Chapter 3
Jamie
Jamie strode into the hotel lobby, his tanned skin darkened by a storm of frustration.
His head turned to Rebecca, who hurried behind, clutching his father’s hand like she was trying to control a mischievous schoolboy.
“Take him upstairs and don’t leave him alone,” he commanded.
Rebecca’s lashes fluttered, guilt tightening her pretty features.
“Sorry, Jamie,” she murmured, her voice soft.
He reached out, gripping her free wrist. “Look, love, it’s not your fault. I get he’s a handful. I’m thinking of putting a fucking tracking device on him. This can’t keep happening.”
Her head dropped; her voice almost a whisper. “I was only away for a few minutes, Jamie.”
George pulled his hand free from Rebecca’s grip, resting his palms on his hips with the exaggerated posture of a grumpy old man.
“Stop talking about me like I’m not here, Rebecca!” He scowled, the disapproval rolling off him like a thunderclap.
Jamie exhaled, the pressure of the situation making his breath come out in a rush.
“Order me a drink, Dad. I’ll join you after I finish. I had to leave my business meeting to track you down.”
George’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Where the hell is that boy? I told him to meet us here.”
Jamie gritted his teeth and rolled his eyes, looking up at the twinkling chandelier above. “He’s in Italy, Dad. Then he’s going to New York. Okay? Just go upstairs with Becks.”
He watched Rebecca usher his father toward the elevator, the rush of the busy lobby fading as his heart thumped against his ribs.
His father had become a liability, and with the money the McGrath family had now, there was no reason for fuck-ups.
He’d protect his family, whatever the cost.
Rebecca was the perfect live-in help—attentive, sweet, and, despite her looks, strictly off-limits. She was worth the wages he paid her, which meant that was an ass he would never tap.
As the elevator doors slid shut, Jamie released a slow breath. Knowing his father was safe and out of harm’s way brought him relief .
Now he had to pull his shit together and return to his meeting to live up to his legendary, ruthless reputation.
His older brother Marcus had made them rich beyond their wildest dreams. With their expanded bank accounts came an endless stream of needy, greedy motherfuckers.
Assholes who begged, borrowed, and stole to feed their insatiable appetites.
Jamie didn’t trust a single soul in this world anymore.
He’d grown up in a family of men, the youngest, carefree and reckless. His father had worked long hours, often disappearing into the night, to keep food on the table and a roof over their heads.
Marcus, always the more serious one, raised him, teaching him lessons he’d never learned from their old man.
Male company had been the norm until he turned sixteen and had his dick sucked. At first, it had been exhilarating, but in the end, a huge fucking letdown.
Kirsty Malone was everything a teenage boy could dream of. Long blonde hair cascading past her waist, pouty lips always slathered in sticky gloss.
She was a walking fantasy, but the reality? Not so much.
Girls had always thrown themselves at him. Giggles, sexy little gasps, the way they flaunted their perky tits, then pressed them into his chest.
He soaked it all up. Every touch, every promise, fed into his ego, his hunger.
But Kristy––fuck, she was something else. The way she unzipped his jeans and stuffed his dick into her mouth... The sensation was pure heaven.
But once it was over, the aftermath turned into hell.
Kristy was hollow. Empty. With zero conversation or soul in her. Hell, she even squashed a spider with her fist, her face showing no emotion, no understanding of how fucking wrong that was.
There was nothing to keep him going back to her for more. She satisfied him for a moment, and that was it.
He quickly learned girls would chase him and he’d satisfy them. All it took was a single quirk of his lips, and they’d fall in line.
He sauntered across the lobby, his shoes clicking against the polished floors. Stopping in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, he stared out at the quirky coffee shop across the street.
Despite his father’s disappearances being a constant headache for him, today’s ordeal had uncovered something unexpected.
An unknown woman had called him earlier with a husky, seductive tone, and when he found her next to his father outside, a pang of curiosity hit him.
Aside from rescuing his dad, she was stunning.
Absolutely fucking gorgeous.
Messy black hair spilled out from under a purple baseball cap, cascading over her shoulders like a wild, untamed ocean.
The cap, emblazoned with the ‘Coffee Kicks’ logo, shielded piercing blue eyes that seemed to cut through the haze of the morning .
Jamie stared over at the coffee shop, wondering if the piece of hay tucked in her hair and the well-worn, dusty boots meant she was a dirty cowgirl in disguise.
