X: The Hard Knocks Complete Story (50 page)

“Just most of the time, then?” His omission causes me to smile. Maybe I need to give Yamada some credit. He might not be so far off the mark, after all.

Alexander shakes his head as he closes the distance between us and backs me up against the counter. He drags his teeth slowly over his bottom lip as he reaches up and cups my face. “Why can’t I leave you alone?”

The question seems more rhetorical than directed at me, but I’m curious as well.

“Why didn’t you come to breakfast this morning?” he asks as he stares into my eyes.

“I couldn’t bear the thought of seeing you after last night. I was angry at myself for letting things go that far with you . . . again, after I promised myself that it wouldn’t,” I admit.

He nods like he fully understands where I’m coming from. “We really do need to try to stay away from each other.”

I let out a shaky breath and try to pretend that being so close to him, feeling the warmth of his breath on my face isn’t sending my body into overdrive. “Any idea how to make sure that happens?”

“Touching is a bad idea. It leads me to think about that sweet pussy of yours. And how good it feels when I’m inside you. We should avoid doing that if we don’t want to end up fucking again, but that might be complicated.” He traces my jaw with his thumb. “I’ve tasted your sweetness, and I know what I’d be missing out on by denying myself, and I never tell myself no if it’s something that I really want.”

I swallow hard as his gray eyes remain locked on me. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying since I’m sure by now that you know there’s no swaying Yamada away from me with whatever plan you came out here with, we might as well enjoy the rest of the weekend . . . and each other.”

My brows furrow. “You want me to be your fuck buddy for the weekend?”

His shoulders rise in a noncommittal shrug. “If you must put a label on it, then yes. I want you to willingly give yourself to me for the weekend, whenever I want to fuck.”

“No,” I instantly respond and push him back a bit so that there’s more space between us. Having him so close clouds my judgment. “I told you before we came out here to not expect me to be one of your paid whores. I don’t work like that.”

“Who said anything about paying you? You’ve fucked me twice already for free.”

My nostrils flare as I pull back and smack him with all my might. “You’re such a bastard.”

The spot on his cheek where I made contact turns scarlet, and he raises his hand to rub the spot. “So that’s a no then?”

I flip him off. “That’s a hell fucking no.”

I don’t give him another minute to say anything else before I storm out of the bathroom. The party is still in full swing, but I don’t feel like having fun anymore. I’m mad as hell. It’s one thing to make a mistake by sleeping together, but it’s an entirely different thing when he insinuates that I’m an easy slut.

That bastard will never get into these panties again.

Yamada stands in front me, blocking my path as I head toward the door. “Whoa there. Where are you running off to?”

“I’m going back to my room.”

“Why?” Yamada asks. “King pissed you off, huh?”

“He’s an asshole.” It’s all I can manage to say.

Yamada smiles. “He is, but you already knew that. He’s testing you.”

I flinch. “Testing me? For what?”

He shrugs. “To see how much of his bullshit you will put up with before you leave him. He’s trying to push you away so that he doesn’t have to open up to you. It’s a defense mechanism. Every woman he’s opened up to has left him.” I stare at Yamada with my mouth agape, which only causes his smile to widen. “Come on, Dime Piece. Don’t look so shocked. Yamada is not only devastatingly handsome with an amazing personality, but he’s an intelligent madafucka too with a minor in psychology.”

I stand there flabbergasted. “So you’re saying that I should stay?”

“Yes,” he answers. “Show him that he doesn’t intimidate you, and that you’ll stand your ground.”

I sigh deeply. He’s probably right. It’s not like I’ll never have to see Alexander again after we leave Vegas. I’m still his employee. I’ll need to stand my ground and prepare myself for when I see him at work so that he knows that I’m not someone he can shove around and bend to his will.

“Okay, but I think I’m going to need another drink,” I say.

“That’s the spirit,” Yamada praises before grabbing my hand and towing me back through the crowd. “I’ve got to take a leak. Go get that drink.”

