Crude Heir (Billionaire Heirs #3)

Chapter 12

Derrick

It’s something I would easily say to a woman I want to fuck. One who came all over my fingers just a few minutes ago. One I watched sleeping until the battery on her laptop died. But that’s not how I meant it.

I’m not my father.

The tension around us is palpable. “Th-that’s okay.”

“You can take the bedroom,” I clarify. “I’ll sleep on the couch.” And I’m not going to explain myself. We’re both keenly aware of what happened back in my office. Nothing more needs to be said. The unspoken conversation can sit between us like a physical thing if it comes to that. It’ll help me keep my damn hands to myself until I can get her home.

“Okay,” she concedes.

I turn, leading her to my SUV, the dark vehicle sitting by itself halfway down the row. I use the remote to unlock the doors and drop my computer bag in the back while she gets in.

I take a seat and close the door, making it seem like a much more intimate space. “Buckle in,” I remind her then press the ignition button, bringing the engine to life. We take the ramp down the empty levels until we hit the street.

I keep my eyes fixed on the road while Nicole stares silently out the window at the sky. The traffic light turns red as I approach the intersection.

Dinner. I grab my phone from where I dropped it in the cup holder and find the food delivery app. “You okay with turkey sandwiches?” I ask, flipping through the selections. “Not much is open with the storm and the holiday.”

“A sandwich is fine.” She reaches for her purse. “I should have cash.”

“Don’t worry about it.” I press the button to complete the order just as the light turns green.

“No, really,” she says, pulling out her wallet. “I feel bad enough about this. You shouldn’t have to end up buying dinner, too.”

I shake my head. “It all goes through expenses.”

She settles back into her seat.

We travel the next few blocks in silence. I pull into the parking area, the waterfall coming off the building hitting the roof of my SUV with finality just as the wipers squeak to a stop. While the city doesn’t expect major flooding in the downtown area, I go up the ramp to the top level and maneuver into the nearest spot, just to be safe.

“At least the power hasn’t gone out on this side of the highway,” she says, sounding more carefree as she unbuckles the seat belt.

“We’ll still have to take the stairs.” I climb out then grab my laptop bag. “I’m sure you don’t want to end up stuck in an elevator until the power’s back.”

She’s wearing a pained expression as she comes around the back of the SUV. I try not to laugh as we head toward the stairs. It’s an old building, but it’s been well maintained. As expected, we make it up without seeing anyone. Most of the residents are in the energy business, so they’re gone for the long weekend.

I hold the door, allowing her to go by, then usher her down the hall to the apartment. Letting us in, I set my bag down on the coffee table.

“I’ll give you a quick tour,” I say, breaking the silence. “Kitchen and living area.” I gesture across the open space to the bare brick wall facing the highway. “To the left is a small washer and dryer next to the closet.” Then, with nowhere else to go, I step across the hall. “And through this door, the bedroom.” I walk in, avoiding looking at the king-sized bed. “The bathroom is through there.”

Nicole just nods, clearly self-conscious about the sleeping arrangements. “Nice place.”

“Well, considering they’re housing me while the project is on hold.” I shrug.

“It’s bigger than my place.” She gives a wry smile. “I wouldn’t be able to have a bed that size.” She backs out of the room.

Meanwhile, I’m left with an image of her in her room…on her bed. That’s all I need to have my cock pushing against my zipper. A knock at the door offers a timely distraction.

My phone buzzes. I look down at the screen and grimace. I hesitate but know if I don’t answer, she’ll just keep calling or even come over unannounced. “Would you mind getting the door while I get this?”

“Sure.” Nicole walks away while I stand in the doorway and answer the phone.

I should have expected my mother to try again when I saw the missed call after we made it to the garage. No doubt she’s checking that I’m alright, but considering I have a woman I’d want to back into the room and spread out onto my bed, she’s the last person I want to talk to.

I blow out a breath and bring the phone to my ear. “Hey.”

“Derrick.” She exhales, relieved. “I’ve been so worried with the storm. Are you okay?”

