Knox

by Lisa Ladew

  Chapter Twenty

  Rebecca

  The energy has shifted between us. Jonathan is different. I may be different too. I’m only noticing the change now as we drive in his car, but it’s been brewing since we left my apartment. I can only describe it as strangely familiar. That’s what he seems like to me too, not just how we’re relating to each other.

  It’s possible we climbed those steamy waves of ecstasy, and came down on the other side as two slightly altered people. I don’t know. This is all new territory for me. I glance over at him as he drives. He’s smiling. The cocky ego he had in the coffee shop and in Long Island is gone. Or is it me?

  I just agreed to go back to his place.

  What am I, crazy?

  Becky, you must be crazy, girl.

  You didn’t just cross the line, you zigzagged over it again and again, and then you stood over that line, hiked up your skirt and peed on it.

  I want to analyze it more, and I think my desire to assess it is an emotional defense mechanism. This solace I’m starting to feel when I’m with Jonathan disturbs me.

  I giggle softly at the thought, and he looks over at me. “Are you feeling better?”

  “Yes. Thank you for dinner.”

  “Is there something entertaining you’d like to share?” he asks.

  “Um…no. I was just thinking about something.”

  “I could use a good laugh.”

  “Honestly, it’s not that funny. It’s one of those random thoughts that wanders into your head from out of nowhere. Sometimes it’s best never to speak them out loud.”

  “Try me. I won’t laugh. Unless that’s the effect you want, in which case, I’m game.”

  I giggle again. The man has a wry, peculiar sense of humor. I like it. “Okay.”

  I tell him exactly what I was thinking. That’s something I would never do, but this time with Jonathan is proving to take me to places I never thought I’d go, in almost every sense. Case in point. I’m telling the man reputed to be one of New York’s most eligible playboys—and a dangerous one at that—I’m enjoying his company in less than forty-eight hours of meeting him. I must be nuts.

  He doesn’t bring the car to a screeching halt, turn back or boot me out the passenger side. So maybe he’s nuts too. Or he’s going soft. Or maybe that reputation of his is all for show. I don’t know. All he does is nod and smile. It’s genuine.

  “I thought it was something much more…wild. That’s how I think in general, so don’t worry. Are you still fine with coming to my condo tonight?”

  “Were you expecting me to say no before, Jonathan?”

  “I try not to have expectations. It’s not productive, and can turn to bitterness and disappointment.”

  I think that’s a weighted message, with more than one intended meaning. He’s an intelligent man. I cannot underestimate him—especially not with his level of natural charm.

  “Do you lawyers always answer a question with more questions? I see a pattern, Rebecca.”

  I turn to look at him. He’s got a smirk on his face I’d like to wipe right off. Maybe I’m touchy about lawyer jokes. The profession gets dragged through the mud enough, and I swear, if he makes it a habit, I may end up decking him.

  “Did I hit a sore spot?” he asks. The smirk is still there.

  “No,” I answer. “Well, maybe. Just go easy on the generalizations and I’ll be fine. Oh, and the answer is yes. I’ll come by.”

  “Good. If I knew you’d be this excited to come to my place, I’d have played hooky with you this morning when we were there.”

  “That may not have been the best idea, given the circumstances.”

  “Oh yes. That eager beaver cop who was at my door,” he says, looking at the road again. “Rob, was it?”

  There’s a tinge of sarcasm in his voice. Or is that jealousy? I don’t know him enough to tell. I assume I didn’t hear it.

  “He’s an old friend,” I offer, and nothing else. “You don’t have to worry. He won’t approach you anymore, not without our firm’s consent. If he does, be sure to let me know.”

  “Are you on edge, Rebecca? Because I can help fix that when we get in.”

  He places a hand on my knee, and my breath hitches. I’m positive he heard it. I wish I could have more control when I’m around him.

  “We’re here,” he announces. He turns into his condo parking garage. Thank God he needs both hands for that. I’m already wet with need, and with any more stimulation, I’m liable to climb over to his side and straddle him. When he parks, he gets out and comes around to help me up. He takes my hand and pulls me into his body. He cups my chin, and presses a hungry kiss on me. It overtakes me. We stand there with the passenger side door still open, tasting each other’s lips, blissfully unaware. He pulls from me when we hear the slam of a car door nearby. He locks his car and takes my hand to lead me to the elevator.

