Chapter 6: Avery & Drake

AVERY

My skin ignites the second he enters the doorway. His cologne teasing my senses, while my body vibrates from the magnetic energy swirling between us. Despite the cosmetic pull, I ignore him, focusing on the salad in front of me and Brian. The coworker who has promptly stopped talking, his terrified stare on the growly beast behind me. He is closer now, looming just behind my back, but I refuse to turn.

Brian hasn’t made a peep, keeping his gaze anywhere else but me. I pretend not to notice, enjoying the annoyance wrapping around Drake. My actions pushing him to break, to speak first because I refuse to be the one who does.

“Avery,” his voice slides over my skin and down my spine, my knees already weak. What is it about him that makes me a jumbled mess. “Who is your friend?”

I slow, finishing my bite, I swipe my tongue over my teeth, cleaning my mouth of debris before answering. Swiveling, I face him with my brightest smile, enjoying the way his jaw clenches making the vein pop in his neck. His onyx gaze is scorching hot, his arms crossed angrily, and yet I don’t fear him.

“Oh, hello Mr. Winters,” I say cheerfully, purposefully goading him. What the hell is wrong with me? “This is Brian. He’s a recent hire.”

“Oh, nice,” he nods in Brian’s direction, before I am sucked back into an onyx abyss. My breath stills with each second we are like this, stuck in a battle of wills. “Avery, why are you in here?”

“Do you not allow your employees lunch?” I ask innocently, but mischief swishes around, infuriating Drake to no end. The glint in his pupils warns me to stop while I’m ahead, but I cannot, when annoying him holds so much fascination.

“I need you at your desk in case anyone calls.” He snaps, a brow raised in silent challenge, one I shouldn’t welcome, but I do.

“I’ve had them forwarded to my cell,” I volley back, relishing this cat-and-mouse banter we are in. He doesn’t falter, but his fury skyrockets as he attempts to control his displeasure. I should shut up, stop talking, but it’s impulsive.

“What if someone emails?” He counters, stepping closer, unable to admit defeat.

“It is the twenty-first century, Mr. Winters.” I wave my phone in the air, loving the way he glares. Insolence has my chin tilting upward, irises sparkling with amusement. I obviously have no care for my life, or I wouldn’t act so recklessly, especially with him.

The high-pitched screech of a chair against linoleum sounds like an alarm reminding us Brian exists. Eyes snap to an awkward coworker, his hands twisting anxiously, sweat beads resting against his furrowed brows. His gaze shifting uncomfortably between us.

“I’m..gonna get back to work,” he coughs, his voice pitchy, and cracking from the anxiety.

“Yes, Brian,” Drake snarls, his glare eating the poor boy alive. All it would take is a small breeze for the man to crumble to ash. “Go back to work.”

“Are we still having lunch tomorrow?” I ask hopefully, sidestepping to peer around Drake, but he’s quick, like a cat blocking me. His glare lighting me on fire with his rage, and I relish in it.

“No,” Drake growls, answering for Brian. Who made it halfway to the exit before my question stopped him in his tracks. “I have a lunch meeting tomorrow and I’ll require you with me.”

My pupils narrow, the lie he tells obvious. I scoured the calendar this morning, learning his schedule, to prepare myself for the upcoming week. He has nothing arranged for tomorrow, and now the only question is do I want to call him on it?

“I apologize, Brian.” I relent, backing down, knowing my limits, and the difference between challenging Drake and absolute insubordination. “We will have to reschedule for another time, yes?” The question is sickly sweet, as I bat my lashes at him, in my attempts to flirt, which is abysmal.

“Um,” Brian stutters, glancing at Drake as if seeking his approval to answer. “I..uh..Yeah, we can reschedule.” This response wasn’t what the beast wanted to hear, his hands clenching into tight balls. The flesh surrounding his knuckles is Casper white, despite the tattoos covering his skin.

“Great, I’ll text you,” I call after the fleeing figure, who doesn’t acknowledge me. His attempt to put distance between himself and the behemoth.

