Billion Dollar Bad Boy (Big City Billionaires #1) (7 page)

He spared me a look, but his attention was laser focused on the other man.

My attacker was rubbing his jaw, blood staining his teeth. Wild-eyed, he glanced between us both. Rabid dogs don't use logic, and this man was close to foaming at the mouth. “You want that girly for yourself, that it, big man?”

Silver laughed, the sound echoing through the alley. He might as well have blown a trumpet, it would have shocked us both just as much. “Do I
want
her? She's already mine.”

That admission sang into my ears and remained. I didn't try to deny his claim, that was how firmly it clung to my heart.
Getting attacked must have shook something loose in my brain.
That had to be it.

Spitting on the ground, the wretched man eyeballed Silver, then me. Spreading his fingers, he threw up his hands. I tensed, expecting him to launch forward and attack again. “Whatever, fuck you both! I'm gone.”

Just like that, the man who had tried to drag me off became a coward. He slunk away, a shadow that faded into nothing around the alley's bend. If it weren't for the marks on my arms where he'd gripped me, I could have been waking from a nightmare.

“Are you alright?” Silver asked, taking my face in his palms.

Alright?

Was I
alright?

It took me a moment, but I narrowed in on his amber eyes, his thick lashes, the gentle curve of his lips. “Yes,” I whispered. The pain in my wrists faded into a dull throb. Mentioning it was pointless. “I'm fine, really.”

He saved me.

Silver smiled, his skin warm and welcome on my cheeks. Never had I been held so tenderly, and never by a stranger.

Was someone who I had grown to know over the past month, even if through letters only,
really
a stranger? He'd made me gasp, made me burn, made me ache and long to finally be in his presence.

And now I was.

Every doubt that had chased me out of the club and into the cold alley became a wisp of meaningless smoke. In the flickering light of the single bulb above the club's backdoor, his skin danced—white to tan and back again. The syrup in his half-cocked grin lured me closer by the second.

I never meant to kiss him.

Magnetic explosions slid between us, my lashes fluttering with the raw energy. This man had rescued me, and call me a cliche, but what was more intoxicating than that?

When I pressed my mouth to his, we locked together. His hands curled around, capturing my hair and using it to get a grip. I still had the brick wall at my back, so with him in front of me, I was pinned. He crushed me further, the pressure of his body along my torso bringing out a low gasp.

“Fuck,” he hissed, gliding his tongue along my upper lip. Whistles went off in my brain. “You taste so damn good, Pet. I want more... no, I
need
more.”

Before I could reply, he kissed me again, making my lungs strain as the last of my air became stale. I needed to breathe, but the rest of me was too busy flourishing in the touch of a man who was pure sex and lust.

His knee slid between mine, forcing them apart. Warning sparks went off at the base of my skull, but I ignored them. The way he ground his leg along my panties was delicious.

Silver was all mouth, nibbling along my throat, my ear, everything. I was purring, lost in a range of desires. Fire clawed at my belly, dipping down until my pussy was melting.

This is happening,
I thought in my haze.
This is really...

Fingers brushed the front of my dress, nuzzling the hard shape of one nipple. The bolt of sexual need he lifted inside of me was stunning. It hit so hard that it shook away some of my sluggish lust.

We were standing in a filthy alley.

An alley outside of a sex club.

“Wait,” I stammered, my hands pushing at his chest. “Not like this, I can't.” The way my control had vanished from my body was terrifying. I was scared I wouldn't have enough left for even a hint of push-back from him.

“Alright,” he breathed out tensely. “We can stop.”

I froze. “What?”

His grin went wide. “It's fine. Did you think I was going to force you?” Chuckling, he leaned away and straightened out his jacket. How did he have all of his composure back when seconds ago he'd been growling in my ear?

Warily, I tilted my head and side-eyed him. I'd expected him to be mad, or to fight harder. His response threw me off balance. “You're really okay with us stopping?”

“Of course. But I won't lie...” Reaching down, he rubbed his palm over his massive erection, adjusting himself with a wince. “I'm hard as hell, I'd love to bend you over and finally bury myself deep between your thighs.” My whole body went hot and red. “But if you want to stop, we'll stop. A lot has happened tonight. Taking you home might be best.”

