I had missed his commanding tone. I pushed open the doors. “Good morning, Mr....Sir.” I smiled, my heart thumping hard when all eyes fell on me.
His green eyes twinkled when they locked with mine. “Ah. Just in time. Keely Price, my beautiful assistant, gentlemen.”
I smiled, my face going red hot at his compliment, and shut the door behind me.
“Come here,” Parker demanded, motioning to his large black leather chair. “Sit.”
I made my way to him and hesitated. “That’s your seat, Sir.”
Some of the older men chuckled. “She knows you well already,” one of them pointed out.
My cheeks heated. Parker showed no emotion, no hint of a smile but his jade eyes told all. They were silently warning me to listen to him or else I’d probably regret it. Or maybe not. I wondered how far I could push him.
“Keely. Sit.”
My back stiffened, a flush creeping over my body at being caught daydreaming. As always.
I sat in the large chair, glancing around the table.
“You’re going to take notes of the meeting,” Parker said softly, placing his hand on my bare knee.
I swallowed hard and nodded.
“Gentlemen. We’ll start and go to about eleven and then take a fifteen minute break. Have an hour long lunch at one and then continue at two. Everyone agree with that?” he asked, squeezing my knee.
The men nodded or grunted in response and the meeting began.
I typed on the computer, taking everything in. Marking down the times. Who spoke. What was said. I felt like a stenographer in a court room.
At times the subject became heated and if I didn’t have to focus on what was being said, making sure I marked down everything accordingly, I could really listen to Parker. He was firm. Demanding. Professional. His demeanor was cool. Collected. In control. Every so often, his eyes would glance my way. He would give me a small smile or a wink. These men were eating out of the palms of his hands. It was awe-inspiring to say the least. A man so young, controlling a corporation as big as Reed Industries all on his own. Building it all on his own.
Once one o’clock came around, Parker clapped his hands together. “Alright, gentlemen. Lunch time and then we’ll meet back here at two.” He pulled off his suit jacket and rolled up his sleeves, loosening the red tie around his neck.
“Reed,” a younger man said, rising to his feet as the others shuffled out of the room.
Parker grinned. “Aidan.”
“You going to properly introduce me to your assistant?” Aidan asked, nodding towards me.
“Stand.” Parker placed his hand on the back of my neck, giving it a light squeeze.
I rose to my feet and sighed, leaning into his touch, enjoying the feel of his presence.
“Keely. Aidan Match,” Parker said, motioning between us.
“Nice to meet you, sir,” I said softly.
Aidan smiled and clapped a hand on Parker’s shoulder. “So formal. I like it.”
My cheeks heated and I went back to finishing up the meeting minutes that I had started on the computer. The sound of the door clicking shut and locking in place jarred me from my thoughts.
“Liz,” Parker said into the phone, not taking his eyes off of mine. “Make sure no one comes in over the next hour.” He hung up the receiver and unbuttoned the first three buttons on his white dress shirt.
My mouth went dry at the thick tendons protruding from his neck. My core heated as he made his way towards me.
“It’s been a couple of days, pet.” He towered over me, placing his hands on the arms of the chair.
“How was your trip?” I asked, wrapping my fingers around his thick forearms.
He stepped between my knees and pinched my chin. “Long.” He frowned. “What’s wrong?”
My heart sped up. I had momentarily forgotten about Devin’s note. Or I had tried to. Working for Parker had been a welcome distraction. “Nothing.”
He pulled me into his arms and sat us on the couch. “Try again and don’t lie this time.”
I struggled out of his grip but his hold only tightened. “Parker.”
“What did I say?”
“Sir,” I mocked. “Let me go.”
He cupped the back of my neck. “No.” His hand reached into my blouse, his fingers brushing over the top of my breast. “You know what will make me stop but, my beautiful little one, you don’t want me to, do you?”
I fought back the urge to rip open his shirt and dive under his skin. I had missed him. And with Devin being back, it made me want Parker that much more. I needed to forget.
