Chapter 17 Savages
SAVAGES
* * *
My knuckles leisurely dragged along the hard wood of my office conference table, its smooth glossy surface reflecting the comparably polished expressions of my current guests.
Bored, my fingers eventually stopped near the edge to drum with the kind of rhythm that would suggest my patience was about to snap.
It was quite a performance to maintain the appearance of interest and focus as Ricardo droned on and on about where he believed his profit margins would increase if I would relinquish my hold on the southern docks.
I controlled all the imports and exports in the southern region.
There was only one channel that led to those incredibly exclusive docks, and nothing got through it without my knowledge or permission.
And apparently, Ricardo Sativa wanted unfettered access to the route so he could smuggle his people through a much more direct point, shorten the travel time, and avoid the police traffic. Blah, blah, blah…
Maintaining my focus was unusually difficult as I tried to carry on the conversation with an audience of fifteen extremely volatile men.
At least none of them were armed, having checked their weapons at the door as my one requirement to enter this meeting.
The last thing we needed was bullets flying because someone’s mouth got out of hand.
But in my boredom and disinterest, all I could think about was Sid and the puzzle of his final moments.
With his sudden death yesterday, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something had felt deceptively off about its abruptness.
That the old man might have actually somehow planned his own demise.
Given his prognosis, it wouldn’t exactly come as a shock to me if he had decided to shorten his own sentence.
But if that was the case, the deeper question was why he had chosen to live out his final moments with Jaden, of all people. He could have gone off anywhere to die alone or be with anyone else, but he chose her, and the why was driving me insane.
I hadn’t had the time to address it with Jaden and remark on the dying man’s last words with her. I’d been too busy prepping with Scott for this fucking meeting that would not stop dragging.
Feigning my undivided attention, I glanced around the conference table, taking note of all the strongest families who felt the most slighted by my mother’s actions.
And now that they all had clean slates thanks to the destruction of the servers, they were free to renegotiate every fucking contract we’d ever established without fear of retribution.
Or so they thought.
Undeniably, I’d officially been backed into a corner, and while I could easily choose to come out with guns blazing, diplomacy was a much stealthier weapon, something Dominic and Daniel could never understand or master, for that matter.
Some losses were necessary to produce greater long-term results.
Most of the men in this room had brought their sons with them, intent on imparting the outcome of today’s meeting so they might use the experience as something sharp to wield in the future. It was a cute family moment that would dull over time.
Half of these young men were just going to eventually murder their own fathers anyway in an attempt to dethrone them. Power was the greatest addiction out of any substance, and if you weren’t smart or cautious, it would corrupt and rot your brain from the inside out.
Power had to be wielded with precision, tact, and stability, and sometimes, advertising the belief that you were powerless was an advantage others often failed to anticipate until it was too late.
They’d willingly walk right into your trap, thinking it was just another oasis in the desert, but once the mirage cleared, they’d realize their costly mistake.
Back and forth, I let these “leaders” hash it out among themselves, voicing their grievances between the lines of their negotiations for new contracts.
We’d been at it for hours, but once the agreements were finally concluded, we began to lay down the white ink that would solidify today’s monumental step into the future.
But then the doors to my office suddenly burst open, Eric panting like a goddamn animal as he rushed inside.
“Sir, we have visual confirmation,” he stated quickly over the hushing voices.
I immediately stood from my chair.
“Excuse me for a moment while I handle this,” I said to the table and calmly made my way to the doors of my office, closing them behind me to face Eric. “Where?”
“At the warehouse. And he’s not alone. They’ve unleashed a full-scale attack, and we don’t have the numbers to outgun them there.”
“How many?”
“At least twelve, sir.”
I paused as I processed the information. Had Jason really chosen to die at the same place I had stolen the object of his affection? How poetic.
“Ready the chopper and mobilize Team C. I want wheels up in ten minutes, no excuses,” I ordered, then turned away to find Scott quietly exiting the conference room.
“What is it?” he asked, the anticipation in his voice more than knowing.
