“You’re not telling me anything I want to hear, Mr. Williams. That was not the agreement we signed for, and you know it.”

“I understand that, Mr. Mandrake, trust me I do, but there are no other ways around it. We’ve looked at every other possible outcome. If we want to complete the project, we’re going to have to compromise.” I balled my hands into fists. If there was anything I fucking hated, it was to compromise. I looked at the picture of Emmalin and Flick, the current picture on my screensaver, then it switched to Emmalin and I on our wedding day. It was our first dance and she was peering up at me with her bright green eyes. I was gazing down at her with so much love and adoration. I remember thinking I didn’t want the day to end.

It was the day that changed my life. It was the day she was fully mine.

I sighed as I ran my hand through my hair. If I complete this, I could scale back. I could, for once, be home and have dinner with my family. I could perhaps even be there before Flick goes on her first date. Which would never fucking happen. I could properly fuck my wife, without having to schedule it.

“I think our point will be better taken if we conducted a meeting on their grounds. That way they can not only see how fucking serious I am and threaten legal actions if need be in person.”

Mr. Williams turned to me slowly. “You want a team to head to Paris? For when?”

“Monday.”

Mr. Williams started to look worried. “I’m sorry, Mr. Mandrake, I don’t think I can do it. My only grandson is being baptized this weekend, and…”

I held up my hand. “It’s fine, Mr. Williams.”

“I would be happy to go, Mr. Mandrake.”

My eyes darted to Claudia. She cleared her throat. “I don’t have any other obligations, and even though it’s short notice, I can make it work.” I nodded, taking a deep breath. I looked back at my screen and it was another picture of when Emmalin and I were on our honeymoon. I wanted her to go to Paris with me before, but I fucked it up then, too.

I turned to Glenda, who was taking notes. “Make arrangements for Mrs. Mandrake and me for an extended trip. Have her schedule cleared.” As much as I would love to have Emersyn there with us, Emmalin and I needed this time. I needed to be in her pussy as much as possible. We had a lot of making up to do.

“Absolutely, Mr. Mandrake. I’ll notify the pilot to make arrangements for a passenger line of three.”

“Just two.” I turned to Claudia. “If you wouldn’t mind flying commercial, Glenda can make the arrangements.”

She pursed her lips. “Of course.”

I sat back and ran my hand through my hair. I knew without a doubt, Emmalin wouldn’t want Claudia to be on that plane with us. I nodded. “It’s settled. We’ll make it work, everyone.” I got up excusing myself, pulling out my phone to send a quick text to Meredith to ask if she could take Flick for a few days. Now that she and her husband were trying again, she felt the need to be around babies all the time.

I walked in my office and was greeted by Chace, my annoying as fuck best friend, playing on the mini set golf in my office. Chace and I go way back elementary school. We were those two kids that fucking hated each other, yet even so, still managed to get paired up. I didn’t want any more to do with him, than he did with me. I stole his pudding. He buried my favorite pair of shoes in the sandbox. But, he earned my respect when some ass fuck was teasing my sister Meredith and hit her on the back of her head playing kickball. Chace got there before I did and knocked him to the ground, and sat on him, until he apologized. He then took it one step further and made him eat a live worm.

“Why don’t you get your own and stop using mine.”

He held up his hand as he feigned concentration to get the ball in the hole that was three feet away. Sinking the ball, he threw his hand up in the air. He turned to face me, completely smiling. “Because then I can’t come play with your toys. And you still need to learn how to share.”

I took the club from him, placing it back in the bag. “I need you for Paris Monday.” He scowled. “Chace, I really need your help on this deal. You’re the best man on this team. You know it in and out. You’re the only one I can truly trust.”

He slumped in the chair in front of me. I decided to continue with the sweet talk. “You can bring Isabella. I’m bringing Emmalin, although she doesn’t know it yet. We could use a little time away. Catch up.”

He smirked. “You mean time away to fuck without interruptions.”

I silently laughed. “Something like that, yeah.”

He sighed. “Yeah, I can go, but Isa can’t make it. She has a business trip this weekend.”

I leaned back in my chair. “Bummer.”

He shrugged. “It is what it is. She’s been acting…different lately. She always has that look when we’re around you two. Like she wants to get married or some shit. But, she’s very strange about it. She’s adamant about not getting married. We both come from divorced families and shit, and she said she doesn’t want to be bothered with it.”

I stared at Chace as he began to look conflicted. “Have you tried asking her if she wanted to get married?”

He slowly nodded. “Yeah.”

I smiled, cause if I knew Chace, he wasn’t exactly hopping on a white horse and promising her a fairy tale. “And?”

He threw his hands up. “We were picking out a movie to watch, and she yet again held up 500 Days of Summer, and I said ‘we could watch that, or we could get married instead.’”

I threw my head back and laughed. “I suppose she wasn’t keen on the idea?”

“Fuck no. She looked at me in a way that basically said if I was on fire and if she had the only glass of water to save me, she would drink every last drop.”

