“Crazy for you,” he said, fingering my clit and getting me wet. I heard his belt jingle and then his zipper go down. And then he was sinking that delicious heat all the way in me, slow and deep.

He leaned over me and took my face in both hands. He kissed me hard, thrusting his tongue into my mouth as he liked to do. Ethan dominated during sex. He wanted his tongue and his fingers and his c**k in me all at once. Like that way he could claim me more completely. I don’t know why, it was just his way. And I loved it. His way was honest and totally direct. I knew what I would get with Ethan and it always ended with an orgasm that left me trembling.

Ethan started moving and so did I. We were wild with it too. Totally abandoned and lustfully f**king on top of his desk when the phone rang. He’d left it on speaker. “Don’t answer it,” I gasped, nearly ready to climax.

“Hell, no,” he grunted, pounding faster into me, his c**k swelling to the bone hard density it got right before he came.

He slid his magic fingers over my clit and I broke apart, biting down on my lip to keep from crying out. Ethan was not far behind me. He covered my mouth with his to keep us both from shouting and pumped his orgasm inside me.

The unanswered call went to voice mail, but still on speaker.

“Ethan Blackstone is not available. Please leave a message and I’ll get back with you as soon as possible…”

The beep sounded and we panted at each other, our faces just inches apart. I smiled at him. He smoothed my hair so gently and kissed me like a lover would. I felt precious to him. He made me feel that way.

“You’re an ass**le, Blackstone. I hired you to protect my daughter, not to f**k her! She’s been through hell and the last thing she needs is another heartbreaking betrayal. The way she talks I think she’s in love with you—”

Ethan fumbled with the phone to shut it down but it was too late. I heard my own father’s voice on the phone. I knew…the truth about Ethan and me. I shoved at him, fighting to get him off.

“Brynne, no! Please let me explain—”

He looked white as a sheet and totally stone-cold terrified as he held me under him, our bodies still joined.

“Get off me. Get your c**k out of me and let me go, you mother-fucking liar!”

He held me to him, eyes on me. “Baby…listen to me. I was going to tell you—I was ready to a long time ago, but I didn’t want to bring up bad memories for you. I don’t want to hurt you—”

“Get. Off. Me. Now.”

“Please don’t leave. Brynne, I—I—didn’t mean to hurt you but I was protecting you from remembering. There’s a threat out there to your safety…and then I met you…and I couldn’t stop wanting you. I couldn’t stay away from you.” He tried to kiss me.

I turned my face away and closed my eyes. All the trust I had for this man was gone. In its place a terrible ache filled my heart. He knew about me. He knew what had happened to me. Probably had seen the video. And now there were people out to hurt me? Why? He was hired by my dad and all this time he knew and I didn’t. How could he? How could he be the Ethan I’d fallen in love with and betray me like this?

“Waterloo.” I turned back and stared.

“No…no…no,” he chanted. “Please no, Brynne.” He shook his head back and forth, his eyes devastated.

“Water-fucking-loo, Ethan. And if you don’t get off me I will scream the walls down.” I spoke clear and soft, my heart hardened and bleeding black blood. Blackstone blood.

He moved out of me and helped me sit up. I hopped off his desk and lunged for my bag. He zipped up his pants and tried again. “Brynne, baby, I—I love you. I love you so much; I would do anything not to hurt you. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m so f**king sorry.”

I tried to get out the door but it wouldn’t budge. “Unlock it,” I demanded.

“Did you hear me just now?”

I looked at him and nodded. “Open the door so I can leave,” I spoke very evenly, surprised I was not a weeping wreck crumpled to the floor. I just needed to get out of here and to my flat. I had one purpose and it was to flee to safety.

He rubbed his head and looked down, and then moved to his desk and reached the button or whatever it was that held me in. I heard the click and I was out of there.

“Thank you for the delicious lunch, dear,” Frances called as I bailed.

I waved at her but was unable to speak. I just walked out. I had my purse and no underwear, but I wasn’t going back in there to find them. Just get me out of here and home…just get me out of here and home…just get me out—

Oh my god I was leaving Ethan. We were done. He’d lied to me and I couldn’t trust him anymore. He said he loved me. Is that what lovers do? They lie?

I didn’t speak to Elaina at reception either when I headed for the elevators. I pushed the call button and realized he was right behind me. Ethan had chased me down and still I didn’t break.

“Brynne…baby, please don’t leave me. God, I—I f**ked up. I love you. Please—”

He put his hand on my shoulder and I flinched. “No you don’t,” was all I could manage.

“Yes I do!” he yelled, his voice getting angry. “You can leave me but I’ll still be protecting you. I’ll still be watching over you to make sure you’re safe and that nobody can hurt you!”

“What about you hurting me?” I spat back at him. “And you’re fired, Ethan. Don’t ever contact me again.” The elevator dinged and the doors opened. I stepped in and turned around to face him.

He rolled his head up and opened his mouth in a pleading gesture that told me he was hurting. Not as bad as I was but he looked ragged and desperate. “Brynne…don’t do this,” he begged as the doors started to close me in alone.

I heard a loud bang coupled with one very comprehensible f-bomb shouted as the car started to take me down. Down to the street where I would hail a cab to drive me home to my flat. Where I would fall apart as soon as I could get inside, and where I would crawl into my bed and curl up and try to forget him. Ethan Blackstone. I was doomed to failure. I knew that. I would never be able to forget Ethan. Never.

The End