by D. L. Raver
Zolt rose from his chair and came to me. He pushed me against the door, his large body covering mine.
“Maybe. Know anyone?”
“Funny,” I said, swallowing, needing to get moisture in my now dry mouth. His lips were inches from mine, and his breath tickled my face. “You fucked her, didn’t you?”
“I did. Does that bother you?”
“More than once?” I looked in his eyes and found myself trapped in his gaze.
“Yes.” He licked his lips at the same time his gaze fell to my lips. “We spent a weekend together.”
“Oh. I thought you didn’t do that?” I knew disappointment sounded in my voice, but I couldn’t help it.
“She’s the one that made me make the rule. It won’t be that way with us, Irelyn. You know that, right?” He ran his finger along my jawline.
“I think I do. I hope that’s true.”
“If it wasn’t, I’d fuck you, boyfriend or not. That’s not what this is about.”
“She kissed you.” I frowned as Marcy’s kiss replayed in my head.
“Jealous?”
“No. I just—”
“Admit it,” he said in a low, sexy voice that made goose flesh breakout over my skin.
Zolt’s intercom buzzed before I could respond. He backed away from me, and I opened the door to leave, but stopped and watched him walk back to his desk. His limp was more pronounced today, and I wondered if he was in pain.
He answered the intercom, and I left. I really needed to get this shit with Marcus cleared up. Zolt belonged to me, damn it, and I wanted every woman who looked his way to know it.
I loved Suede. Normally.
Being there, watching that redheaded heifer hang all over Zolt, made me want to puke. The worst part was he let her as if he wanted to teach me a lesson. If that was the case, he was doing an excellent job. Point made.
Women wanted him.
Marcy wanted him.
I wanted him.
Rachel touched my arm, and I jumped.
“Dude, chill the fuck out. You look as if you want to beat the shit out of her. You’re killing the party mood.”
“I can’t help it.” I shook off her hand from my arm. “She’s all over him, and he’s not pushing her away.”
“Can you blame her? He’s hot. I mean fuckable hot.”
“Boyfriend. Sitting right here,” Cory grumped, pointing to himself.
“Not for me, baby. For Irelyn.” Rachel kissed him on the lips. “If we have to choose, we choose Zolt for Irelyn over Marcus any day.”
“Straight up,” Cory agreed, his green eyes glinting.
Rachel looked at my neck and frowned. “Why are you wearing that piece of crap around your neck? Is Marcus coming?”
“Maybe. If he comes and I don’t have it on, he’ll go ballistic. It’s just not worth the aggravation.”
Rachel shook her head. “Whatever.”
I ordered a shot of vodka and slammed it, chasing it with my vodka cranberry. In the state I was in, I wasn’t doing a very good job as host. So, I pulled myself up and made the rounds about the lounge, stopping at each table and making small talk. Purposefully, I left Zolt’s table for last.
In the background, Justin Timberlake’s Take Back the Night was playing. The music they played here, along with the atmosphere, was one of the reasons I loved Suede. The bar was designed with sleek, suede finishes, and a sexy red color palette. The low round tables and plush lounge seating created a definite ambiance of intimacy. With the soft red lighting, this was one sexy lounge. And fuck if Zolt didn’t look hot sitting on one of the couches with his arms stretched out on the back.
The only problem with the picture was Marcy. She was practically sitting on his lap. Even so, I could feel his gaze trained on me as I walked up to his table.
“Is everyone having a good time?” I asked as cordially as I could, holding back my urge to snarl at Marcy.
Marcy looked at me and grinned. “I’m having a marvelous time. Aren’t you, Zolt?”
“Sure. Great.” His intonation said otherwise, but I ignored him, even when his eyes traveled a slow path up my curves.
“Great. Feel free to order whatever you like. The firm is picking up the tab.”
“Thanks, Irelyn. I’ll make sure to get exactly what I want,” he drawled, winking at me.
Marcy turned her gaze to me, and then back to him. A flash of jealousy glinted in her eyes. She kissed Zolt on the cheek before whispering in his ear.
Zolt let out a small laugh, but said nothing.
