Bossing the Billionaire: Billionaire Brothers Kent - Ryder's Story (The BAD BOY BILLIONAIRES Series) Page 7

  “Because I want you,” he said softly. “Because I still love you.” And then he gave her his classic Jerome Slater puppy dog look, the one that was supposed to melt her heart and make her collapse into his arms. Well, it wasn’t going to happen. Not today. Not ever.

  She was just parting her lips to tell him that when he pounced. Before she could react he’d reached out and grabbed her again and dragged her into his arms. Although he was slightly shorter than she was, he was strong, and when he clamped her arms to her sides she could not move. Then he dipped his head and captured her lips in a kiss full of possession and control.

  And it left her cold.

  When Jerome lifted his head she was panting but passion had nothing to do with it. She was panting with rage.

  “Let me go, you jerk.” She was clenching her teeth again, straining against him, trying to tear herself out of his arms.

  He was laughing now, obviously amused by her struggles. “I’ll let you go,” he said with a chuckle, “just as long as you know that you’re mine and always will be. I’ll never let you escape me again.” With those words he loosened his arms, letting her stumble back and away from him.

  “I’ll never come back to you.” She spat the words at him. “Not if you were the last man on earth.”

  Looking confident, he shook his head. “Oh, you will,” he said, his lips twisting in an acidic smile. “By the time I’m done with your reputation, no man on earth will want you but me.”

  ***

  Ryder was no great chef but he could find his way around the kitchen and he was determined that when his guests arrived he would have something reasonable to offer them. After all, this was Pequoia. You had to have a meal to offer when company came by.

  Moonwalker had sent word that he and his wife would be stopping by that evening to check on him. More like checking on the place, Ryder was sure. He knew that Blake must have asked her friend to make sure he didn’t trash the place while she was gone, or at least hadn’t pocketed whatever was of value and disappeared. He wasn’t the least bit offended that she felt she had to do that. She was being sensible, that was all. He wouldn’t have expected otherwise.

  And so, aiming to impress, he made sure the restaurant was spotless and every glass was gleaming. As it approached the hour for his visitors to arrive he set the table and even went as far as to take the vase of fabric flowers off the counter and place it in the middle of the table he'd prepared. When he looked at his handiwork he grinned. Mother Kent would be more than shocked to see her son so domesticated.

  When the bell over the front door tinkled to signal the arrival of his guests Ryder was dressed and ready to meet and greet. He loped over and opened the door and found himself staring down at a diminutive woman with brown hair and soft brown eyes to match. She was smiling up at him and in her hands was a dish of some sort, covered with a red and white checkered cloth.

  “Hello, Ryder,” she said in an easy tone as if she had known him all her life. “I thought you might like some apple pie.” She held the package out to him and when he took it her smile widened. “Walker told me you had a sweet tooth.”

  Ryder raised his eyebrows. “He did?” Then he glanced over at Moonwalker who was standing just behind his wife, a protective hand on her shoulder.

  He nodded. “Blake told me,” he said, his voice as solemn as the first time they'd met. “She said you had a weakness for sweet stuff. I heard you devoured more than half a pound cake in one sitting.”

  Ryder grimaced. “She told you that?” News certainly got around in Pequoia. Then, more than ready to change the subject, he smiled down at his benefactor. “Thank you for your thoughtful gift, Mrs.-”

  “Call me Carmela,” she said. “And you’re very welcome. Just don’t eat it all at once.”

  He shook his head. “I most certainly won’t.” Stepping aside, he ushered the couple in and by their reaction he could see he’d achieved his goal. They were looking around the room and he could tell they were impressed.

  “I’ve never seen this place look so good.” Moonwalker let out a low whistle as he stepped in. “Blake’s going to love the way you cleaned up.”

  Carmela, though, was frowning. “Did you have a cleaning crew in here? This is some major work you’ve done. What happened to the old rugs and curtains? And where’s the rickety old table that used to be under the window?”

