by J. L. Beck
I jumped with fright, not hearing her walk up.
She gave me a concerned look. “You’ve been acting strange lately, Meagan.”
“Oh, sorry – I didn’t see you there. I’m fine, just fine,” I quickly insisted and ignored her comment.
She continued to watch me keenly as she spoke again, “I don’t know if Knox told you, but when Kelly comes in, don’t say anything to her. She doesn’t like to be bothered with any of us, and with as close as the two of you are, I don’t want there to be any problems.” She gave me a weak smile.
I felt my heart sink. I hadn’t heard Kelly Grayson’s name in months – I had begun to imagine that she’d never existed.
Kelly Grayson – or Kelly Cortez, as she now was called – was Knox’s ex-wife. I knew the two of them were still in contact, but I had no idea she would be stopping by the office today, and part of me was angry with Knox for not telling me. No wonder he’d looked upset. He knew she was coming and knew I might react to her presence.
Stef laughed. “I’m guessing this is news to you?”
I nodded. “I know Kelly – my father is good friends with Knox, so she came over to our house most of the time when he would visit,” I explained.
Stef’s expression changed. “Oh boy, then you already know what a charmer she is.” Stef rolled her eyes.
We chatted for a few moments longer, then she returned to her own computer and started typing away.
Now my concentration was gone. All I could think about was that Kelly would be coming into the office.
I glanced toward door, wondering what he could possibly be doing in his office. I felt hurt and betrayed, and had to fight the impulse to go in there and confront him about the situation. But I knew it wouldn’t do any good. She was coming either way, and the last thing I wanted was for her to show up when I was having an argument with Knox.
I would rather not see her anyway.
A little while later, I heard her coming before I saw her. The heels she wore clicked on the floor with the same attitude she had, and I cringed. She stalked into the office with her purse draped over the crook of her arm and her sunglasses still on, but I could see by the way she kept glancing back and forth at the employees and how she was judging all of us—and wasn’t impressed. “Meagan Thompkins? You work here?”
I cringed at the sound of her voice – and the fact that she recognized me. I looked up and gave her the warmest smile I could muster, telling myself that she didn’t know how much of the situation I knew. “Kelly! Oh, my God, it’s been forever! How are you doing?” I asked as I rose from my seat. I felt relieved I’d grown used to not touching my stomach when I stood or sat down.
She glanced over me with a quick and critical eye.
I silently prayed she wouldn’t be able to see my figure through my shirt, but it was impossible to read her face with her glasses on.
“As fine as can be expected when your ex-husband cons you out of everything that is yours,” she stated flatly.
I wanted to slap her. I knew the kind of woman she was, and I knew the kind of man Knox was – he wouldn’t do anything to cheat her out of her property or her money. She lost it fair and square, and there was no way I would ever take her side in the matter. But I wasn’t about to say so out loud. “Oh, no! I heard that you got divorced – I feel so bad for both of you,” I said, once again, trying to hide how much of the situation I knew.
She laughed and shook her head. “Don’t. It’s the best thing that happened to me, really it is. You have no idea what it’s like to be in a relationship with that man…dreadful! Anyway, it’s good to see you, Meagan. Tell your father I said hi.” She didn’t wait for me to answer, but instead walked right into Knox’s office.
His back was turned to the door when she opened it, so I couldn’t see the expression on his face – but I imagined it wasn’t going to be pleasant when he turned around. No doubt, he heard us in the office before she walked through the door, and he didn’t want me to see him.
I wished I could be in there – I wanted to know what she could possibly be here for – and I was still mad at Knox for not telling me she was coming.
Kelly closed the door behind her as she walked into his office.
I could only hear the sound of their voices talking, but not the actual words they were using.
I sighed as I walked back over to my desk and sat down, all kinds of emotions swirling through my brain. There were so many questions I wanted answered, mixed with the anger towards both of them. I couldn’t stand Kelly – I’d never liked the woman even when he was married to her. But it still hurt that he didn’t tell me she would be here, and I wanted to find out why.
Could it be that something was happening between them that I needed to know about? I tried to remind myself that Knox and I weren’t in an actual relationship, but the fact I carried his child in my belly made me feel I was entitled to know something – anything about what was going on. The rising voices in his office told me they weren’t getting along, and I had to force myself to turn back to my computer and focus on work.
She would leave eventually, and when she did, I would find out the truth from Knox himself. This time, I wouldn’t be taking no for an answer.
Chapter 12
“I just thought that we could take a few minutes to – you know,” I said as I unbuttoned the front of my shirt. It’d been nearly a week since Kelly had first showed up, and since that time, she’d been down at the office every single day. She’d just left that afternoon, and I couldn’t stand the jealousy I felt.
Each time she came in, she closed the door and I could hear them talking, but when I tried to ask Knox about it, he told me that it was just details over their divorce and there was no need to drag me into things. I tried to get more information out of him, but it was useless. He didn’t want to tell me anything, and he wasn’t going to. I could see some of the frustration Kelly must have with him – or at least, must have had when they were married.
Knox didn’t do anything he didn’t want to do.
“I’d love to, but I don’t have time to right now,” he said.
