Waking Up with a Billionaire (The Overnight Billionaires Book 3) (22 page)

“You might want to wait on that, son. Gavin isn’t quite as forgiving as Cain is. I figure he’s giving her a piece of his mind as we speak.”

Grayson bristled. He didn’t agree with Chloe’s having kept her whereabouts a secret from her family for all these years, but regardless, Grayson couldn’t sit back and let her be bullied.

He glanced around. “Where are they?”

“Last I saw, they were headed out that back door.” He pointed to the door in the far corner. “But it might be best if you let them have it out, Grayson. Gavin is as mad as a bull with a toothache, but he would never hurt Chloe.”

Grayson didn’t heed the advice. After excusing himself he headed straight to the door in the corner. The back alleyway was well lit, so it took only a quick glance to locate Chloe and Gavin. From the looks of things, Chloe wasn’t getting bullied as much as doing the bullying. She was leaning toward Gavin, giving him hell.

“What did you expect, Gavin?” she yelled. “I was a fifteen-year-old girl who just lost my mother and, I thought, my father in one fell swoop. I was hurt and confused and grieving. Yes, I should’ve spoken to you before I left, but you were busy in Texas and Cain was busy with college. I just thought my leaving would be best for everyone.”

“Well, it wasn’t!” Gavin bellowed. “I would never blame you for mistakes your mother made, Selena—or whatever the hell you go by now. We grew up together. You were like a little sister to me.” He leaned closer so they were nose to nose. “And I’ve missed the hell out of you.”

“Well, I’ve missed you too!”

“You have a funny way of showing it. It’s been six years. Six years of worrying about where you were and if you were okay. Not to mention all the money we spent trying to track you down.”

Chloe’s voice lost its angry edge. “I’m sorry. But the private investigator you hired did find me. I just left before he could come back.”

“I thought that old guy who lives in your building was telling the truth when he said he’d never set eyes on you. If he had been truthful, I would’ve found you a lot sooner and gotten it through that thick skull of yours to come home. In case you didn’t know this, I love you.”

“I love you too, Gav.” Chloe hugged him.

Now that he knew Chloe was okay, Grayson would’ve left them if Chloe hadn’t glanced over and seen him.

“Grayson.” The way she said his name never failed to make his heart beat faster. She took Gavin’s hand and pulled him along with her. “Gavin, this is Grayson Beaumont.”

Grayson held out his hand. “It’s nice to meet you—” Before he could even finish, a fist slammed into his face and sent him reeling back against the door.

“Gavin!” Chloe screamed. “What are you doing?”

“I’m kicking the guy’s ass who exploited my little cousin.” Gavin swung again, but this time Grayson was ready. He ducked the punch and circled around. He really didn’t want to fight with Chloe’s relative, but Gavin didn’t give him much choice. Her cousin wasn’t as good at boxing as Grayson’s brothers, but he was quick. He swung repeatedly until his fist clipped Grayson’s jaw. Between the pain in his jaw and the one in his throbbing eye, Grayson was just pissed enough to punch back. He did a combination of a left uppercut followed by a hard right jab that had Gavin folding at the waist before his head snapped back from the punch to his face.

“Grayson!” Chloe yelled. “Have you two lost your minds?” She stepped between them.

Gavin straightened. “What did you expect me to do to the guy who painted you naked? Shake his hand?” His eyes narrowed on Grayson. “Wait a minute, you’re the one I saw outside of Selena’s apartment. The one I showed her picture to.”

Grayson cringed as Chloe turned to him. “You never mentioned meeting Gavin.”

“How else do you think he found the winery?” Gavin said. “Although I don’t know why he didn’t bring you with him the first time he came.”

Chloe’s eyes widened. “You went to the winery?” When he didn’t say anything, she drew her own conclusions. “So you knew who I was and never mentioned a word.” Her eyes snapped with anger, and she slugged him hard in the arm. “You jerk! You lied and manipulated me.”

Before Grayson could explain, Deirdre stepped out the door.

“Would someone like to tell me what’s going on? I was informed by one of the waitstaff that a brawl was going on in the alley.” She looked between Gavin and Grayson. “Now, I don’t have the time to find out what has caused this little show of testosterone. Nor do I care. But I do care about the success of my benefit. So I suggest you put this dispute on ice, gentlemen, before I give you each a butt-kicking.”

She looked at Chloe. “The man who bought your painting would like to speak with you, dear.” She held the door, and after one nasty glance at Grayson, Chloe didn’t hesitate to walk inside.

Once the door closed behind Deirdre, Gavin spoke. “So Uncle Davis and Granddad were right. We do have you to thank for getting Chloe to the winery.”

