Bought by the billionaire Read online

  BOUGHT BY THE BILLIONAIRE

  A BILLIONAIRE DARK ROMANCE

  BY VI CARTER

  OTHER BOOKS BY VI CARTER

  A BROKEN HEART SERIES

  SAVING GRACE

  CLAIMING AMBER

  TAKING LAURA

  WILD IRISH SERIES

  RECKLESS (prequel)

  VICIOUS #1

  RUTHLESS #2

  FEARLESS #3

  MERCILESS #4

  HEARTLESS #5

  THE BOYNE CLUB

  DARK #1

  CHAPTER ONE

  DAMIEN

  “You won’t get a penny.”

  I don’t assist my ninety-year-old father, who struggles out of his chair. His cane was enough. He glances at me twice with fierce eyes, as I stand at his desk, with my hands in my black trousers pockets, and watch his body fail him while his mind is still young.

  “You’re not making this easy on yourself.”

  He’s finally standing and points the cane at me before slamming it back down on the floor. “I don’t want easy, my boy. I’ve worked for everything I have. You just have to do one little thing and it’s all yours.”

  His billion euro empire.

  That’s what he was offering me. I wanted it, I really did, but I had to marry within three days to get it. Was it a test? I wasn’t sure. If I was left to my own devices, I would never marry.

  “How do you expect me to find someone in three days?”

  He wobbles on the cane as he takes a step towards me. “That’s the deal. If you aren’t married in three days, there will be no inheritance.” His smile is twisted and shakes along with the rest of his body.

  I had spent every hour of my time working for him, knowing one day it would be mine. I just never thought it would come with strings attached.

  “What about the girl?”

  I rub my face as he starts to babble. Removing the cane from him and watching him fall is an enticing thought right now. His death would end this stupidity, but maybe he had put it somewhere in writing. He was sneaky like that, so I needed to keep calm.

  “What girl?”

  His brown eyes lighten as they narrow at me. “You know what girl I’m talking about. The only girl you’ve ever shown an interest in.”

  Karen.

  He was talking about Karen. She was a friend’s sister, money-hungry and easy. I hadn’t seen Marcus, her brother since he went off to college and we just went our separate ways.

  “Karen?” I say her name and it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. What feels worse is the gleeful smile in my father’s eyes.

  “Yes, Karen. Ask her to marry you.” He taps the cane on the floor before walking past me.

  He pauses when we are shoulder to shoulder. “Three days. The conditions are in the envelope on my desk.” He leaves the room.

  If there was one thing I was certain of, it was that Karen would be easy to catch. Once she smelled the money, she wouldn’t just be my wife, but she would be in my bed as well. It was a good thing she was beautiful. It just sweetened this deal.

  KAREN

  No matter how many times I tally up the medical expenses, it keeps coming back with a number we can’t afford. My parents had already lost enough, and now I was holding down three jobs. There weren't enough hours in the day for a fourth job, but I needed a fourth job to clear all the debt.

  My eyes and throat burn. Damn Marcus, he was so irresponsible. We had thought when he went to college that he would settle down and get an education, and a good job. Instead, he partied too hard and abused his body to the point we had to get him into rehab, to try to get him back to the Marcus we once loved.

  I had told my parents not to worry, that I would take care of it. At the time, I had no idea it would cost this much.

  Leaving the table, I refill the kettle and put it on while watching the rain stream down the window. I could move back home. I shiver at the thought and wrap my black cardigan tighter around me. It wouldn’t be that bad, I try to tell myself. I was barely here anyway. I was always working. The ringing phone was a reminder that I needed to get my house phone disconnected. It was another bill I couldn’t afford right now.

  “Hello.”

  “Karen Watson, this is Damien.” The deep voice has my brows furrowing, I recognize it but I’m not sure from where. Maybe this was a job I had applied for.

  “Hi, Damien, what can I do for you?” The kettle boils and I hope this conversation doesn’t last long as my brain is demanding coffee.

  “I have a proposal for you?” His self-assured voice is still tickling at my brain, but I still can’t put a face to the name.

  “I need a wife and I’m willing to pay a substantial amount.”

  I exhale a short laugh. “I’ve gotten this offer in my emails, but never one by the phone. So kudos to you on the fresh idea, but don’t call this number again.” I place the phone back on the receiver and enter the kitchen. The phone starts to ring again, and I ignore it as it continues to ring out. It was odd that whoever was trying to scam me would still be this persistent, even when I called them out on their lies.

  After the sixth time, my patience had come to an end.

  “Listen, buddy, quit calling. You are not going to scam me today. Okay? You got that?”

  “It’s Damien Black, I was friends with Marcus, your brother.”

  Heat enters my chest and makes a burning path up to my face. “Sorry, I had some guy calling and …” I trail off. “Never mind.” It takes my brain a second to realize that the voice of the first caller was the same one right now.

  “My proposal was real. Are you interested?”

  I sit down on the chair that’s positioned by the telephone table. All the furnishings belong to the previous owner.

  “You were serious?”

  “Yes. I need a wife in three days. I will pay you.”

  Damien was every woman’s fantasy, that was until you got to know the arrogant jerk behind it.

