Beneath This Man (This Man Trilogy)

by Jodi Ellen Malpas

  ‘It was a bit of a shock.’ I try to defend myself. The subsequent events after my discovery still make me shudder, and I want to point out that I came back to him after the whole Manor bombshell. It was the drinking that really made me run. ‘I knew you were experienced, but I didn’t anticipate it was because you owned a sex club that you utilised excessively.’ I don’t relish the reminder.

  ‘Hey!’ He closes in on me and lowers me to the bed dropping a kiss on my lips. ‘Let’s not re-visit old news. It’s all about us, and now and tomorrow and the next day and then the rest of our lives.’

  ‘Okay. Kiss me.’ I grin.

  ‘I’m sorry. Who has the power?’ His lips are twitching as his eyes flick from mine to my lips.

  ‘You do.’

  ‘Good girl,’ He drowns me in his mouth, giving me exactly what I want, but all too soon he pulls away. I express my annoyance with an audible grumble, and he narrows his eyes on me. ‘I’m ignoring you. Wear your new cream dress.’ He gets up and leaves me to shower and prepare for dinner.

  I walk into the kitchen feeling very special in my new cream dress, narrow gold belt and new cream heels. My hair is swishing across my back and my make-up is light. I skid to a halt on my heels as I get my first eyeful of Jesse. He’s on his phone, listening intently and he looks mouthwatering in his navy suit and pale pink shirt. My roving eyes work their way from his tan Grenson’s, up his long, lean legs, past his firm, perfectly toned chest and to his clean shaven, devastating face. He’s scowling.

  I frown at him and his eyes soften as he perches on a stool and pats his thigh. I wander over and rest myself on his lap while I search through my bag to find my gloss. His face goes straight into my hair on an inhale and his arm snakes around my waist pulling me closer.

  ‘So, what can you tell me other than that?’ He’s speaking with little civility.

  I turn and give him a questioning look as I sweep my gloss wand across my lips. He ignores my obvious curiousness and kisses me lightly on the cheek.

  ‘It’s fucking convenient that the other camera is broken.’ he says shortly. ‘Have you checked the footage from outside the bar?’

  Oh no!

  He seems to take a relaxing breath. I squeeze his thigh and he looks at me, then kisses my forehead. ‘Fine, let me know what you find.’ He chucks his phone on the worktop and it slides a good few feet. ‘It’s a fucking joke.’ he mutters.

  ‘You think it was Mikael in the footage, don’t you?’

  ‘Yes, I do.’

  I don’t know why I feel shocked, I knew he thought it, but the confirmation makes me more on edge. ‘Do you think that Mikael drugged me?’ I spit the question out.

  ‘I don’t know, Ava.’ He sounds completely deflated.

  ‘It’s a bit farfetched, isn’t it?’

  ‘He hates me, Ava. He knows you’re my Achilles heel. He’s been waiting for this.’

  I stand, turning to face him. ‘Should we go to the police?’ I ask. Jesse’s concern is really concerning me now.

  ‘No,’ He shakes his head. ‘I’m dealing with it.’

  ‘Okay,’ I say quietly. I’m not arguing with him on this.

  He sighs. ‘I should be walking away from you. If I could bear it, I would.’

  ‘What?’ I recoil, feeling panicked that he would even suggest such a thing.

  ‘I’ve upset a lot of people, Ava.’

  ‘Shut up!’ I’m feeling angry, ‘Don’t say things like that.’

  ‘Ava, the drink, the women…’

  ‘I said, don’t!’ I shout. ‘I don’t need a reminder that there have been other women since I’ve met you.’ I’m really mad now.

  ‘I’m sorry. I wish I could change everything, except you. You’re the only right thing in my life and I’m even making that all wrong.’ His head drops.

  Tear start to build in my eyes. I know he’s remorseful, I know he has regrets. Damn it, I know this. I grab his chin and bring his face up to mine. ‘Don’t.’ I grind the words out.

  He sighs, running his eyes all over me. ‘I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve you.’

  ‘You reminded me.’

  He smiles mildly, then narrows his eyes on me playfully. ‘I like your dress.’ His hand slides up the inside of my thigh and sweeps through the seam of my knickers.

  ‘I like my dress too.’ Damn, I’m panting again. My bag tumbles to the kitchen floor and I grab the front of his suit jacket.

