Hollywood Hero: A Sexy Billionaire Romance (The Director's Assistant Book 4) (3 page)

“Christian,” I said.

He stepped up beside me. “Yes?”

“I’m sorry I called you those names before.”

McNamara burst into fit of surprised coughing. I ignored him.

“Seriously,” I said. “I mean, you’ve done some bad stuff, but you’re actually a nice guy.”

“That’s okay. I did kind of deserve it.”

“Well… yes. But still, it wasn’t very nice of me.”

“What the hell is going on here?” McNamara exploded. “I tell you I’m keeping the videos, and you just start apologizing to Captain Wimpy in the corner?”

I turned back to face blue smoke and bright red face. “Well, I’ve got everything I wanted from you, I guess.”

“I don’t think so,” McNamara spluttered. “I’ve got the tape, and the videos too. I hold
all
the cards—the only thing you’re holding are your hands up in supplication.”

“Don’t forget Christian’s debt, too,” I said. “You’ve also got that.”

McNamara stilled. “What do you mean?”

“Well it makes sense, doesn’t it? You got me to work for you through blackmail. Why wouldn’t you do the same with him?”

He looked from myself to Christian and then back to me suspiciously. “You’re right, of course. We do own a sizable amount of debt on Christian.” He jabbed a cigar at Christian viciously. “And you’d better not forget it, either. What is it your father has again?
I keep forgetting.
Those drugs keeping him alive don’t come cheap.”

Christian reached into his pocket, fiddling with something, then pulling it out. It was his phone. “I’ve never forgotten,” he said, eye on the phone as he typed something in. “Not the way you’ve treated me, or the way you’ve treated my father—cutting him off each time I tried to walk away.”

His hand went to my shoulder and squeezed it, gently, once he was done. “When Josie and Archer caught me in that studio, I thought… well, doing something anonymously is one thing, but being found out is another. I… I wasn’t in a good state, after I got away. I’d gone as far as buying a rope, and writing a note.”

Then a smile crossed his face. The first genuine happy emotion I’d seen in him since we arrived. “Then Josie sent me a text—she still had my number. And she… well, she gave me a chance at redemption.” He looked at me gratefully. “I can still remember that text—in fact, I have it right here: ‘
There are three things in life that are important—love, family and a clear conscience. I know Janus is holding something over you. Let’s work together to fix it,
” he said, reading off the screen.

“It was something my mother said,” I said softly.

He gave my shoulder another squeeze. “She’s a smart woman.” Then he looked at McNamara again. “It was funny. I had the love of my father, and working for you I had the second point too—but I realized with Janus I’d never had the third. That’s when I replied to her text, and we came up with a plan.”

“What plan?” asked McNamara, suspiciously.

“This plan,” said Christian, holding up his smartphone, then pulling out the small microphone that had previously plugged into it, still in his pocket. “I’ve just recorded every single word you said.”

The silence in the room stretched for several long moments. It grew so quiet that I thought I could make out the distant sounds of traffic, way down below, and a helicopter thumping across the sky somewhere above.

Then McNamara burst out laughing. “Oh, that’s good.
Real good
. You had me worried there for a moment.” He looked very pointedly at Christian. “Do you want your father to die? Is that it?”

I answered before Christian could reply. “You’re not the only game in town, McNamara. The first thing Archer did when we heard from Christian was offer to cover his father’s bills. He can afford it easily, you know—you don’t have leverage over Christian anymore.”

“You two think you’re very clever, don’t you?” McNamara said, scowling. He stubbed out his cigar. I got the distinct impression he was imagining the ashtray was my face. “But you forget you’re just two people. Janus is global. You’ll never be free of us.”

I rolled my eyes. “Give me a break. With the recording we’ve just taken, we’ve got everything we need to take you down. And then some.”

He smiled tightly. “Yes. About that.” He reached under his desk to press a button, and a moment later two burly security guards barreled into the room. One of them seized me, hauling me roughly from the chair. The other seized Christian. I didn’t struggle as he twisted my arms behind my back.

McNamara pushed his chair out and walked slowly round from behind his desk. He stopped directly in front of us. In the silence that followed as he clipped and then lit a fresh cigar, I could hear that helicopter from before, getting closer. He smirked. “It seems to me, that you’ve forgotten exactly where you are, Josephine.”

