Boss Alpha: Boss #5 Read online

  But times like these, I just wanted to fuck her.

  * * *

  My arms were secure around her waist, and I placed kisses at the back of her neck as she stood under the running water. Drops splashed across her beautiful skin, and I licked them away with my tongue. Her audible breaths were nonexistent because the falling water drowned out the sound.

  My hands explored her body like l’d never touched her before. My caresses were loving, an apology for the way I’d gripped her so violently before. I still wanted to remain in charge, but now I just wanted to feel her.

  Kiss her.

  Touch her.

  Love her.

  She turned around and faced me, the water hitting the back of her hair and washing away the conditioner. When her makeup was washed away and her hair was flat, she didn’t look like the same executive in charge of a multibillion-dollar company. She just looked like a woman, a soft and beautiful one. I adored her authoritative fire, but her subtle simmer was equally as fascinating to me.

  She was gorgeous.

  My hand moved to her neck, and I could feel her gentle pulse throbbing against my fingertip. She was calm, her heart rate slow and peaceful. I liked to feel the life in her veins. I liked to feel her moods when she was with me. Once my lips were on her skin, her body kicked into overdrive. But when we experienced a quiet moment together, like this one, she was perfectly comfortable.

  I stepped under the water, fisted her wet hair, and kissed her.

  I was satisfied from fucking her so fiercely. She was satisfied with my performance.

  But I always wanted more.

  I wished I could have all of her.

  I tasted the water on her mouth when our tongues danced together. The water cascaded down both of our bodies, enclosing us in a hiding place where no one would ever find us. Her plump, soft lips felt erotic against mine. I could kiss her forever. I’d never kissed a woman this way in my entire life. I didn’t just feel arousal with her, but overwhelming passion. I constantly wanted more even though I’d already taken everything. Her heart rate quickened, and my breathing escalated. Her body was molded to mine, her soft tits pressing against my hard chest. Her nipples hardened against me. I could feel the tips as they puckered. My muscular arms wrapped around her petite frame, and I squeezed her tighter against me.

  Minutes passed and it continued. I didn’t have an end game in mind with this. I wouldn’t mind making love to her, but that wasn’t my goal. I just wanted to kiss her, to enjoy her. I wanted to feel her in my arms, to feel her shiver at my touch.

  Being in love did crazy things to me. It turned me into a different man. It softened my hard edges. It changed my priorities. Money and power didn’t seem so important anymore, not unless it made my woman happy. I’d wanted to rule this world alone, but once I’d met the perfect queen, I realized I wanted to share the throne with someone else.

  I sucked her bottom lip into my mouth before I finally ended the embrace. My eyes looked into hers, seeing the same love that was burning in my heart. Her passion matched mine, if not exceeded it. I would do anything for this woman, and I knew she would do anything for me. No matter what the outside world did to either of us, we were always loyal to each other. Nothing could shake our commitment to one another. Even when she questioned my motives and struggled to trust me, she still had my back.

  That was real love.

  I cupped both of her cheeks and brushed my nose against hers. “I love you.” Maybe it was something I shouldn’t say since she had committed to Thorn, but I didn’t give a damn. A real man didn’t hide his feelings for the woman he loved. Whether she could handle it or not, I was going to speak my mind. I was looking at the most amazing woman in the world, and my heart was singing.

  Her eyes shifted back and forth as she looked into mine, and she didn’t surround herself with any walls. She remained vulnerable to me, connected to me as we stood under the running water. When we were away from the public, we were bound together even more tightly. Our love was uninterrupted. “I love you too.”

  I pressed my forehead to hers and closed my eyes, feeling the undeniable connection between us. It was difficult to see her during the day, both of us dressed in our expensive clothes with executive pretenses, when all I wanted to do was be real with her. When I walked into her office, the first thing I wanted to do was kiss her. When reporters snooped into my personal life, I wanted to tell them I was in love with Tatum Titan. When I went out with the guys, I wanted to wear a band on my left hand so women wouldn’t waste their time with me. I wanted to be transparent with my affection, wear my heart on my sleeve.

