Ruin Me (Savage Bosses)

Chapter 40

CHAPTER 40

M adison

I need you.

The message and an address came sooner than I expected. I thought it would take Ife a year at least before her feelings turned neutral. Another year before she reached out.

Without thinking twice, I booked the next flight to Saint Ginelle, an archipelagic island nation in the Pacific Ocean. There were no direct flights. The first leg of the first flight left two days later, and I made sure my butt was the first one on the plane.

After a full day in transit and passing the international dateline, I disembarked two days after leaving Colombia and walked toward the exit. A professional driver held a sign with my name written in large, bold letters.

I hefted my travel duffel over my shoulder. “I’m Madison Montgomery.”

The man smiled. “What a relief. I showed up for the past three days to wait for you.” He took my bag from my shoulder. “By the way, I’m Pierre. I’ll be your driver while you’re on the island.”

“Three days? Don’t you have other things you need to do?” I followed him because he had my bag. Boy, did I hope he was legit.

“Oh, not really. This is the best paid gig I’ve ever had. My employer makes sure I’m paid for every hour I’m working.” Pierre opened the door of a Porsche Cayenne SUV and my doubts softened to a whisper.

Now Ife was generous, but this level seemed more excessive than usual. Plus, with the uncertainty surrounding our relationship, this level of luxury seemed out of place. We drove past Saint Ginelle’s capital and into the mountains. Despite the island’s small size, we drove for an hour over steep, well-maintained roads. During the ride, Pierre pointed out sights of interest and little history lessons he’d learned as a child.

I hummed my interest, but my unease grew. Despite Pierre’s jovial manner, the more remote our surroundings became, the more life and volume the whispers I had before getting in the car gained.

Had I taken one look at this man’s fancy vehicle and convinced myself he was safe? Now, like a fool, I’ll never be seen or heard from again?

Please, Lord, don’t make this be the end of me.

“We’re here.” Paul directed the car through a dense copse and my panic almost deafened me. Then we broke from the thicket and my breath left me.

A concrete mansion of one, two, three, no, four stories stood at the end of the drive. Lush palm trees of various species, hibiscus flower bushes, birds of paradise, and ginger flowers proliferated the front yard.

Pierre opened my door, startling me. I hadn’t realized we’d stopped. I exited the car to walk up the two stairs to the wooden front door.

A woman opened the door as soon as I stood before the glass inlays. “You must be Ms. Montgomery. Call me Marion. We’ve been expecting you.” She took my bag from Pierre and looked me over. “You must be real tired. Follow me and I’ll show you to your room.”

Was it my wrinkled clothes? I pulled my shirt down and brushed at the folds.

Or was it my face? I touched my cheeks and under my eyes, wondering what she’d seen for her to draw her conclusion. Even if I was exhausted, she didn’t have to exaggerate how pronounced my condition was. I shrugged away my annoyance, understanding my sensitive reaction was a symptom of my weariness. “Where is Ife?” I asked, fighting a yawn out of sheer stubbornness. I refused to give more reason for Marion to remark on my current state.

“Ife? Oh, well, everyone went to town. They should be back shortly.”

Marion led me to an enormous suite on the first floor. The room opened to a private porch with an infinity pool and patio furniture.

“If you need anything, there’s an intercom by the door. I’ll return with some refreshments. I’m sure the food on the plane was not the best.”

Feeling icky after Marion’s comment about my appearance, I jumped into the shower as soon as she left. As water pounded my muscles, I tried to revive myself with a second wind, but I’d used my second, third, and fourth winds while flying. I almost fell asleep with the washcloth in my hand and almost slipped on the wet tile.

It would be just like me to sprain or even break something in the shower because I was so tired my body wanted to shut down on me. I rushed through the rest of my shower and barely donned a sleep shirt before crashing on the bed. Of course, I didn’t forget the sleep aid I’d depended on since leaving Douglas. My muscles locked into position with Kent’s portrait pressed against my chest and everything else on strike. Not even the delectable scent of freshly baked bread roused me, despite my stomach growling its need.

After I fell asleep, a furnace warmed my spine, and a heavy weight covered my arms. My body relaxed into the comforting heat. My sleepy brain told my mouth to say, “Kent.” But I’d gotten used to uttering his name at random in the state between waking and sleeping, so hearing his name on my lips didn’t jar me to full awareness.

The bed bounced and more weight landed on my legs, heating another part of my body. The action jolted me awake, however, my heavy, dry eyes refused to open and I was on my way to falling asleep again. Moments later, soft fur brushed against my skin, burrowing under the small space between my arms and the bed. When the bundle began to vibrate and emit a soothing purr, my eyes popped open and I almost jumped out of bed, all signs of my prior exhaustion dissipating after the sudden adrenaline injection.

