Remorseless (Fractured Farrells: A Damaged Billionaire Series Book 3)

by Mallory Crowe

  “Which one of these is yours?” He pulled out one of the plastic forks and a napkin.

  “I’ll eat any of them. You pick first.”

  “Julie, you have to have at least a few of these things you like more than the others.”

  “Fine. Leave me the shrimp fried rice, then.”

  “Good.” Who liked shrimp fried rice the best? Julie really was an enigma. “I think after today you can drop the nice act.”

  “Seriously? Did you go from feeling grateful to being bitter in two seconds?”

  “No, I was thinking that we’re sleeping together. I don’t think it’s fair for you to be treating me like your client anymore.”

  Julie turned around to face the computer, probably to avoid looking at him. “You’re still my client,” she said softly and he had a feeling she was trying to convince herself more than him. “So tell me the four guys you suspect again.”

  “Changing the subject?”

  “Prioritizing,” she clarified. “Now spill.” She was poised over the computer as though ready to write down anything he said.

  “Peter McKenzie, Ben Brody, Adam Donovan, and Tate Gallagher.”

  Julie typed in all the names as he went. “And you mentioned their roles in the company?”

  “Peter was the accounting and banking guy. Adam was the boozer and schmoozer who was in charge of getting the software onto every business computer in the US and, eventually, the world. Tate was the CEO who showed up at all the parties to look put together and like he knew what he was doing. Ben was the tech guy. Horrible in person, but it was his brain that actually helped create the software.”

  “That’s a start. Have you kept tabs on any of these guys?”

  “Tabs from prison?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know what you were capable of.”

  He sighed. “Tate is the head of a different software company now. A point-of-sale system used in a lot of warehouse-based stores. Adam is still boozing around and digging up funds from wherever he can. Except now he bagged some rich heiress of a wife who is on the board of fifteen different charities. So he’s turned his evil superpower of getting people to empty their pockets to good. I haven’t heard what happened to Peter or Ben. They both tended to stay out of the limelight, so it will be harder to find out what they were up do.”

  Julie kept on typing away. “And you’re sure there are no other enemies with a motive and means of getting you silenced?”

  “I’m not sure of anything, Julie. These are the most likely suspects for now.”

  She typed a few more words before she swiveled around in the chair. “Well, that’s all we can do for now. Once Alex gets here, he’ll tell us what resources we can use and we can get some private detectives to do some legwork for us. Until then, I have a list of different properties that Farrell Enterprises owns. Did you want to take a look at them?”

  He couldn’t help the confusion that came over his face. “Why?”

  She cocked her head. “So you have a place to live...”

  “Oh. I forgot I was homeless.”

  “That sounds like the billionaire I know. Were you thinking New York City? That’s the best selection. There are two different buildings that have openings and I think—”

  “Isn’t that where you live?”

  Julie’s mouth snapped shut and a flash of fear crossed over her eyes. “No. I mean, yes, I live there, but that wasn’t why I recommended New York. I figured because your family and the main office is there that—”

  “No. I want to be close to you. New York is good.”

  “You’re moving to New York because of me?”

  “We did sleep together.”

  “That was a one-time thing.”

  “Was it?” He had known that Julie didn’t have any plans on turning this into some grand affair or a long-term relationship. Hell, he didn’t know what he wanted out of it either. But he wasn’t done. “We’re going to be sharing a room for a while... You’re telling me you want to sleep on the couch?”

  “I—” She broke off as she stood and rubbed a hand through her hair. “You don’t like me. We just had angry sex, Logan. That’s nowhere close to a reason to move to a city.”

  “I did ask you on a date before the angry sex.”

  “There was a reason for the anger,” she reminded him. “That doesn’t just go away. We can’t pretend I didn’t do what I did.”

  “I’m not pretending anything. There’s an encampment of reporters moving in across the street. Trust me, I’m still pissed. Want to know what will make me less pissed? Sex. Sex with you, if you want to get particular.”

  “We have food here,” she reminded him as she pointed to the container in his hand that he barely touched. “Also, Alex will be here soon and we need to get ready for him.”

  “Get ready for him how?”

  “Umm...”

  He could tell she was grasping at straws and let her flounder for a moment as he set the untouched food on the desk and sat back on the bed. “Come here, Julie.”

  She set a hand on her hip, and he could tell she was fighting the urge to bolt. “I have a lot I need to do.”

  “The only job you have is keeping me out of trouble. Thanks to your very busy morning, I am now saved from one very dirty scandal and have replaced it with a new, sexy, innocent one. Now I want to spend time in bed with my sexy, innocent scandal. So come here.”

  “We can’t, Logan.”

  “Trust me when I tell you that you don’t want me going over there to get you.”

  The threat must’ve gotten through to her, because she finally stepped forward, crossing the few feet between them until she stood at the edge of the bed. “We need to—”

  She broke off as Logan reached up and started to undo the buttons on her flannel shirt. Even though it was a historically masculine print, this flannel shirt was designed to drive men crazy. It was tight enough to outline the curves of her hips and breasts, and she only had it buttoned up to right below her breasts, so the tight tank top she wore beneath could make his mouth water with the urge to get his mouth back on those breasts.

