Identity Risk (The Billionaire Experience #3)

Chapter Eight

“Excuse me, Ms. Jessie,” Martin announced, stepping onto the deck. His sudden presence startled her as she was deep in thought.

Sitting up in the chair, she turned toward Martin.

“Yes?”

“Your date has arrived,” Martin commented, a slight twitch of his lips lifting into what she would consider a smirk coming from the ordinarily serious Martin. The gesture was enough to raise her suspicions.

“Oh, God, Martin. Is there something wrong with him?” Jessie asked, feeling paranoid now. She knew she shouldn’t have let Lacie talk her into this.

Martin waved off her concern. “Oh, no. There is nothing to be concerned about. He seems perfect for you.”

Her mouth dropped open. “Martin! What is that supposed to mean? You just met the guy.”

Jessie stood up and started pacing the deck. Her mind was running wild as she started thinking about all the things that would make him not so perfect.

“Martin, what if he’s got one of those weird laughs? You know, a screech or cackly laugh! Can you imagine? Every time I say something funny, and he sounds like a seagull in distress.”

Martin stifled a laugh, but his lips twitched as he listened.

She stopped pacing and turned toward Martin. “Or worse, what if he has an obsession with something weird, like collecting toenail clippings? She shuddered. “What if he’s, like, a close-talker with bad breath?” she blurted out, throwing her hands in the air. “The kind that gets so close you can feel his warm, smelly breath on your face every time he says the word ‘moist’—ugh!”

With every ridiculous thought, her nerves ratcheted up. She was almost ready to fake an emergency and run far away.

Martin doubled over, laughing openly. Jessie shot him a look and waved her finger at him.

“You laugh now, but wait until he takes off his Crocs, and you see that he has toenails that could double as daggers.”

Martin wiped the tears from his eyes. “Miss Jessie, you’re overthinking this. I can assure you that you are safe from dagger toenails, smelly breath, and distressed seagulls.”

Jessie nibbled her lip as she watched Martin. He seemed too confident about this guy.

“Well, I guess I should go and greet Matt and get this date started,” she told him.

“Enjoy your evening, Ms. Jessie,” he told her, his eyebrows raised and that subtle smile returning as he turned and took his leave.

That was odd, she thought, and she walked toward the stairs.

As she descended the steps to the main deck, her heart began racing. As she neared the bottom of the stairs, her steps faltered, and she had to grab onto the railing so she wouldn’t tumble down the last three steps.

There he was, leaning casually against the railing, gazing out over the water. The glow of the setting sun reflecting off the water created a warm hue around him. He was dressed in a red button-up shirt, sleeves rolled up to reveal muscular forearms and dark jeans that fit snugly in all the right places. Jessie’s breath caught in her throat. His broad shoulders, the short dark hair that looked like he had just run his fingers through it, and the strong stance seemed…familiar.

Her mind whirled. No. No, it can’t be. That’s ridiculous.

She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. “Matt?” she called out, her voice betraying her confusion.

The man turned around slowly, and her world tilted.

It wasn’t Matt.

It was Mac.

She froze, every muscle in her body locking in place. Her mouth opened, but no words came out. It had been a year and a half since she’d seen him. The shock hit her like a tidal wave. Her breath became shallow as she stood there, stunned, unable to comprehend what she was seeing. How could this be real?

As she looked him over, she realized he didn’t seem as shocked as she was. His expression was calm, almost expectant, and there was a softness in his eyes that sent a wave of emotion crashing over her.

He knew. He knew that Ella Belle, the ridiculous name that Lacie gave her for her profile was her. Somehow, he had managed to set this up, be here, and see her again. Had Lacie known, too? But that couldn’t be because she had encouraged her to move on after seeing the same photos she had with Mac wrapped around other women.

Then something else clicked—Martin! Now, she understood Martin’s odd behavior. He knew. He knew it was Mac!

