Catching the CEO (The CEO Duet, #2), page 15
I decide to swallow my pride and my fear of his reaction and call Cowboy. The phone rings and rings and rings. There is no answer. As soon as the voicemail comes on, I quickly leave him a message. “Cowboy, I was running, but I got a bit lost and I forgot our address. Can you call me back as soon as possible? Kiss!” Kiss... I thought we just established you’re a grown woman, Nina?
Back to some more running then. If I head back the direction I came from, maybe I’ll find the way back by myself. I couldn’t have run more than ten minutes. Some quick math tells me that would be a little over a mile. Seems doable to me.
At the crosswalk, I have to wait before crossing. Next to me, at the traffic light, is a black Chevrolet Chevy van. I hear the driver put his foot down on the gas. Weird. Why would you do that in front of a traffic light? The black windows obscure the idiot from my view.
Then he does it again and I can hear the van’s motor rumble in protest. What a dufus ... As soon as the signal to walk turns on, I quickly cross the street, deciding to ignore him.
I take a look at my surroundings and realize this all seems familiar. I continue with big strides. At the end of the street, there is another crossing. From the corner of my eye, I see the black Chevy van approaching. I have to wait until it has passed me before I cross. As I do, I hear the loud sound of a horn. It’s the van, nearly giving me a heart attack! There was no need for the driver to honk, the situation was in no way even remotely dangerous. I exhale loudly when the car turns right at the end of the street. Good riddance, I think to myself.
Now that I’m walking again, I check my phone, but there’s no message from Cowboy. It is so unlike him to neglect returning my call. Oh well, he must be very busy. Looking up, I recognize some shops, which means I’m still going in the right direction.
A couple of blocks further down the road, I hear the same honking. I look around, trying to find the source. Surely, it’s not the stupid black van again?
Rabbit’s ears with mosquito cream... What the hell does that guy want from me?
At least, I assume it’s a guy, but I still don’t know for sure, since I can’t actually see the person in the vehicle. This is starting to get a little creepy now. The van pulls up alongside me and matches my pace as I walk on the sidewalk. He drives so slowly, other drivers are passing him, honking their horns and yelling out their windows.
Hoping to shake him off, I pick up my pace and cross into the park, where he cannot follow me. Ha! I scurry behind a tree and watch as the van drives off. Relief rushes through me when I start walking, realizing at once that our apartment is right around the corner. The street sign says Water Street. See, I knew it was something like that! I take the keys out of my pouch to open the door to the main entrance. Suddenly, I hear that freaking honking again and see the black van being parked right in front of the entrance.
Oh. My. Fucking. God. This can’t be happening?
With panic rushing from my toes to my stomach, I realize this lunatic has followed me home. Stay calm, Nina. He can’t possibly get in without a key. Nevertheless, I push the elevator button, willing it to arrive quickly. I cannot wait to be home and far away from that idiot. The elevator announces itself with a soft ping. I get in and press the button for the top floor. As the doors slide shut much too slowly, I hear the door of the main entrance open and someone calling, “Hold that elevator!”
Hold that elevator? I actually get an image of myself stretching my arms and trying to hug the elevator. Who on earth came up with that expression anyway?
Nina, get real. Who the hell cares? You are in danger and you need to get into your apartment as quickly as possible!
Panic feels like a solid demon in my throat by now. I have no intention at all to “hold” this elevator. Least of all, for that lunatic in the black van.
When I reach my floor, I hurry down the hallway to the door of the apartment. There are too many keys on my chain. Which key is the right one? I pick one at random and put it in the keyhole. The door won’t open.
Shit on a pile of crap with a cherry on top. Which key? Stay calm, Nina. You can do this!
