Bad Boys & Billionaires: An Anthology

by K. L. Middleton

  “That’s quite delicious. And surprisingly strong.” He turned to one of his henchmen and muttered something in Japanese. A moment later, the man appeared with another. “Now Rebecca, will you and Marcus do me the honor of accompanying me on the green today?”

  Oh, shit…that was seriously deviating from the plan. Not to mention, I’d never swung a golf club in my life.

  “I think I’m going to stay here and guard the bar,” I said quickly, “but I’m sure Marcus would love to go.”

  Marcus stepped forward, but Takahari held up his hand. “Nonsense! You are both my guests today. I require both of you. Now come, we’ll get you fitted with some clubs.”

  He headed out without another word, leaving us no choice but to follow. And while Marcus strutted confidently after him, I discreetly clawed at his arm.

  “Wait,” I whispered in a rush, “I can’t do this.”

  He guided me through the crowd of people, never breaking his stride. “Is this like dancing again?”

  “No, much worse.” I had to make him believe me. “Marcus, I’ve never played golf in my entire life—I don’t even know the rules.”

  “It’s pretty simple.” We got to some sort of armory, and he loaded up two bags with clubs. “You try to sink the ball into the hole, as quickly as possible.” I bit my lip and he held up a pre-emptive hand. “If you’re about to make a ‘that’s what she said’ joke, this isn’t the place—”

  “No, I’m being serious.” I grabbed his arm and he finally paused. “I have no idea what I’m doing, and I don’t want to mess this up for you. I know how you people seem to take golf really seriously…”

  His face softened, and before I knew what was happening, he leaned down and gave me a kiss on the cheek. I stared up in surprise. We were standing by ourselves on the patio. No one was watching, were they?

  “You’re not going to mess anything up,” he promised. Then he straightened out with a wink. “Besides…I can teach you how to swing.”

  I closed my eyes with a grimace as Takahari spotted us and headed our way. “Fine,” I muttered under my breath, “but I better be allowed to drive the golf cart.”

  As it turned out, I absolutely was not allowed to drive the cart. Nor was I allowed to hide discreetly behind Marcus as Takahari insisted that he and I were partners (did golf have partners?) and forced me to walk with him up ahead. Before the first hole, Marcus did teach me how to swing, but I swear, the entire experience left me more flustered than before.

  “You just grip it loosely along the ridges here.” His body curved up behind mine, and I felt myself overheating despite the cool breeze. “Then twist from your hips to follow through.”

  I gave it my best. “Like that?”

  His chest shook as he chuckled silently behind me. “Have you even seen this done before?”

  I twisted my head with a glare. “The only time I paid attention to a golf swing was when it decapitated a person in the season finale of CSI.”

  More quiet laughter. “Well, then, just think of the ball as a really tiny head. Can you do that?”

  My voice grew acidic. “Oh, I have someone in mind.”

  “Now twist from the hips and relax.”

  I tried it again with about as much success as the first time, and a moment later, a pair of cool hands wound around my hips. My breath caught in my chest as Marcus gently guided me through the twisting gesture he was trying to explain—his body mimicking the motion behind me. Almost too soft to notice, I felt his forehead press down against my hair. There was a sudden stillness behind me, and I realized he wasn’t breathing either.

  A shiver ran up my spine, and when I felt like my body was going to literally explode, I scrambled to come up with something—anything—to say.

  “…this feels like more than just acting.”

  My eyes snapped shut. That was not what I had in mind. But as Marcus pulled away he laughed aloud, twirling a club in his hand. “Give it another try.”

  I glanced out nervously at the green. “Do you think I should take off my bracelet first? I don’t want it falling off…”

  “It’ll be fine. Now stop stalling and swing.”

  “Just put it in your pocket for me.”

  “It’s not going to come off—just swing the club.”

  “Marcus—”

  “Now, Miss White!”

  “Fine!”

