Alpha ceo, p.18
Alpha CEO, page 18
“I’m ready, Daddy.” She posed for me. “How do I look?”
“Beautiful, exactly like you’re mother.”
She smiled, sitting on my lap. “Okay, let’s do this.”
I chuckled, I couldn’t help myself. She was fucking adorable.
Lights.
Camera.
Action.
The reporters sat in their chairs while we were behind my desk. For the next ten minutes, I made my announcement with Capri never moving from my lap. She was smiling the entire time, nodding when she thought I’d said something important, really trying to understand what I was informing the world of.
She was a CEO in the making.
“Mr. Locke, how about we address the elephant in the room?” the MSNBC reporter stated. “Who is this gorgeous little girl who has taken over your announcement?”
They didn’t know how to mind their own business on a normal day, let alone on an occasion like today. Question after question about my personal life was about to be thrown in my face. This was what Autumn wanted, and it was the least I could do after what I’d been putting her through.
“This is my baby girl, Capri,” I hugged her close to my chest.
“Hi. I’m Capri, and I’m nine-years-old, but one day, when I’m bigger, I’m going to be just like my daddy.”
I grinned, honored I’d become her hero.
“Your baby girl?” the Yahoo journalist chimed in. “Oh wow, so not only are we learning about Locke Enterprises officially going public, but you’re also telling us you’re a father?”
I nodded. “No better time than the present.”
“And who is the mother of this lovely girl?” the same journalist questioned. “Although, I don’t think you need to tell us. She looks identical to Miss Troy.”
“Then I don’t need to tell you.”
“Tell us anyway,” he added.
“Yes,” Capri replied, handling them like a pro. She must get it from her mother. “My Momma is Autumn Troy, and she’s the best publicist in all the world. My daddy is her client, and now we’re a family.”
Bringing her little hand up to my mouth, I kissed it. “I worship the ground her Momma walks on. Have for as long as I can remember.”
“That’s right!” another Fox interviewer exclaimed. “We all read The New York Times article—you two have known each other all your lives. Your relationship started when she was young, correct?”
“Something like that.”
“We know you’re a very private man, Mr. Locke, but I think we can all say we’re loving this new you. Can you tell us about your first kiss?”
“Not with my daughter present.”
Everyone laughed.
Even the loud eruption of chatter in the room didn’t steal the memory of the first time I stole her mouth.
“To follow up on that question,” Yahoo added. “In the article you said you’ve always loved Miss Troy. When did you know it was true love and she was the one?”
“I gravitated toward her without even realizing it was happening. She consumed me, I’ve always been held captive by the beauty that is Autumn Troy.”
—Autumn—
I watched from the television in the other room with tears falling out of my eyes.
“As you read in the article, I was a foster kid. Her family is all I’ve ever known. If it weren’t for them, especially her brother who used to be my best friend, she’d already be carrying my last name. I was a different man back then. If could I go back and make things right, I would.”
My heart skipped a beat the second he went on with, “She’s always been my whole world.”
“Mr. Locke,” Fox Business addressed. “Can we expect to see more children in your guys’ future?”
“If it was my choice, she’d already be pregnant.”
I can’t believe he’s sharing this. I wiped away the tears.
“How do you feel about that, Capri?”
“I’m not sure.” She shrugged. “As long as I can still have my own pony.”
Julian scoffed out a chuckle.
After all these years, all the bullshit we’d been through together, the ups and the downs. This moment seemed surreal.
Our spark.
Connection.
Love.
It was all wrapped into one.
The interview continued, and I prepared for the aftermath that was Julian Locke. Once everyone left, I walked into his office. Capri was in the farmhouse, feeding the baby chickens.
“I can’t believe you blindsided me. You couldn’t have told me that our daughter was going to be in the announcement with you?”
“She requested it. And as you know, I can’t say no to her.”
“I’ve spent years making sure the press didn’t find out I had a daughter, Julian. And you just throw her to the wolves without even discussing it with me first.”
“We both know why you didn’t want the press to know about Capri, and it has nothing to do with you protecting her from the world. You were hiding her from me.”
“It doesn’t matter. I still have the right to know what you’re planning on doing when it concerns her.”
“What do you want from me, sweetheart? You wanted the world to know the man behind the expensive suits, and I gave you exactly what you asked for. Now, you’re giving me shit for it? You need to learn how to pick and choose your battles. This is a war in which you fucking started.”
“Julian—”
“I’m not going to sit here and have you come for my balls. I did nothing wrong. You got what you asked for—end of story.”
“Listen, you stubborn asshole—”
He slammed his fist on his desk before he was in my face, backing me up against the wall. Caging me in with his arms on either side of my face, he leaned forward close to my lips. “Why can’t you just admit the real reason you’re giving me shit, kid?”
His scent was making me dizzy, the smell of his cologne driving me insane.