I try another key. At that moment, I hear the ping again, then the elevator doors slide open. A man steps out of the elevator, wearing a black balaclava! It is fucking eighty-six degrees outside, so I’m guessing that balaclava is not meant to keep the cold from his face. This can’t be good. Nope. My hands shake as I put the next key in the keyhole. It works. The door opens and I rush inside, slamming the door behind me as quickly as I can. Not quickly enough, though. A foot appears in the door opening and then everything seems to happen in slow motion. With all my strength, I try to shut the door, but I’m not strong enough. Suddenly, the man is right in front of me.
“Who are you? You can’t come inside, I don’t know you! Get out, or I’ll call nine-one-one!” I yell in desperation. He puts his hand over my mouth to muffle my screaming, then presses his body against me, throwing me against the wall. Amber-colored eyes stare at me from behind his mask. His lips are full and roundish and his body feels firm and trained. His beauty is a heavy contrast to the words that come out of his mouth.
“Shut your mouth! Where do you think you’re going in that slutty outfit?”
My clothes are not slutty! I was running! These are just my running clothes! That’s what I want to scream at him, but his hand over my mouth makes that impossible.
He shifts and positions himself behind me, his hand remaining over my mouth. The other one moves to my hips. He pushes me away from the hall and I feel his warm breath in my neck. The smell of his aftershave does weird things to me. When he’s standing just beside me, he rises high above me, his stern gaze piercing me. He tells me to be quiet and that I have to do everything he tells me to. If I do, nothing will happen to me.
“Did you really think that you can walk the streets, looking like some kind of slut? I’ll show you what happens to sluts like you when they stroll around half-naked. I’m taking my hand away now, and you will be quiet and do exactly as I say. Do you understand me?”
“Yes, I understand.” With his hand still against my lips, my words are barely audible.
“Do you understand me?” he repeats, whispering now.
Talking is no use, so I quickly nod.
His tongue finds my neck. With one long lick, he tastes my salty, sweaty skin. “You are such a dirty girl,” he says. “I’ll show you what happens to dirty little girls. I will do all the dirty things to you. All of it, and you will like it. You will beg me to do them to you.”
“Yes,” I blurt out in desperation. Incredible.
He pushes me to the floor and tells me to crawl like a bitch. Crawl like a bitch to the bedroom. So, that’s what I do. He follows me with slow, secure steps.
When we arrive at the bed, he hoists me up by my arms, so that I’m kneeling in front of him, with his crotch right in front of my nose. He pushes me roughly onto my back and with both hands, he strokes the hair out of my eyes. Quickly, he opens his jeans, revealing his hard dick. It’s huge, pointing up proudly, with thick veins and a bulging head. It’s beautiful.
“You will open your mouth and you will put it in all the way, until you can’t breathe anymore.” He grabs the back of my head and pushes me against his erection. I open my mouth and his soft hardness fills me completely. I’m doing my best to work on this huge thing, but it’s just too big. He notices I’m struggling with it, releases my head, and commands me to look him in the eye, which I do. I can see the arousal in his eyes, how badly he wants me. How badly he wants to use me. He can see the same in mine. I want it. I want to please this man. I want him to want me. I want him to use me.
A slither of drool falls down when I work his rod, but I don’t care. My mouth is now used to his size and I’m starting to enjoy it. He sees I’m getting better at it and grabs the back of my head with both hands, and starts fucking me in my mouth. “Yes. That’s it. Just like that. You are a good little bitch. A good, dirty little bitch. See? I knew you were.”
He presses his dick so far down my throat, I begin to gag. He takes his penis out for a moment to give me time to catch my breath. “Good girl,” he says. “That’s my horny bitch. Want more?”
I’m still trying to catch my breath, so I can’t answer him right away. “I asked you something, bitch. Do. You. Want. More?” His tone is stricter now, but he doesn’t give me the chance to answer. Before I know it, he’s shoved his dick into my mouth again and starts pumping.
“You are my dirty slut and I will do anything to you that I want. Do you understand?” He takes his throbbing erection out of my mouth and rubs it against my face a couple of times, even hitting me with it. Against my cheeks! It doesn’t hurt, but it is a bit humiliating. But then, why do I like it so much?
