by Emelia Blair
Lucas’s eyes heat up at my overly confident words.
Oh, I know he’s surprised. I’m usually not this bold in the bedroom. But these past few days have been emotionally taxing and Lucas has become my center, a stable source for my sanity. This confidence has been borne through his love for me and I don’t want to be shy when he seems to love me despite my flaws.
He takes two steps back, opens a drawer and takes out a small foil packet with a brown paper. My eyes follow him as he shrugs off the sweatpants, takes out the condom and puts it on himself.
As he rolls it up over that thick, long cock, my lower body clenches in anticipation.
But he doesn’t move towards me, instead of taking out a small rubber shaped thing with a long string attached to it with something at the other end that resembles a button.
When he glances my way, his are eyes gleaming.
Oh…I’m in trouble.
Making his way towards me, Lucas offers me a hand and I take it, my earlier bravado disappearing.
Helping me stand, he whirls me around and sits on the bed, pulling me down to sit between his legs. Feeling his body plastered to mine, the heat between us is undeniable like a strong electric current that knows no end.
I tighten my legs, feeling the wetness seep out.
Lucas gives a low laugh, before hooking his feet around my ankles and yanking my legs apart, roughly, and without hesitation thrusts three fingers inside my soaking pussy, making me groan out, my head falling on his shoulder, feeling helplessly exposed.
He holds up the small device in his other hand and rubs it down my cheek. It feels soft and yet sturdy.
“Let’s see how many times I can make you come with just this,” he says, softly, all the while running the device down my body until he reaches my lower abdomen. His fingers are moving in and out of me in the meantime, the pace so slow and torturous.
I feel him set the device against my clit and then he presses something.
The vibration is instantaneous and I cry out in shock.
The pleasure is so sharp that my moans spill out one after the other as I arch my pelvis towards the toy, wanting more.
At the same time, my pussy tightens around his fingers and my hips start moving of my own accord.
“Do you know realize how wanton you appear when I’m fucking you?”
Lucas’s breath is warm against my ear, making my skin tingle.
He continues, “So utterly debauched; your legs spread open for me. It’s almost as if you’re offering your pussy for me to use. Is that what you’re doing? Are you asking me to use you?”
My pants are short and my body quivers, the response unwittingly being torn from me, “Yes.”
When he inserts a fourth finger as a reward, I scream out his name with a half sob, my inner muscles clenching hard around his fingers as I fall apart.
The combination of his fingers and this vibrating pressure on my clit is overwhelming.
But Lucas’s self-control slips as I come around his hand and I hear him hiss out before he tosses the toy aside, withdraws his finger and easily lifting me by the waist, he slams me down on his cock.
It fills me to the brim and my mouth is open as I try to draw in a breath. I can feel every inch of him and when he moves, I gasp out his name, this mindless pleasure blinding me to everything else. “Faster,” I plead.
A curse and then he’s moving me himself, his hands tight on my waist, his hips pounding into me at a punishing pace, making me cry out his name over and over again, intermixed with me begging him to go faster or harder.
His hands are burning into my skin, his cock branding me as his, and I moan out when he thrusts in a particular manner, hitting my g spot. “Lucas!”
I feel his mouth on my shoulder and I twist in his hold, torn between holding him to me and escaping this escalating sensation inside of me.
Amidst his own groans, he tightens his grip on me and I sigh in relief just before he pushes me over the edge. I see white heat and soundlessly scream out his name.
His arms around me now, I fee his own body tense up as he releases.
Floating in this haze, I let my breathing calm down before rasping, “That all you got? Big talk.”
Growling, Lucas tumbles me back on the bed. “You little….”
It’s another wild session and a shower later that I’m finally deposited on the rather large chair in his living room on which I curl up while Lucas puts on some coffee.
“You’re terrible for my self-control,” he says, wryly, from across the room. “I’ve never met a woman whom I can’t keep my hands off and then on top of that you’ve learned to goad me.”
I beam at him. “It’s not my fault you keep falling for it.”
Shaking his head, he brings me my cup and placing it in my hand, he presses a kiss to the top of my head. “How’s the hand?”
“Still there,” I move the sling, slightly.
He sits on the ground in front of me and I lower my legs so he can lean against them.
“So, something happened today. You weren’t the only one with some major drama going on.”
I blink. “What?”
“I got your contract rescinded and then told Darren he was getting sued for a variety of reasons and Lana gave him his walking papers.”
My head spins as something akin to relief penetrates me. “Really?”
“His harassment of you and these charges should be enough to keep him away from you and Sophie if he were to sue for custody. Also, if he does, Lana will testify on the company’s behalf and act as a witness to what that little bastard has been doing.”
I put down my cup and rub my hand over my face. “So, Darren is going to stay away from me.”
“He doesn’t have a choice. Your name was also cleared quite publicly so…” Lucas glances up at me, hopefully. “If you don’t want to take your father’s offer, you could always come back to Starr Industries.”
I’m silent, contemplating my options. “If I were to take his offer, assuming it’s still there, what would you do?”
