Big Easy Temptation (The Perfect Gentlemen 3)

He thrust up from beneath her, hips surging, while his hands tightened on her, forcing her down.

“Ride me, sweetheart. Ride me hard.”

Holland intended to give the man what he needed, so she rocked up and thrust down harder, finding a deeper rhythm. With a groan, he settled his fingers between their joined bodies and worked her swollen bundle of nerves, moaning as he rubbed her hard. Then she was the one who couldn’t wait. She quickened her pace. Pleasure rising, her head swimming, heart drumming, Holland gasped. This hot, quick ride felt like the beginning of forever. Even if it was sexy as hell, she felt his love. All the sensations converged with her emotions and splintered her apart. She came an instant later, ecstasy sweeping over her wild and fast.

Before she could begin to enjoy the languor of her orgasm, Holland found herself on her back, Dax staring down at her as he spread her legs wide and thrust in deep. He was obviously through playing around, and she nearly shouted when he hit some magical place that detonated a new flurry of tingles. Orgasm began to build again.

“Give me one more, sweetheart. I want to feel your pussy clamp me tight. You feel so fucking good.”

She moved with him, lifting to him and feeling the rise of need. She clutched his shoulders, cried out when he nipped at her neck and plunged deep.

Then she went over the edge again. This time he was with her. He held himself hard and high inside her as his head fell back with a groan. She could feel his release fill her, scalding, primal, satisfying.

After a long, low groan, Dax fell on top of her, winding his arms around her and holding her tight. “Love you so much.”

And then he fell right back to sleep, his breathing deep and even as he cuddled her.

This time she let his warmth seep into her skin. She would make things right between them. She had to. There was no other choice because she couldn’t give this man up and she wouldn’t let anyone take him from her.

NINE

Dax looked at the ring. The gorgeous emerald-cut two-carat yellow diamond would look so damn beautiful on his girl’s finger. No. Not his girl. His wife.

He was going to ask Holland to marry him.

“You’re sure it’s not too soon?” His mother had given her blessing when she’d given him the ring that had been in the Spencer family for generations. She’d never worn it herself since his grandmother had been alive when his parents married, but she’d left it for Dax to give his wife.

“It feels like I’ve waited forever.” And I won’t wait anymore, he thought as he slid the ring into his pocket. He’d gotten here just in time from the looks of his mother’s suitcases. She was heading to D.C. to help Gus find a new apartment.

Gus didn’t need any help, but his sister knew their mom loved nothing more than decorating a new space, so Gus had invited her up for the week.

With a sigh, his mother peered up at him. “Then you shouldn’t wait anymore. I love Holland like she’s my daughter already.”

“I’m leaving the Navy, Momma.”

That startled her. “Are you certain? I thought you wanted a career like your . . .”

“Like Dad’s? His didn’t end well. I think I’ll try something different.”

The ills between his parents stemmed from spending too much time apart. If they’d been a typical suburban commuter couple, his father probably wouldn’t have taken mistresses. He also wouldn’t have been near a fifteen-year-old prostitute or left himself open to everyone believing the lies about him. Dax grimaced at the thought.

Tears sheened his mother’s eyes. “I’m so glad. And you’ll stop this investigation into your father’s death? You need to focus on the future, son. Not the past. It’s over and done.”

“I have a few questions left, but I promise I’ll be careful.” He was leaving Holland out of his visit to Sue Carlyle. He’d pulled some strings so he could meet her next week. He’d also hired a PI to talk to two of the women she’d been incarcerated with who had since been released. He was expecting a report in the next few days.

The Carlyle woman was a key witness. Somewhere in her drug-addled mind likely lay the secrets to what happened with his father. It was a gut instinct and he intended to follow it. But after seeing how going to the prison had affected Holland, he couldn’t ask her to go back. When he had all the reports and information, he would show them to her so they could discuss the next steps.

Until then, he would concentrate on his proposal.

“How do you intend to ask her, Dax?” His mother settled into her big rocker on the front porch with a smile. He hadn’t seen her look so happy in what seemed like forever.

“I’ve got a plane taking us to Vegas. I know it may not sound romantic, but she’s never been and we’ve only got a few days off. So I’ve got something special planned. Mad keeps a crazy lush penthouse there complete with a butler and private chef. I want to treat her right. On the last night, I’m going to ask her to marry me.”

And she would say yes. Another gut instinct he was going to go with.

His mother sent him a sharp stare. “Don’t you tell me you’re getting married there.”

