Undone (6 page)

Luckily the bastard hadn't called him out on it and Andrew hoped to keep it that way for a few more weeks. Just a few more weeks and everyone would get what was coming to them. Now he had to remain cautious, play the part of doting boyfriend for a little longer and try to evade Nicholas at all cost. He had a quarter of a million dollars waiting for him if he played his cards right and Andrew was holding on to the
ace with a death grip. It'd taken years to set this plan in motion—working around the clock to create a perfect cover for him. Victory was almost at hand, so close that he could taste it. He just had to bide his time.

His phone buzzed against his thigh, once, twice, three times and when Sophie shifted away from him, Andrew gave her an apologetic smile and excused himself to answer it.

He found privacy in the bedroom they'd given him and once he was sure no one followed, he closed the door behind him and flipped the lights on. "Why the fuck do you keep calling me, I told you I'd call you when I had the time,” he spoke, rather incensed at the person on the other line.

"Calm the fuck down, asshole; I'm just calling to let you know that he's on your trail. There were a few people sniffing around, asking questions about you. I've dealt with them, you're clean. Just do what you have to do and don't blow your cover."

"I know my assignment. I'll get it done, so stop calling."

"This isn't a fucking joke, Hunter! Grayson isn't someone you want to underestimate
. Don't fuck this up!" The line went dead and after a second, Andrew clicked his phone shut and released a drawn out sigh.
Alright Hunter, pull it together!
he silently told himself, raking his hands through his hair; he looked at the small black phone and convinced himself that this was worth it. It would all be worth it in the end. He just had to stick it out for a few more weeks. Part of the plan was to get to Nicholas through his family. Half the work was already done, having gotten past Sophie’s defenses; now he just had Nicholas’s wife to work on.

Sweet, fucking gorgeous Ellie. Never had the term
MILF applied more. Andrew smirked, it was a shame Sophie was such a prude, otherwise, Andrew could just imagine the possibilities of screwing the daughter and picturing the mother.

"Andy, are you alright?"
The knock and subsequent lilt of Sophie’s voice pulled Andrew from his perverse musing and back to the situation at hand. With another deep sigh, he pocketed his phone, ambled to the door and pulled it open. Sophie greeted him with worry etched on her face. "I was worried. Everything OK?"

"Perfectly fine. It was just a friend wishing me a
merry Christmas,” he said easily enough, drawing the younger woman into a breath stealing kiss that likewise stole any further questions from her lips.

"I don't trust him,” Gabe muttered, taking a seat on the mattress. He watched as Ronnie readied for bed.

Ronnie slipped into a white cotton shirt and stoked the embers in the fireplace before heading to where Gabe awaited her. "Something you have in common with Nicholas, I'm sure."
She crawled on the mattress, settling beneath the covers. She smiled when Gabe spooned her.

"Well, he is right for a change. There's just somet
hing not quite right with him."

"However true that
may be, I think we should give him a chance. At least for Sophie’s sake, I can't imagine what she must be feeling knowing her entire family distrusts her boyfriend,” she whispered emphatically.

"Well
, she should know better than to be dating a man twice her age. How can someone so smart make such a dumb decision?"

Laughing
, Ronnie turned around to face her agitated husband. "I can remember you saying the same thing about Ellie years ago and look how that turned out.”

Gabe grunted
. "That's different. Nicholas was one stubborn shit. The bastard didn't know how to take ‘no’ for an answer.”

“Sophie’s a big girl, Gabe. You and Nicholas are going to have to let her grow up.
Just like you did with Ellie.”

After a moment
, Gabe sighed and kissed his wife. "I hate it when you're right."

“You should be used to it by now, Gabe.”

"Smart ass.” He maneuvered his body on top of hers, caught her hand before it could make contact, and pinioned the offending appendage beneath his own hand. "There are other things you could be doing with that hand, Ronnie." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively and Ronnie laughed.

"It's funny how you think you're going to get some."

"Oh, come on! It's Christmas!" Gabe grumbled, his facial features nearing a pout. "Almost every guy gets lucky on Christmas! It's like one of the given holidays. We only get Christmas, Valentine's Day and, if we're lucky, maybe Easter and Lincoln's birthday." His earnestness was really Ronnie’s undoing and no longer able to help herself she burst into a fit of laughter that did not stop until she felt a hand slither between her legs. Ronnie instantly choked on her laughter.

"Persistence, thy name is Gabriel Akers
,” Ronnie moaned, laughter completely eradicated from her features.

Gabe shed his shirt and leaned down
. With a look that promised sinfully sweet retribution, he licked Ronnie’s lips and whispered, "You have no idea."

Laughter was the farthest thing on Ronnie’s mind after that.

