Owning Beauty (Taking Beauty Trilogy Book 3) Read online

  She’d graciously forgiven me, but I knew I’d spend the rest of my life making it up to her. She deserved nothing but the best out of life and I intended to give it to her.

  Starting with this raging cock between my legs.

  I inhaled again, drinking in the scent of her like a sweet ambrosia, before moving my shoulder slightly in hopes that she would stir.

  It worked.

  She moaned, her eyelids fluttering before she graced me with those sparkling green lights of pure love.

  “Good morning, Beauty,” I said, my voice husky with desire for her.

  “Morning, babe,” she said, her sleepy whisper only making me harder.

  “I’m so glad you’re awake,” I growled.

  “You are? Why?” she asked, pushing her hair out of her face.

  “So I can do this,” I growled, gently rolling her on her back as I rolled on top of her, my aching, hungry cock sinking into her warm, sweet softness easily.

  I moaned, closing my eyes, the wave of delicious relief washing over me as I felt her thighs wrap around my hips.

  I rocked into her, slowly relishing the feel of her, over and over, wrapping my arms around her writhing body, melting into her sweet pussy as I pulled her as close as I could, my tongue diving between her lips, the pure love bursting through me and exploding out of my cock, causing my entire body to shudder with violent, perfect pleasure.

  “Bruce’s truck is still at his cabin,” I yelled over the shower door. “He must not be on the slopes yet. I’m going to go over and say hello to him.” Chloe was bending down and washing her leg, her soapy silhouette visible through the steamy glass, tempting me to take her again.

  Later, I thought, we have the rest of our lives together.

  “I’ll be out in a few minutes,” she called.

  I walked out of the bathroom with a smile on my face. I stood at the large windows of the great room, gazing out at the picturesque view of the Hudson Valley. It never failed to take my breath away and this morning was no exception. I was envious of Bruce getting to enjoy this view every single day.

  He’d put in his dues, that was for sure, and he deserved to live amongst such beauty. I was glad I could provide a place for him to get away from everything after all the shit he’d gone through.

  His old job as the District Attorney had weighed hard on him. The cases were rough and the work load was unbearable. He’d gone into that job a completely different man than he was when he’d come out. He’d been out of the game for over two years now and I was happy to see that Mother Nature was having the effect we’d hoped it would have. He was quickly returning to his happy, easy-going self.

  I couldn’t wait to see his face when I told him I was going to be a father.

  Turning away from the view, I put on my boots and jacket and walked outside, breathing in the cold, fresh, morning air.

  Bruce preferred to live in the smaller cabin on the property, even though it wasn’t nearly as nice as the main cabin. But he insisted it was much easier to clean and more comfortable for him, so I didn’t argue.

  I trudged through the snow, walking down the slippery trail that led from one cabin to the other. His beaten up red Ford truck was parked in the driveway and I looked up at the small log cabin, surprised there wasn’t smoke coming from the chimney. The only heat in there was from the wood-stove and it was usually the first thing he lit in the morning.

  He probably slept in, I thought.

  I knocked on the door and waited a few beats before trying the knob.

  It was locked.

  That’s weird, I thought. Bruce never locked the door. I knocked again, waiting a few minutes before I pulled my keys from my pocket and unlocked the door, slowly opening it and calling out.

  “Hey Bruce, it’s me,” I called.

  Silence. Darkness.

  I flipped the light switch and waited.

  “Bruce!” I called his name again.

  Silence.

  I walked into the bedroom and saw him lying in bed, faced away from me.

  “You’re still in bed? You must have really tied one over last night,” I said, walking around the bed.

  I froze.

  His eyes were open wide, his mouth agape, blood streaked across his face, his body stiff.

  “Bruce!” I ran to him, my heart racing, my hands shaking as I tried to shake him awake. His head fell limp onto his chest and that’s when I saw the bullet wound, going through his right temple.

