THE MITUS TOUCH: Book One of The Touch Series

by Stoni Alexander

  “I thought this was about Francesco’s success and Crockett’s innovation. When did things become personal?”

  “The moment Wilson Montgomery stepped into the picture.” He walked over and smiled. But she didn’t believe his plastic expression. He offered his hands.

  The second she clasped them, a chill shot down her spine. They were ice cold.

  He escorted her into her office. “Run a report of my holdings and we’ll see what damage we can do before the market closes for the week. Sell whatever is necessary.” Without a smile or his signature nod, he headed back toward his office.

  “Wait.” She walked over and looked him firmly in the eyes. “Something isn’t right. In good conscience I can’t complete any trades if you’re not behind this decision.”

  They stared at each other for a long minute. When she ran her hand down his chest the tight lines around his eyes softened. “Wilson Montgomery is coming after me,” he bit out.

  “I don’t understand.”

  His jaw muscles clenched as he shifted his attention past her and out the window. She waited and waited. Finally, she broke the silence. “Please, Colton.” Again she touched him, this time caressing his shoulder.

  Slowly, his gaze met hers. After a long pause, his eyes softened, his jaw relaxed and color flooded his cheeks. The man she’d come to admire and respect stood strong. She breathed.

  “I didn’t know who Montgomery was until I met him at the gala,” Colton said. “He was a complete stranger, but the threatening tone in his voice gave him away.”

  Perplexed, she furrowed her brow. “Who is he?”

  “After twenty-three years, my good-for-nothing father has returned with a motherfucking chip on his shoulder.”

  “Oh, God, no.”

  “Wilson Montgomery is Wilson Mitus.”

  48

  Intimate

  Dressed in his robe, Colton opened his bedroom door to a dimly lit hallway. It was Monday, after midnight, but he couldn’t sleep. In several hours, he and Brigit would fly to Ohio for Francesco’s special shareholders meeting scheduled for Tuesday. By a simple vote, the shareholders would decide his future. Either the Francesco Company and Crockett Boxes would be his, or they’d be MobiCom’s. The thought of Wilson Montgomery winning soured his stomach.

  “You’ll never amount to anything, you stupid, useless child.” Those words haunted Colton’s dreams, but, by day, they’d turned him into an indestructible powerhouse. Pushing past the bitter memories, he set off down the hallway.

  With the exception of Francesco stock and his real estate holdings, Brigit had sold every position in his portfolio. But even with the millions on hand, Colton didn’t have enough to match MobiCom’s inflated offer.

  After spending the weekend analyzing possible scenarios, the Mitus team and Francesco executives agreed on a strategy. Mitus Conglomerate would pay shareholders a three percent premium over the current stock price. That offer was five percentage points lower than MobiCom’s, so to sweeten the deal, shareholders would be given options to repurchase up to twenty-five percent of their current shares after one year at the Mitus purchase price.

  Everything hinged on convincing shareholders that the impending success of Crockett Boxes made their options of greater value than MobiCom’s quick cash. Colton’s chances of winning were slim. He’d risked his entire career on believing that somehow, some way, those shareholders would see the value of long-term financial gain in lieu of making a quick buck.

  Light spilled into the hallway from the bottom of Brigit’s closed bedroom door. There was never a moment he wasn’t drawn to her, but he wasn’t looking for a late-night booty call so he padded downstairs.

  As he approached the kitchen, the air grew chilly. The French door leading to the screened porch was ajar. Someone had forgotten to close up. He started to shut the door when he noticed a lone figure curled up on the couch.

  Brigit sat alone in the dark, her face bathed in the moonlight’s soft glow. Pausing to appreciate her beauty, he realized she was crying. His shoulders dropped. It hadn’t even been two weeks since the brutal attack and he hadn’t asked her once, all weekend, how she felt. She’d worked diligently alongside him without letting on if she was in pain.

  “Hey,” he murmured. As she turned, she quickly wiped her cheeks. He stepped outside. “Where’s your shadow?”

  She cracked a smile. Her smile did it for him every single time. “The cold isn’t Mojo’s thing. He’s conked out in his bed.”

