by Tammy Lewis
type of control. Biting my lip, sighing with sheer
disappointment, feeling beaten, I stated “one charity dinner,
and that’s all.”
Hating myself instantly, watching a huge smile sweep across
his entire face. Taken in by his gaze, he leaned forward and
kissed me, gently on the lips. When instantly I felt my head
almost spin, trying to keep my balance. Sitting upright before
me, he placed his hand on mine. When completely out of
nowhere, I was suddenly overcome with a wanting desire to
push him away so badly, yet grasp on to him tighter. Unsure if
I wanted him to leave, or if I needed him closer.
I had never felt this unsure about anything in my entire life,
choosing fury over lust, annoyed I stood. Sure, that it was
time to leave, feeling Quinn’s hand grab hold of my forearm.
Turning only to glare at him, I demanded, “let me go.”
Hesitating, removing his hand, he almost whispered, “please
Domini, just one drink.”
Closing my eyes tightly, knowing that whatever I chose, I knew that I would instantly hate myself.
Breathing deeply, I exhaled, “goodnight Mr Hamilton.”
Storming through the front doors, into the carpark, climbing
into Marcus’s car, I was furious.
Hearing Marcus ask, “what on earth has happened now?”
Unable to even answer, I shook my head and demanded,
“please Marcus, just drive.”
Noticing Quinn exit the bar, Marcus yelled, “I should have
known. Dom’, why didn’t you tell me that he was inside?”
Watching Quinn walk over to his car, his eyes fixed on me, I
felt breathless. Hearing Marcus call out, but no words
registered. To my amazement, suddenly Marcus spun the car
around, shooting over in the direction of Quinn. Watching
Marcus roll down the window, he called over to him, “stalking
is an arrestable offence in this city.”
Hearing Quinn, call over to Marcus in retaliation, almost
laughing, “yes, I am sure that asking out a beautiful woman,
in a bar, is an arrestable offence. I would say goodnight
officer, but sadly you’re just a security guard.”
Almost positive that Marcus was about to exit the car at any
second, to begin to show Quinn, just how angry he was. And
just what a security guard would be capable of.
Reaching for his forearm, I begged, “please Marcus, just take
me home. Please!”
Exhaling loud and furiously, backing down, Marcus shot off at
a great speed. Taking us home.
The following day, I could still feel tension in the air, pulling
up to the office, Marcus still looked furious. Placing my hand
on his, I assured him, that he was way more than a security
guard. Feeling him wrap his arm around me, pulling me into him. Watching his mood begin to lift, with a smile almost
present on his face, he placed a single kiss onto my forehead.
Releasing his lips from my skin, he half-heartedly gave out a
little grin, hearing him almost whisper, “thank you Dom’.
Though please tell me that once this is all over, I’ll get to
smash Mr Pompous straight in the nose.”
Looking up at him, shaking my head, with a look of pure
dismay, I replied, “Mr Pompous Hamilton, is certainly not
worth it.”
Reaching up and kissing Marcus’s cheek, I gushed, “security
guard or not, honey you’re worth 10 of him.”
Moments later, exiting the elevator, quickly joined by Ashlee,
noticing a huge overly excited grin upon her face. I stopped
myself dead in my tracks and turned to face her.
Confused I asked “Ashlee, did you fall asleep with a coat
hanger inside of your mouth? Or is there something that you
would like to tell me?”
Watching her grin consume her entire face, opening my office
door before me, she gushed, “good morning boss.”
Entering, it was evident to see why Ashlee had been so overly
amused this morning, noticing that I’d had a delivery. A huge
vase, full of multicoloured roses and a huge white box,
fashioning a huge pink bow.
Glaring over at Ashlee, speechless, awaiting some sort of
explanation. Quickly to my relief, she realised that it was time
to come clean. Gesturing towards the gifts, Ashlee explained,
“they came for you about 20 minutes ago. I didn’t realise that
you were seeing anyone, come on Dom’, dish the dirt. Who’s
the lucky guy?”
Ignoring Ashlee’s questions, walking over to take the card from the flowers, opening it, it read: -
“From your, not so secret admirer,
Mr H.”
Tossing the card on to my desk, pulling the ribbon from the
huge white box, opening it up, to reveal an emerald green
cocktail dress. Pulling it out of its box and placing it next to
my pale skin, Ashlee’s eyes lit up, smiling once more she
gushed, “that colour on you, it really brings out the defining
tones of your black hair and green eyes. Domini, clearly it’s
divine.”
Throwing the dress back into its box, and tossing the box on
to the floor beside my desk, slumping down into my office
chair. Noticing that Ashlee was still stood there, admiring the
situation, but little did she know this was not some love
token. This was just a hardcore business arrangement, where
for once in my life, I was not pulling the strings.
