The Falling

by Jessie Jones

  John's eyes blackened a darker shade as he coldly replied in the same language as the Irishman, "You let me handle my woman, mate."

  "Fine, I will," Patrick replied coldly before he glanced at his watch and stood up. Buttoning his expensive suit jacket, he turned to leave the room.

  "Where the bloody hell do you think you're going, boyo?" John asked as he, too, stood up. Couldn't Patrick see that he was doing this for Gillian? He was trying to keep the two of them safe.

  "I need some air, John. Besides, you don't need me. You already have all of it figured out on your own. Doesn't really matter what I have to say about it," Patrick said over his shoulder as he continued to the door. "I'll see you at the meeting."

  Luther and Duff looked at each other as Patrick slammed the door shut behind him. They could feel the tension and anger rolling off the British billionaire in waves. Although they didn't agree with John about hunting down Geno, they would both follow him into the pits of hell because they loved him and were loyal. It was one thing to be reckless when you were young, but they weren't children anymore. Plus, they worried about John overall. The Brit had never dealt with his emotions regarding the Italian, and they knew that he was allowing his anger to fuel his actions. They loved John like a brother and could not handle the thought of him dying. Although the Brit thought he was invincible, they knew he was not.

  John, getting up from the conference table, had the two men looking at him. They sat back in their chairs as he said, "Gentlemen, get a plan together in the next couple of days and send it to me. You know what I like and how I like it done. Tell kitten nothing about our conversation today. I'll talk to her when I feel the time is right. Duff, you head back to the manor and, Luther, come with me."

  "Mate…" Duff began hesitantly. He hated it when John and Patrick were at odds. "Why don't you give yourself some time to think this through? Talk to Pat about it. Maybe even talk to Gillian—"

  "Maybe shut your fucking mouth and do as I ask," John barked, his eyes slicing Duff in half as they looked at the Scottish man. Duff growled loudly and tipped over the chair as he stood up abruptly and headed toward the door. As he reached the door, he grabbed an expensive vase and threw it across the room.

  Watching it shatter as Duff, too, slammed the door, John cracked his neck. Why the fuck did Patrick and Duff have to be so damn stubborn? Looking at his guard, John asked, "Do you think I'm making a mistake too, Luke?"

  "Yes," Luther replied honestly, meeting John's gaze. "But it's not my job to question the why behind the orders given. I just make sure they get carried out. If I can be honest with you, John, you finally have everything you've ever wanted. You own the world, and now you have a woman to share that with. Gillian is a keeper. You can see in that woman's eyes that she loves you. I just don't want you to do anything that might jeopardize that."

  John said nothing in response to Luther as he turned from the guard and headed toward the door. Maybe he should talk this over with kitten and listen to her opinion. No, fuck that, he thought to himself. It was his job to take care of her and eliminate from their lives the things that could hurt her. What if he hurt kitten, though? There was no way in hell that he could eliminate himself from her life. Shaking the thought from his head, John tried to focus on his plans for tonight. This was the first romantic evening he had ever planned for a woman. Hopefully, kitten liked it, because he damn sure knew he would.

  Chapter 8

  Duff stopped the red Aston Martin in front of the exclusive Firehouse restaurant and put the car in park. His eyes roamed over the beautiful woman who sat beside him in the car powdering her pert nose. Gillian was dressed in a black, Chanel, bodycon dress that had a one shoulder mock neck and clung tightly to every inch of her amazing body. Her long, midnight hair was pulled up and back in an elegant twist, and on her delicate feet, she wore a pair of metallic silver, Christian Louboutin pumps. Her makeup was sultry and sexy, and her lips were a dark ruby color. The American was simply breathtaking!

  "You know if you ever want to leave those brutes, I just happen to be single at the moment." Duff smiled, wiggling his eyebrows up and down.

  "You'll be waiting a long time, I'm afraid, Duff," Gillian replied as she closed the little cosmetic case and slid it back in her purse. "Will I see you later tonight?"

  "No, I've got some shit to do. Plus, Johnny and Pat want you all to themselves," Duff said, not adding that his shit was a punishment given to him by John for allowing Gillian a burger and a jog. John had been so pissed at him that before he went home to Gillian, the Brit had stopped by his house, punched him in the face a couple of times, and told him that he would be on low man duty for a few days. "Come on; let's go. We don't want John running out here like a mad man to get you."

