Jillian dropped my arm and became sweet as tea. “Of course, Mr. Remington. Thanks for letting me know.” She walked away and returned to her desk.
I was relieved he’d saved me from her viciousness. “I’m sorry to drop by. I don’t have your phone number…”
“I’ll make sure to give it to you this time.” He stepped to the side and raised his arm to show me to the doors. “After you.”
I tried not to roll my eyes as I stepped inside his office, annoyed by his gentlemanly façade in front of his employees. He was the most arrogant asshole I’d ever met, and the fact that he hid that from the public just annoyed me even more.
He shut the door behind me and sat behind his desk. “I have to say, I wasn’t expecting to see you again.” He relaxed in the chair, his elbows on the armrests and his fingers linked together. He wasn’t as aggressive as he used to be, but his thick muscularity still made him intimidating. Those chocolate eyes always seemed sinister, and his jawline was so sharp, it could be used as a weapon. He’d shaved that morning, so all the angular lines were visible. He was the most beautiful man I’d ever seen, but he’d been swallowed by the shadows that existed in his eyes. He was no Prince Charming. He was the evil and sinister brother.
“Neither did I,” I said honestly. “And I’m sorry to bother you at work.”
“You aren’t bothering me. I could use the distraction right now.” He sighed quietly, his eyes taking on an air of annoyance.
“Why?”
“Just a bunch of bullshit. Nothing you’d be interested in.”
Since I was only there for one reason, I didn’t ask. “I went to the bank yesterday to consolidate my loans. They’re out of control. I thought I could refinance them or something. But I found out that I’m going to be paying them off a lot longer because I can only afford the minimum payment…and it’s just a nightmare.”
He wore the same expression, not showing sympathy or irritation.
“Which brings me here…the last place I want to be.” Women usually did the walk of shame after a long night of dirty deeds, but not before. Somehow, I was doing it backward. “So…here I am.” I could barely look him in the eye because of the embarrassment. I’d made a big fuss about his money being worthless, and now I was asking for it again.
To my surprise, he didn’t throw that back in my face. He didn’t ask for an apology either. He just stared at me. “I still want to fuck you—if that’s what you’re asking.”
He reminded me how harsh it would be with his choice of words. It wouldn’t even be sex—but a fuck. He would pay for me then use me, use me like a disposable product. Once the packaging had ripped, it would never be the same. It was such a misogynistic view, this obsession with an untouched woman. It was a conquest, another accomplishment he could put on his resume. And I was going to give him what he wanted.
“You’re sure you want to do this?” he asked. “Because I’m not interested in being teased anymore.”
“Yes…but I have some stipulations.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“I don’t want to be bossed around. I don’t want to be told to shut up. I don’t want—”
“Let’s not forget I’m paying a fortune to enjoy you. So I can do and say whatever the fuck I want.” He turned cold, cold like he’d been the first time we met. “This is my fantasy, my fetish. If I want you to shut up, you’ll shut up. If I want you on your knees, you’ll get on the floor. This is a transaction, a service you’re providing me. And I want the experience that I’m paying for. Understand?”
I kept my mouth shut, my anger rising to the surface. I didn’t appreciate being spoken to like that, but I shouldn’t have expected anything less. Sometimes Slate was kind and quiet, and in those moments, I forgot how huge of an asshole he could be. There were two different versions of him, one that kissed me and talked to me over sandwiches. Then there was this version…the mean and cold dictator.
“You get no stipulations, sweetheart. You take the money and let me do whatever I want. That’s how this works.”
The self-loathing returned, and I was tempted to walk out of there again. I didn’t want my first time to be with a controlling asshole who treated something so intimate like sex with a prostitute, but now that my loans were an even bigger problem, I had no choice. I had to make this go away. Otherwise, I had absolutely no future.
He kept staring at me as he waited for my cooperation. He was absolutely still, stationary like a statue. His eyes didn’t blink or shift, and that level of stillness was scary. He was like a predator that hid in plain sight. He was so quiet, you didn’t realize he was there until it was too late.