Chapter 4

Becka

Our time in Italy was drawing to a close and I still hadn’t decided whether or not to tell Oliver about the email I’d gotten from Ethan about meeting to discuss Neuotova and Oliver’s potential contributions to and support of animal testing. As we sat on our deck overlooking the beautiful landscape of Tuscany, we sipped wine and ate off of a loaf of bread we had picked up at the market along with several cheeses that I would have never eaten back at home; in Tuscany, however, they seemed perfectly right on my palate.

“What would you like to do today?” Oliver asked as he nibbled on a cracker. His fingers played on my bare knee, my robe tied at my waist but leaving my legs exposed to the middle of my thighs and my breasts exposed just enough to be tantalizing to Oliver without being inappropriate to anyone who happened to walk by and glance up.

I thought for a moment. What did I want to do? We still had another full day and night. We had eaten, shopped, drank wine, eaten more, shopped more, had more wine. We’d hiked, driven around, and picked fruit that we’d eaten at dinner. We’d had sex, a lot. In short, we’d had a very complete vacation. Oliver had worked more than he’d wanted to, but I honestly barely noticed his absence. He kept me busy during the times when he was visiting the olive farmers with being his assistant. When he came home at night, I was his girlfriend and he treated me like a queen.

“We could go to the market,” I suggested. “Pick out something yummy to make for dinner.” I tried to think back to just a few months ago, when my entire world revolved around research and spending time in the lab to continue the experiments with Protame and getting my dissertation done. Back then, the thought of even going out for happy hour with friends seemed ludicrous, never mind going out on an actual date. But, when Oliver had walked into Dr. Evans’ lecture hall, he’d restructured my priority list in one glance.

“I think that sounds perfect,” he said. “I already know what I want for dessert.” He bumped my robe open and it slid to the right, revealing the rest of my thigh and the fact that I wasn’t wearing any underwear. I blushed, then I smiled at him. His eyes never failed to nearly stop my heart. They bored into me as if he was an animal hunting its prey, as if he could see everything both inside me and out.

It was then that I decided to tell him that I had received an email from Ethan. Why I chose that moment, I had no idea; it was crazy to even bring it up to him at all, but, the truth was, I really wanted his insight on it.

“I checked my school email last night,” I began, sipping my wine slowly. “And I had an email from Ethan Hernandez.” I looked at him, not sure of what reaction I was expecting.

He looked back at me with his exceptionally piercing eyes, which were now glaring with anger. He set his wine down and swallowed his bread very deliberately.

“He emailed you? Privately?” His voice was low.

“Well,” I explained, “my email is listed on the college’s site in the food science department. Along with my first and last name and a picture of me. I’m not really hard to find.” I shifted uncomfortably in my chair. Oliver’s fingers were still on my knee, but now his hand had a pressure to it that wasn’t pleasant, and his hand burned with what I could only assume was fury.

“What did he say to you?”

The contents of his email flew out of my head under the intensity of his gaze.

“I… I don’t remember,” I stammered. I racked my brain trying to remember if he’d wanted something from me or if he’d been offering me something… the entire email appeared as a blank in my mind.

“You don’t remember?” He spit out the word ‘remember’ like poison. “You don’t remember an email from last night? Go get your computer.”

“I’m sorry, honey,” I said, trying to smooth things over. “It wasn’t a big deal. I just wanted to tell you because, well, I don’t know why. I just thought you should know. But I don’t need to email him back; we can just forget about it.”

He hadn’t moved. I watched the rise and fall of his chest and I knew he was trying extremely hard to stay in control. I tried to remember that he wasn’t mad at me, at least he shouldn’t be; none of this was my fault. Or was it? I knew I didn’t need to tell Oliver about getting an email from Ethan; I could have handled it entirely by myself. Had I wanted to see his reaction? If so, I’d gotten more than what I’d bargained for.

“Go get your computer,” he repeated as if I hadn’t spoken at all. I looked at him and tried to remain calm, even though I felt a flush rising from my chest through my cheeks. I stood up and walked slowly to the dining table where my laptop sat closed. I opened it and clicked on his email, reading through it to refresh my blank mind. I winced, seeing his specific reference of documents he wanted to show me that, according to him, would seal Oliver’s coffin as far as animal cruelty went. I thought about clicking the delete button as I walked, accidentally of course, but that was laughable; Oliver would have it undeleted before my finger even left the button.

“Here,” I said, handing him my laptop. I sat back down next to him and watched his eyes move across the message. When he finished, his lips were smoothed out into a tight line. He closed my laptop and set it on the table, and then he sat back in his chair with his glass of wine. He spoke, not looking at me, but, rather, looking out over the Tuscan scenery.

“I’ve worked very hard my entire life to build Neuotova, even before I knew the shape it would take. I pride myself in the research, the food, the science, all of it that Neuotova has contributed to making our world better. There are some people, unfortunately, who are motivated by money and power rather than by the greater good. Ethan is one of those people. Go ahead and meet with him if you choose to. Listen to everything he has to say, but know that every word that comes out of his mouth is a lie. He serves only himself; he doesn’t serve the greater good. I do. Neuotova does.”

He spoke as if he was in a trance, or as though he was reciting a speech he had prepared for a play. He finished and he looked at me. I was silent, not knowing what to say. He set his glass of wine on my computer and smiled.

“Well, now that that unpleasantness is over, do you want to get dressed and we can go to the market?

