Filthy Rich Alpha - Virna DePaul Page 0,47

his shift, unless you come up with something before then that means I won’t even have to talk to the bastard. Come on, Cara.”

Branden turned and walked back into the apartment.

Cara was watching Alex and Cartwright, her stomach churning, and wondering what “Take care of him” had meant. Branden had been domineering and controlling before—all alpha male, all the time—but this? This was different. There was something feral about him now. Something not quite civilized.

Something that both scared and comforted her.

“Cara, let’s go.”

Another one of his commands. Cara resisted momentarily, but knew he and Alex were trying to scare Cartwright, and she needed to play her part. She turned as if obedient and followed Branden into the apartment, leaving Alex and a quivering Cartwright alone in the hall.

Once inside, and with the door closed behind them, she turned to Branden and asked, “What’s Alex going to do?”

“Kill him,” Branden said deadpan.

Cara didn’t believe him…too much. “No. Really?”

“Don’t worry, no one will ever find the body.”

Cara wanted to believe he was kidding, but Branden didn’t kid…did he? After all, she really didn’t know him well. His face was totally serious, and even his posture hadn’t changed.

“Branden, please tell me you aren’t serious…”

He suddenly burst out laughing, shocking Cara. “You should see your face. It’s classic.”

Cara punched him in the arm and said, “It’s not funny, you big jerk!”

“It was kind of funny,” he said. “But my sisters would have my hide if they saw me teasing a woman I’m dating the way I tease them.”

Cara had never seen him drop the serious, professional demeanor. Even during sex he was all intense. Focused on the task at hand. His laughter softened all of his features, and as handsome as Cara thought he normally was, she found him absolutely beautiful at that very moment.

“What is Alex really going to do?”

“Alex and his brother will just talk to him, I swear. Cartwright will crack, though. They’ve got that Brooklyn born-and-bred tough-guy thing going on.” Branden shook his head. “I really wish you could have seen your face. What do you think I am? The Godfather?”

“I honestly didn’t think you were the type to joke around.”

Branden stepped up close to her. Too close. She could feel his breath on her face. Her insides were shaking but she didn’t step back. She stood her ground as he said, “I’m human, Cara.”

Oh, she knew that very well. She could smell his humanness. His manliness. Damn him! He was seducing her with his presence alone. His imposing and strong body. His dark, sexy eyes. His bulging biceps. His soft and loving way he spoke of his sisters. He was walking sex appeal, and how was she supposed to resist that?

She rose up on tiptoe. She wanted him to kiss her and he didn’t disappoint. First he just brushed his mouth against hers. Then he kissed her face, up one side and down the other. Finally, his lips crushed down on hers.

She parted her lips so that he could slide his tongue into her warm, wet, willing mouth. She’d come over here with no intention of having sex. Well, Iris would challenge her on that one, and she’d be right. One look from this man was all it took to break down her resolve. She wondered how strong it could have been in the first place.

Chapter 15

Oh, God, she wanted this. Wanted him. Needed him.

Cara kissed Branden back with intensity, moaning as his hands slid up her sides, and whimpering when he pulled his mouth and hands away.

In her ear, he breathed, “Cara,” then lifted her, as if she weighed nothing, and carried her inside his penthouse. After placing her down, he gently spun Cara around so she was facing away from him. Taking her hands, he placed them high against the wall and said, “Stay.”

She stayed.

He walked over to a remote-control panel and pressed a few buttons, and suddenly every drape in the condo moved into place, remotely ordered to do so by Branden. He was protecting her. Protecting them.

He came back to her, and his strong hands were warm as they slid inside her tank and underneath her sports bra. The palms of his hands rubbed firmly against her hard nipples as she leaned her body back into his big, hard chest. He rubbed his face against her hair and slid his lips down to lick and suck on her ear, and then down to her neck. He nibbled and licked along her most sensitive areas. She