by Brooke Page
He sighed heavily while leaning his back against the booth. His stare wasn’t as intense as before. “You really are innocent, aren’t you?”
I blushed. Being the young, naive girl wasn’t something I wanted.
Shaking his head, a smile finally emerged. “Just tell yourself over and over again that you’re going to your friend’s house to spend the night. I’m your friend, right?”
“Yeah, but—”
“But what? It’s not a total lie. Besides, will they really ask questions? They’ll probably be thrilled their darling daughter is making friends.” His smile was sinful and made me turn into complete mush.
“Okay,” I conceded.
His hand reached across the table to grab the phone from me and set it to the side, then stood to join me in the booth. I wasn’t prepared for his proximity and felt the air leave my chest as he wrapped an arm around me. “Call them after we eat dinner. You’ll be more relaxed.” His free hand found my knee as his lips found the bottom of my ear. “Stop worrying so much. Fabricating a story will take you places in life. The less you say, the more you get away with.”
“Spoken like a true criminal,” I said under my breath, grinning as I believed every statement he murmured my way.
***
“Did you forget I needed the car to go to work today?” Landon barked into the phone.
“I’m so sorry, but I overslept. What time do you have to be in?” I jumped from the bed, untangling myself from the sheets and a passed out Rod.
“Two hours ago. Don’t worry, I found a ride.”
I took a breath, sitting back down on the bed. “I didn’t mean to forget. You can have the car the next two weekends.”
“Where are you anyway?” Landon’s voice was skeptical.
“I’m at Bethany’s house.” I didn’t tell him where I really was because he wouldn’t approve.
“That’s a load of shit, Jamie.” Silence passed over the phone. “Are you being careful?” Landon whispered, his voice laced with concern.
“Of course I am.”
“So you are with that guy!”
I covered the phone, looking toward Rod, worried Landon was loud enough for Rod to hear. “Landon, you stayed over at that Melony girl’s house a few months ago. Don’t treat me differently just because I have boobs.”
“That’s different, no one knows where you are. What if he kidnapped you? Or hurt you? How do you not realize this is dangerous?”
My eyes found Rod as Landon’s words ricochet from my conscious. My hand brushed back his blond locks from his forehead. He was sweet last night, gentle and caring. He whispered I love you over and over, kissing me, touching me with a delicateness he’d never used before. Nothing like what happened at the beach. “He won’t hurt me,” I whispered, wanting to throw the phone to the side and snuggle next to Rod.
“Jamie…” Landon’s tone was scolding. “I get you like him a lot or whatever, but at least tell me where you are, so if something’s wrong I’ll know where to find you, okay?”
“I’ll text it to you now and we’ll talk when I get home later.”
Landon reluctantly said okay then hung up the phone.
I crawled across the sheets, laying my body down next to Rod’s. My hands begged to touch him, so I gave in, letting them roam his bare chest, collar, neck. The course hairs on his chin and jaw were scratchy, and visions of how they rubbed against parts of my body last night flooded my memory.
“Mmm, move lower,” his deep voice commanded as he was being pulled from his sleep. I grinned, doing his request. My fingertips slid under the blankets, following downward where he was more than happy to be awake and lying next to me.
“Like this,” he hummed, guiding my hand the way he wanted it to move. I giggled but was quickly silenced by Rod cupping the back of my neck, pulling my mouth to his and dipping his tongue inside, showing his gratitude.
Just as I was about to hop on top of him, Rod pulled his head back and held our hands still. “I want to do something different.” He sat up, leaving the bed, then coming back with two long, thin, white pieces of fabric maybe six inches wide.
He sat on the bed, his eyes heavy with lust. “Straddle me.”
Smirking, I found my way to his lap, wrapping my arms around his neck. Just as I was going to lavish him with my mouth, he chuckled, grabbing my wrists and pulling them to his sides. “I love your eagerness. Let’s try something new.”
