Claiming His Prize Read online

  “You nearly ruined the reputation of Killer of Kings, Chains. Do you know that? You nearly fucked with what I have. I don’t like that.” Boss held his gun out steady, and Lori gasped, putting herself in front of Chains.

  “No, don’t kill him.”

  “You need your bitch to fight your battles for you as well now, Chains? You’re not man enough to take me on by yourself?”

  She shook her head. “No. Please stop. You’ve got this all wrong. I love him. I love Chains. Yes, our beginning was a bit weird, but who cares? He loves me, too, and we’re going to be together. We’re going to get married. I’m not going to say anything about what you do. Please, don’t kill him.” She felt her tears suddenly building, and before she could stop them they were streaming down. “I don’t want to live without him. He’s been the only one that has ever cared about me, and I don’t want to lose that. He means everything.” The moment she started talking, the reality of losing him was just too great. She couldn’t handle that, nor did she want to. All of her life she’d been pushed aside, unloved, unwanted.

  Chains was the only one to see her, to care about her, to love her, and she couldn’t let anything happen to him. She wouldn’t be able to survive it.

  With tears blurring her vision, she stared at the man that she knew could end her happiness with a single shot from his gun.

  Staring into death’s eyes, she placed herself in front of Chains. “Please, I’m begging you, don’t kill him. I couldn’t … I don’t…” Words were failing her. She only felt this overwhelming sense of grief.

  “It’s fine,” Chains said. His hand banded around her. He tried to move her out of the way, but she refused to budge. Not this time. She wasn’t going to let him be taken from her. She couldn’t.

  Licking her dry lips, she kept her focus on Boss. He looked bored, as if this was all a little tedious to him.

  “Kill me instead.” The words left her mouth, but the moment she said them, she knew she’d surprised him.

  Was that a good thing?

  Chapter Thirteen

  “Out of the room.” Boss pointed to the door. “I need to speak with Chains alone.”

  “Are you going to hurt him?” asked Lori.

  Boss didn’t look ready to humor her.

  “It’s okay, baby. Just business. I’ll be out soon,” said Chains.

  Lori looked back at him as she left the room, the door finally clicking shut behind her. He hated being caught in this position, but he could only blame himself. When he’d taken Lori from behind the diner, it had been pure instinct. There was just something about her that called to him, demanded he keep her as his reward for a fucked-up life. He hadn’t used a level head then or when he went on his last assignment with Boss. Chains knew firsthand what happened to hitmen who left loose ends or turned sloppy. Boss demanded perfection. He was obsessed with keeping the reputation of Killer of Kings hard as nails.

  “So…”

  “I know I fucked up, but it won’t happen again,” said Chains.

  Boss tapped a pen on the desk, swiveling slightly back and forth in his chair. “Of all people, I wouldn’t expect you to take a prisoner. I mean, fuck, after the shit you’ve been through it doesn’t make sense.”

  “She wasn’t my prisoner. Not for long, anyway. We both feel the same way about each other, so I don’t see a problem.”

  “Of course you don’t. But I guarantee you’ll cost me money and the lives of my men if you keep screwing around on the job. I can’t have it. I won’t have it.”

  He wanted to ask what was next, but kept his mouth shut. Why was Boss stalling? Just put a bullet in his head and get it over with. Once Boss made up his mind, nothing he could say would change a thing regardless.

  “I keep you close for a reason. I trust you, and you always give me your best. When I need a driver, intel, guaranteed hit, anything … I call you and get results.”

  “That doesn’t have to change.”

  Boss stood up and rolled out his shoulders. “Viper and Bain are off to clean up your mess right now. Even though you fucked me over, I won’t tolerate anyone trying to take out my men. The only thing going for you is getting El Diablo to sign on with Killer of Kings.”

  “Because you blackmailed him.”

  Boss shook his head. “I got information he couldn’t. Nothing’s free, Chains. Not in this fucking life.” He walked back and forth in front of the hotel windows, admiring the skyline.

  Apparently when El Diablo was sold off to a gang as a child, he hadn’t been the only one. He had a younger sister, but she’d disappeared when he tried to find her as an adult. Boss managed to find her, but he required loyalty in exchange for the information.

  “Lori’s innocent. I got her mixed up in this shit, so please leave her out of this. I know I screwed up, but I gave you a lot of good years. Surely that counts for something.” It was his last request, one more chance to try to ensure Lori didn’t get hurt.

  Boss nodded slowly as if lost in thought. “I have to make an example of you, Chains. Whether I want to or not.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “I’ve always loved that property of yours up north,” said Boss. “And you really believed I didn’t know about it? Cute.”

  Killian sat on the edge of the desk, looking bored.

  “Let’s not bullshit around. What have you decided?” asked Chains.

  Boss smirked, walking around with his hands clasped behind his back. “You remind me of Killian. I brought you both to America, both orphans, both used to living in shitholes. Everything went great until you found women.”

  “Then why am I the one being punished?”

  Boss tutted. “You want to know what I decided? Tell him, Killian.”

