“She said she messed up, and that it wasn’t what you thought. She didn’t sleep with him.” He snorts. “She also said that she loves you.”
His eyes spring open, and he looks up at me. He doesn’t say anything, just stares. Like he’s trying to decide if he believes me or not. His green eyes bloodshot from all the alcohol and lips parted. “And I know you love her. So fix it,” I say, and he just continues to stare at me. “She’s giving you the chance to fix it. Take it.” And then I turn around and walk out, shutting his door behind me.
My phone goes off as I exit the elevator at the lobby, and it’s a text from Becca.
Becca: Did you make it home safely?
I smile and respond.
Me: Just dropped Ryder off at his office.
Becca: Wanna come over and cuddle?
Me: Cuddle?
Becca: Or fuck. Whatever you wanna call it.
Me: I’m on my way!
Twenty minutes later, I’m standing at the girls’ door waiting for Becca to answer it. I had sent her a text when I entered the elevator to let her know I was on my way up. I’m pulling my phone out of my back pocket to text her again when the door opens.
Becca stands there, her dark hair down and a white robe wrapped around her body. The sash high on her stomach, the top of her breasts showing in the low V. “Hello, gorgeous,” I say as my cock starts to harden.
She bites her bottom lip and then a smile spreads across her face. “Hello, sexy.” Her eyes look me up and down, and her lips part.
I step into the apartment and shut the door behind me. “Are you drunk?” I ask as I watch her sway on her feet.
“Maybe.” She looks up at me. Her bright green eyes are heavy, and I laugh. “I only had a bottle of wine.”
“By yourself?” I ask, and she nods. “You had an entire bottle?”
“Yes.” She reaches out and grabs my shirt. “Now, I need to go to bed,” she says rather loudly.
“Shhh,” I say, looking around the dark apartment. The only light comes from the floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room.
“She went to bed,” she tells me, and I let out a long sigh as she brings up Ashlyn. I feel like I should talk to her. “What’s wrong?” she asks, frowning.
“Nothing,” I lie as my hands find my way into her hair. I’ll give Ryder a few days to do the right thing. Then I’ll talk to her myself.
Her eyes close, and she breathes deeply as I pull her head back. I lower my lips to her neck and inhale; her skin smells like lemons—citrusy and fresh. She sighs as her hands go to my belt on my jeans. “Baby,” she growls as I gently nip her neck.
“Yes?” I ask as she yanks my belt free of the loops.
“Take me to bed.” Her hands undo my button and then the zipper. My cock grows harder for her as she slips her hand down into my boxers. I moan when she wraps it around my cock.
I grab her ass and yank her off her feet, and she giggles as I start walking us to her bedroom. I open her door and then shut it with my foot. I toss her onto the bed, and her arms fall to her side. I crawl onto the bed and straddle her. I undo the sash and open her robe, exposing her tits and her flat stomach. I run my hands over her soft skin and groan at how perfect she looks.
“You’re so gorgeous.” She sighs, and my eyes meet hers.
I smile. “I was thinking the same thing about you,” I say honestly.
She snorts as if she doesn’t believe me. I crawl off the bed and undo my button up shirt followed by the slacks and drop them to the floor. Seconds later, I’m naked and crawling back on the bed to straddle her hips. She leans up on her elbows and looks down at my hard cock as I stroke myself.
She licks her lips, and her eyes meet mine once again. “Jaycent ...”
“Yes, baby?” I ask, licking my lips as well.
“I wanna taste you,” she says breathlessly, and I can only imagine how wet her pussy already is.
“Fuck, baby,” I say, and my cock twitches.
She sits up and places her hands on my chest. “Lie down.”
I let go of myself and roll over onto my back, my head propped up on a pillow. She crawls over my legs to straddle me. The robe still on but open enough to see her tits, stomach, and shaved pussy, and I let out a long breath as my heart picks up.
