Page 56 of Untouchable Billionaire (The Hardcore Novels: Special Editions #1)

* * *

Aurei

* * *

"Thanks, Captain, but I've got a big day tomorrow planned. I'm going to pass on the bar scene."

He sticks his hand out, and I shove mine inside his grip. "Hardcore, I wish you the best."

"Thanks, sir." I tell him as we shake. As I walk to my truck, I catch a glance of long thick blonde hair creeping between a couple of cars at the far end of the parking lot.

Stopping dead in my tracks, I watch Siri.

She has her shoes in her hand, steps into the fountain, wades across, then walks over to a taxi and gets in the back.

It pulls out immediately, and she's gone.

I sprint to my truck, feeling a mixture of apprehension and anger. Why? Why is she alone? Why is she taking a taxi home? What the hell happened? Is she alright?

On the road, I speed to catch up to her taxi. When my lights hit the rear, I can't see her inside, so I speed past thinking this might not be hers. But I don't come up on another. Whipping into the empty parking lot across from Dogwood Court, I wait for her to arrive.

I need to know she’s home safe. But I don't want her to think I'm stalking her. It's two o'clock in the morning.

As I wait, I think of all the ways I'm going to hurt that man if he laid a finger on her.

The taxi slows down and turns into the driveway. Instead of entering the gate code, he puts the car in park. Then Siri opens the door and gets out. She appears to be fine as she walks out of the headlights and around the gate to walk up the long drive to the apartment building.

The taxi backs out, making a u-turn to return to the Country Club.

I crank the Raptor, cross the road, and lower my window to enter the key code. As the gate rises, she moves to the side, clearing the road so I can pass.

* * *

Siri

* * *

The lights of a vehicle at the gate illuminate the pavement, and my figure casts a long shadow on the road.

As the gate goes up, I move to the left side, concerned I could get run over.

The lights brighten then dim politely when the driver sees me.

The vehicle, however, doesn't pick up speed to drive by.

It creeps up. I pull my clutch with my gun to the front as I turn to look.

Damn. He is so fucking fine!

The most beautiful man in the world is sitting with his arm out the window of his badass, black Raptor smiling at me.

What are the odds the Golden God would return right now? Karma! You're on a roll!

He stops when he gets even. "Hi, Wild Thang."

"Hi, Aurelius." I turn to face him.

"You good?"

"Yes, I am," I state as fact and return his smile, then strut over to tease him.

He chuckles and cuts the truck off. "No doubt, but I meant, are you alright?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Where's the dude?" His eyes study my face.

"Who?" I frown, confused.

"The dude with the french braid."

I laugh. "Oh, TD." I dismiss TD with the wave of my hand, then change the subject. "Did you give them hell at the farewell?"

"I did. So where's TD?"

"Why? Are you worried about your bro?" I sass him, flirting.

His eyebrows lift, and he chuckles. "Should I be?"

"May … be." I flirt harder.

His tongue sneaks to the corner of his mouth as he tries to stop the amusement from playing across his face.

Damn! He is too fucking cute!

I take a step closer.

"So, where is he?" He presses me, and I hear the concern in his voice.

"If you must know, I left him there."

He frowns. "You left him?"

I can't believe we are talking about TD's stupid ass. I sass him. "Why are you so concerned? Do you think I hurt him?"

He looks shocked by my question. "Did you?"

Sassy-ass attitude always trumps the truth, so I roll my eyes, then give him my best go-to-hell look and refuse to answer him.

He raises his eyebrows and chuckles again. "I feel sorry for him now."

The honesty I hear in his voice pisses me off.

Sorry for him? Sorry? For him? The lying bastard?

The words "fuck you" form instantly on the tip of my tongue, but luckily his handsome as fuck face makes me bite them back. Knowing those two words could end whatever crazy chemistry we have before it starts. Instead, I express my anger with a "Humph," whip my hair, and head up the drive.

Unbelievable! TD's a manipulating prick! And Aurei feels sorry for him? He's concerned I hurt him? Concerned where he is because I left him behind? Unbelievable! I shake my head as I stomp away, swinging my hair wildly.

"Hey Wright, wait a minute." He calls after me.

Ignoring him, I keep going.

But when I hear the truck crank, my heart plummets to my feet, and my breath pauses in a panic in my throat.

What if he drives away? I cut my eyes to the road.

That same sick feeling of ultimate loneliness I felt in the elevator that first day threatens to consume me, and I pray Aurei doesn't leave me behind.

When he creeps into view, his arm is resting on the window. His face is wearing the look of a patient man—a man who does not intend to drive off but to hang around.

