Dropping my head against the back of the seat, I feel a slight smile pull at my lips as I watch the stern set of his features while he drives and shifts gears with purpose after putting his foot down with me.
“What?” he asks, meeting my eyes for a brief second.
“That’s probably the most romantic thing you’ve ever said to me,” I say, reaching over and sliding my fingers through his thick dark hair.
A low, pleasing rumble emanates out from his throat. “Sugar, you’re going to have to quit touching me, or I’m going to pull over and take you on the side of the road.”
“You don’t need to threaten me with a fuck. I’d very gladly receive it.”
He chuckles. “I bet you would.”
I pull my hand away anyway, my mind still working over the plan and how Aiden’s altered involvement is going to change things. As much as I love Aiden’s possessiveness over me, I still need to talk to Leah on my own.
Heading toward my flat, we drive silently for a while before I turn to him again. “You really don’t have anything to worry about with Leah. He’s not interested in me like that.”
“I really don’t care. I’m still coming with you.”
“Suit yourself,” I say, wondering how the hell I was going to work my way around this.
***
By the time we make it back to my place, the sun has begun to set and Leah is already home, sitting in front of the television, watching the news, while he drinks a beer and eats a slice of pale looking pizza.
“You’re not going to heat that up?” I say the moment I see him bite into the obviously cold wedge.
He ignores me. “Remembered where you live? I was beginning to think you were busted during your ‘appointment’ at the bank.”
“Worried, were you?” I ask, picking up one of the cold pizza slices from the box he has open on our coffee table, sniffing at it to make sure it was ok.
“Nah. I didn’t get a call to bail you out. So I figured you were probably busy screwing around with this guy.” He nods in acknowledgment toward Aiden, as I hold the pizza box out, to which Aiden wrinkles his nose and shakes his head.
I decide to take the same plan of action and return the slice, and the box, to the table. Leah leans forward and grabs another, not one to care how many days old it was. He takes a bite and chews thoughtfully. “I guess you two have gotten over whatever was pissing you off.”
“You could say that,” I answer. “Although, you’ll find this funny–Aiden is worried that something might be going on between us. So he’s here as a chaperone of sorts, making sure we don’t do anything,” I state, raising my eyebrows at Leah as I try not to laugh.
Leah doesn’t show quite as much restraint and lets out a loud burst of amusement. “Oh man, dude, you’ve got no worry at all. I don’t do chicks,” Leah informs Aiden, his chest bouncing with laughter as he takes another bite of his pizza.
I glance at Aiden and he simply nods, taking the information in. “You couldn’t just say that in the car?” he asks me.
Shaking my head, I say, “No. This was way better.”
“All right. You got your laugh. Just fill him in on what’s happening.”
I sit down and explain our altered plan to Leah, letting him know how tight the security is at the bank and that we needed to work on a different approach.
“So, Aiden is going in the bank with us, and you brought someone else in? Fuck, Chloe. How do we know we can trust this guy? Do you know him? Is he going to be as invested in this thing as we are? The plan was you and me, girly. You get away and I take the fall. It was simple. It was good.”
Aiden holds up his hand. “Wait, what? First off, I know Jared and I’ll vouch for him, so there’s no problem there. But second, what the fucking fuck? You take the fall? Why would you do that?”
“Because going to prison isn’t going to be bad enough for that Goldsmith arsehole. I want to be in there to make every day for the rest of his life a living hell.”
“You hate him that bad?”
“Yeah. I do.”
“Why?” Aiden asks, and I press my lips together, looking at Leah, already knowing the answer to this question as I watch Leah’s smooth brow crease in a frown.
I turn to Aiden and answer for him. “Because no one likes being betrayed by the person they love.”
Chapter Twenty–Seven
JULY, three years ago
“AND WHAT about me, Seb?” Leah demanded when he saw that Chloe was packing up her things and preparing to leave. She was upset about the way the Goldsmiths had swooped in and bought out Donovan Corp the moment her father was imprisoned.
Chloe leaving bothered Leah. There had been a plan. An order they were all to follow. But when the news broke about Terry Donovan’s embezzlement, it was decided that Chloe would need to back off from the company. They couldn’t have a Donovan working in Goldsmith Enterprises–it would destroy investor confidence, and the failed merger had already done more than enough damage. As a result, she was moving out, refusing to be locked in her room like a dirty secret no one wanted to be reminded of.
With the merger off and Chloe leaving, everything was up in the air and Leah didn’t know where he fit anymore. “Tell me, Seb? We had a plan. You were supposed to stay in this marriage until after the merger then we were going to come out. Chloe was supposed to get her life back. We fucking had a plan!”
At first, Leah had really disliked Chloe. He had been concerned that the marriage would get in the way of his and Seb’s plans for the future. But he quickly found that Chloe’s heart belonged elsewhere, her interest was in a man she couldn’t have. She wasn’t going to make Sebastian fulfil any of his husbandly ‘duties’. She didn’t want that at all.
Once her motives were established, Leah began to enjoy her company, finding that they liked many of the same things. And knowing that it was their parents who forced the marriage and controlled their futures, they had all decided to work together to gain control, and once that was done, they could go their separate ways–live their own lives.
