Subconsciously I think I’ve been terrified the news is bad. It’s not something I try to think, but in my experience, surprises have never been anything good.
The elevator doors open so Aleksandr and I walk through them. We head through the lobby part of the building and can’t miss the bright gold flashing sign that reads ‘Mason’s’. “Have you ever been here before?” I ask Aleksandr, figuring a bit of small talk won’t hurt.
He shakes his head, “I’m afraid I haven’t had the pleasure.”
“Well, I can’t wait for you to try some food. It’s great. I’ve had everything on the menu at some point.” I’m speaking purely from experience. Brooklyn isn’t one of those people who wants her models not to eat. She speaks all the time about body image, weight fluctuations, aging, stress and so many more subjects in regard to how makeup can help boost our self-confidence. All of the things above can be associated in a negative manner, but not with her. She views it all as part of life, which I suppose we should all be doing at this point.
We’re up to the door and Aleksandr opens it for me. I unhook my arm from his and walk on through and he’s close behind me. The bar is packed tighter than a can of sardines tonight. “Shit, is it always this busy?”
I turn and shake my head, “No, not usually. Busy, yes, but not like this.”
I mean it, I’ve never seen Mason’s like this. People are standing everywhere you look and even the dance floor is packed with people too. It’s probably a fifty by fifty-foot area, but right now it could be a third of that. I glance over to the right and see a line of people waiting at the bar for drinks. Jesus. Where am I even supposed to go?
A few men in suits come over in our direction, parting the crowd like Moses did with the sea. One comes up to me, “Greer, please come with us.”
Aleksandr and I both share a confused glance. But I lead the way and he follows close behind me. One of the men is in front of us while the other is behind Aleksandr and we go through the restaurant. As we venture forward, I’m surprised by the size. The last time I was here I didn’t realize Mason’s was so large, but maybe it’s just because I hadn’t gone in this back area before.
We come up to a door and the guy in front of me punches in a key code. The door pops open and he walks through, so I follow. We’re walking in another part I know I’ve never been in. The ceiling is black as are the floors, and there are brass colored designs on the wall.
We head down the corridor and reach another door, so he pushes it open and we walk into a room. Thankfully, Brooklyn, Logan, Christian and Selena are all lounging around on the various bits of furniture.
“How’d you like our secret passageway?” Logan asks, wiggling his eyebrows.
“Is it new? I mean, I don’t remember that being there before.” I giggle, walking forward to greet my friends.
“Of course, it’s new. I made them put the shit in since I bought the building next door. Made more sense to do this versus running around and through both of them if you ask me.”
“Right. Something tells me you just wanted a secret passageway.” Logan teases his brother.
“Maybe, but let’s change the subject to the elephant in the room. Who do you have here, Greer?” Christian questions, looking directly at Aleksandr.
“This is my friend, Aleksandr.” I tell the room, hoping to lighten the mood just a tad.
Everyone seems to accept what I’ve said, except one person—Christian Steele.
“And here I thought Jordan was your friend”.”
“I am,” A dark, deep voice comes from behind me and I nearly jump. It’s so bad Aleksandr puts his hand on my arm to make sure I stay upright.
“Are you okay?” He asks.
I nod, “Yeah, Jordan just scared me half to death.” I laugh at the end, acting like it’s no big deal.
Aleksandr accepts what I’ve said and extends a hand to Jordan, “I’m Aleksandr, it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
Jordan eyes him up and down before looking to me. “You didn’t tell me you were dating anyone, Greer.”
Jesus. “I’m not dating anyone, or dating, period.” I declare.
“What a shame.” Aleksandr comments, getting a crude look from Jordan.
Lord. This is bad and I know it. Jordan is gnawing on the inside of his cheek, looking between Aleksandr and I. And if I’m not misreading the situation, he appears to be a bit jealous.
“Looks like someone’s into you, Greer.” Jordan comments, looking right at me. “The question is, are you into him, or are you a fan of what you’ve already had?”
