Corporate Passion

by Carol Lynne

  "What are you gonna do with Damon?” Damon's deep voice echoed through the quiet office.

  Shane turned and smiled. “Tell you to meet me in my office for a private meeting in an hour.” He looked at Rachel. “I think we'll need someone to take notes."

  Rachel smiled. “Yes, Mr. Brassil."

  "I think we know each other well enough now for you to be a little more informal, Ms. Ellerby.” Shane stood and strode into his office.

  "Yes, Boss Man.” She winked as Shane turned his head back towards her chuckling and shut the door.

  Damon took the seat in front of her desk. “What was that all about?"

  Sighing, Rachel reached across the desktop. “I'm having a rough day. I think every available-and a few not-so-available-women working in this company have been in to check out the new meat. I'm just feeling a little territorial. I'm rather fond of your meat."

  Damon covered her hand with his large one. “Isn't it just a wee bit fun though, to know you have something no other woman in the world even has a shot at? Because they don't, you know. We've thought a long time about bringing you into our circle, sweetheart. And before you ask, no, it had nothing to do with the fact that you were just handy. I'll be honest with you. One of the reasons I decided to take this job, after refusing it so many times before, was because I was afraid I would lose Shane to you. I think he truly loves you."

  Squeezing her eyes shut, Rachel shook her head. “How? Last week was our first date. He's kept me at arms length for almost two years. How can you treat someone you care about like that?"

  Damon stood and stepped around the side of Rachel's desk. He bent and kissed her. “Because our Shane is loyal. We love each other, and he wouldn't betray my trust, no matter what. That loyalty now belongs to you, too. He'd die before he ever hurt either of us."

  Shaking her head again, Rachel looked at Damon. So much had happened in the past week. Sure, she loved the way she felt when she was around them, but she'd learned long ago not to pin hopes and dreams on a man. With two men in the mix, she'd already convinced herself it was a once in a lifetime affair. But an affair nonetheless. “It's a lot to take in. You guys aren't just talking about a short-term fling are you?"

  "No, we're not. We hope we can become a family."

  Rachel's eyes almost popped out of her head. “What?"

  "Do you care for us?” Damon asked.

  "Yes. I mean I've cared for Shane for a long time. I know I haven't known you long, but, yes, I care for you. But I need some time to process everything. I'm not very good at making decisions on the spot. Usually, I think things through forever. My best friend Dot always makes fun of me, because it took me almost an entire year to decide on a loveseat for my apartment.” Rachel dug her purse out of the drawer. “If it's okay, I think I'll take a long lunch and walk down to the park."

  Damon looked towards the office door and back at Rachel. “Shane won't like you walking to the park alone."

  "It's the middle of the day for God's sake.” Rachel slung her purse over her shoulder. “See, this is what I'm worried about. I don't want to be consumed by anyone. Complemented yes, consumed no.” Rachel looked around and quickly kissed Damon again. “Just give me a couple of hours."

  When Damon opened his mouth to argue, she shook her head. “Let me have this time. Please.” At Damon's nod, Rachel walked out.

  * * * *

  Walking into Shane's office, Damon sighed. “I guess we'll have to take our own notes. Rachel needed some time alone, so she took off for a couple of hours.” Damon locked Shane's door as he entered.

  Shane pushed back from his desk and walked towards Damon. “What're you talking about? Where'd she go?"

  Pulling a confused Shane into his arms, Damon fell back onto the deep leather sofa. “Rachel asked, and I told her the truth. That we want her to become a family with us. That this isn't just an affair.” Damon ran his hand over his head. “I think I freaked her out a little. Anyway, she's gone to the park to do some thinking. She said she'd be back in a couple of hours.” Damon could feel Shane's muscles tensing under his hands.

  "What park? You mean Central Park? That's not safe. There are all kinds of places in Central Park where a woman that looks like Rachel could get into a lot of trouble."

  Damon silenced Shane with a deep kiss. Shane took the kiss even further and straddled Damon's lap. Damon ran his hands down Shane's back to his ass. He held the firm twin globes and ground his cock against Shane's. It was like setting a match to dry kindling. Shane pulled his mouth away and quickly unzipped them both.

