Submission and Surrender: The Billionaire's Temptation Series Read online

  Submission and Surrender

  Book Two in The Billionaire’s Temptation Series

  By Cali MacKay

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  Submission and Surrender

  The Billionaire’s Temptation Series

  By Cali MacKay

  Copyright © 2014 by Cali MacKay

  Published by Daeron Publishing

  Http://calimackay.com

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher or author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. The story contained within is the work of fiction. Names and characters are the product of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual person’s living or dead, is entirely coincidental. This story contains explicit sexual scenes and adult language and is only for readers over the age of 18.

  Printed in the United States of America

  First Printing, 2014, edition 1.0

  ISBN: 978-1-940041-21-6

  I’d like to dedicate this book to my family and my amazing readers, for all they do. A million thank you’s!!!

  For more information or to join a mailing list for updates, please visit http://calimackay.com.

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  Submission and Surrender

  Chapter One

  Sitting alone at the hotel bar, Hadley let out a ragged breath and wrestled with her emotions as she hung up with her lawyer, his words still echoing in her head. After two long years of legal wrangling, her divorce was final.

  Tears stung her eyes, even though it felt like she could finally breathe again without the weight of her past sitting on her chest. Matt had been a lying, cheating bastard, and yet at one point they’d truly loved each other—or at least she’d thought they had. But that was before she’d lost herself in her work, taking on one case after another, and before Matt lost his job, started gambling away everything they owned and then cheated on her with some woman he’d met in therapy.

  Trying to ignore the steady thump of loud music that made its way over the speakers, she took a long swig of her beer, thinking it ironic that she was a police consultant—a special investigator, no less—and yet she’d managed to ignore all the signs that’d been right under her nose. Part of her wondered if it’d just been easier for her to remain oblivious rather than to try to deal with a crumbling marriage.

  And then Matt cleaned out her savings on a week-long excursion to Vegas with his girlfriend. That had been the slap in the face she’d needed.

  They’d then spent the next few years with him promising to clean up his act and her hating him each time he’d lapsed back into his old habits. He’d refused to get help, and after she’d caught him cheating once more, that had been the last straw.

  Vowing never to let love cloud her judgment again, she’d packed her bags and filed for divorce.

  Two years ago.

  Part of her felt as though she should be celebrating, but there was an even bigger part of her that felt like she’d failed. Failed to see the truth. Failed to keep her marriage together. Failed at being a wife.

  The only thing she was good at was her job. And at this point, her job was the only thing she had left. Her cases. Solving her mysteries. At least she was making a difference by putting criminals behind bars and solving cases that had hit a wall.

  She supposed she could blame her failed marriage on The Curse—the curse of the Moore women that always resulted in them picking shitty men. Her gran, her mom, her sister, herself…every one of them had been screwed over and messed around with.

  She’d thought she’d picked a good one with Matt—and he had been a great husband at the beginning. He’d showed her what it was like to be happy, and he’d made her want that sort of a fairy-tale romance. And then the curse hit, and it all went down the stinking toilet after he got laid off and ended up with far too much time on his hands—time he’d spent gambling and then fucking other women when he was supposed to be getting help with his problem. At least they hadn’t brought kids into that mess.

  Knowing it’d be far too easy to let her past drag her down, Hadley vowed to make the most of this new start—this new life. She was finally free of her past and she could start fresh. Leave her mistakes and the curse behind. Find out who she really was when she didn’t have baggage pulling her down into a pit of desperation and threatening to drown her.

  With her eyes still on her beer, she felt the air around her shift as someone took a seat next to her. She barely needed a sideways glance to take in the details. Male, tall, far too much cheap cologne, and since there were plenty of other seats at the bar and he’d decided instead to crowd her, it meant that he was going to be a nuisance.

  “I’ll have what the pretty lady’s having, and one more for her.” To her, he said, “Name’s Ryan.”

  Hadley let out a sigh, and shifted in her seat to face him, managing a small smile as she took him in. Too young, too built, too full of himself, and too drunk, if she had to guess. “I appreciate it, but I’m all set. Thanks.”

  “I’m just trying to buy you a drink, princess.” Leaning against her, he closed in on her space, brushing her hair off her shoulder in a move that earned him a glare. “Can’t a guy buy you a drink, or do you think you’re too good for me? You haven’t even told me your name.”

  “I think I’m done here.” She didn’t want to get into it, and he wasn’t worth the aggravation. The only reason she was even at the hotel was because she was helping with a new case and it was too far from home for her to commute.

  She slipped off the stool when he grabbed her arm. “Hey…where you going? I want to get to know you better. Have a bit of fun. Come on…stay and have a drink.”

  Why…why couldn’t she just be left alone to wallow in her misery? She’d wanted a bit of a distraction, but not this. She yanked free of his grasp, fire in her eyes. “Buddy—touch me again, and you’ll live to regret it.”