I chuckled. “Well, she’s fucking smart, that’s for sure.”

“Fuck you, man. Not everyone can have a happy ever after like you and Emmalin.”

I got up and went over to him patting him on the back. “They can if you let it. You saw how hard it was for me just to get Emmalin. Talk about inflating my ego and giving me shit. That girl did it all. I could’ve went to her on my knees, in my most expensive suit, and she still would’ve looked the other way.” I poured us both a drink. “You could always go with plan B.”

“What’s that?”

“Tying her up, until she says yes. That was my plan, if Emmalin said no.”

He rolled his eyes, and was just about to comment, when there was a knock on my office door. Claudia peered her head around the corner and smiled. I nodded, giving her permission to enter.

I couldn’t help but notice the way she sashayed her hips as she walked toward me and handed me a file. “These just came over by courier, and since I was headed your way, I thought I would drop them off.” She turned to face Chace. “Great to see you again, Chace.”

He nodded, taking the last sip of his bourbon. “You as well, will you be joining us in Paris?”

She looked shocked for a brief moment. “I didn’t realize you were going as well. Glad to have you on board.” She paused as she looked between us. “Well, I’m off to head home to pack. I will see you two gentlemen later.” She gave one last lingering look before she shut the door.

Chace immediately turned to me. “What the fuck was that?”

“What?”

“She was practically in here eye fucking you. Has Emmalin met her yet?”

I silently laughed. “I’m well aware of her apparent crush on me, which is why she’ll be placed elsewhere after Paris. Emmalin met her the other day and didn’t take too kindly to her. Her jealousy was showing hardcore.”

Chace looked toward the door. “I’m surprised you haven’t gotten rid of her yet.”

I ran my hand through my hair as I got up, grabbing my laptop to take with me. “Yeah, it’s first on the list. I’m going to head on home and surprise my wife, letting her know that she’s going to Paris. I’ll see you later.”

I was already thinking of plans for Paris. Granted it didn’t matter, because I planned on fucking her on every inch of our hotel room. I made a note to schedule a second trip to Paris for us, since I clearly had no plans to let her see it on this trip.

The smell of something delicious wafted from the kitchen. I peeked in, and Emmalin was peering over a pot, stirring something. She had on one of my dress shirts that fell mid-thigh paired with striped thigh-high socks, which she used to her advantage as she slid to the fridge to get something out of it.

She stopped abruptly when she saw me and smiled coyly as she walked back to the stove. “You’re home on time for once.” She peered back at me over her shoulder. “Special occasion?” She finished adding whatever she needed to the pot and turned to face me, hand on her hip.

My eyes narrowed at her, as I slowly entered the room, unknotting my tie. My arm wrapped around her waist, and she yelped. “You know I love your sassy mouth.” I leaned down, lightly biting and sucking her neck, and she moaned.

“What else do you love?” she panted.

I palmed her ass and lifted her up, her legs wrapping around me. “The way your pussy feels when you squeeze me as you’re coming around my cock.” I moved things to the side, placing her on top of the island, my hands roaming up her shirt. I froze at the sound of someone clearing their throat.

I peered over her shoulder to find Magda smiling at us. Emmalin started giggling, as she tried to bury her face in my shoulder. “Magda, I didn’t know you were still here.”

She started laughing as she waved her hand. “I’ll see myself out.”

Emmalin started to move off the table, but I held her still. “She said she can see herself out.”

“Grayson!” she loudly whispered.

I sighed, adjusting myself. “Don’t you move,” I gave her a pointed look as I ran after Magda.

A few minutes later, I went back into the kitchen, fully prepared to pick up where we left off. Emmalin was dishing up food. She fucking moved. I sighed, “I should’ve known you wouldn’t follow instructions.”

She smirked at me as she placed a plate in front of me. I quickly grabbed a bottle of wine. I couldn’t even remember the last time I had a sit-down dinner with my wife. I scooted my chair closer to her, picked her up, and placed her in my lap.

“I had my own chair.”

I poured us both a glass of wine. “I know, but it’s easier for me to tease you this way.” She looked at me confused at first, until my free hand grazed her inner thigh. She quickly crossed her leg. As if that’s going to stop me. I looked over our plates. “This smells good, what is it?”

Her eyes lit up. “Shoyu chicken. It’s Hawaiian.” She cut a piece and fed it to me. I moaned as she fed me another piece. She started to suck some of the sauce off the tip of her thumb, but I grabbed her hand, and immediately put her thumb in my mouth, followed by the rest of her digits. I took some of the sauce, and smeared it on her neck before leaning in and sucking it off, and she lightly moaned. “It’s quiet. Where’s Flick?”

“With her grandparents. Your mom wanted her for the night. Magda was here because she forgot something,” she answered breathlessly.

I turned her around, lifting her onto the island. “Good girl.” I ripped all the buttons from her shirt and immediately latched onto her nipple. I took some of the sauce from the plate and drizzled it on her nipple, before sucking it off. Her hands started to deftly unbuckle my pants. As she reached in, I arched into her the moment her hand wrapped around me.

