by Lynda Chance
"Well, we can't leave them at home. They have to come with me. This skirt is not short. I wear this into the office. You are being ridiculous. Obstinate. And you are about to piss me off. Now, let's go. "
"Okay. But I'm warning you. Just one mother fucker looks at you the wrong way, and I'm locking you in my office. Got that? " Possessiveness was running through his veins. Irritation at the thought that he could be jealous. He had never been jealous in his life.
"Yes, oh mighty one. I've got that. " She sailed passed him to the car.
Jenny sat across from him in the booth. He had tried to slide her in first so that she would be between him and the wall. She had balked at that. The more she got to know him, the more amazed she was at his machinations. The man truly wanted to get his own way. Yet, as the night wore on, she was beginning to think that he mostly acted that way with her. The idea was intriguing.
There was no doubt that he was a little spoiled. But he was also kind and generous. The bar had gotten busy early that night. He was patient with the waiter when their food came out cold. He was patient with the bartender when their drinks came over wrong. But he had bitten her head off when she got up to excuse herself to the restroom. "Didn't you go before you left the house? "
He barked and grabbed her hand and held her beside the table. She frowned. "That was three hours ago. Let go, Richard. I have to go. " She pulled on her hand.
"Don't go to the women's room in the back. Use the bathroom in my office. " He released her.
"Oh, whatever. " She rolled her eyes at him and turned away.
Bringing her here had been a mistake. He was feeling the same gut-churning emotions as two weeks ago when he had seen her for the first time. Only now, it was multiplied by ten. Back then, the men stared at the new merchandise. Now, they were salivating over her beauty and intrigued because she was with him.
He thought about her accusation that he was a dictator. Well, Goddamn, what did she expect? Did she expect him just to let her run loose and get lost in Baton Rouge? Did she think he didn't care if she stalled out in high water? Did she expect him to sit back and watch some guy hit on her, in his own fucking bar?
Unease gripped him. He knew he wasn't acting rationally with her. He probably should just quit seeing her and all this bullshit would go away. He thought about giving up her wholesomeness, her beauty. He thought about her liquid heat enfolding him. Hell no, he wouldn't give her up yet. He wasn't ready to let her go, and he damn well wasn't going to. He refused to consider the reason why she made him so fucked up. He wasn't even going to go there. He acknowledged he was a spoiled-ass bastard. He wanted to keep her. So he would.
As she left his office, she glanced around. The bar was filling up quickly. She had been oblivious to it earlier as they sat in the booth. Her attention had been solely fixed on him. Even though he had been attentive to her the whole time, she knew he saw everything going on around them.
"Jenny, right? " She stopped and looked at the bartender smiling and calling her name. She walked over and stood next to the bar.
"That's right. How are you? "
"I'm fine. My name's Sabrina. So, you and Richard, huh? " She lifted her brows and grinned in female camaraderie.
Jenny had to laugh. "Yeah, I guess so. What do you think? " she asked. Sabrina looked about twenty-five, and she was pretty in an unassuming way. The girl was being friendly and curious and Jenny enjoyed talking to her.
"I think you're brave. I mean, he's hot and all, I mean, for an old guy-- "
Jenny laughed out loud. "Yeah. I think he's hot, too. And probably old for you, but just right for me. "
"Yep. You seem perfect for him. I hope he realizes that. I like you, so I'm going to warn you. He uses women. Mostly the barflies that troll this place. He has a good heart, but he can be a real ass. Don't let him hurt you. "
Jenny saw the sincerity and concern in Sabrina's eyes. She nodded her head in agreement.
"Don't look now, but one of them is circling him now. " Sabrina was looking past Jenny and in Richard's direction.
"Are you serious? " Her voice sounded distressed, even to herself.
"Yeah. Hold on a minute, I need to serve that guy. Just a sec. " She moved down the bar and Jenny watched the mirror behind the bar. She could see a tall blonde leaning on Richard's table. Irritation went through her. She was stunned when the blonde reached out and minutely adjusted his tie. The movement incensed her. She couldn't see Richard's face but he didn't seem to mind. He was still sitting there.