“No. No eloping allowed. I’m only going to do this once so I intend to do it right. You and Gus and Holland can go big. I want a white wedding shebang, everything Holland has ever wanted.”

“I’m so happy for you, son. I’m happy for all of us. It’s past time we had good news in this family. Augustine is starting her new job. You’re getting married.” She squeezed his hand. “It really is time to move on.”

“Mom, do you miss him?”

She sighed and sat back, resting in the big rocker. “Often. I miss the man I thought he was, but I’m going to move on now, too. I’m going to get out more often, resume my charity work. I’ve certainly missed that. I was asked to head the planning committee for the annual charity ball.”

Those nasty bitches had turned their backs on his mother when the scandal broke, but he knew she missed her place in society. The gossip seemed to have cooled enough to allow her to live something close to normally again.

Guilt made his stomach turn at the thought that he could undo her social progress. He might not care, but being included in the community was something his mother lived for. It would kill her to go through it all again.

Was she right? Should he concentrate on the future? Holland could get dragged into the scandal. Gus as well.

No. He took a deep breath. He had to do this. He would have to be careful so he didn’t upset her new status quo. He would keep his investigation quiet until he’d proven his father was innocent. Once he had, she’d never have to worry about her place in society again. And they could all truly put the past behind them.

His cell trilled as a text came through. He smiled. Gabe.

Just heard the news. Congrats and good luck! I’ll give you an early wedding present by keeping Mad away from Vegas while you’re there.

He smiled. Perfect. He texted back his thanks and glanced at the time. He needed to head out. Holland’s shift would be over and she had no idea he’d arranged for her to take some time off. He’d contacted her superior the day before, requesting some of her vacation time as a surprise. Her boss had been happy to give it to him. Dax was fairly certain the man had thought he was calling to rail about his father’s case again. He’d been obviously relieved.

“I love you, Mom. I’ll call you when we get to Vegas tonight. I’ve got to get back to the apartment so I can whisk her away. Mad is sending the plane as we speak. We’ll leave late, but it’s Vegas, so everything will still be open when we get there.” And he would enjoy a night flight with his almost fiancée. He intended to show her just how depraved he could be at thirty thousand feet.

“You’re a nice boy when you want to be but I know you’ve got a very bad side.” His mother winked his way, then rose as a black sedan pulled up. “There’s my car. Gus sent it, along with that fine young driver.”

Dear god. The m

an was in a suit, but he looked like he was built to strip. Yeah, that was exactly what Gus would look for in a driver for their widowed, sixty-something mother.

He helped get her into the car and waved as she drove off for what looked like a fun trip.

His mother finally seemed ready to move on. For months he’d been worried about her and now it was as if the clouds were shifting and the sun was shining in his mother’s life again.

Was he doing the right thing by poking into his father’s death? Or just dredging everything painful back up?

He would talk to Sue Carlyle’s cellmates and decide from there. If it really was a dead end, he would put the past behind him and concentrate on the present, on marrying Holland and starting a new chapter of his life.

He pocketed the ring and started toward the streetcar station. He had a week’s worth of leave and he wasn’t about to waste a minute of it.

His cell trilled again. Roman this time. He swiped his finger across the screen to accept what would likely be some hearty congratulations. “It’s a good day, my man.”

“Hey, Dax.”

Dax stopped because that didn’t sound like a congratulatory voice. The last time he’d heard that gritty tone to Roman’s voice, his friend had been calling to tell him what had happened to his father. So he got right to the point now. “What’s happened?”

“I need to talk to you about a story that the Times-Picayune was going to run tomorrow morning.”

“Was?”

“I think Gus effectively quashed it.” Roman sounded so grim.

“Gus?”

“It’s part of what she does for Liz. Of course Liz runs the press office, but Gus is like her enforcer. She heard about the story first. It’s why she thought it best to bring your mother here to D.C. In case the paper decided to print this shit anyway, she wanted your mother here with us where we can insulate her a bit. But I want to assure you that when Gus says something’s dead, it usually is.”

“What is the story about?”

“Pictures of your father have surfaced.”

“All right. There were pictures when the scandal first broke.” Of his father entering the seedy motel with the girl. “What’s different about these?”

Roman paused for a moment. “He’s in bed with the teenage prostitute, the one from the video. They’re . . . explicit.”

Dax’s stomach took a nosedive. Lousiest fucking timing.

“And there’s more. Someone is planning an exposé on your family. Do you know anything about your father having multiple affairs?”

“Yes, but only because my mother told me.” What the hell was going on?

