Owner of a Broken Heart Read online

  “NASCAR isn’t my thing. But if I could’ve taken on Jeff Gordon back in the day, I’d have a highway named after me.” She smiled as she slipped her dress on.

  “I don’t doubt that.” Clinton pulled his slacks on, then wrapped his arms around Nina’s waist. “There probably isn’t anything you can’t do when you put your mind to it.”

  Turning around, she planted a soft kiss on his lips. “You’re right about that.”

  Chapter 14

  Over the next few weeks, Nina and Clinton spent more time together and slowly began to fall in love. He made her melt every time she heard his voice or saw his smile.

  Since Clinton wasn’t big into sports, he and Nina spent a lot of time going to concerts and roaming around their new favorite spot in Charlotte, the Bechtler Museum. She’d find herself going there just for a reminder of Clinton when she was having a bad day, when an interview went bad, or when she missed him.

  Still, there was a part of Clinton she couldn’t understand: his relationship with his father. Though she knew the two men didn’t get along, Nina wondered if she would ever meet him. Did he have something to hide? Nina hated that she kept waiting for the other shoe to drop.

  Closing the lid on her laptop, Nina stared off into the distance. Maybe I’m just borrowing trouble. Nevertheless, she was going to surprise her man tonight, depending on how long the game ran, with a trip to Summerville.

  Rising to her feet, she headed to the bathroom and started getting ready for the basketball game she was supposed to cover. Nina was able to breathe a lot easier now that she didn’t have to worry about seeing Lamar while she was out on assignments. When Independence lost a game in the regular season, her season-long story ended. Thank God for basketball.

  With the holidays around the corner, Nina couldn’t say no to most assignments because she would be taking a few weeks off before jumping back into work in January. Besides, sweetheart-gate had caused her phone to ring less frequently. At least she got more respect in the NBA locker rooms.

  After she’d gotten dressed, Nina headed outside to her car and was surprised to see a long-stemmed red rose underneath her windshield wiper. Nina looked over her shoulder, wondering if Clinton had beaten her at the surprise game. She didn’t see him as she read the note.

  Haven’t heard from you in a while, wondered if you missed me—L.

  Nina tossed the rose on the ground and stomped on it.

  “That wasn’t very nice,” Lamar said, appearing out of what seemed to be thin air.

  “Stalking doesn’t become you.”

  “Well, you haven’t called and I figured if I called you wouldn’t answer.” He stood next to the door with his hand on the window. “How have you been?”

  “Busy. I have to go.” Nina reached to close the door, but Lamar wouldn’t let go. “Lamar.”

  “Nina, I miss you.”

  “Running out of warm bodies?”

  He smiled suggestively. “Don’t be like that. But I’m not going to lie, I miss that body, that mouth and—”

  “Let go of my door, you son of a bitch.” Nina snatched the door, causing Lamar to let it go. She started the car and peeled out of the parking lot, narrowly missing running over his toes.

  * * *

  “I must say,” Alex said, peering over the file that Clinton had handed her, “this is much better than I expected. It was a great idea for you to suggest that people who have family members coming in to town for the holidays let them stay here. The Christmas brunch idea is genius.”

  Is she actually smiling at me? Clinton thought as he listened to Alex sing his praises for once.

  “However,” she continued as she scanned the rest of the document. “I don’t think we should try to have a New Year’s Eve gala. With all that’s going on in Charleston during that time, our event might not be successful. Parties aren’t really our thing anyway.”

  Clinton nodded. “What if we offer a New Year’s Day brunch, much like what we’re doing for Christmas? That way we can show our guests that we still want them to be a part of our family in the New Year. Or we could include the New Year’s Day brunch in the Christmas package, that way—” Clinton’s cell phone interrupted his idea. He looked down at the number and recognized it as Birmingham’s. After pressing the ignore call button, he turned to Alex. “Sorry about that.”

  She nodded as she closed the file on her desk. “Make the changes, get this back to me, and then we can send them to the businesses on our list and play up the part about having their out-of-town family members stay here. Do you think we have time to find a Santa?”

