“Is she coming back?” Her question took me by surprise. “Whatever happened, don’t you think you should apologize? She could be the secret weapon for Darcy Entertainment.”
“I’m the secret weapon for Darcy Entertainment, and I have nothing to apologize for.” I walked out.
I wanted a moment to think, but apparently I had pissed God off somehow and that was too much to ask for.
“So are you going to keep avoiding me?” Violet asked from behind me.
Ignoring her, I kept walking.
“Theo.”
“You got married, Violet—”
“And divorced.”
“Your personal life means nothing to me, so I have nothing to talk to you about. Please do a good job. This gala is important to the company.” Still moving toward the elevator, I didn’t bother sparing her another look.
Violet Montgomery hadn’t been my problem in two years, and I intended to keep it that way.
Apparently I have the worst taste in women.
Felicity
Day 5
3:11 p.m.
It had been five days since I had seen Theo, and I hadn’t thought of him at all. I was totally over it. Moving on with my life.
That was a lie.
“Excuse me. Excuse me!”
I turned around to a find a teenage girl with blonde hair, the ends dyed pink, holding up an empty Chipotle bowl filled with napkins and other trash.
God, I hated my job at this damn high school.
“Can you throw this away for me?” She held it away from her like it was going to bite her. I stared at the trash in her hands and then the trashcan that was no more than three inches away from either of us.
Really, bitch?
Saying nothing to her, I reached out without even bending over and rolled the trashcan right in front of us. However the girl didn’t drop it in, much to the amusement of her friends. They were holding on to each other, fighting back giggles. One of them even had her cell phone out as if I were some circus attraction.
“My hand is getting tired,” she said.
Sighing, I bit my tongue, snatched the trash from her perfectly manicured hands, and dropped it into the trashcan.
“Thanks.” She whipped her hair over her shoulder and went back to her friends in her five-inch heels. She made the courtyard look like a runway.
“God, I thought about dropping out once, but I would never want to end up like her,” one of them whispered as they took my picture.
“Pretty face and no brain. It’s pitiful, actually.”
“I can’t believe Josh and the other guys think she’s hot.”
“You think she understands English?”
“She’s white, Ashley.”
Wow.
I glanced at them, but they weren’t even ashamed of themselves. They laughed as if I were the one who’d lost my mind.
“I guess she can understand.”
“Ladies, classes are over. Don’t you think you should go home?” I asked, focusing myself to keep calm.
“We’re waiting for the baseball team. And I don’t think a janitor should be giving any type of advice,” the blonde with pink tips snapped as she crossed her arms.
“Sorry. My job is to remove the garbage, and your attitudes are really stinking up the place.”
“Excuse you!”
“Here is a piece of unwanted but necessary advice. Grow up. This spoiled brat act you’re putting on where you tear down other girls you feel inferior to isn’t going to make Josh or any other person like you more.”
She stepped up as her friends stopped smiling and stared at me in shock. “Do you know who I am? I can get you fired.”
“I bet. But at the end of the day, you’re still going to feel worse than me.”
“AH!” She kicked the trashcan, knocking it over and spreading garbage all over the ground. “Screw you. At least I’m not picking up garbage at thirty.”
“At least I’m not sixteen and throwing a temper tantrum.”
She rammed her shoulder into mine as she stormed off to what I could only guess was the baseball stadium.
Do not engage, Felicity! That was the number one rule for surviving here. For the most part, it was easy because I worked after classes. Mostly everyone was gone by then. But on game and practice days, shit like this happened.
My cell rang. Removing one glove, I answered without looking at caller ID. “Hello.”
“You thought it was him, didn’t you?” Mark said.
“No,” I lied.
“You’re lying.”
“Mark, did you call for a reason?”
“Nope. I just wanted to hear your voice get all high and excited—”
“Goodbye.” We hung up, and I placed the phone back in my pocket. I picked up the trash and fixed the dent in the can.
I lasted about two minutes before checking my phone again. That only upset me more.
No texts. No emails. No calls.
Then again, why would he bother after the way I left? I was so confused and conflicted. I was upset with him for not listening to me and upset with myself for being annoyed he hadn’t contacted me. I didn’t understand women. We all did this. I’d thought I was different, yet here I was. Logically it made no sense, but who ever knew me to be totally logical?
Screw it.
Taking off both gloves, I texted him: Did the background check finally come through?
Before I’d even finished putting it away, he replied. I tried to fight the grin on my face as I held the phone up.
Theo: I was actually supposed to meet someone about that today. He said it was urgent.
Urgh. I wasn’t sure what to say to that, so I said nothing at all as I wheeled the trash bin back into the janitor’s closest. Not even a minute later, my phone buzzed as he texted me back.
Theo: Question: how the hell do you text with that dinosaur phone of yours?
Answer: with my thumbs. I smiled.
Theo: Witty.
I have my moments.
Theo: What have you been doing?
Living the blue-file life. I grinned. Happily, I may add.
Theo: Why do I get the feeling you’re lying to me?
I’m not.
Theo: Then why did you text me?
I didn’t reply, but that didn’t stop him.
