Beck and Call (5 page)

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Abby Gordon

“Plenty,” replied the CEO, shrugging. “You have a deplorable lack of respect when you address people who aren’t at your level in the company. So,” he smiled slightly, glancing at Serena. “Should I talk to you the way you do to Serena?” Mark’s mouth opened and closed. “After all, you’re not at my level.” His gaze went to the woman who was trying to appreciate the rose while listening to the men.

“Someone else miss your birthday?” She shook her head.

“No,” she whispered. “No, he didn’t. This is for something else.”

“Only one rose?” Mark sneered. “You either weren’t very good last night or he doesn’t have much money.”

“Mark,” glowered Keith. Shit, the florist had told him that one red rose was…

“Mark, you know little to nothing about crystal,” Serena said softly. Her fingers stroked the slender column. “And even less about me. This vase is, well, it’s absolutely exquisite. And priceless. And for a man to send a single red rose to a woman…” Claire and Debbie appeared in the doorway and saw the rosebud. Both squealed.

“Oh, my God!” they rushed forward. Their words tripped over each other. “It’s gorgeous! My God, will you look at the vase! A single red rose! That is
so
romantic! Serena, who gave it to you?”

“She won’t say,” Mark interjected. “And there is no card.”

“A secret admirer?” Claire gasped. “Oh, my God!

I love it!”

“Good thing I didn’t call to set up a blind date for

you,”

Debbie

commented.

“Nice

crystal.

Impressive.”

“A single red rosebud,” Claire sighed. “Oh, that is so romantic! Serena, ask him if he has a single brother. Or a cousin. I’ll take a cousin.” 30

Beck And Call

“What about Paul?” Serena smiled, enjoying the attention.

Claire shivered and wrapped her arms around her waist.

“Please, Paul revealed his true colors last night.”

“Uh-oh,” Serena frowned, glancing at Debbie who’d put an arm around her roommate. “Girls’

night with deep-dish pizza?”

“With extra cheese and sausage,” Debbie nodded. “We’ll bring the wine and chick flicks.”

“Right,” Serena nodded, studying Claire’s still slightly red and swollen eyes. Beyond the girls, she caught Mark’s sneering face while Keith seemed a bit unsettled by the personal drama in the office. “I’ll order the pizza at six.”

“Thanks, Rena,” whispered Claire. “But what about him?” she nodded at the rose.

“Well,” Serena murmured. “If he’s made plans, then I’ll explain that a friend needs me. Hopefully, he’ll understand.”

“You think he will?” was her doubtful question.

“I hope so.” Serena nibbled on her lower lip. She had no idea if he’d understand, but the dominant would have to accept that she supported her friends.

That was simply part of who she was. “He seems to know and understand when I work late.”

“Ask him if he has two brothers,” Debbie told her.

Serena smiled, then looked at Claire with growing concern.

“About six-thirty? Or do you want to make it earlier?”

“So touching!” mocked Mark, striding out the door. “Claire, did you finish those letters?” Claire inhaled sharply.

“No,” she muttered. “It was a little difficult since you didn’t finish telling me what you wanted.” Keith stared at the empty doorway, and was 31

Abby Gordon

even more surprised when Serena and Debbie made sympathetic noises toward Claire. With a new awareness, he wondered what else he had missed about Mark. What else had he missed as he worked to build up his company to show he didn’t need support from the family corporation? As a result, he failed to pay attention to the type of people he’d hired. Had Mark been like this all along? How could he not have seen this? And this man was going to marry his cousin? Penny was barely twenty-two!

“Claire, you better head back,” Serena advised, her face suddenly pinched. “It looks like he’s in one of those moods again.”

“Those moods have come and never left,” Debbie muttered as Claire hurried out. “‘Rena, I’m worried about her. Paul really hurt her…” As if realizing Keith was still there, Debbie fell silent. Serena reached out and caught her hand.

“I know. We’ll figure something out, Deb. Go on back.”

