by Angel Steel
Maybe Maria could be the one to keep his mind off Chantal. Seeing her with Joey at the hospital had made his gut clench. When he told her about Skylar, he had wanted to be the one to comfort her. It was obvious to him, though, that she didn’t want him near her, which he guessed he deserved.
He needed to explain to her why he left that night. Maybe then she would understand more of why he did it and why they could never be together.
******
With Joey still at her place, Chantal ducked out quickly and headed to her shop to see the progress on what Bryan had done. Opening the door, she was shocked to see how much had changed. She had only left earlier in the day, and damn he worked quickly.
“Why are you back here? I thought I said to go home and relax?”
“I wanted to see how far you got, and pick up the mail. Forgot to grab it earlier,” she replied.
Walking up to her and wrapping his arm around her shoulder, Bryan asked, “How are Skylar and the baby?”
“Both are good, now. It was scary as hell waiting to find out what had happened. Something to do with the placenta detaching. But she is happy now that the baby is safe and healthy. It was actually quite funny what the doctor said to both Nate and Skylar.” She giggled.
“Care to share.”
“Well, the doctor said no sex for two weeks. Nate whined about that. Then the doctor said if it doesn’t get any better, no sex for the rest of the pregnancy. Poor Nate. Skylar wasn’t helping the matter, she kept flirting with him.”
“Well, I feel for him. That really has to suck. Pregnancy sex is the best, I must say.”
“TMI, Bryan. Although I love kids, I don’t see me having any, haven’t found the right person to have them with.”
“Well, you will be missing out on the best sex of your life, Channy.” Bryan laughed.
“I have great sex now, thank you.” She grinned broadly as they walked into her office.
“So, how is it going with Joey?” Bryan stood next to her desk as she sat down.
“Things are going good, so far. I really like him. He makes me happy, treats me well. What else could I ask for?”
Kneeling down beside her, he whispered, “Chantal. I know you like him, and I can see that he does all that for you, but he isn’t the one you want.”
She frowned up at him. “What are you talking about; of course he’s the one.” She knew in her heart though, that he wasn’t the one. But how could she have whom she wanted most when they did not want her?
“I see the way you look at Dominic, and the way he looks at you. You can’t miss the chemistry there. When the two of you are in the same space, the heat in the room skyrockets. No one else is there but you two. He wants you, Chantal. It’s not hard to miss, although he is trying really hard to hide what he feels, I can see it.”
‘”I think you are seeing things, Bryan. He doesn’t want me like that. Well, maybe for sex, yeah, but nothing more than that. I don’t want just the sex. I want the whole lot. Someone to love me for who I am...not my name, or money. Someone to cherish me, make me laugh, you know? I want all that.” Standing up and moving towards the storage area, she spoke the words she thought to be true. “Dom isn’t like that, he only thinks of himself, and his next bed partner. He is not capable of loving anyone other than himself.”
Reaching for her mail that sat on top of a box, she walked out.
“He wants more than sex, Chantal. The look he gives you, it’s hard to explain. It’s like he wants to own you”
Folding her arms over her chest, she snarled, “No one is going to own me, Bryan. No one.” Chantal turned around, storming away from him.
“It’s not like that, Chan. It’s something different. He struggles with himself around you like he is holding something back.”
What the hell did that mean? Why would he hold something back from me?
“Well, I don’t like secrets. I want the truth up front. Everything up front.” she whispered.
“I doubt it is an actual secret, I think he is just holding himself back from you. I have no clue why. I don’t know him that well. Maybe you could ask Joey, or Nate. They might tell you why he is doing it.”
“If he has a secret, Joey or Nate aren’t going to tell me.” She shook her head. “I don’t care what it is. If he has something to tell me, he should have by now. I don’t judge people, but it doesn’t matter...he doesn’t want me the way I want. I’m fine with that, Bryan.”
“I know you’re not fine with that, but I will drop it for now.”
