“GET ME THE DRAFT OF the contract by this afternoon. I’ll read it over and have notes for you before close of business today. Thanks, Simmons.” I hang up as I walk through the bright club, heading back to my office. My morning was spent with a group of buyers interested in Exquisite.
Since the art museum, I feel lighter. Freer. I’ve never opened up to anyone about my brother and father. How I obtained the club. There has never been a single person in my life who has triggered such purpose for me. Jensen began as a conquest, a game—a way to pass along my time being numb. She was supposed to keep me entertained, until she dulled for me, and then I’d send her on her way. Because that’s how I’ve handled women in my life. As toys to fill time. But they never could fill the emptiness inside me. Until her.
She’s young and too innocent for me, and for that, I should walk away. But I plan on keeping her close and feeding off her beauty and solace until our time together is up. Because sadly, there is an expiration date. I won’t take her away from her dreams as someone once did mine. But I also can’t stay here.
When she opened the camera, it brought back so many memories. The moment I bought it. The excitement flowing through my veins knowing all the adventures it would capture. When it got delivered to the address in Prague, I was already home. It took months for the tour to send it back to me. By the time it made it, I was already knee-deep in Exquisite. I never even opened the fucking box.
But the way her eyes lit up when she saw it, it brought me peace. I knew she would use it as I would have. And I know once our time is up and I’m done disrupting her simple life, she’ll continue to be amazing at anything she does.
I walk through the side bar and across the dance floor. I think about tonight and how I’m going to take Jensen to Navy Pier. The mental image of her sucking my cock on the Ferris wheel hardens me instantly. But the image of her face as she admires the view softens my heart. She’s going to love it. I sent her a text, telling her to meet me at the address just before dusk, and to bring the camera. I’m about to enter the private hallway when I see Fredrick talking closely with a woman.
“Patricia?” I ask, surprised to see her here. “It’s been some time since I’ve seen you in this place,” I say, curious. Almost ten years, as a matter of fact. I bring my eyes to Fredrick, whose stare is blank. “What brings you here today?” I step up to her, and we hug. I offer her a kiss on her cheek just as I’ve always done in the past.
“Is there a place where we can chat? In private?” she asks. I nod, escorting her to my office. The moment I shut the door, she begins. “What are you up to, Damien?”
“I’m not sure what you’re asking.” I sit down at my desk. Instead of taking the seat across from me, she sits on top of my desk, close enough that her thigh brushes against my arm.
“Jensen Stone. What are you doing? She’s a child. And Fredrick says a major distraction to the club.”
My fingers tighten around my armchair. “That is none of your business. Neither is the club anymore. If that’s why you’ve come here, you can get the fuck out.” She doesn’t flinch or seem affected by my verbal threat. She spreads her legs so her thigh brushes harder against me. “Get off my desk.”
“I’ve missed that mouth of yours. The anger. It reminds me of us back in the days when I—”
I cut her off by standing and removing her from my desk myself. “That was years ago, Patricia. You don’t work here anymore. You’re not a member. Nothing that happens here involves you. It hasn’t for a long time.”
This time, she doesn’t hide her frustration. “Your father would be disgusted with you. He would never have allowed you to run around with a mindless child—”
“That’s your second warning. Mention her one more time, and I will personally throw you out. My father is fucking dead. He’s been dead for a very long fucking time. I don’t care what he meant to you, but your relationship with him and this club died the day he did.”
My words are meant to hurt, and they do. She looks as if I physically hit her. “You forget about my private stocks in this club. You cannot sell without my sign off. Your father made sure of that.”
“Not for long. I’ll make sure you’re compensated for your portion. But this club is done.” I walk to my office door and toss it open. “Let it go, Patricia. It’s over.”
She doesn’t say another word. She storms past me, and before she has a chance to turn around, I slam the door in her face.
My mood doesn’t shift until the moment I see her. The way she’s dressed in a casual pair of jeans and a black tank top. Why had I ever thought to dress her up when she looks fucking breathtaking being herself? I’m mad I even suggested this now, since all I want to do is take her back to my loft and fuck her into tomorrow. I may just have her sucking my dick on top of the Ferris wheel after all.
“You look like you’re up to something,” she says as she approaches.
“And what do you think that is, Ms. Stone?” I grab her hand and draw her into me, needing to touch her. Her smile sends a jolt straight to my dick. Everything about her makes me hard and my blood pumping through my veins. I kiss the top of her head, then pull away just enough for her to look up at me.
“Well, I’m not sure if it’s illegal yet. The park seems to still be open, so we’re not trespassing tonight.”
I can’t stop myself from placing my lips against hers, and I love how compliant she is when I do. Her lips mold against mine like perfection, then part, allowing my tongue entrance. I knew I should have held off kissing her. Having the taste of her sweet mouth against mine is fucking with my head. I pull away.
“Forget these plans. We’re going back to my loft.” I grab for her hand and tug her toward the exit, but she stops me.
“I don’t think so, buddy. You’re showing me what you brought me here to see. No booty time until then.” I turn, annoyed she just told me no. Even more so that she called me her buddy. I storm back to her, wrap my hand around her neck, and slam my mouth down on hers. This time, my kiss isn’t sweet or patient. It’s brutal and taking. Once she’s in need of air, I pull away and am rewarded with her glazed over eyes.
“Don’t ever call me your buddy. The way I’m going to suck and fuck and bite your cunt until you scream my name says I am definitely not your buddy.” I’m not particularly mad she told me no. I’m starting to enjoy the way she challenges me. But referring to me as a pal or a friend, and not the man who’s been deep inside her, breaking her down until she realizes how fucking special she really is, is unacceptable.
“Wow, okay then.” She sighs as she begins to blink away the lust I’ve fed her. “What do I call you then? Master, maybe?” I go to grab for her, but she jumps back.
“Get over here,” I demand.
Her laughter fills the air. “Nah, not until we clear the air. Or do you like sir? Daddy?” She jumps when I come at her and she takes off running down the pier. The wind is in full effect, catching the sound of her beautiful laugh and blowing it past me. I try to catch up to her, but she’s quick and able to shift in and out of the busy crowd. I finally make it to the end of the pier when I catch her. My arms wrap around her waist, and she squeals in pure delight. I whip her around ready to scold her for running from me, but that’s not what I do. I kiss her again and again. And I swear, in that moment, I never want to stop.
A group of punk kids hollering causes us to break apart.
“All right, you win. Should I just stick to Son of Satan?”
I can’t fight the smile growing to match hers. I pull her into me, hugging her body to mine. “I’ll settle with that. As long as I’m allowed to call you mine.”