The Billionaire's Game: The Billionaire's Obsession ~ Kade Read online

  Kade finished looking at the pictures and handed them back to her. “I’m not surprised. You do incredible work.” He plucked the number from her fingers and pulled out his cell phone.

  Asha watched in horror as he called her client and promptly canceled, telling the expectant mother on the other end of the line that Asha was sick and wouldn’t be able to paint her nursery wall anytime soon. He hung up without getting another date or appointment.

  “I can’t believe you just did that,” she told him with as much anger as she could muster, which wasn’t much. She was too damn weak, and anger took more energy than she had at the moment. She settled for glaring at him, giving him what she hoped was an angry stare. Drowsy, she lay back on the pillow and crossed her arms in front of her.

  “You’re sick. You aren’t doing anything except resting your gorgeous ass in my bed for a while,” he informed her gruffly. “And you aren’t paying me back, so quit stressing about money.”

  Asha opened her mouth to reply, but promptly closed it again, his personal comment about her butt rendering her speechless. No one had ever told her she had a gorgeous anything, and it flummoxed her into silence.

  Looking up at Kade, her heart skipped a beat as she looked at his stubborn expression. His beautiful blue eyes were kind, but his look told her that he wasn’t budging, and Asha had a feeling he had a stubborn streak a mile wide. She’d already discovered that he was bossy. Her eyes roamed his incredibly toned, buff body, his biceps bulging from beneath another colorful short-sleeved shirt as he crossed his arms and stared back at her, making her totally incapable of looking away. He was so handsome that it was almost painful to look at him. His eyes were as turbulent as the ocean during a storm; his hair was several different shades of blond, making him appear just a little bit wild and dangerous. He might be wearing a shirt that should have made him seem harmless, but it didn’t diminish his masculinity even a tiny little bit. Well over six feet tall, Kade Harrison was solid muscle, and all male, testosterone emanating from him in gigantic waves. Asha knew his size and bulk should probably scare her. After all, she didn’t even know him. Strangely, she wasn’t afraid of him at all. He fascinated her. His only flaw seemed to be his limp, but having that tiny imperfection made him even more captivating, making her wonder what had happened to him. Somehow, it made him seem more human.

  “I can’t afford to be out of the job,” Asha admitted reluctantly, feeling like a complete loser next to this man who obviously had his shit together financially. He’d paid what was probably a hefty hospital bill without thought, and the hotel he was staying in was one that didn’t have average, middle-class clientele. It catered to people with money.

  Kade didn’t answer immediately. He held her gaze as he stretched out on the bed next to her before finally saying, “I have a proposition for you. But I don’t want to talk about it right now. I just want you to work on getting well again. I won’t let anything happen to you, Asha. I promise.”

  His low, reassuring baritone flowed over her like silk, making her want to sink into him and happily drown. No one had ever offered to protect her before. How strange and wonderful it seemed to have a complete stranger taking care of her like she was someone of value. “You must know that I’m not related to those two people in the picture. It’s a lovely thought, but it’s not possible. And even if it was, it isn’t a priority for me. I need to survive right now.”

  Survive. Survive. Survive.

  Kade put a finger to her lips and shook his head. “Not now. You’ll survive just fine. You’re safe and I’ll keep you safe. Trust me.”

  Trust me.

  Kade didn’t understand her background, or how difficult it was to put her future into anyone’s hands, no matter how tempting the idea was to her right now because she was sick and her defenses were down. She was fighting to survive, to be independent. But whether she liked it or not, she was completely at his mercy for the moment. She shook her head and closed her eyes. “I can’t. I need to take care of things myself.”

  “You can trust me. I’m a trustworthy kind of guy,” Kade countered stubbornly, stroking the hair away from her face. “Sleep now. The doctor said that rest was the fastest way to shake off the pneumonia.”

