REX (The Billionaire Croft Brothers, Book Three)

by Paige North

  “Thought you might be hungry,” he says, setting the bags down and taking off his coat.

  “You know me so well,” I say, and I mean it especially when I see he got chicken dumplings.

  “First, come here,” he says, wrapping his arms around me. “I’m starving too, you know.”

  Every time he kisses me my mind goes blank. All my senses, in fact, dissipate. Even the extreme hunger I felt moments ago fade away and all I crave is Rex’s mouth, Rex’s skin, Rex’s hands.

  His kisses trail down my neck as his hands trail down my waist and back up over my breasts. Eager little butterflies flutter in my stomach at his touch, and I press into him. His dick is already so hard and I wonder if he had a hard-on on the drive over here. I can feel myself getting wet just thinking about it. I move into him more.

  I run my hand over his thick cock, rubbing him through his pants. He pulls off my shirt and goes quickly for my bra so that he can take my tit in his mouth and suck on me. My head falls back at the intense pleasure, and a moment later I’m taking his pants off and he’s falling on top of me onto my bed. He removes my own pants, leaving us both with one article of clothing each—tiny bits of fabric keeping us from coming together as one.

  He moves his stiff member over my sex, pushing into me as he kisses my neck. I wrap my arms around him, feeling his skin and the hard muscles on his arms.

  “I love the way you feel,” I tell him.

  “Addison,” he says, moving over me.

  “And I love it when you say my name.”

  “Addison,” he says. “Addison, Addison, Addison…”

  I move from under him and quickly straddle him. I take his hands and move them to my breasts, letting him hold and massage me as I press down on his cock, slowly moving on him, our eyes watching one another.

  “I love watching you,” he tells me. “Are you going to ride me? I want to watch you ride my cock.” His hand moves down to me, and he presses his thumb over my panties just where my clit is. I moan out and drop my head back as he circles it, my cunt so wet and wanting more of him but I don’t dare move when he’s touching me like this. It feels too freaking good. I grind down a little more.

  “I want to be inside you,” he says, and that’s all I need. I take down his boxer briefs and slip out of my own panties. Before I straddle him again I go down on him, licking his cock so long and hard, right from the base to tip. He lets out a moan. Knowing how much he loves what I do to him with my mouth—he’s told me enough times—makes me even more excited to do it to him again and again. Every time I do it, though, I’m still surprised at how big he is, and how determined I am to take as much of him into my mouth as I can. I bob my head slowly up and down over his cock, taking pause to lick the head and suck on it a little before going back down again as far as I can manage.

  “Jesus, Addison. You’re going to make me come,” he says. He puts his hands lightly on my head. “I want to come inside you.”

  I pull up and crawl back up to him, placing my knees on either side of him. With his wet dick in my hand, I sit up higher to fit him inside my pussy. I slowly lower myself onto him, tentative because of his enormous length. I can’t go down all at once; I need to work myself on him first, even though I’ve had him so many times.

  Rex has his hands on my tits as I move over him, his face as tortured and hungry as mine must look. When I’ve finally stretched myself pussy enough for his massive size, my walls slick with desire for him, I start to move more quickly, coming down on him harder and harder. In no time I’m riding him properly, my tits bouncing in time, Rex helping me along with his hands back on my hips.

  He moves up into a sitting position and tugs me even closer into him, so that my tits are on his bare chest. He dips his head to take a nipple in his mouth then moves back up to take my mouth on his. He wraps his arms around me to pulls me into him again and again. He’s so far up in me, stretching me so wide, kissing me so deeply. When we come, I drop my head back and let the barrage of sensations wash over my body.

  “You’re beautiful,” he tells me, giving me one last kiss before we separate.

  Afterward, we open up the still-warm dishes and eat on the bed.

  “That’s not actually why I came over,” Rex says.

  “Yeah, right,” I tease.

  “What can I say, you’ve got me hooked,” he says, taking a bit of lo mein. “I haven’t told you much of what’s going on at my work because I’m sure it’d bore you to death.”