My stomach was doing flips inside as I watched his transformation from his anger back into normal Oliver, who was, once again, drumming his fingertips on my knee as if we hadn’t just had an argument. Which, come to think of it, I’m not even sure we’d had. I shook my head, trying to clear out my brain.

“I’d love to,” I said. He stood up and drew me to him. As always, I felt my body respond to his proximity, the heat of his chest and core creating soft goosebumps on my skin. My nipples awakened and I arched my back slightly against him, pressing my breasts to his chest. He sighed appreciatively and pulled me in tighter. He kept one hand on my low back and slid his other hand between the folds of my robe and began to massage my breast. The heat of his hand combined with the pressure of his hand on my spine stirring my arousal instantly. I felt his hardness just a small slip of fabric away beneath his pajama bottoms, and I smiled, reaching my hand down to rub his shaft as he leaned in to kiss me.

“We need to go right now or I’ll ravage you and then we won’t have anything to eat for dinner,” he whispered, his breath hot on my ear.

“That’s a chance I’m willing to take,” I said, kissing him again. His mouth fit to mine exactly perfectly; it was quite amazing, really, and it was something I noticed every time we kissed. “You can’t go out like this anyway,” I said, sliding my hand against his erection.

He picked me up and carried me into the bedroom, my legs wrapped around him and my robe open to expose my complete state of arousal to him. When he laid me on the bed and stood back, he glanced down at his pajama bottoms and the dark, damp spot forming at the top.

“Is that from you or me?” he teased, pulling his pants off.

“It better not be from you,” I said, “or you’ve got some explaining to do.” I pulled him on top of me and sighed in ecstasy at the sensation of his weight on me. He slid his cock into me and I gasped; I was fully ready, and the feeling of him filling me was like a shot of adrenaline. I wrapped my legs around him once again and crossed my ankles, pulling him to me. We were pressed together as close as two humans can be, and the friction of his pubic bone on my clit drove me wild with pleasure. I buried my face in his neck and gently bit down, my nails digging lightly into his back, enough to cause him sensation but not enough to leave a mark, and he cried out, then began to thrust into me harder and harder.

My orgasm released me from any worry or anxiety I’d had throughout the entire morning like a balloon being released into the air. Sweet freedom, I moaned as I came and kept my body pressed to his. When he climaxed, his fluids filled me with heat and I felt the pleasant, welcome sensation of his energy surging into my body. He groaned as he spent himself, and, when he was finished, he pushed himself off of me quickly and rolled onto his back.

“Fuck, you’re amazing,” he said breathlessly. “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I’ll say it in English, Italian, and in any time zone you want.” He leaned up on his elbow and looked at me, smiling, the events of the earlier morning with Ethan’s email forgotten. “I want to fuck you every day for the rest of my life.”

“Well,” I said playfully, “we’ve got today covered. That’s a great start to the day.” I kissed him. “I’m going to jump into the shower and then we can go shopping.”

“I’m buying you a dress,” he said. “You need some beautiful Italian clothes… something as beautiful as you are.”

“Okay, Romeo,” I said, knowing from previous experience that arguing with him about buying me something was absolutely futile. I wondered if I would ever get used to having a boyfriend who spent money on me without me asking, and on things I didn’t need. Then I wondered if I would even need to get used to it. Oliver wasn’t my husband; he was my boyfriend. And that was an assumption I was making. I wondered if I would introduce him to my friends, to anyone besides Lisa, as my boyfriend. I shook my head. No, we were not in a relationship. He could break up with me at any time, and for any reason. I thought of Ethan’s email, his desire to meet with me, and Oliver’s reaction. Go ahead and meet with him if you choose to. Listen to everything he has to say, but know that every word that comes out of his mouth is a lie. Was that advice? … Or a challenge.

Oliver

As soon as I sent Becka into the women’s clothing store, I darted across the street and into the Internet café I’d been watching for. Of course, I had all the internet I wanted free at our private home, but this was far more convenient and, not that she would snoop, but I could be assured that my message to Ethan would be hidden from Becka’s eyes.

Even the thought of his name sent my blood into boiling mode. That simpering, sneaking little asshole thought he was going to infiltrate Neuotova through Becka. As if that would be possible. I wouldn’t have worried one bit, except… Except for Becka’s moral compass and her tremendous intelligence. I had no idea what trash Ethan was going to present to her at the meeting they would have; and I had no doubt that they would have it. The only thing that mattered for me was getting to Ethan first. The history he and I had was long and fraught with anger and distrust; I didn’t want him involving himself with Becka on even the most benign of levels.

I thought back to when Ethan and I had been graduate students. We had bonded so well as young adults and ended up being excellent business partners as well. Ethan and I had started Neuotova together, though it had always been my name on the company.

I knew Ethan’s email address by heart, and I opened my laptop and began to compose an email to him.

Ethan,

I heard you extended a communication to my assistant, Becka. Please know that there is no need to go through my assistant if you wish to ask any questions or seek any information. I assume you still have my direct contact information. Use that in the future. Becka has been instructed to forward any communication with you directly to me.

Sincerely,

Oliver Weeks

I clicked send. I knew that he would be able to read between the lines. I was aware that my email could be hacked at any time, so I was conscious to always keep anything I put in print as neutral as possible.

I leaned back in my chair and closed my eyes, a tension headache suddenly pushing against my temples. Becka’s face entered my mind and I smiled. I stood up and walked out onto the sidewalk. The air was crisp this morning and the sun was breaking through a light haze of clouds. I looked across the street and saw Becka lingering at a dress near the window. I sat down on a bench outside the café so she would see me when she was ready.

