Ryker watched me like a hawk the entire time but, like me, remained taciturn.
With a final check in the mirror, I smoothed a hand over my dress and started to walk away. As I drew level with Ryker, he captured my wrist, stopping me.
“Dump the sap, and I’ll allow him to keep his job.”
I wasn’t about to tell him I’d already decided to tell Peter it wouldn’t work out. Let him stew.
“You wouldn’t do that. It’s not your style.”
He smirked, the corners of his lips curving upward. “Oh, Athena.”
“Come on, Ryker. You don’t make snap decisions based on emotion. You’re all about cold, hard facts.”
He hitched a shoulder. “Times change.”
“Fine,” I snapped. “Go ahead. Fire him. I’ll rehire him as my personal financial advisor. After all, I need someone to help me manage the investments Elliot has made on my behalf.” I tapped my lips with my forefinger. “Of course, that means we’d have to spend a lot of time together, sometimes late into the night. Just imagine, our heads touching as we review the figures. Both on paper and…” I glanced down at myself and giggled.
I’d pushed his buttons, and he reacted exactly as I hoped. His body collided with mine, my spine bumping against the wall. He took my mouth, curving his big hand around my throat and applying light pressure, but still enough to prevent my lungs from filling to capacity. My head swam as Ryker’s lips moved over mine with a raw intensity that sent fire racing through my veins. My stomach twisted, pleasure surging through me.
I fisted his suit jacket, my hands trembling, my knees on the verge of collapse.
Ryker stumbled away and pressed his fingers to his parted lips then shook his head. A cold blast hit me.
No way. He doesn’t get a third pass.
“Go on, Ryker, leave,” I taunted. “That’s what you do best, isn’t it?” I snorted a laugh. “And you call Peter a sap.”
This time, I didn’t get time to prepare for Ryker’s onslaught. His body crowded me. I found my hands trapped in his, unable to move, while his mouth ravaged mine. His hand snaked underneath my dress, burrowing inside my underwear. He groaned loudly into my mouth.
“Fuck, you’re so wet.”
He kissed me again, his tongue wrapping around mine. He applied pressure to the inside of my thighs, forcing my legs apart, and then he pushed a single digit inside me.
Oh God. Yes. A thousand times yes.
The pad of his thumb circled my clit, and he added a second finger. I barely had time to revel in the sensations screaming through me when I came to a shuddering climax, my body crumbling like a sandcastle in the face of a storm. If I hadn’t been trapped between him and the wall, I’d have sunk to the floor.
Ryker removed his fingers, leaving me with a feeling of emptiness. It wasn’t enough. I wanted more. I wanted everything he had to give.
He shoved his fingers into my mouth. “Suck.”
The sweet taste of… me… flooded my tongue. I licked him clean, our eyes rooted on each other. He withdrew, dried his fingers on a towel, then lifted them to his nose.
“Good. I can still smell you.” He gave me a wolfish grin. “I’ll be seeing you. Soon.”
He walked out of the bathroom, leaving me floundering, trying to form a coherent thought at the wicked debauchery I’d been party to, the kind I wanted to repeat over and over and over.
I refixed my dress then checked my reflection in the mirror. My lips were swollen. My eyes had the heavy look of post-orgasm satisfaction. My chest heaved, forcing my breasts upward. I couldn’t go out there yet. It was too obvious I’d been thoroughly ravaged.
I turned on the faucet and dabbed a cold cloth to my chest. A few tendrils of hair framed my face. I tucked them back into the bobby pins holding my updo in place. Better.
My watch buzzed with a message. I glanced down. A message from Ryker. I tapped the screen.
Dump Peter the Prick. I don’t share.
My head spun, and hope spiked within me. Could this mean he’d decided to stop fighting the inevitable? Was it finally game on?
By the time I returned to the event room, the party was in full swing. I couldn’t see Ryker anywhere. I sidled through the crowds looking for Peter. I finally spotted him sitting alone at a table with two refilled glasses of champagne.
Urgh. I felt terrible. But this needed to be done, especially after what had happened with Ryker in the restroom—not to mention his follow-up text. If we had a sliver of a hope at a relationship, I wanted to grab it with both hands and never let go.