Now Aleksandr is the one who looks upset. “This an ex of yours or something?” He asks me. But I can’t even call Jordan that.
“No, he’s my best friend.” I answer honestly.
“Why the fuck does it even matter, Aleksandr? The point is I asked her a question.” Jordan snarls.
“Hey, guys. Why doesn’t everyone come over here and enjoy a beer?” Christian speaks up, trying to pull this fight apart before it happens in the first place.
“Jordan,” I put my hand on his chest, trying to calm him down just a bit and push against his chest lightly. “We talked about this. We weren’t ever going to be anything. The only thing we were doing was using each other when we had certain needs.”
“I thought you weren’t dating anyone, Greer. What the fuck is this shit?” Okay, I totally get Jordan’s upset, but he’s seeing something that isn’t even happening.
“I’m not. Aleksandr is just a friend. I promise that’s all he is.” I grab onto Jordan’s hand and give it a squeeze. “You know I’d never lie to you, so will you just trust me on this? He’s only my friend.”
Jordan looks past me and then stares right into my eyes. “I hear you loud and clear, but that man isn’t looking for friendship. He’s looking for what I enjoyed last month.”
I shut my eyes, knowing if this were different timing, I might tell Jordan I want to explore shit with him, but he’s in love with a woman who’s actively involved in his life. He just hasn’t had the courage to tell her that, and while I love him, I’d never keep him from what he deserves and that’s Lacey. She’s his happily-ever-after, even if he doesn’t believe it yet.
“Jord’, you need to go after her. Lacey is your woman and you know it.” I whisper lowly in case there are eavesdroppers.
“So, do I need to tell everyone in the room I want you to collaborate a specific line of products with me, or do I have to act like I want to fuck you too?” Brooklyn laughs from the other side of the room, causing me to turn around immediately from the pure shock of it.
There’s no way she said what I think she just said.
I must be hearing shit.
Did she really say she wants to collaborate a line with me?
“This was what you wanted to tell me?” I question in such disbelief. I can hardly believe this. Brooklyn Steele just asked me to collaborate with her, for her freaking makeup line! I’m freaking out!
She nods from across the room, “Yeah, so get your ass over here so we can talk about specifics.”
“Congrats, Greer. I’m gonna get going though, have a good night.” Jordan mutters so quickly I can’t even get a word out before he’s left through the door we came in a few minutes ago.
I stand here staring at the door, wondering if I said the wrong thing, but deep down I know everything I said was accurate. “He wasn’t wrong you know,” Aleksandr whispers as he walks past me and takes a seat next to Christian.
Jesus, I’m in for one wild ride.
Chapter Twenty-One
They slipped briskly into intimacy from which they never recovered
~ F. Scott Fitzgerald
Aleksandr
February 13th
I fucked with Greer Mackenzie out of sheer pleasure last night, and I have absolutely no regrets about it. She’s a vision, a fucking vixen, siren, hottie and whatever else you want to call her. The woman isn’t only naturally beautiful, but so damn brill
iant. I had the pleasure of experiencing it firsthand last night when she was chatting with Brooklyn about the possibilities for their collaboration and what they’d both like to see from it.
My phone vibrates on the desk in front of me so I turn it over, figuring it’s best I see who it is and what they want.
From: Aleksei
How are things going with you?
He’s only texting me because something must be going wrong in Vermont.
To: Aleksei
They’re going. Everything okay?
While I wait for a response, I check my other messages and see I’ve missed quite a few.
From: Father
I saw images of you with Greer last night in Atlanta. I thought you were lying about getting close to the girl, but you are doing well son. Maybe Maxim won’t get what you desire after all.
I’m half tempted to respond, but I won’t. I don’t need his negative shit, or to encourage him in my response. That’s all it does anyway, encourages him to keep his shit up. After the meeting with Brooklyn and the rest of the Steeles, we went through that secret passageway and ended up getting a few drinks. I don’t know if she agreed to dance with me because she’s starting to warm up to me, or if it was the alcohol, but the look she had in her eyes makes me think it could’ve been a little bit of both.
