Worthy (Challenge Series, #3)

by Kiru Taye

  “Get up, girl. It’s time for you to return to Master Peter.”

  Suppressing a groan, Tessa rolled to her side expecting to see the man from last night but there was no evidence of him.

  “Where is...?” She didn’t know his name. Her cheeks flamed. She didn’t even know the man who had fucked her body all night that she didn’t have the energy to sit upright. “Where is my master from last night?”

  “You mean Master Chi? He left early this morning to head to the airport. He has a flight back to Lagos.”

  Tessa nodded and slowly got off the bed. Her body was caked with dried semen. And she smelled of sex.

  “Here, put this on.” The woman picked up a robe from the bottom of the bed.

  Tessa put it on as quickly as she could, grateful to cover her body. She’d never been so pleased to cover up before. At least she didn’t have to walk around naked anymore.

  Madam Vivian picked up an envelope from the side table. “Here is your fee for last night. Master Chi was very pleased with you. He left a generous tip.”

  Tessa’s stomach rolled. “A tip? How much?”

  “An extra thousand dollars.” The woman smiled. “There is five thousand dollars in the envelope.”

  Tessa recoiled as bile rose in her throat. This had really happened. Another man fucked her. And paid for the privilege. Peter was going to hate her. Tears built up in the back of her eyes.

  “I don’t want the money.” She stepped away on sore legs.

  “Don’t be silly, girl. Do you know how hard people have to work to earn five thousand dollars? And you want to reject it. Even if you don’t need it, don’t you have friends or family who can use it?” The woman walked to her and stuffed the envelope in the pocket of the robe. “You’ve earned the money. You should be proud about spending it.”

  Tessa swallowed the bitterness in her mouth. She didn’t want the money if Peter was going to hate her. Even if she needed it. She needed Peter’s approval more.

  The woman pulled out a white card. “There are many men who showed an interest in you. If you ever think about coming back here, you will be welcomed. Just call the number on there to book a date. We will cover your travel expense and of course you will earn forty percent of whatever the bidding win on the night.” She leaned in close to her ear. “Your Master Peter doesn’t have to know that you visited us.”

  Was this woman serious? She was inviting her back without Peter’s knowledge. The idea made Tessa’s stomach churn.

  “Think about it.” The woman put the card in Tessa’s pocket too.

  “Thank you,” Tessa said. She couldn’t tell the woman that there was no way she was coming back here again if she had the choice.

  Madam Vivian led her out of the room, down a corridor before knocking on a door.

  “Come in.” She heard Peter’s muffled voice.

  The woman opened the door and waved Tessa in. She walked in and the door shut behind her.

  Her heart raced as she stared at Peter sitting on the arm chair with his back in her direction. Then he stood up and turned around to face her. He looked immaculate as always in a white shirt and blue jeans. She’d missed him. Missed seeing him. Missed being in his arms.

  She had never ached for any other person the way she ached for him. She’d never felt this strongly about Anuli. She was in love with Peter.

  His grim expression said he wouldn’t be pulling her into his arms anytime soon.

  “Peter—” she started but he cut her off.

  “Go into the bathroom and clean up. You stink of sex.” He walked around and past her to the door. “Be washed and dressed by the time I get back. I’ve left you the clothes to wear.”

  He pointed at the bed where clothes were laid out and then he was gone.

  Her heart sank. She’d found the one good man and fallen in love. But it was too late.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Peter sat silently in the car, lips pressed together in a grimace. They were on the way from the airport to the hotel in PHC. They’d left Richa Ranch hours previously to drive back to Abuja airport and then take the flight to Port Harcourt City.

  He glanced at Tessa. She had her eyes closed with her head leaning towards the window. He wasn’t sure if she was asleep. But she’d slept during the drive to Abuja and on the plane, evidence that last night had taken its toll on her physically. Whether there was an emotional and psychological impact was yet to be determined.

