Then I remembered Vick’s problem. I stood and grabbed the now full glass and headed towards the pool tables.
“Where are we going?” Janson asked.
“To have a little fun,” I answered, the smile on my face vicious. “Let Vick know we’ll cover any damage to his place.” I winked at him and headed right for those entitled ass*ole
s with the pool sticks and their smug faces.
Someone was going to get a beating on the house, just like my drinks.
“Jesus Christ, Greyson,” Janson swore at me, but he was right the f*ck
behind me.
Joanna
“What the hell happened to you two?” I asked, trying to hide my horror as the two of them stumbled into the penthouse. Janson had a busted lip and bloody nose, and Greyson was going to have a shiner in the morning.
“Why aren’t you sleeping?” Greyson asked. His voice was dark and angry as he glared at me. They weren’t exactly stealthy as they banged on the door, trying to steady themselves while they searched for their keys. I’d opened the door before they even inserted a key into the lock.
“Because you woke me up?” I tried not to let my disdain show. I assessed them with new eyes. What I assumed was shit-face drunk was just slightly buzzed. I could tell by their hand-eye coordination that they were a little inebriated, but there was no slurred speech, no outrageous behavior.
They were just clumsy half beaten ass*ole
s.
“Did you take the beating, or are the other guys worse?” I asked, pulling them both in and shutting the door behind them.
“Put on some clothing.” Greyson’s face was red with anger and I looked down. I was wearing a nightgown, but the soft silk left very little to the imagination. And outline of my breasts, my hips, even the texture of my nipples showed through it. Still, the way he said it tempted me not to do as he asked. It begged me to do the opposite. I wanted to strip off and tell him to go f*ck
himself.
But I walked over to the bedroom and grabbed my robe.
“To answer your question, it was two on five and I feel really bad for their parents. They’ve got some drunk and disorderly charges to deal with on top of the hospital bills.” Greyson seemed pleased with himself even when Janson looked surly next to him.
“You beat up kids?” I asked.
“College men who were under the impression that they were in their physical prime. Don’t worry, we disabused them.” Greyson grabbed me and pulled me down into his lap. It was then that I smelled the wave of bourbon on him. He reeked of it, and yet it set off his own scent and his cologne and just the smell of it on his breath was slightly intoxicating.
I pushed away from him but he only held me tighter. “You are a f*ck
ing brute.”
“I know it,” he smiled and then swooped down to kiss me, his lips bruising mine as he took my lips. I couldn’t fight it, not for long. I didn’t want to. I melted right there in his lap.
“Hey, ass*ole
,” Janson said as he sunk down into the leather chair. “You seriously going to do this right here in front of me?”
“What, you wanna watch?” Greyson said a smirk painted on his face.
Janson screwed up his lips and glared. “No, I wanted you to f*ck
ing get off the couch so I can get a head-start on this f*ck
ing hangover.”
“You didn’t need to drink the whole bottle of gin Vick offered you for ridding him of those idiots,” Greyson answered. He stood and pulled me up with him. I didn’t really understand what they were bantering about, but I didn’t care. He had his arms around me and that was all I wanted. No matter what argument my rational mind came up with that was the truth. I wanted to be there, wrapped up in his arms. No matter what he did.
“Fee for services rendered. Pest extermination.” Janson explained. “We were helping the barkeep with those kids. They were ass*ole
s.”
I just nodded.
“Pays to have a job you love,” Greyson answered Janson as he ushered me into the bedroom.
Right. They beat the shit out of people for the fun of it. I forgot. My mood soured, but it was too late. I was in his arms.
The arms of a monster.
Chapter Eleven
Greyson
“I need you to procure the expenditure list of September. I need to sign off on it,” I told my secretary, Lily.
“Do you want October’s as well?” she asked as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. It was her nervous tick, one that I’d picked up only hours after working with her. She fiddled with her hair when nervous. I understood. I made everyone around me nervous. She just wasn’t good at hiding it.. She was eager to please and hard working.
“If you can get it from my father’s accounting staff. They usually aren’t available this early in the month, but you might be able to at least get a projection.”