“I can see that…I hope she has left you with good memories.”
“She has…she was the best. That’s what makes losing her so hard.”
“I can see that,” he said, walking to the front of his desk and leaning on it. “I wish there was something I could do for you. I mean, since we met. Since I know the truth, I’ve felt so helpless. I know you don’t want my money, but it’s the only way I’ve been taught to reach out to somebody, but please, if you do need anything and I mean anything, please let me know.”
Suddenly his words set alarms off in my mind. What did Scott Wellington say to him? Did he blackmail him too? Was this why he was saying they would be in touch? Shit…was I just being paranoid?
“I appreciate the offer, Bryce, and I am happy to stay in New York to get to know you, but really I don’t need a credit card. I just want to get to know you as a person, as my father,” I muttered quietly.
“I would like that too, Vicky…I have such a busy schedule though sometimes it’s hard for me to make time for things, but I’m glad you will be here at Tyson, that way I can stop by for lunch visits. Are you excited to start your internship this morning?” he asked brightly, clearly trying to shift away from the credit card discussion. “You mentioned not wanting special treatment, so you will be an assistant to the boss, I figure you can learn a lot from him. He knows his stuff. You will be in good hands…” he trailed off when there is a light knock on the door. “Luc, come in,” Bryce said, waving him in. “Luc, this is Vicky. Vicky is my daughter, Luc, so you better treat her well,” Bryce said pointing a finger to him then laughing. Luc didn’t seem as shocked to see me, as I was to see him. Did he know he was going to be my boss?
“Of course, Bryce, I can take her to Tower Two and show her around,” Luc said as one side of his lips tugged up slightly. I realized in that moment that he didn’t really smile; he always seemed so serious.
“Thanks, Luc.” Bryce smacked him hard on the back.
“Thanks, Bryce,” I smiled nervously. How could I work with Luc and not want to rip his clothes off? If Bryce only knew.
“Come with me, Vicky, we need to go to the next tower,” Luc explained with a professional tone. I tried to hide my flush creeping up my neck and onto my cheeks.
As we entered the elevator, Luc had a sardonic grin on his face. “What?” I asked, feigning innocence.
***
Luc
“You know what, Vicky…. this thing that’s happening between us, I can’t control myself around you,” I admitted, breathing close to her face taking in her feminine scent. She smelled like vanilla body wash, and I would like nothing more than to brand her as mine. As I stepped in close to her, I could see that I was making her nervous.
Her breath hitched, and I took time memorizing her perfect features, her sexy green eyes that have a slight slant to them, her small nose, and her naturally red lips. Looking at her lips made me want to dip my head and suck on them. “Whatever pull we have to one another, whatever this thing is…” She motioned with her hand back and forth between us. “We will never know because your control may be waning, but I have a handle on myself,” she replied, standing her ground. She was so sexy when she turned bossy like that. Only I knew differently. Her control was waning. I could read it in her body language, the way her breathing picked up when I was near and her eyes roamed over me, checking me out like I was food. I could see right through her facade.
I took a step back and exhaled and then I leaned against the elevator wall. “Shit, I am glad you have self-control because if you would have let me, I could have fucked you hard against that wall right now,” I admitted, not making eye contact. Her jaw dropped open and her cheeks turned pink. I was turning her on, despite what she was willing to admit. I was getting to her. Good.
Finally the doors opened and we walked out, crossing the lobby to the Tower Two elevators. I noticed the fear in Vicky’s eyes as she turned her head from side to side scanning the area. I think for Wellington. Once inside the elevator again, the space almost seemed too small to fit the two of us. I watched the numbers light up above the doors as the elevator climbed floors. Thankfully it beeped and some people stepped inside. One of them a female and she stepped beside me rubbing her shoulder against mine.
“Hi, Luc.” She smiled seductively.
“Laura.” I nodded curtly.
