His Secret Request: Billionaire Secrets - Book Three (3 page)

The butterflies in her stomach made it hard to focus, hard to know what to say. She snapped her laptop shut and pushed it to the passenger seat. The man outside pulled at her door handle.

"Do not attempt to leave." He said more loudly.

"Let go of my car. I'm not breaking any laws."

"Do not attempt to leave."

She turned the key in the ignition but twisted it too far and made the engine choke and grind.

"Leave me alone. I won’t come back here, I promise."

"Step out of the car ma'am. You do not have permission to leave this property."

She looked in the rear view mirror and saw a vehicle approaching from behind, blocking her off. There was only one way to go and that was forwards but she had no idea where that would lead. She turned the key in the ignition again and this time it started. The security guard instantly drew a weapon from his jacket and leveled it at her window.

She was no gun person and had rarely seen a weapon in real life.

This is not happening.
She told herself desperately.

She had wanted to help Nadia, not make things worse.

"Put the gun away Marco." Someone said in a commanding voice. Suzy looked up and froze. She recognized that face. How could she not? She had lost track of time looking at full screen images of those intense dark eyes, that insanely confident all knowing smile, and those impeccable suits he was always photographed in.

It was the mystery man; the ever present, silent associate of the high flying Hargrave brothers.

"Ruben Mayweather." He said, tapping his broad chest, the smile never leaving his sensuous lips, and then holding his hands up in a gesture of openness.

"May I?"

He pointed to the window and then held his hand out waiting for her to roll the glass down.

Suzy feverishly weighed up her options. If she tried to run they would surely catch her, possibly hand her over to the police and leave her struggling to explain her presence on Hargrave's property. Even worse, if they detained her and confiscated her laptop and phone, God only knows what they would find there.

The consequences of that were too horrible to contemplate and worst of all it would leave her unable to help Nadia if she were sitting in a holding cell with no technology at her disposal.

On the other hand, this guy could be exactly the person to help her get to the bottom of what was happening to Katy.

She lifted her hands up slowly to show she was no threat and then popped the door open.

"Is that better?" She asked, her voice still trembling from the adrenaline rush.

"That is
so
much better." Ruben answered, his deep voiced approval making Suzy feel disproportionately relieved. As impressive as the man had been on screen, he was something else altogether in the flesh. She could imagine women, or even men, wanting to do anything to please him.

"Call the police and tell them we won't require their assistance. The threat to Mr. Hargrave's property is… under my control." He told his people. They jumped to follow his orders.

Suzy looked down to her shoes and then back up to the tall man in front of her. Her heart was still racing but she couldn’t tell if it was fear of the situation or something far more serious than that. She was, for the moment, under the control of this darkly powerful man and the thrill she felt at the thought was completely wrong, so damn completely wrong and for all the worst reasons.

********************

This girl was playing with fire and Ruben loved it. As always, the best encounters were random, accidental. He had been watching CCTV surveillance of the estate's perimeter at exactly the right moment when the mysterious dark haired girl had rolled up in front of the main gates. Moments later when a sophisticated attempt at breaching the home's elaborate cyber defenses occurred his killer instinct went into high gear.

It was no co-incidence that the girl was hunched over a laptop in her car, no way in hell.

He had left the surveillance control room instantly to 'intercept' her. One look close up at her laptop told him everything he needed to know; it was clearly the prize possession of a super-geek. She was cute as hell, perfect in fact, smart in all the right ways but dumb enough to get caught in the act with her electronic soul sitting right there on her pretty little knees outside the most private property in notoriously private Lovett, Maine.

It was game set and match as far as he was concerned. There was only one way this was going to end up and it would be in his bedroom. Ruben could see the beginning of a very beautiful, if entirely superficial relationship taking shape.

"Won’t you come in Ms…?"

"Baker. Cynthia Baker." Suzy said, thinking on her feet and extending her hand to meet his. The contact between them was soft at first but he gently exerted a slow firm squeeze that sent a ripple of heated response through her entire body. The impression of massive strength combined with intelligent control and masculine gentleness was as exciting as the guy's already overwhelming presence.

He was so perfect it almost made you want to hate him.

Almost.

"Interesting name Ms. Baker. You don’t look like a Cynthia to me." He said.

Suzy glanced at her shoes again and then back up to his deep set, dark brown eyes and felt like a fool. Her unpracticed attempt at deception must have been written all over her face.

"Please follow me." He said, releasing her hand.

"Let me just get my laptop, if you don’t mind."

He turned his head and smiled. "Of course not. Marco. Carry Ms. Baker's laptop for her."

Marco jumped to the task but Suzy blocked his path.

"I'd rather carry it myself."

"Not at all." Ruben said, dismissing her. "I insist. It’s no trouble. Marco. Take the laptop and be careful -  treat Ms. Baker's property with the utmost caution."

Marco nodded, stared at Suzy and then proceeded to carry out his task.

Suzy let it go. She was smart enough to know that in reality she had no other choice.

Ruben led her up the driveway, through the main gates, and then up the narrow wooden stairway that led to the property's main deck area overlooking the spectacular Lovett Bay. The view was as breathtaking as anything she had seen in Oregon but with a touch of ruggedness and mystery that added even more to it than the view from her own rented coastal accommodation.

The deck itself was fabulous, the size of an average home and as well equipped as any five star luxury hotel.

So this is how the other half lives.
She thought. An instinct made her look around to see if there was any trace of her friend's presence here. She saw nothing but still couldn’t shake the feeling that Nadia had been here in the not too distant past.

