by Stella Rhys
“I have a question about the age demographics. Business stuff.” He strode behind me with a grin in his voice. “Can you help me out?”
“Absolutely. Would you like to schedule for all of us to meet a little early before dinner? I’m sure Julian’s on the premises, so that can be easily arranged,” I said, slowing to a stop in front of my door. Turner smirked down at me.
“Nah. I’ve already got you here. Let’s just talk in your room,” he said, nodding behind me. He was aware as usual that I saw right through his bullshit – he just didn’t care. He was confident it would still work.
“No, Turner, we should meet in the salon,” I said politely.
“Oh, come on, sweetheart. Don’t be so rigid.” Oh, pleeease. I did my best not to roll my eyes. I honestly wished I had a hidden camera live streaming all this entitled douchebaggery to Lia. She’d love it. “Just humor me, Sara.”
“Alright, Turner,” I said, watching his eyebrows wiggle in anticipation of my key on the door. But I didn’t give him that satisfaction. “Hit me with your question right here. About age demographics? Is that what you wanted to ask?”
I did my best not to laugh as Turner’s face fell flat. But just as quickly, it returned to life with that signature shit-eating grin of his.
“Jesus. You really don’t trust me enough to come in your room?” he asked, giving a little chuckle.
“My room is not a space for a business meeting, Turner.”
“Fine, then let’s do something besides business.”
Okay, so you’re clearly just going for it now. I crossed my arms.
“Considering business is precisely what we’re here for, my answer is going to be no.”
“Let’s be real – your business here is a little different than that of the guys.”
“Come again?”
Turner rubbed his chin and laughed. “Oh, no… you think I don’t know, do you?”
My heart thumped but I cocked my head to play it off.
“Know what?”
“Why you were hired,” he said, stepping close to me. I was sure his chest was entirely too close to mine, but I didn’t give him the satisfaction of looking down to confirm. I kept my stare pinned right back on his, refusing to look anything but undaunted.
“And why do you think I was hired, Turner?”
“Come on, Sara,” he whispered mischievously. “Girls like you get jobs like these because they’re pretty. Because their asses look good in little skirts. You’re hired strictly to make deals go more smoothly for guys like Julian. It’s why he hired you to oversee the changes at this resort,” he said, letting me know that he didn’t actually have the information I thought he did. I let out an inaudible breath of relief as Turner smirked. “Julian put you out here because people are more inclined to do what you say, Sara. You’re sweet, and friendly, and pretty, and they subconsciously want to please you. Hell, I know I want to please you.”
“Turner, from what I observed before you joined me in the elevator, you have your choice of women here,” I said calmly.
“Well, they don’t do it for me. I tried using them to scratch the itch – it didn’t work.”
I was quickly reaching my limit of being able to even fake laugh this off, so with the same polite smile I’d been giving him, I said, “Turner, I do have to get ready. I’ll see you at dinner.”
His voice was smug as I turned to open the door.
“That ass of yours is telling me to come in.”
“I assure you it’s not,” I fired back without glancing behind.
“Christ. So why even dress like that if you don’t want me to react?” he asked. I was halfway in my room when I froze in utter disgust. “You’re asking me to fuck you and then telling me you don’t want it. Is that not what’s going on?”
Lord, Turner. Seriously?
His questions were appalling. Undeniably so. Still, I waited for myself to feel that rush of shame or guilt. I waited to feel the need to cover up and tell myself I’d asked for it, but the feeling didn’t come.
Firmly blocking my open door, I turned to face him.
“Mr. Roth, as it turns out, women sometimes do things for their own pleasure and happiness. I wear my clothes because I like them, and because I feel good in them. I enjoy feeling attractive, and if that catches your attention, then you are welcome to look. But unless I invite you, do not ever touch or assume you’re entitled to. Using the way I dress as an excuse for your lack of respect or self-control is not justified or sufficient.” I tilted my head. “Okay?” I asked with a deliberate brightness that could only be interpreted as friendly.
Turner gazed at me for several seconds, his eyes glimmering.
