Prince With Benefits: A Billionaire Royal Romance (44 page)

I'm sore, but I'll take it. Every damned inch. I want to ride him tonight, bury my face in his slab of a chest and lick his tiger right on its roaring mouth.

He likes it rough. Apparently, so do I.

I'm going to bite Ty while I'm dragging my nails across his skin. Hell, I'm going to make him bite
me
. I never knew I was part pain slut until I came the hardest with his teeth clamped down around my nipples, or sucking at my throat, leaving his hot, vicious impressions all over my body, inside and out.

Dan slams his heavy glass down with a clink. I blink.

Shit. Is he still talking?

“What's that, boss?” I smile sweetly, hoping all these dirty thoughts aren't painting my cheeks bright red.

“I said, isn't it a bit warm for that thing?” He points to my turtleneck. “Summers are short in these parts, Claire. I thought you were born and raised in Washington like me?”

Nodding, I pull on my sweater, adjusting it uncomfortably. “Totally. Lucky me that I get cold
real
easily. The only place I ever enjoyed wearing skirts and flip flops was DC in the summer. Can't imagine living there, though!”

I've always been quick on the draw when I need to be. The sweater's a big, fat lie hiding the aftermath of our fucking. It's unpleasantly warm when I'm wearing it outside, but it beats the alternative, having nosy pricks like my boss see the hickeys stamping my neck.

Then again, maybe I should've let him see them. Then I wouldn't be sharing this insufferable happy hour with a guy who has zero chance of going anywhere further than a friendly conversation.

He relaxes, an understanding smile tugging at his lips. “Ah, I'll drink to that. Everything about DC's stifling, and I don't just mean the politics.”

I give him a pathetic, fake smile for about the dozenth time since we sat down at the bar. Jesus, I'm fidgety. I need to pay him some tiny morsel of respect, I know.

But it's hard to give my boss the time of day when I've got a bad boy waiting to pick me up. It's hard to do anything except think about how he's going to rail me tonight, beat the worries out of my head with those piston hips slamming me into the mattress.

“So, you're set on staying in Cascadia, then? No big ambitions to move somewhere else and follow in your mother's illustrious footsteps?” Dan smiles shyly.

“Ew, none at all. I
love
helping out on causes I believe in. But I fucking hate politics.”

Dan cocks his head when I drop the F-bomb. Great. Ty's dirty mouth is really rubbing off on me in more ways than one.

“Sorry. Didn't get much sleep last night and I hit it pretty hard at the office today. I really shouldn't use that kind of –“

“Hey, it's nothing to apologize for. You're more political than you think.” There's that awkward wink again. Dan licks his lips and continues. “I mean, that's how it looks to me. You've got the right mouth on you to intimidate some of those bastards in Washington for sure.”

“Thanks.”

“No, I really mean it, Claire. In fact...I'm hoping you'll consider a full time position with our organization by August. We've got one coming up, and with the quality work you've been doing, well, you're first in line to fill it.”

Talk about desperate. I haven't even put in ten days, and he's already kissing my feet. It's awkward, uncomfortable, and kinda disappointing.

Is this really how things work out here in the real world?

I take several long pulls from my dark beer before answering. Cascadia Now! is fine for an intern gig, sure. But my life's totally up in the air with Ty in the picture. I'm not exactly looking forward to spending more time than necessary with Dan Jacobsen and his puppy dog eyes.

I'm also wondering how he'll react when I finally shoot him down. Some guys take it badly. How awkward will it be if he keep his distance after, or decides to retaliate for showing him I'm not interested?

“Can I think about this?” I look up into his hopeful face.

His smile slowly fades, and then twists into a frown. “Of course.”

He shakes his head and straightens his close. “How silly of me. You must have other offers coming in.”

“No, no, it's nothing like that.” I cradle my beer close to my chest. “I'm just mulling my options, wondering if I should go further afield for some good experience before I settle in any one place for the long haul.”

Of course, what I'm really mulling is how many times I'm going to feel my pussy clenched on Ty's cock as he fills me tonight, driving his molten seed hard and deep. I bite my lip right in front of my wilting boss, squeezing my legs together.

“Sure, I can respect that.” He pulls out his phone and taps the screen. “Hm, what time did you say your friend would be by?”

“I can text him right now.”

Thank God. It looks like he wants to kill this thing just as much as I do. Ten more minutes of hell, and I should be closer than ever to the heaven in my new step-lover's massive tattooed arms.