Grayson nodded as he tentatively touched the spot beneath his eye. “But obviously my manipulation didn’t work out so well.”

A look of smug satisfaction crossed Gavin’s face. “Yeah, she looked pretty pissed.” He tested his jaw. “Where did you learn to fight?”

“My father. Where did you?”

“Texas honky-tonks. And speaking of which, I could sure use a drink…and a bag of ice.”

Since his eye was swelling shut, Grayson nodded. “But first I need to talk to Chloe.”

The smirk that Gavin sent him was as annoying as hell. “Good luck with that.”

Once inside, Grayson followed Gavin to the bar, thinking Chloe would be bawling out her grandfather for not telling her about Grayson’s visit. But Bob was still talking to Madison, and Chloe was nowhere in sight. When he saw Grayson and Gavin, he laughed. “Looks like you boys could use a drink.”

Grayson was about to ask where Chloe was when Eden came hustling over. “I’m sorry, Grayson. I tried to get in the last bid, but someone beat me to it.”

It didn’t take a genius to figure out who had wanted the painting that badly. Grayson glanced at Gavin. “So how much did you pay for it?”

Gavin looked nonplussed. “Are you kidding? That’s creepy. Why do you think that Uncle Davis and Cain refused to come with us? They didn’t even want to glance at the painting.”

Grayson looked at Bob, who shook his head. “Not me.”

Confused, Grayson looked around the room. But who else would want it so badly?

C
hloe was so upset that Grayson had lied that she paid very little attention to where Deirdre was taking her until they started up the stairs.

“Where are we going?” she asked. “I thought I was going to talk to the guy who bought the painting.”

“You are.” Deirdre held her gown in one hand as she continued up the stairs. “He’s on the phone. A lot of art buyers bid by phone.”

“So why does he want to talk with me?”

“Buyers enjoy meeting the subjects and painters. It’s all part of the experience. I’m sure he’ll want to talk to Grayson next.” She stepped into the office, where a pretty young woman sat behind the desk. “Chloe, this is Beverly Hart. She runs the gallery and took Mr. Rogers’s bid.”

The young woman got up and held out a hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” she said before lifting a cell phone to her ear. “I have Ms. Cameron right here, Mr. Rogers.” She handed the phone to Chloe with a smile.

Feeling extremely awkward, Chloe placed the phone to her ear. “This is Chloe Cameron.” There was a long stretch of silence, and she wondered if the guy had hung up. “Hello?”

“My, my, but haven’t we moved up in the world.”

The voice had Chloe’s heartbeat accelerating and her knees turning to liquid. She wanted to hang up, but with Deirdre and Beverly looking on, there was nothing she could do but grip the phone in her hand and try to keep her knees from buckling.

“Are you there, sweet?” Zac said in a voice that was filled with smugness.

“Yes, I’m here,” she said as she glanced at Deirdre and Beverly. Deirdre had moved over to the desk, but they were still within hearing range. So Chloe kept up the charade. “I want to thank you for your generous donation, but I’m afraid I need to get back to the party…Mr. Rogers.”

Zac laughed the same humorless laugh he’d used right before he started hitting her, and Chloe couldn’t keep chill bumps from rising on her arms. “Yes, by all means, get back to your little party, Chloe. We can talk tomorrow—let’s say around noon at our favorite Chinese restaurant.”

She’d hoped Zac was still in jail and only yanking her chain. But it appeared she was wrong. If he could meet her, he was out of jail. Which meant he could get to her whenever he wanted to. The terrifying thought had the phone slipping from her hand. But before it hit the floor, she caught it. She glanced at Deirdre and Beverly to see if they had noticed, but thankfully they were engrossed in something on Beverly’s laptop.

Chloe turned her back to them and lowered her voice. “I’m not meeting you.”

There was a long pause before Zac spoke. “Then I guess I’ll just have to show up at French Kiss.”

Just the thought of such evil being around the people she’d come to care for made her sick to her stomach. “Fine. I’ll be there at noon.” She could almost hear Zac’s gloating smirk.

“Until tomorrow, my sweet.” The phone clicked.

It took a moment for Chloe to collect herself. When she turned, Deirdre and Beverly were still looking at the computer. They glanced up when she set the phone on the desk.

“So did everything go okay?” Deirdre asked. “He didn’t want to talk with Grayson?”

Chloe plastered on a smile. “I guess not. Now if you’ll excuse me, I better get back to the party.”

