The Corrupt Billionaire COMPLETE Box Set

by Hope, Camilla

  “Peter?” I pleaded. “Talk to me. What’s wrong?”

  He poured himself a glass of water, downed the glass whole and let it fall back to the table before he spoke.

  “I… I just hated it,” he said. “Guy had shifty eyes.”

  Acknowledging his fury, I took his hand in mine and patted his wrist.

  “Lucky for me that you were there then,” I said gently.

  That seemed to pull him away from his sorrows, and when he leaned across the table and started to kiss me again, I let the menu fall to the table and held his hand tighter.

  “But what if the he’d pocketed the bracelet on account of me being such an ass?” Peter said.

  “I’m so glad it didn’t go down like that,” I said stroking his hand and running my foot up his leg under the table. “Or you’d have so much more to make up for.”

  “That doesn’t sound like the worst punishment in the world,” he said, his body finally starting to relax under my arms.

  I basked in his words, and my hands were at his cheeks as I pressed my body over the table.

  “And I liked having you right there,” I said. “It’s the only place I want you to be.”

  His sure smile filled my heart with joy, and I imagined days stretching into years after this moment. Maybe there would always be danger. But unlike Adam, this man loved me. I started to say as much when I was terrified at the idea of what the truth might do to him.

  Holding my tongue and my heart as he grinned at me, I just rested my head on my hands and smiled as he squeezes my hand.

  “Then let’s eat,” he said “Isn’t that what you wanted?”

  Even as I wanted to crawl across the table and clutch him closer, I acknowledged the rumbling in my stomach and managed to nod.

  “Sounds like a plan,” I said. “Let’s do it.”

  A plate of oysters came to the table in short order, and as Peter slurped the contents of a single shell down, he offered a fresh helping to my mouth. I swallowed it quickly and asked for more when Peter stilled my hands and brought his hand to my cheek.

  “If you could have any meal that you wanted,” he started. “What would it be?”

  “Peter… the… the menu is fine. I’m enjoying…”

  “But if you had a say,” he demanded. “What would it be?”

  Savoring the flavor of oysters as they dotted my tongue, I couldn’t help but long for something sweeter, something that we might be able to share with a smile.

  “You think they do a gelato?” I smiled.

  “Bet that could be arranged,” he said.

  Peter whistled and snapped his fingers. The server looked confused for all of a second, but then he nodded his head as Peter explained what he wanted and promised the works as he hurried into the shadows. I held Peter’s hand close as I kissed his fingers. Our eyes met, and I stroked his cheek as I settled back in my chair.

  “Are you scared?” he asked.

  I started to shake my head when Peter’s fingers found my chin. Peering into his eyes, I sighed and moved forward to kiss him when he held me back and strained to the edge of his chair.

  “Because you can say as much,” he said. “And I won’t… I mean I will understand.”

  “That’s sweet,” I crooned. “But I feel safe with you. I don’t want to be anywhere else.”

  Peter smiled at the sound of my words, but he still hung his head as I studied his face and waited for his words.

  “Peter…?”

  His hand was hard in mine, and I had to gasp as he gripped my fingers tightly and then let go only to stroke my concealed bruises.

  “Do you… do you know how much I never wanted this to happen to you?” he said.

  I tried to tell him that I understood when Peter begged me to just listen as he kissed my hand again.

  “I want to be a good man,” he promised. “I can be that with you.”

  “I get that. And you are a good man.”

  My lust started to take over, and I wanted to have him off his feet, ready to bring him into the back of wherever we were and mount him carefully. Close as he was, I was able to forget the diners, so eager to take him here and now.

  “And I should have said that after our first night,” he added. “But you didn’t really know me then. Maybe you don’t even…”

  “I do know you now,” I said. “And I want to know you so much better.”

  We abandoned the table, and Peter narrowed his gaze on a dark corner which was partially hidden behind a flimsy screen, probably a place reserved for servers out to steal a smoke.

  “Come on,” he said. “I’ll do you one better than a gelato.”

