Page 29 of The Good Girl Effect (Salacious Legacy #1)

Camille

A week slips by since the night at the club. A week since the night Jack and I crossed that line—twice.

I can tell Jack is putting a wall between us again. Although we still do our bondage sessions every night upstairs, there is no more touching, no more indulging, and no more breaking rules. I think he’s proving to himself that he can behave, even when he doesn’t want to.

That night in the living room still crosses my mind nearly every hour of every day. I have always been the one to make the first move with men, but never men like Jack St. Claire. Touching him outside the sessions was a risk. But I wanted to show him how good it could be. Which I did.

Now he wants to show me that we can still maintain our working relationship. Which we are.

But I’m growing restless again. It wasn’t just about the lust that night. It was about the connection. About giving him exactly what he needed. It was about us .

This morning, I dropped Bea off with Elizabeth again. She’s taking her to the studio for her second week of lessons. Bea hasn’t been able to stop talking about it since she started last week. Luckily, Jack is never around to hear it.

I’m racked with guilt for lying to him about Bea’s lessons. Maybe if I knew his concerns were justified, I’d feel more. But Bea has found a way to connect to her aunt and her mother, and I will defend her right to do that. Even if it gets me fired.

Now that I’m alone for the day, I’m feeling even more on edge than before. I’ve had all week to think about that sexy, forbidden night and no way to relieve my aching need. How much longer can Jack really expect me to endure this? I’m dying.

Maybe he’s forgotten. And in that case, it would be justifiable to break the rules. I mean…this is unreasonable.

Walking through the silent house, I go to my room and stand in front of my nightstand as if it’s a bad omen I’m forced to face.

I could just reach in and pull out a toy. It probably wouldn’t even take me more than a second.

I’d still be a good girl. I went this long, and that is very impressive.

Biting my bottom lip, I reach down and pull the drawer open.

“What are you doing?”

I let out a scream as I turn around and find Jack standing in my doorway. My heart is beating so fast, I can feel it in my ears. Heat flushes my cheeks as I grab my chest and stare at him. “You scared the hell out of me!”

He chuckles. “Sorry.” Then he nods toward the nightstand again. “What are you reaching for in there?”

“Nothing,” I say with a quick shake of my head.

He smirks as he crosses his arms and leans against the doorframe. He really can’t look that good and still expect me to deprive myself. It’s not fair at all.

“Really? Nothing?” He steps into the room looking haughty, and I have to bite down harder on my lip to keep from grinning. “Because it looked like you were about to get something out of your drawer there.”

I take a step back, guarding my nightstand. “No, I wasn’t,” I argue.

“You wouldn’t,” he says as he steps up to me, running his fingers down my arms. “Because you’re a good girl, and you don’t break the rules.”

I have to clench my teeth together. “I am a good girl. How dare you imply otherwise?”

As he leans in with a devilish smirk, I get a whiff of his cologne, and it makes my knees start to weaken. “I suppose you want your reward soon.”

“I thought…”

“You thought what, little bird? That the night at the club was your reward?” Then with his lips against my ear, he adds, “You’ll find there are many rewards when you behave.”

“I do behave,” I reply, tilting my chin as he brings his lips closer to my neck. I don’t know if he intends to actually reward me or if he’s just playing with me, but when it’s just me and him alone, those boundaries and rules don’t apply. And I am just fine with that.

“Actually, I think I have an idea,” he says as he pulls away and stares down at me. My jaw is clenched as I meet his stare, hoping his idea isn’t another form of torture for me. But judging by the look in his eye, he’s not in the mood to torment me.

No, I can tell by the lightness in his demeanor that Jack is here not out of duty or purpose but because he wants to be. He’s in my room for me .

“Maybe I’ll just watch you reward yourself,” he whispers playfully. “That’s not breaking the rules.”

I let out a whimper at the idea of Jack watching me. And as embarrassing as that sounds, I would do it. Mostly to just get off but also to do it knowing he likes watching.

“You’re not serious,” I reply, searching his face.

“Why not?” he asks. “Unless you really don’t want to.”

My lips purse and my eyes narrow. “Really?”

