Pierced

by Sydney Landon

  He turns to me, raising a brow. “I’m sure you are, Lia, but when I take a woman to dinner, I always make sure she arrives back home safely.”

  “Oh,” I reply, his answer taking the fight out of me. It makes sense, right? He is just being a gentleman.

  “I want you to call into work tomorrow and quit your job. I don’t think you need to bother with notice; it’s not likely you will ever use them for a future job reference.”

  I nod my head in agreement, fighting the sleep threatening to claim me when his words finally hit me. What the hell? “Wh—What did you say?” Had I imagined the whole thing?

  Without looking at me, he repeats his demand. I shake my head, completely confused. “What are you talking about? Why would I quit my job? Oh, no,” I gasp in horror, “are you trying to get me fired because of tonight? It was just cold medicine!”

  His eyes are glittering in the darkness. “Baby, if I wanted to have you fired, I would. I want to fuck you, but not when you’re being paid to be my date.”

  Oh, shit. I know I am more than a little intoxicated when my first reaction is being flattered. How can a man like Lucian Quinn want to fuck me? I’m a struggling college student with none of the flash of a woman like Monique. What could he possibly see in me? What is the appropriate response when a man says he wants to fuck you? “Ummm…that’s…thanks. I can’t quit my job; I need the money for school.” I reach over to pat his knee, adding, “You’re so hot, and I’m sure you can find another woman to…fuck.” There, that sounds good, right? I’m proud of my answer. I turned him down but also gave him a compliment. Way to think on your feet, Lia!

  He puts his hand over mine, and I smile, thinking he appreciates my honesty. When he uses a firm grip to pull me closer to his side, I start to worry. Please tell me we aren’t on a dirt road in the middle of nowhere. Does he resemble someone from America’s Most Wanted? His breath is hot on my neck as he whispers against my ear, “I want you, and I always get what I want.” He trails a finger down the side of my face before running the tip over my mouth. My lips part in surprise and before I think better of it, I touch his finger with the tip of my tongue. He inhales a breath, and I freeze, my eyes locking on his face.

  I have no idea how long I’ve been staring at him when the driver clears his throat. I look out the window and recognize my apartment building. Lucian is still holding my hand as I turn to the door the driver is holding open. Lucian pulls me against him again, saying, “It wasn’t a question, Lia. Do it.” With those words, he releases me. I draw a ragged breath and stagger from the car. The driver insists on walking me to the door and waiting until I’m safely inside. Oh, God, he probably heard everything Lucian said to me, how embarrassing. No doubt, he is used to going home alone while his employer stays the night with whomever he is…fucking. Lucian Quinn is clearly a psycho. When the driver asks for my car key, I pull it from my ring and hand it over. I mutter a quick thank-you and dash inside.

  Rose and Jake are sitting wrapped around each other on the couch. When I almost miss the chair trying to sit, Jake smirks at me saying, “Whoa, girl, how much did you have to drink tonight?”

  I flop back, groaning, “Not as much as you think. It’s the damn Nyquil along with alcohol that did this. I’m lucky I didn’t face-plant in the middle of the restaurant.” I giggle as I imagine Lucian Quinn’s face if that had happened. It would almost have been worth the embarrassment to fall all over his expensive shoes.

  “So, other than your public intoxication, how was the evening? Old dude or young?” Rose asks.

  I roll my eyes, saying, “Young, hot one, but a little on the weird side. Didn’t you get the picture I sent you of him?”

  “Shit! That was him? He was a total freaking…” Looking at Jake who is watching her, she quickly adds, “Um…okay. I mean, he was just okay. I’m glad you made it through the evening with him.”

  I smirk, knowing what Rose had been going to say; the man was a stud. “I’m not totally sure since I’m a little out of it, but I believe he might have ordered me to quit my job because he wants to fuck me.” When the words leave my mouth, I slap my hand over my face. “God, I can’t believe I just said that.” I look over to see both Rose and Jake gaping at me.

  “He said that to you?” Before I can answer, Rose sighs, “That’s just so hot.”

