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  Charmed By Richard

  Alpha Billionaire Secret Club (Book One)

  By

  Copyright © 2020 by Scarlett Hope

  All rights reserved. In no way is it legal to produce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly prohibited and any storage of this document is not allowed unless written permission from the publisher. For permission requests, email the author at: [email protected]

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Edited by Scarlett Hope

  Cover Design by Scarlett Hope

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Epilogue

  Did You Enjoy The Read

  Join My Newsletter

  About the Author

  Chapter One

  Richard

  How on earth could this have happened?

  I stood in front of the table, my hand frozen midway to my wallet, almost gaping as I looked at the receptionist and the maître’s, and then back again, unable to believe what I was hearing. Had the billboards been wrong? This was a… five-star hotel, wasn’t it? Or had my secretary mixed something up somewhere?

  The questions whirled through my mind. It was impossible to believe, but the longer I stood staring at the receptionist, the more obvious her discomfort became. I was currently in the reception area of what Jack, my friend, business partner, and brother-in-arms, had called ‘the best hotel in Miami.’ Well, I didn’t doubt that.

  To begin with, I’d been at my home last night having what I liked to call a ‘mini party’ when, out of the blue, I’d received a call from him. He’d spotted a group of potential investors for his new company. He’d done the paperwork, gotten them to agree to a meeting and now all he just had to do was convince them to actually invest.

  “This is a good one, Rich.” He’d said at the other end of the phone, obviously trying to cajole me to come along.

  “I don’t know, Jack. It sounds like the kind of thing I’d be interested in but, I’m quite…” I’d paused, munching an apple as I stood in my condo, casting a glance at the red-haired, sultry model lying flat on my bed, “…busy right now.”

  “Oh come on, man. You know we can’t get those men without your… Uhm what do you call it again?”

  “Salt to the soup.” In spite of myself, I smiled at that age-old nickname my friends gave me back when we were still in business school.

  “Yes, man. I need your salt to this soup. No one sells like you and I know you’re already filthy rich but…” I guffawed at his words, reaching over to open up the refrigerator and take out a bottle of water as he continued, “…think of this as a challenge, hmm? As of now, no one has been able to convince these guys to invest. You are literally my last hope.”

  Sighing, I placed my free hand on my waist and cast a glance at the model who still lay spread across my bed, a seductive look in her eyes as she purred, beckoning.

  I sighed again.

  What was her name again? Amber? Rose? Or maybe Tulips? I didn’t know, but I was sure it had something to do with flowers. Well, I shrugged, biting my lower lip as I contemplated the current situation before me, at least she has an amazing mouth.

  And after the hectic week, trying to close a deal at my company, it was exactly what I needed. Heck, I’d planned to spend the whole weekend doing nothing but partying all around the place, with at least a dozen beauties to keep me company.

  But damn, Jack knew where to hit. And his target had met his mark. For all my riches or the global reach of my company, one thing I’d never been able to stay away from was a business challenge.

  “How soon?”

  “This weekend.”

  I paused, a groan tearing from my belly, up my throat and finally out my mouth, “This weekend? Like in less than three hours?”

  “The meeting is tomorrow, man. At eleven o’clock in the morning.”

  Damn.

  I whipped the phone away from my head and threw a quick glance at the time – barely 10:00 pm.

  “Can’t it be postponed?”

  “You know it can’t” Jack exclaimed in a high-pitched tone that was so unlike him that it almost made me smirk.

  “Fine.” I turned around to look at Amber, already devising ways to break the sad news that our weekend party had just been cut short. “And Jack? You better book a place for me, okay?”

  “Sure thing man! You’ll have the best hotel in Miami.”

  I’d trusted those last four words so much that when I booked a flight to Miami the next morning, I had no worries about my accommodation. In fact, I barely arrived in time for the meeting and had to send my luggage ahead of me, trusting in the ‘best hotel’ I was to be staying in. The meeting was concluded in a flash – the newly initiated investors laughed heartily, excited with the prospects of the deal they’d previously declined.

  “It’s all about the packaging, man. People won’t buy unless they can sell.” I told Jack when he asked how I’d done it, showing his due appreciation by getting me a drink.

  Finally, the time came for me to go to the hotel, freshen up, hit the clubs and continue the party I’d so ruthlessly ended for this meeting.

  With this vision in mind, I’d driven along the road. As soon as I saw the hotel, I’d thought “Classic”, smiling as I slowed down my Ferrari. This might not be such a bad idea after all.

  But then I went inside and found myself in the situation I was currently in.

  “So,” I said to the receptionist, placing a hand on my forehead, “you mean to say you don’t know where it is right now?”

  “We’re are deeply sorry sir and we hope to—”

  “That’s the same thing you said three minutes ago. Look,” I swallowed, suddenly feeling very fatigued, “I accept your apology and all. But I really need the keys to my room right now. My bags are already in there. I need my papers.”

