Vested Interest Box Set: Books 1-3

by Melanie Moreland

  I interjected, “They have notoriously big limos to pick us up and drive us anywhere too.”

  Cami pursed her lips. “I want to go to the Grand Canyon.”

  “Yep. They can take us.”

  “With champagne?”

  “Bottles of it.”

  The girls all looked at each other.

  Then Maddox added the icing on the cake. “I have a friend who can get us awesome tickets for the Michael Jackson tribute show. Probably backstage passes.”

  And just like that, the game was over.

  Blackjack.

  Aiden

  Sandy stepped into the boardroom, one arm filled with files. In her other hand was a large carafe of coffee. She set down the coffee, pushing it toward Maddox. He grinned at her with a wink.

  “Thanks, Momma Bear.”

  She rolled her eyes, then slapped down the files onto the wooden surface.

  “All right, boys. Listen.” She handed us each a different colored folder. “Your itinerary for your stalking expedition.”

  “It’s a weekend away,” Bentley objected.

  “It’s the three of you going overboard.”

  “Aiden’s idea.” Maddox smirked as he poured himself a mug of coffee. “I’m just along for the ride and to make sure no more company funds are abused.”

  She ignored him. “Plane is booked. Four suites at Bellagio.”

  “Four?” I asked.

  “Emmy and Bentley. You and Cami. One for Maddox, one for Dee.”

  I looked at Maddox with a frown. “Really?”

  He met my gaze steadily. “Really.”

  I shrugged. “Whatever floats your boat.”

  He glanced down at the file, his voice quiet. “Not my decision.”

  Sandy threw him a glance, then continued. “I’ve arranged a car at your disposal. The hotel will provide an extra one or two if needed. Dinner is arranged and booked the first night. Maddox has organized the tickets for the show. The rest of the itinerary is up to you.”

  “Excellent.” I beamed at her. “Thanks, Sandy.”

  “I’m booking myself an all-day spa package. You three are treating me. I added the champagne lunch because I knew you would insist.”

  We all laughed. “Enjoy it,” Bentley told her, standing and kissing her cheek. “You deserve it.”

  She looked at him as if he were an idiot.

  “I know.”

  She turned and patted the pile of manila files. “If you’re interested, here is some real work. All the paperwork for the Port Albany property is complete. It’s yours, so now you can plan what to do with it.”

  “Great. We’ll meet with the team when we return.”

  “All right.” She walked to the door, pausing before she left. “I’m glad to see you beginning to live, boys.” She stared at Maddox. “I never thought I’d hear myself say it, but you need to follow in their footsteps. Life is too short to have only money as company. It doesn’t keep you warm at night.”

  With those words of wisdom, she left.

  “Jesus,” Maddox muttered. “Look what the two of you have done. She wants me to be more like you? Give me strength.”

  I slapped him on the back. “She’s right. We’re awesome.”

  He picked up his file. “Yep. Awesome.”

  I met Bentley’s eyes. I understood why he’d tried so hard to get me to open up to Cami. The reward was sweet and worth the risk. I wanted that for Maddox. We both did.

  I’d have to figure out how to help him.

  Cami peeked up at me, her eyes wide. “This is breathtaking.”

  I glanced around the luxurious cabin of the plane. It was pretty wicked. Wide, rich leather seats and mahogany tables filled the cabin, surrounded by muted blue and gray tones. Even in first class, I had a problem with my shoulders, but here, I had plenty of room. The liquor was top-notch, and I liked being able to stretch out and get comfortable. I could get used to this sort of travel. I wondered how strongly Bentley would object to the idea of BAM purchasing a plane.

  Looking over at how tightly pressed Emmy was to him, I decided he might not object too much. He couldn’t have her on his lap in a public plane.

  I bent low to Cami’s ear. “There’s a bedroom in the back. We could check it out once everyone else is distracted.”

  “Distracted?”

  “Hmm,” I murmured. “Emmy is about to fall asleep on Bent. He won’t move and disturb her, and he’s looking sleepy himself. Dee and Maddox have an intense game of Scrabble going. Neither of them will give an inch and let the other win. The whiskey they’re pounding back is making them slow anyway. The crew is getting lunch ready up front. We could get up to stretch our legs, and no one will notice.” I bit down on her earlobe. “Then I could stretch something else. With my cock.”

  Her breath caught.

  “You wanna join the mile-high club, Sunshine? Ride my dick in the clouds? We’d have to be fast, but I guarantee you satisfaction.”

  “You’re so crass.”

  “Is that a yes?”

  She squeezed my thigh, and I grinned.

  I was definitely talking Bentley into buying one of these.

  The next two days were a whirlwind. We explored the Strip, ate too much, even gambled, although none of us were big players. The show we went to the first night was entertaining, though I thought the girls enjoyed it more than we did, but that was why we were there.

  Our suites were large and lavish, and I loved watching Cami’s reaction to the world of luxury. It wasn’t how I lived daily, but I found I enjoyed spoiling her. She squealed with delight as she investigated the room, tackling me on the massive bed and having her wicked way with me. I succumbed easily.