She grabs the base of my cock, and I jump at the feel of her touch. She licks her lips and lowers her head. She licks her way around the head as if it’s a lollipop, and I moan when her lips close all the way around it.
I relax my head and thrust my hips up as she takes more of me in her hot mouth. Sighing, I reach out and place my hand in her dark hair and push her head down more. She doesn’t try to fight me as she swallows more of me willingly, and I jump again when I feel the back of her throat.
“Shit!” I hiss as she sucks her way up to the tip before taking me again. She takes me like a pro, and all I can do is lie there. Her one hand wraps around the base of my cock as she pumps it up and down with her lips, and her other one cups my balls, massaging them.
I thrash against her bed just like she does when I go down on her. She picks up her pace, and both of my hands tighten in her hair, pushing her harder, faster, needing that feeling that is so close to making me want to explode in her mouth. She doesn’t let up or stop as I feel my balls start to tighten, and I cry out that I’m going to come seconds before I do just that in her mouth.
When she finally pulls away, she’s panting, and her eyes are watering. I sit up and grab her robe, yanking her down to the bed beside me. I kiss her lips roughly. “Fuck, you’re amazing, baby,” I say, pulling away. “So amazing ...” I kiss her again as she lies there sheepishly. Not sure if it’s the alcohol hitting her or the way I fucked her mouth, but all I know is that I’m wide awake and ready to return the favor. So, like she did me, I yank her robe open as it covers half her body and make my way between her legs. Getting that taste that makes me feel invincible.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
BECCA
Monday morning, I get up, get dressed, and make my way to my father’s office. I needed to talk to him about what happened on the boat Saturday night. I pass by Ryder’s office, and his door is closed. I make my way down the long hallway and to my father’s door. I knock on it softly but have no reply. I turn the doorknob and open it.
I walk in to find him standing with his back to me as he looks out over Manhattan. I go to open my mouth to speak when I hear my mother’s voice.
“You are going to allow this to continue?” she demands.
I look around here, but she’s not present. Then I realize she is on his office speakerphone, sitting on his desk.
“I don’t have a say. And neither do you,” my father responds sharply.
“Bullshit!” she snaps. “Do you have any idea how much Ryder embarrassed Vicki? Over that white trash?”
“You were once white trash,” my father responds flatly, and my mother gasps.
“Don’t think I haven’t done my homework,” she responds, and my brows arch. “I know she works at Talia’s, and I also know that you guys are in the process of buying it. I highly doubt Ryder has informed her of that. He’s just like you—Everything is strictly business. What do you think she’ll do when she finds out he’s been hiding that from her?” What? Why would Ryder buy Talia’s? “She’ll drop him so fast ...”
“Don’t you dare!” he growls. “What Ryder and I do at this company is none of your goddamn business,” he adds.
“It is when it involves my son.”
He snorts. “Since when do you fucking care what he does?”
“Since he fell in love with some whore,” she shouts. “She won’t do anything for this family.”
“Do anything for this family? Or do anything for you?” he snaps, and I smile at the fact he’s taking up for Ryder. If only they knew that they have already broken up.
“I’m going to tell him ...”
“Go ahead. You’ll get nothing.”
The room grows silent,
and I frown. Get nothing? What does that mean? “You think you can manipulate me?” she asks slowly.
“No. I don’t think. I already have,” he says simply. “You know those papers I had you sign a while back? You thought they had to do with this company. It was really an NDA. You should start reading over things before you just sign your name.” He snorts. “Not surprised, though. All you care about are the dollar signs. Anyway, you leak one word, and you will get nothing.”
“You son of a bitch,” she screeches. “I’m done signing anything. I told you I’m not signing those papers.” Papers?
“You will sign them,” he says simply. “I’m done. I’m done with you and your manipulative ways. You were never really in my life, to begin with, so it’s not like you will be missed.”
She lets out a screech so loud my ears ring. Then she hangs up, leaving nothing but a dial tone to fill the silence in the room. I quickly but quietly shut the door before he can turn around and see me.
