Rye continued to observe her as he drew down the zipper on his dress pants. His relief was fleeting, for the need to come at the sight of Grace throwing her head back at the pleasure of her own touch was strong. He denied himself, of course. This was a special moment to enjoy and endure.
He quickly tore the foil with his teeth before removing the disc from its holder. It wasn’t long before his cock was covered with the latex, giving him the ability to run a finger through her folds.
“You’re wet, angel.”
“Hmmm,” Grace moaned, shifting her hips forward to gain more contact with his hand. He drew his arm back, settling in to enjoy the show. “Rye…”
“Don’t stop, Grace.”
“Please.”
“I want you drenched.”
Grace began to tug on her nipples, her blue eyes darkening in arousal with each passing second. Her cheeks were naturally flushed from her own self-pleasure. The striking manner in which her lips parted slightly at the extreme sensations she was giving herself almost had him sinking inside of her, but he managed to control the urge.
“Is your clit swelling with the need to be touched?”
“Yesss,” Grace practically hissed, catching her bottom lip between her teeth. She would have tilted her hips forward had he not put his hands on them to stop her. “Rye, I need—”
“To feel my cock slide into you? Do you need to feel full?”
Her nipples were now a darker shade from the continuous manipulation.
“I can’t take the ache anymore, Rye. Make it go away.”
Rye would have laughed had he the ability to, but playing with her in this manner meant stretching his own influence. There was only so much he could take himself, but he didn’t have to do a thing other than hold the base of his shaft.
Grace had already used her knees to lift herself over the tip of his cock, and she sank onto him in one motion. The heat of her sheath was instantaneous. For a brief moment, he couldn’t draw air.
“This,” Grace whispered, releasing her nipples and using the headrest of his chair as leverage. She began to ever so slowly take the lead, which was what she needed after such an evening. Who was he to deny her the pleasure? “This is what I need, Rye.”
“Then it’s yours.” Rye slid a hand behind her neck, bringing her closer so that he could kiss her. “You should know by now that I’m all yours, angel.”
Grace built the momentum quickly, using her knees to force herself up and down as she took them to that special place. She once again tilted her head as the pleasure became immense. His sac began to tighten at the simple sight of her reaching…reaching…and finally attaining that elusive orgasm that catapulted his own.
“I love you,” Rye managed to say after they both managed to calm their racing hearts after such a rush. “I always have, angel.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
“Peter Jensen called from Morgan Stanley,” Marilyn said as she walked around her desk with her usual water bottle. She’d had the same stainless steel cup for years. “He said there was a problem with the option trade Steve executed this morning.”
“Thanks, Marilyn,” Grace replied as she entered the foyer side by side with Laurel. “I’ll call him back in a few minutes. Did Cynthia have an appointment? She was supposed to meet us at The Capital Grille for lunch, but she never showed and isn’t answering her cell phone.”
“Cynthia hasn’t come out of her office since this morning.”
Grace and Laurel shared concerned glances as they both veered down the hallway that would lead to Cynthia’s office.
“That’s not like her,” Laurel muttered, not saying anything that Grace wasn’t already thinking. Cynthia rarely stayed motionless unless there was a compliance-related issue at hand. “She seemed fine this morning.”
Grace and Laurel had left the building before Cynthia due to Laurel needing to stop at Nicollet Mall to pick up a birthday gift for her mother. Cynthia had been on the phone and waved for them to go ahead, letting them know she’d meet them at the restaurant. They tried to get together in such a fashion at least once a month, because their work schedules were crazy.
“You don’t think that—”
Grace had been going to bring up Gareth, considering he was the only one who seemed to be able to rattle Cynthia. Unfortunately, Paul stopped their progress down the hallway.
“Grace, could I see you for a moment?”
Had it been anyone else who’d requested a minute of her time when she was on a mission to ensure that her friend was okay, she would have turned him or her down flat. Unfortunately, Grace had been putting off having a discussion with Paul about her private life for some time now. There had been no need when she and Rye had been keeping their reconciliation a secret, but things had drastically changed given the events of the past week.
And last night?
Last night had been special in many, many ways.
“Go,” Laurel said encouragingly, interrupting the direction Grace’s thoughts had taken her. Laurel rested a hand on Grace’s arm in reassurance before taking her purse so that she didn’t have to carry it into her meeting with Paul. “Meet me in Cynthia’s office when you’re done.”
Grace nodded her thanks before addressing Paul, though not before she saw Blair close her office door on the opposite side of the hallway. The quiet act of obtaining privacy didn’t go unnoticed, and it also reminded Grace of what Rye had disclosed to her yesterday.
Paul and Blair had an affair, but it ended before she’d ever come to work for Manon Investments. Never once had either one of them been unprofessional in any way, shape, or form, but there was an underlying tension between the two of them that hadn’t been there before Brad’s murder.
Rye had asked Grace if anyone had been acting differently lately, and the answer came to her with a resounding yes. Blair’s reaction to when Meredith had visited the office during Paul’s speech had been hesitant, and Grace hadn’t given the woman’s conduct a second thought.
Now it made Grace reevaluate the situation.
