23. Daniel
23
DANIEL
“ W hat do you think it means if a girl freaks out over you being rich?” I ask Matthieu as we fly back from New York.
“What, that she’s happy that you are? That’s a gold-digger,” he teases.
“No, I mean that she doesn’t like that you're rich.”
Matthieu stares at me as if I’ve grown a second head. “Never met a woman who doesn’t appreciate the finer things in life. What’s going on?”
“I showed Rosie my apartment here after we’d spent a fantastic morning interiors shopping for my cottage. I know how much she loves design and real estate, and I was eager to show her that apartment as it’s so beautiful. She loved it and then bolted telling me that we are from two different worlds, and it was all too much for her,” I explain.
“She seriously bolted?” I nod. “Wow. That’s strange. You sure you didn’t do anything else?” I shake my head. “Least you know she’s not hooking up with you for your money.” He chuckles. I glare at him. “Right, you're serious. Maybe because we’ve grown up with money, all our friends have money, our bubble is a certain affluence that we might not realize how intimidating it might be.”
“Rosie’s decorated plenty of billionaire’s homes before.”
“But she’s not sleeping with them.”
Oh.
“You think because of our relationship, my world is too much for her.”
My cousin shrugs. “I don’t know. It’s different, that’s for sure, but also honestly, it’s refreshing. I’m not sure about the women you date, but most women I date are impressed with what I have. If we didn’t have it, would they be so easily impressed?” he asks.
“I can’t change that about me.”
“Have you asked her why she left? Maybe it was something else?”
“She won’t talk to me.”
“And you think all the problem is, is that you’re rich?” Matthieu asks.
“Everything was fine until that moment. It was like she started to calculate the cost of my assets and freaked out.”
“Maybe she thinks she can’t afford to hang out with you. Do you pay for everything?”
“I try.”
He nods. “Maybe her not accepting everything is her way of keeping a distance between the two of you, so she doesn’t develop feelings.”
Maybe.
“You think that’s what it could be?”
“I’ve seen the two of you together when people aren’t watching, it’s not just sex, is it?” my cousin asks.
“I like her,” I confess.
“You’ve fallen for her?” my cousin asks, seemingly surprised.
“I’m not sure, I don’t know. I like hanging out with her, she’s fun, smart, and beautiful. My life feels better with her in it in whatever capacity that may be.”
“You think you’d be okay staying as friends while she goes off and starts dating someone else?” I glare at my cousin. “That’s what I thought. You don’t want her seeing anyone else, do you?” I shake my head because the thought of watching her with another man would kill me. “But you don’t want anything serious?”
“We live busy lives. When you become serious there are certain expectations, and in the end, I always let people down because my job takes priority.”
“Instead, you live in this purgatory.” He’s right. I hate that he's been giving me good advice. “You have to work out if Rosie is worth it or not.”
We’ve been home a couple of weeks now, and I still haven’t heard from Rosie, but to be fair, I haven’t had a chance to think about it thanks to my two new house guests, Louis and Emily. They are looking for a place in London to live and I must have been drunk because I generously offered my home to them. I mean, I have the space, but then when I hear the walls shaking because of their fucking my house feels too small. But it’s the first time Louis and I have lived together and honestly, there are times that it feels great. Louis helped Emily move her things from Rosie’s place, and I wanted to ask them how she was, but I chickened out. When they didn’t divulge any extra information, I left it at that, thinking she probably didn’t want me to know anyway.
We’re going out tonight for Ava’s going away party at Alistair’s club, she got a transfer to her company’s New York office which is great for her. I heard from Matthieu that Ava and Deveraux hooked up, which he thought was hilarious, and told his brother that Ava was flirting with me all the while in France, which is a dick move. Deveraux wasn’t bothered, he said it was fun, they then went their separate ways, and he hasn’t heard from her since. She was actually the one that packed up in the morning, told him thanks, and walked out of his apartment. Louis did reach out to him to help Ava settle into New York and look out for her, for Emily, our cousin agreed reluctantly.
