I felt uncomfortable as hell in my tight black dress with a low cut down the back, but that didn’t seem to matter. Frankly, nothing seemed to matter to Mom and Carter so long as they smiled nice, held hands, and played it up for the cameras.

The charity gala was held in some expensive hotel in downtown San Francisco. The people were mainly old, white and rich as all hell, and some of the women were wearing jewelry that were probably worth more than my college education. When we arrived, Mom and Carter were mobbed by reporters and well-wishers, and I was basically an afterthought.

Normally, I would have been fine with that. I didn’t want to go on camera talking about my mom’s fake marriage to some age-inappropriate rich tech billionaire, especially considering all I wanted to do was fuck that rich billionaire. I didn’t want to pretend like everything was okay when clearly everything was so far from okay.

Unfortunately, I didn’t know a single person aside from Carter and Mom, which meant I was stuck sipping a glass of champagne and standing off to the side, observing everyone around me.

After twenty minutes of standing there watching old people greet each other, I still couldn’t figure out what the charity was supposed to be for. I got some vague idea about public education, but nothing more concrete than that. I figured the actual charity didn’t matter to these people so long as they got the opportunity to show off how much money they had and to make new business connections.

The whole thing was gross and boring and I regretted showing up. Nobody cared about me, and I didn’t care about that, and that should have been the end of it.

Unfortunately, I was stuck in high heels and a dress that made me feel way too sexy at an event I really didn’t want to be a part of. I should never have let Carter talk me into this.

Too late for all that, though. As I sipped my champagne (surprisingly delicious), I slowly made my way over to the table where I would be spending the next few agonizing hours. Other people were starting to filter in, and I figured Mom and Carter would be busy for a while, so I might as well go sit where I belonged.

I found my spot after about ten minutes of searching and avoiding small talk. I didn’t know the elderly couple decked out in their militaristic finest sitting across from me, but fortunately they didn’t seem too interested in chatting. A waiter came by with some water and another glass of champagne, which I eagerly accepted.

“You look miserable.”

I nearly jumped out of my seat. Carter grinned at me as he pulled the chair out next to me and sat down.

“This isn’t my scene,” I said.

“No kidding. You’re under fifty and not filthy rich.”

“You’re under fifty too,” I pointed out.

“Sure. But I’m filthy rich.”

“What’s the point of all this?”

“About what you’d expect. It’s more of a business and publicity thing than anything else.”

I nodded not surprised. “Where’s my mom?”

“Bathroom.” He said, taking a glass of champagne from the waiter. Before I could ask any question, two men came up to Carter and started talking to him about steel prices in China. I tuned them about.

Ten minutes later, my mother returned. She sat down on the other side of me and smiled.

“Having fun?” she asked.

“Not at all.”

“I know, honey. But please try and pretend.”

“Do you like this?”

“No, not even a little bit.” She sighed. “When I signed on for this, I had no clue what the media aspect was going to be like.”

“Do you regret it?”

“Not yet.” She smiled tightly. “It’ll be worth it for us in the end.”

“Yeah, you’re right.”

Carter leaned in toward us. “What are my two favorite ladies talking about?” he asked.

“We were just discussing how bad your breath is,” I said to him.

Mom smiled. “Nice to see you two aren’t getting along too well.”

Carter laughed. “Are you implying something, Evie, my dear?”

“Never.” She gave him an innocent look.

“Oh my god. This is really gross.”

The two of them laughed at me.

“Come on, honey. Lighten up.”

“I’m trying to, but you guys make it hard.”

Carter laughed but the lights in the room flickered, signaling everyone to return to their seats. He just grinned at me and leaned back in his seat as the waiters came around serving the first course. A speaker got up on stage and began to talk about the great social benefits of a strong public education system, and soon I completely spaced out.

That was how the next hour went. Mom and Carter sat there pretending to listen, though I knew Carter was on his phone most of the time, and I just picked at the food that they kept placing in front of us. I kept thinking back to earlier in the night when Mom and Carter were pretending to be married, Mom hanging off of his arm, and it all just made me so grossed out. I was making out with Carter too recently for it to be anything but totally crazy and weird to see the two of them acting like they were really married. Back at the mansion, I barely ever saw them together, which was fine. I knew in the abstract that they were married, but there was no real proof of it right in front of me.

