Love on the Rocks (Hawaii Billionaire Romance) Read online

  Love on the Rocks

  Hawaii Billionaire Romance

  Jennifer Youngblood

  Sandra Poole

  Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Free Book

  Book Excerpt of The Protective One

  Book excerpt of Silver Cascade Secrets

  Also by Jennifer Youngblood & Sandra Poole

  About the Authors

  Copyright © 2016 by Jennifer Youngblood

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Arbor House Books arborhousebooks.com

  Visit Jennifer’s blog at jenniferyoungblood.com

  Cover design by Patrick Youngblood

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  Prologue

  Christopher Silvers checked his Apple Watch. It was 1:00 a.m. The meeting would take place in less than an hour. He pulled his black windbreaker tighter around him, fighting off a shiver from the dank, New York City air. It seeped into his bones like a slow-acting tranquilizer that would numb his senses if he let it. He shifted his position in an attempt to get his blood flowing. He had to remain sharp for what lay ahead. For the past three hours, he’d been scoping out the area surrounding the empty warehouse to make sure there were no unexpected surprises from Rico. As far as he could tell, all was good … so far.

  There were so many facets of this deal that could go wrong. Still, if he played his cards right, he would soon have two of the most famous paintings in the world in his possession. Not only would he be a very rich man, he would be doing what few others had the prowess to do—brokering a deal for a Vermeer which vanished from the known world when it was stolen from Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in 1990. Procuring the impossible was Christopher’s specialty. It had taken him two long years to track down the whereabouts of the Vermeer. He found it housed in a private collection, belonging to the owner of a string of grocery stores and food manufacturing companies. In a strange twist of fate, the Vermeer was a mere ten miles from the museum where it was stolen sixteen years ago. Not only did the food tycoon have the Vermeer, he also had a Rembrandt stolen during the same robbery, entitled The Storm on the Sea of Galilee.

  Christopher’s blood pumped like a piston through his veins when he saw a black van pull up to the warehouse. Rico was supposed to come alone, but he’d brought his brother Joey and another man Christopher didn’t recognize. No surprise there. Rico was a double-crossing snake. A rivulet of sweat trickled between his shoulder blades as he touched the pistol tucked in his belt—his backup, in case Rico tried to pull anything funny. His gut had told him it was unwise to get Rico involved, but he’d needed Rico’s expertise with high-tech security systems, in order to pull off the heist. And the payout was too large to pass up. Each painting was worth an estimated 50 million dollars. Christopher already had the channels in place that would allow him to sell the Vermeer. He would keep the Rembrandt for a couple of years … until things cooled down. Then he would sell it too.

  He gripped the briefcase of money as he walked stealthily to the rendezvous point, glancing over his shoulder to make sure he wasn’t being followed. As he entered the warehouse, he saw Rico standing behind a table in the center. There was a single light bulb hanging down from the ceiling, casting a halo around Rico. Everything else in the warehouse was black. The empty space seemed to close in around Christopher as he stepped up to the table. He felt naked and exposed. Rico’s men were hiding somewhere in this warehouse, and he was sure they’d brought guns. His only hope was to go along with the charade until he got the paintings.

  Rico was the first to speak. “You have the dough?”

  Christopher’s eyes went to the cardboard tube Rico was holding. “You have the paintings?”

  Rico pulled the paintings from the tube. He placed them on the table and smoothed them out, so Christopher could inspect them. It would take more than the fleeting minutes he had to do a complete authentication. But from what Christopher could tell, they appeared to be real. He placed the briefcase on the table and opened it, revealing stacks of cash. “Three million. Just as we agreed.” He reached for the paintings. “It’s been a pleasure doing business with you.”

  “Do you think I’m stupid, Hollywood? Strolling in here with your fancy clothes and pretty face.”

  Christopher tensed. “What’re you talking about?”

  “You pay me a measly three mil, knowing these painting are worth twenty times that.”

  “We had a deal.” Christopher had known how this was going to end, the minute he saw Rico pull up to the warehouse with his goons. He should’ve shot them then and avoided the hassle. The only reason he didn’t was because he wanted to be sure they’d brought the paintings. “You know what your problem is, Rico? For all your expertise in theft, you’re just a two-bit thug, who’s never really gotten out of the ghetto. We could’ve exchanged the paintings for the money and gone our separate ways. Everyone would’ve come out a winner.”

  “There’s only one winner here, Silvers.” Rico waved a hand. Joey stepped out from behind a stack of boxes, holding a gun. The other man stepped from the opposite side, also armed.

  “Game’s over,” Rico smirked. “Hand over the money, and we’ll let you live.”

  Christopher’s senses went on hyper alert, preparing him for the inevitable. “And the paintings?”

  “We’ll keep those too.”

  A hard line formed over Christopher’s lips. “So that’s how it’s gonna be?” His voice took on a taunting edge. “You won’t be able to unload the paintings without incriminating yourself. It took me six months and a lifetime worth of connections to arrange the sale of the Vermeer. Do you really think you can simply announce it to the world and sell it to the highest bidder?”

