Billionaire Bad Boys of Romance Boxed Set (10 Book Bundle) (99 page)

Sighing raggedly, she finally looked up at Nick with pleading eyes. “You don’t have to do this,” she said in desperation. “If you want, I could talk to Rachel on your behalf. I’ll say whatever you want me to say. I will explain to her how it was my entire fault, and that you never meant to hurt her and were certainly not cheating on her. I can make her see reason.”

“If you think that’s possible, then you don’t know a thing about that woman,” Nick said with a mirthless laugh. “Besides, why would I settle for Rachel…when I can have you?”

Keyonna shivered at the look of dark desire and feral purpose on his handsome face as he cupped her throat in his large hands, his thumbs caressing her jaw line and making her eyelashes feel too heavy to lift. He pulled her closer, slanting his head to ghost his lips just a hair’s breadth from hers.

“One year, Keyonna. That’s all I ask. One year of wedded bliss to me and my obligation to my father’s Last Will and Testament will be fulfilled. Then – and only then, will I consider setting you free from my clutches…”

Chapter Eight

Keyonna kept calling herself all kinds of fool for agreeing to the Nick’s ultimatum.

But what choice did she have? The handsome brute had promised to bring her to her knees either way. What was one year married to him, compared to a future marred with debt and professional disgrace? He’d do it; she knew he would. And even then, she couldn’t take the risk of defying him and finding out if she was right.

His final words of that day kept ringing in her head. “Don’t make me do it, Keyonna,” he’d said quietly, his lips so close she could almost taste the heady kiss hovering. “This can be a perfect arrangement for both of us. As my wife, you’ll never lack a thing. All I have would be yours. And when it’s over, we can both walk away if that’s what we want.”

“You really think I care about your money?” she breathed, eyelids fluttering as she was unable to hold back the droplets of helpless tears spilling to her cheek. Hating herself for her weak tears, she made to turn angrily away but he gathered her into his big, potent arms and kissed her, hard.

Keyonna couldn’t break away, and felt herself almost bent back beneath the force of his passionate kiss. The way she whimpered and shook with pleasure was like the final nail in her cross of shame.

“Ssh…don’t cry,
tesoro
,” Nick rasped gently against her lips, making her tears spill faster at the soft endearment. “Stop fighting me. I can make this good. I promise. Let me show you how it can be between us.”

“No,” Keyonna moaned, even as his powerful arms swept her off her feet. Somehow, his quick, sure strides found the way straight to her bedroom. Keyonna’s mind was a whirl of emotions fighting for supremacy. She couldn’t deny that she wanted Nick, so badly it burned through her like a fever. No other man made her body tremble with desire just by his touch, his kiss. Already, he’d burned a hole through her defenses and already, she knew she had more than just her pride and body at stake. Even as he began to slowly yet purposefully strip her clothes, even as she melted beneath him when he finally joined her on the cool sheets, she still couldn’t help feeling that whatever could have been between them was forever cheapened.

And Keyonna knew she should hate him for that but damn it, she couldn’t.

He plucked his mouth from hers, arching over her while a deep growl rumbled in his throat as she instinctively writhed closer. He was still fully clothed while she was now naked to the skin which gave her somewhat of a vulnerable yet thrilling sensation.

Laughing softly, Nick pinned her wrists high on either side of her head, making her feel more helpless than ever. His eyes began to smolder as they ran over her body from neck to toe. Her nipples stiffened beneath his warm look, and as his gaze trailed down to the softly tufted mound in the V of her thighs, her skin grew warm.

“You’re beautiful,” he said huskily, while pressing himself into her a little harder so she could feel the stiffness of his thick, long, clothed erection rubbing against her belly. Keyonna’s breathing was quite heavy now and she squirmed as his head dropped to her heaving breasts.

Desperately frightened of how she’d react to Nick’s lips on her, she blurted shakily, “It’s not enough you blackmail me into marriage – but now you get my body as well? That’s a bargain if I ever saw one.”