Sabrina sailed back over and put a drink down in front of her. "For you. From that guy down there. "
Jenny was preoccupied with the booth behind her, and wasn't paying much attention. She reached down and took a fortifying sip. She glanced down the bar where a man about her age was looking at her and smiling. He lifted his glass to toast her. She tried to smile her thanks.
She looked back at Sabrina and asked, "What should I do? " She felt helpless and awkward in the situation and didn't want to just walk back over there with the blonde hanging around.
Before she received an answer, she felt someone move to sit on the barstool beside where she was standing. The guy that bought her the drink was making his move.
She did not want to have to deal with this right now.
"Hey. You're new. I've never seen you in here before. I'm David. " He held out his hand.
She automatically put her hand in his. "Jenny. Thanks for the drink, David, but I don't think-- " The words stopped when she felt heavy hands drop to her shoulders from behind her. She was stunned that he could appear like that when just a second ago he was talking to someone else.
She felt Richard reach around her and push her drink toward David. "The lady doesn't want your drink. " Antagonism laced his words.
"You don't know that. She can decide for herself. " David sounded surly and inebriated.
"I do know that. She doesn't want it. " Jenny stood in shocked silence as the drama unfolded around her. She looked up and saw that Sabrina was just as engrossed in the interchange.
"Look, Bergeron, you can't just walk over here and-- "
"I can. She belongs to me. Now. You can walk over there and keep drinking and find someone else, or you can leave my bar. Your choice. But don't try it again with this one. Understand? "
Jenny saw the man look closely at Richard, then at her again. He answered. "Okay, man. I didn't know she was yours. No problem. " He picked up his drink and moved away.
Jenny remained frozen in silence. Anger at his arrogance pulsed through her. She was about to turn and complain when she saw the blonde walk up behind him. Oh, my God! This just kept getting better by the second.
She watched in the mirror as the blonde started pulling on one of his arms. Her words when she spoke were slurred. "Come on, Richard baby. I thought we were gonna have fun tonight. " She wobbled on her slutty shoes.
He let go of Jenny and reached out and steadied the woman. "Not tonight, Darlene. You're drunk. You need to go home. " He spoke gently to the woman. Then he turned to the bartender. "Sabrina, will you call a cab for Darlene, please? "
Rage like she had never known filled Jenny's mind. She felt like the top of her head was going to explode. She steeled herself and forced herself to speak in a moderate tone. "Yes, Sabrina, will you make that two cabs, please? I really need to get home, also. " The bartender turned away to use the phone down the bar.
Richard stiffened at her words. Darlene was still hanging on him. He turned and set her on a barstool and grabbed Jenny's hand and started pulling her toward his office. "I want to talk to you, " he barked.
Jenny wasn't going to cause a scene by falling to the floor and refusing to go with him. She knew he would literally drag her behind him if he had to. She called out to Sabrina. "Just knock on the door when my cab gets here, okay? " She barely heard the woman's agreement before being thrust into the room.
The door slammed shut behind them.
Jenny shook off his arm and
walked across the room. She took a stabilizing breath and turned to face him. He was leaning negligently against the door.
"What's this all about, Jenny? " His voice was calm and soothing.
Jenny saw the tactics he was going to use to try to get his way. Her resolve hardened.
"I'm going home. "
"Why? "
"I'm not going to have a fight with you. I don't need to explain myself. You know what you've done. If you don't know, then I guess you've got all the time in the world to figure it out, now don't you? " Her voice was dripping sugar.
He straightened himself to his full height at her words. "What the hell is that supposed to mean? Are you threatening me, babe? " He advanced toward her.
She held her ground. "Stay away from me, Richard. " Her voice was alarmed, angry. Hysteria was not far from the surface. She didn't know what she would do if he touched her. She might hit him. Or she might melt in his arms. She stiffened her spine and braced herself.
