Chapter 30
Audrey
Iwhimper at whatever disturbed me in the middle of my dream. I don’t want to wake up. I want to stay exactly where I am. Dream me is warm and comfortable in Tyler’s bed, his fingers trailing up my inner thigh.
Somewhere in my dream, my name is called, softly but insistently.
“No, I don’t want to wake up,” I mutter as I try to turn, searching out the solace of Tyler’s arms.
“Audrey, wake up, sweetheart. I need you.” Tyler’s tongue follows the path his fingers took just a few moments ago in my dream.
My eyes pop open, disoriented from the darkness still enveloping me. I thrash until Tyler’s touch on my thighs calms me.
“It’s okay. I’m right here.” His voice further settles me.
I blink a few times until I can focus on his shadowy body between my legs. My throat is raspy and dry from sleep when I admit, “I thought I was dreaming this.”
Tyler chuckles, his exhale tickling my sensitive skin. “Nope, this is real life.” He runs his tongue up my slit since, apparently, one of us took my bottoms off at some point.
I moan as his tongue teases me.
“But I can understand,” he whispers. “Sometimes when I look at you, I think I must be dreaming. I must’ve imagined you. But then you smile. Or say my name. Or just…exist near me. And I never want to dream again. Because how could a dream possibly compete with what I have right here?”
His words and his mouth cause a sob and a moan to ripple from my chest at the same time. I reach down, needing to hold something, and grip his hair. The deep grunt he gives when I tug it a little too hard heightens the desire cascading through my system.
When he adds his fingers to his tongue’s ministrations, my back arches off the bed. Every sensation is intense and invigorating to my soul. I don’t want it to stop, even as I beg Tyler to let me come, which will lead to just that.
He murmurs against my skin how perfect and beautiful I am as my orgasm overtakes me, and I cry out his name in a chanting plea. My muscles convulse around his fingers that are still planted deep inside me.
Once my body has finally calmed, he slips his fingers from inside me, and he kisses my inner thigh as he moves back up my body.
I’m still catching my breath when pressure gives way to pleasure as he buries himself inside me.
He cradles my head in his hands and kisses me deeply, allowing me to taste myself on his lips.
His pelvis starts to move with a languor, as if we have all the time in the world, his hardness filling me so full. Each time he’s fully seated, he slowly circles his hips in a way that creates a jolt of renewed pleasure rocketing through my clit.
“Tyler, that feels so good. Please, don’t stop,” I whimper against his lips.
“I don’t plan on stopping until you’re coming on my dick, Audrey.” There’s an edge to Tyler’s words that tells me he’s just as affected.
Another circle. More perfectly placed friction. Another whispered compliment. Everything is so intense, I feel a tear leave the corner of my eye, heading straight to where Tyler’s lips are pressed to my ear, telling me exactly how he feels. Another one follows the same path.
Tyler moves his head an inch and catches that tear with his tongue.
He licks my skin again before the third can get as far.
With anyone else, I wouldn’t like this, but with Tyler, everything’s different.
Instead of weirding me out, his tongue mixed with the thing he’s doing with his hips has me coming harder than I thought possible, having just orgasmed moments before.
His groan is long and low as I feel him pulse inside me, joining me in my release.
“I’m glad you woke me.”
Tyler rolls us, so I am lying on top of him, and kisses the top of my head. “I am too. Now go back to sleep, mama. We have to get up early to get to work.”
Snuggling into his chest, I get more comfortable. I sigh out my contentment as he runs his hand up and down my back, lulling me into peaceful relaxation. There’s nowhere else I’d want to be.
“Audrey, time to go.” Joe’s standing at the entrance of the dining room, with Tyler a few feet behind him.
I avoid making eye contact with Tyler as I stand and grab my purse, my stomach in knots. “I’m ready.”
Joe turns toward the door, and I steal a quick glance at Tyler. My heart pounds harder when he’s watching me, questions burning in the dark eyes that I’ve started to love so much. The charged energy must be palpable, even to him.
I try to smile, but know it falls flat when worry seeps into his features.
I hope he can see the almost imperceptible shake of my head as I turn to walk out behind Joe.
I need him not to do anything or say anything to me right now, or the grip I have on my emotions will loosen, and I fear I’d never get it back.
Everyone’s eerily silent as we climb into the blacked-out SUV.
Tyler starts the navigation system to whatever location Joe must’ve given him before coming to get me.
I stare out the window, not really caring where we’re going, because there’s nothing I can do about it at this point.
I doubt Joe will say what I’m going to be doing for this undisclosed amount of money in front of Tyler, so the only thing I’m curious about is when he’ll tell me that piece of information.
All in due time, I guess.
I’ve been preparing myself for this for five days now. I silently laugh at myself. As if five days would ever be long enough to prepare for something like this.
I’m still not even entirely sure what this is.
But at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter. I need to do this. For more reasons than just being caught.
What if Joe’s serious about paying me? What if he offers me more than, or at least most of, the money I need to help my mom?
I can’t risk not taking the chance.
He may not know how desperate I am, but he clearly senses it. Enough to risk my compliance in what I’m sure will be some unscrupulous activity.
We speed through the city, hitting very little traffic in the early afternoon hours, until the vehicle slows to a stop at the curb outside a condo.
My brow furrows in confusion as I look up at the building.
I shift my eyes to Joe. He’s staring at me, possibly trying to gauge if I’ve figured out what’s happening.
I’m not sure if he’d be happy or not, as I still have no clue.
“Be back in fifteen minutes,” Joe barks out to Tyler.
