Under His Command (For His Pleasure, Book 17) (8 page)

***

Easton drove them to meet Travis Hill Jr. at The Summit in a beautiful Cadillac luxury sedan. Sitting next to Easton in the passenger seat, Kennedy tried to imagine what it might be like if she was his girlfriend.

He was quiet, confident and fully in control as he navigated the thoroughly congested streets of Manhattan. She was relaxed as Easton quickly swerved in and out of lanes, making constant decisions, beating the cabbies at their own game.

Eventually, Easton glanced over at her. “Are you nervous?”

She sighed. “A little bit, yeah.”

He chuckled. “What’s making you nervous?”

“Oh nothing, besides the fact that this is my first ever meeting with this man, and he thinks it’s going to be him and me alone, and I’ve brought along my demanding boss whom he apparently hates—“

Easton put up his hand. “Okay, I get it.” He made another series of complex driving maneuvers while he continued talking. “Look, I don’t want you to think that you can’t take risks. I want you to take risks, Kennedy.”

Her skin broke into gooseflesh when he said the last line. His hand shifted and it caused his hand to move dangerously close to her bare thigh. She was wearing a short skirt (shorter than she was even comfortable with), a low-cut blouse and stilettos.

Although Easton might have assumed she’d dressed like that to keep Travis Hill’s interest, the truth was that she’d really dressed that way for Easton’s benefit.

She’d had to get the new clothes with the very last of the room on her credit card last night in a shopping binge that had cost her well over a thousand dollars.

“I never used to take risks,” Kennedy admitted. “But now I feel ready to just let go and stop trying to be perfect.”

“We don’t need perfection here, we need dedication to the cause.”

“What cause?”

He flashed her an enigmatic smile. “Whatever I say is the cause. And today, it’s getting that little shit Travis to sign on with The Red Agency. It would be a real feather in my cap.”

“I’ll do everything I can to help.”

“Just keep him hanging around when he freaks out.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means, he’s probably going to try and bolt when he sees me. You’re going to have to give him enough hope to make him stick around. Can you handle that?”

“I’m not sure I’ll be enough of an incentive.”

Easton nodded at her. “Oh, you’re plenty of incentive, Kennedy. Do you really not know that?”

She fell silent, her heart suddenly beating fast.

They were both quiet the rest of the way there.

Easton parked at a nearby garage and then they walked the few remaining blocks to The Summit.

“You go in first,” Easton told her. “He knows what you look like.”

“What about you?” she asked.

“I’m going to bide my time.”

“But what do I tell him before you come?”

“Just keep him talking. He likes to talk.”

She agreed, her teeth practically chattering, she was so nervous. But she had to do it, had to try her very best. She wished that Easton was coming in with her, but apparently he had other ideas. So Kennedy walked into the bar alone, scanning the semi-darkened room for anyone who might be Travis Hill Jr.

Of course, she’d seen a couple pictures of him online, but it was difficult to recognize people in person sometimes when you’d only seen a photograph or two.

Three-dimensional reality was very different from the two dimensions of a picture.

She didn’t see him after an extended survey of the room, which wasn’t all that busy at that time of day. Eventually she just took a seat in a booth that faced the doorway, so she could see him enter. Checking her phone, she saw that it was just after twelve and she had no emails or messages from him.

Kennedy wondered if he was going to stand her up. It would figure—he seemed like the type who would break plans based on nothing more than a whim. Maybe he was playing a new video game or found a new girl to flirt with.

A waiter came over and she ordered a glass of white wine, if nothing else than to calm her nerves.

About five minutes later a text came through from Easton.

Is he there yet?

She wrote him back.

No.

And then silence for a bit.

Little shit
, Easton wrote.

Kennedy smiled, sipped her wine, and then boldly wrote him back.

You should come in and have a drink with me instead. I’d much prefer it actually.

After sending it, she instantly regretted it. Somehow, it came off desperate. She didn’t want him to think she was easy. Maybe that’s why he’d seemingly lost interest after the initial flirtation that night at the club.

