His own teeth sank into his lip and he shifted slightly in his chair.
I decided to leave him to suffer for a while as I swayed back over to the coffee and I slipped the top button of my blouse open before I made my way over to Lucas.
“There you are, Mr Hunt” I smiled as I bent forward to place his cup down and gave him an eyeful down my open shirt.
Tart!
Dirty Tart.
Hell, yes!
***
“I’m off now Mr Hunt.” I said through the intercom, not wanting to see the disgust he held for me again.
It had been on his face all day, his feelings for me had been sketched plainly on his face and I could read every single thought that had filtered through his mind.
‘How could she love a bastard like that?’
‘Sick bitch, grieving for a monster’
‘Should never have gone near the whore’
“Yeah.” Was all he said. I rolled my eyes as I stood and slipped on my jacket then jumped when Josh, the internal runner, scurried up to me with a huge, and I mean huge, bunch of flowers.
I eyed him questionably and he grinned his super white toothy smile at me. “For you, Miss Summers” he declared as he passed them to me.
My brows pulled together in confusion and my heart skipped as a small smile curved my lips and I risked a quick glance in Lucas’s office.
Was this his apology? Did he really still want me?
Josh raised a brow at me. “If you open the card you’ll find out” he smirked as if he had read my mind.
I smiled at him as I slipped the card from the envelope.
Lay,
Think it’s about time we got together.
I miss you honey.
Please ring me.
Tristan xxx
My heart sank. Not Lucas after all then. I should have known really.
I smiled at Josh “Just a friend. Do we have vases here?”
He nodded and disappeared before returning with a wide clear glass urn full of water, needing a large container, the urn was perfect and I quickly arranged the flowers and placed them on the desk.
The red roses that were included in the display reminded me of Ry. When he had first pursued me at school he had placed a red rose on my desk every day for three weeks until I relented and accepted his date.
I stroked a soft petal and a small smile lifted my lips at the memory, before the pain sank in again and I pushed it down my throat, forcing it back as I had done every day since he died.
Josh gave my expression a peculiar look and I smiled through my wet eyes. “I’m good.”
He tipped his head at me and his face softened “Don’t usually see that expression from a woman who’s just received a bunch like that.”
“I know,” I sighed heavily “Just thoughts, that’s all.”
He winked cheekily and skipped off back down the long corridor.
I picked up my heart and ventured down the corridor, slowly and achingly. My life was falling to pieces. I had lost Ry, lost a man who had loved me to the death, lost the man I loved with more than just my heart and my best friend had been acting seriously weird for the past week.
Anything else God had forgotten to throw at me this month?
I pressed the button on the elevator and as it arrived I realised I’d forgotten my bag. “Holy Hell” I sighed as I spun round and ventured back down to my desk.
As I walked down the corridor I could see Lucas at my desk and my brow furrowed as I watched him.
What was he doing?
My furrowed brow lifted high when I watched him snip the heads off my flowers, one by one. The way he snapped those scissors showed every inch of his enjoyment as he cut off each bloom.
I leant against the wall and continued to observe his behaviour.
He must have gone crazy. No other explanation for it really.
I stood silent until he had snipped off the last head and I saw his shoulders heave as he pulled in a contented sigh.
“Feel better?”
He spun round so quickly he had to palm the desk to stop himself from falling over.
His jaw dropped and his throat bobbed manically as he swallowed.
“Uhh… hay fever.” He declared suddenly and I pursed my lips and nodded slowly.
“Ahh, I see” I answered as I made my way across the floor and picked up my bag from under the desk.
I didn’t say anything else, my silence was sufferance enough as he regarded me warily.
As I got a third of the way down the corridor he shouted something I didn’t catch and I turned back to him. “Sorry, what?”
“Who… who are they from?”
I did an excellent job of hiding the satisfied smirk from my lips. “A friend” I answered vaguely as I turned again and this time made it into the elevator successfully.
I couldn’t hold back the grin as it travelled all the way down the 49 floors with me.
***
My Darkest Days ‘Porn Star dancing’ was blasting from the speaker in my end of the room as I twisted around the pole. I had played the upbeat song, hoping to lighten my mood but so far my heart was not with me.
William approached and winked at me as I placed a foot on the floor and smiled at him. “Willow, why don’t you call it a night? You’ve been spinning that bloody pole for three hours with a face that’s frightening the clients.”
I grimaced and picked up my water, downing a large mouthful before I apologised to my boss. “I’m sorry William. I can’t seem to get into it tonight.”
He shook his head gratuitously “It’s all good, Willow. It’s quiet tonight anyway.”
I smiled my thanks and headed down to the dressing room to change.
“You fucking Skank…” Puss hissed as she held Misty by the throat against the wall.
“Whoa, what the hell?” I shouted as I ran over to a steaming Puss and grabbed her arm.
