The Playboy Billionaire (The Romero Brothers, Book 3) Read online

  “What?” Zack could not believe his ears. For the first time, his lobes burned as if ice frost had bitten them. “No sex?” Zack chuckled humorlessly in spite of himself. “You’re telling me when I can be with a woman? This is ridiculous!” Zack began to pace as he fumed.

  Zack never slept around. No way in hell. But he always had a "girlfriend" for at least six months. He always treated his women well and let them know the deal up front. He wasn’t in it for the long run. They knew it and they wanted to be with him, just the same. Sex was a four or five times a week pleasure for him, at the least. Sometimes four times in a day, depending on his current babe. Heck, he was a healthy, fit man who worked hard as hell. Having a healthy mutually-beneficial sex life with his current woman was a huge deal in his life. If he couldn’t have it for a period of time—like say a month—he wouldn’t be able to sleep well at night. He loved women.

  He showered them with anything they desired and showed them a real good time—treating them like the goddesses they were. He expressed his emotions more with his actions not words. To him, sex was love in motion. Seducing the right woman was his thing. He loved the way the physical contact drove up his body’s oxytocin levels in his brain. The feel-good drug. Sex to Zack was a fundamental necessity. Toni was asking his grandson to starve himself of much needed affection the entire month? Was Toni going insane? Or did he want Zack to go there?

  Of all the crazy, ridiculous, unreasonable things his grandfather had schemed in the past, this was the lowest and most insane. He did not…could not believe he was having this conversation with his old grandfather. This had to be the worst thing a man could listen to, next to his father wanting to have “the talk” with him.

  Zack Romero was a grown man, for heaven’s sake. An affluent businessman and influential citizen. He didn’t need to take this from anyone. Not even the patriarch of the Romero dynasty.

  Toni sighed deeply again, pain reflected in his eyes. This must have been hard for him but it was Zack who was feeling the sucker punch to his gut like an iron fist striking his flesh. “I’m sorry, Zack, but I still have voting power in the estate and am head of the board. If I find out that you have not done what I think is best for you, then I will have no choice but to suggest your removal from the board.”

  CHAPTER TWO

  Blue Monroe fiddled with the cream-colored cotton vest as she pulled it over her head and secured it over her curves. The darn thing was a little too snug, she observed looking into her full-length mirror in the bedroom of her apartment.

  “You do realize that’s the third change of clothes you’ve done in the last ten minutes, right?” Blue's eighteen-year-old sister, Courtney, teased her. Courtney stood in the doorway with her hands on her hips and a playful scowl on her face. “You really like this guy, don’t you?”

  “Courtney!” Blue turned to face her sister. “That’s not fair. I’m just trying to make a positive impression. You know how badly we need this work.”

  Courtney rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah, sure. Whatever. You like him!”

  “No. I don’t like him. And he certainly doesn’t like me. I just hope he gives me the job.”

  “But I thought you already had the job. You said that rich guy Toni Romero hired you, didn’t he?”

  “Courtney, he’s not some rich guy. He’s the founder of the Romero Corporation and Realty. His grandson heads the winery and vineyard and pretty much nurtured it from the ground up to what it is today. He told me he wanted me to film the documentary, but Zack, his grandson, has the final say.”

  “Oh. Well, I’m sure he’ll like you.”

  “Courtney, it’s not about him liking me as I want him to understand what my company can do for his image. This is the first real gig for my new production company.” Blue swallowed hard. It sure was the break she was looking for. She was fired from Channel 31 News after her conniving ex-boyfriend played a cruel joke on her and stole her cell phone and used it to record a private conversation between the Romero family some time last year in their boardroom. He was getting back at her for ending their tumultuous relationship as kindly as she could. He was emotionally abusive and Blue was sure she did the right thing. But what did he do? Set her up to get fired! Ugh. The recording showed up online and the rest, as they say, was history. She was just glad that Toni Romero, although his grandsons were harsh towards her, forgave her in regards to the scandal.

