She leaned into him. Her hand went to his stomach, and her mumbledokayhad him trying not to smile. She wanted to disobey.
The elevator door opened, and he slid his hand down and grabbed her fingers into his palm. For the first time, she'd shown herself to him without any urging on his part. Her admittance came freely, and that pleased him.
On the sidewalk, he spotted Antonio but directed his attention to Aubrey. "Are you going straight home?"
"Yes, and then I'm going to your house." She curled into the front of him and lifted her face. "Would it be horrible if I kissed you out here where everyone can see us?"
"Do you think I'd beat you if you tried?" he asked.
"I could hope." She pursed her lips. "But I don't think you would."
"Then you don't know me very well." He wound his arms around her and slapped her ass with his hand. "Don't tempt me, Bree."
She laughed. He shook his head in amusement, enjoying the carefree emotions she showed. He wanted to capture her spirit and keep it with him.
He was the polar opposite of her. He couldn't remember the last time he'd laughed because something or someone pleased him, or a moment struck him as humorous. Yet, over the last six weeks or so, he'd felt lighter. That was the only way to explain the way his chest felt with Aubrey in his life.
He'd marked the improvement in his life by physically releasing the darkness. Aubrey gave him his outlet. But for how long would he be content with what they shared together before he needed more?
A few spanks, a couple of slaps, and taking her as roughly as his body demanded catered to his needs now. What happened when he grew immune and wanted to unleash? He could end up hurting her.
"Get going." He kissed her. "Antonio will follow you."
As part of his payment when he hired Antonio, he'd bought an older vehicle and given it to him. He'd need something to follow Aubrey as she went from her place to his and the shelter. One day, he hoped to convince her to move in with him permanently. But he didn't trust himself enough yet.
"See you later." She walked backward until he nodded, then twirled away with a smile, giving him a jaunty wave over her shoulder.
He glanced at his watch.Shit.
Five minutes late for his meeting, he checked the street and took an opening in the traffic. Jaywalking, he hurried toward the Concord Building. Wishing he could go home with Aubrey and skip the meeting, he pushed through the doors, rode the elevator to the fifth floor, nodded at the receptionist, and walked into the conference room ready to throw down business and get the hell out of there.
"Afternoon, gentlemen." He stood at the head of the table.
He once felt like an impostor doing business with men twice his age. He was fresh off the street and had earned his money ripping cars off until he had enough to invest. That investment paid off, and his money grew.
Suzanne already supplied the material needed for the meeting, and he knew every detail without looking at his notes. He directed them to the first page. Business came easily to him.
Whether on the street, jacking cars, or sitting at the table discussing a twelve-billion-dollar expansion to the Winston Tower and bringing in over twenty new office buildings, the subject matter was a game. An entertaining way to make money and come out ahead, and he enjoyed the challenge.
"Do you have a deadline in mind?" John Bieker, attorney at law, addressed him.
He loved this part. "I'm willing to give you five minutes. Walk away from the table, and I have no problem with providing the funds myself. I'm opening this venture up for partnerships right now. You know the benefits, and it would be foolish to turn the opportunity down. Or, you can walk away, knowing you just threw away at least a ten-million-dollar profit in the first year. Your choice, gentlemen. Are you going to play?"
Terry Longtan and Bruce Carlson stood. He ignored them and looked at the others.
He was in control. Nobody owned him. They should cater to his needs.
He took his skill at wearing a poker face and not giving a shit. Because he was different from every single man at the meeting, he had power over them. His emotions never entered into the equation. These men were beneath him. Raised with a hand in their daddy's bank account, the others in the room knew nothing about fighting for survival. They'd die on the streets.
He played them for entertainment purposes only. He could take or leave the game. Money meant nothing. If he lost it all tomorrow, he'd be fine sleeping under a tarp and scrounging food out of the dumpsters.
"All right. Sign the paperwork, and fax it to my office by—he peered at his watch—five thirty-five. Suzanne will get the notarized papers back to you by courier at six o'clock on the dot." He pivoted and walked out the door before anyone could utter a word or question him.
The high he usually felt after a big proposal was lacking. He rode the elevator down to the lobby. Instead of an adrenaline rush, he wanted to go home to Aubrey.
With her, he'd work toward achieving the fulfillment he craved. He loosened his tie as he walked through the automatic doors to the sidewalk.
Most days, he surprised himself at how attached he had grown to Aubrey. Adding her to his life had settled him in ways he hadn't expected.
