‘Later, dude.’
Quilla heard her friend close her front door but lay on her bed still, catching her breath and thinking of the evening and her friend and Jakob – of course, Jakob. She rolled over onto her back, kicking her shoes off and easing out of her jeans. She grabbed her phone. Eleven p.m. There was a message she’d missed.
Thinking about your lips right now…thinking about what I’m going to do to you tomorrow…J xx
Quilla grinned. God, why had she said she wanted today to take a breather? She wanted him here, now…
She shook her head and went to run a bath in her tiny tub. If nothing else, she needed to shave her legs, primp herself for tomorrow. She took her phone in with her – just in case – setting her iPad on the sink to play soft music. She had nearly drifted off to sleep when her phone buzzed.
She smiled when she saw the caller i.d. ‘Hey, I was dreaming about you…’
Jakob gave a throaty chuckle. ‘Must be catching. How was your evening?’
‘Fun but it was missing something.’ There was a chuckle in her voice.
‘And what would that be?’
They both laughed. ‘I hear splashing, you in the tub…naked?’
‘Nope, fully clothed.’
‘Funny girl.’
Quilla grinned. ‘You still at your dad’s?’
‘No, on my way back into the city. He wants to meet you.’
Quilla felt a shiver of nervousness and when she didn’t reply, Jakob reassured her. ‘You’ll be fine; he’s a kitten, really.’
‘I’ll take your word for it.’
‘Anyway, this tub…’
She laughed. ‘You know, it’s small but it could fit two people if they were very, very close…’
Jakob growled. ‘Woman, I’m already on my way.’
‘I’ll leave the door open for you.’
Jakob pushed open the door to the apartment building and quickly ascended the two flights of stairs to Quilla’s apartment. 3E. He pushed on her door and let himself in. Down the hallway then he was into the living room. There were dimmed lamps on and Quilla, naked and wet from the bathtub, sat on a chair, waiting for him, her posture upright, and a small smile playing around her lips.
‘Hello baby,’ she said softly and slowly and deliberately spread her legs so he could see her wet, slippery cunt, swollen and ready for him. Jakob let out a long sigh of longing and moved toward her. When he reached her, he bent his head to kiss her, and felt her hands at his crotch, unzipping him. She smiled up at him. ‘Stay still, handsome.’
She took his already stiffening cock from his pants and glided her lips over the wide crest of it, teasing the ultra-sensitive tip with her tongue. Her hand stroked up and down the length of his shaft while the other cupped his balls and massaged them gently.
‘Jesus…Quilla….’ Jakob closed his eyes and let the sensation of her mouth and hands take over his body. God, this woman…
In moments, he was on the edge and made to move to pull away but her hands clamped onto his buttocks keeping him rooted there until with a moan, he came, shooting into her warm, wet mouth.
As soon as he could gather himself, he reached down and took her in his arms. ‘Now that is a wonderful, wonderful way to be greeted.’
He pressed his lips to hers, wrapped his arms around her small body. ‘God, I missed you today, Quilla Chen…’
‘Me too, baby,’ she whispered. ‘Come, let’s get reacquainted…’
Gregor walked out into reception the following Monday, on his way to a meeting. He was already annoyed; now Jakob was back, it was seriously curtailing his usual method of business. Plus all his private detective had been able to find out was that his girlfriend was a grad student. Gregor had been obsessing over the woman all weekend, sure she was the reason that everything was changing.
Now, on his way to a meeting, he glanced over to the couches in reception – and stopped. A gorgeous girl was sitting there, waiting, her long dark hair pulled up into a messy bun at the nape of her neck, her slim legs in flared jeans, sneakers. Gregor felt his groin tighten. Glancing over at Maxine, the receptionist, who ignored him, he strolled over to the young woman.
‘Hi.’
She looked up and smiled. God, beautiful. ‘Hi.’
‘Can I help you with something?’
She shook her head. He guessed she must be part Asian, her eyes were a beautiful shape, her features delicate. ‘It’s okay, I’m just waiting for Jakob.’
Gregor rocked back. ‘Jakob…Mallory?’
She grinned. ‘Is there another?’