I touched Peter’s shoulder, my heart twisting at the broad smile he greeted me with.
“Can I talk to you, in the lobby?”
Without waiting for a response, I retraced my steps. Passing the restroom in question brought a flush of heat to my face. I found a quiet spot where we wouldn’t be bothered and gestured for Peter to sit.
“Is everything all right, Athena? You look a little flushed.”
I sat beside him and took a deep breath. “Peter, I’m so sorry, but this isn’t going to work. I shouldn’t have agreed to come with you tonight.”
“Is there someone else?” he asked, his voice so kind, so understanding that tears pricked the back of my eyes.
I nodded. “I’ve been hung up on someone for a while. I honestly don’t know whether we have a future or not, but regardless of the outcome, it isn’t fair to string you, or anyone else, along.”
My watch buzzed again. A message from Ryker. A zip of excitement shot through me. I tapped the screen.
Go outside. Do it now.
I rose to my feet. “I’ve got to go.”
Peter jerked his chin at my wrist. “Was that him?”
I nodded, gnawing at my bottom lip. “I’m sorry.”
He stood and patted my shoulder. “Don’t be.”
As I made to walk away, Peter called out. “Athena.”
I stopped, turned around. “Yes?”
“Whoever he is, I hope he knows he’s a very lucky man indeed.”
I smiled. “You’re lovely, Peter. The right woman is just around the corner, I’m sure of it.”
I stepped outside, and the wind whipped around my shoulders. I shivered, thinking I should have brought a coat, but I hadn’t wanted to crease my dress. I glanced around, looking for Ryker. Couldn’t see him. A prickling sensation crept down my spine, and I shuddered, not from cold this time, but from the weird feeling I was being watched.
“Miss Bancroft? The car is ready, ma’am.”
I jumped out of my skin as Ryker’s driver appeared to my left. I clasped my chest. “Oh my goodness, you scared me.”
He bowed. “Sorry, miss. Mr. Stone asked me to drive you.”
I frowned when I realized he was alone. “Drive me where? Is Mr. Stone in the car?”
He shook his head. “No, miss.”
Confused, yet intrigued, I followed him to the waiting limousine and slipped onto the backseat. The smell of Ryker’s cologne tickled my nostrils. Closing my eyes, I let my head fall against the seat, imagining Ryker beside me. Touching me. Kissing me. Fucking me.
I sent him a text. Where are you?
He didn’t reply.
I sent another. I’ve straightened things out with Peter. No need to fire him.
My phone remained annoyingly silent.
Third time’s a charm. If you’ve changed your mind, then man the fuck up and say so.
That got a response.
Patience, darling.
What the heck did that mean?
I stared at my phone, willing another, less cryptic message to arrive.
It didn’t.
Instead, what happened next was far, far better than a text—the driver turned into the underground car park to Ryker’s building.
He stopped the car, then twisted in his seat and handed me an envelope. “Mr. Stone asked me to give you this, miss.”
With trembling fingers, I slid my fingernail underneath the flap. He could have sent wha
tever message he had in a text, but this way was much more thrilling.
The code to the elevator is 07131996. Wait for me.
My heart about stopped. Those digits were my birthday. July thirteenth, nineteen ninety-six. Somehow, I knew Ryker hadn’t changed the code just for this evening. He’d always had that code, which meant…
But then how did he explain that to Elliot? Surely Ryker’s best friend had the code to his place? Vowing to ask him at the first opportunity, I said goodnight to the driver and, with a slight tremble in my knees, stepped inside the elevator. After sending a quick text to Mom to tell her I wouldn’t be home tonight—at least I hoped not—I punched in the code Ryker had given me. The doors closed, and the elevator shot upward, taking me to Ryker’s penthouse.
The question remained… what next?
15
Ryker
Miss Bancroft has been delivered to your penthouse as requested, sir.
At last. The text I’d been waiting for. The second I’d left Athena in the restroom, I’d put the wheels in motion. No backing out now. Not that I had any intentions of changing my mind. The roller coaster had left the station, and I was gonna ride that baby all the way to the finish line. I’d figure out how to deal with the Elliot situation, but I’d given up fighting the inevitable. Athena believed we were meant to be together and, finally, I’d capitulated and admitted she’d been right all along.