  Clinton rose to his feet. “Why not let your father play Santa? The guests will love that and it gives everything a more familial feel.”

  She shook her head and smirked. “You know how to work all the angles, don’t you? I’m surprised Randall Birmingham let you go.”

  Clinton almost felt as if her statement was an accusation.

  “What do you mean by that?” Clinton couldn’t help but wonder if Alex and Birmingham were testing him. “And I quit, remember.”

  “That’s right. Still, as crafty as Randall is, I’m just surprised that he let you walk out the door, especially to us,” she said. “Relax, Clinton, it was a compliment.”

  “Wow, Alex, we must be making some headway. Last week, you still hated me.”

  She leaned back in her seat. “I’ll admit, I haven’t given you a fair shake. But my father likes you and you and my sister have this thing going on, so I can’t keep being the bitch of the family. Besides, you seem to be a nice guy, Clinton.”

  “Thank—” His cell phone rang, interrupting their conversation again. Clinton looked down at the display and saw that it was Birmingham calling back. Pressing the silent button, he turned to Alexandria. “Thank you for saying that.”

  “Don’t make me regret it,” she said, then returned to the papers on her desk.

  He dashed into his office and began to make the changes he and Alex had discussed, but when he turned his computer on, he saw he had a new e-mail message:

  You can’t run from me forever. All I want is some information that would give me a chance to buy this place out. You have access and you owe me.

  Clinton quickly deleted the message. Picking up his phone, he called the very last person he wanted to talk to, his father.

  “Hello,” Clinton Sr. growled into the phone.

  “Dad, have you heard from Randall Birmingham?”

  “Hello to you too, son,” the elder Clinton spat.

  “Why do you care if I heard from him or not? You deserted that man to work for his rival. After all that he’s done for this family. You have no loyalty, do you?”

  “I took another job, I didn’t do anything wrong. Listen, if he calls you, don’t talk to him.”

  “Just because you don’t work for him, doesn’t mean he’s not my friend. And I don’t bite the hand that feeds me. You think that Sheldon Richardson is going to do things for you that Birmingham has done?”

  “For me or you, Dad?” Clinton could feel his anger rising as he spoke to his father. “It seems as if the only time you consider me your son is when I’m taking care of you.”

  “Why shouldn’t you? You’re a disappointment and if it weren’t for Randall I would’ve lost my house. Have you forgotten how much it cost to watch your mother die? How much I’m still paying back. Without Randall, I wouldn’t have anything.”

  “Whatever,” Clinton said, tired of hearing this same argument from his father. It was as if he blamed Clinton for his mother’s death and the debt that followed. “Didn’t I take care of your bills? Give me credit for that at least.”

  “My mortgage is due,” Clinton Sr. said flatly.

  “How much do you need?”

  “Five hundred dollars.”

  “I’ll go to the bank today.” Clinton sighed. He couldn’t turn his back on his father, but sometimes he felt used.

  “That’s all right, Randall’s going to take care
of it.”

  Clinton slammed the phone down and tore out of his office. He was going to tell Randall Birmingham exactly what he could do with his money.

  When he pulled up to the office building where he used to work, he looked behind him expecting to see Alex jump out of the shadows accusing him of working against her family as she’d figured all along. Quickly he dashed inside and headed for the elevators, ignoring the receptionist’s greeting. Pressing the button for the fifteenth floor, he seethed with anger as the car rose. Who did Randall Birmingham think he was using his father’s finances as a means to get what he wanted? Clinton wasn’t going to stand for this bullshit.

  The elevator doors opened and Clinton stormed into Birmingham’s office, sidestepping his secretary. Birmingham sat at his desk with his back to the door, chatting on the phone and sipping a latte.

  Clinton disconnected the call and forced Birmingham to turn around and face him.

  “Clinton, what the hell is your problem? That was an important call! What are you doing in my office, anyway?”

  “Stay away from my father and don’t think that by helping him I owe you a damned thing.”

