CRUZ: Billionaire Bonded Romance Suspense (Illicit Book 4) Read online

  I rather enjoyed being vulnerable to him, letting him know that I trusted him. The length of my back was pressed back into his solid warm torso shield. I fell asleep spread open and tied down, completely vulnerable and for the first time securely safe. A warm suffusion of happiness was the last thing I remembered before tumbling into sleep.

  Chapter FIVE

  During the night I woke up, feeling precious and cosseted by his arms. The stranger was still entwined around me, holding me safe as though he was afraid of someone breaking into the apartment in the night and stealing me away from him. It was adorable, almost childlike, how he was resting on my naked breast. except the man was a machine, the rippled taut skin of hews arms was more powerful that the hugest boxer. What I noticed was the calm peace spread across his face for the first time. I drowsed back to sleep feeling unbelievably happy and totally invigorated for my interview in just a few hours.

  “What the fuck girlfriend, you made me breakfast?” my roommate Bo's incredulous voice blasted from the kitchen, dragging me back into the conscious world from sleep.

  “I didn't know you could plug in a teakettle. And whoa-what-the-fuck too much information.” He'd come to the bedroom door and reeled back in shock horror, shading his eyes with his hand that did not conceal the filthy huge grin on his face. I yanked the coverlet across my lower body, trying to recover from embarrassment.

  “Get out of here, Bo. If you're going to chortle over my kinky, at least bring me a coffee.”

  “Sure thing.” He disappeared back to the kitchen while I stretched my neck to look down at my body and tried to force back memories. Bo was the only person in the world I'd trust to see me like this and as he'd said—What the fuck?

  My legs were spread open and both my ankles were again tied to the bed. One arm was still bound to the headboard while the other had been freed. My mystery lover was well and truly gone however and the empty feeling that exploded in my chest took my breath away. I hadn't said goodbye. I hadn't been allowed to fill my sight with him and imprint his image on my memory. Bo was back already, holding a huge tray in two hands.

  “That was fast. How'd you manage that?”

  I was sitting up and loosening the ties at my feet. The knots were amazingly complicated and like artwork. Instead of untying them all, I reached into the bedside table for scissors and snipped the single strand of rope so the nucleus of knot was intact. I held it in my hand like a jewel. All I had left of him.

  “It was all set out on the counter top. I thought you did it to surprise me.”

  He laid the tray on the bed that held bagels with cream cheese and smoked salmon speckled with tiny mounds of caviar, my favorite almond croissants and a pile of perfect huge strawberries, the top ones coated in black and white chocolate. Plus a cafetiere of french coffee whose delicious woody aroma was filling the room and a crystal flute of champagne. None of these things had been located in my kitchen.

  “Then I saw the fizz was Moet which I know is slightly out of your bubble bracket at the moment. Ann-nnd, there's a note.”

  Bo was waggling a small piece of card elegantly edged in gold that he whipped from my reach.

  “Give me that. What does it say?”

  “It saay -yezzz, Thank you. Cruise.” Bo had settled himself on the bed. We often lay side by side with ice cream and Netflix.

  “What else?” I grabbed the piece of card from my inquisitive roomie and examined it for clues.

  That was all. Thank you. And his signature, Cruz. So at least I could say I knew his name. I hadn't been tied up and ravaged to the fullest extent by a stranger who was anonymous.

  Cruz.

  “Come on. Out with it right now. Who is Cruise, what have you done with him and hashtag hallo, when's he coming back for his rope?”

  “You cannot imagine, Bo.”

  “By the look on your face I think I might be able to take a good guess. I didn't know you were courting.”

  My face colored enough to let him know it wasn't exactly like that.

  “Hashtag 'Hookup'? Well good for you, about time. He must have been hot though because that insta-booty thing is seriously not your style.”

  “I did a lot of things last night that aren't my style. And now I'm absolutely ravenous.”

  I stuffed a bagel into my mouth and swallowed it down like a starving urchin.

