Claimed By The Publisher: An Instalove Possessive Alpha Romance (A Man Who Knows What He Wants Book 159) Read online

  I pick up.

  “Kingsley speaking.”

  “You lying bastard,” Jasper hisses on the other end of the line. “You told me you’d stay away, you told me you’d never go near my sister again.”

  I take a deep breath, beginning to pace the room. “There’s been a misunderstanding, Jasper. I didn’t meet her deliberately. We were brought together by chance.”

  “That’s what my sister said. Did you tell her to lie to me? Are you really cold enough to try and turn her against me?”

  “I did nothing of the sort,” I snarl. “You need to back the hell off, Jasper. You’re making assumptions about things you don’t understand.”

  “Oh I understand, alright. I know what your intentions are with her. I’ll never forget the way you looked at her. She’s my little sister. I’m not letting you anywhere near her again.”

  “That’s not exactly your choice to make,” I growl. “Why don’t you just leave her be? I’m offering her the world.”

  “In exchange for what? Sleeping with you?”

  “I would never do anything like that,” I snap. The anger within me is rising like an erupting volcano. He doesn’t understand what Ivy and I have. He thinks it’s purely sexual, as though I’m some kind of animal. Just because she brings out this animalistic side of me, it doesn’t mean that’s all I want from her. I want every single part of her. I want to know her like the back of my hand. I want to be with her for the rest of my life. I could prove that to him if he’d let me, but all he wants to see is the negative side to me. He doesn’t believe that I can be honest, caring, protective, or even decent. It just goes to show that the man I used to call my best friend doesn’t even know me at all.

  “I don’t trust you,” Jasper hisses. “You’re not my friend anymore. You lost that right when I caught you staring at her at that party.”

  “You took that way too seriously, Jasper. Your sister is a beautiful woman, and so much more than that too. I’m a good man. I stayed away. But now that fate has brought us back together…”

  “I don’t believe in fate,” Jasper snarls. “And even if I did, she’s not the one for you. I’m telling you now, she’s not going near you again. I’ll make sure of it. And if I find out you’ve been within even a mile of her, I’ll be paying you a visit with my father.”

  I snort. “What, so you need your Daddy to come and help you show me who’s boss? Well it sure as hell ain’t you. You don’t concern me one bit, Jasper. If I were you, I’d give up now. I always get what I want. And I want her.”

  I end the call without another thought. I’m so angry that I feel like I could explode. I know that phone call went terribly. It certainly hasn’t done anything to solve the issue between me and Jasper. I wish I could turn back time to three years ago and prove to him that I’m good for his sister. I wish I could make him understand that Ivy means more to me than just some one night stand. I want her in every single way possible, but he’s never going to believe me. He’s never going to understand, and he’s always going to try and punish me for it. But if I have to lock horns with him in order to have her, then so be it. If I have to run him into the ground, I will. He might be my old best friend, but Ivy is everything. I meant what I said when I promised him I’d make her mine. No matter what he does or says, I’m going to get her.

  And when I do, he’ll be sorry he ever tried to stand in my way.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Ivy

  Today, it’s time to take a risk or two. It’s my first meeting with Kingsley this morning, and I’ve already got someone at work to cover my shift. Fortunately for me, that means that Jasper and my father are already convinced I’m going to be on a shift and not up to mischief. I dress how I often do for work in a pretty dress with flat shoes, but I make the effort to do my hair and makeup. I want to look my best for Kingsley.

  The thought of seeing him has my stomach in knots. He’s got the ability to make me so nervous that I feel a little light in the head, but in the best possible way. I want to get lost in his dreamy eyes. I want to run my hands over his rock hard abs. I want to hear his low growl in my ear and feel his lips on my neck. Anything he has to offer me, I’ll take, because I want all of him. I feel like I’m ravenous for him...a sensation I never expected to feel. But now that it’s here, the last thing I want to do is lose it.

