Party Crasher (8 page)
She lifted off him and dressed in complete quiet while he watched her. He probably didn’t understand, but she loved him. Anything less than full commitment was not going to cut it. She wasn’t going to be a passing fancy or another notch on his belt.
Once dressed, she turned to look at him. “I’m sorry. I don’t think that’s the right move for us.”
“What do you mean?” Anger radiated off him. He shoved his legs into his jeans.
“Look. I don’t want to talk about it. It’s probably best if we just let things be.” God, she didn’t want to think about it anymore. He was offering her a piece of the pie when she wanted the whole damn thing.
He gave a frustrated growl. “That’s not telling me anything.”
She sighed. “You’re you.” She loved him. “And I’m me.” She wanted him to love her back.
“What?” His bark made her turn and head for the house.
“I think we’re not going to see eye to eye on this. Just let it be.” She marched to one of the many guest rooms.
He grabbed her arm and twirled her to face him. “No. I am not just going to let it be. You want me. I know you do.”
“I do.”
“OK, so what’s the problem?” He looked confused. She almost felt sorry for him. Almost.
“I don’t want to date you!”
“Why the hell not?” His anger made her angry.
Was it so hard to understand that she might possibly want something more?
“I just don’t. Let it go, all right? I’m not changing my mind.” She jerked out of his hold, slammed the door shut in his face, and locked it.
Chapter Ten
Chris groaned and flipped to her back on the bed. What a horrible night. She’d been up until the wee hours debating whether or not she should stick to her guns or give in and take what Drex offered. In the end, she’d decided she’d stick to her guns. If it were any other man she would date him, no problem.
The possibility of a breakup wouldn’t bother her with anyone else. With him, it was as if her heart were being torn out. No. Unless he offered her something solid, they were not going to be seeing much more of each other. Better to stop it all now before he gave her one of those stupid bracelets and tried to let her down gently.
After a shower and some clean clothes someone had dropped off for her, she went to the kitchen. His housekeeper handed her a cup of coffee.
“Where’s Drex, Sheila?”
“He said he’d be back in a short while and asked for you to wait for him. He told me to tell you to make sure you don’t leave without him. He was very adamant. That boy can be so pushy.” The older woman groaned.
Chris grinned at Sheila. She thought about making changes to her article and smacked her forehead. She’d forgotten to grab her flash drive from her kitchen drawer. Shit.
The thought of leaving her flash drive in a drawer someone had broken into didn’t sit well. It was probably best to go home and retrieve it. She headed for the door. “Hey, Sheila, do you know where I can find the keys to one of Drex’s cars?”
Sheila lifted her brows. “You’re leaving without him? I’ll never hear the end of it.”
Smiling sympathetically at Sheila, she grabbed her bag. “I know and I’m really sorry but I need to go home for a minute. I’ll be back soon. Besides, those guys from his security service are going to be following me, so it’s no big deal.”
Sheila shook her head and passed her a set of keys from a small cabinet. “Here, take the black Aston Martin.”
She grinned and rushed out of the kitchen. “I’ll be back soon.” She ran to the garage.
When she reached her home, she left the men guarding her house outside. She walked up to her kitchen drawer, retrieved her flash drive, and put it in her bag just as her doorbell rang. She opened the door, knowing the house was secured by the men Drex hired, and smiled at a beautiful blonde.
“Hi.” The woman gave her a warm smile. “I’m Kelly Windsor. Do you mind if I speak to you for just a few minutes. I’ve heard such great things about you and I’d just like to chat for a moment about you possibly doing some work for me.”
Kelly Windsor? The owner and heiress to the largest women’s magazine in the world wanted to chat? Chris looked out behind the perfectly made-up blonde, to the group of men standing by the car. She smiled at them, waved that all was OK, and let the woman in. Curiosity got the best of her. She wanted to know what Kelly Windsor wanted with her.
She opened the door wide and allowed the other woman to enter.
“Ms. Windsor, I’m surprised to see you in my home. What exactly did you want with me?”
