Sharing Nicely (21 page)

Greg stopped the footage with another click.

“So, you found the call then?”

“Oh, yeah.” He nodded. “I got a call from Trey at seven this morning about it. So we got straight down to business, reported it to the police. That’s okay by you, right?”

I nodded emphatically.

“And the police did the rest. They’re going to question the staff at Michael’s in Venice and check the other calls Darren’s made. He’s not going to get away with what he did to you, Kerry.”

“Good.” I sighed. I could feel tears bubbling up inside. I wanted to cry with the relief.

“It’ll be all right now.” He cuddled me tightly against him. “I want to apologise again for not believing you—”

“Don’t,” I interrupted. “It’s in the past. Let’s not dwell on it. We’re together now and that idiot is going to end up behind bars. You caught the bad guy and got the girl in the end, it’s the perfect fairy tale. I think that makes you my prince.”

“And you’re my princess, Kerry. I’m so lucky to have you. I love you so much.”

“I love you too, Greg.” I squeezed him tightly as I flicked my eyelashes to prevent myself from crying. It was all happening so quickly. I had Greg back and it felt so good and now the black cloud that hung over me was banished too. Darren was going to pay for what he had done and, almost more importantly, Greg knew the truth. All the residual worry that I had held on to dissipated. I could have danced with joy I was so happy.

Greg coughed and wriggled in the seat beneath me. I shook myself from my thoughts and looked at him.

“I was going to do something that night on the balcony and I really want to do it now instead,” he stated, his voice far more confident than the look on his face. He seemed nervous and I wondered what he
was
going to do.

He leant forward and opened a drawer in his big desk. He pulled out a little black velvet box.

“I know this is probably not the most romantic setting, but I need to ask you this question now because, Kerry, you complete me and I don’t want to lose you ever again.”

He clicked open the box and inside there was a ring, sparkling with diamonds. I gasped and threw my hand over my mouth as tears dripped down my cheeks.

“Kerry, will you marry me?”

I was completely overwhelmed but I managed to nod and he bent his head to kiss me. I was completely enveloped in his embrace and I didn’t want to be anywhere else.

“Yes,” I gasped out as we parted. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”

He slipped the ring from the box and onto my finger. He held my hand flat in his and we admired the shiny ring together.

“Yours forever,” I sighed. “I don’t think I’ve ever been happier in my life.”

Greg squeezed me tightly to him.

“I know I haven’t, Kerry, you
are
my life.”

I knew then that Greg was the only man I’d ever want and I’m sorry, ladies, but I’m never going to share him nicely. He’s all mine.

Also available from Total-E-Bound Publishing:

Switching the Control

Victoria Blisse

Excerpt

Chapter One

I’ve always loved to be in control. Some people called it OCD, other people thought that I had a stick up my arse, but really it was all about not being vulnerable. I’d had enough of that to last me a lifetime. So I kept everything cool, calculated and distanced, especially in my work life.

I’d climbed up the corporate ladder, rung by rung by working hard and partying little. I’d made a lot of progress, but there was a guy above me in the company and he was just about to retire. I wanted his position as partner and head investment banker at Grimly and Vimes. So I still had a lot to prove and many hours to work to be assured that I could get that job. I wouldn’t let any kind of psychological warfare trip me up.

I tried not to let people know how much it hurt me when they called me ‘the big bitch’ and I tried to wear the nickname proudly. I hated it, though. I know it is only human nature to pick on the obvious differences of an opponent then use that as a hurtful label, but I couldn’t help but feel the sting of it from time to time. It still hurts to be called fat when you’re thirty. In fact it can be more painful than it was when you were only a child.

It’s the one thing I could say for Richard—the guy hadn’t stooped to calling me names. He might have been a hard-hearted bastard who drove me up the wall with his arrogance and his driving need to be right, but at least he treated me like an equal, which was more than I could say for some of the sexist pigs in the office. I just didn’t like that we were equally matched and I was worried that he’d get the promotion ahead of me.

