by Stone, Piper
“Not as sorry as the asshole who did this.” When I ended the call, it took everything I had not to toss the phone.
“What’s wrong with the goddamn jet?” Chase demanded.
“It would appear our mystery guest is upping the ante. The plane was tampered with.”
“Fucking shit. What in the hell are we dealing with?”
“A scheme to take us down, but evidently not just our business.”
“This is getting out of hand, Sebastian.”
“Yeah, tell me about it.” I moved toward the veranda, peering out at the pool. When I didn’t see either Dax or Kendra, a wave of anxiety rushed in. “Where are they?”
Chase moved down the two steps, yanking his sunglasses from his shirt, shoving them onto his face. As he scanned the area, I made another call. The ringtone on the other end of the line pissed me off even more. “Marjorie. I need you to contact Richard Tredegar and remind him of the damn deadline. I’m through with playing games.”
“Yes, sir,” she answered in a cautious voice.
“And by no means provide any information on our whereabouts or what we’re working on to anyone, including our employees.” I didn’t give her a chance to answer, fuming more than I had earlier.
“A little hard on her, weren’t you?” Chase chided.
“Maybe not hard enough. Where the fuck did they go?” I took long strides toward the pool area, sweeping my gaze across the entrance to the bar. Although it was a little before noon, the massive tiki bar was full of people. I pushed my way through the crowd, my breath skipping. They weren’t sipping cocktails or admiring the view of the beach. Anger was ready to erupt, my muscles tightening.
“Come on. They’re on the beach.” Chase grabbed my arm.
Why the hell had both disobeyed my orders? Chase was first, both of us taking the steps toward the ocean waters two at a time. Dax stood stoically, his hands in his pockets, watching as Kendra frolicked in the water. I scanned the beach, almost certain that the person responsible was watching us, likely had been in Chicago at certain points. There were no obvious possibilities, the miles of oceanfront property filled with tourists.
“She’s fucking beautiful,” Chase said mostly under his breath. “And she seems happy.”
Happy. How the hell could she possibly be enjoying herself after… I couldn’t finish the damn thought. I studied her for a few seconds, drinking in her absolute beauty. She was stunning.
Everything about her was uplifting from her determination to maintain her resolve to her resilience to my nasty demeanor. At this moment, she did seem happy, dunking her hands in the water and laughing when a slight wave washed against her legs. Another moment of doubt crowded in, but I was willing to follow my gut that she’d been thrown into the middle of this. While I doubted the person seeking revenge would dare attempt to harm her in the middle of a crowded beach, my throat was tight from the kind of trepidation I wasn’t used to.
Maybe that was because I cared about her.
“She’s… perfect.”
“Be careful, Sebastian. I think you’re finally beginning to understand the true meaning of life.”
Snorting, I glanced in his direction. While I was unable to see his full expression given the dark shades, I didn’t need to see what was directly in front of my face.
Losing her wasn’t an option.
I could no longer deny the growing feelings that had encapsulated all three of us. For me, it wasn’t simply my need to possess her for the sake of winning a round of poker. I’d actually felt more happiness in the hours I’d spent with her than I’d been able to remember in the majority of my life. I shook my head, slowly walking in their direction.
When I was finally able to hear the lilt of her laughter, an electrified shiver coursed down my spine. For all the anger that I’d allowed to fester inside me, all the hatred I’d experienced for anyone who dared to thwart whatever I was attempting to do, she’d been the one to break through all the barriers.
One woman.
One dazzling female.
Fuck.
I was falling in love.
“I thought I told you to stay put,” I huffed as I flanked Dax’s side.
“You told me to keep an eye on her. That’s exactly what I’ve been doing. The contract signed?”
I laughed softly. “It would seem our mystery player is determined to bring down our business in every method possible.”
Dax took a deep breath. “Then what are we going to do?”
“Fight fire with fire. We should get back to the boat.” I wanted nothing more than to spend the day with her enjoying the old city, exploring the curved streets and small cafés. Jesus. I was getting soft. Maybe that’s what the unknown asshole had been counting on when he sent her our way.
“Why don’t we spend a couple hours here?” Chase suggested. “We can’t leave. We might as well enjoy ourselves. Besides, it’s entirely possible this person might show his face.”
“Why can’t we leave?” Dax asked.
“The jet was sabotaged.” My answer only brought a shake of his head once again. The concept the bastard would be so stupid as to show himself was unlikely; however, stranger things had happened. All three of us were carrying weapons and I had no issue using mine if necessary in order to keep her safe. “Not a bad idea.”
The moment I started to walk closer, Kendra turned around, her smile starting to wane. She shielded her eyes from the sun as she stared at me, remaining exactly where she was. I was thrown by the way the sunlight highlighted the golden tones in her hair, the tropical dress she’d selected accentuating her rounded curves. She cradled her sandals in her hand, studying me intently the closer I came.
“Be careful, you’ll get your thousand-dollar trousers wet,” she commented as she pointed toward the wet sand.
