by Marie Astor
Bad Guys Don’t Win
(Book Four of the Janet Maple Series)
By
Marie Astor
Bad Guys Don’t Win
Copyright ©Marie Astor 2015
Excerpt from Thirsty for Payback Copyright 2014 Marie Astor
Excerpt from Baiting Trouble Copyright 2014 Marie Astor
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Website: www.marieastor.com
Facebook: Author Marie Astor
Twitter: @marieastor
Dedication:
To my readers—you are the reason I write. Without you, these words would never see the light of day. Thank you for reading!
Table of Contents:
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3 – Four Weeks Later
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20 – Three Months Later
A Note from Marie Astor
About the Author
Excerpt from Thirsty for Payback
Excerpt from Baiting Trouble
Chapter 1
Mila Brabec checked her makeup in the mirror, hastily adding touch-ups. She wished she could go home to get ready, but there was just no time. The bar was super busy tonight. She wiped off the caked mascara from beneath her lower lashes with a makeup remover tissue and added two fresh coats of mascara to each eye. Then she dusted her face with a powder puff, added some blush to her cheeks, and finished with two coats of lipstick—Plump Cherry—Philip’s favorite. She released her dark hair from the ponytail she usually wore at work, letting it fall to her shoulders and ran a brush through, teasing it lightly. She checked the results in the mirror—not bad. She readjusted her bra, making sure her cleavage was advantageously displayed beneath the neckline of her black mini dress, which was complimented by black stilettos she specifically kept at work for dates with Philip—there was no way she could wear high heels at work. All in all, she looked pretty good.
It was just a week night date anyway. Liar, Mila thought. As much as she was scared to admit it, every date with Philip was special in its own right. He could be taking her to McDonalds, and she’d still be on cloud nine. She’d never felt this way about any other man before, and at times she could scarcely believe her own happiness. Good things didn’t happen to her—that used to be the case, but somehow she’d managed to turn the page. It was scary, but it was also wonderful.
Mila quickly ran up the stairs to the main floor. She threw a worried glance at the packed bar stand. Her friend and business partner, Amy, was serving drinks to the crowd with the help of a waitress and a busboy. Even with the increased staff, the three of them looked overwhelmed. They’d need to hire more help pretty soon if they were to keep up. Mila smiled at the thought—being a business owner still seemed surreal to her at times. She and Amy were proud owners of Amy and Mila’s—a hip, but casual bar that drew a mixed crowd of professionals, students, and anyone who was up for a good time.
Amy waved cheerfully as she caught Mila’s glance. “See you tomorrow,” she mouthed.
Mila quickly made her way to the bar stand—she still had a few minutes left before meeting Philip. “Are you sure you’ll be okay without me? It looks crazy busy. I could cancel my plans with Philip.”
Amy shook her head, her fiery-red ponytail swinging in protest. “Nonsense. Get out of here and have some fun.”
“I have fun here.”
Amy narrowed her eyes. “You know what I mean. And you can drop the indifference routine—I know you’re crazy about Philip.”
Mila lowered her head. “Guilty as charged.”
“You’re allowed to have feelings for the man. It’s a good thing.” Amy grinned, her hands busy pouring shots and mixing drinks. “Now, get out of here before I get my orders mixed up.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” Reluctantly, Mila headed for the exit.
Her reluctance disappeared the minute she was outside and saw Philip standing by the curb, waiting for her. His back was towards her, and she allowed herself a moment to take him in. God, the man was handsome. At six feet two, Philip managed to still be taller than Mila when she was wearing heels, which was something very few men could do. And that wasn’t his only asset. With broad shoulders that were pure muscle, a cinched waste, and abs one could use as a washboard, Philip’s body could make a sinner out of a nun. And if that weren’t enough, his face was just as handsome as the rest of him.
As if sensing her looking at him, Philip turned around. “Hey, baby. I didn’t hear you sneak up on me.” He flashed her a smile.
“I didn’t. I was just—”
He didn’t let her finish, swooping her into his arms and locking his lips with hers. “You were just what?” He asked, finally pulling away from her.
“I was just about to say hi,” she managed, unable to take her eyes off him. God, she loved his face—it was handsome, yet open and kind, with baby blues that made her heart melt, sensual lips that drove her crazy with passionate kisses, a perfectly straight nose, and a strong jaw that could make even the most independent woman wish to have a man like Philip Barrett as her knight in shining armor.
“We’d better get going. We’re going to be late.” He motioned at his car, waiting for them by the curb.
As usual, there was a driver behind the wheel of the black Mercedes-Benz. Philip opened the door for Mila and once she was comfortably settled inside, closed the door behind her. The chauffer respectfully held the car door open on the other side for Philip to join her.
Once inside the car, Mila’s eyes widened at the sight of a huge bouquet—it had to be at least two dozen long-stemmed red roses.
