~~~
The drive to the hotel was done in similar fashion. They were checked in quickly and were soon in the room. Jason had his arms around her, and they were pressed against the wall before the door clicked shut. “You don’t know how bad I’ve wanted to do this; I didn’t think dinner would ever end,” groaned Jason.
He picked her up and was walking towards the bed when a knock sounded at the door. He halted in his tracks, “Damn, this had better be good.” Reluctantly sitting her back on her feet, Jason took a moment to straighten his clothing and yanked the door open.
The valet took a quick look at Jason’s hard stare and quickly handed him a message. “I’m sorry sir; this should have been given to you when you checked in.” With a curt nod of thanks, Jason shut the door and opened the note.
Jason grabbed his cell phone, quickly checking something and looked at Claire. “I’m sorry, there’s a problem at a customer site with one of our components and they’re threatening to cancel their entire order.”
“Is it Lynwood?” asked Claire. Lynwood was a new customer who Danvers had recently acquired and their first purchase was in the millions of dollars.
“Yeah, that’s the one; I don’t know how this has been screwed up, but they’re livid. I need to see what the problem is and try to smooth it over.”
“What can I do to help?” asked Claire. Jason had already walked over to the desk in the room and was punching in numbers on his phone.
“Let me see what’s going on, and we will go from there.”
Chapter Nineteen
Claire walked over to a chair in the seating area. She was far enough away to give Jason some privacy but close enough to offer assistance if needed. After several phone calls, Jason seemed to reach the person in charge at Lynwood. He put his hand over the phone and asked, “Claire, could you possibly look in my briefcase over next to our luggage and see if you can locate the files on Lynwood?” Claire walked towards the bedroom and located Jason’s briefcase. Claire put it on the edge of the bed and pulled out a stack of folders looking for anything on Lynwood.
She pulled out two folders and continued to thumb through the remainder when a name caught her eye. Confused, Claire wondered why Jason would have a file on her in his briefcase. Her curiosity getting the better of her, Claire opened the folder and stared at the contents in shock, unable to grasp what she was seeing. She thumbed through copies of her loan application from Danvers as well as a copy of the check issued to her.
A note was attached to the check copy, ‘Mr. Danvers; per your instructions, I wanted to advise you that Claire Walters did apply for a loan of five thousand dollars today. As per your directive, the loan was approved immediately, and the funds made available the next day. Ms. Walters inquired about repayment of the loan and I was able to convince her that her payments were deferred for six months due to a special promotion. These funds were issued from your personal account as requested.' On the next page, Claire found an email from Pam at Partiez Plus. Almost unable to process any further information, Claire made herself read the email.
‘Dear Mr. Danvers, It was a pleasure and somewhat of a surprise to hear from you concerning an employee. I was never informed that Claire was under contract to Danvers and that the contract precluded outside employment of our specific specialty. Claire is a valued member of our staff, and as such it is with great regret that I’ll need to replace her. I do, however, understand and commend your need to protect the employment and benefits of a key employee. I will as you requested keep this matter confidential and will notify Claire of my intentions to fill her position. I can’t thank you enough for recommending Partiez Plus to Mr. and Mrs. Smythe; their business will be invaluable. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance.’
Claire was numb, her mind desperately looking for another explanation for what she’d read. Jason was behind the scenes of her life directing it like a play. Her turn of good fortune was not actually fortune at all; it was Jason pulling the strings, taking over and making her into someone whom he deemed acceptable. The sense of betrayal on so many levels was overwhelming. At the center was Jason. Leslie the creditor of course owed her loyalty to Jason and even though ethically it was wrong, she probably felt as if she were doing Claire a favor.
Pam in her estimation was as guilty as Jason. She’d basically sold out to him for his contacts. After the years of working for her and what she thought was a friendship between them, Pam had betrayed her confidence and privacy by discussing her employment with Jason. It was obvious from her email that she’d no intention of using Claire any longer despite her assurance that she would have the opportunity to work future parties.
What other problems had Jason decided to solve for her? Were her mother and Louise now on their way to live in Florida with his aunt Ella? Would she come home to a new house herself? Surely, someone living in an apartment wasn’t good enough for the mighty Jason Danvers to sleep with. Well, that was no longer something he would have to worry about. She was finished with Jason and finished with Danvers. Word had probably already spread there by now that she was Jason’s kept woman.
“Claire, what’s keeping you? Did you find the file?” asked Jason from the next room. Rage burned through her causing her hands to shake as she gripped the file. Claire stalked back in the sitting area and smacked the folder with her name on it down in front of him.
Jason gave her a questioning look at the abrupt gesture. He balanced the telephone on his shoulder as he opened the file, not noticing the name on the front. Claire recognized the exact moment when he became aware of what he was looking at. His speech stopped mid-sentence, and he closed his eyes briefly as if in resignation. With a brief, “I’ll have to call you back,” spoken in the cell phone, Jason disconnected the call and turned to face her.
She waited for Jason to defend himself, to say anything, but he continued to sit and study her, seeming to be waiting for her to say something. “Well, surely you have something to say?” snapped Claire. “You have plenty to say to everyone else concerning me so why not to me in person?”
