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Barnes & Noble Edition
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Beautifully Twisted
Copyright © 2013 by Jennifer Domenico
Book formatting by JT Formatting
Published by Io Scrivo Publishing LLC
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved. With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the author.
The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
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Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Bonus Material
Acknowledgments
About the Author
To readers whose love of books makes writing exciting and fulfilling.
“You and me, we’ll never be over. You know it. I know it.”
~ Scott Patrick
Alexa turns on the shower and watches the water splatter against the walls. She wanted it hot, to make her skin feel something; a state that her cold heart was not acquainted with. She was bored, and one thing was for sure, she needed something to do, and soon. She’s learned the hard way that she and boredom don’t mix well. The last time she got restless, she ended up messing around with some bartender named Joey, a supremely bad idea. He looked like he’d be up for it, but the poor guy ran away with his tail between his legs. She wanted, no needed, someone to get between her legs.
What she really needed was some excitement, a man that made her feel like Mr. One and Only. She remembered the day he propositioned her. Even though she knew it wasn’t a good idea to hook up with the boss, she couldn’t resist. Most people don’t report to possibly the hottest man on the planet, though. Scott Patrick wanted her sexually, he taught her everything she needed to know professionally, and all she had to do was not fall in love. She never stopped to think about how successful she was with that last bit.
Without Scott though, she wouldn’t be where she is today. Now, she’s the one calling the shots, heading up the new London office. At least the years she spent catering to his whims paid off. He kept his end of the bargain. Now, she just needs to find another plaything to amuse her for a while. One that will stick around. In the meantime, she would just have to take care of herself.
She steps into the steamy shower and begins washing her thick, brown hair. As the conditioner does its job, she leans back against the tiled wall and lets her hand slide down between her legs. Her fingers dip between the folds of flesh and she rubs tenderly for a moment before she turns to face a water jet. She angles it so it will hit her clit in just the right spot. Throwing her head back, she lifts a leg up and supports it on the built in shower bench. She knows it will only be a few minutes now before the built up sexual tension is released. As the water jet does its work, she closes her eyes and imagines the one person who could always make her scream. Scotty. She can see his face as clear as day as she brings herself to the climax she needs.
“Oh, fuck! Fuck!” She grabs the handle to the shower door and braces herself as her orgasm hits, washing over her, mimicking the water that flows down her body. She stands for a moment panting, recovering from her self-induced climax. She quickly finishes rinsing her hair and steps out of the shower.
She wants to put a little effort into her appearance today, even more than usual, since she was going to be meeting her new boss. She selects her best suit–a charcoal gray skirt and jacket with a pressed white blouse. She then lays out her favorite pair of gray platform pumps along with the silver jewelry she plans to wear. Sitting on the edge of her bed, she glides her thigh high stockings up each leg. Finally, she blow dries her hair, dusts her face in natural looking makeup, and finishes dressing. She gazes at her reflection in the mirror, admiring the rosy glow on her cheeks. Her looks are spectacular, and she knows it. How else did she get and keep Scott’s attention for so long? Certainly not her pathetic virginal skills at the time.
One last look in the mirror and she knows she achieved the look she wants–classy, professional, but sexy. Perfect.
Alexa glances down at the expensive watch on her wrist, one of many mementos she kept from the SP years, as she liked to call them. She smiles wistfully as she notes the time. When they were together, he constantly showed up with another over-the-top trinket. She loved receiving the gifts, having come from almost nothing. Now, she kept them as a reminder of how far she’d come; she could buy her own damn watch now.
Grabbing her coat and scarf, she peeks outside. Another dreary day. She longed for the sun of Southern California where she grew up, but this opportunity was too good to pass up. Even though she sometimes felt like she sold her soul to learn what she needed, she felt confident that it all paid off for her and that is really all that mattered to Alexa.
She heads out of her high-end apartment in London’s Belgravia neighborhood, an affluent area with tons of shops and restaurants. It was the perfect place to live to validate Alexa’s economic rise. Her driver, Oswald, watches the door and when he sees her, immediately jumps to attention. He knows she would be pissed off if she even waited thirty seconds for that car door to open. And no one likes a pissed off Alexa Drake.
“Morning, Miss Drake.”
“Good morning, Oswald. Do you have my coffee?”
“Yes, of course.”
It only took two days for him to figure out her routine and the coffee had to be hot and waiting. His timing to get it and then pick her up had to be perfect but he nailed it. It didn’t stop her from asking every day, like she was just waiting for him to screw up. Sometimes he wondered if she actually wanted him to so she had a reason to cuss him out. Again.
“The office, Miss Drake?”
