by E. L. Todd
“When I built my own company, I wanted to honor my father by being a generous and giving businessman. I wanted my employees to be happy, to make enough to support their families, to feel safe at work. I wanted to make the world a better place, giving people jobs and a purpose. But your mother doesn’t see it that way. In her eyes, everyone is beneath her. We are the king and queen of this Earth, and anyone who isn’t in the same tax bracket is worthless. My dad may have been poor, but he certainly wasn’t worthless. How can I love someone who goes against everything I believe in? Everything I stand for?” He shook his head slightly. “I can’t keep waiting and hoping. It’s done.”
The silence settled in the room. I wanted to say something inspirational, something to cure the ache in his heart. But there was nothing. “I’m sorry, Dad.”
“It’s okay, son. You’ll never understand how grateful I am that my two amazing sons have continued my legacy. If your mother were in charge…I hate to even think about it.”
My heart swelled with pride. “We know the company is everything to you.”
“Not everything,” he said simply. “But almost.” He clapped my shoulder then returned his hand to his lap. “Now you know why I love your wife so much. She’s nothing like the pretentious people your mother is so fond of. No wonder they never got along.” He had a slight smirk to his lips.
“If the money ever goes to my head, Scarlet will beat the shit out of me. You never have to worry about that.”
“She’s got a good arm. I can tell.” He winked at me.
“You bet she does.” I winked back.
My dad laughed then shoved me gently. “Let’s keep this PG.”
“It’s never PG.”
My father took another deep breath then stared at the floor. “I need a moment to get settled. I’ll be down in a few.”
I knew that was my cue to leave. “Sure thing.” I left the room then walked downstairs.
Scarlet and Mike were talking. Judging the looks on their faces, they were still in shock.
“Did he say anything else?” Mike asked immediately.
I stood beside Scarlet. “He just said he and Mom were done.”
Scarlet crossed her arms over her chest, looking tense.
Mike smiled. “Dude, Dad deserves better. I’m glad he’s moving on. Maybe Mom will realize how much of a bitch she is and pull her head out of her ass.”
“Or maybe she’ll be even crazier,” Scarlet said. “Could there be something wrong with her? Diane wasn’t this insane when you and Penelope were together.”
I glared at her. “Never say her name again.”
She rolled her eyes. “It’s true. As soon as you and I became official, she spiraled out of control. Do you think she needs medical attention? Maybe she’s becoming bipolar or something, a sickness that could be improved with medication.”
Mike shook his head. “No. She’s just a fucking bitch. And there’s no cure for that.”
“I agree,” I said. “My mom has been pretentious and judgmental my whole life. She has a skewed view of the world and how it really works. Never working a day in her life, and never being poor have clouded her mind and her judgment. She doesn’t appreciate my dad for the amazing man he is. She despises him for it.”
Scarlet turned to Mike. “Does Cassandra know?”
“No,” he said quietly. “She needs her space. It can wait.”
I really hoped Mike didn’t fuck things up with Cassandra. She was a sweet girl and I liked her. Scarlet adored her. If my brother blew this, I’d beat the shit out of him. I wished someone had done that for me when I hurt Scarlet a year ago.
Scarlet prepared dinner then set the table. My dad came down then smiled.
“Something smells good.” He sat down and folded the napkin across his lap.
“Pot roast,” Scarlet explained. “I can do more than just edit.”
“I’ve never doubted that.” He took a bite then moaned. “This is amazing, dear.”
“Thank you.” Scarlet beamed with pride.
Mike scarfed down his food like a gorilla and I ate quietly. Scarlet ate more than anyone, like usual. We didn’t talk about my mom or the divorce. My dad seemed to be in a better mood but it could all be an act. I wasn’t sure.
Even though the meeting was under bad circumstances, it was still nice to spend time with my family without any drama. My mom wasn’t yelling at me to leave Scarlet, and she wasn’t berating Mike for his horrible table manners. My dad wasn’t ridiculed for being pleasant company. It was peaceful. It was nice.
6
Mike
I hadn’t spoken to my girl or seen her in almost a week. How much time did she need? She was really starting to freak me out. This situation would have been very different if I didn’t tell her the truth about the guy I used to be. But I did. I told her everything. So why was this a big deal? I wanted to go home and sleep with her in my own bed. I wanted to make sure she was safe every night. If I were there, I’d be the guard dog against everything. If her ex decided to pay her a visit, I would look forward to the meet-and-greet. But I didn’t think he would.
When I was at work, I had to force myself not to go down the elevator and into her office. I forced myself not to text her. But that was so fucking hard. She disappeared off the face of the earth. I had no idea what she was thinking or feeling. I just wanted to talk to her.
After the silence and distance became unbearable, I left the office and went to the liquor store. There were Snickers bars right by the register. I grabbed one then headed back to the office. When I reached her floor, I walked down the hallway until I reached her office.
She was sitting at her desk, her legs crossed under the long cotton skirt. It was black, and she wore an orange top that fit loosely around her body. I could still see the curve of her breasts. And she looked beautiful.