And then Easton’s text came through:

If he doesn’t show in the next five minutes, you and I will have a drink instead
.

Kennedy took an extra big gulp of wine after reading his latest response.

Suddenly, the entire room became so vivid—every clink of silverware, glasses being picked up and put down, tinkling laughter, muted conversation, the glow of an overhead lamp—it felt as though she’d been shot up with amphetamine.

She was so alive, so aware that this all was happening to her, that she was actually experiencing life for the first time. And it was hers. Finally, she’d found an existence, a job, a path, a man that she could really give herself over to.

But be careful, Kennedy—you don’t know this man at all. Don’t give yourself
over too quickly.

In reaction to that thought, she took another long drink from her wine glass, and then another and another.

“Should I get you more wine?” someone asked, laughing, from nearby.

She looked up and saw a man who could only be Travis Hill Jr., standing a few feet away with a smirk on his young, boyish face. He was wearing a vest, pleated pants, and boots. His hair had that spiky, messy style that seemed to be in fashion nowadays, and he wore thick hipster glasses that complimented the outfit.

“I could use another glass, actually,” she said.

“You’re drinking white?”

She nodded. “Yes, thanks.” As he turned to go to the bar, she quickly texted Easton and let him know that Travis had shown up.

Easton didn’t respond right away, and Kennedy put her phone out of sight so as not to make Travis suspicious. She was actually quite disappointed that he’d shown up after all. It had started to feel like something exciting might be happening between her and Easton, and now that was spoiled.

Travis returned a moment later with her wine, as well as a glass for himself. He sat down opposite her, grinning. “So, here we are,” he said.

She accepted the glass and sipped it right away. For a brief second, she wondered if he was crazy enough to try and slip her something. Either way, it didn’t matter.

Easton would protect her.

“Here we are,” she said, laughing. She’d started to feel a little tipsy.

“You’re even more attractive in person,” he said.

“Thanks, that’s very sweet of you.”

“And,” he said, holding out his arms.

“And?”

“What do you think of me?” he said. “Not too shabby, right?”

The truth was, Travis was okay, although not really her type. He wasn’t quite a man yet, and contrasted with Easton he was simply a nonentity. Although he was pleasant looking, obviously intelligent, his overconfidence struck her more as insecurity masking itself as arrogance.

But she couldn’t tell him any of that. Instead, she lifted her glass and said, “Not too shabby at all, Travis. Not too shabby at all.”

And then she realized she might be drunker than she’d first thought.

Travis slugged some of his wine. “Good stuff,” he said. Leaning back against the seat, he looked her over without trying to hide it. “So are you a journalist? Was I right?”

Kennedy giggled and shook her head. “Afraid not.”

He sat forward. “You’re not in tech, are you? One of those geek girls that loves gaming and stuff but just so happens to be smoking hot?”

“No. Can’t say I am. But I guess maybe you’re half right, because I am sort of considered a geek. I was a math major at MIT.”

“No kidding. Math major?” He shook his head. “My thing is computers, but math was never really my strong suit.”

“Oh well, I’m out of that field now.”

“Okay, you’ve definitely piqued my interest. What field are you in currently?”

“I’m an executive assistant.”

“That’s not exactly a field,” Travis said, his eyes narrowing.

“I don’t really know if I have a definitive career path just yet,” she said, trying to stall. She wanted Easton to get there already and be done with it, before Travis figured it out himself and took off.

“So who are you working for? What company?”

She took another long drink from her glass of wine. “Actually, I’m very new to the job. This is only my second day.”

“Yesterday was your first day of work?” he said, shocked.

“Yeah.” She laughed at his total inability to accept what she was telling him. “In fact, getting a meeting with you was my very first assignment.”

He made a face of surprise. “Well done, then, Kennedy.” He leaned forward and spoke softly but with some intensity. “Okay, now I need to know who you work for.”

Over his shoulder, she saw Easton coming in the door. It must have shown on her face, because Travis looked back over his shoulder and saw him heading their way.

When he turned back to her, his expression was stunned and wounded. “You work for him?”

