by Penelope Sky
“Who said anything about getting married?”
“Well, it doesn’t look like you’ve made any progress on finding a partner—unless you’ve chosen her.”
I drank my water again and considered pouring myself a glass of scotch. I’d been sticking to my new diet, but this interrogation made me want to slip. “Ariel, I don’t stick my nose in your business. Don’t stick your nose in mine. Who I fuck is none of your concern.”
“I don’t give a damn who you fuck. I give a damn who you love. Crewe, she’s not right for you.”
“I never said I loved her.”
“Are you saying you don’t?”
I stared her down.
She sighed and pulled her glasses off. “That woman is smart. She’s manipulating you, Crewe.”
“Manipulating me how?”
“She thinks you have a bomb in her brother’s head. Of course she’s playing nice so you remove it.”
I shook my head. “No one is that good of an actress. Her feelings are genuine.”
She rolled her eyes. “Come on, Crewe. I see right through her little act. It’s all a game.”
Ariel didn’t fuck her every night. “Let me handle my sex life. Worry about your own.”
“I don’t give a damn about your sex life. It’s repulsive, honestly. But who you marry directly affects my involvement in your business. You already know this, Crewe.”
“Like I said, I’m not getting married.”
“But you’re definitely on the path to a poor choice,” she hissed.
“Don’t worry about our business. We’re up by fifty percent since last year. We’re growing.”
“And we’ll plateau if we don’t keep working. The second you get comfortable, that’s when things go to shit.”
“I’ve been doing this for a long time, Ariel. You need to calm down.”
She looked like she might throw her glass of scotch in my face. “You have other avenues of wealth, an inheritance that most countries can’t even afford. I’m not so fortunate, Crewe. This is all I have. I’m not willing to gamble it.”
“I would never let that happen, Ariel. Our wealth will always be secure. The business will maintain itself even if I never get married at all.”
“But it’ll never grow unless you marry someone like Princess Leonida of Russia.”
I nearly crushed the glass in my hand. “You know I’d never marry someone like her.” I’d never have any ties to Russia as long as I lived. They were my enemy, as far as I was concerned.
“But you understand what I’m saying, Crewe. It can’t be some medical school dropout from Brooklyn.”
I’d already said this twice. “Again, marriage isn’t on my mind, Ariel.”
“For now,” she said coldly. “This woman is going to make a mockery out of you. You’re smarter than this. She’s distracting you from what’s important. She’s manipulating you, and you don’t even realize it.”
I couldn’t disagree more. “Ariel, enough.”
“No. She’s—”
I held up my hand. “Enough.”
Ariel shut her mouth, but her eyes burned like she had more to say.
“You’ve made your feelings perfectly clear. I don’t need to hear you repeat them fifteen more times.” I rose from the chair, my hand shaking with the urge to hit something. “Focus on your job. That’s what I’m paying you to do.”
I retreated into my office, the one place in the world that was solely mine. I owned lots of real estate, but I had to share that space with dozens of employees. My bedroom was occupied by London, who was probably waiting for me to tell her I was ready for lunch.
I chose to hide out in here instead.
There was a light knock on the door before London stepped inside. She took one look at me and immediately knew something was wrong because she shut the door and walked inside without being invited. She walked to my desk then took a seat on the edge, crossing her legs and facing the large window behind me.
I didn’t look at her, my ankle resting on the opposite knee and my fingertips against my lips. I swayed slightly from left to right, replaying my conversation was Ariel over and over. I understood she had a personal interest in her investment, but she was blowing this out of proportion.
“Anything I can do?” London knew me well enough that she understood not to ask me what happened. When she pushed for details, it just pushed me away instead.
“No.”
She looked out the window and pulled her hair over one shoulder. Even out of the corner of my eye, she looked beautiful. It was hard not to believe we’d just kissed so passionately thirty minutes ago. “You want me to leave you alone?”
Any other time, I would have immediately answered yes. But I didn’t want her to go anywhere. Her presence sheathed my anger. Her beauty made me feel calm. I straightened my legs then patted my thigh. “No.”
A slight expression of surprise came over her face before she straddled my hips. Her dress rose up her thighs when she spread her legs, and her arms wrapped around my shoulders.
My hands moved to her hips, and I stared at her without saying a word. Direct eye contact was usually an act of hostility, but looking into her eyes made my irritation wash away. I could hold the intimate look and feel better, not worse. I didn’t care if she could read my emotions because I had nothing to hide—not from her. “I got into a fight with Ariel.” London hadn’t asked me anything, but the words came out anyway. I didn’t see her as a woman who was in my captivity anymore. She wasn’t just some woman I was sleeping with. I saw her as something much more than that—saw her as a friend.
My closest friend.
She watched me in silence, never asking for more than what I gave.
“She thinks you’re a distraction.”
“Well…she’s not totally wrong. I interrupt you when you’re working all the time.” Her hands slid down my chest, and she watched her own movements. “I won’t do it anymore.”
I loved it when she interrupted me. I lived for those moments. When she slipped me a note and invited me upstairs to fuck her, I was harder than a rock. “No. I look forward to those interruptions.”
