CHAPTER NINE

Cas

“Stay close.”

I have Jade in my arms, and I whisper my wish into her ear. We’re swaying to the soft, romantic music, slow dancing among the clusters of couples on the dance floor. The event planners have put together a glamorous charity benefit, and the ballroom is filled with life. Isaiah put his money in the right people.

As if my thoughts conjure him, I glimpse my old ex-Marine buddy with his wife and eldest daughter. The two women are chatting together, the younger looking longingly at the dancing couples, and the older one casting yearning peeks at her husband.

Isaiah’s the CEO and owner of the hotel and casino, so he’s in more demand than I. It frees me to dance the evening away with Jade in my arms when I’m not schmoozing with men with deeper pockets. All for the sake of charity, right?

“Cas,” Jade says, lifting her head from my chest and peering up at me. We’re still swaying, keeping to the beat of the slow song. It’s a primal dance of sweet foreplay, my hips pressing closer to her, her round breasts against my chest, my cock resting over her belly.

The dress she wears isn’t helping cool my blood. Like the strappy gold number she wore the night I fired her, this midnight blue dress is slinky, floor-length, and cut low in the front and back. But there are no slits in the fabric revealing her tantalizing legs, because she’s sporting bandages on both calves.

And just like that, I’m reminded of what happened in my absence.

“Cas?” Jade calls me back from the simmering anger.

“Mm-hm?” I say, prompting her to continue. It also saves me from revealing the gruff emotion in my voice, and the black thoughts of pain and, yes, even death to whoever hurt Jade.

“It’s not your fault.”

She’s caught me off-guard. “What isn’t?” I ask automatically.

“The…incident in your room this morning.” Jade’s dark brown eyes are lighter under the sparkling chandeliers overhead, the high, mirrored ceilings throwing the white-gold lights, exaggerating the glistening, gleaming aura of the grand room. She stares at me, peeling back the layers to my quivering enraged soul.

Still, I stiffen my jaw and clench out, “Nothing to be apologetic for. It’s not like you asked to be attacked.” I lower my voice, aware of where we’re standing. I’m readying to shut down this conversation, convince her it’s for behind closed doors, but Jade tiptoes in my arms and brushes my cheek with her lips.

Nothing can arrest me so quickly. My mind blanks, and I swear I forget my own name. As soon as she draws back and settles on her heels, she says, “That was for being so good to me.”

Nolan chooses the perfect time to spin and twirl into my vision, his tall, lean body squeezed into a tuxedo again. The woman in his arms beams up at him, her love for Nolan burning brightly even from here.

I catch my friend’s eye, and right on time. From their dais, the glittering ensemble pluck up the spirit of the room with a faster tune.

Giving Jade space, I offer my hand and lead her off the floor with the excuse of rehydrating ourselves. I’m more concerned about her legs. Even though the doctor cleared her, I’d rather her be in bed resting after her ordeal from the morning.

Nolan and his small, curvy wife catch up to us at the refreshments table. Once he introduces Jade to his wife, the two women are swept up into their conversation. It’s just as I hoped.

Drawing Nolan from our ladies, I say, “Did they report back with anything yet?”

He shakes his head. “Sorry, man. Not yet. These things take time.” He grips my shoulder, the squeeze meant to be comforting. I’m not so receptive to it though. “I promise we’ll catch whoever’s done this.”

It’s all I can take, so I latch onto it with both hands. “Keep me updated.”

Jade glances my way. There’s no way she could have heard our conversation. Her gentle smile tells me as much, and I relax. She needs to stay out of the loop. I want her as far from this as possible.

“Here they come,” Nolan whispers, his eyes for his wife only.

Good. Saves me the time of asserting my claim on Jade.

This is yet another reason I’d like her upstairs and not down here. She dazzles the room like one of the expensive, ostentatious light fixtures overhead. I’ve noticed other men casting her appreciative glances. The bastards aren’t as discreet as they believe themselves to be.

“I was going to just slip out with Elaina,” Jade says, looking to Nolan’s wife.

Nolan steps up. “Lead the way.”

I’m joining him, more than ready for a scenery change. I’ll pop back in later to make one final appearance for the benefit of our wealthy donors and sponsors.

