by Sloane, Roxy
I don’t understand. One minute he’s telling her they’ll be together forever, the next, he’s slamming the door in her face.
So what went wrong? It doesn’t make any sense.
Then something slips free from the bundle. A few loose photographs. They fall to the dusty floorboards, and I pick them up, curious.
It’s my mom. Young, wearing funny old fashion outfits. But there’s something weird about the pictures -- they’re shot from far away, snapping her at the grocery store and unlocking the front door of her apartment. Surveillance photos.
I turn one over and read the writing on the back.
The shipment goes through, or somebody gets hurt.
I freeze.
What the hell?
I don’t recognize the handwriting, but it’s there on the other photos too.
You’re running out of time. I promise, the people you love will suffer if I don’t get what I want.
There’s a photo of Ashcroft’s friend too, playing in his yard at home with his two young boys. There’s a bullseye drawn on the front in marker, the target right over the man’s face.
I shiver.
This is seriously creepy.
What was Ashcroft into? And why was he being threatened?
Then I see the date on the photos of my mom. Right before Ashcroft broke things off and she left town.
My pulse kicks. Was this the reason he pushed her away? Because someone was threatening to hurt her?
I look through the box again, but I can’t find anything else. All I have are the notes and the chilling photographs, and a hundred new questions whirling in my mind.
Tiredness hits me like a ton of bricks. I feel like I could curl up and fall asleep right here, so I tuck the letters and photos into a folder and then turn the lights off, plunging the attic into darkness again. I close the door behind me, and head back downstairs with my file, creeping through the dark house.
Noise comes from down the hallway. A bedroom door swings open, light shining in the dark.
I shrink back into the shadows, watching from my hidden alcove. It’s Isabelle, creeping out of a bedroom wearing just a silky nightgown, her hair mussed up.
Brent steps after her, catching her arm. He’s in boxers and nothing else, and as I watch in shock, he yanks Isabelle back and kisses her.
On the lips.
I stifle a gasp. It’s not a friendly kiss, but cruel and hard. Isabelle flushes as she steps away. I can’t hear what Brent is saying, but he’s not happy. She bows her head, and creeps away, back to her own room.
I stay there, reeling from what I’ve just seen. I know Brent and Isabelle aren’t blood siblings -- Ashcroft adopted them later, first Brent when he was thirteen, and then Isabelle a few years later. Still, he raised them as family.
This is seriously fucked up. What kind of twisted relationship do these people have?
I wait until Brent’s door closes and the light turns off, then I hurry back to my guest-room as fast as I can, my heart pounding in my chest.
11
VAUGHN
When I wake up, Keely’s gone.
Shit, I pushed her too far, lashing that sweet body to the bed and invading every part of her. She said she would take anything I gave her, and fuck if I didn’t put her to the test: driving her to the brink and back before I eased that juicy ass wide open and showed her what it feels like to be filled all the way to the fucking hilt.
The feel of her pussy clenching damn near drove me insane, and with the buzz of that vibrator rubbing through her walls? Fuck. I swore that next time, it’ll be my cock plunging into that tight rear channel, but as I look around at the dark, empty room, I feel a stab of remorse.
She wasn’t ready.
You fucked it up good this time.
Then the door swings open and Keely hurries inside. She’s breathless, checking behind her in the hall like she’s worried she’s being followed.
“Where have you been?” I demand, relief crashing through me. So she’s not halfway back to LA by now.
“Just, upstairs.” Keely checks outside again, before quietly closing the door. She comes to sit on the edge of the bed, and pulls out a file she’s had hidden in her robe. “I was looking through the attics for information about Ashcroft, and you won’t believe what I found.”
She passes me the file. I flip it open and freeze.
A photo of my father with mom, my brother and me.
“Where did you get this?” I snap my eyes back up. Does she know my secret? What’s going on?
“In boxes of Ashcroft’s stuff. Look, it’s my mom.”
