The Billionaire's Prize: Taken & Tempted: (Book 3 Billionaire Bodyguard Series)

by Kristi Avalon

  Slone reached out and grabbed the neck of the bottle. “Thanks, gorgeous.”

  “Any time.” Kylie swayed in an attempt to find equilibrium. “I have to go use the ladies room.” She giggled, and Cade stood and helped steer her toward the stairs.

  “She’s pretty amazing,” Slone said, his gaze focused on the pit fire crackling in a metal basin at the center of the seating.

  “Yes,” Cade agreed, settling back in his chair.

  “You’d better hold onto that, Soren.”

  “You’d better forget you ever laid eyes on that, Rowan.”

  “Yeah, I know.”

  To Cade’s surprise, Slone vaulted off of his reclining chair, ambling toward the opposite side of the yacht.

  Holy crap. Cade stiffened. He hadn’t meant that literally.

  Damn. Had Slone actually considered pursuing Kylie, when this was all through? Jealous fire burned in his veins.

  Didn’t matter, he thought, a powerful possessiveness roiling inside him. He knew in the deepest crevices of his soul, Kylie belonged to him. Slone had to know that, too, and it stunned Cade that Slone would admit even the smallest interest in his woman.

  No matter what happened in the future, Cade would never reveal the momentary lapse concerning Slone. He’d never tell Kylie she had another admirer during their ventures out at sea.

  Because she belonged to him.

  And he’d be damned if another man claimed her out from under him.

  *

  When the yacht moored in its designated slip on El Dorado Island, and Cade helped Kylie from the plank onto the dock, it took a few minutes to regain her land legs.

  “The island is bobbing,” she said, entertained by the way she swayed despite being on solid ground.

  Cade glided his arm around her. “That’s typical. The sensation should disappear in an hour or two.”

  An assembly of staff greeted them promptly, helping Antonio carry their luggage from the yacht into the stunning antebellum-style plantation house she assumed was The Montgomery Hotel. Towering trees dripping with Spanish moss stood like ancient guardians around the manor. Eight tall white columns fronted the hotel, stretching the full height of the two story building, lending an air of neoclassical grandeur. The symmetry of long, evenly spaced windows and the gabled rooftop of the third floor gave a sense of solidness and history to the mansion.

  As evening descended around them, she watched the shifting interplay of light from the dozens of windows chase away the lengthening shadows. The winding walkway that led up to the front of the palatial hotel meandered through an immaculately manicured gardenscape.

  Elegance emanated from the hotel the way charm emanated from Cade. She could hardly believe this magnificent façade had teetered on the brink of ruin only four years ago. The result spoke to Carter Stratton’s determination and his wife Ellie’s design taste. Kylie wished she were here on an extended vacation instead of a pit stop meant to harbor her and Cade from the ugly reality hunting them.

  As they approached, a shadow moved on the porch and a man came into view cupping two fingers around a tulip-shaped glass with a squat stem, reminding her of a brandy snifter. His sandy hair was a little darker and cut shorter than Cade’s lighter, longer layers. He wore a pair of snug-fitting jeans and a loose button-down oxford that stretched tight across his broad chest, with the sleeves rolled back to reveal well muscled forearms. He and Cade could easily have been mistaken for brothers.

  Cade strode up the steps to shake hands and clasp shoulders with the man, whom she guessed was Carter Stratton.

  “Welcome to our little slice of paradise, my friend,” Carter said with a handsome grin. “It’s been too long.”

  “Don’t I know,” Cade said. “The southern climate must be agreeing with you. You don’t walk around with a scowl looking like a demon from hell.”

  “It’s not the climate,” Carter said with a private smile. He shook his head. “You need to quit running a billion dollar empire and hang out with me more often.”

  Cade grinned. “Give me some of your minions, and I will.”

  “Nope. I’m not parting with any of them. You’ll have to find your own minions to do your bidding.”

  Cade stood in a relaxed, loose-limbed stance Kylie had never seen from him. He looked close to carefree, and his smile dazzled her. “Who are we kidding?” Cade asked. “You know I’d never give up control the way you have, leaving the important details to someone else.”

  “My wife would disagree that I’ve given up any control over my holdings.”