With a reluctant nod, Debbie also left.

“What else have I missed?” Keith asked quietly.

“You sure you want to know?” Serena wondered, mildly surprised at his drawn expression.

“That man is engaged to my cousin,” he reminded her. “If he treats you and Claire this way in front of me, so sure that he’ll get away with it, how is he with Penny behind closed doors?” Serena stared at the rose. His primary concern was his cousin. It was something she could understand, but deep in her heart, some part of her died. She was just his assistant. That was the only reason he’d defended her.

“I thought you liked him.”

“He’s never been this way around me.” He shook his head. “Dammit! I’ve known the man six years! I should have a better idea of how he treats people.” Serena relented.

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Beck And Call

“If it’s any consolation, he wasn’t always like this.”

“It’s not,” Keith muttered. “How long has he been like this?”

“Well,” she propped her elbows on the desk and rested her chin in her palms. She didn’t want to think about it, but it looked like she didn’t have a choice.
Professional, Serena
.
Keep it professional.

“Let’s see.” She frowned slightly. “Mmm,” she raised her eyes to his. “Sometime after I came to work for you. Claire wasn’t his assistant yet, of course. He goes through one every four to six months.” She grimaced as she glanced at the calendar. “And at the rate he’s going, Claire’ll be putting in for a transfer in a few weeks.”

“He started dating Penny about three months after you started working for me,” he frowned, speaking quietly. “Not sure…,” He smiled. “When we were working on the Franklin contract.” She nodded, crossing her fingers under the desk.

The hope that he would press for more information brought a hitch to her throat, even if it scared her.

Would he think she had done something wrong?

“That was a bit complicated,” she mused. Did he realize that he remembered personal things in relation to business? “I don’t think we left the office before ten for three or four weeks.” Keith clenched his jaw.

“I’m screwed,” he muttered. “Penny will never believe a word I say against him. She likes you, but if you or Claire tell her about how he is toward you, it won’t matter. Mark will say you have other reasons for trying to break them up.”

“Like Claire or I want him for ourselves?” she sighed.

“Exactly,” he nodded.

“Not in this lifetime or any other,” she shook her head.

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Abby Gordon

“Because of this guy?” Keith gestured towards the vase on her desk.

Serena hesitated slightly.

“Because of him now,” she said slowly. Her eyes studied the petals. “I would really rather not go into it.”

“A woman’s intuition thing?” he frowned.

“Do you need more than what you just saw?” she countered. “His attitude toward me and Claire? I know he’s very good at his job, but for a PR person, his people skills need some work. Especially regarding women.”

Keith nodded, his mind on other things already.

“Yeah,” he murmured, turning toward his office.

“Maybe we can do a seminar or something on professionalism in the workplace.” Serena sighed as the door closed.

“And my boss makes his return,” she muttered.

Her gaze fell on the rose. “Whoever you are, I hope you’re not mad about tonight. How do I tell you I can’t do anything tonight without losing what you offer? Claire needs me.” Her fingers brushed over the blossoms velvety softness. “Nearly as much as I think I need you. How do I say that without sounding needy and desperate? Or a wimp? Or…,” she stopped, shoulders slumping. “Oh, what a mess!” In his office, Keith paced rapidly, trying to figure out what had just happened. Glaring out at the profile of the city, he thought about his plans for tonight and tried to work around the “issue” he wasn’t supposed to know about. He had to manage things so he was in a position of control and power.

He’d planned on having the cell phone and vibrator delivered today and then starting things out that night. That wouldn’t work now, but what if he gave her a small preview?

His whole plan depended on establishing his control over her as soon as possible.
Seduce
, he 34

Beck And Call

reminded himself. He had to seduce her. He would seduce his assistant, using every means, fair or foul, to win her over and then…. He closed his eyes briefly.

Before he knew it, he was dialing one of the few people he could trust. The man who had recognized his innate need to sexually dominate.

“Grant, it’s Keith. I need feedback on a personal matter.”

