by Lyra Parish
I looked down at my watch, then back at her. “I have an appointment with Mr. McCaul at nine sharp.”
Parker immediately uncrossed his arms and stood up straight, which caused me to turn and look behind me. Jason was standing there, openly admiring my ass with a smirk. He had always been a sexist pig who treated women like property. He hated women of power, and as I stood there in a tight black skirt, suit jacket, and a red blouse that showed a hint of my bra when I bent over, I knew that it made him want to strip me of everything that I was—my title, my pride, and my sexuality. While I was known for being a ball-buster, for not taking shit in an industry where men ruled, he was known for fucking anything that wore a skirt, high heels, and had a name that meant something. We were just little marks in his little black book, but the mark beside my name had never been checked … and it never would be.
I understood why women at the top of the business ladder did it. He was good looking, with jet-black hair and hazel eyes. He was a man who knew what he wanted and wasn’t afraid to bluntly say it. To some, that alone was a turn on. To me, it was a turn off. Since we were kids, he had always gotten what he’d wanted. As an adult, he had morphed into a spoiled rich man who still acted like a big baby. I hated everything about him and had since I’d first met him when I was eleven.
When I looked at Jason, I forced a smile. He returned it with a big grin and a wink. I held out my hand for a shake, but he pulled me into his arms and slowly ran his hand down my back, memorizing my body.
“Foxy Roxy. No need for formalities. We go too far back.”
I hated it when he called me that, and how he insinuated that we’d had something going on. I gently pushed away from him and took a step back. He smiled, then waved us toward his office. I looked back at Parker, and he mouthed, “What the fuck?” I could tell Parker was annoyed just by his clenched jaw. We continued to follow Jason to the door at the end of the hallway that had previously been his father’s office.
He opened the door and allowed me to walk through first so he could check out every curve of my ass again. He wasn’t subtle about it. When I walked in, I held back a gasp. Jason had added large sculptures of naked women and expensive paintings that took up the large walls. He had materialistically ruined an office that had once been warm and welcoming. Figured.
Parker slowed as he entered. I broke away from the so-called artwork to see them staring each other down, sizing each other up like two men in a bar. I closed my eyes tight then opened them with hopes of calmly diffusing the animosity.
“Nice artwork, Jason,” I said, breaking them away from each other.
Parker’s demeanor had transformed. He was furious, but all business.
Jason plopped down in his executive chair and threw his feet up on the desk. He smiled at me almost to the point of trying to make me feel uncomfortable, but what he didn’t realize was that I ate dicks like him for breakfast.
“Is this your new secretary?” Jason asked with a douchebag air to his tone that made me want to lean across the desk and slap him.
“He’s actually my fuck buddy.” I waited until Jason was uncomfortable, until his face went white, then I smiled. “Oh, Jas, I’m just kidding. This is our corporate attorney. He came to us from, what was the name of the law firm, Mr. Williams?”
I turned and looked at Parker, who was cool and confident. “Jameson Law Firm, just around the corner,” he said.
“Have you heard of them before?” I knew damn well McCaul had heard of them. Everyone who was anyone in this world knew that Jameson had the best lawyers in the United States, especially when it came to corporate law.
Jason was slightly shocked by what had just been unraveled in front of him. He removed his legs from his desk and sat up straight in his chair. Finally, he gave us some sort of professionalism, but I knew it would be short-lived.
He crossed his fingers and spoke directly to me. “Is he really necessary?”
I tilted my head at Parker, then smiled sweetly at Jason as I leaned forward and lowered my tone. “I think he is more than necessary.”
Jason released a breath as Parker pulled out a small notepad and began jotting down notes while we spoke. The intimidation game had started. I’d have to remember to tell Parker how good he was at this, but I was sure he already knew.
“As I said on the phone, McCaul, you may want to have an attorney present for this meeting. If you’d like to make a call, we will be happy to wait.” By the look on Jason’s face, if I hadn’t known better, I would have said that his balls had crawled into his stomach, because he looked almost sick.
