Chapter 11
CHAPTER 11
S ebastian
My father was a work of art.
Not in a good way.
I’d seethed the entire night since learning he’d had the nerve to ask my own flesh and blood to check on me. Since when had my father given a shit about my wellbeing? He’d all but disowned me when I’d opened the doors to my business. The thought of working for or even with him had been the hard push to open my own firm.
Talking to my father at this point would be contentious and I wasn’t in the mood for his accusations that I’d abandoned my family.
The knock on the door forced me to stiffen even though I’d beckoned Kacey into my office.
She opened the door, standing just inside. Her raw expression of dislike matched my mood even on such a bright, welcoming afternoon.
What the hell did I care about the weather?
What I did care about was the way she looked in the tight black skirt, her long legs accentuated perfectly by the heels she wore. With her crisp white blouse, pearl necklace, and her hair loosely held in a bun, she looked very much the part of my assistant.
Correction. My financial analyst. However, my true desire was to see the delicious package she was hiding underneath her conservative attire.
Around her, control meant everything but was insanely difficult to maintain.
“Ms. Taylor,” I stated with no inflection as soon as Kacey walked into my office. “Close the door.”
She appeared somewhat nervous although she managed to keep a mask hiding her emotions. She did as I asked, walking stiffly toward my desk.
“Please sit down.” I unbuttoned my jacket before taking my position behind my desk. While I wasn’t one of those assholes who cut the legs off the chair to make those sitting opposite feel inferior, she still appeared vulnerable sitting in front of me. In her hand was an iPad that she’d been using to take notes. “Did you bring the set of financials for me as I requested?”
“I’m not finished yet as you have many arms to your business. I should be finished in about two hours.”
“Two hours too long, Ms. Taylor.” Yes, I was pushing her on purpose. I wanted to see what she was made of.
I also wanted her on edge.
I’d caught her talking to Drake in the hallway. They’d seemed unnaturally friendly. The strange thing was that I’d felt a sense of jealousy, especially when she’d laughed at something he’d said.
Right now, my cock was pushing against my trousers. I wanted to drive her over the edge of my desk and fuck her until she admitted the ruse or submitted to me fully.
Did that make me an asshole? You bet it did, but her attitude during the day presented itself as if we were enemies. I’d thought about what Steven had suggested and in truth, I needed an ally who could do some dirty work for me. Someone I could trust implicitly.
However, I couldn’t trust the sweet and innocent acting Kacey. I needed to peel away the layers she had carefully placed around her. In doing so, I’d need to push away from the normal routine of a typical boss to employee. What I had in mind could quickly backfire on me, but chances would need to be taken.
“Let’s put this into perspective. When I give you a task, unless you know of a very good reason you can’t complete it on time, then you will do so as ordered. I won’t tolerate excuses. You are working for me. Keep that in the back of your mind. My directions come first over anything, including your personal needs. Is that understood?”
Her expression hardened, her eyes capable of pinning me to a wall. I’d gotten under her skin, which was exactly what I was going for.
“Why, yes, Mr. Winfield. It’s completely understood. You demand perfection and you’re the kind of man who will make everyone’s life miserable to make certain you get what you want. Part of your game?”
“There is no game being played here. Or am I wrong?”
A moment of slight confusion shifted into her lovely eyes, but disappeared quickly. Very few women could keep their mask in place.
“I don’t have any clue what you’re getting at.”
I leaned across my desk, steepling my fingers as I studied her. In doing so, I sensed I made her uncomfortable. The fact she was squirming slightly in her seat brought myriad filthy images to my mind. “What I’m getting at is that with every rule broken, there is a set of consequences.”
“Consequences.” She almost choked on the word. “I’ve been here a few days. It does take time to delve into an entire financial system to try and catch any errors, Mr. Winfield. But that’s something you should already know. As CFO of course.”
My little vulnerable kitten had claws. My cock twitched from the thought. “I’m asking you for a set of financials; is that something that requires an entirely different skillset within each company you work for?”
Now I’d both confused and angered her. “Well, no, but your system is unique.”
“Yes, you mean proprietary. However, financials are black and white information based on a traditional accounting system.”
“I’ll get them done as quickly as possible.” She had the nerve to rise to her feet as if she was in control of this meeting.
My balls were turning blue at this point. No one had challenged me. This was unusual and the best foreplay possible.
“You are not leaving my office, Ms. Taylor. I think it’s time for you to fully understand and appreciate I am a man of my word and I expect my employees to have very high standards.”
“You’re suggesting I don’t?” Her defiance was solid, a trait I admired.
“I’m suggesting you don’t play well with rules.”
“I’m trying to do my job, Mr. Winfield. To help you. But you need to allow me to do that.”
For almost any other employee I’d ever worked with, the tone would be considered unacceptable. With her, everything was different. I found myself more intrigued than I should be. “And I will. I think providing incentive will allow you to better understand my methods of operation.”
“So what exactly does that mean?”
“That means you’re going to be punished.”
“Ex-cuse me?” The new flash of her eyes indicated fire burning deep within her belly. My arousal was intensified.
“You heard what I said. Only through pain can we begin to realize and accept the consequences of our actions.”
Her mouth twisted in frustration. “What are you trying to tell me?”