As soon as Yamada walks off, I step up to the bar and order a shot of tequila, needing to drink myself into oblivion if I’m going to coexist in the same room with Alexander.

I sense him before I feel him, and there’s no question who has just flanked my side. Alexander’s chest pushes against my arm. His spicy cologne fills my nose and my mouth waters.

Gah! Stop it!
Even his damn scent is sexy.

“I’m surprised to find you still here,” Alexander growls into my ear. “I figured you’d be holed up in your room down in our sex den.”

I turn and level my stare with his. His eyes hold so many questions—ones I’m sure he’s waiting for me to answer—but I’m not going to give him what he wants. Instead I decide to do a little teasing of my own. “Yamada’s argument for me to stay was
very
compelling.”

He obviously wasn’t expecting that response because he raises both of his eyebrows and he licks his lips nervously. “And what, might I ask, did he say to you?”

I shrug. “That’s between Yamada and me. We’re really bonding, you know. I’m sure it won’t be long now before he considers me a friend too and cuts my father a deal instead of you.”

Instead of getting mad like I expect, Alexander chuckles. I grip the counter a little tighter than needed be to keep myself from smacking his condescending face yet again.

“Margo, I really wish you would stop trying to outdo me in everything. You’ll eventually learn that I always win. It’s silly for you to keep expelling energy on any other outcome. I get my way in all things.”

I roll my eyes. “That’s not possible. Everyone loses at some point or another.”

Alexander smiles. “Not me.”

“Well, neither do I,” I say just as the bartender sets my shot down. I instantly pick it up and throw it back.

“Whoa. You might want to slow down there, lightweight, or you really will be throwing up later.”

I scowl at him. “Don’t tell me what to do. Besides, I can probably hold my liquor better than you can.

He smiles. “Is that so?”

I give him a curt nod. “Absolutely.”

Okay, so maybe I was exaggerating a bit here, but I refuse to let him get the best of me.

“Well, you’ll just have to prove that to me then.” Alexander holds up five fingers to the bartender and then points down to my empty glass before looking back at me. “To make it fair since I’m quite a bit bigger than you, I’ll drink two shots for every one of yours.”

The bartender sets five tequila-filled shots in front of us, and Alexander does two of them immediately and then flips the glasses upside down on the counter before pushing another shot over to me. “Now we’re even. Ready to prove me right? First one to puke, loses.”

“You’re on.” I pick up one of the shots and tip it back with ease. “Hope you’re prepared for that pride of yours to get crushed when I kick your overconfident ass.”

Alexander takes the other two shots, but his eyes stay trained on me the entire time. “And just so you know, I’m not one of those romantic bastards who will hold back your hair when you’re praying to the porcelain god.”

I wrinkle my nose at him. “I don’t plan on doing that anytime soon.”

The sound of bowling pins falling catches Alexander’s attention and his eyes light up. “Come on. Let me kick your ass at bowling too.”

After three games of bowling, I find myself genuinely having a good time hanging out with Alexander. The more we drank, the more fun I had, even though I’ll never admit that to him. He’s actually pretty entertaining when he drops the world’s biggest prick act.

“We need more drinks,” Alexander announces after he bowls the last ball, winning his second game out of the three we played. “I believe I just won our little competition. I’ll be back. Let me know if you want me to kick your ass again when I get back.”

I laugh, staring after him as he walks away to get more drinks. His ass in the dark-washed jeans he’s wearing looks amazing.

I plop down in the chair as I wait on Alexander to bring the drinks, and Yamada appears in front of me. “Looks like someone’s having fun now.”

I shake my head and attempt to scowl, but a smile keeps popping up. “No. I’m having zero fun.”

Yamada’s expression is one of disbelief as he sits down next to me. “Then what was all the laughing Yamada heard over here?”