My heart and my breath return to normal, and I stop walking and face him.

When our eyes connect, he grins, knowing he has won, and I close my eyes, confirming it.

Sweet Zeus! My nipples are hard as fucking rocks right now, and it has nothing to do with the chill in the air. What this man does to me!

He stops when we are even and turns off the engine again. Before he can say anything, I ask as I shake my head. "Why are men such shits?"

The truth of the statement hangs heavy between us.

He doesn't answer immediately, and I look up to the stars pondering the question. Then he says in a soft yet commanding voice. "Siri, look at me."

My soul melts with the sensuous way my name sounds when he says it, and I can't stop myself. My eyes fall to meet his. The intensity of his concern evaporates all my anger instantly.

In that moment, I understand that is what is important. Not the who, nor the what, not even the why. What's important is that he felt genuine concern. That's what matters most.

Only good guys care.

"Not all men are shits. Some are assholes." He assures me earnestly.

I bust out laughing. "Well, that's the truth!"

"Yes, it is." He chuckles.

"So, which are you?" I smile at him.

He smiles a sexy sideways grin, then boldly admits. "I'm not a shit. I am an asshole."

"Thanks for the heads up. That's good to know. Glad we have that out in the open."

He smirks and shrugs.

I put my hands on my hips and ask, "So, Aurelius, when are you going to take me for a ride in your badass truck?"

"Right now!" He pats the seat. "Come on!"

I walk around the front in the headlights, and out of habit, I swing my hair to shield my face.

Rounding the side, I flip it back and see him leaning over with his hand on the door as it pops open for me.

The interior lights bathe his sun-kissed halo and his golden hand.

The Golden God watches me as I climb up.

I wiggle more than necessary, getting comfortable.

Unable to resist the opportunity to tease him.

"Where to?"

"Oh," I cut feisty eyes at him. "I only want a ride to the front door." I close the door, then sit prim and proper, staring expectantly out the windshield.

He laughs out loud. "Ooo. That's trickery."

I wiggle again, then pretend to smooth my skirt.

He starts to put the truck in drive but stops and looks at me. Only the dash lights illuminate us. I glance over and see the concern is back on his face. Studying me, he says. "So?"

My face falls. Really? I take a deep breath. "I don't want to talk about it." My tone is dismissive, and his tone changes. I hear a hard edge in it.

"Did he drop you off at the gate?"

"No. I told you. I left him there. I took a taxi home. Why are you so concerned?"

Our eyes connect, and I glimpse the hard edge. "I'm trying to figure out if you are hurt."

"I'm fine," I smirk.

Mr. Sexy was worried about me. That's a good thing.

"So, what would you have done if I had been hurt?"

"I would have kicked some ass for you." He states matter-of-factly and puts the truck in drive.

I smirk and look back at the road. "That's sweet of you and all, but not necessary. I can take care of myself."

He cuts his eyes at me, and I glance over. Then he turns to ask me with a flirty smirk. "Do I need to help you bury the body?"

"No." I laugh at that. "He's very much alive. But he paid dearly for being a shit."

"That's a good thing, Wild Thang."

I smile. "Yes, it is."

Aurei takes his foot off the brake, and we move forward, but we creep along. "So, where was the party? I'm not familiar with the road you went down."

"It was a private drive."

"Hmm. So why did you leave?"

"Let's just say, the guests were interested in mixing it up."

"Hmm." His eyes narrow, and he frowns as he ponders that information. Then he says in that soft, commanding voice. "Explain mixing it up."

For the life of me, I don't know why I feel compelled to tell him, but I do. "Ok. It was actually a cock and tail party. A sex party of swingers."

His frown deepens, and I see that hard edge return. "Are you sure you're ok?"

"Positive. I can handle myself." I shrug it off.

He looks at me, and even in the low light, I see the concern again in his eyes. "I never doubted that for a moment. But just because you can handle yourself doesn't mean you came out of the swinger's party alright. I did just find you walking home alone up a dark drive at 2 a.m."

Wow! That was a very sensitive thing to say. "I'm good, really. Thanks."

He nods and turns his attention back to the road.

The silence in the cab is deafening to me. "Lucky for me, I'm a Vegas entertainer."

He nods. "Yeah, that's really lucky." He hits the high beams, and we creep along.

"Otherwise, I might not have managed to escape un-fucked."

His head turns toward me, and I can feel his intensity before I see the flash of thunder play across his face, and I continue, needing to make sure he understands who I really am. "I'm not an easy piece of tail," I tell him flatly.