Club Nova Vol. 4 (Brad Grayson) (4 page)

“Yeah, that’s it, baby. Let me feel you come. Give yourself to me.” His head fell to her shoulder. “Show me that you’re mine.”

Those words swirled in his already clouded brain. Apparently sex with her destroyed his brain-to-mouth filter because he just couldn’t stop himself. Words, promises, tumbled from his lips faster than he could stop them. But no matter what he said, one thing remained true: she was his and he’d do anything to keep it that way.

“I’m all yours,” she whispered back to him between labored breaths.

Brad’s cock throbbed against the delicate interior walls of her tight depths as she exploded around him, coating his dick with her liquid hot juices. He jerked inside of her, spurting his come into her with the final thrusts of his orgasm. Together they rocked as their bodies released every emotion they held and the result was the most intensely satisfying experience. It felt like she’d reached deep inside of him and latched onto his soul, branding herself to him. Forever. Shit. What the hell had he just done?

He collapsed onto her, her name falling as a chant from his lips, and he kissed her neck and collarbone. Victoria’s body trembled beneath him. He’d never known something so soft, so tender, could invoke such an earth shattering response. And he never wanted to get up or move or have the moment end. Right here, in this moment, suspended in time, there wasn’t a world outside of this room. There was no Peyton. No kidnapper. No danger. Right here, right now, it was just the two of them and it terrified him into silence.

He pulled out of her and she whimpered but he didn’t move off of her. He continued to tease her flesh with his kisses. “I’m never going to get enough of you.”

She aimlessly ran her fingertips around his back, a faint smile hugging her lips. That look would be the death of him, and he knew he was teetering on a very dangerous emotional cliff.

There was no coming back from this. Ever. And he wasn’t the type of man to do anything half assed. No. When Brad Grayson put his mind to something, he gave it everything he had, and he’d put his mind to claiming Victoria, making her a part of him, a part of his life.

Brad nuzzled her ear, his breath hot, and he said it. “I love you, Victoria.” The words felt natural, like breathing, and he thought he’d regret them until they had left his mouth. For only the briefest moment, he did.

“Did you just—?”

“What?” Once again, his weight was in his arms, his face peering down at her. His eyes darted back and forth reading her expression. He knew that look.

She looked at him, searching for truth. Just like him, she couldn’t believe what had came from his mouth.

“I said it, Victoria. I love you. I love you so damn much I can’t think straight. And I’m worried that my feelings for you will be what leads to your—”

“Shh. Don’t.” Victoria smiled, tears of happiness pooling in the corners of her eyes. “Please just let me enjoy this for a second.” He laughed and leaned down for another kiss, but before their lips touched, she said, “I love you, too, Mr. Brad Grayson.”

Victoria awoke the next morning hoping Brad would decide to stick around and blow off work in order to spend another day with her, especially considering what had transpired between them last night. But she rolled over to find his side of the bed empty and cold.
When did he leave?
She groaned and sat up, robbing the sleep from her eyes. The shower was running and Brad’s suit was draped over the chair. That only meant one thing: he was planning to work today.

She flopped back down on the bed and pulled the pillow over her face.
Ahh, not today Brad.
After everything they’d been through the past couple of weeks, why was he rushing to go back to it all? Business was something she wasn’t sure she’d ever understand. She loved her job but she didn’t want to work every damn day.

“Good morning, love.” Brad’s deep, amused voice snapped her out of her quiet pout about having to work.

She sat up and looked at him. He was still wet from the shower, his hair combed, a towel wrapped around his waist. He was like a God. Perfect in every possible way. Even from where she sat across the room, she could smell his cologne. Sexy. It awakened her in a way nothing else had.

She smiled, allowing her gaze to travel the length of his body and back up again. He was the sexiest man alive. It was no wonder other women threw themselves at him. And it was a god damned miracle he’d chosen to be with her. That was a whole other mystery she may never completely understand.

“Morning,” she finally said, her gaze meeting his. “I don’t suppose I can convince you to come back to bed, can I?”

He chuckled and walked toward her. “Oh, I’m pretty sure you could.” He kneeled on the bed and kissed her, nipping at her lips, but never giving her the full kiss she was craving.

“But?” She placed her hands on his bare, damp chest and raised a brow. God, he was so strong. His body so firm. It was everything she ever wanted. “There must be one coming or else you’d already be under these covers with me.”

He sighed and rested his forehead to hers. “Eric called. The contract is ready to sign. He’s already contacted Peyton’s office. We have to meet in his office in an hour.”

Victoria’s heart fell to the floor. “So you’re still going to go through with this? After everything she’s done?” She climbed out of bed, wrapping the sheet around her.

Brad gave her a look she didn’t care to see.

“I can’t believe this. You realize the moment you finish signing your name, she’s going to change.”

Brad let out a quick, short laugh. “This again? We’re always going in circles with you.”

“Glad you think this is funny.” She moved to go to the bathroom but Brad grabbed her arm before she could get too far away.

“I don’t think there’s anything funny about this, Victoria. This is business. And I’m in the business of making money. Lots and lots of fuckin’ money.”

“Business that involves a risky deal? Business that involves kidnapping and gassing your house? How can you make all your fuckin’ money, you love more than anything, if you’re dead?” She yanked out of his hold and once again headed toward the master bath.

Brad followed and slipped in front of her, blocking the door to the bathroom. “Okay, I get why you’re angry, I do, but you know how much I have invested in this deal.”

“You remind me all the time.”

“And like I told you last night, once she signs, it’s over.”

“It’s not over if I’m kidnapped again,” she snapped.

“Wait, you told me that guy didn’t have anything to do with Peyton, that he was out for revenge.” Brad crossed his arms over his chest.

