Page 39 of Ruining Hattie

BASTION

I need to get my head straight. Ever since Sunday night, my mind has been a fucking vortex. Seeing that prick with his hands on Hattie, I swear to God, it’s lucky we were in public because I wanted to murder him.

And the words that were coming out of my mouth—mine, my woman—what the fuck was that about? The worst part is that they weren’t even part of the act to get Hattie to fall in love with me. Though I think she is. At least that much is going my way.

Until she asked about the condo.

But I have to remember why I’m doing this. Who I’m punishing. And even if I realize that maybe Hattie doesn’t deserve my punishment, Carla does. And Hattie is the most effective way to deliver the killing blow. She’s just collateral damage, nothing more.

Trent always said going to war meant innocent casualties, and Hattie is going to become one. I need to not give a shit.

I’ve been pondering all morning how to ensure that the blow I deal Carla is as painful as possible, and the idea of getting Hattie to try heroin came to mind.

I’m waiting for Sean to show up, and it would be easy enough to ask him for some.

I’d never let him sling that shit in my club, but I’m sure he has sold it elsewhere.

Imagine if Mommy Dearest found her daughter going down the same self-destructive path she had. That would be the ultimate revenge. Then she’d know what I’d had to deal with all those years she was hooked.

But I can’t do it. I know I can’t.

I’m intimately familiar with the hell that path leads to, and while I don’t have any sympathy for people who willingly embark down that road, I can’t manipulate Hattie into it.

Why? Because I’m fucking soft where Hattie is concerned, which has to change.

Trent would have been so disappointed in me for falling for my mark back in the day.

I have to figure out some way to further ruin her and make Carla pay.

The door to the VIP room opens, and Ray takes up almost all the space. “Sean is here.”

“Send him in.” I lean back in my seat and cross my legs, resting my right ankle on my left knee with an unaffected air.

This will not be a pleasant meeting. Sean is getting fired today. He just doesn’t know it.

The door opens again, and Sean steps inside. I gesture to the area with the wrap-around couch to my right, so we’ll be facing each other.

He takes a seat and starts right in on his bullshit. “I hope you asked me here because you decided to be smart and take our offer.”

I chuckle and smooth my tie down my chest. “Sorry to disappoint you, but no. I asked you here to tell you that I don’t take kindly to business partners who try to stab me in the back.

We had a good thing going here—we were both making money, there were no problems, no drama—and then you had to go and change that because you got greedy.

Do you know what the most important thing in business is to me, Sean? ”

“I’m not gonna sit here and listen to a lecture.”

“It’s trust and loyalty. It seems I made a mistake when I thought you possessed the same mindset. Consider this your official notice that we are done doing business together. Effective immediately, you, your goons, and any of your assets are not welcome in any of my clubs.”

He shoots up off the couch, anger coating his features, fists clenched at his sides. “You can’t do that!”

I remain where I am, stone-faced with zero emotion. “I can do whatever I want. This is my club. You want to sell your shit through a strip club, start your own.”

“My bosses won’t be happy.”

“Then maybe your bosses should have taken the answer no when I told them the first time. And it’s a done deal. I already have a new partner.”

“You’re gonna regret this, asshole.”

I shrug. “I think you mean you’re going to regret this. My business is just fine.” I hold his stare as it filters through a range of emotions—anger, disbelief, anxiety, and fear.

Oh yes, I bet he’s afraid to report up the chain how he’s handled this and how he fucked it all up. But that’s not my problem. He created this problem for himself.

Sean stabs his finger in my direction. “You’re going pay, asshole, big time.”

I stand unhurriedly, buttoning my suit jacket closed. Then I grin at him. “I don’t think so.” I saunter toward the door and leave, passing by Ray stationed at the end of the hall. “Make sure Sean leaves without causing any problems.”

He nods and heads back to the room I just left. I’ve already instructed Ray to tell his staff that Sean and his goons are no longer welcome here.

Sean might try to cause me some trouble, but I won’t accept working with someone who tries to change the rules of the game just because they think they can take advantage of me.

