Draco tugged her skirt up as far as her waist, bunching it there.
Reaching for her hands he shifted her into position bodily and wrapped her fingers round the far edge of the table. “You’ll have to hold on tight.”
His determination overwhelmed her.
Trembling, she did as instructed. Her feet shifted restlessly, her body wired into the moment. Despite the danger of discovery she ached for him to take charge of her.
Grabbing her panties, he pulled them down, left them dangling around her ankles. The exposure made her sex contract, damp heat gathering between her thighs. Stroking her bared bottom, he inflamed her all the more. A frustrated whimper caught in her throat. He stroked his fingers the length of her pussy, paddling her clit before stroking her up and down then easing his fingers inside her.
“Do you want this?”
She murmured incoherently, her desperation growing.
“Tell me,” he commanded.
“Do me, please,” she begged.
Thankfully she heard the sound of his zipper, then the noise of a condom wrapper being torn open. Then the bulk of his cock pushed against her opening. “It’s going to be fast and hard.”
“Yes, yes!” She pushed back, grateful for the promise she heard in his voice, groaning aloud as she felt him stretching her open. She was so slippery he slid in easily, and thrust right against her center in one stroke.
She had to stifle a moan. With her chest flat to the table, her breasts throbbed, nipples needling with sensation. She arched her back and he thrust deeper still.
A ragged moan escaped her lips. Cursing herself silently she tried to stay quiet, fearing it would alert someone to their presence.
“Oh yes,” he said, pumping into her. He put his hand against the base of her spine, which made her work against him, her bottom lifting, her sex swallowing his long hard cock gratefully.
“We had to do this,” he said in a low, husky voice as he worked into her ever faster. “All I could think about was being inside you.”
Lara welcomed the physical jolt of her body on each thrust. It was rough sex, desperate and needy and it was wildly hot.
His hands gripped her buttocks.
Her feet lifted from the floor.
He slapped her right buttock.
“Draco!” The sting rang right through her, making her hotter still. Her climax was close. Dizzy with pleasure, her skin burned and she had to she gasp for breath. Her center spasmed.
He swore, and then whispered her name in a rung out groan.
Manipulating her buttocks in his hands he pressed closer still. It made her crazy. She bucked and writhed against the table, working her hips back, wanting it to last while willing it to end, taking him deep over and over.
Finally, her orgasm broke, washing through her, melting her body until it was supine over the table. Draco stilled at her back and she heard his stifled groan as he came.
Time passed. She had no idea how long. It was marked only by the sound of their ragged breathing and the static noise from the flickering blue light overhead.
“I can’t move, I’m too weak,” she murmured.
He withdrew and carefully sorted then both out. He pulled up her undies and straightened her skirt then eased her from the table, setting her on her heels, when she trend to face him, he kissed her.
“You make me crazy,” he said, and he sounded apologetic.
With a soft laugh, she blinked up at him sated, pleasured and glad they’d done it—despite the danger. “You make me crazy too, so it’s only fair.”
“I’m sorry about this morning.”
“So am I.”
They stared into each other’s eyes endlessly, understanding settling on them both.
“What is it you really want here?” He nodded at the wall and door, indicating he meant the company.
With a deep sigh, she faced up to it. “I suppose I want dad to care. If he doesn’t, fuck him, fuck the lot of them. You were right, I was ready for it to go either way, but I can’t seem to move now. I’m frightened because I guess I do love him, and I don’t want to take the clip out of the hand grenade after all.”
She stared up at him, feeling a sense of despair building. “Oh god, what a mess.”
“Hey.” He took her hands his. “It might not be that bad. I mean, I doubt your stepmother makes burgers as good as yours, but we’ll get through the meal.”
Lara laughed, but at the same time tears wet her lashes. “Thank you for being so nice.” They stared into each others eyes, silent emotions passing between them. “Most guys would have been up and out of here by now. I’ve made such a mess of this.”
“I didn’t mean what I said earlier, and I won’t walk out.”
“That wasn’t in the contract...”
“It’s not about the money, I care about you.”
She nodded, squeezing his hands to let him know it was mutual.
“We need to come clean with your dad,” he said decisively, “try to back out of this before there’s any cause for resentment. I don’t want him to end up hating you because of me.”
Distress swamped her. “No! It’s too soon.”
“Let me be the judge of that.”
“Please, no. If we bail out now, we blow it.”
“Hush, this is about damage limitation…” He paused until she nodded. “This dinner thing, it might be because he’s onto me. It’s been oddly quiet since I arrived here. I’ve been enjoying the working environment, surprisingly, but I’m always waiting for the axe to fall.”
Her stomach knotted hearing him say that.
“I’m not going to sit here until the police arrive. I’m going to declare myself.”
“No!” Every option sounded like a minefield.
“Don’t fret,” he interrupted. “I won’t reveal you employed me.”
“I did employ you, therefore I’ll b e the one to say when you reveal who and what you are.”
“You’re playing for time.”
“I am.” She swallowed hard. “Let’s get the dinner over and then we can make a plan, after.”
“It’s tonight?”
She nodded.
