Broken by Desire

by Dani René

  Cassandra

  I wake up to Lucien’s heavy arm around my waist. The sun is beaming through the balcony door and I stare at the view. My mind is all over the place. Today is the first day back at the office and I wonder what will happen between us. Surely, he wouldn’t want everyone to find out about us. If not, I had to understand. You shouldn’t worry so much! Cassie, he likes you. Why wouldn’t he want the world to know? Well, his mother would not like it. I mean, his mother would be totally against us. I can sense it in my gut.

  “Are you okay sweetness?” Lucien’s voice his deep with sleep and I grin. He’s so sexy, he never fails to make me smile.

  “I am, just savoring the view.” When I roll over over, and face him, there’s heat in his stare.

  “I thought I was your view?” A smile curves his beautiful lips and I am desperate to kiss him. I reach up to the dimple in his cheek and caress his smooth silky skin.

  “You’re my favorite view, by far.” I move up to kiss him. His arm tightens around my waist and pulls me in. His body is warm and solid; the muscles are taut. His tongue licks the seam of my mouth. My lips open, letting him have access to me, as soon as our tongues dance in wild abandon, my body molds to him. He tugs at my T-shirt and his hands caress my hips, up my belly and over my sensitive nipples. “Lucien.” I breathe into the kiss.

  “How about some breakfast, sweetness?” What? Breakfast now? Really!

  He pulls the T-shirt over my head, but leaves my wrists bound with the material. “Lucien!”

  He growls as his mouth comes down onto my breasts, licking and nipping at the soft skin. “Told you, I need breakfast.” The rasp in his voice sends a jolt straight to my panties. Ah! Breakfast sex! Yes, please!

  I chuckle at my inner conversation. His hooded eyes glance up at me as he starts down my belly. When his tongue dips into my bellybutton, I quiver. Everything he does is so exquisite. The ache and need of having him inside me is driving me crazy. “Lucien, please?” I beg shamelessly.

  “Keep your hands up there okay?” He signals to my bound wrists. I nod. His mouth moves south as his fingers caress my sides. The slow torture is making me wanton with lust. My hips rock up towards his mouth and I see a smirk curve his lips.

  His thumbs hook into the sides of my panties tugging them down. “I’m starving sweetness. I plan on devouring you till you scream.” He growls and my slick entrance is dripping. His index finger glides over my heated pussy, teasing me. I rock my hips and I see him smirk. “Not yet gorgeous, just relax.”

  Relax? Seriously? His thumbs move over my smooth pussy and open me to his gaze. I watch his tongue lap at my core. “Lucien.” I hiss through my teeth. My hands still bound above my head. All I want to do is grab him and pull him into me. He dips a finger inside me and I clench around him. “So fucking sexy, I need you to come on my tongue, sweetness.” His order sending waves of pleasure over me, an orgasm ripping through me and I feel him smile as he licks at me.

  I shut my eyes taking in the sensations of his lips and tongue. His fingers slowly ease into me teasing me open as he inserts another one. My body is shaking, writhing below him. “Lucien, please?”

  He plunges his two fingers inside me. “Please what, sweetness?” I glance down to him. “Tell me what you want.” His hoarse voice and hot breath on me causing my body to convulse.

  “Fuck me!” I cry out as the pad of his thumbs rubs over my throbbing clit. He sits back and looks at me. The waiting is excruciating. He pushes his low slung pants down and his erection is rock solid. When the heat of his body hovers over me, his weight is on his left elbow. With his right hand, he grips his cock stroking it over my wet slit and I all but come undone. “Say it sweetness, tell me what you want?” He asks again. My eyes lock on his and I chew my lip. His eyes drift over my mouth and he smirks. The head of his erection at my slick entrance. I rock my hips up to him, but I don’t beg. Not yet.

  “I asked you to tell me what you fucking want?” His voice is low and dangerous. Desire tightens my core and the anticipation of him driving into me is too much.

  “Fuck me, Mr. Verán.” I breathe and his grin is dark. He slams into me and knocks me breathless.

