by Milly Taiden
She scrunched her nose and looked at the dates. “It looks like it was signed sometime right before you took over for your dad.”
“Wait a minute, I was doing all the signature approvals for any new contracts back then, how is it possible this one got by?”
“Well, this is where it gets interesting. There is no physical record of a contract with them. I have seen verification sheets showing that someone in accounting did the necessary follow-up and processing. However, when I went through the files, there was nothing other than the verification sheets. I can’t make out the signatures, and no names are discernible. Since I wasn’t here at the time, I’m not sure what went on. But the name sounds familiar.”
He watched her maul her luscious bottom lip with her teeth while she continued to look through more sheets.
“So we’ve been paying this CalTek for years, for bogus work and parts, without any contract?” Anger started to simmer in his blood. He knew his dad had lost all interest in the business years back, but to the point he’d let this happen? It boggled his mind. His father was one of the sharpest tools in the box. How in the world had he missed that?
“I’m sorry, Max.” Smiling softly, she placed a hand on his knee, and his gut clenched. Her eyes darted back to the papers. “It seems whoever set this up knew what they were doing. This could have gone on forever.”
He grabbed the hand she placed on his knee. “It would have, if you hadn’t taken it upon yourself to do an audit on old contracts and how much we pay out.” His heart swelled with pride. She’d gone above and beyond the call of duty to ensure all standard operating practices were being handled even with the older accounts. He wanted to kiss her all over again. Who the fuck was he kidding? He wanted to lift that skirt and slide into her tight little body all over again.
When a soft blush kissed her cheeks, there was no more holding back for him. He curled a hand around her neck, pulled her toward him, and kissed her. Warmth and satisfaction roared through him when she whimpered and kissed him back with the same hunger overpowering him. His cock throbbed and hardened at the thought of filling her. Before things got out of hand again, he pulled back. She looked gorgeous with her lips swollen from his kisses, her face flushed, and her eyes glazed with passion.
She cleared her throat and took a deep breath. Possession rushed through him whenever he looked at her. She was his. Her soft voice, sexy body, and beauty made her the woman he desired. But her keen intelligence, warm heart, and sassy character made her the woman he loved. Yes, he loved her. He was in love!
“I’m still working on getting information on where the account is, since it was routed through multiple channels. I had to call in the lawyers to get information normal people can’t. Once I can pinpoint the actual location, if the money is still there, we can get it back. If it’s not, we’ll at least know who did this and hopefully be able to prosecute.”
A loud knock sounded on the door, and he stood to tell whoever it was to fuck off. After too many days being without Kara, he wanted no interruptions. Besides, they were handling two important issues. One was the fake vendor and the other, and more important issue, was their future relationship.
“Come in,” she called out before he got a chance to say anything. When he glanced at her, she shook her head and whispered, “We’ve never locked ourselves off before. Don’t make it so that everyone knows what went on here. It’ll make others talk if we start doing things differently now.”
Frustration mounted inside him at the thought of having to keep things quiet between them. She was his, and he didn’t give a shit who knew about it, but she was right. Her employees would undermine her, and it would create a sticky work environment for her. And then he’d have to kill someone.
Brian stepped inside and looked from one to the other with a lifted brow. A slow smile slid across his lips.
Fuck. He knew. There was no way his brother gave that kind of smile just because.
“Kara, you gorgeous woman, when are you going to finally stop working yourself to the bone and go out with me?” Brian quipped.
She laughed. “Keep your pants on, Brian. You already know the answer to that one. What did I say last time? Oh yes, when you can sit through a meeting without making puppy eyes at every single woman, I might consider it.”
Max was going to kill him. Had the idiot really been hitting on Kara? His Kara? He opened his mouth to roar at his sibling to keep his hands to himself but shut it when Kara smiled at him. Her eyes held a glint of…warning? Almost like she was letting him know she knew how to handle Brian without his help.
He watched her gather her papers. She smiled at both him and Brian and then stood. “I’m going. I have a ton of stuff to do. You boys have fun.”
It was hell holding back from grabbing her and kissing her just so Brian would know she belonged to him. He followed her to the door and watched her walk down the hallway.
Before he realized it, Brian’s voice broke through his concentration. He’d joined him at the door and watched her walk away. “She’s hot, Maxi pad. Why didn’t you tell me you were hitting that?”
Max fisted his hands and turned to give his sibling a glare. “She’s not a ‘that,’ dumbass! And keep your hands away from her.”
Brian’s eyes widened, and he took a step back. “Whoa! You mean? Oh, man. This is some fucked up shit right here.” He shook his head and shuffled to the sofa Max and Kara had been sitting on. He lay back and draped his head on an arm cushion.
Confused over Brian’s antics, Max followed him in and closed the door. “What the hell are you going on about?”
Brian jerked up in the seat and gave him a sad look. “You’re in love!” He spat the words out like they were cursed.
Not that he needed to admit it to Brian of all people, but he was in love. He’d realized it just moments before. Instead of admitting his feelings, he played the denial card. “You’ve lost your fucking mind.”
