by Kahlen Aymes
He ran a hand through his lush mop of hair and then over the stubble on his chin, sighing deeply. He left Angel’s later than planned and rushed to the office after stopping briefly at his apartment for a quick change of clothes.
As much as he wanted to put Bancroft on her tail to make sure she was safe, Alex hesitated, unwilling to risk her anger if she found out. No, that wouldn’t happen unless he felt he had absolutely no choice in the matter. It would be better to stay as close as he could, which had distinct advantages. Even hours later, after focusing on work and the laundry list of things he had on his plate, his body swelled to a painful throb at the memory. His mind could still conjure how she felt, her scent, the amazing way her body responded to his. The soft moans she made as he touched her most intimate places drove him wild with desire. As Alex pulled uncomfortably at the crotch of his dress slacks, he had to admit to himself that she excited him more than any woman he’d ever known, and the panic he felt over her current situation only reinforced more tender feelings he wasn’t quite ready to face.
His phone buzzed and ended his musings.
“Your father is on line one,” Mrs. Dane clipped, her even tone sounding over the intercom. “Are you available?”
“Yes, thank you, Mrs. Dane.” Alex reached for the phone and leaned back in the dark brown leather chair behind the huge mahogany desk. “Hi, Dad.”
“I thought you were going to Athens this morning? Has something happened?”
“Not at all. I just didn’t feel like traveling this week. I had Blaine Foster handle it. He’s been doing extremely well and deserves a shot.” Alex tried to hide the agitation he felt at having to explain himself.
“You love Athens. You use any excuse to go.”
“Sure, but I have a personal matter that needs my immediate attention.”
“Are you ill?”
“Nothing like that,” Alex dismissed shortly. “I’m fine.”
“Okay, I’ll leave you to it, then. How’s Cole doing?”
“He’s doing much better than I’d hoped. I put him on security and he enjoys it. Cole’s not a suit and it was a matter of finding something he liked. He’s really surprising me.”
“What do you have him doing? Security is tight already, Alex.”
“In house, yes, but he’s investigating some businesses that I’m looking at acquiring.”
“Oh. Well, wonderful. Your mother was upset that we didn’t see you yesterday, so make sure you’re there next week.”
“Dad, you put billions of dollars in my hands; I’m an adult. I don’t need to have brunch with Mommy and Daddy every Sunday,” he said absently, not really concentrating on the conversation as he fiddled with a pen, twirling it on the smooth surface of his desk. “Cole hasn’t been there in a month and a half, and you’re fine with that.”
“Maybe that will change. Your sister misses you. If you aren’t going to come to family dinners, then at least give her a call.”
“Yeah, okay.”
Alex’s door burst open and Cole stormed in with a flustered Mrs. Dane following. “Mr. Avery, you have to wait! Your brother is on the phone!”
“Alex, hang up the phone.” Cole’s tone was urgent as he stood waiting with his hands on his hips.
“Dad, I have to go.”
“Is that Cole?”
“Yes. I’ll call you later. Have a good morning.”
When Alex hung up the phone, Mrs. Dane moved forward. “Mr. Avery, I’m so—”
“It’s fine, Mrs. Dane. Will you excuse us?”
When the woman had exited the office, Alex took in Cole’s agitated appearance. “What is it? What’s happening?”
“Were you aware that Swanson was meeting with Angel this morning?”
Alex’s brow dropped. “She didn’t mention it specifically, but she hasn’t named him to me. How did you know?”
“Well…. um, since you want me to move in next door, I figured you wanted a tail on her and Bancroft is watching Mark Swanson.”
“As long as it’s at her office, it’s legitimate business. I don’t want to scare her, so keep your distance.” Alex motioned for his brother to take one of the expensive chairs that matched the leather sofa against one wall opposite the windows. “Thanks for doing that, Cole.”
Cole smiled. “Sure, dude. I like this shit. It’s fun!”
The corner of Alex’s mouth lifted sardonically and he pushed his fingers through his hair, sighing. “Unfortunately, it is freaking me the fuck out. Angel won’t tell me anything so I can’t share what I know with her, or that I’m watching that bastard. I sense she’s scared of him, but she won’t admit it.”
