Make it Reighn (A Threads Inc. Saga Book 1)

by R. J. Castille

  A tall, middle-aged brunette made her way up the stairs to the platform that had been erected as the focal point of the room. She tapped the microphone lightly, causing a speaker somewhere in the room to squeal in protest, before she leaned in to speak. When she started speaking the murmuring voices that surrounded me petered off and everyone turned their attention to her. I focused on her mouth, imagining it was not hers, but the mystery girl that had captured my attention. She droned on for several minutes, a well-rehearsed speech designed to entertain and to inform, but I was miles away.

  The blonde relinquished the platform to Regina Schultz who approached the front of the room carried forward on a wave of applause. She smiled at the crowd when she was in place and the blonde took her leave, shaking Regina’s hand firmly on her way off. Ms. Schultz stood in front of the room, patiently waiting for the applause to subside before addressing the masses that had gathered in her honor. Her speech went on for slightly longer than the woman who preceded her, but at least her words had substance. She yammered on about the successes of the magazine and the expansion of the company to include several smaller titles that she had managed to procure along the way. Ms. Shultz introduced several staff members who played a pivotal role in securing the future of Threads, Inc. each of them standing to smile and wave at their onlookers. Last, but definitely not least, Ms. Shultz called everyone’s attention to her newest intern, Jessica Goldstein, who came to the magazine upon the highest recommendations of her college professors. Everyone’s eyes cast across the room waiting for her intern to stand and acknowledge everyone as the others had done. When she stood and waved timidly to the crowd, my mouth went completely dry and my heartrate increased exponentially.

  My mystery girl stood slowly, one hand clamped to her side grasping the fabric of her dress while the other raised above her shoulder in a brief wave. Her face was a new shade of pink as she had clearly not expected to be called out by her new boss. She sat down just as quickly, her gaze casting down to the floor as she did. I continued to stare at her until she raised her eyes to meet mine. When I smiled at her, conjuring up the most welcoming look I could, she diverted her eyes in an instant. I was intrigued. Her continuous dismissal of my efforts to get her attention did nothing to douse the fire that was beginning to well up from deep inside me. In fact, it only made her that much more desirable to me. She would be mine and that’s all there was to it.

  Chapter 9

  Jessica

  Regina Schultz stood before us and spoke words of encouragement and praise. What I didn’t expect was for her to call me out in front of everyone. I was just the newbie, the pee on who was to do her bidding, whatever that may be, and I was not accustomed to the attention. Everyone’s eyes were on me, including the young man who sat across the room and refused to stop staring at me. Standing slowly, my head swimming with the surge of energy I was feeling, I greeted the group before taking my seat again. His eyes met mine before I tore my gaze from his and found a spot on the floor to look at instead. Eventually, my heartbeat slowed down, and the dizziness subsided, and I was able to turn my concentration back to the front of the room.

  Applause filled the room as Regina thanked everyone again and turned away from the podium. The entire room stood to their feet, including myself, to shower our illustrious leader with audible praise. She glided down the stairs and shook several sets of hands as she walked gracefully back toward her table. When she finally reached her destination and lowered herself into her seat, everyone started to turn their attention back to the people that sat with them. Sandra leaned toward me and whispered in my ear, tearing me from my thoughts of admiration for Ms. Shultz. I snapped my head in the direction of the opposite side of the room in time to see him walking toward us.

  He was tall and incredibly good looking, but I could not dismiss the memory of the last time I had seen that man. It was the same gentleman that had ran into me in the hallway and caused my hard work to be nearly negated. As I scurried around the floor that day, gathering the papers that still floated down toward the floor landing in chaotic piles across the corridor, he had simply turned and uttered a contemptuous statement over his shoulder as he went on about his business. I had vowed to find out who he was to give him a piece of my mind. Instead, he made an appearance at the banquet and was currently headed directly toward my co-worker and me. Instantly annoyed at the audacity it took to treat someone the way he had and then act as if it never happened, I glared at him.

