Satisfaction (The Temptation Series #2)

by K. M. Golland

  “Maybe you could sneak in through my bedroom window tonight?” This suggestion seemed to cheer him up, he raised his eyebrows and I could see he was definitely contemplating it.

  His phone buzzed, interrupting our top secret rendezvous. He hit speaker “Yes, Abigail?”

  “Mr. Clark, you wanted me to notify you if Mr. Summers entered the building. Well, he has and is on his way up now. Do you want him stopped?” My eyes widened, and I instinctively jumped off the desk, taking a few steps toward the door. I think my initial intention was to lock it, but that would have been ridiculous. Why has he come here? I don’t want to see him here, then again I have Bryce as support. No Alexis, you don’t need Bryce to hold your hand. Regardless, he’s here now so you might as well deal with it. I turned to Bryce and shook my head indicating to let him come.

  “No Abigail, it’s fine. Thank you for letting me know.” We both stared at each other, even he looked anxious. “Do you want me to stay here or wait in the apartment?” He asked, concern etched across his face.

  “Stay here. Oh, unless you want to wait in the apartment?”

  “No, Hunny, I want to be here with you.”

  “Okay.” I started pacing the office in small steps.

  “Alexis,” he got up from his desk, “just remember I love you more than life itself. We belong together and there is nothing I wouldn’t do, nothing...” The door flung open and Rick came barging into the room. When he saw me, he stopped his raging bull facade and calmed down, almost switching personalities instantly. He purposely walked toward me, taking no notice of his surroundings or the fact that he had just entered Bryce’s office uninvited. Rick was not an arrogant man, he was usually quite humble. I wouldn’t exactly call him placid or subdued, but he would normally be reserved and respectable. These were qualities that most men didn’t possess, they were qualities that had attracted me to him and as it seemed now, they were qualities he did not own anymore.

  “Alexis, Babe, we need to talk.”

  “Don’t Babe me. You gave up that right.”

  “Maybe? Maybe not?” I looked at him stunned. Maybe not? Are you for real? He moved toward Bryce, I think he did it to deliberately place himself between the two of us. “Your time is up, Bryce.” What? He’d been in the room only seconds and I could not fathom his attitude, let alone what he was saying. My volcano of bubbling rage was now at the point of eruption.

  “His time is up? I can’t believe you, Rick. Is this just a game to you? It has nothing to do with time or him. Do you think that after spending one week with Bryce, I would forgive you for cheating on me? One year, let alone one week would not be long enough for me to ever forgive you.” The tears started to well in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. Instead, I screamed at him with all the anger I had in me, allowing the lava of fury to spill out. I didn’t hold back, I didn’t want to. “I can understand the fucking temptation of another, Rick, believe me I can...But to screw her, then lie, and cover it up for five years is just unforgiveable. You are a lying, deceitful piece of shit, and I can no longer stand being in the same room as you. You should have had the decency to come to me before fucking her if you wanted to break it off. After all you and I have been through, you should have at least done that.” I kept my eyes fixed on his. I wanted him to see what a pathetic excuse for a husband I really thought he was.

  “Alexis, it’s not what you think Babe. Let me explain.” He was still speaking in an arrogant, flat and obnoxious tone, even after what I had just said to him. At that point Bryce moved from behind his desk, I don’t know if it was the fact he didn’t like to hear Rick call me Babe, or if it was because he wanted to get closer to me. I’m guessing it was probably both.

  “Okay, Rick, explain to me why you chose a little whore over me? Come on, I’d like to hear it.” I put my hand up to my ear then crossed my arms in front of my chest. He took a step in my direction, which made me take one away. “Don’t even think about it Rick, stay the fuck away from me.”

  “I didn’t cheat on you.” Oh for fuck’s sake. Really Rick? Does he really think I am that naive and stupid? I actually felt pity for him, pity at the fact he was grasping at straws. My anger subsided only momentarily, and I dropped my head in my hands.

  “Rick, just stop lying. I have pictures, proof that you cheated.” I walked over to Bryce’s desk, picked up the folder and shoved it into his chest. “You might lie, but they don’t.”

