The Stranger, page 25
Her mother simultaneously steps in, wrapping her arms around Abigail from behind, stopping her advance. “Leave your sister alone,” she warns. “You have hurt her enough.”
Her words almost bowl me over. It’s a little late, but for once I’m grateful she appears to have Delilah’s back.
I turn, bundling Delilah into my side again as we make our way towards the exit. Before we reach the door, I hear Kayne bellow, “You have an Only Fans page, you fucking whore!”
There’s no hiding my smile. That will teach her to go in all gung-ho and not take the time to sift through the evidence before presenting it.
Such an amateur move.
“Are you okay, sweetheart?” I ask, reaching across the centre console to take her hand in mine. She’s been quiet the entire drive, and I’m concerned.
“I feel awful for what I said. I shouldn’t have brought myself down to her level. It’s not who I am.”
“That woman would bring out the worst in anyone, Delilah. She’s the devil reincarnated.”
“Hah, funny that. Some of my friends growing up used to refer to her as the She-Devil.”
“They weren’t wrong.”
“I still hate myself for it.”
“Delilah, she forced your hand. I’m proud of you for sticking up for yourself.”
“I ruined everybody’s night.”
“Those imbeciles ruined their own party. Not you. Stop beating yourself up.”
“I shouldn’t have given her the file.”
“You did the right thing. Those two were a ticking time bomb … they never should have gotten together. It was only a matter of time before that relationship imploded.”
A ding from her phone interrupts our conversation. Her hands shake slightly as she unclasps her purse to retrieve it. “It’s a message from my mum,” she says, looking down at the screen.
“Do you want me to pull over and read it for you? I don’t want those people upsetting you more than they already have.”
“Those people are my family, Spencer.”
My grip on the steering wheel tightens. I know they are, but they don’t deserve her loyalty.
I glance from her phone to her as she clicks on the screen. When she holds it up for me to read, I’m surprised by what I see.
Mum: I love you, Delilah. I hope you know that.
She swipes her fingers under her eyes, so I place my hand on her leg.
“I love you too,” I tell her because I don’t know what else to say.
I open the passenger side door and help Delilah out of the car when we get back to the apartment. Once she’s on her feet, I fold her in my arms. I’m not good at situations like this. I don’t know what to say or do. I also feel partly responsible for this mess. I gave her the ammunition that led to tonight’s clusterfuck.
I was trying to help, not make things worse for her.
She’s quiet on the ride up to our floor, and once inside, she says, “I’m going to have a quick shower.”
“Do you want some company?” I ask, feeling a touch panicked.
Is she shutting me out?
She reaches for my hand, giving it a slight squeeze. “I just need a moment. I’ll come look for you in a bit.”
“Okay.”
She heads to her bedroom, so I go to mine. After shrugging out of my tuxedo jacket and removing my bowtie, I drop them both at the foot of my bed. I slip out of my shoes next and take a seat on the edge of the mattress as I bury my face in my hands. I don’t know how to make this right.
My mind is racing as I replay tonight in my head. I want things to return to how they were before the janitor’s closet. Scrap that, just after. That was one of the highlights of the evening … the other being Delilah telling me she loved me.
Deep down, I felt like she did, but hearing the actual words only confirmed those thoughts. Is she regretting saying them now?
“Jesus Christ, Prescott, get a grip,” I groan under my breath as I flop back onto the bed and stare up at the ceiling. I’m letting my mind run away with me.
This is a first for me. I’ve been in lust with women before … plenty of times, but never in love. I’m finding it hard to get a grip on the range of emotions I’ve experienced over the past few months. The highs, the lows, and all the in-betweens. I feel like I’m running a damn gauntlet.
The upside is Delilah. She is, without a doubt, the best thing to ever happen to me. It’s the first time in my life that I truly feel whole. I want this with her … that everlasting love that will carry me through a lifetime of happiness. The downside is that there’s a possibility she may not want the same things I do.
I was on top of the world an hour ago, and now I’m navigating the depths of despair. This damn knot in my gut, the one that’s laced with uncertainty, can fuck right off. I want no part of it.
Then there’s the jealousy I have to contend with. I saw the way Delilah’s ex looked at her tonight. It brought out a fierce possessiveness that I didn’t know existed. My first instinct was to knock him the hell out, but I went all caveman on him instead. Short of pounding my fists against my chest and grunting the word, “Mine,” I made sure he knew she belonged to me now.
His longing for the woman I loved was clear. I can only surmise he’s regretting letting her go. Trading Delilah in for her train wreck of a sister was a huge fucking mistake. One he’ll be kicking himself for, for a long time to come. His loss is my gain because I know her worth.
I told him as much earlier tonight when I ran into him in the men’s restroom. I even went as far as threatening to ruin him if he so much as looked at her sideways. He mumbled something under his breath as he left, but I was confident he’d gotten the message. That was until I exited a few minutes later and saw Delilah was nowhere in sight.
That’s when the panic set in, and when I found the ladies’ restroom empty, and no sign of her in the function room, I rushed outside. That’s where I found her with her sister.