Keely points to another photo in the file, of a young woman. I let out a sigh of relief. Shit, that was close.
Then I turn the photo over and see the writing on the back. “What the hell is this?”
“I don’t know, but it’s serious.” Keely curls her legs up under her. “I always thought mom ran away because Ashcroft broke her heart. That he didn’t want me, or something like that. But what if he broke things off to protect her -- from whoever was sending those threatening letters?”
I grip the file hard. My heart is suddenly pounding like a fucking jackhammer in my chest.
“What else did you find?” I demand in a low voice, trying to keep it together.
“Just those photos, and some love letters from Ashcroft to my mom. What do you think they mean?”
“I don’t know,” I answer slowly, looking through the bundle again. This time, I see another photo of my dad.
There’s a bullseye drawn on his face.
My blood runs cold. I remember that day, out in our front yard. Dad had just bought home a cool remote-controlled airplane for me, and we spent hours out there, playing together.
Back before I lost him. Before Ashcroft destroyed him -- or so I thought.
“I don’t know who that is,” Keely speaks up, watching me. “He was in the family albums too, maybe an old friend? I might try and track him down. Maybe he knows something about what happened back then.”
“He’s dead.”
I answer without thinking. Keely looks confused. I quickly cover. “I mean, he’s probably gone by now, right? Ashcroft kicked it already.”
“That’s different, the cancer got him. This guy looks in his forties there, so he must be about seventy now. That’s not too old.” Keely sighs. “But I don’t even know his name.”
Good.
I tuck the photo away when she’s not looking. “Come here.” I gesture, shoving the file aside as if its contents haven’t just turned my world upside down. “You look stressed. And I’ve got something that can take care of that.”
Try nine inches of hard cock. If anything can make me forget about this bombshell, sinking deep into her wet pussy will, but Keely snuggles up against me with a yawn. “Too tired,” she whispers, already drifting off. “You mind if we just sleep?”
I exhale. “Sure thing, baby.”
She’s out like a light in seconds, her warm curves wrapped around me. I stare at the ceiling, my body wired tight, my dick hard and hungry for her.
What the fuck is going on?
I always thought it was so simple. Ashcroft screwed my dad out of the company. My dad couldn’t take the shame and disappointment, so he put a shotgun in his mouth and pulled the trigger.
For twenty-two years I’ve hated Charles Ashcroft, and blamed him for my father’s death. Twenty-two years of white-hot resentment. Twenty-two fucking years determined to make him pay.
But now...
I pull out the photo and stare at it in the dark. The target is scrawled in harsh black marker, crystal clear.
I’m watching.
If Ashcroft sent away Keely’s mom to protect her, what if he did the same to my dad: shut him out of the company so this mystery blackmailer wouldn’t take his revenge?
My head thunders with questions, too fucking loud.
Everything I thought I knew is spinning out of control, and the center of the storm
is laying right here beside me.
Keely.
She’s breaking through my defenses, chipping away at my stone cold heart. And now she’s unraveling the only thing I thought I was sure of in the world.
What the fuck do I do now?
12
KEELY
The rest of the week passes in a blur. It’s like I’m living a double life. My nights are filled with Vaughn, exploring every boundary and pushing every limit until I’m begging for more. Then, when day breaks, I’m plunged into my new life as CEO: meetings in the city every day, doing my rounds of Ashcroft Industries until I’ve met with every department head in the company.
Despite Brent’s scorn, I’m managing to stay on top of everything. Cam guides me through each day. He’s been a lifesaver, but even though he says no question is too dumb, I still feel like an idiot making him translate all the business-speak into plain English.
“You’re doing great,” he reassures me, after a meeting about transportation targets that couldn’t be more confusing if the whole thing had been spoken in Swahili.
“I wish,” I try and balance the huge binder of information on top of all my other folders. “How’s the share price doing?”
Cam gives an easy smile. “Creeping back up. It’ll take its time, but Wall Street is watching. It knows we’re holding strong even without Ashcroft at the helm.”
