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Javier didn’t need more stress; he needed results. And they all needed to figure out where this impromptu trio of theirs was headed.
Xander flipped through his list of contacts and found the one person he knew would get results in the most efficient, quiet way possible—an ex-military friend who happened to be his former bodyguard. Over the years, Decker McConnell had proven remarkably agile in digging through the refuse and rubble of humanity to uncover others’ dirty little secrets. Now, he could do the digging that employees of S. I. Industries couldn’t without raising brows. And if Decker managed a heaping plateful of catching the culprits and he wanted a side helping of blood . . . well, Xander wouldn’t mind in the least.
Decker answered on the first ring. “What did you do to get in trouble now?”
With a smile, Xander sat in Javier’s chair. “What makes you think I’m in trouble?”
The other man snorted. “Just every one of your phone calls for the last half-dozen years. ”
Yeah, Decker could extricate him from all kinds of trouble, which had come in handy more than occasionally.
“Besides that,” Xander joked. “I have an issue, and I need your help. ”
“Please tell me this isn’t another jealous husband threatening to kill you. ”
“Nope. ” Xander winced. Had his whole life been a fucking caricature? It seemed like everyone viewed his existence as the punch line to a dirty joke. On the other hand, what had he done except a whole lot of women?
He looked at London and wondered what it would be like if he could say he’d done the last woman he ever intended to do again. Surprisingly, the thought didn’t give him hives. If he had to settle on one, he’d want one sweet, with a hint of spine and sass, who would try to understand him. He’d want one he could spoil and be himself with, who wasn’t jaded. One who would always put their bond first. Funny, he’d never boiled down what he wanted in a woman to a simple checklist, but now that he had . . . was there any way that London didn’t fit the bill?
Not that he could see.
Xander swallowed. “My problem has nothing to do with a woman. This is a corporate matter. ”
Decker listened as Xander described the situation, the compromised log-ins, the IP address of the latest access leading them to Cancun, the history of corporate espionage he couldn’t prove but definitely suspected.
“Wow, this kind of issue is definitely off the beaten path for you,” Decker quipped. “Any suspects in particular you want me to focus in on? And how are we for time frame?”
“We need this ASAP. Focus on employees of United Velocity. ” Xander tried to wrack his brain for anyone who might have a specific beef with S. I. Industries and only came up with one other name. “Also check into a guy named Chad Brenner. He used to be one of our scientists and invented a few really important technologies while he worked for us. Brenner didn’t like the fact that, when he joined us, he signed away his intellectual property rights. Everything he built while employed by S. I. belonged to us because he created it on our dime. He sued and lost. It’s been about two years, but maybe he’s still bitter. I don’t know. It’s probably just simple corporate greed on United Velocity’s part because they were in the toilet until the last year or so, and I think they’re still on shaky ground. I really can’t think of anyone else. ”
“I’ll start there and check back in as soon as I’ve got something. I know a few guys who deal in what I like to call underground capitalism. I’ll dig up something. If you don’t hear from me for a few days, that means I’m finding something juicy. ”
They hung up, and Xander pocketed his phone. He probably ought to bring his brother up to speed, but a glance through the little window revealed that Javier’s mood hadn’t improved. Now he paced the floor, looking like he couldn’t wait to rip someone a new asshole. Finally, he growled into the phone, then ended the call with an emphatic slam of the receiver.
“What’s wrong?” Xander asked his brother, wandering out to the reception area. “Sheppard give you bad news?”
“United Velocity is having an unveiling of a new prototype of a light tactical vehicle with ambulance capabilities, just like ours. According to their press release a few minutes ago, they’ve just had a breakthrough and are eager to unveil it to the military community. Convenient, isn’t it? We’ve only got twenty-six days to beat them to market. ”
“If they just read our bogus information last night, how would they already have translated it into a prototype they’re ready to unveil?”
“I knew they’d been working on something similar. I’d heard they were breathing down our necks and that it would be a race to see who got to market first. ”
“But we’re almost ready?”
“Within three months, yes. But twenty-six days?” Javier raked a hand through his hair. Suddenly, he had that I-miss-vodka look on his face.
“If they’ve taken the bait, they’re working with bogus information. ”
“If. But what if they using whatever they obtained from us before Maynard’s son-in-law uploaded whatever crap he invented?”
Yeah, they really couldn’t know what United Velocity had yet. Xander’s stomach plummeted to his toes. Fuck. This was bad news all the way around—unless they did something quick.
“How long have they been working on that sort of vehicle?”
Javier shrugged. “That’s anyone’s guess. There are always whispers, but they’ve got their dirty little fingers in everyone’s pie. I just don’t know how they keep getting into ours. We can’t let this go or we’re sunk. ”
At the very least, getting trumped again would mean the end of S. I. ’s reputation as forerunners in the defense contractor game. It would also mean the potential loss of up to a billion dollars in profit. The balance sheets couldn’t afford that much red.
And he couldn’t let his brother disappear back into a bottle of booze.
Xander sent an alarmed glance at London, and saw that she immediately grasped the problem. Concern tightened her face.
“So we’ll ramp up everything and launch ours within twenty-five days,” he told his brother. “We have a product that works. If they’ve looked at our bogus information, they don’t. If they’ve looked at genuine research, we’ll just beat them. We’ll just have to show the world. ”
Javier’s answer was an ugly curse.