I’m pulled from my thoughts when I hear a throat clear softly in the distance. I jolt upright and the last thing I’m expecting is to see Delilah standing on the threshold of my bedroom looking like a damn wet dream in a skimpy, black lace ensemble.
“I’ve been extra naughty tonight.” She says it in a sultry voice I’ve never heard her use before as she curls a strand of her long hair around her finger and bats those baby blues at me. “I’m ready for that spanking now, Mr Prescott.”
“Sweet Jesus, Delilah,” I groan, leaping to my feet.
I rub my eyes to make sure I didn’t conjure up this vision, but when I reopen them and find her still standing there, nibbling on the corner of her plump bottom lip like a goddamn goddess, I’m across the room in a few long strides.
I pause when I reach the doorway, crowding her small body with my own. “You’ve been a very bad girl, Miss St. James,” I growl, using the pad of my thumb to drag down her bottom lip, freeing it from the confines of her teeth. “Are you ready for your punishment?”
When she nods her pretty head, I know I’m a goner. This woman is every fantasy rolled into one, and I want to keep her forever.
My hands reach out to tangle in her hair as I drag her luscious body closer. I tilt her head back when our chests collide, my mouth meeting hers in a bruising kiss. It’s rough, savage, and animalistic. This woman brings out my wild side that’s for sure.
By the time I draw back, I find her mouth red and swollen, but the softness in her eyes as she gazes up at me lets me know we’re okay, and I’m flooded with immediate relief.
Fuck, I love this woman.
Grabbing her hand, I lead her further into my room, stopping at the ottoman that sits at the foot of the bed. Once I’m seated, I tap my upper thigh with an open palm.
“Lay across my legs, sweetheart.” She does as I ask without a fight, but when my hand moves to caress her soft flesh, she stiffens slightly. “Relax.”
She glances up at me from over her shoulder. “Is it going to hurt?”
“It’s punishment, Delilah, so it won’t tickle, but I’ll do my best to make it as pleasurable as possible.”
“The pleasurable part I’m down for.”
I chuckle as my hand massages one of her peachy, round cheeks before moving to the other. “If it gets too much, just say the word and I’ll stop.”
“What word?”
“Any word you like.”
“Like a safe word?”
“If that’s what you need.”
“Umm … okay, I choose sock.”
“Sock?” I ask, cocking a brow.
“Yes, your feet were the first thing I saw when I looked down.”
“Sock it is,” I say, shaking my head as I lift my hand and prepare for my first strike. “Relax,” I repeat when she clenches her glutes in preparation.
“That’s easy for you to say. You’re not the one about to get hit.”
“I’m going to spank you, sweetheart, not hit you. There’s a difference. If you relax, you might even enjoy it.”
She glances over her shoulder again. “How experienced are you at this spanking thing?”
“How would you feel if I told you I was winging it?”
“What?” she gasps. “You said you never wing anything.”
Chuckling, I ignore her mini freakout. How hard can it be?
“Spread your legs a little.”
Despite her hesitance, she does as I command. To reward her, I use the tip of my finger to follow the line of string that disappears between her sweet cheeks and continue south until I reach her pleasure spot. I don’t dip inside the lace, but I stay there for a beat to warm her up, moving my digit in a circular motion.
When she starts to wither and whimper on my lap, I move the rest of my hand between her legs and lightly spank her clit. She moans, and my cock is so hard it’s threatening to bust through the zipper of my trousers.
I continue to do this, alternating between lightly tapping her clit and massaging her arse. Only when I feel she’s ready do I make my first strike.
The force of my hand connecting with her skin echoes through the room, but I don’t miss her audible squeak. Her flesh has now turned pink with my distinct handprint, and my cock leaks pre-cum at the sight. I’ve never done this before, but I can see the appeal. If I’m not mistaken, Delilah is just as turned on as I am.
This time, I take it a step further, moving under the fabric of her G-string, and when I feel how wet she is, I groan. She is most definitely enjoying this.
I dip the tip of one finger inside her, and she widens her legs further, encouraging me to go deeper. I accommodate her immediately, swirling my digit in a circular motion as I sink all the way to my knuckle. When she bucks her hips, I add another, crooking them to stimulate her G-spot. Within seconds, I feel her muscles tighten, so I know she’s close.
I lift my other hand. It connects with another loud crack, and instead of a squeak, she moans as she falls over the edge. Her inner walls contract around my fingers and I almost lose my load … again.
This woman is my weakness.
I can only hope she’s not my undoing.
I don’t stop my assault on her tight pussy until she’s ridden out her last wave. I want to continue but my need to be inside her is too strong. Given that mouth of hers, I know there’ll be plenty of other times in the future when we can revisit this moment.
Lifting her from my lap, I stand, turn, and place her facedown on the bed. “On your knees,” I order.
Like the good, sometimes-obedient girl she is, she complies, and I take a moment to implant this image of her into my mind. Her arse is high in the air, and she has a handprint on each cheek … my handprint, and what a sight that is.
This imagery is most certainly being added to my spank bank list.