“Would you like to meet for drinks later?” she asked quietly, but not quiet enough because probably everyone in the elevator heard her ask me out. She was a good-looking woman, a brunette with a slim figure and long slender legs. She looked like she knew how to have a good time, but I didn’t touch women. The truth was the only woman that has made me want to touch her in any way was standing on the opposite side of the elevator nervously biting her lip. My eyes flicked up to Vicky before I opened my mouth to answer.
“I have plans Laura,” I replied, while my eyes were glued on Vicky. I didn’t know if Laura noticed my heated gaze on Vicky, but I didn’t care. I only wanted to plant my dick between her legs. I was practically undressing Vicky with my stare and I enjoyed how squeamish she became under my gaze. I pictured ordering her around in bed and loving as she obeyed my requests of pleasure. A few floors later, Laura and the extra people got off and it was only Vicky and I, alone again. I kept quiet but maintained my stare, watching her every move trying to figure out what was going on in that head of hers. She was a wild card I still needed to discover.
When we reached the fortieth floor again the elevator pinged, and I motioned for her to step out first. The setup on the fortieth floor was almost identical to the set-up of Tower One with sleek white marble flooring and dark wood accents. The reception desk was in the center of the hallway, and I employed a beautiful blonde secretary like Bryce.
“Mr. Lebaum, your messages are on your desk,” Lucinda, my secretary, smiled brightly to me. As Vicky followed me into my office, I felt like a man obsessed, but I knew I needed to rein in my emotions and not expect too much. She was scared, I could see through her.
Chapter 13
Vicky
His office was about the same size as Bryce’s, with the ceiling to floor windows that showed off the beautiful Manhattan landscape. His desk was large and carved of solid dark wood. In front of his desk were two Colonial style chairs and off to the side was a large brown couch and clear coffee table, with a small fridge beside it.
Given the size of the office and the comforts of home, I assumed he was a workaholic like Bryce.
He walked over to the window and looked outside. He was quiet and it made me uncomfortable. I wasn’t sure what to do next or what he expected of me. Didn’t he bring me here to show me around? I couldn’t help but notice how good he looked in a black pinstripe suit that hugged every inch of his muscular body. My eyes landed on his delectable behind and I tried to pull my gaze away before he noticed. I felt like a child whose hand was caught taking candy from the candy jar.
A moment later he turned to face me. “I don’t think you realized that you have agreed to work with me. I head the car plant. I am in charge of everything…” he paused. I pulled my eyes up to meet his. He was trying to gauge my reaction. He was right; I didn’t realize I had signed up to work closely with him. “Your office will be down the hall. I will take you there in a minute…” He paused again.
“Did something happen with Scott since last night?” he asked throwing me off and I squirmed. “Tell me,” he said, his voice full of command.
“Yes, he was leaving Bryce’s office as I came in to meet him this morning. He didn’t stop to talk to me because Bryce followed him out and came to greet me, but he winked at me and continued on. I thought he may be waiting for me in the lobby while I finished up with Bryce.”
“I saw that you looked paranoid when we arrived at the lobby,” he confirmed exactly what I felt. The way he read me, or maybe people in general, was an astounding gift.
“I know you aren’t going to like my suggestion but I will need t
o confer with security downstairs. I need to know when Wellington enters the building and where he is at all times. With you working here, we need to keep you safe,” he grinned. “I would prefer banning him from Tyson all together, but I know you don’t want this brought to Bryce’s attention. Although I think he is bluffing about revealing the tape. He must know that if he revealed the tape he would be charged with rape,” Luc said shaking his head.
I was so scared of Scott. I was so blinded by the violence he inflicted upon me that my mind became muffled from his name alone. I should have known this myself. So what is it that Scott wanted from me? If he didn’t want to publically humiliate me then what did he want?
“Vicky, can you think of any other reason why Scott is threatening you?” Luc asked and I felt baffled. I couldn’t have been good in bed. I was a mess. I cried. I vomited all over his sheets.
I shrugged my shoulders. “I don’t understand his motive, Luc, other than he is a sick and deranged man.” I could see Luc mulling this over in his mind. It made me uncomfortable.
