A Bride for the Billionaire Bad Boy (The Romero Brothers, Book 2) (9 page)

“And?”

“Lucy invited her to come stay with us, but Maxine
told her she would prefer go to the nearest hotel. She only called Lucy to
inform her in case Lucy tried to call her at home and didn’t get her.”

“Is Maxine crazy?” Lucas thinned his lips in anger.

“Lucas, don’t do anything foolish.”

It was too late. Lucas didn’t know what got into him.
But he was going to reach Maxine and make sure she was safe. He reached into
this pocket for his smartphone and dialed one of his contacts.

How the hell did that one slip by? He had people watch
her office during the first two weeks since she’d received that note but things
seemed under control then. He had someone watch her building to ensure she was
safe, but again, he’d been given the green light and didn’t see the purpose in
continuing his surveillance for her safety.

Damn! Was he wrong? Lucas rarely took missteps. That
was an oversight that would never happen again. He would see to that.

“In which hotel is she staying?” Lucas asked
pointedly. He was deeply agitated. He just didn’t know what came over him all
of a sudden. Why did he have this reaction to Maxine? This was all too crazy
for him right now but he didn’t have time to analyze his feelings for this
woman, he just knew he had to act fast. She was in some kind of trouble and
from judging her character over the past few
months,
she wasn’t the trouble-making type of girl.

“Lucas, what are you going to do?”

“That doesn’t answer my question, Antonio.”

“I’m not telling you.”

“She’s staying at the Fairmont Hotel.” Toni hobbled
into the study with his cane.

“Grandfather!” Antonio spat.

“But Toni’s right, Lucas,” the senior Toni continued,
acknowledging Antonio with a nod but not addressing him further. “Don’t do
anything rash that would cause a scene, or Lord help us, a headline in the
news.”

“I won’t,” Lucas assured dryly.

“That’s the same thing that got you in trouble at
school, Lucas. Always standing up for anyone who was getting
their
butt kicked. Always fighting for the little guy and getting suspended.”

Lucas growled. “This is not school, Antonio.
Far different.
Don’t even compare.”

“But you don’t have all the facts. Shouldn’t you just
leave it to the police? I know you’ve made an inquiry to a contact to likely interfere
with the investigation, Lucas. Don’t go there.”

“I’m not going anywhere, except to see if a friend in
need could use a little help. I don’t back away when someone needs help.”

“Oh, and I do?”

“Boys, boys. Please! Let’s not argue over such nonsense,”
Toni interjected.

Lucas walked over to the counter by the door of the
study and grabbed his keys off the top. “I’m heading into town, Gramps. My
phone is charged so you can reach me if you need me.”

Lucas thought he saw his grandfather grin but Antonio
scowled. Lucas could see Antonio’s point but wasn’t really interfering. Yeah,
it was his big cousin Antonio who had to help him out while in senior high when
he would fight off bullies for his friends or stick up for someone who was
being harassed by the authorities, only to get suspended in the process and take
the rap for “stirring up trouble.”

But as far as he was concerned, Maxine was practically
family
. She was a close friend of the family and they
had business dealings together. Whoever attacked her, attacked him. He took
what happened to her home personally.
Very personally.

“Thank you,” Maxine told the counter clerk as he
handed her the key card for her room. She changed her mind about staying at the
Fairmont Hotel. The clerk at the Fairmont could see her hesitation, and when
she told him she was looking for something less expensive, he was kind enough
to suggest the
Hopeton
Travel Lodge down the street. She
just couldn’t afford the nightly fee at the Fairmont even though it would
probably have been more secure. But what was she to do? She had no idea how
long it would be before she could return home.

Her stomach squeezed when she thought about her
personal possessions being violated by some stranger. She almost felt violently
ill as if she was going to throw up. Old photos of her mother when she was
young and precious priceless family keepsakes
were
vandalized with spray paint and nail polish. Who would do such a thing?
And why her?

“Enjoy your stay, ma’am.” The clerk smiled at her.

Maxine smiled weakly before turning to face the
elevator. The ambiance at the motel was dim and soft. It was a travel lodge
more than anything else. Still, it was better than staying alone in her ravaged
apartment. Darn that security system in the building. It was virtually useless.
Apparently someone else had their home broken into before and the security
camera image came out too grainy to make any positive identification on the
culprit who entered their building from the lobby.
So much
for that.

