C2 Chapter 02

Harry

My alarm woke me pretty early this morning, and I turned to the other side, hoping to snooze in for a bit longer. I had an appointment with Andrew Davies at Digital Box later on, and I wasn’t looking forward to it. I was sore all over and my jaw was aching. Connor Fox battered me in the first round, but I got him in the second.

Yesterday when I left the ring, Crystal had cornered me in a dark corridor. I had no idea she was in the audience. That was yet another nasty surprise on her part. When she’d found me, I was still pumped from the fight, and she was all over me. She started touching me, telling me she was getting wet just watching me moving in the ring. We both knew I couldn’t say no to her, so we ended up having sex. This morning, I hated myself for giving in.

I had to stop letting my dick control me. I was in a hell of a mess because of it. I rubbed my tired face, thinking about that mixer party I went to a couple weeks ago. Crystal was there—without Andrew. I’d met her when she and Andrew were just dating, and there’d always been a spark of attraction between us. At the party, we started chatting about old times. I didn’t blame her for what Andrew had done to me. I figured she was innocent about his sleazy business deals. Boy, was I wrong.

That night, she pretty much jumped my bones. I didn’t do married women, ever, but I’d drunk too much, and I let my guard down. It was supposed to be a one-time only thing, and then we’d go our separate ways. She left satisfied, and that night, I actually slept well. The next day, I forgot all about her—until she showed up in my office.

“What are you doing here, Crystal? I thought we had an understanding,” I said, staring down at her.

India, my assistant, stood behind me, glaring at Crystal. I nodded to her that it was all right. This was going to be quick.

“I thought I’d pop over and see how you’re doing,” she muttered, walking around the desk. She ran her well-manicured hands over my tie.

“I’m very busy and you shouldn’t be here,” I snapped, annoyed that I’d gotten involved with her in the first place.

After all, she was the wife of Andrew Davies. The guy who nearly enough screwed me over. Several years ago, after I left the military, I made a pile of money on some early high-profile fights. At the time, I didn’t really know what I was supposed to do with that kind of cash, and that’s when Andrew came into the picture. He was already turning a large profit in his newly created business that involved used car importation. We had known each other from school, so I thought it might be okay to go into business together. We started talking, and I was amazed at all his ideas, so I got on board.

Andrew promised to handle everything, and I agreed. I was still fighting professionally at the time, so every day I was busy, training hard. And I knew very little about running a business. We were both young and excited about the possibility of making money. Things were going great until I found out that Andrew was using his business to launder money for some dodgy individuals. I pulled out. Luckily nothing was ever finalised. He was annoyed, but he gave me all of my money back. I counted it as a lesson learned and was grateful I’d gotten away—or so I’d thought.

“We had such a great time the other night at the party,” Crystal said. “I thought for our second time, we could have dinner together, darling. And then there’s a cute new hotel near—”

I grabbed her hand and held it. “Crystal, there won’t be a second time. You’re married,” I pointed out. I didn’t want to be “the other man” threatening someone’s marriage, even when the husband was a guy like Andrew.

“Oh, darling, I assure you that there will be a second time.” She then leaned over and whispered in my ear, “In fact, it’s the reason I showed up at the party looking for you. The other day, I saw the old paperwork from that business you had with Andrew and found your signature on several forms.”

The penny dropped. I pushed the chair aside and glared at her. Her eyes were filled with possessiveness and mischief. Uncomfortable silence stretched for longer than I wanted. This wasn’t good, because I did remember signing a few things back then. Andrew was supposed to handle all the paperwork, but that twat had given me a few things to sign, and I had just trusted him. I was so stupid and naïve.

“Your husband was the one who dealt with everything,” I told her.

“Well, not really. According to his records, you were involved in the same way that Andrew was. I bet that HM Revenue and Customs would love to know about that dodgy money you used to purchase your current business,” she added with satisfaction.

“That was my own money that he’d paid me back.”

“Not according to Andrew’s books.”

