The Irresistible Protector: A Billionaire Bad Boy Best Friends to Lovers Mystery Romance

by Alexa McLean

  “I have some whiskey if you prefer that.” I offered.

  She shook her head. “Look, I wouldn’t come around begging you for money unless I was absolutely desperate.”

  “The bank foreclosed on your house,” I said. It wasn’t a question.

  “Yes. But they are willing to give me another twenty-four hours but that’s it. After that, I’m living on the streets.”

  “Why didn’t you try to cash the check sooner?” I asked. “It’s been a month.”

  “Because I’ve learned that you’re unreliable.” She crushed the paper cup in her hand before throwing it in the trash. “But, at the point, I don’t have much of a choice.”

  I nodded and wordlessly took out my wallet and pulled out hundred after hundred until she finally told me to stop. She was about to gather the money into a pile but I beat her to it. “Not so fast. You aren’t getting this money free of charge. I did tell you that the check was an advance on your first paycheck so I expect you to work for this money.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “There’s always a catch with you.”

  I pulled out a contract from my top drawer. I had it drawn up the morning after I broke into her house. It has been waiting for her return ever since. “I need you to sign this.”

  “What is it?” She snatched it off my desk and read every single word. “Absolute secretary, huh? What kind of bookkeeping are you having me do, exactly?”

  “The kind where I need someone I know I can trust,” I answered.

  “How do you know you can trust me?”

  “Because, deep down, I know you still love me,” I said. “I know you won’t admit it but it’s there. I can see it in your eyes.”

  Shelly scoffed. “What? Did you read that on the inside of a Hallmark card or something?” She ran her fingers through her hair. “This is crazy. But, I guess it’s either this or taking my chances on the streets and I’m not doing that again.”

  “Nor would I let you,” I added.

  “Just hand over a pen.” She said with a huff. “I’m probably insane for doing this but I guess I don’t have much of a choice.”

  I watched as she signed her name. Long ago, I had vowed to change her last name but I had yet to make good on that promise. Something always got in the way somehow. But, not this time. Things would be different this time around.

  “Alright, now fork over the money so I can go pay my mortgage before the bank closes.”

  I was just about to hand over the wad of cash when I pulled it back a second time. “Or, you know, you can let the bank foreclose your home and you can just come live with me instead. What do you think?”

  Slap!

  As I took a moment to regain my composure, Shelly grabbed the money and left.

  Oh, I loved that fiery temper of hers. I grinned like a madman knowing that tomorrow she’d be working under my roof.

  Chapter 3: Shelly

  THE FOLLOWING DAY.

  Somehow, I always managed to get myself caught in these sticky situations. And, Grayson is always the cause. If he just stopped existing, my life would be a lot more normal. If only I could push him away for good. Only, I couldn’t do that. Realistically, I knew he was bad for me but I just couldn’t imagine life without him. It was like eating candy when I knew I had a cavity. You just can’t ignore that sweet tooth.

  So, I got on the bus and rode to ‘work’ if it’s even worth calling it that. Clearly, Grayson’s getting me involved in something shady. But, maybe, if I just do as I’m told and don’t ask too many questions, I won’t get caught in the spider web. Plus, for $10,000 a week, I could hardly argue.

  Inside the building, a young woman smiled at me from behind the reception desk. Yesterday, she had been ready to throw me out. Now, she was a completely different person. “Hello, Miss Moore.” She greeted, voice high-pitched and annoying. Come on, everyone knows you’re just pretending to be nice, I thought to myself as I bit my bottom lip to keep from saying it aloud. “Mr. Winters has been waiting for you. Please take the elevator to the top floor. His office just down the hall.”

  “Thank you.” I nodded as politely as I could before walking away.

  The elevator ride was smooth, taking me all the way to the top without a single delay.

  Ding!

  I stepped out and headed down the hall. Before I grab the doorknob, the door swung open and Grayson greeted me with one of his head turning smiles. “Right on time. Exactly how I liked it.” His smile deepened. “I knew you were the right girl for the job.”

