by Malone, M.
“What happened, angel?”
Tears welled in her eyes and she paused for a second, taking a moment to compose herself.
“My best friend Bennett saved me. He let me stay with him even though his apartment was tiny. I got a job working at a clothing boutique and worked as much as I could to save up money. I have a trust fund but I would have rather chewed glass than take anything from my father after the things he said to me. Then one night, I was driving home from closing the shop and … I fell asleep.”
King pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head. “I am so sorry, Olivia.”
She shrugged, trying to shake off the fresh wave of sadness and guilt. “It’s a time in my life that I try not to think about anymore. My pride cost me everything. My baby would have been going to kindergarten this year.”
At that she totally lost it. She covered her face with her hands and just cried.
King pulled her until she was sprawled across his lap and she clutched his shirt in her fists until the wracking sobs slowed and she could catch her breath. His hands traveled up and down her back in a gentle circular motion and for about ten minutes they stayed just like that. A wave of exhaustion passed through Olivia but it was a good kind of tired.
It felt like a weight had been lifted.
Finally she sat back and brushed at the tears on her cheek. King’s shirt was creased and covered in dark spots where her tears had soaked through. Self-conscious at the signs of her breakdown, she slid off his lap and onto the couch cushion next to him.
“Sorry about that. When I invited you over, I’m sure you weren’t expecting to play therapist.”
King brushed her cheek with his thumb and leaned down so she couldn’t avoid his eyes. “When I told you that I was serious, I didn’t just mean when it was convenient. I don’t mind listening to anything you want to share with me.”
Her heart rolled over in her chest and Olivia lowered her head so he wouldn’t see the cheesy smile on her face. Before today she would have said that she was enjoying her time with King but it wasn’t until this very moment that she started to think he might be more than just a fun time.
That he might actually be the kind of man that she could count on.
Forever.
* * *
King flipped the pen in his hands over and over. His mind wasn’t on the financial statements strewn across his desk or whatever the hell his CFO was saying. Olivia had sent him a text asking him to meet her at Club VIP and his mind had been on the possibilities all day.
Ever since the day Olivia had told him about her accident, there had been an entirely different vibe between them. He understood so many things about her better now. Her strength, her courage, her determination to do everything on her own. She’d lost so much but still had such a positive spirit.
Spending time with her had been such a surprise. In the past whenever he spent time with a woman, it had quickly become routine. The women in his usual social circle all seemed to talk about the same things and the same people. Their worldview was limited to what they could buy or who they could be seen with. King was no better, he’d come to realize because he hadn’t picked his partners for their wit or intelligence. He’d only cared about getting the hottest women who wouldn’t care when he inevitably got bored and moved on.
With Olivia, he never knew what was going to happen. If there was a news story she found interesting they would end up debating it. When she’d told him a local conservative group was trying to get the club shut down, they’d brainstormed ways to handle it. She was interested in his business and asked questions that showed she cared about how he spent his days.
Best of all, he had no doubt that even if he was a garbage man she’d give him the same level of support and interest. She wasn’t interested in Kingsley International or how powerful he was due to his position there. She cared about him.
Her support was quickly becoming vital to his wellbeing.
King’s attention was diverted when Devin stood.
“I’ll have an answer for you next week. Until then, I’ll get with legal and see what’s necessary.”
James, who had also been invited to the meeting, frowned at him before saying something to the other man and walking with him to the door. King sighed and glanced at his watch. It would be at least another two hours before he could get out of here and meet Olivia.
“Did you hear anything he said?” James demanded. He rapped his knuckles on the desk between them and glared at King. “You’ve been somewhere else all afternoon. What the hell is going on with you?”
King wasn’t used to having his authority questioned but his oldest friend was one of the only people who didn’t mince words with him. They’d been through too much and seen each other in too many compromising positions over the years to stand on ceremony.
“No, I didn’t. I’m sure you’ve got it covered.”
The statement reminded him of something his father had said to him not that long ago. He’d probably been wearing the same disgusted look his best friend was currently sporting afterward.
Maybe his father was actually on to something. This delegating thing wasn’t so bad.
James leaned forward. “Is this about a woman?”
Uncomfortable now, King avoided his eyes and shuffled the papers on his desk unnecessarily. Ever since that night at the club, he hadn’t mentioned his plan to James again. Usually they didn’t keep secrets but he wasn’t entirely sure how to explain what he was doing with Olivia.
They’d been dating for the past few weeks and everything was great but how long could that really last?
He wasn’t the kind of guy who could stay on the straight and narrow but for so long, something that James knew better than anyone else. He didn’t want to hear his friend’s opinions on his attempt at being less of an asshole.
It was immature but he was enjoying being in this bubble of happiness with Olivia. While they were together he could believe that things would always stay this way between them and that he could have a chance at what he’d always mocked his friends for wanting.