I lean my head back against it and let out a long sigh. They’re getting a divorce, yet for some reason, I can’t process that right now. All I can think about is what Ryder is doing to Ashlyn and how she has no freaking clue what is coming.
I make my way down the hallway and barge into my brother’s office. He stands from his chair behind his desk quickly with his office phone attached to his ear. “I’ll have to call you back,” he says into the receiver and then hangs up. “Becca? What are you doing here?”
“How long?” I demand.
He runs a hand through his disheveled hair. His clothes are wrinkled, and he’s not even wearing a suit. He looks like he slept on the floor. “I’m not doing this with you.”
“How long, Ryder?”
“It’s over,” he growls, thinking I’m asking about him and Ashlyn.
I walk up to his desk. “How long before you buy Talia’s?”
His eyes widen. “How do you know about the Anderson file ...?”
“How could you do this to Ashlyn?” I ask, feeling my heart start to beat faster. “You know what this job means to her.”
He sighs. “It’s business.”
“Business?” I ask with a huff. “God, you sound just like Dad,” I growl. I hate to admit my mother was right about that.
“I have a job to do.”
“And Ashlyn is going to lose hers,” I snap. “When do you plan to tell her?” I demand.
He looks away from me, his green eyes narrowing as if he can’t stand the thought of talking to her ever again. “That’s none of your business.”
I slam my hands down on his desk, and his eyes come back to mine. “I thought you were a good guy, Ryder. I thought you loved her.” My throat tightens. I should tell him that she loves him, that she and Bradley are history, but I refuse to do that to her. To make him think he has a chance when he never really loved her to begin with. Instead, I hurt him like I know he’s hurt her. “But now I see you’re not capable of that.” His jaw sharpens. “You’re a lot like Mom in that way. All you care about is money.” His nostrils flare as he breathes heavily. “So just so you know, if you do this, you’ll never get her back.”
“She was never mine to begin with,” he responds flatly.
I swallow the lump in my throat, and my eyes well with unshed tears. I have always loved my brother, but at this very moment, I see just how big of a dick he is. And how much he is willing to lose over his career. And I realize I never want to be that person. “You’re right,” I say, wanting to hurt him like he did her. “She wasn’t.”
JAYCENT
I knock on the girls’ apartment door and am surprised when Ashlyn opens it. “Hi,” I say to her.
“Hey,” she responds softly. “Becca is in her room.” And then she turns and walks to her own room, shutting the door behind her.
I make my way down the hall to Becca’s room. She sits on the end of her bed. “Hey, baby.” I notice her eyes are red and her cheeks wet. “What’s wrong?” I ask her. “Are you okay?” She nods. “You’re lying.” I kneel in front of her and place my hands on her knees. “What’s wrong?”
She sniffs. “I’m just so mad.”
I frown. “You’re crying because you’re mad?”
She nods. “Do you ever get so angry that you cry?”
“No,” I say slowly.
She lets out a huff. “I do.”
“Okay; why are you so mad?”
She reaches up and wipes the tears from her face. “I went to my father’s work today and overheard him talking to my mother. And they were talking about Ryder and Ashlyn.”
I frown. “What about them?”
She looks up at me and sighs heavily. “Ryder is buying out Talia’s.”
My frown deepens. “Isn’t that where Ashlyn works?”
She nods. “And she has no idea.” She places her hands on my shoulders. “I need to tell her. She deserves to know that he is going to be taking her dream job away. What do you think I should do?”
I run a hand through my hair. “I think you are right. She deserves to know.”
She hangs her head. “He said that it was business. Business? How can he say that? I thought he was going to be different with her.” She looks up at me with tears in her eyes. “I truly thought he loved her. How could I have been so wrong?”
I sigh and wrap my arms around her, pulling her to me. “I’m sorry, babe.” She sniffs. “I thought he really loved her too,” I say honestly. Maybe I shouldn’t have pushed Bradley away. What if I ruined Ashlyn’s chance at being loved? He was going to propose, and all Ryder was doing was having some fun. I was going to give Ryder a few days to call her and tell her that he loved her too, but now I’m not going to say anything to either one of them. I don’t want to be the one who hurts her. And Ryder has dug his own grave.
