Chapter 13 - Andre
ANDRE
The memory of hearing Sofia pleasuring herself was one I’d take to my dying breath.
Passing by her room and picking up her labored breaths and catching her moaning my name was all it took to make me lean my forehead against the closed door, close my eyes tight, and count on all my control not to barge into her room and really help her out.
I’d only been up because the guards sent an alert about someone trespassing at Roman’s building.
We were all connected on this block, and we never took risks with anyone breaking into an Orlov property.
It turned out to be a scorned lover who wanted more than my playboy cousin would give her.
He’d handled it, or rather, the guards had.
But I’d been up and I met with the security detail anyway.
Walking past Sofia’s room was unnecessary, but I was damned glad I had.
Hearing her like that was one more piece of proof that she wanted me.
Desperately.
I was on her mind—in her dreams—probably as much as she was in mine.
And damn, if that didn’t please the fuck out of me.
The morning after, though, I wondered how I’d use this discovery to my advantage.
Stirring my coffee in the kitchen, I let out a deep breath and counted down the time until she’d appear. Tired and grumpy, as usual, since she clearly wasn’t much of a morning person.
It’d be a challenge to face her and control myself. A fucking month, she’d been here, crawling under my skin.
“Morning.”
I frowned, turning to see Claire entering the kitchen.
She smiled. “So you’re not ignoring my texts. You’re not even seeing them, huh?”
I pulled my phone out of my pocket and winced. “Oh.”
She chuckled lightly and helped herself to some coffee. “Didn’t sleep well?” she asked, glancing at me and no doubt noticing how exhausted and unrested I looked.
I slept fine once I jerked off to Sofia. Twice.
I shrugged.
“You don’t mind if I talk with Sofia, do you?” she asked, referencing the missed texts she’d sent me. She was here to talk about a couple of facilities for Sofia’s cousin.
“No. No. Go ahead.” I did mind. I wanted Sofia all to myself. But if this was something important to her, then I wouldn’t be an asshole and stand in her way.
“She didn’t speak up much, but I could tell how concerned she was about her cousin.” A long, sad exhale left her lips as she doctored up her coffee. “Leukemia. Chronic infections. Recurring immune issues from having sepsis. That poor woman…”
Damn. That didn’t sound good. Sofia told me some, but not the medical details.
“It sounds expensive,” I muttered.
She nodded and eyed me over the coffee. “That’s why I came a little early. To talk to you.”
I met her gaze expectantly.
“You’re paying her well, aren’t you? I know a maid’s wage isn’t great, but she seemed so worried about the financial part of it.
Going to school to get a better job is admirable.
And even though she didn’t seem ready to commit, I’d offer her a spot at the clinic so she doesn’t have to compete for a decent job after she’s through her courses. ”
I huffed. “I offered to send her back to school already. I asked her if she’d quit being my maid and just be here with me so she could be stress-free and study. To do what she wanted.”
She rolled her eyes.
“What?” I furrowed my brow. “Not good enough?”
“You and your father. All this money you can dole out.” She sighed. “No one wants to accept charity.”
“It wasn’t an offer of charity.”
“Oh?” She arched a brow. “Then how would she earn that free ticket?”
I looked aside and smirked. “She’d earn it, all right.”
“I see. Perhaps it’s my job to remind you that while no one wants to be pitied and accept charity, no self-respecting woman will want to be offered money for her body.”
I scowled at her.
“Woo her. Impress her. Treat her with affection, Andre. That’s how you’ll win her.”
I snorted. “I’m not a charming ass wipe like Roman.”
“Don’t be. There’s plenty of men like him out there already.” She held up her hands in a truce-like manner. “I’ll stop here. God forbid I actually start sounding like a stepmother and giving you advice.”
I smiled wryly. My stepmother, younger than me.
“And I won’t make the mistake of assuming you welcome my tips about woman troubles.”
I shrugged. “There’s no trouble. She’s my assistant now, not my maid. And that came with a hefty promotional pay. I’ll tease in some bonuses and do what I can without pissing off Miss Independent.”
“Good.”
“Or just forward me any bills for her cousin. Fuck it. It’ll be an anonymous donation she doesn’t need to know about.”
She shot me a dubious look. “Sure, like she wouldn’t be suspicious of that.”
“I intend to take care of her, Claire. Whether she’s ready for me to or not.”
“Spoken like an Orlov,” she muttered. “I’m only going to give her the resources to consider. Should she move her cousin to the hospice facilities, perhaps we can all support her—financially and as a… friend of the family.”
I nodded, grateful my father had taken a chance on falling in love with a considerate woman like her.
“Go ahead and talk as long as you want.” I could go visit a few places with Oleg, check in on deals I’d made before I was injured at the ambushed warehouse.
It wasn’t until the next day, then, that I came face-to-face with Sofia.
“How did it go yesterday?” I asked her when she showed up at my office.
In an even shorter skirt and a white sleeveless shirt, she looked absolutely irresistible.
Her cleavage threatened the expanse of the crisp fabric stretching over her breasts.
The dip of her hips emphasized her curves I wanted to clutch as I held on to her.
Every step she took had that soft skirt sashaying and teasing me with the hint of all that smooth skin of her thighs.
“It went well. I didn’t realize that Claire wanted to show me the facilities too. She, um…” She nervously tucked her hair back behind her ear. “She got the idea at the last minute and had some guards escort us so I could have some tours.”
“Good.” I nodded once.
“Sorry for the day off.”