I tensed my jaw and took a deep breath. I walked away from Andrew almost ten years ago and hadn’t heard from him since.

Then a few months after this, my army buddy, Angus, approached me with a game app he’d developed for smartphones and tablets. He was looking for an investor, someone with lots of money who wasn’t afraid to take a risk. I jumped at the opportunity. Angus and I had served overseas together. I trusted him, and even so, this time around, I had my lawyer look through his ideas and accounts.

It turned out, the app made us both tons of money, more than we both expected. Then I started investing in a few properties. The last thing I needed was Andrew Davies back in my life.

“What the fuck do you want, Crystal?” I finally asked her.

“Oh, nothing much. You know that Andrew purchased Digital Box a few years ago; it’s an innovative marketing company. I overheard you talking to Brandon at the party. You were looking for someone to run your campaign for that new app. People are already excited about…”

She kept talking, and I couldn’t bloody believe that I’d fallen into her trap. It became clear that Andrew needed a boost for his company and she thought my new app would do it. Crystal also made it clear that she could easily ruin me with those documents Andrew had… I couldn’t afford a scandal, especially not when I was just about to launch a new app.

The bitch had me, and she wanted me to renew my old contacts with her husband.

There was no point dwelling on what had happened. It was done. My app was just about to be launched, and I couldn’t afford to have the tax office on my back now because of my foolish mistakes in the past.

So, this morning I’d be signing on with her husband’s company. At least I’d heard they were good. But I had to find a way to get free of Crystal. Her marriage was falling apart, and she was blackmailing me to keep sleeping with her.

I told myself that I needed to stop overthinking my pathetic existence and just get out of bed. I had a quick shower and then left the Grange complex earlier than I planned.

Two hours later, I walked through the elegant lobby and took the lift to the third floor. My meeting was starting in about ten minutes.

“May I help you?” a pretty blond secretary asked when the lift opened, and I approached her desk.

The drive through Edinburgh this morning was pleasant. I stopped at one of the coffee shops for a sharp injection of caffeine and a Danish pastry, then headed to the financial district in the city.

The blond secretary was staring, and I knew that look on her face. She liked what she saw. I was dressed in an expensive black suit and I hadn’t shaved this morning. Most ladies around my circles liked that rugged look. However, this morning it was all about business, not pleasure.

“My name is Harry Erskine, and I have an appointment with Andrew Davies,” I said, flashing her a bright smile. People always perceived me as a well-mannered guy and I liked giving that kind of impression. I kept the man I was when I served in the Special Forces well hidden. I didn’t like talking about my past life in the military. No one knew the real me, and I intended to keep it that way.

“Of course, let me take you to the conference room. I’ll just let him know that you’re here,” the secretary said, tucking her hair behind her ear. I nodded, not missing her signals. She wanted to jump my bones, but this was Davies’s territory. Not to mention, his wife’s. Crystal wouldn’t be happy, knowing that I fucked her husband’s secretary.

“Mr. Davies will be with you shortly. Would you like anything to drink?” she asked.

“No, thank you. I’m good.”

I tried to get a grip of my thoughts. Sex was like a drug to me, an escape from the flashbacks and traumatic memories of my years in the military. I often hated myself, that I was using it to numb the pain of my past. That made me feel inadequate. I detested becoming a slave to my desires, to the fact that I couldn’t go without it.

The women were always available. I treated them well and they enjoyed my company. Over the years, I started going to mixer parties, and when I purchased a swanky apartment in the Grange Complex, I decided to organise them myself. I hated it at times, but I couldn’t bloody stop being that guy. The only person left in my family was my uncle, and he didn’t live in the city. We hardly ever spoke, so I didn’t have to be concerned about my reputation. But I was thirty-five, for Christ sake, and way overdue to settle down. At times, I even dreamed about pulling away from that life, from my addiction, but I was too fucking scared I’d screw up.

I shoved my hands in my pockets once I was alone and walked to the window. The view of the city was spectacular. Andrew was most likely paying a fortune for this location.