“What’s worse, Autumn? The fact that I told the world how much you own every last part of me, or the fact that you want me to kiss you right now?”
My eyes followed the movement of his mouth, and I swallowed hard, unable to wait any longer. In less than a second, I kissed him for the first time in what felt like a lifetime. He didn’t hesitate, gripping onto my ass and wrapping my legs around his waist. Pinning my back against the wall, he devoured my mouth.
Our battle was far from over. We’d fight again, but for a moment, his words had me surrendering.
To him.
To us.
To our family.
Our kiss took on a life of its own. Something neither one of us could understand or deny. Something neither one of us could control. It seemed like all we had to do was look at each other and sparks flew from here to kingdom come. My lips parted as he slipped his tongue into my mouth, demanding a response that only he stirred within me.
He kissed me deeper.
Harder.
Slower.
My breathing picked up, engulfing him in nothing but my need to keep going and have him claim my body the way he used to.
But…
This time it wasn’t me who stopped.
It was him.
He pulled away, dropping me on the ground to my feet. I lost my footing, trying to catch my balance. My legs were unsteady, wobbling from his embrace.
“Fuck,” he rasped, backing away. “I won’t play this game of cat and mouse with you anymore.”
“Julian—”
“There’s more at stake now, Autumn. You either want me, or you don’t. I won’t mess with Capri’s emotions because you can’t make up your mind.”
I bowed my head. “I just… I don’t want you to hurt me again. I won’t survive it.”
He tugged on the ends of my hair. “I love you, Autumn. I loved you then, I love you now, I’ll love you always.”
“Do you have any idea how long I waited for you to say that to me?”
“I know. I couldn’t say it back then, but I can say it now. And I’ll say it to you every single day for the rest of my life to make up for the years I didn’t.”
“Momma!” Capri ran into his office, breaking our intense conversation. “Did you see? I did the announcement with Daddy!”
“I did, baby. You were perfect.”
She ran into her father’s arms. “Thank you, Daddy. I’m so happy to have you in our lives. Promise me you won’t leave this time?”
The pained expression on Julian’s face rendered me speechless as he crouched to the floor, getting eye level with her.
Capri caressed his face. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to make you sad. I just don’t want you to leave Momma again. Cause then you’re leaving me too this time.”
He kissed her hand. “You’re stuck with me, baby girl. I love you more than anything.”
She smiled while tears rimmed my eyes. “I love you too, Daddy.” Throwing her arms around his neck, she hugged him tight.
He embraced her, except his gaze was locked with mine when he mouthed…
“I love you,” to me.
Chapter TWENTY-NINE
—Autumn—
Then
“Are we almost there?” I questioned. my ass was numb from sitting in his car for the last three hours.
“How many times are you going to ask that question?”
“Depends on how much longer we have to drive to get there.”
He glanced at me. “We’re almost there, Miss Impatient.”
“This better be the best classic car show ever.”
“Would I lie to you?”
“So I would join you on this long-ass journey, maybe.”
“One day I’ll own every car we’re about to see today, and then you’re going to thank me for taking you to this.”
“Cars are your thing, not mine.”
“What’s your thing, kid?”
“Mmm… I’m not telling, or you’ll make fun of me.”
“Do I ever tease you?”
“Every chance you get.”
He grinned. “Tell me anyway.”
“Nah.”
“Come on, kid. Tell me your dreams. I want to hear them.”
“Fine, but you can’t make fun of me.”
He did a cross over his heart.
“I want to own a ranch.”
“A ranch?”
“Yes, with a farmhouse and animals.”
“I can’t see you shoveling shit, Autumn.”
“I won’t. I’ll have a crew who will do that for me. My job is to feed them and give them all the love.”
“And what kinds of animals live in your farmhouse?”
“Goats, chickens, pigs, horses, maybe a pony, cows—you know, the usual.”
“I see. That’s quite an interesting fairy tale.”
“My house will be the best part, Julian.”
Now that piqued his attention. “Your house?”
“Mmm-hmm…”
“You’ve thought about your house?”
“Of course. I’m a girl—I think about everything.”
“Fair.” He nodded. “Tell me about this house?”
“Well, it will have a huge iron gate that no one can get through unless they have the code. The estate will be private, surrounded by tall trees and beautiful landscaping. My house will be in the middle of the property, and it will be breathtaking. There will be marble floors, huge bay windows where the sun can come through in every square inch of the place. I want a grand angled staircase right when you walk in. A massive foyer. It will have the works.”
“That’s quite a floor plan. You’ve given this a lot of thought. Where did this dream come from?”
“We live in Texas. I think that answers for itself.”
He laughed. “I like your dream.”
“I didn’t get to the best part yet?”
“You’ll have a sex room?”
“Only if you want one.” I giggled. “But I was talking about a massive carport where you store all your classic cars.”
