by Tia Siren
Time and again, a bartender came up and give them drinks. Dylan had obviously worked something out with the bartender, and I suddenly wanted to break that guy’s arms, too. Dylan thought he was hot shit by having some bartender bring her drinks. He could never give her what I could, and I knew Crissy knew that deep down in her gut. But she willingly took every single drink she was handed and didn’t wait any longer than she had to before she downed them. Her dancing turned to fumbling, and soon Dylan’s jowls were flapping while Crissy nodded her head and listened intently.
Maybe she’d finally gotten him to open up, and if that was the case, then this was done. They didn’t need to interact any more as far as I was concerned, and she could go home. Hell, I’d have to drive her home with the amount of alcohol she now had in her system.
Even with her swaying against Dylan’s body, he handed her another drink that she took willingly. I had no idea what the fuck she was trying to prove, but the only thing I could hope was she’d talked to the bartender, too. Maybe she was being handed virgin drinks and she was simply acting drunk, but the light sheen of sweat on her forehead told me otherwise. She needed to slow down before she got into trouble.
I watched as Dylan pulled her closer and closer. This was done. This entire fucking thing was over.
I got to my feet as the two of them made their way off the floor. I was going to fuck Crissy hard. So hard that the memory of that douchebag’s hands would be wiped from her mind. I was going to remind her what I could do to her, what I could elicit from her, how I could take care of her in ways no other man could.
Especially not the likes of Dylan.
I made my way downstairs and over to the bar where they sat, and I paused to listen to their conversation. Crissy’s statements were obviously slurred, but I was impressed with the information she was pulling from Dylan. She was using her “dumb drunk woman” persona in order to get him talking about the acquisition, and I heard him admit that he knew about it. He admitted that he knew the board wasn’t prepared but that Alex himself had pulled the research part of the job from them days ago. That told me more than anything else would have, and I had to commend Crissy for how slick she was being.
She was being manipulative. Conniving, but with a purpose. She was still coherent enough to remember what it was she was doing, and while I no longer approved of the circumstances, she was growing into a woman I’d love to keep. She would prove to be very useful in the business world, and I found myself wanting to keep her as my personal assistant as long as I could.
And honestly, I wanted to keep her at my side as long as I could.
But would that be an option? Could that ever be an option? I was two and a half decades her senior, and her father was my best friend. Was keeping this woman I was molding and watching grow an option without the risk of losing my friendship with her father? Or the company we’d built? Before, I would have gladly took the sneaking around we were doing against the option that I might not have her at all, but now that didn’t seem like enough.
I wanted more with her, and I surprised myself by admitting that.
When I came to, however, the pair of them were gone. Panic rose in my throat as I looked around the dance floor. I didn’t see them, so I ran back up to the balcony in order to case the entire club.
They were no longer there.
Chapter 28
Crissy
I was sitting on a bench in the club with Dylan while the two of us threw back drinks. I’d shoved my tits up to my chin and paired it with a tight pair of jeans and some heels. Dylan was a taller man, and I wanted to make sure my lips hit right at his ear. It would be easier for us to talk that way, and my breath on the shell of his ear would weaken him a bit.
It always did when men were staring at my tits.
I was three drinks in before I pulled him to the dance floor. I gagged when he put his hands on my hips, but we swayed to the beat as I locked my arms around his neck. His eyes were devouring me, no doubt thinking about all the things he’d try to do to me tonight. Little did he know, however, that little Miss Crissy didn’t have sex on the first date.
Or at least that was what I’d tell him.
“You look gorgeous tonight,” Dylan said.
“Oh, my gosh, you’re so kind,” I said, grinning. “And those drinks are so strong! You’re trying to take advantage of me, aren’t you?”
“Never,” he said, smiling. “A woman like you deserves the best.”
“And you think you’re the best, huh?”
Right then, the bartender appeared beside us with more drinks. I’d have to pace myself a bit more if I was going to make it through the evening, but I gladly took it from Dylan and giggled. I knew what he was trying to do. He was trying to show me what he could do for me when we were out, all the conveniences that were afforded when I was with the likes of him.
Little did he know this was child’s play in Grant’s world.
“I am so glad you’re here with me,” he said.
“Me, too. I’m really glad I caught you after work.”
“What made you want to catch me?” he asked.
“Well, I figured you were the kind of man to defy orders. You know, take risks and everything? But when you never came back to my desk, I assumed I’d have to come to you.”
“I take risks so long as it doesn’t risk my job,” he said. “Working for Grant Jacobs is the opportunity of a lifetime. I can’t jeopardize that, even with how beautiful you are.”
“Wars have been started over less,” I said, grinning.
His pelvis ground into me, his length growing against my leg. I giggled as he leaned in and kissed my ear, but what he didn’t realize was that I was giggling at the size of his cock. It was nowhere near as impressive as Grant’s, and it only showed me how much of a little boy this guy truly was. I had no idea what I’d seen in him the first time he walked by my desk, but I was suddenly glad Grant had steered him away from me.
“Speaking of work,” I said. “What do you do, anyway?”
“Oh, let’s not talk shop,” he said.