  “My lumière.” His voice is laced with lust and hunger. My body tightens around him. He stills inside me. Watching my reaction to him. As I come down from him opening me, he continues his relentless drives in and out, as he repeats his French nickname for me. His head falls next to mine and I can’t see his eyes. His voice is strained and I realize he is broken by the desire between us. I need to heal him; I crave to make him whole again. As I bring my arms down, a growl stems from his chest. “Don’t.” It’s the first time he’s not wanted me to touch him. Without arguing I move my hands back above my head. “I need this.” I don’t understand what he means until he plunges into me ferociously. His body tenses. My body is so far beyond turned on I have no idea if I can hold on much longer.

  “Lucien.” I murmur in his ear, tugging the lobe in my teeth, drawing a deeper growl from him. “Fill me, come inside me.” I beg him. It’s the only way I can prove to him that I want him. He slams into me repeatedly, almost violently. The deeper and harder he does, the more we both heal, although I am not sure from what. It's a dark yearning burning inside us.

  “I need you to come on my dick, lumière. I want you to give it all to me.” His words are my undoing as my core clenches around his erection. My release ripping through me leaving me breathless. Seconds later, his orgasm shatters him and fills me. Marking me as his.

  Lucien

  When Robert drops us off at the office, I walk Cassie to her desk. Every set of eyes in the office follow us in. There isn’t a part of me that would have let her walk alone today. Especially after last night. It was a bad one. “You okay baby? I have to work now so I will see you at lunch?”

  “Yes, I am sure I can manage sitting at my desk, Lucien.” She’s embarrassed. She cares what people think of her. Me on the other hand. I don’t give a fuck. I lean in and give her a chaste kiss on the lips. God, she feels so good. When I get back to the elevators, my phone buzzes. I tug it out and see a text from Jayce.

  * Claudia is in the building. *

  Shit! My body is on alert. At least she doesn’t know who Cassie is. I step into the elevator and hit reply.

  * Thanks for the heads up. Rough night last night. *

  Jayce will know what I mean. My mind was in overdrive last night. This is the first time in two years that I am allowing myself some sort of normal life. I need something to stop the riptide pulling me under. Maybe Jayce and I need a boys’ night. Although all I want to do is spend time with Cassie.

  * Shit. You okay? Did she see you? *

  The elevator pings and I step onto the top floor. I love towering above the city. Stacy is at her desk like the good girl she is. Fuck, she’s annoying. The only reason she runs around here is because my father and her father are such good friends. Maybe I can move her down to another floor.

  “Good morning, Mr. Verán, how was your trip?” She smiles and I can’t help wanting to walk right passed her. I am generally not a rude bastard, but for some reason this girl really grates me.

  “Fine, thanks. Any messages?” She shakes her head. “Good. Coffee please?” I offer her a smile and walk into my office.

  “Where the hell were you?” I shut the door and stare at Jayce. He’s sitting on my black faux leather sofa and going through what looked like the paperwork for the meeting today.

  “I was held up.” As I round my desk, I power on the iMac. I am tempted to send Cassie a message, but I realize we have limited time to go over the figures for the next shoot before the stuffy board members get here. A few important emails need replying to, so I slide into my chair and start on them. “How do you know Claudia is here?” I glance up at my best friend.

  “Girls in distribution.” When he meets my stare, I realize exactly why he was on the fourth floor.

  “Who is she?” My tone is serious, and he k
nows it.

  “Don’t get your fucking panties in a twist, I haven’t fucked her. Yet.” I groan. My best friend can be such a dick. A complete and utter manwhore.

  “Don’t fuck my staff, Jayce.” The wicked glint in his eye tells me that I am talking to a brick wall.

  “You’re fucking your staff.” I can’t fault him on that.

  “Yea, but I don’t plan on breaking her heart.” That earns me a look of surprise. Jayce narrows his eyes and I know what he’s thinking. I can’t help it. She’s perfect. I can’t just walk away, even though I know I should.