Maxine turned around to look both directions before
swiping her card in the door slot. She was beginning to feel more paranoid than
ever.

What had her life come to? This was not really one of
those moments she wanted to have a reflection on where she was going in her
life but she was forced to. When she got inside she slumped down in the chair and
tossed
 
her
backpack to the floor. She held her head in her hands and let out a good cry.

After a while of sobbing, she went to reach for the
phone only to realize that it was two o’clock in the morning. Who could she
call now? There was a passage she’d read somewhere in a book but she could not
recall from where. She thought it could be from a later Hollywood screen
legend. Was it Marlene Dietrich who once said:
 
“It's the
friends you can call up at 4 a.m. that matter.”

Maxine grinned and shook her head. She really wished
she had such friends now.

Later, Maxine ran a warm bath and dropped in some bath
oils compliments of the travel lodge. She really needed to soak her troubles
away. Sleeping was out of the question. She had just sent an email off to the
office to let Betty know she would be in much later in the day. She had to
itemize damage for the insurance company in the morning. Then a horrible
thought struck her. Did she renew her renter’s insurance policy?

Maxine slid down in the tub and tried to sink the
worries of her day away. Her mother would tell her while growing up: “Worry
don’t solve a thing. It only makes things look worse.” Maxine grinned. Those
were the days, all right. Worrying about what happened would only give Maxine
heartburn and elevated blood pressure. She would think about it tomorrow.
Whatever was stressing her
out.

Right then she wanted to switch her thoughts to
something more pleasurable. Like Lucas sexy-as-hell Romero. She remembered what
he’d said about calling him if she ever needed him. She dreamed about acting on
his offer but changed her mind. No way could she do that. He was probably just
being polite and routine by giving her his business card. How many other women
had he given out his business card to? What about that woman from the nightclub?

She closed her mind to that thought. She thought
instead of Lucas kissing her hand, only this time as Maxine closed her eyes
luxuriating in the warm silky water, she envisioned Lucas kissing her nipple.
She stroked her nipple under the water lightly imagining it was Lucas’s tongue
and waves of pleasure pulsed through her body to her inner thighs.

“Oh, Lucas,” she murmured. If only she could get a guy
like that. A strong, handsome, powerful man who would move earth and heaven for
the woman he loved.

Oh, if only!

After her bath, Maxine grabbed her towel and wrapped
it around her. Then she grabbed her white towel-fabric robe compliments from
the hotel. She pinned her dark hair up into a bun and went towards the bed feeling
hot inside but was distracted when a knock befell the door.

She glanced at the clock in the room.

Who could be knocking on her door at this hour? Was it
the concierge desk? Oh, God! Had her credit card been declined, too?

Great! That was just the icing on the top of her cake
of a disastrous day, wasn’t it?

She looked through the peephole and her heart leaped
in her chest. Maxine blinked thinking she was in a dream or hallucinating.

Lucas Romero?

What was he doing there?

Lucy.

It must have been Lucy who told him about her
situation. But then she didn’t tell Lucy she’d changed her plans to come to the
travel lodge. Perhaps Lucas went to the Fairmont and that clerk told him that
Maxine was directed to check in at the lodge. Or maybe it was Lucas’s men. He
wouldn’t do it himself. Not with him being locally famous.

She pulled away from the door. Dazed.
Lucas? Oh, my God!
Lucas was standing
outside the door to her room. How did he know she was there? Maxine thought she
was hallucinating for sure. He looked so stunning. In a suit and tie. That much
she could see from the peephole.

Maxine looked in the mirror by the door quickly and
used her hands to brush the sides of her damp tendrils of hair so that she
wouldn’t look so…unbecoming.

“Who is it?” she called out routinely.

“It’s Lucas, Maxine.” Lucas’s deep voice sounded curt
yet soft. She just didn’t want to whip the door open first without hearing his
voice.

She inhaled a deep breath, her heart pounding in her
throat. She opened the door and her heart nearly leaped out of her chest.

“Lucas? What are you doing here? How did you-
”

“
Shh
,” he said softly. “Can
I come in?”

Her body tingled from head to toe when he spoke softly
to her. It almost sounded seductive. His words, his voice alone was sexually
charged. Oh, this must be a dream.

