She’d asked me that question more than fourteen hours ago and although logically I knew it wasn’t the case, I still felt like I was still sporting the hardest damn erection in the history of the world.
I could have been a real bastard and taken her right then.
It didn’t matter that she was untried for what I wanted from her. I could have made her ready and I could have made her want it.
Fuck that.
She already wanted it.
I could have made her beg for it.
But I wanted her ready. Really ready so that there were no doubts, no second-guessing and no regrets. More than that, I wanted to do the right thing for her.
Still, I would have her yielding everything to me when the time came.
I’d have her bound and bent over, vulnerable and begging.
And I’d fill her so slowly, she’d be squirming and sobbing before I even pushed my head through that tight ring of muscles.
Then I’d have her twisting and writhing around me, coming from my cock in her ass.
But not yet.
Definitely not right now.
Brooding, I stared at the name that flashed up on my agenda and then moved to the door, sincerely hoping that my thoughts weren’t making themselves known on my body.
Aleena and Amber were talking quietly as they went over some of the information for the interviews they had lined up this week. One of the interviews was a woman from Devoted. Joely had worked for the match making company for nearly a decade, and both Aleena and Amber had come to the same conclusion as I had. Joely was underutilized, underpaid, and she either needed to transfer out or find a job where she could put her skill-set to use.
I personally preferred to keep the talent for myself, so she was on the schedule for an interview later in the day. She wasn’t my current appointment, however, and she definitely wasn’t the reason I was pissed off.
So far, the little shit was five minutes late. That didn’t bode well for him. Not that this would be pleasant for him to begin with.
“Aleena.” She looked up and I had to force myself to keep my voice professional. Every time I looked at her, desire hit me hard. I couldn’t show it here though. “When he gets here, I want you to bring him back.”
Aleena’s eyes flashed, but her voice was polite. “Sir?”
Shit. “Hear me out.” I put my hands in my pockets to keep from making a gesture of surrender. I’d put her in a terrible place without realizing it, but I had to maintain my position in front of Amber. What I really wanted to do was take the man who’d insulted her—who’d put his fucking hands on her—and break every bone in said hands. But I had to be a businessman first, play it smart.
First.
And once he fucked up again?
I’d rip his balls off and have them for breakfast.
“Bring him back,” I said again as she crossed her arms over her chest in a gesture I recognized all too well. She drew her head back, a haughty look on her face. That look made me want to bite her. It made me want to pull up her skirt and bury my cock inside her. Take her hard and fast until she was screaming my name.
She must have seen something of what I felt because her chest rose sharply and the pupils in her eyes dilated. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other and I wondered if her panties were wet.
Fuck.
If we’d been alone…
But we weren’t.
“I sent him a standard contract last night.” I studied her face as I explained and saw understanding immediately dawn in her eyes. Those contracts contained standard clauses on sexual harassment and issues on gender and racial equality, among other matters. “I received confirmation of its delivery, so I’ll ask him if he did, and naturally, I’ll ask him if he read it. I’m going to have him sign off. Then…” I blew out a breath and tucked my hands into my pockets. “I’m transferring him here. I want him out, but I can’t keep an eye on him when he’s in Philly and I’m here.”
“You want me to be, what, bait?”
I could tell by the look on her face exactly what she thought of that, but she at least looked like she was going to let me explain.
“No. Not bait. I’m not setting him up or trying to catch him. I couldn’t legally do that.” My smile was small and tight. “But he’s going to act how he’s going to act. I’d prefer him to do it in a place where nobody will make allowances for him and cover for him. And where I could take swift and immediate action.”
Aleena considered this for a moment and then gave a curt nod. “All right. But if he touches me one more time, I might just break his hand.”
That wouldn’t be an issue. If Mitchell Pence touched her one more time, he might not have any hands left to break. I hated men like him to begin with, ones who thought their position and power meant they could touch anyone they wanted, do whatever they wanted, no matter whom they hurt. I would’ve fired him no matter who’d been on the receiving end. That it had been Aleena just made it more personal.