  “Quit it. I don’t need you to kiss my –”

  “Language, missy. I doubt you want HR to file a complaint against you on your very first day.” He wagged his finger in the more condescending way. Oh man, if I wasn’t dependent on this money to get my life back on track, I would have broken that finger. “Now, let’s get started, shall we?”

  “Wait, you’re going to train me?” I asked.

  “Well, of course.”

  “What happened to your previous bookkeeper?”

  “I’ve never had a bookkeeper before. Or rather, not for these specific accounts. I usually handled everything myself.” He pulled out a large binder. “I’ve been fudging the numbers over the years but I know they don’t add up. If the government ever decided to really take a look at my files, I’d be a dead man – figuratively speaking, that is – but, I suppose there’s a good chance I’d get shanked in prison.”

  “Are you trying to scare me away?” I glanced over the numbers and they were a mess. “Jeez, and you said you fudged the numbers? It looks like a five-year-old went crazy with a calculator.”

  “Is it really that bad?”

  “What is this Castaway Co. that keeps popping up over and over again?” I ran my finger along the page. “And, this is way too predictable.”

  “You sound like you’ve laundered money before.” He said, leaning across my back until I could feel his breath against my neck. A shiver ran through my spine. For a split second, my heart forgot how to function before.

  “Don’t be an idiot.” I continued to look over the books, my frown deepening by the minute.

  “So, I don’t think I really need to explain that your job involves cleaning up my mess and making everything nice and neat so the IRA doesn’t come knocking my door down.” He sat on the edge of his desk, running his hand along his pant leg.

  “I really shouldn’t be doing this,” I said as I straightened my posture. “If anyone finds out what I’m doing, I’ll be in a lot of trouble.”

  “Well, there’s an easy solution to that...”

  “... don’t get caught.” I finished the sentence for him. “Yeah, I know but that’s easier said than done.”

  He took my hand and pulled me forward so I stood between his legs. “Are you scared?”

  “No.” I lied. “I just think you’re an idiot.”

  He chuckled. “And yet, here you are.”

  “Not because I want to. I’m just doing this to survive.” I said through gritted teeth. “Look, I’ll do this but only for a little while – until I can stand on my own two feet again – not a second more. Do you hear me?”

  “Loud and clear.”

  “And, I don’t even want to know where all this money is coming from so please, don’t tell me.” I jutted out my chin, shoulders pulled. I had heard somewhere that doing so would make you appear more confident. I had no idea whether it was actually working on not.

  “My lips are sealed.” He pressed his fingers across his lips, eyes twinkling with mischief.

  Oh, this boy was up to no good.

  Walk away, Shelly. Just walk away before it’s too late. But it was already too late. My heart had set sail toward the one man I could never have.

  AFTER A FEW HOURS, I had barely made a dent in my work. My hair was wild from my constant tugging at it while I fiddled with the numbers. The end of my pencil looked like a dog’s chew toy.

  Needing a break, I got up and stretched my back. The room I now ca
lled my office was incredibly stuffy. I had tried to open the window but the breeze kept blowing away my paperwork so I was forced to sweat it out.

  Unable to take it any longer, I went in search of the employee lounge. I found it on the third floor, tucked away behind a bend in the hallway. It was deserted by the time I got there. The box on the counter had been pillaged by hungry hands. Only a decrepit plain donut remained. I considered taking it but I wasn’t that desperate.

  Luckily, there was still coffee in the pot and it was warm too. As I poured my drink, someone walked into the room. I turned around and spotted a fair looking man with a pair of adorable blue eyes. He offered a timid smile. “Hey, mind if I get a refill?” He asked, holding out his cup.

  “Hmm, depends, what do I get in return?” I grinned.

  His eyes flickered with what looked like panic. He opened his lips only to close them again.

  “I’m just messing with you,” I said as I filled his cup. “Are you always this uptight?”

  “Only around beautiful women...” He mumbled under his breath, low enough where he probably thought I couldn’t hear him.

