32. Chapter 32
Chapter 32
Grace
I don’t understand how I’m able to move today. Last night was so intense and I can’t remember ever having an orgasm that hard, let alone seven of them.
Victor left for a meeting an hour ago, and I’m lounging in his bed. Lili is downstairs somewhere reading, and I want to go check on her, but the bed is keeping me captive.
Finally, I pull myself up and take a quick shower. I don’t check my phone until I’m dressed and heading for the stairs.
The notifications are pretty run of the mill, but a missed call and a voicemail catch my eye.
“Hello, my name is Sandy Rollins, and I’m calling for Gracelynn Marsh. I’m with the UNLV Registrar’s office, and it looks like we have a missing signature on your enrollment paperwork. Before we can finalize your scholarships and you can start classes, we’ll need you to come into the office and take care of that. Unfortunately, it will need to be handled in person. We’re open until four-thirty Monday through Friday, and this will need to be taken care of in the next forty-eight hours or you risk forfeiting your financial aid.”
I groan. How did this happen? I’ve been careful to take care of everything each step of the way. It must be because of the new scholarship award I got the other day.
“You seem pained. Is everything OK, sweetheart?”
I glance up from the phone to find Lili standing at the bottom of the stairs.
“It’s fine. Just some paperwork nonsense for the university.”
“That is a pain. If I weren’t missing, I would make a phone call and help you out. I’m good friends with some of the administrators there.”
I smile. “Thanks. But it sounds like I have to make a visit in person. I’ll have to see if Victor can take me.”
Lili holds her hand out to me, and I take it, stepping off the last stair.
“How are you?” I ask as she pulls me into the kitchen.
“I’m fabulous. Last night was energizing and perfect. How are you? Any regrets?”
I shake my head. “None. It was just like you said. Perfect.”
But there is a part of me worried that I’ll get attached to Lili and then she’ll be gone. I’m not sure how invested I want to get.
Voicing that doesn’t seem fair, so I keep it to myself.
“I was bored while you were sleeping, so I rummaged in Victor’s fridge and baked a tart.
“Did you make the pastry and everything? How long have you been up?”
Lili laughs. “Since five. And yes, I made the pastry and everything. Baking is one of the ways I relieve stress.”
I cast a glance around the room as she pulls the dessert out of the fridge. The kitchen is spotless. If I tried to pull off something like fresh pastry dough, custard, and sliced up fruit for the gorgeous fruit tart she puts in front of me, it would look like a bomb went off in here.
“You must be one of those clean as you go types.”
Lili laughs. “It’s the only way to do it.”
I cut a piece of the tart and put it on a small plate. My mouth practically has an orgasm when I put the first bite in my mouth.
“You could make millions with these,” I say, as crumbs of flaky pastry fall from my mouth.
Lili’s laugh settles on me like a favorite sweater, and I sigh as I stare at her across the counter.
“Grace. You’re staring.”
I blink and shake my head. “Sorry. You’re easy to look at. And I like having you around.”
Her cheeks flush pink and she picks up a sponge from the sink and wipes at crumbs I’m not sure are really there.
“I’m going to ask the security guy to take me for a walk,” she says after a beat.
“And I’m going to call Victor.”
She hurries from the room, and I wonder what scared her off. Is she uncomfortable with my expression of attraction?
I take another bite of fruit and pastry as I pull up Victor’s contact in my phone. I hover over the call button, hating to disturb him when he’s got so much to do today.
But I can’t leave and take care of my school problems if I don’t talk to him, so I tap the icon and lift it to my ear.
“What’s wrong?” His voice is gruff, and he sounds tense.
“I… nothing is wrong. But I have a situation.”
“I’m listening, butterfly.” His tone has shifted, and I release the tension in my shoulders as I explain the situation to him.
“Can I please have security take me to the school?”
Victor sighs. “Yes. That’s going to have to work because I can’t get away in time and this is important. Give me five minutes to speak to them and you’ll be on your way.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
“How are you?” he asks softly.