“No.” Jade raises her hand, her tone teasing. She’s more like herself for a flash, and I’m awestruck. Cupid’s arrows do exist, and I’m one of his hapless victims. “I think we’ll be able to find the restrooms on our own.”

Nolan begrudgingly falls back, and he snaps his fingers in front of my face. I realize we’re alone now. While I zoned out, Jade and Elaina have stepped away to the powder their noses…or whatever women do in groups in the washrooms.

“They’re totally gonna gossip about us.” Nolan scratches the back of his head, his gaze ponderous. “Wonder what they’re saying?” He chuckles. “If I know my Elaina, she’s probably talking smack about my slovenly ways. It’s true though. The vacuum cleaner is my nemesis, dust mites my friends.”

My gaze zips to the ballroom exit, and the long staircase leading up to it. There are security guards stationed there and all around, not all of them visibly in their uniforms.

“What about you? What do you think Jade’s saying about you?”

Nolan’s question rips my vigil from the door. I’m missing Jade, and she’s barely been gone from my side. I can’t imagine what it’ll be like when we annul the marriage, sign our divorce papers, and part ways for good.

“I never did ask, but is that why she left?” Nolan knew Jade from her time at the hotel and casino.

I stuff the prick of jealousy, understanding theirs is a benign work friendship. Nolan’s crazy for his wife. Like I am for Jade… Though it’s not love with me. It can’t be. It has to be the still-sparking sexual chemistry between us. As soon as that cools, I’ll let her walk out of my life.

Until then, I’ll remain her shadow.

“I just remembered I have to make a call,” I say.

Nolan eats up my lie. He fake-groans, cracks a joke about my workaholic habits, and dismisses me with a friendly grin.

I clear the ballroom, taking those steps two at a time, and head in the direction of the washrooms. I grab a young woman from the front desk, leading her to the restroom. “Can you pop in and see if a dark-haired woman is in there? She’d be with a short blonde.” I describe Jade’s dress for good measure, and despite the raised brows, the front desk staff member checks for me.

She returns, shaking her head. “No one’s in there, Mr. Felix.”

Thanking the staff member, I hurry through the foyer, searching out the places the ladies might have gone.

That’s when I catch sight of Nolan’s wife, Elaina. She’s heading from the opposite direction, her heels clacking toward the ballroom. She pauses and stops at my approach. She smiles, sighing and looking around me. “Where is he hiding?”

“Nolan isn’t with me. He’s waiting for you in the ballroom.”

“Oh,” she says, surprised. Nolan must watch over her a lot if she’s shocked to not see him.

Elaina evades my eye contact now, her fingers skittishly skimming over her elegant up do. “Are you looking for Jade? She’s still in the restroom. I was just stretching my legs while I waited for her.”

The nonchalant tone she affects fall flat. Also, I checked the washroom. She’s not there. Meaning Elaina’s covering for her. I need to know why right now.

“Where is she?” I raise a hand, cutting off a reiteration of her poor excuse. “I know she’s not in the washroom.”

Elaina shakes her head, the blush standing out starker as she pales. “I’m sure it’s nothing,” she says, panicking me. After a short pause, she continues, “Jade is over that way. I just came from her. I thought I’d give her, uh, privacy.”

“Why?” I blurt. It’s out of my mouth like lightning.

Elaina appears even more uncomfortable. I can’t imagine Nolan will be too happy with me interrogating his wife. I keep my hands to my sides though, fingers flexing into fists soon as Elaina says timidly, “She’s with a man.” She gives me a pitying look. “It looked platonic.”

I force a breath from my nostrils. “Did you catch his name?”

Elaina shakes her head again. “No. I’m sorry. She told me to go ahead, and I thought…” she trails.

I seize that opportunity to dismiss her politely. “It’s all right. Head back in. I don’t want my head of security tearing this place down looking for you.” Once Elaina’s gone, I stalk in the direction she came from, sure to run into Jade and this mystery man of hers eventually.

“No, I won’t. You have to leave.” I hear Jade before I see her.

She’s tucked in an alcove behind the bay of elevators. She has her back facing me, a potted tall plant blocking me from her sight were she to turn around. Jade’s absorbed in her conversation though. She snaps her hand to the side, her voice rising and sharpening with her irritation.