  “No, I want to know,” I say. It’s exactly what I want—more of him, and not just in bed. “I want to know everything about you.”

  “Trust me, you don’t want to know everything,” he says, moving away from the moment quickly. He’s the master of that. “I have this huge meeting tomorrow. Basically there’s this family in Hong Kong that I’m trying to convince to open a division of their production company here in the States. I got word that they’re here in L.A. on vacation with their spouses and some family—I set them up with a private back lots tour of Universal. Then I got them to agree to a casual lunch with myself and my gorgeous companion.” He strokes my cheek at this. “The meeting is tomorrow at one-thirty at Sushi Roe. I’ll have the car pick you up at one-ten to take you there. It’s near my office so it doesn’t make sense for me to come over here first.” He dips one of the dumplings in sauce and pops the whole thing in his mouth.

  I freeze mid-bite. I’ve been dying to try Sushi Roe but as usual it’s too expensive for my non-existent bank account. I want to help Rex out in any small way that I can but my audition is right before the lunch, and auditions never run on time.

  “I don’t know if I can do it,” I tell him regretfully. “Unless you don’t mind if I’m a little late? I have an audition tomorrow.”

  “No, you can’t be late,” he says, shaking his head. “Definitely don’t be late. Jesus, that would look terrible. I’ve been kissing their asses for weeks and had to throw in the chopper tour just to get them to meet me for lunch. Plus I promised them it would be casual and that their spouses should come as well. If I show up without you they’ll think I’m jerking them around. And this family hates to be kept waiting. They see it as an insult, like their time doesn’t matter. So no, we can’t keep them waiting.”

  “You don’t have to hold the whole lunch up for me. Start without me,” I say, even though I know he won’t go for it.

  “Impossible,” he says, popping a baby corn in his mouth. “Just skip the audition.”

  “What? No way,” I say. “I can’t miss my audition for your lunch. Rex.” I let out a little laugh. “Come on.”

  Rex readjusts himself on the bed. He sets down his chopsticks, and I know something more is coming. My heart hammers in my chest.

  “It’s not just that these Hong Kong people are important,” he says. “Like I said, I haven’t bored you with a lot of my work stuff because it is boring but I just don’t like talking about it. My company—Croft International—is at a precipice. I told you my father died recently.”

  “Yes, you mentioned it,” I say, a lump in my throat. That’s all he did—mention it in passing as if he was telling me his car didn’t pass inspection. I want to reach out for him but I don’t know if I should or leave him be. I decide to sit still, and listen.

  “It was his company. My brothers and I worked for him, all in different cities but basically at the same level. When Father died, we all assumed that Jackson, as the eldest, would take over control of the company. But that’s not what happened. Instead, he left the fate of the company up to my brothers and me. Whoever marries first and proves that he is a true family man will gain control of the company. And that could be me.”

  I feel like I’ve been pulled deep underwater. My breath has been taken away, and a sharp pressing fills my chest. “Wait. So that’s why you hired Damien? To marry the first woman he sent over in order to gain control of the family business?”

  I knew he had a reason, but I have somehow managed to put it
out of my mind since we’ve been spending time together. I can’t believe how oblivious I’ve been.

  “Yes,” he says frankly, watching me closely. “I know. It doesn’t exactly sound great. In fact, it’s horrible. I admit that. But that’s my old man for you. That’s the kind of son of a bitch he was. Had me and brothers fighting for dominance our whole lives, and then he pulls this in death. And even though I haven’t given up on having you in my life every day for a very long time, I can’t deny that I’d be the best son for the job. I have a more modern take on running the company, especially more so than Jackson, who is as entitled as any heir would be.

  I shake my head. “I guess I understand…”

  “All that’s to say—that’s why this lunch is so important to me. If I can get these guys to go in with me, it’ll show my brothers and the executors of Father’s will that I have what it takes to run the show, even if I’m not married. Unless you’ve changed your mind about that?”