I knew I was good at what I did and I wouldn’t be beaten. I took risks when I needed to and worked all damn day if it was what it took to get a new client. There was only one slight chink in my armour and I had been sure to hide it from detection. I was confident that whatever Richard could do I could do better.

“Melissa, could I have a word with you in my office?” Richard’s voice rang through my thoughts. I looked up from my hastily poured coffee.

“Sure, is now okay? I’ve just taken two minutes to grab a coffee but I really need to get back to the Cobden pitch.”

“Now is fine, thanks.”

I followed him down the corridor from the communal kitchen and wondered what on earth he could want
me
for. We didn’t work on the same jobs, we were both given the top clients and it took a lot of work to keep up with them. I wondered if he was just trying to work out what kind of competition he had for the position that we both wanted.

He stood back from the door and waved me in. Normally I would have made a fuss—he wouldn’t do the same for a man and I didn’t like being treated differently just because I was a woman. Not in my work life, not in day-to-day doings and not in my sex life, either. Not that I had a sex life. I hadn’t fucked anyone but myself in over a year.

I shook my head and focused back on the task in hand. Not that I wanted to fuck Richard, oh, definitely not. Although he did have a he didn’t have a perfect arse shaped like two juicy plums ripe for the tasting. I mean on the surface he was pretty decent in the looks department. With his wide shoulders and pouty lips that appeared like they’d take a good nibbling. Those deep emerald eyes of his just seemed to drag you in.

But I knew he was simply not my type. He was too dominant—he wanted to be top dog and we couldn’t both be on top, whichever way you thought about it.

Richard shut the door behind him and sat down behind his sleek, black desk.

“Take a seat, Melissa,” he said and waved at the seat opposite him.

“Well, I don’t know if I have time—”

“Sit down, Melissa,” he repeated the phrase with grit in his voice.

“Fine, but I really can’t stay long.”

“This won’t take long.” He opened his desk drawer and pulled out a sheet of paper.

“As you know, I want this partnership and I’m determined to get it so I’ve been working really hard to secure that position.”

I nodded and hid a yawn behind my hand. It was just a really lame attempt at psyching me out. I’d give him a few more minutes but if nothing interesting was forthcoming I decided that I’d just leave. I didn’t have time to waste on exchanging idle threats.

“Well, as you’re my main opposition I took it upon myself to research you and your CV and I was really surprised and delighted to see you’d worked at Brahms.”

“Pardon?” My heart fluttered and I bit my bottom lip for a second before releasing it. I didn’t want him to see me looking nervous.

“Brahms, you spent some time there and my uncle is a partner at Brahms so I asked him if he remembered anything about you. I admit I was trying to find your weak points. Imagine my surprise when he told me he’d never heard of you.”

“What?” I gasped. “Why are you wasting my time with this?”

“Melissa, I checked. You’ve not worked at Brahms, not even for a week of work experience. You lied on your CV.”

I had not climbed so high in the firm by reacting with panic. I let the silence sit a while as my brain buzzed. I’d been so sure that no one would find out. I mean, everyone lies on their CV. It was only a little lie, just something to help me get noticed.

“So, what kind of proof do you have and does it even matter? I mean, please. Is this the best you could do? It’s hardly real dirt.”

Richard pushed a sheet of paper across the table. I looked at it. He had the evidence, all right. He had evidence signed by the head of the company.

“You’ve obviously been hard at work making something up to discredit me.” I threw the paper to the table, my lip turned up in disgust. My heart was leaping around inside like a caged maniac but I tried not to let that show on my cool exterior. “I think you’re going to have to do better than that.”

“What? You’re really going to try to bluff your way out of this? Well, I’ve got to admire your balls, love, I do.” Richard clapped slowly and leant back in his chair. “But give me a bit of credit. One phone call to Brahms and you’re in the shit. Didn’t you read the small print on the contract? It states that the partners will dismiss any person found lying to gain a position in this firm. I can show you it if you want.”

“I don’t have to listen to this.”

