♫ Every Breath You Take - Chase Holfelder ♫
“I didn’t think I’d hear from you again,” I said to Isabella, thoroughly intrigued to hear what she had to say after a month of silence. “I’m assuming you have good news for me?”
“Took me longer than usual to get in contact with everyone, but yes, I do!” she exclaimed proudly.
“Fantastic. Let’s hear it then,” I conceded, leaning back in my seat.
“Oh.” She sounded confused. “Right now?”
I glanced at the time displayed on my computer, noting it was well past business hours. Still, she was calling, right?
“Is now not a good time?”
“No, no, it’s fine. I just wasn’t expecting to catch you at this time.”
“And is that a problem, Miss. Mendoza?”
“No, no, of course not!” she blurted out. “What I’m trying to say is, I was prepared to leave a voicemail thinking you wouldn’t be in the office at this time, that’s all.”
“Well, I’m here,” I stated the obvious, “so go on, tell me what was going in your voicemail.”
“O-okay, well, ummm… I spoke to Sephora and ULTA. They’d love to showcase Black Widow in select stores for a 90-day trial period to see how it does. If it’s a hit, they’ll expand you to every location without question.”
“Oh wow.” I couldn’t hide the surprise in my voice. “That’s actually wonderful news.”
“It is,” Isabella squealed. “I’ll admit, Macy’s still hasn’t gotten back to me yet, but I’ve heard their process is a bit more trying. I’m sure I’ll hear from them soon.”
“Even if you don’t, you got two mass companies to agree. I commend you, Isabella. I truly didn’t think you had it in you.”
“Thank you, Miss Mercier. I appreciate it.”
Her smile was palpable, and while I’d been skeptical of the girl at first, I found myself smiling as well. She proved me wrong, pleasantly so, and because of it, Black Widow was finally getting the attention it deserved.
“So, where do we go from here? What’s next?” I questioned, pulling out a notepad and a pen from my drawer.
“We’ll need to start with that contract, then from there we can set up meetings with both corporations to review and finalize their propositions,” she explained surely.
“Ah yes, the contract.” I laughed. The girl was adamant as ever. “I’ll tell you what, since it’s getting late… My PA usually handles any and all paperwork for me, and she’s already gone for the evening, so I’m going to leave a note on her desk to ensure she gives you a ring first thing tomorrow morning. Then we’ll go from there. How does that sound?”
“That sounds perfect! So does this mean you’re hiring me?”
“If we mutually agree to the terms, yes it does.”
“Holy fuck,” she said, but the gasp that followed led me to believe she hadn’t meant to say that out loud. “Oh my God, I apologize, Miss Mercier. I cuss and gush when I get ner—”
“Isabella,” I interjected, chuckling under my breath. “You’re fine. If we move forward, you’ll find out rather quickly I cuss like a fucking sailor. A crass mouth doesn’t offend to me.”
“Oh, thank God,” she sighed in relief. “I legit thought I just blew that for myself. World record job offer.”
We both shared a laugh then.
“No, alls good. It’ll take more than a few ‘holy fucks’ to piss me off. So I’ll hear from you tomorrow, yes?” I hedged.
“Absolutely! I have you as number one on my to-do list for tomorrow.”
“Organized, I like it. We’ll speak soon then. Have a wonderful evening, Miss Mendoza.”
“You too!”
Click.
I hadn’t even moved my hand off the receiver when two quick knocks and a voice I knew too well sounded off by my door.
“What are you still doing here?” his voice boomed.
I’d have startled if I hadn’t caught a flash of white from the corner of my eyes.
What the hell is he doing here?
Dragging my gaze to where he stood at the threshold, I shrugged and returned my attention to the catalogues on my desk. “Mehhh, got consumed in the new product catalogues. I could ask you the same question, though.”
“I left my charger,” Vic explained meekly, holding the cord up for me to see.
Okaaay.