  We’re barely off the elevator for a second, and I’m up on my tiptoes, my lips on his again. He kisses me back, and pulls away. “Let’s get inside.”

  We walk through the front doors, past his front doors and through the vast living room. He turns a corner, and there are stairs up to another hallway. The place is sprawling. I’d never find my way back to the front door if there wasn’t a two-level wall of glass windows near the stairs. All of this is in my periphery. I’m zoned in on Jonathan. We get to his massive bedroom. It’s decorated in neutral tans and browns, well suited to his masculinity.

  He pulls me inside and closes the door. “Where were we?” he asks, wrapping me in his embrace again.

  I don’t answer. My body does that for me. I turn my back to him and signal to my dress zipper. He leans down to my neck. Hot kisses trail from behind my ear, down the side my neck, to the top of the zipper. He grips the zipper with his teeth and tugs down, breathing a hot breath as he goes. The sensation warms me to my core.

  He stops where the zipper ends at my lower back, and drops to his knees. Reaching his hands up, he peels the dress forward and off my shoulder. It’s in an untidy bundle around my hips. I shift my hips to get it off. He stays where he is and kisses the base of my tailbone, just above the line of my panties.

  He palms my ass cheeks, massaging and stroking each one as he kisses and licks my lower back. I’m dripping wet from raw need. I want to turn so he can ravish me where he kneels, but I’m curious. This spot he’s giving attention to has never been touched this way—not by the lips or tongue of any man.

  His arms slide slowly down my legs to my ankles and up the front to my mound. By now I’m sopping wet. He touches my clit and my knees buckle. He growls, finally getting to his feet behind me.

  “I want you just like this, Rebecca. I want you from behind.”

  Jonathan undoes the clasp of my bra. As it falls to the floor, his hands reach forward and cup my breasts. He circles the nipples with his index fingers, and I arch my back into his chest, and tilt my hips back to feel his hardness against my ass. He’s still fully dressed, and all I have on are my heels and my soaking wet panties. I want him inside me now.

  His hands stray back to my hips, and I feel his fingers loop under the thin straps of my panties on each side. With a sharp tug, he rips them off me, and the fire in my belly has mounted to a new level. Throwing the scraps of my now unusable panties off to the side, he walks to his dresser drawer. He retrieves a large box of who knows how many condoms and throws it on his king-sized bed, then starts undoing his shirt buttons as he returns to me.

  I’m facing him now. I’m helping to undo his belt buckle while he works on his shirt. His pants drop to the floor and I reach into his boxers to cop a feel. His thick cock in my hand makes me wetter. I’m holding on to his power now. His face has an expression of abandon when I slide my hand up and down the shaft.

  He tugs off his boxers. We’re naked, and I can’t stop admiring the god standing in front of me. He pulls me over to the bed and he sits, bringing me in to stand between his legs. He’s in the perfect pos
ition now—his head lines up with my breasts. He cradles my flesh and leans forward to one nipple. His tongue circles around it, and then he blows cool air on it. I could sit on his cock right now, I want him so bad. He has my body on fire with the way he touches me so tenderly.

  I pull away from him. I need him inside. I can’t wait. I capitalize on what he just told me. I pull him to stand and turn my back to him. My ass is directly in his groin. I reach up and seductively pull out the two pins and clips holding my bun up. My hair falls down my back, and I turn my head to make sure he’s looking. Oh yes, he is. I turn away again. I run my hands down from my breasts, past my waist and hips, down my sides along my legs, and all the way down to my ankles. My head is down to my knees and my ass is in the air.

  He tears open the box of condoms and rips one open to slip it on. I’m glad he is still thinking responsibly, because my mind is only on one thing. I feel his hands grasp my hips now. He lines up his cock to my opening. God I hope he can keep me steady, because if I lose my balance, I’ll do a face-plant right into the floor.

  “Come inside me, Jonathan. Fuck me hard.”

  “Oh. God. Fuck.”