  He opened it up, but what followed was a slight expression of relief which confounded me completely.

  “It’s not what it looks like.” Oh please! “Claire is obsessive and crazy. She was fixated with me and wouldn’t take no for an answer. Lexi, she set this whole thing up. Look.” He eagerly pulled some smaller pictures out of his pocket and handed them to me “Here are all the pictures taken that day, not just the ones she gave this dickhead.” He gestured to Bryce without looking at him. I reluctantly took the photos he was offering, it wasn’t that I believed him, I was just curious as to the story he was trying to conjure up. The first picture was of her waiting in his office on her own, then of Rick walking in. The one after that was the same one I had, where her arms were around his neck and his on her hips. I looked up confused at him.

  “They are the same Rick, how does this prove she set you up?” He nodded to the photos.

  “Just keep looking,” he said casually. The following one showed Rick with his hands on her hips but pushing her away from him. In this one you could actually see his face and it was not happy. The one after that was where he was holding her face while they were kissing, but what followed that one showed Rick pushing her face away in disgust. The photos after that pretty much showed her leaving with that satisfied look on her face, and Rick being angry and distraught. My legs gave way from beneath me and I fell onto the sofa. Bryce came round to my side and took the photos from me so that he could assess Rick’s claim for himself.

  “I don’t get it, Rick.” I was now more confused than ever.

  “She is sick, Lexi. She came to me five years ago with the exact same photos she gave him, and then she threatened to show you them and tell you we were sleeping together. I managed to persuade her it was not worth it as life would then become quite difficult. After all, her parents are your parent’s close friends. She chose to give up and leave quietly, but before doing so, I requested copies of all the photos in return for me helping her find another job. You see, Babe? I didn’t cheat on you, I never would. I love you, I always have, and I always will.” I was completely lost. The clarity I had felt this morning had now pretty much flown out the window, and instead a murky, cloudy, puddle of ‘what the fuck’ had replaced it. Rick touched my arm, making me flinch.

  “Don’t touch me.” I looked at Bryce, and the colour had completely drained from his face. “I don’t understand, Rick. Why would you lie? Why lie knowing I would leave to be with Bryce? Especially after I confessed to kissing him, I don’t fucking get it.” I started to cry, there was no way of stopping it now. “Why did you lie, Rick? You broke my heart. I don’t understand why you would do that.” It dawned on me his intention was to trick me. He hadn’t been with someone else, instead I was the one who has now cheated on him, completely cheated, not just a kiss and some touching. What has he done? What have I done? I screamed at him, “Why? Why would you do that? Why would you trick me?” He put his hands up as if to say calm down, but I didn’t want to calm down. I wanted to know why I was standing in this room, being told by my husband he had tricked me into cheating on him. It was ludicrous.

  “Okay, I lied for two reasons, Lex. One, because deep down I felt you needed to go off and get this fling—or whatever you want to call it with Bryce—off your chest, and two, because he offered me five million dollars to let you spend a week with him.” I blinked and shook my head. Surely I didn’t just hear that right. I turned to Bryce, and the look of complete panic he met me with confirmed what Rick had just said. He started to walk toward me, but I put my hand up to indi
cate that he should stop.

  I couldn’t speak, I couldn’t breathe. My head was throbbing, and my chest was aching. I’m fairly sure at that very moment my heart had broken in two, and the unbearable pain I felt from it breaking surged right through me, paralysing my body. I tried to talk but I only gasped. The voice that had been inside only moments ago had abandoned me. I closed my eyes and turned around, willing myself to find that voice again and uncover what strength I had left in me, if any at all. They set me up, both of them. The only two men I have ever loved conspired and schemed so that they both could get what they wanted. I was a pawn, a play thing. I’m a whore, a fucking whore.

  I turned back to face them and directed my first question and assault at Bryce. Just looking at him was excruciating. I knew he was the type of man who got what he wanted, but to pay money to get me? Surely, this was not true. I needed to hear him tell me it wasn’t true.

  “You paid to have a week with me?” Please say no.

  He looked miserable but still kept calm. “Yes, Alexis.” Oh God.