  “How much?” My face burns as my mouth spews the question. My self-respect just escaped through the half-open window in the hall.

  I hear a half snort-laugh down the phone. “How much do you want Karen?”

  Gritting my teeth, I tell myself to slam the phone down and pull the cord from the wall. “Fifty thousand,” I throw the figure out. It isn’t random, that’s how much debt I’m in with my brother’s rehab bills.

  “Done.”

  I hate how self-assured he sounds. I hate that I am really considering this.

  “I need all the terms before I can make a decision.” Was I really going to do this? This was madness.

  “I think we should discuss this in person.”

  I switch the phone to the other ear. I didn’t want him in my home. “We will meet at your place. I’ll need the address.”

  “Give me your address. I’ll have my driver pick you up.”

  My hand curls around the phone. “That’s not necessary, Damien. Just give me the address and I’ll make my own way there.”

  He was always bossy, and normally Damien got whatever Damien wanted. But we weren’t children anymore.

  “I’m on Farrell’s way. The Lair Hotel, the penthouse. Just tell them at the reception that you are there for me.”

  Don’t do it, Karen. Just figure out something else.

  That was the logic part of my brain. But the weary part, that has been keeping down three jobs and living on barely any sleep, is begging me to take it. If I can clear Marcus’s debt, I can go back to living and not just existing.

  “I’ll be there within the hour,” I say and drop the receiver before he can answer. I just needed to get the last word in. Call it a childish win.

  CHAPTER TWO

  KAREN


  I keep second-guessing the outfit I’ve worn to meet Damien. The khaki green knee-length skirt against the high brown boots seemed like a good choice until I stepped into the foyer of the Lair Hotel. Clutching my bag tighter, I try not to seem so nervous as I walk up to the reception desk. The blonde receptionist smiles, red, painted lips forced into a well-practiced rise.

  “How may I help you?” Her eyes flicker to my black blouse and I wonder if there is a stain on it. It didn’t matter now. I was here and I couldn’t do anything about my clothes.

  “I’m here to see Damien Black.”

  The receptionist’s eyes widen. “Karen, Karen Watson?”

  So, he had informed them of my arrival. I push a loose black curl off my forehead and force my own smile as I glance around the foyer for cameras wondering if he was watching me. “Yes,” I answer.

  “Just one moment.” She picks up the phone and presses one button. “Karen Watson is here Mr. Black.” The receptionist places the phone back in the receiver. “He will be down in a moment.”

  I thank her and wait as my stomach tightens and squeezes. It’s been nearly ten years since we saw each other. Damien had always made me feel uncertain about myself. He had that effect on most people. When he entered a room, you knew something had changed, some higher power had arrived. The ding of a golden elevator rings and I turn to face it.

  My heart gallops as our eyes clash. His lips tug up slightly and something stirs deep in my belly. He’s like a God as he saunters across the lobby. I can’t look away. I know I’m staring but those wide shoulders, clad in a suit jacket, I could cling to those shoulders. Black eyes, like the bottom of the sea, bore into me, rooting me to the spot.

  This was a bad idea. A very bad idea.

  “Karen you haven’t aged a day.” His husky voice and low words send shivers racing across my skin. I grip my bag like an anchor, not wanting to get sucked into the tornado that is to be Damien Black. He was always something to look at, but now he was too much. He was older looking, his jaw stronger, and my core tightened shamelessly.

  I clear my throat. “Damien, can we get started?”

  His lips tug up higher and my pulse pounds rapidly in my neck.

  “Of course.” He widens his arm towards the elevator. “After you. Ms. Watson.”

  The elevator was a box. A small box. Too small to be stuck in with Damien. I’m staring at it like it’s doomed.

  “Karen?” I glance at Damien and regret it instantly. I was sucked back in, I needed to get a grip. I force a smile before marching to the elevator. I have to wait for the doors to open. Heat radiates against my back, my hands grow moist as his large form stands way too close to me. I try to flicker a glance over my shoulder and stare at his wide chest. Facing the doors again, they open and I nearly fall in my haste to get away from him. I needed to take five. I was never a mess like this, but one look from Damien and I was jelly.

  I turn just as he walks in, his eyes pinning me to the floor. He doesn’t speak as we stand shoulder to shoulder. Once the door closes, the space seems tight and I shift slightly hoping he doesn’t notice.

  “Is there something wrong, Karen?”

  He notices.

  Heat scorches my cheeks, but I glance up at Damien not standing down. “Of course not.” Why did I sound breathless? A shadow of a smile plays out across his face. It’s like he knows the effect he is having on me. Anyone would be the same. He really had turned into a God. It shouldn’t be allowed for anyone to look so good, or smell so good. I was trying to breathe through my mouth, his smell was that intoxicating.

  He moves closer to me and my body freezes as he stretches around me, and hits the large red button that says stop. My eyes dart up to his in confusion.

  “What … what are you doing?” I’m stuttering. I never stutter.

  He’s standing close to me, too close and I move only to have my back against the wall. Damien advances on me like a predator. “I sense some tension off you, so I wanted to clear the air before we go any further.” As he speaks, his black orbs flicker to my lips. My tongue darts out and moistens them. He’s so close that his breath fans across my face.