“No, foxy Roxy. I don’t think that’s necessary. Talk to me, baby. Tell me what’s going on.” He was trying to turn this around, to shock the shit out of me, but that wasn’t happening.
“Did you get a chance to read the email I sent you at the beginning of last week?”
Jason rolled his eyes and made a hurry-up motion with his hand. Just like a child, he was about to go into a hissy fit. I could feel it coming, and I had experienced this before.
“The certified letters we sent?”
Jason pulled the letters out from the top drawer of his desk, and they weren’t even opened. He obviously wasn’t taking this seriously. I glanced over at Parker, who tightened the grip on the pen in his hand.
“I’ll take that as a no.” I leaned over and pulled a file folder from the bag that Parker had carried in. Jason ate up the fact that he was able to catch a glimpse of the lace of my bra. I made eye contact with him before I lifted my body, then hurried up and sat back in the chair. He lifted his eyebrows, letting me know what he’d seen. Scum-fucking-bag.
“Anyway, we’ve updated a small clause in section four paragraph two, right here.” I slid the contract across the table and pointed at the verbiage change. Jason’s hand moved to mine. My skin wanted to crawl off of my body. I slowly peeled my hand from under his and gave him the best version of resting bitch face that I could manage.
“If you could sign—”
“Eh eh eh. Let’s get out of here,” Jason said, almost catching me off guard.
“Excuse me?”
“I’ll do whatever you want me to do, as long as you do whatever I want you to do. Deal? I do you a favor, and you do me one. I’m already imagining you on your knees—”
“Mr. McCaul, I’m not sure if you are aware, but the way you are disrespecting Ms. VanBuren can be seen as sexual harassment and coercion. If you continue on with this behavior, I will have no choice but to call Mr. VanBuren, both Senior and Junior, and inform them of the conversations being had.”
“As I was saying, foxy Roxy. You on your knees sucking my—”
Parker pulled his phone from his pocket, stood, and dialed several numbers. He politely excused himself and spoke loud enough for both of us to hear. Jason didn’t take his eyes off me, and I didn’t dare take my eyes off his. This was a match I wouldn’t lose.
“Mr. VanBuren, good morning, sir. Mr. Williams here. The weather is great. Unfortunately, your client is refusing to sign the paperwork. Oh, Ms. VanBuren? She’s doing great, other than the sexual harassment she’s openly receiving from Mr. McCaul. Oh, add bribery to that list. We were leaving after this to see Mr. Jameson. Yes sir, I’ll be happy to inform him of what took place.” Parker never let his eyes leave Jason as he spoke to my father. “Yes, sir. We were just leaving. I appreciate that, sir. I will let her know. Yes, as soon as we leave. Thank you.” Parker pressed end on his phone and stood beside me.
“We were just leaving, Mr. McCaul. It was nice meeting you. Ms. VanBuren, your father informed me that you should call him about the meeting with Mr. Jameson.”
I stood and pulled the contract from Jason’s desk. His nostrils were flaring out of anger. Before I could put it away, Jason ripped the contract from my hand and signed the bottom so hard that his pen tore the paper. He sucked air through his teeth and walked around his desk until he was face to face with me. “Too bad you didn’t take my offer, foxy Ro
xy. I would have fucked you senseless.”
Parker completely lost it. He grabbed Jason by the collar of his shirt and used his strength to push him against the wall. Parker held him by the throat with his hand, almost crushing his windpipe. I crossed my arms and watched Jason beg like the little bitch he had always been—lots of bark, with absolutely no bite. Jason gasped for air as Parker reared his fist back. Before his knuckles connected with Jason’s face, he stopped and let him go.
“You should learn how to respect women. Don’t you ever, ever treat her like that again, or I will ensure, by the power of the law, that everything you own is a part of VanBuren Investments,” Parker said.
Jason gasped for air. “Are you threatening me?”
“That’s a promise, McCaul. I will sue you into the next life, and I will win. I always win.”
