He was the Russell that she knew he could be if only his demons stayed well away from the surface. And as she was seeing more and more of him, she was determined to help him fight them and keep it that way. It was clear he could be quite brilliant if he focused his mind and attention to something, it was only the fact he also clearly had a self-destruct button that could ruin things for him again.
“I mean, what’s the story?” he repeated. “With you… I’m pretty good at reading people and I can tell something is going on.”
Amanda swallowed nervously and her mind began to spin. She hadn’t wanted to admit to Russell that she had children because she didn’t want him to think she was vulnerable or potentially going to flake out on him. But as she sat there and he looked into her eyes, she knew there was no way she was going to hide them any longer. It had killed her not being able to talk of them all week.
“I’m getting divorced,” she said finally as she breathed a sigh of relief as the words came out of her mouth. “And my two girls, well, currently I’m just trying to do the best by them.”
His eyes opened wide, his pupils were big and dark, and he smiled at her warmly. So warmly she could actually feel it. There was a lot of affection there in that moment, something she had never seen come from him before. He had spent so much time being arrogant or offensive, it was a surprise, but she could also tell that it was who he truly was when all the bullshit melted away.
“I’ve been there,” he said as he leaned forward. “And I know how tough it is.”
Amanda had to try not to let her emotions get the better of her, but she felt so grateful for his compassion.
“We didn’t have kids, and thank fucking god because we almost destroyed each other,” he snorted with laughter and rolled his eyes. “It knocked me right back. But now, I’m over it. And you will be too.”
Amanda smiled and nodded her head in agreement.
“Oh, I’m over it,” she said. “I just hate the way he keeps trying to hold onto control of us. That’s why I’ve taken this job, if I’m honest, so I don’t have to accept any extra money for him and I can support the three of us on my own. I don’t want him to ever have the power to be able to try and disrupt our lives again.”
Russell looked stunned, as if he was completely taken aback and he looked at her with admiration.
“Well, then I’m glad I asked,” he said. “Because the entitled, stupid girls I’ve had through the door trying to do this job have got nothing on you and now I can see why. You’ve got life experience, you’re mature, and you’re a decent fucking person.”
Amanda felt her cheeks burn with a blush and she smiled meekly.
“Things don’t always stay difficult,” he said as he reached out and put his hand on top of hers.
When his skin connected with hers and their body heat began to mix, Amanda’s heartrate began to rise, and she felt her skin prickling with anticipation. She looked up into his eyes and he held her there for a moment; the way he was looking at her told her that he was feeling it too. Something big was happening between them. They were bonding, but their souls were also connecting on another level. They had the common ground of a shared experience, and Russell had clearly not had someone to talk to in a long time either.
He smiled at her and she smiled back. Her heart was racing and she could feel the power between the two of them growing, and she honestly didn’t know what to do with it.
Russell’s big hand didn’t move, it stayed there on top of hers and she swallowed as she held his gaze. He was so tall and muscular, but she had been trying to avoid acknowledging how powerful a presence he was before now, because she honestly thought she was going to run away.
“You’re going to be okay, kid,” he said with a smile and she nodded her head, feeling completely indebted to him for this small act of kindness when she had been so used to him being a complete jerk. “I promise you.”
She nodded her head and returned his warm smile.
“And if that ex of yours gives you any trouble,” he said sternly as he leaned in closer to her so the workmen couldn’t hear. “Just fucking tell me,” he raised his eyebrows. “And I’ll sort that shit out for you in no time.”
Amanda’s face cracked into a wide grin and she blinked away a tear.
“I can’t be having my assistant feeling low or harassed,” he said. “In fact, I’ve got a good mind to go and give him a good talking to now.”
“No!” Amanda said as she slapped him playfully on the arm. “You can’t do that. Honestly, I’m fine. Don’t worry.”
He looked at her knowingly and then he nodded in agreement. He crossed his big, tattooed arms over his chest and breathed out deeply.
“So, tell me about the girls…” he said as he took another swig of his water and raised his eyebrows.
Amanda grinned from ear to ear and felt warm inside all over again. Her favorite topic was always going to be Madeleine and Grace, and now she had someone in front of her who wanted to know all about them, someone who was powerful and important, and completely intimidating but also shaping up to be a really decent person.
Amanda took a deep breath and laughed.
“Well, I’d get comfortable,” she said as she cracked her knuckles and sat back in her chair. “Because I could talk about this for hours.”
“I’m all ears,” Russell said as he cocked his head to the side and grinned. “I mean, we’ve got nothing to do except sit here and watch these guys bring boxes in, so shoot.”
Amanda smiled and looked into his eyes again, knowing that, from now on, things were going to be okay.
Somehow, against all odds, she had won Russell Newport over. She had helped him find a new home, she had helped him pull himself together, and now it looked as if he was going to stop giving her a rough time and let her do her job.
It had only been a week, but things were already on the up.
She could see the sun peaking over the horizon, and now she knew she just had to keep moving that same way toward it until she finally felt its warmth.
8.
