Chapter 31
Chapter Thirty-One
IVAN
I ’ve done something I’ve never done—breaking my work ethic for the most frivolous reason. Even Greta, who is usually composed, looks visibly shocked because she knows there is no emergency.
“Are you done here?” I ask.
She recovers quickly, like the professional she is, but boy is she’s flustered—more flustered than I’ve ever seen her.
“I, uh... I was waiting for her to sign the contract.”
“I’m here now. I’ll get it signed.”
“Okay, I’ll head back to the office then,” she says stiffly and starts walking towards the door.
I pick up the contract from the table, grab a bottle of water from the serving tray, and head out to the conservatory to join Lara.
I find her sitting on the edge of one of the chairs. She looks nervous and edgy. An image flashes into my mind of bending her over the table and fucking her until I get every ounce of frustration out of my system. I sit across from her and place the contract on the table between us.
“Greta says you haven’t signed.”
“Greta,” she repeats, nodding. “That’s her name, huh? She didn’t bother introducing herself.”
“She’s busy.”
A flash of irritation comes into her eyes and her voice is sarcastic. “Of course, she is. Everyone is. Which makes me wonder why you came back. Why did you come back, Ivan?”
“To fuck you, of course.”
Her eyes widen in shock. “What?”
I stand, growing impatient. “Sign the papers, Lara. I have to get back to work in thirty minutes.”
She frowns, then snatches the document up and stands. As she reads through it she paces around the room. I relax and take in Muriel’s extraordinary garden. It’s been so meticulously maintained and is now bursting with so many plants, flowers, and fruit. I have never been in here ever since I bought the apartment, and now, for the first time, I realize the effort she has put into this space. It's transformed from a glass room with an indoor garden into an enchanted mini forest. And now the forest has a delectable sprite walking through it.
“I have one more stipulation,” she says.
I don’t stand because if I do, she’ll see how hard I am. The only thing I can think about is the feel of her skin under my hand as I grab her hips and fuck her senseless. My desire for her feels almost crazed, maybe even unnaturally possessive. Yet she’s taking her time as always, torturing me. I curse under my breath.
“I... I hesitated to bring this up because I imagine it carries some negative connotations, but that’s not the case. I just really need the extra clause to protect myself.”
“And what is it?” I ask quietly, not turning around.
“Um... I need it explicitly stated that I’m allowed to leave before the thirty days if you lose interest.”
I frown. “Haven’t we already discussed this? Isn’t this one of the first things I mentioned? You’re free to leave as soon as I lose interest. Why would I want it any other way?”
She stares at me, and then something clicks in my head and I realize what she is up to. I smile nastily. “Were you perhaps planning on finding a way to make me lose interest so you can leave earlier?”
She shifts uncomfortably, confirming my suspicion. I truly can’t believe her audacity, but at the same time, I’m not surprised.
“I just... I just want all the terms to be clear so there’s no misunderstanding whatsoever.”
“You can leave today if you want to,” I say.
Her head snaps up. “What?”
“I’m not one to hold a woman against her will. Sure, I was more than a little insistent on having this arrangement, but I was convinced it was fair. But after last night, I think the time and energy I’ve spent has been well worth it and I’d like to continue fucking you, but if you’d rather not be touched by me anymore, then go ahead and leave.”
She looks at me, and I can see the surprise in her eyes. I feel annoyed because I’ve canceled a meeting for this. I feel dumb and out of control and can hardly believe I have reduced to behaving like a fool for a bit of pussy. I realize it’s the effect she has on me, and I really don’t like it at all. Shaking my head, I turn around and head for the exit. Before I can cross the threshold, she stops me.
“Wait.”
I don’t stop or turn around. She’s wasting my time, playing games. She affects me like nothing else, and now my challenge is to find a way to get rid of this worrying lack of self-control so I can focus on the rest of my day and be as effective as possible.
I hear her footsteps behind me, hurrying to catch up. Just as my hand touches the old-fashioned metal handle, hers lands on mine, stopping me. I look down into her beautiful eyes swimming with a mixture of uncertainty and, God help me, desire, and my heart starts racing again. Fuck, I hate her. Just as much as I fucking... want her.
“Don’t you want me to sign the contract?” she gasps.
"Sign it or don’t sign it. I don’t care. I’ve already told you this. What more do you need from me? I’ve already gotten what I wanted from you," I say with deliberate cruelty.
"Well, I haven’t," she says.
"Don’t worry," I say, my tone cold. "I’m not going to renege on our agreement or your financial compensation just because you want to leave as quickly as possible. I am a man of my word, and I will keep it, even if you decide not to honor yours. And don’t think you’ve outsmarted me. My purpose for getting on in life is to have control and power. If I want something, I get it, even if it’s just once."
"Oh, shut up for God’s sake," she suddenly says.
I freeze. No one has ever spoken to me like that. "Excuse me?"
"You said you came to fuck me, but you’re just whining about something I didn’t even say."
"What the fuck do you want, Lara?” I growl.
She lets out an exasperated sigh. "You’re doing it again. Talking instead of fucking me."
I let out a laugh of disbelief. This woman! First, she pushes me away and now she pulls me back into her web. But it is galling to think how much I want to be back in her dangerous web. For a few seconds, I stare at her. The moment feels like it is frozen in time. The sound of water fills the air. Right behind her head is a hanging orchid plant in full bloom. It is as if the plant had lived all its life to fill its purpose for this instant to adorn her face. I want so much to walk out of here. To end it all. Right now. She has too much power over me. She is no good for me. She is nothing but trouble. Any fool can see that. And then… a voice stronger than all the other objections flying into my head. It says: She belongs here. Without her, this conservatory would be barren. Everything is barren without her.
I turn away from her. I cannot let her see my face, my thoughts. I walk back towards the sofa. I stare down at it as I control my breathing. This is a transaction. An arrangement. She gives me sex and I pay her for it. Nothing more. I sit on the sofa, lean back comfortably, and look at her coldly.
"You want to fuck. Show me how much you want to. Let’s see if I still enjoy your company."
She starts moving towards me slowly, a look of complete disbelief etched into her features. "You want me to prove myself to you?"
"Exactly. Show me you’re worth all this money I’m paying out."
Her eyes widen. "You’re joking."
"I was never more serious in my life. You can’t be the only one reaping all the benefits. Why don’t you put yourself to work and try to convince me that you’re worth the headache you come with?"
She reaches me and I feel a small flare of satisfaction. Her eyes are guarded, but I can see that she is visibly startled and understands now she holds no power over me. Slowly, her gaze begins to travel down my body, lingering on my hard cock.
I spread my legs even wider, giving her a full view.
"Say something," she urges in a small whisper.
But I shake my head slowly. I hold all the power in this relationship and it’s about time she realizes it.