by K. C. Crowne
“Liar. You think it’s delicious. Here, try the milkshake.”
Vivian held up her cup, sticking the straw in front of me. It seemed silly to be fixated on something so small. It was just a damn straw. The straw she was just using. The straw that her lips were wrapped around not seconds before.
I took a sip. Strawberry coated my tongue. I grimaced. “It’s too sweet.”
Vivian shrugged. “More for me, then,” she said calmly, bringing it to her lips to drink.
I swallowed, concentrating on keeping my breathing even. Did she know what she was doing to me? The glint in her eye told me she did.
I gripped the steering wheel tighter, determined to get home sooner rather than later.
Wally was seated in the living room, playing a video game, Fortnight or Call of Duty or whatever it was. They were all the same to me. A mess of colors and too much noise and an overall waste of time.
“Whoa, where’s mine?” he asked when he saw Vivian’s Burger King bag.
She smiled. “Sorry. Didn’t know you wanted some.”
“Can I have a bite? I haven’t had lunch yet.”
“We both know I don’t share.”
I walked past them and shrugged off my suit jacket, ears tingling. Was that true? Vivian didn’t seem to have any qualms about feeding me. I felt oddly special.
I opened my laptop, checking if any of the security sensors leading to the penthouse were tripped. Nothing on the CCTV cameras, no alarms triggered. We were in the clear for now.
“How did things go at the station?” Wally asked Vivian.
She huffed. “Fine, I guess. They’re going to look into it or whatever.” She sighed heavily. “The detective says I need proof to connect the cartel to Molly’s disappearance, but I don’t have anything. I’m just so exhausted.”
“It’s going to be okay.” Wally hugged her, patting her on the back. A pang of jealousy festered in my chest. Seeing them so comfortable around one another… For a moment, I wished that I could take my son’s place and be the one to hold her.
“Go lie down,” I told Vivian. “Get some sleep. We’ll discuss how to move forward from here once you’ve had some rest.”
She hummed. “A nap sounds nice, actually.” She gave Wally’s hand a squeeze before she ventured down the hall to the guest room, disappearing from sight.
Wally crossed his arms and regarded me curiously. “Can’t imagine what she’s going through.”
“What are you doing home?” I asked, changing the subject. “I thought you had a full day of classes.”
My son shifted. “I did, but I thought I should be home for her just in case.”
“I have everything under control.”
“I’m just trying to be a good friend.”
“I know you are, but you still have your studies to think about. There’s a reason you entrusted her with me. You should be in class.”
Wally rolled his eyes. “It’s not like we were going over anything important. It’s stuff I already know.”
“What about that group presentation for biology you were telling me about?”
“We were going to meet up later to put it together before class.”
“Individually marked?”
“Yes.”
“Good. I expect you to pull your weight.”
He shook his head and sighed. “There are more important things going on right now, Dad. Vivian—”
“Is in good hands,” I interrupted. “Her being here shouldn’t affect your studies.”
“I can never talk to you,” I thought I heard him grumble before storming off.
I found myself alone in the kitchen, the low hum of the air conditioning in my ear. There was so much that I had to do. Important emails to send, security teams to check in with, clients to proposition. I didn’t get around to any of it. For the first time in forever, I didn’t want to. In a rare turn of events, running my business was the least of my concerns.
Looking after Vivian was the only thing on my mind.
Chapter 13
Vivian
I napped for all of fifteen minutes. I was beyond exhausted at this point, existing in an in-between state where I was both sluggish and alert. I paced around the guest room, mulling everything over.
The missing money. Molly. The Azure Cartel. Something big was going on, but what?
What if Blue Cloud Financial was in on it? What if they knew about the missing funds and took Molly to keep everything hush-hush? If word got out that Blue Cloud Financial was laundering money on behalf of a dangerous criminal organization, that’d drive the company’s reputation into the ground.