  Sandra giggled next to me when the young man came to a stop in front of us. I elbowed her, eliciting a cry of protest from her, followed by the distinct grumblings of a dejected woman. He beamed at us, his eyes traveling the length of my body as I looked up at him. That irritated me further and I cleared my throat loudly.

  “Hello, I am Reighn Abrams,” his voice was low and husky, almost as though he was doing it on purpose, “and you are?” He extended his hand toward me. My eyes fell onto the strong hand that was left hovering in front of me. Part of me wanted to deny him the simple act of greeting him in return, but I was better than that. I was Regina Schultz’s assistant and had a place in that world that other people would kill for and that gave me a better sense of grounding. Giving my palm a quick swipe across my skirt to remove the perspiration that was forming there, I reached out and grasped his hand in mine. I pumped his hand up and down once in greeting before withdrawing mine and waited for him to say something else. He appeared to be a little dejected, perhaps due to my dismissive attitude toward him. Reighn Abrams was waiting for me to return the sentiment and I was battling with myself. Instead of saying anything else, he simply maintained his position and waited for me to speak.

  “Nice to meet you, Reighn, I am Jessica,” of course he already knew that, the entire room knew who I was now. He smiled at me, a pretentious look that only added to my distaste for the gentleman. “Can I get you a drink?” He was clearly trying to distract me from whatever it was that was causing me to not react to him the way he wanted. I nodded in return and mulled it over quickly before responding.

  “Sure, I’ll take a gin and tonic,” I did not look at him, rather, I looked past him. The very sight of his face was causing a barrage of emotions to cascade through me and I could not wait to get him out of my personal space. He nodded once and turned away, sauntering off to the bar near the exit. I watched him walk away before feeling a sharp pain in my ribs that tore me from my thoughts.

  “That’s for elbowing me,” Sandra laughed it off before continuing, “oh my God, Jessica. Do you know who that is? I cannot believe you are acting like that man is just another Joe Blow!” She was nearly panting by the dime she finished speaking. I shrugged my shoulders at her, I had no idea who Mr. Abrams was, other than the fact that he was a complete jerk the other day in the hallway, who not only acted like the entire ordeal was my fault but refused to even offer assistance in cleaning up after himself. It was he who had been walking and texting, not me.

  “The only thing I know about that asshole is he is the one who nearly caused me to fail at my very first meeting. Remember? That man is the one I told you about that slammed into me and scattered my carefully collated paperwork onto the floor, then just left me there to clean up the aftermath,” I was already agitated by the thought and Sandra was not helping me at all.

  “THAT is Reighn Abrams, you silly girl! He is currently the top, male cover model at Threads. He really is the cat’s meow, everyone wants him and you, my friend, appear to be his next target. Congratulations!” Sandra threw her head back and laughed heartily at the idea. Her eyes sparkled with delight as she turned her head in the direction that he had gone. I looked at her unmoved. I didn’t care who the hell he was, he had no right to treat people the way he had, and I was on the verge of giving him a piece of my mind.

  My thoughts were interrupted when someone behind me cleared their throat loudly. I turned my head in time to see Reighn approach with three glasses in his hands. He held out the one in his r
ight hand to me, a slice of lime pressed onto the rim of the glass and moisture beads forming quickly on the surface of the glass. I took the glass and nodded slightly to show my appreciation. He switched one of the other glasses to his empty hand and extended it to Sandra who obliged with a smile. I put the straw between my lips and took several long swallows, the alcohol warming me from the inside despite the cool temperature of the beverage. Wiping my mouth with the back of my hand, I did my best to avoid Reighn’s intense stare. Next to me, Sandra tossed back the entire drink in a few swallows without even using the straw. She put the glass down on the table in front of us and looked between me and Reighn, a sly smile stretching her mouth to its maximum capacity. It was as though she knew something I didn’t and was truly amused by it.

