Rafe backed her into the apartment, his meaning clear as they moved until she ran into the wall. He placed his fingers beneath her chin and tugged until she finally met his gaze.
“If all I saw was disinterest on your face then I would go away, Ari. Unfortunately for both of us, you’re far more interested than you profess. There’s fire burning in your eyes, and whether you like it or not, your body responds to me like a fiddle to its bow. When you stop the fight, I’ll be there to release those inhabitations you hold onto so tightly and you’ll have to hang on for the ride – because believe me, it will be wild. ”
Ari’s breathing deepened and Rafe knew he could take her right where she stood. He knew she wouldn’t fight him – wouldn’t do anything but cry out his name as her pleasure reached its crescendo.
He decided to let her suffer, even though he’d also be hurting. In the short run it was worth it, though tonight when he lay in bed aching, he may regret his decision.
“You have my number,” were his parting words as he walked out her door.
Needing to burn off energy, Rafe drove straight to the gym and changed, then headed to the boxing ring. As he did his warm ups, adrenaline began pumping through him. He’d feel much better after a good battle.
“Rafe, it’s been a while. You’re in luck, Sam’s here. ”
Rafe turned to find his favorite trainer, Mickey, leaning against the wall with a delighted smile on his face. Rafe just nodded his head. The man got a bit too excited at the prospect of blood spilling, and they both knew that was about to happen. Sam was a middle-weight champion boxer, and Rafe’s favorite sparring buddy.
They got rough, and by the end, both of them were hurting, but it was a good ache. Boxing was an outlet – it relieved his high levels of stress and calmed him. He was ready.
A crowd started to gather as Rafe climbed into the ring. They all enjoyed watching a good sparring match. Sam stepped from the locker-room and their eyes locked and his friend smiled.
“I didn’t think I was going to be able to kick some ass today. It’s been a while since you’ve been down here. Are you sure you want to go a few rounds with me, pansy. ”
“I think you’re just too damn chicken to fight me. Did you leave your big boy pants at home,” Rafe shot back.
“Nah, I left them at your mother’s house when I snuck out the window this morning. ”
Rafe laughed as Sam stepped into the ring and came over to give him a half-hug. They turned as Mickey joined them.
“All right, boys. You know the rules. No groin shots or any of that sissy hugging. If I have to pull you apart I’m going to get cranky. Keep it clean and knock the crap out of each other,” Mickey said as he patted them each on the shoulder.
Rafe and Sam hit gloves then went to their corners. The bell rang and they came out fighting…
“Rafe! What happened to you?” his mother exclaimed when he walked in the house. They were all supposed to be gone already. He loved them, but he was ready for their meddling visit to be over.
“I’m fine, Mom. I was just sparring at the gym. ”
“You have a black eye and swollen lip,” she exclaimed.
“Yeah, that tends to happen when I spar with Sam,” he said with a chuckle. “You should see what his face looks like. It’s never pretty, but it looks even worse now. ”
“That’s terrible. I didn’t know you were still into that awful boxing. I could just kill your father for introducing you to the sport. ”
“Yeah, you have to say that as my mother, but it looks a lot worse than it feels. As a matter of fact, I haven’t felt this good in a while,” he answered as he walked into his den and moved behind the bar.
He grabbed a cold bottle of beer and took a long swallow. He wouldn’t admit it, but he was a lot more sore than he should be. It really had been a while since he’d sparred. He was going to have to try and get down there more often – at least a couple times a month.
“We were planning on leaving tomorrow morning, but we can stay until you’re better. ”
“No! I mean, thanks for the offer, but I’ll be working night and day over the next few weeks, so you’d be wasting your time hanging out here,” he quickly said, hoping he hadn’t hurt her feelings with his insistence that she leave.
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“Okay, I get it. You want your space back. We’ll take off, but you’d better call us if there’s anything at all that you need. Do you understand?”
“Yes, of course, Mom. I’m going to head up to bed. Let me know when you get back home, okay?”
He gave his mother a hug, then managed to walk up the stairs without flinching. As he tugged off his shirt he winced. His shoulder felt like it was on fire. Sam hadn’t realized he’d been shot a couple weeks ago, and had landed a punch in the exact wrong place. Rafe had seen stars for a moment, and Mickey had called the fight, then proceeded to lecture Rafe for the next fifteen minutes about being a stupid idiot.
Rafe didn’t allow many people to call him an idiot, but he made an exception for Mickey. He’d know the guy since he was in grade school.
After a hot shower he felt far more human and decided he’d survive. He also got his appetite back, so made his way downstairs to grab a sandwich. After he finished, the doorbell rang. His staff was already turned in for the night and he didn’t want his parents to be woken up, so he rushed to the door to find out who could be rude enough to come calling at almost midnight.
Rage filled him when he saw who his unwelcome visitor was.
“Good evening, lover. It looks like I got here just in time. You look to be in need of some tender loving care. ”
Chapter Thirty
“What in the hell are you doing here, Sharron?”
“Now, is that any way to talk to your wife?”
