Billion Dollar Bad Boy (Big City Billionaires #1) (14 page)

He was wearing a midnight blue jacket, open so I could see the black shirt clinging to his torso. 
Maybe the cats will attack him, shredding his clothes.
The idea of his sudden nudity made me swallow.

“Pet,” he said softly, sitting across from me. His amber irises were burning with a need for answers. “What happened, why aren't you at work?”

I started to answer, then I stopped. “How do you know I was supposed to be working?”

“Do you think I don't keep tabs on where you are?” He chuckled, like
I
was the ridiculous one.

I hid behind my small white cup of green tea. “That's not normal.”

“I know.”

I'd expected him to act differently, maybe deny right out of the gate that he'd been stalking me. Instead, he was almost proud of it.

He lifted the cup in front of him, sniffing it. “What's this?”

“It's called a Silver Lynx,” I said, my cheeks going pinker. “I thought you'd appreciate the name.”

Grinning, he watched me intently. “I do.” His sip was slow, lingering. When he finished, he breathed out. “We should talk.”

“About the other night? Yeah. I think we should, too.” My tongue pressed each word like a hammer on an anvil, giving them all a blade's edge. “I need to know how long you've been following me.”

“You're very demanding for a pet.”

“I'm
not
your pet.”

“You are.” Glancing down, he motioned at a black cat that was stretched out on the cafe floor. It flicked its ears, miraculously swaying over so Silver could rub its head. “You're not wearing a leash anyone can see, but it's there.” When he shot his stare back to me, I stiffened. “And I'm holding the other end of it.”

Bunching up my shoulders, I sighed. “Tell me how you know me.”

“Tell me what had you so flustered earlier.”

I came close to arguing with him. Really, though, I was too burnt out to find the energy.
If I give him answers, he might finally give me some.
Hanging my head, I glanced at the nearby wall. “There's a detective that's been following me as much as
you
have.” I frowned at him. “He's been trying to grill me for information.”

Silver sat up so quickly that the cat jumped away. “Detective?”

“It's stupid.” Shaking my head, I peered through my eyelashes at him. “I feel weird explaining it, even.”

“Don't, just take your time,” he said gently.

He switches from domineering to kind like a flip of a light switch.
In spite of my observation, the sudden warmth inside of me wasn't just from my tea. “Alright. Well, this guy—Detective Roose—he thinks I can help him with an old case. Except, I don't think I can. I kind of don't remember much about what happened, and it was so long ago, you know?”

Silver considered me, his hands resting lightly on the table. “I see. He wants your help, even though you can't remember the details he needs? Why can't you remember, amnesia?”

My laugh was nervous. “Amnesia is too intense a word for it. I can recall bits and pieces, if I try.”
I don't want to try. “
He thought he had a way to fix it so I'd remember more clearly. Earlier, he took me back to where it all happened—the crime, I mean. Guess he wanted the location to jog my memory.”

“And it didn't.”

“No,” I agreed. “It didn't.”

Smoothing his shirt, he said, “So that's why you were so distraught on the phone. You couldn't remember anything, even after he forced you.”

“I wouldn't say forced.” Swirling my spoon on my tea, I watched my reflection ripple. “Or maybe it
was
forced. Either way, it was a waste of time.”

“These kind of things should be handled more gingerly.”

Lifting my chin, I studied him. He seemed so relaxed, but I sensed he was as coiled as the cats were. “If you've forgotten things, it's for a reason. Trying to break that vault open before your psyche is ready could damage you.”

The way he gave me an excuse for burying my past so firmly, it made me grateful. So grateful, that I almost forgot he hadn't answered any of
my
questions, still. “Hey,” I said sharply. “It's your turn. Tell me when you began stalking me, and why!”

“Knowing where you work isn't really stalking.”

“It is! And you knew where my post office was, where I live... you know a
lot,
Silver. Why?”

“Because I want to know everything about you.”

Turning crimson, I let my hands fall down to my lap. “That's not enough. I need more.”

“So do I.”

“Stop that!” I blurted. I grabbed for some control, hating how he was turning things around on me. “Tell me what happened the other night, why were you acting so weird?”

