Wrong (Breaking the Rules) (28 page)

After we dried off, he helped me into an oversized t-shirt. Careful not to put my weight on my wrist, I sank into his soft bed. Sliding in next to me, he curled his body against mine. Sweeping the hair from my neck, he softly placed kisses all over my neck as if to kiss away every bruise. Finally, I rolled over onto my back and looked into his eyes.

“Make love to me Jordan,” I spoke lightly.

“But you’re injured. I think we should wait until you’re healed,” he suggested, not sounding completely convinced.

I bit down on my lip, attempting to suppress any more tears from falling. Quite frankly, I was tired of crying.

“Okay,” I agreed, trying to appease him, and turned back on my side. A stupid tear rolled out, wetting the pillow underneath me.

He groaned from behind me. “Fuck that. Come here, babe. I’ll be gentle,” he promised and I grinned, letting him pull me onto my back.

Sitting up, he delicately lifted up my shirt up over my breasts. He leaned over and placed soft kisses on my bruised nipple before moving over to the uninjured one, sucking it into his mouth. I whimpered because now I really wanted him. Sliding my legs around his hips, I urged him closer. Pulling away from kissing my breasts, he looked into my eyes as he slid himself into me.

“Oh Jordan,” I gasped as he filled me to the hilt. We stayed in this position a moment. He was so beautiful and perfect. I loved every single thing about him.

When he grinned at me, I melted like I did every time. Dipping down, he kissed me, soft at first, and then it became a series of hungry sucks and licks. I couldn’t seem to get enough of his taste. He began pumping into me with quick thrusts, and I found myself getting close to an orgasm.

“God, Elizabeth, I’m going to come,” he moaned into my mouth.

I whimpered as my body started shuddering with my climax, and I felt him immediately pump his own into me. Careful not to hurt me, he rested on his elbows above me.

“I love you. Move in with me. There’s no reason for you to have to go back to that room. Too many bad memories. Please, I want you here with me every night,” he pleaded.

I tossed around his words in my mind before answering. We loved each other. I could still be an independent woman who loved her man. Who lived with her man.

“Yes, I will move in with you. I love you too.”

All day yesterday, Jackson, Bray, and I had moved Elizabeth’s personal belongings to my apartment. Andi and Olive had stayed glued to her side on the sofa, only getting up to make her something to eat, grab a blanket, or help her to the bathroom. Elizabeth hated being doted over, but deep down she’d needed that from her friends after the terrifying event they had gone through together on Friday.

Today, we were keeping it low key at my apartment. I’d rented some movies and we stayed in bed all day. Late in the afternoon, Sandra called Elizabeth to check on her. She and Calvin were going to come by later and bring supper. A knock on the door woke us from a nap and I went to the door to let them in.

“Jordie!” Sandra exclaimed, giving me a huge hug.

“Hi, Sandra. What lovely food did you cook for us today?” I asked, trying to peek in the sack she had in one hand.

“Jordan Compton. Get your hands out of there,” she chided and playfully pushed me away, heading into the kitchen.

Calvin walked up to me and pulled me into a hug.

“I can never thank you enough, Jordan. My Elizabeth’s lucky to have someone like you,” he whispered, his voice catching before he backed away. I nodded and grinned at him.

“I’m the lucky one, sir. She’s everything to me.”

Blinking back his tears, he smiled back.

“Good, because if you don’t take care of my daughter, I’ll kill you,” he teased, walking into the kitchen.

I followed him in there, noticing that Elizabeth had already snuck into the kitchen and was seated at the table, watching Sandra put food on the plates.

“What do you want to drink, babe?” I asked, kissing her forehead. She smiled at me, the sexy one that made me want to drag her back into the bedroom. I didn’t know if she knew the effect she had on me.

“How about a shot of whiskey?” she joked, making Calvin frown at her.

“How about no. Whiskey doesn’t mix well with hydrocodone. I’ll make you a soda instead,” I told her.

Calvin chuckled from behind me. After everyone was seated, we began eating.

“Sandra, you outdo yourself every meal. Are you sweet on me?” I asked, earning a blush from her.

Calvin rolled his eyes, and Elizabeth laughed.

“No, seriously. You need your own cooking show or something. Your food is absolutely delicious. You and my mother would get along fabulously. She’s a great cook as well,” I confided, which received a smile from Sandra. Elizabeth was beaming at me, and I knew I was earning major brownie points.

“Suck up,” she said, sticking her tongue out.

On Monday, I sat in the conference room with Jackson, Joel, AJ, Pete from the SEC, and Trent.