“I’ll come work for you.” The answer is prompt as if he doesn’t even need to think about it.
“What about Caleb?”
Lucas sips at his coffee, saying offhandedly, “Oh, he’ll hate you forever, but that’s okay. Technicalities.”
Laughing, I pull at his hair. “Be serious!”
Relenting, Lucas puts his head in my lap. “I don’t want you to go away from me. But I also know that this is a fantastic opportunity and I will never hold you back. I want you to succeed at everything you want to in life.”
My heart softens at his words and then I lower my voice. “Can I tell you something?”
He looks up at me, his gaze trusting.
I chew on my lower lip. “I’ve never been ambitious, Lucas. I want to be happy in whatever I do. But I don’t want the strain of responsibilities and what not on me. I’ve spent half my life trying to shoulder every responsibility and I’m just tired. The truth is that my qualifications are more than a receptionist’s. When I chose this job, I just wanted an easy life. I wanted to be able to afford a comfortable apartment, have three meals a day, make friends, and just be happy.” I look down at him.
There’s a smile on his face as he replies, “If that’s what you want, then that’s what I want for you.”
“You don’t think that makes me weird?”
“There are always going to be different types of people in this world, Elise. Some are overflowing with ambition and some are just content. There’s nothing wrong with not wanting more.”
It feels like someone is gripping my heart so tightly that I can’t breathe for a few seconds. And then I say, “I guess my father won’t be very happy with me now.”
Lucas grabs my hand and kisses my knuckles. “Do what you want. Even if you have no one else in your corner, you’ll always have me.”
And that means the world to me.
We have dinner together and then Lucas
takes me to my parents.
He wants to stick around but I know I need to face them myself. So, I convince him to leave after kissing him several times at the front door to placate him.
“I’m only a phone call away if you need me,” Lucas vows. “I’ll turn the car around.”
“Don’t text and drive!” I call after him, exasperated. I turn around and my hand is halfway to the doorknob when the door flings open and I’m staring at my wild-eyed father.
“You’re back!” he says, hoarsely.
I shuffle my feet. “Where else was I going to go?”
“Yes, I…”
For the first time in my life, I see my father look awkward as if he doesn’t quite know what to say to me.
“Sophie is inside.” He steps back.
I walk in.
“Where did you go?” His question is hesitant.
“Lucas’ house. I needed some time to think.”
This tension between us is unbearable. I feel like the dynamics have shifted and I don’t know what to do about it.
Maybe I should deal with one parent at a time.
“Father—?”
“Elise—?”
We say this at the same time, then stare at each other, suddenly even more uncomfortable.
Finally, he says, “I can’t apologize for what’s done, Elise. I can’t go back and fix it. But your mother and I, we want to do right by you.” There is guilt on his face but it’s overshadowed by regret and grief, both of which are very prominent.
I try to sort through my conflicted feelings.
My father takes my silence as rejection and he continues on, almost desperately, “We had no idea, Elise, not the slightest idea of what you were going through. You were always so calm and happy that I thought you were doing all right for yourself.”
This stirs something inside me. “That’s because you taught me that looking to anyone for help showed weakness and you always told me never to be weak.” There’s no anger in my tone, no resentment, just a dull acceptance. “You and mother have always been so distant, forcing me to be independent at an age when I still needed you.”
When my father opens his mouth, I don’t let him speak, adding, “I can understand the reasoning. You two went through very trying times. But then at the same time, you made me go through all of it. Life hasn’t been easy for me, Father. But it has made me tough.”
My father looks lost, and so old. “I never wanted that for you, Elise. You must believe that. I just wanted you to be independent but never to the extent where you would suffer.” His eyes shimmer with unshed tears as he continues, “Ever since you left today, all I can think about is the times when I went to bed with a full stomach, you were out there starving.” His voice shakes.
My heart clenches.
I can’t do this. I can’t watch the strongest man I know break down like this.
“I shouldn’t have said anything.” I sigh, regretfully.
“No!” he says, fiercely. “I’m glad you told us! Even if we can’t do anything about the past, we will make it up to you, Elise. You won’t lack for anything from now on.”
I wince at this. “That’s not what I want, Father. I don’t want you to make anything up to me. I don’t want your money or your company. If anything, keep the company for Sophie. Maybe she’ll want to be part of it someday.”
My father looks conflicted.
I continue, “Now that this whole Darren issue is sorted, I want to go back to work soon. I—?”
“What Darren issue?”
The suspicious look on his face has me cursing my big fat mouth.
“Elise, stop hiding things from us.” My father takes a step towards me. “Is he the one responsible for what happened to you? And before you think of lying to me, I will find out one way or another. I have been a negligent father for far too long.”
From the look in his eyes, I know he means business. Knowing when to pick my battles, I nod. “Let me see Sophie first. Then, we’ll talk.” And somehow, there’s a smile in my heart, a small growth of happiness.
