Stingray Billionaire: The Complete Series (An Alpha Billionaire Romance)

by Alexa Davis

  To the left of the door was a long dresser with so many drawers that it had been impossible to actually fill them. Along the far wall was a window that reached floor to ceiling and overlooked the four-post bed that sat on the far side of the room, covered in a thick duvet and many plush pillows. There was a sitting area where she could enjoy coffee in the morning or read a book, and on the other side of the sitting area was a large walk-in closet with a dressing table and more space than she'd had in her entire bedroom in the old place.

  I watched her closely as she took in all the details, and once she'd processed it all, she walked over to me, rested a hand on my chest, and stood on her tiptoes to kiss my cheek. I fought hard not to wrap and arm around her waist and pull her against me. I had no idea if she felt anything towards me the way I felt about her, but I wasn't going to risk screwing up this deal to find out.

  "Max, this is the most beautiful room I've ever seen in my entire life," she whispered as she reached out and took my hand and squeezed it tightly. "I love it. Thank you."

  "I'm glad you like it," I said as I gently squeezed her hand, hoping she could read the message I was sending. She turned and looked up at me just as Anna came running down the hallway and jumped on the bed with as ferocious a meow as someone of her size could muster. Lexi dropped my hand and walked over the to the kamikaze kitten and picked her up.

  "I think Anna will like it here, too," she pronounced as the tiny puffball head batted her chin and purred until she drooled. I laughed at the open display of happiness and told Lexi to follow me. I wanted to show her one more room.

  At the end of the hall were two French doors leading into the master bedroom. It ran the entire width of the penthouse and was twice as large as the kitchen on the other end of the place. There was a sitting area with a couch and several chairs positioned around a large fireplace on one end of the room and a king-size, four-post bed covered in a large cranberry-colored duvet on the other. It was the only splash of color in the otherwise gray room. Lexi nodded as she looked around and noticed my desk in one corner near the soaring window.

  "You must love working here," she observed.

  "Indeed, I do," I agreed as I watched her take it all in. The room was an architectural masterpiece with the windows starting at the floor level and then curving upward so that one continuous piece of glass softly bent across the roof and made the room feel as if it were completely open to the elements. There was a door off of the side of the bed that led to the private balcony and the Jacuzzi. I'd spent many nights sitting out in the bubbling hot water, looking up at the heavens, trying to figure out the mysteries of the universe.

  "That must be a great place to stargaze," Lexi said gesturing at the hot tub. "I'm envious."

  "You're welcome to come out and use it anytime you like," I said.

  "I just might," she smiled. The smile was followed by a wide yawn, and I realized the tour had taken several hours.

  "You must be really tired," I said as I walked back toward her room. "Do you need anything? Do you want anything?

  "I'm good, Max." She smiled as she reached out and took my hand again. I could feel the soft tips of her fingers gently resting against the palm of my hand and the sensation sent the blood flowing away from my brain toward my groin. I pulled my hand away quickly as I cleared my throat and ducked my head, trying to hide the erection growing in my shorts.

  "If you need anything, don't hesitate to let me know, okay?" I said.

  "I will, I promise." She walked into her room followed closely by the tiny kitten. Once inside, they both turned and looked at me before Lexi quietly closed her door.

  I let out a sigh of relief and hoped that she hadn't noticed anything, then I went back to my room and fired up the computer so that I could purchase more stock as soon as the markets in Moscow opened.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  Lexi

  After the tour, I went back to my room and thought about how much my life had changed in just one week. One week ago, I had been sobbing as Josh dumped me on his way to Hollywood. Today, I was employed by a nice man who was paying me wages beyond my wildest dreams, and I was sitting my own, luxurious room in one of the most expensive penthouse apartments in the city. Granted, the reason I was here was because I had agreed to a sham marriage in order to help his business, but still, this was a pretty great gig.