  Asha couldn’t argue. She opened her eyes for a moment, but her lids were heavy and her body felt like lead. Reaching out her hand, she fingered the collar of Kade’s festive shirt, red with green designs. It felt like silk. “This is beautiful. It looks good on you.” The red only intensified the lightness of Kade’s hair and the depth of his blue eyes. Bold, powerful colors and ornate designs suited him. Being partial to light and color herself, Kade delighted her senses.

  She heard Kade laugh before answering, “I always said if I ever found a woman who actually likes my shirts, I’d marry her.”

  Asha wanted to answer, wanted to tell Kade never to marry unless his whole heart was engaged. She’d been in a loveless marriage, and she’d never felt more alone. Her eyes fluttered closed again before she could answer, the drugs and pure exhaustion finally dragging her into a dreamless sleep.

  “Do you need us to come and talk to her?” Max Hamilton asked, his voice coming from Kade’s phone, which was on speaker as Kade shaved with the bathroom door closed. He didn’t think Asha would wake up anytime soon.

  “No. She’s sick. I’ll talk to her as soon as she’s well enough to travel,” Kade answered protectively. The last thing Asha needed was a three-ring circus with all her possible relatives coming to Nashville to talk to her.

  “Is she okay?” Max asked, concerned.

  “Yeah. I think so. She’ll recover. I don’t know her whole story, but her life hasn’t been easy, Max.” Asha obviously traveled from place to place, making just enough money to get her to her next job. She had nothing, yet there was a sweetness about her that had Kade on edge every moment he was near her…and every moment when he wasn’t. What kind of life had she known? Everything she owned fit in one small bag and her purse. “I’ll get more information in a few days. She needs to rest and recover right now.”

  Max’s deep sigh came through the phone line. “Get her well, Kade. Take care of her.”

  Kade intended to do just that, and not because she might be Max’s half-sister. His possessive instincts were all his own. “She likes my shirts,” he told Max jokingly, wiping his shaven face with a towel.

  “She needs her vision checked,” Max answered drily. “What’s she like? Does she look like Maddie?”

  Kade paused for a moment, tossing the towel into the laundry pile. “No. She doesn’t look like either one of you, but she’s beautiful. Her father was an Indian immigrant, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still be related. Her mother was American.”

  “Does she have a birth certificate?” Max asked, obviously anxious to find out more about Asha.

  “I don’t know. We didn’t have a chance to talk much about her past before she almost did a nosedive to the carpet. She collapsed almost from the moment I met her. Let me get her well, Max,” Kade answered irritably, not happy that Max didn’t seem to understand his main priority was to get Asha healthy. “I’ll get her to come to Tampa.”

  “Thanks,” Max answered gratefully. “I don’t mean to push. I guess I’m just anxious to know. I’m glad you finally found her. I owe you.”

  Kade was glad too, but for totally different reasons than seeing if Asha was related to Max. “I’ll remember you said that. I’ll keep in touch. I’ll get her to Florida as soon as I can.”

  “How’s your leg holding up?” Max asked, the concern in his voice evident.

  “It’s fine.” Actually, it ached like hell, but Kade wasn’t about to admit it.

  He hastily ended his conversation with Max before his brother-in-law could pry any further. Or worse yet, put Mia on the phone to try to wangle more information out of him.

  Stepping out of the bathroom, Kade’s eyes
went instantly to the bed. Asha was still sleeping, but she was tossing restlessly. The sheets were tangled, thrown from her body, probably during a period when her fever had made her overly warm. He climbed onto the bed, touching the back of his hand to her cheek. Her face was slightly damp, but cool, her fever probably under control from the drugs he had given her before she’d fallen asleep.

  Her body started to shiver, and Kade grabbed the sheets and blankets that had been kicked to the bottom of the bed. As he went to draw them back up, his eyes caught a small patch of red on the top of her right foot. Looking closer, he could see that it was actually an intricate pattern, a stylized butterfly trying to emerge from the confines of its cocoon. Kade knew tattoos, and as he traced the pattern lightly with his fingers, he wondered exactly what it meant. It was henna, the rendering already lightened with age, but he could still make out every detail.

