I didn’t even know if it would be possible to climb into the vent. The likelihood of me being able to pry off the cover was very slim, but it was the only gamble I had to take. That, or wait around for something to happen.
As I approached the vent, I realized that I could faintly hear some voices, as if they were drifting in from another room.
I could only catch snippets, so I got as close as I could and did my best to make out what I might be able to.
Any information was better than what I had now.
And I realized as I listened to that it was Malcolm and his goons talking in the room next to mine. And they were talking about my father.
Chapter Seven
Malcolm
“We need to go into lockdown, now,” I said when I entered the room.
The Four looked up at me expectantly from where they sat around the table. This was the me they knew—commanding and ready for action.
Little did they know, I was far from that at the moment. In my mind, I was wrestling with what had just happened.
Kissing Aurora had been everything I had ever dreamed of. Those plump lips, that perfect body.
But now I couldn’t get her off my mind. And worse, she hadn’t consented. I promised her that I wouldn’t lay a hand on her, and yet that was exactly what I had done.
I should have backed off immediately, not pushed until she gave in. It was clear from the way she had kissed me back that she wanted me, but I couldn’t help feeling that it shouldn’t have been like that.
But I couldn’t very well go back and apologize to her, not now. It would be showing weakness in front of the Four, and that wasn’t something they needed, especially not with someone after me. So now was the time to strategize.
Underground was one of the safest places in the mansion, so it was naturally where we went to plan important things like this.
The lack of windows could be a little depressing, but we made up for it with luxurious rugs, beautiful paintings, and some of the comfiest furniture that money could buy. There was a sofa, some armchairs, and then a table with a few more chairs surrounding it.
Since we were discussing very serious issues today—literally life or death—we sat around the table.
“I agree,” Misha said.
“He’ll probably be coming soon.” Noah looked at me with concern, as if he could see the turmoil within me. I hoped he couldn’t, it would be easier that way. “It’s better to be prepared now.”
“Why wait around though, can’t we just go kill him? Personally, I’d feel a lot better if we got it over with now.” Leroi toyed with a deck of cards. He was always suggesting out-there ideas.
“I think we should—” Gilles started, but he was cut off.
“I was hesitant before, but now I think Leroi’s right. We need to kill him,” Noah said. I hadn’t been expecting that. “But we can’t go out looking for him, that’s dangerous in its own way.”
“Awwwww, come on, you know I’m good at danger,” Leroi whined.
“No, to both of you,” I said, slamming my palm down on the table. They all looked up at me in surprise. They probably thought I would be the first to ask for Kline’s head, not defend him like this. “I want him alive, unhurt if possible.”
“What’s gotten into you?” Noah asked. “This isn’t like you at all.”
“If the violence is a problem I can always just take him out for you,” Leroi said.
“He’s just doing his job,” I said, “even if it is to kill me. And I can understand if he comes for me now, it would be personal. I have his daughter, and he knows my reputation with women. He just wants her safe, I can’t blame him for that.”
If my brother was still alive… I would have done anything to protect him.
“We might be able to negotiate with him,” Gilles said. “If it’s a matter of money, we know you can provide that. He knows you can provide that.”
“But there’s no telling if Liam will try to get him to kill Malcolm again, you know he’s persistent.” Leroi leaned back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling. “The only real solution here is death. Or, you know, you listen to what I said before and we just relocate him. I’ve heard France is nice this time of year. I don’t think he would mind a vacation.”
“That might work,” I mused. “We’ll work on coming to an agreement with him later. For now, we have to make preparations for his arrival.”
Everyone around the table nodded and began planning out how they would set up the mansion to be ready for Kline’s imminent arrival, how many guards we needed, and how we might be able to capture him if necessary.
I couldn’t concentrate, so I was glad that they were able to sort things out themselves. My mind was far away, thinking about Aurora, and what I had said about her father.
It made sense that he would be worried about her. As I said, my reputation with women wasn’t the best. I tended to use and discard them, but I wouldn’t touch Aurora….
Not unless she wanted me to, that was.
Was I such a bad person for wanting her, for wanting to be with her? I felt differently about her than I had about anyone else, and I hadn’t been able to concentrate since she walked into my life, those pretty little hips of hers swaying.
Fuck, I wanted her. I wanted her badly, and if she wanted me, then there was no harm, right?
“I trust you to figure this out,” I said, before standing and leaving the room. I couldn’t even wait for their answer, the need within me was too great.
I couldn’t even trust myself to be in the same room next to her. It would be so easy just to walk over there and be done with it. I knew she wanted me, so what was stopping me?
It was my own morals and fear for her life.
No matter how much I wanted her, there was no way I could get her mixed up in this life. Her father was already implicated enough as it was; I couldn’t have someone try to use her as leverage against me. It would just be too much.
I also couldn’t imagine how others in this business might treat her. I was a gentleman with a code, even if I didn’t always follow the laws.