He sucked on the cigar until the end was glowing, then blew the smoke directly in my face. I struggled not to cough. “You’re in
my
house, and here, we play by
my
rules.” He nodded at the security guard holding Christian, who wrenched the phone from his hand and smashed it to the floor. It ground into several pieces under the guard’s steel heel.

“There, you little brats,” McNamara said, his voice triumphant. “Now you’ve got nothing.”

Christian and I looked at each other… then burst out laughing.

“Get with the 21st century, dude!” Christian said, still chuckling. “The audio I took was a digital file. I emailed it out of here three minutes ago!”

McNamara’s face froze mid-gloat. Then it slowly fell. The look was priceless. “What?” he whispered.

“Seriously. It’s already with Archer. Face it, the game’s up.”

McNamara’s face glowered. “You play a very dangerous game here boy. Do you know who you’re talking to?”

“I know very well,” Christian said in a tight voice.

“Then you also know what I’m capable of.” He gestured to one of the guards, and for the first time I realized they were carrying guns on their hips. The guard pulled one from its holster and handed it to him.

McNamara cocked it, and then pointed it straight at me. “Get that audio back, now.”

Christian looked at me, worried. I shook my head. “Don’t do it Christian. This doesn’t change anything.”

“But Josie…”

“
No
. We don’t give in to his demands, ever again. He’s just digging himself in deeper.”

“Don’t listen to her,” McNamara growled. He thrust the muzzle of the gun into my forehead and leaned close. “Your precious Archer won’t be able to save you when you’re dead.”

I raised my eyebrows. “What, are you going to kill me to get your way?”

He leaned in even closer, till our faces were almost touching. His breath was rancid. “It wouldn’t be the first time Janus has done it,” he said. “Though it would be a first for me; usually I just tell other people to make it happen.”

“Archer would never let you get away with it.”

“Oh yes, the famous Archer,” McNamara sneered. “And just where is your precious boyfriend right now?”

The noise from the helicopter now was so loud that I could feel the vibrations through the floor. I smiled. “Don’t worry, he’ll be here any moment.”

McNamara noticed the noise of the helicopter for the first time. He turned to the window in annoyance. “What is that blasted thing!”

I answered for him as a dark shape appeared before the window, hovering right outside. “That, you creep, is you getting exactly what you deserve.”

A spotlight flicked on. A figure in full SWAT gear leaned out of the chopper with a megaphone. “This is the FBI. Put the gun down, and your hands on your head.”

McNamara lifted his hands to
shield his eyes. “What the hell?” He reached for the intercom on his desk. “Security? Security?”

His request was met with static.

“I repeat, this is the FBI,” said the voice through the megaphone. “Have your guards stand down, and put your hands up.”

“Like fuck I will,” he muttered. Then he sprang for the door.

He was halfway across the room when the doors to his office burst open in a shower of timber. A dozen men in black SWAT attire burst into the room. They arrayed in a semicircle before the door as McNamara skidded to a halt, the cigar falling slowly from his open mouth. The man in the lead, dressed in flak vest and dark goggles, removed his helmet.

It was Archer.
“I hear you were looking for me.”

McNamara stepped back, eyes wide. “What? Me? No… I-”

Archer grinned, his dimple flashing, as he reached up to tap an earpiece. “I’ve been listening in the entire time—Christian had more than one listening device on him.” Then he turned to me. “Are you okay?”

I rubbed my wrists. The guards had released us the moment the room had been stormed. I wanted to run to Archer, to throw my arms around him in his sexy SWAT suit, but now wasn’t the time. Instead, I just nodded.

“Good,” he said. Then he turned back to McNamara. “You’re lucky I’m letting you keep your tongue after the way you talked to her.” He eyed the surrounding SWAT team. “For once, it seems having the FBI here is working in your favor. After I showed them your audio tape and told them about your blackmail attempt, they agreed to put me on the team, but I don’t think they’d take very kindly to me causing grievous bodily harm before we could get you to the courts.”

“Go fuck yourself,” McNamara spat. “You and your little whore.”

