“Whose house is in the photo?” I backed out of the parking space and took the winding roads out of the housing development.
As the miles between us and Henry’s house increased, so did my worry for Corbin. He was intently going through the things in the plastic bag, and he was being strangely uncommunicative, even for him. All the secrecy was supposed to be behind us, but this? Too much mystery and shadows.
“Whose house is in the photo?” I repeated several minutes later.
“It belongs to a friend,” Corbin said.
“You think Henry is watching him, planning to do something bad?” I shivered, remembering Henry’s threats.
“No,” Corbin said. He shoveled the papers back into the envelope. “He’s very high up in my organization. Former organization. And now we know who the master leak is, why the investigation kept falling apart.” He turned to look out the window, and I felt his great sadness. I didn’t know if it was personal—if he felt betrayed—or if he was afraid of how much information had been compromised.
“Where am I going?” I asked suddenly, thinking he might want to go to his mountain home.
“Your place,” Corbin said. “Excuse me for a few minutes.” He reached into the back and pulled out a laptop. He opened it and his fingers sprinted over the keyboard. Next he started taking photos of the photos.
“Go on inside,” he said when I parked on Rob’s street. He was gentle but firm.
“For the record, I hate being out of the loop,” I said. “Despise. Abhor. Detest—”
“His name is Gordon, he’s ranked higher than I am, and apparently he was susceptible to blackmail. I promise I’ll tell you everything I can later. I need to act on this fast, before Henry realizes something is amiss.”
He stayed in the SUV long after I went inside the condo. I tried to read, then tried to watch television, but I couldn’t stop wondering how those photos could be so important. I peered through the bedroom curtains and saw that Corbin had rolled down the window several inches. The glow of the laptop created foreign shadows over his handsome features.
I had a feeling I might be sleeping alone that night. And I was right… but at least he came up to kiss me good night before he disappeared, and he said he would see me the next day.
Still, I wondered how long it would be before I would stop worrying whenever he left.
~~~
Only three hours to go in my second shift, and then I was going to track Corbin down. I hadn’t heard a peep from him so far. It was still early, but I was burning with curiosity about the details of Henry’s scheme. Oh, hell…. Who was I fooling? It was the details of his impending demise that most interested me.
I checked on all my tables… four more than usual because we were short two servers. Everyone seemed happy. I wasn’t such a terrible waitress when I wasn’t being suffocated by stress.
“Good afternoon, lovely.”
I whirled, smiling. Corbin pulled off aviator sunglasses and hooked them on his shirt. The man looked yummy enough to eat, and judging from the interested glances coming our way, half the diner was hoping he was on the menu.
He wore a clingy white tee underneath a lightweight black hoodie. His hair had been trimmed and was styled slightly differently than usual. I thought there might be gel in it. “Did you just get back from the hairdresser?”
“Half an hour ago. Very perceptive,” he said. “Barber, not hairdresser.”
“Oh, so you buy expensive jeans woven from fairy’s hair, but you’re too manly for a hairdresser?”
He threw his head back and laughed. “No,” he said. “I’ve had stylists. It just so happens that today I visited a barber.”
Now everyone was looking over, which reminded me that I was on the clock. “What are you doing here?”
“Heard this is a great place to grab lunch. Nice skirt.” He turned, spotted an empty booth, slid into it. He sprawled a little and looked up at me, somehow making it seem he was looking down. “It’ll be nice to have you serving me with clothing on.”
“I’ll do it, but only because you didn’t wink when you said it.”
He raised an eyebrow, then winked slowly. Heaven forgive me, it made my panties wet. I wanted to straddle him right there.
The hostess came over with a menu. “Sorry,” she said, lapping Corbin up with her eyes. “You slipped in while I was away from my station. I hope you weren’t too inconvenienced. Do you like this booth? There’s an open one with a better view.”
“I like the view right here.”
I blushed.
“Well, ok,” the hostess said. She looked at me, taking in my messy hair, my not-a-supermodel body. I knew what she was wondering because I’d asked myself the same question.
