Wrong (Breaking the Rules) Read online

  Briefly, I glanced over at Elizabeth, who was still sprawled out, half naked on the bed. Cole began charging me, and I jerked my gaze back to him. When he got close, I popped him in the nose, and blood started gushing fast and thick. Unfazed, he continued to make his way to me. Seeing his dick flopping, I punted him hard between the legs. He howled in pain and dropped to his knees. After I kicked him one more time, this time in the face, he fell backwards.

  I rushed over to Elizabeth, putting my fingers at her neck to look for a pulse. She was already bruising along her face, and red marks stretched wickedly across her throat. Her pulse was slow, but at least it was still there.

  “Come on, baby. I’m here now. Everything’s going to be okay. Wake up for me, baby.”

  She remained unresponsive. Shaking her, I started to cry.

  “Dammit, Elizabeth, wake up. I need you. Please don’t leave me. I love you, babe. Do you hear that? I love you so much. Please wake up.”

  Her eyes twitched and my heart soared. Leaning over to kiss her, I was suddenly ripped away from her by an arm around my neck.

  He managed to pin me down and punched me hard in the jaw. While I was struggling to push him off of me, he hit me again, this time in my eye. I could feel it instantly start to swell shut.

  Then a gunshot rang out, and I was temporarily stunned. The smell of gunpowder flooded my senses. Blood began to pool on my chest before something heavy slammed over me.

  It was then that I heard the screams. Still trying to make sense of the situation, I felt Cole roll off of me. Looking up with my good eye, I saw Olive pulling him off of me, a gun shaking wildly in her hand. Her eyes were wide and panicked. She’d fucking shot him. I owed that girl a big hug.

  Lifting myself up, I grabbed her wrist and gently removed the gun from her hand.

  “Olive, are you okay?” I asked soothingly.

  She nodded and sat down on her bottom beside Cole. I glanced over at him, shocked to see the bullet hole right in the middle of his forehead. Clearly, someone was a good shot. Patting her shoulder, I jumped up to check on Elizabeth.

  She was blinking her eyes slowly, still dazed from being choked nearly to death. Yanking the blanket around her, I covered her bare bottom half and pulled her into my lap. Realizing I was finally there, she began sobbing hysterically. Her voice was ragged as she coughed and cried.

  “Shh, baby. I have you now. You’re safe now. I love you, baby. I love you so much,” I crooned into her ear as I stroked her back.

  “Elizabeth! Jordan!” I heard Calvin shout from the living room. When he made it into the room and took stock of the situation, he doubled over as sobs racked his body.

  Jackson showed up right behind him and frantically looked around for Andi. From the floor, Olive pointed to the bathroom.

  “Olive, come here,” I softly called out to her. She was still kneeling on the floor.

  She stood and sat beside us on the bed. As I wrapped my free arm around her, the girls cried loudly together as they clutched one another. Minutes later, a dazed Andi wobbled out of the bathroom with Jackson’s arms around her. When she saw the girls, she rushed over to them. With Elizabeth sitting down beside me, I stood up so Andi could be with her.

  Before I could step away, Elizabeth grabbed my hand. Her eyes seemed as if she wanted to say something. I leaned in close to her, and she whispered softly into my ear.

  “I love you, Jordan Compton.” She pecked my cheek, and I pulled away, smiling at her.

  “Back at you, babe.”

  We spent the rest of Friday night explaining to the cops the entire story and getting several of us looked over at the hospital. Cole was dead. End of story. Andi had a concussion but was fine. Olive was still in shock from shooting Cole but would eventually learn to deal with what happened. Jordan still had a swollen-shut eye and bruised ribs.

  As for me, I looked a little worse for wear. I avoided the mirrors, but every time Jordan looked at me, he would cringe, making my heart sink. Purple lines marked the side of my face. I also had a huge bruise on my nipple from Cole’s savage bite. There were blue fingerprints all over my arms and legs where he’d roughly grabbed me. My neck looked awful and was a reminder of how close to death I had been had Jordan not arrived at that moment. My wrist was the worst. Both wrists had suffered severe bruising, but my left one was broken. I now sported a lovely pink cast. Unfortunately it had been broken in such a way that the doctor wanted to do surgery on it soon.

