Chapter 11
Chapter
11
She had no idea how she made it home.
Sliding into the parking area around the back, designated for her and
Zach, she sat there, fingers clenched on the wheel. The security
guard had glanced up at her and wished her goodnight, his expression
neutral, but she knew how she looked, like a woman who had been
ravished. Flipping down the visor, she uttered a distressed moan as
she took in the tangled curls and
her swollen lips. She was not wearing a bra, because he had destroyed
it. Nor was she wearing panties.
And she realized that if she stepped foot
inside the bar, everyone would see what she had been up to, including
her brother. Especially her brother. Closing her eyes, she laid her
head back on the headrest and took several deep breaths. He had not
said a word to her. Just told, no – ordered her to get dressed.
She had gone and done it now, she thought
in despair. She had had sex with Jack Hadley. Why the hell had she
gone to his place? Why hadn't she the common sense to just say what
she had to say over the phone and be done with it? Why go to his
office? Rubbing her moist hands over her jeans, she switched off the
engine and pushed the door open. She would go up the back stairs and
take a shower. All she wanted to do was to curl up in bed with the
sheets over her, but she had a responsibility to the bar. And she was
not going to indulge herself and give into her misery.
As she entered the back door, she found
herself desperately wishing she could turn back time. She had never
felt so exposed, so vulnerable. The dim light in the hallway
flickered as she ascended the stairs, each step echoing her regret.
Upon reaching her apartment, she swiftly
locked the door behind her, leaning against it as if it could somehow
shield her from the emotional storm raging inside her. The silence of
the apartment pressed heavily on her shoulders. She stood there for a
moment, just breathing, trying to gather the strength to face her
reflection in the mirror.
She stumbled into the bathroom, her legs
weak, her heart pounding. The sight that greeted her was worse than
she had imagined. Her eyes were wide and haunted, her lips red and
swollen, her hair a chaotic halo around her face. She could still
feel his touch, the imprint of his hands branding her skin.
Turning on the shower, she stepped beneath
the cascading water, hoping it could wash away not just the physical
remnants of their encounter, but the shame and confusion that gripped
her. She scrubbed her skin until it was raw, tears mingling with the
water as they streamed down her face.
After drying off and dressing hurriedly in
comfortable clothes, she forced herself to head downstairs to the
bar. Each step felt like a march towards judgment. When she entered,
the familiar buzz of conversation and clinking glasses greeted her,
but tonight it felt like an alien world.
Her brother Zach looked up from the pint he
was building, staring at her with narrowed eyes. Without saying
anything, he turned to hand the drink to the guy waiting at the bar.
"So, we are still at odds," she
thought with a pang. Just what she needed when her emotions were so
raw, and she was feeling vulnerable. Jazmine was not here tonight but
was taking the time to arrange her apartment and for that, Zuri was
happy. She did not need her friend trying to find out what had taken
place on her trip to Jack Hadley's office.
She moved behind the bar, immersing herself
in the rhythm of work, finding solace in the routine. Yet, every time
she paused, Jack's face loomed in her mind. She knew she
would have to face him again, and the thought terrified her. But for
now, she poured drinks, listened to patrons, and pretended everything
was normal, while inside, her world had been irrevocably changed.
*****
It took him several minutes to stir himself
from his sightless gaze out the window. Moving towards the bathroom,
Jack shrugged off the shirt and grabbed a sweater from the closet. He
was about to tug it over his head, when he got a good look at himself
in the mirror.
His thick brows shot up. There were red
welts, jagged ones on his chest. His hair was disheveled, and he
looked as if he had been poleaxed. Hurriedly pulling the sweater over
his head as if to block out the evidence of their animal mating, he
turned from the mirror. But he could not get her out of his mind.
Instead of abating his hunger, he still felt the desire coursing
through his body.
Striding into the office, he went to his
desk and sat on the edge of it. The scrap of material wedged between
the chair caught his attention. Pushing himself off the desk, he went
to get it, closing his hand around the scrap of lace he had torn off
her. Sinking down in the chair, he brought the material to his face
and inhaled her scent. Intense need swamped him.