“Yes, sir. I’ll be back.”
Joe opens his door, so I do the same. As I climb out of the vehicle, I wrestle with myself as to whether I should turn back around and look at Tyler.
I take a calming breath, and when I turn to shut the door, I lock eyes with him.
His nostrils flare, and his eyes narrow.
I know whatever’s about to happen isn’t going to be good, but in that moment, I realize Tyler also feels the precariousness of whatever I’m walking into.
“Audrey,” he calls my name, his voice low to avoid being overheard by Joe.
I shake my head, hopefully conveying that I need him not to make this harder. In a hushed tone matching his, I tell him, “I’ll be fine.”
He looks like he wants to object when I break eye contact and step back. I slam the door and turn to meet Joe, who’s standing by the door, watching me with an annoyed expression.
“Come on, he’s waiting for us.” Joe walks into the lobby, not bothering to make sure I’m following him.
As soon as I clear the threshold of the building, I jog to catch up with him. “Mr. Bassham, can you please tell me what you need me to do?”
He stops and spins to face me. Gripping my upper arm, he pulls me across the lobby to a small alcove. When we’re away from anyone who might overhear us, he spits out, “Do you want to make fifty grand or not?”
I swallow hard. That isn’t enough to cover the entire treatment, but it’s a lot more than I currently have to put toward it.
Joe looks around the lobby. His wrinkles seem deeper, as if he hasn’t been getting enough sleep, and his eyes give away his distress. It scares me that he seems to be more on edge than usual.
But once again, I tell myself there’s no going back.
My curt nod is the only answer he needs. With a hand around my bicep once again, he drags me to the elevator.
“This is just a meeting. You won’t have to do anything today.” He stabs his fingers through his hair. “There’s a lot at stake for me, and I need him to get on board.”
Not knowing who he is, I stay silent as we step into the elevator.
When we get to the twentieth floor, the doors slide open and we move into the hallway.
This is obviously a high-end condo building, from the ornate lobby downstairs to the gorgeous carpet running throughout.
I inhale the pleasant aroma of whatever fresh scent is being pumped into the air.
As if that could erase what nefarious dealings may happen inside these walls.
Stopping in front of a door at the end of the hall, Joe assesses me for a few moments before knocking on the door.
He adjusts his suit jacket while we wait.
I hold my breath as we hear the deadbolt tumble inside the lock.
The door opens slowly until Greg Freeman’s scowling face greets us.
It softens slightly when his gaze stops on me before it flies back to Joe and returns to the hostile glare.
“Bassham, what the fuck are you doing here?”
Joe wears a smarmy smile. “Can we come in?”
Greg’s teeth clench, and his jaw muscles tense. He finally growls a sound of exasperation and steps back to allow us to enter.
As I pass by him, Greg comments quietly, “Audrey, it’s good to see you again.”
I force a smile and lie, “You too, Mr. Freeman.”
We walk into the living room, and Joe throws me an approving smile before gesturing to the couch. “Audrey, have a seat.”
Greg scoffs as he walks over to a bar cart in the corner of the room. “Yes, please, Audrey, make yourself at home. Bassham, don’t bother getting comfortable in my home.”
Unbothered by Greg’s reproach, Joe tells him, “We need to talk about the project. My business partners are growing increasingly unhappy about the delays.”
Instead of answering, Greg pours a healthy amount of dark liquor into a glass and asks, “Audrey, would you like something to drink?”
“I, uh, no, thank you,” I stammer, my stomach flipping in a way that tells me, even if I did want something, that it would be a very bad idea.
He nods and picks up his glass. Turning to face us, he takes a sip, shoving his other hand in the pocket of his slacks. “I told you the other day, I’m trying to get everything done as soon as possible, but some of this can’t be rushed without causing unwanted…issues.”
With a shrug, Joe says, “So you say, but everyone’s getting a little nervous that they’re going to lose a lot of money.”
Greg smirks and takes another sip. “Sounds like maybe you made some promises you’re not able to make good on. And I fail to see how that’s my problem.”
Releasing a loud exhale, Joe pulls out his phone. He cuts his eyes to Greg, then over to me. “Excuse me, I need to take this call.”
He stalks out of the room, heading toward the front door. When the front door closes behind him, I look at Greg to find him studying me intently. My lips twitch in an attempt at a smile.
“Do you like working for Bassham, Audrey?”
I’m caught off guard by the question, though I’m not sure what I expected now that we are alone. “Um, yeah. I mean, I haven’t been working for him very long, but it’s a good job so far.”
His nod is slow, as if he’s contemplating my response. “Well, I’m sure a beautiful woman like yourself has plenty of job options.”
My eyebrows press together, unable to resist the urge to push back. “My looks should have nothing to do with my abilities to find or keep a job.”
“You’re right, but they don’t hurt,” he concedes.
I bite my tongue to retort further and am saved by the front door opening again, signaling Joe’s return.
“Time to go, Audrey.” Joe locks his steely gaze on Greg. “I’ll be in contact soon. We need to get this done.”
Ignoring Joe’s demands once again, Greg watches me as I stand and join Joe. “Come back any time, Audrey.”
Not knowing how to respond to that, I stay silent as Joe and I walk out of Greg’s condo. Joe doesn’t say anything to me until the elevator doors slide closed behind us. “That went better than I could’ve hoped.”
I’m bewildered by his statement since it seemed that Greg didn’t agree to anything Joe asked of him, so I’m not sure what he thinks went well. But I’m grateful Joe seems to be in a better mood than when we arrived.
I just hope it lasts.