My heart pounded in my ear as I stretched toward the night table and fumbled around for the lamp. I clicked the light on and gasped. The portrait of Kent I fell asleep with stared at me. Benson and Stabler raised their heads while their tails pounded against the mattress, taking my attention off the photo I should still have clutched to my chest. Tyger, who I’d displaced by rising, rose and pressed his forepaws on my chest so he could close the distance to my chin. He rubbed his face against mine, over and over, making up for the weeks he’d missed.

Even as joy filled me for being reunited with my animals, their presence meant one thing. I shifted my vision without moving another part of my body. From the corner of my eye, the very sexy torso that had dominated my sexier dreams lay in real life. An internal tug of war began. Joy pulled from one end while Sadness and Fear teamed up to destroy any progress Joy made.

I reached for the edge of the sheet to flip it over and make a hasty escape when a shiny glimmer halted me. On my fourth finger was the most obscene diamond ring I’d ever seen. I couldn’t take my eyes off the glittering canary yellow color or the size that spanned past my knuckle.

“What the fuck…” I said without moving my lips.

“Good, you’re awake.” Kent sat upright and scooched until his spine met the headboard.

I spun on him and ignored his sexy, rumpled hair and sleepy eyes. “H-h-how are you he—Why is this on my f-f-finger?” I shoved my hand under his nose and wiggled my finger.

He took my hand and kissed the ring then my knuckles. “Ask me something else. Like why, even though I want to pick a fight with you for leaving us the way you did, I can’t because I’m so damn happy to know you’re safe? Or why a man you ruined would track you down so he could spend the rest of his life ensuring you kept ruining him?”

“What about, how did you find me?” I tried to get out of bed, but Benson and Stabler took turns jumping on me and keeping me hostage.

“They sat by the door every day waiting for you to come home. The same way I did. And it wasn’t comfortable. I wish I’d had your picture at night to make my dreams less chaotic, but I had the letter you left. It smelled of you, and although I hated seeing it, the paper held the memory of your tears.”

I stretched my neck to avoid the puppy kisses the dogs directed at my face. It was a ploy to ignore the most heartfelt of his confessions. I wasn’t ready to hear about his suffering, because I would have to confront I’m the reason behind it.

“How is that possible? You’re the CEO. You love Luxe Locations so much you fought hard to maintain your title.” I avoided watching him. I had to. If not, he would see the chink in my armor and exploit my weakness.

Kent pulled Benson then Stabler off me and commanded them to stay. While they settled, Kent cocked his head to study me. “Funny how losing someone will put things into perspective. For me, being available if you chose to return home was more important than budgets, market strategies, or the next development.”

“You can’t say things like that when being with me is a liability.” Courage failed me and I peered into my lap. “You say you're fine with neglecting your company now, but one day you’ll resent me for it. I explained this to you in my letter.”

“Little bunny, how do you think I got your email address?” Kent pinched my chin and forced my head up. “You only gave it to Ife.”

“She… she gave you the address? But that would mean?—”

“We had a productive talk. Ife still doesn’t approve of us, but she wants me to be happy and knows you’re the key to my happiness.”

“Oh.” The tiny flicker of hope Kent sparked with Ife’s name fizzled out as quickly as it had sparked to life. “But then this ring. Isn’t it premature to put it on my finger? If she won’t accept us, then?—”

“Little bunny, make no mistake. Our future is ours to determine. I gave her the opportunity to show up for us. Ife refused.”

“Oh.” I twisted the ring around my finger. Maybe it was time to accept my friendship with Ife was over and I would always have a hole in my life where she belonged.

“But your parents are here. Your mother even agreed to officiate our wedding.”

I couldn’t have heard him right. Too much was happening at once and my brain couldn’t process the truth before me. “My mother agreed to marry us? My mother? Nikita Montgomery?”

“Well, a conditional agreement. She needs to hear you want to marry me as much as I want to be your husband.” Kent glowered as if recalling an unpleasant memory. “She also threatened to end me if I try to coerce you.”

I glanced at Tyger who hugged my shin with a death grip, then Benson and Stabler who hadn’t stopped staring at me. If not for Kent’s command, they would be all over me, inundating me with sloppy kisses. “You’re brave to test my mother this way because if them being here isn’t coercion, I don’t know what is.”

Kent snaked his arm around my waist and pulled me to his side, displacing Tyger who growled and repositioned himself to hold onto my leg. The stiffness in my spine melted upon contact. “Be honest, little bunny. Do you want me?”

“So much it hurts.”

“Enough to be my wife?”

