After The Break

by Andrea Joan

  “Liam,” I purr, wiggling slightly over his hips, my hands pressing down on his sweat covered bare chest. “Would you mind putting the weights down so I can speak to you for a second?”

  He continues to lift, and I can feel the shift of his abs constricting under me with each movement, working me up, causing friction against my clit. I almost regret wearing a dress. I know this has to be torturing him as much as it is me.

  “Your panties are either incredibly thin or I must be getting you pretty fucking wet, because, baby, I can feel you soaking through to my skin,” he accuses, continuing to lift.

  “Not exactly how I pictured this conversation going, but I will take it over your obstinate silence.”

  “Don’t confuse me pointing out how much I turn you on as an opening for us to converse. In fact, if the next words out of that pretty little mouth of yours aren’t, ‘Liam please come with me to the attorney’s office,’ then just keep it shut. Or on second thought, leave it open and get on your knees. I’m sure I can find another use for it.”

  The music switches to another song, the beat slower and more methodical, the lyrics waxing poetic about a girl who loves her man one day, and the next is so cold. Which seems to hit a little too close to home right now.

  “I’m surprised with how we left things earlier that you’re not afraid I’m going to bite you.”

  “Nope, not worried at all. You made it pretty clear that’s the only part of me you have any use for.”

  “Oh come on, Liam. Don’t be like that. What I said this morning wasn’t meant to insult you. I was just trying to protect you. This—”

  “Protect me?” he says in an outrage before sitting up so fast I have no choice but to jump off of him. “Protect me, Skylar? I’m supposed to be the one protecting you!”

  “I know that. Look, I know. I know.” I cautiously place my hand on his arm, not because I’m afraid of him but because I notice my touch somehow calms him. I notice that he takes a deep breath when my skin touches his, like the tension and unreleased violence has dissipated from his body. “I made a mistake. I know that now. You do a job for me, and we are together, and I need to learn to balance those two things. Noah was helping me understand that.”

  “So, great, then I’m coming.”

  “If you want to, absolutely.”

  “Then what are we even arguing about, baby?” He smirks at me and I just get annoyed.

  “We wouldn’t have been arguing if you had just let me speak instead of ignoring me or snapping at me.”

  “Yeah, but then how would I get your wet pussy on me?”

  “You’re disgusting.”

  “Yeah, but you kind of love it.” He pulls me in for a kiss and I relent because he’s right. I kind of do.

  STEVE, SKY’S ATTORNEY, HAS his hand on the sleek black door, ready to pull it open, and in a matter of seconds I will be sitting across from Jeff Roberts trying my best not to rip his fucking throat out. I know I told Sky on the car ride over here that I could handle this, and I really will try, but to be honest I was speaking under the influence of the best fucking head I’ve ever received in my life so I can’t guarantee shit. It’s the equivalent to getting drunk and assuring your friend you’ll help him move out of his house the next day. Probably not going to happen, but you meant it at the time.

  Sky filled me in briefly on the story with Jeff. He’s suing her for being fired and threatening to go to the media with lies about her. But as it always seems to go with her, I know I’m only getting half the story. Which pisses me off. And I’ve got a feeling I’m about to learn some things I really don’t want to hear. So I hold on to Sky’s hand, soaking up her strength. Her perceived calm.

  The door opens into a private conference room and I zero in on the two men sitting at a large conference table, both looking our way, and I already know which one is Jeff. Because his eyes open wide as he takes me in, his gaze shooting to Sky’s hand in mine and then over to Skylar. I know that look he has in his eyes. That is a look of pure jealousy.

  Holy fuck. This is worse than I thought. This son of a bitch might be in love with her.

  “Gentlemen,” Steve says, loosening the buttons on his suit jacket as he takes a seat. I pull out Sky’s chair, and she sits. I take the chair right next to her, my eyes never leaving Jeff’s. This table is not nearly wide enough because I know if he makes one wrong move I don’t have to reach very far to pull that asshole right over it and pound his face in. He’s in his late thirties, probably ex-military because he still wears his hair like he’s serving. Doesn’t matter. I know I can take him.

  I can do this. For her, I can do this.

