by Peyton Banks
“Be there in fifteen.”
Country stood near the door to Denton’s office while Jazz walked around it slowly. The office hadn’t been touched yet. It was if the CEO of the company was away on business.
“We won’t have long to wait. I’m sure he’ll be here any second,” Jazz announced. She sat in the plush leather chair behind the desk and crossed her legs.
The door flew open, and Lewis marched in, slamming the door behind him. The force sent a few photographs on the wall to the floor.
“The entire building is in an uproar because you are here. Rumors are going around that you are going to sell!” Lewis screamed.
Country immediately shifted himself to stand between the line of sight to Jazz. He glared at the smaller man, itching to pull his gun out of his holster. Only by doing so would Jazzy see the monster he truly was.
Lewis tried to return Country’s harsh stare but looked away, trying to move around him. Better men had a hard time returning his stare.
“Have a seat, Lewis,” she ordered.
The harshness in her voice even had Country turning to look at her.
Country focused his attention back to Lewis. He didn’t hide his disdain for the businessman.
“Watch yourself,” he murmured before stepping out of the way to allow Lewis to move forward.
“What are you doing here, Jazz?” Lewis snapped, striding to the desk. He braced his hands on it and glared at Jazz.
Country marched to stand behind Jazz, not liking Lewis and his aggressive behavior.
“You sent those emails to Denton.” Her voice dropped to a whisper.
A chill slid down Country’s spine. This was a new side of Jazzy he’d not seen before.
She leaned forward and rested her elbows on the desk. “Why?”
Lewis visibly swallowed a few times and stood back. He adjusted his collar and loosened his tie. “Listen, Jazzy. I don’t know how you saw what you did, but that was between me and Denton.”
“Oh no. It involves me when you threaten not only my husband, but me and my child.”
The room grew deathly silent. Country clenched his fist tight and had to bite back a growl. Lewis’s gaze flickered to his, and Country narrowed his on the man.
A threat to Jazzy would sign the man’s death sentence.
Lewis shook his head and ran a hand along it. “I wasn’t going to really do anything, Jazzy. You have to believe me.”
“Why should I?” she snapped. “You even threatened to leak what he was doing. That would have ruined us. You know what the repercussions would have been. He would have had to step down—”
“You don’t understand. Denton was taking risks. He didn’t care about the business. His dealings with the Russians could have ruined us all.” Sweat was visible on Lewis’s forehead. “He was getting more reckless with each additional side job he was taking. Nothing was getting through to him.”
Country shifted, and Lewis jerked his gaze to him.
“So explain to me how my husband is dead, if you weren’t going to really do anything. Those emails were very explicit on what you were willing to go through.” Jazzy stood from her chair.
Charlie swore. Jazzy should have showed him the information. He and his men would have taken care of this entire situation. She didn’t have to get her hands dirty at all.
He would only be too glad to take care of it all for her.
“The police were at my house today asking questions about the company and who would benefit from the death of my husband. It got me to thinking. Who would truly benefit from Denton’s death?”
Jazzy walked around the desk in slow, determined steps.
Country froze.
Lewis had been laying it on pretty strong trying to move in on Jazzy.
With Denton out the way, more than likely his shares would go to Jazzy.
If Lewis married her, he’d have not only his shares, but the ones that Jazzy had, giving him control of the billion-dollar corporation.
Son of a bitch.
“Jazzy, I swear on all that is holy, that I didn’t have Denton killed,” Lewis breathed out. He held his hands up and took a step back from her.
“All of the sly comments and offers. You’ve been coming around more and more since we found out Denton was dead.” She stood in front of Lewis and rested her hands on her hips.
Country was damn proud of the way she was standing up for herself.
The skittish look in Lewis’s eyes had Country storming to the other side of the desk. He snatched up Lewis before the guy could turn and run.
“Where the fuck do you think you are going?” Country growled.
Lewis struggled but was unable to break away from Country’s firm grip.
“Jazzy, just tell me what you want.” Lewis squealed.
He faced Jazz, and Country almost felt sorry for him. But then hearing how he’d threatened Jazzy made the monster in him almost break out. He tightened his hold on the man, who shifted uncomfortably.
“You are going to resign from your position here at Trinity Mist Systems.” Jazzy snatched up her purse from the desk before walking around them and striding to the door.
Country released Lewis but kept his attention fully on the angered businessman.
“What? You can’t make me!” Lewis shouted.
“Clear out your office, Lewis, and go. You’re done.” She arrived at the door and gripped the handle.
Lewis took a few menacing steps toward her. “You better watch your back, Mrs. Tyson, or you’ll be joining your husband.”
Jazz paused and turned back around with a small tilt to her lips. The smile didn’t reach her eyes. “Thank you for showing me your true colors, Lewis.”
Jazzy’s eyes met Country’s. She gave him a slight nod and opened the door. She disappeared through it and shut it quietly behind her.
Lewis turned around and faced Country with wide eyes. “Oh shit. Country, wait. Let’s talk about this.”
“I think you’ve said enough,” Country growled.