  "Need to feel you.” With both erections in his hand, Shane began a slow stroking.

  As good as Shane's hands felt, it just wasn't enough for Damon. “Want in you."

  Nodding his approval of the idea, Shane stood and removed his clothes. He looked at the locked door then at the clock on the wall as Damon undressed beside him. Shane went to his desk drawer and removed a brand new tube of lube. He handed the tube to Damon. “Where do you want me?"

  * * * *

  They must have fallen asleep, because Shane woke to the constant ringing of his phone. He pried himself away from Damon and walked towards his desk. Looking at the clock he was amazed they'd been asleep for a little over an hour. Picking up the cordless phone, Shane made his way to his in-office bathroom. “Shane Brassil."

  "Shane?"

  Rachel's voice sounded distant and scared. Shane immediately snapped his fingers at a still groggy Damon. “Where are you?” Shane ran some water over a washcloth and tried to clean himself while waiting for Rachel to answer. Damon appeared at his side and took over the cleaning for him. “Rachel? Answer me. Where are you?"

  "I need you. I'm ... I'm in the emergency room down the street. I'm so sorry, Shane. I should've listened to Damon."

  "Sorry for what? Why are you at the emergency room?” Cleaned up, Shane quickly started dressing. Frantic to get his clothes on, his hands wouldn't cooperate. Damon thankfully took over for him.

  "Someone tried to rape me. But I'm okay. Can you and Damon come down and take me home?"

  "We'll be there in ten minutes. Hang on."

  Shane broke the connection then dialled his chauffer. After hanging up, he pulled Damon towards the door. “Rachel's been the victim of an attempted rape. She's at the hospital. I told the car to meet us there. I figured it would be quicker to go on foot than to wait on Manhattan traffic."

  As he pushed the button for the executive elevator, Shane turned back to Damon. He knew Damon prided himself on always being in control, but at that moment, his lover seemed completely bewildered. Before his eyes, Damon's body began to vibrate slightly. The doors opened, and Shane pulled Damon inside. “She said she's okay."

  Damon looked at him, and Shane could see the tension in his jaw. Oh fuck. Damon is pissed. Shane had only seen that particular look one other time, and it didn't end pretty for the guys in the bar that made fun of them for holding hands. Shane knew he needed to diffuse some of Damon's anger before they reached the hospital.

  "It'll be okay. We'll bring her back to the penthouse in the car. We'll keep her safe, Damon.” Shane watched as the numbers slowly indicated what floor they were passing.

  "I let her go there. I told you she'd be fine, and she paid for my mistake.” Damon's voice was so low and deep Shane had to strain to understand him.

  The doors opened, and both men took off at a run towards the hospital. They ran the nine blocks, side by side, only stopping long enough to check for cars as they sprinted through the streets of New York. By the time they reached the emergency room, both men were out of breath. They found Rachel in the waiting room. Shane's heart broke when he saw the wheelchair she sat in and the nasty bruise on the side of her face. Her blouse had been replaced by a hospital gown. Rachel was talking to an older man dressed in grey slacks and an ill-fitting white shirt.

  When she spotted them, she held her arms out. Shane fell to his knees in front of her and wrapped her lovingly in his embrac
e. “Are you alright?"

  The swollen bruise on the side of her cheek was turning a deep shade of purple, and he spotted a small cut close to her hairline. He pushed her hair back and examined the wound. It had a couple stitches, but didn't look too serious.

  Rachel placed her palms on Shane's cheeks. “I'm okay, really.” Rachel looked at Damon and held out her hand. He immediately took it but didn't say anything. He just stood beside her like a bodyguard.

  Rachel looked at the man she'd been talking to when they came in. “Detective Shuman, these are my boyfriends, Shane Brassil and Damon Johnson.” She turned back to Shane. “Detective Shuman's been kind enough to wait with me until you arrived."

  Damon put his hand on Rachel's shoulder and bent over. “Have you already given the detective your statement, sweetheart?"

  Nodding, Rachel placed her hand on top of his. “Yes. I'm sorry about this. I know you told me not to go to the park by myself. I guess I should have listened."