Kelly Windsor walked around the clean living area. Thankfully, someone had straightened up the place for the previous day’s disaster.
The beautiful blonde turned and smiled at her. “Do you know Drex Callum well, Ms. Conner?”
Drex? She was there to talk about Drex? “Yes. He’s a family friend. I’ve known him all my life.”
Kelly’s smile faltered, and she flicked a glance down Chris’s body. “I’d say he’s more than a friend to you.”
“Just what the hell are you implying and what exactly do you want here?”
Kelly reached into her handbag and pulled out a handgun. “If Drex can’t be mine, then he won’t be anyone else’s.”
Chris stared at the woman in shock. “Are you kidding me? There’s like a bunch of security guys outside my door.”
Kelly smirked. “I know, but by the time they find you you’ll be dead. So I don’t really care. I’m a rich woman. I can live in any country that doesn’t allow extradition. Besides, I need to show Drex he can’t fuck with me.”
“How has he been fucking with you?” Chris was confused.
“Do you know how annoying it is to have to hear constantly about a woman that he’s never even dated? All he talks about is Chris this and Chris that.”
Drex had been talking about her? Warmth spread through her and joy filled her heart. Maybe there was hope for them. She stopped her daydreaming and looked at Kelly again. “Look, I’m not sure what you’re talking about. Drex is only a family friend.”
Kelly’s face scrunched in distaste. “Right. I heard you in his room during the Seduction Party.”
Insane. The woman was clearly insane. Chris tried to think of a way to get close enough to remove the gun from Kelly. She took a step closer, but Kelly lifted her arm higher.
“I wouldn’t try any heroics if I were you. I am a great shot. I hired others to get you out of the way, but it seems if you want something done right you have to do it yourself.” The blonde smirked.
“What do you mean you hired others?” Wasn’t she getting threatened because of the Seduction Party story?
“I saw you taken to Drex’s room the night of the party. Then I saw him join you there. I heard you screaming while he fucked you.” Kelly spat. “It should’ve been me in there with him. But he chose you instead. So I arranged for your car to be vandalized and your face to get bashed in. You were supposed to die when your car got run off the road, but I didn’t expect Drex to be with you. When I sent people here yesterday to kill you, I didn’t expect to find the place empty, so I had them destroy your stuff. It wasn’t killing you, but I got some satisfaction knowing you would get the picture.”
Good god. All this time she thought someone wanted her to quit the Seduction Party article when in reality nothing was further from the truth. Kelly Windsor just wanted her out of her way. She wanted Drex.
Chapter Eleven
Drex parked outside of Chris’s home. His security detail sat outside.
“Where’s Chris?” He asked no one in particular.
“She’s inside with another woman. She gave us the OK so we’ve been out here keeping an eye on the area.”
A woman? A cold sensation sat at the pit of his stomach. Drex walked up to the door and opened it without knocking. His ex-girlfriend, Kelly Windsor, turned to him.
Chris immediately launched herself onto the other woman. Chris smacked Kelly’s hand, a gun dropped to the floor, and then she punched Kelly in the face. Kelly screamed and covered her face with both hands. Drex ran up behind her and grabbed her in a bear hug, pinning her arms down.
The security team rushed inside and took Kelly from his arms. Kelly cursed and screamed. “This isn’t the end! Not by a long shot!” The men handcuffed her and took her to one of the security vans.
Drex grabbed Chris and hugged her while one of his men called the cops. Moments later Cole and a group of police officers showed up.
He cupped her face and looked into her eyes. “Are you all right? She didn’t hurt you?”
Her smile made everything perfect.
“No, I’m fine. Thank you for getting here so fast. She was angry you dumped her. She said she was supposed to spend the night with you at the Seduction Party.” She frowned. “She saw me taken to your room and then heard us. She didn’t want you with me.” She looked at him, questions in her eyes.
“We had broken up weeks before. She was never going to be with me that night.”
“I believe you.” Chris smiled and threw her arms around his neck.
Drex pulled away from her. “I don’t know what you were thinking leaving without me. You should’ve waited for me.”