  Killian ran a hand through his blond hair. “You said you were going to fire him.”

  “Fire him,” Boss repeated. “That’s never happened, has it, Chains?”

  He shook his head.

  “Of course not, because I don’t fire people, I make them disappear. No potential problems that way.”

  “I’ll go far away. I won’t make any problems for you or the company, you know that,” said Chains.

  Boss laughed, an evil, twisted sound. “You’d love that wouldn’t you?” Then he stopped in his tracks. “Like I’ve told you before, I can’t leave you unpunished, and that wouldn’t be punishment. So, you’ll be in charge of training El Diablo. That whiny bastard will be your shadow until he meets Killer of Kings’ standards. After that point, you can choose to walk away or stay on. As long as there are no more fuckups.”

  “Fuck that shit. I can’t stand that pompous asshole. I won’t do it!”

  Lori burst back in the office, rushing over to him. “Chains! Take the damn deal,” said Lori.

  Boss and Killian chuckled. “Better listen to your woman, Chains. She’s a smart one,” said Killian.

  She looked up at Chains, pleading with her eyes, holding him tighter. Some of the tension in his muscles eased.

  “Fine.” He said nothing more.

  “Thank you,” she said to Boss.

  “I didn’t do it for you, sweetheart.” He turned to Chains. “I did it for him. He’s always been like a son to me.”

  Boss jutted his head to Killian, and the other man reluctantly got off the desk. He clapped Chains hard on the shoulder before walking to the door. “Better you than me, eh?” Killian laughed as he left.

  “El Diablo will be healing up for a while. He’s a real fucking pussy. Take the next couple weeks to get your shit together. And take care of your girl. She’s been through enough.” Then he pointed to the exit.

  Chains rushed them out to the elevator once given the chance. “I can’t believe he pulled this on me.”

  “How are you complaining? I thought I could lose you, Chains.”

  “Training recruits doesn’t take a couple weeks. This isn’t a department store. It’ll take years. That means years of dealing with that prick, having him underfoot consta
ntly.”

  “He’s not so bad. He set me free, remember?”

  He growled after a lengthy silence. “I’m an idiot.”

  “Why would you say that?”

  “I worried about me instead of thinking about you. You’re absolutely fucking right, baby. We’re both alive, and we have each other. That’s what matters.”

  They held hands. “I don’t ask for much. I just need you,” she said.

  “Since I’m alive and well, which is better than I expected, we’ll still be paying for your brothers and sisters to get a good education and on their feet. You love them, and whatever’s important to you is important to me.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Remember when I asked you to tell me your happy memories. And they weren’t about you?” She nodded. “I understand now. Because I’ve fallen in love.”

  They kissed slowly, sensually.

  “Good and bad, I’m here. I’m yours,” she said.

  “I’d go through all the bullshit in my life all over again if I knew you were the prize.” He cupped the side of her face, using his thumb to wipe away a tear.

  “I love you, Chains. I’d still be in the same miserable place in my life if you hadn’t come in my diner that night.”

  He winked. “You were right about the pie.” They both smiled, remembering the crazy memories. “And I promise I’ll spend the rest of my life treating you with the love and respect you deserve.”

  She collapsed against him, and he held her tight. Together, they headed back to the cottage. Their little slice of heaven. She’d never look back, never regret a thing. She may have come from lowly roots, but Chains made her feel like a princess.

  They’d saved each other, both given a second chance at happiness. Chains may be a killer, a hitman for hire, but he was hers, and she wouldn’t change a thing about him.

  The End

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  BONUS SAMPLE CHAPTER

  BRED BY THE BILLIONAIRE

  Breeding Season, 1

  Sam Crescent and Stacey Espino

  Copyright © 2017

  Chapter One

  “Where’s my fucking coffee?” Tobias Bennett sifted through the files on his desk. He was getting too old for this shit—late nights at the office and staff who couldn’t follow simple instructions. At this point in his life, he’d imagined living on a private island, a mojito in one hand and The Wall Street Journal in the other. But he was still running the family business with no sign of slowing down. He’d been termed a perfectionist, and probably a lot worse, but he strongly believed wealth was the measure of success.

  A couple minutes later, one of the interns set a mug on the corner of his desk. She scurried out of his office, nearly breaking into a jog. Was he that much of an asshole?

  Tobias scrubbed both hands over his face. He knew exactly what had been driving him crazy lately. His parents were riding him hard for an heir, another Bennett to carry on the family empire. The problem—he wasn’t looking for a wife. His bachelor life suited him just fine, and even at forty-five, he wasn’t ready to settle down. He would have told his aging parents to back off, but they had a point, one that kept crowding his thoughts.

  Morgan peered in his office. “Why are you still here?”

  “Work.”

  “Go home. It’s Friday night, for God’s sake.” He’d gone to university with Morgan, and hired him to work on the Bennett Corporation legal team over a decade ago. Morgan was the only man who dared to speak freely with him.

  “I’ve got that big bid on Monday. I need to be prepared,” said Tobias.

  “We’ve already got it covered. Everything’s in order.”