He advanced on him with great fierceness, like a predator hunting down his prey. He cocked back his fist and slammed it into the businessman’s face.
Chapter Eight
Country’s eyes snapped open. The faint sound of his phone chirping snagged his attention. He glanced down at Jazzy who was snuggled into his side. Her naked curves were pressed against his skin. He had memorized every mole and dimple on her body. The desire for her flourished inside him, but he would need to let her sleep. They had made love for hours once she’d put Aden to bed.
She sighed but didn’t awaken.
He hated to move her, but if he was receiving a text this late at night, something may be wrong.
Shifting slightly, he rolled over and grabbed his phone off the nightstand. Sliding his thumb across the screen, he hit his text message from Brent.
You need to come down here. Someone was on the property.
Biting back a curse, he sent off a response. Country rolled back over and pressed a kiss to Jazzy’s forehead.
“Where are you going?” she asked, her eyes fluttering open.
The moonlight streamed in through the windows, highlighting her flawless skin. Country was mesmerized by the beautiful sight lying before him.
She reached up and tugged his face back down to hers. She pressed her lips to his, and he was powerless to stop her. Her lips parted, allowing his tongue to push forth. Hers met his without shyness and coaxed him in.
The phone beeped again, and he let loose a groan, pulling back from her.
“I have to go check something out. Brent said someone is here.”
“At this time of night?” she asked, sitting up against the pillows. Her brows were furrowed in her confusion.
“Let me see what it is. You stay here, and I’ll take care of whatever they want.” He stood from the bed and reached for his sweatpants. His cock was stiff from the kiss, and he tried to will it down. “I’ll be back.”
It wouldn
’t look good for the big, bad guard to come storming down on an unannounced visitor with an erection.
Grabbing his Glock from the nightstand, he made his way from the room. The hallway on the second floor was silent as he walked along it toward the stairs.
Glancing back down at his phone, he checked the last text message.
We’re in the study.
He slid his phone into his pocket. He quickened his pace and jogged down the stairs and strode toward the study. Walking through the door, he paused and narrowed his gaze on the person standing near the window.
“Why am I not surprised you’re coming from upstairs instead of your suite downstairs at this time of night?” Lewis snapped. His eyes took in Country’s minimal clothes, and a scowl crossed his face. He strode toward the middle of the room. “I always knew that slut would—”
“Watch your words carefully,” Country growled.
Apparently, Lewis hadn’t learned his lesson the last time he’d spoken nonsense. A dark bruise was proof of the previous lesson Country had to teach him. He tightened his grip on his weapon. His gaze met Brent’s, and he nodded toward the door. Without a word, Brent left the room.
“What are you doing here, Lewis?”
“I’ve come to beg for my position back. With Denton gone, Jazzy will need me more than ever. She doesn’t have a head for the business—I do.” Lewis crossed his arms against his chest.
Country grunted and moved toward the man. “And why would she give you a second chance?”
“Because I’ll go to the police with what I know,” Lewis threatened.
Country’s eyebrows shot up, and he released a snort.
“You don’t know anything.” Country chuckled.
“Oh, but I do. I know the extent of your job description for Denton. I know you’ve killed for him to protect her.” Lewis pointed to the doorway.
Country turned and found Jazz standing there in her robe. Her dark hair flowed around her shoulders, and she was barefoot. She had the look of someone who had been royally fucked. Her lips were still swollen from his kisses, and a deep satisfaction resonated in his chest. His gaze dropped down and paused at the sight of the small pistol in her hand, pointed at Lewis.
“You shouldn’t have come, Lewis,” Jazzy murmured, stepping into the room.
“Jazz, put the gun away. We can talk about this like adults. I see you have lowered your standards and slept with the help—” His words were cut off by a scream escaping his mouth.
Country turned to find an enlarging red spot on his thigh. Lewis fell down to his knees, clutching his leg in his hands.
“My private life isn’t any of your concern,” Jazzy snapped. She moved to Country’s side and slid her arm around his waist.
Country pulled her to him, his heart pounding away.
He had a new respect for his woman.
“You had Denton killed. Your lover here did it, didn’t he?” Lewis gasped, sitting back on the floor. His gaze flickered between the two of them. “You’ve had Country under your thumb this entire time. He’d do anything for you.”
“Do you think I’d admit to anything to you?” she asked.
Country grinned at her sassiness.
“You’re just going to kill me anyway,” Lewis accused, and a painful expression crossed his face.
“And if you would have just resigned and left as I suggested, you wouldn’t be here right now with a bullet in your leg, now would you?” Jazz asked. She shook her head and sighed. “You were given a chance to disappear and stay away from me. Now you leave me with no choice.”
“Wait a minute, Jazz. I’ll go. You’ll never see me again,” Lewis begged from the floor.
She turned to Country with her big brown eyes. “I’m sorry you had to find out like this.”
She raised her arm and fired her weapon again, silencing the pleading.
They glanced at Lewis. His body was sprawled on the floor, unmoving with a red dot on the center of his forehead. Jazz dropped the gun onto the couch near them and let out a sigh.
