Page 15

T he next two weeks passed by, and I couldn’t help but notice that Brynn was quieter than usual. At least from my experience with her. When she’d mentioned family matters, I’d wanted to pry and get her to spill it all to me, but she obviously meant to keep it private. I knew all about that, as I’d basically kept my entire life since I was sixteen a secret.

My sister came back to mind, and no matter how many months and years passed, her memory still evoked a certain emotion inside of me. An emotion I’d once thought had died along with my twin, but since hiring Brynn, my facade was crumbling more and more each day.

Thinking about the submissive was a better use of my time, and I leaned back in my chair and closed my eyes briefly. A different sort of memory came rushing back, and this one included her naked and bound for me at Lotus. I needed to get her back there soon.

It all seemed simple enough. I’d just provide her with a time and wait for her arrival, but so much more went into it. For one, we had to make sure a room was available. There was also the transportation aspect. So much went into one night, but it was to be expected when part of a secret society. Those rules were unbreakable, and in place for a reason. It was actually those reasons that drew me to the club.

Well, that and my sadistic needs. I opened my eyes at that, and just in time to see a shadow approach my door. I could tell from her silhouette that it was Brynn, and my dick hardened immediately.

She rapped lightly on the door. “Come in,” I told her.

She opened it part way, then peeked inside. It was obvious she thought I might still be on my late night call. “Are you...” she whispered until she saw me shake my head. “Okay, good.” Her voice got louder as she continued. “It’s after six. Do you need anything else before I leave?”

“You,” I said pointedly.

My blunt honesty must’ve shocked her because she stumbled slightly, but quickly caught herself and straightened back up. I got out of my chair, then moved over to her. She went quickly from standing in front of the open door to being pinned against it the moment I closed it behind her.

Large doe eyes looked into mine, and I could’ve sworn for a moment that she might’ve seen much deeper than I’d intended. Still, I couldn’t help but stare into the pools of chocolate. A different type of water flashed before my eyes, but I focused on Brynn and it all disappeared.

“I need to fuck you,” I whispered to her, unsure as to why I’d admit something so preposterous. The fact that it was true didn’t matter. I was losing control, and the more time spent with her, the faster I lost it.

“Adrian,” she whispered.

I held the side of her face in one palm, then slowly dragged two fingers down her other cheek. Her skin was so fucking soft, and as she dropped her head to the side to allow my hand more access, I realized how amazing she smelled as well.

I traced the throbbing pulse point in her neck, then lowered my mouth for a taste. The moment I did, her small hands gripped me and she moaned. I kissed along her neck, then lower, before raising my head. My intentions had to be known to her because as soon as I went to lower my mouth to hers, she pushed against my chest.

“What is it?” I asked her.

“The cleaning crew is right outside. They need to get into this office. I was... ahhh... I was going to tell you before you distracted me.”

Distracted her. She was a walking, talking distraction. I smirked nonetheless. “I forgot that this is the night they clean every office in the building. Let’s get out of here.”

I had no idea where to go, but she nodded, then slipped out of my grasp. I powered down my computer but didn’t put it in the briefcase like I normally did. I’d be back here in a few hours anyway, so there was no need. Before I could change my mind, she returned with her own bag in hand.

A few minutes later, we walked away from Benedict Technologies, and it was when I realized that I had no actual plan in mind. Again, that was very uncharacteristic of me. We stopped the moment that we reached the garage, and a slight awkwardness fell over us.

“I guess I should be headed home,” she finally said. Thankful that she’d broken the silence, I was less pleased at what she’d said. I’d meant it when I told her that I needed to fuck her. I thought about accompanying her home. I opened my mouth to speak, but she beat me to it. “Would you like to come back to my place?”

I had never gone to a submissive’s place, but then again, I’d never revealed my identity to one and put her to work in my company either. The last few weeks had been tense, and outside of my attempts to take the edge off myself, my dick was still hard for Brynn, and only her.

“I’ll drive,” I responded, and she smiled up at me.

She might not be smiling by the time I finished with her, but I’d let her keep it on her face for now. I wrapped one arm around her, then led her over to my car. After she was secured on the passenger side, I took my spot beside her.

She was now fidgeting as if she was nervous. Whatever this was tonight was a first for us, and I suspected she understood the significance of it as much as I did. Everything since meeting her had been a series of firsts. I should’ve been running for the hills, but the only place I wanted to be was inside of her.

“Are you sure you want to come back with me?” She asked, having evidently noticed my hesitation to do the simple task of starting the car.

“Yes. I wouldn’t have agreed to it if I wasn’t,” I responded abruptly.

She smiled in response, and I finally turned the car on. We had no sooner made it down the street when a phone call came in. Since no one of a personal nature, outside of my parents, had my cell phone number, I knew it was a business call. Brynn worked very closely with me and the various clients, so I thought nothing of it as I hit a button to answer the call.

“Benedict,” I said in greeting.

“There’s a problem with the latest spreadsheet of numbers you’ve provided us. Somehow, the file got corrupted and we’re unable to retrieve any of the data.”

“I’ve already left the office for the night. Could I send it to you again in a few hours?”

