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

by Alexa Davis

  "I want the owner of this shithole," the man growled as he spun me around, wrapped his arm around my neck, and pointed the gun at my head. "I want to see Malinchenko, now!"

  "I'm sorry? Do you mean Mr. Malin?" I asked genuinely confused as to what the man wanted. "He's the owner, and he should be back any minute. He just ran out on an errand."

  "I want to see that bastard Malinchenko!" he insisted. "That son of a bitch needs to be taught a lesson for what he's done to us!"

  The other two men seemed to have lost interest in Mrs. Zakhrov once they determined that she had very little cash in her wallet. Still, they held onto her arms and pressed her against a display case as one of them spoke Russian and she began to cry.

  "What are you doing to her?" I cried. "Stop it! You're hurting her!"

  "They're not hurting her," the man said in a bored tone. "They're telling her what a capitalist pig she is and what a disgrace she is to the Russian community."

  "Why would they do that?" I yelled. "She's done nothing to deserve that!"

  "Yeah, but her husband is a money-grubbing pig who earns his living off the labor of the working class," he said indignantly. "So, by association, she's a pig, as well."

  "Oh, give me a break, you Marxist weirdo," I said, angry that these men had broken into the store and were causing Mrs. Zakhrov such pain. "You live in the U.S., how much of a socialist can you really be? Plus, you're wearing a Gucci suit that costs probably a year's rent in some parts of this city. Give me a fucking break!"

  "I like this one!" he laughed as he squeezed my throat a little tighter, cutting off a large portion of my airway. "She's feisty! Perhaps we should have a little fun with the feisty one?"

  "Fuck you," I gasped as he released me and let me breathe a little before squeezing tightly again. He was playing cat and mouse with me, and if he squeezed me any tighter, I was going to be one dead little mouse. Mrs. Zakharov said something I couldn't understand, and the two men holding her let go immediately. They looked over at their boss, repeated what she'd said, and he quickly dropped his hold on me.

  The three took off running for the door with Mrs. Zakhrov shouting at them in Russian as they exited the store. I looked over at her as she bent down and retrieved her clutch from the floor where they'd thrown it.

  "I have no idea what you said to them," I said. "But those must have been some powerful words, indeed."

  "Little boys who play big boy games sometimes have to be reminded of the fact that they still sit at the children's table," she said as she pulled out a tube of lipstick and applied a fresh coat before patting her hair and smiling at her reflection.

  #

  Ten minutes later, Max walked through the door just as Mrs. Zakhrov and I were giving our statements to the police.

  "What in the hell happened here?" he demanded.

  I quickly filled him in on the break in and told him about how the men had demanded to see Malinchenko. "Do you know this person?" I asked. Max nodded and then went over to check on Mrs. Zakhrov. She spoke to him in Russian and a look of recognition spread across his face. He nodded and asked if her car was waiting outside for her. When he'd gotten her safely to her car and closed the door, he came back into the store and spoke with the police.

  I stood and watched as the crime scene investigators took fingerprints from the display cases and laughed quietly to myself as they pulled up a set of perfect handprints off the front door. The stupid criminals had planted their hands on the glass door as they were leaving. Once the police were done and had left, Max closed the door, locked it, and turned over the closed sign.

  "Come with me," he said holding out his hand. I took it and he pulled me back to the office, where he poured me a shot of whiskey and told me to tell him everything that had happened. I recounted all the details I could remember, from the way the suits looked, to the sound of the men’s voices as they shouted at Mrs. Zakhrov in Russian.

  Max listened carefully and jotted down notes as he did, then when I was finished, he looked at me and said, "That's it, we're getting an armed security guard for the store and one for you."

  "Max, don't be ridiculous," I protested. "They were common thieves and they didn't even take anything. They just waved their guns around and then left."

  "All the more reason for you to have a security guard," he insisted. "I'm not going to have you out there vulnerable and exposed."

  "Max, those men don't have the first clue who I am. I'm no one to them!" I protested again. It seemed excessive to me to have a guard following me around all the time and, quite frankly, I didn't like the idea of having my privacy violated that way. "I'm not afraid of them."