  Jake looks at Rose then back to me. “You two seriously have problems. Lia, if some stranger said that shit to you, then you had better stay the hell away from him.” Turning to his girlfriend, he says, “And you, I think it’s time we went to your room and discussed some things.” Rose snickers as Jake pulls her up from the couch, and they practically run to the bedroom. At the door, Jake stops, turning back toward me. “I’m serious, babe; you stay away from him. That’s whacked that he said that to a stranger.” He shuts the door behind him, and I hear Rose giggle. Ugh, I know I will be hearing too much through the paper-thin walls tonight.

  I think about what Jake said and wonder if Lucian Quinn is dangerous. He certainly looked it when he was holding me against him in the car. I wasn’t scared, though, not really. Thinking of him fucking me was exciting. I can feel the dampness of my panties and know it has everything to do with him.

  Jake has been protective of me since his friend Jackson broke my heart last year. It was my first and last sexual experience. We had been going out for about a month before I finally caved to pressure and slept with him. What a mistake. It had hurt like Hell and was over before it had even started. Could I only have an orgasm at my own hands? Rose talked about sex with Jake as if it was earth-shaking, but for me, the earth hadn’t moved. I got out of bed afterwards to use the bathroom, and he had gasped, “What the fuck?” When I turned to look at him, he was pointing to my back. “What’s wrong with you? Shit, do you have something contagious?” He frantically threw his clothes on, acting like he had just had sex with someone with the clap.

  “It’s just a scar,” I had replied before wrapping my arms around myself. He made me feel self-conscious and dirty. Jake was furious when he heard Jackson telling some of their friends that I ‘was all messed up’ under my clothes. He knew from Rose what my stepfather had done to me and almost physically came to blows with his friend over it. Since then, they barely spoke anymore. Jake was a good person and wouldn’t tolerate anyone mistreating one of his friends. What would it be like to have a man like that to love and be loved by? Rose is damn lucky.

  Chapter Three

  Lia

  The rest of the week is a blur of too much studying and too little sleep. On the rare occasions when I find myself in bed at a decent time, the sexy Lucian Quinn haunts my dreams. I am munching on a muffin and drinking a huge cup of coffee at the campus coffee shop when my cellphone chimes. I pull it from my backpack, figuring it’s Rose. It’s a process of elimination, really; very few people have my number and even fewer of them actually call or text.

  “Did you do as you were told?”

  I study my phone in confusion, not recognizing the number. Finally, I type back:

  “Wrong number, buddy.”

  Tossing my phone down on the table, I am surprised when it chimes again almost instantly.

  “I don’t think so, Lia.”

  “What the hell?” I look around as if expecting Rose to be hiding in the corner, laughing her ass off. No one seems to be paying me any attention, though, and there was no Rose nearby.

  “Who is this?”

  “I’m truly hurt. You’ve been on my mind for days, sweet Lia, but apparently, I haven’t been on yours.”

  This is starting to get scary. Surely, Jackson isn’t playing some type of nasty trick on me. He’s an asshole, but I haven’t heard from him in months.

  “Listen, whoever you are; I’m busy, so unless you want to tell me who this is, piss off.”

  It isn’t in my nature to be rude, but I don’t want to encourage some weirdo.

  “Wow, in just a few days, I’ve gone from being a God to you to being told to piss
off. How the mighty have fallen.”

  I drop my phone as if I’ve been burned. “No way.” Lucian Quinn is texting me? This has to be some kind of joke, but who else would know what he is saying? Tentatively, I type:

  “Lucian?”

  “Unless you’ve met another God this week.”

  Oh, my God! I try not to question the excitement coursing through my veins as my phone chimes again almost immediately.

  “Now, back to my earlier question. Did you do what you were told?”

  “Um…I have no idea what you’re talking about, Mr. Quinn.”

  “It’s Luc…and you know exactly what I’m talking about.”

  I lay my head on the table. He meant it. He really wanted me to quit my job so he could…fuck me. Oh, shit on a stick. The man is officially crazy. That actually explains a lot.