  “Jesus, Luke. You’re fucking serious.” He gets up and walks over to my desk. When he places his hands on the mahogany, he leans in and stares me down. His ice blue glare piercing my olive green. “Oh my God, you’re completely whipped. Luke, you know that you need to be careful.” I nod. Really not in the mood to go through this right now. “If Claudia finds out.”

  “She knows. Although, she doesn’t know who Cassie is, she just knows that I am seeing one of the girls I was in Hawaii with.”

  “Fuck Luke, you do realize Claudia isn’t stupid. I mean—”

  Jayce is cut off by my intercom. “Mr. Verán, the board are ready for you.”

  I rise from my desk and look at Jayce. “I do realize that Claudia will find out soon. Cassie is safe until after the meeting. I will tell her tonight.” He stares long and hard. We have little time. He nods and we make our way through to the boardroom.

  “Mr. Verán,” the six board members rise and we shake hands. They’re older than me, most of them my father’s age. Since I took over the company from my father, they’ve been welcoming. Some weren’t happy, but most of them had no choice but to allow the heir to the throne to sit at the head of the table.

  “Gentlemen. I trust this meeting will go smoothly. I have collated the numbers with Mr. Alexander and we have all the research for the new shoot. There will be a new strategy for the marketing department. Although our print numbers are down, I think we need a revival and focus on getting the sales up. I realize we will put 5 million into this new venture, but the rewards will be triple that. The digital marketing has had a boost in sales that’s the way the company is leaning.”

  “Mr. Verán, I am all for—” I turn my gaze to the oldest board member. The only one I knew would give me problems, he isn’t one of my father’s favorites either. An outside investor, Mr. Shapiro, is a friend of Claudia. At one point, I thought she was fucking him. It grates me that my father allows him on the board, but at the moment we need the financial help. Soon, I will get him out of my company, and he can crawl back into the hole he came from.

  “Mr. Shapiro, I am still the CEO, the rest of the board don’t have any reservations about this. We will go ahead with this vote. Can we see a show of hands on who wants to go ahead with my idea?”

  The whole board, bar one, raises their hands. Jayce is obviously on board since he will work with the team, with my girl. Besides my top photographer, he is also my Marketing Director. With a degree in marketing and business management, I trust him more than I trust a shrewd old businessman that’s after my father’s company.

  I glare at the old man and he nods. His lips in a grim line and I know I have pissed him off. I don’t give a fuck. He needs to learn who is in control, and who will stay in control. I am never stepping down from this seat, so he can get over it. Or better yet, get out.

  Once the rest of the agenda is covered, I glance around the table and they all seem happy enough. I dodged a fucking bullet thanks to Jayce. As soon as the conversation dwindles, I pull out my phone, and notice we’ve been in here for four hours. “Gentlemen.” I rise and walk out, opening my email, I type Cassie an email. As I walk into my office, I am met with Claudia, sitting on my sofa. What the fuck? Is my office just open to everyone now?

  “What do you want?”

  “Is that any way to talk to your mother Lucien?” I glare at her. She’s up to something and by God I will find out what it is.

  “I am busy. What do you want?”

  “I popped by to say hello to the new girl, you know the one that’s taking over from Veronica.” Her cold eyes are on me and my blood runs cold.

  “What the fuck did you do?”

  “Fixed a situation, Lucien. You know that you shouldn’t be seeing anyone. It’s not good for you and I can’t deal with you going down that road again.” She rises and walks to the door. Turning to look at me before she walks out. “I trust you will obey my wishes.”

  “Fuck you.” Her devious smirk is nauseating as she closes the door behind her, all that’s running through my mind is Cassie.

  Cassandra

  I step into the office and set up my laptop when Veronica walks down the corridor with coffee. “Cassie! So glad to see you’re safe and sound. You look like you got some sun.” She smiles and I nod.

  “Yes, it was an incredible experience.” Sure it was! You’re shagging the boss! Stop it Cassie, he’s into you! I open my laptop and log into my user account.