A few minutes later, she came out of the store and stood on the sidewalk, looking for me. I walked across the street and straight into her arms. She had an excited flush in her cheeks, and I found myself smiling in spite of my dark thoughts about Ethan.

“Did you have fun?” I asked, smiling at her. I was determined that she not know anything was wrong; I had forgotten myself this morning and let my anger get the best of me. For the sake of everyone, that couldn’t happen again.

“That store is amazing!” she said. “Everything in it is so beautiful! I found a few things, I was trying to just pick one, but I couldn’t decide.” Her expression faltered a bit. “I hope that’s okay?”

“Sweetheart, you could buy everything in the store and it would only complement your beauty. I’m glad you found some things that make you happy. I can’t wait for you to show them off for me.” I squeezed her and we walked down the street. We got to the market and decided that we would make pasta for dinner. We got the ingredients for homemade sauce, fresh pasta, and then picked up some fish to put with it. We stopped down the street for a bottle of wine, and then we walked home.

Becka linked her arm through mine and I felt the warmth of her body close to mine. My groin tightened and I was glad I was wearing a loose linen shirt that was long enough to cover my crotch. I leaned in and kissed her on her temple. Her flesh was so soft under my lips, and so delicious. I could taste her. My cock stirred again, more insistent this time, and I had the feeling we would be making a stop in the bedroom before we got to the kitchen.

“You should put on your favorite of what you bought today when we get home,” I said, my voice low.

“Why,” she laughed, “so you can tear it off of me?”

“We can buy you another one tomorrow,” I promised.

She stopped and turned toward me. She dropped her hand between my legs and pressed her glorious fingers against my cock; it sensed her like a heat-seeking force and drew toward her.

“You’re so handsome and delicious,” she said.

“Funny, I was just thinking about how good you taste when I kissed you a moment ago.”

“We must both be hungry,” she said… and I couldn’t have agreed more. Just then, my phone pinged in my pocket. I took it out and looked at the screen… it was a text from Ethan. I turned away from Becka and read it quickly. He wanted to meet to discuss our arrangement.

No problem, Ethan, I thought. And when we do meet, I’ll make you sorry you were ever born.

Becka

I stretched and sat up in bed, my eyes taking a moment to adjust to the dim light of my apartment, a reminder that I was back home and no longer under the beautiful sun lit sky of Tuscany. I looked at my clock; it was almost seven in the morning, and it was time to get out of bed. I looked to the empty space next to me and felt a longing in my stomach; I had gotten so used to seeing Oliver there next to me, waking up with him, hearing him breathe and move, hearing his sounds as he slept. I ran my hand over his side, half expecting it to be warm… but, of course, he was at his home and I was alone in mine.

I had to go in to Neuotova for a few hours, but Oliver had a business meeting in the afternoon and, since he knew that I had a deadline coming up for my dissertation, he had given me the afternoon off. I did need to work on my dissertation, but my main plan for that afternoon was to investigate Ethan Hernandez and his connection to Oliver and to Neuotova. There had to be records somewhere, and I was determined to find them.

When I got to work, I spent the first several hours getting caught up on emails that I had deferred during our trip, and organizing Oliver’s calendar for the rest of this week and next week. I couldn’t believe how fast the time was flying by. When I looked at my phone to check the time, it was already eleven o’clock. I also had a text message from a number I didn’t recognize.

Becka, it’s Ethan. Meet me tonight at eight at Reck On Ing. I’ll have a table waiting.

I swallowed, my fast paced day suddenly coming to a screeching halt. I looked to Oliver’s office, but the door was closed and I was sure he was still on a conference call. Reck On Ing was a bar on Ingalls street that was known to the college students as a place that absolutely wouldn’t serve underage drinkers and carded everyone, so it had been largely claimed by the locals as a student-free zone. It was an odd choice for a meeting place, but not, I supposed, if he didn’t want to be interrupted.

The rest of the day passed quickly as I remained preoccupied with my meeting with Ethan. He said he was getting a table; I had no intention of having dinner with him. I would meet him, hear what he had to say, then leave. Almost a dozen times I thought about telling Oliver. Even having him come with me. I was nervous to meet Ethan, even though I’d met him before. He had said he’d show me documents that would prove that Oliver was not who he said he was. Would prove that Oliver was using Neuotova as an animal experimentation area. I had been searching for the truth since I’d found out there was even a question, but, now, I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.

Don’t be silly, I told myself. Yes, I had feelings for Oliver, but I couldn’t be involved with a liar. If he was some sort of a criminal mastermind, I needed to know that so that I could separate myself from him and move forward.

When I got home, I fired up my computer and did one final search on Ethan Hernandez. There were a few articles about extremist activities where he was shown in pictures as an activist, and he was quoted in a few articles, but his internet footprint was relatively small. Surprisingly small, I realized. As if perhaps someone had gone through and wiped him from the internet as much as possible. My stomach twisted a bit as I realized that there was someone else I’d been able to find precious little on the internet about… Oliver. My phone rang and I jumped.

“Jesus,” I said to myself. “Calm down. You’re not in Mission Impossible here.” I grabbed my phone; it was Lisa.

“Hey!” she said, sounding excited. “Are you at home right now?”

“Yep,” I replied. “What’s up?”

“Oh great!” Lisa sounded relieved. “Can you throw a few things in a bag for me? Sexy things. You know what I’ve got in my closet. Peter just invited me to do an overnight at his place and I want to be able to just stop at home quickly and pick up the bag on my way.”