  He slips his finger out and brings it up to my mouth, wiping the wetness straight across my freshly glossed lips. ‘I’m a very lucky man.’ He pulls me onto his lap and tilts me back, pushing his lips against mine on a long, lingering, sensual kiss. When he’s taken what he wants, he pulls back and flashes me his smile, reserved only for me.

  I return it, running my thumb across his full bottom lip. ‘That colour doesn’t suit you.’ I drag away the soft, nude sticky gloss/cum.

  ‘No?’ He pouts, and I laugh. He stands me up before grabbing the remote control for the sound system. ‘I want to dance with you.’

  ‘You do?’

  ‘I do.’

  I smile when Foster the People Pumped up Kicks fires from the speakers, very loudly. Oh, he really wants to dance. I’m yanked into his chest, his palm rests on my lower back and his spare hand grasps mine.

  I place my other hand on his shoulder and look up at him on a smile. ‘You make me so happy.’

  His eyes twinkle, his luscious lips tipping at the corner. ‘I’m going to make you happy for the rest of my life, baby. Let’s dance.’ He starts stepping backwards out of the kitchen and as soon as we’re in the vast open space of the penthouse, I’m immediately twirled out and brought back in again before he starts guiding me around the room. I laugh, looking up into his shining pools of green pleasure as I’m weaved between the furniture, twirled around while he smiles down at me. I’m guided from one end of the penthouse to the other, out onto the terrace, around the decking before being taken back inside.

  ‘What are we doing?’ I ask as we circle the sofa again.

  ‘I don’t know. Something between a waltz and a quickstep, I think.’ He grins at me as I continue to follow his lead. His eyes look like they could explode with happiness. ‘I think I enjoy this just as much as being buried inside you.’

  ‘Really?’ I ask, completely shocked.

  ‘No.’ He frowns. ‘That’s probably the stupidest thing I’ve ever said.’

  My head falls back on a laugh, and he leans down resting his lips on my throat as he directs me back into the kitchen. He lifts me up to his body, my legs curling around his tight hips, my hands finding his hair. I hold his gaze and he stops his movements, studying me closely before placing me gently on the counter.

  His palms cup my cheeks, his stare seeping into my eyes. He really doesn’t need to say anything, but I know he will. It’s like he wants to demonstrate how good he is at his newfound talent. He talks to me now.

  His thumbs smooth over my skin. ‘Who has the power, Ava?’

  I roll my eyes. ‘You do.’

  ‘You’re wrong.’

  ‘I am?’ I blurt. He holds the power. He’s made that perfectly clear.

  ‘You are.’ He smiles, and I frown. ‘You’re the one with the power, baby.’

  ‘But you always insist it’s you who holds the power.’

  He shrugs. ‘I like you stroking my ego.’

  I start laughing. ‘Are you joking?’

  ‘No.’

  I stop laughing when he doesn’t join me in my humour, even though it’s pretty damn humorous. He definitely holds the powers. What’s wrong with him?

  He burns holes through me with his stunning eyes. ‘I hold the power over your body, Ava. When those beautiful eyes are full of lust for me, that’s when I hold the power.’ He releases my cheeks and skates his palms up the insides of my thighs.

  I tense, my mouth parting, my hands shooting up to clench his suit jacket in my fists.

  He smiles, leani
ng in and placing his lips gently on mine. ‘See.’ he whispers, removing his hands from my thighs and prizing my grip from his chest. ‘The power’s yours again.’

  I study him on a half-smile, completely getting it. ‘That’s why you fuck me senseless, give me the countdown and demand I kiss you when I’m mad.’

  He smiles. ‘Watch your mouth.’

  ‘You’ve completely exposed yourself. I’m never going to let you touch me again!’

  He laughs, really hard. His chest expands and he throws his head back. I think I already knew that. That’s why I run at the start of the countdown. I know what he’s capable of when he gets his hands on me. His head comes back down, his eyes scanning my face.

  ‘Well, Mr Ward. Given how much sex we have, I’d say you’re the majority shareholder of power in this relationship.’

  I grin when he starts with the laughing again. It’s a wonderful sight, the faint lines fanning his greens, making his eyes sparkle. ‘Baby, we will never have enough sex.’

  ‘That makes you a very powerful man then.’

  ‘Oh Jesus, Ava.’ He sweeps my hair away from my face and cups my cheeks. ‘I love you so fucking much. Kiss me.’

