The Benefactor

by Nana Malone

  “Honey, he and his friends, all three of them, were part of family businesses. But they decided to do their own thing. If anyone is going to understand you, it’s him. There’s nothing easy about the man. I can see that. But let’s not forget he arranged the meeting with Forest Smith to help you with your writing dreams. And I’ve also seen how he looks at you. Like he’s conceived of all the possible ways to gobble you up. That’s what you need. You need someone who challenges your brain, and your vagina. What’s he packing? Nine, ten inches?”

  I groaned. “Telly!”

  “What? Sorry. Every now and again, in the far recesses of my mind, I think I miss dick. And then I have to deal with a man, and I realize, nope, don’t miss it at all. Not that the P doesn’t come with its own challenges. How do I know what women want?”

  I laughed. “Stop it. You love Carmen.”

  “Oh, I’m teasing. Carmen is awesome. I just want you to have awesome too.”

  I sighed. “And I will. It’s just not going to be named Ben Covington.”

  She groaned. “Fine, be stubborn. Still cold war?”

  “The nippiest.”

  “You know I got you right? I’m on your side. Whatever you need.”

  “Thanks Tell. I know. I just… I can’t just let it go.”

  “And I get that. You shouldn’t. He did hurt you, so he has to make it up to you in some way.”

  “Right.” I heard the front door open and I groaned. “Well, Satan is back, so I have to go.”

  “Tell him that I would like to borrow the throne today. And so he has to relinquish it just for the moment.”

  “I’ll tell him.” I hung up with her and strolled out into the living room.

  Ben tossed his keys into the little dish by the door and then strolled into his kitchen, tugging the freezer open.

  “There’s no more ice cream.”

  “How did you know that’s what I was coming in for?” He lifted his head and slid me a sidelong glance.

  My answer was a raised brow.

  He rolled his eyes. “Fine. Where did it all go?”

  “Ann Marie said she’ll buy more.” The housekeeper had been more than sweet, especially considering what had happened to Constance at the loft and the fact that she’d not only had to relocate to Covington House but also pick up Constance’s cooking duties while she recovered. I’d gotten her whole life story when I’d first come to stay.

  “Fine, I just want to have a drink. Do you want one?”

  I shook my head. “No. Thank you.” I did seat myself at the island though. “So… Lucas.”

  His chuckle was soft. “Yeah?”

  “He’s really a prince?”

  Ben nodded. “Yes. King Sebastian’s half-brother.”

  “And he’s Jessa’s brother too?”

  He nodded. “I don’t know why, but it’s always hard for me to see Jessa as a princess. Maybe because she’s Roone’s wife, or more likely because I knew her before she was a princess.”

  “How did that happen again?”

  He blew out a breath and ran his hands through his hair. “Long story, but short version, King Cassius was a very bad boy. Sebastian found his siblings after his father died. He made sure they were officially recognized. And then Jessa married my cousin.”

  “Wait, her husband is your cousin? Roone is your cousin?” My jaw hung open. There was absolutely zero family resemblance.

  Ben nodded. “Yeah.”

  “Wow, one giant incestuous family.”

  “Are we talking hot incest or the creepy kind?”

  I wrinkled my nose. “There’s another kind of incest besides the creepy kind?”

  He laughed. “Sorry. Bad joke. Are you okay?”

  I frowned. “Why do you do that, ask about me, always checking on me?”

  Sharp, ice-blue eyes narrowed at me. “Take a guess.” He placed his glass gently on the countertop and then planted his hands, leaning forward. His entire focus was on me. I wanted to squirm under the scrutiny. The way he looked at me, it was as if I was the only person that mattered. It was heady. Intoxicating. A feeling I could get used to.

  Get used to nothing. It won’t last.

  “I can’t deal with it.” Mainly because I liked that intense stare too much. I liked the way his gaze tracked me like I was prey or something that needed watching. Like he was wary, but also anticipatory. That look was possessive and wouldn’t be ignored.

