Page 16 of Tainted Love
His little sister continues rabbiting on about love, which makes Dad and Elena laugh.
Elias takes his opportunity, leaning over and murmuring in my ear, “Good girl, Duchess.”
I squirm in my seat, hating the jolt of pleasure his words elicit. It’s quickly replaced by a wave of anger. I didn’t breakup with Hunter because he told me to. I did it because our relationship had already been over before I left for Europe.
Elias drops his hand under the table and runs his fingers up the inside of my thigh. It causes me to freeze and suck in a deep breath. We’re sitting at the dinner table with our parents, and he’s feeling me up. Does he have no sense of preservation? What’s worse is I feel like I’m about to combust, yet he’s nowhere near my throbbing pussy.
Fuck.
I’m going to hell.
Chapter 8
Bea
I’M RELIEVED TO head into the office with Dad two days later. We haven’t caught up, only the two of us, since I got home. It also gives me an excuse to avoid my new stepfamily. Don’t get me wrong, Elena and Attie seem lovely. It’s nice to have some more female energy in the house, but any time Elias steps into a room my entire body vibrates in anticipation. He hasn’t even attempted to touch me since dinner, but he’s messing with my head, and I don’t like it.
Yesterday, while Dad helped Elias move furniture out of the media room, I locked myself away in my bedroom and pulled out my sewing machine. My fingers itched to create something. After not working on anything in the last twelve months while I was travelling, I found for the first time since coming home, I finally felt a sense of calm.
As Dad drives towards the city we chat about my travels. My fingers idly play with the hem on the short-sleeved jacket I spent hours yesterday perfecting. The material is a forest green linen—my favourite colour—and I’ve paired it with a cream tank top and my high waisted denim shorts.
“What do you think of Elena,” Dad asks as we pull intothe underground carpark, and he shuts off the engine. She’s in court all day with another lawyer and his paralegal team, so we’ve taken separate cars into the office. “I’m sorry we dropped it on you, but it was all such a whirlwind.”
“She’s nice,” I tell him truthfully. “I can tell she makes you happy.”
A relieved smile breaks out on his face. “She does, kiddo. She really does.” He rubs his chin. “We hope it’s not too much of a change for you having three more people in the house.”
I force thoughts of Elias out of my mind as I shake my head. “It’s fine. Like I said, as long as you’re happy, I’m happy.”
“Love you, Bea.” Dad leans across and presses his lips to my temple.
“Love you, too, Dad.”
We ride the elevator up to the thirty-second floor in comfortable silence. When we walk through the glass doors to Kirkland, Sullivan and Cromwell, I’m greeted by a squeal of excitement before a grey-haired woman barrels around the front desk and throws her arms around me. Dad winks at me before heading in the direction of his office.
“Welcome back, Bea,” Susan says as she steps back. She clutches my arms and runs a critical eye over me. “Your hair is darker,” she notes. “And you’ve grown at least a couple of inches.” She pinches my waist. “Were they feeding you over there?”
I laugh, pulling the older woman in for another hug. “I missed you, too, Susan.”
She’s been with the firm since Granddad, Michael and Wilson Sullivan opened the firm in the early 80s.
The phone rings and she huffs out an annoyed sigh. “You and me, coffee next week. I need to hear all about your adventures.”
“It’s a deal.”
I leave her to answer the phone and follow the familiar path to my grandfather’s office. He’s on the phone when I knock on his open door, and he grins as he looks up. “Sorry, Roger, but my granddaughter has appeared in my doorway after twelve months abroad so I’m going to have to call you back.” He motions me inside while listening to the person on the other end of the line. “Yes, I will. Thank you. Talk soon.”
“Honeybee,” Granddad greets me warmly. He climbs to his feet, and I rush over to bury myself in his comforting embrace. “How’s my favourite granddaughter?”
I roll my eyes at him as I step back. “I’m your only granddaughter.”
“And still my favourite,” he chuckles, leading me over to the couch. “How are you travelling? You’ve had a few surprises since returning home.”
“I’m good. And yes, it was a bit of a shock,” I admit when Granddad arches his brow. Jonathon Kirkland is astute, and you can’t get anything past him. “Honestly, Elena seems lovely, and I’m getting used to having Attie and Elias around.” The last part is a lie, but I focus on looking him in the eye and keeping my breathing steady.
He studies me carefully before his smile returns. “She’s been good for your father, and for the firm,” he tells me with a wink. “He’s been walking around with a hop in his step. It reminds me of when I met my Elouise.” I grin at the way his eyes light up at the memory of Grandma. “Now, tell me all about this young man we lost young Maya to.”
I spend the next hour catching up with Granddad, filling him in on Maya and Matteo, and gushing about the fashion shows in London, Paris, Morocco, and Milan. Then he gets pulled away to an important meeting for a high-profile case he’s preparing.