  As I’m heading for the door, Jasper is hanging around on the sofa. He offers me a smile as I walk past. I’m not feeling particularly friendly toward him, but I return the smile anyway. I have to at least pretend that I’m not furious with him for ruining everything. If I let on that he’s gotten to me then it’ll make keeping this a secret even harder.

  “Hey, sis,” he says. “I just wanted to say, I’m sorry last night got a little ugly. I know you were really excited about the publishing contract, but like Dad said, there will be other opportunities. I just don’t want you getting caught up in Kingsley’s lies. I know from experience that he can’t be trusted.”

  I wish I could roll my eyes right now. He doesn’t have a clue what he’s talking about. I try to feel some sympathy toward him. I know he’s just trying to be a good older brother and protect me, but his efforts are achieving the opposite. He’s stopping me from getting what I want. At least he thinks he is.

  “Let’s just forget about it. I have to go to work.”

  “Of course, sis...work hard!”

  I leave the apartment without another word. I don’t want to spend any more time with my brother than I have to right now. Especially considering that every second wasted with him is one without Kingsley.

  I make my way over to King Press’ offices, feeling anticipation coursing through my veins. This whole thing feels surreal, but I’m ready to embrace it. I enter the building and one of the security guards approaches me right away.

  “You must be Roxanne,” he says. “Mr. Collins asked me to give you a pass for the building so that you have access to all areas. You’ll find his offices on the top floor.”

  He hands me a pass and I feel a rush of excitement. It makes everything feel so official and exciting. I head to the elevator, clutching my pass in my hand and press the button for the top floor. As I’m shooting upward, my heart is in my throat. Seeing him again is going to send my heart into overdrive, but I don’t mind one bit. I want him to make me feel every single thing possible.

  I find his office easily enough and prepare myself to enter. I knock on his door and he opens it almost immediately. Our eyes lock for a moment before his eyes drift over my body. I try to keep my breathing steady, but damn...when he’s looking at me like that, I feel completely at his mercy.

  “Good morning, Ivy,” he says, stepping aside to let me inside. “Please, come in.”

  I take a seat in front of his desk, feeling glad I don’t have to stand any longer. My knees have been wobbling just at the thought of seeing him. Now that I’m here, the sensation is even more intense.

  His hand brushes my shoulder ever so slightly as he circles back around to his side of the desk. He smiles at me, stealing my breath away with his one singular action.

  “So, here’s what we need to do this morning,” he says gruffly. “We need to get your contract signed, and then we can begin the editing process. I thought maybe we’d take a trip to the library. I always find that being surrounded by books gets my creative juices flowing. We can take it easy, we’re in no rush.”

  I nod, but I disagree. I’m completely in a rush. Firstly because I need to get this deal done and dusted by signing legal documents before my father and brother can stop me. But mostly...I need to get to touching Kingsley. I need to feel his body against mine. I know they say that good things come to those who wait, but I feel I’ve waited long enough to feel a connection like this. Now, all I want is to explore it.

  “I’m happy with that,” I tell him, hoping to set the wheels in motion. I love the idea of being in a library with him, books used to be my favorite thing until I found myself addicted to this ma
n yesterday. To have both at once is going to send me into overdrive.

  Kingsley pushes a contract toward me. “Take your time to read it. I assure you, we’re giving you the best deal possible. A large advance, a large cut of your royalties and the best marketing money can buy. I only want the best for you, Ivy. But of course, take your time to read it.”

  I nod, though I know I don’t need to read the contract, really. I trust him entirely. I know that he wants what’s best for me. So I merely skim the text for the next ten minutes before taking up the pen and signing my name on the dotted line. My heart is pumping hard, but with a quick flourish of my wrist, it’s done. It’s official now. I take a deep breath and look up at Kingsley with a smile. He returns the favor before taking the contract back.

  “Well, I guess all I should say is welcome aboard. Now, let’s go and hang out in a library.”

  Half an hour later, we’re standing in the magnificent central library together. It’s quiet as we weave between the shelves together. His hand resting on the small of my back and I can barely breathe. I want him to grab me and take me right here, but I know we could easily be caught. And yet, the thought of getting hot and heavy between the shelves is so hot that I can feel wetness pooling between my thighs.

