I breathe in thoughtfully, and assure her she won’t. I assure myself I won’t either.
I mustn’t.
“I have a pretty thorough legal team. Remember I’m The Maddox in Hunter-Maddox,” I purr.
Hoping it’s enough.
Willing myself to beat every single accusation, every lie. Even to the point of auditing my own firm to figure out how long this damned suite’s been used to furnish my own staff, my own firm’s partner against me.
“Is it enough?” she asks me honestly, and I know she means the snippet of video she shot as well as my own ongoing preparation for legal defense.
“If it isn’t, then I’m not Maddox Mapleton,” I tell her firmly and finally, kissing the top of her head and hearing her sigh in response. I finally relax again. Reminding myself that kings are only kings when they say so.
“I’ll be right here for you,” she echoes, mirroring my thoughts.
Proving to me too, that every king also needs his queen if he’s going to be a complete success.
“Did I mention how much I love you, Jasmine?” I venture. Feeling no shame in being so bold so soon.
“Is there such a thing though?” she asks. “Love at first sight?”
But it’s more an observation than a question.
Just like our knowing that she’s carrying our first child already.
Some things are just the way they are. Like the sky and the earth.
Like love, and like a woman who’s loved by her man carrying his child.
I change the subject, drawing her attention to the rest of the day, even though it’s wearing out by the color through the floor to ceiling arched windows around us.
The view? It’s probably magnificent, but nothing compared to what I’m holding in my arms right now. We could be anywhere on earth or beyond and I’d feel just the same.
“I have a bundle of cash I need getting rid of,” I remind her.
“Once our laundry’s back, what do you say to some shopping and some dinner?” I ask her, hoping she’ll say yes.
“We just ate,” she reminds me.
“I have a lot of shopping in mind,” I counter. “By the time we’re done, you’ll be hungry again, I promise.”
“I’m always hungry for you,” she coos. And I feel myself shifting against the small of her back under water, my hardness making me groan again as I realize just how much I want her.
How hard I’ve stayed since I claimed her.
We are left alone, for our soak in the hot tub and the shopping that waits beyond that.
There’s a slight interruption at the door, but it’s only the laundry service, delivering all our clothes clean and freshly pressed as promised once we’ve dried off.
“Perfect timing,” Jasmine observes, looking a little cautious as she examines the neat bundles of clothes in hotel monogrammed wrapping.
“What is it?” I ask her.
“It’s just… I dunno, having other people wash my clothes… it’s weird.” she says, looking down and blushing a little.
“It’s just until we can get some more of our own,” I assure her, rubbing her shoulder with one hand, reluctant to try and get dressed myself. The sight of her robe half open is enough to make me want to throw her over my shoulder and carry her back to bed all over again.
“I’ll go get changed,” she says with a smile that lets me know she can read my mind.
“If I let you at me again, we won’t be going anywhere,” she remarks, making me growl in agreement but I make sure I just happen by the open door way, catching her slipping back into her blouse and skirt, driving me wild at the sight of her.
“Get dressed!” she calls out half-laughing, a tremor in her voice that makes me smile.
She feels just the same as I do, but seems to have a little more self control.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Jasmine
“You look beautiful,” Maddox tells me, taking my hand and kissing it, making me blush.
“It’s just my same work clothes,” I murmur, but he shakes his head, smiling.
“It doesn’t matter, Jasmine. You’re beautiful, so perfect,” he says and kisses me on the mouth, making me melt in his arms until I can see we’re dangerously far from shopping.
I’m happy to stay in the suite, in bed with Maddox for weeks. But there’s something about the allure of a shopping trip, plus him on my arm that makes me feel a different sort of excitement.
“Are you sure?” I ask him again. “About spending all this money? I mean, that came out wrong,” I tell him. “I didn’t mean all this money.”
But Maddox only laughs, hooking his arms around my waist and spinning me around.
“Jasmine that’s pocket money. We’ve got way more than that, so you don’t need to worry about it. Today’s our special day… in spite of everything else. I want to have fun, okay?” he asks, cocking his brow in mock seriousness.
“Okay,” I tell him and he lifts my face to his by my chin.
“That settles it, we’ll have to spend all this money, just to prove my point,” he adds with a devilish grin before kissing me again, making my heart flutter with excitement.
The amount is nothing to him, but to me… its months’ worth of wages. Something I’ve always perceived as a hell of a lot of money.
There’s no need to take my car, the hotel’s right on the fringe of a major designer shopping area. Something else that’s new to me, but for Maddox it’s just another day in the life.
Once we slip past reception, his arm takes mine and I find myself leaning in closer to him with every step as we get closer to the huge shimmering shopping mall with it’s vast open spaces, designer stores and intimidating people, people who look like they just stepped out of a magazine.
My old work clothes look out of place, but it surprises me how little attention anyone really pays us, they’re all too busy watching themselves in storefront windows, taking selfies or filming their latest influencer video.
“We can start here first,” Maddox suggests, taking us into a very un-glamorous looking store, which I discover is a branch for his tailor.