  Jordan brought me back to his place since I had no desire to go back to my room where Cole had been killed.

  “Here. You need to eat this,” he instructed, pulling me from my thoughts and setting a bowl down in front of me on the coffee table.

  The bowl was steaming, and I knew right away that it was Mom’s roast. After he sat next to me with his own bowl, we began to eat.

  “She made up all of these to-go containers and delivered them to everyone,” he said, chuckling. I smiled as I thought of her trying to take care of my friends.

  “How are the girls?” I croaked, my voice still raspy.

  “I spoke to Jackson and he said Andi was pretty much back to her normal self. Bray said that Olive is doing well.”

  “Bray? Why would you ask Bray about Olive?” I asked, confused. The pain meds must have been making me loopy because I couldn’t comprehend this.

  “Well, let’s just say he flipped out once he found out what happened and she wouldn’t leave his side after he arrived.” I still didn’t understand why Bray would be comforting Olive.

  We continued to eat silently as I pondered his words. Once we were finished, he put the dishes away and came back into the living room.

  “Time for a bath, babe,” he said and then scooped me up from the couch.

  “Jordan, I’m not helpless. I can walk,” I whispered. He ignored me and carried me into the bathroom, setting me down on the counter.

  Turning on the water, he left and came back moments later with a plastic sack. Reaching into my hair, he gently pulled out my hair tie. After putting the sack over my cast, he used the tie to keep the sack secured.

  The tub was getting full, so he turned it off and removed his clothes, giving me a nice view of his muscled ass. I would never tire of looking at his body. Coming over to me, he ever so gently removed my shirt and then my bra. His eyes darkened angrily when he saw the bruise on my breast, but he quietly continued to undress me. Helping me off the counter, he slid down my jeans and panties and then took off each sock.

  “Come on, babe.” Holding my unbroken hand, he led me to the tub.

  Once we were settled in the bath, I draped my arm on the edge of the tub and leaned into his chest behind me. His arms snaked around me and rested at my belly. We stayed like this for a long time, reflecting on the day.

  “Jordan, I can’t even begin to imagine how close I was to losing my life today had you not stepped in and intervened,” I spoke softly.

  He kissed the top of my head and sighed. “Babe, I was scared to death that I was going to be too late. When I saw him bent over you and then saw your lifeless body, I was horrified, thinking I’d already lost you.” His thumb gently stroked the skin above my belly button.

  “You didn’t ask if he raped me or not,” I whispered as a shudder coursed through my body.

  “All that matters to me is that you’re okay. You’re alive. I can’t live without you,” he proclaimed.

  A tear rolled down my face. “He didn’t. I fought him ‘til I couldn’t fight anymore, but he didn’t get the chance. I just want you to know. I still belong to you,” I told him tearfully.

  He kissed me again, squeezing me gently. “You’ll always be my girl. No matter what he did or didn’t get to do to you, it doesn’t matter. You’re mine, babe. Always,” he said.

  I started sobbing in relief. The torment and terror that I’d lived with for four and a half years was finally over. Jordan just stroked my tummy and kissed my hair repeatedly until I calmed back down. Once I was just
sniffling, he sat up and washed my body and his own. Skipping our hair, he stepped out of the tub and helped me out. Wrapping a towel around me, he kissed me tenderly on the lips before grabbing his own towel.

  After we dried off, he helped me into an oversized t-shirt. Careful not to put my weight on my wrist, I sank into his soft bed. Sliding in next to me, he curled his body against mine. Sweeping the hair from my neck, he softly placed kisses all over my neck as if to kiss away every bruise. Finally, I rolled over onto my back and looked into his eyes.

  “Make love to me Jordan,” I spoke lightly.

  “But you’re injured. I think we should wait until you’re healed,” he suggested, not sounding completely convinced.

  I bit down on my lip, attempting to suppress any more tears from falling. Quite frankly, I was tired of crying.