  Blue had accumulated a lot of enemies during her time working at Channel 31. She was an investigative reporter, her first real job after graduation from the Communications and Media Studies program at the college. She had a tough time trying to prove herself. She ended up getting the worst assignments. Like uncovering racketeering schemes from organized crimes and worse, intervening in marriages by exposing cheating politicians. One in particular, a powerful ex-Senator Ryan Aitkin who was up for some lifetime achievement award, was the absolute crud assignment. She knew he was a cheat. The man was as slimy as they came. Blue shuddered at the thought. But now, word got out he was out to get her for trying to ruin his reputation. As if SHE ruined it. Yeah, right.

  She reluctantly took the story about Aitkin having an affair with a female subordinate in his office and an intern, on another occasion. His poor wife. Still, meddling in private affairs just wasn’t what gave Blue oomph for life. She wanted out of it. Being fired was probably a blessing in disguise. Now she could start her own business. A small production company called Blue Monroe Productions. It was a simple title but it worked. Her name happened to be unique so she didn’t mind using it.

  “Shouldn’t you be heading to class now?”

  “It’s summer school.”

  “But you have an exam today, right?”

  “I know. I studied hard last night and during the past few weeks thanks to your whip-cracking.”

  Blue grinned. “You’re a smart girl, Courtney. I know I push you hard but education opens the doors to a lot of wonderful things in life. Education and knowledge are the gateway to achievement.” The tears almost welled up in her eyes.

  Their parents fought so hard to give them good educations. Extremely hard. They’d sacrificed everything. And now look where they were.

  “And pray for me that I do get this assignment with Zack Romero and his winery. Your fall tuition is due soon, isn’t it? August?”

  “Yeah. I know. Look, Blue. You’ve done so much for me already. I can always get a job and work for a year before heading to college, you know?”

  “No. Absolutely not!” Blue was adamant. She flung her jacket over her arm and grabbed her bag and keys from the countertop. “You are going to college this year not next year, even if it kills me. I’ll come up with the fees. Don’t you worry. Okay?” Blue reassured, her voice almost on the verge of cracking. Courtney was a brave one. So brave but she knew it wasn’t easy for them. They had to get by on what they had.

  “But you’ve got the rent to pay and the production expenses with your equipment and stuff.”

  “Don’t worry about me, Court. I’ll be fine. Besides, my office is in my kitchen. I can use the studio at the college to do final production. I’ve still got my contacts there. Now go. Go and ace that mid-term exam!”

  Courtney smiled and gave her sister a firm hug. “And go get that hottie,” she teased her older sister and winked.

  “Not funny, Courtney. Not funny at all. Besides, I’ve got to be going. I’m going to see Mom and Dad first then I’m going to the appointment. I’ve still got an hour and a half.”

  “You’re going to visit Mom and Dad, today?”

  “Yes, today. It’s Mom’s…birthday.”

  “I know.” Courtney said quietly before grabbing her jacket and her backpack. She wore blue jeans and a white plain t-shirt with her sandals.

  “I’ll give you a ride to school. Come on, let’s go.”

  * * *

  Twenty minutes after Blue dropped Courtney at the high school parking lot to go into her summer school class, she drove off to a l
ocal florist. When she walked through the door, the door chime sounded. “Hey, my favorite customer,” the owner cheerfully greeted her.

  “Mr. Lockwin, you say that about all your customers,” she playfully dismissed the man.

  “Maybe, but I only mean it for some! Here to pick out a nice bunch for your mom, right.”

  “How did you know?”

  “I always remember her birthday. She’s a nice lady, she is.”

  Blue’s heart beat raced. A nervous beat entered her body. “Yes. Very nice.”

  She chose a beautiful lilac arrangement. Her mother's favorite.

  After driving up north towards the Romero Winery and Estate she stopped off to drop off her mother’s bouquet.