“Everything is fine. Come on, you know as well as I do that Devin analyzes everything to death before making any recommendations anyway. I’m sure whatever I need to know is in here in great detail.” He gestured toward the financial statements Devin had been talking them through.
James didn’t look convinced but he didn’t seem inclined to dig any deeper. He stood and rebuttoned his suit jacket. Right before he reached the door, he stopped.
“Hey, I’ve been meaning to ask you something. Is Georgie okay?”
That got his attention. His friends teased him about his overprotective big brother mode but he didn’t care. Georgie had been sheltered her whole life and she needed looking after. Even now that she was engaged, his mind refused to acknowledge her as anything other than a freckle-faced toddler with pigtails. It had taken him ages to warm up to her fiancé and he still wasn’t sure the guy was worthy.
“Why wouldn’t she be? Did she say something to you?”
“No, of course not. I dropped some files off for your father at home and ran into her. She looked upset.”
“She hasn’t said anything to me.”
The thought bothered him as did the thought that James might have noticed something wrong with her before he did.
He’d never told his best friend this before but he suspected that Georgie used to have a crush on him at one point. Anyone else wouldn’t have noticed the signs but King knew his little sister. She was usually excited and full of energy and whenever James would come around she was suddenly quiet and demure, like she was trying too hard to look unaffected.
“I’ll check on her tonight.”
James hesitated, as if deciding whether he wanted to say anything else. But in the end, he just nodded and left, pulling the office door closed behind him.
There was more to this story, King could sense that. But the thought of it made him uncomfortable so he decided that he wou
ld take a little detour and visit Georgie before going home. He’d get the truth out of her. He didn’t want James getting involved.
The last thing he needed was to worry about his best friend anywhere near his baby sister.
Chapter Twelve
Olivia pulled the curtain around the stage and stood back to inspect her handiwork. A last minute cancellation had come through that morning and she’d immediately thought of King.
It usually took quite a bit of juggling to get a two hour block of time to use the Masquerade Room, even on a weeknight.
She supposed that was a blessing though. The room was becoming more popular with the patrons of the club and they actually had a waiting list for every weekend through the end of the summer.
She was hit with a sudden case of nerves at the thought of being on stage in front of him. In the past she’d never wanted to dance for a lover, preferring to keep that part of her life separate. But with King, she felt like she could share every part of herself, from her fears to her most intense and intimate desires.
He had a way of making her feel like anything they did together couldn’t be wrong. They’d gotten so close these past few weeks and she’d wanted to do something for him.
More than that, she really wanted to seduce him.
After she’d cried all over him during their last date, he’d been so sweet. They’d eaten Chinese food while watching the first few episodes of a new sitcom neither of them had ever seen. Afterward, he’d carried her to her room and made slow, sweet love to her.
It was hard to believe sometimes that the man who handled her with such sensitivity and care was the same man who’d once made her work life a living hell. But as much as she appreciated how gentle and understanding he’d been, especially after telling him about her accident, she kind of wanted to push him a little.
Their passion had always been off the charts and she could just feel him holding himself back. Well, she didn’t want the watered down version of King. She wanted every part of him, including the dominant, wild, out of control aggressive lover he’d been in the beginning.
Her phone vibrated in the pocket of the silk robe she wore. She pulled it out and read the message from Andrew, the head of security for Club VIP.
King was here.
By the time he entered a few minutes later, she was in position on the stage, her back to the pole. The music she’d chosen was playing at full volume. She’d even turned on the strobe lights and it lent a sultry almost seedy atmosphere to the setting.
He wore the standard black eye mask provided outside of the room, as did she. She shivered as his eyes ran over her hungrily.
“Is the room set up to your liking, Mr. Kingsley.”
His eyes flashed at her reference to how they’d originally met. “Actually, I have a few suggestions.”
“Such as,” she taunted.
“Lose the robe.”
She untied the sash around her waist and allowed the robe to slide down and pool around her feet, revealing her purple tasseled bra and thong. King settled on the couch directly facing the stage, his hands resting lightly on his knees.
Olivia rolled her hips to the beat of the music and leaned back against the pole, using it to steady her as she gyrated. King’s hands clenched into fists when she wrapped one leg around the pole and leaned back, popping her hips like she was grinding against the metal. She used her ab muscles to pull herself upright in one long sensuous motion and then jumped, grabbing the pole and inverting herself as she swung around the pole slowly.
The flashing colors of the strobe lights added to the surreal feeling, making Olivia feel like she was flying. Using the strength in her legs, she allowed herself to slide down to the floor and then flipped her legs over her head, until she was on all fours on the stage.
She kept her eyes on King as she crawled slowly toward him. He was sitting all the way forward on the couch and looked like he was about two seconds away from falling off. She crooked her finger at him and he sprang forward.
He hadn’t changed after work but he’d removed his suit jacket and she could clearly see how her performance had affected him.
“Holy shit, Liv. That was amazing.”
