Chapter 5 #2
Hissing, I wasn’t certain if that was even possible.
I’d spent far too much time forgoing my responsibilities, allowing two other wineries to gain a significant boost in their sales.
It pissed me off that Westfield Wineries had taken the lead in the California wine market.
Prescott Westfield was a shark with a penchant for never playing by the rules.
His earlier threats had turned into reality.
This was a ruthless business and I’d dropped the ball.
At some point, I would deal with the man my way.
At least my vile thoughts gave me a smile. No one fucked with me.
I thought about my last conversation with him, the contemptuous night one I would never forget.
“You mean nothing in the world of producing wines, Prescott. Your threats mean nothing to me.”
Prescott grinned as he walked closer, the stench of his breath riling me almost as much as his attitude.
“I don’t make threats, Montgomery. I make promises.
And I’ll make one right now. I will destroy you.
If you don’t believe or know what I’m capable of, I suggest you ask your father.
Wait. You can’t. He’s dead. Untimely deaths seem to occur a lot in your family. I wonder why that is.”
He’d been my father’s rival for years, his vindictive methods likely pushing my father into an early grave.
The man wanted everything and always had, even going to illegal methods in order to do so.
And the fucker really believed he would be able to bring me down.
Robert was right. It was time to return to the man I was before the tragedy.
Prescott’s despicable methods of acquiring businesses had taken a toll on the entire Napa region. He wanted to be king.
That wasn’t going to happen.
One day the man would meet his maker and it would be by my hands. Now I needed to find out who the hell was working with him. That could be any number of people, a good portion of the staff allowed access to the main office. Maybe another round of security was in order. That would come later.
It was time to turn my attention to the night’s festivities.
I glanced at the front door to the villa, contemplating my best option. Robert’s thought of playing nice didn’t resonate well with me on any level, at least not in the way he was thinking of. What did was making certain my new employee truly understood who she reported to.
I needed to establish the boundaries without any ability for her to question them. It was time to shove Prescott into his place and my lovely new employee was indeed going to help.
But my way.
The sadistic filthy things I’d thought about doing could never happen. Or could they? I closed my eyes, rubbing my fingers across my chin. I hadn’t bothered to shave in three days. What did it matter? I wasn’t going in front of the cameras any time soon.
After getting out of the car, I studied the surroundings. I hadn’t paid enough attention to the environment around me for so damn long, remaining locked away in my rage. Maybe the feisty woman could help after all.
But only if she followed my rules to the letter.
A smirk crossed my face as I took long strides toward the front door.
Robert had certainly pulled out all the stops in his effort to entice her to into accepting the job.
The villa was the very one Carmine and I had stayed in for months while the new house was being built.
If only Aspen knew what kind of secrets the location held.
A laugh pushed up from my throat as I rang the doorbell. I was curious to see her reaction at my impromptu visit.
When Aspen opened the door, she seemed surprised at first, a warm flush sliding up from her throat to her cheeks.
Then a look of rebellion crossed her face.
That only fueled the ache that hadn’t left from the confrontation in the office.
I hadn’t experienced anything of this nature in one hell of a long time.
“Mr. Wolfe. What are you doing here? Let me guess. I’ve misbehaved in some additional manner.” Aspen smiled after issuing the words, obviously proud of herself in saying them. However, I detected a hint of nervousness by the way her lower lip quivered.
She should be nervous around me. I was a monster after all.
“I think it’s best if we are on a first-name basis.
Don’t you? After all, we are going to be working closely together.
” I didn’t give her the opportunity to object, crowding her space until she took several steps backward.
If I didn’t know better, I’d say she was cursing under her breath at my brazen attitude.
The warm flush returned on her face even as her eyes blazed from frustration.
She took her time closing the door, trailing behind me and into the kitchen. “That still didn’t answer my question, Montgomery.”
Even the way she said my name was sexy, the husky lilt in her voice fueled by her own heightened level of anger.
“I assure you that I will let you know if and when you break any additional rules, Aspen. And I will handle them just like I did before.”
“Jesus,” she muttered. When she whispered ‘bastard’ with no intent of me hearing, all I could do was smile.
The way she taunted me was only adding gasoline to the flames.
If I wasn’t careful, I would lose control.
Another wave of dirty images slid into my mind.
The thought of having her bound to my bed, her naked body writhing from anticipation of the night’s events was far too stimulating.
Then there was the cross located in the playroom.
She would look exquisite with shackles around her wrists and ankles.
I took a deep breath, noticing the scent of vanilla from a lit candle on one of the counters.
After discovering an open bottle of wine, I moved to one of the cabinets, selecting another crystal stem.
I said nothing as I poured a second glass, swirling the dark red liquid before taking a sip.
“Wolfe Cabernet from twenty-eighteen. My personal favorite.”
“And the last year your company did any decent sales. Robert was kind enough to drop by a series of financials.” She walked toward the kitchen table where she had several files of documents positioned on a good portion of the surface.
There was no reason for her statement to irritate the hell out of me, but it did. I watched as she flipped through several pages, shaking her head after doing so.
She shifted her attention in my direction, her eyes twinkling.
“The numbers are abysmal, your competition kicking your ass. However, Robert also provided some encouraging information on your current production line. He seems to think it’s your best wine selection to date.
I’m very excited to taste them. I’ve also heard the grapes on the vines are full and lush, which is all good news.
Maybe you have a fighting chance. I’m going to put together a marketing plan to see if you like it.
I can tell that you will need to change your methods of operation in order for you to regain any traction. ”
There was an eagerness to her words, a need to fulfill a void.
I had to wonder if that had more to do with her own life.
My cock stirred all over again, another wave of desire dragging the dark hunger into the light.
As her exotic perfume wafted into my nostrils, the single whiff was enough to prime the beast.
