by Rosie Praks
Julian occupied the tenth floor. I watched the bustling people down below, like little ants in a colony of building blocks. Some were kissing each other before heading back to work after lunch; others were walking in herds, like tourist exploring the new city. I watched the scenery playing out before me until the sounds of the banging stopped.
And now, my investigation would begin.
* * * * *
CHAPTER 12
I was very surprised Julian still kept the same office, considering he was now Devereux heir and CEO and president of the company. I wondered if Beau was still working here. I catalogued that thought at the back of my mind, determined to find out later once I’d had a little chat with Julian.
I looked at the furniture in his office. The memory of our love was abundant here. The oak desk where we constantly made love, the black swivel chair where Julian sat while I satisfied him. Everything looked the same. It was only our relationship that had changed.
I refocused on the task at hand and started my investigation. I shifted through his inbox first. Nothing of importance was there. I looked through his hard copies next, but none looked suspicious. So what made him promptly return to America?
Again the term ‘she’ nagged my mind. Who was she? Was he referring to Melissa? But surely Melissa wasn’t in any kind of trouble. The sound he made on that phone was urgent and worried. It was like someone needed his help and was in trouble.
I shook my head and got back to my investigation. I moved the mouse on his sleeping laptop. He had a password. I tried typing all sorts of combinations, but nothing came up.
I tried again. This time things personal to Julian.
JulianD. That didn’t work.
JDevereux.
God, what is his password?
I recalled Julian saying something about I was his lock and he was my key. Mindlessly, I typed in my own name with his.
JulianKimberly.
It went through.
I searched through all his documents and still found nothing.
Ahh, what is he hiding? And who is this she?
My mind was too consumed in finding out this secret about Julian; I neglected to notice the door opening until someone yanked my hand off the laptop, shoving me to my feet.
“What the fuck are you doing in America? Didn’t I tell you not to come here?”
His vulgarity was raw and unpolished. But the look he presented was the opposite. So sleek and high class, like he’d jumped out of a wedding photo-shoot for Vogue. He wore a black suit with a grey tie and white shirt. His cufflinks were silver. And he wore his black-rimmed glasses again.
Again, he was back to that fierce but meek and gentle façade.
I leaned back in his chair, folding my long legs, not the least bit intimidated by him.
“You didn’t tell me not to come to America, Julian. You told me not to follow you. And I didn’t,” I said smartly, ignoring his glare and turning my attention back to his laptop.
“What are you doing on my laptop?” He took the laptop away from me and closed it gently under his arm. He walked to his tall drawer and placed the laptop there out of my reach.
I watched him, a smirk on my face. “Looking. Searching. Seeing what work you’re up to in our collaborated project.”
Julian jerked his gaze back to me. “You should tell me in advance before barging into my office.”
“I didn’t barge in. I told Melissa I’d be waiting in your office.”
“By locking the door?”
“Yes. Melissa really was unfriendly. She thought I would be the soft, delicate mannequin she could manipulate. Like you. But I proved her wrong.”
“The reason I used you had nothing to do with Melissa. Leave her alone.” There was a sharp edge to his voice, one that demanded not to be played with.
But I did play with him. I wanted to know if Melissa was the ‘she’ in his phone call.
“Are you defending her?” I said sweetly with a hint of sarcasm. “Are you sure she’s not your special someone? The ‘she’ you referred to on the phone?”
Julian’s eyes opened wide. He strode forward and jerked me out of his seat, his grasp firm around my arm. “Is that why you’re here? You want to know about that. I said I’m not ready to tell you yet.”
“Don’t be so proud of yourself, Julian.” I dusted myself off him.
I went to sit on his desk, folding my long legs over each other, my tight red dress riding high up my thighs, exposing my creamy pale flesh for his eyes to feast upon. And I was pleased when his stormy grey eyes clouded up with pure desire. I rested both my palms flat on his desk, with my chest thrust forward, giving him a good view of my cleavage, showing him my confident, provocative stunt.
“Do you think I came here begging you to fuck me like before? A woman can only get hurt a handful of times before she turns tail and runs the other way. But for me, Julian, I don’t turn tail. Yes, I’ve got my heart broken by you. And yes, three times. But no, I’m here as your partner in our collaborative project, not your little sea nymph. So you can get that image out of your head.”
Julian jerked me forward from his desk so suddenly I lost balance, falling straight into his arms. He forced my chin up. Fiery passion gleamed in his eyes. And I was reminded again of how powerful those eyes mesmerized me.
“You are a nuisance, Kimberly. Why won’t you listen to me? Go home. There is nothing here for you to do. Ask Geoffrey to get another representative.”
“Don’t you fucking touch me?” I snapped, tearing my body off him, glaring at him with madness and lust all rolled into one.
I bit my lips, feeling myself incapable of doing anything right. Here I was, once again, like the little dog, begging for his attention. I dressed like this because I wanted him to find me desirable, so when he saw me, he’d jump at me and fuck me senseless, not have this absurd conversation about me going back home.
Oh God. I was so mad. Or was I so madly in love with him that I couldn’t think straight anymore?
