After a few seconds passed, Jared had enough of giving her space and closed the distance between them. Putting his hands on her shoulders, he pulled her back against him.
“I’ve got you.”
“I don’t know why I’m crying.”
“I know why.”
She sniffled. “You’re nothing like your brother.”
“I told you, when it comes to my parents, I’m always the odd one out.”
She let out a little sob. He pressed a kiss to her neck.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come here.”
He held her tightly, moving his hands from her shoulders to wrapping his arms around her. “Don’t, Meredith. Don’t push me away. I can imagine what my brother was like and I know he’s an ass. Let me hold you.”
She pushed out a breath. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t say that. It’s on them. Not on you.”
Meredith turned in his arms. “But look at me. It’s not like he’s wrong, is it? I’m not the kind of woman you take home to mom and dad. I’m an embarrassment.”
Cupping her face, he forced her to look at him. “Don’t say shit like that.” He slammed his lips down on hers. He wanted to fucking murder his family right now. Meredith was the one for him, not anyone else. After sliding his tongue across her lips, he plunged inside. He moved her away from the windows but pressed her up against his bookcase.
“Jared?”
“No, you feel me. Do you feel what you do to me?” He made her feel his cock, how hard he was getting. How desperate he was for all of her. “I want you every single day. You’re all I can think about. My parents, they don’t matter. They will never matter. I want you, Meredith.”
Tears slid down her cheeks, and he knew a visit to his parents was in his future.
She swiped at them and smiled. “You know, I’ve never been to your office.” He picked her up and she cried out as he placed her on top of his desk.
“What are you doing?” she asked with a chuckle.
“Well, Meredith, I’ve got a few fantasies, and today I’m going to live them all. I think this morning I promised you a good time, did I not?” he asked.
“I didn’t do it for you to pay me back.”
“I know, and that’s what makes you so fucking perfect.” He kissed her, sliding the skirt she wore up and around her hips. “But I also sit at this desk nearly every single day of the week, and I want to remember how you look coming all over my cock.” He spread her thighs. Opening his zipper, he pulled out his cock, which was already hard. When it came to Meredith, it seemed to be a permanent state of arousal.
Jared watched her as he rubbed his cock up and down her slit, seeing the pleasure rush over her. Inch by inch, he slid inside her, feeling her tight, wet cunt wrap around him. He gritted his teeth at the instant hit of pleasure. Holding on to her hips, he fucked into her, going hard and fast.
Her cries echoed off the walls, and before he found his own release, he stopped long enough to feel hers as it swept over her body. She moaned his name. Begged for more, and he gave it to her.
This was his woman and now, he was going to threaten his family. No one hurt her and got away with it.
Chapter Six
The following Sunday
This wasn’t how Jared wanted to spend his Sunday, but after what William did this past week, he didn’t have much choice.
Meredith came first. She would always come first.
He wanted to spend today proposing to her, but he just knew if William failed, they would each try to break her down. To get under her skin, and he couldn’t have that.
Arriving at his parents’ property, he stared up at the house where he’d grown up. It wasn’t exactly a thrill to be back. Each part of the house held an abundance of memories, not all of them good. In fact, a great deal of them were … awful.
The parties. The way his parents were about money. He loved his family, he did. From a young age, he’d known he was different. He’d watch other families and wish his was similar, that Christmases weren’t business affairs, and the family dinners weren’t about telling them how they were going to live their life.
It was why he’d arrived in a pair of jeans and a white shirt, and he’d even put on some sneakers. His parents demanded a certain dress code, even on a Sunday.
He walked right past their butler and went straight to the dining room, standing outside the door for a few minutes.
“I cannot believe she didn’t even give you a number. Clearly, she’s holding out for a bigger paycheck,” his mother said.
Jared knew deep down in his gut that his family would spend today plotting against Meredith. She’d denied them, and they hadn’t been anticipating that, so now they would try to find any means possible to make her pay. It was sad and downright cruel.