Seb looked out the window, gritting his teeth as if he was annoyed that he was even being asked such a question and, taking a deep breath he turned to Leah, meeting his pleading eyes with his own. The moment their eyes met, a sense of dread filled Leah, as he saw…nothing. No life. No kindness. No love…It was all gone. Vanished as if it had never been there in the first place.
“Plan’s change, Leah. It was never going to work out. Could you imagine–the head of a global company comes out as openly gay? I don’t care how open-minded society pretends to be. That would be corporate suicide.”
Leah pulled his head back, surprised at Sebastian’s sudden change of heart. They had been together for years. They’d been a secret for all that time. And finally, it was coming to the time they had promised would be it–the time where they finally stepped out as more than just friends. After the merger, the company was going to be handed to Sebastian and Chloe to take over while the patriarchs finally retired and enjoyed their money. Chloe and Sebastian would have had an amicable divorce but still work together as co-CEOs. It was what both of them wanted. Then Leah and Sebastian would finally tell their parents that they were a couple–finally. And there would be nothing they could do about it. No trust funds to pull. No threat of being thrown out of the company. They would have had everything they needed to make a life of their own, with no more sneaking around. No more pretending that Leah was their driver. No more pretending at all.
“What happened to you?” Leah breathed, shaking his head, as the man he’d spent years of his life with seemed to go back on every promise he’d ever made. “It was going to be our time?”
“No, Leah. Just be thankful I kept you around, and looked after you for as long as I did. I normally get very bored with my playthings, and I don’t tend to spoil them anywhere near as much as I spoiled you.”
“Wha–,” he stated, completely stunned by Sebastian’s words, but unable to finish before
he heard the voice of Michael Goldsmith as he walked through the front door of his son’s home without knocking.
“No. Everything needs to be gone. We don’t want anything of hers anywhere near us…That’s right,” he said into his phone before suddenly ending his conversation with, “Just get it done.” He pocketed his phone and looked at Sebastian, ignoring Leah’s presence entirely. “Is she ready to go?” he demanded.
“I’m ready,” Chloe said, her voice completely devoid of feeling as she appeared in the hallway behind them, a large red suitcase pulling along behind her. “I wouldn’t want to stay around you people if you paid me.”
Michael chuckled. “Actually, that’s exactly what you would do. If I offered you your father’s company back, I’m fairly sure you’d do whatever the hell I wanted for it.” He stepped up to her, his eyes slowly moving over her body as if he was licking her with his sight. It made her feel dirty. “Now there’s an idea. I think I could enjoy breaking in a young thing like you.”
“That’s enough,” Leah said, coming to her defence.
Michael turned, his curiosity piqued as to who would dare speak out of turn around him. “And who are you to tell me what to do?”
“I’m your son’s gay lover,” Leah said with a smile, folding his arms across his chest as he narrowed his eyes at the man in front of him.
The colour from Sebastian’s face drained away. But Michael simply laughed and turned to Sebastian. “Who is this man, son?” he asked.
“He’s no one to me. Just some guy from the street that Chloe brought in the house. You know those Donovan’s and their bleeding hearts. I’ve been standing here making sure he doesn’t steal anything.”
It was Leah’s turn to lose all colour, as the full force of Sebastian’s words hit him in the chest. He’s no one to me…
“Come on, Chloe. Let’s get you out of here,” Leah said, reaching his hand out to take her suitcase and guide her through the doors.
“Tell your mother I said hello, Chloe,” Michael sneered.
“Why don’t you go and fuck yourself,” she spat.
“Actually, I’d much rather fuck you. If you ever change your mind, I’m sure Sebastian won’t mind me taking you for a spin. I could do a lot with an impetuous girl such as yourself.”
She opened her mouth to hurl an insult back, but Leah pulled her through the doors and onto the street.
“They’re not worth it, girly. Don’t waste your breath.”
Chloe shook her head, tears beginning to fall from her eyes as she became overwhelmed by everything that had happened. Her father. The company. Her need to get away… she couldn’t stay with those people, not after her father was imprisoned and they had taken over the company. It wasn’t supposed to go like that. Sebastian had promised things would be different. That they’d all be able to live the lives they wanted…but it was all lies. All of it–every single promise was a lie…
“What are we going to do?” she asked Leah as she sobbed. He wrapped a strong arm around her and guided her toward his car.
“We’re going to go and get really drunk. Then we’re going to figure out a way to make this right.”
She nodded, thinking that the bottom of a bottle was the best place for them at that point.
As they drove along, she thought that they were as low as they could get. But then, fifteen minutes later they were pulled over by a policeman for leaving in the car Leah had been given by Sebastian. They were arrested for grand theft auto and quickly realised that they could be pushed much, much lower.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
PRESENT, 1 day before the job
Aiden
TIME IS of the essence. I want more of it, but Chloe’s father is listed as critical, his condition degrading by the day. When she got the call, Chloe had turned to me, with watery eyes, pushing her lips together to keep them from trembling.
“I can’t let him die in there, Aiden,” she whispered. I agreed. If he’s not going to pull through, he should at least be able to die surrounded by his family – not in some state prison where no one gives a shit.
