Love Dies Hard Three - Book 3 (Billionaire Romance Series) (Hard To Love)

by C. C. Cartwright

  “Sophie,” Marcus whispers, taking my face in his hands. He drags his thumbs across my cheeks, wiping away my tears that are still rolling down my face.

  “I didn’t want you to see me like this. I’m a mess,” I say looking into his eyes that are a reflection of mine, filled with sadness.

  “Let me just hold you tonight,” he says softly.

  “Why? It will just make goodbye even harder. Why didn’t you just let this afternoon at the office be our last goodbye? Please Marcus, I’m begging you to leave.” He takes my lips in a kiss so I can’t protest anymore. He picks me up and carries me into my bedroom. He puts me down and I’m perched on the edge of my bed, still protesting as he starts to strip himself bare.

  “I won’t let you inside me again Marcus, we can’t do this.” He doesn’t listen to me, he’s taking what he wants from me, what he needs from me.

  “Please Marcus,” I cry out and he’s on me naked, making his touch difficult to resist and he knows it.

  “Sophie, let me make the sweetest, most tender love to you,” he murmurs in that irresistible bedroom voice of his and I melt for him.

  “Why?” I practically yell at him in frustration.

  “Because I love you, and you love me.” His words feel like a knife slicing me open.

  “What does it matter anymore?” I plead in exasperation.

  “Let’s just enjoy each other tonight, please let me love you Sophie,” he says trailing the softest kisses down my neck that send shivers to every fiber in my being. I surrender to his words, to his body, to his hands, to his kisses. I let all of him into all of me. He loves me all night long, into the wee hours of the morning. Not getting any sleep as we see the sun filter into my bedroom. Marcus rolls over and looks at the clock on my nightstand and groans when he sees the time.

  “I need to get going, my flight leaves in a few hours,” he says pulling me into his arms. I close my eyes, willing myself to shed no more tears.

  “Sophie, look at me babe. I love you and I know you love me.” I don’t say a word, I just listen. He sits on the edge of my bed and starts searching for his clothes. He gets dressed and I get out of bed to find my silk robe and tie it tightly around my waist, I feel a chill run through my body. At the front door Marcus gives me a kiss. I feel numb emotionally and physically, I will never be the same. I thought my high school love broke me, this is far worse than I ever imagined.

  “Goodbye Sophie.”

  “Goodbye Marcus,” I say in an almost inaudible whisper. No promises are made and I’m thankful for that. This way neither of us have any unrealistic expectations. This is our final goodbye. He opens the door and turns to get one last look at me and then walks through my door and closes it softly.

  Chapter 5

  Marcus

  I thought I could do this, but I’m absolutely miserable here in London. I haven’t even been here two weeks. I’m calling my father and making him send Sophie to me, otherwise I’m not staying here another day. I put a call into him and we exchange heated words, but he agrees to send her to me next week. I just hope my headstrong girl doesn’t put up a fight.

  “Hi Tamara, can you put me through to Sophie please.” I get Tamara, Sophie must have her phone forwarded. Tamara comes back on the line and tells me Sophie stepped away from her desk. “I’ll hold then,” I say curtly.

  “She may be awhile,” Tamara says, making excuses for her.

  “Tamara, you tell Miss Shawn that I’m holding long distance until she gets on this phone,” I say angrily.

  “Yes sir, just a moment.”

  “Marcus, what do you need?” Sophie answers, all business.

  “Trying to ditch my call were you?” I’m angry now.

  “Marcus, I’m busy, what do you need?”

  “Aren’t you going to ask how I’m doing, how is London treating me?”

  “Christopher told me you’re settling in just fine.”

  “He told me you’re not yourself.”

  “Don’t believe everything you hear.”

  “Sophie, I miss you,” I say softly and my words are met with a stony silence. “Don’t you miss me?”

  “Marcus, why are you calling?”