  “You paid to have a week with me, like I’m some whore?”

  He shook his head and walked over to me, placing his hands on my shoulders. My face was soaked, and the hurt I was now filled with was immense.

  “No Hunny, it wasn’t like that. I would never treat you like a whore.” I knocked his arms away from me.

  “But you did Bryce. You did the moment you offered my husband five fucking million dollars to sleep with me. Did you know he never cheated on me?” Please say no. I don’t think I can remain conscious if the answer is yes.

  “No, Alexis, definitely not, I promise you. Claire had told Lucy they were in love, but she had done the right thing by breaking it off because he had kids. We believed her, I can’t fucking believe we trusted her.”

  “You believed the stupid bitch because you wanted to and that gave you the ultimate weapon to seal your deal and pay for my services.”

  “Alexis, stop referring to yourself as a whore.” He was now getting angry at me. How dare he. “Alexis, it’s not about the money, it never was. I would give it all up just to be with you. If the week we just shared proved anything, it had to have proved that.”

  “The week we just shared Bryce, was based on a lie. A big, fat, disgusting lie.” I was about to lose control. I felt hot and slightly dizzy, so composed myself before I walked away from him and closer to Rick.

  “And you, you accepted his five million dollars?”

  “It wasn’t about that, Lexi.”

  Bryce interrupted. “Then why ring me yesterday asking when it was going to be transferred?” Transferred? He has the five million dollars in his bank account already? I can’t believe this, this is not real.

  “I accepted it because you, you arrogant fuck, deserved to be five million dollars poorer. It was going to be the icing on the cake when after one measly week she found out about your deal and then left you for being such an obnoxious son of a bitch.”

  I’m not hearing this. I have to get out of here. I couldn’t stay in this room with the two of them any longer.

  “I can’t do this, I can’t be here.” I went to turn and leave but I had no bearing on which direction I needed to go. I think I did an entire 360 degree turn and still couldn’t figure out which way to leave.

  “Alexis, come home, and we’ll talk it out, just the two of us.” Come home? I composed myself and my sense of direction and looked him in the eyes.

  “Rick, you may not have cheated, but you lied and tricked me, you tricked me into sleeping with another man so that you could cash in. You whored me out for five million dollars. I hope it was worth it. I suggest you spend it wisely.” I walked over to the coffee table, picked up my bag and headed for the door. Bryce tried to stop me.

  “Don’t leave me, you promised you’d never leave me. I told you that I would do anything in my power.”

  Tears were flooding my eyes, and I sobbed uncontrollably as I stood in front of him. When I woke up this morning with the knowledge I would get angry, confused, hurt and emotionally fucked, I never once thought it was going to be by the hand of Bryce.

  “You propositioned my husband with money, Bryce, and you bought me. I’m not for sale, I never was. If power to you is based on what you can buy then I want no part of it, or you. You promised you’d never hurt me, and you have, more than you’ll ever know. You have ruined everything.” I pushed past him and slammed the door behind me.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Rick and Bryce.

  Both of them watched in disappointment as Alexis left the room. As soon as the door slammed behind her, Rick turned to Bryce. “I hope you’re fucking happy with yourself, Bryce Clark ‘the billionaire homewrecker’. So, did you enjoy your week of fucking my wife?”

  Bryce wanted to pick the annoying prick up and toss him out of his office, but if he did, it would give Rick the chance to catch up to Alexis, and that was the last thing he wanted.

  “Yes, Rick, I did and we did a lot of it. Obviously you are not adequate in that area.”

  Rick took a few steps closer to Bryce, ready to knock his head off, but instead he stopped and mockingly laughed.

  “You have no fucking idea, Bryce. She is going to hate you for what you’ve done. You have forced her to sleep with you and be unfaithful. Alexis will never forgive you for that.”

  “I have not forced her to do anything. You were the one who gave her up. You took her for granted and decided five million dollars was a more attractive offer. I reckon you would have accepted a hell of a lot less, too.” Bryce noticed what he thought was a slight twinge of hesitation on Rick’s face. “Yeah, I thought as much. You’re a shallow man Rick, and at the end of the day, you were the one who chose the money over her, and she is going to hate you for that.”