I squared my shoulders and acted confident again. “I’m here as a representative of Henderson. I’m not your fucking toy anymore.”
“Fuck, Kimberly,” Julian growled, yanking my lips to meet his so suddenly I lost my bearings, until I couldn’t think of another swear word to curse him.
He looked at me with desire, lust, and something more.
“You need to go. Now,” he panted, breaths coming in heavy fits.
“I’m not going anywhere.” I shoved him off, fighting for him to let me free. But he held me still. This time when I tried to escape, he pushed me into the glass wall. Now I was trapped, with Julian the beast at my front and the hard solid glass wall at my back. “Why? Why can’t I stay here? What are you afraid of? That I might find out your secret. That I—”
His lips crushed onto mine again. He kissed me hard, his tongue harshly coiling inside my mouth, burning every single tissue with his tongue.
I hated this. Hated the feeling of how just a flick of his tongue inside my mouth had my heart rate increased and desire pooled in my panties.
But God, I loved this also. Loved it so much. This fierce love. This hardcore love. I was mad. I was definitely mad for feeling like this, for always falling into his trap, again and again.
I punched his chest and bit his lip to redeem myself. Julian instantly recoiled in pain and let me go. I scrambled out of his embrace. But he extended his long arms, trapping me against his chest.
I fought him hard, twisting the skin at his wrist. He let go but still managed to trap me again. I stomped on his foot. He jumped, pulling me back farther, and together, we slid along the glass wall until I was sitting on his lap, my short red skirt now all the way up my thighs, exposing my thin lacy panties underneath.
“Let me go, you ignorant bastard.” I carried on hurling curses at him while using my fingers to pinch his arms.
Julian had had enough of my nonsense. He twisted my chin and slid his lips to cover mine again, just to shut
me up. My neck hurt from kissing at this angle, but I was so overcome by my greedy need of his mouth, I kissed him back, sucking at his lips until I couldn’t breathe. After a while, I stopped struggling, and Julian finally set my mouth free.
I gazed into his stormy grey eyes, flashing behind his glasses. They were covered in fog, just as his glasses were all fogged up from before. His breath was heavy and his skin flushed. The same could be said for me. I was already wet for him.
“Go home, Kimberly. It’s not safe for you here,” he panted into my ear.
“Not safe for me or not safe for you? Are you scared I might find out your secret?”
“It’s not about my secret anymore.” He buried his face into my hair, his arms still holding me in place.
“Then what is it? Tell me.”
“It’s because you fucking tempt me, that’s why?” Julian snapped, tossing my body around so now I was straddling him. He trapped my face between his palms, his eyes focused on my green ones. “Every single time you’re here, I am tempted by you. And I need to work.”
“Then fine.” I tore his palms off my face, irritation in my voice. “I won’t be in your way. I get my own office. You stay in yours. We’ll only be together during meetings. You can pretend not to know me. I’ll do the same.”
“Over my fucking dead body. How can I pretend not to know you when you’re acting and dressing like that?”
I looked down at my skintight red dress, with my bared arms, my exposed cleavage, and my long, smooth legs all out on display for his viewing. Or at any man’s viewing, any man who wanted a good look at a beautiful woman like me.
“What? What’s the problem with the way I dress?” I feigned ignorance, wanting to test his true nature.
“You’re tempting men to fuck you, that’s what,” he answered in irritation.
“Men?” I quirked my eyebrow in question.
“Yes. Men.” He answered again in frustration.
“How about you?”
“Yes. Me included.”
I shrugged my shoulders. “Then that’s your problem. Not mine.”
“See, this is what I mean. You’re so damn stubborn. Why won’t you listen to me?”
“Why should I listen to you? You’ve used me, remember. I don’t want to be a fool again. God, I can’t even trust you right now.”
Some unknown emotion flickered through his eyes. He hugged me suddenly, as if frightened I might really go to those men he mentioned. “I’ll make you trust me, Kimberly. Please believe in me. I won’t use you again. I’ll make you trust me.”
“I don’t believe you.” I tore him off, clearly mystified by his change of behavior.
Julian suddenly gripped my wrist and glared at me, Fire of passion lit up in his eyes. I couldn’t take my eyes off those grey ones. “I’ll make you fall for me, Kimberly. Sooner or later, you’ll surrender to me.”
Our gazes were locked, unwavering. We both stared at each other, the tension and electrical current virile between us.
“Good luck to that, then, Julian.” I blinked first, cutting off our connection and getting up off his lap. “But Papa won’t be sending another representative. It’s me. And I’m serious about having my own space. And preferably with some trees, not people smooching at each other on the streets.”
“God fuck!” He gritted his teeth and pulled me back down on his lap again. “Why are you so stubborn?” He shook me, like I might wake up and obey his order again.
Not likely.
I only smirked back and patted his cheek lightly, knowing it made him frustrated. And God, it felt good. I smiled and spoke. “That’s because I’ve learned from the very best example. You, Julian. You made me behave like this.”
