Beautiful Liar (The Reed Rivers Trilogy Book 2)

by Lauren Rowe

  “Why don’t you decide what’s ‘way too much’ after you see it?”

  “Reed, it’s from Tiffany’s.”

  “So what? It could be a bottle opener.”

  She’s frozen. In shock.

  “Come on, Georgie. Open the box. Are you going to deny me that pleasure?”

  She looks deeply conflicted. But, still, she doesn’t move.

  “Aren’t you the least bit curious what item in a store window reminded me of you so much, I felt called to buy it for you, on the spot?”

  That does it. Her curiosity gets the best of her. With a trembling hand, Georgina takes the box from me and slowly opens it—and then sucks in a sharp inhale when she beholds the stunning treasure inside: a baroque-style ruby necklace set in Spanish gold, its multitude of deep-red gems cascading down in golden dripping, chandelier settings.

  “Oh my God,” she whispers. She puts her free hand on her heart. “Reed. This is... exquisite.”

  And so are you, I think. And it’s the truth. The look on her face is everything I dreamed it would be and more. Even though I know she’s going to sell it, this moment made buying the perfect piece of jewelry for her, rather than some placeholder that happened to be of the right monetary value, well worth it.

  Georgina’s eyes prick with tears. “It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” she whispers. She’s shaking. Flushed. Beautiful.

  “The crazy thing is,” I say, my chest heaving every bit as much as hers, “I didn’t even know rubies are your birthstone when I first saw it. The saleswoman inside the store told me about rubies after I asked her to show me the necklace. Did you know rubies are called ‘the king’s gem’?”

  Georgina shakes her head, looking like a teary-eyed deer in headlights.

  “It turns out, the king’s gem is highly symbolic. They symbolize power and blood. Passion, desire, and fire. All of which is perfect for you, Georgina, because you’re passion and power embodied. A human flame.” And you’ve infiltrated my blood. I grab Georgina’s limp hand. “Ever since I first laid eyes on you, I’ve wanted to tie you to my bed and show you what your body can do, if only you’re willing to surrender completely. But then I got to know you, and I realized I had to wait to do that with you. I knew you’d enjoy it and have fun, to be sure, which is good enough for some... but with you, I didn’t simply want to show you a good time. I wanted to show you something that would transform you.” I squeeze her hand. “Tonight’s finally the night, Georgina. You’re ready to let go completely. You’re ready to trust me. And I can’t wait another night. Tonight, you’re going to wear that necklace for me—a necklace dripping in the king’s gems—and let me worship you as my queen.”

  I’ve rendered her speechless.

  “Say yes, Georgie.”

  She swallows hard. She looks deeply conflicted. Which is exactly as expected. Indeed, I fully expected and counted on Georgina’s conflicting emotions when I bought this necklace in the first place. “I can’t,” she says. “I mean, yes, tie me up. Please. I’ve wanted you to do that since you mentioned it the other night in front of your gate. But I can’t accept this gift from you. It’s too generous.”

  “I won’t take no for an answer.”

  She frowns. “The truth is, I can’t own thousands of dollars in rubies when my father is on the brink of losing his condo, any day now. If I took this necklace from you, I wouldn’t be able to resist selling it behind your back at my first opportunity, so I could give the proceeds to my father.”

  I force myself not to smile. Damn, I’m good.

  When Henn called this afternoon to give me the grand total of what Georgie’s father owes on his condo, and also to tell me that a third notice had just gone out to him from the bank—meaning the guy is mere days away from being foreclosed upon, I knew I had to act fast. But I also knew paying off the guy’s loan would be a bit tricky.

  Georgie would never accept a straight-up check from me. That much I know. Nor could I anonymously pay off the loan. Georgie would instantly know who’d paid it... and then, quite possibly, quickly put two and two together, and think, “If Reed covertly paid off Dad’s loan, maybe he also covertly paid for Dad’s medication... and my salary.” Which, obviously, isn’t something I want Georgina to be thinking, especially now that I know the story of Mr. Gates.

  But, still, there was no question I had to pay off that damned mortgage somehow, as soon as possible, but in a way that didn’t lead Georgina straight back to me. I needed a creative solution... a way Georgina would accept the money from me, in the first place, and also that wouldn’t make her suspect my prior “donations” to her and her father.