“You haven’t been my wife for several years. Get the hell off my property before I have you arrested. ”
“But, baby, I miss you so much. ” She dropped her coat, revealing a skimpy red teddy, and not much else. Before he could slam the door in her face, she grabbed ahold of him.
Rafe quickly gripped her arms and pushed her away, not wanting to have her touching any part of him. When she realized seduction wasn’t getting her what she wanted, the waterworks began.
“Oh, Rafe, I need you. I thought I wanted something different in my life, but I just can’t seem to live without you. Please, don’t be so cruel,” she sobbed as she reached for him.
“So for the past three years, you’ve done nothing except cry over our broken marriage?” he mocked.
“No, of course not. I tried to live my life, attend parties, smile for the cameras, but all of that was nothing but a show. Once a woman’s been with a man like you, there’s no going back. I need you, Rafe. Please. You used to love me so much. I know you still do,” she sobbed.
She was a great little actress. She’d really missed her calling in life. Rafe didn’t know if it was vindictiveness, or just because he’d had a hell of a day, but he invited her in by opening the door wide.
“Oh, thank you, baby. I knew you missed me, too,” she said as she once again threw herself at him. He brushed her off and started moving down the hallway.
“Follow me. ”
Her five-inch heels clicked on the hardwood beneath her as she practically ran to keep up with him. He imagined her modified br**sts were about to spill from her lingerie. Nothing about her manufactured body did a thing for him, anymore. When he’d met her, she’d been real, not some plastic Barbie Doll. He really should’ve known who she was. She hadn’t tried to hide her greediness all that carefully.
He’d just assumed she appreciated the finer things in life. There was nothing wrong with that. When he discovered she loved his money a whole lot more than she loved him, he’d been grateful she’d shown her true colors.
“Sit down,” he commanded.
She sauntered over to h
is couch and sat, arranging herself in the most appealing way she could. He gazed at her, wondering if there would be even the slightest of sparks inside him. After-all, he was incredibly sexually frustrated.
As his gaze traveled from her expertly made-up face, over her br**sts, and then across the top of her thighs – he felt nothing, not even the barest of sparks.
Interesting.
“Why don’t you sit with me, Rafe? Better yet, why don’t you take me to your bedroom – I’ve learned a few things over the years that I think will make you a very happy man,” she promised.
“I have a better idea,” he said as he reached for the file he was looking for and slowly approached her. Triumph sparked in her eyes when he leaned down. She really thought she had him fooled.
“What’s that, lover?”
“Why don’t we talk about you,” he said, his tone not giving anything away. She still thought this was a pleasant chat.
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“Mmm, what do you want to know? I’m an open book,” she lied.
“Well…” he hesitated as he wanted to fully enjoy the devastation on her face when she discovered she wasn’t getting her way.
“How about we talk about the fact that you’re broke, about to be homeless, and been cast from the high society circles from here to New York. ”
It took her a moment, but his words finally registered and she stiffened as her satisfied smile fell away and hatred glowed in her eyes before she managed to control it, and plaster a devastated expression in its place.
Rafe didn’t feel the victory he’d planned on. He was surprised to almost pity the woman – almost. She had reaped what she’d sewed. He was done with his small game. Walking to the phone, he lifted it to call his security and she flew off the couch toward him.
“What are you doing? Please! Let me explain. I was trying to be happy again after you threw me out. I lost all joy in life and wandered like an empty shell. Then I met Antonio. I thought he was a good man. He was so nice to me at first. That’s why I got the new br**sts and nose. I wanted to please him. But then, he turned out to be a real jerk. I thought he’d take care of me so I wasn’t careful with my divorce settlement, and then out of nowhere, he kicked me out of his house, wouldn’t even let me have the jewelry he’d bought for me. I didn’t do anything to deserve that. Now I have nothing, no money, no home – nothing. You can’t just leave me like this, Rafe. You love me. ”
Rafe listened to her speech without feeling a single emotion. He simply didn’t care enough about her to even give a damn.
“According to my sources, he kicked you out because he found you in bed with the pool boy. Isn’t that a bit clichéd, Sharron? The pool boy, really?”
“That’s a lie. I would never do that. ”
“Tell it to someone who cares. I honestly don’t. I thought I’d enjoy seeing you like this, but you matter so little to me that I’ve already grown bored with this conversation. ”
“You were never so cold before. What in the hell has happened to you?” she screamed.
“I’m who I always should’ve been. I quite like myself. ”
“What am I supposed to do,” she wailed.
“It looks like you’ll have to figure it out. I want you to leave my home, Sharron. Don’t come back. ”
With that, Rafe lifted the phone and called security. They were there within seconds and Sharron didn’t stop screaming the entire time they hauled her from his office. If she came back again, he wouldn’t hesitate to have her thrown into jail.
Chapter Thirty-One
“It’s so good to have you back, Ari!”
Ari braced for impact as her three friends engulfed her in a group hug. The embrace caused a bit of discomfort to her still healing wound, but it was worth the small amount of agony to feel so loved.
“I’ve missed you girls. What crazy adventures have you been up to since I’ve been gone?”
