Chapter 22 #2
"I don't think you'll have a problem," Claudia reassured. “Just be the beautiful, brave woman you are and everything will be fine.”
She left Addison to finish getting ready for her date and headed for the elevator.
She pressed the button for the penthouse floor, entering the code that would allow access.
She wasn't even remotely surprised when, instead of going to the penthouse, the elevator stopped on the security floor.
A smirk twitched the edge of her lips when the elevator door opened to reveal an irate Daniel on the other side.
"I knew you put more bugs in her place," Claudia announced, as he stepped onto the elevator and jabbed the button and the code, sending the elevator on its way up to its destination. "You're such a creep, Daniel."
"Don't give a shit what you think. Where’s she going?" he asked, his tone suggesting she really only had one option when responding.
Claudia rolled her eyes. The elevator arrived and the doors opened onto the spacious entrance leading to the penthouse. Claudia breezed out of the elevator, her Louboutin heels clicking against the marble tiles. Daniel grabbed her arm and swung her around before she reached the door.
"Tell me," he growled down at her.
Claudia's green eyes snapped up at him in annoyance.
“You don’t deserve anything after what you did to her!
" she hissed furiously, knowing if Tyson heard them in the hallway he would demand to know why Daniel was manhandling Claudia.
He would be pissed at Daniel, but also just as likely irritated with her for causing trouble.
"Addison is an amazing person with more heart in her whole body than you have in one tiny little cell.
So you can just fuck off an let her have a good time on her date! "
Daniel let go of her arm and stepped away from her, just as the condo door swung open.
"Claudia," Tyson's deep voice drawled warningly from the doorway, "what have I told you about baiting Mercer?"
She turned and looked at her fiancé, widening her eyes innocently. "But darling, he started it."
"Inside," he growled, opening the door wide.
Claudia sauntered into the penthouse, squeezing Tyson's bicep on her way by. Daniel turned to leave, but Tyson stopped him.
"Come in for a minute, Mercer. I need to talk to you."
Daniel looked like he might argue, but after a second’s hesitation followed Tyson into the condo and closed the door. He stood stiffly, waiting for King's instructions.
Tyson took his time pouring Claudia a glass of her favourite chilled white wine while she settled herself on one of the stools at the island.
She was watching Daniel from beneath long mascaraed eyelashes, her flashing green eyes calculating.
Daniel looked as though he would murder her without hesitation if he wasn’t being paid to do the exact opposite.
Tyson stepped around the island, making sure he was a little closer to the object of Daniel’s ire.
Not that he thought for a second he could stop the other man if Daniel decided to get physical.
“You have a meeting with DeLuca?” King asked.
Daniel jerked his head in confirmation, his eyes never leaving Claudia’s back. She crossed her legs and settled onto the stool more comfortably as though enjoying his seething attention.
Finally, as though the words were dragged from him, Daniel growled, “Where’s she going?”
Claudia turned slowly on her stool to give Daniel her disdainful attention. “Why do you care? It’s not like you’ve said boo to her in almost two months.”
“Why’d you call her brave?” he demanded, ignoring her attitude. “What’s so brave about a damn date?”
Claudia frowned a little, remembering back to her conversation with Addison. Then she giggled. “Oh yeah,” she took a healthy gulp of wine and fanned herself a little, “it’s not the date itself that’s so brave, it’s the after party.”
“So, what,” he snapped, “plans on fucking him?”
“Oh yeah,” she grinned, “both of them.”
Daniel looked like he was going to murder someone; Claudia in particular. Tyson took a step closer to Claudia, put a broad hand on her knee and squeezed, encouraging her to stop talking. After a few tense seconds, Daniel turned on his heel and headed for the door.
“Make the meeting with DeLuca, then worry about the girl,” King rumbled after him.
Daniel said nothing, closing the door forcefully as he left.
Tyson squeezed Claudia’s knee again and slid his hand up her thigh, flirting with the edge of her cream coloured pencil skirt. “You enjoy causing havoc in our tower, don’t you my queen?”
Claudia pouted. “I’m only watching out for my friend.”
“By trying to push a very dangerous man over the edge,” Tyson leaned in to growl against her ear. “Do you have any idea what I would do to you if I found out you were about to engage in a threesome?”
He took her skirt in his large hands and yanked it up her thighs, pulling her forward at the same time and forcing her legs to uncross. He tipped her backwards and pulled her legs wide, enjoying the view of white lace panties. She gasped and clutched at his shoulders.
“I think you might need a spanking. A reminder not to play dangerous games,” he said, leaning in to nip at her cleavage.
He slid his hands down her thighs and ran his thumbs along the inside of her panties lightly caressing her shaved pussy lips and drawing a delicious moan.
“And teach you not to mess with my security chief.”
Claudia tilted her hips against his seeking fingers and said huskily, “I think you should try it and see if I learn any lessons.”