  “So, Jessica,” the tone of Reighn’s voice created another tirade of conflicting emotions inside me, “you must be something else to be Regina’s new shining star. Tell me, what is about you that makes her so enamored with you?” He was fishing for information. For what purpose, I had no idea, but I decided right then to not give in to the charm he was attempting to use on me. His eyes continued to drink me in as I struggled to come up with something in retort.

  “Well, for starters I graduated a year early, and at the top of my class. Not to mention, my writing abilities have given me the edge I needed to outshine the others. Ms. Schultz has even assigned me to two major projects that I am sure are some kind of test to see what I am really capable. I intend on proving my talents to the extent that I will someday be hired on full-time,” I was rambling, and I knew it, but his stare was making me quite nervous. By the way he was looking at me, I was sure that he was searching for something. I was bent on not letting him in. Mr. Abrams would only get as much information about me as I allowed and nothing more.

  “That’s quite impressive, Jessica,” he was feigning interest in my educational adventures. Perhaps he was biding his time and would soon try to make his move. I laughed inside at the notion. I had no intention of giving in and if he thought I would be just another mindless bimbo that would willingly fall into his bed, he had another thing coming.

  “Thank you, Reighn. You will surely see my work in the fall edition of the magazine. I am doing a piece on European fashion and how it influences American style. So far, I am quite proud of it and am sure that it will meet the standards of Ms. Schultz,” the words flowed freely as I bragged on myself. I was not used to the undivided attention of such a good-looking man, but I knew how he really was and was convinced I was immune to his attempts to give him what he wanted. Reighn appeared to be listening, at least for the first few minutes. As I could have predicted, when a tall, lanky redhead walked by in a dress so tight it could have been painted on his attention was immediately dissuaded. I rolled my eyes as he practically undressed her with his eyes as I looked on, disrupted in mid-sentence by his innate actions.

  “Well, Reighn, it’s been nice meeting you in person, but I believe that Jessica and I are ready to get out of here,” Sandra’s voice caused him to snap back to reality. Blushing slightly at having being caught so obviously ogling another woman in the midst of attempting to charm another, Reighn straightened his posture and shifted his weight nervously on his feet. Sandra grabbed my arm and gave it a gentle pull, attempting to drive her point home. I looked up at Reighn in time to watch the disappointment wash across his face. A triumphant feeling swelled in my chest, warming me from the inside. I pulled my shoulders back and tilted my head up slightly, regarding him with as disdainful of a scowl as I could.

  “Before you go,” Reighn tripped on his words as he scrambled to save face, “Jessica, can I maybe get your number. Maybe we could go out sometime?” I almost laughed in his face. I wanted nothing to do with Reighn Abrams. Not then, not ever. Shaking my head in an exaggerated fashion, I turned without a word and pulled Sandra after me as I stormed toward the door, leaving him standing alone. Out of the corner of my eye I saw his shoulders slump forward. On his face, he wore a mask of shame and confusion, which only served to amuse me further. It served him right. Reighn Abrams was nothing more than a self-serving, narcissistic asshole who was only out to serve himself and I knew it. I had little room in my life for someone like that, that was for sure.

  By the time I made it home, I was completely elated with joy. Not only had I been publicly recognized by my mentor and employer, Regina Schultz, I had been given the chance to ultimately reject the advances of Mr. Reighn Abrams. I would call that a successful evening. My mind replayed the scene in my head several times as I drove home, causing me to laugh out loud to my empty car. I vaguely registered the strange looks from the people in the cars next to me as I enjoyed the afterglow of remembering Reighn’s face as I delivered the crushing blow. His ego was left shattered at his feet as I turned my back on him, denying his request and leaving him wanting. It was a glorious feeling.