  “Will you really?” I teased as I giggled under his arms.

  “Just you watch, Gypsy.”

  As soon as we were hidden, Peter pushed his fingers up my skirt. My hands worked like mad to unfurl his belt as I felt his hardness pressing against my thigh. Stroking my hair, he pushed me up against the wall and started to slip inside me, and I captured his chin in my fingers.

  “Aren’t you scared that someone might see us?” I teased. “Almost out in the open like this.”

  Peter winced, and I was quick to hold him closer as I dragged my lips up his neck.

  “Because I’m not,” I whispered. “I don’t see how I could be scared of anything with you.”

  He relaxed in my hold, and I sighed at the feel of his throb invading my body. He started slowly, painting me as if he somehow he had Danny’s brush nestled between his legs. Rocking against the rhythm of his strokes, I reached under his shirt. The feel of his tight flesh under my fingers nearly made me fall back in a faint, but I stayed in his eyes and settled in his gaze.

  “Then… then just feel me,” he whispered. “Feel me… feel me loving you.”

  Falling into his shoulder as he drove me deeper into the wall, I had to stifle a laugh. He wouldn’t let me say it. At the time I thought it was too much for him to contemplate. But he had said it now, or at least he had implied it in the space of passion. Should that have tipped me off to the idea that it was a move that he could never make? Or was it just his way? The question loomed large across my lips when he kissed me hard and then pulled his head back from mine and looked deep into my soul.

  “Peter…” I moaned.

  “Say you’re mine,” he begged. “Tell me that I have you.”

  I started to nod as my legs locked around his. Peter pulled me close, the length of his passion and his arms holding me aloft as he ran his lips down my neck, his kiss nearing my breasts as I pushed his head closer to my skin and moaned into his ears.

  “You have me,” I promised. “Now let me have you.”

  I clenched him tighter as he moved inside me. Each pulse set my head spinning, and I found his mouth, stifling his groans as his breath spilled down my throat.

  “I’m yours,” I said. “I think… I think I can be happy with you.”

  “Just think?” he asked as he moaned into my breasts. My body seized at the feel of his fingers pinching my nipples, and I was ready to scream when he pulled my face close to his. Suddenly there was nowhere to look but into his eyes.

  “Say you’re sure,” he begged. “Let me take care of you.”

  Peter plunged deeper, and I bit down on my lip. Knowing what he wanted me to say, I smiled and shifted my body back to the wall. Captured under his quaking arms, I still managed to find his hold, and Peter held his tongue as I kissed him quickly, my lips darting towards his ear as I forced out a whisper.

  “Do that,” I muttered. “I believe you. If you just…”

  My voice broke into a heavy sigh as he twitched with a grand thrust. His teeth were on my neck as I tried to hold him closer, and when his desire flooded my flesh, I settled around him and studied his wildly blinking eyes.

  “But no more secrets,” I purred.

  “And you don’t have to say it,” I assured him. Not that it wouldn’t have been nice to hear. If I ever wanted any man to tell me that he loved
me, this was the one.

  “Just hold me,” I said. “It feels good… it feels right in your arms.”

  Peter started to protest, but as soon as my hand was at his chest, he kissed the hair away from my cheeks.

  “Got another surprise for you as soon as we get back,” he said lowering me to the ground and then zipping up his pants.

  “Another?” I asked, straightening my clothing. “What more can there be?”

  We moved back to the table, our arms entwined. I had just turned to kiss him again when I saw a familiar figure in my seat, eyes leering, teeth gnashing, a scar crossing his face as he folded his arms across his chest.

  “Fancy meeting you two here!” he said.

  My heart crawled into my throat as I saw Swanson in the last place that I ever would have expected. How had he found us? If Peter was done with him, then what did the man want?

  “Was it you?” Peter hissed as he held me close to his back. “Were you behind the crash?”

  That stunned me. Because… because the crash was just an accident, wasn’t it? Something that neither one of us could have foreseen.

