Elizabeth laughed, bringing me out of my thoughts. “Of course, it’s safe, Emma. I’ve been working for them for years, and I’ve managed to stay out of all of it.”
She did have a point. Elizabeth had been working for them since she graduated college, and from her work schedule, it seemed as though she was around the family all the time.
“Elizabeth, I know things aren’t the way they should be, but being a live-in nanny was not what I was setting out to be, regardless of whether they are billionaires or not.”
Elizabeth shook her head. A few of her blonde strands got tangled in her glasses, so she released my hands and sorted out her glasses before continuing. “Emma, you need a place to stay. They have a bungalow where the previous tutor lived, so you would have some privacy, which would be great for you and Mia. It’s a completely separate building, so you will only be around them when you’re working.” I started to huff, but she made a quick noise that made my mouth snap shut.
“Look, I know it’s not what you’re looking for. But it comes with a place to stay, and a salary that beats what you’re making as a teacher’s aide. You know if I had the space, I would have you with me in a heartbeat. But I live in a studio apartment and I don’t think that’s the best option for Mia. Besides, Mr. Johnson’s boy is the same age as Mia. Actually, when I told Ms. Johnson about Mia, she got really excited. The boy’s a little sheltered. Having the life he does doesn’t really allow him to have many friends. She thought that having another child around might be really good for him.”
“Would he and Mia even get along?” I mean, what would a human and a shifter cub have in common?
“Not sure. They say he’s a bit shy, but even with his family’s wealth and public drama, he is still a kid. Anyway, I know this sounds weird, but your job wouldn’t be that difficult. I really think you should just meet with her and talk about the job before you make a decision.”
I nodded, and as I looked around the room, I thought about how nice it would be to have my own space again. To be able to spread out without having anyone constantly asking how I was doing would be nice. I slowly started to smile. Maybe this wasn’t such a bad idea. Tutoring would be something new, and maybe I could turn it into a career, since finding a regular teaching position wasn’t panning out.
We could hear the sound of Mom finally making her way back to the living room. Elizabeth looked at me with a pleading smile, and I felt my reservations slowly start to melt away. “Fine. Tell her I’ll meet her.” Elizabeth let out a squeak and hugged me.
“I already did. Ten a.m. tomorrow, don’t be late. I’m picking you up at nine. We need enough time to get to the city.” The Johnsons’ penthouse was in Chicago… Of course, it was.
I nudged her arm. Of course, Elizabeth would know that I would eventually say yes.
“Picking up who?” Mom asked as she sat down.
I reached for the remote. As I did, Elizabeth blurted out, “The Johnsons.”
Mom nodded. “I knew she would say yes.”
I let out a loud huff and looked at both of them. It was a conspiracy; apparently, everyone knew about it apart from me. I turned my attention back to Desperate Housewives. They named this show all wrong. These women were far from desperate.
CHAPTER 7
Emma
We entered the hallway from the private elevator, and I was impressed with the natural light that illuminated what had to be the highest ceiling in the world. I stretched my neck up like a little kid excited to be in the candy store for a treat. Elizabeth nudged me and frowned, as if to say I should grow up. "Stop it,” she mouthed at me. Gee, it was so not my fault she was used to seeing this splendor every day. I, for one, was not used to it, so I was not going to pretend differently. I could see views of the Hudson River from the enormous window. How cool was that? I couldn’t imagine having a view like that from the comfort of my home.
We walked with Ms. Johnson, who met us at the elevator. I discreetly stole glances at her as we continued down the hallway. I was surprised by the fact that even though she was extremely wealthy, she still seemed normal. Normal that was until, she opened her mouth. Ms. Johnson was in her early thirties. Her blonde hair was pulled up into a French twist and she looked as if she had stepped out of a fashion magazine. She quickly led the way past the living room. How I wanted to sit in one of those lovely leather chairs, facing the open terrace and fireplace.