  Ryder shrugged. “I just decided the place could do with a facelift. I found a place in the shed out back to store the old stuff not being used anymore and I gave the rest of the furniture a good cleaning. That was all they needed.”

  Carmela raised her eyebrows, her look still incredulous. “Well, I’ll be a toad's nose. Walker told me you were a strong fellow but for you to do all that by yourself? Well.” She said the last word like she disapproved.

  Ryder only smiled and waved her over to the table. “Please. Have a seat. I’ll be right back with your meal.” As they made themselves comfortable he headed off to the kitchen and within minutes was back with a tray laden with a soup tureen and bowls filled with steaming vegetables, potatoes and sweet corn. He had to go back to the oven to get his piece de resistance – roast beef garnished with baby carrots. It was one of his favorite meals and his mother had made sure that if he knew nothing else he would know how to cook this one.

  “Oh, my.” Carmela’s eyes widened as he laid the tray in front of her. “You cooked this?” She looked up at him, brown eyes wide. “By yourself?”

  She looked so surprised that Ryder had to laugh. “Sure. I’m not a total novice in the kitchen, you know. I can help myself.”

  “You can do more than that,” she gushed, then she drew in a deep breath. “This smells so good. I’m sure it’s going to be delicious.” Then she gave him a cheeky smile. “Where were you when I was looking for a husband? Walker can’t cook to save his life.”

  Moonwalker didn’t look the least bit perturbed by his wife’s comment. He just gave her a crooked grin. "The boy wasn’t even born then,” he said as he reached over and patted her arm. “Sorry, sweetheart. You’re stuck with me.”

  “Aw, shoot.” She put on a look of mock disappointment that had both men laughing.

  After that, Ryder sat down with the couple and they made short work of the meal in front of them. In fact, it wasn’t long before Ryder realized that, small though she was, Carmela could pack away a good amount of grub. She didn’t play with food. That much was clear.

  It was while they were enjoying slices of Carmela’s pie that the questions began. As friendly as Moonwalker had been all evening, from his questions it was clear that he hadn’t come to Beaumont’s to chitchat. He’d come to get answers.

  “So what really made you come to Pequoia?” he asked as he leaned back in his chair and folded his hands across his belly. “Blake gave me some crazy story about you getting lost but you can level with me. What’s your angle?”

  Time for the third degree. From the moment Moonwalker walked in the door he’d been expecting this. “No angle,” he said, his voice cool. “What you heard was true. I was on my way to Marfa and went off track. I ended up here.”

  “A lucky turn of events, if you ask me. Blake must be glad you showed up.”

  At her words, Moonwalker threw a skeptical glance his wife’s way but she didn’t seem to notice. He turned his attention back to Ryder. “On your way to Marfa, huh? Not many people head to that little town.”

  Carmela chuckled. “It’s bigger than Pequoia.”

  Looking slightly annoyed that she’d disturbed his questioning a second time, Moonwalker sighed. “Be that as it may, the question is, why would a man like you be heading for Marfa in the first place?”

  “I was on my way to Mexico and decided to check out the town. I’d heard about it lots of times but just never been there.” Ryder stared across at the older man, watching the doubt flit across his face.

  “On the way to Mexico, huh? I wonder why?” Then he cocked his head to one side as if a new tho
ught struck him. “Say, you ain’t got a job or something? A young fellow like you, just driving around the country? Seems kinda strange.”

  Ryder paused for a moment and just sat there regarding Moonwalker with narrowed gaze. He didn’t like having to answer to anyone, not about his motives or his plans. He was about to say just that when something stopped him. It was the almost imperceptible flash of concern that flickered in Moonwalker’s eyes. The man was questioning him out of concern for Blake. The least he could do was assuage his fears.

  “I own a business,” he explained. “I have competent managers, which frees me up to be away for extended periods of time.” Then he grimaced. “But this is the first time I’ve been away so long without making contact. Telegrams aren’t going to cut it.”

  Moonwalker stared back at him. “Which means?”

  “Which means I’m going to have to leave soon. As soon as Blake gets back I’ll be packing up.”