But most others were corrupted by their power and weren’t afraid to use it to their advantage to get what they wanted, even if it meant taking someone against their will.
I shivered in anger at the thought of someone using her like that. I knew it was hypocritical of me, but I just couldn’t stand the thought.
I wandered up out of the basement, and through the halls of the mansion. There was so much to see, so many paths to walk, I could only hope they would occupy me for as long as I needed them to.
I made my way to the large library, passing by the guest rooms on the way. I kept wondering if it would perhaps be more appropriate to move her, at least to make her more comfortable. It might make her dad more understanding, which was definitely something we needed.
It was a possibility to consider.
As I thought about this, I entered one of the rooms, hand trailing along the pink wallpaper. When I bought this house, I made a number of renovations. I wanted to make the Four feel welcome in this place, and we needed rooms for our own use.
There was training, planning, and things that needed to be hidden, but most of the mansion I left untouched.
This was one of those rooms, a guest room of sorts. I imagined that it was probably a bedroom for the daughter of the previous owner. The pink walls, silk curtains, and white bed frame certainly seemed to suggest so.
I still had no idea what happened to the owners of the place before me, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to know. I asked no questions of my realtor, and he asked no questions of me, that had been the deal.
Maybe I could uncover the secrets if I looked deep enough, but it wasn’t something I wanted to poke too much. The last thing this world needed was another tragedy. A family torn apart by their money. An escape into the night like royals during a revolution.
I could only hope that time would be kinder to me, that it would understan
d what I was doing I was doing for the good of everyone.
I left the room, fists clenched. I would accept the consequences of my actions. I had no illusions that the things I did weren’t wrong. If only I could see my vision carried out first, that was all I wanted.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized I wanted Aurora to know. I didn’t want her to see me as purely evil. And part of me wanted to apologize to her as well.
But most of me was just yearning to be with her. My insides were boiling with lust, and the only thing I could think about was how she would look underneath me. I needed to get it out of my system, there was no other way.
Which was why I found myself wandering back to her room.
Chapter Eight
Aurora
When the door opened, I thought that somehow they knew that I’d been listening. But it was a silly thought, and I knew that there was no way it could be true. Even so, I took several steps away from the wall and tried to school my face into an expression that was not one of guilt.
It was Malcolm, again. It hadn’t been that long since he had kissed me, and so I found my cheeks heating in embarrassment, and desire curling like a small fire in the depths of my stomach.
And now I knew he wasn’t a terrible person, at least.
From what I had heard of the conversation, he was in the drug business. Some rival of his had sent my father after him, though I didn’t know why. I was also confused as to why he felt the need to still be in the business. It was obvious he was loaded.
And to have such compassion for my father? Things just weren’t adding up.
I decided I needed to confront him. I wanted answers.
“Why do you deal drugs when it’s obvious you have plenty of money?”
“That’s a strange question to lead with.” His eyes drifted up to the air vent. “Were you listening in? Oh well, it doesn’t matter much.”
“But why?”
“It’s nothing you would understand, I can promise you that.”
I felt frustrated by his response. Who does he think he is? Why put on this act of being a good person just to deny me any explanation?
Did he just enjoy watching me suffer?
“Why are you here?” I asked.
His eyes went dark, and he approached me rapidly. I refused to take a step back and stood my ground. “You know why I’m here,” he growled, and his voice sent shivers through my body.
I couldn’t help but be attracted to him like this. The way he spoke, the way he moved, the way he looked, it was all adding up into a very arousing picture. I didn’t know if I could contain myself anymore.
I didn’t have to though, because he grabbed my jaw and leaned down to kiss me, just as roughly as before.
But I could deal with this. His actions were much easier to read than his words. The way he spoke was cryptic, but the way he moved was crystal clear.
I struggled anyway. It was part of the dance at this point, the way he grabbed me was rough, and the way I reacted was rougher still. But unlike last time, he stepped away, seeming to take my struggle as a sign to stop. Fuck him and his hypocritical chivalry. I couldn’t stay away from him, I couldn’t resist kissing him. He was in my bloodstream, and there was no going back now.
So I stepped forward and grabbed his neck, pulling his face down so that I could kiss him.
This seemed to be consent enough for him. His hands found their way to my waist, and he maneuvered me back to the mattress, kissing me the whole time.
“You taste like heaven,” he breathed in my ear as he eased me down onto the bed, hovering over me. His hands were on either side of my thighs and I shivered for his touch.
“And I can tell you’re from hell,” I said, pulling him down to kiss him again.
He did so greedily as if he wanted to drink in as much of me as he could. His kisses were, despite what I had said, heavenly. But the way he kissed me was oh so sinful.
His hands touched me gently, reminding my body that there was still more that could be done, and his mouth took from me my desire. It was like a well inside of me, drawing up how much I wanted him. Every time his lips touched mine, every brush of his tongue against mine just made me want him more.