With an easy smile, Corbin accepted the menu. He had a devastating effect on women, and he damn well knew it, but at least he didn’t flirt back. I appreciated that.
His gaze ran down the menu. It was weird watching him do what I’d seen so many zillions of times since I’d started waiting tables.
“Surprise me,” he said.
“Ok, but are you thinking breakfast or a sandwich?”
“Up to you.” He handed the menu to me with a roguish smile.
I wrote in my pad, Whatever takes the longest. If I could keep him here for the rest of my shift, so much the better.
After I put in a complicated order, I poured Corbin a cup of coffee, then ran to the bathroom to check that my hair looked ok.
There was a knock on the door.
“One second,” I said.
“It’s me.”
My heart pounded as I opened to Corbin. He quickly looked left and right, then slipped inside.
“You need a coffee refill that badly?” I asked.
“Not exactly.”
I reached out, hooked a finger in one of his belt loops. Probably shouldn’t have done that… there was hunger in Corbin’s eyes as he stared down at me.
“Up for hot sex?” he asked.
Boy, was I ever. “How about a two-minute quickie?”
“You can spare two whole minutes?”
“You’re right. Maybe sixty seconds is wiser,” I said. The blood was raging through my veins. I wanted him. Now.
“Turn around,” he said seductively.
Alarms should have been going off like crazy, but I was lust-blind. I obeyed.
“Bend over. Brace yourself against the wall.”
I obeyed, placing my palms flat on the wall right under the sign that read “Employees Must Wash Hands.”
“Legs together.”
That should have been my second warning, but Corbin sometimes fucked me with my legs together, to make it even more intense than usual. So I did it.
He pulled up my skirt. “I like you in this,” he said. “I can’t wait until summer comes. You’re going to have booty shorts in every color of the rainbow.”
“Don’t count on it,” I said, wiggling my hips. “Come on! I don’t have all day.”
Corbin cupped my buttocks in both hands, and at his touch, I let out the jittery breath I’d been holding.
“That’s right. Let out that tension.”
I smiled and turned my head to look at him over my shoulder. Uh-oh. I knew that look. He was focused on my ass like he was calculating angles.
And he wasn’t rubbing the distended bulge in his tight jeans, and he certainly wasn’t taking himself out.
“This is your punishment for making me hard the moment I saw you,” he said.
“You can’t punish me for that,” I protested.
He slapped his hand across my butt. Apparently, he could. Desperation uncoiled inside of me. He slapped me again, the blow forcing me toward the wall. I braced myself, my forearm in my mouth so I wouldn’t make any noise.
Then he unbuckled his belt. He pulled it from the loops and doubled it. “Snowstorm,” he said, reminding me of my safe word.
I fidgeted, nervous and excited. This was so naughty. Not just a bathroom, but at w
ork. It was forbidden and wrong, and it made me crazy. I’d fucked in bathrooms plenty of times, but not like this, and not with the man everyone in the place wanted.
He struck me lightly with the belt, making me jump. Then he did it for real. There was a snap across my rear, a sizzling lick that made my face red. I could feel the blood pounding between my legs. I could feel my swollen clit.
I threw back my head, arched my back.
“You like that?”
There wasn’t any need to answer.
He did it again, this time focusing on the full curve of my left cheek. Then the right one. Then the left one again. I began to dance from foot to foot, anticipating where he might hit me next.
It hurt. No doubt about that. But right after the pain always came a moment of bliss. I felt like I was flying in the clouds. My pussy tightened on nothing, and I moaned; the spanking hurt, but not getting fucked? Pure torture.
“Two more,” Corbin said, his deep voice breathy. He leaned closer, and his scent washed over me. “These will be the best ones.”
I jammed my arm in my mouth and closed my eyes. My other hand was braced against the wall.
There was that high whistle, then the belt snapped hard against my skin. For a moment, I felt nothing, then there was cold, white pain that quickly turned red and burning hot.
