“No, of course not.”
“Are you even going to apologize?”
“Apologize for what? For stopping you from making a mistake? Hell no I won’t apologize.” If it were a week ago she would have. Would have cried, told her she was sorry, the whole shebang, but now she didn’t want to. She wanted to make Brax proud. Wanted to be strong for him. It didn’t matter if Sara thought she was a man stealing whore. She did what she thought was right in the moment and didn’t need to apologize; especially not to Sara who was overdue on apologies herself. “It’s not like he was your boyfriend. If the roles were reversed, you would have done the same to me, and you fucking know it.”
“Get out of my room.”
When Annie didn’t budge Sara pushed her, knocking her back forcefully into the dresser.
“I said get the hell out.”
“You’re over reacting. Calm down.”
“I won’t calm down. Get out.”
Annie knew this wasn’t an argument she was going to win and marched toward the door with Sara following close behind.
“I’m going to call him Annie. I’m telling him everything. He deserves to know.”
Before she could stop it, the door slammed shut. “Don’t fucking call him you bitch,” she slapped her palm on the door, tears streaming freely. “Don’t do it. I’ll hate you. I’ll hate you forever.” There was one last defense she could try. No one in the group ever mentioned it, but it didn’t make it any less true. “He’ll never believe you. He’ll want to hear it from me and I’ll tell him you’re a liar. You lie about everything. Why would you be telling the truth about this?” But what if he believed her? He would at least ask her if it were true. Would she be able to lie to him? Tell him with a straight face it was a lie. That it didn’t happen.
Sitting on the floor she sobbed like a baby before eventually standing and returning to her room. Shit, she forgot her key. Her purse. Everything was inside, locked behind her door. If it were possible to break down even more, she did.
Taking the elevator to the lobby she found the nearest restroom and wiped away her tears with one of the freshly folded washcloths resting on the marble basin. Her eyes red and bloodshot, she figured fresh air would do her good before trying to get back in to her room.
Pushing through the rotating door she stepped out onto the curb, the early afternoon traffic noises piercing the air. She wandered aimlessly across the street toward the Starbucks, her mind unconsciously requesting coffee, but she didn’t have any money.
A screech of a horn sounded loud in her ears and she jumped as a yellow car came to a sudden halt. “Get out of the road,” the cabbie yelled and she realized her light had switched to red. Scurrying quickly out of the street, her sundress bunched atop her legs and she had to hold it down to hide the view.
She walked on in a daze, replaying her conversation with Sara over and over. Would she actually tell him? She could be on the phone with him right now, could have already told him. Annie really wished she had her phone. At least then she’d know for a fact. Her eyes burned with tears again and she wiped them away as they fell, not caring when she looked down and saw black smears from her makeup marking the back of her hand.
Annie recognized the building even though she never saw it before. The way he described it was enough; tall and blue. That’s exactly what it was, and it reached so high she had to tilt her head back all the way to see the top. It was at least thirty stories high, or so she guessed. The building called to her like she was coming home. It would keep her safe.
She took the entrance steps slow, one by one until she reached the top and pulled back on the heavy, glass door, branded with Cage Industries in white font. The large, open lobby was sparse of people except for a young woman sitting on a white couch reading over notes in a portfolio.
Walking toward the elevators she was stopped by an elevated desk and security guard. “Can I help you miss?” the tall, young guard asked as he stood behind the podium.
“Yes. I’m here to see Brax. Braxton Cage,” she corrected.
“Do you have an appointment?”
“No, but he’ll want to see me.” She just hoped he was there for her to see. It was a late night after all. What if he decided not to go into work?
“I’m sorry, but Mr. Cage doesn’t see anyone without an appointment. I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to leave.” From her frazzled state, the security guard looked at her like she was one of his heart broken sluts.
“You don’t understand. I need to see him. You’re looking at me like I’m crazy, but I’m not. I know him.” Annie noticed two other security guards flanking her sides. He must have pushed a button behind the desk to indicate he needed help. “Please. Please just call him. Tell him B is here to see him. He’ll let me up.”
Maybe it was the desperate plea of her voice, or maybe he too thought she was an innocent girl, but it didn’t matter to her, the guard sighed and reached for the phone. Pressing in a four-digit code he waited for the call to connect. “Sir, I’m sorry to bother you. We have a woman in the lobby asking to see you. Says she knows you,” his voice uncertain as he continued. “Says her name is B.”
There was a lot of talking on the other end while the security guard nodded along. “Yes sir,” he finally said.
“You were right miss. Mr. Cage has asked to send you up.”
Annie wiped her eyes and stepped forward, but was stopped once more.
“Can I get your license please miss? Mr. Cage would like for you to have an all access badge. I just need to make a copy.”
For the first time she was thankful to have locked her purse in the room. “I don’t have it. I locked it in my hotel room. That’s why I’m here.”
“Okay,” he gave in, looking at her like she was a sad little puppy dog. “Just remember to bring it next time. We’ll get you all set up.” Walking her toward the elevators he slid in his key card to grant her access to the top floor; Brax’s office.