  A gun lay on the blanket, next to his side.

  “Bruce! Bruce!” I yelled, my head shaking in disbelief.

  I let him go, backing up from the bed, my heart shattering.

  “No, fuck! No, noooo….” I screamed.

  I scrambled to the phone in the living room and called 911, trying to control the shaking in my voice.

  “I need an ambulance!” I barked, sinking to my knees.

  “Fast! Now, goddammit, now! Hurry!”

  Chloe

  One Month Later

  “Are you sure you’re going to be okay alone?” Bear asked, his sad, denim eyes staring into mine. I couldn’t believe how strong this man was. He’d shown incredible strength these last few weeks. He’d broken down. He’d cried. He’d raged. And then, he’d picked himself back up and now all he was worried about was me.

  “I’m fine,” I insisted. “Don’t think about me, babe. Try to get lost in work.”

  He was going back to the office for the first time since Bruce’s death and I was so happy he was finally feeling up to it. It’d been so hard watching him go through all the grief of losing his best friend. Nothing made sense to him and it had taken him a while to get a grip on himself.

  For the first few weeks after the funeral, he’d spent long hours in his study, drinking whiskey in the dark while I slept in our bed. I’d wake in the middle of the night, go to him, hug him, try to coax him back to bed and sometimes he would come…but he’d make love to me, desperately clinging to me the whole time, and afterwards, he’d make his way back to the darkness, isolating himself with his pain.

  It was as if he didn’t want me to see it.

  But how could I not see it?

  He was bathed in it.

  Our happiness had a huge, dark cloud over it now.

  And there was absolutely nothing I could do to help. All I could do was love him, hard. And I did. I cooked for him, I tried to get him out of the house as much as possible, which wasn’t easy.

  And when he came to me, so desperate with his pain that he didn’t know where else to turn for relief, I opened my arms and let him in. I held him as he cried, I kissed him, I ran my hands over his skin, doing anything I could to sooth the anguish.

  It never seemed to be enough to make the grief go away.

  It ate breakfast with us. It walked the halls of the penthouse, lingering in the dark corners, it slipped into bed with us. Late at night, when he thought I was sleeping and he hadn’t yet gone to the study, I could feel the bed shaking from his sobs.

  It was heart-breaking to witness.

  But everyday, it seemed to get a little lighter and in just this last week, his smile has returned.

  He’d found solace in the baby. He’d wrap his arms around my waist, putting his ear to my belly and just lay there, listening, feeling, smiling through his sadness.

  I straightened his tie, kissed his lips and hugged him hard.

  “Call me if it gets to be too much, or you just want to talk, okay babe?” I said. “You can go back slowly, you don’t have to jump right back into full days. Mom’s been taking care of everything.”

  “Matilda’s been incredible,” he agreed. “But I think it’s time I dive in. I need this. I need the distraction.”

  “I understand,” I said. “Just be gentle with yourself, okay?”

  “I’m fine, love,” he said. “I’ll see you tonight for dinner. Are you going to start working on the arrangements today?”

  “Yes,” I smiled. He’d insisted we get
married right away. I think the renewed urgency was half because of the baby but also another part of the desperation he was feeling after Bruce’s death. Of course, he denied that, saying that he just wanted to make sure that me and the baby are cared for legally, should anything happen to him.

  He signed everything over to me, all of his money, his assets, the island, the companies, everything, in case of his death. I’d protested for an entire week, the weight of such responsibility something I didn’t want any part of. He insisted it was all just legalities, and I wouldn’t be responsible for anything, except taking care of our child. I finally stopped protesting after that, but I was still uncomfortable with the thought of it all.

  He looked so handsome today. He’d shaved, which he hadn’t done in a few weeks, his stubble growing longer and sexier, only adding to my attraction for him. But now it was all gone and so were his jeans and t-shirt. His suit fit him like a glove and I ran my hands over his arms, the fine dark silk sliding under my fingers smoothly.