“Happy anniversary,” Philip murmured into her ear, putting the flowers onto her lap.
Mila blinked, both elated and embarrassed. Instantly, she remembered—tonight was exactly six months since they had started seeing each other. How could she have forgotten? Liar, she caught herself. She remembered it perfectly, but she was afraid to admit it, even to herself, for fear that Philip might forget. Still, that didn’t stop her from choosing her outfit carefully for tonight’s outing—the little black dress she had on would not fail her even in the most formal of restaurants. And the red silk lingerie number she had stowed away in her bedroom was guaranteed to drive Philip wild at the end of the night.
“Step on it, Joe,” Philip instructed his driver. “We have reservations at Per Se.”
“How fancy!” Mila exclaimed with delight.
“Only the best for my girl.”
Approximately thirty minutes later, Mila and Philip were seated behind the best table at Per Se with the perfect view of Columbus Circle and Central Park.
“Your waiter will be right with yo
u.” The host bowed deferentially to Philip before taking his leave. This was no surprise—no matter what restaurant they went to, Philip always got the best treatment and deservedly so—making the top one hundred most successful entrepreneurs of the year list in Forbes carried a certain degree of respect.
“Champagne?” Philip asked.
“That’d be perfect.” Mila smiled, surveying the room. She had dressed carefully—not wanting to be overdressed, yet prepared for any place where Philip might take her. The little black dress she’d picked up on a sales rack at one of the Village designer boutiques was tastefully understated, yet sexy. She was glad to see she stood out in the sea of sequins and long gowns.
Philip ordered champagne and then they placed their orders with the waiter.
After the waiter had brought a bottle of Veuve Clicquot, Philip raised his glass. “To the most wonderful six months of my life and to many more to come. Happy anniversary, Mila.”
Mila clinked her glass against Philip’s. “Happy anniversary,” she whispered, hoping she didn’t sound choked-up. At times she felt the need to pinch herself to make sure her relationship with Philip was real.
“So, how are things at work?” Philip asked, once the waiter had brought out the first course—an intricate arrangement of a rare crab variety garnished with caviar.
“Good. Busy, but good.” Mila tasted the appetizer. “Mmm, this is delicious,” she said, hoping to steer the conversation away from the topic of work. She appreciated Philip’s interest, but when it came to her business she was determined to stand on her own two feet.
“You’re working very long hours,” Philip observed.
“Yes, well, that’s the life of an entrepreneur.” She shrugged. “You know that.”
“I do,” Philip consented. “But I also know how important it is to allocate resources efficiently. Have you thought about hiring additional staff, like we talked about?”
“I know a thing or two about efficiencies too,” Mila said. “Amy and I are assessing the staffing coverage. We just recently hired two busboys.”
“You don’t have to get defensive about it.”
“I’m not. I just don’t see why you have to bring it up now. I thought we were celebrating. I don’t want to talk about work right now.”
“We are celebrating. And the reason I bring it up is that it’s part of my anniversary gift.” Philip paused. “I’d like to extend a loan to you and Amy, so you could hire more help and expand. I noticed a storefront just opened up next to Amy and Mila’s—it’s prime real estate and it won’t stay vacant for long. I happen to know the property owner, and I can get you excellent lease terms. But we have to move fast.”
Mila felt her guard go up. “Expand? Don’t you think that’s moving a bit fast? Yes, things are going well, but I don’t know if we want to expand so soon.”
“The place is packed every night. It’s practically bursting at the seams—now is the perfect time. Strike the iron while it’s hot.” He winked at her, piercing a piece of crab with his fork and popping it into his mouth. “Mmm, this is delicious.”
Mila pushed her plate away, swallowing hard. She’d lost her appetite. “Philip, it’s not that I don’t appreciate it, but I can’t accept your offer. This is something I must do on my own.”
Philip nodded, the breathtaking blue of his eyes focusing on Mila’s. He reached for her hand and pressed it to his lips. “I understand.”
“Good. Thank you for that.” Mila was surprised by the ease of her victory. Resisting Philip was no small task—he always found a way to win an argument. That’s probably why he was so successful in business. And it wasn’t as though Mila didn’t appreciate his offer—it was a very generous offer—and she didn’t want to seem ungrateful by rejecting it. But for the first time in her life she had managed to amount to something without a man’s help and she wasn’t going to screw it up. She had made too many mistakes relying on men to get her places, and she’d learned the hard way that wasn’t the way. Mila twirled a loose hair strand between her fingers and took a long swallow of champagne to chase the memories away. Philip didn’t know about her past. She’d have to tell him one day, but right now she just wanted to enjoy their celebratory dinner.
Philip raised his glass. Mila was very good about keeping her emotions under wraps because he didn’t seem to notice the turmoil inside her. “I understand completely,” he said, “but Mila, darling, I must admit the reason I’m interested in investing in your bar is purely selfish—”
“It’s not just my bar, Philip. Amy and I are partners. Amy owns the majority share,” Mila reminded him.