I feel like I've just dodged a bullet. All I need to do is get back to the office and climb in Ty's car.

Dan looks about ten years older than me. Maybe he's gotten the message. Maybe he won't hold anything against me.

That's what I think until we're in his car for the short drive down the road. Then I hear the words that turn my blood cold.

“Listen, Claire, I appreciate your honesty this evening. I really do. I think our little discussion clarifies a lot of things. My father handed me the job of finding a new full time employee, and I think I finally know exactly what we're looking for. Cascades Now! needs someone who's interested in long-term solutions. I'm looking for someone a little more enthusiastic, someone who wants to
leap
at the opportunities our organization presents. Unfortunately, I'm sorry to say it looks like we'll have to part ways sooner than I anticipated.”

I
'm taking
a seaside run somewhere halfway along Bellingham and Claire's office when my phone dings. She's ready for me.

About fucking time too. I've been waiting to pick her up and haul her back to my cave since I sent her off to work with a kiss and a slap on the ass.

Fuck, Claire's ass.
Just thinking about it gets me hard. Running like a dog who's been cooped up all winter pulls energy from every part of my body except the steel hammering in my pants.

I've been on edge all day. It's not like the feeling's new. Before, I always went gunning for some new slut to drain my nuts at the club.

Now, I just go in to take care of business, thinking about bringing Claire home the whole time. Losing the place doesn't upset me as much as it did a day ago. It's like this chick's an antidote to the poison my fuck of an old man injected.

I'm Zen to the point of freaking everybody else out. Shit, half the chicks I've had my dick in tear up when they hear the rumors I'm leaving. They fall all over themselves, begging me for one last sympathy fuck, but I smile and push right past 'em.

They don't fucking get it. Olympus has fallen. Me, Ty Sterner, the badass billionaire fighter with a dick that never quits is about to go exclusive.

I've finally found the only pussy I wanna bury my dick in for the rest of my life – and it's a goddamned good one. Just thinking about Claire wrapped around me, moaning her little heart out the way she did last night, makes my cock ready to do the rumba.

I get sex off the brain long enough to climb into my car and finish the drive south. A little later, I pull up to the office and wait. Place doesn't look like much, especially if these fuckers are hellbent on giving my old man and lots of other tycoons hell.

My eyes start scanning. I'm expecting to find Claire waiting for me on the curb, or maybe behind the sleek glass door leading inside.

I sure as shit don't expect to see her sitting in some asshole's car, wiping tears outta her eyes.

“What the fuck?” My heart spits rage into my blood, and it goes straight to my fists.

I gun it and drive forward. The car screams to a stop next to the mystery man's car. She's looking up at me and waving her hands, but I'm already outta the driver's seat like a dog off the chain, heading for her door.

This motherfucker with a piss sucking look on his face steps out and glares at me. He's tall, but I'm taller and wider than his gawky ass. I push past him – jab my hand on his chest and fling him against the car – working my way around to where Claire's climbing out.

“Baby, what's wrong?”

She runs into my arms and buries her face. “Let's go home, Ty. Please. I don't want to cause more of a scene than I already –“

“What the fuck did you do!” I look at the shithead standing across from us.

It's not a question.

I'm ready to walk my girl to the car and then run back over, grab him by the throat, and put the motherfucker through his own windshield. He's got about ten seconds to explain why the fuck my woman's in tears, and the countdown's already begun.

“That's work business. You heard the lady. We're done here.” He holds his hands up and gives me an uneasy grin. “Look, I don't want any trouble. I'll make sure someone packs up her things and gets them over to her,
sir.
”

The last word comes out full of venom, like he's chewing mud. He looks at me like some shit he just found stuck to his shoe. I bare my teeth and lean down to Claire, whispering in her ear.

“Car's unlocked. Go get in, babe. I'll do the rest.”

“Ty, no. This is embarrassing. Please, please don't –“

“Babe!” I hold up a finger and press it to her pretty lips. “You heard me. Now listen.”

Her eyes fill with horror, but she casts one more hateful glance at the pretty boy scarecrow kicking at the pavement like a goddamned turkey. She peels herself away from me and heads to my car. I don't move 'til I hear the car door shut.

I'm off like lightning.

The asshole's eyes go wide and he reaches for his door, trying to scramble back into his car. It's too fucking late.