So I stopped asking.
He looked away from the stunned look I had on my face, quickly gathering his briefcase and papers.
“Are you leaving?” I asked, quickly buttoning up my shirt once more. I was feeling humiliated at the rejection, and I didn’t know what to say.
“I’m going to grab dinner,” he said flatly.
I felt my heart leap into my throat. “With who?” the words were out of my mouth before I even realized it, but there was no way I could hide the shock that was so clearly etched across my face.
He hesitated, looking at me then glancing away once more.
I could see he was grappling with the words, but didn’t want to tell me. “Are you going with Kelly?” I snapped. I was feeling so jealous, it was difficult for me to even see straight.
“Don’t worry about who I’m going with. I’m going out and that’s the end of it,” he spat.
I laughed.
He gave me a strange look.
I knew it was because he wasn’t sure why I was laughing. I wasn’t even sure of it myself. I felt confused and hurt – but most of all, jealous out of my mind. What could they possibly be going to dinner for? There was no reason for it in my mind. Anything they needed to sort out they could sort out at the office as far as I was concerned. “I am worried about it – does she know?” I asked.
He stared at me with horror on his face. “Of course not! And she’s not going to. I told you I am going to help you take care of this, and I am, but that doesn’t mean that everyone – or even anyone – needs to know for that matter.” He gave me a harsh look.
I took a step back, my eyebrows raised. “So what’s your plan? You’re going to just sweep this under the rug and pretend that it didn’t happen?” I shook my head and looked away.
“Meagan, please. It’s not like that. Listen, I really have to go – but I’ll
make this up to you, I promise,” he said. He gave me a light kiss on the side of my head on his way by.
I turned my head away. I didn’t want to kiss him. I didn’t want him to touch me. All I could think was that he and Kelly were going to end up back at his house later that night – and he would fuck her brains out as he had been doing to me these past few months. I felt replaced, and there was nothing I could do about it.
* * * *
“Are you still mad at me? Come on, Kiddo! I told you that it wasn’t like that,” Knox said when I had turned away from his advance. It was late Friday, and we were the last two in the office. I still felt angry with him about the dinner, and I wasn’t going to act like things were okay between us – because they really weren’t.
“I don’t know, Knox – I think you better decide what it is you really want. I’m not just your plaything when you get bored,” I snapped. I could hardly believe the words were coming out of my own mouth, but I was angry, and I would say anything that came to mind.
“Of course, you aren’t!” he said, shock in his voice. He leapt to his feet and put his arms around me.
I tried to pull away.
“Don’t fight me, you know you want it,” he whispered in my ear.
He was right, I could feel the wetness between my legs already, and my body was aching to have him inside me. But I wasn’t going to just jump on his cock, even as glorious as his cock was. He was going to have to show me he wanted me, too. I felt his hand at my skirt, lifting it and reaching up inside.
“I love that you never have underwear on,” he breathed as he squeezed my ass.
I cried out and giggled, enjoying every second of it.
“Will you ride me?” He sat down on his chair and pulled out his rock hard cock.
I couldn’t help it as I slowly eased myself down on top of it, straddling him in the chair. I closed my eyes and moaned with pleasure—damn he was so addictive. I needed the release too. It had been tough for the last week.
He smiled as he watched me. “That’s my good girl,” he whispered as I slid up and down on his throbbing erection. He unbuttoned my shirt and grabbed my tits, squeezing them in his hands.
I moaned and leaned back, loving the feeling of him so deep inside me.
“What the fuck!?” The words rang out through the air.
My eyes flew open as I leapt off Knox as he halfway pushed me off, and we both looked over to see Kelly standing in the doorway.
Her mouth hung wide open, and she was staring at both of us with utter revulsion written across her face.
“Kelly! I can explain!” Knox said as he tried to zip up his pants.
I was doing my best to button my shirt, having shoved my skirt back down into place already.
But it was too late. Kelly had seen my body, and she knew what was going on. “Is she pregnant?” she snapped.
“Kelly, listen!” Knox said.
Kelly scoffed, looking from one of us to the other. “Office whore, you bitch!” she said, pointing at me and shaking her head. She didn’t wait for a response from me nor did she say another word to Knox. Turning on her heel, she stormed out of the office with Knox closely behind, begging her to stop and listen to what he had to say.
I felt sick to my stomach. Kelly was the worst person to have caught us. For all I knew, she was on her way to my house right now, ready to tell my father. This was going to be one of the biggest scandals the town had seen for some time, and I would be the star of the show.
It was a classic story of a secretary fucking her boss. But that secretary happened to be me, and my boss not only was one of the richest men in the country, but he was my father’s best friend.
I would be ruined.
Chapter 13
I spent the next week a nervous wreck, expecting at any moment for my father to call me and tell me he heard the news. I was surprised when I went home that night and found he hadn’t talked to either of the Grayson’s, but it was very little comfort. For all I knew, Kelly would show up or call at any moment – to spite me just as much as to spite Knox.
