Chapter 13
13
J AMES
Moments earlier.
They’re gone.
I glance at the dance floor again. And then at the table. Ed is there, talking to the people at our table.
Okay.
I head that way, still scanning the crowd, when I spot Rain.
She cuts her way through a group of people while I halt and crane my neck to get a better view of her.
Someone calls her name. A man. She’s heard him, too, so she stops and spins around to face him and the woman at his side.
I veer that way, and they all come into view.
Rain’s face strikes me as unusually white. Her eyes land on the man’s face, and something hits me in my chest.
The woman purses her lips in contempt, glaring at Rain.
She has a picture-perfect face, shoulder-length hair, a creepy coldness in her eyes, and no trace of sensuality.
A tight body fills her dress.
She flicks her gaze to him, noticing how taken he is with… Rain?
She must be his wife.
He can’t break his gaze away from Rain, and my chest feels hollow.
Younger than his wife, the man flashes all the signs of ‘fuck you’ money.
Comfortable wealth.
Lost for words, he takes Rain in, a nostalgic smile glinting in his eyes.
And, um. Oh… Fuck. It instantly dawns on me.
He must’ve fallen for Rain at one point or another.
He was, or perhaps still is, one of her clients.
Annoyed by his reaction, his wife quirks her eyebrow, ready to make a scene.
Rain glances at our table, restless.
Grappling with mixed emotions, I erase the space between us and inject myself into their little life drama.
Laying a hand on Rain’s back, I give everyone a soft nod. A shudder travels through her body as I touch her skin.
The man’s eyes shift to me, offering more clues.
He is who I thought he was.
Surprise flashes through his gaze, and a boatload of regret similar to mine.
He snaps out of his stupor before making the introductions.
Swiftly using my presence, he attempts to save himself some trouble by avoiding a conflict.
He’s interested in who I am.
And so am I.
“David Moore.”
“James Sexton.”
Eyes locked, we firmly shake hands, smiling.
In different circumstances, we would’ve hit it off right away.
“Sexton... As in the Sexton Casino Enterprise,” he says, a charming grin glowing over his handsome features.
My stomach hurts as if I swallowed shards of glass.
He could’ve been the fucking one.
“Yes... That’s me,” I say, smiling casually.
His eyes dart back and forth between Rain and me, a knowing smile tilting his lips.
I loop my arm around Rain’s waist and pull her into me. His wife winces as if a grain of sand got stuck in her eye.
Smoothly, David and I start chatting about doing business in New York, ignoring the tension between the two women.
Later, we exchange business cards and say goodbye, the women witnessing everything from the side.
I take Rain’s hand and walk her across the room before she slumps into her seat a moment later, her face paler than the linens on the table.
I’m still standing, and so is Lex.
“What happened to her, James?” Ed asks, genuinely concerned.
Lex glances at me.
Rain looks away, hiding her teary eyes.
“Who’s David Moore, babe?” I ask in a frosted voice.
Edward’s eyes move to her while Lex’s gaze stays on me.
“He was my first client,” she says before I lock eyes with Lex.
He was right.
He was fucking right.
She was lucky.
She met just the right man.
“I want to go home,” she says, broken.
“Excuse me?”
I shoot my eyes at her, cocking an eyebrow.
She doesn’t look at me.
“I want to go home. My home,” she says, tears glinting in her eyes.
I grab her by the elbow and pull her up.
Her chair scrapes against the floor, summoning a few pairs of eyes to us.
Unfocused, her gaze hovers over my face.
She seems removed from everything, myself included, and a blaze burns through my skin.
Studying her, I grow furious by the second.
“Let’s go home then,” I growl through locked teeth, hauling her away.
“James?” Lex barks. “You’re not doing that again.”
He quickly closes the space between us, and his hand curls around my shoulder.
More people flick their eyes to us.
“I’m not doing anything, Lex,” I shoot at him.
“Take it easy, then... All right?”
I glare at him.
“I will. Just back off, for fuck’s sake,” I growl quietly.
He steps aside before I lead Rain out of the room.
Half an hour later, the car pulls up in front of my place.
“What are we doing here?” she asks, glancing up at the building.
“You get your things before you go home,” I say, having a hard time containing my anger.
Reluctantly, she gives me her hand, and I help her out of the car. We ride the elevator to the top floor, both lost in thought, her gaze pinned to the floor.
The doors open before we step out and stop in front of my suite.
She doesn’t look at me as I hold the door open for her.
As soon as she slips in, I shut and lock it.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” she barks, spinning to me.
“You’re not going anywhere,” I say, cold as ice.
Fury simmers in her eyes.
“You don’t get to tell me what to do.”
“I just fucking did,” I snap. “You’re not going anywhere until you tell me what the fuss was all about.”
“I don’t need to tell you anything,” she retorts, glowering at me.
“Oh, yes. You fucking do. What the hell do you think you’re doing? You ran into some dick from the past, and suddenly you bail out on me? No fucking way. You wouldn’t do that to anyone else, would you? Why do you always change the rules when it comes to me? Why am I so fucking special?” I thunder.
