by S. M. West
It’s a notification from the security firm watching Joel Hummel. He may be out of jail and free—for now—but I’ve been keeping tabs on him. I promised to ensure he doesn’t come anywhere near Paige. At all costs.
We even have a peace bond, the equivalent to a restraining order, on him and while useless, in my opinion, I want it on record she has taken every measure to keep him away from her. The text indicates Joel just got off the subway and is walking toward her office building. Fuck.
I get in the elevator, on my way to the car, while trying to reach Paige, but she doesn’t answer my first two calls. I’ve no clue what I did to piss her off and right now, I’m losing patience.
In between trying to get a hold of Paige, I send a terse reply to the security firm indicating Hummel isn’t to get anywhere near her, no matter what. By the time my driver gets us minutes from her office, I’m ready to lose my shit and in what feels like my hundredth attempt, I dial Paige.
“Hello. Zach, my phone is dying.” Her voice is clipped. “I’ve got less than five percent.”
“Where are you?” Concern wraps my clipped words.
“I’m in an Uber on my way back to the office. Why?”
“Don’t go to the office.” My well-intentioned order is a mistake and I should have taken another approach. She doesn’t like someone telling her what to do on a good day but for some reason, today I’m in her bad book. Anything I say will likely cause her to do the opposite.
“I don’t—” Her voice dies and I pull the phone from my ear.
“Paige? Hello?”
We’re no longer connected and when I call again, the phone goes straight to voicemail. Her battery must be dead.
“Dammit.” Jamming the phone into my pocket, I look out the window at the very moment we’re pulling up in front of the building.
One of the men from the security firm working for me stands on the sidewalk, scanning left and right of the building. When he sees me, he advances with a handshake. “Mr. Rothwell, Mike Piers. Hummel’s in the lobby. Larry’s on him.” He nods to a tall bald man shadowing the landlord, close enough to grab him but far enough for Hummel to take no note of him.
“And Ms. Hayes?” I now survey the front of the building, awaiting her arrival.
“We haven’t got eyes on her and we called the office. She isn’t there.”
Nodding, I glance toward Hummel again when a flash of long brown hair causes me to do a double take. Paige walks into the building through the side entrance.
“Shit.” I stride toward the front doors at the same time Mike lunges from his position.
“Stay here. I’ve got this,” I bark, striding purposefully into the building, holding my hand up in a stop sign to the other guy, Larry, who is also ready to pounce.
Paige doesn’t notice me. She’s frozen in place, having spotted Hummel. It’s subtle but I catch it right away. Hummel barrels toward her, no sign of the mousy man we’ve both seen to this point, and I hustle to get between them before he can do any damage.
With me blocking his way to Paige, the asshole is smart enough to stop advancing on her. Confused, he takes a few beats to place my face. Joel Hummel knows who I am. I’ve deliberately attended most of the meetings between our lawyers and he’s been there too. Recognition dawns when his brow furrows and eyes widen.
Paige releases my name on a quiet exhale and I spare her a single glance, barely a second because I can’t be derailed by the sight of her. The days away from her have unleashed a longing I never knew was possible and the glance is enough to stoke the raging fire within me.
She gifts me a small, shaky smile as her arms fold around her middle in an uncharacteristically nervous way and I reassure her with a confident smile of my own.
“You’re in violation of the peace bond.” I glare at him while the taller of the two security guys starts dialing what I hope is the police.
“That fucking bitch is ruining my life.” His oily face reddens with each word and he inches closer.
“You stay the fuck away from her. All communication is to be done through the lawyers.” I’m loud for the benefit of those listening and I’m too generous in trying to use logic with this guy.
But I am fully aware of the building security starting to take note and the people staring. We have witnesses and Hummel won’t get to play the victim because someone reads the situation incorrectly. Although as of now, he’s shed himself of the stammering mealy-mouthed persona he’s clung to from the first day he met Paige.
