by K E Osborn
“Hurry up, I don’t have all day.” He frowns, looking a little confused. “Oh, for God’s sake, Callie. Hurry up,” he yells.
“Did you just call me Callie?” Brielle asks with a smirk on her face.
“No! Now give me the goddamn file,” he yells even louder.
She puts her hands up in surrender. “Jeez, all right, don’t get your panties in a twist.” She rolls her eyes, and I fight back a laugh. Obviously, Niall’s thinking about Callie. To mention her accidentally is quite strange since he’s normally so on the ball. Grabbing the file from Bree, he walks back into his office, slamming his door shut.
Aiden walks over, and gently massages my shoulders. “Hey, baby.” He then nibbles on my ear.
“Hey, yourself.”
“I was thinking...” He squats down next to me.
“Yeah…”
“What do you think about having the wedding reception at the Intercontinental? There’s a ballroom which they can decorate, and it has some great memories attached to it. Why not add to those memories?” he asks.
“I’m more than happy with that. Will it be in the ballroom where the retirement dinner was held?”
“No, there’s another one that’s much nicer and more suitable.”
“Sounds good to me. Do you want to book it or shall I?”
He smirks at me like I’ve just told some sort of ridiculous joke. “I think I’d better book it. They know me, and it’s more likely to be available if I call.”
I make a motion to hit the side of my head and laugh. “Of course, what was I thinking? Do you remember the date?”
“September fourteenth. The day you’ll make me the happiest man alive,” he replies as he heads back to his office.
Preoccupied with all things wedding and getting to marry the love of my life, I realize I need to get organized. Taking out a notepad, I start making a list of all that needs to be done.
First priority—I need to find a suitable dress and decide where I want to say our vows.
Second priority—I need to ask Mel if she wants to be my bridesmaid. I jot down a reminder to call her after work.
Then I start compiling a list—flowers, invitations that I should probably be sending out at the end of the month, color scheme, shoes, centerpieces for the table, and the list goes on.
“You ready?” Aiden asks.
I look up and realize I’ve been lost in all things wedding for almost my entire shift. And I haven’t had a run-in with Niall all day.
Aiden takes my hand, and we walk to the elevator.
“Have a good night, Bree,” I call out.
Once we’re inside, Aiden turns to me. “I can’t wait to marry you, Jeni.” Taking me by surprise, he pushes me back into the elevator wall and kisses me passionately. Aiden leans his whole body against mine as he reaches out and slams his hand on the emergency stop button. The elevator grinds to a halt.
“You did not just do that,” I state as he moves his hand to the top of my pants.
“I think I just did,” he replies as he swiftly pulls my pants down to my ankles.
Giggling, I step one leg out of my pants and panties. “Are we seriously going to do this?”
“Abso-fuckin’-lutely. It’s been a fantasy of mine to do this in here with you for as long as I can remember,” he says, then crushes his lips to mine.
Quickly, I move my hands to his pants, undoing his belt and zipper. His pants fall to the floor, freeing his already rock-hard cock, and I take him in my hand. He gasps and moves one hand to my breast, and the other grabs my naked thigh and pulls my leg to wrap around his bare ass. A pulse vibrates through me, making me want every inch of him badly.
My pussy is soaking wet and ready for him. I don’t even care if there are cameras in the elevator, all I care about is Aiden being inside me right now.
Aiden moves closer, and I position his cock at my entrance. With a swift upward movement, he slams into me.
“Oh God, Aiden, that feels incredible,” I moan, and he thrusts.
I shift my hand to his hair, pulling his head forward, crushing his lips to mine. The other I move to his bare-naked ass and hold on tight. Aiden pushes deeper into me. Harder. Almost forcefully. There is an urgency to his movements.
The fear of getting caught mixed with the pleasure unfolding within me erupts all at once.
