by KT Grant
“You’re making me leave New York?” she asked in alarm.
“A change of scenery will be beneficial, perhaps the West Coast.” He drew Colette out of her seat and hugged her. She kept her arms loose at her sides, staring at Victoria with a pained expression.
“Oliver, escort my sister to the guest house.” Benjamin crooked a finger at Maia. She joined his side. With one arm around Colette, and the other around Maia, he directed the two women to the exit. “Maia, you’ll keep Colette company until I’m finished with our guests.”
“Certainly,” Maia said in a congenial way and smiled politely at Colette.
Colette ignored Maia, but didn’t struggle when Oliver guided her out the door. She glanced back at Victoria and then at me. Her fury made me take a step back. She left the room with Oliver and Maia, including the two men she arrived with.
Benjamin tugged on his cuffs and walked over to Victoria. “Now it’s time to discuss what I should do about you and Miss Pinke.”
If he was upset by Colette’s outburst, he hid it well. Any other man wouldn’t, but then again Benjamin wasn’t like any other man I knew. Everything rolled off his shoulders, including the way Colette had acted in front of us.
Victoria turned and stared at me with such sadness that I wanted to take her in my arms and hug her tight. Benjamin beat me to it and drew his arm around her shoulders, leading her over to his lawyer.
“Should I tell Miss Pinke or would you prefer to?” he asked Victoria.
“Don’t talk about me like I’m not here.” I walked toward her.
Benjamin motioned to a vacant love seat. “Sit there and we’ll explain everything to you.”
“Who’s we?” I remained standing, mainly to defy this man who thumbed his nose at everyone around him.
“Lindsay, sit down for me. Please.” Victoria sounded exhausted, and it showed by the way she has settled back into the corner of the couch with her eyes at half-closed and her forehead pinched with deep lines.
“Okay.” I wouldn’t argue with her. I sat, crossing my leg over the other.
Benjamin sat on the arm of the couch next to Emery, who handed him a folder filled with papers. “Until I can find someone to take over for Colette while she’s on leave, I’ll be temporarily in charge of the day-to-day operations of Virago. Under the present circumstances, I feel it’s in your best interest to leave the publication.”
When I opened my mouth, he lifted his hand. “I know it’s not fair to do this to you since you’ve been a valued employee. As restitution, I’m giving you a year’s salary with benefits, including a bonus to keep you on your feet until you can find employment elsewhere.” He held out the folder. “You’ll be very pleased with the compensation I’m offering.”
“Look at his offer,” Victoria said in a commanding tone.
I snatched the folder from his hand. Opening it, I scanned the front page. When I spotted the bonus amount, my jaw dropped.
“Fi-five hundred thousand dollars?” I gasped, shaking my head in disbelief.
“You’ll also be given impeccable references and the contact of one the best head hunters in Manhattan who will work with you to find you another position, if and when you decide to work again.” Benjamin beamed at me, as if I’d accepted.
Shutting the folder, I tossed it to the side. “This is your way of buying my silence.”
The satisfied air around him diminished, but his grin widened, cold and brittle. “You’ll sign a confidentiality agreement. You won’t discuss with anyone why you left Virago or how much you received in compensation. You won’t tell anyone, including the police how you received the bruises on your face or what you witnessed here tonight. Emery will go over any questions you may have.”
“I have to sign it before I leave here? What if I refuse? You’ll force me to?” I snapped.
Victoria rose and came over to my side. She shook her head at Benjamin when he tried to stop her. She sat down next to me and took my hands in hers. “I want you to take the deal and then sign the confidentiality agreement. It’s restitution for what Colette did to you, and to help ease your suffering.”
“You want me to do this because you think you’re responsible for what Colette did to you, and how she acts now. This includes what she did to me.” I jerked my hands away.
She held out her hand, the closest to a plea she would allow. “Do it for me.”
I swallowed back a frustrated scream. No matter what I said, she would always blame herself. “Maybe you should be in therapy like Colette.”
She blanched and twisted her bracelet around.
“Perhaps I can recommend a therapist in England during Victoria’s stay there,” Benjamin said.
“What the hell is he talking about?” I nearly shouted.
She folded her hands on her lap, refusing to look at me. “Noah wants to return home to spend time with his father. While he’s here, he’ll take over operations in Manhattan, and I’ll run things in the London office.”
“For how long?” I asked, baffled by her sudden announcement.
“Indefinitely. I need to get away from all of this.”
“Does, all of this, include me?” My chest constricted as I held off tears.
“If you accept Benjamin’s offer, you won’t be tied down to one place and will have the opportunity to travel, if you choose to,” She set her hand down near my leg.
I grew faint with relief and the suffocated feeling vanished. Maybe there was a bright side to this nightmare.
“I can still see Victoria?” I asked Benjamin.
“It might be hard for you both to keep in contact if she’s out of the country.” He took the folder and set it on my lap. “When was the last time you visited London?”
“Never,” I said, squeezing Victoria’s hand.
“With the severance package, you’ll be able to stay in London as long as you like. Wouldn’t you agree, Victoria?” Benjamin asked her.
