“Impressive,” I say, though my voice is flat.
“You don’t really care, do you?”
“Not really. What I care about is the way your father treats you.”
I need her to leave Knight Global Events. She deserves better, more respect, more real power instead of just advisory. Hell, she should be running the company.
“He’s a jerk to me, that’s for sure. He—” Her words halt, and I know she’s holding something back from me.
“What is it? What did he do now?” I demand. I want her to tell me everything.
“Nothing,” she says, shaking her head. “He’s just blaming me for everything and everything.”
“You’re his whipping girl, that’s for sure,” I say, my fist clenching. I have to get her out of that company, even if it is her family’s. I will get her out of it.
“You’ll be happy to hear I contacted a couple of headhunters,” she says, looking up at me with a shy smile.
“And you didn’t tell me?” Why didn’t she tell me?
“I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. But maybe if I do, I’ll change my mind and realize I can’t leave my family’s company.”
“You won’t change your mind. You need to get away from your father before he sends you into a nervous breakdown.” I’ll make sure she doesn’t change her mind.
“Well, I haven’t found anything that interests me yet, so I don’t know how I’ll feel.”
“I’ll tell you how you’ll feel when you start your first day at a new company…”
“How would you know how I’d feel?” Darcy interrupts, defensively.
“I wasn’t finished,” I squeeze her hand. “You’d feel valued and respected. Your shoulders would feel lighter from the lack of your father being there to insult and accuse you at every opportunity.”
Darcy’s silent as we walk on. We’re now in the furniture section and walk past bizarre pink and orange accent chairs and coffee tables made to look at and not actually set any cups of coffee on.
I let her think. It’s a decision she has to come to on her own, at least on the surface. But right now my number-one priority is getting her away from Timothy. At least in a day-to-day business relationship. There’s not much I can do about the father-daughter relationship, though I suspect that relationship would radically change if she left.
Either he’d never forgive her and not speak to her again, which I doubt, or Timothy would realize how badly he fucked things up and what a great asset to his company he’d lost.
“You’ll wonder why you didn’t leave him before,” I say.
“You make it sound like he’s my boyfriend or something.”
I chuckle, “He has a lot in common with an abusive boyfriend.”
“An abusive father,” she says quietly.
I let go of her hand and drape my arm over her shoulders, drawing her close to me. Her body is shaking from even thinking about her situation. I need to get her out of here, to get her mind off Timothy.
“Have you seen everything you need to see yet? Can we go?”
“Yes, fine. I think I’ve seen enough.”
“Good, I want to show you the fun side of Paris.”
I love Paris. I have an apartment here, though it’s more an investment than something that gets used much. I often make excuses to come here on business, but I don’t get to enjoy the city as much as I can when I’m here. I want this time to be different.
I want my life with Darcy to be different.
Chase is in the crowd just behind us, and we pause for him to join us at the exit.
“What do you want to see most?” I ask.
Darcy looks at me like I’m an idiot, and says, “The Eiffel Tower, obviously.”
“Ever been to Paris?” I ask Chase.
“No, sir. This is my first time in Paris.”
I smile, glad I trust this man completely with Darcy’s safety.
We pile into a nearby minivan taxi, and once again I’m hit with how grateful I am to be able to move around in public like this. However much Darcy thinks I’m missing out on life by cutting myself off from everyone, I love that I can move around freely.
“It’s beautiful,” Darcy says as we pull up in front of the Eiffel Tower. She cranes her head to see all the way to the top of the iron structure.
“Merci, ne t’inquiète pas de la balance,” I say to the driver, telling him to keep the change as I pay him.
Darcy’s head snaps to me as I utter the words, and she bites her bottom lip. I make a mental note to speak as much French as possible while we’re here. If one sentence gets her excited, I can’t wait to see how she responds to an entire conversation.
The whole area is packed with tourists, all smiling, laughing and taking photos. Draping my arm around her, we walk up to the base of the tower.
“It’s even more beautiful in person,” Darcy says.
“The best view is actually from over there,” I say, pointing to the steps on the other side of the river.
“Maybe later. I want to go up it first.”
“Of course.”
When we are exactly underneath the tower, I ignore the crowds and embrace her. When I look up, all I can see is the tower extending into the sky, and all I can feel is Darcy against me. I lean down and close my mouth over hers. She melts into my body, and I hold her tight while caressing her ass.
I run my fingers over it, exploring it and realizing she’s either wearing a thong or nothing at all underneath her skirt.
“What do you have on under this skirt?” I whisper into her ear.
She looks up at me with a massive grin, and says, “Not a goddamn thing.”
Natural High
(Darcy)
I think I could quite happily die now like this in Liam’s arms underneath the Eiffel Tower. Nothing could improve this moment. Life could never get any better than this.
Even if we are surrounded by all these people. Somehow I don’t even care, they’ve all vanished into the background as Liam holds me tight.
Our tongues explore each other’s mouths, as his hands continue to explore my ass. He grows hard, digging into me, and I long to rip his clothes off.
