by Amanda Scott
He may be a lot of things, but he’s not a liar.
She knew getting involved with a man like him could prove irrevocably dangerous.
I’ve gotten myself out of huge messes before. What made this time any different?
She pondered her own question as Colton picked up his phone and looked suspiciously towards his entryway as pounding fists blended in with the sounds of his rapidly pulsating doorbell.
Everything.
END OF BOOK TWO
PLEASING HIM, BOOK 3: UNLEASHED
I should have run while I still had the chance, she thought to herself as the knock on Colton Marcus’ door grew louder with each thud.
Here Taylor was, standing face to face with the most successful author on the planet, staring blankly into his gorgeous dark blue irises as he demanded an answer.
Even though her mind told her to run far, far away, her body seemed almost powerless in his presence, just as it had when he fucked her body senseless in the conference room at Baldpate University even though she knew better than to let such a thing like that happen. And just as it had only moments ago in his kitchen, when he used his tongue and soft, lush lips to do things to the sweet spot between her legs that almost pushed her body over the edge, an edge she never should have come so close to in the first place.
Taylor had never felt so trapped in her life; damned if she fled from this man’s estate and tried to return to a life that had all but crumbled to pieces, and damned if she stayed and faced the unknown with someone who had massive neon signs flashing all around him, all of which said the same thing…
Warning: Danger Ahead.
Time was running out real, real fast.
Only seconds ago he’d revealed to her literally the craziest proposition she ever could have imagined: Colton Marcus, superstar author slash sexiest Adonis she’s ever laid her eyes on, proposed that she help him write his next book.
But it wasn’t just that he wanted my help, she thought.
The hotter-than-hell billionaire actually seemed as though without her help, something really, really bad was going to happen to someone or something.
A war raged inside her head. The only thing she ever dreamed of becoming since she was a teenager was a writer… So what was keeping her from just giving him the answer he wanted to hear, the same answer that her soul was pleading with herself to give?
For starters, everything.
Patience was quickly dissipating from the billionaire’s eyes, draining out of them like water rushing from the rusty bottom of a metal pale that had just imploded. “If you’re wishy-washy about this whole thing, then maybe I had you all wrong to begin with. I thought maybe you had the balls to make something out of your life.”
She narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms in front of her chest. “I’m not wishy-washy. I just…” she paused as her childhood scars took hold of her psyche, just as they always did.
She knew the deep down truth of the matter; he was right. She was wishy-washy. She found it almost impossible to believe in herself, so she found it even harder to fathom that a man like him could ever truly believe in her.
Then she looked towards his door as the pounding grew louder with each knock. “Don’t you think you should answer that?” she stalled.
“Don’t worry about the door. Worry about making the right decision,” he said as he cupped her cheeks in his hands.
Damn him, she thought as chills swept across the flesh of her neck and electricity shot down towards her navel. It was like he knew how to control her entire body with the slightest touch from his hands.
Then he locked eyes with her and said, “I like you, Taylor. But before I answer that door, I’m going to get an answer from you one way or another.”
She cleared her suddenly dry throat. What did he just say?
This has to be a dream.
It was the first time he’d ever said anything like that to her since their very first, albeit extremely hot, encounter. She couldn’t help but think that maybe there was the slightest chance that he wasn’t just using her as some sort of disposable sex object.
But the fantasy didn’t last long. First came a massive dose of reason, then came the imaginary set of steel cables that grew like wild vines around her damaged heart. She reminded herself that the only thing scarier to her than being used was being genuinely cared for by another man. Taylor’s body suddenly stiffened and she pulled away from him. Too much too fast. She wasn’t about to let someone she hardly even knew make her feel this good inside.
Hell no.
She’d been hurt too badly before, and up to this point she’s done an exceptionally good job at keeping her heart safely locked away until she found the right man. And by right man, she certainly didn’t mean Colton Marcus, a man so powerful and so damn scorching hot that he would surely walk out of her life just as quickly as he had walked into it.
She decided to keep things strictly business. “So if I agree to this, you promise to get me my old job back?” she asked.
He laughed out loud and rubbed the bronze skin on his forehead. Then his eyes darkened as he scanned the length of her body that was covered only in the skimpy lingerie Colton had set out for her earlier.
“Baby, if you agree to work for me then I promise you you’ll never need to work as an office slave again.” The billionaire author pulled her hips into his and flashed a wicked grin.
Taylor frowned despite the heat that started to build between her thighs. “My job was perfectly fine before I met you.”
The billionaire’s eyes flickered and both corners of his mouth curled slightly; he seemed to get off on any form of resistance put forth by the very innocent Taylor Ward. She literally gasped as his lightning fast hands pulled her body into his even closer. This time, she was pressed up against him so hard that she could feel the massive bulge in his pants press into her panties.
His eyes revealed just a hint of compassion as he spoke to her, “Your job was perfectly fine before you met me. But shit happens. Perspectives change. You have talent as a writer, and I mean real, real talent. But if you want to go back to Baldpate then by all means just say the word.”
