Engage (Billionaire Series) (15 page)

I came
quickly, the suppressed pleasure bursting out of me in a scream. My walls
clamped down around him and he muffled his groan by biting down on my shoulder,
releasing himself inside me, pumping his essence into my sore, satisfied
entrance.

He
pulled out and we lay in each other’s arms, exhausted and panting. My nether
regions were still throbbing and my breasts were sore, but I felt perfectly
content and happy, satisfied to my very core.

As
Mathis held onto me, I felt as though over a decade of pent-up lust had just
been fulfilled. Some part of me had known all along: only Mathis could create
such a wonderful feeling in me.

Jennifer was at a
loss about what she wanted when she went to work the next day. While her
confusion included her true feelings about Brad, the biggest obstacle to her
decision making was not knowing how Philip felt about her. Today, she decided,
would be the perfect time to find out the answer. For the first time in her
life, she intentionally dressed to catch someone’s eye. Her charcoal gray skirt
was shorter than what she normally wore. She would need to be careful when
sitting or bending over so that she didn’t flash her black lace panties. She’d
forgone the bra in favor of one built in to a white camisole. The scoop neck
showed off the tops of her creamy breasts, accentuated when she put on the
fitted jacket that went with the skirt. Remembering the incident in the
stairwell, she didn’t bother with pantyhose and slipped on a pair of dressy
sandals. Rachel’s raised eyebrows told her that she’d done a good job.

Philip, however,
didn’t even look twice. Jennifer couldn’t help but feel a stab of
disappointment as he gave her instructions about what she would be doing. All
morning, she sat at a small desk in the corner of Philip’s office and read
through the letters he sent to her, writing comments about wording choice.
After the first one, she understood the need for a proofreader. The letters
were all to managers concerning their revenue. Tact was necessary. She tried to
focus her mind on the words and not think of anything else, but she couldn’t
stop herself from wondering why Philip was being so distant. Was it possible he’d
figured out who Brad was? Had he been more upset by her ex’s appearance than he’d
let on?

When he left for
lunch without a word, Jennifer sat at her desk and picked at the salad she’d
packed. She hadn’t eaten much breakfast, but she couldn’t really stomach more
than a few bites. Maybe she’d been wrong about Philip. Maybe he really only had
been interested in her physically and now the appeal had worn off. He obviously
still wanted her to be his assistant, but maybe this was his way of telling her
that their only relationship now would be professional. She was back to work
before Philip returned.

“Miss Brooks,” he
spoke flatly as he hung up his suit jacket. “There are a few folders in the
file room that I need. They should be on the counter. Would you get them for
me?”

Jennifer stood. “Of
course, Mr. Haas.”

The file room was
half the size of Philip’s office and was lined with filing cabinets at least
six feet tall. Philip had told her that while they had electronic copies of
everything, he still liked to have paper on file. Paper couldn’t be hacked. In
the center of the room was a counter where the files could be spread out if
needed. Jennifer was at the counter, reaching for the folders sitting there
when she heard the door close behind her.

She stilled, not
turning. A moment later, a pair of arms slid around her waist and a familiar
voice murmured in her ear. “Do you have any idea how hard I’ve been all
morning, watching you in this outfit?”

A thrill ran
through her as she melted back against his body. This was what she had wanted,
proof that she affected him. If what she felt against her ass wasn’t proof, she
didn’t know what was.

“One of the
advantages to being the boss,” Philip turned Jennifer to face him, “is getting
to do whatever I want.” He walked them backwards until Jennifer bumped into a
filing cabinet. “And what I want now is to play a little game with you.”

Mutely, Jennifer
nodded. It was amazing how one touch, one word, from this man could set her
body on fire. Philip pushed her jacket off of her shoulders, his hands lightly
skimming her bare arms as the garment fell to the floor. She shivered, more
from his touch than the air-conditioning.

“Here is the game,”
Philip hooked his fingers under the front of her shirt. His eyes locked with
hers as he slowly pulled down the material. “The door to this room is unlocked.
The door to my office is unlocked. But, no one will come in without knocking
and hearing me tell them that it’s okay.”

Jennifer swallowed
hard as Philip exposed her breasts, but he didn’t look or touch.

