Revenge Games (Revenge Games Duet Book 1)
Page 28
I laughed shortly, “Yeah, I suppose so. So, what do we do now?”
“I'll give Dominick a call tomorrow and tell him I decided that I'd rather have you living in an apartment.”
“I'd rather you not. I don't want him to know I'm moving out.”
“Why not?”
“I don't want to hurt his feelings.”
“Well, Kim, he needs to know. You can't just disappear one day. Do you know how much that would freak him out?”
“Let me tell him, then. I'd rather it come from me than you.”
“If I tell him, he won't even know we talked.”
“I'd rather you let me tell him. I am a grown woman now, after all. This is my responsibility. I'm the one who wants to leave. I think I can handle this.”
“Alright,” she sighed. “Just don't wait until the last minute.”
“I won't,” I lied.
I had every intention of waiting until the last minute. In fact, I would wait until he was out of town. He could find out I had moved in a text message. That was the best way to go about doing this. That way, I wouldn't have to take the chance of him seducing me again. If he thought that everything was alright between us, then maybe he would back off. I couldn't handle the emotional push and pull of our warped sexual relationship anymore.
Tammy and I talked for almost an hour. She updated me on what was going on with her and Marcus, telling me that she wasn't pregnant yet, and that they were thinking about going to a fertility clinic if it didn't happen soon. Then she went on to talk about things going on at her work. She thought she was up for another promotion, though if she got it, they'd have to relocate to Pennsylvania.
“What would happen to our house?” I asked.
“We'd have to sell it.”
“Oh.”
It seemed like everything good I remembered from my childhood was being slowly ruined. Dominick wasn't the same man he used to be. Tammy wanted to have a baby and start her own family. Our home where we had made so many good memories might be sold before I finished college. Just thinking about it all made me want to cry.
“Don't worry though. I'll make sure you have your own bedroom in the new house if we do move,” Tammy said.
“Thanks, Sis,” I replied weakly.
The line was filled with awkward silence for a while. We had both said all there was to say. I knew she was too worried about me to end the call, and I honestly didn't want to let her go. It felt like everything was falling down around me.
“You said you read Behind Her Green Eyes, right?” I asked.
“Yeah. Why?”
“How did you feel about the characters? I mean, about the two main characters.”
“That's an odd question to ask.”
“I'm just curious is all. I just read it a little while ago. It was very intense . . . and familiar.”
“Familiar as in how?”
Was she really that oblivious? Tammy wasn't a stupid woman. Surely, she had picked up on the fact that the main heroine had been her.
“Never mind.”
She sighed, “Alright, I suppose it's time I confessed.”
My breath caught at her words. The change in her tone sounded bad, and I was scared I wouldn't like what she was about to say.
“Confess what?”
“Don't tell Dominick, but I never got past the first chapter.”
I gave the phone a queer look. “Why would you lie about something like that?”
“I didn't want to hurt Dom's feelings. I know he worked really hard on the book, and it was a huge seller, but I just couldn't get into it. The main guy was so sappy and in love that it was pathetic. I couldn't imagine reading five-hundred pages worth of him whining about this woman who never saw him as more than a friend.”
Her words stung. Didn't she have any consideration for Dominick's feelings? Had she not seen that the two main characters were her and him? It made me mad that she was still dismissive of his feelings after all these years. But then I wondered why I should give a crap. He was being completely dismissive of my feelings as well. It was a vicious cycle of pain.
“Oh. Well, I was just curious, is all,” I said again. “They wound up together in the end, the guy and girl.”
“That wouldn't have happened in real life. It was obvious from the first page that she wasn't into him like that.”
“I suppose.”
My heart sank even further. Her words were a reminder of what Dominick felt for me. He was a man, so he naturally wanted sex. But he would never love me. He wasn't into me like that. I was just an easy lay to him.
“I need to go,” I muttered. “I think my phone's battery is about to die.”
“Alright. Well, if you need to talk again, I'm always here for you. Don't hesitate to call.”
“I won't.”
“I love you, Kim. Try to keep your head up until I can find something for you. It might take a few days.”
“I'll try. I love you too.”
“Bye.”
I hung up the phone and laid on my bed, staring up at the ceiling. Why had I allowed myself to fall prey to Dominick's sexual advances again? Every single time, it ripped me apart.
The tears came unbidden, refusing to be denied their descent down my face. If Dominick heard me crying, would he come to me? Would he hold me and seduce me again? A deep part of me wanted it, but my heart was winning the argument this time.
I hid my face in my pillow to muffle the sounds of my sobs, crying to the point of exhaustion. It would all be over soon, and I would have my own apartment. I wouldn't have to deal with Dominick's emotional battery anymore.
In the days that followed, I decided to avoid Dominick. I still cooked his meals, but I ate in the kitchen before I served him, retreating to my room while he ate in the dining room alone. He didn't seem to notice or care, emotionless as usual. Instead of cleaning the condo around him, I waited for him to go to the gym every day.
Tammy called on Thursday to tell me she had found an apartment for me, but that they wouldn't be able to get me in for two more weeks. I groaned at the wait, but at least it was progress. I could hang on for two more weeks. What choice did I have?