  “And ravished. And ravishing. Wow, women really do glow after good sex.”

  “It was amazing, you cannot imagine and it's not what you think. I mean I'm tied up but it wasn't just kinky like when I let Bradley, speaking of the devil, I saw him last night.”

  “Oh no, I thought you were staying well away from that poison dwarf.”

  “I meant to but he was at Victory and I never thought he'd be so coarse. Cruz took him out in one. And then, oh my god, he's got a car like the Batmobile that I've never even heard of and he spent hours tying each arm. Just look at the knots, it's like art.”

  “Shibari,” Bo said, nodding sagely, gazing down at the knot I'd saved sitting in his palm.

  “She what?'

  “Japanese rope bondage, very sexy. Your Cruise sounds like a bit of a loaded missile.”

  “Oh my god, my interview's at eleven and I look like a flop house floozie.”

  I ran into the bathroom and Bo stayed on the bed, eating pastry and strawberries while I showered.

  “So when are you seeing him again?' he called.

  That was a bigger mystery and anxiety-inducing. The man had vanished like a ghost and who knew what that meant. He hadn't said goodbye or asked for my number, but had gone to all the trouble to get the finest delicacies to eat when I woke up. He was an endless trail of mystery. Would I see him again?

  “There's something different about this one, Bo. He's so stunningly gorgeous and a gazillionaire that could have any woman in the world but he picked me.”

  “And why wouldn't he. You may not be a wealthy woman in your own right, yet, but you're stunning enough that any man should be glad to have you. How many times did I tell you that when you were letting that prick Brad try to make you feel not good enough so he could build his own tiny prick ego?”

  “I have a hard time believing that with all my soul. But he genuinely seemed to be into me. He's odd though, so sensitive but with an iron body. He's superhuman strong, you should have seen how he dropped Bradley to the floor.”

  “That wimp out. I could take the pussy down myself and you know I can't stand violence.”

  “But Cruz is kind of fragile. Most of the night he held me safe but I woke up and he was snuggled into me so happily, like at last he'd found some calm. It made me kind of sad to see that pain exposed. I think he's somehow broken, something happened that he can't return to.”

  “Love alert. This guy has really gotten under your skin.”

  “Don't be daft, of course it's not love. But you can't experience a night like last night and not let it get to you. Now how do I look?”

  “Gorgeous as usual. Just undo one of those top buttons. You're not applying for a job as a school marm.”

  I had to run all the way down Eighth Avenue to the new offices of the charitable foundation. I was panting with barely time to compose myself before Harlow Sanderson was ready for me. Thankfully it was only her taking the interview. I'd done my research and of course I'd heard about the famous Cole Winter, owner of Illicit and also founder of the charity along with other businesses. He was a man I would have been quivering to meet, before I'd encountered Cruz.

  Now I could barely stay focused on my goal. My eyes irresistibly drawn to the huge loft window in Harlow's office to stare out at the bluest sky. Every couple of minutes I looked down at the purse at my feet just to check the beautiful flower sculpture knot sitting on top and my body shivered with longing. Come on girl, get your focus on and show how hungry you are for this job. You need it far more urgently that you need an awesome lover.

  I tore my eyes away from gazing at outer space, the clouds lolling in th
e sky and focused on proving my value. But my chest lurched every time those stunning features came into my mind, which occurred regularly about every ten seconds.

  Chapter SIX

  Cruz

  I do not do this. Ever.

  I don't have sex with women. Not like that. Not since Japan. I might hurt them. Did I hurt her ramming her so hard? I will never forgive myself if I did.

  It was overwhelming the need to be inside her, I have no clue why I wanted her with such insatiable appetite. Why didn't I simply tie her into a bouquet like the others? Not since the last one have I come close to hunger like that. And that time I held back, allowed Kennedy to take the lead before I lost control.

  Waking up with a woman in the morning was bad enough. The sweet aroma of her sex clung around her body making my dick rise wild for her again. But the feeling clinging to me as I came out of sleep during the night was terrifying. I was entwined around her smooth, firm but soft body with my head in her breasts and I had never known such contentment.