I opened my mouth, then shut it. “Alright. Yeah.”
Taking me home. I can't predict this guy at all.

Nodding, he dug for his keys. “Walk with me. I parked close by.”

He doesn't want to leave me alone.
I was grateful. I didn't want a repeat of earlier. “Should you let Jessop know he doesn't need to pick me up?”

Waving me to his side, Silver led us to the main street. “He knows not to come back unless I call for him. I don't use him very often, he has other clients keeping him busy. I assume there's no issue letting me be your chauffeur?”

“It's not a problem.” A gust of air buffered me. Hugging myself, I tried to bite back a shiver.

Wordlessly, he slid his jacket from his shoulders. His exposed arms flexed, the dark red and rich black ink on his skin drawing my attention. In a second he'd placed the heavy, soft jacket around me. I breathed in to my limit, nuzzling my nose on the edge of the fabric.

Strolling through the night like this, we looked like a normal pair out on a date. I embraced that image, enjoying how our feet clicked in unison along the pavement.

As he'd said, the walk was short. The parking garage we entered was large, eternally quiet. When he slowed in front of a bright silver Mustang, I bit back a squeak.

Luxurious, cool, and silver. It could be his spirit animal.

He reached over, tugging the passenger side open for me. “Thanks,” I said, ducking inside. The seats were warm, like they lived in a different world than the chilly evening.

“Comfortable?” he asked, clicking his seat belt in.

“Very. Your car is really cool.” The second I said it, I started to blush.

Grinning, he let the engine rumble, turning us out of the garage. “I'm glad you like it.”

We rode in silence, my bare knees crossing again and again. I couldn't get comfortable—I didn't know how to act.  Only minutes ago, I'd kissed this man.
Kissed him,
after meeting him in person for the first time.

Watching my toes, I thought about the shoes I had on, how he knew my size. How he knew... far too much about me and my daily life.

And he doesn't want to tell me how.

Unable to hold back, I whispered into the quietness. “Are you a stalker?”

I knew it was a risk to ask him that if I was hoping to not ruin this evening any further. But I wasn't stupid, this man was playing a game with me, and as hot... as incredibly tempting as he was... I could end up hurt.

Stalkers were no joke.

They could be deadly.

He didn't glance at me, but I felt him shift. “What do you think?”

“I don't know what to think. You refuse to tell me anything about who you are, or why you contacted me at all.”
Why me?
The eternal question.

Guiding his car down my street, he sighed. “You're too curious about things that don't matter.”

“Of course they matter!”

He startled, staring at me and making me cover my mouth. Had I shouted? “All that matters is the end result.”

Stiffening, I asked, “And what's that?”

“You.” The engine died; he parked outside my house, his lights illuminating a raccoon as it fled my trash. “You're the end result. That's all I care about, Pet. The rest is just history.”

The centers of his eyes widened. Before I could move, he clutched the nape of my neck and pulled me close. Our lips met, sealing together so he could race his tongue across mine. The kiss left me hazy, and then it was over.

“I want to see you again,” he said flatly. “Tonight wasn't enough.”

I was breathing heavy, unable to blink. “I—okay.”

He pulled out a smartphone, then held out his palm to me. I knew what he wanted, so I fumbled my phone out and handed it to him. As I watched, he typed his number into mine, then vice versa.

Warily, I took my phone back. It was warm from his touch. “So... then...”

“I'll contact you soon. Get some sleep, okay?”

“Er, right. I—right.” I was saying 'right' a lot. I was also having trouble making sense of this insane night.

Sliding off his jacket, I held it out. He lifted his eyebrows. “Keep it,” he said firmly.

“No. It's fine, my house is right here.” I couldn't take anything else from this man. Before he argued again, I dropped it on the seat and jumped out. When I got to my door, I twisted so I could look back at him.

Silver was watching me through his window, the sharp shadows making his expression impossible to read. But it didn't matter—not now. My insides had decided how to feel already. I was ruled by the memory of his kiss, of my own swollen lips and the slickness of his tongue.