Another whistle. Another strike. My eyes rolled into my head. Even though Corbin hadn’t gone near my clit, that’s where I felt it. There and my ass, but while my ass hurt, my clit was throbbing. I felt light shudders coming from deep within my core, radiating out.
My breath came in short pants, and when I heard the sigh of Corbin’s zipper lowering, I moaned in anticipation.
He stepped forward, nudged into me without preamble. He sank in to the hilt, and within two thrusts I was coming so hard that only Corbin’s support kept me from falling over.
Corbin shoved me up against the wall, and it was cool on my cheek and neck. One of his arms wrapped around my torso, just under my breasts.
“Yeah,” he said with a sigh. “I’ll be eating here a lot.” His other hand zeroed in on my clit, and he sent me shooting into the stars again. It wasn’t until the orgasm faded that I realized I’d been making low mewling sounds.
Corbin jammed two of his thick fingers into my mouth. I tasted myself on him. “Suck on me, baby. It’ll help you stay quiet.”
I sucked him desperately, chasing his fingers with my mouth, wanting more. While it didn’t stop me from moaning, at least I didn’t scream out when he slammed in deep, pummeling me hard for thirty wet, skin-slapping, ass-jiggling seconds. I was practically dizzy by the time he slowly eased back into a normal tempo.
He took his fingers from my mouth, substituting the broad side of his belt. It tasted… expensive.
The creak of the belt was strangely sexy. Corbin gathered both sides just at the back of my head, held it there. I felt like a horse being ridden by a demanding master.
“Come again,” he said, those talented fingers slipping between my legs. His balls slapped my pussy with each of his increasingly frantic thrusts.
I came for him, arching, sweating, my eyes squeezing shut then going wide open. My kinky, sexy boyfriend made sure it was a good orgasm, too, the kind that made my legs go all wobbly.
He leaned over me, grabbed some paper towels from the dispenser. When he pulled out, he used the towels to catch the mess. It was very appreciated.
While I cleaned up—and yes, I washed my hands as per the sign—Corbin leaned against the wall and watched. He hadn’t put his belt back on. It dangled loosely from his fingers.
“You go out first,” he said when I was presentable.
I opened the door, saw the coast was clear, and darted out. Surprisingly, no one looked at me accusingly. I wouldn’t have cared if they had.
After checking on my tables, I brought out Corbin’s food. He wasn’t back yet, and as I placed the oven-baked sandwich on the table, he walked up. “I’m going to need that to go,” he said. He threw a twenty on the table.
I blinked up at him. “You just got here.”
He held up a finger and reached into his hoodie pocket, pulled out a phone. A new phone, I noticed. It was thinner and lighter than anything I’d seen.
He nodded, looking satisfied, and returned it to his pocket.
“You’re coming, too,” he said.
I shook my head firmly. “I’ve got over two hours left. I can’t just walk out.”
“Trust me, Audrey, you don’t want to miss what’s about to happen.”
I looked around. It wasn’t too busy, but if I left, we would be woefully shorthanded. “I can’t leave Janet in a bind,” I said. “You’ll have to go shopping or whatever without me.” One of the Britneys was walking by with a to-go container, and I asked her for it. She took one look at Corbin and turned it over.
I put in his sandwich and fries and handed it to him.
He shrugged. “I tried. Don’t be mad later.” He settled his sunglasses on his nose. “You realize that the grand prize in life doesn’t go to the girl who is best behaved?” he said lightly.
“Oh, I’m sure you’ll give me some of your points,” I said, turning my face toward his to accept his kiss. He pulled out a few more bills and tossed them onto the table.
I watched him walk away, feeling very regretful indeed. The man had such a nice ass. Designer jeans were made with men like him in mind.
Sighing, I turned to pick up the money so I could pay at the register. I laughed at the tip. Of course it was ridiculously large.
Corbin had only been gone a few minutes when I got a text from Rob. Call me.
Cold sweat popped out all over my body. Rob knew I couldn’t call during my shift. It must be important. Dad, I thought, my chest tightening.
