by Sam Crescent
Emily’s boss.
She’d met him last night.
They had danced, and after that, she couldn’t really remember what was happening.
She sat on the toilet, relieving herself before flushing and washing her hands. Throwing water onto her face, she washed away the signs of the makeup she’d worn the night before, feeling a little refreshed but not a whole lot. Brushing her teeth helped, but she wouldn’t tackle her hair until she had a shower.
There had been knocking at the door?
Leaving the bathroom, she walked the few steps to the kitchen. There on their little table was a huge vase filled with wildflowers. They were so shocking, beautiful, stunning, and breathtaking.
Emily leaned against one of the counters. “You look like death.”
“Thanks to you as well. A new admirer?”
“I wish. They’re for you.”
Emily held out the small card.
Taking it from her friend, she opened it up.
“Thank you for a wonderful night, West.” She didn’t add that there was a kiss on the end.
“I take it you two had a good time,” Emily said.
Hannah didn’t know what to say. “I don’t know.”
“How could you not know?”
“It’s all a little fuzzy. I think we had a good time. Flowers? Is this a good thing?”
“I wouldn’t object to West Gallo sending me flowers.”
She heard something in Emily’s voice. There was a hardness there. “Is this okay?” She pointed at the flowers. “Do you have feelings for him?”
“No, of course not. I meant that he’s a good-looking guy. He’s also loaded, and just, wow, I mean he oozes sex appeal.”
“Oh, well, I think we had a good time. I mean, we must have for him to send me flowers.” She rubbed at her temples, feeling a headache start.
“How much did you have to drink last night?”
“I don’t know. Not a lot. I mean, I had one drink with you and then water. You don’t think I was drugged, do you?”
“No, I bet you weren’t. I’ve got to head out. You’re okay?”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. I’m going job hunting.”
“What have I told you? Don’t let that loser ruin your love of your job.”
“I know, but it’s no hardship to look, you know? I may just go to the library.”
“Call me if you need anything.” Emily was already out of the apartment.
Taking a seat at the table, Hannah stared at the flowers and the card. She didn’t know what the hell to do.
Did this mean anything at all?
Would he want to go on a date?
“Ugh! I’ve never been on a date.”
She may have even babbled most of the night away.
She moved her head from side to side to try to work the kinks out of her shoulders and neck.
When that didn’t work, she got up, made herself a quick coffee, and left the flowers on the table. They were really beautiful with all the different varieties of flowers and colors. Such a contrast to each other and even in a vase they looked so wild.
Ignoring them, she sipped at her coffee while running a bath. She really needed to shake off this horrible groggy feeling.
Once the bath was full, she stripped down and paused as she looked in the mirror. Her lips were the same, her body as well.
No sex had happened last night.
Not even a little inkling of a feel.
She ran a hand over her ass, and a flash of male hands gripping her butt as she kissed West.
Did she kiss him last night?
This was so embarrassing.
The thought of West with his hands all over her, not being able to get enough of her, set her pulse on fire.
Climbing into the tub, she leaned back in the water and grabbed her cup, taking generous sips of the dark coffee.
She’d met West before. She was sure of it.
The problem she had was she couldn’t remember exactly where.
Why did he seem so familiar?
Wait? He’d brought her back home?
Did he even ask where she lived?
How did he know where she lived? She couldn’t remember telling him her address.
No, her paranoia was getting the better of her.
There’s no way that she wouldn’t have told him. He was giving her a ride home.
She pushed her nagging suspicions to one side and finished her coffee. She’d probably never see him again so it wasn’t like it was any hardship.
The time they shared dancing and having a meal had been fun.
With her cup empty, she placed it on the floor and then took the time to bathe. Dipping her head under the water, she lifted up. Soaping her body first, she rid herself of the night before, clearing her mind as she did. Once her body was clean, she shampooed her hair before putting conditioner on.
Once that was all done, she was ready to start her day.
She pulled the plug, stepped out, and wrapped herself in a towel. She was putting her bathrobe on when she heard a knock at the door.
There was no time to wrap her hair up as the knocking wouldn’t stop.
“I’m coming. I’m coming.” She stood up against the door, looking through the peephole but couldn’t make out who stood there. “Who is it?”
“It’s West Gallo.”
This made her step back and her heart speed up.
“What’s wrong?”
“I came to see if you were all right. I called, but you didn’t answer.”
“You have my number?”
“Do you really want to talk with your neighbors listening?”
She didn’t think of that.
Opening the door just a little, she left one of the locks on that allowed her to peep outside. “I’m not appropriately dressed. How did you get my number?”
“Emily gave it to me.”
“Just like that?”
“Yes.”
“Oh. Well, she shouldn’t have.”
“You didn’t have a nice time last night?”
“I did. I think I did.”
He chuckled. “You don’t sound so sure.”