  “Speaking of your wife,” came a melodious voice from the doorway. “I’ve waited a long time to meet Cade Soren in the flesh. Show some southern manners and introduce us, darling.”

  Carter reached out to his wife, draping his arm around her shoulders. “Ellie, this is Cade. Cade, meet my better half.”

  “A pleasure,” he said, embracing Ellie. Carter’s wife was a stunning beauty, Kylie thought, with long dark hair touched with blonde highlights and the most striking golden-hazel eyes. “Anyone who could tame this confirmed bachelor into domestic bliss has my full respect and overwhelming sympathy.”

  Carter threw him a mock glare. “You’d better keep your hands off. She’s all mine.”

  “I’m good with that,” Cade said, tossing Kylie a wink. He motioned to her, and she approached his side with nervous hesitation. This reminded her of the first awkward introduction when meeting a new boyfriend’s family, and since she and Cade weren’t exactly dating, she wasn’t sure how to respond.

  “Nice to meet you,” she said with a stiff smile. The husband and wife each shook her hand, then paused as if awaiting further explanation. Which she didn’t provide.

  “Come inside,” Ellie said, cutting short the silence. She waved toward the open front door where inviting light glittered from a crystal chandelier and spilled out onto the porch. “We can head straight to the bar, or we can give you a quick tour first.”

  “I want the tour.” Cade grinned. “Stratton emailed me photos of the hotel at different stages of the renovation. I can’t wait to see the finished product in all its restored southern glory.”

  Automatically Cade reached for Kylie’s hand as they entered the establishment. He didn’t let go through the entire main floor tour. Kylie kept glancing at the place where their palms met and fingers locked, wondering at the cause for his public display of affection, laying obvious claim to her in front of his longtime friends. She couldn’t deny how good her hand felt enclosed in his, long tanned fingers wrapped around her small pale ones in an easy, confident grasp. He made her feel special and desired, and the sensation enfolded her in a haze of warmth.

  Her heightened awareness of his tall, athletic body brushing against her as they moved from room to room disrupted her concentration, though she meant to focus on their surroundings and the history tucked into every nook and crevice.

  The wide central hall beckoned them from the moment they stepped foot in the door, a grand semi-circle staircase with a crimson runner stealing the show. They passed two parlors with ample seating for guests. The original elaborate crown molding adorned chair rails and the upper and lower edges where walls met the ceiling and hardwood floors. Kylie could almost imagine the industriousness involved in building such a manor, so many craftsman and woodworkers devoted to hand-sculpting the ornate beauty surrounding them.

  Also, she noticed that Cade had a way of owning any room he stepped foot in, his charisma tangible as he admired and complimented the overall beauty of the hotel. He pointed out architectural specifics and nuances, using words she’d never heard.

  By the end of the tour, the Strattons glowed with pride under his praise of their accomplishments. Out of all his God given gifts, Cade’s natural ability to make people feel good about themselves was the one Kylie admired most. She squeezed his hand lightly, and he stroked his thumb across her knuckles.

  The last room Carter led them into was the library. Kylie found he
rself surrounded by bookshelves covering two walls from floor to ceiling, crammed with books—exceptional books, with leather bindings, half of which surely held a copyright date prior to 1950. She could’ve spent all day exploring the wisdom and knowledge held in these tomes.

  “Now for the grand finale,” Stratton said.

  Reaching for a book tucked into a random place on a random shelf, he tugged the top of the binding. Suddenly one entire bookshelf popped open, leaving an inch crevice that alluded to hidden possibilities beyond.

  “Our genuine, circa nineteen twenties speakeasy.”

  “No way,” Kylie gasped. “A trap door and all?”

  “The guests have made it an unexpected hit, almost as much of a draw as our golf courses.” Stratton’s eyes glittered. “And you need the secret password to enter.”

  Cade snorted. “You don’t want to let me guess what that might be. Your wife would never look at you the same way again.”

  Stratton’s gaze drifted to his wife. Their eyes met and something special and unspoken passed between them. “We only have secret passwords around here. There are no secrets between us.”

  Kylie watched the magnificent glow in their eyes, emotions they exchanged without a word. An incredible loving bond that transcended the physical.

