Systematic Seduction

by Ravenna Tate

  “I don’t want you to leave,” he said.

  “I won’t.”

  “Can we just stay here?” His voice was far away, and she wondered what would happen if they both fell asleep like this.

  “Yes. Let’s stay here all day.”

  His phone rang, but he ignored it. Blair closed her eyes, so sleepy now.

  Her head jerked up when the door handle jiggled. How much time had passed between the phone ringing and someone trying to get inside his office? Had she fallen asleep? She was completely disoriented and had no idea how long ago they’d eaten lunch.

  He moved her gently off him and told her to stay on the sofa. Blair curled up in a ball as she watched him adjust his pants and shirt. He’d never even removed his shoes, but she was stark naked.

  Oliver opened the door a crack. “What is it?”

  “I’m sorry to disturb you.” The voice belonged to one of his administrative assistants, whose name escaped her at the moment. “There’s a man here to see Blair, and someone on her team said she was in your office.”

  Blair sat up, fear coursing through her like hot pokers. Her clothes were across the room. If she tried to get to them, whoever was out there would see her.

  “Who is it?” asked Oliver, his voice dripping with annoyance.

  “He said his name is Donny Gallagher, and he used to be married to her.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Oliver felt like Kiera had punched him in the gut. He struggled to maintain a neutral expression because she looked at him with trepidation. He’d never locked his door before. “Where is he?”

  Kiera leaned closer and lowered her voice. “Right around the corner in the reception area.”

  “Tell him we’ll be there in ten minutes.” Oliver didn’t want Blair’s ex-husband in his office.

  “Thank you.” Kiera sounded relieved.

  Oliver closed the door. He’d never done anything like this, and wouldn’t expect any of his administrative assistants to keep it quiet. But right now wasn’t the time to think about the gossip this would generate.

  He turned to face Blair. She was already off the sofa and pulling on her clothes. He pointed toward the door to his private bathroom. “You can use it first if you want.”

  She nodded once, sprinted into the room, and slammed the door behind her. He stood against the wall and tried to think. Why the fuck would her ex show up here, of all places? Then he remembered she’d divorced him two years ago, so of course he’d know where she worked. Blair hadn’t been in her apartment more than a few minutes at a time for over a month. It was possible he’d tried to track her down there first.

  But what the hell did he want? Should he let them talk alone? What did Blair want to do?

  She emerged, all put back together with her hair in place, but her eyes were haunted and full of pain. Oliver crossed the room and hugged her tightly. He had almost told her he loved her about a dozen times while paddling her and fucking her, and now he wished like hell he had.

  “It’s going to be okay.”

  She pulled away and looked at him like he’d just told her the hacking was a joke and they could all go home now. “How? How the fuck will this be okay?”

  “Want me to come with you to talk to him?” It wasn’t necessary to address her question. He didn’t think it would be all right anymore than she did.

  “No. Yes. Shit. I don’t know.”

  He placed a hand on each shoulder. “Sit down and drink some water. I’ll go into the bathroom, and then we can make a plan. Okay?”

  “Okay. Yes. That’s good. All right.”

  He watched her carefully for a few seconds, certain the signs of a panic attack would surface any second, but they did not. Once he took care of his own needs, he sat beside her on the sofa where only moments ago, he’d held her in his arms, enjoying the afterglow of the most fucking fantastic play and sex he’d ever had.

  “What does he want?”

  Her voice was small, like a child’s.

  “Let’s go find out together.”

  She gazed at him with skepticism in her eyes. “Are you sure you want to hear this, whatever it is?”

  Tell her now!

  “Blair, what happens to you happens to me. We’ll face down anyone and anything from your past together. Got it?”

  She looked at him like he’d hung the moon. The real moon. “Got it. Thank you.”

  They locked gazes again, but Oliver knew this wasn’t the right time to talk about love and happily-ever-after. He took her hand and they left his office together, still holding hands when he walked around the corner to the reception area. Her palm grew damp as Oliver checked out the man who had been able to convince this extraordinary woman to say “I do”. He was nothing, which didn’t surprise him from her description.

