by Ace Gray
“Kate, that’s a beautiful notion but…”
“No. No buts,” I cut her off the same way Nick would have me.
I pulled her into a bear hug, and would have folded her into my heart if I could have.
Jaime picked that moment to deliver my soup. His arrival burst the emotional bubble, tension dissipated but neither of us could smile. My face contorted when a boulder dropped into my stomach and my heart twittered. I tried to hide it by reaching for soup. I had to ball my fist to steady my fingers before I grabbed it. Both Jamie and Julia noticed.
“Should we call Dr. Chambers? Nicholas?” Jaime asked as concern crinkled his brow, Julia’s eyes went dark.
I ignored them. “So, speaking of Nicholas…”
“Back at the office.” Jaime rolled his eyes.
“I should get back…”
“No, please rest.” Julia smiled.
Ari chose that exact moment to make her appearance. “You actually aren’t allowed to leave. We’re under strict orders to keep you here and keep you safe.”
“And family keeps each other safe.” Julia winked just before kissing my forehead, effectively ending the exchange.
21.
When no one was looking, I snuck down to the home office for my laptop. Once I had it, I all but sprinted back to bed and built the covers up to hide behind.
My jaw fell open when I clicked on my email revealing seven unread messages. Seven? The last time there were so few was high school. Maybe. I zeroed in on the hundreds marked replied. I tried not to let the signature at the bottom of each infuriate me.
Nicholas Bryant, Owner, CTO
Vesper Fitness & Apparel
New York, New York
At the end of the day, he was an owner. And the Chief Technology Officer. But neither fact stopped my temper from flaring. My heart jamming against my ribs was the only thing that could. I leaned back to take deep breaths. I even started counting dots on the ceiling to calm myself enough to return to reading.
I tried—really, I did—to keep my temper in check as I returned to the threads sitting in my inbox. Nick hadn’t been sleeping. Even if the time stamps didn’t tell me as much, the sheer volume of work completed did. It was staggering.
I read and reread his emails, dwelling for far too long. The FiTech launch was planned, marketing completed and even preliminary summer design sketches approved. I liked everything he’d done, but couldn’t shake the sheer irritation over him doing it. I ground my teeth at the screen for hours.
“Sweets?” My head snapped up at the sound of Nick’s voice by the doorway. “You behave yourself?” He arched his eyebrow and smiled that priceless crooked smile.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, piqued.
“I live here, Kate.” He must have caught my mood because his face pinched. “What’s going on?” He scrutinized me as he walked closer to the bed.
I looked out the windows behind him rather than at him. Night had fallen over the city, not even a rosy hue was left lingering on the skyscrapers.
“Why are you answering my personal emails?” I hadn’t paused to censor my tone.
“I’m an owner concerned with Vesper’s success. I’m also your fiancé and I’m concerned about your health. Take your pick.”
He scowled at me as he sat on the edge of the bed.
“Don’t get sarcastic, Bryant. I’m trying incredibly hard not to get pissed off right now. Do not make it more difficult.” I couldn’t help snapping at him.
"What on earth do you have to be pissed about? I've brokered a deal or two and launched a product once or twice before,” he scoffed. “Everything is planned to my exacting specifications."
"That's just it. They’re your standards, not mine," I snarled. "I worked on this for fucking ever. So much of my blood, sweat, and tears were put into this and I failed. I failed!" I threw my arms up and then reined them in across my chest. "You come in here on your damned white horse and fix it all, even coordinating the launch perfectly. I can't help it if I get a little butt hurt about the whole damn thing.” I took a deep breath but stopped myself short of shouting anything stupid. “I know what an ungrateful lunatic I sound like."
"You're butt hurt about this?" Nick asked calmly, eyes bright blue; his crooked smile pulled back on his cheek.
"Yes, or haven't you heard that before?"
He leaned toward me. Before I could even flinch, one strong hand reached around my hip and squeezed. Hard. Of course I yelped.