  Detective Shuman broke in. “I'd like to assure you gentlemen that she did nothing wrong. She was in a pretty well-travelled section of the park. The suspect must have been following her, because he knew just when to grab her and carry her off behind a stand of trees. Ms. Ellerby was lucky. Another woman saw it happen and ran for help. When the suspect heard the voices coming to Ms. Ellerby's rescue, he took off, but he took her purse with him."

  The detective looked at both men. “Her attempted rapist now has her address. Unfortunately, we don't have the manpower to post someone outside her apartment building twenty-four hours a day. If you care for her, you won't let her go back there alone."

  Damon narrowed his eyes the slightest bit at the detective. “You just worry about trying to catch this sonofabitch. We'll take care of Rachel. You have my word on that."

  The detective looked at Damon for a few seconds and nodded. “See that you do. She's a nice lady. This city isn't always as kind to women as I'd like for it to be.” He stood and shook Damon's hand then Shane's. He looked at Rachel. “I'll be in touch. I've got your work number and your cell phone number."

  Shane interrupted. “Let me give you my home number as well. That's where Rachel will be staying.” He pulled out one of his business cards and wrote his home number on the back. He gave it to Detective Shuman and shook his hand once more. “Thank you for waiting with Rachel."

  "It was my pleasure.” Detective Shuman nodded and left.

  Damon knelt down in front of Rachel and kissed her lightly on the cheek, staying clear of the swollen bruise. “Can you leave now?"

  "Yes.” Rachel started to stand, but Damon swept her off her feet to cradle her in his massive arms. A warmth invaded Shane at the tender way Damon settled Rachel against his chest.

  "Let me do it. I need to feel you close to me right now,” Damon whispered.

  Shane shrugged out of his jacket and draped it around Rachel's shoulders. Damon carried her outside as Shane went to find his driver.

  When they were all three settled inside the car, Shane wrapped his arms around both of them. He kissed Rachel's forehead. “You're not going back to your apartment until this sick fuck is found."

  With her head on Damon's shoulder Rachel shook her head. “I'll need to get more clothes. I only have a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt at your house."

  Shane shook his head right back at her. “I'll buy you more damn clothes before I let you go back there."

  The look on Rachel's face told him she wasn't happy about that. “What if I send some of the buildings security people over to get your clothes?"

  "Then everyone will know I'm staying with you. Are you sure that's a good idea? You're the owner and president of a corporation, Shane. You need to think about it."

  Shane attempted to pull her out of Damon's arms and into his own, but Damon wasn't giving an inch. Exasperated, Shane wrapped his arms tighter around the two of them. “What good is owning the company if you have to be afraid of repercussions at work? I'm the boss, remember? If they don't approve of my lifestyle, they can find another job. You and Damon come first on my list of priorities."

  * * * *

  Damon carried Rachel into the building amongst stares from various employees, milling around in the lobby. God, she hated feeling on display at a time like this. They went straight to the executive elevator and up to the penthouse. When Damon started to set her down on the bed, she shook her head.

  Rachel started pushing out of Damon's arms. “I need a shower. Th ... That man had his hands on my bare skin. I feel dirty."

  Holding onto her, Damon carried Rachel into the bathroom. He didn't say anything but Rachel could tell how tense her big man was. Shane went to the shower stall. “Would you prefer a bath or a shower?"

  Finally on her feet again, Rachel looked at Shane. Biting her lip she looked towards the floor, shame filling her. “I'd like a shower, but I'd also like to be alone for it. I want to get clean before either of you touch or see me."

  Shane kissed the top of her head. “We'll go fix some lunch while you shower. Call if you need us."

  Rachel was grateful the men didn't put up a fuss about her request. She nodded but didn't look at either of them as Shane pulled Damon from the room. She couldn't help worrying that Damon was disappointed in her. He'd told her not to go, and she had anyway.

  Once the men were gone, Rachel undressed and turned on the shower. She glanced in the mirror and saw a stranger. Before help had arrived, her attacker managed to bruise her body in several places. One of the worst to Rachel was the bruises he left on her breasts. One bruise was obviously a bite mark, but there were also fingertip bruises dotting her creamy flesh.