  ‘Feeling weak?’

  He leans in. ‘I am.’ His lips brush gently over mine and I indulge him, handing him the control he craves, letting his tongue saturate my senses as he hums into my mouth and draws all of the power from me.

  ‘Better?’ I ask around his lips.

  ‘Much. Come on, lady, we have a date.’ He places me on my feet before turning the music off and scooping my clutch from the floor. ‘Ready?’

  ‘Oh, let me show you the message.’ I take my bag and retrieve my phone. I had almost forgotten about that.

  ‘What message?’ he asks on a frown. He clearly has too.

  ‘The one sent from John’s phone.’ I scroll through my phone, my heart beating nervously. This is it. This is the moment I get this off my chest. I have it plain and clear, so he can’t possibly argue with it. John wouldn’t do this. ‘There.’ I hold my phone up to him and he takes it. His frown line creeps across his brow as he reads the message, a thoughtful look plaguing his expression. His eyes flick to mine and back to the screen. He’s really thinking about this.

  After what seems like forever, with me tense and him staring at the screen, he starts nodding mildly. ‘I’ll be dealing with this.’ He tosses my phone on the counter. He doesn’t look very happy at all.

  I sag a little in relief. I think I almost expected him to defend her or say that it must have been someone else, but who else would do that? I don’t need to say anything more. He knows, and I’m so relieved.

  My phone starts singing and I scoop it up from the counter, seeing Ruth Quinn’s name flashing up on the screen. I let out a tired sigh and reject the call. She’ll soon call the office and find out that I’m off work today.

  ‘Who’s that?’ he asks.

  ‘A new client. A pain in the arse new client.’

  He takes my phone and slides it back on the worktop, then pulls me into his chest. ‘No work today. Are you ready for our date?’

  I nod into his chest. ‘Yes.’

  His lips press into the top of my head and he releases me, holding his arm out in a very gentlemanly manner. I smile, threading my arm through his. He winks and leads me out of the penthouse and to the elevator.

  We reflect in all of the mirrors around us. Everywhere I look, I can see him in all of his beauty, and me with my hand slipped under his suit jacket, un-willing to let him go. He glances down at me out the corner of his eye. ‘I should make you give me an apology fuck here and now.’ he says in a low, quiet voice.

  ‘Do I owe you an apology?’

  ‘You do.’ He returns his eyes forward, and I find them in the reflection of the doors.

  ‘What for?’ I quickly scan my mind for anything he might be referring to, and I come up with – in Jesse’s world – way too much for him to hold against me. But this morning I’ve been compliant and he has been quite reasonable.

  ‘You owe me an apology for making me wait too damn long for you.’ His face is completely straight and his words full of meaning.

  I smile and tuck myself into his side. I’ve not really had to wait very long for him at all, two crappy relationships aside. While he was battling numerous demons, I was blissfully unaware and going through the motions of any normal young woman. It’s a strange thought.

  The elevator door opens and his arm drapes gently around my shoulder as we walk through the foyer of Lusso. ‘Clive.’ Jesse nods at Clive, who nods brusquely in return before he continues with something that has his attention on his desk. He didn’t even acknowledge me or ask how I am. I heard his concerned voice last night when Jesse carried me in. Have I upset him again?

  We emerge into the cool, evening air and Jesse bleeps the DBS. ‘Oh, Kate rang. You should probably call her back.’ he says.

  ‘You answered my phone again?’ I ask, but he just shrugs off my accusation.

  I sigh and open my bag to retrieve my phone, but after a little rummage, I discover no phone. ‘Jesse, I’ve left my phone in the tower.’

  He makes a long, exaggerated point of demonstrating the inconvenience I’m causing. ‘Here.’ He passes the keys. ‘Hurry up or we’ll be late for dinner.’

  ‘I’ll be quick.’ I race off, back into the foyer of Lusso, throw a frown at Clive, who still ignores me, and press the code for the elevator. Why is it not on the ground floor still? I wait impatiently for it to return to base, then jump in.

  I exit before the doors have completely opened and shove the key in the door, leaving it in the lock as I run into the kitchen. I skid to a halt on a shocked gasp when I see two people sat on barstools, both looking really very menacing.

  Chapter 34

  ‘What…how…when…’ I stammer and stutter all over the place. Where did they come from?

