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“Ride?” she asked, still not understanding.
“Yes, we’re done for the night. I’ve arranged a ride home for you. ”
His cold tone of voice finally sunk in, along with his words. He’d gotten what he wanted so it was time for her to leave. Instant hurt filled her. She immediately pushed it away. She had no right to be hurt. Rafe had never lied about what he expected.
He was clear from the beginning that he only wanted sex, nothing more. Right in his contract, it stated that his mistresses didn’t sleep in his home. It was all laid out in black and white so she had no reason to be surprised.
Just because she hadn’t signed along the dotted line, didn’t change the rules in Rafe’s mind. She may have seen moments of him acting more human over the last few months, but the bottom line was that Rafe was who he was. He didn’t put on a show, didn’t pretend to want anything other than sex and control.
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“I’m ready,” she finally said as she got up, grateful he’d undone her ties.
Neither of them said a word as she found her clothes from the night before lying on the foot of the bed. She didn’t bother concealing herself as she dressed. What was the point? He’d seen her, gotten what he wanted, and was done for the night.
She needed to get out of there before she cried.
“I have the contract if you’re ready to sign. ”
Ari didn’t allow her body to tense, didn’t allow herself to show any emotion to his words. Rage and hurt were dancing around for dominancy inside her, but she made sure her face remained blank as she slipped on her shoes.
She said nothing else as she made her way from his room. She heard the sound of his feet moving behind her, probably to make sure she left for the night – that she didn’t try to hide somewhere and then sneak up and stab him through the heart.
It was actually a very real threat.
“Think about it,” were his parting words as she stepped out his front door and climbed in the backseat of his car. Humiliation was present as Ari refused to meet Mario’s eyes. How many times had he taken Rafe’s mistresses home? How many had he given the very last ride to? Ari was just one more in a long line of women.
There was no reason for her to feel the melancholy that had settled over her, but she couldn’t seem to shake it. Rafe’s torture had been affective. If she was in a relationship with him, she wouldn’t want to defy him – wouldn’t want that build-up of pleasure to be for nothing.
As Mario pulled onto the street, Ari fought her tears. She wouldn’t cry in front of Rafe’s employee. Mario was obviously loyal to him and would report back that Ari had fallen apart. She would be home soon and then she could cry, though she didn’t see what good it would do her.
Thankfully, Mario kept quiet, even gave her enough respect not to look at her in the rearview mirror. She like Rafe’s driver and normally would’ve tried to break the silence, ask him how his day was, but Ari couldn’t speak. If one word slipped from her mouth she knew she’d become a blubbering mess.
She managed to make it all the way home without a breakdown, then dealt with the insistence of Mario walking her to the door. She got inside without the key giving her too much trouble, then calmly walked to her bed. Only when she knew it was safe to do so, did she allow her knees to buckle and her heart to break.
Somewhere along this journey, she’d developed feelings for Rafe. She wouldn’t say she was in love with him, but she’d grown to anticipate his arrival, look forward to their sparring matches, and desire his touch. She’d been stupid enough to begin falling for a man who made it more than clear he wasn’t available for anything but what he wanted.
It wasn’t enough for her. She would lose herself in him if she kept seeing him. She would give herself this one morning to cry over Raffaello Palazzo, then she’d make sure to avoid him no matter what it took. If she slept with him again, she wouldn’t recover. If she kept seeing him, she’d end up ha**ng s*x with him.
Sleep finally removed her from her misery, and when Ari woke up in the late afternoon she had a firm resolve to listen to herself. She’d just have to take it one step, and one day, at a time for now.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Rafe slammed down the phone as he stood. She’d disconnected her phone. He’d given her a week to cool off before he’d began calling again. She ignored his calls, messages, and emails.
He was finished giving her time. She could do this the easy way or the hard way, but the bottom line was that she would be his by tomorrow. He was finished waiting.
“Cancel my meetings,” Rafe announced to his stunned assistant as he walked past her and straight through the offices to the elevators.
He was supposed to meet with a congressman in an hour. He didn’t care. There was nothing more important on his agenda than getting his life back in order. He knew he had a problem – he was just choosing to ignore it. For some strange reason, Arianna Harlow had gotten under his skin. He refused to acknowledge the feelings for her growing increasingly fast within his heart – still trying to delude himself that it was about sex and only sex.
He wanted her all the time, night and day, but what angered him was he missed their daily interactions. His time with her in the hospital had been… surprisingly pleasant. He’d looked forward to hearing the sound of her laughter, seeing her victorious smile when she bested him at a game of poker, and the way she always had a kind word to say to the staff treating her.
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There was so much more to Ari than he’d seen with any woman he’d been in a mutually pleasurable relationship with. He pushed that aside. She desired him – that’s all either of them needed to make this arrangement work.
Rafe called his driver on his way down the elevator, then glanced at his watch. It looked like he was going to have a meeting with Ari at her place of employment. The thought made him smile. She wouldn’t be able to fight him since she didn’t like public scenes.
