Alpha Billionaire Series

TANNER

As relieved as I am that my little family is safe, there's still one major problem to face- the thug that will be returning to Addie’ apartment. It makes me nervous as hell to let her get involved in taking the guy down, but she’s determined to end this, and I know that I need to support her.

Even though it's killing me that she’s going to step into the line of fire.

Sierra volunteers to babysit Owen the next day while we go down to the precinct and talk to Detective Freeman. I make sure my security alarm is set and they're safe in the loft before we leave. We're a little on edge and Addie is right. Things will feel better once the situation is resolved.

Detective Freeman greets us and guides us through the busy station to his small office. After offering us coffee with a warning that it's not very good and tastes like sludge, we politely decline and sit down in the worn chairs on the opposite side of his desk.

“Thanks for coming in” he says and folds his hands on a stack of folders. “After going over the situation, 'm bringing a small team of undercover officers on board to help us. We've come up with a plan and I have complete faith in it.”

“What do you need me to do?” Addie asks, leaning forward.

There's a gleam in her eye. If I didn't know better, I'd say she looks excited to do this.Property belongs to Nôvel(D)r/ama.Org.

“We pulled up security footage from your apartment camera and the man who threatened you is Lorenzo Dragari aka The Dragon”

“Lovely,” Addie says in a low voice. We clasp hands and I give her a look that says we can walk out right now if she wants. Bu she gives a little shake of her head, turns back to Freeman and squares her shoulders. “What should I know about The Dragon?”

God, she looks like a fierce warrior ready to slay this dragon. Her bravery is inspiring.

“He's a part of the Valente crime family. One of their enforcers.”

“Leave it to Randy to owe the mafia money,” she grumbles.

“We've been wanting to catch him for a long time, but he's slick. He said he'd return in a week for the $20 grand so that's a few days away from today. We're hoping he sticks to the plan and drops by your place this Saturday. We'll have officers stationed outside and inside your apartment. You're going to be wearing a wire and you need to get him talking. We need to get him threatening you and the baby with bodily harm and then demanding payment for your stepfather's gambling debt. Think you can do that?"

She nods. “Yes. I can handle that."

“Good. Since we don't know when exactly he'll arrive, we'll have the officers staked out there all day.”

“I'm going to be there, too," I say.

“Not a good idea,” Freeman says with a frown. “If Dragari gets suspicious or spooked, he'll back off and disappear. This could be our one chance and he will definitely show up if he believes Addie is alone and no threat is around.”

Even though I hate that answer and I am so worried about this stupid plan, I'm not going to rant and rave and forbid her to do it. “It's up to Addie," I ultimately say.

“I agree with everything you said,” she tells Freeman. “Tanner, you should be out of sight, and I do not want Owen anywhere near my apartment when this is happening. He needs to be somewhere safe and protected...just in case something goes wrong”

“I agree," Freeman says. “We'll make sure he’s guarded at all times."

“Thank you," she says.

The idea that something could go terribly wrong makes me sick to my stomach. I can't even think about the possibility. Losing Addie once nearly killed me. I can't go through it again.

We speak to the detective a little while longer and then thank him and leave. My gut is twisted up in knots and the moment we step outside, I pull Addie into my arms and kiss her fiercely.

When we finally come up for air, I'm holding her face in my hands and a horrible feeling washes over me. Like I'm going to lose her.

I can't lose her. I won't.

“Everything is going to be okay,” she assures me.

Iwish I could believe her, but I have a bad feeling that won't go away.

And that terrifies me.

When Saturday finally arrives, I'm a damn nervous wreck while Addie is cool as a cucumber. Owen is at the loft with an entourage of bodyguards- a cop, Sierra, Kayla, Nash and Sawyer. And, of course, my state-of-the-art alarm system. I know he'll be safe. It's not Owen I'm worried about right now.

It's Addie. I just can't shake this bad feeling that's been plaguing me for days.

We're at her apartment and the undercover police officers arrive early in the morning. By 8am, she's wired up and telling me to go.

“I'l be fine. This is all going to be over soon,” she whispers in my ear.

I kiss her hard, drinking deeply, as though it's the last time my lips will ever be on hers. My thoughts are turning morbid fast and 'm on the verge of calling this whole thing off when Addie grasps my face in her hands and looks up at me with sparkling brown eyes.

“My answer is yes, Mr. Beckett. As soon as this is over, I will happily marry you and have more of your babies and spend the rest of my life showing you exactly how very much I love you."

“Ah, Christ, Addie” I whisper, pressing my forehead against hers. “Please, please be careful’ I beg.

“Always,” she answers.

We kiss one more time and then the cop escorts me out the back door and down to the waiting car which will drive me back over to my loft. I get in, my stomach sinking in dread, and as we drive away, I hope I didn't just make the biggest mistake of my life by leaving her to do this alone.

Fucking f**k.