Nick stiffened, and then swore harshly beneath his breath in Italian before suddenly releasing her wrists and rolling off the bed.

Keyonna stared at him incredulously, somewhat surprised to see him heading straight for the door.

“What the hell Nick? Where are you going?” Keyonna called out to his retreating back before she could stop herself.

Nick paused at the door, turning reluctantly to face her as he shoved his hair back with a furious sweep of his hand. “This goes only one way. You know it, I know it. We’re going to get married as soon as it can be arranged. But as for the sex – heaven forbid it’ll ever be said I had to coerce a woman into my bed.”

“It’s my bed,” Keyonna muttered, dragging the discarded covers and pulling it up over her to her chin. “So you’re saying if we get married, I don’t have to sleep with you? My body’s not part of the package?”

“Fuck!” Nick swore, looking like he was about to turn away and just leave again. But then without warning he was striding to the bed again, and without further ado stripped the covers from her nerveless fingers. Keyonna yelped, drawing up her knees protectively as her arms wrapped around her shoulders.

He didn’t touch her, but leaned on his arms on either side of her cringing, naked frame. He didn’t tear his eyes from hers. “Tell me to leave, Keyonna, and I’ll go. Tell me that us sharing this bed will be something you don’t want, and I’ll respect your choice. But don’t lie that you don’t melt at my touch, or that your pussy’s not dripping right now for me. Blackmail or no blackmail, your body’s crying out even now to be claimed in ways that only I understand. You’re mine, Keyonna.”

Keyonna shivered, surprised by the blazing mixture of rage and possessiveness in his eyes.

“I’m not going to be treated like a whore, Nick,” Keyonna said firmly, her emotions from the first time they’d met bursting forth. “Since that night at the party it’s been one rude shock after another. And now this…marriage contract…” She shook her head with distaste, and saw Nick’s harsh expression soften at her words.

“I understand,” Nick said with a more gentle tone than before. “I can see you need time. I want you so much it’s like a fever in my brain but I can wait until you’re ready. But in one month, the wedding will take place. In the meantime, I’ll get to introduce you to my family, and of course I’d like to meet yours. I can imagine they’ll be surprised at the speed and the unexpected element of us both settling down out of the blue. But then we’ll just say we couldn’t wait after rediscovering each other over the last two weeks.”

“Right…because we’re so, in love and everything,” Keyonna replied with deep sarcasm.

Nick’s response was just a predatory smile crossing his deeply tanned face, right before he lowered his mouth to her ear, licking and nibbling it wickedly. Keyonna let out a shuddery sigh and clenched her naked thighs while the moisture pooled right at her core. How and why did he have such an effect on her? The solid weight of his clothed body held her down and kept her from moving, and she became swept in the woodsy, manly scent of him. Her fingers itched to sink into the glossy dark waves of his beautiful hair, but instead she fisted the sheets on either side of her as his hot breath fanned her sensitive ear lobe.

“I want to take you here; now. Just pin you to the bed, spread your thighs as far apart as they can go and then…” His raspy voice cut short as he slid his hand down her belly to cover her bare sex. Keyonna silently cursed as she felt her pussy begin to flood with juices at his touch. She could sense the heat emanating from her as his fingertips gently brushed her folds. Dismayed at the moan which escaped her before she could stop it, Keyonna shot out a hand to push his away.

“Nick, n-no…,” she stammered, her hand closing over his wrist right before he parted her swollen, slick vagina lips and pushed his middle finger deep inside her. She heard him grunt softly as she instinctively, helplessly ground her pussy into his hand, shocked by how good that finger felt buried inside her snug walls. She shuddered, feeling him stroke in and out of her a few more times before withdrawing the invading digit.

He kissed right behind her ear, and then gave her lobe one last ravenous little bite as he whispered, “The day will come,
tesoro
, when you will scream loud to have me inside you. You will not think to say ‘no’ to me then. Soon, Keyonna…very soon.”

