"I keep that picture as a reminder of the damage that money can do. How it can rot something that was once pure from the inside," he speaks through his clenched teeth.
"Oh please don't turn this into another one of your poor-little-rich-boy moments, Mattie. Next you'll be spouting off about all your Daddy issues … "
Matthew releases me and grabs her by the wrist violently, twisting it in the air. "Enough!"
Marjorie's eyes grow wide with surprise, but she quickly calms down. "Oh, is this foreplay, Mattie? You might as well let your dark meat know what you're into now. Not that she'll care. I bet she'll do just about anything for some cash, won't ya honey?"
Matthew jerks her arm higher, and she yelps. "You need to leave now, Marj." He throws down her hand in disgust and wraps his arm around me, gently guiding me toward the door. "Don't make me call security on you … again," he warns her over his shoulder as we walk away. I peek back and watch Marjorie hunch over and start to cry.
My mind is so sucked in by the chaos I don't even notice that we aren't heading back out to the party until we've walked deep into the labyrinth of his house. I swear you must need a trail of breadcrumbs or something to find your way back out of here. We reach a large, dark door, and he opens it for me, allowing me to walk past him first into a masculine office full of wood carvings, leather furniture, and a huge mahogany desk.
"What would you like to drink, Kendra?" Matthew nods toward a well stocked bar near a floor to ceiling window. I've never been much of a drinker. I can count the amount of times I've gotten drunk on two fingers. "Ummm, what do you have?"
"How about I surprise you?" His aqua blue eyes seem to glow in the lowlight of the room. This has been a night full of surprises, what's one more?
"Sure, sounds good."
As he mixes a drink like a chemist mixing an antidote in a lab, he doesn't seem the least bit phased by the whole scene that just went down. How often does this sort of thing happen in his life? His calm, cool demeanor is making me question my memories of the drama that just played out between him and Marjorie.
"Here, tell me what you think." He brings me a glass with a drink that looks like orange tang. I take a small sip and am pleasantly surprised that it tastes like a fancy lemonade.
"It's really good, thank you." I take another sip and watch as he sits with his concoction on the pure, white leather sofa, patting the seat invitingly. When I join him, I'm confused for a second as he takes my glass from me and places it on a table with his. Confused until he wraps his strong arm around me. His kiss is so light on my lips that it almost feels like the fuzzy memory of a dream upon them. He sucks my bottom lip into his mouth slowly, tenderly tugging on it with his teeth, making me moan at the unexpected sensation.
His hand travels down my dress to the hem and doesn't hesitate for a second before pushing up between my thighs, hovering over my wet panties. I gasp, I've never come close to having any man touch me like this. My body is hungry for more of him, but my mind won't stop spinning. Is this really how I want to lose my virginity? On a first date with a man who will probably never see me again? Marjorie isn't wrong, he probably won't even remember my name.
"Stop," I pant into his mouth weakly, but I push my hips forward, grinding my juicy mound toward the heat of his hand. He pushes me backward onto his couch and moves between my legs so quickly that my mind is now firing off alarm bells. This is too much! Too fast! He grabs my wrists in one of his hands and roughly tugs them over my head, pulling my dress up with his free hand and kisses me passionately.
His free hand glides up the inside of my thigh until he reaches my soaking panties. Matthew's finger pushes against my panties, putting just the right amount of pressure on my clit. I mewl, bucking my hips toward him. The intensity of his touch is so perfect, it feels like this is what I've been waiting for. I'm just not sure that this is the right time.
My reservations melt away again as our tongue caress and collide. I'm tired of being the good little girl, it's time to have some fun for once. I open my legs wider, encouraging him to keep stroking my pussy. I didn't even know I could get this wet. He sucks my bottom lip back in across his teeth, less gently this time and then gives it a painful nip that brings me back to reality.
"Owww! No, we need to stop. I just can't."
He releases my arms quickly and sits back up so fast it feels surreal. I'm still lying in front of him with my legs splayed open with a total disregard for modesty and my head spinning.
"If you want to stop, you'll have to quit putting on a show for me, Kendra," Matthew muses, smiling at my exposed lace panties. I sit up quickly and tug down the hem of my dress, heat firing up through my throat and ears.
"Is there a problem?" He raises his eyebrow with the hairline scar on it and his blue eyes twinkle. I feel like a fool. What kind of 26-year-old panics at the idea of having sex with a handsome billionaire?
"No, not a problem. I just can't keep going. I'm sorry, it's all just kind of overwhelming, you know? I mean there was all the drama, like fifteen minutes ago with your ex and really, she's right. I know this isn't a big deal for you, but it is for me. That's why I've waited so long and I just can't, and I should probably go home." I finally take a breath after spewing out my explanation like one long word.
"Waited so long? Are you telling me you're in grad school, and you've never been fucked?" He looks amused. Too amused at my expense. Like the very idea is so ridiculous to him that he can barely stop himself from laughing at me. My skin burns with shame as my eyes brim with tears. The last thing I need tonight is to be the butt of another rich person's joke. I stand up abruptly and head for the door. I won't sit here and be laughed at for having integrity, I don't care how big of a deal this guy thinks he is.
"I need to leave. Please call me a cab." I won't look at him. I will not give him the satisfaction of seeing how much he's affected me. I never should've let my guard down with someone like him.
"A cab! Do you know how far we are from the city? It's a two-hour drive. You aren't a prisoner here, Kendra. If you want to leave, I'll get the pilot … "
"No!" The idea of getting back in that helicopter is terrifying. "I'm not impressed by your stupid helicopter, and I don't want to fly. I just want to go home, now!" I whirl around and feel even angrier by the stupid grin on his face. He's loving this. Maybe that's part of his game.
"No need for a tantrum, I'll have my driver meet you at the front. He'll take you home safely, I can assure you." His face goes from amusement to completely disregarding me. It's like he's shut off any part of him that showed me any interest or respect just moments ago. I wait, stupidly, for him to walk me out or acknowledge that I'm leaving, but he just sits behind his desk and starts shuffling through paperwork. I guess I've been dismissed.
Leaving the house is more complicated than I had hoped. Luckily, I have a decent sense of direction, so I manage to get to the front door without steering too far off course. The entire way out I just keep my jaw shut tight and blink back my tears. I will not cry here. I won't do it. As I reach the front step, I can see the limo among the others in the driveway, but his has a driver waiting for me holding the door to the back seat open for me subserviently. I'm almost there. Just hold it together for a few more seconds.
"Bored with you already, is he? That must be a new record, even for him." I whirl around to see Marjorie with a cigarette dangling from her crimson lips.
"Fuck off you cow." I turn back on my heel and climb into the waiting car. No sooner than the door shuts, the tears start flowing, thank god for tinted windows. As the car pulls out I feel a mixed bag of emotions, shame, anger, disgust and the most upsetting of all, yearning. I hate myself for wanting him almost as much as I hate myself for walking away. Now I have a two-hour drive back to the city to think about it.
Chapter 4: The Apology
Just get through this shift. It's not like you knew the guy, and it's not like he matters. Move on. I walk into the diner with my head down. After my late night and enough tears to fill a bathtub, I know my eyes are puffy. You never should've gotten swept up, this is real life, not some fairy tale. I wrap my uniform's apron around me like a hug, comforted by its familiarity. I'm not going to say that this is where I belong, I haven't been busting my ass for the last six years to say that. However, last night was an eye-opener. If that's how the other half lives, and acts, then I'm happy I'll never be in their inner circle.