“Fuck, baby.”

“I need you in me.”

Her legs wrapped around me, pulling me closer to where I aligned perfectly to her pussy. I slammed into her in one full thrust, and she cried out. She was wet, but not as wet as I needed her to be to take me. I circled her clit with my thumb. “Baby,” I whispered. “You weren’t ready.”

She started to move, but I gripped her hips, stilling her. “I don’t care. Just take me Grayson…please.” I looked into her eyes. She was pleading with me, something she hadn’t done in months. Something she hadn’t done unless something was bothering her. I looked down at her skin, partly exposed by the open shirt, and I saw the tinge of red on her skin that I knew wasn’t from her being flushed.

I felt my blood starting to boil as my eyes went back to hers. I grabbed her neck, gripping tightly. What had happened? What’s happened in the past few weeks, months even, that I missed. How could I have been so fucking stupid. This whole time, she looked so fucking happy, but she wasn’t. I gripped her neck tighter as I slammed into her, and she gasped as much as she could, since I was restricting her air flow.

“What, the fuck have you been doing, Emmalin?” I growled. I punctuated each word with a thrust. Her eyes grew wider. “If you wanted to be punished, all you had to do was ask.” I quickly pulled out of her and threw her to the floor. Dishes came crashing down around us. She landed on the floor gasping for air. She barely took a breath before I was on her again thrusting into her fully, and she screamed out.

If she wanted to resort back to old tactics, then so would I. “Grayson! Stop!” I covered her mouth, as I thrusted in harder and deeper, barely pulling myself out. If there was any indication she actually wanted me to stop, it was proven wrong by the growing wetness surrounding my cock. I pinned her legs down as they started to flail, as I moved my hand from her mouth to her neck, gripping it again. I needed her to come. I ran my hand through her slick folds, in search of that hard nub. She squealed as I tightened my grip.

Her hands grabbed mine, nails digging in, which didn’t even phase me. I felt her body tense as I rubbed her clit faster. She tried fighting me off, fighting to gain a full breath. Finally her body jerked, the walls of her pussy clamped down on my cock. I let out a guttural moan, I bit her shoulder, and spilled myself deep inside of her. It was only when I fully depleted myself did I ease my grip from her neck.

We were both covered in a sheen of sweat, and I slowly eased myself from Emmalin. She winced as she scurried away from me into a ball. I started to reach for her, but she backed away. That’s when I saw it. The blood between her legs. The fresh tears in her eyes as she shakily got up, one arm wrapped around her mid-section.

I quickly got up and reached for her, but she moved out of my reach. “Don’t…you’ve done enough.” She shrugged on the remainder of the shirt and went past me. I was quick on her heels, following as she went to our room and beelined to our bathroom where she shut the door and locked it.

I braced the frame of the door, but the frame wasn’t enough to hold the remorse I felt. I had hurt her. For the first time ever, I had physically hurt her. But she came. Because you forced her that’s why. “Emmalin,” I whispered against the door. I was greeted by silence. “Baby, please. I am sorry. I am so fucking sorry.”

I felt panic starting to set in as each minute passed that was answered by silence. “I need to make sure you’re okay. You need to let me do that, baby.” Why? So you could manhandle her again? Show her the side of you kept hidden from her. Lucky for her, she only got a glimpse of the beast inside of you. If she only knew all the sordid things you wanted to do to her. If she knew all the fucked-up ways you dreamed of fucking her, she would leave. She would leave and never look back. You’re a sick fuck. I shut my eyes, trying to push down the beast inside of me that had somehow managed to claw himself out. After ten more minutes of her not answering me, I decided to resort to force. “Emmalin! If you do not open this door, I will force it open!” I banged on the door with my fist.

A few more seconds went by, and I had had enough. I went to grab the key and unlocked the door. My heart dropped as I saw Emmalin lying in the shower, her back to me shaking. I immediately ran over to her.

“Emmalin,” I whispered.

Her eyes were closed, and she shook as if her body temperature was zero degrees. I turned the steam mist on. I held her close to me, and she just shook, her teeth clattering.

“Emmalin, baby, I’m here. I’m here, come back to me. I’m here.” I rocked us back and forth, and finally her shivering died down about thirty minutes later. I knew exactly what had happened. She experienced sub drop. She sub dropped all by her fucking self, something that should never fucking happen. I started whispering soothing things to her. Her body was tense, and a few times she tried to push me off, but I knew she wasn’t fully there yet. I held her tighter to me, waiting for it to pass.

An hour later, her body went limp and her breathing softened. I turned off the steam mist and carefully wrapped her in a robe. She slept as I dried her hair. She stayed asleep as I got in behind her and pulled her as close to me as humanly possible. She was still asleep as I whispered “I love you” over and over again until sleep finally took ahold of me, and I continued to whisper it in my dreams.