The fact her voice was demurer than usual indicated I’d grabbed her attention. I rose from my position, pushing back my chair. A rather evil thought entered my mind and I slid open my drawer, finding exactly what I thought I’d left from days past. A thick wooden ruler. The implement would do nicely for what I had in mind. “I need you to lift your skirt and lean over the edge of my desk.”
“For what?” Her face had turned a bright crimson, her lower lip quivering.
Being an asshole had its benefits. “For a hard spanking. In my mind, that’s the only way you’re going to be able to remember that rules must be followed.”
With her eyes now open wide, she took a step backwards. “You’re out of your mind. That’s not allowed.”
“My company. My rules.”
I had a feeling she was ready to tell me to shove my rules. Kacey was processing her course of action, going over the scenario very carefully. The question remained. Would she crack under pressure?
“You’re a terrible person. I was wrong about you.”
“No, you weren’t wrong. Your senses were momentarily jaded because of our initial interaction.”
She threw out her hand. “I asked you not to talk about that night. Ever again.”
“Noted, Ms. Taylor. Now, please do as I commanded.”
I remained uncertain if she would fall into line. When she grumbled under her breath, jerking up her skirt as she inched closer to my desk, my mouth watered. The sight of her lace thong underneath was enough to keep my blood pressure high.
“Get this over with. And it will never happen again. Trust me on that. I don’t care who you are.”
Her words, laced with sheer rebellion, brought a smile to my face. “I hope it won’t be necessary. But I will do what I need in order to protect this company. My company.”
“The last time I checked, you have a partner.” She made the statement with her own sly smile before leaning over my desk.
Yes. She was entirely capable of being used as a ringer.
My libido was rocking as I moved around the back side of my desk, taking a deep breath as I admired her rounded bottom. She was magnificent in every way, but this was very wrong.
In my mind, so what? I’d started this company, bringing on Drake after a year of being in business. My baby. My creation. My rules.
And everyone needed to learn to obey them.
“If you don’t believe you can handle this job, Ms. Taylor, I’ll certainly understand. It takes people of perseverance and integrity to work long hours in a competitive atmosphere.”
She threw her head over her shoulder. “I have more integrity and grit than you do, Mr. Winfield. Just get this over with.”
“As you wish.” I curled the fingers on one hand as I swished the ruler with the other. The light sound caught her attention and she sucked in her breath. I dared brush the tips of my fingers down from the base of her spine to her right butt cheek, the touch driving shots of electricity straight through every muscle in my body.
When I cracked the first smack across her bottom, she didn’t flinch or utter a single word. She only slid her arms over her head, barely able to grasp the edge of my desk with her fingers.
I brought the ruler down three more times in rapid succession, lifting my head and waiting to see if she acknowledged any pain.
She still had no reaction. While I intended on creating enough discomfort that she would find it uncomfortable sitting the remainder of the day, spanking her was more about mind control. True power exchange. Her mistaken thought that she could grab any concept of control spurred the darkness inside.
I cracked the wood across her skin a few more times, the slight redness a sheer delight. I thought more about seeing her reaction to Drake and the ugly green-eyed monster reared his misshapen head once again. I was possessive by nature, although even my ex-wife hadn’t garnered such an intense reaction as I’d had before. One that was being repeated the moment I rubbed the rough pads of my fingers from one side of her buttocks to the other.
Kacey finally squirmed, her breathing only slightly increased. She seemed quite capable of holding her own in a difficult situation. I brought the ruler down again, delighting in the sound the wood made when connecting with her skin.
I smacked it across her upper thighs, the change in venue finally causing a single moan to slip past her pert lips.
Her reaction kept my cock fully erect and my thoughts more primal than they’d been before. I could easily break all the rules, fucking her right here. I pulled back, raking one hand through my hair as I convinced myself feeding into my dark fantasy wasn’t the goal.
At least not yet.
I continued the spanking, bringing the implement down in an easy rhythm. The woman was hot, her skin glistening, and there was no doubt she was as aroused as I was. I gathered a scent of her desire and her pussy lips were swollen, pushing against the thin edge of the string slipped between her ass cheeks.
“Just stop. I’ll follow all your rules,” she stated with confidence in her voice.
“Yes, you will. We’re almost finished.” I rubbed my fingers across her heated skin. She was on fire. This had to stop, or I would lose all sense of control. With four more strikes, I finally forced myself to take a long stride backwards. I turned away on purpose, doing my best to get my shit together. “That’s all, Ms. Taylor. Just make certain you have the reports to me at the end of the day. With a full analysis. And one more thing.”
“There always is with you.”
“Find out what you can about Waterhouse Industries. Our main competitor.”
“You’re searching for leaks. Aren’t you?”
“Perhaps. However, just provide the information. I’ll handle deciphering it.”
Kacey said nothing at first, merely trying to shove down her skirt as she stood. But when she turned around to face me, I was pleasantly surprised to see a bright smile on her face. “I assure you, Mr. Winfield, you’ll have those reports. Just be careful what you ask for. I might rock your pristine world with the truth.” She threw a quick glance straight to my crotch.
Now she was smirking.
I watched her walk out and was forced to adjust my aching cock.
Game on.