  Nervously, she opened the gate. “Why do you and Dad have to be here? It’s so not fair.” Blue wished in her heart that she didn’t have to visit her parents at a place like this. She walked a few steps and stopped. The summer breeze blowing through her hair. Her breath stopped momentarily. This was hard. In reality, it was never going to be easy. She knelt beside the tall marble gravestone with a beautiful picture of her mother and father secured inside the stone with the words: Mom and Dad. Forever loved.

  Their parents were taken from them so suddenly. It wasn’t fair. They were both killed in a deadly fire that was originally suspected to be the result of arson. The kids were away at the time. The pain gripping Blue’s heart was unbearable. But she would be brave. She could do this.

  She kissed the marble stone where they were buried together underneath, coffin over coffin in a grave for two. She placed the flowers in front. “Happy birthday, Mom!” An ache lodged in her throat. “Hey, Dad!” she whispered, pain evident. “Courtney and I are fine. We’re going to be just fine. Please pray for us up there, that all goes well with…I know you’re both looking over us. I love you. Forever.”

  With those words, Blue left the Pine Berry Cemetery and walked towards her car. But oddly, she heard shuffling behind one of the trees. Was it the strong summer breeze? Or her imagination? Why did she get the sinking feeling she was being watched? This unnerved her very much. She wouldn’t dare tell Courtney what was going on but for the last few weeks, she’d been taunted. Not just taunted but harassed. Her cell phone received a multitude of harassing phone calls and hang ups from an unknown number. Blue turned her head in both directions and looked far beyond the many rows of tombstones in the cemetery. She drew in a deep breath.

  It was probably just her imagination. Who would follow her here?

  CHAPTER THREE

  Zack heaved the heavy weights off his muscular chest and replaced them on the bar. He sat up on the bench press seat, breathing deeply after an accelerated exercise regime. After bench pressing a hefty two-hundred-and-sixty pounds of iron weights, he was done with his late morning workout.

  Turbulent thoughts raced through his mind. The weights on the barbell were nothing compared to the weight on his shoulders. His thoughts raced dangerously as he considered the future of his winery enterprise and all that he’d worked for to create viable employment and a future for young entrepreneurs who needed a boost in life, like the one he and his brothers were fortunate to receive.

  Just then his cell phone vibrated. It was Jen, his latest girl. Well, actually, his latest ex-girlfriend. They called it quits a few days ago. He couldn’t answer the phone. But his voicemail came on. He pressed the button to listen.

  “Hey, sweetie,” the husky voice sounded on the recorder. “I know we’re supposed to be uh, not seeing each other right now, but, hmmm, I want you, Zack. Now! Please call me back. I’ll meet you anywhere, baby…” she cooed into the phone.

  Zack grimaced, pain shooting through his gut. He groaned thinking of the time when he sat at his desk and she sat underneath his desk deep throating him. Something she loved to do. It was her idea to get all kinky in the office during a lunch break. It caught him by pleasant surprise the first time she did that to him.

  “One month?” Thirty days of no physical contact with a woman? Was his grandfather out of his ever-loving mind? He couldn’t wait until those four weeks were up to prove he could do anything he put his mind to. He was a true Romero. Romero men were tough as hell and could do the impossible.

  Zack read somewhere that although it’s average to have sex with your partner three times a week, one in five people were having sex less than once a month. Well, typically, he was never in that statistic but…one month of no sex shouldn’t be hard. He was a man who could master his emotions and control his libido—if need be. It was going to be hard as hell but, surely, he could do it.

  That was nothing, Zack thought to himself bitterly as he dried the sweat off his face with the towel in his hand. He could do better than that. Zack was a man who was known for his strength and his stamina both in the boardroom and outside the corporate world. He could do anything he set his mind to. He never lost a bet yet. And this was about his dream, his future, the very essence of who he was. So, the old man wanted him to control himself? Fine. He’d do just that.

  Carl entered the Romero private gym with his workout gear and walked over to Zack who was making his way over to the shower.

