10. 10 ADRIAN
10 ADRIAN
In my experience, most women are happy to get all dressed-up for an evening in the town, but the way Mckenna slumps against the door and slowly places her feet in those black heels makes it clear she is only doing this because I ordered her to.
I get that she’s nervous, but the way this designer dress hugs every curve of her gorgeous body? Why wouldn’t she want to show it off?
The simmering anger I have for her rises to the surface.
Fury that she’s flinging what I have given her in my face makes me stalk toward her.
Her eyes widen. She takes a step back and I press my body into hers, caging her against the wall. I place my palm between her breasts, feel her pulse leap under my touch, then slide up to her neck, collaring her with my fingers. I press my thumb against the hollow of her neck.
“Sir!” Her mouth opens in an ‘o’ and a bead of sweat forms on her lips.
“Do you hate me so much that you don’t want to be seen with me?” I squeeze the side of her neck. Her fear turns me right on. My cock throbs hard against my zipper.
“It’s not that,” Mckenna’s eyes flirt over my face, and her gaze settles behind my shoulder. “I…this is…”
“What, Mckenna? Why do you look like I’m taking you to the gallows? You didn’t even enjoy the spa treatments.”
“No, I did.” She frowns.
After we left Veronica’s place, I took her to a spa. She got a facial, a body scrub, and a massage, then her nails and toes were done.
We had lunch, and I kept the conversation light, talking about Detroit versus Boston. I mentioned my logo problems with Colossus Corp and Mckenna listened attentively and for that hour, it felt like we were friends.
After that, she was whisked into the makeup artist’s chair, and then a hairstylist came in and gave her those lovely curls that I wanted to see.
“Then why are you refusing to smile?” I ease up the pressure on her neck.
“I liked them a lot. It’s just…I’m anxious about tonight.” Her verdant meet mine.
My heart gives a lurch because they are filled with sorrow. “Anxious, how?”
She presses her lips together in a thin line. “The media, the crowd, it’s going to be a lot.”
My defenses are crumbling against this woman. There’s a part of me, a stupid part of me, that doesn’t mind.
Because Mckenna Moran was always supposed to be mine.
“Why? I told you I’d take care of the press.” I ease my hand off her neck and trace her ear with my index finger.
“It’s not only the press. It’s going to be crowded and busy tonight. I feel like I am out of practice in this world.”
“Rich people's world,” I bite out.
“High society, elitist world. You know that I never really liked crowded events.”
Oh, I remember how she used to disappear against the wall every chance she got and not join in with Ava and the other girls.
She often got called a snob because she always preferred to have her nose buried in a book instead of being on her phone like my sister’s friends.
“You’re going to have to smile and get through it, Mckenna. I don’t care if you don’t like this. You’re mine for the weekend. I am going to seize this opportunity to finish restoring my reputation. Are you ready?”
“Yes, Sir.” Her tone is so timid. A part of me wants to throw her over my shoulder, march her up to my bed, and have my way with her instead of going out.
But it’s Ava’s big event, and I can’t leave my little sister hanging, even if she doesn’t deserve all this fuss.
I hold the door open for her, and Mckenna steps through.
My driver is ready, with the backseat door open. It’s a beautiful evening, slightly warm and clear. I gesture for Mckenna to get first and then I slide into the seat next to her.
Mckenna keeps her gaze straight ahead. I place a hand on her leg and stroke it through the rich fabric.
“Maybe this will relax you.” I thumb the app on my phone that controls her vibrating panties with one hand, starting her on a high setting.
Mckenna leans forward, grabbing my arm. “Oh! This is too much!”
“If this doesn’t get you into a better mindset, little hellion, I don’t know what will,” I press the highest speed.
“Sir!” Mckenna gasps.
“Doesn’t take much for you, does it hellion? I can already smell your arousal.”
Her green eyes turn glassy. “Oh! I can’t! Oh! Stop!”
Her fingers dig into my arm, and I don’t care if she scratches me. This is worth it. Her eyes fill with tears and her whole body is racked with tension.
I press the second highest setting, lowering the speed a little, grabbing her arms as I do.
“Who do you belong to, Mckenna?”
“You, Sir,” she gasps, and leans further forward, so her forehead is almost touching the front seat, as if she’s trying to get away the sensations that are making her whole body flushed and tense like a bow.
Her ass lifts from the seat, she moans. The sensual sound makes me hard enough to stab concrete.
“That’s right. And I’m going to do what I want with you tonight,” I swipe down to the lowest setting. The tension ebbs out of her body. She relaxes with a shuddering breath. Mckenna slumps back against the seat.
“Horrible,” she murmurs, her legs coming close together.
“Is it?” I push her legs apart, spreading them wide, careful of her gown. “Do you wish it was my fingers or my cock?”
