by A. R. Ford
“I’m not leaving your side,” I whisper against her ear before tugging the lobe between my teeth. That’s all it takes to dissolve the tension. She smiles, leaning against me and sighing softly as her head rests on my chest.
“I would expect nothing less of you.”
It doesn’t take a lot to get me fired up when it comes to Sarah. I nuzzle her neck and whisper, “We’ll eat lunch at home today. A little afternoon delight?”
Pink fills her cheeks as she glances at me from beneath her lashes. “Maybe.” Then her fingers slide from the inside of my leg all the way to my crotch where a single finger traces the outline of my cock.
“Yes, lunch at home, you little vixen,” I growl against her ear. Sarah giggles before kissing me softly on the cheek.
“Your wish is my command, husband.”
Our flirtation ends as Riley pulls up in front of the DA’s office. Any arousal that built during the drive here flees the instant I take Sarah’s hand and help her from the SUV. Her hand is cold now and the tremor has returned. “Don’t worry, babe. I’m right here with you,” I reassure.
Detective Akins meets us in the lobby of the building. “Mr. and Mrs. Knight,” he says with a smile. “Congratulations on your marriage.”
“Thank you,” Sarah murmurs.
The pleasantries end when Detective Akins escorts us to an elevator. We follow without question and ride in the elevator in silence. The DA’s office is located across from the elevator. The detective escorts us inside the office, speaks with a receptionist, then leads us down a hallway into a private meeting room. Sarah’s fingers dig into my hand as we sit down. The wait is short as the DA, assistant DA, and a paralegal enter the room with a file folder box filled with evidence. A flat-screen television is mounted to one wall. Sarah glances at it several times while biting her lower lip.
“Sarah, thank you for coming in,” the DA says before reaching across the table to shake first Sarah’s hand than mine. “I wondered if we could watch the security video first then discuss what happened, so we can take notes of points to bring up during the trial.”
Sarah nods then closes her eyes briefly. She glances at me as if asking for reassurance. The color has drained from her face once again. I clasp her hand in mine before smiling and whispering, “You can do this. I’m right here.”
The paralegal inserts a DVD into a player, turns the television on, and pushes the start button. The next few minutes unfold on the flat-screen television as rage grows inside me. Different security video angles show Roman entering the building, getting on the elevator, and getting off on the second floor. He walks down the hallway with a purpose, past the conference room where Morgan was on the day of the attack. Sarah exits the bathroom then freezes when Roman raises the gun.
There is no audio and for that I am thankful. Morgan and Roman fight over the gun. The next few minutes of the video make me sick. Sarah collapses on the floor after the gun fires. Blood streams from the wound on her shoulder. The phone falls from her hand as Morgan strips his shirt off and uses it to control the bleeding.
I swear when Sarah hunches over, rocking back and forth. I fear she is close to a breakdown. “Is this necessary?” I snap.
“We want to make sure Sarah is clear on what happened that day,” the DA offers.
I sling a copy of Simon’s flash drive on the table in front of the DA. “If you or your investigators had done their job, this would have come up. I’m sure that Roman nor his attorney want these things made public. I fully intend on doing that if you don’t use this to our advantage. I will not have my wife subjected to this traumatic event over and over again.”
“What is this?” the DA asks.
“A recording of Roman making threats against my wife. There is also a file on the attorney representing him. I think you’ll find the information there to be quite enlightening. I also have my personal private investigator searching for more information. If he finds anything else, I’ll make sure you get the information. I’m taking my wife home,” I snap. “Detective Akins can get in touch with us if you need anything further.”
By the time we make it to the SUV Sarah is a quivering, emotional mess. Living through the attack was one thing. Seeing it unfold on a television screen is another and has only caused her more emotional pain. “I should have stopped it.”
Sarah does not speak on the drive home. She leans heavily against me, head buried against my chest, while her body trembles. The need to protect her rises within me yet again. I pray the information given the DA does the job. If not, there will be hell to pay.