  With a silent prayer, I squinted shut my eyes, yelled a pre-emptive “Four” and gave it everything I had. A loud whoop behind me jolted me out of my thoughts. I gazed out at my ball as it landed shockingly close to the little flag.

  “Did you see that?” I screeched.

  Without stopping to think, Marcus scooped me up in his arms and spun me around in a circle. “That was brilliant!”

  “I twisted from the hips!”

  “You twisted from the hips!”

  Our laughter slowly faded as we stared into each other’s eyes. I flushed and glanced away as his hands quickly loosened. He set me gently on the ground and took a small step back just as Takahari came around the corner, squinting off across the lawn.

  “Akio, did you see that?” I cried.

  Marcus raised his eyebrows and muttered, “Akio?”

  Takahari used his hands like a visor. “Was that you, Marcus?”

  Marcus grinned proudly and turned to me. “Actually, no. That was Rebecca.”

  “Really?” Takahari took me by the arm and started leading me up the lawn to follow the shot. “In that case, Miss White, you need to let me in on your secret.”

  “It’s all in the hips…” I said sagely, rejoining Takahari. Marcus and a henchman climbed into the cart and sped past us over the green.

  The old man and I walked for a while longer in comfortable silence, before he turned to me speculatively. “Did you see the article that came out this morning?”

  There was a hitch in my step. “I did.”

  “Didn’t paint your boyfriend in the best of light.”

  “No,” I admitted with a sigh. “I guess it didn’t.” We walked a few steps farther when I pulled us to a sudden stop. “But you know, Marcus never claimed to be a saint.”

  Takahari looked at me curiously. “Go on.”

  My eyes flickered across the green as I tried to think of how to phrase it. In the end, I simply shook my head. “I think any man who gives four million dollars each year to fight the disease that killed his mother is worth consideration.”

  The old man nodded, but his face was hard. “Sentimentality isn’t the greatest attribute when it comes to business.”

  “I have to disagree. We shouldn’t be afraid of the full range of human emotions, even if some of them may seem too sweet. It makes your company more human, right? And that gives it the competitive advantage.”

  He laughed and took my arm again as we continued walking.

  “The four most important traits in an advisor are integrity, competency, accessibility, and amiability. Marcus is all of these. Now, you know that integrity is the most important trait of all.”

  “Yes, I agree. It’s the quality of being honest and fair.”

  “We both know that Marcus is honest. His father was honest. He comes from an honest, hardworking family.”

  “I couldn’t agree more.”

  “He’s competent. Marcus has a broad knowledge in many areas. He can give you sound advice on estate planning issues, income tax law, retirement planning, insurance and risk management, cash flow, and budgeting, and business succession planning.”

  “Marcus is very knowledgeable. Even more so than his father.”

  “Accessibility,” I continued. “Although this is important, without integrity and competence, accessibility is meaningless. When you have a need and call your advisor, Marcus is always available. I know he picks his business over anything else. Because he loves what he does and it means everything to him.”

  “He always takes my call.”

  “Amiable. Again, without the first three tra
its, this is pointless. Marcus is friendly and pleasant.”

  “He’s very charming. He’s taken me out to dinner a number of times. But I don’t like his womanizing ways. That’s what bothers me.”

  “He has me now. I think Marcus was just lost for a while. When his father died, he turned to the love of his life. When she rejected him, he didn’t take the loss of her and his father very well. Bottom line, he lost it. But he’s learned from his mistakes. He doesn’t want to lose me. And he’s going to work hard to be a better man. I think everyone deserves a second chance. Don’t you?”

  He looked at me as he pondered.

  “Markus will be loyal to your company. He’ll work hard and be committed to your company's success. He’ll work for you and do his best and often even put your company's interests ahead of his own. You know that firsthand. And he’s not only loyal to the company, but he’s also loyal to you. Your company means everything to him. Markus told me his dad worked hard for you. Now please give Marcus the same opportunity. He has so many ideas and plans to take you to the next level, including a merger. You just have to take a chance. He’s a good man and I think you know that, Mr. Takahari.”

