by Mia Knight
“Maybe you are a genius,” she mused as she stared at her reflection.
“There’s no maybe. I am,” Dai said and tilted her head to the side as she examined her. “You need some dresses.”
“I think I’m good.”
“You’re not. I’ll get my measuring tape.” Dai ran out of the room, shouted to one of her clerks, and then raced back. “Got it.”
As she spread her arms obediently, Dai got to work.
“What’s with you and your ex?” Dai asked as she measured Jasmine from crotch to ankle.
“What?”
Dai glanced up. “The ex-hubby.”
“What about him?”
“You and he had a little blip in the media a few weeks ago.”
“Coincidence. We ran into each other.”
Dai raised a brow. “Really? He had dinner with my dad the other night.”
Her stomach clenched. “He did?”
“Yep. Dad liked him.”
Of course, he did. One ruthless businessman recognized another.
Dai straightened and tapped her lip. “If you know you’re going to be photographed with him in future, I’ll do the custom pieces for free. It’ll be excellent publicity for me.”
“I’ll pay for them,” she said with a tight smile.
Dai looked disappointed. “Shame.” Her expression turned crafty. “So you don’t mind if I take a crack at him?”
“Roth? Be my guest.”
Dai grinned. “He into crazy Chinese girls?”
“You’ll have to find out for yourself.”
“Maybe I will,” Dai said as she skipped out of the dressing room.
Jasmine shook her head and turned to examine the exposed gold zipper on the black patent leather skirt she wore that highlighted the curve of her ass. She had a ridiculously oversized but cozy scarf draped around her neck and a crop top that Dai had somehow talked her into. The crisscross top was somehow holding up her breasts and making them look amazing. The triangle of exposed skin on her abdomen didn’t look bad at all. Dai’s street style was impeccable. Even her sisters would wear some of these pieces.
After ten minutes went by, she emerged from the dressing room to see that the boutique was having a little rush. Dai was deep in conversation with two women, and both sales clerks were occupied with customers. Others browsed as they waited to be helped. She took the opportunity to peruse without Dai’s guidance. She ran her hands over the truly extraordinary clothes. According to Dai, clothes were supposed to be a multi-sensory experience. Appealing to the eyes and pleasing to the touch—even the scent of leather could enhance one’s mood.
She hadn’t expected to run into Dai or be hustled into buying a whole new wardrobe, but she couldn’t deny that she was glad she came. Dai knew her stuff, and Jasmine was catwalk ready. As she admired a shimmering gold top, she looked over the rack and saw a man standing on the sidewalk watching her. He had one hand in the pocket of his suit. As she raised a brow at him, his mouth curved. He had a nice smile. He was in his early thirties and from the look on his face, he liked what he was seeing. He beckoned to her. She hadn’t decided how to react when another man came up behind him. Her gaze flicked to the other man, and her heart slammed against her ribs. Roth glared at her, and she slowly backed away from the glass. What the fuck was he doing here? And how had he found her?
As he approached the entrance of Black Jade, she made a beeline toward the dressing rooms. Her last encounter with him had left her wounded and bleeding, and she wasn’t prepared to see him face to face. She had been doing her utmost to forget their pending sordid deal and was doing a damn fine job of it before he showed up.
She skidded on suede heels as she entered the dressing room and turned to close the door, but she was too late. He shoved his way in while she desperately tried to get her shields in place.
Chapter 13
“What are you doing here?” she hissed.
He locked the door and turned. She considered screaming for help, but pride told her she could handle him… and what could he do to her in a public place?
When he stepped forward, her back hit the mirror. “Get out.”
“You like attention, Jasmine?” he asked in a voice that made the hairs on the nape of her neck stand up.
“What?”
“Would you have gone out to meet him?”
She lifted her chin. “I can do whatever the hell I want.”
“You think so?” he murmured as he reached out and gripped her chin.