She got up on her knees and hooked a finger underneath the knot of his tie, tugging him closer. He groaned and came down on top of her, his mouth grinding against hers roughly. She welcomed it, wanted him completely out of control.
They rolled on the stage, pulling at each other’s clothes until she was topless and his shirt was hanging half off. King pulled back slightly and then yanked his shirt off the rest of the way. Olivia ran her hands over his chest and tugged at his belt. She giggled when he pushed her hands out of the way and almost ripped it off.
“This is funny, is it Miss Reyes?”
She nodded but was no longer laughing when he turned her over so she was bent over the edge of the stage. He tugged at her thong, helping her step out of it. His hands tangled in her hair, pulling her back as he ground his erection against her ass.
“Maybe I should spank you for teasing me,” he murmured.
Olivia’s belly clenched and she could feel how wet she was by how her thighs were slipping against each other. When his fingers left her hair, she moaned softly then cried out when his mouth feathered over the skin on her ass. He spanked her right ass cheek and she bit her lip, tasting the sharp tang of blood.
“Hold still. Don’t you dare move.”
She cried out when his tongue slicked over her, sucking gently. It was impossible to hold still while he slowly licked her to heaven but Olivia didn’t even care because every time he smacked her ass it just heightened the pleasure. Her orgasm unfurled in a slow, rolling wave of pleasure. When she emerged back to reality, she heard the rip of foil, then felt him enter her with a deep thrust.
Gone was the hesitant, gentle lover she’d come to know. This was her arrogant, demanding bad King.
In this position she was taking him deeper than before and the new angle hit spots that made her dizzy. He pulled her up, running his hands over her belly and the tips of her breasts, stimulating her in new and different ways. Olivia couldn’t keep up with all the ways he was touching her, his hands now on her hips, his lips on her ear, his thick cock stroking inside her.
His fingers flexed on her hips as he came, shouting out his pleasure just as another orgasm rolled through her. For a long moment afterward they stayed just like that, motionless as the last aftershocks of release drained out of them both.
Finally King kissed her on the side of the neck and pulled out gently. “You’re going to kill me. I’m getting too old for this.”
She chuckled, knowing he was only five years older than she was. Hardly an old man.
“Should I take it easy on you, then?”
“Oh no. If I’m going to die, this is how I want to go. Strobe lights, pole dancing and all.”
Olivia hit him on the arm. “Now that’s the King I know.”
They dressed in comfortable silence. King managed to make his suit look presentable despite missing half the buttons on his shirt while Olivia changed back into the dress she’d worn to the club.
She was glad she’d taken a previously booked time slot because it meant she didn’t have to clean the room herself. Club VIP staff would clean and rearrange the room just as if there had been a member event.
“Let’s go home.”
It wasn’t until they were in the car that Olivia wondered what he’d meant by that. Her home? His home? She wasn’t sure what he meant since after all of their dates, he’d never slept over. She didn’t want to push him.
It was a big step for someone like King and truthfully for her, too.
In the car on the way home her phone vibrated in her purse. When she saw Georgie’s name, she glanced over at King. Since his eyes were fixed on the road, she right-swiped to read the text.
- Is this a good night for me to visit VIP?
Olivia bit her lip. She’d already warned security she ha
d a special guest who was going to visit the club and made sure she was on the all-access list. Andrew had agreed to keep an eye out and make sure all the bouncers were aware that Georgie was a VIP. She wasn’t worried about her safety at all.
But would King see it the same way when he found out? She wasn’t fooling herself they’d be able to keep it a secret forever.
Olivia sighed and sent a message to Andrew to give him a heads up and then texted Georgie back.
- All clear.
It made her feel so guilty to deceive King but she couldn’t imagine only having sex with one person ever. Had the girl even had an orgasm? That was no way to live. She was sure King would understand once she explained everything. Who knew, maybe Georgie would visit one time and decide she hated it.
Maybe King never had to know.
* * *
Whenever King brought a woman to his place in the past, it usually wasn’t long before he found their company exhausting. They’d ask too many questions or make themselves a little too comfortable. It was why he’d never had a live-in girlfriend. He didn’t figure there was any point since he would inevitably reach that point when he wanted his space.
With Olivia, that moment never came.
She’d been subdued when they first arrived at his place. There were times he got the sense she was uncomfortable with his wealth. Downstairs in the garage he’d noticed her staring at the Bentley. It wasn’t something he knew how to address.
Usually he was trying to fend off women who wanted to know more about what he was worth but with Olivia, the things that mattered to her were emotional not monetary.
It was something he’d have to keep an eye on but once they got upstairs she was back to her usual happy self.
“Hungry, baby?”
“Actually, I am. We worked up quite an appetite.”
He chuckled and pulled out the menu for the local Italian place. Olivia loved Italian food as much as he did. He ordered baked ziti, lasagna and a new risotto dish just because. The food arrived quickly and they ate at the small dining table he rarely used.