  It didn’t take him long to finish with the buttons and push the shirt over her shoulders and onto the floor.

  “If it’s just sex you’re looking for, I’m sure I can find someone who can—” She broke off as he slid his hands beneath her tank top and flattened his palm against the bare skin of her back, pulling her closer to the bed and between his legs.

  He pressed a kiss to her stomach and then leaned his head into the curve of her breasts, savoring the feel of her in his arms. “You can’t find anyone else who can do this for me.” He didn’t want some whore who didn’t know a damn thing about him. He wanted his girl next door. The girl next door who was a little crazy and willing to do anything to get the job done. But for now, she was in his arms, and he could pretend for a second he could have her.

  He pulled her shirt up, and she even helped finish pulling it over her head, until she was just in the tight black leggings and her bra. She finally reached forward and touched him, running her fingers through his hair and over his shoulders. “This has to end. Once Alex gets here, we’re nothing but coworkers, understand?”

  He would never agree to that. Julie was going to be his until they both worked each other out of their systems, and that would take a hell of a lot longer than a few hours. “I understand.”

  She nodded as she bent forward, pressing her lips to his. The second she gave him that little inch, he took everything she had to offer.

  With his hands on her waist, he pulled her closer and lifted her knee until she straddled him on the bed. She kept her fingers framing his face as she tilted his head for better access and his hand roamed all over her—her hips, her ass, the curve of her waist, and then her breasts. He made quick work of the bra, and she broke the kiss just long enough to throw the scrap of lace on the carpet.

  He pulled her fully against him. His cock strained against the confines of
his jeans as she rubbed against him. He bit back a groan at the friction even as he held her closer. He left her lips to taste the sensitive skin along her neck, inhaling her intoxicating scent.

  He could even feel the vibrations as she let out a little moan she couldn’t keep in. He didn’t want her to keep in those sounds of pleasure. He wanted to hear every little thing he did to her.

  He pulled her hips tighter against him as he moved down to her breasts. He’d gotten a few glimpses earlier that day and their time together that first night. But now he was able to give them his full attention. He took his time with each one, learning exactly the way she liked to be touched. What made her jump with pleasure or tighten her fingers on his shoulders and what made her bite her lip to keep from screaming.

  And then he couldn’t take it anymore. In one quick motion, he flipped her onto her back while moving both of them farther up the bed. She tugged at his shirt, and he flung it off him and started to focus on the bottom half.

  He went down her body, pulling at her panties and leggings in one motion, having to stop for a frustratingly long time to get her boots off. But then everything was gone, and Julie was once again naked in front of him. He had plans to kiss his way up her body and drive her crazy again, but she sat up and tugged at his pants.

  Far be it from him to keep a gorgeous naked woman from getting his pants off. Once they were gone, Julie pushed him back and straddled him. Logan wrapped a hand in her hair and pulled her down for a deep kiss even as he settled her fully on top of his cock.

  Julie steadied herself on the bed with one arm while her other hand ran over his biceps and chest before settling there. Once she had her purchase, she lifted her hips up and he positioned the head of his cock at her entrance. Then she slid down. She was already wet and ready, so he was inside her in a second.

  It felt so...right. She was warm and burning, and her body seemed to fit as if she were made especially for him. In the thousands of fantasies he’d had while in prison, nothing had come close to the reality of holding Julie in his arms. No matter how much she lied to him or played him or sided with his brothers, he would always try to get her in his bed. Always.

  He let go of her hair to put both hands on her hips as he showed her the rhythm. He moved her up and down on his cock, alternating between slow and gentle and hard and fast. Sometimes his eyes would close from the pleasure, but the truly great moments were when he opened them. Her body, in all its perfection, was his for the moment. With every thrust, she managed to look hotter, and as the pleasure shot across her face, Logan finally snapped. In one second, he rolled over and had her on her back.

  He couldn’t stop the wave of lust that took over. He pounded her hard and fast, unrelenting as his orgasm creeped up on him. And the second she came, he couldn’t hold back for one more moment.

  He tensed as he came and held Julie as tight as he could as he burrowed his head into her shoulder. The tension slowly left him, he turned on his side and pulled Julie with him.

  “I’m on birth control,” said Julie suddenly.

  He didn’t really know what to think about that, but he was still too high on his orgasm to care much. “Huh?”

  “We’ve had sex twice now and you haven’t used any protection or asked me about birth control. As your public relations consultant, I need to remind you that these things need to be discussed. So I’m baby-proof and disease free, but you’d damn well better wrap up for the next girl you’re with.”

  Next girl? Oh yeah, she thought this was the last time between them still. “I don’t remember you stopping to have the talk.”

  “I was distracted. But I don’t have a bank account fat enough for someone to trick me into having a child with them.”