Cole took a notepad out of his jacket pocket and began flipping through it. “Well, I have everything you asked. I know which locations he owns and the property value, which properties he rents, who owns Angel’s building…. all of it.”
“Okay, so start buying the locations he rents as quickly as we can. We have an attorney on retainer, so use him. Offer the going rate. If that doesn’t work, increase by twenty percent. Then begin issuing eviction notices.”
“A couple of Swanson’s stores are in strip malls in the ’burbs. So, eviction notices to only his business?”
Alex’s expression hardened, his lips forming a firm line. “Only him.”
“And the other locations?”
“It depends on how long this trial takes. We might be able to hurt his cash flow enough by closing down the rentals, but start looking for locations close to the ones he owns that we can convert. We’ll start by hiring his employees away from him. He’ll be scrambling at the very least.”
“What will you do with them?”
“Put them on the payroll, find them jobs here; I don’t care. Mrs. Dane will work with HR to do it. I’ve looked at his financial statements and he doesn’t have enough liquidity to pay what Avery can. If he wants to make better offers, he’ll have to try getting loans, and that would take collateral that he doesn’t have.” The smile on his handsome face spoke volumes.
“Alex, why don’t you just tell the prick you’re going to ruin him if he threatens Angel?”
Alex shook his head. “Because it would tip my hand, and it wouldn’t be nearly as much fun. It also might make it more dangerous for her. The guy is bad news. Just consider what we’re doing a community service.”
“Okay, I’m gonna go over there and hang around, just in case.”
“I appreciate your diligence, Cole. Really. But don’t get creepy around her; she’ll probably kick you in the balls.” Alex was kidding, but only slightly; the amusement that danced over his features told Cole more than his words.
“Well, she must have a way with yours.”
Green eyes sparkled with laughter. “If you only knew.”
“So, I’ll go, then.”
Alex stopped him. “No, I think I’ll go.” He leaned forward and pressed the button on his phone that connected him to the outer office. “Mrs. Dane, please reschedule the rest of my day.”
*****
“Angel, Mark Swanson is here.” Liz’s voice was soft on the other end of the line. She didn’t use the intercom, knowing Angel wouldn’t want the man privy to her response.
“Fine. Take him into the conference room. You remember what I told you?”
“Yeah. I got it. But he asked to speak to you first.”
Despite her bravado, she was frightened. The man made her skin crawl; the way he looked at her was filled with hatred and lust. She’d use it to her advantage, but she’d have to keep her focus. She stood, smoothing down the wool crepe of her skirt before reaching into her desk drawer for lip gloss. “Fucker is going down,” she murmured to herself as she applied it, and then threw it back into the drawer.
“Send him in, Liz.”
He was dressed impeccably, his dark hair slicked back with some sort of gel that made him look more menacing. As always, he wore that same self-satisfied expression that Angel wanted to slap right off his face. She struggle
d to control her face; to keep her loathing for the man to herself.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Swanson.” Angel extended her hand and he took it between both of his, pulling her toward him just slightly.
“So, we meet again. I take pleasure in it, even though I know what you’re up to, Angel.”
She itched to pull her hand away as he began to stroke her fingers with his. “Dr. Hemming, if you don’t mind,” she insisted.
“Ah, come now, Angel. You know you want to know me better. Why don’t we just stop this nastiness, hmmm?”
She tugged her hand free and moved behind her desk, indicating that he should take one of the chairs in front of it. “Mr. Swanson, the nastiness is not my doing. I’m only here to see justice done.”
His eyes narrowed, anger sparking in them. Angel flushed. The man was a hideous monster behind the polished and refined exterior. If she didn’t know what lay behind his eyes, she would have bet money he wouldn’t hurt a fly.
“My secretary is going to administer the tests this time. I appreciate that you came in. It was unfortunate that I lost the flash drive containing the first set.”
“Cut the crap. We both know you didn’t lose those results. They just weren’t the results you wanted.”