“You can’t be here! I don’t want to talk to you, or see you ever again. It’s been over for months, Tyler.”

Of course. I can’t believe I’d been blind. Who else might have the balls to keep my Jade from me? Tyler Wagner has some fucking guts coming in here when I’ve made it clear he’s not welcome. Guess I’ll have to repeat myself. My muscles tighten, my jaw locking with my anger…and another emotion I don’t want to name mixes in with the blinding rage.

Jade pushes from Tyler, spinning on her heels and freezing at the sight of me.

I’m not hiding. I want her to see me.

Jade’s mouth falls open, but I’m distracted by Wagner’s escape. He lunges at Jade, shoving her forward before sprinting from the scene. She careens off balance, a short scream of terror ringing my ears as she topples, heading to the ground.

I can’t break her fall, but I’m all over her. Sweeping a moaning Jade from the floor, I’m torn between leaving her someplace safe and giving Wagner chase.

Lucky for my momentary lapse in decision-making, a trio of plains-clothed security races over to us—Jade’s scream the perfect alarm to rouse them. I point a finger in the direction Wagner fled, snapping, “Catch him, and make sure you don’t hurt him too badly.”

They’re on it, their boots thudding after Wagner. Hopefully the pursuit won’t be in vain. Now, more than ever, I want wayward Wagner under my thumb.

I get Jade into my office. It is on the first floor with my accountants alongside the security department, unlike Isaiah who works from his penthouse suite. Once I have the door locked, and the lights on, I settle Jade on top of my desk and press a button on a remote control to dim the glass wrapping my space. No audience permitted for what I have planned for Jade.

Checking her over first, I push her curly locks from her frightfully large eyes. She hasn’t bothered to move from where I’ve perched her on the desk. That’s how I know something’s wrong. “You okay?”

She nods, her bottom lip pushing out, trembling.

“That was your boyfriend.” It’s a matter-of-fact statement.

A bud of anger unfurls in her features, warring with the fright. “My ex,” she corrects, her eyes narrowing at me. She holds up her left hand then, wiggling her fingers. “I’m married to you. Remember?”

“How could I forget?” My tone is dry. I settle my hands on either side of her deliciously thick thighs. It allows me to accommodate for our height difference, lets me get in close to her face. I search her pretty features, priming her for my next question. “It’s only that I’m wondering why my wife is sneaking off to rendezvous with her ex-boyfriend.”

Jade snarls at me. “Don’t you dare.” Her voice is low, warning. She huffs, her eyes blazing. “Not that it’s your business, seeing as this thing with you,” she nudges her chin at me, “is fake and all. But I wasn’t ‘sneaking’ anywhere.”

I stare at her hard. My girl withstands what I have to give her, matching my stare with a fierce glower. “Fine,” I say finally. I heard Jade struggling to extricate herself from Wagner. I believe her. Besides, it’s like she said: this is a fake marriage. It’s not like I have any reason to be jealous.

“What did he say he wanted?” I ask.

She sighs, the annoyance wiping off like an erasable board. “He mentioned being chased, needing my help.” She shoots me a sharp look. “Before you start interrogating me again, Sherlock, I told him to turn himself in to the police.”

“Good,” is all I have to say. I kiss her then, my lips breezing over her forehead.

Jade blinks at me. “What was that for?”

I shrug. “I can’t kiss my wife?” I touch her mouth then, my lips sliding over hers, the pressure nice and easy. I’m lifting up from her, wanting her to bridge the gap. I won’t kiss her again…not until she begs me for it, or takes this into her hands.

“Cas,” she breathes my name, her legs locking around my waist. It’s like a switch has gone off. Jade goes from firing me dirty looks to yanking my filthiest fantasies to the fore. I’ve only ever made her scream in my room.

The thought alone of fucking her on my desk has my cock throbbing with need, standing for her attention. I can’t wrap my mind around foreplay. I just need her. Full stop.

“Cas!” Jade gasps when I push her onto the desk, never happier that I’m such a fucking stickler for keeping my desk neat. The opposite of Nolan, as it were. My anal retentiveness comes in handy right now.