Archer’s face darkened. He took a step forward. “On second thoughts, maybe I don’t
care
what they do to me.” He took another step. “Maybe I
want
to end up in the same cell as you.”

McNamara took another half step back. “You wouldn’t dare.”

Archer stepped forward again, slinging his gun behind his back. He cracked his knuckles. “You’d be surprised what I’d dare to do when you mess with the gal I love.” McNamara’s face was quickly losing its color.

Archer stopped in front of him. “You know what’s funny? If you had never tried to blackmail Josie, life would have been so much simpler for you. Janus has money, your reputation would have suffered from that audio tape, but you would probably have escaped jail time.”

His heel found the still glowing cigar McNamara had dropped and ground it into expensive carpet. “But now? With what we’ve just got on tape? You’re going to jail for a very, very long time.”

“I should have shot that bitch while I had the chance,” McNamara spat.

Archer suddenly went very still. His fist clenched. Then he turned to talk directly to the SWAT team behind him. “Gentlemen. 10 million dollars to the FBI Widows Fund if you’ll look the other way for… oh, about 15 seconds.” He didn’t wait for a response. Instead he spun to punch McNamara with the weight of his entire body behind him. The other man staggered back, eyes rolling up, and then folded to the floor.

Archer looked to the fallen man dismissively. “I did warn you.” Then he crossed the room to where I stood, pulling me to him for a long, passionate kiss.

Later that night, after the
police station, the paper work and a celebratory dinner, we unwound on the balcony of Archer’s apartment. I’d told Mom everything over dinner. It had been harder even than standing up to McNamara—Archer had held my hand the entire time.

Tears had filled her eyes when I’d told her about the photos. “Josie, sweetheart…”

“I’m sorry, Mom. I’m sorry if you’re ashamed of me.”

She’d looked at me in shock. “Ashamed? Sweetheart, I’m nothing but proud of you. Who cares about a couple of photos? I did worse with your father when
we
were younger.” Then she soured. “That pig of a man though! He’s no better than that
Volder-whatsit
fellow in
Harry Potter
. I swear that movie would have been better as a musical.” She’d sat back then, as if that was that, and spent the rest of the night gazing moon eyed at Archer; hanging on his every word.

We sent her home in a limo, which thrilled Mom to pieces—though I did warn Archer that he was starting to spoil her. Pretty soon she’d be demanding to go to premiers and rub elbows with her favorite stars.

That had made me chuckle. I could imagine her swanning down the red carpet, dressed up to the nines. The best part was knowing that even if she did demand such treatment, Archer would give it to her. He’d already written a check to pay off the house, and Mom’s medical bills.

I snuggled closer to Archer as he popped a bottle of champagne on his apartment balcony, watching with a happy heart as the cork sailed off into the darkness.

“To us,” he said simply, pouring out two glasses.

I shook my head. “To you. Without you, none of this would have ever happened.” I took a sip of my champagne, then looked at him from under lowered eyes. “You know, you looked kind of sexy in that SWAT suit earlier.”

“Really?”

I put the glass down. My hands trailed over his rock hard stomach. “Uh huh. In fact, more than just
kinda
. I’d go as far as to say smoking, actually.”

Archer raised an eyebrow. “When you talk like that, you make me want to buy a flak jacket of my own.”

“Ooh. Could you?”

Archer leaned down to kiss me. “For you, anything.”

This man.
This man who was all I had ever wanted. I’d betrayed his trust, and he’d forgiven me. I’d asked for his trust, and he’d believed in me. He’d handed over that tape without hesitation. He’d remained loyal even when I’d pushed him away. He was the kindest, gentlest man I knew, yet when McNamara had threatened me, he’d been ferocious. 

“Archer?” I asked softly.

“Yes?”

“Make love to me.”

When I’d first met Archer, I’d thought he was out to save the world. I knew differently now.
The thing that he had saved was me
.

Archer gathered me in strong arms, carrying me across the balcony threshold and into the bedroom. He laid me down gently upon silk sheets. Our mouths met in a long, luxurious kiss. My arms tightened around his neck, holding him close. I never wanted to let him go.

His hands were on my back. They found the zipper of my dress, easing it down slowly. I could feel each sensual pop of the zip’s teeth as they released in a downward line, opening my body to him. 

