Torn:Billionaire Bachelors Club #2(28)

That's me. And Marina. Having sex in the kitchen that first night we attacked each other.

I run a hand through my hair, glancing around like someone's going to  walk up on me at any minute and discover what I'm looking at. I'm  completely blown away. I can't believe Marina's kept this on her  computer for . . . what? Her viewing pleasure? It happened over a month  ago. We've had plenty of sex since then. Better sex, infinitely more  satisfying sex. Every time we come together, it's better and better  between us. We're lucky.

And now I'm . . . shocked, seeing us on her computer screen, me pounding  inside of her, her head thrown back, her long legs wound tight around  me as she clutches my shoulders with her hands. There's no sound, but I  don't need to hear it to remember. She's panting hot, encouraging words,  and I'm sliding so deep inside her I groan her name, ready to give in  to the urge and let my orgasm take over.

Damn. It's sort of hot, seeing us together like this. Maybe I can  understand why she kept it, but still. She should've let me see this. At  the very least told me about it. I hit pause, catching her at a  particularly good angle. The expression on her face tells me she's  pretty damn close to orgasm.

I really like seeing that expression on her face, but live and in  person. Not on a video I happen to discover hidden away on her computer.  Why would she keep it? Was she hoping to somehow use it against me if I  did her wrong? I've gone out with vindictive women before. Women out to  get me before I got them, always on the defense when I never thought  that way in the first place.

"What are you doing?"

I glance up to find Marina standing just inside her office, her eyes bloodshot, her expression tight. She looks terrible.

So, so sad.

Pushing away from her desk, I go to her, but she dodges me at the last  minute. "What happened? Are you okay?" I ask, worry consuming me. She's  acting odd. "Gina said you went home because you weren't feeling well."

"I'm fine. Really." She runs a hand over her head, messing up her hair  rather than fixing it. She's looking at me like she doesn't quite know  what to do with me. "I had a headache. So I went home. Had an  interesting conversation with my mother too. Let me tell you, it didn't  help with my headache whatsoever. I'd say after her news, it's even  worse. I had to get out of there, so I came back here."

My heart skips over itself. Shit. "What did you two talk about?" I ask, afraid to hear her answer.

"Oh, you know. She's worried I'm going to die a bitter, single, jobless  old woman." One delicate brow rises and I know exactly what she's  referring to.

Double shit. This is not the way I wanted her to find out.

"Marina," I start, and she holds up her hand, silencing me.

"I don't want to hear your excuses," she says quietly, her expression  flat, her eyes dim. "Tell me the truth. When were you going to let me  know huh, Gage? When?"

She knows. I'd asked her father to keep it a secret so I could tell her  she's not losing the bakery and I withheld the information too long. Now  she's pissed. "It's not what you think-" I start, but she cuts me off.

"Then what am I supposed to think? I don't understand how you can keep  something so incredibly important from me. Who are you? Why would you do  this? The bakery closing changes everything, my entire life! I'll have  nothing. No job, no nothing. All because of you." She rushes toward me,  shoving at my chest so hard I take a step back, shocked at the force  behind her push. "You're evil."         

     



 

Wait. Her dad didn't tell her about the bakery. This is even worse. She thinks I'm trying to shut her down. "Marina-"

"Shut up. You're a liar. Withholding information is just as bad as  lying. I can't believe you would do this to me. I thought you lo . . ."  She clamps her lips shut, closing her eyes and slowly shaking her head.

"Let me explain myself. It's not what you think," I start, but she opens her eyes and glares at me.

"Don't bother trying to explain, Gage. You got what you wanted. I knew  you wanted to buy those buildings from the start, so I don't know why  I'm so surprised or hurt. I guess I got too caught up."

Damn it. She's not even listening to me. "What about your secret?" I toss out, my voice flat.

Her eyes widen, tears sparkling in them. Damn it, just the sight of them makes my chest ache. "What secret?"

I fold my arms across my chest, leaning against the edge of her desk. If  she won't even listen to me, then I need to get the truth out of her  regarding the security tape. It's weird that she never mentioned it. "I  think you might know what I'm talking about."