“I’ll be the only one using that phrase from now on, understood?" Everything pounded in my chest but in the best possible way, but I still faltered ever so slightly. “How’s the heart?” he added seamlessly.
The life momentarily drained from his face as if his whole world hinged on my answer and his hand skated up to my chest. He pressed his hand to me and felt for a moment, his eyes laser focused on my chest. I almost rolled my eyes and scoffed but he leaned down and kissed where his hand had been. I melted.
“It’s been good and bad.”
Honesty was the only policy with my fiancé—particularly my sweet and tender fiancé. I sighed and let my head roll back against the headboard.
“Thank you for not lying to me.”
He wormed his way onto the bed and sat against the headboard with me. The two of us stayed side by side for a little while, watching the lights of the city twinkle.
“I’ll change anything you want for the launch. Tell me and I’ll change it. Just promise me, you’ll let me take care of it?”
I heard him roll his head against the brushed steel to look over at me. I sat there, still staring straight ahead. This was always the line. What would I give up, knowing full well what I got in return… Nick.
“Kate?”
“Fine. Fucking fine, Nick.” I purposely rolled my head away from him and re-crossed my arms dramatically over my chest. Even now, retreat wasn’t completely comfortable. We both sat silent for a little while longer.
“Victor is Christopher's puppet.”
“What?” My head snapped back.
“Jaime dug into Victor’s financials, he found a payment that was tied to a Winthrop bank account in the Caymans. It's massive. I can't imagine what it affords him.” My heart started freaking out and I didn’t know if it was the news or the bleak color of his eyes that did it.
“Kate, you’ve got to calm down.”
“I.” Gasp. “Am.” Wheeze. “Calm.”
“Kate.” Nick turned toward me, circling his fingers on my bare thigh.
I grabbed at him and he settled his head in my lap. My fingers started running through his hair, and I closed my eyes as I leaned back. I kept trying to focus on taking deep breaths and the feel of him against my skin.
Always the feel of him against my skin.
When I opened my eyes, I sighed loud and exasperated, his hand skated up to my heart and rested there.
“Kate, I need to trap them. I don’t know how to do it but I need to figure this out before it escalates further. I have to get more than a bank account to go on.”
I kept combing through his hair. The slower my heart moved the more my mind raced. An idea began forming, and before I could think about the ramifications, I willingly became Nick’s accomplice.
“Nick what if you made the announcement that you’re going transfer major manufacturing to Dongguang due to long term growth possibilities then heavily fortify a faux-facility. Give it a complex alarm system, hi-tech surveillance, and falsities worth approaching for.”
“Long term growth possibilities? Faux-facilities?” He shifted to look at up at me.
My gaze flitted down but then immediately returned to boring a hole in the window seam.
“Yes. Faux as in fake.” Both of my eyebrows climbed up my forehead. “And Dongguang is the third largest exports region in China. It gets overshadowed significantly by Shanghai and Shenzhen but it is a major hub. They don't have the same financial incentives for investing but it's because they’re spe
nding heavily on infrastructure."
“What's the point of keeping the manufacturing in China if the financial incentives don't exist?"
“It’s fake, Nick.”
“Still, explain." He wiggled again in my lap. This time when I looked down, his eyes were more blue than expected.
"The initial cash outlay is lower than Shanghai or Shenzhen but the US tax credits are worse. But that’s solely at the outlay. If you disperse them over the five-year loan amortization, they balance out around year three and half. Then surpass in year four.
“And if you want further justification, my guess is the prefecture made infrastructure a priority because they plan to start to aggressively seek foreign direct investment. They’re already major players in the Taiwanese investment scene and have been slowly working on Brazilian shoe manufacturers. Brazil is a medium player in the shoe game. Which says to me, Dongguang is testing markets. They can't have an infrastructure problem when they go for major players. By the time the lesser incentives become financially unfavorable, I think they'll have implemented a revised bonus structure."
"Huh." Nick was the one focused on a window seam now.