“Fuck! Right, okay…we better get a move on.” He shoved the table back against the wall. Reaching into one of the boxes, he grabbed a couple of printable forms, handing her one.
“You think of everything,” she said.
“I do try.” With one hand on the door handle he glanced at her one last time “Ready?”
Torn, Lara nodded, and followed him out.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
A resigned acceptance settled between them over the course of the day.
Draco wound up the database, just in case things ended badly at Compton Senior’s homestead that evening.
He was proud of the work he’d done during his faux placement. He’d added some nifty features to the new database, shortcuts and extra pages for new categories of information, stuff that hadn’t been done before. Lara imported all the current information, double checking it all thoroughly before agreeing it was done.
Back at the apartment they quietly prepared, showering and changing their clothes. Lara booked a taxi. During the journey they held hands.
“Still worrying about your grandmother?” she asked.
Draco was running over his prepared story, in case he had to use it that evening. She wanted to talk though. “Yes, but I’m assured things are going well.”
“I can’t imagine you with a cuddly grandmother.”
“She’s a wonderful woman, traditional. She looked after us more than our Mum did.”
“Maybe that explains why I keep seeing old fashioned attitudes in you.”
It puzzled him, but he supposed it might be true.
“I’ve got a great aunt too, her sister, she can be scary. Together they are formidable”
“The one she’s moving in with?”
“Yes, and Rowan too. She’s a single mum.”
“You find it har
d talking about them.”
“I guess so, only because I left it all behind, and then my Mum and step dad left too, so I feel bad about the ones left behind.”
“Maybe you can use part of your earnings to go visit?”
“Maybe.”
“Something I wanted to ask…why is it you think my brothers might be implicated in the fraud?”
“Timing. They were given inside information, a head start on a proper fraud investigator, and they still haven’t rolled anything out as yet, have they? I can only assume they’re complicit in some way—one or both of them. Either that or they couldn’t care less about it. Having met Charles I’m beginning to think it’s the latter. He’s too busy enjoying himself to give a toss about it.”
Her mouth opened as if to deny his remarks, then she quickly snapped it shut and glanced away, her eyelids lowering. It hadn’t been obvious to her. Wishing he hadn’t been the one to give her the wake-up call, he reached out and grabbed her hand. “I’m sorry, I don’t really think they’re guilty. Why would they mess up a golden opportunity to get ahead in the family business? It doesn’t make any sense. Although I have to say I can’t figure out why they haven’t got to the bottom of it yet.”
Lara turned back. “You think they should know the answer already?”
Draco shrugged, wishing he hadn’t said so much. “They had a few days before you got in touch with me, didn’t they?”
“At least four. You really think they could’ve worked it out in that time?”
He squeezed her hand again. “Someone who had the skill set, probably.” Once again he wondered if he was saying too much. “And of course open access to all the systems and records, the way they do,” he added, to cover his back. “However, I doubt they’ve figured it out, or you’d have heard. That cousin of yours seems to be keeping his ear to the ground.”
She nodded. “Yes, Harry would know if they’d figured it out.”
The taxi pulled up outside an ostentatious set of gates.
Draco glanced around the street. The two properties he could see were each surrounded by tall pillars and metal railings, security systems on the entrance. Lara was paying the taxi driver. He reached into his pocket.
“Don’t be daft,” she said, “this is my treat.” She gave a nervous laugh.
He hadn’t realized quite how nervous she was, but he could see it now. The taxi light had come on. She looked pale. He climbed out of the cab and when the car drove away, he took her quickly into his arms and kissed her. “We’ll walk this, don’t worry.”
“You’re not stressed about this are you?”
He shook his head. “You’ve got more to lose, I know that.” He stroked her cheek with his thumb wanting desperately to reassure her. “I want this to work because I care about you.”
He nodded at the gate. “How the hell do we get into Fort Knox?”
Lara pressed a button on an intercom located on one of the pillars and spoke to whoever answered. The gate opened.
Draco kept hold of her hand as they walked up the gravel driveway. The sweeping drive led round to the front of a large house, a modern manor, he supposed. It looked like a recent build done in a traditional style. He hadn’t known what to expect, nor did he have an opinion on it. It did make him wonder what he would spend his millions on if he ever had the chance to make any.
As they mounted the steps to the doorway, he looked at the door, perplexed. It was a grand affair with a huge brass handle and a knocker—which seemed pretty redundant since no one could get in to knock on the door without the householders already knowing there was someone on the way up the drive.
Jamie, the younger brother opened the door. “Welcome to the high table,” he commented as he ushered them in. “Enjoy it while it lasts.”
Lara seemed surprised by the comment.
It was odd and it sharpened Draco’s attention.
Jamie drifted off, having let them in.
A glamorous woman in her thirties came out to meet them.
She and Lara exchanged fake kisses on the cheek.
“Draco, this is Cassandra, my stepmother.”
Draco shook her hand.
“Go straight into the dining room, you’re just in time.” She disappeared in a swish of expensive fabric, knock-out level perfume and high heels.
Lara led the way.
Charles was sitting at the dining table, glued to his phone. He waved in acknowledgement of their presence, but didn’t say a word.
