Surrender Forever (Surrender Trilogy Book 3) Read online

  “Yes.” Brushing my hand over her stomach, I feel the muscles quiver. I stop just short of the hem of her panties, let my hands wander up her body again, and lay my palm flat against the skin where I can feel her rapid heartbeat. There’s an echo deep within me, a warm pulse at my core. It’s torture to draw it out like that. Then again, it’s really sweet, moment after moment of perfect distraction.

  With a fingertip, barely noticeable, I trace the strip of fabric between her legs. Penelope has noticed, her hips rising in a silent plea. Not more than that. She knows I’ll give her everything she needs…eventually. I pull down her slip slowly, resisting the urge to touch for a few more seconds.

  Resisting the urge to ask some hard questions. Do you really love me? Do you think anyone can love me?

  “Carter? Is everything okay?” It’s ridiculous. I got all my answers long ago, it’s Penelope I keep leaving with open questions.

  “You are so beautiful.” I clear my throat, self-conscious when I become aware of how my tone is overflowing with emotion.

  “Really? Just remember, it’s all yours to do whatever you like. At least I hope you want to do something.” Her smile is warm, inviting. How could I resist? My fingertip teases along the length of her sex, brushing over her clit, then gliding between the lips into wet heat.

  “Oh, I do.”

  It’s a heady feeling, to have her in my hands like this, and yet I wonder about mistakes I might have made, being too cocky, too sure that she is just as satisfied in our life together. Not only because of Nick’s suspicions. Those were only the trigger. It’s not like I didn’t have any insecurities before. They say—who’s they anyway?—that when you love somebody, you set them free. I locked Penelope away in my house in the Caribbean, hoping she’d be safe there, hoping she might fall for me like I did for her. But that did happen, otherwise we wouldn’t be here now.

  I gently withdraw my fingers, caress her trembling thighs. It won’t be long now. I part her legs further, then I lean in to pleasure her with lips and tongue, gripping her hips tightly. Her moans and whimpers, a steady crescendo to the intense climax, are an exquisite reward. When she asks me to stop in a breathless voice, I do, and sit back, aware that I’m shaking.

  “How about you untie me, and I thank you properly?” Penelope asks, still breathless. “Or maybe you didn’t want to untie me?”

  “The thought is tempting, but I do have an early start tomorrow. Speaking of which,” I say as I remove the mask and ties. “There’s something I need to check.”

  “Now?”

  “Yes, I’m sorry. Don’t worry, it’s nothing dangerous. I’ll try not to wake you.”

  I can see the mixed emotions in her face, worry, frustration, a hint of disappointment. The latter is the hardest to take. I put on a pair of jeans and a shirt, then lean down to kiss her temple. “I love you, baby. I’m incredibly proud of you for New York, but we’ve been out of the country often lately. I need to catch up on what’s going on with the company.”

  Penelope sits up, the sheet wrapped around her. Temptation rises and washes over me. It would be so easy, just ignore the very real trouble stemming from the fact someone—not her—is stealing big sums of money from me and unlikely to use it for charitable purposes. I can’t. After the week or less I’ve given Nick to come up with a reasonable explanation that doesn’t involve Penelope, this won’t be over.

  “Look, I’d love to have you with me in New York, but if you don’t have the time, I’ll be okay.”

  “I know. I want to be there. I’ll be back with you soon.”

  Stealing away to my office reminds me of those first days on the island when I wanted her so much, but couldn’t risk spending the night, to get too close. I would have let her go, after the danger was past. It’s just that the FBI was quicker, which reminds me of something I need to do. First, I check for other messages from Nick. Unfortunately, there are four of them, with more screenshots of transactions, and more photos. Penelope and Catherine Laurier in some sort of store. What does it prove, really? So she hung out at the Café Vienna—if Penelope saw her again in Paris, maybe they did recognize each other, and talk? Even criminals have moments of behaving like the rest of the population. Maybe Laurier liked the food at the Café Vienna. They did some small talk, so what? I go back to the transcripts, odd sums shuffled around, nothing too obvious, but adding up. $139655.