Her eyes were deep like the forest, buzzing with life and mystery. I could stare into those depths forever, wondering what she was thinking at any given moment. Her lips were full and slightly open. She scribbled on a paper, her head down. When I looked at her hands, I noticed the red color of her nails. She was so strong and sporty, but she was feminine at the same time.
God, I missed her.
I couldn’t see her legs beneath her skirt, but perhaps that was for the best. I already had a hard-on in my slacks and I prayed no one noticed. After a deep breath, I walked inside and approached her desk.
She looked up at me, and those green eyes I was so fond of burned in a green fire. I had no idea what she was thinking or feeling, but there was emotion within the depths. Did she miss me? Did she hate me?
When she didn’t speak, I took the reins. “I thought you might be hungry.” I placed the candy bar on her desk, making sure I didn’t grace her fingers with mine. My hands moved into my pockets, where I knew they’d behave themselves.
She grasped it in her small fingers then felt the wrapper. It crinkled under her touch. Her eyes dimmed slightly, like she was moved. But she didn’t open that beautiful mouth and speak.
I came closer to her desk. “How’s it going?”
She shrugged. “Fine.”
Come on. Give me something more than that. “You doing okay?”
She nodded.
Why the hell was she shutting me out like this? “Cassandra, talk to me.” The authority was in my voice.
“Now isn’t the time or place,” she hissed.
I marched back to the door and shut it.
“No. I don’t want people to think we’re having sex.”
“Who cares?” I came back to the desk, placing my hands on the surface. “Baby, what’s going on? You’re scaring the shit out of me.”
“I don’t know…”
“You don’t know?” I asked incredulously. “Look, I told you about my past on our first date. I’ve never lied to you about the piece of shit I was during that time. Obviously, you didn’t anticipate me to fuck your friend, but it doesn’t change anything. I’m a differ
ent man now, one that loves you very much. So stop pushing me away. I can’t take it anymore.”
Her eyes softened. “It’s just—”
“Are you dumping me?” She better say no. I couldn’t handle it if she said yes. I couldn’t.
“Of course not.”
I tried to hide the relief from appearing on my face. “Then let me come home. I need you right now.”
“I just can’t stop picturing you with her.” She covered her face like she’d hurl.
“It meant nothing to me. Clearly.”
“But—”
“But what?” I demanded. “You’re the only girl who’s actually meant something to me. I would never treat you like that. I may have been an asshole but I never lied about my intentions to anyone. She knew what she was getting into at the time. Maybe she was drunk and I encouraged that, but she didn’t black out and I just took advantage of her. I don’t know Zeal very well, but I can tell she’s a whore. So don’t like her come between us. She obviously wants to get rid of me because her brother is your ex. Don’t fall for that shit.”
Cassandra twirled the candy bar in her fingers.
“Does she know what Whatever-The-Fuck-His-Name-Is did to you?”
She didn’t need to answer. I already knew. “No.”
“Why not?”
“It’s no one’s business.” Her voice was quiet.
I knew I couldn’t push her on this matter. We already argued for weeks about it. “Let me come home tonight.”
She returned her look to the candy bar, showing it more attention than she showed me.
“Baby?”
“She’s my closest friend but she hates you…”
“I’ll apologize to her and keep apologizing. I’ll do whatever it takes to make you happy. If she’s the one who can’t accept my apology and move on, then she doesn’t value your friendship or your happiness.”
“I love you so much…I just wanted my friends to like you.”
“They will,” I said firmly. “I’ll win them over.”
She didn’t seem convinced.
“We’ll work through this,” I said gently. “Don’t you dare give up on me.”
“I’m not giving up.”
Those words were music to my ears. “Then I’m coming home tonight.”
I waited for her confirmation.
“Okay.”
I smiled then leaned over her desk, giving her a soft kiss to the forehead. She took a deep breath when she felt my lips touch her skin. I didn’t do this often, but when I did, she always made a beautiful sigh. It was musical, perfect. “I’ll see you after work.”
“Okay.”
I eyed the candy bar. “Save half of that for me.”
“Nope.” She ripped it open and took a bite.
I was glad her playfulness had returned. “That’s my girl.”
When I got off work, I walked to her office and waited for her to gather her things. When her purse was over her shoulder and her bag was in hand, she met me.
I immediately took the bag and placed it over my shoulder. “Ready?”
“Yep.” She placed her hand on her stomach. “I have to burn off the Snickers bar I ate like a pig.”
“I love it when you talk dirty to me,” I teased.
She rolled her eyes and walked in front of me. When we were alone in the elevator, she brushed her hair behind her shoulder. The light scent of her hair and perfume moved into my nose. I missed that smell.
“You look nice today.” I really liked the skirt she wore. She looked classy and sexy at the same time.
“Thank you. You always look handsome in a suit.”
“And naked,” I added.
Her cheeks blushed. “You’re so full of yourself.”
“And you’re going to be full of me tonight.”
She hit my shoulder lightly. “Knock it off before I kick your ass.”
“Ooh…that’s hot.” My arm moved around her waist and I rubbed my nose against her. Just talking to her made me feel better. I missed our cat-and-mouse relationship. Her wit and humor always made me more attracted to her. And somehow, inexplicably, I fell more in love.
Now I felt like a pussy just like my brother.