His eyes were stormy as he held up the white fabric, then bound my wrists together behind my back. The fabric was silky and smooth, and I suddenly wanted to be covered with it, along with Rod’s tongue.
“Can you move your hands?” I shook my head. “Good.”
He held the second piece of fabric between us, eyeing it with a smirk, then began wrapping it around my neck, leaving both ends long enough so he could grip them firmly. He tugged at the fabric, causing it to tighten slightly around my neck.
My body jerked, my arms pulling on the restraint of the fabric, wanting my hands freed so I could grab the silk from my neck.
Rods’ eyes lit up like wildfire as he saw my reaction to the limitation of my breathing. “You’re going to love this, Jamie. The high you get when your blood pumps slower will have you coming so hard, you won’t know where you are.”
I bit my lip, my body fidgeting in discomfort. Coming so hard? He’d gotten me off with his hand a few times, but never during sex. Although I was slightly curious, this was very new, and not something I was entirely sure I was ready to try, if at all. The thought of not being able to breathe scared me and was even more frightening when I couldn’t move my hands.
“What if I want you to stop?”
The excitement in Rod’s eyes brought on the same fear that crept into my nerves as when he said he loved me. “You won’t.” A lump was thick in my throat, the smooth, silky feeling that felt nice a few minutes ago no longer brought pleasure, but insecurity. “I’ll start slow, I promise.”
Rod let go of the fabric, reaching for my face to kiss me tenderly. His slow movements cured the tension in my neck, welcoming me to his fantasy.
Which would soon become my own personal hell…
Chapter Twelve
Flying to Grand Rapids was supposed to be comforting for me, but even with Nathan sitting by my side, trapped next to the window 30,000 feet in the air, Rod haunted me. For all I knew, the freak probably hid cameras throughout the room so he could whack off to me getting undressed.
Dinner with Becca’s family and the Conklin’s was a helpful distraction, but the note I’d found outside of Nathan’s condo when we left for the airport caused me to panic. I’d shoved it into my purse before Nathan noticed it.
Nathan’s eyes were glassy from the dose of Dramamine he’d polished off before the flight. “You ready to present what you’ve been up to in Miami to the Grand Rapids crew?” he asked without taking his eyes from his iPad.
“As always,” I sighed. “Maybe I can convince someone to come out and give me a hand.”
Nathan snorted. “Gain more clients, and then you can have an assistant. Let’s not go broke now.”
I laughed. “Nathan, you own a multi-million dollar company. You’re not going to go broke over a sixty some thousand dollar salary.”
He glared at me. “Tell Tyler that, then we’ll talk.”
I rolled my eyes. “Speaking of Tyler, is he going to be in Grand Rapids?” I secretly hoped not because I wanted Becca to stay with me.
“Supposedly he’s staying in Chicago.”
My insides sagged in relief while on the outside I remained passive.
When we landed, I tried calling Becca to see what she was up to, but she didn’t answer. Nathan generously offered to drop me at my condo before he went to his standard suite at the Amway.
“You can stay with me tonight if you don’t want to stay at the hotel.”
“Nah, I’m sick of you,” he said evenly, but I noticed his lip twitch.
“Whatever,�
�� I teased back.
He glanced at me as we drove in silence. “You all right?”
“Mmm-hmm.”
“Why are you so fidgety then?” he asked, nodding his head toward my bouncing leg.
My legs immediately stopped, then crossed.
“I’m just sick of sitting,” I lied.
Nathan moved his eyes to the road, then pulled out his phone. “Hi, yes, I need to cancel my reservations under Conklin tonight…No, keep it for tomorrow. Thank you.”
“What, now you miss me?”
Nathan chuckled. “You wish.”
My grin was wide as I looked out the window. He was a terrible liar. Just as I was going to say something smart back to him, my phone buzzed. I jumped, hoping it was Becca.
Mitch: If you were a burger at McDonalds, you’d be McGorgeous.
Shaking my head, I responded.