With a bit of time, he knew could persuade her to join him for drinks. She’d be the type who’d fall for the right attention.
Women always loved it when he took charge.
He’d made a sport of watching them squirm, testing how quickly he could stoke the fire between their legs, how far he could push them before they melted into his hands.
God, it was so easy.
The thing was, when he thought of her, his anger over his father’s disappearance seemed to slip away, replaced by a tightening in his chest and a surge of blood to his dick.
His mind drifted, focusing on fantasies that were hard to ignore.
The raven-haired woman, that unruly little barista, was on her knees, gazing up at him with those wide, innocent eyes. Her lips parted, ready to take him in.
Fuck yeah.
He readjusted himself, taking a steadying breath.
For now, his father was safe upstairs, and business was the only thing that mattered. Not the wild little barista.
He closed his eyes for a beat and muttered, “Head back in the game, McGrath.”
But just as his mind settled, a hand brushed his arm, the light touch making him alert .
“Mr McGrath,” purred a husky, sexy female from beside him. “I’m glad I found you, sir.”
He turned, locking eyes with a woman in a pressed suit with his hotel logo embroidered on the breast pocket.
She had bold pink lips that stretched across her pale cheeks and earthy, bobbed hair that skimmed her shoulders like a set of satin curtains.
“It’s Jamie, and I’m glad you found me, too.” He flashed a grin, letting his showcase dimple dent his cheek. “You’re new. What’s your name?”
“Tabitha.” Her eyes lingered on his mouth, and she trapped the edge of her lower lip with her teeth.
Hmm, that was sexy.
“I’ve tended to the men in the conference room as instructed. They have refreshments…but they’re asking for you.”
She was elegant, sweet, and had a Dublin lilt to her raspy voice. He wasn’t sure if she was the type to be a dirty, hot fuck or the ‘hug me after’ kind of girl.
Though her big brown eyes trailed down his jacket, resting on the zipper of his suit trousers.
Gotcha .
He cocked a brow at her lingering inspection. A fast fuck quickly becoming a very tempting idea.
A blush of pink spread across her complexion, and her lashes fluttered as the seconds ticked by.
The plan to make her squirm was in full swing, and his silent assessment held her under a spell. Tabitha batted her lashes while her body slanted.
“Walk with me,” he said, turning away from the barista’s coffee shop and sliding his hands into his pockets. “You did well tending to my guests.”
Tabitha smiled, tilting her chin and glancing sideways at him.
“It’s nothing.” Her voice was timid and low, but her body vibrated with something that made it clear she wanted him to touch her.
Jamie sauntered ahead, expecting her to follow. She did without question. “Are they content for a few more minutes?”
“I gave them sandwiches and coffee, so they should be satisfied for a while.”
The word ‘satisfied’ slipped from her lips like a provocative sigh, sending a pulse of heat straight to his dick. Damn, he was more worked up than usual.
“Have you got a boyfriend?” he asked.
Trotting to keep pace with his long strides, she replied, “No. I’m single at the moment.”
The corridor leading to the conference suite was quiet, except for the sound of her breathless pants growing louder.
Flicking his head over his shoulder, Jamie took in her giddy steps and the playful sway of her hips.
She was melting under his attention, like ice cream left in the sun, and all he could think about was licking up the mess she was making.
Marcus had always told him to keep business separate from pleasure, but his dick was already on high alert.
The unexpected encounter with the barista still had his boxers in a twist. Jamie understood playing with his staff was reckless and, most of the time, he stayed professional.
However, a little bit of fun could satisfy his new barista cravings and help him think more clearly in the meeting.
Two birds, one stone.
He stopped and did an immediate one-eighty, so she bumped into him.
“I’d like to show you my gratitude…” He locked eyes with her. “For keeping the dogs away from my throat.”
Her sharp intake of breath made him grin. His gaze dropped to her dainty fingertips pressing against her lips to hide her flirty little smile.
“You could kiss me,” she whispered.
His thumb brushed across her jaw, testing the pulse beneath her skin, and he saw the flicker of desire behind her eyes.
Mentally, he gave himself a small pat on the back.
He hummed low; the sound vibrating in his chest. “I don’t make a habit of kissing my employees.”
“I need this job.” She blinked wildly. “So I promise it would be our secret.”
Jamie exhaled through his nose and leaned in just enough for his lips to graze the shell of her ear, his breath warm against her skin.