“We’ve already filled you in on everything when we came to visit you at the hospital. Now it’s so your turn to spill. Who the heck was that complete hunk that was in your room the last time we were there. It’s been killing us waiting all weekend to find out. ”
“Oh, he’s nobody, really,” Ari said, not wanting to discuss Rafe. She hadn’t heard a word from him since he dropped her off on Thursday and she’d been on pins and needles ever since. She knew the other shoe would drop, she just didn’t know when. The waiting was worse than if he were right there in her face. At least then she knew what he was doing. With him not communicating with her, she was jumping at every shadow, listening to every door close through her thin apartment walls.
Ari was grateful she was finally back at work, where she knew he wouldn’t be showing up. He had too much class to storm her building and kidnap her. The thought of him doing just that should send shudders through her, but instead stirred up the beginning flames of excitement.
What was she thinking? The man was screwing with her head whether he was around or not. It couldn’t be good for her health.
“You are such a liar – and a very bad one, at that. From the second he walked into your room, the temperature steadily rose. The heat in his eyes alone was enough to melt the skin from my bones. After leaving your hospital room, I went home and jumped my husband. He was so thankful, he told me to go back and do whatever it was I was doing before getting home,” Amber said as she fanned her face.
“Amber,” Ari said with mortification as she looked around.
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“Oh, come on, Ari. We all do the down and dirty. I just need a pic of your guy hanging above my bed so I can have red hot sex with my hubby while fantasizing about your sex god. ”
“How cute. You’re actually embarrassing her,” Miley said with a laugh.
“Come on. We’ve known Ari for months now. You know she blushes at even the mention of the S. E. X. word,” Shelly spelled out.
“You are terrible, monstrous friends. I can’t believe I’m still standing here taking this abuse,” Ari said with a smile.
“Yes, we’re horrible. I’m expecting my chariot of fire to show up to escort me to the gates of hell at any moment. For now, I’m still here, so spill the beans before we try Chinese water torture on you,” Amber threatened.
“I just want to say that I truly feel sorry for your husbands. Living with any of you has got to be like being married to an FBI agent who constantly interrogates. Geesh. ”
“Yeah, yeah, now spill,” Shelly said as she impatiently tapped her toe on the floor.
“That was… just a friend. I refuse to spill anything further. I’ve been away from work for a couple weeks now, and I don’t want to give them any excuses to fire me. If you promise to leave me alone for the entire day, then maybe, just maybe, I’ll share something with you after work,” Ari said, making sure to look each of them in the eye so they knew she wasn’t bluffing.
“Fine, but I want you to know that I’m not very happy about this,” Miley pouted.
“You can grumble and call me names behind my back. ”
“Okay. That makes it a little better,” Shelly said with a forgiving smile.
“We really have missed you, Ari. No one has managed to enter this friendship circle before you came along. You’ve turned us from the three musketeers to the Foursketeers. ”
“Foursketeers? That’s not a real word,” Ari said with a laugh.
“Yeah, well, it sounded good in my head,” Amber defended.
“Are you ladies planning on working anytime soon, or do you think chatting around the water cooler is your job title?”
“We’re going. Keep your pants on,” Miley said as she turned toward her office.
“Miley,” Ari hissed as she glanced apologetically at her boss. “I’m sorry, sir. I’m coming now. ”
“It’s good to have you back, Ari,” he replied before smiling and heading back to his
office.
Amber hugged her again, before they all went to their desks. As Ari sat down, she took a relieved breath. The job was boring, but her friends made it all worth being there. She truly hoped they never ended up going their separate ways. She’d found laughter again, and she didn’t ever want to lose it.
Ari managed to avoid telling her friends much of anything about Rafe, but what she didn’t realize was that they got ahold of her phone while she was in the bathroom and found several steamy text messages from him.
Since the girls were determined to hook her up, they decided to see if they could do some matchmaking. The messages they’d read were all about what he wanted to do to her… all night long, and her replies were less than enthusiastic.
The girls wanted to see a show, and they were about to get their money’s worth.
Chapter Thirty-Two
“I won’t take no for an answer, do you understand?”
Ari stood frozen, as if trapped, knowing there was no way out. She either said yes and did this the easy way, or she said no and was kidnapped and had all sorts of tortures inflicted upon her. She wanted to run, but she knew there was no way out.
“Fine, yes. I want you to know that I’m not going willingly and I’m very upset with you. ”
“I can live with that. ”
Ari watched as Amanda sauntered away, obviously pleased to have gotten her way. Ari was stuck going out dancing with the girls. At least Amanda had promised it was a classy Latin club where her brother was a bouncer. Ari had threatened their lives if there were any more roofie attempts on her.
“Let’s go. Miley and Shelly are already in the car. My husband took the kids to a movie so my house is where we’re getting ready. I have the perfect outfit for you. ”
“No way are you dressing me slutty, Amber,” Ari yelled as she chased after her friend. She had to protest even though she knew she was going to lose in the end. It seemed to be the story of her life.
The girls chattered on about how amazing this club was the entire half-hour drive to Amber’s place. Ari had to admit, if only to herself, that it did sound kind of fun. She’d ignored the messages from Rafe all week, and tonight was a good time to go out dancing and see if she could find a man who’d spark her interest as much as he did.