The Billionaire's Salvation: (The Billionaire's Obsession ~ Max) (7 page)

“I was an asshole. I knew it was you from the moment you criticized my shirt and called me by name in the park, but all I could think about was what would happen if Max got attached and something happened. He was a mess, Squirt. He walked around like an empty shell, like he didn’t care if he lived or died. Honestly, I don’t think he
did
care. I didn’t want to see him suffer anymore,” Kade finished abruptly, as though he were uncomfortable talking about Max’s grief. Or his
own.

Mia clasped his hand gently and squeezed, glad her brother had been there for Max and that they’d grown close. She gave him a mock scowl as she answered, “I’m twenty-nine years old, almost thirty. Don’t you think it’s time to stop referring to me by that stupid childhood nickname?” God, she’d always hated it. When they were younger, she had prayed for a growth spurt that had never happened just so she could tower over Kade and Travis to make them stop teasing her about being vertically challenged. She was five foot four inches, not incredibly short, but her brothers were both nearly a foot taller than she
was.

Kade grinned and winked at her. “Nope. You’re still a squirt.”

“And you still wear bad shirts,” she reminded him fondly, looking at today’s ensemble. She was guessing he’d toned it down for the hospital. Today he looked almost normal in a black t-shirt and jeans, emphasizing his attractive blond hair and blue eyes. No wonder the women had swooned over him in all fifty states when he was a pro football player. Women had been easily swayed, swearing their allegiance to his team just because Kade was playing. As his sister, she’d just rolled her eyes, laughing when every woman she knew wanted to meet him. Her brother had never been especially flirty, and he was far from a ladies’ man. He’d been faithful to his longtime girlfriend for years, and the bitch had broken his
heart.

Kade squeezed her hand back. “I just don’t want you to think I’m not happy to have you back. I am. More than I can say. But I was worried about Max,
too.”

She looked up at him, meeting eyes so much like her own. “I’m glad. Really.” Strangely, she was happy. If Kade had been trying to protect Max, it made her love her brother even
more.

“He loves you, Mia. It just sucks that now I’ll have to put up with all three of them acting like idiots over their women, one of them my sister.” Kade nodded his head toward Sam and Max, and Mia knew he was including Simon in his statement, even though Simon was
absent.

“You’ll survive,” she answered unsympathetically, knowing Kade just hadn’t found the woman who was right for him. She’d never liked his ex-girlfriend, and although she didn’t want to see her brother’s heart broken,
she
definitely hadn’t been
the
one
.

Mia watched Max as he slapped Sam on the back and rose, strolling over to sit beside
her.

“What are you two talking about?” Max asked casually, stretching his jean-clad legs out in front of him and eyeing both of them cautiously.

Mia flinched, knowing her reappearance had caused tension between her brother and her husband.

“Squirt refuses to feel sorry for me because I have to deal with you, Sam, and Simon freaking out about your females,” Kade said woefully.

“You’re still on my shit list, buddy,” Max warned, glaring at Kade. “I’m offering a temporary truce because of the situation, but I still plan to pound you the first chance I get. If you said one word to upset her, I’ll make you regret
it.”

“Yeah. Let’s see you try it,” Kade shot back, grinning. “I might have a lame leg, but I can still kick your
ass.”

“No mercy because of your leg. I’m not going easy because of it,” Max warned him. “It’s healed.”

“I didn’t expect you to. Give it your all. Just have an ambulance on standby when you decide to try it,” Kade retorted amicably, as though he were talking about the weather instead of putting his buddy in the hospital.

Mia almost got whiplash looking back and forth between the two men—one apparently nonchalant, the other furious.

“Both of you stop,” she ordered. “We’re here for a happy occasion.” She turned to her husband. “Kade was concerned about you. I don’t blame him for that. I’m glad he was trying to protect you, because I love you.” Turning to her brother, she poked her finger in his face. “And you behave. You’re deliberately provoking him, and it’s not amusing.”

She faced forward, watching Sam and Helen talk but not able to hear their words clearly. She could feel two set of eyes on her, and finally, a large, muscular arm reached across her.
Kade’s.

“Kiss and make up, man.” It was a smart ass comment, but Kade’s tone was
sullen.

“Fine. I’ll kick your ass later,” Max agreed, sticking his hand out to shake with
Kade.

Mia bit her lip, wondering if the testosterone overload of sitting between the two men was going to kill her. “I’m glad you two can act like adults,” she commented
drily.

“Do I have a choice?” Max asked, settling back into his
chair.

“Not if you want to get some later.” Her sassy comment slipped out of her mouth before she could think better of
it.

