Billionaire Erotic Romance Boxed Set: 7 Steamy Full-Length Novels (169 page)

We arrived at Alex’s private garage and after Mr. Booth opened the door for me, I noticed that Alex was waiting by the elevator. Normally, he would be waiting in his actual apartment. I felt a wave of fondness for him and if Mr. Booth had not been there, I might have jumped on him and let him take me right on the concrete floor.

Mr. Booth walked over to me and handed me the plastic bag with the photo, a mild look of disgust on his face when he saw it again. He shrugged apologetically as if to apologize for the vileness of the photo when I looked up at him.

“Thanks Gary,” I said.

I walked up to Alex and he placed his hands on my shoulders and looked me in the eyes. His bright blue eyes seemed to be scanning deep into me and they must have found something because they relaxed and his gaze softened. He led me into the elevator and then nodded to Mr. Booth, who nodded right back.

I studied Alex in the elevator. He looked straight ahead as if in deep thought and I saw a wrinkle cut through his forehead like a scar as his eyes narrowed. The doors opened. Alex shook off the look of worry with his first step and we entered his apartment.

“Samantha, what happened?” Alex asked as we walked into the kitchen. He began to make some coffee and gave me a glass of water. I drank it down in one gulp, totally oblivious to how thirsty I had been.

“This happened,” I said.

I tossed the plastic bag with the photo on the massive granite kitchen counter. It slid towards Alex, spinning. He stopped it with his hand and paused for a moment, looking at me before he looked down to the photo. When he lifted the photograph and studied it, his face showed no emotion. Alex turned over the photograph, still in the plastic, and read the message on the back.

He placed the photograph carefully on the table and turned around to pour two cups of coffee.

“Are you hungry?” he asked me casually.

“Dammit Alex, I’ll eat later. Did you read that photograph? Someone is threatening me!”

Alex studied me with a slightly amused look on his face. Then he shrugged and a tired look flashed over him before it dissipated and he was his normal composed self.

“I know,” he said. “I expected threats. I told you about the danger we’re getting into it and now that it’s truly begun, I expect this really is just the beginning.”

“Do you have any idea who would have done this?” I asked.

He fell silent for what seemed like a long time. After a few minutes passed, I was about to ask him again when he broke the silence.

“I’ll have a team on it immediately. I doubt this photograph is going to give us any prints or any definitive clues, but it was a good call on keeping it.”

“Well, Gary stopped me from destroying it out of anger. It was stuck on my front door Alex. I was embarrassed and mad. I wanted to tear it up and burn it into a thousand pieces.”

“That’s completely understandable.” A sly smile touched his lips.

I walked over to Alex, put my hand on his shoulder, and looked into his face. “I’m not going anywhere Alex. I’m with you completely and there’s no way somebody’s going to scare me off with some hurtful words and a threatening message. I believe in you.”

Alex leaned over and kissed me softly on the lips. His arms slipped around me and lifted me up effortlessly. I could feel his arms flex around me and I opened my mouth for his tongue to slide gently in. We kissed passionately and when he pushed back, I tried to catch him again with my lips. He put me down and ran his hands through my hair, tugging on it gently as his hands passed through. I opened my eyes, unaware I had even closed them, and Alex was looking at me.

“So?” he asked.

“So what?” I asked playfully.

“Are you hungry or what?” He smiled wide.

My stomach grumbled loudly, as if it realized that this was its cue. I couldn’t remember the last time I ate today and a wave of fatigue hit me.

“Yeah, I guess I’m pretty hungry.”

Alex nodded to me and turned around to face his kitchen. With speed worthy of the finest chef, he pulled down pots and pans and threw them around the kitchen ferociously. I watched him with amazement as he danced around the kitchen effortlessly, tossing open cabinets and the refrigerator to lay out supplies. Flames danced on the stove and he tossed an assortment of vegetables and meat into the air, catching it with the pan flawlessly. He was completely silent, absorbed in the movements of cooking. I thought for a moment that Alex had been possessed by a cooking demon and I realized my mouth was hanging open.

“Who knew you could cook so well?! You really are a dreamboat, Mr. Alexander Strauss,” I teased.