I get him by the shoulders and slam him down on the pavement. A satisfied growl rumbles in my throat when I hear his jaw crack.

He's moaning, stuttering with pain, probably shocked that I'm doing everything my warning gaze promised. Some of these fucks think they're so high and mighty they're above it all. Truth is, nobody's above pain, and my barbaric fists are just a reminder.

“Hey! Heeeey! Jesus fucking Christ, what're you doing? Do you want me to call the cops?” He's slurring his words like I've cracked the jawbone or a few teeth are busted out.

Good.

I rip his head up by the hair and give his head a jerk, making damned sure he realizes how easy it'll be to fuck his face up a whole lot more. I'll bounce his melon on the hard ground like a damned basketball if he doesn't start talking.

“You went down easy-peasy, so I'm gonna give you ten more seconds to explain what the fuck's going on here before I break your damned nose too. Start talking, asshole.
One...
”

“Jesus, you're Gary Sterner's son, aren't you?” The fucker tries to shake his head in disbelief. I jerk it still, making him spit blood.

“
Two.
”

“Ow! Fuck. Okay, okay! I didn't think she'd freak out like that. I decided she wasn't a good fit for our firm on the way back from a drink, and she agreed. Come on, Tyler, you've got to understand this is all just business and I didn't mean any –“

“You don't get to use my fucking name!” I rip his head backward and punch him in the temple with my other fist. “You wanna talk about respect? Start by apologizing for the shit you did!”

Fuckface howls his pain. I always keep my promises.

“Ty! No, no, no! Tyyyy!” I hear a faint sound behind me.

It's Claire, beating on the window with her palms, begging me to spare this piece of shit. Hell, I wasn't gonna kill him, just rough him the fuck up 'til I know he's
really
sorry for making her cry.

Whatever, I get it. The interrogation's over. It doesn't take a damned FBI file to piece together what's going on here.

The fuck made a move on her, she turned him down, and he threw a tantrum like the little boy he is. I've known enough overly sensitive trust fund kids in my time, and I've fought like hell all my life not to end up the same way thanks to the family wealth.

“Here's what's gonna happen – you'll pick your sorry ass up, walk into the office, and come back with a box of her stuff. Then I'm gonna watch you get in your car and drive off. Whatever the fuck you owe her, it'll be in her account tomorrow. And I'm talking about the
full
eight weeks she was supposed to be working for you assholes.” I pause. “Wait, nah, better make it
double.
I know she did good work for your sorry ass. Consider it severance pay.”

“Are you nuts? I can't do it! We're a non-profit, man, don't you get what that means!”

“Yeah, I know. Except you're raking in enough in donations for your old man to take months off at a time golfing the same swanky greens my dad wishes he had time for. Don't feed me that bullshit. I'll tell you what, having plastic surgery on your whole fuckin' face is gonna cost a whole lot more than I'm asking for Claire. You're getting off with a drop in the bucket.” I bring my lips to his ear, so close he feels the lava I'm steaming outta my mouth. “Don't let me change my mind.”

I tighten my hold on the bastard's head 'til he nods. Slowly, I let him up, and stand by his car while he runs inside. I don't give a shit if he calls security or drags his feet cleaning up the pile he laid in his damned boxers.

I'll bust his fucking windows out and wring his fucking neck if there's any funny business. If I'm going away in handcuffs for flipping my shit and protecting my girl, then I'll leave his ass with some shit that'll last a whole lot longer than any jail time for my sorry ass.

Turkey boy comes trotting out about four minutes later. He's got Claire's photos, some papers, and the little bonsai tree she kept on her desk stacked neatly in a box. He shoves it into my arms and gives me another sour look.

I point it at him while I start walking backwards toward the car, never letting the fuck outta my sight. “You keep your goddamned mouth shut, you hear? If I find out you go to the press, or try to pin this on my family, I'm gonna come back. If I find out you send Claire a dime less than she's owed, or you fuck with her in any way, you'll see me again. We'll finish what we started today, believe me. And next time there won't be any ten second grace period. Now, go the fuck home and get that jaw wired shut.”

The fucker actually sniffs. He's got hot tears in his eyes, the kind a man makes when he's shamed and beaten. Asshole doesn't realize he's lucky that's all I let him off with. A little ego stroke and an adjustment or two at the chiropractor will have him good as new.

Whatever, him and I are done. All that matters is that it's easy for Claire to say goodbye.