“No worries.”
She smiled. “I’m here to do whatever you need next.” Looking at the piles of papers and clutter she had yet to get through, she was oblivious to my hungry gaze.
What I need?
All right.
Get on your knees and crawl over here, please.
“I need you to accompany me to another tour, actually.” I stood, realizing it might be time to up my game. To seriously seduce her, because this distance between us was wearing on my nerves.
I knew she wanted me.
I heard how desperate she was for me.
After what Claire said, I realized that the boss-employee bond between us was the biggest obstacle yet. Perhaps relocating her to a different setting would give me an advantage.
“Tour?”
I nodded. “Of an office. We’re expanding with some different consultation businesses and I won’t be in charge of the startup. Roman found a place uptown for it, though, and I should check it out.”
It was an excuse. A big, fat excuse to get her out of this house with me. But she didn’t question my decision.
“Should I… um…” She furrowed her brow, looking around the room. “What should I do?”
“Come.”
On my dick. In my hand again. How about on my tongue?
“Come with me,” I corrected after a sexy blush stole over her cheeks.
Yeah, you already have come for me, haven’t you?
Alone in your bed.
It will be better with me, sweetheart.
“But what can I do? Take notes or…?”
“Just come with me.” I shrugged. “Assist me.”
“In looking at a building?”
I nodded, gesturing for her to exit the office.
She didn’t speak on the way uptown, but that was fine. Silence and giving her space was all part of wearing her down. Brute force wasn’t going to get her submissive and underneath me. Restraining from pursuing her would add to her frustration and she’d have to snap sooner or later.
On the drive, I took calls from Oleg and a couple of other men. The driver didn’t speak up either, but he glanced at her more than once, which pissed me off.
She’s mine, asshole.
She will be mine.
A realtor’s assistant met us at the office space, but the young man didn’t linger. Left to check out the property, I strolled through the empty space with Sofia trailing behind me or at my side.
Since this was for a legitimate investment consultation business, nothing tied to anything illegal, I wasn’t concerned about talking with her about the hiring process and other details about the business.
She listened and asked some questions when I mentioned a few celebrities were already interested in becoming clients. Politicians, too.
I couldn’t be sure if she was lowering her guard around me by being out of my home and my office, but I felt like taking a chance to see how she might react.
As we turned a corner and entered a huge office with a wall of windows letting in the sunshine, I followed behind her as she approached the glass to appreciate the perspective.
“What a view,” she said with a small smile.
“I prefer this one,” I said, turning her so her back was pressed to the surface as I caged her in.
Stealing kisses from her was our “thing”. But I was getting tired of the intermittent hits of desire that built on top of each other. Each time, she’d cave and respond, kissing me back. Until common sense would return and she’d dodge me, calling me Mr. Orlov again.
Cupping her chin to tip her face up to mine, I drew in a ragged breath and wanted to devour her.
“I much prefer the view with you in it.”
She shivered as I stroked my thumb over her chin. A shaky exhale eased from her plump lips. In her eyes, pure desire heated the soft brown I could sink in until the end of time.
“Gorgeous,” I whispered before kissing her.
Deliberately keeping it light, I brushed my mouth over hers and relished the sound of her quiet whimper. Of need. Of reluctance.
When she wrapped her arms around me and pulled me closer, I pulled back to tease her with only these little touches. I stood firm not to dive my tongue in for a taste and let her swallow my growls.
“Andre…” she breathed, lifting her leg to set her foot against the glass. It parted her more open for me, but still, I held back from grinding against her.
I wanted her to want me, dammit. Not take whatever was convenient.
“There’s only one thing that would make this ‘view’ better.” I kissed along her neck, nuzzling her at that sweet, sensitive spot below her ear.
“What’s that?” she whispered, hugging me closer.
“If you stood here in front of me naked.” I nipped at her skin, eliciting a gasp.
“If you stripped for me and got my cock out so I could fuck you right here at the windows, for the whole city to see how much you love me stretching you open and filling you with my cum.”
“Andre.” She furrowed her brow, shaking her head.
“If you held on to me as I made you come again and again, so soaking wet and sore.” I lowered my hand to her panties and rubbed over the damp fabric. Just my words were doing half the job of getting her there.
“Oh…” She closed her eyes and rested her head against the glass. Letting her legs stay parted, she gave me access to caress her pussy over the thin fabric.
“Do you want that?” I kissed her, straining not to come in my pants.
She frowned, not replying with a word.
“Do you want to give in and admit it?” I taunted.
She dipped her chin. “I… can’t.”
Can’t? Or won’t?
I went still. I stopped my fingers and exhaled a hard breath.
“I can’t just…” She opened her eyes and frowned at me. “I…”
You will.
Whatever was holding her back couldn’t be an issue forever. Claire had a good point about her not wanting charity. Sofia was determined to work for a living. She had a goal of improving her cousin’s life.
There had to be something else. Some condition that forced her to make a liar of herself when she denied acting on this desire to be with me when she obviously wanted me.
You will be mine, sweetheart.
She had to be mine because there would never be another woman in this world who would make me feel like I was missing half of myself when she wasn’t near.
I kissed her once then backed away.
“I think we’ve seen about all we need to here,” I said with my back to her.
I wouldn’t push. I wouldn’t force her. Because when she finally reached that breaking point and admitted that she needed me, I would reap the reward of waiting for her submission. And I’d do so knowing that she chose me over whatever obstacle was dragging her down.