Anxiously, I head in with Louis and Emily, we walk into the thumping beats of the club and head up to the VIP area. I text Alistair to let him know I’m here tonight to see if he is around. He used to be here every night, but since meeting Eloise, he would rather be home with her. We arrive at the booths which are filled with a lot of younger people dancing and drinking, and then there’s Ava right in the middle of them all, dancing with Rosie and Georgia. My eyes land on Rosie shaking her ass in a silvery gold mini dress, her coppery red hair fanning out around her, she looks so carefree.
“Emily.” Ava squeals as Louis lets go of his woman and she rushes over to where her friends are dancing.
“These girls are going to be trouble, aren’t they?” Louis asks. I nod as I watch them hug and giggle with each other before Georgia thrusts a drink into Emily’s hand. Louis is on edge because the last time we all went clubbing in Paris was the start of his nightmare, and he’s only just got her back, so I can see the tension in his jaw. “We won’t be staying long, Emily doesn’t feel comfortable, but her friends are aware.”
My phone buzzes in my pocket.
Alistair: Was just about to leave the office, I’m coming down.
“Let’s grab a drink,” I say, heading toward the booth where we pour ourselves a glass. I sip my vodka while watching the girls sing, dance, and giggle together. They are all gorgeous. My eyes float around the room and the four of them have not gone unnoticed by the many men of the club. I don’t like it. Moments later, I see my friend striding across the dancefloor heading toward Louis and me.
“Gentlemen, it’s good to see you,” Alistair says, greeting us warmly.
“Good to see you,” I say, giving him a hug.
“You’re looking rough. Is everything okay?” he asks. I nod. “Louis, it’s been a long time,” he says, shaking my brother’s hand.
“It has,” Louis replies.
“Louis and Emily are currently living with me. My brother is looking for a home in London.”
Alistair raises a brow. “Really? Never thought we’d see you on the other side of the pond.”
“Funny what love does.” My brother chuckles.
“Ah, that old chestnut.” Alistair grins knowingly. They end up in a long discussion about the best suburbs of London. I silently sip my drink while keeping my eyes on Rosie, she hasn’t acknowledged me yet and it’s irritating the hell out of me.
Louis and Emily have left, and I should have followed because I’m getting more and more worked up as I watch a stream of men slide by, their eyes on the girls, some specifically on Rosie. The way she giggles and touches their arms, her cheeks blushing at whatever they’ve said to her, the same way they do for me, and yet she still hasn’t looked over at where I’m sitting, hasn’t tried to lure me over to her. The longer I stew here the angrier I get. When I look up again, Rosie’s walking off toward the bathrooms and right behind her is one of the guys she was talking to. My stomach sinks, and before I know what I’m doing, I’m getting up and walking toward the bathrooms after her. When I walk down the corridor, I still, seeing this man caging Rosie in and blind rage fills me as I walk over and pull the guy off her.
“Hey, what the fuck,” he curses at me as he stumbles into the wall. Rosie’s eyes are wide as she stares at me and then at the guy. “I was talking to her,” he says.
“Do you want him to be talking to you?” I glare at her. Those green eyes bounce between him and me before she shakes her head. Like I thought. I whirl around, and this time, it’s me who has the young guy caged in. “You need to fuck off now, she’s with me.”
“Fuck you, she’s been flirting with me all night,” he spits at me before looking over at Rosie.
“Actually, it was your friend,” she says.
The guy sneers at her. “Fucking, bitch.”
I see red, and that is when I grab him by his shirt and push him against the wall. “Don’t you dare talk to her like that,” I growl.
“Let go of me. She ain’t worth this hassle,” he says, pushing me away. I let him go and as soon as he is released, he hightails it out of there. When I turn around, Rosie is staring at me, she’s frozen to the spot.
“Are you okay? He didn’t touch you? Hurt you?” I ask, reaching out and touching her face softly. She shakes her head, those green eyes still wide with shock. “Rosie,” I say her name gently.
“I didn’t flirt with him,” she says softly.
“I know, it was his friend. I’ve watched you all night flirting with him.”
“You have?” Her brows raise high.
“Yes, and I hated every moment.”
“It’s better this way,” she confesses.
“Better for who?” I argue.
“Us.”
Now it’s my turn to cage her. “I don’t believe you.”
