Chapter 9

Amelia

I was out at a new development in Manhattan that Henry wanted to purchase and turn around for a huge profit. The place was still being built, so I had arranged to meet the Realtor, Tiffany, at a nearby coffee shop.

I arrived and looked around, spotting a small, pretty blonde-haired woman near the counter. She turned to me and smiled and I realized she was expecting a baby. “Amelia?” She asked.

“Yes.” I replied, and we shook hands.

“What would you like? My treat. Just please don’t tell my gym instructor husband that I ate both a cookie and a donut.”

I laughed. I liked her already.

“I promise. Two goodies sounds great. I’ll copy you, if that’s okay? I had a late night. I need plenty of coffee this morning.”

She placed our orders, and we went and took a seat each at a table by the window.

“Are you in a rush or shall we enjoy our coffees first, and then I’ll go through the particulars with you and then show you around?”

“That sounds great. I’m in no rush to get back to the office.” This was true. I was in no rush to bump into Henry any time soon. I had to face up to the fact that he may want me to move out of the apartment now, even quit my job. Goddamn it. What the fuck was I going to do if we’d messed everything up.

“You look like you’ve a lot on your mind there, girl. You okay?”

“Yeah,” I sigh, “It’s nothing important.”

“Man trouble. I can smell it a mile off.” She smiled. “I used to share an apartment with two other women, I’ve seen that face so many times, on my own reflection and on my roommates’.”

“Mine is a lack of man trouble.” I giggled.

“Oh, I suffered from that in the past too. Or they were complete dicks.”

“But I guess now you’re happy?” I pointed to her stomach.

“Yes, married, madly in love with my gorgeous husband, and five months pregnant. I’m due in May.”

“Aww, congratulations, Tiffany.”

“Thank you. Oh and please call me Tiff that’s what my friends call me.” She beamed. “So, how’s the new job going?”

“It’s early days, but I’m enjoying it so far.”

“And I hear you were H’s wife’s younger sister?”

“News certainly travels fast around here.” I smiled. “Yeah.” I nodded. “A lot younger. I didn’t know him that well.”

“I’m not sure anyone knows him that well,” she said.

“Have you worked in the same circles as Henry for long?” I asked her.

“I met him back in 2016,” She said, “When I showed him a condo.”

“Once seen, never forgotten, hey?” I joked.

“Something like that.” She smiled. She looked uncomfortable, so I changed the subject back to her husband.

“Did you know with Brandon that he was the one?” I asked. “Is that a real thing, or is it made up fairy tale shit?”

“Okay, I’m gonna be dead honest here and it might shock you a little, but I’m not ashamed of my past.”

I looked warily at her, “Please don’t feel you have to answer me. I’m sorry. We only just met.”

“Yeah, but I’ve a feeling we’re gonna be friends.” She smiled. “I was seeing H. when I met Brandon.”

I took a sharp intake of breath. “I thought he didn’t date?”

“Oh, I wouldn’t call it dating. We hooked up. Then I met Brandon and well, I fell in love with him.”

“So what did Henry say to that?” My heart was thudding in my chest.

“It turned out that H had arranged for Brandon to move in across from me, with a plan for him to take me on a date and stop me developing any feelings for H himself.” She scoffed. “If I hadn’t fallen in love with Brandon, I’d have killed them both.”

“Well, I guess I’m not shocked that Henry would do that. He seems to avoid anything that could resemble a relationship.”

“Oh, that’s not the shocking part.” She replied. “The shocking part is we went on to have a menage relationship for a year.”

The rest of the meeting with Tiff passed in a blur. Although I’d said all the right things to her, and even managed to make out I was completely intrigued by the whole menage thing, I couldn’t get away from the fact that she’d enjoyed a sexual relationship with Henry. He’d been inside her. He’d made her come. She’d had his naked body against hers. We’d talked about Club S, and I told her I’d visited there to observe.

By the time I got back to the office, I was in a fiery mood. Henry had left early, no doubt to avoid me further because when the hell had he ever left early before? From what Mary had told me he was a workaholic. I made some notes on the computer about my meeting today and made some phone calls in connection with the business.

The more I thought about last night and then meeting Tiffany, the more incensed I became. Maybe I should just pack up and give up. He’d told me nothing about his life with my sister and the kiss had complicated everything. I thought about the life he led at the club, the menages. My God, if he slept with me and found out I was a virgin, he would want to laugh, anyway. My inexperience would be a complete embarrassment alongside his vast sexual knowledge. Having my v-card now really sucked. There was only one thing for it. I needed to lose it. I would go to Club S and I would take part until the stupid thing had gone. Maybe I wouldn’t lose it there, perhaps I’d just meet someone and go back to a hotel room, but I needed it gone. I called Aidan.

“I want to go back to Club S tonight. Can you get me in again?”

“What’s the rush to go back there?”

Shit. I needed something that would sound plausible.

“I think it helped me relax around sex being there, just watching. Broke down some barriers, I guess.”

“But you’re not considering taking part?”