Using my foot, I shove the ottoman aside and step forward until my legs hit the side of the mattress. I’m frantically freeing my aching cock with one hand as I use the other to shove her skimpy underwear aside. My need to be buried balls deep inside her is only growing by the second.
Grasping my cock, I stroke it as I slide the head through her arousal. Once, then a second time, coating myself. On the next pass, I slip the tip in.
Her moan is long and drawn out as I slowly bury myself to the hilt. I tilt my head back and grunt as I still, giving us both a moment. I can already feel my balls tightening, so as much as I want to fuck her into oblivion, I need to take my time.
My hands reach out to grasp her hips as I slowly withdraw. When my eyes move down to observe my cock retreating from her body, I realise I forgot to wrap it.
“Shit,” I groan.
“What?” she asks, glancing at me over her shoulder.
I pull out, taking a step back. “I was so focused on being inside you that I forgot to put a condom on.” I know she’s on birth control, but I’ve never gone bareback with her before … with anyone, for that matter.
“You know all my tests came back negative … I don’t mind, but the decision is yours.”
“Are you sure?”
“Please, I just need you back inside me.”
I step forward and hesitate briefly. If this was anyone else, I wouldn’t be comfortable doing this, but she isn’t just anyone … she’s my forever girl.
I want to experience this with her.
I want it all.
I clench my eyes and groan, the intimacy that this moment brings is not lost on me. She’s so tight, snug and warm. I never would’ve thought that thin piece of rubber would make such a difference, but damn, it does. I can’t even put into words how good skin-to-skin feels.
“Fuck, Delilah,” I grate out as I rock my hips back and forth in short languid strokes, all the while basking in the glory that is her.
“I love you,” she pants, and for the second time tonight, my heart threatens to burst outside my chest.
The words are no sooner out of her mouth and I feel her clamp down around me. “I’m coming again,” she cries and the contraction of her inner muscles around my cock sends me clambering over the edge as well.
My grip on her hips tightens as I throw my head back with a roar. My body jerks as I spill my seed deep inside her.
I’m going to marry this woman one day and fill her with all my babies.
I drag Delilah’s body closer as I place my lips against her bare shoulder. Despite losing myself in her tight body for hours last night, I can still feel the events from the engagement party hanging heavy in the air.
“I wish I didn’t have to go to work today,” she murmurs.
“Then don’t.”
“I already took last night off for the party.”
“Sweetheart, I think it’s time you threw that job in. You are burning the candle at both ends, working seven days a week. I miss going to the estate with you.”
“I love that place so much.”
“Call in sick … or better still, quit. We can get up now, shower, and be on the road in half an hour. The country air will do you good.”
“I need—”
“You don’t need the money,” I say, cutting her off. “I’ll make a deal with you … you quit your weekend job, and I’ll stop going into the office on Saturdays. I’d much rather spend that time with you.”
I’m waiting for her resistance, or a bunch of baseless excuses that often follow this subject, but when she says, “Okay,” I’m left speechless.
“Really? You’ll quit your job and come with me?” I ask, propping myself onto one elbow and gazing down at her sweet face.
“Yes. I think getting away for the day is exactly what I need.”
Tossing back the covers, I leap out of bed and reach for her hand, helping her up. I need to get her out of this apartment before she has a change of heart.
I briefly fold her in my arms and kiss her, but the moment I let go and take a step back, a growl permeates in the back of my throat. My eyes track her every move as she scoops down to collect the skimpy lace outfit she had on last night.
When she turns to leave, I reach out and lightly slap her bare arse, causing her to yelp. “Scoot,” I say, “before I change my mind and take you back to bed. And pack some clothes for the office tomorrow. We can stay the night and leave first thing in the morning, so we’re back in time for work.”
She glances over her shoulder and gives me a sweet smile, and my heart skips a beat, because even that organ in my chest recognises she’s the one.
Chapter 34
Delilah
Even the best-laid plans can sometimes go awry. We left the estate at the crack of dawn this morning, but because of an earlier multi-car accident, several lanes on the highway were closed. The last time we went to the estate, we arrived at the office before all the other employees. On this occasion, we weren’t so lucky.
Spencer didn’t have to report to anyone. It’s his company, after all, but I had to call Marcy and let her know I was caught in traffic and would arrive late. Normally, that wouldn’t be an issue, but when I walked into the building with the CEO just after nine, and Shay-lee gave us both a knowing look, a sense of foreboding settled in my gut. I had a sick feeling this was going to create an issue.
I’d managed to shut down any rumours that had circulated, including the ones regarding my initial relationship status on Facebook—which, understandably, caused a bit of a stir when I first started working here. But since then, many people had seen me either arrive or leave for the day in the back of Spencer’s limousine.
Even though most of the time I was alone, it still got the tongues wagging. I simply told them we lived in the same building, and since parking in the city was horrendous, he’d been gracious enough to offer me his driver.
I’m sure some still had their suspicions, but I did my best to steer clear of Spencer during the day. I forbade him from making any more unprompted demands for me to visit his floor during office hours. Thankfully, despite not liking the idea, he’d obeyed my wishes. It didn’t stop him from sending flirty, and often dirty, messages, but that I could handle.