Surreptitiously, he sent Decker a text and told him to hurry the fuck up because they were definitely on a tight schedule now, then he withdrew the car keys from his pants, passing London on his way out the door. “I’ve got to duck out. Distract him. Calm him. Seduce him if you need. But whatever you do, don’t let him call for a bottle. ”
Her solemn nod told him that she totally understood. “I won’t let either of you down. ”
Chapter Fourteen
LONDON watched Xander leave with no idea where he was going. But he’d be back. No way was he going to abandon his brother now. She cast a worried glance over at Javier. Every inch of his tall frame tightened as he paced the office, fists clenched. He was a powder keg waiting to explode.
Xander’s words rolled through her head. Distract him. Calm him. Seduce him if you need. London had no idea if it would work, but Javier had been alone for too long. She had to try to show him that she stood by his side, ready to help, no matter what.
As he turned away and she watched the broad expanse of his back encased in a tailored charcoal coat retreat to the far side of the room, she quickly removed the clip from her hair and let it cascade over her shoulders, then released the top two buttons of her blouse. Her cleavage swelled above her white lace bra, and her pale tresses flirted with her curves, curling over one of her fair breasts. Would it be enough to entice him?
Javier punched the wall on the far side of the room. Startled, she jumped. Then she thanked God for the solid wood paneling along that wall, despite how ugly it was and how dark it made the room. He pivoted back in her direction with angr
y precision. Immediately, his gaze lifted from the carpet to her, traveling up her body slowly until that stare fastened on her breasts. He stopped. Their gazes connected. His eyes turned from cold fury to a hot smolder. Sizzle spread through her.
“Your blouse is unbuttoned. ”
“I’m aware of that, Sir. ”
“If you don’t fix it now, I’m going to fuck you. ”
This was exactly the reaction London had hoped for, but excitement still rushed through her body, converging between her legs. She blushed. “I’m looking forward to that, Sir. ”
He stalked in her direction. “You’re trying to tempt me, little one. ”
Heat blasted off his body and enveloped her. In mere seconds, her clit began to throb. After a morning of sex, she shouldn’t need him as much as she did. But with Javier, she couldn’t seem to help herself.
“Is it working, Sir?” A glance down at the hard ridge of his cock beneath his pants proved that it was, but she wanted to hear him say it.
“It is. But like the first time I fucked you, you’re topping me from the bottom. It’s not only disrespectful of your boss, but it’s disobedient toward your Dom. ”
London had no idea why, but the implied threat of punishment made her shiver. And it made her ache to play along. “I’m sorry, Sir, but my nipples are tight, and my breasts heavy. My, um . . . my body feels empty.
“Not your body; your pussy,” he said with a low growl.
“Yes. ”
“Say it. ”
The flush crawled up her face, but she pressed on. “My pussy is so empty. I assumed you’d want me to advise you. But I can tell your brother or take care of myself in the bathroom, if you’d prefer. ”
His eyes narrowed, and London got the feeling she was in for one hell of a punishment. But at least Javier was no longer thinking about how stressed he was or how much he wanted to escape into vodka.
He stormed into his office and halted two feet from his desk, pointing to the ground. “Come here. ”
London did as he demanded, walking a bit more slowly than normal, swaying her hips. “Yes, Sir?”
“Bend over the desk. Lift your skirt. Show me your ass. ”
She froze, then exhaled, trying to relax. If she lifted her skirt the right way, he wouldn’t see any of the scarring. She just had to keep her wits about her. Always hard with either of these men, but showing them . . . it was something she’d never voluntarily shown anyone who wasn’t a medical professional. And probably never would.
London bit her lip, then turned to face the desk. She sent Javier a glance over her shoulder, fluttering her lashes at him. As she turned back, she saw Xander standing in the door again, that black leather backpack in his hand. Repressing a shiver, she leaned over the desk, then reached back to her pencil skirt, inching it up her thighs one fistful at a time, making them both wait. When she felt cool air caress the bottom of her cheeks, she stopped, then angled her head to send Xander a come-hither stare.
“Fuck!” Javier cursed, and she heard the raspy tug of his zipper a moment later. “That’s not high enough, little one. Hike it up. Now. ”
Her womb clenched, and she could feel the blood running to her folds, flooding her clit. But she did as she was told, lifting the little black skirt to her hips and hoping they couldn’t see any of the hated, jagged scars.
Xander marched over to her and grabbed her wrists, stretching her arms across the desk, startling her. He held a pair of handcuffs and quickly snapped one around her wrist, fed the other behind the chunky drawer pull in the middle of Javier’s desk, then secured the other cuff around her free wrist. London pulled, and the metal clinked. She wasn’t going anywhere.
“Spread your legs,” Xander demanded. “Let him see that pussy he’s going to fuck. ”
London swallowed. Her heart raced so quick and hard, it was almost a pain in her chest. Her thighs trembled, but she managed to spread them wide. She looked up in time to see Xander pluck something pink from the bag, along with a little tube. He set the pack on the floor, out of her sight, then joined Javier behind her.
“Damn, that’s pretty,” Xander said. “I brought condoms. ”
“She needs a goddamn spanking. The sassy girl is trying to tempt me. ”
“And it’s working. ” Xander laughed. “When you’re done with her punishment, I’ve got a surprise for her. ”
London wished she could see what was going on behind her, but suddenly Javier’s voice took a much calmer tone. “Excellent. Good thinking. ”
Without warning, she felt a large palm strike the fleshiest part of her ass. She yelped. It stung. Hurt. And she knew there were more coming.
“Quiet,” Javier barked. “Take your punishment with manners. When you tempt me like this, I’m going to turn your ass red. Tell me you understand. ”