Except she didn’t go back to the party. Instead she walked down the stairs and straight out the door. It was cold outside, too cold for a skimpy evening gown. And yet it seemed appropriate that the outside temperature was as cold as her inside temperature.

Zac was back, and there was little doubt in her mind that he still believed that she had turned him in to the cops and that he wanted revenge. She just didn’t know in what form his revenge would come. And that was the scary part.

The front door to the gallery opened, and Grayson stepped out. His face showed relief when he saw her. It quickly changed to concern when he noticed her shivering. Without a word he took off his tuxedo jacket and slipped it around her shoulders. It still held his body heat, and she clung to it like a grapevine to a trellis as he pulled his phone from his pants pocket and called for the limo. It pulled up in front only minutes later, the chauffeur jumping out to open the door. The inside was blissfully warm, and yet Chloe continued to shiver long after they pulled away from the curb.

She could feel Grayson’s eyes on her, but she refused to look at him. Instead she stared out the window at the passing buildings. A few moments later, something nudged her arm. She looked down at the glass filled with amber liquid.

“It will help warm you up,” he said.

Since she still felt cold, she accepted it and took a healthy drink, enjoying the burn as it slid down her throat. She had finished the glass when Grayson finally spoke.

“I know you’re upset, Chloe. And you have every right to be.” She turned to find him sitting in the corner of the limo watching her intently. For a second she thought he knew about Zac’s phone call, but she realized her mistake when he continued. “I should’ve talked to you after I ran into Gavin at your apartment,” he said. “I’m sorry. But I was worried that, if I told you, you would run.”

Chloe had forgotten all about Grayson’s betrayal. At the moment it seemed like a petty thing to be worried about, especially in comparison to Zac’s getting out of jail. She wanted to tell Grayson about Zac’s phone call. But she couldn’t. Grayson would be pissed and want to do something about it. And while he’d proven he could whip Zac’s butt in the past, this time Zac would be ready for him. In fact she wasn’t so sure that wasn’t Zac’s plan. He was extremely possessive and jealous, and with all the publicity, there was little doubt that he knew she was dating Grayson. Maybe he wanted Grayson to show up at the restaurant instead of her. Just the thought of Grayson’s being hurt, or worse, made Chloe feel sick. Her face must’ve reflected her tortured thoughts because Grayson pulled her into his arms.

“I’m so sorry, baby,” he whispered against her hair. “You’re right, I should’ve told you that I went to Casa Selena and spoke to your grandfather.” He leaned back and brushed a finger over her cheek. “But I worried that it would make you run. And I can’t stand the thought of you leaving me.” His beautiful eyes held an emotion that made her heart tighten. “I love you, Chloe.”

Just that quickly the fear that had been eating away at her mind dissolved. There was no room for thoughts of Zac when her mind was filled with Grayson. He loved her. No matter how belligerent and mean she’d been to him. No matter how sordid her past. Grayson loved her. And at that moment nothing else mattered. She opened her mouth to repeat his words of love, but he placed a finger on her lips.

“You don’t need to say it just because I did,” he said. “When you say it, I want you to mean it with all your heart.” Before she could tell him that she did mean it, he kissed her. It was similar to all the other kisses they had shared, and yet completely different. Because in this kiss he communicated all his love…and she communicated all of hers.

His hands cradled her face as their lips melded and their tongues mated. The kiss took her breath away, and she didn’t care. She didn’t need to breathe. She only needed Grayson. Moving her hands between them, she untied his bow tie, then worked on the buttons of his shirt until it fell open. Her hands were cold compared to the heat of his skin, but they warmed up quickly as she strummed over each sculpted muscle. She took her time, enjoying the sensation of touching his hard body while he continued to take possession of her mouth. But when she flicked a nail over one of his nipples, he groaned and pulled away from the kiss, his breath coming out in harsh puffs that made her feel even more excited.

Lowering her head, she took his nipple in her mouth and gently sucked. He tipped his head back and ran his fingers through her hair.

“Damn, Chloe.”

She smiled, then continued to suckle as she reached for the button on his fly. With a flick and zip, she released him into her hand. He groaned, and she kissed her way down his chest, her lips sipping over his hard stomach, around his navel, to the base of his penis. She moved her hand and licked the entire rigid length before she swirled her tongue over the tip and took him deep in her mouth. The sound he made was part tortured groan and part satisfied sigh. But he allowed her mouth only a few full strokes before his hands tugged on her hair and pulled her away.

“Not without you,” he whispered as he dipped his head and gave her a kiss. As the kiss deepened, he moved her to his lap and slid up her dress. He froze with his lips pressed to hers when he realized she wasn’t wearing any panties.

