She winced and rubbed at her forehead. “I don’t know. Don’t you think things are getting too…complicated?”
And yet another question he didn’t want to answer. “You don’t want to leave.”
“No, I don’t want to, but—”
“Then don’t.” He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her neck.
She let her head fall back and took in a breath. “When you do that, it makes it hard to think straight.”
“Then I’m doing it right.” He trailed kisses higher and ran his tongue against the top of her ear. “I don’t want you to go.” She stiffened in his arms and he knew he’d said the wrong thing.
He moved to go for the other side of her neck, but she rested two palms on his chest to stop him. “I thought this wasn’t serious.”
“It wasn’t. But it can be.”
She frowned. “Are you serious right now?”
He clenched his jaw as he tried to get a read on the situation. He knew she’d been set on a casual relationship, but he’d thought she’d been enjoying the time they’d spent together. “Yes, I’m serious. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Because we’re not compatible in any way.”
He picked her up by the waist again and pulled her tightly against him, high enough that her feet didn’t touch the ground. “I know at least one way we’re compatible.”
He started to cross the kitchen and her arms wrapped around his neck to hold on tightly. “Where are we going?” She smiled.
Instead of answering, he kept moving to the living room and sat on the sofa, maneuvering her so she straddled him. “This definitely feels compatible,” he murmured as he ran his hands up and down her thighs and cupped her ass.
She laughed and bit her bottom lip. “Name me one thing we have in common, Michael.”
He raised a brow. “We both are annoyed by Luke.”
She playfully swatted his chest. “Hey, I like Luke.”
“And I like him too! That’s another thing we have in common.”
“Two things! That’s a decent amount.”
“Two things are all you need to build a foundation.” Michael reached around and found the zipper at the back of her dress. He pulled the straps off her shoulders until her black bra was completely exposed. He pressed a kiss to the spot between her collar bones. She let out a soft moan that seemed to speak right to his already hard cock. He forced himself to go slow as he kissed lower until he reached the valley between her breasts.
Her fingers wrapped in his hair and urged him closer as her hips moved against his. He pressed her generous breasts together and nipped at the soft flesh that overflowed from the cups of her bra.
“Michael,” she moaned as she moved harder against him. With one hand, he reached around her and undid the clasp of her bra, finally freeing her breasts to his gaze. She pulled her bra the rest of the way off and he immediately took one hard, pebbled nipple into his mouth.
Damn, she felt good. Somehow even knowing what she’d feel like, sound like, taste like in his arms didn’t dampen his pleasure at getting her alone with him once again.
“Please,” she murmured as she thrust her hips against him harder, and the dam suddenly broke. He needed to get himself inside her as soon as possible.
He pulled away from her and reached for his belt buckle. She was eager to help as she pushed his jacket over his shoulders. In a flurry of motion, he stripped off his jacket and undid his pants just enough to free his straining erection. He grabbed the condom out of his pocket and slid the latex over his cock. Lori started to pull away, and his hand on her waist stopped her.
He stared into her eyes as he reached between their bodies and slid his hand up her skirt. When he reached the resistance of the soft, silky material of her panties, he wrapped his fingers in the fabric and gave one fierce tug, ripping them off her. Her breath caught in her throat as he slid one finger deep inside her heat to test her readiness. He didn’t know how it was possible, but his cock got even harder as her wet heat enveloped him. He lifted her hips and positioned himself at her entrance.
She set a palm on each side of his face, bent forward, and kissed him as he pushed deep in one stroke.
Lori rested her forehead against his as he started to move within her. His hands tightened on her ass as he moved her in the rhythm he wanted. Needed.
Her fingers fisted in his shirt as she tried to move against him, but he kept control and set his own pace.
“Please,” she moaned again, as her head fell back.
With every thrust, her breasts moved in just the right way, and what little control he had snapped. He moved his hands to her back and let her ride him. She kept a frantic pace, her hands braced against his chest as she lifted her hips up and down.
And then when her orgasm washed over her, she let out the sexiest fucking scream he’d ever heard. She fell apart in his arms and he held her close as his own orgasm ripped through him.
He rested his head in the crook of her neck as they both caught their breath in the aftermath. He ran his hands up and down her back and kissed her neck as the aftershocks of her own climax rocked her.
“So this is going to be a regular thing now?” she asked.
“I’m up for it if you are.” He smiled against her neck.
“Oh, I’m up for it. But I have a request for next time.”
“Anything.” At this point, she could’ve asked for his share in DevX and he probably would’ve said yes.
She tugged at his shirt. “Next time, can you get at least partially naked?”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Lori’s phone rang and she had to do a double take at the caller ID. Michael never called her. The few times they actually interacted in the office was through the work chat or their cell phones.
She hesitantly picked up the phone and held it to her ear. “Hello?”
“I need you to come upstairs, Lori.”
She glanced around her, half convinced she was in trouble. “This really isn’t a good time.” As much fun as a quickie in the office sounded, she had a pile of updates that needed to be done by the end of the day.