“You mean why was I reveling in how I'd conquered your body? How I'd turned you into my play thing, and how I made it clear you belong to me?”

This wasn't the inquisition I'd expected. The more we talked, the more I found my anger mutating into something just as hot, but entirely different.

I squinted at my knees, unable to speak. I was furious at his slippery answers, and fumbling with the blunt honestly he kept throwing at me. Hadn't I run away from him three nights ago? At what point had I stopped feeling afraid of this man?

Silver tapped the table, making me look up. “I know that I was intimidating. I couldn't help it, Pet. I was relishing in the pure
sensation
of power that being with you gave me. Nothing could have been better than that moment. I never wanted it to end.”

My heart was one big flickering ball of excitement. “I didn't either,” I whispered softly.

Under the table, his fingers found my knee, grazing it. My pulse fluttered quicker. “I have something for you.”

“What is it?”

“Well...” Reaching into his pocket, he bent forward. I had the sudden idea he was about to get down on one knee.

“Silver,” I gasped, covering my mouth. “What are you doing?”

He grinned, sliding a set of keys into the light. “Here, take these.”

The sight of them calmed my heart. I wasn't ready for a damn proposal, but at the same time, I endured a stab of disappointment. Reaching out, I stopped inches from taking them. “Are those your house keys?”

He dropped them so that I had no choice but to catch them. “More than that. There's a key there for everything I own. I'm an open book to you, Pet.”

“I... why?” Clutching them, I enjoyed how they still held his warmth.

“Because I want to make it possible for you to reach me at any time. I never want you to feel like I'm not there for you. No lock can keep us apart.”

The last remnant of my uncertainty faded into the background. It was still there, but buried under the heavy waves of my own surprise. “This might be the most valuable gift you've given me,” I whispered, tucking the keys in my purse.

“Speaking of gifts,” he said, sipping at his tea, “When you were throwing mine away, which ones ended up in the trash?”

Linking my fingers, I bit my lip guiltily. I didn't want to be reminded of how I'd thrown all those boxes into a dumpster. “I don't know, I chucked out a bunch of stuff that I never even opened.”

“You saw none of it?”

Oh no,
I thought.
I did see one thing in particular. I even wore it.
I'd never tell him that part. “I kind of threw away some really fancy lingerie.” That memory wasn't a pleasant one.

“That's perfect.”

I sat there for a moment, digesting his response. “I'm sorry, what?”

Silver's hand vanished from my leg. He rose, his open palm waiting expectantly for mine. “You've given us something to do for the afternoon.”

I didn't know what he was talking about.

I had no clue why Silver was following me, why he was using a fake name, or what his plans for us—for me—even were.

When my fingers slid into his, we both squeezed.

Alexis

H
is car keys jingled as he handed them over to the valet. I was still sitting in the Mustang, the windows blocking me from hearing their voices. Silver was smiling, talking with the other man as he handed over some cash.

It made me thrill to have Silver open the passenger door. He tugged me free, then captured me all over again when we swayed close. Our chests nearly touched, but I gasped like we'd slammed together.

It was obvious from how he lingered, fingers clutching mine, that he was battling with wrapping me in his arms and kissing me right in front of the gathered valets. He stepped back, fingers tucking into his jeans like he had to put them somewhere before he lost control and snatched me up all over again.

Motioning with his sharp jaw, he said, “Come on, let's go inside.”

The moment we stepped through the glass doors and into the lingerie shop, I wished I'd dressed nicer. My plan for the day had been to stumble through work without falling apart. Maybe I'd order Chinese and watch something late into the night.

Those plans don't require fancy clothes, so all I'd put on was plain black pants and a loose beige sweater.

Standing under the crystal decorations and the golden lights, I felt like a fraud. Mannequins shaped like impossibly perfect people cocked their hips all over the room. They were wearing lace, leather, satin... every fabric I could have named, and many I couldn't.

“How may I help you?” The woman who approached was draped in a black skirt and a crisp blouse. Her hands glinted with jewels, while her teeth sparkled even more so.