  “Oh, no. Just when we’re getting to know you. What a shame.” Carmela looked genuinely disappointed. “Blake’s going to be upset when she hears that you’re leaving.”

  “Going back to your business, huh? What kind of business is that?” Moonwalker wasn’t paying attention to his wife or her lament. Eyes narrowed, he was staring at Ryder, looking skeptical as ever.

  “The dairy business,” Ryder told him. He might as well come clean. Moonwalker would not believe him otherwise. “Ever heard of the Cozy Cow brand?”

  “Sure have. It’s all over Texas. All across the country, it’s so big. What’s that got to do with you?”

  “Let’s just say, I’ve got a stake in the business.”

  It was only then that a new light shone in Moonwalker’s eyes and this time they were glowing with respect. “So you’re a shareholder, huh? Not bad for such a young fella. It looks like you’re making some wise decisions in your youth. Not bad.” By the time he said the last word he was grinning broadly.

  “You’re just the kind of man Blake needs around here. Are you sure you have to head back so soon?” Carmela’s look was so beseeching that Ryder was tempted to change his mind. But then, who was he kidding? He couldn’t disappear in this wilderness forever. He had a business to run. Not to mention, he had to go check on his parents. Outside of a postcard he’d mailed them two days after he got to Pequoia they hadn’t heard a word from him in days.

  “Yes, ma’am, it’s time for me to go.” His tone was brisk, leaving no leeway for counter argument. “I’ve been gone too long already. I’ll tell Blake as soon as she gets back.”

  “She sent me a telegram,” Moonwalker said as he patted the left pocket of his shirt then pulled out a cigar. “She’ll be back tomorrow.”

  And as crazy as it was, at the man’s words Ryder felt his heart jerk in anticipation. He was looking forward to seeing his ‘boss’ again.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  It was good to be back. Blake couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief as she pulled into the gravelly front yard of Beaumont’s. This place had been her escape, her refuge for so many months and now it was even more than that. As ancient as the building was and as tiny and remote the town, this was the place that, for her, felt like home.

  And here, far from Dallas and the city life, there was no Jerome Slater to contend with.

  Heaving another sigh, a heavier one this time, Blake climbed out of her truck, pulled the back passenger door open and dragged her duffle bag off the seat. The second sigh had nothing to do with being home. It had everything to do with Jerome Slater and the fact that her issues with him were far from resolved.

  She slammed the back door shut and was just turning to face the building when she heard his voice. Ryder Kent, the man who had become the other source of worry in her life.

  Not that he had any idea about that. How could he know that when she hadn’t been stressed out by thoughts of the slimy snake she'd left back in Dallas, he’d been the one on her mind? And if ever there was a cause for worry, that was it. The last thing she needed right now was to start having feelings for a man, especially one who would probably be gone soon.

  Now, though, as she heard him call her name her heart gave an involuntary skip. As strange as it was, she’d missed Ryder and now that she was here she had to admit it – he was a big part of the reason she was so glad to be home.

  “Hello, stranger. Welcome back.” He’d just stepped out of the front door and was down the steps and halfway to the truck in seconds, his long legs making short work of the distance between them. And he was looking as delicious as ever, the muscles of his shoulders and abs rippling beneath the thin cotton of his white T-shirt. “How was your trip?”

  He was standing right in front of her now, so close that Blake could reach out and touch him. And she was tempted to do it. So tempted.

  But she didn’t.

  “It was…all right,” she said and tried her best to return his smile with a bright and cheerful one of her own. She failed. Miserably. The smile she gave Ryder was too shaky to fool anybody.

  Even as he took the duffle bag from her hand and slung it over his shoulder Ryder was frowning down at her. “Are you okay?”

  She tried harder and this time she managed to draw her lips into a smile. “Fine,” she said, the word sounding tight and strained. An actress, she was not. She’d always been terrible at faking her feelings.

  Ryder tilted his head toward the front door. "Come on. Let’s get you inside. We’ve got to talk.”