His beady eyes narrow and his jaw tenses. “I’ve done nothing wrong, but I can’t rent my properties. I’ve had two tenants end their leases.”
I don’t bother to hide my growing smile. I’ve been busy making sure all his current and prospective tenants are fully aware of his charges and history and I’ve been smart to make sure none of it can be linked to Paige or me.
“She has nothing to do with any of that.” I step in closer to him and lower my voice. “Stay the fuck away from her or I promise you, I’ll make prison sound like a vacation.”
Jail time is a real threat with the charges brought against him although the duration will likely be an insult. I don’t even want to think about the possibility of him walking away with community service, a slap on the wrist, or worse, nothing.
As if he’s deaf or has a death wish, he bares his teeth and snarls, peering around me to get a good look at Paige.
“I might as well do something to the cunt for all the shit coming my way.” Spittle flies from his mouth and he jabs his finger in her direction.
She shudders behind me, releasing a strangled whimper, and I’m done with him. Taking another step toward him until we’re less than two feet apart, I scowl and sharpen my tongue.
“Let me make this really simple for you. I’m already your enemy and you have no clue what ruining your life looks like. You don’t want me any more pissed off than I already am. If you so much as think about her, I’ll make it my life’s mission to end you.”
Two police officers approach and I clear back as one takes Joel by the arm. He flinches and briefly resists. At first, I stay close, offering information and answering their questions. Then I motion for Mike to speak with the cops so I can go to Paige. She’s in a corner beside Larry and as if sensing my intentions, the man nods at me and then makes himself scarce.
My beautiful, wide-eyed girl.
I’m usually calm and in control, yet the days without seeing her have set me on edge, and Joel Hummel only added fuel to the fire. I’m no longer satisfied with laying eyes on her. I need to touch her—it’s the only thing to bring me any peace.
In three strides, I capture her face in my palms and kiss her. She pushes onto her toes, clinging to my biceps, and I vaguely make out the chatter of people around us as I plunder her mouth.
My tongue is hot and demanding and she melts into me. I adore her, worship her, and consume her with my mouth, more than relieved to know she’s safe and I got to her before any harm could be done.
“Thank you,” she says breathlessly, leaning into my body, flush and drunk on my kiss.
Twenty-Four
Zach
“Hello.” I dip my mouth to hers again.
This time, I restrain myself from going any further than a taste. We aren’t alone and if I pass the point of no return, I won’t be held responsible for taking her right now, in the lobby.
Her hair is tied back in a complicated braid like a fish tail and she’s dressed in a one-piece, wide-legged pantsuit. Tomato red and sleeveless, it is striking with her dark chocolate hair, eyes, and warm skin tone.
She runs her hands down my arms before stepping back with a frown. It deepens further and her fingers skim her pursed lips. My hand encircles her wrist and we stand staring at each other, something taut and heavy between us.
“Are you okay?”
“Um, sort of,” she says cryptically, and I’m unsettled.
“Tell me.” I bend my head to rest my head on hers.
>
“Thank you.” Her hands frame my face as her dark gaze roams mine in search of something. “I’m just really confused.”
“About what? Hummel?” It’s pretty obvious to me. He’s a predator and dangerous.
“No.” She looks over my shoulder toward the police, Hummel, and the others and then back to me. “Can we talk?”
“Of course.” Straightening, my large hand engulfs her petite one and we speak briefly to Mike and the police, ensuring they have what they need to arrest Hummel. Again, he’ll likely be out in twenty-four hours or so, but every bit counts in making our case against him.
Wordlessly, we head to the car idling at the front of the building, my driver holding the back door open. The pads of my fingers skim the silky skin of her back as I nudge her ahead of me into the car and she trembles. Her back is bare save for a thread-like string tied at her neck.
Jesus Christ.
Gorgeous. Her back is exposed. Braless. Her skin smooth and soft.
All I can think about is her naked beneath me, one of my hands wrapped around her hair, and my pleasure at stroking her bare back while I take her from behind.