Before she could move away, I tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. She’d started wearing it down when she worked and, while I loved how it looked, I found it terribly distracting, remembering what it looked like spread on my pillow. “Thank you,” I said quietly. “For understanding.”
When she looked back up at me, she was smiling. It wasn’t her usual bright, wide smile, but it was genuine.
I started to move closer, but suddenly realized that Amber was still in the room. I looked up, but she was already heading for the door.
“Smoke break,” she called over her shoulder.
I was pretty sure she was grinning, but I didn’t really care at the moment. I closed the distance between Aleena and I until we were closer than was workplace appropriate—but I didn’t touch her. I knew if I did, I couldn’t guarantee I’d be able to control myself. And with Mitchell Pence overdue, being caught kissing Aleena wouldn’t be good. I could, however, say one of the things that had been on my mind all morning.
“You were already up and in the shower when I woke up. I’d thought about joining you in your bed.”
A shiver ran through her.
With the exception of occasionally passing out for an hour or two after sex, we still didn’t sleep together. Either she went to her bed or we both went our separate ways, depending on where we’d had sex. She never asked to stay and I never told her I wanted her to. I wasn’t sure if I did, or even if she wanted to sleep in the same bed. And I had absolutely no clue how to broach the subject, even if I decided I wanted to.
But I did know that there was nothing quite so pleasurable as crawling into bed with Aleena in the morning and waking her up degree by slow degree—or perhaps I should say, inch by slow inch—when I came inside her and watched her wake up as she took me in. Or when I took advantage of her not being in her submissive role and woke her by bringing her to orgasm with my mouth and fingers before sliding into that tight, wet heat...
Her lips parted as if she was going to say something, but the elevator made a faint chime, interrupting.
We both stepped away. I took a shuddering breath as I moved into my office. Just before I closed the door, she slid me a look.
It was heated and full of promise.
Fuck. How was I supposed to concentrate when she was looking at me like that?
Closing the door, I strode to my desk, forcing myself to focus on the asshole I had to talk to. I pushed a button as I sat down and looked at the security feed going into my computer, including the monitor in the outer office, where Mitchell Pence was moving toward Aleena with a predatory look in his eyes.
I’d intended to stay quiet and let Aleena bring him in rather than me going out to get him, but I was flexible. Depressing the intercom, I kept my eyes on his face as I barked, “Aleena, has my ten-thirty shown up yet? This tardiness is unacceptable.”
Pence jerked to a stop and he spun away from Aleena. He made a slashing motion at her, drawing a hand across his throat. I knew what he meant, bu
t there was still an air of menace to it that made my hands curl into fists. I wanted nothing more than the opportunity to hear his sniveling nose crunching under my knuckles.
“One moment, sir,” Aleena’s voice said through the intercom. She sounded calm and cool, but I could see the tension on the monitor.
Take your time. I hit the control that allowed me to hear the conversations out in the office. We didn’t have sound everywhere, but in my waiting room, I did. Amber had made sure of it since she was usually the one out there. Aleena only filled in when Amber wasn’t available. Like now.
Pence hissed, “Tell him my driver was late. A wreck in front of my hotel. Unavoidable. I called and left a message.”
“I don’t have a message, Mr. Pence.”
His eyes narrowed. “You will tell him I left a message. I don’t give a fuck if you have it or not.”
I couldn’t see Aleena’s face, but I didn’t need to. I heard the reproach in her voice. “Perhaps you should give him the message, Mr. Pence. I’ll let him know you’re here.” Before he could say anything else, Aleena hit the button. “Mr. Snow? Your appointment is here. He wanted me to tell you about a wreck. In front of his hotel.”