I slipped my phone from my pocket and sent Athena a text. Wait for me. I shouldn’t be long. Keep the dress on.
Three dots instantly appeared. Yes, sir.
A thrill of pleasure shot into my bloodstream, making a beeline for my groin. I glanced down, checking my suit jacket was securely fastened. All good. I stepped up to the mic that had been set up on the stage and tapped it. The room gradually fell silent.
“Thank you all so much for coming this evening. I won’t keep you too long from the festivities. I just wanted to say, on behalf of me and the entire ROGUES board, that we recognize and appreciate the contribution each and every one of you make to the success of our company. We’re enormously grateful for your dedication, hard work, and loyalty. Without you all, our company wouldn’t be the thriving entity that it is.”
I held up my glass of scotch. “Enjoy the break with your family and friends. I look forward to working with you all in the New Year and ensuring ROGUES continues to flourish. To your health and happiness. Oh, and one more thing before I go… the free bar will remain open until the last person leaves.”
A huge cheer went up around the room. I grinned and stepped down, bumping straight into Elliot.
“Thank fuck you like doing that shit and you’re good at it.”
“Gee, thanks,” I drawled. “That almost sounded like a compliment.”
Elliot grinned. “Hey, have you seen Athena?”
My pulse juddered, but I kept my expression smooth and nonchalant. “Not recently.”
“Hmm.” Elliot glanced around. “I haven’t seen her all evening, apart from when she first arrived.”
“Seen who?” Oliver asked, joining us.
“Athena. I’m worried that I haven’t seen her for a while.”
“Oh.” Oliver’s gaze briefly caught mine, and a silent understanding passed between us. “I saw her a few minutes ago with that guy she came with and a few of the girls from the sales department. She’s fine, Elliot. Let her be.”
“I’m allowed to worry,” Elliot said, looking more than a little put out.
“She’s twenty-four, not a child,” Oliver scoffed. “Jeez, go find Brie and stick your tongue down her throat instead of bugging Athena. I’m surprised the girl can breathe. No wonder she fucked off for six months.”
Elliot’s jaw tightened. “Wait until Annie hits puberty. Then you’ll understand.”
“Annie is my seven-year-old daughter. Athena is your adult sister. There’s more than a slight difference, don’t you think? Jesus, Elliot, I know you’re protective of her because of what your abusive asshole of a father put you both through, but your controlling behavior is over the top. If Athena wants to fuck half the room, it’s her prerogative.”
The only person Athena is fucking is me… if I can ever get the hell out of here.
Elliot’s gaze fell on me. “Is that what you think, too?”
“That you’re over-protective of Athena?”
He nodded. I shrugged.
“Sometimes, yeah. I get it, El, but like Oliver said, she’s a grown woman. She needs to be allowed to spread her wings.”
I sensed an opportunity to throw him off the scent. Not that I thought for one second he had a clue what my plans entailed, but still…
“Maybe if you let her fall occasionally, she wouldn’t be so spoiled.”
Elliot chuckled. “You and Athena have never gotten along.”
Oliver’s eyebrows shot up, but fortunately, Elliot attention was still on me.
“That’s because she acts like a child which, my dear friend, could be because you treat her like one.”
Elliot smiled good-naturedly. “Don’t hold back, buddy.”
I clapped him on the back. “Go find Brie and leave Athena with her friends. She’ll hardly want you cramping her style, especially as she’s probably trying to use the party to fit in with her coworkers.”
“Fair point,” Elliot said. “Okay, sold. I’m off to get some. See you girls later.”
He disappeared into the crowds.
“I owe you one,” I said to Oliver, knocking back the rest of my drink.
“I hope it works out,” Oliver said. “Otherwise he’s gonna kill you.” He laughed and winked.
“He’s probably going to kill me anyway. But I’m tired of denying my feelings.” I held out my hand. Oliver shook it. “If he asks…”
“I’ll cover for you. Now go.”