“No, but if you leave now I’m taking this straight to the board and you’ll be out of a job come the morning.”

“So why have you come to me first anyway, since you’re clearly just trying to get me out of your way? Why didn’t you take your evidence straight to the men in charge?”

“Because I have a proposition for you.” His voice was harsh and I couldn’t tell what he felt beneath all the steel and the front.

“Surely you’re not doing this for money? You’ve got plenty of your own.”

“No, you’re right. I’m not doing it for money.”

“Well, what do you want then, you bastard? Come on, stop playing games,” I snapped. The cool exterior I’d held until that moment melted away as the anger and worry bubbled away inside.

“I want you.”

“Oh, come on,” I huffed and shook my head. “Now you’re taking the piss.”

“No, I’m quite serious. From the first day I started working here I wanted to tame you. I’ve heard the rumours, seen the cold, calm aura you project and I’ve wanted to crack it to get inside you and make you mine.”

Words wouldn’t come. My mouth dropped open a fraction, my eyes widened, but as much as I wanted to defend myself I didn’t know what to say. I wasn’t sure if I was offended or turned on.

He fixed me with his gaze and continued, “So here is what I propose. I will destroy these documents, all the physical and digital copies I have of them. I’ll keep my silence on the subject in exchange for one week of your life.”

“I can’t give you a week of my life.” I tutted, shook my head and struggled to regain some kind of control.

“No, but you can be mine completely for seven days.”

“Erm, no.”

“Then say goodbye to your job and your career because something like this won’t stay inside the company. Every investment company in London will think twice about hiring you. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if every major employer in the field globally would give you a wide berth. Lying and getting yourself kicked out of Grimly and Vimes is going to ruin your reputation. Do you have something to fall back on, a new career path you’d like to take?”

“I am not going to let you destroy everything I’ve worked so hard for, you bastard.”

“Then you need to agree to be mine for a week. Your time, your thoughts, your body, everything.”

“What…? Wait…what?” I shook my head. “Are you saying you want me to be your slave?”

“If that’s the label you like to use, yes.” He nodded, his eyebrow arched and his top lip quirked. I assumed he was trying to hold back his mirth. Bastard.

“I’m no one’s slave and I sure as hell don’t want to be yours.” I couldn’t get my mind around it. If Richard wanted me to be his slave it must have meant that he was attracted to me in some way. I wasn’t sure which revelation was more surprising.

“Look, Melissa, I’m giving you a chance to save your career. You either take it or you don’t. It is as simple as that.”

The silence clung to me and I stared at him. I knew there was always a way I could turn a situation to my advantage, a chink in the argument or an overlooked opportunity to exploit. But I couldn’t find it there. I could have called his bluff but then it would’ve come down to his word against mine, and I had yet to meet a guy who was willing to side with the opposite sex when push came to shove.

“Fine but I’m not doing anything I’m not happy with.”

“Oh, no, my pet, I’d never make you do anything I knew you wouldn’t enjoy.” His smug smile lit up his face and made my stomach churn.

“How can I be sure of that?”

“Safe word, doll. It’s how all the kinky ones do it. You say the word ‘portfolio’ and I stop whatever it is I’m doing to you or making you do.”

It didn’t surprise me that he knew what the kinky ones did. I don’t think I even knew the meaning of the word. I’d certainly never experienced anything wilder than missionary position sex. It seemed Richard had much more planned for me.

“How can I know you’ll keep your word?”

“Melissa, come on, you know you can trust me. I have billions of pounds at my fingertips and I am trusted to look after every penny.”

“So am I!” I retorted without thinking. He made me impulsive and I hated it.

“Yes, well, quite. What I’m saying is that my word is all you’re going to get and my word is all you need, okay?”

I reluctantly nodded. I’d been backed into a corner and there was no way out. I was going to have to suck it up and endure the next week then steal the spot on the board from his grasp. Hopefully I’d ruin his career in the process. Yes, vindictive but no more than the sod deserved.