Marcy returned her hazel-eyed gaze to me and smiled like she just gotten everything she ever wanted.
Problem was, she wanted what wasn’t hers. She wanted what wasn’t mine either, at least not yet.
I put my hand behind my back and clenched it into a fist, plastering on a sugary smile.
“Excellent.” I turned and walked back to our table.
Rachel rolled her eyes and let out a ‘what the fuck’ laugh.
“Really? Was that the best you could do? Looks like the only thing you accomplished was driving them closer together.” She twirled a strand of blonde hair around her finger.
“What was I supposed to do? Yank her from him by her hair?”
“For starters.”
“That’s your style,” Cory said, finishing the rest of his beer.
Rachel mussed his sandy-blond hair and kissed his cheek. “You know me so well.”
I smiled at Cory, not worried in the least that he knew about Zolt, and hoping Zolt wouldn’t care either.
Cory and I had a long relationship. I’d known him as long as I’d known Rachel. So basically, all my life. He’d been friends with Chris long before Marcus.
So much about Cory reminded me of my brother. He had the same shade of blond hair Chris had. His green eyes sparkled with mischief and life the way Chris’s used to before Marcus.
I pushed aside the well of grief that opened in my chest. I couldn’t allow myself to go there tonight, not on top of dealing with Marcy.
Still, I flashed back to the many conversations Cory and I had since my brother’s death. I hated the way Chris and Cory’s relationship had been left; hated that Cory had been hurt by Chris’s bad decisions. The only good thing that had come from my brother’s death was Rachel and Cory’s relationship. I loved them together, and it had been a long time coming. Cory’s calmness balanced Rachel’s craziness. They were the perfect counterpoint for each other, and I couldn’t wait for him to pop the question.
As I thought about the couple next to me, I tried not to stare at Zolt’s table, but I couldn’t help myself. It was like watching a damn train wreck. I should be the one sitting next to him.
When he stood and walked in my direction, I almost stopped breathing. Everything about him made my body react.
Rachel was right. Zolt Hamil was totally fuckable. I knew what his naked body looked like under his clothes. Even with his leg, the man exuded sex. Not every man could pull off a plum shirt, but Zolt could. The cotton hugged his chest in a delicious way. He’d taken off his tie and unbuttoned the top few buttons, showing off a hint of his bare chest.
I bit my lip as he neared.
Rachel leaned over, and reminded me, “The bathrooms are behind us.”
“Right.” Zolt and I kept our eyes on each other as he came closer. He saw Cory and smiled, before stopping at our table.
“Cory, how’s it going,” Zolt asked, shaking his hand.
“Perfect. Glad for this drink. Have you met my girlfriend, Rachel Strauss?”
“No, I don’t think I have had the pleasure. Nice to meet you, Rachel. Strauss? Are you Thomas Strauss’s daughter?”
“Yep. He’s my daddy. And Cory’s dad is Peter Campbell. Don’t say it,” she said, putting up her hand. “We’re an incestuous group.”
“Geez, Rach. Incestuous? Really?” I groaned.
“Well, we all did grow up together.” She snuggled closer to Cory, and he kissed the top of h
er head.
“Interesting. Good job on the Harrison file, by the way, Cory. You saved me a ton of work.”
“Thanks. Glad to help as much as I can. Just one more year left in law school, and then I’ll be in your shoes,” Cory said.
“I think you’re miles ahead of where I was at your point. You’ll do fine, I’m sure. Rachel. Irelyn.” Zolt smiled at me, and then continued to the bathroom.
“He limps. That’s so cute.”
“Cute?” I punched her arm, hard. “It’s not cute at all, Rach. What the fuck? It’s, it’s—”
“Hey, Irelyn, calm down,” she said, rubbing her arm. “I’m sorry. You’re right, it’s not cute.”
“He’s in constant pain every day. And his scars are major. So yeah, it’s anything but cute.” I looked away from her, pissed that she would say that, and surprised by the sting of tears in the back of my eyes.
Rachel touched my arm and her eyes held her apology. “Sorry. Okay?”