“You didn’t want me to tell you what I did or who I worked for yesterday.”

“But him? Easton Rather?” He spit the name like it was mud in his mouth.

“Why do you hate him?”

He wiped his mouth and sat back. “I can’t sit here and talk to that asshole. Fuck this.”

A second later, Easton had slid in next to him. “So, this is awkward,” Easton said.

Kennedy tried to smile. “Does it have to be? Maybe we can start fresh.”

Travis made a face, but kept silent.

Easton glanced at him sidelong. “I asked her to make this meeting,” he said,

“because I know we can help each other.”

“I have no interest in helping you,” Travis muttered. “And if I’d known this was going to be a bait and switch with you coming in…” he shook his head.

“Look, let’s get past this,” Easton replied. “Your company needs us. You’re just about at the top of the market share you can get going the route you’re currently on. You need to break out and go mainstream, and we can assist you in doing so.”

“I have no interest in going mainstream, and even if I did, I’d never use you.”

Easton laughed. “All of this because I remind you of a guy from high school?”

Travis glared at him, his cheeks blotchy. The rest of his face looked even paler and more boyish than before. “You don’t just remind me of the guy—you pretty much
are
that guy. But I’m the quarterback now. I’m the guy everyone wants on their team.

You’re just some bully, a stuffed suit with no creativity, no real value. And your little honey trap over here,” he said, nodding over at Kennedy, “didn’t do the trick either. By the way, she’s not nearly hot enough to blow smoke in my eyes or anywhere else.”

“Don’t talk like that,” Easton said, a flinty look coming into his eyes.

“I’m just saying—“

“Don’t say anything about her. She’s off limits.”

Kenney felt a jolt of electricity at him saying she was off limits.

Travis sat back, playing with the fringe of his shirt. “My point is, this meeting is a waste of time. I’m not going to sign with your agency. Even if it was a good idea, I’d reject it on principle.”

“That seems rather shortsighted of you,” Easton told him.

Travis looked over at Kennedy. “What’s going on—are you fucking him? Is that why he said you’re off limits?”

Easton suddenly got up from the table. “I told you not to say anything else to her,” he said, his voice throaty and raspy with barely controlled anger. “Now get up and get the hell out of here.”

Travis didn’t move. “If you hit me—“

“Move.”

Travis began to slowly get up, his shoulders hunched as if anticipating an attack.

But Easton never touched him, and as Travis made his way to the exit, his shoulders slowly came down and his head hung lower. By the time he left, he looked like a whipped dog.

Easton looked after him for a minute, shaking his head and then eventually chuckling to himself before sitting back down across from her. “Are you okay?” he asked.

Kennedy nodded. “I don’t understand why he has such a personal issue with you.

What was all that stuff about you and some guy from high school?”

Easton laughed. “We met about a year ago when I was running a cross promotion with my energy drink and his video game. The second we met, he had a hissy fit and said he wanted us off the promotion because I reminded him of some clown who’d bullied him in high school. The whole thing was silly and I tried to have a man-to-man talk with him and settle it, but he was set on believing that I’m just a reincarnation of this other person.”

“Wow, that’s bizarre.” Kennedy spun her glass absentmindedly. “For someone with so much talent and a life that most people would kill for, he seems totally miserable.”

“That’s what happens when you refuse to let go of the past,” Easton replied easily, but something about it felt like it was a hard-won bit of wisdom.

Kennedy nodded, thinking to herself that it was hard to let go of a past you’d been robbed of even experiencing.

She took another drink, which helped some, because just having Easton this close with nobody else around was difficult to deal with. “I’m sorry that the meeting got ruined,” she said. “I really wanted to help you get that feather in your cap.”

“So did I. But shit happens.”

“Do you want a drink?” she asked, her voice shaking a little as she said it.

He looked at her closely. “You seem a little past tipsy,” he said. “I’m not sure it’s such a good idea.”

“Please.” She looked down, unable to meet his eyes. “I don’t want to be the only one who had too much to drink today.”