Keyonna wasn’t sure if she was disappointed or relieved when Nick finally drew back completely and she watched him leave the silent bedroom…

Chapter Nine

There had been some satisfaction knowing that she’d stood her ground by not sleeping with Nick, thought Keyonna. Seeing him walk out of her bedroom had left a bittersweet sensation that still kept her throbbing with regret in secret places. Still, it was indeed a small victory after being forced to give in to his marriage ‘contract’.

And that’s exactly what it is, Keyonna – a business deal. You get to be a billionaire’s wife for a year, and then you get your life back. Simple as that.

Turned out being the woman on Nick Vitale’s arm was anything but simple.

He was no mob boss but he had to be the next closest thing judging by the way they were treated each time she had to go out with him somewhere; to have dinner with his friends, associates or family.

Nick had insisted she play her part as his new fiancée – a role now obvious to the outside world thanks to the huge engagement ring he’d placed on her finger. Keyonna wondered if he’d got her a new one or it was the same one Rachel must have worn. Not that it mattered to Keyonna either way. This wasn’t a romantic relationship – it was a business arrangement. He got his bride and hence his precious inheritance – while Keyonna got…well, she was spared having to lose all she’d ever worked for. Day by day, she reminded herself how Nick’s cruel blackmail had forced her to agree to marriage to him – and yet if she was honest, it wasn’t all angst.

Nick Vitale was a handsome man; and very charming when he chose to be. In public, he was the perfect companion, attentive and even romantic. Every time he placed a kiss on her cheek or took her hand in a warm grasp, Keyonna squirmed with hidden embarrassment. Even with the envy she saw on every woman’s face who happened to be present, she couldn’t help the feeling of resentment. Once, she asked him privately if all the show of affection was really necessary.

“All eyes are on us, in case you didn’t notice,” he murmured, looking his usual debonair self as they arrived at another one of the high-society dinners he made her attend with him. “We have to come across as authentic as possible. Especially since my father’s lawyers have to be sure none of this is a sham. I’d hate to jeopardize anything just because anyone suspected this is less than a romantic union.”

“I see,” Keyonna had replied, quelling an exasperated sigh. She was sure neither of them had been able to fool any of Nick’s relatives whom Keyonna had met over the past week; she could tell they looked far from pleased that Nick was marrying her instead of Rachel. She could almost read the disdain on their aristocratic faces each time they looked at her. Not that Keyonna could say she blamed them but still.

She just simply couldn’t understand the real reason Nick had picked her instead of any of the other women he could have had. In fact, Keyonna thought he seemed to enjoy the look of surprise on people’s faces when he introduced Keyonna as his ‘fiancée’ especially in those ultra-exclusive gatherings they were invited to. It was times like those that Keyonna was glad she’d agreed to Nick’s insistence that she get a whole new wardrobe.

Keyonna had assured him at first that her own clothes were perfectly fine, but being the alpha male he was, he soon had her with no choice but to give in to the two days of designer shopping which saw Keyonna up to her ears in shoes, bags, outfits and jewelry that cost more than she’d make in five years.

An all-round makeover seemed inevitable as her hair, nails and even her body was given the movie-star treatment. Now when Keyonna looked into the mirror she hardly recognized herself. She looked like a million dollars – which she was probably worth if she added up the cost of what she was wearing at a particular time.

Keyonna told herself she’d never asked for any of this, and though she hated every second she had to play a part, she couldn’t deny her feelings for Nick were starting to change.

He was still insufferably arrogant – but spending more and more time around him gave her some insight to the man beneath the mask. When he was around family or friends, he seemed a whole different person. She got to see him laugh more, talk more. She loved listening to him speak Italian; it was the sexiest language a man’s tongue could utter and with his cousins, uncles and aunts, he usually slipped into their native language while Keyonna was present but she never really minded. She could pick a few words here and there, and besides this was a part of who he was. She could begrudge him all she wanted for putting her in this situation, but deep down she knew that bit by bit, she was losing her hold on reality.