I hate McDonalds.
Mitch: We can go to Burger King so you can have it your way.
I snorted.
You’re a dork.
Mitch: In my pants.
What?
Mitch: Dork AKA: a blue whale's penis, the largest penis in the world.
“What’s so funny?” Nathan asked as I attempted to control my giggle.
“Remind me to never call someone a dork again.”
***
The Grand Rapids building moved much faster than what I’d grown accustomed to in Miami. There were always a few people wandering around the tiny building, but here there were multiple floors filled with busy, career-driven employees on a mission. The thought of building an environment like this in Miami thrilled me. Dreams of being in charge of my department had pushed me to succeed back in Florida; a change of pace considering I’d been contemplating falling off the face of the earth to get away from Rod.
“I ordered Louis Benton for dinner,” Nathan said, distracting me from a spreadsheet.
“Great, I’m famished.” I hadn’t eaten all day.
Nathan grabbed the paper from me and swapped it for a glass of wine.
“We’ve worked enough. I need to vent about my stupid brother.”
“Which one?” I teased.
Nathan smirked, then sat in a brown leather chair across from his desk, patting the chair next to him for me to come join him.
“They both have their moments, but I was referring to Mitch. Why don’t you think he’s hiding drugs?”
Oh, not this again.
“Just because he works on-site doesn’t mean he knows the ins and outs of the properties enough to hide drugs.”
“I don’t want to think he’d sell us out like that, but fuck, Jamie. I just don’t know what to believe anymore. The way he interacts with Chino makes me nervous. He’s pushing me away.”
But he’s pulling me in. “He doesn’t have marks on his arms.”
Nathan blinked. “I hadn’t thought to look.”
“Not that drug dealers use, but most do.”
“If this drug scheme is as big as I think it is, he could do some major time if he’s caught.”
“You don’t know if he’s hiding drugs, though.”
Nathan held a tumbler of amber liquid to his temple as he thought. “It’d crush my mom if he went to jail.”
My hand found his forearm, caressing it to bring him comfort. “Nathan, I know you think he’s your responsibility, but you can’t control him. He’s what, twenty-five years old? He’s an adult. Your mom would never blame you for the actions of your siblings.”
Nathan sighed, then downed the rest of his drink.
We spoke lightly through dinner, leaving me to my own thoughts. The day had been wonderful, but now was the time I’d be haunted. I couldn’t help but wonder where Rod was, and if he was going to make an appearance in this foreign city.
“Come on, let’s go see Becca.”
I stood from my chair, bringing both mine and Nathan’s empty plate to the trash can. I’d meant to go see her throughout the day, but hadn’t had a free moment. Nathan stood from his seat after filling his third glass. He downed the drink, then grabbed his sport coat to follow me to Becca’s floor.
I was startled when I noticed the time, realizing how late it really was, and my legs felt tired as we entered the elevator. “Are you staying with me again tonight?” I asked nonchalantly.
Nathan looked toward me. “Depends…You going to make me breakfast in the morning?”
A giggle escaped me as the elevator dinged.
Becca’s floor was a ghost town as we traveled past the lowly lit cubicles toward her office. The light was shining through her windows, and as we got closer, I noticed she wasn’t alone. In fact, the person who was with her was extremely close to her.
“Get. A. Room,” Nathan exaggerated.
Tyler pulled away from my best friend and laughed. I hadn’t seen him smile so wide in a long time. Becca clung to him, blushing slightly but looking just as enamored as Tyler.
“What are you two doing here so late?” Tyler asked, snuggling Becca.
“We had a meeting. We were discussing Chino.”
Tyler’s face straightened as he held Becca tighter to his body. “Yes, we need to address that situation.”
“I don’t know how to get that asshole out of here. He doesn’t seem to take no for an answer. I think we need to force our lawyer on him,” Nathan sighed, taking a seat in one of the office chairs.
I took the seat next to Nathan. “I say we find his drugs and dump them in a large body of water.”
