He's Captured My Trust (Captured Series Book 2) (11 page)

We choose not to act on the sexual tension between us in the lift. I guess we both know that if we do, only one thing will end up happening.

Murphy is waiting by the car. “Miss Stewart, Mr. Mathews.” He opens the door.

“Hi, Murphy,” I answer with a rather chirpy tone as I get into the car.

“Same destination?” he asks Alex, who nods in response as he slides into the car and wraps his arm around me.

“Okay, spill it. I didn’t press with the questions yesterday, but now I want answers.”

He looks at me, puzzled.

“James. How can he possibly know about our dinner with family tonight?”

“James is Emma’s brother—that’s how he knows about dinner. She has obviously told him they’re coming to dinner tonight.”

“Okay, that solves one issue then. That leads me to my next question. What is with the hostility between you two? The way you acted at the airport, and then hearing him on the phone earlier.” James made my blood boil. If we had been in the same room, I think I would have slapped him.

“All right,” Alex says, letting out a long sigh as he shifts in the seat toward me, tucking one leg under the other. “A few years ago, James and I were partners in a business deal that didn’t turn out how I expected it would for either of us. I lost a bit of money on the venture, and he gained a whole lot and more.”

“Care to elaborate? I get the feeling there’s something you aren’t telling me.” There is; it’s written all over his face.

“How is it you’ve gotten to know me so well in such a short period of time?”

I shrug.

“Right,” he says. “I was putting up the money for a club, and James was a friend, whom I trusted. He would have been running the club, but instead he’s ended up
with
the club.”

I don’t quite understand what he’s telling me. “Go on, please.”

“All the paperwork had been signed, a designer had the plans drawn, and the builders went to work. Everything was going along as planned until my father called one day saying he needed to see me about the club.”

“What kind of club was it?” I ask, but I regret the question when I see the concern on his face.

“A strip club. But that in itself isn’t where the problem lies. We were close to opening, and James had done all the interviews for all the positions. Libby, you have to realise that once everything came to light, I was out . . .” He stops speaking and continues watching me. He takes both my hands in his.

“My dad has made a lot of contacts over the years in his line of work, and when he first told me his suspicions, I must admit I laughed, but the look on his face told me he was dead serious. It turns out some of the girls James employed were not in the country legally and most were under age. When I confronted him, he wasn’t in the least bit surprised. He couldn’t even deny it. I was more than furious about it. It took all my willpower not to hit him on the spot.”

I sit for a few minutes, studying him as I try to take in the news. It’s not the revelation I was expecting. I thought maybe it had something to do with a girl.

“So if all the paperwork was done, and the money had been shelled out on outfitting the place, how were you able to walk away?”

“There was a clause deep within the contract that meant I had to gift James my share of the business to walk away. I think it’s the one and only time my father has ever fucked up. So my money was spent with nothing for me to show for it. There was no way I wanted my name associated with it. My reputation had started to take off. James ended up with everything.”

“Wow. So does he still have the club?”

“Yes, and as far as I am aware, all his business dealings are legitimate now. In the early days of it opening, there were rumours about drugs and prostitution. As far as I’ve been led to believe, he has cleaned up his act, but to be truthful, I no longer care.”

“So it’s safe to say you don’t get on?” I laugh, taking the sting out of our conversation.

“No, we don’t get
on.
And I hope he steers clear of us both tomorrow night. Come on. Let’s go.”

I hadn’t even noticed that the car had stopped, and Murphy is standing outside, waiting for us to finish our conversation. The door opens, Alex steps out, and I follow him. He takes my hands and pulls me to my feet before he places a soft, sensual kiss on my all-too-eager lips.

“You know, baby, I love kissing you,” he says as we pull apart slowly and reluctantly.

“I know. So where are we going?” I ask curiously.

He smiles as he points up.

“A building?”

“Not just any building. The Empire State Building,” he says matter-of-factly. “Come on. I still want to make sure we have some time at home before dinner.” The silly grin on his face has me laughing.

We leave Murphy, who tells us he’ll be there when we’re finished. I tried, obviously unsuccessfully, to tell Alex that I’m here to see him and am not all that concerned about doing any of the touristy things, seeing as my visit is so short.

I’M GLAD I’VE DONE THIS,
because the view from up here is stunning. It’s such a clear day, I can see for miles and miles. I imagine the New York skyline looks spectacular at night from up here too. All the buildings lit up, brightening up the night sky. We spend ages here. Alex tells me lots of facts about the building itself and then points out various landmarks. The Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge and Central Park can all be seen from up here. We are standing on the 86
th
floor taking in the views. It reminds me of our first day together when I gave him the tour of the hotel and estate.

As much as loads of tourist have come and gone, it feels as if it’s been just the two of us. I’ve not noticed anyone else around us, too focused on the man who is standing at my back with his arms wrapped lovingly around my waist. I lean back into him and stand in the comfort of his strong arms.

As we stand like this, I reflect on how the day has been so far. Sophie is great; I believe we could become great friends. I had a great morning with her and Sarah and am looking forward to seeing them both at dinner. Sarah makes me feel like part of the family. Lunch with Alex turned out to be eventful, but then again, my time with him is never dull. Now here I am with him, and I’m happy.

“Miss Stewart, I think it’s time we were heading home, don’t you? I have plans for you before dinner.” His voice is low and seductive in my ear, sending shivers all the way down my spine.