  Where did that come from? That soft safety with a total stranger? A woman I'd ravaged with my tongue delving into every last crease of her perfect body. Making her totally mine, watching her, feeling her lose control of her mind and body completely underneath me. It was divine, she was incredible and I could have taken her over and over. A woman I could keep forever but that is totally out of the question. Just not going to happen.

  I had to slap down my cock and get away. Out of that apartment and away from the power of her soft curves and angelic sweet face.

  But as soon as the relief of the street hit me and I knew I was free, I missed her presence. The way she'd stayed tied all night without whining and gave me her body willingly. When I passed the French patisserie, it made me want to pleasure her again in another way. I wanted her to know she was worthwhile, not a one night fuckfest. Lucky I wasn't strolling past Tiffany right then or it would have been a diamond bracelet that I left on her breakfast tray. She deserves the world on a plate but I'm not the one capable of giving it to her. I can't do it.

  Put her out of your mind.

  Dani

  Cole came dashing into the office during my interview with Harlow and holy high water, he was as gorgeous as the photos I'd sourced online during interview research, with a body built for sin. If I hadn't just been well satiated by Cruz I'd have been tongue-tied bowled over with the man for my fantasies. But then I noticed how he looks at Harlow. They just about ignited the room simply speaking about a phone call and a meeting that afternoon with someone to finalize the Rio opening. No amount of formal business attire could ever disguise their intense passion for each other.

  She glowed like a candle while he looked at her—his eyes sparked like the 4th just landing on her body. He barely registered me, part pent up about some new club that's giving them competition and especially the asshole that owns it. Mostly he was engrossed in his girl so that she had to indicate me with her eyes in case he lost it and threw her across his desk in front of me. He pulled himself together with a huge effort to introduce himself and shake my hand. A serious gorgeous hunk of man, it was amazing to observe him completely in love to the point of distraction.

  After he'd filled her in and left in another whirl of energy, Harlow looked back at me as like an amnesiac. She had totally wiped out the thread of our interview and was on full passion alert. Confounded by the interruption, with thrills of energy pulsing through her. She looked at me, frantically stuck trawling through her memory then burst out laughing

  “Sorry. I've completely forgotten where we were,” Harlow came clean.

  I knew the feeling. At least I wasn't alone in losing all attention span thanks to a set of ripped biceps.

  “Me too. I was so caught up in the emotion sparking between you two, I have to say I've never seen such powerful feeling. I could have reached out and touched it.”

  The woman across the desk turned lightly pink, as though three rosebuds had grazed her cheeks.

  “Is it that obvious?” she half whispered

  “Oh god he is so enamored with you, it makes me envious. In a good way I mean. I really hope I inspire a man to that kind of feeling some day.”

  The perfect blonde face rose in my memory for only the billionth time that morning. No, no, no, I could not keep fantasizing about a man I hooked up with for one night. He'd left without a word so that was a pretty clear message that he is not ever going to be the one I inspire Cole-type sparks in when he looks at me. I'd be lucky if he ever set eyes on me again. But a girl can't help wishing right? Maybe there was a fairy godmother out there who'd answer my dreams before I was old and shriveled.

  “I'm sure you will. What is your relationship status if you don't mind me asking?” Harlow got back to formalities.

  Now it was my turn to color, more furiously scarlet than Harlow's blushing bride. It's okay there's no shame in having been dumped. And although this was a second interview and I should be behaving with appropriate decorum somehow I felt that Harlow was a friend. With or without this job I knew she and I could be best buds.

  Although I really hoped it was with, because I wasn't at all sure how to make the rent if it was without. Bo had told me a billion times he'd cover me for as long as it took me to get the right job this time but I can't live off my bestie forever. It wasn't fair to have a friend support your search for purpose in a dream job.

  “I, um broke up with someone a couple of months ago. He left me actually and to tell the truth it still smarts.”