How many times in the past two weeks had a simple goodnight kiss from him almost had her wanting to pull him into her apartment with her and finish what he started that first time he’d come calling? It wasn’t just because it had been many months of celibacy for Keyonna; she really was genuinely in lust with Nick and being around him day in and day out wasn’t helping her hormonal balance one bit.

She could tell he wanted her too; it wasn’t something he’d ever tried to hide. Not since that first time when he’d slipped a finger deep into her pussy and he’d growled deep in his throat with carnal appreciation. He’d known then how much she’d melted for him, despite her defiant words.

Now, each time his knuckles brushed against the bare skin of her arm, or whenever she felt the warm gust of his breath on the back of her neck, Keyonna shivered with helpless desire. Nick was all-man, certainly more man than she’d ever had the fortune to come across. Every other guy she’d met over the years had always seemed to fall short of her perfect fantasy lover. Nick, on the other hand, fell short at nothing.

Keyonna would always remember the sheer size of him, even when restrained beneath his expensive dress pants. He’d been so hot and hard for her that every night, she moaned in her sleep with her thighs pressed tightly together as she berated herself for passing up that one chance in his arms.

And yet, with every look he sent her way when no one else could notice, Nick gave her no doubt that he was merely biding his time. He smiled that rakish smile of a man who knew the prize was there for his taking. And yet the handsome devil seemed to torture himself – and her as well, with the prospect that sometime soon, all the breathless waiting would come to an end.

Being an only child and with his mother dying when Nick was just a child, Keyonna soon learned that Nick had grown up pretty much raised by close relations and family friends. His tough as nails father had never had much time for his young son which meant Nick learned early on in life to stand on his own. Keyonna respected that even as she wondered if that was all that had happened to turn him into the enigma he was now. Always, she sensed there was something beneath the surface, still locked away from her. A part of him she’d never get a glimpse of or even understand.

Why she’d want to understand Nick Vitale was beyond her. The man was a heartless beast. He’d as much as held her future in his hands when he’d bought that company handling her life’s investments.

That’s what you get for putting all your eggs in one basket, thought Keyonna. Though, in the back of her mind she was reminded that she’d brought this all on herself that night she’d flown into his arms and kissed him in full view of Mark – and unknown to Keyonna, Nick’s fiancée Rachel Conte.

None of that mattered now. Keyonna had vowed to put that all behind her and move on, taking each day at a time. And when she went to bed at night, she prayed that when she woke up the next morning, it would get easier and easier to face the future.

But it never did.

* * * *

Keyonna heaved a deep sigh as she heard Nick’s powerful car drive off into the night. Pushing away from her front door, she slipped out of her designer high heeled pumps and headed straight for her bedroom.

It had been another one of those evenings; dinner with a handful of Nick’s most important business associates. The closer they came to the wedding date, the more pressure Keyonna felt when she thought of the role she’d have to play as Nick’s wife. People expected much from the woman wearing Nick Vitale’s ring. If she’d thought it would be in name only, he showed her many times that she was wrong. He wanted a wife in every sense of the word and now that the wedding was only a week away, Keyonna had that sense of panic as she wondered if it wasn’t too late to back out of it.

Especially when she knew how much things had changed – on her part at least.

She frowned, pulling the pins from her glossy dark hair as she thought of how preoccupied Nick had been all through the dinner in the exclusive Italian restaurant they’d dined at. She wondered if he too, was having second thoughts about
them
. A part of her shriveled to think that Nick might end up changing his mind about the whole thing.

Maybe he’d decide he preferred someone more suited to what was expected of the handsome billionaire who’d dated models, beauty queens and heiresses? Like, what on earth had he been thinking, deciding to hook up with some barely-known interior designer with a small-town background who was trying to claw her way to the top?