“Ah, here you are, welcome.” It was Compton Senior.
“Thank you for the invitation, dad.” Lara hugged her dad.
Draco watched every interaction with interest. C.S. barely glanced at him, just shook his hand. There was a pretty edgy atmosphere in the house, but he sensed it wasn’t about them. Could he be right? He wasn’t going to bank on it. Surely the accusations and showdown would have already begun by now? Maybe it was just a dinner invite after all. Then again maybe Compton Senior had an elaborate plan and the cops were standing by.
C.S. instructed them where to sit, placing them on one side of the table, with his sons opposite. He sat at one end and Cassandra at the other.
Draco would’ve preferred it if he and Lara were seated opposite each other. He could feel the tension emanating from Lara by his side and it was a struggle not to constantly reach out and clasp her hand under the table to reassure her. If they’d been opposite each other, he could have judged her reactions to the conversation by studying her face. He knew her well enough. In fact he’d noticed on quite a few occasions where they seemed to communicate without speaking.
The atmosphere intrigued Draco, sharpening his attention more than it would have been anyway. He’d expected to feel uncomfortable, under scrutiny. Even though Compton Senior kept eyeballing him, it was as if they all had other concerns. He’d expected formality, but this was brittle tension sugar-coated with smiles. It was practiced too, as if it was always this way here. He could only assume it was, and they weren’t acting any differently. For a start, he expected Compton Senior to be more chilled—the Lion King in his lair with his pride around him. Instead he was watchful and edgy.
Lara chatted nervously about the traffic and the weather.
“Is seafood good for you, Draco?” Cassandra asked rather condescendingly as she put the plate down in front of him. “We’re having lobster tails.”
Good job she explained, Draco thought as he stared down at the sauce covered mass on his plate. He wondered whether her patronising tone was because he was Welsh, or just because he was supposedly a young student who she assumed was clueless about seafood. “Perfect, thank you. Where I grew up, on the North Wales coast line, fresh fish was part and parcel of everyday living.” He tried not to sound sarcastic, but Lara’s stepmother was very much the trophy wife and seemed to get a kick out of showing off her wealth and status.
“That brings back memories,” Compton Senior interjected with a half smile. “North Wales. I recall being on some sort of youth hostel camping trip when I was at school. We were in the Brecon Beacons but we visited the coastline on some spurious geography lesson.”
“It’s a popular place for visitors,” Draco responded. Too popular, sometimes, he thought to himself. “Growing up in a seaside resort has its advantages and disadvantages.”
“Transient population?” Compton Senior studied him.
“Yes. I wouldn’t change it, but the ebb and flow takes some getting used to.”
“Lots more opportunities for a keen young man in the big city.” C.S. hadn’t touched his starter but picked up his fork while he waited for Draco to reply.
Assuming this was a cue to thank him, Draco nodded. “Exactly, although I doubt I would’ve had the opportunities I’ve been given, had I not become friends with Lara at college.”
He reached for her hand under the table. She grasped it, and he could feel her hand trembling. Quickly, he turned and gave her a smile. To cover, he kept his attention on his plate, and wolfed dow
n some of the starter.
Jamie laughed. “So what is it you found so attractive about our little sister?”
Lara’s mouth dropped open. She looked astonished. Her hand drew away from Draco’s.
Jamie winked at him, which put Draco at his ease. He sat back in his chair. “There’s quite a list. Most of all I like the fact she’s such a risk taker.”
Lara gawked at him.
“Oh yes, that’s true,” Charles said, finally looking away from his phone for a moment. “When we were kids, Lara was always the instigator behind the more reckless adventures we got into.”
She looked so astonished Draco couldn’t help winding her up a bit more, especially because the family seemed to be enjoying the way the conversation was going. “I can imagine that. She really likes danger, seeks it out, in fact.”
He took another mouthful of the food. The sauce was weird and it masked any flavour the lobster might have. He was willing to bet it came out of some expensive package from one of the posh London stores like Harrods or Fortnum and Mason. It would taste much better served fresh from a seaside fish stand on the coast in Wales. As the thought passed through his mind, he had a sudden yearning to take Lara to Wales and show her the coastline, his favourite spots, and treat her to real, fresh lobster tails packed full of flavor right by the edge of the sea where they’d come from.
“How long have you been living in London?” It was C.S., and he’d adopted a beady-eyed stare.
As expected it was turning out to be more of a trial by judge and jury than a social occasion.
Draco took a sip of his wine. He hadn’t meant to drink any of it, but they were getting into difficult territory. How much had Compton Senior found out about Sean, and would he remember enough to trigger a connection? It was a risk even letting them know he was Welsh, but there was nothing he could do about his accent. Had Compton Senior taken an interest in the case when it came to court? As he assessed the risk level, Draco grew even more concerned about Lara, understanding why she was so tense.
For him, it was easy. If a connection was made and questions rose, he could walk away—quickly, before Compton had him arrested. Lara had a hell of a lot more at stake. Once it came out, it had to be done the right way and things had to go in her favor or she could lose her family connection—tentative though it seemed to begin with—because of her endeavors to match up to her brothers.
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