  Birmingham rose to his feet as he saw his secretary standing in the doorway with fear etched across her face. “Eunice, everything is okay. Clinton and I are old friends, we’re good here.”

  Clinton’s nostrils flared. “Stay away from my family and the Richardson B&B. I’ll fight you on this.”

  “With what army? Son, you have a lot to learn about life. Everything has a price and no favor comes without strings. I gave a lot to you and your family without batting an eye. I hired you, with no experience, because you had good ideas. My plan was to groom you to run this empire. But you walked away without me getting a return on my investment. You owe me. Either get me what I want or I will destroy everything you hold dear, including Nina Richardson.”

  “Leave Nina out of this.” Hot anger sent his body into overdrive and if Birmingham breathed Nina’s name again, he was going to deck him.

  Crossing over to Clinton, Randall sneered at him. “If you want her out of this, then do what I told you. She’s not going to like the fact that you were using her daddy. And Alexandria—well, you already know how she feels about you.”

  “I know a lot of things, Randall, and if you force me, I will start talking. What do you think people will think of your family image when they find out you’re sleeping with nearly every woman in this office and your kids hate you? Do you think you’re going to get that contract to build those hotels for the AME Zion Church? You have so much, why is that property so important to you?”

  Randall stepped back and leaned against his desk. “Because we always want what we can’t have. I’m not worried about your little threats. It’s not as if anyone will believe you. But what do you think the Richardsons will do if I tell them that you double-crossed them? You can kiss your job and that sweet piece of ass good-bye. You have forty-eight hours to play ball. If you don’t help me, then I will destroy you.” Randall waved his hand as if he was shooing a fly away. “Get out of my office.”

  Clinton slammed out of the office, his body heated from anger. How would he stop Birmingham’s smear campaign? Nina asked him not to prove Alex’s distrust in him right and that’s exactly what he was going to do.

  Instead of heading back to the office, he drove home. Sitting in his driveway for a few moments, Clinton tried to wrap his mind around what was happening. Why did Birmingham think he would get involved in a scheme like this and would allow himself to be used because he’d helped his father pay a few bills? He was a grown man with his own mind and he wasn’t going to be used like some pawn.

  He walked inside and went to the computer. What if I just resign? He opened his Word application. When the last document he’d been working on came up, detailing the holiday plans for the bed-and-breakfast, Clinton knew he couldn’t run away. He wasn’t built like that and he wasn’t going to let Birmingham win.

  * * *

  Nina walked out of the Charlotte Hornets’ locker room, ready to write her story and take the next three days off. Thankfully, she had gotten out of the locker room without another viral incident.

  Her bag was packed for her surprise visit to Clinton’s. She prayed that when she pulled up at his place she wouldn’t be in for an unpleasant surprise. Suppose he had another woman there?

  No, I’m not doing this. Why would I think that he’s doing something with someone else?

  When Nina arrived at her car, she was surprised to see Lamar there.

  “Not you again.”

  “You can stop the hardcore act,” he said, arrogantly leaning against her car. “I was getting ready to leave and I saw your car. We need to talk.”

  “No, we don’t, there is nothing to say that hasn’t already been said,” she replied.

  “Then join me for coffee, for old times’ sake.”

  “Lamar, our old times weren’t made over coffee.”

  “I miss you and you deserve an explanation about what you saw at the diner.”

  Nina folded her arms across her chest and looked at him incredulously. “Why don’t you go fuck yourself? I don’t give a damn about you and who you’re sleeping with. Just remember, I’m not in your stable anymore.”

  “Because you’re with that clown from the game? Can he make you scream like I do?”

  “Clinton’s far from a clown,” Nina snapped. “He’s—”

  “Not me and I know I’m what you want.” Lamar ran his index finger across Nina’s cheek. “We had some good times. The sex was amazing and didn’t I always take care of you and give you satisfaction?”

  She recoiled at his touch. “So you gave me a few orgasms. You couldn’t love me. You couldn’t give me what I really needed.”

