Tarnished Empire: A Standalone Enemies-to-Lovers Billionaire Romance

by Ava Harrison

  I pull out again and then push back in.

  My hips circle and thrust as my hand reaches between us.

  In. Out. In. Out.

  The slower I go, the more she moves her hips, begging me without words to pick up the pace and give her what she needs.

  But I can’t.

  I can’t take her fast. I need to savor every minute with her.

  As if she knows I’m teasing her, she tilts her hips up and pushes me in deeper.

  “Faster,” she begs.

  I swivel my hips again but don’t pick up the pace. Instead, I look down to where our bodies are connected, and now I watch us.

  There is nothing better than watching me fuck her, watching her small body take me, watching as she lets me own her. Mind, body, and soul.

  I pick up my pace, needing more, needing to see more. My thrusts become harder and deeper. As she begins to tighten around me, her breath coming in short bursts, I know I won’t be able to hold on much longer. Brutally intensifying my pace, I fuck her hard enough to imprint me in her soul.

  I hope it does.

  But as we both come down from our highs, and her blue eyes look up at me—first with lust, then with confusion, and then with anger—I know she’s the one letting me go.

  I thought I’d be okay, seeing her and saying goodbye, but the longer I stare, the more I know I’ll never be done with her.

  She seems frazzled as she starts to rearrange her dress.

  “Get off me,” she says, and her hands reach for my shirt to push me off her.

  “Stop.” I level her with my stare. “We need to talk. Are you sick?”

  Phoenix pushes again, and I step away even though separating our bodies is not something I want to do yet. I’m not ready for her to walk away.

  “Wow. Thanks, do I look that bad?” she hisses.

  “No. You look beautiful. But we still need to talk,” I say again, this time more forcefully.

  “There is nothing to talk about.”

  I look between us. The evidence of our tryst is still front and center. “I beg to differ. I tried to call you. I tried to see you. Why do you think I put on this whole ruse? I knew your father wouldn’t let me near you, so I had Cyrus Reed throw a masquerade ball. That way, Michael wouldn’t know I was here. I did all of this”—I gesture my hands around the room—“just to see you.”

  “See me? Don’t you mean have sex with me? Seems like a lot of work to get laid …” she snaps “… in a … what is this? A dining room?”

  “Yes.”

  She’s quiet for a moment, her eyes narrowing. “When did you try to contact me?”

  “Since we left Miami to head to New York.” My vague answer isn’t lost on her as her jaw tightens.

  “And before that?”

  “Phoenix, it was wrong of me to disappear when we first got off the island.” She lifts a brow at my words. “I wanted to give you space to think, to heal, but now I want to talk.”

  “And you thought this was the place. Spoiler alert, it’s not.” She stands, fixes her dress, and starts to walk away. My hand reaches out to stop her, but I think better of it. You don’t try to cage a frightened bird. Her flight-or-fight has kicked in, so I need to give her time.

  “You can run away all you want, but you can’t hide from me, little dove. I’ll always be there to catch you.”

  46

  Phoenix

  “This is enough already. I don’t know what he did to you, but you need to talk to me. If he hurt you …” my father says, stepping farther into my suite on the top floor of the hotel that he’s rented.

  “He didn’t hurt me.” Not a lie, technically. He never hurt me physically. Not emotionally either, if I’m being honest with myself.

  “He did something. You have been hiding in your room for a month.”

  “Since when is that a problem? Before this, you hid me in a boarding school and then Switzerland.”

  His mouth opens and shuts, and I realize I may have gone too far. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

  He shakes his head and looks down before lifting his gaze to reach mine. What I see reflected on his face makes me stumble. “I’m sorry. I was wrong to say that. It was never because of you. It was because of that man. Everything that has gone wrong is because of that man.”

  “Dad—”

  “No. Don’t Dad me. It’s true. You would never have gotten on that boat if it weren’t for what he did to me. And for what? His hatred for what? An unwarranted vendetta. The man is garbage, plain and simple.”

  If I ever had any bit of doubt about my father’s part in Alaric’s brother’s death, I don’t now. My father is a proud man, an angry man when need be, but never a liar. If he were involved, he would understand Alaric’s need for vengeance.

  “If I could, I would have him killed. The world would be a better place without him in it.”

  I’m about to object and defend the man who only a few minutes ago, I was hating, but a wave of nausea hits me hard, and I feel my lunch rising up my throat. Without another word, I bolt from the door and into my bathroom. Everything I ate today comes right back up.

  I hear his footsteps from behind me.

  He hands me a towel, but I’m too weak to say anything.

  “Enough of this. I know you didn’t want to go to the doctor, but you are. Now.”

  I wipe my mouth before standing up and walking over to the sink. I fill a glass and then spit.

  “I’m not going now. I’m going to bed.”

  “Like hell, you are, Nix. We are going to the hospital. This parasite or bug or whatever you caught on that island has been going on too long. It’s obvious you need medical attention.”

  He doesn’t let me say no. Instead, he’s ushering me to the door.

  All I want to do is crawl back into my bed and hide, but apparently, that is not in the cards right now. Because the next thing I know, I’m in the car, and I’m on my way to the hospital.