“I will figure this out, Vicky. Relax. I am used to figuring out psychos; I was raised by one,” he said, trying to reassure me.
“Thanks.” I smiled because his words made me feel safe. He didn’t seem like the type to make broken promises. Knowing that Scott would be monitored in the building was a relief. Luc’s intense green eyes bored down on me and made me feel warm.
“Is being alone what drives you to attend the sex parties?” he asked, throwing me off. Where did that question come from? I didn’t act surprised because I could feel something building between us. After everything he’d been through, I understood that he wanted all of our cards revealed.
“Aren’t you supposed to show me to my office?” I turned my head, wondering where it could be. I also realized that I was a challenge to him, and if I was not mistaken, he was a guy that liked a challenge. I saw the way the woman in the elevator came onto him. She would have been an easy lay, but Luc Lebaum doesn’t want easy. I may be easy at the parties because there was no emotion involved, but Luc was after emotion, he was after feelings and none of those things were easy for me to convey.
“Soon…I need to understand you. I want to know what makes you tick.” His gaze was on me and his tone was serious, only I threw my head back laughing at that one. “Seriously, Vicky, after I left your apartment last night, I was a fucking mess. I have built this wall up and I have told myself that it needs to stay there to protect you, but I’m losing it here. I want you…I want you bad,” he admitted, opening up to me again. When he opened up like that it made my heart split in two, and then gush all over the floor. Didn’t he understand that he was my undoing?
“Haven’t I scared you off with all this Scott Wellington drama? Can’t you see how messed up I’ve been. I’ve made bad choices. I’ve been burned. It’s hard for me to trust and to love,” I answered with defeat.
“No… I want to know more,” he said with a straight face.
“Luc, we are two broken people this…this thing between us…it’s not going to work… we should cut our losses now before we get too deep. Even this thing with Scott Wellington is messed up… you don’t need me causing problems for you.”
“Scott Wellington will be taken care of, I told you I’m working on it,” he replied curtly.
“Huh…what…what does that mean?” I asked with my mouth slightly ajar.
“All his crazed sex videos have been erased from his hard drives. He shouldn’t have anything on you anymore. Unless he managed to upload it onto a USB key, but being here in New York may mean he didn’t have a chance. So there is nothing messed up about you and nothing for your father to find out,” he explained matter of factly. “I’m not sure what his agenda is, or how he will react when he finds out that everything has been erased, but we will deal with it when the need arrives.”
I fell back into one of the chairs and huffed out a long breath then I refocused on Luc. “Thank you, Luc. How can I ever repay you?” I asked.
“I hate when you thank me or ask me that. Just leave it be, Vicky…” He seemed irritated now. Maybe I’d gone too far with holding back and keeping my heart at a distance. I don’t mean to, it’s a protective mechanism I’ve built up since I caught Jamie balls deep in Lily Sanders. Jamie was my high school sweetheart, my everything, and when I needed him most; he let me down in the worst way possible. My heart felt like it was sinking and Luc continued, “I get it, you want to cut our losses. You want to put an end to whatever is happening before it breaks either of us. Fine. Agreed!” he replied, throwing me off. I had to admit it hurt me that he agreed. He’d been so open about liking me I couldn’t believe he was backing down so quickly. I was more than disappointed.
“Where is that office you wanted to show me?” I asked, trying to rein in my emotions and not show him I was hurt that he was willing to back away from me. Why was I even hurt? I didn’t get it; there really was nothing between us.
“Right this way,” Luc said, guiding me out of his office. I followed him down a short hallway and a moment later he said, “Welcome to your new office.” He opened the door to a nice sized office with a simple desk, two chairs and a small window looking out to the busy New York skyline. I smiled at the simplicity because it was perfect and suited me.
“So where are the other interns? Are their offices also around here?” I asked, peeking out the door.
“Vicky, interns don’t get offices. Most of them are working at the plant itself. I’m assuming your father wanted to keep you close,” he replied and the thought warmed me.