She slides into the car and I quickly follow suit, the door closing behind me. Alone at last. Before I can comment on her outfit, she begins, “I’m sure you figured out I wasn’t too happy with you this morning.” She nibbles at her bottom lip.
I chuckle and nod. “It wasn’t lost on me. I got the message loud and clear.”
She inches farther away from me, her back now resting against the car door. “I really am grateful for what you did out there but I have to ask…Why’d you tell Donovan about our arrangement? Or better yet, why didn’t you tell me he knew?”
“What? I didn’t tell him.” He’s the last person I’d confide in about anything, especially our deal.
“Then how did he know our relationship is fake?” She starts to curl into herself and I nab her wrist gently, pulling her toward me. Suddenly her behavior earlier today is beginning to make a whole lot of sense.
“He told you that?” I sift through past conversations with him, trying to figure out how this is possible.
Walker knows about my trust and the deal—he figured it out when he first met Paige—but he’d never tell Donovan. Those two barely tolerate each other. Then it hits me. There’s another plausible explanation.
“Yes, and then some.”
“What did he say?” I clench my teeth and my jaw ticks.
“It doesn’t matter, but he totally caught me off guard. If you didn’t tell him then who did?”
“It wasn’t me.”
Suddenly the scene from the other night, catching them together and the weird, intense vibe, is making a lot more sense. “I’ll speak to him.” Still holding on to her, my free hand rubs down my face.
“Don’t bother. Drawing more attention to our deal will only cause more problems. Who—”
“He needs to be set straight.” I cut her off before she asks her question again.
Getting into that would only derail this conversation and take us in another direction even more dangerous than this one.
“How are you going to set him straight by confirming what he already knows?”
“I’ll tell him there’s nothing fake about our relationship.”
This time she pulls a little harder, shaking her head in disbelief, but my hands grip her hips. At the same time, the car turns, aiding in my efforts to secure her in my lap.
“Like he’s going to believe you.”
“He will believe me.” With one arm around her waist, the knuckles of my other hand tip her chin up so she’s looking at me. “I’m sorry if that asshole insulted you.”
She didn’t give me details, but he didn’t get what he wanted, and I’m sure he was a jackass. Donovan and I may run in the same circles, but he’s always had a hate on for me. Unfortunately, it has a lot to do with his father, Cormac. He has always compared his son to me and unknowingly, or maybe not, he’s made us unspoken rivals.
To Donovan, I’m someone to conquer. He’d like nothing more than to put me in my place through the woman I care about and the fact that he knew Paige first—he relishes that. He doesn’t care if she gets hurt.
“You’re forgiven. I was wrong. You didn’t tell him anything about our deal, so you have nothing to apologize for.”
Paige stays by my side as we make our way up to my office. I’d sent my assistant a text to arrange our lunch. Once within the privacy of my office, I gaze ravenously at her back. This woman.
“You mentioned you had to go to the construction site during lunch.” She nods and I weigh the words on my tongue, unable to hold back. “You can’t go dressed like that.”
“What’s wrong with this? I like this outfit.”
“Nothing’s wrong but you simply can’t. Tell me what you need and I’ll get my driver to pick it up.”
Paige in that pantsuit is classy as fuck, but horny construction workers aren’t laying eyes on her. Especially with her bare back.
Her mouth gapes open and eyes narrow. “Like what exactly?”
“In this sexy outfit. Let me do this for you, and this way we get to spend more time together.” I soften my tone and pull her into my arms, interlacing my hands at the hollow of her back. “I’ve missed you so much. Let me show you just how real we are.”
Her features relax but she searches my face for more meaning to my words. I give her a sexy grin and a pink hue tiptoes across her cheekbones.
“How hungry are you?” My fingers itch to dig into her ass, only an inch away. Instead, my hands glide upward to latch onto her waist, forcing myself to behave.
For now.