  Wrapping my hand around Sky’s wrist under the table, I sense her pulse, trying to absorb the slower rhythm. I look over at her and she gives me the smallest, most unconvincing fucking smile as if trying to relax me.

  “Let’s get right to it, shall we? I think we can all agree this has gone on long enough, and Ms. Barrett would really like to move on,” Steve says. “So, Tim, let’s not beat around the bush. What exactly is your client looking for in order to not run his bullshit mouth off to the press? And let’s be realistic on the number seeing as how Jeff did sign a non-disclosure agreement, and if we really wanted to, we could drag this case out for so long your client would end up losing every dime he has just trying to pay your exorbitant legal fees. Then, when we win, we’ll come back and sue his sorry ass for her legal fees. The only reason I am even entertaining this meeting is because Ms. Barrett would like to put this whole thing behind her so she never has to deal with your client again.”

  I really fucking like Steve.

  A small cough comes from Jeff’s attorney. “I gave you our number, Steve. Ten million and my client remains silent on the indiscretions and mistreatment shown to Mr. Roberts by Ms. Barrett. Mr. Roberts maintains that Ms. Barrett came on to him, and when he denied her advances, she fired him. And this is just the tip of the iceberg.”

  Holy fucking shit. Ten million.

  Skylar sits up straighter, her pulse picking up speed as Jeff stares right at her. “Mistreatment?! Fucking bullshit, Jeff,” she says, pointing right at him.

  There’s my hellcat.

  “Was it mistreatment when you stole my panties and tried to sell them on eBay or whatever the fuck it is you did with them?”

  Nope, no way I heard that right.

  “Or what about leaking private information to the media or tipping off the paparazzi to where I was going to be?”

  “Skylar,” Steve interrupts her.

  “No, Steve, this is so messed up. What about when I woke up and you were in my room taking pictures of me when I was sleeping?”

  What the fuck did she just say? Now I’m truly fucking glaring at Jeff, who is looking at Skylar as if she’s his prey. He’s breathing heavy as she stares him dead in the eye while she reams his pathetic ass. Jeff hasn’t even realized that I’m watching him the same way he is her. Because he is my fucking prey. I’m suddenly finding this thin conference table perfect for what I have in mind.

  “Listen to me very carefully, Jeff.” Sky’s voice is deceptively calm as my grip on her wrist tightens, her pulse beating quickly causing mine to catch up to its pace. “I’m not paying you one dime. You go to the media and run whatever bullshit stories you want because I would rather my career ruined than give you one more penny.”

  Neither one of those things is going to happen. I’ll make sure of it. Jeff sits silently and that worries me. No one says a thing for what seems like hours, all of us stunned into silence by Skylar’s warning.

  “Well then,” Jeff’s attorney says. “I guess we will see you in court.”

  “Wait.” Jeff finally opens his dumb-ass mouth and I’ve already thought of ten different ways to make sure he never speaks again using just my right hand. Possibly three ways with my left. Maybe I’ll even throw a foot or shoulder in there just for good measure. I love to branch out and get fucking creative. “Skylar.” He clears his throat,
attempting to get her name out. “Can we have a minute? Alone,” he says, looking around the room at the attorneys and then lastly at me. If he thinks I’m leaving Sky alone in here with him he is the dumbest motherfucker on the planet. Skylar tugs her wrist from my hand, and I’m about to pull her out of the room before she decides to make a bad decision, but then she puts her hand over mine and holds it steady.

  “Fine. But Liam stays.”

  “I got you, baby,” I say, kissing her temple while never breaking eye contact with Jeff. He is seething. Fucking perfect. Now he knows.

  She is mine.

  “Skylar, I would really advise—”

  “Steve, I’ve got this, okay? Please give us a minute,” she says, dismissing him from the room.

  Both attorneys pick up their files, which I’m convinced are just filled with blank papers and bullshit to make their professional dicks look bigger, and walk out of the room.

  “Who the hell is this guy, Skylar? And why the fuck is Carl not here?” Jeff snaps the minute the door closes.

  “Watch your fucking mouth when you speak to her, asshole.” Sky’s hand squeezes mine in warning.