“You need to come up here right now.” There wasn’t any hint of flirtation or teasing in his voice.
“Yeah, I’ll be right up.” She didn’t remember the last time he’d been that serious around her. They’d spent all Sunday together watching movies, talking, and, most memorably, making love all over his apartment.
Making love? Well, whatever they were doing, it felt like more than just sex. It was still strange enough to think of him as her boyfriend. When they were together, it made perfect sense. They just fit. But once she was back in her apartment or at her desk, she would remember that her boyfriend wasn’t just Michael. He was Michael Devereaux.
But she wasn’t going to let herself get scared away from this. If he was crazy enough to want her, she wasn’t going to let her fear get in the way and ruin it. She forced herself to remain optimistic the entire elevator ride and on the walk to Michael’s office, but all her optimism flew away as she opened his office door to see him sitting somberly behind his desk and a striking woman standing in the middle of the office.
The woman had dark, curly hair that fell just past her shoulders. She wore slacks and a blazer, but she didn’t scream investor or anything to Lori. She looked more like a cop… “Evelyn, I’m guessing,” said Lori.
“Why don’t you have a seat?” said Evelyn.
Lori glanced over to Michael, and he still wore the same somber expression. Okay… She took a seat and looked between the two of them. “Am I in trouble or something?”
“Have you talked to Grayson since Saturday?” asked Michael.
“Umm… Considering he told me to stay away from you and all your friends, and I was with you until ten last night, no. I haven’t talked to him.” Michael and she had been together until it was absolutely necessary she got back to her apartment to actually get some sleep and to where she kept her work clothes and badge. Judging
from the grave mood in the room, something bad went down with Grayson sometime between Saturday night and now. “What happened?”
Evelyn looked as though she was about to speak, but Michael shook his head and leaned forward. “Grayson jumped off the roof of his apartment building at three o’clock this morning.”
The blood drained from Lori’s face. “What?” she asked weakly, even though she heard them perfectly fine.
Evelyn crossed the office and leaned her hip on the desk. “The police were called at three ten this morning to the scene of an apparent suicide. There were no signs of struggle and a note was found.”
“Apparent? Does that mean you think it might’ve been murder? Was this before or after you asked him to turn on his bosses?”
Evelyn tightened her lips. “We approached him yesterday afternoon. He was taking a day to think over our offer.”
Lori ran a hand through her hair and thought back to the lively, albeit angry, man she’d met. “Apparently he didn’t need a day.” What had happened? Had he been too overwhelmed by the very idea of turning on the men who had probably made him rich and hate himself at the same time? Or had they somehow found out about his plans to turn on them so soon… “Is there going to be an investigation?”
“I can’t authorize that. If the FBI is crawling all over a clear-cut suicide, it will make them suspicious, and that’s the last thing we need.”
“It’s only clear-cut because that’s what they want you to think! Doesn’t he at least deserve someone to try to find out what happened?”
Evelyn moved in a bit closer, almost blocking her view of Michael. “We can’t get close without causing trouble. But you can.”
Michael stood and slammed his palms on the desk. “Hey,” he warned.
Evelyn kept her gaze firmly on Lori. “If you start asking around, hanging around, it won’t raise eyebrows. Everyone knows you were his niece after you went to the party on Saturday. It would only be natural that you would want to learn more about your uncle.”
“Learn more about her uncle from the people who may have killed him, you mean,” added Michael. “She’s not a fucking cop, Evelyn. She’s not going undercover for you to interrogate people.”
“You’re not a cop either,” said Evelyn. “That didn’t stop you from going into the danger zone when your family was in trouble. What makes her different?”
“My cousin is still alive. There is no saving Grayson. In fact, he’d probably still be alive if it weren’t for you people.”
“I’m trying to help you,” snapped Evelyn. “Every moment that you’re dealing with them, talking with them, laughing with them, you’re in danger. Every moment they walk free, innocent people are losing their life savings while these entitled assholes think that they run this city and that they don’t have to face the consequences that us normal people do. Now, you might not understand that, Mr. Devereaux, but I’m guessing Lori does.”
“Excuse me.” Lori pushed herself out of the chair and staggered to the door. She couldn’t sit around for one more second and watch Evelyn and Michael argue over what she was supposed to do. She didn’t even know the answer. Hell, she wasn’t even sure whether she should be “going steady” with Michael, let alone whether she should work with the FBI to take down a shady investment ring.
“Lori,” called Michael.
She heard his footsteps come closer and she held out a shaky hand. “No. I need to take a walk. Or go back to work. I need to not be here.”
“Will you think over my offer?” Evelyn still leaned against the desk.
Lori nodded weakly. “How can I get a hold of you?”
“I sent my number to your phone already.”
Lori nodded again and realized she probably looked like a bobblehead. Damn. She walked out of the office and headed toward the elevator, but she didn’t make it. Her breaths came harder and faster as her feet moved until the all-encompassing need to breathe took over. She ducked into the executive bathroom and fell against the door as she closed it, sliding down until the floor caught her.