The trail of fire his hands left as they touched the newly exposed skin left me with shivers. I held the back of his head close to me, enjoying his fingers on my flesh. His lips nuzzled my neck.

How had I become so lucky?
I’d found a man who kindled a passion I’d never known existed. By setting me free, he’d bought my body and soul.

His hands spread over my back, pushing my dress forward and over my shoulders. I slipped my arms from it, letting it fall between us. We kissed as he unhooked my bra, drawing a groan from the back of my throat as my breasts were freed to his touch.

His mouth kept exploring; kissing along my chest, over my shoulders—drawing goosebumps where-ever his lips touched. When I couldn’t take it anymore, I began to work on undressing him. I unbuttoned his shirt first, exposing his smooth, muscled chest. Each gorgeous bulge of his pectorals ended in nipples which I kissed before moving on.

I pulled the shirt from the waistband of his pants, next, and now I could see hard abdominals too. They were sculpted like a swimmers’; cords of muscle in a dual line that made my mouth salivate and sparked a heat between my legs I couldn’t wait to satisfy. My fingers worked quickly at his belt. 

He pushed me, gently, onto the bed. “Eager,” he whispered, laughing.

I stretched out on my back, Archer lowering himself over me. I pulled him down, arms around his neck, and told him what I thought of that statement with a deep, searching kiss. I needed him to know what he did to me, how good he made me feel.

His hands went to his belt, finishing what I had started. Suddenly I could feel his huge, hard bulge through his boxers, and it was heavenly.

“I need you,” I said, staring into his eyes. I saw so much there—love, passion, trust. I moved my hips up to meet his, expressing my need with my body, too.

Our kisses began to get faster. I felt him, pressing against me as we kissed. My hands travelled down his back to his behind, gripping him. I moaned into his mouth as I worked his boxers below his hips. When my fingers had stretched as far as they could, his hands moved to help. I removed my panties as he pushed his own shorts down. He lowered his hips. I wrapped my legs around his waist. He nudged. I guided. Then he drove himself into me, and we both gasped.

No matter how many times I took his length, the pleasure of that first thrust never lessened. It was like my whole body had dived into an icy pool of delight—the sweet shock travelling up through me to bounce around and scramble my brain, before returning to its point of origin as I acclimatized.

I began to move first; slowly, ever so slightly—feeling every inch of him within me until he too began to move; the glide back and forth producing a different type of pleasure to that of simply being filled. It was more intense, but less specific. I could feel fewer exact parts of him as he moved, but what I could feel took me higher.

I stared into his eyes as he found his rhythm within me. It was intimate, locking souls like this. I could read every sensation my body was giving him, and it made my desire even stronger. The heat in my center quickly built.

His pace increased, moving faster, as my own chest started to rise and fall rapidly. I pulled him closer with my legs, urging him to finish me without words. I wanted all of him. I wanted to feel him move powerfully inside me. I wanted him to bring me to that height from which I could soar.

I met his every thrust with the movement of my own hips as he obliged. Our bodies began to slam together faster and faster until there was no rhythm, and there was no intent—only pleasure, building so quickly I could feel my heart in my throat. I realized I was crying his name out loud.

“Archer!” I closed my eyes, nails raking down his back.

“Archer!” My head was thrown back, reveling in the power of his body.

“
Archer!
” I stiffened all over, the bottled pressure too much for my hips to bear. Euphoria exploded inside me, and I screamed his name as I shuddered, gripping him, holding him against my body as I convulsed upon him over and over again.

The tightening of my body led him to his own release. The feel of him issuing inside me sent me hurtling over the edge a second time.

Later, we lay together in a tangle of arms and legs. My head was on his chest, the sound of his strong heartbeat lulling me into that sweet place between wakefulness and sleep.

“You know something?” I asked, giggling to myself.

“What?” He ran a hand up and down my back, gently.

“We’re falling into a rut!”

“What do you mean?”

I pushed myself up on one elbow, leaning my chin on his chest. “Do you realize this is the first time we haven’t had sex somewhere exotic?” I poked him playfully. “I do
not
want to become one of those boring couples that does it in the same position every time. Before you know it, we’ll be scheduling sex.”