Parker pulled a digital recorder from inside his pants and rewound it. Clear as day, McCaul was openly sexually harassing and bribing me.
“That won’t stand in court,” Jason said.
“Hmmm. Maybe we can find out? Test me,” Parker said.
I picked up the bag from the floor, and Parker waited for me to meet him at the door.
“Get the fuck out of my office,” Jason yelled as if he had demanded us to leave, though we were already on our way out.
I turned and looked at little Junior with a smile on my face.
“Bitch,” he screamed.
If I had a penny for every time someone had called me a bitch…
Though the word made me laugh inside, Parker stopped walking and cracked his knuckles. I grabbed him by the arm and led him past the bimbo, through the hall, and to the elevator. When we got in, I released a deep breath.
“I really hate him,” I said as I pulled my phone from the bag across my shoulder.
“Who are you calling?” Parker asked.
“My dad, who else?”
Parker smiled and took the phone from my hand. I gave him a quizzical look and he finally smiled. It was the first time I had seen his straight white teeth in the last hour.
“Was it an Oscar-worthy performance?” Parker licked his lips.
I watched his tongue graze across the outside of his lips and it made me want to bite them. “You are unbelievable.”
“What you meant to say was, ‘Parker, baby, you’re so believable.’”
We walked down the sidewalk toward Jameson Law Firm. Parker wasn’t kidding about visiting. We stopped at a four-story red-brick building, with pretty flowers planted outside the door. It stuckout like a sore thumb on the streets of New York. Parker walked in past the secretary, and everyone walked from their window-partitioned offices to greet him. He fit in perfectly with the group, and I stood back to watch. Old Man Jameson came out from his office wearing a proud fatherly smile.
“Parker, you son a bitch, how you doing, son? Came to your senses and finally want to take my offer?” Jameson gave him a hug and Parker smiled.
“Actually, I wanted you all to meet Ms. Roxane VanBuren, the daughter of Scotty VanBuren Jr., and Granddaughter of Senior.”
Jameson walked over to me and gave me a firm handshake. “Your grandfather and I go way back, Ms. VanBuren. I’m not sure if I should be happy that Scott is your grandfather, or give my condolences.”
I laughed. I had heard stories about Pops in his younger years—total asshole. He’d softened up in his old age, though. I like to think it was my birth that had done it.
“It’s nice to meet you,” I said.
A grandfather clock against the wall rang out, and Parker took that as our cue to leave. “We should get going. I’m starved.”
We waved goodbye to everyone and before we walked out, Jameson yelled across the room, “My offer still stands, Williams.”
He gave Jameson a shoo of the hand and a smile, and we were out the door. Though the city was loud, it seemed like silence was surrounding us, so I took time to process what had happened and where we were. The contract was signed, and we were in one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
“What was his offer?” I had to break the awkwardness between us.
“He wanted me to consider becoming partner and keep his legacy alive when he retired in a few years.”
I stopped walking. “Partner is a big deal, Parker. Why don’t you take the offer?”
He shook his head, rested his arm over my shoulder, and continued us down the sidewalk. “I’m happy where I am. Why ruin a good thing?”
“Becoming partner could make your career. You could be one of the most prominent corporate lawyers in the United States, an A-list attorney.”
“I’m not sure if you’ve figured this out or not, but I’m loyal, Rox. I chose VanBuren Investments because of the values you have in family, in the community, and in the people who work for you. Partner would be a big deal in a few years. I know it’s an amazing opportunity, and one that I was very honored to be given, but it would seal my fate. I choose to live. I want to travel. I want to find the woman I’m meant to spend the rest of my life with and enjoy her. If I became partner, I would have no life. I would be married to my job. There has to be some sort of work-life balance put in place, and there wouldn’t be one if I took that offer. I would work, sleep, and repeat. Living is more important than making partner. Now, how bout a pie?”
I had no words. Parker had stolen them all with his pure rawness. He kept his arm wrapped snuggly around my shoulder as we strolled through the New York streets. For the first time in a long time, being with a man like this felt right.