“I’m good. A little sore, but good. You?”
“Aside from some work stress, I am perfect. Thank you for last night. I’ll see you later.”
The call abruptly ends, and I finish my food before rinsing the empty plate and putting the rest of the tart back in the fridge.
A minute later, the door opens and a guard steps in. “Mr. Serrano asked us to take you to campus, Ms. Marsh. Are you ready?”
I stand and brush crumbs from my shirt. “I just need to get my shoes and purse.”
He nods and straightens, placing his hands behind his back. “I’ll wait here.”
I hurry up the stairs and put on a pair of sneakers and grab my purse.
When I get back downstairs, he opens the door and ushers me to a black SUV.
In the backseat, I lay my head against the headrest and close my eyes. Images of Lili and the way she tasted on my tongue flash in my head, and I groan.
“Everything OK, Ms. Marsh?”
My face heats and I keep my eyes firmly closed to avoid eye contact. “All good. Just tired.”
He starts the car and pulls out of the long driveway.
At the university, I convince the guard to wait outside the administration building because he makes me uncomfortable. He is reluctant, but I promise him I won’t be going anywhere but the registrar’s office and right back to the car and he relents.
When I locate the registrar’s office on the third floor, there is a line. Classes start in less than a week, so it’s not surprising.
When it’s finally my turn, the woman at the desk frowns. “Everything seems to be in order, Ms. Marsh. Are you sure you got a call from us?”
I play her the voicemail, and her frown deepens. “We don’t have a Sandy Rollins who works here. That’s very strange.”
My heart jumps into overdrive. What does this mean?
But I don’t want to spook her, so I thank her for her time and head back into the hallway. When I’m clear of the long line of students waiting to handle last-minute paperwork, I race for the elevator at the other end of the hall while scrambling for Victor’s number.
“It was some kind of setup,” I say between gasps of air. I’m seriously out of shape.
“What do you mean?” His voice is harsh, and I can tell he’s on high alert.
“There was no one by the name Sandy Rollins at the registrar’s office, and they didn’t call me. My paperwork was complete exactly like I thought. What should I do?”
“Are you safe? Is security with you?”
“He’s waiting outside the building.”
“Why the fuck didn’t he come in with you?” Victor demands.
“I… convinced him not to because he was making me uncomfortable.”
“I’m going to fucking kill him. Find somewhere to sit and don’t fucking move.”
Angry Victor is not my favorite Victor, but this is a serious situation, so I find a bench in the lobby of the third floor and sit as instructed.
“I’ll send him in to fetch you. Don’t go anywhere alone, Grace. Period.”
“Yes, Sir,” I whisper. But the call is already disconnected, so he doesn’t hear me.
Ten minutes pass and no one comes for me. I dial Victor’s number, but he doesn’t answer.
God damn it. What is going on?
Finally, my phone rings.
“Your security isn’t answering their fucking phone. Where are you? I’m sending a friend for you.”
My heart is racing. This is all so terrifying. “I’m on the third floor outside the elevators.”
“Good. His name is Memphis Foster. Ask for his ID.”
I roll my eyes but don’t argue.
“I’m sorry, Sir,” I whisper.
“We’ll talk about it later, Grace. I’m sorry I can’t come for you myself.”
The call ends again, and I pull my legs up onto the bench and sit so I can hug my knees.
What is going on? I’ve got a stalker. Someone is trying to hurt the people I consider family. And I’m falling for two people at the same time. Something I didn’t think I would ever do again. Was this phone call related to my stalker or the people trying to hurt Victor and the others? Are they the same person? It doesn’t seem possible. But it also doesn’t seem possible for me to have a stalker. I’m just not that interesting.
I sit on the bench for another fifteen minutes before a handsome man with a thick beard and perfectly styled blond hair steps out of the elevator and looks around. When he spots me, a smile spreads across his face, and he moves toward me. I swing my legs off the bench and sit up straighter.
“Are you Grace Marsh?”