“Thank you. The shop looks great. What you have done is amazing. I’m glad I hired you to do it. The last guy I asked didn’t have a clue what I wanted.”
“Well, I’m glad I know some things about you, on how you would want your shop. I only have a couple more shelves to do, and then it’s all yours.”
“I can’t wait to start placing all the items up.” She giggled.
“This is going to be one hell of a shop.”
“I know, not long now until it’s open. Anyways, I’m going to head back home; Joey is waiting for me. He’s taking me to lunch at his bar.”
“Go have fun, Chantal. I’ll talk to you sometime in the week.”
Waving her hand as she walked out the door, she wondered why he said that about Dom. She was starting to think the same thing as Bryan, though. Why was Dom holding himself back from her? Was there something specific that he wanted from her? Was there something he needed to tell her? God, she hoped it wasn’t bad.
Chapter 18
Dom sat in a corner booth in Joey’s bar waiting for Maria to come back from the bathroom. Raising his hand, he ordered another beer for himself, as he went over in his head what he needed to tell Maria. There were certain things that they did at the firm, but some of those things he didn’t want to show. She knew half of it already, according to what Lee Anne had told him, which was good, but when you worked with a new partner things were always different. You had to make sure both parties were comfortable in the circumstances.
When the main door opened, he glanced that way and gasped. In walked Chantal and Joey. She was laughing at something Joey had said. Running his eyes over her body, he frowned as his gaze landed on their joined hands.
He had to hold back the growl he wanted to let out. He had done this all to himself. He wanted her bad, really bad. His cock was hard in an instant at just seeing her. The thought of having her again, having her under him, made him moan.
Wiping his hand over his face, he noticed Joey looking his way and nodding his head towards him, and relayed the same. Chantal looked at that moment, and his eyes meet hers.
He noticed straight away that her breathing picked up. Well, she still wanted him. Dom smiled at her, and she started to do the same until she saw something behind him, and froze. Spinning around, Dom saw that Maria was standing there looking at both Joey and Chantal. Fuck! He glanced back at Chantal, but her whole body language had changed towards him.
She had gone as stiff as a board. Joey whispered something in her ear and she smiled up at him. Damn it. He wanted that look on her face to be for him, not Joey. When they walked up to his table, not once did she look his way. Joey stopped and greeted, “Hey, Dom. How you been, man?”
Glancing over at Chantal, he noticed that she was looking everywhere but him. “I’m good, Joey. Have some business to do. What are about you to?” he asked.
Joey pulled Chantal closer into him. “Me and my girl are here having lunch. Then after that it’s up to her.”
Dom growled. He couldn’t help it. Chantal’s head shot around and faced him.
Maria slid her hand onto his shoulder. “Dominic, who are your friends.”
Removing her hand from him, he introduced them. “Maria, this is Joey and Chantal. Guys, this is Maria.”
Maria moved forward, stuck out her hand and shook Joey’s. “Nice to meet you, Maria.” Joey grinned.
“Nice to meet you too, Joey. Hey, are you the owner of this bar?”
Maria glanced around the place, and smiled back at him. “I Love it, you did a really great job of it.”
Turning towards Chantal, she offered her hand. “I’m Maria.”
Chantal glanced at her hand and back up. “I heard.” Looking up at Joey, she stated, “I’m going to grab us a table.” Then, she turned and left them.
Sitting down beside Dom, Maria laughed. “Well, she was nice.”
“She is, you just need to get to know her,” Dom growled. He was shocked as to how she treated Maria. He watched as she made her way over to the farthest corner of the bar and sat in a booth. She had never acted like that to anyone; well, not that he had really noticed when he was around her. Chantal had always taken his attention away from everything, no matter what it was.
“Maria, go up and order us something to eat,” he said, without looking at her.
She gasped. “Excuse me?”
Dom turned back towards her. “Do I have to repeat myself?”