“Interesting.” I nodded.
“What?”
“Nothing. I just don’t see how that matters when you’ve not been in the office much. Surely you have another trusty cord somewhere else, right?” I countered, setting a sticky note on the glossy page to avoid losing my place.
“I do, yeah, at home, but I’m heading out for a bit and the office was closer.”
“I see,” was all I answered, when really I wanted to ask where he’d been.
And it wasn’t in a possessive manner.
I truly wanted to know where the hell he was all the time. Roman was an issue, we all know that, but he wasn’t something that required 24-hour surveillance. I guess the more important question is, why was I allowing it?
I paid him damn good money, and yes, he was doing his job, but at the same time, he wasn’t. I should’ve fired him, but a part of me felt like I couldn’t. Indebted would describe it best, and I think he knew that. Hence his ‘I do what I want’ attitude as of late.
“Well, looks like you’re all set then.” I flashed him a forced smile. “Have fun, don’t drink and drive.”
“Yes, mom,” he laughed, striding toward my desk.
I froze for the briefest second, not expecting him to have stepped foot in here. When he was just a few feet away, I pushed my seat back and hustled onto my feet, meeting him head-on.
“Will you be gracing us with your presence tomorrow or...”
“Yep, I’ll be here.” He smirked.
“I assume that means you haven’t heard anything on the Roman front?”
His brow arched. “Not a word. Why? Should I be expecting something?”
“Maaaybe,” I drawled.
“Maybe clearly means yes. What did you do?”
“Oh, nothing too fancy. Suki and I just broke into the distillery last night and wrecked every last whiskey barrel.”
The expression that washed over his face was as shocked as it was amused and impressed.
“No, you didn’t.”
“We did indeed.” I smirked proudly. “Tit for tat. Bet his Monday morning was rather...soggy.”
Vic shook his head and smiled that bright mega-watt smile of his. “You’re evil.”
I hitched a shoulder. “We established this a long time ago.”
“I know, it just...never ceases to amaze me, that’s all.”
Humming, I waved my fingers at him and turned slightly to fetch my purse. “Well, good night, Vic.”
“Night, L,” he chuckled.
I swear to you I thought he walked away. It sounded as such anyway, but when I swiveled back around with bag in hand, he was standing right there, donning that sinister smirk of his.
“Christ, Vic, what the hell?” I hissed in alarm, digging my heels into the floor beneath me to avoid slamming into his chest.
“I’m sorry, I just couldn’t help myself,” he murmured, stepping impossibly closer. “Seeing you reminds me how much I’ve missed you...”
I smiled tightly. “I’m sure you’re just fine.”
“I am, but that doesn’t change the fact I miss you. You literally cut me off from one day to the next.” His large hand swooped up and cupped my face.
“I didn’t cut you off.” I gritted out, cringing under his touch. “Phantom happened. Shit’s been busy.”
Vic nodded as him thumb skated along my jaw. “Very true. You’re right.”
No shit.
“Well, we’re alone now,” he pointed out, gliding his other palm up my side. “How about we pick up where we left off?”
“I think it’s better we don’t.”
“C’mon, Lux, you’re gonna stand there and tell me you don’t miss my cock demolishing your pussy?” His question came hot and heavy on my neck.
“My toys do the job just fine,” I answered, squeezing my eyes shut as he engulfed me in his arms. Alarm bells blared but I tamped them down, breathed through each wave in attempt to calm myself.
Vic would never...
Would he?
“Toys aren’t real, baby, and you know it,” he tossed back, teeth grazing the shell of my ear.
“They aren’t, no, but they sate my needs perfectly.”
An amused chuckle erupted from his chest. Shaking his head, he pressed himself against me with purpose, all of him. “I’m calling bull on that. I doubt any dildo of yours feels better than my dick stretching you out.”
God, no, please.