Closing his eyes, he relived every moment.
The taste of her, the feel of her satiny skin. The feel of her
wrapped around him.
Breaking off a groan, he leaned back in the
chair and closed his eyes. He had a problem, he decided grimly. He
should not have touched her and now that he had, he wanted more.
Whereas in the past he could always walk away, this time was
different. He wanted her with a fierceness that was frightening.
He had never met anyone like her. The woman
had the uncanny ability of pissing him off royally and making him
want like never before. He did not want this. Getting involved with
her was not in his plan. But he had a sinking feeling that for the
first time in his life, he had no say in what happens next.
*****
"Honey are you okay?"
She stirred herself, forcing the smile on
her lips as she turned to look at her friend.
"Just woolgathering." She looked
around the cozy living room with the gaily patterned throw rugs
draped artfully over biscuit-colored sofas and nodded in approval.
"This place is really coming together."
"Isn't it?" Jazmine walked over
to pour more wine in her glass. "And I am so happy you were able
to come tonight. You are spending the night?"
"Of course. Serves Zach right to be
left to handle things on his own."
Her friend glanced at her anxiously as she
picked up her glass and took a sip. "Things still not right
between you two?" She had spoken to Zach about it just last
night when he had spent the night with her, but he had only shrugged
and said that his sister was not herself, whatever that meant.
"We go out of the way to avoid each
other. I think he's keeping secrets."
So are you. The voice echoed inside her
head.
She was so caught up in her own thoughts
that she missed the guilt on her friend's face.
"What makes you say that?"
Shaking her head, she stared at Jazmine
with a frown. "What?"
"You said Zach is keeping secrets. Why
did you say that?"
"Oh." Shaking her head with a
laugh, she pulled the throw rug over her legs and sipped the wine.
"He goes off at nights and does not say where he's off to. He
has someone, I just know it. Usually, he would tell me what's going
on, but he doesn't." She
sighed. "It's my fault really. This thing with Jason and Jack
Hadley has driven a wedge between us and one I don't know how to
fix."
"You never told me what went on when
you went to his place."
"No, I didn't." Sliding her gaze
away, she stared into her glass and felt the despair flooding her
again. It had been two nights since her life had turned upside down.
She had gone to the corporate office one woman-whole and in control
of her faculties and had left a completely different person.
She still looked the same when she looked
in the mirror, but inside she was a different person. Her nights were
restless and when she closed her eyes, she could still feel him
inside her. His mouth on hers. She still had the marks to show for
that night. And she could not get him out of her mind.
"Zuri?"
"Yes?"
"Honey, are you okay?"
Jazmine's concerned frown had her closing
her eyes briefly.
"Something happened when I went to his
office."
"Like what?"
Gulping wine, she put away the glass and
tugged at the throw covering her lower body. "You have to
promise to keep this to yourself."
"Now, I am intrigued."
"We-I-" Leaning her head back,
she took several deep breaths before facing her friend squarely. "We
had sex."
The shock on Jazmine's face almost had her
laughing. Almost.
"I'm sorry. What?"
"Please don't make me repeat it."
Lifting a hand, she rubbed the tension at the back of her neck.
"Saying it out loud makes it real and I have been trying to
forget, trying to pretend that it never happened."
"You had sex with Jack Hadley."
"Yes."
"Oh my God." Putting away her
wineglass, Jazmine scooted to the edge of her chair. "How was
it?"
Zuri stared at her friend for a second,
before bursting out laughing. "I really needed that."
Jazmine grinned at her. "Happy to
oblige. So, how was it?"
"We-God!" She rubbed her hands
over her face. "Like being baptized in fire. We went at each
other like animals. One minute I was shouting at him and the next
minute, he was hauling me in his arms. Before I knew what was
happening, he was ripping at my clothes. He destroyed my very
expensive underwear, and I destroyed his shirt. We-" She gulped.
"It was... intense."
The silence that followed her description
echoed around the room.
"Say something."
"I'm still trying to come to grips
with the ripping of clothing and animal mating." Jazmine rubbed
her hands together. "And I am having a hard time seeing Jack
Hadley in that light. But then again, I saw the way he stormed out of
the bar and knew that there was something between the two of you. Has
he called?"