I throw her stuff in the trunk and then hop in the driver's seat, buckling my belt and waiting 'til her fuck of a boss drives out ahead of us.

We hit the road. She's got her face glued to the passenger window, refusing to look at me. She doesn't turn around and say a damned thing 'til we're halfway home.

“Goddamn it, Ty. I'm never going to live it down.
Never.
What you did back there...”

“What I did?” I shoot her a stern look. “Sounds to me like we outta talk about what your fucked up boss did before we get on my behavior.”

She purses her lips, but doesn't say anything. I keep pressing her.

“Just tell me what the fuck happened. I've got a pretty good idea, but I wanna hear it from you. Your text sounded happy. How did things turn to hell in ten minutes?”

“He made a move on me, Ty,” she says softly. “I turned him down. I didn't want to date him, and I wasn't interested in the long-term position he offered neither. I said no, and I guess he couldn't take it.”

Christ. The steering wheel blazes like hot iron on my hands. It takes everything I've got not to whip this car around, head to the motherfucker's house, and put him in a body bag.

“Fuck,” I growl. “I knew I should've busted his nose after all.”

Nobody fucks with my girl, and he sure as shit doesn't make a move on her. An image flashes in my mind. I pick that skinny fucker up and snap his spine across my thigh like a junk branch.

But I can't do that. We're in too damned deep. I've done my damage to the little cocksucker in the suit, and now I've gotta figure the rest out for
her.
Meanwhile, I'm still trying to comprehend
us.

Claire scrunches her eyebrows, but I can tell she's suppressing a smile. “Let's just call this done. God, now I need to worry about what I'm going to do with the rest of the summer. And explain to Mom why I've blown my first real job.”

“Don't bother. You don't need to tell anybody shit about today, babe.”

“What? Why? We can sneak into the house tonight and hide it, sure, but it'll come out by morning. She'll ask me why I'm staying home, assuming your asshole dad doesn't notice first.”

“He won't. Neither of them will. They'll have a lot more to worry about when they realize we're not home.”

I stomp the gas harder and we pick up steam. I've fucking had it. Me and this girl aren't gonna sort out shit while we're bogged down in Bellingham, pinned down by the weight of our parent's disappointment. We need to forge our own path, and I'll do anything to find it.

We're just a few more minutes from home. Claire keeps staring in stunned silence, her beautiful eyes flickering like the high summer moon.

“Ty...I'm afraid to ask what you're talking about. I can't run away with you to Canada or something. You know that?”

I snort. “You bullshitting me? I'm not a big fan of Vancouver myself. Besides, it's summer. I've got somewhere warmer in mind.”

She shakes her head again, but she doesn't protest. I watch her hands move tensely in the darkness as I push the car onward. She doesn't open her mouth 'til we drive right past the gate and keep going down our private drive. There's another gate at the end of the road, but this one has an automatic opener.

I reach up, tap it, and start humming softly to myself.

I can't believe I've let almost June slip by without a cruising the Pacific. The night lamps illuminate the family boathouse like spotlights. Pulling the car to the curb, I hit the lock and order Claire out.

“Let's go. There's already some supplies on board. We can worry about our clothes and shit later.”

“On board
what
?” She looks at me pointedly, but I'm moving. “Hey, wait up!”

I don't slow down 'til we're inside the boathouse, and I hit the automatic door opener on the way inside. The place lights up like a huge garage and the
Stingray
wakes to the light. The big white boat can easily handle ten or twenty people. For us, it's a moving palace.

My old man always hired a pro to take the wheel half the time for our outings, but I've learned to steer it myself over the years. Nothing but the best tech and several upgrades means it only takes one man to captain this sucker.

I climb up the stairs leading to the deck and look down at her with a big grin on my face.

“Come on! This thing's not gonna wait all night. We need to get a start if we wanna make some progress toward the Oregon coast by morning.”

She freezes. Her eyes go dark. For a second, I think she's gonna turn tail and run, fleeing back into the safe, fucked up world she knows.

Then she shakes her head, flipping that sugary sweet chestnut hair over her shoulder. She gives a little shrug and takes the stairs after me. I can't help but throw my arms around her once she's on the deck, smashing my lips to hers.

My hands slide down her waist, cup her ass, and squeeze. Her moan joins the thunder gushing from my throat, a voice to the demon need to take her here and now.

“Thought you said you couldn't run away?” I growl, pressing my forehead to hers, giving her one last chance to run.