  And then it came to me. A perfect solution. Don’t rich men impulsively buy the women they’re fucking sparkling baubles all the time? Isn’t that a trope nobody ever questions?

  Now, granted, I’ve never bought a single piece of jewelry for any woman, other than my mother. Who, by the way, never wears the thing I bought her. But Georgina doesn’t know that. Indeed, as far as she knows, I’m the kind of rich dude who sees a sparkly ruby necklace in a window at Tiffany’s and buys it for his flavor of the month on the spot, just because he can. Georgina has no idea I’d never actually do that.

  Although, come to think of it, maybe I would do that. Because, hell, I did. Today. Yes, my ultimate plan was to give Georgina a gift she could sell off, a gift that would yield the perfect payday for her and her father, without Georgina suspecting my endgame. But if paying off the mortgage had truly been my only motivation, then why did I buy this particular necklace—a piece of jewelry with almost triple the price tag of Georgina’s father’s debt? Why ask the saleswoman to see whatever pieces they had in the range of eighty grand, but then immediately ignore all the pieces she’d laid out for me the instant I happened to notice this particular ruby necklace, worth over two hundred grand, sitting in a display case on the opposite side of the store?

  Obviously, when I bought the necklace, instead of one of the options in the range of eighty grand, I wasn’t thinking about the loan any longer. I wasn’t thinking about my brilliant plan. All that mattered to me in that delirious, impulsive moment was seeing Georgina open the box that held that particular necklace. All that mattered to me was seeing that particular necklace on Georgie’s slender neck, if only for one night, and having the pleasure of fucking her in my bed while she wore it. I knew Georgie wouldn’t keep the ruby necklace for long, exactly according to plan. But, in that moment, I knew seeing Georgina wearing the perfect necklace in my bed was worth far more to me than my two hundred twenty grand.

  “I’m sorry,” she whispers. “I feel terrible admitting I’d sell it. Please forgive me.”

  I’m quiet for a long moment. Partly, because I’m pretending to process Georgina’s “shocking” confession. But also because I’m genuinely shocked. Not by the content of Georgina’s confession, but by the fact that she’s making it to me at all. Yes, I knew she’d sell the necklace. That was the point of me giving it to her in the first place. But I thought Georgina would take the necklace from me and then sell it behind my back.

  I clear my throat. “I didn’t realize things were so dire for your father.”

  Her shoulders droop. “He just got a third notice from the bank. I don’t know what that means, exactly. But I know it can’t be good.”

  “How much does your father owe, if you don’t mind me asking? Because, whether you like it or not, this necklace is yours, to do with as you please, even if that means you’re going to return it to the store for cash.”

  “Oh, gosh, no, Reed. I couldn’t possibly—”

  “Yes, you could. Unfortunately, the necklace probably won’t cover your dad’s full debt. It only cost me eighty grand. But it might help.”

  She’s flabbergasted. “Reed. Oh my God! You’re not going to believe this, but... my father owes exactly eighty grand!”

  I palm my forehead. “No.”

  “Yes!”

  “Holy shit.” I shake
my head in disbelief. “Well, that settles it, then. You have to return it and use it to pay off the mortgage. Now, I really won’t take no for an answer. Me seeing this necklace in the window was fate!”

  She chokes back a sob, and then another, but then loses her battle. She bursts into big, soggy, beautiful tears and throws her arms around my neck. “Thank you, thank you,” she murmurs into my shoulder, her body wracking as she weeps.

  “You’re welcome.” I pull back from our embrace, apparently struck by an idea. “Actually, you know what? I should return it for you. I have another meeting in Beverly Hills tomorrow. I’ll return it and immediately wire the money straight to his bank. The loan will get paid off more quickly this way. And it sounds like time might be of the essence here.”

  It’s a pack of lies, of course. I don’t have a meeting in Beverly Hills tomorrow, any more than I had one there today. My meeting today was actually in Century City, and I left midway through to head to Tiffany’s in Beverly Hills, the minute I got my brilliant idea. But I can’t let Georgie walk into that store with a ruby necklace worth over two hundred grand, when she thinks it’s only worth eighty, and find out the truth.