*******
Sarah
I want to curl into a ball and hide from the ugly images on the television screen. My mind shuts down when I see myself collapse on the floor bleeding from the gunshot wound in my shoulder. I can’t see it again. The memories are too horrific and painful. Lukas soothes me as Riley drives us to the condo. By the time we arrive there, the emotional pain has eased.
Lukas leads me to the study where he holds me on his lap as he fires up the laptop. “I want to show you something.”
I watch with minimal interest when he starts a program on the computer. He opens a window in the program that displays Bass Holdings. I perk up when I connect the dots. This is the Bass family’s company. “What is this?”
“This is the online program I use to play the stock market. When you told me you saw Roman in the park that day, I started taking proactive steps. I bought a good chunk of shares in the family’s company.” He turns toward me, grins, and looks at the computer screen again.
“Why are you showing me this?” Perhaps the dots aren’t connecting all the way for me. I have no understanding of the stock market.
“I told you I would protect you, Sarah. Since the DA didn’t seem interested in the flash drive, I came up with a backup plan. It’s impossible to pay high priced attorneys if you’re bankrupt,” Lukas explains. He enters a few numbers, checks a box or two then scoots closer to the desk. “Click on the accept button, babe. I want you to be the one to do this.”
“Accept what?”
“A final purchase which makes us the major stakeholders in Bass Holdings. Then I’ll call my management team and summarily fire everyone hired by or who is a member of the Bass family. Then, I’ll liquidate the business and sell off the pieces to the highest bidder.”
Lukas waits patiently until I click the accept icon. The screen whirls for a few seconds until the confirmation screen appears. I glance at my husband, heart in my throat. Is it possible? Has Lukas managed to end this nightmare once and for all?
He makes a phone call and issues instructions to another person. The call ends seconds later. “Done. The ball is in their court. What do you think?”
“I think I love you more as each day passes, Lukas.” His lips are tender and searching against mine. The kiss communicates more than words ever could. Lukas is my everything.
The drive home is passed with chatter interrupted by an occasional phone call that Lukas takes. He has assumed the role at Knight Security just as easily as he did at Bright Enterprise. We are relaxed and at ease with each other more than we ever have been in the past. Once we make it home, Lukas leads me off to the study again where he checks the laptop for a report on the happenings at Bass Holdings. The purchase of stock pushed his stake in the company well above the fifty-one percent needed to follow through with his plans.
Lukas places another phone call to the team he assembled to manage Bass Holdings. “Is everything going according to plan?” he inquires. “Good. Make sure Roman Bass is served notice that he no longer has an office there. I want him and the others walked out by security. I’ll see that new security guards are put in place and the locks changed on the building.” Another pause comes as he listens to more details. “Start looking for a buyer in the morning as we previously discussed. Let me know when it’s done.”
As soon as Lukas ends the call, he pulls me into his arms, mouth coming down hard on mine, his h
ands moving lower to cup my bottom. “I need you,” he groans against my neck.
I can tell how much he needs me. The erection pressing into my belly is rock hard. No one would dare interrupt us here. Lukas’s study is his sanctuary. I slide to my knees in front of him, suddenly nervous as I think of touching him with my mouth and hands. I’ve never done it before, but he has brought me to shivering, powerful orgasms with his mouth and hands. It’s time to return the favor. His erection falls free as soon as I unfasten the belt and zipper then pull Lukas’s underwear down. He is swollen, the crown nearly purple with arousal. I take the head of his cock in my mouth and shiver when he groans.
“Sarah, babe...Holy fucking shit!” Lukas swears when my tongue swirls around the crown before dipping into the slit. He tastes salty and musky.
I take him as deep as I can, covering my teeth with my lips. I use one hand to caress his heavy testicles while the other strokes the base of his shaft. Lukas’s fingers tangle in my hair as I slide his cock in and out of my mouth. His breathing quickens, the fingers tighten in my hair.