“You like it, don’t you, little slut?” He’s still wearing his mask. The only things I can see are his beautiful eyes, which are looking into mine. “You do, don’t you? You like this, don’t you? You, with that pretty face of yours. Just look at how pretty your face is. Just look how pretty you look with my dick in your mouth.”
He grips his balls and pushes the whole thing roughly back into my mouth. I’m sucking him while his balls hit my lips. He’s now holding me by my hair and I react quickly and start licking them enthusiastically, like the dirty little slut that I am.
This doesn’t last long. He has other plans. He sits down on the bed and pulls me onto his lap. With my stomach on his knees and my butt pointing up, he rips down my pants and panties and for a moment, he admires my bare body parts. With both hands, he spreads my butt cheeks. “Oh,” he says in an astonished tone. “You are fucking beautiful. Fucking beautiful, yes.”
All of a sudden, he pushes me off his lap, and I land on the bed on my stomach. He pulls me up on my knees, then penetrates me without warning. There is nothing I can do but moan in surprise. That feels so good. So very, very good. Looking over my shoulder, I admire our bodies, which are now becoming one in a wonderful way.
“You like this, don’t you, little slut?” His hips begin to move quickly, as if of their own accord. In between the thrusting, his words reach my ears and my hands grab hold of the sheets. Desperate, I stuff the material into my mouth to prevent myself from screaming.
“I asked you something, slut. Answer. Me.” His long cock reaches its desired destination again and again and again. Panicked, I shake my head. I don’t want to admit I enjoy this. I don’t want to acknowledge that I’m a slut. That I’m his slut.
“You love this and you’re starting to love me as well. Admit it.”
I shake my head wildly from left to right in an attempt to convince him he’s wrong. To convince myself as well. His response to my answer is to place both hands around my throat and squeeze. The violence he resorts to is equal to what is happening in my brain because my body and mind are in conflict with each other. How can I enjoy this so much? How can it be that submission to this man makes me so wet? So mad with desire?
When he releases my throat, I spit out the sheet and take a couple of deep breaths. All the while, he continues penetrating my body and mind, even harder and more fanatically.
“You love me. You love me just as much as I love you. Say it!”
“Yes!” I scream, semi-crying. “Yes! I love this. Yes. I love you!” My body tightens up and starts shaking. The orgasm has bright lights dancing in front of my eyes. My right arm goes backward, trying to make him stop, but he quickly pushes me away.
“Prove it. Open your mouth and swallow everything I give you.” On my knees, I turn around and open my mouth as wide as I can.
Moaning, I enjoy everything this man does to me. Because he is my wonderful boss. He is my American god. He is my Cowboy.
WE LAY ON THE BED, entwined, enjoying each other for a bit longer. His soft kisses on my neck give me goose bumps. His mouth is incredible, soft yet firm, and supple against my sensitive skin. His fingers softly caress my nipples. Being together like this is exactly the opposite from the wild, violent sex we just had.
“Have you ever done anything like that before?” I whisper, while my hand strokes his arm.
“No. I’ve never had any interest in realizing one of my sexual fantasies with my partner before. Maybe I have never been in a relationship long enough to want that. I don’t know. I’ve just never wanted it before.”
“Don’t you have any sexual fantasies yourself? Maybe something I can help you with?” I ask.
His big hand takes mine and brings it to his lips. Lazily, he presses a little kiss to each knuckle before he answers. “You are my fantasy. You, being here with me like this now, that is my dream come true. Every experience, every embrace, every look you give me, is a fantasy that has become reality for me.”
“I love you.” It’s the first time I’ve dared to admit this. I know I screamed it during sex, but now I mean it from the bottom of my heart. Because this man makes me feel. Feel like I’m alive and that it’s okay to be myself. Like I don’t have anything to be embarrassed about and I have the right to ask him anything. Anything I want, he will give to me. Because I am his most valued possession. My happiness is his priority. I know that. I’m not afraid anymore to believe that.