“Come over for supper tonight,” I blurted.
Parker raised an eyebrow, popping the buttons free on my blouse. “Only if I get you for lunch.”
I gave him a soft smile.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked, pulling the cup of my bra down, exposing my breast.
I nodded, chewing my bottom lip as his thumb caressed my nipple.
“You’re lying.”
I arched my back, pushing my breast into his large palm. “Right now I just want to feel you. I don’t want...I...”
“Did you miss me?” His other hand slid beneath my skirt, roaming up my hip.
“I did.” I cupped his cheek and placed a soft kiss on his mouth.
“Show me.”
The firm demand set off something deep inside of me. I refused to be scared of Devin. I was with Parker for the moment and I wouldn’t taint it with thoughts of that monster. I knew I had to tell Parker about him. For my safety and for his.
“Make me forget,” I breathed against Parker’s mouth.
“Forget what, pet?”
I undid his pants and reached a hand inside, wrapping my fingers around his thick length. “Him.”
He pulled my head back and captured my nipple between his lips. “I’ll make you forget. You’re mine, Keely.”
I panted. “Please.”
Parker ripped open his pants the rest of the way and pulled a condom from his pocket.
I took the package from his hand and tore it open with my teeth.
He grinned and leaned back, waiting. I rose to my knees, sheathed him, rolling the rubber down his length. He groaned, bucking his hips under my touch.
I kissed his jaw and hiked my skirt up to my hips. “Make me forget, my dark lover,” I whispered.
A wicked glint flashed in his eyes. “I will.”
I gripped the sides of my thong and tugged, ripping the thin material off of me.
“Shit, Keely.” Parker cupped my ass, digging his fingers into my naked flesh when I lowered my body onto him.
I shivered as I slid down his length, a small gasp leaving my lips.
He filled me to the hilt and when he bottomed out deep in my pussy, he stopped. “This cunt is mine. Whoever you are thinking about, forget him.”
I nodded, chewing my bottom lip. “Help me,” I whimpered.
He pulled me flush against him. “Kiss me and ride my dick, little one. Fuck that shit hard.”
I lifted myself up and down his cock, my body gripping him tight. He felt so good. So perfect.
“Come on, pet.”
His growl of a demand made me cry out and I crashed my lips to his. Forcing my tongue inside of his mouth, I gave him all of me and took what I wanted. What I so desperately craved from him.
He cupped the back of my neck, deepening the kiss as his thrusts quickened. He pumped in and out of me hard, bringing me over the edge of ecstasy. I screamed into his mouth, my body shaking through its release. An explosion so great crashed into me, spots danced in my vision.
“Harder! Fuck my cock!” he snarled, pushing deep inside of me.
I gasped, opening to him, taking him as far as possible. “Yes. Oh God!” My hips circled against him as a second tingle washed over me.
He grunted, his body tensing as he pulsed inside of me.
Our breathing was erratic as we stayed connected, our mouths moving as one.
r />
“Hmm...I missed you.”
“I missed you too.” I sighed, wrapping my arms around his neck. “Thank you.”
His brows furrowed. “Will you tell me what that was about?”
I rose from his lap and straightened out my skirt before picking my ripped thong off the floor. Shoving it into Parker’s pocket, I gave him a soft smile. “Tonight. I promise. I will tell you everything.”
From the moment we sat in Parker’s limo to the time we drove back to my apartment, all I could think about was getting his hands on me again. He was an addiction, to say the least, and with Devin showing up, I needed all of the distractions I could get. I wasn’t sure if this newfound need for another man was normal after what Devin had put me through but I knew even from the beginning that Parker was in no way the monster that my ex was.
After lunch, the rest of the meeting went by rather quickly. I drowned myself in Parker’s words, typing them up on his computer for him to review later. I enjoyed working for him. And I enjoyed making him lose control even more.
He got what he wanted for lunch twice before he called the other men back into the room. I no doubt knew I had a just-fucked glow but at that point, I didn’t care.
