by S Doyle
“Marc?”
“I’m here. I’m…” Processing. Conflicted between sitting in this bed, and getting up and selling my car to be able to afford a ticket to Switzerland. Or telling the dean tomorrow that I was dropping out. Letting Ash make her own choices without any impact to me.
“I’m going to fix this, Ash.”
“You can’t. He has reasons. I think. You’ll come to Florida?”
“Is that a good idea?” I asked.
“I’ll let you know if it’s safe.”
“You think he’d object to me seeing you, just to make sure you’re okay?”
“I don’t want him to think.” Breath. “You would even bother to make the trip.” Breath. “Tired.”
“Rest. Breathe. In, and out. You know how to do that. Easy in, and out.”
“Easy in, and out.”
I hung up and lay back down in the bed. I wasn’t going to sleep for the rest of the night. The sound of her carefully measured breaths filled my ears. This was my fault. She was there because she thought she was protecting me.
Why me? Why threaten me? Arthur Landen didn’t have a clue what happened between me and his daughter. Hell, he’d had no problem leaving us alone on the estate for weeks at a time while he was off in Manhattan. Because he’d probably convinced himself I was sufficiently cowed and awed by him to heed almost every warning he’d ever given me.
What if I could just remind him of that?
What if I could assure him I wasn’t ever going to have a relationship with his daughter? Wasn’t ever going to corrupt her, or tarnish her, or whatever he thought I might do to her because of my own personal history?
What if we just had a conversation? Man to man.
Landen Enterprises, LLC
Downtown Manhattan
Marc
“I don’t know if this is a good idea,” George said. I glanced over at him and saw his worried expression. I’d told George what I’d wanted to do. Told him why. He’d offered to talk to Landen on my behalf. Secure the thirty-minute meeting. He’d driven me into the city since he was expected to have the car available for Landen today.
“I’m going to be honest.”
“Your honesty might be misconstrued. He’s very protective of Ashleigh.”
“Bullshit. He sent her to fucking Switzerland where she’s had nothing but health problems. That’s not being protective. That’s being authoritarian without thought of consequences. I have two choices. Drop out of school, or confront him.”
“Or let Ashleigh try to solve this on her own,” George pointed out.
That surprised me. “You would put her health at risk?” I asked sharply. “You? You adore her.”
“I do. But I also know her to be a smart, capable, young woman. She’s been managing her father for years. You do this now, it could have an impact on your future you can’t possibly predict. I worry about that, son.”
I bristled at the word son. He didn’t use it often. Only when he was being particularly dramatic when it came to my decision making.
“I’m not going to make any threats, or do anything crazy,” I promised. “I’m going to be reasonable.”
“And if you get angry?”
It wasn’t an outlandish question. George knew my temper(ament) almost as much as Ash did. “I won’t Hulk-out. I promise.”
He pulled up in front of a glass and steel building in the heart of the financial district. I didn’t linger, instead I popped out of the car, buttoned my suit jacket, and strode inside confidently.
In one year, I would be applying for jobs in every one of these buildings. Looking to amass my own fortune, build my own estate, and free myself from anyone who threatened to control my life in any way.
Landen’s offices were on the thirty-first floor. I took the high-speed elevator up and made my way to his executive assistant’s office. The guy took my name and confirmed my appointment.
As I sat there, I watched the young man work. Taking phone calls, scheduling, ordering various different reports from different departments. This would mostly likely be my first job out of college. A stepping stone, while I learned from the investor who hired me.
A lot of grunt work. A lot of messy work. But it wouldn’t be my job for long. I considered this man’s ambitions, and wondered how fast and how high he wanted to climb.
His phone beeped and he picked it up. “Yes, Mr. Landen.” He put down the phone and looked at me. “He’ll see you now. But he’s running a little late…”
“I’ll keep it short,” I told the guy. I didn’t want to interfere with anyone’s schedule. I just needed the man to see reason.
I walked into his office and watched as he stood up from his seat and held his hand out for me to shake. I took it in a firm grip and noticed that his eyes were slightly bloodshot. His coloring seemed flushed, too.
George had told me about the old man’s increased drinking, and it was starting to show on his carefully manicured image. I wondered if his clients had started to notice. I sure as hell wouldn’t put any investment money in the hands of a drunk.
“Mr. Landen.”
“Marc, what brings you to Landen Enterprises?”
He pointed to the seat across from his desk, and I sat. He did as well. “Any coffee, tea?”
“No, thank you, sir. I’ll cut right to the chase. I got word from George, Ashleigh had been in the hospital. A serious asthma attack.”
Landen pressed his hands together and looked solemn. “Yes, it was very worrisome. But I’ve spoken with her doctors and she’s made a full recovery. She’s been enjoying her time there, but I told her she had to come back to the States for a short break at least.”
So we were both going to lie. But if I did that, we would never get anywhere.
“Sir, I’m going to be blunt. I believe Ash…Ashleigh wants to come home. However, I think she’s concerned what that might mean for my future at Princeton.”
His jaw tightened, but he didn’t respond.