She simply nods. He’d been driving her for over a year and never even received as much as a smile. He wondered what it took to get the coldest fish in town to warm up. Oswald took in her beauty with his eyes. Alexa Drake was one of the most stunning women he had ever seen. She was also rich, young, and successful. He couldn’t deny that she was a very generous boss as well. Driving her was a lucrative endeavor. Oswald didn’t care that she’s a complete bitch.
He closes her door and walks back around to his side. Glancing back at her, he sees that she’s already immersed in her Blackberry. He watches her for a moment before pulling out into traffic. Fucking A, she’s a beauty. Sipping her coffee, Alexa wrinkles her nose, staring disapprovingly at the cup for a moment. Her eyes shift up and meet Oswald’s in the rear view mirror.
“Where did you get this coffee?” she asks, accusingly.
“The same place, ma’am.” Does she think I’m stupid? Why would I
go somewhere else and break her routine?
“It’s different. Make sure tomorrow that only Leslie makes it. She’s the only one that does it right.”
Oh, now I have to have a specific person make her damn coffee? Now might not be the best time to ask for time off but he has no choice.
“Miss Drake? My brother is coming to visit from America next week and I wondered if I could get a couple of days off to spend time with him?”
Alexa doesn’t look up and seems to ignore his request. He continues driving, glancing nervously at her reflection.
“And how am I supposed to get around town?” she finally asks, her voice cold and uncaring.
“I can arrange for another driver and I can make sure he knows how you need everything to work.”
“How many days?”
“Three, if I can.”
She sighs, clearly irritated with the request. She doesn’t like to change her routine but honestly, poor Oswald has never asked her for a thing. He’s a loyal and competent driver. The least she could do is let him have a few days off.
“That’s fine.”
Oswald’s face lights up. “Thank you, Miss Drake.”
She says nothing and glances out the window as they pull up to the massive building where she works. Patrick Collins Media, the mass media empire built by Scott and his business partner, Brett Collins, the man she would be meeting today. Alexa ran the newly created Social Media division, an area that for whatever reason, Scott felt she would excel at, and he was right.
Scott ran the print division in New York and Brett Collins ran a thriving office in Spain. Alexa is the first woman in the company given the opportunity to run an office on her own, and she would be meeting Brett for the first time today. She was curious to meet him, knowing he was also Scott’s best friend for years. Somehow their paths never crossed all this time.
She waits for Oswald to open her door. Stepping out from the car, she runs her hands over her hair to smooth it down as the chilly London air swirls it around her face.
Alexa enters the building and rings the call button for the elevator up to her office. From there, she could look out over Buckingham Palace and occasionally even get a glimpse of the Queen’s corgis running around the gardens.
As soon as the elevator doors open on her floor, she notices a hush fall over the office. It happens every day when Alexa arrives. Just once she’d liked to see how everyone behaved when she wasn’t there. Admittedly though, she gets a tiny bit of satisfaction knowing everyone fears her. She feels it is the only way to make sure her authority is never questioned. Running an office of this size and importance at twenty-seven years old left her vulnerable to rumors and power plays.
It didn’t help that the rumors were actually true. She did sleep her way to the top. She can’t remember how many nights she spent tied to Scott’s bed, how many spankings she endured, how many blow jobs granted. She would do it all again though.
Alexa’s faithful assistant, Martina, takes her coat and scarf. “Miss Drake, Mr. Patrick called. He’s on his way with Mr. Collins now. They should be here inside of thirty minutes.”
“Mr. Patrick is here?” Alexa’s voice practically trembles with the knowledge she would be seeing Scott. She didn’t know he was coming too.
“Yes, ma’am.” Martina looks over her shoulder to make sure no one is in ear shot. “Are you nervous to see him?”
Martina is the only person Alexa trusts enough to talk about her personal feelings. She’s the closest thing to a friend that Alexa has. Only Martina knows that seeing Scott is difficult for her. Especially after the last time.
“A bit, yes. I wasn’t expecting him,” Alexa says, absentmindedly chewing her nails.
“Good thing you look amazing then.” Martina smiles and hands Alexa her second cup of coffee. “I put some fresh flowers in your office to perk it up a bit. Oh, and I printed all of our client’s bio sheets for your reference. You’ll impress him, Lexi.”
“Don’t call me that in front of them, remember?” There were two people in the world allowed to call her Lexi, Scott Patrick and Martina. That’s it. And frankly, she never wanted to hear Scott call her that again. It reminded her too much of when she spent her nights in his bed. Martina wouldn’t even know of it if it weren’t for the argument she witnessed the last time Scott was in town.
“Of course. You know I wouldn’t, Miss Drake.” Martina returns to the formality she uses in front of strangers, and offers a sly smile. “Go relax and collect your thoughts for a moment before they arrive.”
“Thanks, Martina.”
Alexa sits behind her sleek, glass desk and fires up her computer. Immediately she notices a blinking email.