“Oh no. Don’t try and give me that bullshit. I’ve seen the whipped look too many times not to recognize it. She’s got you all wrapped around those sexy fingers.” Looking like he was daring him to deny it, Brian sat back and watched him with lifted brows.
So what if she did have him wrapped around her finger and if all he wanted was to be wrapped around her silken thighs? It’d be one freezing day in hell before he admitted it to Brian. A man that thought any type of commitment meant a death sentence. “You’re nuts.”
“Maxi, I know you’re in love. The least you can do is admit it and learn that from now on, you live for her.”
The concept wasn’t even a little scary. His mind had already adjusted to the idea that Kara belonged to him. Thoughts of having her with him all the time only made him want to smile. Instead of continuing the discussion, he asked the most obvious question. “What are you doing here, Brian?”
Brian’s face lost all traces of humor. “You are going to have to sit for this.”
Now what? “Just tell me what’s going on.”
“The natives are restless, and you’re in deep shit.” While he spoke, he stood and paced in front of the sofa.
“Why the hell am I in deep shit?”
“It seems some of the board members are concerned over your personality changes lately. I tried to tell them all you needed was to get laid, but someone’s been gossiping that you’ve lost your mind. That maybe your head was hit or something in the plane crash. Meghan should be here soon. They want you to get a mental evaluation.”
“What?”
Brian stopped his pacing, looked at him, and nodded. “I know. One of those assholes wants you gone, bro. I’m trying to figure out who it is, but it’s not easy. Your stepmother is the newest member, and we all know she’s only there for decoration. I don’t even know what her voice sounds like. I still can’t figure out why the hell you let Dad talk you and the others into voting her onto the board. The woman looks so scared, most people ignore her presence in the room. The other members have been there
since long before you came on board.”
Max took a breath and calmed the anger raging inside him. “Yeah, and none of them cared for my ideas from the beginning. They all think I’m too young to be on the board with them as well as CEO.”
Brian shoved his hands in his pockets. “Meghan and I think it’s best for you to go ahead and do the mental eval. Other than crazy for one sexy blonde, you’re not insane, and we can prove it. So go ahead and do it. In the meantime, we’ll try to figure out who’s starting the gossip intending to create chaos.”
Fucking hell. Now he had to find a non-existent company, deal with a bunch of idiot board members, and a skittish Kara. He had already spoken to some of the younger board members about replacing the older ones. None of the other crap mattered if he had Kara by his side. “Fine, but after it’s proven I’m sound, I’m demanding a vote to replace the older board members.”
“On what grounds?”
“They’re stomping growth. I’ve met with the younger majority and they are in agreement. I’d just need to get them to rally with me on this when the time comes.”
“You got my vote on that one. They’ve been here since the dinosaur age and are so damned old-fashioned, we never would have finished half the marketing we’ve done if it were up to them. Now, let’s get back to you and Ms. Sex on Legs.” Brian smirked.
“Brian—”
“Fine, fine. But just so you know, I saw her first. I’ve been asking her out since she started working here,” the jerk-off taunted.
He was going to have to kick his brother’s ass after all. “Yeah? She’s mine now, so if you value your balls, you’ll never ask her out again.”
Idiot Brian laughed. “It’s cool, Maxi pad. There are other flowers in the garden, especially a garden the size of this one.”
24
Incessant ringing snapped Kara out of her mental trance. She moved one hand to pick up the annoying phone while her other hand rubbed her closed lids.
“Hello?” Her voice sounded like she’d swallowed a frog.
“Why are you here so late?” Max. Warmth spread through her at the sound of his sexy rumble. She smiled and sat up on her chair. She looked at the flowers sitting on her desk. He’d welcomed her back to the office with blue tulips, her favorite.
“I’ve been tracking these payments. It’s a long process, you know. It’s why you pay me the big bucks,” she joked.
“I don’t pay you to work yourself sick. Go home,” he ordered.
Hurt that he didn’t offer to leave with her, she was about to wish him a good night when he spoke again.
“Wait for me. I’m coming down. You’ve been working hard all day and must be exhausted. Let me follow you and make sure you get there safely. We can order some food afterward.”
He was concerned for her? A silly grin slid across her lips. She tried to keep her emotions in check, but it was hard. All she wanted was to strip for him. Bad Kara!
Still, the idea of taking him home and riding him like the stallion he was made her smile. For crying out loud, she was losing control of her mind and heart. Oh, who the fuck was she trying to kid? She’d lost her heart to Max when she got to know him better on that island. And around him, her emotions had never been all that stable to begin with.
Once they reached the parking area, he walked her to her car, waited until she started it, and then got into his own. While she made her way out of the parking garage, she thought of the kiss he’d given her in the elevator. Her temperature had soared, and she would have given her yearly bonus to get him naked then and there. Unfortunately, there were cameras, and just the amount of groping they’d done had given security a show.
When she got on one of the busiest streets, she sped up and glanced at the rearview mirror to ensure he was still following. The black sports car was right behind her. She accelerated to the speed limit, but he stayed right on her tail. He was so damn hot. Thoughts of getting him home and having incredible, hot monkey sex with him made her speed some more. When she tried to slow, her heart thundered. Fuck. Her brakes weren’t working. Her phone rang, and she clicked the Bluetooth button.