  “Okay,” I agreed, trying to appease him, and turned back on my side. A stupid tear rolled out, wetting the pillow underneath me.

  He groaned from behind me. “Fuck that. Come here, babe. I’ll be gentle,” he promised and I grinned, letting him pull me onto my back.

  Sitting up, he delicately lifted up my shirt up over my breasts. He leaned over and placed soft kisses on my bruised nipple before moving over to the uninjured one, sucking it into his mouth. I whimpered because now I really wanted him. Sliding my legs around his hips, I urged him closer. Pulling away from kissing my breasts, he looked into my eyes as he slid himself into me.

  “Oh Jordan,” I gasped as he filled me to the hilt. We stayed in this position a moment. He was so beautiful and perfect. I loved every single thing about him.

  When he grinned at me, I melted like I did every time. Dipping down, he kissed me, soft at first, and then it became a series of hungry sucks and licks. I couldn’t seem to get enough of his taste. He began pumping into me with quick thrusts, and I found myself getting close to an orgasm.

  “God, Elizabeth, I’m going to come,” he moaned into my mouth.

  I whimpered as my body started shuddering with my climax, and I felt him immediately pump his own into me. Careful not to hurt me, he rested on his elbows above me.

  “I love you. Move in with me. There’s no reason for you to have to go back to that room. Too many bad memories. Please, I want you here with me every night,” he pleaded.

  I tossed around his words in my mind before answering. We loved each other. I could still be an independent woman who loved her man. Who lived with her man.

  “Yes, I will move in with you. I love you too.”

  All day yesterday, Jackson, Bray, and I had moved Elizabeth’s personal belongings to my apartment. Andi and Olive had stayed glued to her side on the sofa, only getting up to make her something to eat, grab a blanket, or help her to the bathroom. Elizabeth hated being doted over, but deep down she’d needed that from her friends after the terrifying event they had gone through together on Friday.

  Today, we were keeping it low key at my apartment. I’d rented some movies and we stayed in bed all day. Late in the afternoon, Sandra called Elizabeth to check on her. She and Calvin were going to come by later and bring supper. A knock on the door woke us from a nap and I went to the door to let them in.

  “Jordie!” Sandra exclaimed, giving me a huge hug.

  “Hi, Sandra. What lovely food did you cook for us today?” I asked, trying to peek in the sack she had in one hand.

  “Jordan Compton. Get your hands out of there,” she chided and playfully pushed me away, heading into the kitchen.

  Calvin walked up to me and pulled me into a hug.

  “I can never thank you enough, Jordan. My Elizabeth’s lucky to have someone like you,” he whispered, his voice catching before he backed away. I nodded and grinned at him.

  “I’m the lucky one, sir. She’s everything to me.”

  Blinking back his tears, he smiled back.

  “Good, because if you don’t take care of my daughter, I’ll kill you,” he teased, walking into the kitchen.

  I followed him in there, noticing that Elizabeth had already snuck into the kitchen and was seated at the table, watching Sandra put food on the plates.

  “What do you want to drink, babe?” I asked, kissing her forehead. She smiled at me, the sexy one that made me want to drag her back into the bedroom. I didn’t know if she knew the effect she had on me.

  “How about a shot of whiskey?” she joked, making Calvin frown at her.

  “How about no. Whiskey doesn’t mix well with hydrocodone. I’ll make you a soda instead,” I told her.

  Calvin chuckled from behind me. After everyone was seated, we began eating.

  “Sandra, you outdo yourself every meal. Are you sweet on me?” I asked, earning a blush from her.

  Calvin rolled his eyes, and Elizabeth laughed.

  “No, seriously. You need your own cooking show or something. Your food is absolutely delicious. You and my mother would get along fabulously. She’s a great cook as well,” I confided, which received a smile from Sandra. Elizabeth was beaming at me, and I knew I was earning major brownie points.

  “Suck up,” she said, sticking her tongue out.

  On Monday, I sat in the conference room with Jackson, Joel, AJ, Pete from the SEC, and Trent.