Balling her hands into fists, she meets my eyes with a death glare before she changes her mind and spins away from me, avoiding an open confrontation.
“Hey... Hey. Where are you going?”
I pace after her and grab her arm. She slips out of my grip and vanishes into the bathroom.
I put my fist into the locked door.
“Open the fucking door, Rain. Don’t make me come for you.”
“Leave me alone,” she shouts from behind it.
I search around and find the extra key tucked in a drawer.
By the time I unlock it, she’s exited the bathroom through the other door.
She sprints away from me while I cut off her retreat, my hands falling on her dress. She jerks away, and the silky fabric tears open, sliding off her shoulders.
“Fucking jerk,” she snarls, leaping over the bed.
I toss the gown on the floor and lunge at her.
She takes a sharp turn and slips into another bedroom. I go after her and close the door behind me.
She has nowhere to go.
She jumps on the bed and looks at me, her chest rising and falling sharply.
Calm, I shrug out of my jacket and take off my bowtie.
Unfazed, I remove my cufflinks and unbutton my shirt.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“Getting what I’ve paid for,” I say darkly.
I peel off my shirt and throw it on a chair before kicking off my shoes, my eyes trained on her.
She looks at the door.
“Don’t even think about it,” I say, unbuckling my belt. “You’re not getting away this time.”
I let her make the first move before I charge at her, wrap my arm around her, and roll with her onto the bed.
She bites my arm as I lock her down, pulling her under me.
Sinking my hand into her hair, I crash my mouth onto hers.
Her kiss burns my mouth, her crying moans rolling into my throat as her tongue moves with mine, her mouth sucking on me ferociously.
We burn into each other fast.
Her moans echo in my ears as her hand shoots for my groin, cupping my bulge.
Rushed, I scoop her breasts out of her bra and knead them roughly before pinching her hard nipples, making her growl with pleasure.
She squeezes my shaft as I lower my head to her chest and take the hard buds into my mouth, one by one.
She spreads her legs for me, her moans making my dick pulse and drip with pre-cum.
I slip my fingers inside her panties and pull them down.
Swiftly, she undoes my pants and slides them to my hips.
“Come inside me, baby... Inside me…” she chants, her eyes vacant.
I drive my cock hard into her, and the light comes back to her eyes. She looks at me as if she hasn’t seen me in a while, a smile sprouting on her lips, her body squirming under mine, her nails sinking into my back.
I thrust into her harshly.
“I’m so sorry, James. I’m so sorry, baby. For everything,” she murmurs, lost in my arms.
* * *
RAIN
He feels like heaven.
Propped on his elbows, he rolls his hips, his breaths fanning over my lips, his eyes gleaming with lust and pleasure.
I run my fingers over his arms and chest, and shoulders, kissing him tenderly.
And then a nagging thought comes out of nowhere.
This will be over soon.
I don’t want to think about it.
That doesn’t mean it won’t happen.
I kiss him affectionately, my center throbbing around him while he showers me with his intense passion.
He breaks the kiss and looks at me, his face flushed, his eyes burning as I curl my arms around his neck and pull him back to me.
He grabs my hair and kisses me again, owning me entirely.
My legs are locked around his waist, my grip hard across his neck as he smoothly takes me to a peak of pleasure, making me come with him again.
Shuddering, I get the relief I seek.
“James...” I murmur, sighing contently as if I just had a revelation.
We catch our breaths, embraced, with no word ever spoiling this perfect moment.
Half an hour later, he emerges from the bathroom, a black plush towel wrapped around his waist. He walks to the living room first before entering the bedroom.
A couple of glasses dangle from his hand.
A bottle of Dom Perignon Rose is clutched in his other hand.
He pops the cork and fills the glasses. My eyes connect with his as he lifts his glass in the air.
We clink them.
“Cheers,” he says, winking at me.
“What are we drinking to?”
“Our last days together,” he says, his voice and eyes unreadable.
My lips remain glued to the rim of my glass, an aroma of citrus peel and dried fruit rolling over my tongue.
He observes me as I push back my feelings, and then he slides next to me, turns onto his side, and props himself on his elbow, searching my eyes.
“So, why were you upset?” he asks.
My eyes dip to his lips before sliding to his chest.
I fill my mouth with champagne and swallow slowly.
“Were you in love with that man?” he asks, guarded, and cold.
I examine his eyes.
“He was.”
A knowing smile colors his gaze.
Tilting his head back, he takes a swig, his eyes locked with mine.
“How come you didn’t fall for him?”
“I’d been burned once, so I didn’t want a repeat,” I say.
Biting the inside of his cheek, he looks down for a second.
“So why all the drama?” he asks.
“I hate running into someone from the past when I’m with a client.”
A muscle pulses in his jaw as I gauge his reaction.
“I’m a big boy, aren’t I? And it’s not as if I found you at a nun convent… Something tells me it’s more than that,” he says, watching me over the rim of his glass. “What’s the man’s story?”
