I gasp. This is a lot more complicated than I thought it was. My father played poker? Badly, apparently.

“So, Brightlight had mob money running through it until today?” My voice is shaky, giving away how overwhelming all of this information is.

“Not mob money, hon, but not strictly legal, either,” he replies, rubbing his hand over mine to calm me down.

“And it is cleared now?” I squeak.

I catch a slight curl in his lip as he answers me, “Yes, it’s all gone and can’t be traced.”

I can’t help it; I breathe out a huge sigh of relief. As the majority stakeholder and CEO in waiting, that would be all on me. “So, I’m still a bit confused. Victor sent you here as a pre-emptive measure?”

“Well, yes and no. Word got back to Vic that Brimstone had been putting out calls, looking for some professional help in speeding up the takeover in case you decline his offer.”

“Well, shit!” I say, unable to hold it in. I feel the tears start to well up.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Brax says soothingly, reaching behind me and pulling me in closer towards him. “We are constantly monitoring all of this. The only thing we didn’t count on was me falling head of heels for the target,” he says with a wink.

I look over at him. “Ha, ha. Well, I had nothing to do with that now, did I?”

He growls at me, “Nothing at all?” he says as he starts tickling me.

Advertisement..

“Stop! Stop!” I shout, trying to catch my breath back while giggling like a mad woman.

“Okay. Now do you want me to go on, or…” he asks as he slowly runs the back of his hand down my cheek, “Can I do this?” He leans in and softly brushes his lips against mine, slowly teasing his tongue through my parted lips. I moan into his mouth as the kiss deepens. I grab his hair in my hands, tugging firmly as he devours me.

“More,” I murmur as he sweeps his arms under my knees and carries me out of the living room. He leans in, taking my mouth again as we walk. My body hums with desire.

We get as far as the kitchen counter before Brax loses his determination. He sits me on the kitchen counter, cupping my face in his hands as he kisses me deep and hard. I move closer to him, sitting right on the edge of the counter as Brax moves between my legs, pushing his hard self against me.

I shudder when I feel his hard length against me. It seems like a lifetime ago when we were last together like this. Gripping the bottom of his t-shirt, I rip it up over his body. He moves his hands off me just long enough to toss it on the ground before he’s leaning back into me again, pushing me back until I’m lying on the counter, legs dangling over the side.

He yanks my tank top up, then pulls my bra down, his warm mouth closing around my exposed nipple. I arch my back as my body absorbs the sensations buzzing through me. He pays the same attention to my other breast before his mouth starts trailing down my body until he reaches the top of my jeans where he licks a path from hip bone to hip bone along the waistband.

“These need to come off,” he says against my skin. His fingers reach for the button on my jeans, and the feel of him brushing them against my bare skin sends heat spearing through me as he slowly slides down my zipper. Looking up at me from beneath his lashes, he draws my jeans and panties down my legs and throws them onto the floor.

“Brax,” I pant as he slides me further back on the kitchen counter. I prop myself up and see him put a knee up on the counter, hoisting himself up until his body is hovering over the top of me.

I grab his head and pull him down to my mouth once again. He pushes his weight against me, and I’m so worked up that I almost climax on the spot from that feeling alone.

Ever so slowly, he starts kissing his way down my body, laving at my core until I’m putty in his hands and crying out my climax as I come apart against his mouth. He moves back over me quickly, pushing himself into me while my insides still quiver from my release. I moan as he fills me to the hilt. It feels so good to be taken like this. It’s raw and hungry, like we can’t get enough of each other. The way it’s been since the beginning.

Our bodies grind together as we rush towards the finish, Brax leaning his forehead against mine and pushing into me one last time. “I love you,” he groans before kissing me deeply, swallowing my cries as I fall over the edge with him once again.

So far, LA is turning out to be a bust. Apart from the disgruntled bodyguard we talked to, we’ve been unable to gain any ground on Brimstone. Brimstone’s head of security is MIA, and it’s looking more and more likely that we’re not going to be able to find anything useful here.

Devon and I have ventured out a couple of nights this week; I wanted to show him the LA night life. Let’s just say that the man has a knack with the ladies. He’s far worse than Brax and I ever were. Even back in our wild Atlanta days when we didn’t have a care in the world, and very rarely had an empty bed.

The first night in town, he ended up taking two girls to a motel just off the strip, and came back to the apartment a few hours later stinking of perfume, bourbon and sex. I had to pat the man on the back for a job well done. He just smirked at me and shrugged his shoulders like it was just another night at the office, or the motel room in this case.

Since then, we’ve only been to a local bar around the corner from where we’re staying, and that was to meet the bodyguard. We’ve talked him into calling us if he hears anything about Brimstone or Brightside from his former colleagues. It cost us a grand for the privilege, but it will be worth it if he comes through for us.

We’re kicking back in the apartment when the boss calls. “Hey, Victor. What’s the haps?” I say, answering my cell.

The boss’ baritone voice fills my ears. “Shay, how’s it going out there?”

“Bit of a bust, boss. Thinking about heading back East.”

I hear him murmur in agreement. “Good idea. I think it’s time to get out of there too. I just need you to do one thing for me before you leave.”

Nothing unusual so far. “Sure thing. What is it”

“I need you to do a little favor for me. Call it helping me settle a grudge once and for all,” he says with a chuckle.

“I’m all ears.”

Our make out session turned into a steamy sex session, followed by another steamy shower in which I had to wash every inch of Elle’s smoking hot body, first with the sponge, then with my tongue. By the time we come up for air and get dressed, it’s well after 6pm.