  “Hey, how did the rest of the meeting go with Granddad?”

  “Not good.”

  “No?”

  “Nope. He wants me to stay sex free for the next month.”

  Carl grinned at first. Then he could not help himself and burst into a full-blown, hearty laugh.

  “Hey, that’s not even remotely funny, bro.” Zack cocked a brow, slinging the towel over his shoulder.

  “I’m laughing with you, Zack, not at you.”

  “You know the funny thing about that statement is I’m not even laughing,” Zack answered with a humorless expression. “I’m going to hit the shower. I’ve got a business to run, a tour to do and a young woman to fire.”

  “You mean that Blue Monroe chick?”

  “Yes.”

  “You can’t do that, Zack. You know that would tick off the old man.”

  “That’s not my problem. He should not have hired her during the preliminary interview without my final say. I just don’t think she would be suitable for the job.”

  “You're gonna go with that, huh? Come on, Zack.”

  “Hey, don’t you have to go into the city for that meeting with the investors?”

  “The manager of the firm will handle it. I’m giving her more control of the business so I can focus more on civic duties.”

  “Oh, no. You’re still not thinking about running for mayor, are you?”

  “You know it’s been my dream to make a difference, Zack.”

  “Aren’t we all making a difference?”

  “Yes. But politics is where my heart is. By the way, if I never told you before. I’m really proud of you, man.”

  “For what?”

  “For all you’re doing. You’ve really turned this vineyard thing around. Not only have to nailed the market but you’ve turned it into a lucrative deal for young entrepreneurs and future winery businesses. The National News made you out to be some hero, you know.”

  “Really?” Zack kept abreast of industry news through his assistants but he’d specifically asked them not to tell him about gossip the press may have on him. He chose to ignore critics concerning his personal life. It just wasn’t worth getting worked up about, just in case.

  “Yeah, they said you created more jobs, not just in the industry but related to the industry. Some economic growth impact. Good job, bro. You’re not as bad as you want us to believe,” Carl teased him.

  Zack rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Don’t work out those muscles too much in your head,” Zack joked back.

  “Yeah. Whatever.”

  After Zack showered and changed into another suit, he left to go to the winery building and vineyard on the estate. It was a cool midsummer day, the cloudless blue sky glowed over the vineyard. He paused when he saw a white Ford sedan pull up by the gate.

  Th
at must be his guest ... who would soon be leaving.

  Blue got out of her car unaware Zack was watching her. She seemed to be having trouble with her skirt. It was a snug fitting gray skirt that was riding up on her. A grin of amusement touched his lips. He leaned back in the office gazing at her.

  My God! The woman was…lovely. Damn!

  He had met her on many occasions casually whenever she was sent by her news station to cover events hosted by his family. He’d also seen her up close at the house when she came to apologize personally for her cell phone being used to record the private conversation of his brother and grandfather. A heaviness centered on his chest at the thought of that invasion—though she claimed it wasn’t her fault. Don't they all?

  Blue closed the door of her car and went to the trunk to grab some equipment. She made her way up the stone pathway leading to the vineyard.

  Hmm. The woman had one heck of a figure. She was shapely as sin, too. Her smooth, black, below-her-shoulders hair swayed to the smooth rhythm of the summer breeze. Her beautiful, deeply-tanned complexion was exotic and pleasing on the eyes. She was stunning. Damn! He wanted to know what it would feel like to brush his fingers against that delicious caramel-tanned skin of hers.

  Zack felt himself getting aroused. Not good. Not good at all. A bad sign. Zack took full note of her shapely legs and naughty thoughts crossed his mind of those slender legs wrapped tightly around his waist as he pleasured the woman to oblivion.

  Zack was known to make a woman scream out his name while forgetting her own name during a passionate night of pure erotic love-making.

  He squeezed his eyes shut momentarily then opened them up. He had to get a hold of himself. He was on a celibate run right now, anyway. Besides, he had to fire this woman. He was going to let her down gently of course.