  “Ow! Shit!” Kade quickly jerked his fingers away and moved back as Asha drew back her foot and kicked him in his bum leg. Her eyes were still closed, and she was still asleep. The action had been reflexive, a subconscious reaction to his touch, but it still hurt like hell. Rubbing his leg, he moved back to the head of the bed.

  Asha tossed her head, her hair sliding along the fine cotton of the pillow. “I need to get out! I need to get out! I can’t do this anymore.” Her voice was raw and frightened.

  Kade quickly shucked his clothes, leaving on his silk boxers, and slid into the bed beside Asha. Her panicked, scared ramblings tugged at him, lured him closer. She could go ahead and kick him again. He didn’t give a shit. All he wanted to do was comfort her, make her feel safe. The need to shelter her from anything unpleasant was stronger than his physical pain, and Asha tapped into emotions that Kade hadn’t even known he possessed.

  “Kade?” Asha murmured softly as he gathered her close to him and covered them both with the blankets, his arm wrapping around her waist. She squirmed until her head was resting comfortably against his shoulder. “I need you,” she murmured softly.

  Kade’s heart squeezed and he gulped. Hard. Those three little words undid him, as did the soft sigh that came from her lips as she melted into his body. Her breathing evened out, and her body relaxed, trusting him to keep her safe as she slept.

  I need you.

  When was the last time anyone had ever needed him? His grip on her tightened reflexively, his need to protect her so strong that he had to force himself not to clutch her too hard.

  Asha Paritala was still a mystery to him, yet he was drawn to her as he’d never been drawn to a woman before in his entire life. She burrowed into his side, seeking his body heat, nearly making him groan with frustration. He wanted her closer, yet he needed to move away to keep his sanity. She tested his control in ways that scared the shit out of him. When she sprawled on top of him, he gritted his teeth, but his arms wrapped around her and cradled her body over his, knowing he’d warm her. His body was on fire, and probably throwing off heat like a furnace. The thin nightgown she was wearing was an ineffective barrier between them, but Kade still wanted it gone. He wanted to be skin-to-skin with this woman in the worst way.

  She’s sick. She’s vulnerable.

  Those thoughts made him grip her just a little bit tighter.

  I need you.

  He could still hear her words echoing through his head in her husky, plaintive voice. Inhaling deeply, he let her jasmine scent fill every one of his senses.

  She’s mine!

  Kade shook his head at his wayward thoughts, but the gnawing in his gut just kept getting stronger. Every primitive instinct inside his body was screaming that this woman belonged with him. It was like everything had clicked into place—she had clicked into place—joining them together in an irrevocable way.

  I don’t even fucking know her.

  Problem was, something inside of him did recognize her, a part of himself that had been aching to find something or someone to relieve his emptiness. For the first time in forever, he wanted to stop running and enjoy the sensation of the woman in his arms, be intoxicated by her scent. Even though his body was clamoring to have her carnally, he also felt…at peace.

  Kade shut down his brain and simply enjoyed the feel of her body on top of his, her slim, naked legs entwining with his more muscular limbs. He couldn’t shake the sense of rightness, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to lose it. Needing to investigate the strange reaction he felt toward her, Kade decided a few things then and there:

  One: Asha was coming back to Tampa with him, even if he had to take her kicking and screaming to do it.

  Two: He didn’t give a shit whether she was related to Max and Maddie or not.

  Three: Once she was well, he was going to fuck her until neither one of them could move.

  Four: For the first time in his life, he was going to become a hero, slaying every dragon and demon that plagued her.

  Five: He was going to make her smile…a lot. Her stoic demeanor told him she hadn’t had much to smile about in her life.

  One arm around her waist and one hand palming her ass possessively to keep her in place, Kade fell asleep quickly, and without his usual restlessness. In fact, he was almost content.