Angel’s back straightened and she pursed her lips. “Okay, if we’re being frank, I know you’re guilty as hell. I think you are the lowest form of slime and I’m going to do whatever I can to nail your ass to the wall. Happy now?”
Mr. Swanson laughed, tenting his fingers in front of him as he studied the way Angel’s chest rose and fell, his eyes drifting down over the full swells beneath her pale mauve blouse. “Your fiery disposition only makes you even more alluring, Angel. If that’s possible. You are stunning, and I bet you’re a real tiger in the sack.”
“Ugh!” Angel was disgusted and scowled at him, her mouth thinning into a firm line as she tapped the end of her pen on her chin. “Now it’s your turn to cut the crap, Mr. Swanson. I find you nothing less than repugnant, as I’m sure most women do. I wish I could say that’s why you force yourself on innocents, but we both know you do it because you’re a sick coward and can only feel like a man when you are controlling someone weaker. Coupled with a complete lack of conscience and your narcissistic tendencies… it adds up to a morally retarded sociopath. Textbook.”
“You’re crossing a fine line, Dr. Hemming,” he said coldly, seething as the steel of his gaze bored into her as he moved forward in his chair.
“The truth hurts, I guess,” she said with bravado she didn’t feel. She squared her shoulders for the attack that would surely come next.
“You’d do well to remember who you’re dealing with. It isn’t just you who will suffer, little lady.”
“No, you crossed the line when you hurt that young woman. I want to remind you that if you lay one finger on me, or anyone I care about, you’ll be making the biggest mistake of your life. I have no time for your over-inflated, over-compensating ego, and absolutely zero interest in your teeny little weenie, other than to make sure it’s behind bars!” She smiled brightly at her nemesis. “Did you know that inmates are notoriously hostile to sex offenders?”
Mark Swanson’s face turned a mottled red. “I can do more than hurt you or teach you a lesson, you stupid little bitch! It won’t be here or when you’re expecting it, but don’t underestimate me.”
“Aspirations are always good, but I’m certain you don’t have the balls to come after me yourself.”
“Don’t. Fuck. With. Me.”
Angel forced a sly smile as hate welled up inside her. “Words to live by. You should practice what you preach.”
“I’m warning you to back off.” His tone was deadly quiet.
“Warn away.” Angel sighed lightly. “Are we through? I really do have a busy day,” she quipped, nonchalantly dismissing him with a wave of her hand and slight smile.
As if on cue, the intercom sounded. “Dr. Hemming?”
Angel watched Mr. Swanson as he worked to regain control of his temper. His face was red and contorted and his eyes blazed a trail of hatred. Angel inwardly blanched. She’d done what she needed to do. “Yes, Elizabeth?”
“Mr. Avery is here, and I’m ready for Mr. Swanson to join me in the conference room.”
Shit! What is Alex doing here? It was a classic case of bad-timing. The last thing she needed was Mark Swanson knowing more about her personal life than he already did, but there was little she could do about it now, other than try to remain professional.
“Mr. Swanson and I are finished. Send Mr. Avery in, and let me know when you’re finished with the testing. I’ll be in my office.”
Mark Swanson stood and buttoned the blazer of his grey suit. “Remember what I said, little miss,” he said, pointing a finger at her warningly.
“No, you remember what I said, asshole. You have no idea what the first set of tests showed, the second could only be to reinforce what we found.”
The door opened and Liz popped her head in. “Mr. Swanson? Please follow me.”
“We expect full disclosure,” the man said as he moved toward the office door.
“That’s between you and the District Attorney’s office. Now, if you’ll excuse me?”
She watched him exit the office as Liz held the door. Alex passed the other man on the way into her office and, instantly, Angel’s mood changed. He was impeccably dressed in a dark, expertly tailored navy suit, crisp white shirt, and a silk tie in shades of silvery grey and navy. She raised her eyebrow and grinned.
“To what do I owe this honor?”