“You worked for him a while, didn’t you?” I ask, walking back towards his office. I try and smile and nod at all the assistants and secretaries as I pass. I know from my days as a paralegal how shitty work can be if the boss doesn’t treat you like a human being.
“Ten years,” Cam replies. He’s clean-shaven and dressed in a designer suit: always professional in the office. “I joined the company right out of college in the mailroom, and worked my way up.”
We enter his corner office, and I take the chance to put my files down. I pull a photo from my pocket, one of Ashcroft’s mysterious friend -- without the bullseye target. I’ve been looking in old company brochures and photographs any chance I get, but I’m still coming up blank.
“Do you know who this is?” I ask, showing it to Cam.
He takes the photo. I think I see a flicker of recognition on his face, but he shakes his head. “No, sorry.”
“He was a friend of Ashcroft’s,” I add, hoping to jog his memory. “Back maybe twenty or thirty years ago.”
“Before my time,” Cam laughs. “Or are you saying I’m an old man?”
“No,” I say. “I just thought maybe you would have seen something. If Ashcroft mentioned him at all.” I pause. “He didn’t say anything about me, did he? I can’t believe he would just put me in the will and not discuss it with anyone.”
“Ashcroft was secretive like that.” Cam shrugs. “He had his own way of doing things.”
“But you were his second in command,” I argue.
Cam gives me a regretful smile. “That just meant he gave me orders and I followed them. I mean, I kept things running around here, especially towards the end,” he adds, “But Ashcroft was the one at the wheel.”
I sigh. Everywhere I turn, I find more dead ends and secrets.
I shake off the past, and check my never-ending to-do list. “Did you hear back from the event planner?” I ask, remembering. With the gala set for tonight, I’m worried something will go wrong at the last minute. “I had questions about the--”
Cam hold up his hand, cutting me off. “I told you, they have it all under control.”
“But this is a big event,” I protest. “The biggest! You said it yourself, everyone’s watching.”
“And that’s why you need to delegate,” Cam counters. “Leave the details to the professionals. Your job is to network and let everyone meet the new boss.”
I take a breath. He’s right. It’s not my responsibility to check the caterers are dressed in white, or if the valet stand got permits from the city. For the first time in my career, I’m going to be the one enjoying the party while other people handle the work.
“I’ll let you get back to work,” I say, preparing to leave.
“Where are you going?” Cam stops me. “This is your office now.”
“What?” I gape at him. “I don’t understand.”
He chuckles. “You’re CEO now, you need a space to work out of. And I was only ever keeping the seat warm here for you. My real office is just down the hall. I’ll see you tonight?”
“See you later,” I reply weakly.
He winks, and then closes the door behind him, leaving me alone in my office.
Mine?
I look around, amazed. It’s huge, the size of my whole crappy apartment back in LA. Sleek furniture, expensive rugs. And the view...
I go to the windows, breathing in the sight of New York stretched beneath me. I feel on top of the world here, and for the first time, I realize:
I don’t want to lose this now. Whatever the secrets behind my inheritance, I’m already invested. In this company, these people. Ashcroft entrusted their fates to me for a reason, and I don’t want to let him down. Not with Brent and his scheming threatening to tear the whole company apart.
My intercom buzzes. “Miss Fawes?”
“Yes!” I lunge to hit the button.
“Your next meeting is here. Shall I send them in?”
“Yes, please.” I settle back in the executive desk chair and reach for my tablet, but when the doors open, it’s Vaughn who strides into the room.
“Hey!” I leap up, happy to see him. “I thought we were meeting at the gala tonight.”
“I had some things to take care of in the city.” Vaughn meets me with a kiss.
“Like what?” I ask curiously.
“Things.” His reply is blunt. As usual. I don’t know what he’s been doing while I’m at the office all day, and when I ask, he shuts me down.
Now, he pre-empts any more questions by placing a hand against my chest and slowly pushing me backwards until I hit the edge of my desk.