  "Lexi, I'm not going to have this argument," he said firmly. "You will have a security guard and that's all there is to it."

  "You are so damn stubborn!" I yelled. "What if I don't want a damn security guard tailing me all over the place?"

  "Then, you'll have to find a way to make peace with it," he said calmly. "I'm not arguing with you; it's a done deal."

  "And, what if I quit?" I said calmly. "What if I tell you that the security detail is my no-fly zone and if you do it, I'll quit?"

  "You wouldn't," he said.

  "Try me," I challenged as I stood staring at him defiantly with my hands on my hips. "I'm not kidding, Max. No deal."

  "Lexi, you don't understand," he sighed.

  "No, I really don't, so I suggest you start explaining," I said, refusing to back down.

  I wasn't going to give in on this one without a fight and from the looks of it, neither was Max.

  CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

  Max

  After talking with Mrs. Zakhrov, I knew exactly who had been the store and I was adamant that we get security for the store and one who would follow Lexi wherever she went. I debated about whether I should tell her exactly why it was essential, but backed down when I realized that telling her might result in her leaving and then she'd be at an even greater risk.

  "I'm not going to argue with you, Lexi," I said. "It's a done deal. Quit if you like, but I'll still have a security officer follow you around until they find these guys."

  "You are impossible, Max Malin!" she said as stared at me with defiance in her eyes. More than anything, I wanted to pull her into my arms and hold her tight because I knew how close she'd come to being harmed. The men who broke into the store were part of Dementyev's gang and Mrs. Zakhrov had confirmed it for me. Her husband knew the major players in the Russian underworld and as a result, she was well informed on who belonged to whom.

  "Lexi, please don't cop an attitude with me right now," I ordered. "I've got more than I can handle and this is just one of those things that is going to have to be."

  "Cop an attitude with you? You have got to be kidding me!" she yelled. "I was the one who was here with those thugs! If anyone has the right to have an attitude, it's me!"

  I knew she was right, but I also knew that I was absolutely right, too. We stood inches from each other in the office, staring into each other's eyes, waiting for one of us to back down, but neither did. I couldn't help but feel aroused by her anger and the longer I looked at her, the more aroused I got. We hadn't had time finish our tryst over breakfast and I'd walked away aching.

  "Lexi…" I started. She looked gorgeous in the blue wrap dress she'd chosen for today and for once, she'd left her hair down. It flowed loosely past her shoulders and framed her face in a way that almost invited me to play with it.

  "I'm mad at you!" she said, but I caught the hint of a smile flit across her lips before she regained control of her mad face.

  "No you're not," I countered as I moved closer and wound a strand of loose hair around my finger as I gazed into her amber eyes.

  "Yes… I am…" she gulped as I traced a light line down the side of her cheek with the tip of my finger. "I'm…um…mad."

  "No, no you're not," I whispered as I leaned in and came within millimeters of her lips with mine. "You're not mad at all."

  "I…oh
…I…" she stammered as I cupped her face and leaned in to press my lips to hers. The softness of the kiss sparked an urgency in me that I was afraid I wasn't going to be able to control, and when she reached up and wrapped her arms around my neck, I knew we were headed somewhere fast and reckless.

  I gripped her waist with one hand as I slid the other inside her dress and roughly pinched one of her nipples. She gasped and kissed me harder as I quickly slid the skirt of her dress up around her waist. She unzipped my pants, pulled out my swollen shaft, and began stroking it as I pushed my hand between her legs and shoved her panties to one side.

  Our kiss intensified as we both worked each other into a frenzied state of arousal and soon, she had backed up so that she could perch herself on the edge of my desk and guide me between her legs. I could feel the heat radiating from her as she pulled me closer and positioned me so that one, quick thrust put me deep inside her wet warmth. I groaned and began pumping my hips back and forth as I tried to hold back. I wanted to bring her with me, but the tension from this morning's play had built up inside me and after a few thrusts, I was lost in her tightness and couldn't stop myself.