He heard the panic in her voice. He stopped. He could see she was really upset. He needed to calm her. "Okay. I won't touch you. But you don't need to leave, sweetheart. We can talk about this. "
"I don't want to talk about it. " Her voice was shaky. "Not right now. I can't. I want to go home. "
"No. I don't want you to go home, I-- "
She cut him off. "No. You can't always have it your way, Richard. I want to go home. I th-think this is probably o-over, anyway. "
"No. Bullshit. It's not over. You need to tell me what the fuck I did wrong. " His words were clipped. Pissed. He started toward her again and she scooted around to the back of his desk.
He followed her around the desk. He reached for her and she turned away and he saw her face crumple. She gulped a few times, trying to get a hold of herself. It didn't work. She broke into tears. He froze. She stumbled over to the couch and fell onto it with her back still facing him. She started sobbing. Her shoulders were shaking and she put her arms over her face. He stood and watched the sobs continue.
"Jenny. Sweetheart. Don't cry. I'm sorry. Whatever I did, I'm sorry. " He broke off when a knock sounded on the door.
Sabrina's voice called out. "Jenny. Cab's here. "
Jenny stumbled to her feet. She wiped her eyes and straightened her skirt. She didn't look at him. As she walked past him, he reached out and grabbed her arm. "Stay here. " He gritted out.
She pulled on her arm. He didn't release her. "No. "
She kept pulling. "You're hurting me. "
He eased his hold but didn't let go. He put his other hand to her face and lifted it. "This isn't over. Not by a long shot, babe. " He took her mouth in a punishing kiss. She hung in his grasp as he devoured her with ruthless purpose. She hung there for several long moments as his tongue and teeth attacked her. She jerked back. He held her at arm's length. They stared at each other. She pulled from him and he released his grip.
She turned and fled.
Chapter Ten
Richard woke with a pounding headache. He hadn't consumed that much bourbon since his early twenties. Now he remembered why. Shit. His head was going to split open. Memories from the night before came to him.
The fight. The tears. The panic he felt after she left.
He crawled out of bed and swallowed four aspirin and stood under a hot shower. The needles of water attacked his skin as he tried to shake it off.
He wasn't completely stupid. He knew she was upset about Darlene. Or she was upset because of what he had said to the fucker trying to make it with her. Or she was mad about both.
He needed to see her. He wanted to talk to her. He wanted to hold her. What the hell was he going to say to her? That he wasn't through fucking her yet? That he would never, ever, in this lifetime have enough of fucking her? Jesus Christ.
He hung his head as the truth hit him.
Sunday evening, Jenny was no better off than she had been when she had climbed from the cab on Friday night. She went from bouts of crying, to eating ice cream, to watching old movies.
Richard tried to call her twice. She didn't pick up either call. He didn't leave a message.
She was scared it was over. She was scared it wasn't. Her distress was taking a toll on her. She wasn't sleeping. She wasn't eating properly.
She was sitting in the kitchen, staring out the window when her doorbell pealed. The sound petrified her. It pealed again. She got up and slowly walked to the front door.
"Who is it? " Her voice was weak.
"It's me, Jenny. " The sound of his voice made her knees start shaking. "Open the door, sweetheart. "
She turned the lock and opened the door a few inches.
"Can I come in? " Jenny was watching him from behind the door. She slowly opened it and he stepped through.
Richard closed the door and leaned against it. They watched each other in silence. He opened his arms for her. She took a step toward him and stopped. He reached out and pulled her to him. She collapsed against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her.
"Angel. Please don't ever do that do me again. " His voice was filled with emotion. She sagged in his arms. He lifted her face and sipped at her lips. " You're so precious, so beautiful. I didn't mean to hurt you. Or piss you off. I don't ever want to hurt you. "
His soothing words flowed through her. His tenderness was like a balm to her heart. She took his hand and led him over to the couch. She made a move to sit next to him, but he pulled her onto his lap. She relaxed against him. She sighed. She had things that needed to be said.