  Penelope’s signature. I sit back in the chair, feeling like someone knocked the wind out of me. I know that she sometimes pays for things, mostly things that we talked about before, or little surprises from a lingerie store, but basically, she has everything she needs and more—I took care of that before we had even spoken a word to each other. Even if the number didn’t show up in the context of these odd suspicious transactions, it would make me wonder. What is it that Penelope needs that she can’t tell me about?

  I jump as the door opens and she walks inside, wearing a nightgown now—not particularly revealing, but still.

  “You know that there’s some of the staff still awake, right?”

  She smiles. “And if they saw me walking into your office at this time, what would they think? What would they do about it?”

  “Nothing.”

  “That’s what I was hoping. Is everything all right?” It’s the second time tonight she’s asking me that. I quickly close the program and turn off the screen.

  “Yeah, I’m done. Let’s go back to bed.”

  She waits for me by the door, but when I’m about to open it, she turns me around. “I kind of changed my mind. Let’s stay here for a moment longer?”

  The next moment, her hand is in my pants. My body doesn’t need long to remember where we left off, and all I can do is give in, press against her fingers. Maybe I don’t want to see what’s right in front of me, but I’ll go for the obvious. She loves me. That’s all I need to know. My jeans come down to my ankles, and all of a sudden, there’s cool air tickling my heated skin—I didn’t bother with underwear earlier. I bite my lip as her tongue brushes and glides over my clit. After all, there is staff around in the house, and I wouldn’t want to give them that much of an insight. My fingers tangle lightly in her hair, tightening when I feel the warm swell deep inside, the point of no return.

  The world has tried so often to taint everything that’s good in my life. I won’t let them. I won’t ever let anything, anyone touch her and twist her into something the woman I love is not.

  Chapter Three

  Over breakfast, I finally tell her about the latest project.

  “I’m glad you could help your mom.” Penelope knows that my relationship with Brenda is still a touchy subject, even though we are doing better lately.

  “Yeah, me too. I didn’t do much, actually, but it wasn’t that complicated in the end.”

  “Not like Emilia.”

  “No, not at all.” Emilia Laydon had tried to free herself and her two children from the grasp of her ex-husband, a career criminal who would love to bring my company down. As it is, there isn’t anything he can do now, and his last hope and right hand man Cole Baxter was arrested a few months ago for the abduction and assault of FBI agent Colette Grady. There’s no way he or any of his minions can be involved in the latest inconsistencies…We took care of that.

  Penelope looks thoughtful. “Are there any…projects at the moment?”

  “None of the shady stuff, I promise. You know which organizations we support and where. It’s been a crazy year. I swear it’s okay to go to New York, but after that I really need some time to concentrate on business here at home.”

  “Business as usual,” she muses. “Is there such a thing with a company this big? Even at work the numbers feel overwhelming sometimes, and I know it’s only a part of it.”

  “You still have to do it one step at a time, but at the same time, be ready for anything,” I say vaguely. “Will you be free for dinner tonight?”

  She shakes her head. “I’m sorry, no. After work, I have a study gr
oup and book club. It’s only a couple of days until New York though.”

  “You booked already?”

  “Yes. Don’t worry, I think you’ll like it.”

  When we were in Paris and needed to change plans quickly, I had Penelope book us a hotel—let’s say she has trouble spending money under any circumstances.

  “Does it have more than one room?”

  “Yes. I thought economy class would be fine though…I’m kidding! I know you might want to work too.”

  “So we’re taking the jet.”

  “Of course we will,” she assures me.

  My cell phone and the landline both ring at the same time. There’s a reason why it’s so hard to get breakfast on a regular basis. Penelope goes to answer the landline while I pick up the cell phone.

  “Hello my friend,” a familiar voice says. To my dismay, Colette sounds apologetic. I look over to where Penelope is still on the phone, writing something on a notepad.