Alex glanced around her office, registering the same elegant style that graced her condo: dark woods, sleek but plush upholstery, fine art, and a Persian rug that covered the majority of the floor in dark teals, ivory, and light mauves. He walked around her desk and took her hand, pulling her up and into his arms.
He’d recognized the bastard he’d just passed in the reception area. After seeing his face, he did recall the billboards and commercials for his dry cleaning business. Alex sighed. His determination to ruin Swanson’s life renewed as he pulled Angel closer. He hated her job, hated the risks that came with it, hated the way it made him feel, and really hated the fucker that just left. If he had his way, he’d never let her out of his sight. But, he couldn’t tell Angel any of that.
“It’s simple. I wanted to look at you. You’re beautiful.”
Angel calmed as his arms wrapped around her and hers slid around his neck of their own volition. His green eyes burned over her face, the intensity out of place for a casual visit. “Well, you’re seeing me,” she said softly. The fingers of her right hand ghosted over his jaw as she met his gaze before her lids dropped and her chin tilted, silently asking for his mouth to find hers.
His lips hovered above hers as he breathed in her sweet scent; he moved the tip of his nose slowly around hers. “Are you okay? Who was that?” Alex wanted to see if she’d tell him the truth.
“Just a subject. Are you gonna kiss me or what?”
He laughed quietly as he teased her mouth with light licks and gentle brushes. “Depends on the or what.”
Angel giggled. “Oh, baby, don’t tease me.”
“Oh, I will. You can count on it.”
“Promises, promises.”
Alex’s hand moved up her back to thread through her silken hair that was falling in soft waves down her back. His pulse quickened as his mouth finally found hers in a hungry kiss, his tongue invading her mouth until she had no doubt how she affected him. Angel’s heart thrummed in her chest and heat pooled in her core; she could almost feel her blood rushing in her veins.
“What are you doing to me?” he asked as his mouth dragged across her cheekbone. “I think of nothing but touching you, my mouth on yours, being inside you… just being able to look at you.”
She clutched at his shoulders, his words and his kisses leaving her breathless. “It’s no different for me,” she admitted softly. Her statement was so tr
ue; it physically hurt. “But, I’ll deny it if you ever repeat it.”
2
In the Dark
Alex’s heart was pounding rapidly, his breathing shallow and fast. Words were impossible. The pleasure Angel was giving him was more than he’d ever experienced. That mouth on his body, her kisses, her voice, and her words were beginning to rule his world. It didn’t matter that he’d known her less than a month, the emotions she generated were foreign but more amazing than he’d ever thought possible.
The fingers he’d wound in her hair tightened as his climax approached. The pleasure was unbearable, but he never wanted her to stop pushing him toward the explosion he knew was coming. Her beautiful mouth wrapped around his cock, sucking and licking in obvious mission to make him cum hard, was what his dreams were made of. His muscles coiled and stiffened, his balls tightened until his head fell back against the pillows and he finally couldn’t fight it any longer.
“Ahhhh!” His cry of release echoed into the room, his body jerking with the intensity of his orgasm. Angel lightened her pressure as she swallowed, but kept the suction constant, her lips and tongue caressing gently until Alex relaxed. “Oh, baby…” He glanced down. The sheet was draped over her lower back, her hair wild and full around her satisfied expression. Alex sat up slightly and slid his hands over Angel’s shoulders and down her arms to pull her up and across his body until she was lying with her head still resting on his stomach. “Oh, Angel… Oh, my God, that was so hot.”
Angel tightened her arms around him, and he stroked over her hair and back over and over as his breathing slowed. Emotion overwhelmed her and she closed her eyes. She wished time would stop and the world would go away. In this man’s arms, she found solace and ecstasy like she’d never known. In this man’s arms, she wanted to give like she never had before. Giving pleasure was a way to be in control, to bring him to his knees, but it wasn’t playing out as she planned. This was different. She cared about him against her will and pleasing him was a manifestation of her feelings. Her heart ached with it.
“You’re so perfect,” he whispered in the darkness, his fingers searching for her skin, never seeming to get enough. “Every goddamned thing about you is so fucking amazing.”