  “Oh, I'm so sorry.” Harlow looked genuinely saddened, not faking it like most women who are doing the nae nae inside on hearing another girl got dumped. Harley seemed filled with regret for asking and causing me pain. “But you that doesn't mean it can't work out in the end.

  “No not in this case, I saw him last night and it didn't go well.”

  “You wouldn't believe the bumpy ride Cole and I had to drive, to arrive at this point.”

  That stunning face of a man-god-angel materialized before my eyes again. And suddenly I was talking way too much. It wasn't like an interview any more, it was like Harlow and I were at a bar for happy hour dishing.

  “I feel a little guilty as I recently, you know, slept with a guy whose name I don't even know.” Leaving out the part that it was just a couple of hours ago. “It's not something I've ever done and I don't know what I think about it.”

  Suddenly I stopped myself rambling. What must she think? I'd never get the job now. Who needs a daydreaming strumpet for an employee. I needed this job so bad. Beyond need, I really wanted this one. A cause I felt burning in me almost as livid as my thirst for Cruz. Somewhere I could make a difference and a pair of super cool employers wasn't an easy package to find.

  “What about this then?” Harlow leaned across her white desk and dropped her voice although we were alone. “I'm living with my brother who rescued me after his father kept me locked naked in the basement. True love isn't easy and you can't help who you fall in love with.”

  “Your brother?'

  “He's my stepbrother, kind of, which I guess is illegal enough in some places in the world.”

  “I hate that about justice. Either something is wrong or it isn't. It shouldn't be up to the government to select the crime to suit themselves. Each individual knows badness in his heart.”

  “Wow, that really heats you up. There's a real fireball of passion lurking beneath that docile exterior.”

  Suddenly I remembered that I was sitting in an office being interviewed for a job I longed to get. A thousand regrets came over me for blabbing without so much as a single chilli blue margarita to excuse it.

  “Sorry, I'm talking way too much. it's just that my best friend is gay and his last boyfriend was much older. He suffered a ton from the era when being gay was illegal and labeled as mental illness. That pain ripped them apart eventually. Now suddenly it isn't illegal, it's celebrated which is great and right, but what about all those that suffered before? It's wrong that
all those guys were persecuted for something that wasn't actually a crime.”

  “We're going to see the same with the people who've spent a lifetime in jail for possession of marijuana, now that's about to be legalized.”

  Harlow looked irritated all of a sudden and I was terrified I'd gone too far, getting so hot and heavy about this. But I couldn't help it, there are some things I feel really inflamed about. It was the reason I wanted to become a lawyer except I quickly figured there was a better way to beat the system than by joining it. I really hoped Harlow's charity was a way in and now I'd gone and messed it all up. She was deep in thought on the other side of the huge white glass and steel desk.

  “Have I blown it?” I asked plainly. Better to ask than sit around asking why later. I was doing enough of that over last night.

  “Absolutely not. Quite the opposite, You're exactly the kind of woman I want working with me on this project. Someone passionate, sensitive and willing to fight for the cause. Someone I think I could become great friends with. You're hired.”

  “I am? Ohmigod thank you Harlow, I mean Ms Sanderson. You won't regret it.”

  “No, call me Harlow please. Can you start immediately? There's so much to do and the old team are totally absorbed with battling some aggressive competition from a new club as well as opening the new ones.

  “I'd love to see Club Illicit. It's so famous and impossible to get into.”

  “Are you sure? It's not what you think and you might find it—overwhelming.”

  When I got home, Bo was seated at the kitchen island with the most beautiful hand-tied bouquet beside him. He was swinging his legs with an 'I told you so' look all over his cute baby face.

  “You got the job and you got the guy,” he said. “A guy with excellent taste in floral décor. Are you sure he's not on my team?”

  My heart did a polka in my chest when I realized the gift wasn't a gift from my spoiler roomie. Cruz hadn't called but he'd remembered my interview and sent Good Luck flowers. Two gifts received in one day, I was doing a happy dance.