  She wished she hadn’t seen it. Since she had yet to reveal to Cade her own secret—that her mother had been murdered, and every cold case she investigated and helped solve gave her fleeting hope that one day she might lift the burden from the past she carried like her own personal albatross.

  Of all the men she’d ever met, Cade was the only one who would understand her grief and strife, her sense of personal failure.

  Still, she couldn’t go there. She wasn’t ready to let him see that deeply into her soul. Maybe she would never be ready. Because that meant admitting defeat, admitting that while she could solve the murder of a stranger, she couldn’t solve the murder of her own mother.

  Some wounds were too obvious to hide, yet too painful to acknowledge.

  “Okay,” Cade said, “how about abracadabra?”

  Carter shrugged. “That’ll work.”

  With a swift tug, he opened the bookshelf and flipped on a light to reveal a stone staircase and masonry walls leading downward.

  “It looks so medieval. Like a dungeon.” Kylie felt Cade’s hand adjust its grip firmly around hers.

  Ellie grinned. “There are no ghosts or skeletons or iron chains, I promise.”

  Stratton added, “They might’ve designed it that way on purpose. To throw off the authorities if they ever caught onto the bootlegging.”

  The four of them descended into the shadowy depths. Another light came on, and an art deco stained glass fixture overhead cast an inviting glow throughout the room. The scents of lemon oil, faint cigar smoke, and mature masonry filled the air. On the left side of the room across from the long bar, high-top tables sat evenly spaced along the exposed brick wall.

  “Oh, it’s lovely,” Kylie exclaimed. “Look at this room, Cade. It’s like we traveled back in time.”

  Dark wood panels gleamed with fresh polish, supporting the bronze countertop and encasing the shelves and storage behind the bar. A long mirror fixed to the wall reflected a two-tiered row of elegant bottles. Glasses hung upside down from their bases in rows of cut-glass stemware that reflected the light like miniature chandeliers. The clean linoleum floor tiles bore linear symmetrical patterns in gold, black and turquoise flourishes, busy but pleasing to the eye, and a nice contrast to the simple solid colors used in the rest of the space.

  “Everything looks spot-on authentic.” Cade nodded at Stratton. “Impressive. Nicely done, my friend.”

  “This part was entirely Ellie’s domain. She chose the finishes and details.”

  Beaming, Ellie walked over to an antique bronze phonograph, its flower-shaped cylinder horn and crank handle adding to the authenticity. She raised the hinged top to reveal a record player beneath. She placed the needle on the record and closed the lid. After several crackles a Scott Joplin ragtime tune filled the air with lively piano rhythms.

  “The perfect touch,” Kylie said. “I’m in love with this room.”

  “Great.” Cade rolled his eyes. “Now I have to compete with an inanimate object.”

  Looking up at him, Kylie patted his chest. “There’s no comparison.”

  “I’m not sure how to take that.”

  Stratton roared with laughter. “You need to hang onto this one, Cade. I like her.”

  Bemused, Cade frowned. “So did I,” he muttered, emphasizing the past tense.

  Kylie shoved his shoulder. “Stop. You know what I meant.”

  Catching her against him, he revealed a seductive glitter in his eyes. “Prove it.”

  “Let’s finish the tour first,” she said with a laugh. Anticipation warmed and tightened her abdomen.

  “Hey, this isn’t that type of establishment,” Stratton insisted.

  “What a shame.” Sexual intensity resonated from Cade, his eyes heavy lidded and focused solely on her.

  If they’d been alone, Kylie couldn’t have resisted Cade no matter how hard she tried. Speaking of hard… She teasingly nudged her hip against his erection.

  “Don’t tempt me,” he warned low. “Or I’ll toss you over my shoulder and take you to bed.”

  “Don’t be rude.” She batted her eyelashes innocently. “We’re guests here.”

  A growl issued from his throat. “I don’t care.”

  Kylie laughed. “So romantic.”

  He bent down and whispered in her ear. “What I want to do to you right now isn’t about romance. It’s primal and aggressive. After I throw you up against the wall and take you hard, I want you naked and under me.”