“It’s worth it.” I watched as a small wave swept toward the beach, the sound of rippling water soothing.
“Business concluded?” she asked.
“For now.”
“I can tell it didn’t go well.”
“And how would you know that?”
“Your dimples become more pronounced when your face is pinched and that’s only when you’re angry or frustrated about something, which I hate to admit is almost all the time.” She tipped her head, her eyes darting back and forth, obviously waiting for my response.
A laugh pulsed up from my throat, the sound unexpected. “I guess you’re right. Perhaps you know me better than you should.”
“I know very little about you, Sebastian.”
“Does that mean you’d like to know more?” I had no idea why I posed the question, other than she brought out a side of me that I hardly recognized.
“Maybe, but only if it’s the real you. You know, what you like to eat, your favorite movies, music. I wouldn’t mind hearing more about your past.”
She could never know just how cathartic the words were to me. However, the real man was likely unavailable for a lengthy period of time.
If ever.
“We will be leaving for the States as soon as maintenance is finished on the plane.”
“Why do I have a feeling that you’re not telling me the truth?”
I inched closer, studying the ocean waters, the color more vibrant than I’d paid any attention to before. Even the beach was exquisite, pearly white sands with hints of seashells. “There’s no need to upset you.”
Kendra pushed her palm against my chest, shaking her head. “I’m not stupid, Sebastian. Whatever is going on has you on edge.”
I rubbed my hand through her hair, thumbing her lips. “It would appear we’re being tracked.”
“Do you mean hunted?”
“Perhaps.”
“Because of your father?”
Taking a deep breath, I allowed the salty air to remain in my lungs for a full ten seconds before exhaling. “I’m not certain but I will find out. We will enjoy a few hours in the city before returning to the yacht. By then, ever
ything should be in order.”
“Then what?”
Using a single finger under her chin, I tipped her head, my cock already aching to the point it was difficult to breathe. “Then I will obtain the answers I need. Now, I have a question for you. Are you wearing your plug as required?”
The warm blush creeping up from her neck added to her vulnerability. She groaned and wrapped her fist around my shirt. “Yes, I’m obeying your orders.”
“The first thing we’re going to do is check to make sure you did.” I chuckled easily before nodding in the direction of the hotel. “We’ll grab some lunch.”
As we started to walk toward the steps, a sudden chill raced into my muscles. I had the distinct feeling the mystery player was close.
Soon, asshole. Soon. You will face my wrath.
* * *
The two hours we’d stayed in the city had been uneventful, the time spent more enjoyable than I could have imagined, although Kendra was right. I remained on edge, scanning the crowded streets in search of anyone who stood out. My actions were ridiculous at best, but a requirement in my mind.
“You need to relax,” Dax suggested. “There’s nothing we can do right now.”
“Maybe so, but we also need to be prepared for his next move.” Suddenly, the vodka tonic I’d ordered had a bitter taste. I pushed it away as I studied the dozens of people on the street, unable to rid myself of the uneasy feeling that had taken over. While I’d enjoyed our time spent, including the outdoor café, I was eager to return to the boat, locking down until we were able to leave. What little I’d read regarding the new contract provided by the formal owners of the hotel had done nothing but fuel my anger. The assholes had used one of our clauses against us, namely one regarding oversight and assistance with management. While the specifics had been spelled out to a degree on our side, a good attorney could easily manipulate the details. I would be curious to learn the selling price as well as the stock’s current value.
And I was eager to check out Sunrise Industries, the dummy and obviously fake corporation who’d signed on the dotted line.
“Am I allowed to walk into the store across the street?” Kendra asked, almost purring her words.
I leaned over the table, still marveling in how relaxed she seemed, unless she was faking it. “You aren’t meeting someone inside the store, are you?”
Her face pinched, she pushed away from the table, jerking to a standing position. “Weren’t you the one who asked me to trust you? I guess trust doesn’t go both ways. I’m not this mysterious enemy you’re so certain exists. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
She wasn’t taking no for an answer.
Sighing, a part of me wanted to reach out, maybe apologize, but I couldn’t avoid the nagging feelings that remained churning in my gut.
“You really are an asshole, Sebastian. You seem to forget that we were the ones who brought her here against her will.” Dax growled under his breath, downing the rest of his drink.
Kendra weaved her way through traffic, disappearing inside the small establishment. I fisted my glass, bringing it once again to my lips and downing a good portion of the remainder. “I’m well aware of what we did, Dax.”
“Good. Then you better be prepared to figure out what we’re going to do with her when we return. Otherwise, we might find ourselves behind bars.”
Was her intent to betray us? I couldn’t push the thought away. The phone call from Marjorie prevented me from retorting in my usual surly manner. “What did Mr. Tredegar say?”
“I didn’t have to talk to him, Mr. Randolph,” Marjorie answered. Why did I have a bad feeling about this?
“Go on.”
“A note was delivered.”
“The contents?” My hand was clenched around the glass with enough force, the remaining liquid had sloshed onto the table.
“It just said he was sorry.”