I nod and look him up and down as he pulls out a wallet. “I’m Memphis Foster. Victor asked me to pick you up.”
“I’m supposed to ask for your ID,” I say, as he’s already passing it to me.
I scrutinize it, as if I would be able to spot some sort of fake. Memphis is in his forties, and lives in an area of Las Vegas that only the richest people can afford. Owen and Matteo both have places in nearby neighborhoods.
“My wife Rylee is in the car. We were heading to a poker tournament when Victor called.”
“How… How do you know Victor?”
“Long story. We’ve done some business together.”
It’s a vague answer, but I know better than to pry into Victor’s world, so I stand and give him back his license.
“Do you have time to take me home?”
He laughs. “Victor asked me to take you with us.”
I frown. “He didn’t tell me that.”
“You can call him if you want.”
I look at my phone and realize I’ve got a text.
Victor: You’ll have to go with Memphis and his wife to the Elysium. I’ll meet you there in a few hours.
“Looks like I don’t need to. Well, let’s go, so you’re not late. How long have you been playing in tournaments?” I ask.
Memphis laughs again. “Not me. My wife is a pro on the circuit. But I’ve got business with the owner of the resort, so I’m joining her today.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Very interesting.”
When we step outside, I notice that my security guard is gone and so is the SUV. Victor must be losing his mind.
Memphis is driving an expensive BMW, and his wife is sitting up front in designer jeans and a black t-shirt. Her leg is bouncing up and down and she twirls the leg of a pair of sunglasses in her hand.
“I’m sorry to be slowing you down, I say as I slide into the car.”
She turns and smiles at me. “It’s no problem. Ignore my fidgeting. I sometimes get nervous before a tournament. I’m Rylee Colton.”
“Foster,” Memphis says with a wink.
Rylee rolls her eyes. “Foster. On the circuit I’m still Rylee Colton and as you can see, it makes my husband turn into a caveman.”
I can’t help but laugh at their energy. “I think it’s good to keep your last name. Even if it’s only in some parts of your life.”
I wonder how Victor would feel about me keeping my last name. The thought comes from out of nowhere. Victor and I aren’t even talking about marriage, and here I am having thoughts like this. He would be horrified.
I text him to say I’m in the car with Memphis and his wife, but there’s no response. Probably because he’s busy murdering an entire security team for letting me go anywhere alone. In hindsight, it was a stupid thing for me to ask of the guard. He hesitated, but not so much that it seemed like a big deal. The odds of a bad guy lying in wait at the registrar seemed slim. But that was before we knew the call was a fake.
The drive from UNLV to the Strip is quiet, and I sit in the back seat with my eyes closed while Memphis and his wife talk in hushed tones up front. As we near the chaos of the tourist infested strip, I lean forward. “Are you sure it’s OK for me to be here? I don’t want to cause any more trouble than I already have.”
Memphis waves his hand. “Don’t worry about it, Grace. Victor is a good friend and I’m happy to do him a favor. He rarely asks for anything.”
I’ve never thought of Victor as having good friends outside of our High Card family. But I’m glad he does. I like Memphis, at least what little I know of him.
“You’ll have the option of hanging out at the tournament with a guard, or Victor says there’s a suite you can rest in if you like.”
The thought of being in a noisy poker tournament environment makes me tense, so I nod. “I’ll take a nap in the suite.”
“You should know there will be a bodyguard outside your door at all times.”
I laugh. “I would expect nothing less from Victor.”
“We weren’t aware he was seeing anyone, so this is a delightful development,” Rylee says as Memphis pulls the car up to the valet area.
“It’s new,” I say with a small smile.
Memphis steps out of the car and hands the valet attendant the key before opening my door. Another employee opens Rylee’s door, and soon we are walking through the casino being followed by an army of staff. Who is Memphis Foster? The name seems vaguely familiar, but I’m not sure why.
One of the employees hands Memphis an envelope, which he passes to me. “Key to your room for the afternoon. And my card in case you need anything before Victor gets here. That’s my personal cell number.”