“I have two architects and six designers arriving in an hour, how the fuck can you tell me now that you’re not going to be here, Regina?” Russell’s voice came booming through the open doors of the office in the warehouse and made the hairs on Amanda’s neck stand on end.
He sounded furious, and it was no wonder why.
The past couple of weeks had been hectic and miserable, with a ton of work happening around them and now, Mr. and Mrs. Newport were also back in the equation. Russell had settled into the apartment across the river well, and now he and Amanda were working each day out of the office in the warehouse, but there was so much work to be done, and deals hanging by a thread at every turn, Russell’s stress levels were rising, and Amanda feared he may be about to go off the deep end.
She closed her eyes and winced, waiting for the further onslaught of abuse that he was surely about to hurl at his sister. Regina had slowly begun to withdraw her support after her parents had returned from Europe, and Amanda had a sneaky suspicion that they had bought her loyalty in some way. Regina had told Amanda how her father had loved being in control and only Russell had the vision and determination to get them out of that situation, maybe her father had offered her a big slice of the Newport pie to keep her on their side, and to not go off playing real estate developer with her brother.
“Fuck you, Regina,” Russell’s words sounded laced with venom. “Seriously, fuck you.”
Amanda heard the crash of the phone hitting the stand and she waited a moment before she dared get to her feet and try to see if he was all right.
When she peered around the edge of the office door, he was standing in the window with his fingertips pinching the bridge of his nose, looking down at the ground but facing out toward the river and the city skyline.
“So, I take it, she’s not coming,” Amanda whispered tentatively.
“No, Amanda, she isn’t fucking coming,” Russell said
harshly, and then he turned and looked at her over his shoulder and shrugged as his way of apology.
“Is there anything I can do?” she asked.
She had spent enough time with Russell Newport now to know how to tread carefully around him. Now that he had calmed down on the erratic behavior front, the best thing she could do was just keep him from going overly alpha male all over the place. He was so full of rage and aggression, it could, at times, be intimidating, whereas at others, it was kind of a turn on. Not that Amanda would ever admit it.
“My fucking family,” Russell said as he slumped down into his chair and kicked his feet up onto the desk. “It’s just a never-ending shit show.”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a cigarette before he lit it and exhaled a plume of smoke into the air.
“Sit with me, Amanda,” he said as he looked up to her.
She felt her heart race a little. The way he had started saying her name was sounding more and more lyrical each time. It was as if he had noticed her for who she truly was. She wasn’t just his lowly assistant, since she had told him about the girls, her divorce, and her life, it was almost as if he romanticized her a bit… and Amanda was struggling to know how to handle the situation.
If she was honest with herself, she would have to admit that she liked Russell. He may have been a walking disaster when they had first met, but as the weeks had passed and she had spent more time with him, she was beginning to see what a brilliant person he was. How strong he was, how determined, and how he knew how to go out and seize life. He may have lost his way at some point, but he was definitely back on track now, and he was showing Amanda what it meant to truly live.
Now she knew why he wanted an assistant with ‘balls’… it was because he was the very definition of that. He was gutsy and brash, he was masculine and strong. He was full of it. And he needed someone beside him that wasn’t afraid of his energy, or of how strong willed he could be. He needed someone to guide him, to steady him in the right direction if he ever was tempted to veer off course again. And since Amanda had arrived into his life, she had done nothing but support him in all the right ways.
“My father and I have been at war since I was a kid,” Russell said with a half laugh. “He loved it when I went off the rails, not that he would ever publicly admit it.”
Amanda leaned in closer and crossed her legs over one another. Russell smoked and flicked ash into the small glass ashtray on his desk.
“The Newports have always been dysfunctional,” he said. “And I was always looking for a way out of that. I always wanted to do my own thing and be my own boss, not under someone. Even with all of the money, my father still had control. I guess you could say that’s why I’m the way I am. I can’t stand being suppressed, and when I was a kid that was all he did.”
Amanda nodded her head sympathetically. She could tell how much he needed to get this off his chest.
“I’ll never forgive him,” Russell said as he sucked in on the cigarette. “But I’m done with the hate. What I’m doing now, I’m doing on my own and I know it’s going to be huge.”
“It’s going to be bigger than huge,” Amanda assured him with a warm smile. “I’ve watched you grow over the past few weeks, and your parents returning only seems to have strengthened your resolve.”
He smiled back at her and let his eyes linger on hers. The way he was looking at her was making her skin tingle, and she felt her heart flutter in her chest. It had been so long since she had seen a man in that kind of light, it was as if she had forgotten what it felt like.
She had vowed off dating and men since she had split with Rob, but now, as she sat there in the office with a powerhouse who would make most women and men tremble, she was finding herself wanting to be closer to him than she had wanted to be closer to anyone in a long, long time.
“I want to thank you for helping me sort out my head,” he said as he got to his feet and walked around to the same side of the desk that Amanda was sitting on. She looked up at him and their bodies were so close she could feel the heat bouncing between them. Her heart had jumped right up into her throat, and she wanted to speak but she couldn’t find the words. Nothing would form, and all she could do was gasp as he reached down and took hold of her hand to pull her up to meet him.