I skirted around the edge of the dance floor, scanning the room to check for Elliot’s whereabouts. Good. He had his tongue in Brienna’s ear, far too busy to notice I’d left.
I jogged down the steps to my waiting car and slipped inside. We eased into the stream of traffic. My penthouse wasn’t far from the event hotel, and ten minutes later, the car turned into the underground car park.
“Will you need me again this evening, Mr. Stone?”
“No, thank you, Darren. See you tomorrow.”
After closing the car door, I strode over to the private elevator and punched in the code, mulling over the fact that Athena would now know the code I gave her was her birthdate. Surely that would send a message to her of my true feelings, even if I had spent seven years battling to ignore them.
It didn’t take long to ride up to my penthouse, but by the time I got there, my heart rate had doubled, and my entire body tingled with anticipation. Talk about the seven-year itch. Well, I was about to scratch it, and fuck the consequences.
I crossed the lobby and entered the main living area of my penthouse, a wide-open space with tinted windows across the entire back wall giving an unfettered view of the Manhattan skyline. In fact, if you went outside, you could walk around my entire property which offered three hundred and sixty-degree views all the way up to Central Park and down to the business district. Who needed the Empire State, or the One World building? The view right here topped both of those in my opinion.
My breath hitched as my gaze fell on Athena relaxing on the couch, her feet tucked up underneath her, and a glass of wine resting on the occasional table to her right. She’d obeyed my order to remain dressed. A thrill zipped through me. I wanted to be present when she slipped out of that silk gown, revealing the prize underneath.
Her eyes tracked me as I removed my tie, tossed it over the back of a chair, then unfastened the top button on my shirt. I didn’t speak. She didn’t either. I crossed over to the kitchen and opened the fridge, removing the bottle of wine she’d already opened. I poured a glass. Took a sip. Let the ice-cold fluid slither down my throat.
I walked up behind her. The lack of conversation
only added to the tension zinging off the walls. We both knew what was about to happen, yet neither of us wanted to rush it. This wasn’t the time to rip off each other’s clothes and fuck, fast and hard. I wanted to appreciate every moment, fixing the memories deep within my mind. Athena was to be savored, like fifty-year-old scotch, not knocked back like cheap shit from the local convenience store.
“Breathe, Athena,” I murmured.
I filled my mouth with wine but didn’t swallow. Setting the glass beside Athena’s, I leaned over the couch and cupped my hand under her chin, tipping back her head. Our eyes met. I eased her mouth open with my thumb, then connected our lips, letting the wine seep into her mouth. Her throat moved beneath my hand as she swallowed what I gave her. I deepened the kiss and was rewarded with a rasping groan.
I released her and slowly walked around the couch. Holding out my hand, I said, “Come with me.”
She grazed her bottom lip with her teeth, gracefully rising to her feet. I picked up both glasses of wine in my free hand and led her to my bedroom. My housekeeper had dimmed the lights and lit a few candles as requested. They cast a warm glow over the room, detracting from the dark, masculine colors.
I freed her hand and set the glasses of wine on the nightstand. Taking a seat on the end of the bed, I twisted my cufflink, my eyes locked on to Athena’s face.
“Take off your dress,” I demanded, the order clear in my tone.
She didn’t hide the slight tremble to her hand as she reached behind her to ease down the zipper. The silk material slipped from her shoulders, pooling around her feet, revealing a lacy cream bra and matching panties and… fuck me… stockings and a garter belt. I’d been so anxious to touch her earlier in the bathroom that I hadn’t noticed them.
I bit back a groan, my cock hardening inside my pants, but I didn’t let a flicker of a reaction cross my face.
She made a move to take off her bra.
“Leave it on.” I stood, walking by her over to a tall dresser. I crouched, opening the bottom drawer.
“What are you doing?” Athena whispered, speaking for the first time since I arrived home.
Scanning my eyes over the myriad choices, I removed a vibrator, one I’d never used before, and a sleep mask, and tossed them on the bed, my aim straight and true. Athena’s wide-eyed stare moved between the items lying in the middle of my bed and me.
Entranced (The ROGUES Billionaire Series Book 1) Page 12