Malcolm clearly knew what he was doing when it came to women, and I knew I was about to have the time of my life.
He kissed his way along my jawline, and then down my neck. Every new connection of his lips to my skin sent tingles down my spine, building a warmth deep within me that made me squirm.
“You want me, don’t you,” he teased. “How about, shall I kiss you there? Shall I fulfill your every desire?”
I wanted that more than I could say. But to put that into words would be admitting my own weakness.
“Shut up,” I growled, hands yanking at his pants.
“Patience darling, I promise it’ll feel good.” He pushed my hands away from him, pinning them above my head.
“I don’t doubt that. I just want it now,” I whined, but he wasn’t listening to me.
The way he looked at me was the kind of look a predator gave their prey. Knowing I was under his complete control, he stared down at me, gaze moving up and down my body while he licked his lips. With my arms pinned above me, there was nothing I could do but let out a low whine, and wait for him to finally satisfy me.
“I don’t think you know just how tasty you look right now, all splayed out beneath me. I can’t wait to strip you bare.” He whispered the last part in my ear, his breath hot.
I let out a soft sound of desire, squirming beneath him, but he held me firm.
“You’re not going anywhere, not now that I have you.”
“If I’m staying here it’s only because I want to.”
“Oh, I can tell you want to, don’t worry darling.” His lips met the tender bit of skin beneath my ear, and I immediately let out a gasp at the sensation.
Then his teeth were against my neck, working at my skin, marking me as his, and I couldn’t contain myself.
I already knew that my panties were going to ruin, and now I was doubly sure. No one else had ever made me feel this good before with just their lips. I could only imagine the other things he could do.
“Enjoying yourself, darling?”
“More than anything,” I gasped out, unable to keep the sound of pleasure from my voice anymore. It was too much work to resist him when it felt so much better to just give in.
Roughly, he moved me up the mattress so that my head rested on one of the pillows, then began yanking away my jeans.
There was a brief moment of panic when I realized I had nothing else to wear, and I had definitely already ruined my panties, but that thought went away quickly. I didn’t doubt that Malcolm would provide. He didn’t seem like the kind of sick fuck who would make me go naked just for his amusement. Unless, of course, that was something that I wanted too.
“Wet already,” he teased, lifting my panties. “You’re a naughty girl, Aurora.”
“And I’m sure that’s just the way that you like it.”
“Then you know me better than you think.” He kissed the inside of my thigh, looking straight at me as he lifted my leg to meet his mouth.
“You’re so fucking hot,” he said. “It’s hard to control myself around you.”
“Then don’t,” I replied, lifting my shirt off and quickly undoing my bra. I wanted him to see all of me, to understand how lucky he was to be with me. I wanted him to take me, I didn’t know if I could wait much longer.
“Mmmmmm, that would create some interesting situations, little Aurora. Every time you start arguing with me I just want to kiss your pretty mouth so you’ll shut up.” His hand trailed up my leg. “And every time you call me a criminal, I want to make you scream my name until your voice becomes hoarse so you can’t say things like that anymore.”
“Now that’s—” I was about to say unfair, but my train of thought was lost as his mouth closed over one of my nipples and a gasp of pleasure came out i
nstead.
“You were saying,” he teased as he tweaked the other nipple with his thumb and forefinger. God, it felt so good. This man knew what he was doing.
I couldn’t respond to him, despite how much I wanted to wipe that self-satisfied smirk off his face. He made me feel so good that all of my thoughts disappeared. All I could think about was what he was doing to me, and what he might do next.
His hand was on the inside of my thigh now, long fingers trailing like ghosts over my skin. I was already incredibly sensitive and it sent waves of pleasure through me.
His touch drifted up to my labia, brushing over the skin in a way that made me moan just from the thought of what he might do.
“You’re so wet for me baby.”
“Yes,” I gasped out as his thumb brushed over my clit.
“You want me, don’t you? I can read it on your face.”
“I want you,” I whined. “I want you now.”
“Patience darling, I want to taste you first.”
More heat was gathering low in my abdomen at the thought of his tongue on me, of the ways he could pleasure me.
My ex had never been one for eating me out, and he had always finished things so quickly like it was a chore, another thing to add to his day. After we had broken up, I had filled the void with romance novels and realized that there were more things a man could do to make the experience a beautiful and fulfilling one.
But it still felt like a myth.
And yet here Malcolm was. He kept eye contact with me as he inched himself down and then spread my legs wide so that he would have full access to my pussy.
Even the way he was touching me made me wet. His movements were so gentle and methodical, each new contact with my skin a blessing.
“You’re going to cum for me darling, and it’s going to feel so good,” he said, and I knew it was the truth the moment he said it. It was like scripture.
My gasps and moans were a prayer as his head lowered and his tongue set to work on me. He loosened me gently with a couple of his fingers, his tongue brushing over my clit as he did so.
My Dad’s Billionaire Enemy Page 4