  One day I would have that. I just had to be patient.

  We got out of the shower, dried off, and then got into bed. I was in my boxers, and she pulled out one of my t-shirts from the drawer. It must have been one I left behind because I didn’t remember giving it to her.

  It looked better on her than it did on me anyway.

  I lay beside her in bed and hooked her leg over my waist. Face-to-face on the pillow, we stared at each other. I hadn’t slept through the night with her in months. It used to be a regular occurrence, but now those days were over.

  I missed them.

  I didn’t bother trying to stick around anymore either. She always asked me to leave, and that routinely pissed me off. That left things on bad terms, and I hated ending things that way every night. “You’re damn beautiful, you know that.”

  Her eyes softened the same way they always did when I gave her an unexpected compliment. Her hand rested against my chest, and she brushed her palm against the hard muscles of my pectorals. “You’re sweet.”

  “Just honest. Sometimes that makes me sweet. Sometimes it makes me an asshole.”

  “You’re never an asshole to me.”

  “Because you’re beautiful.” My fingers explored her waistline underneath her t-shirt.

  “I think there’s more to it than that…”

  I kissed the corner of her mouth. “Because I’m in love with you.”

  Her eyes softened again.

  I knew I was making the evening intense with my confessions, but I wasn’t going to downplay my feelings for this woman. All I could do was change the subject. “How’d it go with Kyle?”

  Her fingers brushed across my skin to the center of my sternum. “He came by the office this afternoon. We sat down for a few hours and discussed our options.”

  “And did you feel good about it?”

  “I did,” she whispered. “He can give me exactly what I want, and I can give him exactly what he wants. He didn’t mention Vincent, which was a relief. I wouldn’t have known what to say to him if he had.”

  “Nothing to discuss.”

  “So we’re moving forward. It would be nice to get in everywhere that Vincent mentioned, but I’m just glad to start somewhere. It’s always been one of my biggest goals. If it weren’t for you, it wouldn’t be happening.”

  My thumb swiped across her belly button. “It would still happen. Just not right now.”

  A warm smile spread across her lips. “This deal was really important to me…thank you for making it happen.”

  “My father can fuck with me, but he can’t fuck with you.” And he would definitely be coming after me soon enough. Kyle probably turned down his offer just a few hours ago. He was probably gripping the edge of his desk with his teeth on edge.

  She explored my hard stomach with her fingertips, feeling the grooves in between the muscles. She loved the strength of my body, the way I was packed with muscle but without fat. I had a protein shake for breakfast, a protein-packed salad for lunch, and I hit the gym every day. I didn’t care that much about my health. But I cared about making her legs shake when I was buried deep inside her.

  She eyed my body with a lustful expression in her gaze. Her fingertips trailed farther down until she found the outline of my cock through my boxers. She rubbed her fingers along my length and gave my shaft a gentle squeeze before she rolled me t
o my back. She climbed on top of me, pulled down my shorts to expose my length, and then inserted my dick inside her.

  I lay back and gripped her hips, enjoying her slick pussy as much as I had that tight asshole. I loved fucking her, but I loved it when she took me when she felt like it. She knew exactly what she wanted, and she wasn’t afraid to make her intentions known. She rode my dick like a pro, her eyes locked on me.

  I was definitely a lucky man.

  4

  Titan

  “Maybe we should have the wedding on Martha’s Vineyard,” Liv, Thorn’s mother, said. “It’s so beautiful there. Thomas and I go every summer when the flowers are at their finest.”

  “Not a bad idea,” Thomas said. “Or we do a beach wedding. Everyone likes those.”