  “My Father is sending you to London.” She says nothing. “We need more hands on deck here.” She says nothing. “Damn it Sophie, say something.”

  “You asked him to send me didn’t you?” she says with an edge to her voice and I can’t tell whether she will agree to come or not.

  “I miss you babe,” I say, trying to break down her wall.

  “Why can’t they send Christopher if you need more hands on deck?”

  “I don’t want his hands. I want your hands, on me.”

  “Marcus, please.”

  “The tickets will be on your desk tomorrow and I expect you to use them. I will pick you up from Heathrow personally on Monday afternoon.” She never answers me and we hang up.

  *****

  I took the time out of my busy day to get my sorry ass down here to greet her personally. She better be walking off this plane or else I will be livid. Passenger after passenger walk off the plane and there is no sign of my beautiful girl. Damn her, she is one stubborn woman. I pull my cell phone out of my pocket to check if I have any messages from my office. A text flashes across my screen.

  Sophie: I’m here, standing right in front of you Mr. Hunter.

  I look up and my heart stops at the sight of her and I see her breath catch. We’re standing five feet apart and we just stare at each other, it’s as if the world has stopped. Neither of us makes a move toward the other. I can tell by her expression that she came here grudgingly, who could blame her. I ambushed her and left her no choice, but I’m usually good at getting what I want.

  “Babe, I’m glad you made it,” I say wrapping her in a tight embrace that she doesn’t return.

  “I hate red-eye flights,” is all she says in greeting. It’s going to take me awhile to warm her up. I just need to get her alone and then it shouldn’t be too difficult to work my magic.

  “Let’s go, my driver is waiting.”

  “You better have booked me into the finest hotel. I’m not staying at your place.” Why does she have to say those things? Even if she’s in a hotel, she’s sleeping with me and she knows it.

  “Of course I did,” I play along to appease her for now.

  “Good. I want to go straight there, I’m exhausted. I didn’t get much sleep on the flight.” I booked her a suite, or should I say I booked us a suite at the Savoy, it should meet her high standards, it meets mine. I check her in and walk her to her room.

  “Thank you for showing me to my room,” she says icily, after I open the door.

  “You’re not getting rid of me that easily,” I say following her into the suite. She looks around and I can tell she’s impressed, but my stubborn girl won’t give me an inch. “Does the suite meet the royal highness’s standards?”

  “Yes, it’s lovely Marcus, thank you. I will be happy here for the next week,” she replies slipping her shoes off and tossing her purse down on the sofa before she heads into the bathroom to freshen up. I make myself at home on the sofa and check my messages on my cell phone. When she comes back out into the room, I need to touch her, I can’t hold back any longer. She’s standing at her suitcase and unpacking when I come up behind her to wrap my arms around her waist. I breathe in her sweet scent as I bury my face in her long silky hair.

  “I’ve missed you,” I say softly in her ear. She stiffens at first but then I feel her relax into my arms. My hands reach higher and cup her breasts and I squeeze them in my palms. Her nipples peak immediately. She wants me, as much as her lips deny it. I press my arousal against her perfect behind and she presses back into me. She turns and gazes up at me with those beautiful eyes of hers.

  “I’ve missed you too,” she whispers. I’m a little shocked by her admission. I take her lips in a passion filled kiss. A kiss filled with longing, oh how I’ve missed her hands on me,
loving me. We need to be stripped bare, now. I want to feel the warmth of her skin against mine. This need I have for her is all consuming. I pick her up and carry her to the bed. We’re naked within moments and I’m lavishing her breasts with my tongue. She’s already whimpering in pleasure. I need to be buried in my most favorite place as she wraps her legs around me, inviting me into her depths. I slide right in because she’s so ready and wet for me. Her soft lips are open as I press into her, enjoying her warmth wrapped around me so tight.

  “God how I’ve missed this,” I moan, looking deep into her eyes. I know she feels the same way although she would never vocalize it to me. I thrust deep, then pull all the way out and in deep again.