  “I can’t really talk right now,” I say, keeping my voice low. “Bad news?”

  “That depends,” she says. “The signature…it’s troubling, but there are gifted criminals who get away with things like that for quite some time. Could she pull this off? Frankly, I doubt it. You know I spent some time alone with her, even right after your crazy stunt, and all she wanted was to get back to you…If all of that is fake, then she’s the best actress I ever met.”

  Colette gives me a lot more than I asked for, the blunt, brutal truth. In many ways, it’s reassuring, though saying it out loud, admitting that there could be a sliver of a possibility…I feel sick, at myself for having had a split-second of doubt. While I have met some psychopaths in my life, Colette has undoubtedly more experience in that field. I trust her assessment.

  “Okay, keep going and let me know what you can come up with. People are jealous. It wouldn’t surprise me if someone wanted to frame her, but…” Penelope has hung up, and I switch gears. “Thank you, I’ll be in the office in a few minutes. Bye.”

  “That was your mom,” Penelope says. “She seemed all right, but she said she’d like to come by on the weekend. I said we’d be back?”

  “Sure, that’s okay. I’ll call her back later.” She hesitates for a moment before she steps closer and embraces me.

  “What’s the matter?”

  Against my chest, she laughs softly. “It’s going to be a long day. I mean…I shouldn’t complain. I am so blessed to have all of this and…”

  I hold my breath.

  “You. Thanks for letting me in. That means everything.”

  “I know,” I say, brushing a hand over her hair. “Believe me, I know.”

  Chapter Four

  Penny

  In the past year, I was kidnapped, threatened with a gun, got married and changed my waitress job to a much better paying internship. Not that I need the money anymore, because I get to work with my wife who is one of the richest people in the country—and the world. Crazy doesn’t even begin to cover it.

  It’s a fairy tale with some obstacles thrown in, and I certainly had some issues, about this much privilege falling into my lap—and I had nightmares about the gun part.

  There’s something that makes all the difference though, and it happened when I truly understood what Carter means to me. She has turned my life upside down not just for being rich and making it incredibly comfortable. I was doing fine when I was single, dreaming of winning the lottery maybe, but we know these things aren’t realistic. I was as happy as I could be.

  I had no idea how happy and fulfilled I could be, with the right person. After the rocky start, the pieces have fallen into place, in my private life, and in my career as well.

  I spent the morning at university, confirming my presence at the study group and then head for my job where me and my supervisor Traci go through piles of grant applications and correspondence from organizations we work with. One of them has invited us to New York to look at their projects in depth, talk to members who work all over the world, and…for us to present the philosophy of our business and our investment plans for the coming year. I can’t believe I’ll be the person to do that presentation. I might be just an intern, but I am also Carter Forbes’ wife. Part of my job is to represent. It’s amazing, and scary at the same time.

  “You’ll be okay,” Traci assures me, reading my mind. “This is something you’re passionate about. That’s what makes all the difference in the world.”

  “What if they don’t take me seriously? I’m not exactly struggling.”

  “You are serious, we all are about supporting their organization, and supporting women. Believe me, that’s all they want. You’ll do great. Carter is coming?”

  I nod, wondering what Traci’s take on this is. She’s the least judgemental person I know, and so far, everyone I’ve worked with, has been supportive. If I think they resent me for getting this job, that’s my problem.

  “Yeah, I thought she might. You’re still planning on working full time here after your degree?”

  I don’t have to think long about the answer. In fact, I don’t have to think about it at all.

  “Yes, definitely. If you’ll have me.”

  “Don’t screw up New York,” she teases good-naturedly. “Then you’ll be fine.”

  “Sounds great. No pressure, right?”

  “No pressure. Enjoy your time there.”

  “I will, thank you.” I feel the heat rush to my face. I’m so predictable when it comes to suggestions with a possible double meaning. My thoughts always lead down the same road, and I fear everyone could know.