  He pulled me into his arms, kissing me long and hard. I felt his cock stir against my thigh and I pulled away.

  “Go!” I laughed. “Before I jump your bones again. You look incredible, I’m already having a hard enough time.”

  “Tonight, Beauty,” he growled, reaching around and grabbing a handful of my ass. “I need some of you.”

  “I’m all yours,” I said, beaming at him.

  “Good girl,” he smiled, before kissing me again. I melted into him, his warm kiss so tender and soft.

  I pulled away with a reluctant moan.

  “Go,” I whispered, pushing him away. He winked and turned, walking out of the door and closing it behind him.

  I stood, looking at the closed door, taking a deep breath and saying a silent wish that he didn’t hurt too much today.

  I longed for the old days, and by old days, I mean the days before Bruce’s death, when we were happy, when this heaviness wasn’t pulling us down…and I immediately felt guilty.

  Bruce was dead. I shouldn’t be thinking of myself.

  I still couldn’t believe it. The medical examiner ruled it a suicide but Bear was having a hard time believing it. He was sure Bruce would never do something like that and he knew him better than anyone. Bear had insisted the cops do a complete investigation, but they concluded that without some other evidence, to which they’d found none, there was no other explanation.

  I think that was what Bear was having the hardest time coming to terms with. He didn’t believe his best friend would kill himself, he didn’t believe the cops, and yet he was helpless.

  Without evidence, he had no choice but to accept what the police said and he didn’t seem able to do that just yet.

  Time, I reminded myself as I turned from the front door and went to make a cup of coffee—decaf now.

  They say time heals all wounds. No matter what, Bruce was gone. Nothing would change that. But maybe, in time, Bear would come to accept that he was gone and be able to move on.

  Going back to work was a good start. I was glad Mom was there. She’d been surprisingly incredible throughout this entire nightmare. She’d taken the reigns at the company, working overtime to do both her job and Bear’s, insisting she had everything covered so he could take the time he needed.

  I’d never been more grateful to her.

  Even though she didn’t have much spare time, she’d been sending me package after package of baby stuff. I was pretty sure she was up shopping online when she was supposed to be sleeping but her enthusiasm warmed my heart.

  I hadn’t spent much time alone since Bruce died. We’d retreated to the penthouse right away, rarely leaving. Other than when I was asleep, Bear was right there with his pain.

  It felt odd being here alone now. The silence was too much, so I turned on some Chopín as I enjoyed my coffee. I walked out to the terrace, the music floating out behind me. It was a brisk, sunny morning and from all the way up here, I felt like I was on top of the city.

  I remembered the first time I saw this view, the nervousness I’d felt being here. The way I’d been so intimidated and afraid of what was to come.

  Never in a million years could I have imagined what really happened. It felt like so much time had passed, and yet, it was not long at all.

  I reached down, my hand resting on my belly, a habit that I’d quickly developed. I took a deep breath, breathing in the cold air, and then another. I wanted to cleanse myself, lift myself up and ground myself all at the same time. Another breath, followed by a long slow exhale and I finally felt my shoulders relax. I pressed my hand against my belly, closing my eyes and feeling the peaceful connection.

  A child.

  In the beginning, starting that night in the hospital, I’d been so freaked out, so worried, so unsure if I would know how to take care of a baby. All I needed was for Bear to remind me that Matilda had pulled it off, alone at that, and that if I turned out okay, which the jury was still out on, then maybe I could learn to take care of her.

  I’d slowly come to believe that myself.

  I was only ten weeks pregnant.

  Only three months had passed since I’d first gotten involved with Bear. That first day at lunch in Portland, where he’d basically claimed me as his own and I’d just gone along with it like some naive little puppet, hadn’t been long ago. I cringed when I thought about it now, but I was glad I’d done what I’d done.

  I was glad I’d done what he’d said.

