Chapter 9
CHAPTER NINE
dom
Jesus. I run my fingers through my hair while sitting at my desk.
I’ve been in meetings all day, putting out fires over the phone, not to mention all the shit I handled over the weekend.
The only time I didn’t work was to hit the gym in my building, eat something to keep me going, sleep, and stop by the hospital to see Cory.
After the weekend and today, dealing with a billionaire trust-fund kid whose daddy handed them a logistics empire, which the guy was running straight into the ground, was the final drop.
I’d come up with a plan he didn’t like at first, but an hour into the meeting and with a hell of a lot less patience, I told him to take it or leave it.
He left, throwing what could only be called a temper tantrum.
The fucker will come back, and when he does, it’ll cost him.
The last thing I want to focus on is work. The only thing I care about is the clock, and my watch glares back at me. I should have taken it off hours ago. Time is moving at a snail’s pace, mocking me with how many hours are left before I can get my hands and eyes on Cory.
“At least something is finally going right today,” I mutter when my cell phone buzzes against the wood desk. My irritation slowly dissipates when the screen flashes Cory’s name. I swipe accept on the screen, bring the device to my ear, and lean back in my leather chair.
“Cory.” The way I’m becoming addicted to this woman might become a problem.
“Hey.” Her voice comes through the line a little breathlessly mixed with a slight strain. It cuts through the residual nightmare of the day. “I’m sorry to interrupt.”
“Believe me, you’re not interrupting.” The absolute truth of the matter is, it’s been two days since she’s been in my penthouse.
Two long, agonizing days since I’ve had her taste on my tongue.
I’d managed to steal a brief hour with her yesterday.
Tracking her down at the hospital had been a nightmare of epic proportions that meant calling Miller, asking him to do some fast tracking and finding her walking down the hall toward the cafeteria.
My hands were laden with a large coffee and a to-go bag with a sandwich and cupcake.
I watched her eat sitting in a booth, and while I wanted nothing more than to have another taste of her to hold me over, I knew her place of employment wasn’t the time or the place.
Instead, I pressed a kiss to her forehead when it was time for her to return to work.
“So, I, umm, have a small confession,” she draws me out of my thoughts, sounding nervous.
“Yes, and what is it?” I ask, thinking about the one she spewed the day she signed the contracts and blurted about me not packing her nightstand drawer. I’d been tempted to call in another favor to Miller, one that involved picking a lock.
“There was a bit of a small snafu with my landlord. He was being a nightmare of an asshole about me breaking the lease early, went as far as threatening to sue me for the remainder of my months as well as for damages where there are none. I knew withholding my deposit would be a given, but bringing up the litigation issue seemed a bit excessive when I told him I’d pay for the remainder of my lease. ”
“Do I need to pay him a visit, with my legal team?” My jaw tightens, teeth grinding. Taking my anger out on a man being a dick seems like a good way to exert the pent-up energy that’s further building inside me.
“No, actually.” Her voice goes faint. A sheepish laugh echoes in my ear.
“I kind of handled it, or rather your name handled it. I might have let it slip that you were my boyfriend. I didn’t say fiancé or husband because, well, there’s no ring, and I know we have to build our relationship up.
But once I told him that if he wanted to tie me up in court, he’d be dealing with Dominic Mercer’s entire legal department.
He changed his tune rather quickly. I just, um...
hope I didn’t overstep.” Christ, hearing her use my name to protect herself has my chest tightening and my cock throbbing, hardening instantly, making me want her in front of me right now.
“Cory.” My voice drops, thick and laced with heat I don’t bother to hide. “You can use my name anytime you want. Wear it out, it belongs to you now.” It’s full of innuendo, and I’d much rather her scream my name while I have my head buried between her thighs.
“Right, well…” She clears her throat after a brief silence.
Fuck. Now I’m imagining her doing a hell of a lot more with her mouth.
I can practically see a flush creep up her neck.
“In that case, I’m officially ready for your hired hands to do the heavy lifting.
I’ve got the whole place packed to the gills with boxes.
I’ve donated the bulk of my furniture to the women’s shelter.
They’ll be picking it up within the hour.
I only need your people to load my personal stuff.
Oh, I am keeping one piece of furniture.
It’s not your style, but I’m not budging.
My reading chair goes where I go, even if it’s a bit faded and not aesthetically pleasing.
It comes or I don’t.” There she goes using that word again.
My brain goes haywire, thinking about finally witnessing her in the throes of an orgasm while I feed her my cock inside her wet cunt.
“Bring it. Anything you want, bring it,” I say with a genuine laugh.
“Perfect. I’ll see you later, then.” She takes a page out of my book, leaving me unable to respond since she hangs up abruptly.
The heavy door of my office bounces open.
Dante and Vik stroll in, oozing their usual brand of arrogance, completely ignoring the fact that my door was shut and I know my assistant asked them to hold on.
They don’t fucking listen, bunch of pricks.
I toss the phone on my desk, stand up to button my suit jacket, and start closing shit down for the day.
“Heard you were spotted at the hospital yesterday.” Vik smirks, standing just inside my office.
“And?” I ask.
“Delivering coffee and playing the devoted whatever you want to call it during a certain person’s shift break,” Dante follows up, tossing himself on the sofa, sprawling out.
“Seems like you’re already pussy whipped,” Vik announces. They know that I’ve had my eyes on Cory for a while, and it was Rafe’s idea to get a wife. What they don’t know is the logistics, and they won’t.
“Alex has a big mouth,” I grunt.
“You have no idea. Word travels fast when she’s at her desk, eating lunch with her phone on speaker while talking to all the girls.
” Vik shakes his head. “Man, your balls are already in her purse. Good luck. I think you’re going to need it.
” He slaps my shoulder. I don’t blink or respond.
I adjust my cufflinks, look between the two men, and while I’d normally trade barbs with them, that’s not happening today.
Every second I spend in this office is one I’m not with Cory.
“It’s been fun, boys.” I step around them and stride out of my office. “I’m out of here. Drink your own liquor and stay out of mine.” I raise my hand and flick them off by way of goodbye. Their loud laughter echoes behind me as I swing my office door shut, closing them in.
“Karen.” I walk out into the lobby, my stride purposeful and fast. My assistant looks up from her work on the computer, her fingers paused over the keyboard.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Mercer. I tried to hold them off.”
“Don’t worry about it. They’ll never listen anyway.
I’m working from home for the rest of the day.
I’ll take the conference call with Tokyo there as well.
Can you forward me all of files?” My assistant looks at me like a fish out of water.
That’s two days in the past week I’ve rearranged my schedule.
“Yes, sir, I’ll do so now. Do you need me to rearrange tomorrow night’s dinner meeting as well?” I tap on her desk.
“No, keep that. Add a plus-one to the reservation if you can, though.” A plan formulates and hopefully, Cory’s schedule aligns with our first time out to schmooze the board and its members.
“Of course,” she replies, quickly typing in the adjustment.
“Oh, if there’s nothing else pertinent you need to do for the day, go home.
” I head to the private executive elevator, pulling out my phone and shooting a text to the head of security, telling him to dispatch a moving truck and company to Cory’s apartment immediately.
If my calculations are correct, I’ll be meeting Cory at home at the same time she arrives.