  “I’ll take my chances. Face it, Silvers, you’ve been outplayed.”

  Christopher’s shoulders sagged in defeat as he put the briefcase on the table.

  “Now, back away,” Rico ordered. “Hands up.”

  “You’ll regret this,” Christopher muttered.

  He grunted. “I don’t think so.”

  Christopher ran the scenario through his mind. The instant he grabbed the paintings, they would start shooting. He’d worn a bulletproof vest, so he had some protection. But if they shot him in the head, it would all be over. All he had working for him was the element of surprise. Time seemed suspended as Christopher whipped the gun from his belt and started firing. He dropped the big guy with the first shot. Gunshots popped around him like exploding tin cans as his instinct took over. He turned to Joey and began firing. Joey cursed and fell to the ground, clutching his chest.

  “I’m bleeding!” he screamed in disbelief. “Rico. He shot me!”

  Rico drew his gun, but Christopher was faster. He
pressed the gun to Rico’s forehead. His voice cracked like thunder. “Drop it.”

  Rico swore, then complied. Christopher stepped around the table and kicked the gun out of reach. “On your knees.”

  Joey started sputtering and coughing. “I’m dying,” he cried, his panicked voice echoing around the empty warehouse. “Rico, I’m dying!”

  Malice flashed in Rico’s snaky eyes. “You won’t get away with this, Silvers.”

  The threat sent a sliver of fear running down Christopher’s spine. Then his eyes narrowed to hard slits. “The minute I walk out of this warehouse, Christopher Silvers will cease to exist. I’m a ghost. The ghost you tried to double cross, you swine.”

  “Wherever you go, I’ll come after you. There’s nowhere you can hide.”

  “Then I’d better make sure that doesn’t happen.” He pointed the gun and pulled the trigger. Then he grabbed the paintings, the briefcase and fled.

  Chapter 1

  Maurie and Liam walked side by side along the beach that lined the Turtle Bay Resort on the North Shore. A slight breeze stirred the evening air, and the waves lapped gently against the shore in the sure, steady rhythm of a mother rocking her baby to sleep. It was one of those picture-perfect evenings that tourists lived for, but Maurie hardly noticed it. Her insides churned with apprehension, and all she could think about was how that in less than twenty-four hours, Liam was getting married to another woman. She really shouldn’t be this upset. After all, she was dating Cooper, a fantastic guy who was crazy about her. In her heart of hearts, she knew she would always care about Liam, but she had no hope of him making a lasting commitment. So she’d done the practical thing and moved on. At least she thought she had, until this moment. She shrugged off the unpleasant thought. She wasn’t jealous that Liam was marrying another woman, simply worried about his well-being. Dani Fairchild, Liam’s fiancée, was more than ten years his junior. And any fool could see she was immature and not ready to settle down. Well, any fool except Liam could see it. Unfortunately, Liam was too awestruck to see anything clearly right now because Dani needed him. No, that wasn’t exactly correct. Dani needed Liam’s emotional support and money. And that was an intoxicating mix Liam found impossible to resist. He had an insatiable need to be needed. The more vulnerable the woman, the more Liam liked her.

  Maurie had always prided herself in being self-sufficient, but she suspected her fierce independence was one of the obstacles that kept Liam and her apart. That and the fact that they were business partners. Liam was an artist, and she was his agent. Thanks to her, Liam’s paintings were selling well throughout the world. If things continued as they were, it wouldn’t be long before his success surpassed any other artist in the Hawaiian Islands. She’d spent the last ten years building the ladder of success and had pushed Liam straight to the top.

  A long time ago, Liam had attempted to pursue her, but she’d yanked out the roots of the romance long before they had a chance to bloom. She’d been consumed with building the business and was leery of having a romantic relationship with her business partner. But that was years ago, and things had changed. She and Liam were the best of friends. They shared confidences, enjoyed the same things, had a common interest in art.

  From the get-go, she was captivated by the authenticity and uniqueness of Liam’s art, but she couldn’t pinpoint the moment when she started having feelings for him personally. It came on gradually, like a flower opening its petals to the sun. By the time she realized what was happening, she was smitten. The worst part was—Liam was a player who wouldn’t understand the meaning of the word commitment if it hit him on the head. Which is why she was shocked that he was actually getting married. When Liam first met Dani, she was staying in the condo next-door to Liam and caught his eye. He asked Dani to pose for a painting. Fast forward a year, and here they were on the eve of his wedding.

  It about killed Maurie when she realized Liam was getting serious with Dani. She spent the first couple of weeks brooding over it. Then good sense took over, and she decided to stop putting her life on hold, holding out for some fantasy that was never going to happen. She started dating Cooper Manning, a broker who’d helped her get Liam’s art into galleries across Asia. Cooper was an amazing guy, and he seemed crazy about her. For the first time in years, she was happy. Still, she couldn’t stand by and watch Liam make the biggest mistake of his life without raising a warning flag.

