Irresistible (Underneath it All Series: Book One) (An Alpha Billionaire Romance) by Ava Claire Read Free Book Online
Authors: Ava Claire
was hiding. Her secrets, what lay beneath, were just as sexy as her moans.
I could navigate my way to The Tower with my eyes closed. I knew if the rest of the world got wind of my private indulgences, I'd get every reaction from fascination to disdain. I was turning women into a commodity, they'd say. And before last night, they would have been right. Now? With my heart in my throat and the steering wheel locked in my fists? I wasn't sure what the hell I was doing.
My phone chimed on the seat next to me and I knew it was Joe, still hunting for answers. You and me both, man.
11:40 PM: (Joe) - Is it the girl from the bar? The klutz
My fingers started flying at that, nostrils flaring.
11:41 PM: (Me) - She's not just a girl. Or a klutz. She's-
I pumped the brakes when I drew to a light. I counted my blessings and erased my knee-jerk text. I knew he didn't mean anything by it. He didn't know her. Hell, I didn't know her. I just knew that I was ten minutes away from getting closer to figuring her out.
I was almost to the alley I'd turn down, squeezing between two buildings that would lead me to a discreet parking garage. The location was forgettable, just another skyscraper like every other massive building downtown. The difference was this skyscraper was owned by Marcus Knight, and the top three floors this week were used for The Tower business. The location changed every month, but one thing that didn't was his commitment to discretion and finding the most beautiful and skilled companions.
There was only one woman I wanted to see tonight.
I answered Joe's question with a smiley face and reached into the glove compartment for the burner phone. Sure, the flip phone was a little dated, but all of the intrigue made the process as sophisticated as some high-stakes, adrenaline-filled James Bond thriller.
I idled in the alley and punched in the text only number with my access code: 3249. A few moments passed and I got my reply. 62832 .
I continued down the alley until I hit the wrought iron gate of the underground parking garage. I punched in the number given and the doors retracted seamlessly. I cruised past cars that looked like mine. Ferraris, BMWs, Mercedes. There were enough foreign and domestic luxury vehicles piled into this one parking garage that it would make a thief blow his load—until he realized that every inch of the garage was being recorded and monitored. And if you fucked with Marcus’s clients, his first call wasn’t to the police. He’d dial one of his handlers, who'd make you wish you for those whirring police lights instead of the black bag they tossed over your head.
I almost took my phone and thought better of it, tossing it in with the burner and locking the car out of habit. I paused at the door, looking at my reflection and tightening my tie, scrubbing a hand over my face.
Really? You're gonna primp and preen right now? Like you're going on a first date?
I put that crazy talk out of my head as I breezed to the elevator. I'd done this before, so what was with the nerves? The more I tried to pretend it was just like every other visit to The Tower, the more my body called my bluff. My throat was dry as I stepped up to the elevator and turned my attention to the camera affixed to the wall. Whoever was watching the elevator cam was using facial recognition software to connect me to my account. This step in the screening process was to make sure my account was current and that I didn't have any infractions on my record. Things that got you kicked out of the collective were being too rough with the companions or letting it slip after a night of drinking that there was this amazing club where men could have the hottest pieces of ass on Earth, to name a few. Even that thought made my fists clench. Pieces of ass. That I'd ever treated Sadie or anyone else like that sent pangs of shame through me. That any other man got to touch her at all was suddenly an unacceptable reality.
The light on the
I could navigate my way to The Tower with my eyes closed. I knew if the rest of the world got wind of my private indulgences, I'd get every reaction from fascination to disdain. I was turning women into a commodity, they'd say. And before last night, they would have been right. Now? With my heart in my throat and the steering wheel locked in my fists? I wasn't sure what the hell I was doing.
My phone chimed on the seat next to me and I knew it was Joe, still hunting for answers. You and me both, man.
11:40 PM: (Joe) - Is it the girl from the bar? The klutz
My fingers started flying at that, nostrils flaring.
11:41 PM: (Me) - She's not just a girl. Or a klutz. She's-
I pumped the brakes when I drew to a light. I counted my blessings and erased my knee-jerk text. I knew he didn't mean anything by it. He didn't know her. Hell, I didn't know her. I just knew that I was ten minutes away from getting closer to figuring her out.
I was almost to the alley I'd turn down, squeezing between two buildings that would lead me to a discreet parking garage. The location was forgettable, just another skyscraper like every other massive building downtown. The difference was this skyscraper was owned by Marcus Knight, and the top three floors this week were used for The Tower business. The location changed every month, but one thing that didn't was his commitment to discretion and finding the most beautiful and skilled companions.
There was only one woman I wanted to see tonight.
I answered Joe's question with a smiley face and reached into the glove compartment for the burner phone. Sure, the flip phone was a little dated, but all of the intrigue made the process as sophisticated as some high-stakes, adrenaline-filled James Bond thriller.
I idled in the alley and punched in the text only number with my access code: 3249. A few moments passed and I got my reply. 62832 .
I continued down the alley until I hit the wrought iron gate of the underground parking garage. I punched in the number given and the doors retracted seamlessly. I cruised past cars that looked like mine. Ferraris, BMWs, Mercedes. There were enough foreign and domestic luxury vehicles piled into this one parking garage that it would make a thief blow his load—until he realized that every inch of the garage was being recorded and monitored. And if you fucked with Marcus’s clients, his first call wasn’t to the police. He’d dial one of his handlers, who'd make you wish you for those whirring police lights instead of the black bag they tossed over your head.
I almost took my phone and thought better of it, tossing it in with the burner and locking the car out of habit. I paused at the door, looking at my reflection and tightening my tie, scrubbing a hand over my face.
Really? You're gonna primp and preen right now? Like you're going on a first date?
I put that crazy talk out of my head as I breezed to the elevator. I'd done this before, so what was with the nerves? The more I tried to pretend it was just like every other visit to The Tower, the more my body called my bluff. My throat was dry as I stepped up to the elevator and turned my attention to the camera affixed to the wall. Whoever was watching the elevator cam was using facial recognition software to connect me to my account. This step in the screening process was to make sure my account was current and that I didn't have any infractions on my record. Things that got you kicked out of the collective were being too rough with the companions or letting it slip after a night of drinking that there was this amazing club where men could have the hottest pieces of ass on Earth, to name a few. Even that thought made my fists clench. Pieces of ass. That I'd ever treated Sadie or anyone else like that sent pangs of shame through me. That any other man got to touch her at all was suddenly an unacceptable reality.
The light on the
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