  Georgina pulls back from me, her face contorted with anxiety. “I just realized my dad is going to ask me how the heck I got eighty grand. And what will I say? ‘Oh, um, the CEO of River Records gave it to me as a gift, Dad!’” She scoffs. “He’ll immediately know I’m sleeping with you, Reed. And that’s not something I’m eager for him to know. I wouldn’t want him to think, even for a second, that you’ve somehow taken advantage of his precious little girl. No offense, but you’re not only rich and powerful. You’re also, you know...” She grimaces. “Thirty-four.”

  “What happened to ‘Age is just a number’?”

  She pulls an adorable face. “Yeah, well, that may be my philosophy, but my father doesn’t share it. At least, not when it comes to his baby girl. He thinks I’m far more naïve and inexperienced than I am. If he found out we’re sleeping together, he’d think you’ve been taking advantage of me somehow.”

  “And he’d be right.”

  She smiles, assuming I’m joking. But, unfortunately, I’m not. How could I not be taking advantage of this naïve, sweet, inexperienced twenty-one-year-old? I know Georgina thinks she’s seen it all, but she’s wrong about that. Adorably, amusingly wrong. I keep telling myself the end justifies the means. I tell myself I’ve helped her and her father immeasurably. That my intentions, in the beginning, weren’t solely lascivious—I also had other, parallel intentions, that were altruistic and good. All of which means I’m helping her, not taking advantage of her, even if I’ve also reaped some benefits along the way. It’s what I tell myself. But with each passing day, as Georgina’s hazel eyes increasingly fill with trust and affection toward me... I’m beginning to worry I might be barreling toward a catastrophe here. One I won’t be able to fix.

  “I wouldn’t blame your father for thinking I’m too old for you,” I admit. “To be honest, I’m thinking the same thing. I’m deeply conflicted about how young you are, Georgina. A month ago, I never would have believed I’d be dating a twenty-one-year-old. And yet, here I am.”

  Her face lights up. “You’re dating me, Mr. Rivers?”

  Shit. What did I just commit to? And how can I get myself uncommitted, if needed, without ruining this good thing?

  “I thought you said you’re merely ‘seducing me,’” she sings out happily, and the look of unadulterated joy on her face instantly shoos away my threatening anxiety, the way a shaken broom shoos away a stray cat.

  “Yes, I said that,” I say. “But, at this point, I think we can both agree: seduction complete.”

  She straddles me on the couch and throws her arms around my neck. “I’m glad you’re dating me.” She bats her eyelashes. “Even if it’s got to be a secret for a little while.” She gasps. “Oh! I just got a great idea! I could tell my father the money to pay off his mortgage came from that same cancer charity that paid for his medication!”

  My heart stops. Shit. Fuck. No. Shit. This is it. Holding my breath, I scrutinize Georgina’s face for any sign she’s figured me out. Is this a test? Is she daring me to confess sins she already knows I committed? Is this the same as when she asked me about a sexual harassment lawsuit I’d settled, when she’d already had Stephanie’s complaint sitting in a box in her room? But, no. I don’t see anything on Georgina’s lovely face except beautiful, blissful ignorance.

  “That’s a great idea,” I say, regarding Georgina’s idea to credit the cancer charity. “Do you have your father’s account information, so I can wire the funds to the bank tomorrow?”

  “I do.”

  “Great. The loan will be totally paid off by close of business tomorrow.”

  She can’t contain her effusive joy. She hugs me and kisses every inch of my face, making me hard as a rock. I put my palms on Georgina’s cheeks. “But before I return that necklace tomorrow, you’re going to take off those clothes and slip on that ruby necklace. We’re going to dine in the formal dining room. And then I’m going to take you upstairs and give you a night you’ll never forget.”

  Chapter 24

  Reed

  Georgina rises from the couch and begins peeling off her clothes. So, I peel off mine. When we’re both naked, I turn her around, brush her dark hair to the side, and lay soft, sensuous kisses along the nape of her neck before finally placing the necklace around her neck. The necklace in place, I push my cock into her ass and kiss her neck and shoulder. I reach around and touch her breasts. Pinch her nipples. Whisper to her that she’s perfect. And, soon, she’s so aroused, her knees are buckling.

