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He’s cocky, and some of the tension from earlier fades. He’s different with Gabriel. That’s more than obvious.
Ivan’s eyes cut to me and then back to Gabriel, who’s gone as tense as steel. Without looking at me, over his shoulder he says, “Kiersten, do you mind waiting in the reception area for me?”
“Of course,” I reply. There isn’t a part of me that wants to stay here for this. I need fresh air and a moment to gather myself.
“Your package is sitting on the desk in the antechamber,” he says by way of saying goodbye, which helps a little as I leave. He’s sent me out of the office before for business reasons, but usually into his private bathroom or sitting room.
Waiting in the reception area feels... odd. The only reason he would do that is because he doesn’t want me to overhear the conversation he’s having with the mysterious, seemingly threatening Ivan. That worries and scares me.
The waiting area is quietly busy in that way that city offices seem to always be. Gabriel’s role in the firm is a little mysterious, as he seems to operate as an independent personality, someone who has an office for reasons I don’t quite understand.
As I peer up from the long sofa at the back of the room, my back to the floor to ceiling windows and a water cooler to my right, I watch the secretaries answering calls and busying themselves. They know me, if only by sight. I don’t know any of them, however. Other than purely professional, quick conversations as someone brings paperwork to Gabriel’s office, nobody ever talks to me.
It’s like they’re under orders to ignore Gabriel’s kept woman in his office who doesn’t have a job at the company.
Shaking out my hands, I wish I’d grabbed my purse so I could have my phone, but I didn’t. Although the thought hits me, even if I did, who would I even call? Who would I message?
I don’t have anyone at this point, other than Gabriel.
GABRIEL
The Past, December
“Would you like this delivered, Mr. Thompson?”
I look over the pale lavender lingerie, imagining it on Kiersten’s smooth skin. I’ve bought her nearly every color of the rainbow over the past year, and while we both have favorites, for the anniversary of our first auction, and the last one at that, nothing appears to be suitable. There isn’t anything that’senough. It will have to do for now, but as my thumb brushes along my bottom lip in contemplation, I know I’ll keep looking and I’ll find something else for her as well.
“No, please have it gift boxed. I’d like to deliver this myself.”
“Very good, sir,” the attendant replies, carefully picking up the items and taking them to the back of the boutique.
In the drone of softly playing piano notes, I remind myself, we have a playroom now. It’s just for the two of us at the club. It’s an expensive proposition, a hundred thousand dollars a year, but with it we can do whatever we want when we visit, and it’sjust us. We have access to everything, so we can explore her boundaries more.
Because it’s going to remain just us, I’ve decided. I’m sure some would say that I have feelings for Kiersten, and as I hand my credit card over to the attendant, I can privately admit to myself that I do.
But I cannot afford to make it formal. I cannot afford to put a name to it beyond what’s already here. An engagement is just a contract. It’s a business deal as far as I’m concerned. There are far too many unfortunate lessons in my past for me to allow a contract to come between us.
My mother, who took three million dollars to walk away, abandoning me to a monster masquerading as a father.
A father who didn’t want a son and pawned me off on underlings before just shipping me off to boarding school.
I know that Kiersten’s different. The way she looks at me tells me that. I could lose it all and she’d stay with me. If the contract were five million dollars or five dollars, she’d be mine.
That’s something a man rarely finds in this world.
What we have is perfect as it is. I’m not going to fuck this up with a pen and paper. At that thought, my phone pings, and I half expect it to be her.
It’s not, though. It’s Joshua.You could buy her a promise ring?
I merely grunt at his suggestion before pocketing my phone.
She should officially meet Joshua. He’s seen her at the club, of course. He’s sat with me during three of the auctions. But they’ve never met face to face. He’s never had the chance to know her. Still, he says she’s good for me. Still, he wants me to give in to the social expectations. He suggested that I marry her.
Joshua lost his goddamn mind, although he made the idea somewhat appealing.
And as tempting as that would be, and I admit that it sounds nice, I want to have my cake and to eat it too. I want the benefits without the risk, and while that makes me a greedy bastard, I know that it’s not fair to Kiersten to let her think there’s more until I’m over whatever hang-ups I might have.
There would be benefits, of course. I could have Kiersten on my arm for real events, not just as ‘the girl in my office’ or ‘the girl in my penthouse’.