  The heat, though, was brutal—the kind that sucked the air from your lungs and made your clothes stick to your skin two minutes after you walked outside. Even Emmy was warm enough not to be bundled up in her usual layers. She still carried her wrap with her, slipping it on as soon as we entered the air-conditioned buildings. Cami, however, wore little sundresses that showed off her creamy skin and toned legs. I decided she had the most lickable collarbones in the history of collarbones and proved it often.

  We left the girls shopping the second day and did look at a few properties. Once we had returned to the hotel, sitting by the pool under the shade of a huge umbrella, I lifted my drink to my lips.

  “I think, gentlemen, we can safely say this is not the place for us. This was a great idea in making sure our initial thoughts were correct, though.”

  Maddox snorted. “Jesus, you are full of it. As if there was any chance we’d get into the property game here.”

  “You never know. We’ve done our due diligence. Business part of the trip concluded.”

  Bentley chuckled and glanced at his watch.

  “The girls will be back soon,” I assured him.

  “I’m aware.”

  “They have a car and driver at their disposal. The driver is also a black belt. I made sure of it. They’re perfectly safe.” I leaned back. “I sent Cami out with a credit card and told her to rack it up for her and Dee. I want her to be gone all day and return with so much stuff I have to buy her another damn suitcase to take it home.”

  “Listen to you,” Maddox mused.

  “I want her to have some nice things. She doesn’t have to worry anymore.” I signaled for another round of drinks. “For the first time, I want to spoil someone, shower her with gifts, and you know why?”

  Bentley grinned at me. “Because she doesn’t give a shit about them.”

  “Exactly. She’d love me even if we’d flown coach and stayed at the Travelodge.” I shuddered. “Thank God I didn’t have to prove I love her enough to do that, though.”

  We all laughed, and Bentley dragged a hand through his hair. “Emmy wants to go to one of those campy Vegas shows tonight. She says it’s something we have to do as part of the experience. You two want to do that with us?”

  Maddox shook his head. “There’s a w
hiskey bar Dee and I want to check out. I hear it has some rare bottles we want to sample.” He smirked. “You, Aiden? What are your plans tonight?”

  “Cami wants to see all the sights. I booked a gondola ride and got a spot for the fountain show. We’re just gonna be tourists.”

  Bentley groaned. “Maybe Cami could talk Emmy into that rather than the show. I’m not sure I’m gonna survive the shit she wants to see.”

  I clapped him on the back. “Man up, Bent. It’s just one night. We’ll have dinner, do all the things the girls want to do, and tomorrow we’ll meet for breakfast and do the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam. We’ll be gone all day, but the limo will be cool.”

  He stood. “Okay. I need to go inside. This fucking heat is killing me.”

  We separated at the elevators. I needed to grab some Tylenol at the gift shop, so I headed across the lobby. Leaving the shop, I caught sight of a small window with an eye-catching display, and I stopped to look. Glittering diamonds and multicolored gemstones sparkled under the lights. One piece in particular caught my eye, and without a thought, I went inside the store. A short while later, I left—with a smile on my face, my bank account lighter, and a small, flat box burning a hole in my pocket.

  Cami was going to kill me.

  I had almost finished buttoning my shirt when Cami came out of the huge en suite. “Is this okay?”

  I gaped at her. “Okay? Sunshine, you’re stunning.”

  She was wearing another sundress. This one was her favorite color, a rich purple that looked amazing against her skin. “You’ve caught the sun.” I traced a finger along her sun-kissed skin, teasing the flirty bow that held up the dress. “I love this.”

  “I got it today.”

  “You didn’t buy much.”

  “I bought enough. You’re spoiling me, Aiden.”

  “I want to spoil you.”

  She turned to the mirror, brushing her hair off her face. I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her back to my chest. I rested my chin on her shoulder. “Let me spoil you, Sunshine.”

  She leaned back, her expression soft. “I do. But I’m not used to it, Aiden.”

  “Get used to it. I’m not going anywhere.”

  “Yeah?” she breathed out.

  I held her tighter. I knew she was still worried I would push her away again. The only thing that would change that doubt was time, along with my constant reassurance and love.

  “Hold out your arm.”

  Confused, she did as I asked. Her eyes widened as I slipped a delicate bracelet around her wrist.

  “Aiden!”

  “I saw this in the window today. It reminded me of your eyes. I wanted you to have it as a memento of this trip.”

  “A key chain would have been cheaper.”

  I chuckled. “Nope.”

  She blinked and smiled, her finger tracing the intricate design of emeralds and diamonds that had caught my eye. It wasn’t large and showy, but it suited her perfectly. The saleswoman had been patient, explaining in great detail the cut and clarity of the stones.

  “I remember once thinking you needed a bracelet on your arm. I decided to give it to you.”

  “It’s so beautiful.”

  I spun her in my arms and kissed her. “So are you, Sunshine. So are you.”

  Cami hugged my arm to her chest, laying her head on my shoulder. “What a wonderful night, Aiden.”

  I grinned. “Yeah?”

  “Yes. We’ve done everything I wanted to do. Dinner with our friends. The night with you. The Eiffel Tower, the gondola ride, the fountains. We’ve been in and out of every famous casino I wanted to see. It’s been incredible.”