Annoyed I asked Ashlee to leave, summoning Marcus to my
office, to show him Quinn’s latest stunt. Watching Marcus’s
face become bewildered, almost humoured me, he looked
somewhat confused, horrified, yet slightly amused.
Stood, trying to take it all in, Marcus asked, “so let me get this
straight, he has blackmailed you into going on a third date
with him. He has bought you flowers and a dress. Dom’, have
I missed something, are you two dating now?”
Frowning, shaking my head furiously I replied, “Marcus don’t
talk so stupid. He wants to believe that he is in control, that
he is calling all of the shots. He thinks that he can say jump,
and that I will say how high?”
Evilly glaring into space, I wickedly snarled, “Mr Hamilton, you really don’t know who or what you are dealing with, do
you?”
Chapter 8
Ignoring Quinn’s request to wear the dress that he had sent
over, I stood admiring myself, in the reflection of my full-
length mirrors, inside my walk-in closet. Noticing Marcus
appear, he asked, “I thought that the dress was green?”
Talking to him in the mirror’s reflection, I replied, “it is, I am
not wearing his dress. Anyway, this little black number is
more my style.”
Gesturing for Marcus, to come zip me up, I watched him walk
over, hearing him almost whisper, “wouldn’t you prefer to
come shoot some pool with me? Go take that damn dress off
Dom’.”
Instantly envying what my night could have been, I gasped,
“please don’t. It’s a one-time only thing, after tonight Mr
Pompous, pretentious, bigshot can go to hell.”
Watching Marcus retreat to my bedro
om, still in sight, laid
out across my bed. He asked, “serious question now Dom’. Do
you honestly think that after all of the trouble that he has
gone to, that he is just going to let you go after tonight?”
Searching for the answers that I didn’t have, I stood there
silent, lost in my reflection. Contemplating this evening,
wondering ‘why had he gone to all of this trouble? And was
Marcus correct, was this a one night only deal? Or was there a little more?’
Miles away, in another world, I heard Marcus call over from
my bedroom window, “it would seem that Mr Pretentious is
downstairs waiting for you.”
Breathing deeply, unsure if I could even go through with this.
Marcus urged, “Dom’, please tell me that this is just business?
You know what guys like him are all about.”
Rushing over to Marcus, squeezing his cheeks together,
leaving before I had the chance to change my mind, I kissed
him and called out, “see you later.”
Making my way over to the lift and arriving downstairs.
Stopping in the foyer to take a deep breath, before I walked
towards the exit, to enter the limousine, that was waiting for
me.
Smiling at Mr Henson, our doorman, as he opened up the
front door for me to leave and tipped his hat. Giving him a
gentle nod of gratitude, knowing that there was no turning
back from here. I watched Quinn turn to face me, taking a
step back, just so that he could admire me from head to toe.
Grinning from ear to ear, he gushed, “why Ms Stone don’t you
look dashing. I remember the dress being a little different
though. I could have sworn that it was green.”
Smirking, I climbed into the back seat, calling out, “I haven’t
got all day Mr H, let’s get this over and done with.”
Hearing his laughter fill the car, turning to face him, stone
faced, I asked, “do you find something amusing, Mr
Hamilton?”
Watching his face, take in every word, winking, with a
devilish glare he replied, “you never know Ms Stone, you may
enjoy this evening, more than you think.”
Turning away from him, glancing out of the car window, I thought to myself, ‘yeah, I think that I may.’
Arms folded, keeping my distance, in almost silence, feeling
the limousine come to a stop. Noticing that we had arrived,
pulled up outside the venue of the charity event. Quinn
turned to face me, when suddenly I felt slightly alarmed,
noticing that he looked somewhat nervous as he asked “are
you ready?”
Grinning, tilting my head a little, curious I asked, “is someone
a little apprehensive? Maybe having second thoughts about
this evening?”
Hearing him almost hyperventilate before me, sliding myself
over in his direction. Reaching over to him, trying my best to
calm the situation, taking his hand, I urged, “what on earth is
wrong with you? It’s only a charity event. Meet, greet and get
the hell out of there.”
When instantly, to my shock and amazement, quickly
snapping out of whatever the hell that he was playing at.
Quinn took hold of me. He pulled me into him strong, kissing
me softly, yet firm. Pulling myself away, fighting his hold,
furious I asked, “what the hell are you playing at?”
Laughing at his wicked trickery, he replied, “let’s just
remember who tied whom, to the bed frame on our last date.
I think boundaries have already been crossed, Ms Stone.”
Backing down, cringing at each and every word. Feeling my
cheeks blush, at a complete loss for words. Noticing the sheer
amusement consume his entire face, as he asked, “are we
ready Ms Stone?”
Taking his hand, sliding across the seat towards him, I
replied, “as ready as I’ll ever be.”
Reaching the red carpet, I felt Quinn fix his arm firmly around my waist. Playing along for the sake of the camera’s, I
teased, “hands to yourself Mr H.”