  “Clear the air?” I sounded like a god-damn parrot. His smile materializes and my knees threaten to buckle.

  “I owe you an apology.” His eyes roam my face and he reaches out, placing one hand at the side of my head, caging me in further.

  My core squeezes and tightens and I dare to look up and into his eyes.

  Focus Karen.

  “An apology for what?”

  “For this.” I’m confused until he moves closer and my heart stutters before it gallops. He was going to kiss me. The elevator kicks back in and Damien looks away. I use the moment to slide out from under his arm before my heart explodes.

  “For paying me to marry you? No need. I’d like the money.” I’m babbling. I can’t stop.

  His eyes seem to grow darker, and he watches me like it’s the first time he’s really seeing me. Facing forward we wait until the doors open and then step into the penthouse.

  DAMIEN

  Karen. Karen Watson. The only girl who ever held my attention and now she was standing in my home all grown up. I wanted to devour her. She was more stunning than I could have ever remembered. The moment I stepped out of the elevator and locked eyes with her wide green ones, I knew I wanted her. But she seemed distant and uncomfortable, and all I wanted to do was kiss her, take her. I was so close to taking her in the elevator; it was for the best that I hadn’t. She made it clear all she wanted was the money.

  She brushes a falling black curl off her forehead as she glances around her. Her eyes return to me and her posture changes, it tightens as if she’s afraid. I play upon her fear and take slow and calculated steps towards her.

  “Would you like a drink?”

  She licks her red lips again and my trousers tighten. I want to take her on the floor. Right now. Her frumpy clothes did nothing to hide the body that lay under them. Her pale porcelain skin made her look innocent, but I knew she wasn’t. Paul, one of her brother’s friends, had bragged to me about having his way with her. She sounded anything but innocent to me. I remember even then that I had wanted to strangle Paul. Karen was the one girl who didn’t give me the time of day.

  “Water please.” She was still so stiff.

  “Take a seat on the couch.” She glances around again, clutching her handbag.

  I pour myself a brandy and get her a glass of sparkling water, returning to the couch I walk behind it and can see her shoulders stiffen, moving around to face her. She doesn’t look up as she reaches out for the water that I place in her hand. I don’t release it, our fingers brush briefly and she inhales, her eyes darting up to mine. The desire is there and I’m tempted to put the glasses down and take her here on the couch.

  “Can I have my water, please?” Her words don’t hide the effect I’m having on her and I release the glass and sit down, making sure our thighs touch. Her nose flares as I sit, and I can see that Karen Watson is not as unaffected by me as she would like me to believe.

  I watch her take a drink, she gulps down nearly half the glass, and I hide a smile behind my own glass of brandy.

  “Shall we go through the contract?”

  She places the glass on the table and I notice a slight tremble in her hands, as if she was nervous. Karen was never nervous. She was always mouthy. The mouth in question I wanted to take in mine.

  “Yes.” She sits back, trying to create distance between us.

  I get up and place my brandy glass back on the table before picking up the contract that I had my lawyer draw up. I sit back down right beside Karen. She stiffens at my closeness.

  Taking the contract out of the brown envelope, I read it out to Karen.

  “We will marry in the enterprise board at half three on Thursday.” I glance at Karen. “Two days from now,” I say.

  Her lashes flicker down, cutting me off from those beautiful wide green eyes. “Ok
ay.” Her voice sounds small. Like she’s afraid I want to reassure her, but I remember she’s here for the money and Karen is far from fragile.

  “You will have to live here.” I wasn’t happy initially with that part of the contract, but now it was very appealing.

  Karen looks up at me; her eyes filled with horror. “No.”

  She wanted the money. I knew that so I would prey on it.

  “You only have to live here Karen for three weeks. Don’t worry. I’m barely here and I’ll increase the money to one hundred thousand. That should cover your expenses.”

  Her eyes widen further. “Okay.” She clamps her lips shut after speaking and I clench my jaw.

  “After three weeks you are free to go.”

  I take a pen out of my suit jacket. “You need to sign here and here.”

  Her small hand takes the pen but I don’t let it go until she looks up at me.

  “I think this will be fun.”

  She swallows and doesn’t answer me. She signs her name and gets up.

  “Is that all?” She sounds breathless as she stands. I rise too, but not before glancing down at the papers in my hand and making sure she signed them. She had. Money talks, it always does, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t enjoy the next few weeks.

  “Would you like me to show you, your room?” I hope my question sounds innocent.

  She pulls her lip in between her teeth and I’m transfixed on her mouth.

  “Okay.” I didn’t expect her to agree. My trousers tighten further and I open my suit jacket to distract myself. Karen’s eyes follow my movements. She releases her swollen lip from the captivity of her teeth, and I’m not ready to have her look away from me. Removing the jacket completely, I watch her eyes roam across my shirt before they reach mine. My heart thumps a little faster. I want her so badly.

  “This way.” I open out my arm so she can walk first and I can take in the view of Karen Watson from behind. She glances at me over her shoulder as we pass three more doors.