  “It has to be perfect.”

  Morgan exhaled, then shook his head. “Well, I’m heading out.” Then he added, “Don’t push yourself so hard.”

  “See you Monday.” Tobias leaned back in his leather chair and gave his friend a mock salute.

  Once alone again, he pondered Morgan’s words. Yes, he pushed himself. It was life as a Bennett. His parents expected perfection from day one, and he’d always delivered. The company was strong, profitable, and dominating the stock market because he didn’t fuck around. He always put a hundred percent effort into everything he set out to do, and demanded the same from his staff. If one of his employees couldn’t meet the mark, he didn’t think twice about showing them the door. He had no room for weakness.

  After another couple of hours, he packed up his paperwork and flicked off the lights to his corner penthouse office. As he stood in the darkness, the lights of the city sparkled with life beyond the floor to ceiling windows. He grabbed his briefcase and walked over to the window, looking down from one of the highest vantage points. It was one big party below, a city that never slept.

  He’d put the Bennett Corporation on the map, made his father’s business into something multi-national, but what happened next? What would happen when he died? The legacy he’d built would die along with him, all his hard work and sacrifices for nothing. The business might continue with the family name, but without the blood of a Bennett, it would be a soulless enterprise, nothing more than dollars and cents.

  “Mr. Bennett?”

  Tobias snapped out of his reverie, turning to see a silhouette in the doorway of his darkened office. “Yes?”

  “Would you like some company tonight?”

  He narrowed his eyes as he strode to the door. “Aren’t you one of the new analysts we just hired?” Tobias had thousands of employees, so couldn’t remember many names and faces. He only allowed minimal staff on the penthouse floor of his skyscraper. He remembered this woman from the new staff tour yesterday morning, and only because she’d worn a short skirt.

  “Yes, sir.”

  “And why are you up here?”

  “I wanted to offer my company.” She ran her finger along the low collar of her blouse. Was she actually trying to seduce him? “I have many skillsets beyond analyzing, and I thought you’d like me to show you some.”

  He scoffed. “You thought wrong, sweetheart. If you’d actually done any digging, you’d know I never mix business with pleasure.”

  “But—”

  “Stay on the fifth floor. I don’t want to see you up here again.”

  She sulked off, clearly not expecting him to reject her. Tobias wasn’t hard up. He had a long list of women he could call for a hook-up. None of them meant a thing to him. They were available for sex, and that’s how he liked it—until now. If he wanted a kid, he had to find a decent woman to be the mother. Unfortunately, most of the women he fucked were gold-diggers, and he didn’t want any baby drama. He just wanted the heir, nothing more.

  He could already envision it, a life similar to his own childhood. His son would be raised by a nanny, go to boarding school, and be trained to be the best at everything. Tobias knew parenting wouldn’t take much effort on his part—he’d rarely seen his own mother and father growing up.

  Tobias took the elevator down to the parking garage, trying to push thoughts of babies and legacies out of his head. This responsibility shouldn’t have fallen on his damn shoulders. He’d been the younger brother—until he turned sixteen. Maximus had been nineteen when he died of a heroin overdose. Of course, his parents made sure the real cause didn’t hit the media, appearances being more important than the truth. Tobias had seen it coming. He’d done nothing. Unlike him, Maximus wanted more, wanted the love and warmth he’d seen in other homes. Their father said he was weak, he couldn’t cut
it, and that’s why he killed himself. No one ever mentioned Maximus, like he never existed.

  The elevator dinged, and Tobias stepped out into the secure garage. He dug the keys to his Mercedes out of his pocket, turning off the alarm system. Once behind the wheel, he tossed his briefcase onto the passenger seat and squeezed the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. Reflecting on a past that couldn’t be undone was pointless, and like his father taught him, emotions were for pussies. He needed to block that shit out, forget about the brother taken from him too soon. Trying to imagine an alternate reality would only break down his carefully maintained exterior.

  He turned on the radio, hoping the music would drown out the noise in his head. Right now, he wished he could have fucked that blonde bitch over his desk to release the tension, but he refused to get involved with women in the office. Nothing was worth risking the reputation of the family business, certainly not a piece of ass.

  Tobias hit the gas as he drove, the streetlights and bright signage disguising the fact the sun had set hours ago. At least leaving late thinned out the downtown traffic. His condo was only ten minutes from the office in one of the waterfront condos owned by the Bennett Corporation. There wasn’t much they didn’t have their hand in.

  He nodded to the doorman as he walked to the elevator. Normally, he’d go out for a drink on Friday, maybe choose who he wanted to take home with him for the night. Today, he just wanted to crash. He’d pour himself a scotch on the rocks and drown out all the insecurities. Friday meant he could sleep in tomorrow, so he’d drink enough to keep all his nightmares at bay.

  ****

  Adora Garcia had three major assignments due in the next two weeks, so her desk and laptop were going to be her best friends for a while. She’d been studying all morning, empty coffee cups and balls of scrunched up paper hiding her cellphone. When it began to ring, she remembered the promise to pick her mother up from work while her car was in the shop.