Chapter 23
CHAPTER 23
Roman
“Here’s to Morgan.” I smiled, holding up my drink. “I knew I’d made the right decision bringing you here for this case.”
“To Morgan.” My brothers grinned as we all tapped our glasses together.
“Tell me again how you put him to sleep and tied him up? Because I’m really turned on right now.” Julian smiled.
“Knock it off.” I smacked his arm.
After finishing our drinks, we left the bar and drove back to my house.
“Make yourself comfortable. I need to use the bathroom,” I told her when we walked through the door.
When I was finished, I walked into the living room and found she wasn’t there. Looking out the sliding door to the patio, I saw her in the pool. Walking over to the bar, I poured us two scotches and took them outside. I stood at the pool's edge with a smile, waiting for her to come up to the surface.
“Drink?” I handed her the glass .
“Thanks. Are you coming in? Or are you just going to stand there?” she asked.
I set my drink down, stripped out of my clothes, and climbed into the pool, staring at her naked body as the light of the moon reflected off the surface. I needed just to come out and ask her, but a part of me was afraid to hear her answer. The part deep in my soul where all the feelings and emotions stirred.
“I suppose you’ll be heading back to New York now that the case is over.”
“I think I’ll stick around for a while.” She tipped the glass to her lips.
“Really?” I asked with happiness and surprise.
“Yeah. I have some unfinished business here.”
“If you’re referring to that FBI agent, don’t, Morgan. He’s a dangerous man.”
“And the daughter of a murdered father is more dangerous.”
“I can’t keep paying for your hotel suite since the case is over. You’ll have to stay with me until you get things figured out.”
“You’re asking me to move in with you?” Her brow arched.
“No. I’m saying you can stay here until you get things figured out. There’s a difference. Besides, you have more perks here at my house.”
“Perks? Like?” A smirk crossed her lips.
“Sex with me.” I gripped her hips, leaning in and kissing her mouth. “All the sex you want while you’re here.”
“And if I don’t want sex?”
“I know you well enough by now to know you do.”
“Then I guess I can stay here until I decide to return to New York. ”
“Good girl.” I kissed her forehead.
I was relieved she agreed to stay here where I could keep an eye on her. I didn’t like that she was hell-bent on going after that FBI agent, but if there was one thing I learned about Morgan Ashley, it was that she didn’t listen to anyone but herself. At least if she was here with me, I could keep her safe.
The sound of my alarm jolted me out of my sleep. Reaching over and shutting it off, I rolled on my side and stared at her peacefully sleeping. How the hell that alarm didn’t wake her up was beyond me. I lifted my finger and softly stroked her cheek. She was incredibly beautiful, and last night was amazing. There was no denying we had the best sexual chemistry.
Her returning to New York didn’t sit well with me. I didn’t want her to leave, and the thoughts that consumed my mind frightened me. I felt this overwhelming need to protect her and keep her safe. But the problem was she didn’t need protection. She wasn’t lying when she said she could protect herself.
“What are you doing?” She opened one eye.
“What are you doing?” I smirked.
“Trying to sleep.”
I leaned over and kissed her forehead.
“Go back to sleep. I have to get in the shower.”
I climbed out of bed, stumbled into the bathroom, and turned on the shower. Taking off my pajama bottoms, I stepped inside and shut the door. As I washed my hair, I heard the shower door open. Rinsing the shampoo from my eyes, I opened them and smiled when I saw Morgan standing before me .
“Room for one more?” she asked.
“What do you think?” I grabbed her and pulled her into me. “Last night wasn’t enough for you?”
“It was. But it’s a new day.” A beautiful smile crossed her lips.
Fuck. When it came to her, there was no resisting, whether I was running late or not.
After we had sex and I finished showering, I stepped out and wrapped the towel around my waist.
“Let’s go out for a nice dinner tonight,” I said.
“What? I can’t hear you.”
I opened the shower door and stuck my head in.
“I said, let’s go out for a nice dinner tonight. There’s a great restaurant called Four Kinds in Venice. Best food in the entire state.”
“Four Kinds? As in Detective Simon Kind?”
“Yeah. His brother Sebastian owns it.”
I shut the door, stood in front of the sink, and began shaving. When she turned the shower off, I grabbed a towel and handed it to her.
“Thanks.”
“What are your plans for today?” I asked.
“First, I’m going to go back to the hotel, grab my things, and check out. After that, I have some investigative work to do.”
“You can do it at the office,” I said.
“I don’t work there anymore.”
“It doesn’t matter. You can use whatever we have. Maybe you should come to work for me.”
“What?” Her brows furrowed.
“The firm needs someone with your skill set. I’d pay you well and provide full health insurance, sick days, vacation, and a 401K. ”
“That would mean I’d have to move here permanently.”
“Would that be such a bad thing? Think about the cold, snow, and ice you wouldn’t have to deal with. You lived in Cali for the first sixteen years of your life. You can’t tell me you don’t miss it.”
“I don’t miss the memory of my father being murdered here.” She walked out of the bathroom.
Shit.
I set my razor down and followed her into the bedroom.
“I’m sorry, Morgan. That was insensitive of me.”
“It’s fine, Roman. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
I stood in front of her, gripping her shoulders.
“Just think about it. No pressure.”
“I will.” She softly smiled.
My brothers and I were going over some cases in the conference room when the door opened, and our mother, Katherine, walked in.
“Mom, what are you doing here?” I asked.
“Hello, boys.” She walked over and kissed each of our cheeks. “I need a lawyer.”
“For what?” Parker asked.
“This.” She threw a petition on the table.
I picked it up and reviewed it.
“You’re being sued?” I glanced up at her.
“Apparently. That stupid little bitch, Vanessa Graves, claims that I stole her new line of jewelry designs and copied them as my own. My new line launch is next month, and she’s trying to stop me from launching it.”
“Fuck her,” Julian said. “Who is her attorney?”
“Brian Tatum,” I said .
“Shit,” Parker spoke. “He’s the devil in disguise.”
“She had to get someone like that to go up against you three.” She smiled. “Take care of this for me. I have to get back to the office.”
I leaned back in my chair and stared at my brothers after our mother left the conference room.
“Morgan is staying at my place now,” I blurted out.
“What?” Julian chuckled.
“Since the Williamson case is over, I told her I can’t pay for her hotel suite anymore. She said she would stick around for a while, so I told her she could temporarily move in with me until she gets things figured out.”
“Who are you, and what have you done with our brother?” Parker asked.
“Bro, you could have kept paying for that suite.” Julian pointed at me. “You want her at home with you.”
“Maybe I do.” I looked out the window. “I offered her a permanent job here at the firm. She said she’ll think about it.”
“You’re in love with her,” Parker said. “Don’t try to deny it.”
“Honestly, I don’t know what I feel. I do know that I can’t stop thinking about her when she’s not around, and I always want to be with her.”
The conference room door opened, and Olivia stuck her head inside.
“Roman, did you forget you have to be in court in thirty minutes?”
“Shit.” I glanced at my watch. “Thanks, Olivia.” I stood from my chair and looked at my brothers. “See what you can find out about this Vanessa Graves woman.”