When I return to my office, Hattie is already gone.

I figured she would be, but for whatever reason, I feel more on edge that she’s not here with me.

I collapse back into my chair, annoyed with myself, and undo my suit jacket, then I slide my phone from the pocket.

I felt it vibrate with a text when I was talking to Sean.

There’s a text from my sister asking me to call her and another from Steph asking when I want to schedule our meeting this week to go over what we need to.

I ignore Steph’s message and pull up Ari’s contact.

“Hey, thanks for calling me back.”

“Don’t mention it.”

I hear her cover the phone and murmur something to someone.

Gross. She’s probably in bed with her husband, doing who knows what.

“What’s wrong?” she asks.

“You’ve been on the phone with me for a total of three seconds. Why would you possibly think anything is wrong?”

“Because I know you, Bast. Now what’s going on?”

“Work bullshit. Don’t worry about it. Tell me why you’re calling.” I don’t like being short with my sister, but I can’t help it. I just want to get this phone call over with and get back to the condo so I can bury myself in Hattie.

“Okay… well, I was talking to Dad and Eleanor earlier, and I think something is up. I asked about his last doctor’s appointment and how it was going with his medication and stuff, and they seemed cagey.”

Hmm. That does seem odd.

“I haven’t talked to Dad in a couple of weeks, so I don’t know anything. Sorry.”

“Would you be able to fly down there and check on him? I’d do it except the kids are back to school soon and I have a lot to do to prepare.”

I blow out a breath. My dad and his wife live in Northern California, so it is much faster and easier for me to get there. Maybe a couple of days away from Hattie would do me some good. Help me clear my head and get me out from under Hattie’s thrall.

“Sure. I’ll head there tomorrow, stay the night, and see what’s up.”

“Thank you, Bast. I really appreciate it. Let me know what you find.”

“You owe me though, Ari.”

“Yeah, yeah.” I can almost see my sister rolling her eyes. She giggles, then I’m the one rolling my eyes.

“Go finish whatever you were doing. I’ll talk to you after I get back to Seattle.” I hang up and stand from my chair, immediately leaving my office to head home.

I know exactly how I’m going to work out these emotions rolling through me, then tomorrow will be a fresh start. When I return, I won’t be obsessing over Hattie anymore. But for tonight, I’ll allow myself to indulge.

On my way to the condo, I book the first flight out of Seattle in the morning and a rental car, texting my dad to tell him I’m coming tomorrow for an impromptu visit. It’s overdue anyway, something I should have made time for in the past several months.

When the elevator doors open on my floor, I slide my phone back in my pocket and stalk down the hallway, my dick already half hard.

I unlock the condo and walk into the main area to find Hattie snuggled into the corner of the large sectional couch, reading.

I head straight for her, having one goal, and that’s to get inside her.

“Hey, how was—” She must see something on my face that causes her to abruptly stop.

Hattie sets her book aside, her eyes transfixed on me. When I reach her, I bend at the waist and hoist her over my shoulder.

“Bast, what are you doing?” She sounds more amused than afraid.

She’s wearing a tank top and a pair of cotton shorts that give me easy access to her pussy, so I place my hand between her legs on the walk down the hall and play with her.

Hattie moans, and the scent of her arousal hits me, making my dick push against the zipper of my slacks, demanding to be sated.

We reach my bedroom, and I deposit her onto the mattress. Her eyes go wide, and I admire her hair sprawled out on my bed.

“I need you” is all I say, pulling my shirt out of my pants and toeing out of my shoes. “Take your clothes off.”

She peels off her tank top. Of course she doesn’t argue, she’s perfect. She’ll take what I dish out with no complaints, and the best part is that she’ll reap the rewards.

Once I’m naked, I cup my balls and stroke myself, fixated by this perfect creature.

“I want to film us.” Fuck, the idea of being able to watch us together long after I’ve destroyed everything between us would be a gift. A little something to torture myself with. Panic cuts across Hattie’s face, and I put my hands up in defense. “I would never show anyone. It would be for us only.”

For me.

