Just Go (17 page)

ADAM:
I want all of your pleasure. After tonight, you won’t tease me like this again. No release until it’s by my hand. Understood?

ME:
Yes sir.

I grunt and attempt to pout, but just reading the final text of his has me hot all over again, and not getting the release I need is really going to put me off my game tomorrow.

ADAM:
Mmm…I like that. Go to bed, my Sweet. XOXO

I read the text and smile.

If I can’t get an ‘I love you’ out of him, the next best is the xoxo, I guess.

But I do really want those three words, even if I can’t admit it out loud yet.

***

The next morning I dress for work slowly and head into the office. I didn’t get much sleep last night with the lack of release that I desperately wanted but didn’t give myself. I want to please him, and doing what he tells me to, sexually, pleases him. Neither late nor early, I walk in right on time for the crazy day to start. Phone calls, meetings, and scheduling conflicts fill my morning, and before I know it, it’s lunchtime and I’m starving. As if he reads my mind, Joe knocks on my office door and lets himself in.

“Hey there,” he says and smiles as I smile back genuinely. He’s been huge in helping my group work together. They may not all like me, but they all like and respect Joe. He’s my right hand man, and I couldn’t be happier about it. If I have to hate my daily job, I may as well enjoy at least one of the people I work with.

The fact that he’s beautiful to look at makes it easier too.

“Hi, Joe, what’s up?” He sits and places a bag of food in front of me.

“Oh God, Chinese again, Joe?” I take in the aroma and moan.

“Wow, had I known it would’ve gotten that type of reaction, I’d bring it more often.” The lopsided grin he gives me makes me feel more for him than I should. I’m with Adam now. I shouldn’t feel things for other men.

“Well, I will have to run a little extra this week, but I’ll forgive you since you brought my favorite.”

He smiles and we dig in, eating faster than normal since the day’s been so hectic. Making small talk, we make it through lunch with no other awkward topics brought up like my moaning.

“Oh hey,” I say as he stands to walk out of my office and get back to work. “My dad wants me riding with you tonight.”

The look on his face says he wasn’t privy to that notice.

“Are you sure he said me? And not another driver… maybe John?” He looks confused and I can’t help but wonder why he would care if I drove along with him. It was fun last time.

“Nope, he specifically said you,” I say then shrug.

He runs his hands through his hair and sighs.

“Alright. Be here at nine. Front door. And don’t wear anything too revealing. Tonight’s a different crowd than last time, Annaliese.” His eyes narrow at me and he shakes his head then silently leaves my office.

          What the hell was that about?

Chapter 16

Adam

The game she played last night had me hard all night for her. I tried rubbing one out in the shower while picturing Annaliese the entire time. Even after I finished, my dick still wouldn’t stand down. It’s like my cock is holding out for the real deal—Anna's sweet pussy. 

Me too, boy
.

I’m still reeling from the deal with Dianne. The board thinks she’s going to retaliate, and try to hurt the company in other ways. They aren’t a fan of how I dealt with her, but I couldn’t care less. She needed to go, and with what she was doing, the faster the better before she had a chance to take more money. I’ve been on the phone with investors and some of the businesses that she was looking over, assuring them that it won’t affect them at all. What they don’t need to know is that the money to replenish those funds she took from is coming out of my pocket until we figure all of this out, so that pisses me off even more. I’ve got enough to cover it, but it shouldn’t have happened at all. All because she’s a selfish bitch.

“Hey, man,” Benton barges in, yet again, like he owns the place.

“Dude, don’t you know how to knock?” I growl, not bothering to look up at him.

“Man, this whole ‘not getting laid’ thing is making you an asshole.” He laughs and sits on the couch. “Got a call this morning. The baby was born this morning,” he says, smiling wider than I’ve ever seen.

“Shit, B… that’s fantastic!” It really is too. They’ve been through hell and back just to try to start a family. He deserves something good.

“Thanks…. Thanks. I’m so… I just….” he trails off and smiles at me. “It’s everything I’ve ever wanted.”

I smile and nod, not knowing exactly how he feels, but I have sort of the same feelings for Annaliese. She’s everything to me.

“So when is it official? Do you get to take her home from the hospital?”

“Yeah. She’s a couple weeks early so they wanna check her out a couple days just to make sure she’s healthy, but so far so good.” The smile won’t leave his face, and it’s actually helping me get out of my funk.

“You ready for this? The diapers, the poop, the crying?”

“Shit yeah, man, I’ve been ready,” Benton sighs and shakes his head. “It’s so unbelievable.” He looks at me and his smile fades. “Thanks, man. I know you didn’t need to do what you did.”

“Anything for you two. You and Carly deserve this,” I say honestly.

My phone rings just then, putting our conversation on hold.

“Yes,” I grind out.

“Mr. Callahan. Mr. Ryder is on the phone for you.”

“Send him my way.” I sigh and wait for her to move him to my line.

“Vick’s on the phone,” I tell Benton as I wait for the phone to beep. When it does, his ears perk up and he leans forward to hear my conversation. I hit the speaker button and hold my finger to my lips, signaling to B to stay quiet.

“Vick. How can I help you?” I say as nicely as I can.

“Tonight. Bring your boy. Same time, same place.”

“That’s no notice at all, Vick. I’m not sure….” I pause while I see Benton’s face light up. He starts nodding and mouths “one last time” at me. “Alright,” I sigh. “We’ll see you tonight.”

“I’m putting you down for your usual 2?” Vick asks.

“I’m not sure, Vick. Who’s he fighting?”

“Elliot Sangra, he’s fought him before and won both times.”

Benton nods and smiles.

“We’re in. See you tonight.”

I hang up and look strangely at Benton.