“I’m good,” I reply flatly. “I assume you’re safe.” I don’t ask if she’s alone. Ever since Keith went in the hospital, they’ve been inseparable.

“Yes.” A cheerful note creeps into her voice. “Did you make it home? Is your power out?”

“I just walked into the apartment.” Best not to say anything about Nicole. “The power’s on here, but the office is dark.”

“Did everyone make it out alright?” she asks, concerned. Ever the executive secretary, she has to worry about staff members.

“I sent the guys in the control room home so they wouldn’t get stranded then I left.”

“Alright, well, I just wanted to check on you.” That note in her tone makes me think she wants to say more but decides against it. I’m sure it’s for the best.

“Good night.” My tone is clipped so she doesn’t keep going.

“Stay safe.”

With that, I end the call and push away from the doorframe. “My mother,” I mutter to Nicole, annoyed that I feel as if I have to explain myself.

“It’s nice that she cares so much,” Nicole offers politely.

I just nod, shoving the phone into my pocket. Should I ask if she needs to check in on anyone? Parents, neighbor, boyfriend… A jab of unwelcome jealousy has me giving her a sharp look. I can’t imagine she doesn’t have some asshole trailing after her. But then, why the hell was my name on her lips when she came? And why does the thought of that unknown man make the acid in my stomach churn?

“Are you ready to eat?” she asks, in that nervous manner of hers.

The image of her crawling across the bed the other night fills my mind. Telling her exactly what I’d like to eat would get her even more flustered, so I’ll keep my damn mouth shut about it.

“Sure.” I nod. “Let me get some soft drinks from the fridge.” By the time I come back, she has both subs on the table with a bag of chips and a napkin next to each.

“Do you have a place you prefer to sit?” She looks across the table as she stands behind the nearest chair.

“No. Sometimes I’m busy or I watch TV while I’m eating.” I get settled. “Do you want to watch something?” I point to the flat screen. Only now realizing the cable might be out.

“I’m fine.” She pulls out a chair. “I normally read when I’m at home.”

Yes, I remember seeing her reading app. She had a bunch of novels, the covers showing men in open shirts. I glance in her direction as I pull off the sticker holding the wrapper. Maybe I should have taken a closer look at the books she’s reading. I might get another surprise out of her.

“Or work?” I remind her.

“I don’t have too much of a chance for that now.” She pops open her drink. “That’s why I stay late whenever I can.”

“If the power hadn’t gone out, would you still be at your computer?”

“Likely.”

Seizing the opportunity to get some answers, I dangle the one carrot I’m sure she’ll go for. “I could set you up on my laptop so you can work for a while.”

Nicole perks up. “That would be fantastic.” I push back my chair, and her lips part. “Derrick. You don’t have to stop to do that now.” Then she bites that lower lip.

Even if I’d been okay to wait until after I eat, there’s no way that’s happening now. I stride over to the coffee table, needing the distraction. Otherwise, there’s only her and me sitting together, her lips parted like they were the last time she called out my name.

Scooping up my laptop, I carry it back with me. “I’ll create a second profile for you.” I can’t have her snooping around my folders where she might see a side of herself she never expected.

Her face brightens. “I hope I’m not causing you too much extra work.”

“Not at all.” I complete the setup for her up then slide the laptop in her direction. “In fact, you can show me what you’ve found once I finish checking the system.”

“Sure thing.” She takes a bite of her sandwich then calls up the portal to sign into the system. “Is the link you sent me still good?”

“Give me a second to reset your profile.” I log in and take care of giving her the access she needs. “Your password is Stormynight911, all one word, with a capital S.”

The storm continues outside as Nicole dives into the payment software while I scroll through my phone. After a while, I pick up the delivery bag full of discarded wrappers and toss it into the kitchen garbage.

“Would you like another drink?” I think back to when she was at home. “I also have coffee and water.”

“I’ll take a water, please.” I grin to myself, enjoying the way please sounds coming from her lips. “Are you ready for a run-through?” she asks, as I set the bottles on the table.