“I’m aware of that and I’d love to hear Amy’s thoughts on this. I doubt she’ll turn me down,” Philip countered, his eyes twinkling—it wasn’t a flirtatious twinkle, but that of a venturesome businessman determined to get his end of the bargain. “Amy and Mila’s has great potential and I’d like to help you both realize it and partake in the profits. Why should some random bank capitalize on it instead?”
Mila shook her head. “Somehow our banker wasn’t nearly as enthusiastic when Amy and I approached him for a loan increase.”
“You’ve applied for a loan increase?”
“We didn’t file any of the paperwork yet, but we had a preliminary conversation, just to see where we stand.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Philip looked genuinely hurt. “If the idea of me investing bothers you so much, I could’ve at least gotten you better terms with another bank.”
“That’s exactly why. Please,” Mila begged him. “Please, don’t think I don’t appreciate what you’re trying to do. I do. But I must do this on my own.” Mila paused. “What we have together is important to me and I don’t want business to come between us.”
Philip sighed. “Did anyone ever tell you you’re as stubborn as you’re beautiful?”
“Not until now.” Mila grinned, happy to see Philip’s feelings weren’t hurt.
“Look, believe it or not, but I know exactly what you’re going through.”
Mila eyed him dubiously, but decided to remain silent.
“Yes, I do, young lady.” Philip intercepted her gaze. “I too have a hard time accepting help from family and friends. I don’t mean to play the part of a poor little rich boy, but the fact of the matter is that my family’s money has put certain expectations on me. My father is a successful financier, so I was expected to follow in his footsteps—join the family firm and all that good stuff. It bothered me immensely. I wanted to make it on my own and to show everyone that I was more than my father’s son who just happened to be born into the family fortune. I saw energy as the new frontier and I was right. I worked for different companies learning the business and when the right opportunity to strike out on my own came up, I was ready to pounce on it. Just like you, I went to a bank and asked for a loan. The terms they offered me were highway robbery, but I was ready to accept, thankful for being given a chance. That’s when my father called me and offered me a loan. The terms were way better than the bank’s, but they were still fair terms, according to the industry rates at the time.”
“How did your father know you were looking for a loan?” Mila asked, no longer caring if the point of Philip’s story was to get her to cave in. He rarely talked about his business, and she was curious to learn more about him.
Philip chuckled. “Oh, he knew. At the time, I had about the same reaction as you, but of course it was naïve of me to think a man like my father wouldn’t know. He might’ve let me go off on my own, but he kept his ear to the ground to make sure that I didn’t get taken to the cleaners.”
“Didn’t it bother you?”
“It did at first, but it doesn’t anymore. In fact, I’m thankful for it. Yes, some may say that my success comes from me being my father’s son. And frankly, I’d be an idiot to deny that, but it doesn’t diminish my own accomplishments in any way. Yes, I happened to be lucky to have my father, but there are plenty of kids born into wealth who never d
o anything with the opportunities they’re given.”
“So did you take your father’s loan?”
Philip nodded. “I did and I paid back every penny of it, with interest. And if I ever need a loan again, I won’t have any qualms about asking my dad for one, as long as I’m reasonably sure that I can repay it.”
“Ah, that’s the key—reasonably sure,” Mila pointed out.
“Your point being?”
“What if I’m not sure that I can pay you back? What if something goes wrong?”
“Let me get this straight, you were sure enough to ask a bank for a loan, but you’re not sure enough to ask me? Believe me, I’ll be a lot more lenient than any bank.”
“I could default on a bank. I can’t default on you.”
“You won’t. Or I wouldn’t be offering to invest in you. Give me at least some credit as an investor. Don’t you think I have some business instincts?”
“Yes, you do. And persuasion powers to make a rock cave in.”
“What can I tell you? I was captain of a debate team in high school and in college.”
“I see you haven’t lost your touch.” Mila smiled. Maybe she was overcomplicating things. Would it be so wrong to accept Philip’s offer? “Let me talk to Amy about it, okay?”
“Of course. I never meant for you to make a decision without Amy’s consent.”
“Good. Now can we please enjoy our dinner?”
“I don’t know about you, but I’m enjoying it immensely.”
“I bet you are. You just love getting your way, no matter what.”
“Guilty as charged. Is that such a horrible flaw?”
“It’s a terrible flaw,” she teased him. “In fact, it’s making me question this whole relationship.”
“Is it? Is there anything I can do to change your mind?” he asked suggestively, his eyes blazing with the heat she knew only too well, as he pressed the palm of her hand to his lips.
Mila barely resisted a groan of pleasure—even the touch of his lips against her palm was enough to send goose bumps running down her back. “See now, you’re not being fair. You know I can’t resist you when you act like that.”