Page 41 of Fair Trade (New York Monarchs #2)

thirty-seven

I need an emergency girls’ night out.

I sent out the SOS in the group chat, and to my relief, all my girls were ready to rally.

Now that’s a good wife.

My knees have been wobbly ever since Nick left me in my office with the mess he made between my legs serving as a reminder of how dangerous his mouth can be.

I beat him home to take a much-needed shower. But I’d be lying if I said the sight of Nick’s release on my body didn’t send me diving for the showerhead for a quick assist.

Now it’s right before nine p.m., and I know Nick is here, because I can hear him humming happily around the house. Most likely trying to lure me out of my hidey-hole to gloat about his sexual abilities.

And even though I want to fold like a cheap lawn chair, I promised myself I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.

Now that’s a good wife.

I need to channel the woman I was the night we met. The one who had no issue taking charge and telling him exactly what I wanted instead of looking like a deer in headlights the moment I felt his lips where I needed him most.

I may be fighting a losing battle, but I’ll be damned if I just roll over and give in to Nick because he willed me to.

I run my hands down my skin-tight black dress.

It dips in the front, showing more than a hint of cleavage.

It hugs my curves in all the right places before opening to a small slit above my knees.

The dress looks much shorter paired with my sky-high silver heels.

It’s much more revealing than anything I’d usually wear, but tonight I’m not pulling any punches when it comes to taunting my husband.

He knows dirty talk is my weakness, and he expertly used it until I was spread across my desk in a heap of orgasmic bliss. Long forgotten were any of my reasons as to why having sex with him was dangerous.

But now he’s awakened every sexual desire buried within me, and the petty part of me feels like it’s only right for him to suffer a bit for breaking down my walls.

I tell myself that I put on the sheer red lingerie as a further way to stick it to him, but if I’m being honest, I hope to drive him wild enough to rip it off my body when I get home.

The sound of my heels on the main floor catches Delilah’s attention. She lets out an excited bark before abandoning her dog bed in the living room.

Nick’s back is to me as he sits on the couch, swirling the scotch around his glass. I can feel his smugness radiating off him from here. “Ah, has my dear wife finally come out of hiding? I swear I don’t bite… unless you ask me very nicely—” He turns to face me, only to freeze on the spot.

I point at his face. “Your jaw, Lucifer. Might want to close it so all that drool doesn’t make a mess of your expensive Persian rug.”

He snaps his mouth closed and darts to his feet. He drops his glass on a side table haphazardly as he eats up the distance between us, a satisfied smile blooming on his face. “My, my, my. All this for me? Come on, give me a little spin.” He lifts my hand above me, and I give him a little twirl.

“You like?” I ask innocently.

His eyes are too busy undressing me to notice the act I’m putting on, and it’s going to make leaving him tonight that much sweeter.

“Yes, I like it very much. Where did you buy this dress? Doesn’t matter. I want twelve of them.” His hands reach for my waist, but I smack them away.

“Nuh-uh-uh. You’re gonna have to keep your hands to yourself, Mr. Stonehaven. Because your wife is going out tonight.”

His head jerks back. “Wait. You’re leaving ? Now? Dressed like that?” His voice raises slightly, almost frantic.

I fake pout. “Aw, what’s wrong with how I’m dressed? I thought that you liked it.” I cross my arms under my chest, purposely lifting my breasts in the process.

Nick’s eyes steal a quick peek before they meet mine and narrow. “What are you playing at, Angel?”

I shrug. “Not a single thing. Going out with my girls tonight. I’m in need of a strong, hard cock…tail.” I lick my lips and smile.

He releases a dry laugh as he points up and down at me. “Oh, I see. Is this supposed to be some kind of roleplay? Because I think all participants involved are supposed to know they’re playing before you go and almost give a man a stroke by dressing like sin.”

I lean down and give Delilah a nice pat, knowing damn well I’m exposing my lingerie in the process. I keep my eyes trained on him and see the moment he notices what lies beneath my dress. I swear the man stops breathing. “You be a good girl for daddy tonight.” I bite my lip. “Okay, Delilah?”

The cute pup gives a happy yelp while her father seems on the brink of a nervous breakdown.

His hands go to the top of his head. “Wh-where are you ladies going? I’ll drive you! Um, wait here and I’ll get my—” A knock stops Nick from his frenzied movements.

I move closer to him. “Oh, did I forget to mention I hired a car service? It’s the responsible thing to do since we never know how wild we’ll get when we’re out on the town.

” I place a chaste kiss on the corner of his lip and back away before he has the chance to grab a hold of me.

“Whoops, I got some lipstick on you.” I lick my thumb seductively, then smear the dark red lipstick further into his skin.

“Oh man, you might want to take care of that yourself.” I say as I take a step back and look pointedly at the bulge forming in his pants. “The lipstick, I mean.”

I turn and make my way to the door, not wanting to keep my driver waiting any longer. Halfway there, I hear Nick’s sinister laugh behind me.

“When you walk out that door, know that you’ve started a game you won’t win. You really think you can out seduce me? I’ll have you rethinking your decisions and begging me to stop making you come if you keep this up.”

I don’t consider that a hardship.

I simply shrug and peer over my shoulder as I open the front door. “I wouldn’t be so sure if I were you. I seemed to have picked up a few new tricks. I guess that’s what happens when you’re married to the devil.”

If only Nick could see me now.