  “Tough. I’m not going to stop. You’re mad. Fair enough. I’m not thrilled with you either. But that doesn’t’ mean I’m packing it in or walking away. When I want something, I go after it. When I find what I want, I don’t give up. Ever. So get used to it. You’re mine.”

  I wanted to laugh at his impudence. Instead it came out more like a sputter. “I-I’m not a possession.”

  “You’re not. You’re just mine to protect.”

  Not sure how to respond, I changed the subject. “How long have you known the prince?”

  “He’s spoken for.” His voice was tight when he said it.

  “I’ve had my fill of filthy rich men who have boatloads of secrets. Let me guess, he’s in your little secret club too?”

  Ben laughed then. “No. Lucas wishes he was that cool.”

  “Then why is he helping you?”

  “Well…” He paused and took another sip of his scotch before placing it back on the counter. His ice-blue gaze narrowed on mine as if he was trying to ascertain how much to tell me exactly. “Lucas, before he was a prince, was a thief. A very good one. He ran with the kind of people that would make your stomach turn, from the way I’ve heard it told. He has the devil’s own charm, but you probably shouldn’t trust him with your bank details.”

  I lifted my brows. “He’s a thief?”

  His grin flashed, and my pussy clenched. Dear lord, I could only hold out for so long. “Thief is such a harsh word.”

  “Ben, he stole things from people.”

  “He doesn’t hurt people. He just steals from the rich. And right now, we need to steal from the rich too.”

  “You’re going to steal that diamond?”

  “Yes. If it’s what Rowan Downs wants, it’s what we’ll give him. In exchange, we’ll get to ruin Bram Van Linsted.”

  “Your vengeance is that important to you?”

  “Yes, it is. And it’s the only way I can guarantee your safety.”

  When he said things like that, I wanted to believe him. I wanted to believe that he cared about me. That he could care about anyone other than himself. But I knew better than to trust that feeling. I knew that I would get caught in the crossfire eventually. That I would be the one disappointed. That in the end, he would become bored, and I would be left alone. So it was in my best interest not to trust it. He came around the corner, his gaze intent on mine.

  “What are you doing?”

  “You’re watching me like you want me to do something.”

  Vagina: About damn time.

  “No, I was very clear. You and I are done.”

  The corners of his lips tipped up in a smirk. “Uh-huh.”

  As my mother would say, Yesu Kristo. It was like saying Jesus Christ to the nth power. “What are you doing, Ben?” I backed away from the counter. Fleeing was really my best chance at survival. “Look, while it was fun and all that, it wasn’t that great.” When in doubt, lie through your teeth. I’d become good at that.

  “You and I both know it was better than just average. We saw the stars. Where are you running to Livy?”

  I swallowed, maintaining my retreat into the living room. “Fine, you know what you’re doing. But it doesn’t mean I want a repeat performance. Especially not if it comes with lies and strings.”

  He laughed. “You lied too.”

  “I didn’t lie. I made a copy and I didn’t tell you about it. I only omitted things.”

  “Just as bad. We’re both liars. And really, honestly, you’re only hurting yourself here. You miss me.”

  I swallowed a
s I clenched again, aching for him. “I don’t.”

  He stepped into my space, crowding me, his scent wrapping around me like a tempting mist to the siren’s call, pulling me toward my own demise. “Every time I’m around you, I can feel this. I miss this. My body hums with the need to be near yours, and I can tell by the way your pupils dilate when you’re around me that you miss it too. You miss everything about this. Why are you torturing yourself?”

  “I’m not torturing myself. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  He leaned forward even closer. His lips a breath of a whisper from my ear. “Okay, you just keep telling yourself that. But let’s not forget, I can make you want this again.”

  He pulled back then, leaving me with my knees weak, my breath coming out harsh in ragged pants, and my skin flushed.

  When he turned around, he grabbed his drink and headed to his bedroom on the other side of the house.

  Goddamn him. He could make me want this. And I wasn’t sure how long I could hold out.

  12

  Ben

  One universal truth I was sure of, Livy Ashong was stubborn.