"No." She shook her head. "And
I don't expect him to." She would never admit to her best
friend, how much that was killing her. "It was a onetime thing."
"You don't believe that."
"A man like Jack Hadley has his pick
of women and I am not one of them. I don't want to be. I don't even
like him. He's a jerk of the worst kind. It was just sex and we've
gotten it out of our systems. I am just going to have to stay out of
his way." Picking up the wine, she took another sip to ease her
dry throat. She hated lying to herself and was doing exactly that. As
long as she lived, she was never going to forget what they did in his
office.
And she would never forget him. The ache
inside her heart was making her weak.
"And you're not going to call him?"
Jazmine asked gently.
"Nope. Jason hasn't called either. I
just hope they are having a better relationship."
"You miss him. Jason," she
clarified when her friend looked at her askance. "Because you
genuinely care for him."
"I do," she agreed. "God, I
found myself wishing he was my son. How pathetic is that?"
"I don't believe pathetic is the word
I'd use."
"How about incredibly stupid?"
Jazmine shook her head. "You've never
been that before and I have a feeling that you will be hearing from
father and son pretty soon."
Ignoring the flare of hope inside her
chest, she shrugged and picked up her glass. "I strongly doubt
it."
*****
He spent two days trying to get her out of
his head. And during those two days, he had been unable to sleep. She
was inside his head and nothing he did could get rid of her. He still
had her torn panties like a kid with his first high school crush. And
Jason would not shut up about her.
Deciding to take off early, he headed home.
He would go to the club this weekend, probably spending time with the
other members would take his mind off things.
Turning into the private road that led to
his property, he drove through the electronic gate and was almost
upon the familiar car, before he realized who it belonged to. Sliding
to a stop, he stared at it and felt his mind racing and his body
heating up.
She was here. His hands gripped the
steering wheel until his knuckles showed white. Why the hell was she
here? To see Jason of course. The boy had not been to school in two
days because of an acute case of allergies. No doubt, he had called
to let her know he was not feeling well, and she had rushed here to
see him.
He was not certain how he felt about that.
Or how he was going to face seeing her again, after what had happened
between them.
Leaving the vehicle parked behind hers, he
alighted slowly, slamming the door shut. Grabbing his case from the
passenger seat, he made his way up the steps. The heavy doors swung
open as if on cue as soon as he hit the porch.
Nodding briefly to the butler, he
surrendered his jacket.
"Is my mother here?"
"Yes sir." Sulley draped the
jacket over his arm in a precise manner, brushing invisible lint from
the fine cashmere material. "She's upstairs with the visitor.
They're both in Mr. Jason's room. Would you like a drink?"
"No." He stood there as if
undecided what to do next.
"Shall I tell the housekeeper to set
an extra place for Ms. Bennett?"
"I'm sure she will be leaving soon.
How long has she been here?"
"Around a half an hour. Will that be
all, sir?"
"Yes. Thank you."
He went to the staircase and stood there
gazing upwards before going up. He would look in on Jason and say
hello. That's it. He had nothing to say to her-Christ! That was a
damn lie. He wanted to see her, touch her-take her saucy mouth and
crush it beneath his.
Taking a deep breath, he headed for his
son's suite and pushed at the doors. His mother was seated on a sofa,
with her phone and a notebook in her hand. And she was sitting on the
edge of the bed, holding Jason's hand.
He felt the unfamiliar emotion sliding into
his system. It took him a few seconds to realize that it was
jealousy. He was jealous of his own son! Christ! Jamming his hands
into his pockets, he was about to step into the room when his mother
looked up. Her expression changed to one of wary caution and her eyes
darted to the woman seated on the edge of the bed.
Before she could say anything, Jason's eyes
darted to the doorway and saw him. Jack felt a slight twinge when the
boy's expression changed from one of animation to that of fear and
displeasure.
"Dad."
"Darling, I thought you were having
dinner elsewhere."
