The Billionaires’ Prize (The Heiress Merger #2)

26. Alex/Katherine

As soon as I’ve got the car backed into the space, I look at Katherine. She’s floundering, and I hate that. This isn’t her, not really. Beneath this scared exterior is a fiery woman who knows what she wants.

But she needs to let herself believe it. Believe that she knows what’s best for herself instead of listening to those who would mold and control her.

“Is that really what you want, Katie Bird? To go our separate ways and not see each other anymore? Less than a week and you’re ready to call everything off?”

There’s a tiny, almost strangled sound from Gabe, and he spins around to gape at her. He grips the back of my seat, and I feel the energy pouring off him. Violent and chaotic because it’s been so long since he lost at anything. Since the chips were down and he didn’t find a way to come out on top.

“I don’t want this to hurt you guys. You’ve built amazing careers.” She turns to Kingston. “What would your fans say?”

“Who the fuck cares what a bunch of faceless names on a screen think? You’re the only one who matters, Wildfire,” he pleads with her, then amends, “The four of us. I care what we think.”

Her jaw drops, and her mouth forms a delightful O shape as she stares at her best friend. His emphatic response resounds through the cab, and I couldn’t agree more.

I reach for the door handle and step out. Then I grab the back door, Katherine’s door, and open it. “Scoot over, Beauty.”

Stuffing myself into the back seat, I stretch an arm over her shoulders. My wingspan’s wide enough that I could tug Kingston’s earlobe if I wanted.

She stares up at me, that shocked-about-to-freak-out expression in her wide eyes. And then she softens, scooting back so that we’re hip to hip, thigh to thigh. Placing a hand on my leg, she half turns. The tension drains from her, sinking away into the floorboard.

Her trust hits me square in the chest. Somewhere along the way, she learned to lean on me. Instinctively, she knows I have her back, and I love that. But it kills me that she’s unhappy. I need her smiling, shining that special light into the dark recesses of my soul, and reminding me that I still have a life worth living.

Thanks to early investments into Gabe’s company and then years of strategic business moves of my own, I have more money than I could ever spend. But I’ve never bought anything that makes me feel like Katherine does.

Like I belong. Like I matter.

I get that we’ve found ourselves in an intense situation. It’s shocking to me, even with what I do for a living, but I’m not ready to give it up yet. I’m not willing to give her up.

“Is that what you want, Beauty? You want to be rid of us?” I cover her hand with mine, warming her fingers. “You want to forget how safe you feel in my arms? How Gabe challenges and pushes you to be better and do better and dream bigger? You want to sever the connection with your best friend you’ve been dying for for years?”

Her lashes flutter closed, and her brows knit. This is sadness. A heart breaking before my eyes as she considers my words. She’s living them, imagining life a week from now. A month from tonight. Back at her job. King, a half world away. Both of them miserable. All of us miserable.

My heart thumps hard against my ribs.

This was supposed to be safe. An infatuation. A fling. Gabe would lead, I’d follow, and Katherine would be firmly in the middle. But I’d be a fool if I denied the feelings spiraling through my chest.

Attachment. Things I told myself a long time ago I never wanted to experience. Because, as fucking hard as it was to lose my sister, I couldn’t imagine losing a woman of my choosing.

I still can’t.

I should open the door and walk away.

Hell, I should sprint.

But I stay put, rooted to my seat by a golden-haired beauty that barely comes to my chest.

When her eyes open again, I know she’s made her decision.

Katherine

Alex makes it all sound so simple. Like the outside world can’t touch us if we don’t let it. What must it be like to walk through life with that sort of confidence?

It’s such a badass mentality.

I love that about him.

And gosh, do they tempt me. More than tempt me.

They feel. . . essential.

Like I might die without them. Which sounds dramatic, but when the alternative is truly living, it doesn’t seem sensational at all.

“No.” I shake my head, meeting Alex’s gaze. He makes my tummy all fluttery and soft. Having him so close, all those muscles pressed against me, that strong arm draped over my back, I feel utterly safe.

I want that forever, more than anything. But it’s not the sole reason for my answer.

“No?” Alex queries, his voice hard. He’s challenging me to make sure I’m being honest with myself and with them.

“No, I don’t want to be done with you. With any of you. But I don’t know what this is, and it scares me.” I glance down at my hands, where they’re tangled in my skirt. “There’s a lot that scares me.”

Gabe gets out of the car, and my heart drops.

Is he leaving?

But then he opens King’s door. “Let me in.”

“Wha—” Kingston slides toward me, wrapping an arm around my back and lifting me into his lap.

Alex drags the two of us into the middle of the seat as Gabe folds himself into the tiny space on Kingston’s other side. Thank goodness they turned the vibrator off.

They jostle me until the three of them are squeezed into the back seat, and I’m draped over their laps. Gabe closes the door, sealing us inside. The locks click into place, and for a moment, the only sound is my heartbeat drumming in my ears.

I don’t know how they’re not busting out of here like clowns in a comically small car. Alex is so damn broad. King’s shoulder is pinned behind Alex’s, but he doesn’t seem to notice. And Gabe is sort of angled against the door, my feet in his lap. His fingers coast up and down my calves.