“Mr. Novak is ready for you,” someone says from behind him before I can respond.
A guard who could be a clone of the one I left at UNLV steps into place beside me as Memphis and Rylee say goodbye and go off in opposite directions. Soon I find myself on an elevator with the stoic man who seems uninterested in speaking to me. Not that I blame him. Victor likely threatened him after what happened at the university.
The luxury suite is way too big for someone to take an afternoon nap in, but since being in Victor’s circle I’ve come to realize that money makes you see your surroundings differently.
Still, being up late and the stress of this morning overwhelms me, and I strip off my clothes and climb into bed. Before I drift off to sleep, I snap a naked selfie and send it to Victor. There’s still no response to my previous texts, so I put it on the wireless charging disk that’s conveniently on the nightstand and close my eyes.
Something wakes me, and I bolt upright in bed. Two arms wrap around me and a hand clamps over my mouth just as I’m about to scream. “Shh. It’s me, Mariposa. It’s me.”
I sag against him as my heart slows to a normal rhythm.
For a moment, the only sound is our breathing as I let his warmth wash over me. Finally, he presses his lips to my ear for a tender kiss. “Did you have a good nap?”
“I did. Naps aren’t something I normally take, so this was nice.”
“Good. Then we can talk about how stupid it was for you to not let security come into the Administration building with you.”
I groan and roll away from him, pulling my knees to my chest as I wrap my arms around them.
“I understand that now. But he was so overbearing, and people would have stared. I wanted to get in and get out and get back to your house.”
“Never again, Grace. I mean it. We don’t have a clue what we are dealing with here, and you can never be too careful. They still can’t find your bodyguard, and the camera footage got wiped.”
My heart is racing again, and I hope I didn’t get someone killed. The thought twists my stomach into a knot, and I eye the bathroom just in case I need to run for the toilet.
“I’m sorry. I promise. Never again,” I whisper when he tucks a finger under my chin and stares at me intently.
“Good. Now let’s talk about how we’re going to enjoy this room before we go home.” He pulls me to a sitting position, and I snuggle against his chest.
“What did you have in mind, Sir?”
“I’m tempted to spank you for not taking security into the building with you. But I suspect you’ve been through enough today without me punishing you.”
My body ignites at his words, and my nipples tighten beneath my shirt. My pussy clenches, and I close my eyes. I like it when Victor spanks me.
He senses the change in me and leans back, cupping the back of my head with his palm. “Or does my naughty butterfly want a spanking?”
I chew my lip, uncertain. Punishment is not something I enjoy. It means I’ve displeased him. At the same time, I enjoy the mix of pleasure and pain that Victor provides.
“Maybe. But I don’t want to be punished. I know I screwed up. Please don’t scold me.”
He closes his eyes and presses his forehead to mine. “As long as you understand the gravity of this situation, Grace. You have my word. I won’t lecture or scold. But I am going to light your bare ass on fire.”
“And every other part of me, apparently,” I mutter when his threat sends flutters through my system.
He chuckles. “Something tells me even if you’re a good girl I’m going to be giving you a sore ass quite often. Stand in front of me with your hands on your head.”
I jump to obey, and in a few seconds, I’m standing naked in front of him.
“I could stare at you for hours. It was a delight to find you naked in bed, and your picture was an unexpected treat. When Lili is gone, I’m going to keep you naked at home.”
I frown at the thought of Lili leaving us, but I know it’s inevitable.
He pulls me closer to him and presses a kiss to the soft skin of my belly. “And you always smell nice, too,” he murmurs. “I appreciate that about you.”
He drags a hand from the small of my back to the swell of my bottom and squeezes softly. “Over my knee, Grace.”
I lay across his lap and will my heart to slow down. Even though I know what’s about to happen, I’m still nervous about the pain. And it’s silly to be nervous. Victor knows what he’s doing. He knows how to take it just to the edge of too much and bring me back to the safe zone of pleasure again.