He noticed when Zuri's shoulders stiffened
and met her long cool gaze with his unfathomable one. Her hair was
brushed back and braided, the thick plait over her left shoulder. And
she was wearing some sort of ruby red sweater dress. His stomach
churned and for a few seconds, all he could do was stare at her and
yearn. It frightened him how much.
"It was cancelled." He walked
into the room and stood just behind her as he glanced at his son.
"How are you?"
Jason started in surprise at the question.
"Feeling much better. I called Zuri
and she came over to see how I was doing." It was spoken in a
challenging tone as if he was waiting for Jack's disapproval.
"Ms. Bennett." He acknowledged
her presence with a nod of his head.
"Mr. Hadley." She turned towards
him briefly.
"Might I have a word with you?"
"Dad-"
"It's fine." He sent the boy a
slight smile. "I just need to discuss something with her."
"And I need to go and deal with this
matter." Millicent rose and came over to kiss her grandson
lightly on the forehead. "Try and get some sleep."
"You'll come back and say goodnight?"
Jason gripped Zuri's hand in his.
"I promise." Leaning over, she
brushed a lock of hair from his forehead. "You don't look ill at
all. Sure, you're not faking it?"
His eyes darted over her shoulder to study
his father's inscrutable expression.
"I'm sure."
"Okay buddy, see you in a bit."
She kissed his cheek and rose. Without looking at Jack, she made her
way out, with him following her. As soon as they cleared the rooms,
he took her arm and guided her along the passageway. Neither of them
spoke as he pushed open heavy mahogany doors to his suite.
Zuri got the impression of simple elegance
in the sitting room, before he opened the door to a bedroom that
could easily fit her entire suite of rooms. To her surprise, she
noticed that it was sparsely furnished and very utilitarian. Before
she could notice anything else, he was pushing her back and trapping
her body between his and the door.
"What-"
That was as far as she got, before his lips
were crushing hers. She made a token effort to resist, but that was
pride, and it was no match for the fire that the touch of his mouth
and tongue had lit inside her. Giving up the struggle, she sighed,
wrapping her hands around his neck.
As soon as he felt her compliance, he
deepened the kiss, hands roaming restlessly up and down her body. He
felt the familiar sensations hitting him with a force that left him
staggered. Her breath sent him whirling, the feel of her slender
curves beneath his hands was maddening. The entire thing was insane.
He wanted her more than he wanted to breathe. And it was scaring the
hell out of him. Everything he had said to himself for the past two
days made no sense whatsoever. It took one look at her to make him
realize that the need was not going away.
With a muffled groan and a smothered curse,
he dragged his lips from hers to trail kisses down her cheeks. Hiking
up the dress over her hips, he eased away the sides of her flimsy
panties to touch her flesh. She was wet and hot. With a tormented
groan, he plunged his fingers in. She came explosively, her body
bucking against him, body arched.
It drove him even further to madness. With
a feral growl, he attacked her throat, savaging the skin. And he was
hard as steel. Reaching between them, he released his throbbing
erection. Hiking up her legs, he wrapped them around his waist and
without finesse, drove into her hard enough to slam her up against
the door.
The breath whistled out of his lungs, and
he had to stop to get his bearings. Fighting to regain the control,
he took her lips in a slow kiss that surprised them both. His mouth
moved over hers gently, tasting, savoring as his body plunged into
hers.
She came again. And the tenuous hold on his
control snapped when she dug her fingers in his hair and then his
neck. He came, emptying himself into her, until his body was drained
and weak. She sagged against him, her face buried in his throat. He
felt her breath against his skin and had to fight the urge to cradle
her and take her to bed.
Feeling him withdrawing, Zuri let her
nerveless limbs slide off his back until they hit the floor.
Carefully schooling her expression, she straightened her dress and
moved away from him.
"Let me get you a wet cloth." She
stood where she was and waited while he went into the bathroom. He
came back out within minutes and handed it to her. Giving him a
pointed look, she arched her brows and waited for him to turn his
back so she could try and repair what she could. She still smelled of
sex, of him and realized she could not go back into Jason's room,
smelling like she did.
"I will say your goodbyes," he
told her quietly, when he turned around.
"Thanks." She handed him the
washcloth and opened the door to leave.