Obsession and Surrender (The Billionaire's Temptation Book 7)

Obsession and Surrender

Book Seven in The Billionaire’s Temptation Series

By Cali MacKay

Obsession and Surrender

The Billionaire’s Temptation Series

By Cali MacKay

Copyright © 2015 by Cali MacKay

Published by Daeron Publishing

Http://calimackay.com

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher or author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. The story contained within is the work of fiction. Names and characters are the product of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

This story contains explicit sexual scenes and adult language and is only for readers over the age of 18.

Printed in the United States of America

First Printing, 2015, edition 1.0

ISBN: 9781940041308

Table of Contents

Obsession and Surrender

Obsession and Surrender

By Cali MacKay

Chapter 1

“
Lilly!
Come on, babe…
I love you
. I swear…
you’re the only one for me
. I know that now. I’m sorry…I fucked it all up.”

Lilly Thompson startled awake, her heart pounding inside her chest as adrenaline shot through her veins like fire. She sat up out of bed, trying to clear her head of the sleep that clung to her, doing her best not to panic as the racket outside her window continued. It couldn’t be
him
—could it? Had Sirius finally found her?

“Lilly! Just…give me another chance…
please
. You’re the only girl for me.”

Lilly slipped out of bed, keeping to the shadows and walls as she moved to the window so she could peek outside and see what the hell was going on.

Keane
?

She let out a huge breath, the tension and fear around her chest finally easing. With a glance at the time, she went from scared to pissed off, unlocking the window and raising the sash. “Keane…what the hell do you think you’re doing? It’s nearly three in the morning.”

“Babe…”
Keane, her ex-boyfriend from college, swayed as he looked up at her, his arms outstretched as if he was reaching up to her bedroom on the second floor. It’d been years since she’d last seen him, but clearly he’d changed little from the party animal he’d been. “I never should have let you go. Give me another chance. I still love you, Lilly.”

“You need to go.
Now
.” She’d been trying to keep a low profile, trying not to draw attention to herself. What if her stalker was out there? What if Sirius was watching her—watching Keane? She didn’t know what her stalker was capable of, and Keane might be a cheating dickhead, but she didn’t want to drag him into this nightmare of hers. Even though he’d broken her heart, the last thing she wanted was for him to cross paths with her psycho stalker. “I swear if you don’t go, I’m going to call the cops.”

“Just let me in, baby girl…I’ve missed you.” Bloody hell, he was still gorgeous: tall, muscular, with thick, dark hair that always misbehaved, blue eyes that were impossible to look away from, a strong jaw covered in thick stubble. The mere sight of him was enough to do her in, and she swore, a sexier man couldn’t possibly walk the earth.

“Go. Away.”
Coming to her senses, she grabbed her phone, wishing with all her might that he’d just leave before she was forced to call the cops. She told herself it was for his own good. Her stalker may not be out there, but if he was, she was worried Keane’s little stunt might escalate things. She dialed 9-1-1 and quickly gave the operator her information. She might be overreacting, but she couldn’t take a chance, couldn’t put Keane and herself at risk.

“I still love you, Lilly…I never should have cheated on you…” His words had all her old hurts springing back to life. His betrayal had left behind a wound that had never fully healed, and it felt like he’d just torn it back open.
Bastard
.

“No. You fucking shouldn’t have. Now leave me the hell alone, Keane. The cops are on their way.” She spotted the taxi waiting for him, and was relieved to know that he hadn’t driven himself in his current inebriated condition. “Don’t you hear the damn sirens? The cops are going to be here any minute, Keane. Just go.
Please
.”

“I’m not going anywhere until you give me another chance. I want you back—and I’m not taking no for an answer.” The cops skidded to a stop outside her house and cautiously approached Keane.
“Lilly!”

He tried to get free of the cops’ grasp, as if he could still convince her to take him back even as they hauled him across her lawn and cuffed him. If only he’d put up that much of a fight for their relationship when it had still mattered. But he hadn’t. Instead, he’d broken her heart when he cheated on her, like the dog he was.

Lilly gave her statement to the cops and explained that Keane was simply an ex who’d had too much to drink, hoping they wouldn’t bring him up on charges for disturbing the peace. Knowing it was likely no more than a drunken mistake, she didn’t want to press any charges, since she didn’t want him to have any sort of record. The only reason she’d even called the cops was to keep him—and herself—safe from Sirius.

By the time she headed back up to her room, her head was spinning from the night’s events and lack of sleep. And then she saw it…a white lily on her pillow, and her curtains catching a breeze in front of the window she’d left open.

She stifled her scream and spun around, her eyes scanning the room in a panic as she dashed for the door, dialing 9-1-1 for the second time that night.

Chapter 2

By morning, Keane’s head was pounding like an anvil on the receiving end of a blacksmith’s hammer. But worse still was the stench of the guy in the cell next to him. It made Keane’s stomach churn, and he swore, in that moment, that he’d never get that drunk again.

