King of Deception: A Secret Billionaire Romance (Billionaire Kings of New York Book 1)

12. Kiss Me

twelve

With the excuse that I was going to help my friends’ crew set up for the party, I arrived early at Nathan’s place. Being my friend and also the owner of the law firm that handled everything for my company, I knew I could trust him. I was going to tell him everything.

However, when I stepped into his living room, I discovered that Chad and Armen were already there. Seconds after my entrance, Dean arrived. He was the last person I expected to see here.

We knew Dean from the yacht club where he was extremely active, with three different boats to his name.

After the social niceties, we all sat down while Nathan’s housekeeper proceeded to set the bar for us.

Sighing, I knew I was running out of time. “Okay, guys… I… need your help.”

Armen chuckled, “Yeah? Why don’t you start with the weird way you acted at the opening last week?”

“You completely avoided us!” Chad followed.

Nathan smirked as if he knew something while Dean—who hadn’t been there—quietly watched with a bourbon in his hand.

“Yes, I met someone,” I started before taking a sip of whiskey. “And she doesn’t know who I am.”

Chad nearly spat up his drink as he tried to stifle a laugh. “What? How?”

“It happened, okay? She has no idea who I am, but things are going so well.”

Nathan tutted, shaking his head. “Get to the important part, Abel.”

“Which is?” Armen chuckled. “Don’t tell me you’re gonna bring her here tonight.”

Frowning, I turned to him. “Aren’t you deejaying? What’s it to you?”

“Oh, my Lord.” He shook his head in disapproval. “Do you know how many single chicks I invited?”

Amused, Nathan chortled, tilting back his head. “Can you let him finish for cryin’ out loud?”

“Yeah, I’m curious,” Dean confessed.

“Okay,” I sighed. “Are you all done mocking me?”

“Nobody’s mocking you.” Chad raised a hand. “We just need to know how it’s gonna work.”

“It’s a party.” I dipped my chin. “Everyone’s gonna act natural. We’re friends.”

“And you are?” Armen smirked.

“Abel. Just Abel. Nobody needs to mention my last name or what I do.”

“What if someone else did?” Dean asked.

“If someone at this party decided to call me by my last name, it’d be a first,” I chuckled. “But leave that to me.”

They all seemed in agreement, except for Armen, who shrugged, signaling that he found my plan to be boring. Leaning toward Dean, I whispered, “Will you keep an eye on him?”

He snorted, “Guess that’s why I came here after all.”

I didn’t know why, but his statement reminded me of Jude. I had, of course, looked his full name up; Jude Thomas. Now was the time to eliminate any chances of him ruining tonight for me. As soon as the rest of the guys left the room, I walked over to Nathan and pressed my lips together. “Nate, I got another favor to ask you.”

“Anything.”

“Her ex… Jude Thomas. I want you to put his name on the blacklist.”

Raising his eyebrows, he seemed shocked. “Of all the people in my life, Abel, you’ve always been the one with the least drama.”

“Drama?”

“A girlfriend who doesn’t know your identity that also comes with stalker baggage? What’s happening here? Is she really that great?”

“I—” I let a sigh escape from my lips. “I was gonna tell you all about her, but—”

“The guys.” He shot me an understanding look.

“Well—”

“They’re busy now,” he sat back, placing one leg over the other. “So?... Tell me.”

“She has absolutely no idea, man. She thinks I’m a waiter.”

“And how’d that happen?” his eyes regarded me with suspicion.

“An honest mistake at my cousin’s wedding.” I shook my head. “I just let it continue.”

“And the mistake became a lie.”

“I’ll tell her—”

“When?”

“Not tonight. Listen, she’s really upset about the way her ex is behaving, and all I want is for her to have a good time.”

“You know anyone you invite is always welcome. I just don’t want you to regret anything.”

“I know.”

“What’s her name, by the way?”

“Ella Rose.”

He scoffed, jeering at me out of the corner of his eye. “Are you sure you didn’t make her up?”

The party started slowly like most, with a few people trickling in, gathering in groups by the pool, in the garden, and out on the terrace. An hour later, Ella texted me.

Sooooo sorry! Never-ending meeting, but I’m leaving the office now. I’ll see you in a bit.

Smiling, I typed, It’s okay. Take your time, and please drive safely.

When she finally arrived, I was at the door waiting for her. Walking in, she nonchalantly examined the place, and I didn’t know if she really wasn’t all that impressed or only pretending not to be. That was, until she asked, “What does your friend do?”

“He’s a lawyer.”

“Wow.”

“Well, I’m not telling it right. He inherited his father and uncle’s law firm, and now, he pretty much runs it.”

“No partners?”

“None with their name on the building yet,” I winked.

“How did you two meet?”

I led her toward the bar. “Through college friends.”

“You go way back, then!”

“We kinda do, yeah.” I pointed at the bar. “So, what will the lady be having?”

Grinning, she tilted her head. “Why don’t you surprise me?”

Nathan approached with a cocktail in his hand. “You should really try the Australiana Spritz,” he said. “Nathan Wright, glad you could make it.”

I smiled, explaining, “Nate is our host. Ella Rose Boraine,” I made the introductions and watched her politely shake his hand.

“You have a beautiful home,” she grinned.