“Thank goodness for tinted windows,” Alex murmurs.

“We’re gonna need a bigger vehicle,” Gabe mutters, twisting his long legs to make them fit.

“In Manhattan?” King chimes in. And then they’re buzzing about makes and models.

My heart cracks wide. They’re rearranging their lives for this. For me. For us.

There’s an us.

Ohmygod.

I reach overhead for the grab handle and contort myself until I’m angled toward them. The vibe presses tight against my clit, and it takes a considerable amount of willpower not to wiggle around and find the best angle. More friction.

Almost as if he’s reading my mind, Alex wraps an arm behind my back, supporting my upper body. But I ignore the teasing toy and burrow closer to him, the chill and anxiety falling away.

“Better?” Alex murmurs.

“So much better.”

This is the most comfortable and uncomfortable position ever. My ass is on King’s thigh, my feet are in Gabe’s lap, and I’m safe in Alex’s arms. They touch me constantly, almost subconsciously, as they argue about liters and tailgates. Foreign versus domestic.

Alex grunts and adds his two cents about which ones he can get bulletproof glass for.

I spiral into a state of utter bliss as I watch the three of them form a friendship before my eyes. Who knew Kingston knew so much about cars?

“Yeah, that could tow a boat,” Gabe says, thumb tracing lazy circles around my ankle.

“Do you have a boat?” King asks.

Gabe shrugs. “I could buy one. Do you like boats, Princess?”

“She likes my boat,” King answers, shooting me a smirk.

That saucy smile reaches deep, spiking me with joy. I do like his boat. The freedom and the wind in my hair. Mostly, I enjoy that King loves it.

But then his smile dims. “I’m gonna need a bigger boat.”

There’s a full second pause, and then Gabe and Alex burst out laughing.

“What?” King asks.

I reach up to trace a finger along his jaw. “Do you need to outrun a great white shark?”

“What? No.” He sounds adorably frustrated, rolls his eyes, and then glances at Gabe. It’s almost like he’s checking in with the tech tycoon. “We’re not all going to fit on my sailboat.”

King waves a finger around, indicating the four of us.

There’s another beat of silence.

For the first time since my parents split up, I feel like I belong. There’s something so much sweeter about this scenario, though. None of us were born to it. We’re building it. Hopefully.

I lean up and press my lips to his, pouring all my emotion into our kiss.

Gabe sucks in a breath as one of my heels connects with his thigh. He reaches down, slides my shoe off, and massages my arch. I sever the kiss, staring into King’s eyes, telling him without words how much he means to me. How much I appreciate his willingness to take this adventure with me.

Gabe slips off the other shoe and rubs both of my feet, warming my toes.

I moan.

God, what these three do to me. I could come just laying here listening to them fuss about the best ways to keep me safe, all while touching me. . . like I’m theirs.

Alex curls his arm, drawing me closer as he cups my cheek. “Beauty.”

He whispers the endearment like it hurts to not be kissing me. To not be inside me.

Heat flashes across my skin, and I lift my lips to his, wanting him just as badly. I try to wrap my arms around him, but it’s awkward. I don’t care. He’s got me.

His tongue glides along my lower lip, and I whimper. He’s totally right. I don’t know how I managed to get so attached to him so quickly, but I am.

I nip his lower lip, grinning when he groans.

Gabe’s hands coast up my legs, teasing my knees. I giggle, breaking the kiss, bicycling my feet to stave off the tickling.

Gabe grunts. “Easy, Princess. Jesus. You almost nailed me in the nuts.”

I grin against Alex’s mouth. “Sorry.” And then I kiss him some more. Unleashing every bit of happiness and passion he brings me.

“Hold her legs,” King mutters.

Hands coast up my thighs, slow, sensual touches that make me squirm.

I reach for them. My men. Caressing every inch I can touch, feverish with the need to be connected. Skin to skin. Nothing separating us.

Alex kisses me so deeply it’s like the world turns off. I wrap an arm around his neck, clinging to him. His tongue dances with mine, a hot, wet slide. He nips me gently, sending a zing of desire to my greedy pussy. I whimper, welcoming him back into my mouth. He sweeps inside like a conqueror, our tongues tangling and twisting until we’re both groaning and breathless.

I need more.

“Fuck—” Gabe’s voice echoes around us.

“So fucking hot,” Kingston agrees.

Alex lifts his head, staring down at me with impossibly dark eyes, a furrow between his brows. I squeeze my thighs together, trying to find some delicious friction on the vibe. I’m so freaking wet for them and beyond turned on.

I don’t understand how they make me forget everything else: the world, the media, my family, my career, and all the rules that have been drummed into me for over twenty-four years.

None of that matters when I’m with them.

And crazily enough, I’m okay with that.

Gabe’s fingers glide over my knees, up the inside of my thighs, easing them apart. “Do you need something, Princess?”

My clit tingles at the intent in his eyes.

He pushes the skirt of my dress higher and higher, exposing me to his gaze. To all of them.

King wraps an arm around my right knee, pulling it tight against his chest. Gabe stretches his right leg as far as he can, pressing against the back of the seat as he reaches into his pocket.

He pulls out a phone.

Kingston’s phone.

“Come for us again.”