“Maybe I’ll take a break for a while…get on Ariel’s good side.”
She could never get on her good side.
“I can try talking to her. I don’t want to make your life more stressful.”
I already knew how that conversation would go. “That wouldn’t do any good. She doesn’t trust you, thinks you’re manipulating me.” I didn’t accuse London of anything because I didn’t suspect her in any regard. I knew Ariel was wrong, so I didn’t need to question London about it.
London stared at me, her eyes unblinking. “Manipulating you…?”
“Trying to soften me to get your way. I told her to knock it off. I’m sick of listening to her paranoia.” I didn’t mention the part about marriage. London and I hadn’t had a conversation about our future or where our relationship stood, and I wasn’t excited to have one either.
Her hands slid down my chest to my stomach, where her fingertips gently pressed against my collared shirt. Her eyes were downcast, and she was quiet.
I knew how she felt about me, so this conversation was probably offensive. But I made it clear I didn’t share Ariel’s beliefs. “The only reason why I put up with Ariel is because she’s good at what she does. The best, actually. She’s entitled to her opinion, of course. I just get sick of listening to her criticize my sex life.”
“She’s just looking out for you.”
I raised an eyebrow, surprised London would defend her.
“That’s also her job, being honest with you even though it’ll make you angry. I know it’s annoying, but she’s loyal to you. Any criticism she gives comes from a good place. She has your back, Crewe.”
I stared at her in surprise, unable to believe that London could say something good about Ariel when Ariel had nothing but mean things to say about her. That only convinced me that Ariel was being ov
erly paranoid. “Hungry?”
“You know the answer.”
I rose to my feet and lifted her with me, her body light as a feather. A simple conversation with her had completely flipped my mood. She was the only person capable of making the impossible happen.
I held her against my chest with her legs wrapped around my waist. My hand gripped her ass, feeling the smooth skin underneath her dress. I had an appetite just a moment ago, but now I was in the mood for something else.
Her eyes darkened like she could read my mind.
I laid her down on my desk, aroused by the stark contrast between her fair skin and the dark mahogany wood. I’d never taken any other woman in my office besides London. She was the only one to have the pleasure of infecting my entire life.
I pulled her panties off and hiked up her dress to her waist. My slacks and boxers fell to my ankles, and I positioned her ass slightly off the desk. My cock was already twitching, and I knew her pussy was wet without even checking. I shoved my dick inside her roughly, wanting to claim her as soon as possible. My eyes honed in on her reaction, watching her cheeks flush and her breathing hitch.
She gripped my wrists as I held on to her thighs. Her nails dug into my skin the harder I gripped her, and nearly silent moans escaped her lips before I even moved.
This was not just an act.
This was all real.
I knew it.
16
London
Ariel wasn’t stupid.
She was onto me.
An intelligent woman liked that noticed everything under her nose. She knew Crewe better than I did, so she knew when his behavior was out of the ordinary. She knew he was changing just the way I noticed he was changing.
But that meant my plan was working.
Crewe didn’t share Ariel’s suspicions at all.
He trusted me.
That actually made me feel terrible. Guilt overwhelmed me when it shouldn’t, and I found myself questioning the plan I’d set out. But I had to remind myself that I was a prisoner when I should be a free woman. Even if my anger had softened, that didn’t change my circumstances.
I deserved to be free.
I had to keep moving forward. Once Crewe gave me a clear sign that what we had was real, I’d finally have the courage to ask him if I could leave. I could plan another escape since the guards weren’t as suspicious anymore, but that would probably backfire. And I felt like Crewe deserved more than a breakout in the middle of the night.
If he had a heart like I thought he did, we could come to an understanding. He would let me go because he knew it was the right thing to do. Our relationship had changed so much, and we couldn’t stay this way any longer.
He cared about me.
He respected me.
He would let me go.
I knew he would.
A week went by, and Crewe was back to being in a good mood. Ariel must have dropped her argument, and they returned to their comfortable business relationship, focusing on numbers and scotch. We shared all our meals together and had amazing sex at night. It was as good as it was going to get.
Fall had set in, so it was a cool day. The sky was overcast with heavy clouds that hinted at rain, so I stayed in the royal chambers in the private living room while the fire roared in the hearth. There was a nice collection of books on the shelf, so I made my way through each one. Some of them were first editions, Scottish literature that would be worth thousands if they were taken to market. They were special antiques that filled the air with dust and time, making me feel like I was in a different century.
Crewe finished working after five and walked inside, stripping his jacket and tie by the door. “Lovely?” He called out to me when he couldn’t see me in the bedroom.
I suddenly felt like a married couple, the husband coming home and announcing his presence to his wife.
I liked it and hated it. “I’m in here.”
Crewe walked in as he unbuttoned his white collared shirt. He didn’t smile when he stood near the couch and looked at me. He stared at me with an expression I’d become used to. It was nothing but intensity, the way he showed he was excited to see me.
