The gala is like a who’s who of New York’s richest assholes, all crammed into the ritziest hotel in the city paying ten thousand dollars a plate to feel superior to the charity cases they’re supposed to be helping. The minute I step through the door, I wish I’d never come.
But Keely wants me here. She needs the support. And fuck it, there’s an open bar.
I head through the crowd, elbowing my way past the Wall Street types and their glammed-up wives.
“Can I get you a drink, sir?” The bartender clearly knows his shit, because one look at me, and he’s already reaching for the top-shelf stuff.
“Whiskey. Neat.”
“That’s my man.”
I turn. It’s that asshole from Keely’s firm back in LA. Carter Abrams, looking smug as fuck in a loud paisley-print tie.
“Great party, am I right?” he sneers at me. “But I thought you said you didn’t have a relationship with Keely.”
This old bullshit.
“She doesn’t work for you anymore,” I tell him, ice-cold. “So there’s nothing inappropriate about us seeing each other.”
“Aw, I’m just kidding you, man.” Carter slaps me on the back and I have to keep from punching his lights out. “I don’t care if you guys are fucking like rabbits. Live and let live, I say.”
“You know, you’re real lucky,” I growl.
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah. If we were anyplace else, I would break every bone in your body,” I say conversationally, like we’re just shooting the shit here. “I’d smash your fucking jaw in so hard you’d be in reconstructive surgery for a month.”
Carter goes pale.
“But that would ruin the party, right?” I continue, grabbing my drink from the bartender and throwing down a massive tip. “And Keely needs everything to run smoothly. So tonight’s your lucky night, asshole. But the next time you speak to me, I might just change my mind.”
I leave him quaking like the pussy he is. But fuck it, I feel like punching someone now. It’s not just Carter, it’s this whole fucking show.
Riches and excess, a million lies.
There’s a black-and-white portrait photo of Ashcroft mounted on the staircase, looking down on us all. I look at it, feeling that familiar stab of resentment and burning fury. But tonight, there’s something else lurking beneath the simple rage.
Doubt.
Ever since Keely showed me those threatening notes, I don’t know what to think. It was all so simple before I came here: Ashcroft was the heartless bastard who destroyed my father, and in return, I’d destroy his legacy. But now I wonder, what the hell was going on back then? Who was blackmailing him? And what did they want?
Did he cut my father out to hurt him -- or to try and save his life?
Either way, it means jack shit now. Ashcroft and my dad are both cold bodies in the ground. All that’s left is this now: the company, his legacy.
And Keely.
I see her make her entrance across the room.
Fuck.
She’s gorgeous tonight. Hell, she’s always beautiful, but this is something else: her hair pinned up, those eyes shining with excitement, that body poured into a classy, sweeping dress.
She chats with some of the guests, smiling, putting them at ease. People crowd around to meet her, the unofficial star attraction of the night. She handles the attention like she was born to do it, even though I know she must be nervous as hell to make the right impression.
I feel an unfamiliar clench in my chest. Pride. Possession.
Love.
No. Fuck no.
I gulp the rest of my whiskey, and grab another drink from the tray.
Get a grip. I scold myself. Just because the girl is strong, and smart, and a fucking miracle in bed, it doesn’t mean you can think for one minute this will ever be something real. This is just your dick talking.
You know how that ends. You swore, never again.
I look at her again. She’s wearing red lipstick, and I focus on that juicy mouth. Imagining her tight red lips sliding up and down my cock, how she whimpers with pleasure when I shove it all the way down. How her pussy gushes, just from sucking me off.
My cock twitches. Yeah, that’s more like it. No emotional bullshit clouding my mind, just plain hard lust. This hold she’s got on me is just physical. It has to be.
My heart doesn’t know how to love anymore.
I cut through the crowd towards her. She’s surrounded by business types, a group of old guys hanging off her every word and angling for a better look down her dress.
“...we can promise you--- Vaughn!” Her face lights up when she sees me.
“Hey, baby.” I slip an arm around her waist and flash the guys a grin. “Sorry, but I have to steal her away for just a minute.”
I steer Keely away before anyone has a chance to object.
“What’s going on?” she asks me, tripping in her heels to keep up.
I lead her up the stairs and around the far side of the mezzanine. It’s quieter here, away from the crowds, overlooking the ballroom. “This is what’s going on.” I push her up against the balcony, stealing a taste of her juicy mouth. Her body yields against me with a moan.
My cock gets harder.
I pull away. She’s breathless, smiling. “Hey,” she says again, softer. She runs her hands over the lapels of my tux. “You look good.”
“And you look fucking spectacular.” I grip her waist, all bound up in red satin like a sexy birthday package. I slide my hands lower, over the ripe curve of her ass. “Did you do what I told you?” I murmur.