“Cherry, apple, or banana cream?” I asked.
“Pardon?”
“You asked me if I wanted a pie.”
Parker burst into laughter and interlocked his fingers with mine as we continued down the busy sidewalk. “How about pepperoni, mushrooms, and black olives?” He continued to laugh.
“Pizza? Why didn’t you just say pizza?”
“We’re in New York. Here they are called pies,” he said. “And I’ve got the perfect place to take you. Its pizza’s so good it will melt in your mouth.” He rubbed his thumb gently across mine, and it filled me with warmth. We had three more days in New York together, and I wasn’t sure how much of this, of him like this, I could take.
The streets were crowded, and everything around us seemed to be moving: taxis, buses, people on foot and on bikes. God, I loved New York.
Parker tightened his grip on mine, and we took a turn down Wall Street. We passed the famous bull and saw a group of young people posing by its ass and balls, making jokes like typical teenagers. Before long, we were standing in front of the future home of VanBuren Investments. I couldn’t believe the amount of construction that was taking place on the building. It probably would have been easier to tear the whole thing down and build a new one than to rid it of asbestos, but my father had insisted on preserving history, and he wanted us located on the world famous Wall Street. I didn’t disagree.
Wow. It was a lot to take in.
Parker rested his arm around my waist and looked up at the building, admiring it. Then he looked back, admiring me. I gave him a small smile. He had to know I would be moving here. He had to. Before any words could be exchanged, he was pulling me forward with our hands interlocked. We took the stairs down to the subway. It all seemed so confusing, with the colors and letters. Parker paid for week passes for us then led us to the red train. Almost as if the train knew we had arrived, it pulled up and people hurried off. We stepped on and sat. Parker was as happy as could be. As the train started moving, a group of musicians began singing through the train, holding out a hat for donations. I pulled a twenty from the inside of my bag and dropped it in. They sang “My Girl” together in perfect harmony.
“You’re my girl,” Parker leaned over and whispered in my ear.
I bit my lip and gave him a little smile. He had no idea what he was doing to me. He had no idea how hard he was making this.
“Am I?”
He nodded his head and rest
ed his hand on my leg. This public display of affection was almost as bad as rule number five, cuddling. At least that one hadn’t been broken … yet.
The train stopped and we exited, then walked over and hopped on the E blue train, but there were no seats by the time we got on, so we stood. I positioned myself where I could look out the window, though we were surrounded by cement and advertisements that would pop up on the walls every once in a while. Once the cars came to a halt, we exited then climbed the stairs that led up above. There was graffiti scribbled on each step, and it even looked cool.
It was crazy how well Parker had the trains memorized, and it made me wonder how many times he had ridden the blue and red trains to get to wherever he was bringing me. We stopped in front of an old building with a red advertising runner that said Lombardi’s, Zagat Survey Best Pizza On the Planet, 32 Spring Street.
Parker crossed his arms. “Here it is. Lombardi’s. Oldest pizzeria in New York at over a hundred years old. I know how you love your history.”
Did he know? Was it my love for old buildings and oldies that had given it away? How could he really know me this well?
We walked inside and my mouth instantly watered. It was everything I’d imagined it would be, with the small dining area, the brick wall on one side, the pictures hung on the other, and the white-and red-checkered tablecloths. This place was perfect. A host led us to the last booth available, because the rest were full of people, including the small two-seater tables against the wall.
We ordered water and when the server arrived, Parker lifted an eyebrow at me.
“Whatcha having?” the man asked.
My eyes went wide. There were too many options, so I went with what I usually ordered at home. “Any preference?” I asked Parker, and he smirked and shook his head. This was all me.
“Mozzarella, black olives, and pepperoni, medium.”
The waiter smiled at me, then at Parker, and walked away.
“I hope that’s okay. You should have ordered. I don’t know what to get.”
“Babe, you can order any pie here, and it will be perfect. Trust me.”