“Thank you.” He turned to me. “Did you give her the tour?”

“How about that Australiana Spritz first?” I proceeded to fill her glass.

When Nathan left to mingle with other guests, Ella quickly shook her head. “You don’t really have to give me a tour.”

“You’re not even a little bit curious?”

She suddenly dipped her hand into her purse, whispering, “Sorry,” as she did. The expression on her face changed into one that was more solemn before she pressed her lips into a thin line, tossing the phone back in.

I couldn’t resist the urge to ask, “Is everything alright?”

“Think I should change my number?”

“Jude again?” I tried not to let my jaw clench.

“I just don’t know what else to do.”

“How about this?” I leaned forward, kissing her.

When I pulled back, she smiled, gazing down at my lips. “Are we gonna do that every time he calls?”

“Or, I dunno,” I shrugged. “Whenever we want?”

She placed down her drink on a table next to us and then turned to me, putting her hands on my cheeks. “God, you’re hot.”

I chuckled. “I’ll take it.”

“Let’s do the tour,” she grinned. “I have a game in mind.”

Excited, I grabbed her hand and decided to start with Nathan’s gym. It was located at the farthest end in the back in an all-glass room surrounded by Zen gardens. Halfway there, Ella tugged on my hand, stopping me and leaning with her back against the wall.

“Kiss me,” she whispered.

And I did. It was quick and light, without much of a chance to deepen, since she suddenly pulled away, grabbing my hand as she marched toward the gym.

The space was completely dark, illuminated only by the remnants of light seeping in from outside. With her back against the glass window, she grabbed my hair on either side of my ears. Her nails gently scratched my scalp as she pulled me closer.

“Kiss me.”

This time, I picked up where we had left off, intending for a more powerful kiss. But then, once again, she pulled away as if running from me. Hanging on to her fingers, I let her lead me.

“What’s upstairs?” she glanced over her shoulder at the foot of the staircase.

“Another living room… bathrooms… bedrooms?”

Racing upward, I watched the thrill radiate from every inch of her skin all the way to her bouncing locks. I couldn’t help but smile.

We stopped in the middle of the hallway. Next to a large painting on the wall, Ella backed up into a corner, pulling me close.

“Kiss me.”

Inching forward, I looked down at the beauty in the corner with the walls on either side of her. Her eyes gazed up at me, affectionate… excited. But I was beginning to worry.

“Ella?” I whispered as I dipped my nose under her earlobe, inhaling her floral fragrance. “Is this how you’re trying to forget him?”

I felt her arms around my back, pulling me closer to her as she moaned, “I’m trying to forget the scars.”

My arms surrounded her waist, and I knew that if the corner began to swallow us whole right then and there, I would do nothing to fight it. With my face still hiding in her hair, I said, “I like you too much to live in his shadow.”

“You’re not a rebound, I promise you.”

Pulling back, I stared straight into her eyes. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

Her thumb ran smoothly and slowly across my lower lip as her gaze followed it. I watched her face as she did it while she slowly parted her lips. And finally, she whispered, “I don’t have it in me to hurt you.”

For a moment, our gazes remained linked through words floating between them without hope of landing anywhere. It felt like an eternity, but then again, not long enough.

“Kiss me,” she said.

And God couldn’t help me resist because I did, and it was better… better than the last kiss. Better than the one before it. Better than any of the kisses we had shared. Whatever it was that was being born between us was determined to come into the world fast and strong. I could feel it in my bones, and so could she, I could tell.

Unexpectedly, she pushed me away, although giggling, pulling me toward the first closed door we saw.

“What’s in here?” she asked.

“Nate’s bedroom.”

“No,” she quickly turned around, pointing to another. “This?”

“I think that’s a bathroom.”

“Curious!” she twisted open the knob, pushing the door. As we stepped inside, she gracefully jumped up onto the marble counter, spreading her legs and tugging on my collar, pulling me in, so I stood between them. “Kiss me,” she ordered.

“Have mercy!” I grunted, devouring her lips while my fingers drowned in her hair.

Painfully aware that if I let temptation distract me, Ella and I wouldn’t see my friends at all for the rest of the evening, I ended our little kissing marathon on the steps of the terrace. Before walking out, an impulse had me push her to a corner where nobody could see her, dipping my hand into her skirt, reaching downward.

“I thought we’re not doing that,” she whispered from between her breaths, throwing back her head in delight.

“No,” I quickly pulled out my hand, squeezing my eyes shut. “What you do to me…”

Her hand slowly descended below the buckle of my belt and along the zipper of my jeans. “It’s only fair, I guess.”

“Abel! There you are!” Armen’s voice prompted me to quickly turn around. “Oh, hello,” he grinned as soon as he saw Ella, who emerged from behind me.

She casually ran her fingers through her hair, flipping it over to the other side as she straightened her shoulders. “Hi. Ella Rose Boraine.”

“Armen Petros.”

She turned to me with furrowed eyebrows before turning back to him, “That sounds so familiar.”

“Armen has a show on the radio—”

“Oh my God, yes! You’re a deejay!”

“That’s right,” he grinned.

And just like that, a conversation about music ensued. Not only did my friends stick to the plan, but Ella seemed to be having a fantastic time.