Jesus, she was so confused about thinking about who knew what.

She stared at Mac, and he smiled, giving her that sexy, crooked smile that had always made her weak.

“Hello, Jess,” he said, his deep voice resonating in the quiet evening as he slowly stepped toward her.

The sound of his voice, the way he said her name, filled her with a thousand emotions all at once. She wanted to be angry for being deceived. She wanted to demand answers, like how he knew she was back and knew about this date. But all she could feel was the overwhelming joy of seeing him again.

Tears welled up in Jessie’s eyes, spilling down her cheeks before she could stop them. She wanted to speak, to ask him what he was doing there, but the words were stuck. It felt impossible, like some kind of dream. She wiped at her eyes with shaking hands, unable to tear her gaze from him.

But then her thoughts spiraled into panic. “Matt,” she whispered, thinking her blind date would show up any moment. She didn’t want him to show up now. She couldn’t deal with anyone else—certainly not after this.

Goddammit! Lacie would be having a field day right now if she was here to witness all this.

Mac’s eyes softened, reading her panic instantly. He closed the distance between them, his hand reaching out to gently touch her arm. “Jess,” he said quietly, “I am Matt.”

Jessie blinked, staring at him like he had just sprouted horns out of his head. “What?” Her voice was barely audible as her mind tried to make sense of it all. How? How was this even possible?

Mac shook his head, chuckling softly. “We’ve got all night to talk about it,” he said. “But right now, I only want to feel you in my arms again.”

Oh, hell yeah! She wanted that, too!

Before she could respond, he pulled her into a bone-crushing hug. Jessie melted into his embrace, her body shaking as more sobs wracked her. She pressed her face into his chest, inhaling his familiar scent, still in denial that he was really here. Her hands clutched his shirt as if she was afraid he would disappear on her.

“Is it really you?” she whispered, her voice muffled against him. “I didn’t fall down the steps and hit my head, right? I’m not imagining that you are here?” she asked, feeling that anxiety creep back in.

◆◆◆

Mac’s chest rumbled with a quiet laugh as he pressed kisses to the top of her head. “No, you didn’t fall and hit your head. It’s really me, Jess.”

He held her tighter, his arms protective, as if he could shield her from everything that had ever hurt her. He placed another kiss on her head. “I’ve got you. I’m not going anywhere,” he whispered.

When her sobs quieted, he pulled back just enough to look down at her tear-streaked face. Thank goodness she never wore a lot of makeup. Otherwise, she’d be a literal mess right now.

“Where can we go to talk?” he asked softly, brushing a tear away from her cheek.

Jessie nodded toward the stairs, her voice still shaky. “The sun deck. We can talk there.”

Mac grabbed her hand and led her toward the stairs. Just before they reached the first step, Jessie wobbled on her feet. Without any hesitation, Mac scooped her up in his arms, cradling her like a bride. She gasped but didn’t protest, which made him smile. He carried her up the stairs, holding her close as he made his way to the upper deck. When they reached the top, his eyes landed on the small dining table set for two and the candles flickering near the intimate sitting area.

His heart clenched. She had actually been planning to go on a date tonight—a blind date with someone else.

He carefully set Jessie down on the loveseat and then sat beside her. He never let go of her hand. He gently wiped more tears from her face, his thumb tracing soft lines around her cheek.

Fuck he missed her.

His jaw clenched, his emotions warring inside him. He couldn’t hold it in anymore. “Jess,” he began, his voice sounding hoarse, “where in the hell have you been for the last year and a half?”

That was all it took as she broke down and started telling him everything.

As Mac sat beside Jessie, his mind was reeling as she recounted everything that had happened over the past year and a half. He listened to her voice, but his emotions churned within him—anger, confusion, and a sharp sting of hurt piercing through him.