“Nice office, Miss Fawes,” he murmurs with a wicked glint in his eyes.
My pulse kicks. “My next meeting arrives soon,” I tell him, but he’s already lifting me to sit on the edge of the desk, spreading my thighs wider.
“Then they’ll enjoy the show.”
He yanks my panties aside and drags his thumb across my clit. I moan, clutching his shoulders to stay upright. Vaughn strokes again, whispering in my ear.
“I’ve been thinking about fucking you all day long.” He sinks a finger deep into my wetness, and I shudder at the touch. “See how wet you are, baby? You’ve been wanting me too.”
“Yes,” I whisper. God, I want him all the time, with a craving that scares and exhilarates me all in one.
“Tell me how.” Vaughn thrusts another finger inside me, pulsing slowly as his thumb rubs around my clit. His eyes are locked on mine, and Lord, I’m already panting, twisting, hurtling higher. “Tell me every dirty thing you want me to do to your body. Say it out loud.”
“I want you there,” I whisper, feeling his fingers plunge deeper, curling up inside me. I thrust against him, needing the friction on my clit. “Inside me.”
“I already am,” Vaughn smirks. “You’ll have to do better than that.” He starts to withdraw his fingers, and I whimper from the motion.
“Your cock,” I gasp. “I need your cock inside me.”
“Better,” Vaughn murmurs, circling my clit again, his fingers slick. “How do you want me, baby. Driving slow?”
“No.” I shudder again, climbing. “I want you hard. Slamming into me, so deep I scream.”
Vaughn growls, pulsing faster inside me. “That’s right, baby. You like it rough.”
I whimper in agreement. God, the power this man has over me. How he takes me to heaven and back.
“I want you to tie me up again,” I whisper, flushing red at the memory. “Hold me down and fuck me until I can’t move, can’t speak.”
Vaughn’s eyes are wild
er now, glazed with lust. “You won’t be screaming with my cock shoved down your throat,” he pants, thrusting his fingers deeper, stretching me open. “You like it on your knees, don’t you? Choking on my dick, cum gushing down your throat.”
“Yes,” I gasp, closer now. “Yes, I want it all.”
“Everywhere,. Vaughn rubs up against my G-spot, God, pleasure crashing through me in waves. “You want my cock drilling into you, your clenching pussy, that wet little mouth. But you want me back there most of all.”
I shudder at the truth of it, but he won’t let me look away. “You want me fucking your tight, virgin asshole, don’t you baby? You want me to stretch you wide open and pound deep until you lose control. That show the other night was just a taste. I’ve got so much more to give you. And you’ll take it all, tonight.”
Tonight?
I shatter with shock, biting down on his shoulder to keep from crying out.
Vaughn chuckles, slipping his fingers out of me. “I thought you’d like that,” he murmurs, tugging my skirt down. “And I mean it, baby. You’re going to feel me tear that ass up inside, every single inch.”
My breath catches, half panic and half with lust. Feeling that vibrator inside me was intense enough. I don’t think I can handle much more.
“Vaughn,” I gulp. He cuts me off with a commanding look.
“You’ve got your dress picked for tonight?”
I nod, confused.
“Don’t wear any panties,” he says. “I want you wet and ready for me.”
“But--”
“Don’t. Talk. Back.” Vaughn quells my protest with a hungry look that turns my stomach in flips. God, he’s sexy when he’s ordering me around.
“You can mingle and do all your networking bullshit, but we’ll both know what you’re hiding under that dress. And when I say the word, you better be ready to hike your skirt up and show me that sweet pussy.”
My heart races. I nod.
“Good girl.”
Vaughn strolls away without another look. I hear him chat to my secretary, and then he’s gone.
I collapse against the desk again. That man is a miracle. All day I’ve been so stressed and worried about the big event tonight, but Vaughn can make me forget it all. He knows just how to give me release, to clear my mind and make me feel invincible.