I rip her dress up her thighs and haul her panty-clad core close, my hands digging into her hips, loving the extra cushioning she has on her body. I won’t need to tiptoe around the fear of hurting her. Not that the thought of leaving her with some bruises, markings of our hard, fast fucking, doesn’t please me to the core—it does.

“Please,” she moans, struggling to sit up. She makes it up on her elbows, her gaze locked on where I dry hump her, her tongue peeking out to slick over her bottom lip before she sucks it in, her teeth sinking in lightly.

I strip Jade of her underwear, stuffing it in my pocket for safe-keeping. I can’t have anyone walking in and finding her panties lying in my office. They’re for me alone.

“Hurry up.” Jade gets demanding when she’s horny.

I grin, glad nothing’s changed. I have my zipper down, my stiff groin in my hand, my fist beating away at the sight of her glistening, rose lips. They’re puffy with her arousal, her clit hard and begging for my touch, her honey sliding from her lips and dripping down onto my desk. I can’t help a quick taste.

Lapping the dots of her tangy juices from my desk, I lick up her pussy and lash my tongue over her stiff, little button.

“Tease,” Jade scolds me breathlessly, wriggling her hips, scooting closer to the edge of the table. “Take me already. You know you fucking want to.”

“Watch that mouth,” I say, all the while loving how her cussing jerks my cock.

My shaft bounces when I tear my hand off. Aligning my red-faced crown to her pretty pussy, I feed her my nine inches slowly. Jade has the top of her dress down over her big, juicy breasts, her manicured nails pinching her nipples while she watches her pussy slurp up my dick.

I’m barely in before I’m drawing out, the slow drag making me hyperaware of how my ridges brush along her pulsating walls. “Yes,” she says, moaning when I pull her up into my arms again. Her bare breasts kiss my chest, her perky nipples jabbing me through my dress shirt. She drapes her arms over my shoulders, her nails sinking into my back.

She grits her teeth at me. “More,” she orders, panting faster, grinding on my shaft.

All of the different sensations zap straight to my groin. My balls are heavy with cum, and I’ve been on the edge for two months now. I’m finally home, and the excitement won’t last long.

Jade latches her mouth over my shoulder and she nips me, her loud moan muffled as her pussy convulses on my cock. She milks me to my orgasm, and it roars through me, shattering my memory of just how fucking amazing it can be with Jade.

We come down from our high, our breaths mingling as she brings her face closer to mine. “Again?” she asks.

I chuckle. “And I thought I was insatiable.” I’m kissing her then, my mouth dancing over hers, her tongue joining me in an erotic tango. Our thighs slap together as I move forward, her cunt answering by hugging my cock tighter, the sound mingling with our sloppy, smacking kisses to create a perfect symphony.

A sharp series of knocks lifts my head from Jade. My mouth is heavy with our kisses, my back pinching from where her nails have scored me. And my balls aren’t entirely empty yet, my stiff cock twitching inside of Jade’s warm, clenching pussy.

Glaring at the door over my shoulder, I bark, “What?”

“Hey, man,” Nolan calls from the other side. He tries the doorknob, and I’m so fucking glad I locked it on the way inside. “You alright in there?”

“Just fine,” I say.

There’s a pregnant pause before Nolan asks, “Is Jade with you?”

“She is.” I give Jade a thrust, grinding against her, angling my bulbous cockhead at her G-spot again.

She moans softly, her hand flying up to muffle it. Good girl. Those sounds are for my ears only.

“And you’re sure you’re both cool? I have Dr. Martin on the line; she’s prepared to stop by.”

I grin at Jade’s slow, seductive smile. She rocks her hips, riding my cock, seeking out her own pleasure until my hands frame her hips and hold her still. She pouts. I lift a challenging brow. “You need a doctor?”

Jade throws her arms over my neck, drawing herself in closer. She brushes her lips over my five o’clock shadow before her tongue traces my bristly jawline. She ends off with nipping my chin and poising her lips over mine. “All I need is you.” Then she rolls her hips, squeezes her warm walls around my pulsing shaft, and smiles brightly. “And you clearly need me.”

Knowing round two is upon us, I barely have time to tell Nolan off. “We’re good. No doctor.” No doctor, indeed. All I require is in my arms, working my cock like a master, bringing us both to another quick, boneless bliss.