“I was forced to go into hiding,” Jessie said, her voice sounding shaky. “The threats started as letters and calls. But then they escalated. We thought anthrax had been mailed to my office, Mac. Anthrax!” Her hands trembled as she spoke, but she kept her gaze steady as if trying to ground herself. “And then, the brakes on my car. They tampered with them, causing me to crash. Thank God, it wasn’t bad.”

Mac’s jaw clenched, his hands curling into fists on the table. Fury surged in him like a wildfire. The thought of her life being in danger made his blood boil. “Who was it? Who was behind all this?” he growled, barely able to keep his voice in check.

Jessie looked down at her hand. “He was an ex-client of the firm. After looking through some older files, we found out that my dad had advised him on a few investments. However, the man didn’t follow my dad’s advice and lost a lot—like he lost everything. Of course, he blamed my dad, and since my dad was dead, he came after me.” She paused, her voice softening. “When I was told they had arrested the person responsible for ruining one and a half years of my life, I felt so numb.”

The anger in Mac didn’t subside, but at least the bastard wasn’t a threat anymore. Still, he couldn’t shake the hurt. “Why didn’t you call me Jess? I could’ve helped. For Christ’s sake, that is what I do for a living. I should’ve been there.”

Jessie’s expression crumpled, her eyes welling up. “You were the first person I wanted to call, Mac. I swear,” she said, her voice breaking. “But you were out of the country. You were on one of your top-secret missions, and I had no way of reaching you. The FBI was frustrated with me because I kept stalling, hoping you would come home. They pushed me, Mac. They said I needed to disappear if I cared about my life and my family and friends’ lives. They scared me, Mac. I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to someone I knew because I didn’t act.”

Mac felt like he’d been punched in the gut. Guilt slammed into him. He should’ve been there for her, but he wasn’t. “Jess…I’m so sorry,” he murmured, his voice thick with regret. “I should’ve done more to find you. I should’ve—”

“No,” she cut him off, placing her hand over his. “It wasn’t your fault. You couldn’t have known. Unfortunately, it’s just the way things happened.”

He nodded, raking his fingers through his hair. The guilt still gnawed at him. “Where were you all this time?” he asked, needing to know.

She hesitated, then gave a small, almost sheepish smile. “Well, I didn’t say my stubbornness stopped when I finally agreed to go into protective custody. I made the FBI agree to my terms on where I’d live. So, with their assistance of moving a lot of money around and using fake names, I bought this yacht and lived on it, sailing around the world.”

Mac’s eyes widened. “You’ve been living here? Alone?”

“Well, not entirely alone,” she admitted. “I had a team of FBI agents with me.”

Mac’s heart twisted with jealousy. “All men?” he asked, with a raised eyebrow.

Jessie chuckled as she shook her head. “Yes, but they were strictly professional. Trust me, they didn’t cross any lines. I think they thought of their detail as a vacation.”

Mac snorted. That didn’t surprise him.

He looked at Jessie and let out a breath. He felt a strange mixture of relief and admiration. The idea of her sailing around, running her company in the shadows while her uncle handled the day-to-day left him in awe. She was incredible and so much stronger than he ever realized. And yet, all he wanted to do right now was to hold her, kiss her, and tell her how much he loved her.

But then, his thoughts drifted back to the date. She had accepted a blind date with a stranger. He now understood why she never contacted him when she was in hiding. But she’d been back now for over two weeks. Why hadn’t she tried to contact him?

He opened his mouth to ask that exact question, but then Martin appeared.

The older man looked thrilled, his eyes lighting up as they bounced between Mac and Jessie holding hands. “It’s good to see you two together,” Martin said warmly.

“Martin…” Jessie started to say, but Martin quickly interrupted her.

“Dinner is served,” he announced, then signaled to Emmett to bring out the meal.

Mac stood up and then helped Jessie stand. They walked to the table, and Mac pulled her chair out for her.

“Thank you,” she told him, and he smiled before taking the seat across from her.

