“I want you to beg for my cock,” Jackson said slowly. He smirked at me. “And until you do that, I’m not going to fuck you.”
I watched him gather his things and leave. I was still seething with anger – and my pussy was throbbing so hard, I knew that I’d have a hard time not touching myself as soon as Jackson was gone. When he left, I wanted to grab something and throw it at the door in his wake. But all I could do was stare at my reflection in the mirror.
I didn’t look like me. My lips were swollen with kisses; my brown hair was wild. There was a dark look in my brown eyes that I’d never recognized before now – the look of a girl driven wild by lust.
I stood in the foyer, fidgeting nervously in my Vera Wang cocktail dress. It was five minutes past seven and Jackson was late. He was supposed to pick me up at quarter till, but that had come and passed and still, he wasn’t there.
When he finally arrived, I could tell he wasn’t in a good mood. Jackson put a hand on the small of my back and guided me into the Town Car. The sensation of his fingers against the silk of my dress were enough to turn me on, but I could tell Jackson wasn’t thinking about sex.
“Where are we going, anyway?”
Jackson shrugged. “Some work event.” He snickered. “I needed a date.”
I frowned. “And you wanted to take me?”
Jackson turned to me, his grey eyes wide. “Why, Bella. You’re my temporary assistant! Of course, I’d want to take you.”
I narrowed my eyes. “So you’re going to lie,” I said flatly. My bad mood was turning even worse with each passing second.
Jackson shrugged. “It won’t hurt anyone. Besides, I thought you’d be glad to get out.”
I was, but I wasn’t going to tell him that. The past week I’d spent cooped up in that apartment, getting an early start for next semester’s reading. Despite my luxurious surroundings, Jackson hadn’t provided any actual cash…and as a result, I couldn’t really afford to leave. Still, it hadn’t exactly been torture. I’d been subsisting on all of the delicious snacks in the fridge. The expensive caviar had been top-notch, as had the smoked salmon and artichoke hearts in some kind of delicious olive oil. I hadn’t eaten food like that since the last time I’d dined with Mom and Mitchell. Thinking about it brought back all kinds of bittersweet memories.
“Belle, we’re here,” Jackson said impatiently. I stared out the window – the Town Car had pulled up in front of the Waldorf Astoria.
I raised my eyebrows. “So just some work event?”
Jackson shrugged once more. “I told you, I don’t pay attention to these things.”
Inside, I practically sprained my neck from looking around so much. The inside of the hotel was decorated splendidly – ropes and garlands of shiny tinsel hung from the ceilings, and everything was a bright, shiny silver. The people were all gorgeous, too – those slender New York City types, all dressed in black with bright red lips and smoky eyes.
I tugged at the hem of my Vera Wang, feeling more self-conscious than ever.
“I don’t know about this,” I said slowly. “Are you sure?”
Jackson nodded impatiently. “Of course I’m sure,” he growled. “Why the hell would I bring you if I weren’t?”
I could tell something was bothering him the whole night. He wasn’t the way he’d been the other day – if anything, he was back to his old, snide self. Every remark that came out of his mouth was a sarcastic jab. Finally, I decided to abandon Jackson and stay by the cocktail table. At least this way I can drink, I thought miserably.
The night dragged on and on. Jackson flitted throughout the room, laughing too loudly. I cringed whenever I heard his booming voice sailing through the air. It was like he was trying too hard to impress someone, but I had no idea who Jackson would even bother trying to impress.
“Hey there,” an unfamiliar voice said. “You new here?”
I turned around to see a handsome guy leaning against the wall by the bar. He had a friendly smile, dark hair, and brown eyes. He wasn’t as gorgeous as Jackson, but he must have been rich – his tailored suit and shiny shoes spoke of wealth.
“I’m actually here with Jackson Rhodes,” I said. “He’s…um, my boss. I’m his temporary assistant.”
The guy threw his head back and laughed. He handed me a glass of champagne. “You’d better drink, then, I bet you need it,” he said. “I’m Dustin. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Belle,” I said. “Pleased.” I
extended my fingers, expecting a handshake. Instead, Dustin lifted my fingers to his lips and kissed the back of my hand. A pleasurable shiver crawled down my spine, mingled with guilt. I should find Jackson, I thought. He’s probably not going to like this.
“Nice to meet you, Belle,” Dustin said. “That’s a pretty name.” When he dropped my hand, I rubbed it against my dress as if to rid myself of his kiss.
“Thanks.”
“So, how long have you worked for Jackson?”