I grunted. “Bring him back, please. Thank you.” Instead of shutting down the security feed, I split the screen and brought up the news. He’d asked for a room at the Waldorf. A wreck there may or may not make the news, depending on how big of a wreck it was, but hey, I could at least pretend to look.
Aleena opened the door. Pence stood a little too close behind her. Aleena quickly stepped out of his way, but he still managed to brush into her as he came inside. “Thanks, sugar,” he said, his voice jovial.
“Ms. Davison.”
She arched a brow. “Yes, Mr. Snow?”
I shook my head at her and then glared at Mitchell Pence.
He came striding toward me, hand outstretched. Roughly five feet away, he realized something was wrong and he slowed. “Good morning, Dominic.”
It took all my control to keep my tone even half-way civil. “Her name, Mitchell, is Ms. Davison. Not sugar. Not sweetheart. Not honey. Not even Aleena. You will call her Ms. Davison. Period.”
Slowly, the smile faded from his face and he lowered his hand to his side. He glanced over at Aleena and then back at me. He tried for the kind of smile that I’d seen men like him give when they were caught. “Look, Dominic. I think I know where this is coming from. I know I had a few too many last week and I’d be happy to apologize—”
“Good.” I sat down behind my desk and gestured toward Aleena, letting her know she could go. “I’ll have her work email address forwarded on to you. A formal letter of apology for your sexist, racist remarks would go a long way in convincing me that you understand my obvious concerns. Please be sure to copy the email to me so I can make sure it gets into your file.” I gave him a thin smile. “It will smooth things over on your transfer here.”
Pence gaped at me.
“Now, let’s discuss your job des—”
The shock subsided and he leaned forwarded, hands braced on my desk. “Wait a minute.”
Head cocked, I asked, “I’m sorry. Was I unclear? I can have Amber come in to dictate and send the notes to your email, if you wish.”
“I don’t want anybody dictating something to me.” He bit off each word, his eyes narrow. He had the sort of tan that came from a tanning bed, artificial and almost painstakingly perfect. There were faint, pale lines around his eyes from where the protective lenses sat when he lay on the bed. I wondered if he’d had a hair transplant too. I seemed to remember him having a slight bald spot in one of the company’s pictures.
Hands braced on the desk, he leaned in. “Are you really expecting me to write that girl a fucking letter? Because I responded when she flirted with me?”
So that’s how you’re going to play it. Pushing back from the desk, I folded my hands on my lap and said, “That is how a formal apology usually goes. You write a letter. The one you offended reads it. It’s done.”
“Look, Snow—”
“Mr. Snow.” I snapped back and pointed at a seat. When he went to snarl, I held up a hand. He sat down. “Before we get off track, I assume you received the information I sent you last night?”
He made a dismissive gesture. “Yeah. What of it?”
“You read it?”
Pence crossed his arms, looking more like a petulant child than a grown man. “Sure.”
“Good. Then you’ll know sexism, racism, anything that demeans any human being because of their race, sex, class, sexual preference…none of that is tolerated here, and is grounds for immediate termination, regardless of any deals or contracts.” I gave him a moment for that to sink in. “Since you and Aleena started off on the wrong foot, it will be best to smooth things out so your transfer here goes smoothly.” I paused and then smiled at him. “You do want it to go smoothly, I assume. Unless you want to return and work under Miriam Beckham?”
A vein pulsed in his temple. “I want to be where the action is, Mr. Snow.”
“Then let’s get to work.”
I gave him a week.
* * *
He didn’t make it two hours.
Aleena had one hand on my arm, as if to hold me back, although it wasn’t necessary. I was done.
Mitchell Pence was on the floor, gagging, curled up in the fetal position and cradling his balls.
You must suck cock really well. You’ve got Snow twisted—
I’d heard that much come out of his mouth before Aleena had shoved him back and told him to get away from her. If she’d looked at me the way she’d been looking at him, I’d have been running for the door.
Not him. He’d grabbed her arm and I’d seen red.