Eventually, Liam breaks the kiss and says, “Wait here, I’m going to get us in the Restaurant le Jules Verne at the top of the tower.” He takes a few steps away, turns back and adds, “And I have to make a phone call. I won’t be long.”
I watch his back as he walks away, feeling like I’ve just lost something.
Chase stands nearby, scanning the crowds. For what, I don’t know. It seems pointless having him here.
Pulling out my phone, I take some pictures of the tower. I take a selfie of myself with the tower above me and text it to Kirsten.
Liam still isn’t back, and my mind is drawn back to work, as it always is when he’s not around. I pull my phone out again and text my father.
Interior Design show is great, we need to buy it.
After I hit send, I shove it back in my purse.
“Ready,” Liam says appearing beside me, his smile beaming straight to my heart.
He takes my hand, and leads me to the awning-covered entrance of the restaurant’s elevator.
We step into the elevator, and Liam wraps his arm around my waist and holds me tight as we rise above Paris. The city is stunning, and I flit my eyes all around, taking in as much as I can.
Chase comes with us.
At the top, the doors open and Chase is directed away. I suppose bodyguards have a waiting area?
Liam and I are lead through a busy, high-end restaurant with white tablecloths and candles. Our table is at an outer window, and I can see a white cathedral high on a hill in the distance. This trip to Paris turned out better, more magically, than I could’ve imagined.
“I’m surprised they had a table,” I say.
“They always have a table if you have enough money,” Liam says, his caramel eyes twinkling.
“I can’t figure out if I’m hungry or
not. Or what I’m hungry for. My body has no idea what time it is. It’s a weird time to be eating, since it’s three in the afternoon.”
“Oh well, the food here is amazing. Once you taste it, you’ll want it.”
The waiter appears, and Liam orders in French. I have no idea what he’s saying, but my God, it’s making me wet. I wish I’d worn panties, because now I’m thinking it’s going to show right through my skirt when I stand. I should’ve worn a black one, instead of red.
We chat as we’re brought dish after delicious dish. It turned out to be a five-course tasting menu. Once I start eating, I realize how famished I am, and eat nearly all my food.
But there’s only one thing on my mind the whole time, and that’s getting back into Liam’s arms.
“Enjoying your dessert?” He asks.
“It’s not really the one I’d hoped for.”
“No? What did you want? I can make it happen.”
I laugh, and say leaning forward towards him, “I was kind of hoping for the Fat Kok Special.”
“I definitely planned on taking you back to my apartment and ripping off your clothes.”
“Do we have to wait that long?” I ask, half embarrassed, half desperate.
“Let’s go walk around the tower first. You’ll be disappointed if you don’t.”
“I’m okay. I won’t be disappointed.”
“Oh, yes, you will,” he says as he stands and walks away from the table.
Maybe he’s going to pay the bill. I don’t know. I only know this meal has taken forever, and we’ve gone far too long without touching.
While I’m waiting for him to return, my phone rings, dragging my mind back to work. Before I even get it out of my purse, I’m thinking of the text I sent to my dad, and how he’s going to react to my advice to buy the convention. As in, he’s going to say I told you so, and that I wasted a trip to Paris.
Except where I’m sitting right now, dining in the Eiffel Tower with Liam and overlooking the most beautiful city on earth, this is anything but a wasted trip.
I glance at the screen as I drag my finger across to answer. It’s not my father. I don’t recognize the number.
“Darcy Knight,” I say.
“Hello, Ms. Knight, my name is Rochelle, and I’m calling from Elite Exhibitions. Normally, we’d go through a recruitment agency for this, but we’re already well aware of you and your reputation.”
“Okay,” I say, my heart racing.
“Our CEO is planning on retiring in a few months, and we’re looking for a replacement. Would you be interested in interviewing for the role?”
My eyes wide as I glance around the room. CEO. This is a dream come true, though I’m not sure I’m qualified.
Although I know I could do it and do it well.
But it would mean I’d be the CEO of the biggest rival to the company my father is CEO of. And owns. And worked so hard to build.
“That sounds very interesting, thank you. I’ll have to think about it and get back to you,” I say.
My hand is shaking as I hang up the phone. CEO. My dream-come-true job! But at the expense of destroying my relationship with my father. I’m not sure I can do that, even if he is an ass.
I need to talk this out with someone. Except I already know what Liam will say. He’s been pressuring me to get out of my family’s company for weeks. I need to talk to him about it anyway.
Liam appears and strides towards me. My heart stops at the sight of him rushing for me, like he’s on the attack.
He says something to me in French. I have no idea what it means. I give him a puzzled look, but he takes my hand and pulls me up from my seat.
“What’s the hurry?” I ask.
More French, more words I don’t understand but that sound so fucking sexy I don’t even care. He continues talking, his arm now around me, squeezing me to accentuate certain mysterious words that sound oh-so-good rolling off his tongue.
We reach the restaurant exit that leads to the outside of the tower, the beauty of Paris on the other side. Liam leads me through a door and out into the openness of the tower, amidst the crowds of tourists.
There’s a light breeze that’s cool on my face and bare legs, but my core is burning hot right now and I barely notice.