“I’m sorry.” She hugged him again tighter.
His anger abated while he held her.
Cole stood to the side, giving them a chance to speak before he intervened. Drex was more than grateful for it. Somehow, he had to talk some sense into Chris. There was no way he was letting her out of his life. Ever.
Chris looked into his eyes and melted at the concern in them.
“If something happened to you—” He locked his gaze with hers and hugged her hard. He held so much emotion in his eyes.
She didn’t think before she spoke. “I love you.”
He pulled her off to a quieter side of the road while Cole and the other guys looked on. Holding her in his arms, he stared deep into her eyes.
Police officers swarmed the location and were taking notes on everything, but none of that mattered. Because Drex was looking at her with more than lust. He looked as though he cared for her.
“Say that again.” His voice was hoarse.
With a deep breath, she jumped off the cliff again. “I love you. I’ve been in love with you since I was a teenager. I’ll probably never stop loving you.”
He lowered his head and brushed his lips over hers. “Thank God. I never want you to stop.”
“What? Why?” Hope unfurled inside her heart.
He looked into her eyes and smiled. “Because I love you too.”
Shocked, she stood in place while she processed what he’d said. “You do?”
He rained small kisses on the corner of her lips. “You’re the only woman to own my heart.”
She peered up at him with a frown. “Then what the hell are you waiting for? Ask me to marry you already! I’ve only been waiting for eleven years, you know. Teenage years count. Those are very important to women.”
He laughed, lowered his lips to her ear, and whispered, “Will you marry me?”
“Yes. I will. You know I will. I love you.”
Epilogue
Chris walked up the mansion steps with a grin. She handed the black envelope to the doorman. A sense of déjà vu encompassed her.
“Good evening, madam. Have a pleasant time.”
“Oh, I will.” She smiled and stepped into the human orgy known as the Seduction Party. There was no need for a mask this time. Wearing the same short dress she had the last time, she entered. It was getting a little tight, but who cared?
Her gaze roamed the main reception area until it clashed with
his
. She lifted a brow, turned, and walked down a corridor.
The door to the room was opened by a female assistant. “Madam. Will you need any assistance?”
“Thank you, no. I’ll be fine on my own.”
She removed her heeled sandals, fixed the pillows for comfort, and got on the bed. Slipping her hands into the two belts dangling off the posts on the bed, she tied herself down. She leaned back on the pillows and waited. It was less than five minutes before the door to the room opened and her husband walked in.
Drex frowned when he saw her tied to the bed. “Chris?”
She gave him a flirtatious look. “Are you the man who has bought me for the night?”
His eyes flared with lust, and her pussy clenched in need. He removed his clothing until he stood deliciously naked before her.
His gaze raked her body and then locked on to hers. “I’m the man you gave yourself to, forever.”
He got on the bed and kissed her, fondled her, and made the heat inside her rage. Even though she was pregnant, he still managed to make her feel like the sexiest woman in the world.
She looked deep into his eyes. “I love you.”
The smile covering his face made her heart melt. “I love you too, baby.” Then he went on to show her how much he loved and wanted her, in some really interesting and different ways.
~ About the Author ~
April Angel was born in the prettiest part of the Caribbean known as the Dominican Republic. She grew up between New York, Florida and Massachusetts. Currently, she resides in New York City with her husband, bossy young son and their little dog Speedy.
She began writing when she learned to put words together and her first book consisted of two homeless dogs living in a park for her second grade English class. She didn’t win a prize, but she acquired a love for writing that never went away.
When she’s not working full-time, texting with her best friend Heidi in England, chastising her son for pulling the dog’s ears, shopping with her sister Jewel or watching scary movies with her husband, she can be found writing on her laptop. She’s addicted to shoe shopping, chocolate and Dunkin Donuts coffee.
A major reader when she can get her hands on a good book, she loves reading all Mina Carter, Cynthia Sax and Laurann Dohner among others.
Find out more about April Angel here
~ Also by April Angel ~
Wicked Valentine