“Yes,” she responded.
I glanced at her and then back at him. Something more was going on between these two that didn’t sit well with me. “You’ve gone out of your way to help Victoria and me. We both get something we want. What do you get in return?”
He walked behind the loveseat, and resting his hands on Victoria’s shoulders, he kissed her cheek. “I have her gratitude and we resume our friendship.”
After a beat, she tugged me from my seat and over to Emery. “Look over the contract. Once you sign, we can leave here.”
I was more than ready to get out of here. I also didn’t want to find out what the ramifications would be if I rejected Benjamin’s offer. It sounded too good to be true, but if I refused, I’d be left with nothing. Maybe Victoria was in the same position.
Five-hundred thousand dollars and the chance to be with Victoria, free of Colette’s harassment or her stalking was an incredible incentive.
Succumbing, I sat down to review the papers I knew I’d end up signing.
Chapter Eighteen
“You did the right thing.”
I turned away from the window and looked at Victoria. “How many times are you going to say that?”
“Until you believe it.” She sounded exasperated and plucked at one of the pearls on her bracelet. She had played with them ever since I signed the contract.
While Emery explained the terms to me, she and Benjamin disappeared into another room to “talk.” When I was satisfied with the contract and the confidentiality agreement, I signed the bottom of every page with my signature. Benjamin and Victoria rejoined us soon after. I was given copies of everything, and Benjamin handed me a check for the five-hundred thousand right then and there. This time he didn’t invite us to stay. I was fine with that, and Victoria appeared to agree. But she was polite and thanked him for the meeting. She even allowed him to hug and kiss her. He watched me while he did, waiting for my reaction. I wouldn’t give him the pleasure, keeping a blank face.
The car drove down my street, to my surprise.
“We’re not going back to your place?”
“You haven’t been home in two days. Jayden must be worried.” She pulled out her phone and sighed. “I probably have a mountain of emails to read.”
The car parked in front of my building. Victoria opened the door and we got out. She continued looking at her phone. I waited for her to stop. When the car drove away, I finally had enough.
Irritated, I snatched the phone out of her hand. “You’re not dropping me off here and going on your merry way. We need to talk about some things.” I lifted the manila envelope with my copies of the contracts and the check. “Such as our future.”
I expected her to look apprehensive, but then again she had never been meek, even during times of stress, not even with her confrontation with Colette. “You still want a future with me after everything you’ve gone through?”
A gurgle of frustration exploded from my mouth. “My life would be less drama-filled if I walked away from you now.”
“Nothing is stopping you.” She invaded my space, her chest brushing mine.
I didn’t want to argue where anyone could watch. I held out her phone. “You’re going to push me away? Really?”
Her arm came around my waist, pulling me in close. “Does this look like I’m pushing you away?”
I leaned forward, the urge to kiss her strong enough that I didn’t care if we had witnesses. “No it doesn’t. Come upstairs with me.”
“Jayden will take one look at you and think the worst of me,” she said, grabbing her phone from my hand.
“Maybe we’ll get lucky and he won’t be there.” Jayden stayed in on weeknights, so there was a good chance he was home. If he was, I would have to come up with an excuse about my bruises and my sudden disappearance over the last two days, including why Victoria was with me.
I unlocked the door to my building, holding it open for Victoria, who put her cell away. She followed me up the stairs to my floor. Slipping my key in the lock of the door, I braced myself for Jayden, who would probably give me the third degree regardless of Victoria seeing it.
My apartment was dark. “Jayden?” I entered, listening for any sounds from the kitchen or in his bedroom.
“He’s not here,” I said, more to myself, and turned on both lamps in the living room. Victoria closed the door and she took of her jacket, hanging it on the coat rack in the corner.
I took out my cell and dropped my purse on one of the end tables. Texts from Jayden flashed on my touch screen. He was having dinner with his parents and Maxine and would be back later tonight. He told me to call him ASAP, in all caps.
I texted I was back at our place, and in one piece. I didn’t wait for him to respond, and set my cell next to my purse, giving Victoria my attention.
She inspected the room, much like someone would do if they were trying to be polite, but with not much enthusiasm. “Your apartment is quaint.”
“Quaint, meaning small and cheap?” I asked with some defensiveness.
“You can buy new furniture with the money Benjamin gave you.” She flicked a tassel on a throw pillow lying on the couch. “You should deposit the check tomorrow.”
“Or maybe I can find a better apartment, a more upscale one you can approve of,” I said.
“If you like.” She stepped further in the room, but still too far away from me.
“But why would I do that when I’ll be in England with you?” I wanted her to say I would be going with her so I wouldn’t keep second-guessing our relationship, and where we stood with one another.
“Is that what you really want?”
“What I want is to be with you!” I took a step toward her. “Why do you act like it’s so hard to believe?”
“Act? I’m not acting.” She sneered at me.
“You’re always acting. Even now.” I raised my hands, wishing I could shake some sense into her.
“What do you want from me?” she asked, bafflement etched on her face.
I walked right up to her and took her by the arms. “I want you to say to me, ‘Lindsay, come with me to England.”
