Chapter 42 Dirty Dealings
DIRTY DEALINGS
SEBASTIAN
When we arrive in Sydney, Peter collects us from the airport and takes us back to the Rose Hill club.
I had my lawyers set up a meeting with Joseph in his office tomorrow, under the name of one of my political contacts, who I’ve alerted to the situation.
They were aware that Joesph’s wife had disappeared, and apparently there have been whispers about him abusing her, so they were more than happy for me to use their name to catch the bastard off guard.
Other than my impromptu visit a few days ago, I haven’t been back to Sydney since Lily came home with me.
Which is strange, as I’m usually here once or twice a month.
But I hadn’t wanted to leave her, even when I was actively avoiding her.
Whether it’s because I was worried about her or just didn’t want to be away from her, I’m not sure, and I don’t want to go poking at that line of thought too hard right now.
We have too much else to worry about without me doing any soul searching and working out that I’ve been in deeper for longer than I’m willing to admit.
While Daniel doesn’t have a suite in the Brisbane location, Rose Hill is large enough for us both to have our own private suites, along with the sex workers and security staff who work here.
This is our busiest location and security is on the door twenty-four hours a day.
We also have a discreet entrance for when celebrity and other high profile clients attend, having bought the two neighbouring properties as well.
Lily has been quiet for most of the morning, although not in the same way as she had been before, when she was lost inside her head. Now it seems to be because she’s gathering her strength for what’s to come tomorrow.
I drop our overnight bags inside my suite as Lily follows behind, and she turns slowly to take it all in.
“This is identical to your suite at home,” she says, raising an eyebrow.
“I like what I like,” I say with a shrug.
She opens the door to the second room, taking in my office on the other side. “So this is what my room looked like before I took over?”
“Yes. Although there was a pull out couch in there for Daniel.”
She cocks her head as she studies me. “Why didn’t you just pull the couch out for me?”
I lean against the kitchen bench and cross my arms. “I wanted you to feel comfortable. At least until the other suite was finished and then you could make it your own.”
She smiles, closing the door behind her before coming to stand in front of me. “Imogen told me it’s almost ready. Bet you’re looking forward to having your own space back.”
I slide my hands around to cup her arse, pulling her in close to stand between my legs. “I’ve never felt like you were in my space, Lily. I’ve liked sharing the suite with you, actually.”
She wraps her arms around my neck as she smiles at me. “Even when you were avoiding me?”
I push her hair back over her shoulder before cupping her cheek. “I wasn’t avoiding you. I was protecting myself.”
She grins and brushes her lips against mine. “The master of control was scared of little old me?”
I smirk, reaching up behind her to tug her head back by her hair and kiss her neck. “You are terrifying.”
“The scariest,” she murmurs, her eyes fluttering closed as I kiss my way up to her ear.
“I do have a few meetings I need to call into,” I tell her, digging my fingers into her hip as I keep her head pulled back.
“Well you better get onto it, then,” she replies, staying perfectly still as I gently suck on the sensitive skin below her ear.
Sliding my hand beneath her skirt, I find her clit and rub my finger over it through the lace material of her underwear. “I guess you better come quick for me. Can’t have me being late for work.”
She moans as I apply more pressure with my finger and keep sucking her neck, and it’s not long before she begins to ride my hand, chasing release.
I tug her hair tighter, keeping her still as I shift her underwear aside and thrust my fingers into her pussy, sliding my thumb into place over her clit.
Her moans grow louder and when I feel her inner walls begin to flutter around my fingers, I release my hold on her hair and claim her mouth with mine, smothering her cries as she comes undone.
Once she’s regained her breath, I smooth her skirt back down and cup her face in my hands. “I’m fast becoming addicted to hearing that sound.” I nip her lower lip. “The little moans you make right before you come are music to my ears.”
She kisses me, pressing her body in close to mine, and I wrap my arms around her.
“Well, I guess you’ll be hearing it a lot then, because I’m horny as fuck all the time now, and it’s entirely your fault.”
I chuckle before kissing her neck and straightening once more. “I’d say I’m sorry, but we both know I’m lying.”
She steps back reluctantly, and I squeeze her hip before letting her go and heading into my office to make a few calls.
By the time we arrive at Joseph’s office on Monday morning, any progress I’d made in keeping her relaxed is long gone.
We’d timed it so that he was coming from another meeting and would be taken off guard.
Fortuitously, his new assistant saw us into the conference room to wait, so it’s all working out perfectly.
The three of us, along with Dark Desires company lawyer, Gerald, sit tensely on one side of the long table, waiting for the arsehole to arrive.
I hear him before I see him. He’s always had a booming voice, most likely thinking that his volume correlates with his power. But I’ve long learned that is far from true.
He’s giving his assistant instructions as he walks into the room, looking back over his shoulder at the meek young woman who let us in here. I’m not sure what happened to his last assistant, but it tracks that he’s got multiple young women working for him.
“DeLuca. I knew I’d be seeing you again,” he says, his eyes shifting between myself and Daniel.
And then his face pales when his gaze falls on the woman sitting beside me.
“I’d say it’s good to see you again, Joseph, but we all know that would be a lie… And I don’t tell those,” I say, crossing my arms.
He stands in the doorway, his eyes bouncing from me to Lily and back again, and I can almost see the lies forming in his mind.
“I see you’ve been telling them all sorts of bullshit about me, Lily.”
I keep a tight grip on my emotions, ensuring that ‘master of control’ face - as Annika, Imogen and now Lily have all called it - is firmly in place while I inspect him. Much like I would a cockroach scurrying along the floor.
Beside me, Lily takes a deep breath and lifts her chin as she stares him down. I see no trace of the anxious woman who had lain beside me in bed this morning. I only see a warrior, staring down her foe.
“I didn’t need to tell them anything, Joseph. Daniel found me after you left me unconscious in a pool of blood on the floor of the house my father built us, remember?” She cocks her head to the side. “How is my father, by the way? I bet he’s been wondering what happened to his meal ticket.”
Pride surges in my chest at the conviction in her voice, and I hold back the smirk threatening to break free, instead taking note of the way Joseph’s hands ball into fists at his sides.
“So what is this, then? An intervention of some kind? And who are you?” he demands, glaring at Gerald.
On Lily’s other side, Gerald crosses his arms and holds the man’s gaze, completely unflappable. “I’m their lawyer.”
Joseph scoffs. “Oh, so you’ve come to try and intimidate me then? Bringing your fancy lawyer down to my office? Of course you need a lawyer, I’m sure you arseholes are constantly having to buy people off to look the other way with all your dirty dealings.”
I lean forward to rest my forearms on the table, holding his gaze.
“The only person in this room involved in any dirty dealings is you, Joseph. So sit your arse down, and let’s talk.
And maybe, if I’m feeling charitable, I won’t lay all your shit out for everyone to see.
” I jerk my head towards Lily. “But I won’t make any promises for her.
If she wants to bury you alive, I’ll gladly dig that hole so deep that no one will ever come looking. ”
For the first time since I’ve known him, a look of genuine fear appears behind those cold, grey eyes.
And when he slides into the chair across from me, I let him see my true nature, not even a little concerned about hiding my sharp edges.