A few months ago, an opportunity presented itself and I decided to launch a new app. Angus had taught me a lot over the years, and I had a few ideas of my own. I went over my plans with him and he told me to go for it. That market was huge, and it was growing fast. That new app was innovative and nothing like I’d ever seen before. Apparently, Andrew had been following my career for a few months now. People knew that I was just about to launch something new, and Crystal had mentioned that Andrew was looking forward to working with me again. Of course, that new app was going to make me a lot of money, and if he handled the marketing, it could turn him into a rich man, too. Even though I couldn’t afford to say no to Crystal, I intended to keep my eyes open while working with Andrew.

“Harry, you old bastard, good to see ya,” a voice behind me said.

I quickly turned around and smiled. “Hi, Andrew, how are things?”

“Good, excellent. The business is going great,” he responded. “You saw Anna at the desk, right? She can’t keep her hands off me.”

All of a sudden, I didn’t feel bad for sleeping with his wife last night. He was still an arsehole. And I still didn’t forgive him for what happened in the past. I wondered if he knew about Crystal’s threat, if it was something they’d planned together. If the sex was just a side bonus she’d added to the mix for herself. Either way, I had to play along for now.

“Gorgeous, mate, but let’s get down to business. I have another meeting I have to get to in an hour,” I muttered and then went on and told him exactly what I was looking for. Davies had run many successful campaigns in the past, and I didn’t like wasting my time. He knew about my reputation in the city, but when it came to business, I wanted things to be done in a certain way. Some people needed to be set straight from the beginning, and Andrew was one of them. He needed to know that this wasn’t a social call or a catch-up about the good old days—that wouldn’t work for me.

After about ten minutes, he looked like he knew exactly what I wanted.

“My marketing manager will go over the details,” he said in the end. “I’ll see if she is free now.”

I nodded and then made small talk. I didn’t ask about Crystal. I knew exactly what was going on between them. After our quick meeting, Andrew left and called his fit- and nice-looking secretary to get me a drink.

She showed up with the same cute smile, and I pretended that I didn’t notice the way she moved.

I suddenly remembered the mysterious woman I saw last night at the fight. She was small, petite, with this crazy red curly hair. There was something about her. I could have sworn I’d met her before. Even from a distance, I could tell she was an athlete of some kind. Just looking at her gave me an instant boner. The strangest part was, that I felt something for her. In my heart. Strange, because I usually wasn’t capable of feeling anything beyond simple attraction. My head was too screwed up.

But for some reason I found myself imagining that, maybe one day, she could be the woman I could share something special with. Someone who could finally make me happy.

Gina

“Miss Martinez, these reports were supposed to be on my desk yesterday,” my boss barked at me, walking into my office without knocking. “I pay you a good salary and expect you to follow my orders.”

Andrew Davies made my blood boil. He was an arrogant twat without manners, and I hated him with a vengeance. I wished that I didn’t have to deal with him on a daily basis.

“The reports were done yesterday. I just haven’t had the chance to—”

“Save it, Miss Martinez, I’m done listening to your excuses,” he cut me off, and his eyes roved over my breasts. He didn’t even try to be discreet about it. “You need to come with me. There is a new client who I need you to meet.”

“Mr. Davies, I have a meeting in five—”

“Reschedule it. This is much more important,” he snapped, not even letting me finish the sentence.

What the actual fuck? I couldn’t just reschedule the meeting with one of my potential sponsors. My lunch was starting in five minutes, and one of my pole dancing clients had pulled some strings and arranged a meeting with a guy who was close to Adler McDougall. He seemed interested in my new venture. I had just received an email from her this morning, asking me to meet him during my lunch break. This was a hell of a favour, and now I was going to look like a complete idiot if I didn’t show up.

“Mr. Davies, I’m sure you can get someone else to cover that meeting. My lunch break is starting now, and the person I’m meeting is already waiting for me,” I said through gritted teeth. I didn’t have to wait long to figure out if Davies gave a fuck about my break time. He had been making my life difficult since he took over the company. I had no idea why, but he just couldn’t stand me.