“As ready as I’ll ever be.” I scoot my chair over to look at her screen as she explains what she’s reviewing. We go from one division to another, all the way from surveys to production. The cost of electricity alone is enormous. By the time she’s done, I’m overloading on information.

She winces. “I know that’s a lot to throw at you.”

“It is.” I sit back in my chair as she takes a drink. “But you’re sure the issue is in South Texas?”

“I already checked the Midwest, Wyoming, California, Oklahoma, and West Texas. I’m going through the spend for South Texas now—or I’m trying to. There’s just so much more in this area that I feel like I’m not making headway. The best I can do is tell you the issue happened this year.”

She scrolls through the database, line upon line, upon line of costs. “You’ve done a lot of work on this.”

“It wasn’t as bad at the beginning, but when they started keeping tabs on what I was doing, well…” She makes a whooshing. “I’ve had to do everything in stolen moments.”

That’s even more impressive.

“I’ve been volunteering to run errands because I can justify a half hour here and a few minutes there. But I’m always afraid that if she goes back to audit, she’ll find some gaps when I punch out.”

“Why are you doing this on your own? Is it because you don’t know who to trust?”

She turns thoughtful. “I brought what I found to my supervisor, but she said I was wrong. The comptroller reviews the accounts regularly, and he’s found nothing out of the ordinary. So, going forward, I was not to be wasting company time on it.”

“What exactly is a comptroller?”

“A comptroller is responsible for overseeing that all the accounting practices are done correctly.”

Even though I have a suspicion of who it is, I still ask, “So who is the comptroller for the company?”

She glances over, fidgeting in her seat. “Simon Kelly,” she confirms quietly.

“Of course.” Mr. High-and-Mighty wouldn’t like being second-guessed.

“I thought if I could get some examples together, I could show something to Mr. Kelly. The senior Mr. Kelly,” she adds in a rush. “I tried keeping a list, but there’s so much going on in South Texas. Running a report that large, even on a per-month breakdown, is taxing for the system. I’ve been able to run it, but I have trouble downloading it.”

I’m primarily why she’s having those issues. “Bottom line, you’re planning on going against Simon.”

“I didn’t mean it that way.” She stares down at the remnants of her chips. “Mr.… Keith Kelley…”

“My father.” This is the second time I’ve said it out loud in so many days. Although the words still don’t feel right when I’m putting them together, it had to be said.

“Yes,” she says, not hiding her relief. “He would sometimes come by to check on me. I thought I might bring it up to him.” She picks up a piece of a chip, breaking it in half, while she gathers her thoughts. “He’s always been so nice. Now that I know he’s aware, and your mom knows, I can maybe give it to her.”

I don’t know how to feel about this. Nicole is going to risk losing her job to help out a man who checks on her. Someone who has been nice to her. At the same time, here I am, his actual son, and I’m doing this out of curiosity. I can’t even say it’s because of Addler any more, he confirmed the wording in the contract keeps him safe.

“I’ll grab a laptop for you tomorrow, and we can work from here.”

“Are you sure?” The sheer excitement in her voice is enough to pull me from this mood.

“Yes. If the news report is accurate, you’re going to be stuck here until at least this time tomorrow, if not the day after.”

“Oh, that would be great!” She looks over at me sheepishly. “The laptop, not that you’re stuck with me.”

“For now, you’ll have to call it. I need to check the system and make sure everything’s okay.”

“That’s right. You had a long night,” she says, looking contrite as she starts closing windows. “Can I try saving the spreadsheet onto your desktop?”

“Set it to export. I’ll switch back once I’m done with my review.”

“Thank you.” She prepares the file.

“Go ahead and take the bed. I’ll stay out here.”

That finally curbs her enthusiasm. “I don’t want to put you out.”

“You’re not. Come on.” I stand. “I’ll get you something to sleep in. You can throw your clothes in to wash so you have something for tomorrow.”

It’s not like I’m going to get any rest, knowing Little Nikki is sleeping in my bed.

