Chapter 18
Eighteen
“ W here are we going?” I panted as I tried to keep up with Alfie. He ignored my question as he led me back into the party and straight for the exit. “I have to say goodbye to Bradley.”
“He’ll figure it out.”
“And Angie?”
“She’ll figure it out too.”
“Alfie!” I stopped short, forcing him to either stop or wrench my arm out of the socket. “I have to tell Bradley I’m leaving. He’ll worry otherwise. Wouldn’t you worry if I just suddenly disappeared?”
Over his shoulder I caught a glimpse of the board member I’d spotted earlier, the one I’d been working up the nerve to talk to when Patrick popped up and flung Alfie Tell at me.
“You aren’t his concern.” Alfie’s harsh tone drew my attention back to him as well as the attention of a few guests.
“As his friend, I am his concern.” Just because I’d given up one fight didn’t mean I was giving up all of them. I needed to find Bradley. I tugged my hand out of Alfie’s, his eyes widening in surprise, but before I could march off to find Bradley, I spotted him talking to someone.
I waved at him and motioned that I was leaving.
He looked confused but gave me a nod. I was going to have some explaining to do on Monday.
My gaze fell on the board member one last time.
This opportunity wouldn’t come again, but heated skin met mine, I looked up.
Steel greys were fixed on me as his hand enveloped my own, the room faded along with my ambition, and I let him pull me away.
Outside, I shivered as we waited for the car.
I dared a glance up at Alfie only to find him gazing at me, his jaw clenched.
What? What have I done now? He moved towards me, hesitated, then his arm came around me, warming me up.
I could see the cogs turning in his head as he tried to understand his own actions.
I got the feeling that Alfie didn’t show non-sexual affection to women very often.
A limousine appeared in front of us. The chauffeur stepped forward to open my door but Alfie blocked him like a child guarding his favourite toy and opened my door himself. I got in and he slid in beside me.
“Where are you taking me?”
“My hotel.”
“Your hotel or your hotel?”
The corner of his mouth lifted a little, another smile he tried to hide. “I don’t own it if that’s what you’re asking.”
“Is it as fancy as one of your hotels?”
“Of course not, but the nearest hotel of mine is four hours away, so The Carlton will do until my business is done.” Until my business is done.
Alfie was a temporary fixture here and suddenly, spending the night with him seemed like a stupid idea.
What had I been thinking? He caught my gaze and I fell into those eyes again. Oh yeah. That’s what I’d been thinking.
“Don’t look at me like that. We aren’t alone and I don’t intend to have an audience the first time I fuck you.”
“The first time? What about the second time?” I joked, but he frowned as if he was thinking it over. It dawned on me that he’d probably had sex with an audience before, probably more than once, at his exclusive Never Tell Club where he had perfected the art of seducing women.
“No,” he answered eventually. “No one’s going to see your body but me. I mean it, Lola. If you have a male gynaecologist, get a new one.” My jaw dropped and he stared back at me, waiting for me to challenge him.
“I don’t like taking orders, Alfie.”
“You might not like it yet, but you’ll learn to love it.” The implication of his words had heat pooling in my core. What exactly was he going to do to me once we got to his hotel? I was out of my depth. Alfie had owned a fucking sex club. I’d had mediocre, non-orgasmic sex with one guy.
The car slowed to a stop. I looked out of the tinted windows to see us arriving at the prestigious Carlton Hotel.
Alfie’s hand was at the small of my back again as he led me up the entrance steps.
I felt eyes on us as we entered the marble foyer.
At the reception desk was an owl-faced woman with a meek bob and round glasses.
I felt her silent judgement ripple over me, along with the judgement of everyone else.
I didn’t belong in a place like this with a person like Alfie and it felt like they all knew it.
Just when my self-doubt threatened to spiral, I felt Alfie’s hand at the nape of my neck, holding me gently.
His touch burned and a strange sensation swarmed my system, as if he had seeped himself into my brainwaves and taken them over, his quiet dominance stilling every thought I had.
I found myself wishing I could bottle his touch and save it for every dark moment.
We took a right turn and I found myself in front of a row of lifts.
‘Presidential Suite’ was printed in gold letters over the doors of one.
