After Tomorrow (Kingsley series Book 2)

by Haylee Thorne

  “You know,” I say as I let the frock drop and pool around my ankles. “I’ve always fantasized about skinny-dipping in the moonlight.”

  I step out of the dress and kick off my heels, which is probably a smart move since I am feeling kind of wobbly. I turn my back on him and start walking toward the pool as I start undoing the hooks of the gorgeous corset. I drop it carelessly on the deck. The only thing I am wearing right now is this tiny scrap of fabric that is posing as a pair of panties. I make a show of taking those off, bending myself in half as I slide them all the way down to my ankles before slowly bending back and stepping out of them. I look over my shoulder and see that Mika’s gaze is fixed on me, as if spellbound. I wink at him and dive into the gloriously warm water. When I come back up, I look again and find him still staring. I crook my index finger and beckon him closer. He smirks, shrugs his jacket off, and starts undoing his tie. He doesn’t bother unbuttoning his shirt. He rips it open, and the fact that he’s so greedy for me makes me even greedier for him. It’s not long before the man is enslaving me as I gaze upon his marvelously naked body.

  “Like what you see?” he says with a wink.

  He doesn’t wait for a reply. Instead, he dives into the water. He’s coming for me. I try my best to swim away from him. He can bet his fine hind end that I am going to make him work for this.

  “You can swim, but you can’t hide,” he tells me in a singsongy voice.

  I chuckle as I barely manage to escape his reach.

  “Got ya!” he bellows triumphantly when he manages to grab one of my legs. He gives it a tug and grabs the other. He pulls me closer and wraps my legs around him.

  “You’re all mine now,” he growls.

  “All yours,” I concede.

  Our lips find each other and soon we are lost in our kiss. So lost, in fact, that it takes both of us a while to realize that it has started to rain.

  “I’m taking you inside and out of this rain.”

  “Um, like hell you are, Captain Caveman.”

  Apparently, the champagne has made me a little spunky. Mika raises his eyebrow.

  “Maybe I should stop holding back and show you what a real caveman I can be.”

  “Oh Mr. Kingsley, what have you been waiting for? A written invitation?”

  His lips curl into that sexy-as-sin half smile of his, and I swear if I was standing, I would feel my knees buckle. As it stands, I have my legs firmly wrapped around Mika’s waist. Disappointment starts to grow when Mika starts to walk us toward the pool ladder.

  “Turn around,” he growls “and hold on to the railing.”

  I turn around and do as I am told. I feel his hand go up my neck and then slide into my hair. He firmly takes hold and tugs, pulling my head back so he can reach my mouth.

  “You better be ready, Sweet Pea,” he continues as his free hand tortures my nipples. “Because I am going to wreck you tonight. Do you understand?”

  I nod.

  “Yes, please,” I nearly moan.

  “Don’t let go,” he warns.

  His tongue trails my neck, and just as he has found the shell of my ear and sucks it into his mouth, he thrusts into me, filling me impossibly full and to the hilt in one single stroke. I’m not quiet. In fact, I scream my approval loudly.

  “Oh God, yes!” I scream. “Please. Don’t. Stop.” I beg.

  Mika pounds into me with wild abandon. I arch my back in an effort to meet his thrusts. I can already feel the tension building inside my core. His hand slides down farther, finds my clit, and starts relentlessly rubbing it. I scream his name loudly as I come apart. He lets go of my hair, and my head falls back. Rain is pouring on my face, and I don’t even care. Mika continues to slam into me and chases his own release. When it comes for him, I fall into another one of mine.

  “Let go,” he grumbles.

  He turns me around and wraps my legs back around his waist. He rests his head against mine, occasionally kissing random places on my face. It takes a minute for us to catch our breath.

  “Well, that was hot as fuck,” he chuckles.

  “I like it when the captain comes out to play. He can come out and play anytime,” I say with a wink.

  “Oh baby, the captain isn’t done with you yet,” he growls.