When she tried to claw his hand, he leaned into her, pinning her to the mirror. His rage beat at her although nothing showed on his face. He rocked against her, and she went rigid.
“This pussy is mine. Bought and paid for.”
She smacked his chest hard enough to make her hand sting. “You’re renting it.”
His hand moved to her throat and gripped as he pressed his lips against her ear. “I own it.”
“I don’t see a contract.”
“Why haven’t you answered your phone?”
“I blocked you.”
He stepped back. She felt a moment of relief before he jerked her forward and forced her to bend over. Her hands splayed on the white satin ottoman. Before she could get away from him, he pulled down the zipper on the back of the skirt, which fell away, leaving her in a thong and thigh-high suede boots. He smacked her ass, nearly sending her face first to the floor. The sharp clapping sound carried into the shop but was drowned out by the multitude of voices.
“Fuck, Roth, stop!”
“Block me again, and I’ll beat your ass,” he said quietly as he kept one hand clamped on the back of her neck, keeping her in place while the other hand caressed her stinging ass.
His eyes stayed on hers in the mirror as he put two fingers in his mouth. She watched in horrified fascination as he retracted them, and they traveled to her ass. The feel of his probing fingers made her come back to her senses. She tried to get away, but that hand around her neck tightened, warning her to stay still. Her thong was no barrier, and his fingers slipped right in. She pranced on her heels and would have kicked back like a donkey if he was behind her, but he was on the side, controlling her and making it impossible for her to cause any damage.
She gripped his pants leg and dug her nails into his thighs. “You can’t do this.” When he didn’t respond and continued to work her, she added, “There are people here.”
“Does it look like I care?”
His thumb came into play, and she dropped her head forward. “Roth, stop.”
“You like doing it in public. You like the possibility of being caught. It makes you hot, right?”
“With someone else, not you.”
He pulled on her hair, forcing her head back and blinding her with the ceiling lights.
“You’re going to pay for that, princess,” he breathed against her temple. “You have no idea what you signed up for.” He rubbed her clit, making her squirm and dig her nails into the stretched satin. “This is mine, and I’m going to use it often. Whenever I say the word, you spread wide. Anytime, anywhere.”
“You can’t do this,” she hissed.
“I’m already doing it. This is what you’ve been craving, princess. Me. No one else. You’re not in control; I am.”
When he released her hair, she sagged to her elbows on the ottoman. Her body quivered like a plucked string. Her elevated senses focused on the sucking sound her body was making as it clutched at his fingers. She could hear the chatter and laughter of the women in the shop. She was outraged, horny, and pissed.
“You can’t do this to me!” she said even as her treacherous body rocked against his wicked hand.
“You gave me rights, Jasmine. Rights in Colorado, rights over the phone. You gave yourself back to me, which means you yield.”
“Contract,” she panted, unable to create coherent sentences at this point.
“If you had answered my calls, we’d be discussing this in my office instead of a
dressing room.”
She raised her head to glare at him in the mirror through one eye as the other fluttered. He was so fucking good at… She moaned and then bit her lips when she heard someone say, “Did you hear that?”
Roth was completely unfazed by the atmosphere, impending scandal, or potential audience. His moody black eyes told her he didn’t give a fuck. Nothing was going to stop him.
“We’re not d-discussing,” she stammered and grabbed his pant leg again as her mind fractured. “Roth.”
Even she heard the inadvertent plea in her voice and was too far gone to care.
He positioned himself behind her. She heard the clink of his belt before she felt the head of his cock slipping through her wet.
“This is the only way I know how to communicate with you,” he said.
His eyes gleamed maniacally in his otherwise expressionless face. The sight of him behind her with his hands on her hips while she felt him impale her made her breasts ache. She shouldn’t be aroused. She shouldn’t be dripping wet, but she was. She hated this guy, but his aggression and arrogance brought out something in her that made her want to submit. Her body didn’t care that he was using her. It wanted to be used and dominated.