The drive didn’t take long, and soon he was standing outside the front doors. Rafe didn’t hesitate as he walked inside.
“Mr. Palazzo, it’s great to see you,” the guard said as he jumped from his desk.
“Thank you, Dean. Don’t announce me. This is a personal visit. ”
“Yes, sir,” the man replied with a confused frown. Rafe wasn’t known to simply drop in at his places. He didn’t like to be kept waiting, so it was much smarter for him to let the management staff know of his arrival so they were there to greet him.
He headed straight for the elevator and pushed the button for Ari’s floor. Anticipation mounted as it moved upward. When the doors opened, he stepped out and looked around at the efficient staff. The manager was running a tight ship. Rafe was pleased.
He turned a corner and spotted Ari at her desk – his gut instantly clenching. It had been a little over a week since their last encounter. He wasn’t thrilled by the fact that he’d missed her. He’d go two weeks, sometimes a month, without seeing one of his mistresses when he was traveling. It had never bothered him before.
It must only be because their relationship wasn’t official – still left up in the air. He didn’t like the waiting – the uncertainty.
“Ari. ” He said nothing else as she stiffened before slowly lifting her head. He could see she’d rather be anywhere else at that moment than trapped into a conversation with him with her co-workers within hearing range.
“Mr. Palazzo, what are you doing here?” she asked between clenched teeth.
“We have unfinished business. Since you’ve refused to answer my calls, you’ve left me no choice but to seek you out. ”
“There is no unfinished business. We’ve said all there is to be said. Now, I’m at work, so I’ll kindly ask you to leave. This is highly unprofessional,” she scolded.
Damn, he really did like her fire – loved the fact that she wasn’t afraid of him. That didn’t mean
he wouldn’t break her, it just meant that it would take much longer for him to grow bored with their relationship.
He grabbed her arm and pulled her from the chair, not saying anything else as he led her to an empty conference room. Rafe had no doubt that the only reason she was coming along without a fight is her fear of causing a scene. It worked for him in this moment.
Once inside with the door shut, she turned to him with fire in her eyes.
“Seriously, who in the hell do you think you are? This is where I work. If you think I’ll sign your damn contract if you get me fired, you’re wrong. ”
“I have a trip tomorrow and I want you to go with me so I don’t have time to wait for you to figure things out. I’ve come to expedite the situation. ”
“Then you’re going to be very sad with what I have to say. I’m done with you. No more games, no more drunken sex nights. Nothing. Nada. Zip. Do you comprehend?”
“You are still refusing me?”
“That’s what I’ve just said!”
“Then, you’ve left me no choice. ” He walked away. Let her think what she wanted. She’d be his tomorrow.
*****
Ari watched as Rafe walked out. She waited like a caged animal. Was it a trick? Was he going to turn around at any moment and pounce? She really didn’t know what to think right then. She waited for several minutes, and her body clenched when she saw the door handle begin to turn.
He was back.
“Ari, what the heck was that all about? Mr. Gorgeous stormed by my desk looking like he was pissed. ”
“Honestly, I have no idea, Amber. He wants to be in a relationship, but I’ve repeatedly told him it’s not going to happen. He basically told me this was my last chance, and when I still refused, he left. It’s not like him. I’m a bit afraid of the other shoe dropping. ”
“I get that I don’t know him – but he’s gorgeous, has a drool-worthy body and butt loads of cash. Why would you not want to go out with him?”
“It’s complicated and I just want to get back to work. I promise to tell you all about it when I’m not so freaking ticked off,” Ari said, hoping to appease her friend.
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“I’ll respect your privacy, but I hope you know this is taking years off my life. I’m dying to know what the big mystery is. ”
When Ari didn’t say anything else, Amber let her be. She walked from the room and went straight to the bathroom where she could splash cold water on her face and freshen up her make-up. She was in the middle of her shift and didn’t have time to fall apart.
If Rafe had other plans, there was absolutely nothing she could do about it, so it wouldn’t do her any good to fret about any of it. She’d been away from her desk for a good fifteen minutes now and it was time to get back to work.
When nothing else happened by the end of the day, she decided that maybe he’d just given up. What Ari didn’t understand was the slight disappointment she felt. With all the stress she’d been through in the last months she wouldn’t be surprised if she was having a breakdown.
Her mother was getting out of the hospital any day now and Ari still hadn’t found the courage to tell her about the house or her mother’s business. Rafe chasing her had been one wild ride after the other. Not having work – and then managing to land a great job.
Any one of those things could cause a normal person to lose a bit of sanity. She felt quite justified in having a meltdown with all of it piling up.
“Just place one foot in front of the other and remember that tomorrow is a new day. ” This is what Ari told herself at least twice a day – today she may have to repeat it about twenty times.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
“Can I see you in my office?”
“Yes. Let me finish this email and I’ll be right there,” Ari said as she pressed the intercom speaker and replied to her boss. With a few strikes of the key, she finished her work and sent the document.