A quick glance revealed that Janet was way on the other side of the diner. I was close enough to the doors that I could pop out without being observed. Better to ask forgiveness than permission and all that… I slipped outside and hurried around the corner of the diner, my fingers already dialing.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“I don’t know exactly,” he said. “I’m at the office. Henry was acting weird all morning. Jumpy. Butch told him to head out of town, but Henry said he’s got nothing to worry about. Well, a few minutes ago he got a phone call. He ran out of here so fast it made my head spin.”
“Um…”
“I asked Butch what’s going on. Didn’t think he’d answer, but he said, ‘Henry’s been naughty.’ That’s all he said, but the way he said it… Audrey, I think Henry is leaving, one way or another. Hold on.”
While I waited, I watched a woman and four rambunctious kids spill out of a minivan. “I want a milkshake,” a pink-clad girl said, loudly. I could tell by the tone of her voice that if she said it again, it would be a scream.
“Please not my table,” I whispered.
“You there?”
“Yeah.”
“It’s like a SWAT team assembling outside,” Rob said, excited. “Three cars. No one has gotten out. They’re waiting for orders or something, I guess. Oh, man, you should be here.”
“But Henry isn’t. There, I mean.”
“I’m sure he didn’t get far,” Rob said.
“Gotta go.” I hung up and ran back inside the diner. I saw Janet disappearing into the kitchen, and I hurried in after her.
“Janet, can I talk to you really fast?” I asked. Excitement had made me completely breathless. I took off my apron, emptied out my phone and my tips, and handed her the sad piece of black cloth. “I quit.”
Janet’s eyes went soft, disappointed. “Have you thought about seeing a therapist? I don’t want to step out of line, but I worry about you, your mood swings. You were depressed two weeks ago, then you were on top of the world, and now you seem erratic.”
There was no point in arguing with her. “That’s… really thoughtful,” I said. Poor Janet. She tried so hard, and she took her job really serious
ly. Someone had to be the mother hen to all the wayward folks who worked in the diner. A thrill ran through me as I glanced around the kitchen for what I knew was going to be the last time. And thank goodness for that.
“Take care of yourself, Audrey,” Janet said, her eyes misting. She caught my hand and squeezed it. Her rings cut into my fingers.
“I will,” I said, nodding as I walked through the door. It was true. I fully intended to take care of myself. Though it wouldn’t be hard. Not when I had help like Corbin.
But at the moment, Corbin was probably heading to Stroop Finders. Henry wouldn’t be there, but I knew exactly where he was heading… only a few minutes away from the diner.
When I reached Henry’s street, I took a chance and drove past his house. If he happened to be behind the wheel and he saw me, he might take off. But both his pickup and the company car were sitting in the driveway.
I parked behind him, blocking the driveway. The door to the car was open, I saw. As was his front door. He had probably just arrived and didn’t plan to stay long.
I fumbled open the glove box. Taser. Pepper spray. And zip tie handcuffs. I grabbed a fleece from the back seat, put it on and shoved the things I needed into the pockets. Then I ran toward the door.
As I neared the entrance, I could hear him banging around. I cautiously moved closer, took a peek inside. It sounded like he was upstairs.
I crept inside, closed the door quietly behind me and locked it. It wouldn’t keep him from getting out, but if he rushed past me, it would slow him down enough for me to catch up.
I headed up the stairs, pepper spray in hand. Just as I neared the top, Henry screamed, making my blood go cold.
There was a thunderous crash that shook the floor.
It was hard to guess if he was alone or if he was fighting with someone. I continued up.
The noise was coming from the office. I was very tempted to stand in the doorway and spray until the container was empty, but I couldn’t… not if there was someone innocent in there.
Of course, innocent people probably didn’t hang out with Henry.
I took a deep breath. Gripping the pepper spray tighter, I stepped in front of the office. It was just Henry. He had pulled the desk away, tipping it, and the safe yawned empty. Both his hands were fisted in his short hair.
Seduced by a Dangerous Man Page 15
