My hands shake as I take a quarter out of my pocket and step into the first phone booth I see. My fingers are numb with the cold but the plastic box seems hot in comparison to the temperature outside. I dial Dante's number and hold the receiver up to my ear.
"Go," comes the gruff response on the other line.
"Dante?" My voice comes out squeakier than I had intended. I'm far more rattled than I care to admit.
"Vesper?" His tone softens with concern. "Are you all right?"
"I need to
see you." I have control of myself again, even if my hand is shaking. I tell myself it's just from the cold.
"Okay," Dante says. "I just need to finish up some paperwork and then I can meet you-"
"No," I cut him off. "I can't wait. I need you now."
"You need me now, eh?" There is a smile and pride in his voice. "You can come to my office then."
He gives me his address. I don't have anything to write it down on, so I just memorize it instead. It's only a few blocks away, so I'm not worried about forgetting it. I've been there before for business. I think of Dante's bare chest instead of the little girl. That's what I want. I hang up the phone and start walking, letting the fires of need keep me warm against the winter wind.
Chapter 12
The lobby of Dante's office is almost eerily quiet, which given that it was the middle of the day isn't that strange, but the silence is still unnerving. A lone security guard looks up from the desk as I open the door and approach. There isn't another way to get to the shiny silver elevators, so I go straight up him.
The desk is situated in such a way that it makes it feel as though the guard is looming over me. The big man stares down his long nose as if I were a bug on the floor, but I don't care. I have done this enough times to know how to behave.
"I'm Vesper. I'm here to see Mr. Dante Russo. He's expecting me." I stand with my hand on my hip, confident and tall. Nobody intimidates me.
The guard blinks slowly and then nods toward the elevator without saying a word. The silence actually makes him more daunting than if he had spoken, but he isn't my problem anymore. I walk to the elevator, feeling his eyes on my ass the whole way. I make sure to sashay just a little bit.
It's a long ride up to Dante's office on the 47th floor. My ears pop with the height increase and I swear I can feel the building sway in the wind as I step out of the elevator. The hallway is painted in a neutral tan that all businesses seem to prefer. His family must be doing well to afford all this. I know that the Russos are big in real estate.
I find the heavy wooden door with his suite number. The placard is blank on the door, as if he doesn't want anyone to know he is here. I can't say I blame him. Given his status, he probably has people bothering him all the time. The office building is nice, but definitely not the trendiest. This would be a good place to work without having wannabe clients harassing him all day.
The door opens on smooth hinges and I step inside. The lobby is bare with only a couple of tired, gray waiting room chairs. I walk through it to the only door that looks like it might contain something. I knock this time and the sound seems to echo through the room.
"Come in," Dante says through the door. I push it open, unsure of what I'm going to find.
This room looks entirely different than the threadbare lobby. A lamp in the corner gives off a warm light that makes the room comfortable and welcoming, especially after the dismal, gray entrance. Dante stands at the window, peeking through the closed blinds at the street below. He's wearing a suit and jacket, and it's kind of weird. It's like he's wearing his father's clothes.
A heavy, black desk fills the center of the room with a comfortable-looking leather chair behind it. Two bookshelves filled to the brim line the walls along with a filing cabinet and two paintings of seascapes.
I'm hot. After walking in the cold in that skirt, the heated room is making my cold hands prickle.
I head straight for Dante. I need him to fill me, to take my mind away from the girl and from Victoria.
"Hey, what's the matter?" he asks.
"Shut up and kiss me," I say, coming around the desk.
As we kiss, I can see his own hunger begin to rise within him. I unbutton and shrug out of my blouse, letting it fall to the ground. There's a burning in my core in a way that only he can put out. I can feel how excited he's getting already. His hands go behind me for my bra, unclasping it and letting it drop to the floor. I can't wait, I practically attack him. I have to get the image of that little girl out of my mind.
“I want you to fuck me, Dante. Not make love to me,” I whisper in his ear. I need this. I need him to take me away from myself. I don't want a gentle love-making session. I want something that mixes pleasure and pain and makes me forget about everything. I need it hard and I need it now.
He pulls away from me a little bit. "Are you sure?" I can see the dark hunger swirling in his eyes.
I bite my lip and smile, nodding. "Take me, Dante. I'm yours to take as you want.”
His eyes darken and he suddenly seems taller. He grabs my hair and pulls me to his desk. I sit on the edge of the wood, arching my back and thrusting out my chest. I want to tempt him. I moan loudly, just wanting nothing but his cock inside of me. He leaves one hand in my hair while the other one begins to hike up my skirt.