Asking For A Friend

by Parker, Ali

  My personal favorite was the rumor about how I’d chosen Brice because he was going to be the richest one day. He was already on track to becoming a lawyer and they thought I chose him because of that.

  He went so far as to tell people he’d never even slept with me and was thinking about suing me for defamation. It was all lies, of course, and they didn’t even make sense considering he only left me on the day of our wedding—which meant he had to have had feelings for me at some point. But then he went and told people he’d never even liked me and they believed him.

  It was the darkest time of my life. Now he was back and he was trying his wheeling and dealing with the best thing that had ever happened to me. The dark and the light in my life was crashing together and it was making me feel faint.

  I couldn’t even believe this was happening. Out of all the lawyers in the world, why the fuck did Brice have to represent Mr. Banks? I was close to collapsing, but I couldn’t. I inhaled another deep breath, determined to see this through.

  I couldn’t let Brice hurt Layton. And that was exactly what he would do given half a chance. The need to protect Layton clawed at the inside of my throat as the words begged to be set free. The only need more overwhelming was to protect Annie from Brice.

  It didn’t look like he was here for her after all, but I could never be sure. Not with him. I didn’t want him anywhere near her.

  “He put me through hell, Layton. You have no idea what all I’ve been through because of him. It’s not just leaving me at the altar, it was everything he did before and after. I found out later he’d been sleeping with one of my best friends for months. He also told my very chauvinistic boss that I was pregnant and got me fired because of it.”

  The tears were spilling hot over my cheeks now. “You can’t trust him, Layton. You can’t sign anything he gives you. It’s not right. There’s a trick or a catch somewhere. There always is with him.”

  His eyes gentled and he cupped my cheek, pulling me close to him and enveloping me in a hug. “It’s just a name, Marissa. Banks sent the NDA through to my lawyers weeks ago. This is coming from him, not from Brice. It’s really just the name and that I can’t ever tell anyone about it.”

  Before I could respond or ask him what he was going to do, Annie appeared at my elbow. “Come dance with us, Mommy. Denise says we should join the people dancing.”

  Layton smiled at Annie, all the hurt, pain and animosity gone from his features. “Have fun, sweetheart. I’ll be right there.”

  He nodded at me, pivoted and walked into the crowd toward Brice. Damnit. I really needed to know what he was going to do, but I couldn’t leave Annie now. No way.

  Sighing, I reached for her hand and wiped away the residual tears I hoped she hadn’t seen. We were at a freaking party and I wasn’t going to let Brice ruin it for me. As we walked to the dance floor, which was actually an empty space between three desks, I sent up a silent prayer. Please let Layton have listened to me.

  Chapter 71

  Layton

  After watching Brice walk away, I went to find Marissa and Annie. I wanted nothing more than to take Marissa into my arms and hold her until I knew she wasn’t hurting over what Brice did to her anymore.

  When she told me her story, it took everything I had not to walk over and knock him the fuck out—for starters. Aggression had never been my first reaction to news, but it was when Marissa finally told me what he did. Everything.

  Being left at the altar would have been bad enough, but the other stuff? It was no wonder she had such trust issues, that she was so fiercely protective of Annie and so sensitive about having to be reliable.

  I didn’t blame her, I probably would have taken my child and moved to the Arctic Circle or somewhere equally as sparsely populated to ensure my kid never had to deal with that kind of behavior from anyone. A lot of how she had acted and reacted since I met her made more sense to me now, just like this deal with Banks and Brice made more sense to me now.

  They were both delusional, horrible human beings, but Brice’s client getting him his job at a top tier law firm and the fact that such a firm would take him on and keep him there was something I hadn’t been able to make sense of. I couldn’t understand why a firm like that would allow themselves to get into that position, but for a client like Banks, I got it.

  According to my lawyers, the man was a notorious litigator in any of the jurisdictions where he operated his various businesses. Firms made millions off of him as a result of his affinity for playing the system.