  I don’t take the bait on his little joke. I’m startled at all he just told me. My feelings are tugging me in all sorts of directions. For one, he’s finally opened up to me about his family. But then again, what he’d been holding on about them is stranger and more disconcerting than I ever would have imagined—especially considering how cavalier he’s being about it.

  “Are you okay?” he asks. “It’s a lot to take in, I know. That’s why I didn’t tell you sooner.”

  “Rex, I can handle it,” I tell him. “Whatever it is, I can handle it, as long as you just tell me. Be honest. I don’t like that you’ve been holding out on me. But yeah, I admit—it’s beyond strange and totally messed up.”

  “Don’t I know. Growing up rich isn’t the only thing that was abnormal about my upbringing.”

  I finally reach out for his hands. “I want to know you, Rex. You can always tell me anything. I promise not to run away screaming.”

  He rubs his thumbs across my knuckles. “So you’ll come to the lunch?”

  “I just don’t think I can,” I say, my stomach clenching. “I want to…”

  Rex gets this look on his face that I’ve never seen on him before. He’s hurt. He actually looks sad at what I’ve just said—and maybe with how I said it.

  “I mean, I'm sorry,” I say. “I want to be there for you but the timing is bad. And if you’re sure I can’t be late…”

  “Can you get into the audition earlier? Ask for another slot. Tell them you have an emergency, or better yet, another gig. That’ll make you look more in-demand.”

  “It doesn’t really work like that.”

  “Addison,” he says, imploring. He looks at me, a little crinkle between his eyes. “You’ll make the difference for this whole deal. Please be there. I need you. It’s important to me. You’ll have other auditions but I’m telling you, I’ll never have another chance to get a company from Hong Kong like this. It’s a huge deal.”

  Of course I want to help him, especially when he’s looking at me like this. I lean over and kiss his hands. “Okay,” I say, not really sure how I’ll manage but determined to find a way. “I’ll be there.”

  “You’re the best,” he says, kissing me. “You’ll get another audition in a flash, you’ll see.”

  “I’m still going,” I say. “I’ll just try to get an earlier slot, like you said.”

  Rex’s happiness falters slightly. “Just make sure you make it on time. That’s all I ask.”

  The next day I am working overtime to calm my bubbling nerves. It’s not just the audition but the time. I can’t get an earlier slot—I knew deep down that I wouldn't be able to—and I just have to hope that everything works out. As I sit in the waiting room, I concentrate on my lines and how I’m going to approach the scene. I channel all my energy into that, refusing to let anything else into my mind.

  And then it happens.

  I give the best audition of my life.

  The producers and casting director keep asking me to try the character different ways. Be more aggressive, now be soft and meek, try it with a bit of hesitation, like you’re unsure of how to react to the situation. I go through all the paces, and it never feels like they’re trying to beat me up. It feels like I’m showing them what a badass actor I am. I’m showing them that I can do anything, that I can show any emotion they want all in this one character. It’s exhilarating. They give me another scene to read, one in which I haven’t seen or prepared for, but I go for it and it feels incredible.

  “Wow, it’s been a pleasure meeting you today, Addison,” Robin, the casting director says. “Sorry we kept you so long. We were just having so much fun watching you work out those scenes.”

  “It’s no problem,” I assure them. “It’s been a lot of fun. I just love the way the character goes from victim to advocate. She’s got it in her the whole time, and it just takes that little nudge from the detective to get her there. She’s great to play.”

  “Well, we’ve had a great time watching you,” Robin says. “We won’t keep you any longer but we’ll definitely be in touch.”

  I leave the building feeling like I’ve hit the jackpot. Nothing can take me down after just giving the best audition of my life. I’ve never had a casting director say such nice things like that. Usually it’s all very stiff and cold and I leave having no idea what will happen—except when I had that terrible audition when they told me I needed a more aspirational look. Nope, today I feel amazing, and I can’t wait share it with Rex.