He turned around and gave me a slick boyish smile. Then he laughed and relaxed. I noticed that his white shirt that was still perfectly clean and unmarked by his movements through the kitchen.

“My mother loved to cook. She always told me the importance of being able to cook for yourself. You must keep yourself rooted in your physical body. Grounded by your physical body. Thus, you must nourish yourself well,” Alex said, a nostalgic tone entering his voice when he mentioned his mother.

“She always said that food was the great unifier of cultures. It brings people together. The highest honor that a family can bestow upon you is inviting you to join in the breaking of bread. She taught me how to cook, and more importantly, she taught me how to love to cook.”

“Your mother sounds like she was a remarkable woman.”

“Yes.” He bowed his head as if in remembrance of her. A human quality came over Alex that I had not previously seen and I wanted badly to run up and grab him and kiss every part of his face. Then with that feeling, a pang of panic hit my chest. Was I falling in love with Alex? Or was I already in love?

Before I could answer my own question, Alex put a plate of food before me that smelled so delicious it totally voided any thought. The spices drifted up into my nose with such a tantalizing smell that my mouth watered so powerfully it almost hurt. My stomach growled like a bear demanding to be fed and I looked up at Alex with admiration of a different kind. The man could cook like no one else.

“Please, eat,” he said, bowing slightly.

The first bite practically exploded with flavor. It was phenomenal. I had to restrain myself from shoveling it in my mouth and every bite was better than the last. Alex made himself a plate and sat next to me, eating. I looked over and saw that he was eating quickly as well. It looked like he wasn’t immune to the deliciousness of his own cooking and I couldn’t help suppress a laugh.

He looked up at me to inquire about my giggles and I motioned down to the food and made a face that let him know he had floored me with his cooking. He made a mock bow again and we smiled. We continued stuffing our faces with his cooking. After I ate two huge plates, I could eat no more, despite wanting to. My stomach groaned in agreement and I leaned back in my chair, completely satisfied.

“Thank you, Alexander. That might have been the best meal I’ve ever had. Seriously.”

“It was my pleasure. You’ve had a hectic day, but when you are up for it, I’d like to hear your account of the meeting earlier.”

We moved into the living room and he poured me a glass of white wine without me asking for it. It was like he had read my mind.

“Alex, do you trust Henderson?” I asked.

“Henderson has been a family friend since before I was born. He was loyal to my father through some difficult times and part of the success of Strauss Engines can be attributed to him. I believe him to be someone who has the company’s best interest at heart.”

I listened to Alex and paused to consider how to continue. Alex wanted honesty. I would have to be honest.

“I think he might have the company’s interests at heart, but that may not include having your interests at heart.”

I recounted Henderson’s responses to everything I said at the meeting, particularly the part about the BR36 prototype’s testings. I spared no detail.

“I see,” Alex said. “I did speak with Henderson about his reservations with the BR36 unit, but I suppose he found it prudent to bring it up with the board. While his comments have some merit, he must know that we have our own independent testing facilities which have shown the unit to be 99.96% effective.”

“By the end of the meeting, Henderson had effectively made you look like you’re taking huge risks,” I said. “The board members looked worried.”

Alex said nothing. His face was devoid of emotion and he sipped on white wine expressionlessly.

“One more thing,” I said, clearing my throat before going on. “After the meeting, Henderson asked me some pretty odd questions. He suggested you’ve had a lot of other personal assistants and have a history of moving through them quickly.”

Alex eyed me carefully. “It’s not easy to find an assistant who can rise to the challenges and demands of the job. I’ve gone through many who were not fit for the job. You and I have a very unique arrangement, Samantha.” His eyes locked on mine. “Rest assured that I’ve entrusted no other assistant with the same level of responsibility and personal trust that I have given you.”

My feelings of jealousy abated immediately and I breathed in a sigh of relief.

“Henderson asked me where my loyalties lie. I told him they lie with you and that through you they lie with the company. He told me that his loyalties lie with the company, and he sounded very genuine. But that still doesn’t mean you, Alex. I don’t think he believes in your course of action. And he accused me of being a mistress who slept her way into your office.” When the words came out, I felt another flare of anger. I thought of Henderson’s face, sneering and full of dark rage.