  “Listen, MR. QUINN, I’m flattered you want to…you know, but I have no intention of quitting my job or doing…that.”

  I wait on pins and needles, both wanting and dreading his reply. What could a man like Lucian Quinn really want with an inexperienced college student? If he thinks I’m one of the Girls Gone Wild co-eds, he is sadly mistaken.

  “Oh, Lia, you never challenge a man like me. I promise you; you’ll do everything I want you to do and beg for more. I’ll see you soon.”

  My face flushes and desire races through my body. My nipples harden into stiff peaks as I picture the scene in my head: the beautiful Lucian Quinn fucking me. I find myself more excited at just the thought than of my entire sexual experience with Jackson. A few words from Lucian…Luc, and I’m ready to go off. Surely, he is just playing with me. Regardless though, his face is firmly etched in my mind and his name on my lips later as I finger myself frantically into release.

  “Are you working tonight, chick?” Rose asks as I walk into the living room dressed in my usual escort attire. Being a poor college student doesn’t leave much room for variety. I have invested in a few outfits for my job, but the little black dress is the go-to choice.

  “Yep, I’m meeting someone for a party at Valentino’s. It looks like another business thing. At least those don’t require much conversation.”

  Rose flips the television channel, before asking, “Is this someone new again?” She looks disappointed when I nod. “Oh, well, I guess you couldn’t get lucky enough to have the God again, huh?”

  Without understanding why, I decide not to mention Lucian’s earlier text messages to her. What’s the point, really? I doubt I’ll hear from him again. Maybe he’s some kind of weirdo that gets his kicks teasing women. A pang of disappointment pierces me at the thought of never seeing him again. How could someone I barely know have this type of effect on me? Rose reminds me to write the name of the restaurant and the person I’m meeting on the notepad in the kitchen. We started this routine on my first assignment with Date Night. Rose then joked about making it easy for the police to find my body if I don’t make it home one night. There have been a few men over the years who wanted to test the boundaries, but none who haven’t accepted the word no.

  I look down at the name I write beside Valentino’s. Aidan Spencer. He sounds harmless enough. With a goodbye wave to Rose, who is now firmly engrossed in a Lifetime movie, I set off for another long evening. Do I wish it was with Lucian Quinn and not Aidan Spencer? Unequivocally, yes.

  Chapter Four

  Lia

  Walking into Valentino’s, I look around in confusion. Aidan Spencer is supposed to be waiting at the bar. I’m grateful for that information because otherwise, I would have no hope of finding him in the crowd of people milling around. The bar is packed, but mainly with couples. Of course, he could be talking to someone. There is a dark-haired man sitting alone at one end watching football on the big-screen television above the bar. I straighten my dress and decide to try him first. Taking a deep breath, I tap him on the shoulder. “Mr. Spencer?” He takes his time sitting down the drink he is holding before swiveling around on the barstool. I jerk back in surprise, stuttering, “Luc—Lucian?” Shit, I know I sound like an idiot, but I can’t control my shock at seeing him again. Dear Lord, he’s hot.

  “Lia,” he purrs as his eyes run leisurely down my length; I’m absurdly grateful I haven’t worn the same dress tonight. “You look beautiful.”

  “Th—thank you,” I stammer. God, what is this man doing to me? I’ve lost the ability to carry on a simple conversation without tripping over my words. Clearing my throat, I ask, “What are you doing here?”

  A smirk settles on his full lips as he answers, “I’m here for you.”

  I gape at him before deciding he is teasing me. No doubt, he is meeting someone just as beautiful as he is. I refuse to let him pass the time making fun of me. “Very funny. Unless your name is Mr. Spencer, you aren’t here for me, and I’m not here for you.”

  His eyes dance as he says, “Just call me Aidan.” Pulling out a chair beside him, he adds, “Have a seat; you look like you need a drink, Lia.” Before I can object, he settles me next to his side and a glass of wine appears. “I trust you skipped the Nyquil tonight?”

  Before answering, I pick up the glass and take a big gulp. “You tricked me. There is no Aidan Spencer, is there?”