  ‘Hello.’ Mum says, short and sharp. My Dad just sits there shaking his head.

  I can’t work out if she’s mad or not. I want to dive on them both and squeeze the life out of them, I’ve not seen them for weeks and here they are, but I can’t gage their moods.

  ‘How did you get in here?’ I manage to get a full sentence out.

  ‘Oh, didn’t you know? Your father is a retired cat burglar.’ Mum’s perfectly threaded eyebrow raises at me and Dad sits there looking all disapproving and moody.

  ‘Mum?’ I frown.

  She sighs and stands. ‘Ava O’Shea, get you backside over here and give your Mother a hug.’ She holds her arms out to me.

  I burst into tears.

  ‘I knew she would do that!’ My Dad grumbles. ‘Bloody women!’

  ‘Shut up, Joseph.’ She gestures with her arms again and I walk straight into them, sobbing like a child and wincing slightly as she rubs my back warmly. ‘Ah, Ava. What are you crying for? Stop it, you’re setting me off.’

  ‘I’m so pleased to see you.’ I blubber into my Mums grey blazer and hear my father huffing his displeasure at the two women in his life bawling and sniveling. He’s never been one for showing his emotions, finding any sort of affection highly uncomfortable.

  ‘Ava, you couldn’t avoid us forever, even if we are miles away. Let me look at you.’ She pulls me away from her body and wipes my tears away.

  There is no denying I’m my mother’s daughter. Her eyes mirror mine, all big and chocolaty and her hair that matches mine in colour is cut into a short sweeping style. She looks good for forty seven – really good.

  ‘You have sent me and your Dad wild with worry these last few weeks.’

  ‘I’m sorry. I’ve had a crazy few weeks.’ I try and sort myself out. My mascara is probably running down my cheeks and I seriously need to blow my nose. ‘Hold up.’ I look at my Mum and then my Dad, who shrugs his big shoulders on a grunt. ‘How did you really get in?’ I’ve been so blindsided with shock and emotion, I’ve forgotten that we’re stood in Jesse’s ten million pound penthous
e.

  ‘I invited them.’

  I swing around and find Jesse stood in the archway entrance with his hands resting loosely in his trouser pockets. ‘You never said.’ I splutter. I’m confused.

  ‘I didn’t want to row over it.’ he shrugs. ‘They’re here now.’

  I look at my mother, who is smiling brightly at my challenging man, and then at my father, who executes his I’m-just-doing-as-I’m-told look. I return confused eyes to Mum. She is still smiling brightly and I’m mortified to see that she’s obviously affected by Jesse. I don’t know why I’m mortified, he draws the same reaction from all women and I need to remember that my mother is nearer to Jesse’s age than I am.

  Oh God!

  ‘Urmm, Mum, Dad. This is Jesse.’ I gesture between them. ‘Jesse this is my Mum and Dad. Elizabeth and Joseph.’ I hadn’t planned for it to be like this. I hadn’t planned it at all, actually.

  ‘We’ve met.’ Jesse says.

  My eyes fly to his. ‘What?’

  ‘We’ve met.’ he repeats himself, which is not necessary because I heard the first time.

  His lips are twitching. Okay, I’m thoroughly confused. He sighs and walks towards us until he’s stood in front of me, a bit close for comfort, considering my parents are just there and this is all a bit of a shock for them, and for me.

  ‘I didn’t go for a run this morning.’ he says.

  ‘You didn’t?’ I frown. ‘You had your running kit on.’

  He laughs lightly. ‘I know. It’s not what I would have chosen to wear to meet your parents, but desperate times.’ He shrugs.

  ‘You’re making up for it now, Jesse.’ My Mum pats his suit clad arm and my mouth drops open.

  What the fuck is going on here? I want to swear my head off, but my Mum hates swearing just as much as Jesse. Well, Mum hates all swearing, full stop. Jesse just hates me swearing, but thinks it is perfectly acceptable for him to rant like a sailor.

  ‘I’m sorry.’ I reach up and rub my temples. ‘I’m confused.’

  ‘Sit.’ Jesse takes my arm and leads me over to a stool, taking a seat next to me. Mum resumes position next to Dad. ‘I spoke to your Mum late last night. She was understandably worried about you and asked me lots of question.’ He raises his brow at my Mum who laughs lightly.