  “Okay, Pete. Give it to me straight. What’s our next move?” I asked, eager to get a move on things.

  “Mr. Compton, after working with AJ, I think we have a solution. I’m glad you brought in your financial planner so we can talk this out all at once,” Pete said, passing out a spreadsheet to each of us. “As you can see, I have listed out every single company that has deposited into the fraudulent shell account and how much. Out beside it, you’ll see if they made their money back or not. The ones without a figure in that column need to be paid back their original investment. If you can do this before year end, you’ll be able to start the new tax year fresh,” he explained as we all looked over the sheet.

  “Pete,” Trent began, “according to this, by the time Compton Enterprises pays out to everyone, the company will be completely wiped out of any operating capital. Without working capital, they will not be able to pay their employees or their bills. Is there any other way around this?”

  Pete sighed, and my heart sank.

  “Unfortunately, Trent, this is what needs to be done to keep the SEC happy. There will still be lawsuits involved, but at least those will be Compton Enterprises against Nadia Compton. We’ve got quite the case against her, and she’ll be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I hate to have to put your company in a precarious position, but it must be done. Surely you have some personal funds you can inject back into the company?” he asked.

  Trent just shook his head, and I frowned. We didn’t have nearly enough of what it took to run a large company like ours.

  “Trent, don’t worry about it. Jackson and I have come to terms that this will most likely dissolve our company. Just help us pay out like we are required to do. We’ll pick up the pieces where they fall. I’ll call a staff meeting tomorrow and prepare the employees. As long as I give them warning, they’ll find jobs in time. I’ll write them all letters of recommendation” I assured him.

  “Jordan, your ability to keep a positive attitude amazes me. I’m so sorry for this, buddy,” he said sadly. I just nodded at him as my heart ached for the employees who were about to lose their jobs.

  “Okay, it’s settled. Let’s get to work on distributing these funds today,” Pete said, pulling out his laptop.

  We spent the rest of the day tirelessly going through the list and depleting the company of its funds one wire transfer at a time.

  Towards the end of the day, Andi came into the conference room.

  “Jordan, Mr. Jennings is on the line for you. He said it was urgent that he talked to you,” she said, nervous about interrupting our intense meeting.

  “Patch him through.” When the phone on the conference room table started ringing, I answered. “Jordan Compton.”

  “Jordan, it’s Lou. I thought you
were going to wait to pay out on those funds. The bank just called to tell me the balance had been wired. You said you couldn’t afford to send it all,” he said in complete wonder.

  “Sir, I’m actually in a meeting with the SEC right now and his suggestion was to pay everyone back immediately.”

  “But, Jordan, where does that leave you?”

  “Well, Lou, I’ll be honest. We’re screwed. I’m going to have a meeting tomorrow with the staff and prepare them for the closure of Compton Enterprises. I’ve got plenty of great people to send your way if you’re looking for support staff,” I said, sighing.

  “This is bullshit!” Lou growled into the phone.

  My thoughts exactly. “Sir, it must be done.”

  “We’re on our way. See you in fifteen minutes,” he said, hanging up.

  Jackson looked up at me expectantly.

  “Looks like Lou is coming up here for some reason,” I told him, shrugging my shoulders.

  Turning my attention back to Pete, we continued down the list. Fifteen minutes later almost on the dot, a red-faced Lou burst into the conference room with Calvin hot on his heels.

  “What’s this bullshit?” he demanded to Pete since he was sitting right beside me. Pete glanced at me and I just nodded my approval to tell him.

  “Well, sir, we’re paying out to all of the investors and unfortunately it will bankrupt this company.”

  “Unfortunately? That’s your word. It fucking sucks,” he roared. “All of these employees are about to lose their jobs. Two bright young men are about to have the company they’ve worked hard to take control of after their father selfishly killed himself yanked out from underneath them. All you can say is ‘unfortunately’?” he asked.

  Pete sat quietly, sensing that Lou wasn’t finished.

  “How much?” he asked.

  We all glanced at one another, not following where he was going with all of this.