Watching them together in front of the cameras as bizarre. It really hammered home that these two were married, Carter was my stepfather, and nothing was changing that.

After the first speaker, there was a short break, and then the next speaker went on. This time she spoke about the charter school system, and I got the sense that nobody really had any clue what this charity was supposed to be about, including the people that organized the event.

The whole thing was a sham. A gross, media-obsessed sham. After the second speaker was finished, I abruptly stood up. “Bathroom,” I mumbled to my mom and quickly walked away.

I found a side exit and left the main ballroom. The hallway was mercifully empty, and I finally felt like I could actually breathe as I walked slowly toward an exit sign. I pushed through a pair of double doors and found a stairwell.

I had a choice, up or down. I chose up for no reason other than I wanted to take my time. I climbed the steps, heading up and up, until I finally came to one last door. I pushed it open, went up another short flight of stairs, and emerged out onto the roof.

The night was comfortable and bright as I stepped out. There was nobody else around, and I had a surprisingly good view of the bay. The evening lights spread all around the coastline and it looked absolutely gorgeous. For a second, I thought that the view was almost worth this awful and boring trip.

I walked out further until I got to the edge of the building then slowly, carefully, sat down. I felt my heart beating fast as I let my legs dangle over the edge, a small balcony maybe one story down below me. I didn’t know why I sat there, I knew it was crazy and reckless, but for whatever reason I couldn’t stop myself. I just had to sit down, dangle my feet over the edge, feel that craziness for myself.

I kicked my legs a little bit, heart whipping up as the wind whipped up around me. I could taste the cold metallic zest of the ocean waves and I could hear the traffic down below me. Briefly, I wondered if someone might think I was a jumper, but figured nobody could see me anyway.

I sat there watching for I couldn’t say how long. Ten minutes maybe, but probably more like twenty.

“Emily.”

I gripped the edge, suddenly dizzy.

“Emily,” he said again. “What are you doing?”

Slowly, I looked over my shoulder. Carter was standing a few feet back, holding two glasses of champagne, his head cocked to one side.

“Sitting,” I said.

“You’re on the edge of a pretty tall building.”

“I know that.”

“How do you plan on getting up?”

I considered that question. “I hadn’t thought about it,” I admitted.

“Obviously.” He set the two glasses down. “Let me help you.”

“No,” I said. “I got it.”

“Emily—“ he warned, but I was already turning, trying to get up.

I felt my balance slip, but he was there in an instant. He took my arm and pulled me toward him as I stood, and together we stumbled onto the roof together.

“Shit,” he said. “Are you okay?”

“My hero,” I whispered. “You’ve been showing up a lot for me lately.”

He held me pressed against him and I could feel his breath. “Don’t do something like that again. It was too risky.”

“I thought you liked risks.”

He frowned. “Only the calculated kind.”

“I was calculating. I calculated that I wanted to sit on the edge and look at the city.”

“Emily—“

“Stop,” I said. “You’re not my father.”

The joke hung in the air between us for a second before we both laughed together, smiling. He let me go, or at least loosened his grip on my hips, but I didn’t step away. Instead, I pressed my hands against his chest, looking up into his eyes.

For the third time he kissed me, and for the third time I didn’t try to pull away.

I melted into his kiss, returning it with a passion. I knew I should have been smarter than this, but I was past caring. For some reason, sitting out on the edge made me reckless and wild, and in that moment I was willing to do anything. With Carter, I was willing to do anything. I wanted to be that girl he wanted, the girl that was sexy and wild and free, the one that I knew he thought he was seeing whenever he looked at me. I wanted to be that for him, to be the girl I knew that I probably wasn’t. I was just Emily, plain old Emily, boring and normal Emily.

Except I didn’t want to be her anymore. I wanted to be more.

I reached down and found Carter’s belt. He grunted as I unfastened it and slowly pressed my hand into the front of his dress pants.

I found his cock, hard as hell and straining against his boxer briefs. He groaned as I stroked him, surprised at his length and girth.

“Emily,” he groaned. “Fuck.”

I smiled at him, unable to control myself. “Is this what you wanted?”

“You’re fucking right it is,” he said. I continued to stroke him.

“What else do you want?”