  After hearing Marissa’s story about Brice, I was ready to pummel him when I got back to him. But, instead of making a spectacle of myself at my own office, and laying hurt that would eventually heal on him, I did something worse. At least, I hoped it would turn out the way I wanted it to.

  He had told me back in New York that the firm kept him on because he had that one big client they wanted. He also told me the client wouldn’t drop him because he did such good work for them. Speaking to Banks, I deduced that his lawyer had fucked up by omitting to put the clause about him taking credit for the building into the original contract.

  Which meant Brice had fucked up. On a multi-billion dollar project that Banks wanted so desperately he’d waited three weeks for my answer before finally giving me an ultimatum. Then he proceeded to fly Brice personally from New York to Boston with the NDA to get it signed.

  I had promised Brice that he would pay for what he did to Marissa, one way or another. I think I just made good on my promise. If I was right, it would mean that there was a good chance Brice hadn’t just lost some money in child support payments, he’d lost everything.

  Now I was done with Brice and needed to find Marissa to tell her, but I couldn’t see her anywhere. The party was in full swing around me. People were talking and laughing, drinking and dancing. Strobe lights the committee had brought in were flashing and the DJ was yelling into his microphone encouraging people to, “Party like there’s no tomorrow!”

  I pushed my way through the crowd, politely excusing myself from anyone who was trying to draw me into a conversation. I knew a few people had seen me with Marissa earlier, one of them was a woman called Diane from IT.

  She approached me now, wearing an ‘I know your secret’ smile. Before she could say anything, I asked, “Have you seen Marissa anywhere?”

  Diane nodded, jerking her head to the door. “I think she left about thirty minutes ago. I saw her leaving with a redheaded woman and a little girl. Are you two—”

  “Thanks, Dianne. I have to get going, but please enjoy the party.” I left a couple of minutes later myself, racing to Marissa’s house. I was confident they would have gone there. Denise and Marissa had Annie with them, and I couldn’t imagine they would have gone anywhere else.

  I got to Marissa’s door, knocking quietly in case they were already sleeping. Bouncing on the balls of my feet to keep warm, my breath misted in the cool night air.

  Marissa opened up a minute or so later, apprehension etched onto her features. “Why aren’t you at the party?”

  “I had to talk to you,” I told her, reaching into my jacket’s pocket to pull out the NDA. “I got my father’s last video earlier. You can watch it sometime if you want, but for now, I need you to know that I heard what you said and I listened to you.”

  Holding the NDA out to her, she took it and her eyes dropped immediately to the signature line. Which was blank. “I didn’t sign it. I told him to tell Banks where he could shove his insane requests.”

  Marissa blinked, a huge smile spreading on her face. “Annie’s sleeping, but would you like to come inside?”

  I nodded, pulling her into my arms as the door closed behind me. Marissa lifted herself up on her toes and kissed me, her fingers winding into the hair around the nape of my neck. When we broke apart, she kept her hands where they were and spoke with her lips inches away from mine. “I love you, Layton. I love you so much.”

  My heart hammered louder and harder than
it ever had before. It was trying to beat its way out of my chest to climb into hers. That was what it felt like, anyway. It already belonged to her, it might as well have done it.

  I blinked at her, taken aback by hearing the words I wasn’t sure I would ever hear from her. “Could you repeat that?”

  She smiled. “As many times as you want me to. I love you, Layton Bridges. I love you more than I have ever loved a man, more than I ever thought I would, and probably more than I should. But you’re just going to have to live with it.”

  “I think I can manage that,” I breathed, my voice too caught in emotion to be found anywhere. Moving my hands slowly up Marissa back, I wound them into her loose hair and cupped the back of her head, holding her gaze. “I love you too, Marissa Hughes. Just as much. More than I have ever loved a woman, more than I ever thought I would and definitely more than I should.”

  She shrugged, grinning playfully as she brought a finger to her lips and pretended to think about it. “You know, since it’s definitely more than you should love me, maybe we should rethink this.”