Under the unforgiving lights, she could see the ripples in her ass cheeks as he began to thrust. She stiffened as she heard several women enter the dressing room. His eyes dared her to make a sound. As he ground against her, she bared her teeth. Her legs weren’t going to hold her up for much longer. She pressed her face against the ottoman so she didn’t have to see him. She blocked out the sound of the women’s voices and focused on the sensations instead. It didn’t take her long. Her frustration and anger fueled her lust while the reality of what they were doing and who she was doing it with pushed her over the edge. He felt her tense and planted himself deep as she came. She muffled the worst of her moans into the ottoman. Roth sped up. When she could hear over the dull roaring in her ears, she heard his loud groan. He wasn’t trying to be quiet. The female voices abruptly stopped. He was close. His face was tipped up to the ceiling, and he was completely lost in the moment. She got his attention when she tried to rise. He shoved her down and tried to keep fucking her, but she fought until she was on her feet.
She pushed him into the corner and grabbed his cock, which leaked precum. As she stroked him, his hands came out and massaged her breasts while he focused on her lips. When he let out a low groan, she grabbed a handful of his hair and yanked his head down so she could cover his mouth with hers. She closed her eyes to avoid his probing gaze and kissed him as she worked him. At the last second, he covered her hand with his and pointed his cock at her vagina. She tried to swallow his loud groan as warm cum soaked her thong. When he was done, she stepped back. His eyes followed her as he caught his breath.
“Jasmine? How are you doing?” Dai’s overly polite voice came from right outside the dressing room door.
“I’m good. I’ll be out in a minute,” she called as she glared at Roth.
He zipped his pants, ran his hand through his hair, and looked disgustingly poised. Fucking asshole.
She grit her teeth as she pulled on her dress from Bloomingdale’s. There was no way she was going to smear cum on Dai’s couture clothes. She turned to the mirror and wiped off what remained of her lipstick, smoothed her hair, and blinked rapidly in an attempt to make her eyes look less glassy. When she scooped her clothes off the floor and unlocked the door, he didn’t try to stop her. When she left the dressing room, a crowd of six women greeted her. More spectators looked on from the shop. This was next level humiliating.
There was a pregnant pause before she said, “I’m ready to check out.”
“I bet you are,” Dai drawled.
She knew when Roth decided to make his debut since everyone’s attention shifted away from her.
Dai rushed forward with her hand outstretched. “Daiyu Wu, a big fan,” she breathed.
“Pleasure,” he rumbled.
So, he could be polite and courteous to others, just not to her. She left the dressing room and walked toward the front counter as the shop burst out in whispers.
“I’ll take all of this,” she said as she piled her clothes on the counter.
Dai and Roth discussed mutual acquaintances. She couldn’t believe the names he spoke of so casually. He was associated with not only New York’s biggest players but on a global scale as well. He had been working overtime to ensure he was well-connected. It was no wonder he had been able to buy out the other partners of Hennessy & Co. If that was the pool Roth was playing in, he could do whatever he damn well pleased.
She silently urged the sales clerk to hurry, which was a lost cause since the girl’s attention was on Roth.
“You have a beautiful shop,” he said as he made his way toward her with Dai at his side.
Dai clasped her hands together and pressed them against her cheek like a little girl. “I’m glad you like it. Anytime either of you needs anything, call me.” Dai unzipped her fanny pack and handed over a black card with gold script. “It has my personal numbers on it.”
Dai was hitting on Roth even as his cum trickled down her leg. What. The. Fuck. Not that she wanted Roth, but didn’t Dai care that she had just caught them fucking in her shop or that Roth had a messed-up relationship with his ex-wife? She was torn between giving Dai a shove or raking her nails down Roth’s face. Of course, she did neither and watched her total climb with each article of clothing scanned.
“I’ll leave that to Jasmine,” he said and extended the card to her, a subtle putdown that made her look at him.