He lifted his head and gave her a sexy smile. “Why, Miss Cameron, what a naughty little girl you are.” His one hand remained on her bare butt cheek while the other unzipped the back of her dress. “Don’t tell me you’re completely naked beneath these sequins.”

Chloe returned his smile. “Not completely.” She shrugged her shoulders and the dress slipped to her waist, revealing the lavender satin corset with the pretty pink lace that was part of Grayson’s Romeo Collection. It just took a minor adjustment to release her breasts from the cups. With his gaze lowered, she couldn’t see the expression in his eyes. But she could feel the lengthening of his penis beneath her naked butt.

“Good God,” he mumbled before he lowered his head. He trailed heated kisses across each breast before taking her nipple between his lips. He wasn’t as gentle as she had been. He pulled it into his mouth with a hard suck, then used his tongue to roll it against the roof of his mouth. The heat spiraling from that point to the spot between her legs made her gasp. He answered the gasp with another suck and roll. When she thought she couldn’t take a second more, he adjusted her legs around his hips and thrust. The tight stretch was soon followed by a deep pull as he lifted her up and then reseated her with another hard thrust. He repeated the process again and again until her head lolled back and her body tightened, searching for release. It took only the brush of his thumb over her clitoris to find it.

As she hit orgasm, she started to yell his name, but he kissed her, the word mingling with his own groan of satisfaction. After the last of the tingles melted from her body, he lifted her off his lap, adjusting her corset and zipping her dress. She wanted to confess her love. Then she wanted to tell him about Zac. But when he pulled her back in his arms and snuggled her close, all she had the strength to do was allow his heartbeat to lull her to sleep.

Chloe awoke the next morning with only a vague memory of Grayson carrying her from the limo, undressing her, and tucking her into bed. What she did remember was his “I love you.” She rolled over, intending to shower him with those words, but Grayson wasn’t there. Instead, propped up on the pillow was a drawing of her standing at a Juliet balcony completely naked. At the bottom of the drawing, Grayson had taken liberties with Shakespeare:

The words made Chloe’s heart swell. Especially when she read the rest of it:

Chloe wanted to stay right there until Grayson got home. Unfortunately, there was something she needed to take care of. And her Romeo’s love had given her the strength she needed to do it.

The Chinese restaurant was squeezed between the tattoo parlor where Chloe had gotten her only tattoo and a tourist shop that sold cheap San Francisco T-shirts and souvenirs. It was the Chinese restaurant where Chloe had been working when she first met Zac. She was still living on the streets at the time, sleeping in an abandoned office building that had no heat, lights, or running water, hoping to find a place to live on the tips she made busing tables.

Compared to the transients and thugs she had to deal with on the streets, Zac had seemed like a perfect gentleman. He dressed nicely, tipped well, and always had a compliment for her. After only a few months of coming into the restaurant, he offered her a room in his upscale apartment with no strings attached. Or so she’d thought. But there had been strings. Strings that Chloe didn’t even realize were there until she was tangled in their web.

“There’s my princess.”

The voice sent shivers up Chloe’s spine. But when she lifted her gaze from the cup of ginseng tea she’d ordered, all she saw was an average guy in an ill-fitting suit. And suddenly she realized that the monster she’d created in her mind didn’t exist. Just as her father’s hatred hadn’t. They were both just figments of a scared young girl’s imagination. But Chloe wasn’t that scared young girl anymore. She was a woman who realized that she didn’t have to fear her past. Nor did she have to hide from it.

“Hello, Zac,” she said.

Zac must’ve read her nonchalance, because he grabbed her chin and ground his lips against hers in a painful kiss. She wanted to slap his face but she knew that if she did, it would only make things worse. So she endured the kiss until he pulled back with a grin. “You always tasted like sin.”

She ignored the comment and grabbed some packets of sugar for her tea. “So I guess your lawyers got the charges dropped.”

“The undercover cops who set up the sting operation fucked up, and I got off on a technicality. Although I’m stuck with probation after I punched out that cop.” He pulled out the chair across from her and sat down. “Which only leaves one question: Who tipped the cops off in the first place?” His knee brushed hers under the table, and she pulled away.

“I didn’t turn you in, Zac,” she said. She had wanted to, but fear of her true identity getting out had stopped her.

“Then who did?”

“I don’t have a clue.”

“Probably that bitch Madison.”

“If Madison was too scared to testify, she’d be too scared to turn you in.”

His knees captured her legs. “And are you scared of me, Chloe?”

It was a trick question if ever she’d heard one, so she decided not to answer. She stirred the sugar into her tea. “What do you want, Zac?”