He orders some new suits, which they’ll have ready in the hour and then we’re off to the recommendation from his tailor to where I can find something suitable.
“Giovanni’s,” the older gentleman says, matter of fact when Maddox asks for his suggestion, and Maddox smacks his lips, exclaiming something in Italian before leading me out of the store again.
Like his tailor, there’s little, almost unmarked shops and storefronts between the major chains and designers, each with a knowing look in the owner’s eye as their regular clients come in for a fitting or to have something special made for any occasion.
The prospect of having anyone measure me up for clothes horrifies me, and Maddox laughs out loud when I suggest we can just go someplace cheaper and get something off the rack.
“Get used to it, baby,” he says reassuringly. “Trust me once you get clothes that are made for you you’ll never wear anything else. Even though I prefer you in your birthday suit,” he says with a sly wink, pinching me gently on the ass and smiling.
“It’ll be fine, Jasmine,” he says again, reassuring me with a gentler squeeze, allowing for my nerves.
And as usual, Maddox Mapleton is right.
After a few tense moments with an older sales assistant who looks me up and down, I’m led to a private room where she measures me up and asks me some pretty personal sounding questions, but once I see why it all makes sense.
I turn, expecting to see Maddox with us but he’s not there.
My heart gives a little stab of fear, but I remind myself I’m just here to get some clothes.
“We have a few things here, off the rack,” she adds with a wistful smile.
“A client, she changed her mind and here they are, very much your fit but I’m not sure your style?” she asks with a sigh, jotting down some more notes of my measurements and waving her hand towards a rack wit
h several outfits.
“It will do until we can have something made up in a day or two,” she adds, without looking up.
I grab the first thing I see, a blue top that sparkles and some slacks that have a matching color but different material. There’s even a pair of shoes that fit.
I try the outfit on, surprised at how well it fits as Maddox’s words echo through my mind, even though this is still technically off the rack.
I timidly step out, and seeing the old woman’s stern nod of approval before she circles me, pinching the fabric here and there, she asks what I think.
“It’s beautiful,” I tell her honestly. “It feels like I’m not wearing anything though.” Which is true, even though I can see I’m covered up pretty well, even looking a little trimmer I tell myself.
She bags up the clothes I had on, handling them with the same care and respect as her own creations, and I heave a sigh of relief once I see Maddox slip back into the store, tucking something into his new suit’s jacket pocket.
“Where were you?” I ask him, my nerves betraying me, suddenly embarrassed by my own outburst.
“Sorry,” I murmur, leaning in as he kisses my cheek before stepping back to gasp at how good I look in my new outfit.
“It looks really expensive,” I whisper, noting the old woman’s tongue clicking as she rolls her eyes.
Maddox beams a wide smile, telling her how perfect it is, telling me how perfect I look.
She writes something on a pad and shows him, and without flinching he hands over one of the wads of cash from his pocket, which he presses into her hands with another smile as he tells her something softly, making her laugh as she covers her mouth.
I’m looking at myself in one of the mirrors, feeling awkward now. I can’t afford this kind of thing, and Maddox being so coy with the old woman is making my hair bristle
“Everything alright?” Maddox asks, still grinning as we make our way out of the store.
“I just feel like an idiot, that’s all… what’s so sweet between you and the old woman anyway?” I ask, not even trying to hide my hurt.
Once we’re clear of the store, Maddox stops to face me, his look gets serious.
“Jasmine. You look beautiful, and I told you we have plenty of money to buy whatever you want. Old Maria in there? She’s gonna make you whatever you need from now on and I only told her something about what else I have planned for the day that’s all,” he says, his eyes twinkling in the late afternoon light.
“And what else do you have planned for today?” I ask, trying not to sound petulant, but registering how snippy I still sound.
I don’t like Maddox schmoozing with anybody, no matter how old they are.
“Oh, you’ll see,” he says absently patting his jacket pocket before his face falls and he spins me around so he’s facing the other way as he suddenly plants a kiss on me.
“Hey!” I protest, pulling back from him. “What’s gotten into-” I try to say, but his fingers are on my lips instead.
“Sorry Jasmine, but those feds from the office? That creep Sloane is right behind us,” he murmurs, and with a little nod he moves in close again, kissing me much more tenderly, making me forget everything that I could tell myself makes me mad at him.
In a second I know I’m mad about him, not mad at him.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Maddox
I spot Sloane in the crowd and it isn’t too hard to give him the slip. I can’t tell if he’s even looking for us, me or just happens to be in the area, maybe buying himself some high end nylons who knows?
Once we double back a little, deciding maybe heading back to the hotel is safest, I stop in my tracks again once we’re across the street from the hotel.
Sloane again.
This time he’s talking to some suits out front and a few marked cars roll up to boot.
Dammit.
I thought at least one more night with Jasmine in our suite might be nice, maybe after some dinner but this puts the breaks on.
“We’ll have to find new digs for the night, I’m afraid,” I tell her, feeling her start to shiver under my arm as she realizes this business isn’t going to go away until I clear my name. But I can’t do that in custody, not properly anyway.