“Can’t wait to see you, Alexa. SP”
He’s already at it again. The last time I saw him, I told him to fuck off. Now he can’t wait to see me? Fucking hell.
Scott Patrick is the only man that can bring Alexa Drake to her knees. Literally. The last thing she wanted was to fall into another cat and mouse game with Scott. She had worked hard to assert her own will; now she was the dominant one. She did the tying up, not the other way around. She knew there was no way Scott Patrick would be willing to give up his control over her. The very thought of seeing him again made her nervous.
Martina buzzes her office. “They’re here, Miss Drake.”
Alexa takes a deep breath and throws a breath mint in her mouth. “Show them in, Martina.”
She stands and waits for Scott to appear in her doorway, gripping her fingers along the edge of her desk. He enters first; a breathtaking smile on his face. Her legs quiver at the sight of him. He still had ultimate control over her. Her eyes wash over his gorgeous frame–athletic, trim, but muscular. She knew those taut muscles are covered in super sexy tattoos, hidden by his luxurious clothing. He trimmed his black hair short since she saw him last, very short, almost shaved completely. It only served to highlight the angular features of his face. His eyes were as dark as his hair, and one could say, his soul, but that didn’t stop Alexa from staring straight into them. She wants to know if he still has it for her.
Scott walks confidently towards her and she feels herself bracing for impact. Oh fuck, oh fuck. You stay over there, you sexy bastard. She stayed safely behind the desk, prompting him to pause in front of it, a taunting grin across his lips.
“Why don’t you come from behind there and meet Brett, Alexa.”
God, his voice! Why does he have to be so sexy? Shit. Shit!
“Of course.” She smiled with confidence, something she didn’t feel at all. But if Scott had taught her anything, it was how to hide her emotions. She was a pro at it. Except, somehow he always knew how she felt. Always.
Brett Collins strides towards her, his hand extended. She remembered seeing his face in many industry magazines and was surprised at how built he was in person. He was handsome enough, in a Scottish sort of way. He was probably far more attractive away from the pure sex aura of Scott Patrick.
“So nice to meet you, Miss Drake,” Brett says, his strong Scottish accent taking Alexa aback slightly. “Scott can’t say enough good things about your abilities.”
Scott barely conceals his grin and Alexa prays that Brett knows nothing of their sordid history together. She searches Scott’s eyes for an answer and is met with a telling wink. Whew, the secret is safe.
Scott walks to a chair and sits back in it, crossing his well-dressed leg over his knee. Alexa watches as he tugs gently at the tailored pant leg and brushes his fingers over the material before speaking. Such a simple gesture, but so sexy when performed by Scott.
“Mentoring Alexa for so many years gave me such satisfaction. She was my star pupil, and my pride and joy,” Scott says with a tone that sounds like his voice was soaked in honey.
Alexa’s heart beats hard in her chest. Only she understood the double meaning in his words. Star pupil, indeed.
She clears her throat. “I do owe quite a bit of my success to Scott.”
Scott laughs too. “Not always, right, Alexa?”
She feared for a moment those sweet lips would utter her nickname. She knew if he did, she would fall apart all over again.
“Not always.” She smiles and regains her cold, professional demeanor. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Brett. If you’d like, I’ve arranged a tour of the office and lunch for us today. I can go over our accounts with you and future plans.”
“That sounds fine. First, I’d like to make a few calls. Do you have an office I can use?”
“Yes, of course. We’ve set up a guest office for you. I’ll take you to it.”
“Have your assistant take me. You catch up with Scott,” Brett offers.
The last thing Alexa wants is to be alone with Scott Patrick. The last time he was in her office it was a disaster. It does make more sense for Martina to escort Brett to the office though.
She buzzes for her assistant. “Martina, can you take Mr. Collins to his office, please?”
“Of course. Be right there.”
Alexa addresses Scott. “Will you be in need of a visitor office?”
He grins at her and her knees shake a little more. “I’m not sure how long I’ll be in town. Can I get back to you?”
Alexa nods, unnerved by his demeanor, as usual. “Of course.”
Martina arrives and leads Brett out of the room, leaving Alexa and Scott alone. Alexa stares at him, trying to accept his presence.
A slow grin crosses Scott’s lips. “You look stunning, Alexa. London suits you.”
“Thank you. You look well, also.” She tries to keep her words measured, her voice steady. She doesn’t want him to know how much he is affecting her. “What are you doing in London, Scott? I wasn’t expecting you.”
“It’s a surprise then. I wanted to see you. Plus I have a few meetings to attend to while I’m here.”
She narrows her eyes knowing that she handles almost all of the UK business. “Who are you meeting with?” she asks.
Scott waves his hand in the air, dismissing her question. “People.” He stands and walks towards her, causing her to back up against the window. “Don’t back away from me, Alexa. No more of that.”
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