  Rick dragged his hands through his hair in disbelief, and took another step closer to Bryce, now within reach of planting his fists into his ‘pretty boy’ face.

  “I can’t believe you, you’re a fucking lunatic.” He shoved Bryce in the chest, but Bryce barely moved. “You come into our lives like the cocky fuck that you are, throw yourself and your money at Alexis, treat her like a prostitute and then blame me.”

  Bryce flexed his hand into a fist at the very mention of ‘Alexis’ and ‘prostitute’ in the same sentence. He wanted nothing more than to break Rick’s filthy jaw for even suggesting such a thing, but he wouldn’t touch Rick. As much as he hated him right then, he had no intention of causing Alexis anymore pain, and breaking the jaw of the father of her children would inevitably do that.

  “I have not treated her like a prostitute, and for you to even suggest that about her proves you don’t deserve her. She wanted to be with me and still wants to be with me. You may think that I am a lunatic, Rick, but you are the most senseless, naive dickhead that I have ever come across.”

  Rick looked at the ground momentarily, and then he swung his fist right into Bryce’s jaw.

  “You’re a fucking arsehole, Bryce, and I hope you rot in hell.” Rick walked towards the door. Bryce rubbed his jaw, then casually walked back to his desk and took a seat, tasting the blood that now coated his tongue. He kept his calm, even though he wanted nothing more than to lay into the selfish prick.

  “Tell me, Rick. Do you think that Alexis would ever have come to me if what we have is just a ‘fling’? If you do, then you obviously don’t know her very well.” Rick was still shocked that Bryce hadn’t swung back. He looks like he could hold his own in a fight, but still, he didn’t even flinch. Rick was even more pissed as to Bryce’s blatant disregard of his own accountability, and gall that he would even suggest he knows Alexis better than him. Bryce continued his smooth, controlled tone. “What Alexis and I have, Rick, is unbreakable. Yes, she is shocked, hurt and angry, but when she has had time to come to terms with everything we will be together once and for all. I’m sorry that this has happened to your family as a whole, really I am, but I’m not sorry I have fallen in love with her
, and her in love with me. She is the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I’m not about to let her go.”

  “I do know MY wife, you fuck. I have known her for seventeen years. We have shared half our fucking lives together, and we share children. You can’t compete with that, and if you do try to, you will lose. You’ve had your fun, now go back to your billions of dollars and leave us the fuck alone.” Rick turned and reached for the door.

  “This is not a game to me Rick, there is no win or lose, there is no competition. Yes, you share a past and children, but you no longer share her love. I now have Alexis’ heart and you don’t. You may have held it once, but you gave it up for money. I am here to stay, whether you like it or not. I’m not going anywhere, and I am certainly not letting her go anywhere either.”

  Rick never turned back as he opened the door, and before slamming it shut behind him, said. “We’ll see.”

  Bryce

  I watched the self-righteous son of a bitch leave the room. “Fuck.” How the fuck did that happen? I ran my hands through my hair. What have I done? No, you did what you had to. I knew she was going to be hurt when she found out I paid Rick, and as much as it was going to kill me when I saw the look of pain on her gorgeous face I was prepared to wear it, deal with it, and do everything in my power to make up for it and take her hurt away. Rick had cheated on her though, and I had no idea that was going to change, but now it had changed, and he didn’t fucking cheat on her. Again, how the fuck did that happen? Something is not right. I walked over to the mini bar, still seeing Alexis’ traumatised face in my head. I should go after her. I could easily catch her in the Aston. No, it’s too dangerous. I already felt sick at the thought of her driving in the state she was in. Fuck.

  I opened the fridge door, took out the ice cubes, and grabbed the napkin which was neatly folded on the buffet. I wrapped the ice inside of it and placed it on my jaw. There was a slight sensation of pain as the napkin pressed against my skin, but it was nothing compared to the pain I felt when Alexis had walked out the door. I made my way over to my desk, pressed speaker, and dialled Lucy’s number.