A part of me didn’t want to believe it. It was such an out there, ridiculous notion that I almost dismissed the thought as quickly as it came. I thought about Alistair, about how sweet a mentor he’d been to Molly and me over the past few months. There was no way he could be involved in all of this.
But what other explanation did I have?
I wished I had proof.
Proof.
I exited the guest bedroom just in time to see Wally leaving, the elevator doors sliding shut with a ding. “Where’s he off to?” I asked Jesse, who had once again taken up his spot at the kitchen island. His laptop was open, as per usual.
“School,” he answered flatly.
“Is it safe for him to go?” I asked. “What if the cartel goes after him?”
“I doubt they will. It’s pretty clear their interests lie with you.”
I nodded slowly. “Right. About that…”
“Yes?”
“Can you drive me to the office?”
Jesse set his jaw. “No.”
He got up out of his seat and circled around the island. I followed him, determined not to let him slip through my fingers.
“Just hear me out. Detective Monroe said I needed proof and I can get it. I just need to download the encrypted files from my computer and—”
“I said no. You’re honestly telling me you want to go back there?”
“If it’s the only way to help Molly, yes. It’ll blow the investigation wide open. The police will—”
“Out of the question, Vivian.”
“Jesse, please.”
“You said yourself that the files are encrypted, right? You don’t know for sure what’s on them.”
“Are you suggesting it’s a trap?”
“It’s not out of the realm of possibility. What if they’re fake files that were created to entice you to come in? It’s called bait. Whoever’s really behind all this has probably destroyed the evidence already.”
“Why do you sound so sure?”
“Because…” Jesse sighed heavily. “Look, I’ve been in this business a long time. I’ve seen some shit. The cartel doesn’t play by the rules like we do. They think they’re above the law. They do whatever the hell they want, and they don’t care who gets hurt in the process as long as they come out on top.”
I took a step closer, looking him over. “You sound like you’re speaking from experience.”
He nodded tightly. “A long time ago, when I was first getting into the business. My first contract as a bodyguard.”
“Can you tell me about it?” I whispered, drawing near.
“I was protecting a family seeking asylum. They were on the run from the Azure Cartel. I was specifically tasked with watching over their daughter. She was ten.”
A chill slithered down my spine. I sensed his tension, his guilt.
“I made a bad call,” he said simply. “I underestimated the enemy. You’d think a goddamn playground was off-limits.”
My stomach churned. “They attacked her while she was at the playground?”
“I didn’t want to let her go, but she’d been cooped up in the safehouse for months. Things had been really quiet. I thought maybe the cartel had finally given up. I figured a few minutes of fresh air couldn’t hurt. Plus, she was really good at nagging, and I may or may not have had a bit of a soft spot for her.” He
shook his head and laughed bitterly. “Didn’t think they’d stoop to planting a car bomb.”
I placed a tentative hand on his broad chest. “I’m so sorry.”
“So my answer is no,” he said calmly. “You’re not going back to Blue Cloud Financial to look for evidence. You’ll leave this matter to the police. Do you understand? This isn’t a game.” He stepped closer, trapping me against the counter.
“I never said it was.”
“Then you’ll do the smart thing and listen to me, Vivian. You’re going to stay here where I can keep an eye on you. So I can protect you.”
I swallowed, throat unbelievably parched. I shouldn’t have liked being cornered like this, pressed up against the counter, but I did. Jesse was so unbelievably close. The heat of his skin soaked into mine. His breath tickled my cheek. His eyes pierced into mine, serious and impossibly gentle.
I lifted a hand to trace the line of his jaw with my fingers. His stubble was rough to the touch, but more than a welcome sensation. I admired the shape of his lips, grazing my fingers over his bottom one. Jesse didn’t pull away. Instead, he leaned into it. His pupils were blown wide open as he studied me intently.
“Vivian,” he said gruffly. “We shouldn’t.”
I searched his eyes. “Then tell me to stop.”