Sitting in a booth with some of my best girlfriends, feasting on every appetizer on the menu, because our newly pregnant friend Amelia couldn’t decide what she was craving.

“Guys, you don’t have to stick to soda because of me. I’m totally fine with you all enjoying a drink. In fact, I feel guilty for holding you back,” Amelia grouses.

“These are mocktails? Could’ve fooled me.” Nikki, Amelia’s very best friend, shrugs and winks at the mom-to-be.

Daisy blows out a big breath. “Trust me, Amelia. Last time I was at this place with you guys, I had the tequila hangover that will serve to keep me away from hard liquor for a very long time, so I welcome these fun mocktails.”

We all laugh at the memory of Daisy having a few too many and being whisked away by Coach, who happened to be here and offered to take her home.

“Oh yeah. I totally remember that night.” Isabella smirks. “That’s the night Mateo and I finally… well, you know.”

“Strikeout,” we all say in unison before breaking out into laughter.

Isabella gave more than enough details after the fact, detailing how she and Mateo had the most explosive night together. They’ve been inseparable ever since.

She blushes. “Mateo would die if he knew how much I spilled to you guys.” She looks around the table until her assessing eyes land on me.

“Which is funny, because I don’t think any of us have been debriefed about how you and Nick got together.

How about you enlighten us?” She tilts her head while taking a sip of her drink. My cheeks start to flush.

“You guys know Nick is a private person. I would share more, but I have to put his boundaries and needs first. We’re married but still a very new couple, and I don’t want to rock the boat too much yet,” I rush out, hoping the excuse lands true.

Isabella keeps her intense stare on me for a few more moments, but eventually, she deflates slightly. “Dammit. Why’d you have to drop the ‘boundary’ word in there? Now I have no choice but to be respectful!” She waves her hands in the air, and we all dissolve into giggles.

The waiter stops by and takes our third food order of the night right as my phone lights up. Again.

Because for the last hour, Nick has been blowing up my phone with texts and calls.

NICK:

Hi there. Checking in that you made it all right.

ME:

Yep! All good. Don’t wait up, xoxo

NICK:

You must be out of your mind if you think I won’t be waiting for your regular updates and safe arrival. Don’t you forget, we have matters to address once you get home. The kind that requires you naked in our bed.

A shiver ran down my spine at that last message.

He was getting to me, so I told him I was going to stop looking at my screen for the rest of the night so I wouldn’t be rudely ignoring my friends.

My phone has been doing the Macarena on the booth seat beside me all night, but I’ve held strong thus far.

When I lift my phone to check the time quickly, I notice that I have an email notification.

From Nick.

Our emails have continued, but since we now live together, they’re mostly reserved for actual work conversations.

I don’t let my finger hover over the unread message for long before I give in to temptation.

My panties dampen as I finish reading.

My skin suddenly feels too tight, my nipples too sensitive.

“Oh, I know that look. Did someone get a naughty text?” Isabella teases.

I clear my throat, trying to shake the feelings of arousal off, and flip my phone toward the girls. “Well, you wanted a little something from our personal life, so how about this?”

“I see the word dick! I’m covering my eyes until you’re all done reading. And for the love of God, please don’t read my brother’s dirty text out loud,” Daisy groans.

“It’s not a text. It’s an email. God, that’s so hot, given that he’s a businessman. Does he fuck you in his full suit in his office?” Amelia slaps a hand across her mouth. “Sorry, hormones. They sometimes get me super horny at a drop of a hat. Ignore me.”

Isabella snatches the phone out of my hand, her eyes popping out of her head. “Holy fuck. You guys are so hot.” She looks at me, then back at my phone when she starts to type.

“What are you doing?”

“Don’t worry. I’ll give you final approval. Just thought I’d up the ante. Pretty sure this’ll get you a good spanking. At the very least, it’ll earn some explosive orgasms.”

“Lalala, I can still hear you!” Daisy yells.

We all send her apologetic looks as we laugh.

“Oh c’mon, Daisy. Let your sister-in-law live. I’m sure you’re getting dicked down by the man who put that rock on your finger,” Nikki says.

Isabella stops her typing to look at Daisy, and we both spot the moment her shield goes up and her public persona turns on.

“Yeah, well, I guess I’m more private when it comes to that stuff.

Or maybe I have to call my therapist and schedule a few extra sessions since I now know my brother likes to get kinky via emails. ” She forces a smile.

The other girls laugh, but Isabella and I share a secret look.

I’ve been meaning to have some alone time with Daisy to see if she wants to open up about her fiancé, but a part of me thinks that the situation might be more complicated than I’m privy to.

“Here. What do you think?” Isabella shoves my phone back in my hand and I read her response to my husband.

I release a hard laugh. “I couldn’t.”

“You could,” Isa pushes.

I rock my head from side to side. “I shouldn’t.”

“Oh, but I think you should.” She lifts my finger to hover over the Send button.

I look at her expectantly, waiting for her to do it, when she shakes her head.

“Oh no. This is your trigger to pull, girlfriend. Because once that man unleashes, you’ll be the one on the receiving end of all he’ll have planned for you.

I don’t want any three-a.m. calls, and I don’t want to be cursed to kingdom come because you learned that your husband is into some freaky shit.

” She laughs, but my mind is lost in the endless possibilities of what Nick could be capable of when pushed to the brink.

And I like every single one of them.

So I hit Send.