  "We're doing well, aren't we, Anna?" I said to the kitten who was checking out every inch of the room from ground level. Once she was finished, she jumped up next to me on the sofa and chirped her approval. I patted my leg until I realized that I'd left her litter box and toys in the kitchen. I quickly hopped up and opened the door. I looked around and then remembered that the kitchen was to my left. I followed the hall back toward the living room, but must have made a wrong turn because I found myself standing in front of a dining room table that had to have been fifteen feet long. I cursed my poor memory and then turned back to retrace my steps. Ten minutes later, I was back in my room with Anna's bag in my hand. I set up her things so that she could easily find them and then called her name, but no fuzz ball came running.

  "Anna? Anna, where are you, kitty?" I called quietly. "Little one, don't go hiding on me now!" Still, there was no Anna. I wasn't terribly worried, since there was no way for her to get out of the penthouse without one of us opening a door. But I was worried that she would get lost in the twisting turning rooms and not be able to find her way back to our room. And she was still a baby, so I knew that messes were a distinct possibility. I called her name a few more times, and then retraced my steps back to the kitchen. No luck. "Anna, you are a little stinker!" I whispered into the dark apartment as I tiptoed back to my room. I left the door cracked, hoping that she would simply find her way back. I got ready for bed and crawled under the soft duvet. I called Anna's name one more time before I fell into a deep sleep that sucked me under until the alarm went off.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  Max

  The next morning, I woke up to the sound of purring as a small gray kitten mushed my chest and drooled.

  "Uh, excuse me," I said as I picked her up and moved her onto the duvet. "You're supposed to be sleeping in the other room, small creature."

  Anna looked up at me with her big blue eyes and chirped once before she hopped down off of the bed and headed toward the door. I watched as she slipped out and then grabbed the remote and turned on the morning news.

  "We have breaking news this morning; there's been yet another shooting on the west side of the city and we go live to our Action Team reporter Mia Rogers on site. Mia, what are they saying about this shooting?" the anchor said as she turned and looked at the screen where the reporter held a microphone waiting to inform viewers.

  "Dana, the Wicker Park Chief of Police, Randall Washington, says that the shootings took place early this morning and involved members of at least one known Russian gang involved in a long-running feud here on the city's west side. Police are not releasing the identities of the two men who were shot, but they say it has all the markings of an execution and that the two men may have known their attackers. This is Mia Rogers reporting for Action News on the scene in Wicker Park. Back to you, Dana."

  I shut the television off and sat down on the edge of the bed as I tried process what had happened and how I was going to respond. The violence was getting worse. Papa and Kristov were right: We needed to rein in the younger bratán or we were going to wind up with an all-out war on our hands. I bent over and rested my elbows on my knees as I held my head in my hands. The last thing I wanted was to be pulled into this war while I was trying to make a deal with Sergei Petrov. If he smelled the mafia anywhere near me, he'd turn and take his money elsewhere. I was between a rock and a hard place with nowhere to go.

  "Max, do you want a cup of coffee?" Lexi called as she tapped lightly on the door. I got up, walked over, and opened it.

  "Sure, I'd-" I stopped mid-sentence as I looked at Lexi with her nightshirt slipping off one shoulder
, her hair pulled into a ponytail, and holding out a steaming cup of coffee with a smile. I felt the rush of blood leaving my brain.

  "I'm sorry Anna woke you up," she said as she held the coffee cup out toward me. "I didn't mean for her to get out of my room. I'll be more careful in the future."

  "It's okay." I took the cup wishing it was something much bigger so I could use it to cover my growing erection. "She didn't do any damage, just a little drool on the pillow."

  "I'll wash those for you, if you want me to," she offered. I couldn't take my eyes off of her. Dressed for business and wearing makeup, Lexi was striking, but without all of the fuss and paint, she was simply beautiful.

  "Don't be silly," I said. "I've got a staff who does all of that for me, and they'll be doing it for you, too."