  Gillian felt giddy inside as she looked at the new bracelet and ring that had been delivered to her earlier today. The bracelet was a very expensive eighteen-karat white gold and diamond Gucci from John, while the ring was an eighteen-karat white gold, diamond, and genuine yellow sapphire ring from Patrick. Her makeup and hair were done perfectly, and the dress fit her like a glove. Gillian felt beautiful tonight, and by the looks of the guards and staff at the manor, they more than approved. During one of her phone calls with John, the Brit had mentioned that their last meeting was running over so they would have to meet her at the restaurant. Gillian couldn't wait to see what the men had in store for her tonight and was so excited to be out of the manor.

  Taking Duff's hand, Gillian demurely stepped out of the car right before the lights of the cameras began to flash and paparazzi began yelling her name. Duff almost dragged her through the crowd as a group of six men fell in step behind her. She could not believe the questions being thrown at her. Are you and John getting married? How long have you two been together? Are you sleeping with Patrick? Gillian, of course, said nothing in response and hated the way they made her feel like prey being stalked. She felt her anxiety immediately begin to decrease when she stepped into the restaurant, but it was only temporary as the room full of patrons turned to look at her.

  "Can I help you, madam? Do you have a reservation?" the maître d of the restaurant asked Gillian as his eyes roamed over her curvy form.

  Averting her gaze to the chubby man, Gillian said. "Yes, I'm having dinner with Mr. Kenric—"

  "Oh, my heavens!" he exclaimed, his face turning red with embarrassment. "Of course, Dr. Morgan. Mr. Kenric is expecting you. Please forgive my rudeness! Follow me."

  Before Gillian could respond to the host, she felt John's arms circle her waist and crush her back against his chest. "Damn, you look beautiful," the Brit whispered in her ear before biting the lobe with his teeth. "Tell me to fuck you right here, kitten. Let me bend you over a table and hike your skirt."

  John wanted to be deep inside Gillian, and he wanted it now! His cock had flared to life the moment he felt her enter the restaurant. When he had finally caught a glimpse of her, he had found it extremely difficult to breathe due to his racing heart. The dress molded her body perfectly and defined every delicious curve. Her smoky, sultry makeup made her even more sexy and alluring, and he knew every man was craving what belonged to him. John caressed her slender neck with his lips and felt Gillian melt into his touch. At that moment, he forgot that they were in the crowded restaurant and that every person there was watching them. Kitten seemed to have that effect on him.

  Gillian let out a shaky breath as her pussy began to weep with arousal. She could feel John's massive, erect cock pulsing against her bottom as he began devouring her neck. Just as the soft purr escaped her lips, she heard the maître d say, "Um, excuse me, Mr. Kenric. Would you like some privacy?"

  "Aye!"

  "No!" Gillian replied in unison with John, coming out of the spell John was weaving around her. Damn, the man could make her totally lose track of time and space when he was around.

  "Kitten, don't make me wait," John growled, feeling Gillian try to pull from his grip. Just because he knew she liked it, he li
ghtly began sucking on the spot beneath her ear.

  "Bear, dammit. No fair," Gillian pouted, feeling her clit begin to tingle and pulse.

  "Johnny, stop fucking manhandling kitty," Patrick said in Gaelic, approaching the couple from behind. "You really have no control with her, do you?"

  "Fuck you," John replied, also in Gaelic, between clenched teeth as Gillian lightly rubbed her bottom against his groin. His eyes briefly glanced to his left, and he was not surprised to see celebrities, parliament leaders, and the uber rich watching him seduce his kitten. He never had reacted this way to a woman publicly before, but here he was, making a total fool of himself. In Gillian's ear, he whispered, "See what you fucking did to me, kitten? You'll pay for it later."