“Avery, lunch is over. Get your ass upstairs, now!” Drake spits between pursed lips a sour expression painted on his face, like he consumed a bowl of lemons. The cyclone of wrath wrapping around him turns me timid, grasping the trouble I’ve gotten myself into.

“Yes, Mr. Winters,” I twist, wanting to clean my mess, when a frustrated command pauses my actions. A hand wrapping along my hip, his fingers pressing into the fabric, as he pulls me backward.

“Leave it, Avery,” Drake instructs, his chest pressing into my back. The heat radiating from his body seeping into me, his breath along my neck, causing me to quiver. “Now go to my office, don’t stop at your desk, or talk to anyone else. Just go to my office and wait for me.”

I twist until we are chest to chest, his cologne clogging my senses, my mind turning fuzzy from the contact. The countenance he wears is a deterrent from resisting further. Nodding, I sneak between him and the chair blocking my path. My heart races, my stomach twisted into knots, while my long legs hurry from the break room, his red- hot glare following me until it no longer can.

Following his instructions, I rush through the office, not daring to look at another person. My rebellious streak is fun and all, but it’s writing checks I cannot cash. I might as well dig my grave with all the trouble my mouth is causing lately. Maybe, if I had gone through this phase earlier in life, I wouldn’t be engaged to Hayden Smith to begin with.

Now, I am experiencing a life stage that was supposed to occur during my teens. The years of repressed troublemaking bubbling up in the worst ways, landing me in a world of shit.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My heels click against the floor, pacing in front of Drake’s desk. Each tick of the clock increases my angst, bringing back the habit of biting my nails, long forgotten. The longer I wait for his return the more fearful I become.

My stomach rotates uncomfortably, my gaze flicking to the elevator every few seconds, anticipating his arrival. Forty- five minutes pass when I jump from the long ding. An onyx stare finds mine, neither of us uttering a word as he strides into the room. His fingers undo the buttons on his jacket, his actions swift and precise. He removes it from his shoulders, placing it over the couch in his office. The black shirt underneath is taut, with fabric so thin it’s appears painted on. Each muscle was obvious and defined through the clothes. God, he is dangerously breathtaking.

I observe silently, spellbound by his movements as he loosens the tie around his neck. Slowly, he tips up his collar, allowing it to stand upright, before pulling the silk around his head. He lays it on the jacket, his obsidian orbs barely blinking from my face, while he continues working. Undoing the fasteners around his wrists, he rolls the sleeve up to his elbows. Black ink tattoos rest against his pale flesh, begging to be traced with my fingers.

The electricity between us is tangible and powerful, turning my insides to mush. No matter how much I want to look away and break the spell holding me here, I hesitate. He’s a dangerous supernova. Whatever I do, I’ll never escape his reach, because he’ll find me, like all the other men in my life.

“Avery,” he growls, breaking the silence while he rolls the other sleeve up. His movements are slow and steady, his stare drilling into me, forcing me to stay still. “Didn’t I warn you against being bratty? This morning, in fact?”

I gulp, my answer stuck in my throat, oxygen impossible to find. My lungs collapsing inwards the longer we’re locked in this staring contest. My gut is doing somersaults while my lower stomach tightens weirdly. “Answer me.” He snarls, remaining still, not moving closer, and thank God for that.

“Yes,” I squeak, his pupils darkening with lust as he scans my body, forcing a blush to creep along. I’m grateful a few feet separate the beast and I. It’s already difficult enough to concentrate with his relentless scrutiny. If I add in the raw masculine scent from his cologne, I’ll be a goner.

“Yes, I did,” he growls, picking up the tie he removed earlier, stalking toward me. With every step forward, I take one back, trying to put a safe distance between us. “What’s wrong princess? Not feeling so brave now?”

His questions are taunting leers. He continues his pursuit, my butt bumping into the edge of his desk. He boxes me in, his large frame making escape impossible. Drake bends down, placing each hand on either side of the desk, his nose brushing mine ever so lightly.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper, my cells screaming in panic, fear and excitement wreaking destruction to my insides. The combination of his angry aura, his cologne, and his godlike genetics awakening a hunger I’ve never known before.