  And then it all gets even better when my phone rings just before I pull onto North Beverly Drive as I head toward Sushi Roe.

  It’s Robin. She wants me for a callback. I got a callback. It takes all my energy to sound like this is pleasant news and not the biggest thing that’s happened to me since I arrived in Los Angeles. It’s also a miracle I don’t crash the car. With shaking hands, I text Rex from a red light to tell him the good news, and that I’m three lights away.

  When I get to Sushi Roe I splurge for valet because I’m forty minutes late but also because I’m in such a good mood. I know Rex is going to be happy for me despite how late I am. He emerges from the restaurant just as I hand my keys over.

  “Did you get my text?” I say. “I got a callback!”

  It’s only now that I realize his face is stone. “Was I not clear when I told you how important it was to on time? Didn’t I basically say not showing up at all was preferable to showing up late?”

  “Um, no, I don’t think you ever said that,” I say, annoyed. “I know you didn’t want me to be late and I’m really sorry. But you knew about this audition.”

  “And you knew how important this lunch is to me,” he says. “Now you’ve let me down by doing the one thing I asked you not to do.”

  “Rex, I’m sorry,” I say. “It couldn’t be avoided.”

  “It certainly could have been,” he says. “You act as if it’s the last acting job in the world. There will be other auditions, Addison. I just hope none of them ever interfere in my work life again.”

  “Your work life? What about mine?”

  “What work?” he says, and I swear I could smack him.

  “That is an asshole thing to say and you know it,” I say. “I’ve been working my ass off trying to land roles—”

  “I told you I’d take care of you.”

  “And I told you I don’t want that! I want my own life! I want to act. Why else do you think I moved down here?”

  “Look, Addison,” he says. He takes in a deep breath but he doesn’t let it out. “I’m really glad you got that callback. Honestly. But if we’re going to make it as a couple then you need to take my efforts seriously as well. There are times, like today, when I truly need you by my side. I’m under so much pressure with my brothers and the stake of the company—I told you all of this. And I also told you that I want to be with you the right way, not as a way to take over my father’s company. So please. Don’t ignore all this. Don’t ignore all I’ve done for you.”

  Heat flares up
my face. “I don’t owe you anything for treating me like a normal human being rather than a piece of property. I deserve respect. I don’t have to be grateful for it. Not to mention the fact that I never agreed to stop acting or put aside my own dreams and ambitions for you. If you want to be with me then you agree to be equals.”

  “Of course,” he says through clenched jaw. “But I can’t play second fiddle to some two-bit role in a crappy show no one is ever going to see.”

  “And I’m not going to play second fiddle to some stuffy old guy in suit whose ass you’re trying to kiss.”

  “Christ, do you even know what kind of pressure I’m under? How much money is at stake and on my shoulders every single day?” he says.

  “Poor little rich boy. I’ll remember that the next time my electricity is turned off. Tell me again about your heated floors?”

  Rex holds up his hands and takes that deep breath again. This time he lets it out. It’s only now that I realize the valet guys have been eyeing us as well as some passersby, and that we’ve gotten pretty loud in our fight. I’m beyond pissed that he’s ruined my good news and remained completely selfish.

  “Look, do you want to just do this lunch?” he asks. “We’re halfway through eating but they can at least meet you. Or you can get your car and go and we can talk later. It’s up to you.”

  I look down the street. I have no idea where they took my car or how long it’ll take to bring it back. I decide that I won’t walk away from him despite the hellish fight. I’ll go into Sushi Roe and meet these oh-so-important people. I’ll put on my sweetest smile and act the role of the happy girlfriend. Because acting is the one thing I know I’m good at.

  “Fine,” I say. “I’ll go in.”

  REX

  I just want to get through this lunch. The clients seemed confused when they arrived to find me by myself after I had promised to keep this casual by bringing Addison. They thought I was lying, or tricking them just like I feared they would. I’ve been working overtime to act like nothing is out of the ordinary, that this lunch really is casual and making sure they’re all having a pleasant time visiting Los Angeles.