I peered into his blurry face. Kent was a man who demanded to share my burdens rather than watch me struggle alone. Even through his pain, he put my safety above the damage I’d inflicted on him. If he’d approached me with anger, bruised pride, and accusations, I might have had a defense against him. However, he discarded his righteous fury for openness and vulnerability.

I was done warring with my heart. Once I landed on my decision, I broke out into a teary grin.

“Little bunny?”

I cupped both sides of his face. “I have conditions.”

“You wouldn’t be Nikita’s daughter if you didn’t. But I’m telling you my non-negotiable right now. We aren’t leaving this island until your name is Madison Luxe. Your parents only have a week to spend, and I will take advantage of every second of that time. So, let’s hear your terms.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “You won’t budge on this?”

“Nope,” he said, exaggerating the p with a pop.

“So if my heart is set on a big wedding?”

“We can have it. As a second wedding. The biggest, most obscene ceremony and reception that will keep Douglas society pages full for months after. However?—”

“I’ll already be Mrs. Kent Luxe,” I finished for him.

Kent pressed his lips against my forehead. “Glad you understand.” His lips traveled over my cheek and lower, with no intention of stopping.

“Well, here’s something I want that has to happen before we exchange any kind of vow.” I pushed his face from my neck, knowing where this would lead. “I want a proper proposal.”

“Doable.” He tried to lower his head again, but I resisted him when he was so close his beard brushed against my chin.

“And an engagement party. One with good food and music.”

“Done.” Kent closed the distance between us and kissed me.

He started sweet, brushing his lips against mine, re-familiarizing himself with the contours of my mouth. In doing so, he reminded me what I’d been missing. I gasped as remembered sensations sparked to life in my body, and he took advantage of the opening. Kent plunged his tongue inside. Our passions swiftly rose to unimaginable heights, frying my brain from the inside.

My grip on his face transferred to his ear and I pulled him closer to me. No amount of skin on skin was close enough. Kent rolled over to kneel above my body without breaking our embrace. Our kisses deepened until I couldn’t tell who was the giver and who the receiver was.

I dragged my legs up and crossed my ankles at his back. I was ready for him. More than. When I’d changed into my sleep shirt, I was too tired to bend down and put on panties. I was open, slick, and ready to properly reunite with Kent.

“Oomph.” Kent fell forward, pressing his weight on me. “Dammit, Tyger, read the room.”

Our cat peered over Kent’s shoulder as if checking on me. The absurdity of the situation got the better of me and I giggled.

Kent glared at me, though there was no heat in his glower. “That’s it. Reunion over. Mom and Dad need their time alone.” He rose with an aggrieved breath.

Tyger, losing purchase, clung to him. When the cat was about to fall, he made a last-ditch effort to climb the rest of the way up to Kent’s head then to leap on me.

“I don’t think so,” Kent said as he plucked the cat off my body. “You and your brothers sleep outside.” He put all the animals out, then turned to me. “Now, where were we?”

“I need you to accept my apology for leaving you the way I did.”

“Apology accepted.”

“But I didn’t explain that?—”

“You did it for Ife? I know all that. And I know it must have hurt a lot to make the choice.”

“But…”

“Tell me one thing. When you left, did you take my most cherished gift with you?”

I clutched my chest, recalling the words I’d spoken during his homecoming. “No, my heart is still in your safekeeping.”

“As I thought.” Kent sighed and shook his head. “Little bunny, do you think I don’t understand how difficult it was for you to walk away, knowing you left a piece of yourself behind? Or that you loved my daughter enough to sacrifice a love unlike any other? Or that I wouldn’t love you more for not wanting to be the source of friction between us? The apology you owe me is for deciding without me. You once said we needed to be partners. Where was our partnership when you didn’t include my wishes?”

I nodded, humbled by his reasoning. “You’re right, and I am sorry for excluding you. I promise I’ll include you from now on.”

“Now that that’s out of the way?—”

“I also want to pick out my wedding dress,” I blurted.

The gleam in his eyes as he sauntered towards me was a sign I wouldn’t have another opportunity to voice my wants before he overwhelmed me with passion.

Kent stumbled and a flush rose to his face. “Would you be willing to accept a dress your mother chose?”

My heart skipped. “That depends. Was it a dress she wore when she exchanged her vows?”

“She mentioned something along those lines. With updates to make it a little more modern, of course. If you don’t like it, take up your issues with your mother.”

I’d loved my mother’s wedding dress from the time I could crawl. “I want to see it now.” I flew out of the bed, but Kent wrapped his arm around my waist and swung me back toward the bed.

“You will wait until morning. Any other demands?” He kneeled before me and spread my legs open. He hissed at the sight of my wet, naked pussy peeking from between my thighs. “Little bunny…”

“Yeah, I have one more.” I moaned with a devilish smile. “Put your mouth where?—”