, man.” All humor was gone from Logan’s tone. “You need to figure out exactly what she knows. We can’t have information leaking out about the club. Susan’s already sharing more than we bargained for.”
“There’s no such thing as bad publicity,” Tag stated, thinking back on the last conversation he’d had with Luke, Logan’s twin brother, and the face of Club Destiny.
Their membership applications had doubled in the last few weeks, and although they weren’t currently looking to add new members, it was quite amusing the types of people interested in joining. Not that any of them had the kind of money required even to be considered.
However, since the press release had gone out on the new resort that Travis Walker and his brothers were in the process of building, they’d been inundated with interest. Tag attributed it to a purposely planted leak that Logan and Luke were interested in investing.
“That’s what you think.” Logan’s tone was still firm. “Find out what she knows.”
Tag nodded, knowing Logan couldn’t see him. He fully intended to pay Ms. Thorne a visit soon.
Very soon.
Half an hour later, Tag was walking into the posh offices of Sensations, Inc. He hadn’t bothered to call and make an appointment because he knew damn well McKenna wouldn’t have made time to see him anyway. So, he decided to surprise her.
“Mr. Murphy,” Whisper, McKenna’s extremely attentive assistant didn’t sound all that excited as she greeted him, but she also didn’t seem surprised.
“Whisper.” He still had a hard time calling her that, even if it was her name. Who the hell named their child Whisper?
Then again, he wasn’t one to talk. Tag wasn’t a particularly common name either, and since it wasn’t short for anything else, people were often interested in how it came about.
The story his mother and father had told him wasn’t one he cared to share with anyone. He was appalled enough when they informed him that, at the time of his conception, they were particularly fond of chasing one another. Around the bedroom.
“She available?”
“Actually...”
“Thanks. I know where her office is.” Tag smiled, half expecting Whisper to try and stop him, but she didn’t. However, he did hear her as she gave McKenna the heads up via telephone that he was coming down the hall.
“Mr. –” McKenna was standing at the door waiting for him.
Tag cut her off before she could greet him fully, grabbing her arm as she shrieked, then slamming her door and pressing her against it before she could catch her next breath. Lowering his mouth to her ear, Tag crushed his body against hers, careful to make sure he didn’t hurt her, but ensuring she felt his presence in every cell in her body.
He damn sure felt her presence. For weeks now she had invaded his thoughts at the most inopportune times, making his dick hard as all of the things he wanted to do to her replayed over and over in his head.
“No need for pleasantries, McKenna.” Tag breathed in her sweet, addictive scent, and was immediately reminded of the last time he was there in her office.
It had been an innocent visit. At Logan’s request, Tag met with McKenna to get a feel for what her intentions were, in regards to any stories related to Club Destiny. For about a week, she had been hinting at future details, but to this day, she still hadn’t written anything about the club. Based on this morning’s article, it appeared she’d taken a more personal interest. On one hand, that was a good thing for his client, but for him personally, it was proving to be a bit of a problem.
A physical one.
“Why –” The catch in her breath was evident and he knew he’d taken her by surprise, but this was something else.
“Don’t play dumb with me, darlin’. You want to find out what toys I keep in my dungeon? I’ll be more than happy to show you, under one condition,” he growled low in her ear, allowing his lips to brush lightly against the soft flesh of her lobe, using his teeth to nip lightly until he felt her shiver.
Son of a bitch.
This woman was bound and determined to push him, and he knew it. So why was he letting her?
“What’s the condition?” she asked, still breathless.
“I get to tie you up and use them on you.” He slid his knee between her thighs, wishing like hell she’d worn one of those short skirts she favored. Instead, she’d opted for jeans, but even through the denim, he could feel the heat of her pussy against his thigh.
When she put her palms on his chest and pushed, Tag conceded, backing away from her, but not turning away.
“Who the fuck do you think you are?” McKenna bit out, glaring at him with those exotic eyes.
“Me? Honey, I’m not the one posting lies about you all over the fucking internet.”
“L
ies?” The incredulity in her voice rang loud and clear. “I happen to have a very reliable source, honey,” she retorted.
He didn’t doubt there was someone out there who was willing to talk, but whether they were reliable was debatable.
“What’s your fucking problem, McKenna?” Tag asked, feeling the anger roil in his gut. It didn’t matter that his dick was like an iron fucking rod thanks to her, or that he was turned on more than he had been in years by one single woman, he was still pissed.
“Problem?” That sweet, innocent tone of hers wasn’t fooling him in the least. He watched as she walked over to her chair and then took a seat behind her desk.
He didn’t blame her for wanting to put some distance between them. Whatever spark had ignited when Tag touched her was roaring into an uncontrollable, scorching sea of flames that neither of them could get away from, let alone deny.
“Yes. Problem. Can’t you just leave well enough alone?” he asked, perching on the edge of the long, leather sofa at the far end of her office.
“I happen to know my readers are very curious about what it is you keep in your closet,” she laughed, but Tag felt her tension.
Sexual tension.
“Darlin’, you don’t have to pretend it’s your readers who want to know. If you’re so interested, I’ll be more than happy to give you a tour of my closet.”
Tag knew her source hadn’t revealed any such thing, but he wasn’t going to deny that he did have a few toys on hand. Granted, they weren’t in his closet, or even at his house. They were at his private room at the club, which in no way resembled a dungeon.
If she was willing, and he’d bet money she was, Tag would be more than happy to show her where he kept them.
“Give me an exclusive,” McKenna said, standing suddenly from her chair and damn near making his head spin from the abrupt change of topic.
Infatuation - A Club Destiny Novel Page 2