The weekend came, and I spent it in my room on Skype chatting with Carmen and Victor and some friends from back home. I promised Victor that as soon as I moved we could go out together. He seemed fine with it and not the least bit offended by the way Dominick had acted, though I apologized to him profusely for it.
Monday rolled around, and Dominick went to the gym that night as usual. While I was cleaning his office, I noticed he had left his computer on. By that point, I was in I-don't-give-a-shit mode. I would be leaving soon, so who cared if he caught me rummaging through his stuff. Besides, Carmen was still nagging me to sneak and see what he had been writing, and this was probably the last chance I would get.
I turned off the vacuum and pulled out his chair, sliding in front of the computer and scrolling up to the top of the document. Dominick had only been gone for about ten minutes, so I knew I'd have around an hour to read.
Like with Behind Her Green Eyes, it was fairly easy for me to get engrossed in the story. It started with the heroine losing her parents and having to go live with a family friend. She was eighteen, but not up on her feet yet. The family friend was a rich guy who seemed rather cold at first. As the story began to unfold, it quickly became apparent that he had feelings for the girl, but he didn't know how to show them because he'd been damaged by a relationship in the past.
It felt like my heart was slowing down with each page that I read. The girl had curly brown hair and brown eyes. She tried to earn her keep by taking care of the wealthy man, and she seemed rather oblivious to the strange way he chose to show his affections. The girl . . . was me.
There were only forty-five pages to read, and when I reached the end of it, I felt absolutely paralyzed with thought. My mind was reeling. I couldn't believe what I had just finished reading. This wasn't a story at all. It was what h
ad transpired these past weeks. Sure, some details had been changed, but the book was very much about us. And all the emotions Dominick had been feeling that he hadn't been showing were poured out on the pages. He did love me; he was just scared and confused. He had shut himself off from love ever since my sister, and he didn't know how to deal with it now. He didn't want to chance losing me by being the nice guy again. His sense of what women wanted had warped over the last five years.
“What are you doing?” his voice startled me.
I looked up at him. He had a towel draped over his shoulders, his forehead and chest glistening with sweat. Seeing him standing there after reading his book was like looking at him for the first time. He was absolutely delicious and desirable, and I wanted nothing more than for him to fuck me right there on the floor of his office.
“The girl in this book . . . is me?”
“What of it?” He gazed down on me with displeasure.
“I want to read the rest as you write it,” I told him.
He sighed, stepping towards me. “You can read it when I finish.”
“No.” I shook my head. “I need to read it while you write it.” Because it's the only way I'll ever understand what's going on inside your head.
Dominick came up behind me, leaning over the chair and wrapping his arms around me. They were surprisingly dry for as sweaty as he looked.
“Do you like it?” he asked.
“I love it.” I squeezed his arm gently.
“Good.” Dominick kissed me on top of the head. “I hoped you would.”
“Well, I suppose I should get back to work. These floors don't vacuum themselves.”
“No, they don't. I'll go take a shower and get out of your way.”
“You're not in my way. You're never in my way. But you could certainly use a shower.”
“Do I smell?”
I twisted around to give him a quick kiss on the lips. “Go shower, idjit.”
“Your wish is my command, Kimlet.” He straightened himself, looking at the computer with a sigh.
“It's just Kim.”
“Whatever you say.” Dominick mussed up my hair before leaving the room.
I grumbled internally. Would he always treat me like a child? Probably. The age difference between us was too great, and some habits seemed impossible to break. At least, his feelings for me weren't childish.
As soon as I heard the water turn on, I ran to my room. Vacuuming the office could wait. I needed to call Tammy.
She picked up on the third ring, sounding absolutely exhausted, “Hello.”
“Tammy.”
“Kim. Is everything okay?”
“Everything is great. Hey, listen, you didn't put a deposit down on that apartment yet, did you?”
“Yeah. Why?”
My heart sank a bit. “Is there any way you can cancel it?”
“I don't know. Did something happen?”
“Yeah. Dominick and I talked things out. I decided I don't want to move after all.”
Frustration filled her voice, “I suppose I can see if there's any way to get out of it. Nothing has been signed yet, so it should be okay.”
“Alright. Awesome. You work on that. I've got to go vacuum. I love you. Bye.” I hung up and ran back to the office.
There was a pep in my step as I finished my cleaning duties for the afternoon, thinking about what I had read. Dominick went back to his office when he finished his shower, and I reveled in the sound of his fingers tapping against the keyboard. Every word was for me.
Things were far from perfect, but at least I knew I had something to work with now. Dominick wasn't the heartless asshole I thought he had become, he was just psychologically traumatized from what had happened with my sister. Sex was the only way he knew how to express himself if not on paper.
Our relationship would be strange for a while, had been strange, but I was willing to work through our problems. Maybe someday I could teach Dominick that it was okay to love again. If I could do that, then I'd finally feel like I had been able to repay him for everything he had done for Tammy and I.
Chapter 7
I sat on my bed with my laptop, squirming in discomfort as I read page after page of Dominick's manuscript, realizing that a raunchy sex scene was just around the corner.