  “Oh, so you think I’m beautiful?” I eased forward, teasing him with the low, sensual voice I was using. “Do you always flirt with girls you’ve only just met?”

  “N-No...” He stammered. “Um... I’m sorry, I haven’t even introduced myself yet. Name’s Nick – Nick Tucker.”

  “James Bond style, huh? Smooth.” Maybe I was having way too much fun giving this guy a hard time but it sure made me feel better about my new job. Sometimes, I’m a jerk. What can I say? I grew up alongside the biggest jerk of them all – Grayson.

  Nick rubbed the back of his neck, clearly embarrassed by the whole thing. “I’m sorry. I should probably go.”

  “No, don’t.” I reached out and touched his shoulder, squeezing his shoulder. “I’m just giving you a hard time, seriously, don’t sweat it.” I smiled and his features became much less pinched. “I’m Shelly, by the way.”

  “Shelly?” He repeated. “That’s a nice name.”

  “Is it? I always thought it sounded too much like a “helly”. My best friend used to call me that all the time when we were kids.”

  “Oh...” He shuffled from foot to foot as he tried to think of something clever to say. “Well, I like it.”

  “Thanks.” I took a sip of my coffee. It tasted like dirt. For a multi-million-dollar company, you’d think there’d be some decent coffee for employees. I poured the rest of it down the sink.

  “I’m not much of a fan either,” Nick admitted. “The taste is pretty pungent but I only drink it for the caffeine, you know?”

  “They overworking you or something?” I asked.

  “No, no, I take the overtime because I want to. I mean, I don’t really have anything else to do.” Gosh, this kid sounds pretty pathetic. I almost feel sorry for him.

  “Have you tried, you know, picking up a hobby or something? I mean, anything’s better than work.” I opened the fridge hoping to find something inside. There were a couple of containers of take-out but they were all labeled so I couldn’t steal them, or at least, not with Nick breathing down my neck.

  “Well, if you’re hungry, maybe, after work, we could, you know, have some Chinese or something. Or, if you’re not into that, we can get some burgers. Or –”

  “I’m sorry, Nick.” I cut him off before he could keep rambling. Seriously, if he kept this up, he was going to hurt himself. “But, today’s my first day and I’m already exhausted. When this is all said and done, I’ll just want to go home.”

  “Maybe another day?” He asked, his voice full of hope.

  “Yeah, maybe,” I answered before leaving the breakroom. As I made my way back to the top floor, I tried to convince myself that I had rejected Nick because he just wasn’t my type but deep down I knew my heart already belonged to another.

  Chapter 4: Grayson

  LATER THAT SAME DAY.

  “Beth, is there anything else I need to do for today?” I asked through the intercom system. “Did you ever receive those signed documents that Intel promised to send over this afternoon?”

  “No, sir, they never got back to us. I could try and give them a call.” She answered.

  “Yes. Give them a call but leave it for tomorrow morning. If they want to play this game I won’t hesitate to do my business with someone else.” I took my finger off the button and waited for my secretary’s voice to come through the line.

  “Very well. If that’s the case, I don’t see anything else of pressing concern.”

  “Perfect,” I said with a smile. “Then, let’s call it a day and I mean it, you go home and spend some time with your kids.” By the fact that I received no response, I knew she was already packing up her things. Good.

  I got up and my bones cracked with the movement. Today was one of those days where I was stuck behind my desk for hours. It was the worst part of the job, by far. I much preferred to invent things or conduct business meetings. All this paperwork sucked. But, it had to be done. And, luckily, it was over – for now.

  With this thought in mind, I grabbed my sport coat and tossed it over my shoulders, shrugging into the perfect fit. My tailor was a very talented man.