Fuck
…Lilly.
What the hell had he done?

He groaned at the thought, his memories drifting back, just as a cop approached his cell and unlocked the door, leaving Keane happy to finally be out of the confined space. “You’re in luck. Your ex-girlfriend didn’t press charges, and your brother’s here.”

Relief washed over Keane as he spotted Marshall and gave him a hug. “I’m so fucking happy to see you, man.”

Keane finished up whatever paperwork they needed him to fill out, and then followed his brother to his car. Marshall was looking just a little worried, but opted for a bit of brotherly concern, instead of grilling or lecturing him—and for that Keane was eternally grateful, given his already pounding head. “If there’s something wrong, Keane…you know you can talk to me, right?”

“I just had a bit too much to drink—and decided to do something stupid.” It was all coming back to him. Showing up on Lilly’s front lawn…begging her to give him another chance…hoping she’d forgive him, when she had every right and reason not to. At least he hadn’t broken out in song and tried to serenade her. Then she’d have
definitely
pressed charges.

With his two brothers finding happiness—Jake with Hannah, and Marshall with Harper—Keane couldn’t help but think of the only woman he’d ever loved, which was happening with more and more frequency as of late. Unfortunately for him, he’d been an asshole, far too young and immature to realize just how special Lilly was and what she truly meant to him.

He’d meant to find a way to reconnect with her, to show her that he’d changed and to see if he could convince her to give him another chance. Instead, he’d stumbled onto her lawn, drunk after pining for her, and declared his undying love, begging her to give him another chance.

He’d fucked up, making an utter fool of himself, and in the process, he had no doubt he’d managed to piss her off and ruin any chance he may have had to prove to her that he’d changed. Not that he could give up, when losing her haunted his every waking moment, and even his dreams. He’d have to go back to her and apologize, especially if he had any hope of being with her again.

“Keane…do I need to worry about you?” Given that their father had been a drunk asshole, Marshall had every right to worry, though Keane wished he wouldn’t. He wasn’t his father. None of them were. They’d learned from their father’s sins, and managed to turn out to be decent human beings.

“No…you don’t need to worry. I’ve left most of my partying days behind me. Last night…was different. I just got a bit carried away.” That may be a bit of an understatement, considering he’d managed to land his sorry ass in jail. But it was true that he’d become the sort of responsible person he’d never imagined himself capable of being, especially during his college years when he’d been dating Lilly. It was really no surprise that she hadn’t wanted anything to do with him after she found out he’d cheated on her.

“The cops mentioned you were arrested for making a racket at a woman’s house.” Marshall gave him a sideways glance before turning his attention back to the road as he drove them toward Keane’s place. “It was Lilly, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah…” Keane couldn’t keep the regret out of his voice. “It’s always the one who got away, isn’t it?”

“I’m afraid so.”

***

Keane threw back double the dose of ibuprofen to try to squash the pounding in his head and then slipped into the steaming hot sprays of his shower, hoping it’d help wake him up and wash off the grime and stench of the cell. He had to go back to Lilly and apologize to her—and he couldn’t put it off. He knew what she was like, and the longer he let her anger simmer, the worse off he’d be. If he had any hope of winning her back, he had to make amends as soon as possible.

It didn’t take long for him to finish getting ready and head back to her place. Tension tightened his chest as he thought of how to best approach things with her, but he came up empty.

She’d always been smart enough to see through his bullshit, which was why she’d been able to catch him in his web of lies after he’d cheated on her. And maybe that’s what had scared him about their relationship—that he wouldn’t be able to get away with whatever he wanted, because she’d actually hold him accountable for his actions.

The funny thing was, losing her was what forced him to grow up and become responsible for his actions—and it was because of her that he’d cleaned up his act, that he’d become a half decent human being. Except, last night, he’d totally fucked everything up. He had no doubt that his little stunt likely solidified in her mind that he was still the same irresponsible asshole he’d always been and he’d never grow up, never be worthy of her trust.

Climbing the steps to her front door, he rang the bell and waited impatiently, desperate to see her. Shifting his weight so he could peek through the panel of glass flanking the front door, he saw her coming down the stairs, his heart immediately racing in response to the mere sight of her. She may have been pretty in college, but now? Fucking hell…she was stunning, with dark brown hair that was thick and long, long lean legs, and mesmerizing green eyes.

“Go away, Keane.” She wouldn’t even open the door. “I’m not having this turn into a repeat of last night.”

“Then let me in. Come on, Lilly…I want to apologize for last night.” He couldn’t believe she wouldn’t even open the door. “We need to talk. And no offense, but if you want to get rid of me, then you might as well let me in, since I’m not going anywhere until I’ve had the chance to speak to you face to face.”