  At least that’s what Peter had said…

  “Just heard about it through the grapevine,” Swanson teased. “Took me a day and a night to find you. And I see you have you still have this pretty little thing at your side.”

  Swanson licked his lips and I knew that he was remembering seeing me naked. I flushed at the memory and then the fear returned as I thought of how violent my encounter with him had been.

  I suddenly had the urge to run. But Swanson could obviously find us in even the most secret of places. Was it better to stay at Peter’s back and just hope that the unwanted man would just vanish before I lifted my lids again? Attempting that move, I was struck by the sight of Swanson still there, leering, and I gasped as Peter pulled away and shook his fist in the other man’s face.

  “Are you following us?” Peter challenged. “Because if you even think about trying to touch her again, I swear to God I’ll…”

  “Just call it a reality check,” Swanson said. “Little lady needs to know a few things about her superstud…”

  I forced myself not to shudder as he met my stare. Peter kept his hand in mine as I strained closer to his body, but the snap of Swanson’s fingers caught me off guard and gave me no choice but to see nothing and no one but him.

  “Did superstud here tell you that he was dancing all kinds of narcotics in and around and across the border?” Swanson grinned.

  No…. I couldn’t believe it. Peter would have told me. We said no more secrets…

  “Says he’s clean, pardon the expression,” Swanson continued. “But I’ve been keeping an eye on him. And I have to wonder it that’s why you nearly went down in a blaze of phony glory.”

  Suddenly nothing made sense. I tried to find the real story in Peter’s eyes, but he averted his eyes as he glared at Swanson and his scar.

  “It won’t work,” he said. “I said I was out. And if you even think about threatening her or me again, I swear…“

  Peter’s voice came to a quick halt as I curled way from him. He tried to bring me back to his side, but I brushed him off as Swanson laughed.

  “But she should know the score,” Swanson challenged grabbing my arm. “Should see you for who and what you really are.”

  “Stop it!” I cried and I slapped Swanson’s hand away, the memory of his harsh hold invading my skin as I stared him down.

  “He’s with me now,” I said. “Nothing else matters”

  I tried to cling to that as Swanson chuckled and brought his hand close to my face.

  “He tell you he’s done with us? Is that what he said?” Swanson hissed.

  “I… he…” I stammered.

  “Well, the man lied to you.” Swanson spat. “Best watch your step. Never know what might happen to you.”

  And with that Swanson took his leave, giving me a final leer. As soon as he was gone, Peter tried to bring me back into his arms.

  But now there were too many questions.

  “Are you a criminal?” I asked. “Is that what you are?”

  Peter tried to speak when I pushed him back and peered into his eyes.

  “Caroline, I can explain…”

  “Take me back to the room. Right now!”

  He took my arm and obliged without another word.

  Chapter Eight

  As soon as we were back in the room, I pushed away from Peter and scanned the empty boxes under my feet, including the one that I had yet to unpack.

  “What’s this?” I muttered under my breath.

  “Another present,” he offered, his voice almost meek as he spoke. “You’ve liked my taste so far.

  I longed to feel sure in his trappings. But there was still the truth of the lie, and I looked into Peter’s eyes as I spoke.

  “Presents?” I asked. “Or are they bribes?”

  “Bribes? What are you talking about?” Peter frowned.

  “Because this was never about cutting corners to get a few restaurants up and running, was it? What was the plan? Buy my silence? I mean, you knew I’d find out eventually. Didn’t you?” I was shouting now and trying to stem the tears that were threatening to fill my eyes.

  Peter stayed silent as he considered what he should say, and I stayed his eyes, my stare strong until he had no choice but to confess something.

  “Gypsy, I…”

  “It’s Caroline!” I cried. “And I want… I need to know what you are right now. What are you into?”

  Peter started to speak when I felt the force of my stare holding him back. He seemed ready to slip into a series of lies that I had no hope of fighting off when seized his hands.

  “Peter, tell me. Right now. I need to know the truth.”

  He abandoned me for the window, and he stood with his back to me as he stared through the glass. Part of me wanted to turn back to his side and feel him close. Even if it was just to slap him again and listen to his lies.