  “I can now. I was a fool, Nina. Women like you are rare and I didn’t realize that until you walked out of my life.”

  “Walked out of your life? Please, you decided you wanted to be a saltshaker and spread yourself around town. Don’t come crawling around now.” Nina raised her left eyebrow. “It’s too late to miss what you had, what I gave you so easily. Please move so that I can go home. I have a deadline.”

  “One night, Nina. Let me change your mind about us,” Lamar said as he stepped aside.

  “Don’t need it, my mind’s already made up about you.” She opened her door and slid in the car. As she backed out of the parking lot, she watched Lamar staring at her.

  Nina drove home, half expecting to see Lamar following her. But he didn’t and she was glad. There was nothing left in her heart for him and he needed to get that into his thick head.

  Chapter 15

  Since he’d left work early, Clinton was burning the midnight oil at home to get Alex the reports for the holiday events. Their relationship had thawed and he wanted it to stay that way.

  Adding the last bit of information to his report, Clinton yawned and decided it was time to call it a night. Just as he was about to head to his bedroom, the doorbell rang.

  His first thought was to ignore it. He wasn’t expecting anyone and it was too late for someone to show up without calling. But what if someone needed help with a broken-down car, or worse, hit a deer or something? Sighing, he crossed over to the door and snatched the curtain back. When he saw Nina standing there, he smiled.

  “Nina? You know, I started not to open the door.”

  “And had I called and told you I was on my way, the surprise would’ve been ruined.” Her smile seemed to light up the night. Clinton smiled at her and drank in her image in that leather dress she’d had on at the bed-and-breakfast a few months back. He was a smidge disappointed that she didn’t have the whip he’d dreamt about.

  “Are you going to stand there staring or invite me in?”

  “All right,” Clinton said, now fully awake. “Let’s see what you’re working with.”

  “Well,” Nina said. “I’m off for three days and I couldn’t think of a better place to spend my ti
me.”

  “And I couldn’t be happier. I always thought that dress looked good on you. But I know where I’d like to see it now.”

  She licked her bottom lip. “Where is that?”

  He closed the door and took her in his arms. “On the floor.”

  Clinton made quick work of the zipper on the back of the dress and peeled it from her body. Underneath, she was naked.

  “Damn!”

  “Was this a good surprise, then?”

  Clinton’s answer was to capture her lips and kiss her until her knees quaked.

  In a quick motion, Clinton scooped Nina into his arms. The heat from her body was nearly unbearable as he rushed to the bedroom. When he laid her on the bed, he looked down at her with a smile on his face. “You’re so beautiful,” he said.

  She reached up and stroked his cheek. “Clinton, I need you. Now.”

  Her eyes shone like diamonds in the dimness of the room as she licked her lips. “I’ve been thinking about being here all day.”

  “Is that right? Because this was how my dream started last night.” Clinton kissed Nina’s shoulders and her skin felt like freshly spun silk underneath his lips.

  She reached for his zipper and stroked him until his erection sprang to life. Clinton moaned as she slipped the zipper down and continued to stroke him.

  “Slow down, baby,” he whispered as he grabbed her hand. “I want to take my time with you.”

  “Okay,” she replied, smiling seductively at him. Clinton brought his lips down on hers, kissing her slowly, deeply, and passionately. Nina moaned in delight as his tongue glided across hers. Then he broke off the kiss and traveled down the length of her neck with deliberate slowness, then down to her perky breasts, licking and sucking each one until her nipples hardened like pebbles. She pressed her body against his, silently urging him to end the sensuous torture that he’d been inflicting on her. But Clinton wasn’t ready to stop. Sliding down her flat stomach, he parted her legs, gently massaging her thighs before placing them on his shoulders. He dove into her pleasure pool, lapping up the sweet wetness that spilled from her. She cried out his name as he wrapped his tongue around her throbbing bud. Gently, yet intensely, he sucked until Nina climaxed. Her body went limp against his but Clinton wasn’t done. Pressing her against the bed, he looked down at her. “Are you all right?”