  "Oh, Max! Yes! Yes!" she moaned as she pushed her hips forward, meeting mine as I thrust into her over and over again. I could feel her tightening around me as she urged me on and soon, I felt the familiar rush of blood and the wave of coldness that raced through my veins as I let go and released inside of her. I gripped her tightly and rode the wave while I felt myself throbbing inside of her as she pulsed her hips and continued rocking. A few seconds later, I heard her moan softly and felt the warmth of her release as the wetness flowed and her inner muscles gripped and then loosened.

  "You okay?" I asked as I held her close. I was afraid that I'd crossed some boundary and she'd now leave for good.

  "Oh, Max, I'm better than good," she whispered into my chest as she continued to rock her hips. I could feel myself swelling again, and as I looked down at her, I wondered if I should continue. She answered my question when she whispered, "Yes."

  The second time was less rushed and more languid. We easily fell into each other's rhythm and found a place where our lips mirrored the rest of our bodies and drove us back to the edge of pleasure for the second time. She gripped my hair and kissed me hard as we both climaxed again, and I groaned into her mouth as I felt her pulling me deeper inside as she rocked back and forth. I kissed her deeply and felt her pressing against me.

  "So," I whispered after we'd both started breathing normally again. "How about that security detail?"

  "Mr. Malin, you are absolutely incorrigible," she laughed softly. "Fine, but can you make them follow at a discreet distance? I just don't want to feel like I'm being tailed."

  "I'll see what I can do," I said as I kissed her again.

  CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

  Lexi

  That afternoon, I met Viv over at the bridal shop to try on dresses. She was horrified to hear the tale of the morning's action and wanted to know what Max was doing to ensure my safety. I told her about the security detail and she nodded her approval.

  "Damn right, he'd better hire someone to ensure your safety," she said as she pulled a fairytale confection off the rack and handed it to me. When I looked at her like she was crazy, she replied, "Just try it on. I want to see what it looks like on an actual human."

  "Viv, you're nuts, you know that, right?" I asked as I handed the dress to the sales associate tasked with helping me find a dress and smiled as I rolled my eyes. She simply nodded and took the dress back to the massive room they'd set aside for my shopping trip. I pulled a simple sheath dress off the rack and held it up for Viv to see. "What do you think of this?"

  "Um, no. It's not fancy enough for what you're doing," she shook her head and handed me another dress, this time covered in lace and beadwork.

  "These dresses are hideous," I whispered, hoping that the associate wouldn't hear me dissing her inventory. "Why are you asking me to try them on?"

  "I told you, I want to see what these horrible confections look like on a normal human woman," she said as she scanned the rack for her next pick.

  "You're evil," I told her as I pulled out another simple dress, this time a column with thin shoulder straps and a scooped neck that had a classic look to it. "How about this one?"

  "Yeah, sure, try it on," she said as she yanked a hideous strapless dress with waves of tulle layered in a way that was sure to make the wearer look like a crazed ballerina. She gleefully cried, "And, this one!"

  "Viv, stop picking out the ugly ones," I scolded. "We are here with a purpose and that purpose is to find me an appropriate dress. With the emphasis on the word appropriate."

  "I know, I know," she said dropping her head and looking duly chastised. We browsed the racks in silence until she went to pull out one more dress.

  "Viv…" I warned.

  "No, seriously, look at this one," she said, holding it up. The dress was a fitted sheath held up by cap sleeves connected to gracefully draped lengths of fabric in back. The tasteful v-neck design was sexy, yet appropriate for a wedding, and the long skirt ended with a feathery frill at the very bottom and swept out into a short train that looked manageable. I nodded as she handed it to the sales associate.

  We'd chosen a wide range of dresses for Viv's turn as fake maid of honor, and now, we headed back to the fitting rooms to see if we had anything that would work. First, I donned the hideous dresses that Viv had chosen. One after another, I groaned as I pulled them on and looked at myself in the mirror. Viv sat outside on a velvet couch laughing until tears poured down her cheeks. In any other situation, I would have killed Viv for doing this to me, but the humor helped alleviate the anxiety I was feeling, so I welcomed the respite.

