Chapter 16
Chapter sixteen
Chase
“Can you accompany me on every business trip?” I smile into her mouth, my tongue sweeping against hers until I hear those breathy moans that drive me crazy. My hungry lips claim hers again with an insatiable desire. She’s quickly becoming my new obsession,
“Hey,” she says, breaking the kiss, grinning at me with those dimples that utterly ruin me. “I’ve got better things to do with my time than be your personal sex slave.”
“Are you sure? I’ll make it worth your while.
” She shrieks when I slap her ass playfully, pulling her closer still.
Her skin is silky smooth as I run my fingertips up her spine and over every sweet curve, threading them in the hair at the nape.
My lips find hers again, planting soft, lingering kisses that squeeze my chest so tight I never want to let go.
I’ve never felt more content as we lay in silence, tasting each other, wrapped in each other’s arms, listening to the wind rattling the wooden window frames.
If I had it my way, we wouldn’t leave this bed for the foreseeable future.
But the whole point of this damn retreat is wooing Monarch, so if I don’t get my sorry ass out of bed and to dinner, more than a few eyebrows will rise.
“Fuck, Violet,” I exhale, caressing her cheek as she stares up at me.
“I need to get to dinner. Richard Morgan is probably five whiskeys in, and Elliot will be all over him like a cheap suit.” I groan as I catch sight of my hard cock, stubbornly refusing to go down.
He can’t believe his luck. He’s finally got Violet all to himself, and I’m dragging him away.
Violet follows my gaze, her eyes widening, her mouth twitching with a barely suppressed smile.
“I didn’t realize you were so fond of Richard,” she quips, her hand moving down to caress it slowly.
“Fuck,” I groan, batting her hand away with a grin. “That’s definitely not going to help.”
“Well, I suppose I should get ready too,” she sighs, stretching languidly. “Plus, I’m starving. I guess being hunted down in a forest by a sex-crazed maniac will do that to a girl.”
Her lips curve into a wide, teasing smile as she sits up, brushing the softest kiss over mine—a tender, fleeting touch that ripples through me like a burst of sunlight.
Her hair tumbles down her back like velvet as she moves to the edge of the bed, and it takes every ounce of willpower not to pull her back and fuck her until sunrise.
It feels natural to be in her presence as she brushes her hair while I get dressed. In my private life, I prefer solitude. But with Violet, I’m already brainstorming a million ways to make her stay.
Once we’re ready, I open the door and hand her the keys. She hesitates in the doorway, her fingers gripping the frame, unease tightening her expression.
“You go first,” she murmurs, glancing down the dark path. “People shouldn’t see us together.”
I step closer, reaching for her hand, but she keeps it firmly planted on the wood. “We work together. What’s the big deal?”
She hesitates, and my grin widens. “What if I carry you in like this?” Before she can protest, I swoop her up by the waist and throw her over my shoulder.
“Are you crazy? Put me down, Chase!” She wriggles frantically, but laughter cuts through her voice.
Taking pity, I let her slide down my body, my hands lingering on her hips. “Violet,” I murmur, tipping her chin up so she meets my eyes. “No one will hurt you if you’re with me. And it’s normal for us to be seen together—we are working on the same project.”
She shakes her head, her fingers tightening around the doorframe. “You don’t get it, Chase. It’s fine for you, but I’m the one people will talk about.”
I press a slow, lingering kiss to her lips before pulling back. “Okay, baby, I’ll see you inside.”
Reluctantly, I turn away, resisting the urge to look back.
Dinner is the last place I want to be.
If it were up to me, I’d still be in Violet’s lodge, holding her in my arms. But Charles Ravenscroft, CEO of Monarch, isn’t the kind of man you skip dinner on. So here I am, sitting across from him and Richard Morgan, pushing down the urge to glance at Violet again.
The dining hall gleams with polished wood and soft candlelight, an attempt at rustic charm that doesn’t quite disguise the price tag.
Crisp white linens cover the long tables, and the scent of grilled steak and rosemary drifts through the air.
Conversations hum around us, executives talking strategy between bites of seared salmon and glasses of expensive wine.
Richard claps me on the back, his grin firmly back in place; now he’s out of the forest and a whiskey in hand. “It’s not every day I can say Chase Knight dragged me out of a tunnel.”
I take a sip of my drink, flashing him a wry smile. “That one was complimentary. Next time I’m sending an invoice.”
Charles laughs, cutting into his steak. “I was impressed, Knight. You don’t just talk a big game—you back it up. Not many executives throw themselves into the challenge like that.”