  He swore she was shaking as Oliver extended his free hand. “Oliver Fairchild.”

  Dark, narrow eyes regarded him with open scorn. His gaze cut to their linked hands, and then a stupid smirk spread over his chiseled face. “Oh, okay. I see.” He finally shook Oliver’s hand. “Donny Gallagher. I assume she’s told you about me?”

  His tone was challenging, hopeful that Blair had said nothing to him at all about her short-lived marriage.

  Oliver forced his voice to stay neutral and soft. “Sure, if you count her telling me you and your friends tried to gang-rape her while you were drunk. What can I do for you today?”

  Some of the fight left his expression, and his gaze cut to Blair’s face. “I’m here to talk to Blair.”

  “Well then, let’s have a seat.”

  “No, I don’t think you heard me. I’m here to talk to my wife.”

  Oliver bit the inside of his cheek to suppress a smile. “She’s your ex-wife, and you’re not saying anything to her without me present.”

  He sneered at Blair. “Does he own you?”

  “What the hell do you want, Donny? Why are you here?”

  Oliver wanted to kiss her. Hard. Not a trace of fear or uncertainty had tinged her voice. She might as well be addressing a stranger who’d harassed her on the street. She stood straight, her gaze level and steady. Only someone holding her hand as he still did would know how much she was fighting panic inside.

  “I’m not telling you with an audience.”

  “Then I guess you wasted your time coming here.”

  She’d actually begun to walk away when his next comment stopped her.

  “I tried your apartment, but your neighbors said you’re spending your nights somewhere else.”

  She turned and gave him a look that would melt the polar ice caps. “And?” Her gaze cut to his left hand, which was bare. “What happened? The barfly leave you for greener pastures, so you thought you’d see if I was free?”

  Oliver could barely contain his laughter. Judging by the look on Donny’s face, Blair had nailed it.

  Donny ran a hand through greasy hair. “Look, let’s go somewhere and talk, okay? Just to catch up.”

  Blair let go of Oliver’s hand and stepped forward. Oliver watched in fascination as confusion crossed Donny’s face. She likely had never raised her voice to him, or challenged him in any way, and the man clearly had no clue how to handle this confident version of Blair.

  “Catch up with what? We have nothing to say to each other.”

  He narrowed his eyes slightly. “Oh, I have plenty to say.”

  “Go on. We’re listening.”

  Oliver glanced at a watch that wasn’t there. “Make it quick. I have a meeting in ten minutes.”

  “Oh, you’re so cocky, aren’t you? I came here with a purpose that concerns you, too.”

  There’s a surprise. Oliver couldn’t hold back the chuckle this time. He glanced from Donny to Blair, who looked thoroughly confused. Then he walked toward the intercom.

  “Hang on a second,” she said. “I want to hear this.”

  Oliver did, too, but he wasn’t as patient as she was. “All right.” He nodded toward Donny. “You have
the floor.”

  “I want alimony.”

  This time, she laughed. “Alimony? Donny, we have a divorce decree that’s over two years old. It’s a done deal.”

  “Yeah, but now that you’re dating mister big shot here, I want a piece of the pie.”

  Oliver rolled his eyes. “Yeah. Not gonna happen, dude.” He pushed the button. “Kiera, have security come and escort Mr. Gallagher off the property, please.”

  Donny looked agitated now, and Blair stepped back. Oliver took her hand and guided her closer to him. He could already hear footsteps in the hall. Donny had about five seconds to make his case.

  “I didn’t get shit in that divorce, Blair.”

  “We didn’t have shit. You kept your crappy apartment. What more did you want?”

  “You still have a job that pays well.”

  “Not my problem you could never keep one.”

  “Yes, it is.”

  “Really? Want to explain why?”

  Two burly men in dark shirts and Dockers strolled into the room like they had all the time in the world. One of them cocked a brow, and Oliver held up a finger. “We’ll give him one more chance.”

