Bad Behavior (8 page)

Rei could see it all very clearly. She knew those feelings. She struggled with them more often than she liked to admit. So it was easy for her to see it in someone else. For her, the hurt and the anger were written all over his face and embedded in his skin. It was probably why he was hiding out in his office rather than facing the rest of his employees. Because the wounds were too fresh to cover up.

“How long have you been sitting here.” She asked softly, stepping into the room without checking to see if her presence would be welcome.

“Since I found out.”

“How long, Justin?”

“An hour.”

She shook her head sadly “I’m sorry you had to find out like this.”

Slowly, he raised his head to look at her. There was suspicion there, disbelief.

“You knew didn’t you?” He demanded, “This whole time you knew what was happening and you didn’t say anything.”

“I didn’t think you would believe me.”

“Is that all it was?”

“What are you implying?”

He fell silent, as if unwilling to take that final step. To say the words that both of them knew he was thinking. Then his eyes narrowed and his face grew hard with distrust.

“I’m saying that maybe Stan wasn’t working alone.”

His ire is what she had been trying to avoid by keeping the truth from him. But now, because of her silence, he thought she had been Stan’s accomplice. Rei had to admit, she did seem suspicious. The man embezzling money from you convinces you to hire his goddaughter the same day you find out you’ve gone bankrupt? Yeah, Rei could see how someone could pick up conspiracy theory from all of that. Even the attack on her life seemed suspect in light of Stan’s disappearance. To Justin it must seem as if Stan had tried to get rid of her to either silence her or to keep her share of the money. Maybe even both.

However, even though she could see where he was coming from, it didn’t make the pill any easier to swallow. She found herself fighting back tears of outrage, her jaw working and her shoulders going tight. Rei wasn’t sure if she wanted to yell at him or try desperately to defend herself. She was afraid that attempting one would be impossible without the other.

In the end, she waited too long to decide on a course of action. His face twisted and he turned away before she could see the hurt finally overpower the rage.

“Get out.” He said hoarsely.

“Justin-” She began uncertainly. 

“Get. Out.” He roared, voice vicious and cold, eyes unyielding as he turned to stare her down. She jumped at the sudden outburst and came to her feet without thinking. She looked down at him for a moment more before turning and hurrying from the room.

♀♂

They were all alike.

Bethany, Rei, Stan, all of them, they were just the same.

Lying, manipulating, gold diggers.

It was almost ironic when he managed to think about it clearly. The woman he couldn’t stop thinking about had pushed him into the arms of the woman he’d never wanted to see again. All because of money. That’s what everything boiled back down to. No one cared about Justin Reese because of who he was. They cared about what he could do for them, how much money he could spend on them, how much of his heart they could rip out and spit on. Without his money, he wondered if anyone would bother staying around him at all.

Why was it that everyone ended up turning on him? That they always managed to throw him away as if he were nothing without his bank account? Was he so undeserving of love? Of loyalty? Of common decency?

It pained him to think that maybe, just maybe, he was.

But it was like the saying went.

If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.

People were always going to try and use him, the only way to get by, to find any type of happiness or peace, was to return the favor. After he’d gotten back from dinner with Rei he’d done a little digging. He’d gotten some names, looked at some numbers, and spent most of the night doing research on a handful of companies and stocks that looked promising. It was why he’d been at the office so early. In reality he’d never left. All because he’d been searching for some way to get out of the wedding agreement with Bethany.

He’d succeeded. He’d done what he hadn’t in years and looked at the research personally rather than having a second or even third party handle the details. His instincts told him that they would work. That they would give him the support his company needed to gain it’s feet again and that in the next few years they’d end up paying off exponentially.

It was just a feeling he had.

It was that same feeling that had helped him become a multimillionaire and he knew that if he ran with it, if he listened to his instincts, he would no longer need Bethany, her father, or their advice and insider knowledge.

But why bother?