I smiled. I did know exactly what was in Lisa’s closet, having tried most of it on at one point or another. “Sure,” I said. “No problem. I’m leaving to go to dinner in a few hours but I’ll do it before I go.”

“Ohhh with Oliver?” she asked.

I paused. “No,” I said, “just a meeting with someone from Neuotova.” Not exactly a lie, I told myself.

“Well, the place will be empty tonight if you and Oliver want to get a little down and dirty,” she said suggestively.

“Jeez, Lis,” I laughed. “There will be no down and dirty, I promise.”

“Well, that’s just unfortunate for you. I will, personally, be getting down and dirty all night long!” She laughed and I shook my head at her excitement. We had been friends for such a long time, and talking to her always made me happier.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” I said. “I’ll put your bag by the door. And I’ll throw some condoms in there for you, too. Safety first!”

We hung up and I went to her room to pack her bag. By the time I was finished, it was time for me to get ready to go meet Ethan and I felt my anxiety spike again.

I dressed simply. I put on jeans that were tight but not too tight, and a t shirt with a v cut. It showed my cleavage, but not so much that it was suggestive. The t shirt was cut to my shape and it was flattering, especially with the jeans. I looked in my full length mirror and wondered if it was too flattering; if it was too much. I shook my head. There was nothing wrong with looking good, I told myself. I did my hair and make-up carefully, letting my hair fall around my shoulders. My make-up was light but present. When I grabbed my purse, phone, and keys, I was set to be right on time.

I drove to the restaurant breathing deeply, trying to control my anxiety. I had no idea what I was even nervous about; it wasn’t as though I was scared, and it wasn’t as though Ethan was a threat to me. I wanted to get there ahead of him so I didn’t have to actually go into the restaurant; I planned to wait outside. I imagined that, if I could do that, the meeting would be simple; he would try to convince me that Oliver was a bad guy, and I would have a decision to make based on how trustworthy he was and how convincing the evidence was. I imagined that he wouldn’t be able to convince me of much else besides that he was an extremist asshole and that Oliver was exactly what Oliver had been telling me he was.

To my surprise, Ethan was waiting for me outside the restaurant. I saw him when I pulled up; his presence was unmistakable. If I hadn’t noticed him, I would have noticed the half a dozen women gawking at him. I rolled my eyes and parked my car.

As I approached, I saw the women notice me, and a distinct energy of threat as I walked closer to Ethan. They were sending daggers my way as he recognized me and smiled. His smile was bright and on anyone else would have looked like too big a smile for a face, but on him it was perfect.

“Becka!” he said warmly. “Thank you for meeting me.” He tried to hug me and I could practically hear the women’s thoughts burning through me. What’s he doing with her, she’s dressed like a slob, so frumpy, there must be something wrong with him, small pecker, too good to be true…

I pulled back and said, as coldly as I could, “Hello, Ethan. I’m here to hear what you have to say.”

He looked at me, confused. “I invited you to dinner.”

“Under the circumstances,” I said, “I don’t really think that’s appropriate, do you?” I was trying to be tough, but, the more I was around Ethan, the more I was drawn to him. The women standing around weren’t being crazy; he had an extremely magnetic energy. I took a deep breath and stood my ground, willing my body and my mind to stop feeling the amount of attraction to him I couldn’t deny I was feeling.

“Let me buy you dinner,” he said, smiling a smile I’m sure made most women swoon. “I don’t want to just hand you papers;” he held up a manila folder. “I want to be able to explain everything to you, and that’s going to take some time. Not to mention,” he lowered his voice, “there are some highly confidential documents in here, and I don’t want to just stand in a parking lot and talk about it.”

I went back and forth, wondering if the information I was about to receive would be compromised if I didn’t go into the restaurant. If I did make him tell me there, would he gloss over important details?

Plus, there was the alcohol component. People tended to become more relaxed and talkative when they’re drinking; perhaps I could use that to my advantage with Ethan.

All of this was true, but, the bottom line was, in spite of my initial plan to not sit down to dinner with him, the truth was, I was drawn to him. I would never admit it out loud, and I would deny it if anyone asked. I was curious about him and about my draw to him, and I knew that I would never again have a good enough reason to have dinner with him than the one I had tonight. So, I consented.

“Okay,” I said. “But an hour, max. I don’t have all night.”

Ethan smiled as if he knew that I had exactly all night, and he nodded. “An hour max. We won’t even order dessert.” He opened the door and gestured for me to enter.

I thought about how surprisingly at ease I felt with Ethan as we walked into the restaurant, my decision made. I had convinced myself that he was going to be a threatening entity, but he was the exact opposite, resembling more the student I had introduced myself to on the first night of the class I’d guest lectured, the first time I’d laid eyes on him. I remembered the women in my class losing their shit over him as well and I had a moment of pity for him, imagining it must be somewhat difficult to go through life always having women’s eyes all over you, getting hit on constantly.

He guided me to a private booth away from the center of the room. I sat first, and he followed.

“You look beautiful,” he said. “Oliver has excellent taste in his personal assistants.” I bit my tongue to keep from correcting him. I was more his girlfriend than his personal assistant, not that I could possibly ever admit that.

“Of course,” he said smoothly, “we both know that you’re far more than just his personal assistant, don’t we, Becka.”

I stared at him. How did he know?

“I don’t know what you mean,” I said coldly. I realized I was going to need to take control of this meeting and not let him hypnotize me with his good looks and magnetic energy. I was here for one reason, to find out the real truth about Oliver and Neuotova, nothing more.

