9. Tabs Open
Chapter nine
Tabs Open
I sobel must be energized by our drive because she's caught a second wind that's contagious.
I laugh at Isobel as she hightails it to the bar in a dramatic fashion, cape flying behind her like she's superwoman and flags down the bartender. The folks in here are looking at us rather peculiarly and I can't blame them to be honest. Even though we're rumpled from my fight with Christopher where I'm sure I broke an entire set of ribs and snapped his wrist, and she looks…well...
My baby looks perfect.
Her hair is a bit more voluminous than it was earlier, her cheeks have a high color to them, and though the shoes she put on don't go as well as the original ones she had on, she's still a stunner, and these people in this bar wouldn't know the difference. I come up close behind her, and snap at my security to make themselves scarce but to keep an eye out, because though we're rumpled, we still look like money and I don't want any problems.
"Vodka Cranberry with a lime, and-and a scotch on the rocks for him, please," she yells at the bartender, digging through her purse. "Where's that fucking card? I know I put it in here," she mutters, looking in her clutch.
"It's okay, I got it." I reach back for my wallet, but she holds up a finger and stays silent as she continues to dig through her cards again.
"Aha!" Isobel says, smiling so bright it almost knocks my ass off this barstool. "Here it is!" As she hands her card to the bartender I look over seeing another man is eyeing her with interest. I give him a fuck off look that he takes, turning his face back to the front and hiding his grin behind a swing of his beer.
I know one thing, the fucker better keep his eyes to himself because my night is finally here and I'm not letting anyone get in my way.
I busy myself running my hand down her bare arm, the one not half-hidden by the cape, and marvel at her smooth skin. "Thank you for the drink, but I could have gotten it," I say to her, not bothering to keep my voice down. The bar is plenty loud enough, and I doubt that anyone here will care what we're talking about.
"Oh, don't mention it. My reason for buying it is incredibly selfish. The fact I get to buy the man who avenged my honor a drink with his money is the fucking cherry on top of the cake for me." She smiles at the bartender who slides us our drinks.
My brow arches. "Say what?" I chuckle, folding my arms and tilting my head at her. "You're using his card right now?"
"Our card," she corrects me with a wink. "We shared an account. And I'm about to drain the fucker."
I grunt, impressed. I decide to maybe take her off the main account and put her on her own card with a slightly smaller amount so just in case I do something to piss her off, I won't wake up bankrupt. I'm pulling out my phone to text my finance man, when the bartender comes back. She's blonde. All pink lipstick, pink earrings, super low cut v-neck, short shorts with ripped tights.
"Y'all want anything to eat? The kitchen closes in an hour." The bartender, a woman who looks to be in her early thirties, props her folded arms on the bar top, pops her gum and leans forward, making her cleavage spill over her neckline.
I look away.
"Sure, what you got for a girl who just found out her almost fiancé just cheated on her with her best friend and assistant?" Isobel says, making heat creep up my neck at the expression that settles over the bartender's face. The woman's eyes snap to mine and narrows.
I twist my lips, shaking my head. "Not me." I hold my hands palm up and sip my drink slowly, mindful not to have too much. I have to drive her car to the house. Clearing my throat, I clench my jaw, wondering how hard I'm going to have to fuck her to get this man out of her system.
"Damn girl, in that case, it's on the house." Blondie hands us a menu and I wait patiently as Isobel peruses.
"See anything you like?" I press, curious to see what she'd order.
"Hm-hmm. I'll take the sliders." Her eyes turn to me. "You good with that?"
I nod my head,. "It sounds perfect, baby doll." I take the menu and hand it back to the bartender, watching carefully as Isobel slams half her drink. I clear my throat, displeased. I want her loose, but not so drunk that she's sick.
She's silent for a second, staring into her glass before finally looking over at me and I take her hand, turning it wrist side up and bringing it to my mouth. I kiss her soft flesh slowly, really taking my time with her. She smells like a deep flower and air. Vulnerable, like she might blow away at any moment. My eyes stay on hers as she just lets me kiss her, but her eyes are wide open in surprise.