“Talk to me, beautiful one,” Parker said softly in my ear.
I smiled up at him, leaning into his side. “I heard you had an emergency, that’s why you had to take a couple days off.”
He scoffed, his features going hard. “You could say that.”
“Everything okay?”
“You’re trying to change the subject.” He placed a soft kiss on my mouth. “My best friend is an ass and got himself in trouble a couple of years ago. Ended up in jail over some stupid shit. He’s finally out, so I paid him a visit.” Parker brushed a hand over his head and sighed.
“Good thing he has a friend like you to watch out for him.” I smiled.
“If only he listened to me, he wouldn’t have ended up in jail in the first place.” He kissed my hair. “When we were kids, he was always the daring one. He would do anything to get a rise out of people. Shock value and shit.”
My heart gave a start. “Reminds me of someone I once knew.”
“Yeah? Where did you grow up?”
“A couple hours outside the city. Troy and I moved here when...” I swallowed hard and looked away. “After some stuff went down.”
“I didn’t spend my childhood here either.”
I met his gaze. “No?”
The limo came to a stop and Parker helped me out of the vehicle. Placing his arm around my shoulders, he guided me up the steps to my building before he continued. “No. My dad died before I was born. So it was just my mom and I.” His voice grew thick as he told me his story and I couldn’t help but feel bad for him. “I wish I would have known my mom at a time when she was truly happy.” He kissed my knuckles.
“What happened to her?” I asked tentatively.
“She didn’t die or commit suicide like the tabloids said.” He took a breath. “I’ll take you to her one of these days. She would like you, Keely.”
“I would love to meet her.” But I wondered why the tabloids made up the stories and lies that they did. How could they say that she died when she was very much alive?
“Tell me what happened today.”
I took a breath. “My ex is back and he found me.”
“Found you.”
I nodded, chewing my bottom lip. “He was in jail. I moved, getting away from him with help from Troy.”
“What do you need from me, pet?”
I looked up, my eyes welling at the concern in Parker’s voice. “You. That’s it.”
He nodded.
“How’s your friend? He being a good boy?” I asked, trying to lighten the heavy subject.
Parker held my hand as we made our way into the elevator when I pressed the ninth button.
“He’s the same frustrating Devin that I knew as a kid.”
My head whipped around. “Wait. His name is Devin?”
Parker nodded, his eyebrow raising. “Yeah. Why?”
My heart thumped hard against my rib cage. It couldn’t be the same Devin that I knew. The world was too big for that to be the case. Wasn’t it? “What’s his last name?”
“Why?”
“Humor me.”
“Tate.”
A cry escaped my lips and I shook my head. “No. It’s not possible.” Life played nasty evil tricks on you at times; for me? This was one of those times.
“Keely?” Parker grabbed my arm, forcing me to look up at him. “What’s going on?”
“Devin. Oh God, Parker. I think I know him.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” he snapped.
The elevator doors slid open and I stumbled out into the hall. My chest constricted, air forcing its way into my tight lungs. “This can’t...I...”
“Keely.” Parker spun me around.
“If it’s the same Devin that I know, then I’m the one that put him in jail. He’s the reason I moved. He...”
Parker’s eyes widened. “You’re the girl that he...shit. I heard about you. He bragged about this girl that he used as a toy. It fucking disgusted me the things he said. Tell me they were just stories.” His hands tightened on my arms and he shook me. “Tell me.”
Tears poured down my cheeks as the nightmares from when I was just a teenager forced their way into my mind. “They’re not stories.”
Parker let go of me and punched the wall. “Fuck.”
I jumped at the outburst, my body wracked with sobs. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I should have told you but I didn’t know. You and I…we’re not serious. I’m sorry.” I rambled over and over about how sorry I was. I couldn’t help it. I didn’t mean to bring Parker into my own personal hell.
