Liar

His eyes flicked to mine, heat making the dark brown look almost black. A growl rumbled low in his chest. I squeezed my thighs at the predatory look, my smile growing at how I could still affect this man. I couldn’t help it. He stood there, so tall and broad—so mature. I knew how playful he could be, and I wanted to bring it out of him, just for me, in this tiny space.

“That’s a good call,” he managed to squeeze out past his clenched jaw.

I stepped away from the door and into him, fighting down the urge to push up to my toes and kiss his cheek. I wanted to smell his skin to see if it still smelled of the orange sandalwood that enticed me almost two years ago. But somehow, I did fight the craving and turned in the small space, my shoulder brushing his chest, and opened the door. I scanned the hall and before I stepped out, looked over my shoulder and gave a wink. “See you out there, Kent.”

I quickly ran to my room and picked some random book to shove into my bag before returning to the dinner table. Kent gave me a cursory glance and seemed to have relaxed since our little bathroom chat. Probably feeling relief that I hadn’t fallen at his feet and begged him for a repeat.

I grabbed a seat next to Mom, and she slid me a glass of wine. My dad gave her an irritated look, but she waved him off. “She’ll be twenty-one in a month. Don’t give me that look, David.”

I took a sip of the crisp liquid, the taste of apples, lingering in my mouth long after I swallowed the dry wine. I smiled around the rim of my glass when I noticed a muscle tick in Kent’s jaw at the mention of my age.

“Olivia, how’s your project going? Have you found a business to intern for yet?” my mom asked.

“Well, you won’t let me work with Uncle Daniel, so I’m at a loss.”

Daniel laughed and winked at me. “Nice try. We don’t want to give your teacher a heart attack with your presentation. Or spoil that angelic mind.”

According to my family, I only knew what Voyeur was from a few comments made here and there by Daniel and Dad. No one but Kent knew I’d snuck in and already corrupted my angelic side.

“Why don’t you intern for Kent?” Daniel suggested. “I’m sure he can conjure up a spot for you.”

All the relaxation that Kent had gained since coming back into the room vanished. His shoulders tensed, and his head jerked to Daniel.

“Ummm…” I hesitated.

Daniel didn’t notice and kept talking up the idea. “Yeah, it’d be great. He’s opening a new hotel here in Cincinnati, a big, ritzy one. It’s in the end stages, so you’d get to see how the final business is set up. It’ll be great.”

“Um,” Kent began. “I’m not sure that will work. I’ve got the one in New York too that needs me, and I won’t be here very often.”

“Nonsense,” my mom said, waving her hand like she was swatting the problem away. “I’ve seen the project criteria. She only needs a few hours a week.”

“And she could work with one of your managers if you happen to not be there,” Daniel added.

They just kept talking, building up the plans, each idea making it harder and harder to turn down. Kent kept opening his mouth to speak, but they’d talk over him, shutting down anything he was going to say. I could tell he wasn’t too keen on the idea but didn’t have a leg to stand on to deny it.

“It’s really up to Olivia if she’s interested or not,” he said when he finally had room to speak. His eyes gave a hesitant look. He probably wanted me to say no, to give him an out.

But for the first time since I’d agreed to fuck an older man in a sex club, my heart raced. My skin prickled with excitement like I had my hand on a battery, and the electricity worked its way through me. Oaklyn said I couldn’t just sit by and wait for things to happen. She told me I had to take charge.

So, I ignored Kent’s look and took charge.

“I’d love to.”

4 Kent

“How long until you leave again?” Daniel asked from his lounged position in the club chair.

“In maybe a week or two.”

“Always gone. You should at least buy an apartment here to give you a home-base.”

I stared at the glass of amber liquid hanging precariously from my fingertips, entranced by the round ball of ice circling the bottom.

“My parents live here, and that’s enough of a home-base for me.” I lifted the glass and sipped the spicy drink.

Daniel smirked. “Can’t exactly bring girls home to the parents’ house.”