He was staring at me, that same smile playing at his lips. The server came over and, after fawning all over Ethan for a moment, finally managed to take our drink order.

“Does that happen everywhere you go?” I asked, finally.

“What, women flirting with me?” he asked. He leaned back in the booth as if we were old friends. “Yep, pretty much. They sense my energy and they don’t know what to do with themselves.” He smiled as if he was describing me right along with every other woman.

“That must be both annoying and highly effective in getting you what you want,” I observed.

“Sometimes,” he said. He stared at me and I felt myself slipping under his gaze. My body began to send signals that this was someone we were definitely attracted to. I felt my stomach with its butterflies, a wetness between my legs, and I knew if I touched my nipples right now they would be hard as rocks.

“So,” I said, straightening up and clearing my throat. I shook away any thoughts of Ethan in any other sense besides Neurotova and put the business of our meeting back at the forefront. “You said you had some documents that would prove that Oliver was a liar, that he was the one responsible for the animal testing, and that the list of CEOs you showed me was justified and not just a big witch hunt.”

Ethan nodded and reached beside him, grabbing the manila envelope he had been carrying and showed me. “It’s all in here,” he said. He slid it across to me and patted it. “Go ahead, open it.”

I stared at him, then kept my eyes on him as I opened the envelope and took out the sheets of paper. To my surprise, it wasn’t news articles or emails; it was a stack of bank statements. Ethan’s bank statements. He had done a search for transactions from one specific source and printed them out; there were several hundred. I scanned the information for each transaction, my heart pounding in my chest.

The transactions, deposits to an account, went back for years. All ranged between a half a million and a million dollars each. The recipient was Ethan. The sender… was Oliver. I looked for patterns and discovered the checks were deposited roughly once a month.

“What is this?” I asked.

“It’s my silence,” he said. “Bought and paid for. Oliver knows that I know the truth about him. And, he’s willing to pay to keep his dirty secrets under wraps. He’s willing to pay big time.”

The checks went back for years. Admittedly, the evidence looked convincing. But, checks could be forged and so could bank statements. I doubted that would be much of an obstacle for someone with as much money as Ethan had. “What secrets? All this says is that he’s a generous guy. Maybe he’s paying you so you don’t starve to death on the street.”

He looked at me as if he knew that even I couldn’t be that dumb, but that he would indulge me. “I used to work with Oliver, Becka,” he said simply. “I was something of his right hand man, though he’d never admit that. He’d deny until his dying breath that I was ever an asset to Neuotova, but, the truth is, Neuotova wouldn’t be where it is today without me.”

“That still doesn’t prove he does anything wrong,” I said. “I thought you’d have emails or something. Actual… I don’t know… evidence.” I heard my voice faltering.

“Becka,” he looked at me and cocked his head. “Do you really think someone as smart as Oliver would be dumb enough to put his illegal activity in writing? Why would he pay me fifty million dollars a year if not to buy my silence?”

He stared at me and waited for me to answer. Of course, I couldn’t think of a single other reason. He’d been banking on that. He reached across the table and took my hand in his.

“You’re a beautiful woman,” he said. The warmth of his fingers and his palm surged through me straight to where my arousal was centered, and I felt my breath catch in my throat. The room started to spin and, for a moment, the only thing I saw in front of me was his beautiful blue eyes staring back at me. “I want you to have everything you deserve to have in life. I owed it to you to tell you about Oliver and his deceit before you got in with him too deeply. I may be too late, but I hope I’m not.”

He released my hand and I felt the flush rising in my cheeks. I took a long sip of my wine and sat back.

“What exactly did he do?” I asked. “What silence of yours is he buying?”

Ethan went on to tell me a story of how he and Oliver had gone to school together and decided to begin Neuotova with investment money. They knew they had chemistry working together and that they both had bright futures in research ahead. Rather than work for an already existing corporation, they’d wanted to forge their own path.

Ethan was the business man and Oliver had focused on the research. Somewhere along the way, Ethan said he’d discovered inconsistencies in the financial records. He had begun an investigation with the help of one of his most trusted interns, and he had discovered that, under the cover of night, Oliver was using animal experimentation to accelerate the research and prepare products for mass release. As he told the story, I tried to imagine a younger Ethan and Oliver at work together; they both hated each other so much, but it sounded like they had started out much like Lisa and me, best friends.

“When I found out,” Ethan was saying, “of course I was furious. I threatened to fire him, but he said I couldn’t because the company would go under. Unfortunately, he was right; he definitely had the upper hand with the research. But,” he took a sip of his beer, “I knew I couldn’t continue working in such a dishonest, unethical environment. I admit my anger got the best of me; I felt like I was trapped. I told him that I would leave, but I also told him that I was going to take him down with me.”

I shook my head. It all sounded so out of character for Oliver. Of course, the entire situation seemed crazy for Oliver or for Ethan. Oliver didn’t seem like the type of man who could harm a fly, never mind a rabbit or a small mouse… but neither did Ethan, now that I was sitting across from him. I didn’t know who to believe; both seemed so compassionate, so committed to the causes they believed in. And, Ethan had some pretty substantial proof right in front of me: bank statements that proved Oliver was paying him off for something. For his silence? For his acquiescence?

“Let me ask you this,” he said, taking my hands again. “I told you things the first night I met you. You’re smart, and I know you began researching my claims immediately.” I tried to stay non-committal in my eyes and didn’t nod or shake my head. “Has anything I’ve told you turned out to not be true?”

I thought for a moment, and slowly shook my head. He had me there.

