Chapter 11
Desmond is set on this whole vacation thing, and much to my dismay, everyone else seems to agree that it’s a great idea.
It’s not that I don’t want to go or have us spend time together away from work and everything else, but I literally just signed a contract to say I’m not with them for money or their name, and now I get to benefit from exactly that.
Not to mention, I don’t love the idea of being out. I know I need to get over it, but all I can think about is Addy and how I might be putting her in danger.
“Will it make you feel better if I tell you we won’t even be in this country anymore?” Alex’s question stops me short as I move around my bathroom, looking everywhere.
It does actually.
But also, “That seems like a lot for a little vacation, Alex.” I move to the drawer below the sink, going so far as to remove everything from each before I groan in frustration and shove it all back in.
What is happening?
“It’s not, though. You need to get over this aversion to our spending money on you.
It’s never going to stop.” I hear him as he gets closer, and a quick glance back shows him standing, gloriously naked.
His shoulder rests against the doorway as he looks down at me, and at least I threw on that robe Nathan gave me last week.
Not that it hides much, but it's still better than being completely bare.
Alex cocks a brow at me. “Like what you see, love?”
I roll my eyes because he knows damn well I do. Turning back to the drawer, I shove it closed with a bit more force than necessary.
“Are you sure she’ll be safe?” I grip the edge of the counter, letting my head sag forward and my eyes fall closed.
I feel him as he steps up behind me; one arm circles around my waist to pull me to his chest as he presses his lips to the back of my head. I blink open my eyes slowly, looking up through my lashes to see our reflection staring back at me.
Fuck, what a picture.
I clench my thighs together as my aching cunt makes itself known.
When did I become this person? We just had sex, twice!
His other hand snakes up my chest, his fingers sprawled open to encircle my throat, as his pointer finger pushes my chin up, forcing my head back.
“What’s with all the huffing and puffing, Cherry?”
Oh, right!
His reminder brings my annoyance right back to the surface, and I purse my lips, which makes him huff a laugh that I feel vibrate through me.
“Words.” He drags his hand back down my throat all the way to my hip before he spins me around, lifting me and setting me on the counter to face him in all of his naked glory.
I open my mouth to explain, but nothing comes out, and I quickly snap it closed again.
I smack a palm to my head.
Why am I like this?
“None of that,” he tuts at me, grabbing my hand and pulling it down to rest on my lap with his.
“My birth control is missing, again,” I say and almost let out a little yip of excitement when my words actually work.
“Again?” he asks, and I really look at him.
“Yes, again. I ordered a new month's supply when I moved in, but I must have misplaced it or something with everything going on. So I ordered more last week. I’ve had it for five days, and it’s gone again.
” I toss my arms up in annoyance because that shit is too expensive to just grow legs and walk away like this.
Alex doesn’t say anything, and after a second, the silence shifts.
“What do you know?”
I can’t prove it, but I’m almost positive Vince is smirking in the front seat. He hasn’t looked at me since he got in the car, so maybe I’m imagining it.
The drive to their office building feels like it takes forever today, and I sit in the back tapping my foot and adjusting.
The sweater dress is cute, with long sleeves and a turtleneck, so at least I’m not cold.
It’s a little shorter than I’m comfortable with and hugs me a little tighter than I like.
The black boots that go up over my knee are freaking adorable, though, and have the smallest heel, meaning I might not break my neck, so at least there's that.
Why I agreed to let Alex pick what I wore, I have no idea, but it’s too late now; it will just have to be a lesson.
When we finally make it, Vince pulls up to the front door, and I impatiently wait for him to move around the back to open my door. Usually, I would fight it, but being here, I know I’m representing Nathan and Alex and the Lawson name in general, so I’ll behave as much as I can, at least.
Vince offers me his hand, and I hesitate for a moment before I reach out gently, setting my hand in his. His fingers close around my hand, damn near devouring it with how much bigger than me he is.
“I’ll be here when you're done,” he says when I stand before him, close enough that I can feel the heat of his body on mine and smell his cologne.
My heart rate hits a bump before going double time, and my hand starts to sweat.
Before it can become too obvious, he releases me, and I’m not sure if I’m grateful or disappointed.