  "Alright, alright," Viv laughed as she wiped her eyes. "Just stop already!"

  "This is all your fault, you know," I said as I stalked back into the dressing room, trying to kick the layers of tulle and netting out of my way and failing miserably. I pulled down the simple sheath dress and pulled it on. Looking at myself in the mirror, I smiled. This was much more my style, though I doubted Viv was going to agree. I walked out and spun around.

  "Too plain," she said waving her hand. "Need I remind you that you are marrying a billionaire?"

  "Viv…" I said with a warning tone in my voice.

  "Still, it's too plain," she repeated.

  I went back into the fitting room and pulled the column dress. It looked a little less plain – more wedding and less summer picnic. I walked out and Viv let out a low wolf whistle.

  "Now that one's a little more like it!" she exclaimed. The sales associate nodded as she moved to help me up onto the small platform in front of the mirror. "I like this one, Wally. You look sexy, but sophisticated in it. It's not too plain and not too fancy."

  I stood on the platform looking at myself for a few moments before I stepped down and headed back to the fitting room for the last dress. When I pulled it on, I knew that it was the one. The dress fit me like a glove and the effect was stunning. I walked out of the dressing room and Viv's jaw dropped as I walked across the floor to the platform.

  "Lexi, that's the one," she said with a reverence usually reserved for church. "That dress looks like it was made just for you."

  "It doesn't look half bad, does it?" I asked as I turned around to see the back of the dress. "I look elegant and classy, don't I? This is just the type of thing a socialite would wear for her wedding, isn't it?"

  "I don't know about that, Wally, but it's definitely you," she agreed. "And, you look amazing in it."

  I looked at myself in the mirror and wondered where this was all headed. My desire for Max was exceeding anything I'd ever imagined, and he seemed to feel the same way. Maybe we had something real and could actually shape a real relationship for ourselves. Or maybe this farce of a wedding was pushing us in a direction that neither one of us would have ever gone. Maybe it was all just a fairytale and the prince was going to turn out to be one b
ig fat frog.

  I took another look, sighed, and decided to believe.

  CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

  Max

  It was hard to clear Lexi from my thoughts now that my office was filled with her scent and my mind was filled with images of what she looked like in the throes of passion. Twice in one day we'd amped things up, and I was lost in the memories of her body and the feel of her in my arms. A phone call from Feliks informing me that my father was demanding vengeance for my brother's death quickly brought me back to reality as I considered what my next steps would be.

  I'd hired a security firm to guard the store and Lexi, but decided to forgo the protection for myself. If Dementyev and his thugs were going to come for me, there wasn't going to be a security detail alive that would stop them. Instead, I was going to go looking for them.

  I closed the store early, stopped by the penthouse, and changed into a pair of jeans, a t-shirt, and an old hoodie. I put on the steel-toed boots that Kristov had given me last Christmas as a joke. He'd decided that I needed to be a little more urban in my dress and had appointed himself the purveyor of urban fashion. He'd purchased several outfits for me and had them wrapped in plain brown paper and black ribbon. When I'd unwrapped the presents at our family's Christmas celebration, Papa had laughed heartily at the look of pure confusion that crossed my face. Kristov had patiently explained what each of the outfits was for, each more outlandish than the last, but the last one was the one he described as being "What you kill a thug in." I pulled it on and sent up a silent prayer for his soul.

  I'd tracked Dementyev and his gang to a house on the West side, but I knew that the chances of finding them there were slim. Instead, I headed to the neighborhood dive a few blocks away from Ursus, sat down at the bar with a whiskey, and waited. The after work crowd began to filter in as I sat and sipped my drink and thought about what I would do once I found the man who had murdered my brother. I wanted to do what Papa had suggested: slowly torture the man to death as he begged for mercy or release. The thought of revenge gave me a sense of satisfaction, but it also made me sick thinking that I was turning into the very person that I'd tried so hard to avoid becoming – my father.