It would be a seven-hour flight, and Derrick knew he couldn't wait that long to put his hands on Karen's body. His eyes trailed down to her exposed knee, the white of her stockings acting as a near invisible barrier between his hand and her skin. He remembered using a similar pair of stockings to tie her up in the bedroom. The material was strong and unforgiving when wrapped around a helpless appendage, yet soft enough not to chafe.
Karen rummaged through her purse, completely oblivious to the wicked thoughts playing in Derrick's head. Their minds were never in sync as far as sex was concerned, but all it would take was a touch to put her on the same wave length.
Of course, on a seven-hour long flight, sex was the farthest thing from her mind. She was too busy praying there wouldn't be any turbulence and trying to find something to occupy herself with during take off. She hated planes. Always had, ever since her parents died in one. This was an important trip for Derrick though, and she wanted to be by his side when his company made the merge with Software Unlimited, Inc. It would be a life-changing event, and she knew just how he'd want to celebrate it.
The very thought sent a pleasant tingling sensation between her legs. This was the last place she should be getting horny, but as long as she was distracted from the flight, it didn't matter. Besides, it was fun to imagine all the horrible kinky things Derrick would do to her once their business was concluded in New York. He had a way with words and his body, no shortage of surprises.
The plane barreled down the runway, and Karen's mind was drawn back to her fears. She gripped Derrick's hand, holding her breath as the speed of the plane made her press into her seat. He smiled at her in amusement.
“Everything will be alright,” his voice was calm and confident, the way it always was, and she couldn't help but believe him.
Once they were safely in the air, Karen pulled out her ereader and began reading, another distraction tactic. Derrick scowled but said nothing. He had a better idea for helping her to forget about the flight, but it was hard to implement when they were surrounded by so many people. Patience. Patience was something he had in a seemingly unlimited supply.
The hours passed by, and he waited and waited and waited. He could have done some work on his laptop, but he didn't want to miss his window of opportunity. At times like this, Derrick felt like a predator, stalking prey. Karen was oblivious most of the time, but he preferred her that way. He liked the look in her eyes when he took her unaware.
Finally, after several hours and a flight change, Karen stood up to go to the bathroom. Derrick was quick on her heels. She turned around and gave him a queer look.
“What are you doing?” she asked, pausing briefly in the middle of the aisle.
“We're going to the bathroom, aren't we?”
There was that naivety he loved so much. She had absolutely no idea what was going on.
“Shouldn't you stay back with our stuff?” She glanced at their empty seats.
“Keep going,” he said, his voice low and husky. It was his commanding voice, the voice he used when something mischievous was going on inside that perverted head of his. It was the voice that made Karen's loins throb with the knowledge that they'd be satiated soon, and her body could do little else but obey.
They slipped inside the cramped airplane lavatory together, making sure they weren't seen. Derrick could not have cared less if someone saw them, but Karen was a lot more cautious.
“Derrick, I have to pee,” she complained.
“I'm not stopping you.”
“Technically, you are. I can't pee with you standing there.”
“I'll turn around.”
She grumbled as he turned away from her. If she hadn't been p
aranoid about being caught, she might have argued with him more, but she knew their time was limited. As quickly as possible, she finished her business, knowing better than to pull her panties up afterward. He would just forcefully yank them down again anyway. That was the kind of man he was, taking what he wanted, not that she minded it one bit.
The sound of the toilet flushing was the most unsexy thing in the world, but that didn't deter Derrick. Almost before Karen had a chance to stand up, he was on her, hiking up her skirt and pressing her against the wall. Everything disappeared around them as his hands traveled under her blouse to roughly grope her breasts. Her nipples were already hard peaks, awaiting the tantalizing touch of his fingers.
Karen groaned as Derrick kissed her, gripping a fistful of her hair and holding her firmly in place while his tongue sought entry into her mouth. She was more than willing to be open for him, with both her mouth and her cunt. It throbbed between her legs with a need for his fingers, cock, or anything else he wanted to put inside of her.
“We need to be quick,” she whispered as soon as their lips parted.
“I don't like quick,” he growled into her ear, sending a shiver down her spine.
It wasn't a lie. Derrick liked to fuck for hours, but Karen doubted they could do so now without someone banging impatiently on the lavatory door.
“Are you ready to become a part of the mile high club?” he asked. Before Karen had time to answer, Derrick was pulling her leg over his hip. She could hear the sound of his zipper, and then any response she might have made was converted into a moan as his hot cock head pressed between her pussy lips. “Quiet now, love,” he whispered, putting a hand over her mouth as he bucked inside.
Karen gasped from the feel of his thick member tunneling into her. When he was inside, touching and spreading her inner walls, she felt oddly complete. This was the man she was supposed to be with, the one who pleasured her like no other ever could. They belonged together, and it was never more apparent than when they were making love.
Derrick held onto Karen while he thrust into her, pressing her back against the wall so hard that she feared it might give way and send them both toppling out of the plane. The excitement of doing something this naughty and forbidden only added to the euphoric bliss that coursed through her. It was like every cell was on high alert, soaking in the maximum amount of sensation that the body would allow.