Chapter 29

Grant

Crissy was way too drunk to be dropped off at her house. Her father would have a fucking fit if he noticed, so that was out of the question. I plucked Crissy’s phone from her pocket to see if anyone had called or messaged her, and when I saw no one had, I made the executive decision to take her back to my place. I didn’t want to risk anyone recognizing me dropping off a very wasted Crissy, and I knew my place would have a bit more privacy so she could sleep and recuperate.

My hands were shaking with anger. I was going to have that man’s job. He was done at my company, and I’d fucking nail Alex to a wall if I found out this kid had some sort of record with this type of shit. I white-knuckled the steering wheel as I listened to Crissy heave into the plastic bag I gave her. I needed to get water in her. I needed to get her into a warm shower. I needed her to bring up all this shit so we didn’t risk a hospital visit.

“What…are you doing…here?” she asked between heaves.

“I wanted to make sure everything went okay,” I said. “That he didn’t try to pull something on you.”

“Do you not…trust…me?” she asked.

“I do. Very much so. But I didn’t trust him, and I see that I was right not to.”

“Are you sure…you trust…me?”

“Yes, Crissy. I do. You performed wonderfully tonight. I’m so fucking proud of you.”

“I tried…to get him away. I told him…I had to go home.”

“I know you did, Crissy. I know,” I said softly. “I just had to make sure you were safe. I just didn’t think you were going to be safe with him. This was a dangerous plan. You and I both knew that going in.”

“Why did he…do that to me?” she asked.

My heart ripped in two. I was going to make sure Dylan never got a fucking job anywhere near business. I’d slaughter him for what he had tried to pull on her. I was so glad I’d followed my gut. Crissy was way too drunk to fend for herself. Guilt wafted in my stomach. Had I not been so desperate for information about what was going on, she would never have felt the need to do something like this. Had I been a little easier on her, she never would’ve felt the need to prove herself in this fashion.

Fuck.

Crissy giggled, and I could already see a change in her demeanor. We were cruising down the road toward my house, and she rolled down the window to get some fresh air. She tossed the bag of vomit out the window while giggling, and all I could do was pray it didn’t hit someone. The last thing I needed was someone coming after me because I covered their windshield with puke.

“Well, I got all the infos. Wanna hear?”

“Infos, huh?” I asked, grinning. “Go ahead.”

“He said that Daddy dearest took the project from them. Haven’t been looking up cat video evidence on the internet for days. Says he’s been all sneaky and secretive, and that he’s been gunning for the J.E. department of douchenozzles to have more money to spend looking up shit on the interwebs.”

“Douchenozzles, huh?” I asked.

“Are you listening?” she asked.

“With both ears, beautiful.”

“Good, because this is primo shit.”

I had heard everything Dylan had told her, so I knew what she was getting at. Even with what had just happened, seeing her smile and giggle warmed my chest. I reached over and took her hand, tracing circles on her skin. She looked down at out hands with a loving gaze before she looked over at me.

“Thank you for following me, Grant.”

“Had it been any other junior executive, it would’ve been fine. You know that right? I saw the way Dylan looked at you the first time he saw you. I knew he would pull something.”

“I’m sorry, Grant.”

I could hear the tears in her voice. I brought her hand to my lips and kissed it, trying desperately to calm her down as I sped closer and closer to my house. I wanted to gather her in my arms and hold her. I wanted to take a hot shower with her and help her clean herself up. I wanted to hold her close to me just so she knew she was safe. Her body was trembling with residual fear as the situation slowly dawned on her, and I pulled up into the driveway of my home just as her breathing sped up.

“It’s all right,” I said. “You’re safe now. Look in front of you.”

I watched her pan her gaze before her eyes widened in shock. To most people, it was a massive home, but for me and the salary I pulled, it was modest at best. The three-story house had a wrap-around porch on both of the above-ground levels and columns that stretched all the way around the house. It had six bedrooms and six full baths with a full functioning basement that could serve as a one-bedroom apartment. The house was completely white, except for the shutters, which I’d painted dark green a few years back. The massive oak trees that peppered the fifty acres shaded it from the harsh Louisiana sun, and I watched as Crissy’s face slowly panned back to mine.

“Holy shit, this is where you live?”

“It is,” I said, smiling. “Come on. Let’s get you inside.”

I was worried about the information I was piecing together, but I let it fall to the back of my mind. Right now, Crissy and getting her better were my main priorities. I helped her up the porch steps before I unlocked the door, and her jaw continued to gape as we walked toward the stairs. I was putting her in my room for the night so I could make sure she didn’t choke on her own vomit in her sleep. But by the time we got to the staircase, she was no longer able to walk herself.

“I’m sorry,” she said as I picked her up in my arms.

“No need. Let’s get you to bed.”

I walked her up the steps as she curled into me. She wreaked of alcohol and vomit, but I could tell by the steadying of her breath that she was already falling asleep. The shower would have to wait until tomorrow. What she really needed was to put this night behind her.

I laid her down on my California-king-sized mattress and slowly undressed her. I peeled off her heels and massaged her feet. I unbuttoned her jeans and slowly slid them down her legs. I reached underneath her shirt and undid her bra, sliding it down her arms and leaving her in nothing but her shirt and panties. I wanted her to be comfortable when she slept so she could sleep as long as necessary. Then I laid her clothes over the back of a chair before I stepped out of mine.

She looked so peaceful in the moonlight streaming through my window. I rid myself of my shirt and jeans, slipping in next to her in nothing but my boxers. The soft sounds of her snoring filled my ears, spreading a smile across my face as I pulled her body closer to mine. I wrapped my arms around her as she wiggled closer into me, and I fell asleep with my face buried in the soft tendrils of her hair.

I woke up that morning with the sun streaming through the window. I peeled myself away from Crissy and went to go get her some water and aspirin, and by the time I came back, she was stretching. Her arms and legs were pulled taut, her jaw dropping in a massive yawn before I saw her wince. Her head was probably pounding, and she grabbed it and groaned as I stood in the doorway grinning.

“I take it you could use these.”

She slowly turned her squinted eyes toward me, and even with them being half open, I could see her eyes raking up and down my body. How I wanted to take her right now, to show her how a real, confident man treated his woman. I wanted to slosh her skin in my saliva as I kissed and nipped at every inch of her, slowly drawing the blood pounding in her head all the way down so it could throb in her pussy.

“Thanks,” she said as her eyes met mine.

I climbed back into bed and handed her everything, and she threw back the medicine before chugging the water. She had the sheet pulled up her body, no doubt still reeling from what had happened last night. The first thing on my agenda Monday morning was firing that son of a bitch, but the thought slowly fled my mind when I watched Crissy get to her knees.

“You know, I’m feeling a bit better,” she said.

“That’s good. That aspirin and water will help.”

I watched her release the sheet as it dropped to the bed, revealing her naked body. Her tits were standing at full mast, the barbells beckoning to my tongue as her skin flushed underneath my gaze. My eyes raked back up to her, and I could’ve sworn I saw a hint of self-consciousness behind her eyes. It was the first time Crissy every really seemed vulnerable to me, and for a split second, I expected her to cower away.

But instead, she scooted toward me and wrapped her arms around my neck.

“Kiss me, Grant,” she whispered. “Don’t let him be the last man that touches me.”

I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her into my lap. My cock was rising underneath her warmth as her forehead descended onto mine. Her nose nuzzled me, sending chills down my arms as she genuinely smiled. This was a side of Crissy I’d never seen before. A vulnerable side that wasn’t sure what to do.

Little did she know that all she needed to do was lean back.