by Vivian Ward
Before I can reply, she’s fast asleep. There’s no punishments tonight, no sex, nothing fun. Instead of restless sleep that will never come, I quietly tiptoe to my desk and flip on my computer. I’ve been dying to know exactly what Darcy’s email said to Ally but I’m not prepared for what I find when I open the program that connects to Ally’s laptop. She downplayed Darcy’s email quite a bit. Not only is it threatening, it’s condescending toward Ally. She didn’t mention any of that.
When this all started out, I was interested in protecting myself which would in turn protect Ally. But now? This brings on a whole new layer of anger. Nobody threatens Ally or talks to her in that type of manner. She has no right saying those things to Ally. I might be pissed off at her, but even I’ve admitted that if I were in her shoes, I would’ve done the same thing she did. The fact that this girl is going to try to smear my name in the mud while smearing Ally’s face in it first ignites a flame that I didn’t know existed.
I will take this girl down single handedly if I have to. Mark and his team or Ally and I, it doesn’t matter. Darcy’s in the center of the bullseye and I will get her.
Chapter 6
Ally
Colton was unusually quiet when he left for work this morning but I’m not surprised after how upset he was last night. It seems like we’re both getting hammered from all directions. I’d like to think I’m crazy but I don’t think he slept last night. I can’t remember if it was a dream or if I’m imagining this but I thought that I woke up at one point and he wasn’t in bed. The thing is, his side of the bed doesn’t look slept in.
Before I get started on my work, I head down to the kitchen, hopeful to see Linda. I really like her and can see why she’s worked for Colton so long. It’s hard not to fall in love with her from the first minute you say hello.
“Good morning, Allison,” she says. Her voice is so sweet and chipper. I swear you’d think rainbow chocolate chip cookies were about to come out of the oven and little fairies would magically appear to clean the house.
“Call me Ally,” I say. “And good morning to you, too.”
I reach in the cabinet for a mug and she quickly scurries to the counter. “I’m sorry, Allison. I mean, Ally. I didn’t know you’d be up this early since you slept so late yesterday. I don’t have any coffee ready but I’ll make some now.” She quickly begins scooping the coffee into the coffee filters as she tries to put everything together.
“No worries,” I assure her. “Take your time. I wanted to talk to you anyway.”
She stops handling the coffee for a minute and turns to face me. “Oh? About what?”
“I’d like you to have dinner with us,” I explain. She tilts her head and gives an apologetic smile.
“I’m sorry, Ally, but I can’t do that. It would be imposing and I would never do that.”
“No, Linda, I insist. What do you do when you leave here? Do you go eat with your sister? Do you go home to family?”
“I go home,” she says, adding water to the coffee pot. “I fix myself a nice meal, watch some television or do a little reading and then go to bed.” I watch her pour the water into the machine before hitting the start button.
“Then it’s settled. You’ll have dinner with us.”
“Why?” she asks, cocking her head to the side. “Why would the two of you want to share an intimate dinner with an old woman?”
“Why wouldn’t we want to have dinner with someone we like and care about?” I return the question to her. “Colton thinks very highly of you and I’m quite fond of you myself. Besides, maybe you can help me understand him better.”
Her smile fades. “I’m sorry, Miss Ally, but I do not interfere with Colton’s relationships. That’s not something that I would ever wish to do.”
I quickly realize what she thinks I’m asking her and assure her that’s not how I meant it to sound. “Linda, no, I’m sorry,” I say. “I only meant that he’s a complicated man and that you seem to know what he likes. That’s all I’d like to learn from you. I want to serve him in the best way possible.”
Her smile returns and her cheeks glow a radiant rose color that lights up the room. “Of course,” she says, embarrassed. “I’ll teach you a little here and there. Colton is a very complex man and he likes particular things. I couldn’t possibly sit down and think of everything there is but when something pops in this little brain of mine,” she taps her head. “I’ll let you know.”
Once I have my coffee in hand, I return to the study where I begin work. These little side projects that Gretta has me doing take almost no thought or time so I was able to finish outlining everything yesterday after I made my phone calls. I sit down to fire up my laptop and see that I have an unread email that I don’t remember opening. I click on the subject and see it’s an office memo from Greg about scheduled system maintenance and that we will be unable to access the servers for 30 minutes today. It’s odd that it’s opened because it came through at 8 PM last night and I logged off the computer around a quarter after five, just before Colton came home from work.
Reaching for my phone, I shoot off a text message to Colton that I think someone’s been into my work email. I don’t know if someone from The Gateway Times has been into it trying to dig up secrets or if his PI’s team had gone through it, but it’s important to know which side did it. There’s nothing incriminating in my emails but I’m not sure why someone would want to go through them—unless they thought they’d find dirty emails between Colton and me so they could air more of his dirty laundry. My phone pings with a text message.
Colton: It was me, no need to worry.
Me: Why? Not that I care, you can read anything you want but what were you looking for? Maybe I can help.
My phone begins ringing and I see Colton’s picture on the screen.
“Hey babe,” I answer him. “What’s up?”