His gaze was on her, and as usual, she couldn’t read his expression. When she didn’t take the business card, he slid it into one of her bags and handed the sales clerk his black credit card.
“No, I…” she began, but his cutting glanced stopped her. If he wanted to spend a fortune on her clothes, fine.
“I’m going to make Jasmine some custom pieces. Do you have any upcoming events?” Dai asked him.
She glared at Dai. “We’re not attending any events together.”
Roth pressed against her as he bent over to sign the credit slip. She stepped away from him and saw Dai staring at his ass. She waved her hand, and Dai blinked.
“Is that so?” Dai asked casually as she made a V with her fingers and stuck her tongue between it behind Roth’s back. Jasmine dragged her finger across her throat. Dai made a thrusting motion with her hips and then jabbed her finger at him and then her, but she cleared her expression when Roth turned.
“Well, I’m available for any occasion,” Dai said as she flicked her hoop earring and winked at him.
“Good to know,” Roth said.
“Miss Hennessy.”
She turned in time to see Mo grab her bags.
“Oh, I got it,” she said and held out her hand, but he walked out to a familiar Bentley parked at the curb. “Hey!”
A large hand wrapped around hers. “I’m sure we’ll see each other again, Daiyu,” Roth said.
“Yes. We should do dinner! Jasmine has my number.”
Before she could respond to that with a, “Hell no,” Roth dragged her out of Black Jade. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw three men jostling for position and felt her heart sink. More paparazzi. She held up her hand to block her face and had no choice but to duck into the back seat of the Bentley while Roth rounded the car to get in on the other side.
“You can drop me off at my hotel,” she said and gave Mo the address.
She turned away from Roth and pressed her trembling thighs together. She didn’t know what the fuck just happened. Bad move, thinking he wouldn’t do anything in public. He seriously didn’t give a fuck. Well, he hadn’t cared from the very start. Why would he change now that he was even more powerful? Her mind went haywire whenever he was around.
“Mo, we’re going the wrong way,” she said.
Neither man said a word. When she turned to Roth, he was doing something on his phone. H
e ignored her while the car carried her away from the safety of her hotel.
“I need—”
He looked up and speared her with his gaze. “We need to talk.”
“I thought we just did,” she said through clenched teeth.
His eyes dipped to her breasts and then back to her eyes. “We need to talk more.”
“Contract,” she hissed so only he could hear.
“I have it.”
“Why didn’t you send it to me?”
“We have some things to discuss that I didn’t want to speak of over the phone. I’ll give it to you once we get there.”
“There” turned out to be 432 Park Avenue on Billionaire’s Row, not even a block from Hennessy Tower where her sisters lived. As the doormen came forward, she turned to Roth with wide eyes.
“I can’t go in there with you! I thought we were going to your office! I—” She shut up when he got out and slammed the door.
“Uh, no thank you,” she said to the man offering to assist her from the car. “Mo, take me to—”
Roth reached in and grabbed her. He wasn’t gentle when he pulled her out of the car. The attentive staff who were well-versed in the elite of New York couldn’t hide their shock as they looked from her to Roth. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and kissed her cheek.
“Make a scene, and you’ll regret it,” he warned.
He led her into one of the most exclusive addresses in New York. The impressive lobby was filled with people coming and going. She averted her face in the hopes of somehow going unnoticed, which was ludicrous considering how huge Roth was. They had almost reached the elevators when the worst-case scenario happened. Two wives of her father’s business partners stopped dead in their tracks at the sight of them. She tried to brazen out the awkwardness with a smile and wave.
“Hi, Mrs. Pearson, Mrs. O’Leary.”
Neither woman responded. She tried to step away from Roth, but he didn’t allow it. By the time they were in the elevator, she felt as if she had died a thousand deaths and was near tears. She couldn’t say anything with a staff member in the lift with them, but the moment they stepped into his penthouse, she ripped her hand from his and shoved him with every bit of strength she had.