This couldn’t be her, she was way too young for Jakob…wasn’t she? Gregor stuck his hand out. ‘Gregor Fisk, Jakob’s business partner.’
The young woman, who had been sketching, shoved her pad to one side and stood up, taking his hand. ‘Quilla Chen, Jakob’s…friend.’
Gregor had to smile at that. ‘Jake and I have no secrets, Quilla. I know you’re fucking him.’
Quilla rocked back a little and her smile faded. ‘It’s Jakob,’ she said finally, ‘and that is none of your business.’ She dropped her hand.
‘Everything okay here?’
Gregor looked around to see Jakob descending on them. ‘All good, delighted to meet your beautiful friend.’
He noticed Jacob move to Quilla’s side, put a protective arm around her. ‘Hey, baby.’
‘Hey,’ Quilla said, her narrowed eyes fixed on Gregor’s. ‘Let’s go, shall we?’
Gregor watched them walk away, amused. Quilla Chen wasn’t going to be a problem, he decided. Her clothes, though she wore them well, were cheap – when you put that together with the studentship, the artist…hell, this was going to be easy. He’d pay her to disappear, he knew her type. Always using that off-the-charts beauty to snag themselves a rich one. And by the look of it, Jakob was in deep. Deep, deep. Her leaving would be a body blow. And if she wouldn’t?
Gregor watched as the couple got into Jakob’s car. Quilla Chen was slightly built. If she wouldn’t go voluntarily…there were other ways.
Ways that would break your little heart, Jakey boy. Gregor smirked to himself and went to his meeting.
Quilla drew in a big shaky breath. Any minute now they would meet with Jakob’s father and she could feel her palms sweating. She rubbed them on her jeans. Jeans? What had she been thinking? Jakob had said the dinner would be casual but maybe she had taken him too literally.
‘Stop panicking.’ Jakob was watching her, his grin wide. He was enjoying this.
‘Jerk.’ She stuck her lower lip out.
Jakob laughed. ‘You can punish me later, woman. We’re here.’
Randall Mallory was waiting as they got out of the car and he walked down, smiling to meet Quilla. ‘Quilla, I’ve heard so much about you.’ He stood only an inch or two smaller than his son, his dark blonde hair worn in a flowing, pushed back way. Elegance screamed from every pore. His handsome face showed little of his age – late sixties and his smile was genuine and welcoming. His voice was warm, deep and he shook her hand before clapping his son on the back. ‘We’re barbecuing, come round back.’
We’re? Quilla shot a panicked look at Jakob – who seemed to be looking everywhere except at her. Sneaky son-of-a… half grinning to herself, she managed to kick the back of his calf, heard his low chuckle. Ran led them around the house into the huge and beautiful garden. There, she saw a group of people sitting, laughing with each other. A very familiar blonde young man was teasing the dogs. Skandar Mallory. Quilla’s nerves came racing back but she wondered if she could surreptitiously call Marley – she would die of envy. The thought made her grin and she was still smiling when they reached the group. Jakob’s brother Joel, a tall, rangy man, his long blonde hair tied back shook her hand – she was surprised he appeared shy. Completely unlike his son: Skandar Mallory was everything she expected, confident, arrogant and a whole lot of fun. Ran introduced her to a gorgeous woman with caramel colored hair and dark brown eyes. She shook Quilla�
��s hand. ‘Asia Flynn. Technically not a Mallory anymore but they have trouble letting go,’ she stage-whispered, winking at Ran, who rolled his eyes. Quilla laughed; she liked the woman immediately.
In fact as she met other members of the family, cousins, friends, she wondered at how un-like the stereotype of a rich family they were. If it was possible to be so alike in their temperament and yet so different at the same time, the Mallorys had it down.
Joel, she discovered, was looking for a new career. ‘I’ve gone as far as I can, coaching him,’ he told Quilla, gesturing at his son who was now wrestling both the dogs and his uncle. Quilla saw Jakob was losing and grinned at him. Help me, he mouthed her and she shook her head, smiling triumphantly. Ha, ha payback. Skandar raised his arms in victory as Jakob gave up.
‘Isn’t he number one in the world?’ Quilla asked Joel, who shrugged and smiled shyly.