  He draped the throw over her lap and sat close. She looked adorable in her cozy white bathrobe and big slipper boots. “Whatcha doing up so late?” He gently thumbed a runaway tendril from her face.

  “Same as you.” She angled toward him on the sofa.

  They gazed into each other’s eyes. The undeniable attraction whirled around them. He wanted to lift her onto his lap, wrap his arms around her and kiss her until they were breathless and hungry for more. Did she feel the energy humming between them? “Thank you for going the extra mile this weekend,” he said. “Are you in pain?”

  She rubbed her chest. “Nothing I can’t handle.”

  “How’s your memory treating you?”

  “What’s a memory?”

  His lips lifted. “It’ll come back.”

  “I worry that it won’t, but I’m too focused on Francesco to think about who did this to me.”

  “You care about that company as much as I do.”

  Breaking eye contact, she stared straight ahead. “Francesco should remain its own organization. MobiCom doesn’t get to claim Crockett Boxes.” She shivered beneath the lightweight throw.

  Draping his arm around her, he scooted close and kissed the top of her head. “I’ll warm you.”

  They sat in silence for a few moments.

  “It’s time you knew,” Brigit murmured.

  Finally. She was going to tell him about the baby, their baby. Maybe even come clean about her mysterious past.

  “Colton, is that you?” Vanessa called from the kitchen. Brigit’s body stiffened beneath the blanket. Dancing onto the porch, she said, “It’s your lucky night cuz I had one helluva vacation and I’m ready to whoop it up!”

  Dammit. Colton pushed off the sofa to greet her. “Welcome back, Vanessa.”

  She threw her arms around him. “Oh, I didn’t realize you—” With wide eyes, she stepped back and tugged out her earbuds. “Brigit. Isn’t it kinda late to be number crunching?”

  “We have a big meeting tomorrow and couldn’t sleep,” Colton said. “Good trip?”

  “Um, yeah, great. Feels like I’ve been gone forever. What did I miss?” Vanessa couldn’t stop staring at Brigit.

  “It’s late. I’m going to sleep.” Brigit removed the blanket and rose.

  “Vanessa, when did you leave?” Colton asked.

  “Night before Thanksgiving, on the heels of Chad. Why?”

  “Did you see anyone outside the compound?”

  “Nope, but I wasn’t looking.” Vanessa furrowed her brow. “Should I have been?”

  Brigit took a few steps toward the French door. “Goodnight.”

  “Brigit, wait,” Colton said. “Vanessa, are you staying out here?”

  “Alone in the cold? Uh, no.” Vanessa spun around and strutted into the house.

  Before Brigit stepped inside, Colton placed his hands on the back of her shoulders. When she turned toward him, he asked, “You want to finish what you were about to tell me?” Her expression fell and she shook her head.

  Dammit, Vanessa.

  Her beauty drew him in and he brushed his lips against hers. “Exercising control has grounded me and defined me as a man. When we’re together, I can’t control myself.” He kissed her again.

  “You’re exhibiting plenty of control now.” Her breathy voice was whisper quiet. She gently finger-combed his hair out of his eyes. “Ask Santa for a brush.”

  Heat flamed his body. As she lowered her hand, he dropped a lingering kiss on her p
alm, then let go. “I’m on Santa’s naughty list,” he murmured. “A lump of coal for me.”

  Her smile sent a bolt of electricity shooting through him. He missed her so damn much. But he wouldn’t lay a hand on her until she was ready. Hell, he didn’t even know if she wanted him anymore.

  “Don’t forget to lock up.” She shuffled out of the kitchen.

  He threw the bolt and fell in line with her. In silence, they walked upstairs.

  She stopped at her doorway. “Goodnight, Colton.”

  “Sleep well, Brigit.” He looked into her eyes. Normally bright and fiery, they looked troubled. If Vanessa hadn’t barged in, would she have finally opened up? Second-guessing that woman was pointless.

  He couldn’t resist touching her, so he slipped his hand around the nape of her neck. Desire pulsed through him and his body came alive. Caressing her soft skin reminded him of how their bodies molded together. He inhaled her sweet scent, wanting to get lost in her. Instead of telling her how much he missed and needed her, he kissed her forehead and walked away.