  I drank my wine and looked out the window to see people passing in their heavy coats. The restaurant was warm, with fireplaces spaced around the room. Dates enjoyed each other’s company over candlelight and a nice bottle of wine. The distant sound of forks tapping against the plates filled the room. The conversation carried on, but I didn’t focus my attention on it. I thought about a lot of things, like my new relationship with Kyle Livingston, what Vincent Hunt would do in retaliation, and what my lover was doing right now…Diesel Hunt. Every time he said he loved me, I immediately said it back. Every time he kissed me, I kissed him back harder.

  “I don’t care where we get married.” Thorn had his arm draped over the back of my chair. He didn’t directly touch me, but he was deeply affectionate whenever we were in public. Now that we were engaged, he touched me more often. For most of the evening, his hand had rested on my thigh. He was in slacks and a dark blue collared shirt, his powerful physique stretching the fabric in masculine ways. “I just care about the honeymoon.”

  Thomas laughed at his son’s crude comment.

  Liv smiled then covered up her smirk with a sip of her wine.

  I was only partially paying attention.

  “What are your thoughts?” Liv asked, her gaze directed at me.

  I quickly swallowed my wine and tried to pretend I’d been engaged in the conversation the entire time. “I wouldn’t mind something simple. All I really care about is the dress. An outdoor wedding would be preferable.” This was the only wedding I would ever have, so I should put more effort into it. Our children would see pictures someday. But it was hard for me to get truly excited when we weren’t in love. I wouldn’t question Thorn’s happiness or mine on the big day because I knew we loved each other so deeply, but I knew that love would never be passionate…not like the kind I had with Hunt.

  “Then it should be on Martha’s Vineyard,” Liv said. “What do you think?”

  That sounded fine enough. “Sure. What do you think, Thorn?”

  He shrugged. “Like I said, I only care about the honeymoon.” His wineglass was empty, so he helped himself to mine.

  If we were alone, I’d swat his hand away.

  “Then it’s settled,” Liv said. “I know of a great wedding planner out there who can help us out.” She looked like a springtime flower that was blooming after a cold winter. She was over the moon that her eldest son was getting married. He was the first one in the family to do it. “We need to work on your wedding dress next.”

  “I’ll talk to Connor Suede about it,” I said. “I’m sure he could design something wonderful.”

  Thorn nodded in agreement. “He really understands how to highlight your natural beauty.” He turned to me with a handsome smile.

  “Thanks,” I said.

  Liv smiled at the two of us. “You guys are so great together. Sometimes you just know when two people are going to be together for the rest of their lives.”

  Thorn and I hadn’t even kissed each other, and we spent our time in bed with other people. But we did have a powerful connection between us. Even if we never married, he would always be a significant person in my life. To me, he was family. “I think so too.”

  “What about kids?” his mother pressed. “That’s happening soon, right?”

  “Liv,” Thomas said quietly. “Let them get married first and see how it goes…”

  Liv looked slightly embarrassed but couldn’t cover up her excitement.

  Thorn addressed it. “We want to have kids pretty soon. Titan feels like she’s getting old, and I’m ready to start a family.”

  Liv looked like the happiest mother in the world. “Oh…that’s so wonderful.” She covered her mouth with her hands as tears sprung in her eyes.

  Thomas smiled, unable to hide his excitement. “Well, you know that makes us very happy.”

  I was grateful my kids would have wonderful grandparents. Thorn’s parents were very sweet. They were a little too involved in Thorn’s life, but that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. I didn’t have any relatives, so I was glad my kids would have a strong family of grandparents and uncles.

  “So right after the wedding, then?” Liv asked.

  “Pretty much.” Thorn turned to me with a grin on his face. “Maybe we’ll start on the honeymoon.”

  “Maybe.” That didn’t sound like a bad idea. The whole reason we were getting married was so I could start our family. No reason to wait.

  Thorn winked. “This trip is gonna be awesome.”