That would be all the time I’d need to satiate both Brynn and me before heading back to the office.

“I’m afraid that won’t work. I’m presenting this to our team in a little over an hour, and I need not only the presentation, but the numbers that go along with it.”

Fuck! I raked a hand through my hair, then tried to think quickly as I sat at the red light. If I had just thought to bring my laptop, I could’ve sent it from Brynn’s house. Now, I either could go back to the office and wait on the cleaning crew, or I could...

“I can have it to you in about a half hour,” I told him as the most obvious solution came to mind.

“Very well. I’ll be expecting it.”

The call disconnected right after, and I turned to steal a glance at Brynn. She was concerned, but the file hadn’t been sent by her in the first place. I’d have to do a reinstall soon on my laptop, but thankfully I did have another work computer at home.

“Do you mind taking a raincheck for a bit so I can go by my place and resend him the file?”

“No, that’s fine,” she responded.

I then merged over into the turning lane and headed back toward downtown instead of continuing on to her neighborhood. Trying my best not to focus on what this meant, I kept reminding myself that it was all business. Well, the resending of the file. Fucking Brynn into my headboard was a different kind of task.

Not long after, we arrived at the building where I lived, and I pulled into my private garage. Brynn was taking in everything about the place as we exited the car, then entered the building.

“Evenin’ Mr. Benedict,” Milton said in greeting as he saw the two of us. His eyes were a bit wide as this was the first time he’d ever seen me with a woman.

“Evening,” I said as I ushered Brynn straight past him and over to the elevator which went straight to my penthouse.

“He looked shocked to see me,” she mused as soon as the doors closed.

“He’s never seen me with a woman before,” I admitted.

“Never?” she asked.

“Never,” I confirmed.

She said nothing else as the elevator began to ascend, and I did not either. Once it stopped, the doors opened and I pushed her softly into the penthouse. If her eyes were wide before, they were now enormous as she stepped forward. I saw the expressions change on her face as her gaze perused the perimeter. They went from awe to disappointment. While she took it all in, I went down the hallway to my study, then grabbed my laptop from it.

When I returned to Brynn, she was standing in front of the wall of glass that showcased the view of the city and the bay. I let her continue to look outside as I quickly powered on my laptop. I was able to then go inside the folder and save the file once more. Everything looked good on my end, so I found the previous email and resent it.

As I waited for confirmation that he could open it, I leaned back to watch the woman in front of me. Seeing a female in a place that was my own private sanctuary was unnerving. My mother’s voice echoed in my head as I remembered the various times she told me that she could see me with a nice girl one day.

Brynn would be everything my mother wanted, and everything that I didn’t. At least it should’ve been that way. The longer I stared, the more natural it all seemed. I was losing my fucking mind, and I knew why. I also knew the way to regain control.

Rising up from my chair, I moved over to her. I had no sooner put my hands on her shoulders when my cell phone rang. Pulling it from my pocket, I answered it right away. “Did you receive it?”

“I did, but I have another ask of you. As you know, Benedict Technologies is asking for a large grant to fund the studies of the microchips, and I need a bit more information than that which was provided.”

“What else do you need?”

“I need to have the figures in columns D and F broken down into subgroups. Could you delve a little deeper and provide those to me?”

“When would you need them by?”

“As soon as possible. I think I have enough for my meeting, but I would like to be able to assure senior leadership that more figures are forthcoming.”

I looked over at Brynn who was now staring at me. I flashed an apologetic look her way before returning my attention to the call. “I will have those to you shortly.”

After I hung up, I returned to my desk and Brynn soon followed. “Is there anything I can do to help you with those?”

Since Brynn wasn’t privy to this level of sensitive data, I shook my head. “Unfortunately not. I have to get this information to Japan tonight. Would you like for me to drive you back to BT to get your car?”

She seemed even more disappointed than me at that, and quickly shook her head. “I could never do what you do,” she said. It was said so softy that I’d almost missed it.

“Do what?”

“Work all the time. You stay at BT from dusk to dawn, and even now when you’re home. I suppose your company keeps you too busy to do other things such as decorate.”

“Decorate?”

“This place. It feels so dark and cold. Christmas is in a few weeks and you haven’t even put up a tree or the first decoration.”

I chuckled, then noticed that she was serious. “I don’t celebrate any holidays.”

She gasped. “Not a single one?”

“No.”

Brynn turned away for a split second, then turned back around. “I’ve just ordered an Uber, so I’ll wait for it downstairs. It’s just my luck that there’s one in the vicinity at this time of night.”

I wanted to tell her that she didn’t have to leave, however, the words wouldn’t come out. When I tried to speak, only a single one would. “Okay.”

She took a deep breath, then plastered on a fake smile. “I will leave you to your spreadsheets and numbers. Good night.”

With that, she headed toward the door. Before she could call for the elevator, I cleared my throat. “We should make arrangements for another night at Lotus.”

“Okay,” she said, using the same tone I had earlier on her.

I should’ve gotten up and at the very least, escorted her downstairs myself, but when she hit the call button, the doors opened. Seconds later, she disappeared behind them, and I was left shaking my head, only it wasn’t at her, but at me.