“Usually when I have a good time I remember it all.”
“Ah,” he said. “I see.”
“Did I do or say something … that would…?” She blew out a breath, not really sure what she wanted to say or do.
“No. You passed out in my car, and I carried you up to bed.”
“I wasn’t in my dress,” she said.
“Emily took care of all that.”
“She didn’t say anything.”
“I can’t speak for her. I promise I’m not going to hurt you.”
“Isn’t that what all people say before they attack?” She leaned back around the door so he wouldn’t see and hit her head against it.
Get some damn sense.
What is wrong with you?
“I was wondering if you’d like to go out today?” he asked.
“Today?”
“Yes.”
She nibbled her bottom lip.
“You want to go out today?” she asked.
He chuckled. “Am I making you nervous?”
“A little bit.”
She heard a door close and knew she didn’t want to talk about this for everyone else to hear or whatever couple had decided to come out of their apartment. Closing the door, she slid the lock out and then opened it wide enough for him to step inside.
He took the door from her and closed it.
Locking her fingers together, she stared at him waiting for something, anything.
“I can’t remember everything that happened last night.” She spoke slowly.
“We had a good time. That’s all you need to know.”
She frowned at that.
“Thank you for the flowers. They’re really beautiful. Erm, I was going to go and look for another job today.”
“Another job?”
“Yeah, some
thing happened at the job I’m currently in.” Just thinking about what Lawrence had done to her, not that he’d done anything, but it unnerved her. She’d wanted to go home early that day and she’d even told him she wished to leave, but he’d told her he needed her. So, after everyone had left, she’d gotten a little uneasy. When he came out to her and said there was something he wanted to discuss in his office, it had made her even more nervous.
No one was around, and she’d noticed the way all the women seemed to avoid him.
She pushed the thoughts and memories of how he’d shoved her against the bookshelves, of the things he’d said to her.
“I don’t want to go back there. I’d rather just find my own way. I know this job came through my graduation as part of my scholarship agreement, but I’m hoping to arrange a meeting with them so that I can talk about moving. You know, I want to start fresh.” She saw how good he looked in a suit. Last night’s had been black with a crisp white shirt.
The shirt was still crisp white, but the suit was grey and it spread out over his body. She glanced down at his wrists, and sure enough, she saw the ink that decorated his skin. She wanted to do nothing more than push the shirt back, to look at him, and to see what he was hiding.
“You okay in there?” he asked.
“I’m sorry. Zoned out.”
“You do that a lot?”
“Recently it seems I do. I don’t know if I’m going to be good company.”
He placed his hands on his hips and smiled.
He had large hands. Big. She wondered if his fingers would be rough or if that was all in her imagination, which was once again running wild. She couldn’t focus at all.
“How about we talk about your job opportunities over breakfast?”
“Breakfast?”
“I own a waffle house a couple blocks from here. I’ve got my car waiting.”
“Exactly how much do you own?” she asked.
“The entire city, pretty much.”
“The entire city? Wow, you must be really important.”
“I do all right.”
She chuckled. “I’m going to go get dressed. You’re okay to stay here and, you know, not snoop?”
“Nah, I gotta snoop.”
She laughed and left him alone in the sitting room.
The apartment wasn’t that big, and rushing into her bedroom, she closed the door and quickly changed into a matching pair of white lace panties and bra before tugging on a pair of jeans and a large flower print shirt, one side gathered at the hip so it helped to give her some figure; a little at least.
Dressed, she ran a brush through her wet hair to clean out some of the knots. When it was smooth, she rubbed her hair with a towel to help dry it out. With her hair nearly dry, she brushed it again, and was all done.
No makeup.
A pair of slip-on shoes and she was good to go.
Oh, a spray of perfume.
She left the bedroom and found him looking at the few pictures she had of herself, Emily, and Emily’s family, along with pictures of her parents.
“You’re close with Emily?”
“Yeah. We’ve known each other since college. She’s been a real rock. Especially when my parents passed. I don’t know what I’d have done without her, you know?” She stepped up beside him.
“Are you ready to go?” he asked.
She was as ready as she’d ever be.
She turned off the coffee machine, grabbed her cell, and sent a text to Emily to say she was heading out.
On the way to the door, she was hit by nerves. What if this was a mistake?
“What is it?” West asked.
“I’m not used to this,” she said.
“Used to this?”
“Going out. Hanging out with men. It’s all brand new to me, and I’m going to make a fool of myself. I need you to promise me not to hurt Emily.”
“Why would I hurt Emily?”
“I don’t mean physically or anything. I mean, you know, I don’t want you to fire her. She loves her job.”
“So long as Emily knows what she is doing and knows her place, she will have a job.”
“Okay, good. That’s good.”
Closing the door, she clicked the locks into place.