The elevator sped upward and Annie couldn’t help but feel nervous. What would she say when she saw him? Would there be other people in his office? Would they all see him talking to the poor little sad girl with mascara stained on her cheeks?
When the doors opened he stood right in front, waiting. Her nerves disappeared immediately and were replaced with relief, she couldn’t wait to be in his arms and ran forward to meet him, jumping up and wrapping herself around him, holding him tight as he crushed her to him as well.
“I called you. Where have you been?” He set her back on the ground and ran a hand down the back of her head. “What’s wrong?” he asked with sudden seriousness. “Did someone hurt you?”
“No, not really. I don’t even know why I’m here. I just needed to see you.” She hugged him again and told him the whole story about what happened with Sara, leaving out of course what she threatened to do. She also told him how she locked herself out of her room, which is why she wasn’t able to get his calls.
Venting to him made her frustrations disappear. It all seemed so silly now; fighting over that asshole in the bar. Sara would get over it eventually. She just needed more time to cool off and she better not fucking betray her in the meantime.
Braxton thumbed away the smudges on her cheeks and planted a soft peck on her lips. “Do you want me to kill her,” he joked, or at least she hoped he did.
“No,” she rolled her eyes. “Of course not.” Stepping out of his embrace she noticed his full suit attire and remembered unlike her, he was not on vacation. Didn’t have time to hear about some petty little fight. “Thanks for letting me up by the way. I know you’re busy with work.”
“Anytime. I’m never too busy for you. I’d walk out right now if you asked me to.”
“Really? Then walk out,” she tested. “Let’s go.”
“Are you asking for today or forever?”
Was he really going to leave with her? Well he was the boss. He could do whatever he wanted, though she didn’t want him to quit fo
rever. “Today. Let’s just get away together. Pretend to be normal for once.”
He thought about it, his squint making her think he might decline, but then agreed. “Okay. Can I just take care of a few things real quick? Thirty minutes tops and then we can go.” Playfully he smacked her butt before walking toward his desk.
Annie wandered his office while he typed and made a few calls. The gray walls boasted pictures of architecture unfamiliar to her, yet she stopped to examine each one. The office took up the entire top floor. It was grand and separated into different rooms including a bathroom that would make the wealthiest of women jealous, and a sitting room with a leather wrap around couch and pompous flat screen TV. It was all his. No secretaries or assistants crowding the space. The north wall, if you could call it that, was all glass and overlooked Central Park. Standing close she had a feeling of unease, like she could step off and plummet back to earth.
Brax argued with someone on the phone, something to do with money and dates, but she couldn’t figure it out exactly. Bored with waiting she sauntered toward his cherry wood desk and perched on the edge, right next to him.
Spinning to the side in his chair he reached out for her and brought her down on his lap, never once breaking his conversation. Wrapping his arms around her she leaned back against him, could feel his breaths as his chest rose and fell.
Ending the call with quick efficiency, he continued to hold her like it was the only thing in the world he wanted to do. It was all so normal. Like she was just visiting her boyfriend at work and not the boss of a renowned mob.
Kissing the crook of her neck she shivered. “So what do you want to do? I’m all yours.”
During her wait she hadn’t thought about what they would do when he finished. In fact, she didn’t know if she wanted to do anything but just be with him. That was more than enough. “I don’t know. What do you want to do? What do you normally do for fun?”
He raised his eyebrows, asking if she really wanted him to answer that question.
“Mind out of the gutter Cage. What do you do that doesn’t involve mind-warping women into sleeping with you?”
“I work. I don’t have time for fun. Or at least not the kind of fun you’re thinking of.”
“Come on. Don’t all you rich people go out yachting or horseback riding or some shit?” Shifting off his lap she turned and crawled back on to face him, the lace of her panties settling atop the thin fabric of his pants.
“Do I really look like a guy that would ride a fucking horse?” he answered while staring down at where their bodies met.
She didn’t respond to his rhetorical question. He did not.
“And if I had a boat it wouldn’t be a yacht. It’d be a speed boat or something fast like that. Yachts are for pussies who like to sit around all day. I’d get bored.” He finally looked up, their eyes connecting, “well maybe not if I had you with me.”
Brax pressed his hips up and she could feel him growing beneath her. Reaching a hand around, he tangled it in her hair, pulling with rough elegance to force her head back while he kissed down her neck.
Annie rubbed herself against him and moaned as the kisses grew firm. Something hard and rough dug into her thigh, but she paid it no mind, wasn’t interested in breaking their connection.
Kissing back up her neck he found her lips and parted them with his tongue as she happily obeyed. He tasted good, like nothing and everything all at the same time. She wanted to suck his tongue, drink him in—the lust verging on obscene.
Loosening his tie, she lifted it over his head and threw it on the floor behind her, frustrated in breaking the kiss to do so. Going back to his lips she held him and kissed deep while exploring with her hands, rubbing them through his hair, down his face and then working to unfasten each button on his black shirt.
Pulling it free from his pants, he sat forward in a rush to have it removed. An undershirt still in the way, he quickly removed that too. Damn, why was he wearing so many clothes? She continued to ride him dry, the friction enough all on its own. It wouldn’t be much longer.