“It’s still hypothetical though.” I loosened his tie. “Buy property for dirt cheap. Hire people on a contract basis to make it look like a big deal, a new manufacturing hub, but don’t do anything with it. It’s sure as shit a cash outlay but it meets every other requirement.”
I took a deep breath again, ready to launch into the very real marketing even a fake would need when Nick let loose a husky chuckle.
"I never thought talking about manufacturing in Chinese prefectures or entrapment would get me excited but, Jesus, Sweets, I'm hard. You’re brilliant." He sat up and gazed his teeth across my jaw. "And incredibly sexy." He nibbled on my earlobe and shoved the comforter away. "Quite possibly perfect."
His hands moved up my shirt and I gasped.
"I'm far from perfect,” I moaned as he pulled on one nipple. "I'm stubborn and willful.” MMMmmm. “And have a horrible temper and a weak heart."
"You are perfect for me." He peeled off my shirt and his lips moved up to my breastbone. “I even kind of like the weak heart.” His raspy laugh was back.
Nick whipped off his tie and bound my wrists together before yanking me down the bed. I let my hands rest on my stomach as I watched him slowly undo each of his shirt buttons. I couldn't help but bite my lip as he slowly teased me. When he reached the bottom of his shirt, he shrugged out of it and climbed over me.
He took my hands and pushed them overhead. He hovered his perfect body above mine, just out of reach. His bright, clear eyes drank in every inch of my face and his attention shifted to my chest. I was sure he would swoop down and take my nipple in his mouth but he simply moved in close. A puff of warm breath against my sensitive skin made me moan. My nipples rose on their own and he chuckled.
Nick slid lower and my skin responded similarly the entire way. Just below my belly button, his nose grazed ever so slightly along my waistband. I groaned and arched up away from the sheets underneath me.
"Nick," I whined. "Please."
"Your heart okay, Sweets?”
"Yes." My answer was a breathy groan.
He better be asking so he can rip my shorts off and slam into me.
"Then you're going to have to hold on a little bit longer."
Oh for fucks sake.
“You bastard!"
If my wrists were free, I would have banged them into the bed beneath me.
"That's not very nice.”
He nipped the sensitive skin beneath my belly button this time.
"Should I punish you for name calling?"
"Sure…fine…whatever." I just wanted him sprawled across my body and buried deep inside of me.
A spanking would get him there and it sounded downright delicious despite the bruises that peppered my ass.
"I was hoping you would say that.”
He growled and slid to the edge of the bed. I cried out in frustration when he grabbed the landline receiver.
"You remember this game don't you?'
Oh fuck, fuck, fuck.
“Yes." My voice was pitiful.
Last time I’d lost and been denied my orgasm. I'd be damned if that happened again. He clicked on speaker and started dialing. My heart raced while the ominous tone echoed through our bedroom.
Breathe.
Nick took the opportunity to peel my shorts off with one finger.
“Wái.” A voice crackled across the line.
He's fucking calling China?
"Wái Mr. Kuan." He brushed his hand up my bare inner thigh. He reached all the way up, and I steeled myself but then his hand dropped.
"Ah Mr. Bryant. So nice to speak with you.”
Nick ran his hand up my other leg and rested it right against my sex. He wanted my attention.
"I was having a conversation with a brilliant colleague and she pointed out another possibility for me. I'd like to explore the opportunities available in Dongguang."
As soon as Mr. Kuan started talking, Nick plunged his finger into me. I had to bite down hard on my lip so as not to moan. As it was, my back arched, and my feet scrambled against the silky sheets. Mr. Kuan started talking but I couldn't focus on his words.
Nick grabbed my foot and planted it under his leg, keeping me still, and wide open. He slid his finger a few times into me then stilled; I caught bits of Chinese. He added a second finger and slowly twisted them inside of me; I lost any hope of following the conversation.
I let out a deep breath before starting to chew on my lip again. He added his thumb, brushing against my clit as he spoke. When he started to alternate between his thumb stroking me and his fingers inside putting pressure on my G-spot, the flesh of my cheek gave way.