  "Oh, right," she said as her smile dimmed. "I know it's weird, but I keep forgetting you have money. Why don't you act like you're rich?"

  "It's a long story," I said, sipping from the cup. It tasted awful. I tried to maintain a casual tone as I asked, "How did you make the coffee?"

  "I just scooped it out of the jar on the counter and made it the usual way," she said looking at me quizzically. "Why, is there something wrong with it?"

  "Well…" I hesitated.

  "You hate it," she said reaching for the cup. "Here, let me take that. I'll go make a fresh pot. Maybe that'll be better."

  "No, no, no." I gripped the cup of coffee as I moved toward the hallway. "Let me make us a fresh pot."

  She followed me into the kitchen were I quickly realized that she'd put the espresso grounds from the ceramic recycling pot into the coffeemaker.

  "Oh, I see, well, you used the old grounds from yesterday's coffee to make this pot," I laughed as I dumped the second-time-around grounds back into the recycling container, and then opened the cabinet and took out a tin of beans. "The fresh stuff is here."

  "Oh no!" she said. "No wonder it tasted so awful! And you drank it anyway!"

  We both dissolved into laughter as I ground the fresh beans and put the pot on to brew before I began making breakfast. Normally I skipped breakfast or ate a protein bar on the way to the store, but this morning, I played the good host and scrambled eggs and browned sausages while Lexi made the toast. We each performed our breakfast duties in silence.

  "Did you see that there's been more killings over in Wicker Park?" she asked as she buttered the bread and then neatly sliced the stack on the diagonal.

  "I did," I replied. I scooped eggs onto two plates and then placed the sausages beside them.

  "What do you think is going on over there?" she asked. "I keep wondering why they're out to kill each other. Is it drugs, do you think? That's what happened to the Vice Lords in the ’60s and ’70s on the West side. They turned on each other when some of the groups started dealing drugs. The Russians seem kind of barbarian in their approach to dealing with one another, don't you think?"

  "Like with any dispute, I'm sure there are reasons behind it that we can't understand," I said, carefully avoiding the weighty answer that I knew I should probably be giving, but wasn't willing to yet. "I'm sure the reporters will figure it out and there will be something about it on the evening news."

  "You’re probably right," she nodded as she dug into her breakfast and declared it delicious. We talked about the store and Petrov as we ate, then suddenly, Lexi blurted out, "Max, we've got a month to plan our faux wedding! How are we going to do that?"

  "Well, we're going to have to break it down into manageable pieces and just pull it all together," I said. "How about you work on the dress, flowers, and cake, and I'll work on the venue and the decorations?"

  "But, Max, this is a fake wedding," she said. "Why are we going to go to all the trouble of staging an elaborate wedding if it's just a fake for Petrov's deal?"

  "Because we need an event for all of Petrov's friends and he thinks we're getting married," I said looking at her. "And, because I need this, Lexi. I need this business to succeed."

  "Okay, okay, I'm not arguing with you," she said, backing away from the questions. "I just have been trying to figure out my motivation."

  "Motivation?"

  "Yes, as an actress," she told me. "What's my character's motivation for marrying you?"

  "Um, love?" I ventured. Lexi looked at me and burst out laughing.

  "Obviously!" she laughed. "I just mean, what's our back story? People are going to ask how we met and how you proposed, you know."

  "Can't it just be the one that we already have?" I asked. "You came to work for me and we just fell in love."

  "Oh, Max, that's not at all interesting!" she cried. "We need a story, something that will give Petrov's friends a show!"

  "I'm not good at show," I said uneasily. "It's not a thing I feel comfortable with."

  "Why not?" she asked as she tipped her head, popped the last bit of toast into her mouth, and chewed.

  "My father was very strict with my brother and I while we were growing up, and he taught us that we should never ever show off," I said, trying to come as close to the truth as possible without venturing into dangerous territory.

  "That must have been some lesson." Lexi reached across the table and patted my hand. "It's okay, we'll think of something that doesn't make you feel vulnerable."