  “Roll over,” I growl. She does as I command, at least in the bedroom she always does. My little minx never ceases to amaze me in the bedroom. She gets on all fours for me just like I asked and I get behind her and pull her onto me. She moans out in pleasure as I get a steady heart stopping rhythm going.

  Chapter 6

  Sophie

  Damn Marcus, he backed me into a corner and I couldn’t refuse. Somehow he got his father to walk the tickets into my office and deliver them to me personally. When I told John I was going to London on business, he wanted to come with me. Luckily, he couldn’t get away at such short notice. He’s working on a big case right now, thank goodness. What a disaster that would have been. This will be my last hurrah before I settle down and marry John. That’s what I keep telling myself, because I know I won’t be able to resist Marcus once I get to London. Yes, I’ve decided to use the tickets Mr. Hunter hand delivered to me. What choice do I really have? I will try to put up a fight, but it will be futile. Marcus has a way of breaking down my resistance.

  Within two hours of landing Marcus is already buried deep inside me. I told you he would have his way with me.

  “Roll over,” he commands and I obey.

  “Ahh, Ahh, you’re mine. You’re mine,” he groans out loudly. I’ve never heard him so urgent, so insistent.

  “Come back on me. I love seeing your beautiful ass coming down on me. Ah, ah, yeah babe, just like that,” he continues with the dirty talk that he knows turns me on, he indulges my naughtiness. My knuckles are pale. I’m fisting the sheets, driving myself back onto every inch of him. Fueled by this uncontrollable desire and passion I have for this man. A man I can’t say no to. I always let him have me, let him take what he wants from me, ever since that first night months ago. Why does he have this control over me? Why do I succumb to him over and over? I’ll tell you why, because it feels too good when he’s buried inside me, buried inside my soul. My moans of pleasure bounce off the walls of my suite, we grunt like animals in heat, we can’t stop ourselves.

  “You’re mine,” he pants.

  “Yes. Yes. Yes,” I cry out, God Marcus yes. He bends into me and his arm wraps around so his hand has access to the sensitive nub between my legs. His fingers start to work their magic as he strokes my sensitive nub all while his deep thrusts start pulling me towards an ecstasy that’s almost too much to bear.

  “Marcus, no,” I gasp as my body starts to spasm. I clench hard around him and I feel his warmth spill into me filling me like only Marcus can.

  “Ahhhhhh,” he cries out his face buried into the back of my neck and we both collapse on the bed, his body covering my back like a heavy blanket. I lower my arms and bury my face in my pillow as I go over the edge with him, the world’s best lover.

  “Oh my God, babe,” he groans breathlessly. My face is buried in the pillow and I feel a flood of emotions wash over me. Marcus is still inside me, his warmth trailing down the slickness between my legs. I can’t believe we are still doing this together, I can’t believe I’m here in London with him. This was supposed to be over months ago. It was supposed to be only one night of passion, a fling at the most.

  “Thank you for coming to London,” I hear Marcus say, he can’t see my face. He kisses the back of my shoulder and is lightly stroking my back with the touch that I find myself craving day and night.

  “You just wanted me here to warm your bed,” I tease rolling over to face him and he rolls on top of me, his face inches from mine.

  “Is that so wrong? I can’t believe I got you here, you’re one stubborn woman,” he admits.

  “I can’t believe you got me here either. You actually left me no choice, your father personally hand delivered the tickets to me in my office.”

  “I told him I was going to be on the next flight home if he didn’t. I want to show you all over London tomorrow,” he says and I smile at him.

  “That’s what I like to see.” He lays a kiss on my lips.

  “I’m hungry. Let’s order room service I’m too tired to go out,” I say, I worked up an appetite.