“Okay.” I turned back to her and offered her a weak smile. I knew it was impossible for her to understand. But I was there that day. I saw what happened, and I’d seen the after effects. It wasn’t pity I felt for Zolt. It was protectiveness.
“Cory, Marcy’s getting up to look for Zolt. Go over there and talk lawyer with her.” Rachel shoved him off the couch. “Go. Hurry. Before Zolt comes out of the bathroom.
“What? Are you serious?” Cory complained.
“Do I look like I’m joking?” Rachael scowled at him. “Go. Or it will be a long time before you get a blow job out of me again.”
Cory’s demeanor changed immediately, and in a flash, he moved across the room and headed in Marcy’s direction.
I stared at Rachel in disbelief. “What the hell are you doing?”
“Get your hot ass up and intercept Zolt as he comes out of the bathroom. There’s a dark hallway right across from it. Grab him and stake your claim.”
I huffed out loudly. “Marcus could show at any moment.”
“I’ll watch for him. Just do it, Irelyn. Unless, of course, you don't care if he takes that skank home and fucks her?”
“I do.”
Hells yeah, I did.
Without another word, I made my way to the bathrooms and waited.
Zolt came out a minute later.
“Irelyn? What are you doing?”
I grabbed his hand and pulled him into the dark hallway Rachel had told me about. I didn’t even want to think about why she knew about it, or what she and Cory had probably done there.
Not knowing what to say, I kissed him, figuring it expressed my mood better than any words I could come up with.
Zolt spun us around, pushed me against the wall, and kissed me back. He pulled back from me and stared into my eyes. There was just enough light in the hallway for me to see the desire in them.
“She’s all over you,” I growled.
“She is.”
“You’re not pushing her away,” I complained or whined. Okay, I was whining. It wasn’t my proudest moment.
“Do you think I’m going to take her to my apartment and fuck her?” He asked as he kissed my neck, nipping my jaw with his teeth.
The sensation went right between my legs, and I squirmed. The man could get me hot in seconds.
He kept kissing my neck, but stopped at the necklace.
“Are you going to fuck her?” I finally asked.
Zolt answered me with his mouth on mine, his tongue claiming and possessing my own.
“Have you seen me kiss her like that, Irelyn?” he asked as his hands roamed up my sides and cupped my breasts.
“No,” I moaned again.
Zolt stopped kissing me and looked deeply into my eyes. He took my hand and placed it on his groin.
“Do you think this is for her, Irelyn?” He stressed my name and I shivered.
Zolt groaned when my hand skimmed his pants and the hard on he sported beneath them.
“No,” I said, and then pulled him down to me, kissing him possessively. He tasted of beer and tequila. I loved it.
Zolt grabbed my wrists and pinned them behind me with one hand. Then, he pushed himself against me, his erection pressing on my aching sex. We continued to kiss and drive each other crazy.
He was in complete control of me. I loved and hated it.
“Fuck, Irelyn, I want you. Hell, it’s so far beyond want. Get rid of him. I told you, I won’t be the man you sneak around with. I don’t do dark hallways.”
You’re doing it now, I thought, but thankfully held my tongue. He was right. A snarky retort wouldn’t change that, and it certainly wouldn’t help.
“I’m going to. I swear. But…” I paused and stared into the eyes that I knew so well. A gaze I saw nightly in my dreams. “I know I don’t have a right to ask this, just as you didn’t have a right to ask me, but please, Zolt, please don’t fuck Marcy tonight.”
“I won’t, Irelyn. Been there, done that. You’re the one I want. How many more ways can I say that to you?”
He kissed me again, and released my wrists. This time it was sweeter and more intense in an entirely different way. There was so much promise in his kiss. A promise of what would be between us if I could just free myself.
I twined my arms around his neck and gave him as much of myself as I could.
“Irelyn!” Rachel’s voice yanked us apart.
We both turned and glared at her.
“What,” I said impatiently.
“Marcus just walked in.” She turned and walked away, hopefully to stop Marcus from looking for me.
I swallowed hard, trying to push my apprehension away, and if I was being honest, my fear at Marcus and Zolt being in the same place at the same time.
Zolt looked at me with disappointment in his gaze.