“So maybe, just maybe, you could trust the evidence I have given you, and know that my interest here is in helping you. I like you, Becka, and I don’t think you have any idea of what you’ve gotten yourself into with Oliver. He used to be a very good man; hell, he was my best friend! But he changed. The promise of wealth changed him.” He shrugged and, for a moment, I saw true sadness cross his face. Either he was legitimate, or he was a hell of an actor. I felt my heart reach out to him.

“I’m really sorry all of that happened,” I said quietly.

“It’s life,” Ethan said, nodding as if he believed it. “And,” he looked at his watch, “I’ve used up the hour I promised I wouldn’t exceed.”

I would have given him more time, but he stood up, so I followed. I had a thousand questions, but none that I could form into actual words.

We paid our tab; he paid, of course, and then we walked out to the parking lot. A whole new crop of women were standing out there waiting for the valet to return their cars, some with husbands and some without. I tried to ignore their stares, tried to act as cool and calm as Ethan, but the wine had gone to my head and, instead of feeling threatened by the women, I found myself feeling an element of possession around Ethan. I put my hand on Ethan’s arm and he slid his arm around my waist. I leaned into him, fitting easily into the crook of his arm and shoulder. I glanced triumphantly at the women and at their narrowed eyes.

He walked me to my car and asked if I was okay to drive.

“I can drive you home if you like,” he offered. “I’ll have someone bring your car to you in the morning.”

“That’s okay,” I said. “I’m fine.” I wasn’t, but I knew drunkenness wasn’t my problem. I had a feeling that as soon as I was out of Ethan’s energy field, my head would clear up pretty quickly.

He leaned in, his hot breath contrasting the cool air of the night, and he kissed me. I was surprised at first, at the sensation of his lips on mine, but my body took over screaming ‘yes, this is right!’ in my head. I leaned into him and he put his arms around my waist, pulling me against his body. My body reacted like it was oil and he was fire; I melted into him and he consumed me. I felt my knees buckle and his strong muscles holding me up. His kiss was deep and hot, his warm lips pressing against mine firmly. I opened my mouth to allow his tongue to slip in, and our kiss deepened. I had my arms around his shoulders and I pulled against them; our bodies were so close it would have been impossible to slip even a piece of paper between us.

“You taste so good,” he whispered, and I pulled away.

“What?” I asked. He’d sounded just like Oliver when he said that.

“You, taste, so, good.” He punctuated each word with a kiss. “You taste like fine wine.”

I let out a small laugh. He was tasting the wine on my lips and my tongue.

“I wasn’t expecting you to kiss me,” I said shyly. I knew it was wrong, it would upset Oliver to no end, but, a voice in the back of my brain reminded me that Oliver and I were not official anything… except that I was officially on his payroll for Neuotova.

“I wasn’t expecting you to show up,” he said back. “So we’re even.”

When I got home that night, I couldn’t sleep for the confusion I was feeling in my mind and my body. The truth was this: regardless of what Ethan had told me about Oliver, I was distracted by Ethan’s body and energy. I was attracted to him, there was no question. Not just to his body and his face, which was enough, but to his energy and his charisma. I was drawn to the fact that he knew he was sought after by every woman with a pulse and probably a lot of men, too.

My phone pinged as I lay in my dark bedroom. I rolled over and clicked the screen, thinking that it may be Ethan.

Oliver’s name flashed on my screen.

How was your meeting with Ethan? the text said.

Oliver

I sent the message and sat back, fuming. I tried to remind myself that Becka was innocent in this. She was the victim of Ethan and was nothing more than a pawn in his revenge against me. Now, it was clear that he was trying to seduce her. She probably had no idea that, while he was kissing her, he had taken a picture of it and sent it to me.

I looked at the image and felt my stomach jerk. Their bodies were so close, and it was obvious that Ethan had been laying it on thick; their mouths were open and the picture had captured what had been a very intimate, passionate kiss. I resisted the urge to throw my phone across the room. I had to stay in control, had to think.

I had just texted Becka and I wished I could take it back. It would upset her, maybe scare her, and I didn’t want to do that.

My phone pinged; it was Becka.

I’m sorry.

I sighed and responded.

No need to be sorry; I told you you should meet with him, right?

I waited, not long, for a reply. It was clear she had no idea how much Ethan was manipulating her.

Do you want to come over?

***

I arrived at Becka’s apartment and let myself in; the door was unlocked. She was in her bedroom, candles lit, wearing a white cami top with matching white panties. I felt my chest tighten and my cock grew hard immediately; she was so fucking sexy.

“I couldn’t sleep,” she said. “Thanks for coming over. And,” she added, “for not being mad at me.”

“Shh,” I said, and I stripped my clothes off. I grabbed my cock and pulled on its length, promising it satisfaction in just a little while. I got into bed with her and began to kiss her. I slid my cock against her warm body and she took me in her hands. Her palms were warm and slippery; she had been touching herself. I reached down and pulled off her panties with my hand; they were soaked with her juices. I groaned and dropped my head down between her legs.

I began to kiss her, starting with her sweet inner thighs, so soft and fragrant. I wanted to tease her a bit, but I couldn’t resist; I dove into her pussy straightaway and began to lick her sweet folds. Her pussy was bare except for a tiny strip of hair at the place where her labia came together; I ran my thumb over that to begin to stimulate her clit. Not that it needed it; each time I ran my tongue across her lips, I could feel the hard nub underneath waiting to come out.