She twisted round and punched me square in the cheek bone. “Fuck!” I spat as I palmed my cheek.
She stared at me and screwed up her face before throwing her keys at the wall and stormed out, swearing like a sailor as she exited.
“You okay, Mist?” I asked, still gobsmacked at Puss’s behaviour.
She strolled over to me and tilted my head back to observe my cheek. “She’s finally lost it. Wait here.”
I watched her depart the room and slumped into the chair.
The whole world was going mad, completely cuckoo crazy. I shrugged when I realised I was one of those people.
I sighed and shook my head whilst I started to strip out of my dancing gear. The door opened and Misty walked back in with William behind her.
I was used to being nude in front of William, the man was my boss and he ran an exclusive adult club, he’d seen all lady parts a million times over.
“You okay, Willow?” he asked as he touched my chin and grimaced at the bruise that was beginning to develop.
“I’m fine William, its Puss I’m worried about.”
He sighed and nodded sadly, “She’s having a few problems at the moment. Try and not take it to heart girls” he explained.
I snorted as I pulled on my shirt, tucking it into the waistband of my skirt, “I haven’t taken it to heart William; I took it on the bloody cheekbone.”
He grinned cheekily then shook his head and disappeared as Misty held an ice-pack to my face. “That’s gonna go black sugar, keep the ice on it.”
“Wonderful,” I cringed “we have a huge executive meeting tomorrow and I’m gonna look like I’ve done ten rounds with Mike Tyson.”
She sucked on her lips and cringed for me “Elbow on the table, cheek in the hand. Works every time, sugar.” She advised and I laughed.
Oh yeah, that would look really professional. Lucas would eat me alive.
Hopefully.
Chapter 34
Lucas
“You are gonna fuck that redhead out of your system, even if I have to find you a tart myself an
d hold your dick for you” Brad grumbled at me as he pulled me into The Black Panther.
I scanned the poles quickly, checking for a red haired beauty. I didn’t think she was back working here but I examined them just in case.
There was two poles in use tonight and neither possessed Red and I let out a small breath, both relief and disappointment flowing through me.
Brad was on a mission to find me some pussy and work Red out of my system. It was the last thing I wanted or even needed. What I did need was a stunning, intelligent, smiling little pole dancer that smelled of strawberries and tasted like pure fucking sin.
God damn, Lucas. Move the fuck on!
Brad ordered our beers as we stood at one end of the bar and my eyes perused the pussy available. Each eye met mine as I swept them amongst the girls, all of them hoping I would pick them.
A blonde smiled at me, her perfect white teeth pulling in my attention and I returned her smile. I thought she was new here, I’d definitely not seen her before anyway and maybe that’s what I needed, fresh pussy.
She stood and swayed over to me, palming my cheek as soon as she reached me and I skimmed my gaze over her body.
She was definitely a tight little thing. Her boobs were maybe a little too big, her hips were a bit too slim for my liking and her stomach a tad too flat but as Brad always said ‘It’s not the bitch, it’s her cunt that matters’.
“Ya’ need entertaining baby?” she purred as her own eyes scanned over me, her lips twitching in delight when she realised her catch for tonight wasn’t going to be an eighty year old fart with no teeth.
Laughter erupted from the other end of the bar and I turned to look but I couldn’t see who it was for the extra-large man that had positioned himself in the middle of the bar and blocked my view.
The loud laughter carried on and it was beginning to get on my nerves. It was taking too much of my attention away from the tart that I currently needed to fuck Red out of my system.
My dick hadn’t come to life yet but that would come when I got her naked and under me. Surely.
“You fucking tart!” a laugh resounded from the group and I closed my eyes in distress as I recognised those beautiful tones and laughter.
I rolled my head round, just as sumo moved and the same time as Blondie decided to suck on my neck, Red swirled round, showing Mason and Ava a dance move or something and her eyes came to a halt on me. Then they moved to Blondie.
I watched Red’s face shut down as she swallowed harshly, her gaze never moving from Blondie and I pulled my neck away “Back off, yeah?”
She frowned at me and brought her hand up to my face again. “Ya’ need to fuck that temper out of ya’ baby?”
Fuck yes! I fucking did. More than fucking ever!
My anger at Red’s deceit and false words suddenly spun through me like a tornado. Each of her loving words jumbling in my frazzled mind.
“Make love to me Lucas. Right here, by the window, in front of the world. Let humanity see how much you love me and how much I love you.”
“I love you too, Lucas Hunt.”
“I’ll protect you from him Lucas, I can promise you that.”
Oh yeah Red, you did a great job of protecting me from Diablo, he still fucking won in the end.
He still controls your fucking heart.
Something finally snapped inside me and I yanked at Blondie’s hair and pulled her across the room towards the privates. William eyed me warily but Blondie put up her hand to tell him she was okay as she stumbled behind me up the stairs.