Conflict flashed across his face, torn between resistance and giving in.
I knew what his decision was the second he leaned in and crashed his lips to mine.
The kiss was bruising at first. Desperate. Eager. Our lips slotted into place, hot breath mixing together. The hard press of his body against me set my core on fire. I dragged my fingers through his silky hair and moaned. Our tongues swept over one another, fighting for dominance. In the end, I was the one to give in, melting into his touch.
He kissed me just like he searched a room. Efficient, alert, moving with purpose. Jesse grabbed greedily at my thighs, my waist, hungry for more. I was still pinned to the counter, but I had no intention of moving out of the way. I could feel him better this way. Strong muscles beneath taut skin. When he rolled his hips against me, the hard press of his cock against my thigh made me moan.
Hot, wet desire pooled between my legs. My pussy ached to feel his touch, practically quivering for him as he moved to nip at my neck. He sucked at my tender skin, hard enough to leave a mark. I didn’t even care. It felt so good to feel something, feel him. His weight was a welcome comfort. A warm blanket on a cold winter’s night.
It was dizzying. All encompassing. Overwhelming in the best of ways. I was electric. Sparks leaped from nerve to nerve. My skin was alight with soft fire. And just when I thought I couldn’t get enough, Jesse spun me around, my back to his chest. He pressed feverish kisses to the back of my neck, his arms wrapped around me.
“Are you sure you want this?” he asked, voice a low rumble.
“Yes. Yes, I’m sure.”
“You have to understand I don’t do things in halves.”
“I don’t even know what that means.”
“It means,” he said, slipping a hand down the front of my jeans. His rough palm against my stomach was everything. “It means you’re in for a long night.”
I was feeling brave. Braver than I ever felt in my entire life. “Are you going to spend the whole night talking? Or are you going to put your money where your mouth is?”
Jesse chuckled, combing his fingers through my hair and undoing my bun. He grasped at the roots, not hard enough to hurt, but firm enough to tell me exactly who was boss. “Naughty girl,” he murmured against the crook of my neck. “You’ve got quite a mouth on you. I’m going to have to teach you a lesson.”
“You’re still talking,” I retorted, grinding my ass against him. His arousal was apparent, and it made me that much wetter to know how badly I was affecting him. “You’re all talk and no action, Jesse.”
“That’s sir to you.”
I licked my lips. “Yes, sir,” I whined, my knees trembling.
“That’s much better. Spread your legs for me. There you go, just like that.”
Jesse slipped a finger between my lips, rubbing circles against my sensitive clit. I gasped, pleasure spiking straight through me. I moaned, gripping the edge of the counter for dear life.
“So nice and wet for me,” he growled, grinding against me while drawing even tighter circles. “Not so sassy now, are you?”
“Jesse, I—”
“Sir,” he corrected.
“Please, sir, I need—” I could barely string together a coherent sentence. “I want to come,” I blurted out. “I want to come, sir. Please.”
“I don’t know if you deserve to.”
Desperation clawed at my core. I was close, teetering on the edge between sanity and pure bliss. “Please, sir, please. Oh, my God, right there. Right there—”
He stopped, finger hovering above my aching bud, refusing to move. I clenched around nothing, a frustrated groan ripping from my throat.
“Why?” I demanded, indignant. My cheeks were hot, my blood was thrumming. I was so close that it almost hurt when Jesse pulled away.
He kissed my cheek. Tender, teasing. “Like I said, you’re in for a long night.”
Without another word, he picked me up with ease. I wrapped my legs around him, eagerly kissing him in the hopes of enticing him back into action. Jesse didn’t seem the least bit phased, carrying me all the way down the hall toward his bedroom.
It was almost double the size of the guest bedroom, but twice as empty. I wasn’t exactly paying attention to the decor, though. My interests lay solely with the location of his bed and the way he laid me down like delicate crystal.
“Take off your shirt,” I demanded, increasingly aggravated by his level of dress.