She was groaning in pleasure and I held her thighs in my hands as I buried my face deeply into her. I slid my tongue into her vagina and began to thrust in and out, my nose pressing against her clit. With my face that way, the only scent I could smell was hers; it felt like I was in a room perfumed by her scent and it was amazing. Her clit continued to harden and it poked out from beneath its hood. I took it in my mouth and licked, softly at first, then harder as her breathing quickened and she began to moan louder.

“Oh God,” she groaned. “Oh yes!” Her fingers pressed into my shoulders and I felt her nails digging in. She did what she always did when she climaxed, dropped her hips toward me and shuddered, her body trembling under my touch. It was sexy and beautiful, and I wanted to be inside her.

I pulled away and entered her, moving my cock into her all the way to my balls. She was so hot and wet; I could believe how slippery she was. I began to thrust against her, her knees bent and her legs wrapped around me.

“Fuck me hard,” she whispered, and I had every intention of complying.

I knew I wouldn’t last long; she was overwhelmingly hot and my cock was ready to go from the second I walked in the door. When I came, I closed my eyes and felt the sensation move over me. I thrust faster, feeling the friction between us draw my cum out of me, and I groaned loudly as I spent myself inside of her.

When I felt like I could move, I did, sliding out of her, limp and exhausted. I kissed her breasts and she sighed, beginning already to fall asleep. I wasn’t far behind her, and we fell into a slow, sweet slumber until morning.

When I woke up the next morning, the first thought in my head was of Ethan. I needed to contact him and meet with him. He had broken our agreement, and now he had messed with my girlfriend. That would not continue.

Becka

I didn’t hear from Ethan again, and I would have been lying if I’d said he didn’t cross my mind several times a day. I knew it was impossible to contact him, so I turned my focus fully onto more research, working to uncover the truth about the Oliver, Ethan, Neuotova triangle and, in so doing, determine if I had a future in my relationship with Oliver or if I was just another blind believer in his lies. The idea that he might be lying about the animal testing sickened me, especially considering I had worked in his lab and that it was his money, through his ‘anonymous’ donation to the college, that had kept my research on Protame afloat. If he was a liar, then everything I’d done with Protame, all the good, was tainted with the blood of innocent animals.

I walked into the kitchen and Lisa was there preparing breakfast. It was Sunday morning, and a rare one that found us both at home at the same time.

“Want some eggs?” she asked. “I made way more than I need.”

“Definitely,” I said, pouring my mug full of coffee and adding enough cream and sugar to make it drinkable. I sat at the table. “How was your date the other night?”

“Eh, you know.” She looked at me with the spatula in her hand and rolled her eyes. “Finding a good man is like finding a piece of chocolate in this house. Fucking impossible.”

I smiled, “Or leftover bacon.”

“Now you’re talking. That’s even more impossible than chocolate! How was your night on Friday? What did you do? Did you hang out with Oliver?”

I blushed as I thought about my meeting with Ethan and then Oliver coming over to the apartment. I hadn’t told Lisa anything about Ethan, so I filled her in on my meeting with him and how angry Oliver was at him.

“So, let me get this straight,” Lisa said as she ate a forkful of eggs. “You have not one, but two billionaires after you right now? I need to be taking lessons from you!” She shook her head and smiled. “I mean, seriously, how does that even happen?”

“It’s not happening,” I said. “I’m not into Ethan.” That was a lie, and one I felt kind of guilty about telling, but I knew that I needed to convince myself just as much as I needed to convince anyone else.

“Well, that’s obviously not true,” Lisa said. “Look at yourself; you’re blushing like mad.”

She was right; even just thinking about Ethan had started a flush moving up my chest into my cheeks. Adding in the memory of Oliver when he’d come over and made me come, well, that wasn’t helping.

“It’s not a good situation,” I said. “Oliver would despise me if he knew I was even taking a second glance at Ethan. And those two have a history.” I hadn’t bothered to tell her about the work related elements, other than that they had known each other in the past and didn’t like each other. “Of all people for me to be interacting with, Ethan is the last one on the planet Oliver would be okay with. So, typical me, who am I attracted to?”

“Ha!” Lisa set her fork down. “You are attracted to Ethan!”

“Of course I am. When you see a picture of him, you’ll understand. He’s ridiculously good looking. But I have a good thing going with Oliver and I don’t want to mess it up.” That was all true. It helped, I had to admit, to strip everything down to the bare essentials. If I took out all of the work crap and just looked at the two men for who they were individually, I was with Oliver, and I didn’t want to hurt him. Ethan was getting in the way and confusing me.

“Well, he did lay claim to you first, and those billionaires love their claims.”

“He didn’t ‘claim’ me,” I said, sticking my tongue out at her. “But, billionaire or not, he is a man, and men don’t like having to share.”

“That’s true,” Lisa said. “But they do love competition. I’m not saying you should pit them against each other or anything, only that you might be able to have a little fun.”

“You’re a terrible influence,” I said. “But you’re an amazing cook. What did you put in these eggs?” I had been eating as we’d talked and was absolutely stuffed, but I was continuing to eat the eggs because they were delicious.

“I put crème fraiche in them. They’re fattening as can be,” she sighed, “but they make banging scrambled eggs.”

I agreed and finished, then stood up to put my plate in the sink. I walked back to my bedroom, feeling a little better after having eaten and having some bonding time with Lisa. I wanted to text Oliver, but I knew I’d see him in the morning at work and I didn’t want to pester him. Of course, I did think about Lisa’s comment that men like a little competition and thought I should maybe text Ethan.

“Don’t wreck your own life, Becka,” I told myself sternly.