Chapter Fourteen




Marina

I HAVE ABSOLUTELY no idea what he's talking about. I'm not the secret-keeper in this relationship. He is.

And boy is his secret a doozy, one that's going to change my life forever.

He acts like it's no big deal.

"Stop playing games," I murmur, letting my anger fuel me. He's propped  against my desk, his arms crossed in front of his chest, his biceps  straining against his long-sleeved shirt, but I ignore the way my body  responds to his. He always makes me feel this way. Hungry, desperate,  needy. All for him.

I'm too mad. Angry sex with Gage is amazing-we've indulged a few times  because we're sort of sick and twisted like that-but not like this. Not  with this sort of horrible betrayal.

He's taken it too far.

"I saw what you keep on your computer." He waves his hand toward the  monitor. "I had no idea we made a porn video, Marina. Wish you would've  told me. Do you plan on selling it now that you know what a jerk I  really am? Distributing it online so it can make the rounds? Maybe earn a  few million hits on YouTube?"

Gasping, I round the desk, staring at the screen where the video is  paused. There we are in black and white. I can see my naked legs wrapped  around him, his body hovering over mine, my arms around his neck. I  minimize the screen, glancing up to find him studying me, his expression  downright deadly.

"Why do you have that on your computer?" he asks, his voice scary quiet.  "It makes no sense for you to keep it this long. Unless you did it on  purpose so you could use it against me."

I'm in complete shock. Does he really think that low of me? What sort of  women did he date in his past? "I . . . the morning after the encounter  in the kitchen, kids smashed the pumpkins we had around the front  door." I'm going to tell him the entire story, even if it kills me. "So I  checked the videos from the night before and saw the kids but couldn't  identify them."

"Okay," he says slowly, probably wondering why I'm telling him all this.

But there is a point to my story. "Then I clicked through, checking out  all the cameras we have and I saw this. Us." Closing my eyes, I breathe  deep, searching for strength. I can't believe I'm the one who has to  explain myself when he's the one who kept the worst secret ever. I open  my eyes and continue. "I-liked watching it. I was so confused after what  happened between us. How could I hate someone and want him, all at the  same time? You drove me crazy. Keeping this video was my way of . . .  holding on to something that has sentimental value, you know?"

"A video of us fucking in your kitchen has sentimental value?" He laughs and shakes his head. "That's just great."

"I refuse to let you make me feel guilty. I had it up on my computer  because I was going to delete it." I don't know why I held onto it so  long. Earlier I'd brought it back up, ready to delete when my mom  called. I pushed away from my computer, talked to her a bit, felt the  headache come on, and then left, forgetting all about it. "I realized it  probably wasn't smart, having a video of us. What if it fell into the  wrong hands?"

"No shit. Not one of your most brilliant moves, Marina." He snorts, shaking his head.

Ah, there's the old Gage. The one I want to slap across the face for  saying such shitty, hurtful things. I stand, slapping my hands against  the edge of the desk. "Don't try and make this all about what I've done  to you. It's minor compared to what you've done and you know it. You're  the one who bought out my dad and Molina Corp. Why didn't you tell me?  How long were you going to wait? I deserved to know, Gage."         

     



 

He glares at me, his green eyes cold. Hard. "You really think I would  purposely keep this from you so I could hurt you, Marina? After  everything we've gone through, everything we've experienced this last  month? You don't know me at all, do you?"

I shrug, trying to blow it off. I have no idea what's real and what's  not anymore. I don't care how gutted he sounds. As hard as it is for me  to realize, I don't think I can trust him. "I don't know. It's only been  a month. What could I expect from you?"

It's Gage's turn to rush me, coming round the desk so he's standing in  front of me, his hands clasping my upper arms, shaking me as if he can  knock some sense into me. "I'm in love with you, damn it. I wanted to  show you how I felt by giving you the goddamn deed to this place. I was  going to give it to you as a surprise and Ivy was going to redecorate  the café. I was putting together an advertising plan and everything.  Anything you wanted for this place, I would've given you."