  “Ooo, spunky. I like that.” Ryan got to his feet, and though she never thought of herself as short at five six, the guy was tall. And big. She could take care of herself, but he could easily pick her up off her feet and plant her. If she was a cop, she’d have a badge to scare him away with, but she wasn’t. She was a consulting investigator, which meant no badge, no gun, no handcuffs. “Don’t go… Someone so pretty shouldn’t be alone. And I really like you. Don’t you want to really like me too?”

  Yep. Definitely drunk, which meant that there was no chance of successfully reasoning with him. With a jolt of adrenaline kicking into her system, she backed up a step—and right into a wall of muscle, her fear spiking as she wondered if he’d brought a friend.

  The stranger stepped around her and put himself between her and the jerk harassing her. “She’s not alone. Not anymore. And she’s already told you she’s not interested. Now take your drink and get the fuck out of here.”

  “I saw her first, so you can fuck off. Go find your own. This one’s mine.”

  As big as Ryan was, the guy coming to her defense was just as big, if not bigger. And the way he moved—he might be muscular, but there was an ease in his movements that made her think he’d be quick and dangerous.

  And he was. He dodged a blow, and before she could really see what was happening, her stranger had Ryan pinned to the bar with his arm twisted painfully around his back as he groaned in pain. “You need to leave, or I’m going to make sure you regret it. Are we clear?”

  “Fuck…let go of me, man. I didn’t mean anything by it.” Ryan struggled to get free but it wasn’t happen
ing.

  Her handsome stranger yanked him upright, though he’d yet to let go of Ryan’s arm, twisting it so it was clearly painful. “Apologize to the lady for touching her.”

  “I’m sorry. Fuck…let go of me, man. That fucking hurts.” He was set free with a shove that put plenty of distance between them, looking over his shoulder as he slunk back towards a dark corner on the other side of the bar.

  “Thanks.” Though Hadley could have probably taken care of the guy herself—with a whole lot of effort and no guarantees—it was damn nice not to have to. Especially when the guy coming to her aid was smoking hot. He was everything that other guy had tried but failed to be.

  “Are you okay?” His worried gaze took her in, as he put a gentle hand on her arm and steered her away from the bar. Except that this time, she wasn’t bothered by someone touching her. Not in the least.

  “I am. Thanks for asking—and thanks for dealing with that asshole.” Her heart was now racing for an entirely different reason. There was something about the guy standing in front her that made her crappy mood disappear.

  He was damn good-looking, in a way that combined rugged and refined. His dark brown hair looked casually mussed like he’d been running his hands through it, and he had just enough stubble on his strong jaw to make his bright blue eyes stand out. Though he looked as though he could wear anything from flannel to a suit and look damn good in any of it, he’d continued that rugged yet refined theme by pairing worn jeans that fit him perfectly and a pair of scuffed Docs, with a navy cashmere sweater that hugged every muscle and fit him perfectly.

  “My name’s Hadley, by the way.” She nervously tucked her hair behind her ear, and tried to remember the last time she’d attempted to flirt. It’d been ages. But if ever there was a time to attempt it, this would be it, given that gorgeous guys like the one before her never wandered into her life.

  “Gabe. It’s a pleasure.” He tilted his head towards the other end of the bar with a disarming smile. “Not that you want a repeat, but can I buy you a drink? Or would you rather get out of here?” He ran a gentle finger down her cheek and leaned in just a little, lowering his head to hers so the air between them crackled with sexual tension.

  Before meeting Gabe, she’d been ready to go back to her room and dig into the case file she’d just picked up the police station. But now? She was thinking that after such a crappy day, she could easily do with a distraction as good-looking as Gabe, especially since it’d been years since she’d let a guy get close.

  Managing a flirty smile—at least she hoped it was flirty—she leaned into him and went onto the tips of her toes so she could whisper in his ear. “I think I’d like to get out of here—if you’re up for it.”

  “Oh, I’m definitely up for it, sweetheart.” He slipped his hand up the back of her neck and pulled her close, nuzzling her as he brushed her lips in a kiss that shot right through her and left her desperate for more.

  She never did this sort of thing. Never. But hadn’t she just been thinking that she wanted to start a new chapter in her life, and she wanted a change? Well, Gabe couldn’t be any more perfect for kicking off her new life with a bang.

  She no longer wanted to be the woman trapped in a bad marriage, or the woman who’d forgotten how to have fun. It’d been a long time since she’d felt any sort of happiness outside of a job well done, and she was still far too young to feel so defeated and dejected.

  She needed this. She needed to forget her past, her failures, even if it was for just one night. And after feeling like she hadn’t been good enough for an ass-wipe like Matt, she desperately needed to feel wanted, even if it was for something purely physical.

  Slipping a strong arm around her shoulder, Gabe held her close as he led them out of the bar and into the hotel lobby, his hard body pressed against hers as if giving her a preview of what was to come. She couldn’t quite believe she was going to do this, and she hated to admit it, but her nerves were getting the better of her, her heart racing like it might jump out of her chest.

  “You seem nervous, sweetheart.” He slowed them to a stop and pulled her close, his grip on her hips firm enough to ramp her excitement up another notch. “Anything I can do to help?”

  “Yeah…kiss me.” This was a fresh start, a new her, and she refused to overthink it. She needed this. More than anything.