Theo: You texted me because I crossed your mind enough for you to finally give in.
Still I said nothing.
Theo: And if I crossed your mind, that means you aren’t happily enjoying the blue-file life. You rejected that life for a reason, so no matter what you do, you can’t go back, Felicity.
I read his lines aloud as I leaned against the door and texted him back: What makes you so sure of yourself? Just because I texted you first doesn’t mean anything.
Theo: You may have texted me first, but I came to the diner today. Rosemary said you were off, and I asked her not to tell you.
“What?” I said aloud.
Me: Why did you come?
Theo: I missed the shitty coffee.
I laughed outright at that, but my smile faded as I wondered what he would think of me once he knew about my past.
Me: Let’s see how much you miss shitty coffee after you’ve found out all my secrets.
There was a pause, and it felt like hours and not minutes before he finally texted me back.
Theo: Tell me not to look at it.
Me: Why? You’ve proven you wouldn’t listen to me anyway.
It came across a lot harsher than I mean it to, so I added, Don’t look at it.
Theo: Where are you right now?
I knew if I told him he would come, and I wanted him to come.
Me: Monroe Academy High School.
Theo: I’ll be there in thirty.
3:39 p.m.
I had taken the quietest shower of my life in the girl’s locker room, changed out of my overalls and back into dark skinny jeans, a light-yellow shirt, and red flats. There was no brush for
my damn hair, so I threw it up in a ponytail. It was ironic how I felt like a high school teenager while rushing to the front of a high school. The first thing I noticed when I came out of the school was the girls giggling and holding on to each other at the top of the stairs. Among them was the girl with pink-tipped hair, clasping the arm of who I guessed was Josh. He seemed more annoyed than anything else.
“He’s so hot.” One of the girls giggled again.
“Sexy. It’s the right word, and he’s totally my type,” another one said as she flipped her hair over her shoulder.
I knew it even without taking a step forward. I knew it had to be him. Sure enough one of them was gaping at him. Theo wore dark jeans, a button-down shirt, and a leather jacket. He was leaning against a red Aston Martin with the top down, hands in his pockets casually. Grabbing my phone, I called him.
“You always have to make an entrance, don’t you?”
He glanced around until he saw me. “You must be talking about yourself. Those are a lot of stairs. Don’t trip. Everyone is watching, and as adults we need to make this as cool as possible.”
“Oh God, why did you say that! Now I’m going to trip.”
He laughed. “Fine. How about I run up as you run down, and we meet each other in the middle.”
“Is there a dramatic kiss scene too?”
“If I were directing, yes, but since this is a high school and you work here, let’s keep it PG for the time being.”
I couldn’t get rid of the smile on my face. “Hang up, and on three.”
He nodded and threw his phone in the back of the car.
One…
Two…
Three…
We ran, and I hoped I didn’t fall running down the stairs. He skipped every other one, rushing toward me. He made it to the middle before me, and I basically jumped on him and kissed him deeply. We hadn’t talked in days. I wasn’t sure what the hell we were doing. But I still wanted to kiss him if only for a few seconds. I felt it…the desire to kiss him hard, to have his tongue in my month, to do more than just kiss. Sadly, we both broke away before it got to that.
He took my hand, and we ran down the stairs together, not stopping for anything. He opened the car door for me, and I slid in and pulled on the seat belt. That girl and her friends’ mouths were completely hung open in shock and confusion.
“What happened to keeping it PG?” he asked as he started the engine.
“It’s high school. PG-13 is allowed too,” I answered, waving to the girls. One of them even waved back, stunned.
“Where do you want to go?”
I leaned back. “Where do you want to take me?”
“Don’t tempt me, Felicity. I’m trying to be a gentleman.” He held on to the steering wheel tighter.
“A gentleman asked me to follow him to Hawaii two days ago, Mr. Darcy.”
“And?”
“I’m still here, aren’t I? Though I did kiss him.” The small smile he’d had on his face up until it disappeared, and he stepped on the accelerator. I decided to add fuel to the fire.
“I don’t need a gentleman, Theo. I need an alpha.”
His eyes shifted to mine. He didn’t needed to say anything. I knew what was coming. Smirking, I took my hair out from a ponytail, letting it free, and closed my eyes.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Your Past Be Damned
Felicity
3:50 p.m.
When we made it back to his penthouse, neither of us said a word since I told him I had kissed another man. He picked me up and threw me over his shoulder like he was some caveman, turning me on in ways I couldn’t begin to explain. He dropped me on his navy-blue satin sheets then grabbed something from his dresser.
“Naked now.” It was all he had to say.
There was no room for argument, no hesitation, so I followed his orders. Standing up on my knees, I unbuttoned my shirt as he stood over me and watched. I threw my shirt at him, and he caught it before throwing it on the ground. I took off my bra and was a little embarrassed about the underwear I had on, though there was no helping it. He looked over both my breasts but still didn’t crack. Next came my jeans, though I kept on my panties. He raised his eyebrow when he read the words written on them: Ask first.
Thank you, Victoria’s Secret. I pulled them down, allowing them to fall to my feet.