My heart started racing, breathing ran ragged. Dread creeped its way up my spine in sickening anticipation of what his next move would be. I hated this feeling, this all too familiar feeling, and though I hadn’t felt it in a long time, now that it was working its way through every part of me in rapid succession, it felt like just yesterday since the last time it burned me alive.
“Vic, stop,” I grated out, sliding my arms between us to fend him off.
“Relax, L,” he cooed, pulling me closer. “Let me make you feel good.”
No.
“I said I’m fine. Please stop,” I huffed again, struggling a bit harder.
But his hold on me was much too strong, and before I knew it, he had me pinned to the top of my desk, his erection probing me through all the layers of clothing separating us.
“What you need is some stress relief. Lift this little skirt up and spread those legs for me.”
“No.” I tensed.
“Shhh, just relax,” he tried cajoling me, holding me steady with a firm arm around my waist as his hand effortlessly yanked up my fitted pencil skirt. “You know you miss me. I’m sure your cunt misses me, too.”
“I said no, Vic. Stop.”
The more I resisted, the more he held me down.
The more a smile tore across his face.
I could barely look at him, barely recognized him. The fire in his green eyes was truly alarming. I couldn’t believe the direction this was going in, especially when he knew everything about me.
Why was he doing this?
Full-blown panic seized me. My pulse was sky high as every hair on my body stood at attention. “Don’t do this, please,” I begged him shamelessly, which only seemed to please him more.
He smiled brighter, clamping a hand down on my mouth while the other slipped beneath my panty line and found my sex. I mewled when his middle finger slid between my lips, but it was far from pleasured.
“Goddamn, look how wet you are,” he growled, working his finger inside me. “You did miss me.”
I shook my head and tried feebly to shove him off, but once again, I was no match for his muscle or his dexterity. In seconds, he had my arms behind my back, my weight keeping them secured beneath me, before he was pinning me down with that palm on my mouth again. I was completely immobilized and at his mercy, laid out on my desk for him to do as he pleased.
And that included ripping my panties off my body.
“Such a pretty pussy,” he said, pulling his cock free from his pants. Fisting it tightly, he pumped it a few times and promptly slapped my clit before rubbing it along my slicked opening. “Feels good, baby?”
“No,” I mumbled against his palm, but he didn’t care. He kept on, sliding against me over and over again, his length rigid, scorching to the touch, veiny, angry.
Why the hell is he doing this to me?
That’s all I could think as he continued on in his feat.
Until he impaled me. From one moment to the next, he was filling me to capacity, jolting the air out of my lungs. Vic wasn’t the biggest I’d been with, but he was still large, and he had girth. I squeezed my eyes shut as my body struggled to accept him despite how wet I was.
“Fuuuck, so tight, so warm. Just like I remembered,” he mused, working in and out of me with ease.
I hated that it was so easy for him.
I wanted it to hurt, wanted it to hurt so badly, so badly that I’d scream, but it didn’t. It never hurt. After the first few occurrences, I learned to shut it off. Shutting down and giving in were part of my body’s natural reaction, a coping mechanism if you will.
By some miracle, I didn’t have to cope for much longer. Someone must have been watching over me; God, a guardian angel, some special force—I don’t know, but as quickly as this all began was as quickly as it ended.
The end a result of Vic’s phone buzzing in his pocket.
“Fuck!” he hissed, stilling inside me as he fished it out and glanced over the screen. Clearly, it wasn’t someone to be ignored. A litany of expletives slipped past his lips as he pulled out with a quickness and shoved his rigid length back into his pants, his stare trained on my shivering form.
He must’ve like what he because that amused, evil grin slid across his face once more. My stomach turned painfully. And then he was on me again, dragging the tip of his nose up my cheek, fingers toying with my sex.
“We’ll finish this soon, L,” he promised me, his voice deathly low. “Money calls. Think of me when you come later, okay?”
And with that, he was gone, leaving me exposed in the cool confines of my office with nothing but the demons of my past.