  She glanced at him, hating to start an argument, but the words needed to be said. “I just don’t understand why you’re rushing things. Why don’t you postpone the wedding for a few months? You know, to make sure you’re compatible … that sort of thing.”

  He blew out a breath. “Not this again.”

  “I think you’re jumping the gun. If it’s truly right with Dani, then waiting a few months won’t hurt a thing.”

  He looked thoughtful, like he was really listening to her. Hope rose in Maurie’s breast when she saw hesitation cloud his eyes. Then he shook his head, running a hand through his wavy hair. “The wedding’s tomorrow. Dani’s picking up her mom at the airport as we speak. It’s not possible to postpone things.”

  “Of course it’s possible.” She clenched her fist. “This is your life we’re talking about. If you have any reservations at all, then you need to postpone.”

  He stopped in his tracks and turned to her. “I didn’t say I had any reservations. Those were your words.” His eyes searched hers. “What’s going on? Are you okay?”

  She forced a smile. “Yeah, I’m just worried about you.”

  His expression softened. “You’re so good to me, love. But you needn’t worry. Dani and I are happy together.”

  She was unprepared for the wave of sadness that pummeled over her—an undertow that would pull her under and drown her if she let it. Her expression went hard as she let out a derisive laugh. “Happy, huh?” She shook her head. “You’re not happy, you’re delusional. Dani doesn’t love you. Not really. All you are to her is a meal ticket.”

  Liam drew in a sharp breath. “That’s not true. You’re out of line.”

  Maurie looked him in the eye. “I’m not trying to hurt you, but you need to hear the truth.”

  His jaw tensed. “And what truth is that?”

  “You’re too old for Dani. She’s young and immature, and she’ll break your heart.” Even as she spoke the words, Maurie cringed at the wounded look that overcame Liam’s face. Her first instinct was to run a hand along those angular features she knew so well to smooth out the tension.

  “Why would you say something like that?”

  Her mouth went dry. “Because it’s the truth.” She gave him a sad smile. “You know me, Liam. I have only your best interest at heart—I always have. The only reason I’m saying these things is because I’m worried.” She couldn’t stop her eyes from misting.

  A look of surprise flittered over his features. “You really do care.”

  She shrugged. “Yeah.”

  “But I thought …”

  She touched his arm. “You thought what?”

  The air between them grew electric, and she got the feeling he was seeing her for the first time. Then, in the time it took to draw in a breath, things were back to normal. “Nevermind.” He touched a strand of her hair. “Hey, nothing will change between us. You know that, right? No matter what, we’ll always be close. You’re my best friend.” His voice caught. “I couldn’t imagine you not being part of my life.”

  A lump formed in her throat. Normally, she considered Liam’s naivety endearing. At the moment, however, it was frustrating. Everything would change when he got married. Dani would officially be his top priority, and Maurie would be forever placed on the friend shelf. It hit her then how grateful she was that she’d taken the plunge and started dating Cooper. Otherwise, the pain of losing Liam would be too much to bear. Cooper was good-looking, charming, successful—an all-around great catch—and he was crazy about her. Perhaps, in time, she’d be able to extinguish lingering
feelings for Liam. She would simply focus on Cooper to help ease her through the rough patch. In fact, she was going out with Cooper tomorrow afternoon, instead of the wedding. Liam would be disappointed when he realized she wasn’t there, but she couldn’t stand the thought of watching him get married.

  Liam’s phone buzzed. He reached in his pocket. “Sorry, I have to take this. Dani … did you get your mother picked up … good … I’m glad all went well. I’ll meet you back at the condo, then we can get some dinner. Goodbye, love.” He ended the call. “Dani and I are taking her mom to dinner. Samantha and Finn are joining us.”

  Samantha was Dani’s older sister. When Liam had first met Samantha, she was engaged to his next-door neighbor, Anthony. That ended disastrously when Samantha fell in love with Finn, her surf instructor (really a software developer turned billionaire). Some girls have all the luck! “How are the lovebirds?”

  “Samantha and Finn are great. Ever since their wedding, it seems like they’ve been on a six-month-long honeymoon. I keep waiting for them to come back down to earth, but that’s not going to happen anytime soon.”

  “It must be nice to find that perfect someone,” Maurie said dryly.

  Liam gave her a quizzical look. “But what about Cooper? To hear you talk, the two of you sound pretty cozy. When am I going to meet him in person?”

  “We’ll have to plan something when you get back from your honeymoon.”

  “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’ve been hiding him from me. So things are going well?”

  Over the years, Maurie had fine-tuned her radar to pick up Liam’s slightest nuances. The tinge of jealousy in his voice was pleasing. That meant he cared … a little. “Not hiding him. And yeah, things are going great,” she said flatly.

  “But?”

  “But, I don’t want to talk about it.”

  “Are the two of you getting serious?”