“There’s been an explosion, sir. One of the warehouses has been destroyed.”
Fuck!
Chapter Five
~ Lily ~
I stretch awake, soon realizing I’m alone in bed. The warm spot where Finn was lying behind me has gone cold. My sleepy brain vaguely remembers him leaving the bed to answer his phone. I don’t remember him returning. I was exhausted after the stressful day of traveling—and then the pleasure Finn gave me.
My cheeks heat at the thought of the sex toy he bought for us to play with. He promised me he would, and he followed through on it. I found myself unable to speak or move last night as he brought my body to unbelievable heights of pleasure.
Sliding out from the bed, I grab the large fluffy hotel bathrobe and wrap it tightly around my body. I then shuffle sleepily into the shared living room, stopping abruptly when I enter.
Aunt Kitty is sitting wide awake on the couch, wearing a matching robe, but she isn’t alone. A toned Black woman, wearing navy blue dress pants and a bright blue polo is chatting with her and drinking a cup of tea.
“Good morning, sweetie,” Aunt Kitty greets me with a smile.
“Morning,” I mutter, stepping further into the room.
“Miss MacKay.” The unknown woman stands with a smile and extends her hand. “Josephine Johnson. I was sent by Pride Security.”
“Hi.” Shaking her hand, I relax. “Thank you for coming—”
“You can call me JoJo, and it was my pleasure,” she says warmly, taking a step back, rejoining Aunt Kitty on the couch. “I was just telling Mrs. Stein how excited I was to be coming back to the city.”
“I told you,” Aunt Kitty admonishes kindly, “call me Kitty.”
I flop down into the corner of the narrow couch and ask them, “Where’s Finn?”
“Mr. Finch is on the terrace.”
Setting down her cup, Aunt Kitty pours me one from a tray on the coffee table, handing it to me. “It’s a little too nippy out there this morning for me.”
“Thank you.” I take a tentative sip from the steamy cup before setting it down on the end table next to me. “I’ll be right back.”
I open the door and step onto the terrace. Finn’s back is to me. I take a second to appreciate the way his black polo is stretched across the width of his shoulders and how his khaki pants accentuate the roundness of his ass. One hand is gripping the railing, the muscles in this bare forearm flexing, and the other hand has his cell phone up to his ear. Everything about the man is enticing.
The door clicks closed as I pull it shut behind me, and Finn turns around. The tight scowl on his face brightens instantly when he sees me.
Beckoning me over, I walk to him, my pace brisk as my bare feet step on the chilled stone. I rest my head against his chest and wrap my arms around him. Finn places a kiss on the top of my head, wrapping me up warmly in his free arm.
“What did the Fire Marshal say?”
The question has me pulling back slightly in his arms to look into his face with concern. A million questions run through my head. Mainly, where had the fire been, and had anyone been hurt?
“Make sure they have access to everything; we have nothing to hide,” Finn continues to tell the other person on the line.
“What happened?” My question comes out in a near whisper.
“Tell them I will be back as soon as I can,” he states in a commanding tone.
My stomach sinks at the thought of him leaving. The very idea of being parted with him has my body buzzing with anxiety.
“You’re leaving?” I croak out louder than I intended to.
Finn’s arm tightens around me, and he presses another kiss to my crown. I can’t help but melt into him, strengthening my hold on him and burying myself into his chest.
“I’ll let you know when I arrive.” Finn finishes his call.
“What happened?” I demand as he shoves the phone into his pocket before wrapping his arms tightly around me.
“There was an explosion and fire at one of my warehouses yesterday,” Finn seethes, betraying his anger and frustration.
“What?” I gasp.
He nods, his face lined with frustration.
“It’s him, isn’t it?” I mutter. A flush of shame runs through me. If it wasn’t for Finn helping me, his business wouldn’t have suffered.
“Most likely.”
“I’m sorry,” I mumble.
Finn’s two large hands grip my shoulders and push me away from his body as he states firmly, “You have nothing to be fucking sorry for.”
“But if you hadn’t rescued me and —” Finn silences me with a rough, branding kiss. His hands cup my face unyieldingly.
Pulling back, he runs his thumbs gently along my cheeks and growls, “The only one to blame is Mayer.”
“But your company,” I mumble, a swell of guilt rolling through me.
“Yes, there was damage, but this is why I have insurance—and hired a security company who was able to stop the fucker before he destroyed all the warehouses. They are still trying to figure out how he gained access to the premises to begin with.”
Finn leans down and presses his full lips to mine, kissing me with slow eagerness. “Good morning, princess.”
“Morning,” I mumble breathlessly.
A cool breeze blows through the terrace, and I shiver, snuggling back into Finn’s chest for warmth. Once again, seeking strength and safety within his arms.
“Let’s get you inside,” Finn says, pulling out of my arms and grabbing my hand. “Where the fuck are your shoes?”
“Inside,” I say blandly, letting myself be led back into the sitting room.
“Where should we go out for breakfast?” Aunt Kitty asks, glancing over at us as we enter.
“You ladies choose,” Finn answers. “But somewhere close by. I, unfortunately, will have to leave afterward to head back to Boston.”
“Why are you leaving?” Aunt Kitty asks, looking back and forth between us with concern.
“There was an explosion and fire at one of my warehouses last night—”
“What?” Aunt Kitty gasps, placing her hand on her chest before an angry scowl escapes her mouth. “It was that asshole’s doing, wasn’t it?”
“That’s my guess,” Finn says. Coming around and dropping into the couch opposite Aunt Kitty, he pulls me down next to him. “So, I need to get back to assess the damage and make sure we don’t lose any business over this.”
“Was anyone hurt?” Her voice is full of concern.
“Luckily, no.” He exhales, relaxing slightly. “So, let’s go enjoy a full English breakfast before I need to leave.”
“I don’t think I can move,” I moan, grabbing my stomach and resting my head on Finn’s shoulder as the cab weaves its way through Mayfair and back to the hotel.
We decided to venture out to a nearby hotel for breakfast. JoJo insisted we take a cab, which was good because spring rain descended upon us just as we were leaving, catching us unprepared.
I ate way too much of the delicious food and then had more because I couldn’t pass up the buttery croissant filled with chocolate.