He took my hair, tipping my head back and pressed his lips against my ear. “I want you to get down on your knees. I want you to suck my cock. And I want you to swallow every ounce of my fucking cum.”

I let out a moan, a real freaking moan, just at the words he said. It was so dirty, so stupid, and exactly what I wanted.

“Yes,” I said. I dropped to my knees and pulled down his pants and his briefs, taking his hard cock in my hand.

I stared at his size for a second, surprised. Then he pressed my head down and I opened my mouth, taking his tip between my lips and slowly sliding them up and down his length.

I could barely fit him into my mouth, but I tried to take as much as he could. I stroked his shaft with one hand, teasing him with my tongue, sucking him slowly.

“Fuck,” he groaned. “I’ve been wanting those lips wrapped around my cock. You fucking dirty slut, you know we could get caught up here?”

I nodded but didn’t stop. I was dripping wet, excitement roaring through me.

“Good. I knew you fucking liked the danger. You like being bad for me, don’t you?”

I moaned slightly, sucking him faster, a raging fire deep inside of me. I wasn’t careful as I took him into my throat, using my spit to jerk his shaft off, sucking him faster and faster. I wanted to taste his cum, wanted to take him deep into my throat. He was huge, and I knew I’d gag, but I tried anyway.

“Shit,” he said, grabbing my hair. “Take that big cock into your throat, Emily.”

I gagged, like I knew I would, but I kept doing it. I was sucking this forbidden man’s cock on the roof of a fancy hotel, something I never imagined I’d do in a million years, and I felt so damn good. I was dripping wet, needy and filled with desire, Carter’s cock in my mouth.

“Take that fucking dick,” he said, pressing me down and groaning. He fucked my lips, sliding himself in and out, and I could hear his grunts getting faster, closer together. I knew he was getting close.

I sucked him faster, harder. I felt so damn sexy on my knees in front of him, his cock in my throat. I was going to make him come and I’d swallow every drop, just like he told me to.

“I’m fucking close,” he grunted.

I sucked him faster, jerking his shaft faster, not letting up.

“Shit,” he groaned, and I tasted his cum. He shot himself deep into my mouth and throat, and I took his warmth. He groaned as I swallowed every drop, not stopping, not letting up.

When I was finished, I looked him in the eyes and licked him clean.

“Fuck,” he said, breathless. “I almost fucking passed out. You’re incredible.” When I finished, he lifted me to my feet and kissed me hard.

I giggled, feeling surprisingly incredible. “I’ve never done anything like that before,” I admitted.

“What? Give a billionaire head?”

“No,” I said. “Well, yeah. And my stepfather. And on the roof of a hotel.”

He laughed as he pulled up his pants then he kissed me again. “I see a ledge over there that’s safe and just the right height. Let’s get you on there, spread your legs, and let me make us even.”

“Carter!” I said, smiling, feeling that excitement build.

Just then, the door back into the hotel opened. We both froze and looked over as a young guy dressed like a waiter stepped out. He took something from his pocket, and for a second I thought about running. If it was a paparazzo, we were screwed. A picture of the two of us alone on the roof would be horrible, and I wasn’t sure if Carter had his pants back on entirely yet.

But it was just a cigarette. He lit up and walked in the opposite direction of us, not sparing us a second glance.

“Shit,” I hissed. “That could have been bad.”

He laughed, smirking at me. “You’re still dripping wet, though.”

“Stop,” I said, but couldn’t help smile a little. “Come on, we should go back in.”

“Fine. I’ll pay you back later.”

“Pay me back how?”

He took my ass and squeezed it then kissed my lips.

“Carter!” I said. “That kid.”

“He’s over behind that big vent thing, relax. He can’t see us.”

I gently pulled away from him. “Come on. Control yourself.”

“I’ll do my best.”

I led the way back inside, Carter following close behind me. My heart was beating fast in my chest, and I couldn’t believe what just happened.

I sucked off Carter Green. I swallowed my stepfather’s cum. That was the riskiest thing I’d ever done before. So much was happening, from the threats against Carter to his fake marriage, and this strange attraction between us was right at the center of it all. I knew that if I wasn’t careful, I could end up ruining everything.

But the floodgates had opened. I did what I told myself I wouldn’t do, and I knew I couldn’t take it back. I couldn’t turn away.

When Carter came for me, I was his.