Ms. Johnson led us into what felt like a waiting room. Several puffed-up, white antique chairs were clustered around, and a grand piano presided over one of the corners. Actually, it might have been the music room. She held out a hand as if to instruct me to sit in one of the chairs. Elizabeth excused herself, even though my inner self was crying out for her to stay. Before leaving, she reassured me with a small smile. My sister knew I was scared. I couldn’t believe she thought I would be perfect for this job.
As I sat, I felt Ms. Johnson’s gaze drill into me. I wanted to ask her if there was something wrong. She felt like a hard woman, a woman who wasn’t easily pleased. She’d scanned me from head to toe before even introducing herself. Part of me had felt it was rude, but I was here for her evaluate me, wasn’t I? She was elegantly dressed in a peach suit that matched the color of her skin tone, and she was very formal and polite. Still, those small brown eyes of hers felt like they possessed X-ray vision.
I had struggled to choose an outfit today, but I’d ultimately put on the simple black shift dress I’d worn to Will’s funeral. I thought it was appropriate, as his death had signaled the end of one era and a new beginning for Mia and me. My nerves had kicked in when we arrived at the building and were shown up to the penthouse by the doorman. That was when I started to feel cheap, like I was out of my league.
I felt a wave of sadness roll off Ms. Johnson as she sat down and started to tell me about her brother’s late wife. She had died after giving birth. It seemed that there were complications that the doctors didn’t realize until it was too late to save her. It broke my heart to think that Mr. Johnson’s son Liam had to grow up without his mom.
Ms. Johnson spoke about my duties, which strangely enough entailed everything from organizing the cleaning staff to tutoring Liam in his studies. It all seemed fairly straightforward, as their previous tutor had a schedule and lesson plans already in place before she had left. The tricky part would be juggling between their penthouse in downtown Chicago and their main house in Clarendon Hills, a suburb of Chicago. I would be required to visit the penthouse at least twice a week, to ensure that the cleaning staff was in line, schedules were kept up to date, and the gardening was completed. I would be more of a person checking that everything had been completed by the other staff, and the main caregiver and tutor for Liam.
To ensure that I paid attention, she paused several times and asked me to repeat what she’d said, treating me like I was a child. I bit my tongue in frustration so as to not speak out of line; however, I could easily tell that she believed she was superior to me. Whether that was because of her wealth or family status, I couldn’t tell. Awkward silence permeated the air between us until suddenly, her demeanor changed. I didn’t hear any footsteps, but I could tell when someone entered the room behind me, because her eyes shot to my side, and a large smile spread across her lips. I assumed it was her nephew since there hadn’t been any sound, but when I swiveled around to look, I saw someone very different.
My eyes trailed up his large frame. I watched as he walked slowly toward us, losing myself in his emerald green eyes. He smelled like the forest, which fit him perfectly. Ms. Johnson stood and watched him with what appeared to be admiration, and I suddenly felt uncomfortable in their presence. I wished Elizabeth would return, but I knew she wouldn’t. She’d told me that she wanted to give us a chance to become acquainted. The man turned to me, and I suddenly felt as though we were the only ones in the room.
“Mason Johnson, and you are?” he asked politely as he approached me, stretching out his hand for a formal shake.
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“Emma Jackson,” I replied shyly, standing up. It was strange using my maiden name again, but I had figured that with this new job, I should start with a fresh slate. His sister was watching me now with curiosity. I didn’t blame her. The man in front of me was indescribably good looking. I had never before met a man with this much grace and stature. I couldn’t believe that Elizabeth had worked for him for years without ever telling me that he was this fine. No, that was not even the right word to describe him; he was so much more than that.
His towering height, his voice—stern, yet gentle—and his strong hands, and broad shoulders… it was all too much. I knew if I continued to stare at him, I would have to stop myself from drooling. I quickly looked away from his eyes and out at the room around me.