Nick knew exactly how deep to go, when to add another finger, and when to move back to his tantalizing, but relatively innocent, circles. I had to ball my fists and dig my nails into my palms to keep from blatantly yanking on his tie. My breathing was ragged and my heart still hammered away.
I missed the sounds of him scooting toward me. The only reason I noticed was when he barked to Mr. Kuan, his words vibrated against me. He’d bent so his nose could replace his thumb at the apex of my thighs. I wanted to moan or whimper or scream or cry or something at the switch.
It was just so good. He was just so good. And he was playing extremely dirty.
Warm breath danced against my slit when Nick spoke to Mr. Kuan. And as soon as the answering voice crackled across the speaker, his tongue shot into me. How the fuck was he carrying on a conversation, I didn’t know. I couldn't recall my name, let alone conduct business.
He licked and circled, both sensitive and firm. He used his fingers, nose, and tongue in between sentences to pleasure me. And it was such delightfully dirty pleasure. The tension in my body was becoming so extreme that the tie dug into my wrists. I’d rip my arms out of their damn sockets if it meant I could pull him away from my thighs and up to my lips.
Nick read my body like a book, and he saw or felt or whatever that my body was building. But this time he wasn't wrapping up the phone call. He wasn't relenting either. I dug my toes into the bed and tried to free my foot to shove at him. His fingers plunged back inside of me and he swirled.
Fuck, fuck, fuck!
I wanted to scream. No. I needed to scream.
He twisted on the bed, landing between my knees and shoved my legs further apart, his fingers still moving expertly inside of me. He’d moved so his other God damned hand could reach my nipple.
No, no, no.
He clamped down hard and twisted; excitement shot straight to my stomach. He chose that moment to swipe across my G-spot again.
I came. Hard and fast. Ripples danced on his fingers and through my very being. My lip flew out from between my teeth and my mouth opened in a perfect, silent, shriek. My eyes slammed shut and my back arched violently against the bed. He stayed deep inside of me while my or
gasm trembled.
When I slumped down, I was close to hyperventilating. I couldn't open my eyes or slow my heart. I relished the honey feeling in my limbs but my rib cage chattered at the mercy of my heartbeats. For the slightest second I worried that it wasn’t slowing. I bit my lip despite the broken skin and focused on the sound of Nick’s voice. I pictured the hunger in his eyes and my heart slowly calmed.
But that’s when he flicked my nipple and lightning cracked through my body.
My eyes shot open and I glared at him. Technically, I’d won, fair and square. I’d come silently, and I was pretty sure I had the permanent marks to prove it. Knowing he had my full attention, he pulled his fingers out from me and pressed them into his mouth. He sucked as he winked at me.
"Mh'gòi Mr. Kuan. Joigin."
Thank God!
I knew enough Cantonese to know he just said thank you and goodbye. And as soon as he clicked off the phone he was on me, leaning in to kiss me.
"Oh I don't think so," I panted.
He snarled at me and my toes curled at the sound. He bent down again, this time hovering barely above me. I narrowed my eyes at first but then threw my wrists, still tied, up and over his head so they could rest on his neck and pulled him down the last tiny bit. He smiled as he kissed my lips over and over. I could feel how hard he was against me.
He surprised me by grabbing my hips and pulling me up off the bed with him, his hands digging into my hips. He went to nibble on my lower lip and found the teeth marks and broken skin.
"It seems I owe you despite the fact that you’ve already gotten off." His voice was pure sexy, sweet honey.
"Just get inside of me and we'll call it even." I was breathy and whiny all at once.
That deep, disarming flash in his eyes had me expecting a push back down to the bed. Instead, he carried me to the bookcase wall, everything clattering when my body pressed against the dark wood.
One of Nick’s hands left my hip and reappeared between my legs. He fumbled with his belt and grazed my clit in the process. I moaned into his mouth as the sound of a belt buckle unfastening then dropping to the floor echoed through the room.