She opened the door wider. Of course, they had to keep
it down given the time of night and she wouldn’t want to alert anyone else that
she had often-infamous company at her door. Lord knew who was in the room
across from her or next door. One could never be too careful. Though it looked
as if the lodge was barely half full tonight.

Maxine was buzzing. All sorts of weird and wonderful
thoughts whirled through her mind. Secretly she’d hoped and wished that Lucas
would be there with her, alone. But never in her wildest dreams did she think
the universe would present her with her dream man right there, in arms length.

“What are you doing here?” she said, incredulously.
Deep inside she was hiding her gratitude. She also subconsciously tightened the
belt around her robe and hugged herself, feeling that he would be able to see
her tightened nipples under her robe. Of course, he would have to have x-ray
vision for that.
 

“I heard your apartment was broken into. I wanted to
see if you were alright,” he answered her in a low voice, gazing intently into
her eyes. Oh, those delicious dark eyes of his.
So sexy, so
inviting.
The man oozed sex appeal from every inch of his body.

Her eyes surveyed his hotness. He stood so tall that
his head almost touched the top of the
door frame
. He
sported a dark suit and looked as if he’d had a rugged day at the office. His
sexy stubble was more prominent than she had remembered from a month ago and
his dark hair was tussled in a rock star fashion but looked good nevertheless. He
had the highest, defined cheekbones she’d ever seen on a man.

“You did? You came here just to see if I was alright?”
Maxine was pleasantly surprised.
In disbelief.
Was she
that important to him? Appreciation tickled her inside. She wanted to reach out
to hug him but she dared not.

“I told you,” he said in a low, deliberate voice. “I
take care of those close to me.” He arched a brow to make his point. He looked
into her eyes and Maxine quivered with delight.

The words sent a rush of shivers down her back, a
pleasurable sensation. She was naked under her robe and her sex was throbbing
uncontrollably.
  

“I didn’t know we were that close,” she teased him, breathing
hard. A grin played on her lips.

Was she flirting with him? What was with her?

“Can I get you anything?” she breathed, her voice
hoarse. It had been way too long since she’d been with anyone, meaning her ex.
Her only real boyfriend.
Oh, the curse of being celibate so
long.
 
Now she felt as if she was
ready to explode for the one guy who made her heart go pitter-patter. She felt
a close indescribable connection to Lucas. She couldn’t really rationalize it
or understand it but it was just what it was—kismet.

He leaned in closer to her and she caught the sweet,
irresistible scent of his cologne. He was delicious in every way. Maxine was
dying to be with him. She was about to lose her inhibitions—or her mind
if he didn’t take her there and then.

“Just you,” he said as if reading her silent
invitation. He lowered his head to hers and pressed his sinfully sexy lips to
hers causing a rush of sexual currents to race through her body.

Her body’s response was automatic as she moaned in
delight and hungrily kissed him back. She’d been dying for this moment for so
long.
To feel the silky touch of his lips on hers.
His
firm arms were wrapped around her body as he held her close to him. Her arms
reached up to his broad shoulders.

Oh, his lips were so soft and sexually potent. Lucas’s
kiss made her forget who she was and where she was. His soft lips caressed and
sucked on hers sending shivers of delight down her spine and a rush of blood to
her thighs. She felt the hardness of his erection behind his zipper while his
hips pressed to hers as he leaned her against the wall.

Lucas slid his smooth hand beneath her robe and she
felt a delicious explosion of butterflies in her stomach. His hand made its way
to her mound of flesh and he stroked and teased her hard nipples bringing moans
of ecstasy through her lips.

Maxine pulled away breathless.

“What is it?” Lucas’s deep voice captured her.

Yes. What was it? What was she afraid of? This was
what she’d always fantasized about, wasn’t it? Lucas’s
erotic
touch
on her body.

Maxine adjusted her robe. She was still throbbing
mercilessly. Oh, heavens, she wanted nothing more than to be with Lucas so what
in Pete’s sake was she afraid of?

“I’m…sorry I…Lucas…”

“It’s okay.” Lucas was out of sorts, breathless
himself. “I should apologize. I didn’t come here for that. I don’t know what
got over me just now.”