  He tilts his hip and at the same time, pulls me back into him. His cock impales me so hard, I could black out from the pleasure. He plunges in and out of me, hard and fast, just that way I asked for it. I moan and bite down on my bottom lip from the sensation that’s unleashing wicked pleasure all through my body.

  “I’m coming,” I manage to get out through clenched teeth, so filled with the desire his manhood is delivering inside me with every plunge.

  As my climax gives way, I scream. He slowly follows me to ecstasy. His hips thrust wildly into me, and the grip of his hands is powerful. They hold me in place just before he groans through his release.

  I can barely hold my body up after we finish. Jonathan pulls out slowly and stands me up so he can help me into his bed. I collapse on one side, and he discards his condom and crawls in from the other side. He pulls the cover over me, kisses my cheek and we fall asleep.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Jonathan

  I manage to have an entire night’s sleep, and I believe it was restful and free of nightmares. I don’t think I’ve had that luxury in at least nine years. Definitely not since dad’s unusual and disturbing behavior started. I’m equally shocked that I was able to have that night sleep with a woman beside me in bed. This is a first.

  I get out of bed to start my day. By the time I’m out of the shower and putting a shirt on in my walk-in closet, I hear Rebecca get out of bed. The bathroom door closes shortly after that. When she comes out to get dressed, I offer her some spare clothes in the guest room.

  “It’s okay. Can you drop me off at home so I can get a change of clothes before work?”

  “Of course.”

  It’s all business again this morning, but I’d like it to be more. I understand we both have to get into work, so I let things be. Rebecca puts on her dress, and by then, I’m ready too. We leave, and are walking toward the elevator when I see Claire stepping off. I don’t want to rehash what has happened, and the only thing she should be here to do is apologize and leave. I lead the way and we walk toward her.

  “What are you doing here, Claire?”

  Claire looks at Rebecca briefly before looking at me. “Can you spare a few minutes to talk,” she asks.

  “I really can’t right now. We have to leave, and I have to get in on time for a meeting this morning. Can this wait until the weekend?”

  “No, Jonathan. It can’t wait.”

  I run a hand through my hair and let out an exhausted breath. “Rebecca, do you mind waiting a few minutes?”

  “Sure.”

  “Okay. Claire, this is Rebecca. She works for Kara. Rebecca, this is my stepsister, Claire Fairchild. Come on inside.” I looked back at Rebecca. “I think you should join us. This won’t be long.”

  Claire seems surprised I’ve invited Rebecca to listen to what she has to say. To be honest, after the stunt she pulled, I don’t trust being alone with her.

  We all get back inside and I ask them both to sit down. “What’s this about, Claire?”

  “I thought we could have a few minutes in private, Jonathan.”

  “This is as private as it gets right now for us,” I answer. “Rebecca’s a lawyer. She’s my lawyer. Anything you need to say, you can say in front of her.”

  Claire shifts around in her seat and seems to prepare herself. “All right, fine Jonathan. First I want to apologize for what happened. It was inappropriate, and I was in a bad place emotionally. I was wrong. I’m sorry, and it won’t happen again.”

  “Apology accepted. Was that it?”

  “No. There is a little bit more. It has to do with mom and Solomon.”

  “What about them?”

  “Are you sure you want to talk about this in front of her?” She asked, gesturing to Rebecca.

  “What about them, Claire?” I repeat my question.

  “Neither of them came home last night.”

  “They’re adults, Claire, and so are you. Is there more?”

  “Fine. Mom found a small locked chest somewhere in Dad’s office. The things inside were alarming, to put it mildly. She confronted him, and plans to go to the police.”

  To Be Continued

  Continues in The Billionaire’s Empire Part 2 (conclusion).

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  About the Author

  Lisa became a full time author in the summer of 2014, fulfilling a childhood dream. She lives in the Inland Pacific Northwest, and is married with 2 sons. She is a U.S. Army veteran, plus former paramedic, 911 calltaker/police radio dispatcher, and volunteer firefighter. Her husband is also a veteran, and a retired police officer. Connect with her on her facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/LisaLadewAuthor or email her. Lisa@lisaladew.com