Keyonna felt her heart sink and pushed those disheartening thoughts aside. Billionaire or not, she told herself Nick would be lucky to have a woman like her. She didn’t care about his money or name. None of that mattered when he was close to her and she could inhale that special, heart-tripping scent that was all Nick. When he covered her hand with his, even with just a light touch, she felt it right down to her twitching pussy walls. A man like him was what fantasies were made of and Keyonna realized she must have been an idiot to hold back this long, keeping her desire for him at bay.

All night, she’d been aware of him like never before. Even in his distant mood, she’d been drawn to how devilishly handsome he’d looked in his formal evening suit and impeccable tie. His hair, so dark and silky, had made her almost weep inside in longing to sink her fingers in the tempting locks. Every other woman in the room had found it hard to resist taking more than a second look and Keyonna had felt an almost irrepressible urge to scream, “He’s mine!” to let them know Nick was out of bounds.

But then common sense prevailed as she recalled that Nick Vitale wasn’t hers. Soon, he would be but only on paper. Why was that prospect becoming more and more distasteful to her? Was she beginning to want something more?

Before Keyonna could dwell on that possibility, she heard the doorbell ring. She was so surprised to have someone at the door at that time of night that she didn’t think twice before going to answer it.

She rolled her eyes in exasperation when she saw Mark standing there.

“Mark, seriously?” she said, staying put in the middle of her front door in case her ex had any thought of letting himself in. In the past few weeks she’d had to ignore a load of his messages and calls, thankful that Nick never found out about them since she could never be sure what he’d be capable of if he knew Mark was still trying to contact her.

And now here he stood, his handsome face strained, his hands shoved into his jacket as he waited on her doorstep with a lost expression.

“You never gave us that chance to talk, Keyonna. I couldn’t stay away,” Mark said deeply before heaving a deep sigh. “And now I feel like you need to hear my explanation before you go ahead with your marriage to Nick Vitale.”

Keyonna shook her head in disbelief. “Nothing you could say would change the fact that I’m getting married to Nick in a week’s time. Why is this so hard to understand, Mark? Whatever we shared, it’s over. No amount of explanation can bring us back together. I don’t love you,” she told him clearly.

“And you love him?” Mark asked with a twist to his lips. “I was parked across the street waiting when I saw him drop you off just minutes ago. And I couldn’t help thinking; what does
he
have to offer you that I can’t? Oh sure, he’s almost rich as Rockefeller and then of course he’s got this fancy Italian heritage that seems to get women all in a tizzy. But you never seemed the type to fall for all that crap, Keyonna. You were always my girl; the kind I always thought I’d find waiting when the time came for me to come home.”

“Well, you thought wrong,” Keyonna said quietly. She couldn’t believe he’d actually been staking out her apartment, waiting for her to return. Just imagining if Nick had run into him was enough to make goosebumps rise all over her skin.

Hiding a shiver, she went on in a tight voice, “Things might have turned out differently if you’d worked as hard at our relationship as you did with your career in the military. You never bothered to call or even write me for more than a year before you got back, Mark. Now I can’t say what you must have gone through back there but if you cared, you’d have stayed in touch to make sure I knew you were okay, and that you were coming back to me. For all I knew you’d moved on with some other girl or had even gotten married. What did you expect me to think? What’s done is done. Just go home, okay? I’m sure you’ll have someone filling the space pretty soon anyway. Girls had never been a problem for you so I guess you’ll be fine.”

Mark’s eyes looked pained as they held hers. “There may be other girls but it was always you, Keyonna. Yeah, I messed up. I don’t need a crystal ball to tell me that. But back there in Afghanistan, I was facing a lot of stuff that just had me blanking out the world just so I could make it through the ordeal. I kept thinking that was the best way to deal with things but now I realize I was wrong. I convinced myself that the life I knew would be waiting for me if I ever got through that last mission. But then there was always one more operation, and then another until months passed and before I knew it, it was two years since we’d last spoken. I’m sorry I threw away what we had but if you give me one more chance.”