  “It’s beautiful here,” I whisper, trying to block out my own thoughts. “I love the smell of books.”

  “Me too,” Kingsley growls in my ear. He’s close enough that I can feel his breath on my neck. “But damn...you smell even better.”

  I turn around to face him, breathing hard. We’re alone in the aisle. He presses his hand on the shelf above my head, leaning in closer. His body is soon pressing mine against the shelf. I let out a gasp. I’ve never been this up close and personal with a man before. I can feel his manhood pressing up against my core, hard and insistent. Our eyes meet and there’s a playful look in his gaze.

  “It’s nice and quiet here...don’t you think?” he growls seductively. “The perfect place for a little privacy…”

  His voice sends a pleasurable shiver down my spine. I lean in closer to him, encouraging him to make his move. But he doesn’t...not yet, at least. He runs his spare hand over my cheek, brushing his thumb over my lips. The teasing action is so erotic that I can barely contain myself, but I wait. I want him to make the move first...and the longer I wait for it, the better it’ll feel when he gives in and kisses me.

  “I’m very much looking forward to working with you...Roxanne,” he growls. And then, before I can even catch my breath, he kisses me.

  Kingsley

  Her lips are feverishly hot against mine. Her body relaxes, melting against the feeling of my body. I press into her further, allowing my tongue to slide into her mouth as my cock presses close to her. I want to take her right here up against these shelves. I want to lift her skirt and slide inside her, wrapping her legs around my waist so I can thrust into her. I want chaos. I want passion. But I also want to get out of here without a criminal conviction, so for now, I’ll just enjoy the feeling of what I can get away with.

  My hand finds her breast over her sundress as we kiss. She’s a handful even for my large hands, and I growl in pleasure. I love every curve of her body. I love the way she trembles beneath my touch. I stop kissing her and move my lips to her neck, gently kissing and nipping the skin there. She gasps loudly so I cover her mouth with one hand and she moans gently against me as I continue to explore her breasts and kiss her neck.

  I want to make her feel good. I want to feel her bucking against my hand as I pleasure her. So before I can decide it’s a bad idea, I let one hand drift down toward her legs. I slowly drag my fingers up her thigh, making her shiver. When I press my hand up against her pussy, I can feel how wet she is even through her underwear. I groan in pleasure.

  “Seems like you want this,” I growl in her ear. “Do you want me to pleasure you, baby?”

  “Yes,” she breathes without a moment’s hesitation. I can tell she’s nervous from the way her eyes keep darting to the side, looking to see if we have company, but as I slowly tease her through her underwear, she presses herself closer to me and I know that she doesn’t want to back out. She wants this as much as I do.

  I push her panties to the side and touch her sopping wet pussy for the first time. My fingers slide easily over her folds, finding her clit easily. I tease it slowly and she moans against me. She presses her lips into my shoulder to stop her moans from escaping her so easily. Her hot breath on my shoulder is making me hard as hell, but this moment is all about her. As I continue to rub against her clit, I can barely believe how lucky I am to be pleasuring the woman of my dreams. I lean in close to her ear.

  “I love how wet you are for me.”

  She gasps against my shoulder and I move my fingers closer to her entrance. I want to delve deep inside her and give her the pleasure she deserves. I want her to come for me over and over again. But I don’t think we have the luxury of time here. We could be caught at any moment. So when I slide two fingers inside her for the first time, I know I’m going to give her unspeakable pleasure, but I’m going to do it so fast that she barely has time to breathe.

  I know exactly how to pleasure her. This is new to me, but it comes as a natural instinct. I knew the moment I laid eyes on her three years ago that we’d get to this point some day. I push my fingers inside her and she bucks against me, pulling me closer to her. There’s no way in hell that she can’t feel my hard cock pressing against her, but I like it. I want her to know how turned on I am by her.