  Donny looked a lot less sure of himself than when he and Blair had first entered this room. He glanced from Oliver to Blair.

  “I’m waiting,” she said. “Tell me why it was my problem you couldn’t hold down a job.”

  Oliver had the urge to ask Kiera for popcorn. He loved seeing Blair like this. Had he helped her reach this state of a strong, take-no-shit-from-assholes woman? God, he hoped so.

  “You didn’t encourage me.”

  “I was too busy working, Donny. Working and paying the bills, and trying to figure out why I had married you.”

  Donny glanced toward the security guards, who watched him with bored expressions.

  “Well … that doesn’t matter. I want some of the money now.” He reached into his pants pocket, causing both guards to advance toward him, but all he pulled out was a crumpled piece of paper. “I have it all worked out. A year dating you, then three months of marriage, and what I think my time is worth.”

  Donny thrust the paper toward Blair, but one of the guards took it, then passed it to Oliver. Donny opened his mouth to say something, but Oliver glared at him until he finally closed it.

  Oliver had heard enough. “You have one last chance to tell me why I shouldn’t kick your ass out of my building.”

  “Oh. Throw me off the property. How CEO of you. You’ve come up in the world, Blair.”

  “Yes, I have. Thanks to Oliver.”

  Her quiet voice, so filled with love, made Oliver’s heart soar. Donny gave her a look that was nothing short of pure disgust. “Oh, fuck you. I’ll see you and your boyfriend in court.”

  Oliver nodded toward the men, who each took one of Donny’s arms and led him from the room. Oliver gathered Blair close. She was stiff as a board, and he knew she was about to cry.

  “What the hell is he talking about? How the fuck can he sue me for alimony?”

  “He can sue for anything he wants, but I wouldn’t give it one more second of worry.” He kissed her hair. “Nothing will come of it.”

  “I want him gone. I want him in another city. All these months I haven’t heard from him.” She pulled out of his arms and paced the room. “Why now? Why did he do this?”

  “Because we’re online, love. I mean our pictures are. Together.”

  She pulled out of his embrace and looked at him like she wanted to bolt. This was exactly what she had not wanted, but it was part of his life. It was part of the life of any woman who dated him. She knew that, but Oliver also understood she didn’t like it.

  “Yeah.” She looked and sounded defeated. “I guess I didn’t think about that.”

  “I’m sorry. He can’t actually hurt us. Surely you know that.”

  She’d never be able to do this. Live a life with him under constant watch like this. The Donny Gallaghers of the world were out there, and she was an easy target for men like that. He was an easy target for them, too, but for different reasons. He wasn’t worried about that aspect of it. He’d weathered far worse than a crazy ex-husband who thought he could extort money.

  Blair crossed her arms and stared at her shoes. “I don’t know what to say right now.”

  That tone in her voice scared the shit out of him. She sounded like she’d already lost the fight. He reached for her again, but she took a step back and put up her hands. Oliver was certain the pain tearing through him would never stop.

  “No. I need to think. I need to be alone.”

  He swallowed hard. “Okay. Go back to the apartment. Don’t worry about finishing the work day. We’ll have dinner later and talk about it.”

  As he watched the emotions cross her face, Oliver knew she wasn’t going back to his apartment tonight. He could barely breathe. The words were right there, but if he said them now, it would sound like he was playing on her emotions. It wouldn’t sound real.

  “Just tell me you’re okay,” he said. “Tell me no panic attacks are on the way.”

  She shook her head. “They’re gone, Oliver. Completely gone. You did that for me.”

  “Then let me help you past this, too.” He sounded desperate, but he didn’t care. If he lost her, he’d die.

  “I can’t right now. I’ll see you later.”

  He watched her walk away, then stood in the doorway and watched her get on the elevator. She never even glanced at him again. Oliver stood there a long time, trying to hang onto the rest of his sanity.