“Whatever happens
to you today will be up to me,” he loosened then removed his tie. He took her
right wrist in his hand and lifted it. “I can do whatever I want to you.” He
tied one end of his tie around her wrist, then reached behind her to thread the
piece of expensive silk through the top cabinet’s handle. She heard the click
of a lock as he made sure the drawer wouldn’t open unintentionally. “I can
strip you naked and leave you here for the rest of the afternoon. I could fuck
you and let my secretary find you, cum dripping from your pussy. I could come
in every hour and make a new deposit, then leave you for the cleaning crew to
find tonight.” He raised Jennifer’s other arm and tied her left wrist. “The
question is, do you trust me not to do any of those things?”

Jennifer’s eyes
were wide, her breathing quick little puffs of breath. Her heart was racing as
she tested her bonds. She could move, but only one arm at a time. Whenever she
pulled one down, the other went up, keeping them far enough apart that she
couldn’t untie herself. She truly was at Philip’s mercy.

“Now,” his eyes
gleamed as he took a step forward. “I want to have a go at those pretty tits of
yours.”

Her head fell
backwards against the cabinet as Philip took one hardening nipple into his
mouth. He sucked on it, the sensation going straight through her, and she
moaned. The sound grew louder as he used his fingers to tug at her other
nipple, pulling at the tip. She felt him smile against her breast and he
scraped his teeth over the sensitive flesh, eliciting a curse.

“If that’s your
reaction to this, I can’t wait to see what you do next,” Philip chuckled as he
lifted his head.

The cool air
caressed Jennifer’s wet skin and she made a frustrated noise. This was just
torture. Then Philip dropped to his knees and she made a whimpering sound. Was
he really going to do what she thought he was going to do? He looked up at her,
his pupils wide with desire.

“No pantyhose. You’re
learning,” he ran his hands up her legs, over her thighs to her hips. His
expression darkened as he pushed up her skirt to reveal her panties. “Very
nice.” He eased the underwear down her legs, lifting one foot, but leaving them
around the other ankle. “I’ve been waiting to answer one of the questions I
asked you that first night. Do you taste as good as you smell?”

Jennifer’s back
arched and her teeth dug into her bottom lip, fighting to hold back a wail as
Philip buried his face between her thighs. His hands cupped her ass as he
licked around her clit and then down to her entrance. Her legs began to shake
as a sudden climax flooded through her. He leaned forward, hooking her legs
over his shoulders as he thrust his tongue into her. He caressed her spasming
walls, turning one orgasm into two, three... she lost count as they rolled over
her and she wasn’t sure if they were one or many. The only thing in her life
she was sure of was that if Philip stopped, if he never stopped, she would die,
burnt up from the inside out. She no longer worried about someone coming in or
about him leaving her here. Her previous doubts were washed away on a wave of
pleasure so intense that she could barely stand it.

Her head fell
forward, strange little sounds falling from her lips as Philip set her feet
back on the ground. She tried to stand but her knees gave out. He laughed as he
stood, holding her steady with one arm while the other worked open his pants.

Her pussy was still
quivering when he shoved himself inside and she opened her mouth to scream as
she came again. Philip clamped his hand over her mouth as he began to fuck her.
Jennifer’s hands opened and closed, nails digging into her palms when no other
flesh was available. Her eyelids fluttered, wanting to close but she forced
them to stay open. Philip was looking at her and she wanted to see his face
when he came, wanted to see what it was like in that moment when a person was
at their most vulnerable.

He rotated his
hips, rubbing his pelvic bone against her clit and Jennifer came again, her
body going rigid. As she tightened around Philip’s cock, he cried out her name
and thrust up into her, once, twice, hips jerking as he emptied himself inside
her. As his forehead rested on hers and his hand slipped from her mouth,
Jennifer’s body went limp, unable to process anything else. Only Philip’s arm
around her waist and the tie around her wrist kept her from falling to the
floor.

“You are one
fucking amazing woman,” Philip muttered as he raised his head. He covered her
mouth with his, his tongue slowly, completely, exploring her. She could taste
herself on his tongue and gently sucked on it, drawing a groan into her mouth.

Just as she was
sure they were going to be heading into round two, a shrill sound cut through
the air.

“Fuck,” Philip
swore.

Jennifer hissed as
Philip pulled out, her over-sensitized body twitching at the friction. Her
pussy had that raw, throbbing feeling she now associated with being thoroughly
fucked. As she watched Philip retrieve his phone from his pants pocket, she
could feel their combined juices starting to run down the inside of her thigh.