Nathan shook his head. “That sounds like a sure way to get ourselves killed. That man is a lunatic. I’m shocked he didn’t pull a gun on us last Saturday.” He glared at Tyler.
“What?” Tyler said defensively. “I’m sick of his shit.”
Nathan laughed, then leaned forward in his chair. “Almost? Tyler you punched him in the face.”
Tyler’s cocky grin radiated throughout the room. “Yeah… I got him good didn’t I?”
Nathan rolled his eyes. “Purely unprofessional.”
“That asshole needs more than a swift punch to the face,” Tyler growled.
“I agree, but we need to fight dirty with him. Chino plays mind games. Jamie might be on to something. We find his drugs and use them against him.”
“How do we plan on doing that?”
“Why don’t you talk to Mitch? Maybe find out some of Chino’s insights,” Becca suggested.
Nathan shook his head. “Mitch won’t say anything. I’ve tried every aspect possible.”
“Yeah, the only way into his thick skull is through a woman,” Tyler grumbled.
That’s true. Throw a half-naked woman in front of that man and his head would turn in a heartbeat. I began playing with my nails, annoyed at how much of a Neanderthal he was.
“Yeah, too bad we don’t know any single, desirable women who could take advantage of him,” Tyler said slowly.
That feeling you get when someone is staring at you consumed me, and when I moved my eyes from my nails, I realized the three of them had their eyes planted on me. I eyed each one of them slowly, understanding where their minds were going, but I was so not on the same page as them.
“Oh no… Don’t y’all give me that look,” I said sternly, my Florida accent thickening. “I am NOT going out with that loser.”
“Come on, Jay,” Nathan pleaded, putting his arm on the back of my chair. “I’ll give you a bonus.”
“I don’t want a fucking bonus. I’m not going out with him,” I demanded, stomping my foot childishly.
“Jamie, we could all be in a whole heap of trouble if we don’t figure this out,” Becca said softly, glancing up at Tyler.
His jaw was doing his nervous tick, and she reached her hand up to calm him. My heart filled for my best friend. I knew she was worried about Tyler, and how they were dealing with these supposed hidden drugs was taking its toll on my best friend’s relationship. She was lucky I cared about her because giving in to Mitch was my worst fear.
; “Fine! But I swear to God, if he makes a move on me, I’m kicking him in the nuts.” I’d have to; otherwise, I’d do something worse.
Like give in and fuck him senseless.
Chapter Thirteen
Mitch hadn’t texted me in two days, which was a new record.
I didn’t want to go out with him but helping my best friend ease her nerves was more important to me. However, there was no way in hell I’d ever call him and ask for a date. I figured the very next day he’d send me some bullshit pick up line text, and I’d play with him, lead him on a bit, see how far he’d go. But nothing came through. Becca had asked me three times if I’d talked to him, but I dodged the subject, changing it to something about the wedding or work. She hadn’t pushed it, but I’m sure she would soon, and so would her fiancé and Nathan. They weren’t patient, especially when they wanted something.
Hopefully, I’d run into him this morning. I’d flown back to Miami last night because my phone was ringing off the hook while in Grand Rapids, flooding my inbox with calls regarding potential and current Miami clients. It was a wonderful feeling, but flying back to Miami on my own and staying in my condo by myself had my nerves on high alert. My eyes constantly opened whenever I’d hear the smallest sound. Every light was left on in the condo, including a few televisions. I only wished Nathan’s car was parked outside so it looked like I wasn’t here by myself, but Nathan loved his car too much to leave it in a mere carport.
Checking that my concealer covered the bags under my eyes, I headed into my quaint office, glad that Corey would be here for the second portion of the day.
Making coffee was essential this morning, and probably would be for the rest of my life. Sleepless nights weren’t a new experience, but I’d been fortunate enough to have fallen off Rod’s radar for almost a year, so I remembered what it was like to live a little and forget all that he’d taken from me.