  I fastened the button as I made my way down the hall. There, I found Shelly’s door cracked. I didn’t even bother to open the door. Apparently, she didn’t hear me because she kept working, face so close to the computer screen that her nose nearly touched it. I found myself staring at her, admiring her every delicate feature. She wasn’t the teenaged girl I had first fallen in love with all those years ago. She had matured into a fine young woman. I knew, without a doubt, that she could have any man she wanted and yet, she always seemed to wait around for me. Sure, she gave me a hard time, but deep down, I knew those feelings were still very much alive.

  “Shelly.” I cleared my throat to get her attention. “Shelly,” I said her name a little louder this time and she practically jumped out of my seat. I chortled at her expense. “Has anyone ever told you that you’re incredibly cute when you’re scared.”

  She growled. “What do you want?”

  “Well, it’s already five. Time to close up shop.” I said, leaning against the door frame. “And, while I appreciate your work ethic, I don’t want you working through the night. The security guards aren’t exactly gentlemen.”

  “And, what, you are?” She raised an eyebrow. I could tell by the twitch of her lips that she was struggling to keep a straight face.

  “I’ll hold the door open for you if that’s what you want.”

  She laughed and I swear, it was the sweetest sound I’ve ever heard. As she got up, I grabbed her coat and helped her put it on.

  “We’re going to dinner,” I said as I reached for her hand.

  “Says who?” She pulled away and shoved her hands in her pockets. “I didn’t agree to this.”

  “I’m not going to take no for an answer.” I stood in front of the doorway. “Unless, of course, you’d rather stay here all night – with me.”

  “Ugh.” She groaned. “Why do you always make everything so difficult? Just let me through and let me go home.”

  “Not going to happen. You’re going to dinner with me even if I have to drag you there myself.” I leaned forward until our faces were only inches apart. “But, I have to admit, I like a girl who can put up a fight.”

  “Oh? Is that so?” She pulled back her hand, preparing to slap me but this time, I was ready for it. I grabbed her wrist just in time and wrapped my arm against her body so she was pinned against my chest. “Let go of me.” Her voice was frosted with iciness. I could tell she was trying to keep her distance but her body gave away her true intentions. She was leaning into me and I could feel the thrum of her beating heart. She wanted me just as much as I wanted her – she just couldn’t admit it.

  “Not until you agree to go to dinner with me.”

  She sighed. “You’re really not going to take no
for an answer, are you?”

  I smiled and kissed the side of her neck. My lips had barely grazed her skin and I swear I heard her moan. A second later, she weaseled away from my grasp and stood there, face as bright as a tomato. “Fine. If you insist on taking me to dinner, then I at least get to pick the restaurant.”

  “Fine.” I agreed but that was probably one of the worst decisions of my life.

  “WHY DID YOU HAVE TO pick a sushi place?” I poked at the slabs of raw fish with the tip of my chopstick. “This is disgusting.”

  “Because I know you hate it and you deserve to be miserable every once in a while.” She said with a smug look on her face. Without an ounce of hesitation, she popped a sushi roll into her mouth. “And, if I eat enough of these, I have a theory that you won’t want to kiss me anymore.”

  “I don’t think you’re wrong.” I sighed. “Sometimes, you’re just plain evil.”

  She grinned. “Well, I learned from the best.”

  Carefully, I deconstructed one of my California rolls until only the rice remained. Hesitantly, I tried to pick it up with my chopsticks but I’ve never been very good at using them.

  “You’re doing it wrong.” Shelly snickered. “It’s not even that hard.”

  “I really regret bringing you here.” Finally, I stabbed the thing and ate it. The rice was bland and I was tempted to spit it out but I wasn’t going to let Shelly win this battle.

  “You were the one who was so insistent on going out to dinner.” She said with a wave of her chopsticks. If she kept doing that, she was bound to poke someone’s eye out – mine. But, I guess maybe that was her intention.

  “Yeah, to a nice steakhouse or something. Not to a sushi bar. This is hardly what I would call dinner.” I griped.

  “Fish has a lot of protein. Eat enough of it and it’ll fill you up just as well as steak can.” She countered.

  “Yeah but there’s only one problem.”

  “And what’s that?” She asked.