  It had been. Dinner was fun, and seeing her shyly show off her gift had touched my heart. The girls loved her bracelet, exclaiming over its beauty. Bentley shot me a wink while Maddox smirked, and I subtly flipped them off, knowing they were teasing me.

  The best part, though, was spending the evening with her. Just the two of us. Watching her reactions to everything I arranged, seeing the fear and worry caused by recent events gone from her face, and her simply enjoying the night was the best reward. Kissing her on the Eiffel Tower and in the gondola. Then again by the fountains as we watched the mesmerizing display. Taking silly selfies. Being able to share it with her. It had been perfect.

  Yet, I felt something was missing. I wasn’t ready for the night to end.

  I glanced around, a cab slowly crossing our path. An ad splashed across the doors in bright colors caught my eye.

  The Little Chapel. Open till Midnight. Why wait?

  I looked down at Cami, tucked into my side. Where she belonged. I wanted her there for the rest of my life. Like a bolt of lightning, I knew. I loved her. She was it for me, and I wasn’t waiting any longer or worrying if I was enough. I was what she needed, and she was all I wanted.

  “Cami, there’s something else I want to do tonight.”

  She looked up at me with a wry grin. “You want the midnight buffet at Caesar’s Palace?”

  “No, it’s something special. Something I want only with you.”

  “Okay. Whatever you want.”

  “Anything?”

  “Anything,” she stated. “Tonight has been all the things I wanted to do. Now it’s your turn. Name it.”

  I lifted her hands and encased them in mine.

  “It’s big. Life-changing.”

  She looked confused. “Okay, Aiden. Whatever it is, I say yes.”

  I swallowed the nervous lump in my throat and brushed a kiss to her fingers.

  “Marry me, Sunshine.”

  Maddox - Vested Interest #3 by Melanie Moreland

  Copyright © 2018 Moreland Books Inc.

  Registration # 1148534

  ISBN # 978-1-988610-08-5

  All rights reserved

  Edited and Proofed by

  D. Beck

  Lisa Hollett—Silently Correcting Your Grammar

  Cover design by Melissa Ringuette, Monark Design Services

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any

  means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information

  storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

  This book is a work of fiction. The characters, events, and places portrayed in this book are

  products of the author's imagination and are either fictitious or are used fictitiously. Any

  similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

  Created with Vellum

  Love is an all-encompassing, passionate emotion found in all my books.

  But there are other forms of love, and I am blessed to have them in my life.

  Friendship and family-

  To my friends, thank you for being part of my life-You brighten my days and make my world sparkle.

  To my sisters, Sandy and Kerry, you are my heart. I love you.

  To my Matthew who is my world.

  There aren’t enough words-there never will be.

  Maddox

  I ran into the house, skidded to a stop in the kitchen, and stared in horror at the boxes.

  My father turned, glaring at me. “Pack your stuff. We’re leaving.”

  “No!” The word was out before I could stop it.

  Pain exploded in my cheek from his backhand. He knew how to hit to cause the most agony. After all these years, he was an expert at it.

  “You have half an hour. Anything that isn’t packed, we’re leaving behind.”

  My eyes smarted from holding in the tears. I grabbed two boxes, trying not to flinch at the sight of them. Stained, partially torn boxes that, no doubt, my father had grabbed from a dumpster or behind a store.

  In my room, I glanced around, knowing he was serious. Anything I didn’t have ready I had to leave behind. Every time we moved, it was the same. Once again, he would pull me from the routine
I had fought to establish. The thing I needed to cope. Now I would have to face a new place, new school, new people.

  None of which I would stay at long enough to become attached to. He made sure of that.

  I hurried to pack my things, being careful. I didn’t have much in the way of clothes or possessions, so I tried desperately to take care of the few things I had. My father found it amusing to destroy anything that might mean something to me, so I had learned never to let him see what I liked. I acted nonchalant even when I found him rifling through my things. I knew he was looking for money or anything of value to sell. However, I’d learned to hide anything I really loved. Loose floorboards, wall vents with covers he would never think to check in, became my friends.

  I listened at my door, but he was down the hall in his room, so I hurried and pushed aside my mattress to get to the loose floorboards hidden underneath. Briefly, I wondered if the next place would even have the luxury of a mattress on the floor to sleep on at night. I grabbed the small, hidden shoebox and shoved the bed back into place. Using some frayed jeans and T-shirts, I wrapped the box and placed it into the old cardboard box, rushing to add the rest of my meager wardrobe on top. I added my few books and folded the torn lid into place. Into the second box, I put my worn shoes and the one item that went from place to place with me.

  An old lamp, chipped and worthless. It meant nothing to anyone except me. But what it represented was everything. My mother used to read to me with the lamp sitting on the table by her elbow. Her voice was always soft as she spoke the words on the page and her touch gentle as she stroked my head.

  I shut my eyes and stuffed my thin pillow around the lamp to keep it safe.

  It was one of the few things I had left of hers. He had no idea of its existence or the memories it held for me.

  Her gentle, loving voice, sweet words, and a time when I had been happy. Dim recollections of a long dead childhood.