  He’d agonised all of last night about whether the events of the night would be effective. Whether he’d made the right decision in taking her to the ranch and putting her through the trial by Richa. Would she learn the lessons or would it be business as usual on planet Tessa?

  Of course he’d put himself through an ordeal too by letting it happen.

  Right from the moment he’d told her to take her clothes off in the bedroom, he’d hoped that something inside her would snap and she would tell him to go to hell. That she’d felt no shame in walking naked into a restaurant full of people, had appalled and impressed him in equal measures.

  Yes, there’d been other bare women there and Tessa had had a mask on. But he’d expected her to have a sense of self. A sense of shame. She’d felt none. Shown none.

  Even as she’d been led onto the platform to be auctioned, he’d hope she’d tell him to stop it. She hadn’t. Instead she’d stared at him boldly as if daring him. As if it was nothing to her.

  It had been then he’d realised he would have to see this through. She hadn’t learnt anything yet.

  So he’d sat through the whole ordeal of watching other men ogle her naked body as if she was displayed for their amusement. For their pleasure.

  He’d listened as they’d bidden for her, the price climbing higher and higher.

  He’d prayed as the price had gone up, waiting for the moment she would shout stop. Then he would step in and rescue her, cover her up and promise her she would never have to put her body up for sale again.

  Instead the hammer had come down.

  Sold.

  It had gone out of his hands then. He couldn’t save her anymore.

  No one could save her. She had to go through the full experience and hopefully see herself as everyone else saw her. Only then could she save herself.

  It had been one of the most difficult decisions he’d made in his life. And he was a man used to making difficult choices especially with his businesses. But he’d felt the stakes had been too high with this one.

  He didn’t want to analyse too much why he was so hung up on a woman who on the face of it wasn’t right for him on so many levels. Was he just doing it so he could tell himself that he’d tried? Of course not. There was more to it. He cared about Tessa. More than he’d cared about any woman since Naaza.

  And that was the scary thing. Tessa was so different from Naaza. If he wanted to find a new love in his life, shouldn’t he be looking at women who bore characteristics close to that of his late fiancée?

  He scrubbed both hands over his face and shook his head softly. He was driving himself insane for a woman who through her actions had proved she didn’t care about him.

  Horse, water and drink came to mind and his lips curled in a wry smile.

  Please let it all be worthy.

  He glanced at Tessa again. Aside from her obvious exhaustion, he couldn’t tell if it had worked. He had to wait to find out.

  The waiting tightened his chest and made his body heavy with conflicting emotions. He had a headache and could really do with some sleep. He closed his eyes.

  Before long the car pulled under the portico of the hotel entrance. The doorman opened the car door. Peter stepped out, just as the driver opened the other door for Tessa.

  Peter waited for her by the sliding doors as their bags were offloaded from the car. They walked side by side into the lobby and across to the lift. The receptionist welcomed them and he waved at the man.

  Inside the lift, his weariness caught up with him. The light f
loral scent of her perfume filled his nostrils. The urge to pull her into his arms increased. He’d missed her. Missed the easy conversations they’d had during the week. Missed the softness of her body when they were cuddled up.

  Inhaling deeply he closed his eyes. If he gave in so quickly, then this whole weekend would’ve been a waste of time, energy and money.

  The lift pinged. He opened his eyes as the doors slid apart.

  Time to examine the weekend and find out if it had been a disaster.

  He unlocked his suite and waved Tessa inside. She entered but didn’t go far in. She stood by the dining table. He walked past her into the bedroom. In the closet, he pulled out his travel case and started packing what he needed for his trip back to Enugu.

  He heard a knock on the door and a few seconds later voices before the door shut.

  Tessa appeared at the door of the bedroom with the bags. “It was just the concierge with our bags.”

  “Okay. Just put mine on the floor,” he said.

  She dropped the bag but remained standing by the door. “Are you going somewhere?”