Julian snapped. He fisted his fingers at the base of my skull and jerked my lips forward until he could seal them with his own. And then he was at it again. Kissing me. And punishing me. That was all he was good at—kissing me just to shut me up. His fingers dug into my hair, securing my head to make sure I couldn’t escape from his aggressive kiss.
I couldn’t bite his lips this time. He was an expert at guessing my move. He made sure to twist and twirl his tongue to get the best pleasure for my punishment, but he also made sure to use enough force to stimulate heated passion in my core.
“Does it feel good to be kissed like this?” he growled into my ear. “I want to kiss you like this. To fuck your mouth like this so you will shut up and listen to me for once.”
“Julian… umm.” I drummed his chest, but he latched onto my lips with a tight seal.
I was lost to the sensation of his kiss. God, I missed it. Was that why I came running to Miami, dressed like some call girl, just so he could aggressively kiss me like this?
“Julian, the meeting is on—”
Julian froze. I froze. Someone was at the door. Julian bent his head to see who had interrupted us. His lips were still attached to mine.
I couldn’t quite hear what they were saying. The sound of blood surging through my veins was too loud for me to notice anything else.
Julian finally peeled his lips from mine. His eyes still held that fiery substance as he looked at me. “You want to stay, Kimberly. Then be a good business partner by coming to the meeting.”
* * * * *
The meeting was pretty much the same except for three aspects. Josh was not present. Beau was also not present. And Julian ruled the meeting like he was the judge in the courthouse. He slashed everyone down with his glare so they were all intimidated by him. Including me. I could see it in their eyes. Pure regret for treating Julian like an incapable underling.
Julian was powerful and confident, unlike the meek and gentle character from a few months back. He ploughed through the presentation, explaining the structure and plans, detailing all aspects of the project so by the end of the presentation, no one had asked him any questions. Everything was clear and concise. In conclusion, everyone came out of the meeting room with renewed respect for him.
I smiled. Oh how the chameleon had changed its color.
After the meeting, I thought our conversation would resume, but I was unceremoniously dumped inside Julian’s office, with him disappearing off somewhere without warning, only telling me he’d be back to pick me up to take me to his apartment.
A chair, desk, laptop, and all the necessary stationary required to run an efficient office was already there when I returned from the meeting.
I sighed and dumped myself on the chair. I turned on the laptop and did some work, going over some documents.
It was approaching five by the time I got my head around the project. And still, Julian hadn’t come back. Unbelievable.
Obviously, I wasn't going to wait for him. I’ll just check myself in at Silverton Hotel and get some food. I’m famished.
I walked outside, and a man dressed in a chauffeur uniform approached me.
“Are you Miss Kimberly Henderson?” he asked, scanning me up and down.
I looked him up and down too, assessing his character for trustworthiness. The man was bald, his stomach slightly pudgy, and he was a good head shorter than me, with a skull tattoo on his wrist. I wondered how he knew me.
“Yes. And you are?”
He didn’t answer my question. Instead, he went on to explain his intention. “I was told by Mr. Julian Devereux to pick you up for dinner.”
Oh, so Julian didn’t forget about me after all.
I immediately slid into the backseat of the limousine, watching as the he took me to who knows where.
We drove for some time, passing the bustling inner city. Finally, he stopped. He opened the door, letting me out to a path filled with flowers in full bloom. We were at the botanical gardens. The sweet fragrance of flowers filled the air.
The driver told me Julian would be waiting in the open gazebo. I followed his instructions, waiting for Julian to show. I sat on one of the seats, admiring the white roses that grew beside me, watching couples with linked arms, walking and smiling at each
other. Other couples hid in bushes, kissing and hugging. One couple had their back to me, the man partially obscured in the bush. The woman I couldn’t see.
Looking at those lovely couples, a deep sadness spread through my heart. Would there be a time Julian and I would reach this type of relationship, a kind of mutual understanding between us that wasn't based on lies and deception? Would there be a time when our love would be as pure as this white rose, not the crushing instant lust that consumed us every time we saw each other?
I sighed, feeling depressed with my life. Why must I fall in love with him? What good did he do me? Apart from our amazing sex life, there was nothing else. He had used me. He’d never even explained why. But still I trusted him. Our love was twisted. Or maybe it was just me who was so twisted to fall in love with him.
I waited a few more minutes. It was already past five thirty. Realizing I’d been stood up, I dusted myself off and was prepared to look for a taxi to head back into town, but the couple that was partially obscured in the bush moved slightly.
My eyes instantly froze on them. It was Julian. But he wasn’t alone. He was with a woman.
* * * * *
CHAPTER 13
My eyes must have deceived me. Julian… with another woman? It couldn’t be. He promised me. He said he wanted to have a relationship with me.
But he used you before. Why not use you again?
Was that why he said I shouldn’t be in America? Was that why he wanted me back in Australia? Because he was in love with another woman and I was just his plaything? Because he no longer had any use for me and now wanted to get rid of me?
I didn’t want to believe this. I had to test him.
So I did. I called his phone.
And Julian picked up the call. I immediately cut off, satisfied with what I saw.
I watched Julian as he shook his head and dismissed the call. He didn’t even look at his damn phone once to see who’d called him. His concentration was all focused on that woman.