  “Happy to, babe.” Cupping her face, he knotted his large hands in her hair and dragged her up to him, covering her mouth in a kiss that was sweet yet passionate enough to have her breath catching. His tongue darted past her lips as his kiss deepened, causing her clit to throb with a heavy pressure that begged for release. He pulled away, but only for a moment before dragging her back to him and biting her bottom lip, his words spoken against her skin on a needy breath. “Fuck…I want you, Hadley.”

  With her heart hammering inside her chest, she hooked her fingers through the loops of his jeans and pulled his hips to her, making it impossible to ignore his long, hard length—and damn if that didn’t make him all the more irresistible. “It’s been a really long time since anyone’s wanted me.”

  “That’s just so fucking wrong, sweetheart.”

  Chapter Two

  With someone gunning for him and his family, and one of his brothers ending up in the hospital as a result of it, Gabe had been having one hell of a fucking crap-tastic month—until he’d spotted Hadley. She was just what he needed to distract himself from his problems.

  Except that he could already tell there was something different about her, something that made him think she’d be nothing like his usual fare of women. The girl sure as hell stood out in a sea of females. He’d give her that.

  She wasn’t very tall, but she had one hell of a body on her, though it was athletic more than curvy—and fuck, but that probably meant she had amazing stamina. Her blue eyes were fiercely intelligent and utterly captivating, she had long brown hair he wanted to fist his hands in, and her full, red lips would look perfect wrapped around his hard cock.

  So then how the hell could she not feel wanted? And who the hell would be stupid enough to neglect her or pass her up? Not him, that’s for fucking sure.

  Gabe slipped an arm around her waist, pulling her to him with a firm hold as he nipped at her ear and down her neck, taking immense pleasure in the way her body shuddered against his in response. When he spoke, his voice betrayed his need for her, though he did nothing to mask his desire or his hard-on as it pressed against her. “Where would you like to go, sweetheart? We can take this as slow or as fast as you need. No pressure.”

  Nervous as she seemed, it was clear to him that she didn’t normally sleep with guys she’d only just met. He desperately wanted to fuck her, but he didn’t want to push her into sex if she wasn’t ready for it, even if he’d no doubt regret doing the honorable thing.

  She nuzzled his neck as her hands slipped up his chest, her voice barely a whisper against his skin. “I don’t want to take things slow, Gabe. I don’t want to overthink it—and I’ll do just that if you give me half a chance.”

  Then Gabe would just have to distract her. When he dragged his teeth over the pulse in her neck, she let out a needy whimper and leaned against him, her body instantly responsive to his every touch.

  Her breath caught as she leaned into him, the need in her voice evident. “Damn, Gabe…you’re really good at this sort of thing.”

  “It only gets better from here, babe. I promise.” He needed her. Now. And if she was willing, then there was no way he was going to put off sinking his cock into her tight little pussy.

  He owned the penthouse suite in the very building they were in—hell, he and his brothers owned the entire hotel—but he never brought women up there. It was his home, and he liked his privacy. “Let me get us a room.”

  She dug her key out of the back pocket of her jeans. “No need. I’m staying here on business.” Even as she said the words, he was already pulling her towards the elevators, desperate to get her naked. “Thir
d floor.”

  The moment the doors of the elevator slid closed and it was just the two of them, he was on her, pinning her to the elevator wall and claiming her mouth in a bruising kiss, ignoring the security camera. Let them fucking watch, for all he cared, because he wasn’t waiting a moment more.

  He grabbed her ass with both hands and lifted her, her legs wrapping around his waist, their kiss deepening as he pressed her against the elevator wall, his erection trapped between them, seeking out her heat. With one arm around his neck, her other hand tangled in his hair, as she tugged him to her, her hips grinding against his hard cock. The door rang and slid open, but he held onto her, carrying her off the elevator as she bit his neck, not willing to let her go for even a moment. “Fuck…what room are you in, sweetheart?”

  “Three twelve.” Another bite had him sucking in a breath, pain and pleasure becoming one, as he carried her to her door, where she swiped her key card and let them in.

  Gabe barely registered the door closing behind them as he headed to the bed, only breaking away from their kisses long enough to strip off their clothing in a hurried frenzy. Fuck, the girl was gorgeous. Pert breasts and toned legs, with just enough curves to soften her figure.

  Laying down by her side, he sucked a nipple into his mouth, teasing it with his tongue, as his hand drifted up the smooth skin of her thigh to find her so slick, his fingers slipped into her effortlessly. He couldn’t help but let out a needy groan of desperation. “Hadley…you’re so fucking wet, so ready for me.”

  Her breaths were coming in shallow gasps. She shifted her hips to meet the thrusting of his fingers as her small hand wrapped around his hard cock to stroke him, pushing all thoughts of taking this slow out of his mind. “It’s been so long, Gabe…I can’t even tell you.”

  “That’s just wrong, sweetheart. So fucking wrong. A girl like you should always have her needs met. Always.” He needed her…needed to taste her, needed to fuck her until they were both spent. Sated.