His jade eyes met mine and before I could take a full breath, he was on me. Pinning me against him, he cupped the back of my neck, holding me tight. “I am so sorry. I should have protected you. I should have done something.”
My sobs got louder as I cried against his chest. “You didn’t know me. It wasn’t your responsibility.”
“Doesn’t matter.” He pulled back and held me at arm’s length. “If what he told me was true...” His gaze turned cold. Deadly. “I don’t care if he’s my best friend. I will kill him.”
I stepped out of his hold and trudged down the hall to my apartment, wiping the tears from under my eyes. “No. You will not do anything.”
“Keely.”
“No,” I screamed, spinning on him. “Whatever this is between us is strong. I know you feel it. It would kill me if something happened to you. He wouldn’t care that you’re his best friend.”
“What if he comes after you?”
“He’ll only come after me to scare me. To fuck with my head. And he won’t come near me until he’s ready.” I thought a moment. “If he sees you with me…Parker, maybe we should stop—”
He crashed his mouth to mine, silencing me. “Don’t you dare fucking say it.”
“If I use my safe word...”
“Keely.” His eyes begged me not to.
A lump burned my throat and as much as I didn’t want Parker to be wrapped up in this situation, I couldn’t bring myself to use my safe word. “This is all...”
“Weird,” Parker finished for me.
“Yeah. If I would have known that you knew him...”
“What? You telling me that this,” he motioned between us, “would never have happened, because I don’t believe that for a damn second.”
“Devin is dangerous, Parker. We can’t do this anymore,” I heard myself say.
Parker grabbed my arm and pushed me up against the wall. “This, right here, right now...has nothing to do with Devin. We met because we were supposed to.”
“What do you want from me?” I asked him, pushing out of his grip.
“This. That’s it. I don’t do relationships, Keely. If you read the tabloids you would know that.”
I
spun on him. “Oh yes. The tabloids made it very clear that you have a long list of women in your back pocket.”
“What is this? Why are we fighting?”
“Whatever.” I turned and headed down the hall with him grumbling and hot on my heels.
The revelation that Parker had known Devin...that he actually knew him hit me like a brick in the face. Best friends. Devin never talked about him. Of course he never did much talking except for telling me what to do.
“I’m sorry,” Parker whispered in my ear.
“Me too.” I opened the door and was greeted with a spicy aroma of pasta and tomato sauce.
“Hey. You’re finally here.” Troy rounded the corner, his face falling when his gaze landed on us. “What’s wrong? Who died? Oh God. What show did they cancel?”
I sighed and took his hand, leading him to the couch. “Sit.”
Parker closed the door and joined us, sitting in the recliner.
“Talk to me, baby girl.”
“Parker knows Devin,” I said finally.
Troy’s eyes widened, bouncing between Parker and I. “How?”
“Grew up with him.” Parker leaned his elbows on his knees and scrubbed a hand through his short brown hair. “We lived in a shitty part of town. Got mixed up with a bad crowd but I was able to get out before I sunk in too deep.”
“And Devin sank even further.” Troy leaned back and whistled. “Wow girl.” He looked at me. “You sure know how to pick ‘em.”
“Parker isn’t Devin.” I knew I hadn’t known him for that long but I trusted him. Clearly my body did as well since before I even had a chance to decide; it liked to listen to his demands.
“I should have stayed in,” Parker mumbled. “I should have gotten Devin out with me.”
I knelt in front of him and pulled his hands away from his face. “I’m only going to say this once so you better damn well listen to me.”
His eyes darkened. “You trying to tell me what to do, pet?”
“Yes,” I said, lifting my chin defiantly. “It is not your fault that Devin Tate turned out how he did. He’s a domineering, abusive asshole and deserved to stay in jail for the rest of his fucking life but he knows people. I knew that it wouldn’t be permanent but I figured it would be some time. I just assumed that he would get bored of me, but...” I swallowed past the bile that had risen to my throat. “That clearly hasn’t happened yet. But there is nothing that you could have done to change him. He only showed you one side.”