  Chapter 7

  Marcus

  We spend the day with my driver, who takes us to all the top tourist attractions. We start at the Tower of London, to see the Crown of Jewels and walk the tower. Then I want to share one of my favorite places with Sophie, the National Portrait Gallery. We have a late lunch at Harrods and she browses the massive department store, but she won’t let me buy her a single thing. That’s what I love about her. She never wants to take anything from me, materially speaking. For my parents to be concerned that Sophie may be after my money is absolutely ludicrous.

  “Tonight I’m taking you to The Underground Club. A client of ours, Richard Stone’s son is playing tonight. He’s the lead singer for Belgravia Underground, a popular local London band.”

  “Sounds like a good time. Can we go back to the hotel now? I want to take a nap before we go out tonight,” Sophie asks.

  “I’ll show you a good time,” I tease seductively.

  “You are insatiable Mr. Hunter and I find that to be your most redeeming quality,” she says leaning into me in the backseat and planting a hard kiss on my lips. We do manage to sneak in a nap, but that’s only after some afternoon delight.

  *****

  Once we arrive at The Underground, we walk right up past the long line and I give my name to the man at the door and access is granted. The Club is dark and the music is pumping loudly. We head up towards the front near the stage and sit down at a table that has a reserved sign on it. We order drinks and the lights dim even more and one light shines on stage illuminating the lead singer, Richie Stone. This must be Mr. Stone’s son.

  “They’re really good, I like their sound,” Sophie leans into me and yells in my ear over the music. Her sensuous lips tickle my ear. I look over at her and take her hand in mine. I’m content now that she’s here with me tonight. Once the set is over, we head backstage to meet Richie and the band. Richie introduces us to his girlfriend, Julia Robbins. She and Sophie wander off to get drinks.

  Chapter 8

  Sophie

  Wow, this guy is mesmerizing. I’m not usually into rockers, but this guy is smoking hot. Marcus looks over at me and takes my hand in his. I’m having too good of a time with Marcus and I wish I wasn’t. It’s just going to make what I have to do even harder to follow through with.

  “They’re really good,” I yell into Marcus’s ear over the music. We head backstage after the show to meet Richie Stone, the sexy lead singer and he introduces us to his girlfriend, Julia Robbins. She is an American girl, which fascinates me. She’s no different than me and she’s with this sexy bad boy rocker, but by the looks of him who could blame her. Julia and I wander off to get some drinks and then we sit down together at a table to get away from the crowd.

  “Do you live here Sophie?” Julia inquires.

  “No, I just came over on business,” I reply.

  “What do you do?”

  “I’m a money manager at Hunter Investments,” I offer.

  “Oh, I’ve heard of them. I work at Adler, Simpson & Brown, a consulting firm,” Julia says.

  “You have offices in LA,” I say recognizing the name.

  “Yes, I came to work on a six month exchange program, met Richie and
fell in love,” she admits candidly. It’s so sweet to hear her admit so easily that she fell in love. “Is Marcus your boyfriend?” she asks.

  “No.”

  “Your fiancée?”

  “No.”

  “Your husband?”

  “Oh no.”

  “Well whoever he is, he can’t seem to keep his hands off you,” she laughs.

  “Yeah, I don’t know what we’re doing,” I sigh out.

  “Been there, done that…” Julia says.

  “With Richie?” I ask. They seem to be at a good place in their relationship.

  “Yes, his band is a client of Adler. That’s how we first met. He pursued me, but I was hesitant. How could a guy that looks like him, and who has all these girls throwing themselves at him night after night, be interested in getting serious with someone like me? You have to admit we’re an unlikely couple,” Julia says with a smile.

  “I admit, I did find it intriguing. I was first surprised that you were an American. But it looks like things are working between you two.”

  “I do love Richie, although it took me a long while to realize it. But he hung in there, proving it to me every single day until I opened my eyes,” Julia says, looking over towards Richie with a twinkle in her eye, it’s endearing to see how obviously in love she is. “I keep extending my stay because of Richie, but I don’t know what will happen once my work assignment expires and they want me to go back to LA. How long are you here on business?”

  “For one week, I leave next Monday.”