  Traci hides a smile behind her coffee cup. “All right then, we have lots of work to do until then.”

  No kidding.

  From the job, I drive across town to arrive exactly two minutes late to study group, at the same time as Alina who has been in my class from the beginning.

  “What’s wrong with you?” she asks. “If I was driving this baby, I’d never be late anywhere.”

  “Well, I don’t want anyone to slap a ticket on the baby.”

  I know it’s just harmless bantering, but I do feel the sting every time someone reminds me of my sudden newfound wealth. The Mercedes was a wedding gift from Carter. I argued about it for a short time, then I let it go. I’ll admit it’s a dream to drive, an incredible update from every used car I ever owned.

  “Are you going to come up at some point?” Julianne, at whose apartment we’re meeting, asks from the small balcony, ending the conversation. Saved by the bell, so to speak. I keep a low profile in this group, as much as I can anyway.

  Then it’s time to hang out at Lara’s for book club, and I’m still in my work outfit. She gives me an admiring look when she opens the door to me.

  “Wow, Penny. I don’t think I could ever look this grown up.”

  “Thanks…I guess.”

  Lara laughs. “Come on in. The guys are having some RPG adventure at Adrian’s, so we have the place to ourselves. We’ve got wine and junk food too.” When we have the book club at her house, her boyfriend usually spends the night with friends of his own. Lara’s offer sounds incredibly tempting, but I still need to drive home, and I’m sure Marlene has some exciting dinner choices waiting for me even if it’s late. I follow her into the living room. Haley is already there, getting up to hug me. We have all grown closer through the strange chain of events that led me to marry a billionaire. In the beginning, they were skeptical, especially Haley, and Carter didn’t help by paying off her mortgage. Of course there were some details about my “abduction” that Carter and I had for keep between us. I think they’ve come around, seeing I’m truly happy.

  “It looks like it will be just the three of us,” Lara says, pouring a glass of wine for each of us. “So, did either of you actually read the book?”

  “I made it halfway through,” I admit. “It just put me off that the guy was so cocky about wanting to control every aspect of her life. No sex in the world is good enough to outweigh
that.”

  Haley and Lara share a somewhat amused look.

  “Come on, that’s not the same…and, none of your business.”

  “If you stopped reading, you missed a big part of the reason why he was behaving that way,” Haley says. “Is it always wrong if a man wants to protect a woman, just because we’ve been lied to and told it can only go one way? I don’t know. I still like a hero, and frankly, I don’t like when other women try to make me feel guilty about it.”

  “I never did.”

  “No, not you. I mean in general. It’s like some don’t trust me to separate fantasy and reality.”

  “We don’t judge here,” Lara says, refilling our glasses. “It’s okay. Penny just doesn’t have the patience for this kind of thing, because she doesn’t appreciate the guy’s…attributes like we do.”

  “Ew!” I say, and we all laugh.

  “See?” Lara insists. “That’s what I meant.”

  I shake my head, amused at the turn of the conversation. “I don’t hate guys and their attributes. This one just rubs me the wrong way…” They start laughing hysterically. “Oh for Pete’s sake, how much of that wine did you have before I came?”

  “How about we postpone this book?” Haley suggests after all laughing fits have subsided. “That way, we don’t spoil Penny in case she still wants to finish it, and the others can chime in next time.”

  “That’s nice of you, but I’m not sure I’ll make it. I have to prepare a speech for New York, and Carter’s mom is going to visit on the weekend…I’ll be pretty busy.”

  “New York?” Lara echoes. “How come you only mention this casually?”

  For a moment, I wonder if I should invite them too, after all, it would be no problem to pay for two more hotel rooms. I invite them every once in a while, pay for restaurant or movies. It’s tricky trying to draw a line. Now that neither of them has to pay rent or a mortgage, they live comfortable. It’s still a long way from my own situation, but I wonder, where does it end? Me feeling guilty, or them feeling like I’m trying to buy their friendship.