When we arrived at the gym, she walked into the women’s locker room, her hips shaking back and forth. I got one more peek at her ass before she disappeared. I was done in the changing room before she appeared so I hit the bench press. I did more weights than cardio because I liked the mass muscle on my body. Sean was thinner than I was but he preferred it that way. Me, not so much. I liked looking threatening and violent. And if my girlfriend was a hard-ass, I had to keep up with her.
When she walked into the gym, all the heads turned in her direction. She wore a sports bra and spandex shorts. Her iPod was hooked to her arm and her ear buds were in. She had an upright posture and walked with perfect grace. You could tell she was strong just by looking at her. It should annoy men that all these pervs were lusting after her but it didn’t. Honestly, I couldn’t blame them. As long as they kept their hands off her, I didn’t care what they did.
She grabbed a twenty pound bar then did dead-lifts. Her back was perfectly straight and her ass looked great. I sat up and stared at her for a moment. When I looked at her face in the mirror, she was giving me a cocky grin. I grinned back and continued my set.
Half an hour later, Cassandra refilled her water at the drinking fountain. A tall prick with a fitted shirt moved in for the kill. Naturally, I wanted to move in and tell him to fuck off but I knew my lady could take care of herself. I backed off.
He engaged her in conversation for a few moments, making her laugh. Then he crossed his arms over his chest, smiling at her. His eyes glanced at her body every few seconds, not bothering to be discreet. I gave the guy one more minute to walk away before I swooped in.
Cassandra finally sauntered off, heading right toward me. I was sitting down so she plopped on my lap, her muscled ass right on my crotch. When I looked at the guy, I saw the annoyance and disappointment on his face.
Too bad, so sad.
She gave me a quick kiss. “Ready to go?”
“Yep.”
I put my arm around her shoulders then walked her out, making it clear this hot piece of ass was mine.
When we got home, she headed into the shower first. I was going to head in when she least expected it. While we were okay, we still had a lot to talk about.
I slipped inside and shut the door behind me. My eyes widened when I saw her naked body. Tight with muscles and lean with curves, she ran her fingers through her wet hair. Her body was perfect. It made me want to cry. She had a real women’s chest, and a voluptuous ass. Fucking hot.
My cock was hard and looking for an invite. I came behind her, my ass in the valley between her cheeks, and I pressed my chest against her back. My arms wrapped around her, holding her to me. As soon as I felt the connection between us, I froze. I missed this all week. I felt hollow and empty, missing an innate part of myself. She completed me like no one else ever could. The water fell down our skin while we embraced one another.
My hands gripped her hips, and my thumbs massaged the soft skin. She was petite and small, her head barely reaching my shoulder. But she was a bad-ass babe. She could kick ass if she had to.
Her hands moved on top of mine. “I just can’t imagine you being anything but sweet…” Her voice was quiet, barely audible over the falling water.
“Because I’m only sweet to you.” I kissed her neck then wrapped my arm around her waist.
“What if you change?”
“Never.”
“You get tired of me…?”
“Impossible.”
I nuzzled my face in her neck. “You’re a diamond in the rough, baby. I’ll never forget that.”
She finally turned around, her eyes wide with uncertainty.
I tried not to look at her breasts but I was weak. I loved her tits. I loved squeezing them in my big palms. I leaned down and
kissed the skin over her heart. “You’ve already given me your heart. And I promise I’ll take care of it. I’m a guard dog, the protector of your happiness.”
Her eyes softened. “I just can’t see you being anything but perfect.”
“Then continue to think that. Don’t think about what I used to be. He’s no longer here anyway.” I gripped her waist and yanked her toward me, her wet breasts pressed against my chest. Her nipples immediately hardened in my embrace, showing her excitement for me.
She was always excited for me.
“I’m sorry I’m making a big deal about this.” She stared at my chest, not meeting my gaze.
“You don’t need to apologize. I understand why it bothers you.” I kissed her forehead. “If you slept with one of my friends, I know I’d be devastated.”
“How do you know I didn’t?” One side of her lip upturned in a smile.
“Because not one of them could handle a real woman like you.”
Her eyes softened again.
It was easy for me to sound cheesy because I meant every word I said.
She turned off the water, the sound of our dripping bodies amplified against the tile. I grabbed a towel and dried her off, paying extra attention to her breasts. My cock was long and hard, twitching from the beautiful sight. Cassandra grinned while I patted her down, amused at the not so discreet moves I was throwing at her.
“I miss you,” she whispered.
“I miss you too.” I knew in what context.
We moved to the bedroom, our bodies joining together as soon as we hit the comforter. Judging by her tightness and wetness, I knew she’d really missed me this past week. I bit my lip while I moved into her, trying not to come too quickly. But Cassandra gripped my shoulders and rocked into me hard and fast, finding her undoing immediately. Watching her come set me off. I released inside, feeling the ironclad connection I adored.
I stayed inside her when I was finished, not willing to part with her so soon. I cuddled beside her and ran my fingers through her slightly damp hair. Free of makeup and with flat hair, she still looked gorgeous. My hands moved down the abs of her stomach. I loved how fit and strong she was. She was badass.