“I thought you were aiming for a promotion, Miss Martinez?”

“I am, but—”

“Then I’m sorry, but you will have to take your lunch later. Our client has been waiting in the conference room for about ten minutes now. The company’s best interests should be your priority. I expect you to make a good impression,” he said, cutting me off for the third or fourth time in the past minute.

There was no point arguing with him, because as far as Andrew Davies was concerned, my other business was insignificant. The bastard knew I was trying to expand my pole dancing classes. Apparently, he accidentally read one of my private emails, claiming that he was looking for some missing files. After that, I learned not to use the computer at work to respond to personal emails.

I opened my mouth, hoping to throw out yet another argument, but he was already walking away. He didn’t even bother to shut my door behind him. I clenched my fists and tried to calm my erratic breathing.

Moments later, I marched out of my office, pissed off that I hadn’t been firmer with that arsehole. I was hoping that maybe I could wrap up the meeting quickly and still make it to see the sponsor. Right now, I couldn’t even call him to cancel or to say I’d be late since Agatha had set it up; I didn’t have his phone number.

My day had been going great until just a few minutes ago. Davies was waiting for me to make a mistake, just so he could get rid of me. I had to obey his every wish. I couldn’t afford to lose this job.

Anna handed me a note about the meeting, and I smoothed my pencil skirt, plastering a fake smile on my face. Seconds later, I entered the conference room.

“Mr. Erskine, I’m sorry about the wait. I under—”

I stopped talking midsentence the moment I stepped inside the room. It took me five seconds to figure out that my new client was Mr. H, the boxer I watched last night.

He had his back to me, and I instantly recognised him. Blond hair, muscular back, and that firm arse I couldn’t stop picturing in my head. I had no doubt that he was the same man.

He finally turned around.

“Oh, hello, you must be the marketing manager Andrew was talking about?” he asked and then walked up to me. An unexpected jolt of heat passed through my spine. My heart was pounding in my chest and I couldn’t move, staring at his unshaven jaw and those piercing blue eyes. Yes, he was the same man who winked at me after the match.

He was tall and bloody handsome, and now I finally realised that I had actually met him before. My friend, Sasha, and her arsehole boyfriend, who later on turned out to be decent, had an engagement party. Mr. H was there. I remembered it clearly now, but I hadn’t put two and two together last night.

Even then, he’d stared at me like he wanted to have his way with me.

“Yes, that’s me… How are you?” I blurted nervously, and after probably about thirty seconds, I realised that he wanted to shake my hand. Sudden steam crawled its way to my thighs, alerting my sex. His handshake was firm, and my body jerked at his touch. The guy probably thought I was a moron, staring at him and not saying a word.

His eyes narrowed, and he inhaled sharply still holding my hand. The tension between us escalated. I could feel the heat of his stare as his eyes hovered down, stopping on my lips. In that moment, I knew he recognised me, too, either from the match, or from the time at Sasha’s engagement party. That would have been fine, but I couldn’t miss the fact that I saw him banging my boss’s wife only last night.

“I’m great actually, Miss …”

“Gina Martinez,” I introduced myself, aware of the sizzling heat that was circulating around us. All I could think of was those arse cheeks and the way he was moving inside her. Crap, I needed to get it together.

“Martinez. Are you related to George Martinez, by any chance?” he asked with that dark tone, not taking his penetrating eyes off me. I was melting from the inside out, thinking that some random guy was making me wet.

“No…no, I don’t think so. My parents are dead,” I mumbled, knowing he recognised me from yesterday, but still, he wasn’t saying anything. He came a bit closer, close enough that I could smell his cologne. It was yummy and very masculine, and it was sending my shaky body into another universe.

“Well, nice to meet you, Gina,” he said smoothly, pulling away from me and then leaning over, whispering into my ear. “You were at the boxing match yesterday. I would never forget such a beautiful woman who was able to distract me for a brief moment.”