  From that point on, I’m in a daze.

  I’m taken to a private room.

  I guess money and connections can get anything done. Next, I’m poked and prodded.

  It’s awful. Not only do I just want to sleep, but they’ve taken so much blood I’m sure I will pass out.

  Now, I’m lying on a gurney with a flimsy gown on, waiting for someone to come in and tell me what the heck is going on. Some doctor I don’t know is the one to finally walk into my room.

  He’s holding a clipboard, and right behind him, a nurse is wheeling in a machine.

  What the fuck is going on?

  My heart starts to race frantically in my chest.

  “Hello, Phoenix. I’m Dr. Reynolds.”

  “What did you find?” I blurt out, my heart and brain not able to take the wait any longer. “You found something, right?”

  “Well, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about. We did.”

  “Just tell me. I can handle it.”

  “I wanted to ask you, when was your last period?”

  My eyes grow wide. Why would that matter? All of a sudden, my limbs feel weak, and I’m sure I will pass out. “I-I …” The blood in my veins throbs as I try to think back. My periods are less frequent since getting the shot. “I’m on the shot,” I say forcefully as if that should make a difference.

  “I see that in your records. Were you up to date on your shot?”

  It feels like my stomach is hollow as I realize I’m not. I was supposed to get another shot … but when I got back, I was sick and forgot.

  “I know this might come as a shock, but both the urine test as well as your blood sample reveal … you are pregnant, Phoenix.”

  He speaks, but I can’t hear a word he says because it sounds like I’m in a wind tunnel. My heart hammers in my chest, and the sound is so loud that I can barely make out what he’s saying.

  “What?” I whisper, shaking my head.

  “I’m going to give you an ultrasound. I’m not sure how far along you are, so to make sur
e I’m thorough, I’ll be doing a transvaginal one. We will measure the baby and see how far along you are. How does that sound?”

  I don’t know if I even answer, but then the ultrasound technician walks closer to me, wheeling the machine next to my bed. The sound of the tires is loud against the quiet of the room. Next, she pulls out a wand and places something over it.

  “Now just lie back. This might feel a little weird.” With my legs spread open, she places that thing inside me. Tears well in my eyes. I can’t believe this is happening. I can’t believe I’m pregnant with Alaric’s baby. This has to be a mistake. But as the doctor points at the screen, I know without a measure of a doubt that there is no mistake.

  There amongst the dark screen is a little something flickering.

  “That’s your baby.”

  All the tears I was holding at bay start to fall.

  That’s my baby.

  Sitting in my suite, I feel so alone. I have no one to talk to about what is going on. I know I need to tell Alaric, but can I? He’s the father of the baby, but he’s in a war with my father. Another person I can’t talk to. He would never understand.

  Standing, I start to pace the large living room with my phone clutched in my hand. I don’t even have a way to reach him.

  Even after the party, I never got his number.

  What do I do?

  Looking down at my phone, I open it and scroll through my contacts.

  That’s when I realize how selfish I’ve been. Hannah. My one friend. My best friend. I still haven’t called her.

  She probably doesn’t even know I went missing. I just left when my father called and never looked back.

  She probably hates me.

  Before I can second-guess myself, I’m dialing her number.

  “Where have you been?” she answers, and hearing her voice feels like a warm blanket being draped over me when I’m cold.

  “I’m so sorry,” I blurt out. I can already feel moisture gathering in my eyes.

  “Are you crying?”

  A sob breaks through my mouth, confirming that yes, I am, in fact, crying—more like having a nervous breakdown.

  “I am,” I hiccup.

  “Talk to me. Nix, what’s going on?”

  My hand reaches up and wipes the tears from below my eyes. “My dad needed me.”

  “And you couldn’t call to check in?” There is no mistaking the doubt in her voice.

  How do you tell someone that everything they thought they knew about you is a lie? Do you just blurt out, My father’s an arms dealer, just as we always suspected. I guess that’s what you do. “Everything we thought about my dad was true.”

  The line goes quiet.

  “Hannah?”

  “Everything?” she whispers into the line as if someone’s listening.

  “Everything. I left to help him …”

  “What does that mean?”

  Taking a deep breath, I sit down on the couch because this might take a while. Over the next thirty minutes, I tell her everything. I tell her about the plan to seduce Alaric to find the guns. I tell her about the island, and then I tell her the last part. The most important part.

  “I’m pregnant.”

  Once again, she’s silent. I know she’s still on the line because I can hear her breathing.

  “Is it his?”

  “Yes.” My voice is low, low enough I’m not even sure she hears me, but then she speaks.

  “Fuck.”

  Her words are exactly how I feel. I hug my knees to my chest, and my body starts to shake. “I know. What do I do?”

  “Do you love him?”

  “I think I do. Before all this, before we were rescued …” I swallow hard. “I was falling in love with him.”

  “I can’t believe this.” She speaks in a broken whisper, mirroring the emotions inside me.

  “You and I both.” My gaze lowers to my belly, to the flat skin. On instinct, my hand reaches down and touches it. Touches the life Alaric and I made. “I have to tell him.”