“Is it possible to stay here one more day? A photographer friend I work with is in town and wants to get a shoot in with me?” Greer speaks up all of a sudden, causing me to turn the office chair around to look at her. She’s leaning up against the wall, looking out the window.
I stare at her blankly. We’re only supposed to be going out for scheduled work she has. But from the sounds of it, this hasn’t been scheduled at all. “Please tell me you’re kidding.” It’s too fucking risky. She isn’t going.
The pure look of deviousness is telling me that she isn’t kidding. In fact, she’s one hundred percent serious. Okay, maybe devious is the wrong word. It looks more like Bambi trying not to get shot.
“I’m not. I haven’t had a shoot with her in almost three years. I’m doing so much fashion and editorial photography . . . so I’d really appreciate it if you could fenagle shit however you have to in order for me to do this. Tell Liam it was scheduled, I really don’t give a fuck, but you owe me after last night.”
Did she seriously say that? I was having a hard time seeing similarities between Sloane and Greer, but now I’m thinking she might be as feisty as her sister.
I cock a brow, “Oh, do I?”
“Yeah, you do.” Greer struts over from the window and walks right up to me. She keeps those vibrant blue eyes trained on mine. “You led me on, Aleksandr. Left me hot and bothered. Very bothered. Irritatingly bothered.”
I cock a brow and smirk, “Oh? How’d I manage to do that?”
She’s unamused and damn is it hot. “You had your hands on my ass, my legs, my back, brushed your fingers lightly over my stomach and everything else. You know exactly what you fucking did. Just like I know what I’m doing right now.”
Greer sits her ass down right on my lap. Motherfucker. I’ve been wondering what this would feel like. Greer Mackenzie isn’t a stick thin girl, she’s got curves in that hourglass type figure with a lot of junk in her trunk. She’s every man’s wet dream, and hell if she isn’t mine too.
She presses her ass down on my cock, shimmying against it. Damn it. There’s no way I can keep my small soldier from rising to attention. I look at her ass as she moves it from right to left and grinds, imagining what’s under this nightie she sleeps in. It’s a mixture of cotton and lace I think, in a pastel blue.
No one has any idea how hard it was for me to go to sleep last night and not do a damn thing to her, but we’d both been drinking and I don’t want her fucking me because she was intoxicated and did it against her better judgement. Just like I won’t tell her who I am until I know she knows me for me, not because of what my father did to her mother.
“Don’t toy with me, little girl.” I hiss, giving her this one and only warning. Our age difference might only be eight years, but I feel lifetimes older than Greer. Maybe it’s because of the shit I’ve seen. Maybe it’s because of the life I’ve led and the closed doors she’s been hidden behind. Who the fuck knows, but one thing I haven’t ever told her is how I’m a gentleman on the outside, but one thing I’m not is a gentleman underneath all my fancy clothes and expensive watches.
I’m cruel, just like my father, and the one area it shows is the bedroom.
“I’m not a little girl, Aleksandr. I’m a woman who knows exactly what she wants.” The tone of her voice makes me want to ram my cock into her while holding onto her neck so tightly she can barely breathe. This is what I mean when I say I’m cruel. It may not seem like I am from the outside, but I can’t help my sexual tastes.
Fuck it.
I swiftly stand up and wrap my arms around her, shoving the front of her body against the nearest wall. Snaking my hand up into the back of her hair, I pull on it, hard. I yank her head to the side and force her to look at me. Greer takes in deep breaths, her nostrils flaring like she’s about to slap me. “Is this what you want? A caged beast?”
She doesn’t answer me whatsoever.
“Tell me, Greer. Tell me if this is what you fucking want from me or not.” If she doesn’t reply to me this time, I don’t know if I’ll be able to hold myself back. I’m trying so hard to not just take what I want, like I usually do.
She doesn’t say a damn thing and I’m conflicted as hell. I don’t want her to be afraid of me, to be so scared that she can’t bear to even look in the same direction as me, but if I don’t show her parts of my darkness, she’ll never understand. She’ll never embrace me for the good and the bad.
