Sex and the Billionaire Crime Boss

Ch. 3: Getting Hotter

Martina looks at me in confusion. And then he's right there. Standing at our table. This time he's dressed all in black. Narrow black pants, a black t-shirt that's some expensive fabric that's not just cotton. Over it, a black dinner jacket. Not many guys could pull this off.

He does. But it's the look in his eyes that makes my throat go dry.

That, and remembering what it was like when he kissed me. And wanting him to do it again.

Crime boss. The new criminal law division I'll be heading up is supposed to provide legal representation for greedy executives abusing their expense account, maybe a little insider trading and other white-collar crimes. Bloodless crimes.

If Martina is right about Max, the kind of business he could bring me is a whole different story.

A very dangerous story. And not one that would enhance the firm's reputation in the way my grandfather envisions.

"When I said I'd see you soon, Hadley, I wasn't expecting it to be tonight." His voice is smooth, low, sexy, just like I remembered. His eyes even more impossibly deep blue in the flashing lights of the club.

"Max," I say, louder this time. Then I introduce them.

He glances at Martina, and then back at me.

"Welcome to my place, ladies." He's speaking to both of us, but his eyes are fixed on me, and I can't look away. "I'll make it my personal business to ensure you have a very pleasurable evening."

I feel like my panties are about to catch fire from the heat in his look.

"I'd invite you to my table," Max says, "but I'm conducting some business there at the moment."

And I can't help but wonder just what kind of business it is. Then I remind myself I need to stop. Those rumors Martina mentioned might not even be true. But what if they are? That's the question coming from the little voice inside my head that just won't shut up.

I absolutely cannot risk getting involved with a man who is up to his neck in some kind of criminal enterprise. It would go against everything I was raised to believe matters. Everything I've based my career on since the day I decided to be a lawyer.

I represent people accused of crimes and make sure they get their day in court, or at least a decent plea deal from an overly zealous prosecutor. It's not up to me to decide if they are innocent or guilty. It's my job to make sure the government plays by the rules.

I always play by the rules. I'm just not so sure what rules Max Bennett plays by. But I'm intrigued enough by him to want to find out.

"How do you concentrate on business in the middle of all this?" I ask him, genuinely curious. There are people everywhere, and the music is just short of deafening as it competes with all those voices. The reflection of the colored lights alone would probably make it impossible for me to concentrate on anything.

Anything except the white hot stab of arousal I feel every time Max looks at me. Right now he's looking at me like he wants to gobble me up in huge bites, and then come back for seconds.

Martina, meanwhile, can't seem to wipe the star struck expression off her face. Not that I'm spending much time looking at her.

"When I have private business," Max tells me, leaning so close I can feel his warm breath on the side of my neck, just below my earlobe, "I take it upstairs to my office."

Private business is, I'm sure, just private business. But when he says it like that my mind goes immediately to sex. And I imagine being alone in his office with him.