My heart still fluttered just as it did the first time he did it. I wished it wouldn’t, but I couldn’t control all the impulses my body made. I shut the book and rested it on my lap. “Get a lot of work done today?”
“Some.” His shirt was open, showing his perfectly chiseled physique. “Not as much as I would like.”
“Maybe you need to hire another Ariel.”
“I would if such a person existed.” He stripped off his shirt and tossed it on the armrest of the couch.
I tried not to stare at his glorious body, but that was nearly impossible to do. He was the sexiest man I knew for a reason. He was all muscle and skin, not an inch of fat anywhere. He had nice, toned arms, his muscles defined and powerful. I liked seeing him undress the second he came into the bedroom. He usually stripped down to his boxers and sometimes threw sweat pants on. I didn’t even realize I was biting my bottom lip until the light pressure became uncomfortable.
He slid his belt out of the loops then folded it in half. When he yanked on both sides, the leather smacked together and made a noticeable crack.
He hadn’t spanked me in a long time. Kinda missed it.
His pants and shoes came next before he sat beside me on the couch, glorious in just his boxers. His arm rested over the back of the couch, and he stared at the fire as the sun disappeared from the windows. It was nearly dark.
His hand moved to the back of my head, and he gently touched my hair, what he usually did when he was sitting beside me.
I felt the bumps sprinkle across my arms. I didn’t know if I was nervous about the fact that I was playing him or if it was because I actually felt something. The intensity of the emotions made it impossible to differentiate.
When I felt his gaze on me, my mouth went dry. My thighs automatically squeezed together, and I forgot about the book I was reading altogether. Couldn’t even remember what it was called.
His hand slowly turned my head so I would look him in the eye. His fingers dug into my hair as well as my scalp, exerting silent control over me without any resistance.
I met his look, seeing the bright irises surrounding the center of his eyes that were highlighted from the flames. I’d never cared for brown eyes, always preferring men with green or blue irises, but his were the prettiest I’d ever seen. They were the same color as the scotch he drank, and they suited him perfectly. The color was tuned to his dark mood, which sometimes lightened if he was having a good day.
I swallowed the lump in my throat, my mouth dry. My nerves lit on fire, my fingertips burning as well as everything else. My thighs squeezed harder when the interaction began to feel like it was the first time we’d ever touched.
It was definitely the first time we ever touched like this.
He was different. I was different.
Everything was different.
His fingers fisted my hair, getting a tight grip before he leaned in and kissed me. It was a simple kiss without tongue, but it still took my breath away. His lips hardly moved with mine, and all the passion was felt in his restraint rather than his movements.
He pulled away and looked at me, but I knew that wasn’t the end of it. That was just a slow beginning—a slow burn that would turn into a roaring fire.
I yanked down the front of his boxers so his cock could come free. When I went down on him, his pleasure was always the biggest thing on my mind. I wanted to make him feel good, to make him come back to me instead of looking for sex elsewhere. But now I didn’t think about his pleasure or how this could forward my agenda.
I just wanted him in my mouth.
I leaned over and licked the head of his enormous cock, my ass in the air. His hand moved up my thigh and yanked my dress up so he could rub his hand over my ass. My hand wrapped around his impressive girth, and I slid most of his length inside my mouth,
ignoring the uncomfortable stretching of my throat and just enjoying the way he tasted.
I loved the way he tasted.
His hand kept the hair out of my face, and he watched me with a stern jaw and a hard expression. His eyes followed every move I made, the arousal heavy in his eyes. When his breathing changed, I could hear it. Louder and louder it became as he enjoyed my wet mouth surrounding him.
I sucked the juice from his tip then pushed him as far back as my throat could handle, feeling my gag reflex struggle not to go off. I kept going because I wanted him, all of him.
“Fuck…” His hand moved to the back of my neck, and he guided me up and down his length, moving slowly as he wanted to enjoy every steady thrust as he slid into my mouth. Saliva dripped down his length and to his balls, and I moved my mouth to his sac so I could suck it back into my mouth and return it to his length.
His fingers dug into me harder.
I wanted to keep going, but I also wanted that big cock inside me. We were both so wet and anxious for each other, and I could hardly stop my legs from shaking. I wanted him every morning and every night, but I particularly wanted him now.
I pulled my mouth away, a sticky line of saliva forming between my mouth and his tip. I wiped it away with my fingers as I sat up, feeling that scorching gaze practically burn a hole right through my skin.
Crewe immediately moved me to my back and nearly ripped the dress off me. He treated the zipper with violence, nearly breaking it as he dragged it to the top of my ass. Once my straps were loose, he peeled them down my arms until he could get it off with one swift tug. When we were in his office, the only thing he removed was my underwear. But when we had no interruptions, he wanted me in nothing but skin.
I pushed his boxers down to his ankles, and he kicked them away, making him beautiful and naked on top of me.
He wrapped one leg around my waist and pinned me into the couch, my head resting on the armrest. The fire was still burning, acting as the only light in the living room. The sun was gone now, and all we could hear was the flicker of the flames. One of the maids would announce dinner, but neither one of us would hear the door.