  Today has been one of the longest days of my life. It’s been back-to-back meetings all damn day, and all of that wouldn’t have been so bad were it not for the ridiculous amount of delays due to the vast amount of scumbag paparazzi swarming around my office building. It’s inconvenient, and not to mention the fact that not every business associate relishes having their face splattered in papers and magazines. This next meeting is also not doing great things for my mood. Eric is sitting in one of the chairs across from my desk, nose deep in his phone. I lean my head and close my eyes for a moment, and my mind drifts to Raeva. Ellie’s voice over the intercom startles me.

  “Mr. Kingsley, your two o’clock is here.”

  I reach to touch the intercom button.

  “Thank you, Ellie. Send her in.”

  I stand to greet my unwelcome guest.

  “Hello Mika,” she says in a breathy voice.

  Her long red hair is flowing around her shoulders, and her green eyeshadow matches her pantsuit and emerald eyes. Her perfume is applied generously, and although I normally like this particular scent, unfortunately the smell is rather overpowering and not appealing at all. I resist the urge to wrinkle my nose.

  “Layla,” I reply in greeting. “Please, take a seat,” I tell her as I gesture at the empty chair next to Eric.

  I know it’s only then that she notices Hardwick sitting there. I can tell because disappointment clearly flashes on her facial features. She recovers fast though and nods before taking the seat next to Eric. When she takes her seat, she leans forward just a little more than necessary in a pathetic attempt to flash me some cleavage, as if that is supposed to be attractive to me.

  “May I ask why the great Mika Kingsley has summoned me to his office?”

  I raise my eyebrow.

  “Let’s not start to pretend that you don’t know why I have asked to speak with you. I prefer to skip the bullshit. I am already low on patience.”

  Layla shifts in her seat. However, her facial expression is stoic, and she remains silent. Her overwhelming scent is assaulting my senses, and I want her out of here as soon as possible, so I get straight to the point.

  “Care to tell me why you are suddenly so interested in a position at Hillcrest?”

  She looks at me, her overpainted lips curling into a smile.

  “I wasn’t aware that I needed to run my career choices by you, Mika. After all, we only fucked a few times. Isn’t that how you put it?”

  “Don’t try to be cute, Layla. Frankly, you’re doing a shitty job of pulling it off.”

  She scoffs, and an arrogant laugh escapes her mouth. She then leans forward, jutting her chin and initiating eye contact. The expression on her face is arrogant, and she’s quite obviously trying to challenge me.

  “For your information, I was offered the position a while ago, and I was not able to take it. That situation has changed, and I am happy to accept Hillcrest’s generous offer. But I’m flattered that you’re keeping up with me,” she says, fluttering her eyelids.

  I sigh heavily. Obviously the woman isn’t in the mood to be straight with me. I raise my eyebrows in irritation.

  “You have your own practice. A very successful one, I may add. Why are you taking a position at Hillcrest?”

  Her index finger starts to twirl a lock of hair, and her lips curl into a sly smile.

  “Are you interested in why I have taken the position, or are you worried of what I might tell your little girlfriend?”

  My nostrils flare, and I make a very conscious decision to count to ten. Layla awaits my response. Judging from the look on her face, she finds my anger amusing, which in turn angers me more. I only slightly manage to curb my temper.

  “I will tell you
this one time, and I want you to be abundantly clear on this. That crap you pulled with Raeva at the Serenity event will not happen again. You step out of line with her again, and I promise you that I will have your contract with Hillcrest terminated so fast, your head will spin.”

  “Ha! I’m not sure why you would think you have that kind of power, Mika.”

  I lean closer and make sure to meet her gaze as I continue.

  “Don’t pretend to be obtuse. You must know that I’m a majority shareholder and head the board. And Hardwick here assures me that terminating your contract will be child’s play. Don’t make me steal candy from a baby, Layla.”

  The look of amusement dissipates, and I see anger flash in those emerald eyes of hers.

  “I see that your little girlfriend has come running straight to her knight in shining tinfoil. Pity, I didn’t expect her to run to you to fight her battles.”

  I can’t help the smirk that appears on my face.

