"I'm dying," Lizz announces, sinking into the chair.
I nod in agreement, but my fingers fly across the keyboard.
"Why did I let you talk me into this?" she complains for the twelfth time in the last ten days.
"I didn't this time. You're the one who wanted that blank check," I correct her. My eyes have been glued to these six screens as long as Lizz has been stuck in this warehouse with me.
She stares at the pinned-up blank check Jason offered for her share of the cybersecurity software creation. "How much should I put down?" she asks again for the ninth time.
"Whatever you think your idea is worth."
"Why does he want to buy me out but keep you?" she asks again for the.... I've lost track of how many times.
"I don't know. And I don't care anymore. We have so much to do."
"I can't. Need sleep."
"Me too."
"Why did we agree to this?"
"You agreed to this. I was still... being coerced..." A sudden flash of arousal rushes through me at the memory.
"If I can't say no to that man, how could you?"
"Good point. But if you had said no, then maybe I could have bought us some more time."
"We had four months."
"Had."
Her head rests on her folded arms on the table. "Why did we agree to this!"
"We're females in STEM. That's the epitome of overachiever."
I glance her way when I hear her loud snoring.
I gulp down my fifth cup of coffee within the last few hours, finish the protein shake, and keep going. I don't know why he needs this so urgently, especially when Jason introduced me to the six programmers who would be working under me to help develop this, but I want to help him.
I must have crashed at some point because I was at the warehouse, and now I feel soft but firm support on my back. My body is warmly wrapped under our weighted comforter in our California king bed. My skin feels refreshed, clean, and baby soft, my hair is soft and free. I smell my skin—the earthy tone of my usual oil moisturizer mixture is easily recognized. Did he shower and moisturize me? When did I fall asleep? How did I sleep through the–Oh no!
I jolt upward, but his fingers on my forehead ease me back down onto the bed. "Sleep," he commands, and my eyes close. My body surrenders to the cocooned warmth as he tucks the blanket and sheets tightly around me.
Awareness begins to dissolve, but I grasp to one last thought as I murmur, "I have to debug...."
###
I'm really awake and giggling with delight inwardly. His front warms my back, his low but steady breathing brushes my hair, his right arm serves as a pillow under my neck, and his left arm drapes over my waist. I have to pee, so I disengage myself hurriedly, waking him up in the process.
I take my time freshening up. The subtle hint of lavender and citrus in my hair reminds me of the scent used at my favorite spa. Examining my freshly manicured hands and pedicured feet, with gold gel nails perfectly done, I conclude that he must have taken me to the spa while I slept. Red night light along the wall of our bedroom always reminds me of the exact lighting in the room when I first met him. Draping the bathrobe over me, I carefully tiptoe toward the bedroom door.
"Where're you going?" his raspy voice stops me.
"I have to de–"
"Come here," he orders.
I could make a run for it. If I run, he'll probably chase—
"Now," he adds with a firm voice.
My feet betray me as they sprint back into his arms while my hands drop the robe on the way.
He cups the place between my legs. The middle finger sinks into the slit, its tip inching upward until it stops at the small bundle of nerves. He rubs it until my insides release the juice he wants. Then his finger extends, its full length pressing into the slit. My legs spread wide as his whole finger swings side to side with his hand. Then it buffs up and down rapidly, the friction heating the slick opening as I grow swollen with need.
"You've been neglecting me," he murmurs, the accusation clear as his hot tongue licks my ear. I bite my lip when his fingers tap the sensitive nerves, inciting shallow breaths and sending waves of delight. He's making me crave him. I want to ride him but–
His sticky hand takes mine and wraps my fingers over his slick tip. He's rock-hard and throbbing. His breath tickles my cheek, trailing down my neck.
"I haven't, my love, I was—"
Guiding my hand down his pulsating ridge, he snarls, "Do you feel that?" Then, "Do you see how much I need you?" he sputters. His resentment is building, but this time it's laced with uncontrollable lust.
It's only been twelve days. Hasn't he been satisfied by the other women?
In one seamless motion, he moves on top of me. Holding me down, he claims me. His punishment collides with my scorching need.
Desire clashed with resentment before settling into happiness. He took me through the crescendo of his emotions. I bask in his lingering happiness.