“Of course, I told her that was crazy. There would be no reason for you to keep her in Switzerland, if that wasn’t where she wanted to be. Certainly, you can’t be worried at all about my role in her life. We barely see each other, or speak to each other. I wasn’t sure if you knew that.”
“I don’t know what I thought about your…friendship.”
“You made it clear I had to stay away from your daughter. I’ve done that. I’ll continue to do that. I’ll do anything you want, if you just let her come home.”
“I don’t know what she told you, Marc, but I only have Ashleigh’s best interests at heart. She made it clear to me several months ago she has feelings for you. Let’s call it a teenage crush.”
“I haven’t encouraged that, sir.” It was true. I hadn’t encouraged it. I’d done everything in my power to discourage it.
It still didn’t stop me from fucking her blind.
“I’d hoped distance might help her put some perspective on that,” he said cautiously.
Translated. He wanted her away from me because he was worried about my influence over her. How did I convince him I wasn’t a threat?
“Sir, I’ve taken an accelerated course load at Princeton. I’ll be finished my degree by next semester, and then my plan is to come to Manhattan and make a name for myself in the financial world. Much in the same way you did. While I’ll always be grateful to George, and to you for allowing George to take me in, my eyes are on the future. Not the past. Ashleigh is simply the girl who grew up next door to me. Maybe she had a crush on me, but if she did, I’m sure she’s over it by now. I care about her health. Enough so, that I’ve come here today to ask you what I can do to help in that cause. But that is the extent of my involvement with her.”
He leaned back in his chair and studied me. I really didn’t know if I was a good liar or not, but it was easy to say these things when I mostly wanted to believe them.
“I’ve asked some of my Princeton friends about you, your progress. Of course, they
know our situation. That I sheltered you for years and gave you an opportunity to go to the finest schools.”
He let me stay in a second house on his estate and I had to work for my keep. But the fact that he was talking to anyone at Princeton about me, was enough to make the hair on the back of my neck stand up. What the hell did he care what happened to me? What did Ash say to him about me?
“By all reports, you’ll graduate at the top of your class. Some are suggesting Wharton as a follow up for your MBA.”
“Wharton, eventually. But I really want to start working after college.”
He nodded. “Then I have a proposal. How about you come to work for me? Now.”
“Sir?” Wasn’t the whole point to get as far away from the Landens as possible?
“You come to work for me. We’ll work around your class schedule. I’ll be able to keep my eye on you. See if I believe what you’re saying about work being your only priority.”
“My schedule is pretty tight,” I said. My schedule was insane.
“You still have Saturdays? Sundays? You’ll be so busy, you’ll barely have time for friends or women, but in the meantime, you’ll be learning the ropes directly from me.”
“That’s quite an honor, sir. And if I agree to this…”
“Switzerland was Ashleigh’s choice. If she wants to choose something else, that’s up to her.”
I nodded. Deal made.
“I’ll have my attorneys draft a non-discloser agreement. You’ll need to sign that.”
“Of course,” I said, trying to figure out where I was going to find the time to add whatever work Landen would dump on my head.
“Exactly. A gentlemen’s agreement then.”
I stood then, and offered my hand first. He took it, and his grip, while attempting to be firm, still felt a little soft.
“Thank you for your time, sir.”
“I’ll have my assistant reach out to you. Give him your contact information. Then we’ll see what type of work will fit your busy schedule.”
I smiled tightly and nodded. I left the office and made my way to the subway station. I was going to catch a train to Princeton. On the way, I called George and told him what had happened.
“I get to finish school, but I have to work for him while I do it. It’s not a bad trade. I was going to intern again this summer anyway. Why not with Landen’s operation?”
I heard the disapproval in George’s silence.
“What?” I pressed.
“Can I say I don’t like it? I don’t trust he might not have an alternate agenda.”
“Like what?” I asked. “I mean, how nefarious do we think this guy is? You know him better than anyone.”
“I know he’s changed. Something’s different in the past few years. His behavior, his patterns. I’m a driver, a cook. An errand boy. I don’t know the inner workings of his business dealings. I can only tell you, back in the day, he always sounded commanding and in charge on the phone calls he would take. Now, he seems almost hesitant. Nervous even.”
“Well, maybe that’s something else I can do. Get inside. See what’s going on. If there is trouble for you or Ash, I can help to warn you both. Or prevent something bad from happening, I don’t know. Either way, it’s done. He’s going to draw up an NDA for me to sign and Ash can come home.”
“She’s already settled in Florida,” George said.
I stopped in my tracks, which on the sidewalk of a large avenue in New York was not a smart move. People bumped into me until I stepped aside under an archway of a building entrance. Ash was back in the States. Not home, but not across an ocean. A place I could drive to. Now, I knew it wasn’t a temporary reprieve, but something I’d just guaranteed would be permanent for her. A sacrifice I’d made for her just like she’d made one for me.
“Have you spoken with her?”
“Yes, she sounds better. Stronger.”
I breathed out a sigh of relief. “Do you know if Landen is planning to see her?”
“Yes, but not until next week. He just had me book a flight for next Sunday.”
Perfect. Plenty of time to drive down, see her, make sure she was okay, then get out of Dodge before the old man knew I was ever there.
