Chapter 14
Piper
I t’s been one week since I had my interv iew at Blackwood Strategic Advisory. An interview I still don’t know how I feel about.
Part of me feels weirdly proud. I made a choice, took control. But then there’s that other voice, curled in the back of my skull like smoke, whispering that I sold my body for an opportunity I haven’t even started earning.
Thankfully, I’ve mostly been able to ignore that voice. Even if it’s right, who cares? I have landed one of the most prestigious internships that exists. Not just in D.C., but globally.
With Lena out of town, I’ve buried my negative feelings in what must be gallons of ice cream and more bottles of wine than I care to admit. A part of me is happy she’s gone. Otherwise, I would have confessed everything the second I got back from the interview. And… well, I really don’t want to.
The day after the interview, I received a package from the company. A man wearing a crisp suit delivered a bouquet of black tulips, a bottle of Louis Roederer Cristal Rosé Champagne, and a matte black folder embossed with the Blackwood crest—a wolf with its maw open in a silent howl.
Inside the folder was the contract I signed while blindfolded, onboarding documents—including a very strict dress code, an even stricter moral code of conduct, and instructions on how to contact my driver.
There was also a sleek brass Blackwood name badge for office access, already stamped with my face. Judging by the looks of it, it was taken of me as I entered the building the day I went for the interview.
The last thing inside the folder was a note from Maria—handwr itten in careful script, just polite enough to feel impersonal.
We’re thrilled to have you join us. Sincerely, Maria Wilson
Later that afternoon, an email followed.
“Per company policy, all new Blackwood hires must undergo a comprehensive medical screening. Your appointment has been scheduled at Arlington Diagnostic last menstrual cycle, contraceptive use, and if I have any history of miscarriage or abortion. I answer each question honestly.
“Are you sexually active right now?”
I snort. “No.” And then just because I feel fucking awkward, I smirk and add, “But it’s not from a lack of trying.”
Ignoring my lame attempt at a joke, she carries on. It feels like she’s asking me a million questions before she finally puts her tablet down and announces it’s time for the sensory tests. Christ, this is going to be the day that never ends. That health insurance better be wor th it.
Lorenzo
The moment I step onto the jet in Montreal, my phone buzzes with an incoming call from Dr. Voss. I tap my earpiece, answering the call.
“Lorenzo,” she greets.
I gesture for the stewardess to bring me my usual drink. “Good evening, Emily. How did the appointment with Miss Harrington go yesterday morning?”
She throws herself into an explanation that’s more Latin than English with all the different medical terms she uses. “I’ve already sent the report to Maria for the insurance.”
“Thank you,” I state.
Even though I have a special interest in my toy’s results, that’s not why Maria set up the appointment. We do have great insurance, and thorough health checks are needed for that. Normally, our interns don’t get full medical coverage. But there’s nothing normal about Piper.
“Maria mentioned you might be interested to know that the results I’ve gotten back for Miss Harrington are great. I’ve emailed them to you.”
I open my email, immediately seeing the top two are from the good doctor, and another one from Maria.
Ending the call with Voss, I focus on the one from Maria first. It doesn’t take long to figure out it’s a CliffsNotes version. It’s times like these that my assistant deserves a raise for anticipating my needs.
After spending two days at a summit in Montreal, I’m beyond exhausted, and not in the mood for lengthy and convoluted medical jargon.
I skim Maria’s summary, eyes dragging over each line until one detail makes me pause:
Miss Harrington stated she is not currently sexually active. Birth control status: IUD. No current sexual partners. Clear history.
Not currently sexually active?
My jaw tightens as I clench the phone harder while swiping to the video file attached. It’s only a snippet, under two minutes. I tap play, and there she is; my toy. Sitting with her legs crossed, eyes forward, looking so fucking composed.
“Are you sexually active right now?” Voss asks.
Piper snorts. “No.” Then she smirks— smirks —and adds, “But it’s not from a lack of trying.”
I pause the video, and for the span of a single breath, I see red.
She just said she’s not sexually active like it’s a fact. Like she didn’t choke on me during her interview, and cream all over my fingers like a good f ucking toy.
My jet lifts off, slicing through the Montreal sky, but I don’t look out the window. I don’t need a view—I’ve already got one burned into the back of my eyes. That fucking smirk.
I sit back, phone in hand, the screen still open to Maria’s email. My thumb rests over the line I’ve reread half a dozen times already—not sexually active—and I want to laugh. Or maybe I want to burn something to the fucking ground.
She said it to Dr. Voss with that coy little shrug of hers, like the words meant nothing. No. But it’s not from a lack of trying. Her voice was breezy, flippant, almost amused.