She stiffened, but didn’t break away. I didn’t understand why she was fighting me after all the craziness we had endured together.
“I want you to have options. You don’t have to leave your friends and family behind to be with me.” She clasped my elbows. “You’re free now.”
“I won’t be free if we stay together? That’s such an odd thing to say.” I shook my head in confusion.
“You’ve witnessed the type of world I live in and the people I associate with. Colette and Benjamin will never go away.” Her voice had lowered to a harsh whisper.
“You owe him something big, don’t you?” I despised the man now more than ever.
“He helped me recover from Laci’s death in ways you won’t be able to understand, and I can’t reveal.” Victoria’s anguish cut me deep. She either didn’t trust me or she needed to protect me from whatever loathsome deal she made with that asshole.
“You offered him something else in order to get rid of Colette from your life?”
“She’s not gone forever. She’ll be back. I’ve been given a short reprieve.”
“I’m not giving up on us. I’m much stronger than you give me credit for.” I slid my hands around her neck and kissed her.
She sighed. I was hoping it was one of surrender. She didn’t increase the pressure of her mouth against mine, but kept her lips still. I waited patiently for her next move. She wrapped her arms around me and we held one another, swaying and rocking as if we danced.
“This is nice,” I said, rubbing my lips over hers.
She lifted her face away from mine. “Being with you is nice.”
“Just say the word and I’m yours.” I clasped her around the head and gave her a passionate kiss, showing with action what I needed from her.
This time she participated, and then some. She molded her mouth to mine, sucking and licking, her breathing turning to harsh pants. I wouldn’t let her leave me without having her naked in my bed. With my arms tight around her, I drew her toward my bedroom.
“Where are you taking me?” she asked between nibbles.
“To my bedroom where I’m going to make love to you all night long.”
She swerved us around and I landed against the wall. She shifted her mouth over, puffs of moist air, dampening my cheek. “I can stay all night.”
“And the next morning?” And the one after that and the one after that….
She didn’t answer. She weaved her fingers in my hair and ate at my mouth, using her tongue in ways that made my belly grow heavy and a pulsing heat slicken in between my legs. I cupped her breasts underneath her shirt, molding the globes and swiping her nipples with my thumbs. She moaned, and then laughed, a happy sound that made me smile.
“You…naked,” I said among her nips, but she kept me flat against the wall.
“First I’ll make you come and then you can have me.” Her hands scooted up my shirt and cupped my breasts as I cried out her name, dragging her lips to my chest, wanting her to suck my breasts until I came apart in her arms. She bypassed them, bending to kneel before me and running her palms up my inner thighs. Then she cupped me, making me delirious with pleasure.
With her help, I lowered my pants, glad I wasn’t wearing any underwear. I knew Victoria appreciated that too. She spread my legs as far apart as they would go and slid her fingers inside my drenched pussy. I rocked on her hand as she rotated her fingers, my back banging the hard wall, not caring if I would have even more bruises.
She licked a trail up the inside of my leg, stopping close enough where I ached, but not going higher. I lifted up on my toes, and then lowered, taking more of her fingers inside me. Her pupils dilated and her face glowed with sweat. I clench down on her hand, holding off my climax. She stilled her hand, staring up at me with full-blown lust.
“Only you make me feel this craving. No one else.” I trembled, almost losing the fight with my body.
“Wh-what? You mean—”
Her finger pressed in deep at the same time as she shifted her face forward and lapped my clitoris. I groaned her name and started to shake. She sucked away my wet arousal, helping me spiral into a fiery pit of incredible sensation I’ve never experienced before. Curling my fingers in her hair, I rocked forward and came all over her face.
The next few seconds were a blur. I started to fall, but she caught me somehow. As my orgasm overtook me, she looped her arm around my waist and half carried me to my bedroom. I closed my eyes, trying to find my balance, but then I landed on my bed, blinking away dark spots in front of my eyes. My door slammed shut and then Victoria was on top of me, kissing and stroking my body, arousing me all over again.
She took off the rest of my clothes in between each kiss and touch, and then she gave me a small break, disrobing in the muted darkness. She even took off her precious necklace and bracelet, placing them on the nightstand next to the bed. Laying over me, she traced every part of my face, as if to memorize it.
“Remember this night always,” she whispered in my mouth, and curled her hand around my mound, searching again inside of me.
“More nights for us.” I pushed her face over my breast.
She licked my nipple, circling it over and over until I begged her to stop. She moved upward and claimed my mouth again in a relentless kiss while her entire hand entered me down below. I bowed back, ready to come yet again. She dropped her cheek next to mine, panting hard. Her warm breath rushed over my ear.
“Love me,” she said on a soft exhale.
I clasped her tight, promising her with my body what I couldn’t say in words just yet.
Chapter Nineteen
I woke up from a sound sleep to someone shaking my shoulder. Thinking it was Victoria, I turned over and curled my arms around her, but found a pillow instead.
“Lindsay, wake up,” Jayden said in a loud voice.
“Where’s Victoria?” I stretched my arms above my head, knocking into Jayden.
“What the hell happened to you? Was she rough with you during sex?” he asked, appalled.