Silver gave me a nudge. “We're looking for a few different sets, whatever your finest quality items are.”

“Oh no,” I said, glancing between them. “Just one set, and it doesn't have to be
that
fine.”

“It does.” He nodded knowingly at the woman. “Use your best judgment.”

“Really,” I said. “Don't listen to him.”

“I think she'll be happy to listen to me. Just like you should be,
Pet.”

That shut me up; I couldn't believe he'd called me that name in front of a stranger. The woman—whose name was Donna, according to her tag—gave us both a long stare. I was amazed she was still smiling when she spoke. “Follow me, Miss. I think I can make you both happy.”

Glaring sideways at Silver, I mouthed, “
Stop it.”

He just smirked even brighter.

Donna guided me through the tunnels of clothing and away from Silver. “Do you have a favorite color?”

Grazing my eyes over the lingerie, I hummed. “Green is nice, but so is purple.”

Snatching a few things off the racks, she smiled at me. “Honestly? I think white suits you better.” Then, like she was considering her own comment, she stood on her toes and looked behind me. I followed her eyes, noticing she was making sure Silver was out of earshot. “Is he your Dom?”

“My
what?
”

“Dom.” She said it so matter of fact. “Masters, whatever you want to call them. Guys who like to pretend they can control their women.”

My mouth gaped, no sound escaping.

Donna covered her own mouth in horror. “Oh gosh, I didn't mean that to sound bad. I've got nothing against the whole submissive sex slave kind of thing, I swear! I've even got a friend who looks for that on Tinder.”

I gestured with my hands between us, punctuating each word. “
It's not like that
.”

She hoisted the pile of lingerie onto her shoulder. “But he called you his pet.”

“That—that's just a nickname he has for me!” I laughed too loudly. “Like a
pet
name, get it? Do you get it?” My eyebrows lowered. “Tell me you get it.”

“I get it, I get it!” Her heels snapped over the floor, taking us through a curtain. Inside, there were a few stalls and a single mirrored wall. “Here, try these on. If you need anything, call for me.”

“Right. I will.” When she ducked through the curtain, I slumped sideways with a groan. Had she really called Silver my master? Even if he could control my excitement, control my breathing... my heart... or how fast or slow I climaxed...

He wasn't my fucking master.

Moving into a stall, I shut the door. Donna had left me way too much to try on. I wasn't going to bother with all of it, honestly.

Picking through the stack, I brushed an ivory corset covered in black lace. The pattern looked like leaves that were spiraling in an autumn breeze. I was reminded of the day I'd slid into the outfit Silver had sent.

Back then, he'd been known as
S
to me. A figment, a phantom... a stranger. But even so, I'd dressed in that lingerie with glee.

Trembling, I started to breathe faster. Stripping out of my clothes, I hooked the corset into place. It forced my breasts up, cupping them and creating cleavage like I'd never had. The panties were boy-cut, almost slippery to the touch.

When I bent down to grab at the thigh-highs Donna had left to match, a small sound hit my ears. I'd barely straightened up when the door to my private box cracked open. Silver leaned inside, his eyes eating me up in one quick swoop. “Fucking hell,” he breathed out.

“What are you doing?” I gasped, backing up; there was no where to run. “I've barely tried anything on yet. You should wait outside.”

He closed the door, the lock clicking sharply. Advancing on me, his nostrils flared. “How could I wait when I knew you were stripping in here?” His eyes swept over me. “You're so fucking beautiful. I can't handle it.”

“Silver,” I started to say.

His hands came down hard on the wall behind me, boxing me in. I felt the structure shake, my knees copying the motion. “I need you right now. Right here.”

I lifted my fingers, but he just linked them with his and shoved my wrists on the wall. I couldn't argue, he'd stolen my voice—and he was stealing my strength.

Silver's hands raked down the corset, his mouth tackling mine. Wet, warm lips dulled my senses. My whimper weaved through the cotton in my brain, so soft it could have been a dream.

Reaching between my thighs, he stroked the outside of my silken panties. I clenched around him, trying to push him away. All I did was hold him closer. I was an accomplice in my own capture.