Like swallowing my cum didn’t count. Like letting me slide my fingers inside her perfect cunt until she came all over my hand didn’t register as sex because it didn’t come with a condom and a fucking penetration checklist. The growl building in my throat is as feral as I feel.
Someone kicks my shin under the table, and my gaze snaps up to… Cy. Fuck, I’d forgotten he was here. The second Voss called, everything but my toy ceased mattering.
I tear my earbud from my ear just in time to hear Cy say, “… if you keep making those noises I’ll have someone give you a fucking rabies shot when we land, Cujo.”
“Shut the fuck up,” I snap, not in the mood.
“What’s the matter?” he asks, eyebrows furrowing together. “Did something happen with—”
“This isn’t about work,” I almost snarl. Then I take a deep breath, forcing myself to calm the fuck down.
I bring the glass to my mouth, but the whiskey barely touches my tongue before I’m setting it down again. She thinks she’s clever, that she can compartmentalize and… and what? Pretend I didn’t finger her to orgasm?
That’s not how the world fucking works—not the one I’m in charge of, anyway. I will make her fucking admit what happened. I’ll make her own up to every single moan.
“Come on,” Cy sighs. “Tell me what the fuck’s the matter. Is it more shit about the former Senator Jacobs?”
I shake my head. “No, it’s not fucking Jacobs. After I had the autopsy report released, everyone believed it was a tragic accident.”
“Okay, so if it’s not about him, is it Remus that has you this worked up?”
I shake my head again. Knowing there’s only one way to shut Cy up, I tell him what Piper said to Voss while answering her questions, even show him the short video clip.
“Fuck me,” Cy laughs. “That’s ballsy. I like her.”
At that, I bare my teeth, another growl slipping free. “Stop talking about her!”
Sti ll laughing, Cy holds his hands up in a placating gesture. “Not like that, for fuck’s sake. Seriously, you need to get a hold of yourself. This is not like you at all.”
“It is now.” That’s all I say. The silence isn’t empty—it’s laced with expectation.
The jet ride back is smooth, but I don’t notice. I don’t fucking care. The only thing I care about is what I’m going to do to her. How I’m going to punish her.
Just before we land, I check the cameras in her apartment. She’s not home. I pull out the cloned phone, searching for where she might be. There are no texts or social media check-in’s indicating her whereabouts.
If she’s stupid enough to be out trying to give what’s mine to someone else, I’ll kill whoever touches her.
It’s close to midnight when I finally step out of the jet and onto the tarmac of the private airfield outside D.C. The sky is starless—perfect for a man like me. A muscle in my jaw ticks as I pocket both phones and follow Cy into the waiting SUV.
“Problem?” he asks from beside me, when we’re both seated in the backseat.
“She’s not home,” I bark, turning my attention to my friend. “If she’s with someone else…” I don’t finish the sentence. I don’t need to.
Cy gives a sharp nod, then reaches for his phone. “Want me on standby?”
“I want you ready for cleanup,” I bite out. “Just in case.”
When the driver glances at me in the rearview mirror, I meet his eyes without flinching, and tell him to take us to Piper’s apartment.
Almost halfway there, the cloned phone vibrates in my pocket, and I quickly pull it out. It’s a text from Lena, replying to one Piper sent just seconds ago. Apparently, my toy’s been busy at Georgetown’s library, studying.
I let out a heavy breath, feeling better already.
The ride through D.C. is a blur of lights and fury. By the time we pull to a stop outside her building, I turn to Cy. “You can go home,” I tell him. Now that I know I won’t need to kill anyone tonight, I don’t need him around. My plans for my toy are between the two of us.
“Really?” His entire face lights up. “Good. I had plans to get my dick sucked, and you’re kind of interfering.”
I arch an eyebrow. “Fuck, Cy. I’m glad you added the last part.”
He grins wickedly. “No offense, man, but you’re really not my type.”
Snorting, I offer up my condolences to whatever woman he has his eyes set on. Then I exit the car.
Piper’s scent hits me as soon as I let myself inside her home. Vanilla and something uniquely hers that clings to the air like a whisper only I’m meant to hear. It wraps around me before the door clicks shut behind me.
I don’t turn on the lights since I already know where everything is. Sitting down on the couch, I notice the book face down on the armrest. For once, not something political. This looks like… ah, never mind. A political thriller. For some reason, that makes me chuckle.
Her cardigan is draped over the back like she left in a hurry. I rest my elbows on my knees, staring straight ahead.
Outside, life goes on. Inside, time holds its breath. I’m about to get up and stretch my legs when I hear keys jangle just before sliding into the lock. A smile splays along my lips, anticipation coils.
Then she opens the door.