And just like that, Colton pulled away from her body sharply as he reached for a t-shirt off his granite countertop. “But I’m seriously done fucking around. Is it yes?” he asked, pausing as he folded the shirt over his thick shoulders and buff chest. Then he checked his watch before towering over her; and this time she couldn’t help but notice that he seemed intent on keeping his hands to himself. “Or is it no?”
One thing was clear to her… this time it was him that meant strictly business.
Her eyes widened as she began to contemplate the strangest, most intense predicament she ever could have imagined herself in.
None of this made a lick of sense. And the fact that he was so relentlessly hot wasn’t exactly helping matters right now.
She couldn’t stop obsessing over one simple question…
Out of all the talented writers in the world, why the hell would he pick me to help him with his next book? He’s sold over a billion novels, written Oscar-nominated screenplays…
As much as she wanted to wallow in her own insecurities, she knew she was about to run out of time.
“Okay,” she said.
His beautiful eyes seemed to flame red the instant her lips formed the word.
Then Colton ran his hand through his thick, dark bangs as he motioned to the pounding door. “Great, then let’s go meet my agent.”
Taylor felt a pit form in the center of her gut. If wasn’t so used to her precious panic attacks, she’d have sworn there was a hernia festering in her abdomen.
As she trailed behind him, she noticed two things…
First, the way she couldn’t take her eyes off his tight-fitting jeans. And second, that whoever this person was knocking frantically on the billionaire’s massive front door, she had a feeling that life was about to
get a lot more complicated.
Colton started to open the door as though nothing whatsoever was the matter. But she knew better, she’d heard him on the phone just minutes earlier, and she knew the rumors… Aside from him being the biggest selling author on the planet, words like lawsuits and death threats were often associated with anything and everything related to this man.
When the door swung fully open, Taylor’s heart nearly dropped to the floor at what she saw.
Of course this would be his agent, she thought to herself. A man like Colton wouldn’t have it any other way.
This woman was nothing short of absolutely stunning. She wore a tight, slick black dress with matching stilettos as she stood at least four inches taller than Taylor herself. And as if that wasn’t painful enough, she donned long, silky brown hair, had a perfect set of perky breasts, and most definitely crushed it on the BMI chart.
From the moment the door flew open, this woman never bothered to glance at Taylor; it was as if she wasn’t even there as Miss America spoke to Colton. “You don’t return texts anymore?” she asked, her voice clear and confident and most likely hailing from an Ivy League background.
“You too good for manners now? I thought being cold and dismissive was my job?” Colton bit back.
Taylor would have killed to be anywhere but stuck in the middle of these two, not that she had any viable options at this point. Going back to her apartment wasn’t safe, not until she knew her apartment manager, the same sex offender creep that Colton almost smashed to pieces, was nowhere to be found. While technically speaking she could call her father, the very thought of it made her want to vomit. And as if that wasn’t enough, she was suspended from the only job she had been able to land all because of Colton.
“You didn’t answer my question,” his exotic-looking agent responded.
“And you didn’t answer mine,” he said.
Taylor wondered what the deal was between these two. She was drop dead gorgeous and there was no way Taylor could imagine that Colton Marcus didn’t take a crack at her body anywhere from one to three hundred times.
Ugh.
The agent rolled her eyes and painstakingly relented using a cold, almost robotic tone, “Hello. Good morning.”
Then it hit Taylor… This lady most likely doesn’t have a clue about Colton’s idea to have her help co-author his next publication. Taylor cringed inside wondering how his agent would react, and she knew it wouldn’t be long before she found out.
Colton’s voice softened as he spoke to the bombshell businesswoman, “I didn’t respond to your texts because we just talked on the phone less than an hour ago.”
The agent folded her arms across her chest. “We made a deal, remember?”
They made a deal? Taylor was truly beginning to regret being anywhere near this situation. Who was this woman? Did they have a thing together? Most importantly, why do I even give a shit? After all, it wasn’t like Colton and I were going to tie the knot, have babies, and walk off into the sunset together.
“The deal was that I’d call or text you as soon as there was an update,” he said.
Taylor was far from oblivious about the fact that Colton hadn’t even introduced her to his agent yet, nor had his agent introduced herself to her.
Off to a great start, she thought.
The publishing goddess shook her head and pulled her phone out of her tiny black purse. “Oh man, you really need to check your phone more often,” she said.
The billionaire cocked his head sideways and flashed a curious grin. Behind his confident facade, Taylor could sense something was wrong. She was just barely beginning to get a read on this mysterious man.
Colton held out his hands. “Do tell,” he said easily, although Taylor knew better. Not to mention the fact that Taylor herself felt anything but at ease with this entire situation.
His agent read whatever it was on her phone as if to triple check the unimaginable before tucking it back into her purse. Taylor felt another pang in her gut as she noticed the way the woman’s tight dress hugged her perfectly trim waist.