“Come for me, baby. Come hard,” he whispers in my ear, then he tugs on my lobe with his teeth, sending my body into a quivering mess. Aiden thrusts again, and I’m sure the people in reception can hear my moans as the heat rises inside me. My eyes are scrunched closed, and I start to see flashes of light in my pleasure-heightened state. I tremble all over when I climax and contract around his rock-hard cock. Aiden stifles my moans with his mouth, forcing his tongue against mine while my body goes limp.
Somehow, he realizes my legs are weak, so he ever so smoothly moves his hands to my ass, lifting both of my legs, and I wrap them around his waist. He holds onto me tightly as he continues his rhythm inside me.
Damn the heat rises again when he starts to pound hard—he’s losing control. My arms tighten around his neck when he finally tenses.
“Fuck!” Aiden presses his lips to mine and then unloads inside me, pumping with a few final thrusts.
My breathing is as erratic as his, and I can’t help but feel slightly embarrassed that I’ve lost control with him like this at work. In his office is one thing, but in the public elevator, that’s another.
Aiden leans his forehead against mine, and I slowly unwrap my Jell-O legs and gently set my feet to the floor. “Jeni, I can’t help myself, I have to have you all the time. You’re constantly on my mind. We leave the office and take this elevator to the ground floor every day, and every day I want to take you in here. You’re perfect, Jeni. Having another guy want you has made me more possessive. I have become this needy man, someone I don’t recognize half the time,” he admits, looking deep into my eyes.
I have no words, so I smile, lean in, and kiss him lightly on the lips.
Aiden squats at my feet and taps my ankle for him to start pulling my panties and pants back into place. I’m still recovering as he slides them over my legs, kissing the bandages on my knees as he travels upward. Then he bends and does up his own pants. I reach out and grab his tie and pull him closer to me. Aiden smirks and winks as I wipe the lipstick from his mouth with my thumb. Even though what we just did was technically a ‘quick fuck,’ I still feel nothing but undeniable love and adoration from him.
Finally, he runs his fingers through his hair and straightens out his shirt.
“Okay, we good to go?” I ask.
“You wanna go again?” He raises his eyebrow.
I giggle. “While that thought it very tempting, I think people might be wondering why the elevator isn’t working. Perhaps when we get home, we can use those fluffy, pink handcuffs?”
He quickly presses the emergency button to start the elevator moving again. “Well, we’d better be getting home fast, then,” he says with a smirk.
I do another quick check to make sure we are both presentable.
The elevator doors open, and we walk out into the foyer with everyone none the wiser about what just happened.
“Callie, get in here,” Niall yells.
“That’s the second time in three days he’s called me Callie,” Brielle utters under her breath as she heads into Niall’s office.
“I think your father’s missing your mom,” I tell Aiden, putting my bag down on my desk.
“Yeah, well, maybe he should learn not to push people away. Perhaps if he did, the people who he loves would still be with him. It’s his own stupid fault.” Aiden shakes his head, then kisses me on the cheek and turns for his office.
Taking a seat, I start by checking my emails.
There’s one from Niall.
To: Jenifer Taylor
From: Niall O’Connell
Subject: What are you?
I want an email every hour
on the hour telling me what you are. If you don’t, I’ll tell Aiden you’re having an affair with Brielle’s boyfriend, Logan.
Aiden and Brielle will both hate you.
Have a good day…
I stare at the email for what seems like hours but is only a matter of seconds, then I laugh. I can’t believe he’s doing this over email. What kind of fuckwit puts it in writing? Is he kidding? He can’t be serious. What a fully-fledged one hundred percent asshole. The man has lost his mind, and why would he even want to lie about something like that. I mean, I hardly know Logan. This is ridiculous. I’m sure no one would believe this complete bullshit even if I showed them the proof. Niall is definitely going down. I just have to figure out how to achieve it.
To: Niall O’Connell
From: Jenifer Taylor
Subject: Re: No, what are you?
I change the subject heading slightly, and then start typing the email.
What the fuck! Are YOU insane?