She doesn’t answer, so I thumb it up to the highest setting again. “Tell me.”
Her hand grips the top of my thigh. “Neither!”
“I think you’re lying, little hellion,” I tell her as I lower the speed. “You will not like how I punish you for that lie.” Throwing my arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer to me, I nibble on her earlobe. She relaxes into me, making me smile. Slamming my thumb down on the highest setting, her body tightens. “Come for me now!”
“I can’t,” she grits out.
“Yes, you can, my moody little cockwarmer.” I bite down on the bare side of her neck. Her soft flesh gives way. She squirms against me as my teeth get a grip on her salty skin.
Mckenna hisses between her teeth. “Sir! I can’t! It’s too much!”
My pulse races in my ears as she closes her eyes tight and grabs at my knee.
“That’s it, hellion, let it take you.”
“Fuck you!” she shrieks, almost sobbing, as the climax makes her gasp out.
“No, hellion. I’m the one who is going to fuck you.”
Her face relaxes as the orgasm rolls through her. She clutches my arm.
I grab her hair in my fist, lean down and cover her lips with a bruising, hungry, possessive kiss, until she softens against me.
“You’re going to have to reapply your lipstick,” I brush her hair into place.
She gives me a half-smile. “I guess I’m in a better head space.”
“Was that so difficult?” I say against her ear, loving how a tremor rolls through her body.
“If it was?” She can’t stop the smile from spreading across her lips.
“No, it pleases me to make it uncomfortable for you, hellion.” I unclasp my buckle, get it off, unzip my pants and I take her left hand in mine and place it on my cock. “Like it or not, I am so hard for you. I could take you right now, but it wouldn’t be enough.”
She her make-up and her eyes widen.
I laugh. “It’s true.”
She bites her bottom lip but reaches for my cock. I press her hand against my rigid, throbbing cock. “Your hands on me feel so good. Maybe I’ll make you hold my cock the whole way there.”
“I’m your cockwarmer, Sir,” she dips her head against my chest.
My blood roars in my ears. “That’s right.” My chest tightens with pride that my needy slut admitted it so easily.
I lift my hand off hers, and smiling shyly, she tucks me back in.
I brush my lips against her forehead and pleasure heats my blood as she mewls at the small offer of praise. The car stops, and my driver comes around to open my door. “Ready for showtime, Miss Moran?” My formal tone has her straightening her shoulders.
“Ready,” she whispers.
I get out, spotting the media line in front of the concert hall, walk around to the door, and help Mckenna out, extending my arm.
“Here we go. Don’t let me down. Smile.” I steer us over to the line.
Her eyes are smoldering with distaste, but nobody other than me will know that look. She flashes a smile wide enough to show off her pearly whites as I take her arm.
We take our place behind other captains of industry that I recognize, and I hear the first camera click go off.
“Keep smiling, Mckenna. Tell the world what you said to that eager, overbearing journalist was wrong. It was a lie, wasn’t it?” She shakes her head slightly, dips her head and turns when a photographer directs her to.
I clench my jaw and press my palm into her back, harder than necessary, propelling her along.
“Adrian! It’s good to see you.” A silver-haired man with a goatee says, leaning over Mckenna and shaking my hand.
“Good evening, Sheldon. Thanks for coming tonight.”
“We wouldn’t miss it, would we?” He turns to his arm candy, a petite brunette woman. It’s either his date or wife number four... I can’t recall which.
“I’ve never been to an orchestra before! Do you, like clap?”
Mckenna rolls her eyes and glances away, catching herself.
“You clap when everyone else claps, my dear,” Sheldon says. “I want to set up a meeting next week to discuss our new geo-tracking environment system. I think it can be an asset to Colossus Corp.”
“I’ll text my assistant and have her set it up,” I tell Sheldon, though I have no intention of doing so. We have far better technology than his outdated models. Someone calls my name from ahead of us, and I press Mckenna to move forward.
“Enjoy the performance, Sheldon.”
Mckenna waves at them as I usher her over to a reporter I recognize from Ruby Magazine, the magazine everyone in my parents’ circle reads. The magazine that Jana Whitters writes for and the one that printed that interview that me too’d me after Jana got that interview from Mckenna. I force myself to exhale, to plaster a smile on my face.
I don’t forget the people who crossed me. Jana Whitters ruined my reputation.
It took a lot of money and time to restore when I should have been focusing wholly on building Colossus Corp.
It’s time to correct that right now.
“Mr. McIntyre! Natasha Mills from Ruby Magazine. It’s good to see you! Is your sister nervous?”
I slide a hand around Mckenna as the reporter throws the microphone in my face. “Ava is a consummate professional, and she’s been looking forward to this performance for months.”