He chuckled. “Well I’ll be damned. I think we’re going to have to do something about this.”

I laughed. “I’m kidding, you know that right?”

He shook his head, sliding from beneath me and then climbing out of bed. “I’m not going to risk it.”

“Oh, no… what are you thinking?”

He held out one hand. “Come with me.”

Before I knew it, we were on the roof of the building, wrapped in bathrobes.

“I can’t believe this,” I said, giggling uncontrollably. But there was no dissuading Archer—he spread a thick blanket on the roof, then pulled me down beside him. We faced each other, on our sides.

“This is crazy!” I laughed, as he tugged at the belt holding the robe closed.

“Admit it. It’s not the craziest thing we’ve ever done.” He ran his hands over the bare skin beneath my fluffy cotton robe. His touch killed my inhibitions instantly.

“But…”I tried one last time. I couldn’t finish the sentence. I didn’t want to—his hand had skimmed lightly over the curve of my backside.

“Tell me to stop, if you want to stop,” he whispered, biting my earlobe.

How could I? I was already on fire, all over again. His hands were breaking me down, removing every last bit of resolve I had. By the time his fingers dipped around the curve of my legs to find their center, I was lost.

“Yes… please…” I threw my leg over his as his hand worked me beneath the robe. My hips jerked back and forth in time with his stroking. I heard his groans, my pleasure turning him on, making him just as frantic as I was for release.

The beautiful tension built higher and higher until my whole body tensed. I threw back my head, crying out into the evening air as his fingers worked their magic upon me.

I was left breathless after, shocked at how quickly he’d brought me to completion. The thrill of being outdoors had something to do with it, I knew. But the bulk of it was Archer.

Speaking of bulk
. I moved his own robes aside. His member was hard, throbbing, waiting for satisfaction. I pushed him onto his back, plunging my head down on him. He gasped as I took the tip of him in my mouth.

I’d been here before, but never like this. Never out in the open, with a million sparkling stars overhead, illuminating the flesh of the gorgeous man below. My tongue traced the outline of his ridge as my lips slid smoothly over him. I could taste him, salty on my tongue. I could feel him throbbing harder as I began to move up and down.

He began to groan in pleasure, his hands holding the back of my head as I bobbed. I took it slow at first, teasing him with just tongue and lips before allowing my hands to join the party too. I gripped him tightly as I sucked above, one hand on the other like I was playing hot potato. Then I began to twist in opposite directions as my whole body moved up and down. I felt his hands tighten in my hair immediately. “Josie,” he groaned.

I giggled, the vibrations eliciting another sound from the back of his throat. It seemed I’d found an instant favorite. I began to move faster, taking him just to the edge, and then slowing down. Speeding up, then slowing again. Before long he was gasping in frustrated pleasure. He felt so tense in my hands I was surprised he didn’t explode.

The third time I began to slow, my hands loosening slightly as they twisted, he pulled me from him with a growl. “Roll over,” he commanded, voice hoarse. His breath was coming in ragged gasps.

I moved to my hands and knees. No sooner was I in position than he was driving himself into me again.

Now that he could control the speed, he began to move fast; slamming into me with an eagerness borne of lust. My whole body swung forward each time our hips met. I braced my hands to meet him, blowing the bangs from my eyes.

I was owned by him now, possessed; a slave on my knees to passion only he commanded. His hands on my hips pulled me against him. Our bodies slapped together in frenzied rhythm.

The heat was rising within me; the fourth time I’d felt this flame tonight.

I didn’t care who saw us—I threw off my robe, sitting up to recline in his lap, never breaking contact. His hands found my breasts, kneading the sensitive flesh. I covered his hands with my own, enjoying the pressure, squeezing his fingers into me. I was open to the world; on display. And yet the only person I could think about was Archer.

My head fell back onto his shoulder, the fresh air drawing goosebumps across my skin. It stoked the flames, drawing them higher. I began to cry as the tension built to breaking within me.
And then I felt him swell.

I stiffened as he exploded within me, his heat rocketing me toward the stars, and I screamed out across the rooftops in joy. His arms wrapped around me as both our bodies found release.