"What is it?" I murmur.
I see her neck convulse as she swallows hard and I give her a little grin, nipping her skin lightly with my teeth.
"It's just weird to see what you wanted, be happening, playing out so easily with another person. It seems so effortless for you, King," she says quietly.
"Because it is," I say, tightening my hand on hers when I feel her trying to pull away. I'm not done. If I was a lesser type of person I'd have her outside in the limo right now, but after the night she just had she needs a bit to unwind, and I need to be able to allow that.
It can't always be about my desires.
"Tell me what you wanted?" I pull her stool over to me so she's in between my legs and her hip is pressing against my groin. I lean into her and put my elbow on the back of her seat, and drop my hand on the back of her hair as she finishes her drink and asks the bartender for another one.
"Well, so much. I mean…" She glances at me with this adorable, sarcastic look. "It would have been nice to just have had some good sex without him going soft but…he wouldn't do anything. Not head, he wouldn't tongue kiss really, never tried any positions outside of the norm." She bites her lip. "And let's not even talk about all the shit that I would have killed for him to do!"
"My," I chuckle. "Don't you sound like the adventurous type. Stuff like what? What did you want that he wasn't doing?" My half-hard dick stirs, hardening to it's fullest extent. I drop my lips to her shoulder and rub, taking in the scent of her skin there. It's slightly different than her wrist. "Tell me what you wanted," I repeat, seeing her turn her face to grin at me playfully.
"Oh come on, surely a man like you is a lot more knowledgeable about this stuff than I am?" she jokes, taking another drink.
"I'm plenty knowledgeable, but I asked what you wanted," I breathe over her skin, so close to her mouth I could lean forward and take her lips.
"Well, I've got fantasies for sure," she teases, and it hits me that even though she's a hard ass concerning work, she can flip that switch and be just as playful in her down time. The fact that her pendulum swings in the complete opposite direction has got me dying. I just watched her lose her shit in the most spectacular way over a betrayal, and I've been privy to her attitude at work where she's completely no-nonsense.
This woman might try and kill me in the bedroom, but that's okay, I'll take her ass out first. Promise.
"Really?" I grit out, really hoping she'll gift me with some insight tonight. "And what kind of fantasies does a woman like you-Ms. Isobel Brookes, breaker of men, harbor?"
"Oh, well, thanks to smut books I've got a lot!" She leans into my space so close I can feel her breath fan over my jaw. "There's being fucked with a big green ogre cock," she begins ticking them off on one hand and I try not to ejaculate in my pants while she does it. I can't tell if she's fucking with me to get a reaction, or if she's serious, because she wants to fuck Shrek? I keep my expression neutral. "There's the winged fairy men who can take you to the clouds and fuck you in the sky, then there's being forced to be a sex slave-though I don't know how I could do that, being black and all, but honestly I think I could be okay with a good old fashioned kidnapping role play." The last part comes out so nonchalant I wonder if I actually heard it, or, if I wanted her to say it so bad that I imagined it came out her mouth.
But no, she said it, because she's still rattling off shit.
My heart stops. Literally stops and doesn't start back up until I cough, successfully restarting it.
"That…" I clear my throat hard. I'm so hard that if I touch my dick right now it'd snap clean off. "Some of that sounds like you need a safe word baby."
I down my drink and clench my jaw, trying to get a grip. I hurt everywhere, my body so tight with anticipation, and all she's doing is talking to me.
"Yeah, I even picked one out, too. Never needed it, can you believe it?"
"Hm, no. You would have definitely needed it with me for sure." My voice goes deeper, husky as a forbidden and darker desire fills me.
I fantasize about her screaming for mercy and denying her anyways. Isobel's so adventurous that I might have to throw some non-consent in there to shake things up a little. Her next words almost make the non-consent piece happen in the bathroom here at the bar.
"Oh shit , someone's cocky!" She laughs, throwing her head back. "You got little dick energy."
My brows furrow. "What the hell did you just say to me?" I narrow my eyes at her because I don't have a little dick. At all.