I felt like a sixteen-year-old kid, all dreamy-eyed as I watched him walk away from me so he could kiss his sister on her cheek. My gaze moved to his lips, memorized by their softness. I felt a blush creep into my cheeks as I wished those lips were on my body. Mason was somehow able to command the presence in the room. Even the noises of the busy Chicago street below seemed to quiet down for him. I started to fantasize about what it would feel like to have a man who turned heads everywhere he went. He had mine spinning, and I wasn’t one to notice every man who passed by since my marriage to Will. With Mason, I couldn’t help but notice…
I had a rude awakening when Ms. Johnson remembered my presence and dismissed me like a child. “You can sit down!” she all but growled.
I shook my head, embarrassed by my actions, while Mason laughed.
“Yes, my brother seems to have that effect on women,” she blurted out as she looked at me. I could tell she was no longer sure if hiring me was a good idea. Shit. I needed this job. I needed to prove to Ms. Johnson that I was the right choice.
“I think it would be good for Mia and your son to meet. Sorry, what is his name?”
“Liam,” Mason said gently. His love for his son was very apparent, even when he spoke his name. I smiled brightly at him, unable to contain myself. Ms. Johnson cleared her throat loudly next to him, and I quickly dropped my smile and looked back to her. I could tell that working here was going to be more difficult than I’d thought. If I could convince the Johnsons to hire me, I would have to bury my attraction to Mason in the back of my mind. The problem was that he never once took his eyes off me, even as he spoke to his sister, and I started to wonder if the attraction went both ways. If so, then this would get tricky. A tutor and a billionaire—it sounded like something out of a romance novel.
CHAPTER 8
Mason
The moment I walked into the room, I was taken by Emma’s beauty. She sat back down in her chair and waited for my conversation with Margaret to finish.
“Please, Margaret, continue with your meeting. I just wanted to come in and meet our potential new tutor.”
Margaret nodded and gave me a cold glare. She knew how I was when it came to women. I always seemed to have power over them that I could never explain. Since Anna’s death, I had my fair share of fun, using different women to mask the pain of her loss. Anna had been my life, and to lose her during the birth of our son had nearly ruined me.
While I knew that the rest of the family had not been too pleased with my choice of Anna, I had ignored them. Anna was from a small city in Illinois. In my mother’s eyes, as the matriarch of the family, she believed in class status and felt that I should marry someone in the family’s circle. That was something I never agreed with, and despite my mother’s protests, I had married Anna.
So much of Anna was in Liam. I could almost always see her staring back at me through his eyes. Which was probably why, as much as I hated this, it was hard for me to be around him. I loved my son. But seeing Anna’s eyes stare back at me each time I looked at him compounded the pain of her loss. I knew my absence with Liam was started to take a toll on him, which was why I hoped having a live-in tutor could help ease him. I promised myself that I would eventually get over the pain and be the father that Liam deserved, but I knew that right now I still wasn’t ready.
I stole a glance back at Emma sitting in the chair. Her wavy auburn hair cascaded over her porcelain skin. I could see that she had soft curves to her body and a round face and plump, pink lips. I felt my bear bristle beneath my skin as I thought about taking those pink lips to mine.
“I was just telling Emma about her daily duties.” Margaret’s shrill voice interrupted my train of thought.
“That’s fine. Margaret, I’m sure you have some other stuff to do. Why don’t I show Emma around, and then bring her back here once she has seen everything?”
Margaret glared at me, and for a moment, I thought that she could easily tell that I wanted Emma alone for other reasons. Finally, she sighed and agreed. I smiled brightly at Emma.
“Why don’t you follow me?”
CHAPTER 9
Emma
Mason walked me down the hallway to another area of the penthouse. He turned on the lights and I had to stop for a moment, and gape at the fancy interior. Everything was a mix of black and white, expensive wood, and leather, and I was taken aback with the whole place and its modern furniture.