I never liked the woman, and I know she never cared much for me, either. This was the perfect situation for her, and I knew she would relish every second of it. I was completely at her mercy, and both she and Knox knew it. To make matters worse, Kelly was one of the most vindictive women I’d ever met in my life, and I knew she would drag this out as much as she could – only to drop the other shoe when the time was right.
Knox and I didn’t speak much to each other that week. I wanted to ask him what happened with Kelly, but he didn’t bring it up, and neither did I. He asked me if I was all right and to stay away from Kelly if she were to come into the office.
I was more than happy to agree. I was also surprised when Kelly didn’t bother to come in – I figured she would want to rub it in my face how she was the one who’d been married to Knox, not me.
Then as the days passed and the weekend came and went once again, I began to think she didn’t intend to do anything about it. She hadn’t come into the office, and she hadn’t said anything to my father – I half hoped she’d given up with the situation and leave it be.
It wasn’t until the beginning of the next week when I saw her again, and though I tried to avoid her, she refused to let me slip by unnoticed. It was the end of the day and I was coming out of the elevator at the floor level of the building, just as she was on her way inside. I wanted to step out, but she stepped in before I had the chance to. Hitting the button for the top floor, I was going to have to ride back with her to the top before I could leave.
“Charming, isn’t he?” she asked with a sadistic smile.
“I beg your pardon?” I asked politely.
“Cut the bullshit. You know exactly what I am talking about, and quite frankly, I’m horrified. I’ve always known you had a thing for Knox, but I would have liked to think you would have had greater self-control. Or, at the very least, that he would have.” She tossed her hair to the side and pulled out a small mirror, applying bright red lipstick.
“I’m sorry, Kelly – I don’t know what else to say to you. You guys are divorced, and it might not have been the best idea, but—”
“It might not have been the best idea?” she interrupted me before I was able to get any further. “My dear – you are knocked up at 18 by your boss. Do you have any idea how many headlines this is going to make? And what did your father say? Oh – he doesn’t know.” A wicked smile spread across her face.
I knew my own expression had betrayed me, and I gave her a pleading look. “Please don’t tell him. I really can’t have him finding out about it – I’m not ready!” I hated myself for begging this woman to do something for me, but at the same time, I was trapped.
“Hmm, let me think. And why would I want to do that? You gave no thought to how this would make anyone else feel but yourselves, and now it’s time that you pay the consequences,” she said with a smirk.
“Really, Kelly – I’m begging you,” I pleaded softly.
She stared at me for a moment, and I saw an idea fill her mind. Her eyes lit up menacingly, and she took a step forward. “I’ll tell you what I’ll do for you, sweetheart, and you can consider this to be a real favor to you in more ways than one. Stop seeing Knox and I’ll keep my mouth shut – but if I see you near him for any reason other than purely business, you can rest assured that the entire world is going to know what you guys did. Deny it all you want, but I know what I saw, and you’re smart enough to know there are some things that you just can’t deny.” She peered down at my belly as she spoke, then she looked back up at me.
I felt a pain run through my chest. I still loved Knox more than anything and though I felt frustrated and devastated with her catching us and the time he’d been spending with her, I didn’t know if there was a way I could just stop seeing him.
“Is it really that difficult of a decision? We are talking about your entire future here. Oh, you can’t just walk away from him, ca
n you?” Kelly looked at me with surprise in her eyes.
I suddenly realized she thought I would do what she would do and just walk away. “I – I love him,” I managed. I know the nerves showed through my voice, and I could see the shocked look in her eyes. I thought I also could detect some jealousy in her look, but it was difficult for me to be able to say for sure.
She smirked as she clicked the mirror closed and put it back in her purse, then she looked over at me with an evil glare. “You love him, do you? Well, that’s going to complicate things a bit then. Don’t worry. I’m going to tell him the same thing I just told you, so perhaps he can help you come to your senses about this situation.”
I was about to reply when the elevator chimed that we had reached the top floor and the door opened.
Kelly walked through it then turned back to me before the doors closed once more. “You have so much to learn about life – don’t you?” she asked.
I felt my chest grow tight with fury, but I didn’t have the chance to respond. The door closed before any words came to mind. I sighed. I could start an argument with her, but what good would it do? She had the upper hand in this situation and there was no denying it.
I hit the ground floor button and sighed as the elevator descended once more, my mind in a whirl. There were so many things I wanted to tell that woman, but I knew I couldn’t. I trust Knox would be able to handle her – perhaps telling her to get out of the office and stay away from him. I didn’t understand. They weren’t married any longer, so why did he have to listen to anything she said?
He loved me, I knew he did, and I loved him. No matter what happened, we were going to make it through this situation, and we would end up being together. I knew I could make him happier than she ever did. And in many ways, I felt that I already had. I absentmindedly touched my belly, thinking about how many times he’d told me and my father he’d wanted a child.
“Now, thanks to me, he’s going to have one. Thanks to me!” I exclaimed triumphantly aloud, though I was the only one in the elevator. The ground floor chimed and the doors opened, and I walked confidently out for the first time in days. I decided I wasn’t going to be scared of her any longer. Knox would handle her and together, we would take care of this situation. It was him and I now, not him and Kelly, and she would just have to come to terms with that.