“Oh, that.” I wave him off dismissively. “That was just Alexander wiggling his ass a little before he took every shot to distract me. It was so ridiculous that I couldn’t help laughing.”

“Shot number seven for the lady and thirteen and fourteen for me,” Alexander says as he approaches Yamada and me with three shots.

Everything around me is a little cloudy and I know all the liquor is messing with me big time, but I’m doing my best to pretend that it’s not.

“The two of you are going to regret this tomorrow,” Yamada says in sympathy as Alexander and I clink our glasses together and down the liquid. “Everyone’s leaving and Yamada is ready to go out on the town. Let’s find another place to party and find trouble.”

“I’m game,” Alexander says as he extends his hand to me.

“Why not,” I answer taking his hand and allowing him to help me up.

The moment I’m on my feet, Alexander wraps his strong arms around me and buries his face in my hair, inhaling deeply. “You smell so fucking good. Are you sure you want to go out? We could just go back to our suite . . .”

Heat instantly pulses through me while my body craves nothing more than to go to our room to go crazy on each other. But even in my drunken state, I know that’s a bad idea.

I press my hand against his chest. “No. We’re going out.”

Alexander sighs and presses his lips to the sensitive flesh just below my ear. “If that’s what you want. But—” he pulls away, but reaches down and threads his large fingers through mine and grins “—I’m not letting go of you tonight. No other man is going to have you if I can’t.”

My heart does a double thump against my ribcage as Alexander leads me out of the penthouse behind Yamada. That might be the nicest and most romantic thing anyone’s ever said to me. Who knew Alexander King was capable of that?

The sound of the maids running the vacuum somewhere in the hallway wakes me and my head instantly begins to throb. Thank God for heavy hotel curtains that block out the sun, but I still don’t dare open up my eyes.

The bed I’m in bounces a little and I instantly freeze. I pull in a deep breath through my nose to steady myself and peel open one eye to spot a shirtless Alexander King sprawled out next to me.

I grimace and cover my face with my hands.

Oh. My. God. How could I let this happen?

I continue to mentally scold myself as I try to remember exactly what happened last night, but everything is such a blur. The last thing I remember was Alexander winning at bowling and him whispering possessively in my ear that made my knees a little weak and then leaving to go to a club. That’s it.

Hopefully, we just fell asleep in the same bed together. I lift the covers and stare down at my completely naked body. I’m guessing we had some hot, sweaty sex again. But I was too drunk to remember it and too drunk to force my body to listen to my head and not give in and fuck this man again.

Shit.

I grab the blanket with my left hand to pull it back so I can slip out of this bed before he wakes up. A single ray of sunlight cuts through the small opening in the curtain and shines on my hand, causing a brilliant sparkle to catch my attention.

I stare down at my hand and my mouth falls open as I spot a diamond wedding band on my ring finger.

“Holy shit!” I yell.

What in the holy hell is going on? My eyes focus on the ring as I desperately try to remember how this got on my finger last night because it’s definitely not a gag ring judging by the size of this thing. It’s a fucking monster and looks pretty real to me.

Alexander rolls over and rubs his face while he asks in a groggy voice, “What the fuck?”

My eyes practically bulge out of their sockets when I notice Alexander’s left hand has a ring on it too. I grab his hand and yank it closer to my face to inspect it. The sound of screams echo around the room, and it takes a second for me to register that it’s me who’s doing it.

“Ah. Shit, Margo. My ears,” Alexander complains.

“Look at this!” I order as I hold his hand up in front of his face so his eyes can focus on the ring on his own hand.

Alexander immediately sits up straight as a board in bed, suddenly wide awake, and his face contorts in disbelief. “What the . . . how . . . YAMADA?!”

The sound of bare feet slapping against the tile floor comes barreling towards us. When the bedroom door flies open, Yamada stands there wearing nothing but a pair of tighty-whities underwear and a black silk robe and a huge smile. “Happy honeymoon, madafakas!”