I walked more into the space, and realized he had taken me to his indoor pool. I bit my lip to hold my surprise. I felt his presence behind me and in that moment, I wanted nothing more than for him to grab my body and pull me to close to his.
As if reading my mind, his hands immediately found my waist, and his lips lightly brushed my neck. For a second, I wondered if we should be doing this, now that he was going to be my boss, but the more his lips touched my neck I found that I did not care.
He led closer to the pool and started taking off my dress, standing directly behind me. “As much as you are sexy in this dress, I prefer what is beneath it.” His lips grazed my shoulder, and I shuddered, closing my eyes. “Your skin is so soft.” His fingers traced my back, a feathery touch of his fingertips making my core hot and wet.
“So, do you want go for a swim?” I joked, staring at the transparent surface of his pool.
“Not quite. We’re going to get really wet, but there won’t be much swimming.” He kissed the spot beneath my ear, and I moaned. It was one of my most sensitive spots. “Only fucking.”
I was completely naked now, my dress, panties, and shoes lying discarded on the floor, and I could barely breathe when his hands roamed over my body, stopping at my core. He wrapped his arm around my waist and rubbed my clit, sending my heart into overdrive.
“Mason... You definitely know where to touch me...” He grinded himself against me, pressing his hard erection in between my ass cheeks, and I brought my arms around his neck and pulled him even closer to me. In the back of my mind I knew we should not be doing this, especially with his sister a few rooms away, but I couldn’t seem to control myself around him.
“What about your sister?” I asked
“She won’t notice that we are gone. She has other stuff with the business to worry about today.”
I couldn’t believe what I was doing, but he just felt so damn good. I sighed and pushed my ass harder into him.
“You respond to me so well, baby.” His fingers moved in circles, gradually speeding up. “You’re already so wet, and I just need to bury myself deep inside your tight walls.
“I need you too, Mason. You make me feel so good.”
I couldn’t catch my breath, wiggling my butt against him as I came closer to my climax. He slid his fingers down and inside of me, reaching as deep as they could get. Each muscle in me tensed, the ecstasy becoming stronger with each thrust of his fingers, and I was orgasming hard, my wetness flowing out of me in spurts.
“Fuck.” He took his fingers out and pushed them into my mouth. “Taste yourself, baby. Taste just how delicious you are.”
That was a major turn on for me. As I licked his fingers clean, my body begged like crazy to get filled, but I wanted to give him the same pleasure. I unzipped his pants and lo
wered them along with his underwear, going on my knees.
He hissed, his fingers curling in my hair. “Yes, baby. Take my cock in your mouth.”
I put my mouth around him, holding the base of his dick in my hand as I pushed it deep into my throat. He grunted and moved even further in, almost making me gag, and fucked my mouth fast. I sucked him hard, watching his face grimace in pure pleasure, and I just loved being able to make him feel so good.
“It feels fucking amazing.” He groaned and dug his fingers into my head. He was trembling uncontrollably, his juices coating my throat. “I’ll come. Don’t stop.”
He stilled and rammed into my mouth when the first jet of sperm filled my throat. He held my head in place until the last tremor shocked his body and he pulled out.
For a few moments, he was just looking at me, his eyes glimmering with lust and awe as he examined my face. “You’re beautiful.” He slid his thumb over my mouth, picking a drop of his come that got out. “Lick it.”
I did what he’d told me, looking at him through my lashes. “So, sexy.” He took a step back and undressed himself. I got back to my feet, letting my eyes skim over his body. He was still hard, his body tense as he approached me and pulled me to the edge of the pool.
He halted for a second. “Are you on pill?”
“Yes.”
He looked relieved. “Good.”
We walked towards the pool and got in, and the slightly warm water blanketed our bodies. “Anna, there are so many things I want to do to you.” Only inches separated us when he stopped and took my breasts in his hands. My nipples immediately reacted to his intimate touch, hardening under his wet fingers.
Hunter (The Bad Disciples MC Book 2) Page 17