Sure there were plenty of other fish in the sea, but if all the other fish were just more versions of Bethany and Rei, why go through all the trouble? It was time for him to stop being so naïve. There was no such thing as true love and happily ever after. There was just money, power, and the people who could help you get both. Bethany could do that. Help him to become a name to be reckoned with. She may not make a good wife, but she was ruthless enough to make a hell of a business partner.

So he no longer had to go through with the wedding, but saw no reason why he should call it off. Especially now that Rei had shown her true colors.

Rei.

What would he do about her?

Reveal his suspicions to the authorities. Stop sleeping with her.

That’s what he should do. But the idea of never seeing her again, of cutting her so completely out of his life left a bad taste in his mouth. Besides, if he was going to start using people for his own gain, why should he deny himself such a sweet piece of ass?

No. He’d keep her around. Fuck her until he got bored, and
then
get rid of her. She’d keep him busy until his wedding. Maybe even after. There was a button on his desk phone that would connect him directly to his secretary. He pressed it and spoke into the intercom.

“Rei? Could you come in here please?”

There was a long moment of silence before she responded.

“Yes sir. I’ll be right there.”

When Rei stepped into Justin’s inner sanctum, he was already waiting for her.

The office felt cold, impersonal, and the look on Justin’s face wasn’t any better. He was leaning against the front of his desk, arms folded and expression serene as he waited for her to cross the room to him.

“Lock the door please.”

His voice made her jump, and pulse racing, she complied. She hadn’t expected him to want to see her again so soon after their confrontation. But something about his demeanor told her that he hadn’t called for her because he was in a forgiving mood. She crossed over to him, stopping when they were only a few feet away.

Raising one eyebrow, he crooked a finger. 

“Come closer. I don’t bite.”

That was debatable.

She took a step closer and his hand whipped out. He grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her stumbling against his chest. Still gripping her wrist he wrapped an arm around her waist and held her still for his kiss. The meeting of lips was a rough one. There was no passion in it, just cruelty, his teeth nipped her lips and his flesh was cold against hers. She shoved against his chest but instead of letting her go he forced his tongue into her mouth.

With a sound of outrage she bit him. His head jerked back, and his eyes blazed with the first stirrings of honest emotion she’d seen since she’d stepped into the room. Temper spiking she drew back her arm and slapped him as hard as she
could across the face. Grabbing both of her wrists now he shook her, upper lip curling in derision. Then a thought seemed to occur to him and he set her back.

“I almost forgot.” He said softly. Pulling a simple gold band from his finger he grabbed for her hand. She tried to tug away from him and for a moment they struggled. She cursed when he finally managed to pry her clenched fist apart and slip the ring snugly onto her thumb.

“What’s this for?” she asked, breathing ragged.

His lips quirked in surprise. “Payment. I don’t know what the going rate is these days, but I figured this would cover it.” He shrugged. “I don’t have any cash on me right now.”

She hit him again, grunting with the force of the blow, and his head whipped to one side.

“You son of a bitch.” She snarled, fury making her words come out low voiced and hoarse. She tried pulling the damned ring off, but he grabbed her. She shoved against him and somehow he lost his balance, falling to the floor of the office and taking her with him by the simple expediency of refusing to release her.

She found herself glaring down at him from less than an inch away, their noses brushing with the rise and fall of their breathing. She searched his eyes, and without thinking, without hesitation, Rei leaned forward and kissed him.

His lips were unyielding beneath her own, but she angled her head, caressed the side of his face with trembling hands, and coaxed them to soften. Her tongue brushed across the seam of his mouth, searching, begging entrance, and oh so slowly, he gave into her. Gave in to the warm promise of her lips, the drugging slide of her tongue against his own, the promise of danger her teeth offered with every playful nip against his flesh. He groaned into her mouth and the sound set her blood to
boiling. Her kisses were no longer soft, no longer careful. Instead she demanded and what he didn’t give, she took.

Rei struggled to get her pants undone, tugging them low over her hips and freeing one leg, even as she refused to pull away from Justin’s mouth. Her fingers tangled with his as they both worked to undo his buttons and zipper, pulling the length of him through the opening they’d managed to make. Instead of fighting to take off her panties she held them to one side while her free hand struggled to encircle the width of his cock and hold it still. She worked by feel alone, looking into his eyes while she positioned the head of his dick against her weeping slit.

