Page 29 of The Devil After Dark
“Good morning, Ms. Sutton. I don’t need anything at the moment,” I responded coolly. She extended her arm in the direction we were going and started walking, leading the way. When we reached the conference room, I saw that Ivan and Stephan were already inside. Liana held the door for us. Jason entered first and I slipped past her, trailing my fingers along her hip where my name was now inked on her skin.
LIANA
My side was still tender from the tattoo Cassio had given me—his name in a beautifully drawn script. My mouth dried as he slipped into the conference room, sliding his hand along the tattoo and sending an ache across my skin. It was not only a reminder that he had made it unmistakable he had claimed me as his, but that he had also completely ravished me last night. So much so that moving and sitting down were delicious aching reminders of what he had done to my body. I swallowed my wince as I sat in my chair. My ass was painted in bruises from his belt. When I raised my eyes from the papers I set on the table in front of me, Cassio was staring right at me, a half smile half smirk on his face. I slowly looked to Jason, who was eyeing me carefully. Oh gods, did Jasonknow what Cassio had done to me last night? Had Cassio told him? I felt my chest heat with a blush. Now I was going to have to sit across from him with every part of me aching and keep a straight face as I gave them the reports on Cassio’s development project.
I watched Cassio from the office window as he climbed into his car with Jason and Zac closed the door behind them. Then my phone buzzed.
I can’t wait to see you again tonight, Angel.
I rolled my eyes. Just because he had punished me so good I was being dumb enough to feel …lovedby his crazy, did not mean I was done trying to stick up for myself. I typed a message back.
Where are you taking me for dinner? I want to make sure I’m dressed appropriately.
After hitting send I retreated to my office, grabbing a coffee and a pastry on my way past the office’s small kitchen area. My phone buzzed again, but I waited to check it until I was settled back into my desk and had already enjoyed half the pastry.
You know how this works, baby. Don’t wait up, I enjoy waking you.
My heart sank with disappointment. I was going to push it. I typed back:
One on one with clothes on doing something other than a business meeting before you get me naked again.
It seemed like a reasonable offer. I was not making him take me anywhere. It could even be in my own condo if he wanted.
That is not how this works. I’ll see you tonight. Don’t wait up.
Seriously? Everything was always onhisterms. I wasn’t done with this. He had tattooed his name on me and I guess he just expected me to comply with every request. I would try a different approach this time. I sent off another message.
How about you introduce me to your friends?
I waited with my fingers tapping on my desk. I had already lived through a one sided relationship. I wasn’t going to do it again. My phone buzzed.
Eventually. Get back to work baby.
I nearly threw my phone across my office, but Thea knocked and opened the door.
“Ummm,” Thea paused as she looked at my raised hand with my phone in it, “Are you good?”
“No! He’s such an ass,” I said exasperatedly and slammed my phone on my desk instead of hurling it across my office like I wanted to.
“I’m sorry,” Thea said as she closed the door to my office so we could have some privacy. “Are you actually complaining about the extremely hot man who wants you naked and under him every night? I do not see a problem with this.”
I sighed and buried my face in my hands. “Thea, I’m a booty call.I don’t want to be a fuck buddy no matter how good the sex is or how hot he is. I want to feel like someone wants me to be a part of their life. I never had that with Dimitri and I feel like I am falling for the same damn trap.”
“Dimitri was a dick,” Thea said sternly. Dimitri was a dick. I had wasted most of my early twenties on him. He had convinced me I was his precious little princess and I just sat around waiting for him, supporting him, doing whatever he wanted at the expense of myself. Even after he told me he wanted to sleep with other people while he was with me I still clung on to him. And somehow he still found a way to make me think he wanted me. He knew I was just there waiting at his every beck and call. I was still naively at his beck and call even after he put me in the hospital with a broken rib and black eye. It had been an accident … or so he convinced me. The only thing that had really pushed me to finally be done with him was moving to an entirely new city. I just picked up and left one day. I didn't even tell him I was leaving and it took him months to message me with the audacity to act confused about why I had abandoned him.
It had been satisfying to simply respond that I did not live there any more. But even that did not stop him from reaching out and trying to find me and lure me back in. It took a few years for me to finally stop responding to his messages. A few random dates later and I gave up on trying to date all together. This job gave me the distraction I needed and the funds to not rely on anyone anymore.
“I really do not get the vibe that Cassio would do the same thing to you, Liana,” Thea continued.
“That is your ovaries talking, Thea. You don’t want to believe he would do the same thing. But he practically is. He refuses to see me outside of this bullshit project he is paying us for and in the middle of the night when he wants to …” I waved my hand, she knew what I meant. I didn't need to say it aloud.
“Well. You can’t change him, Liana. Take him as is or if you are really over his bullshit, just march into his office and tellhim in the damn daylight that you are done with him,” Thea said. “Or do I need to call that one sketchy client of mine and ask for a favor?”
“Silas?” I laughed. Thea did have a particularly sketchy client. Yes, she kind of adopted the receptionist role at our office, but that was because she was noisy and wanted to be in everyone’s business. She also managed a good fourth of our client base … including a particularly sketchy client, who we were almost positive was running drug money through his restaurant. “You know what, you’re right. I just need to have an adult conversation with him and tell him it is over. I have standards,” I said firmly.
“Yes, you do. Make him rise to those standards or kick him to the curb, girl,” Thea responded. It was the pep talk I needed.
thirty-three