“No more, babe. I’m going to come in your mouth if you keep this up,” he mutters.
I look up at him and continue to slide his thick shaft back and forth along my tongue. He grabs my arms, pulling me upright before bending me over the desk. The dress is flipped over my back, my panties jerked down. Then he rams his cock all the way inside me in one thrust. I cry out, stretched almost painfully by his girth. His fingers dig into my hips as he eases out, then slides fully inside me with a groan.
“You’re so fucking tight, babe. I need your pussy right now.”
He shows me how much he needs me. Rough thrusts that jar my body against the desk bring me to the peak of ecstatic madness. I clench around him and am rewarded with a hiss of breath between his teeth. One final thrust brings his cock fully inside me before he fills me with his release.
I am sweaty and breathless, nearly incoherent with orgasmic bliss. Lukas leans over me, kissing my neck and face as his hands caress my body. His cock slips free making me gasp with the sudden emptiness. His hands caress my ass and hips before the panties are pulled into place. I manage to stand on shaky legs and turn to face him. My mouth goes dry seeing him stand there with his glistening cock hanging partially erect from the fly of the dark-washed jeans and a satisfied grin on his face.
Lukas pulls me into his embrace before kissing me so tenderly that my heart nearly bursts with the intensity of our love. “I think we’re ready to move to the bedroom now, babe. Are you game?”
Am I ever, Lukas Knight. We haven’t had an all-nighter since he kicked Josh’s ass over the bet. “Game on.”
Those are the only words Lukas needs to hear as he tucks his cock away, fastens the fly of his jeans, and leads me out of the study to the bedroom.
Chapter 32
Lukas
Sarah lies in my arms the next morning, her hair a dirty blonde halo against the black satin sheets. The idea of leaving the warm bed and not having her within my embrace is distasteful. At least learning more about the results of my plan of action provides some motivation.
“Are you sure the plan worked?” Sarah asks.
I glance at the bedside clock and smile. “I expect a call in about one minute telling me how things are going. If we’re lucky, it will be the DA saying the attorney is no longer representing Roman.”
Precisely one minute later the telephone rings. I pick it up, listen to my contact’s report, and end the call. “The Bass family is now bankrupt. Their assets under Bass Holdings are now up for sale.”
The phone rings again. Detective Akins’s voice greets me when I answer. “Detective Akins, how can I help you?” I listen intently as he gives us some good news. Roman Bass no longer has the high-priced attorney and is represented by a public defender. I listen as a more detailed report on the status of the case follows.
“That’s interesting, Detective Akins. So, the former attorney is being investigated for ethical and legal violations? Yes, please get back to us with more news when you have it. My private investigator may have more to add. I expect to hear from him at any time.”
“What did Detective Akins say?”
“The high-priced attorney is history. Roman has a public defender. And the former attorney is being investigated for numerous ethical and legal violations. Did I do well, babe?”
Sarah giggles and nods. “I’m glad you like me. You can be scary sometimes.”
“Scary?”
“Mm-hmm. So far, I think there are three Lukas Knights. CEO Lukas Knight pillages and destroys competitors while building empires. Then there’s loving Lukas who makes me feel safe and loved always. Then there’s sex god Lukas who makes me wet with a glance and then makes me orgasm so hard my toes curl.”
“Do tell, madam. Which Lukas do you like the most?” I am amused by her identification of different personalities.
“All of them really because they’re part of who you are,” Sarah replies while stroking my chest hair with the fingers of one hand.
We slip from bed and dress before heading to the kitchen for breakfast. Sarah scrambles eggs and fried sausage while I make whole-wheat toast. We eat at the dining room table sitting side by side. John intrudes briefly to let us know Morgan and Brittney are headed upstairs for a visit. Morgan and Brittney appear moments later. Something is up. Morgan has a huge grin while Brittney whispers in Sarah’s ear.