“Oh, man, no one ever wants to do that,” I said, pouting. “I’m just at my stupid desk all day, typing up dumb papers.”
“Are you really that curious?” he asked.
“Grant doesn’t ever talk to me,” I said. “I don’t know anything that happens around there. How am I supposed to learn anything if no one ever talks to me?”
“Well, what do you wanna know?”
“Do you, like, buy stuff or sell stuff?” I asked.
“The junior executive department is actually headed by your father,” he said. “I’m shocked you don’t know much about it.”
“Grant doesn’t talk, but my daddy talks even less.”
“Not a good relationship then?” he asked.
“No,” I said.
“I’m sorry to hear that. He’s a good businessman, but sometimes that means sacrificing other areas of one’s life in order to get there.”
Thank the heavens I was loose with alcohol, because I would have slapped that idiotic statement right from his face had I been sober enough to do so.
“To answer your question,” he said, “we mostly buy stuff and do research. Mr. Jacobs is always looking for new ways to make money, so we spend money to research how to make more.”
“That’s all? You just look up shit on the internet all day? Sounds awesome.”
“It’s a bit more complicated than that, beautiful, but I don’t expect you to understand all that,” he said, grinning.
Son of a bitch. I wanted to deck him right in his balls with my knee. Dylan took my hand and pulled me away from the dance floor, and by the time we got to the bar, there were two drinks waiting for us. He threw his back as I put mine to my lips, then his hand tipped up my plastic cup. I had no choice but to swallow it down, and I could feel my head swimming. He was intentionally plying me with alcohol, and I had to make sure I kept my head on straight.
“See, th
is is what I would’ve done with my time in New Orleans,” I said.
“You’ve been recently?” he asked.
“Yeah. Grant dragged me to some stupid meetings or whatever. Some company or some mess he wants to buy. You guys buying that? Or researching? Or do you just look at cat videos?”
“Ah, so you’re aware of that deal,” he said.
“Not really, I guess. The meetings were shit. I took less than one page of notes. Everyone just stood around confused with their thumbs up their butts.”
“You don’t say,” Dylan said, grinning.
“Yeah. What’s that? What are you smiling at?”
“Just you,” he said. “You’re just so lovely.”
“Thanks,” I said, giggling.
“Anyway, I’m aware of that deal, too,” he said. “Probably know more than you do.”
And there it was: his ego running away with him. If I could just get down a bit deeper, my job would be done and all I’d have to do was listen.
“Nope. I work with the head honcho,” I said. “I know he wanted to go down there and make it rain with some old men or something. Did you know that?”
“I did,” he said. “I also know that Alex pulled that research project from us days ago. Said it was too important to hand over to junior executives while we were still learning.”
“Sounds like you don’t know much at all then,” I said, grinning.
“Oh, I promise you I do. I’m the head honcho around that department. I know everything.”
“Then prove it.”
his eyes dancing along my face as he pushed another drink in my direction. I picked it up and placed the straw between my lips without so much as looking at it, but my world was beginning to spin. If I could hold on just a little bit longer, I’d have everything I needed to take back to Grant.
And I would never have to do this bullshit again.
“I know you know the team leader is your father,” he said. “And I know you’re curious about what it’s like to work for your dad. It’s cool by the way. He’s a good man, though he’s a fucking pushover when it comes to your stepmother.”
Holy fuck, I was over this conversation. That woman was no more my stepmother than she was my sister. She was only four fucking years older than me, and I had half a mind to slap the Botox smirk right off her damn face.
But it was interesting that even one of his junior executives would mention something like that. How did they know that? They were never at the house. Did she come into the office or something?
“I know Alex has been more hands-off with us lately because he’s been running this deal himself—with the company whose meetings you sat in at. I also know he’s been looking at some of the department budgets and talking with accounting about reallocating money in our direction, which I believe he’s been successful with.”
Why would my father need a bigger budget? Something told me Grant had the key to deciphering all this bullshit, so I tried to simply remember it verbatim.
“And I know one last thing,” he said as he pushed a shot toward me.
“What’s that?” I asked.
“Take the shot and I’ll tell you.”
Without hesitation, I threw the tequila shot back. It burned going down, and that was when I knew I’d gotten myself into trouble. Dylan’s arm wrapped around me as he led me toward a doorway, and his voice was low in my ear as I tried to turn away from him.
“I know we should get out of here and get you home. I think you’ve had a bit too much.”
He was right. I had. But I knew his tone of voice. I knew he had no intention of taking me home, and I knew I had to get away. I couldn’t go home with him. I couldn’t break the promise I’d made to Grant. I stuck my hand in my pocket and tried to fumble with my phone, telling Dylan I’d call an Uber and that he didn’t have to bother.
“An Uber?” he asked. “You won’t be safe in one of those. Look, I’ll just take you home, help you get into bed, and I’ll let your father know to get you some water in the morning. Easy as pie.”
“It’s all right,” I said. “Really.”
“No, no, no. I insist. I want to make sure you get home all right.”