15
Lucas
“…So, they want me to stay with them. I’ll go pick up some things from my apartment in a while. And my mom wants me to invite you for dinner tonight.”
I listen to the voice message and then play it again, to simply hear Elise’s sweet voice in my ear.
I should offer to take her.
I’m about to call her back when Roger marches in and drops a huge stack of files on my desk, announcing, “Auditing.”
I look at the huge stack and frown. “Isn’t that your job?”
He gives me a look, “Receipts have to be verified by you. Case files have to have your signature. I can’t do that.”
I groan out loud.
Like always, Roger tunes me out, picking up a file and handing it to me. “I have to meet my girl and her ex-boyfriend for lunch. I can’t afford to be late. Chop-chop.”
“You’re a pain in my ass, Roger.”
The younger man opens another file. “So fire me.”
“You’re like a fucking leech. I can’t shake you off,” I grind my teeth, dreading this paperwork.
“Too bad,” he replies, tonelessly. “Sucks to be you. Now get to work.”
Despite my attempts to avoid the looming stack of paperwork, Roger corners me and has me spend my entire morning behind my desk. By the time the lunch hour arrives, I’m drowning in receipts that are now being filed away.
“I need an assistant for this shit,” I declare, ominously.
“So fire me,” my current assistant deadpans, his fingers quickly inserting the papers in the correct files.
“Stop saying ‘fire me, fire me’,” I growl, annoyed. “What if I actually do fire you?!”
“You did.” Roger isn’t even looking at me. “Two weeks ago. And then you told me to go get you a Macchiato with extra sugar.”
“So, why are you still here?” I ask, nastily.
“Force of habit, sir. Wake up, come to the office, listen to you throw tantrums.”
My retort is stolen from me when a quick rap on the office door has us both looking over.
Oliver looks in, his face grave. “Meeting in Caleb’s office in five. We got some news.”
I’m on my feet and out the door. I know Roger will handle the rest but if this matter is about what I think it is, I don’t want to wait.
Caleb isn’t alone in his office.
I’m not surprised to see Lana and Kendall there, but I am taken aback to see Jace.
He looks at me, uneasily.
I have never understood why he’s so wary of me.
Oliver enters the room behind me and shuts the door. Leaning against it, he nods towards the odd person in the room. “Jace found something out.”
Jace meets my gaze, “If I had known you were looking into Darren, I would have come to you sooner. A friend of mine from Cornell dropped by for lunch a while ago and we ran into Darren. My friend seemed to recognize him but he kept calling him Payden Hale.”
The name sounds familiar.
Jace continues, “Darren looked all flustered and he kept telling him he was mistaking him for someone else. But I asked my friend about him over lunch. Apparently, they studied together before Darren was kicked out for assaulting a few of their classmates. He raped two of them and harassed them, making them sign some kind of contract. One of the girls was shy of eighteen so her signature wasn’t valid. That’s how the news got out. Around the same time, Darren’s family was being sued for an accountancy scam, involving several firms.”
Oh, shit.
Jace sees the realization dawn on my face, and he nods. “You were one of the lawyers involved. I was there. I followed that case. I didn’t see Payden in the trial but that’s – I remember how ruthless you were. You were the one who broke that entire family and forced them into bankruptcy. I didn’t link the two together until my friend brought it up. Their family had a huge name in society and it was compl
etely destroyed. The entire family moved to London, so my friend was quite surprised to see Payden working here.”
I sink into the chair next to him, bewildered, “No wonder he looked so familiar. He’s dyed his hair but I’ve seen- Grace Hale, that’s his mother?”
Jace nods.
I jump to my feet. “And Payden is her oldest!”
Caleb asks, sharply, “Why is that important, Lucas?”
My jaw is tight with anger. “Because my father knocked up Grace Hale twenty seven years ago!”
“Wait – you and Dar-Payden are related?” Kendall sounds scandalized.
I want to pick up the chair in front of me and smash it on the ground over and over again. Gritting my teeth, I shove my clenched fists into my pockets. “I didn’t put two and two together as I never kept an eye on Grace. I knew about her situation and I knew my father extorted from her. He had a videotape of her. I stole it and freed her just to spite him. But I never thought about the kid!”
“Why would Payden come after you?” Lana sounds wary. “Seems to me, you two share the same enemy.”
“I don’t know…” There is still so much that is not making sense. “Why target Elise at all?”
Lana watches me and says slowly, “Your feelings for Elise have never been a secret. He could have just aimed for her to teach you a lesson.”
Kendall seems to follow Lana’s line of reasoning and she blinks. “He already has a history of assaulting women. He probably just planned to assault her and traumatize her. He didn’t think that she would get pregnant. And then he probably thought that you would be heartbroken that she slept with somebody but you still pursued her. The rumors, the bullying, his threats, everything happened in quick succession, because you never stopped pursuing her.”
“You kept stepping up, each time,” Lana adds with a nod.
I feel heavy remorse sinking in my gut. “So, all this, everything that Elise went through, it’s been because of me?” My words are phrased like a question but it’s a statement.