The Billionaire’s Pawn

STRIKER

Someone roofied us.

My worse nightmare just came true. That was why I didn’t sit and dine with my client and never let my guard down.

I stayed focused because my client’s life depended on how I could handle a situation like this. And I should have followed my gut.

There was something different in the taste of that wine that was off until it was too late.

It was spiked. I could still taste it on my tongue.

It instantly affected London before I realized it, and so did I. And all I could do now was pull her into me, protecting her from the worst possible scenario that arose.

God forbid if something happened to her on my watch. I couldn’t forgive myself.

My mind was awake, but my body fell weak first.

When my call didn’t come through, I quickly typed SOS to the group, and I wasn’t sure if I had hit the send button. And now my job was over. I screwed it up-big time. And worse, London could be in danger because I let my desire get the best of me.

***

I had never felt so weary in a long time, and the bed was too soft for my taste. I sighed in delight until I heard hustles that made my body and mind fully alert.

London. Fuck.

“London? London, wake up.” That voice instantly made me stiffen. My heart pumped wildly.

Fuck. What the fuck is he doing here in my room? Why is he calling London?

Wait. Was it four weeks already? I felt disoriented.

Shit. I was quickly sitting on the bed. My eyes popped out as I stared directly into a mad bull, Linus, as if I was waving a red flag into his face.

Before I could say something, he just took the words out of my mouth.

“What the hell is going on here, Striker?”

I blinked rapidly and shook my head.

Jesus. Was I dreaming? I had a fun night in London, and this could be a dream.

Then it hit me. The headache from the hangover was real. My throat and my lips were parched as if I was left to die in the desert.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

“Get up!” He threw my boxers and pants, and I still caught it despite my incoherent and disorientation, not to mention my killer headache.

I squeezed my eyes shut. I never sleep naked, and why was he in my room? My brain was still processing when he called his daughter again.

“London, wake up, young woman!”

My eyes flew wide. I turned to my side. There, I saw London-probably naked, if not from the blanket covering her body. She stirred and rubbed her eyes. Her hair was splayed all over the pillow. She looked fresh and well-she looked well-fucked.

My heart jackhammered in my chest, and blood rushed into my face and head. I was like a deer caught in the headlight, and the headlight was my boss.

What could be more humiliating than being caught by your employer in bed with his daughter? This was the most embarrassing moment of my life. And I was still speechless.

Everything didn’t make sense. I would have remembered if I kissed London, let alone slept with her. I knew it. I knew myself.

I bounced my gaze between them.

“Dad.” London was now fully awake, grimacing and holding the blanket to cover her chest.

“Since when is this going on, London?”

“Dad?” Her eyes grew bigger as she realized her father was standing before her.

Then I looked around. I was not my bed nor my room-it was London’s. How did I get in here? I had no idea.

“Wait.” She looked at my side. “Whoa!” She tightened the blanket covering her chest. “What the hell?”

I raised my hand as I tried to open my mouth to say something, but I couldn’t even gather my thoughts because nothing was adding up, making me look more guilty.

“You, young man. I trusted you with my daughter. It hasn’t been two weeks, and you have already betrayed me. I trusted you to look after my daughter and not to get into the sack with her.” He was furious. I would feel the same if I were in his shoe. But honestly, I was shocked myself, and my behavior was unacceptable.

“Dad!”

“Put your clothes on, Striker. I want you in my office this instant!” He pointed at me before he turned around.

“Dad, this is not what it looks like,” London tried to convince his father, but all the conclusive evidence was here.

It still didn’t add up, though.

“Fuck.” I rubbed my face.

“Cade,” she called my name softly.

“I didn’t sleep you, Vanderford. I swear. Something went wrong. I couldn’t remember anything. I should have. If there’s something I’m sure of, I didn’t do it.”

“What’s so bad if you slept with me?” she sounded offended and confused at the same time.

I faced her. “Didn’t you hear your father? I broke his trust. I broke the rules of all rules. I let my guard down. This couldn’t have happened if-” I stopped.

“So you’ve never slept with your client. So righteous of you, Saint Striker. Well, you did a pretty good darn job, Cade. My father just caught us in a literally compromising position. Post-compromising position, I guess.” She rose from the bed in all her naked glory. Her back looked soft and smooth, making my fingers itch to run them on those curves in the right places. I even licked my lips. My cock came to life and turned hard like it never did before as my gaze dropped to her round, firm ass. “I guess you saw me naked last night, right? You just couldn’t remember it. So sad. We might have enjoyed it a lot.”

“This is not a joke, London.”

“Your job is at stake, Cade. I get it!” She waltzed into the door, probably the bathroom.

When her back was gone, I peeked through the blanket. Yeah. I was completely naked. Yet, I still had no recollection of how it happened. Well, that was a bummer.

I threw the blanket away and picked up my clothes on the floor. It really looked like we had fun. It was just so unfortunate and disappointing that it felt like I hit my head on the nightstand or headboard after we fucked-I couldn’t remember anything.

I put my clothes on, but I couldn’t find my gun. I went through her drawers. My gun wasn’t there, only those hand creams, an eye mask, a journal, pain relieving gel, chapstick, remotes, and her birth control pills.

I went out without waiting for London to return from the bathroom. I had to explain to Linus, but first, what would you say? That I screwed up?