Jesse clicked his tongue. “Is that what you want?”
I nodded. “Very much.”
He smirked, slipping his hands beneath my sweater. “No, I don’t think I will.”
“Jesse—”
“I don’t reward impatience. You’re going to have to learn.”
He lifted my sweater up and over my head, before undoing my bra and throwing the offending garment to the side, exposing my skin to the cool bedroom air. He dipped down to kiss a line up my stomach, between my breasts, nibbled gently on both my hard nipples, sucked at my collarbone and worked his way up to my lips.
He grinned, clearly pleased with himself. His cockiness was almost enough to piss me off. Almost.
“Beautiful,” he murmured. “Why do you hide under such large clothes?”
I would have blushed were it not for the fact that I was already red in the face. “I know I have a… fuller figure. I used to, um… I used to get ogled a lot. Figured I could avoid repeating the experience if I covered up.”
Jesse’s brow furrowed. “I’m sorry to hear that. You shouldn’t be made to feel uncomfortable.” He kissed my stomach. “Although, I think this is a much better look for you. Lift your hips for me.”
I did as instructed, giving him enough space to tug off my pants. He hooked his hands around my thighs and dragged me to the edge of the bed where he kneeled, kissing my hip bones while looking me over ravenously. He pulled my panties down and tossed them over his shoulder, lost somewhere to the floor.
“Is this still okay?” he asked gently. “We can stop if you want to.”
I nodded, reaching down to comb my fingers through his hair. “I want this,” I insisted. “Please. I need you.”
It was all the permission he needed.
Chapter 14
Jesse
I was going to have my way with her, but I needed to take care of her first.
Vivian was putty in my hands. Pliable. A willing participant who moved with me, a dance partner in the dark. She was quiet in the beginning, hiding her moans of pleasure behind a hand clasped over her mouth. I was about to tell her not to hold it in, but it brought me a great sense of achievement when I touched her just so and unleashed a languid groan. At some point, I to
ok it as a challenge to get her to scream with just my tongue.
The sounds she made, every whimper, every pant, every soft oh was music to my ears, high-pitched and angelic and somehow the dirtiest thing I’d ever heard. She gasped with every flick of my tongue against her, she whined with every circle I drew. Her knees shook. Her back arched. These were the sounds of a woman experiencing ecstasy.
Vivian tasted like a dream. Sweet. Uniquely her. There weren’t enough words in the English vocabulary to even begin to describe how wondrous she was. I adored the way she writhed beneath me, hips bucking in pursuit of climax.
She was soaking wet, pussy glistening with want. A lesser man would have been chasing his own high by now, but I was not a lesser man. Vivian deserved to be taken care of first. Nothing brought me more joy than the thought of fucking her silly, but there was no thrill in cutting to the chase. This was far more entertaining.
Her pleasure was my pleasure.
“Tell me what you need, angel,” I said, kissing her inner thigh. She was so fucking soft.
“I…” Her breathing was tight. “I don’t know. I don’t, uh…”
“Talk to me.”
“I don’t usually get to this part.”
Bracing myself up on my elbows, I looked up at her. “What do you mean?”
She swallowed, nibbling her bottom lip. Fuck, I loved it when she did that. “The guys I used to see… Old boyfriends, they…” She cleared her throat. “They never did this for me.”
“You mean go down on you?”
Vivian covered her face with her hands and nodded. “Y-yeah.”
“Why the fuck not?”
“I don’t know. I never asked. And the few times they did, it wasn’t, uh…”
I chuckled. “Now’s hardly the time to be shy, Vivian. Just tell me.”
Old boyfriends. Was Wally one of them?
I shook my head, ridding my mind of all thoughts. The last thing I wanted right now was to think about my son and whatever the hell he did —or didn’t— get up to while he was dating Vivian. All that mattered right now was us and this moment. Dwelling on the past or worrying about the future was the fastest way to kill the mood.