  Still kissing her neck and shoulders, I begin gently stroking her slit, until she’s swollen and trembling. Aching for me. Dying for me. Until, finally, I touch her clit. Two seconds later, she cries out, digs her fingernails into my arm, and comes.

  “You only get little ones for now,” I whisper, pushing my cock into her ass. “To get you excited for the big ones to come later.”

  She shudders. “I’m so wet for you, Reed.”

  “And you’re going to stay that way. Turn around.”

  She complies. And, when I see the fire in those hazel eyes, the fire in those rubies dripping off her neck toward her pink, erect nipples, my cock twitches with arousal. The head of my cock is already beaded with pre-cum. Its shaft is straining for her. My skin is hot. But tonight is all about the slow-burn. It’s a night to savor, every bit as much as the special bottle of Bordeaux we’re going to drink.

  “You need to see yourself right now.”

  I take Georgina’s hand in mine and lead her to a nearby mirror, and then stand behind her, the tip of my cock brushing her ass, as she takes in her glorious, glowing reflection.

  As she stares at herself, she touches the necklace, in awe of it. “It’s so beautiful. Thank you for seeing it and thinking of me.”

  “I had no choice. It was made for you. It belonged to you, even as it sat in the store window.” I kiss her shoulder, making her shudder with arousal. “Amalia left an incredible meal for us in the oven. Eggplant parmigiana. Another favorite of mine. We’ll eat at the big table, on opposite ends.” I nuzzle my nose into her hair and inhale her glorious scent. “And then, I’m going to carry you upstairs, my queen, and give you a night that will change you forever.”

  ***

  Georgina, my queen, is wearing nothing but her ruby collar. I’m wearing nothing but a smile. We’re sitting in high-backed upholstered chairs at opposite ends of my long dining table, the air between us crackling with sexual heat. And we’re eating and chatting and sipping a bottle of Bordeaux, like all of this is the most natural thing in the world.

  In fact, I think it’s the apparent normalcy of this meal, while we’re both naked and fully aroused, that’s making it so scorching hot. It’s the calm before the storm, the ultimate foreplay, and we both know it.

  Finally, when both our plates are empty and Georgina’s sec
ond glass of wine is gone, I push my empty plate and goblet aside and rise, showing her my erection.

  “Come to me,” I say, my eyes locked with hers. “Crawl across the table on all fours and come to me.”

  She doesn’t hesitate. She pushes her plate and glass aside, the way I just did, places her linen napkin onto her plate, and rises. With her eyes trained on mine, she climbs onto the table on all fours, and proceeds to crawl slowly across it, like a cat.

  Well, isn’t that fitting, I think. Because, since the moment we met, Georgina and I have been engaged in a game of cat and mouse—a game in which both players have thought, at one time or another, they were the cat. But now, watching my glorious feline traversing the length of my table, I feel our roles cementing. Georgina is the cat in our relationship. There’s no doubt about it. And I’m the wolf.

  She comes to a halt in front of my straining cock, licking her lips. Her eyes ablaze, she whispers, “I’ve been fantasizing about—”

  I put up my palm. “From here on out, you won’t speak except when given a command or asked a question. When I give you a command, you’ll reply ‘Yes, sir.’ When I ask you a question, you’ll answer it fully, but say nothing more.”

  Her hazel eyes flicker with heat. “Yes, sir.”

  I run my thumb over her full lower lip. “You never have to do anything you don’t want to do, Georgina. Not with me or anyone else. Ever. I have no desire to hurt or humiliate you. I only desire to give you the most outrageous pleasure of your life—an extreme form of it you didn’t know was possible. If you don’t want me to do something, tell me so. It’s as simple as that. I don’t want to force you to do anything. I don’t want to cause you discomfort, let alone pain. If you feel pain, which you shouldn’t, tell me so, and I’ll immediately stop whatever I’m doing. If you’re scared, say so—and, again, I’ll stop whatever I’m doing so you can catch your breath and decide if you want to proceed. At which point, you’ll tell me so, clearly and without equivocation. Do you understand?”