“You know, you’re different than all the other girls.”
“I’m not. I’m just different from the ones you pursue. Cast a wider net and you’ll meet plenty of women willing to speak their minds.”
The shit-eating grin was back. “Why look for them when I’ve already got you?” Turner asked, looking me up and down. “Come on, sweetheart. Just let me in for a second,” he persisted. “I’ll keep it strictly business – pinky swear.”
I stared at him. “We can discuss anything you want right in this hall.”
“I don’t want to discuss it in the hall, Sara, and considering I’m the one making all the final decisions on this trip, you should probably think twice about being so difficult to work with,” he asked, his teasing tone tinged with an iciness now. He smiled at the slight falter in my expression. “You know Hoult needs this deal. I’m by far his highest bidder for this resort, and Roth Entertainment is the only, and I mean only company that can launch Empire Stadium into becoming the most lucrative stadium in New York. Considering the competition, that’s a big fucking deal in that town. And it’s a big deal to his family – I’m sure you know how important his family is to him. Right?”
“I do,” I muttered, my heart racing.
I swallowed hard as I thought about this deal coming down to a chance run-in with Turner, and his stupid, egotistical need to get his way and come in my room. I couldn’t stand the thought of Julian failing this venture solely because of me, or the thought of becoming another woman who came between him and his family. I considered that letting Turner into my room could be quick – that I could text Julian the moment I got in and let him know to swing by ASAP. If Turner’s intentions were in fact as lewd as I imagined, then I’d just have to stall for ten, fifteen minutes before Julian arrived.
For the sake of this entire deal, those fifteen minutes seemed potentially worth it.
At the same time, while I took more risks these days, I’d decidedly stopped taking ones like these.
I respected myself far too much for it.
“I’m sorry, Turner. But you’re not coming in my room,” I said, heading inside and nearly shutting the door in his face. My heart pounded when Turner pushed his hand against it, but to my slight relief, he only held it open enough to say one last thing.
“Come work for me.” He was quiet for a moment, his eyes curiously studying mine. “I’ll triple the salary you’ve got with Hoult.”
“I appreciate the offer, Turner, but no thank you.”
He laughed. “You barely gave it a thought.”
“I didn’t have to. See you at dinner.”
I flashed another perfectly nice smile before tightly shutting my door and locking it.
33
JULIAN
In the bustling dining room, with live jazz floating around us, I sat with Irv to my left and Robert to my right. Well across the table from me was Sara, sandwiched between the Roth brothers, looking so beautiful I could barely think straight.
My heart rate hadn’t gone down since she arrived at dinner in a light beige dress with thin straps I could barely make out against her glowing skin. The material looked soft, and it hugged tight all over her body while dipping loosely across her breasts. Her plunging cleavage made an appearance only when she reached or leaned in certa
in positions, making the night a game of silently anticipating Sara’s every movement, no matter what you were doing. Like everyone else, I was guilty of looking every time that neckline dipped.
But unlike everyone else, I was too far from Sara to speak to her, which made looking at her physically hurt.
I wanted to be next to her.
Fuck that – actually, I needed to be.
I was genuinely unsure that I could sit through this dinner. I’d seen Turner and Carter salivate over Sara before, but something was different tonight. To start, I hadn’t had the time to see or touch her since early morning. I ached for the chance to hear her breathlessly recount her stories from the day, but thanks to Irv and Robert’s ceaseless questions, I couldn’t make it to her room after she got back to the resort.
It was a technically small hiccup in an otherwise seamless day of great meetings, but it felt huge to me.
I could admit that I wanted her comfort. There was a dull ache in my heart today. I knew it had to do with Lucie, and I knew I needed only a few moments with Sara for that ache to fade away. Just a second or two of her arms wrapped around my neck and her head resting against my chest was all I needed to breathe.
“Another glass of champagne for you, sir?” the server asked as he glided by. I was in the midst of declining when Turner yelled across the table.