She pulls away and wipes the tears from her cheeks. “I need to go talk to her.”
I push some strands back from her face. “I’ll go and leave you girls alone.” I stand.
“Wait,” she says, standing as well. She walks over to her nightstand and picks up a key card. “I thought you needed a key,” she says, handing it over to me.
I smile as I take it from her. I have a key to Ryder’s apartment; that’s how I’m able to get up here. The elevator requires one to even move.
**
I walk into O’Kane’s, and the first person I see is Kelly. She looks at me and then looks away quickly. Making my way down the hallway, I knock on Timothy’s door. “Come in,” he announces. I walk in, and he gestures for me to sit. “Hello, Mr. Barnett.”
“Do you have a moment?” I ask as I take a seat.
He nods but runs a hand through his hair. “I have a few.”
“I just left Becca’s, and she informed me that she was here today and overheard you talking to your wife.”
His jaw sharpens. “So she heard we’re getting a divorce?”
“What?” My eyes widen. “She didn’t mention that.”
He sighs. “Well, we are. It’s a long time coming.” I just stare at him. “What did she say she overheard?”
“That Ryder was buying Talia’s.”
He sits back in his seat and lets out a long breath. “It’s in the works.”
“She was pretty upset about it. She said she stormed into Ryder’s office and pretty much told him to go to hell.”
“It’s just business,” he says.
“I understand that. But I really thought that Ryder felt for Ashlyn what I feel for Becca. But I guess I was wrong.”
“You got all that from him buying a business?” he asks. “This has been in the works long before Ashlyn got that job,” he states.
“Well, it just looks worse now,” I say.
“And how’s that?” he asks.
“They broke up.”
“What? When?” he asks surprised.
Shit! He didn’t know. Was I supposed to keep that a secret? “Yesterday.”
“Did this have to do with my wife?’
“Is that why he looks like shit today?” he asks, and I nod. “I knew something was up.” He sighs and stands from his chair. He turns to face the windows, placing his hands in his pockets. “That’s fucking great. Now, his work is gonna go to shit.”
“Among other things,” I say truthfully.
He turns around to face me, hands still in his pockets. “So what do you expect me to do about it?”
“Nothing.” I shrug. “Just thought that you should know what Becca overheard, and she’s mad at Ryder. It’s just one less thing she needs to be dealing with right now.”
“What else is she dealing with?” he asks, his brows pulling in confusion.
“Well, some shit went down on the boat Saturday night ...”
“Ah, yes. My soon-to-be ex-wife called me and informed me of that. Seems that both of our kids are ignoring her.” I nod. “I told her to go fuck herself.”
I run a hand through my hair. “It’s getting too much for her. Becca is a sensitive person, and I’m tired of seeing her cry.”
“I’m taking care of it,” he says.
“Are you sure?” I ask.
His eyes narrow on me. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying that shit just keeps happening. There’s been this big secret for four years now, and all of a sudden, everyone knows?” I shake my head. “Vicki said that her mother talked about it all the time. Who else in this town knew Conner was being paid to be with her?”
“I don’t know,” he snaps. “But I’m going to find out.”
I stand. “Well, when you do, be sure to let me know. I’m really getting tired of surprises.” Then I turn to walk toward the door.
“Speaking of no more surprises ...” He trails off, and I stop.
“What?” I ask, looking at him over my shoulder.
“She told me that she’s moving in with you.” He arches a brow. “When were you going to tell me that?”
“Probably the same time Ryder was going to tell Ashlyn that he is planning to buy Talia’s,” I snap, pissed off at the entire situation we have found ourselves in.
I walk out of his office and down the hall. I stop at Ryder’s office and walk in without even bothering to knock.
Myself (Selfish Series, #2) Page 22