  “Yes sir,” the receptionist, a demure-looking lady with her hair tied into a bun, clasped her hands before her and bowed, “But we are working to see where the mix-up occurred. You can perhaps take a seat at the lounge until we get this resolved?”

  Are they trying to shoo me away?

  Threatening to skyrocket, my annoyance reached a dangerous point. I was burdened not only by the tiredness piling up on me after the events of the day but also the stress of knowing that I needed to scan those documents which were currently in my bag.

  And one more thing… just how did these people manage to switch the room keys of two complete strangers?

  “So where is this ‘customer’? Can’t you call him to come over and get this sorted out?”

  Biting her lip, the receptionist cast a look at her partner, “Sir, we’ve been trying to reach that customer. It’s taking a bit longer than anticipated but rest assured that we will get your keys soon.”

  My phone buzzed, distracting my attention. I dug a hand into my pocket and whipped it out. Casting a quick glance at the Caller I.D., I saw that it was Jack.

  Perfect.

  Flicking a hand at the receptionist, I signaled that I would be going outside to receive the call. Frowning at the all-too-relieved expression on her face, I walked over to the entrance door, which was
pushed open by a doorman, and proceeded to step outside.

  I shivered a little from the cool evening air, whipping up the phone to my ear.

  “You and I both have very different definitions of a five-star hotel.”

  “What? What happened?”

  I gritted my teeth, letting out a laugh that I hoped came off sarcastic enough to sufficiently portray my present annoyance.

  But suddenly, a weight plowed into me from the side, making me stumble to the side and almost dropping my phone to the floor as a result.

  “Oh my God, I’m so sorry.” Hearing the soft female voice, the words which I previously planned to throw out in annoyance became still in my throat.

  “No, that’s fine, I— ”The bump had made her drop some papers and I immediately bent down to help her pick them, straining my eyes to see her face under the scarf she’d tied around her face. “Are you okay?”

  “What?” She raised her head as if she’d been absentminded. Even though the night was dark, I could see her eyes through the illumination from the countless bulbs positioned all around the hotel. And it was blue – calm, serene, yet wickedly electrifying blue.

  I swallowed.

  “Oh sorry,” She said again, chuckling nervously as she stood up, her papers clutched tight to her chest, and stretched out a hand, “Yes, I’m alright. Pretty much in one piece. Please, pardon my manners. I’m in a bit of a hurry, actually so…”

  She had a British accent… Interesting.

  “Oh no, I’m the one who should apologize.” I could see that she kept darting her eyes towards the hotel’s entrance and back, wringing her fingers.

  Anxious for a lover? I mused briefly as I stared at her, still entranced by those magnificent eyes of hers. I hadn’t even seen the rest of her face. Yet as the seconds passed, I got very curious.

  Who was she?

  Because of this curiosity, I decided to ignore the tiny fact that she could have a lover waiting for her inside that hotel. Stretching out a hand, I smiled, “Richard Immanuel.”

  “Oh.” She blinked, shuffling her papers to one hand and stretching out the other, “Rachel Ivy.” After a brief handshake which was regretfully obstructed by the gloves on her hands, she turned another anxious glance towards the hotel door, “I’m sorry, I really must leave now. Thank you so much.”

  As I watched her depart, I was hit with a sudden, strange sensation. I didn’t know what it was and I didn’t even dare bring the microscopic lens of self-reflection to truly see it. Still, I felt it. And it was really strange because I’d never experienced such a strange sensation before.

  It made me curious.

  Jack was still on the phone. The world was going by its own business. And the Presidential election would probably be held sometime that year. But as I stood in front of that not-a-five-star hotel, clenching my fist, I made a resolution.

  Even if I had to ransack the entire hotel, I would find Rachel Ivy, that woman with the soft, bewitching voice, the killer accent, the electrifying blue eyes – and find out exactly why she unsettled me so.

  Chapter Two

  Rachel

  Well… this is awkward.

  I swallowed as I clasped my wrists before me, keeping my eyes fixed on the red screen above showing the floor numbers... 4…5…6…7. Sighing, I bit my lip, wondering how I was going to survive being in this elevator for thirteen more floors.

  The reason for alarm wasn’t the fact that I just burst out of the conference I was attending, nearly running all the way back to the hotel as I realized that I had missed the bus. It wasn’t even because I still felt cold, despite the tight warmth of the elevator. No. All those were tiny, little and inconsequential when compared with the stunning fact that I was in an enclosed space, standing alone with what had to be the most handsome man I’d ever seen.

  “Uh…” I inhaled, nearly cutting off the circulation in my fingers as I turned around. My heart nearly stopped as I saw as him casually leaning against the corner of the elevator, his strong, muscular arms folded across his chest, his grey, magnetic eyes fixed on me.

  Words escaped me and I just stood there, mouth nearly on the floor, my heart not within my chest but most probably at his feet.

  “So, you’re a student?” He said suddenly, pushing himself off the wall and taking a step towards me.