  Just as John released a perplexed Gillian, she was immediately wrapped up in Patrick's broad, muscular arms. Before she could say a word, the Irishman's mouth claimed hers in a hard, passionate kiss. Patrick had been unprepared to see Gillian in her dress when John had pulled away. Just like John, his cock had burst into flames and ached as his eyes quickly skimmed the black material hugging her perfect form. He couldn't explain the magnetic attraction that coursed between them, but Patrick knew she felt it too. The Irishman devoured her lips and hungrily mated his tongue with hers. He felt Gillian's hands circle around his neck and her body liquefy into his. Patrick's hands traveled up her body to cup her breasts and fondle them. The Irishman couldn't give a fuck who was watching them. He just hoped they enjoyed the show.

  Clearing his throat, John rolled his eyes and nonchalantly said in Gaelic, "Didn't you just say something to me about manhandling? Practice what you preach, mate."

  John's deep, smoky voice broke Patrick's spell over Gillian as she immediately pushed against Pat's chest, but he didn't budge. Her eyes left his turquoise orbs to glance around the room. She was mortified to see everyone in the room ogling the three of them. Gillian closed her eyes a moment and took a deep breath, embarrassed as hell. She had absolutely no control when John and Patrick were around.

  "Look at me, kitten," John said to Gillian at her ear as he nuzzled her neck. When she did as he requested, he smiled. "Kenrics never feel embarrassed about their actions, and you won't either."

  "But I'm not a Kenric, Bear," Gillian replied softly.

  "Not yet, but you will be." John smiled before placing a chaste kiss on her lips. He then grabbed her hand and pulled her away from Patrick. As they made their way to their booth, John said over his shoulder. "Kitten, you look absolutely breathtaking tonight. Sorry about my behavior back there. You and your body caught me off guard."

  "I'm glad you approve, Bear." Gillian smiled back, her eyes roaming his lovely backside in the black suit. Glancing over her shoulder to look at Patrick, she playfully asked, "And what about you, Mr. O'Malley? Do you approve?"

  Patrick growled in the back of his throat as he watched the sway of her magnificent ass. Needing the contact, he slapped one cheek. An evil grin spread across his handsome face when Gillian's bottom jiggled and she let out a gasp. "I approve, kitty, very much. I can't wait to take it off, though."

  "Well, you have to." The American giggled, loving the undivided attention from her two men. "First, we eat dinner. You two can eat me later."

  John and Patrick both burst out laughing, a deep, rich sound, as they approached their table. Stepping aside, the Brit allowed kitten to slide into the semi-circular booth so each man could box her in. The booth was very private and in a secluded area of the restaurant. A waiter immediately came and filled their glasses with cabernet before taking their orders. Gillian felt John's hand slip around her back and scoot her closer to him as Patrick massaged her upper thigh through the dress. Crossing her legs and relaxing as she sat back, she took a long drink of the luxurious, dark red liquid.

  "So, what are our plans tonight, gentlemen?" Gillian asked, looking at John. "I hope you know, I am anticipating something pretty awesome, especially since I got all dressed up for the two of you."

  "Well, after dinner, we are taking you to the theater," John said, again nuzzling her neck. She smelled so damn good, a perfect mixture of flowers and perfume.

  "Really! I love the theater!" Gillian exclaimed excitedly. "What are we going to see?"

  "A musical about zombies and some woman named Barbara." Patrick chuckled, winking at Gillian as he took a sip of his wine.

  "Smartass." Gillian laughed before leaning forward to place a kiss on his lips. As she pulled back and turned to John, he caught her mouth in a playful kiss. Pushing back from the Brit before he took it too far, she said, "Woah there, Romeo. I know where in the hell this is going and I am going to keep my clothes on, at least until after the theater. Now, what are we going to see?"

  John stole another kiss from Gillian just because he could. A boyish smile played on his lips as he said, "The Phantom of the Opera. Have you seen it before?"

  Gillian squealed with an almost girlish sound as she threw herself into John's arms. Throwing her arms around his thick, muscular neck, she smashed her mouth to his. The smile on her face was brilliant as she said, "Oh my gosh! That is my absolute favorite musical! I have wanted to see it for so long but have never been able to get tickets!"

  "Hey, what about me?" Patrick asked, loving the beautiful smile spread across her face. "I'm actually the one who called and got the tickets. Johnny simply made the suggestion."