Aiden would never believe the shit that dribbles from your mouth, even if you did tell him I was having an affair with Logan.
So no, I won’t be sending you an email every hour on the hour unless it’s one that’s full of insults.
I hit Send, and feel good for once, finally standing up for myself. I take in a deep breath, but then I see another email arrive.
Damn! The bastard doesn’t give up.
To: Jenifer Taylor
From: Niall O’Connell
Subject: Be careful. Be very careful.
Aiden might not believe it, but will Brielle? Do you want to risk her relationship with you because you want to argue with me?
You lost me the Anderson account.
Be careful what you say, you insulant whore.
You know I have influence and power in all kinds of places. Take St. Luke’s Prison for the Criminally Insane as an example. I know the warden’s son, and I’m sure I could have some strings pulled to get a certain someone to have a release day. Or maybe even a weekend. Imagine what he could get up to. How would you like that?
Holy shit!
Could he really do that? Have Jason released if I don’t do as he says?
I can honestly say without a doubt, and for the first time I can admit it, I don’t just hate Niall O’Connell, I feel homicidal toward him.
If he died tomorrow, I’d dance on his fucking grave.
My blood is boiling.
I’ve never been this angry.
My face feels like it’s on fire, my heart’s hammering so fast in my chest it might explode as I clench my hands into tight fists. My nails are digging into my skin causing pain, but it’s a pain I need to calm myself down. Damn, I need some time, so I stomp off to the only place I can go where I can be alone—the bathroom.
Closing my eyes and taking a few deep breaths, I look in the mirror at the face looking back at me. The anger in my eyes is undeniable, so I splash cold water on my face and count to ten. I do some deep breathing exercises before I start to feel a little calmer.
By the time I walk out, I still haven’t decided what to do about the email.
Perhaps now is the time to tell Aiden.
I mean what other choice do I have?
Niall is a force to be reckoned with, and right now my options are limited.
On my way back, I notice Aiden standing in front of my computer with his eyebrows scrunched together so tightly his forehead is creased.
Oh, fuck!
Instantly, I freeze. All I can do is stare at him. Aiden looks up at me, slowly shaking his head while his face turns the brightest red I’ve ever seen. My heart leaps into my throat as I take a single step forward.
“Jeni, what the fuck is this?” he asks, pointing to my computer screen.
Brielle looks up in curiosity.
My feet don’t fail me as I race over to Aiden, his rage is seeping off him in waves that feel like they are pushing me back. His fists tightly clench, his jaw is wracking from side to side, even the vein in his neck is pulsing so hard I’m scared he might have an aneurism.
Aiden’s about ready to slaughter someone. I’m just trying to figure out if it’s me or his father?
“What’s what?” I ask, dreading the thought that perhaps he has overseen the email, though that looks exceptionally likely right now. I must have forgotten to close the mail program down when I left in such a hurry.
“These emails from Father, and that he has influence on whether that fucking asshole Jason can be let out on a day pass?” His eyes snap to me again, but they’re full of hurt and rage. “How long has Father been threatening you with this bullshit?”
His tone is dangerous.
He’s insanely furious.
This could totally get out of hand.
I gulp, close my eyes, and shake my head as a million thoughts cross my mind—it’s all too much to process.
“Jeni, why didn’t you tell me?”
Shit! Tears start to well in my eyes from the guilt of not telling him, mixed with the fear of what could happen now between Aiden and his father.
Guess no matter what I do, I can’t win.
Aiden shakes his head at my lack of reply. “No way. No fucking way! Fuck this shit. Father!” he screams out. “I’m going to fucking kill him,” Aiden mumbles under his breath. Quiet Aiden is scarier than angry Aiden. He pushes past me and storms toward Niall’s office as Bree and I run after him.
“Aiden, wait!” I call out as he bursts through his father’s office door. It pushes back with such force the hinge at the top gives way and the door hangs limply to one side. He rages in regardless, oblivious to what has happened.