“Someone else knows about it. Someone is shopping a book deal airing all of your family’s dirty laundry and naturally they found a publisher to bite.”

Dax could feel his whole body tense. “Goddamn it. I do not need this. My mother doesn’t need this.”

“I know. Unfortunately, I’m not done yet,” Roman continued. “Gus has been asking a few questions and poking around. She thinks she’s found the source for this sudden story. There’s been a leak. Those photos were kept in lockup at NOLA PD. Recently, another investigator got hold of them. This particular investigator had a hundred thousand dollars deposited into her account from an offshore bank yesterday. Not sure why she chose to do it that way. She should have gotten an offshore account herself. It took Gus all of five minutes to figure it out.”

His stomach was still sinking. Only one investigator would have gone after those files. “Are you saying Holland sold pictures of my father and this teenage prostitute to the press?”

“It looks that way.”

“It’s not possible.” Holland would never do such a thing. Someone had to be framing her.

“Look, I’m not going to tell you how to play this and I’ve got Gus on a leash for now. I can’t begin to tell you what she wanted to do. Your sister is very creative with revenge. This is your girl and you have to figure out how to handle this. As for the scandal, it’s done. There won’t be a book.”

God, what had they done to get that tell-all book quashed? “How did you manage that?”

“The publisher is part of a media conglomerate. Zack agreed to give their news arm an interview about Joy’s death.”

“No.” He couldn’t let Zack do it. He was one of the most private human beings Dax had ever met, and talking about something as personal as the death of his wife would crush him. “Tell him I said I’ll find another way.”

“He knew you would, which is why he’s already made the deal. It’s done. There’s no backing out now.” Roman paused. “Dax, he needs to do this for you. Let him, so he can feel as if he’s done one damn good thing to help.”

Because his job seemed so very large there was nothing he could contribute. “All right, but I can never repay him for this.”

God, what had happened? How had it come to this and who was fucking with Holland? There was zero chance she had chosen to sell him out. Something was going on and his need to see her skyrocketed.

She could be in danger. This whole situation had suddenly gotten so out of hand.

“He doesn’t want repayment. He wants you and your family safe.” There was a pause over the line. “Dax, I know how you feel about your father, but I need you to think of Gus now.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean if this story blows up again, she’ll be directly in the line of fire. She’ll be all over the papers and a good amount of her credibility could come into question. We put out this fire today, but you reopening this investigation will likely cost Gus her career. I hate that. I hate even saying it, but image is everything here. Zack can keep her on, but if these photos of your father get out, Gus goes from having a tragic background to pictures of her father abusing young women being the top story every time someone Googles her.”

“Gus would disagree with you,” he said, though Roman’s words were making him think.

“Yes, she would, but I’m worried about her. I’m worried about your mother. Gus would want you to soldier on. She’s a tough lady, but this is a world where a person’s career can be ended with a single news story. The only reason I brought Gus on for such a high-profile job in the first place was that the media had died down and most people have forgotten.”

“Why didn’t you hire her because she was good?” Anger was starting to thrum through his system.

Roman paused. “I know you probably think I’m being ruthless, but I really am thinking about Gus. And quite frankly, those pictures . . . Dax, I don’t want to believe it, either. Not about your dad, but I saw them. I can’t unsee them.”

Dax shook his head. “I can’t talk about this right now. I need to go.”

“All right.” Roman sighed heavily. “Just think about what I said. And I’m sorry about Holland, Dax. We’ve all been there. We’ve all been duped by someone we care about. It’s heartbreaking.”

“My heart is not broken, damn it. Holland didn’t do this. I’m going over to see her right now and we’ll get this sorted out. I’ll call you soon.” He hung up and practically ran to get to the streetcar that would take him closer to Holland.

* * *

Hello?”

“Good afternoon, Special Agent Kirk.”

Holland’s blood nearly froze in her veins. She knew that voice. How could she possibly forget it? She’d heard that voice in her nightmares for the last few nights. She heard him talking and then she would see Dax’s body cold and still on the streets.

She had to wonder now if the theft of her laptop had been random. It hadn’t been hard to replace, but they could potentially have found out how far she’d gotten in the investigation. They’d obviously known she’d been looking into the situation. They likely had someone on the inside who fed them information.

She intended to find that person. Quietly. She might not be able to take on the Bratva singlehandedly, but she could find the backstabbi

ng mole.

“What do you want?” There was no need for professional politeness with this asshole.

“I want what I’ve always wanted, Special Agent Kirk. Peace