Chapter 7
Jamie
What the fuck just happened?
Jamie’s strides were electric, his pulse hammering in his chest as he walked away.
There was an uncontrollable skip in his step from the buzz of adrenaline and growing hardness straining against his boxers.
Shannon Colter was stunning. Gorgeous. Intriguing. Hot as hell.
And that fucking kiss… Wow.
It hit him like a high-speed train. Reached right inside, scrambled his organs, and the surge of blood to his dick left him dizzy.
If that’s the high he got from a simple kiss, then the rush from having her kneel for him would be goddamn explosive.
And damn, what a body. The way her t-shirt hugged her tits made it impossible to focus on anything else.
When she took off her coat, his mind had to thank those tight jeans for showing off her ass, every inch of her calling to him.
That uniform of hers would be a sweet addition to his bedroom floor. Her naked body wrapped around him, sooner rather than later, was a fantasy he planned to make happen.
“I’ll be in touch, Shannon,” he muttered to himself, knowing she wouldn’t hear him.
He’d let her think about that kiss for a while, then hunt her once she couldn’t shake it.
Throughout the meal, there had been no mention of his wealth. Even when he dropped his businesses into the conversation, she hadn’t asked the inevitable question— how much do you earn?
The billionaire lifestyle still seemed unreal to him. His family had come from nothing, and now they moved through a world unlike the one they’d once known.
The reality of never having to work again seemed almost ridiculous.
But the power… that was real. They’d worked damn fucking hard for it. And now they had it all.
Aside from his joint ventures with his brother, Jamie had his own portfolio of hotels, properties, vehicles for every occasion, including a superyacht and, most importantly, thoroughbred horses.
He was a sucker for a fine racehorse and had recently spent time in Dubai, considering a fresh addition to his ever-growing collection.
He’d grown accustomed to the steady flow of shallow women who chased him, each one hopeful to clinch the coveted title of The First Mrs Jamie McGrath.
However, none of them had ever found the map to his heart, let alone the key to unlock it.
Beautiful, sexy women came and went.
Sometimes, his interest piqued, and he’d let the occasional one linger. But his wandering eye always found a new distraction.
His father had been battling dementia for years, a cruel, ugly affliction that took its time to strip the man of memories, robbing him of his essence.
Watching him deteriorate only fuelled Jamie’s need for fun.
He made no apologies for his love of women, offering no promises of sticking around either.
But Shannon?
Yeah, she’d stirred something in him and offered a challenge.
Sure, her perfect lips were the colour of sin, and that flash of seduction in her eyes practically begged him to fuck her.
But her words were a wall, denying him access to all the places he wanted to explore.
She didn’t want to hook up. Didn’t want a dinner date either. In fact, she didn’t want to see him at all.
And that’s why he took matters into his own hands.
While she was away, he grabbed her mobile phone, added his number, and dialled his own phone to capture hers .
It worked in his favour that she hadn’t set a security code to lock men like him out.
By the time she returned to the table, he’d already taken care of the bill and made sure she was accessible for the hunt.
And now that he’d set his sights on her, she didn’t stand a chance.
Stepping into the busy lobby, Jamie inhaled the energy of the bustling crowd around him.
When his phone buzzed, he ducked into a quieter hallway and moved out of sight, wanting privacy.
“Well, brother, what’s up?” he answered, leaning against the cool wall.
“Fuck, you sound happy. Don’t tell me,” Marcus teased. “I don’t want to know the dirty details.”
“Fine, just ‘cause you’re all loved up, old man. And if you must know, I’ve only just met her, so I haven't rocked her world yet.”
“You haven’t? Do you need me to call the doctor?” Marcus mocked, amusement in his tone.
“No, asshole. I’ve got no problem getting hard. In fact, I’m still rock solid after watching her eat.”
“So, what’s the craic then?”
Jamie exhaled but couldn’t help but smile at his own disbelief. “She’s too busy. Allegedly.”
He pulled the phone away from his ear as Marcus burst into laughter. “You’ve lost your touch, little brother. I feel bad for you. The women are heartbroken now I’m off the market.”
“Yeah, I’m sure they’re dying inside.” Jamie rolled his eyes, a grin playing on his lips.
“Where’d you meet her?”
“She’s the girl who found Dad outside of the hotel after his disappearing act. I owe her big time.”
“You owe her more than your dick, Jamie. We need to lock Dad down somehow.”
“I know. He scared the shit out of me.”
“Yeah, I know. I thought… Look, don’t worry about it. Leave it to me. I’m tightening up our security. That means you can brush up on your charm.” Marcus chuckled at the other end of the line.
“I guarantee you I’ll have her before the week is over.”
“Maybe I can help with that,” Marcus suggested. “Devereux’s flying into Belfast this weekend instead of me flying out to New York. There's a new Verto site we want to look at. I’ve asked Freddy to do the catering.”
“That’ll give him publicity for his new restaurant.” Jamie nodded in approval, his mind already shifting.
With his phone pressed to his ear, Jamie moved back to the lobby, leaving the hallway and entering the main hotel reception again.
Out of instinct, his gaze shot to the street through the windows, where a figure caught his eye. Shannon darted past the front window, the wind ruffling her hair as she moved with purpose.
An unexpected rush of excitement stirred in his chest. He held his breath as she disappeared into the afternoon crowd .
For a racing heartbeat, his pulse thrummed out of frustration until he found her standing out in the sea of faces.
“Jamie…what’s happening? Are you listening to me?” Marcus’s voice yanked him back to the conversation.
“Yeah, yeah. I’m here.” Jamie stalked closer to the lobby doors, battling with his self-restraint.
He scanned the scene outside, finally locking onto her across the street, waiting at the bus stop.
“Lana’s planning an event in The Fitz,” Marcus continued. “It’s scheduled for tomorrow night. Bring a girl—maybe the one who’s squeezing your nuts right now.”
“She’ll be there,” Jamie drawled, his attention still locked on Shannon. “Although Devereux always has an entourage of beautiful women. If she doesn’t come with me, I’m sure I can amuse myself.”
They laughed together.
"Hey, before I go," Jamie said, a teasing edge to his voice, "how’s the lovely Lana?"
Marcus’s tone softened, filled with affection. “She’s good. I don’t know what I did to deserve her, but I’m not letting her go this time.”
Jamie raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. “Yeah? The extra security is for her, huh? What’s next? Tracking her steps with a GPS? Gotta make sure she’s safe from every guy that looks at her.”
Marcus chuckled darkly, a hint of amusement in his voice. “Maybe. She’s mine, Jamie. You get that, right?”
Jamie laughed, shaking his head. “Yeah, I get it. You’re like a walking alarm system. She’s lucky to have you, mate.”
“Nah, I’m the lucky one,” Marcus replied, his tone full of quiet pride.
“Jesus, who the fuck are you now?” Jamie chuckled under his breath.
“Make sure you actually show up at the party, and don’t get lost with some random girl instead,” Marcus ordered.
“Alright, bro. Talk soon.” Jamie ended the call with a grin.
His thumb hovered over the screen, then swiped through his contacts to find Shannon’s name. A fresh wave of anticipation pumped through him as his finger lingered over her name, the thrill of the chase heating his veins.
“Excuse me, Jamie. There’s a call for you on line four. It’s Ronnie Carter,” chirped one of the hotel staff.
Not showing his irritation, Jamie gave him a quick, appreciative smile.
“Thanks. I’ll take it.”
He strolled toward the front desk and picked up the phone, but as the line clicked, his mind wandered back to the call he’d make straight after.