  What the hell was he going to do? He couldn’t lose her. He couldn’t. She was everything he’d ever wanted, and he’d be damned if he’d allow some piece of lowlife shit to drive her away.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Blair went back to her office just long enough to lock her computer and grab her bag. She went to the security office and asked the men who had come to the reception area on the top floor whether Donny had left the property, and they assured her they’d watched him walk away and around a corner.

  “Which direction did he go?”

  “North.”

  Good. She lived south. “Thank you.”

  She still glanced over her shoulder every few minutes as she walked back to her apartment, but she saw no one she recognized.

  Inside, it smelled musty. She’d spent no more than a few moments here in the past five weeks. It no longer felt like home. It occurred to her she had no clothes here, no food, and no personal items. They were all at Oliver’s place. Oliver’s place was home now.

  Blair choked back a sob, but then let the tears come. She wanted to be back in Oliver’s office, making love. And this time, he would tell Kiera to send Donny away. She wanted to erase the years of her life from the day she was raped. She wanted to go back to the day she’d met Donny, and this time she wouldn’t even speak to him. She wanted to go back to the first day Oliver had asked her out, and this time, she’d say “yes”.

  Blair lay on the sofa and curled up in a ball, crying so hard she could barely breathe. She cried for her mother, and the horrible pain she must have been in to allow her teenage daughter to be in constant danger in her own home. She cried for the desperation her mother must have felt to drown her pain in booze and pills.

  She cried for all the stupid men she’d given away her emotions to, especially Donny. She cried for the wasted time, and the chances at real love she’d thrown away without likely knowing it.

  Blair sat up and brushed her face. She did have a chance at real love. His name was Oliver Fairchild, and she knew he loved her. He didn’t have to say it. She saw it in his eyes, and felt it in his touch. She’d seen it a half hour ago as she’d pushed him away and told him she needed to be alone.

  “God … no. Please tell me I haven’t lost him.” Her whisper sounded eerie in the empty apartment.

  Had she lost him? Was it too late? It couldn’t be. What the hell was she doing here? She should have stayed at the office
with him. He was perfect. Gorgeous, charming, sexy, and he’d fought for her just now. He’d dismissed Donny like the asshole he was. Oliver had seen right through him, and waved him away as if he’d been a gnat, buzzing around food.

  Oliver had written a silly little play for her. He’d found a rare script and made sure the cast signed it. He’d bought her an exquisite necklace, simply because he loved the color on her. He’d found flowers that reminded her of home. He’d eaten food that gave him horrible heartburn, just to be with her. He was the man of her fantasies, and she had pushed him away when she needed him most.

  But how could he love someone like her? Now that he’d seen firsthand the kind of man Blair Adams hooked up with, he’d realize that if he stayed with her, this was what he’d be up against for the rest of his life. Her past couldn’t be erased, and surely by now Oliver saw that it would rear its ugly head, over and over.

  One man is not your entire past rising up to haunt you.

  Intellectually, she knew that was true, but she had trouble fighting the feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness that descended over her brain like a shroud. She tried to use her visualization techniques, but after five weeks of not having to, she was out of practice. They weren’t working this time because she was so angry! Angry at Donny, and terrified she’d lost Oliver.

  She paced her apartment, slamming one fist into the other palm. How dare that fucking asshole show up and demand money? How dare he! What kind of a moron does something like that? Oliver would never forget this. He’d decide he wanted no part of her fucked up past. Any normal man would.

  Blair went into her bedroom and glanced around. She didn’t belong here. She belonged with Oliver. She lay down on the bed, but it felt unfamiliar now. How was that possible? She’d lived here for over two years.

  Because you don’t belong here!

  She rolled onto her back and stared up at the ceiling, wishing she’d taken a chance and told Oliver she was in love with him. But would that have changed anything? No. Donny still would have shown up and threatened to sue her for alimony. What if he actually did it? She couldn’t deal with it. She’d have to hire an attorney, and everything she’d gone through would surface again. Her panic attacks might return. At the very least, Oliver would wash his hands of her and the fucked up baggage she came with.