“Oh, I’m in your dream too?”
“Of course.”
The expression on his face turned serious, and I quickly played it off like it wasn’t a big deal when it was. I didn’t want to scare him off, and Julian scared easily with anything that involved me.
“It’s just a silly dream, Julian. You don’t have to read that much into it.”
He didn’t say anything for what felt like forever, until he finally revealed, “I think we should just stay in the here and now and not think too far ahead, Autumn. Especially when it comes to me in your future.”
I flinched, quickly looking out the window. It was pointless to hide my emotions from him because he could sense my disappointment.
“Yeah, whatever you want.”
“You know what I want?”
“Hmm…”
He gripped onto my inner thigh. “To hear that contagious laugh.”
“Don’t you dare—”
He squeezed, sending me reeling into a fit of laughter. Almost making me pee my pants.
“Please!”
“Begging me isn’t going to help your disposition, kid. You know how much I love it when you beg me.”
“Oh my God! Stop!”
He squeezed harder.
“You’re going to crash the car!”
“If I can finger fuck you while I’m driving a sports car, I can certainly tickle you.”
“Julian!”
“I love it when you scream my name.” Finally, he stopped and pulled his hand away. “Now, be a good girl and tell me more about your dreams.”
“I thought you didn’t want to hear about my future?”
“I never said I didn’t want to hear about it. I just don’t want you to include me in them.”
“You’re my brother’s best friend, and my parents consider you a second son—you’re going to be in my future whether you want to or not.”
“Is that all I am?”
I shrugged again, and neither one of us spoke for the rest of the drive. Once we parked in the open field, I opened the door, but he grabbed my hand and held me in place, and I looked over at him.
“I don’t like it when you get quiet on me, kid.”
“You weren’t talking either.”
I could see it in his eyes, he wanted to say something, and I eagerly waited for his response. Julian never gave me hope for the future. He knew I was head over heels in love with him. However, he never expressed his feelings for me, through actions or words. He never gave me an inch, and I stupidly waited for a centimeter.
Gripping onto the back of my neck, he kissed my lips. “I know your dreams will come true.”
“Really?”
He nodded.
“How?”
Silence.
He simply pecked my mouth and exited the car. I was shocked as shit when he reached for my hand as we were walking toward the entrance of the car show. Julian never gave me any public affection, and I didn’t know if he’d noticed that he was. Instead of making a big deal out of it, I internally squealed.
Maybe it was because we were hours away from home, and no one would know us here, but either way, it didn’t matter. I cherished this moment and lived in the present with him.
Silently praying, my future consisted of only him.
—Julian—
Hearing her say she envisioned me in her dreams wasn’t a surprise. It was the fact that I wanted what she was saying more than anything, but I refused to give her false hope. All we had were these stolen moments where no one could see us, and I didn’t fear losing the only family I’d ever known.
Being thrown around like I was nothing more than garbage for all my adolescence made it hard to live in anything other than the present. Despite being on my own and that life far behind me, it was difficult to think of a future other than financial stability. Coming from nothing gave you another perspective on life. I valued each day for what it was, and not knowing what tomorrow would bring was the only way I’d survived for so long.
Autumn was the light in my life.
Her smile.
Her laugh.
Her love.
It was everything I’d ever wanted and didn’t think I was worthy of. Without her being aware of it, for the next few hours I showed her my world. I was determined to make something of myself and never again be that little boy always looking in at someone else’s life. I wouldn’t allow my mind to wander to a future that included Autumn.
All we had was the now, and I took full advantage of that.
“Which is your favorite car?”
I led her toward the black Lincoln Continental with the suicide doors, nodding to it.
“This is one sick ride, Julian.”
“She is a beauty.” And I wasn’t referring to the car.
“Too bad we can’t christen this one, huh?”
I pulled her into my side. “Never say never, Autumn.”
If I had one life goal, it was to make love to her in that vehicle. At the end of the day, I couldn’t tell her I loved her, even though…
I did.
By the time we got back to my apartment it was dinner time, and I ordered us a pizza and chicken wings. We were sitting on my bed when we heard the front door open. Our eyes went wide.
“Fuck,” I breathed out.
Her car was in the driveway, there was no hiding she was there with me.
“Autumn?” Christian called out, and her eyes went wide.
Neither one of us moved, but the second we heard his footsteps coming toward my room we both stood up. Once he stopped in front of my door, his stare shifted back and forth between us until he focused on me.
“What is my little sister doing in your room?”
“Christian, I was looking for you,” she replied, bringing his gaze to her.
“In Julian’s room?”
“No.” She smiled. “He was just showing me his new TV.”
His eyebrows pinched together. “Mom says you’ve been hanging out here a lot, and I haven’t been here much, so explain that one to me?”
“Christian, just ask what you want to know,” I snapped, unable to bite my tongue.