Maxine looked up, startled. Oh, no. That was the last
thing she wanted him to feel—regret! My God, the man came over
there—all the way over
there
to see if she was
alright. He certainly didn’t need to do that. As big and important as Lucas
Romero was, he went out of his way to track her down after she’d been
victimized. How noble was that?

So was he changing his mind? Who could blame him? She
was probably sending mixed signals. Heck, she felt as if she
was
a mixed signal right now.

Oh, how her body craved his touch. She desperately
wanted to feel his hardness inside of her. But not right here, in some…upscale
motel. It just didn’t feel right. And she hadn’t seen him in over a
month—at least not outside her private fantasies and online.

Maxine went over by the bed to sit down.

“It’s okay, Maxine. I’m not going to lie to you. I’ve
wanted you the moment I laid eyes on you at the wedding. But I’m not a creep.
I’m a gentleman—despite what you might have read about me in the
tabloids.”

Maxine couldn’t help but break out into a smile. It
was the way he said it. Charming. Humorous. Was he mocking himself? She always
thought it attractive when a man could make light of his troubles. Good for
Lucas.

She didn’t know if
she
could have such strength with people saying all sorts of stuff about her and
just keeping a cool head about it as if it meant nothing. But such was the life
of a celebrity, wasn’t it?
Or at least someone in the public
eye from time to time.

Speaking of public eye, Lucas was truly a man who
could bring a whole lot of media attention. And there he was, in her motel
room. Oh, heavens. Maxine could just see the headlines if anyone found out.

She swallowed hard. That would be disastrous. The last
thing she needed.

“I know,” she said quietly, “I didn’t think you were a
creep.” A charming gentleman and sex god, yes.
A creep, no.
Far from it.
She was just terrified of the situation
right now. Terrified of letting
herself
get to close
to him only to find out that he didn’t want a long-term relationship. He was
almost thirty and according to what she’d read or learned about him, he’d never
really had a steady girlfriend.
At least not since adulthood.

“I think, I’d better get changed,” she murmured
softly. She didn’t know why she hadn’t thought of it sooner. There she was
naked under a bathrobe and inches from the hottest man she’d ever laid eyes on.
It was no wonder something almost happened between them.

“If you need to get ready for bed-”

“Oh, no. I’m not tired at all. I can’t sleep,” she
spewed out quickly. Then she caught herself, feeling sheepish. Gosh, did she
just come off as…desperate?

“I mean
,
I’m just going to
change into some clothes. You know, street clothes.”

He grinned, a sexy boyish grin that dimpled his cheek
and oh, she wanted to melt. “Should I leave?” he asked quietly, looking into
her eyes. He stood erect with his head slightly tilted and his hands shoved in
the pockets of his dress pants.

“Oh, no!” she said almost too quickly for her liking.
She covered her face with both hands and giggled. “I mean, I’ll go and change
in the bathroom.”

Moments later, Maxine emerged from the bathroom
dressed in a black pair of leggings with a long fitted designer t-shirt. She
wore her black soft leather sandals and grabbed her knitted cardigan from the
chair. It was summer but the nights could be a little on the cool side with the
breeze.

“You look stunning,” Lucas murmured, his look of
approval warmed her heart.

“In
this
?”
she growled. “You’ve got to be kidding.” Maxine cocked a brow.

“Now why wouldn’t you think you’re stunning?” Lucas
smiled. “You see
,
you don’t even have to try.”

“I just thought you’d be more into super models. I’ve
seen your girlfriends, you know,” she teased.

“Where?
In the tabloids?
That
I've probably never even met?” Lucas grinned as he arched a brow.

Okay. He had her there. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to
judge,” she flushed.

“Don’t be. Come, I’m taking you away from here.”

“Where to? I…I’ve already paid for my room.”

Lucas glanced around the compact room. “Do you really
want to stay here?”

Maxine frowned. “Hey, listen, I may not have as much
money as some people but a place like this isn’t half bad for someone who needs
a roof over her head for the night.” She folded her arms across the chest.
“Besides, I’m not going to just go to your place.”

“Hey. Whoa. Wait a minute. Who said anything about
going over to my place?”

“Oh,” Maxine said, heat rising to her cheeks. Why was
she always getting ahead of herself? Was it because she was in the presence of
a gorgeous, prominent businessman who made her feel giddy and pleasantly
disoriented?