Rising from her seat, she stretched her arms and smiled. Her job was boring, mundane and made her want to rush back into the classroom so she could do what she truly loved, but it was a great place to work.
She had amazing benefits, worked with good people and made enough money to take care of her mother and still have some left over for savings. She may be able to get back to school within the year. That was the best case scenario.
She walked down the long hallway and knocked on her boss’s open door.
“Come in, Ari. How soon can you get home and pack a bag?”
“Sir?” She’d been told that she may have to travel, but she’d assumed she’d get a lot more notice than, go pack a bag. She wasn’t upset about going somewhere, just the opposite in fact, thinking it would be nice to get out of town, anywhere other than the Bay area, but she had to pick up her mother, tell her how much she had messed everything up, and then hopefully pick up the pieces of her mom’s shattered heart.
“The CEO requested you for a business trip to New York. The jet leaves in two hours. A car is waiting out front to take you back to your place and then get you to the airport. Will that give you enough time?”
“Yes, of course, but I don’t understand,” she hedged. “How long will I have to be gone? Why would the CEO have requested me? I don’t think I’m qualified. ” She trailed off at the smile on her boss’s face.
“Don’t look so frightened, Ari. This is a good thing. It means that you do such an excellent job here in the offices that the corporate officers have taken notice of you. This could end up being a big promotion for you. I don’t want to lose you here, but I’d never hold you back. If advancement is on the horizon, then you need to reach out and grasp it,” he said with sincerity. “Headquarters didn’t say how long you’d be gone for, but I think it’s a quick trip. Normally, they’d give a lot more notice than two hours if it was anything longer than a couple days. ”
“I guess I can go then… I don’t know what to say,” she answered hesitantly as shock filled her. She wasn’t sure that she wanted advancement. What if the job ended up being wonderful and then she never went back to school? She didn’t want to settle for a job just because it paid well. She wanted to finish her education and do what she was always meant to do.
“You say a heartfelt thanks and then rush home to get ready,” he replied with a chuckle.
“Thank you, Mr. Avery. I appreciate your confidence in me,” she automatically replied.
He waved her off and she turned around and went back to her desk where she gathered her coat and purse and then made her way to the bank of elevators. It didn’t take long for her to reach the lobby, and then to step outside.
A nice Bentley was parked at the curb with a driver waiting at the back door. He immediately opened the door when he spotted her and Ari slid inside without saying a word. She hoped it was the company car and not a kidnapper, not that she’d be worth kidnapping. She didn’t have a wealthy family that could post ransom. She certainly didn’t have any kind of influence with the rich and famous. She was just Ari.
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“Good afternoon, Ma’am. I have your address, here. Do you need to make any other stops before we arrive at your place?”
“No, but thank you. ” The conversation ceased as they drove to her apartment. It was nice not having to fight the busy city traffic or take public transportation for a change. She could seriously get used to being chauffeured around.
They reached her apartment in about fifteen minutes and she ran up the stairs to throw a few items together. She hadn’t been told anything about the trip and was unsure what she should pack. She didn’t have any dinner dresses, so that was out. She hoped she wasn’t expected to attend anything formal. If that were the case, she’d have to do some shopping.
She wouldn’t like cutting into her savings, but she would be in New York, and it would almost be a shame for her not to do at least a little bit of
shopping. Her optimism rose as she took a moment to think about it.
This could be a great trip. She’d probably be sitting in on meetings during the day, taking notes, and then typing things out. She found she was fast and efficient when dictating for her boss. Her nights were most likely her own to do with what she pleased. If they were going to be there several days, maybe she’d even be able to take in a Broadway play. The best part of all was that she’d be on the other side of the country – far from Rafe. She was still unsure what his surprise visit was about yesterday.
Ari made sure she had her I. D. and a few changes of clothes, and then she double checked all her windows, making sure they were locked. Her next task of business was to call the hospital. Her fears were assuaged when the doctor assured her that her mother wouldn’t be released until at least Tuesday. She’d have plenty of time to get home. Luckily, she didn’t have any pets to worry about, so she was back down to the car within twenty minutes.
“That was much faster than I’m used to,” the driver said with a smile as he again held open her door.
“I don’t like to waste time. There’s only so much to pack,” she said as she handed him her bag and then slid into the back seat. He stowed her luggage in the back, then came around and the car was back on the road within minutes.
Ari wanted to fill the silence with conversation, but she didn’t know what to talk about, so she just sat back and enjoyed the ride. It was a beautiful sunny day, perfect for seeing the view out the jet’s windows as they took off.
When the driver skirted the main airport, Ari grew concerned. Just as worse case scenarios began to play out in her mind, he turned down a connecting road and approached a private facility next door.
“Why are we here?”
“This is where the corporate jets are stored. They use a separate runway. ”
“Oh, that makes sense. ”
“Right this way, please,” he said as he helped her from the car and then led her to the building, straight through and out the back door.
Ari gasped at the size of the jet in front of her. It was as large as a commercial aircraft. This had to be the wrong one. Private jets were small and sleek.