  “We’re alone now, Jeff. What do you want?” she asks, getting straight to the point. If I didn’t know any better, I would think she is angrier than I am. But that’s fucking impossible. I still can’t believe this dick crept into her room. She and I need to have a serious fucking talk when we get home.

  “Skylar, I never wanted it to come to this. You don’t understand. What happened, what’s happening now, it’s not what you think. I’m not the bad guy here.”

  “Oh really? Who is then, Jeff? Because you’re the only person trying to blackmail me right now and you’re doing it with lies. Are you telling me it wasn’t you tipping the tabloids off to every place I went? Or leaking stories only you could know about? Do you think I’m stupid?”

  “No, it wasn’t me,” he scrambles. “I mean, it was, but it’s not for the reasons you’re thinking and I wasn’t tipping off the paparazzi. Not directly. It’s not me you should be concerned about, Skylar. I’m the last person you should worry about. I would never do anything to hurt you if I could help it. Skylar, I love—”

  I slam my hands on the table, using the force to push myself up so I’m towering over him from across the table. I’m. Fucking. Done.

  “Don’t say another fucking word to her.”

  “She needs to hear what I have to tell her,” he says, almost looking panicked. The slight quiver in his voice gives him away and leaves me still trying to figure out what his game is. “Skylar, you have to pay me the ten million or it will get worse for you. You think what happened before is bad, that’s only—”

  That’s all the threat he gets out before I reach over, grab him by the neck, and drag him across the table. I knew I had enough space.

  Skylar pushes her chair back and stands. “Liam,” she says, my name leaving her lips in a plea.

  I hate the fear in her voice, but this ends now. Rage is my friend and I’m taking advantage of our agreed upon terms. I will manage the fallout with her later.

  “Listen to me very fucking carefully, Jeff,” I say, squeezing just a little bit harder as he grabs at my arms, trying to pull them away from his neck. He won’t be able to. His face has just the perfect amount of red, but no purple yet, so I keep my grip steady. “Sky is not going to give you a damn thing. From here on out, you forget you even know her name.” Keeping one hand on his throat while my forearm holds him down against the edge of the table, I reach into his back left pocket and lift his wallet out. His ID is visible through the clear plastic, and I peruse it quickly, taking in his full address and storing it in my memory. “I know where you live now, asshole. Rest assured, if you talk to Skylar, look at her, hell, if you even buy a magazine that has a picture of her on it I will come to your house and beat you within an inch of your miserable fucking life. You get me, Jeff?”

  His trachea works against my hand trying to suck in air, making pitiful gulping sounds as he tries to swallow. The idea that I could kill him right now titillates my mind and feeds my fury. It would be so easy to break his neck, his would not be the first I’ve broken, and I could rid this parasite from Sky’s life forever. I squeeze just a little harder as he attempts to say something to me.

  Then I feel it. Her skin against mine. Her hand reaching under my shirt, making full contact. She instinctively knows what to do to bring me in from the kill. She is trying to power me down.

  “Liam, let him go. Please,” she cautiously begs. The sound of her voice plays at my senses, toying with my want to destroy him here and now to keep her safe, and my need to let him go for ironically the same reason. I release him. I won’t do her any good in prison.

  “Don’t say another fucking word, Jeff. Walk out that door before I change my mind and end you here.”

  “Skylar, please…” Jeff says, reaching toward her as he makes his way toward the door.

  Before I have a chance to go for him again, Sky throws her arms around my waist in an attempt to hold me back. Jeff stops and places his hand on the door. I think he is about to say something to Skylar but he bravely looks in my direction and speaks.

  “If you care about her at all, you’ll open your fucking eyes and realize I’m not the enemy. She needs to pay the ten million or you might as well dig a grave for her now.”

  Yep. I’m going to kill him. Fucking kill him. I’m in an office building full of lawyers so this is as good a place as any. But Sky’s hold on me tightens and my temper seems to play slave to her embrace. Jeff Roberts walks out the door and heads to the elevator unscathed. He’s lucky, but I’m not. I still feel my pulse thrashing wildly, my blood is on fire, and I need a release. I need something. Something to calm me. To bring me back. I walk over to the conference room door and flip the lock. Luckily every window in this room is covered by blinds so it makes what I want that much easier.