The last time I felt conflicted like this, I had just agreed to have dinner with my father's associate's daughter. Chella. And we all know how that turned out.

But I have to trust the police and Addie.

Everything will be alright Everything will be alright. Everything will be alright.

The mantra keeps repeating in my head until I'm back at the loft and quickly surrounded by my family. Sawyer clasps a han over my shoulder and squeezes it, as though reading my worried thoughts.

“Shes gonna be okay, bro."

“Yeah,” I say, wishing I believed it.

As the hours pass, we're in constant contact with the undercover policemen and Detective Freeman who is in Addie’s apartment with the others. I'm pacing more and more, going crazy because everything seems so quiet.

Like the calm before the storm.

By 9pm, nothing has happened. I tell everyone to go home, thank them for hanging out with me all day, and assure them th Owen and I will be fine. Freeman says they will wait at Addie’s apartment until I0pm then drive her back here to me.

By I0:I5pm, Addie is in my arms and I'm so grateful. After all that worrying, Dragari didn't even show up. I thank the officers and we speak to Detective Freeman for a few minutes.

“It happens,” Freeman says with a shrug. “Sometimes they get this sixth sense that something isn't right. Or maybe he got busy harassing someone else.”

“So, what happens now?” Addie asks. “I was hoping this would end today.”

“Now you stay with me," I say, my arm tightening around her waist.

“He's right,” Freeman says. “I recommend the three of you stay here and be aware of your surroundings. Keep the alarm on and my phone number on speed dial. As far as we know, Dragari has no idea you're staying here, Ms. Hayes. We'll keep an undercover officer stationed outside your building for the next couple of days and see if he shows up tomorrow or Monday. Hopefully, we'll get lucky”

After thanking Freeman, I let him out and lock the door behind him. Then I show Addie how the alarm system works and tell her the code. She glances up at me, surprised. “That's my birthday," she says.

I nod. “Yeah, it is," I admit. It's late and Owen has been asleep for hours so it's just me and Addie. “I never fully let you go, sweetheart. It was impossible.’

I capture her lips in a long, slow kiss and she presses against me, answering back with a whimper and the warm, welcoming stroke of her tongue. When we finally pull apart, 'm aching for her. It's been a few days and I'm dying to be inside of her. Ou lives have been stressful lately, but tonight I'd like to take care of Addie and show her just how much I appreciate her being so brave today.

Now that Owen is here, our sex life isn't able to be as free and we can't linger like we used to before. So right now, I'm going to take full advantage while I can. Sliding my hands up under her nightshirt, I grip the elastic of her panties and tug them down her slim thighs. Her breathing speeds up and I kiss her passionately, backing her up until her legs bump into the couch.

“Lay down, sweetheart," I murmur, dragging my lips down the side of her throat. “I'm going to make you feel so good.” With a sigh, she falls back onto the couch, and I waste no time dragging her to the edge, pushing her nightshirt up around her wais and dipping my head between her thighs.

Lapping up her sweet folds is a special kind of bliss for me. I use my entire mouth to drive her straight to the edge. Sucking her clit into my mouth, I pull out all the stops, swirling, licking and teasing until she’s writhing. Her hands thread through my hair and tug hard as breathy cries erupt from her pretty lips.

“Tanner! Oh, God!" Her body arches up and I use my fingers and mouth to make her tighten, shake and explode in a glorious release.

Sliding up her body, I rearrange our position on the couch and kick my sweatpants off. I'm throbbing hard for her, dying to sink inside her wet warmth, and begin rubbing against her slickness when something snags my attention, breaking me out o my lusty fog.

My head snaps up. Addie is grinding her sweet, wet core against me, completely lost to sensation, and I lift up on my elbows straining to hear. When she moans, I whisper, “Shhh, baby. Listen.”

She freezes. “What?

“I thought I heard something!”

“Owen?” She pushes up onto her elbows.

“I don't know. Maybe.”

“I'll go check on him,” she says softly and slides out from beneath me, pulling her nightshirt down.

I reach out and grab her hand, placing an open-mouth kiss in her palm. “Hurry.”

She glances down at my raging erection and smirks. “Hold that thought,” she murmurs in a husky, sexy-as-hell voice. Leaning back into the cushions, I growl in the back of my throat. As Addie turns and walks toward the spiral staircase, I release a shaky breath, my eyes on her swaying hips. Her curves have multiplied since having Owen and I love every single one. I want to explore and devour each of those soft, delicious, voluptuous curves until she's writhing beneath my mouth. While she pads up the steps, my gaze drags from her shapely ass over to the alarm panel by the front door. The steady red dot that normally reassures me that the system is armed isn't there. Sitting up straighter, I squint and see nothing at all. The screen is blank. That's strange. Yanking my sweatpants back on, I walk over and realize the system must be completely down A moment later, Addie screams.

Panic slams into my gut and I race toward the staircase, heart in my throat.