Shaking her head, she looked down into her lap. Good girl. Maria wasn’t his sub, but after what had just transpired, he felt he had to set her straight. He had no problem doing that in front of anyone, but he really did not like doing it when Chantal was there.
“Maria?”
She stood up, not looking into his eyes, “What would you like, sir?”
“Glen knows what I like. Same for Joey.” Nodding, she walked off.
“What’s the deal with her, man?”
“Maria works with me at Elite Inc.”
“Not that, Dom. The way she acted around you.” Joey frowned.
Dom rubbed his hand over his face. “Maria is a natural submissive. Although I’m not her actual Dom, she will obey certain commands from one.”
“Oh, ok.”
“While I have you here, there’s a party at the Inquisition on Tuesday night that you might be interested in.” He glanced over at Chantal’s table, noticing she was on her phone. Taking a closer look, he noticed that she looked pale, and whomever she was talking was saying something she didn’t like. He wanted to go to her and see what had her like that, but if he went to her, she would only push him way.
“What kind of party is it?”
“You’ll find out when you get there. I’ll drop off two tickets here tomorrow, for you and a mate.”
He couldn’t help but look back at her, frowning. “Joey, I think you need to go over to Chantal. She doesn’t look too good.”
Both Joey and himself glanced her way. “I better go check on her, thanks, Dom.” Joey stood and strolled to their table. What had her looking like that? He would find out from her, whether he had to force her to tell him or not.
******
Chantal sat at her booth, waiting on Joey to return. Who was that girl?
When they had walked in, she had noticed Dom right away, out of the corner of her eye. When he smiled at her, her heartbeat sped up. The butterflies in her belly were going a hundred miles an hour just at the site of him.
He wore dark denim jeans, a black shirt stretched tight over his well-defined chest, an un-zipped leather jacket over the top, and those damn boots. He was a wet dream, sitting there. Most of the women in the bar were drooling over him, but he wasn’t looking at any of them—only her. Just as she started to smile at him, she watched as a gorgeous redhead moved and stood behind him.
The smile dropped from her face. He wasn’t there alone. Why would he ever be alone, look at him! As Dom nodded towards them, Joey walked them over to his table. She was not in the mood to deal with him right then, or ever, really. It was clear to her at this point that he had had enough of her. If the redhead was with him, what chance did she ever have with him, again?
When Dom introduced ‘Maria’ to them, the way she looked at Joey pissed Chantal off. She was eating him up with her eyes. Hello, am I bloody invisible? She knew she was rude when she didn’t shake her hand; she was brought up better than that, but this woman ticked her off, badly.
Even worse was when Maria laid her hand on Dom. Jealousy run through her like a tilt train, hitting her head on. She needed to get away from Maria and Dom. Moving as far away as possible so she wouldn’t make a fool of herself, she pulled out her mail.
Flicking through it all, she saw that several bills needed to be paid. One notice she had received told her that her shipment was on its way and would arrive by Friday. The last letter was a red envelope. She flipped it over, checking for a return address, but saw nothing. It was addressed to her shop. Ripping the edge off, she pulled out the letter inside. When she opened it and started to read it. She paled.
Chantal,
Obviously, I didn’t make myself clear to you in the last letter. U R MINE! Not his or anyone else’s. He will taint your body and mind with what he is. You deserve so much better than him.
I will prove my love to you! He will never do that for you!
Who were they talking about? Joey? He was the only one she had been with. Whoever it was, they were losing it.
Pushing the letter into her bag, she pulled out her phone. Maybe she needed to tell someone about the letters. But who? She want to worry someone over something that was so stupid. It could possibly just be someone playing a prank on her.
Her phone started to vibrate in her hand. “Jesus,” she hissed, as she nearly jumped out of her own skin. Breathing in and out several times, she answered the call.
“Hello.”
“Chantilly, darling. I was just ringing you to find out what time you will be here for the charity party.”