“I’ve only got a minute but I wanted to call you while I was in between appointments. I went through your work email last night because I wanted to see exactly what Darcy said to you.”
I love hearing his deep, sexy voice and could never grow tired of him calling me from work. It sends tingles straight to my nipples and kickstarts my ovaries even though we haven’t been intimate since he woke me in the middle of the night. I long for his touch and crave it, whether it’s good or bad. This man is pure danger to me but I need his approval, his touch, his love.
“Oh,” I say, surprised. “How come you didn’t just ask me what she said? I would’ve told you or shown you myself. I don’t want you thinking that I’m keeping things from you, Colton. I know I messed up but—,”.
“No, it’s not that. I know that. The thing is, I do trust you, Ally. I really do, but my mind would not shut off last night. It kept bouncing between Tyler and Darcy. It just feels like the world is against us and I’m ready to fight but I have to know exactly what and who I’m fighting. I need to know how dirty they’re fighting.”
I breathe out a sigh of relief when he’s done. I never thought I’d be able to earn back his trust but maybe he’s beginning to realize that I’m on his side. I’m #TeamColton all the way and in this one hundred percent with him. I’d like to take Darcy out single handedly but I could never do it alone. I need Colton just as much as he needs me.
“We’ll get through this,” I reassure him. “I know we will. We’re better and stronger than them.”
“I’ve got to go,” he says. “My next client is about to come in but I’ll see you tonight.”
“Okay,” I say a bit sad and disappointed that our call has come to an end. “Have a good day.”
I’m about to hang up when I hear his voice. “I love you, Ally.”
My heart smiles and when it finally reaches my lips, I smile, too. “I love you, too.”
For the rest of the afternoon, I spend my time writing and searching for unique pictures for my article. The Gateway Times is behind the mark in technology so most of the paper only gets printed; very little of it goes
online. Greg prefers it that way, which I think is dumb. Too many people read online now that hardly anyone goes into the gas station or grocery store to pick up a copy of the newspaper. Today’s people are checking the news on their cell phones, tablets, and computers. As an avid reader myself, most of everything that I read is online. I only keep my favorite titles or autographed books on my bookshelves. As much as I love the written word and the feeling of having a book in my hand, I hate clutter.
I decide to call it a day an hour before I’d normally wrap things up to make my way to the kitchen to talk to Linda. When I get downstairs, I find her dusting the furniture and blinds.
“Hello, Linda,” I say, keeping my voice soft so I don’t startle her.
“Oh! Hello,” she wipes her hands on her hips. “Can I get you anything or do you need something?”
“No,” I smile, shaking my head. “Are you almost finished?”
“I can be. What’s on your mind?” she asks.
“Maybe we can have some tea,” I suggest. “I have some in the cupboard.”
“Sure, that’d be nice,” she agrees. “I’ll put some on.”
I grab the coffee mugs while she retrieves the tea from the cabinet. She hums as she fills the kettle with water. There must never be a bad day in her life, I think to myself.
“Do you like milk or honey in your tea, Ally?” she asks as she takes down the sugar.
“Sometimes. Do you?”
“Honey? Yes. Milk? No.” We both laugh as we look out the large kitchen windows, watching the water in the pool effortlessly reflect the light of the sun.
“It’s so nice having you around, Linda. I really like you.”
She grins, exposing a tiny dimple that I hadn’t noticed before. Her face is always so warm because of the way her eyes light up when she’s talking to you. It’s nice feel like you have a friend around. I want to tell her this but I don’t want her to think I’m an outcast or a lone wolf. I’ve always been surrounded by friends but ever since I graduated college, I haven’t had much time to hang out with anyone. Work and Colton have consumed me ever since I landed my internship. “I like you, too. You’re much different from other girls.”
“How so?” I ask.
“Most women would only be out for Colton’s money. I can tell that his money doesn’t concern you.”
For a moment, I feel bad. His money is the reason why I was able to write a story about him which put me here in the first place. But the more I think about it, it wasn’t his money that brought me to write about him. It was his secret. I might be worse than the typical woman.
The tea kettle begins to squeal, breaking my concentration. The two of us walk over to the stove to fix our cups of tea.
“I wanted to come down to talk to you because of something I said,” I tell her. She studies my face but doesn’t say a word. “I know I said that I wanted you to stay for dinner, but Colton and I need some time alone tonight. Would you mind going before he comes home from work?” I ask, my eyes sympathetic that this means she’ll be eating alone tonight.
“Of course,” she sips her tea. “Is this about the story you wrote?”
The color drains from my face as my heart drops to my stomach. She knows. “How do you know?” I ask.
“Ally, Colton tells me everything.” A warm smile tugs at the wrinkled corners of her lips. “You sleep quite late. Colton is an early riser and I am here every morning before he leaves for work. I often cook him breakfast. I knew something was troubling so I asked him to talk about it with me.”
She cooks him breakfast every morning? In this house? How did I not know this? It’s in this moment that it becomes crystal clear to me how selfish I’ve truly been. I have paid zero attention to anything pertaining to Colton.