Alfie pulled out his phone and scanned something that looked like a QR code.
A moment later, the doors opened. Even a mechanical box didn’t keep Mr Tell waiting.
He guided me in, pressed a button and up we went. I stood still, barely breathing as the metal box took me higher than I’d ever been, straight to the top, bypassing all other floors.
Where Alfie was as cool as a cucumber, I fidgeted. Why was he so quiet? Was he planning what he was going to do to me? Was he leaving me in silence to heighten the tension?
My hands twisted as we rose to the top floor.
What if I wasn’t good enough? He was so much more experienced than me.
What if I wasn’t skilled enough? Or pretty enough?
His thumb rubbed against my nape, sending delicious shivers down my spine and once more quieting my thoughts as if he could hear how loud they were getting. I looked up at him.
“How do you know to do that? Are you psychic?”
The corner of his mouth lifted. “I’m not psychic.
Just observant.” He cast a shrewd eye down at me.
“You play with your necklace when you’re worrying.
” I looked down. I hadn’t noticed my iron grip on my necklace, but I didn’t release it.
“Also, this,” he reached for my mouth and carefully eased my bottom lip out from between my teeth.
“But I like it when you do that.” The moment stretched between us, broken by the doors opening right into the suite.
I stepped into the room and found myself in a space straight out of Luxury Living.
A small circular table stood in the centre of the foyer and I left my clutch on it as I stepped further into the room.
My jaw dropped. This wasn’t a hotel room, it was a fucking penthouse.
Not that I knew what a penthouse looked like exactly, but this had to be close.
To my left was a kitchen, complete with charcoal countertops and chrome finishings. A glass dining table sat in the centre of the open plan space. I trailed my fingers along the smooth surface as I turned, taking everything in.
In front of me, cream drapes framed windows and beyond them was a vast balcony.
To my right was a cream three-piece suite and a huge flat screen mounted on the wall.
The wall broke off on either side. On the left a corridor, leading off to who knew where, and on the right was a staircase.
I had a pretty good idea where that led to.
I could feel Alfie’s watchful eye, trying to gauge my reaction as I took in my alien surroundings. I turned to face him.
“It’s a bit of a shithole, isn’t it?” His face stilled for just a moment before it broke into the most beautiful smile. “Alfie! I made you laugh!” I giggled, feeling the tension melt away.
He clenched his jaw as if he was trying to stop the laughter escaping but it was too late.
He was capable of joy and now I knew it.
He ran a hand over his jaw, trying to hide his smile.
Surprising myself, I reached up and curled my fingers around his wrist, pulling his hand away.
I was tired of him hiding that smile from me.
His gaze held mine searching, searching for what? Surprising myself further, I stepped into him and lifted up on my toes. Alfie had kissed me so many times, always possessive, always controlled, but what if I…
I brushed my lips against his and felt him stiffen against me, breaking the kiss.
“What are you doing?”
“I can’t kiss you?”
He didn’t answer me, just stood there, as if trying to decipher me.
My heart was beating so hard, I was sure he could feel it through my chest. I reached up, gently touching my fingertips to his face and kissed him softly.
His lips felt like silk against my own. I wanted to stay in this moment forever but I pulled away.
Did he like it? He looked from my eyes to my mouth and back to my eyes again.
“Do it again.” His voice was hoarse, a desperate plea hidden behind the order. My mouth found him immediately. He stood still, letting me kiss him, his lips following my lead. It felt strange to be in control.
His fists clenched at his side before he suddenly broke away.
“Enough.” Before I could respond, his hand found my throat and any control he’d allowed me before was gone.
He dominated my mouth, taking every sliver of power back before releasing me, breathless.
My body swam, awash with a whirl of emotions.
“Alfie…” I breathed, not knowing what to do, how to tell him how overwhelmed I was.
“I know, baby. I know.” He straightened, his eyes locked on mine as he shrugged out of his jacket, folded it, and lay it over the back of a dining chair.
His tie went next, folded neatly on the table.
I followed the trail of his fingers as they deftly undid each button of his shirt, revealing his porcelain skin inch by inch.
He shrugged off his shirt and lay it over the jacket.