Sitting up, facing each other with our sweaty bodies and limbs wrapped around one another—this is our most intimate position, and he enjoys it most when he's happy. His hips move upward, then drag downward, leaving me breathless as I sit on top of him. His hands glide down my back to my butt cheeks. He grabs them and slides me onto him as his hips move again. I trap his upper lip between mine, suckling before he moves his hips again while hitting the spot that sends shivering carnal bliss throughout my body.
He smashes against my wall before dragging himself out and angling himself back in. I love the sound of his grunts into my mouth under our kiss. The sun rises higher with each of his movements. I stare down into his dilating pupils and smoldering gaze. The sunlight sparkles as I get lost in those deep brownness. Why is his happiness exhausting and overwhelming to me?
"I love you," I hear myself utter into the air as the room spins. Why do I feel like I'm on molly?
"How much?" His words are accompanied by his tongue wrapping strongly around my sweaty, peaked nipple.
Gasping and gazing into the unknown again, I say, "So much it hurts."
"Good."
Adrift, I ask, "What?"
His pupils dilate even more as he says, "I want you to feel everything for me. Good, bad, love, hate... everything."
The doorbell interrupts our dreamlike state, but his hips continue to move.
"What does that mean, my love?" Goosebumps everywhere, I close my eyes.
I feel his emotion changes. He hauls me onto my back and, plunging into me, he says, "I want all your feelings to be mine. For me only." This is what always drown me, his possessiveness. Then he punctuated his words with the blistering movements of his hips.
"Ahhh—" My scream mixes with his groan as we climax. The doorbell rings again as the sunlight bathes our whole room.
Our bodies fuse together for a long moment. Skimming his fingers through my sweaty hair, he instructs, "Go shower and get dressed."
"I'm—" I begin to whimper.
"It won't take long." He gets off of me and the bed to get his phone off the nightstand and opens the front door.
"What?" I ask after him. With one long, deep breath, I force my heavy body to do as he asked.
After the shower, throwing on a robe, I lug myself out of the empty bedroom toward the living room searching for him. Jason stands up from the single-seater sofa chair we rarely use. Fully suited, he gestures toward the ivory leather sofa opposite where Mr. Silence sits.
Mr. Silence, wearing dark blue silk pajamas and a robe with gold detailing around the sleeves' wrists and lapels, sits next to Jason in the other sofa chair. Even in that outfit, he looks like a king sitting on his throne, with his leg crossed and fingers interlocked, resting on his lap. Or maybe it's the white sofa chair with gold outlines matching the gold details on his robe, including the gold tassels dangling from its tie around his waist.
I glance at Jason, then back at Mr. Silence and their serious faces, with the three large folders lined up in front of them. This is a business meeting. I sit.
Jason sits back down. "Ace, on behalf of our company, I'm the attorney representing MM Corporations. Would you like to have a lawyer present for this meeting?"
I open my mouth but look at Mr. Silence for direction.
"You can have Jason be your lawyer if you want," Mr. Silence says.
Jason's a lawyer? I thought he was Mr. Silence's secretary. "But then..."
Jason puts his hand over a folder. "These documents have been prepared by the company's legal team. If you want me to personally represent you, I've been instructed for this particular case, I can stay outside of the company and legally represent you instead. Or we can postpone this until you find a lawyer you would like to represent you. Or we can proceed without a lawyer if you would like. Which option is most comfortable for you?"
Mr. Silence must have seen the confusion on my face because he smiles. Jason waits patiently for my answer.
"I don't need a lawyer," I say, trying not to sound too unsure considering I still have no idea what's going on.
"Then we can proceed. These are the documents that need to be signed by you. This is your copy of the document for review. Or you can choose to review them and come back to sign later if you prefer?" Jason points at the different folders.
I'm too tired for this. After eleven hours of sex with Mr. Silence, I'm at my limit. But it'll be quick he said. "I'll sign," I say.
"This is the NDA that details..."
I can't focus on what Jason is saying. My body is sore and tender everywhere. My head is throbbing with the rest of me. I sign the NDA, the non-compete, the ownership rights, and everything else he puts in front of me. Sleep is gnawing at me. Keeping my eyelids open is like pushing a boulder up a hill.
"Profit sharing... Yearly compensation..." Jason continues on as I catch glimpses of his words. The soreness between my legs taunts me whenever I move.
"That's the last form. Do you have any questions for me?" Jason asks as he tucks away the last page I signed.
I shake my head and feel weightless as I turn up at Mr. Silence before my eyes close. As he carries me away, the last thing I hear is the beating of his heart.