Bree and I follow closely behind, watching and waiting. Aiden walks up to his father, scrunches his hand into a fist, then punches him square in the face. The crack resounds through the room. I gasp, my hand rushing to my mouth in shock.
“Aiden, what the—” Niall yells but stops because his chair gives way as he falls backward to the floor in a flurry of arms and legs.
Aiden towers over him. “How the hell did you think you could get away with this bullshit? Tormenting my fiancée right under my nose? I fucking hate you. Do you hear me? I don’t even know who you are. You’re nothing to me. And Jeni… she’s absolutely everything. Consider this my resignation. Go fuck yourself, you pathetic old man,” Aiden snaps, then he storms out of the office past me, pushing me out of the way, as Niall glares with blood running out of his nose.
I stand, shuddering with my arms wrapped around my body, my heart racing in my chest as Brielle walks over to her father, squatting by his side to help him.
I bite my bottom lip, shaking like a damn leaf in a strong breeze, but then realize I need to go after Aiden. Running into his office, I watch him throwing anything he can find into a box. He rips his certificates off the wall and throws them with such force, the glass breaks. But he doesn’t care, he’s on a mission to pack up as quickly as possible.
“Aiden… wait,” I murmur as I walk in and close the door gently behind me.
“Why?” he asks loudly. He never speaks to me like this so it shocks me for a second as he thrusts his hands into the air in frustration.
I furrow my eyebrows and shake my head. I’m confused. Why? What does that mean?
“Why didn’t you tell me, Jeni?” he shouts as he throws a heavy leather-bound book into the box with extra force.
I lean out and take his arm trying to placate him. “Babe, stop! Please, calm down. It’s not as bad as you think.”
“What the hell, Jeni. Not as bad as I think? My fucking father is threatening you with Jason, and God knows what else, and you let him do that to you?” His eyes soften like he’s in physical pain. “Why? Tell me why? Tell me now, so I can understand this bullshit.”
Aiden looks so hurt and angry that honestly, I don’t know what to say. So, I reach out and touch his shoulder. He sighs, turns toward me picking me up and holds me so tightly I can barely breathe but find the strength to start talking. “I kn
ew you would hate him for it, and I knew you would react exactly like this. I don’t want you to leave the family business because of me, Aiden. Honestly, I can put up with his abuse. What I can’t put up with is the fact you will leave here because I can’t get along with Niall. Your relationship with him is far too important, and I can’t be the one to come between you and him… I just can’t, Aiden.”
He looks at me with scrunched eyebrows. “My relationship with him was over the minute he called you a floozy that night at the retirement ball. He’s nothing to me… I can’t believe this was happening right under my nose, and I didn’t see it. I’m such a foolish and naïve man. I knew you were jumpy. I’ve watched you react to things that you normally wouldn’t. But not for one second did I even think Father was tormenting you like this. The fact he threatened you makes my blood fucking boil…” He holds me tighter to him. “Fuck!” he yells so loudly my ears ring.
“I’m taking you home now. I don’t want any arguments, Jeni. I’m putting my foot down on this one. What that fuckhead has put you through is unforgivable. I can’t imagine the psychological damage he’s done. To know my asshole of a father is the one who’s been tormenting you makes me so angry. Honestly, I want to punch him all over again. I’ve never felt this way before, baby, and it scares me. That’s why we have to go home. We must leave now. Because I don’t know what I’ll do if I see him again. Do you understand me?”
I completely understand where he’s coming from and agree. I handled this all wrong. I can only imagine how he’s feeling, and it can’t be anything other than pure anger toward his father. “Okay, we’ll go home, but before we do, there’s something I should tell you.”
The expression on his face sinks. “Okay?”
I swallow hard. “The day Bree and I were late getting back from lunch, you know the day when you and Mike were looking for us, and I didn’t have my phone…”
“Yeah, I remember. I was so worried about you.”