Tears well up in his eyes. “I love you with all my heart, my Stellina. I will give you anything you want. Anything,” he declares resolutely.
He softly lifts my chin up. When his gaze meets mine, I ask only one more thing from him. “Give it to me. Give me all your love.”
With little kisses all over my body, he gently makes love to me. When we reach a climax this time, it isn’t just a physical release.
If my life were a highway, it would never be boring, because there would be many unexpected turns.
13. Barbara
Sebastian - a few days later
I hear a knock on the door. “Come in, Barbara. You know you don’t have to knock.”
I know it’s Barbara because I have an appointment with her right about now. She’s reserved half an hour with me to deliberate about the new marketing campaign she wants to launch, which is odd. She never discusses her campaigns with me personally. She’s good at her job, and knows exactly what should or shouldn’t be done. The first Monday of each month, we have an elaborate meeting with the management team, which is when she presents her plans and the results from the previous months. That is when I’m usually involved, never before. The fact she’s requested this surprises me, and I’m very curious about what she has to say.
When she opens the door, I immediately see something’s wrong. Not from her looks though, which are perfect as usual. Her tight gray skirt is an excellent fit. Her blouse is neatly tucked in. Her blonde, shiny hair is tied up in a bun on the back of her head, not a single hair out of place. I can never understand how she can still look that put together by the end of the day. She looks as though her day has only just begun. It’s her face that tells me something’s wrong and I wonder if I will finally learn what’s been going on with her lately. I haven’t been able to put my finger on why I get that feeling from her. Perhaps it has something to do with her getting drunk during the goodbye party. It’s not like her to get carried away like that.
She sits down in the chair on the other side of my desk and starts talking immediately. “I’m leaving.” She talks fast. So fast, I think I misheard her.
“What?”
“I wanted to let you know that I’m going away for a while. I’ve been thinking about it for some time now and feel that now is the right moment. You have Nina. You’re happy. Our team is no longer what it used to be and actually, I think that’s a good thing. Our team was such a good one because we had the same goal. In the beginning, it was survival. Survival in a criminal world none of us wanted to be in. Then it was about getting out of that world. Then it was about our jobs here at Audi and about Nina. I am proud of us and of all the things we’ve achieved, I’m grateful, but we don’t need to survive any longer. We’re free now to live our lives the way we want to. You have Nina. And I have ...”
“You have us. You will always have us, Barbara.”
“Yes, but that’s no longer sufficient. When I look at you and Nina, I’m jealous. Yes, really jealous. I have the guts to admit that. I want what you guys have. And I realize now ... that I will never find that this way.”
“Where is this coming from, Barbara? Does this have anything to do with Peter?”
“Maybe. I don’t know. I don’t really know anything about all of this. That’s why I have to go. But I want you to know that I have no regrets. Everything I’ve done since I’ve met you, I would do it all again in a heartbeat. All of it. Because everything we’ve been through resulted in you having your Stellina. And that is all I’ve ever wanted. To see you happy.”
“Barbara ...”
“I am so proud of you. I want you to know that. When you’re happy, I’m happy.” As she says this, she repositions herself on her chair and puts her arms on her knees. I do the same thing, because this feels like an ice-cold shower and my body can no longer remain sitting erect on its own.
“I want something from you that you will never be able to give me. I’ve always known that. You can only give me friendship and that is not enough for me. If it were someone else, someone else who demanded so much from me and gave back so little in return, I would have left a lot sooner. But you are you and I wanted to see you happy, and I didn’t want to be a reason for you to be sad.” She pauses and gives me a small smile before continuing.
“I wanted to kill Matteo when he put your mother in danger. I wanted to punch Nina when she wanted to cling to her sexcapades without realizing how amazing you are. I’m so relieved to see that she’s going for it now and that you two are happy. But I can look at it no longer, I just can’t. Because, Sebastian ... I just want you.” When she sees the shocked look on my face, she stops for a moment, but then says, “I. Just. Want. You.”