  His hand moves to my knee, rubbing circles against the tender skin before saying, “Oh, there is an Aidan, and he is here somewhere tonight. I just decided to hedge my bets and make sure you didn’t turn me down. Even though I know you wanted to see me again as much as I wanted to see you, I knew you would deny it, even to yourself.” His touch is doing crazy things to my body, and I’m fighting the urge to moan in pleasure. He leans closer and his lips settle near my ear, sending shivers down my spine. “You’ve been on my mind this week, Lia. I can’t stop thinking about how you’ll look when you come.”

  The drink of wine that I am in the process of swallowing is suddenly blowing from my mouth and nose. I try to catch my breath as I choke. Lucian removes his hand from my leg and pats my back gently until I can breathe again. Mortified, I take the napkins the bartender is holding out and try to dry up the mess I’ve made. Turning to the amused man beside me, I roll my eyes and say, “Please warn me next time before you say something like that.”

  “So, you agree there’ll be a next time. I knew you were a realist, baby.”

  I raise a brow, loving the verbal wordplay despite myself. “Baby? Isn’t that a little…personal for someone you barely know?”

  His wandering hand returns to my knee before running lightly beneath the hem of my dress. “I’m ready to remedy that whenever you are…Lia.” I can’t ever remember being so turned on from just a conversation. Talking to Lucian is like word foreplay. My core throbs and I fight the urge to squeeze my legs together to assuage the ache there. This type of desire is foreign to me. I have the usual needs of a woman my age, but I easily take care of them myself. I’ve never been turned-on by a man to the point of misery before.

  Looking around the room, I attempt to change the subject to something less stimulating. “So…um, why are we here tonight?” When he gives me a devilish smile, I rush on before he can comment. “I mean, is this business or pleasure?” Oh, shit. I want to drop my head and admit defeat. There is no way he is going to let the pleasure comment pass. At this rate, I’ll drop my panties within ten minutes and beg him to fuck me on the counter while the bartender refills the peanuts beside my head.

  Lucian grins, seeming to know what I’m expecting, so I’m surprised when he simply says, “It’s business tonight. This is a celebratory party for the sales team. They closed a particularly big contract this week and deserve the recognition.”

  Curious, I ask, “Are you a salesman?” I had been so high from cold medicine at our last meeting that I scarcely remember the conversation from that evening.

  Idly, he continues to twirl his finger on the delicate skin of my inner thigh as he answers. “No, baby, I’m not.” Again with the ‘baby’, but it sounds too damn sexy for me to actually object. I like it
…a lot, and he knows it. As I continue to wait for him to explain further, he blows out a breath and almost reluctantly admits, “I own the company.”

  I’m not surprised; truthfully, I would hardly expect anything less. It doesn’t take an expert to realize his clothing isn’t off the rack. The man has probably never stepped foot in Walmart before. I have a strange urge to giggle when I imagine what he would think if he knew my dress had been bought on sale at the mall for fifteen dollars. Just as his finger starts to wander into dangerous territory, someone claps a hand on his shoulder, causing him to jerk around in surprise. I immediately miss the loss of his warmth against me. “Luc, I was wondering where you were.” Turning, I find a handsome man of about Lucian’s age grinning at me. “And who is this?” Is it my imagination, or does Lucian suddenly look uncomfortable?

  Lucian stands, helping me to my feet so we are facing the newcomer. “Lia, this is my friend and work associate, Aidan Spencer.” Aidan is giving me a curious look as I gape back at him. “Aidan, this is Lia Adams, a friend of mine.”

  Aidan takes my hand in his, brushing his thumb against my palm. The move has probably sent many women straight into orgasm, and it might have worked on me were I not firmly captivated by Lucian. At this point, Aidan is just sloppy-Luc-seconds. Lucian slides a possessive arm around my waist, seeming pleased by my lack of reaction toward his friend. Outside of Lucian, Aidan is probably one of the best-looking men I have ever met, but he’s not Lucian. “It’s an honor to meet you, Lia. Are you here with Luc?”