“Do you want me to make you cum B?”
“Yes,” she panted.
“Beg me. Tell me what you want.”
“I want to cum. Make me cum Brax. Please.”
From behind he reached under her dress, pushing aside her panties and inserted two thick fingers, the intrusion causing her to throw her head back and moan out loud.
“Fuck you’re tight,” he told her, curving his fingers, moving them in and out, knowing exactly what sensitive area to hit and then added a third. It was unexpected and she cried out while he muffled the cries with a kiss and continued hard and fast, stretching her, getting her ready. “Don’t scream for my hand baby. That’s nothing compared to my cock. I need to get you ready, you’re going to take it all. I’m going to bury myself so deep inside you I’ll touch places you didn’t even know were possible to be touched and you’re going to love it. Beg me to fuck you. Do it now,” he commanded, pulling back on her hair until their eyes met.
“Fuck me Brax. Fuck me.” God she wanted him, was out of her mind for him. All she could think about was relieving the ache, growing and growing the more he moved.
“I don’t believe you. Why should I fuck you? Tell me why.”
“Please. I need it. I’m so close. So close.”
“Wrong fucking answer.”
Moving his hand further up, he vigorously began stroking her clit, rough and rude. She continued to grind against him too, their quick movements causing a spark inside her. She didn’t know what he wanted her to say, what the right answer was. She could barely think to form a sentence. Tears stung the corner of her eyes she wanted him so bad, wanted release, wanted to be filled up.
Reaching down she fumbled with his zipper, desperate to fill the void.
“Greedy,” he stopped her hand, holding it still while he continued rubbing her and then moved his fingers back inside. Her sex dripped with lubrication and welcomed him with joy. “So fucking wet. I want you to cum around my fingers. I want to watch when I make you explode. I want you to scream my name. This is all for you babe. Cum for me. Now. Do it now. Right fucking now.”
He demanded her obedience over and over and when he bit down on her shoulder her whole world shattered. Gone. Her vision clouded with darkness as she left Earth and floated into a dreamlike euphoria. She could hear her words echoing through her mind and likely out loud as well. They were incoherent slurs of speech that didn’t make any sense. His name mixed with moans and groans.
Floating back down slow, she caught her breath and relaxed atop of him. All her pent up frustration and energy disappearing as the world righted itself.
“That was the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen,” he said in her ear while removing his fingers; the loss of him leaving her feeling empty.
Bringing his hand to his mouth he sucked the wetness from his forefinger while she greedily licked the others, the taste of her spread between them. She continued to sit on top of him, he was hard as a rock, but made no move to keep things going and Annie was grateful. She lost her mind for a moment there, clouded by lust, but was now beginning to see clear. Knew she needed to remove herself from the situation before things escalated any further. They’d done enough, they didn’t need to do any more. She could continue to be with him, but knew she needed to have a conversation, needed to tell him she still had her reservations. No matter what she just begged for, it’s not what she wanted. She wasn’t in her right mind when she asked, when he told her to ask, but she was now.
Shifting back, Annie slid off his lap and noticed the dark metal of a gun, resting at his side. She recognized it as the earlier pain digging into her thigh. Timidly, she let her fingers glide over the grip, before asking permission with her eyes.
He nodded and she pulled it from the holster examining its heavy weight. “Is it loaded?”
“Of course it’s loaded. See for yourself.” She took his word for it, setting it down on h
is desk before looking up to find a smirk on his face. “B, have you ever shot a gun before?”
“What do you think?” she asked with innocence.
Brax stood quick from the chair, re-holstering the pistol. Picking up his undershirt from the floor he pulled it over his head and then took her hand. “Come on.”
“Where are we going?”
“I know what we’re doing today. You’re going to learn how to shoot.”
The shooting range smelled of gunpowder and men, and testosterone lined the walls in the form of AKs and rifles. Brax rented a lane and other equipment from the overweight, bearded man behind the counter and showed her through a closed door leading toward a sound reduced room with a long counter and thin walls to separate each lane. Number twelve was theirs.
Handing her a pair of protective glasses and ear guards she glared at them like the fashion faux pas they were, but put them on. She always felt ridiculous wearing them, but he was wearing a pair too, so she didn’t voice her opinion, even though he looked a hell of a lot better in his.
Brax pushed a button on the wall and a metal hanger raced toward them. Hanging a target, he pressed the button again, sending it back twenty feet. Pulling his gun from the holster he cleared the round from the chamber and removed the magazine, handing it to her as well as the now empty gun.
He showed her how to load the magazine and slip it back into the grip. Then showed her how to remove it and had her start all over, refilling and slamming it back up into the gun. Over and over again she did this until her fingers went numb.
Getting behind her, he had her note how the safety was in the off position and with a hand over hers, helped her pull back the slide.
“You ready?”
“Yes. Ready.”
“Okay,” he stepped back. “I want you to aim the sight so it’s in line with the bullseye.”
Doing as he asked she then pulled the trigger. BOOM. The empty cartridge ricocheted back, hitting her shoulder before meeting up with the cement floor.
“Were you aiming? It didn’t even hit the fucking paper.”
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