He checks his watch and angles his head away from me. “I’ll be out tonight. Don’t leave tomorrow without saying goodbye.”
The minute he walks out of my room, the air changes. A cold emptiness expands in my chest. Needing some warmth, I cradle the cup between my hands. I allow his act of kindness to warm my heart and fill my empty spaces. He’s a contradiction of sensations, a very bad kind of good.
* * *
Gabriel
When I walk into my study after lunch, Helga sits in my chair. How the hell did she get past security?
I click the door shut. “How did you get in?”
“Hi to you, too.” She leans back in my chair and crosses her ankles on my desk. Her dress rides up to her thighs, exposing black garter stockings. “Chill. Your mother let me in.”
I’ll have to have a word with Magda. For Carly’s sake, I don’t invite my bed partners home. Seeing her reminds me that I haven’t fucked a woman in a very long time, not since I took Valentina.
“Why did you come?” I approach the desk, irritated with her presence. “You know the rules.”
She pouts. “I miss you.”
“Carly’s home, for fuck’s sake.”
“You haven’t called. It’s not like you.”
I cross my arms and stare at her. I don’t owe her explanations. We fuck when we’re both in the mood, and that’s that.
“I need you, lover boy.”
“I’ve told you before, don’t call me that.”
She uncrosses her legs and plants a heel on each side of my desk. No panties. Her fanny is bare, shaved like I prefer. The wide posture gives me a prime view of the goods on offer.
“Tell me what to call you, ugly boy.”
Normally, Helga would have my balls in a knot with the act. By now, I would’ve had her bent over my desk. I would’ve spanked her pink before fucking her smart mouth, but not today. My cock doesn’t stir. Not even a twitch.
“I’m busy.”
“It’ll only take five minutes.”
I smirk. “You know me better than that.”
“Okay,” she gives me a sly grin, “thirty if you make it a quickie.”
“You have to leave.”
“Throwing me out?”
“Don’t make me. It won’t be pleasant for either of us.”
She narrows her eyes. “Who are you fucking?”
“No one.”
“Come on. I know you. You can’t go a day without sex, let alone weeks.”
I don’t have time for this shit. I round the desk and stop next to the chair, intimidating her with my size and height. “I’ll ask you nicely one last time.”
She grabs my tie and pulls me down to her level. “You don’t scare me. Whatever you want to give, I can take it.”
A knock on the door interrupts us, but she doesn’t let go or break the stare. I’m going to be a first-class jerk. I give her a calculated smile.
“You won’t.”
“Watch me,” I whisper.
“It can be your daughter.”
Carly never knocks. It’s probably Quincy or Rhett. “Come in,” I call in a loud voice.
Helga’s eyes grow large. By now, she should know I never bluff. She brings her knees together and pulls down her dress, but not before the visitor who opens the door gets a full glimpse of her pussy.
Triumphantly, I turn my head to see who the lucky spectator is and freeze. Valentina stands in the doorframe, a stack of white envelopes in her hand and shock in her eyes.
9
Gabriel
“I’m sorry,” Valentina says. “I didn’t know you were busy.”
I free my tie from Helga’s grip and straighten, not missing Helga’s curious expression. I have to be careful. Helga is perceptive. Raising a brow at Valentina, I encourage her to continue.
She swallows and holds up the envelopes. “Your mother sent me to bring you these.”
“Leave it on my desk.”
She approaches with averted eyes and puts the stack on the corner. With a small nod, she hurries out of the room.
“New staff?” Helga asks. “You never told me you have a maid. I thought you used a cleaning service.”
I grip her arm and drag her to her feet.
“What are you doing?”
“Tell me why you’re really here.”
She licks her lips. The facade finally drops. “I need money.”
I always leave money after fucking Helga, and she’d feel two weeks without a bonus. Letting go of her arm, I take out my wallet and press a couple of thousand in her hand. She bats her eyelashes when I take her wrist and pull her around the desk.
“Does this mean we’re fucking?”
“It means I’m walking you out.” I all but drag her to the front door where Rhett stands guard. “See to it that she leaves the grounds.”
“Gabriel!”
The last thing I see before shutting the door in her face is her disgruntled expression. It’s over. I never want to see her again.
* * *
Valentina
Gabriel Louw has a reputation. He’s dangerous, and the women who have first-hand experience say he fucks like a horse. Why seeing it with my own eyes hurt so much I can’t fathom. It’s not like I found out today. What did I expect? Exclusivity? Last night was sweet. The dull ache between my legs reminds me of how Gabriel fucked me with his finger. It’s the kind of hurt that feels good, until a few moments ago, before I walked in on a pretty blonde with her naked parts splayed on his desk. It’s a game to him. I’m his toy. When he tires of me, he’ll cast me aside. The only thing he values is the debt I owe. When I walk free, I don’t want to leave a piece of my heart here. That will be too ironic. It’s a good thing I walked in on them. No, it’s a good thing he allowed me to walk in on them. I guess he wanted me to see that, to remind me I’m not special. I’m one of many, and for the moment, I’m convenient.