“You sure about this, B? Your baby was just born today.”

“I know, and I know after we bring her home, Carly’s not going to have me going out late at night to these fights. This is my last chance, man. I gotta do this. I’m doing this.”

“She’s not gonna be happy with you,” I warn.

“I’ll deal with my wife, Adam. You just get whoever it is that’s messed with your head straightened out before your balls are blue for life.” He laughs and stands. “See ya tonight.” He raises his eyebrows and slips out the door quietly.

The rest of the day I spend taking notes on different employees that would be able to step in to fill Dianne’s shoes. As the day goes by, my attitude towards her betrayal changes from hate to pity. She never had a chance. There are plenty of employees here that could easily fill her shoes, which makes me positive I’ll find a good fit by the end of the week.

My cell phone rings at about five, and I smile when I see the photo I snapped of Annaliese while she was sleeping pop up on my screen.

“Hey, beautiful,” I say, smiling.

“Hey. Uh… What’re you up to right now?” She sounds worried, which immediately puts me on high alert.

“What’s wrong, Annaliese?”

“Nothing’s… just… Can I stop by? Are you home?”

Shit. Why’s she being so weird?

“No, I’m still at work. Talk to me, Annaliese. Please,” I say, begging for her to open up to me. I don’t like this feeling that I can’t help her, and I can’t… not until she opens up to me.

“Adam, I’m sorry… I can’t right now. I have work to do. Shit, I didn’t want to do this over the phone,” she whispers the final part and I hear her take a deep breath.

“You’re scaring me, Annaliese,” I growl.

“I’m sorry. I just… Adam, I had an interview today,” she says, void of all emotion.

“That’s great!” Why would she be worried about telling me this? “For what school?”

“Uh…  Elmhurst Middle School….” She trails off so I push on.

“Where’s that? I haven’t heard of it.” That’s not saying much, though, since I know nothing about grade schools in our area.

“Um… St. Louis,” she whispers the last part, but I still hear it enough to make my heart start racing.

St. Louis?!? That’s… that’s five hours away from me!
That’s so fucking… no
!

“Oh,” I manage, trying not to let her know how much I hate the idea of her not being in the same city as me. “How’d it go?” I ask, barely able to form the words.

“Um. Great?”

“Uh huh….” is all I’m able to get out. I’m fuming right now that she didn’t tell me about this.

“Adam, they offered me the job.” She sighs and I see red. Fucking red.

“Oh?”

“And the school year starts next week.”

Mother. Fucker. 

“Right. So… congratulations, I guess,” I say, trying not to sound as pissed as I feel. “When do you move?” I’m so mad she didn’t tell me about the possibility of her leaving me. I thought she was here for good. I thought Chicago was her home. Why would she take a job so far away from all of her family and friends? It’s just teaching. I could have found her a job in the city had she asked. She didn’t ask though, which means she doesn’t want my help, which means she doesn’t want me in her life as much as I thought she did. Right?

“I haven’t given them an answer yet, Adam.” She sounds tired and it breaks my heart to hear her like this. Like she’s trying not to be happy.

“What’re you waiting for? It’s what you want, right?” I practically growl.

I’m so pissed that I let myself fall in love with her.

All so she could break me.

“I... uh… I’m not sure,” she stammers and I laugh harshly in her ear. “Adam, I never applied for this job. It kind of just fell in my lap last minute.” Right, like I believe that. Schools don’t hire people that don’t seek them out.

“You know what, Annaliese? This week has been shit. Complete shit. Your fucking father stopping us from being more than we are and threatening everything I love, my vice president screwing me over, and now you leaving me for a fucking job I could have gotten you in the city. Fuck all of this, Annaliese. If you want to leave everything you have here, just go. No one’s stopping you,” I spit at her. It’s probably the worst thing I could’ve said to her in that moment. I wanted to be begging her to stay, but I’m so pissed I can’t even see straight right now.

I should’ve told her I love her. I should’ve told her I don’t want her to leave. I should’ve said everything I’ve wanted to tell her for weeks now. Instead, I tell her words that will hurt her enough to not have to choose between me and a career she’s been working towards her whole life.

“What are you talking about, Adam? What does my father have to do with this?” Her voice is barely a whisper.

I know I’ve ruined her.

Good, because she fucking destroyed me.

“Go, Annaliese. It’s what you want,” I grind out, not answering her question, then looking down at my phone right before throwing it across the room and watching it shatter on the glass wall. I stand, looking around my office, and nothing looks normal. I’m in a haze of anger, and I’m not sure how to deal with this.

“Everything okay, Adam?” Reese’s head pops in the door then her eyes get wide at the sight of me. I’m breathing heavy, the phone is shattered and laying on the floor next to my door, and I’m sure my face is bright red. At least I feel like it is. I feel like I could spit fire I’m so mad. I look at her and don’t move.

“No. Cancel everything today, I say then storm out of my office and head to my car. Reese calls out after me, but I choose to ignore her, afraid I may say something I regret to her. I can’t lose her today, too.

I know exactly who did this. And I’m going to be teaching him a little lesson tonight on who not to fuck with in this city.

Men from New York always think they can waltz into Chicago and take over our city. Vick Ryder is no different, but he’s about to learn a very hard lesson.

“Call Benton,” I say to my car as I start it up. After three rings he picks up.

“What?” he growls, sounding about as pissed as I am.

“I’m guessing she didn’t take it well?”

“No. She got in her car and sped off. I’m not certain what the fuck she’s doing, but I have to fight tonight.”

“Good, because I need you there for some extracurricular activity.”

I then proceed to confide in him everything that’s been happening with Annaliese.

Absolutely everything.

And by the time I’m done, he’s ready to beat down Vick’s ass all by himself.