“Sweetheart, for
that
, I’d get down on my knees and
beg.”

Mia shivered, the reply low, sexy, and making the memories of the night before form in her mind with perfect
recall.

“Shit. Give me a break. TMI. She’s my damn sister.” Kade’s voice was disgusted as he rose from his chair. “I’m going for coffee. Anybody want anything?”

“Coffee,” she and Max said in perfect synchrony.

They looked at each other and laughed. “Addict,” Mia accused, still laughing.

“I caught the addiction from you,” he accused, smiling
now.

Truth was, they were both addicts and always had been. They had, after all, met outside a coffeehouse, both needing their fix that
day.

Maddie came into the waiting room, her face shining with happiness. “She’s beautiful. Eight pounds, one ounce, and completely healthy,” she announced, hugging her husband as he rose to sweep her into a
hug.

“Kara okay?” Sam asked, concerned.

“She’s fine. Worn out, but good,” Maddie replied. “If I can tear him away, I’ll get Simon to bring the baby out of the delivery room so you can all see
her.”

Mia stood up, commenting happily, “I’m sure he’s a proud
daddy.”

“He will be. He’s a little green around the gills at the moment. I didn’t think he was going to make it through the delivery. Kara was calmer than he was,” Maddie said jovially, planting a kiss on her husband’s
cheek.

Everyone was on their feet, all talking at once, marveling over the birth of Helen’s first grandchild and Sam’s new
niece.

Max grasped her hand tightly, keeping her at his side protectively. Slapping Sam on the back, he told his friend jokingly, “Your turn next,
buddy.”

Sam’s smile faded and his usually tan complexion turned white as he looked down at his wife. “I don’t think I can do it,” he told Maddie, his voice full of
dread.

“You don’t have to do it. I’m doing it,” Maddie answered calmly. “Since everybody is here, I guess we can tell you all. Sam and I are being twice blessed. We’re having
twins.”

“Oh shit,” Mia heard Max mumble under his breath, but he was so close only she could hear him. She squeezed his hand, warning him not to make his concern show. It was obvious that Sam was already sick with
worry.

Sam sat down, his face white, looking like he needed to put his head between his legs to keep from passing out. No wonder he had been fretting so much over childbirth.

Mia smiled at Maddie, whose happiness was showing in her eyes. Obviously her sister-in-law was overjoyed, and it made Mia’s heart warm. Wrapping her arms around Maddie, Mia whispered, “Congratulations, Maddie. We’ll help the guys get through it,” she said jokingly, although she wasn’t so sure the statement wasn’t
true.

“I just told Sam,” Maddie admitted, hugging Mia back. “He’ll warm to the idea eventually.”

Both women looked at Sam, his face white as a sheet
now.

“Or not,” they both said together, laughing as Helen joined in the group female hug, leaving the men to ponder the hell of having
twins.

She and Max waited until they could see the baby before they left, walking hand in hand out of the front entrance of the hospital after viewing Simon’s adorable baby girl, completely surrounded by Max’s security to keep the media
away.

“I wish I could have your baby,” she pondered thoughtfully.

“Sweetheart, you don’t say something like that to me and not expect me to respond accordingly. I thought you wanted to wait,” Max said huskily.

Mia thought for a minute before answering, knowing she was ready to have Max’s child. In fact, she was starting to ache to have his baby. “I know we were waiting to have a family,
but—”

“I’m ready if you are. I think we’ve waited long enough to start really living our lives together,” he told her warmly, wrapping an arm around her
waist.

“Me, too,” she replied, surprising herself with that answer. She hadn’t been ready before, but suddenly she couldn’t wait to have Max’s child, to see a child created with love grow inside her. Maybe she really had grown
up.

Two women in the same body
…again.

For some reason, she liked the woman she was now. “When I recover my memory, we can talk about it,” she replied. “We do need some time after all that’s happened, but it would be nice to plan
it.”

“I’ll be more than happy to do my part to help,” Max replied, his voice intense and sensual, as though he couldn’t wait to get her
naked.

“You’ll be my stud once I know what happened and we know everything is going to be okay?” she asked teasingly.

“Baby, I
am
your stud. The only one you’ll ever need. And everything will be fine,” he quipped arrogantly.

“We can’t exactly get started immediately, but you could practice,” she dared him, heat gathering between her thighs and branching outward.

They’d used his car and driver, and he helped her into the back seat of the limo, closing the privacy barrier as he climbed in after
her.

Grinning wickedly at her, he hit a button that opened a slanted storage compartment, causing condoms to pour out and onto the
floor.