Groaning, Chantal realised she had forgotten all about the stupid party. “Hi, mum. I will be there around noon, is that ok?”
“That is fine dear. Are you still bringing that young man with you?”
“Yes mum, I will—”
“Hang on dear, your father wants to talk to you.”
Great. She didn’t want to talk to him. After the letter she received, she could not hide anything from her parents. All of her emotions came through her voice, and her father would pick up on them and demand to know what was wrong. As he came on the line, she struggled to get her breathing under control. “Chantilly, I have a young man coming to the party, that I would like you to accompany. He is the son of a really important client,” Malcolm said.
“Daddy, I already have a date for the night. How will it look if I abandon him after we arrive?”
“I have no clue as to who you are bringing, but you will do this, young lady. This is for the company,” he told her in a stern voice.
“Yes, daddy. I will arrive early so I know what I have to do,” she whispered. There was no way she was taking Cody to the party. If her father hadn’t met her date beforehand there was no way he would be allowed into the party, even if he were her date for the night.
“Good girl. Now, I need you to come in around 4p.m. There are a couple of files that I need you to go over. That new secretary has no clue as to how we do things around here; I have no idea why I hired her,” he growled.
If you couldn’t make her father pleased in the first week or so in the firm, you were gone and replaced by someone else.
“I’ll be there,” she replied before hanging up. She had never ended a called from her father before he did, but this time that she had. She couldn’t deal with his temper right then. Sending a quick text off to Cody, she let him know that her father had found her a date for the charity ball, but since she still had his ticket, that he could come along and keep her company. He knew exactly what her parents were like. Laying her phone on the table after switching it off, she glanced up and noticed Joey walking her way.
She plastered a smile on her face the best she could. “Hey.”
“Hey, yourself.” Sliding in beside her, he asked, “Are you alright?”
“Yeah, of course. Why wouldn’t I be?” She snuggled into the side of his body.
“You look a little pale.”
Had he seen her read the letter? No, he was too far away to notice that. She didn’t like keeping secrets from anyone, but this was necessary. She would be embarrassed if she told someone.
“My father just called. His conversations are never the best.” She attempted to laugh.
“Well, that would explain it then.”
Joey pulled her into him more, so that she was nearly on his lap. “So, do you still want to eat here, or just grab take out?” he whispered against her ear.
“Take out sounds so much better to me,” she replied.
“I’ll shoot out back and grab some meals then. Won’t be long.”
Nodding, she reached over and had a sip of her drink, as he walked towards the kitchen. She glanced over in Dom’s direction, and hated seeing the girl sitting so close to him. She could not get enough of him. Maybe she would see how he liked it when someone played with his hormones as much as he did with hers. Smiling to herself, she decided there was going to be a surprise visit to his house soon. Her plan was to seduce him, and see how he liked it when someone slept with him and walked away. No emotions...nothing. She could do it, just the way he did.
Chapter 19
Skylar sat in the office of Doctor Louise Clark, nervously. Her hand covering her belly, she sat there contemplating whether the visit was a good idea. It took everything she had to ring up and make an appointment the see the therapist. Looking around, she realised the room was starting to give her the chills. It was too plain, and she swore the plant in the corner was staring at her. She moved uncomfortably in the chair, before standing and walking over to the check the documentation on the wall. She had never seen so many in one office. The whole wall was covered in them. As she was standing closest to the desk eyeing the one from a university in Texas, she had not heard the door open, or someone walk in.
“You must be Skylar Montague.”
Skylar screamed and turned around holding her hand over her mouth as she hit the wall.
Raising her hands, the doctor apologized. “I’m so sorry, Skylar. I thought you heard me come in.”
Her breathing was coming in shorts bursts, she tried to take deeper breaths but it did not happen. The doctor moved closer, standing in front of her. “Breathe, Skylar. Deep breaths, in and out. Count backwards from ten. Slow.”