Max’s raspy voice filled the inside of her car. “Slow down, baby. You’re going too fast.”
“I know that. I can’t slow down. My brakes aren’t working.”
“What?” The loud yell made her jump in her seat. “Try again. Keep trying.”
She pressed the brakes all the way to the floor until she swore her foot was going through the metal. Her breath hitched when there was no response from the car. “I am. Nothing’s happening.”
“Try the emergency brake,” he said. She looked at the middle console where the parking brake had been in her older car. Apparently, vehicles had moved on from using such old technology. But she did see a lever with a P. Was that her parking brake? She pushed the lever down. Nothing happened. She pressed it again. Nothing.
“It’s not working, Max,” she hollered.
“Fuck. Okay, listen, I’ll go ahead of you. I’ll call the police and clear the way.”
She didn’t want to crash if they didn’t get her car to stop. “Max—”
“Don’t worry, baby. We’ll get the car to stop.”
“The gears aren’t shifting. I can’t even get it in neutral.” It was a goddamned new car! Her vision darted down to her gas tank, full. It was useless to think of letting the car run out of gas. She’d be waiting for hours. She sighed, grateful few cars were on the street. They were lucky she worked late.
Max’s car moved in front of hers. She gripped the steering wheel in fright, and thoughts of crashing into him made her eyes water. Max honked loudly while he drove ahead. It seemed to help, because they sped through red lights, and cars cleared the way. They got on the highway entrance, and she calmed some knowing there would be no stoplights and less chance of crashing. It was moments later when two police cruisers got in front of her and Max, and her phone rang.
She licked at her dry lips. “Max?”
“Sweetheart, we need to get you out of that car.” He said the words softly, his voice somber.
“What do you have in mind?”
“We’re going to guide you toward the lake not far from here. When your car is facing the water, you’re going to open your door. I will hit that side with my car and break your door off. Once that’s out of the way, I’ll get right next to your car, and you can climb through my passenger side window. I’ll make it easy.”
While it sounded like a good plan, she had a feeling it was much harder than he made it sound.
Fear made her voice waver. “Are you sure? Your car will be damaged.”
Tension came through the line when he spoke in a loud, clear voice. “Sweetheart, I don’t give a fuck about this car right now. You’re all that matters. I want you safe with me.”
Somehow, those words were enough to calm her frantic fears and the sick knot in her throat. “Okay.”
They were approaching the lake exit. When they got off the ramp, she took a sharp turn at over sixty miles per hour. The force of the speed made her jerk in her seat and slam the top of her head on the roof of the car.
“Kara!”
“I’m good,” she lied. “It’s just a bump.” Her head throbbed, and she almost passed out. The wheel slipped through her shaky fingers, and she had to tighten her grip to keep from slamming into one of the buildings when she made her way toward the dock.
“Baby, take off your seatbelt and open the door. I’m going to move up right next to you.” His voice was tense, and she wanted to pacify him and tell him it would be okay.
Blood froze in her veins when her seatbelt wouldn’t unclip. She tried opening the door, but the locks didn’t give. Oh God. She was going to die. For real this time.
“Hurry up, Kara. You’re getting close, and I want you over here.”
She turned her face to look at him for a second. He must’ve seen the fear reflected in her eyes, because he motioned her with his hands. When she shook he
r head, his eyes widened.
“What’s wrong?” His yell came through her speaker and filled the inside of the car.
“It’s not working. My seatbelt’s stuck, and the door won’t open.”
She heard Max curse below his breath, but the words came clear through the phone line. The cruisers split ahead of them, and she saw the lake zooming in like a sick preview of the end of her life.
“No, baby. Look at me.” His voice was rough.
Sweat made her palms slick on the steering wheel. She turned her face and saw so much concern in his eyes, her heart filled with love for him. Moisture gathered in her eyes.
“Keep trying!” he yelled.
There was no more trying, she was stuck inside the car.
Her mind took in the road and what she had to work with. The water was fast approaching. She was going to drown inside her car or crash so fast she was going end up torn to pieces. What a fucked up way to die. With her hands gripping the wheel, she veered off to the right where there was a large tree right before the water.
“Kara! Kara, what are you doing?” His car had slowed and now followed behind hers.
If the car ran off the wooden dock into the water at the current speed, she was going to fly through the air and end up in one of the deeper sections. She needed to slow down somehow. With the large tree looming before her, she made her decision. Her fists tight on the wheel in a white-knuckle grip, she slammed the front corner of her car into the tree. The last thing she heard was Max yelling her name.
Her head jerked to the side and slammed into her driver side window. The car did an immediate hurl and so many 360-degree turns she became nauseated and shut her eyes. There was a loud slam and a giant splash. She opened her eyes to water seeping over the bottom edge of the shattered window inside her car. Her car’s front end was in the shallow edge of the lake. Nausea rolled through her, and she lifted a hand to rub her temple. Blood covered her fingers. Lots of blood.
“Kara!”
Max. Thank God. She turned her face toward the missing window, and he was there with a police officer. There was so much noise. Hammers thumped inside her skull, and she closed her eyes and almost drifted off to sleep.