I closed my eyes for a quick moment, not wanting to see it.
“I’m sorry,” I said softly.
He kissed my head. “Fix this, Irelyn. Fix it soon.”
I nodded and watched him walk away from me. Though he hadn’t said the words, I knew there was an implied ultimatum. Zolt wasn’t going to let me string him along. If I didn’t break it off with Marcus immediately, I’d lose him.
Not wanting to cry, I went into the bathroom and turned on the cold water, watching it run down the drain. I couldn’t splash my face because I’d ruin my makeup. My damn purse was sitting at the table. As it was, my lipstick was gone, and my lips were kiss-swollen. I prayed Marcus would be oblivious to the way I looked. He usually paid me no mind anyway. Why should tonight be any different?
Once I felt in control, I walked over to our table where Marcus waited. I kept my groan internal and commanded myself not to search for Zolt.
“There you are, Irelyn. You know I don’t like to be kept waiting.” His lips thinned into a trademark Marcus scowl.
God, I hated him, his slicked back hair, and the three-piece, charcoal suit. Sure, it was a well-fitted, expensive suit, but all the money in the world couldn’t change his personality or lack thereof. And it couldn’t change the way he made my skin crawl.
“Uh, I was in the restroom, Marcus. I didn’t think I’d see you tonight.” I leaned down and kissed his cheek and tried to keep the disappointment out of my voice.
“We’ll have a drink, and then leave. I still have work to do.” He waved over the waiter and ordered a brandy.
Damn. Why couldn’t he order a shot like a normal person? Brandy will take much longer to drink.
“If you can’t stay, Marcus, Cory and I will be more than happy to keep Irelyn company.” Rachel linked her arm with mine in a show of solidarity. She’d seen Zolt and me kissing. She knew me better than anyone, and knew I would be freaking the fuck out right now.
“Yes. Absolutely,” Cory agreed immediately.
“I have a few minutes, I expect,” Marcus said dryly.
It took all my restraint to not beat my head on the table. Marcus was so stiff and nothing like us. One of these days, I’d find out what e
xactly Chris saw in him. Then, I’d curse my brother for ever bringing him into my life.
I sat there commanding myself not to go over to Irelyn’s table and drag her away from the man I assumed was Marcus.
He was totally wrong for her. Too old, too stiff, too overbearing. Seeing him in person reinforced my sense of wrongness about him. I knew T-bone would dig up shit about Marcus that would turn my blood cold. The darkness—the only way I knew to describe the negativity that surrounded him—rushed me. I put my hand on my stomach to quell the roiling within.
If Irelyn couldn’t extricate herself from him, I would. After watching him with her, I knew I had no choice. There was no way I would allow her to stay with him. Even if she decided we shouldn’t be together—which I knew wouldn’t happen—Irelyn needed to be as far away from him as possible.
“Zolt?” Marcy said, dragging my gaze to her face.
I needed to get out of there before I did something stupid. Yanking my money clip from my pocket, I threw a fifty on the table and left, leaving Marcy calling after me. I didn’t stop until I was outside. When I turned around, I wasn’t surprised to see Marcy standing behind me.
“What?” I snapped. I hadn’t meant to, but she was getting on my last nerve. It was time to let her know I had no intention of fucking her tonight or ever again.
“Everything all—” She stopped and recognition lit her eyes. “Oh, I see. You’ve got it bad for your boss’s daughter. Career suicide, Zolt. That’s all I have to say.”
“Do you think I fucking care about that?”
“Zolt?” Her voice raised an octave, and she placed her hand on my arm.
I snatched it away, not wanting her to touch me. I was done. After being with Irelyn just minutes earlier, I wouldn’t continue with the charade I’d been playing with Marcy. It was time to go home.
“Bye, Marcy. I’m done. It was great seeing you again.”
“Zolt, wait.”
“Wait for what? For you? I don’t think so. Been there, done that.”
“You’ve turned into a real dick, you know that?” Marcy said as she stood glowering at me.
I shrugged. “Always have been Marcy, you just forgot because I’m so good in bed. But like I said, been there, done that.”