Victoria took a calming breath and nodded. “Yeah. He wants to make Peyton pay for everything she did to him and his family. He took me once in an attempt to force your hand. If he learns I truly am your weakness, I’m as good as dead.”

She gave him a hard shove out of the way, stormed into the bathroom, and slammed the door, locking it behind her. The tears she’d felt moments ago spilled down her face. She was so angry. How could he do this? How could he think signing this deal with Peyton would suddenly, magically, make everything okay? Her life was in danger and he didn’t give a fuck.

“Damn it, Victoria. Open this door and talk to me.” He pounded on the door but she ignored him.

She sat on the edge of the bathtub and blew out a breath. She could only think of one solution. It was risky and extremely dangerous, and perhaps extremely foolish, but it just may work. If she had any chance of making things right, she had to do this. Maybe it was time she contacted her kidnapper and tried to work with him to get Peyton out of the picture once and for all. He’d said he would do whatever it took and Victoria had no reason not to believe him. But now that things had changed so much between her and Brad, what assurances did she have that the kidnapper wouldn’t turn on her? This could either be her biggest reward or her darkest regret.
Was it worth the risk?

The door handle twisted and Brad walked in. Victoria looked up at him in shock. “What the hell, Brad?”

“It’s my condo. You don’t think I have the keys to every room?” He held up a key and smiled tightly.

“Just leave me alone.” She stood and faced him.

“You know I can’t do that.”

“I didn’t realize when I agreed to stay here that I was giving up all expectation for privacy.”

“Victoria.” He paused. “You didn’t. But I’m not going to let you lock yourself in the bathroom and ignore me.”

“Christ, I just needed a minute, okay?”

“Victoria, baby.” He sighed and gripped her upper arms tightly with his claws. “I’m not going to pretend I know what you went through when you were taken, and I’m not going to stand here and diminish how you feel about this whole fucked up situation. But I am going to swear to you that I won’t let anything happen to you ever again. You have to trust me.”

She chewed on the inside of her cheek and nodded. She really did believe him, and she had no doubts he would do whatever it took to keep her safe—he’d already proved that. But she wasn’t willing to sacrifice his safety for hers. She hated even thinking it, but she saw no other way. She had to leave him before it really was too late.

“Hey.” Brad put his fingers under her chin and tilted her head up. “Do you trust me?”

They both looked into each others’ eyes without speaking.

Finally, she said, “Yes.”

“Then trust me on this. I know what I’m doing.”

She was so tired of fighting with him about this. Clearly he wasn’t changing his mind. “Okay.” She nodded.

“Thank you. Now can we please move forward?” He smiled, then dipped his head to kiss her.

It was impossible to stay angry at him, even though that was exactly what she wanted to do right now. He had a way about him to flip her emotions around so quickly. She hated herself for being so easy.

She found herself wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning into him, wanting him to do a hell of a lot more than just kiss him. Maybe if she got lucky she could distract him long enough that he’d miss his meeting, the deal would fail, and they could move forward, without Peyton and without the perceived danger.

She ran her hands up his bare chest and over his shoulders, loving how he groaned in response, deepening the kiss. Then he lifted her and set her on the edge of the sink, standing between her parted legs. Victoria reached for the towel in an effort to pull it from his waist, but he clutched her hands before she could complete her task. He growled and smiled.

“Brad,” she whined, dropping her head to rest on his chest.

He hugged her and kissed the top of her head. “I’m sorry, babe. You know I have to go, but I promise as soon as this is done, we’ll celebrate. Just the two of us.”

“You promise?”

He nodded. “Maybe we’ll even go away for a couple days.”

All of that sounded fantastic, but Brad was delusional if he thought Peyton was just going to let him go so easily. She hadn’t made anything about this easy so far, and she sure as hell wasn’t going to start now. There was no reason she would. It annoyed the crap out of Victoria that Brad couldn’t see any of that. He wasn’t a stupid man, but something about this woman and this deal blinded him to the deep unrest Victoria could feel churning in her gut.

“That would be nice,” she said, her voice devoid of any emotion or enthusiasm, not fully believing what he was promising her.

Brad took her face into his hands and caressed her cheeks with his thumbs. “Are we good?”

She rested her hands on his waist and stared into his gorgeous dark eyes. “We’ll be better once all of this is over and that woman isn’t being a royal pain in my ass any longer.”

He smiled. “And today is going to be that day.”

“I hope so.” Victoria nudged him out of the way and hopped off the sink. Dropping the sheet, she turned on the shower.

Behind her, Brad groaned. She glanced over her shoulder at him and smiled. He was staring at her naked ass, his eyes dark and hungry, ready to pounce on his prey. “God dammit.” He stormed out of the bathroom, leaving her alone. She sighed and shook her head.
Maybe I’m not as tempting as he said I was.

Victoria adjusted the water temperature until it was just right, but before she could get in, Brad entered the bathroom again. “Eric, something has just come up and I need to push back the meeting . . . Half an hour, no, make it an hour. Thanks.” Brad ended the call, tossed his phone on the sink, and let his towel fall to the floor.

“Didn’t you already shower?” she asked in a teasing voice.

“I’m not here to shower.” Brad stalked toward her and ushered her into the stream of hot water.

Smiling with victory, she put her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. “So what are your intentions then, Mr. Grayson?”

He let out a long, deep moan. “To show you exactly how weak I am when it comes to you.” He kissed her softly on the mouth. “And to let you know that even though this deal means a lot to me, you mean more.”

She mewed. Her body responding to his touch and to his sacrifice to put her above everything else that was important to him. Her insides warmed and she wrapped around her man tighter.

“I love you, Brad.”