“No,” I lied, “Of course not.”

“I’ll pick you up at nine.”

“No, I’ll make my own way there. I don’t want Henry to see you and start trouble again.”

“I’ve spoken to Henry, he’s fine.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, I think he wants to speak to you. Hopefully, he’ll apologize for being an alpha male.”

I had no intention of going to Henry’s tonight. I planned to go shopping for an outfit, and I’d grab something to eat while I was out. Then I’d come back to the office and get changed there.

“I’ll meet you out front at 9:30 pm.” I told him. It was a shame there wasn’t some way of sneaking up there from this floor. Instead I had to go all the way to the lobby for the magic key that would bring me back up to the twenty-fourth floor.

Aidan met me as planned. He looked uneasy.

“I’m not sure about this, Amelia. You’re up to something.”

“I’m twenty-three years old. So what if I was? I didn’t have time to get a membership arranged today. Either you can get me in, or I’ll go to a club somewhere else and pick someone up. It doesn’t have to happen at Club S.”

“I knew it. This is about your virginity, isn’t it?”

“Keep your voice down, for God’s sake,” I hissed.

“I’ll get you in because like you said you’re a grown woman, but I’m asking you, Amelia, to not do anything stupid tonight. Please go to talk to Henry. You both need to sit and discuss what happened last night.”

“There’s nothing to discuss. He rejected me. He’s obviously not interested in me.”

“He’s scared of being hurt.”

“He wasn’t scared of screwing Tiffany.” I spat out.

Aidan went quiet. “You found that out, huh?”

“He couldn’t deal with the potential relationship, so he set her up with someone else. I realize now that he’s beyond help. Now, please will you get me in?”

Aidan sighed, but walked up to the reception and booked us both in.

“I’ll escort you to the bar, stay for a drink and then I’m out of there.”

“Thank you.”

“I hope you know what you’re doing.” He said, and he looked at me with disappointment. Tonight was the first time Aidan had not met me with his usual endearing smile, and I shook off the feelings of uncertainty that were starting to flood through me.

After drinking a scotch, Aidan kissed me on the cheek and left. I remained sitting at the bar in my tight silver dress that fitted to my skin like a glove. Sheer black stockings and a high pair of black heeled shoes completed my look.

Grabbing my bottle of wine and a glass, I hopped down off my stool and went through to the rooms, once again placing an observer band on my wrist. The next thirty minutes was spent watching people losing themselves to lust. I tried to focus on the women, how they were able to let themselves go, to relax in the moment. They were lost to the pleasure. It was easy to see that my problem had stemmed from the fact that my previous lovers hadn’t taken me to that level. I’d been focused on it hurting, the potential pain, instead of being delirious about chasing an orgasm and the feeling of utmost pleasure. I wanted in. I wanted to feel what they felt. Emboldened by a few glasses of wine, I went back up to the doorman, removed my white wristband and picked up a black one with the silver stars. It was time to play.

I walked back over to the windows, moving down them one at a time, trying to decide which room, which scene I was willing to try to join.

“Good evening.” A man you’d describe as a silver fox had walked over to me. He took my hand in his. “I’m Anthony, and what do I call this delightful creature in front of me?”

“Off fucking limits,” A gruff voice barked out from behind me. Then my arm was held in a stiff grip, and I was pulled away from Mr. Fox.

Henry’s steely eyes burned through me. “What the fuck are you doing, Amelia?”

“How did you know I was here?” I asked, then I shook my head. “Aidan. Aidan fucking called you, didn’t he?”

“Yes. He was terrified you were making the biggest mistake of your life.”

“I wish everyone would mind their own business about how I conduct my love life.”

“Why are you here, Amelia? Answer my question truthfully and I will go home and leave you here to do whatever you want.” He took a deep breath. “Are you here because of me? Because you think I don’t want you?”

My shoulders stiffened. “I’m not experienced enough for you, Henry. I’m moving on.”

“Like fuck you are.” He said. “You want to lose that innocence? Then you’ll fucking do it with me. You hear me? No one else. Just me.” He held up my arm, pulled off the band and threw it across the room.

“We’re going home. Do you have a problem with that? I’m taking you to my bedroom and we’re going to fuck. I don’t care if it takes all night or the next three days. We’re not leaving that room until you’re no longer a virgin. If you’re not interested, now is the time to walk away. I’ll take you home to get your belongings and I’ll pay for you to stay in a hotel. Which is it to be, Amelia?”

I bit my lip. Was this really happening right now?

“I want you to fuck me, Henry.”

Then I was whisked from that room so fast my head span.

The car ride home was steeped with tension and silence. Henry was completely focused on getting us home safely. I sat beside him wondering if he would have calmed down and changed his mind by the time we were through the doorway.

“No, I’ve not changed my mind. I’m rock hard for you, Amelia.” He’d read my expression.

“Okay.” I replied. My heart felt like it was going to beat right out of my chest.

We pulled up outside the apartment and Henry opened the door. Once through he picked me up and kicking the door behind him, marched us off to his bedroom.