But Nadia didn't work well with feelings. She needed facts and evidence and rarely trusted her own gut instinct.

"Please take a seat." Ruben said urbanely, indicating an open area with a perfect view of the bay. Suzy sat nervously down on edge of a divan sofa.

Ruben smiled.

"You're positively shaking Ms. Baker." He said, causing her to tremble even more. "But let me assure you there's really nothing to be nervous about. You must excuse Marco, we had an… unfortunate incident here in the last twenty four hours that has everybody on edge."

"What kind of incident Mr. Mayweather?"

"Nothing to be worried about. It was all taken care of. Would you like something to drink? Tea, coffee, something else? The kitchen here is very well stocked."

The offer made her realize how much she had neglected herself in the long, tense, adrenaline filled hours since she had spoken to Nadia. She was exhausted, thirsty, hungry and almost out of her mind with worry. She knew exactly what would steady her nerves.

"Would it be rude to ask for a smoothie?"

Ruben raised his eyebrows archly in surprise.

"Not at all." He said. "How would you like it?"

"Cacao, spinach leaves, banana and avocado." She rattled off the ingredients to her favorite combination. "A little chocolate flavored organic soy protein powder if you have it." She added.

Ruben shook his head.

"I'm pretty sure we have all of that." He said. "Marco can you take care of that?"

"Uh, yes sir. What exactly was that again?"

Ruben looked at him dispassionately.

"Cacao, spinach leaves, banana and avocado with a little chocolate flavored organic soy protein powder. If we have it."

Marco turned to go as quickly as he could. Obviously taking orders wasn't his thing and he wanted to get to the kitchen before the list of ingredients slipped out of his mind.

"Oh and Marco?"

He turned back.

"Ask the housekeeper to add in three pitted dates and a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Also bring coffee. The very best he has. Have you got that?"

Marco nodded and then sped to the door as quickly as he could. It would have been funny except that he still had Suzy's laptop and he took it with him. Her heart sank as she watched him go.

It was a beautiful autumn day, sun shining down on a blue ocean, temperature just right to be seated outdoors on the Eastern Seaboard, but the feeling of being a prisoner in this man's hands bore down on her, mixing claustrophobia with… excitement? It was confusing. Too confusing.

Get a hold of yourself Suzy. You're the only one in Katy's corner right now, so don’t lose it. You're here for a reason, to pump this guy for information, not just pump him….

She halted the ridiculous thought.

"I think you'll enjoy the sweetness of the dates Ms. Baker, assuming Clay has such a thing in his larder. After all, he's not a complete barbarian."

Suzy ignored the small talk.

"Who exactly are you Mr. Mayweather? Do you work here or are you owner?" She was trying to project confidence but she could hear the tones of trepidation in her voice and cursed herself silently.

"I'm an associate of the Hargrave brothers. I occasionally take care of some of their security issues. I also buy a lot of their technology. I take it that you came here looking for Clayton and please don’t tell me you were lost Ms. Baker. You're not in any trouble here but don’t take me for a fool either." His voice never lost the lighthearted note, but it was clear that he was very, very serious.

"I don’t care about Hargrave." She said, clawing together her self-confidence from pure desperation to help Nadia. Ruben noticed the change instantly and his smile flickered a brighter for just a moment.

"It's my friend Katy Maldon." She continued. "I'm looking for her and I have reason to believe that your boss Hargrave, was one of the last people she had contact with before she went missing."

Ruben watched her for a moment without making any move to respond.

Suzy held his gaze for as long as she could and heard the sound of her own heart beat loudly in her ears. It was exactly the same face, the same gaze, the same infinitely deep and all consuming eyes that had fascinated her when she first saw him on her oversized computer screen.

She had fantasized about him then and now here she was, trapped in his world, and whether she liked it or not, completely under his control.

She felt her color rise and dropped her eyes.

What the hell is this?
She thought.
What is with me? Anything could be happening to Nadia and here I am blushing like a school girl because I had a few dirty thoughts about the guy when I first saw him.

The housekeeper arrived with one perfect looking green chocolate smoothie, a pot of coffee and two delicate fine bone china cups on an ornate silverware tray. The smell of the coffee was intoxicating and the smoothie looked as delicious as any she had ever fixed herself.

Ruben thanked the housekeeper and then looked at Suzy again.

"How do you like your coffee?" He said.

"Plain. Black."

"A purist. I like it." He poured two cups, then held one just below his nose and drew in a breath. "Peaberry." He said with satisfaction. "Clay usually has some of this stuff around. Are you familiar with Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee Ms. Baker?"

She shrugged and shook her head.

"May I taste it?"

Ruben laughed.

"May I taste it?" He mocked her. "Maybe if you’re a good little girl
Cynthia
." He said, exaggerating her first name to highlight his belief that it was false. The playfulness made him instantly seem more like a bold little boy than a very impressive full grown man. It did nothing whatsoever to diminish his incredible sexiness.

But he was way too sharp and perfect to be straight. Suzy didn't have the best 'gaydar' in the world but this one didn’t require too much thought.

"I'll take that as a yes." She said and reached for the cup. He watched her raise it slowly to her lips and take a slow sip. The coffee was still hot so she drew back, pursed her lips to blow some air on the surface and then returned for a second try. It was good this time, God was it good. She felt renewed strength coming into her flesh. After her drive to Portland, her flights to Boston and Bangor and then the drive all the way down here to Lovett she was sleep deprived, jet-lagged and physically exhausted.