‘Yep but I don’t have the experience he needs now to help him stay there. He’s enjoying it at the moment but it’s only going to get harder. Tennis players have a short shelf life past twenty five.’
Quilla groaned. ‘Too depressing.’ Joel grinned and tapped her beer bottle with his. ‘Preach it, sister.’
Asia, she learned, was Kit’s ex-wife. Very recent ex-wife. An entertainment lawyer, she’d married Kit Mallory in Monte Carlo on a whim five years previously.
‘It was good for four and a half of those years,’ Asia told her with a wry grin as evening drew in. ‘Just didn’t go the distance. I might have left Kit but I couldn’t bear to leave the family.’ She patted Quilla’s hand. ‘I’m glad Jakob has you. We were worried.’
Randall Mallory echoed that sentiment an hour later. Feeling brave, Quilla had gone to seek him out and found him in his library. He stood up when he saw her, invited her to sit. He poured some wine for her.
‘Whatever you did for my son, I want to thank you.’
Quilla flushed. ‘I didn’t do anything, really.’
‘You are too modest.’ Ran’s voice was so soothing, so mellifluous that it was impossible to feel tense in his presence. ‘I know my son. Before he met you, before he went to Italy…he was breaking. He was breaking and I didn’t know what to do. What happened in Venice, Quilla?’
Quilla shifted in her seat, uncomfortable. ‘Mr Mallory – ‘
‘Ran.’
‘Ran…I respect you very much but it’s not my place to tell you that. Please, I don’t want to offend you.’
‘Quilla, my dear, if anything, you have proved his faith in you. I’m sorry, but in my position – in his position – I had to be absolutely sure. Jakob told me what happened.’
Quilla didn’t know how to respond to his testing of her. She chewed her lip. ‘Ran, I want you to know, I never did anything for any…gain of my own. It was all for him.’
Ran smiled. ‘Quilla, believe me when I tell you, I never thought any different. One only has to be in your presence to know your genuine empathy. Your love.’
He got up, and nervously, she followed suit. He placed his hands on her shoulders and she was surprised to see tears in his eyes.
‘You saved my son,’ He said, his voice breaking. ‘Thank you.’
Quilla wanted to cry at the emotion in his voice. ‘I guess I did gain, after all, because I couldn’t imagine a world without him.’
Ran hugged her tightly. ‘From now on, Quilla Chen, whatever happens, you are a part of this family. I will never forget what you’ve done for my boy.’
She was still feeling the warmth from that hug when Jakob took her back to his apartment. She walked into what could only be described as a page out of a catalogue. Muted colors, black, white, grey blended perfectly. She nodded approvingly of the stuffed bookshelves and of course, his art. She looked at one piece then turned to gape at him. ‘That’s a Hopper. A. Hopper. Please tell me it’s a print…no, don’t, I don’t want to know.’
Jakob grinned. ‘Come here, wench.’ He opened his arms and she went into them, tilting her head up for a kiss.
‘My family is crazy about you,’ he murmured, trailing his lips down her neck.
‘It’s mutual,’ she wound her arms around his neck and pressed her body against his, ‘I adored them. Asia is great too, Kit must be a fool.’
Jakob laughed softly. ‘Don’t be too hard on him; the divorce is hitting him hard. Yep, he’s an idiot but he still loves her.’
He took her hand and led her into his bedroom, Quilla nodding approvingly at the massive bed. ‘Well, lookit, our playground.’
Jakob laughed as he slid his hands under the straps of her top and pulled them down her shoulders, stopping to kiss each one. ‘Quilla?’
She moaned as he freed her breast from her bra and took the nipple into his mouth, sucking and teasing it until it became so sensitized she could barely stand it. ‘Yes, babe?’
‘I’m in love with you.’
A delighted smile spread across her face. ‘And I am in love with you, Jakob Mallory.’
Jakob chuckled. ‘Thank god.’
Quilla shrieked with laughter as he pushed her back onto the bed and started to tug her jeans and underwear from her, burying his face in her sex for a second before covering her body with his. She freed his quivering rigid cock from his pants and stroked it while he kissed her.