Alex was quiet for a while. His face gave away nothing and I drank my wine quietly, wondering if I had made a mistake by telling him what Henderson said. What if Alex agreed with him and he only needed to hear it through the words of another man, especially another man who worked so closely with his father and is a trusted family friend? I tried to squash my panic by taking a large sip of white wine.

“I apologize for Henderson’s crudeness, Samantha,” Alex said genuinely. “He really is a good man, underneath the exterior that he has. It’s necessary to be hard-nosed at the top level of our company, but Henderson takes it too far sometimes, I admit. Trust me, outside of the business, he can be a warm and welcoming person.”

I watched Alex speak about Henderson and saw that Alex seemed to care for this man. The history between these two men stretched much deeper than I had previously thought. My anger began to dissolve when Alex apologized for Henderson, and my panic was gone. I could see that Alex was genuinely apologetic and that he even seemed a little angry at Henderson for his misogynistic outburst.

“He’s very cold towards women in general. I know this does not excuse what he said to you, but you should know that it isn’t personal. I will have a word with him about his choice of words and that he is not to speak to any employees in that tone. That will be the end of it.”

I finished my wine. I felt a wave of drowsiness and my limbs seemed to double in their weight. I was filled with delicious food and just the right amount of wine. Yet through my fatigue I could still see that I had not gotten through my doubts about Henderson, and not just about his rude comments towards me.

“Alex, I believe Henderson is trying to undermine your efforts. He’s not on your side with this new project. Everything he said in the meeting was geared towards casting doubt on what you’re doing and the future of Strauss Engines. You wanted my honest opinion and that’s what I saw,” I said confidently.

“I understand, Samantha. Know that I will have to consider everything you’ve said to me and give it a lot of thought. I will talk to Henderson and try to find out exactly where he stands on all of this.”

He ran a hand through my hair and my eyelids grew heavy. Sleep overcame me and I slumped against Alex.

Chapter Fifteen

I woke up on Alex’s bed. Outside, the sun had set and I looked around, trying to get my bearings. I checked my cell phone and saw that it was close to 8 pm. I had slept for two hours. Alex must have moved me to his bedroom, because the last thing I remembered was falling asleep on the couch. I got out of bed and noticed a beautiful dress hanging in the room.

“It’s for you, of course. Take your time getting ready, we’re going out,” Alex said, stepping out of the bathroom. He was wearing a suit and he was perfectly styled. His hair was slicked back and his face was smooth, freshly shaven.

I turned to the dress and studied it. It was an elegant evening dress, sleek black and without frills. I turned it over delicately in my hands and looked back at Alex. I thanked him and he gave me a small wave and descended the stairs to give me privacy.

I showered for a long time, letting the hot water wash away the last remnants of my nap. I cleaned my hair and felt completely refreshed. By 9 pm, I was completely ready, my hair conservatively done and the dress fitting like it was made for me, which I dumbly realized it definitely was. Even after all that happened, I was still amazed by the extravagance and elegance of everything. It would be a while before this became normal for me, if it ever did. I hoped it never did.

I descended the stairs slowly and I saw Alex watching me. He stood before me and took my hand.

“You look excellent. You and I will be dining at the finest restaurant in the city. I want to make a very public appearance to show whoever is threatening you that we’re not afraid. Our response to that crude photograph will be our public appearance,” Alex said.

“What about your rivals in the company? Won’t they start watching me more closely if they see me in public with you?” I asked.

“Judging from your incident in the subway and the poster they tacked to your door, it seems like they’re already watching you. We don’t need to hide anymore.”

We took the elevator down and Alex held the limousine door open for me. Once inside, he poured me a glass of champagne and we toasted to the future. We sat closely to each other and more than once I considered asking Alex to tell the driver to take the long way to the restaurant, but it was just nice to sit and enjoy a glass of champagne and some idle conversation. Alex talked about the future of Strauss Engines and how he looked forward to the implementation of the new direction of the company.