~*~*~*~

"He is definitely hiding something." Christopher Avery lounged on the black leather couch in Nicholas’s home office, his booted feet crossed casually at the ankles
. He regarded Nicholas through a pair of inscrutable dark eyes as the dark haired man perused the report he'd given him almost a half a minute ago.

Topher
could practically hear the gears turning in Nicholas’s head; could practically see the suspicion pouring out of him as he no doubt came to a conclusion. Diamond gray eyes focused on him, sharp and acute, beneath dark brows. "He's been married,” he murmured in cold fury.

"Yup, to an Annette Smith. Guess how they met?"

"University."

"Ding, ding, ding. She was his student. Her parents were loaded. They hated him, she loved him. They eloped. He bilked her for all she was worth. Lost her inheritance in a poker game up north. A year later, he's divorced and headed to his next target. I tracked down Mrs. Smith and
, according to her, she was never married to an Andrew Gabriel Hunter. But she did marry Julian Hunter Andrews."

"You're fucking kidding me?"

"I kid you not, boss man. He's been in jail a few times. Made a few enemies along the way. A horrible gambler; he's had loan sharks chasing after him for years now. Then, suddenly, everything stops, the trail runs cold and we end up with Andrew Gabriel Hunter, instead of Julian Hunter Andrews."

"He's working with someone."

"Yup, a very rich someone. Someone with enough pull to give our Andrews fella a brand spankin’ new identity. Complete with a new social security number, family background and forged academic degrees. They went through great lengths to keep this under wraps. I had to call in favors to get this much."

"Don't worry
, you will be well compensated when this is over. I need you to find out who's he's working with. I want to know what he's planning."

"Way ahead of you. But it's going to take a little time to get what you want."

"Do whatever it takes. Get it done." The glint in his eyes sent a chill down Topher's spine.

Nicholas was usually a good man. Easy to work for. Sometimes he even had a sense of humor. But mess with his family and he morphed into
a mean SOB with tunnel vision and if you weren't lucky enough to get away, you more than likely paid with your life. For a brief second, Topher wondered whether this perp would share the same fate as the last guy who had taken it upon himself to kidnap Nicholas’s children. If so, he hoped the guy was smart enough to leave before it was too late. "I suggest you beef up security around your family. We wouldn't want to risk anything,” Topher sagely advised as he came to his feet. He took the offered tumbler from Nicholas’s hand and threw back the amber liquid. It went down smooth and lit a fire at the pit of his stomach.

Nicholas always had the good shit. He smirked and set the tumbler on the large mahogany desk. "I'll have an update for you by Sunday.”
He clapped Nicholas’s arm before he walked out, almost bumping into Nicholas’s wife. She was a pretty little thing, with big hazel eyes and delectable coral red lips that could tempt even the saintliest of men. And for a moment, Topher thought how lucky a son of a bitch Nicholas was. But, it was only a fleeting thought that disappeared just as quickly as a bullet leaving a gun barrel. He gave his best smile, pearly whites in full view, before walking past her, whistling some random radio tune he'd heard this morning.

Once he was out of sight, Ellie stepped into Nicholas’s office and closed the door behind her, her expression searching. "He seemed nice. Friend of yours?"

Nicholas wryly grinned, amused by her curiosity. "I guess you could call him that."

"I've never seen him before."

"He's the sort of friend you don't see very often,” he replied laconically, removing the report from his desk and Ellie’s prying eyes.

"Should I be worried?"
Peering at him through the dark veil of her lashes, Ellie carefully assessed him, as though she could read Nicholas’s secrets by just looking at him. She allowed him to pull her close, his sturdy arms spanning her waist. She stared up into his beautiful patrician face, features cut from alabaster and granite. "What are you up to, Grayson?" she asked softly.

Nicholas smirked; he lowered his head and set his forehead against Ellie’s. "There's only one thing up right now and it's eager to play."

"Very cute. But it's not getting anywhere near my playground, unless you tell me what's going on."

Nicholas nuzzled her neck, the warmth of his breath sizzling Ellie’s skin. He slowly walked them to the door and pressed her against it. "Ah
, but your playground's calling out to me." Ellie’s breath hitched in her throat as strong, dexterous hands snaked into her cargos and cupped her ass, pulling her close, elevating her against the sturdiness of the door and the steeled velvet frame of Nicholas’s body.

"Nicky
.” Ellie felt every inch of his length pressing into her abdomen, with her feet barely touching the floor, she wrapped her legs around his waist and was swept away by the fervor of his kiss. Nicholas’s tongue toyed with hers. Warm silk, gliding over hers. Teeth teased and nipped at her fuller bottom lip, gently tugging and sucking. Then there was his tongue again. Hot and sweet.