When I walked around the counter, taking my time as I advanced, she grew more and more uncomfortable.
The way the limited lighting shimmered across her face was a mere taste of her beauty.
Her long red hair seemed even silkier, a few stray strands sliding across her cheeks in the most sensual manner.
She’d changed clothes, the stunning purple dress hugging every curve, the material barely covering her thighs.
Her feet were bare, her toenails painted in the same blushing pink that had risen across her face.
She obviously hadn’t planned on any visitors after hours.
I lifted her glass into my hand, slowly inching it closer. “Have some wine with me, Aspen.”
“Is that an order?”
I cocked my head, giving her a commanding look. “It’s a request and nothing more. I think it would be a very good idea to get to know one another. Don’t you? After all, we are going to be working very closely together.”
She hesitated, chewing on her inner cheek before accepting the offer.
The second our fingers touched, an explosion of electricity slammed into my body.
The way she pursed her lips indicated she’d felt exactly the same.
Her breathing becoming shallow, she swallowed several times then purposely turned away from me. “That will be fine.”
“Do I make you nervous, Aspen?”
“Should I be nervous?” She continued to back away, dragging her tongue across her lips as she did so. She had no idea how provocative the simple action truly was.
“I tend to make everyone in a room anxious.”
“Is that because you’re incredibly rude to everyone, not just your employees?”
Another wave of defiance. This was becoming more of a game of will, a powerplay, which I found even more fascinating. She obviously had absolutely zero clue about my reputation.
Or my needs.
I took my time before answering, enjoying the way she sipped the wine. All I could think about was the term luscious. “You’ve obviously figured out that I am a very bad man. While we can agree to disagree, at the end of the day certain decisions are mine to make. Often, they are difficult.”
“I’m sure they are.” Her tone full of sass, her eyes flashed with just a hint of mischief.
The woman was doing her best to push aside her feelings, yet our connection was undeniable.
“I have many enemies, Aspen. That requires me to remain on edge at all times. I don’t have the luxury of being considered a nice guy. That would highlight a weakness that I can’t afford.”
“Then you’ve done your job.” She wrinkled her nose, still daring me to defy her. “You are a bad man.”
The chemistry we shared was palpable. My heart thudded against my chest, my balls as tight as drums. “I am good at what I do. As a matter of fact, I always get exactly what I want.”
She pursed her lips, taking shallow breaths. The way her long eyelashes skimmed across her porcelain skin took my breath away. “And what do you want?”
“Mmm… Be careful what you ask me and what you ask for, Aspen. That could lead to a dangerous proposition.”
“Is that a threat?”
“I don’t threaten beautiful women. They are special and require protection.” Her question was another jabbing reminder of my discussion with Prescott. I took a deep breath and held it, searching her eyes. “Why did you take this job?”
“Why?” she repeated, another look of surprise crossing her face.
I nodded, purposely taking a step closer.
The nervous tic on the corner of her mouth had returned.
My cock was now throbbing, the desire shifting into absolute need.
She’d awakened something I’d thought would remain dead.
Every breath I took, her perfume settled into a different region in my body. I was almost drunk from the scent.
I sensed her increased arousal not only by the delicious fragrance of her feminine wiles but from the fact her hardened nipples were highlighted through the thin fabric of her dress. I was losing control around her, unable to hold back my most basic needs.
She lifted her head, darting her eyes back and forth. There was such a warm glow resonating deep inside of her, but there was also a dark secret she was hiding. I could read that easily.
“Because it was time to try something different. Something bold. Daring.”
“Daring. I like that. To get out of your comfort zone, exploring the darkness furrowing inside of you.” I closed the distance and this time she didn’t back away. I towered over the woman, her delicate features becoming increasingly difficult to resist.
“Yes,” she managed. “To live my life the way I decide.”
“You hunger.” I lowered my head until our lips were almost touching. The adrenaline rush coursed through every vein, pushing my heartrate to a heightened level.
“Yes. And I will take what I want as well.” Aspen was more flustered than before, daring to place the tips of her fingers against my chest. The light touch was almost enough to shove me over the edge of the cliff.
I was turning into nothing but an animal.
“An interesting answer.”
“Why? Aren’t women allowed to become powerful around you?”
“Why do I have the distinct feeling you’re hiding something?” I asked. “There is something about you that seems guarded, as if you can’t trust anyone.”
“I’m not hiding anything, not that it’s any of your business,” she rebuffed, gritting her teeth. “As far as trust. I can tell you don’t trust a single person, including yourself. Why is that? What are you hiding behind, Montgomery?”
The electric vibrations surged between us.
I backed her against the wall, determined to push her out of her comfort zone completely. “It’s entirely my business, Aspen, especially if you aren’t who you say you are.”
There was no hesitation on her part. She simply tossed the rest of her wine into my face, sliding away from me then shoving her hand against my chest.
I wrapped my hand around her wrist, jerking her against me. She refused to give in, fighting me with everything she had. I barely managed to put my glass on the table, not giving a shit about the drops of wine sliding down my face or the fact she’d ruined my favorite shirt.
When her glass slipped through her fingers, shattering against the floor, I was no longer able to ignore my strong urge to take her.
Taste her.
Fuck her.
Ravage her.
When I lifted her off the floor and away from the broken glass, she whimpered. I forced her legs around my waist, the dam broken. The woman had no idea the kind of vile thoughts racing through my mind, but she would learn soon enough. Nothing would stop me from taking what I wanted.
The second I fisted her hair, jerking back her head until she was forced to look into my eyes, she clasped her fingers around my shirt. I shoved her hard against the wall, my breathing ragged. “Make no mistake about it, Aspen. I’m the kind of man who takes what I want.”
“What do you want?” she dared to ask.
“You. All of you and I won’t take no for an answer.”