Following him down the flights of stairs, she didn’t have time to analyze that nervous, excited, and terrified feeling that he always seemed to inspire. He’d done nothing to hurt her or for her to even fear.
Get a grip, Hannah.
It’s going to be okay.
On the bottom floor, he took her hand, and she followed him outside to where his car was waiting. He held the door open, and once again another flash in her mind of another door opening flooded her senses.
The memory or dream plagued her.
Pushing it aside, she took his hand, climbing inside.
No matter what, she was safe with West. That’s how she felt, and again, it terrified her that she knew that.
Chapter Four
West knew he should stay away. Being near her right now was dangerous, and she wasn’t ready. Last night had proven that to him. One taste of her sweet lips and he wanted more. Lawrence was still out there, and it pissed him off. He needed to keep cool rather than make a mistake. This was the only curse of being at the top. There was always someone intent on bringing you down.
Danny was gone, though.
His body would never be discovered.
His death hadn’t been easy.
There were not many ways of drawing Lawrence out. Danny had told them before he died that Lawrence was a selfish prick. If he thought it would help his cause, he’d hand over his wife and anyone that was close to him. There was no heart in the man.
It wasn’t news to West.
He’d discovered all about Lawrence’s little secret activities. West had known there were parts of Lawrence’s life that were not his problem, but he’d been the best at what he did, and since he was also paying the son of a bitch a good sum of money, he truly believed Hannah would have been safe.
This was his mistake.
A big mistake.
One he would never make again.
He’d put Hannah with a monster.
Just thinking about what he’d uncovered—the brothels Lawrence frequented that gave him women to beat up before fucking them—it would seem Lawrence had a rape fantasy and he paid women to let him play it out.
Well, now he was going to find out what happened when you tried to rape another man’s woman.
Glancing over at Hannah, he saw she was staring out of the window. Silence filled the car, but it wasn’t uncomfortable.
Some women loved making noise just for the sake of it. Most women knew who he was, but Hannah didn’t have a clue. He’d made sure she didn’t know who he was or had heard of him.
For the past five years he’d manipulated her life in some way, bringing her to this point they were at now.
Last night had been his breaking point.
He couldn’t stay away from her.
Watching her from afar no longer held any appeal, not when he could have her.
Emily had been home last night, but he’d sent her to the bed so that he could handle her. He’d stripped Hannah naked before putting her in her shirt.
He’d not done the gentlemanly thing and closed his eyes.
West had looked and known that there was no turning back.
Five years he’d waited.
Some would think he was a pervert.
At forty years old, he was seventeen years her senior.
She was unlike any other woman he’d ever known.
He couldn’t let her go.
A sick fuck he may be, but he only had it bad for her.
No one else would ever do.
Five years he’d been celibate, waiting for her.
After he’d made sure that she was okay and comfortable, he’d looked around her room. The effects of the pill would keep her asleep and dead to the world for a few hours. He�
�d discovered her sexy lingerie along with her secret supply of books.
He’d watched her reading them many times.
Her face would flush, and every time she put them down, there was always a longing within her eyes.
Holding the books in his hands, he’d known his woman had a desire. The need for the forbidden, the temptation. She just had no one to trust with this knowledge.
He had cameras in her apartment. Emily’s bedroom was clear as he had no interest in watching her.
Before Hannah moved in, he’d installed cameras around the sitting room, kitchen, on the outside of their main door, inside. With a few placed cameras he saw the entire apartment. The only places that were safe were Emily’s room and the bathroom, but he did have sound.
He got to hear everything.
The drive was silent, and as he pulled into the waffle house parking lot, he saw Rome and Cage were not far behind. He gave them a nod but climbed out of the car.
Hannah was already out of the car by the time he made it around to her. He grabbed her arm and placed her up against the vehicle.
“Next time wait for me to help you out.”
“Why?”
“I like to be a gentleman.”
“That’s so sweet. I really don’t mind.”
Anyone could take her out with a bullet. She was an easy target, but he didn’t say that.
“It’s what I like to do.” He pressed a kiss to her cheek and took her hand, leading the way into the waffle house.
The scents of bacon, chicken, and maple syrup flooded his senses. He couldn’t help but have his mouth water. Waffles were one of his favorite breakfast foods.
Taking Hannah to the back where his own private booth was, he waited for her to sit before taking a seat himself.
“It’s about time you showed your face here,” the waitress on duty said, coming into the room. She wore an apron smeared with waffle batter.
“Hey, Aunt Martha.” He gave the older woman a hug. “I’d like you to meet someone. Martha, this is Hannah. Hannah, Martha. She was my mom’s friend growing up. She makes the best waffles in the world.”
“I certainly do. Sweet, savory, spicy, you name it, it can go on a waffle. You do like waffles?” Martha asked.
Hannah nodded.
“I’ll bring you out the house best. You know I’ve got you covered.” Martha patted his stomach and left.
“She seems really nice.”