  She had a point. And it was stupid, but it made him strangely happy that she hadn’t broken down to have the talk with him beforehand. She had been too...distracted. He liked that he was able to distract her. He liked that he could make her lose control. If he really thought he could keep her coming to his bed, he’d need to get her to lose control a lot more times.

  “Now that the responsible talk is out of the way, why don’t we eat Chinese food in bed?”

  Julie smiled at him, and for a second, he forgot about the reporters outside and that the brother he hadn’t seen in years would be walking right between them in a few hours. It was just him and the beautiful naked woman in bed with him.

  Because starting right now, he’d be counting down the seconds until she’d be naked with him once more.

  Julie looked at the lobby doors once more, waiting for Alex to walk in. She’d warned him about the reporters, and he should be in plain clothes with a hoodie pulled to obscure part of his face. She tried to keep her gaze solely focused on the door, but her mind kept wandering back to the hotel room above her. To the man in that hotel room.

  She had no idea what she was going to do about him. What she was going to do about herself. Every single part of her career had been carefully calculated: Get her degree; get a low-paying job that got her foot in the door. Learn everything possible while creating the plan to launch her firm; get a high-profile client to get her name out there, and boom.

  She’d known high-profile clients could be a pain in the ass, but everything had gone so well with Nathan. And then once Jean came along, Julie had managed to introduce her to the press in the perfect way to protect her privacy while getting a good amount of money for the new heiress to save away from doing some exclusive interviews.

  Everything had been sunshine and daisies. And then Logan Farrell had come into her life. But as much drama as he’d brought, up to and including her still sore throat from the man who had been following him, it hadn’t been...bad. Thinking back on their time in bed that day—both of their times in bed—Julie couldn’t help but smile. When was the last time she’d had sex? Long enough. She hadn’t had time to go on even one date in the past year. She had forgotten the primal joy of being held. And Logan didn’t just hold her. He seemed to dominate her in a way she never even thought she’d like. He didn’t ask her to kiss him; he just did it. He didn’t silently hope she’d move faster. He set his hands on her hips and moved her the way he wanted her to move.

  But he still stayed respectful. She remembered when she kissed him upstairs. It was only then that things got really heated.

  Dominating. Since when did she like dominating men? Well, she supposed she’d never had one before.

  Then a tall man came in, with a black hoodie pulled over his face and wearing glasses. Not sunglasses, but the effect was enough to obscure a few more of his features. Julie stepped forward and waved him over. He only had two bags with him: a duffel and his computer bag.

  Once he was closer, she opened the door to the stairwell for him. “I’m glad you made it. How was the flight?”

  Alex pushed off the hood but left his fake glasses on. “It was on the private jet. I think I read in the papers I signed that I’m not allowed to complain about any flight I take in my own private jet.”

  “A billionaire who read the rich guy manual. I didn’t think men like you existed.”

  He smiled. “I missed you, Jules.”

  “You too, Alex. I was glad you made it so fast. I didn’t think that you’d be able to drop everything like that.”

  Alex’s smile vanished and he readjusted his bags. “It was no problem. I didn’t mind getting out of New York.”

  Julie tried not to be concerned. Alex wasn’t the type to want to get away from things. “The city getting to you?”

  “I wasn’t in the city. I was upstate. Don’t worry about it. I’m fine now. I’m hoping we’re not going to the top of the building.” He pointed to the stairs.

  “No. We’re on the fourth floor, right next to the stairs.” She started to lead the way.

  “So how is he?”

  Well, considering he got laid twice today, he was doing pretty good. “He’s pretty focused on his investigation.”

  “The investigation you
wouldn’t tell me about.”

  “I didn’t think I should tell you over the phone. It’s personal, and I’ve been working really hard to gain his trust. Part of that means I can’t run off telling his brothers his secrets.”

  “Has he seemed angry? Has he said anything about us?”

  “He’s been distracted. For what it’s worth, most of his anger was focused at Walter. So I think you might be off the hook.” Julie was quiet the rest of the walk up the three flights of stairs. In all truth, she didn’t know what she could say to Alex. Besides the fact that she was already hiding things from him, Logan had never given her a clear idea of how he felt about his brothers.

  But if Alex could help Logan with his search, that would go a long ways to helping Logan reconnect with his family. Once they reached the fourth floor, she checked to make sure there was no one there before she waved Alex in. Then it was only a few quick steps to the hotel room door. She knocked softly before she inserted the key—her little warning to Logan that they were there.

  “Here we go.” She held the door for Alex. Unlike the suite they’d had across the street, there were no other rooms for Logan to hide out in, so he was on the bed, turning off the TV as Alex walked in.

  Both of the brothers were silent for a moment, and Julie could feel the tension in the room.

  “Logan,” said Alex finally with a nod.

  Logan stood. “Alex,” he responded.

  “Well, don’t all start talking at once,” muttered Julie. Both men turned to look at her, and she was starting to think that staying quiet would’ve been the better option. “I can leave you two alone and give you some privacy.”