“Something is going on,” I say with a raised eyebrow. “What’s up with you two?”
“I asked Brittney to marry me,” Morgan replies.
Brittney holds out her hand to display a diamond engagement ring. “And I said yes!”
“Congratulations!” I hug Brittney before shaking Morgan’s hand and pounding him on the back. Sarah gives them both a hug.
Sarah elbows me after returning to sit beside me. “Would you care for some breakfast?” she asks.
Morgan and Brittney decline. They sit drinking coffee with us as Sarah proceeds to elbow me again. I know what she’s up to. “Sarah and I have some news as well,” I say. “Detective Akins called earlier to let us know that Roman’s high-priced attorney has gone bye-bye. He is also being investigated for ethical and legal violations. And,” I add with a grin, “Sarah learned how to play the stock market yesterday. I’m teaching her a bit about power plays.”
“You bought them out, didn’t you?” Morgan chortles. “I knew you would!”
“Sarah was instrumental in purchasing the shares necessary to gain control of Bass Holdings,” I explain. “This morning everyone that had anything to do with the Bass family was fired. I had anyone related to the Bass family fired. Roman was escorted from the building. The company is up for sale this morning.”
Morgan high fives me over the table while Brittney looks astonished. “You did that?” Brittney asks. “How?”
“I learned to play the stock market not long after I graduated from high school,” I explain. “I’ve been very lucrative, Brittney. Now Sarah will learn from me so that she can do the same things I have done. We turned a hefty profit in two days.”
“Hefty?” Brittney asks while glancing from Sarah to me.
“Seven figures. Sarah’s a hell of a prospector when it comes to the stock market.”
Chapter 33
Sarah
Work consumes everyone at Knight Security. Word of Lukas’s departure from Bright Enterprises spreads, and as a result, business is growing in the cybersecurity sector. It becomes increasingly more difficult to manage duties for both Morgan and Lukas.
I visit the brothers as they have their morning strategy session. Morgan rocks the casual polo and khaki trousers look that he is infamous for. Lukas takes my breath away wearing a dark blue Lardini suit with a pale blue shirt and coordinated tie.
The men stand when I enter the conference room. Lukas kisses my cheek while taking my arm. He guides me to a chair near his.
“To what do we owe the pleasure of my lovely wife’s
visit?” Lukas says.
“Can we talk about my workload?”
“Of course,” the brothers say in unison.
“I’m good at what I do, you both know that. I think it’s time to lighten my load. I’m having problems keeping up with spreadsheets, filing, and the other day-to-day drudgery. It may be time to hire a receptionist and a secretary or something.” I gnaw my lip nervously while waiting for a response. A finger twirls a strand of hair.
Lukas slides a hand beneath the table where it rests on my knee. “I agree. Sarah needs some help,” he says. “Morgan?”
“The demand for security services in and around Warner is growing monthly. We are expecting to need at least a hundred more employees to meet demand around the holiday season. Does this mean I’m losing my assistant?” Morgan asks.
“I think it does,” Lukas admits as the hand beneath the table slides under my dress, caressing its way along my inner thigh.
I fight back a gasp while grasping Lukas’s hand. “Should I set up some interviews?”
“Let’s shoot for Wednesday,” Lukas replies. “Sarah, could we discuss the change in duties privately?”
“Of course. Thank you both for hearing me out.”
Lukas takes my arm before escorting me to his office. Once the door is closed, he picks me up, carries me to the desk, and sets me on the edge. He sits in the chair before placing a hand on each thigh. The intense midnight-blue eyes leave no doubt as to his intentions.
“We were discussing duties,” he says.
“We were,” I reply, squirming at the pressure of his thumbs that slide higher on the inside of each leg. “Does this mean no more answering phones and forwarding calls?”
“I’ve never experimented with desks until I met you, Sarah. I won’t forget that night in my study,” he says as a thumb slides beneath the lace of my panties. The thumb finds my sensitive bud, brushing lightly before circling.