“Okay,” answered the deep voice. “Hold on a second.” Grant’s voice was redirected. “Joyce, hold all my calls please. Thank you.” There was a creak of leather. “What’s the problem, Keith?”

“Not necessarily a problem,” Keith told him. “I just want to bounce something off of you.”

“Okay. Bounce.”

“It started a couple days ago on Serena’s birthday.”

“Serena, as in, your assistant?”

“How the hell do you remember the name of someone you’ve met once or twice?” Keith muttered.

“Yes, my assistant. She told me some things about Charlotte and other women I’ve dated.”

“Correction,” Grant interrupted. “Women you were seen in public with to keep up appearances.”

“Can I finish here?” Keith scowled.

“Fire away.”

“Okay,” Keith nodded, taking a deep breath. “I was doing my workout that night and all I could see was Serena. And not the way she is in the office, if you get my meaning.”

“Pretend I don’t.”

Keith growled.

“She was naked, spread-eagle on my bed, gagged and blindfolded. She was waiting for me to do whatever I wanted to her.”

“And this was the first time you saw her like this?”

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Abby Gordon

“Yes!” Keith said reflexively. “Well, not entirely, but the first time I did something about it.”

“Oh, shit,” Grant whispered. “Keith, what did you do?”

“I came up with a brilliant plan to seduce her.

Only, she won’t know it’s me. I put a book of erotica on her desk the next day. She seemed to like it, so I put another book in her drawer today.”

“In her drawer? Shit, Keith, she may have figured out that you’re doing it and…”

“No, she’s distracted by her friends. Anyway, I typed notes telling her what to read, and how to tell me—the dom—that she is willing to go further.” Keith told him how he worked things out for her to tell him she agreed. “And she asked me to get her a chicken salad sandwich,” he gloated. “On the way to the employees’ dining room, I called the florist and told them to deliver the rose. She loved it.” Grant listened without interrupting. Finished, Keith waited patiently for the response. Grant was more experienced in Dom/Sub relationships.

“Keith, be careful. You could hurt her more than you can even begin to imagine. If anyone even suspects what you’re doing, she won’t have the protection of an established family the way you do.

Serena doesn’t have the resources you do to deal with the gossip. She can’t be your assistant and she won’t be able to get a job anywhere else in New York City once word gets out. In other words, she will be destroyed. I doubt she has any idea what she’s getting into and you’re taking advantage of that.”

“You’re being overdramatic. I’ve covered every possible angle,” he told her, blithely overlooking the aspect of Serena trying to expand her social life. “I’ve got everything covered.”

“Keith, this is a very tricky situation. I’ll say it bluntly. She’ll see things differently. At work, she’s at your beck and call. The relationship outside work 36

Beck And Call

should be different. If you’re not very careful, both her heart and her career will be in jeopardy.”

“It sounds like you’re more worried about her than me.”

“Shit,

Keith,

think

about

this.

You’re

manipulating her. Someone needs to be worried about her.”

“Grant.” He was exasperated now. This wasn’t what he’d expected at all. He’d thought Grant would pat him on the back and say
well done
. He’d never expected Grant to take Serena’s side! What the hell was this? “It’s pretty straightforward. I’m going to seduce the socks off of her and make her my submissive. Why are you being so pessimistic?”

“Because things are never that simple, and if you don’t see that you’re an arrogant, egotistical idiot. Serena could be seriously hurt by your plan and you refuse to accept that.”

“I know exactly what could happen and I’m willing to do what is necessary to protect her. I know what I’m getting into.”

“Do you really?” Grant pressed. “If the two of you have a public relationship, then what happens to her? Does she keep her position as your assistant?

Do you really think that’s possible? What if anyone suspects the truth about your relationship? The rest of the world doesn’t understand a BDSM. What if Kevin suspects something between the two of you and tries to pull the same crap with Serena that he did with Francine? How far will you go to protect her? Or are you just going to walk away and let her deal with it alone?”