  Blake didn’t even bother to object. What was the use? She’d had a terrible time in Dallas and Ryder could see it all over her face. She’d gone there thinking she could bully Jerome into retracting his statements, only to find out that she’d fallen for his ploy. Everything he’d said had been designed to bring her back to Dallas and the devious devil’s plan had worked. Except that she hadn’t stuck around for him to dig his claws any deeper into her. She got out of there fast and she made sure he had no idea where she'd disappeared to. Pequoia was the one place she could go and feel safe.

  But still, it was so depressing, knowing that Jerome had won this round. From here on she would be careful. He would never get a second chance to get the better of her.

  “What’s on your mind?” They were inside now and Ryder was watching her, his dark eyes skimming her face. “There’s something troubling you. Want to talk about it?” He was pulling out a chair for her even as he let the duffle bag slide off his shoulder and onto the floor.

  Blake grimaced. She didn’t feel much like talking but from the look in Ryder’s eyes she could tell he wasn’t going to take that for an answer. He knew something was up and she could see he wasn’t going to let her go without some kind of explanation. She drew in her breath then slid onto the seat he was offering her. She waited while he took the chair across from her. It was while she was waiting for him that she looked up and noticed something. The place looked different…in a good sort of way.

  She frowned and sat up in her chair then turned and looked around. “What have you done with the place?” she asked. “It looks…new.” She looked around some more and realized there was no threadbare rug on the floor. There were no faded curtains in the windows. Those windows that had been so covered with desert dust you couldn’t see through them were now gleaming bright and so clear you could look through and see for miles in the distance.

  “How the heck did you get this place to look so good? I’ve been scrubbing those windows for months.” She turned back to stare at Ryder. “You just removed decades worth of dust in days. How did you do it?”

  Ryder gave a soft chuckle. “I gained a couple more muscles in the process.”

  Blake nodded slowly. “I can see that.” And she really could. Maybe it was all in her head but it really did look like his shoulders had gotten broader and the muscles of his arms had grown harder since she’d left town.

  “But enough about that.” Ryder sat forward in his chair, his dark eyes focused on her. “I thought you would come back upbeat after
your trip to Dallas. Instead, you look like you’ve got more worries now than before you left. What gives?”

  She paused, wondering how she could assuage his curiosity without giving away too much. Then she drew in a steadying breath and began. “It’s my ex business partner. The one who made me walk away from my business and leave Dallas. I got word that he’s been spreading vicious rumors about me. All lies.” The anger rising in her as the memory flooded back, she'd begun to clench her fists as she spoke and she had to make an effort to release the tension that was taking hold of her. “I rushed back to Dallas, thinking I could put a stop to it but he was smart. He made sure that everything he said about me were just insinuations. There was nothing concrete. Nothing I could use to nail him to the wall.”

  “Insinuations about what? Something damaging to your reputation?”

  “You got that right. The bastard made it seem like the reason I left town was because I’d dipped into company funds.” She expelled her breath in a frustrated rush. “I still can’t believe it. He made it look like I was guilty of the very thing he’d done. He was the one who embezzled money from the company.”

  Eyes narrowed, Ryder stared at her and for a moment he said nothing, obviously shocked by what she’d just told him. “You were in partnership with this man?” he asked, his tone serious.

  “Yes.”

  “And he stole from the company yet you were the one who left town. Why?”

  Blake didn’t look at Ryder. She dropped her gaze and stared at her clasped hands as they rested on the table. To hear him say it, it sounded so stupid. It was usually the guilty party who skipped town, not the innocent one. Any sane person would ask the very question that Ryder was asking.

  And that was part of the problem. The fact that she’d suddenly left town had made it so easy for Jerome to fabricate stories. “I had my reasons,” she said, her voice low. How could she tell him how shocked and hurt she’d been when she found out how her husband-to-be had betrayed her trust? How could she share the fact that she’d been utterly devastated? She shook her head. “I trusted him,” she said simply, “with all my heart. When he turned around and stabbed me in the back I couldn’t deal with it. Maybe I should have stayed to fight it out with him but at the time I couldn’t. It was just…too much.”