* * *

Nicole

I follow Derrick into his bedroom, stopping to linger uncomfortably at the doorway. He continues to the dresser, tension radiating from his shoulders. I cross my arms, hugging myself tightly, feeling like I’m a burden all over again.

Derrick opens a drawer, the rollers gliding along the rail sounding harsh in the heavy silence. He pulls an item from a neatly folded stack then goes on to another drawer, doing the same. It shouldn’t surprise me he’d be this tidy, considering he’s always so organized.

He turns, clothes in hand. “Sweats and a T-shirt,” he announces, setting the items at the foot of the bed.

“Thank you.” I manage to keep the note of guilt from filtering into my voice.

He gives me a terse nod, jaw clenched, then brushes past me, avoiding a glance in my direction. The door clicks soundly shut behind him, cutting through the tension that was building around us.

I let out a slow breath. The truce was temporary while discussing company fraud. Now we’re back to pretending he wasn’t kissing me like his life depended on it, not to mention how easily he brought me to orgasm. I press my thighs together at the memory of his touch.

My gaze climbs up the imposing bed dominating the room to the spot where the sheets are pulled back. His side. The place where he slept last night. The image of him, the hard planes of his body bare, lying between the sheets…

Stop it. Shaking away the image, I scoop up the clothes he left for me and head for the sanctuary of the bathroom.

Flipping on the light, I catch sight of myself in the mirror and wince. My lipstick’s gone, my eyeliner is smeared, and my hair is disheveled after being tossed around in the wind. I press my eyes tightly shut as I close the door. I’ve been a mess this entire time in front of the hottest guy in the company. The girls at the office can never know this happened. I’d never live it down.

Pushing the thought aside, I set the clothes on the countertop, then turn on the shower, letting the water run until it’s hot and steamy.

Derrick’s been staying here several weeks but the only thing visible is the toothbrush sitting in a dark travel case. There’s not a single personal item around, even in the bedroom.

Of course, this is a corporate apartment set up much like a hotel suite. The cleaning service comes through every other day while the apartment is occupied. They stock food as requested and provide fresh linens and towels.

Employees reserve it when they come into the city, with priority going to anyone who has an extended stay. I’ve processed the invoices. Even with the cost of the lease and maintenance, it’s still less expensive than having rooms at the hotel.

Stripping down, I adjust the temperature and step under the warm spray. When he suggested coming here…okay, maybe suggested is too strong a word. But when he said it, everything in me screamed it’s a terrible idea. Yet my pulse skittered.

His reaction was telling. Despite the lapse in restraint earlier, he clearly seems to regret it. And frankly, I’m not sure I’m ready to hear why. I’m keenly aware he’s on a different level. I rinse the shampoo out of my hair, letting the nerves and anticipation twisting together inside me drain away.

I turn off the water and reach for a big fluffy towel. Drying off a bit, I step out onto the plush bathmat. Wow, this thing is thicker than the walls of my apartment. I run the towel over my head, careful to keep from ruffling my hair too much since I don’t have a brush. Finger combing curly hair will only get you so far.

Putting the towel down, I unfold the rust-colored T-shirt Derrick provided. Holding it from the shoulders, I drape it against me. It goes all the way down to just above my knees. I grin to myself. This is longer than the nightshirts I have at home.

With that thought, I pull the shirt over my head. The soft material slides over my body just as thunder rumbles overhead. But when the neckline goes past my head, I open my eyes to find everything around me is pitch-black. I blink, making sure my eyes are open.

There’s no air. The temperature rises, heat coming up my chest and face until I can barely take a breath. I press my eyes closed, but it only gets worse. Half circles radiate behind my eyelids. The walls close in, the pressure mounting over my shoulders and head. My ears buzz, the sound tearing through my head.

The door. Where’s the way out?

Pounding on the wall cuts in over the sounds of my heart. “Nicole?” Derrick’s voice comes from somewhere nearby.

I force my eyes open, turning my head this way and that. There’s nothing around me. My scream is stuck in my throat, my breathing echoing in my ears.