“You’ve seen half of it. He’s married. The other half is his business. He’s rich.”
“I had no doubt,” he says, his voice hollow. “What happened to him?”
“He moved to Hong Kong when his wife found out about me. I didn’t know about her until the end of our affair. Someone tipped her off, and she hired a PI, gathered some information, and started to blackmail him. She asked him to stop seeing me, and just to be sure, she also asked him to move away. Then, she threatened me. It all fizzled out after a while. As I said before, I never had the chance to meet her. Tonight, she rolled her eyes in disgust, spewing hatred toward me.”
“What did you expect?” he asks dryly.
“Nothing. It’s just that she reminded me of my sister and the vile emotions she had had for me that I’d never understood.”
“Is that why you almost cried?” he asks incredulously.
“No...” I say, looking away, tears welling up in my eyes. “It wasn’t because of her... It was because of us.”
* * *
JAMES
Tears stream down her face. Quiet, sad tears pulling at my heart’s strings.
“I didn’t want you to see me like this,” she says, looking down. “It was a low moment for me. I may not be a proud woman, but I’m a decent one. I try to be. I never wanted to hurt anyone. I didn’t want to be a dark chapter in so many people’s lives. I’ve had enough hatred at home and get plenty of it now. And the way things look right now, there is more to come,” she says before sobbing softly.
Something tightens in my chest.
I put my arm around her and pull her into my chest, her shoulders shaking as she sobs.
Gently, I stroke her hair, thoughts spinning in my head.
I should’ve never let her go.
I had her in that perfect moment of her life, just as she was ready to bloom. She was like a delicate flower barely curling its petals up, absorbing the sun and looking at the sky for the first time.
But I was more than willing to hurt her.
I did what everybody else had done before me because, deep down, I envied her.
She was pure, and I was damaged.
She still believed in good things, and I lost faith.
She was trustful, and I was cold and detached.
I loved her, and at the same time, I wanted to destroy her, to make her more like me. More human.
That’s what Lex meant when he said she needed to grow up and discover who I was. He knew I wouldn’t meet her halfway.
Either she became like me or else.
And she did.
She fucking did.
She runs her fingers under her eyes, wiping away her tears.
I glance outside.
“What about going out for a walk?” I say, checking my phone. “It’s still early.”
She looks at me, intrigued.
“Do you like snow?” I ask.
She nods, softly smiling.
“Good. There’s plenty outside.”
I push off the bed and stretch my hand out, helping her.
Twenty minutes later, wearing jeans, sweaters, jackets, and boots, we stroll down Lexington Avenue.
Just as we're getting ready to cross the street and walk to Central Park, the smell of freshly baked cookies drifts to us.
I glance around and spot the foggy windows of a bakery.
Her eyes follow my gaze.
“You like sweets,” I say, swinging the door open.
She smiles.
“Yes, I do.”
The place is small and smells like chocolate, cinnamon, and vanilla.
The owner packs a box of raspberry-filled cookies, chocolate snowballs, chocolate-dipped sugar cookies, and ginger crisps. She picks them, and I pay for them.
We slip outside and cross the street, heading to the park.
As soon as we walk around the corner, we stop so she can dig into the box.
She tries a couple, her eyes sparkling with delight.
A gust of wind blows the powdered sugar in her face, dusting her lips and cheeks. Her nose. She squints, the sugar clinging to her lashes.
Looking at me, she wrinkles her nose, and for a moment, I think she’s about to smile when she sneezes, blowing the rest of the sugar off the cookie.
I bite my lip, trying to push back a laugh.
“Eat it, for fuck’s sake,” I say.
“It’s not funny,” she says, her chin tipping up before she sneezes again.
The effort makes her lose her balance, and before I catch her, she lands on her butt, her cookie held up high in her hand.
“At least you’ve got your priorities straight,” I say, hooking my hands under her arms and pulling her up.
I brush the snow off her butt.
“We won’t move until you’re done eating,” I say, wrapping my arms around her.
She chews slowly, her red muffler sprinkled with sugar and cookie crumbs. I peel my glove off and run my fingers over her skin, brushing away the sugar from her cheeks and lashes.
Her eyes follow mine, spellbound.
“What is it?” I ask, tucking a strand of hair away from her face.
“You feel bad for me.”
I click my tongue.
“No… I feel bad for us,” I say, my smile fading.
“I want another one,” she says.
I flip the cover open, and she takes two.
“Are they that good?” I ask, grinning.
“They are. You should try one.”
I pick a chocolate cookie. It melts in my mouth.
“I also like to be held in your arms,” she adds before swallowing.
I had no doubt.
I tighten my arm around her, holding her.
Embraced, we stand in the middle of the empty street, a curtain of snow flowing around us along with unending silence.
She chews on her cookie, lost in thought, before she trains her eyes on me again.
“Why me, Rain?” I ask softly, looking deep into her eyes. “Why did you choose me? You could’ve had any of us.”
Snowflakes land on her hair while she studies me in silence.
Softly, she shakes her head.
“I didn’t choose you… My heart did.”