  My empty apartment greeted me. I secured the lock and made my way into the bedroom, shedding my clothing as I went. I knew my roommate was out for the night with some friends, so I was reasonably sure it was safe to walk around in next to nothing. Discarding the dress onto the chair just inside my door, I unfastened my bra and slid the straps down my arms. I kicked the heels I had yet again borrowed from Courtney and sighed with relief when my heels touched the soft carpet beneath my feet. Fumbling around in my dresser, I pulled out a pair of soft, pajama shorts and a tank top. Slipping the shirt over my head and pulling it down before stepping into the shorts, I finished getting dressed. I was nowhere near ready to fall asleep, what had transpired that evening had me left in a state of high that would likely keep me awake for hours.

  Laying back on my double bed, I grabbed the remote control to my small, flat-screen poised opposite the bed on top of my dresser. I pressed the power button and the screen came to life. Flipping through the choices on the display after logging into our NetFlix account, I settled on an episode of Friends and set the programming to play the entire season. I always enjoyed that show, it was light-hearted and reflected real-life scenarios that proved the characters’ friendships could withstand the test of time. There was usually a happily ever after kind of ending that gave the viewer the impression that all one needed in life were a few good friends. While I had Courtney, the few others in my life were simply co-workers, people that I would not necessarily consider friends. I settled in and gazed mindlessly at the screen, trying desperately to come down from where I still floated above.

  Two hours later, Courtney came stumbling in, banging around in what I could only assume was a drunken haze as she tried to find her way to her room. I stood and abandoned the current episode that was I was on to assist her. She stood leaning clumsily against the couch, fumbling with her impossibly high, strappy heel. When she saw me approach, she did her best to shoo me off as I crouched down to help her.

  “Come on now, Court. You can barely stand up, let alone get these things off. Let me help you,” I spoke softly, a calming tone to my voice. She sometimes became combatant when she had been drinking and I was doing my best not to invoke that side of her. If I failed, it would likely result in a thirty-minute tirade followed by an hour of blubbering tears in which she would declare her love and affection for me as I held her hair out of the toilet bowl.

  Courtney sighed out loud and nodded, placing both hands on the top of the couch to steady herself as I unfastened the straps of both her shoes. She stepped carefully out of them, one at a time, but maintained her hold on the couch as if her life depended on it. I helped my bestie to her bed, stripping her tiny mini skirt and halter top off as I slipped an oversized t-shirt over her head, before lowering her onto her mattress. She mumbled an utterance of appreciation as she rolled onto her side and promptly began snoring. I suppose I would have to hear about her evening in the morning and knew it would be full of adventure. It always was with Courtney.

  Pulling a light blanket over her still form, I crept out of her room and closed the door softly behind me.
Making my way back to my room, I closed my door and sunk back into my mattress. I pressed the play button on the remote and continued to watch Friends for another hour before deciding to try and sleep. After the last episode of the season I had chosen ended and the credits rolled, I switched the television off. Dropping the remote onto the bed, I reached up and turned off the lamp on my bedside table. The darkness enveloped me, and the near silence of my apartment was comforting as I drifted slowly off to sleep.

  ***

  Strong hands caressed me firmly, finding the curves of my hips and lingering there for several seconds. I could feel his breath on my skin as small kisses found their way up my abdomen, past my breasts and to my neck. When I felt him bite down, his teeth sinking softly into my throat, I moaned out loud, an electric sensation traveling down my body and straight to my groin. I felt his hand running down my hip and around to my inner thigh. Squeezing my leg, he eased my thighs apart and gently touched my heated core. I arched my back to encourage his touch as his fingers found their way inside my folds to stroke my clitoris.

  His lips found mine and my eyes fluttered open. I almost pulled back, shocked at the sight of Reighn Abrams on top of me, touching me where I had not been touched since early in my college years. My mind screamed in protest, but my body was paralyzed, unable to reach up and stop him as he plunged his fingers inside me. I moaned into his open mouth as he stroked me from within. He eased his tongue slowly between my lips, engaging mine in an erotic dance, playing along its length before withdrawing slightly. Reighn bit down on my lower lip as he pressed down on my clit with his thumb, his fingers continuing their motion inside me.