“Jason is attacking the warehouse,” I answered quickly. “I’m going there now to finish him. I need you to stay here and finalize the contracts. Don’t let them suspect anything is amiss.”
Scott furrowed his brows. “The fact that you won’t be here will cause suspicion enough. I’m not a fucking bureaucrat, Darren. I will only be able to sustain them for so long before they start to get cold feet.”
“Then keep them warm,” I replied, patting him on the shoulder. “This won’t take long.”
I then turned away to leave Scott groaning behind me, his footsteps suggesting his return to my office to maintain our appearances as ordered.
I could understand his frustration. Scott wasn’t meant for the boardroom.
He was born for the field and craved the violence hidden in the dirt.
But this was personal, so Scott could suck it up for one hour.
I had Jaden’s ex-boyfriend to capture and slowly murder over the next ten years.
As if I had summoned her myself, I found Jaden walking down the hallway, heading in my direction with Sloane in tow. My dick hardened almost instantly.
Without thinking, I grabbed Jaden and ignored her direct hard punch to my mouth as I shoved her into the wall.
Swallowing the grunt that rose up her throat, I slammed my bloody lips over hers.
An overwhelming sense of possession took hold, making me want to brand her with my ownership until the only word she could speak was my fucking name.
Knowing what I was about to do, who I was about to destroy, had my primal urges racing into overdrive, and all I wanted to do was fuck Jaden straight into the wall.
Crazed with unbearable lust, I lifted her perfect ass all the way up the wall to drape her legs over my shoulders, ripped her flimsy thong apart, and buried my face in her pussy.
The taste of her was exhilarating, and combined with her moans of ecstasy as she dragged her nails through my hair, I was a man on fire. Sucking her clit into my mouth, I worked her into a frenzy, her body trembling in my hands as I held her up against the wall.
“Fuck,” she gasped, a high-pitched moan on her lips as she suddenly came all over my tongue. I reveled in her pleasure, drinking and lapping up every ounce of her desire that flowed into my mouth until she was panting all over again.
Needing to be inside her, I dropped her body down to wrap her legs around my torso.
Releasing my dick from my pants, I reached under her dress to rip the rest of her thong away and tossed it aside.
My cock slammed inside her with ease, her tight wet channel eager to pull me in and trap me there with a viselike grip.
This woman’s body was so fucking mine it was practically a part of her DNA, and now that she was carrying my child, her body would never be without me.
A gasped moan vibrated up Jaden’s throat as she clutched my shoulders for leverage. Gripping the soft strands of her hair, I tugged her head back to expose her neck while my arm circled her lower back to keep her flush against me.
I had only minutes to spare, but precious minutes like these made what was about to transpire in the very near future all worthwhile.
With my teeth latching onto her throat, Jaden’s pussy clenched around my cock, meeting my every hard thrust with a demand for more. Obliging, I shifted my angle to press against the sensitive spot I knew would send her into oblivion, her moans instantly morphing into cries of ecstasy.
Cursing our lack of time, I drove into her relentlessly until she was coming all over my cock, squeezing me so tight it was easy to let go and follow her home. Euphoria washed over me as I filled her pussy to the brim, branding every inch of her with my cum.
Her chest heaved as we both came down from the high, her flushed cheeks and hooded lids suggesting a satisfying rush for us both.
“What was that about?” she asked between breaths.
“Like I need a reason.” Like she even needed an explanation.
“Well, I hope you enjoyed that,” she panted, her tongue swiping across her swollen lips. “With what’s about to come between us, it likely won’t happen again.”
I could feel the wolfish grin forming on my lips, a slight chuckle in my throat. “If you think your growing belly or this baby is going to stop me from fucking you against the wall, I look forward to proving you wrong. Frequently.”
She huffed a laugh as her body squirmed against me, my cock still lodged deep inside her. “That’s not exactly what I meant,” she replied lightly, “but I wouldn’t hold your breath.”
Pulling myself free, I set Jaden down on her feet and tucked my spent cock back into my pants. Before she had a chance to finish righting herself, I wrapped my hand around the back of her head and pulled her to me, intent on continuing the kiss I never wanted to end.