“I don’t mind though,” the redhead says, putting a finger to her lower lip. “She’s really pretty, but it looks like she’s already done. Hey, are we interrupting? Or did you get tired of waiting?”
Prime watches me. I’ve never seen him look like that before, not in the two years I’ve been his personal assistant. It’s a feral look, a starving, desperate, unhinged glare, the sort of gaze only a monster trying to control his inner nightmare can conjure from the blackest depths of his rotten soul. That’s a little over the top but it’s true.
He takes the wrist of the redhead and turns her away.
“What’s the matter?” the girl asks, sounding confused. “Seriously, Prime, I don’t mind. Should we let her clean up? Where are we going? I thought you wanted to show me your pool table.”
Prime drags her from the room without a word.
And it’s like my entire life crumbles down around me.
CHAPTER 2
DEANNA
Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck.
I get off the pool table and hurriedly pull my clothes on in full panic mode. My head’s racing. How much did they see? What if they didn’t realize what I was doing? But no, don’t be stupid, there was nothing ambiguous about seeing me spread eagle with my fingers buried in my own freaking pussy. Oh my god, this is the most mortifying moment of my entire life, and if I could bury down into the earth and let myself melt into a pool of lava, that wouldn’t be enough to make this shame go away.
He wasn’t supposed to be back for another two days. The bastard specifically said in that gruff, deep voice of his,I’ll show up sometime Monday. Make sure you feed my fish in the meantime.
Instead, it’s Saturday night, and he’s home.
What the hell is happening? Did his trip get cut short? I don’t know where he went—Prime disappears for days or weeks at atime and never bothers telling me what he’s been up to—and it’s not like I could’ve known he’d decide to come back early.
Still, masturbating on my boss’s pool table?!
I can’t believe how stupid I am. I was so mad at him ten minutes ago for making me do this and I decided to get my petty, meaningless revenge, while also relieving some of my inner tension. The idea popped into my head, and unlike ninety-nine-point-nine percent of the time, I actually acted on this impulse.
Now I’m reminded why I never, ever,evertake risks.
Life has a way of punishing me for any moment of pleasure or joy.
Prime’s going to fire me. There’s no way I’m going to walk out of this house with my job intact. And the shitty part is, it’s not because he saw me touching myself. Prime’s been slamming his dick into anything that breathes for as long as I’ve known him, and I’ve caught him in compromising positions before. That morning at the hotel was only the most intimate and detailed, but there have been other times, and it’s never been a big deal. He acts like it never happened or he teases me mercilessly when he realizes talking about sex makes me turn bright pink.
But he’s never looked at me like he wanted to tear me to pieces before.
It’s the pool table. The stupid, expensive pool table. He’s going to fire me, not for getting myself off in his house, but for doing it on his godforsakenpool table.
And I’ll have ruined my life for nothing.
What am I going to do? My parents are both retired, and as it turns out, they don’t have much in the way of savings. That wasa real kick to the face and a phone call I really hate thinking about. My mother’s voice on the other end of the line, sounding sad and small.Your father took care of all this… but he doesn’t remember anymore and I’m just so confused about it…
I’m responsible for them. It’s messed up, but it’s true. Even with all the assistance they’re eligible for, my father’s care isn’t cheap. I’ve been making it work but mostly because Prime gives me absurdly high raises every year. I didn’t go to college and there’s no way I’ll find a job making what I do now.
I’m screwed. My parents are screwed.
All because I diddled myself on a pool table.
I slink out of the game room. I listen carefully near the steps, but I don’t hear any voices, not the tell-tale moans of pleasure I expect. Even angry, I figure Prime will still get what he wants from that girl. She’s clearly up for it. I do the long walk of shame toward the kitchen where my bag’s waiting in the corner, fortunately still mostly packed. I’ll grab it and get the hell out of here?—
Instead of an empty room, I find my boss looming beside the island, a glass of bourbon in his hand.
That look again. It’s like he’s struggling now to stalk across the room. He probably wants to slap me across the face for ruining his precious felt. He hates me now, and I don’t blame him. I knew he loved that stupid table and I spread my legs and touched myself anyway, like the total idiot I am.
“Where’s the girl?” I blurt out despite myself, mostly to fill the deeply uncomfortable silence. Hopefully it prompts him to get this firing over with so I can get the heck out of here before I spontaneously combust.
“Gone.” He takes a long sip.