So, a few days later, everything is as organised as it can get. We’re going into the bank not long after it opens on a Friday morning. Jared will control all the electronics from the warehouse facility, and Chloe, Leah and myself will be in the bank. The plan is to go in quietly so we don’t scare anyone unnecessarily. Leah will keep watch in the main area, while Chloe and I hit the vault with the bank manager on duty as our ‘help’–poor bastard.
Despite our limited preparation time, all parties involved know their roles perfectly. We know the time, we know the place, we know who to target and we’ve tested every scenario we can to time it all perfectly. Now, all that’s left to do is rest up for the big day.
I, of course, have chosen to ‘rest’ with Chloe, whose arms I’m holding over her head as I hold myself above her. I’m teasing her entrance with my cock but refusing to put it in like she wants. It’s a sweet torture, and I’m enjoying every whimper of want that escapes her parted lips.
“Please,” she begs, gasping as I slide in just a little further then pull out again. She whimpers, her face twisting in her disappointment.
“What do you want, Chloe?”
“You know what I want,” she answers, thrusting her hips up at me.
I pull back and shake my head. “That’s not how this works. Tell me what you want and I’ll give it to you.”
She opens her mouth to answer but the doorbell sounds earlier than expected. It’s the delivery guy, and if I wasn’t so damn hungry, I’d ignore him and make him go away so I could continue this game.
“Don’t move,” I warn her, kissing her lightly as she pouts. I release her hands and climb off her.
“Can’t you ignore it?” she groans.
“Not if you want to eat,” I say, pulling on a pair of pants before I head to the door, trying to keep my raging hard on as discreet as possible. I give the guy a hefty tip in case I didn’t succeed, then take the bag from his hands and lock the door.
“When the hell did you order food?” Chloe asks from behind me. She’s wearing one of my shirts. I normally hate it when chicks do that sort of thing, but with Chloe, she can wear all of my shirts if she wants – just so long as she doesn’t wear any fucking underwear. I want my access.
“When you were in the bathroom. There’s a mobile app for it.” I walk past her to the kitchen and put the bag on the benchtop. “And I thought I told you to stay put.”
She shrugs in response. “You can show me who’s boss later.”
I grin as I remove the contents of the bag and grab some cutlery out of the drawer. “Get your arse over here,” I command.
She walks over, and I reach down and grip her hips, lifting her up onto the bench. My hand slides up her leg and around to her arse as I give her a look of approval when I find that she hasn’t put on underwear. “At least you got that part right,” I say with a wink.
“Smells good. What did you order?”
I peel one of the lids from the foil tray. “Italian. Pasta with lots of cream. You know I like my women with curves.” Piercing a piece of penne with a fork, I hold it up to her luscious lips, swollen from the torture I’ve been inflicting on them lately. I smile slightly as I admire them - knowing it was my mouth and my cock that caused the swelling is fucking sexy.
Taking the pasta into her mouth, she lets out an appreciative groan and chews. “I do remember something along those lines.”
I fill the fork and eat some of the creamy pasta myself before filling it again and holding it to her. “Open.”
She does as I ask and chews silently as she watches me with those piercing blue eyes of hers.
“What is it?” I ask, repeating the process of feeding myself then her.
“What are we doing here, Aiden? This is crazy.”
“Which part–the job or us?”
“Both. But I was talking about us. Tomorrow will change everything.”
I place the fork on the bench and place my hands on either side of her as I stand between her legs. “You want me to talk feelings with you?” I ask, noticing how a slight blush creeps across her cheeks as she shrugs.
Bowing her head, she watches her hand as she slides it over my chest and then traces the edge of the tattoo over my left pec, starting from the outstretched wings until she moves her finger down the blade and across the banner that says ‘who dares wins’.
She takes a deep breath before she starts. “I just want you to know that these few days have been more than I ever expected to have with you. They’ve been amazing.”
Taking a hold her face on either side, I gently lift her chin so she’s looking into my eyes again. “Sugar, don’t talk like we’re on borrowed time. Tomorrow is all planned out and no one will know it was us. Ok?”
“I know. But–”
“Hey,” I cut in. “Did you not understand what I meant when I said that you’re my woman?”
She pulls at her lips with her teeth, giving me a look that tells me she’s unsure or nervous, or something. Fuck. I’m not saying this shit. I don’t get how she can’t understand how things are between us without needing me to say it. Shit.
“You know how I feel about you, Chloe. So don’t drag it out of me. I want this. I want you. We’re going to great lengths to get this done so no one has to run. We get the information, we stash the loot and we hand the evidence over to the cops. Then you and I can fuck for eternity. Is that clear enough for you?”
Her hand stills and flattens on my chest and her eyes drop. “I’m not questioning what’s between us. It’s just… I need you to understand how much you mean to me. I need you to understand that if there was any other way–”
“Don’t,” I say, cutting her off again. “Don’t bring any of that shit up. Not tonight. Let’s just focus on the job and the rest can come after.”
She nods her head, her eyes glistening with tears. “Ok.”
Partners (Fire & Lies - One) Page 15