  “Actually, I wasn’t aware that she already knew about your employment at Hillcrest. She hasn’t mentioned it. Apparently, you don’t score high on her importance scale. But I gotta tell you, it’s good to know that you’ve made zero impact on her.”

  That seems to have hit the target. But again, she recovers fast. It is actually pretty impressive how quickly she recovers and shields her emotions. I suppose she has had a lot of practice in her line of work. Layla clears her throat and shifts in her seat once more.

  “You can breathe easy. I have no interest in your flavor of the week. You and I both know that you are incapable of respecting, let alone loving, any woman besides your precious twin sister.”

  I can feel my blood starting to boil, and I barely manage to not raise my voice.

  “You are to steer clear of both my sister and my girlfriend. I will not hesitate at anything to protect either of them. Let that sink in before you make the mistake of getting on my bad side,” I sneer.

  Layla raises a brow.

  “Did Sam Clayton get on your bad side, Mika?”

  My patience with this conversation has officially run its course, as evidenced by the loud noise my fist makes as it connects with my desk, which earns me a stern look from Hardwick. My fingers dig into my palms as I try to reign in my temper.

  “I think it is time for you to leave now, Dr. Hayes,” Eric says as he stands. “I’ll escort you to the elevator.”

  Layla stands, smoothes her clothing, and follows Eric as he leads the way. She stops abruptly and turns just before stepping over the threshold.

  “Maybe you need to find someone to talk to about your anger issues, Mika. It might get you in trouble someday. The kind of trouble that even your money can’t get you out of. Consider that free advice.”

  She turns and stalks off before I can formulate any kind of response. I plunge myself roughly into my chair. My middle and index fingers rub the bridge of my nose as anger radiates from my shoulders. Several deep breaths later, I am still not any calmer. I pick up my phone from its cradle on my desk and dial her number. She answers on the second ring, and when I hear her voice, I immediately feel myself start to relax.

  “Well, if it isn’t my favorite caveman,” she greets me.

  I can hear the smile in her voice, and I can’t help but return it, even though she can’t see me.

  “You better mean your favorite and only caveman,” I grumble, pretending to be perturbed.

  She giggles, and my mood, which had plummeted to the seventh circle of hell, shoots up to the seventh layer of heaven. The sound of her laughter is one of my favorite sounds. I feel every muscle in my body relax, so I lean back and rest my head.

  “You are definitely my favorite. But only…” she teases.

  “I can be where you are in a matter of minutes and show you exactly why I am your only one,” I shoot back.

  I’m smirking widely as images of our pool encounter flash before my eyes when my eyes meet Hardwick’s. He can obviously tell where my mind has drifted to because he leans forward and pretends to hurl. I roll my eyes at him.

  “What time will you be home tonight?” she asks.

  I smile at her choice of words. I would love nothing more than for her to call my home hers, too.

  “Any particular reason you want to know? Or do you just miss me like crazy?” I tease.

  I don’t have to see her to know that she is rolling her dark, gorgeous eyes at me.

  “Actually, I was going to cook my man some dinner. But I might change my mind now…”

  “Don’t you dare,” I grumble. “I’ll be home around six, if not sooner.”

  “Alright, I’ll be waiting,” she says sweetly. “See you soon.”

  “Not soon enough.”

  When I put the phone back into its cradle and look up, I notice the elated expression on Eric’s face.

  “Shut your face, Hardwick.”

  He holds his hands up, snickering.

  “I have not said a word.”

  “You were about to.”

  “My lips are sealed,” he says as he makes an exaggerated motion of zipping his mouth.

  “Though honestly, I am glad talking to Rae has improved your mood. I thought that I was going to have to call security in here.”

  I raise a brow.

  “She wasn’t doing anything that warranted that kind of extreme.”

  He scoffs.

  “Yeah, I wasn’t talking about her behavior. If we weren’t close like brothers, and if I didn’t know for a fact that you would never raise a hand to a woman, I might have thought that you were going to launch yourself across that desk.”

  “The woman pisses me off, but I will never lay a hand on a woman. You know that.”