  She inhales deeply before exhaling. “You do.”

  “What if he’s not happy? What if this thing between us doesn’t work? He’s the villain in this story, after all. Can you survive loving the villain?”

  “We make our own stories. We write our own endings. Only you can decide.”

  Her words echo through me. She’s right. I’m not sure how this will turn out, but only we can decide.

  “Thank you.”

  “For what?”

  “For always being there for me. Even when I was a crappy friend.”

  She laughs at that. “I love you, Nix. Now go rest. It sounds like you need it.”

  “Gee, thanks.”

  “Just speaking the truth.”

  “Love you.”

  I hang up the phone a moment later.

  I have a lot to think about.

  47

  Alaric

  It’s been one week since the party. One week since I had Phoenix in my arms. I’m driving myself crazy. I sound like a pussy, but I can’t get her out of my mind. It’s obvious my pacing back and forth is driving my men nuts as well. To make matters worse, Matteo called me the other day. Apparently, he can’t get in touch with his man hired to pull off the hit.

  Now I’m desperate to make sure she’s safe.

  Cristian keeps shaking his head.

  The thing is, despite my attempts to see her again, she hasn’t left the goddamn hotel. That was until today.

  Yes, I’m stalking her.

  No, I don’t give a fuck.

  It might make me crazy, but here I am, pacing a room in the hotel where she’s staying.

  From what my man staking out the front desk has said, she left, went to the hospital, and isn’t back yet.

  I’m ready to fucking kill someone.

  Someone needs to tell me what the fuck is going on.

  Cristian, however, is laughing at me. He said it’s probably a routine checkup, and I can’t just storm her car when she arrives.

  Not that Michael is a threat any longer, but I’ll never get Phoenix to talk to me if he’s around.

  The problem is, who knows how much longer she will be?

  “You will wear a hole in the carpet,” Cristian says, holding back his chuckle.

  My hand forms a fist as I turn to face him. “Fuck off, Cristian. If you know what’s good for you.”

  I turn and go back about my business of walking back and forth in the suite I’m staying at.

  In the background, I can hear my men talking, but I pay them no mind.

  Why is she at a hospital?

  I’ve never felt this helpless in my entire life.

  No, that’s not true. I felt this helpless when Phoenix and I were on the raft, and the storm hit.

  I thought we were going to die. Back then, I was an idiot. Deep down, I knew how I felt about her but didn’t say it.

  It took me a long time to admit that I can’t live without her. Way too long. The truth is, she deserves better.

  Another truth: I don’t give a fuck.

  She’s mine.

  It takes four hours for my phone to ring, and once I know she’s back, I wait until her father is gone.

  In my possession is a key to her room, and I plan to make her see me, regardless of what she wants.

  It’s midnight when I first make my approach. I’ve paid off the security guard to tell me when Michael has turned in for the night and to let me pass.

  The walk from my room to hers isn’t far—just one floor up.

  Yes, I’m insane enough that I booked the whole floor beneath theirs.

  When I’m standing in front of her door, I knock once. If she doesn’t answer, I’m still going in.

  I can hear the sound of feet walking and then a soft voice. “Yes?” She sounds confused but not asleep.

  “Dove.”

  That’s all I say for an announcement.

  “Go away, Alaric. I’m not ready to speak to you yet. I
need to think.”

  “I didn’t want to have to do this,” I warn as I place the key to the pad and then let myself in.

  “You’re nuts,” she says, mouth open and hands on her hips.

  “Yes.”

  “You can’t just—”

  “Can’t just come in? Sure, I can.” Standing a few feet away from her in the foyer, I smile. “See?”

  “You’re such an ass.”

  She looks beautiful when she’s angry, her blue eyes more vibrant. They are the exact color of the lagoon on a clear, sunny day.

  Being this close to her brings me back to that time. “I didn’t realize how much I would miss it.”

  Her brow furrows. “Miss what?”

  “The island. Being with you on the island. Life was simpler then.”

  “Yeah, there were no guns to sell.”

  I move closer to her. “I was happy.”

  “And now?”

  “I’m not.”

  “That’s not my problem. You left. I know at the party I gave you mixed signals, but I’m not in this for a quick screw on a dining table, island, or whatever you think you’re doing in my hotel room at midnight.”

  “I’m not here for that.”

  She lets out a deep breath before stepping aside and letting me pass.

  Once I’m in the living room area of her suite, I look toward the couch, and she nods.

  Taking a seat on the couch, she takes the one farther from me as if it will protect her from me. She crosses her arms across her abdomen and sits down. She still looks pale, beautiful but pale.

  “Are you okay?” I ask, and she nods, but she no longer looks at me.

  She looks tired and scared, and I know I’m supposed to sit my ass on the couch, but instead, I find myself crossing the distance and squatting in front of her.

  “What is going on?”

  She has tears in her eyes, the water shimmering in her irises, making them look iridescent.

  “Talk to me.”

  “I can’t.” The look reflected back at me is unlike anything I have ever seen. She looks downright petrified, more so than when we were on the raft during the storm.