“We are definitely in for a treat tonight.” The microphone is moved out of my face, and cameras go off in a chorus of flashes.
Mckenna titters beside me. I take her arm.
“Relax, little hellion. Smile pretty for the cameras,” I whisper in her ear.
She leans against me, her elbow hitting my chest.
“I’m not taking any attitude, Mckenna. Put a smile on your face now.” I grip her elbow and turn her away from my body. “Hate you,” Mckenna says between her pressed lips but she smiles. The hellion is going to pay later, but I turn my attention back to Natasha.
“Adrian, you’re looking like you should be a model! Who are you wearing tonight?” Natasha continues the interview.
“This old thing? It’s a custom from Indochino.”
“And who do you have with you tonight?” She leans over, getting close to Mckenna.
“This is my trusted friend, Mckenna Moran.”
The shocked expression on her face is delightful. “You look different from the last time we saw you.”
“Yes, Mckenna was dealing with some health issues. You’re feeling better now, aren’t you?”
“Yes, much better,” Mckenna says.
“Where is your father these days? Is he still the subject of a criminal investigation?” Natasha practically yells the question in Mckenna’s face.
I give Natasha my best disarming smile.
“We’re here to enjoy my sister’s performance. We can’t wait to hear Ava perform. My sister has been working so hard on this piece.”
“Is it true she practices up to sixteen hours a day?” Natasha holds the mike right up to my face. I will myself from not grabbing it and throwing it away.
I lean in as if I am going to reveal a secret and raise my eyebrow. “Ava’s methods are a closely guarded secret, but I will say she is never far from her piano. Have a great night.”
The reporter signals her photographer; they take a few of Mckenna and me, and then we are out of the media line into the vast open space of the Orchestra Hall.
“She asked about my father.” Mckenna stops in her steps, frozen at the doorway.
I place a hand on the small of her back. I give her a little push, take her arm, and get us over to the bar.
“Water, please,” I say, catching the bartender’s eye.
He nods, and a moment later, a cup of water with a slice of lemon is passed to me.
Mckenna is staring into space, frozen.
This woman has caused me a lot of anguish and grief, but I can’t take her into the theater while she’s in the midst of a panic attack.
Or at least that’s what I’m assuming is going on from her dazed stare.
I want to make this woman tremble from pleasure, not from her past, shocking her into a frozen state of anxiety.
“Drink.”
The cup of water nearly slips from her hand, and I steady it, holding it to her mouth.
“I wasn’t going to let them go down that road, Mckenna. If anyone ever does ask, and I’m not here to fend off those questions, you keep it short. You say your father is a great man whose ideas had a positive impact on countless lives. If you’re pressed further, you simply state that you can’t comment on an ongoing investigation.”
“But you were intent on dragging his name through the mud.” The sorrowful look she gives me pierces my heart.
“Mckenna, you are mine for this weekend. I am going to take care of you. Whatever happened in the past isn’t going to jeopardize me keeping you safe.”
I know there’s a lot of ground between us, but she should know that I take care of my things.
“Remember when I got my first Porsche and how I didn’t let Ava drive it?”
She gives me a half smile. “She was so mad. You hid the keys from her.”
“Damn, straight I did,” I exchange the grin, and for a moment, we are two old friends who are relaxing in the familiarity of shared experiences.
“Why did you do it?” her green eyes suddenly flash with anger I haven’t seen before, and I swallow, realizing that I actually don’t want to harm this woman.
I want her to beg for forgiveness, to ask for my mercy, but I don’t want to damage her.
That’s progress.
The house lights flash, and someone calls my name across the room.
I groan inwardly, recognizing the parents of my sister’s fiancé.
“I was, I had, Mckenna.” It’s a short answer that will have to be enough for now because the Phillips are coming over to us.
“Adrian! What a night,” Rick Phillips slaps me on the back.
“Isn’t this the most magnificent venue? Who is your date?” Jean Phillips asks me.
“This is Mckenna. We go way back.”
“Nice to meet you.” Jean extends her hand. “It’s so nice for Ava to have family here.”
The house lights flash again with a warning for us to take our seats.
“This is so exciting!” Jean says.
“Dear, we are over on that side,” Rick says.
“We’ll see you later!” Jean waves to us.
“Breathe, Mckenna.”
She ducks her head, and I feel how tense she is, and I frown.
I may want to revenge fuck her and make her suffer, but how much I don’t want to harm her is now a pivotal concern.
“Are you okay?” I ask as I guide us to our seats in the center row. Ava had offered me seats on the box level but I wanted to leave those for her supporters, her record label and the celebrity guests she invited.
Mckenna stumbles as we get to our seats. I reach out to steady her.
“I got you. Here’s your seat.”