Hearing him laugh with a devilish tone, whispering into my
ear, he asked “or would you prefer them bound and attached
to your bed frame?”
Frowning at him, fighting the grin, pressing through my lips,
I replied, “in your dreams Mr H.”
Holding me firmly in his arms, I was sure that I’d had quite
enough of all this ridiculous posing for one evening. Looking
up at him, smiling, feeling a huge grin overcome my face, I
whispered, “take me inside or I am going to scream.”
Wincing, watching the confusion take over his whole face, he
replied, “and you’d stand here, in front of all of these people,
having a temper tantrum, like some pre-schooler?”
Nodding slowly, pursing my lips together tightly, sure that he
knew that I meant every word. Feeling his hand reach mine,
charging almost, he led me towards the entrance.
Safely inside the venue, lifting my dress, before the grand
staircase, I called out, “thanks for the ride. Now that the play
pretend part for the cameras is over. I guess I will catch you
later.”
Hearing him almost chase up the stairs behind me, calling
out, in a low tone, “I certainly wasn’t planning on running
around after you all night. But I can assure you Ms Stone, that
you’re not getting away from me that easily.”
Stopping dead, in the middle of the staircase, I turned to face
him, hands on my hips, exhaling loudly, I asked, “what do you
want from me? I’m here like you wanted. Isn’t that enough?”
Looking less than amused, sure that there were a few people
beginning to stare, he held out his hand and replied, “a drink,
a little light conversation and maybe if you play your cards right, you’ll be the one tied to my headboard tonight.”
Laughing loudly, at his ludicrous suggestion, sure that he had
only suggested it to break the ice. Reaching for his hand,
tilting my head a little, I smirked and said, “you want a drink,
okay, let’s go and get a drink.”
Ushering him towards the bar, I ordered a line of shots,
watching Quinn’s entire face become consumed with fear.
Taking the first drink, I knocked it back in one. Then
gesturing for him to do the same, raising his eyebrows,
knocking the drink back, I watched his whole face grimace in
anguish. Laughing hard, at each and every shot that he took,
leaning into him I whispered, “are you enjoying that Mr H? If
I have to spend the night here, with you and all of these
people. I am going to make sure that I don’t remember a
single thing about it tomorrow.”
Noticing a gentleman stood beside us, holding his hand out to
Quinn, I heard him say “Mr Hamilton, it’s great to see you
again. It’s been too long. You’ve really outdone yourself this
evening, this event is spectacular.”
Watching Quinn shake his hand, confused I asked “you did all
of this?”
Nodding slowly, Quinn replied, “yes.”
Raising his eyebrows at me, sure that as his date, I probably
should have already known. Ignoring Qui
nn’s acquaintance,
leaning into him, I asked, “so, what are we raising money
for?”
Hearing Quinn’s voice become loud, he replied “yes Mr
Sutton, anything for the children.”
Turning to face me, Mr Sutton, gestured to take my hand, stating, “Quinn, you haven’t introduced me to your lovely lady
friend.”
Lifting my hand, to introduce myself, grinning, answering
before Quinn had the opportunity, I replied, “hello, I’m Dr
Honey Wade, Mr Hamilton’s psychiatrist.”
It was there and then, stood before them both, that I felt
proud, sure that I was calling the shots. Instantly feeling
Quinn pull me into him at a great force, nervously laughing,
pressing his lips against my cheek, while I tried to wriggle out
of his grip.
Turning to face Mr Sutton, Quinn laughed and apologised,
“Honey. I’m so sorry, how rude of me, Mr Sutton please meet
my lovely wife, Domini.”
Almost spitting out my drink, at the shock of his chosen
words. Watching Mr Sutton’s face fill with joy, knowing that
his business associate was somehow now married. Smiling
widely, taking my hand once more, Mr Sutton congratulated
us, excusing himself briefly, rushing off, noticing another
gentleman through the crowd, that he had to go and greet.
Pulling Quinn’s arm from around my waist, returning to the
bar, sure that if I had to pretend to be the doting wife, I was in
no way going to do this sober. Asking the bartender to line the
bar with shots once more, I asked, “so Mr H, I guess that you
want to play hardball.”
Hearing Quinn, give out a loud confident laugh, he replied,
“well Honey, you started it.”
Shooting me a cheeky boyish wink, taking one of the shot
glasses from the bar, he knocked it back in one, this time
without even flinching.
Chapter 9
Turning to face a lady stood next to Quinn, hearing her call
out “Quinn darling, I have been looking for you all evening.”
She leaned forward to embrace him and kiss his cheek, all
while ignoring that I was even stood there next to him. Sure,
that this was an opportunity to escape, leaving Quinn, with
the elegant, well-spoken woman, I turned to leave. Feeling
Quinn take my hand, almost spinning me into his arms.
When suddenly he began to introduce me to the lady stood