“Baby, calm down yeah? I’m here, ya’ can fuck me any which way you want but just lay off the hair, yeah?” she whimpered, which just riled me more.
“Shut the fuck up bitch” I raged as I pushed her into a room.
She stumbled forward and turned to face me as I stood in the doorway, my anger and rage and fury all surfacing at once as I glared at the whore who was ready and primed for me.
“Lucas…”
I closed my eyes as her soft voice filtered across the corridor and I shook my head in determination to rid her from my mind.
Rip her from my heart.
Tear her from my fucking soul.
She needed to be exorcised and I would be damned if it wasn’t with Blondie here.
I fought with my head and my heart, each of them pulling at the other.
I lifted my eyes at Blondie again who was now starting to look a little concerned over my wrath and I clenched my fists by my side, desperately trying to rein it in.
She would do Lucas. Hell, she had tits and a pussy, she would do, damn it.
FUCK!!!!
“Lucas…” It came again and I scrunched up my eyes, gulping down huge, horrendous lungful’s of air.
“No!” I told no-one in particular; just shouted it at the wall, shouted it at the door, shouted it at the air and shouted it at the bitch waiting for her pussy to be filled by any random.
“Go!” I barked at her.
She narrowed her eyes but pushed past me and fled down the passageway, back to the main bar.
I entered the room and slammed the door shut before I dropped to my knees.
I was going crazy.
I had gone crazy.
I had already gone crazy for a woman who would never offer me her complete heart.
It had never been hers to give me.
It had been Ryan’s
It had been Diablo’s
It had never been mine.
But I wanted it. I wanted it all.
I wanted her smile, her body, her soul, her spirit, her breath and above all, I wanted her pure heart.
“Lucas.”
I heard her and I knew she was there but I couldn’t look at her, desperate for her not to see me like this.
Broken, so fucking broken.
I squeezed my eyes closed as I felt her kneel before me and I hadn’t realised I was crying until she wiped at my cheeks with her soft fingers.
“Look at me, Lucas.” She whispered and I shook my head.
“Please” she begged softly and I swallowed harshly as I slowly opened my eyes.
My breath caught at her beauty, her warm and gentle smile fluttered around inside my chest, searching for my heart but I clamped it closed and held it back.
But God, she was so utterly beautiful and I had to fight hard to keep her out.
“Breathe, baby.” She urged as she took hold of my hand and held it tight in hers. “In…” she sucked in air and gestured for me to follow her.
I tried but it just stuck in my throat and made me gurgle.
“Again. In….” she reiterated and I copied her, now desperately forcing air into my lungs as they clenched tightly at the hollowness.
She smiled and nodded “Out….”
I obeyed and let it all back out before repeating and my head swam at the sudden rush. “Whoa” she chuckled as she grabbed hold of my biceps to stop me falling over.
My eyes lowered to her hands, her touch scorching my skin and inappropriately bringing my dick to life.
Why now? After been on the brink for over a week, why did it have to come to life now?
She dipped her face so she could look at me and I swallowed as her eyes expressed her deep pain but she smiled tenderly. “You okay now?”
I nodded as my mouth refused to form words.
Seriousness fell over her face and she diverted her gaze to the floor. “I’m sorry I hurt you Lucas. I didn’t mean to, I… I…”
She hissed through her teeth as though her words physically hurt her and I remained still and silent. Waiting for her excuse and to tell me she still loved me.
“I don’t know what I can do to stop the hurt, Lucas. But the only thing I could tell you that would help, would be a lie. I don’t think you need a lie, you need the truth. It’s about time we both faced that; we both need to face it. But you need to be willing to listen Lucas. I can’t tell you until you listen.”
These weren’t the words she should be
saying to me. They should be ‘sorry’ and ‘I love you’ and ‘I never loved Diablo, it was a lie’.
But she didn’t say them, she refused to say them.
Because they weren’t true.
“I…” I swallowed the words back. They wouldn’t help right now; they would hurt us both even more and neither of us needed that.
She nodded sadly and leaned in; placing her soft lips on my cheek, lingering a little too long but I relished it. My nostrils took in her scent; my skin absorbed her softness and my soul, if only for a moment, fused with its mate.
She stood and ran her hand across my head as she left.
My soul was still fused with hers, and she took it with her. Ripped it right out of me and left with it.
I was in hell, I was sure. Someone had forced me down there without me knowing.
Trampled me under the soil and weeds and earth and compelled me to a life without Red.
That was the only explanation for it.
Hell.
Chapter 35
Layla
Lucas didn’t come into work for the next two weeks. Nate had informed me he had taken himself off to some sunny island somewhere and my heart broke a little more. But I accepted it, even though it hurt, and I understood.
His stand-in was an arsehole; no other words really, just an utter arsehole, who loved to hear the sound of his own voice and fancied himself as a high-flying playboy.
The Hunt for Summer (NSC Industries) Page 20