Thoughts of ripping her clothes off and burying myself inside her drown out all competing thoughts. I want it so bad. I want her so bad. Right here. Right now.
“I could eat but I can wait a bit. Why?” She cocks her head to the side.
“Good, because I’m starving and I’m going to eat you.”
Again, her big brown eyes expand as does her pink mouth while I walk her backward to the door. Palming her ass—hallelujah—my fingers dig into the plump, soft flesh. Once the back of my hands hit the door, I reluctantly release an ass cheek to flick the lock closed and she relaxes further into me.
We won’t be interrupted and with that knowledge, I draw her body to mine, grinding my hard cock along the juncture of her thighs.
“Zach,” she moans, her hands on me and lips kissing at the underside of my jaw.
Her teeth latch onto my chin and her hot tongue licks at my flesh. The ever-mounting heat of my desire for her flares and engulfs me. One tug of the tie around her neck and I pull the top half of her outfit down her arms. She’s bared to me, and my hands and mouth get their fill of her pert breasts, squeezing, sucking, and dining on her.
She clutches my head, fingers burrowed into my hair, and tilts her head back, arching closer to my worshipping mouth against her silky bare skin.
Now free of her pants, then panties, my suit is next to go, all adding to the pile of clothes on the floor, leaving only my boxers between us. Her fingers grab me through the cotton, squeezing, and I see stars, teeth sinking into her nipple. She slips her hand inside the fabric, wrapping around my swollen flesh, and I barely hover between control and abandon, inching toward the latter.
“Come here, baby,” I say, voice low and gravelly as I take her with me. Hands and mouth still feasting, I lie back on the couch and she straddles my lap. Our gazes lock.
“Come on, baby.” I grip the swell of her hips and guide her, inch by excruciating inch, up my body. “Ride my mouth.”
Before making the leap to sit on my face, she stops, the heat of her arousal warming my chest. “I missed you.” Her voice is tender and she kisses my chin, then licks my lips before biting the bottom one.
“Fuck, I missed you, too, baby,” I groan and haul her under her arms onto my face.
Ass spilling from my fingers and pussy on my mouth, I fondle
her most private, maybe even forbidden, spot while licking open her sweet folds. My heart thrums within my chest as the scent and taste of her flood my senses, making me harder.
It’s only been six days since I last touched her, since I’d had her, but it might as well have been six years, six decades, six centuries. I have a monstrous greed. My tongue thrusts deep inside her, in and out, hot and wet and she chants my name. Her shoulders bunch and her body curls inward, strung tight on the verge of peaking, and her nails dig into my scalp, the sting tightening my balls.
I absorb every whimper and mewl, drinking in her glorious release as she cries out my name and collapses onto the back of the couch. Her ass slides back, coming to rest on my chest.
She’s all I can smell, taste, and see.
Striking, undone, and mine.
Frantic for more, I bolt upright and swiftly position her under me. She squeals, eyes widening, and before she can utter a word, I plunge inside her and stars dance behind my closed eyelids. Fuck, yes.
This is what I’d yearned for during those agonizing hours and miles away from her. I pound into her, our hands entwined above her head, and we’re fixed on each other. And when she moans and clenches around me, again screaming my name, I spill into her knowing this won’t be enough. I’ll have to have her again before the lunch hour is done.
Skin stretched and tight with drying sweat and salt, our bodies lie tangled on the floor. Her chin is on top of her hands, on my chest, and I can’t remember the last time sex was like this for me. I’ve had good sex, even amazing sex, but never has it left me shaken. Not like this. Our first time and every time since has been fucking fantastic and I haven’t felt like myself. It has been different.
I had chalked it up to the newness of us. To how different Paige was from the women I’d been with before. Everything about Paige is different. Yet this time was mind-blowing and deeper. Sex with Paige is a game changer.
“You should go away more often.” Her smile is naughty and bright, her braid a tangled mess, and her mascara a smudge. Beautiful wide-eyed girl.