Did Blair have something to hide?
“Of course, Paul.” Grace gave him a smile as she fell into step beside him. “Is everything okay?”
“That’s what I’m hoping you can tell me.” Paul waited to start their conversation until they were in the sanctity of his corner office, completely opposite of where Brad’s office had been located. The crime scene tape had been removed, but the door had remained closed ever since a special cleaning crew had come in to remove the bloodstains from the carpet. “A lot has happened since Brad’s…untimely death.”
Paul’s hesitation on what really happened to Brad was understandable, given their friendship. He was still grieving. Grace expected him to be grieving for some time, because one didn’t just get over the death of a friend.
“And you’re doing an excellent job in keeping Manon Investments running until the deal with Smith goes through.” Grace was well aware that Paul and Smith were meeting with clients and offering a seamless transition to Gallo Capital Management should they choose to stay in-house. “Is there something that I can do to help you?”
“You can reassure me that you’re not going to leave Manon Investments for Marshall Securities.”
Grace never had any intention of working with Rye, because she’d always been adamant they keep their professional lives separate from their personal affairs. Laurel and Smith were making it work, and Grace couldn’t be happier for them.
That arrangement wasn’t conducive to Grace and Rye.
“I’ve been meaning to have a talk with you, Paul,” Grace expressed her sincerity, crossing her legs so that she was more comfortable in the chair. This conversation wasn’t going to be quick, so she might as well settle in for the duration. “It wasn’t my intention to put Manon Investments back in the spotlight with my arrest. The way the media handled—”
“Grace, I want you to know that I never believed for even a second that you killed Brad,” Paul p
rotested, having taken the other guest chair instead of walking around his desk. His weathered face wasn’t as tanned as it had been weeks ago from his trip to the Caribbean. “There’s nothing we can do with the coverage we’ve been getting in the press, other than ride out the storm. I’m not going to say I wasn’t surprised to find that you and Rye Marshall were seeing one another, because it does bring up another question.”
“I’ve already signed a non-disclosure agreement about the trades we execute, Paul.” Grace didn’t take offense to Paul’s need for caution when it came to the hedge fund. “Cynthia had all of us sign non-disclosure agreements the moment she took over as compliance officer.”
“I knew I hired that woman for a reason,” Paul muttered, rubbing a hand down his face. It was then that Grace noticed the exhaustion written in his features. “I think we’ve covered everything then.”
“Have we?” Grace hadn’t meant to bring up the subject of the murder investigation, but everyone had to be thinking the same thing. “Paul, do you really believe that the guilty party isn’t someone in this office?”
“I ask myself that question every minute of the damned day, Grace.” Paul leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. “I can’t bring myself to accuse anyone here. We know these people. We spend more time with those here at Manon Investments than we do our own families.”
Grace could see that Paul would never truly accept that someone they’d all trusted here at the firm could ever do something so horrendous. She smiled sympathetically, having had that very same mindset right before it was she who had cold metal being wrapped around her wrists.
“Look, I get it. I don’t want to think anyone here is guilty, either, Paul.” Grace stood and smoothed out her skirt, looking down at a man whose life had changed along with everyone else at this firm. She wished she could agree with him, giving him peace of mind, but she knew better now. “But it’s more than obvious that someone here at Manon Investments is responsible for Brad’s death. And whoever it was, he or she felt confident enough to try and frame me for his murder. So if you know anything at all that could help the police solve this case, then you should tell them.”
Grace quietly left Paul where he’d been sitting, opening and closing his office door behind her. He had so much on his plate with keeping Manon Investments afloat until such a time that the assets could be taken over by Gallo Capital Management. She hadn’t wanted to add to the load he was carrying, but she was done being used as a patsy for some insane individual who thought he or she was in the clear of spending the rest of his or her life behind bars.
“Cynthia, are you—”
Grace had been going to ask if Cynthia was alright, but the answer was clear from the shocked expression on her pale face. Her red lipstick didn’t complement the shade whatsoever.
“Grace, close the door.” Laurel had been kneeling in front of Cynthia, and it was apparent that whatever had happened was bad. “Quickly.”
Grace spotted her purse on one of the chairs. She fought the urge to grab her cell phone and call Rye, because whatever Cynthia was about to say was bad…really bad.
“Tell me,” Grace ordered them briskly, leaning against the office door after she’d closed it. She had a feeling she was going to need the support. Either that, or the bottle of wine Laurel had hidden somewhere in her office. “Get it over with. Did the police arrest Brandon?”
It was the only thing she could think of that would cause this reaction, though giving it a second thought…Cynthia would have made some offhand remark about the man and been done with it.
No, whatever had happened involved Cynthia personally.
Nausea rolled Grace’s stomach in waves. Was Cynthia about to be arrested for Brad’s murder? There was no way she would be able to go through the booking process. She’d end up assaulting one of the officers, only adding to the impending charges.
“No, this has nothing to do with Brandon.”
Laurel had been the one to reply, because it appeared that Cynthia was still at a loss for words. That rarely happened. As a matter of fact, Grace had never witnessed such a thing.