The moment Philip
looked at the caller ID, he changed. His expression instantly became serious,
his body rigid.

“Yes?” He answered,
tone so terse that it broke through Jennifer’s post-orgasmic haze.

She straightened,
curiosity piqued. Whoever was on the other end of that phone had just made
Philip do a complete one-eighty. She watched as he tucked himself back into his
pants and then walk towards her. She could hear a man’s voice on the other end,
but couldn’t make out the words. Whatever was going on, Philip was giving it
his full attention. He yanked on the knot around her left wrist, tugging it
free before taking a step back.

She stared at him,
surprised by the sudden change towards her. Where was the man she’d trusted?
The man who’d been thoroughly kissing her just moments before? He didn’t even
look her way as she worked the knot on her other wrist. She’d drawn it almost
too tight to get free and by the time she was able to get it off, Philip was
pacing. He still wasn’t saying anything, either to her or the person on the
phone. She’d never seen him so quiet.

Keeping one eye on
Philip, Jennifer began to straighten her clothes. She stepped back into her
panties, grimacing as she pulled them up. If the crotch hadn’t been soaked
through before, it was now. She tugged down her skirt and adjusted her shirt.
As she reached for her jacket, Philip finally spoke.

“Okay,” he hung up
and turned towards her, his expression blank. “Get out.”

“What?” Jennifer
blinked, one arm halfway in its sleeve. “Why? What happened?”

“Just get out.” The
words were flat, emotionless.

Tears pricked at
her eyelids as she stumbled towards the door, pulling on her jacket as she
went. She was barely through before the door slammed shut behind her.

Eventually
our breathing returned to normal and I began to feel sleepy. Mathis was still
holding me close, gently caressing my arm as I nestled against his strong
chest.

“Amanda,”
he said his voice quiet and grave.

“What
is it?” I asked sleepily – then, waking up a little, “is your shoulder okay?”

“It’s
absolutely fine,” he assured me.

“Good,”
I said. “I’m sorry – I should have thought about that sooner.”

“Don’t
worry about it,” he said. “Amanda, I need to tell you what happened earlier –
the whole truth.”

He
paused for a moment, awaiting my reaction.

“Whatever
you tell me, I’ll do my best to be understanding,” I told him, and it was true,
I wanted to understand Mathis.

“I
know…” he trailed off and took a deep breath, still caressing me gently. “When
I was about sixteen, or maybe even younger, my life was a mess. A lot of things
happened within my family and I got involved with a bad crowd – a really bad
crowd.”

He
paused again, and I listened in closer, curious. “What kind of bad crowd?”

“I was
completely broke, and I got roped into working for organized crime,” he
admitted. “I don’t want to put the blame elsewhere – I knew what I was getting
into, but at the time, I didn’t care. I didn’t think I was going to live this
long,” he laughed bitterly. “Not long enough for my foolish behavior to have
any repercussions, at least.”

He
paused, hesitated as if he wanted me to say something, but I stayed silent. I
wouldn’t judge him for the past. It already meant a lot that he was being
completely honest with me. After a few moments, Mathis continued his story.

“When I
met your uncle, my life turned around. I had been given a second chance, and I
took it…but there was a catch. The organization I worked for wasn’t the sort
you could just quit when you felt like it. It was only your uncle’s
intervention which prevented things from getting very ugly.”

The
idea that Mathis came from a criminal organization hadn’t even crossed my mind
from when I first met him, to this very moment. Was he dangerous? Was I in
danger now? I suppressed my questions and kept my attention on Mathis.

“I don’t
know how much money Andy paid to the syndicate’s boss, but it must have been a
lot. I wasn’t bothered by them ever again, and I honestly thought that it was
behind me. I was young and stupid, and I deeply regret everything that I did
back then. I don’t want to excuse myself, but I don’t believe you should have
to be haunted by the mistakes you make for the rest of your life. I believe
that you should be able to rise above your past. And I did it, with your uncle’s
help, and I never looked back. Those days were over – or so I thought.”

Mathis’
face showed some discomfort as he seemed to have a hard time continuing with
his story. I placed my hand on his and held it gently. His eyes met mine. He
smiled and cleared his throat.