  She reaches up to kiss me and I suddenly lose all composure. She’s released the beast within me and now it’s running wild. I have to have her. I don’t care if we get caught. My fingers quicken their pace, moving in and out of her faster and making her cry out louder than she should in a place like this. We’re breaking every rule possible, but it feels so damn good. All I know is how good it feels to be inside her, even if not in the way that I really want to be.

  I could do it. I could take this risk up another notch. I imagine how good it would be to push inside her for the first time. I imagine the sweet moans that would leave her lips. I imagine how wet she’s be and how easy it would be to move deep inside her. I growl to myself, trying desperately to keep myself under control. First, I’ll give her pleasure like she’s never known. And then, when she’s still riding her high, I’ll fuck her right here and now.

  My thumb begins to pleasure her clit and she moans against my lips, kissing me passionately. I know she must be close. Her wetness is soaking my fingers now. I move deeper inside her, adding a third finger and feeling her grinding against me. I take a moment to look at her body. It’s so hot to see my hand disappearing up her dress, to hear how wet she is as I pleasure her, to see her breathing hard as she tries to control herself. But I don’t need her to control herself. I need her to give into me entirely.

  “Give in to me,” I growl in her ear. As I do, her eyes widen and I feel her buck against me. She cries out, muffling the sound in my shoulder once again. Her juices soak my fingers. Her body presses against mine and I growl in satisfaction. Now, I can give her pleasure once again...and get some of my own.

  I’m moving to unzip my trousers when I hear footsteps close by. I curse under my breath and Ivy looks shocked. She immediately straightens her dress and her hand slips into mine, letting me pull her away. We disappear further into the library, hand in hand breathing hard. By the time we’re completely alone again, I’ve come to my senses. I don’t know what came over me, thinking we could get away with having sex somewhere as public as here...but damn, touching her was so erotic. She giggles quietly as her eyes meet mine, and I know she’s thinking the exact same thing. I steal a kiss from her still hot lips, allowing my hands to find her waist. When I’m touching her like this, it’s easy to understand how I was driven to distraction earlier. But I have to be sensible now. I don’t want to get her into trouble. What we’re exploring between us is already causing her enough problems. Instead, I
kiss her gently.

  “I want to do that again...do you?”

  She nods, her innocent eyes lit up with excitement. She’s as fascinated by this thing between us as I am. I take a deep breath.

  “Good. Then you won’t mind me asking you out on a date tonight.”

  She takes a deep breath. I can see that she’s concerned about how she’s going to sneak out to meet me. I know she’s worried about that. But slowly, she nods.

  “I want to go out with you...I’ll find a way. I’ll make it happen.”

  I kiss her once more. My cock is throbbing in my pants and I wish I could have her right this second. But it’ll be worth the wait when I have her tonight. I can take her out first and treat her like a princess, the way she deserves. I can prove to her that I’m serious about this. And then I can take her back to my place and we’ll pick up where we left off.

  “Maybe we should actually get some work done while we’re here, yeah?” I murmur playfully in her ear. She giggles once more.

  “Okay.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Ivy

  Once again, I’m going to lie to my family. Once again, I’m going to disobey the orders of the people who care most about me. Or at least they did...until Kingsley showed up and stole that title from them. And therefore, I don’t feel so guilty about sneaking out to see him.

  It’s getting close to eight o’clock. Kingsley said he’d meet me outside at eight in a taxi so that we can go for drinks. But since I can’t dress up for drinks, I guess I’m going to have to get creative. But by the time this night is over, my family is going to be so mad with me that they’ll have steam coming out of their ears.

  I’m still wearing my sundress as I head into our kitchenette. I can feel my heart thudding against my ribcage as I tie up the trash bags, ready to take to the chute. Except the second I’ve ditched them, I’m not coming back to the apartment. I’m going to run downstairs and get in a car with Kingsley before they even notice something is up. When I don’t come back, there will be inevitable questions. There will be missed calls. There will be furious texts. But I’ll ignore them all. I know I’m making a risky decision by going out, but I have to. I need to see Kingsley. I need to have more of what we had earlier today.