***

At the office, things were business as usual. I arrived at my desk at eight o’clock and began to prepare Oliver’s coffee. I had set up a seven o’clock conference call for him that morning, so I knocked on his door lightly to alert him that I was coming in, then I entered with a tray containing his coffee, already with his desired amount of cream and sugar, a glass of ice water, and a toasted bagel with cream cheese. The bagel was new, based on my observations that he was always complaining of being hungry by about ten o’clock. I knew it was more likely than not that he left his house each morning without breakfast.

He winked at me and mouthed ‘thank you,’ and I left his office, closing the door behind me. I both got to work on Oliver’s list of things for me to do that day as well as my own research, and I alternating his list with my own. I had gotten into a nice rhythm working for Oliver, and I was able to keep my research pretty well under wraps.

Of course, I had to admit, the main reason I was able to keep my research so secretive was because I wasn’t actually discovering anything. It seemed as though I’d already discovered every mention of both Oliver and Ethan that existed on the internet. Even my meeting with Ethan hadn’t given me anything new to go on. I’d tried to look up Ethan’s account numbers and information from the bank statements, but, without the ability to hack into the bank’s system, something that was far beyond my abilities, that was a complete dead end.

I heard a noise and I looked up. My mouth dropped open as I saw Ethan standing in front of me.

“What are you doing here?” I gasped. I glanced at Oliver’s closed door, fear moving through me. If Oliver saw Ethan and me talking, there was no telling what he would do. I couldn’t believe Ethan had the nerve to even show up here to see me like this! “You can’t be here,” I said, standing up and starting to walk around my desk. “I know the other night was fun,” more than fun, my brain said, “but you seriously need to leave.”

Ethan didn’t move, didn’t really, even, acknowledge that I had spoken.

“Good morning, Miss…” he made a show of looking at my nameplate. “Jasper. I’m here to see Dr. Weeks.” He smiled.

I felt a flush rise in my cheeks immediately and I shook my head. “No way,” I said. “First, that’s absolutely ridiculous. Dr. Weeks would fire me if I let you into his office. Second, he’s extremely busy. He’s in a conference call right now and is very booked with meetings for the rest of the day. I’m afraid you’ll have to leave. You could always call later and see if he has an appointment this week, but, to be honest, he’s very, very busy.”

I continued to talk as my arousal grew. I mentally chided myself for not having better control. He knew how much he was getting to me, I could tell.

“If you wouldn’t mind, please buzz him and let him know I’m here. I think he would probably like very much to see me and hear what I have to say.”

I looked between him and Oliver’s door, trying to make a decision. I didn’t know what to do. While I contemplated, Ethan leaned in and kissed me. My body responded first to his touch, to his lips, and I let out a small moan before I caught myself. I realized where I was and pulled away.

“What are you doing?” I whispered. “You can’t… do that here! If Oliver comes out of his office and we’re kissing, he’ll kill us both.”

I didn’t know if Ethan was there to see Oliver, or me, or both. I glanced at my desk and had a sudden vision of us on it, him sweeping everything from the papers to the computer off of the surface and taking me right there. He must have read my thoughts, or maybe he was starting to recognize the flush that rose in my chest whenever I became aroused, because he leaned into me and began to kiss my neck and my throat.

Suddenly, the door opened and Oliver walked out. He took in the picture of both Ethan and me standing next to my desk, Ethan’s lips on my neck. Though I’d been trying to shoo him out, not be close to him, it didn’t look that way. His face was masked with anger; it was tight across his eyes, mouth, and his jawline.

“What the hell are you doing here?” he demanded, stalking across the room and stepping between Ethan and me.

“Oh calm down,” Ethan said, smiling. “I got your message that you wanted to meet and I decided I’d drop by since I had some time open. It gave me the opportunity to visit with Becka here. As I’m sure you’re aware, we’ve become quite close.”

“Oliver, it’s not true,” I said.

“Shh, Becka, it is true, but it doesn’t matter.” He glanced at me and the anger in his eyes melted. He turned back to Ethan and his rage flashed again. “You’re an innocent pawn in Ethan’s game. He’s been trying to ruin me for years, to get his revenge on me for his own wrongdoing years and years ago. He knows that being with you would hurt me, so, as the latest in his revenge games, he made it his mission to seduce you.”

Oliver stepped toward Ethan and Ethan stepped back, surprised at Oliver’s aggression.

“Now, Oliver,” Ethan said. “That makes me sound so cold and calculating.”

“That’s what you are,” Oliver said. “What lies have you been telling her?”

“I haven’t lied at all. I’ve told her the exact situation that happened. From start to finish. I even showed her the bank statements where you’ve been paying me off for my silence for the last five years. I must admit, the expression on her face was priceless. She really actually likes you.”

I watched the back and forth between the two men, truly not knowing whose side I should be on. Both men had accused the other of lying about the exact same situation. Both had credible evidence to support their claims. I had no idea what to say.

“Becka,” Oliver said, not looking at me, but keeping his eyes on Ethan. “There is one part of the situation that I doubt Ethan here told you. I can pretty much guarantee it, because I haven’t told it to you either.”

“Don’t you dare,” Ethan seethed. “If you tell her, I’ll ruin you once and for all.”

“You’re not going to have the chance,” Oliver said. “I have enough support on my side, enough evidence to counter your claims, that no amount of yelling and screaming on your end will convince even the most simple minded person that you’re the honest one in the family.”

“Family?” I croaked, the word standing out like a rock star in the spotlight against the rest of his words.

“Family,” Oliver repeated. “Becka, Ethan is my brother.”