“You have condoms in the car? You really are prepared,” she said, laughing as he tore open a random package.

“I was a Boy Scout,” he informed her in a sinful
voice.

Naughty Max was overwhelmingly seductive, and she had no defense against him. Not that she wanted any. She was more than willing to let him practice, and he
did.

I
t was sixty-five degrees, but Mia was sweating. The beads of moisture were trickling down her face, one right after the other, her body trembling as she did as she was ordered and looked down the scope of the rifle, only to jerk her head back when she saw her husband’s head right in the center of the sight, vulnerable. “No! Don’t hurt him. I’ll do whatever you want. Just leave my family alone,” she cried desperately, yanking against the steely grip restraining
her.

The rifle slowly lowered, the maniacal voice holding her hostage declaring, “Easy shot. A few hundred yards. I could take him out in less than ten seconds and then go pick off both your brothers, too, before anybody even realizes what happened. The security of these rich pukes isn’t worth a
shit.”

He could. Mia knew he could. Danny Harvey had always been a sharpshooter, highly skilled at hitting his target. “You won’t get away with it. The police—”

“Won’t do you a damn bit of good after they’re dead. And I doubt they’ll pay much attention before that. Everyone knows about the crazy Harrisons. They’ll never find me,” he answered venomously. “Are you willing to take that chance?” In a softer, crazy sing-song voice, he told her, “You don’t love any of them, Mia. Not like you love me. You want me. You married that rich suit as a substitute. I’m here now. Cooperate and we can be together
again.”

She cringed as his large, grimy hand touched her cheek. “What do you want,
Danny?”

“You. We belong together. We always have,” he told her harshly.

“And my money,” she added in a self-mocking voice. Danny would have no problem working his way through her trust fund now that she had access to
it.

Grabbing a fistful of her hair, he slammed her head back against the tree he had been propped up against just a moment ago. “That’s just a side benefit. I love
you.”

This isn’t love. It had never been love. It was insanity.

The blow to her skull making her dizzy, Mia shook her head, trying to clear her mind. Danny was right about one thing…she couldn’t risk it. And she wouldn’t. She had to figure out a way to get Danny away from her family before they all ended up dead like her parents. He was more toxic than her father had been, and even more
deadly.

It’s my fault. I brought this bastard into my life, and now he’s threatening everyone I care about. I should have never married Max. I should have stayed away from him. He doesn’t deserve
this.

A set of cold, slimy lips clamped down against hers, and Mia tried to choke down the bile rising in her throat, willing herself not to struggle. It would be a fight against a madman, and she’d lose. She needed to think. If she didn’t, Max and her brothers could
die.

Focusing on thoughts of Max, she tried to block out everything except her husband until Danny had finally stopped grinding his mouth on hers, leaving her lip bleeding.

“I can think of a better use for that mouth,” he said in his lunatic voice. He pushed her to her knees and ripped open the fly of his jeans, his member flopping out in front of her face. “Suck me. You know you want
to.”

Tears flowed down her cheek as she eyed the flesh in front of her face, starting to gag from the noxious odor of an unwashed body and filthy clothing.

I can’t do this. I can’t do
this.

But one thought of Max, the thought that he was about to board a plane taking him out of harm’s way, and she did the unthinkable, complying with what the psychopath wanted, blocking out everything except getting through the degrading act, giving Max enough time to be airborne.

She heard the revving of the airplane’s engine, giving her hope as she finally gagged, trying to pull away from the body in front of her, but she couldn’t move, the grip on her to hold her head in place relentless.

She gagged just as the plane moved down the
runway.

And then she vomited, and for that involuntary reaction, she was severely punished.

Mia woke gasping for air, sitting straight up in bed, her hand to her stomach to fight her nausea, her body moist and the sheets wet with her
sweat.

It was a nightmare. Just a horrible
dream.

Still, she was panting as she slid her feet to the floor and stumbled to the master bathroom, completely naked. She closed the door and flipped on the light, staring at the terrified face looking back at her in the mirror. It was her, a person she recognized, no longer two women in the same body, but one woman who had changed in the last few years. Suddenly, she knew who she was, and all of the memories that had eluded her came flooding back in a rush of knowledge that overwhelmed her
senses.

Shivering, she flipped on the shower, letting the water get hot before stepping inside, hoping the warmth would take away the cold chill running up her spine from the shock of recovering her memory. Fear spiked her adrenaline, making her entire body ready for
flight.

Run. Run. Run. I can’t stay here. I have to leave. I have to protect
Max.