“There was another death threat. This one looks legit. And Hull Publishing is getting antsy over all of this lovely press you seem to have a knack for generating.”
The stunning billionaire’s eyes lit up as he smiled, seemingly completely unphased by the whole death threat thing.
“What?” both Taylor and his agent asked at the same exact time.
The two women made brief eye contact with each other, then looked directly back at Colton.
The billionaire ran his hand through his gorgeous, thick bangs. “I guess this is good timing then,” he said as he placed his hand on Taylor’s shoulder. She almost collapsed to the floor right then and there. “Monica Barden, I want to meet Taylor Ward.”
Taylor suddenly remembered that she was wearing next to nothing aside from the tiny piece of lingerie that the author had left out for her after her shower. She would have done anything to disappear forever.
Anything.
Taylor’s eyes shifted between Colton and the agent before she eventually extended her hand to the fancily dressed supermodel.
“I don’t have time for meet and greets,” his agent said, refusing to extend her own hand in return.
Thanks, bitch.
“Not even if your salary depends on it?” he asked her.
“What are you talking about?” Monica asked.
“Let’s try this again then. Monica, I want you to meet Taylor Ward. Taylor will be co-writing my next book with me,” he said as his lips formed another wide smile.
The agent raised both of her brows and then shook her head in disbelief as she cleared her throat. “I’m sorry, who is this again?” she asked.
Screw this lady, Taylor thought.
“I’m Taylor. Taylor Ward,” she said with a semblance of confidence as she reached out her hand and held it there until the agent basically had no choice but to reciprocate.
Taylor had no idea what she doing, but she wasn’t about to sit here and get demeaned by this lady anymore. After all, maybe Colton really did need her help with his next publication. Maybe this wasn’t all a hoax.
The shook hands briefly, then the Barden woman pulled her hand away as fast as she humanly could as she glanced quickly at Taylor’s skimpy nightwear. The agent shook her head in disbelief and said, “I’m sorry, Colton, but can we have a minute alone?”
Taylor felt humiliated as her heart began to pound hard in her chest. There was a long, extremely awkward pause before he spoke.
But then he did, and it was like a symphonic explosion to her ears. “There’s nothing to talk about alone, Monica. The decision is final.”
Monica’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. “This is a fucking joke, right Colton? Tell me this is all one big fat fucking joke,” she said.
It wasn’t the first time that Taylor wanted to punch someone in the face, not that she’d ever muster up the courage to do something like that. But she certainly wanted to lay a jab right in between both of this lady’s perfectly symmetrical eyes.
“Do I look like I’m joking?” he said, holding his hands out and raising both of his eyebrows.
Barden chuckled, and then looked directly at Taylor as though she’d never been so bewildered in her entire life. “I’m sorry, who are you again?”
Just as Taylor was about to introduce herself, again, Colton chimed in. “Her name is Taylor. Taylor Ward. And she has more talent than most of the top selling authors out there right now.”
Taylor wanted to give her a piece of her mind, but she already pissed enough people off in this world over the past couple of days. And she definitely didn’t mind the fact that Colton seemed to be coming to her aid now that this woman was present.
“Huh…” the agent muttered as she took a step towards Taylor. “Never heard the name before. What’s one of your best sellers?” she asked.
Colton came
to her defense, again. “Actually…”
Taylor interrupted, “Actually, I don’t have anything published. In fact, I’ve never even tried to get anything published. In fact, I’ve never even finished a story.”
I think I just went too far.
“I really don’t see why you should explain yourself,” the billionaire interjected.
The agent continued to shake her head in disgust or disbelief or both. “So basically, Colton, I’m supposed to go back and tell Mitch York that your big plan entails hiring an escort to help you write your next novel?”
Whatever shred of confidence Taylor had to begin with had suddenly sailed far, far away from where she was standing. Barden’s words cut to the heart of everything she was worried about. The truth was, she hadn’t had anything published yet. And the only thing that Colton and her had really accomplished so far was a couple of bouts of crazy, mind-blowing sex. Taylor hated the thought that even though this woman was a total bitch, maybe she was dead right.
The billionaire’s voice doubled in volume as he said, “How about this… How about you tell Mitch and everyone else at Hull that they can go fuck themselves if they think I give a shit about their opinions. Hull’s stock quadrupled since I signed on with them. And if it wasn’t for me, you’d still be wearing sweat pants and paying off your student loans.”
Barden stood speechless, albeit seemingly calm, as Colton laid into her. Then she spoke as she gestured towards Taylor’s outfit, “I’ll leave you two alone. I can see you’re hard at work.”
“Great. Thank you,” he said.
His agent turned and walked toward her black sports car. Just as she pressed her thumb into the key remote, the driver’s seat door opened vertically. She stopped dead in her tracks, and then spun to face Colton one last time. “You’re out of your fucking mind, Marcus. But I’ll make sure that I pass along your kind words to Mr. York and the rest of the board members.”
The billionaire chuckled and forced a fake smile across his face. “Please do, Monica. Now get the fuck off my property.”