Rei straightened above him, biting her lip as she worked to shove his entire length inside of her. She wasn’t wet enough to make the job easy, so she had to rise and fall, once, twice, three time, hips rolling with the motion so that she could force him deeper and deeper. She felt him spreading her open, pushing past flesh that wanted to resist his entrance until it realized just how sweet he felt there.

When she had him inside of her to the hilt, she could feel his cock pulsing inside of her and the sensation brought about a shuddering wave of pleasure that left her twitching restlessly. Her nipples hardened as she sat there, glorying in the feel of him, rolling her hips around and around, a sensuous dance with only one step, just so she could watch the agony suffuse his face.

“Rei.” He gasped, muscles straining as if he wanted to flip her onto her back and take over.  She slapped a hand over his mouth.

“Shut up.” She growled. His hands gripped her by the hips, fingers digging into her flesh. It was only when he nodded that she finally began to ride him. One hand still over his mouth
she pressed her free hand on the floor next to his head for leverage. His knees bent and his lifted his hips for her, hands guiding her hips so that they met in a flurry of movement. Her hips slammed down to meet his own, the sound of wet flesh slapping against wet flesh loud in the otherwise silent room. Their fucking was almost violent in its intensity, in the effort each made to go faster.

Deeper.

He struck her cervix with each frenzied thrust, his cock so deep it hurt and the hurt so exquisite that it left the taste of ecstasy in her mouth. She’d never understood the need some people had to talk dirty, to scream out filth at the top of their lungs. But now she felt her orgasm building, felt the power she held in every clench of her inner walls and every gasp of pleasure she made. She found herself dragging her nails across his chest, twisting the material of his shirt in her hands, grinding herself down over his cock and wanting, needing, him to come inside of her so badly that she was mindless to everything else.

“Fuck me.” She told him viciously, “If I’m such a whore fuck me like one.”

He growled, a low hungry sound, and suddenly his hips were lifting, dancing beneath her so that all the power she’d thought she’d had was taken away. There was a strength in him, in the way he gripped her body and slammed her against his pulsing cock that made it painfully clear that even if she was the one on top, he was the one in control. She felt like a rag doll, like an instrument of pleasure, and every thought in her head simply flew away. There was no more Justin, no more Rei, no more misunderstanding. The only thing she could focus on, the only thing she could care about, was how good it felt to be fucked. How agonizing and wonderful it was to have her pleasure ride that fine line between pain and perfection.

She came with an agonized cry. Her body jerking on top of his and her hips rolling in a desperate bid to drag out the pleasure. She felt that tale-tell wetness between her thighs again, that rush of cum that dragged the last of her strength along with it. She collapsed onto Justin’s chest, still jerking, pussy clenching around his straining flesh as he pressed their hips together, sealing them as one as his own orgasm ripped a curse from him.

He was coming inside of her again, physical proof of his satisfaction, and she tightened her thighs around his waist, trying not to cry out at just how good it felt to have his jizz filling her insides.

When she could breathe without whimpering she rolled off of him. Her body cried out for her to stay, to linger just a little longer in his arms, but her mind was too busy replaying what had happened earlier. She had to use his desk to help her get to her feet and even then her legs were trembling so hard she was afraid she’d collapse and ruin her exit. She tugged off the goddamned ring he shoved onto her thumb, and dropping it onto his chest, she stepped over him and stumbled from the room.

♀♂

Rei found herself fighting back tears as she began to gather up her things. She couldn’t keep this up, couldn’t keep doing this to herself. Even if Justin realized that she had been on his side this entire time, that didn’t change the fact that he was still getting married. She’d told herself that she wasn’t going to get attached. That this whole thing would be nothing more than sex. An arrangement between two adults who knew what the stakes were and understood that there was no room for emotions.

She’d thought she was grown up enough to handle an affair, sex without strings, but she wasn’t so sure about that anymore. Or maybe being grown up had nothing to do with it? Maybe it wasn’t the sex but the man who was throwing her emotions into chaos.