  After closing his bedroom door, he tossed his robe on the foot of the bed and lay down. Naked beneath the linens, he closed his eyes but he was too revved up to sleep. The Francesco Company and Crockett Boxes would be his or he’d be forced out of the single biggest undertaking of his career. He clenched his hands into fists. Wilson Montgomery made his blood boil. Who returned after two decades, hell-bent on ruining their son? My asshole of a father, that’s who.

  There was a light tap on his door and then it opened. An angel appeared in his doorway, backlit by the amber hallway light. Brigit crossed into his bedroom. “I can’t sleep.”

  His body responded to her sultry voice. Tossing back the covers, he got out of bed. With each step his heart pumped faster. As he closed his bedroom door, her coconut fragrance smelled like the best vacation he’d never taken.

  Moonlight streamed through his bedroom windows, bathing her in an ivory glow. She untied the silky sash, pulled the robe from her shoulders and let it slip onto the floor. Her naked form turned him hard in seconds. Beautiful breasts. Pert nipples. Creamy skin. But it was her inner strength that stilled him. Gazing into her eyes confirmed his feelings.

  “I need you, Colton.” Her husky voice was filled with everything he’d waited to hear. Determination. Hunger. Desire. His Brigit stood before him.

  As he pulled her into his arms, he whispered, “I’ve missed you.”

  Standing on her tiptoes, she smiled. “Me too.”

  He smiled back. Nothing mattered but that moment. Their moment.

  With a tender touch, she cradled his face in her hands, then pressed her lips to his. A burst of desire flooded his veins. She deepened the kiss and their soft moans filled the silence.

  His world had been filled with masked screwing and hard fucking. Surrounded by fetishes and dark desires, he’d found a sexual world where he fit in and was welcomed with opened arms and legs.

  But this woman was different.

  When the kiss ended, she led him to the bed, but paused to pull a condom from his night table drawer. That told him a lot. She was physically and emotionally ready. “Would you like me masked?” she asked.

  Her words hung heavy. She really is an angel.

  Sitting on the edge of his bed, he held her hands. She was the light to his dark and she had the ability to do what no one had ever been able to do. Free his tormented soul. “Tonight I need to see your beauty when I make love to you.”

  Her satisfied expression made him smile. He wrapped his arms around her waist and as he kissed her, he fell back onto the bed. They lay together, her on him, staring into each other’s eyes.

  She stroked his hair away from his eyes. “Promise me something.”

  “What?” He laid a tender kiss on her lips.

  “No matter what happens at Francesco’s shareholder meeting, or what you might find out, remember how special this night was and how much it meant to us both.”

  Brigit awoke with a start. The bed linens were soaked. Dread crept into her consciousness. Someone watched from the shadows. Colton slept, peacefully. No, wait, something was wrong. His cream-colored pillowcase was crimson. Bolting upright, she winced in pain. His pillowcase was drenched in blood.

  She screamed. He didn’t move. She shook him, but nothing. Vinny Ray emerged from the shadows. He threw back his head and howled, his raucous laughter piercing her ears.

  “No, no, no, no!” Brigit’s arms flailed. Although she scrambled to get out of the bed, she couldn’t move.

  “I was drunk the first time, Eve Francesco, but not tonight,” spat Ray. “This time, I’ll get the job done.”

  “Help!” she screamed. “Help meeeeeee!!!”

  “Shhhh, it’s okay,” said a soothing voice in the distance. Someone touched her arm and she jerked awake, gasping for air.

  “It was just a dream.” Colton kissed her forehead. “I’ll get a cool washcloth.”

  Sweat trickled down her temple. Her heart pounded so hard she couldn’t catch her breath. Ohmygod, that was terrifying. She examined the sheets. They were blood-free. She slipped out of bed and checked the door. It was ajar.

  “The door is open.” She scurried back to bed. “Someone has been in here.”

  Colton looked down the hallway. “It’s quiet.” He closed the door.

  “Please lock it.” Shaking, she pulled the linens around her neck.