  “No way,” I told her, smirking before lowering my head down to speak against her mouth. “You’re just going to have to live with it.”

  As soon as the words were out, I slammed my lips down onto hers and kissed her with every ounce of my body, mind and soul. Her soft lips parted for mine, a low moan escaping as they did. The sound jolted me to my core, awakening the intense need I always felt for her.

  My cock loved those sounds she made. Within seconds, I was so hard it was borderline painful. My erection strained against my zipper, my breathing becoming labored.

  Marissa had always affected me like no one else, but now? After hearing that she loved me? After hearing that she really was mine? I hadn’t been prepared for the force of the need that slammed into me.

  It was like a primal, incessant siren that went off in my head. It was telling me the time had come to mark her inside and out, to make her mine, to seal those words we had just spoken by our bodies joining together.

  Deepening the kiss, I groaned and fisted my hands in her hair. She responded by putting her hands on my hips and squeezing, tilting her head to give me better access.

  I lost myself in her, kissing her with everything I had. My hips started grinding against hers and the friction against my dick made me feel like I was going to explode right there. Like a kid making out for the first time.

  Marissa shivered as my hips rocked against hers, another moan cut off by a gasp. “We can’t do this here, Layton. Annie.”

  I wanted to be inside so damn badly, I’d been trying to figure out how I could get her onto the floor and take her right there. But my mind sobered just a little at the mention of Annie’s name. Marissa was right. We needed to get to her bedroom, but we needed to do it right fucking now.

  “Let’s go.” I ground out, still speaking against her mouth. Her pink tongue darted out to wet her swollen lips and then they were all I could see. All I could focus on. I just needed one more taste before I stopped for even another second.

  Chapter 72

  Marissa

  Layton’s lips on mine were the best thing that I’d ever felt and I never wanted him to stop. I writhed against him, feeling him hard as steel against my center as he continued to kiss the crap out of me. He dipped his head lower and licked a path to my breasts, his hands on the hem of my shirt.

  There was something we had to do, somewhere we had to go. But I’d lost track of my train of thought.

  Warm hands came up to cup my breasts over my pajama top, his thumbs dragging over my puckered nipples. A shiver ran through me. I was so damn wet. I wanted him so bad.

  “Cold?” Layton asked huskily.

  I shook my head, closing my eyes for a second as I tried to find words. And figure out that gnawing feeling that we had to move. “No, just—”

  Layton gave me a sexy, knowing smile. “Me too. Let’s take this to your bedroom, shall we? We definitely shouldn’t let Annie find us like this.”

  Fuck.

  Annie.

  Of course, that was why we had to move. I nodded at Layton. “Let’s go.”

  His hands dropped to cup my ass, then he lifted me up and held me against him as if I weighed nothing. Shifting his hands, he held me by my thighs and started carrying me.

  I crossed my ankles behind his firm ass and clung to him like a koala as he walked us to my bedroom. I was barely aware of the hallway we were walking down as captivated as I was by Layton’s gaze, never leaving mine all the way to the bedroom.

  There was raw, primal need in his eyes, along with fierce possessiveness and so much love it made my breath catch. I’d never been on the receiving end of a look like that. Not even from Brice, who ended up fathering my baby. Especially not from Brice

  Layton looking at me like that made my heart swell and my body ache for him, to be joined with him in the most intimate act two people could do together. When we finally reached my bedroom after what felt like ages even though my house was so small, he gently put me down on my mattress.

  His mouth curled into a small smile, as he dropped to his knees and rolled off my pajama pants and my panties in one go. “I’m going to taste you now, love. Hang onto the sheets baby, but grab a pillow to bite into. As much as I hate to say this, we probably shouldn’t be too loud.”

  “Got it,” I took his advice and reached for one of my pillows. I knew how important it was to keep quiet. The last thing I wanted was for Annie to hear me scream. But he was right, I was going to need something to keep me quiet. He drove me out of my mind far too well.