  “Me? Uh… yes. I’m a graduate student actually, and I uh… I came here for uh…” Damn, why was it impossible to string a coherent sentence in front of this man?

  “Hmm, I see.” He said softly, his deep baritone voice travelling across the little distance between us, making my heart jolt and stirring something else, something hotter, deeper, and naughtier, within me.

  “I’m so sorry.” I clasped my hands together in front of me, blinking, hoping that my sincerity shined through much more than the unholy thoughts I was currently having, “I was in such a hurry to attend that conference that I didn’t even wait when I was told that the keys I took were not mine. It was not the receptionist’s fault. I shouldn’t have taken the keys out of here in the first place. I was so out of it and—”

  I stopped, noting the faint signs of mirth spreading across his face. His grey eyes, naturally so arresting, seemed to be smiling and he clenched his teeth, the corners of his lips slightly going up. He was trying to hide his laughter.

  Oh great. Now he thinks I’m a comedian?

  “Pardon me,” He coughed, taking yet another step towards me. My breath hitched. “But you apologize way too much. It’s a coincidence since our initials both happen to be R.I., and the receptionist already solved the mystery of the keys. It’s fine now,” He lowered his voice, looking into my eyes, “You don’t have to worry anymore.”

  Why do I feel like he’s suddenly talking about something else?

  “Uh…” I stammered, my heartbeat going faster than my brain can keep up. I didn’t know what to say to him. I, Rachel Ivy, a Stanford Graduate student, was suddenly turned to dust in the presence of this enigmatic stranger. And what did I know of him?

  Let’s see… His name is Richard; I’ve never met him before.

  And let’s not forget the fact that I took his keys earlier, locking him out of his room for hours.

  “I can’t just let it go like that.” I finally said, reaching up a hand to tuck in a strand of my blond hair which had somehow managed to escape from my head wrap, “I need to make it up to you somehow.”

  He quirked an eyebrow at that, his eyes once again shimmering as if they found something particularly funny. Smirking, he dug a hand into his jeans pocket just as the elevator dinged, signaling that it had finally reached the twentieth floor.

  “Be careful what you say, Miss.”

  “This is my stop.” I said, hurriedly stepping out. But then I found him walking out after me and paused, wondering if he was somehow planning to follow me.

  Then it hit me that his room was also on this floor. Pink with another bout of embarrassment, my cheeks fired up and I clenched my fingers, finally taking the wise decision to keep my lips tightly clamped shut.

  But he remained strangely silent, his eyes still fixed on me.

  “You know,” He began, walking so close that I could smell the deep musky scent coming off of him, “There is one way you can make it up to me. It’s only a matter of how willing you are.”

  “W-what are you talking about?” He towered over my meager five-foot-two frame and I had to raise my head to look at him. This put me in a position where I had no choice but to stare deep into those eyes of his, my heartbeat racing.

  He smiled, slowly, and raised his hand, softly brushing it against my cheek. The contact sent a jolt of electricity through me and I gasped, shocked, my eyelids fluttering.

  “Spend the weekend with me.”

  I widened my eyes, the haze of seduction around me loosening a bit. Taking a step back, I exclaimed, “What? Why? I-”<
br />
  “Shh,” He softly shushed me, stepping forward as he brought his hand to my face once more, “You can’t tell me I’m the only one who feels the sparks here.” The rough pad of his thumb slinked down my cheeks and rested on my upper lip, “It’s only for one weekend and only if you want to. Say the word and I’ll go away.”

  “But we barely know each other.” At this point, my chest was on fire, and that deep-seated monster of desire reared its head within me, making my voice so breathless it was nearly inaudible.

  “True.” He came closer still, his warm breath fanning my face, “But that’s another reason to spend the weekend together… getting to know each other.”

  Anyone who knew me would call me nothing short of a bookworm. Heck, I’d blazed through high-school, college, and most other points in my life with barely a care for anything but my academics. I even missed prom because I was preparing for a national competition. Still, the satisfaction of achieving my dreams couldn’t blot out that hole that grew wider through the years – the gnawing desire to be free and do reckless, silly, even stupid things.

  And now, in the most unthinkable ways, fate brought me to this stranger – a man who made me heart stop with just a smile.

  What would it be like to say yes? To not think about anything, but seeing more of him, tasting of this forbidden jar he placed so readily before me.

  He seemed to take my consent as agreement because he lowered his head and brought our lips… together.

  It was a contact so electrifying it made my knees weak. I gasped, leaning against him and he deepened the kiss, his strong muscular arms coming around me, trapping me in a cocoon so warm I never wanted to be free of it.

  Sliding his hands up, he caressed my body clad in the winter garb, bringing it up to my neck and digging the fingers into my hair. He whispered something about his room being a few steps away and I nodded, my hands already waging a war with the buttons on his coat.

  Shuffling across the hallway, our mouths still connected, we came to a door. Not bothering to look at the number, I grasped his neck, pulling him closer towards me as he backed me up against the wall. After fiddling around for his keys, he got the door open.