“Oh, your apologies are too late now,” he sneers, his thumb tracing my lips before slipping down my chin and neck. “Now I demand retribution.”

“Retribution?” I waver with the question as his hand closes around my throat.

“Yes, Avery,” he whispers, his tone direct, and meaning business. “Will that be a problem? And before you answer remember the price you willingly agreed to pay.”

“How?” I ask breathlessly, his nose still against mine. The heat from his body making me feverish. He is caressing my skin ever so lightly, while tingles radiate down to the core. It would only take one of us to move forward for our lips to touch.

“Oh, don’t worry, you’ll find out,” he snarls, stepping back as he yanks my hands forward. His calloused fingers are delightful against sensitive areas I never knew existed. I watch earnestly as he loops the widened neck of his tie around my wrists. He yanks the knot until it’s tight but doesn’t cut off circulation. His attention is only on my reaction, observing for any discomfort I might feel. An unspoken moment passing between us I don’t fully understand, but I don’t stop either.

The soft silk is like butter against my delicate flesh, while he continues wrapping me up. Each feather light touch drives me wild, my insides contorting painfully with desire. Satisfied with his work, he tugs on the leftover silk as if were a leash to lead me around. He jerks me forward, forcing me to follow as he directs me to the couch. He arranges me in the position he wants, while I comply willingly. My hips and front against the back.

Without warning, he drags my tied hands down, forcing my body to collapse over the couch until my ass is in the air. Drake holds me in place, readjusting impossible in this position. His hand rubbing along my ass, a moan nearly escaping from the contact. It doesn’t last, quickly replaced with a hard whack, stinging from the contact. A welt is forming against my untouched body while he massages away the overwhelming ache.

“Do you understand what you did wrong?” He asks, while his fingers drag along my ass. I squirm, biting my tongue so I don’t whimper, refusing to give that in this moment.

“I…” I stutter the moment I lose contact with him, terrified of what will happen when it returns. “I.. challenged you in public?”

“So close, darling,” He drips venom, before landing another blow on the same cheek. I bury my face into the crook of my arm, muffling the scream. “You willfully ignored my presence. I don’t like that.” Once again, he soothes the sting and the aftereffects are maddening. “Then you dared to flirt with another man in front of me. I loathe that.”

“Brian’s gay,” I blurt as a way of defense. But he ignores me, assaulting the untarnished side with a growl.

“Yet,” he snaps, his palm landing like a whip, the suddenness shocking me more than anything. “You continued to flirt while I was there. Why is that?” As the bite subsides from the previous, he rears back, landing two more in quick succession. I buck under the pressure, tears welling, but I refuse to let them fall. Drake holds me in place, using the tie to anchor me.

“Look at me, Avery,” he commands, his touch a soft caress. My panties soaked, this kind of arousal a new encounter. It’s menacing, wild, and absolutely riveting. Despite all that, it doesn’t prevent the tears on the verge of escaping. “I won’t ask twice, darling.”

I inhale, turning to face him with glossy eyes. Obsidian irises scan my face while he continues kneading my raw hide. “Good girl,” his praise practically a purr, and it turns me inside out. “Did you learn your lesson?”

“Yes, Mr. Winters.” I bite my cheek, so a moan doesn’t accidentally sneak past. He wanders lower, my legs on the verge of going out with each stroke. My gut contracting with every slow, drawn out movement.

“Do you like this?” He asks with a smirk, my ability to hold back quickly diminishing. My willpower quickly diminishing from the heat of his exploration. I stare back blankly, unsure of how to answer with the heady fog clouding my judgement. The emotions rocking me are unknown, and so are the erotic sensations that follow along.

Annoyed by my lack of response, his demeanor changes rapidly, like a motion picture. He removes the palm from my ass, and I instinctively flinch, expecting another blow. Instead, he helps me stand without explanation, the moment suddenly over. He doesn’t meet my gaze while he unwraps the tie around my wrists. The situation is changing before I have the chance to catch up, process, and comprehend what’s happening.

“Go back to your desk, Avery,” he demands, backing away from me. His sudden dismissal is more painful than the spanking I received minutes earlier. His glare is cold and filled with disdain, leaving me confused at what I did wrong this time. “I will let you know when it’s time to go.”