The taste of his favorite coffee, the cinnamon taste of their toothpaste, the sheer male taste of him, clean and spicy, potent and invigorating. Ellie wanted to overdose on it all. She panted when that mouth left her lips bruised and moved on to her neck and then returned once more to plunder her mouth. There were hands in her hair, hands on her thighs, hands squeezing and enticing
her every pore.

"Nicky
,” she breathed, falling deeper into his web of seduction. Her hands had a mind of their own—her fingers dove into his dark tresses, tugging him closer, pushing him away, the tide of passion sweeping her into an indecisive limbo.

Finally, when she was able to do so, Ellie dragged her mouth away
, her breath escaping her lungs in short little bursts, she cast a look at her lover. "You're hiding something from me." She knew this man far better than she knew herself. She understood his moods. Understood his quirks. Understood the way his mind worked. And in that place deep down, where love sprang eternal, Ellie knew Nicholas was hiding something from her. Hungry kisses and heated caresses could not hinder the niggling feeling in the pit of her stomach. No matter how enticing they were. When Nicholas made to capture her lips once more, Ellie, with her fingers twisting through his hair, tugged his head back and stared fiercely down at him. "Tell me."

"Ellie,"
he growled, low, menacing, sexy.

Ellie angled her head down and nipped on Nicholas’s bottom lip in the exact manner her own had been treated moments earlier. "Nicky
,” she chided, berry mouth wet and tantalizing. "Tell me."

Nicholas was a prisoner. A slave forever bound to this enchanting mistress with the hypnotic hazel eyes and sinfully lush body. He was the protector. The dominate male. The provider. Yet here he was, weak, vulnerable, and powerless at the complete mercy of Ellie’s wiles. Ah
, and when she looked at him with those eyes, he might as well be struck dumb.

"Ellie
.” His soul was on fire. The desire to take her, completely and wholly—taste and savor, bless and worship, drove Nicholas to distraction. "I need you. Let me have you." Incapable of denying him, Ellie lowered her head instead and kissed him, sweetly, tenderly and when Nicholas took possession, sweet and tender was the last thing she wanted.

They'd never made love in
Nicholas’s office before, why the idea never came up Ellie hadn't the slightest idea. Now, however, she would make sure her visits to his office were far more frequent. Relishing the weight of his body on her, Ellie wrapped her arms around his neck, tightened her legs around his waist and sighed contentedly as he entered her.

With her back to the door, she faced the bay windows and, with the opaque curtains drawn back to emit the morning's light, Ellie was able to see outside. The rays of the sun glared down at the pale white virginal snow. No one came to this part of the mansion in the winter, for it was where the garden was located.

Ravished now by winter and snow there was nothing there except for snow covered evergreen hedges and skeletal trees. So it came as a surprise to Ellie at the sight of Andrew standing yards away, his back turned slightly to Ellie’s view. He seemed engrossed in a conversation with the person on the phone and when it ended, Ellie gasped when he turned and met her gaze dead on.

Orgasm hit her hard and unable to help herself, she clenched her eyes shut and called Nicholas’s name, forgetting for a millisecond that they had an audience. It took a moment to descend from her high and when she did, her eyes snapped open and—Andrew was gone. Unnerved and slightly embarrassed, Ellie chose not to immediately tell Nicholas of their voyeur for fear of having Andrew's blood on her hands. Instead, she focused her attention on his devouring kisses and put Sophie’s odd boyfriend on the back burner to deal with at a later time.

~*~*~*~

"Andy
, stop." Sophie’s attempt to push away from Andrew proved futile, as he manhandled her, his touches bordering on forceful at her protests. Finally having enough, she bit down on his lip and received a sharp backhanded slap across the face for it. Shell shocked, it took a moment to realize that she'd been struck. She covered her left cheek with her hand and glanced up at Andrew in horrified silence.

"
Soph…"

"Get out."

"Sophie, baby, please, I'm sorry."

"Get
. Out!" They were in her bedroom with the door locked and had been on her bed until only a second ago. Heavy petting having turned into something ugly and wrong, Sophie didn't know what to do except recoil in disgust. "Don't come near me,” she warned, backing away from Andrew's advances. How had it turned into this?

"Sophie, you know me
. You know I wouldn't purposely hurt you, baby, please." Oh, he played sincerity like a veteran actor. Genuineness seemed to pour from him and he fell to his knees, begging for all he was worth. "You just caught me by surprise, baby. I love you. I would never lay a hand on you."

"You just did!"

"I know and I'm sorry. Please, I'm sorry." He had half a million dollars riding on this plan. He had very dangerous men after him and even more dangerous people with his balls in a vise, demanding he not fuck this up. But one look, one accidental scene and he'd been close to pulling down his jeans and jacking off in that snow, Ellie’s expression of orgasm almost pushing him to the edge. But God, she'd been so hot.