Mia poured body wash into her hand, using it liberally, trying to scrub away the memories of her dream. Pain tore through her chest at the knowledge that she couldn’t stay with Max. Not if she really loved him. And she did. So much that it was tearing her
apart.

Almost as if she’d willed it, Max was suddenly behind her, his arm coming possessively around her waist, his solid, muscular body supporting
her.

“Miss me?” he asked in a husky voice against her ear. “You should have woken me up and taken me with
you.”

Oh God, she’d like to take him with her wherever she went, never having to be away from him again. Max was the other half of her soul, and the thought of being separated from him ever again nearly killed her. She turned and wound her arms around his neck, resting her head against his shoulder as she held him, skin to skin, against her. She wanted to memorize the feel of him, try to absorb his essence into her soul. “Bad dream. I was all sweaty,” she murmured, hoping he wouldn’t ask too many questions. Not
now.

“Then you definitely should have woken me up. I love being all sweaty with you.” Taking her lightly by the shoulders, he pulled her back to look into her eyes, tipping her chin up with his strong fingers. “Hey. Are you
okay?”

“Yeah. I’m good now,” she lied hastily, wanting to cry as she saw the concern in his beautiful
eyes.

I need one more memory. Something good to replace the
bad.

Her fingers still slick with soap, she ran her hand slowly down his body, tracing every hard muscle of his chest, moving slowly down the sexy trail of hair that led to his groin. Without hesitation, she grasped his cock and stifled a moan, finding him already hard and ready. She wanted him inside her, but even more than that, she wanted to exorcise old ghosts, and she knew exactly how to do
it.

Cupping the back of his head, she urged his lips to hers, desperate to feel his mouth locked with hers, his tongue thrusting, warming her as nothing else could. He responded immediately, his hands coming up to her head to hold it in place as he groaned into her mouth as he took it, his need already red hot from having her slippery fingers run over and over his engorged member, teasing but not really satisfying him. She opened to him, letting him plunder her mouth, master her senses. It was a kiss of desperation and need, and she gave in to it, savoring Max’s possession.

Finally, he moved his mouth from hers, leaving her nearly breathless. She slid down his body until she was on her knees, in the same position that she had been in her nightmare. But this…this was real. And this was Max. And there was nothing she wanted more than to pleasure him. She let the water wash away the soap as she cupped his ass with both hands and replaced her teasing fingers with her mouth, letting every thought slip away except the man she
loved.

Max nearly came the moment Mia took him into her mouth, her blatant sexuality almost making him come undone.
Jesus H. Christ!
The feel of that velvety tongue on his cock, the friction of her enthusiastic sucking was enough to make him lose his mind. She was the sexiest woman he’d ever known, and she was becoming completely sexually uninhibited, which was driving him to the brink of insanity.

My wife. All
mine.

He slapped one hand against the tiled wall of the enclosure to keep himself steady, the hot water hitting him in the chest as Mia attacked his cock with more enthusiasm than skill. But it didn’t matter. Every touch was exquisite, every movement erotic. “Mia. I won’t last.” Nope. He wouldn’t. He wasn’t going to make it through the next minute without having a heart
attack.

He speared his hand into her wet hair, gently guiding her head, and released a strangled groan that he couldn’t stop from escaping his lips. Looking down, he watched her take him between those gorgeous lips again and again, and the visual of the woman he loved pleasuring him made his balls tighten almost unbearably.

Fuck. Fuck.
Fuck.

Fire was licking through his groin. He was torn between urging her harder, faster—or hauling her up and thrusting himself inside her warm, welcoming heat. He had condoms in the bathroom drawer; he
could…

Mia moaned, and Max watched, completely mesmerized, as she slid one hand up the inside of her thigh and slipped her fingers between her folds, touching herself with no other intent except to make herself come with him. It was the hottest damn thing Max had ever seen. Her fingers worked between her thighs as she brought her other hand up to work with her mouth to send him completely over the
edge.

“Come with me, Mia,” he demanded, gritting his teeth and throwing his head back as she moaned continually against his flesh, vibrating his cock until his head nearly blew off his shoulders. “Come with
me.”

His orgasm was wild and volatile, his whole body shuddering as he groaned his release, Mia never taking her mouth from him as she trembled from her own
climax.

Max scooped her up and pulled her pliant body against him, wrapping his arms around her, knowing he held his whole world in his
arms.

He rinsed them both gently and shut off the water. After drying them both, he carried his wife back to bed and held her, wondering how he had been lucky enough to get another chance with the one woman who rocked his entire universe.

They fell asleep entwined together, two pieces fit together perfectly. Max fell asleep in a world of total happiness and contentment.

When he woke up in the morning, Mia was
gone.