“There is a computer at your desk. All the programs we use are already set up on it. You can familiarize yourself with everything and then come by my office and we can discuss next steps,” Luc explained with a professional tone. He had clearly shut down; he was no longer flirting and his eyes stuck to straight eye contact instead of devouring my body with a hungry gaze. He was giving me exactly what I asked for…he had cut our losses. He seemed insulted at first but now he was thriving on the idea. Damn him. I got to work and Luc left the office saying he would touch base later on. Fine, I can play that game.
***
After a few hours of familiarizing myself with the programs, I sauntered over to Luc’s office. He piled me up with a ton of research to do for the project. I didn’t mind. It was all interesting and a good learning experience. Bryce was right on. I kind of expected Bryce to stop by at some point but I understood he was busy.
At five o’clock Luc sent me a text.
Do you need a ride back to the apartment? I will need to cancel dinner… I am working late and then going to a party…
His text caused my mouth to drop open. He was ditching me for dinner after his whole liking to spend time with me spiel last night, and now he was going to a sex party? The nerve. Screw him.
No worries about dinner and I can get my own ride. I replied to his obnoxious text.
Bryce had already mentioned that Derek would give me a ride back to the apartment, so I didn’t need Luc and his hotter than hell accent. Then I got another brilliant idea.
Chapter 14
Luc
After putting in many hours on the electric car project, I leaned back in the chair at my desk and ran my fingers through my hair, just staring at my office. It was a beautiful corner office, large and bright on the fortieth floor of Tyson Towers in New York City. It almost seemed surreal. I turned my chair around so it was facing the ceiling to wall glass window and watched the sun set over the beautiful city. Working at Tyson had been good for me. I was thankful to my ex-wife’s boyfriend, Dylan, for setting me up with Bryce. Right before I left Canada, Dylan called me up. He said he felt like he owed me for saving Alexis and that Alexis was worried that I was leaving town on my own with nowhere to go. He said that he had a connection in New York with a business mogul and that he already spoken to him and he agreed to give me a job with options for investment. Of course at first I didn’t want to take his help
. After everything I had been through and done, I was hoping to walk away with some form of my dignity intact. When Alexis pulled the phone away from Dylan and chided me that I had to take the job…well…it changed things…
Now sitting and remembering my evil family and sordid past reminds of the evil I came from. Vicky, a woman that I was growing to care about, was faced with the likes of Scott Wellington, another psychopath devil, that didn’t care who he hurt. Even though her defenses were up for now, and she believed I was walking away from her, I could never do such a thing. I was hooked on her from the moment I laid eyes on her.
I made a quick phone call, “Hi, yeah. No, you are right. I can’t lie to you. You know that…he is a problem… Oh, you saw it too? Good I’m glad this isn’t news to you…. I agree….yes….she doesn’t want me to tell you….I know….she’s stubborn…” I chuckled. “Yes….okay….sounds good keep me updated.”
I closed the phone. Vicky may feel like she’d been living her life alone but she wasn’t alone anymore. She had people in high places looking out for her and Scott Wellington better watch his next steps. Thinking of Scott’s cruelty made me once again assess my own life. I couldn’t help but associate myself with the bad, I was raised around bad people and forced to do bad things. I knew the fact that I was forced had caused me to have some major control issues in my life.
That is why I made a plan and I kept to it for two solid years. I held on to the control I so desperately needed. Everything was running smoothly. No sex, no alcohol, no drugs…. Then she came along, a young girl, probably too young, Vicky Molino. She’d awoken parts of me that I thought had died and that should never been allowed to feel.
I gathered some papers off my desk and placed them in my briefcase along with my laptop. Then I made my way down the elevator. I so often thought of Alexis and my past. I sometimes felt like I was constantly living in the past as the present passed me by. A part of me felt sad about not looking to the future, but it was all I could do to hold all of my broken pieces.
Wild Cards Page 14