“Another round for everyone. We’re celebrating,” he told the server jovially. “Turner Roth.” He held his hand out. “This is my brother, Carter. Remember the names, ‘cause we’re buying this resort, so you’ll be seeing a lot more of us soon.”
For fuck’s sake. I prepared to apologize on his behalf, but the server was quickly gone, and Turner was quickly back to murmuring in Sara’s ear.
Under the table, my fingers fired a quick text.
ME: You alright?
SARA: Yes.
SARA: But I miss you.
Fucking hell.
We locked eyes as Turner leaned his arm onto the table in front of Sara, caging her in like his prey. Her steady gaze confirmed she was still fine, that she had this under control, but it didn’t ease my heart. My patience for being apart from her had been wearing thin all day, and now, as I watched her remove Turner’s hand from her bare shoulder, it was officially gone.
“Gentlemen,” I said suddenly, facing Irv and Robert while shooting another quick text.
ME: We have a meeting with the resort’s marketing team tomorrow at 8AM, before the final meeting with the Roths at 10AM.
COLIN: Oh God we do?
ME: No. But go with it
“You’re kidding. You have to go already?” Irv seemed genuinely disappointed. I knew well that he disliked being around the Roths as much as I did. “But Turner just ordered a round of champagne.”
“Yes, unfortunately, the three of us should be wrapping it up soon. Colin,” I looked to him a few seats down. “Remind me the time of our meeting with the marketing team tomorrow?”
“Eight in the morning, sir.”
“Oh, wow,” Irv muttered, removing the napkin from his lap to stand and say goodbye. “Well, we look forward to seeing you tomorrow at noon,” he said, shaking my hand before Robert got up to do the same.
Across the table, Turner practically fucking pouted.
“You shitting me, Hoult? You gonna let Uncle Rob and Grandpa Irv outlast you tonight?” he demanded incredulously. “At least let Sara stay. Girl just wants to party. Don’t you, Sara?”
I could tell from the way she flinched that he’d squeezed her knee under the table. My heart felt like a brick as it hammered in my chest, my eyes blazing on Turner as Sara rose from the table.
“No, Turner, I think I’d just like to sleep,” she said with an admirable calm. “Gentlemen.” She faced Irv and Robert with a tight but convincing enough smile. “I look forward to our final meeting tomorrow.”
“As do we, Ms. Hanna,” Irv said. “You have a good night now.”
“You as well.”
With that, the three of us left, pacing briskly and in unison out of the busy dining area. The room was big but the air still felt hot as I strode alongside Sara, both of us wordlessly aching to touch one another.
It wasn’t till we were out of the Roths’ eyesight that Sara’s eyes glimmered over at me, the corner of her lip between her teeth. I dropped my eyes to see her hand reaching cautiously for mine. Apparently, she couldn’t wait.
Apparently, neither could I.
Instead of taking her hand, I touched Sara’s back and led us in a sharp turn down the stairs toward the restrooms. She didn’t ask what we were doing. She didn’t so much as hesitate as side by side, we descended the stairs.
The moment we got down there, I pushed her up on the wall.
“I need you now,” I hissed, catching her jaw and holding it firm as I kissed her deeply.
Her energy immediately matched mine. With two hands gripping my belt, Sara yanked me tight against her body, eagerly parting her mouth for my tongue.
“Julian,” she gasped as I pushed us into the men’s bathroom. I had no way of knowing it was empty, but it was, and thank God for it, because I couldn’t wait another second to feel her. “You’re crazy,” she whispered breathlessly through the smile she pressed against my lips. Her giggle bounced off the marble of the empty room as I pulled her into a stall and locked us in. “Julian.” She moaned as I rubbed her palm against my fully hard cock. “You’re so fucking crazy.”
“You’re the only one who gets me like this.”
“I know,” she whispered.
“Pleased with yourself?” I smirked, licking a wet line up her neck. Her breasts trembled in my hands as she shuddered. “Are you happy that I have no control around you?” I murmured, cupping her in my palms and thumbing circles over her nipples till they pebbled tight. “You make me feel like I’m losing my fucking mind, Sara.”