“Claire, you’re upset, let’s leave this until you’re feeling rational enough to listen to reason.”
The tone of his voice, as if he were humoring a child, infuriated her further. “I want you to explain what the hell you thought you were doing invading my privacy and taking over my life.”
“If we must do this now while I’m in the middle of a major problem, at least sit down so that we may discuss this like adults.”
“Fine,” snapped Claire, and perched on the edge of a wingback chair across the room. “Well? I’m waiting.”
After taking a deep breath, Jason stared at her and asked quietly, “What is it that you want me to say Claire?” If possible, the question stroked her rage to an even higher level. It was as if this whole conversation was a nuisance to him, and he couldn’t see what she could possibly be upset over.
“Ok… Let’s go in order, how about explaining the loan from Danvers that apparently wasn’t a loan at all? Then we can work our way to my job with Partiez Plus that you got me fired from. Am I missing anything or is there something else not in the folder? Do I have a new home now that I’m not aware of or maybe my mother has free medication for life?” Breathing quickly, Claire saw an answering anger start to burn in Jason’s blue eyes.
“Listen, I don’t really have time for this right now, and I never took you for such a drama queen. I fail to see what could possibly have you so enraged. I gave you help when you needed it and were too proud to ask. I would have done the same for any employee, since when is it a crime to help someone?”
“You didn’t offer help; you made choices for me. I don’t need handouts, and I’m perfectly capable of handling my own affairs. I told you that when you brought this up in your office yet you ignored everything I said and decided you knew best. Poor stupid Claire couldn’t possibly be able to think for herself, right?”
Jason jumped to his feet and stalk
ed over to her chair glaring down at her. “Oh yes, I can see how great you were doing at handling your own problems. Being a stripper for a room full of horny men is always the answer to every girl’s problems. I thought you were being forced to do that because of money, but maybe I was wrong, maybe it was for pleasure all along. Do you get some type of thrill from parading around half-naked turning a bunch of strangers on? Maybe you just like to play the blushing virgin during the day.”
Claire flew out of the chair, and her hand landed hard against his cheek, the red imprint clearly visible. “Go to hell, what I do or why I do it is none of your concern!” yelled Claire. Harsh laughter erupted from Jason’s chest as he reached out and hauled her against his chest.
“That’s where you’re wrong Claire; everything you do is of interest to me, if that makes me a bastard, then so be it."
His lips swooped down on hers, crushing the protests bubbling from her lips. Claire tried to turn her head to escape his plundering lips, but his hands reached up and locked her in place. His tongue moved insistently along the seam of her lips, not asking but demanding entrance into her mouth. With a groan, Claire felt her body betraying her; her lips seemed to part of their own accord. Jason took possession, his tongue stabbing inside to claim the victory.
Jason moved his hands from her face and slid them down to her hips. He gripped her bottom, pulling her almost roughly against him, leaving little doubt as to how excited he was. Claire’s own hands locked around his neck, bringing her body into even closer contact with his hard contours, desperate to feel his heat everywhere. Jason’s hand slid back up her body and continued on until it was cupping her breast.
She arched her back as Jason lowered his head to suck her nipple through the fabric of her dress and bra. Heat exploded inside her; the cool feel of the wet fabric against her nipple was almost more erotic than being nude. Dimly in the background the voice in her head was screaming in protest; her body, however, was burning in need and the voice was easily overlooked. She couldn’t remember why she was angry with him; she could only focus on the need building inside her.
Claire’s hands lowered to the buckle of Jason’s belt, and soon had it open; the snap of his jeans was next. Jason slid his hands up her thighs bunching the material of the short dress around her waist. He gripped the flimsy material of her panties, and she felt them give on the side sliding down her legs. Quickly kicking them off her feet, Claire moaned as Jason’s hands slid between her legs and into the drenching heat within.
She was wet and ready, her need for him so obvious that it should have been embarrassing. The approving groan from Jason made her forget that thought. She basked instead in the answering excitement she felt rippling through him as his body shuddered with arousal. As if unable to hold back any longer, Jason quickly stepped out of his jeans and leaned back against the wall. He lifted her and lowered her onto him, filling her completely.
Claire wrapped her legs around his waist. Her head fell back, and Jason kissed his way up to her neck as he pumped into her. Her body almost immediately crested an orgasm. Claire screamed and convulsed around him, her orgasm seeming to be never ending as he continued to slide in and out of her. Jason grabbed her tightly walking over to a chair, careful to keep them connected. He sat down, arranging her legs on either side of his as he continued to pump into her. He took one nipple into his mouth, sucking while his other hand roamed her body.
She thought she might faint, so great was the pleasure rushing through her. The room was filled with the sounds of their labored breathing and moans of pleasure. Jason used this new position to his advantage, and his hands seemed to be everywhere at once. He stroked her clit and Claire felt what little strength she had leave her completely. Jason took her hips and moved her up and down on his length, driving them both towards completion.