  "Then kiss me, Raoul." Gillian smiled before kissing the Irishman passionately on the lips. Winking at the golden Adonis as she pulled back, she said, "We'll make John the phantom, and you and I will run away together."

  "Like hell you will! The phantom gets the girl this time. Fuck Raoul!" John grumbled, jerking Gillian back into his arms. He didn't like the easy rapport that his mate and his woman had.

  "I'm only playing with you, Pooh Bear," Gillian purred, rubbing her nose against his neck. God, he smelled wonderful! "You know I love you most."

  "For now." Patrick laughed as his best mate flipped him off. "Really, boyo, I know you have never been good at sharing, but it's high time you learn. I'm sure kitty will give you a gold star if you do."

  "I definitely will give my Bear a gold star," the American cooed, placing a kiss on the vein pulsing in John's neck. Her hand slid down his suit to settle on his massive cock under the expensive trousers. At his ear, she whispered, "Do you want me to put it here?"

  "You're playing with fire, kitten. Just because you want to keep your clothes on doesn't mean that you will," John replied, hungrily licking his lips as Gillian removed her hand and took a sip of wine.

  Needing to slow her racing heart and stop the twitching sensation between her legs, Gillian attempted to change the subject. "Why did you pick Phantom, Bear? Is that something that you like, or did you shadow stalk me like Patrick did with the horror flick?"

  Glancing at Patrick, who was softly chuckling, John clearly did not get the joke. "What the bloody hell are you talking about?"

  At John's look of utter confusion, she, too, laughed. "Last night, Patrick brought with him my most favorite scary movie for us to watch. It seemed too coincidental, so I asked him how he knew I liked it, and he told me about seeing it in my apartment. Did you do the same thing with the musical?"

  "I might have, but I wouldn't call that stalking, dear kitten. It's called careful observation," the Brit replied smugly before taking a sip of his wine.

  Rolling her eyes, Gillian said, "Well, whatever it's called, it's kind of creepy. So, I know Patrick took at least one movie, although I suspect that he took more. Did you take any of my personal belongings?"

  "I did," John said honestly, trying to gauge how his woman felt about his actions. "I took some photos, your laptop, and a keepsake box you had hidden under your bed. Does that make you angry?"

  "Oh my gosh, Bear!" Gillian exclaimed, surprised by his admission. "Why would you take my personal things? I mean, it doesn't make me mad, but I don't understand why you would take items from a person you don't even know."

&nbs
p; Leaning forward, John placed a warm, soft kiss on her lips. Pulling back, he stroked her jaw as he looked into her emerald eyes. "Kitten I know this may seem odd to you, but from the moment I saw your picture, there was an instant attraction. I'm not even sure if attraction is the right word, really. I wanted to possess you, actually, every single inch of you. There was something about you that was soft, feminine, intelligent. I mean, you are stunning to look at, but there is something deeper that I connected with on a molecular level. It's so fucking hard to put into words. I probably sound like a bleeding fool. Look, you can learn a lot about a person by studying the objects they keep. I had every intention of, not only getting the book from you, but developing a relationship with you, with or without your consent. I'm just glad it was with. I love you, kitten."

  A sweet, gentle smile spread across the American beauty's porcelain face before she gently kissed John's lips. Pulling back a moment, she whispered, "I love you too, Bear," before passionately kissing his lips again. As John talked, a warm sensation had spread across Gillian's chest. Her British lover may not be very articulate with his words, but he never hid how he was feeling, especially when it pertained to her. She knew exactly what John was talking about, because she had felt the exact same emotions when she'd met him.

  Patrick watched his best mate intently as he spoke to Gillian. He was stunned to hear the man baring his soul to a woman. John had been with several women in the past. Some, he had even considered friends, but the Brit had never openly talked to them the way he was with Gillian. There was almost a softness that John emitted when he was near her. Up until now, Patrick had been the only person in John's life whom the Brit would confide in, but now Gillian appeared to join the very short list. Downing the rest of his wine, the Irishman sighed softly. He envied John as he watched the couple intimately embrace each other lovingly. Patrick was glad that John had finally found someone to share his life with, but if he was being honest, he wanted it too. Gillian clearly loved John, but could she love Patrick too?