“Yes, sir,” I nod, hiding my discomfort at being dismissed so abruptly. I exhale with each step, the welts having a lasting nip that pricks with movement.

“Avery,” Drake says when I am halfway to the elevator, and I have to stop despite the humiliation jabbing at old insecurities. Striding towards me, he smirks, and once again my core does gymnastics.

“Yes, Mr. Winters?” I sound timid, unsure of where we stand after that moment together. The lines are already blurring, making the chemistry between us more magnetic and forbidden.

“You handled your punishment gracefully.” He answers, standing before me, his fingers under my chin tipping my face upward. “I’m proud of you, Avery.” His compliment is like the finest liquor, my head spinning with intoxication and even more confusion.

“Thank you, sir,” we stand like this a few seconds longer, before I back away, retreating down the elevator to safety.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DRAKE

My thumb traces circles into Avery’s knee. The constant need to touch her is a drug. Habitual and necessary for survival. One hit was all it took for the addiction to blossom into an insatiable parasite. Reminders of earlier tease me, begging for more, but I restrain myself. The only way to break her is to make her trust me completely. That requires time that I do not have at my disposal.

“Avery,” I nudge, her ice grey irises a portal into her emotions. They swirl within, unable to hide from me. She turns, confusion and…lust within. Despite her failure to answer earlier, her enjoyment was clear. The way she squirmed with each caress drove me wild. The blood still hasn’t left my cock, the bastard still hard as a rock, begging to be buried between her thighs. “Expect my call around ten. I want to go over our schedule for tomorrow.”

“As you wish, Mr. Winters.” Her willing compliance satisfying my twisted need for control. The urge to dominate her haunting my every waking moment. I thought having her closer would curb the compulsion, but it’s amplified it to precarious heights. Her innocence is so tantalizing and enchanting to a demon like me. I want to capture it, and keep her forever. My selfishness itching to make her submit to me, and only me. The knowledge that she really belongs to Hayden Smith enough to incite a possessive storm.

The limo slows to a stop outside the apartment building; the driver rushing to open the door so Avery can climb free. I remain in the shadows so that no one sees my features. I never know who watches from the shadows, and the last thing she needs is Hayden finding out about me. At least not yet. It all needs to happen in due time, when it’ll do the most damage, and unfortunately the time isn’t now.

“Where next, Mr. Winters?” The driver asks through the open partition.

“Drive around the block a few times,” I instruct, settling back into the seat. “Once enough time has passed, return to the parking garage.”

“Yes, sir.” he shuts the window, and silence surrounds me. Resting against the headrest, my eyelids close, finally relaxing. Within seconds, images are flooding my psyche. Avery bucking with each slap, the way she would bury her face into her arm to hide her moans. This reminiscence haunting me during the twenty- minute drive. I am on the verge of exploding with desire, when the limo turns into the same garage I met Avery at this morning.

He stops in front of the elevator standing opposite from the one Avery will emerge from tomorrow morning. Typing in the password, I wait for doors to open, sighing with relief when they do. Minutes later, I am parading into my penthouse turning on lights as I go. The chef leaving a plated dish for me in the fridge. Popping it in the microwave, I grab the remote, flipping on the TV, I turn to my favorite station.

Taking the hot plate, I settle into my armchair with the work I brought home. Glancing upward, I find the object of my curiosity, watching as she settles into bed with a book, following her usual routine. She is reading Pride and Prejudice again, her brunette hair piled high in a messy bun.

Finishing my plate, I set it aside, opening the file and getting lost in the paperwork. Hours have passed in silence, gazing at the tv occasionally to watch Avery read. The first noise made in hours grabs my attention instantly. What sounded like the softest moan coming from the sleeping figure on the screen. I Watch earnestly, another moan erupting from her, nagging at my desire.

What or who could she be dreaming about? My answer coming in a matter of seconds, when a breathless “Drake,” tumbles into the open air. Hearing my name on her lips is like a hit of heroin, so compelling I won’t survive without more.