Either way, she was through. She wasn’t about to drag this out any further, not when she knew that things would only end in heartbreak. Rei wasn’t sure what she was supposed to do, all she knew was that she had to get away. Shoving the last of her personal effects into the deep recesses of her purse she got up from the desk that had never really been hers, and hurried for the elevator.

The great metal doors were sliding shut when she looked up to see Justin standing in the doorway of his office. He opened his mouth, and whether it was to call her back or wish her good riddance, Rei didn’t know. By then it was too late, the doors had slid shut and the elevator began the long, ponderous journey to the first floor.

♀♂

Justin had never felt so stupid in his life.

It was one thing to feel betrayed, another thing completely to take those feelings out on someone else. Letting his suspicions about Stan cloud him to his feelings towards Rei was worse somehow than finding out that his 'friend' had been stealing from him. Embezzlement wasn’t personal after all. In a way, it was just business. The way he felt for Rei, the way he knew he
could
feel for her if their relationship was given the chance to progress, was anything but.

He had to talk to her, apologize at least, but he couldn’t seem to find her. According to security she’d left the building, but when he’d gone by her apartment no one had been home. Since she also wasn’t answering her phone that left Justin with no way to locate her. He wondered if there was some sort of moral dilemma attached to asking the police to search for her. She’d been attacked after all, so he wouldn’t necessarily have to admit that she’d run off after he’d called her a money grubbing whore.

But maybe he should give her some time to cool down. If he left her alone for a day or two maybe she’d be more inclined to talk to him. To see him. If not, then he’d call in the police and
make
her talk to him. Hopefully she’d forgive him, but knowing his luck he’d probably have to do a bit of groveling first.

Not that he didn’t deserve it.

In the meantime, he’d need to talk to Bethany. Tell her the wedding was off. He didn’t know what could happen between him and Rei, but he owed it to them both to at least give them a chance to find out.

♀♂

She wasn’t sure why she’d come here. Rei had gotten the voicemail a few hours ago and at first she hadn’t paid it any attention. But the knowledge was there, nagging at her, waiting in the back of her mind as she drove through the city until finally, she found herself maneuvering her car along a winding driveway. Rei pulled up outside the front door, staring at the house through her passenger side window and wondering what was wrong with her.

Why would she willingly come to see Bethany after everything that had happened?

The message hadn’t been very informative. Bethany had just asked that she come by her house tonight if she got the chance. Rei hadn’t expected to leave her own apartment again after she’d gotten there, but she’d been too restless, too upset, to stay indoors. Now she was here, at the last place she expected to be. Her hands clenched around the steering wheel and she thought about driving away, but in the end, simply decided not to.

Getting out of the car, she went up to the front door and rang the bell. She expected a maid or butler to answer. The house was certainly big enough to warrant one. But to Rei’s surprise it was Bethany who greeted her.

“You made it.” She said, smiling.

“I did.”

“Come in.” Bethany stepped aside ad Rei entered the house, eyes roving over the high ceilings and spiraling staircase. The foyer of Bethany’s home could hold Rei’s entire apartment,
and she wondered if it were too late to go back out to her car and escape in a squeal of tires.

“I'm so glad you made it.” Bethany was saying as she led Rei deeper into the house. “I was afraid you wouldn’t come, and I needed to see you.”

“Is this about your wedding dress?” Rei asked dully, still examining the expensive artwork and antiques that seemed to be a prevalent theme in every room. In response Bethany laughed, looking over her shoulder to wrinkle her nose at Rei in surprise.

“Of course not. I wouldn’t call you all the way over here because of a dress.” The smile dropped from her face almost as quickly as it had appeared. “Especially since I won’t be needing one anymore.”

“What do you mean?” Rei queried, coming to a standstill in the middle of the hallway. There was light shining from a large open room at the end of the hall, but for now she and Bethany were both cast in shadow. All that Rei could see of the other woman was the bottom half of her face in the dim light of the hall and she took a step back as she watched Bethany’s mouth twist with rage.