Sorry. The asshole had no idea just how sorry he was going to be. I closed my eyes, taking several deep breaths. “Marjorie. Did you happen to notice which courier was used?”
“Hold on, Mr. Randolph. Let me check.”
“The contract is dead. Isn’t it?” Chase asked, swearing under his breath.
I nodded before chuckling. Whoever this asshole was, he was good, determined to follow through with his threat.
“I’m going to find Kendra,” Dax said as he rose to his feet. “I don’t think she should be alone.”
“Mr. Randolph, the name of the firm is Capital Couriers. Almost everyone in this part of town uses them.” Marjorie’s answer struck another chord. It was the same courier used to deliver the threatening note.
“Thank you, Marjorie. We will be returning to the office in a couple days.”
“Wait, Mr. Randolph. There’s a couple things I need to mention while I have you on the phone.”
I listened as she rattled off a few requests, news on one of our projects. Nothing presented a red flag until the last statement. Lights flashed in front of my eyes from just hearing the words, the ugly memory one I’d never wanted to resurface. I wasn’t entirely certain I’d ended the call, my finger number after pressing the button.
“I don’t like the look on your face. What did she say to you?” Chase asked, studying me intently.
I yanked out several bills from my wallet, tossing them onto the table before standing. “Black roses.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“They were sent to the office.”
My breathing became labored, my heart racing. Chase moved beside me, shifting until I was forced to look into his eyes. “Talk to me,” he insisted.
“Black roses were delivered to my father’s funeral.”
“Jesus. That isn’t a coincidence.”
I remembered my father telling me after I’d broken some rule that with every infraction there must be consequences. The concept had been instilled into me, preventing me from misbehaving on a regular basis.
Sadly, the asshole responsible had no idea that I planned on taking my father’s words to the extreme.
The fucker would soon face his demise.
Both of us crossed the street just as Dax raced outside.
“She’s gone. Kendra is missing.”
Chapter 13
Kendra
A few minutes before
Cause and effect.
I wasn’t certain why I couldn’t get the phrase out of my mind. At this point, it made no sense other than being forced to admit that I’d viewed the Extreme as bad guys without considering the possibility that there could be reasons for their actions.
Or that deep down inside they were just regular guys who’d forged a dangerous path.
I needed time to breathe, to try to remember who I was and why I’d taken on the assignment with such fervor in the first place. As I meandered around the store, not really paying attention to what I was looking at, my thoughts continued to shift to the three gorgeous men. They all had such different sides other than the persona they insisted the world see.
Dark.
Dangerous.
Mysterious.
Yet Sebastian remained locked behind steel bars, imprisoned by his past. Maybe if they would allow me into their world I could understand. Or maybe I was just fooling myself. While we would likely never learn to trust each other, I had more than just a few doubts that what I’d been led to believe was accurate.
A setup.
My reporter instinct was in high gear. Whoever was playing this game was enjoying the hell out of it. I was terrified the expense would be too great, and not in the form of monetary value. I shifted to a selection of beautiful dresses, amazed how entirely different they seemed. I almost laughed at the realization that I had no way of purchasing a single one of them. At least I could breathe being away from the three men’s watchful eyes.
They’d actually dragged me into the hallway of the hotel, requiring me to lift my dress, exposing my bottom to anyone who happened to walk by. It had pro
bably been the most humiliating experience so far. They’d taken their sweet time to run their fingers down the crack of my ass, twisting the godawful plug.
One at a time.
Then Chase had patted me on the bottom, calling me a good girl. I chewed on my inner cheek just thinking about the experience and every time I moved, the plug was a reminder that they were in charge.
Owning me.
Using me.
Training me.
The surge of excitement at the thought left me breathless.
And disgusted.
“Ce sera parfait.” This is perfect.
The deep baritone was sensual, provocative. Although I couldn’t see the man, I envisioned he was a wonderful, sexy representation of the gorgeous people I’d seen walking the streets of St. Tropez. The city was full of life, invigorating to every one of my senses. Sights. Sounds. Smells. They were all heightened.
Even the colors seemed more vibrant, flowers everywhere, their aroma breathtaking. I’d adored spending the short amount of time walking the streets, taking in the sights. And the respite at the café had been amazing.
Until Sebastian ruined it.
I yanked another hanger, grousing under my breath.
“C’est la plus belle femme aux cheveux cuivres et aux yeux eblouissants.”
The statement sent an immediate shiver down my spine.
She is the most beautiful woman with copper-colored hair and dazzling eyes.
The voice. Dear God, I recognized the voice. My legs trembling, I moved around the rack, taking small steps in the direction of the cash register. All I could see was the man’s back as he grabbed the package, heading toward the rear door leading out of the store.
But there was no mistake. The Frenchman from the Gentleman’s Club.
I was paralyzed for a few seconds before pushing my way through a group of women and bolting toward the same door, bursting outside into the bright sun. I raced in one direction, rising onto my tiptoes in an effort to see him. He was a large man, at least six foot four. I should have been able to see him over the heads of the other shoppers.