  While I couldn’t make her want me again, I didn’t take into account that I would want her more every day. It certainly didn’t help that she was running around the house in tight yoga pants most nights.

  It was either yoga pants at home, or one of those pencil skirts she favored during the day. In Wednesday’s planning meeting, her no-nonsense attitude just made me want her more. And then, of course, there was good old project manager Kevin. Every time I saw that idiot sniffing around her, it made my chest tight. I knew I had to wait her out, though. I couldn’t go and club her over the head and drag her back to my cave.

  I wanted to. God, everything would have been so much easier if I could just fuck her stubbornness out of her, but like before, she had to come to me. It had been torture being locked in the house with her all weekend and having her just out of reach. I’d fucked up, and she had to decide if she’d forgive me for it or not. I was losing my patience though.

  When I walked into the office Monday morning, I walked by the corner conference room, and there was her name on the door. Right next to Kevin Lynch’s. The two of them were holed up in there discussing God knew what.

  Way to be rational, you eejit. But at that point, anyone who knew me knew that I couldn’t be rational when it came to Liv. I opened the heavy oak door and found her presenting something to Kevin about the Peterman project. She was bent over her files and was searching for something, and Kevin’s gaze was on her ass… again.

  I couldn’t help myself. I knew she wouldn’t thank me for it, but the guy was leering at her. “Lynch, give us a minute.”

  Kevin’s gaze flickered between me and Livy. “Ah, sir, Jessa asked us to get these presentations together for her by the end of the week, and we need as much time as we can get.”

  I forced my hands in my pockets so I wouldn’t be tempted to pummel his face then gave him a withering glare. With a distinct economy of movement, he hightailed it out and made himself scarce.

  I couldn’t exactly explain why I locked the door after him.

  Insanity. It explains all the symptoms.

  When we were alone, Livy crossed her arms and lifted a brow. “What is your problem?”

  Good question. What was my problem? Besides sexual frustration and some spotty-faced kid making moves on my woman. “My problem is you.” Yeah, and not fucking her.

  She started to pack up their folders. “I’ll just take this meeting to my office. This is why you don’t sleep with your boss,” she mumbled to herself.

  “Lynch is looking at you like you’re steak and he’s starving, and you’re in here, bending over, showing him all your assets. If the walls were glass, they’d have been fogged up the way he was panting after you.”

  She reached up to her glasses and slid them slowly down her nose. She then very calmly placed them on the table, slowly advancing until she stood in front of me. “Are you out of your fucking mind?”

  What the fuck? Why was she talking to me like this? “No.”

  “Okay, you’re ill then. Delusional maybe?”

  She’s making a point, you wanker. “Seriously, the git was all over you.”

  “Oh, really? And you think I am incapable of being professional or, I don’t know, doing my job?”

  I opened my mouth to respond then wisely shut it again. She was getting ready to deliver my balls on a platter. I could tell. She had that gleam in her eye. Unfortunately, that gleam also made my dick hard. The more she glowered, the harder I became.

  “That’s not what I’m saying.”

  “Isn’t it, though?”

  “Of course, you’re professional.”

  “Then why are you, my boss’s boss, in here lecturing me on workplace decorum again? Just what is it you’re implying? Are you accusing me of not being able to do my job?”

  “Don’t be ridic—” I didn’t get to finish.

  “Or are you lecturing me about him possibly finding me attractive because that seemed like a him problem, not a me problem?”

  She was correct. That was a me problem. “No, I just meant—”

  “Or are you in here because you’re simply fucking jealous?”

  My brows snapped down at that one. “I’m not jealous. You were the one bent over in front of him, giving him a perfect view of your ass.”

  The right corner of her lips tipped up. “I don’t have time for this.”

  “Liv… Fuck.” I scrubbed my hand down my face. “That’s not what I’m saying. I’m just… I fucking don’t know.”

  No way should I have put my hands on her. But I couldn’t help myself. I placed my palms against her hips and lifted her up, placing her on the edge of the conference table.