He took a step forward, and I was sure he could hear and see how fast I was breathing. My heart felt like it was trying to escape my chest.
“May I?” He lifted a black tie.
Wasn’t it a little late for that question? Either way I nodded. He held on to my wrists and bound them to his bedpost.
“Were you a boy scout?” I pulled on the tie, but the knot didn’t budge.
Using a blindfold or another tie, he covered my eyes and knotted it behind my head.
“No,” he said directly in my ear. “And that’s your last question.”
That was my only question.
He placed the palm of his hand on my ass and rubbed it in a gentle, circular motion. “How much can you take?”
I grinned. “How much can you give?”
SMACK.
I bit my lips and closed my eyes, enjoying the wave of pleasure that vibrated from my ass to the rest of my body. My nipples hardened in excitement, my pussy already wet for him.
More, my mind begged.
“You kissed another man.”
SMACK.
“Yes!” I cried. “I did.”
SMACK
Oh… oh… I had no words for how amazing this felt.
“Didn’t I tell you I don’t share?”
SMACK
“We weren’t togeth—”
SMACK
“Ugh….” I gripped the bedpost, my chest rising and falling heavily.
SMACK.
“Fuck yes!” I moaned loudly and licked my lips. My toes curled. I was in my own personal heaven.
SMACK.
“How red can your ass get?”
SMACK.
“Oh… yes… please!” I was shaking.
“You’re so wet, Felicity,” he said, and I jumped when he stroked my pussy. “This is my satisfaction, not yours… I should stop.”
“No,” I begged. I didn’t even recognize my voice, but I didn’t care. I just didn’t want him to stop yet.
“Beg me.” He rubbed soothing circles on my ass cheeks before he kissed them both. “Beg me, Felicity.”
His husky voice made me shiver. I moaned just from hearing that. “Please… again. Do it again.”
“Say you belong to me.”
“No. I belong to myself.”
“Wrong answer,” he said, and I felt him brush my hair to the side, exposing my back. “Oh well, I’ll take my time and enjoy you.”
He kissed up my spine. His hands were everywhere. One moment they were grasping my breast, squeezing them tightly, then they were pulling on my nipples. Next they were working their way down my stomach, where he began to play with my clit.
When he kissed the top of my neck, he shoved two fingers into me, going in and out of my pussy so slowly I wanted to cry out in frustration. I pulled on the tie again, wanting to touch him back.
“Give in to me, Felicity.” He bit the top of my ear, and my lips parted. “Let me give you pleasure every time you need it, no matter where we are. I want to fuck you everywhere.”
Gasping, I rocked against his fingers and tilted my head back to allow him to kiss my neck. Just as I was adjusting to this new torture, he stopped, removed his fingers, and placed them at my lips.
“Lick,” he directed, and I did. Sticking my tongue out, I tasted myself on his fingertips. “See, Felicity? Your whole body wants to belong to me. Give in to me.”
He pressed his cock against my entrance, allowing me to feel how hard he was, how he twitched with excitement.
“Give in to me, and I will give in to you, to only you, past be damned.”
Sin, that’s what I wanted. That was what h
e was offering. I needed to end this torture.
“Okay,” I whispered.
“Say it, Felicity. Say it proudly.”
“I’m yours, Theo. Only yours.”
I knew even without seeing him he must have had the wickedest of all grins on his face.
“Tell me what you want,” he said.
Screw the smacks. “Fuck me, Theo.”
Theo
Never in my life had I heard three more beautiful words. I didn’t know how much I could take. Seizing a condom and the lube, I put them on so quickly it was a blur. I grabbed her hips, and she moaned, already eager for me. Begging was more like it.
“Fucking hell.” I gritted my teeth as I gently entered her ass. Her walls clenched around my cock so tightly, it took everything I had to not come right then and there. Slowly, I stretched her, molded her to fit only me, torturing myself in the process.
“Theo… oh… fast… faster,” she begged me, and any restraint I’d had flew out the window.
With one hand on her shoulder and the other on her hip, I pulled out a little before I thrust my cock deep into her. I fucked her as hard and fast as possible.
“YES!” She sang in absolute ecstasy what I would make sure was one of several orgasms of the night. Her moaning, my grunts, how fucking tight she was, how my cock throbbed inside her—it was enough to make a man lose himself.
I gripped both breasts, holding them as I leaned forward and kissed her neck and ears.
“You’re mine,” I declared.
“Yours.” She didn’t even put up a fight, but knowing her, there would be one later. I freed her hands. The very first thing she tried to do was reach up and pull my hair. I stopped her much to her dissatisfaction…I’d already told her tonight was about my satisfaction, not hers.
“Fuck,” I hissed, slamming into her once more before I came.
Oh, this was just the beginning.
Felicity
4:34 p.m.
My whole body gave out when he pulled out of me. Rolling onto my back, I took off the blindfold and breathed in deeply. He disposed of the condom and lay beside me, his bare chest rising and falling. If this was going to work—and I wanted it to so we could repeat this night at least a hundred more times before we were through with each other—I needed to just tell him.