That’s a problem for another time; right now I have something to do.
Wiping my hands down my dress, I push away my trembling nerves, squaring my shoulders and lifting my chin.
Fake it till you make it, indeed.
I breathe in through my nose before blowing out a breath as I move to pull the door open, only for it to be pushed open from the inside.
A man I vaguely remember seeing last time I was here with Addy holds the door open and nods in greeting.
I offer him a tight smile as I move in through the door.
Maybe this is normal; last time I’d been chasing a five-year-old, so I hadn’t been paying super close attention.
I look up, half expecting Emily to smile and wave, but the desk is empty, strange. I make a mental note to ask one of the guys about that later as I make my way through the still-crowded area toward the back wall, where the elevators wait.
Why is it always so crowded? I check my watch to see that it’s just about lunchtime. I guess that makes sense.
I pause, chewing on my lip as I debate whether I should have brought Nathan something to eat. I’ve never really asked, or even stopped to think, about what they eat at the office or whether they even take breaks at all.
Nathan is precisely the kind of man that I can see working through his lunch hour.
No, bad! I’m here because he’s in trouble, not to coddle him.
Though if he hasn’t eaten, I can always order something and have Vince grab it after.
I make it to the elevators without a problem. I half expect someone to stop me, be it a worker or even security, but again, maybe they remember me from when I came with Addy?
Pushing the elevator button for their office, I have to fight the urge to fidget.
Maybe the guards aren’t meant to stop people?
They may just watch?
I nearly jump out of my skin when the elevator dings and the doors open. Before I can chicken out or overthink it, I scurry inside, leaving me no choice but to see it through or face going back out and everyone seeing.
The elevator doesn’t take long, but I use the thirty seconds to take a few deep breaths and get my shit together again.
Their new secretary looks up at me; her eyes bore into me the second the doors rolled open, but there’s no ice the way there was with Anna. No, if anything, she looks curious for a moment before she turns her attention back to whatever it is she was doing before the door opened.
Strange.
The walk to his office takes a minute, down a narrow hall, even in my minimal heels. I take this time to remind myself why I’m here, and by the time I reach his office, I’m all riled up again.
Next time, I’m just going to video call him to yell at him. This is a lot of work.
Too late now.
I stand debating for a moment. Do I knock or not? After what feels like an eternity, I decide to do both. I knock, rapping my knuckles against the hardwood twice before I push the door open without giving him a chance to answer or turn me away.
The doors swing open more easily than should be possible for how big and solid they are, but that’s the least of my concerns as I find Nathan sitting at his desk, his hands steepled in front of his face as his eyes turn from his monitor to where I stand at the door.
He’s upset. I see it written all over his face, for all of two seconds, that is.
My breath catches as if someone cut off my ability to breathe, being on the receiving end of his ire, even if only for a moment.
“Katherine.” His lips turn up ever so slightly, and he quickly pushes to stand before he seems to remember himself. “One moment, gentlemen, I have a guest.”
He clicks something on his keyboard before he moves around his desk toward me, and I feel the shock settle on my face as I realize I’ve just interrupted him during some kind of meeting.
I slap a hand to my mouth and look up at him as he stops before me.
“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry, Nathan. I didn’t realize you were in a meeting,” I apologize in a rush, my words slightly muffled from my hand that I quickly drop back to my side.
“Why didn’t anyone say anything or stop me, for God’s sake?” I question aloud, not expecting an answer, but of course, he has one.
“They would have lost their jobs if they had dared try.”
“What?”
“Everyone who works for me knows they are to treat you the same way they do Alex, Des, and Oliver. There will never be a time when you come to this office and are met with a restriction. Or anywhere for that matter, not if I can help it.”
My mouth hangs open, and I try and fail to make sense of what he just said.
Why would he do that?
“I came here to yell at you,” I blurt, and the second I say the words, I wish the floor would just swallow me up and drop me in hell.
That is, until his lips turn up in one of those rare smiles that makes my blood heat and my pussy clench.
He leans down, getting in my space, and I’m lost to the smell of him, high on the way he makes me feel without even doing anything.
“Oh, did you? And what exactly, my queen, have I done to wrong you enough to warrant a visit?”