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CHAPTER FOURTEEN

NASH

If you think I’m furious and frustrated that I’ve made Vale off-limits to me again?

That I’m a fool to think I can have Vale by night, then hide it from my daughter the next day?

That I’m fighting the beast inside. The one that lies beside Vale in bed, my muscles tense and telling me to fuck her until we both scream for our lives. For our love?

I am, but she’s taking it to the next level. Vale’s not furious about it; she’s ferocious. The worst part? She’s even sexier with her claws out.

Like right now.

“It’s not a business expense, Ms. Monroe.”

“Look here, Poindexter.” She points to the transaction on the screen. The one where she classified her purchase of a Bum Flick Vibrating Butt Plug as a business expense. “Testing the products we sell is a business expense.”

“Personal items aren’t expenses.”

“How many times do I have to tell you? Sex isn’t personal here; it’s professional.”

“Alright then.” I lean back in my chair. “Let’s audit.”

“Let’s not and say we did.”

“Answer my questions like I’m the IRS because they will be coming.”

She smirks. “It’s our business to make sure they do.”

“Exactly.” I take off my fake glasses. I’ve had a headache for three days. They’re not the cause. She is. “Did you test your product here, in your place of business?”

“Test a butt plug? While I’m paying our utility bills? No.” She smirks. “Accounting turns me off.”

Point on the board for her.

“Where did you test your product?”

Okay, now, I’m digging. I do and don’t want to know, as she twists her lips.

“Where, Ms. Monroe, and was it during paid company time or on your personal time?”

She snaps, “Stacey doesn’t pay me to go to the sex club and test a butt plug.”

Point for me, and yep, I asked, and it was foolish.

My heart starts to pound. My pulse skyrockets. Reason feels optional. As if I won’t kill now at the thought of anyone with Vale. Even me.

“So you went to another place of business, on your personal time, where you tested a very personal product with a…” I glance at the screen, reading the description more fully, “with a… with a fucking remote ?” I seethe, “With another person ?”

The tables turn. Now, Vale loves this because jealousy paints my face murderous.

“Yes, Mr. Allen.” She leans in, lingering her fingertip over my clenched fist. “It’s a vibrating butt plug that claims to feel like someone is flicking your A-spot or your prostate in three luscious speeds and seven sinful patterns. I needed to confirm the A-spot claim for my female customers, and man, did I ever, but as for prostates? Care to do a customer review for us?”

Damn, she rouses everything inside me.

Damn, I want some fucking heads to roll.

“ Who played with your remote, Vale?”

Jace chuckles by the door. I swear that asshole pops popcorn on the daily for our tiffs. We make the Housewife series look as entertaining as paint drying.

“Details, Mr. Allen.” She twirls her braid. “Remember our rule about those?”

I lean forward, grabbing her bare thigh, skimming my thumb over the inside of her leg. “If you don’t tell me,” I whisper, “you will be punished.”

“How?” she taunts. “Are you going to make me eat my broccoli?”

Cute.

“No, I’ll take all your toys away when we get home. I know you’ve been playing with them in the shower.”

“Do you hear me?”

“Yes.” My dick stirs. “I hear you moaning my name.”

She arches her brow. “Then we’re both being punished, aren’t we?”

Yes, it is a punishment: her moaning my name, me grunting hers. Her poor shower. It’s seen more action than Vegas for three nights.

The man in me knows we’re fools to fight this. The least we can do is enjoy our time together.

The father in me knows I can never break my daughter’s heart. At the bridal shop, the guilt was suffocating. I hide so much from Alena. But this secret of me with Vale? It feels like the lie that could break us all.

So, now we play this immature game because it’s the only mature thing to do.

I’d rather fight with Vale than have nothing with her. I’m alive with her. I see red over her. I’m ready to go another round with her.

I know she’s had other partners, but not like me. I’ve slept with other women, but they weren’t her. The thought of any man touching Vale after I finally have her makes me a very dangerous man.

“Am I interrupting?”

A familiar voice rips my raging focus away from her.

It’s Axel. He’s smirking. Jace let him in, and I didn’t hear him enter the parlor. I was too jealous over Vale.

“Why yes, Mr. Cummings, you are,” she replies, swatting my hand off her thigh. “I was just explaining to our accountant, Mr. Allen here, that my personal use of the butt plugs we sell is a legitimate business expense.” She twists her braid, tilting her head. “Wouldn’t you agree?”

“Achilles,” he addresses me before nodding toward Vale, “meet your heel.”

She smirks, happy for her little victory, but I’m not amused.

Goddammit!

This is one of the many things I’ve feared: Axel finding out about Vale. More specifically, that I want her more than my next breath.

“How can I help you today, Mr. Cummings?” she asks, completely unafraid, totally amused, and now in Axel’s crosshairs.

“Don’t mind me, Ms. Monroe,” he answers. “I thought it polite to say hello before I check on my room upstairs. I had some things delivered late last night.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” she answers. “I don’t think they were delivered last night because I get notifications with videos from our security system whenever someone enters after-hours.”

Axel raises a brow. “You won’t see me on your videos after hours, Ms. Monroe.”

Vale does that Southern woman thing, smiling as she murders you with her glare. “As the manager of Delta’s, Mr. Cummings, our security is my responsibility, and it stays on after-hours.”

Smart woman. She guessed right.

We turn any security system off when we operate.

“No need.” Axel keeps it cold and polite. “I have my own security. Therefore, Delta’s is always safe, any hour, every day.”

She seethes, “Is the owner aware?”

“Please, ask her yourself,” he answers. “She’s well aware. And per our lease agreement and as my personal cameras inside will surveil. No. One. Not even Delta’s staff are permitted in my room at any hour.” He smirks, slicing his eyes at me. “Unless invited, of course.”

Yep, that pops her cork.

Vale jumps up. She’s not playing his game.

Giving him her middle finger, she turns to me. “This? This rude asshole is your face man? The one who fronts your monkey business?”

Her giving Axel shit like she gives me is too good. I laugh. “Wise choice of words. Yes. He fronts our monkey business.”

In his eyes, Axel’s amused. “Careful with your choice of words, Ms. Monroe.” But in his tone, he isn’t.

Vale’s standing too close to the truth. Literally. She’s in his shadow.

But she doesn’t care. She fires at close range.

“Careful?” She glares up at him. “I don’t know what that means because you don’t scare me. I just imagine you swimming with dolphins farting rainbows, and I’m not afraid of you. And you,” she whips her aim at me, “why don’t you take a lifetime supply of KISS MY ASS and plug it up yours.” She smiles. “Remote included.”

I’m stupefied, Axel’s surprised, and Jace is laughing.

“Now,” she sashays past Axel, “excuse me, when I’m mad, I masturbate with a real man. A Long Logan ten-inch dildo with balls is about to enjoy all my personal business.”

With a side-eye, Axel admires what I’ve worshipped for years—Vale, swishing her ass in a plaid schoolgirl’s miniskirt and white button-up barely containing her breasts. She’s sexy, sassy, and smart, and she’s been dressing like that for three days to torture me.

It works.

“Don’t even think about it,” I tell him.

“Oh, I’m not thinking.” Axel turns back to me. “I know she’s your queen.”