“I’m coming in.” A light shines from beside me, breaking through the darkness, forming some kind of halo around Derrick.

My legs go weak at the sight of him. The beam points away but it’s enough to loosen the band on my senses. His arms encircle me and I press myself against him, grateful for the solid chest that’s offering support.

He lifts me off my feet. “I’ve got you.” The door slams, hitting the wall then we’re moving into the other room. I swallow, staring toward the window and the muted light coming in from outside.

He sets me down across his legs. I’m clutching him, as hard as my arms will allow. “I’m okay,” I whisper against his shirt. “I’m okay. I’m okay. I’m okay.”

“You’re safe. Look.” He brings the light back, shining it in my direction. I reach for his phone, my clumsy fingers brushing his.

“I’m sorry,” I manage to whisper. “ I …” should have taken my phone with me. Why didn’t I think of that? Foolish. Knowing the weather was still going. I let myself embrace the sense of security.

His arm tightens around me, keeping me close, murmuring assurances against my temple. Once I get enough strength back that it doesn’t feel like my shoulders are going to fall off, I straighten my back.

“I should have—”

“You’re fine,” he assures me, tightening his hold.

Meanwhile, I’m ready to sink into the ground. “I can get up now.”

“Will you be able to sleep in here,” he goes on, ignoring me, “with the lights out?”

I nod slowly. “Yes. It…” I take a breath. “It’s only small dark places.” His scent fills my nostrils. “When there’s no light.”

“So you’ll be fine without a night-light?” he asks, concerned.

“Yes. The window is enough.” He looks over at the heavy curtains, open about two feet.

“Let’s put you to bed.” Before I can move, he picks me up, going around to the side, then sets me down where the sheet is pulled back. Likely where he slept last night.

Exhausted, I let him tuck me in like I’m a child. “Thank you.”

He strides over to the window and pulls back the curtains, letting the shadow of the windowpane crawl up along the floor. “I’ll leave the door open so you can get some light from the living area,” he says, heading out of the room.

How many times can I say thank you? “I appreciate it.”

Stopping at the doorway, he turns. “Call out if you need anything.”

“I will.” He disappears around the corner, leaving me to sleep. I pull my legs up until I’m in a fetal position, needing comfort.

I haven’t had this panic attack in years. Fear and confusion close in on me in the dark. I can’t seem to run from the anxiety. There were times when I’d swear I heard wailing echoing in my head.

I bury my nose in the pillow, turning my mind to the image of a Dutch tulip field. Bright colors, open space, blue sky. The page my grandmother kept from an old calendar always makes me feel better. I take a deep, calming breath, and I’m immediately pulled back to the present.

Derrick. I have the scent of him taking over my senses. How could it not? I was in his shower, using his towel, I’m wearing his shirt, and I’m sleeping in his bed.

Even though the covers were folded back, the bed barely looked disturbed. Part of me wonders if he’s that controlled even in sleep, or if he’s actually stayed here. A guy who looks like that, with as many women interested in him as he has, doesn’t sleep alone unless he has to.

Yet, even with him touching me earlier, he chose to stay in the other room. I peek toward the open door. Light is coming in from the living area…the place where Derrick is spending the night.

I chew on my lip for a bit. I’m not sure how I should feel about him giving up his bed for me. A little over twenty-four hours ago, I was thinking about him while snuggled in my own bed. That particular fantasy ended in a spectacular orgasm. I press my thighs together at the memory. But tonight, I can’t do that. Not when the star of said fantasy is just a few yards away.

I close my eyes. Yet, letting myself relax here is harder than I expected. Is it the night? The place? What happened? Or him? Stop it. I press my palms to my breasts. Stop-stop-stop.

I turn on my side, struggling to find a comfortable spot. Time drags on but my mind won’t shut down. My thoughts go to money, invoices, time cards, the power outage. That has to be it. With the electricity out, there’s no fan, which means no noise. It’s too quiet here.

I flip to the other side, hugging the pillow in the process. I need to get some rest. If Derrick’s able to help me get into the system and download a report, tomorrow will be a long day.