I saw my car at the other end of the parking lot and cursed myself for parking it so far away. I was in no position to drive, but I could’ve at least gotten into it and locked him out. He slowly led me over to his car, the side of my body grazing the cool metal as I heard the thumps of the car door unlocking.
“Let me just get an Uber,” I said. “It’ll be easier.”
“Crissy, let me just get you home. I want to make sure you’re safe.”
He opened the door, and I turned around to face him. His head was tilting even though his body was standing still, and I had to hold back a burp before I shut my eyes. I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself on my feet, but his hand slowly gripped my arm.
“Promise me you’ll take me home,” I said.
“Well, I need to go by my place and let my dog out quickly, but after that I’ll take you home.”
“No, Dylan,” I said. “If you don’t want me taking an Uber, you have to take me straight home.”
“I didn’t kennel her before I left. Trust me, it’ll be all right.”
“Dylan, promise me,” I said, begging.
“Just get in the damn car, Crissy.”
I didn’t trust a damn thing coming out of his mouth. I was beyond drunk, but I knew when I was being take advantage of. His arm ripped me from the car, shoving me into the passenger seat as my hands planted on the seat. My ass was sticking out, and I felt him grind down into it. Vomit started to creep up my throat as his hand slid down my side. What the fuck was happening? How the hell was I going to get out of this? I tried rearing up, but his hand pushed down on my back. I tried turning around, getting a leg up to kick him, but all he did was grasp the crook of my knee with his hand.
“Dylan, stop,” I said. “What are you doing?”
“Taking a risk.”
The smirk on his face made me sick to my stomach, and bile rose to my throat. I was too drunk to fend him off and had no leverage to get up. Tears ricocheted down the sides of my face as I fumbled for my phone. If I could manage to press and hold the home button, it would call Grant. He’d hear what was going on, and he’d call someone.
Right?
Just then I heard a man’s voice. It was low, distant, like an afterthought just before someone wakes up from a dream.
“Leave her alone,” the voice said.
My leg dropped to the ground as I slid out onto the pavement, and I heard Dylan snarl at the man. Something about “minding his own business” or whatever, but I took that as an opportunity to crawl away. Something came down on my ankle, and I shrieked, but then I heard an unearthly crunch as I yanked my ankle away.
I looked behind me and saw Dylan writhing on the ground, holding his jaw as he groaned in pain. I tried to crawl away, wanting desperately to get back across the parking lot. If the bouncer saw what was happening, he’d come to me. That was their job. That was what they did.
But I felt a pair of arms around me and began to panic.
“No. Please. I have to call someone. Grant. Grant Jacobs. Please.”
“Shh, it’s me, Crissy. It’s me. Listen to the sound of my voice.”
“Grant?” I asked.
But I didn’t get much more out before my stomach hurled the alcohol from my body. Grant carried me off somewhere as I continued to vomit off to the side. Then the cool comfort of leather came into contact with my skin.
We didn’t even hit the road before I was heaving into a plastic bag that was held up to my lips.
Chapter 29
Grant
Crissy was way too drunk to be dropped off at her house. Her father would have a fucking fit if he noticed, so that was out of the question. I plucked Crissy’s phone from her pocket to see if anyone had called or messaged her, and when I saw no one had, I made the executive decision to take her b
ack to my place. I didn’t want to risk anyone recognizing me dropping off a very wasted Crissy, and I knew my place would have a bit more privacy so she could sleep and recuperate.
My hands were shaking with anger. I was going to have that man’s job. He was done at my company, and I’d fucking nail Alex to a wall if I found out this kid had some sort of record with this type of shit. I white-knuckled the steering wheel as I listened to Crissy heave into the plastic bag I gave her. I needed to get water in her. I needed to get her into a warm shower. I needed her to bring up all this shit so we didn’t risk a hospital visit.
“What…are you doing…here?” she asked between heaves.
“I wanted to make sure everything went okay,” I said. “That he didn’t try to pull something on you.”
“Do you not…trust…me?” she asked.
“I do. Very much so. But I didn’t trust him, and I see that I was right not to.”
“Are you sure…you trust…me?”
“Yes, Crissy. I do. You performed wonderfully tonight. I’m so fucking proud of you.”
“I tried…to get him away. I told him…I had to go home.”
“I know you did, Crissy. I know,” I said softly. “I just had to make sure you were safe. I just didn’t think you were going to be safe with him. This was a dangerous plan. You and I both knew that going in.”
“Why did he…do that to me?” she asked.
My heart ripped in two. I was going to make sure Dylan never got a fucking job anywhere near business. I’d slaughter him for what he had tried to pull on her. I was so glad I’d followed my gut. Crissy was way too drunk to fend for herself. Guilt wafted in my stomach. Had I not been so desperate for information about what was going on, she would never have felt the need to do something like this. Had I been a little easier on her, she never would’ve felt the need to prove herself in this fashion.
Fuck.
Crissy giggled, and I could already see a change in her demeanor. We were cruising down the road toward my house, and she rolled down the window to get some fresh air. She tossed the bag of vomit out the window while giggling, and all I could do was pray it didn’t hit someone. The last thing I needed was someone coming after me because I covered their windshield with puke.