When was the last time she’d had a panic attack? Oh yeah... clubbing with Quinn. She remembered the embarrassing incident all too well. The swirling in her head. The knowledge that nothing was impairing her breathing, but still not being able to take in air.
How could Grayson be dead? She’d just seen him. Just talked to him. He’d been lively and angry and had seemed to genuinely care for her well-being. Now he was gone. She should’ve spent more time with him. Maybe if they’d gone to lunch or had coffee, things would’ve been different. It was much harder to force a suicide on someone who had loving family.
And if it wasn’t murder? If he actually killed himself? What if her brush-off had pushed him over the edge?
She squeezed her eyes shut. No. She couldn’t have done anything differently. She hadn’t known him well enough to tell him that she already knew why that crowd had been so dangerous. Hadn’t been able to tell him that Michael was safe because he was working with the FBI.
But there was something she could do now. She was his closest living family and lived in the city. No one would probably even want to come to the funeral from home. She’d need to organize things and sell his apartment and clean out his office. Did he even have an office or did he work from home?
No matter what she decided, she’d still probably find herself around Grayson’s shady clients and, if he was murdered, his murderer. She was the only family around to arrange things. So if she happened to keep her nose and ears to the ground and report back to Evelyn, what difference would it make?
And Michael had no right to be upset with her. He was doing the exact same thing. Actually, what he was doing was even worse because he sought the Thirteen Stars out. Lori just fell into this, and she’d have to deal with them no matter what. And suicide or not, these people killed Grayson. He’d been completely isolated from his family for years, and it made total sense now that she knew what he did for a living. Who would want to come home for Christmas when every other answer you gave would be a lie? When everything you wanted to brag about was earned through means that would make your sisters drop their heads in shame?
Even if Grayson jumped off that building himself, he might as well have been pushed.
As clarity settled in Lori’s mind, her breaths came easier. She didn’t feel as lost and confused anymore.
She finally lifted her head to look at the fancy, cold tile beneath her and the stainless steel fixtures. Hopefully the bathroom was as clean as it looked. She pushed herself up, trying not to think about all the germs.
The panic attack had her so overwhelmed that she hadn’t been able to think straight. Rationally. If she was going to work with Evelyn, she’d have to keep control of herself. To separate herself from the anger, rage, and despair of what had been taken from her.
She opened the door to the bathroom and made her way to the elevator bay and then back to her cubicle. They had made things personal, and she wasn’t about to let them push her around. Michael was fighting to protect his family, and she was going to protect hers.
She picked up her cell phone from the charger and saw Evelyn’s text message waiting, just as she’d promised. Lori typed in two simple words: I’m in.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
“This place is…”
“Nice,” finished Lori as she looked around her uncle’s apartment.
Michael’s high-end penthouse was modern and sleek, but Grayson’s was much more old-fashioned. Every piece of furniture seemed antique and as if it had decades’ worth of stories to tell.
The floorplan was open and spacious. Whereas Michael’s apartment was modern and seemed as if someone had come in and decorated, Grayson’s place appeared lived in. As though he’d collected each piece of furniture over years of travels and experiences.
It was a shame she didn’t get to keep anything. He’d named a handful of charities as the beneficiaries of his will, so all she was allowed to do was organize. Nor
mally she wouldn’t be asked to do it at all. It would be the trustee of his estate. But Evelyn had coached her on exactly what to say to the lawyers involved to get her access to Grayson’s apartment.
What was his time like here? Did he pass the time reading? Watching TV? Or maybe he was the type of person who spent all his time working. Maybe if she spent enough time sorting through everything, she would have a better idea.
Except the idea of digging through a dead man’s things sent chills up her spine. No, not a dead man, she reminded herself. A dead family member.
“I don’t even know where to start,” she murmured as she stared around her at the large living room. She was getting rather tired of being in rooms bigger than her apartment.
“Just start with small stuff. Remember to separate the documents and work-related items, since we’ll have to send those off to whoever his clients hire to take over their finances.”
Michael gave her a look that implied that he really meant to put anything she found aside for Evelyn to go through. The tragedy happened so quickly after Evelyn approached him, so they had to assume that there could be a listening device in the apartment somewhere.
And Lori tried her best to not let that thought freak her out. So someone might be listening to or watching their every move. Perfectly normal and non-creepy thing…
“I’ll make sure that his clients have everything they need as quickly as possible.” She sat at his desk.
“Are you sure you’re going to be okay here?” Michael took another turn around the room. He was on edge, and she could hardly blame him. She wasn’t completely comfortable either.
“Don’t worry,” she assured him. “I’ll be fine here for a few hours. This will take a while.”
He checked his watch. “I can have Luke here in an hour.”
“Just go to your meeting, Michael. I’ll be fine here.” He had a meeting with the international sales team in an hour and had been trying to cancel it ever since she had agreed to clean out her uncle’s place and feed Evelyn information.
Touching The Boss (Billionaires In The City Book 5) Page 13