“No panties?” Keely’s gaze turns teasing. “Maybe. Maybe not. You’ll just have to find out later,” she adds with a wink.
Later? Fuck that. I’m just inches from her bare, dripping pussy, and there’s no way I’m letting her go without sliding deep all the way to the fucking hilt.
Keely doesn’t realize the hard-on I’ve already got raging in my pants. She turns to look out over the ballroom. “It’s going great, don’t you think? We’ve already raised so much money for charity, and the auction hasn’t even started yet.”
“You’ve done a great job.” I move up behind her, sliding my hands around her waist.
“It wasn’t me. I just told them to do it, and voila! Everything is perfect.”
I chuckle. “Enjoying the view from the top, huh?”
“Definitely.”
She’s not the only one. With Keely resting her head back against my chest, I have a first-class view right down her dress. Her breasts pushed up against the satin, straining for release. Those tight little nipples crushed flat and caged in lace.
Later tonight, I’m going to suck them until she screams. For now, I’ll have to settle for something a little more discreet.
I reach between us and unbuckle my belt.
Keely lets out a happy sigh against me. She’s still watching the gala, oblivious to my filthy plans. “Is it terrible if I like being in charge? I’m still stressed about the company, but it’s amazing to have people actually respect me for a change. When I walk into a meeting, they all pay attention -- instead of ordering me to go get coffee,” she adds.
“I thought you like taking orders,” I murmur, unzipping my fly. My cock is straining, eager as fuck to claim her right now.
“That’s different,” she whispers. “Those are always the fun kind.”
“So how about I give you an order right now?” I tell her softly. “Grip hold of the balcony and don’t make a fucking sound.”
Keely’s breath hitches. Her body goes tense. “Vaughn?” she tries to twist her head to look at me, but I turn it to face the ballroom.
“Don’t worry, baby.” I slide up her skirts, inching up over those silky thighs. “The balcony’s hiding us. They can’t see anything.”
I slip a hand between her legs, and fuck, she was telling me the truth.
Bare and wet and ready for me.
“Nobody’s going to know I’m fucking you deep right now.” I whisper. “Not unless you scream. You think you can keep quiet for me, baby?”
Keely shudders as I swipe over her slick little nub. “Yes,” she gasps. “I can be quiet.”
She thrusts her ass back, rubbing up against my cock, and dammit, I would have to fuck her now even if the whole room was watching.
“Easy there, tiger.” I position her against me, easing her thighs apart. “Just watch the party. Don’t you make a sound.”
I thrust slowly inside her. Keely grips the balcony, stifling a whimper.
“Oh, you like that, don’t you?” I murmur, rocking back, then deeper, all the way inside her wet cunt.
God dammit, she’s so tight, so fucking good.
“I forgot, you like it in public,” I whisper, rocking faster, feeling her clench and quiver around me. “You like when people are watching, when they don’t know just how dirty you are. You think anyone down there realizes what we’re doing? That I’m balls-deep in your delicious pussy right here, in front of everyone?”
Keely gasps for air. Her body is shaking against me. I can feel her thrust back to meet my strokes.
Oh fuck, she feels so good.
“Don’t move,” I remind her, “Somebody will see. Already, it’s written all over your face.”
She stills, whimpering. Now I’m the one controlling the tempo, sliding inside of her, rocking back. My balls feel like they’re going to explode, every slick clench is a fucking miracle.
“Please,” she begs me, her knuckles white from gripping the balcony. I can tell it’s driving her crazy trying to stay cool, to act like I’m not driving deep inside her right now.
“Oh God,” she whispers, shaking. “Vaughn, I’m so close.”
“I know you are, baby. Because I get you there, every time.” I rock faster.
“Yes,” Keely shudders. “God, yes.”
“This is what you want,” I growl, reaching a hand round to tweak her slick clit. She jolts, clenching around me. “You want every inch of me. You need my cock like nothing else.”
“All of you,” Keely’s breath comes fast. “It’s you, Vaughn. Only you.”
I withdraw, until just the tip is nestled in her dripping folds. She sobs in protest, then I ease back inside her, inch by hard, hot inch. All the way, no fucking around this time. I impale myself to the hilt in her tight channel until my balls are crushed up against her, then I grind up.
Keely goes slack in my arms.
I want to get her there. I need her to feel what she’s doing to me, how she’s the best fucking thing I’ve ever felt before.
I hone in on her G-spot like a nuclear missile, grinding deep, rubbing her from the inside, over and over, until she breaks, spasming in fucking convulsions around my cock. The pleasure slams through me, a tidal wave, and I come, blowing my load deep inside her until her hungry pussy has milked every drop.
I hold her tight, and I never want to let her go.
Fuck.