  * * *

  Kyle sat across from me in the conference room at Stratosphere. “China is the biggest retailer in the world. America comes in a close second, but in terms of actual items sold, it’s further down the list. But since the prices are much higher elsewhere, that’s why they compete so well.”

  “I agree.”

  “I think we should start your products in the high-end stores and market them as luxury items. Beauty is a big deal for a lot of women there, and they want the best product out there. But we’ll have to redo the label to serve this demographic better. While it’s sleek and elegant for the American market, it clashes with the Chinese audience.”

  “Makes sense. I can have my team put something together.”

  “I was actually thinking my team would come up with something,” he said. “Since we work in that space a lot. How about I bring it to you and ask for your opinion, then we can go from there? I assumed you would be handling my marketing as well since you understand this field so much better than I do.”

  That was fair. “I think it’s a good plan.”

  “Awesome.” He closed his tablet and organized his papers before he dropped them into his bag. “I think this is going to be a great partnership. Hunt speaks so highly of you, which is strange because he doesn’t seem to have anything nice to say about anyone.”

  I smiled as I rose to my feet. “He’s a bit grouchy sometimes.”

  Kyle chuckled and walked with me to the door. “There’s obviously something about you that doesn’t make him grouchy.”

  We walked to the lobby where our four assistants were working, taking phone calls and working on spreadsheets.

  “Do you know who his mystery woman is, by the way?” Kyle stopped walking as he adjusted his satchel over his shoulder.

  Right at that moment, the elevator doors opened and Hunt emerged, looking sleek and deadly in his black suit with his matching hair. He stepped onto the floor like owned the whole building, not just half of it. His eyes were only on me, as if Kyle and the four assistants weren’t even there.

  As always, my heart soared like a bird that just took flight.

  “I’m sorry, I don’t,” I said to Kyle. “Hunt and I don’t discuss our personal lives.”

  “That doesn’t surprise me.” Kyle turned to Hunt when he approached us. “Hunt.” He shook his hand.

  Hunt reciprocated before he placed his hands in his pockets. “Business going well?”

  “It is,” Kyle said. “You were right about Titan. She’s got an incredible mind.”

  It was nice to hear a compliment once in a while. Men were usually intimidated or annoyed by my success. They put me down rather than praised me. Maybe being associated with Hunt had ch
anged people’s perception of me. After Hunt declared war against Bruce Carol, the industry knew not to cross him. And since he did business with me…they shouldn’t cross me either. I didn’t need his shadow to protect me, but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t nice getting this kind of respect.

  “She does.” Hunt turned his gaze on me. As if Kyle weren’t standing right there, he gave me that typical possessive look. He clearly didn’t give a damn if anyone picked up on it.

  If Kyle paid a little more attention, he would have the answer to the question he’d just asked me.

  “I’ll see you later.” Kyle shook my hand before he walked away. “Having lunch with the wife before the kids get out of school.”

  “Enjoy your alone time while you can,” I said.

  “Will do.” He waved then got into the elevator.

  Hunt and I stepped into the conference room, and he shut the door behind us even though I preferred to keep it open. Anytime we were in public but not visible, I was high-strung. Hunt didn’t respect boundaries. If anything, he wanted to be caught in the act.

  I purposely moved to the other side of the table so there would be a solid barrier in between us.

  He stood with his hands in pockets, his heavy gaze centered right on me. When he was dressed like that, sexy in all black, it was hard not to think about stripping everything off and throwing it to the floor. Images of us in bed together came to mind, the sweat, the moans, the orgasms…like they were plastered on a TV screen. I couldn’t be close to him without sex crossing my mind. I couldn’t touch him without thinking about the way he told me he loved me.

  My brain turned into a fried egg.

  He watched me like he was witnessing all of those thoughts for himself.

  Maybe we needed to screw every morning and every night so these tense encounters wouldn’t happen anymore. Or maybe they would just make us want each other more. Judging by the shameless way he eye-fucked me, it probably wouldn’t make a difference.