  “Well, just a heads up Mrs. Verán is roaming around so keep your eyes open.” She winks and strides into her office before I can ask. I presume its Lucien’s mother. At least I hope it’s his mother and not a wife he’s not told me about.

  I stroll into the kitchen and prepare myself a coffee. This morning’s breakfast has left me deliciously sore. Lucien's peculiar mood had my thoughts whirling. Maybe he realized his mother decided on making an appearance today.

  “Good morning,” I twirled around at the icy voice behind me. When my gaze falls on the woman in front of me, I recognize immediately who she is. She looked highly strung, but elegant. She had long black hair that fell straight to the center of her back. Tall and petite, wearing a silver skirt suit with a delicate silk blouse. Her eyes were startling. Ice blue, nothing like Lucien's, she didn’t even have his calm relaxed attitude. So that’s her. I am terrified. She’s like a professor that wants me in detention forever. I can tell that we will not get along, at all. Lucien would be better off with one of the wealthy girls. I should just bow out now.

  “Good morning, Mrs. Verán.” I smile. With my back straight, my shoulders back, I step towards her, offering my hand. “I am Cassandra Winters.”

  “Yes darling, I know who you are.” Her words were clipped. My hand remained in the air for a few moments until I realize she had no intention of taking it. “I want to say one thing; my son is spoken for. He’s engaged. Did he tell you that while he romanced you in Hawaii?” I was too dumbstruck to respond. “I didn’t think so. Now be a decent girl and let the grown-ups play.” Her face twisted into a vicious grimace reminding me of Cruella de Vil. I swear she is a fucking bitch! Seriously? Lucien would obviously agree with her. I mean he is her son after all. “It’s okay don’t feel cheap, he does this with every shoot. I didn’t expect this time would be any different.” She spun on her heel leaving me stunned.

  The walk back to my desk was torture; like everyone’s eyes landed on me. Did they hear that? Do they know what’s going on? I don’t think so. I mean, surely they couldn’t have found out. I slipped into my chair and my email pinged.

  From: Lucien Verán

  To: Cassandra Winters

  Date: June 5, 2014 - 15:35

  Subject: My Girl

  Ms. Winters,

  I was missing you. I wanted to see if you’re okay, after this morning. It was amazing waking up to you. I am smiling. And I am rock hard.

  How about a late lunch?

  Lucien Verán

  Chief Executive Officer

  Verán Publications

  I was irritated, angry, and tears sprung to my eyes. After his mother’s visit, I didn’t want to read his loving words that held nothing but lies. My stupidity at letting someone in will once again cost me my heart. I should have just stuck to my original plan, no men. This was my fault, getting myself into a situation as bad as this. I glared at the screen, I couldn’t not tell him what his mother said, but how was I
meant to do it over email?

  From: Cassandra Winters

  To: Lucien Verán

  Date: June 5, 2014 - 16:00

  Subject: Not Your Girl

  Mr. Verán,

  I think you should email your fiancée as your mother would put it. I am nobody’s girl. It was a good weekend, apparently your mother knows all about it, since you do it every year. Please refrain from emailing me again unless work related.

  Cassandra Winters

  Marketing & Publishing Assistant

  Verán Publications

  I hit send on the email and grab my bag. The need to get out of this office was bearing over me. Before he could come down and try to lie about what his mother told me, I made it to the ground floor. I walked down the road. I needed to think, and I certainly didn’t want to be inside my apartment alone. That’s when I found my feet taking me to the only place that would be my refuge, the coffee shop. Once I reach the door, deliberating whether to go in or not, I am distracted by my phone. I stare at the screen and see Kenna’s name. Maybe she would make me feel better, I swipe the screen.

  “Hello?”

  “Where have you been babe?” I smile, she sounds so excited.

  “Work, it’s been busy.” I try to lighten the tone in my voice, but I realize I can’t fool her.

  “What’s wrong babe?” I pick up the concern laced in her voice and I feel myself fighting back the tears. Calm down Cass! You’re in public! Do not fall apart!

  “Nothing, what’s up?” Please drop it Kenna? Please, I can’t do this here!