  Kade didn’t let her get out of bed for several days, much to Asha’s dismay. After the antibiotics kicked in, she started to feel better, and being idle wasn’t easy for her. The last two years had been a frantic race just to stay fed and find a bed to rest, and lying around didn’t feel right to her. And she really hated being dependent on anyone. She’d been subjected to the will of others her entire life, and was just starting to get a taste of being free. Granted, she was barely staying afloat, but she was just starting to become solvent. If she could just keep getting regular jobs, put some money away, she could get a little place somewhere to call her own. Finally!

  Survive. Survive. Survive.

  “What are you doing?” The deep baritone startled Asha. She guiltily slammed her drawing book closed and shoved it into her bag beside the bed.

  Not wanting to admit she was drawing a picture of him, she answered Kade vaguely. “Drawing. How was your business?”

  Kade had left the hotel room several hours ago, claiming he needed to take care of some business, but not before he’d made sure she had his cell phone number to contact him if she needed him. He smiled at her as he nudged the door closed with one powerful shoulder, his arms filled with bags and packages. She smiled back at him weakly, unable to keep herself from responding to his presence. How was it possible that she’d missed him? She barely knew the guy and he’d only been gone for a few hours.

  Don’t do this to yourself, Asha. Don’t fill your head with nonsense about Kade. He’s helping you because he’s kind. Just be grateful for his kindness, pay him back, and move on.

  Kade’s grin grew broader as he dumped the packages on the bed and asked jokingly, “Did you miss me?”

  Yes!

  To evade answering his question directly, she said as casually as she could manage, “It was peaceful. No one to boss me around.”

  No one to fuss over me. No one to talk to or argue with.

  It had been too quiet. She was getting used to the sound of his voice. Even when he sang off-key in the shower with more enthusiasm than talent, he made her smile.

  “I don’t boss you around. I just keep you from doing anything detrimental to your health,” Kade answered indignantly as he plopped on the edge of the bed.

  Asha noticed him absently rubbing his right leg. “It hurts?”

  Kade frowned, yanking his hand away as he answered, “It’s fine. Just habit.”

  “It’s more than that. I can tell. You’re in pain. Don’t you have pain medicine for when it’s bad?”

  “I don’t use it,” Kade snapped.

  Asha drew back at the fierceness in his voice. “I’m sorry. It’s none of my business. I was just concerned.”
>
  Kade sighed, looking instantly contrite. “I used it a lot when I first got hurt. Too much. I started to like the fact that it not only took away the physical pain, but blurred me mentally, too. I could see it was becoming a crutch, an escape from the reality that I’d never play football again. I was running away from reality and I knew I had to stop before it was too late.”

  The naked look of regret on his face made her heart bleed for him. “Football was that important to you?” She didn’t need to hear his answer. Football was obviously as important to him as her art was to her, and she didn’t know what she’d do if she couldn’t draw and paint.

  “It was everything to me,” he answered sincerely. “It was the only thing I was really good at.”

  Asha gaped at him. “That isn’t true. I’m sure there are plenty of things you’re good at doing.”

  Kade let out a beleaguered sigh. “Okay. It’s the only thing I was good at when I was vertical.” He gave her a wicked grin.

  She blushed, her face heating as his eyes met and held her own. She wasn’t touching that comment. Something told her that he’d be much better with sexual banter than she could manage. If there was one thing she noticed about Kade, it was that he tended to avoid talking about himself, using self-deprecating humor when he wanted to avoid a particular subject. “So you stopped running away from reality?” she asked, changing the subject as quickly as possible. She definitely didn’t want to talk about sex with him.

  “Pretty much,” he answered honestly. “I can’t say I don’t miss football, but I’ve faced the fact that I can’t play anymore, and I don’t take pain meds.” He paused for a moment, still staring at her intensely. “Maybe someday you’ll tell me why you’re running.”

  Unable to look at him anymore, she broke eye contact as she hedged, “Who says I’m running from anything?”

  “You are,” he answered sanguinely, picking up the packages on the bed and plopping them beside her. “I picked you up some stuff.”