All Chapters of The Valiant Trilogy: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

It was close at the end, but I make it to the restaurant without puking in Vincent's lap. I'm almost disappointed. Wearing my puke on his expensive Armani suit would serve him right.Lunch may have taken forever to reach our table, but waiting more than sixty minutes for a pizza is worth it once our server brings out the large deep-dish pizza with the sauce on top, the cheese bubbling. When my fork cuts into the gooey goodness Chicago pizza finds a place in my heart. I've had it before, but this is the best."Kens, I'm so glad you enjoyed the pizza," Everett says as he walks my boss and me to the car. "I'll see you both in twenty," he says to Vincent, but his gaze never leaves my face... or chest. I can't be sure which. He's the contact we're here to see, and I won't cause a scene even if I want to.His gaze is unsettling, but my stomach is too full of cheesy goodness to care. The man might work with my arrogant pigheaded boss, but he got me to Chicago, and he fed me full of pizz

The sky is dark outside the vehicle, meaning it has to be after nine o'clock. My cell phone died somewhere in the middle of the long contract meeting. Even though the hour is late, no stars sparkle in the sky and the area in front of the car shines brightly. We have traffic back in Lansing but nothing like Chicago. Even at this late hour the streets are alive with vehicles.Davis pulls the car up to a curb, and a man dressed in black races out to open the door. Before we exit, Davis leans back making eye contact with Vincent."I'm going to meet up with my brother. I might be back later or I might crash at his place."Vincent nods once, giving his okay, and then steps out of the car."See you later, Davis." In my haste to say goodbye I forget I'm pissy at every man in the world and take the valet's hand as he helps me out of the backseat.Vincent scowls in our direction as I gain my footing and then makes sure he's by my side as we walk into the hotel. "You accept a hand from

Kisses me!But more than a kiss, it's an ambush. He's claiming me and everything in my soul. I'm his forever.I'm frazzled and confused, but then my thoughts evaporate until I'm only aware of him and his tongue against mine. It happens quickly and I think I might fight the first second from pure shock, but then the sensation of his soft skin braced against mine is all I notice. His arms wrap around my shoulders and I grab onto his shirt, fisting the material and bringing him closer.The heat in his mouth awakens parts of my body that haven't had life in months. Years. Maybe ever. They tingle as they come to life in ways I can't explain.His musky scent surrounds us in a haze of everything that is Vincent, and I rub my body up against his. He tastes divine and there's nothing I want more than him. His hand slips between the folds of my robe to cup one of my breasts, his thumb running over a nipple. I moan, pulling him closer, and heat pools in my core. My toes curl. I need more

Five minutes of beating myself up mentally while I change passes and I find myself back in the common room much too early. Vincent walks back into the living room carrying his laptop and a large cup of coffee. Rather than pack the machine into a case, he sets it on the small coffee table in front of him and places the cup on the table at the end of the couch."When are we going home?" I ask.As soon as my phone hit one percent charged, I sent Ashley a message, letting her know I wasn't somewhere in a ditch dead, but she'd already worked herself into an uproar because I hadn't officially messaged her the night before. I'd let her know early in the day my phone was dying, but since I never charged it last night, I couldn't update her.Vincent lifts his is head, looking at me as if he just realized I'm in the room. "You are going home now. I'll fly in later."I knew it! He does have a damn plane. Why is it he gets to take the company plane and I'm stuck riding in the car for four

Ashley's been impulsive in the past, but I can't see her going out and charging this to a credit card. Hell, I don't see a furniture store needing sales enough to approve her for a credit card with her student loan debt.I find my way into the room and stand at the end of the couch where Ashley flips the channels on the television.She grins. "It matters because this is from your loverboy." Without looking in my direction she passes me a small white envelope with my name scribbled in hasty masculine penmanship across the front.I take the card from her slowly, concerned it may burn off a finger when I touch it. Because if it's from Vincent it might."Movie night tonight. He hooked us up with all the streaming services," Ashley says as I step away from the couch and find my way into my bedroom. It's been a long day already and I need privacy. Time to reflect and process.My door is closed in the short hallway, but when I open it, I catch a similar sight as the living room. An