  “Cade,” she chided in a harsh whisper.

  “Can’t help it.” He nipped her earlobe with a stinging bite. “You bring out my baser nature.”

  When he pulled back and drew up to his full towering height, the predatory gleam of carnal hunger in his stare confirmed his words. Her mouth went dry. A nervous, excited flutter rose in her stomach. She wanted to be taken.

  “Soon,” he murmured, pressing her against his thickening arousal.

  Interrupting their sexually charged exchange, Stratton said, “We have a hell of a stash of bootlegged rum left over from the cache we found abandoned down here. Can we tempt you to join us in a toast?”

  “Absolutely.” Cade led Kylie toward the row of barstools. He pulled out one for her then seated himself. He tugged her stool between his spread thighs, unable or unwilling to let her out of arm’s reach. His hand snuck under her top, his frisky fingers moving upward to pop open her bra clasp.

  Fuming, she leveled a glare at him.

  At her reaction he raised his eyebrows as if he’d done nothing wrong. “What?”

  “Stop it,” she hissed.

  He gazed at her steadily. “No.”

  “Cade.”

  He tucked her against him and whispered, “You’re mine. And I’m going to touch you whenever, wherever I feel like it.”

  Oh, for heaven’s sake. She shooed his hands away, but he put them back in even more inappropriate places. Like the curve of her breast where her bra now sagged away from her body.

  What was wrong with him? Her suave, charming Renaissance man had swiftly devolved into a Neanderthal, devoid of manners or modesty.

  His exhale layered her neck in a coating of steam. He scraped his teeth against her throat then dragged his open mouth down toward her shoulder.

  While she enjoyed his expert attention, this level of PDA unnerved her. He was becoming out of control, and taking her eager body with him.

  “God, you two. Get a room,” Stratton said wearing a smirk.

  Cade took the full shot glass his friend offered him. “Handy you own a hotel. And happen to have a room waiting for us upstairs.”

  “Looks like you’ll need it any minute.” Stratton lifted his brimming shot glass. Cade, Kyl
ie and Ellie did the same with theirs. “To great friends. And great sex.”

  Kylie blushed to the roots of her hair.

  Cade snorted. “I’ll drink to that. As long as there’s no sex with friends hidden in that statement.”

  “Definitely not.” Amused, Carter shook his head as he tucked his arm around Ellie’s waist. “I’m a one-woman man.”

  “Same. Glad we’re clear on that.” Cade touched the rim of his glass to Carter’s and Ellie’s, then reserved a special toast for Kylie. “To us,” he said, clinking her shot glass. “And tonight.”

  The sexual promise stamped on his features sent a thrilling shiver down her back. The four of them each tapped the bases of their shot glasses onto the counter then tossed back the rum.

  Cade smoothed a droplet from his lower lip and sucked it off his thumb. “Damn, Stratton. That rum deserves to be savored, not poured as a shot.”

  “You two looked like you might be in a hurry. I didn’t want to hold you up.”

  “Good man.” Cade swatted Kylie’s backside affectionately. “Time to go, baby.”

  “What?” The rum burned a smooth trail down to her belly. “But we just arrived. We barely finished the tour.”

  “Oh, we’re done.”

  Unceremoniously, he pushed back his barstool then plucked Kylie from hers, hauling her toward the steps. Her protests didn’t faze him.

  “Thanks for the hospitality,” he called over his shoulder. “See you in the morning.”

  Fingers clasping her wrist, he pulled her behind him and his long strides. She could barely keep up with him. “Cade, slow down.”

  “No.”

  What has gotten into him? This fierce, possessive man, impossible to reason with. He was behaving like a caveman dragging her back to his lair. Her bra straps slid further down her arms, her breasts swaying. She tugged at her wrist imprisoned in his grasp. “This is ridiculous.”

  “Fine. We’ll do this right here.” He abruptly pushed her up against the wall and crushed her mouth under his. His tongue demanded entrance, spearing past her lips to capture hers.

  Cade devoured her in a ruthless conquest, owning her mouth. As if he didn’t care that someone might pass them in the hallway, as long as he had what he wanted—her at his mercy. He tilted his head at a steep angle, and she had no option other than surrender.