I hadn’t told her I would come. All those things I’d said to Landen, I did want to be true. I wanted to keep my focus on the future. Not the girl from my past.
However, I also knew nothing would stop me from going to Florida.
3
Amelia Island Hotel
Florida
Ashleigh
I opened the sliding glass doors and stepped onto the deck. I took a long, deep breath and it felt delicious. After over a week in the hospital, a few days here in the warm, balmy air meant I was finally starting to get my strength back. I could speak without wheezing. I wasn’t taking hits of my inhaler every five minutes.
It was like my body was finally mine again. I’d spent this morning walking along the beach, and I’d almost cried at how good it felt. To breathe without pain, to walk with confidence.
I’d spoken to Arthur and he informed me of his plans to visit next week. He also said we could discuss alternatives to Switzerland that would be more conducive to my health.
Did that mean he was caving? Would he let me go to college? Even if it wasn’t Princeton, I would take anything at this point.
There was a knock on the door to my hotel room. I assumed it was housekeeping, but when they didn’t attempt to open the door, I got up to check it out. What if it was another bodyguard Arthur had sent to watch over me? He knew where I was this time, so what was the point?
I opened the door and felt the breath freeze in my lungs. Then, because I’d been in the pattern for weeks, I forced myself to breathe. Easy in, and out.
“Easy in, and out,” Marc said.
“I am. I’m good now.”
He walked inside the room confidently. There was a duffel bag over his shoulder. “Nice digs. But I guess I wouldn’t expect anything less.”
“You came,” I whispered. When I’d asked him to come, I wasn’t sure he would. I’d been gone for months. We’d had that fight. I didn’t know anything about what was happening in his life, really. Outside of whatever he texted me, which wasn’t much beyond school.
I wondered if the separation had done exactly what my father intended. What if he’d moved on? To a girlfriend, to a future that didn’t need to include all the drama he thought I was creating intentionally.
I believed he needed me. I didn’t know it for a certainty. But he was here, and I was so happy to see him I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes.
“George gave me the details of where you were.”
I nodded. He’d set his bag on the couch and was rubbing the back of his neck.
“Long drive?”
“Yeah, I drove straight through. About ten hours. Your father’s not planning to come until next week.”
“I know. He just told me.”
Marc nodded. The two of us stood awkwardly in the middle of the suite. I felt this bubble of lightness, but he, as always, looked grim.
“Can I get you a beer? The mini bar is stocked.”
He hesitated a second, looking at me in a way I couldn’t decipher. The last time we’d been together alone, he’d taken my virginity. Shown me how to give him a hand job in the shower. One night together. Something we’d been destined for. Now we were here, and I didn’t know what to expect.
It didn’t stop the pulsing between my legs.
“Your father’s going to let you come home.”
“How could you…” I stopped and thought about the strange conversation I’d had with Arthur. “Marc, what did you do?”
“I agreed to work for him. Said this way he can keep me too busy to be around you, while keeping his eye on me at the same time.”
I shook my head. Feeling the dread inside my gut churn. “You can’t do it. You can’t let him have any control over your life. It’s not good. You don’t
understand—”
He stepped toward me then and cupped my face in his hands.
“Breathe in and out,” he murmured.
I did it with him. A long breath in, and a slow breath out.
“You can’t do this,” I said more calmly.
“It’s done. You can’t stay in Switzerland. I won’t allow it. This way, I get to finish my degree. I work for him, learn from him, and the whole time he thinks there’s nothing between us.”
He was still holding my face in his hands. Still looking at me in a way I didn’t completely understand. “And is there? Nothing between us?”
He bent his head, so his forehead touched mine. So our breaths mingled. So the world narrowed to the space surrounding only us.
“There can’t be. Not as long as he’s watching. Not as long as he has any power over you or me.”
“Then why did you come?” I asked. “You could have texted.”
“Because I had to see you,” he said thickly. “I had to know you were healthy. I had to know you were here. Where I could touch you, if I needed to.”
I wrapped my arms around his waist and tried to get closer. “I’m here. I’m okay.”
I pushed my hands underneath the T-shirt he was wearing. Felt the skin of his back, his waist. Then I was moving my hands up his chest. He didn’t stop me. In fact, he groaned when I brushed my fingers over his nipple.
“We can’t,” he whispered. “We shouldn’t.”
Still holding my face, still not stopping me from touching him, I met his eyes.
“We have to,” I told him.
Then I pushed forward until my lips met his, and he didn’t stop that, either. It was like coming home. He cupped my neck with one hand, the other seeking out my breast. I was in shorts and a T-shirt and it took nothing to whip the T-shirt over my head. I hadn’t bothered with a bra, and it must have pleased him because he immediately dipped his head to suck on my nipples.
Because he knew I loved it, but also because he loved it.
What had been a pulse between my thighs was now a fire. I remembered the pain of taking him inside me, the shock of him spanking me. The overwhelming nature of everything that had happened because it was my first time. This time, I wanted to savor it. I didn’t want to rush. I didn’t want to think. I just wanted him to touch me in every way he wanted to touch me, for as long as he wanted to touch me.