Maxine shook her head and rolled her eyes. “Where were
you thinking of taking me?”

“Away from here. We need to talk but not here.”

Maxine swallowed hard. He needed to speak with her?
But not there?
She grabbed her purse off the counter and
held her chin up.

“Okay, I could do with a hot drink about now,” she
said. The truth was, the lodge might have been an upscale motel but it had no
room service and no access to a restaurant. The only close eatery was a few
blocks down the road. It was dark and cool during the night.
And
not in the busiest places in town.
Lucas was right. She needed to get
away from there.

The drive out of the city was a welcome sightseeing
excursion. They drove along Lakeside Drive capturing a breathtaking night view
of the lake under the twilight stars. Lucas drove his BMW at the speed limit,
for which Maxine was grateful. She disliked when guys tried to show off by
pushing the speed limit. Another plus for Lucas, she mused with delight. He had
the driver’s side window opened slightly, and the breezed rustled his dark,
mousy hair.

“Are you cold?” He turned to her. “I can close the
windows.” He noticed her hugging herself. But it wasn’t because she was cold.

“I’m good, thanks,” she said, sheepishly. She was in
awe. She was with Lucas, alone in his car.
Just the two of
them driving along a long practically isolated road.
And she was feeling
all sorts of emotions swirl through her body.
Mostly that of
lust and amazement and curiosity of how the night would end.

Her eyes scanned her surroundings. Lucas kept his ride
immaculate, Maxine noted with pleasure. Or, perhaps his staff kept it well. Who
knew? She felt guilty for passing such judgments about him when in fact, she
knew little about him outside of what she’d read about him or from little snippets
from his cousin-by-marriage, Lucy.

“Very nice,” she commented.

“It gets me from point A to B.”

She grinned at him and rolled her eyes. “Yeah, it
could be better, I agree. But what can you do with an old piece of metal on
wheels, right?”

Lucas grinned. “You’re a cheeky one, aren’t you?” he
teased her.

“So where is this mysterious place you’re taking me?”

“Just a hideout I frequent at times. It’s perfect.”

“Oh. Does it have a name?”

“The Place.”

“The Place?” She looked at him incredulously.

“There are places, Maxine, that very few people know
about.”

“Oh, wait a minute,” she said, turning to him in her
seat. “I’ve heard of these places. A lot of…” she was about to say rich, snobby
people but caught herself. “...
celebrities
or public
figures go there to unwind or eat in peace, right?”

“Something
like
that.”

Maxine’s heart leaped in her chest. She’d heard of
these places for the elite few. It was usually not in a marked building so it
wasn’t obvious. There was some secret code to enter or a secret password. It
appeared simple on the outside but once you entered through its secure doors,
it was a world in and of itself.
A world of luxury beyond the
imagination.
Upscale everything.
Menus on
iPads
with no listed prices.
Plush,
expensive seats and booths, exclusive everything.
Elite staff to tend to
your needs
twenty-four-seven
. Was he really going to
take her to such a place?
And to talk?
Just to talk,
of all things.

Excitement gushed through Maxine. She’d almost
forgotten about how she’d felt a few hours ago. Lost. Alone. Helpless.
Violated.

And now for some strange reason, she felt as if maybe,
just maybe things would be okay for her after all.

CHAPTER TEN

Maxine’s eyes captured the beautiful surroundings of
the restaurant of where Lucas took her. The place was cozy and the environment
was oddly soothing. Lucas had parked outside a marble-facade building and taken
the side entrance to enter their destination. Strangely enough, it was an
unmarked door. It appeared that video cameras were hidden within because a
voice over the intercom sounded and
acknowledged
 
him
. “Good morning, Mr. Romero,”
the disembodied voice offered.

At first, Maxine was confused about the greeting until
she realized it was four o’clock in the morning. The words drifted back to her
mind “it’s the friends you can call at four o’clock in the morning that count.”

A warmth
crept
into her stomach. Lucas was a true friend in her time of need, wasn’t he?

“Are you okay, Maxine?” Lucas asked her in a low voice.
His tone was silky, smooth and deep. But the way he said her name. The way
Maxine rolled off his tongue sent shivers of delight rushing through her.