  I stalk toward Skylar, backing her against the conference table, placing my hands on top of the surface so that I’m surrounding her. She looks at me with a hint of fear in her eyes, but the lust she is experiencing pours out of her so heavily I can almost smell it.

  “I want something from you, Skylar, and I need you to let me take it. Now. Or I will go after him. I will end him.”

  She is breathless, feeding and absorbing my emotional state, and says exactly what I need to hear. “I’ll never deny you anything, Liam.”

  Those words make my cock so hard I immediately flip her around and bend her over the table, my hand wrapping around the back of her neck. This is the only way I can work my aggression out. I have to use her or I will hurt him. I want to pretend she knows this. Fuck, I hope she knows it. At this point, I have two roads to choose from, and the one where I use my cock on her instead of my fists on him seems like the best one to go down.

  Shoving my free hand up her dress, I push it past her hips, my fingers finding their way to her panties where I rip the thin fabric away. She moans and backs her ass up into my erection.

  “Shhh. You’re going to have to be very quiet, Skylar,” I growl into her ear, squeezing her neck just a little harder as I free my cock from my jeans. I tease the tip of my dick right over her clit, sweeping it back and forth until I feel her get wetter. “This is going to be quick and fucking hard, baby, so you better hold on,” I warn seconds before slamming into her.

  “Liam!” she yells, and I remove my hand from her neck, placing my palm over her mouth, gripping her hip so hard that I’m sure I’m bruising her delicate skin. Her hands are slipping over the marble conference table, looking for something to hold on to as I drive into her repeatedly. Pushing into her over and over. Using her, degrading her.

  I try and focus on her teeth scraping against my skin, the feel of her warm, wet cunt tightening around me, the smell and taste of her skin as I drag my tongue from the base of her neck to her ear and bite down. But no matter how hard I try to overload my senses with Sky, memories begin to c
reep in. I see Ali dying, then her face morphs into Sky’s. Ali’s killer becomes Jeff. So I thrust harder into Skylar, trying to rid myself of the poisonous images.

  “Sky,” her name comes out as if I’m pleading. Praying to her. Fucking begging her to make it all go away. That’s when she turns her head, my hand falling from her mouth, and pushes herself up off the table. Her arms come around the back of my neck, her blue eyes staring into mine when she pulls my face down and kisses me so softly that I’m almost brought to my knees. Wrapping my arms around her waist, I continue to thrust into her. Once. Twice, and then I come so hard the force of it pushes me down against Sky’s back until we both lie flat against the table.

  I quickly pull out of her and turn her into my arms, hugging her close to my chest as we both catch our breath.

  “I’m sorry, Sky. I’m so sorry. I don’t know.” I’m stroking her hair as if to calm her down, but I’m the one losing it.

  “Shhh, Liam.” She leans back from me and gently grabs my face. “I’ve got you, but let’s not talk here. You don’t need to apologize, I get it. Let’s get out of here, okay? We’ll go somewhere and talk about what just happened, but I think if we stay in here any longer Steve is going to send in a search party, and they’ll get a full-on view of that phenomenal ass. As much as I love it, I doubt they’ll feel the same way.”

  I fucking hate that she is doing this. I used her, and even worse I thought of Ali when I was inside of her. I’m so ashamed, so aware of how unworthy I am, and here she stands, trying to comfort my worthless ass. Trying to make me fucking laugh. That attribute has been something I’ve loved about Sky from the moment I met her, but in this second it’s become something I loathe; I don’t deserve her reprieve.

  Now she wants to go someplace and talk. Sky knows me well enough at this point to know that what happened wasn’t normal, even for me. She has seen me have similar fits, beginnings of rage blackouts or memories flooding so fast through my brain that they incapacitate me. But I’ve never bothered to explain them or use her like this in a way that absolves me and damages her. After what happened here, she needs to know. Hell, she deserves to fucking know what they did to me, what they took from me. Even what I’ve done. My stomach churns at the thought, and I pull her into me, holding tightly so I can burn the feel of her into my skin and memory. I will need this reminder to comfort me in the future lonely nights I’m about to face. Because after I tell her the truth, her need for me will be gone. Sky will leave me. She’ll disappear back into the torturous fucking fantasy she emerged from.