“Mr. Mathews, I believe you are right,” I whisper. “Take me home.”

“Do you have any idea what that does to me, hearing those three little words?”

I know it’s not the three little words he would rather hear, but those will wait. “Oh, honey, I do. The evidence is clearly there.” I smirk, feeling him strain against me.

“Come on. Let’s get home so I can worship you for a bit before everyone imposes. Or I could cancel and have you all to myself for the whole night. That sounds like a much better plan for the evening.”

“Do you honestly think your mother is going to let you cancel dinner on short notice? We both know that’s not going to happen.” I laugh, knowing that if Alex did cancel, his mother would be straight over to find out what was wrong.

The journey down in the lift is painful. If we were alone, I’m sure it would be eventful, but as it is, there is a couple with two young children—a baby boy in a stroller who hasn’t stopped crying and a little girl who won’t stop talking.

“Sorry,” the mother says apologetically as she turns to us. “He’s tired now, and, well, Lucy is a typical girl—she never seems to stop.”

This makes me think of Ethan and Lucy back home. “Don’t worry about it. My niece is called Lucy,” I say to the little girl.

“How old is she?” the girl asks.

“Oh, she’s only a baby.”

“I don’t like babies,” Lucy says with her face all screwed up.

“Lucy!” Her mother scowls at her.

“It’s true. All they do is cry. They can’t play or anything. They’re no fun.”

We all laugh at her true words as the lift doors open and we all get out. Once we get outside, Alex and I say cheerio to the little girl. Murphy is waiting for us, right where he left us. Surely he’s not been waiting there all this time. Did Alex call him? If he did, I certainly didn’t hear him.

“Miss Stewart, Mr. Mathews, where are we heading now?” he asks.

“Just home, Murphy.” Alex looks at me as he says the words. The desire is simmering away nicely in those deep brown eyes. It’s amazing how many different shades of the same colour I see in his eyes.

Murphy opens the door and I get in, smiling and thanking him. Alex speaks to him outside the car for a few minutes before coming in and sliding across to sit with me.

“Is everything okay?” I ask.

“Of course. Why wouldn’t it be?” he says teasingly.

“Oh, no reason. But I have the feeling you’re up to no good, Mr. Mathews, and I intend to find out what you’re up to.”

“Oh, baby, the only things I will be up to include you, so you have nothing to worry about at all.”

I blush at his words, because I had a feeling he’d say something like that.

“When we get home, I want you to go straight upstairs and strip, and when I come upstairs I. Want. You. Naked. On. The. Bed. And. Ready. For. Me.” He kisses my neck between each word.

Those words will be my undoing. I can’t seem to sit still now.

I DO EXACTLY AS I’M
told. When we enter the apartment, after a brief hello with Joan, I head upstairs. Alex stays downstairs, I presume to give me time to remove my clothes and leave me to sweat. He could stay there for ages, or he might be going over details for tonight with Joan.

I close the bedroom door behind me and head straight to his bathroom to strip and freshen up. I stand gazing in the mirror, and although I recognise my reflection, I’m wondering what happened to the once quiet Libby Stewart. She seems to have disappeared. I like the person I’ve become. I’m more confident, bolder, and still shy, but that’s good; there’s nothing worse than someone who is overly cocky.

I head back into the bedroom. What were his words? Ah yes: naked, on the bed, and ready for him.

The door creaks open slowly.
Yes, I’m naked. Yes, I’m on the bed. And yes, I’m more than ready for him.
I lie at the bottom of the bed, my elbows propping my head up—probably not what Alex had in mind when he said it. I’m sure his vision was more legs spread, instead of me playfully kicking them behind me.

He closes the door behind him and stops.

I take in his frame as he stands, studying me. I draw in a deep breath as my eyes flow to his. A slow smirk spreads across his lips. “Ah, Miss Stewart, I see you have managed to do as you were told, but I think I should have been a bit more specific about how I wanted you positioned on that bed.”

“Oh, I don’t know. The view I have from this position is, shall we say, interesting,” I tease, still kicking my legs.

“Now that I see you, I have this sudden urge to tie you to the bed. Bound and naked. That sounds about right.”

I gasp in panic.
No!
My eyes drop to the bed. There’s not a hope in hell of that happening. I don’t even think I could handle him holding both my wrists without going into a panic after the incident with Jeff. Not that he had tied me. He had just been forceful.

Alex must see the pain and fear on my face because he strides across the room forcefully, straight toward me, and sinks to his knees in front of me. His hand touches my chin and tilts my face to him until I’m looking into those deep brown, hurt eyes. “It’s not going to happen, baby. Take a deep breath and try to calm down. I’m sorry; that was a stupid thing to say.” He places a kiss on the bridge of my nose. “I didn’t think.”

“It’s fine, honestly. I overreacted.”

“How can you possibly say it’s fine? I saw the look of devastation on your face.”

Why did this get so serious? Me and my bloody mind. This was meant to be time for just the two of us before everyone else gets here. If I don’t change the mood between us right now, this will hang over our heads for the rest of the evening—a disaster waiting to happen.

“Alex.” My voice is low and trembles. I need to give myself a shake or a kick in the ass. I try again. “Alex, what was it you wanted from me? Ah yes, naked on the bed and ready for you. I’m all of those, so what are you waiting for?”