  He glanced up at her. “It’s Sunday afternoon. I have to head back to Enugu. You know I don’t like to be on the roads too late.”

  “Oh, I forgot about that.” She sounded disappointed.

  “Yeah. Well, it’s been a busy weekend for everyone.”

  “About that. I want to apologise for what I did with Anuli. I’m sorry for breaking my promise to you and abusing your trust. I know it’s probably too late to say it now but I realised my mistakes and I won’t do them again.”

  He straightened up and shoved his hands into his pocket so he didn’t reach for her. Was she being genuine with her apology or was she just saying what she thought he wanted to hear?

  “Okay. I accept your apology. But if I’m honest I don’t know if I can trust you, Tessa. I don’t know that you won’t go back to doing whatever you want to do the minute I get in the car and head for Enugu.”

  Her throat rippled as she swallowed and her eyes glistened. She nodded. “I know. You have no reason to trust me. I screwed up pretty bad this weekend. But I’d like the chance to show you that I’ve changed. Can I come back next weekend?”

  He tilted his head. “I’m not going to be here next weekend.”

  She squeezed her eyes shut and tears seeped through the corners and dropped on her cheeks. “You hate me. I knew it.” she choked and slumped against the post.

  His chest tightened and he found it difficult to breath for a while. “Tessa, I don’t hate you.”

  She lifted her head and blinked her eyes. “You don’t?”

  “I don’t. Come here.” He opened his arms.

  She stumbled across the room and fell into his arms, sobbing. He lowered his body onto the edge of the bed and pulled her onto his lap. She gripped his shirt, her face on his chest as she continued to cry. He let her cry for as long as she wanted. He’d learned that tears were cleansing and healing. She needed to shed them as much as he’d needed to see her shed them.

  They stayed holding each other for minutes until she quietened. Then he reached for his handkerchief and wiped her face.

  “Do you really have to go to Enugu tonight?” she asked in a low voice when she leaned back a little.

  “I have a couple of meetings scheduled for tomorrow.”

  “Oh.” She sounded so small. So disappointed.

  “I thought you had things to do tomorrow. You specified you weren’t available Mondays to Fridays.”

  She shrugged. “I thought maybe you could leave in the morning.”

  “My first meeting is at nine a.m. I won’t have any leeway if I leave in the morning. And I don’t like being late for anything even when I’m the boss. Especially when I’m the boss.”

  She nodded sadly. “I understand.”

  Just seeing her downturned features had him rethinking. “I can have my meetings tomorrow through video or teleconference, so I don’t have to be physically there.”

  She perked up. “You can?”

  “Yes. I just need to get it arranged. I’ll send my assistant an email to arrange it on the Enugu end and I’ll check with Christopher to make sure that one of our meeting rooms is free downstairs. Worst case scenario I can have the meeting using the webcam on my laptop.”

  “You’ll do this for me?” She appeared incredulous.

  “Of course, Tessa. In case you haven’t figured it out yet, I care a great deal about you. I want to spend as much time as possible with you.” He tugged her chin up to make eye contact.

  “Even after I ruined your weekend?” She had tears in her big amber eyes again.

  “Well, I hope you’re going to make up for it.” He smiled at her.

  “Yes, I will. I want to so much.” Her eyes brightened as she blinked.

  “So we’ll spend tonight together and you can start making it up to me.” He winked at her.

  Her lips curled in a slow smile. “I don’t deserve you kindness and forgiveness but I’m very grateful for a second chance.”

  “We’re both learning. We’ll work it out.”

  He leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers. She sighed and went pliant against him. Her soft lips opened when he slipped his tongue into her warm depth. He couldn’t resist the groan that rumbled inside him.

  She tasted so good. He hadn’t kissed her all weekend. Now all the emotions that had been bottled up inside him loosened and poured into the kiss, translating into passion.

  He forgot everything else, his misgivings, his anger, his frustrations, his concerns and got lost in Tessa. In her taste. Her warmth. Her softness.