His hand lingers on the curve of one cheek as he waits for me to settle.
As he pulls away, I brace myself for the impact. It’s gentle at first. A pat. And then it increases until there is a mild sting, and he moves back and forth from one side to the other until my skin is warm.
Then he stops and gathers a handful of hair, lifting my head. “Are you ready to cry for me, Grace?”
“Yes, Sir,” I whisper, my shoulders rising and falling as I inhale deeply.
“Good, because I’m not stopping until I see a puddle of tears on the floor.”
And suddenly he’s spanking me again. This time, he’s not holding back, and I find myself kicking and whimpering. But no tears come.
Fuck. What if I don’t cry? I don’t always cry when he spanks me.
“Give me what I want, Grace. I can take my belt off if I need to,” he says after what feels like an eternity.
Then he slides a hand between my legs and clucks his tongue as if disappointed. “No wonder you’re not crying. You’re too busy focusing on how wet this cunt is. Stand up.”
I jump up at his command and he stands with me, guiding my hands so they are clasped behind my head.
“Spread your legs.”
I do as I’m told, wondering what he has planned.
“If you’re going to focus on your pussy, we’ll just spank you there instead.”
I suck in a breath.
“What’s that, butterfly?”
“Nothing, Sir.”
“Good. Don’t close your legs or I’ll tie you to the bed with them spread.”
He steps closer to me and cups my slick pussy.
Then he pulls his hand back and smacks me hard. I bend forward but manage to keep from closing my legs.
“Back in position, dirty girl.”
He makes me stand and endure smack after smack against my tender heat, each one harder than the last. When a single tear rolls down my cheek, he leans in and licks it away, taking me by surprise.
“That was hot,” I whisper.
He throws his head back and laughs. “You’re perfect.”
Then he shoves me toward the bed and pushes me, so I’m bent over it face down and kicks my legs apart as he peppers my ass with stinging smacks. Every dozen or so he switches to smacking my inner thighs or my sensitive pussy, and he doesn’t stop until I’ve soaked the bedspread below.
Then I hear him pulling his cock free. “I don’t have a condom, Grace. So, I’m going to rub the head of my dick against your clit until you come. Then I’m going to fuck your mouth.”
“Yes, Sir. But if it pleases you, you can fuck me bare.”
He’s quiet for a moment. “Are you sure? Because I really want to be buried in your tight little cunt.”
“Please? I’m positive. My last STI panel was two months ago. I’m clean. And I’m on birth control.”
“OK. But if you change your mind, just say so and I’ll use your delicious little mouth.”
Victor slams into me, and I cry out as he smacks against my burning ass.
“Use your fingers on your clit.”
I slide a hand beneath me and find my swollen clit. Just a few swipes of my fingers and I’m dancing on the edge.
“Can I come?” I ask, my voice strained from holding back the wave of pleasure.
“Do it,” he grunts as he fucks me.
I squeeze around him as the orgasm takes hold and with my free hand I grip the comforter on the bed, crying out as the pleasure overwhelms me.
“Good girl.” His voice is tight, and I know he’s close to exploding himself.
“Beg me to fill you up, butterfly.”
“Please, Victor. I want you to come inside of me. Fill me up,” I plead.
“Keep rubbing that clit. Come for me again.”
Then he picks up the pace, squeezing my hips as he fucks me hard and fast. I match his pace with my fingers on my clit, rubbing in furious little circles, and soon I’m exploding again. The world falls away as I hear Victor growl and feel him tense up and together, we lose ourselves and cling to each other as the ultimate pleasure takes over.
“Good girl,” he murmurs. “Such a good girl.”
Victor eases out of me as we come down, and he grabs a towel from the bathroom to gently clean me up. Then he helps me onto the bed and lays down next to me, pulling me into his arms.
“That was amazing, Grace. Thank you.”
I sigh and try not to drift off to sleep. Victor chuckles and nudges me gently. “No sleeping yet, butterfly. We have to go home soon.”
“Home. I like that.”