The panic subsides, and I already know she’s going to agree before she says, “Okay.” I block out the trust in her eyes because it spurs nausea in my stomach.

I grab my phone and head across the room to the area where the TV is mounted on my wall above my dresser. I don’t have a tripod or anything, have never needed one, but I’ll improvise.

After I start the recording, I flip the camera so it’s facing me and prop it up against some decorative figurine the designer said my bedroom would look cold without. I should send her a thank you note after this.

Once I’ve angled the phone so it faces the bed, I walk over to Hattie. She’s propped up on her elbows, biting her lower lip.

“Don’t be nervous, it’s still just us.” I slide open the drawer of the nightstand and retrieve a condom, spotting the panties I stole from Hattie’s room. Another idea takes shape.

“I want you bare.” I turn and look at her over my shoulder.

“I’m on birth control.” When my eyes narrow, she adds, “For my periods.”

I need to cool it with the jealousy shit. I remind myself it’s exactly why I’m heading out tomorrow morning.

“I’ve been tested recently, and I don’t have any STIs,” I say.

“I was tested a long time ago after… and you know I haven’t…”

I step forward with the underwear clenched in my fist, then use my free hand to thread through the hair in the back of her head. “I know you’ve only spread those thighs for me.”

“Are those mine?” She eyes her pink panties in my hand.

“Yes.”

“Where… what…”

I slide my hand down from her head to her breast and pinch her nipple, watching the way her eyes dilate and her mouth drops open.

She nods, her lids heavy with lust, forgetting her question about why I have a pair of her panties in my drawer.

“I need to take you hard and fast, Hattie. Is that okay?”

“Take me however you want me.”

Fuck, this is why I need to get the hell out of Seattle tomorrow.

“Crawl to the edge of the bed and spread your legs.” I back up to give her room, and she does exactly as instructed.

When I see her glistening cunt, I lean down and take a swipe, coating my tongue with her essence.

Hattie moans, trying to shove her pussy in my mouth.

Gripping the base, I run the head of my cock back and forth through her folds.

Hattie’s breathing picks up, and she arches off the bed like a beautiful offering.

Then I line myself at her entrance and slam home.

She cries out, and I shove the panties in her mouth. Her eyes open to meet my gaze, questioning, but as I pump into her, she bites down on them, moaning into the fabric.

My hands press on her inner thighs, keeping her open for me. Fucking her without a condom was a mistake because I’ll never forget this feeling and will never be able to recreate it after she’s gone.

“Fuck!” I pound into her mercilessly, and with stroke after stroke, my pleasure builds, but I don’t want to come yet. I don’t want this to end.

Bringing one hand to her clit, I thumb the swollen bud until Hattie’s head thrashes back and forth on the mattress, and she screams into the pink lace and silk as her pussy bears down on me, and she comes.

Still, I don’t let up. I continue stroking her until she’s bucking off the bed, tears streaming out of her eyes, and she’s coming again.

This time, I rip the underwear from her mouth and bend down, capturing her lips. Our kiss is sloppy and desperate, and she claws at my back with her short nails.

As soon as she comes down from her orgasm, I flip her over and drive back into her. Her greedy cunt welcomes my cock, stretching around my length, and I feel the odd pulse of her orgasm squeezing me.

I take her like a rutting animal staking his claim, the slapping sound of our skin meeting filling the room. With a hand on each ass cheek, I spread her for my viewing and press my thumb against her puckered hole, not pressing it inside, but applying pressure.

She moans and drops her head to the mattress, arms splayed out over her head and gripping the sheets in tight fists.

My balls contract, and the buzzing starts at the base of my thighs. I’m not going to last much longer. With a roar, I pull all the way out of her and jerk myself as the orgasm overcomes me and I paint her ass with my cum.

I catch my breath, admiring my handiwork on her amazing ass, rubbing it all over her sweat-streaked skin, as though I want a part of me to become entwined with a part of her.

Hattie slumps forward on the bed, heaving for breath, and I study her, taking one last moment to see her like this. Because when I return from my father’s, I’ll no longer be looking at her through this rose-colored lens.