Plus, like I already told Jasmine. Today’s all about us, not them. Or so I’d hoped.
“We could go back to...” Jasmine starts to say, but then shakes her head.
“What, your place?” I ask, suddenly favoring the idea, although if they link her car and the hotel… to me…
It’s a chance I’m willing to take. Being out in the open isn’t somewhere I like, not with Jasmine in as much risk as I am at the moment.
She looks up at me awkwardly. “It’s not a five star hotel… my place,” she murmurs, turning red, but I’m hailing a cab and asking her which way before she can change her mind.
A fleet of SUV’s with red and blue lights is coming from the other way, so I figure we’re making good on our escape for the second time today.
Jasmine gives the driver an address in a rough neighborhood.
“Good thinking,” I tell her. “That might lose anyone who’s tailing us until we get to your place,” I remark, amazed at her forward thinking.
“It is my place,” she groans, and as she looks out the window, not able to look me in the eye, I hold her hand and give it a little squeeze before she pulls it away.
“Sorry,” I tell her gently, kicking myself for being so stupid, so insensitive.
Well. She won’t be there for much longer, that’s for sure. Tonight, I’ll have to lay all my cards on the table for the law, and after that?
Maybe play the one card I have left to deal to Jasmine, the ace of hearts.
“You sure you want to stop here?” the driver asks as he pulls up, winding his own window up as I slip him a fifty.
But Jasmine’s already out of the car, making her way to the apartment block entrance.
It’s dimly lit, and even though it’s dark now, I can see and smell how much of a different kind of world it is compared to the one I know. The one I take for granted.
Waving off the cabbie, I bolt after Jasmine, not wanting her out of my sight, even though she seems more relaxed in some ways in her own surroundings compared to the five star, designer shopping mall we were just at earlier.
“Hey,” I call out softly, cupping her elbow with my hand. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it,” I remind her, wincing at her creased frown, the line of silver under each eye as they threaten to brim over with tears.
“Well,” she sighs bitterly, pushing the door open and letting us in a second doorway with her key. “This is the real me,” she groans.
“Take it or leave it,” she says, still not able to look at me, which makes me feel like I’ve done something more than offend her by making assumptions about where she lives.
“Jasmine?” I ask her firmly, pulling her to face me, making her gasp before I kiss her hard on the mouth.
“I love you, remember?” I tell her, my own voice cracking with emotion.
“Not where you live, not what you’re wearing. I love you, Jasmine,” I tell her again, and I don’t let her go until she understands that.
Until she tells me she knows that.
“Just don’t expect too much from my apartment,” she says, relaxing some and smiling again as I kiss her neck, then wipe her cheeks with my thumbs as I hold her face in my hands.
“Any place where you are is perfect with me,” I tell her, then remembering something. “You do have a decent internet connection though?” I ask. I don’t want to split hairs, but if I’m gonna get my evidence to my legal team…
“That I do have,” she assures me with a little laugh, and taking my hand in hers, she leads me up the stairs.
“Elevators broken,” she sighs. “But I’m on three so it’s not so bad.”
This is her last night in this building. I swear.
It’s not a bad building. No
t as bad as the neighborhood, but it’s no place I want my queen. Not one second longer than she has to be.
The third floor seems brighter, not just because it has lights that work, but I can just tell which apartment is hers, making the whole place seem brighter, better.
“This is me,” she says, wincing as she opens the door, flicking on the lights inside and leading me inside.
I take in a deep breath, breathing her in. The whole place has her feel, her sweet smell and most of all, it has her and me alone in it now.
She starts to pick up some scattered clothes, arranging dishes in the kitchen sink and making a general fuss until I clasp my hands over her forearms from behind, only feeling relaxed myself once she leans back into me.
“I feel embarrassed, Maddox… this is... this place, and it’s so…”
“It’s your home, Jasmine,” I remind her. “For now,” I add cryptically. “Now, stop trying to make excuses for being alive and point me towards your internet.
I left my laptop at the hotel, but that can’t be helped. Everything I need is in a cloud and on Jasmine’s phone.
“I just need to upload everything I have to my legal team, to their investigators,” I tell her. “Maybe use your phone to make a few calls first?” I add, glad when she agrees without thinking. Without realizing how much danger I’ve most likely put us both in, but the sooner I get the facts to my defense team, the sooner this will be over.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Jasmine
It does feel good to be home, in a way. Feels strange to have Maddox here though, it’s like he’s my new life and my apartment, my job… everything about this place is my old life somehow.
“We could’ve saved a pretty penny if we’d just come here in the first place,” I grizzle, still wanting to keep my new outfit on for Maddox, but equally drawn to the idea of my slippers and track pants.
He frowns, reminding me to stop worrying about money and to direct him to my computer and can he please have my phone again?
I have a computer at work, a laptop there too. My own PC is a desktop clunker from a bygone era.
Her Innocent CEO: An Instalove Possessive Male Romance (A Man Who Knows What He Wants Book 191) Page 6