  “I do,” he concedes. “But you need to learn to conceal and better control that temper of yours when it comes to Rae and your sister. Seriously, I barely recognized you back there,” he says, shaking his head.

  He’s right, of course, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to admit that. I lift myself out of my seat and from behind my desk and walk over to the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the city.

  “I get it,” Hardwick says as he joins me. “When a man finally has everything, he finally has everything to lose.”

  “But you can bet your ass that I’m keeping what’s mine,” I bite out

  “I don’t doubt it,” he says as he places a hand on my shoulder. “But you need to keep outbursts like that to a minimum, especially in front of people like Dr. Hayes. We both know that you are not responsible for the death of Sam Clayton, but you have motive and means. Don’t give people more of a reason to look your way. It will get in the way of business, not to mention you and Rae as well.”

  Ellie’s voice over the intercom interrupts us.

  “Mr. Kingsley, Sean is ready to take you and Mr. Hardwick to your meeting downtown.”

  After the unpleasantness from earlier, all I want to do is head home to see Raeva, especially since I will be getting a homemade meal. However, I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t take care of business.

  I feel ridiculous putting on these huge sunglasses and blonde wig. I am sure they look just as ridiculous as they feel, but secretly I think the light gray contacts they made me put in are actually kind of cool. All of this seems a little over the top, but unfortunately, this charade is necessary for me to get out of the apartment and to the grocery store. Don’t get me wrong, Mika’s place is incredible. It has everything a person might need at your fingertips. I could have easily asked Rose to get me the things I need, but besides the fact that I feel awkward asking her to do anything, I have literally been trapped here ever since Jasper’s murder, with the exception of being able to leave for work. Frankly, I’m getting stir-crazy, which is why Mikaela and Jillybean concocted this harebrained scheme. The three of us are in the enormous walk-in closet in Mika’s bedroom.

  “Okay, this color is totally not you Rae,” Mikaela says, holding up a bright pink lip stain. “So, it’s perfect.”

  Mik
aela steps back and admires her handiwork.

  “Hmmm,” she mutters as she clasps her thumb and index finger around her chin.

  Her eyes widen slightly, and a huge grin appears on her face. She turns and charges out of the room, leaving Jillybean and me looking at each other in stunned silence before we both burst out in laughter. Mikaela has a one-track mind when she is focused on something. I love watching her immerse herself into a project, and I can see how she has become this successful at such a young age. It isn’t long before she re-enters the room with her arms full of coats and scarves. She deposits them onto the small bench that is right beside the full-length mirror. She picks a beautiful corduroy trench coat in burgundy and pairs it with a beautiful, multi-colored scarf. She hands it over to me and gestures for me to put them on. I shrug into the coat, and judging from the expression on her face, Mikaela is delighted.

  “Perfect,” she says excitedly as she claps her hands.

  When I stare at myself in the mirror, I don’t recognize the woman staring back at me.

  “Where did you get that wig, Mik?” Jill asks. “It looks so realistic. I had no idea wigs could look like that.”

  She’s right. If I didn’t know this was a wig, I would not have thought that it was one.

  “What can I say? I like to play dress-up. After a while you get good at it,” she replies with a wink.

  “I want one too!” Jill exclaims while clapping her hands together excitedly.

  I chuckle.

  “Why do you want a wig?”

  She rolls her eyes at me.

  “Um, you didn’t think that we were going to let you go by yourself, did you? And if you get to dress up, I want to dress up, too!”

  “Damn skippy,” Mikaela chimes in.

  Jill and I simultaneously start laughing at that remark.

  “You are definitely hanging out with us too much, Mik,” I tell her once I’ve controlled my laughter.

  “Hey! If you can’t beat them, join them,” she says with humor in her voice.

  The two of them embark into giddy conversation while I watch with glee. Mikaela ends up sporting a brown wig in a stylish bob, and Jill has a very cute auburn mop of curls. Both of them sport a pair of oversized glasses as well, which makes me think we are attracting way too much attention, but Mikaela assures me that we look nothing like ourselves and that we will fit in with the crowd. Since I have literally zero idea about anything fashion-related, I just decide to take her word for it.