‘I’m going to fuck you all night long, Quilla Chen…’ And as he thrust into her, Quilla sighed happily, knowing that there would be endless nights like this, with this wonderful, sexy man.
She didn’t know just how soon the fairytale would end…
Jakob dropped her off at home before going into work. ‘Shall I pick you up from college later?’
‘I’d love it, thank you.’ She kissed him before regretfully breaking away and opening the passenger side door.
‘Hey,’ he said as she got out, ‘Call the movers.’ He grinned and she laughed.
‘Don’t worry, I will.’
She went back up to her apartment, still smiling. Yesterday had been a momentous day - meeting his family, finally declaring their love and then, later, after marathon sex, Jakob had asked her to move in with him. This time she hadn’t hesitated.
Back in her apartment, she dropped her purse and looked around. They’d joked about movers but really, they wouldn’t have that much to move. Books, records, art supplies, her clothes. All the furniture had come with the apartment. Quilla realized how compact her life had been before. What would it be like now? She still felt that vague uneasiness over the chasm between their lives but she loved him. She didn’t want his money, she wanted him. Screw what anybody else thought.
A knock at the door. She grinned – Jakob back for another kiss? She was still smiling as she yanked the door open but it faded swiftly.
Gregor Fisk stood in her doorway, his face hard. ‘Hi Quilla. I think we need to talk.’ And before she could react, he pushed his way inside.
Jakob got to the office and greeted Miles with a beaming smile. His assistant looked amused. ‘I take it the family meeting went well?’
‘Very well…plus, she’s agreed to move in with me.’
Miles, never one to avoid a spotlight, stood and did a celebratory dance. Jakob shook his head, laughing.
‘Miles, never change.’
In his office, he sat and reflected. His life was so totally different from six months ago. And he hadn’t finished yet. When Quilla had agreed to move in with him, he’d lain awake, with her sleeping in his arms, and thought about the one thing he still had to change – his work. He was so tired of property. Even though it had made him billions, it no longer satisfied his soul. And then there was Gregor. Jakob shook his head. The best thing he could do was cut him loose; buy him out or vice versa. He didn't need Greg’s sneakiness, his duplicity in his life. Quilla clearly hadn’t liked him from the start even though she refused to tell him what Greg had said to upset her. She was protecting him, Jakob, he knew that but still. Gregor had to go.
Jakob picked up the phone and asked the company’s He
ad of HR to meet him as soon as he could.
Gregor sat without being asked, looking around her apartment with a sneer on his face. Quilla felt her face flush with anger.
‘What do you want?’
Gregor smiled. ‘I’ll make this simple. I will give you a quarter of a billion dollars to leave this city and never come back.’
Quilla gaped at him. ‘What the fuck?’
‘Come on, don’t act innocent, Quilla, I really don’t have time. You’ve played the game perfectly, Jakob is crazy about you. But I need his head in the game, so to speak, and that means you,’ he pointed at her as if she didn’t know whom he meant, ‘have to go. So…’
Quilla stood and up and went to open her front door. ‘Get out. Now.’
He didn’t move. ‘Come on now. Two-hundred and fifty million dollars. Just looking around here I can see that kind of money would be life changing.’
‘That kind of money would be life-changing for anyone,’ she retorted, ‘Get out.’
Gregor stood, shaking his head, smiling. ‘Don’t be naïve, Quilla. This was your one chance for this not to turn nasty. Last chance. Take the money. It’ll be quite the step up for the daughter of a heroin addict and dead beat dad. ’
Quilla’s eyes filled with tears of anger, disgust, and humiliation. ‘Go fuck yourself, Gregor, you don’t know me or anything about me, and anyway, coming from a coke junkie, you have no room to talk. I don’t give a fuck about money, I just care about Jakob. And I would appreciate it if you didn’t have me followed or whatever it is you’re doing. Leave.’
Gregor stood up as if to leave then, in a flash, he was pressing her body up against the wall, his hand slipping between her legs. ‘And yet you spread your legs for the nearest billionaire.’
Pushing his hand away from her, she slapped him across the face, hard, and with a roar of rage, he grabbed her and threw her to the floor. ‘Fucking bitch!’
Mallory Page 4