He didn't drive away until I unlocked my door.

I stumbled inside, slamming it behind me. The calmness of my home just heightened the throbbing beat of my heart.

Holy shit.

Everything inside of me was buzzing. I'd fought down the urge to push further and see what Silver would do to me. Now, I was paying for it.
Female blue balls are real.
I laughed bitterly, running my fingers through my hair.

Kicking off my heels, I winced at the slight pain in my forearm. The attacker in the alley had left a bruise.

It could have been much worse.

Without Silver coming to my rescue, the night could have ended with much less of a fuzzy feeling.
But he did save me,
I reminded myself. Cradling my wrist, I remembered how intense Silver had looked when he'd stepped in.

Never
ever
had a man tried to protect me like that.

Clutching my dress hem, I did a tiny twirl. I was giddy, floating on my tired toes as I swayed around my home. The bubbles in my stomach were like carbonation and caffeine. I felt
alive.

When had I last felt like this?

But I still have so many questions.
Silver knew things about me that he shouldn't, not for someone I'd never met. He also enjoyed playing coy.

The reminder of his wicked smirks and hot lips set the other unsatisfied part of me into a frenzy. If he'd pushed me further in the alley, I'd have probably given in. Or maybe not. Fuck, I didn't know.

All I was sure of was that I was here, he was not, and I was decidedly turned on.

Slipping the dress off, I hung it in my closet and flopped nearly-naked onto my mattress. The blanket was cool on my boiling skin. For a long while, I did nothing but lie there with my face in the pillows.

I counted the seconds.

I tried to make my mind focus on boring things.

Finally, I flipped over and puffed at the hair in my face.
Dammit. I can't relax at all.
Twisting on my bed, I stared at the small table beside me.
Maybe... maybe I could...

Swallowing, I reached out, opening the drawer. Inside, the purple sex toy waited for me. I'd stored it there, not wanting to throw it away but too embarrassed to actually use it.

What would I ever need it for?

Now, I knew.

Alexis

“Y
ou have some explaining to do,” Laralie said, dropping a box onto my desk.

I jumped in my seat, yanked from my pleasant—if dirty—day dream. In it, Silver had come into my home, finding me enjoying the dildo he'd sent. In my head, he was happy to join in and teach me how to really use it.

I blinked down at the long box. “What's this?” I don't know why I asked. One look at the package, and it was obvious; Silver had sent me something.

Propping her elbows on the desk, Laralie leaned closer to me. She arched one fine eyebrow. “A delivery guy just showed up with this for you. Spill it, who is he?”

“Who is who?”

“The guy who's sending you surprise packages in the middle of the day!”

Grabbing the box, I pulled it closer. “Why do you think there's a guy at all?”

She rolled her eyes. “I'm not stupid, Alexis. I
know
you've been seeing someone. Look at how you carry yourself, it's obvious.”

I tried to evaluate my own behavior. Had I been acting different?
Of course I have. My life is changing, Silver isn't like anyone I've dated before.

Shit. Were we even dating? I had no clue what to call our situation.

Laralie cleared her throat. “Well?”

Running my hands over my face, I sighed. “Alright, okay. I'm seeing someone.”

Gasping dramatically, she covered her mouth. I could still see the edges of her huge grin. “I knew it! What's he like? What did he send you?”

My eyes wandered to the box. “I don't know. He likes to shock me.”

“Ooh, sounds fun!”

“Sort of.” Grabbing my phone, I typed quickly:
How do you know where I work?
Sending the text, I peeked up at Laralie. She was bent halfway over my desk, reminding me of an excited puppy. “You don't expect me to open this in front of you, do you?”

“Oh yes, I do!”

In my hand the phone buzzed. With a flicker of excitement in my pulse, I read the message.

Silver: I know more about you than you realize.

The cryptic words made me freeze.

“Alexis? You okay?”

“Yeah.” I buried the phone in my pocket. “I'm fine, don't worry.”
What the hell does he mean?
“You really won't let me open this up alone?”

Her teeth glinted. “I'll stalk you into the bathroom if I have to.”