My brain had somehow managed to function even when some primal part of me had been processing along the basest level, because while I was imagining ripping his dick off and choking him with it, I’d heard myself calmly telling him to gather his things. Security would escort him out.
He’d pushed me. Not physically, but with a few remarks I’d assumed he’d thought were sly and clever.
I’d just smiled at him and pushed back, mentioned a few things I’d heard here and there regarding his sexual prowess...or lack thereof.
He’d hit me and I’d laughed, saying that must’ve meant the rumors were true.
He’d hit me again and that was when I’d let myself drive my fist into his mouth. Blood spurted and I was pretty sure I felt a few teeth crack. Even as he reeled back, I’d caught his tie and stopped him, jerked him close and did my best to shove my knee into his chest cavity via his groin. I didn’t usually hit below the belt. Most men wouldn’t. After what Aleena had told me about her conversation with Miriam Beckman’s husband regarding Mitchell, I figured Pence deserved it.
He was still twitching and shuddering, making odd little noises.
“Come on,” I said. “Get up.”
His eyes wheeled toward me and he scrabbled at the floor. I wanted to kick him until he begged me to stop. Make him apologize to Aleena and every other woman he’d ever put his slimy little hands on. I wanted to beat the shit out of him for ever thinking he could force his attentions on someone who didn’t want them...
“Dominic, love,” Aleena said softly. “It’s enough.”
Her voice pulled me back and when I looked down at her, I realized my hands were shaking. She squeezed my arm as the doors to the elevators slid open and security stepped out. I watched Amber and Aleena share a look as Aleena dropped her hand. She didn’t move away from me though. Amber stepped towards the security guards as Aleena spoke.
“Let’s get you cleaned up, Mr. Snow.”
Her words didn’t make any sense until I felt her guiding me back towards my office. I went with her, trying to tie down the adrenaline still coursing through my veins. Once inside, she shut the door and went to my private bathroom. A few moments later, she came out with a wet paper towel and reached for my hand. She began to
wipe the blood from my bruised knuckles, the touch of her skin burning my already overheated flesh.
I needed.
I reached for her and she made no move to stop me as I picked her up. Her legs went around my waist as I leaned her back against the door. I pushed up her skirt as she fumbled with the front of my pants. I was so hard it hurt.
I needed.
I pushed aside the crotch of her panties and had just enough presence of mind to meet her eyes. She nodded and I drove into her.
She made a low noise, her body shaking with the effort to stay quiet.
Staring into her eyes, I covered her mouth with my hand and watched, waited for her response. All she did was twist against me, her eyes closing with a slow flutter of her lashes.
I needed.
I slammed into her again.
I hadn’t had a chance to pull even a third of the way out before she was rising to meet me, her mouth moving against my palm, tongue teasing, teeth scraping.
Mine.
I couldn’t speak. Through the door, I could hear the voices of my security team talking with Amber. If I spoke, they’d hear. So I thrust into her harder and faster, telling her with every stroke what I couldn’t say out loud.
I needed.
Mine.
Over the barrier of my hand, her eyes opened, pleading in their pale green depths. I twisted my hips and angled my body until I slid directly across her clitoris. She shuddered around me.
Mine.
I needed. She needed.
That…just…like…
She came around me, wet and sweet and shaking, and I followed, emptying myself inside her, my anger draining away as I rested my forehead against hers for the few sweet seconds of oblivion our pleasure granted us.
It had only lasted a few minutes, the drama outside still playing through. A discreet knock at the door reminded me that I still had something I needed to deal with.
“Yes?” I grimaced as I pulled out. Fortunately, the paper towel Aleena had brought out for my hand was enough to clean me. She headed for the bathroom to take care of herself.
It was Amber and I had no doubt she knew we hadn’t merely been taking care of my hand. Still, she kept her voice professional. “Um. Mr. Murphy would like to know how you want him to deal with Mr. Pence?”