  As she looked at me with compassion and kindness, I felt the words welling up in my chest and I wanted nothing more than to spill my whole sordid story and unburden myself, but I knew that if I did, I was risking everything with her. If she thought the Russian mafia gangs were barbarians, then what would she think of my place in the hierarchy and that my father was doing everything he could to try and bring me back to the fold? I swallowed the words and nodded silently.

  I would deal with the situation on my own, as I always did.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  Lexi

  Max and I rode into work together, talking about business and the wedding. I was worried about what his family would say about this quick union since they lived in Chicago. My parents were missionaries who moved to a different country every year or two, and who I had rarely seen since I'd come back to the States to attend school when I was a teenager. I wouldn't even bother to tell them what had happened until it was all over and the store was fully funded, and then I'd tell them the story as though it was one of my greatest roles.

  "So, I'm going to schedule dress fittings and cake tastings for next week," I said as I marked my to do list in my planner. "Oh, I forgot! I've got my audition this afternoon; do you mind if I take off a little early for it?"

  "Do I have a choice?" he asked.

  "Well, you are my boss, so I guess you could veto my request." I shrugged, then grinned. "But as my fake fiancée, that might not be the smartest move."

  "Very well, if you insist," Max sighed dramatically, making me laugh. He was good at finding the humor in even the most serious situation, and I appreciated it because I could tell that he had a lot on his mind.

  "Are Petrov's lawyers coming in with the paperwork today?" I asked.

  "This morning when we open," he nodded. "We'll go over everything, then I’ll sign the papers and they'll transfer the initial influx of cash."

  "What are you going to do first?" I asked. "With the money?"

  "Pay you," he grinned.

  "Very funny, Mr. Moneybags." I smiled as I lightly swatted his shoulder. "I'm the least of your expenses."

  "Yes, but you are one of my most valuable investments," he said as he looked at me with his ice blue eyes. "Therefore, I pay you first."

  "I see," I nodded, unable to look away. His eyes were full of all the things I knew he wasn't telling me, and while I wanted to try and pry it out of him, I knew better than to hound him. Max Malin was not a man who could be hounded into to disclosing things he wasn't ready to talk about – and his silent stoicism was also extremely sexy. I finally looked away and consulted my planner as I told him, "I'll be leaving around three, okay?"

  "No problem, I think I
can handle things for a couple of hours," he nodded as he looked at the screen of his phone and swore quietly under his breath. When he didn't explain, I knew better than to ask.

  Petrov's lawyers arrived not long after we opened the store, and I sold six pieces while Max was locked up in the back room with them. It seemed that Sergei Petrov had told every single person he knew about his experience at the store; they were flooding in looking for one-of-a-kind pieces that they could give or wear. The men were charming and eager to find something that would please their wives, so they trusted me to help them pick out just the right piece of jewelry and then wrap it up in a showy package that would garner praise and appreciation.

  I enjoyed it almost as much as helping the women who came into the store. They were elegant, well-dressed women who obviously spent their days taking care of their personal appearances, and it showed. The beautiful and brightly lacquered nails on their hands enhanced the beauty of every ring tried on, and their impeccably done hair and makeup made every set of earrings sparkle and shine brilliantly. It was like having my own, personal accessory models, and they not only tried things on, these women bought what they loved. Money was no object.

  By the time Max emerged from the back room to escort the lawyers to the front of the store, I had sold over $50,000 worth of merchandise. Max looked over the display cases and made notes on what he needed to replace and what had not yet sold. Then, he asked me if I'd call and order lunch for us both while he made a few phone calls. A half an hour later, I brought him a plate of spicy Indian food from the restaurant down the street and put a cold beer in front of him.

  "I'm working," he said as he looked from the beer to me.

  "Yes, but you just spent the morning locked in a room with lawyers who probably came close to boring you to death." I smiled. "You deserve a reward for surviving."