“Do you really want to get arrested again? What the hell’s your problem, Keane?” She shifted so he couldn’t see her, likely standing right up against the door. “Wasn’t it enough that you broke my heart and made me feel like a fool?”

“That’s why I’m here. Come on… Just five minutes and then I swear I’ll quit bothering you.” He had to make her see that he was a different man from the guy he’d been in college. It had been seven years since they’d dated, and he’d had plenty of time to grow up and think of all the ways he’d screwed up, all the ways he’d do things differently this time around. Except that Lilly was now making him fucking crazy. “I swear, I’m not fucking leaving until we talk.”

He heard the door unlock, and then swing open just enough for her to pull him inside, quickly closing and locking the door behind him. “Say what you have to say, and then you need to go and not come back here ever again. Am I making myself clear?”

Though she was clearly angry with him, he hadn’t expected to see the unmistakable fear in her face. He ran his hands down her tense arms, genuinely worried about her. He may have been an ass, but he’d never in a million years give her any reason to fear him. “Hey…what’s going on? What’s wrong?”

She shrugged away from his touch and took a step back, her body all but shaking. “I just need you to leave, so say whatever the hell it is you need to get off your chest and go.”

“What has you so scared? I’ve never seen you like this before.” He tried to close the distance between them, but she stepped back away from him. “Talk to me, Lilly. Maybe I can help.”

“I don’t see how any of this is your goddamned business.” Anger lit up her green eyes with a feistiness he dearly missed, even if he was truly worried about her.

“I get that you don’t want anything to do with me—but you don’t scare easily, Lil. So if something has you looking this upset, then I want to fucking know what the hell’s going on.” He may have been an ass, but there was no fucking way he’d leave her to deal with this on her own.

“You’re not going to leave me alone, are you?” She shook her head in frustration and glared at him as she shifted away from the door and into the living room.

“I’m not going anywhere, especially when you’re clearly scared to death of something. Now tell me what the hell’s going on.” He was feeling fiercely protective of her, even if it’d been years since he last saw her. And one thing was sure—he was going nowhere until he got to the bottom of what was happening. She was far too freaked out about something, and given that she wasn’t the sort prone to drama, whatever had her scared needed to be taken seriously.

Her hands trembled as she held onto herself, as if she could somehow stop her body from shaking if she just held on tight enough. “What do you want to know, Keane? That I have a stalker? That the cops can’t really do anything about it because they don’t have enough evidence to figure out who it is, and the truth of the matter is that they think I’m just some crazy whack job?”

A stalker.
Fuck…no wonder she was a wreck. He didn’t know how dangerous the guy was or what lengths he would go to, but there was no way Keane was taking any chances with her safety. “Come on. Pack a bag. You’re coming home with me. I’ll keep you safe, and I swear, I’ll do all I can to get to the bottom of this.”

“Just leave me the hell alone, Keane. You do
not
get to come in here and tell me what to do. And you’re crazy if you think I’m going anywhere with you, after all you put me through.” Her tears spilled over, and though she fought him and tried to push him away as he pulled her into his arms, he was stronger, and she had little fight in her, clearly exhausted from all she was going through. “I fucking hate you.”

“I know you do, baby girl. But it’ll be okay. I promise.” He sat them down on the sofa, and then, as if it would keep all her demons away, he held her to him tightly in his arms, running his hand over her back as he did what he could to try to soothe her worries. Though they’d dated for just over a year, he’d never seen her so upset or stressed out.

Eventually, she relaxed in his arms, her tears ceasing and her breathing slowing, leaving him to wonder if she’d fallen asleep, her exhaustion and fear finally pulling her under. He kissed the top of her head, and not daring to wake her, he carefully leaned back with her in his arms, her head resting against his chest.

When he took a deep breath, he caught the familiar scent of her perfume, and his thoughts were immediately flooded with a wealth of memories from their time together. She’d been so unlike any of the other women he’d dated, both before her and after, and the truth was, no one even came close to what they’d had together.

There’d always been something different about Lilly—something special. And it wasn’t just that she was gorgeous and smart, nor was it just the sizzling chemistry between them and the mind-blowing sex. She was like magic…mesmerizing and seductive…drawing you in until you were consumed, unable to look away—even as she looked at you like you were her everything.

That was part of it, Keane mused…that as amazing as Lilly was, she never made it about her, and would instead give you everything she had.

And he’d gone and fucked it all up
.

Well, he’d make amends—and he’d do all he could to win her back, to prove to her that he was a changed man. He didn’t know how serious this stalker thing was, but he wasn’t taking any chances—and there was no way he’d screw things up between them again, not now that he’d held her in his arms once more.

Kissing the top of her head, contentment mingled with a fierce protectiveness for the only woman he’d ever loved, but exhausted as he was after such a long night, sleep eventually claimed him, with Lilly still held tight in his arms.