  “Would you invest your money with him?”

  My eyes travelled to where Marcus was standing in the sun, gazing out over the lengthy course as he considered his next move. The corners of my lips curved up in a little smile at the look of extreme concentration furrowing his handsome face. Then, without a moment’s hesitation, he took a swing and sent the ball sailing toward the next hole.

  “You know what…” We both watched as it hit the flag, “…I think I would.”

  Chapter 17

  “He wants to set up a meeting!” Marcus beamed as the limo sped away into the setting sun. “I can’t believe it! A preliminary strategy session to talk about a merger.”

  As I gazed out the window, I couldn’t help but smile. “That’s amazing, Marcus.”

  “I don’t know what you said to him out there, but whatever it was, it worked!”

  I twisted around to face him. “It wasn’t me—that was all you. You’re the one he’s thinking of investing with.”

  For the second time that day, his hand flashed out and caught my wrist. When I glanced up in surprise, he was staring at me intently, his face both thoughtful and sincere.

  “I’m serious, Rebecca. This meant the world to me. Thank you.”

  I gave him a genuine smile. “You’re welcome.”

  He grinned, and his face lit up once more with that boyish enthusiasm. “Well, the day’s not over yet. Where do you want to go? It can be anywhere.” He faltered for a second at my expression and quickly corrected himself, “Or I can just take you home. Whatever you want.”

  I thought about it, but realized that I didn’t want to go home yet either. Believe it or not, despite the fact that I’d spent the day at a golf course, I was actually having fun.

  “Santa Monica Pier,” I announced.

  “The pier?” he repeated, nodding to his driver as the limo changed course.

  “You showed me a little of your world; it’s time I show you a little of mine.”

  We spent the rest of the evening walking hand in hand along the beach (in case someone was watching, of course), talking about anything and everything as the sun first painted the sky gold, and then slipped beneath the sparkling waves. No subject was off-limits, no question was too invasive, no story was too ridiculous to tell. We rode on the giant Ferris wheel at the end of the dock seven times. By the end of the night, I had laughed more than I had in the last month combined, snacking on corn dogs and cotton candy as we collapsed on a blanket under the stars.

  “So that’s when I found out my roommate was gay,” Marcus concluded. “And coincidentally, when I discovered I was allergic to bees.”

  I snorted into my hot chocolate, setting it quickly in the sand as it dripped down my hand.

  He raised his eyebrows. “Oh, you think that’s funny? That sort of trauma to a child?”

  I couldn’t speak, I was literally laughing too hard.

  Grinning in spite of himself, he pulled off a handful of cotton candy and stuffed it into my mouth. “There. I hope you choke.”

  When I finally came up for air, he was staring peacefully out at the waves, lost in thought. I shivered slightly and pulled the jacket he’d lent me tighter around my shoulders, inadvertently leaning against him as we gazed out toward the moonlit horizon.

  “Why is Takahari such an important client to you?” I finally asked. “I mean, it’s not like you need the money—why go after him so hard?”

  Marcus stiffened beside me, and for a second I was worried I’d crossed some invisible line, but in the end, he just dropped his head—letting his hair spill over his face as he traced absentminded designs into the sand.

  “He was my father’s client,” he said quietly. “The first one he ever had. And the first one to jump ship after he died, and it was decided the company would go to me.”

  My lips parted in surprise, but I could think of nothing to say. I wished I hadn’t brought it up and spoiled his mood—but Marcus didn’t look particularly upset. More like…resigned.

  “It’s my own fault,” he said in that same, soft monotone. “My father was the only person I had left. When he died, I went into a sort of tailspin. Became the stereotype.”

  His eyes focused on each wave, holding it in his gaze until the moment it crashed.

  “Takahari isn’t wrong to doubt me. I’d doubt me too, if I were in his position. It wasn’t until just a few months ago when I found out he was pulling his investment, that I…I don’t know…snapped back into things. I sold the sports cars, hired a PR firm, came back to the States.”