Rosie swallows as I bring my body closer to her. “You’re my client.”
Such a convenient excuse. “And I told you that I wouldn’t touch you until the project was done.”
Her brows pull together. “We come from different worlds.”
“France and England are not that different.”
She rolls her eyes at my remark. “You’re rich.”
“That’s an excuse,” I argue.
“It’s not an excuse.”
“It is,” I say, leaning forward as I whisper into her ear. “If you’re not interested in having my cock in your pussy any more then tell me.” Those apple cheeks bloom red as a gasp falls from her lips. “If you don’t want my tongue between your thighs …” Her breath hitches as my hand slides along her inner thighs. “Do you miss my fingers, Rose?” She swallows as she gives me the smallest of nods. My finger slides higher as my knuckles graze her underwear. “I miss watching your lips part as my fingers slide inside, that moment of bliss when we connect.” My knuckle slides her underwear to the slide and her legs open for me, letting me move my hand so that I can slide a finger into her. “Just like that,” I say as her lips part and the tiniest gasp falls from them. “You can give me all the bullshit excuses you want about the two of us, but what I do know is your pussy is a greedy little thing and she wants nothing more than for me to put her out of her misery. I bet you’ve been aching since the last time they were in you?” Rosie swallows and then nods. “You miss this?” I ask as I slide another finger inside which pulls a moan from her. “Knew it. I’ll always know what you need, Rosie, always.” My thumb connects with her clit which has her bucking against my hand. “Your head can fight this all it wants, but your pussy knows what it needs and that’s me.” She can deny it, but the gasps my fingers are pulling from her tell me otherwise.
“I hate you,” she moans, her eyes closing as my fingers continue to thrust inside her. I don’t care. My lips then move from her ear to her neck as I continue to deliver what she needs.
“You’re so wet.” I groan as my lips trail down along her collarbone. “You’re always so wet for me.”
“Sssh,” she hisses as if me voicing her most hidden desires annoys her. Fuck, the image of me doing this in front of an audience at The Paradise Club, them watching me finger fuck her while she’s thrashing against my hand has my dick throbbing in my pants. All the things I could do to her there has my hand moving quicker and quicker inside her. “You’re mine, Rosie. You can deny it all you want, but your pussy is mine.” Rosie grits her teeth as if to argue about it, but her cunt contracts around my fingers. “No one can make you come like I do.” She’s closed her eyes, and her head thrashes from side to side as my fingers pull everything from her. “Say it, Rosie. Say this cunt is mine.”
“No,” she quips, biting her lips.
My hand stills and she hisses. “You’re on the edge, Rose. I would hate to leave you unsatisfied, but I will if you don’t give me what I want.”
“No.” She says the word again, but this time it’s not as strong.
“I warned you.” I slip my fingers from her and a whine falls from her mouth as they leave her empty, wanting . Then I bring my fingers to my mouth and taste every last drop of her from them, those green eyes narrow on me. “You always taste so sweet,” I say with a grin. “Enjoy your night, Rosie.” I go to turn, but she reaches out and stops me.
“You’re seriously leaving me like this?” I shrug. “You’re an asshole.”
“Yes,” I say, shoving my hands in my pockets.
“You’ve worked me all up and are just leaving,” she says, waving her hands in the air.
“All you had to say was a couple of words.”
“That I didn’t mean,” she shouts at me.
“Oh, no, you would have meant them.”
“Fine, maybe I’ll find someone else to finish me off then,” she says, crossing her arms over her chest.
My fists ball inside my pockets, but I try to remain calm. “Good luck finding someone that can satisfy you like I can.”
“Anyone can,” she argues back.
I shrug. “Go ahead then and see.”
Rosie blinks a couple of times, surprised that I’m pushing her into the arms of another man. I know her, there is no way she is going to do what she suggests. She’s said many times before she isn’t a one-night stand kind of girl.
“You wouldn’t care if I took some guy home and fucked him?”
“Oh, I’d care. I’d want to rip his fucking dick off for touching you, but it’s your life.” She gives me an annoyed huff at my answer. “If you don’t need me to finish what I started then I’ll be on my way.” We glare at each other until I turn and walk away.
It kills me to.