  He lowered her onto the bed and covered her body with his. He lifted his head and gazed into her amber eyes. His heart raced and beat so hard he felt it would punch a hole in his chest.

  “Peter, about last night—”

  “Shh.” He quietened her. He didn’t want to remember what he’d done. He didn’t want it to taint this moment. He trailed kisses down her chin to her neck.

  “I need you, Tessa.” He bared his soul to her. “I need you like I haven’t needed anyone in a long time. Will you let me in? Will you let me fill the emptiness inside your heart?” His placed his palm on her chest above her left breast, feeling the thump of heartbeats.

  Her throat rippled and she licked her lips before nodding. “Yes, Peter. I need you too.”

  He lowered his hand, sliding over the swell of her breast, down to her soft tummy to the junction of her thighs. He cupped her pussy through her dress.

  “Will you welcome me inside you?”

  “Yes, Peter. Please make love to me.” She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him hard. She set his body ablaze.

  He broke the kiss. “God, Tessa. You are going to drive me crazy.”

  Her smile was a mixture of sweet and coquettish.

  “Sit up,” he instructed as he shifted and grabbed the hem of the dress to pull it over her head. She lifted her hips and he tugged it over her waist and the rest of her torso. He tossed it aside revealing her bra which she was already unhooking. It fell apart, baring her full breasts. He reached for them, cupping them, rolling the tips with his thumbs.

  “You are so beautiful.” His voice was thick and rough.

  He loved her curves and wanted to trace and mould every inch of it. Her skin was warm and smooth and soft. She moaned as he worked her breasts, arching her body into his touch.

  Warmth spread through his body just watching and touching her. His cock pulsed in his jeans. He was going to have to free himself soon and sink into her. But first he wanted her to cry out his name. He’d missed the sound of her orgasms.

  He cupped her pussy again though her lace panties. Her heat scorched him through the fabric even as he felt the wetness. He slipped his hand beneath the undie and stroked her pussy.

  She mewled, her thighs falling apart.

  He separated her labia, circled her clit and then tugged it. She let out
a long moan and canted her hips.

  “Peter, please...”

  He stroked her skin. It would be hypersensitive. A caress here, a pinch there and her orgasm came with a long scream of his name. He kept stroking until her body bowed off the bed and writhed in wave after wave.

  Then he ripped off his clothes in record time, unable to hold himself back. He undid his belt and zipper and shoved his jeans down along with his boxer briefs and kicked off his shoes. His rigid shaft sprang free and jutted straight towards her. He only undid two of the buttons of his shirt and pulled it off over his head. Reaching for his wallet, he took out a foil of condom he’d put there specifically for this moment with her and rolled it on.

  Then he knelt between her widened thighs, cock in hand he nudged her entrance. He put his hand under and lifted her ass, while rubbing the head of his cock around her slick folds.

  “Tell me what you want.”

  “Peter, fill me with you.” His name on her lips was orgasmic. Her voice so sexy that it was like velvet over his skin. Her hair lay tousled over the sheet creating a kind of untidy halo.

  His cock throbbed. He couldn’t hold back any longer. With a hard push, he slammed into her. He held still as her walls rippled around him, her body still in orgasmic throes.

  She wrapped his legs around his hips. He fought not to come so soon and gulped in air as she opened her eyes and looked up at him. Her eyes were hazy with lust. Her tongue darted out and licked her bottom lip. She gave him a lazy smile. Her breasts bounced with his movements.

  He leaned down and kissed her again, infusing it with raw sexual hunger, as his hips started moving and he pistoned into her welcoming wet heat. He slid out slowly and rammed in hard.

  Wiggling, she clung onto him as her fingernails dug into his back. He welcomed the pain as she marked his skin. He mixed plain old hard fucking with gentle and tender caressing, alternating the two.

  Her tongue teased his mouth as she dipped in and out of him. He let her play with him for a while. It was fun being the recipient of her teasing.