Claire didn't think it was even possible to have an orgasm stronger than the last, she found that she was very wrong. The pressure in her body suddenly exploded white hot, pushing a scream from her that was quickly echoed and swallowed by Jason’s mouth. Claire felt him reach his own release, and she fell limply against him, all coherent thought completely gone.
Dimly, she was aware of him separating their bodies, and then she was lying on something soft as Jason curled around her back, his arm resting against her stomach. The last thought in Claire’s mind before she drifted away was that there was truly a thin line between love and hate.
~~
Claire awoke sometime later, disoriented as she looked around the unfamiliar room. The clock beside the bed glowed showing the hour of 7:00am. Stretching, Claire felt the aches and pains in her body and smiled at the memory of how she’d gotten them. Looking beside her, Claire could make out the indention on the pillow where Jason had lain. That side was now empty and cool to the touch. He had been up for some time.
Suddenly, a memory intruded on her happiness and the evening before came crashing back. Oh God, no! Jason was no better than her father; he had taken over her life. The packaging might be different; the rest was the same. Claire could hear her father’s mocking voice in her head as though it was yesterday.
Poor stupid Claire, do you honestly think that you, your mother or your sister would ever survive on your own? You’re barely fit to leave the house, everything you do is wrong. I’m left taking care of you bunch of fools. If I can ever even manage to get anyone to marry you, I truly pity them. Not only are you plain, you have a complete lack of intelligence. You and your sister got that from your mother, the only idiot I know bigger than you two. Sure you go on to college now and when you fail, as you will, don’t think you can crawl back to me to take care of you.
Claire pulled Jason’s pillow against her chest and wept. She cried for herself for probably the first time ever. She cried for the years of torment and abuse at the hands of a man who should have never been a husband or a father. She cried for the loss of her sister who never had a chance to spread her wings and for her mother who stayed as if she deserved no better. Lastly, she cried for the broken hopes and dreams she’d allowed herself to have about Jason.
He seemed so different. In the time she worked for him he praised her work and rarely questioned anything she’d done for him. He always treated everyone with respect, even when there was a problem. She was blindsided by the side of him she’d discovered yesterday. She almost felt like she’d imagined the whole thing; so great was her trust in him.
Maybe she could even find some way to deal with the loan he had engineered on her behalf, since she’d applied for it of her own free will. Contacting Pam and dangling a wealthy new client over her if she terminated Claire was something that she could find no way around. This reeked of something her father would have done. Had her second occupation so embarrassed him that he couldn’t imagine himself sleeping with someone who jumped out of a cake? Yet Claire had never found him to be arrogant nor snobbish; quite the opposite actually.
Chapter Twenty
She jerked as she felt a hand on her back. As she pulled herself up, she kept the pillow in front of her for coverage and attempted to wipe the tears from her face. Jason looked at her with concern in his blue eyes.
“Claire, baby, I’ve some news for you, and I need you to stay calm,” began Jason. Claire wasn’t sure what she’d been expecting him to say, but this was not it. Her eyes flew to his face, alarm starting to take over.
“What… What’s wrong?”
He took both of her hands in his as if to brace her, “Baby; it’s your mother; she’s been taken to the hospital.”
“Wha…What? No, that can’t be right, she’s at home with Louise.”
“I just talked to Suzy; Louise called her. When she couldn’t reach you on your cell phone she had Suzy’s number that you’d programmed in for her for emergencies and she called her.” As her hands started to shake, Jason gripped them tighter and said, “The car is being brought around now, if you can throw some clothes on, we will be out of here within five minutes, and I’ll g
et you to her.”
Still stunned, Claire looked at him almost in shock and asked, “What happened to her?”
“From what Suzy could gather, she passed out and Louise couldn’t get her to wake up. Suzy is on her way there now and will give us an update when she knows something. Baby, let me help you get dressed; you’re in shock.”
Claire let him lead her around like a child. For one time in her life she was grateful to have someone take care of her. Jason pulled a top and pants from her bag as well as undergarments and began putting the fresh clothes on her. By the time he was finished, a valet had arrived and the room was quickly packed up. Their suitcases were taken down and packed away in the car. Before Claire could even catch her breath, they were on the road leaving Charleston and headed for the hospital. Jason reached over and curled his fingers around hers, shooting her worried glances from time to time.
“Are you alright?” He asked with concern.
“I wish I knew what happened, she’s been good lately, better than usual. I would have never left if I’d believed anything could possibly happen to her. Louise must be so scared; I have to get to them Jason; I have to.”
“We’re going as fast as I dare; I promise we will be there soon." Jason pulled his cell phone from his pocket and passed it over to her. “Why don’t you try to call Suzy? Maybe she’s found out something by now? If she’s with Louise, you could speak to her as well.”
With an audible breath, Claire dialed Suzy and prayed she would answer. “Hello?”
“Suz, it’s me, are you at the hospital yet? Do you know what’s going on?” asked Claire urgently.
“I just had to threaten that old witch at the nurse’s station, but I finally got a few answers. They’re still doing tests but sweetie, they think she might have had a stroke. They’re also trying to rule out other things, but that seems to be the strong contender at this point. She’s awake but much sedated. That’s all I know.”