Liam leads me to a small area that’s only slightly tucked away, sheltered on two sides by the heavy metal structure and the third by the railing and the drop below. Chase is standing in the area, but he’s the only one. I glance around, wondering why no other tourists are here.
Chase nods at Liam, and moves from the space as the two of us move into it.
Taken
(Darcy)
We walk straight up to the edge, protected by a railing and a wire cage.
The river extends below us and I glance at it. Liam’s lips are on my neck, his hands brushing through my hair and he utters more French into my ear. This time his words are forceful, carnal. My heart races, wondering what his plan is.
“I have no idea what you’re saying,” I say, twisting my head to look at him.
More French. More words flowing from his mouth that weaken my knees and flood my walls with desire. I feel a trickle of want running along the inside of my thigh and let out a soft moan.
Liam turns me to face him and draws me close. His lips crush against mine and he shamelessly grinds his hard dick into me. I gasp, my mind racing as my body burns with desire.
But the realization of where we are hits me and I place my hand on his chest, breaking our kiss.
“What are you doing?” I ask.
More French. A whole string of words that make my eyelids close so I can enjoy them more. His accent is perfect, flawless, a raw sexiness that shoots straight from my ears to my pussy. In my haze of lust, I actually think I catch a word — dessert.
Dessert?
“But can we do this here?” I ask, my eyes wide, my pulse racing.
He responds in more fucking French as his hands rove over me. More words that melt my body, his touch finishing the last of my mind’s ability to care about my concerns.
I close my eyes again and he trails kisses over my neck. He speaks more French between kisses, and I catch the words Chase and dollars.
I tense and open my eyes which flit over to Chase, suddenly self-conscious that he’s so near. But his back is to us and he seems to be steering away other people.
“Relax,” Liam says in English. “Enjoy your time at the top of the Eiffel Tower. Enjoy what I’m about to make you feel.” As he finishes his words, he nibbles his teeth into the delicate flesh of my neck.
“Are you sure?” I ask, gasping. Not caring what the answer is.
He switches back to French. A few short words uttered with command, before crushing his lips against mine.
My pearled nipples poke against my bra. There’s too much fabric between us, my bra, shirt, jacket, his shirt, his jacket. I want it gone so badly, but would never dare take this that far.
Kissing like this on top of Paris is wild and passionate and as perfect as life can get.
I’m so wet now. The insides of my thighs are slick and I’m desperate for him to touch me. A long moan escapes my throat.
His hands firm on my upper arms, he peels us away from each other and guides me to the outer edge of the tower. He turns me to face the city and places me up against the barrier. My hands tremble as he places them, one by one, onto the railing.
Standing behind me, he grips my hips and grinds his hardness into me. Only now do I wonder if he plans on doing more than kissing me. A raging heat bursts from between my legs and I have to hold the railing tight to support myself since my knees are weak.
Half leaning over me, Liam reaches down and pulls up the hem of my skirt. He’s still positioned behind me, but pushes his hand in between us.
His fingers connect with the slickness on my thighs and he groans. They travel up my legs and brush against my wet lips as he speaks more French to me.
Part of me wants to
ask what he’s saying, to know what he’s saying. But he pushes a finger into me and I lose interest in anything else.
I close my eyes as he pushes it against my g-spot. Over and over, his finger glides easily through my dripping wet walls. My shoulders tense, my hands grip the metal railing tighter and I let out a whimper. A whimper that acknowledges I’d let him do anything to me. That I’m his, completely.
He groans in response and takes his hand away. I feel him fumbling with his zipper and a moment later his tip is at my wet entrance.
Tingles coat my back and I struggle not to scream as he rams his massive cock into me. My pussy is filled by Liam, filled by the mysterious man who completes my body and my soul.
“Open your eyes,” he says in English, his voice forceful, demanding.
I do as he says and open them. My eyes flit over the view. The river, an ancient island, beautiful bridges. I gasp, this time for the beauty of what’s before me. Somehow it makes everything Liam is doing to me more intense.
Fully aware of my location on the Eiffel Tower, the fucking Eiffel Tower, I become even more turned on. The most amazing man is inside me, in the most amazing location. My excitement boils throughout my body and I’m on the edge of tipping over.
My body tenses and builds with his movement and he says something else in French. It’s low, said near my ear, but I’m sure I catch something it in. Something that needs no translation. A sense of love, pure love, which overcomes me and sends me plunging from the edge.
My walls spasm around him. My skin coats in tingles. I forget to breathe. My eyes roll into the back of my head as the orgasm rockets through me and I collapse against the metal barrier.
Liam grunts as he fills me with his cum. His cock throbs against my walls and his hands grip me tight.
He meshes his hands into my hair and he pulls my head back, away from the metal.
“I don’t know what the fuck you do to me, Darcy Knight. You make me crazy, make me lose control.”
I smile in a half laugh and glance around my very public, very incredible surroundings. “You’re the one who makes me do crazy things. I can’t believe we just did this.”
Carnal: Pierced and Inked Page 60