I zzy, do you even know you're in danger right now? I think, clenching my fist against my thigh. But again, she's still running off at the mouth for all she's worth.
"Yeah, usually when men brag, they don't really have nothing going on down there."
I'm silent for a second, because she just threw a gauntlet down. "Is that so?" I murmur. "Well, I guess you'll have to wait and find out, won't you? "
She laughs again, turning her face to the side and staring at a redheaded woman who just sat down opposite the bar from us and has taken an interest in looking at me. Our sliders come out and she pushes the plate to me first.
"I won't be finding out anytime soon, that's for sure. I'm done with men. Sorry."
I give her a laugh of my own because it's hilarious that she doesn't realize how different her life is at this very second. She turns her face to me on a sly smile, and I'm quickly lost.
"Do you have any idea how beautiful your eyes are?" I say, raising my hand and cupping her cheek, brushing my thumb across her soft skin.
She scoffs self-consciously and looks away, forcing my fingers to fall from her face, suddenly mute. Desperate to bring her playful side back and keep her talking, I clear my throat and shift in my seat, picking up my burger.
" So, what was your safe word?" I take a bite, chewing slowly, seeing her eyeing the woman across the bar from us, who won't stop staring at me. I look over to catch the woman's eye, and she gives me a sassy wink. Frowning, I dismissively turn my face back to Isobel, who looks thoughtful as she holds her burger aloof.
"It's stupid," she murmurs.
"No, safe words are not stupid."
She looks at me. "Hakunamatata." We stare at each other for exactly three seconds before we both bust out laughing. "And speaking of, that girl over there wants your dick on a platter."
Our laughter dies as I tilt my head at her and see how serious she is. "Hm," I hum, contemplating her.
Her eyebrow arches, making me feel like someone just doused me with gasoline and she's got the match, holding it out to me. "Shall I go over there and get her number for you? You look like you like redheads."
No she fucking didn't.
I want to tan her ass for her insolence.
But instead, I lean into her ear, placing my hand boldly on her thigh and slide my hand up, coming so close to her pussy I can feel the heat from her scorching me. I tighten my fingers down hard, gripping the thicker part of her inner thigh and squeezing with a warning, making her jump in her seat.
"I get that you're a brat, and that you love being a challenge, but if you knew just how much I love rising to the occasion you wouldn't vex me the way you're trying to. Now, I hope you know that I respect you, but I also have no problem showing you just how disrespectful I can be if you want to keep pushing me? I would make you fuck that woman while I watch, before I ever dared to touch her."
Her eyes widen as she turns to look at me on a little self righteous gasp. "You can't make me do anything. As of about two hours ago, I'm a single woman."
Not by a long fucking shot, I think to myself.
I sit back, finishing up my drink, seeing she's damn near drunk. "Let's go, pretty girl, I think playtime's over."
"Oh! Not yet, hang on." She thrusts a hand out, waving at the bartender who saunters over and collects our empty drinks and trash.
"Ready to close your tab, honey?"
"Yes please, and I'd like to pay for everyone's drinks in the bar. Round on me!"
I shake my head. My God.
The bartender's eyes go wide as she looks skeptically at Isobel who's just staring back, smiling prettily. "Wow, are you sure? There's like, eight thousand open right now. "
"Yup, I'm sure." Isobel's tipsy smile is enough to kill a man.
I successfully pull her out to the cheers of the bar and as we get into the night air I lean in and kiss her forehead.
"The hotel on twenty-third street, please," she says as I open the door and help her slide into the limo without stumbling. I don't respond or acknowledge her request.
Shutting the door hard, I turn to nod at Dennis. "Take Ms. Brookes home and alert the staff we're on our way please. I'll be following in her car."
"Yes, sir." Dennis nods at me and rounds the limo.
Sliding into Isobel's vehicle, I toss her phone and her clutch into the middle console before readjusting the rearview mirror, and pull off into the night behind the limousine.
Mentally preparing myself for another fit that I know is about to come.