He cupped her face in his hands and looked at her sternly in the eyes. His lips were only centimeters from hers and she could feel his breath on her face. Her eyes were locked in on his and she was so nervous she could feel herself going dizzy. Her head was a mess of lust and confusion. She wanted him badly, but she was so aware of what a terrible mistake it could be for her job. An affair with her boss could spell complete disaster, and she didn’t want to let the girls down.
“Russell,” she whispered, and he reached up and grazed his thumb across her bottom lip, while his other palm cradled her cheek.
She closed her eyes, her nerves mounting even further, and her heart pounding so hard she didn’t know if she was going to be able to stand it.
When he leaned in and kissed her and their lips finally connected, it was the biggest sense of relief she had ever felt. He parted her lips with his tongue and massaged it against hers, as he dipped her back slightly and wrapped his huge, aching arms around her.
She felt tiny against him, and she moaned as he showered her with his strength, pushing her up against the edge of the desk and gripping her gently by the throat, but still keeping her exactly where he wanted her to be.
When their lips broke apart, they both looked at each other, stunned for a moment. Amanda’s heart was racing so hard all she could hear was the rush of blood in her ears, and Russell’s eyes glinted down at her before he took a step back and ran a hand through his hair.
When he turned back to face her, it was as if neither of them knew what to say or do. The tension between them was so thick it could be cut with a knife, and all she wanted was to dive on him again, but her nerves were keeping her rooted to the spot.
What were they doing?
And what repercussions was this going to have for everything?
Russell took a moment, but he still didn’t let his eyes leave hers. When he moved back toward her and swept her up in his arms again, this time, she knew there was no going back. This time, the kiss was real and thought out, this time, he hadn’t been able to tear himself away.
He lifted her up onto the desk and wrapped her legs around him, he kissed her strong and passionately, and behind her, he swept all of the files and paperwork from the desk and onto the floor. He pushed his groin against hers and she could already feel how rock hard and huge he was for her. He thrust his hips against her and she moaned as she trailed her fingernails up his back and up into his hair.
She knew it was wrong, but it felt so right that there was going to be no way to stop it.
She wanted him.
She needed him.
He was going to take her places she had never been before and teach her things about love she had never known possible.
He reached up and cupped her breast, as he squeezed it gently and trailed kisses down her neck and to her collarbone. They felt so strong and so intense, she gasped and moaned in ecstasy. He had barely even touched her, but already she was soaking wet and engorged, ready for him to take her and show her how much power he truly had.
Russell pushed her back further and ripped at the fabric of her dress as he pulled it up and hooked his fingers into her panties. They were so hot and feverish for each other, and everything was happening so fast that she could barely keep herself together. She felt as if she was going to unravel the moment he touched her. She reached down and grasped at his belt buckle, and as she opened it and started to rip open his jeans, Russell eased himself out of them and his underwear and she took hold of his incredible length. As she wrapped her fist around his cock, she moaned as she felt the sheer size of it. He was big and thick, hard and throbbing, and when she jacked him slowly she felt a jerk of appreciation roll through him.<
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Russell touched her pussy and she gasped as he slid a finger inside of her, working her over and over, and getting her wetter and more turned on by the second.
She threw her head back and he ripped her dress up and off over her head, before he pulled at his own t-shirt and kicked off his jeans. They were completely naked, rolling around the office and smashing into the filing cabinets and against the walls. Russell pulled her down onto the floor so that she was on top of him and she looked down at him, barely daring to meet his eye.
She wanted him so badly, but she was scared of the consequences.
Surely, this was going to be the beginning of the end for them.
Russell groaned as he flipped her over and pinned her down onto the ground. As she lay there beneath him and he stared down at her, she had never been more turned on in her entire life. She hadn’t been with many men, and Russell was such a fine example of how they should be. He was headstrong, physically strong, and now she could see that he had incredible strength between his legs as well.
He took hold of the base of his cock and rubbed it up and down her pussy. She moaned as he got wet with her juices and then teased her opening, before he plunged himself inside of her.
The feeling of being penetrated by such an enormous size was enough to send Amanda into a wave of powerful pleasure. Her legs tightened around him as she ground her heels into the base of his back and he hammered himself into her, filling her right up with his huge girth and reaching all the right places to send her toward the most incredible orgasm of her life.
When she felt his strokes become quicker and more intense Amanda couldn’t hold on anymore. She was lying beneath her boss, completely naked, and being nailed on the office floor. And not just by any boss, by Russell fucking Newport. A billionaire legendary businessman who was about to take over their city and steal the real estate crown from his father.
Russell’s eyes locked in on hers and she trembled beneath him. He was so strong and powerful, she couldn’t move, and she opened herself wider, guiding him in so deep they were locked together perfectly. When they both came at the same time, Amanda’s whole world spun around her. Russell groaned on top of her, emptying his seed deep inside of her cunt and making her shake with pleasure.
P.A. to the Billionaire Page 7