Instead of answering me, he leans past me and opens my bedside drawer. I squeeze my eyes shut in horrified shame as he rifles through the random items before finding what he was looking for.

“Here we go,” he says with amusement.

As he lifts up the sleek black vibrator, I peek through my clenched eyes to see the smug look on his face.

“Go ahead,” he says, his breath soft against my neck as he presses the toy into my hand. “If you really want to, I won’t stop you.”

With shaking hands, I wrap my fist around the vibrator. Then I drop onto the bed behind me. Sitting up, I stare at him with my bottom lip pinched between my teeth.

I do really want to, and there is a sense of comfort with Jack now that I’m not entirely opposed to the idea of masturbating while he watches.

If anything, I think the real reason I’m holding back is because he’s not telling me to do this as my Dom or my boss.

He’s here with those gentle eyes, more alive than I’ve ever seen them, because he wants to be.

And the problem with that is…it blurs lines.

It’s not so easy to separate work from pleasure when work becomes pleasure.

But I am nothing if not reckless and stubborn. So I lean back on one hand and click the button of the toy so that it comes to life in my hand. His face lights up with excitement as he watches me slip it down the waistband of my loose pants. My eyes close the moment it touches my clit.

This won’t take long at all.

The buzzing is too intense at first, so I squirm on the bed. When I open my eyes again, I find that Jack is no long standing near my legs but hovering over me, staring at my face as I bring myself to the brink of ecstasy.

He doesn’t say a word as he watches me, more enthralled with the expression on my face than what’s happening between my legs. And I was right. It doesn’t take long at all. Within minutes, I’m pulsing and shaking, feeling the sensation take over as my climax slams into me.

His lips hover just a breath from mine as I come, moaning as I reach for his mouth, but he won’t kiss me. Instead, he pulls just out of reach.

His mouth curls into a smirk as my orgasm starts to fade and my muscles relax. When I’m done, I click the vibrator off and collapse onto my back.

Still lingering over me, he looks at me as if I’m the most intriguing thing he’s ever seen.

“I’ve never met anyone like you.”

“You told me to!” I bark at him as I sit up and get in his face.

He only laughs at my outburst. “I know I did, but most girls would be too embarrassed, but you…you’re exceptional.”

“Great, you think I’m weird now,” I reply with a huff.

“I think you’re amazing.”

I roll my eyes at him, but it’s impossible to keep the smile from my face.

He drives me wild. But the more I sense the real Jack coming through, the more I like him.

He is at times coarse and rude, but only when he needs to be—like that night in the club when a fight broke out.

But he’s also playful and kind, and I get the feeling he was far more the latter before his wife died.

As sad as that is, I take a sense of pride in knowing that I helped to bring that part back out.

“Any chance you’ve got another one in you?” he teases as he climbs over me, and I’m starting to get the feeling that my day off will be spent with my boss when my phone buzzes in my pocket. I wince. Nothing could be more important than this right now.

Jack stands as I pull my phone out of my pocket and see Elizabeth’s name on the screen. She’s never called me before. I’m sure it’s nothing.

But what if it’s not?

“Something wrong?” he asks.

I don’t want to worry him, not when I’m so close to getting what I want. So I silence the call and toss it aside. He’s giving me an expectant look, and I hope he’s ready to pick up where we left off.

Only a few seconds go by before she calls again.

Filled with concern, I swipe the call to answer it. “All??”

“What on earth took you so long to answer?” Elizabeth snaps at me over the phone line.

“I’m sorry. What’s wrong?” I ask.

“Bea fell in ballet class and busted her lip.”

“What?” I reply in shock as I sit up. “Is she okay?”

“She’s fine. She’s just crying for you,” Elizabeth replies, sounding annoyed.

“For me?” I ask.

“What’s going on?” Jack asks in a panic.

I glance up at him, suddenly realizing that I’d have to lie to him if I didn’t want him to find out how Bea hurt herself. I can’t do that. I can’t lie to him anymore, especially about his own daughter.

“Bea fell. She’s fine, but she wants…” I let the words trail off as he stares at me. None of this feels right. I don’t finish my sentence as I turn my attention back to the call with Elizabeth. “I’ll come get her right now.”

“Okay. We’re at the studio. I’ll send you the location.”