She gives me a half smile and takes her seat.
I sit next to her and take her hand in mine.
“It’s so elegant here. It’s been forever since I’ve been in a theater,” Mckenna murmurs. This grand place, famous for its superior acoustics, is astounding. It’s not my first visit, but it’s still impressive, and I feel a stirring of brotherly pride for my sister achieving this level of success.
But Mckenna isn’t taking it in. She’s staring down at her hands, frozen again.
A man wearing a bright red tuxedo walks on stage, introduces himself as the concertmaster.
“Welcome to the Orchestra Hall, gentlefolk. You are all in for a treat this evening. Tonight we are thrilled to host Ava McIntyre!” into Ava’s impressive resume as the conductor steps onto his block and the orchestra files in, takes their seats and starts tuning.
“Mckenna,” I take her hand in mine and rub my finger along her soft webbing. “Look at me, hellion.”
She shakes her head back and forth. I grip her harder until her bright green eyes meet mine.
“You’re mine. Act like you want to be here, now.”
She bites her lip but squeezes my hand back and I hope my harshness has jarred her out of her panicked frozen state. The audience breaks into applause as my sister strides onto the stage.
Ava is wearing a gold dress, and her long black hair is loose over her shoulder.
She takes her seat at the grand piano.
The lights dim, and my sister, looking as ethereal as a saint, places her hands on the piano. The long, haunting notes of the concerto fill the space. I nudge my leg closer to Mckenna’s, and she grips my hand, but I want more than that.
Right here, in this theater, with the well-dressed people and the stately elegance, I want this woman to come undone.
I want to force her to choose between maintaining dignity and letting go.
Breaking the cardinal rule of the theater, I shield the screen, bring up the app, and click on the medium setting.
Mckenna shifts forward in her seat. My hand closes around her arm. She stares right ahead, but I smile, seeing her squirm on the edge of her seat. If she thinks she has trouble holding it together now, let’s see how she does with the vibrations on the full setting. The entire audience is silent. All eyes are focused on my beautiful sister, the relaxed line of her body, and how her hands float across those keys. Like every article ever written about her says, she was born for this.
I tap the intense setting.
Mckenna reaches back from where she is poised on the edge of the seat and grabs my knee. The notes float around the space, lovely and mesmerizing and timeless.
And beside me, I’m with the woman I’ve always wanted.
The one who always told me I couldn’t have her.
I hate her for that.But I have her now.
Sticking my foot between hers, I nudge them apart because everything that is happening between us in this dark theater is by my decree.
I am the one who is conducting Mckenna, and I don’t care if she likes it or not.
As if she’s swallowed a sour piece of fruit, she inches back, her back ramrod straight, until she’s flush against the seat.
I pull her leg over even more, forcing her legs open for her pussy to feel exposed in this high-profile setting.
“Give it to me now, Mckenna,” I say into her ear.
In time to the high melody, I tap the app to the intense setting because I want to see her fight for control.
As she grabs the lapel of my jacket, I brush my lips against her cheek, feeling her quiver.
Her top teeth bite down on her bottom lip.
She gasps against me, muffling her cries into my jacket.
My cock is so hard I might bust a nut right here, in this seat, right along with her.
I hold down the intense setting and don’t let it go. “I can’t! Not here!” she pants against me.
Her shoulder digs into my chest as she gasps for breath, a shudder rippling through her. My eyes are glued to the stage. If anyone looks at us, what are they going to see? I don’t care what story they tell themselves.
I am going to capture this woman in every way I can.
Her body shakes from the force.
“Yes, you can, hellion. You’re going to obey me because if you don’t, I will put my cufflinks in your mouth for the rest of the concert.”
“Sir!” Her gasp and how her ass comes off the seat makes me want to make good on my threat.
The notes change to the lower octave, in a slower cadence. A cry escapes her lips. I feel the heat of the stare of other people on us and I don’t care. I smile as the orgasm trembles through her body.
I turn the app down to the lowest setting, making her buzz. The notes change again, and as if I programmed it and I change the setting.
“Adrian!” Mckenna grabs my fingers so tightly they feel like they’re going to come off. She lets out a yip, as if she’s trying to hold back her sounds.
“Yes, right now, hellion,” I brush my lips against her ear.
“I’m coming now!” Her breath is warm against my ear, her tone strained.
“Good girl, hellion,” the whispered words are out of my lips before I can stop the praise from springing forth. But she’s earned it.
I rub my hand along her thigh, through her dress as her body stops trembling. She exhales and grabs my hand.
When I don’t move my hand from hers, I know I’m screwed because I can’t keep pushing away the thought that I am not going to let this woman go after this weekend.
And I’ll do whatever it takes to show her that she’s mine.