“Then what?” Grace demanded, ready to come unglued at the thought of her friend suffering in such obvious horror. “Cynthia, what is it?”
“I was—” Cynthia struggled to find words, but she slowly inhaled and patted Laurel’s hand to signal that she was okay. She wasn’t, that much was clear, but she was gathering her composure. “I was cleaning out Brad’s personnel file. I wasn’t here when that paperwork was filled out at the start, and there was never a reason for me to look at it.”
Grace shared a concerned look with Laurel, who was already in the know. Whatever Cynthia had discovered in that file was worse than Grace’s arrest, and that was saying something.
“Who’s going to be wearing orange?” Grace asked in a whisper, trying to inject a bit of humor in the mix like Cynthia usually would in these instances. The attempt failed miserably. “Just rip off the bandage, Cynthia. Who do you have to turn into the police?”
“Gareth.” Cynthia practically choked on his name. “He lied to me. All this time…and he never told me the truth.”
“The truth?” Grace wanted to cover her ears, but she would never let down her friend. She would have said she’d go buy the body bag and shovel, but they were already talking about murder. “Cynthia, maybe Gareth didn’t have a choice but to keep you in the dark. I’m sure he has a reasonable explanation about whatever it was he lied to you about.”
“A reasonable explanation?” Cynthia laughed, but there was no humor to be found. Grace’s heart hurt for her friend, because this nightmare they’d found themselves in wasn’t over. At least Grace had Rye to go home to, but Cynthia’s next statement confirmed that she had no one. “The man I fell in love with was Brad Manon’s brother, and Gareth had a major motive to commit murder.”
THE END
Thank you for following along with the Office Roulette trilogy! Are you ready for the thrilling conclusion that will leave you on the edge of your seat?
CLICK HERE
USA Today Bestselling Author Kennedy Layne brings you the thrilling conclusion to the Office Roulette trilogy…
Gareth Nicollet had been born into wealth, but he’d learned at an early age that money wasn’t everything it was cracked up to be. Regrettably, he’d made a meaningful choice early on in his life that now threatened his future with the woman he loved.
Cynthia Ellsworth valued many things, but trust and loyalty were at the top of her list. She’d always known the man who shared her bed had secrets, but she never thought in a million years that he had the ability to destroy her career and her heart with a single blow.
Someone once said that greed was balanced by fear, but that wasn’t entirely true when there was nothing left to lose. Unfortunately, Gareth’s secret is the very reason the roulette wheel is spinning and Cynthia’s life hangs in the balance.
Books by Kennedy Layne
Office Roulette Series
Means (Office Roulette, Book One)
Motive (Office Roulette, Book Two)
Opportunity (Office Roulette, Book Three)
Keys to Love Series
Unlocking Fear (Keys to Love, Book One)
Unlocking Secrets (Keys to Love, Book Two)
Unlocking Lies (Keys to Love, Book Three)
Unlocking Shadows (Keys to Love, Book Four)
Unlocking Darkness (Keys to Love, Book Five)
Surviving Ashes Series
Essential Beginnings (Surviving Ashes, Book One)
Hidden Ashes (Surviving Ashes, Book Two)
Buried Flames (Surviving Ashes, Book Three)
Endless Flames (Surviving Ashes, Book Four)
Rising Flames (Surviving Ashes, Book Five)
CSA Case Files Series
Captured Innocence (CSA Case Files 1)
Sinful Resurrection (CSA Case Files 2)
Renewed Faith (CSA Case Files 3)
Campaign of
Desire (CSA Case Files 4)
Internal Temptation (CSA Case Files 5)
Radiant Surrender (CSA Case Files 6)
Redeem My Heart (CSA Case Files 7)
Red Starr Series
Starr’s Awakening(Red Starr, Book One)
Hearths of Fire (Red Starr, Book Two)
Targets Entangled (Red Starr, Book Three)
Igniting Passion (Red Starr, Book Four)
Untold Devotion (Red Starr, Book Five)
Fulfilling Promises (Red Starr, Book Six)
Fated Identity (Red Starr, Book Seven)
Red’s Salvation (Red Starr, Book Eight)
The Safeguard Series
Brutal Obsession (The Safeguard Series, Book One)
Faithful Addiction (The Safeguard Series, Book Two)
Distant Illusions (The Safeguard Series, Book Three)
Casual Impressions (The Safeguard Series, Book Four)
Honest Intentions (The Safeguard Series, Book Five)
Deadly Premonitions (The Safeguard Series, Book Six)
About the Author
First and foremost, I love life. I love that I’m a wife, mother, daughter, sister… and a writer.
I am one of the lucky women in this world who gets to do what makes them happy. As long as I have a cup of coffee (maybe two or three) and my laptop, the stories evolve themselves and I try to do them justice. I draw my inspiration from a retired Marine Master Sergeant that swept me off of my feet and has drawn me into a world that fulfills all of my deepest and darkest desires. Erotic romance, military men, intrigue, with a little bit of kinky chili pepper (his recipe), fill my head and there is nothing more satisfying than making the hero and heroine fulfill their destinies.
Thank you for having joined me on their journeys…
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