25. Sterling
25
STERLING
“Are you serious?” Rory’s eyes bug out in his head at the open briefcase filled with neatly wrapped bills.
“Deadly.”
He looks at me before his gaze drops to the money on the bed in his hotel room. I’d have liked to have gotten here sooner—every second he’s in New York near Hallie is a second too long—but it took the bank awhile to get half a million in cash ready on the spot.
“It’s all in sterling,” I say, taking no pleasure in the fact I’m paying him off in currency of my own name. I’d pay him off in any damn currency he wants if it means the prick will leave Hallie alone for good.
“I can see that.” His lips twitch, and he lifts up a thick wedge and tears open the wrapper to sniff it.
My lip curls in disgust. “You don’t ever call her again. You don’t ever look her up online to see how much she’s thriving without you leeching off her. You. Don’t. Come. Back.” I step closer, and he takes a step back, even though his chin juts up in defiance. My nose grazes his as I lean in. “From now on, you don’t damn well exist .”
He clears his throat, readjusting his collar, and inches back, eyeing the money again.
“Must be nice for Halliday, having a billionaire who wants to look after her.” His eyes drop over my suit. “How old did you say you were? Sixty?”
I slam the briefcase lid closed, narrowly missing cutting his fingers off with it. I lift it by the handle and shove it into his chest.
“I performed the courtesy of booking your flight home. Your cab will be here for you within the hour.”
He takes the briefcase, and my blood finally cools a degree for the first time since I hammered on his door. I could do a whole lot worse than send him on his way with enough money to solve his problems. But I’m giving him a chance to do the wise thing, the mature thing.
For Hallie.
If he cares for her at all, then he’ll see this as an opportunity to do what’s best for her.
Disappear.
I’m halfway to the door when his words hit my back.
“I bet you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth, huh? Living your life and having all this money, never getting your hands dirty. Bet you never did a real day’s work in your life.”
I don’t turn around, but I swivel my head over my shoulder just enough that he can’t miss my glare.
“It’s best you don’t think about what my hands get to do every day, Boy.”
His face pales before he scoffs. “No! Last night will have been a one-off for her. A mistake. She won’t chain herself to an old man who needs a pill to get it up.”
I chuckle, and he stares at me as if I’ve gone mad.
I don’t care what he thinks. I’ve got the love of a beautiful woman who burns as fiercely for me as I do for her. I’m not getting pulled into a dick measuring contest with a kid who looks like his mom still buys his shirts.
“Start packing. You don’t want to miss your cab.”
Hallie jumps up from the large sectional sofa as I walk into the living area.
“Are you okay?” She rushes to me and loops her arms around my neck, pulling me to her for a kiss.
“I am now,” I murmur, kissing her back and lifting her into my arms. She wraps her legs around my waist, and I carry her to the kitchen counter, resting her on top of it.
“I thought you might have gone to see Rory.”
“I did.”
“Sterling…” She exhales in a rush. “You don’t know what he’s like. He’s this bad smell that comes back worse the more you try to get rid of him. We’re better off avoiding him until I’ve had a chance to see my parents. I have to tell them face-to-face.”
I gently extract her lower lip from where she’s biting it and study her face. I can still see the worry in her eyes. Rory turning up has rattled her.
“If he’s smart, then he’ll not be bothering you again.”
Hope blooms in her eyes, and I hate that it even needs to be there in the first place. She’s strong and capable. But Rory has been playing on those strengths—her love and devotion to those she loves, her pure heart—and he’s used them to blackmail her. He’s taken her fears about not being able to fulfill Jenny’s legacy by spreading love and about letting down the charity. And he’s used them for his selfish gain.
I should have killed him in that hotel room.
“You’re so tense.”
I kiss her, wanting to shed the events of the day.
“I’m fine. I’m more than fine.”
I hold her around her waist and stroke my thumbs side to side across the base of her ribs. Being with her, touching her, is enough to clear my mind of anything and everything, except how damn lucky I am that she’s mine.
She parts her thighs wider, balling my shirt between her hands as she pulls me closer and opens her mouth, inviting me in deeper. My straining dick weeps in my pants at the taste of her.
“You don’t have your tie on,” she murmurs between kisses.
I drop to kiss her neck. “Told you; I want to frame it.”
I smile at the sound of her giggle.
“Did you say Sullivan has a thing on tonight? An early viewing of the new designs?”
I suck and kiss my way to her collarbone, peppering more kisses along one until I reach the little dip between. I inhale the scent of her before I lick her there, making her tip her head back with a moan.
“He does,” I rumble, considering where to kiss her next. I move downward, kissing the swell of her breasts as they rise and fall with each quickened breath she takes.
“Are you going?”
I gently cup her breast in my palm. She watches me, a soft whimper escaping her lips—a sound that sends a jolt straight through me—as I gently nip her nipple through her clothes.
“No. We’re going.”
“You want me to come?”
“Hallie…”
“Okay.” Her lips curl into a small smile. “So we’re kind of official now?”
“Good girl, you’re catching on.” I bite her nipple again. “My family knows about us now, and we can tell the rest of the world whenever you're ready. I don't want to spend any more time apart from you than absolutely necessary. Besides, it won't be for long. It's just a small group of people going. We can come straight back here afterward.”
“Uh-huh.”
I chuckle again as she struggles to concentrate on what I’m saying. Her eyes are glued to my hand rubbing her breast.
“What do you want, Baby girl?”
She blinks through dark lashes.
“You.”
“Me?”
“I want you inside me.” She wiggles her ass against the countertop and pulls me up for a kiss. “I want to still feel you when we go out later.” She brushes her lips side to side over mine. “I want you to come so deep inside me that it runs down my thighs tonight and makes me think of you.”
“Jesus Christ.”
I rip her dress over her head, followed by her bra. I unzip my pants and let them drop around my ankles. Within seconds, I yank her panties to one side and thrust inside her.
“Baby girl, talk like that and I’ll be coming before I even get inside you next time.”
I draw back and slam deep, burying my head into her neck.
“Sterling,” she whimpers as I suck on her silky skin.
Her wet, needy body hugs me so tight it’s like she’s trying to suffocate my throbbing dick. I drive deep again, unable to get enough of the way she cries my name and sinks her nails into my shoulders as I fuck her.
“I want skin on skin,” she pants, pulling at my shirt buttons.
I grab either side and rip the thing open, throwing it behind me onto the floor.
Her eyes don’t widen when she looks at my scars this time, no. They remain filled with molten desire as she strokes my torso, one hand gliding over it before gripping my shoulders for leverage, her nails biting into my flesh.
I groan and slam deep. Her wetness coats my cock. Her body clenches around me, and a new wave of arousal lets me pump deeper.
“Yes, like that. Fuck me hard,” she mewls.
My ass cheeks tighten like steel as I let her have it.
I don’t need asking twice.