  I was glad that even though I was taking my birth control pills every day faithfully, I’d still gotten pregnant.

  I didn’t plan any of the crazy things that happened.

  But if none of that had happened, I wouldn’t be here right now.

  And there was no place in the entire world I would rather be, than right here, right now.

  I wished things were different, sure.

  I wished Bruce wasn’t dead.

  I wished Bear wasn’t hurting the way he was.

  But other than that, I wouldn’t change a thing.

  I was glad we were getting married. I was glad I was pregnant.

  I didn’t care that it was so fast, as everyone would surely say. But who was everyone? I didn’t have many friends or family, so I didn’t really care what anyone thought. Let them think whatever they want.

  It was what I thought that mattered, what I felt, and what I knew in my heart, and more than anything, I knew this was love.

  Pure, true love.

  It was all meant to be.

  All of it.

  That’s what I kept reminding myself and that’s what gave me strength.

  That—and this little being growing inside of me.

  “You’re going to have a wonderful life,” I said to her. I turned and took my empty coffee cup into the kitchen.

  I had a lot to do to get ready for my future.

  I had a nursery to decorate and furnish, baby supplies to research and purchase, a wedding to plan, and if all went well—a store to open.

  I wasn’t convinced I could pull off that last one, but after much discussion, Bear had insisted I hire a large team of players, including a business manager, to help me get it done before the baby arrived.

  So, give or take a few weeks, I had six months.

  Good thing I was feeling strong these days, because the old Chloe would have been overwhelmed by so many different important things to take care of. I laughed when I remembered being worried about designing Bear’s hotel. That seemed like so long ago and it seemed simple compared to what I was facing now.

  But I could do it all. I knew I could. I just needed a little organization.

  I grabbed a notebook from Bear’s desk and sat down to make a few hundred lists…

  Bear

  I’d been locked in my office for over an hour and I couldn’t sit still. All I could do was see Bruce’s face.

  I’d failed him.

  I should have been there for him.

  I didn’t know how or when, but I
was sure there must have been something I could have done differently. I’d been so wrapped up in Chloe the last few months, I hadn’t been talking to him as much as I usually did.

  I had no idea he was depressed.

  In fact, he seemed just the opposite. He was like a new man now that he wasn’t weighed down by the pressures of being the DA. He’d gone up to my cabin, insisting I tell nobody where he was because he didn’t want to be bothered by any one or any thing. He’d been up there for almost two years, secluded, isolated, spending his days skiing and hiking.

  When he came down to spend New Year’s Eve with us, I’d been surprised. But he said he was starting to feel a little more sociable and he wanted to get away from the cabin. We’d all had a wonderful time together.

  And now he was gone, just like that.

  I couldn’t believe he’d kill himself. It just didn’t make sense, it didn’t fit with the Bruce that I knew.

  Chloe kept saying I needed to accept that he was gone, and I was trying. It was how he’d left that I couldn’t accept.

  My mind had made up all kinds of scenarios. I’d even presented a few of my theories to the detectives, but they dismissed them all. They said there was no sign of a struggle, the door was locked, nothing was missing, so it couldn’t have been foul play. I told them they should look into Bruce’s old job, but they said he’d been gone for two years, the chance of his job being involved were slim.

  I insisted my friend wouldn’t harm himself, but they just looked at me with pity and apologized, said there was nothing else they could do without evidence.

  Evidence.

  Fuck the evidence!

  This overwhelming intuition I had about the whole thing was enough for me.

  If they weren’t going to do anything, then I needed to take matters into my own hands.

  I picked up the phone and called the front desk.

  “Yes, Mr. Dalton?” Sarah answered.

  “Cancel all my meetings, Sarah, I’m leaving.”

  “Of course, Mr. Dalton,” she said. “Should I reschedule?”

  “Yes, I’ll try again tomorrow. Apologize for me.” I was supposed to meet with my Board of Directors in an hour and I just couldn’t do it.