Shit.

“I’m on my way.” When Elizabeth hangs up, I feel sick. Standing from the bed, I shove the vibrator in the drawer. “I have to go get her,” I say to him, moving toward the door.

“No, I should go,” he replies as he follows me. “She’s my daughter.”

“We’ll both go,” I say, not looking him in the eye as I throw on my coat and slip on my boots.

“How did she hurt herself?” he asks as we walk through the front door. There’s something different about his voice, a subtle worry in the tone.

“Umm…” My voice fades as I look down at the directions on my phone. “They’re at the dance studio,” I say, walking down the street.

“I know where that is. I’ll call us a car.”

He pulls out his phone and steps away to make a phone call, and I’m pacing in place, nervous and dreading what he’ll do when he finds out the truth.

It’s nothing , I tell myself. She was just dancing. Why would he be mad about that?

I don’t know, maybe because I signed her up for lessons against his wishes.

“He’ll be here in five minutes,” he says. When he notices me gnawing at my bottom lip, he comes up to me and places his hands on my arms. “Relax.”

Just when I finally have Jack opening up to me and showing me kindness, I lie to him and get his daughter hurt. At the very least, I owe him the truth.

“I have to tell you something,” I say, looking up at him.

His brows furrow, pinching together in concern. “What? That Bea asked for you, not me?” he asks with a shrug. “I’m not worried about that. I figured that?—”

“Not that,” I reply.

He tilts his head in question.

Swallowing my guilt, I just come out with it. “I asked Elizabeth to give Bea ballet lessons at her studio.”

“You did?” he asks, looking confused. “But why wouldn’t you ask me?”

“Bea said you already said no,” I reply nervously. “So we went behind your back. I’m so sorry.”

At first, he doesn’t look angry. He just appears confused. As he releases my arms and backs away, I see the anger start to form on his face like a slowly evolving expression. His jaw clicks as he grinds his molars. His eyes focus on nothing at all. And he never looks my way.

When the car arrives, he ushers me inside. On the entire ride over to the studio, he’s quiet, and it’s honestly worse than if he just yelled or argued with me. I hate that he’s just stewing painfully in the seat next to me.

By the time we arrive at the dance studio, I’m so anxious I could jump out of the moving vehicle just to escape the tension.

We rush inside and find Bea sitting on a bench outside the dance room with a bag full of ice pressed against her lip.

She’s in a pink leotard, tights, and soft ballet slippers.

“Camille!” she squeals when she sees me coming.

Internally, I wince, but I don’t let it show. I open my arms with a grateful smile as she sprints down the hall and runs into my tight embrace.

“Are you all right?” I ask.

She whimpers against my side. “My lip was bleeding!” she wails. Her cheeks are splotchy, a sign that she’s been crying. It breaks my heart.

“Let me see,” I reply, pulling away to look at the damage. She sticks out her bottom lip in a pout, and there is a definite split, blue and swollen. “Does it hurt?”

She nods with tears in her eyes.

Jack is standing a couple of feet away, and I can practically feel how stressed and uncomfortable he is. I wish he’d come closer to her, show her some attention.

Just then, Elizabeth walks out of the dance room. I notice immediately the way she won’t look at her brother. “Feeling better, little Bea?” she asks.

Bea nods before leaning her head on my arm.

“Ready to go home?” I say.

She nods again.

“Get your things then.”

She runs down the hallway toward a room where her bag must be stored. I’m left alone with Elizabeth and Jack, and the air is so thick I’m choking on it. I could tell that the relationship between the siblings was strained, but I had no idea it was this bad.

A moment later, Bea comes sprinting down the hall toward us. She practically leaps into my arms, and although she’s five years old, I find myself holding her so she can rest her head on my shoulder.

At the moment, I don’t care that she seems to seek comfort in me instead of her own family.

I don’t care that I’m not her mother or aunt.

I’m her caretaker, and I’m going to do just that.

I’m going to show her comfort and love her and do everything she needs, regardless of whatever these adults have going on.

When we get back to the car outside, I put Bea between me and Jack. He continues to stew on the way home, and I know he’s angry with me. I only hope he tells me because the last thing I want is for things to go back to the way they were before.