  Leaning closer to the mirror, Rachel eyed her cheek. “Boy, that's gonna be pretty come Monday morning.” When she started to lean back, she caught her own eyes in the mirror. She still looked dazed. It was obvious she'd been crying, but it was more than that. Rachel realised she looked almost ... empty. “Who are you?” she asked her reflection.

  Turning away from the mirror, Rachel stepped inside the dual-head shower. She picked up the scrub brush and soap and went to work. She washed her hair but had to be careful of the stitches at her hairline. The doctor told her not to get them wet today, but she had to get clean, so she tried her best to wash around that particular spot.

  Scrubbing her body once again, Rachel realised she might never feel clean again. Why did I have to defy Shane and go out alone? Maybe my clothes were too tight today. Maybe that's what attracted the rapist to me. The questions filled Rachel's mind until she thought she'd go crazy. Throwing the brush against the shower wall, she slid down to the floor and started to cry. She wrapped herself in her own arms and rocked back and forth.

  Rachel didn't know how long she'd been in there, but she vaguely heard the shower door open and Shane turn off the now cold water. Damon wrapped her in a towel and lifted her off the floor. Rachel couldn't talk. She curled into a ball in the centre of the bed as soon as Damon set her down.

  A minute later, two warm bodies surrounded her. Rachel couldn't even look at them. “I'm so sorry,” she managed to get out between her tears.

  "Shh. There's nothing for you to feel sorry about.” Shane swept the wet hair from her face and tilted her chin up to meet his eyes. “Rachel, you didn't do anything wrong. You're not responsible for the actions of that bastard.” He leaned in and chastely kissed her lips.

  Damon kissed the top of her head. “I'm going to your apartment to get your things. Tell me what you need."

  "Some of my clothes and the chest at the end of my bed. It was my mom's. It's all I have left of her, and I can't take the chance someone will do something to it. That and my clothes are the only things in the apartment I care about."

  Suddenly remembering their discussion earlier, Rachel looked over her shoulder at Damon. “I thought you were going to have security get my things?"

  Shaking his head, Damon kissed her. “I want to do it. Do you have a spare key?"

  Closing her eyes
, Rachel tried to concentrate on the Damon's question. “Dot. My best friend, Dot has a key. She works downstairs in the accounting department. I'll give her a call if you want?"

  "No, sweetheart. I'll take care of it.” He kissed her again and looked at Shane. “Take care of our girl. I'll be back in a couple hours.” Damon scooted off the bed and walked out of the bedroom.

  Rachel watched him leave then looked at Shane. “Is he angry with me?"

  "No. He's angry with himself. Damon thinks it's his fault because he didn't stop you from going to the park in the first place. He's very protective with the people he loves."

  That shocked her. “Loves?"

  "Yes. I think that's also part of his problem. I think you pretty much blind-sided him with it. When we used to talk about you joining our family, I think Damon agreed more for my benefit than his own. He knew that first time together in my office that he'd fall, I just don't think he realised it would be this fast or this hard."

  Rachel didn't know what to say. Had anyone other than her mother ever really loved her? Now, she was looking at a man Damon claimed loved her. That wonderful man was telling her Damon loved her. She closed her eyes. God, is this a dream? Was she even worthy?

  Shane sat up and took off his shirt. When he looked down at her hip, his face went pale. He pulled Rachel into his arms once again. “Did he hurt you?” He ran a feather light touch over her bruised hip.

  A rush of emotions hit her. Burying her face into Shane's neck, Rachel nodded her head. “He was so strong. I tried to fight him. I really did.” She looked at Shane, hoping he'd believe her.

  At Shane's understanding gaze, she continued. “He carried me behind the trees and threw me down. I think my hip hit a rock or something. He ripped my blouse off then my bra."

  Rachel took a deep breath and dried the tears from her cheeks. “When I tried to scream, he hit me across the face and told me he'd kill me if I made another sound.” Rachel burrowed in further against Shane's strength. “He touched me. He bit me. He was unzipping his pants when we heard help coming, and he ran off. One of the men found my torn shirt where the guy had thrown it and tried to cover me until the police got there."