“You do it worse to me,” she breathed. Her fingers moved quickly, undoing my belt as I kissed the straps off her shoulders and watched her dress tumble down to her waist. I dug my fingers into her hips as I kissed the round tops of her breasts, groaning as she freed my erection and stroked it in her soft hands.
My forearms crashed against the stall, caging her in as I braced myself. The head of my cock was throbbing as she rubbed it against her naked stomach and whispered, “I want you to fuck me.”
I had every intention of doing so. But just then, the doors swung open and we heard a gratingly familiar voice.
“Seriously, man. Fuck Hoult for leaving right after I ordered champagne.”
SARA
My mouth hung open for several seconds, my heart pounding in disbelief.
Topless in the men’s bathroom, Julian’s cock pulsing hot in my hands, I found myself suddenly standing two yards away from Turner and Carter Roth. Thank fucking God for the stall doors that reached all the way to the floor. They shielded Julian’s shoes and my heels as the Roth brothers pissed at the urinals.
They were like middle school girls. Even after they were done with their business, they stuck around to talk shit about none other than us.
“He’s just mad you might fuck his assistant before he does,” Carter laughed, washing his hands. My eyes locked on Julian’s, I saw the fire return behind them. It burned hotter as Turner chimed in with his usual bullshit.
“That dude’s got such a stick up his ass. If she worked for me, I’d be smashing every day at the office. I’d fuck her right in front of everyone. I wouldn’t care.”
“The guys would love that,” Carter chuckled. “She’s got some fuckin’ tits on her.”
Julian’s neck was tight. I noticed a vein in his forehead that I hadn’t before. I willed him silently to calm down, but that was impossible with Turner escalating his idiocy.
“Yeah, I’m pissed I didn’t get to see those things that night at the pool. I swear she was shaking them around on purpose to get my dick fuckin’ hard,” he said, prompting my lip to curl in a sneer. How delusional are you, Turn
er? My chest heaved as his blatant lies continued. “Should’ve fucked her right in front of Julian.”
Julian’s hand formed a fist against the wall above my head. He looked a second from losing it so with a hand on his jaw I turned him to face me, my eyes urging him to breathe as my free hand resumed stroking his cock.
“Baby,” he whispered his tortured warning. His eyes closed as I slowly picked up my pace.
“I fuckin’ tried getting in her room today. She shut me down.”
I bit down hard on my lip as Turner revealed what I had yet to tell Julian. My eyes were big, unblinking as Julian stared into me, his eyebrows pulling tight in silent question about what happened today before dinner. I didn’t know how to calm him. My pulse was fast as I watched the hollows of his cheeks flex as he clenched his jaw. His shoulders went rigid again, and his chest expanded under his shirt, looking so tight I swore I could bounce quarters off it.
He was livid, but his anger wasn’t for me. It was for them.
“Just kick the door open next time,” Carter joked.
“For her I might have to. I’m gonna fuck her one way or another.”
That was it.
Shit.
My breath hitched in my throat as I watched the last of Julian’s composure flicker out of his eyes. But instead of flying out and slamming Turner’s head in the wall, he yanked my leg up against his body, pushing my panties aside with his cock.
Holy fuck.
Shock rippled my body as Julian’s hard cock pushed inside me. Electricity crackled between us, our stares locked unblinkingly on each other as he entered me inch by solid inch.
“We’ll find a way to get her clothes off,” Carter snorted as I dug my nails into Julian’s shoulders, lifting myself to give him more leverage to rock his hips inside me.
I soaked in his wordless intensity as I grinded against him, my body flooded with a mixture of anger, satisfaction and vengeance.
The Roths could suggest all they wanted that I could be theirs, but the truth was in front of me and inside me, and it fucked me hard the moment the brothers left the room.
“Mine,” Julian growled, his lips on mine as he shook the stall, his hips thrusting tirelessly inside me. “You belong to me.” He kissed me with a hunger that grew by the second. “Only me, Sara.”