I give a slight nod. “I like to win.”
Charles wipes his mouth with his napkin before leaning back. “That kind of drive is exactly what we need for this partnership. I’ll be honest—I like what I’ve seen from Knightwell so far. But you know how it is. We don’t make decisions lightly.”
I meet his gaze. “Of course. What’s your timeline?”
“We’ll wrap up discussions next week,” Charles says. “Final decision by the end of the quarter.”
“Fair enough.” I take a sip of my drink, keeping my expression controlled. “We’re confident in what we bring to the table.”
“Hmm.” Charles watches me for a beat. “That’s what we need. Monarch’s next phase is aggressive. Expansion, new markets, heavier investment in security. We can’t afford partners who hesitate.”
“We don’t hesitate,” I say smoothly. “Which is why our proposal lays out a scalable structure that can move at Monarch’s speed without bottlenecks.”
Charles gives a slow, approving smile. “Good. That’s what I like to hear.”
As the conversation shifts to industry talk, I let my attention lapse for half a second, just long enough for my eyes to land on Violet.
Austen, seated a few spots down, is watching. Suspicious. He’s seen me in high-stakes meetings before negotiating multi-million-dollar deals with barely a change in expression. So he knows I’m preoccupied. And he’s right.
Because every time my gaze drifts to the far end of the room where Violet is seated, a ridiculous grin threatens to break out.
She’s deep in conversation with a junior analyst from Monarch—Ben something. Dark curls, glasses, looks like he’d rather be buried in spreadsheets than here. I clench my jaw. It’s irrational, but I don’t like how at ease she looks with him.
She senses my stare, her gaze flicking to mine.
I school my features, but it’s too late—the damn grin is already tugging at my lips.
From a few seats down, Elliot scowls at me before speaking up. “What the hell is that?”
I glance at him. “What?”
“That.” He waves a hand vaguely at my face. “Are you... smiling? Like actually smiling? Should I call an ambulance?”
I roll my eyes and look away—straight into Austen’s beady eyes, glinting with amusement. Christ. Rarely do I feel cornered.
Violet lifts a brow at me, a subtle warning. Then, as if she can’t help herself, the corner of her mouth twitches.
By the time dinner winds down and people start filtering out, I find myself in the side hall of the lodge, dimly lit and quiet, trying to sneak a moment with Violet when she returns from the bathroom.
She walks toward me, eyes darting down the corridor like she’s checking the coast is clear, then fixes me with a look like I’ve lost my damn mind.
I grin. Can’t help it.
“Stop smiling at me like that,” she murmurs, hushed but firm.
“Like what?”
Her gaze skips over my face, frustration warring with something else. “Like you’ve got some big, stupid secret.”
I smirk. “Maybe I do.”
She exhales sharply, her head tilting back against the wall, her lashes dropping for half a second. “People will know.”
“Know what, Violet?” I lower my voice. “That I plan to fuck you for the rest of the night.”
Her eyes narrow, but there’s no denying the spark of excitement.
I step even closer just to watch her breath hitch. I want to touch her so badly.
Dinner might’ve been necessary for the deal.
But this—this is the only part of the night I actually wanted.
She gnaws her bottom lip, worry swirling in his eyes. “Maybe this is a bad idea.”
And there she is again, the girl who’s terrified of me, or more accurately, in the idea of us. I back off, aware I need to dial it down. I’m coming on too strong, and she’s losing her nerve.
“No, Violet,” I say, my tone softening. “It’s definitely not a bad idea.
Look, I’ll stop smiling. I’ll stop fucking breathing if that will make you happy.
” My mouth twitches with amusement, but I try my hardest to look serious.
She studies me for a beat before breaking into a beautiful smile that makes my heart gallop.
It vanishes the second she hears people approaching. She jumps, slipping away like she’s been cracked with a whip.
Sighing, I let her go. If I push too hard, I’ll scare her off, and that’s the last thing I want. Once I’ve decided on something, I don’t hesitate.
And I want her too much to risk losing her.
By the time I make it back to the dining room, most of the tables are empty, save for a few abandoned glasses and the dying embers in the fireplace. Austen is still here, leaning back in his chair, rolling his drink in his hand like he’s been waiting for something-or someone.
He looks up when I enter, pushing to his feet with a stretch. “Heading to bed,” he says, voice casual. “Long day.”
“It has,” I agree. “Although, things seem promising with Monarch. So it was worthwhile.”