That is going to change right now.
“I’m sorry,” I murmur. “I never intended....,” my voice trails off. “I’m going to fix things. I promise, Linda. I love Colton and I will right all of my wrongs.”
She sighs and covers her heart with her hand. “You have nothing to explain to me. Prove to Colton how much you love him. He needs this more than you know.”
I nod. “I will.”
Chapter 7
Colton
It’s been a week since I was last at the club but payday is every Friday, so I naturally had to be there. It’s strange being inside the club but not going downstairs. When Tyler initially asked about buying it, I was a bit stunned and didn’t know if he was serious until I realized it wasn’t a joke when he continued to press me about it.
I’d like to keep it because it’s something I’ve built and it holds a large part of my past—and maybe my future. I want to believe that Ally and I will be together forever but she doesn’t seem as fully committed as I am. Then there’s the issue of what happens if we don’t last and I sell the place. I’ll be an outsider and that’s not a feeling I’d like to have in a place that I developed, nurtured, and grew.
The other issue, which is what I hope it comes to, is that if Ally and I do last, what will this place be? How will it fit into my life? How will it fit into our lives? She asked about our monogamous relationship the other day, and I like things being that way. Will I want them that way way forever? I don’t know. Is that how she wants things? I’m not sure.
And if she is okay with this type of lifestyle, what will that mean? What does that look like? I’ve never minded Brooke or Valerie playing in the club or having sex with the other members but would I allow my wife to be used by other men? Part of it turns me on, but the other part makes me jealous as fuck.
We have to take one day at a time before I can make any decisions. Right now I need to focus on not getting hung out to dry in the paper and working on mine and Ally’s relationship.
While I was at the club, I was talking to Janet, the lounge manager whom I put in charge of both the lounge upstairs and the club downstairs. She had an interesting story that I wouldn’t have ever believed before Tyler started insisting on buying it from me. She said that Tyler and Brooke had been frequenting the club on almost a nightly basis which is highly unusual for both of them. Before I met Ally, I was always at the club and saw Tyler a couple of times per month. Sometimes more than that, but not usually. Brooke only came every so often but nowhere near every night. Not even close. I slept with various women on a regular basis so it’s not like Brooke was ever considered a regular.
But that’s not the only thing that Janet told me. She said that she’d overheard some of the club members whispering about Tyler becoming the new owner and pushing me out of the picture. We’ve shared a lot of things in the past but anger was never one of them. I’m not sure if I’ve done something to piss him off or if he’s cooking up some scheme but it’s a total dick move to let my members believe that I won’t be around. Before she could tell me anything else, I signed the payroll checks and rushed off to a meeting that didn’t exist. I couldn’t stand to be there a minute longer. I imagined smashing every liquor bottle and punching a hole in every wall but I know that’s not the way civilized people handle things so I left.
Pulling up to the house, I immediately notice that Linda’s car is gone which never happens. She’s always there before I get up and stays until I come home. It makes me wonder how her and Ally are getting along. I haven’t had the chance to discuss their relationship with either one of them but I hope there aren’t more problems waiting inside. Reluctant to get out of the car, I pretend to check email but I cleared out all of my messages before I left the office. With nothing else to do, I go inside and immediately notice the lack of smell wafting through the air that I’d normally find when Linda is cooking for dinner.
“Ally?” I call out her name as I place my keys and wallet on a table near the door. “Ally, I’m home,” I say.
Continuing through the house, I reach the stairwell that leads to the bedrooms and see Ally leaning over the top of the railing. Her body is stretched out, spread across the bannister like a fucking angel—only ang
els don’t wear all black. She’s wearing a reckless low-cut dress that barely covers her thighs. Every inch of the fabric clings to her body including the laced tights that are neatly tucked inside her thigh-high boots. This is not a normal look for Ally but damn if I don’t love it.
An instant smile creeps across my face as I drink in her appearance. Heaven never looked so sinful. All I can think about is messing up her perfect little hairdo and smearing her makeup as I fuck her face. “What’s this all about?” I say in a slow, seductive deep voice. “Has my girl been good or has she been very good?”
She leans over the railing a bit more and is dangerously close to falling from the second story but I love the risk that she’s taking. All of them. She’s taking so many risks and they’re all for me. But right now I want to know what she has in store for me.
“A little of both,” she says. Pushing out her red-stained bottom lip she pouts. “Was it naughty of me to send the help home without your permission?” she asks.
She’s playing a game and I like it, so I play along.
“Very bad,” I confirm.
“Was it bad when I got all dolled up for you so we could spend some time alone?”
And just like that some of the ice melts from my cold, black heart. Grinning up at her I say, “No, that was not bad.”
A bubbly giggle escapes her throat as she tosses her long brown hair over her shoulder. The chocolate stars light up as she beams down at me. “Then good because we’re going out to dinner and spending some time together.”
“That’s a great idea,” I say as she walks down the steps toward me. I’m so ready to fuck her face that I have to refrain from touching her or I’ll put her on her knees and give it to her right here and now.