"Richard. I feel like I give in this relationship. And you take. " That was it. Concise and to the point. She waited for his argument. His attack of dominion and power.
He played with her hair. "Yeah. That's the way it's been. Hasn't it? I've been a selfish bastard. "
His agreement startled her enough to question him. "Why do you do that? Friday night? Why do you think you can tell people that I belong to you, and then turn around and let some woman think that you might spend a different night with her? "
Her accusation disconcerted him. "I didn't do that. I was just trying to brush her off so I could deal with the asshole trying to dick you. That's all I was doing after I saw you come back from the bathroom. That mother fucker was watching you when you went in my office. He was watching you when you came out. I was about to get up and go to you then when Darlene came to the table. I feel sorry for her, Jenny. She's had a rough couple of years. Her husband ran off with her best friend. She lost her job. I feel bad for her, Jenny. But I sure as shit don't want to sleep with her. "
She listened to his explanation. It was the truth as he saw it. It satisfied her anger about the other woman. She leaned in and kissed him gently on the mouth. He reached up and took her face between his hands and pressed easy, nonthreatening kisses on her lips. "I'm sorry if I was rough with you before you left. I don't want to hurt you. I didn't hurt you, did I? "
"No. I'm okay. " She ran her fingers through his hair and kissed him back. After another few minutes of soft kisses, she broke her mouth away and looked at him. "Why do you think you can tell people that I belong to you? "
"Because you do. "
"No, I don't. " Her voice was even.
"Yes, you do. You're mine. You belong to me. Mine. " His words started calm, but ended harsh.
"There hasn't been anything said about me belonging-- "
"Okay, fine. I'm saying it now. I want you. You belong to me. Why do you keep disputing this? We sleep together. Are you sleeping with someone else? Do you want me to sleep with someone else? " His voice was getting punishing, belligerent. His hands went to the top button on her shirt and started opening it. She grabbed his hands to stop him.
"No, I'm not sleeping with anyone. And no, you can't either. Stop that. Why do you start taking my clothes off every time you think you aren't getting your way?" she yelled at him.
"Because just the thought of you with somebody else pisses me off. And when I get pissed off about it, t
he only thing that calms me down is getting it in you. " His nostrils flared, but his hands stilled.
"Okay, Richard. I'm yours. But you're mine, too. It's got to go both ways. "
"Deal. But I'm warning you right now. I don't share. I've never been jealous before but with you it's driving me crazy. "
An arrow of joy went through her at his words. "Okay. I'm not going to give you a reason to be jealous. But you've got to give me about two minutes to turn down an offer before you come barreling to my rescue. " Her tone was mild.
"Two minutes. That's it. And we might as well get this settled now, also. I want you to pack your stuff up and move in with me. This is ridiculous us going back and forth like this. I've got more room at my house, you can have your own office. " His words were a statement.
Shock went through her. "No, I don't think I can do that. That would be long-term and--"
"Hell, yes, it's going to be long-term. You might as well sell the house; you're not going to need it. "
The impact of what he was suggesting jarred her. "No. I can't sell the house. This is my home. This is the boy's home-- "
"The boys live in Houston. "
"They come home for the summer. For Christmas-- "
"They can come to my house. I like kids. You love my kitchen. It's your kitchen. You'd like that, hmm, sweetheart? " His voice turned soft, cajoling. His lips went to her ear and his hands undid the second button on her shirt.
"Richard, stop. We have to talk about this. I can't believe you're trying to bribe me with your kitchen. I can't sell my house and move because I love your kitchen. "
"No, you sell your house and move because you love me. " His words engendered panic within her. She couldn't love him. He couldn't know she loved him. Apprehension and excitement raced through her. She looked into his eyes. He watched her take in what he said as he unbuttoned her third button.
Her excitement turned to panic. "I can't love you. You're a mobster. "
"I'm a what? " He shouted the question at her.
"Well, aren't you? Don't you make all that money doing stuff that you shouldn't be doing?"