  Her dark eyes went wide and she blinked up at me. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

  “You can act like you don’t feel this between us, but I will be damned if you walk around acting like you don’t know Kevin wants you. Antagonizing me. Do you know what the fuck you’re doing to me?”

  “I’m not doing anything. Trust me, I’m not naïve enough to believe that you actually want me. You’re just irritated that your playthings are no longer available.”

  I leaned in. God, I wanted to bite her bottom lip. It was so plump. Juicy, sweet. I wanted to suck on it. I wanted to slide my tongue over it, easing my tongue between her lips, making her moan. “You’re teasing me. Stop it.”

  “I know this is confusing for you, but I don’t do things just to irritate you. I’m not even thinking about you.”

  I leaned forward some more. My lips a breath from hers. A little whimper escaped at the back of her throat, and I knew my answer. She wanted me. She wanted this. But she wasn’t going to ask for it.

  And until she asked for it, I wasn’t giving in. “You can pretend that Kevin doesn’t find you fascinating all you want. You can pretend that you are over this. But I know what you like.

  “I know you like it when I pull your hair just a little, angling your head so I can nip at the back of your neck. I know that when you’re riding on top of me, you like it when I let my fingers slip through your juices and then press it against your ass. I know you like it when I bend you over and hit that spot with my dick. I know you like it when I put my tongue on those pretty pink lips of yours and lick. I know you like it when I suck on your clit. I know you like it when I tongue your ass. You’re a dirty girl. I like dirty girls. I do not like my dirty girl playing with someone else.”

  Her breath hitched. Her eyes went wide and she panted as she sat in front of me. Her thighs parted to give me some room. I deliberately let my gaze slip. And I wanted her to go even wider. I wanted her to pull up her skirt and show me how wet she was for me. Show me she was just as desperate as I was.

  “You are such a big dick.”

  I chuckled low. “You mean I have a big dick, right?”

  “You’re the most pompo
us, egotistical, ass of a man—”

  Sliding my hands up her thighs, I brought her ass to the edge of the conference table. Her skirt inched up just a little and I could see the garters on her thighs. “If you keep talking dirty to me like that, I’m going to bend down and lick you. But I’m not sure if I’m going to lick that sweet pussy or your ass. So the next time you’re in here with someone else, you’ll know just how far I’m willing to go to remind you that you belong to me. Body and soul.”

  She shivered, and her tongue peeked out to lick her bottom lip. “Ben...”

  Whatever she would have said was rudely interrupted by knocking at the conference room door. I backed up three feet, and she hopped down hastily, making sure her clothes were perfectly neat. I winked at her and backed away from the table. “Next time, sweetheart, you won’t be able to put yourself together so quickly. After all, I’ll be holding your shredded panties.”

  And then I stepped to the door, opening it calmly to find Kevin on the other side. He held up two bags of take-out. “Sorry, I know you guys were talking, but lunch was delivered, and I know how hungry Olivia was.”

  I turned back to give her a grin. “See? Even Kevin knows you’re hungry.”

  I didn’t wait for a response. Instead, I strolled out, heading toward my office. Somehow, both hard as a rock and feeling a little bit lighter. There was no reason I should suffer alone.

  Livy

  I tossed in the bed.

  Grabbing one of my pillows, I placed it between my knees, and then punched the other one under my head, trying to make myself more comfortable. It didn’t matter what I did though. I kept thinking about what Ben had said to me in the conference room and how close I had been to letting him do all those dirty things he’d done to me before. I could almost picture him nipping at my neck, the violent shock of electricity that had zipped through my body as I convulsed. The combined nip of his teeth and his finger sliding over my clit. “Oh, my God, this is not helping.”

  When he’d talked about putting his tongue on places—Jesus Christ. Heat flushed my body. He knew how to play dirty. I was certain he could tell that I was on the edge of giving in. Because every day he walked around the flat either shirtless or in a fucking suit. Either combination was just absolutely incredible and stunning. And it made me want to beg him and forget that I had principles. But I couldn’t. Could I?