“Find out about what?” Country asked, confused. He didn’t have a problem with her killing her ex-husband’s friend. He would make a call, and this whole scene would be erased.
“I was going to tell you, but I just thought it would go away. The night I went to Denton’s hotel room—”
“No, you were with me at the charity function. I was there watching you the entire evening,” Country said. He shook his head. He had been her guard for that night. She’d been beautiful at the event and had mingled the entire occasion.
“No, you were with me,” a voice announced from the door.
Country swiveled his head to the doorway, and his heart stopped.
Jazzy stood there.
Only it wasn’t Jazzy.
He turned back to Jazzy at his side. “What the hell?”
“Charlie, this is my sister, Amber. My twin sister. Amber, this is Charlie.”
Charlie’s mouth flopped open as he glanced back and forth between the identical twins. Amber, dressed in black leather pants, dark, high-heeled boots, and a black shirt ambled across the room with her hand held out.
He’d never been stunned speechless before, but he was now. He shifted his gun to his other hand and took hers in his.
“Well, we’ve already met actually. I was Jazzy’s stand-in while she took care of business in New York,” Amber said, releasing his hand. Her gaze slowly perused Country’s naked chest and slid down to his feet. “I see why my sister is infatuated with you.”
Country studied her face, and there was a tiny difference between the two of them that he wouldn’t have picked up on. Amber had a small mole near her nostril that could easily be hidden under makeup, but today it was noticeable.
“But how did you do it?” he asked, turning to Jazz. She was a tiny woman, and Denton had stood a few feet taller than her and outweighed her.
“The last time he put his hands on me was the straw that broke the camel’s back. When facing death, your life literally flashes before your eyes. I couldn’t take the chance that the next time you wouldn’t be around and he would succeed,” Jazzy said.
“My sister called me and told me what was going on. I offered to handle him, but she wanted to do it herself. So I flew to Atlanta and took her place,” Amber said, shrugging.
“It’s amazing what one can do when in a rage,” Jazz whispered.
Country reached for her and pulled her to him. Her body melted against his. She shouldn’t have had to get her hands dirty.
“Jazzy, you know I would have—”
“I know.” She smiled, bringing her hand up to rest on his chest. “I know you would have, but I had to do this for me and for Aden.”
He nodded and swallowed hard. Denton had made her life miserable, and Country understood the need to see things through to the end.
“Why don’t you two love birds go back to bed? You were keeping up enough racket when I first got here.” Amber snorted.
Country paused. How the hell had she gotten in the house without Brent or anyone else noticing?
“I’ll handle this mess. By the time you come up for air, it will be back to normal in here,” Amber offered, waving her hand toward the dead body.
“Thanks, sis,” Jazzy murmured, resting her head against Country’s chest.
“You don’t have to thank me. But what you do have to do is call Dad.” Amber cocked an eyebrow at her twin.
“I will.”
Amber smiled and nodded toward the door, pulling her phone out of her pocket. “Get out of here, you two.”
Country swept Jazz up into his arms and walked toward the door. Without a word, he quickly carried her back to her bedroom. He kicked the door shut and stalked across the room, coming to stand next to the bed. Jazz slipped her way out of his arms. He bit back a groan at the feel of her soft form sliding along his.
They stared at each other without saying a word.
“Could you see yourself falling in
love with a woman like me?” she asked softly. Her eyes were large and round.
Desire for her slammed into him, taking his breath away. She was everything he’d ever want in a woman, and right now she stood before him, asking if he could love her.
She had killed to protect him. Had Lewis informed the police of all he knew, it would have risked everything.
Tossing his Glock back onto the nightstand, he reached for her. He untied her robe and stripped it off her. She was naked beneath it, and a growl ripped from his chest. Pushing her back on the bed, he untied his pants and slipped them off. He crawled onto the large bed, forcing her to the middle. Her legs parted, allowing him to settle into the valley of her thighs.
“Too late, Jazzy,” he murmured. He brought his hand up to brush her hair from her forehead. She let loose a gasp as his hard length brushed her slick folds.
“What do you mean?” she asked, wrapping her arms around his neck. She tugged him close, crushing her breasts against his chest.
“I’ve been in love with you for years,” he admitted, his voice deepening with emotion. It was the truth, and it felt good to finally get it off his chest. He had been keeping it in for so long that it was like a weight being lifted off his shoulders. Never in a million years would he have thought he’d finally be able to tell the woman he loved the words he longed to say.
An expression of wonder and joy crossed her face. Her lips spread into a wide grin. She guided his head down and pressed her lips hard to his.
“I love you, too, Charlie.”
He shifted and lined up the head of his cock and pushed forward, sinking home. They both released a groan. Her warm channel engulfed him, welcoming him.
“Say it again,” he demanded. He pulled back and waited, teasing her. He needed to hear it again.
“I love you, Charlie.” She moaned.
He thrust forward again, and this time, he knew one thing.
Nothing would ever come between them again.
* * *