  Immobilized by fear, her eyes darted about the room, checking and double-checking. Vinny Ray hadn’t been in there. Or had he? Did she have a nightmare? Or had someone been lurking in the darkness, watching them sleep?

  49

  Hello, Eve

  “Melvin, are you still there?” Brigit had stunned her attorney into silence. Phone to ear, she sat on the edge of her bed and waited.

  “Let’s confirm, shall we?” Melvin Parsons’ normally booming voice was quiet. “You’re voting all twenty-two percent of your shares in favor of Mitus Conglomerate taking Francesco private. Everything in your Spider Holdings positions.”

  “Yes, that’s correct. All of it. I’m flying to Columbus for tomorrow’s shareholder meeting. If you can’t delegate your voting privileges in time, please vote on my behalf. MobiCom is attempting a hostile takeover and I’ve advised Colton that the White Knight is his best defense.

  “You advised Colton Mitus? I must’ve entered an alternate universe. I knew I shouldn’t have taken that sleeping pill.”

  “I have to run. I’ll explain when I return.”

  “I’ll add you to the accounts and text the confirmation. The only thing left to say is good luck and safe travels.”

  With bags in hand, Brigit hurried downstairs to reconfirm with Ryan that he’d take care of Mojo while she was gone. After hugging her dog and giving him a treat, she headed out front.

  Cold afternoon air smacked her face and she slipped on her leather gloves. Disturbing nightmare aside, she was ready to stop MobiCom.

  Vonn stood next to the Bentley talking on his cell phone. “Thanks,” he said and hung up. “Brigit let me get those.” He placed her bags into the trunk.

  “Did Colton charter a plane?” she asked.

  “You’re flying commercial. Columbus is expecting snow.”

  Colton stepped outside looking energized and full of swagger. “Ready to do this?” His confident smile was a direct result of their late-night fireworks.

  “Forgot my wallet.” Vonn bolted past Colton. “Courier is delivering a package,” he called over his shoulder as he ran inside.

  An unmarked white van rambled into sight. Brigit craned to see the driver, but the sun’s reflection bounced off the windshield. The vehicle stopped at the top of the driveway and, to Brigit’s relief, a woman exited.

  The courier’s long, black hair trailed down her chest, a black knit cap covered her head and dark sunglasses shielded her eyes. She opened the back of the van, pulled out a package and headed up the cobblestone walkway.

  “I’ll
sign for that,” Colton said.

  The courier stopped. “How you been?” Her strained voice gave Brigit the chills. “Does my hair remind you of something?” She dropped the box, whipped off her hat, and with it, the long black wig, revealing a man with a buzz cut.

  Fear pounded through Brigit. “Oh, God, no,” she choked out.

  “Uncle Vinny has come to make good on his promise.” He swayed, then whipped off his sunglasses. “Remember me now? I’m your goddamn worst nightmare and I’ve got a motherfuckin’ score to settle.”

  The reason she’d changed her identity and her looks, then moved hundreds of miles away to pick up the pieces of her shattered life and start over, stood a mere forty feet away.

  “Who are you?” Colton pulled out his phone.

  “No calls, rich boy,” Vinny Ray said. “This ain’t your business.”

  “Like hell it isn’t,” Colton bit out. “You’re on my property.”

  “Leave him out of this, Ray,” Brigit said. “This is between you and me.”

  Ray pulled a small handgun from his jacket pocket and waved it around. “I’m calling the shots now, aren’t I, Eve?”

  Cringing, she blurted, “Put the gun down. We can talk.”

  “Talk?” Ray sneered. “Sure, I’ll start. You owe me five years, bitch.”

  Her fingers tightened into balls of fury. “Go to hell. You killed my parents! Fuck your five years!”

  Ray staggered forward. “Feel better you got that shit out? ‘Cause now it’s my turn.” He raised his gun and fired, twice.

  Something whizzed by her ear, then pain ripped through her arm. Shrieking, she fell to her knees.

  Three more shots rang out and Ray crumpled to the ground. Brigit whipped her head around to find Vonn poised on the cobblestone entryway, his gun jutting from his clasped hands. Worried staff peered through the living room windows while Mojo barked and growled from inside the house.