Emmett, Martin’s young assistant, approached with two plates and sat them down in front of them. Mac looked over the food, his mouth already watering—steak, lobster, baked potato with all the fixings, and asparagus. He scrunched his nose up at the green vegetable, which earned him a laugh from Jessie.

“What’s wrong?” she teased.

“You know I don’t like asparagus,” he pouted as he pushed the vegetable away from his other food.

“I know that,” she agreed with amusement in her voice. “However, it is your fault. I just planned Matt’s dream date, which he described as a romantic evening on a boat sailing around the Hudson River. It included a candle-lit dinner consisting of steak, lobster, baked potato, and a green vegetable. It’s the same dinner we had last ate together.”

Mac gave her a playful glare. “You got me there.” He looked at her again. “Did it ever occur to you that I planned our last date?”

She nodded. “It did, but I thought it was just a coincidence.”

As the candles flickered around them and soft romantic music played in the background, Martin stepped up to the table and poured them each a glass of white wine. He gave the couple a satisfied look. “Can I just say I’m so pleased to see you both happy?”

“I second that,” Mac agreed, earning a smile from Jessie, and he felt his heart rate increase.

Martin looked at Jessie and smiled. “Ms. Jessie, before I forget, I’ve taken the liberty of setting out extra water and snacks in your bedroom for later. Hydration is key after… vigorous activities . Shall I also ensure the room has a ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign, or will that be self-explanatory by morning? I’ve also taken the liberty of distributing earplugs to the staff this evening. Feel free to be as enthusiastic as you wish, knowing we’ll all enjoy a peaceful night's rest. Shall I also put on some background noise for good measure, or will you handle that yourself?”

Mac almost choked on his wine as Jessie sprayed her mouthful all over the table.

“M—Martin!” Jessie stuttered as she wiped her mouth.

Mac barked out a loud laugh, earning a glare from Jessie. But that only made him laugh more. God, he loved Martin. The man may be old, but he wasn’t dumb. Mac and Jessie’s dates on the old yacht always ended in the bedroom. And sometimes their extracurricular activities could be a little enthusiastic, as Martin would say.

Martin glanced at Mac and winked before looking at Jessie and smiling. “I may be old, dear, but I’m certainly not deaf.”

Jessie stared at Martin with an open mouth, but then she burst into a fit of giggles, making both Mac and Martin laugh.

“You’re lucky I love you like family, Martin,” Jessie joked with him. “However, you may want to take a nap and then get a good stretch in because we wouldn’t want you tiring out or pulling a muscle trying to keep up with all that youthful energy.” Her eyes traveled to Emmett, who was just inside the cabin wiping down the bar inside before she glanced back at Martin and smirked, letting him know that she knew all about his and Emmett’s relationship they thought they kept secret.

“Ms. Jessie,” Martin said with a gasp, his hand flying to his chest.

She winked at Martin and giggled, which made Mac laugh again.

“Well, played, you naughty little girl,” Martin said playfully as he walked away, shaking his head.

Once they were alone, Mac looked at Jessie, a lazy smile pulling his lips. She wasn’t just beautiful and smart. She was funny too. But he couldn’t help but think about her intentions for this date. Sex with Jessie was amazing. She was a tigress in the bedroom—one full of surprises. However, it wasn’t just the physical contact he enjoyed. It was the emotional connection they shared while indulging in each other.

She took a sip of her wine. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Mac grinned looking at her as he traced his finger around the rim of his wine glass. “What exactly are you expecting from this date?” he asked, now intrigued by her and Martin’s comments about sex.

She gave her shoulder a little shrug. “I mean, it is called One and Done , right?” she said with a wink. Then, she cut into her steak and popped a piece in her mouth.

Was it bad that watching her eat made his dick hard? Fuck! Maybe he should’ve saved any sex talk for after dinner.

She smiled again at him, and he felt his heart rate increase. He wanted to get through dinner and move on to other things he had planned for their date. And yes, it ended with them in bed.