“Maybe
it would have been over, if it hadn’t been for a strong rivalry I had going
with another boy who was about my age. We would always fight for favoritism
from the boss. Childish or not, we resented each other. The call I got a few
days ago was from that guy. He’s apparently the new boss. When he called me the
other day, he threatened me. My success is rather public – being on the news
and all that, so now he wants a piece. He says either I start paying him to
keep quiet or he’ll spread my involvement with his crime organization all over
the media.”

I lay
still in his arms, concerned by the things Mathis had been through and anxious
about this new trouble which had beset him – us. I still didn’t interrupt,
afraid of prying into something he didn’t want to tell me, and afraid that he
might think I was judging him.

“Of
course, I refused. There’s no way I’m going to give him a cent to fund the
organization’s criminal schemes. There’s no way my investors or anyone else I
associate with would believe a word this shady guy said about me. It would be
obvious that he was just trying to get at my money, and as long as I’m not
doing anything dodgy, I’ll be fine. They could never prove a thing against me.

“But,
in my own arrogance, I didn’t realize what a miscalculation I’d made. That he
would actually attack me in public to show that he’s dead serious – if I don’t
help him out, he won’t have any problem going after my life and,” Mathis paused
and looked at me, “the people I care about.”

I was
stunned into silence once Mathis’ monologue was at an end. How could it
possibly be true? What was going to happen? I was afraid for Mathis, and I felt
completely helpless. I didn’t want to give him pointless platitudes or bad
advice. I just lay there, my heart clenching.

The
silence was getting to me and I figured I should probably say
something
.
“I didn’t realize that…that all this has happened to you. I feel kind of silly
now, having been in the dark, but I’ve always respected you. I respect you even
more so now. I feel you should know that.” My eyes met his. “Thank you. Thank
you for telling me.”

Mathis
let out a soft laugh, leaned forward, and gave me a soft, sweet kiss. “Just the
right thing to say,” he said, and held me close, protecting me.

After
what seemed like hours, Mathis moved, stroking my hair gently out of my face.

“Maybe
you should go home and get some rest after all,” he told me softly.

“What
about you? Are you going to be alright?” I asked.

“I’ll
do just fine on my own,” he told me. “You’ve done more than enough.”

“But
what about those people?”

“You’ll
be fine. It was a warning. In fact, the farther away from me you are, the safer
you’ll be. It’s me they’re after, not you. I promise you, I will never let you
come into harm’s way again.”

“Mathis,
I really don’t mind staying here,” I said. “I don’t think you should be on your
own.”

“Amanda,”
Mathis responded firmly, “you should get home and stop worrying about me. You
have work to get to in the morning.”

Work?
How can I even be worried about work right now? “I can take a sick day,” I
said. “It won’t matter.”

“Even
so,” Mathis sighed, “you can’t stay and take care of me forever.”

“Why
not?” I asked frankly.

“I can’t
let anything happen to you!” Mathis’ voice rose, with more emphasis and
frustration than I expected. “Amanda, I—I promised An—,” he cut himself short.
“I promised that…”

He
promised and what? Mathis seemed to struggle with himself for a moment, before
the clouds on his brow lifted and he gave me an apologetic look.  “I promise I’ll
talk to you soon – I just want to make sure that you get home safely,” he
finished.

After a
moment I nodded. “Okay.” I had the feeling that he had wanted to say something
else, but the sensible part told me that he was right. I would eventually have
to return home, and it was better to do it now than to put it off indefinitely.
I needed a shower and a cup of coffee, and then a good night of rest so I could
face my colleagues in the morning.

“I’m
sending two bodyguards with you – don’t argue,” he added as he saw me open my
mouth to disagree. “I won’t be able to get any rest if I’m not absolutely sure
that you are safe.”

“I can
take care of myself,” I insisted. “If you’re their target, they should be
protecting you!”

“Well,
they’re my bodyguards and they’ll do exactly what I say,” said Mathis with a
charming smile which brooked no refusal. “And I say they’re going with you even
if they have to carry you home.”

I gave
in with a laugh as I saw the twinkle in Mathis’ eye. I loved that he knew
exactly how stubborn I could be. He pulled me close to him and gave me one last,
long kiss before letting me go.

“Be
safe,” he instructed me. “Whatever you do, don’t contact me. I don’t want to
run the risk of them finding out about you. I’ll call you soon.”

 I
agreed with a nod. “Take care of yourself.”

“Goodbye,
Amanda.”

As the
two bodyguards followed my car back towards my apartment, I knew that my entire
life would be at a standstill until I could see Mathis again.