“Fuck. You have no idea how long I’ve imagined doing this.” I seethe, tearing her bottoms down, her skin presses against my trousers and I swiftly unzip my pants, ready to take what will belong to me very shortly.
Fuck, I can’t be thinking like that yet. There’s a time and a place to be a primal bastard, and now isn’t the time. I don’t have a fucking ring on her finger and until I do, she doesn’t belong to me. Still, it won’t hold me back from fucking her like she’s mine.
I’ve known for a few weeks I’d get to this point but waiting this long has almost been unbearable. I mean, I don’t go around every night and look for pussy. I’m the type of man who enjoys staying committed to one woman, not hopping from one to the next.
I take over her delicate features after my cock is free. It throbs, begging to be put to work, and I can’t fucking wait any longer. Sliding my hand between her lower lips I check to see if she’s ready for me and thank fuck my fingers are coated in her essence. Pushing my hips slightly forward, I force my cock between her lips, acting as a lubricant before I plunge myself deep within her.
I might be ballsy and bold, however, I refuse to do anything that harms her. “Are you going to fuck me or not?” Greer huffs.
In response I yank back her hair at the same exact time I plow my cock into her tight heat. She’s tighter than I thought she’d be, like my cock is stuck in a Chinese finger trap. She shuts her eyes, wincing every time I ram myself into her and I watch intently as her somewhat painful looking expressions turn to pleasure.
“Greer, I’ll warn you now. You’re going to feel my cock in you a week from now, ‘cause I’m gonna fuck you that hard.” I hiss, yanking on her hair again until she lets out a soft moan. As it passes through her lips, wetness drips down my cock, over my balls.
Nothing is going to stop me from absolutely obliterating her pussy today. I can already tell we won’t be making it to that shoot.
“Don’t stop, please. Please just don’t stop.” She pants out.
I snicker and look right into her eyes, “I don’t plan on it”.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Action is the antidote to fear
~ Marie Forleo
Greer
February 28th
>
Aleksandr has made me feel absolute heaven since our trip to Atlanta. We haven’t been going a day without colliding our bodies into the other’s. It’s like we’re two magnets being pulled together by force. I haven’t ever felt anything like this with someone else, but it’s been amazing and I don’t want it to stop. Most of the time my sexual adventures have been miniscule at best. It’s felt more like a job than something that’s done for pleasure, but not with him. If I could stay wrapped in his arms for ages, I would. He’s an enigma caught between two worlds if you ask me. One foot in the dark while the other is stepping toward the light. He balances himself out. It might sound weird, but I’ve come to learn some of his quirks over the last couple weeks and we’re now becoming more in tune with each other.
I mean, it’s nothing too elaborate, but I do like what I’m seeing develop between the two of us. Coming into this I never expected to start really liking the guy, but life has a funny way of working out, I guess.
We’ve been back at the house in Vermont for a couple weeks now and we’re all in pretty much of a basic routine. I wake up, shower, have breakfast with Aleksandr and then we drink coffee on the second floor in our spot. The one that overlooks the creek. After coffee we’re usually in the library for a bit. He likes historical or educational books, whereas I prefer a good mystery or romance. Aleksandr usually picks at me quite a bit about them, but I don’t care too much. We’re in the library for a couple hours, then have lunch. In the afternoons I work out with Leti in the backyard, and I work remotely for a few hours in the evening. It’s usually nothing too intense, just creating new designs for my clothing line and checking in with my business partners.
Aleksei set up a virtual private network and did a couple things to the laptop here in order to make it safe. My business partners know nothing about what’s going on, for obvious reasons, but I needed to find a way to still stay in contact with them. If I didn’t, my business might fail and I can’t have that happen. I mean honestly, I’ve worked too hard to have my family finally coming into my life mess that up.
Corrupted Love: A Dark Mafia Romance (Mackenzies Book 2) Page 10