  After making quick work of the rest of my pajamas, he crawled over me and brought his mouth to mine. The connection between us lit up my soul and ignited that familiar, almost overwhelming need to be with him.

  A need that was more than physical now. There was the physical need, of course. But there was also so much more than that. It felt like I wanted to find a warm, comfy and cozy corner in his soul and crawl into it for the rest of time.

  His hand curled around the nape of my neck as he slid his tongue into my mouth and stroked it over mine, teasing my teeth and lips. I had to actively catch my moan from escaping from deep inside me.

  Talented fingers caressed my exposed breasts, working me over so well it made me gasp and tremble.

  Our kisses turned harder. Hungrier.

  Layton’s warm mouth moved over my chin, down to my chest while his fingers traced a slow path across my stomach to where I needed him so badly. I spread my legs wider, as if to urge him to move faster. The air felt cool against my dripping wet slit, but I knew he would be warming me soon.

  He knelt over me, his gaze rising to mine as his fingers found the tangle of short curls at the apex of my thighs. I fisted the cool, smooth cotton sheet. Shit, how the hell was I supposed to stay quiet?

  I felt ready to explode, my heart practically thrumming from beating so fast. My breathing sped up so much I was panting more than just breathing by now.

  Layton seemed perfectly in control, but his pupils were dilated and I knew he was fighting to hang on to that control. One of us had to have some semblance of presence of mind, Annie was right in the next room.

  The only sound in the room as I tried to keep quiet was the rustle of his clothing as he undid his slacks, unbuttoned his shirt and let it all fall to the floor. Beautiful didn’t begin to describe Layton naked. He was perfect, all hard lines and smooth skin.

  Climbing back onto the bed with me, he lay down and stroked his fingers over my sex. “You are so fucking sexy. So unbelievably beautiful. Every last bit of you.”

  His warm hand gripped my thigh as he started moving down, his tongue traveling down the length of my body as though he was worshiping every inch of my skin. His palm cupped my pussy and the sudden pressure there had me seeing stars.

  I arched my back when his fingers moved between my slick folds, then one eased into me. Tingles erupted through me. Just the feel of that one fing
er inside me took me to spectacular heights already. The things this man could do to me never ceased to amaze me. “God, Layton.”

  Groaning against my skin, he worked another finger into me. His mouth traveled lower, until he was kneeling on the bed between my legs. Pushing his fingers deeper into me, he brought his tongue to my slit and licked me from top to bottom. Again. And then again.

  Stars exploded behind my eyelids. The intensity of the orgasm building inside me was astonishing. My body was going to be blown to dust when it hit, but I couldn’t freaking wait for that glorious release. I gripped the sheets harder, trying to anchor myself against the powerful sensations ripping through me.

  My hands flew to his hair next, tugging it as I held him to me. Knowing my body better than I did, he knew exactly what I needed. Bringing his lips to my clit, he sucked the little bud in between them and flicked it with his mouth.

  That perfect pressure sent my body skyrocketing. I stifled a cry, relieved somewhere in the back of my mind I had the pillow handy and crushed it over my face. Sensation crashed into me as I came, overwhelming me with a pleasure I would never get used to.

  Floating in a bubble of ecstatic bliss, my body went limp. When I opened my eyes, Layton was there wearing a satisfied smile.

  But it was too tight, too strained. His muscles were tense and his eyes slightly pained. I sat up on the bed, still trembling from the force of my orgasm. Layton watched me with heavy-lidded eyes. “Where are you going?”

  “To get my own taste,” I rasped out, my hands going to his broad chest, then to his shoulders. When I pushed lightly, he lowered himself to the bed, keeping his eyes locked on mine.

  I did the same thing he did at the beginning, moving up his body to kiss him deeply on the lips. My hands explored his incredible body, running along his sides and tracing the hard ridges of his abdomen, the corded muscles in his arms.