  But I needed to know the truth.

  “Is he right?” I asked again. “Are… are you…?”

  “Caroline…”

  “Just answer my god damned question!” I spat.

  He slipped to my side and clasped my hands in his. Even as I struggled some, I could not break free as he spoke softly.

  “It’s what I was,” Peter admitted.

  “Don’t give me that…” I said.

  “Caroline, I’m working my way out,” he insisted. “But these things take time. But if I’m patient I’ll get what I want. And… since I knew… since I’m sure that I can get out from under, I saw no reason for even one trace of it to touch you.”

  He pulled me into his arms and tried to kiss me. But I bit down on my lip and narrowed my eyes into a harsh stare.

  “But it has,” I said. “That morning at your place and the same jerk following us here. I…”

  My hand went to my mouth as the thought entered my mind, and I barely stifled a gasp when Peter tightened his hold, his eyes brimming with concern.

  “And why do you think the engines failed?” I said, my voice thick around the question.

  “You think I didn’t wonder about that?” he asked. “But I got us to the ground in one piece, didn’t I? Why scare you if I didn’t have to?”

  Dark laughter left my lips, and I had to look away from him as my heart churned in my breast.

  “I get it now,” I started with a short laugh. “All your trinkets, all the half-truths. I guess it makes me your moll or something, right?”

  Peter flinched, and I was barely able to pull away when he grabbed my arms and forced my body to his chest.

  “You mean so much more to me than that,” he said.

  “Like I can believe that now,” I cried.

  “You can!” he insisted. “Everything we’ve shared has been real.”

  My blood boiled as I tried to wriggle away from his hold. As I kicked and moaned, Peter’s voice stayed soft, his words
continuously telling me that I didn’t have a single thing to be afraid of in his presence.

  “But what other bombshell are you going to drop at any moment?” I spat. “Let go of me!”

  “I can’t do that, Gypsy,” he said sadly.

  Ready to correct him again, to tear the sound of the pet name from his tongue, I saw his eyes glaze over as his hands tightened around my arms. Here was a man who got what he wanted. What if I was the grand prize?

  And what if I had no desire to live on his pedestal?

  “I said let go!” I yelled.

  Bringing my nails close to his cheek, he ducked away, avoiding the impeding scratch. But in doing so, he inadvertently gave me my opening, a small chance of escape. Plowing towards the door, desperate for the chance and the space to clear my head, an end table fell to the floor as the boxes scattered in every direction. I was nearly out of the room when he fell into me. Turning me hard and fast, he flattened my body was against the wall.

  “What are you going to do?” I demanded. “Tie me up? Keep me in some gilded cage?”

  Just the idea of that was too close to what my father wanted to do to me for me to tolerate, and as Peter opened his mouth to speak again, I reached up and slapped him hard. Groaning at the blow, I was frozen for all of a second by the strength I had suddenly wielded.

  A small sliver of my heart almost stepped towards him, just wanting to make sure that he was alright. But I could no longer breathe in the stifling room, and as soon as I turned the handle with trembling fingers, I broke into a swift run, knowing that it would only be seconds before he was right back on my heels.

  I ran down the back stairs and out of the foyer onto the street. And then I saw Morgan and his car idling beside the curb.

  “Miss? What the hell is…?”

  I leapt inside the car and slammed the door. As soon as I was inside, the hardness of Peter’s hands hit the glass. Unable to meet his stare, I stretched towards Morgan’s ear.

  “Just drive!” I cried. “I can’t… I don’t even know what to…”

  Morgan hit the gas, and when the car spun away, when I felt Peter leave me, I slipped back into the seat, my body shaking and sobbing as I tried to make sense of the truth. So there was danger in his stance. Sabrina had seen it. Danny hadn’t seen it but he was in search of a commission. But now there was only my shame as I heard Peter screaming for me to just come back. I pressed my hand to my ears and worked to drown him out as Morgan glanced over his seat.