Chapter 13
Chapter thirteen
Sage
My feet hurt and I’m tired, but even though I won’t admit this to Barrett, I can admit to myself—I had fun. Not that I plan to repeat the evening. I can now say I’ve experienced the gala, therefore I can knock it.
“Ready to go, pet?”
“Please.”
Barrett takes my glass from my hand and sets it on the bar next to his. When we turn to leave, my boss stops in front of us.
“You’re not leaving so early, are you?” Liam is several drinks in, but only at the state of happy and giddy while standing straight.
“We are.” I don’t offer an explanation, and it’s not early. It’s rumoured the last guest to leave the gala doesn’t leave until almost dawn. I have no desire to stay that long and whatever Barrett needed to accomplish here, he did. I still hate not knowing, even though I understand his reasoning.
“You’ve never met Dorian, have you? I don’t believe you’ve been in the office when he comes in, and this is your first gala.” He waves his arm high while babbling. “Dorian, you haven’t met Sage. She’s one of my best.” In truth, I sometimes feel Liam only tolerates me since Devon died.
Dorian turns his attention to me, starting from the top of my head and slowly moving down my entire body while his grin rises.
He’s ignoring Barrett entirely, which is a mistake.
I feel him tense beside me and I lean in slightly, taking the only comfort I have from the way Dorian’s gaze makes me feel.
It must be because he’s also riding a strong buzz like Liam.
“It’s nice to meet you.” I want to keep my hand to myself, but the professional in me wins and I hold out my hand.
“It’s more than nice. An utter pleasure.” He takes my hand, lifting it to his lips. “You’re hiding all the pretty ones, Liam.”
“Sage hides herself. She’s selective with her clients.”
“And what does one have to do to be selected?” Dorian still holds my hand, his fingers too tight for me to pull away.
“It’s a lengthy process and I’m afraid there’s a long waitlist.” I tug on my hand, forcing him to let go unless he intends to cause a scene. Barrett immediately pulls me closer, drawing Liam and Dorian’s attention.
“You two look as if you’re leaving already.” Dorian scowls. “I insist on a dance before you leave.”
“I rolled my ankle earlier. Just not used to these high shoes. Maybe next time.” I have zero remorse for lying.
I don’t want this man’s hands on me anywhere.
His face and name are well-known and I’d never had an opinion toward him before, positive or negative, but it took all of thirty seconds in his presence to send my nerves into a dizzying panic.
I’ll blame it on the alcohol he’s clearly consumed, but that doesn’t make me any more comfortable with a dance.
Barrett takes the cue and moves us away. I make my steps awkward with a slight hitch on my right side, but as soon as we clear the building, I return to my normal gait.
Barrett is silent as he hurries me into his car. I don’t need to look at him to know his jaw is tense. My peripheral shows me his tight grip on the wheel and focused stare on the road.
He parks in front of my townhouse, but doesn’t turn the car off, leaving the doors locked. I wait.
“I’m sorry you were uncomfortable.”
“It isn’t your fault. I’m fine.”
He sighs and turns off the car. I reach for my handle, but remember his command when arriving at the gala. Letting him open my door is worth the grin he casts down at me while holding out his hand.
Barrett’s hand heats my hip as he walks me to my door, and I have a moment of feeling as if it’s a real date. Butterflies fill my stomach, anticipating the goodnight kiss after a fun night out. And for that moment, I forget this is a job. I forget all about the blackmail and how it backfired.
The butterflies are whispering the memory of the kiss in the coat-room. It was more than a kiss. So much tension and passion filled that bit of contact. I felt the promise he could make if I’d let him. I’m tempted.
With my keys in my hand, I turn to him.
“Inside, pet. We aren’t parting on the front step.” He’s so intense, I don’t dare argue.
Opening my door, I step inside, letting my hand slip from the handle as Barret follows close behind.
Kicking my shoes off, I hold back my groan and keep moving into the living room.
There’s a different energy surrounding us.
It isn’t the fearful one of when he broke in to delete the pictures, and it isn’t quite the same tension that filled the car on the drive here.
Rough fingers gently circle my wrist, pulling me back toward him, but not so hard that I can’t fight him and get away if that’s what I wish. I don’t. This attraction to him has been building higher as the fear of him has been shrinking. Two sides of a scale that will never find a balance.
“Did you enjoy yourself tonight?” His eyes roam my face as he rests a hand on my hip. Heat sears through the silky fabric.
“Parts of it were okay.” Parts that I don’t want to admit to enjoying, yet here I am in his arms. There’s no one around.
If I pull away from him, I won’t be causing a scene.
But it was the moments like this that I enjoyed, despite knowing I shouldn’t.
I only hope he’s having the same dilemma rather than remorsefulness for using me while I’m tethered to him.
“Will you go again next year?”
“Not a chance.” Those words release too much relief. I sag against him.
“There’s something I want to know.” His fingers flex and he lets go of my wrist to cup my jaw.
“What?” The word is a breath across my lips.
“How wet were you, pet?”
I could feign ignorance, but I know what he’s asking. The kiss in the coat room was something I’ve never experienced before. I know he held back.
I swallow. “Dry as a fucking bone.” The lie escapes with a hushed seduction.
It’s my last grasp at denial of what shouldn’t be between us.
I’m going to get hurt and I’ll have no one to blame but myself.
When I went through with this for Nova, I knew there was a high chance I wouldn’t survive in the end, but I never imagined this was how my demise would happen.
“I think I’ll need proof of that.” Barrett’s hand on my face tightens to hold me in place. In the coat-room, he used the wall to keep me where he wanted. Now, it’s his hold and his voice.
He kisses me, a repeat of how we started in the coat-room. Slow and measured until I give him room to devour. My core clenches and I’m fisting his jacket.
The searing heat of his hand on my hip moves. Down and inward—his destination clear. The slit in my dress reaches the perfect height for him to search for his proof. He grazes the line of my panties and lifts his head to stare down at me.
“I want to see your eyes when I touch you for the first time.”
I have the urge to close them.
“Don’t you dare, pet,” he warns as if he can read my mind. He slides one finger under the edge of my panties with a slow swipe. Further. Closer.
My throat closes off when he grazes my clit, and Barrett hums while moving that single finger lower. I’m starving for air. I’m starving for more of his touch.
“That doesn’t feel very dry to me. What do you think I should do about it?” With the hand still on my cheek, he tilts my head back until he’s really looking down at me.
“I … I don’t know.” My eyes flutter shut, trying to concentrate on only his touch and not the force of all of his attention solely on me.
“Open. Them,” he growls
I obey, but my vision has turned fuzzy. He’s done nothing to me and I’m already helpless in his hold.
“Do you think I should see exactly how wet I can make you? There are so many ways.”
“I don’t know what I want.” And it’s the truth. I can’t make a decision regarding Barrett without a clear head and my head is so full of fog I can barely grasp his words.
“I didn’t ask you what you want. I asked what you think I should do.”
“You’re a big boy. You can make up your own mind.
” My hips thrust toward his hovering finger on their own, but he doesn’t allow the deeper contact.
My body sure as hell knows what it wants.
It wants Barrett to fill me in any way he wishes.
I just can’t say that’s what I really want without a clear mind.
“That bratty side will get you into trouble.”
Trouble with him? I fucking hope so. If I can ever break out of this trap, I have to have a serious conversation with myself. How far am I willing to go with him?