“Okay, Pete. Give it to me straight. What’s our next move?” I asked, eager to get a move on things.

“Mr. Compton, after working with AJ, I think we have a solution. I’m glad you brought in your financial planner so we can talk this out all at once,” Pete said, passing out a spreadsheet to each of us. “As you can see, I have listed out every single company that has deposited into the fraudulent shell account and how much. Out beside it, you’ll see if they made their money back or not. The ones without a figure in that column need to be paid back their original investment. If you can do this before year end, you’ll be able to start the new tax year fresh,” he explained as we all looked over the sheet.

“Pete,” Trent began, “according to this, by the time Compton Enterprises pays out to everyone, the company will be completely wiped out of any operating capital. Without working capital, they will not be able to pay their employees or their bills. Is there any other way around this?”

Pete sighed, and my heart sank.

“Unfortunately, Trent, this is what needs to be done to keep the SEC happy. There will still be lawsuits involved, but at least those will be Compton Enterprises against Nadia Compton. We’ve got quite the case against her, and she’ll be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I hate to have to put your company in a precarious position, but it must be done. Surely you have some personal funds you can inject back into the company?” he asked.

Trent just shook his head, and I frowned. We didn’t have nearly enough of what it took to run a large company like ours.

“Trent, don’t worry about it. Jackson and I have come to terms that this will most likely dissolve our company. Just help us pay out like we are required to do. We’ll pick up the pieces where they fall. I’ll call a staff meeting tomorrow and prepare the employees. As long as I give them warning, they’ll find jobs in time. I’ll write them all letters of recommendation” I assured him.

“Jordan, your ability to keep a positive attitude amazes me. I’m so sorry for this, buddy,” he said sadly. I just nodded at him as my heart ached for the employees who were about to lose their jobs.

“Okay, it’s settled. Let’s get to work on distributing these funds today,” Pete said, pulling out his laptop.

We spent the rest of the day tirelessly going through the list and depleting the company of its funds one wire transfer at a time.

Towards the end of the day, Andi came into the conference room.

“Jordan, Mr. Jennings is on the line for you. He said it was urgent that he talked to you,” she said, nervous about interrupting our intense meeting.

“Patch him through.” When the phone on the conference room table started ringing, I answered. “Jordan Compton.”

“Jordan, it’s Lou. I thought you were going to wait to pay out on those funds. The bank just called to tell me the balance had been wired. You said you couldn’t afford to send it all,” he said in complete wonder.

“Sir, I’m actually in a meeting with the SEC right now and his suggestion was to pay everyone back immediately.”

“But, Jordan, where does that leave you?”

“Well, Lou, I’ll be honest. We’re screwed. I’m going to have a meeting tomorrow with the staff and prepare them for the closure of Compton Enterprises. I’ve got plenty of great people to send your way if you’re looking for support staff,” I said, sighing.

“This is bullshit!” Lou growled into the phone.

My thoughts exactly.
“Sir, it must be done.”

“We’re on our way. See you in fifteen minutes,” he said, hanging up.

Jackson looked up at me expectantly.

“Looks like Lou is coming up here for some reason,” I told him, shrugging my shoulders.

Turning my attention back to Pete, we continued down the list. Fifteen minutes later almost on the dot, a red-faced Lou burst into the conference room with Calvin hot on his heels.

“What’s this bullshit?” he demanded to Pete since he was sitting right beside me. Pete glanced at me and I just nodded my approval to tell him.

“Well, sir, we’re paying out to all of the investors and unfortunately it will bankrupt this company.”

“Unfortunately? That’s your word. It fucking sucks,” he roared. “All of these employees are about to lose their jobs. Two bright young men are about to have the company they’ve worked hard to take control of after their father selfishly killed himself yanked out from underneath them. All you can say is ‘unfortunately’?” he asked.

Pete sat quietly, sensing that Lou wasn’t finished.

“How much?” he asked.

We all glanced at one another, not following where he was going with all of this.

“How much will it take, Jordan, to keep the company afloat? I want to invest,” he said simply to me.

“Sir, that’s really not necessary. We realize that this is our fate and—” I started to explain but Trent interrupted.

“Five million will get them through the next few months, which will allow them to recover with the new jobs they have on the books. I can invest a million.”

I stared at him, completely astonished.

“I’ll invest a million,” Calvin chimed in behind Lou, and my jaw dropped.

“I’ve got close to a million in my trust that I’ll throw in,” Jackson said, sitting up in his chair. “You’ve probably got about the same, right?”