  We were quiet for a while until I peeked up at him through my lashes. “You sold the sports cars?”

  His pensive mood broke with a grin. “I sold most of the sports cars.”

  “Ah, I see.” I buried my toes into the sand and stared out at the ocean, but he was looking at me now. Staring as if he’d never quite seen me before.

  After a moment’s pause, his brow suddenly furrowed and he reached for my bracelet.

  “Can I see that for a minute?” He frowned as I slipped it off and handed it to him. “It looks like there’s something etched into it, just there…”

  “Oh, no. You won’t be able to take it back.”

  My eyes widened.

  “There’s something etched into it.”

  “What does it say?”

  “‘We belong together’.”

  I smiled. “Did you do this?”

  He grinned. “Yes. To keep the farce up.”

  “Did you choose the engraving?”

  “Yes.”

  I was getting mixed signals. He told me he didn’t want a girlfriend, that this was just an act. Yet, we kissed. I mean, really passionately kissed. We had chemistry and were madly attracted to each other. Was he trying to hint in his own way that we belonged together? He didn’t want a girlfriend…and I didn’t want to date a player.

  “Does it have a hidden meaning?” I asked, hoping for a hint.

  He shrugged innocently and slipped it back on my wrist with a smile. “We can’t take it back now…it’s engraved.”

  My mouth fell open in shock as I stared down at the priceless jewels—now permanently mine.

  “I can’t believe you did that,” I whispered. “Thank you.”

  “You’re not mad.”

  “How can I be? It was such a beautiful gesture. I love it.”

  He tilted toward me in the sand and stared down into my face, one arm wrapping casually around my back. He was close enough that I could count every hair, every fleck of gray in his ocean-green eyes. My lips parted again as my mind started racing. There weren’t any people around. We were shielded completely from view by a little inlet in the sand. There was no public reason for him to be doing this, except…

  The wind blew a strand of hair across my face, and he brushed it asi
de with delicate fingers, his knuckles grazing my cheek as he leaned ever so slightly forward. His mouth opened as he gazed down at my lips, shallow breaths making his chest rise and fall. A warm flush hummed through my skin, and I closed my eyes.

  I can’t believe this is happening…

  A rush of cool air poured between us and I looked up with a start to see him straightening out, eyes locked on the sand.

  “I should get you home,” he said softly.

  I blinked in surprise, shivering in the abruptly chilly night.

  “Yeah…I should get home.”

  Chapter 18

  Takahari’s golf day was the last big event Marcus and I had until the gala in the Caribbean, so he and I didn’t see each other for the next week and a half. We texted back and forth a few times. Mostly just a cursory, did you see the latest copy of Forbes? (no) and do you have your passport ready? But after the night on the beach, we gave each other a wide berth.

  I did, however, see quite a lot of his minions.

  Fancy-looking people in fancy-looking suits buzzed in and out of the apartment like locusts, humming with increased activity in the days leading up to take-off. One woman took all my measurements while another delivered a pair of empty suitcases and offered me a spray tan. Some carted in boxes of shoes and asked me some questions about my capacity to scuba dive, while still others offered to sit me down and take me through a synopsis of Takahari’s merger on the off-chance he’d ask my opinion of the finer points of the consolidation. This, I politely declined. I figured Takahari knew I didn’t give a shit about the legalese, and that blatant disregard was part of my charm. Marcus’ robots didn’t seem to find it as endearing as I would have liked, but they held their collective tongue.

  They all seemed to be named some variation of Charles—even the women. I handled them as courteously as I could. But by the time the last one swept out of the living room the night before we were to depart, I sank into the sofa with the sinking feeling like I’d maybe gotten in a little bit over my head.

  “Are automatons four through nine gone yet?” Amanda called from the next room. She had been about as impressed with Marcus’ entourage as I was.